Month: July 2023

Can’t Wait for Comics | ‘World’s Finest: Teen Titans,’ ‘Web of Carnage’ and more debut this week

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles meet the kids from ‘Stranger Things,’ Moon Knight hits a milestone, Knight Terrors kicks into high gear and … Svengoolie?

Welcome to Can’t Wait for Comics, your guide to what comics are arriving in comic book stores, bookstores and on digital. It’s another packed week as summer hits its stride, with more Knight Terrors, a new Carnage title, a big TMNT/Stranger Things crossover and more.

I’ve pulled out some of the highlights below, but for the complete list of everything you might find at your local comic shop and on digital this week, you’ll want to check out one or more of the following:

As a reminder, things can change and what you find on the above lists may differ from what’s actually arriving in your local shop. So always check with your comics retailer for the final word on availability.

Continue reading “Can’t Wait for Comics | ‘World’s Finest: Teen Titans,’ ‘Web of Carnage’ and more debut this week”

Smash Pages Q&A | Paul Cornell on ‘Con & On’

The writer of Ahoy’s newest title talks about comic conventions, working with Marika Cresta and more.

Most people reading this are probably familiar with the San Diego Comic-Con, the annual gathering of Hollywood, the comics community, media of all shapes and sizes, and fans from around the world. But are you familiar with the Vista Al Mar Comics Festival, which also has taken place on the California coast for the past five decades?

If not, don’t worry — the Vista Al Mar Comics Festival is fictional, a construct of writer Paul Cornell and artist Marika Cresta for their new miniseries from Ahoy Comics, Con & On. The first issue arrives in stores this week.

The comic is set in five different years in the life of the Festival—one year per issue, spanning three decades—from the points of view of “a diverse bunch of desperate people whose lives revolve around this greatest show on Earth.” The comic will track the lives of two young comics talents trying to break into the business; three “brilliant, boozy and bombastic” British creators; as well as crusty editors, forgotten TV stars and fans who “make the convention experience something to revisit year after year.” 

Cornell was kind enough to answer a few of my questions about his work on the title, as well as share some convention memories. My thanks for his time.

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Slugfest | Mary Jane officially becomes a superhero in ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ #31

Plus: News on the Witcher’s next comic series, White Widow, ‘Coda’ returns, Ram V and Filipe Andrade reunite, ‘Killer Queens’ is back, and more.

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

Marvel has been teasing Mary Jane Watson’s new power set, most notably in the recent Mary Jane & Black Cat miniseries, but the longtime supporting character will put on a costume and go full superhero in Amazing Spider-Man #31.

The oversized issue will not only feature a story by the regular creative team of Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr., but also will include a story by Celeste Bronfman and Alba Glez that features Mary Jane suiting up to become Jackpot.

Here’s a look at her costume, designed by Humberto Ramos:

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Eric Powell recruits Becky Cloonan, Mike Mignola, James Harren for a spooky Christmas anthology

‘Four Gathered on Christmas Eve’ continues the Victorian tradition of telling spooky stories on Christmas Eve.

The Goon creator Eric Powell is a fan of both Christmas and horror, so it’s only natural he’d put together a crew of elves to help deliver Four Gathered on Christmas Eve, an anthology of Victorian-style Christmas Eve ghost stories coming from Dark Horse this winter.

“As someone who unapologetically loves Christmas and spooky stories, I’ve always been intrigued that telling ghost stories used to be a regular part of the tradition,” said Powell. “I’ve been kicking around the idea of doing a Victorian Christmas Ghost book for a while and was thrilled when three of my favorite comic creators agreed to join me.”

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Snyder + Albuquerque reunite for the post-apocalyptic ‘Duck and Cover’

The new title debuts on Comixology next week.

The American Vampire creative team of Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque will sink their teeth into 1950s Cold-War era insanity in Duck and Cover, a new title debuting from Comixology Originals next week.

The title refers to the civil defense drills common in the 1950s, where kids would practice hiding under their desks in case nuclear war broke out. In the comic, schools desks end up being the only real protection from nuclear bombs that obliterate the United States, leaving the country in the hands of its children.

“Duck and Cover is a character driven thrill-ride that blends elements of manga, 1950’s Americana, and post-apocalyptic lore to create something truly unique,” Snyder said in the press release.

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Nominees announced for the 2023 Hugo Awards

The winners will be announced in October.

The nominees have been announced for the 2023 Hugo Awards, which includes a “Best Graphic Story or Comic” category.

Presented annually since 1955, the Hugo Awards recognize the best science fiction in books, comics, movies, TV and more. The Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story has been awarded since 2009, with previous winners including volumes of Saga, Ms. Marvel, Girl Genius, Sandman: Overture, LaGuardia, Far Sector and Monstress, which is up for the award again this year.

