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01/18/24 @ 12:06 pm EST
The Daughter of Drakulon has been through many stories in her life in comic books. We added them all up and were surprised to come to VAMPIRELLA #666 for the first issue of our next story! It's all heating up soon with Christopher Priest taking her on her newest epic, poetically returning to where he started in 2019 for the 50th anniversary while looking forward as we march toward #700! Preorders are due this weekend with your favorite Local Comic Shop, so make sure to lock yours in ASAP and subscribe to the series to not miss out!
PRIEST REWINDS THE CLOCK, CELEBRATES 666 ISSUES & CHARGES FORWARD IN THE MOST HISTORIC VAMPIRELLA STORY YET!  Priest, we must ask you of course what you think of the fun numbering here with Vampirella #666. You've been involved in a few big celebratory anniversary issues through your career, like Conan the Barbarian #200, the big #1,000 marks for Detective Comics and Marvel Comics, and we won't think too hard about how a #1,000,000 issue comes to be...I think it apropos to give the comic the same number as my age :-) I don’t know, I think the biz has changed a lot over time. A lot of us older fans really enjoyed the issue numbering and felt it important to keep our sets complete. A Number One was a huge deal, and milestone numbering was an event to be celebrated. I think all the reboots have diminished this aspect a great deal, with younger generations of fans now not as invested or not invested in quite the same way. You first took on the helm of the Vampirella franchise in 2019 for our big 50th anniversary. It all kicked off with an echo of origins fans had previously seen for the character, with her as the sole survivor of a tragic plane crash. We hear fans will be seeing that moment again here, maybe even more than once, with a big twist. What is going down this time? For Vampirella, we’d completed our 50th anniversary volume with our issue #25, and that allowed us to stretch and explore a bit over the stretch of the pandemic through Vampirella/Dracula: Unholy, its bookend Vampirella/Dracula: Rage and the way-too-much-fun Vampirella: Year One. But I knew that, presuming Dynamite didn’t ship me off to the Old Writers’ Home, what I would want to do most was get back to basics. Our 50th Anniversary run began with a fairly simple premise: a single girl trying to make it on her own in the big city. She just happens to be a vampire from outer space with a pushy, vengeful mother and a collection of supernatural enemies out to kill her. After the heaviness of Rage, wherein a vengeful Vampirella becomes consumed by darkness, I wanted to get back to where we started with the wonder, fun, and poignancy of those first issues and Vampirella restored to her whimsical goodness. We’ve done that... sorta.  There’s always a catch. I mean, that’s the fun of reading ANY story, any novel or magazine or comic. There’s the story you think you know and then there’s the unexpected curve that creates the thrill ride. And that’s where we are with issue #666” back home, back where we belong. Sorta. One of the working titles for this series and perhaps still for the story arc is "Beyond." Could you elaborate a bit on what that means for Vampirella?The “Beyond” arc title was intended to reflect the idea of a woman having all her wishes granted. The basic gist of my Vampirella series has always been, ostensibly, wish fulfillment. Casper The friendly Ghost wants what we all want--community. Friends, family, love, purpose. The only problem is Casper is, in fact, a dead baby, and people find that sort of thing scary. Vampirella’s quest for those very same things has always been complicated by the fact she is a vampire from outer space surrounded by and pursued by a wide ranging cast of characters that might be fright at home in the 60’s sitcom Bewitched. The suggestion is that Vampi might actually find the love and happiness she’s always sought if only these kooks would leave her alone, which of course they won’t do because they’re kooks and she’s a space vampire.  