- 2024 Nov 12
RIP Kazuo Umezu
The acclaimed creator, often called the godfather of Japanese horror manga, has died at 88, reports Screen Rant.
RIP Greg Hildebrandt
The celebrated artist and illustrator, who created iconic imagery for such franchises as Lord of the Rings and Star Wars with his twin brother, Tim, has died at 85, reports Comicbook.
DC Expands Its Compact Comics Line
The comics giant will expand its backlist line, republishing “bestselling, new-reader-friendly titles” in a full-color, 5.5” x 8.5” trim size priced at $9.99, next year, adding 15 more titles.
Turtles in a Double Shell
IDW Publishing will release the first collected volume of Jason Aaron’s run on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series and The Last Ronin II, penned by Turtles cocreator Kevin Eastman, next summer.
IDW Doubles Down on Patrick Horvath
The Eisner Award–nominated debut graphic novel Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees will receive a second printing of 15,000 after selling through its first printing of 20,000 copies. A sequel is forthcoming from IDW’s new horror imprint, IDW Dark.
Will a Graphic Musk Bio Hit the U.S.?
The author of a French biography of Elon Musk told Patreon subscribers he expects no English-language translation, per Comic Book Club: “I’m told that there was interest from various international publishers at the recent Frankfurt Book Fair, but there was concern over possible legal consequences.”
The Silent Art of Geoff Darrow
What happens when you take the words out of a comic? Darrow’s latest does just that. The Comics Journal takes a look.
A Perfect Comic and an Imperfect Film
The Beat looks at the recent adaptation of Richard McGuire’s graphic novel Here by the team behind Forrest Gump.
- 2024 Oct 29
The State of Comics Sales
While sales of graphic novels and manga continued to drop from the record sales they notched during the pandemic, overall numbers have stayed impressively robust.
Marvel Introduces Its Premier Collection
The new line of trade paperbacks, which will launch in February, aims to provide an accessible entry point to long-running series for new readers.
And IDW’s New Horror Imprint
IDW Dark, launching in 2025, will partner with Paramount to adapt comic books from horror film and TV franchises including The Twilight Zone and Event Horizon, as well as sequels to some of IDW's original horror titles.
IDW’s Next Editor-in-Chief
After several years of turbulence, Bobby Curnow will return to IDW Publishing after a short stint with Magma Comix.
Inklore Teams Up with Tiny Onion
Two of the graphic novel business’s rising star outfits will partner up to publish 12 books by comics star and Tiny Onion founder James Tynion IV.
TCAF Gets a New Director
Amie Wright has been appointed executive director of the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, succeeding Miles Baker.
Fantagraphics Crashes New Joe Sacco Book
Fantagraphics will publish War on Gaza, the comics artist’s first new comics on Palestine and Gaza since 2010’s Footnotes in Gaza, on December 17.
Comixology Expands In Print
Amazon's digital comics platform has inked a new print distribution partnership with publishers Ablaze Publishing and Mad Cave Studios.
Comics Creator Mourns by Giving Back
Award-winning graphic novelist Zoe Thorogood, rocked by her brother’s suicide, is donating all profits from her graphic novel It’s Lonely at the Center of the Earth to mental health charities, per the Guardian, with the book’s publishers in three countries slated to match the donations.
Atlas Comics Returns
The classic ‘50s comics brands are being revived, with the initial product range exclusive to Walmart, per ICv2.
RIP Bernie Mireault
The work of the late comics artist “always projected the passionate fascination of someone standing just outside the comics mainstream without ever totally entering it,” per the Comics Journal.
Red Light Properties Returns
Creator Dan Goldman is bringing back his cult tropical horror comic series, starting with a Kickstarter campaign.
Celebrating with the Beat
The comics publication founded by PW contributor Heidi MacDonald shares photos from its 20th anniversary party, held during this year’s NYCC.
NYC Dept. of Transit Yells ‘Excelsior!’
The New York City Department of Transportation is selling a limited number of “Stan Lee Way” commemorative street signs, per the Bronx Times.
