This week in Super Folk, Publishers Weekly’s superhero news destination, two longtime Marvel creators opt for more creator-owned work, digital vendor Comixology reports 77 million downloaded digital comics, DC’s new survey and digital He-Man series, teasers from Image, Dark Horse and Valiant, notable collections and more.
Marvel Creators Move On
Two longtime Marvel creators, writer Ed Brubaker and artist Paolo Rivera, both revealed their departure from their current titles in favor of more creator-owned projects. Since 2005, Brubaker has been the writer of Captain America, where he transformed the series from a traditional superhero book to one focused on espionage and realism that saw both the return of Cap’s sidekick, Bucky (as the Winter Solider), and killed off and resurrected Steve Rogers as Captain America. Brubaker’s last issue will be #19, and is currently co-writing issues #15-18 with writer Cullen Bunn. According to comics news site Bleeding Cool, writer Rick Remender (Uncanny X-Force, Secret Avengers) and artist John Romita Jr. (Avengers Vs. X-Men) will take over the title following Brubaker’s exit. As for his other Marvel title, Winter Soldier, Brubaker said he would continue to write for the foreseeable future.
Similar sentiments came from Paolo Rivera, one of the artists on the Eisner-Award winning Daredevil (written by Mark Waid), when he ended his exclusive contract with Marvel, which he’s worked at for a deacde. Rivera plans to tackle some backed up commissions and pursue a number of creator-owned endeavors as well as continue working with Marvel in the future. Daredevil features a number of rotating artists (including Marcos Martin, Koi Pham and Chris Samnee) so no replacement (if any) has yet to be revealed.
Comixology’s Big Numbers and New Digital Players
At an investment conference in New York last week, Comixology CEO David Steinberger revealed the digital comics platform is projected to earn $70 million in gross merchandise value for 2012, over three-times that of 2011 ($19 million), and over 77 million total downloads, up from 50 million only a few months ago. According to ICv2, Comixology currently accounts for up to 75% of the digital comics market.
The digital comics world got a little bigger last week with the emergence of some new players as well as some familiar faces. Liquid Comics, formed in 2008 after the shuttering of Virgin Comics, is partnering with Yahoo to release two of the publisher’s books, Dinosaurs Vs. Aliens (written by Grant Morrison and with art by Mukesh Singh) and Gamekeeper (by Andy Diggle and Singh), as motion comics through Yahoo! Screen.
Then there’s Madefire, which has just released a free app for the iPad that features dynamic new motion comics (dubbed “Motion Books”) by creators such as Dave Gibbons, Mike Carey, Gary Erskine and Doug Braithwaite. Currently the app boasts three biweekly titles (with four more on the way) that utilize many of the iPad’s features to enhance storytelling and reading experience. Madefire also allows users to create their own comic using the same tools as its creators, most of which are available for free with the app.
Artist Alley Comics, featuring digital creator-owned works by the likes of Craig Rousseau, Kelly Yates and Richard Case and more, just launched its website this past weekend during HeroesCon. The site is currently providing the #0 issues of its series (plus a sampler) for free.
Marvel Declares War and Adds Cosmic Trademarks
On Monday Marvel released a pair of teasers containing the tagline “This is War” with both an image of a broken Mjolnir (Thor’s hammer) and Wolverine battered hand. No other information was revealed, but Marvel promises to reveal all at the “Amazing Spider-Man” panel at San Diego Comic Con next month.
To further add to the rumors of Marvel relaunching its cosmic line in the fall, the publisher recently filed a number of international trademarks for “Guardians of the Galaxy” including merchandise such as computer games and beverages, as well as both retail and internet services.
Notable Collections for Fall and Beyond
Last week, publishers announced a number of notable collected editions arriving in the fall and beyond. DC Comics revealed its current slate of Fall 2012 releases including Absolute Top Ten, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Gene Ha and Zander Cannon, which collects issues #1-12 along some of the titles miniseries, the previously mentioned Marshal Law: The Deluxe Edition (by Pat Mills and Kevin O’Neill), Superman: Death and Return of Superman Omnibus, a new jumbo-sized edition collecting nearly all of the Death and Return of Superman story, Sleeper Omnibus, collecting the entire Wildstorm series by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (previously released in two trade paperbacks), a new edition of Warren Ellis’ Global Frequency (which had also only been available in a pair of trades), and a new hardcover deluxe edition of Neil Gaiman’s Books of Magic.
After announcing its print debut at this years San Deigo Comic Con, Archie Comics will publish the first trade of New Crusaders, part of the publisher’s new Red Circle line. New Crusaders: Rise of the Heroes, written by Ian Flynn and Ben Bates, arrives in April 2013 and collects the first story arc of the digital-first series.
