Associate Editor Michael Petranek here, excited about next week’s New York Comic Con. If you’re attending, be sure to stop by booth #1831 to say “hi” and check out the newest Papercutz graphic novels! Also appearing will be Rick Parker and Stefan Petrucha for signings. Here’s when to catch ‘em:

Rick Parker: Saturday October 15th from 1-2:30PM and Sunday October 16th from 10:30AM to noon and 2:30 to 4:00PM.

Stefan Petrucha: Friday October 14th from2:30 to 4:00PM, Saturday October 15th from 2:30 to 4:00PM, and Sunday October 16th from 1:00 to 2:30PM.

Hope to see you there! It’s always a lot of fun.

-Michael

Associate Editor Michael Petranek here, gearing up for New York Comic Con at the Javits Convention Center October 13th-16 with appearances by Stefan Petrucha and Rick Parker! Our booth number is 1831. More on that in the coming weeks. For now, I’d like to turn to reviews that have been coming in from all over the country recently. It feels like people coast to coast are enjoying our graphic novels, and we couldn’t be happier.

Over in the North West part of the United States, the Portland Book Review got their hands on a copy of THE HARDY BOYS The New Case Files #1 “Crawling with Zombies,” calling it “a great series to get hooked on.” You can read the review here. Don’t forget about The Hardy Boys “Crawling with Zombies” video, either! Head over to our website’s video page to watch it. That was a lot of fun to make– I got to direct the video as well as record the original music I wrote for it. It was a blast!

Over in Tennessee, Andy Smith, or as he’s sometimes known “Captain Comics,” of The Comics Buyers Guide got his hands on graphic novels of THE HARDY BOYS The New Case Files, NANCY DREW The New Case Files, PAPERCUTZ SLICES, and TALES FROM THE CRYPT, reviewing all of them for his article in the guide’s upcoming November issue. Cap’n Andy reviews a lot of graphic novels, discussing our series at the end of the article because he says he’s “saved the best for last.” His review isn’t up yet, but as soon as it is I’ll post it. Thanks, Cap’n!

We hope wherever you are, you are enjoying our graphic novels. We want to hear from you! Let us know what you think. Until next time, have a great day, and thanks for stopping by.

-Michael

Associate Editor Michael Petranek here, very excited to see that PAPERCUTZ SLICES #3 “Percy Jerkson” is available now at booksellers everywhere! Here’s a look at the cover…

Rick Parker, Stefan Petrucha, and Margo Kinney-Petrucha keep the laughs coming in the third installment of our parody series. Not only that, but so far reviewers have been cracking up too! Check out what the reviewers at comicattack.net had to say! If you’re looking for a good laugh, look no further. Thanks for stopping by!

-Michael

Associate Editor Michael Petranek here, very excited about THE SMURFS. August has been a Smurftastic month for our little blue friends. The really big news is that THE SMURFS graphic novels from Papercutz are now available digitally! That’s right! The Smurfs now have their very own app from comiXology.com for the iPad and the iPhone!  Just visit the Apple store here or go to comiXology.com to download. It’s an all-new way to experience the classics Peyo SMURFS comics. I got a big kick out of being able to zoom in on my favorite panels featuring my favorite Smurf, “Dreamy Smurf” or as he is known in the latest SMURFS graphic novel, “Astro Smurf.” Here’s an example of an Astro Smurf panel blown up, just like you can do when you enjoy the comics digitally:

Have you downloaded any of THE SMURFS graphic novels or comicbooks from comiXology? Did you get to see something new that features YOUR favorite Smurf? Leave a comment and let me know.

All of the SMURFS graphic novels that are available in stores are also available on the comiXology site. And the best part is—unlike what keeps happening in bookstores and comicbook stores, the digital versions are never sold out! You can find all of our SMURFS comics 24 hour a day 7 days a week on the comiXology site.

As excited as all of us at Papercutz are about THE SMURFS graphic novels, the rest of North America has been flocking to movie theaters to see the new SMURFS 3-D movie! The new movie blew away so-called “expert” expectations, finishing at #1 at the US box office its first week, and at #2 its second week. In other words, the Smurfs movie is a big smash hit! This lead to Sony Pictures announcing a SMURFS sequel scheduled for August 3^rd, 2013. It’s already grossed over $130 million so far– that can buy a lot of smurfberries!

