Tag: Magdalene Visaggio

Archie’s horror heroines unite in ‘The Cursed Library Alpha’

‘All of this matters. There is a fabric.’

If you picked up Archie’s Free Comic Book Day title this year, The Cursed Library, then you know it served as a prelude to a bigger event that will unite the Archie Horror-verse. All the various threads laid out in the Archie Horror line’s one-shots over the last few years will come together in The Cursed Library Alpha, the first of three issues that’ll be released later this year.

Magdalene Visaggio and Eliot Rahal will co-write the event, which will feature artwork by Craig Cermak. They’re joined by colorist Matt Herms and letterer Jack Morelli.

“The Cursed Library event that Mags and I have been asked to helm is unlike any other moment in Archie Comics history,” Rahal said. “It’s both a throughline and nexus point that weaves together everything in the Archie Horror universe that’s happened so far. Its goal is to provide shape to the world that has been created. The Cursed Library is essentially saying: ‘All of this matters. There is a fabric.’”

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Slugfest | X-Men, Terminator, ‘Galaxy of Madness’ + more

Today’s round-up includes news and announcements on ‘Life of Wolverine,’ Gatchaman, the Energon Universe, ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ and more.

Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you that we haven’t otherwise covered. Hit the links for more information.

Marvel has revealed the cover and more details on the highly anticipated new X-Men title by Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman, which is part of the bigger X-Men: From the Ashes line that follows the end of the current Krakoa era.

The new title will feature Cyclops leading a team that handle “explosive mutant-specific issues without restrain,” with the first threat being “an existential new enemy that rises out of the remains of Orchis.”

Both MacKay and Stegman are happy to be here.

“Taking on the X-Men is always a daunting prospect, but I’m extremely psyched to take this team of mutants back into the world with Ryan,” MacKay said. 

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Archie will reveal its first trans character in ‘Strange Science’ one-shot

Danni Malloy, who first appeared in the Archie Horror line on Free Comic Book Day, will star in the one-shot that arrives in August.

Archie Comics has announced the next one-shot in the Archie Horror line, Chilling Adventures Presents… Strange Science, which will arrive in August by writer Magdalene Visaggio and artist Butch Mapa.

They’re joined by colorist Ellie Wright and letterer by Jack Morelli on the title, which will once again feature the character Danni Malloy, who will be revealed to be a trans woman in the story.

“I’ve been wanting to make this happen for a long time, and it’s really cool to see it finally come to fruition,” Visaggio said. “I never wanted Danni’s trans identity to be gimmicky, or for her to feel like she was only created to be trans. So, I’d like to apologize for sneaking her over the line like this! I wanted you to have a chance to fall in love with her for who she is, not what she is. I’m honored I got to make it happen, and I’m grateful to Archie for never, not even once, pushing back on my insistence on making their books a little bit more queer. I hope Danni finds a good home at Archie with supportive writers and artists helping to keep her alive for years to come.”

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Li’l Jinx returns to Archie Horror for ‘A Cursed Life’

Magdalene Visaggio and Craig Cermak reunite for a new story featuring the mischievous Jinx.

Jinx Holliday, aka Li’l Jinx, the classic Archie Comics character who was born on Halloween, will return to the world of Archie Horror in Chilling Adventures Presents … Jinx: A Cursed Life.

Jinx made the jump to Archie’s more frightening imprint last year in an anthology that featured a framing story by Magdalene Visaggio and Craig Cermak. They’ll reunite for this new story featuring the character in a comic-length adventure, joined by colorist Ellie Wright and letterer Jack Morelli.

“It is a blast to not only continue Jinx’s exploits but to now venture into the occult and otherworldly!” Cermak said. “Throughout this tale’s hellish predicament, getting to develop the charmingly hilarious interplay between Jinx and Danni is a particular stand-out as an artist—so much room for very fun expressions and mannerisms. Modernizing both characters has been a true honor. The scripts by Magdalene continue to be sharp, fast-paced delights, providing a great mix of humor and horror for me to go wild. Rock ’n’ roll, flying burgers, possession, and friends who’ve got your back—what more could you ask for?”

