Webcomics Update

Posted on June 21, 2014 by Christopher Mills

It’s been a while, so here’s a long-overdue look at the Atomic Pulp line of webcomics. If you’re reading this, then you’re almost certainly aware that I write, and publish online, three weekly, serialized webcomics (did I mention that they’re free?): Gravedigger, Perils On Planet X, and Femme Noir.

00000• Gravedigger is more than halfway through its action-packed second continuity, “The Predators.” Over the last couple months we’ve had some scheduling issues due to various circumstances on both my part and multiple-award-winning artist/co-creator Rick Burchett’s, but it looks like we’re back on track now, with new installments every Monday. Once “The Predators” wraps, we plan to move right into the third – and biggest – Gravedigger caper, tentatively titled, “The Abductors.” Like “The Predators,” this one is brand-new, and has never been available in any format before.

• Every Wednesday sees an episode of Femme Noir, drawn by my pal, Joe Staton, who is currently shaking up the funny pages as the artist on the Dick Tracy newspaper strip. At the moment, we are re-presenting previously-published stories while we gear up to produce a new graphic novel.

• The most popular of the Atomic Pulp webcomics (in terms of monthly traffic) is Perils On Planet X, which updates on Fridays. This swashbuckling interplanetary adventure, which is illustrated by the immensely talented Gene Gonzales, and colored by Ian Sokoliwski, has updated like clockwork for more than a year now, with no missed weeks. We’re about a third of the way into Chapter Three of the first storyline, “Hawke Of Terra,” and looking toward the future. We’re working on plans for a collected volume (and maybe some crowdfunding to pull it off) of this first “Book,” as well as discussing future stories.

• My collaborators and I appreciate all comments and feedback from our readers. We also appreciate every link and referral, because the more readers we have, the easier it is justify keeping them going. So thanks, to everyone who’s helped spread the word… and if you haven’t read them yet: why not?

Posted in Comics | Leave a comment

Coast City Comic Con Is Coming!

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Christopher Mills

C4-1My only 2013 convention appearance will be at the Coast City Comic Con, in South Portland, Maine, the weekend of November 9th and 10th. It looks to be a surprisingly “big” show for this neck of the woods, with a bunch of notable comics guests – Mike Norton, Larry Hama, Ed McGuinness, Ben Templesmith, Erik Burnham and many others – and film/TV celebrities, including most of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 cast, and a reunion of actors from the 1984 cult film Savage Streets!

I’ll have a table in the artists alley and will have copies of my comics, graphic novels and prose anthologies on hand for purchase. I’ll try to have some Gravedigger and Perils On Planet X stuff there, too. Hope to see you there!

Posted in Appearances | 2 Comments

Femme Noir Returns

Posted on August 7, 2013 by Christopher Mills

Staton_05On August 14th, I’m re-launching www.femme-noir.com, where Joe Staton and I will be re-presenting classic Femme Noir comics and archiving all the pin-ups, fan art and character sketches that have been created over the last 10+ years since we debuted our fishnet-clad heroine online. We will also be using the site to keep fans informed on the progress of a new Femme Noir graphic novel, which we’re shooting to get out next year.

All four issues of the 2009 “Dark City Diaries” miniseries, as well as previously-published short stories & online strips, will be serialized – for FREE – online, a page a week. If you already have these comics in your collection, the online versions will be supplemented with new bonus material (samples of Joe’s pencils, my original script pages, commentary, etc.). The site will also function as a “Production Log” for the new graphic novel – and any other future Femme Noir projects/products.

It is our hope that new readers will enjoy the stories as serialized, but, of course, the print versions will also be available for purchase from publisher Ape Entertainment (as long as supplies last!) for the impatient. We also hope that folks who already have these stories will enjoy the bonuses and project updates. Along with the reruns, we’ll be occasionally previewing work-in-progress art from the forthcoming graphic novel, “Cold, Dead Fingers,” and have other surprises in the works, as well.

Now… about that “Cold, Dead Fingers: The Graphic Novel.” This will be a completely re-written and re-drawn, extended version of the very first Femme Noir online comics continuity, which appeared way back in 2000-2001. The basic plot remains the same, but it will be considerably expanded-upon, with additional characters, subplots, and action beats.

Femme Noir co-creator Joe Staton will, as always, pencil the book, and my frequent collaborator, Gravedigger artist Rick Burchett, has volunteered to ink it. Rick got his professional start inking Joe on E-Man at First Comics in the 1980s, and they make a formidable artistic team. Colors will be provided by the talented Matt Webb, who previously colored a couple issues of “The Dark City Diaries” miniseries. We’re starting production on “Cold, Dead Fingers” this month, and hope to have it completed and released sometime in 2014.

Anyway – I know some folks will be disappointed that this announcement is mostly about re-presenting the existing Femme Noir stories online, but it is our hope that we’ll be able to provide enough new content to keep our old fans interested and involved, while using the serialized web versions to attract new readers. So that’s the news: classic Femme Noir serialized online for free, lots of bonus material (new and old), and a new graphic novel gearing up.

We hope you’ll check out femme-noir.com in a couple of weeks and make it a regular part of your online reading habit.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Webcomics Update

Posted on June 22, 2013 by Christopher Mills
A Sneak Peek at GRAVEDIGGER: “The Predators.” Art by Rick Burchett

Just wanted to remind folks about my two free weekly webcomics: Gravedigger and Perils On Planet X. Both comics premiered in February, and neither one has missed a week yet.

Gravedigger, which updates every Monday, is a hardboiled noir comic in the tradition of 60s Gold Medal paperbacks and 70s crime films, drawn by the incredibly talented and underrated Rick Burchett. We’re actually closing in on the end of the first adventure, “The Scavengers,” which will wrap up in August. On September 2nd – barring disaster – we’ll be beginning our second caper, “The Predators,” which is brand new and never been seen before in print or online.

If that story proves popular, I’ve got a third caper in mind, tentatively titled “The Marauders,” which both Rick and I are eager to do.

A Sneak Peek at PERILS ON PLANET X: “Flight Into Terror!” Art by Gene Gonzales

Perils On Planet X, which sees a new page every Friday, is a swashbuckling interplanetary adventure in the vein of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars or Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon. It’s drawn by the amazing Gene Gonzales and colored by Ian Sokoliwski. As with Gravedigger, we’re closing in fast on the end of the first chapter, “Captives Of The Corsair Queen,” which will conclude in July. The second chapter, “Flight Into Terror,” is currently scheduled to debut on August 1st. Chapter Two will run for 28 weeks, with Chapter Three, “Blood Horde Of The Forbidden City,” to follow.

Both comics have pretty decent followings, but I’d really like to see both titles garner more regular readers. We had a nice bump a few weeks ago, when comic writer/author Greg Rucka gave them a very kind plug, but I still think they could be doing a lot better.

Unfortunately, I don’t seem to have the knack for effective self-promotion; beyond posting weekly notices on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter, I’ve had comparatively little success getting much attention for the comics. I’m going to keep trying, though! You can help, too – if you dig Gravedigger or Perils On Planet X, we’d definitely appreciate you mentioning them on your own blogs, on appropriate message boards, on Facebook and Twitter.

Posted in Comics | Leave a comment