(W) Brandon Thomas (A) Fico Ossio In Shops: Jan 08, 2025 SRP: $3.99
SHOWDOWN AT STEELWORKS! Natasha Irons, Lynn Stewart, and the Pierce sisters are caught in the crossfire as Volcana and her new Masters of Disaster set their sights on Steelworks’ metahuman evaluation center! Steel and Lightning jump into the fray to protect innocents, but Thunder is terrified of losing control again. But with her sister and her mother risking it all to protect innocent lives, can Anissa Pierce stay on the sidelines?
(W) Brandon Thomas (A) Fico Ossio In Shops: Dec 11, 2024 SRP: $4.99
Still struggling to move past the traumatic events of Absolute Power, Black Lightning’s family is dealt a crushing blow after the reveal that his eldest daughter, Anissa, has lost control of her newly altered powers. Between his elevated responsibilities in the Justice League, his commitments to his community, and now needing to help his daughter, Jefferson Pierce just might crack under pressure!
Jefferson Pierce leads the Justice League’s new metahuman outreach initiative, helping those with powers before they can cause harm to themselves or others–but everything changes when its his own daughter, Anissa Pierce, who comes to him for help. With Thunder’s dangerous new powers and the new Masters of Disaster jeopardizing the coexistence between humans and Metas, Black Lightning is on the front lines of a culture war brewing in the suburbs of Metropolis! Black Lightning #1 delivers a new status-quo and direction for the character in the “All In” phase of the DC Universe.
Written by Brandon Thomas, Black Lightning #1 is an interesting comic as it really focuses on an impact of the “Absolute Power” storyline that’s been teased elsewhere. At the end of that event, something has gone wrong in the metahuman population. Powers have been switched up for some heroes and there’s more metahumans emerging. Someone needs to deal and help those new individuals, and that’s up to Jefferson Pierce, Black Lightning!
The issue is a pretty solid start with a concept that’s easy to understand and a role that’s a natural fit for the character. He’s a teacher at heart and here he gets to do that while helping metahumans in need. It’s a concept that has been there in some previous comics but in the current “All In” era, it’s something that’s not really being seen elsewhere.
There is a bit of knowledge that’s needed with Pierce and his family. While most of it is explained well, there is some things with a daughter that doesn’t quite hit unless you really know the characters. Still, a father working with a daughter and caring for his family is an easy thing to connect with and the comic does that well.
The art by Fico Ossio is good. With color by Ulises Arrelo and lettering by Lucas Gattoni, it has its moments though there are some issues here and there where the art isn’t quite as sharp. Where it’s good, it’s really good, which makes the visual bumps stand out. Characters just don’t look all that good or that art doesn’t quite drive home the moment. But, there’s action that’s exciting and moments that really deliver a cinematic quality about them.
Black Lightning #1 is an entertaining start with a concept that needs to be filled in the “All In” storyline. It shows a lot of potential and picks up a plotline that has been mentioned but not really focused on. It has a lot going for it and should be interesting to see where it goes after the debut.
Story: Brandon Thomas Art: Fico Ossio Color: Ulises Arreola Letterer: Lucas Gattoni Story: 8.15 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.95 Recommendation: Read
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
(W) Brandon Thomas (A) Fico Ossio In Shops: Nov 13, 2024 SRP: $3.99
BLACK LIGHTNING IS BACK, AND THIS TIME, IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR! Jefferson Pierce leads the Justice League’s new metahuman outreach initiative, helping those with powers before they can cause harm to themselves or others–but everything changes when its his own daughter, Anissa Pierce, who comes to him for help. With Thunder’s dangerous new powers and the new Masters of Disaster jeopardizing the coexistence between humans and Metas, Black Lightning is on the front lines of a culture war brewing in the suburbs of Metropolis!
Backer Beware: Crowdfunding projects are not guaranteed to be delivered and/or delivered when promised. We always recommend to do your research before backing.
Over 70 Black creators are teaming up with Advent Comics and over 40 comic book and graphic novel publishers for the cosmic crossover project Epiphany Engine, a 192-page graphic novel. The project which launches with a Kickstarter campaign is led by publishing legend Tony Kittrell and acclaimed editor and creator Joseph P. Illidge, who serves as Editorial Director, with editor Marcus H. Roberts and Assistant Editor Brian J. Hawkins. Epiphany Engine will feature an epic multiverse story, assembling iconic Black heroes and villains and original characters in an adventure that spans several chapters. Each chapter will showcase the work of a different creative team, giving Black creators from across the publishing world the opportunity to combine their powers. Readers and fans can back Epiphany Engine on the Kickstarter campaign, which features a variety of exciting reward options.
