Marvel’s latest new line of titles is an arrow aimed straight at my horror-loving heart. The Midnight line, which starts with Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Spider-Man books, offer terrifying twists on the classic comics, exploring various horror subgenres through the lens of superheroes.

The first issues have all dropped for these titles, and so far the line is off to a great start. I’m not sure if the titles have any plans for crossing over or building connections between the various corners of the universe, but so far their focus on laying a solid foundation individually has been a great call. Despite featuring many of the standard characters you’re used to seeing, their new context makes many of them nearly unrecognizable, retaining enough of their previous character to render the dramatic irony of the changes meaningful to the reader.

Midnight Fantastic Four, written by Benjamin Percy and illustrated by Kev Walker, pushes their focus on dimensional travel into a cosmic horror realm. Percy has successfully dabbled with horror in the past via run on Ghost Rider and a series of Predator books, so I was excited to see what he had in store.

The issue starts with a pill popping Reed Richards getting fired from the New York Institute of Technology, then attempting to sneak back into his lab overnight to continue his work. His research assistant, Victor (as in von Doom), is also sneaking in, and Reed’s experiment kills Victor (at least for now) and leaves Reed in a mental hospital. There, he’s released by the mysterious Sue Storm, along with her security adviser Ben Grimm, and recruited to continue his work for her company. Along the way you also meet Johnny Storm, who clearly has PTSD from losing his legs in an unspecified crash. The issue ends with the name drop of a classic Fantastic Four concept, the Negative Zone, but does so in a way that implies more Lovecraftian horrors may be in store for our group.

For a first issue, it was a bit slow, but the pieces it’s moving are all intriguing, setting up the series for success. I was surprised that most of the characters were relatively unlikeable, but in a compelling way. Reed is reckless, Sue is manipulative, and Ben is a hired goon willing to go to drastic means for his employer. The most immediately relatable person is Johnny, but he doesn’t have as much time on the page as the others. The art brings to life strange hallucinations that Reed is experiencing, while also giving us a mad-scientist-like brief glimpse at Latvaria. Gone are the bright colors most associated with Marvel’s First Family, replaced with a darker color palette that conveys the menace of the new setting.

I’m curious to see where it goes from here. Knowing the strange transformations their bodies go through in their traditional origin story, I’m sure making contact with an eldritch horror in this new version of the Negative Zone is only going to be worse for any potential powers they might gain. Stretchy body, rock skin, invisibility, and fire generation all sound like abilities ripe for something going terribly wrong, so I can’t wait to see what shape they take.

I was so excited to see that Jonathan Hickman was returning to X-Men following his game changing “House of X”/“Powers of X,“ and the Midnight line seemed like an interesting place for him to do it. Alongside artist Matteo Della Fonte, he takes the world of mutants as we know them and mixes it up with vampires. This wasn’t the most outright horror of the books, nor the biggest departure from their standard portrayal, especially since X-Men has confronted vampires in the past, but the setup does get to the hated-and-feared core of the concept that has made X-Men endure for decades.

There’s a lot of exposition in this book, setting up a war between humans, vampires, mutants, and mutant vampires. The book smartly opens with Cardinal Stryker and his Purifiers approaching Nightcrawler, who is a priest, adding an interesting layer of religious undertones to everything. Their interactions provide a lot of the background as we cut to more action packed scenes of factional confrontations. We see a group of people stumble onto a lab for cybernetically enhanced vampires, only to see them be brutally murdered before vampire mutants, called Empyres, come to save the day. This fight is then interrupted by Cyclops, who is referred to as “the last X-Men” who saves one of the original group, who ends up being Hope.

It’s a lot to take in for a first issue, but the pieces that it places on the chess board all make for a very compelling setup, brought to life with dark and brooding art from Della Fonte. While I was skeptical about the vampire angle being a bit too generic for someone like Hickman, it gets to the core of mutants by putting a horror spin on the concept, finding new ways to push the concept of evolution within X-Men. Hickman is a long-term planner, so it’s easy to see how this complicated web he’s weaved will provide great story potential.

As much as I love Spider-Man, his was the Midnight book I was looking forward to the least, but writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson and artist Scietronc put together my favorite of the number ones. Even going back to the 90s cartoon, there has been body horror associated with the character through the Man-Spider transformation arc, but this book takes that concept to a horrifying new level.

We start a tragic flashback of a very young Peter Parker with his parents, coming home from a vacation to find their family cat dead. The lesson from his father ends up being an inversion of the classic “with great power comes great responsibility.” As they find the cat gruesomely devoured by another animal, his father says “power makes monsters, every time.” This ends up being the thesis statement of the book, not only from a superpower standpoint, but from an economic one as well.

Flash forward twelve years and Peter Parker, who alongside being a genius high school student, is also an anti-corporate streamer. He lives with his Uncle Ben, who is struggling to pay the bills because of an ongoing lawsuit he’s been keeping up trying to hold Oscorp accountable for the deaths of Peter’s parents. Peter is then approached by Felicia Hardy on behalf of Oscorp, bringing him a job offer that comes with a massive amount of fine print. Seeing this as an opportunity to change things from the inside, he forgoes his morals and accepts the position. What the audience sees that he isn’t aware of is the horrific experiments that Oscorp is performing, which lead to possibly the most gruesome sequences of any of the Midnight books so far. Predictably, one of those experiments, obviously a spider, follows Peter home, with drastic consequences for his family.

What I loved about this book was how quickly it was able to set up all the relationships, updating the standard characters to feel more modern and progressive. I loved Ben’s crusade against corporate America along with Peter’s activism, and seeing how those two both stand by or betray their ideals as the opportunity to work with Oscorp arises. It almost felt like the way Scott Snyder updated Batman in the Absolute universe, keeping the core of Peter while making him feel up to date with times. It ends with a small hint of what this new, horrific version of Spider-Man will look like, and I can’t wait for that full reveal. Horror is best when it’s grounded in strong characterization, and Midnight Spider-Man does the strongest job of pulling that off in my book.

For something that could have been a gimmicky stunt by Marvel to get headlines, the various creative teams did great work rethinking these characters in a new light. Instead of treating it like a What If, they treat it like the foundation of a new universe, making it feel like something that could be used for years to come. I’m not sure what the long-term plans are for the Midnight line, but I’m excited to follow these titles for as long as they can keep them up.

The Midnight Universe publishing line is now available.

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Kirkman’s powerful storytelling sensibilities were evident from early on, which is why Marvel Comics enlisted him to develop the limited comic series Marvel Zombies. This wasn’t the first time characters in that universe had come up against the living undead, but this storyline made some of the most iconic heroes of all time grotesque and deformed versions of their former selves. The series was an immediate success, paving the way for sequel series, spin-offs, and crossovers.

The Disney+ series What If…? capitalized on that excitement with the Season 1 episode “What If… Zombies?!” and, much like the comic book, it only scratched the surface of the storytelling potential. That one-off episode paved the way for last year’s four-episode animated series Marvel Zombies, and at today’s Marvel Television & Animation panel at New York Comic Con, it was revealed that three new Marvel Zombies specials are on the way.

Coming in 2027 is Marvel Zombies: The Winter Soldier, which will likely focus on Bucky Barnes and his battles with the undead. In 2028, we’ll get Marvel Zombies: The Fist of Khonshu, which will put Moon Knight at the forefront of the fight against the ghouls. Then, in 2029, we’ll get Marvel Zombies: The Last Guardian, which we expect to center around the Guardians of the Galaxy. Who will be the “Last Guardian,” though, is yet to be revealed.

While none of these specials have confirmed release dates, Marvel did reveal that they would be timed for Halloween, so they likely will hit the streamer each October.

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One lingering question, however, is whether we could ever get a live-action Marvel Zombies. Back in 2022, Disney+ released the Special Presentation Werewolf by Night, in which the titular character battled with a variety of monsters in gruesomely violent black and white. In 2019, Marvel Studios announced they were developing a new Blade, which would star Mahershala Ali, only for that project to stagnate and be scrapped.

There’s clearly a demand for more horror-oriented stories set in the Marvel Universe, though it also seems like the studio is struggling to find the best ways to deliver those types of outings. Still, we’ll gladly accept new Marvel Zombies specials for as long as the streamer offers them.

Which special are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below!

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The nightmare-driven new publishing line launches with Midnight Spider-Man #1 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and ScieTronc, Midnight Fantastic Four #1 by Benjamin Percy and Kev Walker, and Midnight X-Men #1 by Jonathan Hickman and Matteo Della Fonte.

All three debut issues will be released in time for Halloween on October 7, 2026.

Watch the brand new Midnight Universe reveal trailer below for a first taste.

The Midnight Universe draws in longtime fans and newcomers alike to enter a terrifying new world with shocking twists and chilling transformations. The X-Men no longer fight for acceptance, they hunger for blood. The Fantastic Four venture into the unknown not to save the world—but to unleash terror upon it. And Spider-Man discovers that with great power… comes something monstrous.

In Midnight X-Men…

“The shadows of New York City are stalked by vampires and the mutant empyres. The sword of Damocles hangs over the peace between these two species and the factions within them. An outright war is brewing and the unturned will be caught in the crossfire.”

And then in Midnight Fantastic Four…

“An obsessive scientist delves into the secrets of the universe perhaps best left unknown to mankind, leaving himself and three others warped in strange and horrifying ways. What horrible secrets lie in the new dimensions they have discovered? And can humanity survive the discovery?”

And finally in Midnight Spider-Man…

“A young Peter Parker is transformed into a hideous spider hybrid by the ruthless Oscorp Corporation in their pursuit for eternal life. When Oscorp begins to use the secrets unlocked by his mutation to create more human-animal hybrids, Peter embraces his grotesque new form to stop them.”

Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski previews, “We’ve given some of our most outstanding creators the opportunity to delve into the darkest corners of their imaginations and birth some of the creepiest, most terrifying takes on the Marvel Universe you’ve ever seen.”

Learn more on Marvel’s website now.

You’ll also find cover reveals for this December’s third issues of each comic below.

The post Marvel Comics Previews This October’s Terrifying ‘Midnight Universe’ With an Official Reveal Trailer appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

But which Marvel heroes will be getting the Midnight treatment?

Marvel Comics has fully detailed the Midnight lineup this afternoon, which will feature twisted horror takes on The X-Men, Spider-Man, and The Fantastic Four!

Marvel Comics’ Midnight, a bold new publishing line from a superstar lineup of creators, kicks off in August 2026 with Midnight X-Men by Jonathan Hickman and Matteo Della Fonte, followed by Midnight Fantastic Four by Benjamin Percy and Kev Walker, and Midnight Spider-Man by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Scie Tronc.

“Dark. Unpredictable. Unmissable. The Midnight Universe draws in longtime fans and newcomers alike to enter a terrifying new world where anything can happen,” Marvel Comics previews. “Interconnected by rich lore-building, Marvel’s most definitive modern creators are given free rein to reimagine heroes with shocking twists and chilling transformations in boundary-less, creator-driven storytelling that will keep readers on edge issue after issue.

“The X-Men no longer fight for acceptance, they hunger for blood. The Fantastic Four venture into the unknown not to save the world—but to unleash terror upon it. And Spider-Man discovers that with great power… comes something monstrous.”

In Midnight X-Men, releasing August 2026…

“The shadows of New York City are stalked by vampires and the mutant empyres. The sword of Damocles hangs over the peace between these two species and the factions within them. An outright war is brewing and the unturned will be caught in the crossfire.”

And then in Midnight Fantastic Four, releasing September 2026…

“An obsessive scientist delves into the secrets of the universe perhaps best left unknown to mankind, leaving himself and three others warped in strange and horrifying ways. What horrible secrets lie in the new dimensions they have discovered? And can humanity survive the discovery?”

And finally in Midnight Spider-Man, releasing October 2026…

“A young Peter Parker is transformed into a hideous spider hybrid by the ruthless Oscorp Corporation in their pursuit for eternal life. When Oscorp begins to use the secrets unlocked by his mutation to create more human-animal hybrids, Peter embraces his grotesque new form to stop them.”

Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski previews, “We’ve given some of our most outstanding creators the opportunity to delve into the darkest corners of their imaginations and birth some of the creepiest, most terrifying takes on the Marvel Universe you’ve ever seen.”

Learn more on Marvel’s official website now.

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The press release offers very few details, but it includes an early promotional graphic (below) that promises the Midnight universe will begin just in time for Halloween in Fall 2026.

“The light had its turn,” Marvel teases.

Marvel Comics previews in today’s press release, “Stay tuned next week for more information on this all-new publishing line, including series and creative team reveals.”

Horror is all the rage at the moment, with DC also going all-in on the horror genre with their upcoming Clayface horror movie from writer Mike Flanagan and director James Watkins.

When horror is hot, EVERYONE embraces horror. And that allows for exciting things like Marvel’s Midnight Universe and, on the DC front, the mega popular Absolute Batman saga.

Horror is a business. And business is booming.

Stay tuned for more on Marvel’s Midnight Universe as we learn it.

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Actor David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil, Dune) returns to the world of Marvel Comics in Venom: Black, White & Blood #3, on sale October 29.

Dastmalchian collaborated with artist Philip Tan to reveal the earliest exploits of Venom as he stalked Spider-Man through New York subways and rooftops, immune to Peter Parker’s Spider-Sense.

“I was speaking with Mark [Basso, editor] about some of the ways I’d like to explore classic Marvel characters and stories through a more contemporary lens that’s impacted by recent cultural and social changes,” Dastmalchian tells Bloody Disgusting.

“All of the time I’ve spent thinking about mental health has filled me with so many questions about nature versus nurture, biochemical tendencies and body history. Both Eddie and Peter are excellent characters to follow while exploring those ideas.”

