IRON FIST: HEART OF THE DRAGON #1 – A Marvel Martial Arts Epic

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Iron Fist: Heart of the Dragon #1 by Marvel Comics hits your local comic book shop on January 20. Veteran writer Larry Hama works with artist David Wachter to showcase the scales Danny Rand faces. Colorist Neeraj Menon highlights the mystical elements of an underutilized part of the Marvel Universe. Finally, Travis Lantham gives a voice to every action.

The Iron Fist world has always been full of potential, with martial arts characters carving a niche within Marvel. While the likes of Shang-Chi occupy one corner and Daredevil touches upon another, they never seem to interact. That seems to be changing this time around.

Of Course, It Has Ninjas

Both Hama and Wachter have experience within the martial arts sub-genre, especially with ninjas. Hama throws the cast immediately into a conflict without warning, with a healthy dose of ironic humor. Iron Fist’s first impression of location is not with shock but with a mundane outlook. Because for a superhero universe, zombies are just another Wednesday.

Wachter demonstrates the scale of Iron Fist: Heart of the Dragon #1 through architecture. In just one of the settings, the building of the Under City, along with the burning smoke, look disorienting. For anyone other than Iron Fist, a sudden attack from a zombie calvary would kill them in an instant.

The fight scenes evoke the capabilities of the characters, often through panel work. The panels featuring Iron Fist, in particular, showcase the champion in both anticipation and split-second movements. In just one page, Iron Fist destroys a zombie ninja and its horse in the blink of an eye, which is why appearances from fighters who can keep up with Iron Fist like Taskmaster have fewer panels. These bigger panels emphasize the explosive blows they use to keep Iron Fist off balance.

Iron Fist: Heart of the Dragon #1 Mystic Colors

Menon provides Iron Fist: Heart of the Dragon #1 with a mystic undertone. Among all of the dangers that are highlighted with yellow and red, cooler colors exist in contrast. For example, a mystic doorway is purple, acting almost like a warning of danger ahead, unlike the safer Rand Tower. Then there comes a visitor near the end of the issue which is coated with a glow of blue whose very presence can cause some relief. Anything specific might be spoilers, so let’s just say that this entity is godly in every way.

Impact Lettering

VC’s Lantham keeps pace throughout the issue through efficient use of word balloons, captions, and SFX. In keeping pace with the action, no more than two sentences in carefully placed word balloons occupy a panel. The few uses of captions differ from highlighting locations to a monologue of a character off-panel. As for the SFX, each usage of action is unique, never repeating a usage for similar occurrences. This gives each blow by the characters a distinct identity. This all gives readers something to look forward to in later issues.

The most unique use of all the lettering in Iron Fist: Heart of the Dragon #1 comes from a surprise visitor. Her divine presence has her speak in a distinct light blue font that denotes her benevolence. This is why the plea she relays to Iron Fist feels so dire. There is a threat that a divine incarnation of compassion cannot face.

Psyche Yourself Up In Iron Fist: Heart of the Dragon #1

Within this issue is a chance to see a part of the Marvel Universe between heroics and magic. With plenty of martial arts action to go around, a plot of intrigue is boiling to the surface. Could this new force have something to do with Marvel’s evil ninja clan The Hand, considering the zombie ninja? Iron Fist: Heart of the Dragon #1 leaves readers begging for more.

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INTERVIEW: Editor Morten Højbjerg Cuts The Crown’s Controversial Episode

By

Ruben Diaz

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January 17, 2021

The Crown is a Netflix series about England’s royal family from creator Peter Morgan, which tackles the drama and power struggles that have gone on behind the scenes for decades and, more realistically, centuries. Editor Morten Højbjerg sat in a dark room for long periods to cut together the shocking and controversial seventh episode of season four.

The Crown’s fourth season premiered on Netflix in November, delivering another stellar set of episodes praised by audiences and critics alike. Season four covers the family from 1979 to the early 90s, which means topics such as the rise and untimely death of Princess Diana are pivotal moments. Helena Bonham Carter’s Princess Margaret features in episode seven, “The Hereditary Principle,” which reveals another royal secret that must stay hidden.

