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04/17/23 @ 12:37 pm EST
 DF Interview: Sean Phillips’ art brings to life a Jekyll-and-Hyde noir thriller in the ‘Night Fever’ graphic novel By Byron BrewerWho are you, really? Are you the things you do, or are you the person inside your mind? In Europe on a business trip, Jonathan Webb can't sleep. Instead, he finds himself wandering the night in a strange foreign city with his new friend, the mysterious and violent Rainer, as his guide. Rainer shows Jonathan the hidden world of the night, a world without rules or limits. But when the fun turns dangerous, Jonathan may find himself trapped in the dark. The question is, what will he do to get home? Night Fever is a pulse-pounding Jekyll-and-Hyde noir thriller about a man facing the darkness inside himself. This riveting tour of the night is a must-have for all Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips fans. I sat down with artist and buddy Sean Phillips to do more of a deep dive into this epic graphic novel. Byron Brewer: Sean, first: thanks as always for doing this interview. I don’t think I have missed you for a Brubaker/Phillips graphic novel adventure yet! And, as Ed has said, this IS “a weird one”. Second: For your tried-and-true fans, a little from my high school teachers: Compare and contrast your coming Night Fever with the B/P OGN it is closest to in style and tone (if there is one close to it). Sean Phillips: I’m always too close to these books to be that objective about them, but with a few weeks’ hindsight after finishing drawing Night Fever, I think it might be closest to Incognito in feel. Some of the parts definitely remind me of that. Not in the plot or characters but just in the weirdness. Otherwise, it’s just another of our books about a confused middle-aged man. Byron: Ed has said that this book contains “the best art of Sean’s entire career, which feels almost unbelievable. But it’s true.” Modesty accepted, your response or reaction? Sean Phillips: Well, hopefully I get better with each project but I’m never sure I accomplish what I set out to do. With this book, I had some things I wanted to try. As it is set in Europe in the 1970s, I thought I’d take some things from some of my favorite French comics from back then. A lot of French comics including Blueberry were drawn in two halves, with a horizontal gutter on every page. I thought that might be a subtle thing to work with, instead of the three tier grid I always use on my creator-owned books with Ed. I found it made for some interesting page layouts but Ed found it too different to write for that rhythm so we’re back to our usual grid on the next book. Because each page was drawn in two halves, I could draw them bigger too. Usually I work at 125% of print size but these are 200%. That means I could draw more detail while keeping to my usual pens and brushes. Byron: Talk about the world you are building here with Ed. What canvas will you be setting the readers down in when the graphic novel goes on-sale in the summer of 2023? Sean Phillips: Ed set the story in an unnamed Western European country so I decided to base it on the town of Angouleme in France as I’ve been there a few times for the comic festival and I thought it offered all the things the story needed visually. Also doesn’t hurt it’s chances of being published in France too! Byron: Introduce us to Jonathan Webb and his new friend, Rainer. Who are these men, and what is/will be the relationship between the two? Sean Phillips: Jonathan is an American editor at a book fair in France. When he can’t sleep because of jet lag, he goes out into the night where Rainer offers him a glimpse of all nocturnal treasures the city has to offer. It doesn’t go well for either of them… Byron: If my info is correct, this tale’s scribe was inspired by old Black Lizard noir novels and weird [that word again!] and sexy European comics from the ‘70s. What has been your muse, your inspiration for this new book? Sean Phillips: I looked at a few of my favorite European artists. Moebius, Bilal and Toppi all influenced me a little, but I’m way out of their league obviously. Mostly drawing this book was a great excuse to look at a lot of French comics. Byron: Can you give readers an overview of this novel, what it’s all about without spoilers? Sean Phillips: It’s about an uptight American middle-aged man who gets seduced by the bright lights of an exotic foreign city and gets in way over his head. Byron: Was there a character design or a set piece that you either really loved in the OGN or that presented unexpected difficulty? I know each of these characters is special, but was there one you could not wait to render? Sean Phillips: None of the characters were more difficult to draw than in other books but mostly I enjoyed drawing the old buildings of a French town rather than the American streets I usually have to draw. It always takes a lot of research whatever it is though. Byron: Sean, what other projects are set to rise from your artistic horizon soon? Sean Phillips: Ed and I are already deep into our next book, out in December. Apart from that, nothing else planned. Dynamic Forces would like to thank Sean Phillips for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Night Fever from Image Comics is slated to be on sale June 14th! For more news and up-to-date announcements, join us here at Dynamic Forces, www.dynamicforces.com/htmlfiles/, “LIKE” us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/dynamicforcesinc, and follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/dynamicforces. 03/19/25 @ 5:50 pm EST
