This week in Super Folk, Publishers Weekly’s superhero news destination, Image reveals a number of new and resurrected series, DC Comics launches its new DC Nation Magazine and App, Spider-Men gets its villain, the Dark Judges return to Judge Dredd, Tank Girl goes digital and more.
Image New and Familiar Series
Last week Image and its creators announced a number of new ongoing series and backups, beginning with Hell Yeah (and Glory) writer Joe Keatinge’s plan to include back up serials of a number of creator owned projects in what Keatinge has tentatively dubbed as “PopGun 2.0” (years ago Keatinge worked at Image editing PopGun, an ongoing showcase of new and upcoming talent). Starting in Hell Yeah #3, Keatinge is continuing the PopGun legacy with Baby Girl, a three-part action story written by the Three One Five Collective and illustrated by David Hahn, followed by one-page installments of Ryan Ferrier’s Tiger Lawyer, about a lawyer…who’s also a tiger, in issue #4.
Then there’s the return of It Girl in It Girl and the Atomics, a new ongoing series spinning out of Mike Allred’s Madman. The new series, written by James S. Rich, illustrated by Mike Norton and with covers by Allred, begins in July with a preview in Image’s Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) offering this Saturday.
Beginning in July, writer Kurtis Wiebe and artist Riley Rossmo (the team behind Green Wake) present Debris, a new series published by Image’s Shadowline imprint. The series takes place on a post-apocalyptic Earth where the last tribe of humans (led by their Protector, Maya) struggle to survive against spirits that form physical bodies made of the detritus that fills the landscape. Over the last few months, Debris has gotten some attention from a string of teasers with imagery influenced by the popular Final Fantasy video game franchise. (See the images at IGN)
Finally, Image’s Skybound imprint is bringing back Guarding the Globe with a new ongoing series written by Phil Hester (The Darkness) and illustrated by Todd Nuack. The series, a spinoff of writer Robert Kirkman’s popular superhero epic, Invincible, will follow the existing Guardians as they search for new heroes to help protect the Earth during the ongoing Viltrumite War. Guardians of the Globe #1 hits stands in September with a free preview in Image’s FCBD offering.
DC Nation’s New Mag and App
First announced at C2E2, DC Comics revealed the first details for its upcoming all-ages magazine, DC Nation Super Spectacular, based on the DC Nation programming block currently airing on Cartoon Network. Debuting next month, the 64-page magazine will feature comic installments of DC Nation animated shows including Green Lantern: The Animated Series and Young Justice, along with “DC Nation Secret Files” and other exclusive content. DC Comics is also releasing a DC Nation app which will allow fans to download their favorite kid comics such as Superman Adventures, Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam and Tiny Titans for 99 cents.
Vertigo’s Collider Lands This Fall
Also announced at C2E2 was Vertigo’s Collider, a new ongoing written by Simon Oliver (The Exterminators) and illustrated by Robbi Rodriguez (Uncanny X-Force) beginning in the fall. The series follows FBP (Federal Bureau of Physics) agent Adam Hardy as he investigates cases in a world where the laws of physics don’t always apply, but everyday life still continues. In an interview with Comic Book Resources, Oliver and Rodriguez described their collaborative process, as well as Collider’s episodic, case-by-case approach to story that will slowly build into an overarching narrative involving Hardy’s enigmatic father.
Lobdell to Take on The Man of Steel
On Monday, comic book news site Bleeding Cool confirmed that in September DC Comics is using the previously announced #0 issues to enact a number of creator changes on many of its ongoing titles. So far the only known change is that writer Scott Lobdell (Superboy, Teen Titans) will take over Superman, currently by Dan Jurgens and Keith Giffen. Lobdell recently caught some heat for his highly sexualized depiction of the alien princess Starfire within the pages of Red Hood and the Outlaws.
Spider-Men Gets its Villain
On Friday Marvel Comics revealed that Spider-Man villain Mysterio will be the main antagonist in Spider-Men, the publisher’s upcoming crossover between Peter Parker, the Spider-Man of the main Marvel Universe (known as Earth-616), and Miles Morales, that of the Ultimate Marvel Universe. Writer Brian Michael Bendis chose the evil master of illusions and hypnotism for his ability to delve into the psyche with unsettling results. He also likened Spider-Men to Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and inter-publisher crossovers like Batman vs. The Incredible Hulk.
Early release for X-Men Wedding Issue
In order to avoid spoilers due to the coordinated media blitz planned for Astonishing X-Men #50 upon its release, Marvel is allowing the sale of the special wedding issue (teased some weeks back with a “Save the Date” advertisement) one day early on May 22.
The Dark Judges Return to Judge Dredd
The mystery behind the teaser images on Comic Book Resources from Rebellion (publisher of British sci-fi comic 2000AD) was revealed as the return of the Dark Judges within the pages of Judge Dredd beginning in 2000AD Prog 1781 (on sale Wednesday). The story, written by longtime Dredd scribe John Wagner, sees the return of Judge Fear, Judge Fire and Judge Mortis, evil foils of Mega City One’s judges who inhabit a world where life itself is considered a crime.
Extermination from BOOM!
Last week BOOM! Studios announced Extermination, a new ongoing series by writer Simon Spurrier (Crossed, X-Club) and artist Jeffrey Edwards, about superheroes and super villains who must join forces in a post-apocalyptic Earth to defeat an omnipotent alien force known as EDDA. The series hits stands in June with BOOM! offering the first issue for just $1.
New Reduced Prices on Comixology and digital Tank Girl!
Comixology launched its new Recently Reduced Issues section of its digital comics service to allows readers to more easily search for and browse recently price reduced comics. Prior to the new section, these publisher reductions were not regularly advertised and each comic had to be searched for individually. In other digital comics news, Titan Comics announced the digital release of the original 1990s Tank Girl series on comixology and iVerse. The newly remastered 14-issue series, by Jamie Hewlett and Alan Martin, will be released in chronological order over the next few months (the first five issues are currently available) and begin Titan’s plan to digitally release the entire Tank Girl collection.
Dynamite Wins Gem Award, X-O Manowar Hits 42,000
Diamond Comics Distributors awarded Dynamite Entertainment with the Gem Award for 2011 Comic Book Publisher of the Year – Under 4% Publisher Award. 2011 was one of Dynamite’s most exciting years and 2012 seems to even better with the newly revived The Shadow series (which recently went back for a second print for its first issue) and this week’s The Spider.
The first issue of newly-revived publisher Valiant’s debut series, X-O Manowar, hit 42,000 preorders, making it one of the biggest publisher debuts of the last decade, reports Bleeding Cool. The numbers have been boosted by the publisher’s variant cover offerings including a QR code-enhanced “talking” cover.
