BOOM! Studios will begin a bold new era of Power Rangers comics with its upcoming Power Rangers Prime, and now we’ve got our first look at the series with a full trailer and preview of Power Rangers Prime #1. Power Rangers Darkest Hour writer Melissa Flores has teamed up with artist Michael YG (Iron Fist), colorist Fabi Marques, and letterer Ed Dukeshire for a new chapter in the Power Rangers saga that is also the perfect starting point for new fans, though longtime fans will see some of their favorites in the mix as well. You can watch the full trailer in the video above, and you can get a look at what this new era holds in the preview below.

A New World

As you can see in the preview, the first character we meet is Mark Zhao, who is just taking out the trash when he discovers someone in the dumpster hiding. That person looks to be a certain Lauren Shiba of Power Rangers Samurai, but she’s in pretty bad shape and asks for help, and Mark shuts the door when some soldiers approach. After getting them to leave there are two prevailing questions to answer, including who this person is and how to help her without getting caught.

We then move to Angel Grove University to a classroom where Mark is asked a question about his experience as a refugee to Earth. We get a glimpse of that journey but Professor Barall doesn’t make him continue. Barall, who is Eltarian, instead moves to another Eltarian student named Jun, asking him about how he came to Earth. Jun reveals he was born here and then goes into how the Eltarians first came into contact with Earth and humanity.

They first met 70 years ago after Earth was invaded by the Beast Brigade of Gamma VII, which was also humanity’s first contact with alien lifeforms. As the self-appointed protectors of the known universe, The Eltarians stepped in and helped Earth repel the invasion, and this new alliance benefited Earth with technology and advancements that would have taken centuries to achieve on their own. That’s the story we get from this angle anyway, so it will be interesting to see if that holds up under further scrutiny as the series plays out.

What Is Power Rangers Prime?

Power Rangers concluded its eight-year comics run with the big finale to Darkest Hour, and Prime is the beginning of a brand-new story that will still work in some of the legends of the past. You can find the official description for Power Rangers Prime #1 below.

POWER RANGERS is BACK and better than ever! Angel Grove University students face a difficult choice after crossing paths with a fugitive straight out of legend. The consequences for hiding her are dire…but her existence may not stay secret for long.

In the wake of Darkest Hour, prepare yourself for a bold new era and a brand-new story unlike anything that’s come before! A perfect “Day One” jumping on point for new readers and old fans alike!

“With Power Rangers Prime, we’re bringing the comics into a reimagined world! Familiar characters and settings will pop up in unexpected ways, but this is an all-new adventure – a crazy journey I can’t wait to share with you that beats with the heart of what it means to be a Power Ranger,” Flores said. “With designs by Dan Mora and art by the incredible Michael Yg, honestly I’m just blown away and so thankful to be a part of it!”

Power Rangers Prime #1 will feature a main cover by Dan Mora, with variants by Doaly (Radiant Black), Juni Ba (The Boy Wonder), InHyuk Lee (Mighty Morphin), Bon Bernardo (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), Joëlle Jones (Catwoman) with Jordie Bellaire, and Rafael Albuquerque (American Vampire). You can find the full rundown of the covers available below.

• Power Rangers Prime #1 A Main: SEP240015
• Power Rangers Prime #1 B Variant: SEP240016
• Power Rangers Prime #1 C Spoiler Variant: SEP240017
• Power Rangers Prime #1 D Foil Stamp Variant: SEP240018
• Power Rangers Prime #1 E Blank Sketch Variant: JUL247380
• Power Rangers Prime #1 F 1:10 INCV: SEP240019
• Power Rangers Prime #1 G 1:25 INCV: SEP240020
• Power Rangers Prime #1 H 1:50 INCV Foil Stamp Variant: SEP240021
• Power Rangers Prime #1 I 1:75 INCV: SEP240022
• Power Rangers Prime #1 J 1:100 INCV: SEP240023
• Power Rangers Prime #1 K FOC Reveal Variant: SEP240024
• Power Rangers Prime #1 L Unlockable Variant: SEP240025

Power Rangers Prime #1 hits comic stores on November 13th.

Are you excited for Power Rangers Prime? You can talk all things Power Rangers with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post Power Rangers Prime Trailer and Preview Reveals First Look at Bold New Era appeared first on ComicBook.com.

BOOM! Studios brought its celebrated Power Rangers saga to an epic close in Darkest Hour, and fans have been wondering what the future might hold for the franchise. Now BOOM! Studios has pulled back the curtain to reveal what that new era will be, and it will be known as Power Rangers Prime. At the helm of this new series will be writer Melissa Flores (Power Rangers, Dead Lucky) and artist Michael Yg (Iron Fist), and they will be leading the Rangers into a bold new era that isn’t bound by the same rules or history as Power Rangers stories that have come before. Fans can experience this new adventure when Power Rangers Prime hits comic stores on November 13th, and you can check out a full preview of the new series on the next slide.

Familiar Faces, New Ideas

As you can see in the cover and the preview, there are still Rangers around, but the circumstances and world they find themselves in have been shaken up. That’s because Prime spirals into new directions after the world forever changed with Darkest Hour, and nothing and no one is off limits. You can find the official description for Power Rangers Prime below.

“Power Rangers is BACK and better than ever! Angel Grove University students face a difficult choice after crossing paths with a fugitive straight out of legend. The consequences for hiding her are dire… but her existence may not stay secret for long. In the wake of Darkest Hour, prepare yourself for a bold new era and a brand new story unlike anything that’s come before! A perfect ‘Day One’ jumping on point for new readers and old fans alike!”

A New Era

“With Power Rangers Prime, we’re bringing the comics into a reimagined world! Familiar characters and settings will pop up in unexpected ways, but this is an all-new adventure – a crazy journey I can’t wait to share with you that beats with the heart of what it means to be a Power Ranger,” said long time Power Rangers scribe, Melissa Flores. “With designs by Dan Mora and art by the incredible Michael Yg, honestly I’m just blown away and so thankful to be a part of it!”

“What did I do to deserve drawing a Power Rangers book? Seriously! Back in the 90s, kids of my age in China got only a handful of American shows and cartoons and they were simply priceless! We’d rush back home from school to catch them regardless how pissed our parents were for not spending the time studying. But I had no regrets, because Power Rangers was one of the best,” said Power Rangers Prime series artist, Micahel Yg. “Now, not only am I drawing it, but the book is also written by the unbelievably talented Melissa Flores, and designed by Dan Mora, one of my favorite artists out there these days that I look up to. So it is for the team, for my younger self, and most importantly for you, that I’m putting my absolute heart and soul into this book! I can’t wait for you to read it.”

“Power Rangers is an integral part of BOOM! Studios’ DNA, and in the wake of the finale of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, we were never going to stop telling new and exciting ongoing stories,” said Power Rangers Editor, Allyson Gronowitz. “Melissa and Michael are putting together the most ambitious, ongoing Power Rangers story yet. It’s a brand-new era, a brand-new story, and I hope you all come along for the ride!”

Power Rangers Prime #1 will feature a main cover by franchise favorite Dan Mora, and will feature gorgeous variants by Juni Ba (The Boy Wonder), InHyuk Lee (Mighty Morphin), Bon Bernardo (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), Joëlle Jones (Catwoman), Rafael Albuquerque (American Vampire), and more. Power Rangers Prime #1 hits comic stores on November 13th, and is available to pre-order at your local comic store now.

Are you excited for Power Rangers Prime? You can talk all things Power Rangers and comics with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

Main Cover By Dan Mora

Variant Cover By Juni Ba

Variant Cover By Bon Bernardo

Variant Cover By Doaly

Variant Cover By Jordie Bellair

Variant Cover By Rafael Albuquerque

Grid of Possibilities

Welcome to New Eltar

Time to Get Serious

Close Call

Let the Sword do the Talking

The post Power Rangers Steps Into New Comics Era with Power Rangers Prime #1 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After an 8-year journey that set a quite high bar for what Power Rangers could be and the stories it could tell, it’s finally time to bring that larger-than-life saga to an end. That conclusion occurs in the much anticipated Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1, and it was never going to be easy landing this eight-year flight in a truly satisfying way. That said, the team of Melissa Flores, Simona Di Gianfelice, Raul Angulo, Jose Enrique Fernandez, Ed Dukeshire, and editors Allyson Gronowitz and Kenzie Rzonca managed to somehow make that happen while also delivering a few unexpected moments that will undoubtedly stay with you, especially if you’ve been here since the beginning.

The Darkest Hour

The Rangers have continued to find ways to survive against ever-mounting odds, and while there have been moments of hope throughout “Darkest Hour,” there hasn’t been all that much in the way of momentum for the good guys in quite some time. That’s part of what makes Darkest Hour #1 work on a few different levels, with one being the simple ability to cheer on some wins and take a deep breath as the finale moves toward its epic close. There’s also a payoff in regards to the sheer grit of every Ranger left standing, who despite the lack of light at the end of that tunnel never hesitate to keep moving forward.

That’s not applicable if the challenge feels easily overcome, and that’s been far from the case throughout the series. At every turn, it seems the Rangers are confronted with another problem and fewer resources to fix said problem, and those stakes and the tension that tags along feel rewarded when the Rangers finally close some of those loops. 

Decisions Matter

That brings us to the other rather unexpected element throughout the finale, and there will likely be some that come away mixed on this. A prevalent theme throughout these past few issues of Power Rangers and especially in Darkest Hour #1 is the meaning of consequences and the ripple effects every action ultimately has on the world. Whether large or small, those ripple effects matter, and no matter the intent, any action will carry its own consequences, positive or negative. If you expected every arc and story built to this point to be left in a satisfying place, I think you’ll be in for a shock, and not necessarily a negative one.

In fact, it’s part of what has stuck with me most since first reading the issue. Not everyone makes it, and even those that do are left changed in significant ways. Certain character arcs are brought to their conclusion in a fashion that evades the happily ever after of it all, and that might not be the ending some had hoped for. All that said, for me that’s part of why it all works. When consequences feel real, decisions have weight, making those crossroad moments feel earned, especially when they live in the grey. Billy and Zordon are a perfect example, as not all of Billy’s choices have paid off on the road here, and despite how things may turn out, there is real fallout that can’t be magically fixed.

By the way, don’t fret in the slightest, as while I prattle on about internal conflicts and big decisions, there are a ton of delightful action sequences throughout the issue that will feel bigger than life. It never gets old seeing eras of different Rangers portal through to join the battle, and special props for allowing Baboo, Squatt, and Goldar to pilot a Zord. I’d watch a half-hour sitcom of that on its own. I’d be remiss not to give some praise to an outstanding morphing sequence in the issue’s second half as well. It’s gorgeous, as are several other moments away from the battlefield (or at times still on it) that once again highlight the interpersonal relationships that have helped make this series such a dream for fans of the franchise.

End of an Era

It’s not perfect, though many of the issues are connected to the practicalities of space and real estate. There just seems to be too much to address and wrap up in one issue, even if it is 40 pages. While many of the key characters in this chapter of the story get a moment or two, there also seems to be a lot left on the table, and it’s a quick jump from the climax of the battle to the ending and resetting of a status quo. There just isn’t enough space to move through the world and explore how this really affected everyone, with the exception of one or two conversations. The ones that are there are fantastic mind you, but I did find myself wanting to see more of them.

That brings me to the ending, and as previously mentioned, I love that it takes the world and everything done within its parameters seriously. There are consequences to what has come before, and it’s happened to stick with me quite a bit. I love where we leave things, even though I clearly have questions. There’s a bit of melancholy to the finale that I didn’t expect, but the willingness to explore moments of complexity is part of the indelible mark the comics have made on the franchise, and with one era now behind us, here’s to what the future holds.

Published by Boom Studios

Written by Melissa Flores

Art by Simona Di Gianfelice

Colors by Raul Angulo and Jose Enrique Fernandez

Letters by Ed Dukeshire

Cover by Taurin Clarke

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The final chapter of BOOM! Studios’ The Amory Wars saga is well underway, and we’ve got a first look at the anticipated Amory Wars: No World For Tomorrow #4. The Amory Wars is the hit series from creator and Coheed and Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez, writer Chondra Echert, artist Guillaume Martinez, colorist Valentina Bianconi, and letterer Taylor Esposito (Ghost Glyph Studios), and No World For Tomorrow is a perfect hopping on point for new fans. Longtime fans will also find a lot to love, and in issue #4 major revelations of the Mage War are brought to light that will change Claudio’s world and outlook. You can check out the full preview of Amory Wars: No World For Tomorrow #4 on the next slide. You can also find the official description below.

What Is Amory Wars: No World For Tomorrow #4 About?

“In the thrilling fourth issue of the epic return and conclusion of The Amory Wars, Chase and Claudio learn secrets of the Mage War, hidden truth from the past not told in history books! Meanwhile, grim tidings and monstrous battles ensue, and renegade efforts will cause a disruption unlike any other…”

No World For Tomorrow #4 will feature a main cover by Gianluca Gugliotta as well as variant covers by Jonathan Wayshak (The Scumbag) and Annie Wu (Two Graves). The Amory Wars: Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV (Vol. II) – No World For Tomorrow #4 will hit comic stores on August 14th, and is available for pre-order at your local comic store and digital storefronts like Kindle, iBooks, and Google Play.

The Final Chapter

“I’m very excited to share the final installment of the Coheed and Cambria portion of the Amory Wars. The adventure gets quite wild when Chase and The Crowing have control of the Willing Well and the outcome feels very rewarding.” said The Amory Wars author and Coheed and Cambria frontman, Claudio Sanchez.

“The passion and excitement everyone has shown me since I was announced to be drawing this series has endeared me to the diehard Amory Wars fans. I promise I won’t let you down with my work on this series!” added artist Guillaume Martinez.

You can check out the full preview on the next slide, and you can read the full issue when it hits stores on August 14th.

Main Cover By Gianluca Gugliotta

Variant Cover By Jonathan Wayshak

Variant Cover By Annie Wu

Variant Cover (2) By Jonathan Wayshak

Not Dead

We’re Clear

The Mage War

An Unfortunate Discovery

Now That You Mention It

The post BOOM! Studios Reveals First Look Preview of Amory Wars: No World For Tomorrow #4 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

San Diego Comic-Con is right around the corner, but BOOM! Studios has some big news to share ahead of the fan-favorite event. Today ComicBook has your exclusive first look at the new creator-owned seriesVicarious, which features the dream team of writer Ryan Parrott (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, The Infernals) and Eleonora Carlini (Go Go Power Rangers, Backways). Vicarious is a new sci-fi neo-noir thriller about a 20-something burnout named Justin who finds himself making a life in the secretive and at times dangerous world of Proxies, who allow the rich to access their feelings and experiences through a special implant. You can check out a full preview of the new series on the next slide, and the series will hit comic stores this October.

“There are some ideas that get stuck in your head and you just keep coming back to them over and over again,” said series writer and co-creator Ryan Parrott. “What would it be like to be able to see through someone else’s eyes and feel what they feel? How would that kind of technology change the world? Who would use it, who wouldn’t and why? It was just a notion when I first pitched it to BOOM! Studios, but with their guidance and Eleonora Carlini’s amazing artwork, Vicarious has turned into a sexy, futuristic neo-noir that deals with identity, duality and the value of our lives and experiences.”

“The idea that someone can live and see through my eyes fascinates and disturbs me at the same time and Ryan was able to tell it very well!” said series artist and co-creator Eleonora Carlini. “Kept these feelings in mind and I pushed the aesthetics into grotesque and linear graphic codes, trying to give the pages a freshness and the immediacy that could give the sensation of a trip into another person’s experience.”

What is Vicarious About?

Justin is your average 20-something burnout – no real connections with anyone or prospects on his horizon. But, after a dangerous encounter reveals itself as a fortuitous opportunity, Justin finds just what his life has been missing in the secret world of Proxies – young, attractive, ambitious hustlers like himself who allow the rich access to their feelings and experiences through a cutting edge technological implant. Does Justin have what it takes to make it in this seductive new world?

Vicarious #1 will feature a main cover by Dan Panosian (Alice Never After) and variant covers by Reiko Murakami (Ghostlore) and Rebeca Puebla (Dejah Thoris). You can pick up Vicarious from your local comic store on October 16th, and the book is available for pre-order now.

Are you excited for Vicarious? You can talk all things comics with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

Main Cover By Dan Panosian

Variant Cover By Reiko Murakami

Variant Cover By Rebeca Puebla

Making Modifications

See What You See

A True Chameleon

Not Everyone’s a Fan

The post BOOM! Studios Reveals First Look at Sci-Fi Noir Thriller Vicarious (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

2024 is now more than halfway over, and the past six months have already brought some surprising pieces of art. That has especially been true in the world of comics, with ongoing series, limited runs, graphic novels, and so much more impacting readers in new ways. 

ComicBook has made a habit of highlighting some of the best installments, both through our “Weekly Pull” recommendations as well as our comprehensive reviews for each week of new releases. But as we have now reached the midway point for the year, we wanted to spotlight the titles published so far this year that have already caught our attention. If you’re looking for a series to dive into in the second half of 2024, our staff has narrowed down the best titles of the year (so far). Keep scrolling to check out our picks.

Barda (DC)

Jack Kirby’s Fourth World remains one of the most profound and bizarre things to come out of the past near-century of superhero comics. An ambitious and kinetic sci-fi world that doubles as a fable for fascism and injustice, there have been countless attempts (and not as many successes) to carry the torch in the decades since. Enter Ngozi Ukazu’s Barda, one of the newest of DC’s young adult graphic novels, which perfectly captures what the New Gods can mean in our modern moment. After building a following with her delightful hockey romance webcomic Check, Please, Ukazu lends her adorable but complex creativity to the coming-of-age story of a young Big Barda, and her star-crossed love story with Scott Free. Few stories I’ve read or watched this year have stayed with me quite like Barda has, and I have a feeling this book will become a bonafide classic. Luckily, we’re already getting a sequel. — Jenna Anderson

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (IDW)

Patrick Horvath’s series does the impossible, blending the sensibilities of Richard Scarry’s Busytown with the grisly horror elements of Dexter. On paper it sounds like peanut butter and sardines, but in execution it’s a deviously clever concoction that has given us one of the most unique and inventive stories of the past year. Horvath, who writes and draws the series, has crafted a world that is fully realized, with both pockets that it thrives in feeling hospitable towards narrative. The “friendly animals that wear clothes and work jobs” side of the series is charming and sweet; while the serial killer element is thrilling, dark, and twisted. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees is like a magic trick, and I don’t want to know how it works. — Spencer Perry

Birds of Prey (DC)

Every comic fan has that one character or one corner of canon that makes their heart sing. The kind of story premise that, through both the foundational issues and the issues better left forgotten, still evokes a unique sense of excitement and pride. For me, that has always been DC’s Birds of Prey, and the recent ongoing run has felt like a physical manifestation of how I see the team in my head. Less than a year into its run, Kelly Thompson’s scripts continue to spin a lovely yarn of team dynamics and bizarre threats, which harken back to the team’s original days as a globetrotting outfit. The title’s array of artists continue to draw swoon-worthy interpretations of the book’s heroines, with Jordie Bellaire’s color work delivering a timeless and rich visual language throughout. Birds of Prey crackles with electricity in an ever-growing number of ways, and here’s hoping the series’ journey has only just begun. — Jenna Anderson

Blow Away (BOOM! Studios)

A compelling mystery that is not only rich and interesting on its own merit, but one made more intriguing by the environment in which it is set and the layers of the character central to it, Blow Away has easily been the most compelling comic I’ve read thus far in 2024. Just three issues in (to date) and not only is it a possible murder mystery, but a story of culture clash, one’s past (potentially) coming back to haunt them, and the mysteries of self as well. Layer it with art that fully captures the desolate arctic environment and you have a story that feels like a prestige television thriller — just one you can savor page by page. — Nicole Drum

Enfield Gang Massacre (Image)

The last issue of The Enfield Gang Massacre was released just days into 2024 and, y’know what? That’s good enough for me to list it as one of the best series of the year (so far). Criminally underrated during last year’s comics awards season, Condon and Phillips combined for one of the best western stories ever told in the medium. Though a spinoff of That Texas Blood, no knowledge of the series is needed for this darn-tootin’ good time. — Adam Barnhardt

Feral (Image)

After the success of Stray Dogs, expectations were high for the team’s new series Feral, and despite the steep expectations, the series had no issues clearing the bar. Tony Fleecs, Trish Forster, Tone Rodriguez, and Brad Simpson picked up right where they left off, hitting fans with an emotional and tension riddled story that follows a family of cats through a rabies epidemic. The artwork’s vintage animation aesthetic consistently stuns, as do the myriad of heart wrenching moments and brutal twists along the way. It’s not just the circumstances that are challenging however, as the relationships and history between the characters add even more intricacies and richness to the story at play. Feral had a tough act to follow, but followed one hit with another one, and it deserves all the praise. — Matthew Aguilar

John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America (DC)

Spurrier and Campbell are producing the best Hellblazer comics of the 21st century in this sequel to John Constantine: Hellblazer, delivering incisive political critiques and deranged concepts in a viscerally modern style. Their second collaboration on the character shifts Constantine’s focus from Britain’s shambling post-Brexit experience to the American landscape in a roadtrip across the country. Each issue reveals new settings, terrors, and mythology that connect the United States’ present moment with its own history (and that of many DC figures) without ever becoming didactic. Instead, it emphasizes the humanity of deeply flawed characters, whether it’s the reliable bastard Constantine himself or barely-glimpsed ghosts on the southern border. Campbell’s vision of the horrors haunting America linger just on the fringes of reality, inspiring greater fear in the ambiguity as the horrors they represent require no supernatural elements. By emphasizing their own perspective and style, Spurrier and Campbell have recaptured the electric spirit that made Hellblazer one of DC Comics’ best series of the late 20th century; there’s no nostalgia required, though. — Chase Magnett

The Last Mermaid (Image)

It’s always challenging for a new series to break through the sheer amount of competition present on store shelves, especially when it’s tied to an original IP. That makes what The Last Mermaid has accomplished even more impressive, as writer and artist Derek Kirk Kim has crafted a truly dazzling world that feels wholly unique amongst anything else in comics. At times the dialogue is as sparse as the dystopian landscape that surrounds the book’s main hero, and yet there’s never any loss of immersion or investment. The storytelling, visuals, and pacing have been exceptional from the very first page, and the mysteries of this world and our lead only become more captivating as her journey moves forward. Put simply, The Last Mermaid is hands down one of the best books of the year, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. — Matthew Aguilar

Local Man (Image)

The “Image Era” of the 1990s remains one of the most beloved, yet polarizing, chapters in American mainstream comics. Regardless of how you feel about the time’s exaggerated proportions and radical gimmicks, there is something for you to love within Image’s Local Man. Now in its second year, Tim Seeley and Tony Fleec’s story of a washed-up superhero’s second act continues to surprise, while being both reverential and honest about the good and bad of the ’90s glory days. While there have been many pastiches and parodies of superhero trends, none have taken shape in such a wacky-yet-heart-wrenching way quite like Local Man, and our current comics moment is better for it. — Jenna Anderson

Mary Tyler Moorehawk (Top Shelf)

Dave Baker’s Mary Tyler Moorehawk is the kind of art that demands you pay attention to it. The story, on the surface, follows two tracks: a comic book starring a young adventurer in the Jonny Quest vein and her eccentric friends and foes; and the story of a man obsessed with the TV show based on that comic. Mary Tyler Moorehawk is much more than the sum of those parts, though; it’s a love letter to, and dissection of, comic books, television, popular culture, fandom, and nostalgia. The worlds of both the Mary Tyler Moorehawk comic and The Physicalist — a magazine for collectors, published in an era where owning things is almost completely outlawed — are so fully fleshed out, that it almost feels like either one could be excised and still leave the reader with a compelling reading experience. It’s blending them, and using them to comment on one another, that makes the book a masterpiece. The book leaves you with a million unanswered questions about one-off characters seen in a single panel, or footnotes of a 50-word story funny enough to be its own stand-alone tale. A clever blend of comics, prose, and photos, Mary Tyler Moorehawk is smart, creative, fun, and like nothing else you’ll read this year. — Russ Burlingame

The One Hand and The Six Fingers (Image)

What Ram V, Laurence Campbell, Dan Watters, Sumit Kumar, and company have done with the intertwined The One Hand and The Six Fingers series is the most ambitious and impressive experiment I’ve seen in mainstream monthly comics this year. Reading the debut issue of The One Hand, one might come away thinking that this is a murder mystery. After all, it is a pitch-perfect piece of noir. But then that reader – if they were wise – would pick up The Six Fingers #1, which goes beyond revealing who the murderer is, telling the second half of the story from his perspective. But this isn’t a play on Rashomon. There are no conflicting narratives. The events are never in question, and the protagonists of the two series are apart far more often than they’re together. What The One Hand and The Six Fingers build to is the revelation that both characters, both series, are investigating the same mystery, looking for the answers to questions about their very existence and the world they live in. The One Hand and The Six Fingers do not tell the story of a killer and the dogged police detective hunting him down. It’s a pursuit of purpose and a question of whether it’s worth having one, and the struggle for answers will leave readers gasping. — Jamie Lovett

Rare Flavours (BOOM! Studios)

Ram V. and Filipe Andrade craft transcendent comics. Rare Flavours, their first work to follow the superb The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, offers readers a tale of food, Indian mythology, and culture that makes the wondrous seem approachable and the simple seem extraordinary. The story centers on Mo, an aspiring filmmaker ready to give up, and Rubin, an ancient rakshasa seeking to share his love for cooking (and perhaps eat a few cooks). Each issue centers upon a new dish along their travelog exploring the ingredients, history, preparation, and meaning embedded in each one. In turn, these dishes expose who both Mo and Rubin are, while drawing readers in to consider their own connection with a fundamentally life-giving artform as old as any in human history. Andrade’s lines and colors work wonders in transforming simple plates into splendid sights and lending terrifying myths a thread of humanity. There’s a universal sense of beauty to both the presentation and themes filling Rare Flavours that is bound to fill readers’ hearts before they seek to fill their stomachs. — Chase Magnett

Resurrection of Magneto (Marvel)

There are few more compelling, complex, and conflicted character in the Marvel Universe than Magneto. It seemed he’d be on the shelf for a while after his dramatic sacrifice during the Judgment Day event, but with a line-wide reset looming, Al Ewing and Luciano Vecchio took on the task of bringing the master of magnetism back from the dead in Resurrection of Magneto. While resurrection stories are common in modern superhero comics, they often amount of little more than a return to action. Said hero was on the injured list for a while, but not they’re back in fighting form. Resurrection of Magneto is much more than that. It is a true rebirth, offering a look at Magneto’s entire history without shying away from its ties to horrific real-world events or the character’s fictional history of terrible deeds often done with noble intentions. In illuminating these aspects of Magneto’s character alongside the causes he has rightly championed and the lives he has sometimes saved, Ewing and Vecchio managed to keep the complexities that Magneto as enthralling as he is while letting the character evolve in a meaningful way, finally realizing that it is not enough to fight against the oppression of one group when you have the power to fight for the rights of all groups. Magneto has never been brighter. — Jamie Lovett

