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07/08/16 @ 3:25 am EST
Ben Fisher, best known for writing Grumpy Cat, is now shifting gears and working on a post-apocalyptic drama series called The Great Divide. He talks with Byron Brewerabout the first issue that will be on sale from Dynamite in September. Cover A by Mike Henderson, Cover B by Adam Markiewicz, Cover C by Kyle Strahm.  BYRON BREWER: Ben, Dynamite readers may know you best as a writer on the tremendously popular Grumpy Cat title, but this is something worlds away. Tell us how you came to create The Great Divide as a concept and how it came to Dynamite.BEN FISHER: As a writer, I’m always interested in exploring how people with different backgrounds and viewpoints interact – particularly if they’re forced to come together under unusual circumstances. That concept holds true whether the premise is comedy or (in this case) post-apocalyptic drama.One day I was standing on an overcrowded bus heading into downtown Portland, uncomfortable and claustrophobic, and the thought occurred to me: how would the world operate if physical contact was literally a death sentence? Could personal relationships exist if just being in the same room as someone else was a potential risk?So I reached out to Adam Markiewicz, who really has a gift for letting human emotion shine through his panels, and together we brought the concept to Dynamite. They were immediately enthusiastic about the idea, and we really couldn’t have asked for better partners. BB: How closely have you Adam collaborated on the look and design for this book? I would imagine atmosphere is important in this type of series.BF: Atmosphere is essential, absolutely. Adam and I had many discussions about how people completely lacking human contact might express themselves in art, and the post-Divide world is filled with examples of that. We also wanted to capture a society at the beginning stages of admitting defeat – of recognizing that its extinction is a foregone conclusion.As a matter of pure aesthetics, Adam (along with Adam Guzowski, the book’s colorist) put a ton of consideration into conveying loneliness in their depiction of the landscape. BB: Tell us, if you will, about the world in which this series takes place.BF: The series is set in the near future, where all of humanity suffers from a mysterious affliction that causes any skin contact to result in agonizing death. But things only get stranger from there: when two people touch, only one dies, and the victim’s memories transfer to the survivor – usually with devastating effects (such as mental instability and the complete loss of the ability to read and write). To make matters worse, the entire planet periodically enters a temporary sleepwalking trance.And nobody has any idea why all of this is happening. (Well, okay, Adam and I might have an idea.)  BB: Simply, what is the “Divide” that occurs?BF: The “Divide” refers to the exact moment when every person simultaneously contracted “dermadik” – a condition that results in instant death upon skin contact. It also refers to the time when “walkabouts” (the unconscious, uncontrollable bouts of migration) first started.It speaks to the gap in genuine human connection that plagues so many of us in real life, only in this world it has become literalized.Wait, was that “simply?” Sorry, I’m terrible at following directions. BB: A post-apocalyptic environment is very popular in today’s comics, it seems. How will The Great Divide set itself apart from those other series?BF: The concept itself is a bit of a departure from traditional post-apocalyptic stories. We’ve created a fairly unique world and populated it with some very non-traditional characters.But truthfully, almost every action/adventure/horror story is “pre-apocalyptic,” with the protagonists valiantly struggling to stop the Really Bad Thing. A “post-apocalyptic” story just happens to take place after the Really Bad Thing has already happened. I think there’s a lot of headroom for both. BB: Who are the protagonists for this horror-fueled sci-fi drama?BF: At the heart of the story are two people who connect in traditional Hollywood romantic fashion: Paul is an aimless wanderer content to run out the clock on his life. At least, until he meets Maria, who immediately beats him unconscious, robs him, and leaves him for dead.During their journey, we’ll be introducing a strange and diverse cast, including a former solider who often serves as the group’s moral compass, a sociopath who collects memories, and a “baredevil” who thrives on the adrenaline rush of over-exposure.  BB: From what I understand, this is a very character-driven story. Was there any particular inspiration for the challenges our pair face?BF: That’s exactly right, and the post-Divide world allows us to focus a spotlight on the fears of intimacy and human connection that we all share. That’s the real inspiration for Paul and Maria’s relationship. Getting too close to another person is – literally – dangerous. And all the voices from your past encounters echo around your head until you aren’t sure if your own thoughts and emotions can be trusted.So it’s the same issues we all face – just with deadlier consequences and the occasional roving marauder. BB: I understand each issue of The Great Divide will also contain unique bonus content. In fact, #1 includes a download code for “Teowawki,” a doomsday-oriented song written and performed by … Ben Fisher! Tell us about it, and some of the other bonus content which may be coming.BF: Adam and I wanted to include additional digital content with each issue as our way of thanking readers who choose to spend time with us. The first issue will include a tongue-in-cheek song I wrote about a doomsday prepper on a first date. It felt like a thematically appropriate choice. The second issue will have downloadable pages to a post-apocalyptic adult coloring book drawn by Adam.We’ve got a lot of fun stuff planned and, as I hope is evident, we’re not letting the dark tone of the book suck all the fun out of the room. The story is filled with bits of humor and lighter moments to offset humanity’s grim situation, and the bonus content will certainly reflect that.In addition to the digital content, our enthusiasm for The Great Divide has spilled over into our other passions. We’re both musicians (Adam in particular has an ear for ambient soundtracks) and we’ve written a full original score for the series, which we’ll make available online (for free!) to help set the mood.
