Defenders of the Earth #2 (of 8)
(W) Dan DiDio (A/CA) Jim Calafiore
In Shops: Sep 25, 2024
SRP: $4.99
A new combatant lurks deep within the jungle-familiar but different. The Council of Phantoms has chosen a new heir with a different form of justice. Meanwhile, Kro-Tan’s sphere of influence is growing, and his grip is tightening. It’s clear that times have changed, and new threats challenge these heroes on a deeper and more personal level…
Defenders of the Earth #1
(W) Dan DiDio (A/CA) Jim Calafiore (L) Carlos M. Mangual (CB) Djordje Djokovic
Flash Gordon, The Phantom, Mandrake the Magician and Lothar are united again in this reimagining of the classic animated series, Defenders of the Earth. Picking up with characters and storylines from the original series, Flash confronts Ming in final battle, only to find that even greater threats await him and his teammates as they each must confront ghosts of their past to protect their families and future.
Iconic heroes pass the torch to the next generation! Embark on the return of Defenders of the Earth, an exhilarating reimagining of the beloved adventure series, coming soon from Mad Cave Studios. Inspired by the classic Defenders of the Earth cartoon series, writer Dan DiDio and artist Jim Calafiore join forces in this groundbreaking comic, sure to shake up the universe.
The newly-minted Defenders of the Earth comic is not just about superheroes; it’s about the human struggles and triumphs behind the masks—drawing inspiration from contemporary issues and timeless themes, while tackling relevant topics of gender, familial expectations, and the ethical dilemmas of modern heroism. With society at a crossroads and betrayal lurking in the shadows, the fate of Earth hangs in the balance. Each character grapples with their own demons, forging their own path while honoring the legacy of those who came before them.
Flash Gordon, The Phantom, Mandrake the Magician and Lothar are united again in this reimagining of the classic animated series, Defenders of the Earth. Picking up with characters and storylines from the original series, Flash confronts Ming in a final battle, only to find that even greater threats await him and his teammates as they each must confront ghosts of their past to protect their families and future.
The first action-packed issue in an eight-part series!
Defenders of the Earth is an epic journey of courage, sacrifice, and redemption, reminding us all that the greatest battles are fought not with fists, but with heart. Fans of the original series will find plenty to love while blazing a trail for the next generation of heroes.
Cover A by Jim Calafiore, cover B “action figure variant” by Djordje Djokovic, and cover C by Andy Clarke (2000 AD). Letters by Carlos M. Mangual.
Defenders of the Earth #1 from Mad Cave Studios in partnership with brand owner, King Features, hits shops August 14th.
Baltimore Comic-Con will celebrate its 25th Anniversary on September 20-22, 2024 at the Inner Harbor’s Baltimore Convention Center. The convention has announced comics guests including Brett Breeding, Jim Calafiore, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Dan Jurgens, Afua Richardson, and John K. Snyder III as guests for its 25th Anniversary event! Purchase your tickets online now.
Brett Breeding has enjoyed more than forty years as a comic book artist, illustrating and creating characters for Marvel and DC Comics. Primarily known for his finished inks over pencilers George Perez, Ron Frenz, Kerry Gammill, and Dan Jurgens, Brett has also done penciling, and traditional and computer coloring, as well as story development and plotting. He is a co-creator of DC Comics characters Doomsday, Blaze, Lord Satanus, and Shadowdragon. Brett has worked on many titles for Marvel and DC Comics, but is most recognized for his work on the Superman titles, notably the “Death of Superman” storyline, as well as the Spider-Man titles, The Mighty Thor, The Avengers, and West Coast Avengers. While working on Thor #390 with Ron Frenz, Brett originated the idea that Steve Rogers would be worthy to wield Thor’s hammer Mjolnir, and Ron and writer Tom DeFalco made it a key part of the story. Over 30 years later, Brett’s idea would be immortalized on the big screen as a key moment in Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame. Brett’s recent works include licensing art for DC and Warner Brothers Consumer Products along with children’s books and digital interactive iPad apps featuring Superman and Batman for WB Global Publishing.
