This publish is Filed Under:
Home page Highlights,
Interviews as well as Columns
“Beau Smith-Ready To indication YOUR parts Unknown.”
by beloved Smith
I have a deep like for all of those great, as well as not so great, alien invasion films from the 1950s. many had that fantastic influence, if you can phone call it that, of the H-Bomb as well as the A-Bomb, not to be confused with today’s F-Bomb, not to mention the chilly War.
As a youngster growing up in the 1960s, I caught many of those films on TV. Every Saturday night our regional TV station would run “Chiller Theatre”, total with a regional host. I’m sure practically all of you had something like that in your area as well. I always heard that the Los Angeles area truly had excellent ones. like I said, I had a excellent admiration for the monster movies, however I really liked the alien invasion films. You just never understood what was going to step or slither out of one of those flying saucers or area ships. You likewise never understood their intentions, however you kinda figured as well as really hoped they were bad, so our U.S. armed forces might terminate device guns, bazookas, missiles as well as bombs at them. It was even much better when national monuments as well as cities were destroyed in these all out fights. As a kid, I would play these themes out in my front lawn with my bag of army men, dinosaurs as well as my Horrible Hamilton Invaders. only on late night TV might you see such classics as Howard Hawks’ The thing From one more Planet, invasion Of The Saucer Men, Mars needs Women, invasion Of The Body Snatchers, Killers From Space, Invaders From Mars, Not Of This earth as well as This Island Earth. To a youngster like me, this was a few of the very best TV time ever.
Later, as I grew into what passes as an adult, I discovered the exact same like affair with direct to video action as well as sci-fi films of the 1980s as well as early 90s. In my opinion, it wasn’t a truly excellent action film if it was released in the theatres; it had to be offered only on VHS tape or shown on HBO at like 3 in the morning. I can still keep in mind what fun it was to search down direct to video tapes at the regional Blockbuster as well as mother & pop video stores that were on every corner. The lower the budget, the much more fun the film was. Action, adventure, martial arts, sci-fi as well as horror films were king during this period. So numerous poor actors made so numerous great movies. No storyline was as well over the top, it was genuine innovative flexibility with films like Drive, Back To Back, The Immortals, top Of The World, White Tiger, Blood Guns, digestive tracts as well as Octane, Crossworlds, Firepower, Automatic, Blackout, phase 4, Dark Breed, The Elite, Acts Of Betrayal, High Voltage, as well as Project: Shadowchaser. These are just a little few of the great/bad films that were churned out practically on a regular basis.
Needless to say, it was always a dream of mine to integrate the like for both of these cinematic genres/decades into a comic book series. In 1990 I got to make that direct to comic book dream come true in parts Unknown.
Parts unknown #1 The original series (Cover art by Brad Gorby & Tim Truman.)
In 1990 I was working as the VP of advertising for Eclipse Comics. I had been there three years as well as had written a few things for them such as Dogs Of risk as well as The Black Terror. At the time, publisher Dean Mullaney wished to introduce a line of comic books under the FX Banner that broadened the Eclipse line into comic books that would charm to the film/TV audience in addition to routine comic book readers. I pitched parts unknown as one of those books. It was accepted.
I had the plot, storyline, characters as well as the series mapped out. After all, I had been working on it because I was a youngster playing in the front yard, With the infusion of the 80s direct to video action/sci-fi films, I was prepared to roll. I just needed an artist. Not just any type of artist, the best artist.
I was going to a great deal of conventions during this time around for Eclipse Comics. I had the chance to look at a great deal of portfolios as well as wrangle some skill for Eclipse. I kept my eye out for an artist that I believed would be the “perfect” option for parts Unknown. I came across a great deal of truly excellent artists, new as well as professional that might fill the expense as far as talent, however had yet to truly discover the best one that “got” what I wished to finish with parts Unknown. I had a great deal of people try out as well as do samples, again, their work was top notch, however they either took the feel of the book as well as story as well seriously or just didn’t get the mix of 50s alien invasions as well as 80s action. After a while I believed I was going to have to work out on one of these artists as well astruly hold their hand with the process of parts Unknown, something I didn’t have time for. then I went to Mid-Ohio con the one year they had to relocation to a much more remote as well as out of the method part of Ohio. The con went quite great for it not being in its routine location, not rather as crowded, however still a great run of people. I can still keep in mind it like it was yesterday, I was sitting at the booth, promoting Eclipse, handing out flyers as well as taking a look at portfolios, when this tall, thin man with glasses as well as a beard comes as much as me as well as asks me if I had time to look at his artwork. I stated “Of course.” as well as he laid out his stack of art, Xeroxes, pictures as well as even a couple hand-sculpted products that he had done.
