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01/16/16 @ 12:25 pm EST
 This is a bittersweet commentary for me to put together, since I'm covering John Carter: Warlord of Mars #14, the final issue of the current series. As I've said before, this is a series, and a set of characters, that I've wanted to write since I first discovered the original Edgar Rice Burroughs Mars series when I was a kid. I'm disappointed that we've come to the end of the run, but I've loved every minute of this job.  PAGE 1It's not unusual for me to open an issue with some kind of cinematic sequence, something to draw the reader into the story. In this case, the story literally comes to the reader as John Carter and Dejah Thoris draw near in their flyer over a series of panels.  PAGES 2-3This is probably not the kind of double-page spread that artists dream about: "Draw a whole city!" But I felt like we needed a shot to convey the scope -- and emptiness -- of Helium, which is deserted in this story. Artist Ariel Medel admirably rose to the challenge of a thankless task and provided the lines, with Nanjan Jamberi adding the color. This spread contains a huge amount of work, created over painstaking hours. I hope readers spend some time poring over and appreciating the artwork here.  PAGE 5The four panels here are intended to give the reader a sense that John and Dejah explore various areas of Helium, finding all of them deserted. In the script I requested four horizontal panels, each the same size, so the visuals have an even, measured rhythm to them. No panel is given more or less importance than another, each is a snapshot of a different place and moment. Ariel did a nice job of varying angles, and using John and Dejah's figures to move to reader's eye around the page. PAGE 6Drawing monthly comics is a brutal grind, especially if you're penciling and then inking yourself. Ariel Medel nailed every deadline since he took over the series with issue #7, eight issues in a row without a fill-in. That's a hell of an accomplishment, especially for someone working on his first U.S. series, especially when each issue is 22 pages, rather than the now-standard 20 pages. Obviously, Ariel has a tremendous work ethic. He's also very smart about utilizing shortcuts where he can. This page is a great example of choosing wisely to save time and stay ahead of deadline doom as it rockets down the tracks. Panel 1 features a long shot and small figures, relatively quick to draw once the perspective is figured out. Dropping the background in panel 2 saves time, and also serves to really pop the figures of John and Dejah. Panel 3 doesn't waste effort on background that was going to be covered by balloons anyway. Panels 4 and 5 crop John and Dejah's figures effectively, both heightening the intensity of the scene, and making for less to draw. All together, it's a visually appealing page, as well as a smart one. PAGE 10You'll often see comic pages that contain figures of relatively the same size in most if not all of the panels. Pull out a comic, flip to random page. Are most of the heads on that page about the size of your thumb print? If so, the artist -- and by extension, the writer -- constructed the page poorly (unless there's a specific cinematic effect at play). Comics are visual documents. A page should be visually enticing to the reader, and one way to do that is varying angles and figure sizes. There's some great acting on this page as John and Dejah come to grips with what's happened to them. The choice of extreme close-ups in panels 3 and 4 really lends variety to the page. And I adore the shot of John and Dejah with their foreheads touching in panel 5. PAGES 12 & 13These two pages cut back and forth between tight shots and long shots, panel for panel. I love the beat-for-beat rhythms that comics offers creators. Here we alternate between scope and human drama, until they come together in a literally explosive moment. PAGE 14The story changes abruptly here, and so does the color palette. Nanjan brings a darker sensibility to this sequence, subtly communicating that the story has taken an drastic turn. We start the page with a close-up of John, inviting the reader to experience the shocking transition as John does, then pulling back in panel 2 to reveal more of the surroundings. PAGE 19When Ian and I kicked around the idea of revealing John and Dejah had been trapped in an evil mastermind's dream world, I wanted to leave open to the reader's interpretation exactly what was real and what wasn't. I like stories that don't provide pat answers, and leave something for the audience to ponder. That's the intent here; you're free to decide how much or how little was "real." PAGE 22We come to the end, with John, Dejah, Tars Tarkas, Kantos Kan, and of course Woola turning to face the future. There are always more stories to tell. I hope I get the chance someday. There's a long list of people who deserve Barsoomian thanks: my co-writer Ian Edginton; artists Abhishek Malsuni, Ariel Medel, Zsolt Garisa, Nanjan Jamberi and Roberto Castro; the many cover artists who have graced the series; my editor, Joe Rybandt; and Dynamite publisher Nick Barrucci. I have been dreaming of Mars since I was a boy, and all of you helped that dream come true. 10/22/21 @ 9:57 am EST
Fan-favorite heroine Pantha claws into her own series again this January for the first time in 10 years, courtesy of beloved franchise writer Tom Sniegoski, alongside Jeannine Acheson, and artist Igor Lima.
