Featured Pin-Up by Dennis Budd

I want to start showing off some of the amazing pin-ups that will be featured in the back of the book. This first one's by artist Dennis Budd.



I've had a ton of artists ask me if they can do a pin-up for the book, and as much as I'd love to say "yes" to each and every one of them, we've only got a small amount of space for pin-ups -- at this point, the list is pretty much closed. However, I do plan on setting up an online "Wolves of Odin" fan art gallery in the near future. So keep watching this blog and I'll announce that when it happens, and then everyone will be able to share their fan art -- I think it'll be really cool. :)

I'll be back soon with more updates, and a look at another pin-up!

Grant

Meet the Cast: THE WOLF FENRIR

In Norse mythology, Fenrir (also known by Fenris, Fenrisulfr, and other names) is the famous and terrible wolf. He is the unstoppable monster that cannot be caged. He's the troublemaker, the doom-bringer, the one that ends up biting Tyr's hand off. I knew from the get-go that he'd be playing a major role in my story. I was always intrigued by him, and always wanted to know and read more.

In my comic, Fenrir is the lieutenant of the wolves -- the smartest, the most cunning, the most powerful. I wanted to make sure each character (both wolves and humans) looked different from one another. Whereas Hati is reddish-brown and Skoll is a very light grey, I wanted Fenrir to be a dark grey -- almost black in contract to the snowy terrain. He's literally the big, bad wolf.

Odin trusts Fenrir above the others. He looks to him to succeed, and ultimately -- as it is in the mythology -- Fenrir will face Tyr. As I've mentioned before, this shared fate is the centerpiece of "The Wolves of Odin." The building up to that encounter between Tyr and Fenrir, and the aftermath. He, like Hati and Skoll, was once a north-man. But his greed and his battle-lust drove him down a dark path, and he became one of the AllFather's prized berserkers. Odin transformed him into a beast, and now he's a pawn, an instrument of hate and murder.

More to come!

'Wolves of Odin' on Comic Geek Speak

One of the most popular comic book podcasts, Comic Geek Speak, gave The Wolves of Odin some love in one of their recent San Diego coverage episodes. They talk to Super Real Graphics' own Jason Martin -- He discusses "Wolves," "Gnome," and other projects on the horizon. Definitely check it out! It's Episode 484 and starts about 59 minutes in. Click here for the MP3 or you can grab it off iTunes. Big thanks to CGS!

Also -- Just wanted to say thanks to everyone that picked up a Preview Book in San Diego! It was a fantastic show, and everyone seems to be very excited about the book.

I'll be back very soon with more WoO blog goodness!

Grant

Meet the Cast: THE WITCH BERGTHORA

Each week I'm talking about a cast member from my upcoming graphic novella "The Wolves of Odin," and offering some insight into that character. This week's cast member is Bergthora.

At a glance, one might suspect that Bergthora is a Valkyrie, but in the case of this particular character, not all is as it seems. While she very much wants to be a Valkyrie, Bergthora is a witch, and her true appearance is something she goes to great lengths to hide.

Long ago, the God of Thunder made Bergthora his lover and his servant. In return for her loyalty, she asked to become one of the legendary Valkyries of Valhalla. Thor promised that he could make that happen once her services were no longer needed. Many years have passed since then, and with this new mission unfolding - the approaching confrontation between the wolves and Tyr - Bergthora is hoping that her eagerly awaited reward is near. Thor has chosen Bergthora to guide Tyr and to set his plans in motion.

For her appearance, I knew I wanted it to be very Valkyrie-like, because of her desire to become one. I tried to design something that was a mixture of Valkyrie and "ragged outcast witch." Of all the human characters, Bergthora's clothing is definitely the least realistic in terms of what people of the viking era really wore... Not to mention, it's not a very practical outfit for wintertime. I took some artistic liberties with this one. But hey, if Red Sonja can wear a metal bikini in the snow, my witch can show some leg. :P And let's face it, we're seeing an illusion -- for all we know, the witch is wrapped in furs under that magical disguise of blonde sexiness.

Her staff is actually a heater of sorts, so that also helps explain why she isn't more bundled up. The orbs on her staff hold earthly energies that radiate heat and light, keeping her from freezing her butt off.

Anyway, that's Bergthora in a nutshell. I'm in the middle of preparing for San Diego and am way behind, so I have to cut this post short. I'll be back post-Comic-Con with the next "Meet the Cast" feature.

If you're going to Comic-Con, definitely swing by the Super Real Graphics table (S16) and my table in artists' alley (CC-18). We'll have "Wolves of Odin" goodies you don't wanna miss out on!

Thanks for reading -- Talk to you again soon!

Grant

SDCC 08 - Wolves of Odin PREVIEW BOOK

Super Real Graphics has just announced it's plans for San Diego Comic-Con, including limited edition preview books, creator signings, and more.

Available only at the show will be a limited to 100 copies preview edition of Grant Gould's THE WOLVES OF ODIN, and Grant will be on hand at the Super Real Graphics table, S16, daily to sign the book as well.

The Wolves of Odin Comic-Con Preview includes 20 full color pages, with the first look at pages from the book, as well as character info and behind-the-scenes material. The books are limited and only being sold at the show for a price of $5 each.

You can also check out other current and upcoming Super Real Graphics projects, and meet other fan favorite creators like Josh Howard, and Hector Sevilla throughout the show. For full information on the Super Real Graphics Comic-Con 2008 plans, visit the brand new NEWS BLOG

Gould/McHaley "Wolves of Odin" SDCC Print - Limited to 20 copies

My pal Mark McHaley and I teamed up to create this exclusive 11x17 print for the San Diego Comic-Con. I did the pencil work and then Mark took it from there, bringing it to life with his bold and stylistic paints.