PopAxiom and Morten spoke about becoming an editor, choosing between Helena Bonham Carter’s takes, and editing The Crown episode seven.

He Looks, He Sees, He Reacts

It’s common that people’s origin story in the filmmaking business usually starts with falling in love with film at an early age. From there, it’s a dream waiting to be fulfilled. For Morten, that’s far from his reality. “I’m a country boy,” he laughs then continues, “I’m from the countryside. In my family and upbringing, there was no creative intent or film industry anywhere around. I grew up thinking I was going to be a veterinarian.”

For a long time, Morten admits, “I didn’t even know what editing was or even thought about what it took to make a film.”

“I moved to Copenhagen,” he says, “and by a weird coincidence, I got a job as a runner at a production company. It was back in the day when editing was physical on actual film.”

The company Morten was working for “bought a state-of-the-art machine, the AVID. It was one of the first machines in Denmark. But nobody knew how to use it. It was a brand new technology.”

“I became incredibly fascinated by this machine that let you cut video on a computer,” Morten reveals, “It was mind-blowing.”

Morten’s fascination with the AVID lead to “digging into it by reading the manual. I started cutting little things. Before I knew it, I was cutting commercials for Playstation and car commercials.”

By this point, already a working editor, Morten “applied for film school to learn the theories behind what I was doing.”

After four years at the National Film School Morten, “never looked back.”

“You can cut from a super-wide shot where you can barely see the characters. They’re just tiny moving objects in the back of the frame. And then you cut to a close-up shot, continuing the movement, and your brain knows that this is that person.”

About The Crown

The Crown is an acclaimed show with three seasons of top-quality storytelling under its belt. “When you come in on something like this, that’s such a massive show, and there’s three entire series before it you’re expected to know the show. You have to understand the universe and contribute to that.”

Morten’s work on The Crown featured a lighthouse in the form of a person. “Show-runner Peter Morgan, who is also the writer of most of the episodes, it’s his child. He’s a lighthouse. If you have questions, thoughts, comments, or you’re just in doubt, you can always ask him. He will know. He is The Crown.”

The Crown’s an evolving beast that’s painstakingly taking viewers on a dramatic ride with the royal family. It’s dense and detailed. “It’s incredibly useful,” Morten adds, talking about Peter and his intimate knowledge of the show. “It gives the whole thing a singular feel.”

“Every episode is sort of treated as an independent piece of work,” Morten says, “There’s never a time when an editor works on more than one episode in a season. We live with our episode. I worked on my episode for six months. You’re very much encouraged to treat each episode like a feature film.”

The Crown is a big production that can often make the cogs in the wheel feel small. “You’re part of this big wheel that’s spinning, but you’re also making a special piece.”

The Character

Prior to working on The Crown, Morten edited four episodes for the Amazon series Hanna based on the action film from 2011. “From project to project, it takes a bit of time before you completely land in the universe. Coming from Hanna, which is this complete other kind of thing, you jump into this Royal Family thing, and it couldn’t be more different.”

To some, it might sound jarring, but to editors, it’s part of the fun. “But it’s always like that somehow, which is one of the fascinating things about the work. You get to submerge yourself in so many different universes, and then you’re there for a few months, maybe a year. Then you leap out of it and into something else. It’s inspiring. Of course, it’s completely schizophrenic, but I feel fine.”

Helena Bonham Carter, as Margaret, sister of Queen Elizabeth and the family gut-puncher who likes to call BS, features heavily in “The Hereditary Principle.” Morten has to decide which version of a scene a legend like Carter is better. “Having to choose between cuts is almost impossible. There’s nothing you want to cut out.”

“The first cut is usually much longer,” Morten admits. “They shoot so much, and there’s so much to work with. But you gotta take that chisel and hammer out the sculpture.”

It’s not so strange that “The first cut is bulky,” Morten reveals, “because you want to keep some choices open. You keep it in as long as possible until it has to go because the episode is just too long. If you trim it down to maximum efficiency from the get-go, you risk losing a lot of subtle things.”