Spectregraph (DSTLRY)

The fact that James Tynion IV’s Spectregraph only has two issues to its name as of the writing of this recommendation should be all the proof that you need that this horror comic has the goods. Ghosts and the supernatural on their own are always a nice spooky addition to any horror story, but Spectregraph has far more than the great beyond to make it well worthy of a recommend. The “clicking tock” element of the series is one that makes you so uncomfortable that the sense of dread simply cannot be denied. I found myself wincing from the opening pages and it’s an uneasiness that stays with you as you turn each page. Christian Ward’s art is perfect here, displaying darkness in a way that engulfs the panels and has you jumping at fictional corners throughout. Wherever Spectregraph goes with its story, it easily is already one of 2024’s best. — Evan Valentine

Superman (DC)

Superman hit the ground running with a stellar relaunch in 2023, and no one would be surprised to see a slight dip in quality as the series entered a new year. Thankfully that couldn’t be further from the case, as Joshua Williamson, Bruno Redondo, Adriano Lucas, and Ariana Maher jumped to the Wild West for a Marilyn Moonlight adventure and then spun right back into a thrilling battle with Pharm and Graft that shifted right into the epic events of “House of Brainiac”. At every step of the way the relationships and conflicts between the cast were paid off and evolved as the macro level events continued to spiral, rewarding longtime fans but never leaving the who might be willing to jump on in the dust. “House of Brainiac” only furthered this idea, shaking up the status quo in huge ways but still finding time along the way to pay off the work and investment Williamson has made in the cast since the very first issue. Superman hasn’t been this good in ages, and I can only hope this era doesn’t end anytime soon. — Matthew Aguilar

Ultimate Spider-Man (Marvel)

I feel exceedingly lucky to have received not one, but two volumes of Ultimate Spider-Man that align with my own state of life. Whereas the original emphasized the adolescent experience at the turn of the century, this one radically reimagines Peter Parker’s life approaching middle age with all of its mundane trappings when he receives great power. While so many of the characters and concepts are familiar, the mythology is constructed to consider adult responsibilities. The result is a smashing success. Peter’s struggles at work and with his family are essential, addressing universal themes of maturity much like Ditko, Romita, and Lee addressed them for adolescence so long ago. Questions, anxieties, and existential dread tied into uncertain futures dominated by men hidden in smoke-filled rooms serve to provide an outlet for very terrifying realities. Meanwhile, all of the thrills of great Spidey comics are maintained with soap operatic networks of characters and absolutely stunning action sequences drawn by Marco Checchetto. It could be a purely visceral delight, but when combined with its updated perspective transcends to contemplate the realities of power and responsibility for those raised with Spider-Man’s story in 2024. — Chase Magnett

Universal Monsters: Creature From the Black Lagoon Lives! (Image)

Dan Watters and Ram V are slowly establishing themselves as some of the best horror writers in the industry, and their attachment to Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! instantly made it a must-read series. When you add in art from Matthew Roberts that is both moody and atmospheric, it’s the perfect touch for a classic licensed character such as the Creature. Between this and Dracula, this round of Skybound Universal Monsters titles ain’t your momma’s licensed comics. — Adam Barnhardt

Wesley Dodds: The Sandman (DC)

It’s easy to become jaded and bored with superhero comics. There are many, and too few do enough to distinguish themselves from the crowd. But occasionally, a superhero comic will remind us that the genre is – or can be, at least – good. How do you stand out in the crowded superhero field? One way is by getting an incomparable artist like Riley Rossmo aboard, who has long gone under-celebrated, is one way. His artwork in Wesley Dodds: The Sandman, with its fluid lines and Will Eisner-like touches, will leave a lasting impression. Another is to offer a hero stronger in his convictions than his fighting abilities. Robert Venditti wrote a superhero story that sidesteps the gross “might makes right” philosophy that often underpins such stories and avoids the hollow “we don’t kill our enemies, lest we become as bad as them” mantra entirely.  Wesley Dodds is a pacifist. He’s not perfect in his practice but suffers viscerally in pursuit of that ideal. Told against the ominous backdrop of a country on the precipice of war, Wesley Dodds: The Sandman proved to be a surprising delight from start to finish. — Jamie Lovett

W0rldtr33 (Image)

When it comes to horror in comics, the current master might just be James Tynion IV. WorldTR33 is a gripping thriller by Tynion and artist Fernando Blanco that takes elements from Stephen King’s IT and Sandra Bullock’s The Net to get under the skin of our current internet-addicted generation. Compelling characters, extremely high stakes, and skin-crawling creatures help to push the “Undernet’s” story to the next level month after month. There is no other book on the market today quite like WorldTR33 and if you’re a horror fan, this is a series that demands your attention by introducing slick new concepts and modern day horror perfect for our generation. — Evan Valentine

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ComicBook can report that comic book publisher BOOM! Studios has been acquired by Penguin Random House in a major shake-up for the comics world. This marks the latest behind-the-scenes change for BOOM! since the company’s founding in 2005. More recently, 20th Century Fox purchased minority stake in the publisher in 2017, after they held the company’s first-look deal for several years. That ownership later carried over to The Walt Disney Company following their 2019 acquisition of Fox’s assets.

In recent years, Penguin Random House has become a growing player in the comics industry, handling distribution and marketing for DC and direct market distribution for Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, and more. 

It is unclear how this deal affects BOOM!’s distribution deal with Diamond Comics Distributors, nor is it clear if layoffs are coming for the employees of the publisher. But ComicBook.com has learned that today, July 10th, is the last day of Filip Sablik, the President of Publishing and Marketing at BOOM! Studios.

This story is developing and will be updated as we learn more.

What Comics Does BOOM! Studios Publish?

Founded by Ross Richie and Andrew Cosby in 2005, BOOM! Studios has become a unique facet of the comics and graphic novel industry, publishing a wide array of concepts. This has included licensed franchises like Power Rangers, Magic: The Gathering, Dune, Firefly, Adventure Time, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The publisher has also produced a number of original hits, including Something Is Killing the Children, Lumberjanes, Slam!, Keanu Reeves’ Brzrkr, and Damn Them All. BOOM! currently has four different imprints — Boom!, KaBoom!, Archaia, and Boom! Box.

Is Netflix Working with BOOM!?

In 2020, it was announced that BOOM! would have a first-look deal with Netflix, with the company bringing on former Marvel Television executive Mark Ambrose to spearhead things. This has led to the recent David Fincher movie The Killer, as well as planned adaptations of Something Is Killing the Children and BRZRKR.

“It is exciting to have a seasoned veteran TV exec from the biggest comic book publisher, Marvel Entertainment, who supervised and launched shows with the biggest streamer, come over to BOOM! to build a deep, engaging slate with his former stomping grounds, Netflix,” said BOOM! Founder and CEO Ross Richie. “This is exactly what we need to get to the next level and strengthen what was already an aggressive translational strategy. Mark was one of the executives at 20th Century Fox Television who supervised our TV deal so he knows what it’s like to be on the studio side. He translated comics into TV shows multiple times successfully at Marvel. Mark checks the boxes for us in many many categories and Stephen and I are thrilled to have him onboard.”

“I have had tremendous respect for the brand that Ross and Stephen have built at Boom since we first began working together during my time at 20th,” said Ambrose. “As a comic fan, I’ve watched this company consistently release groundbreaking books from the most highly sought-after writers and artists in the industry. I could not be more excited about the opportunity to work with this talented group of people, and to have a chance to collaborate again with the great team at Netflix through our first-look deal.”

The post BOOM! Studios Acquired by Penguin Random House appeared first on ComicBook.com.

BOOM! Studios will have a special surprise for fans at San Diego Comic-Con, and we’ve got all the exclusive details. Later this year Jeff Lemire will introduce fans to the world of Minor Arcana, and Lemire couldn’t be more excited about the series. The series will kick off on September 4th, but fans will actually have the chance to purchase a Minor Arcana Ashcan at San Diego Comic-Con. Throughout the show, fans can stop by Booth #22229 and pick up the Ashcan, which will feature an extended first look at Minor Arcana #1 as well as an exclusive Tarot variant cover by Lemire, and you can check out the new cover below.

The SDCC-exclusive Ashcan will feature the gorgeous cover you see above, and it will also feature rounded corners to go along with the Tarot theme. Lemire will also be at the show to sign them, and you can pick up the exclusive Ashcan at the BOOM! Studios booth for $30 on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

“I can’t wait to share Minor Arcana,” said award-winning creator Jeff Lemire. “I’ve been putting everything into it and this exclusive SDCC ashcan will be a chance to share the story early. It’s going to be an amazing-looking version of the book with rounded corners, mimicking a tarot card, and a new cover that will only be available at the con. I’ll be there to sign them as well. So it’s going to be an exciting San Diego!”

What Is Minor Arcana About?

“Theresa, the prodigal daughter of a small-town ‘psychic’ tarot reading fraud, begrudgingly returns home to care for her ailing mother after having left home for good – or so she thought. Arriving back in her childhood hometown seemingly untouched by time, Theresa learns that there may be more to the magic than she originally believed. And with that, she finds herself caught up in a town that desperately needs her help…”

“Minor Arcana has become my dream project. Combining small-town life with magical realism and supernatural mystery, it lets me stretch my wings and play with all the different kinds of characters and stories I’ve loved working on since Essex County and Sweet Tooth. Writing and drawing the book myself has allowed me to make it an immersive read that I hope will hook readers as much as it’s hooked me,” Lemire said.

“I have big plans for the series, having already plotted it through the first 22 issues. If Black Hammer was my love letter to the superhero comics I grew up reading, then Minor Arcana is my love letter to the classic Vertigo comics of my youth, but all filtered through my own style. I really want to get back to doing a true ongoing series that focuses on the importance of single issues again. I love writing and drawing this book and living in the world, and I can’t wait to start sharing it,” Lemire said.

Minor Arcana #1 will launch with covers by Lemire, Tula Lotay (Barnstormers), Dustin Nguyen (Descender), David Mack (American Gods), and more, and will hit comic stores on September 4th.

Are you excited for Minor Arcana? You can talk all things comics with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post BOOM! Studios Reveals First Look at Minor Arcana SDCC Ashcan (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers are no strangers to crossovers, and their latest team-up features Stan Sakai’s beloved Ronin Rabbit Usagi Yojimbo. Today BOOM! Studios announced a special one-shot crossover featuring the Power Rangers and Yojimbo, which will be written by Ryan Parrott (Power Rangers/Rogue Sun), illustrated by Shawn Daley (Ogre), and colored by James Jenner (Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Shapeshifters). The one-shot will also coincide with Yojimbo’s 40th Anniversary and will hit comic stores this September. You can check out a full preview of the issue on the next slide.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Usagi Yojimbo will send the Rangers back in time after something happens with their morphers during a battle with Rita. They end up in the Edo era of Japan, and end up being approached by the mysterious Ogasawara, though as you might expect, not everything is as seems, and they will need to come to grips with that if they ever want to get back home.

The one-shot will feature a main cover by Tauren Clarke (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) and variant covers by Sakai with colors by Eli Fujii, Jared Cullum (Usagi Yojimbo: Ice and Snow), Goni Montes (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return), and Takeshi Miyazawa (Mech Cadets).

A Crossover Dream Team

“I’m really excited with Usagi’s crossover with the Power Rangers,” said comics legend Stan Sakai. “This is the first time Usagi has teamed up with real superheroes (that do not have shells)!It’s a great story with fantastic art!”

“I think one of the most exciting elements of comics is the unexpected crossover, so when BOOM! Studios asked me if I was interested in pairing the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers with Usagi Yojimbo, I didn’t hesitate,” said veteran Power Rangers scribe Ryan Parrott. “I’ve been a fan of Stan Sakai’s work and the epic story he’s been telling my whole life, so it was a true honor to get to step into that world and play with those characters. Plus, the moment I saw Shawn Daley’s artwork, I knew this had the potential to be an insanely fun, one of a kind ride that hopefully both Ranger and Samurai fans will enjoy.”

“Some characters feel destined to cross paths, and I hadn’t realized how much I needed this team-up until I was asked to help bring it to life,” said artist Shawn Daley. “Stan Sakai’s legendary work was a formative introduction to comics for me, and as a lifelong fan of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the combination hits hard. That’s in no small part to Ryan’s incredibly fun script, which has been a privilege to draw. I also got to use my original Power Rangers figures for reference material – an artist’s dream come true!”

What Is Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Usagi Yojimbo #1 About?

During a routine Rita Repulsa attack, the Rangers’ morphers do something unexpected…by hurling them back to the Edo era of Japan! Upon arriving at their historic destination, the mysterious Ogasawara begs the Rangers for their help. But the enemy they face isn’t what they were expecting…and our band of heroes will have to face a painful revelation if they want to save the day and return home.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Usagi Yojimbo #1 will hit comic shops on September 25th and is now available for pre-order.

Are you excited about the new crossover? You can talk all things comics and Power Rangers with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

Main Cover By Taurin Clarke

Variant Cover By Stan Sakai and Emi Fujii

Variant Cover By Jared Cullum

Variant Cover By Goni Montes

Variant Cover By Takeshi Miyazawa

The post The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Team Up with Usagi Yojimbo in New Crossover appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Firefly‘s Captain Malcolm Reynolds is finally getting an origin story. Boom! Studios has announced Firefly: Malcolm Reynolds Year One, a new Firefly prequel series telling of Mal’s earliest adventures. Sam Humphries, writer of the Firefly: The Fall Guys miniseries, is writing the new prequel. Artist Giovanni Fabiano is making their comics debut on the series, colored by Gloria Martinelli, who also worked on Firefly: The Fall Guys. Here’s the series description provided by Boom via a press release: “Despite starting from an unlikely place, Malcolm Reynolds has always been a troublemaker. Becoming a Browncoat was always meant to be. But what unexpected obstacles lie on that path to him becoming the Captain that fans know and love? To him assembling and leading the crew of the spaceship Serenity?”

Those questions will seemingly be answered as Firefly: Malcolm Reynolds Year One progresses. The series is set in the early days of the Unification War, the conflict in which the Browncoats fought a losing battle against consolidated rule by the Alliance, previously touched upon by Boom’s first Firefly series.

“It was such an honor to tell the first year of the Unification War and the formative years of Mal,” Sam Humphries says in the press release. “Unfortunately for him, the war isn’t as glorious as we’ve been led to believe. Giovanni, of course, killed it, and when you read this book you’ll be able to say you saw him when.”

Fabiano adds, “It has been a true pleasure working on this project. It was an honor and a great responsibility to create the concept of the young versions of these characters from scratch. I had a lot of fun.”

Boom Studios has been publishing Firefly comic books since it obtained the television show’s comics license (previously held by Dark Horse and published under the license of the Serenity movie). Boom kicked off its era with a new Firefly ongoing series that ran for 36 issues and continued the Firefly stories past the events of Serenity. After that series ended, Boom continued the tale in All-New Firefly in 2022 and Firefly: The Fall Guys in 2023-2024. Boom has also published the flash-forward miniseries , several Firefly one-shot stories, and two Firefly graphic novels, Firefly: The Sting and Firefly: Watch How I Soar.

Firefly: Malcolm Reynolds Year One #1 goes on sale on September 4th. The issue is available to pre-now at local comic shops, and digital copies can be bought via Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, and other digital comics storefronts.

The post Firefly Prequel Series Announced appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Serialized comics offer both tremendous potential and notable risks for the fantasy genre; even as it provides tremendous opportunity for visual wonder, it restricts how well that world is built with the tightly-measured space of every issue. Writer Greg Pak and artist Diego Galindo’s new urban fantasy series Lawful addresses these challenges admirably in a debut issue that effectively establishes the miniseries’ premise, even if it lacks depth that may still develop.

Lawful #1 introduces readers to Eris and Sung, two childhood friends raised in a walled city but separated by their places within it. In a familiar dynamic, Eris is the wild child who urges straight-laced Sung to break a few rules. However, in this place there are immediate and obvious consequences for breaking the law as otherwise ordinary people are made monstrous piece-by-piece. Many of the city’s inhabitants are marked by their misdeeds and Eris already sports a feline tail as a child. The stakes only grow greater when the two re-encounter one another as adults.

It’s a premise and dynamic set to appeal to readers of various sub-genres of fantasy (urban, romance, YA), and one that’s appealing for its own promise. The thematic implications of every trespass immediately being met with a visible handicap in a highly stratified society are wide-ranging with questions of policing, oligarchy, and even healthcare addressed in the first issue. What’s more is how effectively it frames the dynamic between Eris and Sung as two sympathetic protagonists possessing two very different worldviews.

And the conceit of transformation provides artist Diego Galindo ample opportunity to affect readers with a wide-array of minor and grievous transformations portrayed. It’s the most wondrous part of a world largely composed of familiar towers and architecture beyond its striking moat. 

The design of these transformations raises questions about the core concept that go unanswered in this issue, at least. Hows and whys behind the severity, inconsistency, and judgment of these misdeeds and their magical punishments is central to understanding the conflict. Unless the goal is to make them seem entirely arbitrary, the first issue has posed sufficient questions to overwhelm the premise’s charm.

Eris and Sung are able to revive the miniseries’ story as lively figures who fully inhabit themselves throughout the issue. Sung is self-serious and determined, but even in a mostly dour mood he strikes a sympathetic note. Eris is left from the outside looking in and readers lack the context to understand why she has found so much punishment in this place. Yet they only receive sufficient space to provide readers with broad archetypes in Lawful #1. Sung’s parents offer motivations but little specificity.

There’s only so much space for story in 24 pages, but when the cliffhanger for Lawful #1 arrives it’s difficult to feel too concerned. The concept and characterizations both lack sufficient detail to effectively define this conflict. Perhaps Lawful will read splendidly when all 8 issues are collected, but based solely on Lawful #1 it seems ready to deliver on both the promise and pitfalls found in so many fantasy comics.

Published by Boom Studios

On June 12, 2024

Written by Greg Pak

Art by Diego Galindo

Colors by Imra Kniivila

Letters by Simon Bowland

Cover by Qistina Khalidah

The post Lawful #1 Review: Law and Order Politics in High Fantasy appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new comic book day is once again upon us, and there is no shortage of fantastic books to choose from. Whether you’re into big superhero epics (Superman, Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), introspective character dives (Wonder Woman), edge-of-your-seat horror-tinged adventures (Feral, Something is Killing the Children), or summer-blockbusters (Blood Hunt, Pooh vs Bambi), there’s something that will hook you, and we’re breaking them all down on this week’s new episode of ComicBook Nation’s The Pull List, which you can listen to right here. You can also find out the highlights of the week below.

Highlights of the Week

It was a great week overall in terms of quality and fun, but there were a few books that especially stood out, including Wonder Woman #9 and Blood Hunt #2. They couldn’t be more different from each other, but that also makes them the perfect one-two punch. Wonder Woman #9 moves the relationship between Diana and Steve Trevor into the spotlight as Diana continues to endure the trials of the Sovereign, and it opens up a host of discussions regarding what Trevor has meant to Wonder Woman in the past, what he means now, and his importance (or perhaps lack thereof) to Wonder Woman’s story overall.

Blood Hunt #2 on the other hand is a summer blockbuster at its finest, delivering an action-stuffed issue with real stakes and genuine tension throughout. By the way, the work Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia are creating right now is truly unreal, and the mix of characters and creativity in how they are used is becoming one of the series’ strongest elements.

On the complete other side of the summer blockbuster scale is Pooh vs. Bambi #2, an absurdly fun series that has already won over both hosts. While it doesn’t have the depth of something like eBlood Hunt, it also doesn’t need to, and it leans into its fantastical premise in interesting and often bloody ways.

Speaking of bloody, there’s plenty of that in Something is Killing the Children #37, but that’s ultimately not why it’s one of my favorite issues of the series to date. While the issue is a self-contained tale for the most part, the character pairing of Erica and the girl she is protecting is just brilliant, and their banter and exchanges can’t help but make you wish we had more of their adventures to see down the road. That’s probably not the case, but even if this is just for one issue, they absolutely steal the show.

Feral does as well, and though it was Janell’s introduction to the series, she couldn’t help but be swept away in the tension-filled Aristocats meets The Walking Dead adventure. More answers can’t come soon enough, and hopefully, some hope lives around the corner after the harrowing journey they’ve experienced to this point.

Superman also impresses with the fourth chapter of House of Brainiac, once again delivering on previous threads while also moving the characters forward in intriguing ways, all in the midst of a superhero throwdown that looks stunning. Oh, and Queen Brainiac, well, she’s something else entirely. You can check out everything we had to say about all this week’s books right here, and you can find all of the books we discussed below.

Review Rundown

• Wonder Woman #9
• Blood Hunt #2
• X-Men 97 #3
• Superman #14
• Feral #3
• Something is Killing the Children #37
• Pooh vs Bambi #2
• Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong #7
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #120

Trade Watch

Not done yet! Trades also hit this week, and one in particular that deserves some shine is Mad Cave Studios’ Edenfrost. The four-issue series can now be read all in one place, and the story of two siblings and a powerful mystical Golem that defends their bloodline offers something very different from anything else on stands. It’s a tale of family and magic that you won’t want to miss, and you can check out the official description below.

“After losing their parents in a pogrom, teenage siblings Alex and Yuli use the mystical power of a Golem to survive the chaos of the Russian Civil War. In a harrowing journey through war-torn Ukraine, the duo will face the harsh reality of warfare, ethnic bias, and national pride as they fight for their place in the world.”

What did you think of this week’s comics, and which were your favorites? You can talk all things comics with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post ComicBook Nation’s The Pull List: Wonder Woman’s Test, Blood Hunt Payback, and More appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Comic-Con has revealed the list of nominees for the 2024 Will Eisner comic industry awards. One of the biggest nights in the comic book industry takes place at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con during a gala awards ceremony on July 26th. The awards span works published between January 1st and December 31, 2023, and feature nominees in 32 categories. Image Comics and DC share the honor of having the most nominations, with Image pulling 17 nominations (plus eight shared), and DC snagging 13 (plus eight shared). Also of note are 11 nominations for Fantagraphics, nine for IDW, and eight for Drawn & Quarterly.

Named for acclaimed comics creator Will Eisner, the awards are celebrating their 36th year of bringing attention to and highlighting the best publications and creators in comics and graphic novels. The 2024 Eisner Awards judging panel consists of educator/comics creator Ryan Claytor, author/editor/educator N. C. Christopher Couch, retailer/academic Andréa Gilroy, writer/editor Joseph Illidge, retailer Mathias Lewis, and author/public school librarian Jillian Rudes.

Continue reading for the complete list of the 2024 Eisner Award nominees and categories.

Best Short Story

• “Friendship Is Forever,” by Sam Maggs and Keisha Okafor, in My Little Pony 40th Celebration (IDW)
  
• “The Kelpie,” by Becky Cloonan, in Four Gathered on Christmas Eve (Dark Horse)
  
• “The Lady of the Lake,” by Joe S. Farrar and Guilherme Grandizolli, in BUMP: A Horror Anthology #3 (BUMP)
  
• “Talking to a Hill,” by Larry Hancock and Michael Cherkas, in Comics for Ukraine (Zoop)
  
• “World’s Finest, Part 1,” by Tom King and Belen Ortega, in Wonder Woman #3 (DC)
  

Best Single Issue/One-Shot

• Horologist, by Jared Lee and Cross (Grim Film)
  
• Nightwing #105, by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo (DC)
  
• Star Trek: Day of Blood—Shax’s Best Day, by Ryan North and Derek Charm (IDW)
  
• Superman 2023 Annual, by Joshua Williamson and others (DC)
  
• Sweet Paprika: Black, White, & Pink, by Mirka Andolfo and others (Image)
  

Best Continuing Series

• Birds of Prey, by Kelly Thompson and Leonardo Basto Romero (DC)
  
• Nightwing, by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo (DC Comics)
  
• Shazam! by Mark Waid and Dan Mora (DC)
  
• Transformers, by Daniel Warren Johnson (Image Skybound)
  
• Wonder Woman, by Tom King and Daniel Sampere (DC)
  

Best Limited Series

• The Cull, by Kelly Thompson and Mattia De Iulis (Image)
  
• Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons, by Frank Tieri and Inaki Miranda (IDW)
  
• Kill Your Darlings, by Ethan S. Parker, Griffin Sheridan, and Robert Quinn (Image)
  
• PeePee PooPoo, by Caroline Cash (Silver Sprocket)
  
• Superman: Lost, by Christopher Priest and Carlo Pagulayan (DC)
  

Best New Series

• Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, by Patrick Horvath (IDW)
  
• Black Cloak, by Kelly Thompson and Meredith McClaren (Image)
  
• Local Man, by Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs (Image)
  
• Phantom Road, by Jeff Lemire and Gabriel Hernández Walta (Image)
  
• Somna: A Bedtime Story, by Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay (DSTLRY)
  

Best Publication for Early Readers

• Bigfoot and Nessie: The Art of Getting Noticed, by Chelsea M. Campbell and Laura Knetzger (Penguin Workshop/Penguin Random House)
  
• Burt the Beetle Lives Here! by Ashley Spires (Kids Can Press)
  
• Go-Go Guys, by Rowboat Watkins (Chronicle Books)
  
• The Light Inside, by Dan Misdea (Penguin Workshop/Penguin Random House)
  
• Milk and Mocha: Our Little Happiness, by Melani Sie (Andrews McMeel)
  
• Tacos Today: El Toro & Friends, by Raúl the Third (HarperCollins/Versify)
  

Best Publication for Kids

• Buzzing, by Samuel Sattin and Rye Hickman (Little, Brown Ink)
  
• Mabuhay!, by Zachary Sterling (Scholastic Graphix)
  
• Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir, by Pedro Martín (Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Young Readers)
  
• Missing You, by Phellip Willian and Melissa Garabeli. translation by Fabio Ramos (Oni Press)
  
• Saving Sunshine, by Saadia Faruqi and Shazleen Khan (First Second/Macmillan)
  

Best Publication for Teens

• Blackward, by Lawrence Lindell (Drawn & Quarterly)
  
• Danger and Other Unknown Risks, by Ryan North and Erica Henderson (Penguin Workshop/Penguin Random House)
  
• Frontera, by Julio Anta and Jacoby Salcedo (HarperAlley)
  
• Lights, by Brenna Thummler (Oni Press)
  
• Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story, by Sarah Myer (First Second/Macmillan)
  
• My Girlfriend’s Child, vol. 1, by Mamoru Aoi, translation by Hana Allen (Seven Seas)
  

Best Humor Publication

• How to Love: A Guide to Feelings & Relationships for Everyone, by Alex Norris (Candlewick/Walker Books)
  
• I Was a Teenage Michael Jackson Impersonator, and Other Musical Meanderings, by Keith Knight (Keith Knight Press)
  
• It’s Jeff: The Jeff-Verse #1, by Kelly Thompson and Gurihiru (Marvel)
  
