THE ADVENTURES OF LUMEN N. #1 hits your local comic book store on September 3rd, but thanks to Dark Horse Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive five-page preview for you!
About the series: The year is 1901 and our heroine Lumen is a precocious 13-year-old with many questions about her life. Why has her father been gone for years? Why must she learn so many languages and fighting techniques and what’s with all the lessons in seafaring? Then an attack on her home by a horde of steampunk assassins delivers the first glimmer of an answer, when Lumen’s savior reveals himself as her grandfather, the legendary Captain Nemo, one of the greatest characters in Victorian science-fiction literature.
A brand-new world of steampunk adventure and thrills is about to open up for Lumen as she connects with the grandfather she never knew while together they take on a cabal of evil masterminds, intent on world domination.
The steampunk adventure is by writer James Robinson and artist Phil Hester, with inks by Marc Deering, colors by Bill Crabtree, and letters by Jim Campbell. The main cover is by Hester, and there will be variant covers by artists Mark Buckingham, Duncan Fegredo, Max Fiumara, and Dan Brereton.
Hear what the creators have to say about the series:
“I am utterly thrilled to join forces with Phil, Marc and Bill in bringing The Adventures of Lumen N. to life,” said Robinson. “It’s an idea I’ve had for a long time, and I’m grateful for the talents of these wonderful creators in helping me bring her to life. Lumen’s story is a rollercoaster of steam-punk excitement as she evolves from a young, slightly unsure girl into a two-fisted adventuress, and I know you’ll enjoy the ride.”
Hester added, “I’ve been wanting to work with James for what seems like a lifetime, especially on a book like Lumen N. Not since my time working on Batman: The Animated Series have I contributed to a project that, while clearly all-ages, is well-made enough to appeal to even the most sophisticated audience. James, Marc, Bill & Jim are all at the top of their games, brining a book unlike any other to the market. Fun, scary, smart, light, thrilling, historical, and witty, each page turn plunges you into a different genre and mood. Lumen N. is a book meant to be shared, and I hope you will let us share it with you.”
And Deering said, “I am incredibly lucky to be teamed with 3 of comics greatest, James, Phil and Bill, on such an awesome book. I’ve been having the time of my life working on Lumen N. I can’t wait to do more.”
Check out the first five pages of THE ADVENTURES OF LUMEN N. #1 below:
Are you picking up THE ADVENTURES OF LUMEN N. #1? Sound off in the comments!
From writer Chris Gooch and artist Oliver Ono comes a tale of a motley space crew on a flying space kaiju in Starship Godzilla #1. Featuring lettering by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, this first issue blends together the whimsy of Showa-era Godzilla with elements of Alien and Cowboy Bebop to craft something you’ve certainly seen before, but configured in a way that is still a blast to behold. With a fun script and stellar visual work, Starship Godzilla is a great opening chapter to this take on the Godzilla mythos.
“You didn’t think kaiju were only on Earth, did you? In the fight for galactic supremacy, no weapon is more powerful than a kaiju… and no team is better equipped to capture and transport these titanic monsters than the crew of Starship Godzilla! This ragtag group flies through space in Mechagodzilla and takes high-risk, high-reward missions across the galaxy. A kaiju heading toward your planet? Give them a call. A colossal space pest clogging up your trade route? They’ll get rid of it. A galactic civil war utilizing kaiju on both sides? They’ll… uh… do their best to stay out of it. But where there’s a galactic war, there’s a galactic conspiracy, and this may be one fight our crew doesn’t land on the same side of.”
Writing & Plot
Chris Gooch imbues a space adventure with the spirit of late Showa-era Godzilla in the pages of Starship Godzilla #1. This opening issue brings a familiar sort of adventure with a lively, memorable cast of misfits and aliens that makes the story immediately fun to step into. The main crew, a ragtag bunch of thieves flying through space on a Mechagodzilla spaceship, is reminiscent of the crews in stories like Cowboy Bebop, Firefly, or Star Wars: Rebels. The cargo they end up stealing and what happens with said cargo feels very much like a plotline from those series, and the events ensure that the comic’s influences are being worn on its sleeve. All that being said, Gooch uses those influences to craft a story that gets its audience comfortable with a good time while still laying some surprises later in the issue. His cast of characters are all likeable, and his dialogue is snappy and fits the story well. The overall plot starts out very simplistic, but ends up increasing in complexity and stakes as it reaches the end, making the comic more compelling that expected by the time you hit the final page.
