The interstellar sci fi comic from me and Sebastian Piriz is coming from Heavy Metal and we are excited about it.
The story is being serialised in the heavy Metal Magazine proper, but they are also releasing us in single issues through their Elements line and the first issue lands next month, but you can ask your store to set you aside the first 3 issues as they land because the third one just went up in Previews.
Here are the cover to what is half of this story, so please speak to your LCS and ask them to preorder and set you aside a copy of each of these as they come out monthly starting in July.
BLACK BEACON #1 – out in JulyBLACK BEACON #2 – out in AugustBLACK BEACON #3 – out in September
I’m so excited about this story coming out. The single issues are $2.99, and we’ve packed the back with extra materials and information and fun.
Today is the day, race to your comic shop right now to get your hands on my latest sci fi masterpiece with Sebastian Piriz – BLACK BEACON!
Just nab a copy of HEAVY METAL #306 – with two separate covers, I dig that B cover!
the A Coverthe B Cover
Why?
Well, Seb and I have the first chapter of our latest collaboration contained within the filthy hallowed halls of the world’s most awesome sci fi and fantasy magazine! BLACK BEACON is a huge sci fi story that’s playing with two lead characters on the largest scope we could possibly conceive of. There’s an intergalactic space station out there bigger than our solar system where someone wants everyone to come along and meet up. The beacon made it sound like a utopia, but what Niko finds upon her arrival is a lawless expanse where everyone is out for themselves and she’s so late she doesn’t even have a seat at the table. A story of survival, truth, and experience lies in front of Niko if she can figure out who to trust and what to do before the secret of her journey catches up with her.
I like to say – what if CONTACT led us to SAGA?
And we go big with that thought. We open on Niko crash landing on the sphere, and things going sideways instantly. From there, we try to find her a home, some safety, but the worlds that have combined to make this central meeting ground are clashing, and it’s all in a pretty depreaved and iniquitous state.
I gotta tell you, though, Sebastian Piriz has gone HUGE for this book. His alien designs, his technology, his emotion – all are on display in a masterclass of art meets discovery meets creation, meets epic.
I am incredibly in love with what he’s brough to this world, and every issue he seems to level up. Page layouts and beats within scenes and character thoughts all shine in just the right sequence. This book is The Piriz Showcase, and don’t you forget.
I’ve loved writing this story/world for the past year, and I’m hugely looking forward to showing people what we’ve got in the full 6 chapter plot. But it all starts here, finally, and I hope you dig how we kick things off. It’s going to be a wild ride, but hopefully we strap you in tight enough to stick around, but maybe also tight enough so you gotta work for each breath.
HEAVY METAL #306 is in stores from May 12 – pick up your copy now for the launch of BLACK BEACON, the new wild frontier of sci fi.
This week has two very important things going down straight outta RKL HQ:
EVERFROST #1 – FOC is Monday!
The Final Order Cutoff is the date where retailers lock in any tweaks to their orders, so you still have a chance of securing your copy for June 02, when we land on shelves.
Please tell your comic shop you want this comic preordered and waiting for you because then you are guaranteed it, and won’t be subject to possible sell outs on the day. Retailers tend to order less indie comics than they do the latest X-Event [I know, insane business model] and every preorder tells the shop it’s a winner, so they’re more likely to order an extra 1-2 for the shelf. Every preorder actively helps to move our initial sales much higher than just your 1 order. Here’s what you can say, or email:
“Hey [INSERT SHOP NAME, or employee name if you’re really something special], can I please preorder a comic, it looks amazing. It’s called EVERFROST, from Black Mask Studios, the order code is APR211533 – I’d like all 4 issues set aside, please.”
Yes, in fact, tell your shop you want all 4 issues, because this is a 4 issue mini, and you don’t wanna get started and then get shorted on future installments of this, trust me. Here’s a look at the first 2 covers from Sami Kivela:
And also…
BLACK BEACON is in Heavy Metal #306 – THIS WEEK!
I have a shelf debut this week, my sci fi collaboration with Sebastian Piriz lands this week in the pages of Heavy Metal Magazine – pick up #306 when it lands from Wednesday and find the opening 22 page chapter of BLACK BEACON!
This is a huuuuuge sci fi story, and we’ll be in the next 5 issues of the magazine. Here’s a look at the first page:
You can pick up a copy this week, or tell your LCS to put it aside for you while you are talking to them about EVERFROST :] The cover looks like this:
Or, if you really wanna commit: BLACK BEACON is also getting a single issue release later in the year, and the first issue is up for preorder, so you can tell your comic shop to preorder BLACK BEACON #1 for you, it’s from Heavy Metal, with order code MAY211491 – here’s the cover:
It’s a lot to remember – maybe keep this newsletter open while you have the chat, if you need the support. I am, if nothing else, always here for you.
To summarise, here’s the date list rundown:
Here’s the rundown, because the list is bigger now:
May 12 – HEAVY METAL #306 – sees the start of BLACK BEACON with me and Sebastian Piriz
June 02 – EVERFROST #1 lands – this miniseries starts here from me and Sami Kivela
June – HEAVY METAL #307 – the second chapter of BLACK BEACON lands in this issue, I assume, at this date
July 14 – EVERFROST #2 lands
July [insert number here] – BLACK BEACON starts to get a solo single issue release here, so if you missed the magazine, you can get our first chapter, with some back matter, right here.
EVERFROST runs for 4 months, BLACK BEACON will run for 6. Really excited about both of these, so hope you find your copies, set aside time to read, and know that I appreciate your support an insane amount.
BLACK BEACON is a huge sci fi story I’m telling with Sebastian Piriz at Heavy Metal – they love the story so much we’re in the magazine starting with #306 in May, but we are also getting a single issue release in July – you can preorder it now with your LCS with these details.
Here is the awesome cover layout:
The official solicit material says:
There’s an intergalactic space station out there bigger than our solar system where a message wants everyone to come along and meet up. The beacon made it sound like a utopia, but what Niko finds upon her arrival is a lawless expanse where everyone is out for themselves and she’s so late she doesn’t even have a seat at the table.
A story of survival, truth, and experience lies in front of Niko if she can figure out who to trust and what to do before the secret of her journey catches up with her.
This story is wild and mammoth and Seb is doing career-best work on every page. I’m really proud of the immense amount of world-building and heart we’ve fit into these pages. It’s a whole miniseries and it all starts here, so speak with your LCS about preordering this book – here are a few reasons:
BLACK BEACON is huge sci fi in every scale we know
Each issue is $2.99 and packed with some back matter at the end
Independent stories with new characters are important
Sebastian and I are swinging for the bleachers with this one!
Without Fear 