http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNF7d4RrkZM

The OGMD #1-2 double issue comes out this month! For a preview of the entire second series, check out this trailer!!! PS - tell your friends!! :)

 
The time has finally come. "The Black Coat: ...Or Give Me Death" issues 1 and 2 can now be preordered in the August issue of PREVIEWS (order code AUG09 0631)! Both issues will be packaged into one monster 48 page swashbuckling fun fest.

If you purchased OGMD #1 the first time around, don't worry; you'll be getting both issues for only $4.50! And, as a special bonus (and one reason for the delay...), the series finally transitions into the world of color! This marks the first time we've used color in a mini. Here are some more details about the book:

Issue 1 is written by Ben Lichius and drawn by the master himself, Francesco Francavilla. If you missed it the first time around, this is a great chance to get caught up on The Black Coat and the Knights of Liberty - or more specifically, why the Black Coat is dead, why he doesn't stay that way, and just what happens to you when you mix in too much alchemy with your science. Oh, and we mentioned color right?

Issue 2, also written by Lichius, introduces new series artist Dean Kotz to the fold. "Dean's an amazing story teller," says Lichius. "He really knows how to bring the environment, the characters, and the action in a story to life, and he does it all with an amazing amount of detail. There's so much going on in these pages, and he makes it look so effortless. I think our readers are really going to enjoy the ride that Dean's art is going to take them on."

So be sure to check it out. Actually, be sure to tell your local comic shop to order it for you. That way there's no chance you'll miss one of funnest, most action-packed, spy-thrillers of the year! Here's all the info:

The Black Coat: ...Or Give Me Death (issues 1 and 2)
48 pages | $4.50 US
In Stores: October 2009
Order Code: AUG09 0631
Synopsis: The Black Coat is back and more unstoppable than ever as 'Or Give Me Death' re-launches with an amazing two-issue, 48-page book (in color!) for only $4.50! Written by Ben Lichius and featuring art by Francesco Francavilla (issue 1) and newcomer Dean Kotz (issue 2), it's time to get ready for all the swashbuckling, monster-smashing, death-defying cloak and daggering you can handle!

 

Hey all,
It's that time of the year again: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! This Saturday, May 2nd, is the one day of the year that there is absolutely no excuse to not go to a comic book store.
Even though there won't be a free Black Coat book this year, fans in Durham NC will get a special treat: Ben will out touring all 3 Ultimate Comics store locations! In addition to doing sketches and snacking on frozen treats from nearby ice cream shops, he'll be signing copies of the recently released Black Coat/ Athena Voltaire One Shot (only $2!) that feature an EXCLUSIVE cover drawn by Ben and are only available through Ultimate Comics.

This should be lots of fun, so don't miss out. Here are the times and places:

HWY 54 location (Durham): 11-1
Chapel Hill location: 2-4
9th Street location: 4-6

For directions and more information, here's the store's link: http://ultimatecomicsonline.com/

See you there!!

Hey Gang! It's coming... The 3rd Annual New York Comic Con is this weekend in (where else?) New York City! I missed last year's party, but The Black Coat will be well represented this time around. For one thing, it will be your first chance to pick up the brand new, hot-off-the-presses Black Coat/Athena Voltaire one shot! It's action packed, full color, and has two great stories for only $2! Click HERE for a preview.
 
If you're not going to be at the show, you should be able to pick it up at your local comic shop next week.

I'll be on hand signing books and doing free sketches. Gabriel Hardman (HEATHENTOWN, THE WIND RAIDER), artist on last summer's BC 52 page special, will also be there. We'll have one other special guest there as well, but we'll save that announcement for the show. ;) We'll be hanging out at Booth #2261, so be sure to swing by.

Lastly, my local comic shop, Ultimate Comics, will have an EXCLUSIVE cover for the BC/AV one shot available at the show. Yes, that's right. This will be your one chance to pick up both of the Steve Bryant variant cover editions as well as the Ultimate Comics Exclusive cover variant (drawn by yours truly) all in one place! For a sneak peek at the cover, here's a link.

See you at the show!!

