Scott Kress at Catskill Comics is the exclusive agent for Mike Grell commissioned art. Fans looking for comic art originals or wishing to commission a special piece for their wall can contact Scott at: www.catskillcomics.com
Well, this has been an interesting few months. In July I was hospitalized with bleeding ulcers. Five days later, I had lost 23 pounds and 2 chins and wound up on a walker for two months. Then, just about the time I was back on my feet, an attack of gout that usually affects my feet decided to pick another target: my right hand.
For more than a month I couldn’t hold a pencil or so much as sign a restaurant check. I still can’t close my fist, but the good news is I can draw again—not for long periods, but I can manage an hour or so at a time. The last week has improved my mobility and dexterity, and I expect to be back in top form in a couple of weeks.
For all of you who’ve been waiting for commission sketches, I appreciate your patience. For all of you who sent prayers and good wishes, my sincere thanks.
2025 promises to be interesting in so many ways, but on the positive side I can tell you big things are coming.
Stay tuned…
Mike
Comments Off on HEALTH UPDATE | Published on November 12th, 2024
I am sorry to announce that I will not be able to attend CCXP 24 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
I’m very sorry to disappoint fans. Mary and I have never been south of the US border and have been looking forward to this convention for a long time, We expect to attend CCXP 25 next year and will keep you posted here.
The big WHY:
I blame the AARP. I can’t recall even visiting a doctor more than once in a decade until I joined up and received their welcome packet, which apparently contains every old age disease known to man. The latest to rear its ugly head is gout, which has attacked my right wrist and hand to the extent that I am temporarily unable to draw or even sign my name. Swell.
Good news is I’m making progress, just slower than I had hoped. Pain and swelling have decreased quite a bit and I’ve regained motion dramatically in the past few days. If this continues, I should be back at the drawing board soon, so nobody panic, okay? My doctor said my numbers indicate I have 0% chance of dying in the next year.
Anybody wanna go skydiving?
Mike
Comments Off on FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – SHOW CANCELLATION | Published on October 14th, 2024
It’s my 77th birthday and the 5oth Anniversary of THE WARLORD. I’m pleased to announce that DC Comics will be publishing MIKE GRELL’S THE WARLORD OMNIBUS VOLUME 1 in 2025, to be followed by VOLUME 2 which will complete my full run on my very first comic creation. Over the decades THE WARLORD has proven a perennial favorite among fans around the world in many languages.
THE WARLORD tells the story of a US spy pilot whose SR-71 is damaged while on a mission over Russia and plunges through an opening at the North pole into Skartaris, the world at the center on the earth, where creatures of from mythology and Earth’s ancient past co-exist amid fantastic cities and leftovers of the civilization of Atlantis. TRAVIS MORGAN’S struggle to survive in this savage world is the heroic saga of a modern man in pursuit of his destiny in a land beyond time.
–Mike Grell
Comments Off on FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – THE WARLORD OMNIBUS VOLUME 1 | Published on September 13th, 2024
Second Act Entertainment and producer Brendan Deneen have teamed to develop Mike Grell’s long-running graphic novel series JON SABLE: FREELANCE as a scripted series.
Grell’s JON SABLE: FREELANCE debuted in 1983 and the character has appeared regularly in comic books and novels since then, including a deluxe hardcover omnibus edition released in 2023. The series has sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide. In 1987, ABC aired one season of a SABLE television show, which co-starred Rene Russo in her acting debut and included Lara Flynn Boyle’s first acting role in the show’s pilot episode.
When game warden Jon Sable’s family is slaughtered by ivory poachers, the trail of vengeance leads him across war-torn Africa to enact bloody retribution on those responsible. Deported back to the United States, struggling to build a new life, Sable becomes a freelance mercenary — but his past is not done with him just yet.
Mike Grell is a legendary comic book writer and artist, having started his work at DC Comics in 1973. While Grell has worked on almost every major character for both Marvel and DC, he is perhaps best known for his groundbreaking reboot of Green Arrow, THE LONGBOW HUNTERS, which was the second “prestige format” book published by DC after Frank Miller’s THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS. Grell’s work on Green Arrow was the basis for many elements in the CW’s ARROW series — in which Grell also had a cameo in the pilot episode.
William McKinney founded Second Act and is a former Development Executive at Intrigue Entertainment (MARMADUKE, GAME OF SILENCE) where he brought several international shows to American studios for adaptation, including DANGEROUS MOMS. Second Act’s Brendan Vogel is an award-winning screenwriter and graphic novelist.
Brendan Deneen currently has IP-based film and TV projects in development with Netflix, Amazon Studios, Paramount, NBC/Universal, Warner TV, Lionsgate, Amblin, Walden Media, Skydance, Anonymous Content, Imagine Entertainment, LuckyChap, 21 Laps, Atomic Monster, Iron Ocean, Perfect Storm, FilmNation, HartBeat, Picturestart, Indian Paintbrush, 3-Arts, Range Media, and Makeready, among others. Deneen is a former development exec for Scott Rudin Productions and Miramax/Dimension Films.
Comments Off on Mike Grell’s JON SABLE: FREELANCE in Development as a Scripted Series | Published on April 22nd, 2024
We lost an industry giant today. Ramona Fradon began her career in 1950 and continued to draw until her recent retirement in 2024. Her first regular assignment for DC was AQUAMAN, something we shared with some amusement, especially when she took over the BRENDA STARR comic strip for Dale Messick a few years after I left the strip to begin working in comics. We never did figure out who was following who.
Ramona was the perfect choice for Brenda Star because she was so much like Dale herself, the same artistic drive, the same vivacious personality, the same twinkle in her eye. We once spent the night sleeping on the floor of the Minneapolis airport, but so did several hundred other stranded travelers. We used to say life on the road made us feel like gypsies, wandering around and occasionally bumping into each other in the oddest places.
Ramona passed away today at the age of 97. She and her art agent Scott Kress of Catskill Comics announced her retirement in January, 2024 having been one of the longest working artists in the business with a body of work spanning almost 75 years, including METAMORPHO, SUPER FRIENDS. AQUALAD and PLASTIC MAN.
The road just got lonelier.
–Mike Grell
Comments Off on RAMONA FRADON 1926-2024 | Published on February 25th, 2024
Here’s a sneak peek at the cover layout for the MIKE GRELL 50TH ANNIVERSARY ART BOOK!
There’s still a week to go on the Kickstarter and we’re fast approaching $75,000!! If we hit that magic $100,000 mark, everyone who contributes is going to get something EXTRA SPECIAL!