Author: JK Parkin

Nominees announced for the 2024 Ringo Awards

The awards will be presented during the Baltimore Comic-Con on Sept. 21.

The nominees for the 2024 Ringo Awards have been announced, marking the eighth year for the awards program named for the late Mike Wieringo, the artist of Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Tellos and more who died in 2007.

Nominees were chosen by fans, along with a panel of judges, and the awards period included any materials published in 2023. The awards presentation will take place at The Baltimore Comic-Con on Sept. 21.

“Every year, the Ringo Awards jurors have the difficult task of ‘picking their favorite child’, so to speak,” said Marc Nathan, Baltimore Comic-Con promoter. “It is always a challenge to determine what makes the cut and what doesn’t, but as you can see from the final ballot, our jury’s hard work paid off and, with the inclusion of the public votes, we have an outstanding representation of some of comics’ best works from 2023. Creators should make their way to the voting site now and make sure your peers do the same!”

Congratulations to this year’s nominees:

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Tim Seeley + Stefano Caselli will pay tribute to Jason Pearson with ‘Hack/Slash: Body Bags’

The crossover series by the original ‘Hack/Slash’ team begins in October.

The original Hack/Slash creative team of Tim Seeley and artist Stefano Caselli are re-teaming for a crossover series that brings together Cassie Hack and Jason Pearson’s Body Bags characters. The four-issue miniseries will begin in October.

Body Bags was originally published by Dark Horse and later moved to 12-Gauge Comics. The series starred two assassins, Mack Delgado, aka Clownface, and his daughter, Panda. Pearson passed away in December of 2022.

Seeley said he was a big fan of Body Bags, and he reached out to Keven Gardner, publisher of 12-Gauge Comics, about doing a crossover to honor Pearson’s creation.

“Tim reached out a little over a year ago via our mutual friend, Cully Hamner, one of Jason’s former studio mates at Gaijin Studios, with the idea to do this crossover,” said Keven Gardner, publisher of 12-Gauge Comics. “To be honest, before talking with Tim, my initial reaction was, ‘Probably not.’ This was about six months after Jason’s passing, his mom was in the middle of settling his estate—it just wasn’t something on her radar or mine. But, after I spoke with Tim it was immediately clear that he was a huge fan of Body Bags, that Jason’s work had been a strong influence on him, and that this was something he and Stefano really wanted to do. We talked about possible ideas, and I could see how this could be something special.”

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‘The John Constantine of the Archie Universe’: Cullen Bunn + Dan Schoening summon another ‘Salem’ one-shot

Ben Galvan, Matt Herms and Jack Morelli round out the team for ‘The Nine Lives of Salem.’

Salem, Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s familiar, advisor and feline friend, will get a second shot at a solo story in October’s The Nine Lives of Salem. The Archie Horror one-shot will reunite Cullen Bunn and Dan Schoening, who worked on 2022’s Chilling Adventures of Salem, and add artist Ben Galvan into the mix.

While the previous one-shot saw Salem defending local stray animals from an evil magic user, this time he’ll be facing his fellow four-legged creatures “in a series of magical battles culminating in a new direction for Sabrina’s once-cuddly confidante.”

“We’re setting our fiendish feline up as an occult investigator of sorts, the John Constantine of the Archie Universe,” Bunn said. “And, make no mistake, even with a cat as the protagonist, these stand-alone stories are dark and horror-filled. You can grab a copy and delight in the terror we’re unleashing in these pages.”

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SDCC | Def Leppard + Vault Comics team for a graphic novel named after the band’s iconic album ‘Hysteria’

Def Leppard’s Phil Collen teams with Eliot Rahal and Alex Schlitz on the story of the world’s most dangerous guitar.

Vault Comics is no stranger to working with musicians, having released Deathstalker with Guns’n’Roses’ Slash and the upcoming Dying Inside with Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz. Now, through their Headshell imprint, they’ve announced a new graphic novel that shares a name with one of the best-selling albums of all time, Hysteria.

Co-written by Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen and The Cursed Library scribe Eliot Rahal, the graphic novel will feature artwork by Alex Schlitz, colorist Fabi Marques and letterer Andworld Design.

“Blending music and comics together like this is an incredible and insane dream, and I could not be more thrilled by the work Eliot, Alex and Vault have put into Hysteria. It has been a joy and one hell of a ride. I know fans are going to love it,” Collen said. 

The graphic novel will not only feature Def Leppard, but will introduce a band called Darkside, whose frontwoman inherits a guitar that promises her fame — but it comes with a price.

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Marvel announces a prequel comic for ‘Alien: Romulus’

Zac Thompson and Daniel Picciotto will reveal more about the film’s back story in a one-shot this October.

