FREAKSHOW #3 Solicitation Hits Comics Continuum!

Comics Continuum has the final solicitation information and cover for FREAKSHOW #3, the series finale!

Climactic final issue! Stronghold leads a desperate assault on the Quarantine Zone to extract Critter, but all is not as it appears. And when the team discovers the horrifying truth behind The Smoke, everything changes! Will they finally rise to save the city or die trying?

Will this be Critter's finest hour...or his last stand? Make sure to pick up the shocking conclusion this March to find out!

Joe Suitor in BATMAN 80 PAGE GIANT 2010 Today!

Did you dig Joe Suitor's high resolution FREAKSHOW #1 pages yesterday? Well then we've got good news for you - Joe's got a short story in DC Comics' BATMAN 80 PAGE GIANT 2010, in stores today! And if that's not enough for you, Joe's work can also be found in issues #1 and #2 of IDW's TRANSFORMERS: SECTOR 7, also currently available in stores!

First Six Pages of FREAKSHOW #1 in High Resolution!

As a follow-up to our exclusive preview posted on Ain't It Cool News, we wanted to give you guys a higher resolution look at the first six pages of issue #1 of FREAKSHOW drawn by Joe Suitor! Joe puts a lot of great detail into every panel, often drawing each element separately before digitally compositing the final image, and we're excited to share a closer look at that detail with you in these pages. Enjoy!

FREAKSHOW #2 Cover Art by Joe Suitor!

As recently revealed on Midtown Comics where it is now officially available for pre-order, here's Joe Suitor's cover art for FREAKSHOW #2!

Things certainly aren't looking good for Rot, Fog and Critter...but you're going to have to wait until February to find out what happens! Our Diamond Previews order code for issue #2 is DEC100718, so tell your retailer! In the meantime, enjoy the cover!

FREAKSHOW #1 Exclusive Sneak Preview on AIN'T IT COOL NEWS!

With January's FREAKSHOW #1 fast approaching, we thought you guys might want a first look at the interiors of the book itself - and what better way to spotlight them than on the great granddaddy of all things geek, Ain't It Cool News! That's right - hit the link to head over to AICN Comics where you can get an *exclusive* sneak preview of the FIRST SIX PAGES of FREAKSHOW #1! We can't think of a more fitting way to celebrate officially hitting 1000 fans on our Facebook page. You guys rock! Keep spreading the word: FREAKSHOW is coming! Now hurry up and hit that link!

FREAKSHOW #2 Solicitation Info Hits Newsarama!

Newsarama has the world premiere of the Diamond Previews catalogue solicitation text for issue #2 of FREAKSHOW, shipping to stores in February 2011! What can you expect in the second installment? Take a look!

With their mysterious campaign for vengeance uncovered, the team is forced to fight on their own turf as Dr. Gaghen's troops swarm the abandoned school. Critter's down - who's next? It's a desperate struggle for survival that will leave permanent scars on both sides, and force long-buried secrets to rise...

You're gonna have to pick up the issue come February for more! We'll have the order code shortly so you can place your order with your local retailer. Plus - keep an eye out for the premiere of FREAKSHOW artist Joe Suitor's issue #2 cover art here on the blog soon! Trust us, you're gonna want to see this!

Pre-Order FREAKSHOW Through Online Retailers!

Now that FREAKSHOW #1 has appeared in Diamond's Previews catalogue, it's rapidly appearing at online retailers all around the internet for pre-order! For those of you who don't have a nearby comics shop to pick up the book come January, use one of these links and have the book shipped to you directly. We're currently available through Things From Another World on the West Coast, Midtown Comics in New York, Forbidden Planet in the UK, Westfield Comics online catalogue, and more by the day - we'll keep you posted as they continue to crop up!

New Pin-Up by Alan Robinson

Hey guys! As promised, we're back with a special Halloween treat for all you loyal FREAKSHOW fans out there. Even while we're hard at work on wrapping production on the series, we're already planning ahead for our trade paperback collection, which will be released upon the book's completion this spring. Along with all 112 pages of story from the monthly series, the collection will feature a brand new trade-exclusive pin-up section where some of our very talented friends in the comic book community have graciously provided us with their spin on the characters of FREAKSHOW! We've already collected most of the artwork and it's been a blast to see how everyone views our team with a wide variety of styles represented.

In the spirit of today's monstrous holiday, we wanted to give you a little preview of what you can expect from the full gallery. Here's the team as rendered by the amazingly talented Alan Robinson (LOST SQUAD, WEEKLY WORLD NEWS, TERMINATOR: SALVATION).