The story is rooted in Marvel history, taking place before Venom’s debut appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #299, but Dastmalchian also had a major cinematic influence.

“I drew massive inspiration from David Fincher’s film Se7en, and I hope you can feel that pulpy, gritty, horrifying sense of compulsion and obsession throughout the story,” he says.

No stranger to the world of superheroes, Dastmalchian has played powerful characters. Could any of them take down Venom?

“I think that Abner Krill, AKA Polka Dot Man [from The Suicide Squad], could probably incinerate Venom with just a few dots,” Dastmalchian asserts.

He adds, “I also think Gurathin from “Murderbot” could outsmart Venom. If he runs into any trouble, Gurathin could just call on SecUnit to lend a hand. Being a construct, SecUnit is probably impervious to Venom.”

Venom: Black, White & Blood #3 marks Dastmalchian’s second time writing for Marvel, following a story he wrote earlier this year in Web of Venomverse: Fresh Brains.

The issue also includes stories from Carl Potts & Damian Couceiro, showing what would happen if a Peter Parker prone to violent solutions for his enemies became Venom, and Takashi Okazaki, who imagines a never-before-seen Venom going up against Carnage in ancient Japan.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman designed the main cover, while Okazaki created a samurai-inspired variant.

Take an exclusive look two of Tan’s pages from Dastmalchian’s story below.

The post David Dastmalchian Previews His ‘Venom: Black, White & Blood’ Comic [Exclusive] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Bloody Disgusting has exclusively learned that Venom: Black, White & Blood #1 (of 4) will launch on August 20, and you can preview the issue’s four different covers below.

The first issue of the new Venom comic series is written by Davie Michelinie, J.M. DeMatteis, and Ryan North, with art by Jonas Scharf, Dave Wachter, and Creees Lee.

The series features a collection of Venom stories from across the history of the symbiote begins here, all rendered in Venom’s own black and white (and red).

David Michelinie and Jonas Scharf take us to the jungle, as Venom stalks a vicious paramilitary science outfit bent on weaponizing BROCK’s symbiote!

In the aftermath of MAXIMUM CARNAGE, J.M. DeMatteis and Dave Wachter pit Eddie Brock against a family matter – and a dark truth – in “FATHERS & SONS”!

And Ryan North and Creees Lee put the LETHAL in lethal protector as VENOM helps a kid…get REVENGE!

The four different covers for Marvel Comics‘ Venom: Black, White & Blood #1 come courtesy of artists Greg Capullo, Mark Bagley, Doaly, and Peach Momoko.

Sink your teeth into Venom: Black, White & Blood #1 beginning on August 20!

The post Venom Getting His Own ‘Black, White & Blood’ Series from Marvel Comics This Summer! [Exclusive] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Marvel previews, “The King of the Monsters will make its royal return to Marvel Comics in 2025, with plans to stomp across the paths of its most celebrated superheroes and villains.”

Godzilla vs. Marvel is coming along 40+ years after the original Godzilla comic series from Marvel back in 1977, which came courtesy of writer Doug Moench and artist Herb Trimpe. Marvel Comics is promising the event will spawn “at least six all-new original one-shot stories.”

To celebrate the news, Marvel has released a pretty epic piece of promo art by Leinil Francis Yu and Romulo Fajardo Jr., which sees members of the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four face off against Toho’s most iconic kaiju. You can check out that promo art in full below.

The first in the “Godzilla vs. Marvel” lineup will be Godzilla vs. Fantastic Four #1 by writer Ryan North (Fantastic Four) and John Romita Jr. (The Amazing Spider-Man). The tale will pit Marvel’s first family against Galactus and his newest herald, King Ghidorah.

The aforementioned Godzilla: King of the Monsters comic book series from Marvel ran for 24 issues between 1977 and 1979, and it featured guest appearances from Marvel characters.

Expect the launch of Godzilla vs. Marvel in March 2025.

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Releasing October 16, the one-shot tale “tackles one of the film’s lingering mysteries.”

Alien: Romulus #1 will be written by horror master Zac Thompson (Absolute Carnage: Avengers) and drawn by rising star Daniel Picciotto (Danny Ketch: Ghost Rider).

The upcoming film will take Alien storytelling back to its roots with a thrilling saga of young space colonizers coming face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe. Marvel’s one-shot will take place prior to the events of the film, providing an illuminating backstory behind the film’s main threat and revealing secrets of the film’s legendary antagonists.

“Made in close partnership with Director Fede Alvarez and frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues, both of whom wrote Alien: Romulus, the comic is a must-have companion to one of the most highly anticipated films of the summer.”

“The Alien franchise is responsible for my lifelong love of body horror, so needless to say, I’m ecstatic to be contributing a small piece to the canon,” Thompson shared. “Working with Fede Alvarez to craft a prequel to Alien: Romulus was a genuine dream come true and a responsibility I don’t take lightly. The result is a thrilling, terrifying story that slowly gestates into something wholly unpredictable.”

Check out the main cover by Leinil Francis Yu along with a stunning variant cover by Björn Barends below and preorder Alien: Romulus #1 at your local comic shop today.

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What does that mean? Marvel previews, “This summer, Werewolf By Night embarks on new adventures so violent and bloody, it can only be told in Marvel’s new Red Band format!”

Werewolf by Night, Jack Russell’s new solo ongoing series, will be written by Jason Loo, writer of the upcoming Werewolf by Night: Blood Hunt one-shot, and drawn by artist Sergio Dávila, known for his bold work on titles like Venom and Thor.

Marvel’s premier horror icon will undergo a startling transformation during Blood Hunt that will cause his upcoming battles and hunts to be too graphic for some readers.

Labeled with a Parental Advisory and polybagged to keep those weak of heart from experiencing its intensity, Werewolf by Night will mark a new chapter in the character’s 50-year storytelling history as Jack gets his claws, fangs, and fur blood-soaked like never before!

“Full moon rise—werewolf kill! Jack Russell has been trying to live a simple life—but in the deadly and dramatic wake of the Blood Hunt, his life is about to be turned upside down in ways he never imagined! With new enemies hoping to extract a (literal) pound of flesh and Jack unsure if he can be trusted around old allies and a lost love, the original Werewolf by Night is in for the fight of his life… and he’s in it alone!”

“I give Jack Russell a taste of the life he wants before the Blood Hunt event rips it away and leaves blood on his hands,” Loo shared. “His new journey is to find redemption while figuring out his new lycanthropic transformation. No one is safe when the full moon is out. But luckily, Elsa Bloodstone is around to keep him in check.”

“Our team is delivering a very metal, monster comic and we’re not holding back,” Loo continued. “I’m both shocked and impressed at myself for conjuring up these gruesome scenes from the dark recesses of my mind, then seeing them come to life with every gory detail thanks to penciler Sergio Dávila and inker JP Mayer, as our editors keep giving us the thumbs up of approval. This is literally our smash room in a Red Band comic.”

“This has been a great experience,” Dávila added. “Jason Loo is writing a very wild Werewolf By Night and I’m having a lot of fun with the character. I’ve always enjoyed taking characters to the extreme and Werewolf By Night is someone very much tormented by his inner self, so this is a book full of intense action and lots of blood!”

Werewolf by Night #1 will be unleashed on August 14!

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When a DEMONIC FORCE known as BAGRA-GHUL first came to earth, it brought LOGAN and GHOST RIDER together to hunt it before it possessed WOLVERINE. But now, in the present day, what event will put the Hellverine back on the streets… and is he slashing his hellfire claws for good or evil? And, introducing the ALL-NEW HELLFIRE WARRIORS!

Don’t miss the launch of the all-new series, brought to you by Hellverine co-creator Benjamin Percy (WOLVERINE, GHOST RIDER) and blazing hot talent Julius Ohta (ALIEN, VENOM)!

Percy tells BD, “When the Hellverine appeared in the Ghost Rider/Wolverine crossover — Weapons of Vengeance — we lit a fire. A hellfire. Readers really responded to the killer concept of Logan with a flaming skull and flaming claws on a flaming motorcycle, which is as heavy metal as it gets.

“So, we’re giving them more sulfur-scented mayhem in this mini-series that will thrill and terrify.”

Hellverine #1 (0f 4) will launch on May 29, 2024.

Check out Ryan Stegman’s epic cover art below!

The post ‘Hellverine’: Marvel Comics Announces Solo Series for Wolverine/Ghost Rider Crossover Character! [Exclusive] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

“Alien: Black, White & Blood will be four issues of unbridled violence with shocking stories crafted by some of the industry’s hottest talents,” Marvel Comics previews.

Previous Black, White & Blood installments have spotlighted deadly icons from Wolverine to Darth Vader. Now, it’s time for the Xenomorphs to be unleashed in this format!

Marvel Comics and 20th Century Studios present this kill-fest of an anthology in chest-rending artistic detail, brought to life in bold, black, white, red—and, when things get extra dangerous—GREEN! Here are the tales fans can look forward to in the debut issue:

• Superstars Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing and brilliant artist Michael Dowling kick off “Utopia,” a generations-spanning saga that will be told across all four issues! Soaring through space to find a perfect world, a society descends into darkness as they’re shaped by their fear of the Xenomorphs!
• Fan-favorite writer Ryan Cady and Marvel newcomer Devmalya Pramanik explore the limits of compassion in “Maternal Instincts.” On a deep space vessel, a small child is the sole survivor of a Xenomorph slaughter and her only hope for salvation is the ship’s comforting and guiding AI computer unit.
• Rising stars Stephanie Phillips and Marcelo Ferreira deliver a tale of guts, glory and the most exhilarating of games in “The Hunt.” Xenomorphs become the main attraction when Weyland-Yutani gives wealthy thrill-seekers a chance to hunt down the galaxy’s deadliest species.

Alien: Black, White & Blood Issue #1 goes on sale February 7, 2024.

The post ‘Alien: Black, White & Blood’ – Marvel Comics Unleashes Ultra-Violent Anthology Series in February appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Carnage #1 will go up for grabs in November 2023, with Torunn Grønbekk as the writer. He’s joined by artist Pere Pérez, with Paulo Siqueira as the issue’s cover artist.

Marvel Comics teases, “Every symbiote needs a host. And for CARNAGE, there has only ever been one host who has made it feel whole, and it’s time for a reunion…

“DON’T MISS this shocking and unexpected start to the next chapter of CARNAGE’s story – one which lays the groundwork for the next VENOM epic!”

Exclusively check out Carnage #1 cover art below and don’t miss it this November!

The post ‘Carnage’ #1 – Marvel Comics Previews This November’s Next Chapter of Carnage’s Story! [Exclusive] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The brand spankin’ new 12-issue arc begins TODAY, June 13, 2023!

The Summer of Symbiotes goes Unlimited! On a freezing, snow-covered night a Holy Man comes to the aid of a mother and father terrified to kiss their little girl goodnight. Will he offer salvation or the ultimate destruction?

Writer Clay McLeod Chapman tells Bloody Disgusting, “The character of Venom has always been rooted in horror for me, so it’s been an absolute pleasure to inject the Infinity series with a little dose of devilry. I do believe Reagan MacNeil said it best, and I’m paraphrasing here, “What a lovely day for an vexorcism.”

Artist Phillip Sevy adds, “I was very excited to be drawing this series even before I read Clay’s script for the first two issues. And boy, I was not prepared. It’s easily one of the best Venom stories I’ve ever read. Every time I told a close comic creator friend about the story they all had to take a moment to collect themselves before praising how shockingly good the concept was. Venom and horror fans are in for a treat. Twelve great issues of imaginative stories that begin with one of my favorite stories I’ve worked on.

“I know readers will love it just as much as we do.”

EDGE OF VENOMVERSE UNLIMITED #1 is available now!

Andres Moss serves as Colorist, with Ellie Pyle as the comic’s Editor.

The post ‘Edge of Venomverse’ – Brand New 12-Issue Marvel Unlimited Arc Launches TODAY! [Exclusive] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The four-issue limited series will be written by Benjamin Percy, the acclaimed writer known for taking Wolverine’s ferocious spirit to its limits in the character’s current ongoing solo series. Percy will be joined by a host of all-star artistic talent including Greg Land, Andrea Di Vito, Ken Lashley, Kei Zama, and many more.

The series will reveal a bitter rivalry between Wolverine and a Yautja who’s been stalking him since his earliest days… Witness these never-before-told encounters as Percy brings the bloodiest hunters in all pop culture to their knees!

“Wolverine has lived one of the longest and most storied lives in comics history. Now witness the untold greatest battles of Logan’s life – against a Predator! One Yautja seeks the greatest prey in existence – and finds it in Weapon X. From the blood-ridden snows of the Canadian wilderness to the sword-slinging streets of Madripoor, Wolverine and a Predator break everything in their paths on their way to the ultimate victory…or glorious death.”

On why he’s the perfect writer to craft this groundbreaking story, Percy said, “I’m not going to say I was born to write this crossover… but sometimes the universe reveals why you were created. I am a child of the eighties. I cannot tell you how many times I watched Predator, just as I cannot tell you how many Wolverine comics I have read, because that would be like telling you how many breaths I’ve taken or cheeseburgers I’ve eaten.

“The mythologies of both are ingrained in me so deeply they might as well be strands of DNA or wisps of soul. The guns, claws, beef, and blood of both franchises have been stewing in my brain since 1987, when I read myself to sleep every night with a stack of Marvel comics and my friends and I used to play ‘Predator’ with Nerf guns in the woods and river near our neighborhood.”

“This epic hunt will span decades, as both of these giants learn and harden and grow deadlier with time,” Percy continued. “Neither will have time to bleed, but you better make time to read, because I’m putting everything I’ve got into this event, and I’m thrilled to join forces with some of the best artists in the business.”