• Macanudo: Optimism Is for the Brave, by Liniers (Fantagraphics)
• The Yakuza’s Bias, by Teki Yatsuda. translation by Max Greenway (Kodansha)

Best Anthology

• Comics for Ukraine, edited by Scott Dunbier (Zoop)
  
• Deep Cuts, by Kyle Higgins, Joe Clark, Danilo Beyruth, and others (Image)
  
• The Devil’s Cut, edited by Will Dennis (DSTLRY)
  
• Marvel Age #1000, edited by Tom Brevoort (Marvel)
  
• The Out Side: Trans & Nonbinary Comics, edited by The Kao, Min Christensen, and David Daneman (Andrews McMeel)
  
• Swan Songs by W. Maxwell Prince and others (Image)
  

Best Reality-Based Work

• Are You Willing to Die for the Cause? by Chris Oliveros (Drawn & Quarterly)
  
• Last on His Feet: Jack Johnson and the Battle of the Century, by Adrian Matejka and Youssef Daoudi (Liveright)
  
• Messenger: The Legend of Muhammad Ali, by Marc Bernardin and Ron Salas (First Second/Macmillan)
  
• Thing: Inside the Struggle for Animal Personhood, by Samuel Machado and Cynthia Sousa Machado with Steven M. Wise (Island Press)
  
• Three Rocks: The Story of Ernie Bushmiller: The Man Who Created Nancy, by Bill Griffith (Abrams ComicArts)
  

Best Graphic Memoir

• Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam, by Thien Pham (First Second/Macmillan)
  
• A First Time for Everything, by Dan Santat (First Second/Macmillan)
  
• In Limbo, by Deb JJ Lee (First Second/Macmillan)
  
• Memento Mori, by Tiitu Takalo, translation by Maria Schroderus (Oni Press)
  
• Sunshine: How One Camp Taught Me About Life, Death, and Hope, by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Scholastic Graphix)
  
• The Talk, by Darrin Bell (Henry Holt)
  

Best Graphic Album – New

• Ashes, by Álvaro Ortiz, translation by Eva Ibarzabal (Top Shelf/IDW)
  
• Eden II, by K. Wroten (Fantagraphics)
  
• A Guest in the House, by Emily Carroll (First Second/Macmillan)
  
• Parasocial, by Alex De Campi and Erica Henderson (Image)
  
• Roaming, by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki (Drawn & Quarterly)
  

Best Graphic Album – Reprint

• Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise Treasury Edition, by Tradd Moore (Marvel)
  
• The Good Asian, by Pornsak Pichetshote and Alexandre Tefenkgi (Image)
  
• Hip Hop Family Tree: The Omnibus, by Ed Piskor (Fantagraphics)
  
• Orange Complete Series Box Set, by Ichigo Takano, translation by Amber Tamosaitis (Seven Seas)
  
• Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons, by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Phil Jimenez, Gene Ha, and Nicola Scott (DC)
  

Best Adaptation From Another Medium

• Bea Wolf, adapted by Zach Weinersmith and Boulet (First Second/Macmillan)
  
• #DRCL midnight children, vol. 1, based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula, by Shin’ichi Sakamoto, translation by Caleb Cook (VIZ Media)
  
• H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow over Innsmouth, adapted by Gou Tanabe, translation by Zack Davisson (Dark Horse Manga)
  
• The Monkey King: The Complete Odyssey, adapted by Chaiko, translation by Dan Christensen (Magnetic)
  
• Watership Down, by Richard Adams, adapted by James Sturm and Joe Sutphin (Ten Speed Graphic)
  

Best U.S. Edition of International Material

• Ashes, by Álvaro Ortiz, translation by Eva Ibarzabal (Top Shelf/IDW)
  
• Blacksad, Vol 7: They All Fall Down, Part 2, by Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido, translation by Diana Schutz and Brandon Kander (Europe Comics)
  
• A Boy Named Rose, by Gaëlle Geniller, translation by Fabrice Sapolsky (Fairsquare Comics)
  
• The Great Beyond, by Léa Murawiec, translation by Aleshia Jensen (Drawn & Quarterly)
  
• Shubeik Lubeik, by Deena Mohamed (Pantheon Books/Penguin Random House)
  
• Spa, by Erik Svetoft, translation by Melissa Bowers (Fantagraphics)
  

Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia

• #DRCL midnight children, vol. 1, based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula, by Shin’ichi Sakamoto, translation by Caleb Cook (VIZ Media)
  
• Goodbye, Eri, by Tatsuki Fujimoto, translation by Amanda Haley (VIZ Media)
  
• The Horizon, vol. 1, by JH, translation by ULTRAMEDIA Co. Ltd. (Yen/Ize Press)
  
• My Picture Diary, by Fujiwara Maki, translation by Ryan Holmberg (Drawn & Quarterly)
  
• River’s Edge, by Kyoko Okazaki, translation by Alexa Frank (Kodansha)
  
• The Summer Hikaru Died, vol. 1, by Mokumokuren, translation by Ajani Oloye (Yen Press)
  

Best Archival Collection/Project – Strips

• Dauntless Dames: High-Heeled Heroes of the Comic Strips, edited by Peter Maresca and Trina Robbins (Fantagraphics)
• David Wright’s Carol Day: Lance Hallam, edited by Roger Clark, Chris Killackey, and Guy Mills (Slingsby Bros, Ink!)
  
• Popeye Sundays Vol 3: The Sea Hag and Alice the Goon, by E.C. Segar, edited by Conrad Groth and Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)
  
• Walt Disney’s Silly Symphonies 1932-1935: Starring Bucky Bug and Donald Duck and Walt Disney’s Silly Symphonies 1935-1939: Starring Donald Duck and Big Bad Wolf, edited by David Gerstein (Fantagraphics)
  
• Where I’m Coming From, by Barbara Brandon-Croft, edited by Peggy Burns and Tracy Hurren (Drawn & Quarterly)
  

Best Archival Collection/Project – Comic Books

• Adventures Into Terror: The Atlas Comics Library, vol. 1, edited by Michael J. Vassallo (Fantagraphics)
  
• All-Negro Comics 75th Anniversary Edition, edited by Chris Robinson (Very GOOD Books)
  
• The Ballad of Halo Jones Full Colour Omnibus, by Alan Moore and Ian Gibson, edited by Olivia Hicks (2000AD/Rebellion)
  
• The John Severin Westerns Featuring American Eagle, edited by Michael Dean (Fantagraphics)
  
• Michael Golden’s Marvel Stories Artist’s Edition, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
  

Best Writer

• Stephen Graham Jones, Earthdivers (IDW)
  
• Mariko Tamaki, Roaming (Drawn & Quarterly)
  
• Tom Taylor, Nightwing, Titans (DC)
  
• Kelly Thompson, Birds of Prey, Harley Quinn, Black White and Redder (DC); Black Cloak, The Cull (Image); It’s Jeff, Captain Marvel (Marvel)
  
• Mark Waid, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, Shazam!, World’s Finest: Teen Titans (DC)
  
• G. Willow Wilson, Poison Ivy (DC); Hunger and the Dusk (IDW)
  

Best Writer/Artist

• Emily Carroll, A Guest in the House (First Second/Macmillan)
  
• Bill Griffith, Three Rocks (Abrams ComicArts)
  
• Daniel Warren Johnson, Transformers (Image Skybound)
  
• Mokumokuren, The Summer Hikaru Died, vol. 1 (Yen Press)
  
• Zoe Thorogood, Hack/Slash: Back To School (Image)
  
• Tillie Walden, Clementine Book Two (Image Skybound)
  

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team

• Jason Shawn Alexander, Detective Comics (DC); Killadelphia, with Germán Erramouspe (Image)
  
• Tula Lotay, Barnstormers: A Ballad of Love and Murder (Comixology Originals/Best Jackett)
  
• Inaki Miranda, Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons (IDW)
  
• Dan Mora, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, Shazam! (DC)
  
• Chris Samnee, Fire Power (Image Skybound)
  
• Jillian Tamaki, Roaming (Drawn & Quarterly)
  

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (Interior Art)

• Jason Shawn Alexander, Blacula: Return of the King (Zombie Love Studios)
  
• Chaiko, The Monkey King (Magnetic)
  
• Juanjo Guarnido, Blacksad, Vol 7: They All Fall Down, Part 2 (Europe Comics)
  
• Liam Sharp, Nocterra: Nemesis Special (Best Jackett); Starhenge: The Dragon and the Boar (Image)
  
• Martin Simmonds, Universal Monsters: Dracula (Image Skybound)
  
• Sana Takeda, The Night Eaters: Her Little Reapers (Abrams ComicArts); Monstress (Image)
  

Best Cover Artist

• Jen Bartel, DC Pride 2023, Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville #1 (DC); Captain Marvel: Dark Tempest #1, Demon Wars: Scarlet Sin #1, Scarlet Witch #9, Sensational She-Hulk (Marvel)
  
• Evan Cagle, Detective Comics (DC)
  
• Jenny Frison, Alice Never After #1, BRZRKR: Fallen Empire #1, and other alternate covers (BOOM! Studios); Knight Terrors: Harley Quinn #1–2, Poison Ivy #8, #12 (DC)
  
• E. M. Gist, Expanse Dragon Tooth #1, Something Is Killing the Children #28 & #34, Wild’s End, vol 2 #4 and other alternate covers (BOOM! Studios); Amazing Spider-Man #23, Doctor Aphra #36, Moon Knight #3, Nightcrawlers #1, Wolverine #38 (Marvel)
  
• Peach Momoko, Demon Wars: Scarlet Sin, various alternate covers (Marvel)
  
• Dan Mora, Coda #3, Damn Them All #4, MMPR 30th Anniversary Special #1, Rare Flavours #3 and other alternate covers (BOOM! Studios); Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, Outsiders #1, Poison Ivy #9, Shazam!, Titans #1 (DC)
  

Best Coloring

• Jordie Bellaire, Batman, Birds of Prey (DC); Dark Spaces: Hollywood Special (IDW)
  
• Matt Hollingsworth, Captain America, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy, Punisher (Marvel)
  
• Lee Loughridge, Red Zone (AWA); Edgeworld, Grammaton Punch, Nostalgia (Comixology Originals); The Devil’s Cut, Gone, Somna (DSTLRY); Star Trek (IDW); Killadelphia (Image); Hunt. Kill. Repeat. (Mad Cave)
  
• Dave McCaig, The Sacrificers (Image), The Walking Dead Deluxe (Image Skybound)
  
• Dean White, Conan the Barbarian (Titan Comics)
  

Best Lettering

• Lauren Bowes, Inside the Mind of Sherlock Holmes (Titan Comics)
  
• Emily Carroll, A Guest in the House (First Second/Macmillan)
  
• Bill Griffith, Three Rocks (Abrams ComicArts)
  
• Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, The Unlikely Story of Felix and Macabber, The Witcher: Wild Animals, and others (Dark Horse); Batman: City of Madness, The Flash, Poison Ivy, and others (DC); Black Cat Social Club (Humanoids); Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (IDW); The Cull, What’s the Furthest Place from Here? (Image); and others
  
• Richard Starkings, Barnstormers: A Ballad of Love and Murder, Canary (Comixology Originals/Best Jackett); Parliament of Rooks (Comixology); Astro City, Battle Chasers (Image); Conan the Barbarian (Titan Comics)
  
• Rus Wooton, Monstress, The Sacrificers (Image); Fire Power, Kroma, Transformers, The Walking Dead Deluxe, Universal Monsters: Dracula, Void Rivals (Image Skybound); Hunt. Kill. Repeat., A Legacy of Violence, Nature’s Labyrinth (Mad Cave)
  

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism

• The Comics Journal #309; edited by Gary Groth, Kristy Valenti, and Austin English (Fantagraphics)
  
• “The Indirect Market,” by Brandon Schatz and Danica LeBlanc, comicsbeat.com
  
• Rob Salkowitz, for Forbes, ICv2.com, Publishers Weekly
  
• SKTCHD, by David Harper, www.sktchd.com
  
• SOLRAD: The Online Literary Magazine for Comics, www.solrad.co (Fieldmouse Press)
  

Best Comics-Related Book

• Bryan Talbot: Father of the British Graphic Novel, by J. D. Harlock and Bryan Talbot (Brainstorm Studios)
  
• Confabulation: An Anecdotal Autobiography, by Dave Gibbons (Dark Horse)
  
• Flamed Out: The Underground Adventures and Comix Genius of Willy Murphy, edited by Mark Burstein (Fantagraphics)
  
• I Am the Law: How Judge Dredd Predicted Our Future, by Michael Molcher (Rebellion)
  
• The Pacific Comics Companion, by Stephan Friedt and Jon B. Cooke (TwoMorrows)
  
• Thalamus: The Art of Dave McKean (Dark Horse)
  

Best Academic/Scholarly Work

• Asian Political Cartoons, by John A. Lent (University Press of Mississippi)
  
• The Claremont Run: Subverting Gender in the X- Men, by J. Andrew Deman (University of Texas Press)
  
• Desegregating Comics: Debating Blackness in the Golden Age of American Comics, edited by Qiana Whitted (Rutgers University Press)
  
• If Shehrazad Drew: Critical Writings on Arab Comics, by George Khoury-Jad (Sawaf Center for Arab Comics Studies and American University of Beirut Press)
  
• In Visible Archives: Queer and Feminist Visual Culture in the 1980s, by Margaret Galvan (University of Minnesota Press)
  
• Super Bodies: Comic Book Illustration, Artistic Styles, and Narrative Impact, by Jeffrey A. Brown (University of Texas Press)
  

Best Publication Design

• Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein boxed set, designed by Mike Kennedy (Magnetic)
  
• Gratuitous Ninja, by Ronald Wimberly, designed by Chloe Scheffe (Beehive Books)
  
• Inside the Mind of Sherlock Holmes, designed by Donna Askem (Titan Comics)
  
• Iron Maiden: Piece of Mind, designed by Josh Bernstein and Rob Schwager (Z2)
  
• Toilet-bound Hanako-kun First Stall Box Set, designed by Wendy Chan (Yen Press)
  

Best Webcomic

• Asturias: The Origin of a Flag, by Javi de Castro,https://www.javidecastro.com/asturias-the-origin-of-a-flaghttps://www.javidecastro.com/asturias-the-origin-of-a-flag
  
• Daughter of a Thousand Faces, by Vel (Velinxi), https://tapas.io/series/daughter-of-a-thousand-faces/info (Tapas)
  
• Lore Olympus, by Rachel Smythe, https://www.webtoons.com/en/romance/lore-olympus/s3-episode-226/viewer?title_no=1320&episode_no=231 (WEBTOON)
  
• Matchmaker, vol. 6, by Cam Marshall athttps://matchmakercomic.com/https://matchmakercomic.com/. (Silver Sprocket)
  
• 3rd Voice, by Evan Dahm,https://www.webtoons.com/en/canvas/3rd-voice/list?title_no=828919https://www.webtoons.com/en/canvas/3rd-voice/list?title_no=828919 (WEBTOON)
  
• Unfamiliar, by Haley Newsome: https://tapas.io/series/unfamiliar/infohttps://tapas.io/series/unfamiliar/info (Tapas)
  

Best Digital Comic

• Blacksad, Vol 7: They All Fall Down, Part 2. by Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido, translation by Diana Schutz and Brandon Kander (Europe Comics)
  
• Friday, by Ed Brubaker and Marcos Martin, vols. 7–8 (Panel Syndicate)
  
• Parliament of Rooks, by Abigail Jill Harding (Comixology Originals)
  
• Practical Defense Against Piracy, by Tony Cliff (delilahdirk.com)
  
• A Witch’s Guide to Burning, by Aminder Dhaliwal (Instagram.com/aminder_d)
  

The post 2024 Eisner Award Nominees Revealed appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s the end of an era, as BOOM! Studios’ popular Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series is officially coming to a close after an eight-year run. BOOM! Studios has announced that Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 will be the final issue of the eight-year saga, which will feature writer Melissa Flores (Spider-Gwen: Smash), artist Simona Di Gianfelice (Firefly: Return to the Earth That Was), and colorist Raúl Angulo at the helm. Fans can pick up the final issue of the main series, which will be Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #122, on July 24th. Darkest Hour will also launch with a series of gorgeous covers, and you can check out your first look at them on the next slide.

The official release did tease that fans can look forward to many exciting Power Rangers announcements from BOOM! Studios in the next several months, including at San Diego Comic-Con, so while Darkest Hour #1 brings the current run to an end, this is likely not the end of the Power Rangers comics universe.

“After nearly two years, the Darkest Hour comes to a close. This event has been one of the biggest tasks of my career, but I’ve enjoyed every single, heart-wrenching minute. Although I put our poor Rangers through the ringer, I hope the ending is as satisfying for the reader as it was for me to write it!” said series scribe Melissa Flores.

“I’m really excited to tell this incredible adventure together with Melissa. So far she has kept us in suspense and now she’s ready to surprise us again! Get ready to dive into this final chapter of Darkest Hour! GO GO!” said veteran Power Rangers artist Simona Di Gianfelice. You can find the official description and the cover list below. 

“It all ends here! With the Morphin Grid in peril, the people of Earth are left without the Power Rangers to protect them. The ultimate battle against Dark Specter will play out with unexpected consequences, while an unlikely group of rogues, villains, and Rangers make strange company… But even if they win… can they rebuild everything they’ve lost?

Fan favorite Rangers writer Melissa Flores (Spider-Gwen: Smash), acclaimed artist Simona Di Gianfelice (Firefly: Return to the Earth That Was), and acclaimed colorist Raúl Angulo, weave together a story that fans have been waiting nearly a decade for… delivering an unforgettable finale that everything has been building to!”

• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 A Main: TK
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 B Variant: TK
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 C Dark Grid Variant: TK
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 D Helmet Variant: TK
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 E Spoiler Variant: TK
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 F Foil Variant: TK
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 G 1:5 INCV: TK
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 H 1:10 INCV: TK
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 I 1:25 INCV: TK
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 J FOC Reveal Variant: TK
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 K Unlockable Variant: TK

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 hits comic stores on July 31st, and is now available for pre-order. You can also purchase digital copes from Kindle, iBooks, and Google Play.

Main Cover By Taurin Clarke

Variant Cover By Taurin Clarke

Dark Grid Variant By Björn Barends

Helmet Variant By Goñi Montes

Variant Cover By Trevor Hairsine and Jordan Boyd

The post Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Ending After 8-Year Run with Darkest Hour appeared first on ComicBook.com.

R.L. Stine is the king of young adult horror, with his series like Goosebumps and Fear Street becoming major tentpoles of pop culture. Now, the legendary author is returning to the land of sequential storytelling with a new YA horror series from BOOM! Studios. Tuesday, BOOM! officially unveiled The Graveyard Club, a series from Stine and artist Carola Borelli. The series takes place in the fictional town of Graves End, where a group of teenagers pull a prank that results in supernatural consequences.

“In The Graveyard Club graphic novels, the teens hang out in the graveyard — because it might be the safest place in town,” Stine told Forbes in the comic’s first reveal. “Their town is surrounded by graveyards. And swarms of red-eyed bats come swooping out every night. And that’s just the BEGINNING of the horror! I’m having a lot of fun with this series!”

“All the best stories start with ‘it was a quiet town where nothing ever happened’ and this one is no different,” Borelli added. “A group of teenagers and a graveyard are the ingredients for a crazy story that will keep you on the edge of your seat!”

The Graveyard Club is Stine’s third comic series with BOOM! after similar haunts in Just Beyond and Stuff of Nightmares.

“I’ve had the great joy of working with Bob on middle-grade horror fiction with Just Beyond and adult horror with Stuff of Nightmares, so I couldn’t be more excited/terrified to be working with him on some fresh YA scares,” Bryce Carlson, BOOM! Vice President of Editorial & Creative Strategy said. “Carola is bringing an incredible artistic dynamic to The Graveyard Club that is going to leave readers trying to decide whether to turn the page or hide under the covers…”

The Graveyard Club appears to be a series of graphic novels, with the first one hitting bookstores September 17th before entering comic shops the following day on Wednesday, September 18th.

The post The Graveyard Club: RL Stine’s Next Comic Series Announced appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There is something about nature, particularly the more extreme natural environments, that serves as an equalizer. Strip away nearly everything human about an environment and all one is left with is perspective and within perspective, detail. It’s an extreme natural setting that kicks off Blow Away #1 and between the unforgiving arctic and the details held within it that writer Zac Thompson and artist Nicola Izzo have crafted a story that simultaneously feels as sparse as the frozen wilderness and as complex as the details of a snowflake.

The story centers around a photographer, Brynne Brautigan, who is on the remote and desolate Baffin Island trying to capture footage of a rare bird coming back from near extinction as part of her latest project. Brynne has been on Baffin Island for a bit and her time there and as such, the isolation has led her observations to go a bit wider than just the birds. In the process, she’s found herself observing the few others on the island, including two climbers and, with her time on the island running out, Brynne thinks she may have captured footage of one climber potentially having murdered the other. However, Brynne’s adventure doesn’t stop there as she finds out what has happened to the climbers reveals something perhaps a bit more dangerous afoot in the remote, frozen wilderness.

From cover to cover, Blow Away #1 is expertly done and works as a stunning example of using the setting as a framework for the art. Much as the arctic landscape is sparse, so is the use of narrative and its structure within the issue. We’re given a lot of what Brynne is thinking, but we’re given that inner monologue—and a glimpse of her loneliness and isolation, in a sense—through rather short snippets of her thoughts. It’s carefully structured and as one reads, it develops a cadence of its own. That rhythm shifts as Brynne grows more invested in the goings on of the strangers she’s observing and becomes more entangled in events, even as an observer. It gives the issue and the story itself something of its own pulse despite the issue not containing a lot in the way of visual action in a traditional sense. It’s a framework that both lets the reader into Brynne’s head and thus, into the story, but also pushes things forward in an enticing fashion.

This approach also plays well with the artwork. For an environment that is so large and inhospitable, the art uses Brynne’s isolation to anchor itself in details that make the space seem more personal. The reader visually grasps the scope of Brynne’s environment and, as a result, her scale in relation to it, but also are able to see how the environment has its own secrets: Who is the hunter? Where did those climbers come from? And what exactly is occurring in that final panel? There are mysteries here that are as much about Brynne and the things she is observing as they are about the world she’s immersed in; the art does a fantastic job of expressing that both by itself and in support of Thompson’s storytelling. And it’s all supported with Francesco Segala’s precise and strategic use of color that brings warmth and chill in equal turns at just the right moments.

Blow Away #1 is a rare first issue that works on practically every level. Thompson makes expert use of the setting and environment to stage a story that is both raw and rich, utilizing the artwork in a way that supports its efforts without overpowering or over-reliant upon it. There are plenty of rich and interesting details and plenty of mysteries to unpack while still giving the reader just enough to compel them deeper into a complex and harrowing journey.

Published by Boom Studios

On April 17, 2024

Written by Zac Thompson

Art by Nicola Izzo

Colors by Francesco Segala

Letters by DC Hopkins

Cover by Annie Wu

The post Blow Away #1 Review: A Bleak But Beautiful Appearance appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Jeff Lemire’s latest comic series is on the way, and it sounds like it’s a doozy. Wednesday, BOOM! Studios announced its first-ever title from Lemire, a mysterious ongoing series that little is known about. In a press release distributed by BOOM!, it’s said the series will be released later this year and Lemire is handling both writing and drawing duties. Furthermore, Lemire says it’s going to be his longest ongoing series since he released Vertigo’s Sweet Tooth, which ran for 46 issues.

“This series is literally a dream come true for me,” BOOM! Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon said of the series. “Jeff Lemire is one of my all-time favorite creators and it’s a career highlight to have him bring his newest original creation to our publishing house. This will be a true ongoing series in the grand tradition of Jeff’s masterpiece Sweet Tooth. The work Jeff is producing right now is astounding. We look forward to sharing this series with the world and adding it to Jeff’s pantheon of award-winning books.”

“We are beyond thrilled to welcome Jeff Lemire to BOOM! Studios. Few creators can so consistently balance poignant, award-winning tales with exceptionally commercial bestsellers in their oeuvre and his library has become essential reading for fans of graphic fiction around the world,” BOOM! president Filip Sablik added. “When we announce details of this must-read project, it will be evident Jeff has created something that checks all three of those boxes.”

Lemire shared a teaser on his Substack, which appeared to be something along the lines of an occult or Illuminati-adjacent symbol.

“All of this has led me to develop a new book that reflects this desire to get back to a true ongoing series,” Lemire said. “This project will be my longest self-drawn book since I finished Sweet Tooth ten years ago.  I’ll be writing and drawing the book myself, and I am very excited to make this my first project with BOOM!”

He continued, “As a publisher, they are committed to telling this entire, long-form story that will allow me, readers, and retailers a chance to really invest in a new world, and new characters, knowing new chapters will be published every month with a real long-term plan in mind. I can’t wait to share more details in the coming months. But for now, back to the drawing board!”

A release date and name for the series has yet to be unveiled.

The post BOOM! Studios to Publish Jeff Lemire’s Longest Comic Since Sweet Tooth appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Any comic book reader who appreciates settling in to read new issues alongside their fondest furry companion will be hard-pressed to resist Man’s Best #1 this week. The newest Boom Studios debut from writer Pornsak Pichetshote and cartoonist Jesse Lonergan follows three emotional support animals—Athos, Porthos, and Lovey—as they accompany humankind in finding a new planetary home in the far future. Described by the creators as Homeward Bound in space, the first issue absolutely delivers on that promise with three distinctive pet personalities devoted to their person but left stranded in unfamiliar circumstances.

Before the animals find themselves lost in space, readers are briefly introduced to the dystopian future they occupy. Although the issue focuses entirely on their ship and its destination, it’s made clear that Earth is no longer habitable and humanity is desperately seeking a new planet. Doctor Winters is helping to guide the mission and has taken her companions on the long voyage providing both companionship and entertainment for herself and other passengers. It’s unclear exactly how much the humans know about their final destination, but that only serves to emphasize the animals’ limited perspective.

That lack of knowledge serves to contrast the lives of dogs and cats, typically devoted to leisure and concern for their immediate surroundings, with the destructive nature of those who care for them. There’s an obvious innocence to be found in any canine (or feline) companion, but the heightened stakes of this mission serve to highlight their role as innocents. 

The three animals are anthropomorphized through dialogue with childlike personalities emerging as they bumble through a puzzle in the opening sequence and argue over inconsequential elements later. Lovey is as stubborn and reactive as any Boston Terrier, whereas Porthos possesses the loyalty and affection associated with Goldens. Athos, the sole cat of the crew, is filled with more angst and holds a leadership role amongst the trio. Readers will likely be drawn to each based upon their own past pets, but the dialogue consistently translates the characteristics associated with these species and breeds into humorous and recognizable thoughts.

