There are only six issues left of Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's The Boys, and according to the long-running series' writer, it won't be pretty. Ennis brought the series to Dynamite a few years back after its brutal, perverse spin on superheroes didn't go over so well with then-publisher DC/Wildstorm. Since the move, Ennis has been hammering out one continuous story about the the titular group that monitors the capes, charting their inevitable, likely final conflict with the entirely corrupt Justice League stand-in, the Seven.

And it's been a long time coming: each of the Boys, led by the very dangerous Butcher, has a reason to hate the supers and the company that manufactured them, the military-industrial conglomerate Vought-American. While the Seven--not so much led, as terrorized--by the likely psychopathic Homelander have been embarrassed, thwarted, (and in one case) maimed by Butcher's people. There's a tense game here as both sides wait to make their move. The current arc, "The Big Ride" sees some unseen player orchestrating a confrontation between both sides, setting up a murder and waiting for the big clash.

It might not go down this arc, but it's coming.
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Tags Darick Robertson, Dynamite Entertainment, Garth Ennis, The Boys

On the weekend of April 14^th-17^th I had the pleasure of attending the 29^th Barcelona International Comicon. Featuring artists and writers from all over the world, the convention opened my eyes to comics that I had never experienced before. The only downside was my discovery that there were no English books to be found at the convention. I came home with a long list of names that I need to do some research on!

Zombie-themed bands played music every evening

I kicked off the festivities on Thursday by interviewing Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson of Astro City. Thanks to a mix-up with their next interview we had some extra time and wound up chatting about their legendary series for almost an hour. It’s obvious that they enjoy each other’s company and are truly delighted by the work that they do. The convention provided translators to help the Spanish press (and vice versa) understand interviews with the English-speaking creators. Each translator had their own unique way of jotting down notes and turning them back into sentences. They work incredibly fast and it was quite amazing to watch.

Many fans have criticized SDCC and NYCC for being too crowded to move. Barcelona was a surprisingly calm experience where creators can walk freely throughout the convention. Another pleasant aspect was the food! The cafeteria offered crispy baguette sandwiches with delicious Spanish meats instead of the usual greasy fare.

My next interview was with Garth Ennis, best known for The Boys, Preacher, The Punisher, and much, much more. I am a big fan of his work and it was a real privilege to sit down and talk with him. Among other things, we spoke about his new Nick Fury ongoing series for Marvel. Ennis promises that it will "be sort of the Marvel MAX ultimate whirlwind cauldron of hell book".

My last interview of the day was with Charlie Adlard of The Walking Dead! As expected, the artist was in high demand at the convention and was busy all weekend with interviews and signings. We had a great discussion about his favorite type of horror, both on and off the page. The organizers brought over ten chilling pages from The Walking Dead, including Adlard’s favorite quiet panel. Part of a larger zombie exhibition, these pages were accompanied by walls upon walls of gory zombie art. Many fans visited the zombie make-up corner where fans could join the ranks of the undead.

Elsewhere on the convention floor, one of my favorite booths was the Spanish Garrison of the Star Wars 501^st Legion. I visited a few times to steal kisses from R2-D2, pose with some Rebels, and giggle at the stormtroopers! Many of the cosplayers at the convention appeared to be high schoolers dressed as characters from anime and manga. I ran into an awesome group cosplaying Kingdom Hearts!

I took a break from the convention on Friday afternoon and visited beautiful Parc Guell. Barcelona is a captivating city with mysterious old buildings, delectable food, and friendly people. The wine is sweet, the cheese is young, and the tapas are incredible.

The con was bursting with illustrious talent and interesting booths. Norma Editorial featured Carlos Ezquerra (Judge Dredd), Busiek, and Anderson, just to name a few. I discovered the work of Reinhard Kleist, a fantastic German artist who has released graphic novels based on Johnny Cash and Fidel Castro. Kleist drew us a gorgeous Johnny Cash and I have already ordered both of his books in English.

Planeta DeAgostini Comics had Adlard along with Brian Azzarello and Dave Johnson of 100 Bullets fame. Superman and Green Lantern hung around Planeta to make sure the creators were protected! The remarkable Eddie Campbell (From Hell) and his daughter Hayley were signing at the Astiberri booth. I was thrilled to discover that Glenn Fabry (Preacher) was also attending the convention. I wanted to ask for something unique, but I just couldn’t help myself and requested a sketch of Jesse Custer. Fabry is working on some incredible new ideas with Steve Niles.

Jesse Custer from Preacher

There weren’t many choices for English speaking panels, but I was able to see Editorial Director of Marvel.com Ryan Penagos (Agent_M) and editor Jeanine Schaefer of Marvel Comics on Saturday evening. They touched on a variety of topics, ranging from what Marvel looks for in a writer/artist to the impact that Marvel.com has had upon the industry. I unfortunately missed the Ennis/Ezquerra panel as it was scheduled at the same time.

