Panda Dog Press

Animals vs. Zombies in Rex, Zombie Killer #1!

noreply@blogger.com (RobAnderson) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:46:00 +0000

January 9, 2012 - In April 2012, comic book publisher Big Dog Ink will release the hounds, as three dogs, a cat, and a gorilla with a baseball bat battle the walking dead in Rex, Zombie Killer #1.

In the wake of a zombie apocalypse, a hyper-intelligent Golden Retriever named Rex, a sign language-speaking gorilla, and a small pack of animals begin a perilous cross-country journey to find safety...and a home.

"I've always wondered what happens to pets when the zombies arrive," explained writer Rob Anderson. "And I've always loved stories that show the heart and tenacity of animals, like WE3 and Homeward Bound / The Incredible Journey."

"In Rex, ZK, the animals are trying to make their way across California to an underground government bunker where the scientist who raised Rex is now in hiding. But Rex isn't necessarily revealing everything he knows about the situation to his pack."

"This is a story I've been wanting to tell since at least 2008, because it combines three of my big passions: animals, zombies and comic books," Anderson said.

"My constant writing companions are my dog and cat, and they're well trained for the coming zombie apocalypse with their patented 'play dead' routine."

The book was also a perfect fit for cover and interior artist DaFu Yu. "From an artistic standpoint, I love drawing monsters, and zombies fit in that category," Yu said. "I'm already detail-oriented in my style, but I go a little crazy when I draw zombies!"

Big Dog Ink Publisher, Tom Hutchinson, added, "This giant-sized one-shot is the latest addition to our creator-owned titles, and it's a unique, high quality story at a special price. We're very excited to add it to the BDI catalog!"

Rex, Zombie Killer #1 is written by Rob Anderson (Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit, Great Zombies in History) with interior and cover art by DaFu Yu (Grimm Fairy Tales, Wonderland Annual), colors by Kevin Volo, letters and design by E.T. Dollman, and edited by Paul Allor (Clockwork).

The double-sized, 56-page one-shot ships in April at a special price of only $3.50, and will be available for pre-order in the February 2012 Diamond Previews catalog. The comic book will be in full color in standard comic book format. It is rated PG-13 for mature themes and violence. Additional one-shots are planned for the future.

About Big Dog Ink
Founded in 2009, Big Dog Ink (www.BigDogInk.com) is the publisher of comic book properties such as Penny For Your Soul, Critter, and the upcoming werewolf/vampire horror series, Ursa Minor. Big Dog Ink's new hit series, The Legend of Oz: The Wicked West, charted in the "Diamond Top 300" list in November of 2011.

For more information on Rex, Zombie Killer, visit: www.RexZombieKiller.com

------------------------
CONTACT:
ROB ANDERSON
rob@RexZombieKiller.com

IMAGES & ONLINE MEDIA KIT: www.RexZombieKiller.com/p/press-info.html
DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE: Text / Word / PDF

Rob Anderson Signing at Game On! Grand Opening Celebration!

noreply@blogger.com (RobAnderson) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:41:00 +0000

If you live in the Northern Virginia area, make sure to stop by the Grand Opening Celebration of Game On! Comics in Vienna, Virginia on Saturday, December 10th.

Rob Anderson, Panda Dog Press writer and publisher, will be doing a signing at the brand new store from 3pm-6pm this Saturday.

Rob will have copies of the special zero issue of Rex, Zombie Killer for only $1!

Plus, all three issues of Great Zombies in History, as well as the preview of Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit all at special sale prices.

If you are interested in creating comics yourself, Rob will also be happy to talk about his work with Comics Experience and their comics-related courses and workshops.

Other comics creators, including Drew Moss (The Baku) and Bob Frantz (SquareBall Comics Presents) will be in attendance, plus there will be appearances by Batman and Spider-Man for the kids!

Game On! Comics is a brand new comics and gaming store located at: 310 Dominion Road Northeast, Vienna, VA 22180. Rob went by and checked it out this week, and as you can see from the earlier "in progress" picture at left, it's a great space.

The store is now open and has a comfy couch, a cool statue-filled entrance, and, of course, lots of comics!

Come by and check it out -- we hope to see you there!

Panda Dog Press at NC Comicon 2011!

noreply@blogger.com (RobAnderson) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:18:00 +0000

Rob Anderson, Panda Dog Press writer and publisher, will be at the North Carolina Comicon, this coming weekend (November 5-6, 2011) in Morrisville, NC, just outside Durham.

Special guests at the convention include Robert Atkins, Scott Wegener, Brian Clevinger, Arthur Suydam, Howard Chaykin and many more!

Make sure to stop by and see Rob Anderson -- just look for the Panda Dog Press banner -- so you can check out the special zero issue of Rex, Zombie Killer for only $1!