It’s Jesse Lonergan’s artwork that makes them lovable and a joy to read about, whether they’re utilizing mech-suits in battle or just exploring the ship. Ears, eyes, and every other unique facial feature is utilized to broadcast big emotions, so that even when Lovey is being disagreeable it’s hard not to love the prickly pooch. Although Lonergan is best known for formal experimentation in work like Hedra, they showcase a deft sense of character cartooning in presenting this trio and their supporting cast of humans. Each individual is instantly recognizable with excellent silhouettes and well-deployed features that quickly shape this world’s many elements, big and small.

There are abundant opportunities for Lonergan to lean into sci-fi aesthetics and designs, including the animal’s inventive technological adaptations. Each of their distinct outfits presented in the opening sequence is memorable and showcased in a holodeck-type sequence that sets the stage for the issue’s finale. He deploys dense grids to hone in on details and compress a great deal of storytelling into this one issue without ever allowing it to feel overloaded. The final page appears like it is only the start of the adventure, but the premise and path ahead are well established without any excessive exposition.

Man’s Best #1 is a delightful introduction to a concept bound to be irresistible to animal lovers and sci-fi fans alike. The central cast of critters arrive on the page fully formed with personalities and appearances as big as we expect from our own cats and dogs. And they emerge in a far-out future filled with engaging technology and mysterious planet formed in Jesse Lonergan’s inimitable style. The introduction of this long journey to rescue their humans sets a very high bar for the series to come; expectations that Pichetshote and Lonergan have continually proven they can exceed.

Published by Boom Studios

On March 20, 2023

Written by Pornsak Pichetshote

Art by Jesse Lonergan

Colors by Jesse Lonergan

Letters by Jeff Powell

Cover by Jesse Lonergan

The post Man’s Best #1 Review: A Big Adventure for Humanity’s Small Friends appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Mashing up several different genres/concepts to create something new doesn’t always work out well. It’s easy for that kind of Frankenstein-esque build to draw too much from one thing or another, forgetting to create its own voice while trying to homage so many others. I Heart Skull-Crusher, the new Boom! Studios series from screenwriter Josie Campbell, manages to avoid those pitfalls entirely. Some of its elements may seem familiar, but there’s enough soul and originality throughout the pages of the first issue that it consistently feels fresh and exciting.

I Heart Skull-Crusher #1 is written by Campbell and features art by Alessio Zonno. It feels about as anime a comic as you’ll find from the major American publishers. From her over-the-top expressions to her infectious inner monologue, main character Trini feels ripped straight out of an anime series, and that can be more difficult to pull off than you might expect. She’s trying to rip herself up off the page and come alive in nearly every panel and it’s delightful to watch her interact with such a scary and downtrodden world.

Trini lives in a post-apocalyptic America where the most popular form of entertainment is a violent sport called Screaming Pain Ball. It seems like a version of cricket where players are also encouraged to murder their enemies in the middle of games. Spending her life training to be like her favorite Screaming Pain Ball star Skull-Crusher, Trini finally gets an opportunity when the government announces a tournament where the winning team gets to join the lineup of Skull-Crusher’s professional squad. The only problem for Trini is that she has no friends to build a team with and no water to buy her way into the tournament. So she sets out to assemble a team of misfits and underdogs hoping to live her dream.

This is a premise you’ve roughly heard before. How many sports movies have we seen with the exact same underdog concept? There are plenty, but Campbell’s ingenuity and Trini’s darkly hilarious spirit keep this story from becoming a retread of anything that has come before. Whether it be the violent elements of Screaming Pain Ball, the tyrannical government making the apocalypse even worse, or Trini’s closest confidants being the skulls of her long-dead parents, I Heart Skull-Crusher zigs where so many other versions of this underdog tale typically zag.

It helps that Zonno’s work with these characters is so lively and energetic. Trini obviously takes center stage and has the most animated personality of anyone else in the comic, but every member of the supporting cast feels so wholly alive in their own right. So much of that life and vibrance comes from Zonno’s mastery of their expressions, postures, and movements. Everything is crisp, readable, and fun.

Perhaps the most exciting element of I Heart Skull-Crusher after this debut is that it’s hard to tell exactly where it’s going next. Could it follow other underdog stories from other mediums and simply follow Trini on a straight-forward road to victory? Absolutely. But there’s no indication in this debut issue that “normal” is even in the same ballpark as what Campbell is going for. This comic book appears to be more Wacky Racers than The Mighty Ducks, and that’s more than enough reason for me to keep coming back.

Published by Boom Studios

On March 13, 2023

Written by Josie Campbell

Art by Alessio Zonno

Colors by Angel De Santiago

Letters by Jim Campbell

Cover by Alessio Zonno

The post I Heart Skull-Crusher #1 Review: A Dark and Delightful Genre Mash-up appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s almost another new comic book day, which means new releases hitting stores and digital platforms. Each week in The Weekly Pull, the ComicBook.com team highlights the new releases that excite us most about another week of comics. Whether those releases are from the most prominent publisher or a small press, brand new issues of ongoing series, original graphic novels, or collected editions of older material, whether it involves capes and cowls or comes from any other genre, if it has us excited about comic books this week, then we’re going to tell you about it in The Weekly Pull.

This week brings the debut of a number of new titles, from Marvel to DC to Star Trek, to the latest collaboration between the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow team of Tom King and Bilquis Evely. Plus, a new finale for Fables, and collections of some recent favorites.

What comics are you most excited about this week? Let us know which new releases you’re looking forward to reading in the comments, and feel free to leave some of your suggestions as well. Check back tomorrow for our weekly reviews and again next week for a new installment of The Weekly Pull.

Black Widow and Hawkeye #1

• Written by Stephanie Phillips
  
• Art by Paolo Villanelli
• Colors by Mattia Iacono
• Letters by Joe Sabino
• Published by Marvel Comics

Over the years, Black Widow and Hawkeye have had two formidable Marvel histories, both as individual heroes and as allies. While the two have joined forces in the comics countless times, the prospect of Stephanie Phillips writing their newest adventure has me excited. Combined with Paolo Villanelli’s art, and the recent reveal of Natasha hosting a symbiote, this has the potential to be something special. — Jenna Anderson

Fables #162

• Written by Bill Willingham
• Art by Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha
• Colors by Lee Loughridge
• Letters by Todd Klein
• Published by DC

Nearly 25 years after Fables made its debut—marking it as one of the last great Vertigo series—the series arrives at another conclusion after a 12-issue revival. That revival took readers to the Black Forest and introduced an array of new fables (including Peter Pan, freshly arrived in the public domain) to conflict with the series’ classic cast. It also made clear that the concept and its creators, including the original writer-artist duo of Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham, haven’t lost a step in the intervening decades. Both the sprawling, magical storylines and deeply personal family dynamics evident within the Fables saga were shown to be as powerful as ever across the 12-issue return. Although the original series’ finale provided readers with an outstanding conclusion, it was clear that there would never be a permanent “happily ever after” in a world set to remind readers that stories never really end. Whether or not Fables returns again, this new farewell remains an issue to celebrate and a worthy addition to this beloved Vertigo series. — Chase Magnett

Helen of Wyndhorn #1

• Written by Tom King
• Art by Bilquis Evely
• Colors by Mat Lopes
• Letters by Clayton Cowles
• Published by Dark Horse Comics

Look, you put Bilquis Evely on a book with a logline describing it as a “Gothic sword and sorcery epic that’s Conan the Barbarian meets The Wizard of Oz,” and I’m going to read it, it’s as simple as that. Of course, you could put Evely on almost anything, and I’d at least give it a shot. I’ve been a fan of intricate linework since first encountering it while she drew DC’s Sandman Universe series The Dreaming, where she made a lasting impression. Here she’s teaming with Tom King, a writer who has been hit or miss with me, but the hits tend to hit hard. The premise for Helen of Wyndhorn – a woman returns to the estate of her father, a writer, after his death and discovers the secrets that inspired his adventure stories hidden within – is solid, and my hopes are high. – Jamie Lovett

I Heart Skull-Crusher #1

• Written by Josie Campbell
• Art by Alessio Zonno
• Colors by Angel de Santiago
• Letters by Jim Campbell
• Published by BOOM! Studios

After Josie Campbell’s absolutely outstanding work on DC’s New Champion of Shazam! and the My Adventures with Superman animated series, I would check out anything and everything that she is attached to. It doesn’t hurt that I Heart Skull-Crusher, her new post-apocalyptic YA series launching this week, absolutely sounds like my jam. The series, with art by Alessio Zonno, is set in a wasteland of extreme sports, as a group of misfits work to compete in a tournament of Screaming Pain Ball. I expect this to be utterly delightful. — Jenna Anderson

The Immortal Thor Vol. 1

• Written by Al Ewing
• Art by Martin Coccolo
• Colors by Matthew Wilson
• Letters by Joe Sabino
• Published by Marvel Comics

The completion of writer Al Ewing’s prior series The Immortal Hulk established “Immortal” as one of Marvel’s most impressive title adjectives – one that marked a serious contemplation of long-standing characters with vivid and innovative new concepts. So it’s no surprise that the first new series to use that descriptor, The Immortal Thor, has been one of the must-read superhero comics from this past year. The first arc is collected this week for readers everywhere to catch up on what that hype is about. Whereas The Immortal Hulk emphasized Hulk’s roots in horror, The Immortal Thor leans into the much more extensive history behind the character of Thor, examining their roots in Norse mythology as well as comic books. That combination of modern and classic mythos is presented in a splendid thesis statement in these six issues, which feature Thor collecting modern wielders of Mjolnir’s might to battle the gods who predated even Thor in a generational tale of gods. In addition to the grand ideas that Ewing is renowned for, the series also presents the best of Martin Coccolo’s already outstanding comics output to date. Sweeping settings and grand battles come alive on these pages in a style unmatched by anything else under the Marvel Comics’ umbrella today. So if you’re not already reading The Immortal Thor, take this Wednesday as an opportunity to catch up. — Chase Magnett

Napalm Lullaby #1

• Written by Rick Remender
• Art by Bengal
• Letters by Rus Wooten
• Published by Image Comics

Rick Remender has become a creator-owned comics institution with his output at Image Comics over the past several years, approaching a decade. In Napalm Lullaby, he’s reteaming with Bengal, an incredible artist who previously worked with Remender on Death or Glory, and longtime collaborator Rus Wooten on letters. The book follows a child with unusual powers raised to believe that they are god and who has ultimate moral authority over their cult of followers. Billed as Remender’s somewhat reluctant return to the superhero genre, it should be interesting to see what the creative team has in store when they apply their creativity to such a tale without corporate or shared universe concerns. – Jamie Lovett

Star Trek: Sons of Star Trek #1

• Written by Morgan Hampton
• Art by Angel Hernandez
• Colors by Nick Filardi
• Letters by Clayton Cowles
• Published by IDW Publishing

Star Trek: Sons of Star Trek is the latest addition to IDW Publishing’s Star Trek line, which has been stellar ever since the low-key soft relaunch that introduced the Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant. As I noted in my advance review of the first issue, Sons of Star Trek shifts the focus away from Sisko, Worf, and the other Star Trek all-stars that populate those series and puts it on the literal next generation: Jake Sisko, Nog, and Alexander Rozhenko, with Q Junior taking a few tricks out his father’s playbook to teach the three of them a lesson. It’s a classic Star Trek premise that feels fresh and a welcome addition to IDW’s Star Trek comics lineup. – Jamie Lovett

Suicide Squad: Dream Team #1

• Written by Nicole Maines
• Art by Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira
• Colors by Adriano Lucas
• Letters by Becca Carey
• Published by DC

I will never not be moved by the grand trajectory of Nia Nal / Dreamer, who went from a loose adaptation of Dream Girl created specifically for The CW’s Supergirl show, to one of the most popular LGBTQ+ superheroes being published today. This week, Dreamer’s story evolves into a stint leading the Suicide Squad, thanks to a new series written by the character’s actress, Nicole Maines. I am very excited to see what’s next for Dreamer, especially in such an unexpected alliance with characters like Harley Quinn, Bizzaro, and more. — Jenna Anderson

Swan Songs

• Written by W. Maxwell Prince
• Art by Martin Simmonds, Caspar Wijngaard, Filipe Andrade, Caitlyn Yarsky, Alex Eckman-Lawn, and Martín Morazzo
• Colors by Martin Simmonds, Caspar Wijngaard, Filipe Andrade, Caitlyn Yarsky, Alex Eckman-Lawn, and Chris O’Halloran
• Letters by Good Old Neon
• Published by Image Comics

If you haven’t read the writer W. Maxwell Prince’s outstanding output at Image Comics, Swan Songs provides a perfect introduction to their Kafkaesque work. Whereas the long-running Ice Cream Man details standalone stories with a wide-ranging collection of overlapping tropes and figures, Swan Songs offers a set of tales bound by theme. Each of the six installments focuses on the ending of something, ranging from a marriage to the entire world. It also draws together a diverse collection of artists with styles that contrast one another to fit the unique tone and approach of each installment. They are immensely satisfying in their own right and make for a titanic anthology of skillful pathos when collected behind a single cover in this volume. Each entry is profound enough to require readers set down the comic before them and guarantees a satisfying reading experience when bound together. So whether you’re looking to see what the buzz surrounding Prince is all about or discover some of the most talented artists working under the Image Comics banner today, Swan Songs is bound to satisfy… until it inevitably draws to a close, again and again. — Chase Magnett

The post The Weekly Pull: Black Widow and Hawkeye, Suicide Squad: Dream Team, Helen of Wyndhorn, and More appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Keanu Reeves is expanding his BRZRKR franchise with a novel titled The Book of Elsewhere. Set for release this summer, Reeves is co-writing The Book of Elsewhere with acclaimed speculative fiction author China Miéville, whose published work includes Perdido Street Station, Embassytown, and The City & The City. Del Rey, an imprint of Random House, will publish The Book of Elsewhere in collaboration with Boom Studios, the publisher responsible for the BRZRKR comics series, which Reeves collaborates on with writer Matt Kindt and artist Ron Garney. Billed by Del Rey as a “genre-bending epic of ancient powers, modern war, and an outcast who cannot die,” The Book of Elsewhere is set in the BRZRKR universe, but plot specifics remain under wraps. The Book of Elsewhere is Reeves’ debut novel.

 “It was extraordinary to have the opportunity to collaborate on The Book of Elsewhere with one of my favorite authors, China Miéville,” Reeves says in a statement. “China did exactly what I was hoping for – he came in with a clear architecture for the story and how he wanted to play with the world of BRZRKR, a world that I love so much. I was thrilled with his vision and feel honored to be a part of this collaborative process.”

Miéville says, “Sometimes the greatest games are those you play with other people’s toys. It was an honor, a shock, and a delight when Keanu invited me to play. But I could never have predicted how generous he’d be with toys he’s spent so long creating, how glad to experiment together, how open to true collaboration. I hope readers get to experience even a fraction of the pleasure reading The Book of Elsewhere that I experienced in the writing – in the serious business of play.”

Del Rey publishing director Bill Brusey adds, “To say we are excited for the publication of this literary blockbuster at Del Rey UK might be the understatement of the year. Keanu Reeves and China Miéville are a dream writing partnership. Both are master storytellers who have thrilled, surprised and won the hearts and minds of audiences and readers for decades.”

“From the beginning BRZRKR has been unlike any other modern comic book franchise, and we are thrilled to partner with Del Rey to expand Keanu Reeves’ visionary world into the medium of prose with ground-breaking author China Miéville,” says Filip Sablik, president of publishing and sales at Boom Studios.

What Is BRZRKR?

Boom launched BRZRKR in 2021 to huge sales success. The story follows an immortal soldier on his quest for answers about the nature of his longevity and perhaps a means of escaping it. Netflix is developing a BRZRKR movie and anime spinoff. Reeves will star in and possibly direct the live-action film. Production I.G. is developing the two-season BRZRKR anime.

The Book of Elsewhere will go on sale on July 23rd. Three volumes of BRZRKR, collecting the original 12-issue BRZRKR series, are available in stores now. The debuted in 2023.

The post Keanu Reeves to Co-Write BRZRKR Novel appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fans of detective novels will recognize the familiar rhythms of exposition that has unfurled from first person narrators ever since Sam Spade first hit the scene in 1930. It’s something movies can accomplish in voice-over, albeit with diminishing returns, and comics can do the same with narrative captions, but they never hold the same appeal. Comics are a visual medium afterall and why should readers want to parse out thin boxes of text when large panels loom right behind them? It’s this quandary that frames the success of Pine and Merrimac #1 – a debut that provides all of the history and character types genre readers may expect but emphasizes a visual presentation of those elements in an intriguing debut.

The series centers around Linnea and Parker, a married couple who work as private investigators after leaving former careers in policing and professional fighting, respectively; Pine and Merrimac is the name of their business. Tracking down cheating spouses and fraudsters proves much less stressful than investigating homicides and fighting in the octagon. However, the case of a missing girl leads Linnea to break her “no missing persons” rule and accept a dangerous job that will require all of her brains and her husband’s brawn to solve.

While there’s a familiar symmetry to the pair in their appearance and assets, Pine and Merrimac #1 ensures readers see them as complete characters possessing idiosyncrasies and humor; people worth following as much as the case they’re on. Artist Fran Galán provides them both with instantly recognizable silhouettes and easy, expressive acting. Although Parker possesses the broad physicality of a linebacker and appears imposing in every panel he enters, his face tells a different story as it only grows chilly when a threat is required. It’s the warmth and comfort found in both figures throughout the issue that makes them so appealing. Their love for one another and interest in their work is immediately evident and defies the simplification of being the smart or tough one.

The first issue makes quick work of introducing the pair as it covers Linnea’s motive-producing origins and the pairs romantic story over the course of 5 pages narrated by Linnea. The captions are succinct, but the collaged imagery tracing those words across the page—often in the sepia tones of nostalgia—provide plenty of depth. Before the first issue is a quarter read, it has produced its premise and characters in quick order.

That allows plenty of space to settle readers into their small town status quo before bigger problems arrive. Several brief encounters with potential and former associates reveals their sense of humor, approach to life, and ongoing, middle-class sorts of problems. There are opportunities for both Linnea and Parker to showcase what makes them effective investigators before the stakes are terribly high, and writer Kyle Starks wrings plenty of laughter from these early incidents.

It’s a good and seemingly simple life until the case that Pine and Merrimac is set to center upon arrives. The case has all of the good hooks that detective readers expect to find in the first few chapters, including a large conspiracy, the presence of genuine evil, and a personal tie to at least one detective. When the issue provides readers with a cliffhanger to suggest where the story is eventually heading, readers have everything they need to appreciate this excellently composed introduction. 

Where Linnea and Parker’s path may lead, what they will discover, and what that journey may uncover about them is all left to be revealed. The questions are enticing, but it’s the quality of character work, the stylized and vibrant artwork presenting them, and the deft presentation of these fundamental units in a detective story that promises to keep readers interested month after month. I’m already hoping they get a second case when this one is solved.

Published by Boom Studios

On January 3, 2024

Written by Kyle Starks

Art by Fran Galán

Colors by Fran Galán

Letters by Pat Brosseau

Cover by Fran Galán

The post Pine and Merrimac #1 Review: Familiar Detectives Pose a Welcome Invitation to Genre Readers appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Animal Pound #1 introduces readers to a new take on one of the most popular novels in American English classes: George Orwell’s Animal Farm. The new miniseries from writer Tom King and artist Peter Gross maintains the fable-like quality of the original and establishes the foundations for a political allegory within a modernized framework. In this iteration the animals are domesticated pets kept at a pound to be adopted or euthanized. Although cats, dogs, and rabbits (along with their human jailers) form a clear class structure, Animal Pound #1 avoids specificity in its first outing focused primarily on a broadly defined revolution. It’s in the telling of that revolution and the brilliantly grounded visuals that it finds its charm, and the hope that its literary ambitions will be discovered in later issues.

The debut issue is worth engaging with simply for Gross’s outstanding artwork accompanied by Tamra Bonvillain’s exceptional colors. They ground the narrative within characters and a setting that reflects reality. The pound is dull and unadorned, defined by geometric forms and nearly endless cage doors; the animals portray the diversity found within domesticated companions and emphasizes their anatomy and movement to recognize them. Rather than making dogs and cats seem alien, the expressive nature of their forms and faces reflects those many of us love in life. It makes them instantly sympathetic on the page and does not seek to immediately anthropomorphize their plight. Those concerned with animal rights will see their horrific plight as being terrible on its face without any additional consideration.

That style also enhances the revolution presented in Animal Pound #1. Recognizing the power imbalance between animals and humans makes the stakes of a relatively minor stake appear immediate and daunting. There are no superpowers or miracles found within the action, which makes it much more suspenseful with the possibility of failure hanging about each panel. Regardless of whether the series’ political commentary is successful, this issue succeeds purely in the form of adventure comics. The planning and execution of a mass escape contained by the very real limitations of caged animals lacking opposable thumbs makes it all the more thrilling. 

This visual style is contrasted by aloof narration framing these events within a broader context. It addresses topics of oppression, freedom, and class with academic language in a narrative fashion that effectively casts the project as following the tradition of Animal Farm. Although this omniscient narrator and its readiness to suggest lessons can be overbearing at points, this is not its core flaw.
Rather, it’s the broadness of this narrative combined with such specific language that leaves it in search of a point. While the various groups of animals form broadly-defined, class-based swaths of humanity revolting against an oppressive ruling group, it’s difficult in Animal Pound #1 to perceive a point of reference to these events. Whereas Animal Farm is a specific critique and analysis of the Russian Revolution (and subsequent failures of the Soviet Union in achieving that revolution’s aims), this work seems to be broadly aimed at populist revolutions in general. Despite the profoundly unjust conditions imposed upon these animals, the underlying sentiment seems to simply be that revolutions are doomed to failure – a dispiriting and cynical notion not found in this series’ inspiration. It is entirely possible that the historical framework for this modernized allegory will grow more apparent as it continues, but in Animal Pound #1 it undermines the story, drawing broad conclusions about human society within a very specific context.

Although the self-evident comparisons drawn by Animal Pound‘s very title draw attention to the debut’s literary weaknesses, it also sets the bar for literary comparison exceptionally high. The cartooning and craft apparent in Animal Pound #1 is more than sufficient to draw in readers curious about its ambitions and retain readers interested by such effective depictions of animal life.

Published by Boom Studios

On December 13, 2023

Written by Tom King

Art by Peter Gross

Colors by Tamra Bonvillain

Letters by Clayton Cowles

Cover by Peter Gross and Tamra Bonvillain

The post Animal Pound #1 Review: A Gorgeous, If Shallow Reimagining appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A true all-star team is taking on one of literature’s iconic stories for BOOM! Studios, a team that includes Award-winning writer Tom King (Wonder Woman, Mister Miracle), Eisner nominated artist Peter Gross (Lucifer, American Jesus), Eisner-nominated colorist Tamra Bonvillain (Once & Future), World’s Finest), and Eisner-nominated letterer Clayton Cowles. Their newest creation is Animal Pound, a modern retelling of George Orwell’s classic Animal Farm that will hit stores this December. ComicBook.com had the chance to sit down with King and Gross to discuss what led to adapting such a renowned story and how they are bringing the concept and the ideas at the center of it into the modern day, and real-world events had an important role to play in bringing this project to life.

“This is one of those ideas that, where you have something in the back of your head that you need to write something but you don’t know what it’s about,” King said. “I knew, Peter’s heard me say this all before, but after January 6th, I live in Capitol Hill. I saw it personally after the sort of events, after the world sort of seemed to fall apart in the middle of all of that, and it seemed very dangerous. After it didn’t quite go away, after the threat that the January 6th posed was still around, I knew I wanted to write about it the same way.”

“When I did Mister Miracle, I wanted to write about how bizarre the world suddenly seemed and how it seemed like we were all locked in a dream, but I had no idea how to write about that. One day my kids were reading Animal Farm, they’re 12 and 13, and I mean, that’s a great book and it’s a metaphor about how communism becomes fascism,” King said. “But when I was looking at it and being like, That’s not the threat we’re facing today. We’re not dealing with an ideal utopian communism and the traps we’re dealing with something else, something different, something from within the system, not from without.”

“So I was like, there should be sort of an Animal Farm about today, a warning as much as Orwell’s work served as a warning of what could happen, another sort of warning,” King said. “And that’s a stupid arrogant thought, and I really should have thrown that in the trash and been like, ‘Tom, you’re not a good enough writer to do this.’ But then I was like, ‘Oh,’ I got so motivated. I was like, ‘Tom, you’ve got to do…’ This is how I ended up joining the CIA. I get so pissed off about something, I was like, I just got to do something. I can’t just sit in my room and I just need to do something.”

“And so this idea came into my head to do something about, to use animals as an allegory again, but instead of using farm animals, because I’ve never lived on a farm, to use pound animals because I’ve grown up with cats and dogs and spent a lot of time trying to get my dog from various pounds around. So I’ve spent a lot of time, and to use that as a metaphor for a different kind of fascism. Fascism that comes from within, that takes advantage of the system to corrupt democracy,” King said. “And it just came to me all in one single day. I literally called the editor that day. I said, ‘I have an idea. It’s really stupid. You’ll never want it. It’s too ambitious.’ And BOOM! said, ‘Let’s try it.’ And that’s how it started.”

Gross already wanted to work with King on a project, and when he heard it was Animal Pound, that pretty much sealed the deal. “Well, first of all, they said Tom and I thought, ‘Okay, I would love to do something with him.’ I hadn’t worked with him before and I’m kind of semi-retired or I want to be. And then when they said Animal Farm, that just appealed to me so much because I knew his take on it would be really interesting and coming from a great space,” Gross said.

“And like he said, you get so mad, you just want to do something, and I just want a chance to dig into stories that have something to say about now. I mean, there’s so much going on. Like Tom talked earlier with someone about having troops on his block after January 6th, and I lived three blocks from where George Floyd was murdered, and we had the same thing happen after that. We had National Guard, armored trucks roaring in front of the yard and soldiers on every corner for a week and stuff,” Gross said. “And so just the opportunity to talk about what’s going on in the country, even if it’s in a subversive, allegorical way, is just such a rare opportunity that I was instantly on.”

King and Gross are using the original story to build theirs, and there will be elements that readers will recognize from Orwell’s original story, but there will also be some larger differences.

 “I mean, the first story is almost like a perfect little diamond. I don’t want to in any way say there’s something wrong with it, and we use it as inspiration in a way to build our story. Animal Farm begins with an inspiring speech from the Lenin pig or the Marx pig, depending on how you read it, and then flashes forward to a revolution,” King said. “We start in a very similar way with a speech from a George Washington-esque dog or Abraham Lincoln dog, and then we flash forward to the impact of that and how those ideals get corrupted. So we use it very much as a model, but then we go off because just thematically, ours starts as a democracy, not as sort of a utopian farm. It starts in a different place, and so the deterioration is to a different place as well.”

After the concept was cemented, it was time to create the characters that would bring it to life, but Gross wasn’t sure what style would end up fitting the series. At one point they thought a more cartoony style would win out, but things ultimately ended up going a different way.

