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Spider-Man Gets Set To Enter The VENOMVERSE At C2E2

Spider-Man Gets Set To Enter The VENOMVERSE At C2E2

This summer, Marvel’s Spider-Man line is set to dive into the Venomverse for the aptly named “Summer of Symbiotes.”

What does that mean? On hand at C2E2 to explain more were Marvel Editor-In-Chief C.B. Cebulski, Editor Devin Lewis, and writers Zeb Wells (Amazing Spider-Man), Alex Paknadel (Red Goblin, Carnage), David Pepose (Extreme Venomverse), and Sabir Pirzada (Dark Web: Ms. Marvel, Cult of Carnage: Misery).

Spider-Man Gets Set To Enter The VENOMVERSE At C2E2

Zeb Wells initially entered the panel on his own and took a seat, asking everyone to “cut the chatter.”

“I’m just kidding,” he said seconds later. “I don’t think the panel’s starting yet.”

A fan yelled out, “What did Peter do?”

Peter did a lot, Wells responded amid laughter, “and you can read all about it — for a fair price.”

Another fan called out, “Why was Ben Reilly turned evil?”

“For your entertainment, young man. To make you happy,” Wells said.

At this point, Cebulski walked in, flanked by the other panelists. Wells told them all he’s already got everyone in the palm of his hands.

Cebulski apologized for being a little bit late, welcomed everyone to the panel, and thanked everyone for their support for Spider-Man and Venom.

Amazing Spider-Man was the first topic of discussion.

Wells said it’s taken a year to get around to answering the question posed in the first issue of his run: “What did Peter do?”

The arc is a 6-issue story, and the last two issues are oversized 30 page books. As for the resolution, Wells said that Spidey Office Editor Nick Lowe suggested that he maybe not do conventions for a few months and also avoid social media once those issues are all released.

Some preview art is shown, and it’s stated that what Peter did has led even the Fantastic Four to distance themselves. Conversely, Cebulski added, Reed Richards has his own similar dilemma going on in the current Fantastic Four book, so it’s an interesting parallel.

The cover for ASM #25 is shown, and MJ doesn’t look too happy. But, Wells said, she looks healthy — “for now.”
Cebulski hyped Amazing Spider-Man #26 as the most shocking issue of Amazing Spider-Man in 50 years, referencing arguably the most devastating event in Peter’s life after the death of Uncle Ben — his failure to prevent Gwen Stacy’s death at the hands of the Green Goblin.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone thinks,” Wells said.

Following the current arc, Ed McGuinness returns to draw a Doc Ock story in issues 27-30. This year is also the 10-year anniversary of Superior Spider-Man. It’s suggested that there could be a connection.

After that, Amazing Spider-Man #31 is a giant-sized wedding issue — likely marking the marriage of Randy Robertson to Janice Lincoln, the female Beetle — that sees the return of Tombstone. Wells said it sets up the next big event, which happens at the end of the year.

Lewis is up next to discuss the “Summer of Symbiotes.” Promo art is shown that dips into some classic X-Men nostalgia and features symbiotic versions of a lot of familiar faces. “See if you can guess who they are,” Lewis said

The tagline for the event is “Sun’s out, tongues out.”

With Carnage #12, Paknadel takes over as writer — and Cletus Kasady is back.

So far in the book, Ram V has told the story of the Carnage symbiote traveling space and various dimensions, powering up by absorbing the powers of characters including Hydro-Man, the Spot, and Malekith. Meanwhile, Cletus has been biding his time as the host of the “Extrembiote” that was frankensteined together from a symbiote dragon and the Extremis virus by Tony Stark during the events of King In Black.

The Carnage series will now follow Cletus’ “gore-drenched” return to the stage, which will bring him into confrontation with the Carnage symbiote.

Speaking of the Carnage symbiote, as fans are getting reacquainted with Cletus, Web of Carnage, written by Ram V and Christos Gage, will continue to follow the alien parasite’s quest for power. It’s hinted that Morlun might be involved, suggesting a connection to the Web of Life and Destiny from Spider-Verse.

Meanwhile, Red Goblin #3 sees Normie Osborn hosting his own “blank slate” of a symbiote. “It’s a little kid with a really super dangerous dog that will eat your head,” Paknadel said of the book.

Normie comes into conflict with former Hobgoblin Phil Urich — previously “killed” by Norman Osborn, but possessing enough goblin serum in his veins to be somewhere between living and dead. “I’ve been calling him ‘Gobzombie,’” Lewis said.

Urich is also still involved with the Goblin Nation, Norman Osborn’s former gang. So little Normie is basically confronting his grandfather’s sins and punching them repeatedly, Lewis said.

