Meet Paul Belliveau! You might have seen his Darth Maul prints hanging in the shop. He’s an amazing artist and we’re BIG fans of his work so we’ve decided we can’t keep him to ourselves - it’s time to share him with the WORLD!

Paul moved to Glen Ridge from Brooklyn in 2014 with his wife. He went to NYU for Painting and studied Traditional Animation at the School of Visual Arts (SVA). He’s a huge comic fan and has worked from companies like Fleer and Skybox, he worked as an animator for Between the Lions on PBS has worked as a storyboard artist for TV Commercials.

Paul will be hanging out with us from 1pm-5pm, sketching on blank covers and honing his skills as he gets ready to launch his Kickstarter next year called The 20k!

Come meet Paul and find out more info about his upcoming Kickstarter, what it’s like to be an animator and an artist and maybe he’ll even tell you his favorite place to get baked goods and homemade candy!

Local Comic Shop Day is here again and, as always, we appreciate the love and support and support that you - the community - have shown us over the years!

That’s why we plan to bring you the BEST LCSD event we can pull together! With that in mind, may East Side Mags present:

THE EXCLUSIVES: LCSD allows us access to dozens of exclusive variant covers, special items and signed comics that you can ONLY get in participating local comic shops. That’s US! Check out some of the cool items we’ve got for you (at cover price, NOT inflated collectible pricing) like:

THE SKETCHING: Join rockstar local artists Brigid Allanson, Angie Fernot and Nick Justus from 1pm-5pm as they sketch on blank cover comics and offer up prints, original artwork and more for sale! Let’s face it, comics would just be books without the art and these 3 make a trifecta to be reckoned with! You won’t find a better collective of amazing artists outside of a comic convention in 2018!!!

THE SALE: Believe it or not, we still have some LCSD exclusives left over from previous years and a TON of comics in our possession. It’s kinda what we do. So here’s the details on the sale:

• 50% off all previous year’s LCSD exclusives

• 50% off select (tagged) wall books

• Buy 2 - Get 1 FREE bin back issues (and the boxes under them)

• 3 for $25 (regularly priced) Funko POP Vinyls

Plus - don’t forget we’ve got dollar boxes that go from one wall to the other so have at it and remember, not only are they $1 each but you can get 12 for $10 or 25 for $20!!!

Here are some details regarding out sale this Saturday:

*Items already on hold prior to the sale are not discountable
*Store credit cannot be used for sale items
*Fully stamped reward cards cannot be used for sale items

We’ll also have some surprises and give-a-ways throughout the day so get here early, stay late and LONG LIVE LOCAL COMIC SHOPS!

East Side Mags is celebrating everything Batman and we want to cordially invite you to celebrate with us!

We've got some great Batman-related stuff going on ALL DAY LONG including a very SPECIAL guest appearance by 2 comic legends!!!

We'll have some FREE Batman Comics that we're giving out all day (1 per customer)! A special re-print of Batman White Knight #1 and a special re-print of Batman: Lil Gotham Batman Day 2018 Special Edition #1 (for all ages)! 

We'll also have a variety of FREE Batman and Harley Quinn masks that we're giving out (1 per customer).

We are also PROUD to announce that the legendary Tom Raney and Scott Hanna will be joining us from 1pm-5pm.  Tom and Scott will be sketching for customers and we'll have blank cover comics available as well!

Scott has worked on so many DC and Marvel comics that we literally don't have enough storage space on the website to list everything but if you've read a Marvel or DC Comic anytime between 1990 (ish) and today, you've most likely seen his work.  He is a HUGE addition to our Batman Day event and we're super happy he's able to take the time to come hang out with us.

Tom Raney, over the past 20 years has spent his time predominantly at Marvel and DC, he’s drawn a bit of everything, from XMen to Batman. Superman to the Hulk. Notably, he’s revamped Stormwatch with Warren Ellis, the Outsiders with Judd Winick, co-created Threshold with Keith Giffen, and co-created Mutant X. While still producing work for Marvel and DC he recently drew Dread Gods, for Ominous Press.

To top it all off, we'll be playing Batman movies ALL DAY and we'll have some Batman Dollar Raffles going on as well! Stay tuned for details and available prizes for our raffles!

