By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 6/10/2016
For those who can objectively look at the beliefs of others and even your own, Apocrypha Now from Top Shelf Productions would be the deleted scenes in the Blu-Ray release of the King James Bible. Writer, Mark Russell (Prez) band cartoonist Shannon Wheeler (Too Much Coffee Man) bring readers an informative, if nothing else entertaining, […]
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 1/7/2016
What does DC need to do to change its fortunes in the year to come?
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 10/28/2015
"I hope that...when people read PREZ, they'll have a laugh. Then, the next week, when someone has sex with a pig...they say 'wait a second, that sounds familiar.'"
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 9/16/2015
Last week, we learned that we had an internal leak at Stately Beat Manor, home of the staffers of the Comics Beat, the world’s greatest information sources of all things comics. One of our newest writers had secretly been operating a blog for Marvel ‘90s villain Stryfe. The antagonist had secret correspondence with the staffer […]
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 9/10/2015
A few months ago, as I was running a deposit to the bank, I ran into the store’s landlord at the terminal next to mine. As we both waited on our tellers to process our various requests, we had a small chat. He asked how the business was going. I replied that the store had […]
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 7/11/2015
Prez #1
By Harper W. Harris
Of all the new DCYou titles that have come out so far, Prez by Mark Russell and Ben Caldwell may be my favorite. It takes a sharp, satirical look at the future and the American political process in a way that is a bit shocking to see in a DC comic book. Although the title and concept is an older one from the early ’70s, Beth Ross is a brand new Prez for a new generation. I got a chance to sit down with Mark Russell and talk about the origin of his version of Prez and the darkly hilarious future he presents in the new series.
Harper W. Harris: In Prez #1, you have a lot of really smart and really funny ideas about the future that you put forth. How did you decide what ideas or concepts you wanted to exaggerate for that future, and did you do any research to pull that together?
Mark Russell: Well, I think the things that I really like really take a lot of time to build the world in which they exist, so I spent a lot of time thinking about the world before I even started writing stories about Prez. So a lot of the things that I decided to populate it with were sort of nascent technologies that we have now that I see either dark things they could be used for in the future, or things that are used for dark things now that I think could be made to serve people better in the future. So it was literally a critique on how we’re misusing technology and people now, and I figured I would just extrapolate ways in which things could be further abused or how we could change the way these technologies and humans are treated in the future.
HH: You’ve got a lot of experience with satire in the past particularly with religious satire in God is Disappointed in You. How did you turn your eye to political satire, and how has that differed for you so far?
MR: I think my worldview can best be described as irreverence, which I see as a breed of honesty. I don’t revere anything enough that I won’t look at its flaws, but I don’t hate anything enough that I can’t see its virtues. So that’s the sort of prism I want to turn on to anything I’m writing about. In terms of politics, the only thing that really was different from God is Disappointed in You was the research I was doing, and the opinions I have about the world and the direction it’s going is formed by recent history. But otherwise it’s exactly the same beast.
Beth becoming the infamous Corndog Girl
HH: A lot of your past work has been in prose form, or with single panel cartooning. How has working with Ben Caldwell been, and with working in a more sequential art form?
MR: I have to think a lot more visually as opposed to writing something as exposition or having the character say something, I can actually show it in the panel, which is really liberating. It’s really helped me to start thinking in those terms. Plus, Ben comes up with a lot of great background details and stuff, so a lot of times he will come up with something that will inspire me to write a line of dialogue that addresses it. Like one of my favorite things that he’s drawn so far is in issue one when Beth is working at the corndog place. I just put in my notes, “the employees are wearing ridiculous costumes.” But what he came up with were these people wearing these like dachshund hats. So I actually started incorporating lines about the hats in future issues–she doesn’t want to give up her hat after she becomes president. She has to go back to the corndog place and ask for an advance on her paycheck even after she becomes president, and they’re like, “What do you care, you’re the president?” Well yeah, but they don’t pay until the end of the month. So it’s the kind of thing you have to think about when you’re a teenager working at a corndog place, even if you are the commander in chief. You gotta make it until payday.
HH: Very nice! So let’s actually talk about Beth a bit. When you starting work on the book and getting ideas for it, how did you decide to make Prez a totally new character from the original Prez, and how do you feel she’s different?
MR: I wanted to do a very different comic book than the original Prez. I think that the original Prez was more relevant for the early ’70s–it was about that they thought youth culture was about to take over the world now that 18 year olds could vote, and we’re in very different world now. We’re in a world where youth culture has largely failed, where the government and politics are largely controlled by elites and non-egalitarian forces. So I wanted to do a comic that was about this political reality, and to make that separation as cleanly as possible I wanted to come up with a completely different character in as many ways as possible from the original Prez Rickard. Although, I will say, Prez Rickard does show up as a character in the new Prez: he’s super old, in his 70s, and he’s a failed wunderkind from the past. He did not become president in my world, but he is there. I wanted it to be a very different comic about a very different time in American history.
HH: So yeah, you see the original Prez as being about youth culture having failed…do you think now that’s a thing that’s changed, an idea that holds more water?
MR: I think in a way, youth culture is far more threatening or promising now than it was in the early ’70s because it’s transcending politics. It’s more about recreating the world using technologies and social media that was inconceivable back then. As enlightened as the hippies may have been, they still had to work within the media and social paradigms of their time, they still had to somehow get on television. They still had to spread their message through the mass media. That’s no longer the case: social media the youth movement and millennials to completely create their own culture independently of what the people who own the means of communication can channel them into.