“Initially I did a bunch of sketches and we didn’t know how the animals were going to be,” Gross said. “Was it going to be kind of cartoony? I think we thought that. It ended up being more realistic, which I think we both think works better. And I mean, it was hard. It’s all set in the same place, and I like that. I like it when comics are more like a play than cinema, actually.”

“I always think of them as a play, and I like that aspect of it. I mean, I’m still filling it out. I wish I could draw two or three issues before I had to commit to anything. The way it is when you’re working at something new, you realize something should be like this and you’re on page 25 and you’ve got 14 pages with that character on before, but it’s going pretty smooth,” Gross said.

As for what fans can expect from the series, King said, “This will be a complete beginning-to-end story that starts with a revolution that’s similar to the American Revolution. The idea of people overthrowing a king, or in this case the humans from a pound. And then we will see how American history and how the rules that are set up, as our rules were set up in the Constitution, could lead to another crisis much later on that possibly destroys the whole system. So it’s about how people who have the best intentions in the world creating society based on equality and freedom, how those very ideals can be used against it to create the exact opposite, a society based on fascism and class differences and tribalism.”

Animal Pound will hit comic stores on December 20th.

What do you think of Animal Pound? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things comics with me on Threads @mattaguilarcb!

The post Tom King and Peter Gross Reveal What Real World Events Inspired New BOOM! Studios Series Animal Pound appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The original Pink Ranger is now jumping into the world of comics with a brand new series, and the latest revelation from that series has fans talking. BOOM! Studios is currently holding a Kickstarter for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return, a four-issue series from the team of writers Amy Jo Johnson and Matt Hotson and artist Nico Leon (Spider-Man, Catwoman), which you can find right here. The Return reveals an alternate history for the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers team, and part of that reimagined future is the new Green Ranger, whose name is Olivia Hart. That certainly sounds like the daughter of Tommy Oliver and Kimberly Hart, and Johnson revealed our first look at Olivia in new artwork from Dan Mora.

On Instagram, Johnson wrote, “Introducing #OliviaHart #GreenRanger poster and character design by @dan_mora_c for #MMPRTheReturn @boom_studios written by @atothedoublej & #matthotson art by #nicoleon now available for PREORDER (link in my bio) This comic book is a love letter from me to all of YOU!! #powerrangers.”

While it hasn’t been specifically stated that Olivia Hart is the daughter of Tommy and Kimberly, it does seem to be the case. In addition to her name representing both characters, her character design by Mora incorporates both green and pink into her civilian clothes. We’ll have to wait and see how this all plays out, but if this is the case, it would also be a lovely tribute to the late Jason David Frank. The series’ official description provides some insight into where the Rangers are at this moment in time, and you can find that description below.

“Twenty-two years ago, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers achieved their ultimate victory against the forces of evil… and it cost them everything. Now, the long-disbanded team reunites to mourn the losses of beloved friends, but Zack and Billy have some unexpected information to share – Jason, the Red Ranger, has been operating as a lone vigilante, and has since disappeared. Will the remaining Rangers be able to track him down, especially with a mysterious figure in pursuit?

This is just the beginning of a much larger story that is unlike anything POWER RANGERS fans have ever seen on television, in film, or in comic books, which rewrites the present and future of the beloved Mighty Morphin Power Rangers characters, introduces new sure-to-be fan-favorite characters, and introduces bold new storytelling opportunities for the franchise.”

You can back the campaign right now and reserve your copy of The Return, but that’s not all you can add to your collection through the campaign. In celebration of Johnson and the Pink Ranger, BOOM! Studios is releasing a brand new edition of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink. There will also be limited and signed editions and exclusive merchandise to pick up, with more goals to be revealed as the campaign continues.

Are you excited for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things Power Rangers with me on Threads @mattaguilarcb!

The post Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return Reveals First Look at New Green Ranger Olivia Hart appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Last week, Boom Studios launched the Boom Direct Reserve crowdfunding campaign for . The 12-issue series is the culmination of The Amory Wars. Boom launched the campaign to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the release of the album Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow, as the comic adapts that portion of the larger The Amory Wars story, its grand finale.

Boom set an initial funding goal of $25,000 and achieved it almost instantaneously. A week later, the campaign has raised more than $750,000. In an interview over Zoom, Sanchez tells ComicBook.com that he finds the response encouraging after becoming frustrated with The Amory Wars‘ distribution to comic shops and bookstores.

“I feel great,” Sanchez says from his home, having recently returned from Coheed and Cambria’s latest round of tour dates. “It’s nice to see this sort of reception in any arena. What I love about it is that it quantifies the excitement. This is something I talk about a lot is, I go into retailers all the time, and whether they’re my local comic shop or a Barnes and Noble, I never see The Amory Wars. Maybe 5% of the time I might stumble upon In Keeping Secrets. For me, this sort of situation is a way to quantify that excitement to maybe educate retailers that there is an interest in this title that they might not necessarily know about. A lot of our distribution is direct to consumers. We take all our titles, whether they’re related to the Coheed and Cambria arc or not, out on the road with us, and they are so welcomed in that arena that sometimes it’s hard to see that excitement from anywhere else. And so, this is a way to do that and that excites me.”

I joke that becoming frustrated with comic book distribution is a telltale sign that he’s become as much a comic book creator as a rock star. He accepts the notion with pride.

“That makes me feel so good because, for years, I’ve been such a fan of the medium,” he explains. “There were moments where I would get upset when I would see, this is years and years ago, a movie star decides to break into comics. I’m like, ‘Oh, well, they see it as either a stream of revenue or an easy way to try to pitch a movie,’ because when I started doing this 20-some-odd-years ago, the Marvel movies weren’t a thing. When some of the fanbase found out that Coheed and Cambria had a concept with it and it was a comic book concept, we probably lost some fans because, at the time, some people thought comic books weren’t for adults, if you will. So, to see that I’m still doing it and now to see it’s become a thing, companies taking other musicians’ IPs and making them, it’s a little bit of a stretch, but know what I mean? I feel like I had a hand in that. But I’ve always respected the medium so much that I would get this distaste, and now it’s become a thing that everybody’s doing.”

Sanchez and I spoke for a while about what it means to finally complete The Amory Wars in comics, plans for the prequel Year of the Black Rainbow, and the future of The Amory Wars with the ongoing Vaxis pentalogy. That conversation follows.

Do you feel like the excitement that’s infusing this campaign transcends comics? Do you feel like you can point to this and be like, “Look at how excited people were for this comic. Why don’t we make an animated miniseries or short film or whatever?” Do you feel like that excitement goes beyond?

I think so. At one point, the Coheed audience started this petition to adapt The Amory Wars, whether it be a live-action or an animation. Coheed — and myself — didn’t necessarily want to back it, put the Coheed and Amory Wars machine behind it. We let it do its thing and let the audience build it, but this is an extension of that. Yes, I think it does. I think it’s a way for people to see it because, like I said, I go into retail and it has no presence, absolutely none, and it’s upsetting. I know the fever for the title. I’ve done comic conventions now for almost 20 years, probably over 20 years when I think about it. Our first comic convention, I think, was in 2003, 2004, at San Diego.

Just like the band, it’s always been this grassroots, DIY mentality, and it’s grown and grown and there’s an excitement that continues to grow. We never stop selling the books. When we’re on the road, I’m like, “At some point, these books are going to stop selling.” But no, they don’t because the audience grows and the interest in the concept grows.

I’m thrilled because, in a way, like I said, it kind of quantifies the excitement because in other arenas, we can’t. We don’t SoundScan, like a record, the books that we sell on the road. I guess you could see what we’ve printed and then get that number, but it’s too much work. We’re in a rock band.

How has the crowdfunding experience been? Seeing the success you’ve had here, could you see yourself returning to a crowdfunding model for other projects? Amory Wars , for example, or something like that?

Possibly. It’s always been a thing that’s been brought up to me, and the only time it’s made sense is in this moment because again, I wanted a number. I wanted something that people could see to help take the story seriously. When it was first pitched to us, it was a different situation, but as the idea evolved, it became something that wasn’t the right time to do. But being that it’s the 20th anniversary for this arc being the conclusion of the Coheed and Cambria portion of the story, it made sense to do this. And again, it helped me get the number that I was looking for.

But the idea that I would love to do is something that we’re still toying with and potentially, maybe, we’ll come back to a crowdsource situation, but we’ll see. Again, this wasn’t my idea, it was Boom’s, and I just saw an avenue to get something else out of it.

It’s been five or six years since the first volume of Good Apollo finished. You’ve been living with this story for a very long time, but how long has it been since you started working on page one, panel one of the script for the No World for Tomorrow comic?

Oh, that’s a great question. It’s been a couple of years, my wife and I, because at the time we were also juggling the stories that accompany the new records that we’re putting out that are a part of The Amory Wars story arc, the Vaxis pentalogy. There’d be moments where we would get into scripting No World, but then we’d get pulled away from that and then move into drafting the novellas that would accompany those records. And the same goes for right now. We’ve had all 12 issues scripted for a while, but I like to go back and refresh for continuity. And so, we’ve gotten halfway through the scripts and now we’re at #7-12 and Vaxis III is now becoming a reality, so we’re shifting over to that and outlining that story. But we’ve had it now for some time, I almost want to say three or four years, but at least the outline’s been around for quite some time because it’s always something that you’re thinking about as you’re piecing together the other parts.

What form is it in now? The BackerKit isn’t entirely clear about the state of the art. I think Rags Morales’ name appears on some of the placeholder covers and then other ones say “Artist TBA.” Are you waiting to get the funding to then put the artist to work, or is it already basically done? Where’s it at this point?

Before the BackerKit, we started moving into illustrations, and we got three issues deep — pencils, inks – and they’re great, but at the same time, as we were looking at it objectively, we saw an aesthetic that didn’t match with what had happened previously in the book, so we had to put it to a halt. In that respect, we have three issues illustrated, but now we’re going back to square one.

Right now, I think today, we choose our interior artist. But again, that’s the thing, we get all of these samples and everyone is great but it just needs to be right and fit in the mold of what we’ve already created with the previous stories. I think we’re just about there. Once that happens, illustrating will happen immediately after.

No World for Tomorrow has stood for a while as the one part of The Amory Wars without a companion, meaning no comic and no novella to tell the story. And so, fans have been interpreting what exactly the lyrics mean for the past 20 years. Does that add extra pressure to crafting this particular comic, or does it feel more like, finally, it’s all going to be out there?

It is a little stressful because yeah, you want to find that happy medium where the lyrics converge with continuity of stories previously. You want to tie everything up. I think we did a good job, Chondra and I. I’m so thrilled with this story because it does have a little bit of everything for if you’re a fan of The Amory Wars, and I mean from the novel of Year of the Black Rainbow. This is going to be such a payoff because there are a lot of cool surprises. There are a lot of cool things that get tied up, and there are enough questions and answers in this that I think are compelling and thrilling and it’s going to make for a great end. I’m so very excited for it to come out.

We just did a cruise. Coheed now has this thing that we’re doing, it’s now becoming this biannual thing. This was our second year, and The Amory Wars has a big presence on it. We had characters dressed up from the story — Gibney, Mayo, the Crowing, Wilhelm Ryan, and so on – but one of my favorite parts of the cruise was my wife had this coffee hour in the mornings. She does it twice on the cruise, and the second day they did a reading of issue one of No World for Tomorrow, and she did it with her friend Gina. I had so much fun listening to them read this comic and do the voices. It got me excited. I don’t know why I just kind of went into that detour.

I will note that audio drama, and scripted podcasts, are burgeoning mediums if you’re looking for somewhere else to put The Amory Wars.

Right. And my wife, she does one, and we talked about, “Maybe we should do this, maybe the two of you, and I can sit there and chime in every once in a while.” Because I enjoyed it so much. Like so much so that I was supposed to be pulled away to do something, and I was like, “Can we please, I just want to watch this.”

You mentioned Year of The Black Rainbow. This story is the finale of The Amory Wars, but the BackerKit also calls it the penultimate chapter. Not to get too ahead of ourselves, but is that an indication that you want to go back and turn Year of the Black Rainbow into a comic also, even though that novel already exists?

Yeah, absolutely. I don’t think I’m spoiling anything. I’ve said I think it needs that treatment because, ultimately, one of the ideas I’ve had, and maybe this goes with the original idea or the evolved idea before it became The Amory Wars 20th Anniversary Edition is in the story of The Amory Wars, there’s a bible that talks about this riddle and the coming of the Crowing, which is God’s hand that’s there to destroy all of Heaven’s fence, which is the solar system, which the story plays out on, and it’s called the Ghansgraad. I would love to do something called “The Ghansgraad Edition” where we collect all the stories, one through five, Year of the Black Rainbow to No World, and do something really special. I remember as a kid, and I’m not all that religious, but my mother had this enormous Bible, and that’s the thing that plays out in my head is some compartment that houses all these additions in this ornate rendition of the Ghansgraad.

That gets me wondering about Year of the Black Rainbow, which is a prequel, and then there’s stuff like The Afterman, and then Vaxis is a sequel. For somebody who’s trying to enjoy The Amory Wars story, do you recommend going in chronological order, or even starting as far back as The Afterman, or are you a release order person? This is a very George Lucas question, but also, is there a difference depending on if they’re reading the story or listening to the albums, since the albums have the added factor of Coheed and Cambria’s progression as band? What is your definitive order to experience the story?

When I started the idea in ’98, it was like, “Oh, I’m a Star Wars fan.” So, to me, the idea of the prequel was such an interesting thing, so I was like, “I’m going to start with Part 2, and we’re going to go back and tell the origin of the characters, Coheed and Cambria.” And that was a mistake [laughs] because Second Stage without the legs of Year of the Black Rainbow can be confusing. If you don’t suspend disbelief, you’re like, “What the hell is this?” But there’s enough interesting stuff in there, clearly, that it’s gathered its following that’s super invested in it. As much as I find it maybe wasn’t the right thing to do, there’s something right about it.

I would say Second Stage, but if you could get your hands on Year of the Black Rainbow, I would say Year of the Black Rainbow is 1, and that’s the fun part. I’ve said this in the past, but every story has some sort of numeric value to it — “Year” being singular, that would be Part 1, Second Stage, 2, second, In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3. So there is a numeric order placed, not vaguely, but in an interesting way in the stories. If you can get your hands on Year of The Black Rainbow, I would suggest Year of the Black Rainbow, but if you’re into being perplexed, I would start with Second Stage Turbine Blade.

Has your experience working on the comics affected your approach to how you present some of the newer music? I’ve noticed that the Vaxis music videos, they’re visual, they’re direct, they use some art from the books. Are those videos fulfilling a similar purpose to what the comics do for the previous Amory Wars albums, or is it just something cool and new for you guys to do, and maybe eventually you’ll do comics for those? Is there a creative feedback cycle there?

I think when we were younger, we tried to incorporate the comics into the videos. “Devil in Jersey City” was the first time we tried to incorporate Coheed and Cambria, and it worked for that moment, but I think at the time, as a band, this was my idea, and I’m not so sure everybody else was on board at that time. It felt a little uncomfortable to try to force those sorts of elements in every output we did. I didn’t want to make anyone else feel uncomfortable, and I knew that I did. But I think as time went on and the strength of The Amory Wars grew and the excitement for characters, one can only be so lucky to find an audience that finds a character in a story that they’ve created and bonds with that character, and that’s what The Amory Wars is doing. I think at that point it’s like, “Oh, well, it’s not such a bad idea to incorporate this stuff in a visual way with the music.”

It’s fun. There are moments where it is literally a representation of what happened in the story, but then there are some moments that aren’t, like for example, “Old Flames” was really kind of a play on the characters and me being the creator and a part of their crew. There are little ways to play in the sandbox, but also you’re not totally pushing it where we’re trying to make the full-on adaptation in this three to four-minute exercise, if that makes any sense.

You talked about how you’d bounce back and forth between scripting No World for Tomorrow and making the story for Vaxis. Is it tricky trying to go back and forth between working on this story that you conceived of 20 years ago and then coming back to this new story that you’re working on? Is there a challenge in that or is it pretty easy to keep the two separated?

It’s challenging, but I love it because it helps remind myself, and my wife, of things that we can then connect, try to be cognizant of the thread. We’re not sharing these moments with characters from the Coheed Amory Wars, in the atmosphere, maybe there’s a way to do that. You’re reminded of these things, and I think it’s fun.

I think I had said in a little interview that I did for Boom that what makes No World so exciting to see now come out is its connection to subsequent stories like Vaxis III and the first story, Year of the Black Rainbow, as well as the connection to The Afterman because the last record has that Incredible Hulk #180 ending, where you have the Wolverine silhouette in the doorway, but this is the Afterman making an appearance at the end of Vaxis II in a very Wolverine fashion — though not a silhouette, you see him but it feels like that to me. All these stories are now going to make so much sense when they come out once No World starts and Vaxis III happens, and with the idea of adapting Year of the Black Rainbow, everything is going to connect so much more than it’s ever before. That’s thrilling to me because it’s going to be a domino effect of “this is all making so much sense to me” and I can’t wait to see how it ends with Vaxis IV and V.

I’d be remiss if I let you go without asking, generally, what’s next for Coheed? I know you said you’re working on Vaxis III. What should fans be looking forward to next?

Vaxis III is very much percolating as well and next year we’ll probably do some preliminary touring that’ll lead to a release. I’m not sure exactly when that release is, because there still is a lot of work to do in terms of recording it and illustrating the novella. We’ve started down those paths, but they take some time, as well as writing the novella, of course. Things are going to happen hopefully in the next year or so.

The Amory Wars: No World for Tomorrow crowdfunding campaign continues on BackerKit through the month of November. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

The post Coheed and Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez Talks The Amory Wars’ Finale and Future appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Free Comic Book Day will be here before you know it, and the list of Gold Sponsor Comics has been revealed. Taking place on Saturday, May 4, 2024, Free Comic Book Day is the yearly event that opens up the doors of comic book shops and allows fans to take home a selection of comics for free. Publishers like Marvel Comics and DC use FCBD as an entry point for new readers, offering stories that will hopefully get readers to keep coming back to comic shops week after week. This will be the case in May with the Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) Committee selecting 12 titles to make up its Gold Sponsor tier.

The participating titles were curated by 10+ comic shop retailers who make up the FCBD Selection Committee. They range from superheroes, video game franchises, and all-ages stories. The Gold Sponsor titles come from the comic industry’s top publishers, including Andrews McMeel Publishing, BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, IDW Publishing, Image Comics, Marvel, Papercutz, Random House Children’s Books, and VIZ Media.

“We’re looking forward to another great year of celebrating comic books and comic book shops!” said Ashton Greenwood, Free Comic Book Day spokesperson. “This year’s lineup has a title for everyone. Whether you’re new to comics or a longtime reader, you’re sure to find a title that grabs your attention. And with the event falling on Star Wars Day this year, that adds a little extra excitement to the day!”

What are the Free Comic Book Day 2024 Gold Titles?

The full lineup of FCBD titles will be released on Thursday, November 16th, when 36 additional FCBD Silver Sponsor titles are announced. A complete listing of all forty-eight FCBD titles can also be found in the December 2023 issue of Diamond Comic Distributors’ PREVIEWS catalog, on sale at comic book shops on Wednesday, November 22nd. 

The complete list of Free Comic Book Day Gold Sponsor comics is below:

• Andrews McMeel Publishing| UNICORN CRUSH
• BOOM! Studios | THE WORLDS OF JAMES TYNION IV
• Dark Horse Comics | HELLBOY/ STRANGER THINGS
• DC | DC FCBD SPECIAL EDITION
• Dynamite Entertainment | JONNY QUEST
• IDW Publishing | TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES
• Image Comics/ Skybound | TRANSFORMERS & G.I. JOE: WELCOME TO THE ENERGON UNIVERSE
• Marvel Comics | ULTIMATE UNIVERSE/ SPIDER-MAN #1
• Marvel Comics | BLOOD HUNT/ X-MEN #1
• Papercutz| DISNEY’S ENCANTO & TURNING RED: THE NEW ADVENTURES
• Random House Graphix | WITCHES OF BROOKLYN
• VIZ Media | POKEMON ASVENTURES: OMEGA RUBY & ALPHA SAPPHIRE/ SPLATOON 3

The post Free Comic Book Day 2024 Gold Sponsor Comic Books Revealed appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Coheed and Cambria’s will celebrate its 20th anniversary in the best possible way: by finishing the story. On Tuesday, Boom Studios launched the BackerKit campaign for The Amory Wars: No World for Tomorrow, the series’ climax. While the campaign’s launch video (embedded below) teases that “The 20-year saga comes to a close” in No World for Tomorrow, the campaign’s summary describes it as the “penultimate” chapter of the saga, meaning there’s one more chapter left to go. Perhaps there are plans to bring The Amory Wars prequel story, Year of the Black Rainbow, to comics as well. Alternatively, it may be something else unexpected, given that writer Claudio Sanchez is hinting at a surprise in store in the launch video. Currently, it’s unclear.

According to the campaign’s page, Boom Studios has partnered with Evil Ink Comics, the comics publisher founded by Sanchez, to create BOOM! Direct Reserve editions of The Amory Wars: No World for Tomorrow, based on Coheed and Cambria’s 2007 album Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow. The story will be offered as a 12-issue comic book series or a three-volume trade paperback collection, shipping all at once in either form with a variety of extras, enhancements, and collectibles depending on the backer’s pledge level. The campaign reached its funding goal of $25,000 almost instantly and, within 20 minutes, within the first hour since its launch, had surpassed $300,000. Stretch goals are still to be revealed.

What is Coheed and Cambria’s The Amory Wars: No World for Tomorrow?

The Amory Wars is the sci-fi saga and universe that is the basis for the story told through most of Coheed and Cambria’s discography, dating back to the band’s 2002 debut studio album Second Stage Turbine Blade. The story is told through lead singer Claudio Sanchez’s lyrics. The events described in those lyrics have been shown in greater detail via adaptions into comics based on the albums published over the past 20 years. Though Coheed and Cambria wrapped the main Amory Wars story in 2007 with the release of the No World for Tomorrow album, the band returned to the concept with the prequel album Year of the Black Rainbow in 2010. They also set the two-part The Afterman album in the same universe as The Amory Wars, then began the Vaxis quintet, which continues The Amory Wars story, with the 2018 album Vaxis – Act I: The Unheavenly Creatures, followed by Vaxis – Act II: A Window of the Waking Mind in 2022.

Sanchez offered an update on the comic adaptation of , teasing what would become this BackerKit project. “At the moment, we’re illustrating the follow-up to Good Apollo [Volume] One: Fear Through the Eyes of Madness,” Sanchez said. “We’re doing No World for Tomorrow right now. It’s a 12-issue maxiseries We’re about a few issues, in terms of the illustrations. The scripts are finished. So yeah, we are working on it. Amory Wars is always at the forefront. It is the nucleus of all the things I do in comics, so it’s always there.”

The Amory Wars: No World for Tomorrow sees Sanchez co-writing with his wife, Chondra Echert. The campaign does not name an artist, though some placeholder cover images list Rags Morales as returning, having previously drawn the adaptation’s most recent volume, Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness. However, other placeholder covers list the artist as “TBA.”

The Amory Wars: No World for Tomorrow campaign will be live for the next 30 days. Shipping is expected to go out in two waves, the first in December 2024 and the second in December 2025.

The post Coheed and Cambria’s Amory Wars Finale Is Finally on Its Way appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After my grandmother passed when I was much younger, her children had the opportunity to collect mementos from the small farmhouse she lived in. I recall my mother moving directly to her mother-in-law’s kitchen, while others sought out seemingly more desirable locales, and retrieving her pie dish. It certainly wasn’t the most valuable object in the house, but as soon as the other Magnett children saw the only object my mother chose to retrieve, they all sighed in disappointment. My grandmother’s cherry pies were the stuff of legend and, upon seeing the dish, we all understood there was perhaps no better symbol of the love, family, and care she had brought all of us in life. 

Rare Flavours #1 summoned this memory because it, too, reminded me of the centrality of food in human existence and how this ephemeral artform distills so many of our best (and most contradictory) qualities.

The new miniseries from Boom Studios reunites the creative team behind the critically-acclaimed The Many Deaths of Laila Starr with writer Ram V, artist Filipe Andrade, and lettering from Andworld Design. Together they pursue another modern fable that builds upon Indian mythology to invoke both an exciting adventure and contemplation of the human condition. While that bar established by Many Deaths is quite high, every page of Rare Flavours #1 suggests that the new project is more than capable of reaching it.

This new fable centers upon Rubin, a rakshasa stretching his legs to explore the country for new flavors and with new ambitions, and Mohan, a film director disinterested in the continued pursuit of his creative career. The former introduces himself to readers in a letter to their former “employer.” Andworld Design’s outstanding lettering is combined with Andrade’s luxuriant painting depicting a battle between the mythic figures Bheema and Bakasura, with the latter implied as a relation of Rubin or Rubin himself. It’s a splendid introduction to the series’ tone with magical characters and elements flirting with the typically grounded elements on the page. Rubin subsequently introduces himself to Mohan and reveals a shared fascination when he invites the young man to craft a film about food.

Andrade’s sequences depicting the food stories behind this story are simply superb. The first issue, titled “Masala Chai,” details both the preparation of this special tea and the story of Satish, a street vendor utilizing his family’s recipe. Open panels filled with ingredients utilize color to draw out the best qualities of ingredients and offer a clear sense of texture and heat within the panel. When paired with warm, earth tone-laden depictions of the man crafting this brew, it summons Parts Unknown to mind – a connection purposefully made with an early reference to Bourdain’s legacy.

Those vignettes of food preparation integrate themselves splendidly into the rich, dreamlike vision of India (specifically Mumbai in issue #1) that populates the entire issue. Andrade’s figures all resemble mundane humans but their forms reveal personality and power. Rubin looms in a fashion reminiscent of Sienkiewicz’s Demon Bear, massive, powerful, and absolutely confident. This informs the figures of two men stalking his trail who only hint at their supernatural ties, but whose bodies reveal far more. The busy streets of the Bandra neighborhood are filled with activity and loose lines that imply as much as they define. Andrade’s colors paint the space with life and make the setting as vital as any individual walking its streets.

Throughout Rare Flavours #1 there is an undercurrent of memory played out in both the creation of food and capture of film. Rubin reflects on their millennia-long path; Mohan is reminded of his very first, and most precious, film; Satish carries the memory of home in his tea. Different forms of art connect characters to their past and work to reveal both comfort and ominous secrets. Whatever path lies ahead for the humans, rakshasa, and other mythical beings involved, this debut makes clear that it takes its subject matter, food, very seriously. With wondrous depictions of simple recipes, deep-seated emotional experiences, and a sense of wonder at the mundane, it summons an odyssey of memory bound to remind readers of the most profound flavors from their own past.

