In the Home Stretch of Rob Hanes Adventures #27!

Coming in Rob Hanes Adventures #27

Coming in the next issue of Rob Hanes Adventures… 

Continuing the tradition of stories ripped from the headlines and inspired by real-world events, Rob Hanes Adventures #27 takes the series to Ukraine! 

When a U.S. official gets trapped in middle of the war zone, Rob joins forces with a private military contractor to extract him. Along the way, Rob encounters combat drones, snow, Soviet-era tanks, and an Eastern European warlord from Rob's past in command of a ragtag military unit made up of Russian conscripts and North Korean mercenaries—as well as the usual romantic entanglements! 

Read all about it in "The Killing Fields," coming next year...

Tintin Tribute – Rob Hanes Adventures #26

In the next issue of Rob Hanes Adventures (#26), Rob gets dragged into the billionaire space race when he’s sent on assignment to an orbiting space station under construction. More details to come!

However, while working on the story, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to pay homage to the classic Hergé Tintin cover for Destination Moon! (The booster rocket’s checkerboard pattern is a nod to the same pattern design on Tintin’s Moon Rocket.)

Several other classic comic strips also went into space—not sure yet whether I’ll reference any of the others, though the Dick Tracy Bucket Air Car is high on my list! 

[Pictured below: Dick Tracy strip excerpt from July 30, 1965, by Chester Gould; splash pages from the Spirit on the moon Sunday insert sequences from August 3 and August 31, 1952, story and art by Will Eisner, Jules Feiffer and Wally Wood.

Update on Rob Hanes Adventures #25

Work on the 25th issue of Rob Hanes Adventures continues! As recently announced, a unique experience is planned for this milestone issue—a story made up entirely of "Sunday pages,” in a rollicking, high-concept nod to the classic soldier-of-fortune newspaper strips that inspired the series.

Entitled "Old Adventurers Never Die…", the story is set in the 1930s (don’t worry, it’s explained!) and features many faces that will be recognizable to anyone familiar with the adventure strip heroes of yesteryear. And for those who aren’t, it’s still a rip-roaring adventure!

At right is a full-color cover mock up and below are new teaser pages and excerpts from the story currently in progress.  (All art subject to change prior to publication.)

Promo Reel for Rob Hanes Adventures #24

Here's a new promo reel for Rob Hanes Adventures #24!

For more, visit the WCG Comics YouTube Channel!

First Look at the Rings of Power

As I've mentioned before on this blog, I've been a huge fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings since discovering it around the age of 12 or so. And seeing the books come to life with loving care and a firm sense of conviction in the material in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films (2001–03) was certainly a dream come true for this kid's still beating fanboy heart—the films not only surpassed my expectations (as well as most people's), they received critical acclaim and validated my love of the books by being embraced by mainstream audiences. (While I have fondness for the Hobbit film trilogy (2011–14) and even the Ralph Bakshi Lord of the Rings film, Jackson's films were the pinnacle of adaptations).

So it's with some interest that I look forward to the upcoming Amazon Studios series, the Rings of Power, that will cover the "Second Age" of Middle Earth, which set the stage for the climax of the Third Age, as told in the original trilogy.

With the series due to drop in September 2022, Amazon dropped a well done dramatic title reveal in mid-January...

 

...followed by advance coverage in the form of a behind the scenes first look in Vanity Fair and the drop of its first trailer during the Super Bowl:

As always, it all lies in the execution—only after the series drops will we know whether the new series stays true to the books (and fans' expectations). That said, I appreciate the scale of the world of Middle Earth they've shown in the teaser, as well as the sophistication of the special effects; both show epic action and quiet thoughtful character moments that hopefully will be part of the series.

To add my own two cents though, I do hope that there will be a modicum of humor in the series as well. While Jackson stayed true to the books, what's sometimes overlooked is that he also smartly added occasional humor to the proceedings, both to "humanize" the usually very un-human characters but also to take off the edge off of the solemnity that are indeed part of the mythic story. By doing so, Jackson deftly subtly reminded modern audiences that this was still all meant to be entertaining (he also satisfied the impish sense of humor that has always been part of this filmography), while fully showing respect for the story and characters. He approached the material very seriously without making it feel self-important. So let's hope the show runners of the new series keeps that in mind as well.

