This one came flying in from left field and it takes a moment to unpack. You remember how Fantagraphics is doing a line of superhero comics? Well, it seems that Josh Bayer, one of the writers involved is the brother of Samuel Bayer, who directs music videos. Bayer, who cut his teeth directing Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video, made a video to promote the comics. Helping a brother out, so to speak.
It’s something else. A bit of Sin City crossed with Batman ’66, but with more explosions, Jackie Chan’s stunt team and… Steve Jones from The Sex Pistols?!? Maybe you should just watch it.
Official PR follows with copious details on all the familiar faces popping up:
For Immediate Release:
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” Director Samuel Bayer Releases
Trailer Starring the World’s Most Fanta*stic ALL TIME COMICS Superheroes
Featuring the legendary musician Steve Jones
And Starring LaMonica Garrett, Denise Schaefer & Maitland Ward
With Stunts by Eddie Braun and the JC Action Team, Jackie Chan’s Stunt Crew
March 8, 2017) Acclaimed commercial, film, and music video director and photographer Samuel Bayer, who launched his career 25 years ago with Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video, released a live action trailer based on ALL TIME COMICS, a comic book superhero universe he created with his brother, indie comic book creator Josh Bayer. The trailer stars LaMonica Garrett (DESIGNATED SURVIVOR, SONS OF ANARCHY) as Crime Destroyer and model Denise Schaefer (who has appeared in campaigns for GUESS and Marciano, and graced the cover of ELLE Mexico) as Bullwhip. The cast also includes actress and cosplay enthusiast Maitland Ward (BOY MEETS WORLD). Punk rock icon Steve Jones (The Sex Pistols; The Professionals) appears as Bullwhip’s enemy. Rounding out the high caliber cast and crew are Jackie Chan’s stunt crew, the JC Action Team, and acclaimed Stunt Coordinator Eddie Braun (THE AVENGERS).
Samuel Bayer’s trailer is timed to the eagerly anticipated release of ALL TIME COMICS: CRIME DESTROYER issue 1, the first of the retro-cool ALL TIME COMICS superhero comics which recently debuted from Fantagraphics, the publisher of the world’s greatest cartoonists, including Gilbert and Jamie Hernandez (LOVE & ROCKETS) and Tony Millionaire (DRINKY CROW).
“Comic book companies sometimes use trailers to promote upcoming releases, but as far as we know, no one’s ever done a live action short as a trailer before,” said the Emmy Award winning director and photographer Samuel Bayer who has directed iconic videos for Green Day, Maroon 5, Justin Timberlake, Metallica, the Rolling Stones among others. “We assembled a fantastic cast and crew. Steve Jones is an icon in the music business and he’s making comic book history as a guitar-wielding supervillain. My stunt coordinator Eddie Braun just completed Evel Knievel’s insane Snake River Canyon jump by strapping himself in a steam powered rocket. Robert Duffy, who edited the Grammy award winning music video for Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” and cut our film is one of the best in the business. Together, we’re creating something unlike anything comic book fans have seen before. We made the movie before the comic came out.”
ALL TIME COMICS is a shared superhero universe featuring four heroes: Atlas, Blind Justice, Bullwhip, and Crime Destroyer. Crime Destroyer will make his first appearance in print in ALL TIME COMICS: CRIME DESTROYER issue 1, featuring the writing of Josh Bayer, inks by Benjamin Marra and the last art by legendary artist Herb Trimpe, who co-created Wolverine. For the trailer, Crime Destroyer is played by LaMonica Garrett, an actor and longtime comics enthusiast. ”On SONS OF ANARCHY, I got to chase bad asses on their insane bikes, now I get to play the bad ass, destroying crime in my customized 1972 Firebird,“ says LaMonica Garrett of Crime Destroyer’s car, a souped up muscle car with dual front-mounted 45 caliber machine guns. “I’m a nerd when it comes to comic books and superheroes, it felt like dream to finally play one… Hopefully it’s just the beginning.”
Model and actress Denise Schaefer plays Bullwhip, the mysterious crimefighter sworn to keep Metro City’s streets safe from villainy and violence in April in the pages of ALL TIME COMICS: BULLWHIP #1. “One of the things I really like about Bullwhip is she does not have a secret identity,” said Schaefer. She is Bullwhip, all day, every day.”
In the trailer, Bullwhip must rescue one of the villain’s victims, a starlet portrayed by Maitland Ward, best known for her role in BOY MEETS WORLD and her cosplay appearances at comic book conventions. “I’ve been dressing up in elaborate cosplay outfits for years,” said Maitland Ward. “As a fan of comics and superheroes, it’s wild to participate in a project like this one, where I’m kidnapped by the one and only Steve Jones and tied to an Evel Knievel style rocket.”
“When Sam called me about creating a live action comic book trailer, I immediately called Andy Cheng and the rest of Jackie Chan’s crew who I worked with on on all three RUSH HOUR films,” said Eddie Braun, who recently completed a three and a half year passion project in recreating his Hero Evel Knievel’s unsuccessful attempt to cross the Snake River Canyon in 1974. Braun’s historic jump will be the subject of a forthcoming film narrated by Charlie Sheen, whom Braun has stunt doubled for thirty years. Working with Andy Cheng and the team, we were able to choreograph and perform fantastic-looking stunts for ALL TIME COMICS with one day of rehearsal, and one day to shoot. They’re top notch.”
