Jen Van Meter

If You Loved Glastonbury, Try These Comics Next
If You Loved Glastonbury, Try These Comics Next
If You Loved Glastonbury, Try These Comics Next
Glastonbury Festival is known worldwide as one of the most expansive and ecclectic music festivals, with the best and most varied selection of music from superstar artists to emerging acts. This year saw Adele blow everyone away on the Pyramid Stage, LCD Soundsystem triumphantly return on the Other Stage, and a whole host of other amazing acts throughout the weekend. If you're a major audiophile and you want to bring a little crossover into you love of comics, we've assembled a list of some of the five best music or music inspired independent comics to check out while you run out the clock until the next Glastonbury.
Van Meter And Burchett On The Post-War Ballet Of 'Prima'
Van Meter And Burchett On The Post-War Ballet Of 'Prima'
Van Meter And Burchett On The Post-War Ballet Of 'Prima'
Every once in a while, you come across a premise for a story that has so many great hooks that you want to start reading it before you even finish the sentence where it's announced. Prima, announced this week at the Image Expo as the next project from Jen Van Meter and Rick Burchett, is one of those comics: The story of a ballet company that was secretly a resistance cell during World War II, and uses their skills as thieves after the war. To find out more, I spoke to Van Meter and Burchett about Prima's roots in mid-century illustration, the collision of wartime resistance and high fashion, and the troubles of building an entire cast of characters who all have one big lie to tell to each other and the audience.
'Dr Mirage: Second Lives' #2: Ghosts, Sex Cults & Great Covers
'Dr Mirage: Second Lives' #2: Ghosts, Sex Cults & Great Covers
'Dr Mirage: Second Lives' #2: Ghosts, Sex Cults & Great Covers
January 13 sees the release of the second issue of Valiant's The Death Defying Doctor Mirage: Second Lives #2, written by Jen Van Meter with art by Roberto de la Torre. The comic joins Dr. Shan Mirage and her immaterial ghost husband, Hwen, as they and their allies begin a ritual to unlock the secret of a magical scroll. What they find inside is an old-school Hollywood creep, who will no doubt be causing further trouble for the Doctor and her friends. Once again this series sports particularly striking covers, including a great Emi Lenox variant, and one of my favorite Kevin Wada covers ever.
Van Meter and De La Torre Revive ‘Doctor Mirage’ for ‘Second Lives’ [Preview]
Van Meter and De La Torre Revive ‘Doctor Mirage’ for ‘Second Lives’ [Preview]
Van Meter and De La Torre Revive ‘Doctor Mirage’ for ‘Second Lives’ [Preview]
Valiant has released a six-page preview (plus six covers and a recap page) from The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage: Second Lives #1, written by Hopeless Savages creator Jen Van Meter, with art by Daredevil's Roberto de la Torre. The comic tells the story of Dr. Shan Mirage and her immaterial ghost husband, Hwen, as they journey to Barcelona on a quest to find him a body.
A Beginner's Guide to 'Shadowman' and 'Dr Mirage'
A Beginner's Guide to 'Shadowman' and 'Dr Mirage'
A Beginner's Guide to 'Shadowman' and 'Dr Mirage'
Valiant Comics' shared superhero universe is smaller and less familiar than those of its major rivals, but even a small shared universe can offer a lot to learn about. To help those readers looking to take the plunge into the Valiant Universe, we’ve assembled our own team of delinquents to break things down. Steve Morris knows Valiant inside out; J.A. Micheline is new to the universe. Micheline has the questions, and Morris has the answers. Last time, Steve introduced JAM to the four main story types in the Valiant Universe: political (books like Harbinger and Bloodshot), sci-fi (X-O Manowar), comedy (Quantum & Woody, Archer & Armstrong), and supernatural (Shadowman, The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage). He set JAM the task of reading the first sixteen issues of Shadowman and The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage --- and now they're back to talk about it!
Paranormal Vs Practical: Jen Van Meter Talks 'Dr. Mirage'
Paranormal Vs Practical: Jen Van Meter Talks 'Dr. Mirage'
Paranormal Vs Practical: Jen Van Meter Talks 'Dr. Mirage'
Valiant's Dr. Mirage is returning with a new miniseries next month, and in the yearsince the end of the last miniseries focusing on paranormal expert and ghost-talker Shan Fong, a whole lot seems to have changed. For one thing, her deceased husband has returned to the land of the living — or at least, his spirit has. That alone changes a lot of the dynamics of her life, and it shows in the new series, The Death Defying Dr. Mirage: Second Lives. Some things haven't changed, though. Namely, the creative team of writer Jen Van Meter and artist Roberto De La Torre. In advance of the first issue's December 23 release, we spoke with Van Meter about finding Shan in a very different place in her life, the book's relationship themes, ghost research, the new series' tone shift, and much more.
Oni Announces New Titles and Returning Favorites
Oni Announces New Titles and Returning Favorites
Oni Announces New Titles and Returning Favorites
Celebrating March Madness (which is some kind of seasonal daze inflicted on America by either baseball or basketball or one of those other strange sports you all seem to love so much), Oni Press filled the week leading up to this past weekend's Emerald City Comic-Con with a series of big announcements, including the previously-reported news that the publisher is opening up submissions to everyone, and no less than seven new projects from a host of impressive creative teams. To help you pick a few winners (that's what March Madness means, right?) we've rounded up all the announcements in one place.
Jen Van Meter Talks 'The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage'
Jen Van Meter Talks 'The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage'
Jen Van Meter Talks 'The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage'
Valiant Comics is well into its Valiant First initiative, a months-long event in which the company debuts a slew of #1 issues. The event ends with a bang in September, with the debut of The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage by writer Jen Van Meter and artist Roberto De La Torre. The premise of the new series is somewhat similar to The Second Life of Doctor Mirage, the 1993 series that featured the title character and his wife solving supernatural mysteries. This new version has ghostly sleuthing in it, too, but the 2014 Doctor Mirage is definitely not the same character. Dr. Shen Fong is a highly skilled professional working through some personal demons of her own. We sat down with Van Meter for a long chat about her approach to the book. Also, Nazi wizards.
The First 'Fantastic Four' Issue Written and Drawn By Women
The First 'Fantastic Four' Issue Written and Drawn By Women
The First 'Fantastic Four' Issue Written and Drawn By Women
In 53 years of publication, Fantastic Four hasn't featured a whole lot of women creators, despite having one of the most prominent superheroines, the Invisible Woman, at the heart of the team. Louise Simonson wrote the annual in 2000, and Ming Doyle drew a story in Fantastic Four #600. Marie Severin inked an annual. Several women have been colorists on the series, but a woman has never been a regular writer or artist on the book. Perhaps that will change sometime in the next 47 years or so. There is certainly hope. The just-announced 100th Anniversary Special: Fantastic Four #1, a special issue set in 2061 boasts a creative team of highly accomplished women: writer Jen Van Meter (Hopeless Savages) and artist Joanna Estep (Fraggle Rock).
Valiant First Launching Seven New #1 Issues Starting In May
Valiant First Launching Seven New #1 Issues Starting In May
Valiant First Launching Seven New #1 Issues Starting In May
Two classic Valiant Comics characters, Rai and Doctor Mirage, are set to make a splash in the new Valiant universe later this year, with the publisher introducing a slew of new titles in its Valiant First initiative all the while. There's a new team-up, a major crossover event, and a few spinoffs in the mix. Valiant is planning to release seven new #1 issues between May and September. Creators inc