C2E2: New Comic News!!

Good day one and all!

Apologies for a hectic week and not enough comic-y goodness for all of you (largely my fault, but I blame the IPL and various other things for our shortcomings!) but we intend to make up for it and then some in the days to come!

For those of you who follow this stuff, there's a HUGE load of comic news that came out during the recent Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, popularly known as C2E2 amongst fans. I've been keeping an eye on their news and announcements and have for you here a sumptuous feast of some of the most choice and tender treats to tickle your taste buds!

This post is a special recap where I've tried to put together as much of the news as possible for your geeking-out pleasure (in alphabetical order for general ease of use!).

So let's just get to it shall we?

To kick things off, from the strange and frighteningly awesome Avatar offices:

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Michael DiPascale’s new project announced at C2E2 is Hero Worship which will premier in July. Keith says that Avatar Press rarely does superhero comics, noting the exceptions by Warren Ellis, and Christos Gage, saying they don’t do them unless there’s something unique about them. He then describes Hero Worship a bit, telling us Zak Penn will be writing, and it’s a six issue miniseries and is about society’s worship of superheroes and how that can be used to screw the system. The main characters are Adam and Zenith. Adam is a normal boy and Zenith is a Superman-style superhero. Adam is Zenith’s biggest fan, and the book is not really about him, so much as the world around him.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Next! Some excellent news for some of our fans, from Boom Studios:

Boom! Spins Off New Adventure Time Comic – Marceline And The Scream Queens #1 by Meredith Gran.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

From the domains of the Dark Horse:

Hack/Slash creator and Bloodstrike writer Tim Seeley will introduce a bloodier take on the vampire romance genre with "Ex Sanguine", a five-issue miniseries debuting in October. Seeley will illustrate the series and co-write with his Four Star Studio partner Josh Emmons. Seeley spoke exclusively with CBR News about the project and his vision of vampires in love.

“That's the high concept: it's a romance between a vampire and a serial killer. But it's lots of other things," Seeley continued. "It's kind of a detective story. And the vampire and the serial killer kind of try to set each other up for a series of murders. But in the meantime, they're having this twisted romance. Kind of 'Dexter' meets 'True Blood,' that's the Hollywood pitch."

Next up, from the good (but I think wee bit mentally unstable) folks over at DC:

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Joining Smallville, Justice League Beyond, Batman Beyond, Superman Beyond and Batman: Arkham Unhinged will be Ame-Comi Girls, based on the DC Collectibles line of Japanese manga-style statues, and an out-of-continuity Batman series.

- Monday: Ame-Comi Girls

- Tuesday: Batman: Arkham Unhinged

- Wednesday: The Beyond comics

- Thursday: Batman

- Friday: Smallville: Season 11

AME-COMI GIRLS, launching in May, is based on the best-selling product line from DC Collectibles that brings the distinct Japanese influence of anime and manga to DC Comics’ female heroines and their foes. In the new series, the heroines must unite to stop an invasion by the female Braniac, who is aided by a group of ‘bad girl’ super villains. Initially, there will be five individual character arcs with multiple chapters, leading up to united, Ame-Comi girl series. All stories are written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray with Wonder Woman art by Amanda Conner and Tony Akins, Batgirl art by Sanford Greene, Duela Dent art by Ted Naifeh, Power Girl art by Mike Bowden and Supergirl art by Santi Casas.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

They also announced the creative pairings for the Batman digital comics: “BATMAN digital, launching in June, will take place outside of DC Comics – The New 52 continuity and feature a series of stand-alone stories by various creators that chronicle different cases handled by The Dark Knight. Confirmed creative teams include Damon Lindelof and Jeff Lemire; Jonathan Larsen and JG Jones; Tom Taylor and Nicola Scott; Ales Kot and Ryan Sook; B. Clay Moore and Ben Templesmith; Steve Niles and Trevor Hairsine; Joe Harris and Jason Masters; TJ Fixman and Christopher Mitten; Jeff Parker and Gabriel Hardman; Joshua Hale Fialkov and Phil Hester; David Tischman and Chris Sprouse; and many more!”

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Moving along, we come now to the weird worlds of IDW Publishing, where we've got not just one, not two, but THREE big announcements!

First is a really killer crossover event (though they might be overselling a little with the whole “of the century” thing):

CROSSOVER OF THE CENTURY ALERT: DANGER GIRL and GI JOE are teaming up!

After reaching out to IDW for confirmation, CBR News has learned that Andy Hartnell will write the crossover with John Royle on art and J. Scott Campbell on covers. "Joe" editor John Barber and "Danger Girl" editor Scott Dunbier will tackle editing duties.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

In addition, they've got this new volume which (for those who were lucky enough to catch it) continues yet again one of the most criminally under-appreciated TV shows of its time (beaten only by Firefly and Space:Above and Beyond!) which has been fairly successfully carried on in comic form for a while now – long before Buffy found new seasons in the graphic medium:

IDW Publishing is pleased to announce another series of Jericho comics hitting shelves this summer! The fan-favorite returns with a story picking up after the events of Jericho: Season Three. Overseen by the original television series’ writing staff and written by Kalinda Vazquez with art by Andrew Currie and covers by Tim Bradstreet, this five-issue series will be an absolutely essential piece of Jericho’s sprawling post-apocalyptic story.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

And the last bit of news from them (and nowhere NEAR the least for an old school fan like myself) is this new incarnation of cult-favourite graphic novel, The Crow. Enjoy this sample art and drop in to our facebook page where sample art from the new series is on display in HQ:

Fishtown creator Kevin Colden is drawing The Crow for IDW, which is good news indeed. Colden is working with writer John Shirley, who wrote the first draft of the screenplay for the first Crow movie back in the 1990s. 

