C2E2: A Spider-Man Retrospective with C.B. Cebulski and Ryan Stegman

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August 11, 2022

C2E2: A Spider-Man Retrospective with C.B. Cebulski and Ryan Stegman

Marvel Comics was at C2E2 this past weekend and held several panels Spider-Man celebrating the character’s 60th anniversary. During the Spider-Man Retrospective, Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski and artist Ryan Stegman sat down with fans to discuss our favorite wall-crawler’s past and future.

Play-by-play of the panel:
CB welcomes everyone to the panel. He says it still amazes him he’s the Editor-in-Chief of Marvel. 7-year-old CB is still pinching himself over that.

They have some slides and announcements to go through, but first, they want to discuss 60 years of Spider-Man comics.

One of the things that have always defined Spider-Man is the artists who drew him. They run through examples from Ditko to the Romitas to McFarlane to Ramos.

Stegman says his first Spider-Man was by McFarlane, but he didn’t know it at the time.

It was the Spider-Man story with the Wendigo.

After that, he went and bought the McFarlane Spider-Man run. His dad saw that interest and got a bunch of his own old Spider-Man comics out of the attic.

Other than Todd, who else impacted Stegman? Cebulski asks.

Stegman always loved Michael Golden’s Spider-Man in Marvel Fanfare. He says Zeck is also underappreciated. And Ross Andru.

Cebulski notes that it’s funny you hear Zeck’s name, and he’s more associated with Punisher. But he and Stegman both say Zeck was good at drawing ALL the characters.

Cebulski notes that in a pre-Amazing Fantasy 15 story, Ditko created characters named Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Somehow, those names stuck around.

Cebulski, say it’s fascinating to see how artists drew Spider-Man over the years and the art process.

He asks people to yell out their favorite artists. Among them: Marcos Martin, Gil Kane, Ron Frenz.

The Clone Saga comes up.

Stegman says he hadn’t read it when it came out, but he remembered it being made fun of in Wizard a lot.

He said, in retrospect, it wasn’t that bad but was too long,

Cebulski says it’s important to remember at that time that the EIC of Marvel wanted to kill Peter and make Ben Reilly the new Spider-Man because it had been decided Peter was old news and not relevant anymore.

They had to pivot halfway through because of all the outcry they received. They didn’t want that to happen.

But at the time, they were very deeply invested in Ben Reilly as Spider-Man being the new long-term direction.

Cebulski recommends that people track down “101 Ways the Clone Saga Should Have Ended” because it’s a fascinating read.

Cebulski adds there are no bad characters, there are only characters that haven’t been written well yet.

He cites Bullseye, who was almost a joke when he was created. But then Frank Miller came along and made him what he is today.

Likewise, The Clone Saga produced a lot of characters like Scarlet Spider who had longevity and are still used today.

Additionally, it’s also been so long now that The Clone Saga is looked back on fondly.

They pivot to Stegman’s 2011 Scarlet Spider series with Kaine as Scarlet Spider. He says Skottie Young helped him a little with the Kaine/Scarlet Spider II costume design

Cebulski flags this as a “Secret of the Spider-Panel”

Superior Spider-Man is talked about next. “Steve Wacker made this happen for me,” Stegman says, noting the first issue is the highest selling book he’s ever had.

Cebulski said they were worried about Superior early on in regard to whether it would be another Clone Saga, because people HATED it.

They found out that “the people who were complaining about it and were the most vocal hadn’t even read the story,” Cebulski said.

Come issue 3 or 4, a lot of people changed their tune.

Stegman says the people he hears say they hate it most are still people who say they won’t read it.

After Superior, Stegman “constantly begging to work on more Spider-Man” landed him a role drawing and then later writing the “Renew Your Vows” series.

Cebulski asks Stegman who his most inspirational cover artists are. He says McFarlane and “all those Image guys”

He’s super proud of his Superior Spider-Man 1 cover. “It’s hard to do anything as iconic as that ended up being.”

Stegman says when he did his first Marvel Adventures Spider-Man series early in his career and then received a check with Spider-Man on it, he looked at his wife and said, “I guess I did it.”

Cebulski says when he got his first check from Marvel with Spider-Man on it, he almost didn’t want to cash it.

Stegman’s first time doing Venom for Marvel was the Venom Inc. crossover written by Dan Slott and Mike Costa.

Then he did the Venom series with Donny Cates — their first time collaborating.

Stegman was thinking about doing a creator-owned story before editor Devin Lewis contacted him about doing the Venom series with Cates

Donny called him and told him his idea about the necrosword and the symbiote dragons, and he was sold.

That series went about 33 issues, not including Absolute Carnage and King In Black.

