Agh! The Swamp Thing….from Planet Rann! McFarlane Toys announced today that a new Swamp Thing Mega Figure would release on Halloween, and this time it would be the humongous, red, cactus-like creature from the Planet Rann! Swamp Thing #57 (February 1987) introduces the terrifying monster when hero Adam Strange attempts to return to Planet Rann and instead smashes head on into the Swamp Thing! Now mutated to be red and cacti-like, it’s up to Adam to take him down. 

The McFarlane Mega figure line is usually taller than the regular line, some coming in at 9-inches. We’ll have to wait and see what the exact measurements are, but this Swamp Thing is destined to be one of the larger McFarlane collectibles. Pre-orders for the figure are expected to go live starting at 9am PT / 12pm ET tomorrow, October 31st.. You can find it at Entertainment Earth here after the launch time. It should also be available on Amazon. Direct links be added when the figure goes live.

McFarlane also recently launched the DC Direct Collector Vinyl Swamp Thing Todd’s Mods Limited Edition Figure, a 4 1/2-inch collectible with a static pose., It’s available for $14.99 with an estimated arrival date of January 2025. You can pre-order the figure here at Entertainment Earth as well. 

Swamp Thing continues to grow with new stories and new team ups in the DC Universe, in the comics and on camera. While we wait to hear what’s going on with James Mangold’s Swamp Thing movie, we’ll be looking at the comics to see what he’s up to. Just today DC released a special Halloween one-shot, a collaboration between two plant-lovers… Swamp Thing and Poison Ivy! The new comic, Poison Ivy/Swamp Thing: Feral Trees #1, gets into how its two characters protect the green and what their role is in the Parliament of Trees. 

Comicbook’s own Matthew Aguilar reviewed the comic and gave it a 4.5, stating it “keeps you hooked on the greater mystery and emotionally invested in the people in the center of it all the way through, and it’s an adventure you won’t want to miss.” So, there you have it. This is definitely a team-up I need to read.

Stay up to date with all Swamp Thing collectibles and DC drops here at our Gear page!

The post McFarlane Toys Adds Swamp Thing From Planet Rann to MegaFig Lineup appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Happy new comic book day! It’s another major week in comics, and the ComicBook staff have come together to break down and review as many of the big comics releasing this week as possible. Now obviously this isn’t every single comic on stands, but we’re breaking down new releases from Marvel, DC, Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse, Dynamite, Oni Press, IDW, Mad Cave Studios, DSTLRY, and more!

We’ve also carved out some additional space for three of this week’s biggest books, including The Amazing Spider-Man #60, It Happened on Hyde Street: Devour #1, and Poison Ivy/Swamp Thing: Feral Trees #1, so if our smaller review here piques your interest, make sure to check out the full review for a much more comprehensive analysis of all three issues. As for ratings, we keep things simple with a whole or half number out of five, and you can check out some of our previous reviews right here. With all that said, let’s get to this week’s new comics!

DC

Action Comics #1073
Other than the Superboy subplot that is wedged in the middle of things (and that, at this point, feels like it should have been a backup story rather than a subplot), Action Comics #1073 is outstanding. The issue sees Superman come face to face with Aethyr but then in a surprising twist finds himself in a much more dire situation when his attempt to find the way home goes sideways and lands him in an entirely different idea of home. What really works here is the centering of the story around the idea of what Jor-El really did in the creation of the Phantom Zone prison while still delivering on some high-stakes action. As for the Supergirl backup story, we get a little bit more about the mysterious prisoner, but the overall story still feels like a puzzle box that is moving towards solution at an almost too-slow pace. It’s interesting, but it just feels like there could be more. – Nicole Drum
Rating: 4 out of 5

Batman: The Long Halloween – The Last Halloween #2
Batman: The Long Halloween The Last Halloween #2 continues the slow burn of the story kicked off with the first issue, but keeps things moving by adding interesting elements, such as the arrival of the FBI — who has their own agenda — and by having Batman miss an important clue along the way. The tone of this issue is much more consistent than the first, particularly with Robin, and that also gives this issue a bit more gravity to it and makes it a bit more interesting, both to those unfamiliar with the original The Long Halloween and those who know it chapter and verse. The art fits the overall vibe very nicely as well.
– Nicole Drum
Rating: 4 out of 5

Poison Ivy/Swamp Thing: Feral Trees #1
DC has delivered the team-up I didn’t know I needed right in time for Halloween in a new one-shot special titled Poison Ivy/Swamp Thing: Feral Trees. As the title suggest, the issue brings Poison Ivy and Swamp Thing together in a haunting and emotionally complex adventure that conveys a clearer understanding of Swampy and Ivy’s roles in the protection of the green and how the Parliament of Trees fits into that equation and how they perceive outsiders. Poison Ivy/Swamp Thing: Feral Trees #1 keeps you hooked on the greater mystery and emotionally invested in the people in the center of it all the way through, and it’s an adventure you won’t want to miss.
– Matthew Aguilar (Read the full review here)
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Nice House By The Sea #4
James Tynion IV finds new layers as he continues to dig deeper not only into his characters but in the larger plot of Night House by the Sea as well. As things continue to open up and reveal the broader picture, questions still linger, making the entire thing all the more intriguing. Series art by co-creator Álvaro Martínez Bueno remains the high point of experiencing the series though as he not only captures specific moods and styles (this issue depicts security camera footage and actually making it terrifying). Jordie Bellaire’s color work also remains an MVP, elevating the already great images to new heights.
– Spencer Perry
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Marvel

Captain America #14
The most surprising thing about this Captain America run is that it’s somehow still going on. Issue #14 brings Thor and Spider-Man into the fold to try and give Steve some familiar faces to fight alongside. Their additions are more hurtful than helpful. Neither one of them are written particularly well, with Spider-Man feeling like the most frustrating of the two. This continues, month after month, to be one of the most baffling books in Marvel’s lineup.
– Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 1.5 out of 5

Namor #4
Namor is awesome. I tried to think of a more eloquent, intelligent way to phrase that, but that’s not necessary. “Namor is awesome” is exactly what needs to be said right now. This saga from Jason Aaron is already a gripping, complicated tale about a fallen king wrestling with his past in order to save the future of a people that hate him. Now we’re adding an entire army of sentient beings made of the seaweed and coral reef that have been relentlessly abused over the years? It just doesn’t get much better than this. An absolute bruiser of a book week after week. – Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 5 out of 5

NYX #4
NYX has been quietly putting together one of the more compelling corners of the X-Men universe, and it feels as if NYX #4 is the true boiling point that will shift the series into its next gear. Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly have successfully woven Ms. Marvel into the fabric of the X-Men saga in a natural and organic way, and her interactions with Prodigy and Sophie are major parts of why NYX #4 works so well. Kamala is the heart and soul of this book, but as we’ve learned with the character in the past, one of her most important powers is the ability to relate to others in a meaningful way and get through when most others can’t, paving the way for welcome turns and heartbreaking turns in equal measure. Artist Enid Balam and colorist Raul Angulo pull on the heartstrings throughout the issue in several key scenes, but they also deliver frenetic action sequences that take advantage of the cast’s dynamic power set. Also, Julian looks like an absolute powerhouse in several of these sequences, and that last page has my hyped for an anticipated and long awaited throwdown. NYX has carved out a unique identity within the X-Books and is really starting to hit its stride at the right time. – Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 4 out of 5

Phases of The Moon Knight #3
This has been a really great concept for an anthology story. The nature of Moon Knight makes for a story that can span numerous characters, time periods, and settings, and the series has done an excellent job of finding little corners where magic can come alive. Not every story is as good as the others, but they’ve all been enjoyable to some degree.
– Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 3 out of 5

Predator vs. Black Panther #3
Benjamin Percy has proven himself already to be well suited to writing these types of epic crossovers for Marvel. Percy weaves a tight narrative that not only respect the lore of Marvel’s hero and his home but also the larger Predator franchise, making them work together and mingle in a way that only works in comics. This issue features artwork by pencilers Chris Allen & Sean Damien Hill (with inks by Craig Yeung & Jonas Trindade and colors by Erick Arciniega) and that many cooks in the kitchen has resulted in some inconsistent art on the whole. Larger pages that deliver huge splashes and tell the story across unique fragmented images are the best, while the traditional pages often leave something to be desired. That said, Predator vs Black Panther continues to impress.
– Spencer Perry
Rating: 4 out of 5

Star Wars: The Battle of Jakku – Insurgency Rising #3
There’s a good idea at the core of Insurgency Rising, it’s just a shame the book itself can’t reach quite as high. It’s scattered, both in its writing and its art. There’s little consistency with these characters and none of it ever feels particularly new. This is unfortunately just another stab at trying to tell fresh stories in a period of Star Wars canon that has been exhaustively explored. – Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 2 out of 5

The Amazing Spider-Man #60
Zeb Wells’ Spider-Man run is one that has been met with some major controversy thanks to some of the wild swings that it took with its story. The writer introduced us to the now infamous “Paul”, gave Mary Jane superpowers, stepped up Tombstone’s game, introduced the most villainous Ben Reilly to date, and even sent Spidey spiraling into the underworld. For all the flaws that Wells’ run might have had, the creator goes a long way in his final issue to not only pay tribute to Peter Parker but give a worthwhile ending to nearly every plot point that he introduced over the years. – Evan Valentine (Read the full review here)
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Ultimate X-Men #8
Ultimate X-Men has some interesting elements and character beats that are a part of this new take on Marvel’s merry mutants but unfortunately, the series remains misplaced in terms of being the forefront of the Ultimate Universe in relation to the X-Men. Peach Momoko is able to give this series some really solid art but the story itself is one that just doesn’t resonate in the same way as its Ultimate counterparts. It feels…”off” in many regards in that it is a scattershot series that would work as an independent story but being the premiere Ultimate X-Men story hampers it. It just all feels extremely disconnected with its characters. This isn’t to say that it doesn’t have some noteworthy moments but they are not enough to right this ship’s trajectory. It’s really a shame but there are simply too many puzzle pieces that don’t fit here to truly make it stand toe-to-toe with the other Ultimates.
– Evan Valentine
Rating 2.5 out of 5

Wolverine: Revenge #3
One thing that I was expecting from Wolverine: Revenge, based on Hickman and Capullo’s first two issues, is plenty of blood and violence surrounding the Canucklehead. What I didn’t see coming was one of my favorite Logan and Deadpool interactions that I think I’ve ever read. In this alternate universe, Wade Wilson made a decision that means forgiveness might forever be out of his grasp, as Wolverine reminds him here. This story might not be “canon” but what the creative team is doing here might just give us one of the pinnacle Wolverine stories in Marvel history. There’s a lot to love in this tale of revenge and I’m beyond interested to see what takes place next when it comes to Logan’s journey, especially considering how this latest issue came to an end. – Evan Valentine
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Image Comics

Feral #7
The only thing that could make Feral more of a tension-filled affair has found its way into the series, and that comes in the form of three adorable little kittens. In Feral #7 the ice starts to subside and with it new dangers approach, and watching Elsie and Gigi try and navigate those unpredidtable dangers is as stressful as it is riveting. At this point I feel personally attacked by Tony Fleecs, Trish Forstner, Tone Rodriguez, and Brad Simpson for how long I find myself forgetting to breathe as the story twists and turns, and that still didn’t prepare me for one truly unexpected cliffhanger by issue’s end. Feral continues to be must read each and every single month, and now the long wait for Feral #8 begins.
– Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 5 out of 5

It Happened on Hyde Street: Devour #1
While we are still getting to know the overall world of Hyde Street in the main comic, It Happened on Hyde Street: Devour #1 makes for a strong and impressive introduction to the lure of the world. By speaking to something that is so relatable and unfortunately common for many by taking on the obsession with being thin, Devour #1 reminds readers just how easy it is to succumb to the lure of a quick fix with no thought to the consequences. The result is a horror that maybe isn’t full of jump scares or gore, but settles right into the thoughts and is deeply uncomfortable less for the world the story inhabits, but for the world the reader actually exists in. – Nicole Drum (Read the full review here)
Rating: 5 out of 5

Kaya #22
Kaya concludes its journey down the Dragon Road in stunning fashion. The issue begins with Kaya’s portentous dream but from the moment she awakes onward, it maintains a fast pace as she, Jin, and their mysterious new ally Razel try to escape from Atrian pursuers. As always, Wes Craig impresses with his unconventional character designs and creative layouts but Tom Nopalitano’s lettering stands out in this issue for ably conveying tones, timbre, and meaning with emphasis, shape, and color. This issue’s plot feels a bit thin and also light on character development — Kaya and Jin begin the issue divided over how much they should trust Razel and they don’t budge any from those positions — but makes up for it danger and adventure as it successfully ramps up the tension as it leads into a situation where Kaya and company are stuck between a robot army and a haunted city. After the previous, much weightier arc, “Kaya and the Dragon Road” proves lighter and much more visceral, making for a nice change of pace in this gripping journey.
– Jamie Lovett
Rating: 4 out of 5

Violent Flowers #2
Violent Flowers #2 spends most of the issue explaining things before sending Carnelia after Erzsebet at a strange, supernatural party that doesn’t exactly go as planned. It is certainly an interesting take on vampire stories with a strange, sexy edge, but the issue is hampered by both a lot and nothing really happening along with some somewhat cliche dialogue during the confrontation. A bit of a cliffhanger closes the issue and pushes the story forward, but it is otherwise a bit of a mixed bag. – Nicole Drum
Rating: 3 out of 5

Other Publishers

Anansi Boys #5
The screwball comedy of it all intensifies in Anansi Boys #5 as Spider takes Fat Charlie’s place at work for the date and his lunch date with Rosie. Meanwhile, Charlie wakes up to find an unfamiliar woman with him in bed and his would-be mother-in-law at his front door. Charlie’s confusion and exasperation are appropriately inverse to Spider’s natural charm as he fills in for his brother in some helpful ways and some less so. There’s a bit of an unexplained plot hole in that Rosie’s mother never really explains why she showed up at Charlie’s home if she thought he’d be at work anyway — Perhaps she planned to slide the paperwork about the upcoming wedding under his door, but then why knock at all? — but there are also some sly artistic touches, with Graham Coates drawn every bit as small in Spider’s presence as Charlie once did upon entering the boss’s office. Setting aside the one plot tangle, it’s a charming issue with the art to match. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 4 out of 5

Kill All Immortals #4
Finding interesting angles for immortal beings can be difficult, but Kill All immortals has an excellent angle that makes for a compelling read. Mixing this father/daughter rivalry and morality play with an organized crime saga is just really exciting stuff. These characters are fully realized and they fit seamlessly into the world that’s being created. – Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Night Club 2 #3
Who knew that all it would take is a change of scenery for Mark Millar’s style to actually feel fresh. The scribe continues to explore superhero tropes through the lens of a horror comic in Night Club 2 and since he’s not making sure to have a piece of shock value every other page there’s a nice rhythm to the story. Night Club 2’s real highlight however remains the artwork by Juanan Ramírez with colors by Fabiana Mascolo, as the pair have created a distinct look that combines pop-superhero artwork with moody grim horror. The result is stunning splash pages and reveals when you turn the page that makes your jaw drop.
– Spencer Perry
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

‘Patra #3
‘Patra #3 is part crime, part horror and while there is a lot of promise in the story of Patra hunting down the crazed killer Jeremy Jones, there’s a lot of character development and particularly dialogue between Patra and her sister that feels a little drawn out and very tedious when we could, at three issues in, already be getting further in the story. It’s also not quite clear yet what is really going on which is something that we should have some inkling about at this point. Still, the chase is interesting and if things ever really come together, it could be a cool story. Right now it’s just lot of extra that doesn’t fully come together. – Nicole Drum
Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Power Rangers Across The Morphin Grid #1
Power Rangers fans have seen a number of their favorite Rangers appear in the comics, but with Power Rangers Across The Morphin Grid, they have a chance to see those characters written by the people that brought them to life on the screen. Across The Morphin Grid is a one-shot special featuring five stories from franchise favorites, including David Yost, Nakia Burrise (with JD Sutphin), Steve Cardenas (with Mat Groom), Walter Jones, and Meghan Camarena, and while some are stronger than others, they all capture the core elements that made their characters such favorites to begin with. Billy’s Metamorphosis takes a trip to the future with out of this world style thanks to Patrick Mulholland and Ellie Wright, while Tanya’s Heavy-Metal Rescue is a thrilling Alpha team-up with the stellar art of Tango and JP Jordan. In The Red by Groom, Cardenas, Anand Ramcheron, and Francesco Segala might be my favorite in terms of highlighting the underrated aspects of a Ranger. An Apple A Day is solid and has some fun moments, though the issue ramps up the fun with Camarena, Paulina Ganucheau, and Rebecca Good’s hilarious Chloe’s Chaos Kitchen, which is the type of HyperForce absurdity we’ve missed so much. Overall it’s a thoroughly entertaining one-shot that will delight fans of the franchise. – Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 4 out of 5

Red Sonja #15
While the art in Red Sonja #15 leaves a bit to be desired, story wise it’s an interesting read. I am admittedly jumping into this one blind, but the issue overall does a surprising job of getting the reader up to speed without being overly repetitive about what is happening and what Sonja is facing. There is also plenty of action to keep things moving as well as Sonja finds herself trying to run from death only to end up in a dire situation. There are seemingly real stakes here which makes it all that much more interesting. – Nicole Drum
Rating: 3 out of 5

Sonic The Hedgehog #74
Sonic the Hedgehog #74 brings the series’ racing arc to a satisfying climax. The villain is revealed, and the endgame is set in motion, but what’s charming is that it doesn’t fall entirely to the heroes. Regular folks doing their jobs and looking out for another also play a crucial role. Whether the idea that a villain’s wrongdoing being revealed would lead to their downfall or any real consequences is wholesome or naive will likely be determined by each reader’s level of cynicism. The artwork gives the issue a comic, cartoonish energy, with layouts providing the perfect timing for certain comedic bits and the story playing out at a lively pace.  As multiple points of tension hang in the balance and lives are on the line, Sonic and most of the book’s major characters spring into action, teeing up what’s shaping up to be a fun, kinetic, and dramatic finale. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 4 out of 5

The post Comic Book Reviews for This Week: 10/30/2024 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

From Tower of God to Solo Leveling and True Beauty, webtoons are taking over anime. We have seen the industry explode in recent years, and as webtoons become bigger, more fields are eyeing web comics. Anime has been at the forefront, and thanks to a new report, we have learned Studio Pierrot is jumping into the fray. The studio behind Naruto and Bleach is teaming up with a South Korean animator to bring webtoons to the screen.

As you can see below, Studio Pierrot and Red Dog Culture House have come together. The two companies have locked in a partnership, and it will bring their teams together. Moving forward, the companies will do joint productions targeting “global” audiences, and the partnership will focus on Latna Saga.

Studio Pierrot Is Getting Into Webtoons at Last

According to the deal, Latna Saga: The Survival Sword King is the first IP gunning for an adaptation under this deal. The series will move into production later this year, so no release window has been decided. However, the anime adaptation of Latna Saga could arrive as soon as 2025 if industry trends hold up.

As for this specific deal with Studio Pierrot, it is expected to last three years. It will be back by investment and funding from Japanese production companies. Once Latna Saga has been handled, future projects will be up for grabs as Studio Pierrot and Red Dog Culture House have more IPs in their future.

Now if you are not familiar with Latna Saga, the webtoon went live in 2019 under creators YKB and Soon Q. Studio Khit oversees the web comic, and it tells the story of Hanbin Ryu as he is taken to a new world isekai style. Following a career in the military, Hanbin is keen to fight, but things go wrong with his isekai hop. The man took 20 years to travel, and when he reaches his new world, Hanbin is faced with a society that hates travelers. He is forced to rank up his reputation in-world to show the world wrong, and of course, plenty of villains made themselves known to the Sword King.

Anime Is Expanding Its Webtoon Ties in Big Ways

Clearly, Studio Pierrot is ready to turn its attention to webtoons, and this kind of expansion is warranted. When it comes to graphic novels, manga and webtoons are leading the game globally. Series like Solo Leveling have earned billions of views to date, and their anime adaptations are popping. Next January, Solo Leveling season two will make its grand debut, and hype for the show is high.

There is no denying the anime industry’s interest in webtoons, so Studio Pierrot’s new partnership will expand its reach. This year, shows like True Beauty brought their anime to life, and Tower of God season two made its grand debut. From The God of High School to Noblesse, the list of anime webtoons is growing by the day. So while Studio Pierrot keeps focus on Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, well – you should know its staff is also looking at WEBTOON and Tapas for new projects.

What do you make of this latest anime x webtoon deal? What webtoon series would you like to see tackle the small screen? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

The post Naruto Studio Lands Bi Webtoon Anime After Signing South Korean Partnership appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Deadpool & Wolverine smashed into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and teased Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and a brown-and-tan-clad Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) vs. the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). But the cameo scene, which paid homage to Todd McFarlane’s iconic cover of 1987’s The Incredible Hulk #340, cut away from the action before the Merc with a Mouth and the berserker mutant could face off against the angry Avenger. The new issue of Rob Liefeld’s last Deadpool comic, Deadpool Team-Up #3, delivered on that fight.

The circumstances are similar. But instead of the Void, Deadpool and Wolverine end up in Weirdworld, a domain composed of former magical realms. After a ninja clan tasked Wade Wilson with — deep breath — collecting dragon eggs that have been hidden by Ral Dorn, Dragon Lord, Wade learned that the warlord Baron Skagerackrakor stole Ral’s sacred staff so he could overthrow Ral as the rightful ruler of his home dimension of Rammatpolen and take revenge for his father’s defeat at Ral’s hands (in 1981’s Fantastic Four Annual #16).

[RELATED: Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine Streaming Release Date Confirmed]

Ral reclaimed his Dragonstaff and opened a portal to Weirdworld, where the heroes met a long-lost hero from the 1980s: Crystar, Lord of Crystalium, who hid the sacred dragon’s eggs within the catacombs under Crater Lake on Weirdworld. As they waded through the swamps, they were attacked by a towering Swamp Serpent, so Ral, calling on the sorcery of Rammatpolen, opened a portal to summon a champion: “A savage dragon to fell this serpent.”

Instead of Image’s finned, green-skinned superhero, Ral accidentally called forth another green goliath: the Hulk. This week’s Deadpool Team-Up #3 begins with Wade, Wolverine, Ral, and Crystar trying to convince the “Dragonslayer” to help them find the eggs, but an enraged Hulk only wants to smash the puny humans. Hulk shatters Crystar (whose body of enchanted crystals can reform itself) and goes toe-to-toe with Wolverine, who has “181 reasons” to put Hulk down (a reference to their first fight in 1974’s Incredible Hulk #181).

The rampaging Hulk swats Wolverine away, but the adamantium-clawed X-Man is as small and fast as Hulk is big and slow. Wade shoots Hulk in the face to prevent him from hitting what he can’t see, but Hulk gets his hands on Wade and slams him into the ground. Ral, who has no need for the emerald warrior now that he defeated the Swamp Serpent, ends the fight and sends the Hulk back to his realm on Earth. They find the eggs, and the issue ends with Wade wielding a golden sword: the Dragonslayer.

Just then, three Liefeld creations step out of the shadows to warn that taking the dragon eggs would be “the end of everything”: Cable, Lady Deadpool, and Major X, the son of Cable and the mutant goddess Storm from an alternate future. Deadpool Team-Up will conclude with a fifth and final issue on Jan. 22.

