Darth Maul slashes his way into his own ‘Black, White & Red’ miniseries

The first issue by Benjamin Percy and Stefano Raffaele arrives in April.

Following in the footsteps of Darth Vader, Darth Maul gets the Black, White & Red treatment this spring in a new miniseries coming from Marvel.

Each issue of the four-issue series will be by a different creative team, but the stories will run a full issue — rather than containing several shorter stories like previous BW&R series have. The first issue will feature a story by Wolverine writer Benjamin Percy and artist Stefano Raffaele, who has worked on previous volumes featuring Darth Vader and Moon Knight

“I’ve been a lifelong, obsessive fan of the Star Wars galaxy — it’s such a foundational part of my imagination — and it’s a thrill to be able to contribute to it now. My mind is busy with nightmares, so it’s especially a treat to step into the mind of Darth Maul, one of the great villains of this galaxy far, far away,” Percy told StarWars.com. “The silent assassin has a busy inner world. He is loyal to Palpatine, but that does not make him a puppet or a tool. He is willing to make his own decisions — ones that could shake the very fabric of the galaxy — as is the case in this chiller and thriller of a story, ‘The Final Occultation.'”

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Bendis + Maleev will deliver a ‘Masterpiece’ in December

The six-issue miniseries features a 16-year-old genius who learns her parents were master criminals.

Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev are reuniting on a new series from Bendis’ Jinxworld imprint at Dark Horse. Masterpiece will star the daughter of two famous criminals who gets pulled into the life when their last victim comes for revenge.

Bendis and Maleev have been working together for more than two decades now, from Sam & Twitch for Todd McFarlane to Moon Knight and Daredevil at Marvel to their creator-owned series Scarlet.

“Anytime we’re given an opportunity to work together, we take it very seriously to make sure it’s everything it should be. I don’t want to waste a moment of his time. A lot of thought goes into what we do,” Bendis told the Hollywood Reporter.

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Marvel + Clover Press will crowdfund a series of fine art books

‘The Marvel Art Of David Mack’ and ‘The Marvel Art Of Alex Maleev’ will be available via Kickstarter.

Marvel and Clover Press have announced plans to release a series of art books showcasing different artists, starting with David Mack and Alex Maleev.

The Marvel Art Of David Mack and The Marvel Art Of Alex Maleev are described as “prestige coffee table books” that will feature “iconic images alongside rare and never-before-seen artwork.” Clover Press, which is no stranger to crowdfunding, will use Kickstarter to raise funds for both volumes — which might be the first time we’ve seen an official Marvel project on the platform.

“Since its launch in 2019, Clover Press has established a reputation as an eclectic publisher whose books celebrate the arts and the creative process,” said Clover Press Publisher Hank Kanalz. “The Marvel Art Of David Mack and The Marvel Art Of Alex Maleev are a testament to the vision of two awesome artists whose storytelling helped define the look and feel of today’s Marvel Universe. We’re working very closely with the artists on the design and contents of the book to create stunning art books that you will not want to miss.”

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It’s Vader time in the latest ‘Black, White & Red’ anthology from Marvel

The four-issue anthology miniseries will launch in April.

Darth Vader joins the likes of Elektra, Deadpool and Wolverine later this year as the Star Wars villain headlines in his own Black, White & Red miniseries.

Marvel’s Black, White & Red series feature stories by a variety of creators told in three colors. Luckily Vader’s lightsaber fits the theme.

“This is a project we’ve been waiting to do for a while and we’ve got more amazing talent lined up that I can’t wait to announce,” Editor Mark Paniccia told Marvel.com. “It’s such a thrill to use this unique storytelling approach on one of the greatest villains in the galaxy.”

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What Are You Reading? | A whole lotta Moon Knight

See what the Smash Pages crew has been reading lately, from Noah Van Sciver, Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, Si Spurrier and more.

Welcome to What Are You Reading?, our look at what the Smash Pages crew has been checking off their “to read” list lately. Today’s reviews include a whole lot of Moon Knight, plus Amazing Spider-Man, Brubaker and Phillips’ Reckless and much more.

Let us know what you’ve been reading lately in the comments or on social media.

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DC announces Batman, Suicide Squad and more for Free Comic Book Day 2021

A ‘Fear State’ tie-in, a King Shark story and two previews aimed at younger readers highlight DC’s line-up this year.

DC Comics has announced their plans for this year’s Free Comic Book Day, revealing the four titles they plan to have available on Aug. 14.

The event is run by Diamond Comics Distributors, which DC stopped using last year as they migrated to Lunar Distribution. While Diamond won’t provide DC’s comics to retailers, they did say DC was more than welcome to participate.

Here are the four DC titles you can look for in August, which include a preview of the Batman event “Fear State” and a tie-in to the second Suicide Squad film:

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Azzarello + Maleev send the Suicide Squad after the Joker in a new Black Label title

‘Suicide Squad: Get Joker!’ will run for three issues, starting in July.

Brian Azzarello and Alex Maleev are sending the Suicide Squad on a somewhat personal mission for at least two of its member — to stop the Joker.

The DC Black Label title Suicide Squad: Get Joker! will run for three prestige format issues, starting in July.

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‘Detective’ #1000 to feature Dini, Lee, Bendis, Cloonan, Ellis and more

DC Comics has unveiled the line-up for Detective Comics #1000, the landmark issue that arrives in stores in March.

The comic will feature short stories by a variety of creative teams, from classic Batman creators like Denny O’Neil, Paul Dini and Kelley Jones, as well as more recent creators like Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo and Tom King.

“Following in the footsteps of the blockbuster Action Comics #1000, Detective Comics #1000 is going to be a must-have for every kind of Batman fan,” said DC Publisher Dan DiDio. “Everyone we asked to be a part of this monumental issue immediately said yes and we can’t wait for fans to get their hands on the comic book.”

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DC announces ‘Year of the Villain’ 25-cent comic

The almost-free comic arrives a few days before this year’s Free Comic Book Day.

Just prior to Free Comic Book Day, DC Comics will release a 25-cent DC Year of the Villain comic that spotlights several villains and sets the stage for future stories.

The book will include stories by Scott Snyder, Brian Michael Bendis, James Tynion IV, Jim Cheung, Francis Manapul and Alex Maleev, with a cover by Greg Capullo. Variant cover artists include Maleev and Cheung, as well as Stanley “Artgerm” Lau.

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