‘Timeless’ sets up Marvel’s future this December

The one-shot written by Jed MacKay has an artist change since it was announced last week.

Timeless, one of the eight new tentpole titles coming out this winter that Marvel announced last week, will arrive in December with a boom — but without Joe Bennett.

The Immortal Hulk artist was originally announced to be working on the one-shot, but as confirmed by Newsarama, the artist will not be working on any future Marvel projects. While Marvel did not give a reason, Bennett has been in the news lately both for the anti-semitic imagery being displayed in the background of a panel of Immortal Hulk and for a controversial drawing he did of Brazil President Jair Messias Bolsonaro.

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ComiXology will publish Phillips + Krause’s ‘We Only Kill Each Other’

The gritty series featuring 1930s gangsters will arrive in November.

ComiXology Original’s newest comic will pit gangsters against Nazis in the 1930s, courtesy of Stephanie Phillips, Peter Krause, Ellie Wright and Troy Peteri.

We Only Kill Each Other will debut on the digital comics platform in November, followed by a print release from Dark Horse Comics next April.

“We Only Kill Each Other is the kind of story I love telling,” Phillips said in a press release. “It’s got a historical setting and flawed heroes, in this case Jewish gangsters who are opposing Nazis in New York City in the 1930s. It’s based on actual events but, at the same time, it unfortunately feels very contemporary as America wrestles with division in our streets. This feels like the right time to tell this story, and I couldn’t be happier to team with Peter, Ellie, Troy and Dave to tell it.” 

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Marvel Unlimited rolls out new features, exclusive comics

Marvel announces new ‘vertical comics’ from Jonathan Hickman, Declan Shalvey, Skottie Young, Kelly Thompson, Kaare Andrews and more that debut today on Marvel Unlimited.

After some teasers this week for their Marvel Unlimited app, Marvel has announced several enhancements for the digital comics subscription service, including the addition of new, exclusive comics under the banner “Infinity Comics.”

Other changes they announced include:

  • A streamlined design.
  • “Enhanced curation” and personalization, which will help recommend comics to read based on your reading habits.
  • The ability to follow your favorite series, stories and characters.
  • Unlimited downloads, for on-the-go reading.
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Comics Lowdown | Action Lab accused of lack of payment and more by their creators

Plus: Joe Bennett, Ninja Turtles, Substack and more!

Action Lab Entertainment, the publisher of Spencer & Locke, Princeless, Jupiter Jet, Midnight Tiger and Molly Danger, among many other titles, has come under scrutiny on social media by a long list of creators for the terms of their contracts, soliciting comics that are never published, lack of payment to creators and poor communications.

At Women Write About Comics, Claire Napier rounds up a number of these allegations against the publisher, from creators like Jeremy Whitley, John J. Peréz, Tom Rogers and Nick Marino, among others. Napier focuses a good portion of her article on Gordon McLean, writer of Supermom: Expecting Trouble, who went missing in December of 2019 around the time that the first issue of his comic was supposed to come out — but according to sources, the comic was canceled and McLean was never told.

Action Lab President Bryan Seaton spoke with Bleeding Cool in a very brief interview on the subject. He talks about many of the speed bumps the company hit during the COVID crisis, but as folks pointed out on Twitter, many of these issues predate the pandemic. Seaton did note he has set up an email address, alecreator@actionlabent.com, that creators can use to contact them directly about any outstanding issues regarding a title.

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DC + Webtoon’s first collaboration, ‘Wayne Family Adventures,’ is now live

The new comic focuses on the family life of Bruce Wayne and all his various vigilante kids.

DC and Webtoon, who announced a partnership last month, have launched their first webcomic just in time for Batman Day — Batman: Wayne Family Adventures.

The new comic, which you can read right here, focuses on Batman’s role as a father to all of his vigilante children. Three episodes went live today and feature Duke Thomas, aka The Signal, moving into the Wayne mansion; a family dinner featuring all the various Robins; and a Barbara Gordon-centric episode that has her bonding with her dad.

The comic is by the creative team of writer CRC Payne, lead artist StarBite, storyboard artist Maria Li, background artist Lan Ma, letterer Kielamel Sibal, and colorists C.M. Cameron, Camille Cruz and Jean Kim.

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Aaron + Asrar’s ‘King Conan’ will reign in December

Jason Aaron, Mahmud Asrar and Matt Wilson reunite to tell stories about an older Conan and his son.

Jason Aaron, Mahmud Asrar and Matt Wilson’s King Conan, which the creators first teased in early 2020, will finally take the throne in December.

The trio previously worked together on Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian title in 2019, on the first 12 issues of that title, but Aaron knew that wasn’t his final word on the character.

