JTO | J. Torres Online

Wall-E #0 Sells Out

2009-11-25T20:00:00.006-05:00

Press Release

November 25, 2009 – Los Angeles, CA

BOOM Studios is proud to announce that WALL-E #0 has sold out completely, sending the title into a second printing.

Fans should keep in mind, while Diamond Comic Distributors is completely sold out, first printings of WALL-E #0 may still be found at a direct market retailer near you.

Diamond Comic Distributors is making the second printing of WALL-E #0 available for retailers to order immediately and the second printing will be featured soon in an upcoming issue of Previews Plus.

The second printing of WALL-E #0 is also available to order immediately through BOOM!’s new relationship with Haven Distributors.

The second print of WALL-E #0 carries a Diamond Code of OCT098148. The Haven Code is WALEBOO000A.

WALL-E #0 second print features an original variant cover with art by sensational artist Morgan Luthi.

In Stores This Week

2009-11-23T17:08:00.003-05:00

BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #11
Written by J. Torres; Art by Carlo Barberi; Cover by Scott Jeralds

The return of the Terrible Trio! Batman must team up with Green Arrow to stop the Fearsome Fangs from obtaining a secret weapon that would give them ultimate power!

Johnny DC * 32pg. * Color * $2.50 US

On Sale November 25, 2009

I've said it before, but this is probably my favorite Scott Jeralds cover of the series thus far. The action is fun, especially how Shark is about to bite down on Batman's leg! The interior art by Carlo Barberi is probably also some of his best work on the book so far. He draws some great interior action too. Look for the Batmobile, the Arrowcar, and the Huntress in this issue!

Robot Love

2009-11-11T13:32:00.006-05:00

Or at least like. WALL-E #0 arrived in comic shops today! A few reviews have already been posted online and so far so good...

Don MacPherson of Eye on Comics writes:

To my amazement, writer J. Torres has done for a Pixar comic book what Roger Langridge did for a Muppet comic book. Torres overcomes the challenges inherent in adapting what one could view as essentially silent film and captures the same kind of cuteness, curiosity and innocence that allowed a computer-generated robot character to mesmerize millions.

Doug Zawisza of Comic Book Resources writes:

No stranger to all ages reads, J. Torres manages to provide a story about the popular reclamation robot that is at once both cute and enjoyable. Capably accompanied by Morgan Luthi's pitch-perfect artwork, Torres' story gives us a peek into what may have transpired before the opening credits of the 2008 animated film.

David Wallace of Comics Bulletin writes:

Just as the movie impressed audiences with a virtually dialogue-free opening 30 minutes that told its story almost entirely visually, Morgan Luthi is called upon to relate the events of this issue almost entirely through his artwork. Luckily, he’s up to the task, with a strong grasp of form and texture that brings the barren landscape of the future planet Earth to life in a way that feels vividly evocative of the film’s initially downbeat atmosphere.

Click the links above to read the full reviews.

And don't forget to pick up your copy of WALL-E #0!

GeekDads Assemble!

2009-11-10T09:15:00.000-05:00

I first met Andrew Kardon through Wizard Magazine, where he worked once upon a time. Back then, we were a couple of geeky bachelors who loved comics and related cartoons, TV shows, movies, toys and all things geeky. A decade or so later and we're now both geeky dads who love comics and related cartoons, TV shows, movies, toys and all things geeky.

Andrew is also now a regular contributor to Wired's website with the blog GeekDad: Raising Generation 2.0. He recently interviewed me about my indoctrination techniques and the latest pulp propaganda I've penned. We talk WALL-E here. Read it.

Resistance is futile, children.

E-View

2009-11-09T09:07:00.015-05:00

Comic Book Resources has a five-page preview of WALL-E #0 here.

The story, written by yours truly with art by the magnificent Morgan Luthi, is a prequel to the movie.

Don't forget (no disrespectful pun intended) to pick up your copy on Remembrance Day which is this Wednesday, November 11th.

Let me know what you think!

Coming Soon

2009-11-05T08:49:00.003-05:00

Just heard from my editor James Lucas Jones at Oni Press with an update on Lola. He received an unbound copy of the book from the printers yesterday and says it "printed really well," the inks "look fantastic" and that the cover is "sharp and classy" looking. I should be getting a copy myself in about a week or two. Right now, the in-store ETA is mid-December since it's printing and shipping from overseas. In the meantime, here's a sneak peek at what the cover looks like. Thanks to Keith Wood, Oni designer extraordinaire, for this "3D" preview image (and of course his design skillz).

Lola: A Ghost Story is a 112-page hardcover graphic novel retailing for $14.95 US.

For more info please visit the Oni website.

