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DC Officially Announces Future State, a Two-Month Line Wide Event

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DC Comics is kicking off 2021 with a look into the future with DC Future State. The rumored line-wide event has been revealed today. It kicks off in January 2021 and goes through 2021. DC Future State features a combination of monthly and twice-monthly oversize anthologies, as we well as a miniseries and one-shots,

DC Future State spotlights the World’s Greatest Super Heroes in fresh new roles, with all-new characters taking up their iconic mantles. DC Future State features an incredible array of creative talent, combining award-winning writers and artists with new voices from the worlds of TV, movies, and animation. In March 2021, the regular DC title lineup resumes, continuing existing storylines from 2020 and introducing new arcs for the year.

In DC Future State, the Multiverse has been saved from the brink of destruction, but the triumph of DC’s heroes has shaken loose the very fabric of time and space! The final chapter of Dark Nights: Death Metal (on sale January 5, 2021)  brings new life to DC’s Multiverse, kicking off this glimpse into the unwritten worlds of DC’s future!

A stellar array of writers and artists are on hand to deliver this unique look at beloved DC characters, including fan favorites such as Mariko Tamaki, Brian Michael Bendis, Gene Luen Yang, Joëlle Jones, Joshua Williamson, Nicola Scott, Cully Hamner, and John Timms, along with new voices such as award-winning screenwriter John Ridley (12 Years A Slave), Brandon Vietti (Young Justice), Meghan Fitzmartin (Supernatural, DC Super Hero Girls), Brandon Easton (Thundercats, Transformers: War for Cybertron), Alitha Martinez (REPRESENT! It’s A Bird!), L.L. McKinney (Nubia: Real One), Paula Sevenbergen (Stargirl), and Siya Oum (Lola XOXO), among others.

Check out below to see what the future beholds!

Batman Family

In this future, Gotham City is controlled by the Magistrate. This villainous regime has taken control of the city, now under constant surveillance. All masked vigilantes have been outlawed and Batman has been killed. But led by an all-new Batman, a new assembly of Gotham’s guardians rise to give hope to all of those who lost it!

Oversized Comics:

Future State: The Next Batman #1-4

  • The Next Batman, by John Ridley, Nick Derington and Laura Braga
  • Outsiders, by Brandon Thomas and Sumit Kumar
  • Arkham Knights, by Paul Jenkins and Jack Herbert
  • Batgirls, by Vita Ayala and Aneke
  • Gotham City Sirens, by Paula Sevenbergen and Emanuela Lupacchino

Future State: Dark Detective #1-4

  • Dark Detective, by Mariko Tamaki and Dan Mora
  • Grifters, by Matthew Rosenberg and Carmine di Giandomenico
  • Red Hood, by Joshua Williamson and Giannis Milonogiannis

Monthly Miniseries:

  • Future State: Batman/Superman, by Gene Luen Yang and Ben Oliver
  • Future State: Catwoman, by Ram V and Otto Schmidt
  • Future State: Harley Quinn, by Stephanie Phillips and Simone Di Meo
  • Future State: Nightwing, by Andrew Constant and Nicola Scott
  • Future State: Robin Eternal, by Meghan Fitzmartin and Eddy Barrows
Superman Family

Due to his involvement in an international crisis happening in the near future, Clark Kent has been rejected by Earth, causing him to focus his lifesaving efforts outside his adopted home. He travels to Warworld to rise through the ranks of gladiatorial combat in order to defeat Mongul with the help of some unlikely heroes. Back in Metropolis, Clark’s son Jon has taken on the mantle of Superman. After seeing the horrors that befell Gotham, he bottles Metropolis in order to keep it safe, putting him at odds with Supergirl.

Connecting the two oversized Future State: Superman titles, Shilo Norman, the man known as Mister Miracle, finds himself caught between the city he grew up in and the battle-torn planet that could be his downfall.

Meanwhile in the Amazon rainforest, Yara Flor is chosen to be the new Wonder Woman. Years later, the new Superman and Wonder Woman join forces to save their cities in a new superhero team-up the likes of which the world has never seen.