But, thought I, what if Vampirella could achieve those things, what if she could realize the fulfillment and happiness she sought? So what if we went all the way back to our beginning, strip away the tragedy, the heartbreak, the betrayals, even bring dead characters back to life? What if we did all of that... ...only to put Vampirella into a position where she has to un-do it all, lose everything, in order to save the world? We discover Vampirella’s new status quo has been engineered, and the mechanism which created her happiness is dooming the planet. As a writer, the main thing you try to do is put your protagonist into a headlock and then drag him or her into a dark alley toward a brick wall. Then figure out how the protagonist overcomes certain doom before the series ends. Here, in Vampirella Beyond, we’re doing that in spades. Turkish artist Ergün Gündüz is back as well, ready to tap back into the artistic vision he helped debut with you a few years ago, flipping it on its head a bit. While also tying together everything that has been seen to date from our Free Comic Book Day #0 all the way to Vampirella/Dracula: Rage #6. How important was it to bring him back in for this particular story? Oh, it’s vital. I wouldn’t do this idea without Ergün because Vampirella Beyond is a deconstruction of the world Ergün created. Ergün’s characters play key roles in the story and the look and unique feel of Ergün’s world is what drives this arc. We will be revisiting specific landmark scenes in the early issues that Ergün must now match perfectly (and he has!) in a kind of Groundhog’s Day round-robin. As part of the celebration of hitting this nontraditional #666 milestone, we're including a little extra for fans at no extra cost. The issue will feature a wordless short story you did with Alan Davis in 1999, originally published in Vampirella #19, within the series fans often call the "New Monthly." What do you possibly recall about that collaboration and story?How terrified I was of them. Of Vampirella and of Alan Davis. I had the pleasure of hanging out with Mr. Davis in Memphis recently, where I expressed (again) my appreciation for his having taken on that assignment. Yes, I’m just as big a fanboy as the next comic geek, and working with Mr. Davis on that assignment -- which requires precise storytelling on his part since the story was to be “silent” -- is one of the high points of my career.
Vampirella's Next Epic Begins Here! We Celebrated 50 Years in 2019 - Now Join Us For #666 & Road to #700!   
A B C
A: LUCIO PARRILLO - DEC230232
B: FELIPE MASSAFERA - DEC230233
C: CARLA COHEN - DEC230234 
D I
D: COSPLAY (RACHEL HOLLON) - DEC230235
I 10 COPY INC: ERGÜN GÜNDÜZ - DEC23024010/14/24 @ 8:29 pm EST
The wildly successful creative team of #1 New York Times bestselling writer Charles Soule (The Oracle Year, The Endless Vessel, Star Wars) and critically-acclaimed artist Ryan Browne (Curse Words, God Hates Astronauts) reunite for their follow-up to the hugely popular Eight Billion Genies with an all-new series, The Lucky Devils. This nine-issue, fantasy/satire adventure is set to launch in January 2025 from Image Comics.
"After the incredible success of Eight Billion Genies, Ryan Browne and I knew our next project together had to be something truly special," said Soule. "The Lucky Devils feels like exactly that—a spiritual successor to Genies in that it, too, tells a self-contained, tightly-plotted story about the supernatural unexpectedly intersecting with the lives of a few ordinary, unsuspecting people. That said, it's also very much its own beast. We're playing with the myth of the devil on your shoulder here—what Genies did for wishing and desire, Devils does for Faustian bargains and humanity's struggle with temptation. Not to mention I get to see Ryan draw hundreds of hilariously badass little demons—unbeatable. In The Lucky Devils, it's good to be bad. I can't wait for people to check it out this January."
Browne added: "Over the last year, Charles Soule and I have crafted, revised, rebuilt, sculpted, edited, and polished The Lucky Devils, reinventing an approach to the 'Little Creatures Who Mess With Humanity' angle that worked so well with Eight Billion Genies. Oh, and as always, I get to draw as much crazy world-building insanity as the page will allow! Heart, humor, sin, and madness all wrapped around two little punk devils that were born to raze hell to the ground!"
The Lucky Devils is a tale of two ordinary, good-hearted, 20-something Chicagoans who begin working with the devils on their shoulders in an attempt to fix their broken lives. It works beyond their wildest dreams, and in time they become two of the most powerful people on earth. While they fully intend to use that influence to make the world a better place, we all know what they say about the road to Hell...
A dark, hilarious satire about the struggle to do good in a world that makes it so easy to be bad, The Lucky Devils is an examination of everything that makes humanity both grand and terrible from two of comics' most unique storytellers.
