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As part of our monthly Product Review Contest, we’ve picked three reviews and are awarding $25 gift certificates to the people who posted them.

Jon from Albuquerque, NM is the first of this month’s winners. His review of Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 25 was just what the doctor ordered:

Wow. Looking at a Stan Sakai story, esp. Usagi stories, and you think…Black and white,eh. Rabbit ronin, ronin rhino, bounty hunter dog, how good can it be. Then, an hour or two later, after you have read and reread the whole book, you out a breath you didn’t know you were holding in and just marvel. Stan does in a few lines and brush strokes what Elephant Men did with a huge color palate and massive art and massive characters. And still, the Usagi story is better. Not to say bad things about E-Men, but they do things in an over the top way. Stan never did and never has to. Wonderful read, wonderful art, simple wonderful.

Dave’s four-star review of Dan’s review of The Traveler TPB Vol. 1 also caught our eye as we were looking through last month’s reviews:

I enjoyed the story, and the art is what drew me in overall. I liked the new company and definitely will be enticed into continue my read of the series. I may even try the other titles as well.

Finally, Jennifer from Richland, MI dropped by to give her two cents about the Elephantmen TPB Vol. 1.

Great. Good looking art and a fun story. Excellent characters. One of my new favorites.

We want to thank everyone again for sharing their product reviews last month! If you’re submitting product reviews, please don’t submit duplicate reviews or submissions from other merchant websites. You don’t have to like the product to snag a winning review, so feel free to rant or gush.

So submit your reviews and help your fellow collectors, and us, sort out the “HOT” from the “NOT”! Who knows, you may be one of next month’s winners.

HOW TO SUBMIT A PRODUCT REVIEW:
It’s simple! Just visit any product page and look for this:

Click on it and our product review form will appear in a popup. Just fill out the pertinent information and submit your review, and you’re done! We’ll take a look at your review and get it up on the product page soon thereafter!

There’s also a really easy way for you to call up everything you’ve ever ordered from us and review it. Simply log in to your account and go into the Order History Section. Next to each item, you’ll see a “Review it!” link.

Questions? Comments? Let us know below!

The holidays are coming–want to add a little extra oomph to your shopping budget? This week, TFAW.com is giving away $500 in online gift certificates! Just take 10 minutes to answer our customer survey by October 16, and you’re automatically entered to win. We’ll be choosing 16 lucky winners to receive one of six $50 gift certificates or 10 $20 gift certificates and emailing them out October 17, giving you plenty of time to pick up that must-have figure or graphic novel before December 25.

At TFAW.com, we want to serve your needs to the very best of our abilities–and we know our customers have some strong opinions! Take a moment to share them with us by this Sunday, and stay tuned via Twitter or Facebook for updates!

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You can’t talk about epic fantasy literature without tipping your hat to Robert Jordan (a.k.a. James Oliver Rigney, Jr.), who wrote the mega-bestselling series The Wheel of Time. Originally slated to encompass six novels, this complex and engaging tale, centering on the struggle of good versus the forces of the Dark One, will clock in at an amazing 14 novels by 2012.

Robert Jordan’s fertile universe has now expanded into games and a possible movie, and it was only a matter of time (ha) before it was translated into the visual world of comics. Dynamite Entertainment took up the challenge in 2010, creating its popular comic book series, Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World, with veteran writer Chuck Dixon at the helm. As part of Dynamite Month, we interviewed Dixon and returning artist Andie Tong about the ups and downs of adapting Wheel of Time! Plus, we’ve got an exclusive five-page preview of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World #14, with art by Marcio Fiorito (Andie Tong returns as of issue #19, due out this December!).

TFAW.com: As a veteran comics writer who has worked on everything from Batman, to The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, and now Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World, how do you approach the process of writing?

Chuck Dixon: Well, like most writers, the bulk of the work is done in my head. I’m working all the time! The time spent at the keyboard getting it down is actually the smallest portion of my schedule.

But that’s the part I enjoy most, organizing my thoughts and laying down the words. The “big picture” aspect of outlining and plotting is like work. But describing the actions, supplying voices for the characters and blocking it all out—that’s the part I get lost in.

TFAW.com: What’s it like adapting a dense, well-loved novel like Eye of the World?