Predator vs. Wolverine #1 goes on sale September 20, 2023!

The post ‘Predator vs. Wolverine’ – Predator Enters the Marvel Universe in New Comic Book Series! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

From writer Bryan Hill (Killmonger, Batman and the Outsiders) comes this latest ongoing Blade comic book series from Marvel Comics, and it’ll begin day-walking in July 2023.

“Blade is a treasured character for me,” Hill told the website this week. “Here, we have an opportunity to explore his history, reveal new aspects of his world and create a story that’s brutal, sexy, and bold as it travels into the world of monsters and magic.”

Marvel teases, “Bloodbaths, blackmail and Blade – you won’t want to miss the explosive first issue of this new volume!”

In Blade #1, “Marvel’s slickest vampire hunter returns in a brand new ongoing by Bryan Hill (KILLMONGER) and Elena Casagrande (BLACK WIDOW)! True evil is patient. And a dark, ancient power has been simmering quietly for centuries…and when Blade himself is the one to unknowingly unleash it, Marvel’s entire supernatural underworld will come out of hiding to demand he handle it. Or pay a pound of flesh for his mistakes”

Head over to Polygon to learn more.

The post ‘Blade’ – Brand New Marvel Comics Series Brings the Character Back to Life This Summer appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

According to the site’s report, Marvel Comics is “launching a new imprint dedicated to the storied movie studio’s properties,” with Alien and Predator being among those franchises.

Also in the mix? A brand new Planet of the Apes comic book series.

“Ever since we announced our Alien and Predator comics, we hoped to create a special space within our comics line to go even bigger and bolder and keep building on the iconic moments from these properties that we all know and love,” said Marvel Comics editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski. “This 20th Century Studios comics imprint, in collaboration with our friends at 20th Century Studios, is the perfect way to do that. And now that we’re bringing back Planet of the Apes again through classic comic book storytelling, we are absolutely thrilled to officially launch this imprint for the fans, and we’re all honored to expand upon it in the coming months.”

The Hollywood Reporter details, “The new 20th Century Studios branding will be seen on Apes No. 1 in April and be followed by Alien No. 1 and Predator No. 2.”

The post Marvel Launching New 20th Century Studios Banner for ‘Alien’ and ‘Predator’ Comics appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Bloody Disgusting can exclusively report that the crossover will include Carnage Reigns Alpha #1, Miles Morales: Spider-Man #6 (Carnage Reigns Part 2) and Carnage #13 (Carnage Reigns Part 3). It’ll be seven parts, also tying into Red Goblin #5, Miles Morales: Spider-Man #7 and Carnage #14 in June and then ending in Carnage Reigns Omega #1, also in June.

Writer Alex Paknadel tells BD, “Carnage Reigns is an old-fashioned David and Goliath story pitting a greener, Spider-Man against the most sadistic monster in the Marvel Universe—Cletus Kasady! Miles has only been this out of his depth on a handful of occasions, which is a gift from a storytelling perspective. I’ve really enjoyed crafting this tale with Cody Ziglar, and we’ve developed a really fun, really productive working shorthand and that fun is present on the page! We know this story will satisfy fans of both characters in their FIRST-EVER CROSSOVER!”

Writer Cody Ziglar adds, “I’m excited to keep exploring Miles’ journey as a hero both as a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man and a hero on the greater world stage as well. Miles has done a lot of inner personal growth with this first arc and I’m excited to continue that growth alongside Alex.”

Here’s everything you need to know about the first three parts…

CARNAGE REIGNS ALPHA #1 – On Sale 5/3

Written by ALEX PAKNADEL & CODY ZIGLAR

Art by JULIUS OHTA AND MORE!

Cover by RYAN STEGMAN

CARNAGE VS. MILES MORALES!

CLETUS KASADY IS BACK and badder than ever. With his soul trapped within the Extrembiote Armor created by Tony Stark during KING IN BLACK, Cletus has the means to level an untold amount of chaos and, well, carnage on New York City and the entire Marvel Universe. But like any good Tony Stark invention, the Extremis coursing through Cletus’ symbiotic veins needs POWER, and that means Cletus is HUNGRY.

Good thing Brooklyn’s very own SPIDER-MAN is there to stand in his way! If he survives their first encounter, that is.

MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN #6 – On Sale 5/17

Written by CODY ZIGLAR

Art by FEDERICO VICENTINI

Cover by DIKE RUAN

“CARNAGE REIGNS”– PART 2!

No matter what MILES MORALES throws at CLETUS KASADY, the Extrembiote-powered monstrosity just keeps coming. And Cletus is only getting stronger. But how? Spider-Man needs help. A distraction, a second to breathe. Anything, or anyone, to give him a chance – any chance – at slowing Cletus down. But Miles can’t rest. Help isn’t coming. He’s the only thing standing between New York City and maximum carnage…and if the heroes aren’t answering Miles’ calls…who’s left on Spidey’s speed dial?

CARNAGE #13 – On Sale 5/31

Written by ALEX PAKNADEL

Art by FRANCESCO MANNA

Cover by KENDRICK “kunkka” LIM

“CARNAGE REIGNS” – PART 3!

Returning to and fortifying his underground stronghold from the days of ABSOLUTE CARNAGE, Cletus Kasady sets his sights on even greater and gorier heights as Extremis demands blood!

Check out killer cover art for the first three issues below, a Bloody Disgusting Exclusive!

The post ‘Carnage Reigns’ – Miles Morales and Cletus Kasady Battle in Marvel Comics Crossover Event! [Exclusive] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Alien #1 will launch from Marvel Comics on April 26, 2023.

In this latest series, “Scientist Batya Zahn will do just about anything to get her family off the icy moon where they’ve been conducting research on water conservation. But there’s more than glacial springs to find in this forgotten corner of the galaxy. When they discover an extraordinary organism buried in the ice, it won’t take long for tensions to heat up.

“What is hidden in the snow comes forth in the thaw…”

Declan Shalvey is the writer, and Andrea Broccardo is the artist.

Check out Alien #1 cover art below.

The post Next ‘Alien’ Comic Series from Marvel Takes Place on an Icy Moon! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Not that the franchise ever went anywhere, but we’re in store for a Big Predator Summer in the coming months, and the 35th anniversary celebration begins this coming July!

Here’s a taste of what’s coming soon for Predator‘s 35th…

The original plan was for Marvel to follow-up their Alien comic book series with a Predator series last year, but those plans were put on hold due to a legal battle over the franchise rights. But the coast is now clear, and Marvel’s Predator is coming this summer!

The series from Ed Brisson and Kev Walker is set in the continuity of the film franchise, and we recently learned that Marvel’s Predator #1 will launch on comic shelves on July 6.

“The story kicks off when a young girl sees her family slaughtered by a Predator. Years later, though her ship is barely holding together and food is running short, Theta won’t stop stalking the spaceways until the Yautja monster who killed her family is dead…or she is.”

Marvel’s Predator comic book series promises to “deliver all the explosive action and relentless horror that fans have come to expect from this pop culture icon.”

As part of the promotional campaign for the Predator’s arrival in the world of Marvel Comics, several *other* Marvel Comics are getting tie-in variant covers featuring the Predator!

Marvel Comics including Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers Forever, Daredevil, Captain America, Miles Morales, and Hulk are each getting awesome “vs Predator” variant covers.

The Predator mashup fun begins on July 6, the same day the new series releases.

Head over to Geek Tyrant to learn more, including dates for each issue.

Of course, the biggest happening in the world of Predator this summer is brand new prequel movie Prey, which 20th Century Studios is bringing exclusively to Hulu on August 5, 2022!

From 20th Century Studios, the return of the Predator franchise is directed by Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane), and it’s positioned as a prequel to the original that will tell the tale of the Predator’s first journey to our planet. Amber Midthunder (“Legion”) stars as a Comanche woman who goes against gender norms and traditions to become a warrior.

Set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, Prey is the story of a young woman, Naru, a fierce and highly skilled warrior. She has been raised in the shadow of some of the most legendary hunters who roam the Great Plains, so when danger threatens her camp, she sets out to protect her people. The prey she stalks, and ultimately confronts, turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal, resulting in a vicious and terrifying showdown between the two adversaries.

Prey is directed by Dan Trachtenberg, written by Patrick Aison (“Jack Ryan,” “Treadstone”), and produced by John Davis (“Jungle Cruise,” “The Predator”) and Jhane Myers (“Monsters of God”), with Lawrence Gordon (“Watchmen”), Marty Ewing (“It: Chapter Two”), James E. Thomas, John C. Thomas and Marc Toberoff (“Fantasy Island”) serving as executive producers.

The filmmakers were committed to creating a film that provides an accurate portrayal of the Comanche and brings a level of authenticity that rings true to its Indigenous peoples. Myers, an acclaimed filmmaker, Sundance Fellow and member of the Comanche nation herself, is known for her attention and dedication to films surrounding the Comanche and Blackfeet nations and her passion for honoring the legacies of the Native communities. As a result, the film features a cast comprised almost entirely of Native and First Nation’s talent, including Amber Midthunder (“The Ice Road,” “Roswell, New Mexico”), newcomer Dakota Beavers, Stormee Kipp (“Sooyii”), Michelle Thrush (“The Journey Home”), Julian Black Antelope (“Tribal”).

Stay tuned for more updates on all things Predator as we learn them!

The post Big Predator Summer: 35th Anniversary Brings New Movie, New Comics and More! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Phillip Kennedy Johnson is back to write the new Marvel ALIEN series, which this time around will feature art from Julius Ohta. Issue #1 will go on sale beginning August 10, 2022.

Marvel details, “ALIEN #1 will kick off a new saga that will serve as a perfect entry point into the legendary horror/science-fiction franchise for newcomers and as a must-read for longtime fans. Packed with thrilling revelations and fresh insights into the ALIEN mythos, this new chapter promises to further explore the hard-hitting themes Johnson presented in the title’s first era as a new cast of characters must go deep into Xenomorph territory for a chance to combat human extinction.”

A small colony of synths have settled in secret on a backwater moon. When a company of United System soldiers come to them for help retrieving biotechnology on a hostile planet that could be the key to saving humanity, the synths must decide whether the prospect of peace between man and machine is worth the risk of betrayal.

“Writing Season 1 of Marvel’s ALIEN was a horror fanboy’s dream come true,” Johnson said. “We got to tell exactly the story we wanted to tell, bringing horrific new species of Xenomorph to life while also exploring the themes of family and corporate distrust that are such a crucial part of the films. And as much as I loved our Season 1, we’re outdoing it in every way in the new series.”

“The series kicks off a chapter called ALIEN: ICARUS, which heightens the action in a similar way to how James Cameron’s 1986 Aliens did after the original film,” he continued. “In ALIEN: ICARUS, readers will meet the legendary Synthetic Special Operations Team, led by one of my favorite original Alien characters so far: an unstoppable synthetic named Freyja.”

“When disaster strikes a crucial United Systems planet, the entire human population of the system relies on Steel Team finding the long-deserted Weyland-Yutani Research and Development outpost on Tobler-9, one of the most hostile environments in the known universe. Steel Team’s the most bad-ass strike team in military history, and they’ve never met an organic life form that offered them the slightest threat…but they don’t know what’s waiting for them on Tobler-9,” he explained.

“Julius Ohta is exceeding all expectations as series artist,” he added. “Every background, every facial expression and emotion, and of course, all the environmental creepiness and full-on body horror is lovingly rendered by Julius, who is at the absolute top of his game right now. I can’t say enough great things about him. Fans are going to be truly spoiled. Stay tuned for one of the best, most beautiful ALIEN comics ever made.”

“When I got invite to draw the new Alien series, I had a professional and standard reaction – I was glad to be invited and I was determined to make it the best work of my life. But then, a few minutes later, it came all at once – I understood that I was going to draw Alien… THE ALIEN. I freaked out (in a very good way) and then I knew the tremendous responsibility that is to be in this franchise,”  Ohta shared.

“Even though, there’s a huge responsibility to bring the series to life, I couldn’t expect a better welcome from the creative team. It is been fantastic to work with Phillip, Sarah [Brunstad] and everyone involved,” he said. “Phillip is a genius and also a gentleman and is always looking for something to make the story better. When I started reading the script, I couldn’t stop until I reached the last page. I could talk about it forever… Sarah is such a kind editor and it’s been a dream to work with these guys!

“The Alien franchise influenced an entire generation and I’m among the people who were hugely influenced by the movies, designs, games and so much more. I hope readers enjoy the series we are bringing to them,” he concluded.

Check out Issue #1 art from Björn Barends below!

The post Marvel Launching Brand New ‘ALIEN’ Comic Book Series This Summer appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

More than just referencing characters, history, and deep cut nods from the vast realm of Marvel comics, “Moon Knight” also hides QR codes within each episode.

The QR codes aren’t just for show; eagle-eyed viewers that spot and scan them get access to that week’s digital comic book that inspired the series.

Twitter user LENNIEC0N revealed that the most recent episode (episode two) of “Moon Knight,” for example, features a QR code on the storage locker that Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac) visits. That QR code leads to a Marvel page where readers can catch up on Werewolf by Night #33, which featured Moon Knight’s second comic appearance.

The premiere episode included a QR code that led to Werewolf by Night #32. Moon Knight was created by Doug Moench and Don Perlin, and was introduced in this issue.

https://twitter.com/LENNIEC0N/status/1511630001514287105

More than just a neat way to get viewers more acquainted with Moon Knight’s origins, the weekly comic book Easter egg also serves as a primer for the upcoming Werewolf by Night special for Disney+. We can expect new episodes to hide more QR codes for viewers to find, but the question remains whether the remaining episodes will feature any more tie-ins to the upcoming special.

“Moon Knight” was developed by Jeremy Slater (“The Exorcist”).