For fans of their previous bestselling collaborations like Curse Words and Eight Billion Genies—or stories like Good Omens, Lucifer, or tales where ordinary people's lives intersect with the supernatural—this new series is sure to delight readers looking for a fantastical new read.
The Lucky Devils #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, January 8:Cover A by Ryan BrowneCover B by Frank Miller & Alex SinclairCover C Blank Sketch coverCover D 1:25 "Glitter" copy incentive by BrowneCover E 1:50 "Foil virgin" copy incentive by Frank MillerCover F 1:100 copy incentive featuring Soule & Browne SketchThe Lucky Devils #1 will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.        
... 10/14/24 @ 8:23 pm EST
The Disney line from Dynamite Entertainment debuts a massive new series to start 2025, as Zootopia finds its way into an ongoing comic book series for the first time ever. Fan-favorite writer Jeff Parker and artist Alessandro Ranaldi invite fans to return to the magical anthropomorphic world of Zootopia each month starting in January!
It’s another beautiful day in the bustling city of Zootopia, where every animal is free to strive to realize their full potential — and one of the most successful among the pack is Tripp Zebrando, owner of the PB&J cell phone company. Their high-tech devices have become the can't-miss gadget for every citizen of Zootopia, and they're about to launch their latest flagship model with a huge publicity event. Everything goes awry when someone has it out for PB&J, set on sabotaging the event and the company by bringing the whole house down — right on top of the unsuspecting crowd!
Luckily this is a case for ZPD's finest, as Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde rush to the scene to keep the peace, contain the chaos, and investigate the mystery at the bottom of it all. As they sniff out clues and culprits, their discoveries in the aftermath of this seemingly isolated incident will lead them down tracks into the biggest case since the disgraced downfall of Deputy Mayor Bellwether, as seen in the iconic original film.
   
Acclaimed author Jeff Parker (Thunderbolts, Hulk) enlists and partners up with renowned draftsman Alessandro Ranaldi, coming off their preceding Disney tales Negaduck and Disney Villains: Hades, respectively. This duo and the rest of the incredible creative team will be leading Judy, Nick, and fans through the captivating world of Disney's Zootopia and a procedural string of cases mounting to one epic tale. "The team and I know how eager the audience has been for more stories in the world of ZOOTOPIA and we thank Disney for giving us the chance to tell them. Readers are going to love how Alessandro brings Judy and Nick to life, you can truly hear their voices as you read. Speaking of that, all I have to do to get Nick Wilde's voice right is imagine editor Nate Cosby saying anything. And don't worry, there'll be plenty of the booming Chief Bogo! Zootopia has so much potential for more crime-solving animal adventure, I hope this is just the tip of the iceberg for the Dynamite Disney comics." This all-new mystery adventure features courtroom-quality covers from anthropomorphic all-star artist Trish Forstner (Stray Dogs, Gargoyles, My Little Pony), Ranaldi, Craig Rousseau, and more including artwork from the film.
Dedicated fans of Zootopia, its beloved characters, and always-surprising and smiles-inducing world can tune in each and every month for a new case as the excitement mounts toward the release of the sequel film toward the end of 2025.   
Disney's ZOOTOPIA #1 is solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ November 2024 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in January 2025. Comic book fans are encouraged to preorder copies of the book with their local comic book retailers. It will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, ComicsPlus, and more! Visit www.dynamite.com for more news and information. ... 10/14/24 @ 8:18 pm EST
 Snitches get stitches, and nothing says "holiday" more than the smell of elf roasting on an open fire... Sweetie Candy Vigilante celebrates her latest finale this December, and brings along another legend of indie comics with her!
Readers better watch out, they better not cry, and they better save the date! Sweetie Candy Vigilante is inviting everyone to an exclusive invite-only Christmas party in issue #6 of her latest series. Take a trek to her Fortress of Sweetness located on the twin SCV Islands. Readers will be joining the eclectic cast that has been built up over a dozen issues of the hit new vigilante's stories, including Pixie Stix, Candy Wolf, Gummee Bear, Tinsel, and the rest of the sweet squad.
