News and Updates on Hip Flask and Elephantmen http://www.hipflask.com/blog If you haven't read it, check out a 10-page preview at Comic Book Resources! And if you have, please cast your vote at Newsarama's Comic of the Week! Here's some reviews that have already come in... "Starkings and Moritat showcase near perfection in wrapping the miniseries with a shocking and powerful conclusion. The haunting vision of this issue shows what horrors war is capable of unleashing, while the craftsmanship shows what effectiveness comics are capable of producing. My strongest of recommendations go out on this one. (#1 Book of the Week)" and#8212; Ryan the Iowan , Weekly Power Rankings "Richard Starkings and artist Moritat bring (the war) to life in vivid, gory detail, bringing about some of the series' greatest thrills to date. Yes, it's the final issue in the series, but I've just been enjoying it so much that it deserves this last shot at being spotlighted." and#8212; Tom , Gosh! Comics, London CBR story preview Ladronn variant cover "Beautifully written, the art was lovely, everything was just well done. I don't know why I never bothered to check this out sooner. Fantastic work, guys." and#8212; Greg Anderson , via Image Comics forums "American comics with a European flavor produced by Europeans. I'm running out of things to say about this series (with) Richard Starkings' excellent writing and Moritat's wonderful artwork." and#8212; Scott Cederlund , Wednesday's Haul "I picked up the first 4 issues of Elephantmen on your recommendation and to tell the truth, it was creepy. And not the good kind of creepy. The kind of creepy where you wake up with a spider crawling on your face and he gets away and you can't get back to sleep thinking he is still around somewhere and you feel phantom itching that you think is the spider. Yeah, that bad creepy. I may never recover." and#8212; Mrfixit1 , via Newsarama forums Post your thoughts at The Eye of the Needle or the Image Comics forums ELEPHANTMEN: WAR TOYS #3 (of 3) by Starkings and Moritat cover by Boo Cook, variant cover by Ladronn 40pp BandW for $2.99 Diamond #AUG072007 More info >> May 1, 2008 http://www.hipflask.com/issues/wartoys3/cover_100.jpg http://www.hipflask.com/blog/20080501.html ELEPHANTMEN: WAR TOYS #3 (of 3) by Starkings and Moritat cover by Boo Cook, variant cover by Ladronn VICTORY! Even in the face of blistering resistance, it seems that nothing can stop MAPPO's advance across Scandinavia. But as Hip Flask comes face to face with the last vestiges of humanity in the frozen Scandinavian wastes, he discovers that only the dead see the end of warfare. Five-page story preview >> "The (graytone) style gives Richard Starkings' gruesome battlefield tale of a woman trapped behind Elephantman lines additional horrific weight. It's always nice to see a decent story well and straightforwardly told." and#8212; Steven Grant, Permanent Damage On Sale Wednesday, April 30 40pp BandW for $2.99 Diamond #AUG072007 More info >> Story preview Issue info April 27, 2008 http://www.hipflask.com/issues/wartoys3/preview2/icon.jpg http://www.hipflask.com/blog/20080427.html It's been a while since we've posted any news, since we've been so busy cranking out new Elephantmen (and other) goodness! The Captain Stoneheart hardcover , Tim Sale Black and White (Revised and Expanded) , Strange Embrace hardcover and WAR TOYS #3 are at the printer now. We've posted a bunch of Moritat's art from WT3 in the gallery , so check it out and let us know what you think . April 12, 2008 http://www.hipflask.com/issues/wartoys3/preview2/icon.jpg http://www.hipflask.com/blog/20080412.html Unpublished art, sketches and drawings by Ladronn in a beautiful oversized hardcover volume. Designed by Comicraft's Secret Weapon, John JG Roshell, this book is the perfect companion to HIP FLASK: CONCRETE JUNGLE, and is printed in the same format. See an exclusive five-page preview at Comixology >> On Sale Wednesday, March 5 128pp full color with painted cover by Ladronn for $29.99 Diamond #SEP071961 ISBN #1582408823 More info >> March 