In 30-plus years working in comics, Jim Calafiore has worked on Peter David’s Aquaman, Judd Winnick’s Exiles, Gotham Underground with Frank Tieri, Red Lanterns with Charles Soule, various Batman books, Deadpool, and Black Panther.
After a run on the critically-acclaimed Secret Six with Gail Simone, they reunited for their creator-owned success Leaving Megalopolis. He’s currently working on his creator-owned supernatural-comedy saga, NED, Lord of the Pit.
Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez was born in Spain and began drawing comics professionally in Argentina at age 13. In the 1960s, he drew romance titles for Charlton Comics. Garcia-Lopez came to the U.S. in 1974 and started working for DC Comics, drawing series such as Superman, Batman, Hawkman, Tarzan, and Jonah Hex. His other notable work includes Atari Force, Deadman, New Teen Titans, and On The Road to Perdition. Since 1982, Garcia-Lopez has designed and pencilled the definitive versions of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and many other characters for various DC Comics style guides, which are created for licensees only. His style guide art has been seen on countless DC Comics licensed products and is still being used today.
Dan Jurgens began his comics career in 1981 as artist on DC Comics’ The Warlord. He then created, wrote, and drew Booster Gold and added Flash Gordon, Legion of Super-Heroes, Green Arrow, Justice League America, and many more titles to his résumé. Most notably, he logged a very long run as writer/artist on Superman, including the best-selling Death of Superman, for which he won the National Cartoonists Society Award. Jurgens followed that up by writing and drawing the mega-hit crossover Zero Hour, which redefined the DC Universe. He drew several other crossovers as well, such as Armageddon 2001, DC Versus Marvel, and both wrote and drew Superman/Aliens and Superman/Fantastic Four.
At Marvel Comics, he wrote and/or drew The Sensational Spider-Man, Iron Fist, The Mighty Thor, and Captain America. Jurgens then returned to DC Comics to write and/or draw Green Arrow, Justice League International, Firestorm, and more. He then revived the true Superman in the Superman: Lois and Clark series, which featured the establishment of Superman’s son, Jonathan Kent, as a major DC character. After that, Dan had long stints writing Action Comics, Batman Beyond, and Nightwing.
Over the past couple of years, Dan has drawn a number of covers for Marvel Comics while also writing and drawing a special story for Thor #750. At DC, he brought the popular pair of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold together for the Blue & Gold miniseries, wrote and drew the 30th anniversary Death of Superman Special, and the Doom Rising series in Action Comics, which featured young Jon Kent. His most recent project is The Bat-Man: First Knight from DC’s Black Label imprint, telling the story of Bat-Man as he was originally presented, back in 1939.
Afua Richardson (pronounced “ah-FOO-wah”) is an award-winning American comic book illustrator best known for her work on Marvel’s Black Panther: World of Wakanda. Some of her other works include The Wild Storm, Attack on Titan, X-Men ’92, Captain Marvel, and All-Star Batman to name a few. Afua is also a musician, voice actor, activist, and mentor. As a recipient of the Nina Simone award, she is aptly called a Jane of All trades.
John K. Snyder III is an Eisner-nominated illustrator and writer of comic books and graphic novels. Creator of the independent comic series Fashion In Action, and adapter/illustrator of the graphic novel adaptation of Grand Master mystery writer Lawrence Block’s classic novel Eight Million Ways to Die published by IDW, he has worked for nearly every major publisher including DC, Dark Horse, Marvel, IDW, and many others. Snyder worked on Suicide Squad during its classic 1980’s run with writers John Ostrander and Kim Yale, and provided covers for the 2007 Suicide Squad mini-series. Along with Matt Wagner, Snyder co-created the Pieter Cross version of Doctor Mid-Nite for DC and Lady Zorro for Dynamite. Snyder also worked with Wagner on the epic Grendel: God and the Devil storyline. John’s recent work includes work for The Doors’ graphic novel anthology, Morrison Hotel written by Leah Moore and published by Z2 Comics, and a return to Suicide Squad with new covers for DC Comics to coincide with the release of the Warner Brothers movie. John’s future work includes all-new Fashion In Action adventures to be published by Clover Press. John encourages all artists and writers, young and old, to actively pursue their own creator-owned aspirations.