The Second to Last Airbender

2009-10-29T21:17:00.005-04:00

The penultimate issue of Nickelodeon Magazine (a.k.a. Nick Mag) is on stands now. In it is a four-page Avatar: The Last Airbender comic written by yours truly with art by the dynamic Japanese duo known as Gurihiru. There are many other terrific comics within the issue by the likes of Dave Cooper, Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer and others. Over the years, Nick Mag showcased many talented comic creators and cartoonists thanks to editors Dave Roman and Chris Duffy. I'm really sad to see the magazine go, but I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to contribute to a handful of issues, including ones dating back to my earliest days as a professional comic book writer.

The November issue should be on display until Thanksgiving. Get one before they're all gone! If I'm not mistaken, the last issue of Nick Mag has another one of my Avatar comics (illustrated by Corey Lewis).

Please stay tuned.

One

2009-10-27T20:46:00.003-04:00

WALL-E #1
Written by J. Torres; Art by Morgan Luthi

Torres chronicles Wall-E's life before the events of the hit film. Long before Eve arrived in his life and took everyone's favorite trash compacting robot on an adventure to the stars, Wall-E did more than just sort garbage! Join Wall-E in the first issue of this amazing series that serves as a prequel to the smash hit film!

Whoops. Forgot that #1 can also be pre-ordered now! The solicitation is in the current issue of Previews for product shipping in December. Check out that funky cover by Morgan. This issue should hit stores just before Christmas, so like I said before: stocking stuffers! Don't miss out!

Zero Hour

2009-10-25T20:32:00.006-04:00

WALL-E #0
Written by J. Torres; Art by Morgan Luthi

Superstar writer J. Torres (TEEN TITANS GO!) chronicles Wall-E's life before the events of the hit film. Wall-E is not yet the hardworking robot we know and love. Instead, he lets the few remaining other robots take care of the trash compacting while he collects interesting junk. But when the other robots start breaking down, Wall-E must learn to adjust his priorities...or else Earth is doomed!

Diamond Code: SEP090719

Just noticed that Boom Studios has posted the official solicitation for WALL-E #0 in the "Coming Soon" section of their site. I don't think it's too late to pre-order. The issue is scheduled to hit stores November 25th. It makes a great turkey stuffer! Er, stocking stuffer. Don't wait till it's too late, order yours now!

Scare-E

2009-10-10T11:55:00.004-04:00

From the Comic Book Resources report on the Boom Studios panel at the Long Beach Comic Con:

After recounting popular properties like "The Incredibles," "Monsters, Inc." and "Cars," Gagnon talked about how excited everyone at BOOM! is about last week's announcement of a "Wall-E" ongoing series. J. Torres ("Batman: The Brave and the Bold") will handle the writing, while art by will be provided by Morgan Luthi (Zuda Comics' "Octane Jungle").

"We're very excited and have high expectations for it, because everyone does," said Gagnon.

"High expectations"? "Everyone"? Ulp!

You can check out the rest of the article here.

(Artwork by Morgan Luthi.)

Wreck the Halls

2009-10-05T10:28:00.001-04:00

DC HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2009
Written by Scott Kolins, Sterling Gates, Amy Wolfram, Fred Van Lente, Jay Faerber, Beau Smith, David Tischman, J. Torres and others; Art by Scott Kolins, Jeff Lemire, Daniel Liester and others; Cover by Dustin Nguyen

It's that time of year! You can't miss your favorite characters bringing good cheer to all. Even Deadman and B'wana Beast find ways to celebrate the spirit of the season!

DC Universe * 32pg. * Color * $5.99 US

On Sale December 9, 2009

I don't know about the other creators working on this book, but I really had trouble getting into the Christmas spirit to write my story. It was the middle of summer after all! So, chances are, my contribution is going to be the coal in this stocking. Hopefully, the art by J. Bone saves it. J. Bone drawing the Huntress? Merry Christmas, fanboys!

Interview-E

2009-09-28T20:48:00.004-04:00

From the Newsarama interview conducted by David Pepose:

It's a rough world out there for the little robot that could.

But that's part of his appeal -- "WALL-E" took cinemas by storm with the largely silent portrayal of the musical-loving, trash-collecting, post-cataclysmic automaton. But "WALL-E" isn't stopping with just an Oscar-winning Pixar film -- now he's moving along to BOOM! Studios. Newsarama caught up with writer J. Torres to talk about portraying pantomime, whether or not our hero was an only child, and what "WALL-E" really means.

Check out the interview here.