Published by Boom Studios

On September 20, 2023

Written by Ram V

Art by Filipe Andrade

Colors by Filipe Andrade

Letters by Andworld Design

Cover by Filipe Andrade

The post Rare Flavours #1 Review: An Exquisite Taste of Comics appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s almost another new comic book day, which means new releases hitting stores and digital platforms. Each week in The Weekly Pull, the ComicBook.com team highlights the new releases that have us the most excited about another week of comics. Whether those releases are from the most prominent publisher or a small press, brand new issues of ongoing series, original graphic novels, or collected editions of older material, whether it involves capes and cowls or comes from any other genre, if it has us excited about comic books this week, then we’re going to tell you about it in The Weekly Pull.

This week, we’ve got a slew of debut issues covering household names, under-the-radar fan-favorites, and even… Alligator Loki?! Plus, a highly-anticipated new graphic novel from the Tamaki siblings, and a collection of Monica Rambeau stories to prepare you for The Marvels.

What comics are you most excited about this week? Let us know which new releases you’re looking forward to reading in the comments, and feel free to leave some of your suggestions as well. Check back tomorrow for our weekly reviews and again next week for a new installment of The Weekly Pull.

Alligator Loki #1

• Written by Alyssa Wong
• Art by Bob Quinn
• Published by Marvel Comics

A little over two years ago, the Loki Disney+ series gave fans a variant of the God of Mischief they didn’t know they needed — Alligator Loki. The scaly-but-cuddly foil to Frog Thor became an overnight sensation, leading to a hit Marvel Unlimited webcomic, which gets collected in its entirety this week. Expect a lot of mischief, and some adorable art from Bob Quinn. — Jenna Anderson

Avengers Inc. #1

• Written by Al Ewing
• Art by Leonard Kirk
• Colors by Alex Sinclair
• Published by Marvel Comics

Al Ewing knows how to reconceptualize a character from the ground up (see Immortal Hulk and Immortal Thor). He also has a talent for creating a team book that acts as the cooler, brainier, less predictable sibling to the sweeping, straightforward superhero operatics of a flagship title. This knack is most recently on display in X-Men Red, serving as a counterbalance to X-Men. Previously, he and his collaborators did the same with runs on a string of secondary (and underappreciated) Avengers titles: Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, and U.S.Avengers. Ewing is back on the Avengers this week, teaming with perennially underrated artist Leonard Kirk on Avengers Inc. Based on the title, it sounds like a Marvel riff on Batman Inc., but the synopsis reveals a more noirish take on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, with the Wasp (Janet Van Dyne) teaming up with Victor Shade (The Visions’s human alter ego) to solve Marvel universe mysteries. Their first case: How does Victor Shade exist independently of the Vision? I’m eager to see how this mystery unfolds, and readers shouldn’t sleep on Avengers Inc. — Jamie Lovett

Batman and Robin #1

• Written by Joshua Williamson
  
• Art and colors by Simone Di Meo
  
• Letters by Steve Wands
  
• Published by DC
  

While Batman comics lately have been disappointing and I was very markedly not a fan of Knight Terrors, I’m very much looking forward to Batman and Robin teaming up again in the wake of, well, a lot of lackluster events in the DC Universe as of late. Getting to see Batman team up with Damian — particularly in a situation where there’s a new villain that will require the pair to work together — feels like a reset and its refreshing so this one gives me a lot of hope. — Nicole Drum

Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham #1

• Written by Rafael Grampá
  
• Art by Rafael Grampá
  
• Colors by Matheus Lopes
  
• Letters by John Workman
  
• Published by DC

There is a rarified class of artists working in the direct market whose names make any title a must-affair and Rafael Grampá may top that list in 2023. Grampá’s interior work presents a one-of-a-kind style defined by heavily detailed line work, some of the most impactful layouts and action sequences in comics, and a singular vision that reveals unexpected angles on familiar concepts with every turn of the page; plus, it’s exceedingly rare as that degree of complexity demands a great deal of time. Whether you know Grampá from the iconic and exceedingly bloody Mesmo Delivery or The Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child (the best DKR installment since the original four issues), if you know his art then you already know why Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham ought to be in every comic readers’ pull file this week. It also marks a first in Grampá’s career as he steps into the role of writer to present his own vision of the Dark Knight from every angle. The first issue introduces readers to a Batman who, having abandoned his Bruce Wayne alter-ego to become a full-time vigilante, is drawn into a twisted conspiracy filled by a new rogues gallery. Whatever answers await to be uncovered, comics readers everywhere know that the journey to discovering them will be filled with superb action sequences, dynamic settings and character designs, and a vision of Gotham City unparalleled in comics this decade. Buckle up, friends, we’re in for an incredible ride. — Chase Magnett

Captain Marvel: The Saga of Monica Rambeau

• Written by Various
• Art by Various
• Published by Marvel Comics

In just a matter of months, The Marvels will be debuting on movie screens — which gives you plenty of time to catch up on the comic adventures of its three protagonists. Monica Rambeau has arguably had the most distinct history of them all, operating under a slew of code names and roles in the Marvel universe. This week’s trade paperback collects just a few of those highlights, and creates a fascinating portrait of the woman Monica has become over the years. — Jenna Anderson 

Coda #1

• Written by Simon Spurrier
  
• Art by Matias Bergara
  
• Colors by Michael Doig
  
• Letters by Jim Campbell and Colin Bell
  
• Published by Boom! Studios
  

While, for me, the main hook for Coda #1 is that Simon Spurrier is writing it, if that’s not enough for you then don’t worry, there’s plenty of other reasons this makes my list this week. A continuation of the adventures of Hum and Serka, we head back to the fantasy world of Coda where we’ve got a little bit of everything: discontent, prophecy, an apocalyptic setting, and plenty of skepticism and the challenges of dealing with both the ordinary and the extraordinary which is what the best fantasy stories do. It’s a really exciting prospect to get to dip back into this world so this might be the book I’m most looking forward to this week. — Nicole Drum

Hexagon Bridge #1

• Created by Richard Blake
• Published by Image Comics

I’m a huge science fiction fan, constantly looking for exciting new sci-fi comics. Finding new comic books in the genre isn’t hard; quite the opposite. The challenge is discerning which are worthwhile and will stand out from the deluge of high-concept streaming service pitches that tend to flood the direct market. To that end, a cover like Richard Blake’s for Hexagon Bridge #1 will go a long way to separate a new book from the back. It’s clear that some extra consideration went into the book’s design, offering reason to believe the creator has applied as much consideration and effort to the story within. Based on the few preview pages available, Blake seems to have the interiors to back up the cover’s promise. Hexagon Bridge’s story follows a young girl with precognitive abilities and her sentient robot partner trying to rescue the girl’s parents from a mysterious parallel dimension with an ever-changing landscape and meddlesome denizens. There’s nothing about that premise I don’t like. — Jamie Lovett

Roaming

• Written by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki
  
• Art by Jillian Tamaki
  
• Colors by Jillian Tamaki
  
• Letters by Jillian Tamaki
  
• Published by Drawn and Quarterly
  

The Tamaki siblings, Jillian and Mariko, are a consistent source of joy and inspiration amongst comics afficionados making any new release from either or both of them a cause to celebrate. Readers may be familiar with past works ranging from the transcendent exploration of adolesence in This One Summer to the quiet, but tense exploration of early loves in Skim and even the chaotic humor and forms of SuperMutant Magic Academy (a solo outing from Jillian). Each new comic drawn by Jillian Tamaki offers a unique joy and her newest collaboration with Mariko, Roaming, promises readers one of the best new comics of 2023. It focuses on early adulthood in the story of a trip to New York City that reveals romantic entanglements and tests long-standing bonds of friendship. Tamaki’s loose forms and pastel colors paint both characters and settings through the lens of memory making the specifics of the narrative seem universal in the emotions experienced. Jillian Tamaki’s artwork is always reason enough to seek out a new comic with their name attached, but the third collaboration with Mariko promises another introspective and profoundly beautiful narrative that simply cannot be missed. — Chase Magnett

The post The Weekly Pull: Batman and Robin, Avengers Inc., Roaming, and More appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Western and sci-fi genres usually make for an interesting pairing. The same can be said for the Western and horror genres. Each of those combinations has found some success across all entertainment mediums in the past. Hunt for the Skinwalker, a new comic series from BOOM! Studios, attempts to do both at once. This Western tale dives headfirst into the worlds of both horror and science fiction, building a fascinating and potentially overstuffed world. 

Hunt for the Skinwalker comes from writer Zac Thompson, artist Valeria Burzo, and colorist Jason Wordie. The central plot follows the Gorman family who have taken over a ranch in Northeastern Utah in 1996. The Gormans have money troubles and need things on the ranch to pan out, which helps makes sense out of why they can’t simply pack up and head out of town when mysterious and terrifying occurrences begin plaguing their land.

At first, the issues for the Gormans trend in the direction of the scary and supernatural. A giant wolf creature appears to them and tries to eat their animals, though it seems intent on leaving them alone. That’s followed by several pages of flashbacks and an explanation of a creature known as the skinwalker. The narration breaks down the history of this American cryptid and its roots in Native cultures, explaining that it is a witch that can transform into different beings in order to scare its prey. 

This legend is built up to be the central issue of the comic book, until the story pivots just a couple of pages later. When the family goes out to hunt the creature, they come upon a sleek, square UFO that zooms around the property. The next night, one member of the family sees the same flying object, this time with a tall, mysterious man inside. The pivot from cryptids to UFOs provides a bit of whiplash to readers.

Any first issue has to lay the groundwork for what’s to come in the series ahead. Hunt for the Skinwalker clearly has many plans, which is very exciting. The only issue is loading up this debut with so much information and multiple potential issues for the Gormans to confront makes it feel bloated. It’s honestly a bit overwhelming, taking on so much at one time. It would’ve perhaps been a more worthwhile endeavor to spend some space developing the characters—who admittedly have very promising bones—and saving some of the sci-fi elements for a future issue.

That said, there’s still a lot to enjoy about Hunt for the Skinwalker, and it should certainly leave readers interested in what’s coming next. Burzo’s artwork really invokes the vibe of the 1990s American West. There’s a comfortable feel to it, that somehow captures elements of both King of the Hill and Jordan Peele’s Nope. There’s an ease to flipping through these pages that keeps you engaged, even when some aspects of the story start to grow overpowering.

Hunt for the Skinwalker doesn’t deliver a perfect debut, but does it really have to? The good far outweighs the not-so-good in this first issue, and it’s easy to see the potential of what the series might become in the months ahead. 

Published by Boom Studios

On September 6, 2023

Written by Zac Thompson

Art by Valerio Burzo

Colors by Jason Wordie

Letters by Joe Sabino

Cover by Martin Simmonds

The post Hunt for the Skinwalker #1 Review: A Promising Series Lies Ahead appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Coheed and Cambria lead singer Claudio Sanchez confirmed to ComicBook.com at San Diego Comic-Con that work on the next volume of The Amory Wars comics, adapting the science fiction story told primarily through the band’s music, is well underway. Boom Studios published the latest volume of The Amory Wars comics, adapting Coheed and Cambria’s 2005 album Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness, in 2017-2018. Boom then collected the entire 12-issue series into a single hardcover graphic novel, The Amory Wars: Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV Ultimate Edition, in 2019. Sanchez tells us that scripts are done and art on the way for the next story arc of The Amory Wars saga comic books, adapting Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow.

“At the moment we’re illustrating the follow-up to Good Apollo [Volume] One: Fear Through the Eyes of Madness,” Sanchez says. “We’re doing No World for Tomorrow right now. It’s a 12-issue maxiseries We’re about a few issues in terms of the illustrations. The scripts are finished. So yeah, we are working on it. Amory Wars is always at the forefront. It is the nucleus of all the things I do in comics, so it’s always there.”

The Amory Wars graphic novels

The Amory Wars comics adaptation in its current form began with The Amory Wars: The Second Stage Turbine Blade, adapting Coheed and Cambria’s first studio album, 2002’s The Second Stage Turbine Blade. Sanchez wrote the series, which several artists worked on, including Gus Vasquez, Mike S. Miller, and Gabriel Guzman. Boom Studios published the “Ultimate Edition” hardcover collecting the entire The Amory Wars: The Second Stage Turbine Blade series.

The Amory Wars: In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 followed, a comic book series adapting Coheed and Cambria’s second album, 2003’s In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3. Peter David co-wrote the series with Sanchez, with Chris Burnham and Aaron Kuder providing the artwork. Boom has also published The Amory Wars: In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 series in the ultimate edition format.

The Amory Wars: Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV came next, adapting the third album in The Amory Wars saga. Sanchez and Echert wrote that series, with art by Rags Morales.

Sanchez’s most recent comic book release is based on his solo music project, The Prize Fighter Inferno. My Brother’s Blood Machine, was released earlier this year through his publishing company, Evil Ink. Sanchez told ComicBook.com at Comic-Con that the series serves nicely as a lead into his 2024 tour. “We did finally release the comics component of My Brother’s Blood Machine just recently,” he says, “so, I thought, ‘Well, why not? This makes a lot of sense now.”

The post Coheed and Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez Offers Update on Amory Wars Adaptation appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Keanu Reeves made the jump from movie star to comic book creator with BRZRKR in 2021, and the hit series is finishing up its final volume this year. That said, BRZRKR has already been set up and primed to be a massive multimedia franchise, with a movie adaptation, anime series, and novel all in the works. Add to that list another BRZRKR comic series that’s been announced, a prequel story one-shot titled BRZRKR: Poetry of Madness #1.

As detailed in the press release by BRZRKR publisher BOOM! Studios, BRZRKR: Poetry of Madness will be a “Lovecraftian nightmare” that follows the titular character “B.” at an earlier point in his immortal existence, where he was known as “The Tip of the Trident” and “Poseidon’s Pet Demon,” while serving as protector of the city of Atlantis. While full details haven’t been revealed yet, it’s clear that this story will b the BRZRKR version of the Atlantis, and how it sank down to become the undersea kingdom of legend. 

This sort of one-shot special highlights the greatest strength of the BRZRKR series: the idea that B., as an immortal has lived so many lifetimes there are endless stories to tell about it (suited to many different formats), including stories like this, which intersect with actual myth, legend, or historical events. 

Get the full details from BOOM! Studios about BRZRKR: Poetry of Madness #1 below – and check out some preview pages HERE. 

BRZRKR: Poetry of Madness #1 Preview

See Atlantis Like Never Before…Blood-Soaked & Filled with Monsters in July 2023

BOOM! Studios revealed today a first look at BRZRKR: POETRY OF MADNESS #1 from iconic filmmaker and record-shattering comic creator Keanu Reeves, acclaimed writer and artist Steve Skroce (We Stand On Guard), and Eisner-winning colorist Dave Stewart (Black Hammer). The first-ever BRZRKR one-shot special pits the immortal B. against a Lovecraftian nightmare, available this July.

A sea of gore and devastation awaits as B., through a fateful chance encounter, safeguards the advanced and ancient realm of Atlantis as its unstoppable protector. But a deceived king serves as a symbol for the rot inside the kingdom, as the security and peace created through B.’s violence is shallow… The cracks created by a secret cult might spell a monstrous end for the legendary city, one beyond even B.’s ability to save.

BRZRKR: POETRY OF MADNESS #1 features covers by Steve Skroce, Travis Charest (Wildcats), David Aja (Hawkeye), and David Mack (Kabuki).

BRZRKR: POETRY OF MADNESS is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to critically acclaimed original series, including BRZRKR by Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney; Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera; Once & Future by Kieron Gillen and Dan Mora; Wynd by James Tynion IV and Michael Dialynas; Grim by Stephanie Phillips and Flaviano; Briar by Christopher Cantwell and Germán García; Stuff of Nightmares by R.L. Stine and A.L. Kaplan; The Approach by Jeremy Haun, Jason A. Hurley, and Jesus Hervas; Damn Them All by Simon Spurrier and Charlie Adlard; Behold, Behemoth by Tate Brombal and Nick Robles; Once Upon a Time at the End of the World by Jason Aaron, Alexandre Tefenkgi, Leila del Duca, and Nick Dragotta; Know Your Station by Sarah Gailey and Liana Kangas; A Vicious Circle by Mattson Tomlin and Lee Bermejo; Mosely by Rob Guillory and Sam Lotfi; Harrower by Justin Jordan and Brahm Revel; The Neighbors by Jude Ellison S. Doyle and Letizia Cadonici; The Seasons Have Teeth by Dan Watters and Sebastián Cabrol; Ghostlore by Cullen Bunn and Leomacs; and Sirens of the City by Joanne Starer and Khary Randolph. The imprint also publishes popular licensed properties, including Dune: House Harkonnen from Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, and Michael Shelfer; Mighty Morphin Power Rangers from Melissa Flores and Simona Di Gianfelice; Magic from Jed McKay, Rich Douek, and Ig Guara; and The Expanse: Dragon Tooth by Andy Diggle and Rubine.

BRZRKR: POETRY OF MADNESS #1 will be available in comic shops July 26, 2023. It is available for pre-order at your local comic shop. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle. 

Source: BOOM! Studios

The post BRZRKR Prequel Series “Poetry of Madness” Previewed by Keanu Reeves, BOOM! Studios appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In the big city, there is no telling who you will find. From love to misery, just about anything is game when you take on the world, and we’re all left to deal with the hand we’re dealt. Of course, some have it harder than others, and Sirens of the City proves that in its first issue. The new comic series from writer Joanne Starer and artist Khary Randolph arrives today. Sirens of the City #1 is a delicious supernatural debut for the soul, and its clean artwork will have fans begging for more.

Sirens of the City is the latest series from BOOM Studios, and the publisher is bringing supernatural chaos into the modern day with this ambitious venture. The story follows a teen girl named Layla who finds herself exploring New York City after being ditched by his foster parents. Born with a strange gift, Layla finds herself navigating the underground world of NYC that is brimming with unnatural powers. The girl is left to navigate an unplanned pregnancy with the chaos of her siren blood, and this framework is laid out beautifully in Sirens of the City #1.

As you can imagine, Sirens of the City is a feast for anyone who loves horror or creatures that go bump in the night. From incubi to vampires and beyond, Sirens of the City possesses them all in spades. But it is the sirens that will grab your attention from the start. This clever series has only begun teasing the true power that Layla wields, and the unsettled teen wields more potential than even her pursuers can imagine.

All of this background is teased through splendid dialogue, so Sirens of the City shows what Starer can do with their pen. The writer chains together breezy exposition and important details with ease. None of this first issue feels clunky, and of course, the narrative is pushed forward by Randolph’s gorgeous illustrations. The art in Sirens of the City is bold and busy in the best ways. Plus, the issue’s lettering by Andworld Design brings pointed emphasis to some of Starer’s most important spiels.

At just one issue, Sirens of the City is looking like a worthy hit under BOOM Studios. Itsdaring, jaded heroine may be young but carries an old soul that any reader can relate to. There is no denying Layla has been given a hard lot in life, and Sirens of the City #1 promises even more troubles are coming. So if you want to follow Layla on her journey of self-truth, do yourself a favor and keep an eye on Sirens of the City.

Published by Boom Studios

On July 12, 2023

Written by Joanne Starer

Art by Khary Randolph

Colors by Khary Randolph

Letters by Andworld Design

Cover by Khary Randolph

The post Sirens of the City #1 Review: The Bold Debut of a Supernatural Phenomenon appeared first on ComicBook.com.

We’re now halfway through 2023, and many are already looking back on their favorite pieces of art from the year thus far. For comic fans, the year has absolutely delivered in spades, with countless new and returning series, as well as a number of OGNs, using the medium to tell some breathtaking stories.

ComicBook.com has made a habit of highlighting some of the best installments, both through our “Weekly Pull” recommendations as well as our comprehensive reviews for each week of new releases. But as we have now reached the midway point for the year, we wanted to spotlight the titles published so far this year that have already caught our attention — and that deserve yours in the second half of the year. From ongoing series and miniseries to OGNs and manga, our staff has narrowed down the best titles of the year (so far). Keep scrolling to check them all out, and share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

20th Century Men (Image)

Fans of superhero comics like to pump up the genre as a modern mythology, often forgetting that classical mythology wasn’t about mere entertainment but was instead of means of understanding the world. In that sense, 20th Century Men delivers on the promise of superheroes as mythology in a way that few superhero comics do. Over the course of six issues, Deniz Camp and Stipan Morian crafted a narrative to help understand the history of the 20th century, using unconventional superheroes as unconventionally honest avatars for the competing ideologies that rent the world and reshaped it to their liking, damning all the mere mortals forced to play host to their conflicts. It’d all be for naught without strong enough craft to carry it. S. Morian’s subtle shifts in style from scene to scene make the series feel less like the story rests on the pages as much as it lives within them. Deniz Camp shows his skill and boldness as a writer, braving unorthodox structures and storytelling methods to get his points across, carried by Aditya Bidikar’s attentive, nuanced letters. 20th Century Men is a masterpiece and an essential work. — Jamie Lovett

Akane-banashi (VIZ)

Akane-banashi has remained a surprising delight for Shonen Jump audiences, with Akane exploring the traditions of rakugo and bringing the behind-the-scenes drama of this traditional type of Japanese vaudeville-esque performance to life in an engaging and captivating way. Takamasa Moue has brought the world of rakugo to life with strong characters and a fascinating way of bringing the rakugo stories to life, with scenes from the stories often bleeding out into the real world and surrounding their storytellers. This comic not only explores a corner of Japanese culture that has been overlooked by international audiences, it does so in a way that reminds the reader that even traditional artforms and hobbies can be relevant to the modern audience. — Christian Hoffer

All Against All (Image)

The recently arrived collection of All Against All stands as a declaration for comics readers that they ought to pay attention to two tremendous, rising talents who simply don’t miss: writer Alex Paknadel and artist Caspar Wijngaard. Their apocalyptic tale takes place after the end of life on Earth when aliens harvest the planet for genetic material to generate potentially useful life forms in their own unending war. Wijngaard’s depictions of squid-like extraterrestrials and terrifying, unnatural preserves are instantly enthralling and draw readers into an alien perspective that’s instantly appreciable. Whether it’s the strange, but undeniably human nature of these alien captors or the tremendous violence unleashed in the natural world, this gorgeously illustrated miniseries makes it impossible to look away. That’s essential as Paknadel’s story considers the very nature of the natural world and civilization as it questions the brutal Hobbesian concepts of chaos, authoritarianism, and the supposed natural state of all against all. On the surface and far below, All Against All proves to be an unforgettable tale that delivers visceral thrills as the tale unfolds while still haunting readers with small moments of mercy and compassion long after the human race is extinct. — Chase Magnett

Batman / Superman: World’s Finest (DC)

World’s Finest doesn’t re-invent the wheel, it just creates the perfect wheel for superhero fans. Taking an approach that imagines the biggest and brightest versions of the DC Comic Universe’s heroes, Waid and Mora have been able to create an absolutely jaw dropping run that plays up on what makes Batman and Superman work so well as characters. World’s Finest is the finest book that DC Comics is publishing today, injecting a fresh take on a Silver Age style. The book is absolutely begging for an Omnibus/Absolute style collection to truly highlight the big adventures that have spawned from the minds of Mark Waid and Dan Mora. So popular is World’s Finest, in fact, that DC is actually creating new series to run under this tentpole. Here’s hoping for many more as I certainly wouldn’t mind all of DC Comics taking this approach to their beloved characters. — Evan Valentine

Blue Beetle: Graduation Day (DC)

Blue Beetle will get his feature film debut later this year, but you don’t have to wait until then to experience the character at his absolute best. Blue Beetle: Graduation Day expanded Jaime and Khaji Da’s world substantially with new characters and larger scope, yet the series never lost the charm, heart, and relatability that makes Jaime such a compelling character in the first place. Writer Josh Trujillo embraced latin culture in an authentic and genuine way, brilliantly conveyed through Jaime’s relationship with his family. Meanwhile artist Adrian Gutierrez, colorist Will Quintana, and letterer Lucas Gattoni took advantage of the larger than life canvas and created a bold and vivid world that couldn’t help but catch your attention. The future looks brighter than ever for Blue Beetle, and there isn’t a better place to jump onto what promises to be a wild ride. — Matthew Aguilar

Blue Box (VIZ)

Blue Box is the latest example of “Reiwa Energy” infusing the tried-and-true teen romcom manga genre with new life. While historically, romcoms have ended once a would-be couple overcomes their internal and external struggles, Blue Box continues a trend in Japanese manga in which the main couple get together long before the story ends. In this case, Chinatsu and Taiki’s new relationship (only a handful of chapters old) provides a new wrinkle to their lofty ambitions of reaching nationals in their chosen sport. Can these two sports dorks balance love and training? Watching these two find each other has been a joy over the last two years and now I can’t wait to see their story continue. — Christian Hoffer

Captain Marvel (Marvel)

Captain Marvel saved some of its best for last as it capped off Kelly Thompson’s 50 issue run on the title, and what a run it was. This year saw Binary flourish on a journey of self discovery alongside one of the best supporting casts in comics, and Carol’s own journey was compelling as well. The legacy of the Captain Marvel mantle, Carol’s traumatic past with Rogue, and her ability to deal and process grief without going nuclear were all under the microscope this year, and of those paths was well worth exploring. A number of artists brought the world of Cap to life over the past year, though a special kudos has to go to the issue #50 team of Javier Pina, David Lopez, Yen Nitro, and Clayton Cowles for their ability to bring things full circle while highlighting so many aspects of Carol’s personality and past. Captain Marvel will start a new chapter soon, but this is easily one of Carol’s best runs, and no Cap fan should miss out. — Matthew Aguilar

Chainsaw Man (VIZ)

Chainsaw Man‘s first anime season landed last year, bringing quite a few new fans into the world of Denji and his devil hunting comrades. What made the story so energetic and appealing in the MAPPA-produced television series continues in the manga, but with a twist. Creator Tatsuki Fujimoto took a big risk by introducing a new protagonist in the War Devil, Asa Mikata, in “Part 2” of the series but the gamble has paid off in spades. Chainsaw Man is still packed with plenty of bloody action, but it’s heartfelt, somber, sometimes depressing moments still help to make this manga stand above the pack in a crowded field. Chainsaw Man might be a tricky sell on its premise alone, but much like an onion, there are several layers to this powerhouse of a shonen series. Grabbing a reader’s attention is one thing, but keeping it is another, and Chainsaw Man simply hasn’t slowed down since it’s opening chapter. — Evan Valentine

Clobberin’ Time (Marvel)

I distinctly remember putting down the first issue of Steve Skroce’s Clobberin’ Time and thinking, “I didn’t think Marvel made comics like this anymore.” Comics like what, you ask? Comic books where the stones that make up the Thing’s hide are nearly peeled from his body before he and the Hulk tear monsters apart in full gorey glory on a stunning splash page. It’s stylishly violent, and there’s something joyfully subversive in knowing this comes from a publisher owned by the squeaky-clean House of the Mouse. Skroce’s series isn’t hyperviolence alone. He also crafts a fun time travel story that sees Ben Grimm teaming up with increasingly unlikely allies, from Wolverine to Doctor Doom, as the series progresses. Skroce has a knack for writing The Thing, contrasting his down-to-Earth practicality with how Mr. Fantastic constantly has his head in the clouds (almost literally, in one issue). Clobberin’ Time is for all the comic book readers who love a good, crunchy action scene and remember the days before Marvel got the glossed up to become another jewel in Mickey’s gauntlet. Here’s hoping creators like Skroce continue to find ways to get away with it. — Jamie Lovett

Damn Them All (BOOM!)

