Magma Comix has big plans for 2024

The former comics publishing arm of Heavy Metal magazine has spun off into its own company, with several new titles planned for this spring.

Magma Comix launched back in 2020 as the comics publishing arm of Heavy Metal, the legendary science fiction and fantasy comics magazine that came to an end last year. Instead of letting the endeavor die off, the Magma team decided to spin the operation off and become an independent comics publisher.

“We are fortunate to have secured funding that will ensure Magma will maintain its creative freedom and independence, while providing capital and support necessary to establish long-term stability in an unpredictable industry,” said Magma Comix Founder and CEO Denton J. Tipton back in July. “Magma will lower the barriers to entry by making our line easy to navigate and by reducing risk for our retail partners. But above all, our team’s unique combination of creator relationships, industry knowledge, and passion for storytelling will unleash a creative eruption that we hope sets a new standard for comics.”

Earlier this week Magma began announcing plans for their comics line, starting with an impressive list of creators they’re working with that includes Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Eamon Winkle, Jason Starr, Dalibor Talajić, Steve Orlando and Megan Huang. They’ve also started announcing their first titles, which will arrive in April.

“Surely one of the most potent drugs in the world is the thrill of creation and I can confidently say our creators must be off their heads at this point,” said Magma Comix Editor-in-Chief Bobby Curnow. “All of our teams are pouring everything they have into their books, creating some of the best comics I’ve read in my fifteen years of editing. It’s been a real pleasure to help bring these stories into the world.”

Here’s a look at the two that have been announced thus far:

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‘Edge of Spider-Verse’ returns with more multiversal Spidersonas

Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Travel Foreman and more will contribute to the first issue.

Marvel will return to the Spider-Verse next year for another shot of stories featuring alternate reality versions of Spider-Man. The four-issue Edge of Spider-Verse will kick off in February.

Much like the popular film series featuring Miles Morales and every other version of Spider-Man (and -Woman) you can imagine, these miniseries have introduced readers to new characters like Spider-Rex, Spider-Killer and Spinstress, the Disney princess Spidersona.

Here’s a look at what to expect in the first issue:

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Xenomorphs are out for the red stuff in ‘Alien: Black, White & Blood’

The anthology miniseries featuring three-color stories kicks off in February.

Having laid havoc on the Marvel and Star Wars universes, the Black, White & Blood anthology makes a detour into the Alien universe. Marvel announces Alien: Black, White & Blood, a four-issue, three-color miniseries that begins in February.

Here’s what you’ll find in the first issue:

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Marvel’s ‘Timeless’ returns in December to reveal the future Moon Knight, Power Man

Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly and Juann Cabal will show readers a throwdown at the end of the Marvel timeline.

Marvel’s Timeless, a one-shot they’ve released in December to tease storylines for the coming year, will return in December, the publisher announced in San Diego.

For the last two years, the one-shot has been written by Jed Mackay and featured Kang. This year, Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly will write it, with Juann Cabal on art. The comic will feature the “Earth’s only surviving super hero,” a familiar-looking one named Power Man, who will do battle with Immortal Moon Knight, a “cruel god-like” being who also looks very familiar.

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‘Outsiders’ get a ‘Planetary’-style makeover in a new series

Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly will helm the new series, which starts in November.

At a panel in San Diego today focused on all things Gotham, writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly revealed they’re working on a new Outsiders title, which will feature Batwoman and Luke Fox (aka Batwing).

But hey, if you get some Planetary vibes from the main cover — the old Wildstorm title by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday — you aren’t alone. Not only does the series feature a new version of The Drummer, but Luke Fox seems to be sporting an Elijah Snow-esque ensemble:

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Winter Soldier forms a new Thunderbolts team in December

Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing and Geraldo Borges plot a new course for Bucky Barnes, Black Widow, Shang-Chi and more.

Marvel will launch a new Thunderbolts comic in December by recent Captain America writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, and artist Geraldo Borges. Kelly and Lanzing’s helped architect the recent Cold War crossover and Bucky Barnes’ new role in the Marvel Universe, which will be the focus of the new title.

The new line-up includes Black Widow and White Widow, as well as U.S. Agent, Red Guardian, Shang-Chi and Sharon Carter, aka Destroyer. They are led by Winter Soldier and Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine — so it’s very close to the line-up for the upcoming Thunderbolts film.

“Welcome to Operation: Worldstrike! The Hivemind is wildly excited to continue the saga we began with Carmen Carnero in Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty—while also starting anew with a dangerous and unpredictable cast from across the Marvel Universe,” Kelly and Lanzing said. “The call has gone out to all those who call the shadows their home; every spy, assassin, and renegade has a part to play in Bucky Barnes’ all-encompassing and uncompromising hit on the singular, monstrous living symbol of fascism: the Red Skull. Alongside our old friend Geraldo Borges, we’re taking this opportunity to tell a very different kind of team book. This is a whole new era for the Thunderbolts and it starts with a four-part espionage epic, an ever-shifting cast and a single overarching goal: to tear down a century of Nazi evil with justice like lightning.”