Speaking of Norman, Red Goblin #4 brings Normie into conflict with dear old grandpa, who is currently the heroic Gold Goblin.

Red Goblin #6 will begin a new arc, “Nature vs. Nurture.” Normie looks a little more monstrous on the preview cover shown. The title is potentially a clue to the trajectory of the character, Paknadel said.

Paknadel is also penning Carnage Reigns with current Miles Morales: Spider-Man writer Cody Ziglar. Lewis detailed how the story, a crossover between Carnage and Miles Morales: Spider-Man, essentially throws Miles Morales and Carnage into a pit for the first time to see what happens.

Paknadel said the story pits a classic psychopath against a Spider-Man who is “by no means green, but is ludicrously out of his depth.”

When Peter gets into the arena with Cletus, he’s going to be as scared as he realistically should be, Paknadel said. But Miles doesn’t have that experience yet and is very keen to prove himself.

“He’s about to run into a hailstorm of razors, and you’re going to love it,” Paknadel said.

Lewis added that this story is as much a love letter to Spider-Man as it is to symbiotes and all the ultra violence and tongues and everything else.

Cult of Carnage: Misery sees Liz Allan become a symbiote character called Misery. Pirzada said the story finds her at a very interesting time in her life, where Harry is dead and Normie has his own stuff going on, and her family’s last name is Osborn — so nothing is ever easy.

Liz’s company Alchemax has its hands in a lot of symbiote business, and that hasn’t changed, Lewis said. Preview art shows there are chimpanzees undergoing symbiote experiments at Alchemax, as well.

Cult of Carnage: Misery #6 will introduce an all-new symbiote villain called Madness. It looks like an amalgam of the Life Foundation symbiotes.

In Venom, Eddie Brock is going to finally succeed in getting back to the Marvel Universe after dislodging himself from time as the King In Black. As Al Ewing and Ram V continue their story, a new villain character named Flexo will debut in Venom #19.

Venom is headed in some awesome and scary places, “and you’re not going to want to miss it,” Lewis said. (Venom also has FOUR ARMS on the cover for issue 21.)

There’s also still time travel going on, with Venom and Flexo shown fighting into the World War II period. And Eddie’s son, Dylan, is still around as the current host of the Venom symbiote and will come into conflict with Toxin.

Extreme Venomverse, an anthology series, is also on the way with stories by the likes of Ryan North, Mirka Andolfo, Leonardo Romero, Paulo Siqueira, Al Ewing, David Pepose, etc.

Pepose’s story focuses on a “Life-Model Venom,” inspired by the Cyborg Spider-Man from the ‘90s. The story features a “blast from the past,” but Pepose doesn’t want to spoil the story too much! The symbiote essentially bonds with a SHIELD life-model decoy that was built to cage symbiotes, but things don’t work out as planned.

Future issues also have a Venomized Jeff the Land Shark and a Godzilla-like kaiju, as well as “Major League Venom” — a baseball playing Venom. Peach Momoko has also created a Venom character in Extreme Venomverse 4.

Edge of Venomverse Unlimited by Clay McLeod Chapman and Phillip Sevy will also come to Marvel Unlimited this summer.

And then in August, Cullen Bunn returns to write Death of the Venomverse with artist Gerardo Sandoval! All five issues come out in one month.

It’s a “knock-down, dragout brawl” featuring the Carnage symbiote after its journey for power, and it sets up the next year of Carnage stuff, said Lewis.

But that wasn’t the end of the teases: During the Q&A period at the end of the panel, one fan asked if Peter’s long absent clone Kaine will return anytime soon. Cebulski advised fans to keep an eye on issue #6 or #7 of Dan Slott’s current Spider-Man ongoing series.

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5 Things We Learned About Saladin Ahmed & Dave Acosta’s TERRORWAR At C2E2

5 Things We Learned About Saladin Ahmed & Dave Acosta’s TERRORWAR At C2E2

During a Friday evening panel at C2E2, Saladin Ahmed (Miles Morales: Spider-Man) and Dave Acosta (Elvira) showcased their upcoming series Terrorwar, which debuts April 19 on Image Comics.

Terrorwar is a futuristic story, informed by ‘80s scientific horror cinema, that is set in the last inhabited city on an Earth that has been rendered unlivable. Haunting the city are monsters called Terrors that take the shape of their victims’ worst fears. There’s a group of fighters who are uniquely equipped to fight the Terrors using psychic powers.

The series has been a long time coming, as Acosta and Ahmed have been trying to work on a project together since 2015. When the pandemic hit in 2020, they were in the middle of pitching a Dracula book called Dragon. It was on the schedule for a while — and then there was no schedule. They took it to Kickstarter, and it worked out great.

