TUCKER STONE NAMES NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 3, AS ONE OF THE BEST COMICS OF 2010

NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 3, comes in at lucky number 13 on Tucker Stone's list for The Best Comics of 2010 over at his column, This Ship Is Totally Sinking, on Comixology's website. Says Tucker:

As great as his USAgent story in Strange Tales was (pretty great) and as trendsetting as that Maureen Dowd thing was (pretty trendsetting?), my heart will always belong to Night Business. A nakedly unrestrained id delivering a passionate meditation on all of the things that healthy boys love the most, Ben Marra's Night Business is a comic that's impossible to get tired of.

Thank you very much, Mr. Stone.

11 O'CLOCK COMICS PODCAST REVIEWS BENJAMIN MARRA'S INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION)

The guys over at the 11 O'Clock Comics podcast say some positive things about BENJAMIN MARRA'S INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) in their 138th episode. Check it out here. They start talking about it at the 59:17 mark. They even mention my status as one of the Art Directors Club's Young Guns, which is pretty awesome. Check out the rest of their podcasts. They really know a lot about comics.

ROM THE SPACE KNIGHT FUNDRAISER

The SPACENITE AUCTION FUNDRAISER FOR BILL MANTLO was held recently at the amazing comic shop FLOATING WORLD COMICS in Portland. A print of my contribution can be found here on eBay. But a whole bunch of other artists also contributed awesome work for to help support Bill Mantlo, writer of all the ROM comics, who was paralyzed after a hit-and-run accident 20 years ago. 100% of all proceeds go to Bill. Here's a gallery of pics from the show.

INTERVIEW WITH AMBER UNMASKED

At the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Fest earlier this month I was interviewed by Amber Delaney over at her website Amber Unmasked. Check it out in the above YouTube video. The interview can be found in her report about the fest right here.

MTV GEEK BROOKLYN COMICS AND GRAPHICS FEST REPORT

Valerie D'Orazio, an accomplished comic book writer and editor, now running the show over at MTV Geek, talked with me for a bit at the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Fest earlier this month. I got a mention in her post over at the website about half-way down the page. Check it out here.

SIDE PROJECT: THE 12 DAYS OF COMIC BOOK CHRISTMAS

I did the above illustration for the second day of The 12 Days of Comic Book Christmas over at the Comics Alliance. It's the first illustration I've done using my new Cintiq tablet. I'm making the move over to digitally creating my comics in an effort to increase my production, save time, expedite my process, etc. Still getting used to it, but I'm surprised at how much the digital drawings look like my traditional-medium drawings.

BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) REVIEW AT WEEKLY COMIC BOOK REVIEW

Dean Stell over at the WEEKLY COMIC BOOK REVIEW website reviews BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) and gives it an A-. Check it out here.

MATT SENECA WRITES ABOUT NIGHT BUSINESS ART

Matt Seneca wrote a beautiful analysis of my artwork in NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 1, earlier this month over on his blog DEATH TO THE UNIVERSE. Go read it here. Specifically, Panel 3 on Page 13. Actually, Matt verbalizes my artistic goals with NIGHT BUSINESS and my other comics better than I ever could. I think my comic book art is about re-seeing or paying tribute to comic art traditions from the past, from Kirby, to Gulacy. To the anonymous, assembly-line artists from the '40s who unknowingly birthed the form, thinking themselves artistic failures and drowning their sorrows in alcohol. To the crime and horror comic artists who drew the flawed ire of Fredric Wertham and were eventually, unfairly targeted for political purposes by Sen. Joe McCarthy. Anyway, Matt writes brilliantly about comics and I feel humbled my stuff would be a subject for his words.

MAUREEN DOWD RESPONDS TO BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION)!

Close to the end of last Sunday's CNN's Reliable Sources, host Howard Kurtz got a brief quote from Ms. Dowd responding to the comic book, BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) with a nice funny-book joke:

As an intrepid reporter myself, I asked Dowd for her reaction. "I never read anything about myself," she said. "It's debilitating, like Kryptonite."

Amazing. Check out the transcripts here (go to the end). And you can check out the Quicktime video of the show here, but it takes a little while to load. The brief segment is at the very end of the show.

BROOKLYN COMICS AND GRAPHICS FEST THIS SATURDAY

This Saturday – and this Saturday only – from 12PM to 9PM, the second Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Fest will be held at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

I will be there debuting my new comic book, BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION), the comic everyone is talking about. I'll be at Table 4 (see diagram below). In addition there will be a sale specifically for the event:

$10 for all five TRADITIONAL COMICS comic books

NIGHT BUSINESS GETS A NICE RECOMMENDATION FROM USA TODAY'S POP CANDY BLOG

Whitney Matheson, who writes the pop-culture blog Pop Candy for USA Today, includes NIGHT BUSINESS in her recommendations for comics. Check it out here.

BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) FEATURED ON FOX NEWS AND AROUND THE INTERNET

The Fox News late-night/early-morning show, Red Eye, (see above images) had a short mention of the new comic from TRADITIONAL COMICS, BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTIONS). You can check out out here on the Fox News website. The comic has also gotten attention from several mainstream online news outlets Gawker, The Atlantic, New York Mag, Mediaite, and the Huffington Post. But it really started with the blog posts from the comics community: Robot 6, The Beat and Comics Alliance.

UPDATE: The New Yorker adds their post. So, does the Washington Post.

BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) NOW AVAILABLE!!

Announcing the release of a new comic from TRADITIONAL COMICS: BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION)!! Order your copy today over at the TRADITIONAL COMICS website!!

Maureen Dowd, the famous and popular political opinion columnist, is about to write her most powerful and influential column ever!! She's come in possession of information that could topple the American government, destroy the White House and bring the Free World to its knees. Joined by the shadowy black-ops rogue agent, Shadow Wolf, can she fend off the assaults of fanatical White House officials and Hezzbollah commandos in time to write and deliver her column before deadline and still be on time for her third date with George Clooney? What's a girl to do?

Preview pages below:

NIGHT BUSINESS NOW AVAILABLE OVER AT THE W+K SHOP

Issues of NIGHT BUSINESS are now available over at the Widen+Kennedy Shop.

STRANGE TALES II #3 PREVIEW

I have a story in the upcoming Strange Tales II #3. There's a preview up over at Comics Alliance with a page from my story, starring U.S.Agent! You can also see the page here, above.

NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE ONE, BALD EAGLES STYLE

The legendary and incendiary cartoonist known as Bald Eagles does his interpretation of the cover of Night Business, Issue One. I think it rivals my original drawing for intensity. I hope he colors it.

SIDE PROJECT: BODY DOUBLE ILLUSTRATION FOR CINEFAMILY IN LA

Here's a program cover illustration of the Brian De Palma movie, BODY DOUBLE, I just completed for Cinefamily in LA. Below are some of my sketches for other ideas and compositions.

CREATING COMICS

In the new book, Creating Comics!: 47 Master Artists Reveal the Techniques and Inspiration Behind Their Comic Genius, which was recently released, I (now evidently a "master") dissect my process in creating the first five pages of NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 1. Some other masters in the book who also share their creative ideas when constructing comics are Michael Cavallaro, Paul Pope, Jim Steranko and Dash Saw. You can grab the book on Amazon here (and check out a preview of the interior pages). The forward of the book is written by the main man Paul Gulacy (who also shares thoughts on his own creative process).

FORBIDDEN PLANET NY COMIC CON VIDEO INTERVIEW

Matt, one of the managers of Forbidden Planet, interviewed a bunch of creators on video at this year's NY Comic Con, including myself. I'm at the 1:28 mark. You'll get to check out my new clean-cut, preppy look. One of my co-workers said I look like a Soc from the Outsiders movie. I took that as a high compliment. I aspire to be like those Socs pricks. They're much cooler than those lame Greasers.

Forbidden Planet and the folks who work there have been extremely supportive of my books, especially early on when I first put them out. I can't thank them enough.

INK PLOTS SHOW

I have some pages of Night Business in the show, Ink Plots: The Tradition of the Graphic Novel at SVA, currently up at the Visual Arts Gallery on 26th St. A bunch of other no-names have some pieces in the show like Will Eisner, Gary Panter, Klaus Janson, Ben Katchor, David Mazzucchelli, Jerry Moriarty, David Sandlin, Walter Simonson and Art Spiegelman. The show is up until November 6th and there's an opening reception tomorrow evening, Thursday, October 14th, from 5:30 to 7.

TRADITIONAL COMICS AT NY COMIC CON THIS WEEKEND

I'll be at New York Comic Con this weekend from Friday, the 8th, to Sunday, the 10th, at the Jacob Javits Center. As usual I'll be with the Mammal boys, this year at table 654. Use the above diagram as a guide. The standard TRADITIONAL COMICS COMIC CON SALE deal applies: Get all three issues of NIGHT BUSINESS and the first issue of GANGSTA RAP POSSE for $10! Hope to see you there!

