Michel Fiffe – Page 10

Cloak & Dagger Bound

I couldn’t help it. It happened again: some old comics got bound. It was Cloak & Dagger’s turn. Created by Bill Mantlo and Ed Hannigan, this duo has been a favorite of mine (and Kat’s) for a while now. I thought their combined titles and cameos would’ve made a tight three book set, but there had to be a cut off point (I recall the duo’s return in the Marvel Knights title after a brief hiatus; I’ve bound all the material before that period). Here’s the reading order, including short stories, pin ups, odds & ends.

What bound set is complete without some sketches by related artist? Here’s a great double page spread by Cloak & Dagger co-creator Ed Hannigan (click to enlarge).

Beautiful drawing by iconic Cloak & Dagger artist Rick Leonardi.

Fantastic double shot featuring Dagger and Esctacy by artist Mike Vosburg.

Here is a dopey checklist I made for Kat …maybe 8 years ago? I’ve been known to try my hand and Ty & Tandy, but this here fulfills the list making side of my obsession.

As I posted before, this binding habit is addictive. The process also takes forever: the research, the hunting down, the inventory & organizing… I want to get these books as thoroughly archived as possible. The results are worth it, though, and the original art by the respective creators makes it perfect and one of a kind. I appreciate the efforts Ed, Rick and Mike made in providing us with some great art to accompany their memorable comics.

–Fiffe

Tags BIll Mantlo, Cloak & Dagger, Ed Hannigan, Mike Vosburg, Rick Leonardi

"COPRA" Comics I Make

COPRA: Round One – Announcement

Post author By Fiffe
Post date May 22, 2014
No Comments on COPRA: Round One – Announcement

COPRA: ROUND ONE is to be published by Bergen Street Press! It collects issue 1 – 6, available for pre-order this summer, and will be on sale September.

Unfamiliar with COPRA? READ ISSUE ONE FOR FREE, drop in on Comics Alliance, or just go by this trusty description:

“They’re ugly. They’re mean. But up until today, they’ve always been loyal. So when one of their own betrays them, the men and women of COPRA have no choice but to turn their nightmarish skills back on every son of a bitch who ever looked at them funny.”

Tags Bergen Street Comics Press

"COPRA" Comics I Make

C O P R A # 14

Copra #14 is here! That’s right – as in available at your usual Copra comics merchant; buy it!

I’m really excited about this issue, I have to admit. Ever notice how sometimes comic titles warn you that “this issue’s a little off-beat, a l’il different”? Well, that would be this one. Last thing I wanna do is spoil it for you, so I’ll just keep it short. Here are a few shots of the comic itself.

Here is one of the pages featuring Patrick ‘WIR” Dale and his hometown pals.

RANDOM EXTRAS

Here are some cool bits of Copra related arts:

A Man-Head custom toy…

… and a super cool Vincent drawing, both by Michael C. Kappeler!

And check out this bit of graffiti featuring old school nemesis Vitas by Satellite Mind!

I want to point out these wonderful reviews that Copra #13 received in the last month. I’m really appreciative that this title’s return has been well received, especially by these fine folks:

The Blackest of Suns – Omega Level – Nothing But Comics! – So Much Yelling

Here are a few short video clips I took while drawing the splash page for this new issue. Inking & holding a camera isn’t the most practical approach, so I kept it brief.

Oddly enough, the rest of the issue looks nothing like this. It’s very clean, meticulous, very… very — aw, you’ll see. So go SEE — Copra #14!

And I’ll see you here next month!

–Fiffe

Tags Copra

"COPRA" Comics I Make

C O P R A # 13

COPRA is back! Issue thirteen is here and ready to go. I’ve been wanting to get to this issue for the longest time and I’m happy to finally get it out into the world!

Did I mention that half the print run comes with a free fold out poster?

There’s a lot of COPRA news brewing. Collections are beyond the planning stages and are being made — physically made! Super exciting! I’ll drop the details as soon as I know them. Compendiums are gonna happen, too, the 4th one at the very least.

In case you’re stopping by for the first time, make sure to check out COPRA #1 – the very first issue posted in its entirety for your reading pleasure. Get acquainted, look around, tell your friends and check in every month for new issues.

One last time: COPRA #13, it’s here.

Tags Copra, Copra Compendium

Comics I Make

All-New Ultimates

Variant #1 (Marquez)

Characters Sketch

ALL-NEW ULTIMATES is a superpower teen crime Marvel comic written by me, drawn by Amilcar Pinna, colored by Nolan Woodard, and lettered by Clayton Cowles, debuting April 09, ’14.

You can get them at your local comics store (find your nearest one) or read them digitally. Look for covers by David Nakayama or variant covers by David Marquez & Ron Wimberly. Here’s a preview of the first issue!

To tide you over, here are some more preview/interviews at Comic Book Resources (One, Two) and Newsarama (One, Two).

