DEADPOOL #9 hits your local comic book store on December 18th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive three-page preview for you!
About the issue: MERCENARY OFFSPRING DEPLOYED ONLY (FOR) KILLING!
ELLIE has big shoes to fill as the New DEADPOOL! She’s making her name as a mercenary – but will the new ‘Pool fall at the tiny hands of M.O.D.O.K., the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing?! A major turning point – don’t miss it!
The issue is by writers Cody Ziglar & Alexis Quasarano, and artist Andrea Di Vito, with colors by Guru-eFX, and letters by Joe Sabino. The main cover is by Taurin Clarke.
Check out our DEADPOOL #9 preview below:
Are you reading DEADPOOL? Sound off in the comments!
FREDDIE THE FIX #1 hits your local comic book store on December 18th, but thanks to Ninth Circle, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive twelve-page preview for you!
About the issue: A twisted horror tale from GARTH ENNIS (the legendary creator of The Boys and Preacher) and MIKE PERKINS (Bat-man: First Knight, Swamp Thing)! Hollywood After Dark—werewolves, vampires, zombies, aliens, bogeymen, predators, and…things. They all have their kinks, and they all get in deep shit. They all call Freddie…to fix it.
The horror-skewed intersection of The Boys and Ray Donovan. The debut offering from NINTH CIRCLE, the creator-owned, creator-driven, horror showcase of standalone bone-chilling tales of terror and mayhem!
The issue is by writer Garth Ennis and artist Mike Perkins, with colors by Andy Troy & Mike Spicer, and letters by Rob Steen. The main cover is by Perkins, and there will also be an incentive cover by Marcelo Frusins.
FREDDIE THE FIX is the debut title from Ninth Circle, the new publisher founded by Ennis, Ram V, Marguerite Bennett, Joe Pruett, and Adam Glass, among others. Ninth Circle is launching as an imprint of Image Comics.
“Taking inspiration from Dante, who created nine circles of Hell in Inferno,Ninth Circle is set to redefine genre storytelling by combining the visionary creativity and expertise of these incredibly talented storytellers. No capes, no tights, and no romance (unless, of course, that romance includes murder, blood, and mayhem).”
Check out our FREDDIE THE FIX #1 preview below:
Are you picking up FREDDIE THE FIX #1 from Ninth Circle next week? Sound off in the comments!
DOOM ACADEMY #2 is coming to your local comic book store March 26th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has the exclusive first look at the issue!
The five-issue miniseries falls under the ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM banner, a “status quo shift” beginning in February 2025, the likes of which Marvel says hasn’t been seen since 2008’s Dark Reign.
About the issue: As if the world with Dr. Doom at the wheel isn’t crazy enough, Zoe finds herself sucked into a fairy-tale book.
But not a modern, NICE fairy tale book – the old kind where the kids die and scare you, but in this case, Zoe’s the kid about to die.
Meanwhile, her friends and frenemies are looking for Zoe, but they find something even more troubling than their missing friend as Latveria’s secrets start to reveal themselves.
The issue is by writer MacKenzie Cadenhead and artists Pasqual Ferry & Joao M.P. Lemos. The main cover is by Pablo Villalobos.
Get your first look at Villalobos’ cover for DOOM ACADEMY #2 here:
Are you excited for ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM? Sound off in the comments!
Doctor Who Series 14 is the first full season in the Disney+ era, with the show being available to stream on the service for international audiences. Series 14 acted as a reboot and a throwback, with Russell T. Davies returning as the showrunner.
The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) has a new companion after saving Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) on Christmas Day. Together they travel through time and space to stop numerous monsters including a musical being, cosplaying aliens in Regency England, and man-eating slugs. However, everywhere they go, the same woman appears and she could be the sign of a greater threat.
The Chris Chibnall era of Doctor Who was very divisive among fans. The BBC had to perform several Hail Marys to revive the show, so they brought back Davies, and Bad Wolf came in to produce (Bad Wolf was founded by Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter, producers of the initial revival).
