Marvel plans to reboot ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ in April

Joe Kelly, Pepe Larraz and John Romita Jr. will helm a new ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ #1 next year.

Joe Kelly’s tenure on Amazing Spider-Man will extend beyond “The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man,” the storyline currently running in the title. Marvel has announced that John Romita Jr. and Pepe Larraz will join the writer on a new Amazing Spider-Man #1 next April.

According to Marvel, the new title will feature “classic” Spider-Man storytelling, featuring Peter Parker, his new girlfriend Shay, the redeemed Norman Osborn and “the greatest supervillains in all of pop culture.” Batman may have a thought about that last one …

“Even though this is a new #1, I don’t think of it as a ‘restart’ per se,” Kelly told Polygon. “I’m writing the next chapter of the story of one the world’s greatest characters, lucky enough to follow in the footsteps of the folks before me. After that sinks in, I spend a lot of time thinking about what I love about Spider-Man and his cast, what stories resonated with me at different times of my life, and how I can synthesize all of that into something that works with what came before but breaks new ground. I’m fascinated by the internal lives of these characters and exploring new territory there — Peter’s youth is interesting, for example, the days before he was “puny Parker” in high school. At the same time, I feel a drive to take bold, unexpected swings in order to see how Spider-Man deals with Marvel-sized curve balls. Pressure makes diamonds.”

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Bloodhunting 4 | And in the end, we are all Doomed

We chat about the final issue of ‘Blood Hunt’ — and what’s to come.

Marvel’s Blood Hunt crossover has met its end, and the Smash Pages Kill Krew — myself, Shane Bailey and Tom Bondurant — are here to put the nail in its coffin with our final “Bloodhunting” roundtable. You can read our thoughts on the first issue here, the second one here and issues three and four here.

Please note there are SPOILERS in this discussion related to the story and its repercussions, so you may want to avert your eyes the same way the citizens of the 616 did when their beloved sun returned. OR DID IT? Find out below.

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Bloodhunting 3 | The quiet and then the storm

The Smash Pages crew plants a stake into the third and fourth issues of Marvel’s ‘Blood Hunt,’ as well as some of the crossover issues.

Marvel’s Blood Hunt crossover is more than halfway over now and heading toward its final issue. Once again, the Smash Pages team — myself, Shane Bailey and Tom Bondurant — has come together to talk about the event, with our third “Bloodhunting” roundtable. You can read our thoughts on the first issue here and the second one here.

In this edition, we talk about Blood Hunt #3 and #4, as well as crossover issues featuring Doctor Strange, Doctor Doom, Moon Knight and more. Please note there are un-polybagged SPOILERS in this discussion related to the story, so only enter if you dare — or if you’ve just been freed from an Asgardian prison, and need to catch up on things quickly.

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Bloodhunting 1 | A roundtable on Marvel’s vampire-infested summer event

The Smash Pages crew digs into the first issue of Marvel’s ‘Blood Hunt.’

Marvel’s next big event is here — Blood Hunt, a crossover series they’ve spent months building toward with announcements about tie-ins, miniseries and even a Red Band edition that features more blood.

The first issue came out last Wednesday, and just like Captain America is assembling a new team of Avengers to fight off the vampire hordes, we’ve assembled the Smash Pages team — myself, Shane Bailey and Tom Bondurant — to talk about the event. So here’s our first “Bloodhunting” roundtable, with more to come in the weeks ahead.

This time around we talk about Blood Hunt #1, as well as the Free Comic Book Day issue and another recent series that might have served as a prelude. Please note there are heavy duty SPOILERS in this discussion related to the story, so only enter if you dare.

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An X-Men era ends, and a new one begins, this summer

Gerry Duggan, Kieron Gillen, Al Ewing, Lucas Werneck, Joshua Cassara, Chris Claremont, Gail Simone and more contribute to an oversized issue celebrating 700 issues of ‘Uncanny X-Men.’

If you’re looking for the comic that will put the period — or maybe exclamation point — on the X-Men’s Krakoa era, look no further than X-Men #35, which arrives in June.

According to Marvel, the issue will also mark 700 issues of Uncanny X-Men, the flagship “X” title for the past 60 years, so it’ll also be an oversized issue featuring stories by a variety of creators. Those include some from the Krakoa-era, including Gerry Duggan, Kieron Gillen, Al Ewing, Lucas Werneck and Joshua Cassara, as well as legendary Uncanny X-Men writer Chris Claremont.

“Being a part of the Krakoan experiment has been a true thrill,” said X-Men Senior Editor Jordan D. White. “Honestly—in many ways—it echoed the experience of mutantkind itself in the era. We worked differently, we tried new things, we survived incredible new experiences. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have worked with such fantastically talented creators throughout the era, and working on the glorious ending is truly bittersweet. I will miss it with my whole heart, but I do know… Krakoa will live on within us forever.”

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Marvel will release ‘unexpurgated’ Red Band editions of ‘Blood Hunt’

The polybagged version will come with a parental advisory label and extra pages featuring graphic art.

Marvel has announced plans to release two versions of each issue of its upcoming Blood Hunt series — the standard version, and a “Red Band” edition that will deliver more blood and guts.

