‘Four-Color Heroes,’ ‘Doctor Aphra’ win at the GLAAD Media Awards

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation recognized comics from Marvel and Fanbase Press in their 35th annual Media Awards.

Four-Color Heroes and Doctor Aphra took home awards at the 35th annual GLAAD Media Awards, which recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBTQ+ community and the issues that affect their lives.

GLAAD recognizes the comic arts in two categories — “Outstanding Comic Book” and “Outstanding Original Graphic Novel/Anthology.” The awards were given out Thursday night at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, across categories that recognized film, television, video games and more. Other winners included the TV show Yellowjackets and the video game Baldur’s Gate 3.

Continue reading “‘Four-Color Heroes,’ ‘Doctor Aphra’ win at the GLAAD Media Awards”

Quick Hits | NFT collectibles company VeVe launches a digital comics platform

Plus: Dog Man teams with Little Free Library, the direct market at 50, Todd Klein and more.

Here’s another story coming out of Marvel’s South by Southwest panel in Austin yesterday — VeVe, an online collectibles site that sells NFT collectibles and artwork, has launched a digital comics storefront that now includes more than 300 titles from Marvel.

VeVe already has partnerships in place with Marvel, DC, Todd McFarlane and more to sell NFTs. Now they’ve expanded to selling digital comics that can be read in their app (much like Amazon), as well as “limited edition” versions of those same comics. These cost more but are collectible NFTs that can be sold in their marketplace and read using their augmented reality reader (which I’m very curious to see, especially if it can be used with the Apple Vision Pro). Each limited edition comic comes in a variety of variant covers, which apparently you buy “blind” and hope you get a rare one.

While Marvel is the only company currently on the platform, VeVe says they plan to expand that in the future.

“Being passionate readers and collectors ourselves, we recognized that digital comics fans have been calling for a more immersive experience,” said David Yu, CEO and co-founder of VeVe. “Our aim is to create a platform that makes comics discovery fun and easy—one that’s centered on function and design, fosters community and accessibility for all. We understood those pain points and created VeVe Comics to be the solution.”

Continue reading “Quick Hits | NFT collectibles company VeVe launches a digital comics platform”

Marvel reveals nine new X-titles as a part of ‘From the Ashes’

Gail Simone, David Marquez, Eve L. Ewing, Carmen Carnero, Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman will plot a new course for the X-Men following the end of the Krakoa era.

During their panel at South by Southwest today, Marvel revealed their plans for the X-Men post-Krakoa, which include three core titles sporting the name “X-Men” as well as six other titles.

As most fans likely guessed, Gail Simone will write one of the core titles, Uncanny X-Men, joined by artist David Marquez. Current Avengers writer Jed MacKay and artist Ryan Stegman spearhead the adjectiveless X-Men, and Eve Ewing and Carmen Carnero team up for Exceptional X-Men.

“The X-Men are fractured in the aftermath of the end of Krakoa, scattered across the globe without a central base of operation,” Marvel Executive Editor Tom Brevoort said. “What that means in practice is that all three titles carrying the name X-Men are core X-Men series—they all center around one of the major aspects of what the team has been about at different points. This is very much by design. We want to field a wide assortment of X-titles with different styles and tones and approaches, an X-Men book for virtually any taste.”

The other titles teased at the panel include solo titles for Storm, Wolverine and Phoenix, as well as some familiar team titles — X-Factor, X-Force and NYX.

“I think X-Fans are special in that we identify with having something different about us…and you’re going to feel that in this book, and what it means to have that thing about you that’s different, or exceptional. We go deep into the emotional part of that,” Simone told the crowd in Austin.

More details on the three core titles can be found below …

Continue reading “Marvel reveals nine new X-titles as a part of ‘From the Ashes’”

An X-Men era ends, and a new one begins, this summer

Gerry Duggan, Kieron Gillen, Al Ewing, Lucas Werneck, Joshua Cassara, Chris Claremont, Gail Simone and more contribute to an oversized issue celebrating 700 issues of ‘Uncanny X-Men.’

If you’re looking for the comic that will put the period — or maybe exclamation point — on the X-Men’s Krakoa era, look no further than X-Men #35, which arrives in June.

According to Marvel, the issue will also mark 700 issues of Uncanny X-Men, the flagship “X” title for the past 60 years, so it’ll also be an oversized issue featuring stories by a variety of creators. Those include some from the Krakoa-era, including Gerry Duggan, Kieron Gillen, Al Ewing, Lucas Werneck and Joshua Cassara, as well as legendary Uncanny X-Men writer Chris Claremont.

“Being a part of the Krakoan experiment has been a true thrill,” said X-Men Senior Editor Jordan D. White. “Honestly—in many ways—it echoed the experience of mutantkind itself in the era. We worked differently, we tried new things, we survived incredible new experiences. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have worked with such fantastically talented creators throughout the era, and working on the glorious ending is truly bittersweet. I will miss it with my whole heart, but I do know… Krakoa will live on within us forever.”