Parts Unknown: The ad From diamond Previews.
First thing that I was taken by was the large range of mediums that he provided that he had worked in; comic books, animation, toy as well as figure design, painting, as well as just about any type of other type of imagination that you might believe of. I saw dinosaurs, aliens, lovely women, westerns, military, funny animals, you name it. The bulk of his work was something that I didn’t miss either, naked women. He might see that as well as bashfully said, “Most of my recent stuff has been underground comics, in situation you missed the lack of clothing.” I liked this guy’s dry sense of humor. The guy’s name was Brad Gorby (C. Bradford Gorby, inspect him out on Facebook).
The much more I looked with his stuff as well as spoke with him, the much more parts unknown kept popping into my head. We ended up speaking a long time. I told him about parts unknown as well as it was like speaking to myself. Brad “Got” what I was speaking about. In fact, he was able to surface thoughts of my own before we were done. It was excellent to speak with somebody like-minded, who had seen the exact same monster films as well as delighted in them for the exact same reasons, who had checked out the exact same novels as well as comics that walked in the parts unknown path as well as had been influences.
Original Maria Lucci character styles by Brad Gorby.
I went over the primary characters Maria Lucci, Pendleton Spurr, Sarah Lark, The Shark storage tank as well as of course, the evil alien invaders-The Scalons, as well as I might see best then, Brad was already drawing them in his head. Needless to say, when I got back home, I sent Brad all the character sheets, recommendation photos, story outlines, background information on parts unknown as well as he started working on samples. I was stoked to see what he was going to turn out.
Very early Scalon styles By Brad Gorby
We spoke a great deal on the phone, back as well as forth as well as whatsoever hours of the night as Brad was working up art. It was one of the most fun innovative times of my career. I hadn’t had that much fun because Flint Henry as well as I dealt with The Dogs Of Danger. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed when Brad sent me copies of the art he had worked out. It was taking a look at stuff that Alex Toth worked up in a great mood, design sheets, character shots, styles of equipment, clothing, buildings, crafts, weapons, as well as so much more. I was just impressed at the amount of work he had done as well as exactly how it appeared like he pulled it all out of my head as well as put it to paper. Brad improved whatever as well as added much more layers of wonderment. It was like Christmas as well as I was opening up Horrible Hamilton Invaders, The excellent Garloo, Captain Action, as well as G.I. Joe over as well as over.
Brad Gorby much more than “Got” what parts unknown was about.
Just to provide you, the visitors not familiar with what parts unknown is all about, perhaps this will help:
Unlike other stories of alien invasions, there is no time to “Watch The Skies!”
They’re already here.
Spurr Takes No Sassy Mouth From Scalons.
Scalons are ruthless reptile-like beings that are well versed in the dark art of rape, pillage as well as plunder. When DNA enhancement experiments on their house world goes wrong as well as kills off the female Scalon race, the Scalon armed forces as well as science leaders recognize they requirement to seek out appropriate replacement women that only the world earth can provide.
Earth was to be their new home, however like any type of new house it had to be furnished to satisfy as well as offer the twisted needs of The Scalons. The Scalons needed to produce a new hybrid race of Scalons to guideline this earth they organized to dominate so they might phone call it their own…for good. To make this happen, earth women would be captured, the earth males would be skinned as well as utilized for improved DNA experiments, slave labor or just destroyed where they stood. There would be no resistance.
Spurr as well as Lucci cutting A Scalon down to Size.
Two members of an elite Chicago criminal offense system are going to do their finest to make sure this doesn’t happen, those two are Maria Lucci as well as Pendleton Spurr, a couple of recuperating alcoholic very SWAT members who might autumn off the wagon as well as under the wheel at any type of time.
They are the only two things standing between earth as we understand it as well as a whole new world purchase of evil.