East Side Mags is SUPER happy to welcome back the amazingly talented Erica Schultz and master artist Anthony Marques for signing full of great comics, wall worthy art and maybe even some baked goods!

Erica Schultz is a comic book writer, letterer, and editor best known for her work with Dynamite Entertainment on the Swords of Sorrow series, Revenge for Marvel Comics, her participation in DC Comics' first Writers Workshop, and her creator-owned crime series, M3 with Vicente Alcázar. She's currently writing the relaunch of Charmed drawn by Maria Sanapo for Dynamite Entertainment and 12 Devils Dancing, a creator owned book with Dave Acosta.

Anthony Marques is a freelance cartoonist and Associate Editor for Dynamite Entertainment. A 2011 graduate of The Kubert School in Dover, NJ, freelance assignments include work for IDW, Dynamite, Dark Horse, and DC Comics.  

You can follow him on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/anthonymmarques/

Twitter: @AnthonyMMarques

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAnthonyMarques/

The signing will take place from 1pm-5pm on March 11th!  We'll have copies of Erica's new Charmed series and various other comics, trades and hardcovers that she worked on along with a variety of covers and other books that Anthony has worked on!  Anthony will also be sketching for customers and we'll have some blank covers available for him to deface as well!

Can't wait to see everyone here!  (Erica might bring some cool recipes with her too! Try the Potato Pie! It's to die for!) ;)

It's a Double Take Double Signing!

Meet Stan Chou!  

Stan Chou (pronounced “cho”) has been illustrating all of his life and transitioned to a full-time illustrator after moving to NYC in 2012. He excels at storytelling, and naturally gravitated toward creating storyboards, animatics and comic books. He has a successful track record with clients curated through both the internet and networking in New York City, such as Take-Two Interactive (Double Take Comics), Leath Group, InkWhiskey, HyperX, FUBAR Press, and more.

Prior to 2012, Stan fulfilled his dream of living and working in Japan, both as an English teacher and as a Japanese translator. He received his education in the U.S. and Taiwan, and is happily married with two children.

In his spare time, Stan plays Pokemon Go, watches entrepreneur vloggers on YouTube, listens to mindblowing podcasts across the web, is obsessed with Fangraphs.com and predictive MLB statistics like WAR and FIP, is into retro pop culture like Transformers and Star Wars, is a huge Google geek (sorry Apple), and loves crafting with his two children.

Meet Matt Summo!  He's been the writer for Double Take Comics' series Dedication and Z-Mart.  Outside of that, Matt is a complete MYSTERY but we'll have him in the shop for 4 total hours so come by and find out what he's all about!  (It's gotta be good if he writes Zombie books!)

The signing is from 1pm-5pm.  Stan will be sketching on blank covers and both guys will be signing copies of their books that we'll have for sale!  In addition, they'll have prints and original works of art that you purchase directly from them and support local artists and writers!  

Zombie up! Let's go!

East Side Mags is being taken over by Archie Comics!!!

This week sees the release of the new Archie Trade Paperback Volume 2 and to celebrate, we're hosting artists Ryan Jampole and Thomas Pitilli!

Ryan and Thomas will be here from 3pm-7pm on Saturday, December 3rd.  We will have a bunch of copies of Archie Vol 2 as well as some of their other works for sale.  We will also have a variety of blank sketch covers available and both artists will be doing basic sketches for FREE!  If you'd like to upgrade to inks and/or full color or get a full-blown commission, there would be an additional charge paid directly to the artist!

About Ryan:  Ryan Jampole is a Harvey Award nominated comic artist.  As the newest Robot Master in the Mega Man franchise. His powers include tight pencilling, illustrating and cartooning.  He hails from Queens, New York and attended the High School of Art & Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology. Ryan has been drawing Mega Man characters since age 7. Yes, there is a sketchbook to prove it.

About Thomas:  Thomas Pitilli is one of the few native New Yorkers left living in Brooklyn, NY. He enjoys warm weather, good music, and writing in third person. His clients include such publications as New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Playboy, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, AIGA, Ebony, Billboard and more.  

East Side Mags, in association with Montclair BID, present the Montclair Center Art Walk!  This time around, we're going New York Comic Con style with an indie artist/writer alley!  Come check out some of the coolest indie comic creators we know!