CD: It’s intimidating and challenging. I have to keep in mind the millions of fans this series has, as well as staying true to Robert Jordan’s vision and his marvelous cast of characters. My job is not that of an auteur. I’m there to translate the novels into the language of comics. That means thinking first in strictly visual terms at first and deciding how to pace out Jordan’s text. And I use only Jordan’s text unless I absolutely have to create a new caption or segue.

TFAW.com: Have you updated the book at all in the process?

CD: Again, I’m the invisible hand here. It’s not my story to tell–it’s only my story to present in graphic novel form. That said, I have had a few opportunities to expand action scenes. Action in prose and action in comics are presented differently and require me to open my toolbox and make them as dramatic as I can so the artists can really go to town. There’s not really anything I don’t like. Jordan was not writing for comics, obviously, so I sometimes have to telescope a scene so we don’t have repetitive visuals–or expand on one, if there’s an opportunity for some eye candy. But that’s what they pay me for.

TFAW.com: Can you bring new readers up to speed on Wheel of Time: Eye of the World?

CD: Ba’alzamon, the ultimate baddest of the bad guys, begins a campaign of terror against our heroes. Especially Rand. He finds them through their dreams and things get ugly. Nynaeve rejoins the group and brings her own brand of action along with her. And the group is split into three parts after fleeing from Shadar Logoth and the journey to find each other again provides a lot of suspense.

TFAW.com: What’s your experience been like working for Dynamite?

CD: I’ve known Nick [Barrucci, Dynamite Entertainment President] forever. He’s a stand-up guy and is always, always, absolutely honest and real. So, I know where I stand and I know I’m in a good place. That’s way more than I can say about a lot of comic outfits. Dynamite is good people.

TFAW.com: Who are your influences?

CD: Too many to count! As Nietzsche said, “a writer uses his own and his friends’ intellects.” I’m a compulsive reader and go through phases with certain authors. Lately I’ve been getting a lot from P.G. Wodehouse and Little Lulu comics.

TFAW.com: What advice to you have for people trying to break into the comics industry?

CD: Persistence. Just keep charging that hill. If you have a burning desire to tell stories, and won’t be happy unless that’s how you make your way in life, then you have to stick to it no matter how high the rejection pile reaches. I know it’s the hardest thing in the world to do; get up after you’ve been knocked down and your ego’s been gored. But you’re never going to prove them all wrong if you walk away.

TFAW.com: What other projects are you working on now?

CD: I’m currently working on G.I. Joe and Snake Eyes and Transformers: Infestation for IDW, as well as scripts for The Simpsons for Bongo. I have a story in SpongeBob SquarePants #5, also from Bongo. I have a short story in an upcoming Lone Ranger anthology I’m excited about, and I’m writing a sequel to my SEAL Team 6 novel for Dynamite that will be out before Christmas.

TFAW.com: Hi Andie! You’re back, starting with issue #19, after a seven-issue break. What brought you back to WOT: Eye of the World?

Andie Tong: I’m a big fan of Wheel of Time. So I never really left. When I first started reading the novels, I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be cool if this was turned into a comic!” Now I’ve actually been given the opportunity to work on it. So it’s pretty much been a dream come true for me. If I could, I would love to be able complete the entire series. All 14 novels! Heh. It’s wishful thinking on my part, but one can always dream. I love fantasy, sword, dragons. and sorcery. So this project’s been perfect for me at the moment.

I unexpectedly ended up taking some time off to sort some family matters out, and when it came time to get back into it, it took me awhile to get started. It was around this time also that I decided to transition from drawing my pages traditionally to a full digital process. It took me a bit longer to adjust then I’d originally foreseen, so my editor wisely suggested I continued my tenure on WOT after the seven-issue break just to catch things up a bit.

TFAW.com: How did you go about creating the look of Eye of the World?

AT: A huge part of it would have been while reading the novels. With the very descriptive texts of Mr. Jordan, I couldn’t help but conjure up images, scenery, and the characters that populate the world of WOT. In addition, It was inevitable that I would be influenced by all the other fantasy-type media that had gone on before. Artwork by famous fantasy artists like Frank Frazetta and John Howe were an inspiration. Movies like Fire and Ice, Willow, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy are all huge influences.