Prez #2
HH: So it’s a matter of different channels and different tools that they have available to them, okay. So another thing that’s really different about your Prez story is that most of the early stories are really short. How did you hit on 12 issues, and how do you plan to expand that world into a longer form story?
MR: The 12 issues is what DC originally came up with because it will take us up to the 2016 election and they figured there was going to be more interest in political satire because of the election. But I’m really starting to think of it as two six-issue long story arcs, which is good because it’s not like a bad ’30s radio serial drama, it gives me room to world build and to have side stories that really make the universe or Prez come alive in a way that I couldn’t if I had to do a succinct complete story every single issue. Plus I think that single issue approach lends itself to impossibility–like in this one he’s fighting vampires, and the next one he’ll be boxing a gorilla. Whereas if you have a few issues to take your time and tell a story, you can deal with the complexities of real life and real politics.
HH: So tell us a little more about the format of how you’re going to approach it; you said you’re breaking it into two six-issue arcs, will each issue deal with specific idea, or is it more building towards the ends of those two stories?
MR: Both. Each one has its own sort of unique issue. Issue one was largely just about introducing the characters, issue two is about the absurdity of the electoral process. There’ll be an issue about drone warfare…but at the same time they are all advancing the central plot about Beth coming to power and becoming a seasoned politician and able president because she has the two assets that no other president in history has had: she doesn’t owe a lot of favors–she doesn’t have to pay people back for their support–and she’s not a product of the system. She hasn’t learned what she can’t do, so to her there’s no reason to believe that she can’t do anything she comes up with.
Everyone’s new favorite form of fast food: Taco Drone
HH: Looking at Prez #1, it’s a very dark and messed up world you’ve presented us with, and like you said we’re going to see how Beth comes to power and deals with those things. So all-in-all, when the series is done, do you think the story is a more optimistic or cynical one?
MR: I want it to be an optimistic story. I think you have to paint a portrait of what’s wrong with the world before you can say what should be done. But if you don’t say what should be done, or you don’t have opinions about ways in which the world could be better, then what’s the point? Otherwise you’re just moaning, you know?
HH: Last question: where can I get a taco drone? I’m kinda hungry…
MR: I’m working on one in my garage. The taco is coming along much better than the drone right now, but I’ll let you know.
Prez #1 is on stands now, with issue two of the twelve issue series coming out on 7/22.
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 6/19/2015
It’s that time again, as I delve into Week 3 of DC’s set of relaunched titles that have been dubbed as “The DC You”. This week marks a few changes worth noting up front, I had limited time in my pre-HeroesCon planning (which I’ll be attending for The Beat all weekend), so I’m only covering the new #1’s. My apologies to fans of the current Wonder Woman team, Secret Six, etc…but I’m throwing this together as quickly as I can before I hit the road. If anyone has thoughts to add about the books I didn’t get to this week or any of the below, hit me with them in the comments section, I’d love to hear what you think!
Again, my disclaimer, none of the below discombobulated and poorly thought-through ramblings should be considered actual reviews of any kind. And here we go…
Black Canary #1: This was probably the book that I was most anticipating, outside of Gene Luen Yang‘s Superman. I love Brenden Fletcher‘s work on everything he’s touched so far, and Annie Wu is artistic dynamite. I left this first issue mostly satisfied, Wu’s trademark dynamics are definitely in place and you can sense what Fletcher aiming for in a sort of Bryan Lee O’Malley-esque way. Much like the first relaunched issue of Batgirl that Fletcher, Cameron Stewart and Babs Tarr took over, there’s some clumsiness in establishing the new status quo and nailing the right voice for its central character. But also like Batgirl, I expect this to become a really fun ride from the second issue on. It’s good, I just expect it to get a lot better now that the preamble is out of the way.
Verdict: Going onto the pull-list
Doctor Fate #1: If you had told me that DC stalwart Paul Levitz would be the ideal candidate to write the story of a young Egyptian med student’s traversing of the Campbell mono-myth, well…I wouldn’t have believed you, especially given how my poor Legion of Superheroes ended up into the trash-bin in the New 52. But hey, guess what? Doctor Fate might be the best his writing has been in years. Sure, there’s a little strain as you can see Levitz attempting to hit some of that more youthful cadence, but his scripting goes down far better than Scott Lobdell‘s last week. But it’s Sonny Liew‘s art that makes this introductory chapter pop off the page. The same gorgeously rendered figures that populated The Shadow Hero are on display here, and the elements of Egyptian myth are wonderfully rendered in Liew’s hands. If Levitz lets his artist run wild, we’re in for a real treat.
Verdict: Going onto the pull-list
Doomed #1: Speaking of Mr. Lobdell, I had a morbid curiosity about Doomed. Just before the announcement of DC’s new line of titles, there were reports that the publisher’s leadership was angling for “blue sky pitches” from its various creators. This left me wondering what a writer whose work I generally dislike would produce if he was making his ideal DC Universe book. This first issue of Doomed is basically angling for a Spider-Man riff. It’s better than Red Hood/Arsenal in that this issue is not achingly horrible, but it’s still not particularly good. The attempts at humor are groan-worthy at best (and really wrong-headed at their lowest points), and no character talks like an actual human. But, I will give Lobdell and DC their due for introducing another person of color as a lead. In a month that saw veteran workhorses like Levitz and Dan Jurgens try to stretch their storytelling legs a tad, this is probably the closest we’ll get with Lobdell.