Three weeks after Acosta turned in Dragon, however, Ahmed approached him with another idea: Terrorwar.

Ahmed has always tooled around with creator-owned stuff and loves horror, as does Acosta. As a result, the collaboration has been — “not to get weird” — almost like a marriage, Ahmed said.

5 Things We Learned About Saladin Ahmed & Dave Acosta’s TERRORWAR At C2E2

Here are five questions about Terrorwar the panel answered.

Was there a certain genesis for this story from the era of 80s horror that was a particular inspiration?

Ahmed said he sometimes starts his projects with titles. Because he’s an Arab American, the phrase “war on terror” has been electrified into his brain, he said. So what if there was an actual war on the embodiment of terror or fear.

The city in the story is kind of “Blade Runner”-esque and steampunk, while the vibe itself of the Terrors being pursued is kind of “Aliens.”

Was it always going to be other groups of contractors competing for jobs?

Ahmed said Acosta realized the main characters in the flesh, but he had the idea of the competing contractors. It’s not just this one group fighting scary, unthinkable monsters. They’re competing for jobs, as well.

What did Acosta draw inspiration from in design?

Acosta said every time he got scripts, everything was described in futuristic ways that made him react in terms of “What is this? I can’t draw this.” And then he would calm down and look at what he could draw inspiration from — from movies like Blade Runner to Michael Golden’s G.I. Joe to toys in old Sears catalog.

The characters themselves are inspired by classic team stories like X-Men and Ghostbusters, and in that spirit, their designs reflect various details about their roles and personalities — from the brains of the group to the muscle.

Acosta said he loves that Ahmed gives him plenty of room on what everything should look like and doesn’t describe every detail in his scripts.

Did they use a full script or Marvel Method?

Ahmed said he came to comics as a novelist and had to learn how to find a “happy medium” of working together with an artist. Ahmed started out doing everything full script, because he felt he was being lazy if he didn’t send the artist every detail.

Acosta said Ahmed is really good at scripting in a way where the dialogue and things like that are already fully scripted, but he won’t overly describe scenes — i.e., simply saying “they fight” or “a scary soldier.”

Ahmed said it’s a kind of interaction you can sometimes only have in creator-owned stuff, because the pace of Marvel and DC can get in the way of that kind of dynamic.

The Terrors are based on people’s worst fears manifested physically. How do they come up with the Terrors each issue, and if they were faced with Terrors, what would they be?

You have to focus on less abstract kinds of fears, Ahmed said. For him, the Terror he’d have to confront is something bad happening to his kids. Ahmed said Terrors are usually what happens to you in your dreams that you fear.

Acosta said alien abduction would be his Terror, because you can’t escape until they decide they’re done with you.

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Project 365: One Comic Every Day, Week 13: A Christmas Carol

comic box
Project 365 image

The premise is simple: read one comic every day for the entire year. It seems like a simple task but there is no way that I read 365 comics last year, even if you count the individual issues in collections. So, this year, I am committing myself to this reading challenge, in the hope that I can broaden my reading habits and fully engage with my favorite hobby again.

I am continuing the theme of adaptation this week. To be fair, it is going to be a regular theme this week as adaptation — just like comic studies — is an often under-represented or even maligned area of study. But it is still an important part of comics history and its continued existence. For the next seven days or so I will be focusing on one graphic novel and comparing aspects of it against the “original” source text. I use quotations there because the “original” text I have is a book published in 1993, a mere 150 years after the story was first published.

The novella is A Christmas Carol and the adaptation I am reading was published by Heinle Cengage Learning in 2011. The graphic novel is illustrated by Mike Collins and David Roach with James Offredi on colors and Terry Wiley on letters. It’s based on a script by Sean Michael Wilson.

A Christmas Carol

Comic Number 85: A Christmas Carol (chapter 1)

“Marley was dead, to begin with” opens both the novella and the graphic novel alike. To me, the opening line of a novel is very important. It makes a statement about the book and has to capture the reader instantly — and the opening of A Christmas Carol is magnificent. It serves a narrative purpose, it sets the scene and the tone, and brings the reader directly into the story. The line is even spoken in several of the film and television adaptations because it is iconic and expected to open the narrative.