Writer Simon Spurrier’s 12-issue run on John Constantine: Hellblazer with Matias Bergara and Aaron Campbell was pure magic, and it was apparent by the end that there were plenty of ideas left unfulfilled by a series canceled far too soon. Damn Them All serves as a spiritual successor working with similar material—dangerous arcane magicks twisted by and reflecting a corrupt oligarchy—that delivers readers more than they could ask from the continuation of a long-running character. It begins with the death of an old magician in the style of Constantine and picks up with their niece Ellie Hawthorne who must address the binding of dozens of demons to the mortal realm. The rampant power results in both terrifying events and the classic monkey’s paw twists that readers hope to find in bleak critiques of capitalism using the urban fantasy genre. Adlard teams up with comics laureate Charlie Adlard who depicts the mystic symbols, terrifying demons, and grungy characters in splendid fashion and with a storytelling style that sucks readers in on each and every page. Damn Them All‘s first six issues are a spellbinding introduction to a new world of dark magic every bit as potent as its inspiration and the promise of more to come makes it one of the most enticing new reads of 2023. — Chase Magnett

Ghost Rider (Marvel)

Ghost Rider from Benjamin Percy and Cory Smith has taken Johnny Blaze back to his roots, releasing a violent story that rips the Spirit of Vengeance apart at his seams. The story doesn’t shy away from the supernatural but rather, celebrates it with its wide-open demonic arms and the ensuing embrace is a treat to behold. — Adam Barnhardt

Gospel (Image)

When it comes to stories, the most interesting ones happen at intersections. It’s when different genres and themes collide, when those collisions in turn take on larger issues and questions as woven into the adventure that we get into the richest of tales and when it comes to Will Morris’ Gospel, this series doesn’t just take that concept of intersection to create a good story, but it elevates it for a comic that is equal parts medieval history, hero’s journey, exploration of faith, all out adventure, and examination of self. The series — both in terms of story and artwork — strikes a rare balance of being just a very good story while also giving the reader a lot to explore about themselves in a way that doesn’t ever take away from what’s presented on the page. Morris does a masterful job of not just asking some of life’s biggest questions but answering them in a way that both satisfies the story, but leaves the reader with something new to come back to each time the pick up the book. Gospel is an absolute gem and is hands down one of the best of comics — both this year and maybe of all time. — Nicole Drum

Green Arrow (DC)

As any Green Arrow fan will probably tell you, we’re long overdue for an ArrowFam reunion, as the ensemble has been scattered to the wind for the better part of the past decade due to retcons, reboots, and other narrative problems. Joshua Williamson and Sean Izaake’s Green Arrow series has beautifully begun to right many of those wrongs, all while delivering a darn good superhero story in the process. Although we’re only three issues into Green Arrow‘s recently-extended twelve-issue run, Williamson and Izaake have already delivered on some meaningful moments and plot twists — as well as countless more that I didn’t know I needed. — Jenna Anderson

Hairball (Dark Horse)

Hairball is a masterclass in subversion, zigging every time you think it’s going to zag. Not just that, but the story is a genre-crossing smash steeped in every horror sub-genre one can imagine. The story starts off as a cute little folk story before it evolves into something much, much larger and the crescendo is one that’d make Beethoven blush. — Adam Barnhardt

Harrower (BOOM!)

In a world where a new series is often the precursor to a larger world, writer Justin Jordan and artist Brahm Revel drop you into Harrower with issue #1 and completely wrap up their story with Harrower #4. This book is not only the best horror title of the year, but it’s one that even makes the horror movies of 2023 seem trite. In addition to its unique spin on the slasher subgenre, Harrower is most impressive because of the staging throughout the series. With just four issues, Jordan and Revel craft slasher sequences that would easily become the best on the big screen if they were in another medium, but the fact that they live in comics and are breathing in front of us on the page elevates their work and makes it feel even more special. Do not sleep on Harrower, it will be your new favorite, and your hope for more stories in this world will only make what we have even better. — Spencer Perry

Hellcat (Marvel)

Patsy Walker’s comics tenure has been unlike any other, transforming from a romance comics heroine to an accidental superhero. After Patsy ostensibly was the co-lead of Christopher Cantwell’s Iron Man run, he and artist Pere Perez are following her adventures to a logical and profound peak. The Hellcat miniseries has delivered the perfect blend of Marvel weirdness, building a strange murder mystery all while reckoning with Patsy’s unconventional and flawed history. While there’s still one more issue left to go, I have a feeling that Hellcat is going to be one of the best mainstream superhero books I read this year. — Jenna Anderson

Kaya (Image)

Sometimes, readers want to embark on an adventure, and comics have some of the best stories to scratch that itch. As a visual medium, it can transport readers to the worlds only described in prose fiction, showing these mysterious and magical realms in their full glory. Wes Craig continues this lineage with Kaya, his ongoing Image Comics series following the title hero and her brother as they try to survive in an unforgiving land. As the only two survivors of their ruined village, Kaya uses her magic arm to help protect her brother, who believes himself to be a savior with magic powers. Craig’s story follows the tradition of such classic Kamandi, pitting the young protagonists against monstrous beasts, lizard-men, and robot overlords, giving Craig ample opportunity to flex his incredible artistic talent, his knacks for character design and smooth and smooth storytelling especially. Every issue of Kaya promises new thrills, some exclusively for those who buy the individual installments as they release. Kaya is the most captivating comic book adventure in print today, and the series deserves your attention. — Jamie Lovett

Local Man (Image)

In my mind, the tagline for the upcoming Barbie movie can also apply to Image’s Local Man — whether you love or hate 1990s superhero comics, this book is for you. The collaboration between Tony Fleecs and Tim Seeley follows Jack Xaver, a superhero who thinks his glory days are well behind him, until a string of mysterious killings in his small Midwestern town bring him out of retirement in an unconventional way. Across its first arc thus far, Local Man has been both a love letter and an impossibly-clever skewering of all the gimmicks and team dynamics of the 1990s, both in its present-day main story and its absurd flashback sequences. Don’t sleep on Local Man, trust me. — Jenna Anderson

Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea (Dark Horse)

The Hellboy universe has been expanding ever year with new corners frequently being explored; as for the tale of Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea is not only its most unique but one of its best. By separating itself from the larger mythology, writer Mike Mignola is able to shed the weight of franchise lore and dig into a totally new realm. Series artist Jesse Longergan also manages to carve out a niche new corner of the Hellboy universe with their work here. By working in realms that have only sparsely been explored in other titles they can bring their style, and impressive ability to deliver fluid action, making them one of the best new artist to join the Mignola stable in years. For readers though, this separation from larger things in the series means this is entirely new reader friendly, anyone can get in and enjoy this even with no knowledge of what happened in the Victorian era of Hellboy. — Spencer Perry

Night Fever (Image)

How lucky we are to live in a world where Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips drop a couple of original comics each year based upon whatever ideas they want to pursue. While I am an enormous fan of their Reckless detective tales, Night Fever delivers readers an excellent change of pace in this noir-tinged Jekyll & Hyde tale of a publishing professional who finds himself living life without rules in an unnamed European city. Sean Phillips’ depiction of this urban locale pulling on the likes of Venice and Amsterdam is unlike anything the artist has rendered in recent years. The old world architecture is simply splendid in its design and enhanced considerably by the long shadows and unique lighting provided by Jacob Phillips’ colors. When events get under way and violence enters the story, Phillips delivers a career-best chase sequence and action that’s every bit as brutal as the most memorable elements from Criminal. Combine that with an atypical anti-hero and Brubaker’s more literary bent, and readers are in for a thrill ride unlike anything they’ve witnessed in comics this year (or, perhaps, ever). Night Fever is a single volume that demands no sequel, simply to be read and re-read as it reminds readers why the names Brubaker and Phillips cannot be denied in comics, especially when set side by side. — Chase Magnett

Pet Peeves (Avery Hill Publishing)

Nicole Goux’s first solo graphic novel is a unnerving millennial horror story about a woman whose little free time is totally dominated by her new dog. The existential horror found in the comic is relatable to any young professional who found their personal relationships with friends and family crumbling during the pandemic and their interests fading into nothingness as they get caught up in the drudgery of the day to day. While there’s a much more sinister force at play in this comic, this comic captures a horror that’s far more poignant than just about any genre – a loss of sense of self due to an external force. A must read comic, one of the best of 2023 so far. — Christian Hoffer

Poison Ivy (DC)

Taking on issues such as climate change, end stage capitalism, sexism, trauma, and even the more general idea of having to truly sit with oneself and choices, Poison Ivy is without a doubt one of the most interesting and complex comics DC is currently publishing — and it’s also one of the best. G. Willow Wilson is crafting on the pages of this book a character that isn’t a villain, isn’t a hero’ and isn’t exactly an anti-hero, either. Instead, this is an examination of what it means to be human in a world that is increasingly inhumane through the eyes of someone who isn’t exactly human and has a much better idea of how everything is connected — good and bad, mistakes and all. It’s a story where the motives aren’t always noble, but there’s always something important to be learned and the reader is learning right along with Pamela. There’s something heartbreakingly beautiful about getting to grow with a character, especially one who has rarely had such an opportunity before and this book is just a master class in how messy all that imperfection can be. — Nicole Drum

Superman (DC)

I wasn’t prepared for how truly enamored I’d become with DC’s new Superman series, but as of right now, it is hands down one of the best superhero books in comics. Joshua Williamson and Jamal Campbell have captured the warm demeanor and pure spirit of Superman while also introducing new concepts and relationships that make the character feel even more relatable. The Lex Luthor dynamic alone is worth the price of admission, but Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Parasite, Livewire, and more have all benefited from the series. The series is absolutely stunning too, as Campbell has created a perfect blend of the animated series and modern design to create a style that looks to be one of the iconic representations of the character. Ariana Maher’s lettering is out of this world as well, heightening every set piece in unique and wonderful ways. It has been the year of Superman in more ways than one, but standing at the center of all of it is this series, and I couldn’t recommend it more. — Matthew Aguilar

X-O Manowar: Unconquered (Valiant)

Though Valiant’s comic book efforts have been hindered over the past year, they’ve published one of their best works of all-time with this new series. Writers Michael Conrad and Becky Cloonan have taken the idea of X-O Manowar and made it feel like literature. The basic premise remains of a man from the sixth century becoming the host to a futuristic suit of armor. It then dives deep into a hard sci-fi angle that explores his origins in ways no other version from Valiant has managed. Series artist Liam Sharp brings his trademark ability to deliver a cosmic opera like nothing you’ve ever seen, this time with a fresh influence of H.R. Giger to sweeten the pot. Shouldering the entire reputation of comics on its back, X-O Manowar: Unconquered is the coolest thing being published right now by anyone and if it’s the one book you pick up in 2023 you won’t be disappointed. — Spencer Perry

The post The Best Comics of 2023 (So Far) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new Firefly series is on the way. This week, the Boom! Studios announced Firefly: The Fall Guys, its first Firefly series starring the original Firefly cast since All-New Firefly concluded, sending off one member of the Serenity crew for good. Sam Humphries (Legendary Star-Lord) writes the series, teaming with artist Jordi Pérez, who previously worked on All-New Firefly, and colorist Francesco Segala (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers). Firefly: The Fall Guys is a six-issue miniseries full of assassins, jobs gone wrong, and organized crime,” seemingly taking Firefly back towards its Western influences after the previous Firefly series at Boom! Studios emphasized its sci-fi aspects. Here’s Boom! Studios’ official synopsis for Firefly: The Fall Guys:

“The crew is broke and out of luck. They’ll have to deal with some of their shadier associates if Serenity is going to keep flying. What seems like an easy job in town for half the crew quickly turns sideways when feds, untrusting locals, and a high-profile politician get thrown into the mix…”

In a press release, Humphries said, “So thrilled to be welcomed into the Firefly ‘verse. I love Westerns, so bringing the best bandits in the galaxy back to their buckaroo roots with a fantastic artist like Jordi has been a dream. Don’t worry, there’s still a giant gorram spaceship in the first issue. Yee haw!”

Perez added, “Although it’s not the first time I’ve worked on Firefly, each time is new and special. Sam’s script is giving me a great time drawing lots of adventure and fun. The Western essence of the series will be VERY present. I hope you all enjoy it”.

Firefly: The Fall Guys #1 will ship with a main cover by Francesco Francavilla (Night of the Ghoul). There will also be variants by Justine Florentino (Grim), Ejikure (Batman: Urban Legends), and Ariel Olivetti (Cable).

“It’s always a joy to get to come back and spend time with Mal, River, and everyone else aboard the Serenity,” said editor Elizabeth Brei. “It’s like getting to visit old friends and see what other death-defying adventures they’ve been through. This one in particular won’t disappoint!”

Firefly: The Fall Guys #1 goes on sale on September 6th. The issue’s solicitation information follows.

• Firefly: The Fall Guys #1
• JUL230049
• (W) Sam Humphries (A) Jordi Perez (CA) Francesco Francavilla
• The crew is broke and out of luck, and will have to deal with some less-than-trustworthy associates if the Serenity is going to keep flying.?   
• What seems like an easy job in town for half the crew, is primed to turn sideways with feds, uneasy locals, and a high profile politician in the mix…
• Superstar Marvel and DC writer Sam Humphries (Star-Lord: The Saga of Peter Quill, Harley Quinn) teams up with fan-favorite artist Jordi Pérez (How I Became a Shoplifter) to bring Firefly fans a new limited series filled with assassins and organized crime!
• In Shops: Sep 06, 2023
• SRP: $4.99

The post New Firefly Series Announced appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Wild’s End #1 reintroduces readers to the world created by writer Dan Abnett and artist I.N.J. Culbard, a paring that may also be familiar from their excellent 2000 AD serial “Brink.” As in the previous Wild’s End series, the story occurs in a green and pleasant version of England populated by anthropomorphic animals. With an alien invasion resulting in the collapse of established society, Wild’s End reads like a blend of The War of the Worlds, The Wind in the Willows, and The Walking Dead.

Abnett and Culbard cleverly avoid retreading old ground while still creating an inviting entry point for new readers by introducing a brand-new cast of characters from a seaside town not visited in previous Wild’s End stories and then sending them off to sea. During the month they spend on the water, the original series’ events transpire, and they’re left to piece it together upon their return. The structure may create different reading experiences for newcomers and longtime fans as the latter will already know the answers to the questions raised upon the ship’s return, providing greater context but less tension.

Abnett and Culbard do a remarkable job of defining their world and its character in only a few pages. The opening page alone, silent but for the ship’s radio, introduces the ship’s skipper, the old photograph of him with his son pinned on the wall hinting at a sadness that will come into greater focus as the issue progresses. Similarly, it takes one conversation between the town’s only reporter and a local politician to convey the quaintness of the seaside setting. The scene occurring by the dock brings the rest of the crew together organically, giving each character a succinct but clear personality spotlight – dependable Flo, romantic Roddy, the slightly odd twins who somehow aren’t related, and the skipper’s troubled grandson Eddie each are well-defined before they ever set sail.

But there’s a depth to these characters that only becomes clear as the issue progresses, chronicling their 30 days at sea and premature return to harbor. Abnett and Culbard craft one intimate scene after another, each peeling back a layer to get closer to the core of who these people are, be that loss, trouble at home, or unfulfilled potential. Culbard shines in these quiet, one-on-one conversations, coloring the world in bold, idyllic primary hues and framing scenes to make the countryside and sea seem expansive, neverending, and beautiful. These layouts brilliantly contrast with the dinner scene below deck, forcing the crew into close quarters. It’s then that the seething animosity over the future ownership of the vessel, the skipper’s fading memory, and Eddie’s unearned place on the crew all bubble to the surface under sickly yellow lighting.

As in previous installments, the impact of “Foreign Wars” still looms over the land in Wild’s End #1. Rather than exploring it directly, as with veteran Navyman Clive in the original series, here we see how the war affected those who stayed home, filling the vacuums left by those who went off to fight and still carrying the weight of the absence of those who never returned. The skipper looks to his grandson to fill the role left behind by his son, while that son’s wife, Flo, is only aboard the ship because she took his place during wartime. 

By the time the ship returns to shore to find its town abandoned, it’s unclear what future lies ahead for any of the ship’s crew, and that’s before they realize the rest of the town’s population has vanished. The previous Wild’s End series was about how simple human decency, compassion, and common sense can be akin to heroism during times of crisis when paranoia, suspicion, and ambition are rampant. We don’t know yet where Abnett and Culbard are taking this tale—there were enough unexpected twists and turns in the original run that I wouldn’t make assumptions—but by the time the issue’s over, each of the main cast is without those who were their family and may perhaps turn to one another to fill those roles.

Wild’s End stands out from many of its peers from how confident it is in its storytelling. Where contemporary first issues often feel like a hard sell for whatever high concept or elevator pitch got the creative team’s foot in the door, Abnett and Culbard lead with impeccable craft, a deliberate pace, and plenty of room to let their characters reveal themselves to the readers. It’s as comforting and contemplative as its pastoral setting but doesn’t shy away from turning grisly when the moment calls for it. Wild’s End #1 is more than worthy of reader attention, and they should settle in somewhere cozy for the long haul.

Published by Boom Studios

On June 21, 2023

Written by Dan Abnett

Art by I.N.J. Culbard

Colors by I.N.J. Culbard

Letters by I.N.J. Culbard

Cover by I.N.J. Culbard

The post Wild’s End #1 Review: A Confident Return for a Compelling Comic appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Another beloved comic series is headed to the small screen on Prime Video. On Wednesday, it was announced that Prime Video has given a series order to Butterfly, a six-episode adaptation of Arash Amel, Marguerite Bennett, Antonio Fuso, and Stefano Simeone’s series of the same name. The Butterfly series will be developed by 3AD, the production company of actor Daniel Dae Kim which is best known for ABC’s The Good Doctor. Kim is also expected to star in the series’ lead role. Ken Woodruff (The Mentalist, Gotham) will serve as showrunner and co-creator for the adaptation alongside novelist Steph Cha.

This adaptation of Butterfly is reportedly one of the over a dozen mini-writers rooms that Amazon Studios has put into the works in recent months, which also resulted in a series adaptation of Image Comics’ Criminal. Butterfly will reportedly go into production after the WGA, DGA, and SAG-AFTRA reach new deals with AMPTP.

What is Butterfly about?

Butterfly centers on David Jung (Kim), an enigmatic, highly unpredictable former US intelligence operative living in South Korea, whose life is blown to pieces when the consequences of an impossible decision from his past come back to haunt him, and he finds himself pursued by Rebecca, a deadly, sociopathic young agent assigned to kill him.

“I’m afraid Butterfly isn’t a superheroic story, but a psychological study in spycraft, trust, and trauma—it’s a battle of cunning between two spies, one from the post-9/11 world of the War on Terror and one from the brutal era of the Cold War,” Bennett told The Mary Sue in a 2014 interview. “I don’t reckon I’d call Butterfly a superheroine by any stretch, though Lord knows part of what drew me to her is that she might have the capacity for supervillainy, if she were so inclined. Rebecca Faulkner—Butterfly—is more of an actress than a secret agent. Her job is to vanish into the crowd, to play a part so long that she all but forgets who she is. She is flawless in her own invisibility, vanishing into the roles written for her, a mask without a face behind it. When she loses the purpose that sustained her, she is utterly cut off, forced to reassert her own true identity, to rip through the roots of the past she buried long ago. Who wouldn’t like to go digging in a mind like that?

This series adaptation of Butterfly is being executive produced by Ken Woodruff and Steph Cha; Daniel Dae Kim and John Cheng for 3AD; Stephen Christy and Ross Richie for BOOM! Studios; and Arash Amel for The Amel Company. Adam Yoelin serves as Co-EP for BOOM! Studios.

What do you think of a Butterfly series being in the works at Prime Video? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

The post BOOM! Studios’ Butterfly Getting TV Adaptation From Daniel Dae Kim and Prime Video appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Expanse: Dragon Tooth is back with issue #2, and we’ve got your exclusive first look! The Expanse: Dragon Tooth is the second part of a new 12-issue series from the creative team of writer Andy Diggle (Green Lanterns, James Bond), artist Rubine (Voltron: Legendary Defender), colorist Raúl Angulo, and letterer Pat Brosseau. Dragon Tooth picks up the story from the show’s sixth season, which was also its final season, so while you can stream the entire series right now on Amazon Prime, the story isn’t ending there thanks to BOOM! Studios, and you can find a full preview of issue #2 on the next slide.

The Expanse: Dragon Tooth fills in the missing years between The Expanse: Babylon’s Ashes and The Expanse: Persepolis Rising, and the secret history of fan-favorite characters will be revealed for the first time. You can find the full description for the issue below.

“In a time of great strife and subterfuge, Sohiro, Roki, Avasarala, and other key players make their way in the breadth of cosmic colonialism and piracy. But, a long-hidden threat lurks in waiting… connected to threads from the past that will change the future forever.”

The Expanse: Dragon Tooth #2 features a main cover by artist Christian Ward (Invisible Kingdom), and features variant covers by artists Junggeun Yoon (Something is Killing the Children), Ethan Young (Ronin Island), and Dan Mora (Once & Future).

The Expanse: Dragon Tooth #2 hits comic stores on May 24th and will be available at local comic stores, BOOM! Studios’ webstore, and digital platforms,

Main Cover By Christian Ward

Variant Cover By Ethan Young

Variant Cover By Junggeun Yoon

Variant Cover By Dan Mora

Rescue Operation

Long Way From Home

Stranded

Welcome To Force Recon

A New Mission

The post BOOM! Studios Reveals First Look at The Expanse: Dragon Tooth #2 (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Ghost stories inhabit an interesting space in terms of narrative. More often than not, they’re stories told to the audience about ghosts and usually incorporate some element of faith – one has to believe in order to accept that the tale has weight and meaning, whether it is true or not.  Ghostlore #1, out this week from BOOM! Studios and written by Cullen Bunn with art from Leomacs, takes that space and those elements and twists the dial just a bit. While, as readers we very much are getting “stories about ghosts”, the book is giving us those stories from the ghosts themselves, wrapped a bit in the faith (or lack thereof) of the humans at the center. The result is an issue that feels like a promising inspection of the things that we carry and what real faith means.

In Ghostlore #1, Lucas Harmony is a preacher in a town where he finds his congregation dwindling and his children—Harmony and Chris—increasingly estranged. As they head home from services one Wednesday evening, a combination of a family disagreement and Harmony seeing something unusual leads to a catastrophic accident, which in turn leaves Lucas and Harmony the only survivors and both with the ability to see the dead. It quickly becomes apparent that the dead have something to say.

Generally speaking, Ghostlore #1 isn’t exactly an original story. The idea of people gaining the ability to see and hear the dead and the implications—both good and bad—about this development have long been the fodder of many supernatural stories. But what is different here is the difference between Lucas and Harmony. Lucas is initially positioned as a trustworthy spiritual leader, but the issue slowly seems to pull apart that idea to reveal him as perhaps a bit of a fraud in his faith while Harmony, the daughter desperate to get away from the small town and her family, is the one with surprising compassion. There’s also the undercurrent that something even spookier than simple ghosts might be part of this story. The first issue does a lovely job of setting up the required backstory and putting our players in their spots on the board and giving the reader just enough to work with so that we want more, which is especially useful since there some moments that are just a touch confusing.

In terms of art, Ghostlore #1 is quite good. The whole issue very much has a vintage horror feel, but without the darkness one might expect. Much of this is achieved by the colors, but there is some fantastic work with the actual line drawing as well – there’s an image where we see Harmony in what is clearly her quickly turning her head and the expression of that action is fantastic. The use of color is also expertly applied when shifting between the present and a brief flashback of sorts when we get the most groundwork for the nightmare that is lurking at the edges of the story. It’s well executed and elevates the story.

Ghost stories can be tricky, but Ghostlore #1 manages to set up an interesting approach to the genre. By changing the perspective of who the storytellers are and applying matters of faith in a way that doesn’t necessarily feel cliched, all while adding an undercurrent of something darker, this debut issue creates just enough interest and elevates the genre in a way that makes it clear readers should get invested in what happens next.

Published by BOOM! Studios

On May 10, 2023

Written by Cullen Bunn

Art by Leomacs and Brian Hurtt

Colors by Jason Wordie and Bill Crabtree

Letters by Ed Dukeshire

Cover by Leomacs and Brian Hurtt

The post Ghostlore #1 Review: A Worthwhile Twist on Ghost Stories appeared first on ComicBook.com.

BOOM! Studios has announced an official Creed comic book series after securing the license from MGM. The publisher confirmed the news in a press release, revealing they’re working with Michael B. Jordan’s production company, Outlier Society, and Chartoff-Winkler, for a four-issue series set 10 years after Creed III. Star of the franchise, and director of the most recent movie, Jordan collaborated with co-writers LaToya Morgan (Dark Blood, AMC’s Walking Dead) and Jai Jamison (Superman & Lois) on the series which features acclaimed artist Wilton Santos (Break Out) and colorist DJ Chavis (Lunar Room) on artistic duties. The series will be released this June.

“I couldn’t say no at the opportunity to dive deeper into Adonis’ story-the story of the Creed dynasty,” LaToya Morgansaid in a statement. “As a super fan of the Rocky and Creed franchises, this is a dream come true! I’m so excited for fellow fans to dive into this comic book goodness.” Jai Jamison adds, “It’s been the opportunity of a lifetime to play in the sandbox with such an iconic franchise filled with incredible and complex characters. The art I’ve seen from Wilton has blown my mind. And to top it all off, I get to collaborate with my longtime friend and mentor, LaToya. I can’t wait for people to see what we got planned.”

The new series is described as follows: “The CREED comic book series begins ten years after the events of Creed III. Adonis Creed is out of the ring but not out of the game as he trains – along with his manager-wife Bianca – the next champion-his daughter Amara, now an amateur boxer. But with Adonis and Bianca reluctant to pit their daughter against more dangerous opponents, Amara feels like her career is at a standstill, and she’s hungry for more. Amara will have to find another trainer. Someone who’s not afraid of defying Adonis but still knows how to teach her to fight like a Creed. Who’s up for the challenge of training a young boxer to become the next champion fighter?”

“As a huge fan of Rocky and Creed, this series is a dream project come to life with an absolute all-star team of creators and talent,” said Matt Gagnon,BOOM! Studios. “It’s humbling to be a part of the ongoing legacy, and we can’t wait for fans to discover what’s in store for the next generation of legendary champions.”

Check out the variant covers from the first issue along with a preview of the interior art below.