And the nominees are …

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Top Shelf will bring Élodie Durand’s ‘Transitions’ to the U.S.

Based on true events, the graphic novel is about a mother whose child is transgender.

Top Shelf Productions will bring Parenthesis creator Élodie Durand’s new graphic novel to English-speaking readers this fall. Evan McGorray will translate the French graphic novel, which is about a mother, Anne Marbot, who learns her biological daughter is transitioning into a man.

Transitions: A Mother’s Journey is based on true events. “When I met Anne, there was no resource in France for parents living through the transition of their child,” Durand said. “Anne felt powerless to understand or support her son. She had this desire to bear witness for others, to find a way to help.”

Anne invited Durand to adapt Anne’s experience into Transitions. “As I began to research the issues, it was like a relief for me to explore the role of gender in our private and public lives. It became clear that gender is a concern for us all — that this intimate story is also the story of every family.”

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Can’t Wait for Comics | ‘Knight Terrors’ begins

Check out new comics and graphic novels arriving this week by Joshua Williamson, Howard Porter, Jeremy Haun, W. Maxwell Prince, Martin Simmonds, Ann Nocenti, Shaky Kane, Scott Snyder, Tula Lotay, Rafer Roberts, Mike Norton, Sarah Myer and more.

Welcome to Can’t Wait for Comics, your guide to what comics are arriving in comic book stores, bookstores and on digital. Despite it being a holiday week in the United States, it’s pretty big week for comics, as DC starts their big summer event, Captain America celebrates a milestone and Pink Lemonade gets collected.

I’ve pulled out some of the highlights below, but for the complete list of everything you might find at your local comic shop and on digital this week, you’ll want to check out one or more of the following:

As a reminder, things can change and what you find on the above lists may differ from what’s actually arriving in your local shop. So always check with your comics retailer for the final word on availability.

Continue reading “Can’t Wait for Comics | ‘Knight Terrors’ begins”

‘Minor Threats’ gets a spinoff miniseries starring ‘The Alternates’

Tim Seeley, Christopher Mitten and Tess Fowler join Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum on the September-debuting series.

Minor Threats, the genre-bending superhero mystery by Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum and Scott Hepburn, will get a spinoff miniseries in September. Oswalt and Blum will be joined by co-writer Tim Seeley, with Christopher Mitten and Tess Fowler on art.

“I love the first Minor Threats series so much that I couldn’t help but imagine another team of lovable losers in their world–this time, a squad of forgotten superheroes who got rebooted, and now crave their old lives so bad it borders on addiction,” Seeley said. “Jordan and Patton not only liked the idea, they added their creativity to make something that fits their universe perfectly!”

While Minor Threats paid tribute to the Bronze Age of comics and the “grim and gritty” titles of the 1980s, From the World of Minor Threats: The Alternates has a different era in its heart.

“If the first Minor Threats series was a love letter to the c-list working class supervillains, then The Alternates is one for the early Vertigo comics of the 90s like Doom Patrol, Swamp Thing and Animal Man,” said Blum. “Forgotten goofy heroes pulled into a suddenly ‘mature’ existence that both humanizes and alienates them. Tim is such a master and historian of comics, we were so thrilled with the new sandbox he built for us all to play in — once again offering a fresh and unique point of view we hadn’t yet seen explored in superhero comics. This story of existence, addiction, recovery and monster smashing was beautifully rendered thanks to the art of Christopher Mitten and paintings by Tess Fowler. “

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Mark Russell + Ramon Rosanas invite you to their ‘Rumpus Room’

AWA presents a new parable about billionaires, skin cream and revenge.

Second Coming and Not All Robots writer Mark Russell is back at AWA Studios this fall for a new miniseries, Rumpus Room, with artist Ramon Rosanas.

Rumps Room tells the story of a psychotic billionaire who needs a special cream to hide his skin condition. That cream is made from people, so naturally he kidnaps all the people he hates and locks them in his Rumpus Room, letting them vote for his next victim.

“Rumpus Room is a parable for how in American civilization, on some level, we’re set against each other by forces that are too powerful for us to reach,” Russell said. “It parallels the underlying assumption of American life as well: ‘I can’t do anything about the real things that are destroying me, so I’ll take all my rage out against the people who cross me.’ Rumpus Room is about this misguided anger that we all have and how it weaponizes us against each other.”

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The Reuben Award: NCS announces nominees for Cartoonist of the Year

The winner will be revealed in September.

The National Cartoonist Society has announced the nominees for the 2022 Cartoonist of the Year, commonly known as The Reuben Award. These follow the NCS divisional award nominees, which were announced in early June.

This year’s list includes several cartoonists who have been previously nominated, and one notable new addition for comic book fans:

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