Category: Comic Books

30 years of changing the world: Celebrating the anniversary of the New Warriors

Hear from writers, artists, editors and fans about the impact ‘New Warriors’ has had on them.

Special thanks to Doug Smith, who contributed additional reporting to this post.

Thirty years ago, comic shops were selling the first issue of a brand new comic book series starring a brand new Marvel Comics superhero team. The New Warriors starred a lineup of mostly forgotten and obscure characters by a creative team who had never launched an ongoing series before. Conventional wisdom at the time said the new series would fail. And yet, improbably, New Warriors not only survived, it thrived. At its peak, it was among the top 25 best-selling comics in North America and the United Kingdom.What was it about this underdog series that defied the odds?

Was it the characters? The book starred supporting characters like Namorita from Sub-Mariner and Marvel Boy from The Thing, and stars of previously cancelled comics like Nova and Speedball. Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief at the time, Tom DeFalco, assembled the team. He also included the abandoned co-star of the animated Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends TV show, Firestar, and a new character co-created with Thor artist Ron Frenz, Night Thrasher.

Was it the creators? Writer Fabian Nicieza inherited these characters and immediately embraced them as his own. The first two years of the book was tightly plotted out and featured sharp dialogue, humor, betrayal, adventure and surprise revelations. Artist Mark Bagley, initially inked by Al Williamson and later by Larry Mahlstedt, injected character-driven storytelling with fun action in every issue. After two years, Bagley was moved to Amazing Spider-Man and replaced with Darick Robertson, who brought his own dynamic and expressive storytelling visuals. Even 30 years later, the series is fondly remembered by fans and comic book professionals, even inspiring some of them to become professionals.

We reached out to a number of comic book writers, artists, retailers and others to hear in their own words what made the New Warriors so special to them. We also reached out to Fabian Nicieza and Mark Bagley, as well as the first editor on the series, Danny Fingeroth, and writer Evan Skolnick, who succeeded Nicieza as writer, to get their own thoughts on their time working on this secret classic.

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Howard’s ‘Big Girls’ fight big monsters in August

The artist of ‘Trees’ will write and draw the new ongoing series.

Jason Howard, the artist of Cemetery Beach and Trees, will write and draw a new title, Big Girls, which launches in August.

Image Comics describes the new series as such: When men become giant monsters hellbent on destroying the world, only girls can stop them—Big Girls. Meet Ember—she writes poetry, loves to read, and she’s a 300-foot-tall full-time monster killer! She and the other big girls are all that stand in the way of our world’s complete annihilation!

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BOOM! to release ‘Mega Man: Fully Charged’ in August

The miniseries is based on the Cartoon Network series of the same name.

BOOM! Studios has announced they’ve picked up the license to Mega Man, the popular Capcom video game franchise, and will kick off a six-issue series starring the character called Mega Man: Fully Charged.

The Mega Man license was previously held by Archie Comics, who published 55 issues of a Mega Man title between 2011 and 2015.

Fully Charged is based on the Cartoon Network series of the same name, which was produced by Man of Action Entertainment, the group set up by comic writers Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Rouleau. A.J. Marchisello and Marcus Rinehart, who wrote for the TV show, will write the comic, with Stefano Simeone providing the art.

“I can’t believe I’m working on something that I grew up with and enjoyed so much when I was a kid,” said Simeone. “I’m very happy to be working on a new Mega Man comic book, and I can’t wait to share my enthusiasm and excitement on the pages of this series with readers and fans everywhere!”

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Taylor + Di Nicuolo have ‘Seven Secrets’ to share in August

BOOM! Studios will publish a series about “seven powerful secrets” that could change the world.

Tom Taylor and Daniele Di Nicuolo are teaming up for a new series about “seven powerful secrets” that could change the world.

Seven Secrets #1 will arrive from BOOM! Studios in August, by the writer of The Deep and Suicide Squad, and the artist of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

“I can’t wait to share one of the most ambitious stories I’ve ever been a part of with every comic reader out there. Daniele’s art will make you fall in love with Caspar and our whole cast of characters,” said Taylor. “What are the Seven Secrets? Why are they so fiercely protected? Join me, Daniele, and BOOM! Studios for a chance to learn what’s been hidden.”

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BOOM! to release Tynion + Dialynas’ ‘Wynd’ in June

Originally scheduled for November, the graphic novel will now be a miniseries.

BOOM! Studios has announced that Wynd, the graphic novel by The Woods team of James Tynion IV, Michael Dialynas and Aditya Bidikar will now arrive as a miniseries, starting in June. It was originally scheduled for November.

“This unprecedented early release of Wynd allows us to deliver one of our biggest new series of the year to readers sooner than expected and provides comic shop retailers with another hit series in one of the most important months of the year,” said Matt Gagnon, Editor in Chief, BOOM! Studios. “We know that readers are looking for entertainment that transports us to another world, delivering characters you love and a journey you can’t wait to follow month to month–-which James, Michael and Aditya deliver in this incredible fantasy epic.”

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Johns + Fabok’s ‘Three Jokers’ will arrive in August

Geoff Johns, Jason Fabok and Brad Anderson’s long-awaited project gets delayed due to the coronavirus.

DC Comics has announced a new release date and revealed more preview art for Three Jokers, Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok’s Batman/Joker story that was scheduled for June.

“As more stores are finding ways to operate and service their customers, our release schedule is under constant review,” said SVP and Editor-In-Chief Bob Harras. “From placing orders to on sale, moving Batman: Three Jokers to August will enable more stores to order and sell this incredible story that Geoff and Jason have crafted.”

Check out the preview art below, featuring colors by Brad Anderson:

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Hulk’s evil alter ego gets an origin story in August

Peter David, Dale Keown and Germán Peralta present “Maestro” this summer.

The former Hulk creative team of Peter David and Dale Keown will reteam to tell the origin story of the Maestro, the evil, future version of the Hulk from the landmark Future Imperfect miniseries.

They’ll be joined by artist Germán Peralta as they reveal how the Maestro took over the world after a nuclear holocaust.

“I had no idea that when I first created the Maestro for Future Imperfect that he would have the kind of popularity and staying power he has now,” David told Marvel.com. “Until now, I’ve only been able to allude to his origins, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to explore them in this series, and I can’t wait for fans to see all the artwork that’s been coming in!”

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Waid + Adams team for a new Fantastic Four project

Neal Adams draws Marvel’s first family for the first time in ‘Fantastic Four: Antithesis.’

Neal Adams will draw a new story starring the Fantastic Four — his first time to draw the team in a full-length adventure.

“I have always had the sense of missing the chance to draw the Fantastic Four,” Adams told Marvel.com. “It was a quiet sense, since I’ve had every opportunity to do my favorites. More, I felt Kirby and Buscema had done it all, hadn’t they…? When Marvel’s Tom Brevoort asked if I’d like to do the Fantastic Four, I knew I had to ask for Galactus and the Silver Surfer as well. I am humbled and thankful to Tom for the opportunity.”

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‘The Dreaming: Waking Hours’ arrives in August

The new Sandman Universe series will feature a nightmare named Ruin, by G. Willow Wilson and Nick Robles.

After wrapping up The Dreaming with issue #20 last month, DC Comics has announced the follow-up series by Ms. Marvel co-creator G. Willow Wilson and Euthanauts artist Nick Robles — The Dreaming: Waking Hours — will now debut in August.

The story will focus on Ruin, “the nightmare of catastrophic failure,” who finds his way into the waking world.

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