The revival team had a strong start with the 2023 Specials and the Christmas Special “The Church on Ruby Road.” They brought back a sense of fun, excitement, and spectacle that had been missing. The first full series under the team then brought back the storytelling of the original Davies/Moffat era. The season used mystery box storytelling involving the woman who has a presence across time and space, and like the Moffat era, there was a fairy tale quality about Ruby’s parentage. Whenever Ruby thought about her birth mother, it started to snow and “Carol of the Bells” could be heard. This storyline made Series 14 feel like an extended Christmas special. Davies seemed like he was influenced by Steven Moffat, who liked to make the companion have an extra special quality.
Series 14 had a “less is more” approach. The season only had eight episodes, and Davies wrote the bulk of them. Most of the episodes were strong, and a vast improvement over some previous seasons. There was a sense of spectacle and excitement, and there was character drama. Disney’s involvement meant there was an increase in the budget, and it showed in the VFX. There was an improvement in the creature effects and CGI scenery. While it may not quite match big American shows, Doctor Who has never looked better. Series 14 brought back the emotion and speechifying from the Russell and Moffat-eras. Gatwa’s version of the Doctor was a fun-loving iteration that had an infectious sense of excitement, adding to the general lighter tone of this era.
The season highlights were “73 Yards” and “Boom.” “73 Yard” was a Doctor-lite episode that showed Ruby getting ditched by the Doctor, and followed by a strange woman who stayed 73 Yards away. Anyone who spoke to the woman developed a fear and hatred for Ruby. It started as a folk horror story because Ruby disturbed a fairy circle, turning into Ruby suffering a life of isolation and investigating a politician that the Doctor warned her about. It was a mashup of story ideas and genres, and it worked, as it played out as this season’s version of “Turn Left.” It was the worst-case scenario for Ruby. “Boom” was the episode written by Steven Moffat, and it was a restricted story about the Doctor being stuck on a landmine in the middle of a war zone. It was a tense setup, as the Doctor had to react to different challenges. The episode was also an overt criticism of the military-industrial complex.
Television has changed a lot since Davies’ first time as the Doctor Who showrunner, and series 14 does acknowledge this with some of its episodes. “The Devil’s Chord” had a sense of self-awareness with the villain, Maestro (Jinkx Monsoon), breaking the fourth wall, and it ended with a cheesy song-and-dance number. It was an episode that embraced being camp. The episode “Dot and Bubble” has been compared to Black Mirror, and there was some credence to that. It was an episode that offered commentary about social media and influencer culture.
Not every episode was a success. The opening episode, “Space Babies” will become notorious. The plot of the episode was about a spaceship being controlled by babies and being threatened by a monster made of snot. It was too silly even by Doctor Who standards. “Space Babies” gave a bad first impression, but Series 14 recovered quickly.
Series 14 was a return to form for DoctorWho. It was mostly a repeat of Davies’ previous run on DoctorWho, but that initial run was popular for a reason.
ALIEN: PARADISO #1 hits your local comic book store on December 11th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!
About the issue: WELCOME TO PARADISO!
Welcome to Paradiso, where the money flows like blood and the blood flows like acid! The Tulum of space, Paradiso is a hidden gem among the colonies with its tropical climate, white sand beaches and a remarkable population of hyper-wealthy criminals. When Colonial Marshals Dash Nanda and Lydia Reeves are sent there to bust a smuggling ring, they think they’ve hit the job-assignment jackpot. But the only ones getting lucky here are those HUNGRY enough to take what they need.
Steve Foxe, Edgar Salazar and guest contributor Peter Nguyen shine neon lights on the horrors of the Alien franchise with a bold story of the gambles we must take to survive!
The issue is by writer Steve Foxe and artists Edgar Salazar & Peter Nguyen, with inks by Victor Nava, colors by Carlos Lopez, and letters by Clayton Cowles. The main cover is by Iban Coello and Yen Nitro.
Check out our ALIEN: PARADISO #1 preview below:
Are you excited for Marvel’s ALIEN: PARADISO? Sound off in the comments!
The last issue of Superman left readers on the edge of their seats. Superman is frozen in time while Lois Lane is fighting the monster who once killed her husband. The battle against Doomsday continues in Superman #20 from a superstar team of writer Joshua Williamson, artist Dan Mora, colorist Alejandro Sánchez, and letterer Ariana Maher.