Plus, Rob will have copies of all three issues of Great Zombies in History, as well as the preview of Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit.

Rob will also be showing off "in progress" pages for both the Rex, Zombie Killer and Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit books coming in 2012!

Both are in production, and we'll have more to show here on the blog soon.

We hope to see you at NC Comicon 2011!

CBR Interview & Other Coverage!

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:46:00 +0000

Things have been very busy here at Panda Dog Press, as we've geared up production on both the Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit and Rex, Zombie Killer miniseries. In the next couple months, we'll start sharing some characters designs, pages, and other information on these projects. We're really excited to show you what we've been up to!

But in the meantime, we were lucky enough to have some great coverage of some of our projects, starting with a Comic Book Resources interview with Rob Anderson and DaFu Yu on Rex, Zombie Killer!

Rob and DaFu talked to CBR's Alex Dueben about how their collaboration began, how the project came together, why they enjoy working on zombie books, and even shared some character designs and pages from the Zero issue. You can check it all out here:

Anderson and Yu Kill Zombies with "Rex"
Click here

Following up on their review of the Zero issue of Rex, Zombie Killer, Kitty's Pryde was nice enough to do an in-depth interview with Rob Anderson as well.

Rob discussed how both Rex and Animal Control have ties to Andy Schmidt's Comics Experience courses, his passion for animals, and even how he "hears" the voices of the animals in Rex.

Here's a link to the article:

Rob Anderson and a Pack of Animals
Click here

On another front, Great Zombies in History -- the anthology which Panda Dog Press founder Rob Anderson edited and contributed a story to -- also received some great reviews.

First, Comic News Insider's Jimmy Aquino was kind enough to make Great Zombies one of his "Top 3 Picks" of the week, calling it "a great collection of zombie tales."

Thanks so much for checking out the books, Jimmy!

You can hear it here, starting at about the 1:16 mark:

Comic News Insider Episode 340
Click here

Great Zombies in History also got some love on the video podcast Exploring the Multiverse. Lucas of ETM was especially kind in discussing Rob and DaFu's "Spartan 300" zombie story, and said "if you're into zombies, definitely pick these up!"

Victor also gave a shout-out to Animal Control artist, Leandro Panganiban, who did two of the stories in the books. You can hear the review starting at the 22:08 mark:

Exploring the Multiverse Episode #73
Click here

And, finally, A Little Dead podcast took time out to review Great Zombies, with host McPierce covering issues #1 and #2 on Episode 105.1 (at the 9:15 mark) and issue #3 in episode 107.2 (at the 4:45 mark). McPierce said "the artwork was just phenomenal," and in particular enjoyed the artwork by both Leandro and DaFu!

And he added that he'd "love to see this one get published as a regular, on-going series." Thanks, McPierce!

Check the reviews out here:

A Little Dead Podcast - Episode 105.1
Click here

A Little Dead Podcast - Episode 107.2
Click here

Many thanks to everyone who checked out the books!

Comic News Insider Interview & Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:30:00 +0000

At Heroes Con 2011, Rob Anderson got to sit down with Comic News Insider's Jimmy Aquino for a quick chat about Rex, Zombie Killer, Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit, and Great Zombies in History.

Jimmy was also kind enough to name the zero issue of Rex, Zombie Killer one of his "Top 3 Picks" of the week! Thanks for that, Jimmy!

You can check it all out, starting right here, around the 1:39 mark:
Comic News Insider Episode 335 – Heroes Con

Rex, Zombie Killer #0 was also just reviewed over on the Kitty's Pryde website.

They especially had kind things to say about the artwork by DaFu Yu, calling it "tight and well executed," and saying he handled "animals and zombies equally well." Heck, Kitty's Pryde even compared DaFu's work to Tony Moore and Charlie Aldard.

Wow! Thanks for that kind praise, indeed!

You can check out the full review here:
Rex Zombie Killer #0- Review

Heroes Con 2011 - Panda Dog Press Report

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 00:54:00 +0000

Rob Anderson, Panda Dog Press publisher, and writer of Rex, Zombie Killer, attended Heroes Con 2011 in Charlotte, NC.

Here's his report:

My second convention of 2011 was Heroes Con. This marked only my second time having a table at the show...and the first anniversary of my first table ever. It was great to be back!

I arrived early on Thursday, with lots of stuff, and got the painful set-up portion of the convention out of the way.

Friday morning, I was ready to roll, with copies of Rex, Zombie Killer #0 (launching at Heroes Con) and Great Zombies in History #'s 1-3 (which launched only a month ago at CGS Super Show) along with the Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit Preview.

I was happy to see so many people returning to the table from last year, along with lots of new faces. And so MANY people kindly picked up copies of Rex, Great Zombies, or both that Heroes Con 2011 was a big success.

So, THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by to chat and check out our stuff! It was most appreciated. Here's a few pictures I managed to take!

Beyond the Exhibit Hall, one of the highlights of Heroes Con every year is the massive art auction. The Heroes crew (and emcee Alison Sohn) did a great job of keeping things moving this year, holding the auction to a relatively brief three hours.

Once again, there was a ton of amazing art, with the highest bid going to Adam Hughes' piece featuring Catwoman and Black Cat. The final bid? $12,000! A new record, I believe, blowing away last year's tie between Adam's Zatanna and Mark Brooks' Black Cat.

Other personal favorites included a Brian Stelfreeze Scooby Doo and Daphne, a Phil Noto Supergirl, and especially a Roger Langridge Thor/Fin Fang Foom.

The piece that got me into the bidding mix again this year, though, was an amazing painting by Red Moon's David McAdoo. David did a striking painting of the character Mox, surrounded in red paint, with a red moon reflected in his eyes. The detail on the face was incredible.

The bidding was fierce to the very end, but I was bested by a gentleman by the name of Charles sitting directly in front of me at the auction (shown at the far right of the picture).

I was able to chat with Charles and his friends the next day, and I was pleased that (of course) they were big Red Moon fans. Plus, being animal lovers like me, they had to pick up copies of Rex, Zombie Killer and Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit, so it all ended well.

Another key part of Heroes Con is the fantastic Artist's Alley and the opportunities it provides for picking up sketches and art from your favorite creators.

I was pretty much tethered to the Panda Dog Press booth most of the con (that's not a complaint!), but I did manage to sneak away long enough to pick up a sketch of Max from one of my favorite books, The Stuff of Legend, done by the talented artist of that series, Charles Paul Wilson III. It was great to meet Charles in person as he and his co-writers (Mike Raicht and Brian Smith) will be guests at the Comics Experience Book Club next week!

My other art buy was a print of Thor and Fin Fang Foom by Roger Langridge. The original of this piece was one of my favorites from the art auction, so I was thrilled when I found out a print was available.

The picture shown at left is partial, as my scanner couldn't fit the entire print, but it gives an idea of how spectacular the piece is, particularly for a Fin Fang Foom fan like myself.

But, as always, the best part of Heroes Con was having the chance to catch meals with folks and to catch up with old friends and meet new ones in the Westin bar and lobby. The fact that so many people from the convention congregate in that one location all night is part of what makes Heroes Con so special.

I won't even attempt to namecheck all the folks I enjoyed hanging out with, but it was great seeing everyone, and I hope to see you all again soon...if not at San Diego, or Baltimore, or NYCC,...then at Heroes Con 2012!

Rex, Zombie Killer launches in June!

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Mon, 16 May 2011 16:17:00 +0000

Panda Dog Press has a new comic book debuting in June at Heroes Con:
In the wake of a zombie apocalypse, Rex, the hyper-intelligent Golden Retriever, sets out on a cross-country journey with his small pack of animals...

...Brutus the Pit Bull, Buttercup the Corgi mix, Snowball the fluffy white cat, and Kenji...a gorilla with a baseball bat?!

If you thought the animals in The Incredible Journey or Homeward Bound had it rough, wait until you see Rex's pack trying to traverse a post-apocalyptic America!

Of course, the animals in those books/movies didn't have a gorilla backing them up.... So, maybe the zombies had better start running in the other direction!

The "zero" issue preview of Rex, Zombie Killer will be debuting at Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC on June 3-5, 2011 for only $1.00.

The zero issue contains the very first five page Rex story, written by Rob Anderson (Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit), with cover and interior art by DaFu Yu (Great Zombies in History, Grimm Fairy Tales), and lettering, logo, and book design by E.T. Dollman (Caleido Comics, FemForce). Cover colors are by Paolo Chaz Gomez.

The issue also contains special pin-ups by Stu Roddy and Comic Geek Speak's Mike Gallagher (Ruin, Mercury & the Murd).

Please stop by the Panda Dog Press table at Heroes Con to meet Rob Anderson and check out...

Rex, Zombie Killer

Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit

Great Zombies in History
We hope to see you there!

"Writing for Comics" panel - CGS Super Show 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Thu, 12 May 2011 16:26:00 +0000

At the 2011 Comic Geek Speak Super Show in Reading, PA, Rob Anderson (writer of Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit) participated in the Writing for Comics panel on Saturday, April 30th.

The panel was moderated by IDW Senior Editor and Comics Experience founder, Andy Schmidt, and the panelists were Rob, Bryan JL Glass, Fred van Lente, and Drew Gaska.

The audio recording is now available right here:
Comic Geek Speak, Episode 1070: Writing for Comics panel
http://www.thecomicforums.com/forum2/index.php?showtopic=178189&st=0

A video of the panel will be available shortly, too, thanks to Comics Experience Workshop member Joey Groah.

