Tag Archives: Boom Studios

“Get outta here and go surprise yourselves with what you’re capable of. Go become who you were always meant to become”

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FREELANCERS‘ final chapter hits shelves this Wednesday.  I’m sad to say goodbye to the girls (for a while…), proud of Team Freelancers for the work we did (shout outs to Chris Rosa, Bryce Carlson, Matt Gagnon, Felipe Smith, Joshua Covey, Popov Vladimir, Patrick Brosseau, Ian Brill), and still floored that I landed the gig in the first place.

SIX1Freelancers #6, available 6/12/13

This book literally changed my life.  I’d never worked on a multi-issue arc before FREELANCERS, never worked a convention outside of Arizona, never flown on an airplane, never left the country, never had the support of a dedicated marketing team.  Hell, I still had a day job.

Five issues later I’m a better writer, in a better place emotionally, and about three weeks away from achieving my over-a-decade-long goal of getting the Hell out of Tucson and starting my life as a multi-platform pencil-for-hire.

six2Freelancers #6, available 6/12/13

Cass has a line in this week’s FREELANCERS #6, “Get outta here and go surprise yourselves with what you’re capable of.  Go become who you were always meant to become”.

It’s not a bad idea.

A list of zany things that happened in Calgary which are polite enough to say in mixed company:

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1.) I was invited.

2.) Boom Studios sat me in between Paul Jenkins (Wolverine Origins, The Amazing Spider-Man, Batman: The Dark Knight) and Steven Grant (Punisher: Circle of Blood, Avengers, 2 Guns) for the duration of the convention.  LIKE WE WERE THE SAME SPECIES, or something.

3.) I landed two paying gigs while at the show (my first with each company.  Details soon), ensuring that I won’t be homeless for another year.  Thank Rao.

4.) The entirety of the Boom Studios crew (writers, artists, editors, operations folks, marketing, and so on) crammed into a Tardis-like 2” by 2”, non-air-conditioned room at some creepy Korean karaoke bar and sang and danced in unision for three hours straight.

Best song:  R-Kelly’s “Gotham City”.

5.) Devon and Bryce Carlson free-style rapped. It was gangster.

6.) The Calgary Expo talent liaison folks knew I was vegan, and brought me vegan pizza, vegan sushi, fresh fruit, and Canadian root beer all throughout the day.  Every day.  On purpose.  For free.

7.) Fans were excited to see me, and brought stuff for me to sign—which isn’t super uncommon (and I’m incredibly grateful for that)—but these people live IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY than I do, so that was pretty cool.

One dude begrudgingly brought me his teenage daughters’ copies of Freelancers, and asked me to personalize them.

8.) Paul Jenkins, Zack Sterling (Adventure Time) and I hung out in the airport, swapping story pitches that producers—thus far—have been too lame to give us millions of dollars for.

Paul looked me in the eye after I finished my first spiel and said “Hey…That’s really good”, thus affirming my entire existence on Earth.

9.) Calgary asked Paul Jenkins, Michael Alan Nelson (28 Days Later, Day Men, Supergirl) and I to speak on a “How To Break Into Comics” panel.

I’m typing that again.  Just to make sure you read it.

Calgary asked Paul Jenkins, Michael Alan Nelson and I to speak on a “How To Break Into Comics” panel.

I have spent my ENTIRE LIFE trying to get into comics.  I lay awake at night, terrified that someday somebody is going to pull the rug out from under me and I’ll have to go back to working a soul-obliterating retail gig…and a bunch of people who live on the other side of the continent asked me to give advice regarding how to break in.

I guess I can calm down just a little bit?

10.) I felt like I belonged.

That might not sound like much, but this weekend is probably the second time that has ever happened to me (the first being the last night of Emerald City, at dinner with Dean Trippe and Hannah Partlow).

I eat like a weirdo, I don’t love the way people say I ought to, I don’t speak the same language as 99% of the people who I share a last name with, my biological family and I aren’t on the greatest terms, I don’t drink or smoke…there are a lot of barriers between me and the average Joe.

