Bradley Weber

Avenge-O Fan Art

May 7, 2008 By Bradley Weber

(Update — April 13, 2010: had to disable comments due to crazy amounts of spam. If you have comments, please email me though the ABOUT page or add them to another post and I’ll move them to the right place. Thanks. bjw)

apropos of my earlier post on Avenge-O The Crime-Fighting Robot,

Below is some art done by Fine Arts Guild brother Bruce Bachelder. The first piece is from a few years ago (no date) and was painted over a couple of evenings when we were doing weekly Art Nights at . . . another location. ‘Nuff said.

The two ink drawings are recent, done specifically for JMS Showcase. Webmaster Mike did the color on the second. He said it didn’t take him long to do. He’s either lying or is just that damned talented. Not sure which? Check out his art here and his web work here.

There are still a few copies left of JMS Showcase. FREE! SIGNED! I pay the postage!

They’re going fast, so don’t wait!

Avenge-O the Crime-fighting Robot (comics)

May 1, 2008 By Bradley Weber

Avenge-O Adventures (click to download)(1.9MB)

Click the above link to see the first couple of installments in the Avenge-O saga.

The first story, “Forging of a Hero,” was written and drawn (by me) in 1999. It was supposed to be part of Supermarket Action!, a compilation showcasing the work of each Fine Arts Guild member. The conceit was every story had to take place in, or do with, a supermarket or grocery store.

It was a great idea. Unfortunately, it suffered from the same fatal defects encountered on most group projects and was never published. I don’t know if any of the other FAGs finished their parts. Not that it matters now.

Anyway, Part Two, “.38 Caliber Discount”, was written by me, too. I did a version with art for the book. In 2005, I headed to San Diego’s Comic Con International in search of an artist to work on a larger (awesomely good) Avenge-O script. I met cartoonist and industry inker Jorge Pacheco. He did a great job on these three pages. We’d planned to work together more, but he got married and had a kid, so that fell through, too.

Avenge-O first saw print in the (ultra-limited edition) JMS SHOWCASE. I sold almost the full run these in San Diego last year.

Other stories in this issue include “My Dead Grandmother Keeps Getting Mail,” an installment of “Monkeys On An Elevator”, and Parts I-III of “TOPOR: THE THING THAT SLEPT!”

I think there are still a few copies around. Anyone interested in a FREE! SIGNED! book, drop me a line in the comments section. I’ll give ’em away until there ain’t no more.

Carlos V — some (more) follow-up

April 30, 2008 By Bradley Weber

Two-Face (flipping coin in the air): “Heads — I shoot you. Tails — You have to eat this candy bar.”

Me: “C’mon HEADS!”

Below is a copy of my initial info request via the Nestle site and the same-day reply from Liz Rocklin, the nice lady from Nestle’s Corporate & Brand Affairs. Thank you, Liz!

——————————–

Nestlé USA Media Inquiry

FirstName: Bradley
LastName: Weber
Organization: JMS Labs
City: Chicago
State: Illinois
Email: bweber@juniormadscientist.com
Phone:
Deadline: May 1, 2008
Message:

Good morning,

I’m writing a short article on the Carlos V candy bar. The latest packaging bears the legend “DARK KNIGHT.” Nothing in my research indicates Carlos V was known, in his time or after, as “El Caballero Oscuro” or had any related sobriquet.

Can you please clarify the connection between Carlos V and “Dark Knight?”

Many Thanks.

Bradley Weber

From: Rocklin,Liz,GLENDALE,Corporate & Brand Affairs
To: bweber@juniormadscientist.com
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 3:21 PM
Subject: RE: Nestlé USA Media Inquiry

The name “Dark Knight” was developed to correlate with the Dark Chocolate version of Carlos V. The name Dark Knight also references Knights, which has to do with the kingdom that Carlos V oversaw.

——————————–

So, there’s the answer. I don’t buy it, but there’s the answer. Enjoy!

Carlos V — some follow-up

April 29, 2008 By Bradley Weber

Why so crunchy?

This whole thing about the Carlos V/Dark Knight candy bar is making me nuts.

Why is Nestle using DARK KNIGHT on the box? What’s the connection?

On Tuesday, I emailed them a request for clarification. I’ll post their reply as soon as I get it.

The Great Comic Book Plague: Final

April 28, 2008 By Bradley Weber

Time to hang this one up . . . Oh, wait.

At JMS Labs, we are very concerned with closure. Usually, it’s body bags and bio-hazard containers, but, hey, closure is closure.

To wit —

The last bit of follow-up to my April 9th post rebutting Varney’s ignore-ist approach to Frederick Wertham:
— Varney’s initial post
— My rebuttal and his comments
— His re-direct
— His inquiry and my comment (#5 and #6, respectively)

Though I’ve drafted a careful reply, I’m letting that last thought (#6) stand as my final word.

— Over at The New Republic, Douglas Wolk replies to David Hajdu’s comments regrading Wertham, comics, etc.

— Little did I know that while wrapping up my comments on the whole Wertham blow-up, comics maestro Eddie Campbell (Fate Of The Artist, The Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard) was doing the same, though he’s done a way better job of following and expounding on the whole pointless mess. Read his posts from April 21st, 22nd, 25th, and 28th. Campbell’s informed analysis is well worth your time.

“God save us from some of these half-arsed historians,” indeed.

YOU GO NOW!