The other part, of course, was beyond my control. Since I came on board drawing WOT from issue seven onwards, the main characters had already been long established by [previous artist] Chase Conley. The great thing is that both Chase and myself share similar visions for the characters of WOT. So in this particular situation, drawing characters designed by another artist has been pretty smooth and also done with great pleasure.

TFAW.com: With so many characters in play, how do you give each of them his or her own personality?

AT: I must admit, I don’t draw faces very well. I still have a long way to go, and I think that faces are probably one of the hardest things to master. Besides that, there are so many facial expressions people can have. I probably have only learned happy, sad, and angry. Oh, and curious. You know, the one with the one raised eyebrow.

So I try to use different tactics when it comes to giving each character its own unique personality. Different hair, shape of their face, body size, stance, height, and eyes. Even the clothes they wear help me establish the characters I’m drawing. I feel that the hair and eyes, though, are the most important. With the hair alone, you can create a few different characters with roughly the same face. Its a cheat way of creating different characters in comics. (Shhhh . . . ) Somehow manga and anime has managed to do that for years. So in a sense, I’ve borrowed that technique. If a character ever got a haircut however, I’d be pretty much stuffed!

When it came to drawing the character of Min from WOT, I tried to make sure she had a unique feature that would set her apart from the rest, knowing that she would be going through some changes in her appearance later on in the storyline. She will, I hope, be recognizable even with a different haircut and attire. What did I do? I gave her dimples. Uhhmm . . . thinking about it more now, though, maybe I should have given that one a bit more thought. I did toy with the idea of giving her a beauty spot on her cheek or something, but because there are strict guidelines to adhere to the description of the novels, and I thought maybe adding things like a birth mark or a mole might be vetoed by the editors.

TFAW.com: Two years ago, we got a peek at some of the concept art for this project by Chase Conley. How did you alter them, if at all?

AT: As I mentioned earlier, I’m a big fan of what Chase did with the characters. So I didn’t really have to do much with the designs. I just gave each character more embellishments and accessories. I love accessories! I gave each character more pouches to carry, pocket knives to sheath, more buckles, and more belts. After all, these characters are on an adventure-filled journey, they would need to have the extra pocket space, right? Surely. Heh. So other then that, Chase’s designs were quite solid, and I didn’t think they needed much alteration.

TFAW.com: What’s your favorite part of drawing Eye of the World?

AT: Naturally, I enjoy drawing the main characters. If I didn’t, it would’ve been a real problem, since they appear in almost every single page of the book! Heh. Apart from that is being able to draw, create, and somewhat design the creatures and monsters of the world. Because I’ve read a few novels ahead, I know how many more cool creatures are yet to pop up in the series to come. For example, I’m really looking forward to tackling the Raken, the Darkhounds, the Grolm, and the like.

Another part is drawing the scenery. I love drawing organic subjects. Trees, hills, rivers, mountains. The fact that I don’t have to use a ruler for any of these subjects is a bonus. I love the fact that I have the freedom to create breathtaking imaginary scenery. Throwing a rock there, a tree there, a waterfall here. Furthermore, with the environment being a fantasy world, I can make things up that are impossible in our world, but completely viable in the world of WOT.

TFAW.com: Looking at your art, there’s a feeling of joy that comes through, as well as a sense of humor. Do you ever have to tamp that down to suit the story?

AT: I think as an artist I have to be somewhat sensible and sensitive to the subject matter and plot. I wouldn’t necessarily say I’d tamp it down, but more tailor it to suit the scene. I love drawing and I love WOT. So I think the joy will come through my artwork no matter what scene is required.

TFAW.com: Like Chuck, you’ve had a fair amount of experience in superhero comics, as well as fantasy. Do you have a preference?

AT: I like both equally. I’ve grown up reading all genres of comics. Both have very different aspects to enjoy. Dragons, monsters, sword, and sorcery on one hand; fantastical-powered beings, both female and male, on the other. What’s not to like? It’s every kid’s dream as an aspiring artist. The first thing anyone thinks of when you think of an artist would be someone that draws portraits, scenery, and still life. For the most part, when I was growing up, a lot of young artists were groomed for that path. So when an artist gets to draw these fantastical beings, it’s something an artist should never take for granted.