Alan did a fantastic job capturing Stronghold, Critter, Rot, Fog, and Psychosis in all their eerie glory! Check out Alan's official site to see more of his gorgeous artwork and get updates on all his other upcoming projects. And if you like this, be sure to pick up the FREAKSHOW trade paperback next year to see more great artwork from some of the best talents in the industry!

Enjoy the pin-up - and Happy Halloween!

Pre-Order FREAKSHOW #1 Today!

The solicitation info for FREAKSHOW #1 is now online! Check out our digital solicitation at Comics Continuum.

Want to make sure you can get your copy when the book launches in January? In order to get your local comic shop to order FREAKSHOW, ask for the book by name at your store and provide your retailer with our Diamond PREVIEWS order code, NOV100708. We're in this month's PREVIEWS catalogue (pictured below) in the Ape Entertainment section.

We need readers like you to request the book in order to ensure it reaches an audience, so make your voices heard and request FREAKSHOW today! Thanks for your support!

FREAKSHOW Shout-Out on Comic Related!

The FREAKSHOW train is picking up speed as we prepare the book to hit stores in January and there's no sign of things slowing down anytime soon! Ape Entertainment co-owner Brent Erwin was recently interviewed on the Comic Related podcast, and one of you e-mailed in to ask for the latest news on FREAKSHOW. Thanks for the support! Click here to hear the full interview, including the latest updates on everything else in the ever-growing Ape Entertainment line-up.

In other news, look for issue #1 in this month's PREVIEWS catalogue - and don't forget to ask your local retailer to order YOUR copies! Keep an eye out for our digital solicitation here on the blog shortly, plus a special Halloween treat next week...

FREAKSHOW OVERTURE by Jay Vincent

The Con is done and the FREAKSHOW #1 is in the hands of the die-hard fans, but there's one cool piece of content we haven't gotten to share yet. And it's not a pin-up, or a short story, or a cool behind-the-scenes glimpse. No, this is something new.

This is the FREAKSHOW OVERTURE.

Composed by the insanely talented Jay Vincent, this incredible piece of music moves from a bombastic Freakshow theme into a softer, Critter-centric suite, before returning to its roots in heroic fashion. It's intense, beautiful, and truly evocative of the story and emotion that has embodied Freakshow from the beginning. We're truly flattered by the amazing work done by everyone involved, and we're very excited to finally show it off. This'll be adorning the website in the months to come, and we might even be cutting a cool motion comic trailer for the book if you demand it!

So go ahead and take a listen! And if you like, make sure others take a listen too! (But not on Internet Explorer, sorry - this code only works for Safari, Chrome, and Firefox. We're working on it.)

For more excellent music by Mr. Vincent, check out his website.

FREAKSHOW: Comic-Con Wrap-Up

That's a wrap, folks! The San Diego Comic-Con is officially over - and that means we've put the lid back on FREAKSHOW Issue 1 until its official release next year. The printed book was even more beautiful than we'd imagined, and we couldn't be happier with the response on the Con floor. It was an outstanding and exhilarating five days of spreading the word on FREAKSHOW - and we'd like to thank everyone who came by the booth and picked up an advance copy of Issue 1!

With that in mind, we'd love to hear what you thought of the book! What did you dig? What did you want more of? Who's your favorite character? What, if anything, did you dislike? Your feedback is key to our process as creators, so please leave a comment below or write us directly at freakshowcomic@gmail.com.

Thanks again to everyone who came out, every professional who took the book while we did our rounds, and every single fan who has supported us along the way. This is just the beginning!

PROTOSEVICH talks FREAKSHOW!

When it rains, it pours! In a quote recently added to yesterday's VARIETY story, FREAKSHOW's newly appointed movie mastermind Mark Protosevich (I AM LEGEND, THOR) has some glowing things to say about the book, and we're honored!

"In terms of experiencing moments of creative inspiration, reading 'Freakshow' was like being struck by lightning," Protosevich said. "Weird, exciting, unsettling lightning. David and Jack created a rich, emotional superhero story, but one that's infused with elements of science fiction, post-apocalyptic action, and horror. For me, an irresistible combination. Plus, Joe's artwork is absolutely stunning. I knew instantly that it had to be a movie, but more than that, I knew I wanted to be the one who makes it."

Wow! Thanks a million, Mark!

Freakshow Movie Adaptation Coming from Mark Protosevich!

Leading into our San Diego launch, we've got some AMAZING news to share! Mark Protosevich, the brilliant writer behind I AM LEGEND and Marvel Studios' upcoming blockbuster THOR, is attached to write and possibly direct a feature film adaptation of FREAKSHOW!

