Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, entertainment, free, red giant

Red Giant Entertainment Needs Heroes

Published Wed, 11 Feb 2015 15:00:03 -0600

Last Free Comic Book Day, Red Giant Entertainment gave away a lot of comic books for Free Comic Book Day, packaging four titles in a card backed pack.

They continued to give away lots of comic books at San Diego Comic Con, New York Comic Con and plenty of other shows.

In December, Red Giant Entertainment were meant to have distributed 900,000 free comic books through comic stores.

They didn't.

Some folks were used to this, remembering what happened with Japan Needs Heroes.

A Kickstarter started by Benny Powell, Japan Needs Heroes promised that "100% of the profits for this book will go to benefit the victims affected by the tragedy in Japan" and that the fundraising, which raised over $17,000 was "to pay for the printing cost (which is being donated AT COST) and shipping costs… everything else will go toward the victims through the Japan Society an organization that sends 100% of our funds directly to those affected."

Creators and contributors included Stan Lee, Larry Hama, Mike Deodato, Peter David and many more.

Benny went for a second round of funding. But four years later, no one has got their books. Or any of his Wayward Sons projects on Kickstarter, according to their backer comments.

Red Giant Entertainment was founded by Benny Powell. With plenty of investment, listed on the stock exchange and stuffed with executives with pretty titles, and comics with pretty artwork. And plenty of people wondering if they can give away 900,000 comic books with original artwork, what about Benny fulfilling his Kickstarter promises?

Of course they didn't give them away. But this week, they posted on Facebook proof that the proofs existed for Japan Needs Heroes.

Which is, if nothing else, a start.

And that there was a new listing in the new Previews for Red Giant Entertainment. For the "Giant Size Free Comic Retailer Program". The idea is that a retailer has to just order one of these (free) and will get a new bundle of comics to give away every week.

The plan is publish a new free 68 page comic every month for free, supported by internal advertising. What;s in it for the retailer? Well, apparently goodwill for customers and maybe encouraging them to buy collections at a later date.

Though for some retailers, paying for the shipping for a comic they give away so the customer has one less of a reason to buy a comic in their store that day, and possibly containing competitive advertising may put some off.

There are more questions to be answered… but for now, here are the comic books.

GIANT SIZE ACTION #1 WAYWARD SONS TESLA

(W) Benny Powell & Various (A) Nigel Raynor, Bong Dazo

A double comic! Tesla: Past and future collide as Nikola Tesla, history's greatest genius, confront arch-rival Thomas Edison on the grounds of the 1893 World's Fair. Only Tesla can thwart the industrial overlords out to twist his creations to their own selfish ends, and the struggle will determine the fate of mankind in the 20th-century!

Wayward Sons: Long ago they visited our world and planted the seeds that became our heroes, gods, and legends. Now, they are back, their secrets revealed to an unbelieving world. Can the Wayward Sons survive the revelations, and can we?

GIANT SIZE ADVENTURE #1 AMPED MAGIKA

(W) David Lawrence & Various (A) Wilson Tortosa, Pasquale Qualano

A double comic! Magika: Niko is a child of two worlds, our own and a wondrous land of enchantment known as Magika, a place where myths and monsters come alive. When those two realities suddenly collide it is up to Niko and his new friends to somehow protect both worlds from deadly consequences.

AMPED: Project AMPED is the Android/Man Paired Ego Downlink! What begins as a government-sponsored program to give mobility to debilitated young patients results in six teen minds trapped in android bodies that nefarious forces are hellbent on acquiring.

GIANT SIZE FANTASY #1 DUEL IDENTITY FIRST DAUGHTER

(W) Elaine Lee, Chris Crosby (A) Jonathan Lam, Tina Francisco

A double comic! The First Daughter: She's the President's daughter and a social media star. Yep, Tasha Tasker has it all, but there's more! She's a super-heroine and the spearhead of a secret project with roots in the earliest days of the American republic. Now she's not only navigating fame and adolescence, but suddenly the fate of the world is in her hands!

Duel Identity: Andromeda is a heroic ideal, idol, and role model to millions across the globe. But behind that mask is a darker truth; her's is a manufactured identity, a cover story for the world's greatest spy. As her two faces come crashing together, can she complete her mission and preserve her secret?

GIANT SIZE THRILL #1 PANDORAS BLOG MONSTER ISLE

(W) David Campiti, Larry Hama (A) Jinky Coronado, Larry Tuazon

A double comic! Monster Isle: A secret place where all the monsters dwell. No means of escape, until it happens. And then the fun begins! Did we mention robots?

Pandora's Blogs: Pandora Sargent has at last found the ideal home in the gated wonderland of Legends, Florida, and the turmoil of a turbulent childhood seems forgotten. But soon she discovers nothing in Legends is as it seems. Now, new dangers gather and only one thing seems certain – she's not the only one seeing monsters!