The best part, though, for drawing both genres, is being able to conceptualize the extras. Humble inconsequential John and Jane Doe. Make them up: big, small, fat, thin, short, or tall. Sometimes when I enter a project, the main antagonist and protagonist are already designed. So I have no say with these designs, and I just have to stick with it. So when it comes time to drawing background people, that’s when I can be creative and go wild. Although it takes time, I love drawing crowds. If only time wasn’t such a constraint in this industry eh?

TFAW.com: What types of comics would you like to tackle next?

AT: More Wheel of Time definitely. If time permits, I would actually like to tackle an original idea for a children’s illustrated storybook. After working with HarperCollins for almost four years, and even though I worked on established licenced characters, I have had a taste for illustrating children’s books. I’d really like to do more. I’ve got a few ideas brewing, so it’s just a matter of finding the time to execute the plan. Outside of those, I would love to tackle a creator-owned title. Something in horror. Have we had enough zombies yet?

Our thanks to Chuck and Andie for taking us behind the scenes of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World comics! Pre-order every issue here and save 20-35%. Plus, don’t forget: this month, all of Dynamite’s October-catalog pre-orders are a whopping 35% off. Get cracking, comics fans!

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Are you a Robert Jordan fan? What do you think of the Wheel of Time comics? Post your comments below!

The SyFy network’s cult hit show, Warehouse 13, has been a hit with science-fiction and adventure fans since it debuted in 2009. Focusing on a seemingly ordinary warehouse situated in South Dakota, Warehouse 13 is actually a top-secret facility designed by Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and M. C. Escher, and is the latest in a series of warehouses established by Alexander the Great. Its contents? A widely varied assortment of otherworldly artifacts. Oh, and three Secret Agents–Pete Lattimer, Myka Bering, and Artie Nielsen–and their adorably nerdy hacker, Claudia Donovan, whose interactions and adventures provide the bulk of the fun.

Part X-Files, part Raiders of the Lost Ark, and part Friday the 13th: The Series, Warehouse 13 is like a cousin to the fantastic (and sadly, soon to be cancelled) Eureka, sharing characters back and forth–and just like Eureka, Warehouse 13 is now a comic book series! Dynamite Entertainment debuted the series this August, with writers Ben Raab and Deric Hughes, and artist Ben Morse, and we had the chance to quiz Morse about his work as part of Dynamite Month. Plus, we’ve got an awesome five-page preview for Warehouse 13 #2! Read on:

TFAW.com: How did you get involved with Warehouse 13?

Ben Morse: I had been working on a project with Ben Raab and Deric Hughes last year–when W13 came up they were kind enough to bring me on board.

TFAW.com: How much of the show had you watched before you started?

BM: None at all. I had been seeing a ton of good mentions on i09.com, but never watched it. When I got the MLB.tv thing a few years ago, I canceled my cable and lost track of any new shows I wasn’t already following. Had that not happened I’d have probably at least checked out the pilot–it’s not like my interest level was at zero, I’d have just had to go out of my way to see it.

But when this started up, I downloaded a couple of episodes for reference, and before long I was hooked. Honestly didn’t really expect to be–aside from Law & Order, I’m not a huge fan of all the procedural, case-of-the-week-style shows that are all over. But the relationships between the W13 characters, the setup of the warehouse, and all those cool toys lying around really won me over. At least for me, it’s fun escapism to tune into every week in the same way Cheers or Seinfeld is.

TFAW.com: Your likenesses of the actors look great–they’re recognizable, but they’re not jarring on the page. They’re in harmony with your art. How did you pull that off?

BM: You are awfully nice to say so! I’m really always struggling to make those better–in my mind, I’ve drawn a couple of Pete and Myka faces I’m happy with, a handful of Artie panels, and maybe 50/50 on Claudia. But I do mostly err on the side of everything meshing together on the page over slaving on the faces being perfect, which for me really makes things look too static.

I don’t have much of a process–when I find something that consistently works, I’ll keep doing it. Right now, I generally just draw it once, and if it’s too far off base I’ll go to an episode and see if I can find a screencap of whichever character from a similar angle, and then revisit the panel with that on my other monitor.

TFAW.com: What kind of feedback have you gotten from writers Ben Raab and Deric Hughes, or Universal Studios?

