Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you. With the San Diego Comic Con in full force, this edition covers news from today I haven’t already covered, plus a few items from the lead-up to the show. Hit the links for more information.
The first full day of the San Diego Comic-Con brought plenty of news and tiodbits from comic publishers, following a very busy couple of weeks for comic news. It’s hard to believe a week has already passed since DC’s All In announcement. But here we are! So let’s jump in.
We ‘ll start with some Star Wars comic news, which these days spans multiple publishers. Lucasfilm hosted a publishing panel today that covered several upcoming releases, including the Battle of Jakku comic coming from Marvel this fall. Today’s panel also brought the news that phase 3 of the Star Wars: The High Republic will come to a close next year, and Cavan Scott and Marika Cresta will help wrap it up at Marvel with a comic titled Fear of the Jedi:
Here’s Marvel’s description:
What scares the Jedi? As fighting within the Nihil Occlusion Zone intensifies, Jedi Master Keeve Trennis is set upon a path that will change her life forever. Guest-starring The Acolyte’s Wookiee Jedi Master, Kelnacca, alongside fan-favorite characters from Star Wars: The High Republic novels, audio dramas and comics!
Fear of the Jedi will debut in February. But speaking of Kelnacca, The Acolyte’s resident Jedi Wookiee is getting a one-shot all his own this September. StarWars.com shared some of the artwork for it that was shared at the panel:
Back when they had the license for Star Wars comics, Dark Horse released adaptations of all three of the Star Wars prequels — The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. They plan to collect all three of them in Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy Graphic Novel.
It comes out Nov. 12.
If you were not able to make it to Comic Con this year, then you might be happy to know that Fantagraphics didn’t forget you — they’re holding a “Not at Comic-Con” sale on purchases from their website. Now through Sunday, July 28, you can use the code SDCC at checkout for 25% off “just about everything” at Fantagraphics.com. I’m not sure what restrictions there are, but I do know recent releases like the Braba anthology and the second volume of My Favorite Things Is Monsters are included, as well as critical favorite Monica by Dan Clowes. Plus a whole lot more.
Let’s turn now to Dynamite Comics. Via Forbes we learn that they have two more licensed titles to add to their line-up: a Thundarr the Barbarian comic and DuckTales. We’ve seen DuckTales comics in the past, and you would think that Thundarr, of all properties, would have gotten a comic adaptation at some point. I mean, right? Steve Gerber, Jack Kirby and several other comic folks worked on the animated show, after all. But while a comic from Whitman (formerly Gold Key) was rumored, it never came to fruition, and a planned comic strip drawn by Jack Kirby ended up getting scrapped. No creative teams were announced, but Ivan Bigarella did the cover for the first issue of DuckTales, shown above.
Dynamite also announced Last of the Gladiators, a graphic novel adaptation of the prose memoir about defense attorney James LaRossa, who defended mobsters and white collar criminals. It’s co-written by his son, James LaRossa Jr. and Jonathan Vankin, with artwork by Giorgio Pontrelli.
Finally, Dynamite also announced that Gail Simone, who has written Superman and the upcoming Uncanny X-Men relaunch, will add another iconic character to the list, James Bond. The title of her story is tentatively called Iridescent.
Courtney Crumrin’s little brother, Will, has headlined two spin-off graphic novels of his own under the title The Crumrin Chronicles. He’ll star in a third and final volume by series creator Ted Naifeh, subtitled “The Wild & the Innocent.” (But no E Street Shuffle, apparently).
Take a look inside:
It’s set to arrive in stores Oct. 10.
IGN revealed that IDW and Viz Media will publish a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Naruto crossover, by Caleb Goellner, Hendry Prasetya, Raúl Angulo and Ed Dukeshire. The first issue will arrive Nov. 13.
Image Comics has revealed a new action figure for Junkyard Joe, from Geoff Johns/Ghost Machine’s comic of the same name. Created in partnership with Mezco Toyz, the figure features a cloth uniform, authentic accessories and packaging with new artwork by co-creator Gary Frank and colorist Brad Anderson.
Jill Thompson’s wonderful Scary Godmother will return to print at Image Comics. A complete compendium trade paperback edition is slated to his shelves in October, which will include some new material as well.