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Kelly, Lanzing + Carnero’s final Captain America story arrives in August

‘Captain America Finale’ follows ‘Cold War’ and wraps up the conflict with the Outer Circle.

Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing and Carmen Carnero’s time on Captain America will come to an end in August in Captain America Finale #1, which follows the Captain America: Cold War story currently running through Marvel’s two Captain America titles.

Finale will address, according to Marvel, the “explosive aftermath” of Cold War, which features Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson and friends battling the Outer Circle and its newest member, Bucky Barnes.

Kelly, Lanzing and Carnero are the creative team for Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty, which seems to be ending, but the story on Marvel.com does not address the future of its sister title, Captain America: Symbol of Truth. My first thought was, “Is Steve Rogers dying again?” but we know he’s in the upcoming Uncanny Avengers, so I don’t think that’s the case.

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Slugfest | Groo goes wild in a new miniseries

Plus: Batman Beyond, more Birdking, Thor vs. M.O.D.O.K., the return of ‘Fire Power,’ Hellfire Gala fashion and more.

Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you. Hit the links for more information.

Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier will reunite for Groo: In the Wild, a new miniseries that kicks off in July.

The duo is joined by letterer Stan Sakai and colorist Carrie Strachan for a story that sees the barbarian and his dog looking for food. Things go downhill from there, in typical Groo fashion.

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‘Day of Blood’ flows through IDW’s Star Trek titles this summer

Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Christopher Cantwell and Mike Feehan will kick off the crossover event on Free Comic Book Day.

Two of IDW’s ongoing Star Trek titles will come together for a crossover event later this year — Star Trek: Day of Blood. The story will kick off in IDW’s Free Comic Book Day issue on May 6, then run through issues of Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant.

Prelude to Day of Blood, the Free Comic Book Day issue, will be co-written by Star Trek writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and Star Trek: Defiant writer Christopher Cantwell. Mike Feehan will provide the art.

“I’ve been nothing short of ecstatic to be a part of this new, larger Star Trek initiative at IDW,” says Cantwell. “There were moments in our writers’ room with Jackson and Collin where I couldn’t believe we were really doing this—not just telling one Star Trek story but weaving together multiple Trek stories at the same time, with plotlines from Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant converging. We threw all our boldest ideas and best character pairings into a story of pure chaos, starship battles, and real epic dramatic resonance you can only achieve in the scope of comics.”

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Marvel will launch a new ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ series in April

Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Kev Walker and Matt Hollingsworth chart a new course into Marvel’s cosmic frontier.

Marvel has announced that co-writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, along with artist Kev Walker and colorist Matt Hollingsworth, will plot a new course for the Guardians of the Galaxy beginning in April.

The team, which will consist of Star-Lord, Gamora, Nebula, Drax and Mantis, will “venture to new, never-before-seen planets, encounter brand-new alien species, and discover long-hidden galaxy-bending truths that will make readers question everything they thought they knew about the cosmic side of Marvel.”

I dig the Western vibe they have going in the preview art:

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Batman villains steal the spotlight in ‘One Bad Day’ one-shots

Tom King, Mitch Gerads, G. Willow Wilson, Jamie McKelvie and more tell new stories about Riddler, Catwoman, Bane and more.

DC Comics spent the day on social media revealing a series of eight one-shots starring Batman’s villains by a variety of comics’ finest.

The 64-page one-shots will feature The Riddler, Two-Face, The Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Catwoman, Bane, Clayface and Ra’s al Ghul, by the likes of Tom King, Mitch Gerads, John Ridley and more. They’ll be released monthly starting in August.

Here’s a rundown of who is doing what, along with cover art for six of the projects:

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‘Devil’s Reign’ gets all sorts of crazy crossover titles in January + February

Moon Knight, Spider-Man, Emma Frost and more get caught up in the Kingpin’s war on superheroes.

Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto’s epic run on Daredevil will give way to a crossover event called Devil’s Reign in December, one of several “tentpole” events Marvel announced in August. And in the Mighty Marvel fashion, the main Devil’s Reign title will be accompanied by all sorts of tie-in titles in January, February and beyond.

In case you missed the news, Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto, the creative team for the ongoing Daredevil title, are also the creative team behind the crossover event’s main miniseries. It will run for six issues and will see the Kingpin “bring his full criminal and political power to bear on the super heroes who call NYC home.” Yep, NYC’s mayor is declaring war on the superhero community, and he’s got his new team of Thunderbolts on his side.

Let’s take a look at what’s coming in January and February …

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