Comics Guide: Aug. 28-Sept. 3, 2023

(Note: CLICK HERE for Full List.)

TOP 5 PUBLISHERS

MARVEL COMICS

MS. MARVEL: THE NEW MUTANT #1 (OF 4)

Ever since Kamala Khan took up her mantle as Jersey City’s greatest hero, fans have come to know her as an Inhuman. A Champion. An Avenger. And now, for the first time ever, fans will know her as … an X-MAN! This August, Ms. Marvel will return for her most pivotal and defining chapter yet, and it all kicks off with an all-new comic book series: MS. MARVEL: THE NEW MUTANT!

MS. MARVEL: THE NEW MUTANT will be a four-issue limited series co-written by Iman Vellani (Kamala Khan in Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel) and Sabir Pirzada (Dark Web: Ms. Marvel, Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel) and drawn by artists Carlos Gomez (Rogue & Gambit) and Adam Gorham (Star Wars: Darth Vader). Covers will be drawn by Marvel legend Sara Pichelli, known for her stunning and acclaimed work on titles such as Ultimate Spider-Man.

"This was way scarier than joining the MCU for me," Vellani told EW. "Those projects feel like they live in their own dimension, so I guess I can separate myself easier. But you can hold a comic book! I've never written anything before in my entire life, but I have read many comics, so I just wrote what I would want to read. I was given a very professional tool to write what is essentially my own fan fiction."

"It was actually a very humbling experience to work with Iman, because she knows her comics even better than I do, and that is saying something," Pirzada added. "She was throwing out references to specific comics that came out before either of us were born. She has a very great eye for what makes for a good sequence on the page as drawn by an artist. It was very impressive to me to see her throw out all these references to different artists that she's been following through the years."

Kamala Khan’s journey as Ms. Marvel began in her first headline series in 2014. Quickly becoming one of Marvel’s brightest stars and beloved characters among fans, Ms. Marvel grew to be a key pillar of the Marvel Universe. Over the years, her impact has only embiggened with hit solo comic runs, notable stints with the Avengers and Champions, pivotal roles in crossover events, and memorable team-ups with her favorite heroes. This summer, her next life-changing story begins.

After Kamala’s heroic sacrifice that saved the world in Amazing Spider-Man, Kamala will be brought back thanks to the miracle of mutant resurrection in X-Men: Hellfire Gala 2023 #1! What a way to learn she’s a mutant! The bad news is her debut doesn’t go exactly as planned, and soon all of mutantkind will be hunted worldwide as the catastrophic FALL OF X grips the Marvel Universe!

"I want to make it very, very clear that we are not reconning her Inhuman origin. That's a part of Kamala's identity that Marvel editorial and myself would very much like to keep and protect," Vellani shared. "Our book will absolutely reflect all those core themes of identity that the Ms. Marvel comics have consistently explored — only now there's a whole new label that Kamala has to learn to accept. It's going to be pretty crazy."

Into this thrilling age of hate and fear, Kamala will have a secret mission to pull off for the X-Men, all the while struggling to acclimate to mutant culture! Amidst the action, behold an inspirational journey of self-discovery as Kamala explores this long-hidden truth about herself and realizes how it overlaps and interacts with other aspects of her identity.

"Our book will absolutely reflect all those core themes of identity that the Ms. Marvel comics have consistently explored — only now there's a whole new label that Kamala has to learn to accept. It's going to be pretty crazy," Vellani told Entertainment Weekly. "Hopefully those readers who are kind of getting into the comics after the Disney+ show are going to have something fun to look forward to on shelves."

MS. MARVEL: THE NEW MUTANT also marks the debut of Ms. Marvel’s new X-Men costume design, created by superstar artist Jamie McKelvie, who designed Carol Danvers’ iconic Captain Marvel suit and Kamala’s original Ms. Marvel look in the comics. Fans can get their first look at McKelvie’s new Ms. Marvel design, along with a stunning variant cover by artist Stanley “Artgerm” Lau depicting the same, on Marvel.com. Stay tuned for more showstopping cover reveals in the coming days!

To celebrate her new status, each issue of the series will have stunning HOMAGE VARIANT COVERS brought to you by some of the comic book industry’s most acclaimed artists! Across 10 covers, see Ms. Marvel in her new X-costume recreate her most iconic covers AND reimagine herself within some of the most memorable moments in X-Men history!

Welcome to the X-Men, Ms. Marvel — hope you survive the experience!

This is quite a coup, I guess? The actual actress of the TV show is writing her own adventures in the comic book! I imagine her LCS is going full-tilt boogie-a-go-go, with appearances and signings and photos and interviews. Bonus points for whoever thought of this, arranged it and approved it.
The abrupt return of Ms. Marvel with a new status (mutant) and new super-powers (that match her TV iteration) is so cynical it makes me sad. OTOH, I'm just glad they didn't drag this display out any longer than they did.
A number of homages are represented below, including Ms. Marvel #1, The X-Men #101 and The X-Men #130. Apparently that's on purpose, and there may be more I'm not recognizing.
Here's a PREVIEW.

MARVEL AGE #1000

Story: J. Michael Straczynski, Dan Slott, Jason Aaron, Mark Waid, Rainbow Rowell, Steve Mcniven & Armando Iannucci, Ryan Stegman | Art: Kaare Andrews, Michael Allred, Alessandro Cappuccio, Ryan Stegman, Marguerite Sauvage, Pepe Larraz, Steve Mcniven & More | Cover: Gary Frank | Variants: Francis Manapul, Ryan Stegman, Greg Land, Javier Garrón, George Pérez, Frank Miller | Teen+ | $9.99

IT’S A CELEBRATION OF THE MARVEL AGE OF COMICS — AND YOU ARE INVITED!

Marvel celebrates 84 years of stories and characters that have shaped pop culture as we know it. To mark the occasion, Marvel will be releasing MARVEL AGE #1000, a massive commemorative issue that includes contributions from some of the most storied creators in Marvel history, as well as a few surprises!

Marvel’s big day honors the release of MARVEL COMICS #1, the one that started it all! The groundbreaking issue opened the doors to the Marvel Universe for the first time ever, creating a tapestry of Super Heroes and stories that have gone on inspire generations of fans around the world. The stories featured in MARVEL AGE #1000 will be a grand tour of the Marvel mythos with stories that explore the classic days of Marvel in exciting new depth!