Oversized Comics:

Future State: Superman of Metropolis #1-2

  • Superman of Metropolis, by Sean Lewis and John Timms
  • The Guardian, by Sean Lewis and Cully Hamner
  • Mister Miracle, by Brandon Easton and Valentine De Landro
Future State: Superman of Metropolis #1-2

Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #1-4

  • Superman: Worlds of War, by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Mikel Janin
  • Midnighter, by Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad and Gleb Melnikov
  • Black Racer, by Jeremy Adams and Siya Oum
  • Mister Miracle, by Brandon Easton and Valentine De Landro
Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #1-4

Future State: Immortal Wonder Woman #1-2

  • Immortal Wonder Woman, by Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad and Jen Bartel
  • Nubia, by L.L. McKinney, Alitha E. Martinez and Mark Morales
Future State: Immortal Wonder Woman #1-2

Monthly Miniseries and One-Shots

  • Future State: House of El, by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Scott Godlewski (one-shot on sale February)
  • Future State: Kara Zor-El, Superwoman, by Marguerite Bennett and Marguerite Sauvage
  • Future State: Legion of Super-Heroes, by Brian Michael Bendis and Riley Rossmo
  • Future State: Superman/Wonder Woman, by Dan Watters and Leila del Duca
  • Future State: Superman vs. Imperious Lex, by Mark Russell and Steve Pugh (3-issue series ending March 2021)
  • Future State: Wonder Woman, by Joëlle Jones
Justice League Family

A thread of great change runs through the Justice League heroes: a new League is built upon secret identities (even from each other), but an old and evolved enemy will use these secrets to try and overthrow the world. For the supernatural heroes of Justice League Dark, the very fabric of reality has shifted, and heroes are being hunted.

For Flash, Shazam, and the Teen Titans, it all begins when the four Riders of the Apocalypse unleash hell in a battle at Titans Academy, Barry Allen is cut off from the Speed Force, a Famine-controlled Wally West may be beyond saving, and Billy Batson makes a deal with the devil that will change Shazam forever. Off-world, John Stewart and the remaining Green Lanterns are stranded in the shadow of a dead power battery; Jackson Hyde and Andy Curry are separated across the galaxy; and Amanda Waller executes her ultimate plan with a new but terrifyingly familiar Suicide Squad on Earth-3.

At the end of time, Swamp Thing reveals its true intention, ruling supreme until a remnant of humanity launches a rebellion, and Black Adam looks to the past as the only way to save the future of the Multiverse.

Oversized Comics:

Future State: Justice League #1-2

  • Justice League, by Joshua Williamson and Robson Rocha
  • Justice League Dark, by Ram V and Marcio Takara
Future State: Justice League #1

Future State: Green Lantern #1-2

  • Last Lanterns, by Geoffrey Thorne and Tom Raney
  • Tales of the Green Lantern Corps, by Josie Campbell, Ryan Cady and Ernie Altbacker, with Sami Basri and Clayton Henry
Future State: Green Lantern #1

Future State: Suicide Squad #1-2

  • Suicide Squad, by Robbie Thompson and Javi Fernandez
  • Black Adam, by Jeremy Adams and Fernando Pasarin
Future State: Suicide Squad #1

Monthly Miniseries:

  • Future State: Aquaman, by Brandon Thomas and Daniel Sampere
  • Future State: The Flash, by Brandon Vietti and Dale Eaglesham
  • Future State: Teen Titans, by Tim Sheridan and Rafa Sandoval
  • Future State: SHAZAM!, by Tim Sheridan and Eduardo Pansica
  • Future State: Swamp Thing, by Ram V and Mike Perkins

Christian Cooper, Alitha E. Martinez, Mark Morales, Emilio Lopez, and Rob Clark Jr. Launch Represent! from DC

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Represent!

DC has announced a new digital-first series, Represent!, launching with “It’s a Bird” by Christian Cooper, Alitha E. Martinez, Mark Morales, Emilio Lopez, and Rob Clark Jr. This first chapter is available now, offered for free on participating digital platforms including readdc.com, Comixology, Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and more. Additional chapters of Represent! will be available digitally in 2021.

In the announcement executive editor, Marie Javins said the digital series will showcase and introduce creators traditionally underrepresented in the mainstream comic book medium. “It’s a Bird” is a semi-fictionalized account of Christian’s very real evolution from a kid with a pair of binoculars to a man in an unexpected media spotlight after an altercation with a woman walking her dog in Central Park.

In Cooper and Martinez’s story, Jules, a Black teenager, is given a pair of old binoculars as he heads out for a morning of bird-watching.

