04/01/15 @ 10:35 pm EST
Troy Brownfield talks to Byron Brewer about the final issue of Blood Queen Vs Dracula for Dynamite and how he feels after combining two characters he worked on in the past. Covers by Jay Anacleto and Fabiano NevesBYRON BREWER: Well, Troy, this mini is reaching its conclusion with #4 in June. Are you satisfied with the story that you told, really extending two other works you had previously done: Blood Queen and the Dracula novel?TROY BROWNFIELD: I would have to say that I’m very satisfied. Dracula, of course, is an incredibly flexible character, which has been proven out by the number of adaptations and interpretations we’ve seen in culture over time. Elizabeth, as we’ve seen, can fit not only in that pseudo-fairy-tale style but a historical horror setting. I wanted to show that we could do something interesting and entertaining with this mix, and I think we did that. BB: You certainly do pack a lot of historic references and points into each and every comic. Are you a history buff? How much research do you do and why is that important to you?TB: I’d say that I’m definitely interested in history. If you’re going to set a story in a certain time, you owe it to your audience to do the work. I never really try to calculate how much research I do, but there’s a lot. It’s an important part of the whole thing. One example in particular from my work is my webcomic Sparkshooter, which is set in 2003; I’m always really conscientious about things like the look of telephones, film references, and more. It would bother ME if it wasn’t done without an eye for detail. And, finally, if you have something that’s just wildly inaccurate, it’s going to take the reader out of the story. That happens to me with things like The Wedding Singer, which is a fun film, but it purports to take place in 1985. Then in a scene, you’ll have a song like “It’s Tricky” that didn’t come out until later. It might seem like a really small thing, but that takes me out. I try really hard to not be the one to do that. BB: Winging off the above, adding the Ottomans to this saga was a wonderful background touch!TB: Thanks! Like I said previously, I wanted to find a common opponent while sticking with some of the ideas I approached in Prince Dracula (Dracula as patriot, etc.). The Ottoman Empire made complete sense for both characters, particularly in terms of history. I probably could have invented some third supernatural threat, but I wanted the real power dynamics to be between Dracula and Elizabeth. Also, the inclusion of the brothers allowed me to put a bit of a human face on it. They’re a conquering army, sure, but there are people in it that have directly suffered losses on account of the actions of Dracula. I thought it was an interesting thing to include. BB: Has it been fun working with artist Kewber Baal? What do you think of his efforts in bringing your story to life on paper?TB: Kewber is a great collaborator. I would work with him again in a second. I’m particularly happy with issue #3. I told him that I really wanted him to draw like a horror film would look in terms of some of the focus, characters appearing suddenly out of shadow, etc. and he nailed it. That’s probably my favorite issue of the mini. It’s also the biggest spotlight on Elizabeth, and he really showed several sides of her personality. Kewber made me a fan of his for certain. BB: In a non-spoilery way, can you give us any hint if we will in future be addressing Elizabeth as Lady Dracula instead of Blood Queen? (smiles)TB: Ladies and gentlemen, the ever redder Red Wedding ( laughs). That would involve some fascinating conflict, but I don’t think that’s the direction that either story would necessarily follow. But now you’ve got me thinking about it. Damn you, Byron! BB: Bwahaha! OK … You seemed to have attached yourself to the Blood Queen! Where will you two be appearing next in the Dynamite universe?TB: Well, it’s only natural. I developed the first series for Dynamite and I’ve gotten to put a lot in Elizabeth between the first series, the Annual, and the mini. I would love to at least do another one-shot or an Altered States with her. As for where else I might be in terms of Dynamite, keep an eye out. You never know what might happen.
11/01/24 @ 4:40 pm EST
The finale of Marvel Television’s Agatha All Along is now streaming on Disney+! To celebrate the series, upcoming issues of the SCARLET WITCH current solo comic series will have special Marvel Studios Variant Covers highlighting concept art from the show. Following the SCARLET WITCH #6 MARVEL STUDIOS VARIANT COVER spotlighting Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness, the SCARLET WITCH #7 MARVEL STUDIOS VARIANT COVER is now revealed to feature Aubrey Plaza’s Rio! After an unforgettable journey down the Witches’ Road, this special cover gives fans a chance to commemorate one of the show’s most talked-about mysteries. In SCARLET WITCH #7, written by Steve Orlando and drawn by Lorenzo Tammetta, Scarlet Witch, Wiccan, Speed, and Amaranth are trapped in a torturous carnival fun house! Wanda is faced with a choice: save her children or her mysterious new pupil! But as Amaranth's powers come to light, the real question may be who is saving who…? Check out the Marvel Studios Variant Cover and preorder SCARLET WITCH #7 at your local comic shop today!
