General Update

Just a quick note or two...as you can now see, 12 Gauge has been busy very over the last year, even if there was not a lot of news released to the public.

A little over a week ago our new website started rolling out. When it is done (which should be soon) it will be one of the best in the industry. I loved the old site, but wanted to keep moving forward, and this site will help us do that.

As you might have heard, 12 Gauge is now publishing some comics outside of our long-time partner, Image Comics (see below). This was simply a business decision that made sense for the two books we recently announced. At this point in time I have no reason to believe 12 Gauge won't publish more books through Image, but we'll also be spreading our wings a bit to see how things go. There is certainly no bad blood or anything for the gossip columns; this was simply a business decision on what was best for the new books.

Speaking of those new books, the creation of the LUKE MCBAIN series has been a blast! I've made a lot of trips to Nashville over the past year to help put this deal together, and all of them have been fun. Now, after all the hard work, it has been a real joy to hear the reaction. I was worried about how it would be received in comic book circles, but the feedback has blown me away. David Tischman has written a great story, Brian Stelfreeze has knocked the first cover out of the park, and Kody Chamberlain has given LUKE MCBAIN a life all his own. Sitting at our booth during Comic-Con was when I knew we had a hit. Fans that don't know what country music sounds like were looking at the material, grabbing a MCBAIN poster and asking me when it would be released because they wanted to make sure they didn't miss it.

BOONDOCK SAINTS...what can I say!?! This is a dream come true. I love the movie and can't wait to see ALL SAINTS DAY. Without a doubt the BDS fans are the best in the world (sorry TWILIGHT, not even close). The crew that showed up for our Troy Duffy signing was so fired up it was simply infectious. Once our release date is locked in you retailers better watch out; your UPS driver might not make it to the door with his boxes (I'm kidding, of course. Well, maybe). Keep checking right here for more info...as soon as I have it, I'll post it.

Post Comic-Con I'd like to thank a few folks that helped me keep my sanity last week; Doug Wagner (because it simply could not be done without him), Jana Cook (for always offering your help), as well as David, Kody, Eben, Adam, Jason, Danielle, Brittany, Ford, Thomas, and Heath...all of you helped me out in some form or fashion, and it is greatly appreciated.

I'll also add, I'm really glad July is over. It was a great month, one that was very critical for 12 Gauge, but DAMN, I need some rest! I'm too old to live off of 4 and 5 hours of sleep each night.

Hello August!

Billy Connelly: comic book character

Scottish funnyman Billy Connolly is set to become a comic-book character.

The Glasgow-born comedian will appear as an assassin called “Il Duce” in the series of comics to come out with the film Boondock Saints II, released later this year.

The world-famous comedian played the same character in the cult 1999 original Boondock Saints.

He said: “I like careering around shooting people and murdering people – I don’t think I would like to do it in my life, but it’s a great chance to pretend.

“I have got a much bigger part in this film and it’s great to be able to do the sequel after 10 years.

“This is streets ahead of most of the things I’ve done.”

The artwork for the comic, by the USA-based 12 Gauge Comics, features Connolly as an aggressive looking bearded figure wearing sunglasses and brandishing two large handguns.

His character, Il Duce, is the father of the two main characters, who are played in the film version by Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flannery.

They play vigilantes who take on Boston’s underworld in a spree of gunfights and violence.

Connolly’s character is ordered to kill his sons, but teams up with them to take on the mob.

Jason Love, a co-writer on the comic book said: “Anybody who loves the films is going to love what we’re going for in the comics.”

12 GAUGE To Publish BOONDOCK SAINTS

Timed to coincide with the cinematic release "Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day," writer/director Troy Duffy is working with 12 Gauge Comics on a comic tie-in project. The original cult hit movie followed brothers Corey and Murphy MacManus, who take it upon themselves to clean up the streets of Boston, ridding their hometown of crime as local vigilantes. The film sequel does not yet have a firm release date, but upon its release, the series will follow. CBR News caught up with Duffy, comic series co-writer Jason Love, 12-Gauge publisher Keven Gardner, and Eben Matthews, who had a "producing" role, to discuss the comic.

Duffy said that the comic will flesh out the fan-favorite character of Il Duce, the brothers' father played by Billy Connolly, in even greater depth than what will be seen in the cinematic sequel. “There was so much interest about that guy and how he became a killer,” Duffy told CBR. “The character was one of those characters that comes in in the last 10 minutes and blows the plot wide open, but he was not in there throughout the film, so I wouldn't have expected so much interest in him. I had to address it, because fans of 'Boondock' were just too interested in this guy and how he became a killer, and why he was where he was, and everything about him.”