Thanks to everyone who attended the panel! And thanks to CGS and panel organizer Joe Sergi for inviting Rob to participate!

CGS Super Show 2011 - Panda Dog Press Report

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Mon, 09 May 2011 19:24:00 +0000

Rob Anderson, Panda Dog Press publisher, and writer of Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit, attended the 2011 Comic Geek Speak Super Show in Reading, PA.

Here's his report:

My first convention of 2011 was the CGS Super Show, and I couldn't have picked a more friendly, fun convention to start out the year. I've been a long-time listener of CGS, but this was my first time attending the show.

Below are a few highlights and pictures. (Click pictures for a larger view.)

My new project for the Spring, Great Zombies in History (published by Elevator Pitch Press), launched at Super Show. I edited the first three issues and also contributed a story in issue #1. Pictured with me at the Panda Dog Press booth is DaFu Yu, the cover artist of Great Zombies #1 and my collaborator on a Spartan 300/zombie story in the first issue. Other contributors in attendance, right next door to us at the show, included Joe Sergi and Josh Osborne. CGS listeners gave us all a warm welcome, and we sold out of two of the three issues! Thank you to everyone who came by our table to say "hello" and try out our books!

Speaking of DaFu Yu, this was his first convention at a table and he hung out with me at the Panda Dog Press table all weekend, doing sketches and meeting folks. He also contributed a sketch to the CGS Early Bird Ticket Contest, and the lucky winner chose to get a commission of Hawkman. DaFu did a great job, as you can see! DaFu and I are also collaborating on a new project from Panda Dog Press that we'll be sharing shortly.

A large contingent of Comics Experience alums, instructors, and Comic Creators Workshop members were also in attendance at Super Show. Comics Experience founder, Andy Schmidt, was busy all weekend talking to creators and moderating two panels on breaking in. Comics Experience art instructor, Robert Atkins, and coloring instructor, Chris Sotomayer, were also exhibiting at the show. Pictured at left are Comics Experience attendees (left to right): Rob Anderson, Janine Frederick, DaFu Yu, Josh Osborne, Andy Schmidt, Joe Sergi, and Robert Atkins. Other Comics Experience attendees (not pictured) included Elizabeth Amber-Love, Joey Groah, Amy Chu and the aforementioned Soto.

On Saturday, I participated in the "Writing for Comics" panel, moderated by Andy Schmidt, along with Bryan JL Glass, Fred van Lente, and Drew Gaska. A video of the panel will be available shortly, thanks to CE Workshopper Joey Groah, and I understand that the CGS audio version will be posted soon, too. After the panel, I finally picked up a copy of Fred's Comic Book Comics lawsuit issue, and enjoyed talking with Drew about his exciting new project, Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes! (Pictured are Andy, Rob, Fred and Drew -- just moments before Bryan joined us on the panel.)

Speaking of panels, Comics Experience alum, Joe Sergi, organized the panels at CGS Super Show for the second year in a row, and won a coveted CGS Freking Sweer award for all his hard work. Well deserved, Joe, and congrats! Joe also hosted the special Spotlight panel, interviewing guests of honor Tony Moore and Tim Truman. I'm looking forward to hearing that panel when it's posted on CGS!

Of course, the best part of the show was meeting people from the CGS Fourms in person as well as catching up with old friends. Whether over meals, on the convention floor, or at the gatherings at Third & Spruce on Friday and Saturday night (pictured at left), getting to hang out with fellow comic book geeks was the highlight of the weekend.

I hope to see many of you at Heroes Con 2011 in just a couple weeks!

-- Rob Anderson

Exploring the Multiverse (ETM) interviews Rob Anderson!

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Sun, 08 May 2011 13:39:00 +0000

Victor, from the Exploring the Multiverse (ETM) Podcast, did a video interview with Rob Anderson, publisher/writer at Panda Dog Press, during the Comic Geek Speak 2011 Super Show in Reading, PA.

Rob chatted with Victor about the status of the forthcoming Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit miniseries, the newly launched Great Zombies in History series from Elevator Pitch Press, and discussed Comics Experience writing, art, and coloring courses as well as the Comic Creators Workshop. During Rob's interview, you'll also see a brief cameo by Great Zombies cover and interior artist, DaFu Yu (Grimm Fairy Tales), who was busy sketching all weekend at the show!

Rob's interview starts at the 31:25 mark, but before that you can also check out comics discussion and interviews with Josh Finney and Kat Rocha of Titanium Rain (9:57), and Matt Petz of War of the Woods (21:56).

Thanks to Victor and the ETM crew for taking time to speak with Rob!