The crossover series by Avengers writer Jed MacKay and X-Men artists Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia will feature the Avengers, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man and more going head-to-head with the vampire nation under a sunless sky.

“Labeled with a Parental Advisory and polybagged to keep those weak of heart from experiencing its intensity, the Red Band Editions will contain additional pages and more graphic art too explicit for the regular edition,” Marvel.com reads. “Blood Hunt will mark the first time that a different edition of the same Marvel comic book is produced for more mature readers, fitting for this blood-soaked saga where vampires will viciously sink their teeth into your favorite heroes!”

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Marvel teases the vampire-themed crossover ‘Blood Hunt’ for next year

The stakes are high in this new event series by Jed MacKay, Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia.

Avengers writer Jed MacKay and acclaimed X-Men artists Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia will team up next year for a battle between Marvel’s heroes and the undead, as Blood Hunt signals the arrival of “the long night” and an emboldened nation of vampires.

Check out the promotional image by Leinil Francis Yu and Sunny Gho in full below, which showcases many fot eh characters MacKay has been writing lately, including Doctor Strange, the Avengers and Tigra:

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Mail Call | DC announces ‘Milestones in History’ anthology

Check out news, announcements and previews from DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Image, Z2 and more.

Mail Call is a roundup of cool things we’ve received in our mailboxes recently from comics creators, publishers and more. Hit the links for more information.

DC Comics and Milestone Media revealed more details about the anthology they plan to release this coming February during Black History Month, which was initially announced during DC FanDome last month.

Milestones in History will feature Hardware, Icon, Static and more narrating stories “Black trailblazers from across human history,” including Hannibal, the Queen of Sheba, Alexandre Dumas and more.

The 96-page prestige one-shot will cost $9.99 and arrives Feb. 15.

Here’s the full solicitation:

Celebrate Black History Month the Milestone way, as the superpowered citizens of Dakota (including Static, Icon, Rocket, Hardware, and more) narrate the true stories of Black trailblazers from across human history! Witness the military campaigns of Hannibal and the Queen of Sheba, the literary accomplishments of Alexandre Dumas, the World War One dogfights of Eugene Bullard against the legendary Red Baron, and many, many more, all written and drawn by a who’s who of comics and literary talent! On sale February 15th, this 96 page anthology honors Black History from around the world in a beautiful, prestige format book.

Written by REGINALD HUDLIN, ALICE RANDALL, TOURÉ, MICHAEL HARRIOT, and more
Art by VARIOUS
Cover by CHRISCROSS
Variant cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
$9.99 US | 96 pages | Prestige Format | One-shot

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Kyle Higgins + Juanan Ramírez tapped for a new ‘Darkhawk’ miniseries

Teenager Connor Young will take up the mantle of Darkhawk in the new miniseries.

About 30 years after he first debuted in his own solo series, Darkhawk flies back this August with a new miniseries.

Kyle Higgins, who contributed to the Darkhawk: Heart of a Hawk 30th anniversary special, will write the series. He’s joined by artist Juanan Ramírez.

“My approach to the mantle and the book in general comes from the same place that some of my other recent superhero work comes from: building something new and contemporary, while staying respectful to what’s come before,” Higgins told IGN.

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Marvel reveals the new X-Men line-up

The new roster will debut in ‘X-Men’ #1 this July, by Gerry Duggan, Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia.

Following the reveal earlier this week of who won the fan vote, Marvel has revealed the roster of the new team of X-Men that will debut during the upcoming Hellfire Gala storyline.

The team will headline the relaunched X-Men title, which debuts in July from Gerry Duggan, Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia. The new team will be based in New York City, according to Duggan.

“It’s my privilege and honor to be reteamed with Pepe Larraz as we throw beautiful and deadly threats at the X-Men beginning in July,” Duggan said. “Mutants have saved themselves, and are now going to save the world. Krakoa will grow roots in the capital of the world, New York City, and the inaugural year will star Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Rogue, Wolverine, Synch, Sunfire, and Polaris. The threats to Earth will come fast and hit hard, and every page from Pepe and Marte will blow your hair back. See you in July.”

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Marvel reveals who fans chose to join the X-Men

The new X-Men team will debut during the Hellfire Gala event, and will headline their own comic starting in July.

Marvel has revealed the winner of their online X-Men poll, where they asked fans to vote for the final member of the new X-Men team that will debut during the Hellfire Gala storyline. And no, it isn’t Tempo.

If you want to avoid any spoilers, you may want to stop reading now …

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Marvel will launch three new X-Men titles following the ‘Hellfire Gala’

Jonathan Hickman, Leah Williams, Pepe Larraz and more will work on new X-titles following the event.

Since Jonathan Hickman’s “Krakoa” era of the X-Men kicked off a couple of years ago, the line-up has seen several X-titles come and go. With the Hellfire Gala set to kick off in June, revealing a new team of X-Men, Marvel is teasing a few new titles that will follow the event (in a handy infographic, one of the trademarks of the Hickman era).

In addition to Children of the Atom, Way of X and X-Corp, which were all previously announced, the graphic also teases three new titles:

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