shockmatrix

Splash Page Art has just posted up some gorgeous originals by the new cover artist, Owen Freeman: http://www.splashpageart.com/ArtistGalleryRoom.asp?ArtistId=283&Ti=Owen_Freeman I had the pleasure of meeting him in person at a recent appearance and he's a passionate professional illustrator with real talent. His upcoming Poison story arc covers look superb!

Issue 16 is out today, a stand-alone story with some great first ever internal art by Owen Freeman on top of a side story by Lark. The world building continues to expand and this is one of the most unique single issue comics I've read in a long time. I can't believe it wasn't nominated for the Eisners in any single category.

Here's the original picture Michael posted on his Twitter with the Lazari: Per Greg's statement at their Fantastic Comics Q&A, only two Lazari were not present at the Conclave, the Vassalovka and the Inamura. Michael then said that the Vassalovka Lazarus was at the Conclave and illustrated amidst the smaller background figures. The Inamura Lazarus is a "ninja" who, Michael jokingly mentioned, was at the Conclave but was invisible . Asking Greg about the Vassalovka Lazarus, he mentioned that it was a very scary character and that "he" does not behave well with others so it may yet be the most extreme example of a Lazarus we will encounter later in the series. Mirroring the current geopolitical climate, Carlyle is in a very precarious position with the war starting. Their Eastern border will be the primary conflict with Bittner/Hock and the Mexico border is still contested with Morray, who are on the fence about which alliance to support. Looking at the World Map, Carlyle's Northern Alaska border was illustrated as contested with Vassalovka, who are pro-Hock, so it will be very interesting to see if they are drawn into the conflict. I'd have to flip through the book at home, but I believe that of the Lazari pictured and shown at the Conclave, everyone had at least a single speaking line with the exception of Carragher & Minetta. Li Jiaolong was definitely the most intriguing of the new Lazari with a peek at his bioengineered cybernetic abilities. One of the most interesting things that hasn't been elaborated on much is the research that went into creating some of these Lazari. For example, Greg stated having had concerns equipping Xolani Nkosi with a spear as this might typecast him. However, upon additional research, he was able to find numerous examples of very modern advanced spear-headed weapons from Sub-Saharan Africa that are extremely lethal and useful in close combat. Similarly, Sonya Bittner was endowed with a broadsword and armor to honor the family's German heritage. It's great to see the methodology behind the creation of the Lazari, and how they truly represent the "sword" of their families. Can't wait to see what additional world-building they'll keep putting in the individual issues once the first set of backgrounds has run its course. I'm hoping they'll continue creating new back-page advertisements as well.

Thanks guys! Hadn't been reading much since my younger days, but this series just really drew me back into the hobby and would love to discuss it in the future since the next "Poison" arc looks like it's going to be a game changer for the universe. Michael Lark's OA rep is Mark Hay: www.splashpageart.com Amazingly, there is a ton of art available and very reasonable prices compared to a lot of other modern publications. Most of the background inking starting with Issue 3 is done part digital/part analog by Brian Level (up until issue 9 or so) and Tyler Boss (current inking assistant), so that's why many of the pages feature printed out blue-line computerized backgrounds. In case anyone may have missed them, the first few covers of the next arc look amazing. Owen Freeman, a professional illustrator for the New Yorker magazine, took over cover duties with Issue 11 and is really pumping out some killer art. Lazarus 17 coming May 2015: Time for war. Lazarus 18 coming June 2015: Casey joins Forever on the front lines.

My first post on the boards, found these forums through a friend and lurked for a little bit. I just wanted to pitch in since this is my favorite modern book, and the most exciting world-building I've seen since the beginning run of The Walking Dead. Greg Rucka performs intense research drawing from current geopolitical events, incorporating modern oligarchs and plutocrats as inspirations for the families. His passion shows in every aspect of the book from the custom design ads/backstories to the real world information he shares on the letters page while attempting to further inform the reader. I had the pleasure of meeting him and Michael Lark at their recent signing and after-party in Berkeley, and both guys are not only as down to earth as you can imagine, but also incredibly dedicated and spirited about this story. To share, here is a commission I received a while back from Michael. This is the first time I commissioned an original piece of art, and it was above all my expectations: To anyone on the fence, get the Lazarus Volume 1 Hardcover. The amount of additional content makes this a true bargain. Family above all!