Continue reading “An X-Men era ends, and a new one begins, this summer”

It’s mutant vs. mutant this summer as Apocalypse looks for an heir

‘X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse’ by Steve Foxe and Netho Diaz begins in June.

Apocalypse, one of the pillars of those early Krakoa issues, will gather 12 mutants together for a tournament this summer to determine who gets to take his spot as he moves on to his new duties on Arakko.

X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse by writer Steve Foxe and artist Netho Diaz will see Armageddon Girl, Cable, Cypher, Emma Frost, Exodus, Forge, Gorgon, Mirage, Mr. Sinister, Penance, Rictor and Laura Kinney face off for the fate of mutantkind.

“The shadow of Apocalypse has loomed large over not just the Krakoan Era, but a substantial percentage of mutant-focused storytelling since his debut in 1986,” Foxe said. “These past few years have shown so many new facets of En Sabah Nur, and my Krakoan peers aren’t done with him quite yet. So it’s both an immense honor and a ton of pressure to step up to the slab for Heir of Apocalypse, which charts a new path for his legacy in the years to come.”

The four-issue, bi-weekly miniseries will run through June and July. Here’s a look at all four covers by Dotun Akande:

Continue reading “It’s mutant vs. mutant this summer as Apocalypse looks for an heir”

Uncle Scrooge returns to comics in a new Marvel one-shot

Jason Aaron will unleash Scrooge into the multiverse in a new story coming this summer.

Uncle Scrooge and his countless multiverse counterparts are coming to Marvel in June, courtesy of Jason Aaron and several comic artists, including Paolo Mottura, Francesco D’ippolito, Vitale Mangiatordi And More!.

Uncle $crooge and the Infinity Dime #1 brings Uncle Scrooge back to comics — while it’s certainly not his first foray on the printed page, it is the first time he’s appeared in his own Marvel title. And in the mighty Marvel manner, it’ll introduce several other variants of the duck, including a twisted alternate Scrooge who steals his money bin.

“As far as I’m concerned, there’s no disputing the fact that Uncle Scrooge is one of the absolute greatest characters in the history of comics. And I don’t just mean comics that feature talking animals. I mean all comics ever, bar none,” Aaron said. “Uncle Scrooge’s rich, action-packed history includes some of the most exciting adventure comics ever created, by legendary creators like Carl Barks and Don Rosa. It’s one of the most mind-staggering thrills of my career to get to craft this epic cosmic adventure for the World’s Richest Duck, one that looks to honor the character’s legendary history while taking him to some wild, new, unexplored places in the way that only Marvel can deliver.”

Continue reading “Uncle Scrooge returns to comics in a new Marvel one-shot”

Deniz Camp + Juan Frigeri relaunch ‘The Ultimates’ in June

A familiar title returns as a part of Marvel’s new Ultimate Universe line.

Marvel’s new Ultimate Universe line will get a familiar addition this summer, as The Ultimates, featuring an Avenger-esque team with Iron Lad, Captain America, Thor, Sif and more, will debut from the team of writer Deniz Camp and artist Juan Frigeri.

The title joins Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate X-Men and Ultimate Black Panther as part of the Jonathan Hickman-architected line-up of what could arguably be called Marvel’s most exciting launch in quite awhile.

“The new Ultimates line is the most exciting super hero comics event in years, and it’s humbling to be a part of it,” Camp said. “We are reinventing these classic characters and archetypes to be as surprising and vital as when they were first introduced. Our Ultimates is an evolution not just of the Avengers, but of the whole super hero team concept; from the grand and operatic to the small and personal, The Ultimates will feel like no Avengers or Ultimates comic ever before! That’s our ambition, anyway; tune in to find out if we succeed.“

Continue reading “Deniz Camp + Juan Frigeri relaunch ‘The Ultimates’ in June”

Hulk, Werewolf by Night make the leap into ‘Blood Hunt’

Marvel reveals the final two comics in their Blood Hunt crossover event.

It looks like we’ve finally made it to the end of the list of tie-ins for Marvel’s Blood Hunt event, the big vampire apocalypse crossover that’s coming this summer. I mean, maybe we have — there’s always a chance they could add in an epilogue or whatever. But these final two one-shots at least fill in the scorecard they shared.

The final two one-shots will feature the Hulk and Werewolf by Night, which both feature regular old humans who can transform into something more monstrous.

Jason Loo and Adam Gorham will show us what Jake Gomez, the new Werewolf by Night, is up to during the event in Werewolf by Night: Blood Hunt. While started as an artist, working on the Eisner-winning Afterlift with Chip Zdarsky, he’s proven to be an accomplished writer on several Marvel projects.

Continue reading “Hulk, Werewolf by Night make the leap into ‘Blood Hunt’”

Destiny and Mystique are goin’ to the chapel in ‘X-Men: The Wedding Special’

Kieron Gillen, Tini Howard, Wyatt Kennedy, Tate Brombal and more will contribute to the special.

