Sunday, May 31, 2009

Where's Waldo?



We finally got our table assignment for MoCCA!

Blacklist Studios will be @ Table # 615...

Stop by and say hello!

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Around The Horn Pt. 3

Zombo' Closet of Horror Interviewed me here.

Frankensteinia shouted us out here.

Spawn.com previewed our book here.

SpankyStokes.com said they want their R13 vinyl toys here.

Michael May can't wait to review our book.

And this crazy Robot 13 T Shirt is still available...

What Lies Ahead

MoCCA will be here in 7 days. The same number of days it took to create the world, I am told...

Alot has been happening for Blacklist, and it seems that as the days to the festival count down, there will be a great many things yet to come. I will have another re-cap tomorrow of the hype that has surrounded Robot 13, but we have had our share of up and down moments beyond the internet sightings of our favorite metalic mascot. I can't tell you how many interviews we've done, how many emails and tweets I have sent, how many phonecalls were made...

It's been crazy.

Not Zambrano crazy.

but crazy none the less.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Fade To Black (and red)

Spawn.com has a preview of Robot 13. Look at it here.

That's it- my freakin' brain can't take any more...

See you tomorrow!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Two Fisted Glass And Brass!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Talk To Me

If you are serious about comics, then there are a few websites that you absolutely frequent. The ones that not only give you the basic facts about your favorite comics, but those who actively look to give you deeper news and coverage. One site that I think a majority of comic fans put in this catagory is Comic Book Resources.

Of all the sections of CBR, one of the hottest has to be Robot 6; they feature quick, intelligent and meaningful interviews with everyone in comics from the long time pro to the newcomer doing something exciting. Regardless of who they talk to, Robot 6 always provides their readers with something that makes you want to head out to your local comic shop and pick up the book you never intended to when you woke up in the morning...

Yesterday, Robot 6 posted an interview they did with me. You can read it here.

Today's image is the art for a new Glow-in-the-dark Robot 13 button that will be for sale soon...

Monday, May 25, 2009

Around The Horn Pt. 2

Robert Hood says: "Edgy and dynamic, Bradford’s art compliments and drives the narrative, which is scripted with no-nonsense clarity by Thomas Hall."

Ain't It Cool says: "This looks to be an uber-fun series and the design of the hero and monsters are too cool to miss. Check out the Blacklist website for more info on how to get this damn fine book."

Comic Book Junkie says: "...these pages of the skull-headed robot protagonist fighting a giant octopus are simply delicious"

Platypus Robot says: "It's everything I love about comics: Robots, Monsters, and Big Fights!"

MondoComic dice: "Viendo el adelanto no podemos evitar sentir un aroma a Mignola que cubre todas estas páginas, pero el hecho de ver un esqueleto dentro de un traje de buzo ( ¿o será una carcaza de robot? ) luchando contra un pseudo-calamar gigante, ya dan ganas de leer esto..."

And The Beat, SF Signal and Battle Grip all thought we were newsworthy...

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Pimp My Robot (13)


Does a custom Robot 13 Lego by David J Oakes sound cool to you?
Only 3 were ever made.
I have one.
Daniel has one.
And if you are fortunate, YOU may have one...
On Saturday, June 6th, Blacklist Studios will announce a contest to win this Holy Grail item, which will be on display at our table at MoCCA...
Keep watching for details.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Around The Horn Pt. 1


SuperPunch Says:

"Replace Hellboy with an undead cyborg in a body that looks like a diving suit, and you get Robot-13, created by Thomas Hall and Daniel Bradford. I just read the first tentacle monster-filled issue and give it a thumbs up. "

Adventures In Nerdliness Says:

"I liked it, and there is a tentacled fiend involved :-) ... it has a steampunk/Victorian super-science thing going on."

