Zdarsky + Mendonca + Angiolini take the Justice League on a ‘Last Ride’

The DC Digital First miniseries starts in April.

Chip Zdarsky, Miguel Mendonça and Enrica Eren Angiolini will explore what happens after the Justice League breaks up in Justice League: Last Ride, a DC Digital First series coming in April.

After an “unthinkable tragedy,” the League split up, but the universe’s greatest murder trial pulls them back together. “It’s about the Justice League being cut down at their height, about hard decisions and friendship,” Zdarsky said in his email newsletter. “They’re brought together for the universe’s greatest murder trial in the hopes that they can create a universe that no longer needs a Justice League.”

Continue reading “Zdarsky + Mendonca + Angiolini take the Justice League on a ‘Last Ride’”

Zdarsky + Ferry cast a ‘Spider’s Shadow’ in April

The What If?-style story examines what might have happened if Peter Parker kept his symbiote suit.

Chip Zdarsky, Pasqual Ferry and Matt Hollingsworth will explore a “What If?” style universe where Peter Parker not only kept the symbiote suit he found on an alien world in the original Secret Wars, but he also embraced its darkness.

Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow will tell a darker Spider-Man story in April.

“I’m thrilled to be kicking off a new era of What If? stories with this tale of a Spider-Man gone bad! How bad will he be? Will he have a goatee and no hyphen in his name? Pick up issue one to find out! But seriously, I feel that with Spider’s Shadow we’re exploring some dark situations with Spidey and the Marvel Universe, while making it cool and fun to read. I think longtime fans will love it and new readers will be amazed at what Marvel lets us do,” Zdarsky told Marvel.com. “Pasqual and Matt are producing amazing work on this book. When every page comes in, I share them with all of my friends even though Marvel says I’m not allowed to do that.”

Continue reading “Zdarsky + Ferry cast a ‘Spider’s Shadow’ in April”

Tamaki, Campbell and more win 2020 Joe Shuster Awards

Seth, Bernie Mireault inducted into the Canadian Comic Book Creator Hall of Fame.

The winners of the 2020 Joe Shuster Awards were announced this weekend, recognizing outstanding achievement in the creation of comic books, graphic novels and webcomics by Canadian creators.

Joe Shuster, drawn by Tom Grummett

Established in 2004, The Joe Shuster Awards are named in honor of Superman co-creator Joe Shuster. Nominees must be either Canadian citizens or permanent residents in Canada. The winners were chosen by a jury.

Congratulations to this year’s winners, whose names are in bold below:

Continue reading “Tamaki, Campbell and more win 2020 Joe Shuster Awards”

‘Batman: Urban Legends’ anthology title launches in March

First issue will feature stories about Batman and his entourage by Chip Zdarsky, Eddy Barrows, Stephanie Phillips and more.

DC has announced a new, monthly anthology title focused on Batman and all his Gotham City friends.

The first six issues will include a story by Chip Zdarsky and Eddy Barrows, featuring a team-up between Batman and the Red Hood.

“… this has been a ton of fun to work on,” Zdarsky said in his email newsletter. “I’m not going to lie, growing up on the comics, TV shows and movies, it was like Batman raised me. Like he was a father to me and I was simply another one of his Robins, trained to fight in daddy’s war.”

Continue reading “‘Batman: Urban Legends’ anthology title launches in March”

Zdarsky + Perez team for ‘Stillwater’ from Skybound

The horror series will explore a town where ‘nobody dies.’

Chip Zdarsky (Howard the Duck, Sex Criminals, Daredevil) and Ramon Perez (Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, Jane) are teaming up for a new horror series called Stillwater for Skybound/Image Comics.

“I’m thrilled people are finally going to see Stillwater! This idea’s been percolating in my for years now, and it’s been fun working with Ramon to build this tiny, strange world! I’ve always wanted to write a horror comic so I can show the world that I’m not JUST creepy, I can also write creepy!” said Zdarsky. “I love getting to explore immortality on a small stage, the idea that you can live forever but just within such a constrained space. It’s been a treat getting to write characters struggling with that terrifying deal.”

