Month: May 2020

Kevin Colden draws a comic for the Children’s Tumor Foundation

For NF2 Awareness Day, the CTF releases a new comic they produced with the comics studio Bottled Lightning.

In honor of NF2 Awareness Day, the Children’s Tumor Foundation has released an educational comic to help inform people about neurofibromatosis type 2, which is characterized by the development of benign tumors on the hearing nerves.

The comic was written by CTF’s Director of Communications Vanessa Shealy Younger and drawn by Fishtown creator Kevin Colden, who has previously worked on comics like The Crow and The Sweetness. Colden has a personal connection to NF through his wife and fellow comic creator, Miss Lasko-Gross. “My wife’s second cousin has NF1, so I’ve personally seen how NF can affect families. Working with this script and being able to bring Billy’s story to life was a wonderful opportunity,” Colden said.

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Howard’s ‘Big Girls’ fight big monsters in August

The artist of ‘Trees’ will write and draw the new ongoing series.

Jason Howard, the artist of Cemetery Beach and Trees, will write and draw a new title, Big Girls, which launches in August.

Image Comics describes the new series as such: When men become giant monsters hellbent on destroying the world, only girls can stop them—Big Girls. Meet Ember—she writes poetry, loves to read, and she’s a 300-foot-tall full-time monster killer! She and the other big girls are all that stand in the way of our world’s complete annihilation!

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Sebela + Sears conjure ‘Dead Dudes’ this fall

Oni Press will publish the graphic novel in September.

It’s always great when a project gets announced that seems to pull together several of your favorite creators who you might not have ever pictured working together. That’s what Oni Press has done with Dead Dudes, a new graphic novel by Christopher Sebela, Ben Sears, Warren Wucinich and Ryan Hill.

It’s about the hosts of a ghost-hunting reality show who end up becoming ghosts themselves.

“Getting to work with Ben was a bucket list item and I can happily cross it off now,” Sebela said on Twitter. “No idea why he bothered to work with me when he’s an amazing storyteller on his own, but I don’t look gift dreams in the mouth.”

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BOOM! to release ‘Mega Man: Fully Charged’ in August

The miniseries is based on the Cartoon Network series of the same name.

BOOM! Studios has announced they’ve picked up the license to Mega Man, the popular Capcom video game franchise, and will kick off a six-issue series starring the character called Mega Man: Fully Charged.

The Mega Man license was previously held by Archie Comics, who published 55 issues of a Mega Man title between 2011 and 2015.

Fully Charged is based on the Cartoon Network series of the same name, which was produced by Man of Action Entertainment, the group set up by comic writers Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Rouleau. A.J. Marchisello and Marcus Rinehart, who wrote for the TV show, will write the comic, with Stefano Simeone providing the art.

“I can’t believe I’m working on something that I grew up with and enjoyed so much when I was a kid,” said Simeone. “I’m very happy to be working on a new Mega Man comic book, and I can’t wait to share my enthusiasm and excitement on the pages of this series with readers and fans everywhere!”

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Can’t Wait for Comics: Like a zombie, it will dig itself back up again

Comics slowly but surely make their way to retailers again this week.

This is a big week for comic releases, not so much in terms of quantity (as selection is limited compared to a “normal” Wednesday), but in terms of actually having physical comics shipping from Diamond again. Wohoo! #BacktheComeback, and all that.

It seems like many comics retailers are opening back up as well, at least on a limited basis or with curbside pick-up, as I’ve seen several of them post on social media — even here in the Bay Area, where restrictions seemed to be tighter than in a lot of places. As a part of the new normal, you should call ahead or check your local shop’s website to see what your options are. Wear a mask, wash your hands, pay with a credit card in advance and enjoy some comics.

And if you’re wondering what you should get, here are some recommendations by the Smash Pages crew. You can check the Comic List page to see what’s arriving from Diamond in your local shop, and the comiXology new releases page for what’s available digitally.

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Smash Pages Q&A: Magdalene Visaggio

The writer of ‘Eternity Girl,’ ‘Vagrant Queen,’ ‘Kim & Kim,’ ‘Morning in America’ and more discusses ‘Lost on Planet Earth,’ her latest series from comiXology Originals.

In the span of just a few years, Magdalene Visaggio has shown herself to be one of the most original, dynamic and inventive writers in comics. 

She’s written books for different companies from Marvel (Dazzler: X-Song) and Valiant (Doctor Mirage) to IDW (Transformers vs. The Visionaries) and Humanoids (Strangelands). The Eternity Girl miniseries from her and Sonny Liew is simply one of the strongest (and strangest) books that DC has published in recent years and I think the best book to come out of the very impressive Young Animal imprint.

For the most part, though Visaggio has written creator-owned miniseries. That in and of itself is hard to do, but the wide variety of what she’s made is impressive. To name just a few, Visaggio has written three Kim & Kim series, Calamity Kate, Morning in America, Quantum Teens Are Go!, Sex Death Revolution, two Vagrant Queen miniseries. Yes, the same Vagrant Queen that was adapted into the current SyFy Channel TV show.