  
 
The woman known as Pantha was once the ancient Egyptian queen Samira. Due to her cruelty, the goddess Sekhmet beset a curse on her, to live for eternity. Yet she also gained the ability to transform into a savage beast. For millennia she has endured her punishment, hiding from the world and humanity. But now someone or something is striking down the gods, and it falls upon the antiheroine to save the pantheon in exchange for redemption and freedom.
"I was psyched to learn that Pantha’s history includes ancient Egyptian lore, as this is right up my alley!," said writer Jeannine Acheson. "Tom and I have done a lot of reimagining of Egyptian gods, goddesses, and mythologies, and we really hope that readers will enjoy the bizarre and horrific take on her story that we’ve come up with."
Tom added, "Jeannine’s take was really crazy and exciting and I knew after working with her on Vampiverse that she would be the perfect collaborator for this series."
The creative team is rounded out by artist Igor Lima (Green Lantern, Mighty Mouse). As well as colorist Adriano Augusto and letterer Carlos Mangual. To celebrate the return of Pantha to fans of the Vampirella mythos' reading stacks, Dynamite has called up a crop of talented artists to tackle memorable covers. Recent ... 10/21/21 @ 3:03 pm EST
Vampirella's 50th anniversary series goes out with a bang, with smashing sales for its issue #25 finale and the Daughter of Drakulon's hotly anticipated wedding to Dracula! Plus, the solo series debut of Vampi's nemesis Nyx kicks off strong! Thanks to all of the creators involved, the support of fans, and confidence of retailers, Vampirella #25 jumped from the 20,000 copies mark up to 60,000 following FOC, aka "Final Order Cutoff." While Nyx saw similar leaps from the 11,000 range up to 30,000.
  Dynamite is confident in the continued success of Vampirella story after it hits the stands, especially in anticipation of its continuation in the new title Vampirella/Dracula: Unholy this winter, and fans tracing backward after trying that title. In light of this, the final print run for the issue has been decided on 75,000 to make sure every existing fan of the character and newcomers won't miss out on this historic release.
It's not a fake out, not an imaginary story, the iconic vampiress is tying the knot following all the critically acclaimed storytelling crafted by writer Christopher Priest and a crew of artists including Ergün Gündüz, Giovanni Timpano, Julius Ohta, Willie Schubert, and a who's who of killer cover artists.
Fans of the Vampirella mythos have been tuning into the tales of Nyx for over 25 years as well. Born from Chaos - literally - she's been a thorn in Vampirella's side ever since. Nyx even killed Vampirella in the iconic Death & Destruction in 1996! Now for the first time, she's breaking out into her own title like many other beloved antiheroes in comics' past. Written by Christos Gage, this new series is going to reveal so much about the character, making ... 10/21/21 @ 3:01 pm EST
Chicago's resident professional wizard is back and ready for action in an all-new graphic novel set in the official Dresden Files continuity and exclusive to Dynamite, releasing in February.
Dresden Files creator Jim Butcher is back with his sixth original graphic novel, co-written by Mark Powers. They're joined by returning artist Joe Cooper (Bloodshot) and fan-favorite cover artist of the prose novel series, Chris McGrath.
Harry Dresden finds himself now working for the one and only Bigfoot. Three hard to find short stories are reimagined and interwoven with additional wholly new material to come together into a thrilling new tale. Readers of the saga of Dresden will not want to miss this essential chapter in the character's ongoing saga.
"Bigfoot hasn't gotten nearly enough attention since we stopped trying to find him every season on Animal Planet, and I feel that needs correcting post haste," said writer Jim Butcher. "As I've often said before, I mostly see the Dresden Files in my head as drawn animation, and I deeply enjoy seeing my often-ridiculous imagination coalesce into imagery that other people can enjoy too!"
Jim Butcher is the New York Times bestselling author and creator of the Dresden Files franchise. The Dresden books have sold millions of copies combined, as well as translated to graphic novels, roleplaying games, and a 2007 television series. To date there are 17 novels in the universe, plus assorted short stories.
Dresden Files: Bigfoot features 120 pages of full color graphic novel storytelling for $24.99 in hardcover format. Collectors can also opt for a limited edition signed by Jim Butcher himself.
  
Read More Here
10/21/21 @ 10:54 am EST
Welcome to Hell... Sonja. The fan-favorite breakout star of the mythos boundary-blasting Sonjaversal is breaking out in a fiery hot new title ready to warm up fans this winter!
She's the Queen of Damnation, lording over the fire-scorched pits of eternal hunger and suffering. But Hell Sonja has had enough of all this boring evil. She's binding together lost souls, other Red Sonja's of the multiverse, and will scour time and space to find the most wicked to feed to her endless realm's churning maw. For those desperate enough and beset by evil, when no one else can help, perhaps Hell Sonja will be their surprising savior!