Scoop Says:

"What keeps this from devolving into negative territory is the strong story. The title character has no idea what or who it is or where it came from. All it knows is that it has an instinctual and irresistible drive to protect mankind from mythological creatures of destruction, and this first issue gives him ample opportunity to do so. "

Calvin's Canadian Cave Of Coolness Says:

"You got a robot with a skull encased in a bubble helmet fighting a giant octopus. HELLO! So where is my cartoon and action figure already?"

Monday, May 18, 2009

Following Me Overboard

If you have been reading my blog of late, you know that Daniel and I are going to Debut the first issue of Robot 13 at this year's MoCCA Festival. If you are interested in Robot 13 or all things Blacklist Studios, then here are all the ways you can follow us and find out what's the buzz:

BlacklistStudios.com is our main website, and we also have a Myspace page here.

Robot 13 has a snazzy Myspace page that you can see here.

Robot 13 also has a newly updated Comicspace Page here.

Daniel's art- both from Robot 13 and beyond- can be seen on his DeviantArt page here.

Daniel and I also have Facebook pages. Befrend us if you aren't serial murders.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Australian Rules Comic Books

There are people who write and there are Writers. Anyone can pick up a pen or sit and pound out sentences on a computer, but a true Writer is both skilled craftsman and a real Artist. They use words with skill~ taking inspired intuitive ideas and working them into the perfect flow of a story, so that the sum is greater than it's parts. It's something that all of us who write aspire to (or at least, it's what we should aspire to, that is).

One true Writer is Australian Robert Hood; he has not only written novels- he has produced short stories, children's books, plays, works of criticism and non-fiction at the highest levels. He's won a boatload of awards and he has one of the coolest Horror blogs out there called Undead Backbrain.

Today, I am humbled to say that Robert has not only read Robot 13, but he really likes it.

Check out his blog entry here and see for yourself what he had to say...

All I can say is wow.

And thank you.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Pick And Pack

As I mentioned yesterday~ I picked up the copies of Robot 13 & I can honestly say that our printed did a fantastic job. As a creative person, whenever you get a finished book in your hands that you worked so hard on to complete, it's very, very satisfying...

Friday, May 15, 2009

Birdies Go Tweet Tweet Tweet

Technology is an amazing thing; as this blog post is being composed, I am waiting in line at customs to pick up the printed copies of Robot 13. Right from my LG Dare, I can communicate with you, complete with pictures and stupid links if I so desire. Those of you who know me well, know that I live on my phone~ texting is one of the main ways I keep in touch with many of my friends... in fact, I can name more friends that I only text than I have fingers and toes.

One thing I haven't done yet, however, is Tweet.

Do you want Blacklist Studios to give you Twitter updates?

Let me know- if I hear back from enough of you, we'll kick our Tweets off at MoCCA...

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Double Scoop Delight

When I was a kid, my dad and I went on a lot of fishing trips. Most of the time, we would go to a lake a few miles away where his mother had a house- it was close enough to get there & back quickly, and the fishing was always pretty good. On one occasion, we caught a particularly nasty and unwanted "fish" that turned out to be an adult male snapping turtle. The thing had a shell bigger than my head, and it was none too pleased to be suspended from a hook through it's beak.

Needless to say, neither one of us wanted to take the hook out of it's mouth, so we cut our losses (and the line) and let the turtle drop back into the water from whence it came...

On the way back home, my dad & I stopped for ice cream. As usual, I couldn't decide which flavor to get- I was a big Chocolate ice cream fan, but they had a very tasty Black Raspberry ice cream there as well. I told my dad that I couldn't make up my mind about it, and he told me this, "Well, you almost lost a limb to Gamera today, so have a scoop of each..."

While it may sound like an odd mix, that double scoop combo is STILL my all time favorite, and when I go for a cone these days, that is my usual.

Why tell that story?

Maybe it's because, in some small way, Robot 13's sea beastie battles reminded me of that childhood memory.

Or maybe it was because Diamond Scoop covered Robot 13 today, and one scoop reminded me of two scoops of delicious ice cream...