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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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Halloween comes early for Archie Comics in August

Lil’ Jinx hosts an Archie Horror one-shot, while a classic Archie story revisits the world of “Mirrordale.”

Archie Comics is starting the Halloween festivities early this year — well, early for most people. My wife actually starts decorating for Halloween at the beginning of September, and she’d probably go even earlier if I let her.

But I digress — Archie’s solicitations bring news of three Halloween-themed projects for the publisher. First up is Jinx’s Grim Fairy Tales, an anthology of spooky stories hosted by Lil’ Jinx, a character created in 1946 by Joe Edwards.

“Jinx is a character we’ve been wanting to explore more and we’re so excited we finally get the chance to . . . and what better way than having her as the cool babysitter who scares kids with creepy stories?” said Jamie L. Rotante, Archie’s senior director of editorial . “I mean, her name is JINX, how perfect is that? We were so happy we were able to blend the framework of spooky fairy tales and Jinx as our eager narrator and protagonist.”

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Comics Lowdown | RIP Takao Saito

Plus: DC does NFTs, the Uffizi opens its doors to comics, and small publishers discuss distribution.

Cover of Golgo 13, vol. 8, showing a man holding a gun and smoking a cigarette.

Takao Saito, the creator of Golgo 13, died on September 24 at the age of 84. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer. Saito made his manga debut in 1955 and launched Golgo 13, which follows the exploits of a taciturn hitman, in 1968. Volume 202 of the series has just come out in Japan, making Golgo 13 not only the longest continuously running manga series but also the one with the most volumes. Saito has said he would like the manga to continue after his death, and his publisher, Shogakukan, says the series will continue.

Comics at an Exhibition: The Uffizi Gallery, in Florence, Italy, is adding comics to its collection. The museum, which started out in the 1600s as the Medici family’s portrait collection, has commissioned 52 self-portraits by prominent Italian comics artists. The self-portraits will be on display in a special exhibit in Lucca from October 8 to November, 1, then moved to the Uffizio to join its permanent collection.

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Mail Call | The Avengers brace for ‘World War She-Hulk’

Plus: More news and announcements from Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, AfterShock, Top Cow, Skybound and more!

Mail Call is a roundup of the announcements we’ve received from comics publishers in our mailboxes recently that we haven’t already covered. Hit the links for more information.

Marvel is dusting off a classic event title for an upcoming Avengers storyline — “World War She-Hulk,” which references the popular “World War Hulk” story from 2007.

The new storyline will find She-Hulk declared a global menace, so the Winter Guard decides to bring her in.

“When the Russian Winter Guard invade Avengers Mountain to arrest She-Hulk, it sets off a global espionage adventure that takes us from the notorious assassin training academy of the Red Room to an undersea kingdom on the verge of violent revolution,” said writer Jason Aaron. “Along the way, traitors will fall, regimes will crumble and the dark evolution of Jennifer Walters will reach its bloody red crescendo, all as we build toward the epic events of Avengers #50.”

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Smash Pages Q&A: Magdalene Visaggio

The writer of ‘Eternity Girl,’ ‘Vagrant Queen,’ ‘Kim & Kim,’ ‘Morning in America’ and more discusses ‘Lost on Planet Earth,’ her latest series from comiXology Originals.

In the span of just a few years, Magdalene Visaggio has shown herself to be one of the most original, dynamic and inventive writers in comics. 

She’s written books for different companies from Marvel (Dazzler: X-Song) and Valiant (Doctor Mirage) to IDW (Transformers vs. The Visionaries) and Humanoids (Strangelands). The Eternity Girl miniseries from her and Sonny Liew is simply one of the strongest (and strangest) books that DC has published in recent years and I think the best book to come out of the very impressive Young Animal imprint.