“I knew as soon as Mahmud, Matt and I finished ‘The Life and Death of Conan’ in Conan the Barbarian, one of the absolute personal highlights from my career as a comic book writer, that I wasn’t done hanging out with everyone’s favorite Cimmerian,” Aaron told Marvel.com. “As King Conan rode into the sunset at the end of that story, with his son, Prince Conn, by his side, I always knew where I wanted that story to take us next. Now at last comes that next chapter, as Mahmud, Matt and I reunite to reveal a pivotal moment in Conan’s life as a king, as a father, as a mortal enemy of snake-worshipping Stygian wizards and as a barbarian who was born to chase the wind, even to the ends of the earth.”

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Smash Pages Q&A: Kim Dwinell on ‘The Science of Surfing’

The creator of ‘The Surfside Girls’ graphic novels focuses on the science of the ocean in her new nonfiction graphic novel from Top Shelf.

Kim Dwinell made a splash with her comics debut, The Surfside Girls, and its sequel. The two fictional mystery books were about a pair of friends, Sam and Jade, who explored the natural world and the historical past of their fictional seaside town.

Dwinell’s new book is The Science of Surfing: A Surfside Girls Guide to the Ocean, which is a nonfiction book, but it feels very much like her other books. Some of this is simply because the book is narrated by the two main characters of the series, but it goes beyond the style of the book. Dwinell has from the beginning been interested in building a fictional world that is a character in its own right, but in finding ways to present a very tactile world to readers.

This new book is a nonfiction book that is just as masterfully told as her comics debut was. The book is out this month, and we spoke recently about how science is more than math, finding joy in nature and crafting a field guide to the Southern California coast for surfers.

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Kingpin unleashes Marvel’s ‘dark secrets’ in ‘Devil’s Reign’

Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto’s ‘Daredevil’ plans spill out into the rest of the Marvel Universe this December.

The latest boiling point in the eternal conflict between the Kingpin and Daredevil will arrive in December, as New York Mayor Wilson Fisk decides to take aim at the rest of the Marvel Universe’s heroes in Devil’s Reign.

Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto, who have been killing it on the ongoing Daredevil title, are the creative team behind the crossover event’s main miniseries, which will run for six issues. Marvel promises that it will be a “classic” crossover, spilling over into other Marvel titles and setting the stage for new ongoing series as well. Which makes sense, given that the regular Daredevil title will end right before the event begins.

“Our Daredevil plan just kept getting bigger and bigger, to the point where it would clearly affect the Marvel Universe in huge ways,” Zdarsky said. “Thankfully, Marvel recognized this as well and gave Marco and I the opportunity to tell the story on a massive stage with Devil’s Reign. This is a proper Marvel event springing from the pages of Daredevil and I think all Marvel readers will love what’s coming!”

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UK’s Royal Mail will issue DC stamps later this month

Jim Cheung’s artwork will grace envelopes across the United Kingdom starting Sept. 17.

After battling Darkseid and saving the multiverse multiple times over, the Justice League’s next task should be somewhat easier — ensuring mail is delivered across the United Kingdom.

Royal Mail provides mail service across the UK, and beginning Sept. 17, they will issue stamps featuring artist Jim Cheung’s renditions of several Batman characters as well as the Justice League. Characters range from Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman to Shazam!, Supergirl, Batwoman, Joker and even Alfred.

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Momoko’s ‘Demon Days’ continues in December with ‘Rising Storm’

Marvel will also release a ‘Creator’s Cut” edition of the first ‘Demon Days’ comic by Peach Momoko.

Over the last year Peach Momoko has been building out her own alternate universe that combines Japanese folklore with the Marvel Universe. Those stories continue in December with Demon Days: Rising Storm, the second-to-last one-shot set in the same world as the previous Demon Days comics.

The comic will continue to focus on Mariko’s journey, introducing Momoko’s version of Thor and Storm into the story.

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Can’t Wait for Comics | Jason returns this week with ‘Good Night, Hem’

New comics and graphic novels arrive this week from Joshua Cotter, Jeff Lemire, Chuck Brown, Valentine de Landro, E. Lockhart, Manuel Preitano, Zac Thompson and more.

Welcome to Can’t Wait for Comics, your guide to what comics are arriving in comic book stores, bookstores and on digital this week.

Check out a few highlights below, or visit Diamond’s website for this week’s almost complete list of new comics arriving in stores. You can visit Lunar Distribution’s home page to see DC’s releases, and the comiXology new releases page for what’s available digitally.

I should also add that the list of what is actually arriving at your local shop can vary from what’s on anyone’s official website for a myriad of reasons — so always check with your comics retailer for the final word on availability.

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‘X-Men,’ ‘The Magicians: New Class’ win at the 2021 Dragon Awards

Congratulations to this year’s winners.

The 2021 Dragon Awards were announced this past weekend during Dragon Con, recognizing science fiction and fantasy books, movies, video games and comics.

The awards, which have been presented annually since 2016, recognize comics in two categories — “Best Comic Book” and “Best Graphic Novel.” After a jury selected the nominees, the winners were selected in an open vote from the general public.

The winners are:

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