Fingers crossed!

Preview of Rob Hanes Adventures #23

Below is a promotional video (my first ever!) for Rob Hanes Adventures #23—followed by static images of the preview pages! Features modern-day piracy on the high seas!

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Work in Progress: Rob Hanes Adventures #23

Work in progress: Rob Hanes Adventures #23--Rob is hired to protect a cargo ship against sea pirates! (Dialogue will be added in post and has been removed to avoid spoilers!) 

New Rob Hanes Adventures Trade Paperback Collection Coming this Summer

For additional images, visit WCG Comics’ online media room

NEWS RELEASE – For Immediate Release

Cover to Rob Hanes Adventures, Vol. 2

WCG Comics announced that Rob Hanes Adventures, Volume 2, a trade paperback collecting issues 5–8 of the long-running globetrotting action-adventure comic-book series, will be released summer 2018.

“With these issues, I feel the series really hit its stride,” said series creator and writer-artist Randy Reynaldo. “There’s drama, straight adventure, some comedy, and even a drawing room murder mystery, taking place in diverse locales such as Russia, the Alps, a British manor, and Africa.”

Reynaldo is an invited Special Guest at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con.

The volume is the fourth trade paperback to date collecting the series. Prior compilations include the Rob Hanes Archives, collecting the original 1990s’ zine run of the series (plus one new story); Rob Hanes Adventures, Vol. 0, which compiled Adventure Strip Digest, the original comic-book series featuring the character; and Rob Hanes Adventures, Vol. 1, which collects issues 1–4 of the regular, current series. To date, 18 issues of Rob Hanes Adventures have been published.

Rob Hanes Adventures is a free-wheeling, light-hearted action-adventure series featuring the exploits of a globetrotting private eye and troubleshooter from Justice International who travels the world on assignment, facing adventure, intrigue and romance at every turn, with occasional dashes of good humor and forays into other genres. Every story is self-contained, making it easy for readers to jump in with any issue.

Launched in 2000, and preceded by a zine and a 4-issue comic-book run titled Adventure Strip Digest, Rob Hanes Adventures is one of the longest-running indie comics series still going! Inspired by classic adventure comic strips like Milton Caniff's Terry and the Pirates and Roy Crane's Buz Sawyer but set in the modern day—with dashes of light-hearted humor reminiscent of Will Eisner's Spirit—readers and fans have praised Rob Hanes Adventures for recapturing the spirit of the classic adventure strip and updating it for modern day audiences.

For more information about the series, previews and to purchase back issues, visit wcgcomics.com or facebook.com/rhadventures.

Additional information about the series is available at the article, "Twenty Years (and more!) of Rob Hanes Adventures."

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For some sample images from the collection scroll down or to view the full gallery of sample pages, click here.

For Immediate Release - 2015 San Diego Comic-Con

Rob Hanes Adventures #0 to Debut at 2015 San Diego Comic-Con

Visit WCG Comics at Booth #K1 in the Small Press Area

Following the May 15 announcement that the next issue of the long-running comic-book indie series Rob Hanes Adventures will feature a “soft re-boot” with a special “zero” issue, WCG Comics has confirmed that the issue will debut at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con, scheduled July 9-12, 2015.

Publisher-writer-artist Randy Reynaldo, under his WCG Comics imprint, will be at exhibitor’s booth #K1 in the Small Press Area (off aisle 1400—see maps below). WCG has been a regular fixture at Comic-Con, with this year’s show marking WCG’s 12th consecutive appearance as an exhibitor and 18th overall since the founding of the Small Press Area in 1993.

While the new issue 0 provides new readers with a fresh entry point for the series, Reynaldo noted that every issue in the series is self-contained and can be enjoyed without prior knowledge of the series. Fifteen issues of the series have been published to date as well as two trade paperback collections of earlier material, and all remain in print and available for purchase.