BM: It’s all been pretty helpful–guidance on props, most of the time.

TFAW.com: With a series like Warehouse 13, and all of the supernatural and otherworldly elements, you could literally be asked to draw anything. Is there anything you’re hoping for? Anything you’re dreading?

BM: Can’t think of anything I’ve been specifically hoping for, although I’ve been enjoying our flashback scenes where Artie or Claudia fill us in on the history of the artifact they’re chasing. Those are fun, and always a welcome change of pace.

TFAW.com: What went into figuring out how to draw the actual warehouse itself?

BM: That took a while–there’s so much stuff there, and that wouldn’t be realistic to expect to draw in every panel, even if it did look good. I think somewhere around the end of #2 I found a pretty good balance–settled on showing a lot of the boxes since the right angles give it an easy to follow structure, and then mixing that up with the shadows. The more oddly shaped artifacts I throw in, the more chaotic and distracting it gets, so I try to avoid those unless it’s a plot point . . . or I have a really badly drawn figure I’m looking to divert attention from.

TFAW.com: Can you give us any hints about upcoming storylines?

BM: I can’t just yet–sorry!

TFAW.com: Who or what have been your influences, artistically?

BM: Al Williamson is a big one–seeing his Flash Gordon and Star Wars work is what really got me into comics. Other than that, lately I’ve been into older Mort Drucker/Jack Davis work, and some Walt Simonson. Moebius has always been a favorite, too.

TFAW.com: What types of comics do you want to work on?

BM: Any–I’m more into a good story than just something that happens to sync up with my interests. It takes so long to draw stuff that if it’s not a clever plot with compelling characters, there’s really no point.

TFAW.com: What’s it like working with Dynamite?

BM: Pretty great!

TFAW.com: What other projects are you looking forward to?

BM: I’m looking forward to reading The Shadow when that gets going. Seeing it now, that movie was . . . well, not great. But I loved it as a kid, and it got me into the character. I still have the adaptation of it that Katula drew, it’s one of the few old comics I’ve held onto. Other than that, I’ve lost track of a lot of what’s coming out. Not enough hours in the day!

Our sincere thanks to Ben for answering all of our questions (well, except for not spilling top-secret plot info . . . I guess we can let that slide). Make sure to pre-order Warehouse 13 comics now–issue #5 is 35% this month, as are all of Dynamite’s October catalog comics and graphic novels! Plus, we still have issue #1 in stock, so pick it up now!

BROWSE WAREHOUSE 13 COMICS

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Are you a fan of SyFy’s Warehouse 13? What’s been your favorite artifact so far, either on the show or in the comics? Post your comments below!

We’re premiering Dynamite Month with an interview with Daniel Abraham and Tommy Patterson, the writer and artist behind the comics adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s epic fantasy novel, A Game of Thrones!

With the HBO series, Game of Thrones, making a splash among television viewers, the comics series has been one of the most anticipated adaptations of the year, with issue #1 selling out immediately (you can pre-order the 2nd printing here).

We had the chance to ask Daniel and Tommy what it’s like translating a massive epic to comics, what challenges they’ve faced, and what they’re looking forward to next. Plus, we’ve got an exclusive five-page preview from A Game of Thrones #2!

TFAW.com: How did you become involved in this project?

Daniel Abraham: I’ve actually known George for a long time. He was one of my teachers at the Clarion West workshop back in 1998, I’ve been part of the Wild Cards consortium that he heads up, and I co-authored a novel with him and Gardner Dozois called Hunter’s Run. So when the time came to talk about writers to adapt A Game of Thrones, he knew a lot about how I work and what my judgment is like. I also live about an hour south of him, so it’s not hard to get together for lunch if we need to.

TFAW.com: What role does George R. R. Martin play in the adaptation process?

DA: Most of his work is already done. He wrote the book. He told the story. He will still approve some art and I’ll quiz him if some detail or character seems problematic. He’s really the only one in the world who knows where all the bodies are buried, so sometimes I’ll omit a line of dialogue or a character from a scene that actually needs to be there because they pay off sometime much later down the line.

TFAW.com: A Game of Thrones is a dense, action-packed novel with tons of characters, and lots of plotlines to juggle. How do you condense something like that for comics?

