There’s No Place Like Holmes (part 2)

We’re back with part two of our annual festival of comic goodness we call HOLMES INCORPORATED.   Today’s cover is brought to you by the letters “Daniel” and “Wong”, who turned in an action packed image that gives our family something to do on a slow Tuesday.  YIKES!

Yesterday we sneak peaked you into the first of TWO all new volumes for this summer, showing off FIVE (5) amazing new tales of the Holmes family in all their generations. Today, we bring you the second (2nd) of TWO (2) issues this year, with yet ANOTHER five fantastic features, and it’s also, officially, a doozy!

If you need to read the other slam-packed issues of Holmes Inc. , they’re all up online for FREE here!

Onwards to the new stuff!  WOO HOO!

Starting off the issue with a bang (literally) we have newcomer Dave Franciosa showing off his splash page skills over a roller coaster ride of a script by Sam Noir.  Blow out the hero’s knee with a gun blast from a mysterious monster at the door, and set the scales at life or death…. THAT’S how  you start a story!  I’ll bet you want to read more, right?

There’s that Franciosa fellow again, doing layouts this time, with Jason Roussel and Matthew Tavares finishing the pencils, and Christopher Yao inking, over top of character and prop designs from Rachael Wells.   This issue features a couple of jam stories by the whole Holmes Inc. Bullpen  (we were over-abundant with eager writers to the tune of two) and had to create art-teams to give life to a couple of our instant classic scripts.

Well, when James Cooper wrote a tale that absolutely everyone in the group wanted to work on, that’s what happened.  And it turns out that there’s some advantage in splitting up the layout/pencils and inks because the pages look better than the sum of their parts.  Who knew?

First time contributor Taran Chadha didn’t work on the jam story because he was busy showing off his multi-level skills on a story he wrote, drew and grey toned all by his own self.  And WOW is the only word we can use.    Only the really good ones make it look so easy.

With an utterly charming script from Holmes Inc. super-veteran Mike Marano (who doubled as assistant editor for this star turn…ye editor is SO proud), we see our next jam story.  This time laid out by the inimitable Rachael Wells and, penciled and inked by the whole gang (including some special guest stars from previous issues!) this story introduces us to another of Mike’s fantastic guest star characters!  Is she a new love interest for Edgar Holmes….or will she DESTROY HIM?!?

Ye editor pitched in with an art job of his own this year, with a story by second time Holmes Inc. author, Oliver Ho, that I had to get my hands on.  It’s spooky meets science-y, wrapped up in a mystery, and I got to draw Chinese Water Dragons, so everybody wins.

If you’re in Toronto, come on down to the FanExpo convention, meet the creators, and pick up your own copy (while supplies last, I suspect we might sell out of these mini-masterpieces).

ALSO:  Come on down to the FanExpo to hear me give out FREE lectures on creating comics for fun and profit.  Today’s lecture (which is, I think going on in the early afternoon 6:45pm Room 705) is called “How to Write a Plot in Under an Hour!”  There’s room for lots of people, so bring a friend!

Ty the Guy OUT!

For your Bonus Moment?  A map of Hall E

Holmes Incorporated Countdown Continues! Tuesday Edition!

MORE Holmes Inc. goodness! How will you survive all this explosively skilled and impressive work? By heading to FanExpo Canada 2012 this weekend to buy your VERY OWN copy of the book, of course!

It will look like this…you should have no trouble finding it at the FanExpo convention this weekend in Toronto!

Up first today, pages from Analysis Paralysis, a story from first-time participants Savannah MacIntosh and Tuhin Giri, who turned in a story like a pair of old pros.   Savannah wrote this delightful story – illustrated even more delightfully by Tuhin – which sees Edgar having to rescue his sister and cousin from evil-doers.

story by Savannah MacIntosh, art by Tuhin Giri

 James Cooper is back with a one-pager, Special Guest, with art by Jeff Longstreet!

written by James Cooper, illustrated by Jeff Longstreet

Next up in our excursion through artland is returning champion artist Rachael Wells (a participant in all three Holmes Inc. issues), and a new writer, Sam Noir. I inked Rachael on her last story, and it inspired her to take my Inking for Comics course–with some pretty wonderful results, as she inks her own pages this time out. Sam Noir is a first-time participant with Artie is Dead, but his story left an impression on everyone who read it.  There’s a hidden surprise or two AFTER this tragic opening that you’ll NEVER see coming.

story by Sam Noir, art by Rachael Wells

The next haunting tale of Holmsian Love and Mystery was one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had working on this project for the last three years.  The story went through a draft or two before we got to this fabulous version in the end, and Kevin “Silkcuts” Gorospe gets my vote of the most tenacious writer we’ve ever had.  His artist Raymond Jin is another first-time participant who turned in a wonderful art job with more effort and attention to detail than anyone else, and was FINISHED FIRST, which every editor loves.  When you read the full story, you’ll fall in love with one of our cast, just like Trey did…

Take a bow, guys.

story by Kevin “Silkcuts” Gorospe, art by Raymond Jin

Holmes Incorporated #3 will be available for sale at Fan Expo this weekend, in Booth 614, at Rachael Well’s booth A165, and at the Templeton-Smiths tables in Artists Alley, P30A and P30B. Stop by and pick up your copy!!

Ty the Guy OUT!!

Here now, your BONUS Holmes Comic Book Moment:

This comic is actually the FIRST time I ever read a Sherlock Holmes story.  It came out when I was about nine or ten, and started me down a lifelong path of loving the great detective.  Walt Simonson cover, and E.R. Cruz artwork on the inside, if I recall (or one of the Redondo Brothers).

See, Mom?  Comics can learn ya stuff.