This July, Marvel’s First Family will enter a bold new era in an all-new ongoing comic book series! Written by Ryan North (One World Under Doom, Fantastic Four) and drawn by artist Humberto Ramos (Spider-Boy, Strange Academy), the new comic series will test the strength of the Fantastic Four as they embark on adventures through time, space, science, and the human condition in a way we have never seen before. Beginning during the events of One World Under Doom, also helmed by North, the Fantastic Four face Doom in a fight to save the world – until it suddenly goes catastrophically wrong, sending them to four different eras in Earth’s history! Alone and isolated in wildly different time periods, Reed, Johnny, Ben, and Sue all have to fight to survive. Their only hope is to reach the Forever Stone: a mass of dense granite that happens to be one of the longest-lasting rocks on the planet, which - through a combination of obscurity and raw geologic luck - has stayed both intact and accessible for most of Earth's history. “People often think of the FF in terms of family, and they’re not wrong, but I think there’s something really beautiful about friendship too, and we get to see that with these characters,” North said. “It’s high-concept science fiction with real emotion. What’s not to like?” Following the currently acclaimed multi-year run wrapping this June, the new FANTASTIC FOUR series will begin with an extra-big, extra-special first issue, featuring shocking surprises and battles against the steepest odds, all brought to life by the incredible art of Humberto Ramos! “I’ve been lucky to illustrate many of the most iconic superheroes in the universe, but this book felt different from the start,” shared Ramos. “The weight of history and legacy of these characters lay upon your shoulders, no matter who you are or how you’ve worked in this industry.” Just ahead of Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps this July, this new series will be the perfect jumping on point for both new and longtime FF fans. Don’t miss the start of a new Fantastic Four saga, in comic shops everywhere this summer! 
... 03/19/25 @ 4:18 pm EST
The Big Bang Theory spinoff on Max is untitled no more — and it’s good news and bad news for Kevin Sussman’s Stuart Bloom character. The series, which remains in development, will be titled Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, Deadline reports. That puts Stuart at the center of the offshoot but also hints that the beloved sidekick, who could never quite catch a break on Big Bang, might not have better luck on his own. On Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, Sussman is joined by fellow Big Bang alums Lauren Lapkus, who plays Kevin’s girlfriend Denise, Brian Posehn (Bert Kibbler) and John Ross Bowie (Barry Kripke). Because the series is still awaiting a green light, the quartet are not formally cast in it but have talent holding deals with WBTV with the purpose of starring in the spinoff once it’s picked up. 03/19/25 @ 4:08 pm EST
Following the success of The Boys on Prime Video, creator Eric Kripke's superhero satire franchise is now set to expand with a spinoff that takes place in the 1950s. Hailing from showrunner Paul Grellong, Vought Rising's story has been described as a murder mystery about Vought's origins, with both Jensen Ackles' Soldier Boy and Aya Cash's Stormfront, aka Clara Vought, both confirmed to star. Variety is reporting that Will Hochman has been cast in Vought Rising in an undisclosed role. Hochman starred in five seasons of Blue Bloods as Joe Hill. In addition, Deadline reports that Euphoria actor Elizabeth Posey has also joined the spinoff, though it's not clear who she will be playing. Production is expected to get underway later this year. So far, the only actors from the cast of The Boys confirmed to appear are Cash and Ackles. The Boys season 5 started filming last November and is slated to release at some point in 2026. (via Screen Rant) ... 03/19/25 @ 5:30 pm EST
Warner Bros‘ shelved movie Coyote vs. Acme finally might have found a new home with the studio deep in sale negotiations, Deadline reports. Gareth West’s distributor-financier Ketchup Entertainment is negotiating an all-rights acquisition in the $50M range for the animated/live-action hybrid project. Ketchup last year rescued the same studio’s The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. The pact isn’t finalized and there’s still a chance it doesn’t make it, but it’s heading in the right direction. Should it get over the line, the film would get a theatrical release in 2026. Directed by David Green and written by May December scribe Samy Burch, as well as DC Studios co-boss James Gunn and Jeremy Slater, Coyote vs. Acme is based on the Looney Tunes characters and the New Yorker humor article “Coyote v. Acme” by Ian Frazier. Despite test-screening well, the project became a high-profile casualty of WB cost-cutting two years ago and it has been sitting on the shelf for more than a year. The studio reportedly screened the movie to a string of buyers in early 2024 with a price tag of around $70M, which is how much the film is said to have cost. Studio sources claim to us that they didn’t get any offers at the time. Warner Bros and Ketchup declined to comment. 03/19/25 @ 4:09 pm EST
