Turns out it was ‘Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths’ all along

DC announces a name change for its big event series at Comic-Con, plus more details on all things Dark Crisis.

As part of their announcements at Comic-Con International in San Diego, DC Comics has revealed that their Dark Crisis event is actually called something else — Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths.

The announcement came during today’s Dark Crisis panel at the convention, which featured Joshua Williamson, Daniel Sampere, Jeremy Adams, Meghan Fitzmartin, Tom King and Ram V.

“We’ve kept the real name a secret from the start because we didn’t want to give away what was happening in the middle of the story, with the return of the Infinite Earths,” Williamson said.

The event series by Williamson and Sampere was also revealed to be a sequel to the original Crisis on Infinite Earths by Marv Wolfman and the late George Pérez — although I kind of thought that was obvious by the name Dark Crisis, the inclusion of Pariah and the whole “Great Darkness” thing … but Williamson and Sampere have more to say about the connection between the two series:

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Starfox slides into your DMs — and ‘Judgment Day’ — in October

A.X.E.: Starfox puts the spotlight on Thanos’ creepy brother.

Starfox, the former Avenger with the creepy powers who is also Thanos’ brother, will get a one-shot this fall as part of Marvel’s big AXE: Judgement Day event.

Kieron Gillen, writer of both the Eternals series and Judgement Day, will write the one-shot, with Daniele Di Nicuolo on art.

“A new Eternals-related special has been announced, with me working with the kinetic powerhouse that is Daniele Di Nicuolo,” Gillen said in his newsletter. “While it’s part of Judgment Day, this is effectively the fourth of my deep dive Eternals specials.”

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Before Dracula, there was ‘Carmilla: The First Vampire’

Amy Chu and Soo Lee bring the original bloodsucker back at Dark Horse.

A 19th century queer feminist murder mystery sees the sunlight again in Carmilla: The First Vampire. This new contemporary retelling set in 1990s New York Chinatown is crafted by writer Amy Chu  (Red Sonja, Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death, Netflix’s DOTA: Dragon’s Blood) and illustrator Soo Lee  (Ash and Thorn, Stillwater: The Escape, Vampirella Fairy Tales).

The trade paperback will be published by Dark Horse Comics’ Berger Books imprint and available in January 2023.

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Mignola + Aragno bring ‘Leonide The Vampyr’ to Dark Horse

The first in a series of collaborations between the two creators features a vampire girl who washes ashore in a small coastal village.

Hellboy creator Mike Mignola will team with Mel The Chosen artist Rachele Aragno for a new series of projects, starting with Leonide The Vampyr: Miracle At The Crow’s Head this October.

They’ll be joined colorist Dave Stewart and letter Clem Robins for the one-shot, which sprang from an image Aragno posted online.

“Last October I was publishing daily sketches on social media. Mike Mignola had seen the first one, a portrait of a vampire girl, and he loved it,” said Aragno. “From there we started talking about the idea of a collaboration between us, and that my vampire portrait could be the basis of a story. When Mike sent me the outline, I went crazy with joy. It was perfect, and I was delighted to be able to draw and put those words on paper. Mignola has always been in the pantheon of my favorite authors, and I was honored to be able to work with him.”

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King + Hester tell ‘the definitive origin’ of Gotham City this Fall

‘Gotham City: Year One’ will take place two generations before Batman arrived.

Tom King, Phil Hester, Eric Gapstur, Jordie Bellaire and Clayton Cowles will tell the story of Gotham City, pre-Batman, in Gotham City: Year One.

DC decribes the six-issue miniseries as “the definitive origin of Gotham City: how it became the cesspool of violence and corruption it is today, and how it harbored and then unleashed the sin that led to the rise of the Dark Knight.” It will feature P.I. Slam Bradley and the kidnapping of Helen Wayne.

“Having written a ton of Batman comics,” said King, “I can say it’s incredibly rare to write books like this, where you can add something large and essential to the mythos of the Dark Knight, as Scott did with Court of Owls or Grant did with the introduction of Damian or Frank did with, well, everything he touched. In Gotham City Year One, Phil and I will take you to a noir drenched past, where the secrets that made Gotham become Gotham, the sins that made Batman become Batman are finally and violently revealed.”

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Rest in peace, Alan Grant

The writer of Judge Dredd, Batman, Lobo, The Demon and more has passed away at the age of 73.