Boom makes me feel like I’ve found the place where I was always meant to be.  I’ll never be able to thank them enough for that.

We are Boom.  And you are too.

Acme 2013

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Acme 2013

“Based out of Tucson, Arizona, Eric M. Esquivel is quickly rising up the ranks as one of the better young writers in comics. He has done creator owned books at Moonstone Books with his takes on The Blackest Terror and Thor: Unkillable Thunder Christ. He has also moved on to be a mainstay at Big Dog Ink writing many of their books and recently has tackled Freelancers for BOOM! Studios.” – ACME – Arizona Comic Mini Expo 2013 http://acmecon.wordpress.com/guests/

Win A Signed, Variant Copy Of Freelancers #3–Just For Bein’ Pretty!

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Send me a photo of you holding a copy of Freelancers #3 (available everywhere 1/16)!

I’ll pick three of you comely devils at random and send you a FREE, signed, variant cover copy of the issue (And probably some extra buttons and crap, too)!

DON’T FORGET TO TELL ME WHERE YOU BOUGHT IT FROM!

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ericMesquivelFanPage
Twitter:  www.Twitter.com/ericMesquivel
Tumblr: www.emecomics.tumblr.com (use the hashtag “#FreelancersComic”)
Buy a digital copy here:  http://www.comixology.com/Eric-M-Esquivel/comics-creator/5852

freelancers3a

“it smells like someone set an orphanage on fire”- Freelancers #2 with commentary

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1.)  In the heightened reality of Freelancers people say “protect ya neck” all of the time.

One reviewer took umbrage with Val’s exclamation, and claimed that it took him out of the story.

…The story about two sexy bounty hunters who grew up in a Kung Fu orphanage, and function in a fictional L.A. criminal underground wherein every Linday Lohan and Brittany Murphy is secretly a Boba Fett.

I don’t know what to do with that.

2.) “They can wail on us ’til our bones turn to dust…doesn’t mean they’ve beaten us” are some pretty good words to live by.

That’s essentially my whole take on Freelancers.

3.) My editor changed “it smells like someone set an orphanage on fire” to “smells like napalm and hairspray”.  He was probably right to do so.

4.) The Bruce Lee taunt.  Doesn’t get any better than that. A kung fu staple.

5.) I tried to sneak hokey martial arts “dad captions” into this.  One of them was “Aja’s Iron Fist!”.  Terrible.  Super hacky. Ultra derivative.  I’m glad they cut it.

6.) I think my brother was the first one who told me about “white parties”.  He used to be the night life columnist for The New York Post.  Pretty much the Bizarro me.

7.) “Burgos” is named after Dan Burgos, a contributer to www.ComicBookTherapy.com , and a good friend.

8.) Cass and Kat’s sibling rivalry comes out.  Cass’ argument is pretty weak.  I don’t buy it. You shouldn’t either.

9.)   Super high brow masturbatory meta-humor.  I am the Dan Harmon of comics!

10.) Look at those hues!  Vladimir Popov did a great job with this one.  It’s like Purple Rain meets Drive.

11.) That last panel is missing a word balloon.  It’s supposed to say “Maybe not today, but soon…And by my hand”.

12.) That “ramen and peanut butter” line is something my assistant Cynthia Gerriets says every payday.  When Val speaks I hear Cynthia’s voice in my head.

13.) I have those shorts.  Wearing ’em right now, in fact.

14.) “Barajas” is named after www.ComicsBeat.com contributor and author of El Loco Henry Barajas. For obvious reasons.

15.) Criscione takes his name from the owner of Jesse James’ Comics, Jesse James Criscione.  He’s totally not actually a mobster.

…probably.

16.) A cameo by Oates, of Hall and Oates!  Ask your dad.

17.) The “Nabokov” and “Humbert” pedophilia references are for my Russian Literature major bros.

18.) “Go time?” was originally “Is this the Drive soundtrack?”.

19.) Yep.  Those Waynes.

20.) “Defrocked Shaolin monks” sounds like a Wu Tang Clan record, doesn’t it?