This summer, celebrate all things Marvel with GIANT-SIZE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1, a first-of-its-kind one-shot bringing together mega talent to tell a range of stories spanning the Marvel mythos! Perfect for fans and new readers alike, this amazing collection of all-new tales encapsulate the heart of Marvel storytelling, all told through the vision of some of the industry’s biggest creators! First, Kevin Smith makes his triumphant return to Marvel, teaming up with Giuseppe Camuncoli for a Spider-Man and Fantastic Four story that will have your heart beating in overdrive and your sides hurting from how much you’re laughing. As if that wasn’t enough, Al Ewing and Mark Buckingham spin a decade-spanning adventure with Spider-Man and some of his best friends! And if that still isn’t enough, Chip Zdarsky and Cafu introduce a brand-new character who will play a big role in the near future! “Everyone always says GIANT SIZE X-MEN this, GIANT-SIZE X-MEN that,” says Spider-Editor Nick Lowe. “And I’m sick of it, so we put together the best and coolest GIANT-SIZE book ever.” “Kevin Smith and Giuseppe Camuncoli spin an instant classic! Al Ewing and Mark Buckingham use Spidey as a prism to the whole Marvel Universe and it’s history! Chip Zdarsky and Cafu bring you the coolest new Marvel character in recent memory who throws Spidey for a loop! And that’s not even all! THERE’S ALSO—” Lowe said before being cut off for spoiling too much. Check out the main cover by superstar artist Greg Capullo and preorder GIANT-SIZE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 at your local comic shop today! 
03/18/25 @ 4:47 pm EST
Today Skybound Comet and Image Comics revealed a first look at interior pages from Pizza Witch, the graphic novel that cooks up a delicious world of magic for a wide range of readers by Sarah Graley (Glitch, Our Super Adventure) and Stef Purenins (Our Super Adventure). Pizza Witch will be available for physical purchase everywhere books are sold in September 2025 from Skybound Comet, the original graphic novel imprint aimed at Young Adult (Ages 12+) and Middle Grade (Ages 8-12) audiences, but sure to captivate readers of all ages. A YA graphic novel with crossover appeal to new adults, Pizza Witch follows main character Roxy on her journey to be the best Pizza Witch with accessible yet emotive art and storytelling that highlights relationships and Roxy’s self-discovery. As Sarah Graley and Stef Purenins have been publishing their webcomic series Our Super Adventure for over a decade, Skybound Comet is pleased to announce that Pizza Witch will also debut on Webtoon, Tapas and the Pizza Witch website on May 20, with the first three chapters available to read for free. One chapter of the graphic novel will become available on these platforms on Tuesdays weekly, through the final chapter’s release in December. “Roxy knows that the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach,” said Alex Antone, Editorial Director at Skybound. “And with Pizza Witch’s digital-first strategy, perhaps we’ll find that the way to a person’s bookshelf is through their phone.” In Pizza Witch, Roxy wants nothing more than to become the best Pizza Witch that’s ever existed! But having to deal with a boss who couldn’t care less about teaching her magic and parents who don’t exactly support her dream has brought Roxy to her breaking point. Well, at least until her boss reveals that he’s been prepping her for a LEGENDARY magic Pizza Artifact quest. Is this finally the moment Roxy’s been waiting for? Accompanied by her BFF black cat familiar, George, will Roxy get to learn advanced Pizza Magic and maybe even find time for romance along the way? The Skybound Comet slate also includes the upcoming release of Family Force V (SBN: 978-1-5343-4033-6 SRP $16.99), the prismatic YA graphic novel about your new favorite alien fighting family by Matt Braly (Disney’s Amphibia) and artist Ainsworth Lin, coming in June 2025; Clementine Book Three (ISBN: 978-1-5343-9737-8 SRP $14.99), the highly anticipated and heart-wrenching finale of the Eisner-Award nominated YA trilogy by Tillie Walden (On a Sunbeam, Spinning), coming in July 2025; and TRANSFORMERS: Worst Bot Ever: Meet Ballpoint (ISBN: 978-1-5343-2799-3 SRP $12.99), the start of a new OGN series about the misadventures of the bot who is mightier than the sword by Brian “Smitty” Smith (Pea, Bee, and Jay) and Marz Jr. (Void Rivals cover artist), available July 2025 for Middle Grade Readers. Pizza Witch (ISBN: 978-1-5343-2796-2 SRP $16.99) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday September 3, 2025, and at booksellers, along with digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Tuesday, September 16, 2025.                