DA: The big things are to look for places that information can be conveyed visually and then make Tommy carry the load. For instance, the tourney of the Hand is something that gets pages and pages of description and color commentary that evoke the images Tommy can just present. That gives me a lot of breathing room. Sometimes I will pare down the number of people present in a scene just so it’s manageable. Random House and Dynamite have been very good, though, about giving us room.

The project is 24 issues at 29 pages per [comic]. That matches it almost page-per-page with the original novel, so it’s less a condensation of the story than a reframing of it. We didn’t want to makes this into a Classics Illustrated version of the book. We wanted to give the story enough room to be as big as it really is.

TFAW.com: This is your first foray into comics writing–what has surprised you thus far?

DA: It’s the first one of this scale, but it’s actually not my first time adapting George. I did adaptation of his novel Fevre Dream and his novella Skin Trade for Avatar Press, and I wrote an original Wild Cards miniseries. The thing that’s been hardest so far is the way that comics and prose experience things like dialogue and description differently. Dialogue, especially, just behaves differently in the two media.

TFAW.com: You’re a very successful science fiction and fantasy writer in your own right. Has that helped you adapt A Game of Thrones? Do you think you’ll want to branch out and create original fantasy comics?

DA: I hope it’s helped. I think it has. It’s certainly been illuminating for me to reread A Game of Thrones this carefully and with this kind of attention to the function and structure of every scene. It’s easy to just be swept away in the story, and having a project that keeps pulling my attention back to things like what a description or line of dialogue does has been fascinating.

As far as writing original comics, my secret agenda is to get enough experience that I can pitch an idea of my own that I’ve been keeping in a box lo these many years.

TFAW.com: A Game of Thrones has been getting a lot of attention because of the HBO series, which means a lot of readers might be going from the TV show to the comics, without reading the book! Does that put a lot of pressure on you?

DA: Not really. My mandate is to be as true to the book as I can. I hope that someone coming from HBO will pick this up and be drawn in by what we’ve done, and come away with a deeper understanding of all the things they saw on the show.

Things like why Lyanna Stark is important and the deep moral ambiguity of Dany’s relationship with Khal Drogo are hard to get across when you’re compressing the book down to an hour of television. HBO did a great job with it, but because we have different constraints, we get to take the story a little deeper.

TFAW.com: Fans, or potential fans, now have three ways to get the story of A Game of Thrones: the novel, the TV show, and the comic. What do you think are the advantages of each medium for the reader, or viewer?

I think the books will always have the advantage of being the primary source. Everything that any of us do around it is constrained by the original novel, but the original novel was free to do whatever it needed to.

The HBO show really is a masterpiece of condensing and simplifying without dumbing it down, and I’m deeply impressed with the work they did. The comic book will, I hope, give the story of the novel and the visual power of the television show, and also give a sense of the really epic scale of the story that’s not limited by a production budget.

TFAW.com: Are there plans to adapt the other books from A Song of Fire and Ice?

DA: I wouldn’t go for plans so much as intentions. If the readership’s there, I would love to see the whole Song of Ice and Fire saga in this medium.

TFAW.com: Issue #1 just came out; what issues are you on, writing-wise?

DA: I’m scripting issue #10 right now.

TFAW.com: Are there any moments you’re really looking forward to writing, or really dreading?

DA: I haven’t gotten to the Eyrie yet, and it’s less that I’m looking forward to writing those scenes, as that I’m wanting to see what Tommy does with them. And there’s the big spoilery turning point of the whole book. I’m looking at that one with dread and anticipation in more or less equal measure.

TFAW.com: Tommy, you’ve done a lot of cool fantasy and science-fiction work in the past, like BOOM!’s Farscape comics and Grimm Fairy Tales for Zenescope. Did you ever think you’d be drawing A Game of Thrones?

Tommy Patterson: To be honest I wasn’t aware of the series until I was trying out for the job. It took about a week of research to realize how huge this thing really is. I am humbled to be a part of it. I feel lucky to be part of the A Game of Thrones tornado. To take it a bit further, until I actually got the job, I just figured it was too good to be true.

TFAW.com: What attracts you to the fantasy genre?