Readers will see, among other things, the circumstances behind Il Duce's first kill. “Some very personal things happen to him that's sort of his impetus to begin killing,” Duffy said. “But then there's another person involved, and it becomes much more than just 'one kill for revenge.'”

Duffy told CBR that he had been looking to cross over into the world of comics for some time, and that the second “Boondock Saints” film provided an excellent opportunity to “finally pull the trigger on it.”


Eben Matthews, the creative director and executive producer of graphic design firm Innfusion, helped set Duffy up at 12 Gauge. Matthews said that Duffy's "Boondock Saints" comics are "being done with Troy's intimate involvement, so you are really getting the same experience, tone, and style that has worked so well in the movies." Co-writer Jason Love added that, "It's going to be in canon, and feel, look, and be a natural extension of the films. Anybody who loves the films is going to love what we're going for in the comics."

Eben Matthews continued, saying, "I kind of look at this initial story, it's almost like an extended deleted scene from the film. We take some of the plot elements that are in the film and spin them off into this much larger story that answers some of the questions in kind of a cool and interesting way."

An interior artist has not yet been determined, but 12 Gauge veteran Chris Brunner will be providing the covers. “He's working on a story right now called 'Loose Ends,' and the story he did for 'The Ride' a couple years ago was our best reviewed in terms of art,” 12 Gauge's Keven Gardner said of Brunner. “He was the art director at Upper Deck for a few years, but he wanted to get back into comics. This was a really good fit for him.”

Eben Matthews added, “He's a big fan of the movie, as well, so it's great to have him there geeking out with us. We're doing something really cool. And that first cover is a great image. I think it will get people really excited at Comic Con.”

As to whether Duffy will write other comics projects beyond the “Boondock Saints” tie-in, he said that, if all goes well with this first book, that would certainly be a possibility. "It's one of those things we've always thought about, and 'Boondock's' always been right for it," he said. "We never really had the right people and talked to the right people until we met up with Eben and 12 Gauge. If it goes as well as we hope, and it's as much of a creative outlet for myself and the other artists involved, then we can go just about anywhere with it."



The cover to "Boondock Saints II: All Saint's Day" #1.Given the storied history of the first "Boondock Saints" film--after a calamitous production process, it screened in only a handful of theatres for only a week, but went on to make $100 million in DVD sales--we asked Duffy whether there any strange behind the scenes stories leading up to the second film. The director laughed knowingly, but there was only so much he could say on the record. "Any time you make a movie, you're going to have some interesting, horrifying, and amusing stuff happening. Movies are nothing but triumphs and tragedies all rolled into one, over the course of three to six months," he told CBR. He pointed to the Youtube videos of cast and crew as a good glimpse of what was happening on set. "I didn't even see them until we'd wrapped, actually, I was extraordinarily busy. I just laughed my ass off watching those. There's one where Sean [Patrick Flannery] and Norm [Reedus] are acting like these homeless guys, it's a riot."

Duffy will be attending Comic-Con International this week to promote the "Boondock Saints" film sequel, and signing Saturday at 3:30 at Sony's booth. Fans should also check the 12 Gauge booth for signing times.

"It's kind of interesting for me," Duffy said. "I've never done comics before. I don't quite know what to expect. It's kind of nice, actually, to just jump right into something where you don't know where the bottom is. I'm going in with both feet and hoping we can get this thing done right."

CBR interview with Tischman & Gardner

Though alternative music stars like Gerard Way, Tori Amos and others have explored the medium of comics in recent years, representatives from the world of country music have been notably absent from the art form. Looking to change this is David Tischman, the writer (with Howard Chaykin) behind Vertigo’s “American Century,” “Greatest Hits,” and the upcoming WildStorm series “Red Herring.” His four-issue miniseries “Luke McBain” debuts in November from 12-Gauge Comics, with its title character drawn in the likeness of country star Trace Adkins. Kody Chamberlain is illustrating the series, with covers by Brian Stelfreeze. CBR News caught up with Tischman and 12-Gauge Publisher Keven Gardner to discuss the title.

“Luke McBain” opens with its titular star returning home after serving 14 years in prison. The southern U.S. town McBain finds himself in now is one controlled by greed and corruption, and he's the only one with the courage to set things right. “Keven has built 12-Gauge on this great notion of the modern South and that you can have these great character and action stories in the south,” Tischman told CBR.