“The Hereditary Principle” is a significant episode of season four in a series where every episode feels significant. “It was such a pleasure to be a part of The Crown. Editing scenes, together with those incredible performances, was a wonderful experience. Whether it’s spaceships or bank robberies, it’s always about the character.”

Wrapping Up

“Sometimes you watch a film, and it brings you back a great feeling, and it’s so surprising. It takes over. It’s so fantastic,” Morten says.

Morten says he’d love to do “something like Joker. It’s one of my favorite films of recent times. I want to do something that has that kind of intensity and authority. Brilliant storytelling. Joaquin Phoenix was just fantastic.”

The life of any filmmaker is never a dull moment. What’s next for Morten? “I’m working on a film in Iceland at the moment. It’s dark and very windy. Apart from that, it’s great. It’s a film based on a real-life incident in the early 20th century about two explorers who get stuck on the ice.”

Did you watch The Crown on Netflix?

Thanks to Morten Højbjerg and Impact24 PR
for making this interview possible.

Read more interviews from Ruben R. Diaz!

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Review: A Cathartic And Wholesome End In YASMEEN #6

By

Justin Munday

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Over the past six months and five issues, Writer Saif Ahmed and artist Fabiana Mascolo have been telling one of the most emotionally impactful and socially important comics of the past decade. Now,this tale reaches its end with Yasmeen #6. This final chapter neatly wraps up all of its plot threads in an emotionally cathartic and sentimental manner that, while admittedly a little cheesy, is still an uplifting and satisfying end to this outstanding comic story.

“Past and present clash in the series finale as Yasmeen must find the courage to face her darkest memories during a police investigation into her history. Meanwhile, Wassan forces Khalid to listen as she tells him about what Yasmeen had been through in Iraq, prompting Khalid to reveal a dark part of Yasmeen’s survival story.”

Writing & Plot

Every issue of Yasmeen has been a heavy shot of devastating circumstance coupled with uplifting hope. This final issue gives us that same mix, with the story Yasmeen’s time in captivity coming to a close as well as resolving the recent issues in her current life. This chapter contains a surprising and effective action sequence from the perspective of Iraqi soldiers that (while obviously not the main focus of this book) is written so well it makes me want to see Ahmed take a stab at writing a war story. The focus of this point however is the unimaginable loss Yasmeen witnesses during this moment, and how that influences her perspective in her new life. The other end of this comic is about Yasmeen’s affect on the people who surround her, and every element of reality that this entails. From the encouragement she gives her friends to the thoughtless comments and racism she receives, there’s sharp commentary for every part of the story. The character highlight of this issue is the resolution of Yasmeen’s father’s story. He had been getting to the point where it was hard to sympathize with due to how he had been ignoring his own daughter, but this plot resolves in a believable manner that allows us into his perspective and basically grants him another chance as an audience. This issue is written in the usual form of flashbacks intercutting with the present day, and it’s used as cleanly and effectively as it has in every issue thus far. Like in the past couple of issues, the present-day moments involving Yasmeen and her high school friends can come off as a little corny and a little bit cliched, but there’s an emotional sincerity to the script that makes this elements easy to overlook. This issue also feels a bit breakneck in terms of pacing, as the final pages wrap up different subplots in a montage style. This is a fine way to end those plots, but it does feel like it robs certain stories of their emotional weight. Overall, this is still a satisfying and cathartic end to one of the best comic stories of the past year.