04/29/25 @ 6:02 pm EST
BOOM! Studios today revealed a first look at THE LAST WITCH: BLOOD & BETRAYAL #1, the premiere issue of the next exciting chapter of THE LAST WITCH from writer Conor McCreery (Assassin’s Creed), artist V.V. Glass’ (Kamen Rider Zero-One), colorist Natalia Nesterenko, and letterer Taylor Esposito. The 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? THE LAST WITCH: BLOOD & BETRAYAL #1 features main cover art by series artist V.V. Glass and variant covers by Jorge Corona (Batgirls). 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.      
... 04/29/25 @ 5:54 pm EST
Break out the old kill room, because Dexter Morgan is very not dead. Dexter: Resurrection, the sequel series to flagship Dexter, has set a release date and has dropped a teaser trailer saying as much as it reintroduces Michael C. Hall as titular serial killer Dexter Morgan. Dexter: Resurrection will debut with two episodes on Friday, July 11, on streaming and on demand for Paramount+ With Showtime subscribers, before its on-air debut Sunday, July 13, at 8 p.m. Remaining episodes will roll out weekly. Dexter: Resurrection, from showrunner and executive producer Clyde Phillips, is a continuation of Dexter: New Blood and picks up immediately after that 2021 limited series left off, where Dexter Morgan is revived after being shot by his son, Harrison (Jack Alcott). Dexter’s resuscitation was revealed in a flash-forward in Dexter: Original Sin, the prequel series that wrapped its first run in February (and has since been renewed). Phillips also headed up Original Sin. (via THR) Teaser: https://youtu.be/PC1ugbqJKNM 04/29/25 @ 11:37 am EST
James Gunn's Superman movie has finally offered fans the first full look at its secret villain. Several big baddies are confirmed for David Corenswet's Man of Steel to go up against in the DC Studios epic, Lex Luthor among them; however, one key member of the film's antagonistic bunch still has largely been kept under wraps. A new Amazon product listing shows the first head-to-toe look at Superman's villain, Ultraman. The sneak peek at the character popped up in the official activity book for Superman. It shows the masked villain in a skin-tight suit floating with his arms spread wide. The costume includes rounded goggles on the mask, a purple tint, and a metallic "U" splayed across the chest. Fans still do not know who the supervillain is, who they will be played by, or how they specifically factor in Superman's plot. Superman is set to soar into theaters on July 11, kicking off the newly minted DCU. (via The Direct) 
04/29/25 @ 11:01 am EST
Alan Tudyk’s beloved slouching quippy reprogrammed Imperial murder-bot K-2SO has an important role to play in Andor season two … just not quite yet. It’s understandable that some fans have been a bit impatient for this. When Andor was first announced as a prequel series to 2016’s Rogue One, the first thing that likely popped into your mind is Cassian Andor and his eight-foot-tall metal buddy roaming the galaxy, going on Rebel Alliance missions and having all sorts of adventures. But according to creator Tony Gilroy, the big reason we haven’t seen K-2SO is story-based. “[Limiting] K-2SO came from the experience of making Rogue, to be honest with you,” Gilroy says. “From the very beginning, that was one of the most difficult parts of the original conversation — how long I was going to have to delay [K-2SO]? Because what can you do with him? I don’t want people to go back and diagram Rogue, but just within that movie, there are two or three or four places where we are hiding him — where he has to stay on the ship or can’t go somewhere. He’s a really, really difficult piece of equipment to carry through a story. The limitations on him are huge. He’s a very visible, troublesome piece of story gear. So I knew intuitively how long I would have to wait to do it.” But K-2SO is coming. Really. (via The Hollywood Reporter) 04/29/25 @ 11:01 am EST
The multiple Eisner, Harvey, Ringo, and Hugo Award winning  New York Times bestselling series, Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda, hits its milestone 10th anniversary this year. In celebration of the momentous achievement, an equally momentous, door-stopping Monstress Compendium One paperback edition is slated to hit shelves this Fall from Image Comics. This highly-anticipated collected edition will be comprised of Monstress issues #1-48 and provide a binge-able new entry-point for readers just discovering Maika’s dark arcane quest. "In a lot of ways, Monstress is one of our secret weapons," said Eric Stephenson, Publisher and Chief Creative Officer at Image Comics. "Since the first trade paperback was released, it has sold and sold and sold, making it one of our most successful series of the past 10 years. For