Rafael Grampá celebrates Batman Day with ‘Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham’

The Black Label miniseries will follow a Batman who gives up being Bruce Wayne.

Mesmo Delivery creator and Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child artist Rafael Grampá will return to Gotham this fall for Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham, a Black Label miniseries that will arrive just in time for Batman Day on Sept. 16.

In the miniseries, Batman will decide to “kill off” his Bruce Wayne identity and dedicate his life to fighting crime as Batman. Mat Lopes joins him on colors.

“When his origin was introduced in Batman #1 in the 1940s, Bruce Wayne swore revenge by the spirits of his murdered parents and—driven by his belief in an omen—became Batman,” said Grampá. “For me, this subtle aspect of Bruce’s belief system has always been the fundamental core of Batman, and through that lens I recognized this untold story. Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham explores ‘who he is and why he came to be.’ It makes my dream of bringing my own interpretation of Batman to life a reality as I delve into the darkest corners of his essence. I sincerely hope readers enjoy the ride.”

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Marz + Lim ride the spaceways again in ‘Silver Surfer Rebirth: Legacy’

The miniseries will kick off in September.

Ron Marz and Ron Lim will team up once again on a Silver Surfer story set during their run on the title in the early 1990s. Silver Surfer Rebirth: Legacy will feature the former herald of Galactus teaming up with Legacy, aka Genis-Vell, the son of the original Captain Marvel.

The miniseries will feature the duo going on a “quest across time” that will also feature Thanos, Galactus and the Infinity Watch.

“I can’t say no to Silver Surfer, and I can’t say no to Ron Lim, so here we go again,” Marz said. “Playing in Marvel’s cosmic playground with Ron was how my career started, and I think I speak for both of us when I say this is right where we want to be. It just fits. This new series gives us a chance to build on the stories we’ve been telling, and tie them together into a bigger arc with Surfer at the center. We’re having a blast, so hopefully readers will too.”

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Skybound ‘stealth launches’ a new Transformers/G.I. Joe universe

‘Void Rivals,’ which arrived in stores today, also kicked off the Energon Universe, which will feature both Hasbro properties.

If you’ve read the new Skybound title Void Rivals today, then you know it’s actually part of a bigger Energon Universe launch — a universe that includes both G.I. Joe and Transformers.

Last seen in comics in 2022 as IDW wrapped up their work on both properties, early rumors and speculation mentioned Skybound as a potential new home. Now, through a license with Hasbro, Skybound has launched them in a way that only the company who once put out fake solicitations to keep the ending of The Walking Dead a secret could — as a surprise. Surprise!

“It’s a tremendous honor to be able to reintroduce this world to a new audience under the Skybound banner,” said Kirkman. “I’ve loved these characters for most of my life and to have the opportunity to add to the already rich tapestry Hasbro has built with the all-new Void Rivals is an unbelievable opportunity. If you look at everything done with Transformers and G.I. Joe, you can see the inkling of a vast universe with tremendous potential for crossovers and interaction that will enhance the fan experience while staying true to the individual identities of both concepts. I look forward to exploring that potential for years to come.” 

In addition to Void Rivals, Skybound has plans for three additional titles, including a Transformers title written and drawn by Daniel Warren Johnson of Do A Powerbomb and Beta Ray Bill fame.

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Rest in Peace, John Romita Sr.

The iconic artist of ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ and art director for Marvel passed away at the age of 93.

John Romita Sr., one of the greatest Spider-Man artists of all time and the amn who defined the look of many Marvel characters across several decades, has passed away, his son reported on social media. He was 93 years old.

“He was the greatest man I ever met,” John Romita Jr. said on Twitter. He said his father passed away “peacefully in his sleep.”

While Romita’s career started in the late 1940s with runs at Timely and then DC, where he drew romance comics in the late 1950s and 1960s, he’s best known for his long tenure at Marvel. He joined the company in 1965 to draw Daredevil, but soon replaced the departing Steve Ditko on Amazing Spider-Man, the character he’d most be associated with.

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Slugfest | BOOM! offers a limited ‘Fence: Redemption’ cover for Pride Month

Plus: Updates on ‘Norse Mythology,’ Ms. Marvel, Bone Orchard Mythos, ‘The Asiri’ and more.

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

BOOM! Studios will sell a Pride Month charity cover for Fence: Redemption #1 this month on their webstore, featuring artwork by LySandra Vuong.

The cover is limited to 750 copies, and all proceeds from it will be donated to The Trevor Project.

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A ‘Butcher Baker the Righteous Maker’ sequel will arrive in September

‘Junior Baker the Righteous Faker’ by Joe Casey and Ryan Quackenbush will explore the superhero genre from a different angle than its predecessor.

Joe Casey will return to the world of Butcher Baker in the five-issue miniseries Junior Baker the Righteous Faker, where he’ll be joined by artist Ryan Quackenbush.

The new title coming from Image Comics has a definitively different look and tone than the 2011 series, which featured gonzo art by Mike Huddleston. Butcher Baker the Righteous Maker was an in-your-face tribute to, and satire of, the excesses of the superhero genre, channeling books like Marshall Law, Brat Pack and pretty much anything Howard Chaykin did in the 1980s.

Casey said questions about his own waning interest in the superhero genre led to the sequel.