Alan Moore Slams Fandom
“Fan attitudes have toxified the world surrounding us, most obviously in our politics,” the author argues in the Guardian.
The Tale of the Trans Clone Trooper
The publication of a new reference book containing lore for a transgender Star Wars character was followed by backlash from “the notoriously intolerant portion of the franchise’s fandom,” reports Them.
Spider-Man Returns, Again
Actor Tom Holland teased fans with news of Spider-Man 4, which has been greenlit by Sony and Marvel, per Deadline.
- 2024 Oct 08
The Great Fall 2024 Book Preview
Looking for your next read? The Millions has dozens of suggestions for you.
RIP Pierre Christin
The cocreator of Valerian et Laureline, a major figure in French comics, died on October 3, per Entrevue.fr.
The 2024 Sergio Aragonés Award Winner
Artist Juanjo Guarnido has been announced as the winner of this year’s Sergio Aragonés International Award for Excellence in Comic Art, per Down the Tubes.
Mafalda Heads Stateside
Quino’s classic Argentine comic strip will receive worldwide English release next year from Elsewhere Editions, in a translation from the Spanish by Frank Wynne, per the Beat.
Ridley Scott Enters the Comics World
The filmmaker’s Scott Free production company has partnered with Mechanical Cake on three original graphic novel series, per Deadline.
Charlamagne tha God...of Comics?
The Breakfast Club personality and entrepreneur nets a graphic novel deal, per Variety.
A New Comics Criticism Journal
The Comics Courier, a newspaper-format journal edited by Tiffany Babb and dedicated to in-depth comics criticism, is raising funds for a launch.
Harvey Kurtzman Week
The Comics Journal shares a week-long retrospective of the works of the comics legend.
Holy Hollywood, Batman!
The caped crusader, who debuted in 1939, is the first superhero to get a star on the Walk of Fame, joining Adam West, the actor who played him on TV, per the New York Times.
Is The Rings of Power...Popular?
The viewership numbers for Amazon’s oft-criticized Lord of the Rings spinoff series show a bigger hit than one might expect after reading the headlines, per the Beat.
The Best Horror Books of 2024 (So Far)
Vulture showcases its favorite books in a booming genre.
- 2024 Sep 24
Boom! Gets a New Head
Following Random House’s acquisition of Boom! Studios this July, Michael Kelly is jumping aboard as publisher.
Comics and Censorship
For Banned Books Week, the Comics Journal takes a look at the state of book banning in the comics and graphic novel space.
A Fantastic Sale
A copy of Fantastic Four #1 has sold for a record-breaking price at auction, per ICv2.
Garth Ennis Gets a Horror Imprint
The creator of Preacher and The Boys will helm Ninth Circle, a shingle at Image Comics that will put out its first title in December, per CBR.
Jules Feiffer Stays Amazing at 95
People interviews the nonagenarian cartooning legend about his first graphic novel for kids, Amazing Grapes.
The Art of Hellboy
The New York Times stops by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola’s new exhibition at the Labaune Gallery in Manhattan.
Two Decades of Scott Pilgrim
The Beat interviews Bryan Lee O'Malley about his enduringly popular series for its 20th anniversary.
Rooney Tunes
The kids are loony for Sally Rooney, per the Times, as the midnight release parties for her latest novel—nearly a gross of them—can attest.
Mystery Masters
Lee Child and Richard Osman discuss their writing lives and the secrets behind crafting compelling narratives for the Guardian.
- 2024 Sep 10
Manga Plus Teams with Shonen Jump+
Shueisha's Manga Plus will begin releasing simultaneous English-language translations of one-shots from sister platform Shonen Jump+ starting this month.
Revised Sophie Castille Shortlist
The eight-title shortlist for the English-language edition of the 2024 Sophie Castille Awards for Comics in Translation has been reannounced following an August 22 error.
Orange Launches Manga Platform
Orange Inc. has launched Emaqi, a digital manga store providing exclusive English translations of previously unreleased titles to English-speaking audiences in the U.S. and Canada.