TP: Growing up with a bunch of comic-loving friends, we discovered D&D, and I’ve been a fan since. I’m not a big novel reader, but role-playing games I feel give you a similar experience. You get transported into another place and time. When I draw, it’s all about transferring the images in your head to the page.

TFAW.com: What input does George R. R. Martin have on the look of the A Game of Thrones comics?

TP: I send the pages and designs off, and more times than not George likes what I’ve done. He really pushed me on the design of The Other and the Iron Throne. I know how much time he put into writing, and I want so bad for him to get exactly what he wants.

TFAW.com: What kind of reference, if any, have you used for the costumes, buildings, and props?

TP: Sheesh, where to start. I’ve looked at everything that has come before I joined to party. I’ve checked out tons of books from the library. I’ve watched numerous documentaries and movies. I’ve even looked at fan art. Finally, I look at the HBO stuff to see what not to do, haha. I’m supposed to stay away from any of their designs. A couple of times I’ve done something close to the HBO show and I swear I didn’t look at it. George sends along things from time to time when I can’t seem to hit the right note.

TFAW.com: It’s my understanding that you two were working on the comics before the HBO series debuted. Have you seen the show yet?

TP: I watched the first episode just to see how good it was. Wow, does it look fantastic. My wife watched the whole series and tells me what I’m missing. I’m too scared I’ll be influenced by it to watch any more. As soon as I’m done with issue #24 I’ll fire it up and enjoy it.

TFAW.com: Do you have a favorite character to draw?

TP: Tyrion. It’s fun drawing ugly characters.

TFAW.com: What was challenging to you about tackling this book? Is there anything that was completely new to you?

TP: The challenge is the scope of it. I’ve designed 80% of it myself. Some stuff is from calendars, like the cities I got to reference. It’s also a larger book. 29 pages is no joke, so I have very little time off. Not complaining, because I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the known universe. So basically the roster and giving everyone their own look is the biggest challenge.

TFAW.com: What other types of comics do you want to do next?

TP: I would be happy doing the next book in the series. As far as other types, I’m a superhero guy at heart. I want to draw the Hulk before I die.

We want to thank Daniel and Tommy for taking the time from their very busy schedules to answer our questions! Make sure to pre-order A Game of Thrones comics now, and check out our exclusive five-page preview of A Game of Thrones #2, out October 26!

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VISIT OUR DYNAMITE MONTH PAGE

This October is Dynamite Month! Visit our blog all month long for exciting interviews with Garth Ennis of The Boys, Daniel Abraham and Tommy Patterson of A Game of Thrones, Kurt Busiek of Kirby Genesis, and much more. Plus, we’ll be posting previews and details about some pretty cool contests, so bookmark TFAW.com/Dynamite to get in on all the fun!

We’re kicking things off with a slew of exciting previews, courtesy of Dynamite Entertainment, below. Like what you see? Create a subscription now!

Robert Jordan Wheel of Time Eye of the World #13

Warlord of Mars #10

Terminator Robocop Kill Human #3

Queen Sonja #20

Last Phantom #9

Kato #13

 

This is just the tip of the iceberg–stay tuned for some, well, Dynamite content all month long!

VISIT OUR DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT MONTH PAGE

Are you a Dynamite fan? What interviews do you want to see? Post your comments below!

We Review Every #1 Issue of The New 52!

It’s our final week of DC’s The New 52 #1 reviews! Where did the time go? In this edition, we review all 13 of the September 28 #1 issues, including Aquaman #1, The Flash #1, Batman: The Dark Knight #1, Superman #1, Fury of Firestorm #1, Green Lantern New Guardians #1, Savage Hawkman #1, Teen Titans #1, All-Star Western #1, Blackhawks #1, I, Vampire #1, Justice League Dark #1, and Voodoo #1!

We’ve divided all of these comics into three bite-sized videos, below. MILD SPOILER ALERT! We’ll avoid any big spoilers, but we will give out a few details as we go. So were these comics Box-Worthy, Fence-Worthy, or NOT Worthy? Listen to our opinions and then post your own below.

BROWSE OUR THE NEW 52 #1 ISSUES

BROWSE DC COMICS’ THE NEW 52 ISSUES

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Have you read any of DC’s The New 52 #1 issues yet? What did you think? Post your comments below! You can also pre-order The New 52 #2 and #3 issues now, too.