The post The MCU Teased Deadpool & Wolverine vs. The Hulk. A New Marvel Comic Made It Happen appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When Beastars by Paru Itagaki originally launched in 2016, it very quickly gained notoriety for its expressive art style, as well as its incredibly unique world – in place of human protagonists, Beastars is a story told through the lens of anthropomorphic animals living in a modernized society in place of humans. The manga excelled in telling a compelling coming-of-age story that challenged many common struggles that young people face as they enter adulthood by reimagining many of those struggles as a conflict between being born as a carnivore, or an herbivore.

Beastars was incredibly successful, having over 7.5 million copies in circulation by the time the series ended, and received a gorgeous anime adaption courtesy of Orange. Paru Itagaki has experimented with other types of stories, encapsulating everything from an autobiographical essay manga to an action-packed Santa Claus-themed shonen series. Her latest upcoming series, Ushimitsu Gao, which is slated to begin serializing in Champion Cross, might take the cake as her most unhinged work yet.

Ushimitsu Gao Explores a Peculiar Love Triangle

Paru Itagaki’s latest work follows a married thirty-two-year-old woman named Megumi Sano with a strong sense for the supernatural trying to have a baby with her husband. One night, she notices what appears to be a ghost watching them from a corner in their home, and instead of being frightened, is overwhelmed with a feeling of shame. From that point forward, the ghost visits her every night and begins to put her into a state of sleep paralysis, which, interestingly, reminds her of bondage – and not in a negative way. The series is categorized as a horror romance, but with no official English translation as of writing, details regarding the story are still relatively sparse. The manga is currently available on Champion Cross, and began serializing on October 16, 2024.

This, of course, isn’t Itagaki’s first time writing an offbeat love story. One of her more popular mini-series, Drip Drip, followed a similarly macabre, raunchy premise, which follows a young woman who gets a nosebleed any time she encounters something that she perceives as dirty, which makes her intimate love life extremely difficult. Her most popular work, Beastars, explores plenty of complicated romantic relationships as well, with many of the series’ core couples struggling with their identities as predator and prey. While Ushimitsu Gao may sound like her most unhinged serialized work so far, if anyone can pull off a quirky adult drama this intense, it’s Paru Itagaki.

H/T Manga Mogura

The post Beastars Creator Just Launched the Raunchiest Manga of 2024 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Two years after appearing on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, musician Megan Thee Stallion took to social media this weekend to move from Marvel to DC. The “Hot Girl Summer” singer shared her Halloween costume: an elaborate Starfire suit, inspired more by the comic books than the animated or live-action TV versions. Megan Thee Stallion took to social media to share a quartet of images, including one in which she was edited onto the cover of Tales of the New Teen Titans #4, a Starfire solo story.

The shimmering violet one-piece bikini costume is adorned with a gold-and-red gem on its belt line, and she’s wearing an elaborate red wig that calls back to the giant hair Starfire has in the comics.

Starfire, who first appeared in DC Comics Presents #26, was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Perez in 1980. She would go on to become a key part of their run on The New Teen Titans and one of the most popular characters of the 1980s.

You can see one of the images below, or check out the rest in her post.

Unsurprisingly, these images have generated a lot of traction, with even DC Studios co-chief James Gunn sharing them on Instagram stories and Threads. Obviously, it isn’t entirely uncommon for big celebrities to dress as comic book superheroes for Halloween, but it’s certainly notable that someone who is as big as Megan Thee Stallion is right now has such commitment to the costume and photoshoot, for a character most casual fans hardly recognize.

Starfire is Koriand’r, an alien princess who fled her kingdom following a coup led by her unhinged sister and ended up on Earth as part of the Teen Titans. Often paired with Dick Grayson/Nightwing as a romantic couple, Starfire has become a fan-favorite over the years, and has spun off into her own solo adventures on numerous occasions, including a well-regarded recent run by Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner, the team that made Harley Quinn into a best-selling comic book.

Besides being a near-constant on Titans teams, Starfire has been part of the Justice League, R.E.B.E.L.S., Red Hood’s Outlaws, and a number of other DC Universe groups. She is a fan-favorite in part because of her good, gentle nature.

The character has appeared in numerous DC animated series and movies. She made her live-action debut in Titans, played by Anna Diop, who played the character for the show’s entire four-season run.

The post Megan Thee Stallion Debuts Amazing Starfire Cosplay appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The fourth issue of The Wrong Earth: Dead Ringers is finally here, arriving in stores next week, and ComicBook has an exclusive look inside, compliments of Ahoy Comics. The miniseries, which brings back Ahoy’s flagship series from writer Tom Peyer and artist Jamal Igle, made some headlines back when it launched with a series of hip-hop homage covers. The series centers on Dragonflyman and The Dragonfly, different takes on the same heroe from alternate earths — one featuring the camp of the 1960s Batman TV show and one featuring the gritty “extreme” aesthetic of the post-The Dark Knight Returns 1990s comics boom.

“Originally we thought about arranging for two artists to draw the two separate worlds, but that would have been a huge mistake,” Peyer told ComicBook back in 2018. “Jamal has approached both worlds, and both heroes, with such care and thoughtfulness and invention, he quickly became the series’ legitimate co-creator. The Wrong Earth would have been very different without him, and not as good.”

You can see the preview pages and solicitation text below.

THE WRONG EARTH: DEAD RINGERS #4

(W) Tom Peyer
(A) Jamal Igle, Juan Castro
Cover: Jamal Igle

The multiverse comic you MUST have! Low-stakes life on campy Earth-Alpha is finally threatening Dragonfly’s sanity, forcing Dragonflyman to hunt his own parallel-world doppelganger! Now trapped on gritty Earth-Omega, Lady Dragonflyman and Nightsting will risk everything to prevent a wave of attacks on all the Earths —unless they decide the Megaverse isn’t worth it (a serious possibility)!

November 6, 2024 Delayed from June 2024 – resolicited

$3.99

The post The Wrong Earth Returns: Check Out This Look Inside Dead Ringers #4 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

DC has delivered the team-up I didn’t know I needed right in time for Halloween in a new one-shot special titled Poison Ivy/Swamp Thing: Feral Trees. As the title suggest, the issue brings Poison Ivy and Swamp Thing together in a haunting and emotionally complex adventure that conveys a clearer understanding of Swampy and Ivy’s roles in the protection of the green and how the Parliament of Trees fits into that equation and how they perceive outsiders. Poison Ivy/Swamp Thing: Feral Trees #1 keeps you hooked on the greater mystery and emotionally invested in the people in the center of it all the way through, and it’s an adventure you won’t want to miss.

A Delightful Team-Up

Swamp Thing and Poison Ivy make for a compelling duo throughout the special, both in terms of their core personalities and in their relationship with the green. While there is a bigger story unfolding, this is just as much a character study of Swampy and Ivy, and their differing approaches play off each other extremely well.

G. Willow Wilson continues to work her Ivy magic, and the character has rarely felt more human, especially when contrasted by the patience and bluntness Swampy regularly displays. Ivy’s ability to act at a moment’s notice and her directness in that action is put up against the at times seemingly plodding nature of Swampy and the Parliament of Trees, and though assumptions are made when these two mentalities collide, fans will likely come away with a new appreciation for both characters and their approaches by story’s end.

Speaking of appreciation, plenty is reserved for artist Mike Perkins, colorist Mike Spicer, and letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. Their Swamp Thing is a sight to behold, especially in regards to his facial expressions and how the team utilizes the shadows created by the vines that overtake parts of his face. Swampy can go from menacing to contemplative on a dime, and yet the more you learn about the character the more you realize it’s really the same tempered personality in all those instances.

[RELATED: Did The Penguin Just Tease Batman Villain Poison Ivy?]

The juxtaposition of personalities isn’t the only driving force however, as the exploration of what it means to serve and be a part of the green is also of great importance, and creates the space for some truly enlightening conversations. It’s not just Ivy and Swamp Thing having those conversations either, as a few other surprise characters are also found along the way, and each one has something unique to add to the discussion.

An Emotional Core

There’s one particular person at the center of all this discussion as the story progresses, providing yet another lens in which to view Ivy’s humanity and empathy, as well as Swamp Thing’s cold assessments. That’s selling him short in a way however, as it’s a matter of perspective, and Swamp Thing and the Parliament of Trees decided where they were standing long ago. There’s no clearly right answer to some of these questions, and that’s part of what makes how these characters react and which sides they choose so compelling.

The work from the art team on Ivy and Swampy is to be applauded, but so is their work on this particular element of the story. The haunting shadows and snow covered trees of the forest fade into equally dour flashbacks, even as the sun and bright lights try to pierce through. Those final pages are just as impactful if not more so, and will likely leave an impression on anyone, regardless of who they ended up siding with more.

I didn’t expect Poison Ivy/Swamp Thing: Feral Trees to leave that sort of impression, but it certainly did, and everyone should have a chance to experience it.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Published By: DC Comics
Written By: G. Willow Wilson
Art By: Mike Perkins
Colors By: Mike Spicer
Letters By: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

The post Poison Ivy / Swamp Thing: Feral Trees #1 Review – Haunting of The Green appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It is hard to believe, but this year marks the 15th anniversary of One-Punch Man. While the anime came to life in 2015, we first met Saitama and his allies in 2009 thanks to ONE. The creator didn’t expect much when they thought up One-Punch Man, but as their web comic grew, all bets were off. Now, ONE has thrown the fandom into a frenzy with a surprise update as the artist just updated their original web comic out of the blue.

The whole thing came to light this week as ONE took to social media with a special update. The artist posted a link to the One-Punch Man web comic out of nowhere, revealing they had just posted chapter 151. The new chapter was not expected in any way, and ONE says the update is a birthday gift of sorts to fans.

One-Punch Man Chapter 151 Is Officially Live

Hilariously enough, the birthday in question has nothing to do with One-Punch Man itself or its stars; Rather, the birthday belongs to ONE. The artist was born on October 29, 1986, after all. To celebrate their 38th birthday, ONE posted One-Punch Man chapter 151, so you can find the posting here.

If you did not realize ONE had a birthday this month, well – don’t feel too bad. The artist behind One-Punch Man is a private guy. ONE, who also goes by Tomohiro in the business, began inking web comics in the ’00s with few goals in mind. With no publisher in sight, ONE drew what spoke to him, and his work snowballed into a viral hit. Eventually, One-Punch Man was licensed by Shueisha with help from artist Yusuke Murata. ONE and Murata worked together to create a One-Punch Man manga for Weekly Young Jump, and the superhero satire exploded from there. From a hit anime to a number of video games, One-Punch Man is known the world over, but ONE has not forgotten its humble origins.

As for ONE, the artist is staying busy outside of One-Punch Man. He finished Mob Psycho 100 a few years back, another web comic of his that became a global phenomenon once given an anime. These days, the artist is tied up with new projects including Versus. After working on a short Mob Psycho 100 spin off, ONE brought Versus to life in 2022. The series has three volumes at this time, and the heroic fantasy can be found under Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Sirius.

One-Punch Man Season 3 Is On the Horizon

While ONE focuses on his art, fans are still keeping close tabs on One-Punch Man. The series is still rolling out new manga chapters under Murata, but to be frank, most of their focus rests on the anime. After all, One-Punch Man season three is on the horizon, and fans are wary about the comeback.

Following the success of One-Punch Man season one, fans were very ready for season two to go live, but their excitement was for naught. The follow up took four years to hit television, and thanks to a studio shift, One-Punch Man season two left fans wanting. Some were convinced the anime would end because of season two’s negative press, but One-Punch Man is not staying down. A third season was announced in 2022, but no further information has been given on the One-Punch Man comeback.

In the past year, a number of One-Punch Man visuals have been posted for season three, but that is about it. When it comes to studio or staffing, One-Punch Man season three is staying mum. Rumors have long suggested the anime is eyeing a 2026 return, but nothing official has been said about its release. But if season three wants to repeat history, a four-year stint in production sounds about right.

What do you want to see from One-Punch Man season three? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

The post One-Punch Man Revives Original Series with Surprise Chapter appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Zeb Wells’ Spider-Man run is one that has been met with some major controversy thanks to some of the wild swings that it took with its story. The writer introduced us to the now infamous “Paul”, gave Mary Jane superpowers, stepped up Tombstone’s game, introduced the most villainous Ben Reilly to date, and even sent Spidey spiraling into the underworld. For all the flaws that Wells’ run might have had, the creator goes a long way in his final issue to not only pay tribute to Peter Parker but give a worthwhile ending to nearly every plot point that he introduced over the years.

Amazing Spider-Man #60 is a comic that does everything in its power to make sure that there are no questions remaining for the old and new characters that were a part of Wells’ run. The preliminary story directly deals with the fallout from the fight against Tombstone, giving Peter Parker an ending that he might not have hoped for when it comes to the criminal justice system. The anthology-like issue also takes the chance to tell multiple stories, all written by Wells, to focus on the current state of Peter, his allies, and his enemies in one fell swoop. There’s plenty to love here in terms of the past while also setting the stage for Parker’s future.

The opening salvo makes for a good crescendo for the latest arc, as Peter not only has a face-to-face with Tombstone but also does the same with the Sandman, to a far lesser extent. What works so well about this initial outing is that Peter gets to have a quiet chat with his Aunt May, following the latter having a meeting with Parker’s alter-ego on the street. It’s a very quiet, meaningful discussion that adds a new layer to the relationship between May and Peter, while also injecting May’s thoughts on Spider-Man. There are instances where it’s a bummer that May no longer knows Spidey’s secret identity but this story works well in flipping that script. I would be remiss if I also didn’t mention John Romita Jr’s work here, which once again proves why he has become such a legend in the “Spider-Verse.”

Next up is “Doctor’s Orders”, which is clearly the story that sees Wells having the most fun. During Spidey’s journey to a demonic-filled world, one hanger-on has been the ridiculous “Rek-Rap”, a demonic doppelganger who is a twisted version of the wall-crawler. Joined by artist Ed McGuiness, this story is one that sees Wells trying his best to make sure that Rek-Rap has a future to hilarious effect. It’s a light-hearted story that is in and out, making for one of the lesser tales but it’s hard not to have fun here.

“Team-Up: Part 2” is next up and focuses on Wells teaming up with artist Todd Nauck to see Peter teaming up with the now super-powered Mary Jane Watson, aka Jackpot. Much of the controversy from Wells’ run has been the changes made to Mary Jane and the inclusion of her new partner, Paul. This story does have a hilarious element wherein Jackpot’s latest power creates countless versions of Spidey but much like the preliminary story that kicked off issue #60, Pete and MJ having a nice back-and-forth works well here in showing Wells’ handling of the characters. It again adds some heartfelt interactions into the mix of this Spider-Man story. There’s certainly reason to be sore that Peter and Mary Jane still are being kept from one another romantically but this story works well in accentuating the strength of their friendship at least.

The next story is perhaps my absolute favorite story of the issue, “Bubs.” In the “Brand New Day” era of Spider-Man, Peter Parker had a touching night on the town with Wolverine of all people, celebrating Logan’s birthday. This story is worth the price of admission alone, as Pete and Logan once again celebrate the latter’s birthday. Wolverine and Spider-Man might be like oil and water when it comes to their approach on tackling crime but boy do they work as one of Marvel’s best “odd couples” and that fact truly shines here. Wells is joined by legendary artist Paolo Rivera here, making for a welcome reunion.

“Same Spider-Channel” focuses on what is perhaps one of the most controversial characters of Zeb Wells’ run, Ben Reilly. Thanks to the Beyond storyline, the former Scarlet Spider went from becoming the new Spider-Man to completely losing his mind as the villainous Chasm. Like the stories before it, “Same Spider-Channel” works when Peter and Ben are able to have a quiet moment. Since I’m a big Ben Reilly fan, I’m not exactly thrilled that Wells decided to keep him in his role as an antagonist but it’s a well-told story all the same.

Finally, the issue closes with the one story not written by Wells as future writer Joe Kelly takes center stage to build toward Peter’s upcoming story as an underling of Doctor Doom, aka Marvel’s new Sorcerer Supreme. While not as strong as Wells’ stories here, this acts more like a teaser than anything else and proves that Kelly has a good handling on Peter’s web-swinging activities.

Zeb Wells’ Amazing Spider-Man run might only be viewed for its controversy but there are “diamonds in the rough.” This finale certainly is one of Wells’ best and the many moving pieces featured here work well to show off his strength as a writer. If I had to pick one issue to hand out to Spidey fans documenting the best of Wells’ work, it’s this one.

Published by Marvel Comics

On October 30th, 2024

Written by Zeb Wells, Joe Kelly

Art by John Romita Jr, Patrick Gleason, Todd Nauck, Paolo Rivera, Mark Buckingham

Colors by Marcio Menyz, Rachelle Rosenberg, Edgar Delgado

Letters by VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover by John Romita Jr.

The post Amazing Spider-Man #60 Review: The End of an Era appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The real-life stories of Greta Thunberg, Emma ‘X’ Gonzalez, Malala Yousafzai, and more are being retold in a new graphic novel by Titan Comics. Girl Rebels: From Greta Thunberg to Malala, Five Inspirational Tales of Courage looks to capture the inspirational stories of six young women in five empowering adventures ranging from climate activism to fighting for education and gun control. All six of the girls refused to be silenced in the face of adversity and have become symbols of change for their generation. The book goes on sale in January, and we’ve got an exclusive look at some of the beautiful art found inside.

ComicBook has an extended art preview of Girl Rebels: From Greta Thunberg to Malala, Five Inspirational Tales of Courage. Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafzai, Yusra Mardini, Emma ‘X’ Gonzalez and the Parkway Kids, and Melati and Isabel Wijsen are the young women featured in the graphic novel. Though they never intended to become spokespeople or flag-bearers, they have now become inspiring icons and role models for thousands of young people all over the world.

A team of international authors and illustrators brought the special anthology to life. Girl Rebels: From Greta Thunberg to Malala, Five Inspirational Tales of Courage was written by Laurent Hopman, Fabien Morin, and Julien Derain, with illustrations by Gijé, Jocelyn Joret, Brett Parson, Vittoria Macioci, and Rebecca Traunig.

Preview pages for Girl Rebels: From Greta Thunberg to Malala, Five Inspirational Tales of Courage can be found below. The book goes on sale January 21, 2025 at bookstores, comic shops, and digital. You can pre-order now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and Forbidden Planet for the UK.

The post Girl Rebels Previews the Most Inspiring Women Stories in Modern History (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It has been said that the best and most effective horror stories are rooted in reality. That doesn’t mean that such horrors are based on true stories per se, but rather that they speak to something of the human experience that is authentic and relatable and when it comes to It Happened on Hyde Street: Devour #1, that is exactly the kind of horror story readers get. A one-shot set within the world of Geoff John’s new Hyde Street series, It Happened on Hyde Street: Devour #1 explores not exactly what’s going on on Hyde Street and the mystery set up with Mr. X-Ray, but instead dives into how some of the poor souls ensnared by the various bad actors on Hyde Street end up there — and in doing so provides a bit of incisive commentary on body image and to fixation with being thin.

Written by Maytal Zchut with art by Leila Leiz, Devour #1 is a story told over three generations — a mother, daughter, and granddaughter — through the bulk of the story is centered around the granddaughter, Lily. Lily is preparing for her wedding but finds it difficult to fit perfectly into a wedding dress. It’s a scenario not uncommon for many brides, and Lily finds herself dieting to make it work. Except, it’s difficult and it is something not made any easier by her mother and grandmother, who are both incredibly thin. As readers learn from the outset, Lily’s grandmother was once overweight herself but wandered into the shop of Miss Goodbody who sold her a mysterious supplement called Devour that promised a dramatic and miraculous body transformation. Of course, because Miss Goodbody’s shop is on Hyde Street, this miracle weight loss comes at a price beyond just the generational trauma of a fixation on being thin.

What works particularly well about Devour #1 is that the real horror is less the truth about Devour — which the story does reveal and it is, on its own, quite horrifying — and more the reality of body image and the fixation on thinness as a hallmark of beauty. Lily’s grandmother is shown as being insecure about her body in 1983 despite being surrounded by the reassurances of her daughter (and before that, her husband) that she is beautiful as she is. The grandmother puts her own fatphobia onto her daughter, Patricia, even before she takes Devour, shaming the child for wanting cookies and warning her not to become fat like her mother. While we are never actually shown what happens with Patricia growing up, it becomes clear very quickly that Patricia has ended up on Devour as well, and though she initially advocates for Lily to have her own path towards comfort in her body, the pressure ultimately becomes too much and the cycle starts again, just in a more terrifying way than before as Lily becomes a mother herself.

While Devour #1 has a horror twist about what the active ingredient in the Devour product really is (and suggests what Miss Goodbody is really doing when she pushes her “miracle” product on people, Zchut does a fantastic job of making the real horror not the diet supplement, but the pressure placed on women by society and even their own loved ones to be thin. It is, in a sense, a timeless subject, but also one brought a little more to the surface discourse in recent months with the availability of medications that have been helping people lose weight. In particular, Lily’s struggle to lose weight on her own or “naturally” is particularly incisive as we see the young woman do everything “right” but still not achieve the goal placed on her by the perceptions of others. It’s perhaps in the contrast between Lily seemingly being somewhat content with who she is and the way those closest to her are trying to force her to be someone else where the most chilling — and heartbreaking — commentary lies and thus, makes the turn at the end with Lily and her own newborn daughter the real horror in the story more than anything Miss Goodbody is doing.

[RELATED: Hyde Street #1 Review: An Enticing Introduction Down a Dark Path]

Artistically, Leiz does a fantastic job of presenting the “normal” bodies of Lily and of her pre-Devour grandmother with respect and even beauty. They are some of the loveliest images in the entire book, as contrasted by with the skeletal forms of post-Devour grandmother and Patricia who both, despite being the thin ideal, look twisted and ugly. There are also some fantastic Easter eggs for Hyde Street sprinkled in the issue’s art as well, with Leiz incorporating the characters in a way that does not distract from the tale playing out in a subtly sinister fashion page by page.

While we are still getting to know the overall world of Hyde Street in the main comic, It Happened on Hyde Street: Devour #1 makes for a strong and impressive introduction to the lure of the world. By speaking to something that is so relatable and unfortunately common for many by taking on the obsession with being thin, Devour #1 reminds readers just how easy it is to succumb to the lure of a quick fix with no thought to the consequences. The result is a horror that maybe isn’t full of jump scares or gore, but settles right into the thoughts and is deeply uncomfortable less for the world the story inhabits, but for the world the reader actually exists in.

Published by Image Comics

On October 30, 2024

Written by Maytal Zchut

Art by Leila Leiz

Colors by Alex Sinclair

Letters by Rob Leigh

Cover by Ivan Reis, Danny Miki, and Brad Anderson

The post It Happened On Hyde Street: Devour #1 Review: An Unsettling, Relatable Horror Story appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It was the Battle of the Century. Not 1976’s Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man, as the 96-page blockbuster was billed, but the competition between rival publishers DC Comics and Marvel Comics. The Golden Age of comics, which began with the Man of Steel’s first appearance in the pages of Action Comics, saw the rise of such costumed characters as Batman, Namor the Sub-Mariner, Captain Marvel, the Human Torch, Wonder Woman, and Captain America. But it was during the Silver Age, in 1961, that Marvel Comics ushered in the Marvel age of comics with the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, the X-Men, and Spider-Man, challenging the “Distinguished Competition” for top spot of the comic book industry.

