January 19, 2006

Arcade State of the Union
by Rik Offenberger

As we look back on 2005 and look forward to 2006 we took some time out to chat with Arcade Entertainment's Rob Liefeld about the year that has past and the year ahead in Arcade Entertainment's State of the Union.

Newsarama Note: for a full run-down of the projects Liefeld mentions, click here: Maximum Rob – Liefeld Talks “Old” and New Projects

Newsarama: Starting with one of your higher-profile projects, you've had the Mark Millar-written Youngblood Bloodsport #1 out for a while now, and a Bootleg for #2, when can fans expect to see the full issue #2 in stores or at conventions?

Rob Liefeld: March/April 2006, it will be available at many of the conventions I'm attending. As late as Bloodsport is, it still resonates with fans and issue #2 has many unbelievable Mark Millar moments. It's a brilliant romp.

NRAMA: The first issue of NitroGen by you and Jon Malin also came out in 2005 with the next issue due out in the spring. How is that coming along?

RL: NitroGen is great fun. The second issue features many familiar faces and characters from the Awesome/Extreme catalogue as the story continues to expand and build towards Supreme Sacrifice, our summer/fall storyline.

NRAMA: Speaking of the catalog, I've heard that Prophet is returning in NitroGen #2.

RL: That is absolutely correct. As does his daughter Joanna Prophet and Crypt.

NRAMA: Moving tdown the list, what is happening with the Brandon Thomas/Marat Mychales Brigade?

RL: We're waiting for the right time on the schedule to release it. It's likely it will be released as part of Supreme Sacrifice.

NRAMA: As you mentioned, you've adopted conventions as one of your major distribution channels for your books. That said, what ashcans are planed for the 2006 convention season?

RL: Not sure at this time, probably some sketchbooks. We'll be mostly producing regular comic books by that time for the most part.

NRAMA: Youngblood Imperial was intended to be a monthly, first to be written by Robert Kirkman, and then by Fabian Nicieza. To date, nothing has come out. Where does that stand today?

RL: We're finishing it up, the #0, and 2 are complete. Once #3 is completed I'll get it to market.

NRAMA: The first issue of Youngblood Maximum Edition came out in 2005, how does it compare to the original?

RL: It's very different but not in a way that would confuse anyone. It's amazing how Joe Casey re-organized the story and some small sequences that drastically altered the entire arc.

NRAMA: Will issue #2 be out for the San Diego Comic Con International 2006?

RL: The compilation of the first six issues will be out by fall 2006.

NRAMA: What is going on with the Magic Men property?

RL: There is a finished script and a studio, when the time is right to announce it, it'll get announced. I try as best as possible nowadays to concentrate on creating the content, and leave promoting stuff to the people who buy it.

NRAMA: Jennifer Lopez optioned SHRINK! based on your pitch of a psychologist who treats superheroes a good while back, what is the status of that project? 

RL: SHRINK! is still moving forward, I've been in several meetings the past month as the movie has regained momentum so I'm hopeful that is can continue moving forward. The upcoming movie Super Ex will probably determine the immediate future of SHRINK! That's just the way the business goes.

NRAMA: What is happening with Century?

RL: Supreme Sacrifice will set everything up for Century to launch. Again, for me, it's now about rolling one-shots and mini-series that connect so that the die-hard Extreme/Awesome/Arcade fan has something that they can sink their teeth into.

NRAMA: Is there anything else scheduled at Arcade that folks should be looking out for this year?

RL: Well as I mentioned, NitroGen is an important book because it lays the groundwork for so much of what to come and several important Extreme/Awesome characters pop up throughout the series as events start to build toward Supreme Sacrifice and eventually Century. NitroGen is dealing with the past, present and future of the Extreme/Awesome library while simultaneously introducing new characters.

Supreme Sacrifice #1 written by Robert Kirkman and illustrated by Jon Malin will attract plenty of attention because it gets the ball rolling. Suprema #1 is a book that I imagine will turn some heads.

For years we've really just been focused on the Youngblood characters and now we're opening up the library a little more and it's fun exploring the Supreme family and others such as Avengelyne and Warchild who will have one shots in 2006.