Mohamed Diab (Clash) serves as director and showrunner, with Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (Resolution, Spring, V/H/S: Viral, The Endless, Synchronic) directing as well. Ethan Hawke plays the series’ lead villain.

New episodes of “Moon Knight” drop every Wednesday.

The post “Moon Knight” Episodes Hide Free ‘Werewolf by Night’ Marvel Comics for Viewers to Access appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

After heading back to the ’30s to check in with Countess Zaleska in Lambert Hillyer’s queer horror classic Dracula’s Daughter and hitting the road with Steve Zahn and Paul Walker in Joy Ride, we went back to Haddonfield to discuss David Gordon Green’s 2018 sequel Halloween. Now we’re heading back to the ’90s to discuss everyone’s favorite vampire-killing Marvel superhero: Blade!

In the film, a half-mortal, half-immortal named Blade (Wesley Snipes) is out to avenge his mother’s (Sanaa Lathan) death and rid the world of vampires. The modern-day technologically-advanced vampires he is going after are in search of his special blood type needed to summon an evil god who plays a key role in their plan to execute the human race.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get a new episode every Wednesday. You can subscribe on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, TuneIn, Amazon Music, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS.

Episode 148 – Blade (1998)

Climb out of your primo IKEA coffin and grab your garlic mace because we’re heading back to the ’90s to talk about everyone’s favorite Marvel superhero: Blade (1998)! Joining us for the discussion is Ky Fields, the host of the Monstrosities Voice podcast and founder of the KyFx Horror Group!

Join us as we discuss how Blade saved comic book movies before going all in on the film’s opening blood rave sequence (which features some candid talk from Trace and Ky), Joe’s Stephen Dorff‘s obsession and all of us gushing over how sexually charged this movie is!

Plus, pronunciation errors abound, morgues on the 8th floor, a magical Clueless computer, Jumanji drums, Blade literally boning his mom and a lengthy tangent on The Faculty! There’s a lot going on in this episode, everybody!

Cross out Blade!

Coming up on Wednesday: To celebrate Halloween (the holiday), we’re taking a look back at everyone’s favorite murder mystery comedy: Clue!

P.S. Subscribe to our Patreon for tons of additional content! This month, we’ll have episodes on Amazon Prime’s I Know What You Did Last Summer series, SyFy’s Slumber Party Massacre remake, the original Resident Evil and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City!

The post Carving Out Comic Book Movie History With ‘Blade’ [Horror Queers Podcast] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

With its sleek design, imposing height, and striking pharyngeal jaws (to say nothing of the terrifying biological process that brings it into existence), the Alien franchise’s Xenomorph is surely one of cinema’s greatest monsters. First introduced in Ridley Scott’s 1979 horror/sci-fi masterpiece and featured in several sequels, prequels, and crossover films, the iconic creature has also graced other media throughout the decades, including novels and video games. Perhaps the most noteworthy continuation of the Alien saga was carried out in comic book form, starting back in 1988 with Dark Horse Comics’ first line of books based upon the Xenomorphs and the unfortunate folks who continually cross their paths.

For years, Dark Horse printed four-color tales of the creatures, publishing numerous series, one-shots, spinoffs, and graphic adaptations of the films. However, the line eventually came to an end with the recent acquisition of Alien’s parent company 20th Century Fox by Disney, who currently owns Marvel Comics. Inevitably, a new run of Marvel-produced comics was announced in the summer of 2020.

Penned by Eisner-nominated writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Marvel Zombies: Resurrection) and featuring stunning art by Salvador Larroca (Star Wars), Marvel’s Alien begins in the year 2200 and focuses on newly-retired Weyland-Yutani company man Gabriel Cruz. The story kicks off with a horrific nightmare spurred on by memories of a past encounter with the Xenomorphs, recounted by Cruz to a character who will be very familiar to fans of the films. Shortly after, Cruz takes an early retirement, stepping down from his position as the security chief of Weyland-Yutani’s Epsilon Station, an orbital research and development installation with outwardly altruistic goals of helping humanity. Back on Earth, Cruz attempts to reconnect with his estranged son Danny, unaware that he’s an agent for a violent anti-Weyland-Yutani group. When Danny steals his father’s security card and leads a team aboard Epsilon, the would-be activists discover the shocking true nature of the station and the terrors it holds on board.

With only two issues available as of this writing, Marvel’s Alien has already proven itself to be an intense, frightening, and commendably character-driven tale. Most surprisingly, the comic manages to feel right at home in the larger franchise without ever seeming like a retread of any prior story. If you’re a fan of the films, or just horror comics in general, consider this series to be essential reading.

Discussing Alien with us today is writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson, who was nice enough to take time out of his busy schedule to chat with Bloody Disgusting about his involvement with the comic, his approach to its story, and what his long-term plans are for everyone’s favorite biomechanical bugs.

Bloody Disgusting: How was it that this project came to be, and how did you come to it? Or how did it come to you?

Phillip Kennedy Johnson: I actually saw the announcement that Marvel had acquired the licenses to Alien and Predator along with everyone else online, and was just off-the-chain excited about it. I love the Dark Horse books too, but seeing what [Marvel] had done with the Star Wars license, and even just the promo images they put up by David Finch of the Xenomorph and the Predator, it got me so excited for what was coming. So much so that I did what I never do: I actually reached out to my editor about it. In that moment, I reached out to Jordan White, my editor on Marvel Zombies: Resurrection, and kind of kicked the door in.

I was like, “Give me this book! You don’t have any idea what a huge fan I am of this franchise. I don’t need to do any research at all, I’m good to go right now.” Now, I was half joking when I said that because I assumed they already had a team lined up for the book… the fact that they already had artwork and everything, I assumed that they had a creative team that they just hadn’t announced yet. But that was not the case. They didn’t have a team yet. And I learned later that somebody behind the scenes at Marvel was already kind of vouching for me to get that gig, which I didn’t know at the time. So when I showed so much enthusiasm, that was enough to get me a call with the editor on that book. I made my case for what I would do for the series, and the directions that we might take.

BD: How much research did you do once you’d gotten the job? Did you rewatch all of the films, or read any of the spinoff novels or comics?

PKJ: I did get back into the source material. I rewatched all of the movies, with the exception of Resurrection. I have to admit, I cannot get through that one. Honestly, I could practically recite all the others already, but I was still excited to watch them again, so I did that. And I went through a lot of [Alien designer] H.R. Giger’s non-Alien artwork, too, just because he had such a massive impact on the franchise, obviously. I wanted to look at more of his non-Alien work, so I just went through a lot of it, kind of bathed in it and let it soak in.

I did go through and reread a lot of the Dark Horse books, too. There were so many Aliens books from Dark Horse over the years that some of the details kind of run together, and I wanted those to be a little clearer in my mind, which ones succeeded creatively and why. So I did refamiliarize myself with a lot of those books. That’s pretty much what I did to prep for this.

BD: The story is steeped in the world of Alien, but it’s telling an entirely new tale set within this world, featuring a setup and character types that we haven’t quite seen before in previous takes on this franchise. How did you come to this particular approach, and was Marvel leaning on you one way or another as to whether or not you should use some of the characters from the previous films?

PKJ: No, they were actually really great about letting me do whatever I wanted to do. They trust how deep and sincere my love is for the franchise. They were great about that. They did say that they would love something kind of in the vein of the second film, and I expected that because that’s what everyone wants. That second movie is so iconic. The imagery of the Space Marine in battle with the Xenomorph, it’s such an iconic image, but I also feel like it’s been overdone a bit. Since this is the first Marvel arc, I felt like there had to be some kind of a nod to it, but I didn’t want to just do yet another “Marine vs. the Xenomorph” thing.

So even though they said they wanted a Cameron-esque take, I pushed back on that a little bit. If there was going to be a film template for the first Marvel take on Alien, I wanted it to be the first film, not the second one, but with elements of the second one in there. So I tried to capture the claustrophobia and horror of the first film, while also incorporating a bit of the military aspects from the Cameron film.

As far as the protagonists, I tried to deliberately distance them from Ripley, because Ripley is such a bad-ass, larger-than-life character. She has to be one of the Top Five horror movie heroes ever. I didn’t want to bring in another blue collar female character that would inevitably be compared to Ripley, and almost certainly would not be as iconic without the weight of the films and Weaver’s amazing portrayal behind her. And the same for the “idealistic scientist” type, because of what a great and memorable character Shaw is from Prometheus. After those two characters, I think anyone similar would inevitably be compared to those two.

Instead, I decided to show the story from the perspective of a company man for a change. We never really see much of the inner workings of Weyland-Yutani, and I thought that would be kind of cool, to get a glimpse of the malevolent bureaucracy that is that company. And to show a guy who’s not strictly a white hat, who’s more shades of gray…someone who’s done questionable things, who was kind of out of the game but is forced to get back in. I think that fits the tone of the story. Everyone knows what the Xenomorph is, everyone knows the lifecycle, everyone knows those stories, but it’s still a new beginning, and we still need a new introduction to that world again. So I thought it fit to see somebody who had a very long, checkered past with the Xenomorphs get back in the saddle. And now we can see the xenomorphs again through his eyes.

BD: You mentioned the Dark Horse comics earlier. Will any of that long-running line be accounted for in the Marvel series, or is this fully a start-from-scratch approach?

PKJ: I’m treating it very much like a start-from-scratch approach, but that doesn’t mean that none of them will come back. Like with the Star Wars license. We’ve seen beloved characters from stories that are technically now retconned, like the Thrawn trilogy … now we’ve got Admiral Thrawn coming back into Star Wars. That’s a classic example of a character who technically doesn’t exist by the Star Wars canon rules, but was so beloved and such a cool character that they worked him back into the story.

I feel like there’s gonna be other stuff like that from Star Wars lore coming in as well, and we can do that kind of thing here, too. I definitely have arcs that I really admire that we can work in somehow. I’m not sure of the nitty-gritty details as far as the rights go, but I’m pretty sure Marvel has the rights to all the old Dark Horse books. There are stories from that era that are definitely not going to be canon, because they blatantly contradict things that have come out in the films since then, things that don’t jive with Prometheus and Covenant, that definitely won’t work now.

For example, back when we thought the Space Jockey was an elephant person or whatever, and we saw guys that looked like that in the books. We’ve seen other things that are not expressly disproven in the films, but that don’t really fit tonally with the films, like the scientists who build android Xenomorphs who speak English and smoke cigars, the “royal jelly” and its attributes, things that just don’t fit in the canon that’s been established in the films.

So right now, I’m treating it like the Dark Horse stuff has been taken off the table, and we’re starting again. But there are definitely some elements from Dark Horse that I admire a lot and would love to bring back, emulate in some way, or at least pay homage to.

BD: Will the series ever deal directly with the events of the films? If so, which continuity will factor in, given that the prequels are at odds with the original sequels and AVP films?

PKJ: With Ridley Scott’s involvement in the prequels … I think those have to be regarded as canon, no question. And of course, Alien and Aliens are both above reproach. Everyone loves those. Those have to be regarded as true. The ones that, for me, are potentially on the canon chopping block are Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection, and of course all the AVP stuff. I’m treating those as not canon, at least not in my own head canon as a fan. Now Alien 3 is super debatable, and I actually like that movie a lot. I think there are a lot of things about that movie that are super kickass. The big problem with it, of course, is that Newt and Hicks are killed offscreen for no reason right out of the gate.

And that sucks. We’ve learned to love those characters by that point, and then we just completely undo all of that. That makes the story revolve around Ripley, as it should, but it does really suck for the fans who learned to love those characters. And because of that perceived betrayal of the fans, you’ve got these other versions of the stories out there. One of those first comic stories show Newt and Hicks later in life, which wipes Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection off the board if you regard that comic as true. And there’s the screenplay that’s come out since then, the other version of Alien 3. So I feel like that’s where the timeline diverges, and you can kind of choose your own adventure at that point.

Honestly, this was one of the reasons why I didn’t want to refer to Alien 3 or Resurrection at all in this first arc, because I think there’s a decent chance that canon could be retconned at some point, and it’s important to me that these Marvel books always remain canon, always. One of the big advantages to the situation now is that 20th Century and Marvel are all part of the same big company. This is a chance for us to tie all the media going forward into one all-encompassing universe. And I really want to do that. I don’t want these books to get ditched down the road, the way the Dark Horse books were undone by the prequels.

BD: There is a great, nightmarish image in the first issue, which features a montage of the Xenomorphs. There is also a figure in the background who looks shockingly like Sil from the Species franchise. Might you be planning a crossover between these two H.R. Giger-designed creatures, or was it more of an easter egg, or am I entirely off-base and that’s not what that was at all?

PKJ: Well, it’s not Sil, but it is certainly inspired by the non-Xenomorph work of Giger. The Xenomorph is the perfect representation of terror on screen, in my opinion, and Giger’s visual sensibilities are a crucial part of the franchise, and I want the series to continue to find ways to incorporate his visual language. I really love the work that Giger did that was specifically devoted to Li Tobler, his late lover who killed herself when she was super young. A lot of those images from the Necronomicon and all that, they’re very iconic, very recognizable. The word ‘Li’ is in the title of some of those works, and they’re clearly based on Li Tobler’s face, but in the context of these huge, monstrous, horribly graphic images. I wanted something inspired by that, to pay homage to that. As far as what she is, what that thing is specifically, that’s a big fat spoiler I can’t get into. I will ask that fans remember: it’s just the character’s dream we’re looking at, not necessarily a memory. People really latched onto it like, “Oh, you’re jumping the shark, it’s all fucked up.” I’ve seen people online saying this is what a new Alien Queen looks like, but nobody has said that. This is literally this character’s fever dream that he’s describing in a therapy session. She’s not meaningless, and we’ll find out more about what she is later on, but readers shouldn’t assume that this is a memory, or that she’s something he saw in front of him. It’s a little more complicated than that.

