Rupp’s Comics collaborates with Green Springs native on exclusive cover

FREMONT – Local Marvel and DC comic book artist Brian Level, originally from Green Springs, has created a unique cover exclusive to Rupp’s Comics, a collaboration years in the making.

The comic is “Free For All,” by Patrick Horvath.

“What we have here is our exclusive comic book. We worked with Brian Level, former customer of mine when he was a kid here in the ’90s and 2000s,” Rupp said. “This is something I’ve always wanted to do with his since he started working with Marvel and DC: ‘I want to do an exclusive cover just with you! Let’s create a cover that’s only available at Rupp’s Comics.’”

Rupp described the comic as an independently published comic through Oni Press.

“Patrick Horvath is a hot creator, writer, artist that last year, with his book ‘Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees,’ became extremely popular,” Rupp said. “This is the perfect opportunity. We decided to do it. We’re the only company to do an exclusive with this book. I thought lots of places would do it, but selected just us.”

It’s a 64-page, one-shot, standalone comic. Rupp now has signed copies available at the store.

“I think it turned out amazing, but’s definitely for the 16-and-older crowd,” Rupp said.

Level is a comic book artist with almost 20 years of experience under his belt. He’s done art for both Marvel and DC, working on popular titles like Star Wars, Batman, Poison Ivy, Spider-Man, Avengers and Deadpool.

He grew up in Green Springs and went to Clyde High School.

“I was a customer of Rupp’s before I was ever working with Chris professionally,” Level said. “He even stocked our little comics, which we did in high school, on his shelf, on consignment. We hand-stapled them ourselves.”

Level is also a tattoo artist and owner of Illuminaut Tattoos in Ludlow, KY, and has his own publishing company called Dreamcult Amusements, where he curates and creates visual stories in a variety of mediums.

Level described his love for the comic book as his first love in the art world.

“The reason I love comic books as a medium has very little to do with the industry and the business. It’s an opportunity for me to actually be expressive and actually articulate ideas of my own in ways that no one else can do. It’s very special to me,” Level said.

He want on to talk about Horvath, this comic and his love for self-published material.

“Anybody can draw Spider-Man. I’ve been doing it since I was 6. If anybody draws Spider-Man really, really well, they can probably draw for Marvel, but nobody can do ‘Free For All’ but Patrick, and I got to do the variant cover this time,” Level said, with a pleased chuckle. “That’s also why I self-publish. It’s a chance to meet myself.”

The next big event in the comic book world is Free Comic Book Day on May 3.

rlapointe@gannett.com

419-332-2674

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