Art Direction

Artist Fabiana Mascolo once again delivers the gorgeous light tones and character focused visual direction this series has always used in Yasmeen #6. Her linework and focus on character’s facial animations gets us into the headspace of the cast with little effort, as all of her interpretations of emotion are visually spot-on. She also gets a chance to work with some explosive action on this issue, and she excels. The panels full of fire and men making tense tactical decisions, as well as the emotional devastation embedded in these scenes, are some of the most memorable moments of the entire series. Mascolo’s colors are yet again an array of light, as if every panel regardless of what time it takes place has this wave of sunlight being flashed upon it. As per usual, Mascolo’s panel direction is a well-crafted mix of character close-ups and intercutting between past and present. Her shots present the most emotional scenes in a manner that captures the emotional journeys of every affected person, and her structure for switching from flashback to present-day is neat and flawless. It has to be said however that the quality of the pencils seems more inconsistent than in prior issues. It isn’t a widespread issue, but there’s a noticable quality dip in a few select spots that I’ve never noticed in prior issues. This being said, Yasmeen #6 is still a stellar book in terms of visual creativity.

Yasmeen #6 is an emotionally satisfying end to this courageous and important comic series. Saif Ahmed’s script dedicates itself to delivering effective ends to every character’s arc. His handling of unimaginable trauma is sincere and respectful while also being optimistic and offering messages of hope. While the story here can be a bit corny and the pace is a bit rocky near the end, this is still a great issue that does this outstanding series justice. The visuals of Fabiana Mascolo, while inconsistent compared to prior issues, is still a gorgeous mixture of character studies and sharp panel direction. Be sure to grab the final chapter of Yasmeen when it hits shelves on 1-20!

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Review: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #21 — Convergence

By

Elizabeth Buck

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Out now, Buffy the Vampire Slayer #21 continues the collaboration between writers Jordie Bellaire and Jeremy Lambert, and illustrator Andres Genolet. Rounding out the team are colorist Raul Angulo and letterer Ed Dukeshire. With new characters complicating the situation, the creators seem close to a crisis point for the Scooby Gang.

In previous issues, a new slayer, Faith Lehane, and her watcher, Wesley Wyndham-Price, were introduced, compounding the Scooby Gang’s problems. Now there are three slayers, two watchers, and, lurking in the background, a secret fourth slayer and a demon operating under the leadership of Anya. As the character count grows, so each character moment intensifies. Thus it is in issue #21, an Anya-centric issue.

Taking cues from the TV show and Dark Horse continuities, we’re introduced to a slightly different Anya in this issue. She’s still a vengeance demon, but Lambert and Bellaire give her a backstory as an erstwhile watcher who was fired for defending her slayer from the Council’s deliberate endangerment. For long-time fans of the character (myself included), such a decidedly feminist change feels so satisfying. Furthermore, the choice gives us a chance to root for a character other than Buffy in an otherwise unlikely scenario.

A Challenge

In the Buffyverse, the Watcher Council often seemed an enemy greater than demons and vampires. Because they were so feared, Buffy was the only one to stand up to them. Therefore, it’s refreshing to see Anya as a former Watcher, defying members of the Council to their faces.

However, this issue takes the conflict a step further with Anya and her not-so-dead slayer, Morgan, threatening not only the lives of the Watcher Council, but Buffy’s closest friend and father figure.

On an artistic level, Genolet matches the scope of Bellaire and Lambert’s drama through his use of close-up, wide-paneling, and instances of no panel delineation at all. It’s a big, intense issue. Angulo’s color palette of warm orange fire and cold blues accentuate the feeling that we’re drawing closer to the underworld. By contrast, Dukeshire’s lettering shows restraint with SFX and allows for an exposition-heavy scene to feel more like a movie than a novel.

Now, we have all the players, the subplots have dove-tailed, and the threat is clear. The only question is whether Anya will make it out of the impending climactic battle as a friend or a foe. It looks like all that’s left for the Scooby Gang is to find their way out of the Ring of Fire.

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Review: FUTURE STATE: JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 Falls Short of Greatness

By

Jose "Jody" Cardona

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The Justice League of the Future Faces a Past Threat!

Future State is upon us, and we get to meet an all-new generation of heroes. Last week, we had several comics introducing us to the Next Batman, Superman, and more. As with the generation before, the heroes of tomorrow have gathered to form a Justice League of their own. We have new characters such as The Flash and Yara Flor, Wonder Woman, teaming up with names we’ve known for years, such as Jon Kent and Jo Mullein of the Green Lantern Corps. With all these heroes gathered, are they ready to take on the threats of this future?

