After a decade, ‘Saga’ will finally increase its price to $3.99 an issue

Due to ‘global economic factors,’ ‘Saga’ will no longer ‘hold the line at $2.99.’

It’s the end of an era for Saga and its fans. No, not the end of the series — that’s coming in about 40 or so issues, if I’m remembering correctly — but the end of its $2.99 price point.

Starting with issue #61, which is scheduled to arrive in shops next Wednesday, the hit series by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples will jump to $3.99.

In his Substack newsletter, Vaughn said that “you may have noticed on Fiona’s rocking cover that—after more than a decade of being one of the last comics anywhere still ‘holding the line at $2.99’—Saga has finally joined the ranks of books costing $3.99.

“As I say in next week’s To Be Continued, I’m sorry that various global economic factors that I know everybody’s feeling right now made this a move we couldn’t avoid any longer, but we still promise to always offer more new art and story (and more dopey letter columns) than any other similarly priced book on the stands.”

Continue reading “After a decade, ‘Saga’ will finally increase its price to $3.99 an issue”

Slugfest | ‘Batman/Spawn’ gets an ‘inks only’ edition

Today’s round-up includes news and announcements on ‘Amazing Spider-Man,’ Brian Michael Bendis, Keanu Reeves, Shakespeare, ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ and more.

Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you from comics creators, publishers and more. Most of this edition includes all those end-of-the-year announcements I missed because I was on vacation. Hit the links for more information.

DC and Todd McFarlane have announced Batman/Spawn Unplugged, an uncolored and unlettered version of the recent crossover comic by Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo.

“It’s always exciting whenever us artists can present our work in as unfiltered a manner as possible,” said McFarlane. “This book will let you see the true skill of how Greg Capullo does his masterful storytelling… and every line that we both put down.”

Continue reading “Slugfest | ‘Batman/Spawn’ gets an ‘inks only’ edition”

Lemire + Walta walk the ‘Phantom Road’

The creators of ‘Sentient’ reunite for a new series coming next year from Image Comics.

Jeff Lemire and Gabriel Walta will hit the road again for Phantom Road, a “grindhouse horror/fantasy mashup” ongoing series that kicks off in March.

“As soon as I first worked with Gabriel on Sentient I knew he was a collaborator I needed to do more with,” Lemire said. “We began talking about a big creator-owned series at Image. Something massive in scope like all the books we loved when we were getting into comics. Something with the scope of Preacher and Sandman and Walking Dead. We began putting ideas together and Phantom Road is the result. A sprawling mash-up of sci-fi, horror and character driven road movie. We can’t wait to share it with everyone.”

Continue reading “Lemire + Walta walk the ‘Phantom Road’”

Slugfest | ‘The Ambassadors,’ ‘Stranger Things’ and more

Check out news and announcements featuring Shazam!, Jeff the Landshark, Chispa Comics, Crash & Troy, and more.

Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you from comics creators, publishers and more. Hit the links for more information.

Mark Millar will team with six artists for his next project, The Ambassadors — a six-issue miniseries where each issue is set in a different country.

Frank Quitely, Travis Charest, Olivier Coipel, Matteo Scalera, Matteo Buffagni and Karl Kerschl will join Millar on the project, which was announced in The Hollywood Reporter. Here’s the premise:

It takes place in a world in which the superhuman genome has been cracked, and the scientist behind it is a Korean billionaire who builds the world’s first superhuman headquarters in Seoul and alerts the world that she will turn six ordinary people into super-people. This sparks a global competition for people who want to join a team that will be on call 24/7 for superhuman emergencies.

Continue reading “Slugfest | ‘The Ambassadors,’ ‘Stranger Things’ and more”

Emma Kubert’s ‘Stoneheart’ will debut from Image Comics next March

Kubert will write, draw and letter the new ongoing series.

The very busy Emma Kubert — artist of two comics that debuted earlier this week, Frank Miller’s Pandora and Radiant Pink — has another project lined up to debut at Image Comics next year. Kubert will write, draw and letter Stoneheart, a new action/adventure fantasy series.

Stoneheart introduces a new perspective on the hero’s journey and a deep dive into our capabilities of great good and great evil. I began this series simply as a catharsis to help me deal with the many worldly problems my generation is facing today, but it slowly culminated into a confrontation of my inner monologue,” Kubert said. “The art, the writing and the lettering is all a reflection of myself and my dedication to the  industry and craft. Through humor, adventure, excitement, action, and love, Stoneheart confronts our inner self-worth and creates an entirely new fantasy; a fantasy where we strive for peace.” 

Continue reading “Emma Kubert’s ‘Stoneheart’ will debut from Image Comics next March”

Slugfest | Get ready for ‘The Gimmick’

Check out news and announcements featuring the X-Men, Captain Marvel, The Last Barbarians, Harrower, The Archies in India and more.

Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you from comics creators, publishers and more. Hit the links for more information.

