Heavy Metal Kickstarter

The Heavy Metal Magazine reboot seems to be proceeding apace.  After the couple of articles surfaced noted on my Look at 'em Go! post, traffic on the new "official" Discord skyrocketed, after being quite quiet during the preceding weeks.  It's kind of chaotic, many chiming in on what they want the mag to be, asking for things, with some self-righteous crankiness causing moderators to step in.  

A lot of it passes me by.  Many many creators jumping in, but that's not me.  Most fans seem to have got the itch seeing the 1981 movie, usually much later than its debut, so not many so old as me it seems.  Many people have many other interests in HM-adjacent things, like games and other fantasy comics, but I'm pretty narrow minded myself.  I don't care to pounce on every comment by self professed Heavy Metal Magazine experts pushing factual errors, or pretend to be much of an authority myself.  So I mostly lurk and chirp up a bit.

But it's really active now, with a large list of channels, and a handful of big shots, including Frank Forte, joining in discussions and dropping slightly less-obtuse hints about their plans.

Including the Kickstarter announcement:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/heavymetal/heavy-metal-magazine-1

I'll sign up to see what happens.  At this time it's just signing up to notified of the launch, but I'll see what comes of it.  While there is evident optimism, there is still much to happen.  

I did like how the art in the Kickstarter ad, teasing a cover by Greg Hildebrandt, has the astronaut character reading the February 1982 issue, cover by Mr Hildebrandt, and that the reflection on the visor looks like the mag is open to pages 22 and 23 of the issue, showing The Incal Light by Jodorowsky and Moebius. 

Good on Mr Hildebrandt for the attention to detail.  I am amused.  

May we actually see this rebirth become true.  But don't hold your breath.

Look at 'em Go!

A couple of articles containing "official" announcements of Heavy Metal Magazine's rebirth have appeared:

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/heavy-metal-relaunches-with-frank-forte-chris-thompson-dave-kelly/

https://www.cbr.com/heavy-metal-magazine-returns-new-lineup/

Both apparently drawn from the same press release, and both rather lacking in "official" links.  There are some ideals expressed and references to a kickstarter for the first issue.  It sounds ... hopeful ... sad ... so many things.  It may illuminate how hard it is to restart it, how deep the hole must be, how hard the climb out will be.

But perhaps a little optimism may be warranted.  It might be nice to have a Hildebrandt cover again.  There's likely to be an initial rush of interest, there may be enough energy to make a splash and gain some momentum.  Maybe it won't suck.  So much to hope for.

I'll believe it when I see it, of course.  And we'll see then what "it" is. 

I got the links via the "fan" Discord.  There has been more chatter on the "official" Discord" as well.  There's other social media out there, of which I am without clue.  I signed up via the "official" website for a newsletter a while ago, but nothing yet.  We'll see what happens next.

HARZAKC

Retro Sci-Fi Art has done the world a service, by posting scans of Moebius' HARZAKC, from the July 1977 issue of Heavy Metal Magazine.

A snap from my screen:

I figure many Heavy Metal Magazine fans may not have been able to see this early Heavy Metal story, from the fourth issue of the magazine, so I think it's nice that Retro Sci-Fi Art put this up for all to see. 

I think it contains multitudes, but mostly I think the glimpses of violence and sex, and fear and fantasy, along with its terrific art and only somewhat cohesive storytelling, make it one of the finest examples of what Heavy Metal Magazine brought to the world, as "The adult illustrated fantasy magazine". 

So go take a look, and thanks to Retro Sci-Fi Art for sharing this with the world.