Verdict: Stopping here
Harley Quinn and Power Girl #1: While I felt just tad out of the loop having not read the Harley Quinn arc where these two popular characters initially teamed up, the narrative boxes at the beginning of the issue did a nice job catching me up (and frankly, put to mind how silly it is that DC doesn’t do recap pages). This was a good deal of fun, with a bit of a 70’s cosmic comics meets Space Quest. It’s basically Harley and Kara jumping from fantastic situation to fantastic situation in deep space. It’s light, pretty funny, and Stephane Roux puts in some gorgeous facial work, though Paul Mounts’ colors are what really pulled it all together for me. If you’re a Harley Quinn reader or dug the previous Power Girl series, you pretty much know what’s on tap here from Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner and Justin Gray. I’d say that’s a good thing.
Verdict: In for the next issue
Justice League of America #1: So, Bryan Hitch is a really good comic book writer. I had no idea. After this first issue, I’m very much on-board with his iteration of the Justice League. This is a straight-forward, yet supremely action packed Justice League tale, and it figures that the best showcase for Hitch’s talents would be something he scripted himself. He’s not the most subtle writer, but this first issue works as a terrific introduction to the seven founding members of the New 52 JLA and firmly establishes their personalities in a way that the Geoff Johns/Jim Lee relaunch fumbled with. You can sense that there’s also a grander plan at work here, with character based sub-plots being seeded that have the potential to lead in some very interesting directions. Maybe what I appreciated best, beyond the near-panoramic art work, was Hitch’s understanding of stakes. This is a JLA that struggles against even the Parasite, so what in the world are they going to do against an even bigger threat? There’s finally a sense of danger in a Justice League comic, which is something I haven’t felt in a long time. My hats off to you Mr. Hitch, this is easily the big surprise of the new relaunch.
Verdict: Going onto the pull-list
Martian Manhunter #1: Solo J’onn J’onzz books have had a pretty tough go at it, with John Ostrander having the only somewhat extended run with the character on his own. Post New 52 hasn’t been any kinder to our favorite Martian. Enter Rob Williams, the 2000 AD stalwart, along with Eddy Barrows. How do they fare? I’d say solidly. They’re taking J’onn in a very horror influenced direction that somewhat reminds me of Swamp Thing, and it’s actually the only new DC title thus far that’s really tackled that genre. On the other hand, I need another White Martian story like I need a hole in my head, and it seems like this tale is headed to that well again. But, plotting exhaustion aside, I really enjoyed Williams’ voice for J’onn and the idea of “the life he’s built up around himself as fiction” is a pretty compelling one. I won’t commit fully yet, but I can probably swing another month of this.
Verdict: On the fence
Prez #1: After finishing this comic, I immediately put it down and described it in painstaking detail to my significant other in excited tones. Mark Russell and Ben Caldwell‘s revival of one of the oddest titles in DC history is an entertaining political satire, that while taking shots at some fairly easy targets (the two party system, trending culture, apathetic voters) does so in a way that had me chuckling and made it feel just a smidge more daring than your typical Big Two comic. This is especially all the more apparent when you compare Prez‘s approach to real world issues vs. that of the far more milquetoast attempts at social/political relevance that the publisher has instituted in the past. Additionally, Caldwell’s panels are packed with little details that shouldn’t be glossed over either – anyone familiar with the artist’s Wednesday Comics entry should know what to expect. I hate that Prez is a limited series, but at least the set end-point will allow this team to make their mark and hopefully breathe this kind of life into another moribund DC property. Plus, this will probably be among the lower selling relaunch titles from this month, unless word of mouth is particularly strong. Here’s hoping!
Verdict: Going onto the pull-list
Robin: Son of Batman #1: Patrick Gleason was always the draw of the most recent run of Batman & Robin for me. That he was taking over the adventures of Damian Wayne as writer/artist had me quite curious what his scripting chops would be like. As a fan of cartoonists going it alone, I admire DC continuing to trust in all the tools of their illustrators, even if it’s produced only mixed results thus far. For Gleason’s part, I thought this was fun issue that veered into “a boy and his monster” territory between Damian and his pet Man-Bat, Goliath. Gleason picks up right where he and Peter Tomasi left off, and that could be a bit tough for new readers, as references are made to Damian’s resurrection, his relationship to the Al Ghul family, and a character that appeared in the first six issues of Batman & Robin. But, if you can hang with slightly heavy backstory, it’s an enjoyable read and now that Gleason is basically unfettered here, his layouts are lusher than ever. I liked it enough to come back next month to see where it goes next.
Verdict: In for the next issue
This week’s must-reads: Black Canary, Doctor Fate, Justice League of America, and Prez
Next week: I finally get my Yang Superman, Batgirl and Grayson are back (!!!!), Cullen Bunn takes over Aquaman, and WE! ARE! ROBIN! *BUM bum bum bum-bum-bum*
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 6/18/2015
Mark Russell
Artist:
Ben Caldwell
Inker:
Mark Morales
Colorist:
Jeremy Lawson
Letterer:
Travis Lanham
Meet Beth Ross, the first teenaged President of the United States. In a nation where corporations can run for office, the poor are used as human billboards, and tacos are delivered by drone, our only hope is this nineteen-year-old Twitter sensation. But the real question isn’t whether she’s ready for politics – it’s whether politics is ready for her. Don’t miss the start of this new, 12-issue miniseries!