View the video interview in Episode 69 of the ETM podcast here:
http://www.exploringthemultiverse.com/videos/2011/5/5/ep69-comic-geek-speaks-2011-super-show.html

Renderwrx magazine previews Great Zombies!

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Thu, 05 May 2011 17:51:00 +0000

The new digital comics magazine, Renderwrx, includes a special 5-page preview of Great Zombies in History #3!

From ancient Greece, to early America, and out to the edge of space, Great Zombies in History, the new anthology series from Elevator Pitch Press, tells the secret history of the undead.

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to be eaten!

The story previewed in Renderwrx #1 tells the tale of when Sacajawea and the Lewis and Clark expedition encountered unexpected dangers in the Pacific Northwest. The Pale and the Gray is written by Dan Rivera with painted artwork by Richard P. Clark.

Check out Renderwrx #1 for FREE right here:
http://www.renderwrx.net/apps/documents/

Writing Panel at CGS Super Show

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 01:12:00 +0000

Tomorrow, we'll be hitting the road on the way to the Comic Geek Speak Super Show in Reading, Pennsylvania.

If you're going to Super Show, please make sure to check out the Writing for Comics panel at 11am Saturday, moderated by Comics Experience Founder (and IDW Senior Editor Andy Schmidt), with panelists Fred Van Lente, Bryan JL Glass, Drew Gaska, and Panda Dog Press's own Rob Anderson!

We hope to see you there!

CGS Super Show coming soon...

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:19:00 +0000

In just a week, the Panda Dog Press crew will be setting up at Comic Geek Speak Super Show, in Reading, PA, April 30 - May 1st.

We'll have all kinds of goodies available, including new Panda Dog t-shirts (in both bargain white and high quality red), brand-spankin'-new issues of Great Zombies in History (launching at Super Show!), and, of course, Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit Preview. Check out full pictures and special prices on the Comic Geek Speak forums by clicking right here.

Plus, if you are interested in making, or breaking into, comics, practically the whole Comics Experience staff will be in attendance, including Founder Andy Schmidt, comic book art instructor Robert Atkins, comic book coloring instructor Chris Sotomayer, and moderator of the Comic Creators Workshop, Rob Anderson. Alums such as Joe Sergi, Elizabeth Amber, and DaFu Yu will also be in attendance.

Andy Schmidt will also be doing two panels -- Writing for Comics at 11am Saturday and Breaking into Comics at 11 am Sunday. Don't miss them!

You can get more details about Comics Experience at Super Show by clicking right here.

We hope to see you at Super Show!!

Great Zombies in History!

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 20:51:00 +0000

From ancient Greece, to early America, and out to the edge of space, Great Zombies in History, the new anthology series from Elevator Pitch Press, tells the secret history of the undead.

Check out the details and preview panels from all three issues below, and come see Rob Anderson and artist DaFu Yu at the Comic Geek Speak Super Show in Reading, PA on April 30 and May 1, 2011, where all three issues will be available at the Panda Dog Press table! Or pick up your copies via IndyPlanet in early May!

The first three issues will be available simultaneously, with cover artwork as well as interior art by DaFu Yu (Grimm Fairy Tales), Leandro Panganiban (Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit), Richard P. Clark (Deluge), and more!

The first three issues were edited by Panda Dog Press publisher and writer, Rob Anderson, and Rob also contributed a tale of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae to issue #1. All three issues feature logos and design by E.T. Dollman.

Issue #1 - Samurai Cover
Cover Art by DaFu Yu
Colors by Paolo Chaz Gomez

Samurai in feudal Japan face off against zombies in Bushido, written by Eric Drumm with art by Leandro Panganiban.
King Leonidas and his Spartans stand shoulder-to-shoulder against the undead horde in Immortal Resistance, written by Rob Anderson with art by DaFu Yu.
Find out the true story behind Jack the Ripper in Rescued by the Ripper, written by Joshua Osborne with art by Randy Valiente.
($3.00; 24 pages; b&w interiors)

[Click panels for larger view]

Issue #2 - Astronaut Cover
Cover Art by Leandro Panganiban & Steve Bird
Colors by Paolo Chaz Gomez

Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin experiences unwelcome changes on his return to Earth in The Motherland Knows, written by Kevin D. Lintz with art by Leandro Panganiban.
Discover the real reason the White House burned down in The Zombie War of 1812, written by Joe Sergi with artwork by Marc Jameson.
See how a young Teddy Roosevelt handled the undead in the Badlands in The Dead and Endless Wastes, written by Frederick Kim with artwork by Antonio Bifulco.
($3.00; 24 pages; b&w interiors)

[Click panels for larger view]

Issue #3 - Sacajawea/Lewis & Clark
Cover Art & Colors by Richard P. Clark

Sacajawea and the Lewis and Clark expedition encounter unexpected dangers in the Pacific Northwest in The Pale and the Gray, written by Dan Rivera with artwork by Richard P. Clark.
A young Native American tells the tale of a doomed European colony in CRO, written by George O'Connor with artwork by Eric Carter.
Vikings and Inuits clash in Greenland in No Bounty Here, written by Neil Fisher with artwork by Derek Chase and David Strosnider.
($3.00; 24 pages; b&w interiors)

[Click panels for larger view]

For more information on Great Zombies in History, visit Elevator Pitch Press (www.ElevatorPitchPress.com)

Panda Dog Press buttons are here!