He says the way he and Donny works is all Marvel style. There are times Donny gives him 15 pages that are the overall plot and tells him to go crazy.

Cebulski explains there are versions of that, and then the alternative is screenplay style written like a movie script with exact specific descriptions.

Most comics now are written screenplay style, but some teams still prefer working Marvel style.

They pivot to talking about Amazing Fantasy 1000, coming out this month.

Stegman has a story in it written by Armando Ianucci, who worked on Veep.

Stegman also has an “X-TREME MARVEL” variant to Amazing Spider-Man 13 as part of the launch of X-Treme X-Men by Chris Claremont.

He said when he turned that cover in to Spider-Man editor Nick Lowe, he joked he had a pitch for him for “Gun Spider-Man.”

Dark Web is a Spider-Man and X-Men crossover coming up at the end of the year. Chasm (who is Ben Reilly) is teaming up with Madelyne Pryor — the two best-known clones from each of their franchises.

“Spider-Man and X-Men are going to get involved in all kinds of hijinks, a la Inferno.”

Dark Web runs in November and December and carries over into January.

Fan question time

First is a little girl. She asks Cebulski and Stegman who their favorite live-action Spider-Man is.

Stegman says he likes them all, but he was even more impressed with Andrew Garfield after the last one.

Cebulski says he was never a fan of Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man. His favorite Peter Parker is Tom Holland, and Andrew Garfield is his favorite Spider-Man.

Next fan question is from the girl’s dad.

He says he isn’t sure a comic has made him more mad recently than when Ben Reilly was made into Chasm. Should he give up hope or is there more to the story?

Cebulski says there’s a long road ahead of Ben that they’ve had planned out for a while, so wait and see!

“You can always find hope or some good in the villains.” As the story progresses, fans will see that, Cebulski says.

Cebulski says he had a guy come to his table at a con last week in Connecticut and unload on him about Ghost Rider being “terrible” and not good in the last 15 years.

The guy told him the last good Ghost Rider was by Howard Mackie

The guy came back to his table the next day and told him he had the best night’s sleep the night before and he was glad he got to tell someone everything on his chest.

Then the following day, the guy came back and told him all the other things he LIKED about Marvel’s comics now.

Next guy says his first issue of Spider-Man was when Ben was revealed as the “real” Peter Parker. Does Cebulski know if the plan all along was to make Norman Osborn the ultimate mastermind behind the Clone Saga?

Cebulski says if they hadn’t pivoted on Clone Saga, Norman probably would have stayed dead much longer.

Maybe someday the storylines will pop up.

Next fan says it seems like there’s a large percentage of the fanbase that wants Peter to have a family. Does Cebulski ever worry about Peter’s perpetual arrested development?

Cebulski says they have these discussions all the time. Peter has had various marriages, relationships, families, fake families, etc. But giving a character marriages, families, and kids really starts dating them — especially in younger fans’ eyes.

Part of the challenge is navigating the line between what’s most relatable for new readers and what keeps old readers satisfied.

They have to handle those decisions “very delicately” as a result.

Next fan says he really loves how Chip Zdarsky does Spider-Man. Stegman jokes, “You know he’s my enemy, right?”

The fan then asks how do Cebulski and Stegman define Spider-Man.

Cebulski says to him, the lesson of Spider-Man is “Get knocked down, get back up.” Stegman says it’s the same for him.

Next fan asks about Japanese Spider-Man and whether it will officially come over. Cebulski says for years, the whole series was available on Marvel’s YouTube channel, and there’s also an episode about the series in the Disney+ 616 docuseries.

Dan Slott’s upcoming Spider-Man series that wraps up the Spider-Verse saga will also feature Japanese Spider-Man.

Dan Slott’s upcoming Spider-Man series that wraps up the Spider-Verse saga will also feature Japanese Spider-Man.

Cebulski says Mary Jane will always be Peter’s true love, but true love doesn’t always find a way. But they’ll always be best friends. He also says “Zeb has so much planned for them.”

There’s also a Mary Jane and Black Cat book launching later this year that will explore their relationship.

Cebulski says “Love is a battlefield”. They will never disregard or disrespect Mary Jane, but Peter and MJ might not end up together.

The panel wraps up.

What did you think of the panel? Hit us up on social media to continue the discussion.

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AfterShock Comics Exclusive Preview: WE LIVE: AGE OF THE PALLADIONS #5

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

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August 11, 2022

aftershock comics exclusive preview we live age of palladions

WE LIVE: AGE OF THE PALLADIONS #5 hits your local comic book store August 24th, but thanks to AfterShock Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you.

About the issue:
The curtain falls. Like rain, like tears, like heroes.

