Blog | StarWarp Concepts | Publisher of Dark Fantasy and Horror

Happy Wonder Woman Day 2018!

Posted on June 3, 2018 by Steven

Last year, DC Comics made a formal declaration that June 3rd would forevermore be known as Wonder Woman Day. Of course, the fact that it only fell on the day following the U.S. release date for the first-ever Wonder Woman big-screen motion picture, and that there are no official plans to make it an annual celebration, surely had nothing to do with it…

But that shouldn’t stop you from celebrating it! And how can you do that? Well, how about downloading a free digital comic that’s only available right here, at StarWarp Concepts!

Heroines and Heroes is a collection of comic stories and pinups all drawn by me, dating back to my days in the early 1990s small-press movement—that age of dinosaurs in which creators like me used to make our comics by printing them out on photocopiers and then stapling them by hand. In H&H you’ll find mainstream heroes and small-press heroines, a couple of anthropomorphic bikers—and a certain member of the Justice League.

“V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N (in the Summertime)” is a three-page Wonder Woman vs. Harley Quinn story that I wrote and drew in the late ’90s as a sample for a DC Comics editor who thought I’d be a good fit for their Batman: The Animated Series comic (it didn’t work out). It’s followed by an adventure of small-presser Jeff Wood’s rabbit-eared superspy, Snowbuni; three pages from the long-canceled indie comic Motorbike Puppies; and an adventure of the indie superheroine The Blonde Avenger.

Heroines and Heroes is available for free download right now, so visit its product page for more information, including sample pages. It’s a small-press wonder!

Posted in Digital Comics, Events, Publishing | Tagged digital comic books, heroines and heroes, shameless plugs, wonder woman, wonder woman day | Comments Off

The Formidables: Now On Sale in Print!

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Steven

Well, it’s taken longer than expected, but at last The Formidables—the superhero comic that I’m involved with as editor—has finally reached comic shops!

Formidables-MidtownComics-May2018

Originally self-published digitally by creator/writer/artist Chris Malgrain through his Oniric Comics company, its print rights were picked up by Red Anvil Comics in 2017, and the first two issues have just hit comic shops—as evidenced by this cell-phone photo I took yesterday at Midtown Comics in New York City!

The Formidables are a quintet of superheroes battling evil and bigotry in 1950s America, with their first challenge coming in the form of a Communist super-villain…who’s disguised as a white supremacist! It’s a unique take on the genre, with Chris examining topics like race relations and sexual identity in a Cold War setting, with an appropriate amount of punching and explosions mixed in, of course—we are talking superhero comics, after all!

So face front, true believer, and head on down to your local comic shop to pick up copies of The Formidables #1–2!

Posted in Comic Books | Tagged chris malgrain, red anvil comics, the formidables | Comments Off

Author Richard C. White Achieves Escape Velocity

Posted on May 23, 2018 by Steven

This weekend, science fiction fans from far and wide (well, at least the ones not at the beach for Memorial Day weekend) will be gathering at the Escape Velocity convention, being held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland on May 25–27. And among the guests in attendance will be SWC’s own Richard C. White, who’ll be there to promote his latest book, Harbinger of Darkness.

According to its website, Escape Velocity is “a futuristic world’s fair to promote STEAM [Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics] education within the context of science fiction using the fun of comic cons and fascination of science and engineering festivals.”

Harbinger of Darkness is Rich’s original novel in which a thief named Perrin steals an extremely valuable—and magical—gem from the evil king ruling her home country. With thugs and fellow thieves and the king’s assassins hot on her trail, Perrin finds just staying alive is becoming a full-time occupation, which directly conflict with her secret life—and identity—as a humble bookseller’s daughter. It’s sword-swinging adventure at its finest!.

If you’re attending Escape Velocity this weekend, be sure to purchase books directly from Rich, who’ll be selling copies of Harbinger, his story collection For a Few Gold Pieces More, and his nonfiction book, Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination all weekend.

For more information on the convention, visit the Escape Velocity website.

Posted in Conventions | Tagged conventions, escape velocity, richard c. white | Comments Off

Richard C. White: For a Few Geek Radios More

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Steven

Attention, fantasy fans! Last year, SWC author Richard C. White was interviewed by podcaster Rich Sigfrit for the show Geek Radio Daily, to promote Rich’s For a Few Gold Pieces More—and now, one year later, it finally got posted on the site. So head on over to GDR right now and give Rich’s interview a listen as he discusses the background of some of Gold Pieces’ stories and gets in a plug for his follow-up SWC project, the fantasy novel Harbinger of Darkness (which is also now on sale!).

