Countdown to San Diego I

In the coming weeks, I'll be formally making announcements through press releases, my website, and my e-newsletter about my participation as an exhibitor at the Comic-Con International (CCI) in San Diego (booth S14 in the Small Press Pavilion--come visit!). However, I thought I'd use the blog to give people a behind the scenes peak at preparing for the show. This year marks my 10th year as an exhibitor at CCI, dating back to 1994.

Planning, of course, starts anywhere from a year to six months before the show when exhibitors must reserve and purchase a booth. Not too long after that, I actually reserve my hotel. The popularity of CCI has caused great competition for rooms, and over the last several years I've found it necessary to book way in advance. I also try to order any books I'll have on sale at the show as early as possible to avoid being part of the surge in demand many printers experience right before convention season. (In one of my first years exhibiting, I discovered on a Friday evening that a shipment sent to me by my printer was at a shipping dock near the San Diego Airport that was literally due to close in 15 minutes for the rest of the weekend. With my then-girlfriend (now wife) in tow, I hailed a cab and promised the driver a $20 tip if he got me there on time. We made it with minutes to spare.)

The big news this year is that I created a new banner for my booth, pictured here. I have a set-up I used for years (which can be seen in my photogallery of past conventions), but I was way overdue for an upgrade. Digital technology offers many choices and has made this kind of job more affordable.

The photo here was taken about 1 a.m., after the family was asleep, and accomplished after several successive evenings of trying to figure out how to assemble the banner. Once I finally figured it out, it actually is not too difficult to put together. But I still had to jury-rig part of it because it didn't quite work as advertised. It looks fine, but I wish it was sturdier. (But you get what you pay for!)

The real test will be whether it survives the wear and tear of four days in San Diego. If it works out, I'll provide a link of where I ordered it and be happy to recommend it to people. But I think I'll wait 'til after the show after I've had a chance to use it "in the field" under real-world conditions!!

(I plan to post more, but for additional sneak peaks, visit my photogallery for the show!)

Rob Hanes Adventures Audioshow Now on CD!

Back in the 1990s, WCG produced a 30-minute Rob Hanes Adventures audiotape called “Three Days of the Fanboy.” Designed as a classic radio show, and professionally produced and engineered, the story brought the series to vivid life with voice actors, music and sound effects. (One of the program’s lead voice actors, Scott Brick, has since become a prolific and award-winning audiobook narrator, having recorded more than 250 books to date, including many by best-selling authors such as Brad Meltzer, Orson Scott Card, and Tom Clancy.) In the show, Rob is hired to protect the comic-book collection of fanboy extraordinaire Johnson McFeeley (played by Brick).

Long overdue, the audiotape has finally been transferred to CD and now is available at the WCG Comics webstore. As seen above right, the cover art has been redesigned for the new CD format. Revel in the dated references and hear the series come to life with this unique and fun collector’s item!

To see photos from the recording, click here.

Hello Again, My Loyal Public!

Yes, I know, it's been awhile since I last posted. All I can say is that it would be very easy to spend all of my time promoting my work on the Web if I wanted to -- but then I'd never finish any new comics for you, my loyal public!!

Anyway, I'm pleased to announce that the landmark 10th issue of Rob Hanes Adventures is now available!

For details, including how to order, go to the newest edition of my e-newsletter or visit the main WCG Comics website.

The issue is a full-fledged sports story that takes place in the world of minor league baseball, and was a fun change of pace.

As mentioned in a previous post, issue 10 will be available at my booth at the Comic-Con International in San Diego, July 26-29. I'll be in booth S14!

With issue 11, the series will return to form with a story of high adventure in which Rob goes to Asia to battle modern-day pirates. A preview for the issue has just been posted here.

Pending the completion of a few final details, I have some additional exciting announcements coming up related to the future of the series and the upcoming convention, so stay tuned!

Rob Hanes Adventures Hits Landmark 10th Issue

Longrunning indie series celebrates milestone with sports story

June 6, 2007

For immediate release

The long-running independent comic-book series Rob Hanes Adventures hits its landmark 10th issue in July. To celebrate, the action-adventure series will cross genres in the issue with a full-fledged sports story. The issue is now available to retailers and also will be available from WCG Comics at the Comic-Con International in San Diego, July 26-29, 2007.

Though primarily a modern-day soldier-of-fortune series, Rob Hanes Adventures creator Randy Reynaldo frequently explores other genres. In issue 10, the series enters the world of minor league baseball in a humorous sports adventure entitled “The Pride of the Chickenhawks.” Past stories have featured a drawing room mystery and outright comedies.

“Although Rob Hanes Adventures is primarily a globetrotting action-adventure series, I've always intended to keep myself challenged by mixing things up and throwing the character into different, offbeat situations,” says Reynaldo. “I had a lot of fun doing a baseball story and may tackle other sports in the future (no pun intended!).”

In the issue—just in time for baseball season—globetrotting adventurer and Justice International private eye Rob Hanes is hired by a minor league baseball team called the Brisbane Chickenhawks to investigate allegations of steroid use. In the course of the story, however, Rob becomes more interested in getting a hit than with cracking the case—leaving it up to his partner, Abner McKenna, to solve the mystery! Rob's obsession with getting on base and the resolution of the case come to a thrilling climax in a baseball game with playoff consequences. All the elements of a classic sports story are blended with a classic mystery-adventure.

In addition to classic adventure strips like Terry and the Pirates, Scorchy Smith, and Buz Sawyer, Reynaldo also is a longtime fan of Will Eisner's Spirit, and has always appreciated the wide variety of stories presented in the groundbreaking series. Stories often ranged from straight adventure to lowbrow comedy, and everything in between—including numerous sports sequences.

And while even Reynaldo is too young to have enjoyed first hand classic sports comics like Joe Palooka and Cotton Woods, he knows they once enjoyed an enormous following in comics. Sports comics also are a popular genre in Japanese manga.

Upcoming stories in the series will feature the character battling modern-day pirates in Asia and being stranded on a desert island with a convict Rob has been hired to extradite from overseas.

Rob Hanes Adventures is a comic-book series about an international troubleshooter and modern-day soldier of fortune who works for Justice International, a worldwide private investigations and security agency. Reynaldo is a Xeric Foundation grant recipient and a past nominee for the Russ Manning Award for Most Promising Newcomer, which is awarded annually with the Will Eisner Awards. In 2006, WCG Comics celebrated 15 years of publishing.

More information about the series may be found at the WCG Comics website at wcgcomics.com.

Click here to see sample pages from the issue.

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