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

We open with a monologue explaining how this new Justice League has stepped up. The narrator revealed to be an old T.O. Morrow, goes through each member and how they’ve changed the state of the world. He says this to his new Legion of Doom and promises that together they will defeat the heroes. This doesn’t come to pass, as the next day, they are murdered. The League goes in, but with few clues, Green Lantern tells them all to wait until she figures out who did this. They all go their separate ways, but Superman doesn’t feel right.

This opening issue was honestly disappointing to me. Justice League, like all team-up comics, needs to have interactions at the forefront. Characters with such memorable personalities meeting and clashing is usually a fantastic time. We’re only told about this League’s accomplishments, but nothing really about their personalities. Granted, we know a little about Jon, Batman, and Yara, but unless you read Far Sector, the other three are entirely blank slates. Due to an incident(the one hinted at during Flash/Batman: The Button), the heroes aren’t allowed actually to get to know one another. What kind of team-up story is this when there are no stakes in relationships?

That being said, I am still intrigued to see where this story is going to go. The killers have been revealed as an old Justice League foe that hasn’t been seen in over a decade. While I will keep the identity a secret, the idea it implies is that these heroes will need to break their rule. The only way to beat an enemy such as this is to trust in one another completely. If that’s the idea the writers are going for, then I’m very excited.

Art:

Robson Rocha is the illustrator for this issue, and he does a spectacular job. This version of the Justice League looks fantastic, with the designs of the characters looking top-notch. Even the villains end up looking cool, making me feel sad that we wouldn’t get a proper action sequence with them. Rocha also succeeds in crafting the world itself, with the city looking breathtaking with its bright lights. It’s a nice contrast when compared to the run down Hall of Justice. This artist definitely needs more work at DC because he really brings his A-game.

Conclusion:

Overall I was disappointed in this issue, but I am not quite giving up hope on the series. We don’t get a ton of action or character, but the world is still interesting. The latter is definitely due to the fantastic work on the art team’s part. The story itself has left enough intrigue to pull people into the second issue, but it needs more work. This series would probably be more successful if we had more time to really get to know these characters. If we are able to get more character in the coming issues, then I think this mini-series will really succeed.

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5-Page Preview: SPECTER INSPECTORS #1 From BOOM! Studios

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

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January 15, 2021

BOOM! Studios Exclusive First Look: SPECTER INSPECTORS #1

SPECTER INSPECTORS #1 hits your local comic book store on February 3, but thanks to BOOM! Studios, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive five-page preview for you.

About the five-issue mini-series:

True believer Noa, her cynical little sibling Gus, credulous camera man Ko, and Noa’s skeptical best friend (and secret crush) Astrid head to one of the most haunted towns in America to prove that ghosts exist, for all the social media likes! The investigations of hauntings uncover something more devilish than just a couple of ghosts, something that will put Noa and Astrid’s relationship to the test… and reveal the centuries-old sinister secrets of the town itself.

SPECTER INSPECTORS #1 is co-written by Bowen McCurdy and Kaityln Musto, with art by McCurdy, Erica Henderson and Mirka Andolfo worked on the variant covers.

“This book is everything I wanted to read when I was young; queer characters on adventures, ghosts, romance, and only a handful of demons. The story is based on one of the first comics I ever did, so it has a big place in my heart. I fell in love with the SPECTER INSPECTORS while writing them, and even more so while bringing them to life through art. I’m so excited to share them with you!” said McCurdy back in November.

Check out the SPECTER INSPECTORS #1 preview below:

Are you excited for SPECTER INSPECTORS? Sound off in the comments!

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INTERVIEW: Director Sergine Dumais & Writer Bo Price Take Us To WICHITA With Jeremy Sisto

By

Ruben Diaz

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January 15, 2021

Wichita is a short film starring Jeremy Sisto (Clueless, FBI) and Maxim Roy (Mirage, October Faction) as a married couple whose relationship is in a special place.