After the surprise announcement of Prez as part of the New DC You(niverse,) fans had no idea what to expect. The concept even contained a new female lead who seemingly has little to do with Prez Rickard, the original character that first wore the (Prez) mantle (if there was/is a Prez mantle to be worn.) DC chose prose author Mark Russell mostly known for his own satirical views on religion with the book God is Disappointed in You to write the tale. In the new Prez mini-series, Russell is joined by artist Ben Caldwell — a cartoonist containing the alternative sensibilities that really makes the book stand against the current house style at DC.
The concept of the story is a really odd mix of a traditional narrative and wish fulfillment. Thankfully, Russell seems to be aware of exactly how silly this concept about a young girl winning the presidency actually is (especially in a big superhero shared universe.) He depicts the various politicians as individuals who are desperate and looking to quickly fill the hole at the very top of the White House with someone that has a limited number of scantily clad selfies floating around the internet. The series takes place in the future, and shows the degeneration of our culture due to advancements of technology in really striking ways. While we as a society seem to lack a certain amount of empathy as it is, this is the next generation who were plugged into Iphones before they were out of diapers. The world of Prez looks different from our own, but shows a natural and dangerous version of the future.
Ben Caldwell’s art perfectly suits the story at hand. The rounded edges in his linework humanize Beth and illustrate something morose bleak future of Prez #1, turning it into a place that readers should be at least slightly afraid of. Caldwell’s art will miss a detail in a certain panel on a facial expression and at times, his own sparse linework will actually add to the unique style being evoked directly to the page. No matter how serious a panel in Prez, there’s always something unique and interesting about it — whether it be a strange pattern on a curtain in the background, someone feminine equipped with a thin mustache, or little jokes littered within the holograms on the side of panels. This comic serves as a warning to jaded millennials everywhere but does so with style and grace via the deft eye of Caldwell, Mark Morales, and Jeremy Lawson.
So…this book has a pretty bleak outlook on the entirety of society. Instead of littering Beth Ross herself with flaws, Russell turns his eye towards the degeneration of society and points to some pretty striking truths. Can politics and the internet coexist in a peaceful matrimony? Prez doesn’t think so, and presents many reasons why these two things cancel out each other. When Justin Bieber and Obama are guests on the same Youtube show, this comic turns into a biting satire of the internet age. This is all connected to the first title starring Rickard, as the original 70’s title was also a seething take on the corrupt world of politics. Thankfully this incarnation has something different to say while still honoring the spirit of the original series.
Speaking of the original series, fans will be delighted to see the surprise reveal at the end of this issue harkening back to the already established canon of Prez. Unfortunately, this issue is so concerned with tying all the mythology back into the plot that the character of Beth Ross is not fleshed out very well, barely able to interact with the story. This issue is mostly texture, filling in the ultra-detailed world of the future and setting the landscape for those that are invested in the story. For new fans, I would really recommend picking up the first four issues on sale and diving into those before going ahead and starting this story so the last page reveal won’t be lost on you and the texture and tone of the world will be more familiar to you. If not, a quick google search will suffice. Caldwell and Russell may not introduce Beth Ross to her fullest extent as a character, but they have created a really interesting world showing us how staring at our screens has alienated us from the political realm.
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 6/17/2015
With the new Prez series launching next week as part of the New DC You(niverse) members of The Beat were attempting to do everything they could to get an exclusive interview with Prez Rickard, the former DC teenage hero and star of the original Prez title. Reaching out to Rickard was difficult, after all, The Beat isn’t particularly savvy with politics outside of the written page. Fortunately, when the new Prez, Beth Ross was alerted of our campaign, she managed to get us in a room with the former Prez of the DC Universe. When we finally cornered him in the back of a crowded room, he alerted us of his various picks for the week, politics and comics go together like vanilla and tofu. Here’s Rickard’s picks for the week:
Prez Rickard’s Picks:
Meet Beth Ross, the first teenaged President of the United States. In a nation where corporations can run for office, the poor are used as human billboards, and tacos are delivered by drone, our only hope is this nineteen-year-old Twitter sensation. But the real question isn’t whether she’s ready for politics – it’s whether politics is ready for her. Don’t miss the start of this new, 12-issue miniseries!
Rickard’s all grown up now, and ready to let someone else take over the role of teenage president (Prez) which is actually why he informed us that he was perfectly cool with the new Prez Beth Ross taking over his position. He’s also eager to read the story-behind-the-story in Prez #1, the start of a twelve issue mini shipping from DC. With political humorist Mark Russell writing the story alongside Wednesday Comics alumni Ben Caldwell on art, Rickard is more than confident in the output of the non-traditional creative team of DC Comics members to deliver something creative on some title.
The Thors of every domain, together in one book! As cosmic cops! Whenever there’s trouble on Battleworld, the Thors answer the call. But a string of mysterious murders leaves some of them asking questions that may unravel all of reality! A hard-hitting Marvel Comics police drama. With hammers. Lots and lots of hammers.
Thors #1 is set to be a fun title for a number of reasons, although Mr. Rickard really wishes it would have came out closer to the launch of Secret Wars #1. The art of Chris Sprouse is in rare demand these days — and getting him on a title instrumental to the Marvel Universe with one of the series top writers is going to be a small blessing. Rickard also seeks to dig deeper into whatever Battleworld-flavored mystery Aaron and company have cooked up for the upcoming first installment of Thors. Unfortunately, after briefing me on his picks for the week, Rickard was quickly summoned into a meeting with Ross. Still, we were glad to finally have a meeting with one of the most “normal” visitors to the Stately Beat Manor — someone so “normal” that we actually had to go visit them.