From VARIETY:

GODS AND MONSTERS FOR PROTOSEVICH

Mark Protosevich, who brought the Norse god Thor to life for Marvel Studios, will make "Freakshow" his next comicbook adaptation, and is eyeing the property as a potential directing vehicle.

The scribe has paired with Sheldon Turner and Jennifer Klein to produce the project. He will pen the script based on the upcoming book that David Server and Jackson Lanzing created, with art from Joe Suitor, an illustrator at Marvel Comics.

The property, which independent imprint Ape Entertainment will publish as a three-issue miniseries in January, revolves around five young protagonists who are turned into mutants by a cataclysmic chemical explosion and must decide whether to use their newfound powers to save the city or exact revenge on those responsible after the world's only superhero is killed.

Title will be promoted by Ape at this week's Comic-Con confab in San Diego, where advance issues of the book will be sold.

Because the book is self-published, its creators were able to set up the film rights on their own. Move is becoming more common when it comes to comicbooks, given how they're increasingly used to set up movies and TV shows, rather than stand alone as major revenue generators.

Klein was introduced to the book by Server, who had worked as an intern at her production shingle Apartment 3B Prods.

Klein, who has paired with Turner on a number of projects set up around town, will produce "Freakshow" with Protosevich. Manager Ray Miller will exec produce.

Find the full story at Variety.com! We couldn't be more proud to have this stellar team bringing our characters to the screen. And don't forget to stop by the Ape Entertainment booth this weekend if you want a sneak peek at issue #1. See you at the con!

APE ENTERTAINMENT TO PREVIEW FREAKSHOW #1 at SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Ape Entertainment announced today that it will provide attendees at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con with an advance look at FREAKSHOW, a new title co-created by David Server & Jackson Lanzing with art by rising star Joe Suitor (Spider-Man: Fear Itself, GI Joe: Helix).

The three-issue limited series follows the story of five mutated survivors after a devastating chemical explosion, which has left the world’s only superhero dead and his city trapped in a dangerous and mysterious quarantine. In the wake of the disaster, these five refugees must decide whether to use their powerful but defective new abilities to save the remains of the city or extract their revenge on those responsible.

“As readers, we’ve always gravitated towards the creatures and outsiders in comics, and this story comes from wanting to deconstruct those archetypes,” says Server. “When you’re born out of the most nightmarish origin you can imagine, where does that leave you? If your identity is ripped away and you’re left a monster, what might anyone be capable of?”

“While we're playing with the iconography of superheroes, our characters aren't traditionally ‘super-heroic,’” adds Lanzing. “They're freaks, survivors of literally apocalyptic trauma. What we're trying to do is let the reader into the mind of these damaged characters and challenge their expectations. FREAKSHOW is about finding heroism in yourself, even when it seems like there's nothing left to save.”


Though the series won’t arrive in stores until early 2011, advance copies of FREAKSHOW #1 will be available for purchase at the Ape Entertainment booth (#2104) on the convention floor. The issue features a cover by Suitor, as well as a special variant cover by comic industry legend Darick Robertson (Transmetropolitan, The Boys).

That's right, folks - FREAKSHOW is going to Comic-Con! And we couldn't possibly be more excited. If you'll be at the show, drop by the booth and pick up your copy. The whole FREAKSHOW team will be around to sign and chat throughout the convention.

Freakshow Hits Facebook

Hey! Want to be up-to-date on everything FREAKSHOW? You should join the hundreds of people who have become fans of FREAKSHOW on Facebook! That's right: you can officially "like" our little comic, and gain access to our exclusive fanpage content - including a whole host of exciting art and production updates too small or urgent to put up here on the blog. It's a great way to keep in touch and spread the word, so we hope you'll click over to www.facebook.com/freakshowcomic and become a fan.

And for a little taste of what's been happening on the fanpage lately, here's an exclusive piece of concept art by the uber-talented Jorge Lacera (BIOSHOCK). This is just a study for his final art, but we admired it so much that we had to share it with the world. Hope you enjoy it as well - click over to http://lacera.blogspot.com/ for more art goodness.


San Diego Comic-Con approaches, and so do some exciting FREAKSHOW announcements. Stay tuned!

Variant Cover by Tomm Coker

Hey again!

It's been a little while since our last update, but the book is coming together beautifully and we wanted to share a little something special with you guys to thank you for your continued support. We just recieved our first variant cover (one of several which will be revealed down the line), a fantastic shot of Fog by Tomm Coker (DAREDEVIL NOIR, AGENTS OF ATLAS)! So many thanks to Tomm for this gorgeous and haunting image - we're proud and excited to see his work join the ever-growing FREAKSHOW universe.

As always, more updates coming soon!

-The Freakshow Team