Of course, that lead sentence is vague for the sake of spoilers. Wichita’s limited run-time is carefully crafted for maximum effect by director Sergine Dumais and writer Bo Price.

PopAxiom discussed Wichita and more with Sergine and Bo.

Getting Started

Sergine and Bo have nearly 100 IMDB credits between them. When did the filmmaking bug bite? Bo answers first, “I’ve wanted to do it since I was about ten years old. I used to make movies with my friends back in Wichita, Kansas.”

“I started my career as a dancer, then I wanted to be part of the people telling the story and studied to be an actress,” Sergine shares. “I started a musical theatre career, but soon after, I wanted to be the one telling the story. I became a director in theater. I moved to Los Angeles about nine years ago, which is not a theater town. I had to reinvent myself and started a career directing voice over and did a lot of dubbing American movies into French.”

As theatre deprived as LA may be compared to places like New York, Sergine worked on stages throughout the city, including working with Jeremy Sisto. “While working with Jeremy on that play, I debated with myself if I wanted to transition to film. I thought, ‘If I do make that change, I want to work with this guy. And he’s now in my first movie.”

Transitions

What was the transition from theatre director to film director like? “It could not have been easier,” Sergine says. “This was a dream team. The cast and Bo were fantastic. Serge Desrosiers is a top DP [Director of Photography] from Canada that was kind enough to help. I had such great support. I leaned on my experience in directing actors; that’s my strength. For the rest, I leaned on my incredible team.”

Bo Price’s script for Wichita started from a familiar place. ”I grew up in Wichita in the 80s. At that time, the famous things that happened were that Barry Sanders won the Heisman trophy; Pizza Hut was created a few years before and made many millionaires in town; Kirstie Alley got on Cheers.”

These landmarks in Kansas history inspired Bo. “I thought if you could be from Wichita and win a Heisman or create a huge company or even get on TV, it was terrific.”

“About seven years ago,” Bo explains, “I thought it would be funny to write about these famous things. Famous only to people who are from Wichita. So it would be these people talking about these things as if they’re describing the Eiffel Tower or Statue of Liberty, but instead of these world-wide landmarks, they were talking about very specific things.”

Bo wrote a “little sketch” that “evolved slightly, but I didn’t think much about it until years later while working with Sergine. We’d done several projects together, and she asked if she could do one of my scripts as her first short. She picked Wichita.”

“For sentimental reasons,” Bo shares, “I’m glad she picked that one. It was exciting for me to have something called Wichita. The best part was she took what I’d written and transitioned it into something that could not exist without her.”

Bo credits Sergine with rounding up the incredible cast. “She approached it as a real story with real relationships and not as something funny that was name-checking these things. She brought her theatre skills to it that elevated the whole thing.”

“It’s a strange mix,” Bo ponders about the project as a whole. “Sergine brought the French-Canadian culture to this film about the culture in Wichita, Kansas that’s shot in Los Angeles.”

Making Wichita

Wichita is a short film that’s made the rounds at festivals and collected dozens of accolades. The shoot, according to Sergine, took “Two days. Jeremy came in and knocked out his scene in one hour. He’s so good.”

“It was a dream shoot,” Sergine says, “All the stars were aligned. We were nervous because we were expecting rain. And it was raining until ten minutes before we started shooting and started again right after we wrapped.”

The short shoot time and impressive turn-around from both lead actors were a result of preparation and familiarity. Sergine explains, “I’ve worked with Jeremy and Maxim, and we know how each other works. You know, if you meet the actor the same day and you only have a half-hour to rehearse, it takes almost all that time just to meet them. We didn’t have that problem. We made use of the half-hour from the get-go.”

Wrapping Up

“I’m a big Bob Fosse fan,” Sergine, the former dancer turned musical theatre actor turned director, says about inspiration. “When we were preparing to shoot Wichita, Marriage Story was on Netflix, and that was very inspiring.”

For Bo, his lifelong desire to become a filmmaker means his cinematic creative fuel goes way back. “My three favorites were Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, and Woody Allen. I love everything they did and couldn’t get enough of it. I admire any filmmaker who sort of becomes a genre with just their name.”