The convention featured a beautiful array of art that I immediately fell in love with. One of my favorites was this intriguing piece from Dead Moon by Luis Royo. There was also a large exhibition highlighting popular characters from different countries in Europe. This included two of my childhood heroes, Asterix from Asterix and Obelix and Lucky Luke.

A shot from Dead Moon by Luis Royo

Convention director Carles Santamaria told us about The Center of the Arts of the Comic and the Illustration (CACI), a new museum planned for Spain. It will honor the comic books and illustrations that are a big part of daily life and culture. The goal is to help expose the world to these mediums and will feature work from Europe, South America, United States and Japan. With both permanent and temporary exhibitions, CACI also plans to hold workshops for students along with other activities and areas for research.

Overall, I had a wonderful experience in Barcelona! The convention itself was great, but if you add in a beautiful city and delicious food, the week becomes amazing.

Special thanks to David Macho for press passes and other amenities at the convention!

Check out these awesome related posts:

MTV Geek Interview: Kurt Busiek And Brent Anderson At The Barcelona Comicon!
MTV Geek Interview: Garth Ennis At The Barcelona International Comicon!

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Tags Barcelona International Comicon, Brent Anderson, Brian Azzarello, Charlie Adlard, Comic Book Conventions, Comic Books, DAVE JOHNSON, Eddie Campbell, Garth Ennis, Glenn Fabry, Hayley Campbell, Kurt Busiek, Luis Royo

Garth Ennis is an icon. With titles ranging from The Boys to Crossed to Preacher, he has established himself as a vivid storyteller who isn’t afraid to push the envelope. Famous for presenting the rougher side of superheroes, Ennis prefers writing gritty war stories to men with capes. His run on The Punisher MAX showed a war torn hero trying to piece himself back together. In Preacher, the hero was a man struggling to survive as Heaven and Hell literally descended upon him.

I caught up with Ennis at the 29^th Barcelona International Comicon to discuss his latest projects, why he loves shaming superheroes, and his impressions of the convention. We started off by talking about his recently attained American citizenship. Originally from Northern Ireland, he fell in love with New York about 20 years ago.

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MTV Geek: What is it that you like about America and its culture, and why did you want to live there?

Garth Ennis: Largely, there’s not much that I don’t! Particularly living in New York, which is of course a slightly different kettle of fish. I’ve been coming to NYC for about 20 years and I’ve been living there for eight. I just had that feeling the first time I arrived, like ‘this is home. After 22 years I’ve come home’. Which is a weird feeling to get! Other people that I’ve spoken to say they know what I’m talking about. But it’s just looking around and feeling so utterly comfortable, and at the same time challenged and at the same time excited. I’ve seen a fair bit of the States and the rest of the world, and I’m convinced that there’s nowhere I’d be happier, there’s nowhere I’m missing out on because I’m in NY. Becoming a citizen just seemed to be the thing to do, to commit.

Geek: I had no idea that you lived in the States, I figured that you were holed up somewhere in the UK!

Ennis: Yeah, a lot of people, no matter where I go, whether its Europe or the States, are like 'isn’t it a long way to come from Ireland'? (laughs) NY’s been home for a long time now.

Geek: Let’s start off by talking about The Boys. I’ve always wondered if you specifically based the character of Hughie on Simon Pegg?

Ennis: (laughs) When Darrick (Robertson) and I were talking about Hughie I was describing a smallish chap, quite dapper, with slightly sort of alternative look to him. But really kind of shabby, down at heel, smiles a lot until what happens, and I thought he could look a little bit like the guy from Spaced. Darrick’s a very literal minded guy so of course he drew a literal representation of Simon. In terms of Simon’s actual involvement, he wrote the intro to the book and he got in touch when he saw himself. It’s really just been a happy accident and it’s been great to have him associated with it. Funny thing is, I met Simon a couple of years ago and he’s very near my height! (laughs) He’s not Wee Hughie at all. Read more...

Tags Avatar Press, Barcelona International Comicon, Crossed, Dynamite Entertainment, FiComic, Garth Ennis, Hitman, Preacher, The Boys

Check out previews of the new releases coming from Dynamite Entertainment for March 2!

The Boys #52

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Tags Dynamite Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, Garth Ennis, The Boys, Vampirella

Garth Ennis’ government spooks vs. supes comic, The Boys recently celebrated the release of its 50th issue. Ennis recently talked to MTV Geek about the successful indie series, the current arc—“Careful Planning and Preparation”—a little about what he has in store for Hughie, Butcher, MM, Frenchie, and The Female.

MTVGeek: What do you think has been keeping the series going strong over these last few years?

GE: In commercial terms, we've got enough of a monthly audience to survive long enough to finish the story- that's short term. Long term, it looks like the trade collections are selling well enough for the story to live on for the foreseeable. So we're following the Sandman/Preacher/Y The Last Man model there.

As to how and why, I'd point to the dedication of the entire team. Everyone gives their all- artists, editor, publisher, colourist, letterer, production guys.