J. Michael Straczynski and Kaare Andrews create the Marvel Universe in a backyard! Dan Slott and Michael Allred depict a crucial turning point for Captain Marvel! Rainbow Rowell and Marguerite Sauvage explore the blossoming relationship between Cyclops and Jean Grey! The original Human Torch finds his purpose thanks to Mark Waid and Alessandro Cappuccio! The Silver Surfer confronts Mephisto under the guidance of Steve McNiven! Jason Aaron and Pepe Larraz detail Thor’s impact on a mortal life! Ryan Stegman explores the support network of Spider-Man’s friends and family! Armando Iannucci and Adam Kubert pit Daredevil up against a very human problem! And more!

Plus: The ultimate Marvel Value Stamp, #1000! Who or what will it feature?

I'm not sure any amount of numbering shenanigans can get Marvel Age to #1000, and even stranger, the book was originally a sort of PR vehicle. This one has actual stories. And it's a celebration of ... 84 years? That's an odd thing to celebrate, unless you're my Nana.
Here's a PREVIEW.

"Fall of X"

WOLVERINE #36

GHOST RIDER/WOLVERINE: WEAPONS OF VENGEANCE PART THREE!

LOGAN and BLAZE’S battle has taken a serious turn. Enter: The HELLVERINE!

There's only one "Fall of X" book this week, and it's the tangentially related Ghost Rider-Wolverine fight. That's good, as we may need a break from all the doom and gloom.
Note the variant cover is an homage to Ultimate X-Men #1.
Here's a PREVIEW.

"Contest of Chaos"

MOON KNIGHT ANNUAL #1 (ONE-SHOT)

Story: Jed Mackay & Stephanie Phillips | Art By Creees Lee & Alberto Foche | Cover By Leinil Francis Yu

MOON KNIGHT VS. TAEGUKGI!

The forces of chaos compel Earth’s heroes to go head to head with each other! When the champion of a god battles a godlike champion, who will win? The Fist of Khonshu faces off against Tiger Division’s fearless L:eader: It’s MOON KNIGHT vs. TAEGUKGI in a power-packed showdown! When the champion of a god battles a godlike champion, who will win? The Fist of Khonshu faces off against Tiger Division’s fearless leader!

This is Part 5 of 9 in the "Contest of Chaos" crossover, which takes place entirely in annuals.
Here's a PREVIEW.

"Dark Droids"

STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS #37

THE HAUNTING SECRET MISSION OF JANGO FETT!

The BOUNTY HUNTERS must contend with the looming shadow of the sins of BOBA FETT’S father! What is the secret that lurks on the mysterious droid outpost, THE HAVEN? Who is TARR KLIGSON and what is his connection to Jango Fett?

I may have mentioned this, but "Dark Droids" is scheduled to last four months. Maybe five.
Here's a PREVIEW.

"Ultimate Invasion"

ULTIMATE INVASION #3 (OF 4)

Story: Jonathan Hickman | Art/Cover: Bryan Hitch | Variants: Daniel Acuna, Alan Quah | Teen+ | $5.99

After KANG descends upon the City of Tomorrow, the Illuminati must regroup! IRON MAN has a heart-to-heart with Tony Stark! DOCTOR DOOM — the anti-Maker — prepares his own plans to deal with this evil Reed Richard … and the Ultimate Universe that the Maker thought he had rebuilt frays at the edges as they prepare for cosmic war!

There are some parts of the Ultimate Universe I won't mind seeing return. The army of Giant-Men made more sense than just the one. (There are a LOT of military applications for Pym particles that Marvel has never touched.) Black Widow being an actual Soviet agent was also a cool turn.
But some of it I didn't like. Didn't Ultimate Hulk EAT Ultimate Janet Van Dyne? Weren't Ultimate Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver an incestuous couple? And the Ultimate X-Men were a colossal bore.
Here's a PREVIEW.

"Summer of Symbiotes"

CULT OF CARNAGE: MISERY #4 (OF 5)

Story: Sabir Pirzada | Art: Francesco Mortarino | Cover: Skan Srisuwan | Teen+ | $3.99

A FIGHT AGAINST MADNESS!

The new symbiotic monstrosity called Madness inadvertently forced Liz Allan to bond to the all-new MISERY symbiote, changing both her life and the world of the symbiotes FOREVER!

Imbued with all the powers and personalities of the LIFE FOUNDATION SYMBIOTES (and more!), Madness is a symbiotic force unlike any other in the Marvel Universe. There is nowhere that Liz Allan can go where Madness cannot follow, no one she can ask for help who Madness cannot destroy and nothing she can do to stop the brutality of its onslaught.

The permission I give myself to ignore All Things Symbiote is utterly freeing. It reminds me of when I realized I didn't recognize anything on the radio, and didn't really care. One less thing requiring my attention.
Here's a PREVIEW.

DEATH OF VENOMVERSE #3 (OF 5)

Story: Cullen Bunn, Various | Art: Gerardo Sandoval, Various | Cover: Bjorn Barends | Teen+ | $4.99

CARNAGE VS. SILENCE — 'NUFF SAID!

Here's a PREVIEW.

MORE MARVEL

Available again: AVENGERS OMNIBUS VOL 3 HC, INVINCIBLE IRON MAN OMNIBUS VOL 1 HC.

AVENGERS TP KANG DYNASTY TP collects Kurt Busiek's big Kang the Conqueror story from Avengers (third series) #41-55 and Avengers Annual #1 (2001). It was, at that point, the most effective use of Kang I'd seen.

GIANT-SIZE X-MEN #1 FACSIMILE EDITION NEW PTG is famous for something. I just can't put my finger on it.

MARVEL'S VOICES: COMMUNITY TP collects MARVEL'S VOICES: COMMUNITY (2021) #1, MARVEL'S VOICES: COMMUNITY (2022) #1 and REPTIL #1.

DC COMICS

ACTION COMICS PRESENTS: DOOMSDAY SPECIAL #1 (ONE-SHOT)

DOOMSDAY RULES ... IN HELL! It is a creature beyond reason — and the only force in the universe strong enough to kill Superman. It's Doomsday, the living embodiment of death, destruction and evolution! In the wake of Dark Crisis and Lazarus Planet, King Doomsday now sits on a throne of skulls across a river of blood, holding court over the demons that swarm in the depths of Hell ... and he may have just found a way back to the land of the living. It's now up to Supergirl and Martian Manhunter to drive the beast back and see that he never again returns to our earthly plane — even if they must die to do it! Plus: the return of Bloodwynd, the debut of the Doomhounds, and a clue to the next big Superman event!

Is Doomsday smart now? I haven't read a story with him in it since he was more or less DC's Hulk.
Wait, the "return of Bloodwynd"? More proof no idea is so bad that comics won't resurrect it.