Alan Grant, the longtime writer of Judge Dredd, as well as comics like Lobo, Detective Comics, Strontium Dog and The Demon, has passed away at the age of 73. His death was announced by his wife, Susan, on Facebook. No cause of death has been revealed.

“Grant was one of his generation’s finest writers, combining a sharp eye for dialogue and political satire with a deep empathy that made his characters seem incredibly human and rounded,” his frequent publisher, 2000 AD, said in a tribute post on their website. “Through his work he had a profound and enduring influence on 2000 AD and on the comics industry.”

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Cantwell + Ferry dive into ‘Namor the Sub-Mariner’ this Fall

“This book is basically my love letter to Marvel Comics itself.”

Christopher Cantwell and Pasqual Ferry will team for a new series starring Namor the Sub-Mariner, subtitled “Conquered Shores.”

“This is the first idea I ever blind pitched to Marvel and I’m thrilled that they said yes,” Cantwell said on Twitter.

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Quick Hits | Hotel strike impacts Comic-Con events

Plus: Rick Veitch, Noah Van Sciver, Jeff Smith, Coagula and the infamous Hall H line!

Conventions | Both Voice of San Diego and ICv2 report on the workers’ strike at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel in San Diego, which is adjacent to the convention center where Comic-Con International is held every year and where many CCI events and panels are held. According to Voice of San Diego, workers and management have been negotiating for months, but could not come to an agreement.

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Archie Horror returns in a big way this Fall

Frank Tieri, Cullen Bunn, Federico Sabbatini, Elliot Rahal, Sina Grace, Casey Gilly and more plan to scare you this Fall.

Archie will reanimate their Archie Horror line in a big way later this year, first in August with Jinx’s Grim Fairy Tales, then in the Fall with four new titles that arrive just in time for Halloween.

Creators bringing the chills in October include several who have played in the Archie Horror playground before, like Frank Tieri and Cullen Bunn, as well as Federico Sabbatini, Elliot Rahal, Sina Grace, Casey Gilly and more.

“Who ever thought Archie Comics and horror would go so well together? We did—but it definitely took a lot of other folks by surprise,” said Archie Comics Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante in a press release. “Since Afterlife with Archie‘s debut way back in 2013, we’ve been consistently delivering on unique horror stories featuring our cast, and we have no plans on stopping that any time soon! We’re so excited to bring everyone ‘Archie’s Month of Mayhem’ for the Halloween season. We’ve got something for everyone—three brand new horror one-shots and a middle grade horror anthology!” 

Here’s a look at what’s to come:

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Horror takes flight in BOOM! Studios’ ‘The Approach’

Jeremy Haun, Jason A. Hurley and Jesús Hervás will unleash a terror from the past in the new series.

Jeremy Haun, Jason A. Hurley and Jesús Hervás will fly the unfriendly skies this October in The Approach, a new horror series coming from BOOM! Studios.

“The Approach is the story of a plane that crash lands at a small regional airport in the middle of a snow storm…after being missing for 20 years…and the horrible thing that came back with it,” said Haun. “It’s our love letter to ’80s monster horror, with an absolutely terrifying creature, conjured up by our amazing series artist, Jesús Hervás.”

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Marvel reopens the ‘Crypt of Shadows’ this October

Just in time for Halloween, Marvel will present an anthology of horror stories by Adam Warren, Chris Cooper, Al Ewing, Geoff Shaw and more.

Marvel will dust off an old 1970s title this October, as the Crypt of Shadows once again opens its door for horror, mayhem and fun.

The one-shot anthology will feature stories by Chris Cooper, Al Ewing, Danny Lore, Rebecca Roanhorse, Adam Warren, Chris Condon, Karen S. Darboe, Geoff Shaw, Ibrahim Moustafa and more. They’ll tell stories featuring Moon Knight, Wolverine, Elsa Bloodstone, Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night, Morbius and Bloodline, the recently introduced daughter of Blade.

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The Hulk’s ‘Joe Fixit’ persona returns in a new miniseries at Marvel

Peter David and Yildiray Cinar bring the grey-skinned mob bodyguard returns to comics next year.

Following the recent string of miniseries featuring the villainous Maestro, Peter David will next turn his attention to a different — but equally as unpleasant — Hulk persona, Joe Fixit.

The co-creator of Hulk’s grey-skinned “mobster bodyguard” personality will team with artist Yildiray Cinar for a new miniseries set during David’s original run on Incredible Hulk.

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