It's been hinted at and promised through the latest series, but now Candy Wolf will finally spill the sweet tea on the mysterious backstory between Sweetie and the North Pole's big boss man, "Nic" aka Santa Claus himself. But in the sardonic and sugary world of SCV, is the jolly old man as "saintly" as he's been fabled? Find out from writer Suzanne Cafiero, producer John Cafiero, and artist Thiago Vale.
This issue is set up as both a finale of the second series starring the character, as well as a perfect done-in-one, self-contained story. It's an excellent opportunity for anyone new to the series to jump in and experience all the buzz, while simultaneously being a sweet tooth-satisfier for returning fans. It's the perfect send-off for this wondrous world of candy-coated carnage!
A truly spectacular cherry on top for this book is a special cover illustrated by the indie comics legend Bob Burden. Not only does it sport his art, but also his signature character the Flaming Carrot, star of countless too-cool comics, and inspiration for the beloved film Mystery Men. It's not just a cheeky cover either, as the "FC" appears within the pages and ties closely into the story as well! It's the first major crossover for the character since his team-up with the world-famous Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles going back three decades. Artists John Royle, Jeff Zornow, and Yonami also contribute covers bursting with sugar-fueled energy.
Don't miss a sweet beat, fans are encouraged to preorder to guarantee a copy of this fun-packed celebration under their tree this holiday season!
   Visit www.dynamite.com for more news and information. ... 10/14/24 @ 12:15 pm EST
The new era of ThunderCats comics from Dynamite Entertainment and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products has been a revelation for the industry and readers and bringing in another wave of fans. The next pivotal chapter is almost here!The first story arc of the new comic book series focused a lot on the origin story and introducing fans to these beloved characters and their core mythos. The ThunderCats landed on Third Earth, after escaping the tragic fate of their native Thundera. Brand new characters like Calica were introduced, as well as the return of classic elements like Snarf and the ThunderTank.
Then in the second phase, each chapter subtlly accented members of the core cast and teed up an epic showdown between the ThunderCats and the Mu'Tants. Fans also get the tease and introduction of the mysterious character of Apex, who will be the key to upcoming storylines. Along the way between arcs, guest creators like Stephen Mooney and Joe Mulvey came in for standalone chapters covering an unexplored corner of the lore, providing readers with new perspectives as well as styles.
ThunderCats #11 celebrates nearly a full year of this epic era of storytelling, and the beginning of the third major cycle in the new epic from Declan Shalvey and Drew Moss. After trying to keep silent about their unsanctioned explorations seen in previous chapters, the young duo of WilyKat and WilyKit finally reveal to the rest of the group their discovery of Mumm-Ra's Black Pyramid. Upon learning about the mystery found within its obsidian walls, Lion-O makes a fateful decision.
Lion-O will venture — alone — on a quest into the heart of Mumm-Ra's lair. He will confront and battle their most deadly foe in single combat. If he can best the devil-priest, the ThunderCats' claim to their new home on Third Earth will be secure. Yet if he fails, the last survivors of Thundera may lose everything, down to their own lives!
"It’s been an amazing experience, from the initial enthusiasm, to the amazing sales, to the actual feedback from readers," said writer Declan Shalvey. "Couldn’t be happier with how things have gone. Currently I’m having to switch things up as the original plan was to do a year-long reboot, but with the sales momentum being so strong, we now have at least another year on the book. We really have found a great groove, and getting to continue this book is a golden opportunity to see how that collaboration evolves."
To celebrate entering a crucial part of the ongoing storyline and nearing the second year of ThunderCats thrills, Dynamite is bringing in additional top artists for more stunning, collectible variant covers. The usual crew of Lucio Parrillo, Declan Shalvey, Jae Lee, and Ivan Tao all report. They're joined by breakout artist Manix's unique style, an action figure piece by Drew Moss, as well as an incentive variant by Felipe Massafera.    
