Tag: comic books

Can’t Wait for Saturday | Free Comic Book Day brings Absolute Power, Jonny Quest + more

Check out a few of the cool + free comics you’ll find at your local retailer this Saturday.

The comic industry’s biggest holiday returns tomorrow as shops around the world bring you Free Comic Book Day, the annual event that yes, indeed, does offer you free comics.

The annual event started in 2002 based on an idea from retailer Joe Field, owner of Flying Colors Comics and Other Cool Stuff in Concord, California. Since then, it’s become a cultural phenomenon, typically coming on the first Saturday in May, though sometimes in the past that wavered based on a new comic book movie’s release date. You can find a participating shop on the FCBD website, and see if any of your local shops are holding special events, sales or creator signings in conjunction with the event.

But of course, the focus is on the free comics. Many publishers use it as an opportunity to reshare a recent favorite or offer a prelude to an upcoming storyline or crossover. Still other will produce something wholly original or introduce a brand new title.

I’ve pulled out a few that look interesting to me below, and you can find the complete list of what could be available at your local shop on the FCBD site. Some things to keep in mind:

  • Not every retailer may have every title. Depending on their shop, they may elect to only have titles they think will excite their clientele.
  • Some retailers may limit the number of free comics you can take, while others may require a purchase.
  • Speaking of which, while titles are free to consumers, they are not free to retailers. So you may want to think about buying some other comics while you’re there regardless.
  • Some of the titles will also be available digitally, in case you can’t make it out on Saturday. So be sure to check your favorite digital comics site on Saturday as well.
Continue reading “Can’t Wait for Saturday | Free Comic Book Day brings Absolute Power, Jonny Quest + more”

Darick Robertson + Stephen B. Jones bring ‘Greaser: Gemini Blues’ to Magma Comix

The new sci-fi romance series kicks off in July.

Darick Robertson has made a name for himself as an artist on comics like The Boys, New Warriors, Transmetropolitan, Happy! and many more titles, but this summer he’ll take the reigns as a writer on Greaser: Gemini Blues with artist Stephen B. Jones.

They’ll be joined by colorist Marcus Collar and letterer Shawn Lee on the “post-apocalyptic sci-fi romance series” that involves aliens, biodomes and star-crossed lovers.

“Venturing into a new area of my creativity, I am excited to be writing an original idea and work with my talented friend Stephen B. Jones, who is expanding from animation and into comics,” Robertson said. “Magma is a great home for this as they too are venturing into new territory and are supportive of creators in a way that gives us the internal support we need to get a book published but with the creative freedom to try some new ideas and different directions. I’m hoping to take my world-building skills acquired from years of making and co-creating original comics and craft a series that is unlike anything I’ve done before.”

Continue reading “Darick Robertson + Stephen B. Jones bring ‘Greaser: Gemini Blues’ to Magma Comix”

BOOM! welcomes the darkness in a new horror anthology this summer

‘Hello Darkness’ will include stories about everything from ‘primal fears to modern political horror’ by Garth Ennis, Becky Cloonan, R.L. Stine, Francesco Francavilla, James Tynion IV, Werther Dell’Edera and more.

Back in their very early days, BOOM! Studios released a couple of horror anthologies titled Zombie Tales and Cthulhu Tales, which ran for 12 issues each and featured stories by the likes of Mark Waid, Keith Giffen, Steve Niles, William Messner-Loebs, Joe R. Lansdale, Fabio Moon and many more. Now BOOM! is getting back into the horror anthology business with Hello Darkness, which kicks off this summer.

The title will feature “the darkest stories yet,” promising to cover everything from “primal fears to modern political horrors.” The first six issues will include a new Something Is Killing The Children story by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera.

“My whole careers started writing comic shorts, so it’s very exciting to bring it all around full circle and tell a SIKTC story in that format. The story Werther and I are going to be telling here is one that’s been in the back of my mind for almost five years, and I’m thrilled we finally have the perfect platform to bring that story to readers,” Tynion said.

Continue reading “BOOM! welcomes the darkness in a new horror anthology this summer”

Massive Publishing + Masked Republic tag-team to launch Luchaverse comics featuring Rey Mysterio + Tinieblas Jr.

‘Luchaverse: Catalyst’ #1 will feature stories by Ivan Plaza, Marco Lopez, Ben Harvey, Diego Simone and more.