“My brother and I have collaborated since we were kids — but never on anything as epic in scale as ALL TIME COMICS,” says ALL TIME COMICS co-creator Josh Bayer. “When Sam reached out to me with the superheroes already mostly formed, they immediately reminded me of the comics heroes that inspired us as kids. Working with my brother on a project so close to our hearts has been magical, and I can’t wait for the world to discover these heroes and villains.”
The ALL TIME COMICS trailer can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=kSpluHfRICY ABOUT All Time Comics: ALL TIME COMICS issues feature the work of current indie comics creators like Josh Bayer, Ben Marra (TERROR ASSAULTER: O.M.W.O.T.) and Noah Van Sciver (DISQUIET), alongside the work of established artists like Al Milgrom (co-creator of Firestorm) and the last art by legendary artist Herb Trimpe, who co-created Wolverine. To meet some of the creative forces behind ALL TIME COMICS, and get an advanced copy of the first comics issue, CRIME DESTROYER #1, please join us for the March 8th Launch Party at Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles. You can also follow ALL TIME COMICS on Twitter and Facebook.
Josh Bayer began his underground comics practice in 1988. Aside from producing singular works of comic art, such as RAW POWER and THETH, he is the co-creator of ALL TIME COMICS with his brother Sam. Josh is also an acclaimed art Instructor, teaching comics and illustration at Parsons and The 92Y Art Department in New York City, and as an editor and writer on the comics anthologies SUSPECT DEVICE and THE BLACK HOOD which he produced for his own COMICS ARE THE ENEMY press.
Samuel Bayer, an award-winning visual artist, photographer, director and cinematographer, has built a career on translating his aesthetic vision into meaningful storytelling. Bayer first launched his career with Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” a landmark video which MTV has consistently rated as one of the most iconic music videos ever made. He has also created videos for artists as diverse as David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, and Maroon 5. On the commercial side, Bayer has directed for clients including Nike, Mercedes Benz, BMW and Pepsi. His 2011 Super Bowl spot for Chrysler “Born of Fire” won an Emmy and a Cannes Gold Lion. In the art world, a one man show of his photography was exhibited at the Ace Gallery in Los Angeles in 2013 and selections of his films are displayed in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Maitland Ward is an actress best known for her roles as Rachel Maguire in the beloved sitcom BOY MEETS WORLD and Brittany Wilson in the cult classic Wayans’ Brother’s comedy, WHITE CHICKS. A self proclaimed comic book fan and Star Wars geek, Maitland has now carved out a career as one of the most sought after cosplayers and has appeared in everything from TMZ to Maxim Magazine. Maitland is constantly looking to challenge her herself and find the next vehicle to express her outgoing sexuality and love of all things comic book related.
Eddie Braun and Andy Cheng were responsible for the stunts and action in all three RUSH HOUR films starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. Mr. Braun, a Southern California native, has been a top Stuntman/Stunt Coordinator for over 30 years, for many feature films, TV shows, music videos, and commercials including the original FALL GUY, DUKES OF HAZARD, and Clint Eastwood’s SULLY.
Andy Cheng and Eddie Braun were responsible for the stunts and action in all three RUSH HOUR films starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. Mr Cheng from China is a long time collaborator with Jackie and is part of the JC Action team. He has performed stunts in numerous features including MISSION IMPOSSIBLE III and MR. NICE GUY, and coordinated and choreographed stunts for additional features including THE RUNDOWN and THE SCORPION KING.
From a no-nonsense cop wrangling an outlawed motorcycle club (SONS OF ANARCHY), to a diplomatic security agent protecting Sigourney Weaver at every turn (POLITICAL ANIMALS), and a juiced up baseball player struggling to keep his career in tact (SUITS), LaMonica Garrett has become one of the most watched actors in the entertainment industry today. Currently, Garrett can be seen co-starring opposite Keifer Sutherland on ABC’s highly acclaimed, political drama DESIGNATED SURVIVOR. Garrett shines as Mike Ritter, Kirkman’s Secret Service officer, charged with protecting the Kirkman family in the wake of the unprecedented bombing. The former college football star can also be seen heavily recurring on TNTs hit show THE LAST SHIP.
Denise Schaefer got her start in front of the cameras modeling, appearing in magazines such as GQ and Elle Mexico (cover). She is most known for her work with Guess and Marciano, landing a Guess campaign in 2016. She has also appeared in Carl’s Junior commercials among others. Her first film, BLEED FOR THIS, came out last year.
David Glean is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Spot Welders. Since opening its doors in 1993, he has established Spot Welders as one of the top editorial companies in the world.
Robert Duffy is Spot Welders’ Co-Founding Partner/Editor with over 25 years in the business. He exemplifies award-winning work from his commercials, music videos and features. Robert has edited for top talent directors like Samuel Bayer, Tony Scott, Mark Romanek and Tarsem Singh. Robert is a legend in the business and is one of the most sought after editors for clients such as Nike, Facebook and Cisco. He lives in Manhattan Beach and is an avid surfer and snowboarder.
Cool idea.
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