“The two (extremely competitive!) rival giants in comic books had agreed to join forces and publish the first-ever company crossover superhero team book of all time,” inker Dick Giordano wrote in a foreword to 1991’s Crossover Classics: The Marvel/DC Collection. “It would be the fans’ ultimate wish fulfillment.”

The tabloid-sized publication presented by DC and Marvel was touted as “the greatest superhero team-up of all time,” featuring the two publishers’ “centerpiece” characters: Superman and Spider-Man. “It took the better part of seven months to finish the project, having to get approvals from both companies, each determined to protect the integrity of its own characters,” Giordano recalled.

[RELATED: Marvel Ultimate Universe: One Year In is the Ultimate Crossover]

DC and Marvel’s collaboration was written by Gerry Conway and penciled by Ross Andru, who each worked on Superman for DC and The Amazing Spider-Man for Marvel, with inks by Giordano, lettering by the legendary Gaspar Saladino, and coloring by the prolific Jerry Serpe. Roy Thomas (who edited 1975’s MGM’s Marvelous Wizard of Oz #1, the first joint publication between DC and Marvel) served as a creative consultant, as did Marv Wolfman (co-creator of DC’s New Teen Titans and Marvel’s Blade). Finally, the issue was presented by DC’s Carmine Infantino and Marvel’s Stan Lee, who remarked of his relationship with Infantino: “Talk would turn to the one thing we both knew would someday have to happen; the one thing that all fandom was clamoring for. We knew we couldn’t keep our top heroes apart much longer.”

“Readers everywhere were demanding a team-up of the best of the old and the best of the new,” Lee wrote. “Superman, the first, most powerful, most famous caped crusader of all, and Spider-Man, the newest, most realistic, most popular wall-crawler on the scene today — both together, in one titanic, unforgettable adventure.”

The issue, priced at $2, was a major success. It would spawn a sequel, 1981’s Superman and Spider-Man, and future DC/Marvel crossovers: Batman battled the Hulk in a story by Len Wein and José Luis García-López. Super-teams the X-Men and the New Teen Titans crossed paths courtesy of Chris Claremont and Walt Simonson. Eventually, in the 1990s, DC and Marvel would bring together characters like Batman and the Punisher, Darkseid and Galactus, Green Lantern and the Silver Surfer, and Batman and the likes of Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Captain America.

For the first time in over 20 years, these stories and more are collected in the DC versus Marvel Omnibus, out now from DC Comics. The 1,096-page omnibus, which features a standard cover by artists George Pérez and John Kalisz (left) and a direct market variant full-wrap cover by Jim Lee, Scott Williams, and Alex Sinclair (right), contains the following stories:

Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man #1, Marvel Treasury Edition #28, DC Special Series #27, Marvel and DC Present: Featuring the Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans #1, Batman/Punisher: Lake of Fire #1, Punisher/Batman: Deadly Knights #1, Darkseid Vs. Galactus: The Hunger #1, Spider-Man and Batman #1, Green Lantern/Silver Surfer: Unholy Alliances #1, Silver Surfer/Superman #1, Batman/Captain America #1, Daredevil/Batman #1, Batman/Spider-Man #1, Superman/Fantastic Four #1, Incredible Hulk Vs. Superman #1, and Batman/Daredevil #1.

However, the omnibus does not collect the 1996 crossover event series DC vs. Marvel / Marvel vs. DC, the four-issue series that pit the heroes of the DC and Marvel Universes against each other in the showdown of the century. That series, which culminated in a merger between the two universes under the short-lived Amalgam Comics imprint co-owned by DC and Marvel, will be collected in the companion omnibus DC Versus Marvel: The Amalgam Age Omnibus. That book has been delayed and currently has a placeholder date of Dec. 31, 2024.

The post DC Versus Marvel Superhero Crossovers Return to Print for First Time in Decades: Omnibus Overview appeared first on ComicBook.com.

You didn’t think Wade Wilson would stay dead, did you? The regenerating degenerate died in Deadpool #6 in September when new villain Death Grip — a student of Death herself — absorbed the Muramasa Blade, a mystical weapon with the ability to nullify healing powers. Without his superhuman healing factor, Death Grip put the “Dead” in Deadpool as he tore Wade limb from limb. RIP (rest in pieces). Wade’s daughter, Ellie, made her debut as the new Deadpool in the pages of Deadpool #7 in October, but her solo stint is about to be as short-lived as a tray of chimichangas during a Golden Girls marathon.

Solicits for upcoming issues of Cody Ziglar’s run on Deadpool confirm that the Merc with a Mouth is set to return in Deadpool #10. Out Jan. 29, the issue sees the family business — assassins-for-hire firm Deadpool & Daughters, LLC, consisting of Ellie, symbiote dog Princess, Doug Siravanta, and the mercenary Taskmaster — back in, um, business, as the father-daughter Deadpool duo team up.

[RELATED: How to Watch Deadpool & Wolverine Online]

But first, Elliepool will face the mutant Atelier assassin Valentine Vuong and M.O.D.O.K., the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing, as she seeks a way to resurrect her father, whose corpse is currently posed Weekend-at-Bernie’s-style in the conference room at D&D HQ.

Not-a-spoiler-alert: Wade will also headline a new ongoing series with his BBF (best bub forever) in Deadpool/Wolverine, which launches in January from writer Benjamin Percy (X-Force) and artist Joshua Cassera (X-Men).

Deadpool #8

IT AIN’T EASY BEING DEAD(POOL)! Ellie Camacho, Mini Merc with a Mouth, Regenerating Teen Degenerate… It’s no laughing matter wading into Wade’s wide world, but Ellie and her half sister symbiote-wolf, Princess, are going to kick butt and take names now that the original ‘Pool is out of the picture. And no one’s going to stand in the way of their REVENGE! But if Ellie can’t track down an OLD FRIEND of Deadpool’s, Ellie’s career just might end before it ever begins! RATED PARENTAL ADVISORY.

On sale: Nov. 13, 2024

Deadpool #9

MERCENARY OFFSPRING DEPLOYED ONLY (FOR) KILLING! ELLIE has big shoes to fill as the New DEADPOOL! She’s making her name as a mercenary – but will the new ‘Pool fall at the tiny hands of M.O.D.O.K., the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing?! A major turning point – don’t miss it! RATED PARENTAL ADVISORY.

On sale: Dec. 18, 2024

Deadpool/Wolverine #1

WADE AND LOGAN – TOGETHER AGAIN! The most unlikely team-up turned most demanded one, DEADPOOL and WOLVERINE are BACK! Together again and ready to blow your minds in this ongoing series that hits like a never-ending action movie – with the fate of the world in the balance! When a fan-favorite VILLAIN is unearthed, you’ll get to see a new side of our heroes and their adversary, as an ages-long plan comes to fruition. And the only thing that stands between the Earth and annihilation is the Best There Is and the Merc With The Mouth. Brought to you by another legendary pairing – writer Benjamin Percy (WOLVERINE, HELLVERINE) and artist Joshua Cassara (X-FORCE, X-MEN) – these comic superstars put your favorite super heroes through their paces in a series chock-full of surprises, twist reveals and a villainous plot that’ll turn long-term and newly arriving X-readers’ heads. This is one for the pull list! RATED PARENTAL ADVISORY.

On sale: Jan. 1, 2025

Deadpool #10

HE’S BAAAA-AAAACK! THE RETURN OF WADE WILSON! DEADPOOL is in the house! And so is, uh, the new DEADPOOL! But WADE’s resurrection has come with a cost, and if WADE and ELLIE can’t cope, this may just spell the dissolution of Deadpool & Daughters! A new jumping-on point as an all-new chapter begins here! RATED PARENTAL ADVISORY.

On sale: Jan. 29, 2025

The post Deadpool: Marvel Is Bringing Wade Wilson Back From the Dead appeared first on ComicBook.com.

For the first time in his career, legendary comics artist Denys Cowan is releasing a coffee table art book — but it’s going to be more than just pinups. Created with writer Michael Stradford and his Gizmoe Studios, Graphic Samurai: The Art of Denys Cowan is currently funding on Kickstarter. In addition to a curated selection of art from throughout Cowan’s decades-long career, the book features insights and interviews by Stradford, based on months of conversation with Cowan.

Over the course of the production of Graphic Samurai, Stradford had to manually scan hundreds of pages of Cowan’s original art, building up a library of images that could be used to tell the story of Cowan’s career.

“Giving credit where credit’s due, it was actually Denys’s wife, Kathy, who said to Denys, ‘I think it’s time for you to do this book,” Stradford told ComicBook. “She said that she thought that I should be the one to write it, and of course I was flattered and honored. Denys and I had kicked it around a while ago, and it wasn’t ready at the time. This time, I guess the time it was right.”

“Mike and I kicked it around before, and I was always uncomfortable with the idea of having an art book, my own art, because it was just like, ‘That’s weird. That’s what famous artists get,'” Cowan agreed. “And then, years go by, and my wife is looking at me like, ‘How come you don’t have an Art of book?’ And I’m like, because. If you want me to write the Art of book, it’ll never happen. I’m not writing a book about myself and my own art.’ She suggested Mike Stradford because he’s done this kind of stuff before. She said, ‘He’s your friend and it’ll be good if he does it.’ That was the only way to really get it done; if I had a hand in anything, we wouldn’t see anything because I’d reject everything. ‘No, that piece has that foot. I drew that foot wrong on that cover, so we can’t use that one.’ ‘Oh no, the background is faded.’ ‘Nope. That one won’t work either. Sorry.’ So you’d be reduced to five pictures maybe.”

Graphic Samurai: The Art of Denys Cowan is the first comprehensive celebration of Cowan’s work. The artist has left an indelible mark on characters like Batman, The Question, Black Panther, and Deathlok, and co-founded Milestone Media, introducing  Hardware, Icon, Rocket and the comic and character that inspired the hit television show he would produce, Static Shock.

In the book, Cowan walks you through his life and career in his own words and via hundreds of unforgettable illustrations in color and black and white. You can get the book, and plenty of other exclusive perks, over at Kickstarter.

Cowan, for his part, remains a little uneasy about the whole thing. He told ComicBook that he’s “aware of the impact” that his work has had on the comics industry — after all, he’s been around for fifty years, and about thirty of those have been people telling him as much — but that doesn’t make it less weird.

“I was just at a convention, and people were just complimenting me and complimenting me,” Cowan explained. “And I’m cringing, all I see are the mistakes in everything that you like — but I can’t say that and completely crush their experience of meeting me. I’ve had to fight that urge. Doing the book has been a trip, because it’s forced me to go back and look at some of the stuff that I’ve done, and read some of the interviews with people that have said things about me, and relive all that all over again. So thanks, Mike.”

The friendship between the two is obvious when you talk to them. It’s shaped the whole process of the book, not just because it led to the partnership, but because it also led to the workflow that shaped it.

“I wanted it to be a process that didn’t feel overwhelming or annoying, so we had agreed to get together every Saturday for a minimum of an hour and I would interview him,” Stradford explained. “And then once we finished the interview, I would get a bunch of his art, I’d take it home and scan it, bring it back in the next week, and we just went back and forth until we finished. I wound up scanning a little over 2, 000 pieces of art, and then some people online that have had some of his earlier material, and they have been kind enough to send it over, so we scanned it. Now, we’re at a point where myself and Jason Medley, who’s the book designer, have been placing a lot of art in a rough mock up of the book. While art’s still coming in, we’ll move it around, then hen we’ll give it to Denys. He’ll go through it and say, ‘I don’t like that,’ or ‘There’s a better version of this,’ or ‘What about that?’ So we’ll do a basic framework so that he doesn’t have to just sift through everything and then we can tweak it, per his direction.”

Obviously, that doesn’t mean that Stradford doesn’t have a vision of his own for the project. In fact, he has had a pretty complete idea for what he wants to make since he started pitching Cowan.

“I envisioned the book a little differently from a number of other art books that I saw,” Stradford told us. “I really wanted Denys to tell you his story, in his own words all the way through, and we would have mirroring images that would compliment what he was talking about. So, the thrust for me was to sit down with him every week, and try to make that hour as good and inquisitive as possible, because there were always surprising things that I didn’t know about him, that I’d find out every time. That would inform the ongoing conversations, and it would also give me new things to look for when I’m trying to scan artwork. The whole spine of it was really Denys telling his story from the early, early days in Queens, up until now in Chatsworth.”

“Mike asked me a lot of stuff that no one’s ever asked me before,” Cowan added. “We were able to get into to a number of areas that have never been discussed in any interview.”

Cowan added that his overall reluctance to do press hasn’t kept him from promoting his comics over the years — but it has historically been difficult to get him to promote himself.

“Curiously, the number of overall big interviews have been less than 10 after 50 years,” Cowan admitted. “Everyone always want to talk about Milestone, and I talked to Mike about Milestone, but there’s so much more of it about what happened before Milestone and what’s happened after.”

Cowan noted that at this point, the story of Milestone is pretty well-trod, and it’s 30 years old.

“Let’s talk about the new stuff,” he joked. “Why are we talking about Milestone again? How do I balance it out? I don’t know. My heroes, the guys whose work I really love, are all producing work well into their 70s, and they’re still vital and strong. Walt Simonson, his stuff is probably better than it’s ever been. Howard Chaykin, Mike Kaluta, all the guys that I grew up loving, they’re still doing very important, profound work that’s great and at a high level. In my mind, that’s all I want to do. I want to be like Walt Simonson and Howard. Getting older, but still doing just great, vital work.”

You can get Graphic Samurai: The Art of Denys Cowan on Kickstarter now at the link above.

The post Legendary Comics Artist Denys Cowan Explains Why Now is the Time for His Art Book appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball is back at it again with a new tribute. With a new video game and anime under thumb, the IP is living larger. Son Goku is where he belongs at the top, but the Saiyan is not untouchable. When it comes to controversy, Dragon Ball has had its fair share, and now the series is under fire over a recent tribute by the creator of Rurouni Kenshin.

Confused? Don’t be. We have the Dragon Ball Super Gallery project to thank for this ordeal. This month, the event returned with a new tribute, and it was there Nobuhiro Watsuki shared their latest work. The creator of Rurouni Kenshin redid the cover of Dragon Ball volume 30 in honor of Akira Toriyama’s hit series. But given Watsuki’s reputation, well – Dragon Ball fans would rather this tribute be buried.

The Controversy Behind Rurouni Kenshin, Explained

If you are not familiar with the controversy surrounding Watsuki, we hate to be the bearer of bad news. In 2017, authorities in Japan found DVDs in Watsuki’s Tokyo office that contained footage of naked girls. These girls were in their early teens according to reports, and the discovery gave police reason to search the artist’s home.

After raiding Watsuki’s home, police found more illicit material as they investigated whether the creator of Rurouni Kenshin had purchased child pornography. In his home, Watsuki had hundreds of DVDs containing such content. The artist was referred to prosecutors for possessing child pornography that year, and in February 2018, Watsuki was handed a sentence. The artist was told to pay a fine of less than $2,000 USD. And after a brief hiatus, Watsuki returned to work in June 2018 by resuming Rurouni Kenshin: The Hokkaido Arc.

As you can imagine, the uproar surrounding Watsuki was intense. Rurouni Kenshin is considered one of the best manga in the game, but its reputation plummeted once Watsuki was charged. The artist’s confession about possessing child pornography enraged fans across the globe. While the artist is back at work in Japan, many global fans continue to question why Watsuki was not cancelled for his crimes. This debate has raged for years, and now Dragon Ball fans are feeling conflicted over Watsuki’s tribute.

Dragon Ball Super Gallery Expands With Its Final Installments

Of course, the creator of Rurouni Kenshin is not the only person who has taken part in this project. Dragon Ball Super Gallery began in August 2021, after all. The event was launched in honor of Dragon Ball‘s 40th anniversary, and it recruits different manga artists to make tributes to Toriyama. From Masashi Kishimoto (Naruto) to Tite Kubo (Bleach) and Hirohiko Araki (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure), a slew of top-tier creators have joined the project. Watsuki is one of the last creators to join the Dragon Ball Super Gallery, and he is the most controversial by far.

With dozens of tributes in tow, the Dragon Ball Super Gallery has put Toriyama’s skill center stage. The artist is second to none when it comes to composition, and Toriyama’s legacy lives on Dragon Ball. The creator died suddenly this year at the age of 68, leaving many to fret about the franchise’s future. With a new anime on hand, Goku is doing his best to meet Toriyama’s expectations even after their death. So while Watsuki may have the fandom ruffled, Dragon Ball is strong enough to withstand this controversial ordeal.

What do you think about Watsuki’s contribution to Dragon Ball? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

The post Dragon Ball Launches Controversial Collab With Rurouni Kenshin’s Creator appeared first on ComicBook.com.

24 months. That’s how long the Ultimates have to fix the world remade by the Maker, the villainous Reed Richards of Earth-1610, who used the Immortus Engine to reshape reality into Earth-6160: the new Ultimate Universe. This universe’s Iron Man (Howard Stark) and Doom (Reed Richards) trapped the Maker inside his City for two years, at which point the Dome will open and this universe’s progenitor will return. Time is running out.

The new Ultimates escaped six months into the future to form the Ultimate Network, a superhero resistance consisting of the teenage Tony Stark (Iron Lad), Doom, Thor, Lady Sif, Captain America, the Human Torch (Jim Hammond), She-Hulk (Lejori Zakaria), Wasp (Janet Van Dyne), Giant-Man (Hank Pym), America Chavez, and Hawkeye (Charli Hawks Eyes).

As the Ultimates assembled to unmake the Maker’s reality — by recreating the main Marvel Universe, Earth-616 — Tony set Peter Parker back on the course to become Spider-Man 20 years after the teen was supposed to be bitten by a radioactive spider.

[RELATED: Marvel’s New Ultimate Universe, Explained]

Meanwhile, the entire roster will unite for the first time in November’s The Ultimates #6 by Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri. The conclusion to the first Ultimates arc pits the heroes led by Iron Lad against the Immortal Weapons, the gamma-mutated army of the Hulk, who is out to smash the insurgent superheroes threatening to upend the world order ruled by the Maker’s Council.

The secret council of supervillains ruling the world from the shadows has been pulling the strings in the pages of The Ultimates, Ultimate Spider-Man, and Ultimate Black Panther — and it all comes to a head in Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1. The one-shot special by Camp and artist Jonas Scharf (Avengers of the Wastelands) is the finale to the first year of Marvel’s new Ultimate line, and will set the stage for its second year with the introduction of two new characters: Ultimate Nick Fury and Ultimate Wolverine, the Winter Soldier.

Marvel Comics will mark the one-year anniversary of the new Ultimate Universe with foil variant covers for the 13th issues of Ultimate Spider-Man (by Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto), Ultimate Black Panther (by Bryan Edward Hill and Stefano Caselli), Ultimate X-Men (by Peach Momoko), and Ultimates (by Camp and Frigeri). In addition to the One Year In foil variant covers, artist Josemaria Casanovas (Edge of Spider-Verse) is uniting the heroes and villains of the Ultimate Universe on a six-piece connecting cover series (below) paying homage to Jim Lee’s X-Men (1991) #1 cover.

The covers span upcoming issues of Ultimate X-Men #8 (Oct. 30), Ultimates #6 (Nov. 6), Ultimate Spider-Man #11 (Nov. 20), Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1 (Dec. 11), Ultimate Black Panther #11 (Dec. 25), and Ultimate Wolverine #1 (Jan. 15), the first in an ongoing series by writer Chris Condon (Venom War: Daredevil) and artist Alessandro Cappuccio (Moon Knight). Year two of the Ultimate Universe will span the final 12 months until the Maker is no longer imprisoned in the City.

The Ultimate line’s second year will also feature Maystorm’s X-Men in Ultimate X-Men, Hickman’s homage to Kraven’s Last Hunt in Ultimate Spider-Man, T’Challa’s encounter with the Ultimate Sorcerer Supreme in Ultimate Black Panther, and the origin of Ultimate Luke Cage in Ultimates.

Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1

THE CLOCK IS TICKING DOWN TO THE MAKER’S ARRIVAL! Deniz Camp flips the narrative on ULTIMATES and takes us inside the Maker’s Council! The heroes of the Ultimate Universe aren’t the only ones who have been preparing for the return of the Maker, and the clock is ticking down… This unique one-shot sets the stage for the second year of the Ultimate line and includes the debut of the Ultimate versions of two major Marvel characters!
On sale: Dec. 11, 2024

Ultimate Wolverine #1

THE MAKER’S ULTIMATE WEAPON! From rising star Chris Condon (That Texas Blood) and MOON KNIGHT powerhouse artist Alessandro Cappuccio comes the story of the ULTIMATE WOLVERINE! In order to maintain control of their corner of the Maker’s world, three members of his council – Magik, Colossus and Omega Red – deploy their most lethal asset: The Winter Soldier! But WHO is the weapon behind the mask?
On sale: Jan. 15, 2025

Ultimate Spider-Man #13

KRAVEN’S MOST DANGEROUS GAME! The Sinister Six are all hunting Spider-Man and the Green Goblin for their ringleader, Kingpin – and this time, Kraven has the upper hand in Jonathan Hickman & Marco Checchetto’s love letter to “Kraven’s Last Hunt”!
On sale: Jan. 22, 2025

Ultimate X-Men #11

WHO ARE THE X-MEN? RISE OF THE MASKED MUTANTS! Maystorm takes the reins! No more hiding their powers – even if it means hiding their faces! Disenfranchised and despairing after the raid on the Children of the Atom, the man-made mutants seek out leadership – and Maystorm is ready to rise to the occasion!
On sale: Jan. 29, 2025

Ultimates #9

LUKE CAGE AND THE ULTIMATE PRISON BREAK! Juan Frigeri joins Deniz Camp to bring us the history and the future of Luke Cage! Spider-Man isn’t the only success story of Ultimates 1.0…meet the man who has been quietly sabotaging the Maker’s Council from behind bars!
On sale: Feb. 5, 2025

Ultimate Black Panther #13

ULTIMATE BLACK PANTHER: YEAR TWO STARTS HERE! With MOON KNIGHT defeated and the Maker’s Council forced to regroup, T’Challa must learn the secrets of vibranium – because his very life and soul are at risk! The SORCERER SUPREME can help understand the truth of the terrifying element that built Wakanda, but her aid comes with a price…

The post Marvel’s Ultimate Universe: One Year In is the Ultimate Crossover appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Hiro Mashima is impossibly talented. From Rave Master to Edens Zero, the artist has pushed forward a number of hit manga. The industry is a tough one, and for most people, it is enough to put out one hit let alone three. There are still people that look to Fairy Tail as one of shonen’s best series. And in a new interview, Mashima admitted the uplifting manga was born from a surprising place: loneliness.

Recently, Mashima shared this revelation with fans as he appeared at New York Comic Con. It was there the Fairy Tail creator spoke with fans at a panel, and when asked about the manga’s origins, Mashima said Fairy Tail came from a pervasive loneliness.

“To tell you the truth, I wrote the story cause I had no friends. My loneliness is what you’re seeing,” the artist shared. According to ANN, fans were quick to offer their friendship to Mashima after this reveal. Luckily, the artist has since surrounded himself by a supportive friend group, but Fairy Tail might not have happened if Mashima had not navigated that dark time.