Matt’s Picks:
NEW STORY ARC The Summer of the Bastards begins with a new arc, as the Runnin’ Rebs are gearing up for the big homecoming game against arch-rival Wetumptka County.
I recommended Weirdworld #1 by Jason Aaron sight unseen last week, so it only stands to reason that I’d spotlight the start of a new arc of a series that has a perfect 8-0 record. The trades for Volumes 1 AND 2 of Southern Bastards are just $9.99, so for less than $25 you can get caught up on a book that Aaron and Jason Latour always score with.
Kyle’s Pick:
You thought global warming was bad? Anubis, the Egyptian Lord of Dead, is preparing the flood to wash the world away. Standing in his way? An overwhelmed Brooklyn med student who’s been handed the helmet of Fate, without an instruction manual.
For those who don’t know, I’m probably the world’s biggest Doctor Fate fan, or darn close to it. So, it is with ravenous excitement that I look forward to tearing into Paul Levitz and Sonny Liew’s reinvention of the character this week. Based on previews, it looks like DC is somewhat aiming for a Ms. Marvel-style take, and what I’ve seen so far has been some of the most inspired Levitz scripting I’ve read in some time. The biggest draw for me though, is Liew, who is easily one of the hottest rising talents in cartooning. I’m all in!
Alex Lu’s Picks:
The hit aquatic sci-fi series returns, to cast a pale light on the icy spires of the Second City, a frozen dystopia at the bottom of the ocean, where hoping for a better tomorrow is a crime punishable by death.
Low is a criminally underrated series. Imagine the character work and constant peril of Game of Thrones meeting the thirst for familial vengeance present in Taken, then throw it all in an Atlantean blender. Remender has crafted an intricate story about a family struggling to survive in the midst of a world going through its death throes. In the first six issues, he threw the Caine family through the ringer in a way that emotionally affected me in a way that few comics have. It’s great to see him reunited with Tocchini, who lends a beautifully natural and impressionistic touch to the proceedings. His jagged linework emphasizes the chaos of the story, and Rafael Alberquerque’s colors are the glue that holds the story together. Perhaps it’s delirious to be hopeful, but it’s damn hard to not be when you’re faced with a book as good as this one.
Alex + Ada reaches its emboldened conclusion this week. The story of a man whose relationship with an android has dire consequences for their lives and the world around them, Luna and Vaughn have created a genuinely affecting love story that has social implications for our real world. In a world where our relationship with technology is evolving at an increasingly expedient pace, we have to ask ourselves if there are limits to the roles that it plays in our lives. If so, what are those limits?
Matthew’s Pick:
A prelude miniseries to the motion picture Mad Max: Fury Road tells the story of Furiosa and how she became Immortan Joe’s most trusted Imperator — and the unlikely hero to Joe’s enslaved wives
From the first trailers for Fury Road, it was clear Charlize Theron’s Furiosa was the true protagonist of the film. This Vertigo miniseries tells her pre-film story, and with writer/director George Miller credited as co-writer there’s bound to be some wonderful and strange post-apocalypticia involved.
Edie Nugent’s Pick:
All-ages favorite Lumberjanes follows the continuing adventures of a group of friends just trying to enjoy their summer at scout camp amidst a various and wide-ranging selection of supernatural threats.
Something about the imminent arrival of the summer season makes reading Lumberjanes all the more satisfying. Which is pretty ironic, because currently the ‘janes and their entire scout camp has been plunged into a Narnia-like eternal winter. As the series has gone on, it’s gotten more bizarre and even more satisfying. This new story line gives the campers fresh challenges as they’ve been separated from their watchful counselor Jen. And what of Jen and the mysterious and troubling relationship she’s forming with Abigail? Expressive art continues to bring to life this ongoing coming-of-age tale where supernatural mysteries lurk around every corner.
by Junji Ito (Viz)
A new collection of delightfully macabre tales from a master of horror manga. An old wooden mansion that turns on its inhabitants. A dissection class with a most unusual subject. A funeral where the dead are definitely not laid to rest. Ranging from the terrifying to the comedic, from the erotic to the loathsome, these stories showcase Junji Ito’s long-awaited return to the world of horror.
I’m not a big horror fan, but when its as creepy and inventive as Ito’s work, I’m all in. A new collection from the creator of Gyo and Uzumaki.
by Mr. Daniel Clowes (Fantagraphics)
We can laugh at these grotesques if we can laugh at ourselves. I still feel the pain of Tina, the hideously disfigured girl in Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron, who just wants love, like everyone else. Where is Dan Pussey now? Just look around you. $119 simoleons is not cheap but it really is for this masterpiece that set the stage for decades worth of comics experimentation.
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 2/6/2015
It’s the new 49—or the end of the New 52. DC has just unrolled their June line-up, a slate of 24 new titles, along with 25 returning ones, which, they promise, will show the new face of comics.
This summer, DC Entertainment launches a bold new direction for the DC Universe (DCU) that is even more inclusive and accessible to a wider group of readers as the publisher continues to evolve comic storytelling for its next generation of fans.
In other words, the winds of changing rattling the have even been felt at DC comics and now we have National Book Award nominated writer Gene Luen Yang writing Superman.
How different is this line-up? Bat-Mite, Bizarro and Prez are back, three humor oriented titles long banished from the grim and gritty.
