Category: Books

What’s Next for Daredevil

 

Daredevil #10.1 courtesy Marvel.com

  Dark and gritty comics are great but once in while you just need to ease up and enjoy great superheroics. Daredevil is known for tragic tales, street level crime fighting, ninjas and the Kingpin. Marvel enlisted Mark Waid to reinvigorate Matt Murdock/Daredevil with stellar results.

  Daredevil by Mark Waid/Marcos Martin and Pablo Rivera was one of 2011’s critical and commercial successes for Marvel. After several tragedies and demonic possession in Shadowland, Matt Murdock came back with a more upbeat attitude and focus on straight up superheroics. Comics Newsarama asked the veteran writer if the successful relauch was in part to fans ready for more positive heroics.

  “I think that’s a huge part of it. That doesn’t mean that there are no consequences for Daredevil, no repercussions to his actions, no hurt in his future — but he wins. That’s what people seem to be responding to as far as the storylines go.”

  Waid has been throwing surprising enemies at Daredevil including Klaw and now the Mole Man. Why would Mole Man turn up in a book like this.

  “One, they’re both blind. Two, they both have a form of radar-sense. Three, I wanted to see the Devil on a Dante-esque journey through the dark and monstrous underworld, and boy, did Paolo deliver on the visuals. Those covers alone are so evocative of Doré’s classic depictions of Hades that I find them stunning.”

Daredevil #11 courtesy Marvel.com

  And don’t forget The Omega Effect is coming in April. Waid and Greg Rucka spin a crossover between Daredevil, Spider-Man and the Punisher.

Mark Waid’s first volume of Daredevil with issues #1-#6 is out now.

For the entire interview here’s the Comics Newsarama link.

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New Writer for Batman: The Dark Knight

Penguin: Pain and Prejudice #5 courtesy DC Comics

  Novelist Gregg Hurwitz takes over writing Batman: The Dark Knight with June’s issue #10. The acclaimed novelist is currently writing Penguin: Pain and Prejudice, a mini-series about Batman’s iconic foe. The final issue arrives next week.

  “Okay. So this is the job I’ve been waiting to get since I was eight years old. I’m thrilled to be tackling one of the world’s greatest characters with one of the industry’s greatest artists,” Hurwitz told The Source. “Finch and I are very fired up to take the Batman into dark and dangerous new terrain, presenting a story that’ll be epic and sweeping and just a little bit twisted. We’re gonna see a cornerstone villain from a whole new angle, too. I’ve always been fascinated by Jonathan Crane—not just what makes him tick, but what could have happened in his past to make him obsessed with fear at the expense of all else. And perhaps that particular obsession isn’t so different from the demons that drive the Dark Knight. As I discovered when writing Penguin: Pain and Prejudice—Batman fits uniquely with the villains in his rogue’s gallery. They are two sides of the same coin, yin and yang, ego and shadow. But in some cases, maybe the match is even closer. Maybe instead of ego and shadow, it’s shadow and shadow. Maybe when Batman looks in the mirror, the Scarecrow’s face is looking out. We’re used to Batman teaching his villains a lesson, but this time the Scarecrow might have something to teach Batman, too. Right now, I’m knee deep in straw and burlap, trying to stitch together a tale I hope you’ll find familiar yet new, a twist on a classic. It’s gonna get bumpy and scary and bit unhinged, so buckle up for the ride.”

Avengers: The Children’s Crusade, AVX and Scarlet Witch’s Fate

Avengers The Children's Crusade #9 preview art by Jim Cheung courtesy Marvel, Comic Book Resources

  When the GLAAD Best Comic Book Series Nominee Avengers: The Children’s Crusade began it marked the return of the excellent Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung on the team they created. Wiccan and Speed hoped to find, save and redeem their mother, Scarlet Witch. Their devoted teammates joined them on an adventure into Latveria through time. The heroes faces the Avengers, X-Men, X-Factor and Doctor Doom. Avengers: The Children’s Crusade is one of the most perfectly written and drawn series Marvel is publishing.

  I had no idea how pivotal this story would be to the entire fate and future of the Marvel Universe. When the series ends the Scarlet Witch will be set up for her role in Avengers Versus X-Men, the return of the Phoenix Force and her possible connection to the mutant messiah, Hope Summers will be revealed.

  X-Editor Nick Lowe answered fan questions on Comic Book Resources. The question I found interesting was if the Avengers Editors or X-Editors determined Wanda’s fate after Avengers: The Children’s Crusade?

  “It was Allan Heinberg (with input from Tom Brevoort) mapping out Wanda’s trajectory. Allan had some great ideas on the subject and somehow Tom B. didn’t ruin them all,” Lowe responded. Brevoort is the Avengers Editor.

  Will Wanda be redeemed for Avengers Disassembled and M-Day/The Decimation? Wiccan and Speed may save their mother only to see her fall in AVX. Time will tell but Heinberg and Cheung have created a real Marvel classic with Avengers: The Children’s Crusade.

 

New Creators Announced for Emerald City Comicon

Emerald City Comicon announced 5 new creators coming to this year’s big event March 30th-April 1st.

Jason Howard is the artist known for Astounding Wolf-Man, Invincible, Little White Mouse and Super Dinosaur.

Ryan Ottley artist on the popular Image series Invincible  and Hack/Slash, Haunt, Witchblade.