Mmmmm. Ice Cream...

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Talking 'Bout A Revolution

Yesterday, we put out our press release for Robot 13. We announced that our first issue release would be available first at MoCCA, and we gave people a glimpse into what the book is about. So far, the response to the news has been great...

Newsarama went into great detail about the announcement here.
Monster Island News talked it up right next to a preview of Terminator Salvation.

Giant Monsters Attack!
also gave us a favorable mention...

Most people that are talking about Robot 13 seem to like the twists Daniel and I have worked into the book...
Hopefully, you will too.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

MYTHOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY COLLIDE!

Today the big press release hit announcing the release of Robot 13: Colossus! Issue #1.

Here's the text of it in case you missed it:


Comic book creators debut new series at MoCCA Festival

BUTLER, NJ (May, 2009) – It was the most unusual catch the fisherman had ever seen: a robotic creation with a skull for a head!

ROBOT-13 has no idea what or who it is, nor where it came from. All it knows is that it has an instinctual and irresistible drive to protect mankind from mythological creatures of destruction.
Two people who do know something about the creature are Thomas Hall and Daniel Bradford, the creators of this new comic book series from Blacklist Studios set to debut at this year’s Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art (MoCCA) Festival.

As fantastical and imaginative as the premise of ROBOT-13 is, it all came together organically for Hall and Bradford.

“Daniel had this robot design he was working on, and I had been reading Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ at the time,” explains writer and co-creator Hall. “I thought there could be a connection. Frankenstein was really a product of its day. People wondered if science had any limits and whether it should have them,” he continues.

Hall decided it would be fun to play with a main conceit of the Frankenstein legend. “If something is created that can think and reason, what would that creation think about itself?”
The original Frankenstein novel was subtitled, “A Modern Prometheus,” as a nod to the titan of Greek mythology who stole fire to give to mortals. Mythology plays a role in ROBOT-13 as well.
“There’s a very Ray Harryhausen-feel to something mechanical with a skull for a head,” notes Hall, referring to the man who created the special effects behind such mythological fantasy films as “Jason and the Argonauts,” “Clash of the Titans” and the Sinbad movies. “Naturally, we decided our robot should fight giant monsters from mythology, just like the ones in the movies we grew up with!”

The monster mash-up of the Frankenstein creature and Greek mythology goes beyond mere battles between behemoths, however.

“In Greek mythology, there’s always the journey where the hero goes to find himself. Having our “creature” follow that hero’s path, looking for who he was, gives me as a writer some great stuff to use. And who doesn’t love a giant monster fight?” explains Hall.

Working together since 2003, Hall and Bradford front Blacklist Studios. Other projects include their first series together, a moody, supernatural tale of serial killers and the apocalypse called “Enlightenment,” and the raucous action-comedy “KING!,” about a certain side-burned, peanut butter-and-banana-sandwich-eating rocker turned monster killer.

Now, striking the balance between “Enlightenment” and “KING!” comes ROBOT-13 #1. The full-color comic book with 24 action-packed story pages retails for $3.00. Readers can choose between two covers: a photo-realistic painted cover by fan-favorite Jeff Slemons or an edgy, frenetic cover done in signature style by series co-creator Daniel Bradford. Don’t miss Robot-13’s pulse-pounding debut, as he is dredged from the depths to battle a terrifying Kraken in the epic adventure, “Colossus!”

More information about ROBOT-13 and other Blacklist Studios titles can be found on the internet at www.blackliststudios.com. Readers can also visit the ROBOT-13 MySpace page at www.myspace/robotthirteen.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

MoCCA Lattes For All

Daniel & I will be at MoCCA June 6th & 7th. It's arguably the best comics show in NYC and possibly the country- check it out if you can....

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Meet The Press

In a matter of days, Blacklist Studios will be making a major press release about Robot 13.

Keep watching for details.