BD: Can we talk a bit about the art in this comic? Salvador Larroca’s artwork is stunning, and Guru-efx’s color work is just beautiful.

PKJ: I agree, the color work is great and Salva’s work is great. I first saw Salva’s work on Iron Man many years ago, and have seen so much of his stuff since then. He’s been one of Marvel’s go-to guys for many years, and it’s an honor to work with him. He did an awesome job on the Star Wars stuff. He’s a huge Alien fan himself, and actually has a lot of Alien nerd gear, just because he’s a fan. It’s been a real pleasure to work with him. He’s super fast, man. The whole time we’re doing this book, I feel like I’m being chased! Like trying to put out script faster than he can draw it, and honestly, it’s difficult to do that. He’s just so unbelievably fast. He’s very passionate about the book and the source material. It’s an honor to work with him.

BD: What is the long term plan for this book? How long do you plan to be on it? Will there be offshoots, or will it just be this main line?

PKJ: There will be offshoots. I don’t know if there’s gonna be offshoot series or not, and the only reason I can even say that there’s going to be offshoot issues is because they already announced one the other day. They announced that Ben Percy is writing a one-shot, a 35th anniversary of Aliens, the second film. It’s a story about a return to Hadley’s Hope, and that’s coming out later this year. I want to say July, maybe.

The first issues sold very well, so I’m sure they’ll do other Alien properties or other Alien series at some point. I’m sure at some point you can expect some kind of a crossover either between Alien and Predator, or Alien and the Marvel Universe or something. That’s not a spoiler, that’s just my opinion. We haven’t talked about any of that stuff yet.

As far as my involvement with the book … man, I’m such a huge fan of the stuff, I would happily write it forever. I don’t know how long they’re going to have me on here, but I’ve got several arcs in the can already, and hope to script all of them. Even though I know there’s a TV series being made, in my mind I still see Alien as a movie franchise, and conceive of it in terms of Alien-length chapters. That’s how it looks in my mind’s eye. So we’re going to do a series of arcs that feel like standalone films, but that tie together a little more closely than they did at Dark Horse. With Dark Horse, every book that came out was a completely different creative team, all different lengths, all taking place with no connective material to the other stories, necessarily.

In my run, each arc will introduce new characters and all that, but there will also be much more connective tissue than previously, something to tie them all together. There will be subplots that continue from one story to the next, the way the films track the growth and influence of Weyland-Yutani, the development of android tech and culture, which has become a really important part of it. And the prequels, you know, there are these little subplots that pushed the story forward that weren’t even necessarily about the characters as much as the universe.

That tradition will continue in my run. The big thing is that I want these comics to feel like they belong on the shelf alongside the films. Like if you really wanted to take in all the canon stuff, you would watch the first two movies, maybe the first three movies, read my books, and then go on to the next film. I really want them to feel like they belong together. That’s the driving force in the approach I’m bringing, just to make sure they feel like the films I love so much. I don’t want to explore some crazy tangent just because I think it’s cool, unless it also fits in perfectly with the films. It has to feel like those other stories to me.

BD: Backing up for just a moment – there could be a crossover between the Xenomorphs and Marvel superheroes?!

PKJ: I think that’s a distinct possibility. Marvel even kind of told us that with those promo images, when they put up those images with the announcement. There was an image of a Xenomorph in the Guardians of the Galaxy ship, and another one of a Predator holding up Iron Man’s helmet. I think that’s kind of implied that at some point there will be an introduction to those characters or those properties into the Marvel 616 Universe.

But that was just what I took from it. They have not told me any such thing, I’m not giving any spoilers here. That’s just what I think. I think at some point we’ll see some crossovers happening. After we’ve established the universes that we’re playing with now in Alien and Predator, I feel like at some point you’re going to see some events with everything kind coming together. Whether or not they stay in-universe, or if it’s just like a one-off thing, that’s hard to say.

BD – Would that make it at all difficult for you writing your own books, if you had to take into account that these characters are now a part of something that’s maybe not as grounded in its own way as the Alien franchise?

PKJ – The universe that I’m writing now in the Alien series is not one in which superheroes exist. I mean, full stop. There’s just no room in the story that I’m telling right now for the X-Men or the Avengers or the Guardians of the Galaxy or any of that. This is the universe from the films that we’re seeing. If there’s ever a crossover between Alien and the Marvel Universe, that story would take place in the Marvel Universe and would not affect the universe which I’m writing now. Maybe there will be xenomorphs in the Marvel Universe permanently at some point, who knows? But that world is not the world in which I’m writing this story or the arcs to come.

BD: What do you want Alien fans, comic fans, and horror fans who have maybe never picked up a comic book before to know about this comic?

PKJ: I want them to know that this is being made by the biggest fans of the film franchise. We are absolutely loyal to that vision of what Alien is, and what Aliens is. Even though it’s a mainstream Marvel Comics story, we’re pushing the envelope as far as gore, terror, language – all the things that make it feel more like the original source material.

Fans are going to get another story that feels like it’s right off the screen, that will hopefully make them enjoy those films even more.

Special Thanks to Mr. Johnson for his time.

Make certain to pick up Alien issues 1 and 2, on stands now at your local comic book shop.

The post Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson on Marvel’s ‘Alien’ and What We Can Expect from the New Comics [Blood/Ink/Staples] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Marvel is celebrating the 35th anniversary of James Cameron’s Aliens with Aliens: Aftermath, a one-shot comic book written by Benjamin Percy and illustrated by Dave Wacther.

Aliens: Aftermath “will be a double-sized issue featuring an all-new story set in the same terrifying universe of Aliens. The action will take place at Hadley’s Hope and present a terrifying possible future for LV-426, the location of the groundbreaking 1986 film.”

“It’s been 35 years since the tragedy of the Hadley’s Hope colony, but what happened during that ill-fated venture has been shrouded in mystery. A renegade crew of investigative journalists are heading towards the moon that Weyland-Yutani has wiped from all records, and they’ll bring back the truth even if it kills them…and what remains in that bombed-out site will try to do just that.”

Percy said, “When I was a kid, I had a door-length poster of a xenomorph crashing through the wood, tearing off the hinges, creeping forward with a drippy fanged smile. This is the image I would drift away to every night, which no doubt influenced my imaginative hard-wiring, along with the films and comics that I watched and read over and over and over. To this day, I can’t grip a knife without wanting to lay my hand on a table and tick-tick-tick the point between my splayed fingers—I can’t play a game of ping-pong or Clue without yelling, ‘Game over, man.’—I can’t scratch an orange tabby without whispering, ‘You are my lucky star….lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky.’ I’ve been in love with these stories most of my life, and it’s truly an honor and a delight to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Aliens with a script inked in acid blood.”

Aliens: Aftermath hits stands on July 14. Check out Phil Noto’s cover art below.

The post Marvel Heading Back to Hadley’s Hope for Special One-Shot Comic ‘Aliens: Aftermath’ This Summer appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Games Radar reports this morning, “Former Uncanny X-Men writer Ed Brisson is teaming with Kev Walker (Doctor Strange) on this new series, set just a few years in our future – and in the continuity of the entire film series.” Both the Alien and Predator franchises are of course now owned by Disney, which is how they’ve become Marvel Comics properties as well.

Here’s the official storyline synopsis…

“Hunt. Kill. Repeat. In the near future, a young girl sees her family slaughtered by the deadliest and most feared hunter in the universe: a PREDATOR. Years later, though her ship is barely holding together and food is running short, Theta won’t stop stalking the spaceways until the Yautja monster who killed her family is dead…or she is.”

Predator #1 will be hitting comic book shelves on June 9th.

Preview some of the cover art below.

The post Brand New Ongoing ‘Predator’ Comic Book Series Being Launched By Marvel Comics in June! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson (EMPYRE: CAPTAIN AMERICA) with art by Salvador Larroca (DOCTOR DOOM), ALIEN #1 will be a “thrilling addition to the incredible legacy that began with the groundbreaking 1979 film,” the press release explained last year. “Featuring both new and classic characters from Earth and beyond, this bold take on the Alien mythology will entertain both longtime fans and newcomers to the legendary horror/science-fiction saga.”

“The new series will introduce new character Gabriel Cruz, who years ago almost literally gave his life to Weyland-Yutani when he barely survived an alien attack. Recently retired, Cruz is trying to patch things up with his abandoned son with the help of his friend, a Bishop-model android, but his re-entry into civilian life is not going smoothly…and his encounters with the deadly Xenomorph are far from over. No one is safe. No one is innocent.

“And no one can hear you scream.”

Check out the trailer below and look for ALIEN #1 on shelves March 24!

The post The Xenomorph Becomes a Marvel Monster Later This Month With New Comic Series! [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Announced by CBR today, Carnage: Black, White & Blood #1 features a team including “writers Donny Cates (Venom, King in Black), Benjamin Percy (X-Force, Wolverine) and Tini Howard (Excalibur, X of Swords), and artists Sara Pichelli (Fantastic Four, Spider-Men II) and Ken Lashley (Friendly-Neighborhood Spider-Man, X-Men Gold).”

“These spine-chilling tales are not for the faint of heart,” Marvel promises.

Percy told CBR, “Carnage is a hell of a character. One of the most terrifying villains in comics. When Marvel reached out to me about contributing to this Black, White, & Blood collection, I couldn’t say yes fast enough. My heart is poisonous after all. And my brain is a twisting ball of centipedes. So he’s someone readymade for my foul handiwork.

“I was immediately drawn to the freedom of writing out of continuity. I grew up in the West. I’ve always been obsessed with westerns. In my former life, I was a professor, and I used to teach a graduate course called (re)Writing the West. So that’s where my mind instantly gravitated…. what if Carnage were alive back then? In frontier times? Wouldn’t he become an outlaw more infamous even than a Billy the Kid or Jesse James? Indeed, he would. And that was the first dark seed of the story I’ll be telling.”

Carnage: Black, White & Blood #1 will release in March 2021.

The post Carnage is Back in New Four-Issue Comic Book Miniseries ‘Carnage: Black, White & Blood’ Early Next Year appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Being unleashed in March 2021, Issue #1 kicks off a three-issue storyline that will be told through three separate one-shots that have Man-Thing interact with different Marvel characters and teams. The series is penned by critically acclaimed writer Steve Orlando, (Martian Manhunter, Batman, Wonder Woman), who is making his Marvel debut with this one.

In Part 1, “For decades, the Man-Thing has haunted the Florida Everglades. Now a new enemy has hijacked his body on a quest to take his incendiary abilities global! We wake to fear as gargantuan monoliths menace cities worldwide, with only the AVENGERS standing between the population of Earth and a planetwide inferno. Can they save Man-Thing in time to douse the fires? And does the man inside the thing, TED SALLIS, even want to be saved? Introducing a sensational new villain, THE HARROWER!”

The horror-heavy storyline celebrates the 50-year anniversary of Man-Thing, and we had a chance to chat with Orlando about it. He told us, “Man-Thing has always cut a unique path since debuting in SAVAGE TALES, a muck-encrusted mirror for society’s darkest urges. That was true at his first appearance, and it was truer than ever under icons like Steve Gerber and RL Stine. So now, to join the character and celebrate his debut five decades ago is intimidating. But like anyone facing the Man-Thing, I can’t show fear lest I face the consequences. It is honestly amazing to be welcomed to Marvel and tell this nailbiter of a story that’s going to remind people just how unique Man-Thing is. He’ll be better positioned than ever to shock and scare readers and villains alike, but first he’ll have to survive an attack that cuts him to his core and sets the Marvel Universe ablaze.”

He continued, “These three issues are a journey that draws together the biggest names in the Marvel Universe. But who else would you call when the Nexus of All Realities in unguarded and cities across the world face fire and fear? But Man-Thing is the star of this adventure, and it’s his journey that draws us through our three issues, catching the Avengers, Spider-Man, and Krakoa in the slipstream. After a massive trauma at the hands of Harrower, it takes allies expected and unexpected to pull the Man-Thing back from the brink so he can save us from our worst fears. It’s a tale of near-death and rebirth, but what better for Marvel’s resident swamp god than to be forced to hunker down into himself before he can re-emerge bolder, bigger, and more powerful than ever, just like the swamp that first gave him new life. Man-Thing’s quest to reckon with the secret he’s long held within draws from his earliest appearances and feeds into the hyper-new, not just with his re-emergence, but the debuts of a new villain in Harrower and a new team out of Krakoa in the Dark Riders. Everything that he touches is bound to see new growth.”

Orlando also teased the new villain The Harrower, who sounds quite fearsome.

“Harrower is the body horror savant of both the plant and animal worlds,” he reveals. “She studied with some of the world’s foremost biologists and botanists, and landed finally at some of the world’s most disgruntled. You know them from their time making hell for the X-Men – those beautifully aggressive action scientists known as Hordeculture. But for as much as Hordeculture wishes to trim humanity back to a reasonable size and restore balance to Earth, Harrower doesn’t think that’s good enough. What they call the wisdom of experience, she calls cowardice and half-measures. Harrower feels we’ve had our shot, and that another species deserves a shot at a billion years of evolution and being top of the food chain. She believes hard enough that she abandons the science Hordeculture raised her on for the supernatural, something that gets her disowned by her mentors…and unleashed on the world.

“Harrower’s spellwoven scars allow her to commit horrific acts of bio-fusion or bio-fission, melding animal with animal, plant with plant, or animal with plant, in tortured ways. It’s this ability that makes her uniquely suited to hurt the Man-Thing and take his godlike powers for herself.”