R.I.P. John Cassady
Eisner-winning comic artist John Cassady has died at 52.
Aydin Returns
Andrew Aydin, who coauthored John Lewis’s graphic novel memoir, will return with two new series on U.S. history, reports Axios.
Good Omens Paused
Amazon has hit the brakes on its Good Omens series in light of recent allegations against Neil Gaiman, per Deadline.
Arcane Trailer Drops
The second season of the League of Legends animated series returns to Netflix in November.
Alan Moore's Forgotten Work
The Comics Journal explores I Can Hear The Grass Grow, Alan Moore’s forgotten work of graphic sound.
Japanese Gov't to Preserve Manga, Anime
Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs has launched a committee to create a national facility for collecting, preserving, and exhibiting manga and animation artwork, per the Asahi Shimbun.
HBO Responds to Martin Digs
HBO has addressed George R.R. Martin’s now-deleted blog post criticizing the creative decisions that were made in season two of House of the Dragon, reports Deadline.
Celebrating Mike Mignola
New York’s Philippe Labaune Gallery is hosting an exhibit dedicated to the art of Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, reports Forbes.
NY Comics Symposium Schedule
The Fall 2024 schedule for the New York Comics and Picture-story Symposium has been released.
What the End of CartoonNetwork.com Means
Slate unpacks the deletion of the Cartoon Network website, the latest casualty of Warner Bros. Discovery's questionable approach to preserving its properties.
Appraising Rare Indie Comics
ComicBookInvest.com takes a look at some of the rarest, and subsequently most expensive, indie comics to ever release.
Debunking Comics Myths
KQED debunks persistent myths about graphic novels and comics to show how they can teach reading, critical thinking, and more.
Sarah J. Maas: Hollywood’s Next Marvel?
Will romantasy succeed superheroes on top of Hollywood? Bloomberg considers the possibilities.
Shonen Jump Bets Big on New Story
Manga magazine Shonen Jump has recruited from its biggest rival to launch its next big fantasy story, Madan no Ichi, per ScreenRant.
A Romance with Neuromancer
BookBrunch commemorates the impact of William Gibson’s cyberpunk classic.
- 2024 Aug 27
Meet NYCC’s Retailer Day
New York Comic Con will extend to five days in 2025, offering new opportunities for comics professionals.
NYCC Launches Romantasy Brunch
“Coffee, Croissants, and Catching Feelings,” a ticketed brunch on October 17, will feature romantasy authors Carissa Broadbent, Danielle L. Jensen, Elise Kova, and Brigid Kemmerer.
Your Tom Spurgeon Award Winner Is...
Annie Koyama! This year, Cartoon Crossroads Columbus honors the founder of her eponymous Toronto-based “alternative comics powerhouse.”
Vault and Aethon Roleplay Together
Vault Books will soon publish print editions of Aethon Books’ popular LitRPG titles.
Marvel for Dummies
Wiley and Marvel are launching a six-book selection as part of the Dummies series, starting with introductions to Marvel Comics and Captain America.
Show VoyceMe the Money
Actually, somebody already did. The manga platform has raised $10 million in a new funding round led by Redpoint Ventures.
RIP Len Riggio
The longtime owner of Barnes & Noble brought more books—graphic novels and manga included—to the masses than any other American bookseller of his generation.
RIP Joyce Brabner
The Comics Journal remembers the influential author, activist, and widow of Harvey Pekar.
RIP Elena Salcedo
The Beat remembers the late VP of operations at Top Cow Productions, gone too soon.
A Legal Battle over Comics Certification
The Philadelphia Inquirer breaks down the lawsuit filed by a Pennsylvania couple against the Certified Guaranty Company.
Berserk Is Coming Back
Following the death of mangaka Kentaro Miura, his friend and colleague Kouji Mori will pick up where he left off, per the Beat.
Dragon Ball Super Is Coming Back
Following the death of creator Akira Toriyama, artist Toyotaro has hinted that he is working on the return of the series, per Screen Rant.
The Witcher Book Series Will Return
Redanian Intelligence reports that Andrzej Sapkowski has completed a new installment of his fantasy epic.