This year’s confirmed guests for the show include: Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia), Marty Baumann (Pixar artist), John Beatty (Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars), Brett Breeding (Superman), Tom Brevoort (coursey of Hero Initiative, FCBD 2023: Avengers/X-Men), Mark Buckingham (Fables), Jim Calafiore (NED, Lord of the Pit), John Cassaday (X-Force), Keith Champagne (Stranger Things), Howard Chaykin (Time Squared), Frank Cho (Harley Quinn), Michael Cho (Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories–Qui-Gon Jinn), Amy Chu (KISS: The End), Steve Conley (The Middle Age), Katie Cook (Nothing Special), Todd Dezago (The Perhapanauts), Chris Eliopoulos (Ordinary People Change the World), Steve Epting (New Avengers), Trish Forstner (Feral), Franco (Teen Titans Go to the Library), Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (DC Nation), Ron Garney (BZRKR), Bob Hall (West Coast Avengers), Greg Hildebrandt (Star Wars), Dan Jurgens (Action Comics), Jamal Igle (Superman), Klaus Janson (courtesy of Hero Initiative, Daredevil), Barry Kitson (Amazing Spider-Man), Jim Lee (Superman), Sam Maggs (Marvel Action: Captain Marvel), Shawn Martinbrough (Red Hood: The Hill), Mike McKone (Red Goblin), Bob McLeod (New Mutants), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Al Milgrom (Spectacular Spider-Man), Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise), Fabian Nicieza (courtesy of Hero Initiative, Deadpool), Jerome Opena (Uncanny X-Force), Dan Parent (Sabrina the Teenage Witch), Andrew Pepoy (Simone & Ajax), Andy Price (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic), Tom Raney (Green Lantern), Afua Richardson (Omni), Don Rosa (Uncle $crooge), Craig Rousseau (The Perhapanauts), Alex Saviuk (Web of Spider-Man), Liam Sharp (X-O Manowar Unconquered), Don Simpson (Megaton Man), Louise Simonson (The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special), Walter Simonson (Thor), John K. Snyder III (Suicide Squad), Mark Sparacio (Omega Paradox), Joe Staton (Dick Tracy), Brian Stelfreeze (Black Panther), Babs Tarr (Batgirl of Burnside), Matt Wieringo (Stargate Atlantis: Gateways), Marv Wolfman (What If…? Dark: Tomb of Dracula), Rich Woodall (Electric Black), and Leinil Francis Yu (Wolverine).
Learn the origin of THE GREATER GOOD, as Morrigan strikes an uneasy pact with the leader of the Zaiyan Race pushing humanity closer to choosing sides in the alien struggle. Only a mystery from Morrigan’s past can undue everything she’s planned.
Story: Dan Didio
Art: Jim Calafiore
Colors: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
Get your copy now! 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.
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Don’t miss this year’s Baltimore Comic-Con at the Inner Harbor’s Baltimore Convention Center on September 8-10, 2023. The Baltimore Comic-Con has announced comic guests Marty Baumann, Jim Calafiore, Tony Harris, Jeff Lemire, Laura Martin, and Mark Waid. You can purchase tickets online now.
Marty Baumann is an illustrator, graphic artist, and production designer. He has contributed to some of the most popular, Oscar-winning animated films of all time. Marty has worked as an artist at Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios as an illustrator, graphic artist, and production designer on such films as Toy Story 3, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Cars 2, Planes, Wreck-It Ralph 2, and many others. He also helped develop theme park installations, toy packaging, and Pixar corporate branding. Marty has rendered illustrations and developed characters for toy manufacturers, magazines, and newspapers, and illustrated children’s books, created logos, info-graphics, broadcast promotions, and presentation art for Hasbro, Universal Studios, National Geographic, Scholastic Books, Nickelodeon, and many others. Recent projects include his role as concept artist for the new Mystery Science Theater 3000 and the visual development of Sir Paul McCartney’s feature film, High in the Clouds.