Fairy Tail Was Born From a Lonely Place

Later in the panel, Mashima admitted he also dealt with loneliness in high school as he struggled to fit in. It was art and manga that helped him find a home. “It’s helped me get through a lot of my struggles in high school and helped me connect with my friends on a deeper level,” he explained.

Of course, Mashima would go on and turn his love of art into a career. The creator made waves in 1999 with Rave Master as the series ran through 2005. From there, Fairy Tail made its debut in 2006, and it would change Mashima’s life. While Rave Master was a definite hit, Fairy Tail become a global success. The manga’s anime converted fans across the world, and Fairy Tail is still ongoing. After its main series ended, Mashima helped bring its sequel Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest to life. And since we met Natsu, Mashima has also expanded his reach with IPs like Edens Zero and Dead Rock.

Starting with Rave Master, Mashima’s works have all focused on friendship, so we know now why Fairy Tail really leaned into the idea. Mashima was facing a lonely time in his life when the manga was birthed. Lucy not only finds friends through her journey but family as well. Time and again, the power of friendship pushes the celestial mage to new heights, and Natsu will do whatever it takes to protect those closest to him.

Fairy Tail Brings a New Meaning to the Power of Friendship

In fact, Fairy Tail and its friendships have become a meme with fans. Natsu relies on his allies in a big way, and much like we saw in Naruto, the Fairy Tail star thrives when he leans into his bonds. The power of friendship may sound cheesy, but Mashima’s hit series does embody it. Readers have joked about that phenomenon for ages, but Mashima’s latest confession is reframing the true power of friendship.

Yes, it is an easy way to explain a power boost, but it is also a means of salvation. Natsu saved Mashima when he was at his loneliest, and we see this trend echoed in the manga itself. Fairy Tail is so focused on friends and family because that is what Mashima craved when he inked it years ago. As Mashima’s own circle expanded, Fairy Tail was able to grow just the same, so there is no denying how personal the manga is to its creator.

These days, Mashima seems to be in a better place. Fairy Tail lives on with its sequel, and he is rolling out new hits. Edens Zero stood as one of Kodansha’s top sci-fi series upon its 2018 debut. Now, all eyes are on Dead Rock. The supernatural tale debuted in 2023, and with two volumes under foot, Dead Rock is shaping up to be another Mashima hit.

What do you think about this Fairy Tail confession? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

The post Fairy Tail Creator Admits the Hit Series Was Born From Loneliness appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Hunter x Hunter is back in action, and we have the manga to thank. Yoshihiro Togashi mounted a comeback for the series earlier this month, and its return has been a long time coming. After more than a year of waiting, Hunter x Hunter returned with new content this fall that has pushed forward the Succession Contest. And thanks to its latest chapter, Hunter x Hunter was given the chance to revisit Leorio Paradinight after nearly a decade.

No, you read that right. It has been nearly a decade since Hunter x Hunter checked in on Leorio. The manga made sure to visit the character this week, and Leorio’s appearance marks his first in over eight years.

Leorio Is Back After an 8+ Wait

If you missed the quick cameo, don’t sweat it. Hunter x Hunter chapter 404 brings Leorio center stage with help from Halkenberg. We see the character on a stretcher with five medical personnel around them. One of those assistants is Leorio, and from there, Halkenburg is taken in for testing. The blink-and-miss-it moment made readers do a double take as they wondered if the appearance was some kind of joke. But as it turns out, Leorio is on the Black Whale with the rest of this doctors, and he is doing his best to care for patients.

Hunter x Hunter fans were happy to see Leorio return, and his comeback comes after more than eight years. We saw the character briefly during a flashback in chapter 361, but that is not quite the same as an actual appearance. Hunter x Hunter chapter 359 marks Leorio’s latest actual appearance in the manga, and that chapter was released in June 2016.

Seriously, it has been that long. Leorio last showed his face in 2016. The character was seen in chapter 359 doing some medical duties, and he has been sticking to those guns ever since. When we first met Leorio, the hunter made it clear that his dream was to become a doctor. His journeys with Gon gave Leorio plenty of experience tending wounds, and now his work is being put to the test.

Hunter x Hunter Is Thriving With Its Latest Comeback

It is always a treat to see characters return in Hunter x Hunter, and that truth goes double for its leads. Kurapika has been enmeshed in the manga as of late, but Leorio has not been given the same focus. Even characters like Gon have been out of the frame for a while. Togashi knew what kind of reaction the fandom would have over Leorio’s quick comeback, and we have to give kudos where they are due.

Hunter x Hunter has been hyping its comeback for some months now on social media, and its return has not disappointed. The Succession Contest feels like it never left, and while the arc’s heavy narration may not be for everyone, you cannot deny its tension. Few things are more enthralling than a power struggle, and the Kakin Empire is fielding its own. The nation’s fourteen princes have been bit against one another to succeed the throne, and it is up to Zodiacs like Kurapika to keep their charges safe from conspirators. But with guys like Hisoka on board the Black Whale, well – things are getting complicated.

After more than a year away, Hunter x Hunter is on a high, and it is always nice to see Togashi return to drawing. The artist has dealt with chronic health issues for more than a decade, and his condition has sparked a number of hiatuses. Years of drawing have left Togashi with crippling back pain, but after long periods of rest, the artist finds himself eager to return to work. His recent move to social media has only invigorated Togashi further as fans are able to cheer him on directly. So now that Hunter x Hunter is back, readers better enjoy the manga before it starts a new hiatus.

Did you clock Leorio’s appearance in the latest chapter of Hunter x Hunter? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

The post Hunter x Hunter Finally Revisits a Major Character After 8+ Years appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Weapon X program turned Wade Wilson and Logan into killing machines, but Deadpool & Wolverine turned them into best bubs. After their team up in the Marvel Studios blockbuster and the eight-part Deadpool/Wolverine: Weapon X-Traction this summer, Marvel Comics is reuniting the dysfunctional duo in the new ongoing series Deadpool/Wolverine by writer Benjamin Percy (X-Force) and artist Joshua Cassera (X-Men).

“The film was both a hit and a hoot, but we started working on this series long before we ever saw Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds tear each other apart in a Honda Odyssey,” Percy told IGN. “So I can’t say it was an influence, but I can say the dynamic between the characters will feel familiar to theatergoers: fun, thrilling, and both adversarial and bro-mancey (not to mention violent as hell).”

While the R-rated Marvel movie was similarly violent as hell, Deadpool/Wolverine is inspired by R-rated ’80s action classics Commando and Rambo: First Blood Part II.

“That was the vibe that Josh, I, and Mark Basso (our fearless editor) agreed upon: non-stop thrills, insane action set-pieces, and a gonzo 80s action movie precedent,” Percy said. “We want you to feel like Stallone/Schwarzenegger/Van Damme could be a guest star in any of these issues.”

[RELATED: How to Watch Deadpool & Wolverine Online]

Marvel has unveiled the first look at the premiere issue, which you can see below. Deadpool/Wolverine #1 goes on sale January 1, 2025, from Marvel Comics.

The post Deadpool & Wolverine Will Star in Their Own Marvel Series appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Earlier this year DC and Upper Deck expanded their partnership in a major way, teasing a wave of new trading cards, tabletop games, and memorabilia, and the great news is that the partnership will be introducing its first products in 2024. There’s even better news though, as fans can get their first DC trading card set in November, as Upper Deck has revealed the first look and details for a special Batman 85th Anniversary set that will be dropping on e-Pack over the course of five weeks, and we’ve got everything you need to now right here, ComicBook had the chance to speak to Upper Deck Entertainment Director Travis Rhea all about the new all-encompassing Batman set, as well the first full Trading Card set DC Annual, and we even talked about the future and working with DC’s new Absolute Universe!

Batman 85th Anniversary Set

The first set as part of this expanded partnership will be the Batman 85th Anniversary set, and you can take a look at some of the cards featured below. The set will be released over the course of five weeks on the e-Pack platform, and will feature a host of iconic Batman characters, covers, vehicles, and more from the worlds of comics, movies, TV, and animation. The set will start rolling out on November 13th, and each week will see 10 new cards released through mid-December. As with many e-Pack cards, these are physical cards in addition to digital, and you can have them shipped to your home right after purchasing.

Funnily enough this set wasn’t actually part of the original rollout plan, but Upper Deck wasn’t going to let such a great moment in time pass them by. “Well, you know, for starters, we just couldn’t pass up the chance at jumping on a significant anniversary for Batman like that. It really wasn’t part of the original line plan, to be honest, but when Warner Bros. let us know that it was an opportunity and they showed us what kind of assets that we would be able to use, like, we, we just couldn’t pass it up,” Rhea said. “It’s really unusual for you to have a branding solution that allows you to dive into comics and animation and movies and TV, and not just characters, but vehicles. So we really did lean into that with this first anniversary set, and I feel like it’s really gonna turn out to be pretty great.”

“It’s a weekly pack launch. There’s five weeks, and each week kind of focuses on a different theme for Batman. Like one might be comic covers and another is going to be villains. Another is based on the film stuff, the, the live action stuff. We just keep it fresh as we go, but it’s really neat to see that cross section of one character, and if you’re going to choose one character, I mean, why not make it Batman, right? He’s. He’s got the deepest lore, so we’re super excited about that,” Rhea said.

[RELATED: Absolute Batman’s New Costume Turns Him Into a Walking Weapon, and Here’s Everything It Can Do]

Upper Deck also wanted to connect the Batman 85th celebration to their highly anticipated Skybox Metal Universe Batman set, and fans can actually grab a special #0 card for that set here. “But we also made it a tie-in. I mentioned it was not originally part of the line plan, so we decided to tie it into something that is and was part of the original plan. We’ve got Skybox Metal Universe Batman coming out next year, and so in this 85th weekly pack set, you can actually get card number zero for a preview card of that set as an achievement as you build your collection on this set,” Rhea said. “So we kind of thought that that was a nice little tease of the new set that’s going to come out next year while focusing on this anniversary.”

DC Annual

The first full set of this new era will be DC Annual, and taking a look at some of the early images, you can see that Upper Deck is featuring some very recent artwork and storylines. That’s pretty impressive when you consider this is the very first set and how much has shifted and changed in DC’s world throughout the past year.

“Well thank you for recognizing that, because that is always the challenge with an annual set is where do you cut it off, right? Like, at some point you’re going to have to cut it and start moving into production, but we want it to be as relevant and new and current as possible, obviously, since it’s an annual set,” Rhea said. “But that set, I think you’ll find has not only some relevant and new content, but it has a lot of familiar feel for annual fans. We didn’t want to throw out all the brand equity that we had with annual, so you’ll have some similar structure to the set and similar technology.”

“There’s definitely some lenticular cards in here and then some sketch cards, but we focused on making sure that the insert sets were very thematic to what DC has going on and will feel relevant and new. We’ve got some Dawn of DC in there, but also Beast War, and we’ll continue to do the rookies who are the rookie heroes and really try to tell that story of 23 and 24 as much as possible and then cut it and move on to the next one because there’s always all kinds of new content coming out from them,” Rhea said.

One thing Rhea is particularly excited to get to is DC’s Absolute Universe, which has taken the world by storm with Absolute Batman and Absolute Wonder Woman, and Absolute Superman is on the way very soon too.

“Like, I can’t wait to get to the Absolute stuff,” Rhea said, which led me to figure out how on earth Absolute Batman is going to fit on just one card. I proposed a six card format for Absolute Batman to truly capture the scale, and with a laugh Rhea said “Hey, can we steal that idea?” If it happens you heard it here first!

The DC Annual set will feature several different insert cards and variants to chase, including the Suspended Animation set, and there will be some truly rare cards to collect for those who seek a challenge.3 “So those are going to be tiered out with four different levels basically of rarity. Your most common, I think there’s around 20 different characters that are going to be numbered somewhere around 700, I think, I don’t know. And then they just get more rare from there to where I think the fourth level is somewhere around, I want to say it’s five. Only five characters and number to 100. So those, that one’s going to be like a collecting bonanza. Like people are going to be really interested in chasing that and building the whole set out. So that’s going to be really fun to watch,” Rhea said.

The Future

As for what’s next, the sky is the limit, and Upper Deck already has plans for years to come. That said, they want to be patient and really give each of these foundational sets their due, and they’ve been working DC extensively to make sure every set shines and is as current and relevant as possible.

“Oh yeah, I mean honestly, we have a calendar mapped out through 29 at this point, so we’ve got a lot of plans here, and obviously when you’re that far ahead, you gotta be flexible,” Rhea said. “And we don’t know all of the DC plans moving forward, but we are trying to keep in sync with the publishing team, at least from a planning point of view on a monthly basis. So as they start to focus on stuff, they let us know as far out ahead as possible and then we start to plug it in and readjust stuff in our calendar.”

“But the biggest challenge for us, Matthew, is really just being patient. Honestly, like we are trying to build this up but in the right way, and there’s also like the getting to know you period with the licensor and making sure that we’re hitting on all the right points for them for their brand. And so like, we want to start running but we know it’s not the right thing to do and it’ll really start to ramp up as we get into 26, but 25 is going to be amazing for this team. Like, we can’t wait,” Rhea said. “We’ve got several really key products that we think are going to hit in 25, and then like I said, just being patient and making sure that we ramp it up in the right way and not too much too fast that’s not authentic in nature.”

Will you be picking up the Batman 85th Anniversary set, and which DC character do you want to see spotlighted most in the future? You can talk all things DC and trading cards with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post Upper Deck’s Travis Rhea Previews Batman 85th Set, DC Annual, and Teases Absolute Universe appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Kino Lorber, a boutique home video label committed to bringing remastered and rare titles to market, announced this week that they have released Cowboys & Aliens, the indie comic book adaptation by Iron Man director Jon Favreau, on a 4K UHD disc. The movie, which stars Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig, was based on the graphic novel by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg and Platinum Studios, who employed a starry creative team including Fred Van Lente and Denis Calero to actually draw it. The disc will come as part of a feature-rich combo pack, which will also include a standard Blu-ray.

Cowboys & Aliens was a fascinating case; with a promising premise and a creator who really wanted to make a movie, the project was sold to movie studios before it was even completed. In order to make it a more attractive proposition, Platinum underpriced the graphic novel and engaged in some other controversial sales practices in order to get the book on the bestseller list and make it look as attractive to Hollywood as possible.

Universal initially acquired the rights in 1997, and the graphic novel itself wasn’t…well…real at that point. It was basically a concept and some sketches. Once the movie fell into development hell, Rosenberg brought on the creative team to make the graphic novel a reality. It was 2006 by the time the graphic novel was made — nearly a decade after the initial pitch, and five years before the movie would come out.

Besides Ford and Craig, Cowboys & Aliens starred Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Noah Ringer, Paul Dano, Ana de la Reguera, and Clancy Brown. The film was produced by Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, and written by Star Trek writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci along with Rosenberg. Steven Spielberg and Favreau were the film’s executive producers.

The disc release from Kino Lorber features an all-new 4K remaster of the film’s theatrical cut, along with a director’s commentary by Favreau. Both an extended cut, and a raft of bonus features originally included on the first home release, are also included (although it appears they only appear on the Blu-ray). You can see a rundown of those here:

• HD Master of the Extended Cut (135 Minutes)
• Audio Commentary by Director Jon Favreau
• Conversations with Jon Favreau
       – PLAY ALL (80:10)
       – Daniel Craig (14:51)
       – Harrison Ford (19:01)
       – Olivia Wilde (10:49)
       – Producers Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer (14:20)
       – Screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (6:45)
       – Screenwriter Damon Lindelof (14:22)
• Igniting the Sky: The Making of Cowboys & Aliens
       – PLAY ALL (40:18)
       – Finding the Story (5:31)
       – A Call to Action (8:51)
       – Absolution (8:55)
       – Outer-Space Icon (10:22)
       – The Scope of the Spectacle (6:37)
• 3 Theatrical Trailers (2 Newly Mastered in 2K)
• 14 TV Spots
• 5.1 Surround & Lossless 2.0 Stereo Audio
• Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
• Optional English Subtitles

Cowboys & Aliens will arrive on 4K from Kino Lorber is now available to order here on Amazon.

The post Cowboys & Aliens Gets 4K Release From Kino Lorber appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It is still hard to believe that My Hero Academia is done. Earlier this year, the world gathered to bid Deku farewell as the superhero’s manga came to a close. Kohei Horikoshi, the creator of My Hero Academia, set forward an emotional epilogue that kept fans riveted. From start to finish, My Hero Academia more than earned its reputation as a top-tier series. Now, the manga is gearing up for its final volume, and it may expand on the ending thanks to some bonus content.

The update comes from Japan as the first details about My Hero Academia volume 42 came to light. It was there fans learned the book would hit shelves in Japan this December, and it will come complete with at least 50 pages of bonus content.

My Hero Academia Volume 42 With Contain Tons of Extras

According to the breakdown, the final volume of My Hero Academia will have 184 pages. This is a staggering number for any trade as most volumes taper at 120 pages. My Hero Academia wants to go PLUS ULTRA for its last volume, so there will be between 50-60 extra pages included. As you can imagine, this revelation has readers geeking out, but not all of those pages are available for storytelling.

After all, manga volumes like to include tons of goodies from early sketches to character profiles as well as Q&A sections. With author letters and editor notes included, the final volume of My Hero Academia will have a lot of side content to share. Still, its overall page count is abnormally high. As such, some netizens believe My Hero Academia volume 42 will house new story material, and that kind of expansion is very much wanted.

After all, My Hero Academia is one of the biggest titles in manga, and its 10-year run was nothing short of impressive. Horikoshi hardly slipped during his tenure, and the artist rolled out a superhero story for the ages. After wrapping its Final War arc, My Hero Academia was given a few weeks to parse through an epilogue which is rare for the industry. The manga was popular enough to warrant a slow farewell, but fans wanted more. The final chapter’s timeskip left many fans begging for a peek at the years that got glossed over. So if we are lucky, Horikoshi might fill in those gaps with My Hero Academia volume 42.

The Finale of My Hero Academia Did Everything It Needed To

While more epilogue content would be appreciated by fans, My Hero Academia‘s finale can stand on its own without it. The manga pushed forward an emotional epilogue, after all, and it touched upon all of our favorite heroes. From Bakugo to the Todoroki clan and even La Brava, the manga did not leave anyone out.

Well, that is mostly true. My Hero Academia never did get around to introducing Deku’s dad. That is a problem for another time, it seems.

The epilogue of My Hero Academia was a rare treat for readers, but its final chapter did leave some fans unsatisfied. Its timeskip schedule condensed A LOT of information into just a few pages, leaving fans unsure how Deku’s final years at U.A. High School went. Given the manga’s title, readers wanted to see more of those moments, but the ending of My Hero Academia had to move forward. In its final moments, the manga allowed Deku to revisit his dream as his closest friends waited in the wings. The ending was worth the wait, so My Hero Academia can be proud of what it did. But if it wants to expand its finale, well – fans are not going to complain about such an addition.

Do you think My Hero Academia volume 42 will drop new lore on fans? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

The post My Hero Academia to Expand Ending With Extended Final Volume appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It may seem like a sweet deal, but let’s make one thing clear – making manga is not an easy job. From the industry’s infamously long hours to the skill it takes to make a good manga, manga creators are forced to hustle hard. Over the decades, the manga industry has ebbed and flowed, but the global stage has now turned its eye to manga. This means the industry’s top creators are eating well, and some new data is going viral for sussing out the industry’s top earners.

The update came in two waves as Yen Press visited New York Comic Con this fall, and it was there the publisher broke down how a manga creator’s pay is made. As it turns out, manga artists get paid in waves. To start, they are paid an average of $88 USD per page, but that number is flexible depending on experience. While some newcomers may make less money, manga pros can make more than double that rate depending on their work. This manuscript fee is pretty standard across the industry, but what sets manga creators apart in terms of wealth is sales.

One Piece’s Eiichiro Oda Leads the List of Wealthiest Mangaka

According to the data shared by Kadokawa and Yen Press, the average royalty for manga creators is 10% of each volume sold. This means a $4 USD volume in Japan brings $0.40 to its creator. To scale this, if one million copies of a manga volume is sold, the manga creator will earn nearly $327,000 USD. So with that figure in mind, netizen mangaxrepublic did the math to see which best-selling manga creators were making the most bank from their sales.

In first place, it is no surprise that Eiichiro Oda slid home. The creator of One Piece has at least 515 million copies in circulation, so by royalty pay alone, Oda has earned $206 million USD to date. This figure does not account for special royalty deals or Oda’s other cuts in merchandising, anime licensing, movie production, and more. So when it comes to manga, Oda really is the GOAT.

As the list goes on, the co-creators of Doraemon tie with Takao Saito, the creator of Golga 13, when it comes to royalty pay. The group has earned at least $120 million USD from sales alone. The top five then wraps with two very familiar figures: Akira Toriyama and Gosho Aoyama. At $118 million, Toriyama has a number of series backing his royalties; Dragon Ball contributes the most with 260 million copies sold, but other titles like Dr. Slump and Sand Land have helped. And for Aoyama, Detective Conan and Yaiba have made the artist a rich man.

If you want to read this rest of the royalty rundown, no sweat. You can read the list below:

1. Eiichiro Oda
2. Fujiko F. Fujio (Duo)
3. Takao Saito
4. Akira Toriyama
5. Gosho Aoyama
6. Takehiko Inoue
7. Masashi Kishimoto
8. Rumiko Takahashi
9. Mitsuru Adachi
10. Osamu Tezuka

Manga Creators Make Most of Their Money Outside of Publishing

Looking at this data, you can see that manga’s top-sellers are making solid bank with royalties, but their wealth goes far beyond those figures. For guys like Oda, well – it is safe to say money is no object to them. The net worth of manga’s top creators are massive, and those numbers are only getting bigger as anime becomes more popular globally.

In Oda’s case, his royalties not only make him a top earner in the manga community, but his other projects have inflated his net worth. Estimated to be worth $200+ million USD, Oda is incredibly involved with the licensing of One Piece. From Netflix’s live-action adaptation to Universal Studios events and clothing collections, all of these crossover brings Oda more money.

When it comes to net worth, oftentimes manga royalties do not dictate who has more bank behind them. Rumiko Takahashi is said to be worth upwards of $70 million USD even though her manga royalties aren’t cutting edge. Her award-winning reputation and top-rated anime adaptations have earned her serious money. This same truth goes for guys like Hajime Isayama (Attack on Titan) and Tite Kubo (Bleach). As creators, manga sales are vital for success, but the manga industry is just the start. Artists can earn a lot of money through licensing, and newcomers like Kagurabachi‘s Takeru Hokazono are finding that out firsthand now.

What do you make of this latest manga breakdown? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

The post Who Are the World’s Wealthiest Manga Creators? New Data Tells All. appeared first on ComicBook.com.

As Spider-Man’s movie future remains mysterious, there is a much-anticipated version of the character heading to TV. That would be Spider-Man Noir, the fan favorite 1930’s inspired hero from Earth 90214, and he will be played by the one and only Nicolas Cage in live action. Fans have started to get a glimpse at what that will look like, and if you’re not familiar with the character, there are several major differences between Spider-Man Noir and the mainline universe’s Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, including their respective origins.