Two Pulp-tastic Heroes. Two Complete Stories. Two Centuries. Two Dollars! Find out what a Revolutionary-era Crusader and 1930's Aviatrix have in common, besides their status as two of Ape's most exciting heroes! An adventure spanning two centuries: from The Black Coat facing down a pirate attack to Athena Voltaire encountering the horrifying consequences of the treasure they sought. The two variant covers by Eisner-award nominee Steve Bryant combine to form a poster image! It's an action-packed crossover 150 years in the making!

BLACK COAT COVER—32 pages, Full Color, $2.00
ATHENA VOLTAIRE COVER—32 pages, Full Color, $2.00

The Diamond Item Code is DEC083747 (Black Coat cover).
The Diamond Item Code is DEC083748 (Athena Voltaire cover).

For a preview of the Black Coat story, click here!

The Black Coat will be set up in the Small Press Pavilion at this year's San Diego Comic Con International July 23rd - 27th. We'll be at booth L12 with lots going on. Black Coat artists and writers will be signing books and doing sketches all weekend.  The brand new 52 page special will also be on sale!
If you miss us in Small Press, be sure to stop by Ape Entertainment's booth in the IP Pavilion (2203). Besides more BC books, Ape has all kinds of coolness going on. Books like "Femme Noir", "Bizarre New World", and "Athena Voltaire" are all available in one form or another with lots of other great titles just waiting to be discovered — by you! Swing over to their website for a preview!

See you in San Diego!

Good news for Black Coat fans everywhere! Ape Entertainment is pleased to announce the up-coming release of the 52-page Black Coat Special! The Special will contain two unique, self-contained stories that shed some light on the history of Colonial New York's masked hero.

The first story, "Heart of Ice", is written by Black Coat co-creator Ben Lichius and features art by the incredible Gabriel Hardman (War Machine, X-Men and Spider Man 3 films). The Black Coat ventures into the untamed New York wilderness to do battle with the legendary Chenoo – a man-eating beast from the North. As he prepares for a fight with the unknown, The Black Coat finds allies in unexpected places and enemies that are too close for comfort.

The second story, entitled "First Blood," is reprinted from its initial appearance in issue 2 of "Comics Now" magazine. Written and drawn by Ben Lichius, it follows The Black Coat, Josiah Morgan, and his wife Ursula, as they defend the city from a mysterious new threat – dragons! "First Blood" features the first color (yes, color!) Black Coat story to date!

Black Coat fans have been patiently awaiting the continuation of the second series, "…Or Give Me Death" since last Spring. "We're still working on it," said Lichius. "It's not dead. We appreciate everyone sticking with us and we'll put out more information as we have it. As soon as we get the chance, we'll get the rest of the series out there."

"In the meantime we hope everyone enjoys these new stories," continued Lichius. "They're full of all the swashbuckling, action, and adventure you've come to expect from The Black Coat and should be a lot of fun!" The Black Coat 52-page special is available for preorder now (Diamond Code: MAY3590) and will be in stores this July.

The book will retail for $6.95.

Visit the BC forums for preview pages!

Boy, it’s been a while! But I’m (finally) back with some good news! If you pick up this month’s issue of Comics Now Magazine (issue 2), you find a nifty little gem tucked in there. A while back the editor, Bryan, asked me to do a short story for an upcoming issue to go along with an (awesome!) article on the resurgence of pulp comics. I couldn’t resist! So I wrote and pencilled a 14 page story that should be a lot of fun! As I eluded to it last Fall, it’s called "First Blood" and tells the story of the Battle of Golden Hill - an armed skirmish between New Yorkers and Redcoats 5 weeks before the Boston Masacre. Oh, and there are dragons! (It is a BC story after all... :) ) It was inked by Jeremy Colwell, colored by Joe Suitor, and Lettered by Chris Studabaker.

And we’ll have more info about this later, but we are also getting ready to solicit a brand new 48 page special! In addition to reprinting "First Blood", a new 30-page story called "Heart of Ice" will be included. It’s written by me and drawn by the incredible Gabriel Hardman (War Machine, X-Men and Spider-Man 3 films). Swing by the BC forums to take a sneak peek at both of these stories! The 48 page special should be in stores in early July.