The issue starts with the Time Trapper (previously revealed to be a future version of Doomsday) telling Superman that dark days are ahead. What’s truly scary is the implication that Doomsday isn’t the worst of what’s to come. Superman’s fought his fair share of foes out to destroy him over the years, so even he wonders what could possibly be worse than the gray beast. Time is frozen while these two talk. Time Trapper leaves with a warning, and things resume as normal. However, Clark has just remembered that Lois is fighting Doomsday on her own and he swoops in with a devastating blow for the creature. The Justice League and Supercorp were both on standby here, with Parasite even dropping in to (albeit unsuccessfully) help in the fight against this familiar foe.
Doomsday’s history is explored
WRITING
If last issue’s focus was primarily exposition, this one works hard to make action a priority. It’s always impressive when a writer still manages to find a way to raise the stakes for Superman in a meaningful way, and Williamson does just that. Part of it is the mystery surrounding Lois’s powers. While the characters know what has happened to her, the readers don’t. We don’t know the limits of her power, and aren’t sure if she’ll be able to pull through against a monster like Doomsday. Williamson uses that to his advantage, even featuring a scene later of Lois wounded. We know she’s strong now, but are worried for her health should these powers continue to take a toll on her.
Doomsday himself is also an incredible character here. In the present, he’s just some brute, but Time Trapper Doomsday is an interesting concept that is explored really creatively. He hints at future events, but also issues a grave warning to Superman. It raises two questions that are sure to be on everyone’s minds: What could possibly be worse than Doomsday, and why is a Doomsday from the future helping Clark? It’s an intriguing dynamic that luckily gets explored further here. The only characters that are unfortunately left out this time around are Lex and Lena. It makes sense since they aren’t this story’s main focus, but it would’ve been nice to have learned more about his amnesia.
Williamson knows how to write a planet-shaking action scene. After Clark is freed from the Time Trapper’s frozen world, the issue cuts to Lois and Doomsday brawling. While we’re worried for her, the issue cuts between her and Superman rushing in to land a punch on Doomsday that causes a shockwave throughout the entire city. There’s weight to the punch, and is also a great way of showcasing Superman not holding back. All bets are off; the Man of Steel is scared and angry.
Time Trapper shows the last time Superman fought Doomsday
ART
Mora constantly does a fantastic job of proving he understands the gravity of events transpiring. Every major moment is drawn as such and shows that it’s nothing to be skipped over. There’s one part specifically where Lois fights Doomsday, and a Justice League team is on standby with Batman front and center in case she can’t handle it. While it’s a small panel, Mora draws every character in a way that shows they’re powered up and ready to fight. They don’t even need to wait for the okay in order to get in on a round two against Doomsday.
Mora really succeeds on paneling in this issue. Superman starts in fuller pages as he’s more confident, but the space he gets shrinks as the issue goes on. Even when he lands that final blow to Doomsday, it doesn’t take up a whole lot of space. It makes him and Doomsday seem smaller. Like something else is coming, and that this isn’t the best use of his time. It’s a really strong visual way of implying that Doomsday is the least of their concerns, and that there’s more to come.
Superman speaks with the Time Trapper
COLORS
A big standout scene in the issue in terms of the coloring has to be the beginning when Doomsday and Superman are speaking with time frozen around them. Sánchez colors Superman so brightly in a dark city devastated by Doomsday. It feels solemn and lifeless. On top of that, he does a great job of muting all the colors in the background of the scene to show that time is stopped, and that everything is frozen except for the two of them. Everything is there, but it doesn’t matter and is almost insignificant compared to the conversation that these two are having. Impressively, through all this, he also lights Superman and Doomsday with the static flames below. It’s a clever use of lighting when there wouldn’t otherwise be anything dynamic to fully capture each character.
Superman tried attacking the Time Trapper
LETTERS
After Superman rushes in to help Lois against the gray monster parading through the city, he’s left in a fit of rage. He sees red as he stands over Doomsday’s defeated body, and something that felt really special this issue was Maher translating that to the Man of Steel’s words as well. Rather than keeping his usual white speech bubbles with emphasized words, she opts to give him a bubbly red bubble, his weird piercing through it. The best part about it is how erratic it feels. Superman hates this creature, and is angry for what it has done to Lois. Because of that, even the bubble containing his words feels unstable and serious. It’s really clever work. Maher juggles a lot in this issue. The text switches from cell phone calls to the TV to the characters speaking to each other, sometimes all at once. She navigates this with grace, and nothing ever gets confusing. We can always properly identify where the sound is coming from with little to no confusion.