So much of her work is about change and about the emotional journey of transforming ourselves, growing up and finding a new path, rejecting what’s laid out for us when it would be easier to accept it. In a medium that specializes in stories of transformation and adventure, Visaggio has found a place for queer stories and misfit stories that break so many molds and expectations, crafting something that is different, sometimes startlingly so. Her stories reject grand narratives, hero journeys, chosen one sagas, for something messier, something harder. Something a little more realistic and relatable. They are stories about the lives that we build and shape ourselves, with the emotional and psychological stories far more important than the larger narratives.

Her current project is Lost on Planet Earth, the second issue of which comes out from Comixology today. A collaboration with Claudia Aguirre, the two have worked together often over the years. The book and its themes come out of a lifelong obsession with Star Trek (something we both share), but the story that she’s written is uniquely hers, something that one doesn’t need to be a Trek fan to understand or relate to, and something truly unique. 

Visaggio and I met last year at the Queers & Comics Conference, and we spoke recently about working with artists, the Federation and more, while comiXology provided a preview of the new issue. 

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New ‘DCeased’ story launches on digital today

‘DCeased: Hope at World’s End’ sets the stage for next month’s ‘DCeased: Dead Planet’ series.

DC Comics’ popular DCeased comics made a surprise return today, as a new digital comic featuring the “zombiefied” versions of DC’s heroes shambled onto digital platforms today.

DCeased: Hope At World’s End is now available across multiple platforms, including ReadDC.com, Comixology, Amazon Kindle, Apple Books and the DC Universe app.

“There was a point in DCeased where we had to make the decision to skip weeks of losses and triumphs and heroism or our first miniseries wouldn’t exactly be a miniseries,” said writer Tom Taylor in a press release. “But we knew we had a larger story to tell, so we seeded plots we could expand on and deliberately left huge characters off the table for the future. That future is here.”

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Mad Cave announces four new titles for this fall

New titles from Christopher Sebela, David Stoll, Matthew Erman, Shelby Criswell and more will arrive from the publisher in October and November.

During The Mad Cave Showcase this past weekend, the publisher announced four new titles during the virtual event, by creators like Christopher Sebela, David Stoll, Matthew Erman, Shelby Criswell and more.

They also announced a new talent search, which will run from June 1 through Sept. 1. Three artists and three writers will be chosen to take part in an upcoming horror anthology from the publisher. Details can be found on their website.

Here’s a rundown of the four titles that were announced:

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Taylor + Di Nicuolo have ‘Seven Secrets’ to share in August

BOOM! Studios will publish a series about “seven powerful secrets” that could change the world.

Tom Taylor and Daniele Di Nicuolo are teaming up for a new series about “seven powerful secrets” that could change the world.

Seven Secrets #1 will arrive from BOOM! Studios in August, by the writer of The Deep and Suicide Squad, and the artist of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

“I can’t wait to share one of the most ambitious stories I’ve ever been a part of with every comic reader out there. Daniele’s art will make you fall in love with Caspar and our whole cast of characters,” said Taylor. “What are the Seven Secrets? Why are they so fiercely protected? Join me, Daniele, and BOOM! Studios for a chance to learn what’s been hidden.”

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Fund Me Monday: Liberty Brigade, blacklight comics and more

Support projects by Jim Rugg, Ethan Aldridge, Wes Craig and more.

As crowdfunding continues to serve as a viable method for creators to fund their creative endeavors, comic-related projects flourish on sites like Kickstarter, Patreon and IndieGoGo. The internet also allows creators to sell their creations direct to fans, through sites like Gumroad, Etsy and of course their own websites. If you’re looking to buy something from or support a creator directly, you’ve come to the right place. And that’ a good thing to do, now more than ever.

Send any suggestions of your own to jkparkin@yahoo.com.

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BOOM! to release Tynion + Dialynas’ ‘Wynd’ in June

Originally scheduled for November, the graphic novel will now be a miniseries.

BOOM! Studios has announced that Wynd, the graphic novel by The Woods team of James Tynion IV, Michael Dialynas and Aditya Bidikar will now arrive as a miniseries, starting in June. It was originally scheduled for November.

“This unprecedented early release of Wynd allows us to deliver one of our biggest new series of the year to readers sooner than expected and provides comic shop retailers with another hit series in one of the most important months of the year,” said Matt Gagnon, Editor in Chief, BOOM! Studios. “We know that readers are looking for entertainment that transports us to another world, delivering characters you love and a journey you can’t wait to follow month to month–-which James, Michael and Aditya deliver in this incredible fantasy epic.”

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What Are You Reading? She-Hulk, Merrick the Elephant Man and more

See what the Smash Pages crew has checked off their “to read” list lately.

We’re back this week with another look at what the Smash Pages crew has been reading lately, covering the “gambit” of old X-Men issues to the fourth-wall-breaking antics of a certain green giantess.

Have a look at what we’ve been reading, and let us know what’s been on your list in the comments.

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