anyone not already seduced by this series' many charms, this massive compendium is a great opportunity to fall in love with one of comics’ modern masterworks." The richly imagined world of Monstress is an alternate 1900s Asia, with an art deco-infused steampunk aesthetic that's brimming with arcane dangers. Within it, a teenage girl struggles to overcome the trauma of war, a task that's made all the more difficult by her mysterious psychic link to an eldritch monster of tremendous power—a connection that will transform them both, and place them in the crosshairs of both human and otherworldly powers. Monstress first launched in 2015 and has gone on to be reprinted many times, has garnered a slew of accolades including multiple Eisner Awards, Harvey Awards, a Hugo Award, World Fantasy Award, and British Fantasy Award. It has snagged spots on Best of Year lists including those of Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek, The Washington Post, Thrillist, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s, and the American Library Association’s YALSA list. Liu broke the glass ceiling in 2016 when she made history as the first woman ever to win an Eisner Award the the Best Writer category for her work on the series. Monstress Compendium One paperback (ISBN: 9781534328334) will be available at local comic book shops on Wednesday, September 24 and independent bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indigo, and Waterstones on Tuesday, October 7. Monstress is also available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, Google Play, and Omnibus. ... 04/28/25 @ 7:49 pm EST
Academy Award-nominated Japanese director Mamoru Hosoda‘s latest animated film, “Scarlet,” has landed a Dec. 12 domestic release date from Sony Pictures. The film centers on a brave princess who transcends time and space. Hosoda’s previous feature films include “Digimon: The Movie” (2000), “One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island” (2005), “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time” (2006), “Summer Wars” (2009), “Wolf Children” (2012), “The Boy and the Beast” (2015), and “Mirai” (2018), which was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 91st Academy Awards. “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time” earned the inaugural Japan Academy Prize for Best Animation, while “Summer Wars” (2009) earned him an Annie Award nomination for Best Director and screened at the Berlin International Film Festival. Sony Pictures is co-producing and co-financing the film with Studio CHIZU and Nippon TV. (via Variety) 04/28/25 @ 7:39 pm EST
BOOM! Studios, in collaboration with leading games, IP and toy company Hasbro, today revealed a first look at POWER RANGERS PRIME #7. Groundbreaking POWER RANGERS writer, and scribe behind Darkest Hour Melissa Flores, with Michael YG (Iron Fist), colorist Fabi Marques, and letterer Ed Dukeshire ushers in a new era into the Rangers Mythos with the new ongoing series POWER RANGERS PRIME! Continuing June 2025. The Rangers might finally have their powers, but they still have a long way to go before they’re a real team. They’ll need to learn fast though, as one group delves into a mysterious and potentially dangerous underground labyrinth known as The Belly, while another explores a more… diplomatic solution to rescuing Mark. POWER RANGERS PRIME #7 features a main cover by the incomparable Dan Mora, with variants by Li Cree (Creepshow), Jae Lee & June Chung (Faithless), Keyla Valerio (Vicarious), Kevin Wada (Briar), Jessica Fong (Absolute Wonder Woman), and a limited BOOM! Studios Direct Reserve exclusive variant by Huy Dinh (The Boys)! POWER RANGERS PRIME is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to critically acclaimed original series, including BRZRKR by Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney; Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera; bestselling horror anthology Hello Darkness; Grim by Stephanie Phillips and Flaviano; Stuff of Nightmares by R.L. Stine and A.L. Kaplan; A Vicious Circle by Mattson Tomlin and Lee Bermejo; Ghostlore by Cullen Bunn and Leomacs; Rare Flavours by Ram V and Filipe Andrade; Underheist by David and Maria Lapham; Animal Pound by Tom King and Peter Gross; Minor Arcana by Jeff Lemire; and the upcoming Vicarious by Ryan Parrott and Eleonora Carlini; and The Creeping Below by Brian Azzarello and Vanesa Del Rey. The imprint also publishes popular licensed properties, including Dune: House Corrino from Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, and Simone Ragazzoni; and The Expanse: Dragon Tooth by Andy Diggle, Rubine, and Francesco Pisa. POWER RANGERS PRIME #7 will be available in comic shops June 4, 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.            