The lineup will be debuted to the world in DC’s Free Comic Book Day offering, shown above, which features Batman by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, Justice League by Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok and Superman by Gene Luen Yang and John Romita, Jr.
The move comes on the day that DC is holding a retailer summit at their new Burbank offices this weekend. The new titles will debut in June following the two month “Convergence” event which tides over the company as its staff moves to the West Coast.
The New 52 branding, announced in 2011 with huge fanfare, served its purpose well. The new continuity introduced will remain but more new reader friendly book will be introduced. And the tone will be different. Ming Doyle will be writing Constantine: The Hellblazer AND drawing Dark Universe, to be written by James Tynion IV. The popular Harley Quinn team of Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti will add Harley Quinn/Power Girl a 6-issue limited series, and Starfire with are by Emanuela Lupachino. Garth Ennis and John McCrea are back with a Hitman spin-off, Section Eight. Although 25 titles will return, among the cancelled: Batman And Robin, Earth 2, Justice League Dark, Justice League 3000, Supergirl, Red Hood And The Outlaws.
The new line-up is announced at a time when Marvel is also refashioning it’s line, with a new look following May’s Secret Wars.Meaning this summer will be a very different, very inclusive, very diverse comics industry.
We’ll be back with some commentary in a bit.
Here’s the entire line-up with art (where available) as it’s rolled out this morning:
Batman Beyond
W: Dan Jurgens
A: Bernard Chang
Bat-Mite (6-issue limited)
W: Dan Jurgens
A: Corin Howell
Bizarro (6-issue limited)
W: Heath Corson
A: Gustavo Duarte
Black Canary
W: Brenden Fletcher
A: Annie Wu & Irene Koh
Constantine: The Hellblazer
W: Ming Doyle
A: Riley Rossmo
Cyborg
W: David Walker
A: Ivan Reis
Dark Universe
W: James Tynion IV
A: Ming Doyle
Green Lantern: Lost Army
W: Cullen Bunn
A: Jesus Saiz & Javi Pina
Doomed
W: Scott Lobdell
A: Javier Fernandez
Earth 2: Society
W: Daniel Wilson
A: Jorge Jimenez
Dr. Fate
W: Paul Levitz
A: Sonny Liew
Harley Quinn/Power Girl (6-issue limited)
W: Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner
A: Stephane Roux
Justice League of America
W: Bryan Hitch
A: Bryan Hitch
Justice League 3001
W: Keith Giffen
A: Howard Porter
Martian Manhunter
W: Rob Williams
A: Ben Oliver
Midnighter
W: Steve Orlando
A: ACO
Mystic U
W: Alisa Kwitney
A: Stay tuned for artist info!
Omega Men
W: Tom King
A: Alec Morgan
Prez
W: Mark Russell
A: Ben Caldwell
Red Hood/Arsenal
W: Scott Lobdell
A: Denis Medri
Robin, Son of Batman
W: Patrick Gleason
A: Patrick Gleason
Section Eight (6-issue limited)
W: Garth Ennis
A: John McCrea
Starfire
W: Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner
A: Emanuela Lupacchino
We Are Robin
W: Lee Bermejo
A: Khary Randolph
Action Comics
W: Greg Pak
A: Aaron Kuder
Aquaman
W: Cullen Bunn
A: Trevor McCarthy
Batgirl
W: Cameron Stewart & Brenden Fletcher
A: Babs Tarr
Batman
W: Scott Snyder
A: Greg Capullo
Detective Comics
W; Brian Buccelato & Francis Manapul
A: Francis Manapul
Batman/Superman
W: Greg Pak
A: Ardian Syaf
Catwoman
W: Genevieve Valentine
A: David Messina
Deathstroke
W: Tony S. Daniel
A: Tony S. Daniel
The Flash
W: Robert Venditti & Van Jensen
A: Brett Booth
Gotham Academy
W: Becky Cloonan & Brenden Fletcher
A: Karl Kerschl
Gotham By Midnight
W: Ray Fawkes
A: Juan Ferreyra
Grayson
W: Tom King & Tim Seeley
A: Mikel Janin
Green Arrow
W: Ben Percy
A: Zircher
Green Lantern
W: Robert Venditti
A: Billy Tan
Harley Quinn
W: Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner
A: Chad Hardin
Justice League
W: Geoff Johns
A: Jason Fabok
Justice League United
W:Stay tuned for creative team info!
A:
Lobo
W: Cullen Bunn
A: Cliff Richards
Secret Six
W: Gail Simone
A: Dale Eaglesham
Sinestro
W: Cullen Bunn
A: Bradley Walker
New Suicide Squad
W: Sean Ryan
A: Carlos D’Anda
Superman
W: Gene Luen Yang
A: John Romita, Jr.
Superman/Wonder Woman
W: Peter J. Tomasi
A: Doug Mahnke
Teen Titans
W: Will Pfeifer
A: Kenneth Rocafort
Wonder Woman
W: Meredith Finch
A: David Finch
And the PR:
This summer, DC Entertainment launches a bold new direction for the DC Universe (DCU) that is even more inclusive and accessible to a wider group of readers as the publisher continues to evolve comic storytelling for its next generation of fans. Award-winning, critically acclaimed writers are headlining the June 2015 slate of DC Comics’ new periodicals and graphic novels, including Gene Luen Yang, Bryan Hitch, Garth Ennis and Ming Doyle.
