Guild Works Productions Celebrates Release of New Series
Northampton Comic Store serves as the setting for Hell’s Blood #1 Release
Northampton, MA, March 28, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Guild Works Productions this week officially celebrated the release of the inaugural issue of its newest comic series. Hell’s Blood is the brainchild of its creator Hector E. Rodriguez, along with his creative team. Modern Myths, a popular comic book store in Northampton, MA served as the setting for the convergence of the Hell’s Blood team, consisting of Rodriguez, co-writer Scott Sheaffer and fellow illustrator and publisher Keith Murphey. The three talented artists signed books for dozens of fans and proudly shared their labor of love known as Hell’s Blood #1.
Prior to the book’s official release celebration at Modern Myths, Hell’s Blood made its successful debut at this year’s New York Comic Con. Along with showcasing Hell’s Blood for the first time, Rodriguez received three recognitions at the 2009 Comicbook Artists Guild Awards, including Best Penciler.
Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Rodriguez started his journey into comic books and art from the New York City newsstands. He began drawing in kindergarten and when his mother moved them to Holyoke, Massachusetts in the summer of '78, his love of art and comics followed. Rodriguez spent his teenage years drawing everything having to do with comic books and graffiti while attending Holyoke High School. It wasn't until he met Ven Yann in the 90's that he started getting serious about creating his own comic book. Learning what he could from Ven, the two found a Connecticut-based group called the Comicbook Artists Guild, where he first met Keith Murphey, the co-founder of the guild. Starting with short stories for Guild Works Productions, Rodriguez then moved on to do a kid’s book called Mandie Pandie for Crazee Comics and eventually completed his own book, Hell's Blood, where the story opens with a shot of Holyoke City Hall, straight from his own hometown.
Hell’s Blood is the story of the insane and unexpected series of events that occurred when the lead character in the book, Hector loses his grandmother and his life all in one night. Relentlessly pursued by horrific monsters seen only in nightmares and movies, he finds himself fighting for his very life against an army of hell-spawned creatures led by a magma spitting, fire haired werewolf who threatens to bring man's darkest fear back to reality.... Olosi (Satan) himself! Now guided by a mysterious duo who claims he carries a powerful opal created before man's existence and with everything around him changing, he struggles to survive as his own body takes on dramatic changes of its own. His small hometown of Holyoke has become the battle field between heaven and hell as Hector becomes man's last hope for salvation. Where the first leads, the rest will follow.
Publisher and co-illustrator of Hell’s Blood, Keith Murphey commented after the signing, “Working on Hell’s Blood has been a dream come true for me. It is a great story, has great characters and the creator of the book has become one of my best friends. It’s been a win-win for me and I am proud to be publishing it.”
Reflecting on the success of the signing and the book’s initial success, Rodriguez commented "I'm thankful that GWP decided to take a chance on Hell's Blood and I love the response I get from local people when they see city hall and Holyoke being where the story is set."
Guild Works Productions (GWP) is owned and operated by Keith Murphey, who also serves as the current president and co-founder of the Comicbook Artists Guild. GWP’s services include character design, concept design, and more. In the fall of 2006, GWP produced its first horror anthology, followed by two more in the next two years. Since that time, Guild Works has produced the works of several talented artists in the comic book industry. Hell’s Blood is its first regular series by a single creator and the publisher plans to release two more issues of the series. For more information on Hell’s Blood or its current publisher, visit www.hellsblood.net or www.guildworksproductions.com.
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Prior to the book’s official release celebration at Modern Myths, Hell’s Blood made its successful debut at this year’s New York Comic Con. Along with showcasing Hell’s Blood for the first time, Rodriguez received three recognitions at the 2009 Comicbook Artists Guild Awards, including Best Penciler.
Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Rodriguez started his journey into comic books and art from the New York City newsstands. He began drawing in kindergarten and when his mother moved them to Holyoke, Massachusetts in the summer of '78, his love of art and comics followed. Rodriguez spent his teenage years drawing everything having to do with comic books and graffiti while attending Holyoke High School. It wasn't until he met Ven Yann in the 90's that he started getting serious about creating his own comic book. Learning what he could from Ven, the two found a Connecticut-based group called the Comicbook Artists Guild, where he first met Keith Murphey, the co-founder of the guild. Starting with short stories for Guild Works Productions, Rodriguez then moved on to do a kid’s book called Mandie Pandie for Crazee Comics and eventually completed his own book, Hell's Blood, where the story opens with a shot of Holyoke City Hall, straight from his own hometown.
Hell’s Blood is the story of the insane and unexpected series of events that occurred when the lead character in the book, Hector loses his grandmother and his life all in one night. Relentlessly pursued by horrific monsters seen only in nightmares and movies, he finds himself fighting for his very life against an army of hell-spawned creatures led by a magma spitting, fire haired werewolf who threatens to bring man's darkest fear back to reality.... Olosi (Satan) himself! Now guided by a mysterious duo who claims he carries a powerful opal created before man's existence and with everything around him changing, he struggles to survive as his own body takes on dramatic changes of its own. His small hometown of Holyoke has become the battle field between heaven and hell as Hector becomes man's last hope for salvation. Where the first leads, the rest will follow.
Publisher and co-illustrator of Hell’s Blood, Keith Murphey commented after the signing, “Working on Hell’s Blood has been a dream come true for me. It is a great story, has great characters and the creator of the book has become one of my best friends. It’s been a win-win for me and I am proud to be publishing it.”
Reflecting on the success of the signing and the book’s initial success, Rodriguez commented "I'm thankful that GWP decided to take a chance on Hell's Blood and I love the response I get from local people when they see city hall and Holyoke being where the story is set."
Guild Works Productions (GWP) is owned and operated by Keith Murphey, who also serves as the current president and co-founder of the Comicbook Artists Guild. GWP’s services include character design, concept design, and more. In the fall of 2006, GWP produced its first horror anthology, followed by two more in the next two years. Since that time, Guild Works has produced the works of several talented artists in the comic book industry. Hell’s Blood is its first regular series by a single creator and the publisher plans to release two more issues of the series. For more information on Hell’s Blood or its current publisher, visit www.hellsblood.net or www.guildworksproductions.com.
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Guild Works Productions
Susan Soares
401-222-0924
www.guildworksproductions.com
Susan Soares
401-222-0924
www.guildworksproductions.com
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