Wrestling fans have known for years that WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio is a big superhero fan, based on the numerous times he’s dressed up as Wolverine, Captain America, Flash and more at big events. But now a new comic will imagine the world’s most famous luchador as a superhero himself.

Massive Publishing and Masked Republic, a company that represents luchadores outside of Mexico, are teaming up to launch The Luchaverse, a new line of comics starring luchadores like Mysterio and Tiniebelas Jr. By day they might be fighting in the ring, but at night “those with an ancient secret lineage serve humanity as monster hunters and world protectors.” Which I kind of already suspected Mysterio was doing in his off hours.

“Being able to bring some of today’s biggest names in lucha libre into our original story world and break the mold of what lucha libre films were, and what wrestling related comics have been, is a dream come true for me,” said Ruben Zamora, Masked Republic founder & CEO, and the co-creator of the Luchaverse.

Continue reading “Massive Publishing + Masked Republic tag-team to launch Luchaverse comics featuring Rey Mysterio + Tinieblas Jr.”

Ron Robbins + Laura Braga play a game of ‘Truth or Dare’ with Archie Horror

The one-shot will bring Trula Twyst into the Archie Horror-verse for some fun and games.

I would think one of the fun things about working on the Archie Horror line would be that you could grab your copy of the Archie Encyclopedia, open it to a random page, point at a character and ask, “Ok, what evil thing can we do with them?”

Archie has a vast library of characters just waiting for their turn to do something terrible, or at least have something terrible done to them. Which brings me to Chilling Adventures Presents … Truth or Dare, a new one-shot announced by Archie this week. It brings a character named Trula Twyst into the Archie Horror universe, and based on her encyclopedia entry, I suspect she was destined to be there all along:

Continue reading “Ron Robbins + Laura Braga play a game of ‘Truth or Dare’ with Archie Horror”

BOOM!’s ‘Power Rangers’ titles will end in July

Melissa Flores and Simona Di Gianfelice will bring the current storyline to an end in the ‘Darkest Hour’ one-shot.

BOOM! Studios has announced the end of the current iteration of their Mighty Morphin Power Rangers titles, which will reach their conclusion in July with the one-shot Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour. That will follow Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #122, the final issue of the main series, which has been published for eight years.

Writer Melissa Flores will team with artist Simona Di Gianfelice and colorist Raúl Angulo on the one-shot.

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

Continue reading “BOOM!’s ‘Power Rangers’ titles will end in July”

Jason Aaron, Paul Davidson + Alex Lins explore Marvel’s undersea world in ‘Namor’

The eight-issue miniseries kicks off in July.

If you thought Jason Aaron’s time at Marvel was over when his exclusivity ended, think again. The writer of Thor, Avengers and Punisher will work with Paul Davidson and Alex Lins on an eight-issue miniseries starring one of Marvel’s first characters, Namor the Sub-Mariner.

“The Last King of Atlantis” will start with the antihero in prison, never intending to return to the sea. Meanwhile, seven would-be kings vie for the throne of Atlantis.

“He’s always been a guy who has wavered back and forth between outright hero and outright villain, while spending a lot of time floating around somewhere in the middle,” Aaron told Marvel.com about Namor. “And all of that has left him in a very dark place, locked in a surface world prison, praying he never has to set foot in the seas again. That’s where our story begins.”

Continue reading “Jason Aaron, Paul Davidson + Alex Lins explore Marvel’s undersea world in ‘Namor’”

Kurt Busiek, Fabian Nicieza + Stephen Mooney bring ‘Free Agents’ to Image Comics

The new “superhero series with a twist” debuts in July.

Two veteran superhero writers will return to the genre with a fun concept. Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza — who, between them, have written X-Men, Justice League, Avengers, Superman, X-Force, Astro City, New Warriors and countless other superheroes — are teaming up with artist Stephen Mooney, colorist Triona Tree Farrell and letterer Tyler Smith for Free Agents.

“It’s a superhero series with a twist,” Busiek said. “The Agents were done. They were retired, and had started building new lives, going to college, making themselves a place here on Earth. And then it all starts coming back.”

Continue reading “Kurt Busiek, Fabian Nicieza + Stephen Mooney bring ‘Free Agents’ to Image Comics”

‘Star Wars: Inquisitors’ hunt the Jedi in July

The popular minions of Darth Vader serve the Dark Side this summer, courtesy of Rodney Barnes and Ramon Rosanas.