Art Direction
While the concept of a crew flying around on Mechagodzilla was enough the get me interested, it’s Oliver Ono’s visuals that really seal the deal for Starship Godzilla #1. Ono’s thick pencils, heavy shading, and saturated color work set up the aesthetic and tone of the comic beautifully. His work here is like a hybrid of Daniel Warren Johnson and Katsuhiro Otomo,, but with Ono’s own unique style carrying it along. The used-future aesthetic brings up those earlier Bebop and Alien influences I mentioned earlier, but imbued with a spirit straight from Showa Godzilla in comic book form. Ono’s character designs have a delightful charm to them that feels like something from an 80’/early 90’s anime, and that charm increases as we see just how motley and alien the whole crew is. His sequential direction is kinetic, carrying action on all manner of scale with ease. The panel revealing the Mechagodzilla ship is cool as hell, but Ono’s moment-to-moment scenes focusing on smaller action and character moments all flip through at a great pace. His color art works brilliantly as well, as he uses a sort of rusty, used palette that sells the atmosphere of this retro-styled future. A real star in this comic is Hassan Otsmane Elhaou’s phenomenal lettering. His main dialogue lettering has an artistic slant to it that fits perfectly with the comic, but the real clincher is his *outstanding* SFX work. His effects are drawn to emulate soundwaves while also blending into the art of the panel itself, making for genuinely some of the coolest SFX work seen in a comic this year. Overall, Starship Godzilla has an absolutely killer visual direction in all aspects.
Verdict
Starship Godzilla #1 is a blast of an opening issue. Chris Gooch’s script wears its noteworthy influences on its sleeve, but manages to stay compelling and genuinely surprising by the time you reach the final pages. The visuals from Oliver Ono are a solid blend of Western and Japanese comic influences, which when combined with Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou’s lettering, make for possibly the coolest looking Godzilla comic since Stokoe’s Half-Century War. Be sure to grab this debut issue when it hits shelves on October 1st!
DEATH OF THE SILVER SURFER #3 hits your local comic book store on August 27th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!
About the issue: SILVER SURFER BETRAYED…OR BETRAYER?!
The ancient universe-ending threat borne from the sins of GALACTUS is unleashed. With the SILVER SURFER laid low, the FANTASTIC FOUR make a desperate gamble to fight the coming apocalypse. Norrin Radd’s and the Earth’s last hope may rest with his most hated foe…
The issue is by writer Greg Pak and artist Sumit Kumar, with colors by Frank D’Armata, and letters by Joe Sabino. The main cover is by Dike Ruan.
Check out our DEATH OF THE SILVER SURFER #3 preview below:
Are you reading DEATH OF THE SILVER SURFER? Sound off in the comments!
IMPERIAL WAR: PLANET SHE-HULK #1 hits your local comic book store on August 27th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!
About the issue: SPINNING STRAIGHT OUT OF THE PAGES OF IMPERIAL!
Left behind on New Sakaar to keep the peace, Jen Walters discovers that in this savage realm, what’s needed isn’t a litigator, it’s a liquidator! Fortunately, She-Hulk is accomplished at being both!
The issue is by writers Stephanie Phillips and Jonathan Hickman, and artist Emilio Laiso, with colors by Matt Milla, and letters by Joe Caramagna. The main cover is by Francesco Mortarino and Raúl Angulo.
Check out our IMPERIAL WAR: PLANET SHE-HULK #1 preview below:
Have you been reading Marvel’s IMPERIAL? Sound off in the comments!
The New Gods #9 from writer Ram V, artists Pye Parr and Evan Cagle, colorist Francesco Segala, and letterer Tom Napolitano gives us a much needed break from the despair of previous issues, while also forging a path forward as the start of a new, shorter storyline. The issue is a breather for our heroes and also works as an opportunity for the villains to get their act together and form a new plan to kill the New Gods.