Superstar scribe Brandon Thomas will be launching the book by writing the first chapter; the book will also feature the work of popular creators such as Rodney Barnes, Chuck Patton, John Jennings, Jamal Igle, Colleen Douglas, and many more. Publishers involved in the project include 4thWall Productions, Griot Enterprises, Konkret Comics, and Second Sight Publishing, among many others.
Covers for Epiphany Engine are from a superstar group of artists including Chriscross, Keron Grant, Alitha E. Martinez, Jamal Igle, Sean Damien Hill, Canaan White, Marcus Williams, Kris Mosby, Michael Watson, Stanley Weaver, Jr., and Eric Battle.
The afterword will be written by Marcus H. Roberts of Second Sight Publishing, most known for their series of SHOOK! horror anthology graphic novels co-published by Dark Horse and Mississippi Zombie anthology series co-published by Caliber.
Inspired by seminal dimensional crossover stories such as DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths and the family drama of Fantastic Four, Epiphany Engine follows the McKalis, a family of brilliant scientists who have been scattered across the dangerous multiverse after a fight with the mysterious adversary, Abzylom. The fabric of the multiverse has ruptured, causing universes to bleed into each other and sending most of the Mackali family into scattered destinations, leaving the youngest member Todd McKali without his family in a cosmic and frightening variation on Home Alone. Abzylom wants to collapse the existing multiverse and mold a new universe while destroying the McKalis. In order to save the multiverse and defeat their cosmic foe, the family must find each other and build an army of fighters from across the multiverse of Black superheroes.
The McKali family is led by Prof. Dwayne McKali, an incredibly brilliant explorer and father, but often myopic and overcontrolling, and Dr. Jackie McKali, a world renowned physicist and mother who is the balanced yang to Dwayne’s ying. In order to save the multiverse, the parents team up with their gifted kids, 19-year old Jett McKali, an impulsive tech genius who is unafraid to jump into the fray, and 17-year-old Octavia McKali, a chemist and theorist who keeps the family together and on task. The family is inspired by historical real-life and fictional figures: iconic writer Dwayne McDuffie, legendary comics creator Jackie Ormes, Disney’s “The Famous Jett Jackson”, award-winning science fiction author Octavia Butler, and legendary actor Tony Todd of the seminal horror film “Candyman”.
Dwayne and Jackie’s youngest son, 10-year-old Todd McKali, is a child prodigy who incorporates all of the specialties of his famous family. The family is hunted by the villainous Abzylom. Unhinged, psychopathic and incredibly brilliant, Abzylom has been traversing the multiverse and his body has become infused with the chaotic energies that bind and separate universes.
Along with these original characters, Epiphany Engine will share the stage with legendary Black characters such as Andre Batts & Urban Style Comics’ mystical protector Dreadlocks, Roosevelt Pitt & Amara Entertainment’s Purge character, Jiba Molei Anderson & Griot Enterprises’ African deities superteam The Horsemen, Danny J. Quick ‘s 4th Wall Productions’ MMA ninja Aceblade, Lonzo Starr & Konkret Comics’ cosmic hero Akolyte, Dorphise Jean & Spirits Destiny Studios Haitian heroine Spirit Destiny, Bradley Golden & Second Sight Publishing’s character Victoria Black, Michael Watson’s Freestyle Komics’ powerful Hotshot, Anansi the trickster god of stories, Ray-Anthony Height & Studio Skye-Tiger’s heroic vigilante Midnight Tiger, Quinn McGowan & Legends Press’ highflyer Wildfire and Tony Kittrell/Advent Comics’ powerhouse Titan the Ultra Man. These fan-favorite heroes and heroines are just the tip of the iceberg of the characters that will be appearing within the pages of the Epiphany Engine Graphic Novel.
Backer Beware: Crowdfunding projects are not guaranteed to be delivered and/or delivered when promised. We always recommend to do your research before backing.
