New Yorkers have quickly become “believers” as hordes of SWEETIE’S fans adoringly line up outside the wildly popular lower east side “SWEETIE CANDY VIGILANTE” sweet shop, anxiously waiting to savor the latest delectable SWEET TREAT drop.
“DREC ACTION! NEWS,” the namesake news network of a corporate media conglomerate owned and controlled by the corrupt mayor of NYC crashes the party and quickly gets schooled that it’s impolite to show up without an invite! It’s clear to Candy Wolf, Pixie and Tinsel that the news crew’s objective is to stage an ambush interview with SWEETIE, the Candy Vigilante squad, and their newly minted fans, with the intent of maligning Sweetie and her business on nationally syndicated TV.
At the helm is the mayor’s self-centered, saccharine-laced daughter turned news anchor, Athena Dreck. Acting under direct orders from her love interest, (and Sweetie’s arch-nemesis)—the dour, perpetual schemer, crime lord Bart Volgare—Athena arrives at the shop with camera crew in tow to portray the uplifting sweets as “unhealthy” and “addictive.” Unfazed, our GOOD-natured Sweetie lets the “jelly roll” and flips Athena’s script. Awe-struck and caught in Sweetie’s hypnotic gaze, does Athena believe in her magic? Will she “bite” on Sweetie’s challenge to sample her latest treats while on LIVE TV, inevitably revealing to her viewers if she’s a good witch or a bad witch…?
Will the Mayor and Bart feel the sweet heat of the people? Is Bart’s obsession with Sweetie unjustified? Is her mission to bring the sweetness back to the city a clear and present danger to Volgare’s unsavory power and greed? Much to the displeasure of the salty lords of corruption, something within Sweetie’s delicacies is having an incredibly GOOD impact on the population of NYC, and in the process, she’s becoming more powerful.
Does Sweetie have a kryptonite—and is Bart on the trail of it?
Featuring covers by Jeff Zornow, Chrissie Zullo, Yonami, John John Jesse and Josh Howard—PLUS— FREE MP3 download of the song “The Land of Hatchy Milatchy,” the new single by OSAKA POPSTAR recorded specifically for this series!
SWEETIE CANDY VIGILANTE VOL 2, ISSUE 3 — OUT NOW!
Jun 19 2024
THIS IS FINE… AND DANDY AS CANDY!
Is Pixie questioning a life of candy carnage? Are things all GOOD with Sweetie’s resident ninjette? Is she acting BAD in the name of GOOD? What’s really on her mind as she gazes into the halo of the Strawberry Ice Moon deep in thought? Moon-light on that and more will be shed…
Sweetie calls a company SWEET MEET to update Candy Wolf, Pixie, Hansel and Gretel, Peter Cottontail, Jack Rabbit, and Honey B., (with Gummee Bear and Tinsel joining on video conference), about the GOOD news that business is growing faster than imagined, and plans for the “Fortress of Sweetness” are nearing completion. That’s just Hatchy Milatchy! Soon, the entire world will know the name Sweetie Candy Vigilante!
Also on the agenda, and topping Sweetie’s NAUGHTY LIST, is salty nemesis Bart Volgare. Still reeling from the “Sugartown Showdown,” he confides to his girlfriend that Sweetie’s “fairy tale wash-ups” (as he calls them) wiped out his entire A-Team, leaving him and his now disfigured henchman SUV as the sole survivors. SUV is literally speechless and scarred with a twisted grin on his face, unable to mutter a single word. He’s seen some sh*t!
Turns out Bart’s main squeeze is a high-profile member of the news media, and he’s got a scheme to expose Sweetie on live TV for being more than what she may appear to be on her sugary surface. Tales of bullet eating ice crystal skulls made from magical snow, exploding jellybeans and grenade easter eggs leave his sanity, or at least his sobriety, in question.
The NYPD learns two mysterious uninhabited islands, long since considered abandoned and dangerous, and within eyeshot of NYC’s notorious jail, “Rikers Island,” have recently been purchased from the city by a “private buyer.” Well, well—isn’t that NICE!?
Featuring covers by Ivan Tao, Chad J. Keith, Josh Howard, Thiago Vale and Yonami —PLUS— FREE MP3 download of the song “The Land of Hatchy Milatchy,” the new single by OSAKA POPSTAR recorded specifically for this series.
Now with all cardstock covers too!
THIS ISSUE IS DANDY AS CANDY… DON’T MISS IT!
SWEETIE CANDY VIGILANTE VOL 2, ISSUE 2 — OUT NOW!
Apr 05 2024
STAND AND DELIVER…YOUR HONEY OR YOUR LIFE!
