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A Great Cyberpunk Webcomic: The Concrete World

by Hef on February 11, 2012 at 12:32 am

I recently was introduced to a very well done webcomic called The Concrete World.

 

Written by Gavin Hignight, The Concrete World is a science fiction comic book, telling the story of three kindred spirits, Felix, Sera and Paulie. They are brought together in a cyberpunk world drawn by up and coming artist, Jettila Lewis. In Hignight’s epic world, these three characters are linked by their addiction to the VR technology called DREAMtech, which is altogether wonderful, powerful…and very dangerous.  DREAMtech can give them everything they’ve always desired, but it could also take everything they have, including their very lives!

 

Felix, Sera and Paulie traipse the forever-night of this neon, smoke filled virtual world in search for the mythical program called the Black Ivory.  In this world, freedom is the new drug.

The comic itself is installed in (6 page) updates monthly. It’s a pretty fun read and the art is really cool. It’s definitely one of the best webcomics out there in my opinion.  It explores the realities we could be facing in the very near future, in the same vein as Gates, the comic I write and illustrate and is currently being presented online by Heavy Metal Magazine.  This is very much a Heavy Metal like comic and I could envision this story in the magazine some day as well.

I highly recommend the Concrete World. Check it out!

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The Geeks of Doom Reviewed the Gates Comic Book Soundtrack!

by Hef on February 16, 2012 at 12:00 am

The Geeks of Doom website is a very fun pop culture menagerie of nerd stuff in the world of music, comics, art and anything and everything fanboy geeky.

In mid January, the Geeks of Doom Website did a review of the Gates soundtrack that was released to accompany the epic science fiction comic book back in August of 2011.

They had some nice things to say about teh soundtrack and really seemed to get the

“vibe” we were going for. One of the things I really appreciated is how they mentioned that Gates is dedicated to the art of Frank Frazetta and the music of Ronnie James Dio as well as an homage to the original soundtrack of the 1981 Heavy Metal film.

So Special thanks to Dan Bond (Obi Dan) for taking the time to review the soundtrack and give us some props. Much appreciated!

You can also

BUY THE SOUNDTRACK TO GATES: The webcomic presented by Heavy Metal and created by Hal Hefner –  NOW!!!

 

…AND MAKE A SMALL DONATION TO THE RONNIE JAMES DIO STAND UP AND SHOUT CANCER FUND.

100% of the proceeds go to the cancer fund in Dio’s name.

It is available for download on iTunes and AmazonMP3

 

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The Webcomic Beacon Podcast with Hal Hefner Heavy Metal Magazine

by Hef on February 18, 2012 at 12:00 am

Heavy Metal Magazine, Hal Hefner and Kevin Bryce…a pretty great combo when mixed in with Fes and his webcomic focused podcast, the Webcomic Beacon!

Hal Hefner (me) creator of the webcomic Gates, joins musical artist  Kevin Bryce, Fes Works and Melissa Kaercher  of the GeekLife podcast, talk about HEAVY METAL Magazine

This podcast was an in depth look at the movie, the history of Heavy Metal Magazine and the future of the new movie. It also includes a discussion of the magazine and the original Heavy Metal movie, the Gates soundtrack and more.

We also talk about Hal’s science fiction webcomic, presented by Heavy Metal, Gates. The Gates webcomic has an eclectic musical soundtrack for it, and Kevin Bryce is on the soundtrack. Kevin also performed two live digital, musical interludes for this episode of The Webcomic Beacon!

Hal goes in depth discussing the future of Gates and how the evolving multi-platform story narrative will continue to grow in 2012 as new projects begin to arise in the Gates universe. Very exciting stuff, exclusively dicussed on the BEACON!

Check it out!

http://www.webcastbeacon.com/webcomic-220/

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A Tribute to Star Wars Artist Ralph McQuarrie

by Hef on March 8, 2012 at 12:00 am

hal hefner yoda mcquarrie

The wold lost a legend this past weekend when famed artist and conceptual master, Ralph McQuarrie passed away.

McQuarrie was an artist who defined an era of science fiction and brought the visions to life of people like Isaac Asimov and George Lucas. Technically McQuarrie was a master of color theory, perspective and landscapes. He was someone so skilled that he could make a typical Earth environment look so very foreign and alien with just a slight color shift or an addition of a strange rock formation.  Ralph McQuarrie was a master of conceptual movie art and his black and white illustrations for Isaac Asimov’s books are just as incredible as his Star Wars art.