... 03/18/25 @ 4:39 pm EST
This June, GODZILLA faces off against Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in GODZILLA VS. AVENGERS by Eisner Award-winning writer David F. Walker (Planet of the Apes) and acclaimed artist George Jeanty (Star Wars: Mace Windu), the fifth in a series of six comic book one-shots pitting the King of the Monsters against Marvel’s most iconic super heroes! Taking place across various eras of both Marvel Comics AND Godzilla storytelling, the highly anticipated Godzilla Vs. one-shots kick off next week in GODZILLA VS. FANTASTIC FOUR #1 by Ryan North and John Romita Jr. Following this Silver Age bout with Marvel’s First Family, Godzilla will have a ‘70s-inspired slugfest with the strongest there is in GODZILLA VS. HULK #1 by Gerry Duggan and Giuseppe Camuncoli, a pulse-pounding encounter with a black suited Spidey in GODZILLA VS. SPIDER-MAN #1 by Joe Kelly and Nick Bradshaw, and a throwdown with Marvel’s Merry Mutants during their ‘90s heyday in GODZILLA VS. X-MEN #1 by Fabian Nicieza and Emilio Laiso. Then, Godzilla marches into the 21st century to take on Brian Michael Bendis’ groundbreaking New Avengers lineup in GODZILLA VS. AVENGERS #1! ROUND FIVE: VS. THE NEW AVENGERS! The original New Avengers return to face an unstoppable enemy – GODZILLA! In the aftermath of a massive battle between Godzilla, Fin Fang Foom, the Avengers and Jet Jaguar, S.H.I.E.L.D. tries to make sense of what went down – but everyone’s telling a different story! What really happened during that fateful clash? Find out when Earth’s Mightiest Heroes take on Earth’s Mightiest Kaiju! “As a child, I was raised on Godzilla movies, and as an adult, the New Avengers was a beautiful reminder of why I love comics,” Walker shared. “The lineup of iconic characters in the New Avengers was a beautiful mix of quirky personalities and big adventures that kept me coming back every month. Bringing Godzilla and the New Avengers together for an epic showdown has allowed me to work with characters I have loved for a long time, in a way that I hope is as entertaining for fans to read as it was for me to write.” “There are few things in life that feel better then when you get to recreate your childhood passions as a ‘serious’ adult,” Jeanty shared. “Drawing this one-shot allowed me to package two things I loved in my youth, Godzilla and the Avengers, and put it in a comic book! It has been a joy drawing these pages. I hope everyone who picks up this book will see all the love that went into to it.” Check out GODZILLA VS. AVENGERS #1 covers including the main cover by New Avengers artist Leinil Francis Yu, the latest in Nick Bradshaw’s Monster Homage and Lee Garbett’s Vs. Variant Cover series, and pieces by Michael Allred and Mitsushiro Arita. Stay tuned for more GODZILLA and Marvel Comics news in the months ahead.     
... 03/18/25 @ 4:25 pm EST
Conor McCreery (Assassin’s Creed) and V.V. Glass’ (Kamen Rider Zero-One) young adult fantasy series returns with THE LAST WITCH: BLOOD & BETRAYAL from BOOM! Studios in June 2025! The one thing Saoirse has always known: witches are evil. But now she is one, and she has to contend with what that means for herself and her brother Brahm. All the while, Nicneven has plans that can mean the end of Ireland as they know it. Saoirse must learn to control her magic–and temper–if they want any chance of defeating her. Are her own prejudices against witches creating more of a barrier between herself, her powers, and her family? “I've had the chance to present The Last Witch series to hundreds and hundreds of students across North America and in Europe, and nothing has made me prouder in my career than seeing how excited they are to read Saoirse and her family's adventure,” said Connor McCreery. “If you have a young reader in your life, I promise you, they're going to love this book.” “I'm very excited to come back to the world of The Last Witch to give the story the finale it deserves,” said V.V. Glass. “I hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I do drawing it!” THE LAST WITCH: BLOOD & BETRAYAL #1 features main cover art by V.V. Glass. THE LAST WITCH: BLOOD & BETRAYAL is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ award-winning BOOM! Box imprint, home to groundbreaking original series such as Lumberjanes by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Gus Allen, and ND Stevenson; Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera and Celia Moscote; Giant Days by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Max Sarin; Mamo by Sas Milledge; Save Yourself! by Bones Leopard and Kelly and Nichole Matthews; Specter Inspectors by Bowen McCurdy and Kaitlyn Musto; The Last Witch by Conor McCreery and V.V. Glass; Ghosted in LA by Sina Grace and Siobhan Keenan; The Avant-Guards by Carly Usdin and Noah Hayes; Fence by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad; Goldie Vance by Hope Larson and Brittney Williams; Hollow by Shannon Watters, Branden Boyer-White, and Berenice Nelle; Getting Dizzy by Shea Fontana and Celia Moscote; and the educational series Seen: True Stories of Marginalized Trailblazers. THE LAST WITCH: BLOOD & BETRAYAL #1 will be available in comic shops June 18, 2025. It is available for pre-order at your local comic shop. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including Kindle, iBooks, and Google Play.      