"THE GOTHAM WAR"

BATMAN/CATWOMAN: THE GOTHAM WAR — BATTLE LINES #1 (ONE-SHOT)

THE BAT/CAT WAR STARTS HERE!

Crime is down in Gotham City. ... Could that be a bad thing? A coordinated effort in Gotham has led to a reduction in violent crime, but at what cost? Villains scatter as their lives begin to crumble under a new regime. And as Batman recovers from his epic battle through the Multiverse and the horrors of Knight Terrors, one name runs through his mind. One name at the heart of this new, safer Gotham ... Catwoman. A conflict that's been brewing for well over a year finally hits the streets, and it will fracture the Bat-Family as war erupts! From bestselling writers Chip Zdarsky and Tini Howard and artists Mike Hawthorne and Adriano Di Benedetto comes the opening shot in the Gotham War!

So, this is going to be like Peter Parker/Mary Jane, right? Where one preposterous event or misunderstanding after another keep Bat and Cat apart for so long that we no longer care?

GNORT’S ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT EDITION #1 (ONE SHOT)

Story: Steve Orlando, various | Art: Paul Pelletier, Nicola Scott, Mikel Janin, Jeff Dékal, Daniel Sampere, Gleb Melnikov, Derrick Chew, Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, Emanuela Lupacchino, Joëlle Jones, Megan Huang, Terry Dodson, Babs Tarr, Pete Woods, Joe Quinones, Helene Lenoble, Otto Schimdt, Michael Allred, Sweeney Boo, David Talaski, Jenny Frison, more | Cover: Vasco Georgiev | Variants: J Scott Campbell. Adam Hughes. Pablo Villalobos | Mature | 48 pages | $5.99/$6.99 (card stock)

FUN IN THE SUN STARRING ... G'NORT!

You may know G'nort as the bumbling Green Lantern who protects Space Sector 68. Then again, you may not know G'nort at all. Whatever the case, get ready to see him in his newest role as host and proprietor of this very special swimsuit edition comic! Join our favorite fuzzball as he showcases some of our best swimsuit covers and our most swim-tacular stories! From the Flash in a Speed Force Speedo to Batman in a bat(hing) suit, this very special one-shot is summer fun from (bikini) top to (bikini) bottom.

G’nort’s Illustrated Swimsuit Edition collects some of the splashiest, steamiest swimsuit covers from DC’s best talent, all in one place for the very first time, along with Steve Orlando and Paul Pelletier’s Midnighter and Apollo story, "Out There," from DC Cybernetic Summer, a new 8-page story featuring The Penguin — clad in the tightest bathing trunks you can imagine — by Julie Benson and Shawna Benson drawn by Meghan Hetrick, and more.

Plus! Each copy of G’Nort’s Illustrated Swimsuit Edition features a randomly inserted centerfold, distributed in equal quantities: Poison Ivy by Jen Bartel, Nightwing and Barbara Gordon by Jorge Jimenez and Alejandro Sánchez, and G’Nort himself, by Simon Bisley! You’re not going to want to miss the all-new pin-ups of DC’s beach-body babes!

Thanks to the magic of comics, you can join in the beach blanket fun by recreating J. Scott Campbell & Tanya Lehoux’s variant cover for yourself! Grab a friend, pull on your swim trunks, hit the beach with your copy of G’nort’s Illustrated, and snap a photo — the back cover of G’nort’s Illustrated Swimsuit Edition features the same “Gotham Magazine” artwork that Batman holds over his face on the front!

At least they're honest about what they're selling.

KNIGHT TERRORS: NIGHT'S END #1 (ONE-SHOT)

KNIGHT TERRORS FINALE! SPECIAL OVERSIZE ISSUE!

Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, along with the DCU's other heroes, have escaped the Nightmare Realm only to find the Nightmare League has followed them home! The entire world has become engulfed in horror, and the last person standing to take down Insomnia is Deadman. But does he want to? And don't miss the exciting ending that continues the Dawn of DC mystery and introduces Dr. Hate! Wait ... who is Dr. Hate? Knight Terrors' thrills and chills are brought to the DC Universe by DC architect and superstar writer Joshua Williamson with horrific art by comics legend Howard Porter!

Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, along with the DCU’s other heroes, have escaped the Nightmare Realm only to find the Nightmare League has followed them home! The entire world has become engulfed in horror, and the last person standing to take down Insomnia is Deadman. But does he want to?

And don’t miss the exciting ending that continues the Dawn of DC mystery and introduces Dr. Hate! Wait…who is Dr. Hate?

Knight Terrors’ thrills and chills are brought to the DC Universe by DC architect and superstar writer Joshua Williamson with horrific art by comics legend Howard Porter!

This crossover, which ends with this issue, didn't seem to fire up the Legion very much. But at least Deadman got some face time!

MORE DC

I don't seem to have a hardcover copy of Superman for All Seasons, so ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN FOR ALL SEASONS HC will do nicely.

CATWOMAN UNCOVERED #1 (ONE-SHOT) collects Catwoman covers. A book without narrative holds little appeal for me.

PHANTOM STRANGER OMNIBUS HC is a book a number of Legionnaires have said they're waiting for. I'm among that number, although I've read all the stories. It'll be nice to have them all in one place.

SUPERMAN RED SON TP (2023 EDITION) is another softcover edition of this story, whch I already have. I'm still waiting for a hardcover.

WONDER WOMAN (1987) #1 FACSIMILE EDITION (2023 EDITION) reprints the first George Perez issue.

IMAGE COMICS

ARCADE KINGS #4

Story.Art: Dylan Burnett | Cover: Dylan Burnett & Walter Baiamonte | Variants: Rossi Gifford, Jordan Gibson, Dylan Burnett

Today Skybound debuted a striking first look at Arcade Kings #4, the upcoming issue of the prestige series by creator/writer/artist Dylan Burnett (Cosmic Ghost Rider, Ant-Man), and colorists Walter Baiamonte and Sara Antonellini.

Joe’s search for his missing brother is over, but now the real battle begins. Ken has leveled up since he last saw Joe and ready to throw down. It’s a brother vs. brother matchup to see who’s strongest!

"With Burnett's exceptional storytelling skills, Arcade Kings delivers an immersive experience that will keep readers feeding quarters into the machine. Brace yourself, the arcade battle of a lifetime is about to begin!” — Comicon

"The entire spread feels like a celebration and is endlessly fun to look at." — CBR

Image keeps sending me previews that Diamond doesn't have, so I pass them on.