For a Few Gold Pieces More is a collection of ten critically acclaimed short stories. Think Lord of the Rings meets the “spaghetti Westerns” of director Sergio Leone (A Fistful of Dollars; The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly), as a Rogue With No Name travels a world of epic-fantasy adventure, looking for treasure—and revenge against the woman who sent him to prison for a crime he didn’t commit (but she did). Here’s the back cover copy:

For the right price, he’ll get you out of trouble. Cross him, and you’ll never pay enough…

It’s amazing what you learn living on the run.

Fleeing for my life, convicted on trumped-up charges, and denied the use of my own name, I’ve stayed one step ahead of the Imperial Guard by focusing on one thing—taking care of myself first. So, I don’t know where you heard the ridiculous rumor about me helping people here and there around the Empire. And if, and that’s a big if, it was me, there was something in it for me. Trust me on that.

In the various towns and villages I’ve visited over the years, I’ve seen depravity, cruelty, torture, greed, lust—and that’s just the humans. Trust me; compared to them, the creatures that haunt the edges of the Empire are more honest and trustworthy. At least they’re not trying to slip a knife into your back…usually.

Only a few things have been constant while I’ve been on the run. My desire for revenge against the person who framed me all those years ago tops the list. Weird things happening in quiet villages, dark forests, or icy mountains never seem to change. And third? Well, that would be my luck.

I can always count on it to be bad.

And what exactly makes these stories “critically acclaimed”? Well, just look at what these folks have to say:

“Entertaining, old-school sword and sorcery, in the tradition of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser.”—Jim C. Hines, author of the Magic ex Libris, Jig the Goblin, and The Princesses series

“Richard C. White knows how to spin a yarn. These stories do not disappoint.”—Bobby Nash, author of Evil Ways, Domino Lady: Money Shot, and Alexandra Holzer’s Ghost Gal: The Wild Hunt

“A great read that had the main character learning that he is a better man than what he thinks he is.… It was easy to visualize the characters and find yourself rooting for them. I have no problem recommending this book to those that like this genre.”—Drue’s Random Chatter’s & Reviews

Weighing in at a hefty 420 pages, For a Few Gold Pieces More sports a cover painting and a frontispiece illustration by fantasy artist Shane Braithwaite, who also provided the cover art for Rich’s 2015 SWC release, the writer’s reference book Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination.

For a Few Gold Pieces More is available in print and digital formats, so visit its product pages for ordering information.

Posted in Interviews | Tagged for a few gold pieces more, geek radio daily, Interviews, richard c. white | Comments Off

Happy Mother’s Day 2018!

Posted on May 13, 2018 by Steven

Posted in Holidays | Tagged mother's day | Comments Off

Happy Free Comic Book Day 2018!

Posted on May 5, 2018 by Steven

That’s right, comic book fans, today is the eighteenth annual Free Comic Book Day at brick-and-mortar and online comic shops around the world.

Held the first Saturday in May, this year’s event is timed to coincide with last week’s release of Marvel Studios’ latest blockbuster, Avengers: Infinity War, in which Earth’s Mightiest Heroes join forces with other Marvel heroes—including the Guardians of the Galaxy—to battle the space villain Thanos as he tries to take possession of the Infinity Stones: jewels that will give him the power to destroy the universe! And in keeping with FCBD’s fine tradition of gifting comics to fans everywhere, here’s a list of StarWarp Concepts’ offerings that you can download—for free—directly from us!

Heroines & Heroes: A collection of comic stories and pinups all drawn by me, dating back to my days in the early 1990s small-press movement—that age of dinosaurs in which creators like me used to make our comics by printing them out on photocopiers and then stapling them by hand. In H&H you’ll find mainstream heroes and small-press heroines, and even a couple of anthropomorphic bikers. Leading off is “V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N (in the Summertime),” a three-page Wonder Woman vs. Harley Quinn story that I wrote and drew in the late ’90s as a sample for a DC Comics editor who thought I’d be a good fit for their Batman: The Animated Series comic (it didn’t work out). It’s followed by an adventure of small-presser Jeff Wood’s rabbit-eared superspy, Snowbuni; three pages from the long-canceled indie comic Motorbike Puppies; and an adventure of the indie superheroine The Blonde Avenger.

The Saga of Pandora Zwieback #0: A full-color introduction to the young adult novel series of the same name, hosted by Pan herself. Pan is a 16-year-old New York City Goth who’s not only a horror fangirl but someone with the rare ability to see the for-real monsters that regular humans can’t (she calls it her “monstervision”), and with the help of a 400-year-old, shape-shifting monster hunter named Sebastienne “Annie” Mazarin, she’s learning how to protect her family, her friends, and the world from the supernatural dangers out there—and maybe even have some fun while doing it. This 16-page comic features a seven-page story written by me, with art and color by Eliseu Gouveia (The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1, Carmilla, A Princess of Mars), and includes two sample chapters from Blood Feud, the first Pan novel.

Hearstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa #1–3: Before she became Pan’s monster-hunting mentor, Sebastienne Mazarin made her debut in this short-lived, 1990s Mature Readers series from Millennium Publications. A nefarious heavy metal band has arrived in New York City, and its lead singer is more than just a sex magnet for his female fans—he’s an incubus! Will Annie put an end to his plans for worldwide chaos, or fall prey to his supernatural charms? Written by me (of course), issue 1 is drawn by Pan and Annie co-creator Uriel Caton (JSA Annual) and inker Alan Larsen (Femforce); issue 2 is penciled by Uriel, Holly Golightly (School Bites), and David C. Matthews (Satin Steele) and inked by Larsen; and issue 3 is penciled by Holly, with four pages of inks by “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Harvey Kurtzman’s New Two-Fisted Tales).

Warning: Heartstopper is designated a “Mature Readers” comic for violent scenes and some sexual innuendo, so younger Panatics should avoid it.

All these comics are available for download right now, so visit their respective product pages for more information.

Posted in Digital Comics, Events | Tagged free comic book day, heartstopper, heroines and heroes, Pandora Zwieback | Comments Off

Celebrate National Bombshells’ Day 2018 Tomorrow!

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Steven

In case you were unaware of it, tomorrow is not just Free Comic Book Day, it’s National Bombshells’ Day! According to the National Day Calendar, “Victoria’s Secret created Bombshells’ Day as a day for women to celebrate themselves and their best friends with numerous in-store activities and surprises for customers. The registrar at National Day Calendar proclaimed National Bombshells’ Day in March 2015 to be held annually on the first Saturday in May.”

Well, if bombshells are your thing, then might I suggest that you check out a couple of StarWarp Concepts’ leading—and sometimes lethal—ladies:

Lorelei is a soul-stealing succubus, and currently stars in two critically acclaimed titles:

Lorelei: Sects and the City is a Mature Readers graphic novel in which Lori battles a cult of Elder God worshipers attempting to unleash hell on Earth. Basically a love letter to 1970s horror comics like Vampirella, Tomb of Dracula, and Ghost Rider, it’s written by yours truly, Steven A. Roman (Stan Lee’s Alexa, X-Men: The Chaos Engine Trilogy), and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia (Vengeance of the Mummy, Lady Death), Steve Geiger (Web of Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk), and Neil Vokes (Flesh and Blood, Fright Night). It also features a cover by legendary artist Esteban Maroto (Vampirella, Zatanna, Lady Rawhide), a frontispiece by original Vampirella artist Tom Sutton (Ghost Rider, Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night), and a one-page history of succubi illustrated by Ernie Colon (Vampirella, The Grim Ghost).

Lorelei Presents: House Macabre: It’s Lori’s first outing as the hostess of a horror comic anthology, in this one-shot special that contains four tales of horror, behind eye-catching cover art by fan-favorite artist Louis Small Jr. (Vampirella, Supergirl, Batman 80-Page Giant).

“The Old, Dark Manse” is written by me and illustrated by Uriel Caton (JSA Annual, The Ex-Mutants, Heartstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa) and “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Harvey Kurtzman’s New Two-Fisted Tales), and has Lori welcoming readers to this special.

“All in Color for a Crime” is another tale from me, with art by Lou Manna (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, Young All-Stars). Two comic book collectors clash over a rare back issue—and only one of them will be adding it to their long boxes!

“The Basilisk,” from me and artist John Pierard (Graphic Classics: Horror Classics, My Teacher Fried My Brains), is a “Lori’s Feary Tale” that examines the history of a supernatural creature that’s a cross between a deadly snake and a…chicken?!

Wrapping up the special is “Requiem for Bravo 6,” by New York Times bestselling author and comic writer Dwight Jon Zimmerman (She-Hulk, Steve McQueen: Full-Throttle Cool) and artist Juan Carlos Abraldes Rendo. A special-ops team goes on a life-or-death mission…but will they be prepared for what awaits them at mission’s end?

Our other “bombshell” is Sebastienne Mazarin, an immortal, monster-hunting mentor who currently appears in my Saga of Pandora Zwieback novels, mentoring a teenaged Goth chick on the finer points of handling the creatures of the night. But before she became Pan’s monster-hunting mentor, Sebastienne Mazarin made her debut in a short-lived, 1990s Mature Readers series:

Hearstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa #1–3: A nefarious heavy metal band has arrived in New York City, and its lead singer is more than just a sex magnet for his female fans—he’s an incubus! Will Annie put an end to his plans for worldwide chaos, or fall prey to his supernatural charms? Written by me (of course), issue 1 is drawn by Pan and Annie co-creator Uriel Caton (JSA Annual) and inker Alan Larsen (Femforce); issue 2 is penciled by Uriel, Holly Golightly (School Bites), and David C. Matthews (Satin Steele) and inked by Larsen. Issue 3 (which Millennium never published) is penciled by Holly, with four pages of inks by “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Harvey Kurtzman’s New Two-Fisted Tales). As a special bonus, issue 3 includes a short preview of the also-never-published Heartstopper/Trollords, a proposed one-shot special that would have had Annie meet Harry, Larry, and Jerry, the Three Stooges–inspired trolls created by Scott Beaderstadt and Paul Fricke, written by me with pencils by Holly and Scott and inks by Bill Lavin (Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings).