So, I was at first quite surprised that a truncated version of the line opens chapter 1 of the graphic novel. It starts with the first three words and then the text skips to the end of the first paragraph. However, the first page of the comic acts as the first line of the novel and takes on the expectations from that opening. Because we take in the full page of a comic initially, before concentrating on the actual text of the page, the impact of the first line has to become a visual aspect of the comic. The tone will be set through that visual inspection, not the first few words. Therefore, Collins et al have to interpret the opening line into a more complex sequence of images. In this instance, the reader is greeted with a wintry church yard, a yellow light trapped behind a tall, arched window which is contrasted with the dark headstone, etched with the name of Marley. Even before you read those first three lines you know that Marley is dead, the images have told you so. The first thing that the reader experiences in the narrative is that Marley is dead. The rest of the sentence is superfluous. The three panels set the scene, give you an indication of the time period, and let you know, from the beginning, that Marley was dead. It is a wonderful opening to the graphic novel.

I picked A Christmas Carol for this comparison because the novella is very visual. Not only is is about a man who is shown visions, but the language that Dickens uses throughout is visual in nature. It is designed to conjure images, and Dickens teases his readers with a mix of wonderful sights and contradictory words. The narrative is full of word play and almost impossible visual concepts. This aspect makes it perfect for adaptation because there is so much interpretation in certain elements, while the narrative structure creates a very solid backbone. The description of the first spirit is a perfect example; how can you illustrate something that is both old and young, something that is big and small, something that is far away while right next to you? Dickens uses language to create images but it is mere trickery — no more real, or tangible, than the visions Scrooge experiences. Our sense can be deceived, “a little thing affects them. A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheats.” Dickens’ words are his undigested bits of food that give us, the readers, these wonderful visions.

This beautiful bit of wordplay, ending with the best pun in the novel (“There’s more of gravy than of grave about you”) doesn’t feature in the graphic novel. Instead it is replaced with a single, wide close up panel of Scrooge’s face with the words “Maybe something I ate has made me sick”. This is followed at the top of the next page by a silent panel where the reader is looking over the shoulder of the seated Scrooge at Marley’s ghost, a dour, disappointed look on his face. And we know why. It’s because they missed out one of the best bits. And, unlike the opening, it wasn’t replaced by anything visual.

Marley is disappointed at the removal of a joke

Comic Number 86: A Christmas Carol (chapter 2)

I have already touched on chapter 2 above with the visual representation of the first spirit. The fascinating aspect of this chapter is the way that the artists depict the visions shown to Scrooge. Audrey Jaffa wrote that “in order to make Scrooge and the story’s readers desire the real, the text has to offer not everyday life but rather its image” (from PMLA Vol 109 No2 from March 1994). In this chapter, the reader is presented with images of Scrooge’s past, snapshots of the scenes of his life. The novel allows Scrooge some semblance of interaction with those scenes but only in a superficial way whereas the readers can only view them like photos.

In the graphic novel, these scenes are depicted in a faded photographic style, sepia in tone and twice removed from the reader. The sequences are layered with Scrooge and the ghost inhabiting a middle ground between the reader and Scrooge’s past. The style of artwork is different to represent this separation and the reader is forced to experience history through Scrooge’s eyes. It is a clever way of manipulating the visuals on the page to produce the depth provided by the novel.

Comic Number 87: A Christmas Carol (chapter 3)

Last Christmas, I watched the 1999 TV version of the novella starring Patrick Stewart as Scrooge. Although it wasn’t groundbreaking television, Patrick Stewart was his usual brilliant self, and there was a sequence that made me take notice. While the Ghost of Christmas Present sweeps Scrooge around contemporary London, their journey extends outside of the urban setting and passes over the countryside and the ocean. Like a scene from The Snowman, Scrooge bears witness to the Christmas celebrations of a miner’s family, workers in a lighthouse, and sailors at sea.

Why was the scene so captivating? Because I didn’t recognize it. Cedric Watts points out in the introduction to the Wordsworth Classics version that the story’s “fame is so great that we probably know of Scrooge and his transformation already.” You wouldn’t be mistaken for thinking that each scene is as equally known as the next; to know one part of the narrative is to know it all. Except, Patrick Stewart proved that wrong. The scenes of the working class throughout England celebrating the season in their own way is often dropped from the adaptations because it doesn’t directly affect the central character or his redemption. Sequences not directly relevant to the overarching plot can be eliminated to save time, streamlining the story. The graphic novel has more space for a fuller adaption so that it can include more of the original source material.

The scene in question is short, spread across two pages, and highlights the different working class men as featured in the novel. The main difference is the that the 11 panels in the graphic novel do not express the hardships of life in Victorian Britain, but instead merely illustrate the far reaching effects of Christmas. The emphasis on social commentary is replaced by a reiteration of the emotional power of the season. You could argue that the message is toned down to suit the audience, but it’s just as possible that the creators felt the initial message was no longer relevant or relatable.