Continue reading “Zdarsky + Perez team for ‘Stillwater’ from Skybound”

‘X-Men/Fantastic Four’ mini coming in February

Chip Zdarsky, Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson and Laura Martin bring the two teams together.

Marvel has announced a new X-Men/Fantastic Four miniseries by Chip Zdarsky, Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson and Laura Martin. The story will revolve around Franklin Richards and whether he chooses to go live with all the mutants on Krakoa, their new island nation.

That question stems directly from House of X #1, where Cyclops invited the young hero to come join them.

“I loved that scene in House of X #1 and I knew it needed to be expanded upon, so when I saw the opportunity to pitch this mini, the Franklin question was the heart of it,” Zdarsky, who wrote members of the Fantastic Four in the pages of Marvel Two-In-One, told Newsarama. “Both Jonathan Hickman and Dan Slott have been very encouraging and gracious in allowing me to do what I’ve pitched. Which is surprising. I feel like I’m being punked on some level. You’d tell me if I was, yeah?”

Continue reading “‘X-Men/Fantastic Four’ mini coming in February”

Zdarsky, Carroll and more take home 2019 Shuster Awards

Annual awards recognize outstanding achievement in the creation of comic books, graphic novels and webcomics by Canadians.

The winners of the 15th annual Joe Shuster Awards were announced this weekend, which included Chip Zdarsky, Emily Carroll, Karl Kerschl and more.

Established in 2004, The Joe Shuster Awards are Canada’s national award recognizing outstanding achievement in the creation of comic books, graphic novels and webcomics. Named in honor of Superman co-creator Joe Shuster, the awards recognize the best of the Canadian comics world; nominees must be either Canadian citizens or permanent residents in Canada. The winners were chosen by a jury.

Congratulations to this year’s winners, whose names are in bold below::

Continue reading “Zdarsky, Carroll and more take home 2019 Shuster Awards”

Zdarsky + Loo offer you a ride to Hell in ‘Afterlift’

New miniseries coming later this year from comiXology Originals.

Chip Zdarsky and Jason Loo will tell the story of a ride-share driver with a literal passenger from Hell in Afterlift, a five-issue series from comiXology Originals.

The project was announced today during a press conference at Comic-Con International. Zdarsky and Loo are joined by Paris Alleyne on colors, letterer Aditya Bidikar and editor Allison O’Toole.

“The upcoming publication of Afterlift marks a major turning point in the literary career of Chip Zdarsky, award-considered writer,” said Zdarsky. “Someday soon an Afterlift trade paperback will sit on the shelves of libraries around the world, alongside dusty, leather bound tomes of John Milton’s Paradise Lost and other books.”

Continue reading “Zdarsky + Loo offer you a ride to Hell in ‘Afterlift’”

All-star line-up assembles for new Spider-Man tale

‘Amazing Spider-Man: Full Circle’ will feature appearances by Nick Fury, Wolverine and Peter Porker.

Marvel has announced a new Spider-Man project titled “Full Circle,” which brings the character together with Wolverine, Nick Fury and Peter Porker — and features the work of a Murderer’s Row of writers and artist.

I mean, check out this line-up: Written by Nick Spencer, Jonathan Hickman, Gerry Duggan, Al Ewing, Chip Zdarsky, Kelly Thompson and Jason Aaron; Art by Chris Bachalo, Chris Sprouse, Greg Smallwood, Michael Allred, Rachael Stott, Valerio Schiti, Cameron Stewart and Mark Bagley; Cover by Rod Reis.

Continue reading “All-star line-up assembles for new Spider-Man tale”

Zdarsky, Anka + Wilson reunite for new fantasy miniseries

The two-issue ‘The White Trees’ miniseries kicks off in August.

For one hot minute back in 2016, Chip Zdarsky, Kris Anka and Matt Wilson teamed up on Marvel’s Star-Lord, but the title seemingly ended almost as soon as it began. Which is a shame, because they seemed to be having a lot of fun on it.