CONCLUSION
If the first issue of this arc hooked you, then this one is sure to reel you in. It’s got action and emotion alongside a ticking time bomb in the form of something worse than Doomsday for Superman and Superwoman to face. This team made something that dives deep into Superman’s psyche while also exploring an alternate future version of a character many Superman fans have come to fear over time. While we aren’t sure what exactly it is yet, we’re all certainly excited to discover what Superman and friends have to fight that somehow blows Doomsday out of the water.
From modern comics phenom J.G. Jones comes a Depression-era mystery with masterful art and writing in Dust To Dust #1. Co-written by Phil Bram, this opening chapter is a stellar work of historical fiction, with incredible visual work and impeccable scripting. A love-letter to both noir and the golden age of Hollywood, this is a must-read debut and one of the best opening chapters of 2024.
“In the darkest days of the Great Depression, death stalks the Dust Bowl. As towering dust storms blast the parched Oklahoma panhandle, farmers try to flee the failing town of New Hope, but no one gets far. Battling his own demons, Sheriff Meadows teams up with Sarah, a traveling photojournalist, in a desperate fight to stop a serial killer on the loose—the Death that rides the Dusters.”
Writing & Plot
J.G. Jones and Phil Bram pull from the annals of Great Depression-era novels and classic film for inspiration in Dust to Dust #1. The character-centric script is immensely compelling, immediately placing readers in the desperation of this historical era while only hinting at the mystery to come. Jones and Bram’s dialogue here is spectacularly good; naturalistic with a flare of old Hollywood. Every character has a different manner of speaking, from the Sheriff’s wizened delivery to the fiery confidence of Sarah the photojournalist. Every detail about the town and the struggles in every aspect of life are made clear in the dialogue writing without ever dipping into exposition. Every conversation feels important and memorable, from the Sheriff’s farewell to a family trying to escape poverty to his arguments with a corrupt city official. Each piece of the puzzle has a weight to it – and we haven’t even gotten to the murder part in this chapter. Jones and Bram are clearly taking their time in delivering this tale, as anything involving a murderer is almost completely absent save one recurring detail. By not rushing into the main plot, Dust to Dust is given time to breathe and establish its full list of characters, making it a compelling character story first before a murder mystery.
Art Direction
So much of Dust to Dust #1’s tone and pacing is due to J.G. Jones’ impeccable visual direction. His sepia pencils immediately place readers in the Oklahoma dust bowl of the 1930’s while channeling an aura of black and white Hollywood films. Jones’s direction feels reminiscent of a John Ford and Howard Hawks film, with his characters similarly drawing from the likes of Robert Mitchum and Lauren Bacall. His character animation here is a wonder in itself, with his detail looking as though they were stills from an old movie at times. The environmental art of the Oklahoma farm town, as well as the desolate land surrounding it, drive home this issue’s thematic core and conflict. Anyone who has read a J.G. Jones comic won’t be surprised at how stunning the visual work here is, but even so it may be some of the best in the artist’s career. Jones’s focus in this first chapter is building a cast of characters, and the sequential direction drives this home. Every sequence of interaction is expertly plotted and carefully paced to make sure each conversation – and observation – lands with memorable effect. The most effective bit in the comic, both visually and narratively, is the Sheriff occasionally pulling out and inspecting an “artifact” given to him in the book’s opening. Jones builds a sense of curiosity, then dread an unease, as the issue continues and it becomes readily apparent what the item actually is. The lettering (couldn’t find credits, unsure if it’s also by Jones or another talent) fits in beautifully with the rest of the visuals. The rough hand-drawn font conveys the dialogue’s tone, while the sand-worn SFX letters almost hide in the background as they craft diegetic noise. Overall, Dust to Dust is off to an incredible start in terms of visual direction.
Verdict
Dust to Dust #1 is a brilliant opening chapter to this murder-mystery story in the guise of a historical fiction comic. J.G. Jones and Phil Bram’s script is choke to the brim with sharp dialogue and carefully plotted storytelling, pulling influences from Dust Bowl-era literature and classic films. Jones’s visual direction is beyond stunning, capturing the humanity and tone of this story in a manner that makes every aspect of it immediately endearing to readers. Be sure to grab this outstanding debut issue when it hits shelves on December 26th!