To me Ralph McQuarrie was my Yoda. I fell in love with his work early on as a child. I remember being captivated by his concept art for the Empire Strikes Back, especially Cloud City. Then later on I began reading books like Robot Dreams and sure enough, there was McQuarrie again. But when I really felt his power was once I was in college studying art and illustration. It was then that I realized that I didn’t want to be the next Norman Rockwell, I wanted to be the next Ralph McQuarrie. After I graduated from college at RIT in Rochester NY, I bought every book with McQuarrie’s art that I could find and afford. I studied everything about his work, from his color use to his landscape design. He made me better. He taught me when school was over forever. McQuarrie taught me the ways of  the force and how to wield a paint brush like a lightsaber.

I will forever be indebted to Ralph McQuarrie for everything he did for me as an artist.

RIP my master. May the force be with you.

Below you’ll find a short video I made in homage to some of my favorite Star Wars paintings y Ralph McQuarrie. They are accompanies by the music of Kevin Bryce.

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Remembering Moebius, Comic Artist and Creative Storyteller – Au reviour!

by Hef on March 10, 2012 at 10:14 am

moebius dies 3-10-12It is with great sadness that I write this article.

One of my favorite artists and someone who was a direct inspiration for me in EVERYTHING that I do has passed on to become one with the great consciousness of the universe. French comic-book artist, designer and creative innovator, Jean Giraud, (Moebius), died overnight at the age of 74 after a long illness, an associate and work colleague reported from Paris, France.

Moebius was a legend. An artist yes but at heart Moebius was an amazing storyteller. He used his art to tell stories. Without Moebius, there would be no Heavy Metal. There would be no me.

Jean Henri Gaston Giraud was one of the world’s leading cartoonists, artists and thinkers, who also found a large and loyal following in Japan and the United States. Moebius was the modern day Shaman shared his tales of science fiction and fantasy around the international fires of the independent comic book industry.

As well as being published in top French magazines, and being one of the co founders of Metal Hurlant, which in the US became Heavy Metal, Moebius worked with Japanese manga artists and co-produced and illustrated, Marvel’s, The Silver Surfer with Stan Lee.

Giraud also contributed to a number of blockbuster movies all over the world. In the early 80’s he and famous French Animator, Rene Laloux, creator of the movie Fantastic Planet, co-piloted the movie, Time Masters. It was a great film and visually stunning with a very interesting take on time. Laloux is to animation as Moebius is to comics and this pairing was incredible.

Back in 2001, I met Moebius at a screening of Time Masters, at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. I actually showed him my tattoo that I have of Fantastic Planet on my arm and he loved it, ” OHHH, I will tell Rene when I get back to France. It is the most beautiful tattoo I have seen of this, Rene will be pleased.” I also discussed my initial concepts for the Gates comic book with him for a second and he encouraged me to keep going and not to ever get discouraged.

Moebius was an inspiration to me…not only because of the work he did, but the work he didn’t do.

There was the ill fated Dune movie by Alejandro Jodorowsky, that Moebius did some amazing character designs for. Below are his conceptions of some of the characters. They are pretty awesome.

hal hefner pays respects to moebius

Paul Atreides concept art by Moebius for Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Dune

concept art by Moebius for Alejandro Jodorowsky's Dune Hal Hefner

Baron Harkonnen concept art by Moebius for Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Dune

In 2010 France’s Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art produced a far out, retrospective of Moebius’ work that was so uniquely designed and constructed that it was a desire of mine to see–but I never did.

But I did meet Moebius and his work has inspired me since I was a teenager.

Below are some links to some articles I’ve written about him over the years.

Moebius: one of my favorite Heavy Metal comic book artists.

Moebius animated series Arzak.

Au revoir Moebius, My dear shamanistic inspiration. May your travels into the next stage of consciousness be as creative as those wonderful days you spent on planet Earth.

 

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20 Twenty Things Every Sci-Fi Nerd Should Own Physically and Emotionally

by Hef on March 24, 2012 at 9:33 am

So you think you’re a NERD. Not the kind of nerd that would hang out with Lamar and Booger and the other Tri-Lams–BUT a REAL Sci-Fi NERD.  Whell let’s just how how nerdy you really are. Below is a little checklist of 20 Things Every Sci-Fi Nerd Should Own To Earn, physically as well as emotionally. If you “own” at least twelve of these twenty things, you are entitled to your SCI-FI Nerd Badge.

My name is Hal Hefner, I am a Sci-Fi nerd. I create Sci-Fi nerd dreams with my comic Gates, the flagship product of an epic science fiction franchise. How nerdy are you?

Go for it. I dare ya…

 

 

1) Conan The Barbarian Soundtrack:
If you are a fan of the movie, Conan the Barbarian then you know how awesome the soundtrack is as well. Great music by Basil Poledouris set the tone of the movie and is an epic score to kick ass to.

2) Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep:
This is the book by Phillip K. Dick that inspired Ridley Scott’s Bladerunner. It’s good, real good and in fills in lots of holes in the movie and also gives you a different twist on it. Great, easy read even for you folks out there who haven’t read a book since college.