The issue starts with a Nyctari leader giving us their backstory, talking about how Darkseid razed their planet and took them all as slaves. Once he’s finished with his story, he demands one of his generals go and find the New Gods, wherever they’ve landed. That place just so happens to be Earth. While the New Gods discuss their next steps, Scott talks with the newest addition to the New Gods. Back with the Nyctari, we discover that an undercover Green Lantern has been intercepting the Nyctari’s signals, sending them back to other Green Lanterns.
WRITING
Ram V takes a step back from this run’s typical action to give us an issue with some more personal drama. It’s smart storytelling from him, because he raises the stakes between characters in a small way now that’s sure to pay off in a couple of issues—specifically with Mister Miracle and the newest God they’re aware of, Kamal. Mister Miracle swore to protect him, but Kamal finds himself resenting Scott Free as he clearly doesn’t feel very protected with an entire alien race and forces on Earth after him. Not only that, but you sort of see Orion relate to Kamal as well. Kamal is an ancient god meant to become Darkseid, and Orion’s appearance makes him sort of understand and be empathetic of that. Ram V using Kamal as this character for the readers to relate to is a nice change of pace. While we’ve been connecting to these characters for decades now, it’s nice to see this world through the eyes of someone new, also destined to destroy.
While this is a slower issue on a cosmic scale, that doesn’t mean anything on Earth gets easier. Maxwell Lord, for some reason, still wants Kamal and will stop at nothing to get him. It’s an issue for us readers to find our footing, but just as quickly pulls the rug out from under you.
ART
Evan Cagle does the first three pages of this issue, and what he does is magic. He tells the story of Nyctari leader, and provides some beautiful and haunting art of Darkseid massacring his people. It’s really strong work and paneling that you would expect from Cagle. The panels in his section aren’t straight and neat, rather crooked and wobbly. They look almost like pieces of paper taken from a storybook, which really works in helping to tell the flashback.
Parr covers the rest of this issue, and he really succeeds in setting the tone for the issue past the initial story Cagle tells. Parr specifically does great work with the New Gods on Earth. He gives their new home plenty of personality through the lush greenery of it, but lets us know that it’s a small space too and that there isn’t enough room for all of them by keeping everyone in a very close proximity. There’s one specifically great page where we see Orion contemplate everything that’s happened, and as he thinks his face sort of morphs into its original, ugly form. It’s seamless and internal, but Parr visualizes it spectacularly.
COLORS
Parr colors his own section of the book as well. He does a good job of lighting characters in ways that sort of tell their true intentions. While most characters are completely found in the light of their new home, others are covered with darker shadows draped over them. Back to that Orion page Parr made from earlier, he colors it just as beautifully. While Orion is first colored the same as everyone else, his look then evolves to be filled with neon colors as his true form shows. It’s really well done.
Segala handles Cagle’s section of the book, and he drapes the entire story in a sort of reddish tint as Darkseid goes on his rampage. it shows that the entire event was incredibly traumatic, and the red of Darkseid’s Omega Beams is scarred into the character’s mind.
LETTERS
Napolitano makes a few great choices in this issue. You’d expect this alien race to be rabid and uncivilized, but they aren’t. They’re incredibly intelligent and won’t stop until they’ve hunted and gotten their revenge. Napolitano is careful to give them large bubbles and boxes that are not only placed well, but also make it feel as though they don’t waste or mince words. Not a lot is spoken, but Napolitano spaces and places the text so well throughout the issue that it really helps the impact of each sentence spoken. Later in the issue, a character’s change of heart is also reflected in the boldness of their letters, shocking us. Napolitano really works hard to make sure every sentence is felt and understood.
CONCLUSION
The New Gods #9 from DC Comics works as a sort of break issue between two big storylines, while also serving as a strong start for one to close this initial run of the book off. Every character is feeling deep things right now, and it all comes across through the art and letters just as much as it does with the words. V, Parr, Cagle, Segala, and Napolitano should be proud of this story they’ve put out that’s about things being taken from you unfairly, and how you learn to move forward with what’s left.