Batman: The Trade and the Bold

2009-09-23T13:38:00.005-04:00

BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD
Written by Matt Wayne and J. Torres ; Art by Andy Suriano, Phil Moy, Carlo Barberi and others; Cover by James Tucker

Inspired by the hit Cartoon Network series, the Caped Crusader teams up with heroes including Green Arrow, Plastic Man, Blue Beetle, Aquaman and others. In these tales from the first six issues of the monthly series, Batman and his allies tangle with The Time Lord, saves the world's children from the Queen of Fables and more!

Johnny DC * 128 pg. * Color * Softcover * $12.99 US

On Sale January 13, 2010

My Captain Marvel and Kid Eternity team-ups with Batman are included in this trade paperback collection! This is an advance soliciatation, which you'll not only find in Previews but retailers like Amazon and Chapters as well, so order yours today! Be the first on the block to own one!

Become a Fan

2009-09-07T20:35:00.006-04:00

I've already got a couple of pages on Facebook, but I thought I'd try and consolidate them into a new one, or at least attempt to get my fans to migrate to the new one so I can concentrate on hyping and promoting my work there, and have a separate space for my family and friends and photos of my kid doing something perfectly average but I consider stupendous that comic readers don't need to see. So, if you're on Facebook and are so inclined to sign up for "fan pages," please check mine out here.

Thank you for your attention.

Wonderful Forum

2009-09-05T16:17:00.006-04:00

Hey, what's that over there?

Why it's a brand new Wonder Woman forum at Comic Book Resources! The lovely and talented Gail Simone is the party planner behind this swanky shindig and she's invited friends like Kurt Busiek, Mark Waid, and some hack named Joe Taurus (or something) to interact with fans.

Go to there now!

(Artwork by Julian Lopez)

Wall-E Goes Boom!

2009-09-02T13:41:00.004-04:00

From my recent CBR interview conducted by Shaun Manning:

BOOM! Studios' recently released solicitations for November-shipping books revealed a new "WALL-E" ongoing series, based on the popular Disney/Pixar animated film. The first four-issue arc will be written by J. Torres with art by Morgan Luthi, and each installment will stand alone as a complete story. The new series will take place before the events seen in "WALL-E." CBR News caught up with Torres to discuss the new comic.

To read the rest of the interview, please go here.

In Stores This Week

2009-08-26T10:16:00.003-04:00

BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #8
Written by J. Torres
Art by Carlo Barberi & Terry Beatty
Cover by Scott Jeralds

Things get hairy when Batman teams up with The Great Ten, China’s ultimate super team, in a battle that finds our heroes fighting against an army of yelping Yetis. Yikes!

On sale August 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.50 US

The Great Ten have their own DCU book debuting in November, but in the meantime you can find Accomplished Perfect Physician, August General in Iron, and Celestial Archer helping Batman take on the Yeti in the pages of this issue. The teaser also involves another Asian superhero, but I won't give that away here. Pick up it up and see for yourself! Please?

Previews #252

2009-08-24T18:00:00.010-04:00

Make sure to check out the Page 1 ad in issue #252 of Diamond Distributors' Previews catalog in comic shops this Wednesday! Then see the Boom! Studios section for more information. I'm not at liberty to go into any details until after Wednesday, so please have a look. I'm so excited about this that I feel like breaking out the Brillantine and dime cigars!

Tastes Like Bat

2009-08-19T00:22:00.002-04:00

BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #11
Written by J. Torres; Art by Carlo Barberi; Cover by Scott Jeralds

The return of the Terrible Trio! Batman must team up with Green Arrow to stop the Fearsome Fangs from obtaining a secret weapon that would give them ultimate power!

Johnny DC * 32pg. * Color * $2.50 US

On Sale November 25, 2009

Is it the "Terrible Trio" or the "Fearsome Fangs"? Not sure? Me neither! So let's call them the "Terrible Trio with Fearsome Fangs"! I mean, check out how Shark is going to town on Batman's leg. I love that! This is probably my favorite Scott Jeralds cover thus far. Reserve your copy today... or I'll bite you!

Lola

2009-07-31T09:10:00.005-04:00

LOLA: A GHOST STORY
Written by J. Torres; Art by Elbert Or

Jesse sees dead people, monsters, demons, and lots of other things that go bump in the night that no one else can see. No one except his ailing grandmother — a woman who used her visions to help those living in her small town. The same rural community in all the scary stories Jesse's heard as a child. Man-eating ogres in trees. Farmhouses haunted by wraiths. Even pigs possessed by the devil. Upon his grandmother's passing, Jesse has no choice but to face his demons and whatever else might be awaiting him at grandma's house.

