Comics
Boom! Studios Puts Out A ‘Hit’ In September
Pulp stories are the big trend in comics right now and BOOM! Studios is getting on the wagon, delivering a dark crime drama this September from upcoming writer Bryce Carlson and artists Vanesa R. Del Rey. “Hit” sees a group of LAPD detectives in the 1950s who become sanctioned killers in order to take out the cities most dangerous and deranged criminals. Based on somewhat true events, this should be one of the darker crime stories to come out this year.
Official Press Release:
August 12th, 2013 – Los Angeles, CA – This September, BOOM! is thrilled to bring the true stories of its hometown to life in HIT, a dark crime drama where clandestine groups of LAPD detectives moonlight as sanctioned killers known as “Hit Squads.”
Created and written by Bryce Carlson (ADVENTURE TIME) and drawn by hot newcomer Vanesa R. Del Rey, HIT will ship with covers by Ryan Sook (Wednesday Comics), as well as a pulp-inspired incentive first issue cover by illustrator Erik M. Gist .
“HIT is exactly what I love about comics,” says BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon. “In Bryce Carlson and Vanesa R. Del Ray we have two brand-new comic book talents whose work is electrifying and fiercely original. This series is a thunderclap of a debut for both writer and artist, and a story that I’m incredibly passionate about. The crime genre just got darker—and brighter.”
WHY WE LOVE IT: We’re suckers for classic film noir, crime comics, and pulp detective novels. We love the secret history of law enforcement in our hometown, Los Angeles. Mostly, we love stories about good men making hard decisions in unforgiving circumstances.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: HIT is a dark crime drama filled with murderers, rapists, and drug lords…and the men who will stop at nothing to bring them to justice. If you’re a fan of CRIMINAL, PARKER, and TUMOR, then HIT is the series for you.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Los Angeles. It’s 1955. It’s dark; it’s sexy. It’s dangerous. Everyone has an angle. And while infamous gangster Mickey Cohen rots in a prison cell, Los Angeles ignores the blackest parts of the city’s heart…where clandestine groups of LAPD detectives moonlight as sanctioned hitmen knows as “Hit Squads.”
“This is literally a dream come true. I’ve always been a big crime fiction fan so the fact that I get to contribute to the genre with my first original comic book series is pretty surreal,” says Bryce Carlson. “And people aren’t ready for Vanesa’s comic debut…she’s going to blow everyone away with her art. I couldn’t be happier showcasing her tremendous talents on HIT.”
HIT #1 will arrive in stores on September 4th and carries a retail price of $3.99 under Diamond order code JUL130912.
The supernatural world of Korean folk horror movie Exhuma grows larger with the arrival of prequel spinoff webtoon Maengjong this weekend, Variety reports today.
Naver Webtoon debuts Maengjong on May 30.
The series hails from Haemuri (Olgami) and will trace the high school origins of how shaman duo Hwarim and Bonggil, played by Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun in the 2024 film, came together to face occultish threats.
The story is set to begin when “Hwarim, who has been concealing her identity following a childhood encounter with a snake spirit called Jin, crosses paths with Bonggil at their school.”
Variety notes that Exhuma director Jang Jae-hyun participated in the project’s early concept stage.
“We are presenting ‘Maengjong,’ a new series capturing the appeal of the horror-occult genre, ahead of the full summer season,” said Lee Jeong-geun, Naver Webtoon’s Korea webtoon content leader. “With the high school story of Hwarim and Bonggil, who left a strong impression in the film ‘Exhuma,’ enhanced by Haemuri’s characteristic tense direction, we expect it will be a welcome work for genre fans.”
“It is meaningful that the spin-off story of ‘Exhuma,’ loved by many audiences, expands by meeting the new grammar of webtoon,” said Lee Hyeon-jeong, managing director of the film business division at Showbox, which distributed the film. “We hope it will be a fresh experience for both film fans and webtoon readers.”
Exhuma was a breakout hit in 2024, becoming the first Korean occult film to surpass 10 million ticket buyers and the country’s highest-grossing film of the year. I wrote in my review that “the intricately woven Exhuma delivers one of the year’s biggest surprises in horror so far.”
The bond between Hwarim and Bonggil was one of the film’s highlights, making this prequel webtoon a must for fans.
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