While the main universe Spider-Man calls the present day home, Spider-Man Noir is set in the midst of the Great Depression, taking place in 1930s New York City. This Peter Parker is also raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, and also loses his Uncle Ben in a tragic way, though what led to this and how it happened differ drastically.

In this version of the events, Peter’s Uncle Ben is gruesomely murdered by The Goblin (aka Norman Osborne) in a form of retaliation for organizing a strike on Goblin’s businesses. While there’s no evidence, Peter knows it was Goblin who killed Uncle Ben, and sets about trying to figure out how to prove it. That leads to an encounter where they are saved by The Daily Bugle’s Ben Urich, who takes Peter on as a protegee.

The Spider-Bite

This sets the stage for Peter to get his powers, but again, things are far darker in tone than in the mainline universe. In this story, Peter discovers Ben is a drug addict after finding him passed out, and that’s how he intercepts a tip about one of Goblin’s shipments. Peter heads to the pier and thanks to one a dropped Spider Idol, a host of spiders are freed, and one of them bites Peter.

This turns out to be no ordinary Spider of course, and the god-like entity imbues Peter with the powers of a spider that we’ve all come to know. He has enhanced strength, speed, reflexes, and his trademark spider-sense, and he can create webs from his wrists as well. This leads Peter to head back to Ben and confront him, learning that he’s been blackmailed by Osborn to feed his drug habit.

After this encounter, Peter creates his Spider-Man costume, basing it off of Uncle Ben’s airman uniform, and is resolved to take the Goblin down. Unfortunately he no longer has Urich to count on, as Urich is dead when he finds him next, and then he ends up embroiled in the death of Jonah Jameson, but we learn there’s far more to the story than what initially appears.

That’s the origin of Spider-Man Noir, and you can see how it retains the core elements of Spider-Man while also making grand changes in a grittier tone. We’ll have to see what the live action film does with the material, but it is easily one of the most exciting Spider-projects on the horizon.

Are you excited for Spider-Man Noir? You can talk all things marvel and comics with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post Spider-Man Noir Has a Wildly Different Origin Story From the Spidey You Know appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Alien: Romulus made the bold move of taking viewers along for the dark journey of the kids from Jackson’s Star, who wanted nothing more than to get off their dead-end mining colony home. However, the film quickly made it clear that the kids’ plan to steal the cryostasis chamber from a nearby Weyland-Yutani space station Renaissance was doomed from the start; the Romulus and Remus sections were already graveyards, with a full-on xenomorph outbreak frozen mid-progress. The aftermath hinted at a significant story of death, tragedy, and scientific hubris – a story which now being told in a new Alien: Romulus prequel.

WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW!

Marvel Comics has released Alien: Romulus #1 by writer Zac Thompson and artist Daniel Picciotto, with Alien: Romulus director Fede Álvarez and co-writer Rodo Sayagues contributing to the story. The comic takes place immediately following the opening prologue of the Alien: Romulus movie, which saw Weyland-Yutani discover a cocooned version of the original Alien (1979) Xenomorph that attacked the Nostromo (designated “XX121”) and bring it back to the Renaissance station for study. But how did all go so wrong?

Alien Reveals The Story of Romulus Station’s First Xenomorph Outbreak

In Alien: Romulus #1, we discover that xenomorph XX121’s arrival on Renaissance station caused major division amongst the crew. Science officer/android Rook was fascinated by the bio-engineering possibilities the xenomorphs presented – but security officers Hyla and Adrian know from experience that hostile lifeforms can cause havoc – especially when they appear most harmless. When Rook and the scientists take XX121 to Remus, Hyla, and Adrian wait for an opening and sneak in trying to eject the xenomorph off the station.

As always in Alien, the plan goes sideways: the two security guards unwittingly disable the cryogenic bed that XX121 has been kept on, and the xenomorph comes back to life, tearing off Adrian’s face. XX121’s rampage leaves a trail of bodies – and the creature accidentally releases the cloned facehuggers Remus’ scientists developed, resulting in even more xenomorphs being implanted in human hosts.

The outbreak comes to a head when Hyla and Rook have to form a temporary alliance, to open the airlocks and try to purge the xenomorphs, parasites, and infected hosts from the station. Hyla lures XX121 into a killbox and shoots it to pieces – but Rook ultimately sacrifices her, half his body, and the rest of the human crew by choosing to complete his Prometheus serum extracted from XX121, rather than prioritizing human life and closing the airlock.

The Alien: Romulus prequel comic manages to be a significant and thrilling expansion of the film’s story, as was the plan. It also does an admirable job of making readers want to go out and watch Alien: Romulus the movie right afterward, to enjoy it on a whole new level.

Alien: Romulus is available to watch on streaming.

The post Alien Reveals Romulus Station’s First Xenomorph Outbreak in New Prequel Story appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Stranger Things’ final season can’t get here soon enough, but while we wait to see how the story of Hawkins ultimately turns out, Dark Horse Comics has teamed up with Dungeons & Dragons for a special prequel series titled The Rise of Hellfire. As the name implies, The Rise of Hellfire stars fan-favorite Eddie Munson and jumps back in time for a four-issue prequel miniseries. The series is written by Jody Houser (Stranger Things: Tales From Hawkins) and Eric Campbell (Dungeons & Dragons Worlds & Realms), illustrated by Diego Galindo (Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons), colored by Diana Sousa (Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins), and lettered by Nate Piekos (Stranger Things, Minor Threats). You can get a look at the new series in the gallery below, and fans will be able to jump into Eddie’s big adventure when it lands in comic stores next February.

Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons: The Rise of Hellfire takes fans back to when the biggest monsters Eddie faced were ones of his creation as he crafted their D&D campaign. The series will reveal the campaign that actually got Eddie hooked on Dungeons & Dragons in the first place, as well as how he recruited Lucas, Dustin, and Mike to start playing.

“Jody Houser and Eric Campbell have expertly woven together two beloved IPs to spotlight Eddie Munson’s pure heart as he fosters the heroes in all those around him and celebrate how Dungeons and Dragons can strengthen the bonds of friendship,” said Senior Editor Spencer Cushing. “What better way to honor the 50th anniversary of a beloved game than through the nostalgic lens of Stranger Things?”

“As soon as I saw Stranger Things season 4, I knew the story of Eddie Munson and the Hellfire Club would be a perfect sequel to our Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons miniseries,” added Houser. “Both Eric and I are very familiar with how D&D forges friendships and storytellers, and it’s been wonderful exploring Hawkins through that lens.”

Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons: The Rise of Hellfire will feature variant covers by Magali Villanueve, Rebecca Pueblar, Jeremy Wilson, Nimit Malavia, and Kyle Lambert, who is also the designer and illustrator of Stranger Things series key art. You can check those covers out in the gallery, and you can find the official description for the series below.

“Spell slinging, sword swinging, and the luck of the dice shaped the lives of the Stranger Things boys well before they had real-life monsters to face. This crossover comic features Eddie Munson’s rise to de facto leader of the Hellfire Club, flashbacks to the legendary campaign that got him hooked on D&D, his recruitment of Lucas, Dustin, and Mike, and glimpses into the fantasy worlds they conquered together.”

Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons: The Rise of Hellfire #1 (of 4) will land in comic stores on February 19th, 2025, and you can pre-order the first issue now at your local comic store.

Are you excited for the Stranger Things prequel? You can talk all things comics, Stranger Things, and tabletop with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post Eddie Munson Returns in Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons Crossover appeared first on ComicBook.com.

2024 has been a stellar year for Green Lantern thanks to War Journal and the main series, but things are only getting better with two new additions to the franchise, and one just hit stores. That would be the new Elseworlds series Green Lantern Dark, which spins a new tale on a post apocalyptic world that is in dire need of a Green Lantern’s light. Thankfully there is someone answering that call, but they are probably not at all what you’re expecting, and that’s far from a bad thing. We’re here to break down who this new Lantern is, what she can do, and the dangerous world she finds herself in the midst of.

Readers meet the new Lantern courtesy of a young girl named Lunette, who believes with all her heart and soul in the legend of the Green Lantern. Some regard the Lantern as real, while others feel she is nothing more than a common myth passed on to help people feel less hopeless, but despite the doubt that surrounds her, Lunette is not swayed in the least.

Hope isn’t easy to come by these days in general, as the world has been plunged into long stretches of darkness. The issue starts with the story of how that came to be, with the world’s heroes fighting against the sudden and overwhelming darkness that threatened to consume the world. Though they fought valiantly, the heroes all fell…except for one. The Green Lantern illuminated the night with her piercing light, and was the lone opponent of the monsters that rose from the earth to feast on the living, including one of the most powerful incantations Grundy to date.

Who Is Rina Mori?

The first meeting between Lunette and the mysterious Lantern goes…well, rather badly, with the Lantern telling them all to run now that Grundy knows their location in order to have a chance at seeing another day. Lunette follows her and that’s when we learn that this mysterious person actually converses with her Lantern, as you see her responding to it after it accuses her of being scared.

Lunette confronts her about what she said and about possibly being depressed, which then leads to the revelation that the legend Lunette’s believed all this time isn’t exactly true. The Lantern reveals that where she goes, evil follows, as they are drawn to her flame. Lunette counters this by explaining she’s not a beacon for evil, but a lighthouse for those looking for safety.

This is where we finally learn the Lantern’s name is Rina Mori, as she explains she didn’t choose the mantle she now holds or the Lantern itself. She’s not a god to be prayed to or worshipped as the legends indicate, and she was just a child when all this was put on her shoulders. She’s just as lost as everyone else, but also too stubborn to die.

The Flame

Lunette’s words get to Rina later though, as she returns to help the village against the dark army that threatens to overtake it. Rina’s power is immense, as she lights up the battlefield and takes out a host of Grundy’s army from the sky. After a new wave of Grundy’s army moves in, Rina creates a massive shield that protects the entire village, and the twist on willpower here is more like magic, as she creates spells that are her wishes being willed into existence.

One last twist remains though for our new Lantern, as she reveals that all of the stories she told about the Lantern are what helped light her Lantern all this time. Lunette then stands beside a tired Rina as her shield evaporates from the strain, and soon we see both Lunette and Rina powered by the green light. Lunette’s lantern is now glowing green as well, but Rina reveals isn’t not the Lantern, but the fire inside, which accepted Lunette’s help in Rina’s moment of need.

That’s just the start of this journey, and we are sure to learn even more about what happened, what led to Rina’s role as Green Lantern, and what the future holds for both Lunette and Rina. In the meantime, let me know what you thought of Green Lantern Dark on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post DC’s Green Lantern Dark Reveals New Post-Apocalyptic Lantern appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel’s red band Wolverine series sends the X-Man out for blood. Wolverine is arguably the most popular member of the X-Men, and is still riding a high following the release of Deadpool & Wolverine. Logan has a new ongoing series in the X-Men: From the Ashes era and is part of the cast of Uncanny X-Men, but Marvel is also letting two of its biggest creators — Greg Capullo and Jonathan Hickman — tell an out-of-continuity story in Wolverine: Revenge. The dystopian story has already killed Captain America and Winter Soldier, sending Wolverine on his quest for vengeance against some of his classic enemies. The miniseries continues next week, but we’ve got a sneak peek at what’s to come.

ComicBook has the exclusive preview of Wolverine: Revenge #3 by Jonathan Hickman, Greg Capullo, Tim Townsend, and Ivan Plascencia. It finds Wolverine boarding a ship that’s setting out for the Strait of Gibraltar. A group of refugees are trying to gain safe transport out of their region after Magneto’s death knocked out the electrical grid, but the soldiers warn that there’s nothing safe about where they’re heading. Of course, Wolverine isn’t afraid of a little danger, and tells the soldiers he has some unfinished business to attend to.

Once they get to their destination, Wolverine heads to the icy wilderness until he reaches a radioactive power plant. He states the most valuable power source on the planet has been left unprotected, but Wolverine’s senses pick up an attacker. Before he can react, tentacles pop out of the snow and flip Wolverine in the air. The Wolverine: Revenge #3 preview ends with Omega Red stalking out of the white snow.

“TARGET: DEADPOOL AND OMEGA RED! WOLVERINE’s quest for vengeance leads him from old friends to old enemies – with death in his hands!” A description of Wolverine: Revenge #3 reads. “Jonathan Hickman and Greg Capullo take LOGAN to the brink – setting the stage for the next unbelievable chapter. Trust us – you’ll never guess where this one leads.”

Along with Omega Red, Wolverine will also have to contend with Sabretooth, Deadpool, and his former X-Men ally Colossus. We’ve seen Colossus switch sides before when he joined Magneto and his Acolytes on Asteroid M, but siding with the likes of Sabretooth is an all-time low. As far as Deadpool goes, he’s been both an advesary and friend to Wolverine over the years, though lately they’ve worked side-by-side.

Wolverine: Revenge #3 goes on sale Wednesday, October 30th. Make sure to let us know your thoughts of the preview on social media @ComicBook!

The post Wolverine Continues His Bloody Revenge Tour in Marvel’s Red Band Series (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s been nearly ten years since audiences first met Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and while he ultimately abandoned the dark side to become Ben Solo once again, there’s lots of unexplored corners of Kylo’s history with The First Order. In the upcoming Marvel Comics series Star Wars: Legacy of Vader, fans can learn more about the evolution Kylo underwent between the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which includes confronting his past and his lineage. The new ongoing series Star Wars: Legacy of Vader is set to hit shelves in February 2025.

“When fans talk to me about my Star Wars work, two of my Marvel comic runs come up more than almost anything else: my 2017 run on Darth Vader with Giuseppe Camuncoli and my 2019 series The Rise of Kylo Ren with Will Sliney,” writer Charles Soule told StarWars.com. “I think both of those worked so well in part because they were set in parts of the Star Wars timeline full of unanswered questions about characters the audience really loves. This new series is not just a combination of those two books, but also a chance to explore an extremely rich section of the timeline that’s almost entirely open: Kylo Ren’s time as Supreme Leader of the First Order between Episode VIII and Episode IX. It’s one of the coolest series I’ve ever worked on, and I am very thrilled that I get to keep following my own path through the Star Wars galaxy with an amazing book like this.”

“Charles has wanted to tell these stories for a while and we finally have the perfect opportunity,” editor Mark Paniccia added. “You’ll be shocked at the revelations he has in store…things you never thought you’d see from Kylo’s and Vader’s past.

Paniccia added, “And Luke Ross has taken his visual storytelling to a new level. The page designs are incredible and flow hand-in-hand with Kylo’s dark and tortured story.”

The series is described, “After slaying his master, Supreme Leader Snoke, Kylo Ren is now the leader of the First Order, but recent events including his murder of his father, defeat at the hands of Luke Skywalker, and a surprising connection with the mysterious Rey force him to reckon with what it truly means to be Vader’s heir. As he pursues his dark mission to bring order to the galaxy, Kylo’s madness takes him down a deadly path to discover the truth about his grandfather’s life. From Mustafar to Tattooine, these are the thrilling adventures that enabled Kylo to confront his inner turmoil and meet his destiny! Darth Vader’s shadow extends into the ride of The First Order! Kylo’s dark obsession leads him to Mustafar. What secrets does Fortress Vader hold for the young tyrant? And what face from the past will guide him on his quest?”

Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #1 is set to hit shelves on February 2, 2025.

Will you be checking out the new series? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

The post Star Wars Is Bringing Back Kylo Ren for Legacy of Vader Event appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Iron Monger has returned to terrorize Iron Man in his new Marvel series. There have been several individuals to wear the Iron Monger armor, most notably Jeff Bridges’ Obadiah Stane in the first Iron Man movie. Obadiah Stane was the first person to don the Iron Monger, who is one of the iconic villains in Iron Man’s rogues gallery. With a new volume of Iron Man now on sale, that means more threats for Tony Stark to combat. Fans always seem to enjoy watching Iron Man battle other armored enemies, so there is some interest in Iron Monger’s return. But if Iron Monger is going to be able to hang with Iron Man, the person behind the armor will need a major upgrade.

*WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Iron Man #1. Continue reading at your own risk!

Iron Man #1 comes from the creative team of Spencer Ackerman, Julius Ohta, Alex Sinclair, and VC’s Joe Caramagna. It’s Part 1 of “The Stark-Roxxon War” as Tony Stark finds out he’s about to lose his company, Stark Unlimited, to the combined efforts of A.I.M. and Roxxon. Doctor Rappaccini, A.I.M. Scientist Supreme, is leading the hostile takeover. Plus, Iron Man’s armor is hijacked by magical malware, so he goes out in search of his anti-magic mysterium suit. When Iron Man arrives at a Long Island City warehouse where he’s hiding the mysterium, he’s greeted by the resurrected Justine Hammer.

Justine Hammer, another former nemesis of Tony Stark, is working with Roxxon and has taken possession of Iron Man’s mysterium to fuse it with her all-new Iron Monger. Iron Man and the new Iron Monger battle through the New York streets. Justine intends to steal all of Tony’s armors, and she also has the power to control his suits to do anything she tells them to. Things are starting to look bad for Iron Man.

Marvel’s new Iron Monger has a long history with Iron Man

Justine Hammer is the daughter of Justin Hammer, who was played by Sam Rockwell in Iron Man 2. She once formed the Masters of Evil as the villainous alias Crimson Cowl, and worked together with the Mandarin and Ezekiel Stane to target Iron Man before she was betrayed by her allies and killed. A.I.M. resurrected Justine to help them in the Stark-Roxxon War.

After Justine takes out Iron Man in her Iron Monger armor, she teases that one of Iron Man’s old allies in the Avengers is on their side. A.I.M. and Roxxon have the use of magic on their side, which is something Iron Man isn’t adept at. Tony is all about science and technology, and magic runs counter to that. Though there have been arguments that science and magic are just different sides of the same coin.

With his armors gone, Tony has to get creative, which leads to the creation of the “Improvised Iron Man.” Spencer Ackerman and Julius Ohta are taking Iron Man back to his roots, and we asked Ackerman to tell us a bit more about it.

“The Improvised Iron Man showcases vulnerability and desperation. This is something a very smart person makes when all else has failed and what comes next can’t,” Ackerman said. “He’s not in a cave, but he is building it out of scraps. It’s ‘Improvised’ in the sense of ‘Improvised Explosive Device.’ And it’s going to include a key visual and tactical element that we rarely, if ever, see with Iron Man armor. That’s debuting in issue 2.”

So what did you think about Iron Man’s big Iron Monger reveal? Make sure to let us know your thoughts on social media @ComicBook!

The post Marvel Gives Villain Iron Monger a Huge Upgrade in New Iron Man Series appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Over the course of nearly a century, DC’s comics have added to the massive tapestry of pop culture in some fascinating ways. From characters to concepts to even mythologies and gods and entirely new worlds, DC has given readers a lot to explore, including rules for those worlds and realities, including words and how they’re used be it for magic or other purposes – and in the franchise’s new Absolute Universe, one of those words just got a significant and surprising limitation put upon it.

Spoilers for Absolute Wonder Woman #1 from Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, Jordie Bellaire, and Becca Carey below! Only look if you want to know!

A good portion of Absolute Wonder Woman #1 is devoted to the unconventional new origin story of the Absolute Universe’s Diana Prince, who was raised in Hell instead of among the Amazons of Themyscira. More specifically, Apollo drops off a young infant Diana with Circe, confirming that she needs to deal with the baby however she sees fit. As Apollo explains it, Diana has been banished to Hell to punish the Amazons for their crimes, and in order to ensure that she isn’t reunited with her kind, Circe is now banned from saying the word “Amazon.” When Circe tries to, it is redacted out loud.

From there, Circe reluctantly raises Diana as her own daughter, helping mold her into the warrior who travels from Hell to Man’s World in the issue’s present day. In a poignant flashback moment juxtaposed with Diana’s present-day fight, Diana asks Circe to help her come to terms with who she really is. Although Circe can not say the word “Amazon,” Diana can, and she tearfully begins to embrace that this is part of her identity.

This twist with the word “Amazon” is interesting on multiple levels — for starters, it takes the Amazons’ usual seclusion from society to a whole other level, as Diana grows up into young adulthood unaware of her true heritage. Those circumstances also shape the version of Diana who we see in the present day, as she charges into battle in both recognizable and unrecognizable ways.

“I was worried people would think she was just going to be so dramatically overpowered, but I would say there are limitations to the magic,” Thompson told ComicBook in a recent interview. “She pays prices for that sometimes. It’s nothing unlimited. She’s also not a master magician. Like, she’s a witch, and she can do a lot of this stuff. She was raised in it, but she’s not, that’s not her primary skill set. Her primary skill set is still more Wonder Woman-based. I would also say that there are a few things that we will reveal where Diana has some very distinct disadvantages that maybe the magic helps compensate for or whatever. So I think, don’t worry about her being too overpowered. Just be excited about how creative we’re going to be able to get with some of these solutions.”

Absolute Wonder Woman #1 is now available wherever comics are sold.

The post DC’s Gods Just Banned a Word from the Universe appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Absolute Wonder Woman shakes things up in huge way, and there’s a lot to get used to right from the opening pages. A new origin story brings with it new mythology, a new guardian, and new abilities, and that’s just in the first issue. We’re here to break down all of the big changes and what they mean for the future, and to do that we’ll be getting into huge spoilers for Absolute Wonder Woman #1 from here on out, starting with when we first meet Diana and why that’s important.

A New Origin Story

In the main line universe, Diana is brought to life by a prayer from Hippolyta to the Gods, and that actually could still be the case in the Absolute Universe. The first time we meet Diana is when Apollo brings a baby Diana to Circe. Circe has been imprisoned on the island of Hell by the Gods, and now Apollo brings her Diana, revealing that she’s been taken from the Amazons for their crimes against the Gods and is never to be returned.

Then Apollo reveals that not only have the Amazons had their last descendant taken from them, but the word Amazon has been banned, with Apollo removing the ability for anyone to say it. As for Diana, the Gods don’t care what happens to her, just that she’s not with the Amazons, and Circe is open to just letting nature take its course. That ultimately changes when Diana shows the ability to survive, even as a baby, and eventually Circe forms a motherly bond with her newfound daughter.

A Magical Skillset

In addition to the changes in her backstory, Wonder Woman has a legion of new tricks up her sleeve. Thanks to being raised by a sorceress, Diana is able to wield magic and utilize spells, and much of that comes courtesy of a magic pouch that she carries on her belt. She’s able to pull out prepared spells and items from the pouch, but she’s also able to conjure weapons, including a massive magical broadsword that makes her an even more formidable foe.

While the sword is effective on offense, it’s also a defensive force, as Wonder Woman shields herself from a powerful blast from an alien invader late int eh issue. We also see her power up her hand with magical energy and touch her opponent to seemingly burn them or some other effect, but she’s hit with a stray blast before we can see that take full effect.

While she doesn’t have her trademark bracelets, she has sturdy gauntlets in their place, and at one point uses them to reflect a blast back at her opponent. She also has the ability to fly and still possesses great agility and speed, though when she needs some help she also has the option to call in her skeletal Pegasus into the fray, which is simply an amazing visual. She has far more at her disposal though, as the very last page of the issue shows us Diana wielding a red-tinged lasso, presumably charged with magical energy, and we cannot wait to see that in action when issue #2 rolls around.

We had a chance to speak with Thompson ahead of the big debut issue, and she also provided some context regarding Diana’s magical abilities and what she is and isn’t capable of.

