Amala's Blade

SteveHorton

It was just announced by Dark Horse. Check it out.

http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/698/amalas-blade-comes-dark-horse-presents-february-20

ShawnRichison

Man, can I ask you how you pitched this to them - do you know the editors there, or did you just cold call them or what was the process? It looks awesome.

JustinJordan

Huzzah! It took me a good few minutes when I saw the announcement elsewhere to place where I knew it from.

JasonFranks

Great job, Steve!

SteveHorton

Shawn: Best approach for Dark Horse, I think, is to go to a convention where they have editors present, like C2E2 or NYCC or San Diego. I talked to senior editor Chris Warner in person (really cool guy, by the way) and followed up after. I pitched eleventy billion things that were swiftly rejected until I finally found something he liked. And we did eight entire pages, upfront and complete, before showing him anything. (Trivia: Those eight pages got us the gig, but won't be published ... yet.)

And make sure you fill out the form on their site and snail mail it in before you submit anything.

Thanks all!

RussellLissau

Congratulations for keeping this secret so long! I thought you would burst for sure!

NolanTJ

Very attractive.  Really looking forward to DHP next year-- looks like it's going to be a really inventive group of creators in this coming run.

SteveHorton

I know. I get to be in the same book as Brian Wood and Mike Mignola!

Richard_Pace

Congrats, man!

SteveHorton

Thanks, all. I should post more of our character designs and stuff.

ShawnRichison

Yes you should!  Share, man, share!!

SteveHorton

ShawnRichison

Those are so sweet.  I think I'm really going to enjoy this!

NolanTJ

Love everything about this.  Went from excited to through the roof.

RyanBurton

This looks groovy, Steve. The line art, the colours. Yes.

marvinmann

two thumbs up

SteveHorton

Thanks, fellas! Feb. 22 is the date. If you wish to preorder it, the catalog will be out in a few weeks.

It should be on Dark Horse Digital soon after that. (Not sure if they're doing day and date.)

Hey, who knew when we were nobodies on Warren's board that so many of us would land gigs someplace?

JasonFranks

Nice one! And... yes to not being nobodies no more!

SteveHorton

Any of you artists want to take a crack at a pinup of Amala? They won't go in the comic, but they will go on the Facebook page. And I'll see if I can talk Dark Horse into putting them on their website and/or Tweeting about them. Let me know!

marvinmann

If i get the writing done I need to do, I'll take a swing at it.

marvinmann

Well, its been quite a while since I've worked in this mode, brush and crow quill, added the wash after inking, rather then before, as I did with One last Thing. Kind of fun going through the posts above to find costume details. probably blew a few, but nothing really significant, I think. the wash was too dark, but that's what Photoslop's for. The sword got cropped when I scanned it.

Not bad. If I keep at it, I may get better.

SteveHorton

Wow, that's fantastic, Marv. Well done. If you feel like adding the end on to the sword and e-mailing it to me, go right ahead.

marvinmann

The tip is on the sword in the drawing, but not in the scan because the paper didn't fit well. I could trim the paper and re-scan after the holiday. But I'm going away from computer's for a day, happy thanksgiving!

SteveHorton

Any other artists want to take a shot?

SteveHorton

A thumbnail of a panel from Part 3 of the story. I love this panel so very very much.

SteveHorton

Interview over at Robot 6. Much concept art posted. Check it out.

http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2011/12/amalas-blade-steampunk-pirates-and-the-dalai-lama/

anthonyperuzzo

i love the coloring on this ALOT. very cool stuff Steve.

SteveHorton

Michael did the coloring himself! He's a Grecian Urn of many talents. 

SteveHorton

The Dark Horse three-parter is done!

NolanTJ

Great to hear.  Terribly anxious to get my paws on this...

SteveHorton

Just a few more weeks!