11/01/24 @ 4:23 pm EST
A new “Godzilla” movie, from the director of last year’s Oscar-winning Japanese film “Godzilla Minus One,” has been officially greenlit. Toho, the Japanese entertainment company and creator of Godzilla, made the announcement on Friday. Takashi Yamazaki, who wrote and directed the surprise hit “Godzilla Minus One,” will return for the new film. He’s once again handling the VFX, after winning the Academy Award for best visual effects in 2023. “Godzilla Minus One” was Toho 33rd “Godzilla” movie and the 37th to include the famous monster. The Japanese film is unrelated to Hollywood’s recent portrayals of Godzilla in Warner Bros. and Legendary’s Monsterverse, which includes King Kong. It’s unclear if the new movie is a direct sequel to “Godzilla Minus One”; however, the film did end on a cliffhanger for the rampaging lizard. After Godzilla is defeated, it’s revealed that a piece of the monster’s flesh is regenerating in the bottom of the ocean. There’s also the issue of Shikishima’s girlfriend, Noriko Ōishi, who survived a run-in with Godzilla but is left with a mysterious black marking on her neck. (via Variety)
11/01/24 @ 4:13 pm EST
With just over a month before the premiere of Skeleton Crew, Disney has unveiled a new trailer for the upcoming series. The latest preview for the Star Wars series sees Jude Law fighting his way across the galaxy to try to help a ragtag group of kids get back to their families after their mischief gets the best of them and they find themselves very far from home. Watch the full trailer below. Skeleton Crew has its two-episode premiere December 3 on Disney+. The Star Wars series executive produced by Jon Watts takes place in the same timeline as The Mandalorian and Book Of Boba Fett. (via Deadline) Trailer: https://youtu.be/f19gfOMZTtg
11/01/24 @ 4:06 pm EST
Following a competitive auction, Amazon MGM Studios has landed American Speed, a package with Tom Holland and Austin Butler attached to star. Oscar-winning producer Charles Roven (Oppenheimer) is attached to produce via his Atlas Entertainment banner alongside RD Whittington and Douglas Banker. Atlas’ Ryan Sanak will executive produce. Dan Wiedenhaupt is writing the script, which is based on the true story of the Whittington brothers —three historically famous race car drivers, two of whom were part of the 1980s IMSA scandal, in which a number of drivers were charged with financing their racing activities with proceeds from drug smuggling, money laundering or tax evasion. Holland has had himself a week prior to this news, with the next installment in his Spider-Man franchise officially announcing Destin Daniel Cretton will come on as director and the film claiming a July 2026 release date. Butler has had himself quite the 2024 that began with his scene-stealing role opposite Timothée Chalamet in Dune: Part Two. (via Deadline)
10/31/24 @ 4:00 pm EST
Marvel Studios released a “Look Ahead” video teasing its biggest upcoming releases of the next year, but X-Men ’97 was conspicuously absent. The series got a multi-season order before it premiered, and showrunner Beau DeMayo was reported to have finished writing Season 2 before he was fired earlier this year. Fans are now wondering if the season will be delayed, but so far all we have is speculation. Marvel’s new “Look Ahead” video was released alongside the season finale of Agatha All Along, and it had a lot to talk about. It promised the upcoming animated series What If…? and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man due out soon on Disney+, as well as the live action series Daredevil: Born Again and Ironheart. It also included looks at the animated shows Eyes of Wakanda and Marvel Zombies, and finally the live-action series Wonder Man. That seems to be all fans can expect on Disney+ between now and December of 2025, leaving many to assume that X-Men ’97 won’t be out next year. The announcement said nothing of X-Men ’97, and Marvel has not commented on fan speculation X-Men ’97 Season 2 is in production, and Season 3 is in development. There is no release date scheduled for any future installments. Season 1 is streaming now on Disney+. (via ComicBook.com) ...