THUNDERCATS #11 is solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ October 2024 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in December 2024. Comic book fans are encouraged to preorder copies of the book with their local comic book retailers. Visit www.dynamite.com for more news and information. ... 10/14/24 @ 12:04 pm EST
Legions of fans have fallen for the smash-hit comic series Stray Dogs by Tony Fleecs and Trish Forstner. The beloved story mixes a classic animation style with high stakes horror themes. The critically acclaimed creative team are collaborating with Dynamite Entertainment to bring fans adorable plush dolls of some of their favorite Stray Dogs. These cute and collectible visions of these beloved characters brought to life will be available for a limited time on the crowdfunding platform BackerKit. Fans who want to be the first to know when the project is live, and get the latest updates are encouraged to sign up and "RSVP" on the pre-launch page. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR UPDATES! 10/14/24 @ 11:59 am EST
Another one of the most beloved animated classics of the 1980s makes a triumphant return through comics for 2025, as Dynamite Entertainment and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products announce a SilverHawks series lifting off in January 2025 with Ed Brisson and George Kambadais.
Announced alongside New York Comic Con almost one year after Dynamite unveiled ThunderCats coming to comics, the sister series joins in the fun! ThunderCats led by writer Declan Shalvey and artist Drew Moss is not even a full year into its run, yet has made a massive impact in the industry and with fans. Its kickoff set a high mark as Dynamite's highest seller in company history, and has kept its momentum with character introductions, new story arcs, spinoffs, and more.
Dynamite is officially incorporating a family of titles that started with ThunderCats with the debut of SilverHawks, and as an umbrella to include all their spinoffs and potential connections moving forward. The SilverHawks came from the Rankin/Bass team originally as an extension of the ThunderCats idea, with a cosmic setting and tone.    Acclaimed writer Ed Brisson (Batman Incorporated, Predator) takes on the franchise, following his work on the Apex special across the aisle. He's joined by the incredible George Kambadais, who was a key player in the charts-climbing Gargoyles series. "When Dynamite launched ThunderCats I immediately began to pester Declan [Shalvey, ThunderCats writer] about the possibility of a SilverHawks book," said writer Ed Brisson. "When Nate reached out to me to write ThunderCats: Apex, my first question was 'When are you doing SilverHawks?!?'. I am very excited that this book is happening and that I'm privileged enough to be involved. I couldn't ask for a better collaborator than George. So, strap in, because I'm about to pour all the love I have for the SilverHawks into this baby. I'm going to make you all love it too!"
Readers will meet grizzled space cop Stargazer, and the team he assembles to deal with the galactic threat unleashed by the escape from Limbo of Mon*Star and his mobs across the stars. The team's leader is an experienced Eliot Ness-like figure, tough as nails but also forward-looking in trying to establish a blueprint to carry on his legacy if he ever falls in battle protecting his team and serving justice. He's joined by field leader and tactician Quicksilver, ace pilot and free spirit Bluegrass, the strong and silent bruiser Steelwill, compassionate and independent Steelheart, introspective illusionist Hotwing, and unpredictable inventor Copper Kid. Together the team will cooperate and align their specialized skills to vanquish the escaped prisoners from Limbo and all of the chaos left in their wake.
Just like the heroes, the superstar creative team of Brisson and Kambadais have a mission. Through an inventive procedural approach to their story, they've set out to expand and explore the backstories, places and events of SilverHawks that before now have only been hinted at. Each isue will unveil clues to reveal the building, larger story of Mon*Star and the looming cosmic mob war.
Joining the fleet for a range of sparkling variant covers — including foil and metal-enhanced editions for collectors — are heavy hitters Lucio Parrillo, Jae Lee, James Stokoe, Declan Shalvey, Geraldo Borges, and the latest breakout artist Manix!