If Hollywood came knocking with a blank check to remake anything, what would Sergine and Bo Choose? Oh, that’s a tough one,” Sergine exclaims, but then the answer is clear. “For me, it would have to be a movie musical for sure. Sweet Charity, yeah, that’s my pick!”

“There are movies that I love like Wizard of Oz or Chaplin’s City Lights, which is one of the best movies ever,” Bo begins his answer. “I don’t know if I have the capacity to remake those. It’s fun to think about. I wish I had a better answer.”

What’s next for the longtime collaborators? “Right now, we’re working on a feature version of Wichita.”

Is Wichita on your watch list?

Thanks to Sergine Dumais & Bo Price and Rhapsody PR
for making this interview possible.

Read more interviews from Ruben R. Diaz!

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Marvel Comics Exclusive First Look: WOLVERINE: BLACK, WHITE, & BLOOD #3

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

-

January 15, 2021

WOLVERINE: BLACK, WHITE, & BLOOD #3 marvel exclusive

WOLVERINE: BLACK, WHITE, & BLOOD #3 hits your local comic book store February 10th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive first-look preview for you.

About the issue:
THE BEST THERE IS BY THE BEST THERE ARE!

The groundbreaking series continues! Thrill to the Marvel Comics debut of Oscar winner JOHN RIDLEY (12 Years a Slave, The American Way) as he and JORGE FORNÉS bring LOGAN to Japan, where he will question his honor as he clashes blades with the SILVER SAMURAI!

Then, it’s back to his X-FORCE days with JED MacKAY and JESUS SAIZ, as WOLVERINE must stop A.I.M.’s plot for the red planet! And, nothing can prepare you for the unstoppable team-up of DONNY CATES and CHRIS BACHALO as Wolverine has a run-in with…COSMIC GHOST RIDER?!

Check out the stunning, unlettered preview art from each short story below:

Story by John Ridley & Jorge Fornes:

Story by Donny Cates & Chris Bachalo:

Story by Jed Mackay & Jesus Saiz:

Are you liking WOLVERINE: BLACK, WHITE, & BLOOD? Do you enjoy anthology comics as a whole? Sound off in the comments!

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AfterShock Comics Exclusive Preview: MANIAC OF NEW YORK #1

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

-

January 14, 2021

aftershock exclusive preview Maniac of New York

MANIAC OF NEW YORK #1 hits your local comic book store February 3rd, but thanks to AfterShock Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you.

About the issue:
Four years ago, a masked slasher began stalking the streets of New York City.

Maniac Harry is inhuman, unkillable and unstoppable. Which is why the authorities’ solution has been to ignore him, and let New Yorkers adapt to a world where death can strike at any moment. When Maniac Harry starts killing his way through the subway system, trauma-haunted political aide Gina Greene and disgraced NYPD detective Zelda Pettibone become determined to go rogue and destroy him. But how can they fight a monster when they can’t fight City Hall?

MANIAC OF NEW YORK #1 is by writer Elliott Kalan and artist Andrea Mutti, with letters by Taylor Esposito.

“A frightening, thought-provoking, sometimes funny, always timely tale of murder, obsession and urban living.“

Check out the MANIAC OF NEW YORK #1 preview below:

Are you excited for MANIAC OF NEW YORK? Sound off in the comments!

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Marvel Comics Exclusive Reveal: WOLVERINE #11

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

-

January 14, 2021

wolverine marvel comics exclusive cover reveal

WOLVERINE #11 is due to hit your local comic shop in April, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has the privilege of revealing the cover and solicit text for you today!

The comic is by writer Benjamin Percy and artist Scot Eaton, with a cover by Adam Kubert.

About the issue:
SNIKTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE!
WOLVERINE takes the fight to the vampire nation in a quest to stop DRACULA’s plot to co-opt his mutant healing factor! But what sacrifices and moral compromises must be made before humans and mutants see the dawn?

Check out the WOLVERINE #11 cover below:

Are you reading WOLVERINE? Sound off in the comments!

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