1, 2008 http://www.hipflask.com/issues/wartoys3/preview2/icon.jpg http://www.hipflask.com/blog/20080301.html "The story, though deceptively simple, is incredibly thought provoking and powerful. Equally as powerful is the black and white art by Moritat. The visuals are equal parts propaganda newsreel footage and Saving Private Ryan, with an amazing sense of texture and intensity." and#8212; Ryan the Iowan , Newsarama Weekly Review Power Rankings "Action abounded, the story was enriched (pun intended), and after the shock of not seeing any color last issue I got back to the business of loving the detail in Moritat's work. I continue to be surprised by this team at every turn. (4.5/5)" and#8212; Chris Murman , Line of Fire Reviews "I feel the sense of world building in a big way with all of the Elephantmen books, and this miniseries is a great example of that. I love all of the work done in these books." and#8212; Adrian Schnyder , The Effete Bomb 40pp BandW for $2.99 Diamond #JUL071950 More info >> Enlarge cover February 29, 2008 http://www.hipflask.com/issues/wartoys3/preview2/icon.jpg http://www.hipflask.com/blog/20080229.html If you weren't able to attend WonderCon this past weekend, or just want to relive the sights, the sounds and the smells, check out our gallery of pictures and sketches from the Elephantmen booth and beeeeyond! February 26, 2008 http://www.hipflask.com/issues/wartoys3/preview2/icon.jpg http://www.hipflask.com/blog/20080226.html RESISTANCE! France has fallen to MAPPO... but even the Elephantmen have sustained heavy casualties. As Africa's forces advance into the North of Europe, Hip Flask, Ebony Hide and Obadiah Horn find that their way forward is not as easy as they thought it would be. At last, Starkings and Moritat tell the story of the war to end all wars in this special three issue mini series. Read the five page story preview >> Postcard/Desktop picture gallery >> On Sale Feburary 27, 2008 40pp BandW for $2.99 Diamond #JUL071950 More info >> February 25, 2008 http://www.hipflask.com/issues/wartoys3/preview2/icon.jpg http://www.hipflask.com/blog/20080225.html Newsarama's Ryan the Iowan published his Yearly Review Power Rankings, featuring his picks for the Best of 2007, and singled out Moritat as Best Penciller of the Year! "I'm speechless," reported the Artist formerly known as Justin Norman, "And also very, very cold," with that, Moritat ducked out of the rain into his local library with nothing more than an armful of drawing paper and a bellyful of Seattle's Best coffee, and promised not to emerge until the art for WAR TOYS #2 was completed. ELEPHANTMEN also ranked highly in the following categories: Best Ongoing Title of the Year 2. ELEPHANTMEN -- "There is no ongoing series that is more hauntingly beautiful and thought-provoking than Image's criminally under-read Elephantmen, by the masterful creative team of Richard Starkings, Moritat, and Ladronn." Best One-Shot of the Year 3. ELEPHANTMEN: PILOT -- "The gorgeous pin-ups and fun alternate reality stories made this one-shot a can't miss issue for fans of the regular series." Best Single Issue of the Year 2. ELEPHANTMEN: WAR TOYS #1 Best Cover Artist of the Year 3. LADRandOuml;NN (Elephantmen, All-New Atom, Incredible Hulk) and last but not least... Writer of the Year Honorable Mention: Richard Starkings It's rare that Richard Starkings is mentioned honorably, so it's rather nice of Ryan to honor him so, um, honorably... "It's true," said Starkings, "I am not always honorable, primarily because we spell it correctly in England, with a 'u' -- my capacity for appreciation is bottomless however, as it's very hard to take the 'u' out of gratitude, and I wold like to offer my hmble thanks to Ryan for inclding me on his list of so many redobtable writers." January 5, 2008 http://www.hipflask.com/issues/wartoys3/preview2/icon.jpg http://www.hipflask.com/blog/20080105.html Check out a five-page preview of WAR TOYS #1 at Newsarama! December 10, 2007 http://www.hipflask.com/issues/wartoys3/preview2/icon.jpg http://www.hipflask.com/blog/20071210.html