Sometimes omens show you the way but not the consequences. Truth hurts; sometimes it heals, sometimes it consumes you.

Dark clouds gather over Megalopolis 9, over the Palladions, over Hototo. They spread over a promise that was made.

Sometimes storms pass. Sometimes they don’t.

The series is co-written by Inaki Miranda & Roy Miranda, with art by Inaki Miranda, colors by Eva De La Cruz, and letters by Dave Sharpe. The cover is by Inaki Miranda.

Check out WE LIVE: AGE OF THE PALLADIONS #5 preview below:

Have you been reading WE LIVE? Sound off in the comments!

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Review: A New Gripping Immersive Hunt Begins With PREDATOR #1

By

Anthony Wendel

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Predator #1 brings the iconic movie monster to Marvel Comics. After years of being published by Dark Horse Comics, the creature now arrives at a new publisher and a new era begins. This fresh expedition ensnares the audience thanks to Ed Brisson (Writer), Kev Walker (Art), Frank D’Armata (Colors), and VC’s Clayton Cowles (Lettering).

Summary

HUNT. KILL. REPEAT. In the near future, a young girl sees her family slaughtered by the deadliest and most feared hunter in the universe: a PREDATOR. Years later, though her ship is barely holding together and food is running short, Theta won’t stop stalking the spaceways until the Yautja monster who killed her family is dead…or she is. Ed Brisson (IRON FIST, GHOST RIDER) and Kev Walker (DR. STRANGE, DOCTOR APHRA) forge a violent, heartbreaking and unforgettable new chapter in the PREDATOR saga not to be missed!

Writing

The issue opens by introducing Theta, a character on a quest for vengeance against the Yautja who killed her family. To achieve this goal, Theta has immersed herself in the culture of the hunt in an effort to track down the creature and exact her revenge. There is a good sense of pacing as Theta’s history, purpose, and mission are laid out smoothly. The audience is also able to grasp how this path is weighing on Theta.

Writer Ed Brisson achieves a lot in different areas of this issue. Attempting to both introduce the Predator mythology to Marvel Comics and tell a good story is no easy feat but Brisson is able to accomplish it. This is accomplished with Theta, a character who has submerged themselves into so much Yautja culture it is becoming dangerous to her safety. This is made obvious when Theta is attacked by the local aliens of the planet she visits, only to be attacked because she is wearing Predator armor. The possibility of where this path will lead Theta will ensure people come back for the second issue.

Artwork

Kev Walker achieves an impressive feat by presenting a great balance of action and emotion through the artwork. Theta is shown as both a powerhouse and a sympathetic character thanks to her facial expressions and mannerisms. At the same time, the action scenes are intense and bloody.

The color work by Frank D’Armata adds to the action and intensity of the scenes. Making sure, of course, to present them with neon green blood. The color work also sets an immersive tone, such as on the Theta’s spaceship. It features a rundown look to convey how taxing this mission has been on Theta’s equipment.

The lettering by VC’s Clayton Lowles adds to the atmosphere of the issue. There is some great sound effect work present complete with the Predator removing their helmet with a satisfying “Fsssst.” There also is a nice bit of work where the sound of an alarm going off carries over from panel to panel continuously, making it really feel like an alarm is going off.

Conclusion

Predator #1 is a gripping introduction to the character and an astonishing read for new and old fans. It offers a likable character in Theta and hooks the audience on her journey for revenge. One can only hope Theta doesn’t get lost in the hunt along the way.

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INTERVIEW: Re-Recording Mixer Karol Urban Discusses HBO’s Made For Love

By

Ruben Diaz

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August 10, 2022

Freedom is oddly rarely free, and in the Emmy-nominated HBO series Made for Love starring Cristin Milioti, the series wrestles with the meaning of freedom, abusive relationships, and rediscovering yourself.

Made for Love follows Hazel Green (Milioti), a woman that escapes from a suffocating 10-year marriage to tech billionaire Byron Gogol (Billy Magnussen). But her newfound freedom reveals the shocking discovery that she’s been implanted with a tracking device by her husband. No matter where she goes, Gogol can track Hazel, even see through her eyes and gather “emotional data.” The drive to regain her freedom propels the series’ many twists and turns.

PopAxiom spoke with Karol Urban about becoming an audio professional and a week in the life of working on Made for Love for HBO.

Dreamed

Karol worked on the recent Bel-Air remake on Peacock and the Apple TV sci-fi series For All Mankind. So, where did the journey to mixing sound begin? “I have horrible eyes. As a result, I think I have a hyper-focus on sound. I’m observant of frequencies and changes in sound.”

“At age 13, I started studying in a recording studio” she says, attending a public magnet school at the time. “By the time I got to college, I knew that I wanted to work on sound for picture.”