A Christmas Carol

Comic Number 88: A Christmas Carol (chapter 4)

The fourth chapter is full of greed and the grotesque consequences of a life selfishly lived. For the most part, the characters in this section of the graphic novel are drawn with a disgusting air about them. They are bloated and mean, with angry, wrinkled faces which could be found in any horror comic. The characters don’t receive much description in the novella; Dickens instead allows their actions to dictate the readers interpretation of their appearance. However, in the graphic novel the artists design the characters based on their actions, in the same way that Chester Gould designed the villains in Dick Tracy.

As you read this chapter, it is not the intimidating Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come that makes your skin crawl, but the malicious, grinning faces of horrible people laughing at another person’s death. It is unsettling and disturbing, more so in a visual format than in text alone.

A Christmas Carol

Comic Number 89: A Christmas Carol (chapter 5)

Everyone knows the end of the story. The miser Scrooge repents his ways and becomes the beacon for Christmas joy ever after. How best to illustrate this in a comic? I suppose there are a number of ways, but for this graphic novel, a very simple, visual piece of design instantly gets the message across.

For the majority of the book, the pages have been designed with black borders and gutters. Each page is steeped in darkness that stretches from inside the panels to the very edge of the pages so as you hold the book your fingers encroach this blackness. You get an almost physical feeling of entering into the darkness with Scrooge and each page turn becomes a moment of concern. However, when you reach the final chapter, as Scrooge’s spirit is saved, the borders and gutters become white, cleansed of darkness. It is so simple but 100% effective. Everything appears brighter, cleaner, a slate wiped clean.

A Christmas Carol

Comic Number 90: A Christmas Carol (Classics Illustrated, again)

Only thirteen weeks in and I’m already re-reading comics that I’ve read this year. After reading the Heinle Cengage Learning (HCL) version in conjunction with the original novella, I thought it might be interesting to bring in another version for extra comparison. The Comics Illustrated version shares one major similarity to the HCL version outside of the narrative: it has been designed for educational purposes. The comic strip contains the highlights of the story, stripped back to its essentials, and in doing so, some of the meaning is left out, but that’s where the back matter comes in.

Both of the comic book versions have extended text sections at the end containing information about Charles Dickens’ life and further considerations when reading the narrative. Any of the deeper meanings that may have been lost in the translation from novel to comic are brought up in the text sections at the back, giving the reader some food for thought and maybe the inclination to re-read the narrative.

I would say that the one thing lost from both adaptations is the social commentary of Victorian Britain, something which is a central thread in Dickens’ original. But as these comics are aimed at younger readers, with literary studies as their central aim, what have become historical concerns are not central to later translations. Neither adaptation is a depiction of the hardships of Victorian life, instead both focus on the redemption aspect of the narrative. In fact, the later version contains less period specifics focusing on character rather than setting. I find the fidelity in both of these comics unsurprising, because most adaptations of A Christmas Carol tend to stick close to the original, even film versions starring Muppets.

The main difference between adaptations of A Christmas Carol is not with the narrative itself but with the style used to tell it. Even outlandish versions like Scrooged with Bill Murray contains the same basic narrative structure.

Comic Number 91: More Transformers (issues 113 to 120)

I’ve had quite an intense reading week this week, reading a graphic novel alongside its original source material (on occasions, literally alongside), so today I just wanted to chill out with some easy going comics. And what could be easier than Wanted: Galvatron, Dead or Alive?

Written by Simon Furman with rotating artists during the 8-week run, the story continues the future epic started with Target: 2006, introduces an alternative origin for Goldbug (because the Action Force/Transformers storyline wasn’t published in the UK), and chucks Death’s Head into the mix. There is another epic battle between Ultra Magnus and Galvatron, and even a hint of a love story that, on reflection, is a little bit disturbing. But all in all, this was a perfect way to unwind.


The next few weeks might be simpler, more straightforward, and shorter even, as the Easter break kicks in and feeding on chocolate with my kids eats into my comic reading time. But we’ll see what happens.

As always, why not let me know in the comments below what you’re reading. Maybe I can get some ideas of what to read in the coming weeks.

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Review: Playful Surrealism in DORIS DANGER: GIANT MONSTERS AMOK

Marvel wasn’t always a company associated with giving “real” problems to heroes in spandex. They started as a mere arm of Atlas comics, a company dedicated to chasing wider cultural trends with comics about cowboys, romance, war, and — eventually — monsters. Giant, wrinkly-faced monsters with silly names and oversized underpants. Those monsters were the last gasp of the Atlas era. The comic books that creators like Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and Dick Ayers made together before creating the modern Marvel Universe. Writer/artist Chris Wisnia and colorist Ricky Sprague‘s Doris Danger: Giant Monsters Amok (out May 23 from Fantagraphics) is a glimpse into a world where those monster comics had the continuity of their superhero descendants. These disposable pulp publications have stitched together a nonsensical world even the historians in the book’s framing device can’t fully make sense of.