A Question of Justice
Alex Segura will pen a new six-issue series that finds the Question investigating a murder mystery at Justice League headquarters, reports Polygon.
LOTR Gallops Back to the Silver Screen
Animation magazine shares the trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, an anime take on Tolkienian lore coming this December.
The Man Behind Batman
Actor Dan Fogler is set to portray iconic Batman film producer Michael Uslan in an upcoming biopic, per the Hollywood Reporter.
Freeing The Rings of Power
Deadline reports that Samsung TV Plus is streaming the first season of Amazon Prime Video’s series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power for free in advance of the second season’s debut.
See AnimeNYC
It’s as if you were there! amNewYork showcases the best moments from this year’s convention.
- 2024 Aug 13
Dstlry Raises $5 Million
Dstlry, the comics publisher founded by Comixology veterans David Steinberger and Chip Mosher, has raised $5 million in seed round funding.
Your 2024 Harvey Award Nominees
More than 50 titles have been chosen across seven categories for this year’s Harveys. The winners will be announced at NYCC on October 18.
And Your 2024 Ignatz Awards Nominees
Drawn & Quarterly, New York Review Comics, and Silver Sprocket are among the publishers nominated for this year's Ignatz Awards for small press comics.
Paramount Sells Off ComicBook.com
Paramount Global has offloaded ComicBook.com and PopCulture.com to Savage Ventures in a cost-cutting move, per the Wrap.
Perlmutter Sells Disney Stake
Former Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter has sold his entire stake in Disney, citing a lack of confidence in management, reports Deadline.
Delcourt Finds a Buyer
Editis, France’s second largest book publisher, has entered talks to acquire comics publisher Delcourt, reports the Beat.
Dark Horse, Wizards of the Coast Team
Dark Horse Comics and Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast have partnered on a new publishing line for 2025 in honor of Dungeons & Dragons’ 50th anniversary.
IDW, Paramount Ink New Star Trek Deal
IDW Publishing and Paramount have extended their Star Trek comics partnership through 2025, according to Bleeding Cool.
Flying Colors Comics Turns 35
Joe Field, owner of Flying Colors Comics and founder of Free Comic Book Day, talked with the Comics Journal about his store’s 35th anniversary and the state of comics publishing.
Kaepernick's AI Venture Under Fire
Colin Kaepernick’s new AI-powered publishing company is drawing the ire of a number of high-profile comics creators, per the Beat.
Librarians Celebrate Comics
At San Diego Comic-Con, a panel of librarians reflected on the impact that comics, graphic novels, and manga have had on library readership, reports the Beat.
Simone to Write James Bond Comic
Iconic comics writer Gail Simone—of Birds of Prey, Batgirl, and Red Sonja fame—is set to pen a new James Bond comic for Dynamite Entertainment, per the Beat.
Kim and Perez Team for Graphic Novel
Eisner Award–winning writer Derek Kirk Kim and artist Jacob Perez are teaming up for an original crime caper graphic novel, Royals, which will be published by Image in April 2025.
Patton Oswalt Comic Heads to Netflix
Minor Threats, the comic book cocreated by Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum, is getting a live-action series adaptation on Netflix, per the Hollywood Reporter.
RDJ Returns to MCU
At San Diego Comic-Con, Robert Downey Jr. announced his return to the MCU as Dr. Doom, per the New York Times.
Rings of Power Teaser Drops...
Also at SDCC, Amazon premiered a new trailer for the second season of The Rings of Power, per the Hollywood Reporter.
...As Does the Penguin Trailer
A new trailer for the HBO series The Penguin starring Colin Farrell premiered at SDCC as well, reports Deadline.
Beaubourg Celebrates BD Comics
The Comics Journal visited the Beaubourg Center in Paris to see its sprawling exhibit on bande dessinée comics.
Rappin' Max Robot Comes to Life
An 18-foot-tall statue of ‘80s comics character Rappin' Max Robot will hang out outside Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx before heading to Paris, reports the New York Times.