... 03/18/25 @ 4:15 pm EST
Disney‘s feature take on its classic 1937 toon Snow White finally is hitting theaters this weekend after weathering a tormenting, blown-out-of-proportion tabloid controversy. Domestic is looking to land between a $45M-$50M opening with another $55M abroad. The reported $270M feature production came under fire on social for the casting of Latina-Polish descent actress Rachel Zegler in the lead role. She pushed back against the criticism, in addition to the actress’ candid remarks about the original film and a slamming of Donald Trump and his supporters back in November. It’s believed that some of this sentiment is in the ether, which has pushed down on tickets sales. It also led Disney to pare down its world premiere on Saturday, which excluded mainstream press from the carpet — despite the studio putting on a full extravaganza pre-party with food, free candy, afternoon appletinis, faux gem digging and Zegler taking selfies in the crowd. Stateside, the film is booked at 4,200 theaters with previews starting at 2 p.m. Thursday. (via Deadline) 03/17/25 @ 10:26 pm EST
In 1998, the Marvel Knights line reignited the comic book industry and redefined Marvel storytelling for the 21st century. Now, over 25 years later, two of the imprint’s key creators—influential writer, artist and former Marvel Comics Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada and acclaimed writer Christopher Priest—present a new evolution of the Marvel Universe under the groundbreaking Marvel Knights banner this June in MARVEL KNIGHTS: THE WORLD TO COME! Developed and almost already completed in its entirety, MARVEL KNIGHTS: THE WORLD TO COME is a six-issue series where Quesada and Priest combine their decades of experience crafting masterful comic book sagas to produce an entire new vision of the Marvel Universe. The story begins in Wakanda with startling developments centered around T’Challa, Storm, Shuri and more that will reverberate across the globe, changing the Marvel mythos as you know it and boldly reinventing its most legendary heroes. The King of Wakanda is DEAD, leaving unguarded the world’s most advanced technology, most precious metal, and a cryptic vault of dark secrets while triggering global conflicts among Marvel’s heroes, villains and mutants. With T’Challa gone and the future of the Marvel Universe teetering on a vibranium knife edge, a tribal challenge ensues for the Wakandan throne and its mysterious victor will emerge as the new leader of Wakanda and usher in THE WORLD TO COME. Recounting the history behind Marvel Knights, Quesada said, "In September 1998, Marvel Knights Daredevil #1 hit the stands, followed by The Punisher, Inhumans, and Black Panther. Eight months earlier, Jimmy Palmiotti, Nanci Dakesian, and I, along with our creators, spent endless hours and sleepless nights producing the best books we could. We knew they looked different—edgier than anything Marvel was publishing at the time—but in a struggling comic book industry, there was no guarantee anyone would notice. We were confident they’d do well, but we didn’t anticipate the overwhelming fan reaction or the lasting impact Marvel Knights would have on Marvel. Fast forward to October 2017—my best bud, mentor, and Marvel Knights Black Panther writer (and, for my money, the best writer in comics), Christopher Priest, pitched me an idea rooted in his original Marvel Knights take on T’Challa and Wakanda. It was insane, beautiful, and edgy as hell. I told him I HAD to draw it—and that we should go even bigger.” “Priest delivered an opus—a journey that lets us—and fans—celebrate those original books while taking familiar characters to new and unexpected places. I haven’t had this much fun drawing a project since Marvel Knights Daredevil #1,” Quesada said of the new series. “More than twenty years ago I started as an Editorial Assistant on Marvel Knights books and now I get to watch Joe and Priest celebrate it with this masterwork,” says Executive Editor Nick Lowe. “We’ve been working on this for a long time (Joe’s finishing the last page of #5 this week) but I can’t believe the rest of the world gets in on it with us this June!” Check out Quesada’s wraparound cover along with a first look at interior artwork featuring colors by Richard Isanove. Preorder MARVEL KNIGHTS: THE WORLD TO COME #1 at your local comic shop and stay tuned for more new about this landmark series in the months ahead.     
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