With  Alien: Romulus set to hit theaters next month, Marvel has announced a prelude comic for the movie that will tackle “one of the film’s lingering mysteries.”

The film, which is set between the events of Alien and Aliens in the overall timeline, sounds like it’s getting back to the franchise’s roots: a group of young space colonists who, while scavenging a derelict space station, come face to face with the most terrifying life form in space.

Writer Zac Thompson and artist Daniel Picciotto are creating the one-shot with input from the film’s director/co-writer Fede Alvarez and his co-writer Rodo Sayagues. It’ll feature some of the back story behind the film’s antagonists.

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SDCC | Get your digital DSTLRY comics signed at Comic Con this week

DSTLRY is rolling out two new innovations for digital comics owners at their SDCC booth.

While shifting from buying print comics to digital comics has some advantages (storage space!), one of the downsides is that you no longer have something for creators to sign at conventions. DSTLRY plans to change that with DSTLRY Remarques, a new feature that, along with one called DSTLRY Proof, will debut this weekend at the San Diego Comic Con.

“DSTLRY Remarques and DSTLRY Proof exemplify our mission to merge the traditional comic experience with groundbreaking digital advancements,” said DSTLRY co-founder David Steinberger. “These features not only enhance the collector’s experience but also ensure that our creators are continuously supported through perpetual royalties via our digital marketplace.”

Per the press release, DSTLRY Remarques “allows creators to sign and sketch on digital editions of DSTLRY issues and books, creating completely individualized and re-sellable editions.” DSTLRY only offers digital single issues through their own proprietary marketplace, rather than through other platforms like Comixology. That gives them some control over additional features they can add to enhance the experience — like this one.

Here’s how it’ll work:

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SDCC | Scott Morse plans to draw 24 one-page comics at Comic-Con

The creator of ‘Soulwind’ will draw live on the show floor and then collect the stories in an anthology, ‘This Ink Runs Cold.’

Scott Morse, creator of Soulwind, Magic Pickle and more, has come up with a fun way to spend his time in San Diego — he’s going to draw one-page comics for an anthology called This Ink Runs Cold.

Morse will be at the Allen Spiegel Fine Arts booth (#4701) during the show, and earlier this month he started talking about the idea on social media. He asked for “simple” but “epic” stories from writers. “Like, the best thing you’ve ever written. In one page. Maybe less than 6 panels. Go.”

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Exclusive First Look | ‘The Cursed Library: Alpha’

We have your first look at the Archie Premium Event by co-writers Magdalene Visaggio and Eliot Rahal, artist Craig Cermak, colorist Matt Herms and letterer Jack Morelli.

It’s been more than 10 years since Archie Comics introduce the Archie Horror imprint, bringing us more adult-oriented, horrific and sometimes disturbing stories based on the broader Archie Comics catalog of characters. From Afterlife with Archie to Jughead: The Hunger to the more recent Chilling Adventures Presents… one-shots featuring Madam Satan and Jinx, the Archie Horror line has grown in scope over the last decade, putting the Riverdale gang in a variety of stand-alone horror scenarios.

But what if it was all connected?

All the various threads laid out in the Archie Horror line’s one-shots over the last few years will come together in August in The Cursed Library: Alpha, the first of three issues that’ll be released through October. Courtesy of Archie Comics, we’re happy to share an exclusive first look at this Archie Premium Event.

Magdalene Visaggio and Eliot Rahal, who have written their fair share of Archie Horror titles, will co-write this event, which will feature artwork by Craig Cermak, who has drawn Jinx’s recent appearances. They’re joined by colorist Matt Herms and letterer Jack Morelli.

“I can’t tell you how grateful I’ve been to be a part of this legacy. The leadership under Jamie Rotante of Archie Comics, along with the rest of the Archie team, has been so steadfast and encouraging. It’s truly been an amazing experience. At the end of the day, The Cursed Library has been a team effort, a tale of friendship and the fight against evil, the execution of a vision that’s been many years in the making,” Rahal said. “It’s a true honor to pay homage to all the creators who have lent their voices to this universe, and an even greater privilege to work with someone as brilliant as Mags. And with the incredible artwork of Craig Cermak at our side, this three-issue series is sure to be one Hell of a grand finale.” 

In the preview you’ll see some of the elements from previous one-shots come into play, as Jinx has a meal with her father, Satan, and we catch glimpses of a zombified Jughead and the plant monster from Weirder Mysteries. But the focus will be on the story that’s evolved between Jinx, her best friend Danni and Madam Satan.