The relationship between Mystique and Destiny has been explored and tested in the X-Men titles over the past few years, between Immortal X-Men and the recent X-Men Origins Blue special that cleaned up Nightcrawler’s origin. But now the two of them will take the center aisle in X-Men: The Wedding Special.

Immortal X-Men writer Kieron Gillen will write a story that sees the two mutants renew their vows.

“They’ve been through hell, mainly at my pen. Finally, giving these two a happy day? How can I say no,” Gillen told Marvel.com.

The comic serves as this year’s Marvel’s Voices: Pride special, and will feature additional stories by LGBTQIA+ talent like Tini Howard, Wyatt Kennedy, Tate Brombal and Yoon Ha Lee, among others.

Continue reading “Destiny and Mystique are goin’ to the chapel in ‘X-Men: The Wedding Special’”

Marvel announces ‘Blood Hunt’ one-shots for Magik, Psylocke, Jubilee + Wolverine

The X-Men will enter the vampire apocalypse, just not all together.

Four of Marvel’s mutants are getting one-shot tie-ins to this summer’s big Blood Hunt crossover event, including Psylocke, Magik, Jubilee and Wolverine — no, not him, the other Wolverine, Laura Kinney.

According to Marvel.com, the reason for the solo one-shots is story driven –“This bloodbath of terror couldn’t come at a more dire time for mutantkind. Currently scattered after the fall of Krakoa, the X-Men won’t be able to strike from a united front.”

So instead, four of them will go solo — one who is a former vampire, and three who are really good at stabbing things. But all of this is happening after Fall of the House of X and, it sounds like, before the launch of the Tom Brevoort-edited X-Men: From the Ashes, which we don’t really know anything about except that it’ll be previewed on Free Comic Book Day.

Anyway, here’s a rundown of the four one-shots, which leaves us with two as-yet-unrevealed one-shot tie-ins that’ll be announced tomorrow.

Continue reading “Marvel announces ‘Blood Hunt’ one-shots for Magik, Psylocke, Jubilee + Wolverine”

Scarlet Witch returns to her own solo title in June

Steve Orlando and Jacopo Camagni reopen the door for new adventures starring the magical Avenger.

Following her current five-issue team-up with her brother in Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, Wanda Maximoff will return to her own solo title in June, courtesy of Steve Orlando and Jacopo Camagni.

Orlando has been writing the character since Marvel’s Darkhold event in 2021, which was actually delayed because of the pandemic, so his tenure with the character goes even further back. In her previous solo title, Orlando established her as the proprietor of a shop that will open itself to souls in need — leading to all sorts of adventures for her and her partner in magic, Darcy Lewis.

Camagni, meanwhile, is known for his work on X-Men Red and Longshot Saves the Marvel Universe, among other titles.

“The news is out and I couldn’t be more excited,” Orlando said. “Scarlet Witch has been a dream job, and getting to return to her once again and continue Wanda’s adventures is something I could never say no to. And Wanda’s going to keep climbing! Here, we’ll be bringing the blockbuster storytelling of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver to the focused, personal journey Wanda began in Darkhold and Scarlet Witch. And standing in her way? Only one of Marvel’s most powerful and climactic entities, bent on destroying everything Wanda stands for.”

Continue reading “Scarlet Witch returns to her own solo title in June”

‘Blood Hunt’ tie-ins bring a new team of Avengers, vampire Doctor Strange and more

The vampire apocalypse will rage through many Marvel titles this summer.

Marvel’s Blood Hunt event continues to spread in scope; in addition to the eight tie-in miniseries they announced last week, they’ve also announced the seven regular titles that will take part in Marvel’s big vampire apocalypse.

Given that the main Blood Hunt book is written by Jed MacKay, it’s not surprising to see Doctor Strange, Avengers and Vengeance of the Moon Knight will tie into the bigger story. There’s also three Spider-Family titles on the list, which is rounded out by the Fantastic Four.

Here are a few things you can expect from the tie-ins:

  • With the current Avengers roster involved in the main Blood Hunt title, the Avengers ongoing will instead focus on a ragtag team put together by the guy who invented ragtag teams of Avengers, Steve Rogers. This 2024 version of Cap’s kooky quartet is actually a quintet, as it’ll feature Quicksilver, Hawkeye, Hercules and Hazmat.
  • Blade will show up in a number of places during the crossover, including in Miles Morales: Spider-Man.
  • The Venom issues will see the resurrection of a former host of the symbiote Venom — Lee Price, who became Venom in 2016 but was killed off in 2019 after Eddie Brock took the suit back.
  • Black Panther isn’t the only hero to become a vampire, as Doctor Strange will also be infected.
  • But don’t worry, T’Challa and Stephen — Mr. Fantastic is on the case, as he searches for a cure for vampirism in Fantastic Four.

Six of the ongoing series tie-ins will run for multiple issues, with the only exception being Amazing Spider-Man, which just gets a single issue before spinning its story off into the Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt miniseries. You can find covers for the May issues, along with descriptions and creative teams, below.

Continue reading “‘Blood Hunt’ tie-ins bring a new team of Avengers, vampire Doctor Strange and more”