Stephen Coughlin - writer and artist for Sanctuary - will be here.  Sanctuary is about a research station on an island where the animals are just a little smarter than the humans.  The arrival of a panda bear upsets the balance and takes us on a wild ride that cute and a little creepy at the same time!

Kalani Caraballo is a local comic writer and artist from Kearny, NJ.  He'll have his comics Manifesto and Home with him!

Manifesto is the story of police officer Greg Wolfman. After taking down a Mexican drug cartel, and exposing officers in his own department being on the take, he comes home to find his family murdered. It's then he's Forced to go rogue and he's hell bent on revenge!

Based on true events, Home is the story of Gio growing up in Plainfield, N.J. and tales of his childhood home not being what it seems.

Tony Bourne trained to be a comic book artist in NYC where he was born. He has had several various careers; manager, artist, bouncer, and US Army Captain just to name a few. His first love has always been comics, sci-fi, and graphic novels. He currently lives in New Jersey and enjoys way too many hobbies.

The Fed & The Fed 2 are B&W graphic novels. Follow Agent Butch Simms and his partner as they intimidate, blackmail, and murder to protect the elite and their masters. If you like the X-Files and Men in Black; these are the other guys. They bury the truth, at all cost.

His newest book, The Fed 3, is the end book of the story run. 

Agent Butch Simms and his team have been attacked by a killer clown, a bar full of aliens on the moon and had their office destroyed. Just a normal couple of days for the agents of the Federation of Worlds. But all of that has lead to a invasion by a alien artificial intelligence horde from space.

The Fed 3 is a 130 page B&W graphic novel for a mature audience.

Vanessa Solis is a Kubert School graduate, coming to us from the West Coast! She's been a guest of ours for over a half-dozen different events and has done sketches and commissions for dozens and dozens of our customers.  

Vanessa will be showcasing an amazing comic that she worked on with Petterson Oliveira and Dov Smiley and written by Julie Averbach and focuses on special needs siblings, raise awareness and acceptance of the challenges that others face and raise funds for various not-for-profit organizations that support families with special needs loved ones.  Vanessa will have copies on hand if you'd like to pick one up and help support a great cause.

We'll also have blank covers of various comics available for the artists to sketch on and they'll have copies of their works for sale - so you can feel confident that buying their comic or trade paperback will provide support directly to the artist and/or non-profit organization.

The fun goes from 6pm-9pm.  We can't wait to see everyone there!

Mark McKenna makes his triumphant return to East Side Mags for the re-release of Combat Jacks #1 but this time - it's the Director's Cut!  He'll be signing copies of Combat Jacks #1, sketching on blank covers and hanging out from 1pm-5pm on Saturday, October 15!

About Combat Jacks #1:

In the 23rd-century, a space marine squad is sent to investigate the disappearance of prison terraformers on newfound planet Maia. What they find is much worse then they imagined. The oxygen-rich atmosphere created by the planet's pumpkin-like vegetation makes Maia a perfect place for settlement - and the perfect flytrap!

About Mark:

Mark McKenna is a 30 year veteran of the comic book industry. In that time he has worked on Batman, Wolverine, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk and more recently on Star Wars, counting over 550 comics in all. 

Mark's more recent work can be seen in Legendary Picture Books PACIFIC RIM movie prequel, Dark Horse Comics Star Wars-The Old Republic: The Lost Suns. In 2012 his work on the online web comic titled “Star Wars: Blood of the Empire“ was collected into an 84 page trade paperback and was the lynchpin for the 2012 released Bio-ware online video game, The Old Republic.

His children’s book series Banana Tail and Friends is a labor of love that he created when his daughter was four and had a newborn son. His most recent Banana Tail project, The BOOnana Tail Halloween Special was released for Halloween 2014 and was treated as an “all ages” comic project that continues to grow with children that had the original storybooks read to them as younger children. The other Banana Tail titles include; Banana Tail’s Tales and Activities, Banana Tail’s Colorful Adventure and the soon-to-be-released Banana Tail and the Checkerboard Jungle

Mark has also created, written, inked and published the Sci Fi/Horror COMBAT JACKS comic book mini series. COMBAT JACKS #3... “The Saga Continues” was recently published and is now available under Mark's Banana Tale Press imprint. 

For more Banana Tail info please visit: WWW.Bananatail.com for more comic-related info, please visit: WWW.MarkMcKennaart.com or WWW.Combatjacks.com.