Ahoy Comics has announced a new project by writer Joanne Starer (Sirens of the City; Away From Here) and artist Elena Gogou (Quests Aside) — The Gimmick, which is “how I imagine the Coen brothers would tell a story about the wrestling business,” Starer said.

Colorist Andy Troy, letterer Rob Steen and editor Tom Peyer round out the creative team.

Continue reading “Slugfest | Get ready for ‘The Gimmick’”

Ed Laroche returns to Image with ‘Almighty’

The high stakes series kicks off in February.

The Warning creator Ed Laroche will return to Image Comics next year with Almighty, a high-stakes sci-fi/fantasy series that he originally self-published as a graphic novel.

“I can’t wait for people to experience this story; each issue ratchets up the tension culminating in one of the most unexpected climaxes put to paper,” said the storyboard artist, who has worked for clients like CBS, Sony, AMC and more.

Continue reading “Ed Laroche returns to Image with ‘Almighty’”

Peter J. Tomasi + Maxim Šimić grow a ‘Blood Tree’ at Image in February

The series about the NYPD hunting a serial killer was previously serialized on Zestworld.

Writer Peter J. Tomasi and artist Maxim Šimić are laying down the roots of a Blood Tree. The ongoing series about two NYPD detectives hunting a serial killer will launch in February from Image Comics.

Tomasi has been serializing Blood Tree on Zestworld since earlier this year.

“I always wanted to take a shot at writing a taut and haunting crime drama in the tradition of Silence of the Lambs meets Seven,” said Tomasi.

Continue reading “Peter J. Tomasi + Maxim Šimić grow a ‘Blood Tree’ at Image in February”

‘Local Man’ brings together small town crime and early 1990s superheroes

“Part Extreme Studios, part Vertigo Comics. It’s a story about love and loss, and ego, and murder most foul.”

Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs have teamed up for a new comic that’s “part Extreme Studios, part Vertigo Comics” as the duo share their love for those early Image superheroes in Local Man.

Local Man is Tony and I teaming up to make a comic book that combines what we love about ’90s superheroes, with our shared affections for crime and horror stories,” Seeley told CBR. “Part Extreme Studios, part Vertigo Comics. It’s a story about love and loss, and ego, and murder most foul. But it’s also about nostalgia, and promises not fulfilled—with lots of gritted teeth, and epic head punches.”

Seeley and Fleecs have both had their own success at Image, with titles like Revival and Stray Dogs. Each issue of the series will come in a “flip book” format, with a lead story drawn by Fleecs and a superhero flashback drawn by Seeley. Both are accomplished writers and artists, so it’s good to see them flexing both those muscles here.

Continue reading “‘Local Man’ brings together small town crime and early 1990s superheroes”

Barnes + Lins team for new alien invasion series ‘Monarch’

The new series will launch from Image Comics next year.

Killadelphia writer Rodney Barnes and Immortal Hulk artist Alex Lins will bring the horrors of an alien invasion to the streets of Compton in Monarch, a new series coming in February from Image Comics.

“I’ve always loved films like Attack the Block and War of the Worlds, so I decided to put them together to see what would happen. The result? Monarch,” said Barnes. 

Continue reading “Barnes + Lins team for new alien invasion series ‘Monarch’”

2023 Free Comic Book Day gold titles include Spider-Man, Fishflies, Dog Man and more

The first 13 titles include selections from Marvel, BOOM!, IDW, Image, Dark Horse and more.

Diamond has announced the first round of Free Comic Book Day titles for 2023. The “gold sponsor” titles for next year will include comics from Marvel, Dark Horse, AfterShock, Image, VIZ, Kodansha, Archie, BOOM!, Graphix, IDW, Titan and Dynamite, for a total of 13 titles, as Marvel will have two gold level books.

“This year’s lineup of titles has something for every kind of comic fan,” said Ashton Greenwood, Free Comic Book Day spokesperson. “We’re looking forward to another great year celebrating comic books and comic book shops, and we think this year’s lineup gives fans a lot to be excited about!”

The rest of the batch — otherwise known as the silver sponsor titles — will be announced later this week. Free Comic Book Day is scheduled for May 6, 2023.

Here’s a look at each gold-level title:

Continue reading “2023 Free Comic Book Day gold titles include Spider-Man, Fishflies, Dog Man and more”

Slugfest | Beware Doom the Living Planet!

Check out news and announcements about ‘Avengers Assemble,’ Miracleman, ‘Space Job,’ Spawn and more.

Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you from comics creators, publishers and more. Hit the links for more information.

Marvel’s upcoming Avengers Assemble crossover is set to kick off in Avengers Assemble Alpha later this month, but Marvel’s already teasing what’s in store for the big multiversal event in February.

Those plans include more info on Avenger Prime, the “most important Avenger in the Multiverse,” as well as the introduction of Doom the Living Planet! You’d have to have a pretty big Ego to turn yourself into a planet, so it’s no surprise to see a multiverse version of Dr. Doom has done exactly that.

Continue reading “Slugfest | Beware Doom the Living Planet!”