If you're not familiar with Mark's work, you soon will be. He's been dropping jaws in the trading card industry -- Check out some of his Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones and Heroes sketch cards. He's also one of the attending artists at Star Wars Celebration Japan, where he'll be selling limited edition Grievous prints. Needless to say, I love Mark's art, and it was an honor collaborating with him on this "Wolves" piece.

The prints will be LIMITED TO TWENTY HAND-NUMBERED COPIES that will ONLY be available at my Artists' Alley table: CC-18. First come, first served. $20 dollars a piece.

The original painting will also be for sale at Mark's booth (1317-19), so be sure to head over there as well.

And definitely don't forget to visit the Super Real Graphics table for even more "Wolves of Odin" goodness... More info on that very soon!

Meet the Cast: THE VIKING TYR

Over the next few weeks I'll be introducing you to the cast of "The Wolves of Odin," and offering some insight into what went into the creation of these characters. First up is Tyr, which is a name some of you fans of Norse mythology are sure to recognize... "Wait a minute.. Isn't Tyr one of the gods?"

In most versions of the mythology, he is, yes. And this is something that's addressed and actually sort of set the stage for where I wanted to go with the story. While I was preparing to write "Wolves," I did a lot of research on the Norse pantheon. I'd always been somewhat familiar with it, but I wanted to really dig in and work the various tales into my own... Turns out, there are about twenty variations of every tale, about twenty variations of every personality... Ultimately, I realized there is no definitive Norse legend. There are different versions, and really, it's about picking and choosing the parts that you enjoy and that make the most sense.

So I made Tyr the central character, and part of his journey is that he's being guided and manipulated by the gods, and faces a great destiny. I took parts of the mythologies, such as Tyr's fateful encounter with the wolf Fenrir, and made them my own. This comic isn't about me translating a Norse tale -- It's about me telling my own version of a Norse tale.

Tyr is a bold warrior who cautiously follows (and seems to trust) Thor, the God of Thunder. He has a special connection to the deity, and literally speaks to him. Which is another thing I wanted to do a little differently with "The Wolves of Odin." We always see Thor and the other Nordic figures as these mighty human type of characters, but I started to think... If these gods were real, and they were appearing to their followers and speaking to them... What if they appear more as ghosts than people? That idea appealed to me, so when Tyr sees Thor, he's seeing a spirit that's only vaguely humanoid. As if to suggest that maybe the gods were once human, and now they're something more.

I wanted Tyr's helmet to be very true to what viking helmets really looked like (as many people know by now, the whole "horned helm" thing is completely inaccurate). I wanted his armor and his outfit to look pretty close to what real vikings wore. I wanted to give him a big fluffy iconic wolfskin cloak, which is both practical (gotta keep warm in those blizzards) and symbolic of the showdown to come. I also wanted him to wield two weapons -- and since I couldn't decide between swords or axes, I just went with one of each.

And, I'll leave you with one last nerdy little fun fact: I gave Tyr a topknot as a little shout-out to Cutter, the lead character in "ElfQuest" (which is 30 years old this year). I discovered ElfQuest in the early '80s and it essentially introduced me to comic books and the fantasy genre, and it's always been one of my great loves and inspirations. So how could I not pay tribute in some small way? :)

That's it for now. Thanks for reading -- I hope you're all getting excited for the book! Come back soon for another inside look at one of the other cast members of "The Wolves of Odin."

~ Grant

Super Real Graphics Presents: The WOLVES of ODIN

It’s Vikings vs. werewolves in this Lord of the Rings style fantasy, from Lucasfilm artist Grant Gould (Star Wars the Clone Wars online).

The rise of Christianity amongst the north-men has frustrated Odin, Father of the Norse Gods. Out of jealousy and anger, he has transformed three of his most loyal berserkers into unstoppable beasts, and set them loose upon his traitorous “followers”.

Thor, God of Thunder, takes it upon himself to challenge his father’s madness by aiding a loyal warrior of his own: the viking Tyr. Along with the help of a witch and two strangers, Tyr must face the wolves and realize his own destiny.

Super Real Graphics Presents: THE WOLVES OF ODIN
By Grant Gould
64 pages, digest sized (6x9), Full Color, $7.50
DIAMOND ORDER CODE SEP08 4260
ISBN-13:978-0980249811

The latest SUPER REAL GRAPHICS PRESENTS original graphic novella, The WOLVES of ODIN, will be available via Diamond Comic Distributors September Previews catalog for shipping to comic book shops November 2008.

About Super Real Graphics Presents

SUPER REAL GRAPHICS PRESENTS is a series of original graphic novels (OGN's) featuring innovative, and stylish, creator-owned works in a 64 page, full color, digest sized (6x9) format.

The first volume, SUPER REAL GRAPHICS PRESENTS: GNOME, from creator Dave Dwonch, was released in April 2008, and is currently available from comic book shops, and Amazon.com.

Diamond Order Code FEB084007 (comic shop locator)
ISBN: 978-0-9802498-04

The second volume, The Wolves of Odin by Grant Gould, is scheduled for a November release, with more exciting SUPER REAL GRAPHICS PRESENTS volumes planned in 2009.

Super Real Graphics has been publishing comic books to the direct market since November 2005, with it's flagship series, SUPER REAL.