After college, Karol “stormed the area I was living in for gigs. The Washington, DC area has work, so I entered the glamorous world of political advertising. Not soon after, I went into documentaries doing a lot of work for Discovery Channel. My career really began there and has expanded ever since.”

“It’s everything I dreamed of as a child,” she declares about working in mixing sound for picture. “It takes my attention and focus but gives me peace while also being a challenge. It’s the most fun ever. I never want to do anything else.”

About Made For Love

Karol admits that industry work is often “a little less structured than you would think. The industry is project-based and as there are many moving parts to creating a series or feature, schedules often morph.”

Made for Love is a half-hour series, so there’s a “shorter turnaround time,” Karol explains. “Typically, we have a first day to go through the show. I have an effects partner who takes care of foley, backgrounds, and sound effects. Meanwhile, I take care of ADR, production dialogue, group and music. It’s a wonderful system. We ignore each other while we review the material.”

“We get it to where we think it should be to tell the story. Then we marry those two together. Highlighting or diminishing where we think that needs to happen to best display the narrative.”

The next day, the pair watch the show together and make further tweaks. “Later the clients come in and watch. During COVID, a lot of that happened through the studio’s remote system for playback. We take their notes and talk about what they want to achieve. Then we make more tweaks based on that until we have a final version. Then we review with the client again.”

“Made for Love creates some unique sonic spaces. They’re beautiful. The world outside of the hub is dirty, layered, and chaotic with many dimensions. In the hub, it’s clean, hygienic almost; it’s extremely sanitized and flat. Because of that, in the hub, the dialogue must be clean. If you can hear the reality of production, then I’ve failed. It’s a challenging show in that way, but beautiful.”

Karol intimately works with the series’ unique music from composer Keefus Ciancia. “He is an incredible talent. His music is funny, its commentary, it makes the situation light but dramatic with texture and layers.”

“It’s a dark comedy,” she says about Made for Love. “It’s exaggerated and grounded in a funny way. You even have a synthetic life partner who is basically a sex doll, and a talking dolphin. But, it’s all anchored by the characters. Hazel is so relatable that you fall into her world despite all the crazy around her.”

Wrapping Up

What’s the hardest thing to get right in a mix? “The ‘right’ sound and the ‘right’ mix is the one that tells the story the filmmaker wants to tell. It can be challenging to get into their heads, but when it happens, it’s beautiful. You get their unique perspective of the world.”

“But there are times,” she adds, “where you’re bending the laws of physics to get things to work. For instance, sometimes the production material, for whatever reason, doesn’t jive with what the creators ultimately want. So, When there’s a technical and creative clash, it can be a difficult situation.”

What’s a dream project for Karol? “I feel like my dream project is the opposite of whatever I’ve worked on most recently. I love the sandbox. I tease people that I love to play mind games with sound.”

Karol’s been in the business for a long time and watched it evolve. “There’s so much originality happening with the rise of streaming. It used to be that a show had to have a large mass appeal. Now, you can create for a more niche market because the reach of distribution is so targeted.”

Is Made for Love on your watch list?

Thanks to Karol Urban and Kingmaker Communications
for making this interview possible.

Find more interviews from Ruben R. Diaz!

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Self-Published Spotlight: Nate Garcia is Trapped By Comics

By

Manuel Gomez

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August 10, 2022

Welcome to Self-Published Spotlight, a regular interview column where I will be highlighting self-published comics and the creators and small print publishers who make them

Barely into his twenties, cartoonist Nate Garcia is a force to be reckoned with. With just a few (excellent) self-published books under his belt, Nate has already made major waves and impacts in the world of indie comics. I’d been following Nate for a bit, both on social media and the various reviews and press he’s been getting in everything from ‘zines to The Comics Journal when I finally ordered a copy of his comic ‘Alozno Sneak’ (I would have bought everything else had had but he sells out of A LOT of stuff). I was immediately floored and had to talk to Nate. So I reached out and we chatted via Messenger for a few days. So read on for the chat, and make sure you start grabbing Nate’s work before it sells out.

Monkeys Fighting Robots: What’s your comic book origin? When and how did you get into this most wonderful of mediums?
Nate Garcia: I read comics in my school library. Stuff like the BONE collected paperbacks from Scholastic by Jeff Smith. Not really a lot of superheroes if any at all. My first-grade teacher had a crazy life and would fill us in on her mid-20s drama. After a while, I’d come to school the next day with 16-page comics of these stories. She would start to give me folded and stapled paper to take home daily and from 2008-2010 I was making these books for her. She’s still got them, there are around 50 issues.