KAPTARA: UNIVERSAL TRUTHS #1 (OF 6)

Story: Chip Zdarsky | Art/Cover: Kagan McLeod | Teen+ | $3.99

Back because YOU demanded it!Yes, you! Don’t you remember? We were having drinks and yousaid, "Hey. Whatever happened to … was it KAPTANNA?"

CHIP ZDARSKY (PUBLIC DOMAIN, Batman) and KAGAN McLEOD (Infinite Kung Fu, Cobra Kai) are BACK with a BRAND NEW STORY ARC of their "beloved" "science" fiction series! Astronaut KEITH KANGA, trapped on the planet of Kaptara, is trying to find his way home, but first he needs to solve a mystery: Who is stealing all the adorable CAT-TANKS? Who would DARE???

This wild and colorful series full of heart and chuckles could be yours for the low, low price of $3.99!

Has this concept appeared before, or are they joking above?
Here's a PREVIEW.

LOCAL MAN: GOLD (ONE-SHOT)

Story/Art: Tim Seeley, Tony Fleecs | 40 pages | $4.99

Bestselling Local Man duo Tim Seeley (Revival, Hack/Slash) and Tony Fleecs (Stray Dogs) are back with a new one-shot story sure to excite Image Comics fans in the upcoming Local Man: Gold. This standalone tale is set to hit shelves this August from Image Comics.

Guest starring a ragtag team of fan-favorite Image Comics heroes — including Cyberforce, Street Angel, Love Everlasting and … Boof and the Bruise Crew — Local Man: Gold is the perfect jumping-on point for new readers, and a must-have for old-school Image heads.

“Tony and I are really happy with the critical success of Local Man, and we want to make sure we give readers who’ve heard the buzz a chance to sample our story," said Seeley. "Gold is steeped in the '90s-comics-by-way-of-crime-noir vibe people are loving, and is easily accessible to newcomers!’

Fleecs added: "From as far back as I can remember, I always just wanted to make a comic that had BOOF in it. We're tackling a lot of '90s comics motifs in Local Man and one of my favorite things about the early Image books were the crossovers. From little things like Youngblood showing up in WildC.A.T.S. or Badrock and Company where in every issue Badrock hung out with somebody from a different Image founders' books to giant mega-events like Deathmate. We wanted to try and take one of those crossovers and make it super personal. That's what Local Man: Gold is."

In Local Man: Gold, Jack comes face to face with his explosive past when his superhero alter ego is blasted into modern-day Farmington by a massive cosmic event.

Now, Local Man has to get his younger, more extreme self back to his own time before he ruins what little life Jack has left. But it won’t be easy — Crossjack isn’t the only one who’s landed in the wrong era, and they’re both being hunted by a vengeful hero from the past.

Heyyy, that first cover has the trade dress from some old Image crossover ... Deathmate, wasn't it? And wasn't that famously unfinished? (I puzzled over the name back in the day for a few seconds, until I realized the thinking: "If checkmate is bad, DEATHMATE must be worse!" I would love to have been a fly on the wall when they argued, as I assume they did, over whether it should be Deathmate, Bloodmate, Killmate, Darkmate or Blackmate. It was '90s Image, after all.)
Here's a PREVIEW.

IDW PUBLISHING

FUNNY THINGS: A COMIC STRIP BIOGRAPHY OF CHARLES M. SCHULZ

Story/Art: Luca Debus, Francesco Matteuzzi | Top Shelf | 440 pages | $39.99

Happiness Is … Funny Things.

In celebration of the cartoonist’s recent 100th birthday, Top Shelf Productions is proud to announce Funny Things: A Comic Strip Biography of Charles M. Schulz, an imaginative and tender-hearted tribute to the man behind Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, created in the style of Schulz by Luca Debus and Francesco Matteuzzi and scheduled for publication in August 2023.

Charles M. “Sparky” Schulz was arguably the most popular and influential cartoonist of the 20th century, and he poured many of his own emotions and experiences into the world of Peanuts over its iconic 50-year run. Now, internationally acclaimed creators Luca Debus and Francesco Matteuzzi pay tribute to the master by telling the story of Schulz’s life in the medium that made him immortal: the comic strip.

Starting with the last days of his monumental career, Funny Things jumps back and forth in time to narrate both Schulz’s artistic achievements and the personal episodes that formed him as an author and human being, ultimately shaping him into the most beloved cartoonist on the planet. From full-color Sundays to black-and-white dailies, every strip provides a laugh as well as a piece of insight into his remarkable life story. Filled with affection, charm and poignant observation, Funny Things imagines Schulz through the lens of the very world he created, inviting us all to meet the man behind the blanket.

“Charles Schulz stated several times that he never created any art in his lifetime,” says artist and co-writer Luca Debus. “He believed cartoons belonged to the fleeting nature of newspapers and therefore couldn’t stand the test of time. With this book, we want to prove him wrong. By narrating his life, we celebrate his legacy as arguably the most influential cartoonist to ever live and try to understand his complex identity as both the man and the artist behind Peanuts.”

“While Schulz was working on his last strip, looking back on five decades of Peanuts characters and situations, he laughed and said: ‘I really drew some funny things,’ ” says co-writer Francesco Matteuzzi. “That phrase, Funny Things, stuck with me since I first read it: it’s both accurate and a huge understatement of what he accomplished. So simple, and yet so powerful, just like the strips he left us which we will cherish forever.”

“Readers of Funny Things will delight in spotting the real-life inspirations and references to iconic Peanuts lore, such as Schulz’s love of baseball, classical music, a little red-haired girl and a sweet black & white dog who might be wiser than any human,” says Top Shelf editor Leigh Walton. “But they’ll also get a profound sense of his religious faith, his understanding of loneliness, his immense ambition, and his rich family life.”

Celebrate Charles M. Schulz’s momentous life from his earliest days as a youth nicknamed “Sparky,” through tragedies of war and personal loss, to his laborious breakthrough into the funny pages, and finally to his indelible legacy as creator of the world’s best-loved comic strip, whose unlikely round-headed hero and beagle best friend have captured hearts and minds across generations.

Bless Chuck's pointy little head. This is a well-deserved book.
As an aside, virtually the rest of IDW's releases this week are for kid/young adults: GODZILLA RIVALS VS. SPACEGODZILLA #1; IDW ENDLESS SUMMER D&D SATURDAY MORNING ADVENTURES; SHELLEY FRANKENSTEIN BOOK 1: COWPIGGY TP; SONIC THE HEDGEHOG: SCRAPNIK ISLAND TP; TMNT SATURDAY MORNING ADVENTURES 2023 #4; and TMNT VS. STREET FIGHTER #3 (OF 5).