For those inspired by the comic, already involved, or want to get involved in positive change, there are many organizations—including Color of Change, Equal Justice Initiative, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, National Urban League, and the Bail Project—working to advance social justice and civil rights in support of #BlackLivesMatter.

Legendary Comics Announces The Science of Ghosts by Lilah Sturges and Alitha E. Martinez

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The Science of Ghosts

Legendary Comics has announced a new original graphic novel, The Science of Ghosts, written by Eisner and GLAAD Award-nominated writer Lilah Sturges. The story—centered around Joy Ravenna, a transgender parapsychologist—will feature art by veteran comic book artist Alitha E. Martinez and will be available in stores and online in Summer 2021.

While on the verge of losing a research grant that would jeopardize her academic life work, Joy Ravenna is approached by a wealthy young heiress who claims to have encountered malevolent paranormal activity at the family’s estate. As Joy, who is accustom to navigating the mysteries of the afterlife, dives deeper and deeper into the investigation, she comes face-to-face with the very real challenges of her own past and present—her first post-transition relationship with new girlfriend Cat, a hostile ex-wife, and clues to a murder long forgotten—that will test her at every twist and turn. For Joy, working with ghosts is way easier than dealing with the living. 

Review: Marvel’s Voices #1

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Marvel's Voices #1

Marvel’s Voices is an Experience, capital E. It’s the first comic I know about that adapts the concept of a podcast into a comics anthology collecting stories from black creators giving their take on the Marvel universe.

The book’s title carries over from the podcast it’s based on, which is hosted by Angélique Roché. The list of creators includes Vita Ayala, Damion Scott, Kyle Baker, Brian Stelfreeze, Roxane Gay, Method Man, Alitha Martínez, among other notable industry names. What’s interesting about the project, though, is that it embraces its multimedia roots by featuring essays from other creators accessible via Marvel’s Voices online page.

Two particular essays grabbed my attention: Regine L. Sawyer’s “Growing Up Marvel” and Karama Horne’s “The Legacy of Isaiah Bradley: The First Black Captain America.” (Disclosure: Karama and Regine have both contributed to our site – ed.)

Sawyer’s essay is about her origin story into comics through a less conventional avenue than most other stories of the kind: X-Men trading cards. I don’t want to spoil the essay because it is a fascinating and well-written story, but it is wonderful to get this look at how comics allow for multiple entry points given it’s an entire cultural package. It made me remember my card collecting days growing up, both the same X-Men cards Sawyer collected and the classic Pepsi Cards I religiously hunted down back when they came out in Puerto Rico. I still have them with me and they also helped me embrace comics.

Horne’s essay is about two comics: Truth and The Crew. Each one stands as some of Marvel’s best comic book offerings. They were subversive and hard-hitting, daring enough to give Marvel a black Captain America (in Truth), complete with an exploration of the tragic treatment black heroes get using real-life black history as the basis for the problems each character faces (which is expanded upon in The Crew).

The essay is a great and concise history of these comics, but it also serves as a lesson on visibility. That Marvel hasn’t reprinted these stories or released newer editions of the paperbacks brings up more questions than it should. I think Horne’s essay makes a strong argument as to why we need these comics back on the stands.

On the comic’s side of Marvel’s Voices, we get a strong if a bit uneven set of short stories that are personal, celebratory, and thoughtful as to why Marvel characters mean so much in the struggle for more diverse voices in the industry. Kyle Baker, for instance, produced a one-pager Ant-Man and Nick Fury story titled “Perspective,” about Fury’s problem with depth perception. It’s a quick hit but the art on display here is impressive enough to make anyone want to see Baker do more Marvel work.

Geoffrey Thorne, Khary Randolph, and Emilio López’s “Top of the Key,” on the other hand, is a one-pager on Mosaic story (a character Marvel has severely underused, in my opinion) that would’ve benefited from an additional page or two. It feels more like a setup for a larger story and we only really just get a taste of it.

Rob Markman, Damion Scott, and Dono Sánchez-Almara’s “What a Wonderful World” stands as one of the most impressive stories in the anthology as it offers a well-rounded look at a Marvel character with outstanding art and a clear message to boot. It centers on a troubled Silver Surfer, comparing Marvel’s biggest villains with humanity’s own villainy when it comes to protecting the environment. No panel was spared, no color was misplaced, and no bit of text hung without intent. Just a really good two-page story.