Genres: Supernatural, Mystery
Help Rating: Y
Pages: 112
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-932664-24-9
Diamond Code: JUL09 1012

Available 10/08

It's been a long time coming, but my graphic novel Lola is finally hitting stores in October. I think I first started writing this book almost five years ago. We went into production at one point with the script only partially written, but got derailed on the art side. I shelved it for a while but eventually dusted it off, found a new artist, finished the script, and we've been putting it together for the last year or two. All good things to those who wait?

Lola is solicited in the current issue of Previews. I've included the ISBN number and Diamond order code above for your friendly neighborhood comic shop or book store's reference. In other words, please pre-order your copy today!

In Stores This Week

2009-07-27T10:25:00.001-04:00

BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #7
Written by J. Torres; Art by J. Bone; Cover by Scott Jeralds

Here comes the Doom Patrol! And they want Batman to help them out with…General Immortus? But we just shipped him off last issue!

On sale July 29 • 32 pg, FC, $2.50 US

Speaking of J. Bone, this issue is our first collaboration in years! Niles "The Chief" Calder calls on Batman to help Beast Boy rescue Elasti-Girl, Negative Man, and Robotman from the criminal clutches of General Immortus! But is Immortus really the one behind this dastardly dressing down of the Doom Patrol? Find out in "The Doomsday Design"!

Sound like fun? Try it on for size! It's the fashionable thing to do ;)

Happy Canada Day

2009-07-01T11:26:00.008-04:00

It's Canada Day! And what better day to announce the return of Alison Dare, a comic character made in Canada by two comical characters from Canada, thanks to Tundra the Canadian children's book publisher. Alison debuted at the then fledgling Oni Press almost a decade ago. Alison and Oni grew together over the years through a handful of monthly series, reprint collections, and even webcomics. We couldn't have survived all those harrowing adventures without our sidekicks at Oni.

However, when Tundra's publisher Kathy Lowinger approached us about reprinting and adopting Alison Dare into the McClelland & Stewart / Random House family, it was an offer we couldn't refuse. Not only were we getting a chance to bring Alison to a new generation of comic book readers, but here was an opportunity to get a wider book store distribution. It was also an opportunity for me to once again work with my pals Super Friends cover artist J. Bone and Degrassi: Extra Credit art director Jennifer Lum.

Jen was not only instrumental in bringing Alison over to Tundra, but you can see the results of her collaboration with J. Bone in the new covers above. Please click on the thumbnails to super size the covers and get a closer look at J. Bone's spectacular artwork. And please stay tuned to this blog for more information about the books' release dates and more!

In Stores This Week

2009-06-22T09:45:00.002-04:00

BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #6
Written by J. Torres; Art by Andy Suriano and Dan Davis; Cover by Scott Jeralds

Batman is up against a man with all the time in the world – General Immortus! And only one hero can back Batman up by summoning help from across the ages – Kid Eternity!

Johnny DC * 32 pages * Color * $2.50 US

On Sale June 24, 2009

This issue reunites me with inker extraordinaire Dan Davis (Family Dynamic) and teams me up with the amazing Andy Suriano (Charlatan Ball) for the first time. Andy's worked on some of my favorite cartoons from the past decade or so (including Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Powerpuff Girls, and Samurai Jack) so it's a real thrill for me to be jamming with him on this series. More from Andy at his blog where you can order his awesome "Art of Andy" artbook! Go!

World's Finest Interview

2009-05-27T09:48:00.007-04:00

From the interview conducted by James Harvey:

The World's Finest talks to writer J. Torres on his upcoming stint as writer for the hit Batman: The Brave and The Bold comic series.

Beginning with Batman The Brave and The Bold #5, scheduled to hit comic shelves this week, writer J. Torres takes over as the new regular scribe to the popular comic series based on the animated series of the same name. The World's Finest had the opportunity to talk to Torres about what can expect from his upcoming stint.

Please follow this link to check out the Q&A:

a href="http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=454

And remember, Batman The Brave and The Bold #5 is in stores this week! I believe Diamond's shipments are delayed until Thursday due to the Memorial Day weekend in the US. But that doesn't matter because you pre-ordered it, right? Right?

In Stores This Week

2009-05-25T10:12:00.001-04:00

BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #5
Written by J. Torres; Art by Carlo Barberi and Terry Beatty; Cover by Scott Jeralds

Children everywhere are missing thanks to the Queen of Fables! It's up to Batman and Captain Marvel to give this mystery a happy ending!

Johnny DC * 32 pages * Color * $2.50 US

On Sale May 27, 2009

This issue turned out spectacularly, at least visually speaking. I think old school Captain Marvel and C.C. Beck fans like me should be happy with the artwork Carlo turned in here. Story-wise, well, I'll leave it up to you to comment on how that turned out...