DARK HORSE

AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER — IMBALANCE OMNIBUS

224 pages | $24.99

Avatar Aang and friends return in Avatar: The Last Airbender — Imbalance Omnibus in partnership with Paramount Consumer Products, now available for the first time in a paperback collection. The omnibus features work by members of the award-winning team behind Suki, Alone including writer Faith Erin Hicks (Avatar: The Last Airbender –– Katara and the Pirate’s Silver, The Last of Us: American Dreams), illustrator Peter Wartman (Suki, Alone, Stonebreaker) and colorists Adele Matera (Avatar: The Last Airbender –– Katara and the Pirate’s Silver, Star Wars Adventures) and Ryan Hill (Rick and Morty, Judge Dredd) and with cover art by Wartman and Matera. The 224-page omnibus collects Imbalance Parts 1-3, which picks up the story where North and South left off.

When Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph return to Earthen Fire Industries — the factory owned by Toph’s father — Aang is surprised when their arrival is met with a cold shoulder. As soon as the team is asked for help at a business council meeting, the reason for the slight becomes clear: a massive bender-versus-non-bender conflict has gripped the town and is threatening to turn violent. In order to heal the divide and save the town, Aang and the team will all face tough decisions about power and identity that could tear them apart.

I have absolutely no interest in this franchise at all, but maybe you do.
Here's a PREVIEW.

BLACK HAMMER: THE END #1 (OF 6)

Black Hammer is back! For now, at least, as Dark Horse Comics presents Black Hammer: The End. The Eisner Award–winning superhero saga returns in this series picking up immediately after the events of the hit Black Hammer Reborn series. The newest addition to the Black Hammer saga is written by comics legend Jeff Lemire, with interior art and colors by Malachi Ward, and lettered by Nate Piekos. The issue also features a variant cover by David Rubín.

In this multi-timeline, world-hopping adventure, we find new stakes, new heroes, and the long-awaited return to Black Hammer Farm. The Weber family reunites and faces new challenges and villains in Jeff Lemire’s biggest event in the Black Hammer series thus far!

Black Hammer: The End is the next era of the Black Hammer Universe; a six-issue event series by Jeff Lemire and Malachi Ward that pulls the Black Hammer world into crisis.

“Black Hammer Reborn left the Black Hammer Universe on quite a cliffhanger,” says writer Jeff Lemire, “ and now we’ll find out what happens next! Black Hammer: The End is a story I’ve been building across the various Black Hammer books for years now. It will pull storylines, and characters, from all the various series into one massive story which will both be a conclusion of all we’ve been doing, but also usher in a fresh start, and a whole new beginning, for the Black Hammer Universe!"

Praise for Black Hammer:

"Amazing. Just flat-out amazing." — Patton Oswalt

"Black Hammer is easily one of Lemire's best creations." — Scott Snyder

"On my pull list by the time I got to page five." — Mark Waid (Kingdom Come)

“Black Hammer is the maddest, most brilliant comic I’ve read in years.” — Mark Millar (Kick Ass)

“Jeff Lemire's Black Hammer feels like it's walking two roads — one honoring the past of superhero comics, and one forging a path into the future of the genre.” — Cullen Bunn (Harrow County)

“Black Hammer feels like a superhero story through an X-Files lens; it’s strange and melancholy and real. The tale evokes an immense world filled with typically deep Lemire-ian themes of isolation, joy and simplicity. I can't wait to see where he goes from here." — Charles Soule (Star Wars: Poe Dameron, Letter 44)

I hope "The End" is just hyperbole, as I enjoy the Hammerverse. I'm far behind on my Black Hammer reading, but that's from lack of time, not lack of interest.
Here's a PREVIEW.

DEN VOL 1: NEVERWHERE HC

To celebrate the Den’s 50th anniversary, Den: Neverwhere will be the next book in the line to be reprinted. Thrust into a bizarre fantasy world called Neverwhere, the muscular adventurer Den goes on an exotic adventure through ancient ruins meeting an evil queen, her sacrificial doppelganger, bizarre lizard men, giant insects, and more strange and dangerous madness in this legendary saga brimming with horror, magic, and violence. This deluxe graphic novel will also be published in a hardcover format with a dust jacket. The art of Den: Neverwhere will be restored by José Villarrubia, Corben’s long-time collaborator who will also write the foreword, re-lettered by Nate Piekos of Blambot, and include an introduction by comedian, actor, and writer, Patton Oswalt.

On Corben, José Villarrubia said, “Growing up Richard Corben was my idol and years later I was fortunate to be his collaborator and eventually to consider him a friend. He was the most innovative comics creator of the 20th century, distinguished by his virtuosity in using mixed media. His color was without paragon and continues to surprise me. Studying his work has been and is a lifelong passion.”

"I'm so pleased and proud to share Corben art and stories with the world,” said Dona Corben. “It means so much to me to make his early works available in print again; and, I'm excited to share his new story that he poured all of his imagination and artistic vision into. I'm incredibly proud of him as an artist and a person, and touched that his work means so much to so many."

Praise for Richard Corben:

“The artist I most want to aspire to is Richard Corben. His style is visual and it tells the story just as you see it ... my favorite is Corben. I love everything he does, I love his stuff ...he’s an amazing artist.” — Guillermo del Toro

“Corben's work is singular in its humanity. He works with towering technical skill... ...the wondrous thing of it all is that underneath all that technical tour-de-force is the sound of a beating heart.” — Will Eisner

“Mr. Richard Corben ... a genuine giant of his chosen medium.” — Alan Moore

“Richard Corben stands among us like an extraterrestrial peak. He has sat in his throne a long time, above the moving and multi-colored field of world comics, like an effigy of the leader, a strange monolith, a sublime visitor, a solitary enigma." — Moebius

I assume "next book in the line" means this is part of the Richard Corben Library, which I am eagerly collecting.
Here's a PREVIEW.

STAR WARS: HIGH REPUBLIC ADVENTURES VOL 1: THE COMPLETE PHASE 1

Dark Horse | 368 pages | $29.99

Dark Horse Comics presents Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures — The Complete Phase I is a compendium written by New York Times bestselling author Daniel José Older (Shadowshaper, Star Wars: The High Republic initiative), illustrated by Harvey Tolibao (Grimm Fairy Tales), colored by Rebecca Nalty (Vampirella/Red Sonja) and lettered by Jake M. Wood (Transformers). The Complete Phase I collects the entire series including short stories and will be followed by the collection of another Phase I four-issue miniseries, Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures: The Monster of Temple Peak and Other Stories, written by Cavan Scott (Star Wars: The High Republic initiative, Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor, Shadow Service), with interior and cover art by Rachael Stott (Doctor Who, Supergirl), lettering by Studio RAM and colors by Watermark Studio.