10/31/24 @ 3:42 pm EST
Oni Press invites you to PLAGUE HOUSE #1 – the FIRST ISSUE of a tense and turbulent four-issue ghost story from acclaimed writer Michael W. Conrad (Wonder Woman, Double Walker) and 2024 Ringo Award-winning artist Dave Chisholm (Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound) coming to comic shops everywhere in April 2025. “I swear I saw a ghost as a child, floating in the living room of my family home,” says writer Michael W. Conrad. “I wasn’t dreaming. The man bobbed in the corner staring at me, wordlessly pleading for help. Plague House is about answering that call, and discovering the true nature of hauntings, imprinted memories, and the demands places can make of the living.” In PLAGUE HOUSE, a trio of eclectic ghost hunters – Jacob, the holy man, Holland, the skeptic, and leader Del, the believer – explore haunted locales, hoping to prove the existence of the undead and exorcize malicious spirits. At the McCabe House, the scene of a grisly quadruple homicide, the group senses the deep pain left in the wake of the crime. As Orin McCabe sits in prison, Del learns from his family’s ghosts what it will require to cleanse the home of their restless spirits… “I’ve been a fan of Dave [Chisholm]’s art for a very long time,” said Conrad. “It’s been a delight to bring him into this corrupted place, and watch him dwell in the darkness. I hope he comes out of it okay, and I hope the readers understand the dangers this book presents to us as the creators, as well as to those bold enough to join us in its pages.” Chisholm, who won a 2024 Ringo Award for his graphic novel Miles Davis and the Search for Sound, is well-known for the vibrant, synesthetic elements in his music-focused comics, but that rich environmental aura takes on a sinister new feel in his depiction of the hauntings of PLAGUE HOUSE. “With Plague House, Michael flips the haunted house trope on its head in a really clever, chilling way that immediately got me hyped to tackle the visuals for this book,” said Chisholm. “I’m drawing, coloring, and lettering this thing, and that allows me to dig into some of those comic-centric structural or formal ideas that show up in the music-based work that has become my calling card. Music and horror...they're really similar, right? Just like in music, properly telling a horrific story is all about timing! The weirdest thing is, though – you know, putting these pages together takes a lot of time. It can really isolate a person, and your mind can wander and drift, sort of putting you into a meditative state. And then, when I come out of that state, I've noticed things around my studio have moved, have been misplaced, or strange objects just show up on a bookshelf or a desk. I'm starting to think that there's more to Michael's script than meets the eye…”
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10/31/24 @ 3:33 pm EST
After creating and writing the first many seasons of the long-running animated series Ninjago for The Lego Group, brothers Kevin and Dan Hageman have been enlisted to script a new live-action film in the Lego Ninjago franchise for Universal Pictures. News of the new Ninjago comes following word that Jake Kasdan, Patty Jenkins and Joe Cornish are on board to direct live-action Lego movies for Universal. Details as to the plot of the Hagemans’ film are under wraps. Ninjago was introduced in 2011 as a line of ninja-themed construction toys before evolving into a major multimedia property. The story surrounding it follows a group of young ninja warriors who protect their world, known as Ninjago, from various evil forces. In addition to assorted video games, books and graphic novels, Lego Ninjago is the focus of the aforementioned, hugely popular animated series Ninjago, which ran for 15 seasons across Cartoon Network and Netflix. Building on this popularity, Lego expanded Ninjago to other formats, including 2017’s The LEGO Ninjago Movie at Warner Bros. The world of Ninjago is also highlighted with attractions at amusement parks like Legoland. (via Deadline)
10/31/24 @ 3:25 pm EST
Today Skybound and Image Comics, in collaboration with leading toy and game company Hasbro, revealed an impressive lineup of variant covers alongside interior pages from Void Rivals #14, the next issue of the hit series from the Oblivion Song team of Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead) and Lorenzo De Felici (Kroma), along with colorist Patricio Delpeche (The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country), and letterer Rus Wooton (Fire Power). The all-new chapter of the epic space opera hits comic book shops on November 27, 2024. Darak isn't back in Agorria for ONE DAY before they send him back out into space to get shot at. Darak's loyalty to Agorria is put to the test as he's forced to prove himself. Each issue of Void Rivals promises to take readers further into the Energon Universe, with more familiar faces to appear including some of the most popular TRANSFORMERS bots, allies, and enemies! Void Rivals #14 will feature a main cover by De Felici, along with a stacked lineup of variant covers including an open-to-order cover B by cover artist Chuma Hill, a 1:10 incentive variant continuing a connecting cover series by Leonardo Romero (cover artist, Mighty Marvel Masterworks), a 1:25 incentive variant by E.J. Su (Tech Jacket), and a 1:50 incentive variant by Sylvain