In addition to the new issue, the series’ full back catalog will be available in its entirety for $45 or in specially-priced value packs of four issues. Free give-aways will also be available with every purchase.

Inspired by the classic adventure comic strips like Milton Caniff's Terry and the Pirates and Roy Crane's Buz Sawyer but set in the modern day—with dashes of light-hearted humor reminiscent of Will Eisner's Spirit—readers and fans alike have lauded Rob Hanes Adventures for carrying on the spirit of the classic adventure strip genre for modern day audiences. Rob Hanes Adventures has been reviewed, spotlighted and featured in numerous respected comics industry news publications and websites, including the Comics Buyer’s Guide, Newsarama, Comic Book Resources, and Bleeding Cool. The series also was featured at wired.com and included in 1000 Comic Books You Must Read by Tony Isabella (Krause Publications, 2009). The year 2014 marked WCG’s twentieth anniversary as a comic-book publisher.

Click here for the May 4 press release announcing Rob Hanes Adventures #0 and to see sample pages.

The permanent link for this press release is http://wcgcomics.blogspot.com/2015/06/2015SDCC.html

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Where to find the WCG Comics booth at the San Diego Comic-Con (Booth K1):

Below is a map to the full floor, followed by a closeup map.

  

Cover to Rob Hanes Adventures #12

UPDATED 12/11/08: Since posting the image below of the cover to the next issue of Rob Hanes Adventures, I've since learned that the guest artist who drew the cover, Benton Jew, has recently had an 8-page story published in a Hulk Family one-shot, and has another story in the pipeline scheduled for Marvel's new wave of online comics! For details, visit Benton's Blog! And, of course, click on the image below to see his cover in detail!


To mix things up a bit, for the first time ever I have invited a guest artist to provide the cover to the next issue (#12) of Rob Hanes Adventures! (Click on the image to see it full size.)

The cover above is by professional illustrator/storyboard artist/comic-book artist Benton Jew. More examples of this outstanding artist's work can be found at his blog.

Benton is a professional acquaintance from way back, dating back to when he worked at George Lucas' visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic before going freelance. He is one of the finest artists I know.

As noted in an earlier blog entry, in issue 12, Rob is stranded on a desert isle with a beautiful female felon he has been hired to extradite back to the United States from Japan after his plane goes down in the Pacific. Preview pages from the story may be found here.

First Preview of Rob Hanes Adventures #12

Good progress has been made on the next issue of Rob Hanes Adventures and I've just posted the first few pages from the upcoming story to give fans a taste of what's coming. For the advance preview, click on the image above or here.

In the issue, Rob becomes stranded on a desert island with a beautiful female prisoner he has been hired to extradite back to the U.S.

(Note: As always, these images are subject to change prior to publication.)

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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EUREKA!

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I am currently working on a sports story for the next issue of ROB HANES ADVENTURES. Though I completed the script and was well along in doing the final art, for some reason, I never really had a satisfying or suitable title and in the past months had been racking my brains trying to come up with one.

Well, in a typical "eureka!" moment, I woke up a few days ago with a title that perfectly fit the tongue-in-cheek tone of the story, and re-did the splash page intro and credits to reflect it. (Click on the image below to see the revised splash page full size.) It's now called "The Pride of the Chickenhawks!", a tip of the hat to what many consider one of the best sports films of all times (and a "male weepie" along the lines of "Field of Dreams"), "The Pride of the Yankees."

Having been raised in New York, I am a Yankees fan by default. In fact, the team number assigned to Rob in this story -- "30" -- is a tribute to one of my favorite Yankee players when I was growing up, Willie Randolph!


Click here or on the image at right to see it full size.

Work in Progress

Below is page 5 from the story intended for issue 10 of ROB HANES ADVENTURES. (To see more pages, click here.)

As you can see, this is a baseball-themed story. I'm having great fun with it, and I think people will be really surprised by it and realize what kind of variety I'm aiming for in the series.


Click here to view the image at right in larger size.