ACCLAIM FEATURE WITH JEFF JANK

Jeff Jank, the art director at the awesome record label, Stones Throw, and I get the feature treatment in the new Friends-themed issue of the Australian Street Culture magazine, Acclaim. We have a conversation about our creative processes, the Madlib project we worked on together and a few other things. There's a release party for the new issue at the Mishka store in South Williamsburg, at 350 Broadway on Friday, August 27th, from 7-10 PM. Penthouse Pets, Justine Joli and Ryan Keely, who also posed for the issue's cover, will be in attendance, along with Ellen Stagg who photographed them.

SIDE PROJECT: STRANGE TALES II

So, it was just announced on Comic Book Resources here, so I thought I'd spread the word as well: I'll be part of the new Strange Tales from Marvel. Be on the look out. It's a stupendous line-up as usual. I'm excited to get to work on my contribution.

SIDE PROJECT | GUERILLAS PIN-UP

My friend and colleague, Brahm Revel, creator of the wildly awesome comic series GUERILLAS, is releasing a collection of the stories and asked me to do a pin-up for the book. Brahm is an awesome draftsman and his writing is top notch as well. Certainly check out the book when it drops.

TRADITIONAL COMICS MENTION ON THE INDIE SPINNER RACK

Colin Panetta gives a shout out to NIGHT BUSINESS and TRADITIONAL COMICS during his MoCCA-floor interview with the Indie Spinner Rack podcast blog. You can check it out here. Colin's interview starts between the halfway and two-thirds mark I'd say. Also check out Colin's blog here and his website here.

INTERVIEW WITH GQ

A recent interview I did with GQ's Alex Pappademas is up over on GQ's blog The Q. Check it out here.

SIDE PROJECT | SECRET PRISON #2 | LINGERIE MODELS, SECRET ASSASSINS

Here is the cover and two-page story, LINGERIE MODELS, SECRET ASSASSINS, I created for the upcoming issue of Secret Prison, a Philadelphia-based, free comic newspaper.

JASON AARON GIVES SOME LOVE TO GANGSTA RAP POSSE

Jason Aaron, writer of the acclaimed series "Scalped" and "The Other Side," gives some love to everyone's favorite comic book gangsta rap super group, Gangsta Rap Posse, over on his blog. Check it out here. We give love right back at you, Jason. If you haven't checked out Aaron's book "Scalped," you must run over to your local comic shop and pick up as many currently available trades and/or floppies. It's a brutally awesome comic, the best book currently being published monthly and proof that Vertigo really hasn't gone all that soft.

NIGHT BUSINESS | ISSUE 3 | RELEASE PARTY!

Come to the official TRADITIONAL COMICS, NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 3, RELEASE PARTY at UNION POOL!

With musical performances by:

THE NAKED HEROES
ODDATEEE
MKNG FRNDZ
and with jams supplied by DJ JAY GREEN.

Here's all the necessary detes:
Where: UNION POOL, 484 UNION AVE., BROOKLYN, NY
When: SATURDAY, MAY 22ND
When exactly?: 9-12, BANDS START RIPPING IT AT 9:15
Damage: $8

Hope to see you there.

SIDE PROJECT | THE ADVENTURES OF BRONZEGOLD, BARBARIAN ROGUE

Here is my contribution for the upcoming issue of Smoke Signal, the local, Brooklyn, comic newspaper, published by Gabe Fowler of Desert Island Comics (which is an awesome publication). My page illustrates an early, brief adventure starring my Manowar-style, Heavy-Metal Barbarian character, BRONZEGOLD! He's named after his bronze skin and golden locks of hair.

NIGHT BUSINESS AND GANGSTA RAP POSSE REVIEWED BY ROCTOBER

Robert Dayton gives a very thorough and complete review of NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUES 1 TO 3 and briefly touches on GANGSTA RAP POSSE. Robert nails many of my influences on NIGHT BUSINESS and makes some observations about NIGHT BUSINESS' relationship to the Black-&-White comic boom that surrounded Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It never really occurred to me when I was making NIGHT BUSINESS that it would echo the comics that first appealed to me, specifically Darick Robertson's SPACE BEAVER. But more and more I realize it may have been an unconscious decision, to make a comic that reflected that time as it was an era that had profound effect on me during some formative years.

Here's some of Robert's words from the review:

... [I]t is certainly accomplished. There is a deceptive stiffness that works for it giving the comic a crackle of intensity/removal play. The grid form gives the panels a voyeuristic quality. Yet these panels have a rhythmic staccato flow. They occasionally open up for wide shots, such as the sequence of one of the strippers in the ballet studio. All through each of her sweeping movements she looks like a hood ornament. All of the characters themselves seem to be composed of taut, molded clay with faces that look like grinning skulls.

Thanks very much for the review Robert.