The Inquisitors — the force-wielding minions of the Empire who hunted the Jedi for Darth Vader — have appeared in comics, on TV and in video games, and are set to star in their own miniseries coming from Marvel this summer.

Writer Rodney Barnes and artist Ramon Rosanas will send the “Redblades” after Tensu Run, a Jedi who survived the purge caused by Order 66 and seeks to rebuild the Jedi Order in that harrowing time between Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: A New Hope.

“It’s such an honor to be writing the very first Inquisitors solo story,” Barnes told StarWars.com. “I love this time period of Star Wars lore because it’s the one I grew up on — when Darth Vader and the Empire were imposing their will on the entire galaxy. Plus, I got to create an all-new legendary Jedi with Tensu Run! Truly the best of times!”

Continue reading “‘Star Wars: Inquisitors’ hunt the Jedi in July”

Marguerite Bennett + Giuseppe Cafaro reimagine ‘Witchblade’ this summer

Top Cow relaunches the 1990s character with a new origin.

Witchblade, arguably the most well-known creation from Top Cow’s early days, will return this summer in a new series by writer Marguerite Bennett and artist Giuseppe Cafaro.

Along with Witchblade co-creator Marc Silvestri, the duo will reimagine the character’s origin, with “contemporary takes on familiar characters.” Witchblade first debuted in 1995 and was created by Silvestri, editor David Wohl, writers Brian Haberlin and Christina Z, and artist Michael Turner. This new series has Sara Pezzini back as the wielder of the Witchblade gauntlet, after a 2017 series cast journalist Alex Underwood as the Witchblade.

“The ability to tell a story full of monsters, sexuality, vision, and history was irresistible,” said Bennett. “Our saga is sleek, vicious, ferocious, and has a lot to say about power in the 21st century and will be the first time that we are stopping the roller coaster to let more people on. I’ve loved Witchblade since I was a child, and there is truly no other heroine like Sara with such an iconic legacy and such a rich, brutal relationship to her own body.” 

Continue reading “Marguerite Bennett + Giuseppe Cafaro reimagine ‘Witchblade’ this summer”

Kaare Andrews returns to Spider-Man for a ‘Reign’ sequel

‘The most infamous Spider-Man story ever told’ will continue in a five-issue miniseries this summer.

It’s been almost two decades since Kaare Andrews’ Spider-Man: Reign imagined an authoritarian future New York where an elderly Peter Parker put his mask back on to stand up to an evil mayor and his jackboot police force. Andrews and Marvel will return to that world this summer in Spider-Man: Reign 2.

“I never imagined that I would ever be creating a sequel to a comic series from so long ago, my first major work in comics,” Andrews said. “Nor did I anticipate that a four-issue miniseries would continue to vibrate in the public consciousness today. But without fail, Spider-Man: Reign is mentioned in articles, lists and social media posts.”

The four-issue miniseries had many controversial moments, causing fans to either love or hate it. In the series, Mary Jane had died from cancer after exposure to Peter Parker’s radioactive semen over the years. But it also gave the Hypno-Hustler a prominent role, so it wasn’t all bad.

“Many call it the most infamous Spider-Man story ever told. But for me, what’s kept it relevant is the love behind creating that book,” Andrews said. “This is the character I grew up with, the one that taught me how to be a man, how to live with failure and keep standing back up, the unrelenting force of trying to make things better.”

Continue reading “Kaare Andrews returns to Spider-Man for a ‘Reign’ sequel”

Old rivals + new attractions strike in ‘Fence Challengers: Long Shot’

The popular BOOM! Box series returns from C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad.

The award-winning team of C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad are back with another volume of Fence, their comic series about an aspiring fencing champion published by BOOM! Studios’ BOOM! Box imprint.

Fence Challengers: Long Shot will debut in July, and follows the original 12-issue series that ran in 2017-2018, two subsequent graphic novels and the miniseries Fence: Redemption, which was released last year.

“The State championship begins,” Pacat said. “Everything the boys of Fence have fought for is on the line. Get ready for some epic showdowns–this is my favorite volume yet!”

Continue reading “Old rivals + new attractions strike in ‘Fence Challengers: Long Shot’”