Spy Comics Vol. 4, No. 2 advance preview is now online!

By Bob Barnes
DFG ONLINE Staff Reporter

DFG Comics has posted an advance preview of Spy Comics (vol. 4) #2. DFG President and Co-Publisher, who is writing and drawing the company's flagship title had this to say: "We're pleased to offer this preview to our faithful fans. We realize that we had fallen behind schedule and are doing everything in our power to get things back on track." It had been suggested that delays are the result of various legal proceedings against the company by disgruntled former staffers. When asked about his rumour, Mr. Graves said, "There is nothing farther from the truth. The demands of writing/drawing/editing a title AND captaining Canada's preeminent comic book publisher sometimes come into conflict. I have also been hard at work on a couple of other creative projects including writing and drawing some pieces for the upcoming Spy Classics origin issue as well as having recently completed Retro-Spy #2. I'm afraid that I'm a hands-on publisher who is involved in the creative process as well as all the administrative and executive duties. My time get spread pretty thin." When asked if this is why co-publisher Darryl Andrews is listed as "co-plotter" for Spy #2, Mr. Graves resonded, "No, not at all. You see, Darryl was originally scheduled to write and draw the second issue but other creative responsibilites in the company kept him busy. I actually had issues three and four nearly completed, and we were waiting for number 2. When it became clear that Darryl couldn't do it, I decided to pick it up and run with his plot outline and basic script adding several elements of my own." Mr. Andrews is currently working on several projects including a New Captain Nepto title, as well as some stories for Retro-Spy, and of course, some material for the eagerly anticipated Spy Classic origin issue, which will also feature work by the controversial superstar, Todd Abbot.

Spy #2 opens with Captain Nepto and his renegade heroes responding the developments of Spy #1 (in which Sir Julius Smithers, formerly the Spymaster, and now Governor General) has reconstituted the Invincibles super-team to respond to the actions of Nepto and his renegades. Nepto and co. had allegedly assassinated the prime minister, Randy Anderson. Anderson, Nepto's half-brother and former supervillain the Sea Serpent, had reformed in the mid-nineties and subsequently led a neo-conservative party to electoral victory last year. After the assassination, Sir Julius, as head of state, dissolved parliament and assumed executive control to deal with the crisis. Spy #2 will also feature the funeral of prime minister Anderson.

Spy #2 is expected to be available sometime this month, with issues #3 & 4 to follow in April and May.

Click here to view the advance preview, or click on our "ONLINE Publications" in the right-hand column of this page.

February Villian - The Terror!

We started an Online feature of profiling one D.F.G. main characters per month but due to reader demand; have expanded this form to include one hero character and one villian character. This month relive the history of one of D.F.G.'s greatest villians: The Terror!!

The Terror's background remains shrouded in mystery. No one knows who he is, what his motive might be for being such a nasty DFG baddie. He was created by Dan Graves and made his first appearance in Spy Comics Volume 2, #2 (Sept 1985) and went up against The Spymaster. It was later revealed that he was part of a band of villians led by The Killer Shark (who had arranged for the killing of Captain Nepto's parents, and much later, The Spymaster's wife, Sandra Smithers). It was believed that he died in an explosion in an old theatre that had been The Killer Shark's base of operations (see Spy vol. 2, #4), but he reappeared in Spy '96, #3 when he crashed Chief Smith's retirement party alongside the original Sy Clopps and The Jester. He was apprehended through the quick machinations of Frank Bates. His current whereabouts are unknown.

A Message to Former Staffers & Anonymous Posters

It's amazing how many of you have come out of the woodwork. More amazing when we judge your past failures to complete projects on any sort of suitable timetable. Now, like the Flash, people are posting comments to this site using lightning speed. We encourage you to visit and relive what to many, must have been the best years of your life, but to hide and hurl untruths behind a secret identity - please, let's leave secret identities to our heroes. As a courteous service to you, we will let you know that we have assigned Chief Smith to visit this site's weblog and record visitor IP addresses; that in turn are being turned over to our legal Milton Goldfarbstein. I'm sure your time has been sweet, littering many sites across the web with your string of lies and tales of nonsense. I know since we've already found some layering the bottom of the kitty litter box.

Todd Abbot Interview Part III -- delayed indefinitely

By Bob Barnes, staff reporter.

DFG ONLINE regrets to report that the third part of "The Todd Abbot Interview" has been delayed indefinitely due to legal proceedings over disputed material in the interview. We apologize for any inconvenience. When asked to comment on the delay, DFG lawyer Milton Goldfarbstein said that while the matter is before the courts, he hopes for a speedy resolution. He noted that the proceedings will have no impact on Todd's current artistic commitments to DFG.

In other news, rumour has it that Mr. Goldfarbstein has been tapped to write a series for DFG about a hot-shot lawyer who deals with publishing disputes. He rejects the notion that the project is in anyway autobiographical. Former DFG freelancer Frank Daniels (who last worked for DFG in the early '80's) is reported to be returning to draw the project. When asked for confirmation, Vice-President and Co-Publisher Darryl Andrews, reached at the local watering hole, told this reporter to "give his head a shake," and "leave me alone."

To view the Todd Abbot Interview click on the links, below:
Part 1
Part 2

DFG President and Co-Publisher Issues Press Release Explaining "Bedtime Heroes"

Press Release
February 28th, 2008
DFG Corporate Head Office

Dear DFG Comics readers:

This press release is to clear up a serious misunderstanding that has occurred as the result of a press leak earlier this month. It was widely reported (click here) that DFG was intending to introduce “Bedtime Characters” into its new line-up. This is factually true. However, the rumour surrounding these characters is not. There is nothing untoward or questionable about these characters. It is all a gross misunderstanding.

At a meeting of our DFG creative team in mid-January, when we were brainstorming a dozen or so sure-fire hits for our 2008 publishing schedule, our Senior Creative Consultant, Leighton Graves, suggested the concept of introducing “Bedtime Heroes.” DFG Co-publisher and Vice-President Darryl Andrews asked what he meant by this. Leighton responded, “You know, heroes that you create when you are lying in bed at night and can’t sleep… You come up with their names, costumes, powers, alter egos, supporting cast and origin stories. You eventually fall asleep and when you wake up you never actually get around to committing your ideas to paper. We all have these characters bouncing around in our minds – why don’t we add them to the DFG roster?”

The consensus of the team was unanimous. We decided to incorporate these characters into our current titles and maybe even give some their own books! Unfortunately, someone leaked the term “Bedtime Heroes” to the press and, well, they ran with it.

Again, I wish to repeat that DFG Comics remain a wholesome form of family entertainment. DFG in no way intended to suggest otherwise. Rest assured that you and your children can continue to read DFG comics without any fear of the “bedroom antics” reported in the tabloid press. Indeed, DFG hopes to widen its scope in the new line-up of titles by publishing a “funny animal” comic entitled Captain Nepto and his Furry Friends.

Sincerely,

Dan Graves
President and Co-Publisher, DFG Comics

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