Brian Ferrara
Encyclopedia
Brian Ferrara is a writer and a musician who founded and runs the publishing and entertainment company Terminal Press
since 2001. He recorded music under the alias CHOJIN since 1997 and has contributed soundtrack music to the Dreamcast games, Feet of Fury and 3D Invaders. Brian has gone on to create and write comics such as Silent Assassin
, Crowpsey, Final Planet and many others. Brian has also written comics based on Seen's Spraycan Monsters and Phony-Baloney, The SuperFun Company's Toxic Teddies, Arrow Productions Debbie Does Dallas
and Nuclear Blast artists Dimmu Borgir
. Brian wrote the premiere issue of Concrete Immortalz for Elite Gudz
, which debuted at the Big Apple Comic Convention in October 2009. The Comic featured classic graffiti artists such as Phetus, Rolo, Cope2, T-KID, SKUF, INDIE184, EWOK, BAN2, MIN ONE, KET and CAP ONE.
Early reviews of Ferrara's first book, "Silent Assassin: Understanding Trauma" helped establish its cult status. Says Randy Lander of The 4th Rail, "Once everyone started talking... I saw that I had Silent Assassin all wrong. This is not a fun action comic, but a very dark exploration of human brutality wrapped in science-fiction trappings.". Other critics were far more disturbed and angered by the book, actually producing more interest and a larger fan base for the underground title. J.M. Johnston of Comic World News stated, "I thought the assholes from Columbine were dead? They are apparently alive and well and putting out this miserable @#!$*&? rag... If you see it on someone's resume grab your pepper spray."
For the most part though, the controversial book was well received, producing other reviews stating "Silent Assassin left me wanting more... I have so many questions that need answering but I guess that will have to wait for the next edition. I await it with trepidation. Reading this comic is like driving past an accident, you know you shouldn’t look, you know that what you will see will not be nice but you somehow can’t help yourself, you need to look and so you do. In a Word: Chilling."
In an interview with comic book website Project Fanboy
, Ferrara spoke of his artistic reinterpretation of the classic adult film Debbie Does Dallas, assuring readers that the title is not a comic book format of the adult movie, with the only real similarities between the two being that "Debbie is still a hot blond cheerleader".
In the same interview, Ferrara says he was inspired to get into the comic book industry by such titles as Heavy Metal
, Mad
, Wolverine
and Punisher
from Marvel
, Lobo and Batman
from DC
, Evil Ernie
, The Crow
, The Tick
, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
.
Terminal Press
Terminal Press is an Independent Comic Book Publisher based out of Long Beach, New York.Terminal Press was started in 2001 by Brian Ferrara, who is the company's president and Editor-in-Chief. Ferrara was joined by art director Narek Gevorgian and lead illustrator Rolo Ledesma shortly after...
since 2001. He recorded music under the alias CHOJIN since 1997 and has contributed soundtrack music to the Dreamcast games, Feet of Fury and 3D Invaders. Brian has gone on to create and write comics such as Silent Assassin
Silent Assassin
Silent Assassin is a graphic novel series from Terminal Press written by Brian Ferrara. The artwork was penciled, colored, and lettered by Narek Gevorgian, and inked by Don Redick. The series debuted in 2004 with the release of the 48-page perfect-bound science-fiction comic book, Silent Assassin:...
, Crowpsey, Final Planet and many others. Brian has also written comics based on Seen's Spraycan Monsters and Phony-Baloney, The SuperFun Company's Toxic Teddies, Arrow Productions Debbie Does Dallas
Debbie Does Dallas
Debbie Does Dallas is a 1978 pornographic film starring Bambi Woods. The plot of the film focuses on a team of cheerleaders attempting to earn enough money to send the title character to Dallas, Texas, to try out for the famous “Texas Cowgirls” cheerleading squad. The fictional name "Texas...
and Nuclear Blast artists Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1993. Dimmu borgir means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, Faroese and Old Norse. The name is derived from a volcanic formation in Iceland, Dimmuborgir...