CREED #1 Main Cover by Mateus Manhanini

CREED #1 Variant by Valentine De Landro

CREED #1 Variant by Paris Alleyne

CREED #1 Variant by Jahnoy Lindsay

CREED #1 Variant by Junggeun Yoon

CREED #1

CREED #1

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The Neighbors begins like most horror comics’ do in their first issue, intentionally withholding as much information as possible while sprinkling in supernatural elements on top of eye-catching imagery and unnerving situations. And while Letizia Cadonici’s artwork shines with background details and depictions of the lifelessness in certain people’s faces, there’s not much else to talk about in this uneven opening issue.

The story plays into a horror trope we’ve seen plenty of times before – a family moves to a new town, the neighbors are acting odd and whatever sinister force that’s puppeteering them has clearly targeted this family. It then goes through the expected plot beats of a few awkward interactions and ominous messages from the neighbors before the veil is slightly lifted to endanger one of the family members.

What’s strange is how Jude Ellison S. Doyle uses social commentary throughout the issue, opting for a subtle approach on certain topics, then dropping an anvil with others. The family is comprised of a trans father (Oliver), a mother (Janet) who was married to another woman before choosing to leave her for Oliver and their two daughters (Casey and Isobel). Casey’s frustration with how her family has recently changed is casually brushed aside with a joke and her choice to be a vegan is viewed more as a nuisance caused by teenage angst than a lifestyle choice. But just a few pages earlier Oliver’s caution toward his neighbor is met with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, having him discuss Fox News before the comic even shows his face.

And for a comic that wants to discuss the concept of neighbors, the story doesn’t seem all that interested in exploring the town or community Oliver and his family find themselves in. Sure, it’s the first of five issues, but the story seems much more interested in getting right to the horror while only taking a passing glance at the setting. For a comic book featuring a cover with a horde of shadows grabbing Casey, this wasn’t a particularly gripping read. 

Published by Boom Studios

On March 22, 2023

Written by Jude Ellison S. Doyle

Art by Letizia Cadonici

Colors by Alessandro Santoro

Letters by Becca Carey

Cover by Miguel Mercado

The post The Neighbors #1 Review: Poorly Executed Creepiness appeared first on ComicBook.com.

BOOM! Studios will soon introduce fans to its newest horror thriller The Neighbors, and we’ve got your exclusive first look at the anticipated series. The five-issue limited series features the team of writer Jude Ellison S. Doyle (Maw), artist Letizia Cadonici (House of Slaughter), and colorist Alessandro Santoro (Bloom), and will center around a family’s move to a quaint mountain town. Unfortunately, things don’t stay peaceful for very long, and the family finds itself in the middle of some disturbing events and has no idea who to trust…if they can trust anyone. You can find our full exclusive preview starting on the next slide and the official description is below.

“When Janet and Oliver Gowdie move to a quaint mountain town, their daughter Casey becomes part of a horrific chain of events revealing that their neighbors are anything but what they seem. Soon, an unsettling old woman named Agnes Early fixates on Janet and Oliver’s other daughter-2-year-old Isobel. It becomes clear that it’s impossible to know who to trust… or who is even still human…”

The Neighbors #1 features stunning cover art by Miguel Mercado (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), Rámon K. Perez (Jane), Frany (Buffy the Vampire Slayer),Fábio Moon (Daytripper), and Ariela Kristantina (Maw), and you can find all of those gorgeous covers on the next slides as well.

The Neighbors #1 will hit comic stores and the BOOM! Studios webstore on March 22nd. It will also be available on digital storefronts such as comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle.

Are you excited for The Neighbors? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things comics with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!

Main Cover By Miguel Mercado

Variant Cover By Ramon K Perez

Variant Cover By Frany

Variant Cover By Miguel Mercado

Variant Cover By Fablo Moon

Variant Cover By Frany

Variant Cover By Ariela Kristantina And Sarah Stern

A Terrible Tragedy

Hidden Truth

Why

Isobel

Someone Is Looking For You

The post BOOM! Studios Reveals First Look at The Neighbors (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Netflix is back at work making a TV series based on Something is Killing the Children, the hit comics series from Boom! Studios that is written by James Tynion IV – best known for his work on DC’s Batman and other acclaimed series like The Nice House on the Lake. Doctor Sleep and Midnight Mass director Mike Flanagan dropped out of the project, so Netflix is tapping German writers and showrunners Baran bo Odar and Jantje Fries to develop Something is Killing the Children; Odar and Fries are the team behind Netflix’s hit international series Dark, and will take on this series as part of a renewed eight-figure deal with the streaming service. 

The synopsis for Something is Killing the Children is below: 

“When the children of Archer’s Peak begin to go missing, everything seems hopeless. Most children never return, but the ones that do have terrible stories—impossible stories of terrifying creatures that live in the shadows. Their only hope of finding and eliminating the threat is the arrival of a mysterious stranger, one who believes the children and claims to see what they can see. Her name is Erica Slaughter. She kills monsters.”

Something Is Killing The Children has been both a bestseller (nearly tripling in sales since it began in 2019); a critical darling; and has the acclaim of winning major awards, including back-to-back Eisner Awards for writing won by Tynion in 2021 and 2022, and a 2022 Eisner for “Best Continuing Series.” A spinoff series, House of Slaughter was launched in 2021, focusing on the order that created the monster hunters. It, too, sold big. 

Our ComicBook Nation Show host Matthew Aguilar was one of the first to spotlight what a great comic series this is, as seen in his official Something Is Killing The Children Review:  

Every so often a comic comes along that pushes the limits of your sense of comfort; BOOM! Studios’ newest series Something Is Killing The Children fits in that category easily. While the series walks the edge, it grounds the more deranged parts in rich character work between the small and memorable cast. You’ll quickly find yourself eager to learn more about this mysterious world, the very human people in it, and the not-so-human people causing so much chaos… Something Is Killing The Children doesn’t pull any punches. Those who dare to venture into this world will find a unique and compelling cast of characters in a killer mystery. You don’t want to miss out on this.

No casting or release date for Netflix’s Something Is Killing the Children has been announced. 

via: Deadline

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Return to Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s television series timeline with Buffy the Vampire: The Lost Summer, a new one-shot that Boom Studios will publish in May. Written by Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer writer Casey Gilly, and featuring artwork by Lauren Knight (Golden Rage, Time Before Time), and colors Francesco Segala (Firefly, House of Slaughter), The Lost Summer is set during the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV run, revealing a between-seasons summer road trip for the Scooby gang. The plot involves Spike searching for a lost copy of his embarrassing poetry. That means Buffy the Gang will take a trip to New Orleans. Here’s the plot synopsis from Boom:

Spike is determined to keep the last copy of his embarrassing poetry from being discovered, sending Buffy and the Gang on a faux-supernatural goose chase to New Orleans to cover his tracks. While at an antiques fair along the way, the group is captivated by some Casquette Girls clothes on display. Dawn utters a wish she most likely should’ve kept to herself, and the gang experiences a first hand account of the sisters’ identities…beyond what they could have ever imagined!

Buffy the Vampire: The Lost Summer #1 will ship with a main cover by Mirka Andolfo (Deep Beyond, Sweet Paprika). It’ll also have variant covers by Veronica Fish (Firefly: Brand New ‘Verse, Blackwood), Paulina Ganucheau (Wonder Woman, The Amazing World of Gumball), and others.

Buffy the Vampire: The Lost Summer #1 goes on sale in comic shops in May. It will also be available on BOOM! Studios’ website and digital copies can be purchased from comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle. Official solicitation information follows.

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Lost Summer #1
• MAR230220
• (W) Casey Gilly (A) Lauren Knight (CA) Veronica Fish
• Spike is determined to keep the last copy of his embarrassing poetry from being discovered, sending Buffy and the Scooby Gang on a faux-supernatural goose chase to New Orleans to cover his tracks.
• At an antiques fair, the group is fascinated by The Casquette Girls’ clothes on display.
• When Dawn utters a wish she most likely should have kept to herself, the gang gains a firsthand account of the sisters’ identities… beyond what they could have imagined.
• Buffy, The Last Vampire Slayer writer Casey Gilly is joined by Golden Rage artist Lauren Knight, bringing fans a historically fun and frightful one-shot to sink their fangs into!
• In Shops: May 03, 2023
• SRP: $7.99

The post Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Lost Summer Announced, Returns to Original TV Show Canon appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In a move that doesn’t seem explainable really, a surprising Denzel Washington movie has quickly dominated the Netflix Top 10. The 2013 action-thriller 2 Guns, featuring Washington and Mark Wahlberg, has leaped to the top spot and is the most watched movie on Netflix. Despite not being included on Netflix’s original listing of content that would debut on the streamer in February, the film appears to have arrived recently and viewers have immediately begun watching it in droves. 2 Guns didn’t even have time to climb the ladders, debuting on Netflix immediately as the #1 film in the United States.

Directed by Everest and Beast filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur, 2 Guns was actually based on a comic book, the BOOM! Studios series from writer Steven Grant and artist Mateus Santolouco. Though the film had a mixed critical reception upon its release, it was still a modest hit, grossing over $75 million at the domestic box office and bringing in $132 million worldwide. The film’s cast includes other fan-favorites including Paula Patton, James Marsden, Fred Ward, Edward James Olmos, and the late Bill Paxton.

In 2 Guns, Washington and Wahlberg star as two criminals conspiring to rip-off a drug cartel, but unbenownst to the two partners, neither are who they say they are. Denzel’s character Bobby is actually an undercover DEA Special Agent, while Wahlberg’s “Stig” is actually an undercover U.S. Navy SEAL. The twists don’t end there though, which is probably why the action-thriller has caught the attention of Netflix subscribers so quickly. Take a look at the film’s trailer, and the rest of the Netflix Top 10 below.

#10 – All The Places

#9 – Sing 2

#8 – You People

#7 – I Can Do Bad All By Myself

#6 – The Woman King

#5 – Lyle, Lyle Crocodile

#4 – 47 Meters Down Uncaged

#3 – Minions: The Rise of Gru

#2 – Your Place or Mine

#1 – 2 Guns

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Mosley is the latest from writer Rob Guillory, best known for his work on successful series like Chew and Farmhand, with artist Sam Lofti, who has worked on superhero stories for DC Comics in Doctor Fate and Harley Quinn. With the story, as Guillory puts it, coming from his dislike of the rapid advancement of technology in our modern society, the Boom Studios comic has its fair share of ups and downs as it might have tried to do too much, too fast in its debut outing.

Where Mosley begins is perhaps the issue at its most interesting, exploring a blue-collar man being asked to take part in an experiment seeking to change the future of artificial intelligence. Sacrificing a year of his life to help mold a robot who has countless questions about the nature of man and the world at large, this scene eventually leads into a story in the future that sees mankind and robots living in tandem and working to create a world where humanity might have finally found paradise. Of course, what is a dystopian technologically advanced future without dystopia? Mosley injects the idea that not all is completely well in this new paradise in its latter half.

As mentioned earlier, my favorite part of the issue was one that unfortunately wasn’t explored nearly as much as it could have been, but this might be due to trying to get to the “meat” of the series in its opening salvo, Mosley himself in the future, struggling with his place in a world that has long forgotten about those who don’t get with the technological program. The idea of a regular blue-collar worker attempting to walk an artificial intelligence through the meaning of life and what it means to be human is an interesting hook, but it’s one that is glossed over for story beats that aren’t nearly as compelling. There’s a lot that could be done with Marvin’s character that isn’t which feels like a missed opportunity. 

The conversations between Mosley and the A.I. are left on the back burner, and while they might return in later issues, the series decides to focus on the current janitor in the future, living in a world that he helped create as he experiences a massive rift between himself and his daughter, who is one of the architects of this new frontier. Luckily, the dialogue between the father and daughter works well here, with both Guillory and Lofti conveying the disagreements that two loved ones can have with one another while still holding admiration at the same time. Of course, things don’t exactly wind up as Mosley plans and he finds himself potentially destroying the one thing that seems to connect his old life to his new one.

The big flashy moments take place at the end of the story however as Mosley encounters the “new gods” that humanity has erected, and becomes what can only be described as some sort of “Techno-Thor” and or “John Henry Irons for the Next Generation.” I would be remiss if I also didn’t mention that Marvin is granted these newfound powers following being robbed by a technologically advanced baby and its robotic cronies. There are some interesting ideas to be found in Mosley, but the introductory issue perhaps simply tries to cram in too much too fast when I think that an approach that would have focused more on Marvin’s earlier years might have better conveyed how he helped to create the strange future in which he now resides. If the entire issue were dedicated to Mosley’s conversations in the past before giving us a brief glimpse of the future at the very end, that might have hit a little harder. 

Mosley feels like a comic book that’s hard to review based solely on its first issue, but since that’s the task at hand, it definitely has its pros and cons. Guillory does have a firm handle on who he wants Mosley to be and Lofti has a firm grasp on the many, many moving pieces that are found in this technological landscape. Ultimately, this feels like a story that can forge its legs over time, and it feels worthy of sticking with it for now, but the flaws are there and it feels as though the hook could have reeled readers in a tad bit more. 

Published by BOOM! Studios

On January 4, 2023

Written by Rob Guillory

Art by Sam Lofti

Colors by Jean-Francois Beaulieu

Letters by Andrew Thomas

Cover by Sam Lofti

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Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set the bar quite high for franchise crossovers, and now the team of Ryan Parrott, Dan Mora, Raul Angulo, and Ed Dukeshire are back for another round. It would be easy to fall short of expectations with a sequel, but Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1 instead builds off the foundation set in the original series and jumps straight into the delightful moments only achievablewith this particular pairing, and by issue’s end the foot is firmly planted on the gas pedal moving forward. Oh, and it’s absolutely gorgeous, so it looks like Power Rangers and TMNT are about to deliver another epic adventure that no fan should miss.

Parrott gets things moving right from the beginning, establishing the new status quo and the timeline within the very first fight. Those who aren’t familiar with the original series can still pick up most everything they need to know, and the few questions you might have shouldn’t take anything away from the sheer delight of pairings like Donatello and Billy, Jason and Leonardo, and the trio of April, Trini, and Kimberly.

Parrott is clearly a fan of these characters, and it’s easy to feel that appreciation throughout the issue. While Billy and Donatello are one of my favorite duos, the conversation between Leonardo and Jason is easily one of the best interactions in the entire issue. There’s such a wonderful relatability to two leaders venting to each other about their teams, and those who are fans of both teams will adore the history woven into that discussion and various interactions throughout the issue.

That attention to what makes both teams so fun continues into battle, as even when things seem bleak that trademark banter is well accounted for, though not at the expense of creating legitimate threats. Rocksteady and Goldar actually feel as if they could give the teams a run for their money, though perhaps the most impressive transformation is a Turtles villain that I won’t spoil here. Needless to say though, he’s rarely portrayed to be as creepy and as much of a legitimate threat as he is here, and it will only hype you up more to see what Mora and Angulo could do with every other villain in the Turtles catalog.

Mora, Angulo, and Dukeshire are simply on fire here, and it’s truly something special when the Rangers and the Turtles are on the same battlefield. Raphael is simply a beast, as is Casey Jones, and while certain elements of the issue might not completely surprise you, they present promising opportunities for the story and for battles to come.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1 is exactly what I hoped it would be, and fans of both teams are in for some truly awesome moments delivered in stunning style, and issue #2 can’t get here soon enough.

Published by BOOM! Studios 

On December 28, 2022

Written by Ryan Parrott

Art by Dan Mora

Colors by Raul Angulo

Letters by Ed Dukeshire

Cover by Dan Mora

The post Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1 Review: A Stellar Sequel for These Top-Tier Teams appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Welcome to the 2022 Golden Issue Awards, ComicBook.coms annual celebration of our writers’ favorite movies, television, games, comics, and more from the past year. Here, we’re focusing on this year’s best comic releases, from ongoing serialized series to limited miniseries, to original graphic novels. We’ve chosen five nominees for eight categories that spotlight creators and their works. With these categories, we’re celebrating 2022’s best ongoing series, limited series, graphic novels, writers, artists, colorists, letterers, and cartoonists. These nominees will be voted on, and one winner will be selected and revealed in the coming weeks.

There were a variety of delights to enjoy in 2022 across the comic book medium as the industry continues to rebuild after the slowdown brought on by the pandemic. The superhero genre offered fresh starts for some of its most significant icons and the latest in big-two publisher event comics. Outside of those familiar universes, creators offered compelling sci-fi, fantasy, and horror tales, as well as more personal journeys, conveyed through graphic memoirs and illuminating works of historical fiction. Comics are for everyone, and 2022 is a year that proves the saying.

ComicBook.com’s staff have considered a wide range of comics, including direct market releases and those aimed at bookstores, to put together its list of the most notable work and creators of the year. You can keep reading to see who earned nominations for the 2022 Golden Issues and check back in the coming days as we reveal this year’s winners.  

Best Ongoing Comic Series

The ongoing comic book series is the backbone of the direct market serving comic book stores. They often feature the continuing adventures of popular characters who have been around for decades but, as our nominees this year show, they can also tell original stories that either remix familiar concepts or introduce something entirely new. Both can offer quality reading to comic book fans, and both are represented in our nominations. Here are the nominations for Best Ongoing Comic Series, celebrating the comics that brought us the most joy from month to month in 2022″

• The Amazing Spider-Man by Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr. (Marvel Comics)
•  Once & Future by Kieron Gillen and Dan Mora (Boom Studios)
•  Poison Ivy by G. Willow Wilson and Marcio Takara (DC Comics)
•  The Silver Coin by Michael Walsh (Image Comics)
•  X-Men Red by Al Ewing and Stefano Caselli (Marvel Comics)

Best Limited Comic Series

Not every story is a long-form saga, and that’s why the limited comic book series. The format can serve a variety of purposes, whether making a superhero crossover feel like an event, creating episodic installments in a series of such miniseries, letting creators explore a concept as much as it needs and no further, allowing publishers to elevate certain works with a level of additional prestige less feasible for never-ending stories. Here are our favorite examples of this from throughout 2022, our Best Limited Comic Series nominees:

• A.X.E.: Judgment Day by Kieron Gillen and Valerio Schiti (Marvel Comics)
• Aquaman: Andromeda by Ram V. and Christian Ward (DC Comics)
• Catwoman: Lonely City by Cliff Chiang (DC Comics)
• The Good Asian by Pornsak Pichetshote and AlexandreTefengki (Image Comics)
• Step by Bloody Step by Simon Spurrier and Matias Bergara(Image Comics)

Best Graphic Novel

There’s something innately satisfying about a graphic novel, a complete story told in comics and served in a single volume. Sure, some of our nominees are but the first volumes in longer series, but the satisfaction remains. This year’s nominees include vulnerable, introspective memoirs, surprising entries in popular franchises, and new tales of horror. The nominees for Best Graphic Novel are:

• Clementine: Book One  by Tillie Walden (Image Comics)
• Ducks by Kate Beaton (Drawn & Quarterly)
• It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood  (Image Comics)
• The Night Eaters: She Eats The Night by Marjorie Liu  and Sana Takeda (Image Comics)
• Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith  (Chronicle Books)

Best Writer

In collaborative comics, the writer is often the one creator tasked with coming up with new angles from which to view storied characters, fresh new ideas, and monthly adventures, all while providing captivating narration and dialogue. While an overbearing writer can muffle their collaborators’ voices, a strong one finds opportunities to bring out the best in the entire creative team. These are the writers whose work stood out to us throughout the year:

•  Vita Ayala (New Mutants)
•  Al Ewing (X-Men Red)
•  Simon Spurrier (Legion of X)
•  Ram V. (The Swamp Thing)
•  Chip Zdarsky (Daredevil)

Best Artist

The artist is the backbone of any comic endeavor. Whether tasked with executing a collaborator’s vision or realizing ideas entirely their own, the artists’ work, their style, and their skill define a comic book. Here are the artists whose work we found most captivating throughout 2022:

• Peach Momoko (Demon Days)
• Dan Mora (Batman/Superman: World’s Finest)
• Fiona Staples (Saga)
• Greg Smallwood (The Human Target)
• Michael Walsh (The Silver Coin)

Best Colorist

A good colorist is capable of setting the tone of a comic book, the mood, and the atmosphere, and bringing new dimensionality to the penciller’s visuals. They are key to making a comic book feel like a cohesive whole, and to making the visuals pop off the page in just the right way. Here are those that stood out to us during 2022:

• Laura Allred (The X-Cellent)
• Jordie Bellaire (Ant-Man)
• Tamra Bonvillain (Once & Future)
• Marte Gracia (A.X.E.: Judgment Day)
• Matheus Lopes (Step by Bloody Step)

Best Letterer

Lettering is arguably the hardest aspect of a comic to appreciate, as many have been trained to see it as an art designed to be invisible. But while letters may often be subtle, their choices can make a world of difference in how a comic book is received by the reader, whether that’s through the pacing of the dialogue, punctuating certain lines in just the right way, or finding the best means of representing a character’s unique voice. Here are those we feel excelled in this field in 2022:

• Deron Bennett (We Only Find Them When They’re Dead)
• Aditya Bidikar (20th Century Men)
• Clayton Cowles (Daredevil)
• Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Above Snakes)
• Rus Wooton (Deadly Class)

Best Cartoonist

“Cartoonist” can be a fuzzy term, but with this category, it’s our intent to spotlight creators who bring the entire process of comic book creation to their craft. From script to page and panel, often including colors and lettering, these creators offer the whole package when it comes to fashioning a new comic. Here are those who stood out this year:

• Kate Beaton (Ducks)
• Cliff Chiang (Catwoman: Lonely City)
• Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo)
• Daniel Warren Johnson (Do a Powerbomb)
• Tillie Walden (Clementine: Book One)

The post The 2022 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Awards Nominees for Comics appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A Vicious Circle #1 by writer Mattson Tomlin and artist Lee Bermejo, published by Boom Studios, drops readers into the ongoing battle between two time-traveling assassins, Shawn Thacker and Ferris, as it picks up once again following a 10-year respite. While the unusual nature of their connection remains somewhat obscured, both seem representative of different attitudes toward the slow pace and, at times, repetitive nature of historical events, though neither is optimistic. While Thacker struggles to carry the weight of history, as well as his knowledge of events in the future, Ferris appears to have embraced the idea that the universe is terminally ill and destruction is the only cure.

For 10 years, Thacker has paused his and Ferris’ duel by keeping his rival a prisoner in his basement. During that decade, Thacker, a Black man, has lived in pre-desegregation America, marrying and having a child. Bermejo renders this era in black-and-white, mimicking the look of the television sets that would have recently become staples of the American living room during this era and serving as somewhat obvious symbolism for the fight over integration.

Thacker’s experience as a Black man, specifically a Black man from the future who seems to know his history, wraps itself around the fatalistic themes of the book. The issue introduces readers to Thacker as he awakens and thinks, “…the world will end…it just hasn’t happened yet.” Later, he struggles to think about how he’s supposed to raise his Black son when he knows, as a matter of historical fact, that the treatment of Black people will not significantly improve over the boy’s lifetime.

The inciting incident of the issue is a splash page depicting the aftermath of brutal, fatal violence against Thacker’s son. The moment thrusts Thacker through time’s unpredictable currents and onto an American Civil War battlefield. Thacker, who otherwise seems reluctant to kill, does not hesitate to put a sword through the nearest Confederate cavalryman. The slaying triggers another jump, and Thacker’s first thought upon landing in an unrecognizable future is to “assimilate,” a loaded word for a Black man, as a means of survival.

The story’s racial themes fade as it settles into this new era, but the grim undertones remain. Thacker leaves behind the black-and-white American mid-20th century for a cyberpunk future where acid rain immediately singes his skin. Bermejo changes his style to match the new setting. He swaps realistic renderings and a lack of color for something flatter with a dark color palette cut through with a crimson that sizzles on the page, bringing to mind the stylistic shift that Alex Ross displayed in his .

Thacker’s narration (which letterer Becca Carey puts to page sans caption box throughout, helping to emphasize that Thacker does not belong in any of these periods) catches readers up on the plot thus far, to an extent. It’s a quick rundown of Thacker and Ferris’ conflicting missions that raises more questions than it provides answers. Starting the story with Thacker having a family before wrenching him away from them injects cheap pathos into the narrative, which doesn’t allow readers to dwell much on the many unanswered questions and unexplained details that created this time-hopping rivalry. Thacker’s internal recap concludes with, “Who gives a fuck. He killed my boy.” In other words, don’t worry about the sci-fi stuff yet. Right now, we’re doing a John Wick-style revenge story through time.

The focus on revenge leaves much of Thacker and Ferris’ story a mystery implied by their dialogue and actions. They’re time travelers from different times, but whether that means different eras or timelines is uncertain. Thacker traveled through time to destroy a world-ending machine created by the Kang Turing company. Ferris made the trip to turn on the device. Why such a thing exists and why anyone would want to trigger it remains unclear. Ferris’ muttering about how the fabric of the universe has cancer acts as the most significant and bleakest clue, and one assumes answers will come in future issues. A panel in which Ferris, looking out towards the reader, encourages Thacker to question which of them is the hero hints at the explanation being something unexpected. Readers learn that whenever one of these trained assassins kills, it triggers a jump that sends them together to a seemingly random time and place. Both combatants acknowledge that neither of them knows what will happen if one kills the other, and the question lingers ominously over the plot as if Chekhov himself hung it there.

Bermejo alters his style with each time-hop to reflect the art or aesthetic of the era and, at times, pays homage to other artists. There’s one two-page sequence where Ferris kills again and again as he tries to land at the right point in time to flip the switch on the doomsday device. The way Bermejo depicts each period with a drastically different style in each panel is stunning to the extent that it almost feels like he is showing off, but it’s more than a vain artistic flourish. Altering his style for each era emphasizes that bleak thematic undercurrent. It’s the same story, the same violent conflict unfolding across history. It only looks different on the surface. Even when events aren’t jumping from one era to another, Bermejo shows his mastery of layouts and composition. Each page contains the exact right amount of elements to feel full enough to want to pore over without being overwhelmed, while Bermejo subtly controls the sense of pace and speed on each page with varied panel angles.

A Vicious Circle #1 indulges in the too-familiar trope of killing a barely developed, innocent supporting character to motivate its protagonist in what feels like a transparent attempt to add unearned, instant emotion to the plot. It’s made more egregious by how it’s entangled in the historical oppression of Black Americans. Otherwise, A Vicious Circle #1 purposely holds back information to build a mystery while serving as a tour de force for Bermejo, allowing the master artist to showcase his versatility and skill. Those impressive visuals, coupled with a plot anchored by interesting thematic underpinnings and plenty of action, will likely be enough for readers to enjoy the issue while waiting to learn more about what’s driving Thacker and Ferris’ cycle of violence.

Published by Boom Studios

On December 14, 2022

Written by Mattson Tomlin

Art by Lee Bermejo

Colors by Lee Bermejo

Letters by Becca Carey

Cover by Lee Bermejo

The post A Vicious Circle #1 Review: Time Traveling Assassins Story Offers Futile Violence and Masterful Art appeared first on ComicBook.com.