Shalvey gets tagged in from the ThunderCats camp to portray his take on the SilverHawks, following Brisson's Apex contributions. Could there be more back and forth of not only creators, but characters and storylines..? Fans will have to follow the wider collection of titles each month to see!    SILVERHAWKS #1 is solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ November 2024 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in January 2025. Comic book fans are encouraged to preorder copies of the book with their local comic book retailers. Visit www.dynamite.com for more news and information. ... 10/13/24 @ 11:44 am EST
There is an internet rumor that DC is looking for a middle-aged man to play the Batman in the new DC universe being created by James Gunn and Peter Safran. And while this rumor has been prevalent for some time now, I was never able to figure out where it was coming from. The impression was that it was something Gunn had said, but the only thing I could find was Gunn saying that Batman would be a few years older than Superman. This might also stem from the idea that Brave and the Bold, the film Batman is supposed to be in, will also feature his son, Damien Wayne as Robin. But Batman could easily be in his mid-thirties and have a teenage son. Well, in a recent post being made by another “internet scooper” who claimed they were looking for an older Batman, Gunn responded by saying “BullS**t”. He would go on to add, “Sometimes the rumor folks get information wrong – but other times they seem to just make stuff up for clicks out of whole cloth. This is one of those times.” Gunn has stated in the past that no casting would take place until a script was completed and approved and he has confirmed that the only two DC projects in pre-production right now are Supergirl: The Woman of Tomorrow and Lanterns, both of which have had casting announcements. At this point there is no script nor director for Brave and the Bold.  10/13/24 @ 11:04 am EST
If you’re a film nerd, you’ve probably heard of a “second unit” that goes out and gets shots that are needed for a film but may not need the main director and cast. It’s a way to speed up the filming process. On the second Dune film, Denis Villeneuve had a film unit, lead by his wife, Tanya Lapointe, who spent 44 days filming the crucial sand worm riding scenes. They called this the “worm unit.” Villeneuve spoke of this at the London Film Festival, “I realized that, the way I wanted to approach this, I didn’t want to compromise. Most important with visual effects is, how will you shoot it? And I wanted to shoot it with natural light. And I realized it would take months to shoot it. Each shot was very complex. Each shot took sometimes half a day, sometimes a day, sometimes a week for one shot because of the complexity. If I had done it myself, I would still be shooting.” The most important part of being a director is putting together a good crew.  10/13/24 @ 10:50 am EST
We first go to know Corey Michael Smith as he took on the role of Edward Nigma aka The Riddler on the FOX series Gotham. He’s back this weekend taking on the role of Chevy Chase, a comedic actor that meant a lot to him, in the new film Saturday Night. The film focuses on the ninety minutes before the very first episode of Saturday Night Live aired on October 11th, 1975 and Smith very much wanted to get his portrayal right. “I have loved Chevy Chase since I was a kid. He’s one of my favorite comedic actors. It was such an honor that I did not want to mess this up, and I didn’t want to mess my career up. So I really dove in, and for about two months I would only let myself watch Chevy Chase. I just was like, I have to know how this man would say every line, what his body and face would be doing instinctually and sort of deprogram myself and my instincts from this, or else I would feel fraudulent the whole time, which just would not be okay.” Smith was not able to meet with Chase prior to filming, but we know that Chase has seen the film at this point. “I do hope that he saw a younger version of himself, which maybe that’s a joyful experience or not,” said Smith. “But this man played such a huge part in me wanting to be a performer and loving movies, so it was an honor to play him.” Saturday Night is in theaters now.  10/12/24 @ 11:24 am EST
The big reveal at the end of Agatha All Along episode five had to do with Joe Locke's ‘Teen’. And while they never come out and say his name, Agatha says he’s just like his mother and then we see him with an impressive crown and using blue colored magic to control Lilia and Jennifer before pushing them with it as well. But since they don’t call him by name yet, I won’t either. Though I think we all know who he is. As for the crown, the shows costume designer Daniel Selon talked about it on his Instagram feed, saying: "This crown was a result of a beautiful and exciting collaboration between Prop Master Russell Bobbitt and my team. We pulled inspiration from the concentric lines in Damascus steel and also ripples on the surface of water. With a beautiful blue chrome ómbre paint treatment we finally arrived at this powerful Crown." I don’t think the shot we got really did the crown justice, but I’m sure we’ll see a lot more of it and potentially his costume as Selon went on to say, "You’ll just have to wait to see what else is revealed as his full identity emerges in the coming episodes..." His identity is something many people were guessing early on and there was a toy leak that said the same thing… but this has still been a really strong reveal so far.  |
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