AVENGERS #21 hits your local comic book store on December 4th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive three-page preview for you!
About the issue: AVENGERS VS. X-MEN!
Jed MacKay pits his Avengers against his X-Men in a story that sows the seeds for some major future developments! Captain Marvel and Cyclops square off! Scarlet Witch and Magneto finally confront their history! And Storm’s loyalties are put to the test…
The issue is by writer Jed MacKay and artist Valerio Schiti, with colors by Federico Blee, and letters by Cory Petit. The main cover is by Schiti and Blee.
Check out our AVENGERS #21 preview below:
Are you reading Jed MacKay’s AVENGERS and/or X-MEN? Sound off in the comments!
STORM #4 is coming to your local comic book store January 15th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has the exclusive first look at two stunning variant covers for the issue!
About the issue: A FLAME IN THE WIND! DOCTOR DOOM is the SORCERER SUPREME. He has special plans for Earth’s mutants. He would like to discuss them with the beautiful STORM over fine cuisines and expensive wines. What could possibly go wrong? The epic saga continues – with this new installment featuring a battle that Latveria will never forget.
The issue is by writer Murewa Ayodele and artist Lucas Werneck, with colors by Alex Gomes, and letters by Travis Lanham. The main cover is by Mateus Manhanini. The variant covers revealed below are by David Nakayama and Karen Darboe, respectively.
Get your first look at David Nakayama’s STORM #4 cover here:
and check out Karen Darboe’s cover here:
Are you reading Marvel’s STORM? Sound off in the comments!
From writer Rick Remender and artist Paul Azaceta comes The Seasons, a surprisingly dark mystery about the Seasons sisters: Summer, Winter, Autumn, and Spring, and a deadly horror that seems to be striking major cities. With coloring by Matheus Lopes and letters by Rus Wooton, The Seasons #1 is visually striking and gripping from the first page. With colors that would make Yellow Submarine look muted, this first issue hits the ground running, establishing a horror chasing our plucky heroine, and a vibrant yet complex world affected by it.
Writing/Plot
Issue #1 of The Seasons is mostly divided into three segments. It begins with an interesting premise: A blight has affected some large metropolises across the globe and effectively cut off all communication with those cities. While we are not shown the true reason behind this, a strange figure is seen lurking in the wake of the disaster, as a news report by Autumn Seasons narrates the horrific scene. Then we cut to Spring, who the readers follow for the remainder of the issue as she chases a runaway letter, in a style very reminiscent of comics like The Adventures of Tintin.
This issue is an enjoyable ride along with Spring, although the story feels like a reverse sandwich, with the plot mostly being provided at the starting and ending pages. This however does not detriment the story overall, as Remender does a great job of stating just enough to keep the attention on the overall mystery. He makes Spring’s personality and nature clear from her quick interactions with the townspeople, and establishes the overall feel of the world around by employing a wise, “show, don’t tell” approach.
Art Direction
For the most part, horror comics tend to revel in the darkness, using bright colors sparingly and often to signify blood or gore. Yet, The Seasons shifts this by having the colors be dazzlingly bright and inviting. Similarly to how Pennywise was a clown so that children would feel safe and want to follow it, the colors here have the same effect, making the populace want to follow and chase their coming demise. Azaceta’s character designs work perfectly with Lopes’ coloring, as they don’t seem out of place or jarring. Lopes, however, actually uses neon color surprisingly sparingly on a re-read, which increases its impact on the incredible 2-page spread near the end of the comic.
Although the entire artistic team was on top of their game for this issue, letterer Rus Wooton’s work was especially of note. Every movement flows dynamically, as impact effects seamlessly blend into the action. Each hit, fall, jump, and drop looks impactful and stand out clearly to show their weight, but also blend in perfectly with the style set forward by the rest of the team. The vibrancy of color within each background noise and frame also often indicates their volume, which does wonders for allowing the reader to feel the action alongside Spring.
Verdict
The Seasons #1 is a great start to what is hopefully a long journey. There are many cards up in the air, three Seasons sisters to meet, a dark mystery to solve, and a world to explore. This first issue expertly sets all that up with an impressively limited dialogue and exposition. Whatever comes next, this artistic team has truly crafted something special here.