“I will say that while the magic of Wonder Woman, I haven’t really seen people saying this, so I probably shouldn’t bring it up and raise this issue, but I was worried people would think she was just going to be so dramatically overpowered, but I would say there are limitations to the magic,” Thompson said. “She pays prices for that sometimes. It’s nothing unlimited. She’s also not a master magician. Like, she’s a witch, and she can do a lot of this stuff. She was raised in it, but she’s not, that’s not her primary skill set. Her primary skill set is still more Wonder Woman-based.”

“I would also say that there are a few things that we will reveal where Diana has some very distinct disadvantages that maybe the magic helps compensate for or whatever. So I think, don’t worry about her being too overpowered. Just be excited about how creative we’re going to be able to get with some of these solutions,” Thompson said.

What did you think of Absolute Wonder Woman #1? You can talk all things DC and comics with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post Absolute Wonder Woman’s New DC Origin Explained, What Are Diana’s New Powers? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Superman (Vol. 6) #19. The Ultimate Killing Machine is Superman’s ultimate enemy. Decades after Doomsday wreaked death and destruction in a march to Metropolis that ended with the death of Superman in 1993’s Superman #75, the Man of Steel’s strongest foe has evolved once again in this week’s Superman #19 by Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora. The monstrous creature, who was sent to hell when he was destroyed during Dark Crisis, reigned over the dark domain as King Doomsday in 2023’s Action Comics Presents: Doomsday Special #1 — a one-shot that ended with Doomsday pummeling the gates of hell itself.

Mirroring his first appearance in 1992’s Superman: The Man of Steel #17, each powerful blow brought Doomsday closer to freedom — and Superman closer to doom. After the events of Absolute Power — which saw Superman resurrect his black recovery suit after he was temporarily stripped of his powers — Superman #19 begins at “The End.”

Titled “The Many Deaths of Doomsday,” the issue opens with Superman and the Time Trapper in his domain at the End of Time. “Killing is never the answer,” Superman tells the hooded figure with the ability to manipulate all of time. “There must be another way.”

Time Trapper replies that Superman’s morals and ideals “meant nothing in your day,” and even less at the end of everything. “It has been said that everything dies, but we both know that is not true, don’t we, Kal-El?” he asks the Kryptonian. “Superman is forever. I am forever. Our conflict will never end.”

When Superman says that it will be different this time, the Time Trapper recalls the words of Tenzil Kem, a.k.a. the Legion of Super-Heroes’ Matter-Eater Lad: “As long as there is a Superman, there is hope in the universe for a better tomorrow. But here you are, the Last Son of Everything,” Time Trapper says. “If you won’t do what needs to be done… I will find someone who will.”

In present-day Metropolis, super partners Superman and Superwoman — a recently super-powered Lois Lane — encounter the new Doomsday. SuperCorp’s scientists deduce that Doomsday’s death and resurrection triggered his evolution into a hulking hellmonster, but before Superman and Superwoman can engage the creature in a fight, time suddenly stops.

“Have you told Lois yet?” Time Trapper asks. “That you will watch her wither with age and die? That you will outlive everything? All your family and friends will be like sand in an hourglass as they waste away. Forgotten to time.” Time Trapper taunts Superman further, telling him he’s witnessed timelines where Kal-El chose to live among the humans as Clark Kent. “A life without power. How selfish,” he hisses. “To deny the future a Superman.”

When Superman asks why he’s come to this time of all timelines, Time Trapper ominously warns: “Because this moment is special. The horror that happens next will decide the fate of everything.”

The Time Trapper has been known by many names: Death, Apocalypse, Eternity, Entropy, Time… and now Doomsday. “We have been enemies for a millennia, Superman,” the Time Trapper Doomsday says as he removes his hood, revealing a gaunt form. “But now I need your help.” Next: the future is doomed.

Superman #19, the first issue under the new DC All In initiative, is on sale now from DC Comics.

Here’s the synopsis for Superman #20, out Nov. 27: “Doomsday from hell! Superman and Superwoman investigate Lois Lane’s new powers as they deal with the unstoppable Doomsday… but when the mysterious Time Trapper reveals his ultimate secret, it shakes Clark, Lois, and the rest of the Super-Family to their core.”

The post DC Reveals Superman’s Future — and the Villain He Fights Until the End of Time appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The MonsterVerse has its fair share of creepy crawly beasts that emerged from the Hollow Earth. In Godzilla’s long history, the king of the monsters has taken on giant floating beasts of pollution like Hedorah and gross fusions like Biollante. In a new series taking place in the Godzilla universe, fans should prepare for a new bug kaiju to take center stage and perhaps claim the title of the creepiest kaiju of all time. What might also come as a surprise is that this insectoid doesn’t have its eyes set on the king of the monsters, but rather, the queen.

Mothra: Queen of The Monsters was recently announced as a new comic series from IDW Publishing. Set to make landfall on March 5th of next year, Mothra’s upcoming comic was described as such, “Mothra has fallen after a fearsome battle with a terrifying new kaiju, Antra. Without its protector, the world has entered into a state of desolation. Kaiju roam freely, and what remains of humankind has been forced into hiding. But all hope is not lost! Mira is a young woman living in the wasteland, who believes she lost her entire family in Mothra’s final stand. That is, until her missing twin shows up at her door with two fairies! If her sister is to be believed, Mira might hold the key to the rebirth of Mothra and the Earth’s return to normalcy. They just have to travel back in time and get its egg from the Jurassic period first.”

Antra Is Coming

In preparation for Mothra’s upcoming comic series, artist Matt Frank shared the new villainous kaiju on the block. Antra seems to have quite a few aspects that make it a fearsome insect kaiju but also holds the title of “Empress of Entropy,” making it seems like the perfect foil for the queen of the monsters. At present, Godzilla hasn’t been confirmed to appear in the series though Mothra looks like she could use all the help that she could get. Mothra might be a powerhouse but the Entropy Empress is looking to give her a run for her money.

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Mothra In The MonsterVerse

This time-traveling comic series isn’t the only place where the queen of the monsters might be featured. While Mothra did die in Godzilla: King of The Monsters, the kaiju moth recently made a return in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. The return of the queen of the monsters helped the lizard king bury the hatchet with Kong, as the two giant beasts joined forces to fight against Shimo and the Skar King. Following the success of the crossover sequel film, a third Godzilla x Kong movie has been confirmed, meaning that Mothra might have a future in the MonsterVerse.

On top of the kaiju films hitting the silver screen, Apple TV+ has already confirmed that Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will return for a second season. Mothra herself was nowhere to be found in season one so it’s entirely possible that the queen will make landfall in season two. Alongside Monarch, the streaming service has confirmed that they are working on a spin-off series to further flesh out the MonsterVerse, though Mothra has not been confirmed for this side story. At present, details regarding the story of the spin-off are few and far between though it’s a great sign for Legendary’s kaiju-packed universe that its expanding exponentially.

Want to see what other terrifying kaiju arrive as a part of the MonsterVerse? Want to keep tabs on Mothra, the queen of the monsters? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Godzilla and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Godzilla Shares First Look at New Bug Kaiju (and It Is Nightmare Fuel) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dark Horse Comics has some amazing news for fans of its hit series Into the Unbeing, and we’ve got your exclusive details right here! Into the Unbeing put a thrilling science fiction spin on Lovecraftian horror, and now Dark Horse has revealed that they will be jumping back into that world for a second chapter. Writer Zac Thompson (Cemetery Kids Don’t Die), artist Hayden Sherman (Absolute Wonder Woman), and letterer Jim Campbell will be defying and rewriting the laws of nature in Into the Unbeing Part Two, and the team couldn’t be more thrilled to be returning for more. Into the Unbeing Part Two #1 will land in comic shops on February 12th, 2025, and you can get your first look in the gallery below.

“With INTO THE UNBEING, Zac has dug into something primal,” said Sherman. “Something deeply unsettling and familiar. The horrific scale of how the world is changing around us, and the terror of figuring out who we are while caught in the middle of it. It is such a pleasure to be returning for the second half of this cataclysmic book to visualize the unease that Zac constructs so effortlessly.”

“I’m beyond thrilled to be returning to the world of INTO THE UNBEING.” confirmed Thompson. “This is the comic I’ve always dreamed of making where we’re using a vast, sprawling scale to deliver a five-course-meal in unease. Beyond that though, this is a deeply human journey into hell. A story about losing your world and finding a way to keep going. I can’t wait for people to witness what Hayden’s doing on these pages because it’s going to melt your ****ing mind.”

Sherman will return as the main cover artist, and the series will also feature a variant cover from Alison Sampson (Sleeping Beauties) and a special incentive variant cover from Matias Bergara (CODA). You can find the official description for Into the Unbeing Part Two below.

“Continuing the journey through time and space, Into the Unbeing Part Two follows the survivors of a climate science team who are stranded inside some incomprehensibly enormous creature. This ancient being is both a corpse and an eldritch landscape filled with hidden dangers. Our heroines are joined by a new compatriot – a ghoulish creature known only as The Stranger. This Stranger claims to have lived here for a century, it claims to know the way out, it claims there is still so much to see. Join our heroines on their perilous ascent back from the depths of hell and… into the heart of the Unbeing. Will any of them survive? And if they do, what will they become?”

Into the Unbeing Part Two #1 (of 4) will hit local comic stores on February 12th, 2025, and you can pre-order the book right now for $3.99. You can get your first look at the new chapter in the images below.

Are you excited for Into the Unbeing Part Two? You can talk all things comics with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

The post Dark Horse Comics Reveals Into the Unbeing Part Two First Look (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Alien: Romulus is a breakout hit new addition to the Alien franchise — and now that film has a prequel story that reveals what happened to the original xenomorph from Ridley Scott’s Alien. If you don’t know: Alien began with the story of commercial space liner the Nostromo being diverted to the planet LV-426 to investigate a distress signal. There they find an alien spacecraft (Engineers) containing parasitic lifeforms that attack one of the crew, infecting him with a xenomorph. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) was the only survivor of the creature’s subsequent infiltration of the Nostromo; she blew the ship up and blew the xenomorph out of the airlock of her escape craft vessel. But that’s not where the story ended.

The opening scene of Fede Álvarez’s Alien: Romulus saw the Weyland-Yutani corporation finally locate the wreckage of the Nostromo nearly a quarter century after its destruction. The survey team also found a cocoon-like rock in the wreckage, which they confirmed as the remains of the original xenomorph that attacked the Nostromo (designated “XX121”). The specimen is taken back to the Remus/Romulus space station, to be examined by science officer Rook in the lab on Remus.

Warning: Spoilers below for Marvel’s Alien: Romulus #1

Marvel Comics’ new Alien: Romulus #1 prequel comic reveals that, as always in the Alien franchise, conspiring and backstabbing are the true cause of the disaster that unfolds. A pair of security guards named Adrian and Hyla are very much against XX121 being on Remus — especially Hyla, who lost an eye on a previous mission battling hostile alien species. Rook and the Remus scientists take the precaution of keeping the xenomorph sample on a cryogenic bed to ensure stasis — but that is not a detail Adrian and Hyla know when they eventually sneak into the lab and try to eject the xenomorph off the station. When two security troopers cut off the cryo-bed, XX121 is revived and gets right back on its job: killing off entire crews, starting with Adrian. Chaos breaks loose and facehugger specimens engineered on Remus get loose, infecting various science personnel — if XX121 doesn’t murder them first.

The ending of Marvel’s Alien: Romulus prequel comic sees Hyla and Rook in a race to their respective objectives: Hyla wants to purge open the airlocks and suck the xenomorph back into space; Rook needs to ensure the completion of the Prometheus serum developed from the creature, before destroying it. In the end, Hyla battles and fatally wounds XX121 with a barrage of gunshots, ending the creature for good. Unfortunately, Rook doesn’t shut the airlock in time and Hyla gets sucked into space along with the rest of the crew, while Rook marvels at the Prometheus compound, and the test mouse it has revived.

Now we have the official canon story of how Alien‘s iconic xenomorph met its end — and how that ending began the events of Alien: Romulus.

Alien: Romulus is available to watch on streaming. You can purchase the comic at Marvel.

The post Alien: Romulus Prequel Reveals the Fate of the Original Movie’s Xenomorph appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Happy new comic book day! It’s another major week in comics, and the ComicBook staff have come together to break down and review as many of the big comics releasing this week as possible. Now obviously this isn’t every single comic on stands, but we’re breaking down new releases from Marvel, DC, Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse, Dynamite, Oni Press, IDW, Mad Cave Studios, DSTLRY, and more!

We’ve also carved out some additional space for two of this week’s biggest books, including Absolute Wonder Woman #1 and Iron Man #1, so if our smaller review here piques your interest, make sure to check out the full review for a much more comprehensive analysis of all three issues. As for ratings, we keep things simple with a whole or half number out of five, and you can check out some of our previous reviews right here. With all that said, let’s get to this week’s new comics!

DC

Absolute Wonder Woman #1
DC launched the absolute universe in grand style with Absolute Batman, setting expectations even higher for Absolute Wonder Woman, the next Absolute series up to bat. Despite that high bar, Absolute Wonder Woman quickly soared past on a skeletal Pegasus and left it in the dust. Writer Kelly Thompson, artist Hayden Sherman, colorist Jordie Bellaire, and letterer Becca Carey implemented seismic changes to Wonder Woman’s origin and world while still finding a way to retain Diana’s heart and soul. Absolute Wonder Woman goes so hard you can hear the soundtrack booming from the pages, and no one should miss the show. – Matthew Aguilar (Read full review here)
Rating: 5 out of 5

Action Comics #1072
Action Comics #1072 escalates things well, giving us both a backstory for Mon-El and Superman’s friendship, as well as revealing how he’s come to be in charge of things in the Phantom Zone as well as reveals the real threat that they’re facing and why Superman is there. It’s somewhat predictable in a sense, but it also feels very much like a set up for a classic Superman story in that we’re going to get a Superman who is challenged greatly on little resources with a lot at stake. That part of the story works well, though the side story taking place back on Earth with Superboy is still slow burning enough that it’s not really clicking with the overall story yet, feeling a bit like a distraction. As for the Supergirl story, I’m still not quite sure what’s going on there, but it’s interesting and the art in particular is enjoyable. – Nicole Drum
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Batman: The Brave and The Bold #18
There are four great stories in Batman The Brave and the Bold #18, but it’s the first one, “Doubt” from writer Christian Ward and artist Patric Reynolds that is just outstanding. Not only is the story just good — Batman taking on a villain named Doubt who is manipulating people using his voice — but the message of the story is superb. The art in this story also just blew me away. The other stories are also solid, though the Harley tale “Swipe Left on Scams” by Marguerite Sauvage is particularly humorous. Overall, very solid issue.
– Nicole Drum
Rating: 4 out of 5

DC Horror Presents… #1
DC Comics presenting spooky stories in its universe is nothing new, though this three issue mini-series is looking to up the ante with a mature readers’ only tag. Between the two stories featuring the Dollmaker and Wonder Woman, this anthology has plenty of creepy goodies for readers looking to see their superhero stories injected with a creepy aesthetic. While the Dollmaker story seems a tad confusing in terms of its ending, it makes for a blood affair from writer David Dastmalchian. The second story, focusing on Themyscera, is one that does well in both highlighting Diana’s backstory as well as making a bloodcurdling scenario for the Amazons. DC Horror Presents is a solid enough anthology for those looking for comics that are in the spirit of the season. – Evan Valentine
Rating 3.5 out of 5

Detective Comics #1090
Of DC’s All In relaunches thus far, Detective Comics’ is easily the most jarring. While Tom Taylor’s plot has the occasional bright spots, the overwhelming majority of it is bogged down by convoluted twists and turns and heavy-handed monologues. Luckily, Mikel Janin’s art is as excellent as ever, although his own coloring does cause some of the details to be lost. Morbid curiosity leaves me intrigued to see what’s next for this Detective run, but it is a massive change of pace following Ram V’.s recent run. – Jenna Anderson
Rating: 3 out of 5

From The DC Vault: Death in the Family – Robin Lives #4
Death in the Family: Robin Lives #4 concludes and if the previous issue felt like it was standing still, this issue feels like it’s speed running to a conclusion that can’t decide if it wants to tie everything up with a pretty little bow or have a wild (but not particularly well concealed) cliffhanger. Our narrator runs us through what happened the night Jason killed the Joker and the tidy cleanup that comes after, including some details about what Bruce does next that simply feel out of place for the character. It’s at times hard to follow and some of the ways things wrap up feel rushed and not like they were particularly well-thought out (there’s a reveal about the psychologist that seems a bit odd.) Overall, it’s an interesting addition to the overall Death in the Family story, but it falls a bit short.
– Nicole Drum
Rating: 3 out of 5

Green Arrow #17
Green Arrow delivers the end of an era and the dawn of a new one in a familiar, but brilliantly executed fashion. Joshua Williamson and Amancay Nahuelpan’s main story is a straightforward, but well-crafted tying of loose ends, adding some necessary narrative fuel to Oliver’s decisions in Absolute Power. Chris Condon and Montos’ preview for their forthcoming run is a stellar second chapter, with an artistic grittiness and unique sense of humor that will surely produce greatness in the future. Great job all around.
– Jenna Anderson
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Green Lantern Dark #1
It’s already evident from the very first issue that Green Lantern Dark is set to be something special and altogether unique for the Lantern mythology. As an Elseworlds title, Green Lantern Dark is able to take some bigger chances, and the team of writer Tate Brombal, artist Werther Dell’Edera, colorist Giovanna Niro, and letterer Tom Napolitano take full advantage. If you were hoping for some House of Slaughter and Something Is Killing the Children influences here, you’ll be happy to know they are fully accounted for. Brombal creates a new Lantern named Rina Mori that is as rigid and curmudgeonly as she is heroic, and the reasons for that outlook are already rich and complex just in the first issue. Meanwhile Dell’Edera and Niro couldn’t be a better fit for the dark and moody post-apocalyptic landscape this Lantern calls home, and there’s a sense of dread and unpredictability throughout the entire issue thanks to the brilliant artwork and the sense that anyone could meet their grisly fate at anytime. The mythology that’s here just scratches the surface, but it’s an outstanding introduction that has the potential to get even better from here. – Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 5 out of 5

Harley Quinn #44
Harley Quinn’s new All In creative relaunch is a pitch-perfect jumping-on point, one that sets Harley up for an entertaining and unexpected madcap adventure. Elliott Kalan’s sense of humor lends itself expertly to Harley’s quips and internal monologues, and brilliantly expands out her origin story while forging a fun story for the future. Mindy Lee’s stylish, expressive, and cartoony art accompanies it all with a fun flair, culminating in an epic new costume reveal. Don’t miss out on this issue, trust me. – Jenna Anderson
Rating: 5 out of 5

Nightwing #119
I would not want to be a creative team that has to follow in the footsteps of Tom Taylor and his legendary run on Nightwing, but writer Dan Watters and artist Dexter Soy are doing just that. Ultimately, Watters and Soy are attempting to use the landscape established by Taylor and artist Bruno Redondo to further flesh out Dick Grayson’s time in Bludhaven. Ultimately, this new issue doesn’t feel so much as a new beginning as a rehashing of what came before it. There’s fun to be had here, especially when it comes to elements like Dick and Babs’ back-and-forth chemistry and the meeting of Bludhaven’s underground villains, but there are other elements that feel like ground that is simply being retread. It’s tough to judge an initial outing for the follow-up to a legendary comic book run so I’m anxious to see what Watters and Soy have in store for the future, but for the first episode of a new era, it feels like a mixed bag. – Evan Valentine
Rating 3 out of 5

Power Girl #14
For the majority of issue 14, Power Girl trades in the heavy-hitting for some real detective work. She operates more like a sleuth than a superhero here, which shows a great side of her that we don’t get to spend time with very often. There’s also a real “it takes a village” vibe to this issue that highlights just how important all of Power Girl’s different relationships are to her character. Seeing all of her close allies working in tandem is a thing of beauty, and it only elevates her character.
— Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 4 out of 5

The Flash #14
The Flash #14 jumps into a new adventure post-Absolute Power, and there’s quite a bit to love in this latest chapter. Simon Spurrier shines a lovely spotlight on the Flash family, and seeing how they interact with each other is one of the book’s biggest highlights. Irey is a particular highlight throughout the entire issue, keeping Wally on his toes along with Linda and Jai. Vasco Georgiev, Matt Herms, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou bring those moments to life with style and bounds of personality, and it’s hard not to love the Family West after spending some time with them. When things do kick into another gear, the action is gorgeous, and the more animated style suits the action and the fantastical locale incredibly well. There were several moments where the dialogue felt a bit off, especially in the conversation between Barry and Wally, even with the awkwardness that is inherent to the scene. Still, it’s a great issue and a stellar start to a new adventure, and that last page hook has me impatiently waiting for the next issue. – Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 4 out of 5

Superman #19
After the events of House of Brainiac and Absolute Power, you might assume Superman would take a step back before ramping things up. That would be incorrect however, as Superman #19 hits the ground running and shows once again why Superman is on an all-time run. Few books are able to capture the classic essence a character and their supporting cast and still view them through a modern lens like Superman, something Williamson demonstrates with Clark, Lois, Jimmy, and crazily enough, Time Trapper throughout the issue. Yes, I said Time Trapper, and the twist there is bonkers in the absolute best way. Williamson takes risks and big swings but never loses the heart and soul of the character, and the same goes for Lois as she adapts to her brand new powers, which we still aren’t sure how she acquired. By the way, my God, Dan Mora, Alejandro Sanchez, and Ariana Maher are simply on a different planet. This book is absolutely gorgeous, whether it’s the dialed back greys and blacks of the daily planet, the vivid blues, reds, and yellows speeding through Metropolis, or the stark oranges, blacks, and greys of the Doomsday confrontation you’ve been waiting for, all of it dazzles at every turn. Superman hasn’t lost a step in teh slightest, and only bigger things are in store from here.
– Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 5 out of 5

Zatanna: Bring Down The House #5
Zatanna: Bring Down the House lives up to its name in its finale. The issue sees Zatanna breaking through the restrictive bonds placed on her by her father’s domineering and the aftermath of the trauma of losing him. This breakthrough is brought to vivid life through dynamic layouts and that place with the pacing of the form through unexpectedly asymmetrical compositions and larger-than-life, surreal visuals. The issue is all forward momentum, ramping up and up but never losing site of its emotional core, making it as cathartic to read as it is spectacular to look at. It all comes together as a brilliant, colorful climax that sees Zatanna finally coming into her full power, comfortable in her persona, and ready to shoot higher and take on new challenges. Mariko Tamaki has provided what should be a definitive text for Zatanna going forward. Even if you couldn’t care less for the character, Javier Rodriguez’ incredible artwork — punched up some eye-catching and thoughtfully considered lettering —  makes this issue a must-read. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 5 out of 5

Marvel

Alien: Romulus #1
This reads a lot like most movie tie-in books, in that it doesn’t really add anything to the movie it’s tied into. The comic takes place between the events of Alien and Alien: Romulus, following the crew of the space station that the Romulus characters find dead upon arrival. Nothing in the story affects what we see in Romulus, nor does it really stand on its own all that well. It just feels like an excuse to put some xenomorphs in a comic after a successful movie. There are worse things out there to read, but it doesn’t come close to some of the good work Marvel has delivered with the Alien franchise. – Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 2 out of 5