Doris Danger is presented as a collection of issues from the fictional Tabloia magazine. The introduction apologizes for the issues being printed out of order and poorly preserved, but gives an overview of the general plot as follows: Doris Danger is a photojournalist obsessed with finding proof of the existence of giant monsters. Standing in her way is the FBI’s “G” division, a government branch dedicated to hiding all evidence of monster attacks, all overseen by master financer Eugene Felk. Doris must continue her endless crusade for truth against whatever government cronies stand in her way.

We can all agree that the Atlas monster comics were fairly silly, but Wisnia’s approach to parody in Doris Danger is much, much broader than just pointing out the absurdity of those comics. Read through a collection of the Atlas era, and what you’ll find are simple, stripped-down stories that have to use their short page counts as efficiently as possible. Character and plot beats get explained aloud, every panel carefully moving things forward. Wisnia uses similar 5-7 page counts, but for rambling, surreal arcs that gesture at some larger narrative that will never fully come. Characters spend entire pages expositing on past issues that never truly existed, or the importance of speaking in abbreviations. At one point, an entire page’s script is “accidentally” swapped with another. And whenever a character references a past issue, the numbering intentionally jumps all over the place. Events that take place alongside one another can be cited 100 issues apart, or even out of order.

This is all tied together by a framing device based around an “archivist” introducing the collection and trying to give context to why the pages are poorly reproduced or why the stories are out of order. It paints an (only slightly) exaggerated picture of the comic industry, each story heavily rushed and shoddily produced, the only remaining copies sourced from dead collectors or a kid who colored all his copies in. Romance comics are declared the “Golden Age,” where monster comics produced a month later are the “Silver Age.” It’s a mishmash of decades of comic history into a single, fictional series. Wisnia’s approach can be summed up by a sequence where a long, self-serious explanation of past issues is vandalized by a child’s crayon drawing. These old comics were powerful but silly, strikingly individual yet disposable. All penned by authors and artists fighting an uphill battle against an industry that didn’t value them.

Jack Kirby is the clearest artistic influence throughout Doris Danger, most stories drawn to intentionally mimic his style. There is the occasional romance issue that’s drawn in a clear Ditko homage, while Dick Ayers himself appears to guest-ink an issue. What works about the Kirby tribute are the ways in which Wisnia plays with classic Kirby-isms, like how many of the stories open on a dramatic splash page of a monster, only to have the creature barely factor into the story. Or how one page has a character strike some of Kirby’s favorite dynamic poses despite the fact they’re just having a mundane conversation.

As for the colors, Ricky Sprague shows great versatility in mimicking styles that bounce between decades. He especially does a great job in recreating the muted look of primary colors on thick newsprint. This can lead to jokes in itself, like when a character is introduced with Silver Age-style dramatic, orange lighting… only to reveal he actually is orange. The colors also create the issue of different print quality between issues, sometimes appearing smeared and off-register, or on one occasion, mocking the overbearing digital sheen of certain “remastered” classic comics. It’s a purposeful storytelling tool in itself, helping show the condition each issue was found in.

The lettering Wisnia uses mostly sticks to the rounded, all-caps style of classic Marvel, with a typewritten font acting as the voice of the archivist. The most fun is had with sound-effects, which are drawn as colorful balloon letters with exaggerated sounds like “Smoofy Smonch!” or “Ka-Booie-Ga-Booie-Ga!”

VERDICT

Doris Danger: Giant Monsters Amok sets its sights beyond just giant monsters. Marvel’s classic superhero stories, old romance comics, and the industry itself are all skewered under Wisnia’s pen. But what stood out the most about the book was its playfulness. From a foundation of stripped-down science fiction, Wisnia deforms and reshapes the familiar structure like clay. What would happen if a monster story just devolved into nothing but sound-effects? Or a story was just published as art-boards? It turns classic pulp into surreal collage. The book is out on May 24 from Fantagraphics, and you definitely want to get your hands on it.

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Review: UNSTOPPABLE DOOM PATROL #1 – Your Favorite Freaks Return

From writer Dennis Culver (Arkham Academy, Crone) and artist Chris Burnham (The Nameless, Batman) comes the return of DC’s greatest band of weirdos in Unstoppable Doom Patrol #1. Featuring colors by Brian Reber and lettering from Pat Brosseau, this debut issue offers some cool new twists and some familiar faces in a comic that feels like a solid melding of classic Doom Patrol with the larger DC universe. With a tight, energetic script and stellar visual work, this is a return that so far is worth the wait.