I’ve enjoyed walking around my neighborhood in Queens, NY, and seeing funny SMURFS ads such as this one on the side of a New York City bus:

Believe it or not, I haven’t seen the SMURFS movie yet, but that’s because all of us at Papercutz have been working around the clock on Papercutz graphic novel series such as MONSTER CHRISTMAS, ERNEST & REBECCA, SYBIL THE BACKPACK FAIRY, and NINJAGO, that we barely have enough time to eat or sleep, let alone see a movie! As soon as I can, I’ll be lining up at my local multiplex to see THE SMURFS in glorious 3-D! Have a smurftastic day, and keep an eye on this blog for more news about Papercutz!

-Michael

It’s been a very busy couple of weeks here for Papercutz. The Geronimo Stilton authors went up and down the West Coast for Free Comic Book Day. Here’s a great picture of their journey:

They had a great time! Here’s a picture of Michele Foschini, Ennio Bufi, and Leonardo Favia signing at Atlantis Fantasy World:

The authors also visited Lee’s comics. And they’re not done yet! You can win one of the two cool prizes seen below:

All you need to do is to email a picture of yourself (or have your parents do it) to Lee Hester( lee@lcomics.com), reading a Geronimo Stilton Graphic Novel, or the Free Comic Book day comic. Make sure to include your age. Pretty cool, right?

This past week was Book Expo America, or as I like to call it “Mike’s Excuse in May to hang out with Ernie Colon, Rick Parker, and Stefan Petrucha.” Stefan and Rick signed copies of Papercutz Slices #2, while Ernie signed copies of his NBM graphic novel “Inner Sanctum.” Here’s some pics:

It was a lot of fun, but we’ve got catching up to do! Until next time, take it easy, and thanks for stopping by! -Michael

One of my favorite days of the year, Free Comic Book Day, is tomorrow! I am very excited for our comic book “Geronimo Stilton and the Smurfs.” Here’s a look at the cover:

Free Comic Book Day Cover

This comic contains a preview from GERONIMO STILTON #7, the Smurfs story “The Smurfs Submarine” and 18 Smurfs comic strips lettered by yours truly. It’s going to be a lot of fun! For a taste of what you’ll get, here’s a sneak peek at one of the Smurfs comic strips by Peyo that appears in the comicbook:

If you live in or about New York City or the San Francisco Bay Area, you can meet some of the Papercutz creators tomorrow! In Sunny San Francisco, Geronimo Stilton graphic novel artist Ennio Bufi as well as writers Michele Foschini and Leonardo Favia, will meet the readers, make sketches and sign the Papercutz Geronimo Stilton graphic novels at comics shops Lee’s Comics (Mountain View Location: 1020 N. Rengstorff Avenue, Suite F in Mountain View, CA) from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM, and then from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Atlantis Fantasyworld (1020 Cedar Street in Santa Cruz, CA). Judging from this picture that Michele emailed me this morning, it looks like he and the rest of the guys are having a blast meeting their US fans!

On the other side of the US, PAPERCUTZ SLICES and TALES FROM THE CRYPT artist Rick Parker will be signing graphic novels at Manhattan Comics from 2 to 3PM and at Brooklyn Comics and More from 6 to 7:30 PM. We’ll be sure to post pictures from the events on our site next week. Until then, Happy Free Comic Book Day and thanks for stopping by!

-Michael

For the first time since the graphic novel series launched in the fall of 2009, members of the Italian creative team will travel to the US for a limited number of appearances and workshops in honor of the national celebration of books and reading for youth. Writers Leonardo Favia and Michele Foschini and artist Ennio Bufi, direct from Italy, will offer a special class to learn to draw Geronimo and his friends. The masterminds behind Geronimo will also offer sketches and autographs to all fans in attendance. Fans of all ages can attend at these two Barnes & Noble locations:

May 5th 4:00 to 6:00 PM
Barnes & Noble
119 Colma Boulevard
280 Metro Center
Colma, CA 94014

May 6th 5:00 to 7:00 PM
Barnes & Noble
Hacienda Crossings
4972 Dublin Boulevard
Dublin, CA 94568

Then on May 7th, Free Comic Book Day, Geronimo Stilton graphic novel artist Ennio Bufi, as well as writers Foschini and Favia, will meet the readers, make sketches and sign the Papercutz Geronimo Stilton graphic novels at comics shops Lee’s Comics (1020 N. Rengstorff Avenue, Suite F in Mountain View, CA) from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM, and then from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Atlantis Fantasyworld (1020 Cedar Street in Santa Cruz, CA).

