I was just lamenting over the fact that Dynamite seemed to be stuck in distribution hell as the largest comic company that hadn’t announced their post-Diamond plans. But today brought news that they have indeed signed up with Lunar Distribution, which is good to hear — that means their upcoming Blue Falcon & Dynomutt comic will make it to comic shops.
This dynamic duo first appeared on television screens in the 1970s alongside another Hanna-Barbera canine, Scooby Doo. The two animated programs often crossed over as part of the The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour, as the Batman-esque superhero and his robot dog fought criminals like Mr. Hyde, The Gimmick and the talking worm known as The Worm. Only 20 episodes of their show wwere produced, but they did make many cameos and appearances in Scooby Doo, on Laff-A-Lympics and many other cartoons, as well as the more recent film Scoob!
The creative team for the comic series include writer Jimmy Palmiotti and artist Pasquale Qualano, while Lucio Parrillo provides the cover for the first issue:
I don’t think the cartoon ever really gave the duo an origin story, but the press release references a “tragedy” that turns them into crimefighters:
Secure in their life of luxury in a penthouse high above the streets of Big City, wealthy inventor and art collector Radley Crown and his faithful canine companion have enjoyed a charmed existence. That all changes one fateful day when a vicious gang shatters their complacency. From this tragedy will rise two of the most impressive and vigilant superheroes. In the aftermath, Crown puts to work his inimitable technical abilities to rebuild himself and his four-legged friend into unrivaled instruments of retribution — The Blue Falcon and Dynomutt, Dog Wonder!
“This is not the origin of Blue Falcon, but a story about a man and his dog and their connection throughout a major event in both their lives,” said Palmiotti. “Number one for me in writing this series is that it has to be fun — well, my version of fun anyway. I will say that some of it is much darker than people might remember, but it makes sense to the characters. I updated the world around them a bit for sure.”
Here’s a look at some of Qualano’s interior artwork:
And here are the first issue’s variant covers by Joseph Michael Linsner, Francesco Mattina and Amanda Conner:
The first issue arrives in September.