Over 70 Black creators are teaming up with Advent Comics and over 30 comic book and graphic novel publishers for the cosmic crossover project Epiphany Engine, a 192-page graphic novel. The project is led by publishing legend Tony Kittrell and acclaimed editor and creator Joseph P. Illidge, who will serve as the Executive Story Editor. Epiphany Engine will feature an epic multiverse story, assembling iconic Black heroes and villains and original characters in an adventure that spans several chapters. Each chapter will showcase the work of a different creative team, giving Black creators from across the publishing world the opportunity to combine their powers. Readers and fans can back Epiphany Engine on Kickstarter when the project launches on Juneteenth, featuring a variety of exciting reward options.
Brandon Thomas will be launching the book by writing the first chapter; the book will also feature the work of popular creators such as Rodney Barnes, Chuck Patton, John Jennings, Jamal Igle, Colleen Douglas, Chriscross, and many more. Publishers involved in the project include 4th Wall Productions, Griot Enterprises LLC, Konkret Comics, and Second Sight Publishing, among many others.
Continuing the legacy of multiverse crossover stories such as DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths and the family drama of Fantastic Four, Epiphany Engine follows the McKalis, a family of brilliant but grief-stricken scientists searching for their missing member Todd, who was lost in the multiverse after a botched experiment. However…their rescue attempt has accidentally ruptured the fabric of the multiverse, causing universes to bleed into each other and sending all four members into scattered destinations. The rupture has released a cosmic-level threat, the mysterious Abzylom, who wants to collapse and mold a new universe while destroying the McKalis. In order to save the multiverse and defeat their cosmic foe, the family must find each other and build an army of superheroes.
The McKali family is led by father Prof. Dwayne McKali, who is an incredibly brilliant explorer, but often myopic and overcontrolling, and mother Dr. Jackie McKali, a world-renowned physicist who is the balanced yang to Dwayne’s ying. In order to save the multiverse, the parents team up with their gifted kids, 19-year-old Jett McKali, an impulsive tech genius who is unafraid to jump into the fray, and 17-year-old Octavia McKali, a chemist and theorist who keeps the family together and on task. The family is inspired by historical and fictional icons like comics legend Dwayne McDuffie, iconic comic creator Jackie Ormes, Disney’s “The Famous Jett Jackson,” and award-winning Afrofuturist writer Octavia Butler.
Dwayne and Jackie’s son, 10-year-old Todd McKali, is a child prodigy who incorporates all of the specialties of his famous family. It’s Todd’s experiments with multiversal travel that accidentally cause the incident that loses him in the multiverse and creates the chaos that must be solved. The family is hunted by the villainous Abzylom, who has cosmic abilities beyond their understanding. Unhinged, sociopathic, psychopathic and incredibly brilliant, Abzylom has been traversing the multiverse and his body has become infused with the chaotic energies that bind and separate universes.
Along with these original characters, Epiphany Engine will share the stage with legendary Black characters such as:
Danny J. Quick ‘s 4th Wall Productions MMA ninja Aceblade
Lonzo Starr and Konkret Comics cosmic hero Akolyte
Andre Batts Urban Style Comics mystical protector Dreadlocks
Michael Watson’s Freestyle Komics powerful Hotshot
Ray Height/Studio Skye-Tiger‘s heroic vigilante Midnight Tiger
Jiba Molei Anderson/Griot Enterprises African deities superteam The Horsemen
Tony Kittrell/Advent Comics powerhouse Titan the Ultra Man
Quinn McGowan and Legends Press highflyer Wildfire
Vince White and The Powerverse’s classic hero Will Power
Each of these characters resonates with fans due to their relatability and heroic spirit, making them true icons in the comic book industry. These fan-favorite heroes and heroines are just the tip of the iceberg of the characters that will be appearing within the pages of the Epiphany Engine graphic novel.
Fans can now follow and save the Epiphany Engine page on Kickstarter in order to get reminders and updates. Rewards will include an option for fans to get a 1:1 creative consultation with Epiphany Engine producer Tony Kittrell and representatives from the creative and editorial teams. Other rewards will include original artwork, exclusive variants, boxed sets, and more. The Kickstarter will officially launch on Juneteenth (June 19) of this year. Fans who purchase the graphic novel will be mailed the book later in 2024.