Also coming in April 2013, cartoonist Peter Bagge’s Other Stuff, a collection of the writer/artist’s myriad of work (outside of his “Hate” series), as well as collaborations with a who’s who of indie creators including Daniel Clowes, Adrian Tomine, Johnny Ryan and Alan Moore.
Finally, Rebel Studios announced the release dates for the final two issues of the late 1980’s series, Faust. Mostly remembered for its graphic depictions of sex and violence, but also for being one of the first true independent comic books, the series was never completed (although writer David Quinn supposedly wrote the final script back in 1996) and has been sporadically published over the years by both Rebel Studios and Avatar Press. Rebel Studios plans to release the Faust #14 issue this October, followed by the final issue, #15, in November. To bring readers up to speed, the publisher is also releasing the original twelve issues in a set of four books, and is reprinting issue #13 in September.
DC Comics: New Survey and He-Man Digital Series
DC Comics is teaming up with Nielsen National Research Group again to conduct a new survey concerning the publisher’s New 52 line on the eve of its one-year anniversary. Unlike the previous survey, which focused on the reader (and revealed little new information on prevailing demographics), the new survey will focus on specific titles, mainly the ones that were recently canceled and/or performing poorly in sales. The survey also questions readers on where they buy most of the comics, how they hear about them and even which books from other publishers they have purchased.
To lead up to its recently announced He-Man ongoing, on Saturday DC Comics launched Masters of the Universe, a new digital-first series containing standalone stories starring Eternia’s many colorful residents. The series is scheduled to come out every other Saturday and features talents such as Geoff Johns, Howard Porter, Mike Costa and Kyle Higgins writing characters like Battle Cat, Man-At-Arms and Sir Laser Lot (a new character based on a doodle made by an eight-year old Johns).
Teasers from Dark Horse, Image an Valiant
No week in comics news is complete without some teasers, this time courtesy of Dark Horse, Image and Valiant. First, Dark Horse teased its upcoming vampire series, Ex Sanguine, out this fall. The series, written by Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash, Revival) and illustrated by Josh Emmons, was first announced at C2E2 and deals with the brutal relationship between a vampire and a serial killer. Dark Horse also announced a new graphic novel series based on the hugely popular show, Avatar: The Last Airbender. The new series, entitled Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Search, written by Gene Luen Yang, begins a new series following the current trilogy (The Promise) which has so far been an enormous hit, reaching BookScan’s top ten list of bestselling graphic novels.
Image Comics released a teaser for its upcoming 100th issue of The Walking Dead, proclaiming the arrival of a new character. The white-text-on-black-background teaser states “Lucille is Coming,” a character writer Robert Kirkman says is related to the Saviors, a cultish group that has recently been terrorizing protagonist Rick Grimes. Kirkcman also promised the issue will be “the most gruesome, most violent, disturbing issue yet.”
Following the arrival of Ninjak in X-O Manowar, Valiant Entertainment will bring back another fan-favorite character, Zephyr, within the pages of Harbinger #4, out in September. Zephyr, real name Faith Herbert, is a member of a teenaged group of super-heroes, and, in an interview with ComicsAlliance, writer Joshua Dysart described updating the heroine for today’s geek-dominated culture.
New Collins Novel, Russ Manning Nominees, Zenescope Does Robyn Hood
Author Max Allan Collins, best known for the Road to Perdition series, has a new novel set within the comic book industry of the 1950s amidst the crackdown on crime and horror titles. Seduction of the Innocent (named after the infamous book which accused comics of corrupting America’s youth) follows detective Jack Starr as he investigates the murder of a public opponent of violent comic books, and features sixteen pages of color illustrations by Terry Beatty, who previously illustrated Collins’ Return to Perdition.
The nominees for the 2012 Russ Manning Awards for most promising young artists were announced last week. The list is made up of Craig Cermak (Voltron: Year One), Tyler Crook (B.P.R.D., Petrograd), Martín Cóccolo (Helldorado), Teagan Gavet (Norgard: Across Thin Ice) and Dave Wachter (Night of 1,000 Wolves). The winner will be announced during the Eisner Awards at San Diego Comic Con next month.
Zenescope Entertainment announced a new Robyn Hood miniseries, a spinoff of is Grimm Fairy Tales title, beginning in September. The five-issue series, written by Pat Shand and with art by Greg Horn, Eric Basaldua and Stjepan Sejic, will feature a female Robin Hood who is summoned to the realm of Myst from her humdrum upper class high school life and becomes the fabled savior of the people from a tyrannical ruler.