Set hundreds of years before the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures — The Complete Phase I chronicles a time of galactic renaissance when the Jedi are at the height of their power and the Republic is experiencing unparalleled peace ... until a mysterious evil known as the Nihil threatens to cast its shadow over all the free worlds of the galaxy!

Follow the adventures of Lula, Farzala and Qort, untested Jedi Padawans, and their Masters, Torban “Buckets of Blood” Buck and Master Yoda, on their mission to rescue the inhabitants of the planet Trymant IV in the wake of a deadly Nihil attack. Two of those citizens, teenagers Zeen and Krix, will have to decide whether to go against all they believe and trust the Jedi, or go it alone and risk falling prey to the Nihil’s evil plans.

Perfect for readers of all ages, The Complete Phase I collects the entire Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures (Phase I) series by Daniel José Older and Harvey Tolibao, with six never-before-collected issues, a new epilogue story, and of course, the fan-favorite The Galactic Bake-Off Spectactular one-shot!

I assume this is more for kids than Marvel's Star Wars line.
Here's a PREVIEW.

WORTH A LOOK

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE HC

Story: David Betancourt | DK Publishing | $30.00

Take a deep dive into the fascinating history of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. From their earth-shattering formation and cataclysmic lineup changes to the introduction of fan-favorite characters like the Vision and Black Widow, this unique volume provides a comprehensive look at the origin and evolution of Marvel's premiere superhero team. This meticulously researched biography reveals unparalleled insights into the characters, backstories and motivations of Iron Man, Captain America, Ant-Man, Wasp, Thor, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Black Widow, Black Panther and more. The Avengers' story has been told many times — but never like this!

Usually when I read books like this I feel like I could have written them. But DK is usually good at filling in the gaps for those who haven't been obsessively following the characters for more than 50 years like me, and they're always pretty.

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #2

Story: Jim Zub | Artist: Roberto De La Torre | Titan Comics

CONAN and his new ally, BRISSA — a deadly Pictish scout, fight back-to-back against a savage horde ... only to discover that each success creates a new obstacle to victory over the "ARMY OF THE LOST."

Titan is really pushing its new Conan book, and I don't blame them. The quality is top-notch.

THE DEVIL’S CUT (ONE-SHOT)

Story: Mirka Andolfo, Brian Azzarello, Marc Bernardin, Elsa Charretier, Becky Cloonan, Tula Lotay, Jamie McKelvie, Stephanie Phillips, Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, V. Ram | Art: Elsa Charretier, Becky Cloonan, Francesco Francavilla, Lee Garbett, Joelle Jones, Ariela Kristantina, Tula Lotay, Jamie McKelvie, Junko Mizuno, Eduardo Risso, Christian Ward | Art/Cover: Jock | DSTLRY Media | Mature | $9.99

The Devil's Cut is your introduction to DSTLRY, a new publisher redefining creator-owned comics. In the aging process, the whiskey that evaporates is called the Angel's Share. But the most potent spirits are captured in the wood — the Devil's Cut.

This is The Devil's Cut — unfiltered stories from the most fearless creators, offering a distinct taste of the quality to come. 88 oversized pages printed on premium paper, featuring a flight of high-proof work from our Founding Creators, including Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Tula Lotay, Mirka Andolfo, Jock, Becky Cloonan, Brian Azzarello, Marc Bernardin, Elsa Charretier, Lee Garbett, Joelle Jones, Stephanie Phillips, Ram V, Jamie McKelvie, Junko Mizuno and friends including Francesco Francavilla, Ariela Kristantina, Eduardo Risso, Christian Ward and more. Edited by the legendary Will Dennis.

This kick-off issue will never be reprinted in this format again.

All covers full wraparounds.

DSTLRY's social media tells me that it is "a new publisher redefining creator-owned comics," which doesn't tell me anything. But poking around on the Internet tells me the publisher was formed by former comiXology execs David Steinberger and Chip Mosher, with former DC and Vertigo editor Will Dennis on board. They certainly have a murderer's row of talent.
Here's a PREVIEW.
Here's a TRAILER.

FAR SOUTH: THE GREAT UNION SCORE

Whatever the hell happens in the Far South stays in Far South! Montoya's bar has seen it all. Everyone who lives in the area frequents it, and those who don't, won't take long to do so. Everyone's a regular: scoundrels, prostitutes, thieves, truckers, bandits. There's wine and grappa to last for ages. Darkness is the only color you see there. So when the Police is looking for a culprit, they know where to knock first.

The hardboiled brutal land of the Mobsters and Gauchos continues to unfold, as bestselling international author Rodolfo Santullo and THE OLD GUARD superstar artist Leandro Fernandez present a new set of blood-soaked Noir tales, a must-read for fans of gritty crime fiction.

Featuring covers by revered artists Eduardo Risso (100 Bullets) and Matias Bergara (Step by Bloody Step).

I don't know if it's obvious by the PR, but by "Far South" they mean Argentina or Chile. Which is vastly more interesting to me than a U.S. Western noir. (Or "Southern noir," I guess.)
This would be a gimmie for me if Eduardo Risso had drawn the whole thing, instead of just a cover.

PLOT HOLES #1 (OF 5)

Story/Art: Sean Gordon Murphy | Massive | Mature | $3.99

Superstar artist Sean Gordon Murphy, known for his groundbreaking series Batman: White Knight, delivers an all-new tale of world-hopping adventure.

THE PLOT HOLES are a squad of fictional warriors who transport themselves into the pages of other books, using their unique skills to save the plots in order to stop them from being destroyed. And Cliff is their newest recruit, a comic creator who's just realized his world isn't real — in fact, it's a complete fiction that literally exists inside a novel. The other members are misfits like him, pulled from unpublished books that couldn't be saved: a manga samurai, a barbarian tiger, a kid from a comic strip and a vampire assassin. Outclassed by the other members, Cliff sets out to prove his worth to The Plot Holes as they fight to save as many books as possible.

