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| Volume 11, No. 43 |
July 28-3, 2010 |
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| Oh, that Heavy Metal
Local comic book makers get international exposure | | Story and Photo by Christopher J. Baca | | 
Local comic book company Adversary Comics is throwing a party at Dave’s Comics and Paintball on Saturday to celebrate their work receiving exposure in Heavy Metal, the sci-fi and fantasy comics magazine.
“There’s commercial comic books, like Marvel and DC,” says Adversary artist Alex Riegel. “Then there is Heavy Metal. It’s more artistically driven, creative and innovative. Not your typical ‘guys-in-tights’ type of comics.”
The Adversary Comics crew will be in full effect at the Westside comics shop, signing autographs and doing sketches. There will be bands playing, food, drinks and a raffle.
What’s Up sat down with the main guys from Adversary comics – Riegel, writer Ray Ramos and artist Villano Montanenas – and found out more about their comics and what it means to have their original work, “Battery Acid,” be included in the world-famous rag.
“Heavy Metal magazine has been around since the late 1970s,” Ramos says. “They primarily work in the realm of adult fantasy and rock-and-roll inspired stories. It started out with a lot of European artists and writers, but in the last decade or so it has grown to incorporate artists from all over the world.”
You might be wondering why being in Heavy Metal is a big deal. Rather than list off a bunch of reasons in esoteric, nerdy, comic book lingo, we’d rather have these guys explain it.
“It’s an honor because so many great artists and writers have contributed in the past up until the present – Moebius, Kevin Eastman, Frank Frazetta, Boris Vallejo and Simon Bisley – and now we’ll be listed among them,” Riegel says. “It’s worldwide, it’s the biggest amount of exposure an independent artist can get.”
Ramos, author of luchador superhero title “El Valiente,” feels the same way.
“Anyone can get picked up to draw the X-Men or Superman,” he says. “But not anyone can say that their own creation was picked up to be featured in Heavy Metal. It’s a rare opportunity.”
So at this point you’re probably wondering where you can find issues from Adversary Comics. Well, they are carried at every comic shop in El Paso, but if you want to find the biggest selection then go to Dave’s Comics and Paintball and talk to Ricardo “Bear” Granado, who runs the shop.
“I love art,” says Bear, “especially local art. Anything that helps put El Paso on the map is a good thing to me, and these guys are the doing the most as far as comic books go.”
By the end of this year, Adversary Comics will be in Heavy Metal again and will have multiple other projects coming out – new issues of the popular zombie comic “Hell’s Pass,” and some work with Arcanum Press on their upcoming series “War of the Independents,” just to name a few.
And as for the celebration this weekend?
“Were going to have the bands, of course, plus we’ll have a girl dressed up like our character Battery Acid,” says Riegel. “We’ll also be giving away free comics, doing sketches and autographs, and we’re going to be raffling off a bunch of our original artwork.”
Two bands will be playing on the big day: punk/ska act Losers and hard rock band P.H.A.T.M. Death Squad, the latter of which is fronted by Adversary Comics artist Villano Montanenas.
“We’ll be doing a tour of all the comic book shops in El Paso this March,” Ramos says. “So if you miss the chance to come out to this awesome show, don’t worry. You can still come see us at one of the other shops and we will sign your books and do some quick sketches.”
Adversary Comics/
Heavy Metal party
with autograph signing, sketches,
food, drinks, raffles and live music by
Losers and P.H.A.T.M. Death Squad
Dave’s Comics and Paintball,
5360 N. Mesa St.
Saturday, Feb. 28
noon to 8 p.m.
FREE
For more information call
(915) 875-8600
Comments or questions about this story? E-mail Secret@whatsuppub.com
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