Leonardo Favia, with a degree in publishing, journalism and cinema, after working for a daily paper, a library and a video game company, decided – of all things – to write comics. He scripts Geronimo’s graphic novel adventures, as told him by Geronimo himself! Michele Foschini is a translator and publisher who has written all sorts of comics. A longtime collaborator of Geronimo Stilton, he is currently chronicling some of the time-travelling adventures of Geronimo Stilton, aided by his frequent partner-in-crime, Leonardo Favia. Ennio Bufi started his career as a sculptor. He then became a character designer for the first season of the Geronimo Stilton animated series. He is currently drawing his second Geronimo Stilton graphic novel, and he lives in Turin, in northern Italy.

Associate Editor Michael Petranek here, and I’m surrounded by Smurfs! First, we just launched the newest Smurfs game “Baby Smurf’s Couples” — it’s a smurfilization of “Tetris” that introduces the variable of Jokey Smurf’s bombs! It’s quite addictive, indeed! Not only that, but this past weekend The Washington Post published an item on “The Smurf King,” saying that it’s really a great graphic novel for both kids and adults. I couldn’t agree more! On top of that,  today Editor-in-Chief Jim Salicrup and I approved Geronimo Stilton & The Smurfs, Papercutz free comic book that’s in stores on May 7th, 2011, off to the presses! But that’s not all! I also got news today that the Comic Book Reporter has posted an article about the comicbook, and the Free Comic Book Day website has posted am  interview with Editor-in-Chief Jim Salicrup! All of this Smurf action has got me seeing blue!

If you haven’t yet seen the trailer for The Smurfs 3-D, head over to their website and watch it. If you pause it at the 0:26 second mark, you’ll see the Trinity Church, an old landmark of New York City where Founding Father Alexander Hamilton is buried. Not only that, but the Papercutz offices are two blocks away from that church! Every day when I’m on my way to work I get out at the subway stop right next to it. If you ask me, that’s a pretty smurfy coincidence!  Well, it’s time for me to get back to the comics that I’ve got in front of me. Until next time, take care, and thanks for stopping by.

-Michael

Associate Editor Michael Petranek here with some very exciting news: today we launched the Garfield & Co. section of our website! Growing up I loved to watch the Garfield & Friends television show, which introduced a lot of new characters that didn’t appear in the comic strip. Everyone knows Jon, Odie, and Nermal, but do you know Harry, Jon Boy, or Liz? You’ll meet these characters and more in our all-new graphic novels! These graphic novels take stories from the Garfield Show (airing on Cartoon Network) and puts them in comics form! So check out the new section of our web site and see the previews of the graphic novels, coming soon. We have two previews of graphic novel #1 and one preview of graphic novel #2, so there are a lot of comics for you to read. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did putting them together. Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by.

-Michael

Associate Editor Michael Petranek here, happy to report that Papercutz has received some very good grades over the past week. No, we didn’t go back to school; people have been grading our graphic novels in recent reviews! If you head over to The Graphic Classroom you’ll see PAPERCUTZ SLICES #1 “Harry Potty” received an “A” while TALES FROM THE CRYPT received an “HR” for “highly recommended”! Over at CHUD.com there’s a great review of THE SMURFS #5 “The Smurfs and the Egg” that give is four out of a possible 5 stars. Now, you may be thinking to yourself “Michael, what are you doing hanging out with people at ‘CHUD’?! Don’t you know that CHUD stands for Cannabalistics Humanoid Underground Dweller?!” Well, it does indeed stand for that, but this CHUD stands for “Comic Happenings Under Development.” Whew! We’ll have more news about some really cool developments soon. Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

-Michael