March 5, 2003 - Bayport, NY
Crusade Fine Arts presents SHI: HOT TARGET #1

Who is the Hot Target? She's whoever she needs to be.

Meet Maura Stone, LAPD.

Maura is not only on the front lines of the war on crime, she's leading the charge. If there's a spotlight dance, she's the one taking it. She can play soft and sweet. She can play nasty. She can play pretty much any way you need, but she always plays to win.

But her next role may be her last as she tracks down a copycat assassin bent on re-creating the notorious "Shi" killings from New York City. Maura Stone is the Hot Target and she's about to come face-to-face with the killer...and with Shi!

"The world of Maura Stone will unfold in a series of individual episodes that, taken together, allow us into her heart, head and soul," said Billy Tucci, who with writer J.C. Vaughn created HOT TARGET. "A great many strong, intelligent people have issues, problems they think they've dealt with, tribulations they think they've put behind them. Many of those people are wrong. Some of them are the very people who have been tasked with protecting us. She's one of them."

"SHI: HOT TARGET #1 is a one-shot that introduces readers to Maura Stone and some of her supporting cast when a serial killer begins recreating the "Shi" killings depicted in Shi: Way of the Warrior, the original Shi series," Vaughn said. "And yes, Ana Ishikawa plays an important role in the story."

SHI: HOT TARGET #1 is a full-color, regular format one-shot featuring the exciting debut of Maura Stone, created by Billy Tucci and J.C. Vaughn. Scheduled to go on sale in June 2003, this issue will be featured in the April 2003 PREVIEWS from Diamond Comic Distributors.

Tucci is the creator of Crusade's flagship character, Shi, and other properties including VICTORIA CROSS, THE BURNING BLUE and ATOMIKA. He is also an award-winning filmmaker following his writing and directorial debut with some trouble of a SeRRious nature.

Vaughn is the writer of SHI: AKAI, SHI: POISONED PARADISE and SHI: SEMPO. He is also the creator of the private investigator series McCANDLESS & COMPANY. The trade paperback McCANDLESS & COMPANY: CRIME SCENES will be published by Crusade in May.

SHI: HOT TARGET #1 will feature art by Tucci and Marc Sparacio (Shi: Illustrated Warrior). Tucci will provide one cover, with Matt Busch (Stargate SG-1, Battlestar Galactica) providing the other.

More News

About J.C. Vaughn

About Billy Tucci

About Crusade Fine Arts

Media Contacts:
Deborah Tucci
Crusade Fine Arts Ltd.

J.C. Vaughn
K_G_Bird@hotmail.com

Hot Target is © 2003 and ^TM J.C. Vaughn & William Tucci. All rights reserved.