Orlando is working with artist Francesco Mobili on the 3-issue storyline, who he describes as “a gift.” Orlando adds, “Along with Carmen Carnero‘s frightening fashion design for Harrower, Francesco’s work on this first issue is fearless and infused with incredible amounts of body horror blockbuster energy. This is not a small story, no quiet tale of folks conversing in a study, it’s massive, with a huge cast of characters all there to stand with the Man-Thing, and Francesco didn’t blink. He’s delivered. He’s got a home run action shot on every page, and he’s shown no signs of stopping. Paired with covers by Daniel Acuña and jaw busting variants from Chris Sproue and Nick Bradshaw, both career bucket lists for yours truly, this entire creative team has come together to toast the Man-Thing, and welcome me, as I never imagined.”

Preview Issue #1 below, including the Main Cover by Daniel Acuña, three interior pages by Francesco Mobili, and a design sheet for Harrower by Carmen Carnero!

The post Man-Thing Returns This March With Marvel’s Body-Horror Tale ‘Avengers: Curse of the Man-Thing’! [Exclusive] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Officially announced by Marvel today, “the first of these ventures into never-before-seen corners of the Alien universe will arrive this March with ALIEN #1.”

Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson (EMPYRE: CAPTAIN AMERICA) with art by Salvador Larroca (DOCTOR DOOM), ALIEN #1 will be a thrilling addition to the incredible legacy that began with the groundbreaking 1979 film. Featuring both new and classic characters from Earth and beyond, this bold take on the Alien mythology will entertain both longtime fans and newcomers to the legendary horror/science-fiction saga.

The new story will feature a Weyland-Yutani mercenary named Gabriel Cruz as he battles a deadly new breed of xenomorph with the survival of his child hanging in the balance.

“Just as a reader and fan, I was as excited as anyone when I heard the franchise was coming to Marvel, and when they asked me to WRITE THE LAUNCH, I was floored. I’ve been training my whole life for this gig without knowing it,” Johnson says. “Ever since seeing Ridley Scott’s Alien at way too young an age, I’ve been OBSESSED with the xenomorph, the single most iconic representation of terror on film.”

“Drawing this has been like a dream come true, and I am so grateful to be a part of this series!” says Larroca. “Ever since I was young, Alien has been of my favorite sci-fi horror references, and I never could have expected to have the chance to draw this. Alien is a creative reference to a whole generation of artists, and I’m so proud to now be illustrating this series. I hope readers enjoy it as much as I do drawing it! Phillip’s story is going to be a delight for fans of this awesome franchise!

“I’ve devoured every Alien story I could in every medium available and spent a lot of hours in the back of a classroom sketching out ideas for what happened before, after, and in-between the chapters we got to see. Now I have the opportunity to bring my favorite nightmares to life. And with my insanely talented friends at Marvel and some of the greatest artists in comics telling these stories with me, I can promise you: our nightmares will be yours.”

Marvel Comics have been fantastic, astonishing, amazing.
In 2021…they’re terrifying.

“Alien” #1 by @PhillipKJohnson and @SalvadorLarroca, with cover art by @inhyuklee, arrives March 2021: https://t.co/0HQbatvZJG pic.twitter.com/IcPyH7fciH

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) December 7, 2020

The post Marvel Comics Will Begin Releasing All-New ‘Alien’ Stories in March 2021; “Deadly New Breed of Xenomorph”! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Way back in the summer of 1971, a major comic book company published the story of a scientist performing secret experiments in a lab hidden in the glades of a swamp. When thugs attacked the scientist to steal his work, he dove into the muck with his chemicals in hand. The various liquids mixed together to transform the scientist into an inhuman, organic monster. From those pulpy origins, some of comics’ greatest writers have used the character as a tool for philosophical treatises, satires of religion and government, and good old scary stories.

Wait… did you think I’m talking about Swamp Thing? No, no — Swamp Thing debuted in DC Comics’ House of Secrets #92 in July of 1971. But two months earlier, Marvel Comics published Savage Tales #1, featuring the story of Ted Sallis — a scientist betrayed by his assistant and lover Ellen Brandt, and accidentally changed into the barely sentient Man-Thing. 

Although Swamp Thing is unquestionably more popular — thanks to high profile projects like Alan Moore’s celebrated run, the 1982 Wes Craven movie, and the recent television program — Man-Thing has had an equally interesting history, and might be just what you need to fill that swamp monster shaped hole in your heart. 

Man-Thing’s Strange Beginnings

Like Groot and Thoom, Man-Thing began as a Stan Lee creation. Well, more accurately, the character began as a name that Lee thought was cool and nothing else. But as editor of Marvel Comics, Lee could force creatives to flesh it out. And that’s what he did, tasking Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway to develop the creature for its Savage Tales debut. 

But it was writer Steve Gerber who truly cultivated Man-Thing into a unique comic book creature. Along with Steve Englehart and Thanos creator Jim Starlin, Gerber was one of the hippies driving Marvel’s second generation of creators. Inspired by the social consciousness and philosophical ideas Marvel progenitors Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko infused into their books, Gerber and others took advantage of the medium’s extremes to make bold claims about God and society. 

Throughout the 1970s, Gerber wrote Man-Thing across the many comics in which the character appeared (including every issue of Giant-Sized Man-Thing — don’t even try, all the jokes have already been made). Gerber established the key elements of the Man-Thing, making its home swamp base a multidimensional portal (later named “The Nexus of All Realities”), giving it enemies like the industrialist F. A. Schist and Thog the Nether-spawn, allies such as unlucky dj Richard Rory and the young witch Jennifer Kale, and coining the great tagline, “Whoever knows fear burns at the touch of Man-Thing!”

The Man-Thing gave Gerber a hook on which he could hang all types of stories, little vignettes about the weird and doomed people who found themselves in the swamp. Man-Thing became a key witness in a ghostly trail to judge the suicide of a depressed clown. The creature served as the means by which the self-righteous zealot The Foolkiller ended his own life. It was the manifestation of nature’s revenge against an unscrupulous oil baron. Whatever supernatural thing needed to happen in Gerber’s scripts, the Man-Thing could do it. 

Using a second-person address in the caption boxes, thereby distancing the reader from the monster, Gerber’s narrator describes the Man-Thing as a thoughtless but highly empathetic beast, a creature who only faintly understands why it does what it does. Like the Frankenstein’s monster in Universal classics, the Man-Thing sometimes brings terror and sometimes brings justice, but never with intention. It does not care if you are good or bad — if it senses your emotion, it will come toward you. And if there is fear in your heart, then the touch of the Man-Thing will burn you alive. 

Throughout the 70s and 80s, Gerber and others (including Swamp Thing creator Len Wein and X-Men scribe Chris Claremont) made the Man-Thing into a terrifying force of nature and a vehicle for a wide range of stories, from psychedelic drama to superhero action. 

Man-Thing After the 80s

For a D-list character with no real agency or identity, the Man-Thing has headlined a surprising number of books. Of course, Man-Thing makes plenty of guest appearances, teaming up with Gerber’s other masterpiece Howard the Duck, or acting as a villain of the week when the X-Men or Spider-man find themselves in the Florida swamps. 

But the best of these later appearances occurred in two miniseries that are very much of their time. In the late 80s, DC Comics enfolded its Mature Readers comics under its (recently cancelled) Vertigo Comics imprint, allowing artists to not only experiment with content, but also with style. Comic books like The Sandman and Doom Patrol pushed the medium beyond traditional confines while still keeping one foot in traditional superhero tropes, inspiring creators at nearly every publishing house. 

That influence is clear in the 1997 Man-Thing series, written by the great J. M. DeMatteis (who’s done his share of Vertigo comics) and drawn by Liam Sharp. Veering away from the satire and commentary that Gerber brought to the character, DeMatteis and Sharp went for pure psychological and psychedelic horror, focusing on the guilt Ellen Brandt feels for betraying Sallis and causing his transformation. 

Not unlike “The Anatomy Lesson”, the famed Swamp Thing story that reveals the title creature to be a plant elemental who thinks its a person, the 1997 Man-Thing series troubles our assumptions about the character and the genre. DeMatteis changes Sallis from an innocent victim to a highly flawed and too often reckless man before he became a monster, and Brand from a hateful traitor to a fundamentally good person whose bad decisions led to other bad decisions, decisions she deeply regrets.

But the series never lets the character development get in the way of the horror, thanks to Sharp’s disturbing visuals. Using a slightly exaggerated style and layouts that break up character faces and anatomy into separate panels across the page, Sharp renders the Man-Thing as a pile of creeping vines, always threatening to engulf the other characters and drag them to the swamp. Even when Brandt is simply talking with Doctor Strange, Sharp’s thick and jagged line work replicates the Man-Thing’s tendrils, giving the illusion of the monster’s presence in every interaction. 

On a more lowbrow, but no less satisfying note, the 2007 Marvel Max miniseries Dead of Night Featuring Man-Thing resurrected the titular old Marvel Horror book (one that cribbed shamelessly from EC Comics) to retell the character’s origin. Written by future Archie Horror architect Roberto Aquirre-Sacasa, Dead of Night does not offer much originality for those who read the Man-Thing books of the 70s and 80s. It’s still the story of Ellen Brandt, Jennifer Kale, and the various people who stumble into the swamp. It’s just done a whole lot nastier. Taking advantage of the “Explicit Content” tag given to all Marvel Max books, Aguirre-Sacasa makes Brandt a merciless double-agent, Kale a stripper who uses magic in her act, and he even throws in some flesh-eating zombies. It’s all over-the-top and mean, but very much in the spirit of the 70s horror books from which Man-Thing spawned.  

Man-Thing at the Movies

And then there’s the 2005 Man-Thing movie. Although it opens with the now classic page-flipping Marvel Comics logo, Man-Thing feels very much like a pre-Blade superhero movie, when Marvel sold characters like Captain America and the Punisher to low-budget studios who would slap the name on low-budget cheapies. 

On one hand, Man-Thing is well-suited to the direct-to-video market. After all, despite the high-minded ideals Gerber and DeMattais squeezed into the character, Man-Thing is still fundamentally a giant swamp monster who burns up anyone who fears him. 

And if you squint, you can see some faithful aspects to the Man-Thing movie. Screenwriter Hans Rodionoff gives us a traditional Man-Thing plot, focusing on a new sheriff (Matthew Le Nevez) trying to solve murders occurring in a contested area of Florida swampland, where protesters (including one played by Jessica Jones’s Rachael Taylor) stand off against oil magnate Frederick Schist (Jack Thompson). Rodionoff even names some of the supporting characters after Gerber, and Man-Thing artists Val Mayerick and Mike Ploog. 

But as fun as those winks are, they ultimately underscore the fact that the movie is simply a worse version of stories from the comics. Bad CGI notwithstanding, the Man-Thing has a pretty great design, but budget considerations force director Brett Leonard (The Lawnmower Man) to keep the creature off-screen. Instead, the movie focuses almost entirely on human characters, who range from dull blocks of wood (such as the charisma-less Le Nevez’s sheriff) to the cartoonish (such as the Indigenous characters, who are often written as magical creatures instead of humans). 

Worse, the movie is aggressively ugly. Leonard washes the entire film in either a sickly green or a blinding yellow, which only heightens the bland locations. There are some surprisingly cool kills here and there, and they do sometimes happen on camera, but Leonard punctuates them with frantic edits or lame shaky camera tricks. One can appreciate the desire to add color and dynamism to a comic book adaptation, but it just makes you wish you were reading the comics. 

Simply put, Man-Thing is a bad take on the character. If you like some of Rodionoff’s ideas, you’re better off hunting down the 2004 three-issue prequel miniseries (with excellent art by Kyle Hotz) than sitting through this terrible film. 

Man-Thing Now

Fortunately, the movie isn’t the last we’ve seen of Man-Thing. The character still regularly makes appearances in mainstream Marvel books, trying to look scary while fighting off superheroes. But Marvel did even better by their character by assigning the most recent Man-Thing miniseries to writer R.L. Stine.

Written by Stine and drawn by German Peralta, the 2017 Man-Thing miniseries offers a very different take on the character. The series finds Ted Sallis’s consciousness returned back to him, giving the Man-Thing an internal monologue for the first time. Working as a movie monster in Hollywood, the Sallis Man-Thing is (literally) dragged back to the swamp by his mindless former self and launched into a transdimensional battle to save the Nexus of All Realities. 

Despite its wise-cracking protagonist, the 2017 series is the first to feel like the old Steve Gerber comics: funny and scary, but bursting with weird imagination. Every page seems to be heading in a new direction, and this new smart Man-Thing provides better grounding than the old version, who was sometimes just literal ground.

It’s this ability to mutate the character and use it in so many genres that makes the Man-Thing compelling. So if you need some more green gross monster action, I strongly recommend that you take a dip in Marvel’s swamp. Man-Thing is waiting for you.

The post Your Next Big Thing: An Introduction to Man-Thing, the Marvel Comics Swamp Monster appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

What else is in the works? Oh, just “the biggest Venom event of all time“!

Yesterday, Marvel Comics posted a teaser image for *something* Venom and Carnage-related, with the tagline “Everyone is a target” plastered onto an image of several Marvel superheroes being attacked by Carnage. Suspended up above the madness? Your boy Venom.

We don’t know much about this cross-over comic book event at the moment, but writer Donny Cates recently teased on Twitter that it’ll be the biggest Venom event we’ve ever seen.

Everyone is a target in August 2019.

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But perhaps one cover that most fans will recognize is his cover for the Konami classic Contra. You know, the infamous “it’s not Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone with a Xenomorph” cover. Bob even admits that it was a blatant rip-off. “A Predator/Alienrip-off is what the game appeared to be, so I supplied a Predator/Alien style pic – with ripped Arnie Predator poses.” It’s still a badass cover. And imitation is the sincerely form of flattery, after all.