Science Fiction. Tragedy. Horror. This is the simple framework from which the Event Horizon movie hung, and it also forms the backbone of IDW’s new prequel comic book series, Event Horizon: Dark Descent. It is linked directly to the events of the film and draws on the visual and narrative styles of the original. Often, when a tie-in comic is announced, there is an understandable air of concern about the treatment of the original. But when you have a writer like Christian Ward attached to the project, there is surely nothing to worry about.
Credits: Writer: Christian Ward Artist: Tristan Jones Colours: Pip Martin Letters: Alex Ray
The comic book industry has always had strong ties with other media and the expansion of a company’s intellectual properties into print is by no means new. However, there is a current trend for revisiting older properties to rework or expand, and to bring much loved classics to a new audience. See the Universal Monsters series from Skybound as a prime example. With Event Horizon, IDW are mining the story of a film that is nearly 30 years old and wasn’t particularly well received upon release, but has become something of a cult classic since then. It isn’t part of a franchise (an announced sequel never materialised and a television series failed at the pre-production stage), but it has been influential to a crop of modern movie makers and storytellers. We are also closer to the time period that the movie is set than we are to its release date. The distant future is not so distant.
Event Horizon: Dark Descent #1 Credit: IDW
In Event Horizon: Dark Descent, the creative team returns the audience to the launch of the Event Horizon and reveals what happened to the space vessel before the events of the movie. I would expect that the majority of the audience for this comic have already seen the film, although the creators may bring some fresh readers to the IP, so most people reading the comic will know exactly where it’s going to end up. In fact, the writing acknowledges this throughout by making references to elements of the movie. Not in an ‘Easter Egg’ or self aggrandising know-it-all way, but as important aspects of the narrative. The characters of the Event Horizon crew rely heavily on snippets of information revealed in the movie, and Christian Ward has picked up on these and turned them into fully rounded, bold as brass characters that the readers can engage with, despite knowing their ultimate fate.
The comic opens with the distressing events taking place in Doctor Weir’s life, the central character played by Sam Neil in the movie. These events form Weir’s character, partially by demonstrating his detachment from the world around him and his obsession with space travel, but it also brings the gruesome dreams that haunt the creator of the Gravity Drive. It is as if Ward is suggesting that the creators’ dark emotions are somehow built into the machine and therefore responsible for the horror that is to come. The links between the creator and that which they create is a fundamental part of art. Even mass cultural objects such as monthly comics have an aspect of the artist within the art. J O’Barr’s The Crow and Barry Windsor Smith’s Monsters are both extremely personal emotional journeys, despite their surface appearances. The Event Horizon story is also an emotional journey that dissects an imbalanced human psyche as a way to explore larger questions about the nature of good and evil. In Dark Descent, Ward is setting up the same kind of exploration. Yes, there is an impressive looking spaceship flinging itself through the cosmos, but this comic is about the crew of that ship and the horrors they bring to their own lives.
Event Horizon: Dark Descent #1 Credit: IDW
One of the reasons why the movie is so compelling is due to the superb visuals orchestrated by cinematographer Adrian Biddle. Artist Tristan Jones has been able to mimic the cinematic style while maintaining a distinctively comic book feel. His artwork is grainy and he uses a combination of fine lines and chunky black areas to define the shapes on the page. The characters emerge from the backgrounds thanks to the subtle colouring by Pip Martin who shifts the tones slightly in the panels to distinguish between character and object. This works especially well in the long shots where Martin’s colours create layers out of Jones’ inks, with the characters sitting on top of the backgrounds.
Jones focuses on the emotional expressions and gestures of the characters throughout, jumping between close ups and long shots when required. The characters are full of animation and life, which is beautifully contrasted to the deadness of space and the cold, mausoleum of the Event Horizon itself. But where this comic really shines is in the disturbing and horrific images that haunt the story. At its heart, Event Horizon is a haunted house story in space, sharing more in common with the novels Hell House and The Haunting of Hill House than it does with sci-fi epics like Star Wars or 2001: A Space Oddity. The language and imagery is drawn from these types of stories. The haunting image of Weir’s dead wife whispering “come find me” has roots in Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, while the actual visuals by Jones and Martin reference Clive Baker and the video nasties of the mid to late 1980s. All of these influences are pulled together to make something larger than the sum of its parts. The narrative is compelling and the story elements build on each other creating a tension that keeps the readers locked into the story.