“The continuously evolving dynamic between Jinx and Danni is a delight to illustrate, giving me so many fun, bold expressions to communicate,” Cermak said. “And now with the inclusion of Madam Satan and journeying into Hell, it’s gonna be an all-around great time acting out these characters in such big, dramatic fashions. I’m honored to be able to draw this epic tale, and I hope to give readers something they’ll want to revisit for years to come as well as a strong interest in checking out the previous ‘Chilling Adventures’ tales that led to this story.”

Check out the preview and solicitation text for the issue below.

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SDCC | Ariela Kristantina returns to Comixology Originals for ‘The Girl Who Draws on Whales’

The new graphic novel arrives on digital in October and in print from Dark Horse Comics next March.

Ariela Kristantina, the artist of the Comixology Original graphic novel Adora and the Distance, is working again with the digital comics platform on a new original graphic novel she’ll both write and draw: The Girl Who Draws on Whales.

The OGN will arrive on the digital platform in October, and features colors by Sarah Stern, letters by Bernardo Brice and edits by Will Dennis. Inspired by her homeland of Indonesia, Kristantina’s post-apocalyptic story is about a flooded Earth where the remaining villages are separated by water — but connected by the art they draw on whales.

“Creating The Girl Who Draws on Whales has been a deeply personal and exhilarating experience,” Kristantina said. “Living in the island nation of Indonesia, surrounded by the beauty and mystery of the sea, I drew inspiration from the rich landscapes and diverse cultures of our islands. Through Wangi and Banyu’s story, I wanted to capture the bravery it takes to defy expectations and the strength found in siblinghood. This journey of art, courage, and discovery reflects the resilience of our spirit and the magic that storytelling brings to life. I hope readers feel the same sense of wonder and connection that I felt while crafting this tale.”

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Can’t Wait for Wednesday | The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles return

Check out comics and graphic novels arriving this week by Jason Aaron, Joëlle Jones, John Ridley, Johnnie Christmas, Alitha Martinez, Jeremy Adams, Will Conrad, James Tynion IV, Álvaro Martínez Bueno, Jeff Smith and more.

Welcome to Can’t Wait for Wednesday, your guide to what comics are arriving in comic book stores, bookstores and on digital.

It’s Comic-Con week, and the comics are out in droves this Wednesday. There’s a brand new Teenage Mutants Ninja Turtles title, the debut of the new EC Comics and the return of Flash Gordon. The Nice House on the Lake gets a sequel, while an early 2000s X-title finds new life. Plus there’s Moebius, Spawn, Keanu Reeves, Johnnie Christmas and a whole lot of Jason Aaron, giving you plenty of reasons to stay home and read comics if a trip to San Diego isn’t on your itinerary.

I’ve pulled out some of the other highlights for this week 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.

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SDCC | Mignola + Stenbeck return to the Hellboy-verse for ‘The Serpent in the Garden: Ed Grey and the Last Battle for England’

The three-issue miniseries begins in November.

With SDCC on the horizon AND it being the 30th anniversary of Hellboy, it only makes sense we’d get some news from Mike Mignola this week. And now we have, in the form of The Serpent in the Garden: Ed Grey and the Last Battle for England, a new miniseries by Mignola, artist Ben Stenbeck, colorist Dave Stewart and letterer Clem Robins.

The series stars paranormal investigator Ed Grey, who first appeared in Hellboy: Wake the Devil and went on to star in Sir Edward Grey: Witchfinder. This new series finds him going up against famed sorceress Morgan Le Fay in a battle for England.

“Ed Grey feels to me like he took off like a rocket,” said Mignola. “He was my ‘regular guy’ occult detective but then just kept going. Being dismembered and stitched back together didn’t even slow him down. He became a magician and flew around doing stuff. He decided to take on some of Hellboy’s curse and everything just kept beating him and he just kept getting up, and before too long, I just felt bad for him and wanted to give him a quiet place to sit down – retire in peace. BUT he had just one more (I hope) thing to do and then not only could he retire but he could retire another of my favorite characters. Let’s hope both of them can finally relax after this one last battle for England.”

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SDCC | Vault Comics announces ‘Godfather of Hell’ by Cavan Scott + Pius Bak

The neo-noir series begins in October.

Cavan Scott and Pius Bak will show what happens when you send an ambitious mobster to hell in Godfather of Hell, a new series coming this fall from Vault Comics.

The series will focus on Dario Santini, a mobster who meets an untimely death and goes to hell — only to find that hell is just another business opportunity.

“Two of my favorite genres collide in Godfather of Hell: gangster noir and exorcist terror,” said Scott. “Brace yourself for visceral body horror, lashings of black humor, and moments of super-cool swagger brought to life by Pius’ neon-soaked art. It’s sexy, gritty and downright terrifying!”

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