 

In a quick bit from the overflowing-with-awesomeness-for-the-past-year geniuses at Image:

Alex De Campi has announced that her digital comic Valentine, drawn by Christine Larsen, will be published in print by Image Comics in August, with more digital chapters will follow

CLICK TO ENLARGE

(Whew! Am I the only one feeling tired now? No? Ok, ok...)

Nearly at the finish line folks, we get to see some big news from the House of Ideas, a.k.a, the Marvel bull-pen!

CLICK TO ENLARGE

First up, a return to a fan and cult-favourite (and soon to be a TV show) series that is one of Brian Bendis' all time best creations:

In July, Marvel will publish Powers FBI #1.

The new series will see Deena Pilgrim, now a federal agent, dealing with the biggest powers cases in the entire country.

“But will this new life close the closet full of skeletons she carries with her? (Absolutely not!) And what does this mean for her old partner, Walker?”

CLICK TO ENLARGE

In addition, more news for a certain star artist (who's work I've been praising in our weekly reviews for months now!):

Scarlet Spider artist Ryan Stegman is off Scarlet Spider in July, replaced by Khoi Pham, according to Marvel’s July solicitations. He will be moving to becoming the regular penciller for The Fantastic Four, currently drawn by Ron Garney, with Giuseppe Camuncoli filling in for July.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

More Marvel Madness ahead, with not one, but TWO new series that I'm ecstatic about. The first is starring one of my all-time favourite characters who's finally been getting his due in the comics and some deserved page-time and now after a loooooong gap in his own solo series – the solicitation for which is sounding wicked!

James Asmus will write the teased "Gambit" ongoing series with artist Clay Mann starting in August. "This book focuses on the two most important aspects of Gambit: #1 that he's sexy, and #2 that he's the preeminent bad ass thief of the Marvel Universe," the writer said. He explained that the book will feature Gambit broken away from the X-Men, stealing wild items from across the Marvel U in locations like space, places with Kirby monsters and more. "It lets us refresh and do new things with the crime capers involving our classic bad ass." He also joked that "We got rid of the head sock" in describing Mann's art as "Sexy."

Overall, the book will build a "dangerous series of events" that pull Gambit into a "territory of mixed morality." Asmus also noted that he wanted to make the book as accessible for everyone including fans of the '90s "X-Men" cartoon and longtime readers who have been asking for Gambit to return in a major way.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

And fellow Marvel scribe (and resident super-star) Matt Fraction will also be launching another under-appreciated hero into yet another solo series. I suppose after the critical acclaim and positive response to the miniseries' he's been in including the recently concluded Avengers: Solo, it was bound to happen:

Clint Barton AKA Hawkeye regularly tangles with would be world conquerors and intergalactic threats. While the Avengers unite to face threats of that magnitude, that doesn't mean it's the only evil they should combat. This August, Clint Baron's thirst for justice sends him hunting for criminals on the mean streets of New York as writer Matt Fraction and artist David Aja, the acclaimed creative team behind The Immortal Iron Fist, reunite to kick of a new Hawkeye ongoing series. CBR News spoke with Fraction about the project, which was announced by Marvel yesterday at their Cup 'O Joe panel at this year's Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo.

IN ADDITION, we have still more news including Fraction, this time covering some of my currently favourite Marvel books:

Fraction will also work up a big story with friend and former Uncanny X-Men co-writer Kieron Gillen in a crossover between Mighty Thor and Journey Into Mystery called "Everything Burns". The story features the return of Surtur, the betrayal of Loki and a "huge status quo shift" for the sons of Odin, according to Singh who said the writers have been planning this story for a while to meet with Thor's 50th Anniversary. Alan Davis and Carmine DiGiandamenica will be working on the art for the books.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

CLICK TO ENLARGE

And lastly from the Marvelites, the return and reinvention of a character that's been both loved and meh'd by fans over the past few years and I hope finally gets it right:

The panel started discussing Kelly Sue DeConnick's incoming "Captain Marvel" book which redesigns and renames Ms. Marvel for a new era. "My pitch was 'Carol Danvers as Chuck Yeager,'" the writer explained, saying they wanted to move the heroine away from her recent law & order actions and back to her military roots to update her iconic status as THE female superhero of the Marvel U. "If it flies, she can fly it," the writer added of her actions in the book. Cebulski noted that artist Dexter Soy was one of the few people who came to him to get a job at Marvel who was hired on the spot to work for the publisher.

NEXT! (just breathe man... almost there...) Top Cow, the artists haven run by super-star artist Marc Silvestri had a choice bit of news:

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Written by Matt Hawkins. A Image Comics series, featuring art by Rahsan Ekedal (Echoes), is being published under Top Cow's Minotaur Press label and follows the adventures of a super genius named Dr. David Loren who works for the titular think tank. Well, sort of.

The arguably brilliant Dr. Loren helped create a weapon of mass destruction, but now regrets his actions. Because of this revelation, Loren has been dragging his feet with his other work, leaving a number of projects in various stages of incompletion. That is, until Colonel Harrison shows up to metaphorically -- and possibly literally -- kick David in his scientific butt. With not only his future at stake but also that of his collaborator, Dr. David Loren sets his sights on creating his own future.

(At last!!) And so we come to the last item on the menu today, one quick word from the creepy, creative and crazy offices of Vertigo:

Collider, a new monthly series by Simon Oliver, of the Exterminators fame. The story is about the “A-team with quantum physics. They’re like storm chasers, tracking down these phenomena.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

I sincerely hope that keeps you guys entertained and guessing for a while and gives you something to look forward to in the year ahead!

Is there a series you want to learn more about? A writer/artist who's work you want to know about or get reviewed? If you have questions like these or anything at all comic-related, remember, all you've got to do is ask and we will bring it to you fresh and piping hot!

Till next time folks, cheers!