MFR: That’s incredible! I’ve never heard of anything like that before. Was she a comics fan herself?
NG: Not that I know of, but most 20-something-year-olds are egomaniacs. I’m sure putting her as the main character was the best thing going on at that fragile, rapidly changing period of time in her life. Either that or she just loved the fact that I was doing something and staying busy. A lot of kids were just loud future wall punchers and carjackers. Stole calendars and stuff. I only stole a pen (ONCE!) but that was for drawing. She was extremely supportive and bought me colored pencils. We’d stay at her house a lot, my brother, and sister and I and she showed me the TV show ALF for the first time and my first Bone Comic as well now that I think of it. She was important, and I owe a lot to her.

MFR: Have you kept in touch? Has she seen your work now?
NG: Yeah! She’s never bought anything, but she sees what’s going on on Facebook and stuff. She’s busy! Not mid-20s anymore.

MFR: So did you just keep making comics from that point on?
NG: Pretty much, it was on and off. I’d get really discouraged in high school and started a bunch of stuff that never got finished. Wanted everything to be perfect and elaborate and “DEEP!” But it’s funny, cause that’s not the stuff that’s fun to make when you’re starting out. And it’s also the stuff that’s impossible to make. Wasn’t until the end of my senior year in high school that I started to take comics seriously again and began self-publishing strictly for me. Because I wanted to.

MFR: Were you consuming comics consistently, or did that wax and wane as well?NG: I was always consuming comics. Me starting to self-publish in my last year of high school was the inevitable thing I’d been putting off forever. Out of fear, laziness, and excuses out the nose. But I always wanted to make them. I was reading a lot of Derf Backderf, Craig Thompson, and old Zap Comix issues, and a lot of the shitty undergrounds from that era too. The 60s underground stuff was really impactful for me at that time because no issue had a linear focused story. They were all short, cartoony, and incoherent for the most part. The pressure to do a huge “meaningful” story was lifted from reading those.

MFR: I know what you mean about the underground books. I recently found a few copies of Yellow Dog Comics in a dollar bin. I hadn’t heard of it but I knew what kind of book it was as soon as I saw it.
NG: Yeah love that stuff.

MFR: So when did you decide to start sharing your work with the world?
NG: End of high school, I just made like 5 at-home printed zines and gave to my friends in 2020. It was just a few one-pagers and sketchbook pages, I decided I wanted to fill out the whole zine with comics and self-publish one every couple of months as a time capsule for myself. I’d just graduated high school during the pandemic and wanted to have that reminder I was alive. Cause time was moving way faster in the early pandemic days. You’re sitting there like “shit is it June?” So October 2020 I self-published Hornrim No. 1 which was just a shitty one-man anthology I did. I’d just turned 18 and moved outta my parents’ house. I put the comic up on my Etsy at the time which I made just to sell and mail stuff to my friends back home. Like less than 20 people bought a copy the first time round and they were all from my high school.

MFR: What kind of response did you get from those people? Is that what made you keep going?
NG: Eh not a lotta people said anything. What made me keep going was my wanting to make a better comic, cause once you put something out you realize how much it sucks…Feels bizarre talking about my “origin story starting out in comics” when I feel like I’m still very much in that. I don’t have any perspective or anything quite yet. I haven’t stopped cleanly for almost three years working on these comics like 8-10 hours a day. So my mind is clouded.

MFR: How do you balance all that cartooning with life? You seem impressively productive! I know you were working at a Zoo, are you still working there?
NG: Quit the zoo in May of this year (2022) to do comics full time. I was drawing caricatures for the company for 5 years since the day I turned 14. I was ready to be out. The pays never more than Mcdonald’s and you’re just breaking your hand each day. I just started making a lot of money in comics. And now I can justify the hours spent somewhat. I mean, I live very bare bones and cheap. Shit apartment, don’t drive a car, etc. gas prices mean nothing to me… But I balance it pretty unhealthily, my relationships with people are totally fucked if not involved in the work in some way. It’s something I “say” I want to get better with, but it’s an endless fucking wormhole. I’ve only become more of a workaholic. I feel worthless and horrible if I’m not working on something, and can only feel good when I am. But I could be doing worse things, like heroin, or getting people pregnant. It’s the one thing I get the most joy and fulfillment from in the whole world. I’m trapped for life.

MFR: Trapped by comics. So I want to talk about Alonzo Sneak. I love the character. When and how was that sneaker-wearing cowboy born?
NG: I was drawing cowboys a lot in my sketchbooks when I was like 17 or so. Got really obsessed with horses around that time too, it was natural. I was drawing horses and cowboys with these really elaborate tennis shoes endlessly. I just started thinking of stuff they’d do/talk about and everything was vivid in my mind. Felt right. Did d a bunch of comics that I didn’t show anybody for a while and eventually put some in the Hornrims. Just snowballed since then.