“Lately, I’ve been asking myself a lot of questions about my own relationship with the superhero genre, something I’ve been associated with professionally for over twenty-five years,” said Casey. “Did it still speak to me? Did it still hold the same kind of relevance as it did when I was just a fan? How many other readers of my generation were feeling this ambivalence to something that meant so much to us since we were kids? Doing this kind of sequel series confronts some those questions. So both conceptually and narratively, it’s a really big swing we’re taking here. Not to mention, Ryan is a brave, new talent and his art on this alone is worth the price of admission.”

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Can’t Wait for Comics | ‘Night Fever,’ ‘Black Panther’ and the return of ‘Battle Chasers’

Check out new comics and graphic novels arriving this week from Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, Kelly Thompson, Kerilynn Wilson, Benji Nate, Mike Maihack, Joe Madureira, Robert Kirkman, Lorenzo De Felici and more.

Welcome to Can’t Wait for Comics, your guide to what comics are arriving in comic book stores, bookstores and on digital. This week sees the release of a new Brubaker/Phillips joint, the launch of a new Black Panther series, the long overdue return of Battle Chasers and two Pride Month projects from Marvel and DC.

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.

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Smash Pages Q&A | Nick Cagnetti on ‘The Chip’

The creator of ‘Pink Lemonade’ talks about his story in the first issue of the science fiction anthology ‘Xino.’

Oni Press will debut Xino this week, an anthology of “subversive, psych-surrealist science fiction to cure your awful awareness of our meager reality.” Over the course of three issues, they’ve assembled a talented roster of creators, with the first issue featuring stories by Phil Hester, Jordan Thomas and Shaky Kane, Melissa Flores and Daniel Irizarri, and Christopher Condon and Nick Cagnetti.

Cagnetti, best known for his work on Pink Lemonade, worked with Condon on a story titled “the Chip,” which is about the world’s first intravenous video game system and the impact it has on one of its users. Cagnetti was kind enough to answer a few questions about the story, as well as the upcoming collection of the entire Pink Lemonade series.

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Barbara Friedlander, Sam Glanzman will receive the 2023 Bill Finger Award

The awards will be presented at Comic-Con International next month during the Eisner Award ceremony.

Comic-Con International has announced that Barbara Friedlander and Sam Glanzman will receive the 2022 Bill Finger Award. The award recognizes creators who made lasting contributions to comics that went largely “unsung,” as Bill Finger’s contributions to the creation of Batman and related characters went unsung for several decades.

“Once again, we’re excited to honor two folks who wrote great comic books that perhaps didn’t receive the attention and recognition that their work deserved,” said Mark Evanier, who oversees the awards program. “Readers who only know from fictional superheroes should be aware of the excellent writing that has sometimes been found in comics about real-world romance and real-world war— two areas represented well by this year’s recipients.”

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Skybound announces a second ‘Creepshow’ miniseries with Hester, Cloonan, Ennis + more

The anthology will run for five issues and include stories by Michael Walsh, Dan Watters, Abigail Larson, Zoe Thorogood and more.

Creepshow, the iconic horror movie that Skybound turned into a comic last year, will return with a second miniseries in September.

Creepshow by director George Romero and writer Stephen King debuted in theaters back in 1982. Inspired by EC Comics’ horror titles like Tales from the Crypt and Vault of Horror, the film featured a kid reading a comic called Creepshow and a host, “The Creep,” who was reminiscent of the Cryptkeeper and other horror comic hosts.

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Ahoy will collect Russell + Snejbjerg’s ‘Cereal’ in October

The trade paperback collects ‘a dark, distinctly adult and lovingly funny take’ on breakfast cereal mascots.

Sugary cereal has never been scarier than when it’s in the hands of writer/satirist Mark Russell and artist Peter Snejbjerg. Their “Cereal” serial, which first appeared in the Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of… series of miniseries, will be collected in October by Ahoy Comics.

Described as “a dark, distinctly adult, and lovingly funny take on an earlier generation’s beloved monsters,” the story follows several breakfast-loving monsters who will seem familiar to any fans of General Mills’ “Monster” line of cereal. I was always a big fan of Franken Berry.

“Monsters play such an expansive role in our collective conscience, being used for everything from giving face to our deepest fears to selling us breakfast cereal,” said Russell. “This book looks at monsters from every angle at once. It sees them as we are — as cartoonish but scary, as comical, and yet, still sad.”

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Black Canary recruits Harley, Zealot, Barda and Batgirl for ‘Birds of Prey’

The new series by Kelly Thompson, Leonardo Romero, Jordie Bellaire and Clayton Cowles debuts in September.

After a week of social media teases by writer Kelly Thompson, DC Comics has officially announced the new Birds of Prey series.

Thompson will team with artist Leonardo Romero and colorist Jordie Bellaire, who she worked with on Hawkeye for Marvel, and letterer Clayton Cowles. The series will feature Black Canary, Cassandra Cain, Big Barda, Zealot and Harley Quinn.

“When I say this is a dream come true for me, I mean not just working on the iconic Birds of Prey title, but also the characters we were able to fold in, and the creative team we assembled,” Thompson said. “Leonardo Romero and Jordie Bellaire were two of my first partners-in-crime making superhero books and I’ve been trying to make this happen ever since. It won’t surprise anyone to learn that Leonardo and Jordie are even better than they were the last time we worked together—and working together on this wild book is pure magic.”

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