SHI: GATECRASHER – FROM ROUGH CUT TO FINAL COLORS!

As Crusade Comics begins wrapping up their latest crowdfunding comic, Billy Tucci and crew have begun sharing page-by-page samples of the creative process from pencil roughs, to finishes to color.In Gatecrasher, Ana Ishikawa, (allied with RAN, Shi-creator Billy Tucci’s original concept for SHI) finds herself trapped within comic book time and must battle through a cartoonist’s history to find her way back to her daughter, Hotaru.

Starting in 1928, Shi: Gatecrasher takes the reader on an amazing adventure across comics’ incredible decades, trends, and genres. A funny book fantasy that sees Ana and Ran encountering war, westerns, horror, apes, nazis, space vixens, superheroes, romance, robots, dinosaurs, crime, and you guessed it, zombie bad girls!

Based on the Story by Tucci, scripter J.C. Vaughnand editor Steven Peros, Gatecrasher is illustrated by Tucci, Leandro Oliveira, Fred Benes and Brian Miller with lettering by Mindy Lopkin. Gatecrasheris literally the “destroy all monsters” of comic book character collision!

Here is a sample Work-In-ProgressI “evolution” of a Shi: Gatecrasher page.  This is one of the early pages of the comic where Ana Ishikawa begins her four-color journey into the past. Here we see drifting off through the comic book time and altering portal gate before she “lands” in 1928.

This page begins with a basic rough by Billy Tucci off of Gatecrasher J.C. Vaughn’s script, this is the page that will be printed in the Shi: Gatecrasher Rough Cut Edition. Then it is “finished” more like polished or “inked” with pencils (for this book, I prefer the pencils to color process as it gives the page a really nice “watercolor” feel) by Leandro Oliviera and Tucci (particularly the face and hair).

Lastly, colorist extraordinaire Brian Miller and his team at Hi-Fi Colour and Design apply their digital paints bringing the page to its full color glory. Just a few more details are needed before sending it over to letterer Mindy Lopkin to complete! “I am very, very proud of just how beautiful this book is coming out.” Stated Tucci. “And I will continue sharing more complete pages (with all their varying art styles that complement the various decade Ana travels through) in our campaign updates next week.

Gatecrasher also features several striking variant covers by comic book greats, Art Thibert, Renie Strychalski and Tucci.And as a bonus, four-color legends also join #TeamShi with multi-Eisner award winner, Stan Sakaiand superstar Rob Liefeld lending their extraordinary talents as they cover Shi for the very first time!
“Again, THANK YOU for all your amazing support.” Continued Tucci. “The book will be off to the printers in a few weeks and at month’s end we will launch our next project, Ran: Revenge of the Warrior!”

Crusade Comics would also like to thank all former and present servicemen and women of the United States Army, Army Reserves and National Guard as they celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th Birthday!

As the 56-page Shi: Gatecrasher is full on in the color stage and approaches the ready for press phase, Shi-creator Billy Tucci and crew are hard at work putting together stretch goals and approving all special variant editions.

With all premium foil and metal edition covers now approved for press, Crusade Comics will be removing several of these premium books from the campaign. With each individual issue being numbered, press time for these special editions must be reserved as they are produced separately from the main edition. Crusade’s Executive Director, Deborah Tucci will also be closing down both the Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns in the next two weeks as she prepares to launch Billy Tucci’s next crowdfunder, Ran: Return of the Warrior.

Crusade also announced that all Shi: Gatecrasher Rough Cut Edition artwork is now formatted and complete and ready for lettering and production.

LIMITED TO UNDER 100 COPIES, BILLY TUCCI’S FAVORITE SHI COMIC OF ALL TIME OFFERED EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH WWW.BILLYTUCCI.COMFEATURING SPECIAL “BLACK METAL” EDITION COVER BY THE LEGENDARY MARC SILVESTRI!

Shi: Way Of The Warrior #5 was the comic that launched a small, self-published “hot” title into the stratosphere of historical stand-alone issues. The book literally “turned a page in comics’ history” that spawned a multitude of imitators, including Eidos Interactive’s Tomb Raider. WOTW #5 also garnered much critical acclaim and led Shi towards several mainstream crossovers, (amongst them being Marvel’s Daredevil and Wolverine), action figures, statues, apparel, millions of comics sold and multiple Eisner-Award nods.

The release of Shi #5 was not just critically acclaimed by fans and reviewers alike; it also boasted Crusade Comic’s first “variant cover”, featuring artwork by the legendary Marc Silverstri.

Crusade is offering just four very limited specials of Shi: Way of the Warrior #5 “TUCCI TROOPER EDITIONS” exclusively through www.billytucci.com.

Now, to celebrate its 30th Anniversary, we have recolored and updated Billy’s original cover for this variant. Limited to just 75 numbered issues and signed by Shi-creator Billy Tucci.

The variant’s variant! Celebrating Shi #5 with variant cover by Marc Silvestri (recolored by Wes Hartman), this close-up cover in his iconic style is certainly still a showstopper! Limited to just 75 numbered issuesand signed by Billy Tucci.

The limited “Aqua Foil” edition with foil cover providing flowing colorful effects, reminiscent of moving water, perfect for the theme of this stunning, fan favorite cover by Billy Tucci. Limited to just 30 numbered issues and signed by Billy Tucci.

The official Crusade Comics webstore is also offering the SHI: Way of the Warrior #5 Print-Pair, ($40.00 US). Featuring the cover prints of both variant covers of Shi #5 by Billy Tucci’s and Marc Silvestri’s. All signed by Billy Tucci.