Repos (Yojimbot). Void Rivals is a tentpole of the Energon Universe, the crown jewel of the historic collaboration between Hasbro and Skybound, who has introduced a brand-new era of the TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE franchises in one shared comic book universe. Other Energon Universe ongoing series include the two-time Eisner Award winning TRANSFORMERS by writer Daniel Warren Johnson (Extremity, Do a Powerbomb), artist Jorge Corona (Middlewest), and colorist Mike Spicer (Stillwater, Murder Falcon) and the upcoming G.I. JOE by writer Joshua Williamson (Superman, Dark Ride), artist Tom Reilly (The Thing), and colorist Jordie Bellaire (W0rldtr33). The Energon Universe also includes G.I. JOE miniseries Duke, from Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly and Jordie Bellaire ; Cobra Commander from Joshua Williamson, Andrea Milana (Impact Winter: Rook) and Annalisa Leoni (Oblivion Song); Scarlett, from writer Kelly Thompson (Black Widow, Birds of Prey), artist Marco Ferrari (Frontiersman), and colorist Lee Loughridge (I Hate This Place, Killadelphia); and Destro, from writer Dan Watters (Loki, Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives!), artist Andrei Bressan (Dark Ride, Birthright), and colorist Adriano Lucas (Dark Ride, Birthright), which introduce the iconic characters of the G.I. JOE and Cobra factions to the Energon Universe. Fans should expect can’t-miss moments from every issue of the Energon Universe, as secrets are unveiled along the path to answering the BIG questions from some of the biggest franchises in comics today. Void Rivals #14 (Lunar Codes listed below $3.99) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Wednesday, November 27, 2024. The full list of covers is below: Void Rivals #14 Cover A by Lorenzo De Felici (Lunar Code: 0924IM430) Void Rivals #14 Cover B by Chuma Hill (Lunar Code: 0924IM431) Void Rivals #14 Cover C (1:10 Copy Incentive – Connecting) by Leonardo Romero (Lunar Code: 0924IM432) Void Rivals #14 Cover D (1:25 Copy Incentive) by E.J. Su (Lunar Code: 0924IM433) Void Rivals #14 Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive) by Sylvain Repos (Lunar Code: 0924IM434)
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10/30/24 @ 6:16 pm EST
On sale in December, ULTIMATE UNIVERSE: ONE YEAR IN #1 is a startling one-shot where Ultimates writer Deniz Camp, artist Jonas Scharf and upcoming Ultimate Wolverine creative team Chris Condon and Alessandro Cappuccio set the stage for the next year of Ultimate storytelling! Today, fans can check out all the covers for this highly-anticipated issue and get a sneak peek at both stories, each of which adds a major new player in the Ultimate Universe tapestry: Wolverine and Nick Fury! Among the covers are a group of variant covers where regular Ultimate series cover artists—Marcho Checchetto (Ultimate Spider-Man), Stefano Caselli (Ultimate Black Panther), Peach Momoko (Ultimate X-Men), and Dike Ruan (Ultimates)—traded off and brought their skills to characters from each other’s series. Also included is a terrifying depiction of the Maker by comic book legend Frank Miller, one-sixth of an epic connecting cover by Josemaria Casanovas that will run across all Ultimate titles, and a spoiler variant cover spotlighting Ultimate Wolverine’s first appearance by the character’s future series artist Alessandro Cappuccio. In never-before-seen preview pages, glimpse behind the curtain as Nick Fury’s role in the Maker’s world order is revealed. With their master’s return imminent, the Maker’s Council convene to discuss the sudden rise of super heroes determined to bring hope to their corrupt universe. Since the Ultimate Universe began, readers have learned more and more about its twisted origins, and now Deniz Camp and Jonas Scharf reveal some of its darkest truths yet! Plus, meet the Maker’s ultimate weapon, the Winter Soldier, in a prelude to Chris Condon and Alessandro Cappuccio’s Ultimate Wolverine, the newest ongoing Ultimate series launching this January. On crafting the issue, Camp said, “With ULTIMATE UNIVERSE: ONE YEAR IN, my goals were simple: Create an entryway for new readers into the Ultimate Universe; reward longtime readers, especially those who have wanted more connective tissue between the Ultimate books; AND set the stage for the next year of stories, as we build towards the return of the Maker. All this while telling a complete and satisfying one-issue story from the bad guys’ point of view! It's going to be dark, it's going to be kind of cruel, and, thanks to Jonas Scharf, it's going to be beautiful.” Check out all the artwork now and preorder ULTIMATE UNVIERSE: ONE YEAR IN #1 at your local comic shop today! ...
10/30/24 @ 5:57 pm EST
Channing Tatum-starrer Roofman will land in theaters Oct. 3, 2025, Paramount announced Wednesday. Kirsten Dunst and Peter Dinklage co-star. Derek Cianfrance (Civil War) is directing the true-crime film from a script he wrote with Kirk Gunn. Based on a true story, Tatum stars as a former Army Ranger and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname “Roofman.” After escaping from prison, he starts a new life while hiding in a toy store, and falls in love with a single mother and her two daughters. However, his criminal past and a final robbery threaten to destroy his chance at redemption. (via THR)
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