If you’ve shopped at TFAW.com lately, you’ve probably noticed a blue triangle in the lower-right-hand corner of your screen from buySAFE. Wondering if it’s legit? (Yes!) Want to know how it will benefit you? (It will!) Read on:

It’s no secret that people are concerned about Internet security these days. At TFAW, that’s been one of our top priorities since we launched our website in 1998. That’s why we’ve partnered with buySAFE, a company that provides shoppers with ultimate peace of mind by giving them a confident and guaranteed shopping experience.

How Will buySAFE Benefit Me?

buySAFE provides a 3-in-1 Guarantee that includes:

1. $500 Purchase Guarantee. Get what you paid for, or your money back. All the terms of sale for your purchase are guaranteed, including product authenticity, up to $500.
2. Identity Theft Protection. Comprehensive ID theft coverage for 30 days. Your identity is protected and you have access to free professional ID theft remediation services for the next 30 days. Coverage applies for all online and offline identity theft, wherever it occurs.
3. Lowest Price Guarantee for 30 Days. If the price at TFAW.com drops within 30 days of your purchase, buySAFE will pay you the difference, up to $100 per transaction and up to a maximum of $200 per claimant in any 12-month period.

Some restrictions apply–for more details, click the link below!

Why Did buySAFE Email Me? Am I Going to Get a Lot of Spam?

Each time you finalize a purchase at TFAW.com, you will receive a one-time email from buySAFE to inform you about A.) the issuance of your 3-in-1 Bond Guarantee, B.) your coverage expiration date, and C.) the protection and benefits that you received. You will also receive a claim number for reference. buySAFE is legally obligated to send this email. However, you won’t get any additional emails from buySAFE, unless you opt in to services such as their Smart Buyers Club. Plus, buySAFE will not sell customer emails or information to outside parties!

Our goal is to help everyone who shops at TFAW.com to feel comfortable and secure with their online shopping experience, and we’re happy to report that we’ve already gotten a lot of positive feedback on our buySAFE guarantee!

LEARN MORE ABOUT BUYSAFE’S 3-IN-1 GUARANTEE

We want to serve your needs as best as we can. Please comment below and let us know how we’re doing!

We Review Every #1 Issue of The New 52!

Welcome back to our comics reviews of The New 52, DC Comics’ rebirth of its superhero (and horror!) universe. This week, we review all 12 of the September 21 titles, including Batman #1, Wonder Woman #1, Green Lantern Corps #1, Birds of Prey #1, Supergirl #1, Nightwing #1, Captain Atom #1, Blue Beetle #1, Catwoman #1, Legion of Super-Heroes #1, DC Universe Presents #1, and Red Hood and the Outlaws #1!

We’ve divided all of these comics into three bite-sized videos, below. MILD SPOILER ALERT! We’ll avoid any big spoilers, but we will give out a few details as we go. So were these comics Box-Worthy, Fence-Worthy, or NOT Worthy? Listen to our opinions and then post your own below.

BROWSE OUR THE NEW 52 #1 ISSUES

BROWSE DC COMICS’ THE NEW 52 ISSUES

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Have you read any of DC’s The New 52 #1 issues yet? What did you think? Post your comments below! You can also pre-order The New 52 #2 and #3 issues now, too.

We Review Every #1 Issue of The New 52!

It’s time once again for our comics reviews of The New 52, DC Comics’ ambitious re-imagining of its entire superhero universe. This week, we review all 13 of the September 14 titles, including Green Lantern #1, Batwoman #1, Batman & Robin #1, Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E., Mister Terrific, and much more!

Like last week, we split up the comics between three videos, which you can view below. MILD SPOILER ALERT! We’ll avoid any big spoilers, but we will give out a few details as we go. So were these comics Box-Worthy, Fence-Worthy, or NOT Worthy? Listen to our opinions and then post your own below.

BROWSE OUR THE NEW 52 #1 ISSUES

BROWSE DC COMICS’ THE NEW 52 ISSUES

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Have you read any of DC’s The New 52 #1 issues yet? What did you think? Post your comments below! You can also pre-order The New 52 #2 and #3 issues now, too.