There’s oodles of news for you today on your comic feed for April 20, 2012.
The Drama Continues
After his announcement on Twitter regarding leaving DC Comics when his commitment to the Fairest arc ends, Chris Roberson brought about another announcement in the Roberson vs. DC Twitter drama, “Sorry to disappoint anyone, but I won't be writing a Fairest arc after all. It was decided my services were no longer required.”
Roberson has made no qualms about letting his feelings toward DC’s treatment of creators be known, which makes this announcement no surprise at all.
Earth Day Brings Free Digital Comics
Dark Horse’s digital store will be offering a free copy of The Massive, the story of a world that environmentalists couldn’t save, which is set to launch in June and written by Brian Wood (DMZ, Conan the Barbarian, and Northlanders). For 24 hours (12:01 AM to 11:59 PM) on Sunday, April 22nd (Earth Day) fans can download The Massive one shot, and for those that can’t get enough Dark Horse has even added a downloadable PDF to bring to your local comic store to add this title to your box.
In true Earth Day fashion, maybe emailing it to your local comic store would be a better idea.
Top Cow and Minotaur Press Ride Off Into the Sunset Together
Image Comics and Top Cow Productions are working with Minotaur Press to release their first original graphic novel, Sunset, a noir style tale of revenge and redemption. Writer Christos Gage (Avengers Academy, GI Joe: Cobra) and artist Jorge Lucas (The Darkness) are taking on the black-and-white hardcover graphic novel, published in the Minotaur Press digest format. The full 160-page graphic novel will be in stores July 18th; however, July 4th fans will have a chance to preview the first 22 pages in Sunset: First Look for only $1.00.
In an Image press release, writer Christos Gage said, “I couldn't be more excited or honored to be part of the very first original graphic novel from Top Cow and Minotaur Press. And their release of the $1.00 preview book containing the first chapter ensures everyone can sample it for a bargain price. Once people see Jorge Lucas' hard-hitting art and witness Nick Bellamy snarl hipsters into submission - not to mention kill three armed mobsters with a lightbulb, a paint can and some drain cleaner - I hope they won't be able to resist reading the rest of the story!”
Spike Flying Solo
Joss Whedon and Buffy fans rejoice, Dark Horse Comics announced fan favorite and anti-hero Spike, will be returning this summer in a new mini-series. Written by Victor Gischler (X-Men, Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth) and drawn by Paul Lee (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Devil’s Footprints), Spike #1 will be available August 22, 2012.
Gischler, a Buffy fan himself, said, “What I love about working with Dark Horse on Buffy-related material is that they take great care to capture the feel of the characters and stories from the television show, of which I was a huge fan. Getting my hands on the characters I’ve loved so much over the years is a dream come true.”
Bringing the Magic Back
Expanding the Buffy universe even further, writer Jeff Parker (Thunderbolts, Agents of Atlas) and artist Brian Ching (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Witchblade), will be bringing the story of another Whedon fan favorite, Willow, to a new mini-series premiering this fall. Willow tells the story of the witch’s obsessive journey to recover her magic. Issue #1 will magically appear November 21.
Free Comics to Stop Piracy
One of my favorite stories in the Top Cow Universe, Artifacts, the story about 13 mystical artifacts being brought together to stop the threat to mankind, has been given a top spot on TopCow.com. Offering up a digital edition, the first 3 pages debuted this week, and each subsequent page will be put up for readers on Tuesdays.
Writer and proponent of stopping comic piracy, Ron Marz, said "Given my very vocal feelings about online piracy of comics, maybe people will be surprised to hear that I absolutely love the idea of giving away content. Artifacts #1 was written to be a ground-floor read, asking only curiosity from the audience, not requiring any knowledge of the Top Cow Universe or characters. You learn everything you need to know in the story. I absolutely believe a big part of comics' future is digital, so this is another step toward that future. All I've ever asked is that the people who own and/or create content be the ones who decide whether or not to give away their content. It's great that a publisher is choosing to do just that."
New Shadowline Title Grim Leaper
Image Comics Shadowline imprint is debuting a new series by writer Kurtis J. Wiebe (Peter Panzerfaust, Green Wake) and artist Aluisio Santos (RockStar). Wiebe said, "This is the gory love story you've been waiting for, a buckets of blood romantic comedy for the ages.” Grim Leaper sounds like a cross between television's Quantum Leap and Dead Like Me, with the hero jumping from body to body every time he dies, but then finding a grisly end to each of his new hosts.
Look for issue #1 in stores on May 30th.
New Venture for Comic Creators
The team behind Tiny Titans comics has taken their love of comics, and their hope to get kids reading comics, and put it into a new venture. Opening the doors to Aw Yeah Comics in Skokie, Illinois on May 5th, writer Franco Aureliani, writer-artist Art Baltazar, and retailer Marc Hammond say their new shop “celebrates and promotes everything that is wonderful about comics, toys, artwork, and the joy they bring to people.”
I see no more fitting way to celebrate comics than to open the doors to a new store on Free Comic Book Day.
#0 Releases for New 52 Titles
DC has announced that September’s expected New 52 issue #13s will be put off by one month, so they can release issue #0 of its titles as a special offering to celebrate the one year anniversary of the New 52 launch. Expanding on back story and character story lines that have yet to be revealed, the New 52 has been a money maker for DC, keeping them near the top spots on Diamond Comic Distributors' top ten.
Issue #13 of the New 52 will arrive in October.