Lucci’s Uninvited celebration Guests.
That seems quite dark, doesn’t it? Well, a few of parts unknown is, as well as you shouldn’t checked out unless you’re in a well lit room, however there are likewise characters as well as bits of humor that fans of 50s sci-fi as well as 80s direct to video fans will really appreciate. Pendleton Spurr has the develop of Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime as well as the mindset of Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon. He dreams of someday seeing his life on the silver screen as well as keeping poor men from hitting him in the deal with so they won’t destroy his screen debut. Maria Lucci is a beautiful, punch very first as well as never ask concerns later woman, devoted to ground as well as pound criminals into rehabilitation. When anticipating a major throw down (most of the time) she insists that Spurr hold her two false teeth so she won’t lose them.
“Damsel In Distress Fights Back!”
Sarah Lark is a former charm queen turned news anchor in addition to Spurr’s girlfriend…not to mention the apple of every Scalon’s eye. The have discovered she has the ideal DNA to be a prime breeder for their hybrid program. As a damsel-in-distress, Sarah proves that she can be much more than a handful when pushed as well as prodded as well far.
The Scalons have their own cast of characters, some, like leaders Tragg as well as Lanson, are pure evil with ego to match, making them the much more than ideal villains that you’d like to see defeated. Sleezmond as well as Robokk are the science leaders who aren’t pleased unless they are dissecting humans as well as meshing their skin as well as organs to themselves. Harkons is a large Scalon thug whose voice is like that of Curly of The three Stooges as well as is about as smart. He wishes to be every earth woman’s poor prom date.
Special marketing Art From parts unknown series 1 as well as series 2 by Brad Gorby.
The Shark storage tank is a covert hit squad run by the D.A.’s office that joins up with Spurr as well as Lucci to Clorox-Wipe The Scalons off the surface of the planet. You won’t discover a tougher lot of head busters than The Shark Tank. One member, Duck Darden, discovers it unwinding to sing the Debbie Boone song, “You illuminate My Life” when turning his WWII flame thrower on Scalons. The hulking Carl, enjoys going toe to webbed toe in battle with Harkons as they make collateral damage of anything in their way. The evil Tragg discovers Lucci extremely attractive when she yanks out her front teeth, or “chewing studs” as he phone calls them. Needless to say, parts unknown is full of characters.
I never visualized parts unknown to be mistaken for Neil Gaiman’s work or to win a Harvey Award, nope. parts unknown was always implied to be that B-Movie that you viewed without guilt at 3 AM as you devoured a bag of Chili Cheese Fritos with chocolate milk. It’s the comic book you as well as your friends checked out as well as take quotes from.
Parts Unknown: Hostile Take Over #2 (2nd Series. picture Comics. Art by Scot Eaton & Danny Miki)
Since 1990, parts unknown as had two different four problems mini-series, two trade paperbacks, a source book, a sketch book as well as has been published by Eclipse Comics, Knight Press, picture Comis, SkyStorm, as well as even a extremely restricted run with flying Fist Ranch Comics. It’s been offered right here at Westfield Comics on various events as well as can be discovered digitally here.
Parts unknown has amazed even me with its truly hardcore following. After much more than 20 years, a day does not pass without somebody composing me about parts Unknown. When I do conventions as well as store signings, it is still one of the most purchased as well as signed comics at my table. I’ve had all kind of parts unknown fan fiction sent to me, art samples as well as tributes as well as even personalized action figures. I assumption you might state I lead a parts unknown Cult.
Brad Gorby works for Disney down in Orlando Florida these days as well as has semi-retired from comic books. His days are hectic developing all kind of Disney stuff that you see as well as love. He likewise continues to personalize as well as produce amazing action figures, paints, draws as well as stays hyper creative. I hope that a person day, Brad as well as I will team up when much more as well as toss much more parts unknown action at you as well as continue the invasion. I’ve got great deals of stories as well as even a few yet unpublished parts unknown stories in the vault prepared to be unleashed. I still look at submissions for parts unknown artists for future problemsas well as stories, however again, as an artist, they will truly have to “get” what parts unknown is all about.
Parts unknown trade Paperback (Cover Art By Brad Gorby)
All of the parts unknown stuff that has been published by Robert Hickey as well as the excellent people at SkyStorm o