How does Sean Gordon Murphy have time for this while churning out all those White Knight books? 'Tis a puzzlement!
I think I'd like to be a fictional character in a novel. For one thing, I'd never get old. For another, if I got killed, I could be implausibly but successfully resurrected in a sequel. And if I needed a new skill, I could learn it in a few paragraphs ("He spent years learning kung fu, until he felt he was ready!"), or if I'm on screen, in a training montage.
Note the homage to Thor #337 below.
Here's a PREVIEW.

TOXX #1

Story: Eric Palicki, Evan Carothers | Art: Ben Worrell | Cover: Brian Demarest | Blood Moon | $4.99

In a dystopian wasteland where humanity has long since been sterilized by radiation, a woman miraculously becomes pregnant and must find a way to stay alive as multiple groups vie for control of her and her unborn child's future.

I assume humanity has already figured out some way to propogate artifically, or this is going to be a terribly short-lived civilization.

VANITY #1 (OF 9)

VANITY — a gothic tragedy in nine acts — is based on the life of Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory (1560–1614), listed in The Guinness Book of Records as the greatest murderess in the history of mankind. According to legend, she was convinced that drinking and bathing in the blood of young virgin girls would preserve her youth and beauty. However, the historical documents tell us a slightly different yet far more mysterious and sinister story.

“For me, Scout Comics has been an entry into the global market of all English-speaking countries, as well as a chance to meet people who have helped me bring my product to perfection. This is the company where my good friend (my editor Andrea) works, who believes in me. I hope to continue working with Scout Comics.” — Jurii Kirnev

“The story of Countess Elizabeth Bathory of the Hungarian Kingdom is one of the most compelling, vivid and monstrous of all the femmes fatale, women gone bad, tales. With the scandalous savagery of her invidious crimes, she is infamous as the most sadistic and prolific killer of the Elizabethan world.” — Mark Rein-Hagen, creator of Vampire: The Masquerade

You can't have enough Elizabeth Bathory stories, you ask me! Besides, they sent me this nice preview.

FANTAGRAPHICS

For the second week in a row, Fantagraphics is dropping four wildly divergent graphic novels. I don't have anything to say about them. I'm not sure I'd want to read any of them. But one or more might be right up your alley. Here's what Fantagraphics told me about them:

A BOOK TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH HC

Story/Art: Lukas Verstraete | Fantagraphics | 208 pages | $75.00

A Book to Make Friends With marks the explosive English language debut of Flemish cartoonist Lukas Verstraete. What begins as a Pulp Fiction-inspired heist, in which two masked gangsters rob a passerby of his mysterious briefcase, soon snowballs into a psychedelic journey full of chase scenes, shapeshifting, soul possession, spiritual hallucinations, and unrequited romance. It all culminates in an epic, breathtakingly rendered battle between good and evil. At turns playful, philosophical, and kinetically riotous, you’ve never seen a graphic novel quite like this. Printed as an oversized hardcover edition encased in a luxurious slipcase, this book is as much a gorgeous aesthetic object as an engrossing work of fiction.

Here's MORE.

THE CLOVEN: BOOK TWO HC

Story/Art: Garth Stein and Matthew Southworth | Fantagraphics | 176 pages | $24.99

Moody and mysterious and atmospheric as a fever dream, The Cloven is a raucous, funny, and dynamic sci-fi graphic novel series about James "Tuck" Tucker, a genetically modified human organism known as a Cloven, written by Garth Stein (The Art of Racing in the Rain) and drawn by Matthew Southworth (co-creator of the graphic novel series Stumptown), two of today's bestselling and critically acclaimed storytellers.

Here's MORE.

EDEN II TP

Story/Art: K. Wroten | Fantagraphics | 452 pages | $39.99

A blistering critique of digital media and a kaleidoscopic depiction of consumer culture, Eden II is both fanciful and satirical, a combination of deft cartooning and virtuosic storytelling.

Reminiscent of the stylized angst of Gregg Araki and Jamie Babbit’s works, Wroten’s imagery in Eden II reflects the blighted pastiche of Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker — and they have suffused that pastiche with a dark sense of humor and technologically enhanced moral ambiguity.

Here's MORE.

MEMOIRS OF A MAN IN PAJAMAS TP

Story/Art: Paco Roca | Fantagraphics | 232 pages | $29.99

At 40, cartoonist Paco Roca has finally achieved his childhood dream — to spend all day at home in his pajamas! However, his blissful, loungewear-clad reverie is beset with a host of mundane problems: He dreads small talk with “the world’s biggest bore,” but his excuses and white lies are finally catching up with him. When a good friend breaks up, taking either side could lead to social disaster. The simple mission to change his train ticket descends into an impossibly complicated, Kafka-esque affair. And worst of all, his partner keeps hanging the toilet paper roll the wrong way! In the vein of sitcoms like Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, Roca’s comic vignettes brilliantly satirize the pesky pitfalls of modern-day life.

Here's MORE.

MORE COMICS

• Archie's ARCHIE JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #343 features stories with the rarely seen Ghost Fox and even more rarely seen Nevada Jones. I understand the impulse for Archie Comics to replace the straight, white, male, 1940s-style superhero The Fox with his mixed-race, gay son Ghost Fox as the star of "Fox" vehicles. I don't mind a bit, since I'm not married to any of the MLJ characters, and they haven't had ongoing adventures since the 1940s (like some DC characters) or 1960s (like some Marvel characters). Which got me to thinking: The Mighty Crusaders is the perfect place to age and replace superheroes in real time, avoiding all that reboot nonsense. And that approach would differentiate this slate of superheroes from all the others, giving it a chance to finally succeed.

Picture this in, say, The Fly #1 (2024): The star is the granddaughter of Kim Brand, the original Fly-Girl, who is in her dotage (or dead, depending on story needs). She's Black, or mixed-race, probably queer, whatever the story requires. There was a second, unrelated Fly-Girl for decades, whose true identity is a mystery (and a springboard for more stories). Across the Crusaderverse, the original 1940s superheroes are in their dotage (or dead), a second generation is retired (or dead), and we're looking at a third (or fourth, in some cases) generation that appeals to These Kids Today: Sexually and racially diverse teens/twentysomethings coming of age. Any series would have a built-in history, any character would have a built-in support network (their predecessors) and you could age these characters out, too, for a fourth or fifth generation. Some of them could even be unpleasant or anti-heroes, since we're not stuck with them indefinitely.

This is where Dan DiDio should have done his 5G. If stuck for a story idea, the writers could tell a story set in the past with the first or second generation of a given superhero (perhaps how they died). There's plenty of back story to fill in, but already enough to stand on.