Cut to 2019, and the team’s back together — this time on an Image Comics miniseries called The White Trees.

“I’m beyond thrilled to be working with Kris and Matt again!” bellowed Zdarsky. “Are they thrilled to be working with me again? It really doesn’t matter as I tricked them into signing a contract by using the words ‘hot fantasy.’ Legally, they have to illustrate this tale of fraught relationships forged in war and the complexities of fatherhood. Or suffer the consequences.”

Continue reading “Zdarsky, Anka + Wilson reunite for new fantasy miniseries”

Smash Pages’ favorite comics of 2018

See what the Smash Pages’ staff enjoyed reading this past year.

With 2018 winding down, Smash Pages’ contributors take a look back at some of their favorite comics of the year, from Hey Kiddo and Spectacular Spider-Man #310 to Wet Moon and The Secret Voice.

Brigid Alverson

Silver Spoon, by Hiromu Arakawa (Yen Press)
Arakawa is best known as the creator of Fullmetal Alchemist, but you couldn’t get any farther from that series than Silver Spoon, a comedy about a city boy who goes to agricultural school in rural Hokkaido. Yuugo Hachiken worked hard and did everything he was told, but he still didn’t get into an elite high school, so he takes what he thinks is the easy way out by going to a school that’s not academically focused—or so he thinks. In fact, the students at Ooezo Agricultural High School are very knowledgeable in their fields, but those fields are things like genetics and animal husbandry. The rubber really hits the road in the practical lessons, though, and Hachiken quickly realizes he is out of his depth when it comes to herding chickens, riding a horse, or fetching a stray calf. There’s a lot of city mouse-country mouse comedy in this series, but it’s also a fascinating look at where our food comes from (at least in Japan), and the different agricultural models espoused by different farmers. In fact, like Hachiken’s classmates, this book is very smart and sophisticated in addition to being endlessly entertaining.

Meal, by Blue Delliquanti and Soleil Ho (Iron Circus)
The idea of eating bugs may elicit an “Eeeww” from most people, but Delliquanti and Ho go beyond the ick factor in this romance about an insect cuisine enthusiast and a chef who wants to start a new restaurant based on the dishes of her youth—dishes that include ants, grasshoppers, and tarantulas. There’s a love story woven in there as well. Yarrow has just moved to a new city in hopes of getting a job in the kitchen of Chandra Flores, insect chef extraordinaire, who is about to launch a new restaurant. Milani, her neighbor, is friendly and helpful but the two have a little trouble making it click. At the same time, Chandra suspects that Yarrow is only into insect cuisine because it’s sensational, while to her, it’s part of her heritage. There’s a lot in this slim volume: Love, food, bugs, and bugs that are food, and the creators even include a couple of recipes at the end of the book.

Continue reading “Smash Pages’ favorite comics of 2018”

Zdarsky, Checchetto head to Hell’s Kitchen as the new ‘Daredevil’ creative team

New team takes over in February.

Writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Marco Checchetto will chronicle the adventures of Daredevil starting February, Marvel.com revealed this week.

The new team follows Charles Soule and Phil Noto’s run on Matt Murdock’s alter-ego — a run that ends with a storyline called “The Death of Daredevil.”

“A lot of writers in the past have left Daredevil in terrible situations at the end of their runs,” Soule said in a promotional video released by Marvel in September. “Brian Michael Bendis put him in prison for Ed Brubaker to handle; Mark Waid, who preceded me, had Daredevil in San Francisco, his secret identity was blown, he wasn’t a lawyer anymore. I had to handle all of that. So, I wanted to carry on in the tradition of leaving Daredevil in the worst spot imaginable, and letting the next writer somehow deal with this impossible problem that Matt would never get out of. And I wanted to make mine the biggest one that has ever been done.”

Continue reading “Zdarsky, Checchetto head to Hell’s Kitchen as the new ‘Daredevil’ creative team”