“After the events of Lazarus Planet, more people than ever have active metagenes! Most of these new metahumans have become misfits, shunned and imprisoned by a fearful society. They are hidden away in the dark, lost to a system that only sees them as weapons or guinea pigs-ticking time bombs that can only be defused by the Unstoppable Doom Patrol! Robotman, Elasti-Woman, and Negative Man are joined by their brand-new teammates Beast Girl and Degenerate and led by Crazy Jane’s mysterious new alter, the Chief, on a mission of saving the world by saving the monsters!”

Writing & Plot

Dennis Culver has the unenviable position of following up another cult-classic run with his script for Unstoppable Doom Patrol #1. Gerard Way and Nick Derington’s run on DC’s Young Animal imprint wrapped up a few years ago, and strictly in terms of legacy was the direct follow-up to Rachel Pollack’s and Grant Morrison’s works respectively. This comic eschews much of the conceptual weirdness of those runs to follow more in the footsteps of the original Arnold Drake run, Kupperburg’s work, and the more mainstream Doom Patrol runs as a whole. This isn’t a bad thing, though. Culver has written the most easily accessible Doom Patrol comic in a very long time. All our favorites are here – Cliff Steele a.k.a. Robotman is totally unchanged, and Culver nails his playful yet pissed attitude. Larry Trainor (Negative Man) and Rita Farr (Elastiwoman) don’t get quite as much time on the page here, but they’re well-written and enough is presented to promise that they’ll be more fleshed out in the future. The big surprise here is of course Crazy Jane’s new persona as “The Chief,” with Culver continuing the trend of original team leader Niles Caulder no longer having a place among the Doom Patrol. Her new role and persona have that distinct Silver Age leader charm (think “To Me, My Doom Patrol!”), coupled with specific moments to remind you who Jane is and what she’s capable of. The new additions in the form of Beast Girl and Degenerate are cool, and fit in well with Culver’s new initiative for the Doom Patrol as saviors of new metahuman weirdos. Fans of the Vertigo and Young Animal Doom Patrol runs may be annoyed at the appearances of some major DC alumni in this issue, but they don’t get in the way of these characters being themselves. If you’re expecting Morrison or Pollack weirdness, you will come away disappointed. This is a Doom Patrol for a new generation of mainstream readers.

Unfortunately, it’s easy to see the separation between writing calls made by DC editorial and Culver himself. While the big character features aren’t too obtrusive, they certainly aren’t needed. It’s almost as if DC doesn’t trust that a Doom Patrol comic won’t sell by itself without the Caped Crusader popping up, and this unfortunately limits what this comic can do compared to the prior great Doom Patrol runs. Culver handles the features admirably, but it does leave me wondering just how effective this run will be as a whole.

Art Direction

Unstoppable Doom Patrol #1 is brought to life by the distinct pencils of Chris Burnham. Burnham’s defined linework and brilliant eye for design give this new era of the classic cult-favorite team a distinct aesthetic that still *feels* like Doom Patrol. Burnham has always toe-d the visual line between mainstream comics and weird indie book – a style this series demands. His designs for the classic Patrol members maintain their consistent looks from runs past, but with Burnham’s own touches. If I had to compare, these look like a mix between Derington’s interpretation and the original Bruno Premiani designs. His work on the new characters are perfectly comic book-y, if not comparatively safe for a Doom Patrol book. Jane is almost unrecognizable as The Chief, but Burnham plays some neat tricks to bring her more familiar forms back out when the script calls for it. His sequential direction move the story along at a brisk pace, keeping everything feeling exciting with big action and fun character reveals.

Brian Reber’s color art fills in Burnham’s pencils with a deep, vivid color that finishes the distinct aesthetic this comic has. There’s a sort of texture to Reber’s colors here that give the panels an extra sense of dimension. It’s stunning work that helps make this Doom Patrol comic stand out among other mainstream comics. The lettering from Pat Brosseau captures a clean retro-modern style with classic-looking SFX work that fits this comic perfectly. Overall, this is a fantastic comic from the visual end that nails the feel of a new, more mainstream-friendly Doom Patrol book.