• I never cared for Blankets, a coming-of-age story set somewhere cold which won all sorts of awards and fan love. I thought its lead character was the poster boy for mediocre white-kid entitlement, and couldn't shake that feeling sufficiently to enjoy the story. But I am definitely in the minority, so if you haven't read it, you might pick up Drawn & Quarterly's BLANKETS 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION.

• Comic strip collector's alert: Hermes' JOHNNY HAZARD DAILIES VOL 10 1959-1961 HC.

• Ahoy Comics alert: THE GIMMICK #6 (OF 6).

• I have never been able to discern the genius in "Nancy," but I am a bear of very little imagination. Abrams ComicArts offers THREE ROCKS: THE STORY OF ERNIE BUSHMILLER, THE MAN WHO CREATED NANCY for those who are more perspicacious than I.

KARIBA GN by Catalyst Press sounds like pretty standard YA coming-of-age and/or teen-fantasy-wish-fulfillment story. But it features African mythology, which could be interesting.

• I'm just a sucker for anything starring dogs like MY FRIEND TOBY HC at Magnetic Press, so I've got to master my impulse to snatch up every dog GN I see. I must be strong! I must be steel-willed! I must be ... a good boy!

• I didn't read MORIARTY: CLOCKWORK EMPIRE VOL. 1 TP by Titan Comics when it came out in individual issues, because at a glance I thought it starred Moriarty as the Sherlock Holmes figure in an alternate history. But evidently I misinterpreted, Holmes is physically present and I'm eager to try this now.

• ANCIENT ENEMIES: THE FIRST RESPONDER #1 (ONE-SHOT) follows the six-issue Ancient Enemies miniseries, all written by Dan DiDio. I don't feel like I need to see any more work from DiDio, whose ideas at DC left me cold when they weren't horrifying me. (Kill Dick Grayson? Replace all the A-list superheroes with their kids? Yikes!) But Frank Miller Presents apparently thinks his work is worth continuing, and Frank Miller's opinion might be more convincing to you than mine.

• Legendary's SLEEP TERRORS GN mixes the real world and the dreamworld in what appears to be a sort of fantasy crime noir. I don't know if dream stories work as well in print as they do on screen. In comics, you're already doing a lot of the work in your head, like a waking dream, whereas on screen you can be immersed in dream imagery without effort or thought. Also, in dream logic anything can happen, so I'd think drama would be difficult to achieve. ("A giant chimera coming to eat me? I suddenly find myself on the beach in Aruba with a margerita in my hand ...")

Replies

Jeff of Earth-J August 26, 2023 at 12:11pm

"MARVEL AGE #1000"

A prime example of what I call "Marvel Math."

"And the Ultimate X-Men were a colossal bore."

At least some things remained unchanged.

"I haven't read a story with him in it since he was more or less DC's Hulk."

I think I have read every "Doomsday" story except Action Comics #901-904. (I knew Action Comics was coming to an end with #904, but I decided to end my collection at an even 900.) I even read a "post-Flashpoint/New52" Doomsday story, believe it or not. AFAIAC, Doomsday is a hideously-mutated grey-Hulk from an alternate reality. As soon as DC tried to create an origin story, I lost interest.

"Wait, the 'return of Bloodwynd'?"

Didn't Bloodwund turn out to be another identity of the Martian Manhuneter? Who exactly is "returning" here?

"I don't seem to have a hardcover copy of Superman for All Seasons..."

One exists. Look again. :)

"PHANTOM STRANGER OMNIBUS HC"

This has been solicited a couple of times and was due to ship last week.

"...although I've read all the stories."

The 1950s stories, too? Because they're included.

"Deathmate, wasn't it? And wasn't that famously unfinished?"

It was. To be fair, it wasn't famously unfinished, it was famously late. I can't imagine why Image would want to remind us of that (or who would be nostalgiac for it).
Captain Comics August 26, 2023 at 12:23pm

As soon as DC tried to create an origin story, I lost interest.

I lost interest the instant he appeared, but yes, I understand the perspective.

Didn't Bloodwynd turn out to be another identity of the Martian Manhuneter? Who exactly is "returning" here?

Yes, he was. Which I had actually figured out before the reveal. But when it was revealed, the reason he became Bloodwynd did not satisfy me -- it was obviously just one of the Commander's "neat ideas" that nobody had really thought through -- and it left me disgusted. But here they are, reminding me of what I consider a stunning blunder. Also, "Bloodwynd" was an irrelevant, Image-y name obviously pulled out of an orifice. The character was neither bloody nor wyndy.

"I don't seem to have a hardcover copy of Superman for All Seasons..." One exists. Look again. :)

I can picture the cover in my head! But I can't find one on my shelves. You know Captain Comics Rule #1: "If you can't find it ... "

"...although I've read all the stories." The 1950s stories, too? Because they're included.

Yeah, I read the 1950s stories on one of those sites that allow you to read old uncopyrighted comics. I wasn't sure how long the books would stay there, since they're presumably under copyright, so I downloaded them. (Early Action, Detective and World's Finest, too.) I have them on a thumbdrive somewhere.

I can't imagine why Image would want to remind us of that (or who would be nostalgic for it).

Just like with Bloodwynd, my first thought was "Why do you want to remind people of something stupid you did." But lo, no idea is so bad ...
The Baron August 26, 2023 at 12:23pm

I think I'd like to be a fictional character in a novel. For one thing, I'd never get old. For another, if I got killed, I could be implausibly but successfully resurrected in a sequel.

If you were in a manga world these days, you might end up being reborn as a warrior princess in a video game world.
Jeff of Earth-J August 26, 2023 at 1:21pm

"I have them on a thumbdrive somewhere."

Meh.
The Baron August 26, 2023 at 4:44pm

Didn't Bloodwynd turn out to be another identity of the Martian Manhuneter? Who exactly is "returning" here?

A "real" Bloodwybd turned up later. Maybe that's who's returning.
Richard Willis August 28, 2023 at 7:32pm

"If checkmate is bad, DEATHMATE must be worse!"

How many of the writers or readers of that story realize that DEATHMATE means DEATHDEATH?

Wait, the "return of Bloodwynd"? More proof no idea is so bad that comics won't resurrect it.

Somebody decided they needed to retain the trademark.

Years ago, Marvel created a handful of stories about a great hero called The Sentry who saved the world and (for reasons) was totally forgotten. I bought the TPB of those stories and thought they were very well done. Some time later they had a character with the same name and costume show up. I didn’t buy or read these, so I don’t know if it was the same guy or not. They invalidated the earlier stories, presumably for trademark reasons.

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