Event Horizon: Dark Descent #1 Credit: IDW
One of the worries about the adaptation of a story from one medium to another, is that it will not find its own voice or adopt the forms of the new medium. Event Horizon was a cinematic experience which used the screen as a passageway into hell, with quick editing and blink-and-you’ll-miss-them shots which left a blurred after image in your mind. This is difficult to achieve in a comic because the reader has full control over what they see and how long they see it. Jump scares are tricky because only a page turn can hide a horror. However, the creators behind Event Horizon: Dark Descent have switched out the jump scares for upsetting, shadowy images and black panels with only a partial image visible. These linger with the reader as they flip through the rest of the comic, hanging over everything like a swinging corpse on the gallows.
It was with a nervous trepidation that I sat down to read Event Horizon: Dark Descent because I have been a fan of the movie since it first came out and honestly did not know how someone could capture that movie in comic form. But the story is tight, the artwork superb, and the emphasis has been on creating a comic version of the film, not on recreating the film in a comic book. There is a subtle difference that these creators understand. If you enjoy the movie or are a fan of gruesome haunted house stories, then this comic is not to be missed. It has a deeply disturbing presence and, in truth, has me slightly concerned about the mental health of the creators.
It’s been nearly eight years in the making. Now, SKINBREAKER from Skybound and Image Comics finally arrives in comic shops on September 24.
We sat down with writer Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead) and artist David Finch (Batman, New Avengers) for an in-depth conversation about their new oversized fantasy series — from the origins of the project to the challenges of bringing it to life.
This is one you don’t want to miss. Watch the full interview below for exclusive insights straight from the creators of SKINBREAKER.
About the series: SKINBREAKER tells the story of a people on the verge of collapse and their fight for survival as the many threats they face close in for the kill. Enor has led his tribe for many seasons, but his time as Chieftan is coming to an end. He wields the mighty SKINBREAKER, but at his age, he can barely lift it. Will Enor’s reluctant heir, Anok, take over before their world falls to ruin? As a bloody power struggle begins, an even bigger threat lurks in the darkness beyond their village.
GODZILLA DESTROYS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE #2 hits your local comic book store on August 20th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!
About the issue: THE LETHAL PROTECTOR BECOMES THE DEADLY DESTRUCTOR AS GODZILLA BONDS WITH A SYMBIOTE!
As the KING OF THE MONSTERS sets about making mincemeat out of Manhattan, EARTH’S MIGHTIEST HEROES find reinforcements in the most unlikely of places – the villainous patrons of the BAR WITH NO NAME! Will their combined efforts be enough to slow GODZILLA down – or are they merely adding fuel to the fire as the VENOM SYMBIOTE discovers an even more enticing apex predator to latch onto?
Plus, BLACK PANTHER makes a shocking discovery about the nature of VIBRANIUM and what is driving Godzilla’s rampage! But will it be enough to make a difference in the wake of the disappearance of MR. FANTASTIC, THE INVISIBLE WOMAN and THE ENTIRE BAXTER BUILDING?!
The issue is by writer Gerry Duggan and artists Javier Garrón & Paco Medina, with colors by Jesus Aburtov, and letters by Travis Lanham. The main cover is by Mark Brooks.
Check out our GODZILLA DESTROYS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE #2 preview below:
Are you reading GODZILLA DESTROYS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE? Sound off in the comments!
BLACK CAT #1 hits your local comic book store on August 20th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!
About the issue: SUPER-THIEF, SUPER…HERO?!
FELICIA HARDY is the BLACK CAT, the world’s slyest and most skilled super-thief! She loves a good score. The longer the odds – the better! But her entire world turned upside down after THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN’s battle with HELLGATE, so Felicia is turning over a new leaf as New York City’s newest…super hero?! The first super villain on her list – THE LIZARD! But will the Black Cat risk it all after her do-gooding moral high ground attracts dangerous attention from the lowest of the city’s underworld? Easy, KINGPIN OF CRIME, she’s still skimming off the top – honest!
Superstar G. WILLOW WILSON joins rising star GLEB MELNIKOV to chart the winding road of twists and turns, laughs and mind-bending action of BLACK CAT’s next exciting chapter!