Verdict

Unstoppable Doom Patrol #1 is a fun – if not pretty safe – return for one of mainstream comics’ greatest cult-favorite teams. Dennis Culver’s script offers some great action, great character returns, and some genuinely good humor, all held back a bit by editorial inclusions that make the comic feel less sure of itself. The visuals from Chris Burnham and Brian Reber are full of dimension and personality, making for one of the most unique-looking mainstream comic of the year so far. Be sure to grab this first chapter in a new era of Doom Patrol stories from your local comic shop today!

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Marvel Comics Exclusive Preview: COSMIC GHOST RIDER #2

marvel comics exclusive preview cosmic ghost rider

COSMIC GHOST RIDER #2 hits your local comic book store on April 5th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive three-page preview for you!

About the issue:
There are now TWO Cosmic Ghost Riders. One is the reclusive Frank Castle, living on a remote alien planet. And the other is a ruthless assassin causing violent havoc across the universe. When the bounty hunter Starstalker comes looking to collect Frank for his counterpart’s crimes, Frank is forced to suit up once more – and solve the mystery of his new dual existence.

The issue is by writer Stephanie Phillips and artist Juann Cabal, with colors by Espen Grundetjern, and letters by Travis Lanham. The main cover is by Valerio Giangiordano and Morry Hollowell.

Check out the COSMIC GHOST RIDER #2 preview below:

marvel comics exclusive preview cosmic ghost rider

marvel comics exclusive preview cosmic ghost rider

marvel comics exclusive preview cosmic ghost rider

marvel comics exclusive preview cosmic ghost rider

marvel comics exclusive preview cosmic ghost rider


Are you reading the new COSMIC GHOST RIDER run? Sound off in the comments!

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Panel Breakdown: SAVAGE DRAGON #264’s Epic Double-Page Spread

Panel Breakdown: SAVAGE DRAGON #264's Epic Double-Page Spread

SAVAGE DRAGON #264 came out last week from Image Comics, but I had to take a moment and talk about the best double-page spread of 2023 so far! The issue is by Erik Larsen, with Jack Morelli handling letters, Nikos Koutsis on colors, and Mike Toris assisting with flats.

What did you think of the double-page spread?

About SAVAGE DRAGON #264:

“THE STORY OF PAUL!”
Paul Dragon’s secrets are revealed! Malcolm’s father from another dimension has been something of a mystery man – but at long last – we’ll see how his story diverges from his Image Universe counterpart’s. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the past of this hallowed hero!

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Panel Breakdown: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #22 – The Action Is Fast And Furious!

Panel Breakdown: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #22 - The Action Is Fast And Furious!

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #22 hit your local comic book store last week, and this issue is a great example of fast-paced, action-packed storytelling. The book is written by Zeb Wells, with pencils by John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna is the inker, Marcio Menyz drops the colors, and you will read Joe Caramagna’s letter work. In the Panel Breakdown, we examine the intense pace of the action and how JR JR makes it work.

The description of the issue doesn’t add much – “Who is this mysterious figure, and what do they have to do with Peter’s and Mary Jane’s disappearances?!”

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How Do We Define Evil In Comics? NECROPOLITAN

How Do We Define Evil In Comics? NECROPOLITAN

Monkeys Fighting Robots sat down with co-writers Julian Darius and Mike Phillips to talk about their incredible series NECROPOLITAN. This disturbing book is a meditation on evil, punishment, and serial killers. All in all, you have to hope these two are on a no-fly list! Check out the interview, and when you’re done, go to http://martianlit.com/books/10/necropolitan/ to check out this crazy book.

About Necropolitan #1:
The book is written by Mike Phillips and Julian Darius with art by Steven Legge and Donovan Yaciuk.

Join Mark as he is born again… into Hell! Follow him as he meets history’s greatest killers and psychopaths! Thrill to his exciting afterlife adventures in the gang-ridden city of Pandemonium!

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Panel Breakdown: X-O MANOWAR UNCONQUERED #1 – Brilliant Sci-Fi Artwork From Liam Sharp

Panel Breakdown: X-O MANOWAR UNCONQUERED #1 - Brilliant Sci-Fi Artwork From Liam Sharp

X-O MANOWAR UNCONQUERED #1 hit your local comic book shop on March 22; the Panel Breakdown will look at Liam Sharp’s artwork and how he brought this epic sci-fi opera to life. The book is written by Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad, with letter work by Troy Peteri, and Sharp handles the art and colors.

About X-O MANOWAR UNCONQUERED #1:
Warrior. Slave. Liberator. King. Aric of Dacia has lived many lives. Now his past, present, and future collide as Valiant’s X-O MANOWAR returns in an unforgettable new series. X-O Manowar is alone in space and stranded on a distant world, battered and defiant but never defeated. Put the king back on his throne as X-O Manowar charts an epic return on its 30th anniversary.

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