Bob also wasn’t just doing video game cover art, either. Bob also created covers for The Super Heroes Monthly (featuring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman), which was a UK-based black & white monthly anthology series from the 80s that reprinted stories from DC Comics titles for UK readers. He also created covers for Marvel UK.

If you want to see more of Bob’s work (which is frankly something you really should do if you’re a fan of video games), you can check out a sampling of his work here.

The post ‘Contra’ Cover Artist Bob Wakelin Passes Away appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

This comes from a “different” approach to telling zombie stories. Often we’re treated to one side of a story. The narratives always slide into familiar territory – a fixed perspective with a given protagonist and their set of goals. Well, with the Ultimate Night of the Living Dead things are a little different.

You know those big universes filled with superheroes from Marvel and DC. Well, imagine if those universes were just different books in the same zombie apocalypse. Yeah, it’s not about one perspective anymore – it’s about ten. The books in the Big Bang imitative are meant to share a unique world, but show the different kinds of people who inhabit this apocalypse.

It’s worth mentioning that these books are meant to function on their own, but read together will give you a fundamental understanding of a world in ruin. It’s hard to embody that bigger world in just one book. With my own book, “Race” I was briefed continually on the larger mechanics of the world. It was imperative that I understood just how the world works. I was given an “escalation schedule” that broke down, in detail the events of the first three nights, beginning with the titular Night of the Living Dead.

Here’s a taste:

Sunday – April 24, 1966
Midday
Murders start.
Murderers band together.
4:00pm
Local Posses begin to form.
LBJ deploys Z-Men.
Radio/TV signals start to fail.
5:00pm
Road blocks are set up within and around the affected area.
Like most crises, however, life for most goes on as usual.
7:00pm
Federal government learns of zombies. They decide to deploy “advisors.”
Advisors reflect those deployed in the early days of Vietnam and other late 20th Century conflicts. Helicopters fly overhead.

This should show you just exactly how detailed everything fits into the framework of a shared universe. My story had to fit within a specific timeline that adhered to what was laid out here.

Previous to this, my idea was just to throw my story into their world. Perhaps this was ignorant of me but writing a story in a shared universe isn’t that easy. You know, if DC kills off Bruce Wayne, and you want to feature him in “Superman” well that’s too bad. You’ve got to go with the pulse of the universe.

Now, I know it’s not that groan worthy. It’s more to the idea that you need to learn the rules and the how’s and whys of these “zombies.” Once I had the escalation schedule it provided an incredible backdrop to the world of my writing. I knew exactly what was happening 50 miles away with a certain degree of intimacy. And, the best part is, as the events of my book begin to unfold they are weaved into the larger canon of the universe.

Suffice to say – there has been nothing like this in the zombie genre – ever. It’s why we’re all so excited at Double Take, and it’s why you should be too.

—

This Zomblog will run every Monday and Friday until I run out of things to say about zombies. 

Until then check out Double Take’s blog – Double Take Universe to keep up to date on the incredible comics that will be coming your way in September. And their Kickstarter Just got FUNDED.

The post Zomblog – The Larger World Of Shared Universes appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Prepare for a side of the Marvel Universe you’ve never seen before as the magical, mystical and all things weird lie at every turn. And if it’s bizarre enough, and you don’t know where to turn – call the Doctor. From inside his Sanctum Sanctorum – the strangest place in this or any universe, the Master of the Mystic Arts protects this realm from the supernatural.

“Get ready for a brand new Doctor Strange for a brand new Marvel Universe,” says Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso.  “Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo have rebuilt Marvel’s ’Sorcerer Supreme’ from the ground up with an excitingly original take that redefines the character going forward.”

A dark new power is rising. One that will have repercussions for all magic users. The threat is growing, and Strange knows he won’t be powerful enough to stop it. If he is to have any kind of hope, it will take a different kind of Sorcerer Supreme. Because all magic comes with a price, and it’s high time Stephen Strange balanced the scales.

“None of Marvel’s other heavy hitters walk the same beat as Dr. Strange,” says Jason Aaron in an upcoming interview with Marvel.com. “None of them have to face the same sorts of repercussions whenever they use their powers. Being the Sorcerer Supreme is a unique responsibility. And it’s one that Stephen Strange embraces. Even though there’s no doubt that his job is one day going to leave him dead, damned or insane. So I want to celebrate all the weirdness that is Dr. Strange, while having him face a challenge unlike anything he’s ever faced before. One that rewrites the rulebook for what it means to be the Sorcerer Supreme.”

The epic adventure begins this Fall as the Marvel’s mightiest magician takes a battle axe straight to evil in DOCTOR STRANGE #1!

For more on Doctor Strange #1, check out Marvel.com tomorrow for the full interview with writer Jason Aaron!

DOCTOR STRANGE #1
Written by JASON AARON
Art & Cover by CHRIS BACHALO
Coming Fall 2015!

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“Four years ago, we peeled back Spider-Man’s iconic mask to reveal a new and different face, and readers of all stripes have embraced him,” says Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso. “I’m excited to announce that Miles Morales is here to stay – and this Fall, he’s going to be swinging through the heart of the Marvel Universe. Can new friends and enemies be far behind?”

A stranger in a strange land, Miles patrols the rooftops of a New York City that is very different from the one he knew. A world where countless heroes guard it’s skies and streets. A world where Miles is counted among the ranks of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the Avengers. A world where Peter Parker is still alive. Though their paths have crossed before the landmark series Spider-Men, with Miles now living in Peter’s universe – is this town big enough for two Spider-Men? More importantly – how did Miles come to be here in the first place?!

“This is a very big deal to [Sarah and I],” says Brian Michael Bendis in an interview with Marvel.com. “For [Miles] to have grown up and flat-out earned his place in the Marvel Universe, as Spider-Man, is frankly so much more than we could have hoped for when we first sat down to design him and his life. When it became clear that I was going to follow Miles into this new adventure I was really hoping that Sara would see the value in it being both of us that do this together. I was thrilled that she agreed immediately.”

Critically lauded for his resonant and relevant introduction, Miles Morales made headlines the world over with his explosive introduction in 2011. Now, the chart-topping team of Bendis & Pichelli begin the epic next chapter of Miles Morales’ life is about to begin. Where will you be when he makes his thunderous arrival into our universe?

Swing into action with Miles Morales, the Marvel Universe’s newest amazing, spectacular, sensational, friendly neighborhood wallcrawler later this year with SPIDER-MAN #1!

SPIDER-MAN #1

Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art & Cover by SARA PICHELLI
Coming Fall 2015!

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But does he stand a chance? The, return to the fan-favorite MC2 character as Mayday Parker takes center stage in a new story from her original creators – Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema! Now adorning the title of Spider-Woman, does May have what it takes to brave the horrors of Secret Wars? Two action-packed tales of wallcrawling and webslinging await you this July in the can’t-miss SPIDER-ISLAND #1!

SPIDER-ISLAND #1 (MAY150707)
Written by CHRISTOS GAGE & TOM DEFALCO
Art by PACO DIAZ & RON FRENZ
Cover by HUMBERTO RAMOS

Variant Cover by RON FRENZ (MAY150708)

Inhumans 50^th Anniversary Variant by JOHN CASSADAY (MAY150709)

FOC – 06/15/15, On-Sale – 07/08/15

The post First Look At Marvel’s Spider Powered “Spider Island” #1 appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Jason Aaron
ART BY: Mike Del Mundo
PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics
PRICE:$3.99
RELEASE: June 10, 2015

There’s no Iron Man or Wolverine here to sell the book just Arkon, the warlord from Polemachus. You remember Arkon and Polemachus right? I sure don’t, had to look him up, but that’s just because I was curious. Don’t worry though, the accessibility here is through the roof. Weirdworld gives you everything you’d ever need to know, these could’ve been 100% original characters and it wouldn’t have changed a thing. Change the names and this could easily be an incredible creator owned title put out by Image or BOOM. In fact I wish it was, then it could continue on past Secret Wars, it’d probably be a lot more marketable and I feel it’d reach a larger audience. I guess what I’m trying to say is Weirdworld transcends its status as a tie-in and I love it to death.

We pick up mid endless journey with Arkon fighting Giant Squidsharks, while reminiscing about earlier fights with a swarms of flying spiders and a tribe of headhunters in canoes made of skinned human faces. This is WEIRDWORLD, anything is possible. Arkon has been trekking across Weirdworld for what seems like forever to him. He’s been at it for so long every day blends into a blur of blood and carnage, eternally searching for his way home, back to Polemachus.

Weirdworld is unabashedly spectacular in every conceivable way. The writing and art are in perfect synergy with each other crafting something wondrously weird. I can see this book being glossed over by many but if it’s given the chance it deserves it’ll shine brighter than anything else. Get the word out, push Weirdworld on everyone you know and make this book a hit!

The post [5/5 Review] Don’t Miss “Weirdworld” #1 appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

These festering wastes on the border between two domains are where the genocidal robotic armies of Ultron fight the endless hordes of flesh-eating corpses. Pity those poor souls trapped between these unstoppable forces, for their demise is definitely assured! Will you choose death by the super powered living dead? Or by an unending army of indestructible, undefeatable robots? One thing is for certain, neither demise will be quick or painless!

The Vision, Wonder Man, Jim Hammond, and more brave these apocalyptic hellscapes in search of sanctuary, and for survival. Can they make it out alive? One thing is for certain, whoever wins – we lose. Don’t miss the explosive first issue of AGE OF ULTRON VS. MARVEL ZOMBIES #1 on sale this June!

AGE OF ULTRON VS. MARVEL ZOMBIES #1 (APR150721)
Written by JAMES ROBINSON
Art by STEVE PUGH
Cover by CARLOS PACHECO
Variant Covers by ROCK-HE KIM (APR150722)

And SKOTTIE YOUNG (APR150725)

MAOS Variant by NATHAN FOX (APR150723)

Ant-Sized Variant by PAT BRODERICK (APR150724)

Blank Cover Also Available (APR150726)

FOC – 06/01/15, On-Sale – 06/24/15

The post Armies Clash in “Age of Ultron Vs Marvel Zombies” appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Except your headmaster is actually a diabolical super villain, and the final exam is a brutal match to the death! Only one solution: RUN AWAY! Now, super powered teens Molly Hayes, Jubilee, Bucky Barnes, Cloak & Dagger, Amadeus Cho, Skaar and a few new faces are set loose on Battleworld. If they survive the horrors of the Secret Wars, they just might learn a thing or two. Prepare for a new twist on a modern Marvel classic perfect for fans old and new when RUNAWAYS #1 hits comic shops this June!

RUNAWAYS #1 (APR150727)
Written by NOELLE STEVENSON
Art & Cover by SANFORD GREENE
Variant Cover by PHIL NOTO (APR150728)

FOC – 05/25/15, On-Sale – 06/17/15

The post “Runaways” #1 Unleashes Battleworld’s Brightest Teens! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Lording over their domain of Utopolis, they dispense devastating justice to any and all in their path. But will controlling just Utopolis be enough to feed their lust for power? Threats from without and threats from within seek to undo everything Hyperion and his gang have built. Rulers from other domains mobilize against them. Devastating lies and secrets from within the Squadron threaten to tear the team asunder. And seeds sown here bear bitter fruit for the future of the Marvel Universe! The measuring stick for evil just changed and the Squadron Sinister are it! Can anyone stop them? They’ll certainly try. Be there when Battleworld quivers beneath their might in SQUADRON SINISTER #1 this June!

SQUADRON SINISTER #1 (APR150777)
Written by MARC GUGGENHEIM
Art & Cover by CARLOS PACHECO
Variant Cover by JIM CHEUNG (APR150778)
Design Variant by CARLOS PACHECO (APR150779)
MAOS Variant Cover by ANNIE WU (APR150780)
Squadron Gwenister Variant by GREG SMALLWOOD (APR150781)
Young Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG (APR150782)
Blank Variant Also Available (APR150783)

FOC – 05/18/15, On-Sale – 06/10/15

The post [Comic Preview] Absolute Evil Hits Secret Wars In “Squadron Sinister” appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

In King James’ England, two names are feared above all else – Angela and Sera, scourges of all creatures that haunt their Battleworld domain. They seek a new, seductive evil – not witchbreed, but deal-making Faustians, those who bargain with ancient creatures in return for unnatural power. As wicked evil and malicious shadow creep over the land – will Angela and Sera destroy this evil, or will they succumb to it? The answers lie within this June in 1602 WITCH HUNTER ANGELA #1!

1602 WITCH HUNTER ANGELA #1 (APR150747)

Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT & KIERON GILLEN

Art by STEPHANIE HANS & MARGUERITE SAUVAGE
Cover by STEPHANIE HANS
Variant Cover by RICHARD ISANOVE (APR150748)
Gwengela Variant by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER (APR150749)

FOC – 05/18/15, On-Sale – 06/10/15

The post [Comic Preview] “1602 Witch Slayer Angela” Brings Slaughter To The Warzones appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Jonathan Hickman

ART BY: Esad Ribic

PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics

PRICE: $4.99

RELEASE: May 13th, 2015

Right away, we’re introduced to the Thors. This is a new legion of protectors who are charged with carrying out the law in this new Marvel Universe. A new recruit acts as a stand-in for the reader, and it works magnificently in walking us through the rules of battleworld. Many questions remain about the construction of the universe, the apparent creation of many Thors in an instant and just how Victor Von Doom comes to preside over it all.

Yet, somehow the questions are where “Secret Wars” #2 thrives. The world that Hickman is building not only feels dense but incredibly well defined. There is an internal hierarchy with well-known characters playing very new roles in something akin to a Game of Thrones esque power struggle for the throne governing battleworld. Secret Wars seems to be just as concerned about the internal politics governing this new world as it is about the war happening on the ground.

