Comic Book News

The Executive Committees of the Harvey Awards and the Baltimore Comic-Con are proud to present the official Nomination Ballot for this year's Harvey Awards. Named in honor of the late Harvey Kurtzman, one of the industry's most innovative talents, the Harvey Awards recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art.

Ballots can be downloaded from HarveyAwards.org and completed forms can be e-mailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Ballots are due for submission by Monday, March 28, 2011.  In addition to being available on the website, ballots will be sent to all major publishers and distributed at comic conventions. We look forward to your participation and input in this process, and we look forward to seeing you at the Baltimore Comic-Con and the Harvey Awards.

Returning for his third consecutive Harvey Awards, Scott Kurtz will be the Master of Ceremonies for the awards banquet, to be held Saturday, August 20, 2011 as part of the Baltimore Comic-Con.  "We are thrilled that Scott agreed to come back to Baltimore and help to make the Harvey Awards ceremony as fun and exciting as the last few years have been!" said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con.

Scott Kurtz has been creating his own comic strips since he got hooked on Garfield in the 4th grade. In 1998, his comic strip, PvP, debuted on the world wide web (pvponline.com) with 700 daily readers. Over the last 10 years, PvP has grown into a genuine Internet phenomenon, growing in readership to an estimated 150,000 readers per day, a monthly title from Image comics, winning a Harvey Award in 2010 for Best Online Comics Work, and winning the Eisner Award for best digital comic in 2006. Scott co-wrote the book "How To Make Webcomics" and co-founded webcomics.com to help assist others in forging their own creative destinies.

Nominations for the Harvey Awards are selected exclusively by creators - those who write, draw, ink, letter, color, design, edit or are otherwise involved in a creative capacity in the comics field. The Harvey Awards are the only industry awards both nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals.

This year's Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 20-21, 2011.  Convention hours are Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM.  The ceremony and banquet for the Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, August 20.  Additional details about the Harvey Awards and the awards ceremony will be released over the next few months.

About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 6 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals.  For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org

About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 12th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area.  With a guest list unequaled in the industry, the Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 20-21, 2011.  For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.

Press Release for February 4th, 2011

Hound Comics & Floating Pear Reveal Celebrity Voices for Animated Series

New York, New York January 17, 2011 – Hound Comics CEO William ‘Brimstone’ Kucmierowski is looking to make Brimstone and The Borderhounds: The Animated Series into a family affair. Rather than auditioning a slew of actors and actresses, Hound Comics and Floating Pear Productions have chosen to cherry pick what they feel is the perfect cast for the eclectic grouping of Borderhound characters. The well-known names create an ensemble that represents the wide spectrum of entertainment including pro wrestlers, models, reality stars and other personalities. “When working in entertainment, you can go for months at a clip living in your own little world. Utilizing the talents of these fantastic entertainers is a no brainer and at the same time gives me an excuse to hang out with my friends” says Brimstone.  

Hot off the heels of their worldwide release of the comic book on newsstands in Barnes & Noble, Book World, and Amazon; the Hound Comics crew has been anticipating the World Wide Premiere of the animated series that has been in production with partners Floating Pear Productions, LLC. The exclusive ‘first look sneak peek’ will be offered initially at Wizard World Entertainment’s Miami event which is slated to take place at the Miami Airport Convention Center located at 711 N.W. 72^nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33126 on February 26^th and 27^th. "Wizard World is proud to announce the launch of 'Brimstone and The Borderhounds: The Animated Series' at Miami Comic Con," said Gareb Shamus, Wizard World CEO. "It fits perfectly with our tradition of world premieres and sneak peeks of exciting new shows, and it's particularly gratifying given our long relationship with Brimstone." To which Brimstone adds, “Wizard World Comic Cons are a staple in the Hound Comics’ marketing arsenal. I’m honored to be able to work with Wizard concerning this major milestone in the Borderhounds franchise!”

The confirmed celebrity voices that will be gracing the series will include Brimstone as himself, Jose Hernandez, Jr. (HBO’s Oz) as Dawg, former WWE Smackdown Superstar Kaval as Orgrathan, Brutus ‘The Barber’ Beefcake (WWE Legend) as Txigon with Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine (WWE Legend) as Txigon’s right hand man. Other celebrity guest stars that are linked to the production voice-wise are Claire Unabia and Kim Leemans (America’s Next Top Model), Darra ‘Like Dat’ Boyd (VH1’s Flavor of Love & Charm School), and Robb Demarest (SyFy’s Ghost Hunters International) along with plenty of other special guests. Theme music for the series boasts a fast paced, in your face, classic Saturday morning cartoon sound with an edge; compliments of Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, lead guitarist for Guns N’ Roses.