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:29:00 +0000

Just a brief note from the Panda Dog Press home office to show off the re-supply of buttons we received for convention season.

We'll have both the Special Creatures Unit badge (always popular with the kids) and the inscrutable Panda Dog as well.

Our first convention stop in 2011 is the Comic Geek Speak Super Show, April 30 and May 1, 2011 in Reading, PA. If you're at the show, please stop by!

CGS Super Show - Panda Dog Press

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:38:00 +0000

We're pleased to announce that Panda Dog Press will be exhibiting at the Comic Geek Speak Super Show in Reading, Pennsylvania, April 30-May 1, 2011.

Although this will be our first time attending a Super Show, we here at Panda Dog Press have been long-time listeners of the podcast, and have had the good fortune to meet the CGS crew and many CGS listeners at various conventions in 2010. We cannot wait for this event!

If you'll be at Super Show, please make sure to stop by the Panda Dog Press table where you'll be able to check out Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit and the new book from Elevator Pitch Press, Great Zombies in History! (More information on that project soon.)

Both Rob Anderson, Panda Dog Press publisher and writer, and DaFu Yu (Grimm Fairy Tales), one of the cover and interior artists on Great Zombies in History, will be at the Panda Dog Press table, so come on by and check out the books, pick up a sketch, or just say "hi"!

DaFu is also doing a limited number of pre-convention commissions, as well as sketches at the show. You can get more information on that right here.

We hope to see you there!

The Brutal Circle - Fight Scenes & "Perfection"

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:24:00 +0000

Rob Anderson, Panda Dog Press publisher, has two new articles up on the writer's blog, The Brutal Circle (http://www.TheBrutalCircle.com/).

Here are the links to the articles:

Making Fight Scenes Matter (aka the Deadwood discussion)
"Last night, I yelled at my tv screen..."

Letting Go of "Perfection"
"My relationship with a script is closer to a drunken one night stand than a long-term love affair..."

The Brutal Circle - Writer's Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:59:00 +0000

Rob Anderson, Panda Dog Press publisher, has joined a new writer's blog called The Brutal Circle (http://www.TheBrutalCircle.com/).

On the blog, Rob and his colleagues (Paul Allor, Frederick Kim, Don McMillan, and Bill Yurkas) will be discussing the craft of storytelling, as well as anything else they find interesting as writers. The group met through Andy Schmidt's Comics Experience courses and the Comic Creators Workshop, but their interests include prose fiction, television, and film.

Articles are already up on story structure, first drafts, world building, improv, and more. Rob's first article discusses plotting in Alan Moore's Top 10.

Check out the initial articles here:

INTRO POST BY PAUL ALLOR:
What 'Brutal' Means to Me

BILL YURKAS
Things I Have Learned About Writing Through a Lifetime of Improv: Part 1

DON MCMILLAN
Everything I Learned About Writing My First Novel I Learned from J.M.S.

FRED KIM
So Whatever Became Of The Muses?

ROB ANDERSON
Deconstructing Alan Moore - Plotting in Top 10

PAUL ALLOR
Knight & Squire: A study of structure
World-Building: The Three Key Elements
Race in Comics: A Few Guidelines
The Only Goal of a First Draft

Jason Aaron on Breaking In

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 03:09:00 +0000

We had a very special guest last night at the Comics Experience Book Club -- Jason Aaron!

Because the Book Club is part of the Comic Creators Workshop, there were a lot of questions for Jason about his writing process, pitching, and how he broke into comics, and I shared a few of Jason's tips in an article over on the Comics Experience Blog.
Check out the article here:

Jason Aaron joins the Workshop!
http://blog.comicsexperience.com/2011/03/jason-aaron-joins-workshop.html

Rob Anderson
Moderator, Comic Creators Workshop
Publisher, Panda Dog Press

Jim McCann on Comic Book Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:11:00 +0000

Last night, Jim McCann joined the Comics Experience Creators Workshop to discuss comic book marketing. Jim was the perfect guest for this topic because of his unique perspective. Jim spent six years in the marketing department at Marvel before becoming a full-time writer in May of 2010, and since then he has written books for Marvel (including Hawkeye & Mockingbird) as well as promoted his creator-owned title, Return of the Dapper Men, published by Archaia.