Esad Ribic is built for event comics. His line work is stellar and emotive. There have been criticisms of his facial expressions, but this is something that most will be able to get over. His rich painterly style lends credence to the sweeping feel of the conflict, and there are many moments here where the artist makes an imposing script challenge look like a walk in the part. It’s particularly impressive because he’s able to shift styles as the scene calls.  From thoughtful and emotive in the throne room, to haunting and imposing when cast on the other side of the shield.

And well, then there is the final page reveal for those who have been wondering about the events of last issue. It serves as the perfect tease heading into the next issue and sets the stage quite nicely for the story to follow. There is still a ton of heavy lifting to be done with the series before it wraps in September, but somehow it is all gelling with such flawless style that is hard to see it faltering anytime soon. It’s not that Marvel desperately needed a win right now, but this may cement them as the more dominant of the big two publisher because when all is said and done, Secret Wars is something to remember.

This issue proves Secret Wars is an accessible and digestible new status quo even for newcomers. 

The post [Comic Review] “Secret Wars” #2 Builds A Better World appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

As a reader new to Hickman’s world, but familiar with the writer’s tropes, I approached “Secret Wars” with some trepidation. I knew the broad strokes of the conflict that precedes the series, and I knew the characters involved. (For the uninitiated it’s literally everyone from both the Ultimate Marvel Universe and the standard Marvel Universe aka The 616) But, somehow without any prior reading I was engaged and thoroughly enthralled by the conflict on the page. And chances are great that you will be too.

If you have so much as a brief understanding of Marvel’s pantheon of superheroes then “Secret Wars” shouldn’t be hard to digest. The event deals with the “death” of the Marvel Universe as we’ve known it. There are events called incursions that are causing gigantic planets to collide and collapse upon one another. The multiverse is no more. Secret Wars begins with the final moments leading up to the last incursion event. That means the Ultimate Universe and The 616 are smashing into one another – it’s all out war.

Now, obviously there are tons of characters at play here. What’s clear is that Hickman has already established all the key players in the event and makes their motivations come naturally through the page. So while it may be rewarding to long time readers, a brief understanding of general character alignment and regular characteristics will be enough to head into the insanity of Secret Wars.

If you’re exclusive a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie-goer and looking to jump into comics, this may be the best place to do it. There will be plenty of familiar faces for you, but a ton of new things to discover. It’s strange because the first issue strives because it comes across so frantic and intense. There are two massive worlds ending. They’ve existed for years and are about to become a blip in the timeline of continuity. So don’t be overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment.

If you embrace the first issue of Secret Wars you’ll find a ton of small character moments, absolutely stellar artwork, and a high stakes event comic that readers have craved for so long. As you dive in a little further you’ll see that the new world Secret Wars is building is quite unlike anything Marvel has done before. Yet, it’s so fully realized and dense, that many are making the comparison to Game of Thrones. What at first may seem like a lazy comparison is indeed accurate.

If you’re on the fence about Secret Wars – don’t be. It’s a thoroughly engaging story that manages to take your expectations from continuity and use them against you. So if you’ve skipped out on the “required reading” you don’t have to worry. There is still plenty to enjoy, and hell you can be here on the ground floor for the birth of an entirely new comics universe. One in which we’ve never seen the like.

And if you still don’t believe, our review of “Secret Wars” #2 might change your mind.

The post Marvel’s “Secret Wars” Is Surprisingly Accessible appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Enslaved and bound to the arena, cursed souls race at the speed of sin – and anything and everything goes! Friendship, loyalties and family bonds will be tested. All in the name of the top prize – temporary freedom from the arena!

But what happens to the unlucky and unholy losers? Now, Robbie Reyes, Johnny Blaze, Danny Ketch, Alejandra Blaze and many, many more step onto the track for all-out, high-speed warfare. The stakes have never been higher as the most vicious Spirits of Vengeance do battle for their very souls! Who will come out on top and who will be left in the dust? Buckle up for the most wild ride of the Secret Wars when GHOST RACERS #1 speeds into comic shops this June!

GHOST RACERS #1 (APR150734)

Written by FELIPE SMITH
Art by JUAN GEDEON
Cover by FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
Slade Variant by DAN PANOSIAN (APR150735)
Robbie Reyes Variant by TRADD MOORE (APR150736)
Ant-Sized Variant by MARK TEXEIRA (APR150737)

FOC – 05/18/15, On-Sale – 06/10/15

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Burdened with the zombie hordes to the south of Battleworld, she patrols the borders from high atop the Shield. Day in and day out she fights and claws to keep the world safe, knowing that setting one foot into that hellish waste means certain death. That is, until she spots a human child alive among the corpses – and flings herself in. But now that she’s in – she’ll have to fight her way out! Can one woman stand against an endless army of the living dead? You’ve never met Elsa Bloodstone! Be there when the zombie-blasting, high octane action kicks off this June in MARVEL ZOMBIES #1!

MARVEL ZOMBIES #1 (APR150731)

Written by SIMON SPURRIER
Art by KEV WALKER
Cover by KEN LASHLEY
Variant Cover by GREG LAND (APR150732)
Ant-Sized Variant by JEROME OPENA (APR150733)

FOC – 05/18/15, On-Sale – 06/10/15

The post [Comic Preview] The Shambling Horde Rises Again In “Marvel Zombies” #1 appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Jonathan Hickman

ART BY: Esad Ribic

PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics

PRICE: $4.99

RELEASE: May 6th, 2015

A little aside before the bulk of this review. I could never be bothered to read the entirety of Jonathan Hickman’s “Avengers” and “New Avengers” runs in preparation for Secret Wars. It seemed like an arduous chore. It’s delaying the gratification that is this event. But I know enough. Dr. Doom is behind the collapse of the Marvel multiverse in some capacity. The Ultimate Universe and The 616 are the only two worlds left after several earths collided in events called “incursions.” These incursions have destroyed most of the known multiverse. Now, every level of the Marvel power pantheon is involved in the forthcoming conflict. From The Avengers, The X-Men, The Beyonders, The Cabal and everything in between. This is the beginning of a new world of shared and warring continuity called Battleworld where the bulk of Secret Wars takes place.

The first page of Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic’s mega event does a pretty good job at introducing all the key players. It does an even better job at placing the reader in the middle of three plus years of continuity. The story starts at the absolute last drastic minute. Secret Wars begins right before the incursion of the Ultimate Universe against the 616.

Ultimate Nick Fury’s fleet of massive helicarriers descend on the classic Marvel Universe. Things are hectic as almost every team of heroes is present and accounted for in anticipation of the upcoming battle. Everything is easily digestible thanks to the different lettering choices between inhabitants of both worlds. (Ultimate uses lowercase, 616 in all caps.)

We get glimpses of the cabal of insane super-villains teaming with ultimate Reed Richards. We’re treated to the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the X-Men. The struggle seems real and lively, and Hickman balances hundreds of characters with relative ease. There are a few standout moments with the key players of the event that won’t carry the same impact if spoiled. But it seems like Cyclops might have a much larger role in this event than was once anticipated.

Esad Ribic absolutely slays the mass insanity of the incursion. His talent creating worlds that seem dizzying in their heights but never overwhelms. His attention to small character moments goes a long way to sell the emotional impact of the book. He also gives a taste of carnage to come. There are small moments that prove to be his. Several characters have small asides that rely solely on the art to carry the moment. Ribic delivers these moments without fail.

Somehow, “Secret Wars” #1 sticks the landing better than any event comic of the last few years. It has the confidence and takes risks to make an engaging start to the most important and interesting point in recent Marvel Comics history. It’s fun in all the right ways and manages to balance an insane amount of information without overwhelming the page.

The odds were against this book, and surprisingly it outdoes the hype. It’s a smart tribute that stakes its claim as earth shattering with a tremendous final page that is sure to be talked about for months to come. It may not start off with the insane amount of action some were anticipating, but instead smartly builds the tension to a boil before offering a glimpse of an even larger conflict on the horizon. And, it looks gorgeous while doing it. Secret Wars #1 is a huge home run for Marvel.

The post [Comic Review] “Secret Wars” #1 Ends The Marvel Universe appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Collider: I heard Warner Bros. has a few more superhero movies, maybe one or two that they’re developing [Laughs].

HARDY: I want The Punisher… I want The Punisher, or Splinter Cell, I want something…I don’t know what I want.

You as Punisher could be very interesting.

HARDY: I’m not big enough to be The Punisher, I’m 5’9” [Laughs].

But I actually think that adds to the character.

HARDY: Frank Castle, I would love it. Is that him, isn’t it?

Yeah. It’s Frank Castle.

Marvel recently regained the rights to The Punisher. After two films that failed to capture audiences and the appeal of the character, Marvel could really use an injection of Frank Castle’s lethal brand of justice in their world. Not only would the character fit perfectly in the Netflix universe alongside Daredevil, but he would add an even harder edge that the fans have been craving.

The height issue that Hardy cites is a non-issue since most actors appear much taller on the screen than they do in person, just ask Tom Cruise. In any event, this is hardly a confirmation of Hardy’s investment in the role. But, perhaps now that he’s spoken out about his interest it’s up to Marvel to reach out and make this happen.

At this point even an inclusion in the upcoming second season of Daredevil would be enough for people to go insane. For those of you out of the loop The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder, kidnapping, extortion, coercion, threats of violence, and torture in his war on crime. Driven by the deaths of his wife and two children, who were killed by the mob during a shootout in New York City’s Central Park, the Punisher wages a one-man war on the mob and all criminals in general by using all manner of conventional war weaponry. In other words he’d give us the most extreme version of the brutality we got glimpses of in Daredevil.

The post Tom Hardy Wants To Play The Punisher appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

DC COMICS DIVERGENCE

If you’re only picking up one title tomorrow, then you could do much worse than this one. Dc Comics is trying their best to make FCBD huge this year, with a glimpse of what lies ahead in the DC Universe. Here you’ll get your first taste of an all new Batman – piloted by Jim Gordon himself, a look at the Darkseid war, and perhaps more drunk Superman. Who knows? This is worth it for the new Batman alone.

DARK HORSE FIGHT CLUB THE GOON THE STRAIN

Dark Horse has always excelled at producing quality titles with a horror flavor. This year appears to be a little different as we get the first public taste of the highly anticipated Fight Club 2. (Before a debut that doesn’t quite stick the landing.) Then you’ve got an original Eric Powell Goon adventure, and a separate but likely thrilling chapter from The Strain.

MARVEL SECRET WARS #0

The Marvel Universe as you know it is collapsing upon itself. This is Marvel’s self-proclaimed biggest comic event of the year. This first look at the mega event will show us… Battleworld! Amid the strange, patchwork realm, refugees from thousands of obliterated universes struggle for survival. Even if they can endure the horrors of Battleworld – the home they knew has been destroyed! Time has run out, and the opening salvo of Secret Wars has been fired. But can anything restore the Marvel Universe that once was?

IMAGE COMICS SAVAGE DRAGON LEGACY

Savage Dragon reaches a new milestone as Malcolm Dragon graduates high school and follows his father’s footsteps to the Chicago Police Department. Every young new officer has a lot to live up to, but for the son of a world-famous figure as renowned as he is reviled, navigating the world of law enforcement is especially challenging. The cost of failure is high in a city becoming more dangerous by the day: Can Malcolm step out of his father’s shadow and become the hero Chicago needs, or is he doomed to make the same mistakes?

CAPTAIN CANUCK

Captain Canuck is BACK! Tom Evans is a brave but troubled Canadian soldier. When he and his brother Michael gain superpowers from an alien artifact, they both must work through a lifetime of differences to ensure their gifts are used for the betterment of all humankind. Thrust into battle by Equilibrium, a fledgling intervention agency, Tom must find his way as figurehead and hero Captain Canuck to save humanity- and his brother’s soul- from the machinations of Mr. Gold… and even more dangerous forces that lurk in the shadows.

ZENOSCOPE COMICS ABOUT WONDERLAND

Do you dare peer into the Looking Glass this May? Erica J. Heflin, who has been making waves in creator-owned comics with her strong female characters and twisted, mind-bending stories,  has delivered a standalone Wonderland story, which delves into the bloody past as well as the dark future of the Looking Glass… the mirror which helped turn the Liddles into the new Manson family.Heflin also writes the monthly ongoing Wonderland series, which focuses on Calie Liddle… the White Queen of Wonderland. Calie has purged the madness that turned the Realm of Dreams evil to its core, but the shadows of the past still lurk in the darkest corners of Wonderland, waiting to strike.

That’s it. An impressive list. There’s also a New Avengers team debuting, but I’m sure you are all going to be Avengers burn outs after Age of Ultron this week. So get out there tomorrow and get some FREE COMICS.

The post A Guide To Free Comic Book Day 2015 appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

If you’ve got a problem – kill it! In a world populated by fearsome thieves, mercenaries and ne’er do wells – there is one who is a HEAD above the rest. M.O.D.O.K.! The Mental Organism Designed Only for KILLING! And when he’s got you in his sights you’re dust. But his next job may just put him in over his head. A job that will force him to go toe-to-toe with Doc Ock, Bullseye, Baron Mordo and more – and that’s just the first issue! Believe us, bullets will fly and heads will roll this May when M.O.D.O.K. ASSASSIN #1 comes to town!

MODOK ASSASIN #1 (of 5) (MAR150678)

Written by CHRISTOPHER YOST

Art by AMILCAR PINNA
Cover by DAVID LAFUENTE

Variant Cover by GABRIEL HERNANDEZ WALTA (MAR150679)

FOC – 05/04/15, On-Sale – 05/27/15

The post [Comic Preview] M.O.D.O.K. Assassin #1 Takes Aim at the Warzones! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.