Writer Christopher Hastings (Unbelievable Gwenpool, Deadpool) and artist Pasquale Qualano (Dejah Thoris) reunite to chronicle the tales of the latest breakout star in the Red Sonja mythos. She's now set up a multiversal bounty hunting operation, assembling teams of Sonja's to accost the most dangerous villains across the multiverse. Each issue will feature a new world and villain to be taken on. In addition to the title-star, the series also includes Blue Sonja, Moon Sonja, Gold Sonja, and of course the beloved classic Red Sonja.
"It's the A-Team meets Hellraiser across a span of wildly different fantasy and sci-fi worlds, care of an elite squad of multiversal Red Sonja alternates," said writer Christopher Hastings. "Easily the most metal thing I've ever worked on."
Beyond the beautiful, action-packed interiors by Qualano, colorist Kike J. Diaz, the series is fronted by a talented team of cover artists. Dynamite depictions of demons would be incomplete without the incomparable Lucio Parrillo. Other fan-favorites answering Hell Sonja's call include Jae Lee, Junggeun Yoon, and Joseph Michael Linsner. Last but certainly not least, fan-favorite Gracie the Cosplay ... 10/21/21 @ 10:24 am EST
The hotly anticipated series Vampirella/Dracula: Unholy is set to continue Christopher Priest's acclaimed tenure on the Drakulonian antiheroine. With January's issue #2, the world-renowned artist Stanley "Artgerm" Lau returns to contribute a breathtaking cover for this steamy couple!
Artgerm returns to the character of Vampirella and this run by Christopher Priest following a trio of sold-out scorching covers he contributed close to the character's 50th anniversary celebration. Each even numbered issue of #2, 4, and 6 on the 2019 relaunch of Vampirella featured one of Artgerm's masterpieces. The first was a scintillating unique take on depicting the character's iconic costume, which has since been brought to the third dimension as a collectible statue bust. The second finally brought a fan-favorite piece originally made in conjunction with Sideshow to the collections of comic book fans. While the final one tapped into Artgerm's rare charcoal abilities and blew everyone away with a memorable blood-soaked acetate cover.
Now he's back with another novel twist on Vampirella's costume in the form of a dress, as well as her dashing new husband, the one and only king of the vampires - Dracula. The variant cover is also available in logo-free "virgin" editions and more.
Artgerm is joined by a squad of superstars for the other covers on this exciting second issue. The others include Shannon Maer, Rose Besch, Lucio Parrillo, and a cosplay cover.
  
VAMPIRELLA/DRACULA: UNHOLY #2 is solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ November 2021 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in January 2022. Comic book fans are encouraged to ...
09/27/21 @ 3:51 pm EST
Bond, James Bond's much-anticipated next mission comes to theaters shortly. For those hungry for more action-packed 007 adventures, Dynamite and Humble Bundle are teaming up to offer the ultimate package of James Bond comics as a digital bundle sale. The bundle will only run for a limited time, so fans should jump on it! - Dynamite JAMES BOND Bundle
The shaken, not stirred digital bundle is available in multiple tiers to fit every reader's budget and preferences. Featured within is a cornucopia of practically every Bond comic ever published by Dynamite, and even spinoffs starring iconic allies Moneypenny, Felix Leiter, and more. For something close to the Ian Fleming written classics, one can kick back with the acclaimed graphic novel adaptations of the first two novels, Casino Royale and Live and Let Die. Bond's rarely covered young days in the Navy are portrayed in the fan-favorite Origin series by Jeff Parker. Truly original and innovative yarns of the world's most famous secret agent have been written by top tier talent in the industry including Andy Diggle, Greg Pak, Warren Ellis, Christos Gage, and others.
To match the 007 flavor, Dynamite has even selected a curated crop of additional comics in the crime and espionage range that will complement the package, many of which are written by Bond contributors such as Andy Diggle's Control and Weaver and James Robinson's Grand Passion. Also making an appearance is the beloved antihero assassin Jennifer Blood, created by Garth Ennis (The Boys), alongside just a little taste of superheroics courtesy of Peter Cannon Thunderbolt. You only live once (or is it twice?), so all this great reading is a perfect way to spend precious time.
Altogether, at the highest, most comprehensive tier of the bungle, fans will get over 4,700 pages of ... 09/24/21 @ 10:27 am EST
Vampirella is bringing the heat to the NFT collectibles sphere today, with a hotly anticipated launch of digital comics, graphic novels and more on Terra Virtua. Featuring the work of critically acclaimed industry legend Christopher Priest (Black Panther, Deathstroke), Ergün Gündüz, and superstar J. Scott Campbell (Gen13, Amazing Spider-Man), there is something for every kind of collector.