MFR: He’s a great character. He feels like he could have been around in those undergrounds. Are you gonna be sticking with him for a while?
NG: As of right now it’s all I’ve got written for the next year or so. I love working in a focused setting with characters I kind of understand and love. I’m trying for a Scooby-Doo, Love & Rockets.

MFR: And what else are you currently working on?
NG: Right now I’m almost done penciling the next zine “Plum Pocket” which I’ll have out in September in time for the San Francisco Permanent Damage Comics show which I’ll be tabling at with Josh Pettinger & Jasper Jubenvill.

MFR: That’s a solid table! Jasper and Josh are amazing. love how supportive you three seem to be. Of each other and indie comics in general.
NG: They’re just my best friends, we talk every day. I’ve probably talked to Josh every day since 2020. When we were all trapped inside. He was stuck doing a bunch of grueling animation gigs back in those days, and we’d always need company while working. Josh is a huge influence and has been there for me thru it all. Jasper too. Love them to death.

MFR: And finally, where is the best place for folks to find your work and contact you?
NG: People can buy my comics at Nategarcia.bigcartel.com and Instagram the best place to stay up to date with new stuff: @nategarciascartoons.

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REVEALER Bares Itself As An Ode To ‘80s B-Horror

By

Roger Riddell

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REVEALER Bares Itself As An Ode To ‘80s B-Horror

A stripper and an evangelical religious protester get trapped together in a peep show booth amid the onset of the apocalypse.

The premise of director Luke Boyce’s Revealer is the perfect setup for plenty of low-hanging fruit punchlines that are sure to plague at least a handful of hipper-than-thou reviews. But with a shoestring budget, two locations, a cast of just a few people, and an impressively well-executed mix of practical and digital effects, Revealer is a stripped-down love letter to ‘80s B-movie horror classics like Evil Dead and C.H.U.D.

Written in a mere eight days by comic scribes Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash, Money Shot, Superman vs. Lobo) and Mike Moreci (Burning Fields, Roche Limit, Black Star Renegades) and filmed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the summer of 2020, the film takes place in 1980s Chicago amid the height of the Satanic Panic. Unbeknownst to Seeley and Moreci, a whole new Satanic Panic would be in full swing by the time of the film’s release.

Following a screening of the film at C2E2 Friday evening, Seeley told attendees that part of his inspiration while working on the screenplay was a fascination with how some religious people treat their lives like a weird voyeuristic thing where God is watching them strip. “A person’s relationship with God should be very small and personal, but a lot of people turn it into a show,” he said.

That metaphorical theme looms large for main characters Angie Pitarelli (the aforementioned dancer, played by Caito Aase) and religious protester Sally Mewbourne (played by Shaina Schrooten) throughout the film. The duo bring plenty of heart to their performances, leaving the viewer to alternatively root for or be put off by their choices at varying intervals throughout.

Aase and Schrooten both told C2E2 attendees that the script was written in such a way that they could see themselves in the roles. This could be a testament perhaps to Seeley’s years of writing penultimate horror movie “final girl” Cassie Hack in Hack/Slash, as Seeley himself has also admitted that he generally feels more comfortable writing women.

Beyond the heart in the script and performances, the attention to detail in the wardrobe and set design — not to mention a synth-heavy soundtrack with just a touch of hair metal — bring the ‘80s nostalgia full circle for a package that somehow encapsulates both what was cool and what sucked about that decade.

Revealer isn’t rewriting any cinema conventions or leaving you with a high-concept moral to ponder, and that’s perfectly OK. Not everything needs to, or should, aspire to high art. As its B-movie inspirations once showed a previous generation, sometimes — a lot of times, let’s be honest — it’s good to just have a leave-your-brain-at-the-door escape from reality.

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Review: HELLBOY AND THE B.P.R.D. 1957: FALLING SKY – The Cryptid Hunters

By

Justin Munday

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From series creator Mike Mignola, writer Chris Roberson, and artist Shawn Martinbrough comes a simple yet exciting one-shot of cryptid-hunting in the woods with Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. 1957: Falling Sky. Featuring colors by Lee Loughridge and lettering from Clem Robins, this single-issue is a fun shot of monster hunting and character banter that excels in just making an entertaining and well-made short story.

“Cryptozoologist Woodrow “Woody” Ferrier joined the B.P.R.D. to find exciting and previously undocumented cryptids, but unfortunately most of his cases end in disappointment. But a trip with Hellboy to small town Virginia where a huge and mysterious creature stalks the woods might provide him with just the opportunity he’s been waiting for!