Heidi MacDonald of The Beat has called Jim "a member of the Nicest Guy In Comics squad," and truer words were never spoken. I had previously seen Jim on a writing panel at NYCC in 2010, and he was insightful, entertaining and generous with his advice. Last night was no different, with Jim sharing his thoughts and answering questions for well over an hour.

While I couldn't possibly cover all the information Jim provided (the recording is available to Workshop members for a few weeks), here are a couple pieces of advice from last night for comic creators trying to promote their own work.

Get the word out BEFORE Previews - When he was at Marvel, Jim avoided having the very first mention of a project appear in Previews. By the time a book is in Previews, retailers only have a relatively short window to enter, and then adjust, their order prior to the Final Order Cut-off (FOC). So, try to start building the buzz a couple months out, if possible.

But not TOO early - It's a mistake to promote your project too soon, if you don't have enough to show. At a minimum, you need a great cover and/or some sequential artwork, not only to catch the attention of those who might cover your project, but also for potential readers.

Know your audience (and your reviewers) - Spend time getting to know your "audience" for marketing. Don't send a PDF of your non-superhero book to a website or reviewer who only covers superheroes. Pay attention to who is writing what--and what they tend to like--on the comic book news and review websites. And personal contact is a good alternative to (or at least a good initial step prior to) a mass press release, especially if you and your comic are not well known.

Social Media is great - This has been discussed ad nauseum because it's true. Marketing is a conversation, and Twitter and Facebook, etc., are a great way to keep that conversation going, and, hopefully, to get readers involved in the promotion as well.

Keep one eye on the calendar - Don't try to promote your book the week before or after one of the bigger conventions because you'll get lost in the deluge of news. This is true not only for the bigger cons like SDCC, NYCC and C2E2, but also for shows like WonderCon, Emerald City, etc.

Work the unique angles - Janet Lee's unique artistic process on Return of the Dapper Men -- using pine boards and decoupage -- really caught people's attention. When Jim saw the interest this was generating at conventions, he focused on getting video interviewers to come over and see what she was doing. If you have a unique angle, then work it! Do something fun at conventions--just don't be obnoxious. (Side note: Jim would prefer if you don't accost him at a convention, if you are dressed in a clown costume.)

As you can tell from just these few points, Jim was a great guest offering very practical advice. I know the members of our Workshop forum will be discussing the ideas Jim raised for a long time to come.

Thank you, Jim, for the time you spent with the Workshop and for being so willing to share your knowledge!

Rob Anderson
Moderator, Comic Creators Workshop

John Layman on Pitching - CBLDF 12/18/10

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 20:22:00 +0000

Rob Anderson, Panda Dog Press publisher, and writer of Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit, attended John Layman's workshop, The Secrets of Pitching Comics, at the CBLDF offices in New York City on December 18, 2010. Here's his report:

So, what would make me do a *second* road trip from Virginia to New York City just two weeks after the last one? How about John Layman, writer of Chew and former Wildstorm Editor, talking about pitching? Yep, it was time to hit the road once again, so Joe Sergi showed up at my door around 5:00am and we headed north. (Photo at left is from the CBLDF Twitter feed.)

I had already had a "Layman-filled week." (Wow, that sounded weird.) John, along with Rob Guillory, had been a guest at the live, online Comic Creators Workshop Book Club, on Tuesday, December 14th discussing Chew, Volume 1. So I had spent the early part of the week reading Chew and preparing a Powerpoint for the session, and then spent Tuesday night in the discussion. Hearing John and Rob speak Tuesday night cemented that the trip to NYC would be worth it.

The class was held at the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund offices, and there were about 15 people attending, which allowed for a lot of interaction. John is a very laid back teacher, checking his outline on his cell phone as he went, and giving us straight talk on how to pitch. He was realistic, open, and clearly had a lot of experience from both the editorial and freelance writer sides of the table. He even shared the actual pitch document he used for Chew, which in itself was invaluable. He also talked mechanics like what should be in the pitch document, where and how to pitch, and even important details about how to structure deals with your collaborators.

What was really inspiring was hearing how he had pursued Chew as a project for six long years. For the most part, it was considered somewhat of a joke amongst his friends and colleagues -- "the bird flu cannibal book." He finally decided he had to publish it himself and everyone thought he would lose his ass on the book (with the possible exception of Image, who agreed to publish it). Considering how successful the quirky and unique book has been, this is definitely one of those stories that any comics creator loves to hear.

It was a great session, and Joe and I once again got a chance to catch up with our Comics Experience colleagues, Dan Rivera, Bill Yurkas, and Janine Frederick in the class. After the workshop, we all had a late lunch (along with Eric Drumm and Christopher Murphy who joined us--all pictured at left), and we even hit Jim Hanley's Universe and did some shopping before starting the long trek home. We made it back by around 11pm; not bad at all.