. Brian wrote the premiere issue of Concrete Immortalz for Elite Gudz
Elite Gudz
Elite Gudz is an independent game and creative studio based in New York, NY. They are best known for their top-downloaded iPhone app, Graffiti Spray Can, and the top rated & top download Xbox Indies title Techno Kitten Adventure...
, which debuted at the Big Apple Comic Convention in October 2009. The Comic featured classic graffiti artists such as Phetus, Rolo, Cope2, T-KID, SKUF, INDIE184, EWOK, BAN2, MIN ONE, KET and CAP ONE.
Early reviews of Ferrara's first book, "Silent Assassin: Understanding Trauma" helped establish its cult status. Says Randy Lander of The 4th Rail, "Once everyone started talking... I saw that I had Silent Assassin all wrong. This is not a fun action comic, but a very dark exploration of human brutality wrapped in science-fiction trappings.". Other critics were far more disturbed and angered by the book, actually producing more interest and a larger fan base for the underground title. J.M. Johnston of Comic World News stated, "I thought the assholes from Columbine were dead? They are apparently alive and well and putting out this miserable @#!$*&? rag... If you see it on someone's resume grab your pepper spray."
For the most part though, the controversial book was well received, producing other reviews stating "Silent Assassin left me wanting more... I have so many questions that need answering but I guess that will have to wait for the next edition. I await it with trepidation. Reading this comic is like driving past an accident, you know you shouldn’t look, you know that what you will see will not be nice but you somehow can’t help yourself, you need to look and so you do. In a Word: Chilling."
In an interview with comic book website Project Fanboy
Project Fanboy
Project Fanboy is an American website that publishes news, interviews and reviews about the American comic book industry. In addition, the site is host to comic-book fan voted awards...
, Ferrara spoke of his artistic reinterpretation of the classic adult film Debbie Does Dallas, assuring readers that the title is not a comic book format of the adult movie, with the only real similarities between the two being that "Debbie is still a hot blond cheerleader".
In the same interview, Ferrara says he was inspired to get into the comic book industry by such titles as Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal (magazine)
Heavy Metal is an American science fiction and fantasy comics magazine, known primarily for its blend of dark fantasy/science fiction and erotica. In the mid-1970s, while publisher Leonard Mogel was in Paris to jump-start the French edition of National Lampoon, he discovered the French...
, Mad
Mad (magazine)
Mad is an American humor magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952. Launched as a comic book before it became a magazine, it was widely imitated and influential, impacting not only satirical media but the entire cultural landscape of the 20th century.The last...
, Wolverine
Wolverine (comic book)
Wolverine is a number of Marvel Comics comic book series starring the X-Men member Wolverine.-Publication history:The first Wolverine was a limited series written by Chris Claremont with pencils by Frank Miller, inks by Joe Rubinstein, letters by Tom Orzechowski, and colored by Glynis Wein...
and Punisher
Punisher
The Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
from Marvel
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, Lobo and Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
from DC
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, Evil Ernie
Evil Ernie
Evil Ernie is a fictional character, an undead, psychotic killer with his own series, published by Chaos! Comics and Devil's Due Publishing. Originally, Evil Ernie was part of Eternity Comics. He made his debut in December 1991. He was created by writer Brian Pulido and artist Steven Hughes.-...
, The Crow
The Crow
The Crow is a comic book series created by James O'Barr. The series was originally written by O'Barr as a means of dealing with the death of his girlfriend at the hands of a drunk driver. It was later published by Caliber Comics in 1989, becoming an underground success, and later adapted into a...
, The Tick
The Tick
The Tick is a fictional character created by cartoonist Ben Edlund in 1986 as a newsletter mascot for the New England Comics chain of Boston area comic stores. He is an absurdist spoof of comic book superheroes. After its creation, the character spun off into an independent comic book series in...
, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists...
.