Writing & Plot

Mignola and Roberson take a break from ancient conspiracies and eldritch threats to take readers on a simple cryptid hunt in Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: Falling Sky. Here, a new cryptozoologist and researcher to the Bureau joins up with Hellboy for some field work hoping to find some mysterious and exciting new species – but ends up dealing mostly with the usual suspects. Mutated animals, demons, and science experiments gone wrong are the normal Monday through Friday business for Bureau agents, but unfortunately not at all what Woody is looking for. His frustration seems to be close to an end with a seemingly dead-end call to a town in Virginia that ends up being more than either he or agent Hellboy bargain for. The inherent simplicity of this issue ends up being its greatest success. Mignola and Roberson have never lost sight of the fact that Hellboy‘s core consists of cool monsters. That’s what this comic is all about. The discovery of a mysterious cryptid combined with a simple yet effective theme are a winning formula for this entertaining one-shot. The banter between Woody and HB is naturalistic and fun, with the latter retaining his usual sense of humor and casual tone while dealing with massive monsters and dangerous mysteries. While it won’t be the most impactful or memorable Hellboy read, it has enough charm to be worth a pickup.

Art Direction

Mike Mignola created the visual standard that all Hellboy universe comics follow, and Shawn Martinbrough follows it while still adding his own style in Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. 1957: Falling Sky. Martinbrough still utilizes that Mignola-esque approach with thick lines and heavy shadows, but with notable differences that make this comic feel appropriately lighter than standard HB fare. There’s a focus on animated expressions here that isn’t so common in other comics in this universe. Martinbrough clearly puts considerable time in making character banter a clear focus, with his detail in these animations being clear and very engaging. His sequencing and panel direction are indicators of this approach as well, as he primarily uses close-ups and character reaction shots through the course of the comic. When the main monster does appear, he keeps the creature mostly out of focus and only on the page for a brief time. There’s only one panel that has the whole monster shown at once. This is a clever reflection of this comic’s focus and keeps the attention squared on Woody and HB.

Lee Loughridge’s colors are clear and vivid, making for one of the cleanest and most high-fidelity feeling Hellboy comics in recent years. The bright palette of a small town in Virginia noticeably clashes against the barren landscaped and settings of tombs, abandoned labs, and arctic wastes we get snapshots of in this comic. HB himself sticks out like a fire truck in the dark green woodland foliage where he and Woody are investigating. This is stellar work that makes the comic have that lighter feeling outside of the horror-oriented fare we usually get in the Hellboy universe. Clem Robins returns as letterer, and his work here is as sharp and easy to read as always. He still utilizes the classic Hellboy comic font, combined with naturalistic fluidity and great SFX work to make for a perfect cap off to the reading experience. Overall, Falling Sky is an excellent looking comic that nails the lighter aesthetic of its theme and subject matter.

Verdict

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. 1957: Falling Sky is an entertaining and sharply made one-shot that, while not the cosmic horror or monster-fighting romp some fans may expect, is still a worthwhile read for longtime readers and newcomer alike. The script from Mignola and Roberson is fun and witty, with expected surprises that still don’t fail to be a blast to discover. The visuals from Shawn Martinbrough and Lee Loughridge are bright, well-animated, and expertly directed, making for a perfectly paced read that is a joy to behold. Be sure to grab this newest one-shot when it hits shelves on August 10th!

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Review: Exploring a Post-Human Landscape in FRANKENSTEIN NEW WORLD #1

By

Hank Essman

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When the main Hellboy story ended back in 2019, that was supposed to be the last glimpse of the universe. Sure, prequels have been told, different corners of the world’s past has been expanded, but nothing was meant to take place after the final images of a new, post-human world. Plans change. Especially since a small group of humans managed to survive underground, Frankenstein among them after his many adventures far beneath the earth’s surface. In Frankenstein New World #1 from writers Mike Mignola, Thomas Sniegoski, and Christopher Golden, artist Peter Bergting, colorist Michelle Madsen, and letterer Clem Robins, the creature becomes our guide back to the world above. Fair warning: it’s changed quite a bit in humanity’s long absence. And most of the changes are very, very dangerous.

What remains of humanity has fled the surface to live in the subterranean caverns of the hollow earth, watched over by one of the last refuges of the old world: Frankenstein. The creature has become an oracle for the new civilization, a sleeping, motionless figure who monks pray to for inspiration. But young Lilja has dreams of the surface and a mysterious woman calling out to her. When she sneaks into the city’s temple to confess her dreams to the silent oracle, he finally awakes and grabs her hand. There is trouble in the world above. And the two are going to have to navigate the surface’s untamed, alien wilderness in order to stop it.

