The Gunhand#1: In Stores Wednesday, 15 May 2024

Bearing A Grudge

Picking up where Mary Shelley’s classic novel left off — but more precisely the Classics Illustrated adaptation of Frankenstein — the misunderstood creation of Victor Frankenstein awakens 100 years in the future — circa 1888 — and through fate and circumstance, becomes embroiled in a clandestine war for dominance of post-Civil War America… and the unwitting bearer of The Gunhand…

This new series from writer Marty Grosser (Editor of Diamond Comic Distributor’s monthly Previews catalog) and artist Matthew Plog (Kent Menace, Battletech game series) features the Frankenstein monster caught up in a massive, sorcerous plot to conquer the United States, with only a talking Magpie and a Magical Arm to aid him in his mission. The “Weird Western” is back, and all bets are on our hero “Victor Caine”— The Gunhand — to blaze a trail of vengeance from coast to coast!

“I have always been a fan of the Frankenstein story. From Mary Shelley’s original novel to movies and comics, the idea of a monster… a man… pieced together from disparate parts of other human beings, and then filling said construct with life anew, has always fascinated me. My first encounter with the monster was in the classic

1931 film Frankenstein by James Whale, starring Boris Karloff (a.k.a. William Henry Pratt) as the monster. I saw it on TV in the early ‘60s and was immediately enthralled by the monster and his plight. A sympathetic creature who was a victim of his creation and situation.” Grosser said.

“A few years ago, I found myself helping a friend develop his character creation, an aquatic adventurer named “Kent Menace”, into a comic book series… a dream of his I was more than happy to help him accomplish. While doing that, I found a copy of the Classics Illustrated Frankenstein and it reminded me of the story left untold (by me, at least). I decided to make it a Western… but it needed a hook, something that set it apart from other retellings or continuations of the novel. I knew I wanted the monster to become a gunfighter (a GREAT gunfighter), so I came up with the “magic arm” of an enforcer for a coven of witches and warlocks hellbent on taking control of the United States, still licking its wounds from the Civil War that pitted state against state, brother against brother. The rest of the details fell into place quickly.” Explained Grosser

“It’s been a long, bumpy road to get the first issue of the series off the drawing board, onto a printing press, and displayed on comic shop shelves, and I couldn’t be prouder of the work Matt and I have accomplished. While the initial numbers for Issue #1 were not earth-shattering in a market dominated by DC and Marvel, and filled with dozens, if not hundreds of worthwhile independent titles on the racks, I’m confident that once people get a look at what we have to offer, they will want to come back every two months and discover what happens next.” Grosser enthused.

THE GUNHAND #1 hits comic shop shelves on Wednesday, 15 May across the country and around the world. If your local comic shop is sold out, or didn’t order it initially, ISSUE #1 can be ordered at any comic shop using the codes below to order:

ISSUE #1: COVER A (MATT PLOG): FEB241134

ISSUE #1: COVER B (MATT PLOG): FEB241135

ISSUE #1: COVER C (BARRY McCLAIN JR.): FEB241136

ISSUE #1: COVER D (KELLEY JONES): FEB241137

THE GUNHAND #2 is also available for PRE-ORDER by using the codes below:

ISSUE #2: COVER A (MATT PLOG): APR241234

ISSUE #2: COVER B (BARRY McCLAIN JR.): APR241235

THE GUNHAND is a bi-monthly series scheduled for SIX ISSUES. Hopefully to be followed up by PHASE II of the series and another run of issues.

MEET THE CREATIVE TEAM

MARTY GROSSER/Writer

Hailing originally from Sacramento California, Marty Grosser has called the comics industry home since 1981, working in comics retailing, distribution, marketing, and publishing. He moved to Baltimore in 1988, where he is currently on his 36^th year as Editor of Diamond Comic Distributor’s Previews catalog — that’s 429 issues as of June 2024! More recently, he began to write prose tales and comic stories in the world of Scott Braden and Mike Malbrough’s supernatural sailor, Kent Menace, before turning his attention to his own first original series, The Gunhand, coming from American Mythology on 15 May , 2024.

Marty Grosser is available for Interviews or Additional Commentary at: oldmanpreviews@gmail.com

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MATTHEW PLOG/Artist

Matt Plog is a native of Westminster Maryland and has pursued an artist’s career for most of his adult life. Enrolling in the Joe Kubert School directly out of high school, he’s accumulated a large body of work in the role playing and tabletop gaming markets, with work published by TSR, Palladium, and Iron Crown, the bulk of his work being for the Battletech franchise under FASA, FanPro, and Catalyst Games. Closer to the comics industry, he’s been employed with Mark Wheatley’s Insight Studios, and is now working with American Mythology on Marty Grosser’s THE GUNHAND series.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE GUNHAND AND OTHER TITLES, PLEASE GO TO: www.americanmythology.net