In the wake of the hostile “Sugartown Showdown” street battle, Sweetie and her “swirly pop” formation entourage (Candy Wolf, Pixie Stix, Hansel, Gretel, and the rest of the supernaturals) regroup victorious at the Candy Vigilante factory headquarters in Brooklyn. After getting iced by magic snowball flex and witnessing the grisly fatalities caused by exploding Easter egg grenades, jellybean munitions, and gingerbread jawbreakers, Bart Volgare and his thugs (at least what’s left of them) know one thing is certain: the band is back together!
Rumor has it SUV barely survived the weird trauma, so you might say he has something to smile about — permanently. Sweetie’s arch-nemesis Bart may think he got away, but you don’t really believe she would just let him scurry off like that, do you? Peter Cottontail and Jack Rabbit lament that they didn’t get to take the shot and egg-stinguish him in the name of SWEET revenge when they had the chance, but Sweetie makes it crystal clear she wants Bart alive — at least for now. He knows… something. Plus the bad wolf tower is pinging, and someone’s house is about to be blown down.
Meanwhile, the squad is introduced to Honey B, Sweetie’s youthful beekeeper, who brings stinging news straight from the hive. Someone has been killing Sweetie’s prize bees by chopping off their fuzzy little heads! Could it have anything to do with Sweetie’s latest weapon? The frosted whipped-cream confection called “SweetStuff” is derived from the sweetest, purest, grade-A honey, and for those who are pure of heart, it’s one of the most delectable concoctions you’ll ever taste. To the inherently bad, however, SweetStuff doesn’t taste very SWEET at all — in fact, it melts away your… everything! It liquefies matter into a frosty, glittery goo, right down to the bone! Isn’t that NICE?
Featuring covers by Dean Yeagle, Joe Chiodo, Jeff Zornow, Yonami, Ned Ivory & Josh Howard, the issue also includes FREE MP3 download of “The Land of Hatchy Milatchy,” the new single by OSAKA POPSTAR recorded specifically for this series!
NEW SINGLE BY OSAKA POPSTAR DEBUTS WITH SWEET COMIC BOOK SEQUEL OUT NOW!
Feb 13 2024
The all-new single by Osaka Popstar recorded specifically for the ongoing comic book series, “Sweetie Candy Vigilante” (Dynamite) arrives just in time to start the new year with a resolution to make your life sweeter…
Fronted and produced by longtime Misfits and Ramones collaborator John Cafiero on vocals, Osaka Popstar’s new single, “The Land of Hatchy Milatchy” is being released in conjunction with Vol 2 of the bi-monthly series “Sweetie Candy Vigilante” (available with multiple variant limited edition covers to collect and choose from) via Dynamite Comics, (Game of Thrones, The Boys, Red Sonja, Vampirella, James Bond 007, Barbarella, Disney’s Gargoyles and more).
The new single is available as a FREE MP3 download with purchase of the debut issue of the sequel series “Sweetie Candy Vigilante” Vol 2, #1 and simultaneously available to stream or download on all digital music platforms via the Misfits Records label imprint. In addition to Osaka Popstar frontman and founder John Cafiero on vocals, the new track also features members Dean Rispler (The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black) on guitar and bass and Dennis Diken (The Smithereens) on drums.
The “Sweetie Candy Vigilante” series is a honey-dipped, dark-humor infused horror/fantasy that tells the tale of “Sweetie”, a beautiful, charming, well-meaning, (yet unquestionably unhinged), descendant of the mythological “Candy Man.” Distraught by the blight and decay of her community, Sweetie is hell-bent on enacting a blood-caked, sugar-coated manifesto on society utilizing her other-worldly powers and family proprietary secrets in her quest to make the world a “sweeter” place. Her magical arsenal of hand-crafted confectionary weapons can prove lethal to those who are “naughty,” or deliriously scrumptious (and in some cases, eternally life-changing), for those who are inherently “good.” Through her Candy Vigilante sweet shop factory, discreetly located in the industrial outskirts of Brooklyn, she secretly fights the bad eggs of organized crime with a violently delicious fury and a loyal team of eccentric, super-natural allies who share her passion to make NYC less “salty.”
So, buckle up gumdrop, and make sure you save room for dessert, because it’s not like a little sugar is going to KILL you… RIGHT?
