Well, today’s the day. After almost a year of working on POPGUN 4 as an editor and contributing writer — we started even before we were done with POPGUN 3 — the book is at finer comic shops and bookstores everywhere.

I’d like to thank all the amazing contributors (on all 4 volumes) and the editorial and production team of the book past and present (Adam! Anthony! Thomas! Jeff! Steven! Tim! Dylan! Mark! Joe!) , as well as the swell folks at Image Comics. Wow. POPGUN 4 is DONE… DONE DONE DONE. 512 pages of awesome wrapped in a beautiful cover for only 30 bucks.

Almost 2000 pages of POPGUN since 2007. Whew!

Okay, time to party tonight… Hope you all enjoy the book!

– D.J.

Hi, awesome people!

Just a quick reminder that POPGUN 4 from the fine folks at Image Comics hits shelves this Wednesday! Please stop by your Local Comic Shop and pick up a copy…

Also, if you’re in NY, Hanley’s is having a signing on Wed. from 6 to 8.

And, if you’re in LA, Meltdown Comics is having a release party on Wed. from 7 to 10.

Aaaaand if you’re in Oklahoma City, New World comics is having a release party on Friday, Feb 26.

Such good times! We’re really proud if this big beast that is POPGUN 4. Can’t wait for it to be unleashed! Hope you all like it…

Your pal,
D.J.

Hi, true believers!

Figured I’d compile a bit of one-stop shopping for folks looking to learn more about POPGUN — specifically the upcoming 4th volume, which is in stores February 24th. (If I’m missing anything, feel free to let me know!)

COMIC BOOK RESOURCES’ own Josh Wigler interviewed Jeffrey Brown, Amanda Becker, Janet Kim, Frank Stockton, Andy Ristiano, and myself. Good times and snazzy preview art!

NEWSARAMA writer Chris Arrant interviewed Anthony Wu, Adam P. Knave, Todd DeZago, Tom Scioli, Vito Delasante, Attila Adorjany, Chris Moreno, and me again. Lots of info and more preview art!

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY’s PANEL MANIA writer Ada Price ran the entire 24-page story “Hamburgers For One” by Frank Stockton. A great read that looks even better in print, as it was meant to be seen!

Rich Johnston’s BLEEDING COOL was the first to show off Ben Templesmith’s amazing POPGUN 4 cover!

BROKEN FRONTIER’s Frederik Hautin posted a full-story preview of Tom (G0DLAND) Scioli’s POPGUN 4 contribution: “The Seneschal”!

GEEKWEEK’s Tim Simmons interviewed me about POPGUN 4 and ran some very nice preview art.

Johanna Draper Carlson’s COMICS WORTH READING gave us a nice mention complete with the Ben Templesmith web banner!

GRAEME’S FANTASY BOOK REVIEW posted about the book and had kind words about POPGUN vol. 3.

COMICS CONTINUUM by Rob Allstetter posted some cool preview pages! (Just scroll down a little.)

THE COMIC BOX gave us a swell shout out!

Also, some upcoming events…

In New York, The Comic Book Club Live will be interviewing POPGUN 4 contributors Adam P. Knave, Vito Delsante, and Nick Tapansky live at the The Peoples Improv Theater on Feb 16th — tickets available now!

Also for the New York folks, there’s a POPGUN 4 signing on Feb 24th at Jim Hanley’s Universe!

And, LA folks, don’t forget about the POPGUN 4 release party on Feb 24th at Meltdown Comics!

Finally, in Oklahoma City? Check out the POPGUN 4 signing at New World Comics & Games, with writer Brian Winkeer and artist Eric Sandhop will be on hand for fun!

Good god… when is the last time I left my apartment? I don’t mean for a walk to the nearby grocery store for milk or whatever. I mean really went out, did something either productive or fun or funductive (combining words can be fun)… It’s probably only been four days or so, but it feels like FOREVER. Yes, I’ve made decent use of the time, getting some work done, but, really, I’m going stir crazy!

Why am I trapped in my apartment? Well, I suppose I’m not technically. First there was the crazy LA rain that made me want to just stay in, and now that it’s sunny again, I’ve been feeling under the weather and figure I should take it easy and let my body heal via drinking beverages with vitamin C instead of alcohol, getting decent sleep, and just generally taking it easy. I predict by tomorrow I’ll be feeling back to normal… at least I hope so. Right now I’m so antsy and bored that it’s making my skin itch. Ack! Just… TRAPPED.

(more…)

Comic Book Resources staff writer Josh Wigler interviewed POPGUN 4 contributors Jeffrey Brown, Frank Stockton, Amanda Becker, Janet Kim, Andy Ristiano, and yours truly for a terrific article at Comic Book Resources.

Complete with some story descriptions from the creators themselves as well as preview art — check it out and leave a comment if you’re so moved!

Pretty nifty surprise: MTV Splash Page named their best comics of 2009, and THE NEW BRIGHTON ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, by Mark Andrew Smith and Matt Weldon was named Best All-Ages Comics of 2009! Extra happiness for me because I edited it. Neat-o.

BEST ALL-AGES COMIC
“The New Brighton Archeological Society” (Image)
“New Brighton” readers get the best of two worlds in a story that’s fun to read on its own and a comic that can be shared with readers of any age — whether they can read it themselves or have it read to them. In fact, it feels like Mark Andrew Smith and Matthew Weldon have all the ingredients for success in “New Brighton”: a spunky group of kids with lots of free time, a wild world ripe for exploration, fantastic creatures culled from various faerie tales, and dangers that manage to be scary without being truly terrifying. It’s the sort of book we’re quite certain we’d love when we were little, but get a kick out of reading now, too.
- Rick Marshall

Take their word for it and snag yourself a copy! It makes the perfect Christmas gift!

Here are a couple snazzy new POPGUN 4 web banners PLUS the cover web banner with the Diamond Order Code (DEC09 0379, by the way) from PREVIEWS — which you can give to your fine Local Comic Shop to make it easier for them to pre-order you a copy!

For POPGUN 4 (out 02/10/2010), we’ve asked our contributors to create a web banner for their story. Below are the ones we have so far. Check out that variety! Feel free to download ‘em and use ‘em in your signature whenever you post on a messageboard or on your website or any other cool way to spread the word on the interwebs… Thanks!

Looks like a huge month! And lookee here:

POPGUN, VOL. 4 OGN
featuring JOCK, JEFFERY BROWN, ERIK LARSEN, TOM SCIOLI, JM KEN NIIMURA, FRANK STOCKTON, JESSICA FINK, SALGOOD SAM, MATTEO SCALERA, CHRIS MORENO, MARK ANDREW SMITH, DEREK MCCULLOCH, JEREMY TINDER, ELIZABETH GENCO and more!
edited by D.J. KIRKBRIDE, ANTHONY WU & ADAM P. KNAVE
cover BEN TEMPLESMITH
FEBRUARY 10
512 PAGES / FC
$29.99

POPGUN is back with another eclectic collection of established fan favorite creators and rising stars coming together for a new edition of the Harvey Award-winning graphic mix tape! From high-octane action to heart-tugging drama to laugh-out-loud comedy, this collection has comics you’ll love: over 500 full color pages of them!