3) The Twilight Zone Collection:
The Twilight Zone is one of if not the greatest TV show ever. For any aspiring Sci-Fi geek and or creator, it is essential guide to storytelling, RIP Rod Serling, a genius way ahead of his time.

4) The Original Star Wars Trilogy – WITHOUT ANY ADDED CRAP
We didn’t need Boba Fett and Jabba to show up in the a New Hope. We didn’t need anymore crappy creatures that added no value and we all certainly know: HAN SHOT FIRST.

5) A Profound Hatred for Star Trek Enterprise:
Need I say more? Okay, I will. Brannon Braga’s take on the Star Trek universe was crap.

6) The Lord of The Rings Extended Edition, The Soundtracks and all of the books;
You’ve gotta own it all. Own it. Live it. Love it.

7) A Profound Sadness for the Way Battlestar Galactica Ended:
There’s a lot of us that feel we got hosed with that ending. I can still hear Jim Hendrix’s, All Along the Watchtower playing in my head and I’m thinking WTF is this?

8 ) A Passionately Favorite Version of  the REAL Doctor Who:
Tom Baker. Period. And I will gladly meet you in an alley to fight about it.
9) A Fear That Will Smith Will Someday Star in The Movie Adaptation of Your Favorite Book:
Every character is the same, that wise cracking boy from Philadelphia living with his cousin Carlton and Uncle Phil.

10) Toys from Your Childhood That You Refuse To Part With: 
I still have my original Kermit the Frog from when I was three and my first Boba Fett. Trump that.

11) The Belief that the Word Midichlorian Was Just from a Nightmare and NOT a real Star Wars Movie:
This is just a dream. Metachlorians are not real. Seriously. It’s just a bad joke and it will be over when I wake up. AHHHHHHHH!!!!!

12) The Original Tron Movie:
You own it. You love it. It loves you.

13) An affection for the TV show Firefly:
Every Sci-Fi nerd loves this show. If you don’t you are a loser.

14) A Hatred for Chris O’Donnell:
As Robin, he was the harbinger of death for the original Batman movie franchise.

15) You Know Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics:
Learn it now if you don’t know it.

16) You think Cheetara is HOT!
The star of two version of Thundercats cartoons was also the star of your wet dream. Admit it, you’d love to let her claw your back and bite your neck. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

17) You Believe Aliens are our REAL Gods:
If you read enough science fiction, and of the right kind, all of those books questioning are existence in the universe, finally open up some possibilities for you. BUT depending on where you live, who your parents are and who you are sleeping with, you may not admit this in public.

18) You Have a Favorite Animated Cult Sci-Fi Movie:
There are so many to pick from. Many will choose Heavy Metal.

19) You Blame Hot Rod for Optimus Prime’s Death:
Well, it was his fault. And after Optimus rose form the grave Rodimus got hosed. AND DESERVEDLY SO!

20) You DESPISE Michael Bay for Masturbating on your Childhood.
The king of explosions, inexplicably keeps making million dollar movies and in the process he has destroyed the Transformers and has now decided to shit on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by making the aliens in his new adaptation. Someone needs to destroy the people at Paramount for allowing him to live. Michael Bay is the fucking anti-Christ.

 

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GATES IS AVAILABLE IN TRADE PAPERBACK FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER

by Hef on April 12, 2014 at 6:58 pm

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!
Gates the acclaimed webcomic, first presented right here on this very website by Heavy Metal Magazine, is now on sale for the first time in printed format. Gates is now being presented in an 80+ page full color, trade paperback book that will contain additional imagery and story elements not seen in the original comic book.

BUY IT HERE: NOW
When you buy the Gates trade paperback,  you in turn help create something special, an event, that spawns from the very pages of this comic book.

The sales of Gates will be used as the next phase of storytelling for the Serpent Seed universe, the larger universe that Gates belongs to. This event, called UNTHINKABLE COMPLEXITY, will explore the future through the eyes of the technocult, the ConGenement and the ancestors of Gates in true Heavy Metal style, cyberpunk fashion. To Learn More about the event, please check out our Indiegogo page.

Gates will be printed in limited edition format, specifically in two iterations, including one special edition book that offer fans of the webcomic, the ability to own a one of a kind sketch in their book.

You can also purchase a t-shirt, in specific purchasing packages.

Hal Hefner Gates the comic heavy metal magazine

Gates will be available for a limited time only. Get your special copy now through this 30 day Indiegogo campaign being used to expand the Gates universe and bring the comic into the modern world of Los Angeles in 2014, in cyberpunk fashion.

Your time runs out on MAY 8, 2014 and once these copies are gone they are gone. So please buy yours now before they sell out! Thank you so much for your continued support of Gates!

Gates the comic_hal hefner_2013 - POSTER

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