Jeff Krell is the creator of the LGBT comic strip Jayson.

Jim Woodring is an awarding winner creator known for work in his magazine Jim.  He also worked on Aliens and Star Wars titles for Dark Horse Comics.

Gregg Schigiel works on the Spongebob Squarepants series and recent X-Babies. He’s the host of Stuff Said podcast.

Kitty Pryde Pregnant – Is Colossus the Daddy?

Wolverine and the X-Men preview art courtesy Marvel.com/Comic Book Resources

Kitty Pryde is pregnant.

I assume and hope Colossus is the daddy but in the X-Men world never assume.

When the cover Wolverine and the X-Men #6 revealed a pregnant Kitty surrounded by nasty Brood it sent chills through me and sent X-fans into a frenzy. In last month’s issue #4 Kitty started experiencing sudden symptoms and was soon ballooned out and ready to pop.

Today Marvel gave Comic Book Resources this exclusive preview art from Wolverine and the X-Men #5.

Did our beloved Kitty just deliver the news to Peter? If this were the real world – I’d be thrilled that Kitty and Peter were having a baby and settling down in family bliss. Continue reading Kitty Pryde Pregnant – Is Colossus the Daddy?

Spider-Men?

courtesy Marvel.com

  Marvel started spinning a web of intrigue sure to get fans guessing! This minimalist image with the message Spider-Men, June 2012.

Here’s what we know:

  Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Spidey’s The Ends of the Earth storyline ends in March. Spider-Man will fight with the Avengers in Avengers Versus X-Men – or will he switch sides? Peter is also a member of the Future Foundation. Clone Ben Reilly is in a new series The Scarlet Spider. Peter Parker is dead in the Ultimate Universe but Miles Morales wears the suit and stars in the title.

AvX image courtesy Marvel.com

   What if Marvel is spinning an army of Spider-Men in multiple locations like Batman Incorporated? I was inspired by this photo of Broadway’s Spider-Man for that theory.

 

Before Watchmen Announced – A Geek’s View

courtesy DC Comics

  Oh yes they are going there. To the excitment or hate of some fans – DC Comics is daring to go back into the world of Watchmen. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons classic series changed the concept of comic book heroes. To some purists – this move is heresy – their version of doomsday. To an all-star lineup of writers and artists it’s the challenge of playing in a world that’s the holy grail of comics created by the legendary Moore and Gibbons.   

  As I digested the news I kept thinking of the Dune series. Frank Herbert’s original novels are revered as groundbreaking, influential classics of science fiction. Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson, using his late father’s notes, have created multiple new books set in the Dune universe. I love them all. The original novels have a deeper meaning and impact. I still enjoy all the new novels set before, during and after the original books. It’s like pieces of puzzle seeing how characters, worlds and themes are built.

Courtesy DC Comics

  I have to admire the creators of Before Watchmen. To attempt to get into the heads of Alan Moore’s creations is a huge challenge, professional risk, and irrestible opportunity. I really commend Brian Azzarello for daring to go into Rorschach’s mind!

Before Watchmen Announced

courtesy DC Comics

  How do you follow-up the biggest selling graphic novel of all time? DC Entertainment is lining up an all-star cast of creators for new stories expanding on the acclaimed WATCHMEN universe. BEFORE WATCHMEN will be seven inter-connected prequel mini-series building on the foundation of the groundbreaking graphic novel. The move is highly anticipated by fans but controversial.

  “It’s our responsibility as publishers to find new ways to keep all of our characters relevant,” said DC Entertainment Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee. “After twenty five years, the Watchmen are classic characters whose time has come for new stories to be told. We sought out the best writers and artists in the industry to build on the complex mythology of the original.”

Courtesy DC Comics

  Here’s are the creative teams for each character:

  • RORSCHACH (4 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: Lee Bermejo
  • MINUTEMEN (6 issues) – Writer/Artist: Darwyn Cooke
  • COMEDIAN (6 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: J.G. Jones
  • DR. MANHATTAN (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artist: Adam Hughes
  • NITE OWL (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artists: Andy and Joe Kubert
  • OZYMANDIAS (6 issues) – Writer: Len Wein. Artist: Jae Lee
  • SILK SPECTRE (4 issues) – Writer: Darwyn Cooke. Artist: Amanda Conner

 

Courtesy DC Comics

A new issue will be released each week featuring a two-page back-up story called CURSE OF THE CRIMSON CORSAIR, written by original Watchmen editor Len Wein with art by original series colorist John Higgins.

  There will also be  BEFORE WATCHMEN: EPILOGUE, featuring the work of various writers and artists, and a CRIMSON CORSAIR story by Wein and Higgins.

  “The original series of WATCHMEN is the complete story that Alan Moore and I wanted to tell. However, I appreciate DC’s reasons for this initiative and the wish of the artists and writers involved to pay tribute to our work. May these new additions have the success they desire,” said Dave Gibbons, WATCHMEN co-creator and original series artist.

Courtesy DC Comics

  “Comic books are perhaps the largest and longest running form of collaborative fiction,” said DiDio and Lee. “Collaborative storytelling is what keeps these fictional universes current and relevant.”

  For the entire story here’s the DC: The Source link.

  For more covers and my initial take on this announcement click here.