Bottom line: if you get the chance to attend a workshop like this with John Layman, don't miss it. You'll rarely find anyone who will be more open and honest with you about the business of comics.

Renderwrx/Center of Attention Interview!

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 03:46:00 +0000

Rob Anderson, writer of Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit, was just interviewed by Paul D. Houston of Renderwrx for the new Center of Attention feature.

In the interview, Rob shared the "in progress" cover by DaFu Yu for the new anthology series, Great Zombies in History, coming in the Spring of 2011 from Elevator Pitch Press. Rob is both editing the book and contributing a story.

Rob also talked about the Comic Creators Workshop, the Comic Geek Speak SuperShow, Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit and more.

Check it out here:

Interview with Renderwrx -- Center of Attention

Rob Anderson's Interview with the Washington City Paper

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 23:07:00 +0000

Rob Anderson, writer of Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit was just interviewed by the Washington City Paper.

Rob got to chat about Animal Control SCU, Comics Experience and the Comic Creators Workshop, a new project Rob is editing (and contributing a story to) called Great Zombies in History, and more!

Check it out here:

Interview with the Washington City Paper

Paul Levitz on Plotting - MoCCA 12/6/10

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 20:21:00 +0000

Rob Anderson, Panda Dog Press publisher, and writer of Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit, attended the Paul Levitz class, The Craft of Comics Writing: The Long and Short of Plotting, at MoCCA in New York City on December 6, 2010. Here's his report:

When I heard that Paul Levitz would be teaching a MoCCA Master Class on plotting, I knew I had to find a way to attend.

Thus was hatched a crazy scheme in which fellow Comics Experience alum, Joe Sergi, and I would make a single day, round-trip, road trip from Virginia up to New York City. Our plan eventually settled around a combination of car, Amtrak, subways, and taxis...and started at around 7am in the morning, and didn't finish up until after 2am the next morning.

It was worth it.

Paul Levitz is the legendary writer of the Legion of Super-Heroes, particularly The Great Darkness Saga. Twenty years after its release, The Great Darkness Saga is sitting at #5 on the New York Times best-seller list for Hardcover Graphic Books (as of December 2010). Paul's also writing the current run on Legion of Super-Heroes, which demonstrates he still has the magic when it comes to plotting, even after a "break" in writing to...y'know...run DC Comics in one capacity or another for many years.

The class ran for two hours on Monday night and was standing room only. Chairs had to be added to the back of the room as Paul got started. Clearly, Joe and I weren't the only ones interested in hearing Paul's thoughts on writing. In fact, almost the entire front row was packed with Comics Experience colleagues who had traveled from Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York to hear Paul speak--including Janine Frederick, Bill Yurkas, and Dan Rivera. (Pictured above, Joe Sergi, in front of Jim Hanley's Universe. It was so cold that even the Silver Surfer in the window had on a coat!)

Paul explained that he'd be providing five tools that we could use to improve and organize our own writing, specifically with regard to plotting, and he delivered! From beat sheets to discussing how he flow charts his multi-issue story arcs, we heard from a master on how to plan out our stories. I walked away with a lot of ideas, and some personal homework, that I'll definitely be applying to my own writing.

Paul was also very gracious (and patient) in answering many questions from the audience, even after class ended. And at least one attendee had brought the 20-pound 75 Years of DC Comics book for Paul to sign; an idea I'd briefly entertained...before thinking about the toll of dragging that monster tome throughout a 19-hour, multi-state trek.

Having seen Paul speak about writing both at a panel at NYCC and at MoCCA, I can highly recommend his class for aspiring comic book writers. Paul is also apparently teaching courses at colleges in the NYC area, so if you live nearby, you should check them out!

On the personal front, my whole time in NYC was a blast. Joe and I had lunch with Bill Yurkas at Island Burgers & Shakes, then we did a geek tour of the city for a couple hours, hitting the new Disney Story, Jim Hanley's Universe, Forbidden Planet, and Strand Bookstore, before meeting the remainder of our Comics Experience crew (including Comics Experience alum and Zenescope artist, DaFu Yu) for dinner. Our initial dinner spot turned out to be closed for a private party, but after a rather frigid trek in search of food, we still had a great time catching up with everyone. I'm already looking forward to the next time I'll be in NYC!

-- Rob Anderson

Capicons Show - Panda Dog Press

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Anderson) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 00:49:00 +0000

Panda Dog Press and Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit writer/publisher Rob Anderson will be appearing December 5, 2010 at the Capicons Comic Book & Pop Culture Show in Dun Loring, Virginia.

Come by the Panda Dog Press table to check out the Animal Control: Special Creatures Unit Preview available at a special convention price! We hope to see you there!