For the most part, though Visaggio has written creator-owned miniseries. That in and of itself is hard to do, but the wide variety of what she’s made is impressive. To name just a few, Visaggio has written three Kim & Kim series, Calamity Kate, Morning in America, Quantum Teens Are Go!, Sex Death Revolution, two Vagrant Queen miniseries. Yes, the same Vagrant Queen that was adapted into the current SyFy Channel TV show.

So much of her work is about change and about the emotional journey of transforming ourselves, growing up and finding a new path, rejecting what’s laid out for us when it would be easier to accept it. In a medium that specializes in stories of transformation and adventure, Visaggio has found a place for queer stories and misfit stories that break so many molds and expectations, crafting something that is different, sometimes startlingly so. Her stories reject grand narratives, hero journeys, chosen one sagas, for something messier, something harder. Something a little more realistic and relatable. They are stories about the lives that we build and shape ourselves, with the emotional and psychological stories far more important than the larger narratives.

Her current project is Lost on Planet Earth, the second issue of which comes out from Comixology today. A collaboration with Claudia Aguirre, the two have worked together often over the years. The book and its themes come out of a lifelong obsession with Star Trek (something we both share), but the story that she’s written is uniquely hers, something that one doesn’t need to be a Trek fan to understand or relate to, and something truly unique. 

Visaggio and I met last year at the Queers & Comics Conference, and we spoke recently about working with artists, the Federation and more, while comiXology provided a preview of the new issue. 

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Smash Pages Q&A: Claudia Aguirre

The artist of ‘Lost on Planet Earth’ shares some early character designs for the comic and discusses her process for creating characters, working with Magdalene Visaggio and more.

Claudia Aguirre has been working in comics for years as an artist and colorist on books like Morning in America, Hotel Dare, Kim & Kim and Open Earth. She’s one half of Boudika Comics with Eva Cabrera. Her new project is the comiXology Originals series Lost on Planet Earth, which she made with her longtime collaborator Magdalene Visaggio.

The slice-of-life science fiction tale launched last month and with issue #2 coming out on May 19, I asked Aguirre a few questions about how she works, and she provided some character designs to show how she thinks – and give a first look at a character appearing in the new issue.

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‘Lost on Planet Earth’ coming from comiXology Originals on Wednesday

The ‘Kim & Kim’ team of Magdalene Visaggio and Claudia Aguirre team up again for a five-issue miniseries.

There may not be much new stuff arriving on comiXology right now deu to the coronavirus, but here’s something to look forward to — this Wednesday they’ll release the latest in their comiXology Originals line, Lost on Planet Earth.

The Kim & Kim team of Magdalene Visaggio and Claudia Aguirre team up again for a five-issue miniseries set in the year 2381, featuring “a conflicted lesbian relationship in a socially reactionary future.”

“This is a series about the ones who stay behind, the ones who don’t like what they see. It is an examination of choice and self-determination and self-knowledge,” said Visaggio. “At its heart, Lost on Planet Earth is a sci-fi slice-of-life comic about a burgeoning group of friends making their own way in a world that has no place for them.” 

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H1 navigates toward ‘Strangelands’ [Preview]

New series by Magdalene Visaggio, Darcie Little Badger, Guillermo Sanna and Mike McKone launches July 10.

Following the launch of Ignited last month, Humanoids’ new H1 line continues its rollout this month with Strangelands, a new title by writers Magdalene Visaggio and Darcie Little Badger, artist Guillermo Sanna and cover artist Mike McKone.

In Strangelands, “Two strangers find themselves inextricably tied together by inexplicable superpowers. Fighting their connection could mean destroying the world. Opposites attract? Elakshi and Adam Land aren’t married. In fact, a month ago, they were perfect strangers, dwelling in lands foreign to one another. But now, they’re forced to remain by one another’s side, for their separation could mean the planet’s demise. Their greatest challenge is to stay together — even if they have to tear the world apart to do so.”

The first issue arrives in comic shops July 10. Check out a preview below.

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