It’s amazing that the cast is just as ecstatic about getting the ball rolling. "I am very intrigued by the series. I look forward to giving Orgrathan a voice!" says, Kaval. Beefcake states, "I’m very excited to be involved with this very cutting edge animation project! Brimstone and The Borderhounds is sure to be a huge success!" Demarest makes his comic debut with the Borderhounds in issue four with his guest appearance and will continue the relationship with Hound Comics by lending the voice to himself in the animated series. "We're looking to bring back the days where celebrity cameos were fun, made sense and worked into the actual story, like Scooby Doo… just a lot less hokey!" says Brimstone. "Being a life-long comic book reader and fan, when this opportunity came along, I was more than excited to be a part of it. We didn't want this to be a forced ‘guest appearance’, and we are confident that fans will be pleased!" says Demarest. As for the other main characters in the cast; most voices will be reprised by their real life counterparts such as Mr. Hostile (Chris Hostile), Chavez Raoul (Jake Dixon) and Luscious (Eddie Castillo).

The new “Borderhounds” series will not only appeal to a mature audience who can appreciate the dark undertone driven story-arc and tongue-in-cheek humor; but to the young viewers as well. “We are looking to appeal to a broad age range and demographic.” says Sajad Shah, co-founder of Hound Comics and penciler for Brimstone and The Borderhounds.  “Dee [Boyd] and Damon [Wong] at Floating Pear have gone above and beyond to stay true to the title and its characters! Once the killer cast of entertainers lend their personalities to the mix… this series is bound to make some noise!”

For more information, to schedule an interview, or request a digital copy for review; please contact Amy DiLeo (PR) at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit us on the web at http://www.theborderhounds.com/home.html or http://www.theborderhounds.com/ani_home.html

Brand new celebrity driven comic book hits national book store circuit 1/11/2011

New York, New York January 6, 2011 -- Hound Comics is proud to formally announce that its flagship brand, "Brimstone and The Borderhounds" will officially be on the shelves of Barnes & Noble and Book World retail stores nationwide on Tuesday, January 11th! On this date, the brand new comic book will be available in bookstores as well as online worldwide via Amazon.com.

Hot off the official launch signing held at Borders Books & Music (October 2010 - Westbury, NY) this past fall, the “Hounds” are excited their fans will have full access to their latest endeavor.

“Brimstone and the Borderhounds” is a comic book based on the persona of professional wrestler, Brimstone; although the book itself has nothing to do with wrestling. The universe surrounding the Borderhounds is a combined creation of lead writer Marcello Carnevali and Brimstone, with the artistic talents of Sajad Shah, Thiago Castro and Allen Chickering. The book as a whole has garnered a wide range of media attention and extraordinary reviews.

What is so special about this you may ask? The Hounds have made history by becoming one of the few, if not only; independent comic creators to have its title distributed by the self-proclaimed, "Largest Book Retailer in the World." Not since Image Comics took a stand in the direction of creator-owned licenses has an indie company declared war on the industry by shouting, "Hey! We are here and we aren't going anywhere!"

Hound Comics is making a major impact and taking the comic industry by storm. "We are truly looking to raise the bar in terms of quality from the storyline right down to the printing. This is certainly not your average comic book, we guarantee more bang for your buck!" says Brimstone, lead character of The Borderhounds.

Considering all the ‘celebrity’ driven media and product these days, it seems rare to have a celeb at the helm that is actually 110% hands on. That being said, William ‘Brimstone’ Kucmierowski is determined to chart a path to success for his crew that rivals their counterparts who’ve cornered the market for several years. “We are not looking to take the place of the big boys, however we'd like to eventually be considered an equal or an accepted alternative to the 'norm'.”

Brimstone and the entire Hound Comics creative team will be hitting the road in 2011 embarking on a promotional tour with the convention kings of comics and pop-culture, Wizard World Entertainment. “Brim has had a very long and prosperous relationship with Wizard so it would seem only natural to align ourselves with them on such a vital tour. Wizard conventions are one of the industries best resources to personally meet and acquire direct feedback from our fans,” says Carnevali.  The first appearance for the new year will take place in Miami on February 26-27 at the Miami Airport Convention Center where Hound Comics and Floating Pear Productions will offer an exclusive world premiere sneak peek at the title sequence for "Brimstone and The Borderhounds: The Animated Series" with theme music courtesy of Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal of Guns N' Roses.

For more information, to schedule an interview, or request a digital copy for review; please contact Amy DiLeo (PR) at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit us on the web at http://www.theborderhounds.com/home.html

“Opening page one is akin to tumbling down the rabbit hole and what could be better as a reviewer than to find undiscovered territory? No zombies, no Nazis, no licensed properties looking to squeeze those last few drops out of a tired franchise. Nope, this is an artist’s imagination put on paper.”

-Mr. Pasty; Ain’t It Cool News

“I began reading this with low expectations and then I guardedly liked it. Then I was genuinely enjoying it. When I finished, I wanted to read the next issue. It was just that good.”

-IcarusFlies; Comic Vine

“There is a very strong humor element to Brimstone and the Borderhounds, but it's understated. It's the kind of humor I like in a comic book. It's not in your face. It's understated and just comes naturally.”