21.)  Look at how good that second panel is.  That’s some G.I. Joe stuff right there.  Joshua Covey is my hero.

22.) BUM BUM BUM!

Who I am, and why you should care DECEMBER 2012.

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Hi, e’rybody! My name is Eric M. Esquivel, and I’m an author. I write comics, prose, screen plays, critical analyses and little bits of journalism.

My work has inspired a record by UK Hip Hop artist Akira The Don:

…And a music video by “The World’s Greatest Horror Rock Band”, Calabrese:

We’re also puttin’ out issue #2 of the Calabrese Comic this year!

My most recent release is Electric Youth, from BDI.

It’s about the world’s fastest teenager doin’ his damnedest to outrun adulthood, and the responsibilities that come with it.

A couple of very talented dudes said some very nice things about it:

“Eric M. Esquivel writes pop superheroes with a punk rock sense of humor.” – Jamie S. Rich, It Girl

“Fast, breezy super-hero action–with brains, heart and soul enough to make Electric Youth more than just another fleet-footed slacker. This is the perfect comic to take me back to the glory days of my previous favorite speedster. My pal, Eric Esquivel is light years ahead of the pack!” – Brian Augustyn, The Flash

Tom Hutchison is handin’ me the reigns to The Legend Of Oz: Wicked West (ongoing) #6-#8.  I get to tell the secret origin of Jack Pumpkinhead, and I couldn’t be happier. He’s basically the Boba Fett of The Wicked West.  It ships March 2013.

 

 

 

I’m writing five issues (at least) of something for Boom! Studios, but I’m not allowed to say what it is…even though if you Google my name + “Boom! Studios” a couple sites have leaked it.

Oh, comics…

I have been a rabid fan of Boom! for years.  Working for them is hands down the most surreal thing that has ever happened to me.

 

There’s a 4 issue superhero team thing comin’ out through BDI this summer with my name on it, that’ll tie into their epic High Tide crossover event!

That’s all I am legally allowed to say.

*Spoilers: I wrote Lana Del Rey and Aquaman into it.*

 

Ander Sarabia and I have a story in the upcoming American History Z anthology, the third installment in the New York Times Best Selling Fubar original graphic novel series. A preview copy debuted at The Baltimore Comic Con on September 8th 2012. The real one ships around the world mid-2013.

 

 

Alex Diotto and I have a piece in the Vic Boone anthology! That one should drop in the first quarter of 2013. It’s my love letter to Andy Warhol and Arthur Fonzarelli.

 

 

 

I’ve got a short piece in Zombies Vs. Cheerleaders #8.  It’s a spy-fi thing, with pencils by Jason Pedersen, inks by Rich Koslowski (Archie Meets Kiss!), and a title sequence by Hannah Nance Partlow.

 

 

 

I’m responsible for Thor: Unkillable Thunder Christ, published by Moonstone Books. It scored a 9.8 review from Multiversity. Here’s a few sample pages, via Bleeding Cool. And here’s a Comic Book Therapy interview. Score a copy here.

 

 

I also wrote this one thing called Blackest Terror, that people seem to dig. Here’s a Newsarama interview, and a Ghetto Manga interview I gave, regarding it. Score a physical copy here, or a digital copy here. And here’s a comic strip he appears in. He’ll appear again in the pages of of Ghetto Manga Magazine.

 

I have a Facebook Page, a Twitter, a tumblr, and a Wikipedia Entry.

Life is beautiful.

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Thor: Unkillable Thunder Christ is scheduled to arrive this Wednesday!

To say that I am excited is to say that the sun is kinda warm. I’m pretty much vibrating with joy.

Blackest Terror, as much as I love it, was written close to four years ago. Thor was written about 1 year ago. It’s a lot closer to where I’m at (both in skill & in personal outlook).

I’m amped as Hell to share it with you fine folks.

Tell your local comic shop that you want a copy.  If they don’t have any on the shelves, have them order you one.  This is the best selling thing I’ve ever done, but it still isn’t selling X-Men numbers, y’know?  Every little bit helps immensely.  Poppa needs a new pair of solid gold shoes.