Avengers #19
Avengers #19 feels like a prelude before the prelude for Marvel’s One World Under Doom, and as such it feels a little light on substance. The interactions between the Avengers as they enter a new group dynamic are the highlights of the issue, and Jed MacKay is already working magic with Storm’s addition to the team, both in how she directly interacts and the ripples her presence has on those around her. Storm is also the MVP when it comes to action sequences, and adds so much to the big team-up moments from Farid Karami and Federico Blee. Unfortunately, the bulk of the issue is focused on Doom asking questions you already know the answer to, and that’s true of the characters in the story as well. There’s no new ground covered in this interaction in regards to Doom or the Avengers, so it just feels a bit lacking compared to previous issues. It sets the table for what’s to come, and there are some great moments, but it’s not one of the stronger issues in the series.
– Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 3 out of 5

Conquest 2099 #2
Steve Orlando has carved out a really nice little storytelling space in the world of 2099. Conquest once again delivers a slew of great new character designs that bring beloved Marvel heroes and villains into the future. There’s nothing in this Conquest saga that lights the world on fire, but it’s both confidently and competently written, delivering a story that is constantly enjoyable. – Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Dazzler #2
Dazzler #2 isn’t particularly groundbreaking, but it’s a fun read that picks up the story from the very eventful kickoff of Dazzler’s world tour and sees her go on television — only for that to go a little awry as well. The issue has plenty of action, some solid art, and we continue that balance of pop culture reference and a solid mutant adventure. Oh, and we get another new Dazzler song and that alone is worth it. – Nicole Drum
Rating: 3 out of 5

Iron Man #1
Tony Stark has been dealing with a lot lately. On top of his “Avenging” duties, the man of iron got married to X-Men’s Emma Frost and saw his technology used to create a new generation of lethal, mutant-hunting Sentinels. Now, a new era is upon us for the Iron Man thanks to creators Spencer Ackerman and Julius Ohta who are giving Stark a battle that is taking place on multiple fronts. Luckily, there are plenty of elements here to throw some interesting curveballs at Tony while injecting new life into the story of Iron Man.
– Evan Valentine (Read the full review here)
Rating: 4 out of 5

Scarlet Witch #5
Scarlet Witch’s latest ongoing series continues to excel in form, function, and just plain fun. Steve Orlando’s script unites Wanda and Daredevil on an adventure filled with villains, flirting, and some genuinely cool moments. Lorenzo Tammetta’s art fits perfectly within the status quo of the series, rendering each moment with a delightful and stylish scrappiness. Overall, Scarlet Witch continues to be a profoundly satisfying book. – Jenna Anderson
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Spider-Boy #12
Now that everyone knows who Spider-Boy is, the toybox feels like it’s been burst open as Dan Slott gets to explore all of the new connections with the rest of the Marvel universe. That all starts with a Daredevil team-up in Spider-Boy #12, and much of that team-up is delightful, especially as Slott gets to explore some of their previously unknown history together. Daredevil’s “voice” seems off a bit early on but it evens out, and the introduction of Spider-Girl throws more intrigue into the mix as the issue progresses. Paco Medina, Erick Arciniega, and Joe Caramagna are as stellar as ever, and their style is a brilliant compliment to Daredevil and Bullseye. They take advantage of having both in the mix, but while the newcomers are great, they never overshadow Spider-Boy. While this isn’t the strongest issue of the series, it’s still delightful and sets things up for what promises to be a thrilling adventure. – Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Spider-Society #3
Ironically, the most innocuous line of dialogue summarizes the whole of Spider-Society for me: “I hate repeating myself.” While the core conceit still has fun potential, Alex Segura’s approach continues to be bogged down by scene after scene of exposition and conversations, which unfortunately overwhelm the actual action that could and should be at the forefront. Ruairi Coleman’s approach to that action is lively at times, but a lot of the aesthetic potential also feels squandered. With just one more issue to go, I am uncertain if Spider-Society will successfully stick the landing. – Jenna Anderson
Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Spirits of Vengeance #2
With the table setting of the first issue out of the way, Spirits of Vengeance can really kick things into a higher gear. Series writer Sabir Pirzada clearly has a love for classic Ghost Rider comics and their zany ideas by showing it with the setting of issue #2 (an Atlantean prison at the bottom of the ocean). Penciler Chris Campana gets the benefit of drawing a story with more moving parts than the inaugural issue, meaning more exciting and less static imagery. Spirits of Vengeance is still finding its place but with no shortage of ideas it’s shaping up to be a fun series. – Spencer Perry
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

The Incredible Hulk #18
Charlie is finally back in The Incredible Hulk and immediately Johnson reminds readers just how necessary the teenager is to this tale. Now she’s got even more agency and she’s put on the heroic protector shoes that Hulk and Banner have been wearing throughout the series. They fit her perfectly, as this Incredible Hulk run continues to evolve and find creative new ways to explore this beautiful and monstrous world it has built.
– Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 5 out of 5

X-Factor #3
X-Factor #3 is full of clever ideas. What does it mean when actual superheroes, particularly those for whom any military-industrial subtext is overt text, visit a fan convention? What would happen if a mutant had the gift of immortality but didn’t realize it until after they were 87? How does an Elon Musk-type dupe and take advantage of said military-industrial superheroes in the age of social media celebrities? However, the issue fails to unpack any of them to satisfaction. The convention is mostly used as a gag to set up the plot, and Granny’s origin is dispensed with succinctly, with plenty of black humor, perhaps to be further examined in future installments. The Elon Musk thing is central to the issue’s plot but fails to provide enough depth or enough barbed gags to do the concept justice. However, while these ideas could have benefitted from greater individual focus, what is here and done solidly enough to feel like X-Factor, as a series, is finding its footing The artwork is clean and the characters expressive enough to channel heightened ridiculousness of the material, and there are some great lines like, “The intelligence is artificial but the stupidity is genuine,” and the more opportunities the characters have to bounce off of each with banter, the more endearing this hodgepodge team becomes.
– Jamie Lovett
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

X-Men #6
X-Men #6 slows down the series’ pace for an issue devoid of action and is focused more on the characters and their choices, though some characterizations are either off or too familiar. New creative teams shouldn’t have to follow the narrative directions of those that preceded them. Still, it’s hard to imagine Magik getting away with playing the dumb brute who wants Beast to “do science” after being one of the Great Captains of Krakoa and widely considered one of the great strategic minds of the mutant community. Conversely, Beast’s current challenge of catching up to modern-day science now that he’s replaced the super-villainous Beast he grew into in a previous life is almost identical to the character arc young Beast underwent during the All-New X-Men era. Still, it makes sense enough that those unfamiliar with that run will likely be unbothered. The fill-in artwork by Metho Diaz and Sean Parsons is clear and clean compared to how cluttered X-Men typically looked, though there’s not much remarkable about it. Even Marte Gracia’s colors feel drab, given little to work with beyond factory walls and the glow of monitors. The slower pace of the episode allows the light to shine on the sheer density of mysterious subplots that Jed McKay has worked into the background of this book — adult onset mutants, Cassandra Nova’s return, an unexplained mutant disease, the Upstarts — and there’s not telling yet if any will come to a satisfying. This issue at least allows for a much-needed moment of reflection. — Jamie Lovett
Rating: 3 out of 5

Image Comics

Creepshow #2
Creepshow as an anthology movie and television series has worked well at delivering fast-paced, albeit light, campfire tales. In this latest comic book series, we still keep the strengths and weaknesses of the anthology series, for better and for worse. Of the two stories featured in Creepshow’s second issue, the star of the issue is its first outing. Depicting a quiet Halloween eve where Trick or Treaters aren’t all they appear to be, this story feels like classic Creepshow. Both stories in this issue are quite straightforward, though the artistic renditions work well at delivering its spooky aesthetic. Creepshow doesn’t break the wheel when it comes to laying out its creepy scenarios but if you’re looking for an ode to EC Comics this Halloween, Creepshow has you covered.
– Evan Valentine
Rating 3 out of 5

Moon Man #5
Moon Man continues to be defined by not only the same highs as previous issues but also the same lows. There’s instances where artist Marco Locati and color artist Igor Monti have a huge canvas to bask in the more powerful moments of the story and its major action beats, and though Monti’s unique style keeps things interesting visually there are times where the blocking of the images have major inconsistencies. The script, credited to Scott Mescudi (Kid Cudi), Kyle Higgins, & Joe Clark, is still a timely and well-written one, but it does feel to be spinning its wheels toward a conclusion. – Spencer Perry
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

The Moon Is Following Us #2
The Moon Is Following Us #2 provides the background context missing from its debut. Though things play out more or less how one would expect based on how that first issue ended — Penny is trapped in perpetual sleep and her parents, with the help of an old wizard, are plunging into her dreams to try to help her wake — it’s still an intense thrill to read thanks to the densely packed artwork and fast pace. Tash, the wizard who guides Sam and Duncan into their daughter’s dreams, feels like a character pulled out of a Hayoa Miyazaki film, a wise but sorrowful old sage who floats into the story on a parliament of owls, as if out of a dream himself. The central conflict here is a primal one for any parent: How far would you go to save your child? Sam and Duncan are handling the situation differently. Watching that tension play out as they join a Resistance movement in a dream world where seemingly anything can happen should make for exciting reading as the series progresses. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 4 out of 5

The Power Fantasy #3
There’s a lot worth talking about The Power Fantasy #3, and it’d be impossible to do it all justice in a condensed review like this. Trying to hit the highlights: the issue draws the clearest example of the series’ central metaphor, superpowers as avatars of the atomic age, with Valentina’s birth occurring on the same date as the first nuclear bomb test; there’s a fascinating tension brought out in describing Valentina as “moral” in contrast to Etienne being “ethical,” which feels like taking to the difference between being “nice” and being” kind” to a much grander scale (or perhaps that’s a misread, we’ll see); Caspar Wjngaard continues to impress, maintaining a consistently recognizable (and striking) style while shifting to match whatever each scenes’ era, particularly drawing on the seemingly simple, flower-powered innocence of the 1960s (when members of the cast were still young and innocent themselves) until that all goes up in atomic flames. The big reveal on the final page, with the subsequent timeline of major events in this alternate history, will only serve to stoke excitement for future installments of this excellent series. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Universal Monsters Frankenstein #3
Universal Monsters: Frankenstein #3 is a fantastic issue that follows Henry’s betrothed, Elizabeth, and the dark path all of this takes her down. One of the best things about this series — and this issue — is that it humanizes the story and peels back the layers of who and what the true monsters are. Without getting too much into spoilers, that is especially sharp here and this issue might just be the best one of this series to date. Also? The final page is just stunning. – Nicole Drum
Rating: 4 out of 5

Void Rivals #13
I can, and have, sang the praises of Skybound’s Energon Universe, depicting a shared universe that sees the Transformers and G.I. Joe sharing the spotlight. Of the titles that are helping to forge this new universe, Void Rivals feels like the “black sheep” of the stable, not to disparage it, but rather, to say that it feels like a story neither meant for Cybertronians nor Joes. The book almost feels like window dressing to the overall universe but it’s a fun enough ride that simply doesn’t hit the same heights as the main books leading the charge on the Energon Universe. Kirkman and De Felici work well together here but the series could use a little something extra at the end of the day. – Evan Valentine
Rating 3.5 out of 5

Other Publishers

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3
The Hamato Clan reunion tour continues in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3, with artist Cliff Chiang joining series writer Jason Aaron for a Leonardo-focused issue. Aaron and his collaborators have done a stellar job of having each TMNT issue thus far bring about a situation in which the focal Turtle seeks or achieves what he believed he wanted most, illuminating important aspects of their character. For Raph, that was living in a prison, where a fight with someone deserving of a beatdown would never be hard to find. For Mikey, it was the fun and carefree lifestyle of a celebrity. For Leonardo, it’s the search for enlightenment, leaving his humanoid turtle brothers behind to commune with the flesh-eating turtles of the Ganges River. Chiang’s sharp linework and vibrant colors match Leo’s personality — not one of black-and-white morality, but of strong conviction nonetheless — and there are beautiful pages of Leonardo doing nothing but meditating over time. But as with his brothers, Leo’s past soon catches up, forcing him to conclude that this path is not for him. Strong characterization paired with sleek artwork makes for another strong issue.
– Jamie Lovett
Rating: 4 out of 5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #18
Erik Burnham’s style of writing not only evokes a clear era of TMNT but doesn’t stoop to pandering to a certain segment of the fan base, the entire series remains accessible for readers of all ages. Series artist Sarah Myer and color artist Luis Antonio Delgado also manage to capture that specific style of TMNT designs while also making the art work feel engaging and alive. TMNT Saturday Morning Adventure may not be what all fans think of when they ponder the series on the whole but it’s got the kind of heart, humor, and characterizations that made the Ninja Turtles into household names. – Spencer Perry
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Hunger and The Dusk: Book Two #3
It’s issues like this when you realize just how vast and wonderful a world Wilson has built with The Hunger and the Dusk. Both of its leads are largely missing from this issue and yet there’s no dip in quality or excitement. Everything going on in this story is completely engaging and it deepens with each page. – Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 5 out of 5

The post Comic Book Reviews for This Week: 10/23/2024 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of those series fans will never turn down. After its hit run on Nickelodeon, the animated series has gone on to expand its universe in some big ways. From sequels to live-action series, we have seen Avatar: The Last Airbender do plenty during its run. Now, all eyes are on the series ahead of its next release, and that is because Zuko’s half-sister is taking control of Ashes of the Academy.

Dark Horse Comics announced the big series at New York Comic Con, and the first details about the project are now surfacing. It turns out Avatar: The Last Airbender – Ashes of the Academy will go live in March 2025. The comic is set after the original series as we meet Zuko during his reign. After learning about the fate of his mother, Zuko finds himself saddled with a younger half-sister, and Ashes of the Academy will focus on the royal family.

ZUKO’S HALF-SISTER IS READY TO TAKE THE LEAD

“Kiyi, half-sister to Fire Lord Zuko, enrolls at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls! Known for its strict curriculum and even stricter instructors, Zuko worries for Kiyi,” the graphic novel’s blurb reads.

“When things take a turn for the worse and a seed of doubt about the new headmistress is planted, Zuko takes action by installing one of the people he trusts most, Mai, as an academy teacher. Can Mai keep a watchful eye over Kiyi and keep her on the right path, or will the academy’s cruel culture shape her footsteps into those of her other half-sibling, Azula?”

With Faith Erin Hicks writing the series, Ashes of the Academy features a crack team. Of course, the co-creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender are involved with this sequel. Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko will work with Hicks on the ambitious series. So if you want to know the other creators signed to this sequel, you can check out the talent below:

• Writer: Faith Erin Hicks, Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko
• Artist: Peter Wartman,
• Colorist: Adele Matera
• Letterer: Comicraft
• Cover Artist: Peter Wartman, Adele Matera

WHAT IS NEXT FOR ZUKO AND ATLA?

With a new series in the works, Avatar: The Last Airbender is eager to lay out more information about Zuko’s family. The hero has a complex family tree, and we have seen that drama play out across the franchise. From Fire Lord Ozai to Azula and Uncle Iroh, Zuko’s family is filled with bold characters. In the comics, we went on to learn more about Zuko’s estranged mom, and the debut of his half-sister Kiyi took everybody by surprise. Now, Ashes of the Academy will delve into the heroine’s backstory, and Zuko will get the chance to flex his brotherly charms.

Beyond this new comic, Avatar: The Last Airbender is busy with a number of other projects. For one, Netflix is moving full speed ahead with its live-action series as Avatar: The Last Airbender season two is now in production. The show’s cast has returned to set with another star in tow. Miya Cech will bring Toph to life in the show’s second season, so fans are eager to see the bender debut.

And of course, Avatar: The Last Airbender is making an animated comeback. Paramount has launched Avatar Studios with the help of DiMarinto and Koneitzo with the intent of reviving the franchise. From movies to TV series, the team at Avatar Studios is cooking up some big projects. The branch’s first project with a movie titled Aang: The Last Airbender, and the movie will slot actor-singer Eric Nam in its lead role.

What do you make of this new Avatar: The Last Airbender announcement? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

The post Avatar: The Last Airbender Locks In New Series Starring Zuko’s Half-Sister appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The anthology nature of Michael Dougherty’s Trick ‘r Treat means that fans have wanted more stories set in this universe ever since the movie was released, and while fans are still crossing their fingers for a live-action sequel, the all-new graphic novel Trick ‘r Treat: Witching Hours has officially launched on Kickstarter. Dougherty is joined by an impressive roster of comic creators to dive deeper into the whimsical and frightening world, which audiences were first introduced to in 2009. A number of different bundles are available for backers, which include the perk of a tenth-anniversary edition of Krampus: Shadow of Saint Nicholas. Trick ‘r Treat: Witching Hours is expected to be released in October 2025.

“I’m thrilled to return to the twisted world of Trick ‘r Treat for more of Sam’s mischievous adventures,” Dougherty shared in a statement. “This new graphic novel is a true labor of love, created by a top-notch team of writers and artists, and I can’t wait for fans to join us for the best Halloween party ever.”

Trick ‘r Treat: Witching Hours features four brand-new, original stories centered around everyone’s favorite mischief-maker, SAM. The stories are brought to life by a talented group of creators, including writers Michael Dougherty (Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Trick’ r Treat: Days of the Dead), Zach Shields (Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Trick’ r Treat: Days of the Dead), Todd Casey (Trick’ r Treat: Days of the Dead), Breehn Burns (Trick’ r Treat movie, Trick’ r Treat: The Haunting), and Curtis Waugh (Stegosaurus, The Moistest). Artistic contributions come from Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night), Breehn Burns (Trick ‘r Treat movie original concept artist and comic illustrator), and Tristan Jones (Mad Max: Fury Road comics).

The stories in the new collection are described as follows:

“Never Too Old”

• Todd Casey, Michael Dougherty, & Zach Shields
• At a rundown nursing home, a group of lonely patients summons the spirit of Halloween in order to celebrate one last spooky holiday together, with unexpected and frightening results.

“One Last Dance”

• Todd Casey, Michael Dougherty, & Zach Shields
• When a man returns from the dead on Halloween, he’s given one night to find closure and reunite with his beloved wife, only to discover a horrifying and tragic secret.

“Harvest Moons”

• Curtis Waugh & Michael Dougherty
• Far across the galaxy and untethered from the now-defunct roots of Earth, a group of kids on a conservative space colony will discover that Halloween is more than a long-lost tradition.

“Halloween Country”

• Breehn Burns & Michael Dougherty
• Deep in Wyoming corn country, three ranch hands break up a strange occult ritual and find themselves hunted by a half-formed creature straight out of Halloween folklore.

The original movie was released straight to video, as the concept of streaming platforms hadn’t established itself as a source of entertainment, resulting in a relatively underwhelming reception. As time went by, more audiences discovered the celebration of All Hallow’s Eve and the movie started earning a passionate following, with the beloved Sam becoming a fixture at Spirit Halloween every year and with Trick ‘r Treat getting its own haunted house at Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights.

An official sequel was announced back in 2013, but behind-the-scenes changes at Legendary resulted in the development on the project stagnating. Back in November of 2023, Dougherty claimed he was still working on the live-action follow-up.

You can head to Trick ‘r Treat: Witching Hours‘ official Kickstarter page to back the project.

Will you be supporting the graphic novel? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

The post New Trick ‘r Treat Stories Finally Announced With Original Creator appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The All In era of DC Comics is shedding new light on Batman’s origin story. One of the many titles to get a new creative team in DC All In is Detective Comics, with writer Tom Taylor and artist Mikel Janin taking over the Batman-focused series. Fans of the Dark Knight are surely familiar with how the deaths of Thomas and Martha at the hands of Joe Chill impacted Bruce Wayne’s life, sending him down the path to becoming Batman. DC doesn’t look to be changing what we already know about these events, but the Detective Comics team is adding an extra layer of intrigue to the story with its opening story arc.

*WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Detective Comics #1090. Continue reading at your own risk!

Detective Comics #1090 comes from the creative team Tom Taylor, Mikel Janin, and Wes Abbott. The story jumps back and forth from the past and the present, as we see Thomas Wayne saving the life of a 20-something male and his pregnant girlfriend who is 17-years-old in the past, and Batman confronting a mysterious antagonist in the present-day. But it’s the story from the past that’s the most relevant. An aide to Thomas Wayne informs him that the mother and child are going to live, though she came to the hospital with bruises she didn’t receive from the car crash. The implication is the boyfriend beat her.

The boyfriend is given a zero chance of survival, and Thomas is urged not to give the male any medication attention. However, Thomas made an oath as a doctor to try and save every life. The mother, Evelyn, also asks that Thomas take her baby away and to tell the father that she lost the baby. “You’re supposed to save lives,” Evelyn tells Thomas. “You’d be saving this one.” Martha Wayne eventually gets involved and tells Evelyn that instead of giving the baby up, she can provide means for them both to flee and escape their toxic relationship together.

Detective Comics #1090 ends with the enraged boyfriend fighting with security as he tries to leave the hospital with his face almost completely bandaged up. The male’s surgery was a success, and his facial burns should eventually heal, so Thomas doesn’t see any reason why the man should be kept against his will. And in a shocking reveal, Thomas tells a nurse to let security know that Joe Chill can be discharged.

Joe Chill’s impact on Batman, explained

Joe Chill is the mugger who killed Thomas and Martha Wayne in front of a young Bruce Wayne. As the story goes, the Wayne Family had just left a theater showing when they turned down a dark alley and were confronted by Joe Chill. After a brief scuffle, Joe Chill shot both Thomas and Martha as Bruce watched on. Seeing his parents murdered by a gun is why Batman is against them and has a “no guns” policy, and what started his journey to becoming a crimefighter.

There have been slight variations to Batman’s origin story over the years, which can be expected when a character like the Dark Knight has been around for over 70 years. Fans have watched versions of Batman’s origin in the comics, TV shows, movies, video games, and more, so even casual fans are familiar with it. But since everyone has heard of and knows the name Joe Chill, this development in Detective Comics has major ramifications for Batman.

One decision by Thomas Wayne completely changes everything we know about Batman

Thomas Wayne obviously didn’t know that saving Joe Chill’s life would wind up costing him his and his wife’s lives, but it’s looking like that’s exactly what happened. Men like Thomas and Bruce Wayne live by a strict code, and they’re so stubborn that they don’t want to budge from it. This is both good and bad, and in this case, it may turn out to be really bad for Batman.

There is also the question of how Batman will discover his father had a hand in that faithful night. The new mysterious villain Batman is tracking at the beginning of Detective Comics #1090 is probably tied to Thomas Wayne’s actions, and there’s also the introduction of Scarlett Martha Scott, a former chief geneticist at WayneTech who started her own wellness business. Scarlett is also more than likely Evelyn’s daughter, which makes her Joe Chill’s daughter too. It isn’t explicitly stated in the comic, but Bruce does say that his mother Martha helped Scarlett when she was a child in a Wayne shelter.

What did you think about the big Batman revelation in Detective Comics? Make sure to let us know your thoughts on social media @ComicBook!

The post DC Just Made a Major Change to Batman’s Origin Story appeared first on ComicBook.com.

DC launched the absolute universe in grand style with Absolute Batman, setting expectations even higher for Absolute Wonder Woman, the next Absolute series up to bat. Despite that high bar, Absolute Wonder Woman quickly soared past on a skeletal Pegasus and left it in the dust. Writer Kelly Thompson, artist Hayden Sherman, colorist Jordie Bellaire, and letterer Becca Carey implemented seismic changes to Wonder Woman’s origin and world while still finding a way to retain Diana’s heart and soul. Absolute Wonder Woman goes so hard you can hear the soundtrack booming from the pages, and no one should miss the show.