Issue #1 (Nakayama)

Variant #2 (Wimberly)

Tags All-New Ultimates, Marvel Comics

"COPRA"

COPRA Subscription

Copra #13 is coming soon, making its official debut at NYC’s MoCCA this April 5th & 6th. In the meantime, I’m offering a 6 issue subscription (issues #13 – #18) over at our Etsy store.

. . .

NOTE: There are only 100 subscription slots; first come first serve. Domestic orders only. – [The Beguiling and Halifax’s Strange Adventures (Canada) as well as GOSH and Orbital Comics / Impossible Books (UK) carry Copra.]

Tags Copra

Art & Illustration Comics I Make

G. I. Joe Samples

G.I Joe sample pages I staged, pencilled & inked back in 2011. Featured: Roadblock gunning some Cobra Troopers, Snake Eyes vs Storm Shadow, Baroness & Destro being voyeurs.

This was pre-Zegas, pre-self publishing, trying to work the work-for-hire hustle one last time before submitting to the notion that cartooning was gonna have to be a hobby. I set my scope to IDW thus (I’d worked for them before & they seemed to hire from a wide spectrum of ability that accommodated relative newcomers). Since G.I. Joe was the only title they published I was [very loosely] familiar with, I drew a sequence I thought would show my “strengths”. I don’t remember whether IDW rejected or flat out ignored my knocking on their door, but thank god they did either way! Not being able to land a job I knew I could crush was becoming my personal industry standard, but I wasn’t gonna let that dopey job get me down (no offense). Hence, Copra Press.

Anyway, I think I would’ve had a great time drawing Snake Eyes kick the crap out of anything, actually (and c’mon: Baroness). But as it stands, these pages represent the end of an era and the beginning of a new one.

Tags G.I Joe

Art & Illustration Music Is Involved

N E W C L E U S

The mighty NEWCLEUS, my contribution to the Hip Hop Family Tree vol. 2 by Ed PIskor. So glad I got the chance to honor one of my favorite acts of that era.

Here’s the reason why.

Bob Camp & Bill Wray have lent their talent to this outfit, so I’m definitely in good company!

Tags Bill Wray, Bob Camp, Ed Piskor, Newcleus

"COPRA"

COPRA Availability: Stay Tuned

Post author By Fiffe
Post date January 12, 2014
No Comments on COPRA Availability: Stay Tuned

Now that COPRA has reached its 12th issue, plans to collect the series are underway! For now, here’s what is currently available…

You can get whatever issues I have left HERE, at my Etsy store.

Bergen Street Comics are running super low on the compendiums (which reprint the original issues in 3 part chunks). In fact, they may be sold out by the time this message reaches you! If you’re in Brooklyn, stop by their store.

But you may also want to inquire with the comics shops listed at the bottom of THIS POST.

If you’re new to this neck of the woods, stay tuned and we’ll have some more COPRA ready to go sooner than later. Follow me on twitter, Facebook, or tumblr and I’ll make sure to keep things informed and up to date. Thanks for your patience!

— Michel Fiffe (Fee-FAY)

Tags Bergen Street Comics Press, Copra, Copra Compendium

Sometimes I Like Stuff

Obsession Unknown: Suicide Squad Bound

Post author By Fiffe
Post date January 4, 2014
22 Comments on Obsession Unknown: Suicide Squad Bound

It’s as good a time as any to talk about my love for the Suicide Squad. It’s a specific kind of love.

Let’s start with this bound collection of comics: every issue, every crossover, every letters page, every Who’s Who entry, every pertinent sheet of Squad related newsprint or baxter paper is included here (ending with the final issue #66, of course. Anything after that just gets in the way of the best ending this series could hope to have). I spent a while compiling these books, putting them in a very specific order. I cannot stress that enough; Very. Specific. Order.

Having these comics bound in such direct, no frills hardcovers made reading & storage so much more enjoyable & practical, but I also loved the idea of a curated collection of essentials. For this specific set of books, I got the idea to hit up a few of the related artists to put their own touch on the inside covers…

Luke McDonnell

Karl Kesel

Geof Isherwood

These busy gentlemen were kind enough to honor my character requests & deal with book shipping (since none of these were convention commissions). Their efforts and patience remain appreciated.

Oh, god, it doesn’t stop there. I had to have the RPGs…

… the Who’s Who loose leaf entires…

… and the cards. The trading cards.

I’m perfectly fine with drawing the line when it comes to toys, statues, cartoon appearances, or cosplay. Toys would be cool, actually, but I’m into the art more than anything else when it comes to any sort of non-comics merch. Really, all I care about are the comics.

I really like the way these books turned out (thanks to Houchen Bindery Ltd). Took me years to plan and assemble and I loved every second of it. I can see how one can get swept in the excitement of binding everything, but I think it’s safe to say that there are not many titles I feel this passionately about.

Tags Geof Isherwood, John Ostrander, Karl Kesel, Kim Yale, Luke McDonnell, Suicide Squad