Speaking of things I’m excited about…

Ander Sarabia (Thor: Unkillable Thunder Christ, Blackest Terror) and I contributed a story to the new horror anthology from Fubar Press.

Fubar is notable for being the first Kickstarter-funded project to hit the New York Times Best Seller list. So, that’s cool.

I can’t talk about the theme or anything like that, but the above is an image from it. But I can say…STEAM PUNK CRUSADERS VS. ZOMBIE EARTH ELEMENTALS, Y’ALL.

I know. I know. It’s awesome.

I don’t have a release date for the book proper, but a sneak preview collection is in the works for the Baltimore Comic Con (September 8-9, 2012), containing the editor’s favorite submissions…which somehow includes Ander’s & mine, and one by Chuck Dixon (Batman, Punisher: War Journal, G.I. Joe)!

Awesome.

And, my Vic Boone story was approved by 215 Ink, too! It’s going to be drawn by Alex Diotto!

Ahh!

                                                             ^ Alex Diotto

Vic Boone is a title that I’m a huge, huge fan of. It’s a pulpy joint about an ex-motorcycle-daredevil-turned-private-eye–and if that premise doesn’t make your naughty bits tingle, then I don’t want to be friends with you anymore.

My story takes place in Paris, has motorcycle stunts, a femme fatale modeled after Pam Grier, and an army of Andy Warhol clones.

It’ll blow your whole, entire mind.

Hannah started doin’ daily comic thingies! I appear in them occasionally. Usually consuming Mexican food.  Sometimes as 1/2 of a painting.

Check ’em out here: http://hannahnance.blogspot.com/ !

I’ve got a Kickstarter for a film in the works, too. If you’re into that kind of thing, throw some money at it. I’ll love you forever (even more than I do now).

The guys who are doin’ the non-writing part of the flick are damn good. And a bunch of amazing visual artists are involved in creating the alternate reality of the piece.

Here’s a link:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/taylorgenovese/colonel-liberty-a-short-film

Yeah, dude.

Life is pretty cool, too.

Jason Pederson (Zombies vs. Cheerleaders, Thor: Unkillable Thunder Christ), Hannah Nance Partlow (above) and I went to the San Diego Comic Con.  I met Axel Alonso, Sam Humphries, Sana Amanat, Larry Young, Bob Polio, Mike Pellerito, Paul Kaminski, Alex Cox, Dirk Wood, Chris Ryall, Matt Gagnon, John B. Badd, James Kochalka, Steve Niles, Jane Dope, and a whole bunch of other rad comics folk.

Hannah & I stayed with my tiny, itty bitty sister:

And I bought this Ghostface Killah sculpture:

San Diego Comic Con rules.  They give professionals FREE badges, and there’s a rad-ass “pro lounge” upstairs where one can hang out and pour gallons of free coffee and lemonade down one’s throat.

It’s pretty swanky.

Trickster was amazing, too.  Hannah volunteered, and I swung by every night after con to schmooze.  Mostly with Mahfood and Jane Dope.  They’re good people.

The live art stuff, the store, the daytime networking and the music were all rad.  Super fun.

The only bummer about Trickster is that I feel pretty lonely at bars.  I don’t drink, or smoke, or partake in anything more illicit…so that was a bit weird at times–mostly because the folks who do always feel super judged by me, because I’m sober. And they make it known.  And that’s awkward.

I feel like there’s this romanticized artist persona that a lot of people feel they need to conform to in order to be taken seriously as a creator, and it’s just as dumb as thinking that one needs a pair of Nike shoes to be an athlete or Final Draft 8 to be a writer, or whatever.  It’s all bullshit marketing nonsense.

If there are any kids out there reading this: you don’t have to buy anything to be who you want to be.

Do it if you want, but don’t feel like you have to.  I’m not saying that you can’t drink and be an amazing artist–clearly you can.  There are a billion examples of that.  You just don’t have to.  Don’t feel any pressure.

So, yeah.

Everything rules.  Even the things that don’t.