Mood:
caffeinatedTopic: Comic Books - New
TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3332: As I stated back in Blog #3320, I have seen Tone Rodriguez at several comic cons during the last couple of years. I also stated that I had not seen his comics works, although I knew that he had illustrated several comic book stories and series, as seen at this link to the Grand Comics Database. So the last time I saw him at a comic con, the 2010 Long Beach Comic Con (LBCC) to be exact, I actually talked to him for the longest time ever, in between his illustrating commissions at his table in the Artists Alley of the LBCC. He's always busy at comic con illustrating, as he has a large following!
'John Carpenter's Snake Plissken Chronicles' from Hurricane Entertainment / Crossgen. The 'Special Preview' issue was published August of 2002, and the mini-series was published June 2003 to February 2004. The 'Special Preview' issue had a color cover, but the interior pages were black and white. The illustrated pages were actually the beginning pages for issue #1, but in B&W. A 2 page background text article was also printed, telling of the concept of transforming the film series to comic book format.
This was a very good introduction to the then upcoming mini-series. Although I missed the entire comic book series back then, this 'Special Preview' had I seen it, would have led me to want to seek the mini-series out when it was published in the Spring of 2003. That is definitely the 'purpose' of a 'Sneak Preview' comic book or mini-comic! I read the full series & preview in order in the packet that Tone gave for review consideration. As stated above, the 1st issue took the B&W pages presented in the 'Special Preview' issue and presented them in color. The rest of the story was shown. Of course, since it was a mini-series, the last page of the story had the 'To Be Continued' box. The next page had a one-page 'house ad' showing the 'Violent Messiahs' mini-series that had been created by the Writer and Artist of this Snake Plissken Chronicles series. I haven't mentioned William O'Neill, who was the writer of both series. The following three pages were additional sketches and text showing the concept art for this Snake Plissken Chronicles series, which was interesting reading. There was also a 3 page 'teaser' for another Hurricane Entertainment property, 'The Diplomats', that I won't go into. So for a 1st Issue, this really got me wanting to read more!
Yet, I found the storyline, the pencils, the colors, and the 'xtras' included in this series to be all that I would want to follow another adventure of 'Snake Plissken' in a comic book format. Plus 'Kurt Russell' himself was depicted very well as 'Snake Plissken' in this series. I have see other series that didn't depict the actors that played main characters depicted as well as this one did. And yes, I did 'Like' the 'Snake Plissken' films that were on the 'Big Screen'. So I was already 'introduced' to the character via those films. This comic book mini-series was a well produced one, and I'm sorry it took me this look to read it! So I'm taking the time today to 'review blog it' here. Review Rating for this mini-series: 9.2 NEAR MINT MINUS (NM-) out of a possible 10.0 Comic Book Grading scale. The reason for that is because of the multiple covers that the publisher had for this mini-series, which is a 'tactic' that I am not in favor of generally. There were 3 covers for issue #1, 2 covers for #2, 2 covers for #3, and 2 covers for #4. However, that is just my POV on this 'gimmick', and may not be your POV. I know of several persons who enjoy collecting multiple covers, so to each his own. In today's economy, I do know that is a possible 'burden' to some, which is why I mention it here. Especially for 'completists', which I once was... Additional comic book mini-series have not been produced, and as a matter of fact, the whole 'Snake Plissken' additional adventures on film or TV have been in 'development hell' for years. A shame actually... At this point of time, I don't have a link as to where you can buy this mini-series or special preview, as the publisher has gone under.
Tone does not have a Facebook Fan Page for himself, otherwise I would point you to that site. There is a Facebook 'author' page for Tone, but it does not have a link to communicate with him. Tone Rodriguez does have a 'Facebook Member Profile Page', and he is not maxed out at this time with the 5,000 Facebook Friends 'Limit' like I am. However, please be informed that as many comic books creators are, he is very busy creating, and doesn't have all the 'free time' needed to communicate promptly to 'Friends Requests' or wall posts. I can usually 'see' where Tone will be exhibiting next by his posts on his Facebook Wall, but with 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan Pages 'Liked', I can't keep track of all of the comics creators I am 'Facebook Friends' with. I do try to let my own Fan Page readers know of current events there, but my 'free time' is also limited at times during projects I am working on. My Thanks again to Tone Rodriguez for bringing this mini-series to my attention at the recent 2010 LBCC! I am appreciating more and more his versatility in different genres of comics. This was quite different from his illustrated art in the Bongo Comics 'Best Radioactive Man Event Ever' trilogy! ~Michael D Hamersky
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That led to him showing me packages of the comic books and series that he had illustrated for. I've already blogged about the 
Then villain concepts were shown, vehicles, and a pin-up gallery of 'Snake Plissken', whose likeness of course is based on actor Kurt Russell, who portrayed 'Snake' in the films.
Which I did! Issue 2 continued the storyline in a fine manner, as did issues 3 & 4. Yes, I may be a little 'prejudiced' in favor of the series due to the fact that I 'know' the penciller of this series a little.
If you are in the SoCal area, you could buy it from Tone Rodriguez himself at a comic con. 
My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and the archived blog posts, now over 3,330 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!
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