Beginning June 3rd, the DC Comics line of comic books will consist of 24 brand-new series that will begin at issue number one, as well as 25 on-going, bestselling fan favorite series that will continue without a break in the issue numbering. The total number of periodicals in the DCU will be 49, with additional new titles debuting throughout the year.
“This heralds in a new era for the DC Universe which will allow us to publish something for everyone, be more expansive and modern in our approach and tell stories that better reflect the society around us,” said DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Dan DiDio. “Whether you’ve been a DC fan your whole life, or whether you are new to comics – there will be a book for you beginning in June.”
DC Comics will be keenly focused on going back-to-basics with its legendary characters, like BATMAN, SUPERMAN and WONDER WOMAN, while also reinventing key characters, such as BLACK CANARY, BIZARRO, CYBORG and STARFIRE, with a new contemporary tonality to ensure a diverse offering of titles. Top writers and artists, as well as emerging fresh voices, are on board to help create an expansive lineup of comics that appeals to a broad audience of fans.
Depicting some of these iconic characters in a more contemporary light include National Book Award finalist Gene Luen Yang who will join artist John Romita Jr. in the ongoing adventures of SUPERMAN. Comic superstar artist Bryan Hitch will write and draw new tales of the world’s greatest heroes in JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA. The pitch perfect team of Garth Ennis and John McCrea returns to DC Comics for a limited series called SECTION EIGHT featuring characters from their popular Hitman comic. VERTIGO creator Ming Doyle will be lending her talents to DC Comics, penning CONSTANTINE: THE HELLBLAZER along with newcomer artist Riley Rossmo.
“More than ever before, DC Comics fans are being exposed to our rich portfolio of characters through multiple sources, including an unprecedented number of highly successful TV shows, video games and upcoming major motion pictures,” said Co-Publisher Jim Lee. “We are looking to extend that experience within publishing to ensure there is a comic book for everyone. For example, fans of the ARROW television show may want more stories about BLACK CANARY. Now they can find modern, fresh takes on the character in the pages of her standalone series both in stores and digitally.”
Breakout star, Brenden Fletcher, co-writer behind the all new, highly successful BATGIRL book will also be writing the new BLACK CANARY series launching in June. Fan favorites Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti will be the creative team on new titles STARFIRE and HARLEY QUINN/POWER GIRL and will continue to helm the perennially bestselling HARLEY QUINN.
“Beyond character and creators, the June slate will showcase different styles and approaches to storytelling as we add offbeat, irreverently funny titles such as BIZARRO, BAT-MITE and PREZ,” said Lee. “Truly there will be something for everybody as we simultaneously celebrate our rich legacy while embracing new voices and concepts.”
A first look at upcoming storylines will be the focus of DC Entertainment’s Free Comic Book Day issue – DC COMICS: DIVERGENCE – available Saturday, May 2, featuring three 8-page previews for the June releases of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s BATMAN, as well as Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok’s launch of the Darkseid War within JUSTICE LEAGUE featuring the biggest villains in the DCU – Darkseid and the Anti-Monitor, and Gene Luen Yang’s DC Comics debut with celebrated artist John Romita, Jr on SUPERMAN. More than half-a million free issues of the DC Entertainment sampler will be given away at comic book retailers globally.
“In this new era of storytelling, story will trump continuity as we continue to empower creators to tell the best stories in the industry,” said DiDio.
To learn more about the June DC Universe slate, visit www.dccomics.com.
Great piece, I really liked what you said about the live action tv dc stuff. But then I thought about that Arrow comic with the show runners, and how that didn’t really work. Maybe the talent just wasn’t right. If they were up for it, sticking Valentine and some of those other creators you mentioned and getting cohesion ‘like Marvel Star Wars cohesion’ for that line would be a thing of beauty. But, if you were to do that, would you detach it from continuity?
Another issue, especially when it comes to initiatives and new readers, is the delivery system/venue/format. Some people just don’t want monthly drips of a story or to collect comics they just want to read stories. There are a whole world of publishers and creators making those connections now. D
These are all great ideas but I’m particularly interested in the Vertigo one. I think the push they made at the end of 2015 is falling pretty flat and I’m guessing only two of those books will have any sort of lasting traction (Sheriff of Babylon and Unfollow). It’s really hard to see what kind of identity Vertigo can have now that Image is drinking their milkshake. I mean, I’m all for them putting out original, mature-reader works – especially if there is something in it for the creators – but going back to being a place for edgy, sophisticated mature-readers stories about weird DCU characters might be an ultimately more successful and brandable route for them to go.
DC needs to create some new characters, and not just superheroes., instead of reviving old series. I assume this is supposed to appeal to readers’ nostalgia, but there aren’t enough 50-something Baby Boomers and 40-something Gen X’ers still reading their comics to make this work. Create some new characters for the new readers.
“Steal a big name”: DC surged in the ’80s by “stealing” Frank Miller, John Byrne and other popular Marvel creators. Of course, they were helped by Jim Shooter’s management style, which led so many writers and artists to flee Marvel.
Question was the goal of this article how DC could sell more comics?
Because of it was only DC Unlimited is the only idea that fits that idea.
Tie in books to tv shows and cartoons don’t sell.
Vertigo comics featuring Constantine don’t sell.
Books written by minority writers like Orlando, Valentine, Tynion, Doyle don’t sell.
Diverse types of books like Omega Men, Black Canary, Midnighter, Prez don’t sell.
Short of WB magically getting the rights to Star Wars DC isn’t going to be selling comics.