Front and center for this drop is the 50th anniversary prestige comic series of Vampirella. Written by Christopher Priest, drawn by Ergün Gündüz, and lettered by Willie Schubert, its historic first issue will be available now as a non-fungible digital collectible. Upon its initial release in comic book stores, it quickly became the highest selling full priced periodical in Dynamite's history. Terra Virtua will also be offering the Seduction of the Innocent graphic novel, compiling the first six full issues of the series, plus the #0 issue originally released for Free Comic Book Day 2019. A deluxe Director's Cut edition will also be available, with a more limited run and additional extra features only capable in the NFT space.
 Both of the two previous Director's Cut deluxe NFT graphic novels, for The Boys by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, and Red Sonja: Queen of Plagues by Gail Simone and Walter Geovani have already completely sold out. While collectors are already selling and seeing incredible returns on the secondary market, with a Dynamite record of $5,000 for one of these resales. Writer Christopher Priest will also be conducting an AMA, "Ask Me Anything" on Reddit for fans looking to learn more about his work on Vampirella, his broader career, the NFT collectibles space, and much more. Read More Here 09/23/21 @ 4:34 pm EST
Dynamite is excited to announce some of the early success and surprises in the NFT collectibles collaboration with partner Terra Virtua. With sell-outs and impressive secondary market sales, this is a growing exciting space for comics and artwork. Beyond the initial lithographs rollout, the first major NFT comics release through the partnership was a unique digital edition of hit The Boys by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. The more limited Director's Cut versions of the NFT comic have completely sold out, though additional versions remain available for collectors to purchase.
One week later, the same happened with the release of the fan-favorite Red Sonja run by Gail Simone and Walter Geovani. The 100 Director's Cuts sold out almost immediately. With other iterations still available.
The secondary market is heating up too, as fans sell and trade from their NFT collections. A copy of The Boys Director's Cut sold on the market for $5,000, a record for Dynamite's NFT comics.
With more exciting releases coming from the partnership with Terra Virtua, Dynamite encourages fans to check out the current offerings and stay tuned for the latest news on what is coming next in this exciting arena!
The limited edition digital collections are available to purchase on Terra Virtua here: https://terravirtua.io/marketplace?page=1&nft_type_code=COMICS&brand_code=DYNAMITE 09/16/21 @ 4:08 pm EST
Dynamite celebrates 30 years of Chaos! this December with an exciting new take on Evil Ernie courtesy of writer Scott Lobdell (Uncanny X-Men, Red Hood) and artist Ariel Medel (Xena)!
 
Ernest Gleckman is a good kid, coming up on his college graduation. The only asterisk is the rock band he leads each weekend. He may have a bit of a bad boy streak, but nothing like where life is about to take him! One night Ernest is mortally wounded, but barely scrapes by alive. Only now he must pay back his new "lease" on life as an avatar for a mysterious death cult. He must assume the role of... Evil Ernie! "What happens when you take the most evil entity in all of creation....and bond him with the nicest guy in the world?," Scott Lobdell wanted to know. "I saw this EVIL ERNIE series as a way to explore not only the effect of Ernie's unadulterated evil on an innocent college student... but would Ernie react to having to reside in a vessel of pure innocence in order to achieve his goal. We've all come to accept that power corrupts and absolutely power corrupts absolutely. Is it possible absolute goodness can eradicate evil once and for all?" "Also, I have to say, I am so excited about working with Ariel on EVIL ERNIE. I've gotten to work with a lot of superstars over the years... and I'm telling you he's destined to become one!" Ernest and Ernie are polar opposites, as the young man learns as his new alter ego leans into cruelty and sadism as he tortures and murders his targets. As he balances the already ... 09/16/21 @ 11:30 am EST
Christopher Priest's Vampirella saga continues this holiday season with the now married Daughter of Drakulon traveling to Dracula's castle to cheat fate in a new event limited series, Vampirella/Dracula: Unholy. But can love conquer evil?
Fans who check out Vampirella #25 will get to witness the biggest comic book wedding of the year. The story is directly picked up in the pages of this new series, but the backstory behind these monumental events goes back much longer. At the same time, the new series will be perfectly approachable for readers who haven't read a page of Vampirella in their lives.
Legendary writer Christopher Priest (Black Panther, Deathstroke) is joined in this series by bloodthirsty up and coming artist Donny Hadiwidjaja (Barbarella), colorist Mohan, and letterer Willie Schubert.
“We’ve kept Dracula off the board, from day one, because I’d planned to do this,” Priest laughed. “One of my first requests to Dynamite - ‘No Drac for the first year, please.’ When we bring Dracula into our series, we need that to be an event. I realize how over-used a claim it is but, trust me, you’re in for the trippiest love triangle/murder mystery in Dracula history, as well as an all-new vision for the classic character. It’s really tough to hype this book without blowing major plot twists. Donny and I are having a real blast with this.”
This is a Dracula story like no other. Defeated at the hands of a jealous lover, the genetic code of the Lord of Evil has been preserved within a deadly virus and passed on through generations to a young boy hunted by zealots ...
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