The best story in the book is without question “Inspiration,” by James Monroe Iglehart, Ray-Anthony Height, and Emilio López. This 4-page tale gives the radioactive spider that gave Peter Parker his powers a much-deserved platform to contemplate his role in the grand scheme of things. The script showcases an interesting play on what a superpowered spider is supposed to be and how much of its natural instincts define its actions. It’s simply unforgettable and truly worthy of getting its own comic book series.

Marvel Voices #1 is the type of book Marvel needs to invest more on. It shows just how important it is to bring in other perspectives into this superhero universe and just how different it can all turn out to be. It speaks to the power of voices hungry for diversity in storytelling. And that, in itself, is a beautiful thing.

Writers: John Jennings, Anthony Piper, Luciano Vecchio, David Betancourt, James Monroe Iglehart, Evan Narcisse, Vita Ayala, Regine L. Sawyer, Brian Stelfreeze, Brandon Montclare, Tatiana King Jones, Karama Horne, Kyle Baker, Roxane Gay, Yona Harvey, Don McGregor, Geoffrey Thorne, Rob Markman, Method Man, Daniel Dominguez, Charlamagne The God, David F. Walker, Chuck Brown
Art: Anthony Piper, Luciano Vecchio, Ray-Anthony Height, Jahnoy Lindsay, Bernard Chang, Brian Stelfreeze, Natacha Bustos, Kyle Baker, Brittney L. Williams, Khary Randolph, Damion Scott, Alitha E. Martinez, JJ Kirby, Sanford Greene
Color: Anthony Piper, Luciano Vecchio, Emilio Lopez, Marcelo Maiolo, Brian Stelfreeze, Tamra Bonvillain, Kyle Baker, Rachelle Rosenberg, Dono Sánchez-Almara, JJ Kirby, Matt Herms
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Writing: 9 Essays: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10
Recommendation: Buy and make sure to bag and board it.

It’s a Girl! Meet Miles Morales’ New Baby Sister!

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As if Spider-Man doesn’t have enough on his plate, he will now have to take on all the responsibilities and adventures that come with being a big brother! In today’s landmark issue of Miles Morales: Spider-Man, Miles welcomed his new baby sister, Billie Mariana Morales, giving the young hero yet another reason to protect the world as Spider-Man!

MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN #13

Written by SALADIN AHMED
Art by JAVIER GARRÓN, KEVIN LIBRANDA, and ALITHA E. MARTINEZ
Colors by DAVID CURIEL and PROTOBUNKER

Billie Mariana Morales

Marvel’s Voices Expands Into Comics with Marvel’s Voices #1

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Following last year’s debut of Marvel’s bi-weekly podcast interview series, Marvel’s Voices, Marvel expands the spotlight on some of the comic book industry’s most critically-acclaimed storytellers with Marvel’s Voices #1, written and drawn by an all-star roster of talent including Vita Ayala, Roxane Gay, Brian Stelfreeze, Method Man, and many more!

In this gripping one-shot anthology, fans will get another look at the X-Men following the events of House of X and Powers of X; the return of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur; and other stories featuring the Hulk and Wolverine, Black Panther, Killmonger, She-Hulk, Black Widow, Ant-Man, and the rest of the Marvel Universe.

Since the podcast’s launch, Marvel’s Voices has featured guests and talent from across Marvel’s comics, live-action television shows, animation, games, and celebrity fans of Marvel from entertainment and beyond. The series garnered a loyal following for its in-depth exclusive interviews by host Angélique Roché, highlighting unforgettable stories and key moments from the Marvel Universe through a wide range of unique perspectives. Marvel’s Voices will launch its new season in February 2020.

Don’t miss Marvel’s Voices #1, in stores this February!

MARVEL’S VOICES #1

MARVEL’S VOICES #1

Written by VITA AYALA, ROXANE GAY, BRIAN STELFREEZE, GEOFF THORNE, ANTHONY PIPER, KYLE BAKER, EVAN NARCISSE, METHOD MAN, ROB MARKMAN, CHUCK BROWN, and DAVID F. WALKER
Art by BRIAN STELFREEZE, ANTHONY PIPER, KYLE BAKER, SANFORD GREENE, DAMION SCOTT, RAY-ANTHONY HEIGHT, ALITHA E. MARTINEZ, NATACHA BUSTOS, and LUCIANO VECCHIO
Cover art by RYAN BENJAMIN

THE WORLD OUTSIDE YOUR WINDOW!