... 04/28/25 @ 12:20 pm EST
Today Skybound and Image Comics revealed a stunning set of all-new The Walking Dead Deluxe connecting variant covers drawn by Eisner Award winner Matt Wagner (Grendel, Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity), with colors by Brennan Wagner (The Shadow: Year One). This connecting series covers the “All Out War-Part 1" story arc of the landmark comic book series, which commences the war between Rick and his allies and Negan and his Saviors in the biggest storyline in The Walking Dead history. Each of the covers in the connecting series depicts a prominent survivor in stark full color amid a background of the Walkers they fight against in muted ombré pastel. “When Skybound offered me these covers, they asked if I could possibly weave them all together into some sort of continuous tapestry,” said Matt Wagner. “My first idea was to link the covers as frames in an animated sequence that changed characters with every issue, the action charging left-to-right and finally turning back on itself. For me, the funnest part was the canopy background of Walkers and making sure that each and every one of the 100+ undead were completely different from each other. And then Brennan's incredible coloring made the whole thing flow as one grand montage!” “All Out War is one of the most pivotal storylines in all of The Walking Dead, and having the chance to bring in Matt and Brennan for this set of covers was a truly amazing opportunity,” said Nachie Marsham, Senior Editor at Skybound. “They created something uniquely their own while capturing the heart of the story. The covers are a mangled delight to see, and I can’t wait for people to get their hands on them!” These all-new covers will appear as variants to The Walking Dead Deluxe #115-120, with each issue presenting the series in full color format for the first time from writer/creator Robert Kirkman, with art by Charlie Adlard and colors by Dave McCaig. Fans will also receive a new look at the worldwide pop culture phenomenon with pinups and exclusive “Cutting Room Floor” commentary by Kirkman, celebrating the secret history of the series. The Walking Dead Deluxe #115 (Lunar Codes Below, Where Available SRP: $3.99) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. A full list of the connecting covers is below: The Walking Dead Deluxe #115 CVR C Matt Wagner & Brennan Wagner (Lunar Code: 0425IM444) – available June 18, 2025 The Walking Dead Deluxe #116 CVR C Matt Wagner & Brennan Wagner (Lunar Code: 0525IM455) – available July 2, 2025 The Walking Dead Deluxe #117 CVR C Matt Wagner & Brennan Wagner (Lunar Code: 0525IM458) – available July 16, 2025 The Walking Dead Deluxe #118 CVR C Matt Wagner & Brennan Wagner – available August 6, 2025 The Walking Dead Deluxe #119 CVR C Matt Wagner & Brennan Wagner – available August 20, 2025 The Walking Dead Deluxe #120 CVR C Matt Wagner & Brennan Wagner – available September 3. 2025 
 
   
... 04/28/25 @ 12:10 pm EST
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners held the top spot at the box office in its second week, earning another $45 million. That’s a minuscule drop of just over 6%, which is practically unheard of in the industry at this point in time, when streaming more often than not reigns supreme. It’s the second-best for an R-rated movie in history, with the only film besting it being this year’s dark horse slasher flick Heart Eyes, which actually managed to jump 19% in week two. The catch there was that its second weekend was Valentine’s Day weekend. It’s not quite an apples-to-apples comparison. But, either way, after just two weekends, Sinners has become the 11th highest-grossing vampire movie of all time. And chances are it’s going to go up that list quite a bit and quite quickly. What bloodsucking movies are ahead of Sinners? Just the three Hotel Transylvania movies, and there’s a better than decent chance it will beat the highest-grossing of them (Hotel Transylvania 2‘s $169.7 million) by next Sunday. Sinners is now playing in theaters, IMAX, and 70mm. (via ComicBook.com) 04/28/25 @ 11:48 am EST
Following his Oscar-nominated work on Conclave, director Edward Berger looks to have zeroed in on his potential next project and is teaming with one of the towns’ biggest stars. Deadline is reporting that, following a competitive situation, A24 has landed the hot package The Riders with Academy Award-winner Brad Pitt on board to star. David Kajganich will adapt Tim Winton’s novel. The novel follows Fred Scully (Pitt), who after traveling through Europe for two years, wind up in Ireland with his wife and daughter, and on a mystical whim of Jennifer’s, buy an old farmhouse which stands in the shadow of a castle. While Scully spends weeks alone renovating the old house, Jennifer returns to Australia to liquidate their assets. When Scully arrives at Shannon Airport to pick up Jennifer and their seven-year-old daughter, Billie, it is Billie who emerges—alone. There is no note, no explanation, not so much as a word from Jennifer, and the shock has left Billie speechless. In that instant, Scully’s life falls to pieces. Production will commence early 2026 and shoot in multiple locations across Europe. |