Lorelei: Sects and the City and Lorelei Presents: House Macabre are available in print and digital formats; Heartstopper is a free digital exclusive. Visit their respective product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages.

Posted in Events | Tagged heartstopper, lorelei, lorelei presents: house macabre, lorelei: sects and the city, national bombshells day, sebastienne mazarin | Comments Off

Happy National Superhero Day 2018!

Posted on April 28, 2018 by Steven

What a time to be a comics fan! Not only is this the opening weekend for Avengers: Infinity War, the latest big-budget film from Marvel Studios that gathers together every one of their movie characters to disrupt Thanos the Titan’s scavenger hunt for the reality-changing Infinity Stones, but today is National Superhero Day!

According to a number of websites, National Superhero Day “was created in 1995 by employees of Marvel Comics, who sent a team of interns out in central Pennsylvania to hear what the public thought about superheroes and what super powers they’d most want to have. Today, the day is about honoring all the superheroes in our lives, both the fictional and the real-life heroes who give their all every day.”

It sounds like an apocryphal story (Why would Marvel send out interns to do a poll? Why only central PA and not the entire United States?), but in a country that celebrates National Chocolate Custard Day (that’s May 3, in case you were wondering—mark it on your calendar!) it shouldn’t be all that surprising that even a probably made-up story can get its own holiday.

Still, it’s superheroes we’re talking about, and if you’re looking for some around these parts, we have a couple of titles you might be interested in:

Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings is a general readers’ graphic novel about a group of supernatural-superheroes-for-hire taking on their first case. The team consists of a wizard, a female ninja, a sorceress, a werewolf, and a rock ’n’ roll lighting designer wearing high-tech armor. Sure, they might not be on a power level with the Avengers or Justice League, but they get the job done. (However, they have been compared to the JL’s supernatural offshoot, Justice League Dark and Hellboy’s Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, although TSI predates both organizations.) The graphic novel is written by Richard C. White (Harbinger of Darkness, For a Few Gold Pieces More) and his wife, Joni M. White, and illustrated by Reggie Golden and Randy Zimmerman, and features cover art by Richard Dominguez (El Gato Negro).

Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings is available in print and digital formats; Heroines and Heroes is a free digital exclusive. Visit their respective product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages.

Posted in Holidays | Tagged comic books, heroines and heroes, national superhero day, superheroes, troubleshooters incorporated | Comments Off

It’s National Library Week 2018!

Posted on April 8, 2018 by Steven

Hey, book lovers! It’s time to recognize another annual reading event, because if there’s one thing we enjoy around these here parts, it’s reading! This time, it’s National Library Week!

According to the American Library Association (ALA), the organization that runs the event:

“First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. All types of libraries—school, public, academic and special—participate.”

National Library Week runs April 8–14, so be sure to see if your local library has any special events planned for the celebration.

Posted in Events | Tagged national library week | Comments Off

Author Richard C. White at Write Stuff Writers Conference

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Steven

This week, pro and amateur writers will be gathering at the Write Stuff Writers Conference, being held at the Best western Hotel and Conference Center, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. And among the guests in attendance will be SWC’s own Richard C. White, who’ll be there to promote his latest book, Harbinger of Darkness, as well as his other SWC releases.

Harbinger of Darkness is an original novel in which a thief named Perrin steals an extremely valuable—and magical—gem from the evil king ruling her home country. With thugs and fellow thieves and the king’s assassins hot on her trail, Perrin finds just staying alive is becoming a full-time occupation, which directly conflict with her secret life—and identity—as a humble bookseller’s daughter. It’s sword-swinging adventure at its finest, and Rich is sure to be talking up the book—so be sure to ask about it!

If you’re attending the conference this weekend, be sure to purchase books directly from Rich, who’ll be selling copies of Harbinger of Darkness, his fantasy story collection For a Few Gold Pieces More, and his popular writers’ reference book, Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination.

The conference runs Thursday, March 22, through Saturday, March 24. For more information, visit the Write Stiff Writers Conference website.

Posted in Conventions | Tagged conventions, richard c. white, write stuff writers conference | Comments Off