Frankenstein New World #1 shows the adaptability of the Mignolaverse by telling a tale that takes place after almost all the familiar trappings of Hellboy’s world have faded away. In Mignola, Sniegoski, and Golden’s new story, Hellboy is gone, as is Hell itself. Human folklore, too, has been lost to time, only Frankenstein remaining from stories of old. The last time Frankenstein appeared in a Mignolaverse story, he was embittered and lonely from his mistreatment by man, questioning his very humanity. Now, when trying to keep Lilja from following him to the surface, he simply states “Only a monster would drag you into the unknown… and I am no monster.”

But Frankenstein can’t keep the young girl’s curious spirit at bay for long. Because now that the creature has found a well-earned inner peace, it’s up to Lilja to step into the starring role. Her childlike enthusiasm provides a great contrast to Frankenstein’s calm wisdom. It’s a familiar dynamic, but one that helps keep the story grounded despite its alien, unfamiliar setting.

Speaking of alien settings, Bergting’s art does a great job of selling the “New Eden” the characters find themselves in. His art especially shines in a quiet nature scene where strange fruits peel themselves and bury long, tentacle-like roots into the ground below, while winged simian-fish hybrids swoop above. His rendering of the main characters also does a lot to keep them expressive and fun to follow. Frankenstein walks with a reserved, steady gait, while Lilja darts about him, pointing out the many bizarre plants and animals. The storytelling has a deliberate, steady pace, eschewing dynamism for panels laid out in grids and easy-to-read panel compositions. It fits the calm, leisurely tone of the story, and again, helps keep the stranger aspects grounded.

Madsen’s colors start relatively reserved, relying mainly on naturalistic greens, browns, and yellows. But as soon as the characters enter the new world, those same colors take on a brighter, neon shades. Instead of the light golden of wheat, frog creatures appear with an unearthly bight yellow. Flying fish-simians are colored in a gradient from bright green to blue. Throw in bright oranges and pinks, and you have a landscape that resembles the familiar, but twisted into something alien.

As for Robins’ lettering, it keeps the clean, rounded letters used by all the Mignolaverse books, with fun uses of sound-effects. Said effects take center stage during nature scenes where the dialogue drops away. “BOOOOMF’s” and SSSKRRIITCHH” are drawn in bubble letters that overlap one another, given bright purples and yellows to blend in with the surreal landscapes.

VERDICT

Frankenstein: New World #1 may technically take place after an apocalypse, but it’s not a book that feels post-apocalyptic. Instead of wandering the ruins of former civilization, it’s a book about exploring a new world that has sprung up in its absence. Life finds a way. And despite the lack of familiar people and places, there’s still something comforting in that. The book is out now from Dark Horse, and is worth a look, even if you’re not all too familiar with the Hellboy universe. It’s a new world that doesn’t demand much familiarity with the old.

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Marvel Comics Exclusive Preview: BLACK PANTHER #8

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

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August 4, 2022

marvel comics exclusive preview black panther

BLACK PANTHER #8 hits your local comic book store on August 10th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive three-page preview for you!

About the issue:
“LONG SHADOW” Concludes!

The battle for Wakanda comes to a head! T’Challa has owned the path his secrets paved for the Hatut Zeraze’s takeover, and ceded command of the resistance to his allies. But doing the right thing doesn’t always lead to the outcomes – or answers – one would prefer. T’Challa’s undue mistrust must face consequences – choices that will alter the fate of Wakanda and its leadership…forever.

The issue is by writer John Ridley and artist Stefano Landini, with colors by Matt Milla, and letters by Joe Sabino. The main cover is by Alex Ross.

Check out the BLACK PANTHER #8 preview below:

Are you reading BLACK PANTHER? Sound off in the comments!

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AfterShock Comics Exclusive Preview: WHERE STARSHIPS GO TO DIE #3

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

-

August 4, 2022

aftershock comics exclusive preview where starships go to die

WHERE STARSHIPS GO TO DIE #3 hits your local comic book store August 17th, but thanks to AfterShock Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you.

About the issue:
The near future — humankind’s first starship crash lands in the most remote spot on earth, the underwater spacecraft graveyard known as Point Nemo. While diving in the deep to salvage this technological marvel, our heroes discover the wreck of a doomed 1980s Soviet Mars mission, a nuclear warhead…and an alien being that’s killing their crew one by one.

The series is by writer Mark Sable and artist Alberto Locatelli, with colors by Juancho!, and letters by Rob Steen. The main cover is by Jeremy Haun and Nick Filardi.

Check out WHERE STARSHIPS GO TO DIE #3 preview below:

Are you reading WHERE STARSHIPS GO TO DIE? Sound off in the comments!

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