Amazon in Hell

Thompson shakes up several major elements of Diana’s origin in the first few pages, and those changes shape the rest of the book in various ways. These changes are all intricately tied together, especially in regards to the word Amazon and how it is viewed by everyone involved, including Diana herself. The attention to that word and how it’s framed brings an importance to it that at some points has been lacking, and that is woven into an unexpected but brilliant story of family and motherhood.

To me that is the central piece that makes Absolute Wonder Woman so captivating. Thompson simultaneously builds up the daughter and the mother throughout the early parts of the story, and these early day moments from Sherman and Bellaire are simply stunning. The duo illustrates time moving forward in the same location over the course of several pages, and you can’t help but comb over every little detail and changing fixture as time progresses. The characters shine throughout as well, conveying the sincere love of a hesitant parent and the innocence and compassion of a brave and confident child. There are a host of shining moments throughout Absolute Wonder Woman, but these moments are the ones that will likely stick with me over time.

Amazon Magic

That said, when the situation calls for a more direct approach, Absolute Wonder Woman once again delivers in spades. Wonder Woman riding in on a skeletal Pegasus taking on an alien invasion with spells and swords sounds insanely cool as just as an idea, and spoiler, but it looks even cooler when brought to life on the page. As one might expect from a Wonder Woman forged in Hell, this Diana is a force of nature, unphased by soldiers, Gods, or massive alien threats. If aura was a person it would be this Diana, and adding in the chaos of magic only makes her that much more compelling, especially when those moments are given that extra punch from Carey’s excellent lettering.

That’s only an appetizer though for what issue #2 has in store, at least that’s the takeaway from that big final page. Granted, there’s a panel of just Wonder Woman staring a hole through her opponent that almost steals the show, so to call this book a visual tour de force feels like underselling it.

Absolute Wonder Woman brings a raw and unpredictable energy to Diana’s story, keeping some of the core elements that make Diana who she is while also shaking up so many of the tentpoles of lore and mythology that have surrounded her for so long. You’ll walk away with a new appreciation for who Diana was, who she knows herself to be, and what this world demands from her, and then watch in awe as the Amazon warrior moves through the world as the unstoppable and brilliant force she’s always been, just with a bit more of an edge this time around. Okay, perhaps a big edge this time around.

Absolute Wonder Woman is a must-read in every single way, and it doesn’t get much better than this.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Published By: DC Comics

On: October 23, 2024

Written By: Kelly Thompson

Art By: Hayden Sherman

Colors By: Jordie Bellaire

Letters By: Becca Carey

The post Absolute Wonder Woman #1: An Icon Reimagined for the Ages appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Tony Stark has been dealing with a lot lately. On top of his “Avenging” duties, the man of iron got married to X-Men’s Emma Frost and saw his technology used to create a new generation of lethal, mutant-hunting Sentinels. Now, a new era is upon us for the Iron Man thanks to creators Spencer Ackerman and Julius Ohta who are giving Stark a battle that is taking place on multiple fronts. Luckily, there are plenty of elements here to throw some interesting curveballs at Tony while injecting new life into the story of Iron Man.

As mentioned earlier, Tony has seen better days. While he has been able to lay claim to Stark Enterprises once again from the villainous Feilong, Stark doesn’t have much chance to rest his head in the face of both physical and capitalistic threats. On top of A.I.M. making a play for his company, the villainous scientific collective has the backing of Roxxon and Justine Hammer. Now, his greatest creation and his own company are turning against him and things are not looking good for Tony as he begins to go to a “back to basics” approach that might be the only thing keeping his skin in the game.

Giving Tony Stark challenges can sometimes seem like a loft goal, especially since he is often portrayed as the “man who has everything.” Luckily, Ackerman does a fantastic job of amplifying the stakes by throwing everything and the kitchen sink in his way during this new series. The boardroom drama is solid here, as Tony finds himself on the receiving end of a hostile takeover. While Stark hardly needs the money that comes in, the idea that Advanced Idea Mechanics would gain access to Stark technology is what really helps sell Tony’s predicament.

Another tantalizing aspect of this new series is the idea that the Iron Man armors are beginning to fail. At a certain point, it’s almost become comical how advanced the mech suits have become for Tony at this point, with nanomachines, liquid metal, circuits fusing with Tony’s nervous system, and even magic incorporated into the suits. Finding that certain parts of the suits are no longer able to function as they once did presents an interesting problem for Stark on top of his personal life issues.

Of course, what would a good Iron Man story be without its villains and this new series has them in spades. Hilariously, the most fun in the premiere issue comes from Tiger Shark and Flying Tiger, aka the Tiger Pack, as they try to defeat Stark for the viewers streaming the fight at home. On top of slinging some hilarious puns, the duo also reinforces the idea of “Stark betting”, which would be seen as a replacement to weapons manufacturing in allowing streaming viewers to bet on superhero battles. It’s an interesting tidbit that could be explored further here.

There’s a lot of meat on the bone here but all of said meat is a fine cut. Tony Stark assaulted on all sides, having to rebuild his armor, his business, and himself works best for any Iron Man comic and thus this makes for a nice reboot of one of Marvel’s most popular characters. Roxxon has become a gleeful villainous force in the Marvel Comics universe and I’m anxious to see where this all leads to.

On the art front, Julius Ohta does a fine job of both capturing the mechs, monsters, and emotions of all the characters involved here. There’s a tiny crack in the armor when it comes to some of the facial expressions here but ultimately nothing that is enough to stop this ride from being a fun one. Ohta manages to capture the energy that would go into suits of armor slamming into one another at mach speeds, making for some quite nice fight scenes along the way.

Marvel creating new number ones can sometimes feel a tad tedious, as many series feel like extensions of past storylines. This new Iron Man is one that earns its number one and manages to toss some interesting ideas Tony Stark’s way that will have readers more than likely sticking with him for the rest of the run. Iron Man #1 makes for a good return of the characters while adding some new elements for a strong showing.

Published by Marvel Comics

On October 23rd, 2024

Written by Spencer Ackerman

Art by Julius Ohta

Colors by Alex Sinclair

Letters by VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover by Yasmine Putri

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Dredd, one of the best — and lowest-grossing — comic book movies in recent memory, is currently streaming for free on Tubi, the free, ad-supported streaming platform owned by the Fox Corporation. The 2012 film, which was distributed by Lionsgate, also has the distinction of being one of the earliest movies to feature The Boys and Thor: Ragnarok star Karl Urban in a comic book adaptation (the other being 2010’s RED). Dredd was the second shot at a movie based on Judge Dredd, the beloved 2000AD character who first appeared in 1977. The first, 1995’s Judge Dredd starring Sylvester Stallone is…less well-remembered.

When Dredd debuted outside the 2012 Comic Con International in San Diego, its Rotten Tomatoes score was Certified Fresh and a full sixty percentage points better (78% versus 18%) than the character’s previous big-screen outing.

Dredd stars Karl Urban as Judge Dredd, an all-powerful law officer in a dystopian society called Mega-City One. The film follows Judge Dredd and his apprentice as they are tasked with bringing down a drug lord in a high-rise apartment building filled with criminals. The result? A wildly creative tower siege in which Dredd and his new partner have a seemingly endless supply of cannon fodder goons thrown at them, all of whom they dispatch in a wide variety of violent ways.

The drug being sold, “Slo-Mo,” intoxicates its users to see the world in slow motion, which gave director Pete Travis got to play around with some cool visuals that suited the 3D gimmick that was everywhere in the years right after the first Avatar.

There are a lot of reasons to love the movie, but chief among them is Urban’s performance as Judge Dredd. The star honored the source material by keeping his helmet on at all times, allowing Dredd to be the blank-slate face of an authoritarian “Law.” Producers know how beloved it is, and have been trying to figure out some way to do a continuation for years — but the movie lost nearly $40 million at the box office, which makes it a tough sell for executives.

“I certainly would be interested to revisit the character,” Urban said in 2022. “There’s such a great depth of material there that was created by John Wagner and various writers over the years, particularly the stories revolving around Judge Death and lots of great stories. To me it doesn’t bother me if I get the opportunity to play Dredd again or if it’s someone else. I just want to see those stories.”

Dredd also stars Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, and Domhnall Gleeson in key roles.

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Writer Chip Zdarsky has confirmed his departure from DC’s ongoing Batman series. DC announced Zdarsky would be the new Batman writer back in February 2022, taking over for Joshua Williamson. Together with Jorge Jimenez, Zdarsky charted the Dark Knight through several DC events while crafting compelling stories inside the pages of Batman, such as the Failsafe and Batman of Zur-En-Arrh sagas. But all good things must come to an end, and Zdarsky revealed that he will wrap up his run with Batman #157 in February 2025. This comes on the heels of DC announcing Jim Lee and Jeph Loeb are reuniting in Batman for Hush 2.

“I love Batman. It’s been a true joy working on the title. But some time in the spring I got the itch in the back of my brain to wrap things up,” Chip Zdarsky wrote in a post to his Substack newsletter. “Partly because Jorge and I were finishing up the giant Failsafe/Zur story, but also because my amazing Bat-editor Ben Abernathy had left for Transforming G.I. Joes at Skybound. I also had a terrifying workload in front of me and had to make some hard decisions about what needed to be prioritized.”

Zdarsky also revealed that he let DC know his plans to exit Batman around the time of the C2E2 convention in April. DC came back and asked if Zdarsky would be willing to stay on the title for one final story arc beginning in October, and he agreed. One reason he agreed was because he “wanted to do something special and contained” with his artistic collaborator Jorge Jimenez.

“I’m super proud of our final story, though scheduling issues forced it to go to biweekly, which meant Jorge sadly couldn’t draw it all,” he continued. “But then OTHER scheduling issues put it back to monthly, but what are you gonna do? Comics be comickin’. At some point we’re all at the mercy of things like ‘the financial quarter’ and ‘CEO MacGuffin has a plan.'”

Chip Zdarsky is leaving Batman just as DC is kicking off its All In initiative. DC is giving several ongoing series new creative teams while debuting new titles. There is also the debut of the Absolute Universe, which offers new jumping-on points for readers as DC’s most recognizable heroes get all-new origin stories from some of comics’ biggest creators. One of the new Absolute titles is Absolute Batman by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta.

Zdarsky definitely left his mark on Batman, and will surely be missed by fans. The writer got the Batman gig after wrapping up a multi-year run on Marvel’s Daredevil ongoing series. While it’s sad to see Zdarsky leave Gotham City, there are still four months to go before we reach February and have to say goodbye.

The post DC’s Batman Writer Confirms Exit From Series (And Reveals Final Issue) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Eisner-winning artist Michael Allred is currently crowdfunding a coffee table book featuring three decades of his Marvel art, and publisher Clover Press has provided ComicBook with a first look at some of the portfolio pages from the Madman creator’s archives. The Marvel Art of Michael Allred, a high-end coffee table book, will feature looks at his art from titles like X-Statix, Silver Surfer, and FF, along with variant covers, sketches, and various other odds and ends. The book’s Kickstarter campaign is now live and features an exclusive dustjacket and slipcase edition of the book, plus exclusive add-ons including a trading card set and 1,000-piece puzzle not available outside of the campaign.

The book is the latest in a series of boutique art books that showcase beloved Marvel Comics artists, featuring some of their most iconic images alongside rare and never-before-seen artwork.

“It’s always gratifying to create my own worlds, characters, and stories, but it’s also an electric thrill to play in the Marvel Comics sandbox, which has been a rich inspiration to my imagination since childhood,” Allred said in a statement. “Everything I’ve done with Marvel has solidified blissful memories and epic collaborations and friendships with folks like Peter Milligan, Matt Fraction, and Dan Slott. And always with my beloved colorist Laura Allred spreading the icing on the cake. Playing with Marvel Comics’ iconic characters like the Fantastic Four, Silver Surfer, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, as well as my own co-creations like Zeitgeist, Mister Sensitive and Doop, is layer after layer of creative dreams coming true.”

While Allred’s style is instantly recognizable and often-imitated, The Marvel Art of Michael Allred marks the first time there has been a book dedicated to examining his Marvel work. While there are obviously collected editions of books on which he did interior work, so much of Allred’s work has been on covers, where his work jumps off the stands and grabs the audience’s attention. Covers, though, aren’t exactly the focus of most collected editions.

“I pinch myself that I get to play with Michael everyday by popping colors onto his wonderful drawings and eat up his fantastic storytelling,” Laura Allred said. “And what a thrill to run around in the Marvel Comics Universe, which is like hanging out with dear lifelong friends. It’s so rewarding to tap into their incredible history and, building on that past, give them our own spin.  And now, what a thrill to see so many of my favorite images collected in this big, beautiful package!”

The Marvel Art Of… books have been collecting the best and most personal works of a number of artists, paired with commentary (usually by the artist) and presented in a 9″ x 12″ hardcover book. The series debuted in 2023, and includes The Marvel Art of David Mack, The Marvel Art of Alex Maleev, The Marvel Art of David Nakayama, The Marvel Art of Russell Dauterman, and The Marvel Art of Michael Turner.

“We’re x-static to be adding Michael Allred to our series of art books,” Clover Press publisher Hank Kanalz said in a statement. “His legendary body of work spans many companies, and his work with Marvel is no exception. This book is a must-have for any Allred aficionado.”

The post Take a Look Inside Michael Allred’s New Art Book (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While Legendary’s MonsterVerse has seen Godzilla fight against the world and the recent Godzilla Minus One took the lizard king back to his roots to attack Japan, IDW is doing something a little different in 2025. Godzilla Vs. America is a new series that will see the king of the monsters attacking the good old U.S. of A, and the popular kaiju has his eyes set on the Windy City. Alongside the announcement of the mini-series, the creators responsible for this new anthology took the chance to talk about this new take on ‘Zilla.

As mentioned previously, Legendary Entertainment introduced a new take on the killer kaiju starting with 2014’s Godzilla. In the initial offering, Godzilla was proven to be a worldwide threat as more kaiju were slowly introduced into this giant monster universe. Most recently, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire became the largest film in the MonsterVerse, securing a third film in the crossover series. On top of the MonsterVerse’s cinematic outings, Apple TV+ saw serious success with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, garnering a second season and an upcoming spin-off series.

Godzilla Vs. America: Round 1

While Godzilla has been confirmed to be attacking Chicago in IDW’s first issue, the other three cities of the series remain a mystery. Certainly, when theorizing which locales the king of the monsters would threaten, the likes of New York City, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles seem like strong picks. Still, in Godzilla’s world, there’s a certain sense that anything can happen when it comes to the lizard king.

The Kaiju Creators Speak

Mike Costa, perhaps best known for writing G.I. Joe: Cobra and the fan-favorite television series, Lucifer, shared the following on Godzilla’s rampage across the pond, “Ryan and I used to watch monster movies in my basement as kids, so it’s an incredible honor to be working with him on a story for the world’s most famous and terrifying dinosaur. We’re lucky to — wait. I’m sorry, Ryan has just explained to me that Godzilla isn’t actually a dinosaur at all, but is instead an irradiated sea monster who represents mankind’s anxieties about unchecked destructive technologies and their consequences in the face of an implacable and indomitable natural world. Wow. This story is going to be even cooler!”

Adding to Costa’s commentary, Tim Seeley (Nightwing, Local Man) is also a writer on the anthology series. Seeley talked about the King of the Monsters making its way to Chicago for the premiere issue, “There’s not much I love in the world more than comics. Maybe Chicago and there’s not much I love more than Chicago. Maybe Godzilla. And so, the chance to combine so many beloved things together for IDW’s ‘Godzilla vs. America’ series is a pleasure and an honor. I will mess up my favorite town with the greatest kaiju. Better call ‘Dibs’ on an oxygen destroyer.”

Finally, IDW editor Jake Williams discussed how the excitement surrounding Godzilla’s arrival in the States, “Godzilla vs. America is one of the most exciting projects I’ve worked on at IDW. It’s a chance to highlight cities across the country and the creative talent that lives in them. For those living in these cities, these comics are going to feel like coming home — for everyone else, this is going to be a high-octane tour of America taken on the back of Godzilla.”

Godzilla Vs. America – Chicago will be the first of four issues that will see the lizard king attacking the West, arriving in comic shops on February 26th next year.

Want to see what the future holds for Godzilla and his upcoming war against the United States? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on

Via The Wrap

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Netflix’s latest high-profile fantasy project has officially found a writer. It has been revealed that Jason Fuchs (Welcome to Derry, Wonder Woman) will pen the script for Amulet, a feature film adaptation of Kazu Kibuishi’s graphic novel series of the same name. Based on a story by Fuchs and Kibuishi, the film will be produced by 21 Laps’ Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen and Dan Levine, with Kibuishi serving as an executive producer.

Amulet follows a young woman who discovers a magical amulet that belonged to her great-grandfather and uses it to enter a fantastical new world. The series has spanned nine books so far, with the finale culminating in February of this year. The books have sold more than 7 million copies in the US and Canada and been translated into 23 languages worldwide. am

“I try not to write themes and morals into my stories, but I’m aware that they will show up every now and then,” Kibuishi said of the final book, Amulet: Book Nine: Waverider, in an interview with The Beat earlier this year. “What my characters say is reflective of who they are and are not always representations of what I believe. However, I do think what the characters have gone through in the story is relatable to many communities, where they feel it is now a time to rebuild. In order to rebuild, they will first need to begin by forgiving themselves. So if there is some kind of theme that people take away from this book, I hope it is that of forgiveness.’

Kibuishi had previously confirmed on social media in 2021 that an Amulet movie adaptation was in the works at Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, and later at Disney, before the rights reverted back to him.

“I have so many side stories that just didn’t go into the book that could be great books, but I only have so much time,” Kibuishi explained during a New York Comic Con panel in 2023. “I have other series I want to do. There’s a lot of others project that probably take priority… I can’t talk much about movies related to Amulet, but it’s possible I could be working on one. And it’s possible I could be very involved in it. And it’s possible the writer and I are going through a lot of thing that I’d cut out of the story, and we’re bringing it back in.”

The post Netflix Sets Writer for Adaptation of Beloved Amulet Graphic Novels appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Celebrated concept artist Alex Ries, who has been designing creatures and aliens from  Subnautica: Below Zero to the denizens of the hollow earth in Godzilla X Kong: The New Kingdom, just launched a crowdfunding campaign for a coffee table art book, Other Worlds: The Art of Alex Ries. Besides creatures from fantastical alternate versions of Earth, many of his creations hail from deep space, so you’ll also get a look behind the curtain at films like Warriors of the Future and the worldbuilding of The Birrin Saga. Incorporating real-life animals into fantastical designs, Ries is a master of creating bizarre creatures that look like they could actually exist, because they come from a place of informed speculative biology.

Spike Trotman’s Iron Circus Comics is returning to Kickstarter to publish Other Worlds: The Art of Alex Ries, which marks the first ever collection of personal and professional artworks by Ries, featuring iconic art from Subnautica: Below Zero as well as many never-before published pieces. The 300+ page hardcover will include forewords by Jamie Beswarick and Greg Broadmore, and extensive commentary from the artist himself. Other Worlds: The Art of Alex Ries will be available via Kickstarter.

“This book is the culmination of decades of work, passing through traditional illustration, concept art and even sculpture,” Alex Ries said in a statement. “I have filled it with works that have marked important creative moments not just in my professional but personal life. This is a culmination of my life as a creative person thus far that I will be able to actually hold, and the kind of book I always loved as a child: creatures, machines, and life from other worlds.”

“With a unique imagination, a timeless sense of wonder, and a detailed grounding in reality that gives it all life, Ries’s creatures and worlds light a lasting spark within the viewer,” added Iron Circus Founder C. Spike Trotman. 

Ever since his youth spent in the vast, rural expanse of South Eastern Australia, Ries has explored his sense of connection to the natural world and fascination with science. Explorations of the diversity of life on Earth, the possibilities of life beyond it, and the pressing themes of conflict and reconciliation between civilization and the natural world have come to define his work as an artist. Ries’ sublime work on Subnautica: Below Zero allowed him to use his knowledge of real-world marine life to create biologically plausible extraterrestrial creatures, while The Birrin Saga, his major personal work, explores the alien planet of Chriirah and tells the story of this world and its inhabitants. 

You can see a short, exclusive preview from the book below.

The post Iron Circus Comics Teams With Alex Ries for Other Worlds Coffee Table Book appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Face front, true believers: Stan Lee’s The Excelsiors, one of the visionary Marvel creator’s largest initial superhero ensembles, is being developed as a graphic novel with plans for TV and film adaptations from Kartoon Studios. The studio, which is the controlling partner of Stan Lee Universe, also announced Monday that Batman franchise executive producer Michael Uslan — who collaborated with Lee on the DC Comics series Just Imagine… — is co-developing and will produce the projects.

The Excelsiors, about a team of 10 original superheroes inspired by Lee’s signature “Excelsior” catchphrase, will launch as a graphic novel through online book streaming platform Legible Comics, with concurrent development for television and film adaptations.

Kartoon announced its partnership with Legible in 2023 when the company formed Stan Lee Comics, a line of digital and print comic books based on never-before-released stories and characters created by Lee, who died at age 95 in 2018.

“Stan was incredibly proud of The Excelsiors, and he was proud to have his eponymous ‘namesake’ signature, developed by his friend and collaborator, Michael Uslan,” said Andy Heyward, Kartoon Studios CEO. “Stan took all his storytelling and character development skills, which he developed over the years at Marvel Comics, and incorporated them into The Excelsiors.”

Added Uslan, “Stan always told me that the most exciting superheroes could only meet their potential if matched by equally worthy and interesting supervillains. We expect to do Stan justice by not only having extraordinary superheroes but extraordinarily interesting supervillains. This was Stan’s baby, and I fully understand the gravity of overseeing this team to carry forth his vision. My son David, who also worked closely with Stan and myself, will help create this universe. Our north star is to write these books like Stan is looking over our shoulders.”

The Excelsiors features a team of ten original superheroes working for Amaz-Ing Tech LLC, a giant multi-national corporation in the near future, where global corporations, not governments, rule the world. They range from X-Otic, a doctor who extracted super powers from roots and plants she cultivated as a naturalist, to X-T: The only member of The Excelsiors, who is an actual extraterrestrial. (He is the great-grandson of the aliens who crash-landed near Roswell’s Area 57 in the 1960’s. He is an alien by birth, raised in utter secrecy by America’s scientists and psychologists who have tried to bring a human element to his nurturing and upbringing.)

Among the others are X-Change, a shapeshifter, X-Hale, X-Tricate, X-Isle, and X-Ecutioner, an almost uncontrollable force of human nature gone amok, controlling wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, only unleashed in last resort emergencies, and otherwise, kept in a titanium self-containment unit.

Lee co-created many of Marvel’s most famous characters, including Spider-Man, the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and the superhero teams the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and the X-Men. Kartoon Studios’ portfolio includes original animated content like the Arnold Schwarzenegger-voiced Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten on Kartoon Channel!, the Shaq’s Garage animated series starring Shaquille O’Neal, Rainbow Rangers, and the Netflix original animated series Llama Llama, featuring the voice of Jennifer Garner.

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