Geek: The latest arc—“Proper Preparation and Planning”—feels like the gathering of the storm clouds, like it’s all about to come down on Butcher and his crew. How bad are things about to get?

GE: Things will continue to build for a while. After the current arc we've got "Barbary Coast," in which Hughie finally meets the mysterious Colonel Mallory and learns fifty or sixty years' worth of "secret history." Then there's "The Big Ride," which reveals some of the connections between the Seven and one or two of the Boys' allies—it also features the first real upset for our heroes, as one of the current Seven gets himself caught in a sticky situation and lashes out wildly, with dire consequences for all concerned.

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Tags Dynamite Entertainment, Garth Ennis, The Boys

Artist John McCrea, best known on these shores for his work with Garth Ennis on DC’s The Demon and later, Hitman*, has once again joined his frequent collaborator for a spinoff mini for The Boys, Highland Laddie. Returning the character Wee Hughie back to his home hometown, it’s very different in tone from and pace from the main series, with part of the plot focusing on Hughie’s dealing with events from the main title. Mr. McCrea was kind enough to answer a few questions about his work with Garth, and what he has coming up on the horizon.

MTVGeek: How’s it been working with Garth again on Highland Laddie?

JM: Great, I always enjoy working with Garth and I'm enjoying this series more each time I get a new arc, miniseries or single issue to do—Highland Laddie was a downshift in gears, a real character-driven story that was challenging to draw, but the new 4 parter I'm working on (“Barbary Coast”) has some juicy action sequences for myself and Keith Burns, my collaborator on the art chores, to sink our teeth into.

MTVGeek: How did you get involved in the project? What was the appeal for you?

JM: I guess Keith and me are the regular fill-in fellows!

And the appeal is working with Garth again drawing some really interesting and f***ed up people doing really interesting and f***ed up things.

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Tags Dynamite Entertainment, Garth Ennis, john mccrea, The Boys, The Boys: Highland Laddie

Check out these previews of Dynamite's new releases for January 26!

The Boys: Highland Laddie #6

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Tags dresden files, Dynamite Entertainment, Garth Ennis, The Boys, the green hornet

Today's MTV Geek exclusive Dynamite Entertainment First Look is "Garth Ennis' Jennifer Blood" #3. Providing the art to Garth's story in this issue is Adriano Batista, with covers by Tim Bradstreet, Jonathan Lau, Ale Garza, and Johnny Desjardins. Check out these exclusive first looks at the covers for "Garth Ennis' Jennifer Blood" #3 -- out in April -- and then read on for details!

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Tags Dynamite Entertainment, First Look, Garth Ennis, Jennifer Blood

"Where are all the comic books starring female characters," I have often heard fans ask. Sure, women might be in a team, but how many have their own solo books? And when they do have their own books -- how long do these books last before they are cancelled all-too-soon?

Where are all these female solo comics? They are at companies like Dynamite Entertainment, which publishes titles starring such iconic female superheroines as Red Sonja, Vampirella, and Xena; fan favorites like Painkiller Jane and Athena; and now the newest butt-kicking woman on the block, Jennifer Blood, whose first issue blasts its way to stores in February!

Starring a suburban housewife who suits up with artillery and body armor to obliterate bad-guys in her spare time, "Jennifer Blood" is the brainchild of Garth Ennis (who of course writes another Dynamite smash hit "The Boys").

The first part of a month-long spotlight on "The Women of Dynamite," we chatted with Ennis about Jennifer Blood, strong female characters, working with independent publishers, and lots more!

MTV Geek: Some early buzz surrounding "Jennifer Blood" describe it as a "Female Punisher." Do you agree with that comparison? Read more...

Tags Dynamite Entertainment, Garth Ennis, Jennifer Blood, Punisher

“Proper Preparation and Planning” continues this month as the titular team of government operatives prepares for some kind of vague future confrontation with Superman-analogue The Homelander. For those of you unfamiliar with the series, The Boys is Ennis’s latest assault on capes and costumes fiction, with a group of tough-talking types—led by Butcher—who keep tabs on corporate-created and sponsored superheroes. At the heart of the series is the cold war between the incredibly powerful Homelander and Butcher, who for still unrevealed reasons blames the lunatic superhero for the death of his wife.

The opening pages of this issue actually focus on this last point, as Homelander has an increasingly deranged chat with himself in the mirror at Seven HQ—think the Justice League Watchtower, but filled to the brim with perverts and sociopaths. Ennis takes an opportunity to root around in the character''s steadily deteriorating brain—the world’s strongest man has plans for… something… and to hear him talk, whatever it is will be potentially devastating. What the Homelander doesn’t know is that this entire conversation is being monitored by the Frenchman and the Female back at the Boys’ base of operations. Reading a lot of that back, I can imagine the series being daunting for new readers. In fact, the rest of the book is fairly dense with ongoing machinations as the Boys try to build up more leverage against the capes while trying to figure out the Homelander’s bigger plans. Read more...

Tags Comic Book Reviews, Comic Books, Dynamite, Garth Ennis, The Boys