The issue is by writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Gleb Melnikov, with colors by Brian Reber, and letters by Joe Caramagna. The main cover is by Adam Hughes.
Check out our BLACK CAT #1 preview below:
Are you picking up BLACK CAT #1 next week? Sound off in the comments!
From writer Tate Brombal and artist Jacob Phillips comes a story of keeping the world moving after its bloody demise in Everything Dead and Dying #1. Featuring colors from Pip Martin and lettering by Aditya Bidikar, this opening issue offers a sense of tragedy and relatability despite the protagonists’ unconventional actions. With a humanizing, deeply saddening script and phenomenal visual work, this is the most promising zombie comic in recent memory.
“Jack Chandler is the sole survivor of the zombie apocalypse in his rural farming community, but rather than eliminate them, he has chosen to continue living alongside the undead—including the husband and adopted daughter he fought so hard to have. But when his town is discovered by outsiders, Jack suddenly becomes the one thing standing in the way of those who hope to kill his family for good.”
Writing & Plot
Tate Brombal excels at crafting a zombie story with some unique elements in the pages of Everything Dead and Dying #1. Jack Chandler, a kind, hardworking farmer is such a stellar protagonist due to his drive to just keep living during this unimaginable apocalypse. What’s different here in this story and separates him from the like of a character like Rick Grimes is that he literally just keeps farming. Brombal sets up the story by splitting events into two separate timelines – before the fall and after – and switching between the two seemingly at random. We see Jack Chandler and his life with his husband and their adopted daughter on one page in a happy life before the virus, then on a whim we shift into what has happened since. Brombal’s strategy with structure here is what makes Chandler’s characterization so memorable – and what makes the story ultimately so tragic and oddly relatable. Watching a man build his perfect life and be accepted in his small town on a successful farm, then seeing him do everything he can in vain hope to keep that alive during a bloody apocalypse makes you root for him, despite it all. Not only is this the best zombie story in recent memory (aside from this year’s 28 Years Later and News From The Fallout), it cements Brombal as one of the best character writers in comics today.
Art Direction
It’s hard to imagine an artist with such high creative pedigree drawing a zombie comic, but Jacob Phillips joins Tate Brombal to make one of the best looking stories of its kind with Everything Dead and Dying #1. Phillips’s pencils and shading offer stellar character detail and atmosphere to each page of the comic. Yes, the book definitely resembles some of his dad’s work (he’s the son of Sean Phillips if you haven’t figured that out), which is also why the book looks so good. Phillips brings so much depth to each character on the page, running through the wide ranges of emotions this story involves with facial detail and body language. His sequential direction carries the book along at a delicate, careful pace while taking care to keep the two timelines straight. There are a couple “wait, what’s happening?” moments that the times shifts bring that are clearly intended, and that shock is carried by how Phillips changes the tone of the panels. He repeats frames a lot to create parallels between the happy before-times and the tragic apocalypse-time. Phillips’s pencils and direction are greatly aided by Pip Martin’s colors, which use lighting to contrast the two timelines. Most of the pre-virus sequences are bathed in idealistic sunlight that sells the happiness and optimism of the Chandler’s household. As a contrast, the scenes set after the virus comes are dark, giving an ominous sense of loss and, well, darkness. What’s so interesting about the latter sequences is how the sunlight returns as we watch Jack after he’s accepted his new lot in life, and understand why he’s choosing to carry on as he is – despite how deluded it may be. Finally, Aditya Bidikar’s lettering does a stellar job of establishing the tone of the reading experience. The way he layers in SFX lettering into the backroom with great choices builds tension in the darker sequences, setting up some of the most memorable moments in the issue. Overall, Everything Dead and Dying is off to a phenomenal visual start.
Verdict
Everything Dead and Dying #1 is a stellar and unique opening issue, and one of the most intriguing pieces of zombie fiction in recent memory. Tate Brombal’s script is tragic yet strangely hopeful, with excellent character writing and narration throughout. The visuals from Jacob Phillips and Pip Martin are full of outstanding character detail and careful direction, making for one of the best looking horror comics of the year. Be sure to grab this debut issue when it hits shelves on September 3rd!