The series, written and created by Suzanne Cafiero and produced and edited by John Cafiero, has been lauded by critics as:
“Picture Willy Wonka directed by Quentin Tarantino and you’re getting warmer” — Comical Opinions
“Like a technicolor grindhouse film… a gory pop-color epic reminiscent of the glory days of Heavy Metal magazine and late-night cult films… endlessly imaginative… one of my favorite series last year and continues being one of the standouts among the avalanche of books coming out each month” — The Comic Book Dispatch
In anticipation of the launch of Vol 2 of the ongoing series, a “Sweetie Candy Vigilante” Trade Paperback is also available now from Dynamite. The trade paperback compiles the first six issues of the series (Volume 1), along with an interview with the creators, a gallery of original series covers by an extensive roster of visual artists, and a free MP3 of Osaka Popstar’s dynamic punk rendering of the Archies’ classic “Sugar, Sugar” (from the band’s “Ear Candy” EP).
ABOUT OSAKA POPSTAR:
Osaka Popstar is the pop-punk multimedia music and art project led by singer/producer John Cafiero, longtime Misfits and Ramones collaborator and platinum selling film and video director. Alongside guest backing band members from the legendary Misfits, Ramones, Black Flag, and more, Cafiero and Osaka Popstar have been met with rave reviews and even been featured on CNN.
SWEETIE CANDY VIGILANTE GETS EVEN SWEETER IN SEQUEL SERIES OUT NOW!
Jan 08 2024
Start the new year with a resolution to make your life SWEETER!
Riding in hot on the heels of a cliffhanger ending—the eagerly anticipated return of Blood! Guts! and a Sugar Rush is here and a brand new chapter in the Sweetie Candy Vigilante saga debuts for fans this February!
Sweetie and her Candy Vigilante squad are back to kick off Volume Two of the SWEET new series with an epic “Sugartown Showdown!” Together with her shape shifting, licorice-loving lycanthrope Candy Wolf and newly “minted” ninjette warrior Pixie Stix, Sweetie faces off against her “salty” arch-nemesis Bart Volgare and his gang of thugs in the icy, snowy streets of New York City with a violently delicious fury.
So, you have chosen salt? So be it! Blood is spilled and lives are changed (including many ended) as an army of fabled supernaturals and sugar-fueled allies hop into action to scramble bad eggs. Candy Wolf shows the crime syndicate soldiers what big teeth he has, while Pixie gives her newly gifted nunchucks a maiden battlefield test-spin, reducing criminal weaponry to molten scrap metal! Sweetie’s signature Jawbreaker gun also resurfaces, armed with delicious new ammo (can’t you just smell the gingerbread?), but not before she unleashes some brand new, sweetly-sinister confections that wash away the naughty and leave a wicked smile on your face—literally! Isn’t that NICE?
What does Bart have to say for himself about the disappearance of Sweetie’s parents? Will a certain super-charged monster truck fueled by ice cream make the scene? When the candy-coated carnage ends, will the bodies be bagged before NYC’s Department of sanitation barrels down the block to do their rounds? Pick up Sweetie Candy Vigilante Vol. 2 #1 and find out, gumdrop!
This debut issue also includes a FREE MP3 download of the song “Hatchy Milatchy,” a new, never before released track by Misfits Records’ power pop-punk rock band Osaka Popstar recorded specifically for this series!
Creator/writer Suzanne Cafiero and Producer/editor John Cafiero, return for this honey-dipped, dark humor-infused horror and fantasy vigilante epic. In addition, the first issue features six stunning covers with Jeff Zornow, Ivan Tao, Josh Howard, Yonami, Ned Ivory, and John John Jesse all contributing options to pick from the metaphorical box of chocolates.
SWEETIE CANDY VIGILANTE ISSUE #6 OUT NOW!
Jun 14 2023
THE SWEETER THE CHERRY, THE JUICIER THE BOMBZ!
HELLO DADDY, HELLO MOM…
SWEETIE’S A GUMM BALLER — DROPPING CHERRY BOMBZ ON NYC!
Goodie gumdrops! It’s the grand opening of the new Sweetie Candy Vigilante sweet shop, fully transformed, with obsessed customers lined-up to be the first to sample the ‘sweet’ new life and meet the CANDY VIGILANTE squad. The adoring crowd, decked out in official Candy Vigilante merch, have come to check out the goods, and hang on to Sweetie’s every word. She is the OG Gumm Baller!
Candy Wolf and Pixie serve-up selfies and autographs for candy-crazed fans; their verified presence on social media has made them instant rock stars. At 1.5 million followers and rapidly growing, Gummee Bear’s online marketing skills bring it like bees to honey—reaching a sweet new global audience with limited edition confectionary drops. Meanwhile, Tinsel has decked the halls of the NYC flagship location to max potential—and it’s time to get LIT!