I agree with Robert Mayland above. I’m not saying that DC couldn’t use a pretty hefty dose of diversity I think that the idea that somehow hiring someone of color will produce a comic book that is not only a) great and innovative and b) everyone of color will automatically read it..It’s not only demonstrably wrong (see the rest of the Top 10 comics on the list) but it’s also mildly condescending tbh.
“At the same time, it’s possible that they misjudged how big the market actually is for this kind of approach to their heroes.”
THIS. I’m sorry but it’s quite clear that Tumblr and its ilk are basically the very vocal minority (no pun intended). I agree with you that Batgirling isn’t bad but, as you said, you can’t try to build the undercard with it simply because there isn’t that much of a demand for it and no amount of promotion would help that. Also, while I’m spouting anecdotes I have a sinking suspicion that this same demographic they’re so desperately trying to court is of the same generational mindset that most of their media should be free or illegally downloaded. Obviously this is unprovable conjecture but we’re all just spitballing here anyway.
The rest is SPOT. ON. Especially the DC Unlimited idea. I’m sorry but who on Earth would pay $3.99 a pop for a DRM digital copy of a comic that costs the company next to nothing to produce?
Finally, before I step off my soapbox I’d like to add the idea that perhaps DC should shift into more of a manga approach and begin selling longer books at more affordable prices. No matter how you cut it, 4 bucks for an 8 minute read that won’t be continued for 30 more days just isn’t a good bargain. Especially in these days of super decompressed storytelling.
Everything having to do with sales, or (perhaps more importantly with the nature of a non-returnable Direct Market) the *perception* of sales really actually at the end of the day comes down to “is it any good?”
So any essay that doesn’t begin with editorial (and/or institutional) direction is, probably, missing the point.
-B
Hi Brian,
Maybe, but I’m not privy to actual conversations that occur regarding creative directions for DC’s various lines other than hearsay. Frankly, as of right now, I don’t know what DC’s editorial direction even is, if you were to really ask me. Perhaps you have better insight?
I sure hope no one ever actually makes the argument that good sales = good comics, cause there’s a whole lotta not very strong (IMO) X-Men comics that would disprove that thesis right quick.
But Brian – some of the DC You books are amazingly good and yet don’t sell. So material being “good” is not the answer. If they’re producing good material but it isn’t what the comics fans who walk into the store every week want, then their marketshare will continue to drop. And if they’re producing good material but the retailers and/or regular subscribers don’t have any faith in it then it won’t get on the shelves anyway and the people walking in to try it out won’t see it.
DC needs to decide if they want to be a comic book company anymore or not. If they don’t, then their dwindling marketshare in the comics market doesn’t matter at all and they can just continue to do what they’re doing until they reach the point where they’re not making enough money on the comics publishing to cover the overhead. At which point they can shut it down or license their characters out to another company to publish. But if DCE doesn’t really care one way or the other about publishing comics anymore and really want to be a brand management company, then maybe they just get as much money as they can out of the market for the next few years and shut it down when the profits start to being too small to care about.
If they want to be a comics company then they need to start sucking up to the retailers again. DC only gets their stuff on the shelves when they stroke the retailers a lot because the retailers in the business continue to view Marvel as their cash cow and DC as the also-ran. So if they want to be a comics publisher they should be bribing the retailers more heavily than Marvel does – do things like make more books returnable for longer to get retailers to stock more on the shelves and take more chances, or create some incentives for retailers to stock a diverse selection of titles rather than incentivizing buying dozens (or more) of extra copies of a single title to get those variant covers they sell on eBay. It may not be “fair” that they need to suck up to retailers more than Marvel does to get their books promoted, but business ain’t fair and if Marvel is doing that much better sales wise then its time to make some drastic interventions.
If they can’t afford to do that, and still want to publish something like “comics” in house then the other choice would be to give up on the month-to-month Direct Market and push heavily into the digital realm. Cut their printing costs dramatically by giving up on floppies entirely and switching to a digital to collection pipeline that would get their books on the bookshelves faster and forget about the monthly magazine format entirely. it would mean essentially giving up on the direct market, but with their marketshare dwindling as rapidly as it has this year the DM might just give up on them if they don’t do something drastic.
But they need to do something dramatic to convince readers and retailers that they’re not in a death spiral at this point. The reboot and the jump back to 90s style comics goosed their sales for a while on the nostalgia wave, but it didn’t work for long and its not going to work again. They need to do some more fundamental things than just make “good comics” to get back where they need to be or else they’re going to leave the market one way or another.
Robert,
“Tie in books to tv shows and cartoons don’t sell”
Maybe, maybe not. The current set of books DC releases are never adequately promoted for the tv viewer, or given creative teams that general interest the LCS customer. But, do both of those things and perhaps they will move units. They just announced a “Dark Archer” comic co-written by John Barrowman. But it’s probably going to be so underpromoted and hidden in their Comixology lineup, it’ll barely make a blip on the radar.
I know Buffy tie-in comics really aren’t all that comparable given that it was considered the “official continuation of the show”, but that first issue sold 90k copies. There’s an audience out there for this kind of stuff provided you hit the right buttons.
“Vertigo comics featuring Constantine don’t sell.”
Certainly not issue 200-300 something, which is how Hellblazer was basically left for the entrenched reader. But I think it’s hard to argue that an IP that a reader recognizes, starting at issue 1, wouldn’t sell better than a creator owned one that they don’t, barring there being a superstar creative team in question (and even then, it might not sell all that well, again see: Twilight Children).