Marvel’s acclaimed podcast series focusing on telling the stories of diverse creators and their unique perspectives becomes a one shot of brand-new adventures! The X-Men find their place in the world after declaring a new nation! Killmonger strikes! Moon Girl and Devil Dino return!

Humanoids’ Omni #1 Heads Back for a Second Printing

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Humanoids is going back to press for the debut issue of Omni, the breakout hit series from the company’s new H1 Ignition shared universe. Omni #1 by writer Devin Grayson, artist Alitha E. Martinez, and colorist Bryan Valenza, with lettering by A Larger World Studios, has received widespread critical acclaim. Both the second printing of OMNI issue 1 and issue 2 will be published on September 25, 2019.

Omni #1 2nd printing

Review: Omni #1

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Omni #1

Humanoids‘ H1 universe really gets ignited with the release of Omni #1. Cecelia Cobbina is a gifted and young doctor who mysteriously acquires superpowers and quickly discovers that she’s not the only one. There are people all over the planet Igniting with powers, but only her power can answer “why”…

Written by Devin Grayson, Omni #1 plants a flag early as to what to expect. It’s blending of the real world and fantastical keeps up the more grounded feel of the H1 universe. In this case, it all revolves around Dr. Cecelia Cobbina. The use of the very real Doctors Without Borders and the situations they find themselves in creates a beginning that’s easier to relate to. This isn’t a world we have to imagine as much as it is the world we live in.

Grayson also delivers an intriguing character who is at both likeable and not. Cobbina is brilliant and she knows it. There’s a bit of arrogance there. At the same time, Grayson delivers a character who’s unsure of herself and what’s happening to her. She can think faster than the speed of light and answer almost any question. And with that comes questions and in some ways overconfidence in one’s ability. It’s all there and subtlely done. We get a layered character right out of the gate.

The art by Alitha E. Martinez is fantastic. Like the character and settings, there’s a grounded sense of design that we can relate to. Bryan Valenza‘s colors helps with that. The detail in body language and a look on a face tell as much of the story as the dialogue does.

Omni #1 is a solid debut that takes superhero stories in a different direction. There’s a scientific focus here and I hope a focus on STEM going forward. This is a dive into the H1 world looking at it as a mystery and puzzle to solve, there’s an attempt to answer questions. It’s a different take on the saturated superhero genre. And it stands out due to that.

Story: Devin Grayson Art: Alitha E. Martinez
Color: Bryan Valenza Letterer: A Larger World Studios
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

Humanoids provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Preview: Omni #1

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Omni #1

Writer: Devin Grayson
Artist: Alitha E. Martinez
Colors: Bryan Valenza
Letters: A Larger World Studio
Cover Artist: Mike McKone
On Sale Date: August 14, 2019

A young doctor mysteriously acquires superpowers and quickly discovers that she’s not the only one. There are people all over the planet Igniting with powers, but only her power can answer “why”…

Cecelia Cobbina is a gifted doctor. Vibrant, compassionate and praised by both her peers and her patients. But that was before the incident in Africa. Before she was forced to leave her job at Doctors Without Borders behind. Before she gained the ability to think faster than the speed of light. Overwhelmed with the power to answer almost every question, she must now overcome her own fears and tackle the one code she can’t seem to break: the truth behind the ignited.

Omni #1

Review: X-Men: Gold Vol. 7 God War

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Kitty Pryde has left Colossus at the altar and the X-Men are shaken in the aftermath. X-Men: Gold Vol. 7 God War focuses on the days after the wedding and loss from various characters’ perspectives.

X-Men: Gold Vol. 7 God War features issues #31-36 and Annual #1 from Marc Guggenheim, Leah Williams, Monty Nero, Pere Perez, Michele Bandini, Simone Buonfantino, Giovanni valletta, Djibril Morissette-Phan, Alitha E. Martinez, Craig Yeung, Jay David Ramos, Matt Milla, Erick Arciniega, Dono Sanchez-Almara, and Michael Garland.

Get your copy in comic shops today and book stores on December 11! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Amazon/comiXology/Kindle
TFAW

 

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with FREE copies for review
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