NYPD forensics conclude the mysterious goo found on the wounds of the headless hoodlum have chemistry consistent with some seriously KILLER cherry juice, and when the homicide division pays a routine visit to the decedent’s last known business address, they find the newly opened sweet shop in its place.
Taken aback by Sweetie’s enchanting presence and unusual, yet charming demeanor, the cops are dealt a cold case of brain freeze, and the start of a major showdown soon follows. This issue goes off like Cherry Bombz … fizzy bang boom!!
Life is SWEET… don’t be salty—get issue #6 of Sweetie Candy Vigilante!
EXCLUSIVE METAL COVERS!
May 07 2023
Our METAL AS F*CK Online Exclusive Editions of Sweetie Candy Vigilante feature an actual aluminum metal cover! These visually stunning, brilliant metal covers provide another dimension to the artwork with vibrant colors and incredible details. Utilizing a long-lasting dye-infused printing process on .020 thick aluminum, it’s the ultimate limited edition enhancement. These super-sweet rare variants are highly limited editions and unavailable anywhere else! Get yours now at Store.SweetieCandyVigilante.com
The NYPD gets a code dead and investigates the case of a headless-hoodlum, only to find a mysterious, gooey, pink substance on the body at the candy-coated crime scene. Meanwhile, Sweetie’s Candy Vigilante have successfully taken back their house and transformed the Ice Cream Bunny to its former glory. Destined to become their new flagship store, it’s soon to bring sweetness back to the city—and currently trending on social media too! Isn’t that nice?
Pixie pledges herself to eternal goodness, and with a sacramental bite of Sweetie’s “sweet tooth,” joins the ranks of immortals. Debuting new threads, and a new signature weapon, the sugar rush has gifted “Sweet P” with the skill, agility, and drip of a ninja warrior.
We get hard-boiled deets on the Peter Cottontail, his hopped-up sidekick Jack Rabbit’s jellybean habit, and a super-charged monster truck—fueled by ice cream. Plus, delve deeper into Sweetie’s mission statement, and the reveal of a speakeasy for the council of immortals. On the salty side, Sweetie’s sworn enemy Bart Volgare and his evil crime syndicate K.Y.E. may think they’ve destroyed the sweetness, but in time, Sweetie and her Candy Vigilante will see to it that all rotten eggs get their JUST DESSERTS!
PREVIEW several pages from the issue online now at BLEEDING COOL!
Also check out a ‘sweet’ REVIEW of the new issue at THE COMIC BOOK DISPATCH who rate the issue a 9 out of 10 and surmise:
“… another fantastic issue of my favorite Dynamite Entertainment series. The art is vibrant, Sweetie and her world are fascinating and always makes you want to see more, and the new characters introduced this issue will make the series even more rich in issues to come. Recommended. 9/10”
Look for Sweetie Candy Vigilante Issue #6 “The Gumm Baller” coming June 21st, 2023!
SWEETIE CANDY VIGILANTE ISSUE #4 OUT NOW!
Feb 08 2023
THIS ISSUE IS A REAL JAWBREAKER… JUST SAYIN’ PA-POP!
IT’S ALL GOING DOWN THE HATCH IN
SWEETIE CANDY VIGILANTE #4: LOST CHERRY…
It’s Pixie’s first day in the weapons room at the Candy Vigilante factory; time to get schooled in the fine art of sugar-fueled firepower! Sweetie unveils the JAWBREAKER, her signature weapon developed for ‘overly chatty’ bad eggs, and things get explosive for Mr. Uh Oh! and Mr. Oh No!-a couple of dummies with rotten DNA who aren’t having a very GOOD day. A mysterious, magical, confectionary potion called ‘Lost Cherry’ is introduced, and Candy Wolf drops sweet knowledge on Pixie about Super Naturals and Immortal beings. Meanwhile, if you think bringing a gun to an axe fight is a GOOD idea, think again. Sweetie’s immortal allies, witch-hunting duo assassins, Hansel and Gretel, come prepared. Will it be a BAD decision for Skurvy, the ‘former’ proprietor of the Ice Cream Bunny? Will the low-life crime syndicate solider remain sweet-tempered, or lose his head, and his bar, in the process? Just sayin’ pa POP! Get ready to raise a glass and kick some ass, it’s all going down the hatch in Sweetie Candy Vigilante #4: Lost Cherry.
Look for Sweetie to return in Issue #5 on April 5th, 2023!
NEW SCV “LOST CHERRY” TEE FEATURING ARTWORK BY GODMACHINE
Feb 07 2023
Sweetie Candy Vigilante Issue #4 “Lost Cherry” is OUT NOW and to celebrate we’ve dropped this All-New Tee featuring the variant cover art created for the issue by Godmachine.