-Troynos; Kitty’s Pryde

“The team of Brimstone and Carnevali bring it all together to create a new and unique universe of their own that is worthy of taking a literary tour.”

-Lon Dobbs; Pop Stars Plus

“BRIMSTONE AND THE BORDERHOUNDS is one of those surprising indie titles that ends up being more than the sum of its parts. Even if you think you know what you’re getting into, reading BRIMSTONE AND THE BORDERHOUNDS will get you thinking, get you laughing and leave you wanting the next issue.” “This story is as flamboyant is its characters and despite its tongue-in-cheek attitude, BRIMSTONE AND THE BORDERHOUNDS dives into some fairly complex and scary concepts right off the bat. From religious and racial prejudices to Wall Street betrayals in the name of the almighty Dollar to serial killers to finding out that you’ve died and gone to hell, Kucmierowski and Carnevali pull no punches.” “BRIMSTONE AND THE BORDERHOUNDS is just fun. The notes of the absurd ring very true and the blend of urban horror, the post-apocalyptic world of hell and characters you know as soon as you see them blend to create one of those stories that will be quickly and quietly passed from comic reader to comic reader.”

-Alan M. Rogers; Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy

"The need to reinterpret mythology to modern parameters is inherent to any society. In its own way, creating comics is simply reinterpretation of those historical archetypes for a new world. Here two former wrestlers create their own images of the heroic ideal."

-Comic Related

"I'm not a big fan of 'Hell' stories, I'm more of a Green Lantern or Wolverine man myself; but I found myself easily reading "Brimstone and The Borderhounds" and enjoying it! The persona of 'Brimstone' based on the Pro-Wrestler nicely ties into the whole story."

-The Geek Buzz

"Just in time for Halloween, a new comic called "Brimstone and the Borderhounds" is launching that will challenge your perceptions about the post-apocalyptic world: Hell." "I'm a fan of pulp fiction myself and old-school Iron Man and Fantastic Four comics, so I can see myself getting sucked right into the world of "The Borderhounds." With an Xbox Live game in production via SGN Games and plans for other media expansion, the future looks very bright for the dark comic!"

-Pat Ryder; The Examiner

“Brimstone and the Borderhounds” #1 is a fun read that promises to get crazier with ensuring issues. I plan on sticking around to see where this one goes.”

–Brian LeTendre; Secret Identity 

“Brimstone and The Borderhounds” is better than watching WWE Smackdown!”

-Jason L; The Curse of the Drinking Class

“New comic ‘Brimstone’ is devilishly good!”

-Victor Ocasio; Valencia Voice

“The story holds unseen surprises and flashes of witty humor that made the issues fly by!”

-John Wilson; Comic Related

Tuesday, October 5th, 2010: Is Brimstone and The Borderhounds yet another comic book to hit the stands?  No. What actually makes this comic different than the others? Just about everything! For starters, co-creator William Kucmierowski better known by his professional wrestling stage name “Brimstone,” has been hands on with this project since day one. “We started moving on this project in 2005 and I refused to launch the title until it was nothing but perfect!” says Brimstone. “With more line-up changes than Spinal Tap; we have finally secured our dedicated team and are full steam ahead” says co-creator and lead writer, Marcello Carnevali.

Unlike many other brands today, the creative team behind “Brimstone and the Borderhounds” is a family. Brimstone is dedicated to giving opportunity to bright young undiscovered and up and coming talent. Just like in professional wrestling, music, film, radio etc. – there are millions of hopefuls who need that chance to shine. Well, the Borderhounds team does just that. “We have been working with penciler, Sajad Shah, since the conception of the title. He has got to be one of the most talented untapped resources in the entire industry!” says Brimstone. “Shah is the definition of the phrase, ‘Diamond in the Rough.’ Today, the internet is filled with so much media that it is hard to distinguish the good st uff from the junk.” says Carnevali. Inker Allen ‘Vandal’ Chickering is certainly no newcomer to the comic book industry and has become a serious asset to the creative team. The team recently welcomed their newest addition, Thiago Castro, who has taken the reigns of colorist and lettering duties. “Castro’s take on the ‘Hounds color scheme is like a dark twisted carnival for the eyes! The entire team is excited to have him working with us!” says Brimstone.    “Brimstone and The Borderhounds” offers a refreshing independent feel with a professional edge which helps this title stand out. 

The Borderhounds team is proud to announce that they are aiming to launch their initial four part series on October 31^st, 2010. Advance copies of issue #1 can be purchased via the Official Website as well as corporate advertising and interesting perks!

** Brimstone, M.H. Carnevali and Sajad Shah will be signing LIVE at BORDERS BOOKS & MUSIC (located at 1260 Old Country Road, Westbury NY 11590) on October 30th, 2010 for a Pre-Launch Signing Party. The event is open to the general public who is encouraged to pick-up a copy of the comic book ($5.00), meet and greet with the creators and have their book signed for FREE. Meet and greet will take place between 2pm - 7pm (EST).