(W) Alitha Martinez, Brandon Thomas, Cheryl Lynn Eaton, Deron Bennett, Greg Burnham, Jarrett Williams, John Ridley, Lamar Giles (A) Alitha Martinez, Jamal Campbell, Asiah Fulmore, Sean Damien Hill, Edwin Galmon, Denys Cowan, Tony Akins, Moritat, Dominike Stanton, Jahnoy Lindsay, Khary Randolph, Serg Acuna In Shops: Jan 30, 2024 SRP: $9.99
DC Power returns for round two with brand-new stories spotlighting Black characters from across the DC Universe by an all-star cast of writers and artists! N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell return to the Hugo Award–winning world of Far Sector for an epilogue featuring the first meeting between Jo Mullein and John Stewart! The Signal, Duke Thomas, finds inspiration from an unlikely ally. Crispus Allen searches for purpose outside of being the Spectre—and goes to Renee Montoya for guidance! Thunder and Lighting (Anissa and Jennifer Pierce), cause sparks to fly at a community event crashed by the Condiment King; Raphael Arce learns the secret origin of the original Bloodwynd; Val-Zod, Earth-2’s Superman, contemplates the balance between his pacifist philosophy and protecting the people of his universe; and Nubia teams up with…Mr. Mxyzptlk?! All these stories and more, just in time for Black History Month!
(W) Alitha Martinez, Brandon Thomas, Cheryl Lynn Eaton, Deron Bennett, Greg Burnham, Jarrett Williams, John Ridley, Lamar Giles (A) Alitha Martinez, Jamal Campbell, Asiah Fulmore, Sean Damien Hill, Edwin Galmon, Denys Cowan, Tony Akins, Moritat, Dominike Stanton, Jahnoy Lindsay, Khary Randolph, Serg Acuna In Shops: Jan 30, 2024 SRP: $9.99
DC Power returns for round two with brand-new stories spotlighting Black characters from across the DC Universe by an all-star cast of writers and artists! N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell return to the Hugo Award–winning world of Far Sector for an epilogue featuring the first meeting between Jo Mullein and John Stewart! The Signal, Duke Thomas, finds inspiration from an unlikely ally. Crispus Allen searches for purpose outside of being the Spectre—and goes to Renee Montoya for guidance! Thunder and Lighting (Anissa and Jennifer Pierce), cause sparks to fly at a community event crashed by the Condiment King; Raphael Arce learns the secret origin of the original Bloodwynd; Val-Zod, Earth-2’s Superman, contemplates the balance between his pacifist philosophy and protecting the people of his universe; and Nubia teams up with…Mr. Mxyzptlk?! All these stories and more, just in time for Black History Month!
(W) Alitha Martinez, Brandon Thomas, Cheryl Lynn Eaton, Deron Bennett, Greg Burnham, Jarrett Williams, John Ridley, Lamar Giles (A) Alitha Martinez, Jamal Campbell, Asiah Fulmore, Sean Damien Hill, Edwin Galmon, Denys Cowan, Tony Akins, Moritat, Dominike Stanton, Jahnoy Lindsay, Khary Randolph, Serg Acuna In Shops: Jan 30, 2024 SRP: $9.99
DC Power returns for round two with brand-new stories spotlighting Black characters from across the DC Universe by an all-star cast of writers and artists! N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell return to the Hugo Award–winning world of Far Sector for an epilogue featuring the first meeting between Jo Mullein and John Stewart! The Signal, Duke Thomas, finds inspiration from an unlikely ally. Crispus Allen searches for purpose outside of being the Spectre—and goes to Renee Montoya for guidance! Thunder and Lighting (Anissa and Jennifer Pierce), cause sparks to fly at a community event crashed by the Condiment King; Raphael Arce learns the secret origin of the original Bloodwynd; Val-Zod, Earth-2’s Superman, contemplates the balance between his pacifist philosophy and protecting the people of his universe; and Nubia teams up with…Mr. Mxyzptlk?! All these stories and more, just in time for Black History Month!
DC is once again celebrating the Black Super Heroes across the DC Universe with DC Power 2024. The issue comes to comic shops on January 30, 2024.
It’s a new round of new and original stories featuring DC’s Black super heroes. Headlining it is an epilogue to Far Sector from writer N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell. It’ll be the first meeting between Sojourner “Jo” Mullein and John Stewart.
DC Power 2024 also features John Ridley, Brandon Thomas, Lamar Giles, Shawn Martinbrough, Cheryl Lynn Eaton, Alitha Martinez, Edwin Galmon, Khary Randolph, Denys Cowan, Tony Akins, Asiah Fulmore, and more. The Signal, The Spectre, Thunder and Lighting, Bloodwynd, Val-Zod, Nubia, and more will be featured in the 104-page prestige format one-shot.
The comic features a main cover by Chase Conley with variants by Jamal Campbell and Denys Cowan.