“First and foremost, we wanted to create a story that would work for 12-Gauge, regardless of Trace Adkins's involvement. And we definitely did that,” Gardner agreed. “We came up with this story with kind of a 'Walking Tall,' 'Billy Jack' feel to it, a guy who's been in jail for a while, taking the rap for a crime he didn't do. He's really wanting to just relax, get back to the life he left behind. But no good deed goes unpunished. He finds out that his brother owns the town, so he's got to stand up for the people. Whether you know who Trace Adkins is or not, it's a really good story.” (read the rest of the article by doing the title link above!)

TRACE ADKINS is "LUKE MCBAIN"

COUNTRY STAR TRACE ADKINS BECOMES COMIC BOOK ACTION HERO

"Luke McBain" Is First Original Concept Comic Book Series By A Country Artist




Nashville, Tenn. - July 20, 2009 -- Country music sensationTRACE ADKINS can now add action hero to his ongoing list of career accomplishments. In November, 12 Gauge Comics unleashes "LUKE MCBAIN," a four-issue comic book series featuring a tough Southern hero that is based on the platinum-selling country star.

Other music artists have been involved with the comic book scene including Gerald Way of My Chemical Romance and Tori Amos, but Adkins is the first country artist to be featured as a fictional character in a comic book project.

Writer David Tischman (Red Herring) created the idea with 12 Gauge publisher Keven Gardner, and they spent a lot of time with Adkins to make sure "MCBAIN" feels authentic.

The title character of Luke McBain is drawn to Adkins' likeness and reflects some of the 6'6" singer's philosophy. The story takes place when McBain returns home to rural Louisiana after serving 14 years in prison, having taken the fall for a crime he didn't commit. He finds himself in a town now controlled by greed and corruption, and he's the only one with the courage to set things right. Although the book contains some violence, it is generally suitable for all ages.

"The McBain character became kind of a reflection of Trace Adkins' entertainment persona," notes Tischman. "It breathes a real life personality into the fictional character which is something we wanted. Trace helped a lot with that, and it's something that I think we've worked hard to write into the character."

The comic book series features artwork by Kody Chamberlain (30 Days of Night: Bloodsucker Tales), and covers by acclaimed Batman artist Brian Stelfreeze.

The first issue hits stores across North America in November to coincide with Adkins' tour. It will be available for $3.99 per issue in more than 4,000 comic book stores and other fine retail outlets.

12 Gauge Comics was founded by Keven Gardner in 2004 and currently publishes some of the most successful and critically acclaimed independent comic books in the marketplace today, including "The Ride," "Body Bags" and Rosario Dawson's "O.C.T."

For more information and latest news on Trace Adkins, visit www.traceadkins.com

12 Gauge Comics blasts into Comic-Con 2009! (Booth #2045)

12 GAUGE COMICS is locked, loaded, and ready to take on Comic-Con! We’ll be previewing upcoming comics (both on the page and “in-motion”), announcing new titles, giving away lots of cool freebies, reviewing portfolios and more! Make sure to check us out in our new location, Booth #2045.

12 Gauge Creators signing throughout the show include:

Troy Duffy (writer/director THE BOONDOCK SAINTS & THE BOONDOCK SAINTS II: ALL SAINTS DAY)
David Tischman (LUKE MCBAIN)
Kody Chamberlain (LUKE MCBAIN)
Doug Wagner (THE RIDE)
Steven Grant (THE SAFEST PLACE)
Victor Riches (THE SAFEST PLACE)
David Atchison (THE O.C.T.)

We’ll also be joined by our TWISTORY friends (DUST, 13 CHAMBERS) Davide Fabbri, Mink, Denis Medri, and Danielle Vasinova!


Artists, be sure to stop by and have your portfolio reviewed by Kody Chamberlain (times posted daily).
Confirmed signing times:

THURSDAY:
12:00 - 1:30 Mink, Denis Medri
2:00 – 3:00 Doug Wagner
4:00 – 5:00 Kody Chamberlain

FRIDAY:
12:00 - 1:30 Mink, Davide Fabbri, David Atchision
2:00 – 3:00 Doug Wagner
3:00 – 4:30 David Tischman, Kody Chamberlain
4:30 – 5:30 FEATURED SIGNING with Boondock Saints' Writer/Director, Troy Duffy

Saturday:
11:00 – 12:00 David Tischman, Kody Chamberlain
3:00 – 4:00 Doug Wagner
4:00 – 5:00 David Atchison


For more information, visit www.12gaugecomics.com
or email info@12gaugecomics.com