Marvel will be launching a new five-issue miniseries in May called Marvel Zombies Christmas Carol.

That’s right you read it correctly, it’s Zombies in the Marvel Universe, retelling the classic Charles Dickens story. Artist David Baldeon and writer Jim McCann are teaming up to bring this story to life. Apparently they plan on telling something more horrific than silly like you might expect from a Marvel Zombies story.

“When we started working on this idea, I was amazed at how well the original text worked in with the concept of the undead. We’ve taken a way to introduce ‘zombies’ in a Victorian manner, keeping with the chilling tale Dickens crafted in the 1800s,” said writer Jim McCann. “I think that David’s amazing designs show you how well it will look. We aren’t going for campiness or shoving zombies into a popular story, but for true Victorian horror…and a small glimmer of hope that lies in one man’s cold heart: Scrooge!”

Return of the Dapper Men
Hardcover
Written By Jim McCann
Art By Janet Lee
Archaia Comics
Release date: November 17, 2010

Welcome to the world of Anorev, a land in which time actually literally stands still and there is no sense of past or future. There is also a sense of nothing really having a purpose. The land of Anorev consists of only children and robots. The children choose to live underground while the robots choose to live above ground. Then one day, 314 identical dapper looking men fall from the sky.

The story follows the characters of Ayden and Zoe. Ayden is a human boy who chooses to live amongst the robots. He shares a friendship with Zoe, a robot, who herself is special. With the arrival of the Dapper Man, Ayden and Zoe are lead in a direction to discover their destiny.

I’m a fan of stories such as The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan. When Return of the Dapper Men was announced, I was definitely interested in reading it. The premise of the book was very intriguing as well as the refreshing look of the art. Return of the Dapper Men can be described as one of many classic fairytales re-written for a new generation.

Thanks our friends at Archaia Comics, Geeks of Doom is proud to preview the first 16 pages of their newest graphic novel, Return of the Dapper Men, which goes on sale in comic shops on Wednesday, November 17, 2010.

All of time has stopped in the land known as Anoreve. With no functioning clocks and year round daytime, the inhabitants of Anorev grow weary of their day to day activities. That is, until 314 well-dressed gentlemen rain down from the sky. Known only as the Dapper Men, these individuals strike out in all directions, searching for a way to restart the world again and bring back tomorrow today.

Written by Jim McCann (Hawkeye and Mockingbird) and artist Janet Lee, The this 128-page full-color hardcover graphic novel is a fantastic tale with a steampunk twist that is sure to break the fairy tale mold. Enjoy this colorful and entertaining preview here below, but be sure to come back next week, when we will post a review for the book.

Every year at Con season, Marvel EIC Joe Quesada likes to take time out to connect with fans at the fan favorite Cup O Joe panel. Taking questions as well as making a few announcements, Quesada gives it to ’em straight and usually brings a few friends along.

At New York Comic Con this past weekend, Quesada thankfully did have a few friends in tow. Joining him on the panel was marketing maven Jim McCann, Marvel Publisher Dan Buckley, uber writer Brian Michael Bendis, and the world traveling talent scout/writer CB Cebulski.

Sitting down to a rousing welcome from the crowd, Quesada pre-ambled to the crowd that this panel is as fun as they make it, and luckily the fans decided on “fun” for the day by cheering their faces off. After introducing the rest of the crew, Joe directed everyone’s attention to the PowerPoint presentation for the announcements segment.

So you want to impress the powers that be over at Marvel comics by showing them you’re the next great Michael Turner? It takes more than talent alone to attain a dream job working for the house that Stan & Jack built. You’ll need a killer portfolio, the right attitude, and someone to hand deliver you to the editorial board.

Luckily, Marvel “Scout” Jim McCann braved the horrors of driving alongside 70-mph death machines piloted by oblivious soccer moms (a.k.a. Nashville Traffic) to share his advice for aspiring creators this weekend at the Nashville Horror Convention. He’s also there talking to fans, answering questions, and reviewing portfolios that could end up on the desks of Marvel editors.

It’s not hard to see why McCann knows what editors are seeking in an artist. He has over four years experience in the sales, marketing, and communications side of Marvel, 20 years of dedication as a Marvel fanboy, and will soon debut his first full-length comic What If? House of M co-authored by Brian Reed. And while McCann can’t reconcile the fan reaction to Spider-Man‘s marital situation, he can offer plenty of tips for aspiring creators trying to break into the industry.