In 30-plus years working in comics, Jim Calafiore has worked on Peter David’s Aquaman, Judd Winnick’s Exiles, Gotham Underground with Frank Tieri, Red Lanterns with Charles Soule, various Batman books, Deadpool, and Black Panther.
After a run on the critically-acclaimed Secret Six with Gail Simone, they reunited for their creator-owned success Leaving Megalopolis. He’s currently working on his creator-owned supernatural-comedy saga, NED, Lord of the Pit.
Tony Harris is a comic book artist. He is also a commercial illustrator, painter, sculptor, designer, and prop builder. Tony has worked for DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Disney, Lucasfilm, Universal Studios, Chevy, 20th Century Fox, New Line Cinema, Aftershock, Hasbro, Cartoon Network, Heavy Metal, Malibu Comics, Verotik Comics, Caliber Comics, First Comics, and many, many others. Tony has worked on properties such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Flash, Justice League, JSA, Starman, Ex Machina, The Whistling Skull, Lazarus 5, Obergeist, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Hulk, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Wolverine, X-Men, Avengers, Deadpool, Captain America, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Maleficent, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Mummy, Aliens, Predator, Classics Illustrated’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Invisible Man, The Master of Ballantrae, and many, many more. Tony has won the highest award given in the comic book industry, the Eisner for Starman and Ex-Machina and has been nominated 19 times. Tony has continued to be a prolific cover illustrator and returned to sequential interiors in 2022, re-teaming with his co-creator of Starman, James Robinson, on a new creator-owned property to be announced shortly, as well as a new hardcover art book called Tony Harris’ : A(e)ther forthcoming from Aftershock Comics.
Jeff Lemire is the award-winning, New York Times Bestselling author of such graphic novels as Sweet Tooth, Essex County, Underwater Welder, and Mazebook as well as co-creator of Black Hammer, Gideon Falls, Descender, Little Monsters, The Bone Orchard, Phantom Road, and many others. He has worked extensively for both Marvel and DC Comics, including a celebrated run on Moon Knight, which heavily inspired the 2022 Marvel television show. His graphic novels have been translated into dozens of languages, establishing him as one of the most prolific and acclaimed comic book creators of his generation.
Sweet Tooth has been adapted into a popular Netflix original series produced by Robert Downey Jr., and Essex County will debut as a 5-part prestige television miniseries in 2023 starring Molly Parker, with Lemire both writing and showrunning the production. Many of his other books are also in active development for film and television.
Jeff has also collaborated with award-winning musicians such as Eddie Vedder on his Matter of Time animated video and the late Gord Downie on Secret Path, an animated film and graphic novel.
Lemire lives in Toronto, Canada.
Laura Martin is one of the comics industry’s most lauded colorists. Recipient of Harvey, Eisner, Eagle, Squiddy, and Comics Buyer’s Guide Awards, Martin is regularly assigned high-profile and event-oriented comics on which to bring her palate to bear. Her work can be found in DC, Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, Virgin, and CrossGen comics through the years, and she is lately working on Bad Idea’s Eniac, DC’s Nubia: Queen of the Amazons, and Marvel’s Hulk.
The multiple Harvey and Eisner Award-winning Mark Waid has been the voice behind dozens of series that have resonated throughout comics fandom and the creative community alike. His more acclaimed runs include DC Comics’ The Flash, Kingdom Come, JLA: Year One, JLA, Legion of Super-Heroes, and Superman: Birthright, Marvel Comics’ Captain America, Fantastic Four, Amazing Spider-Man, The Indestructible Hulk, and Daredevil, BOOM! Studios’ Incorruptible and Irredeemable, Archie Comics’ Archie, and his creator-owned works Empire and Potter’s Field. He previously served as Publisher (U.S.) at Humanoids.
This year’s confirmed guests for the show include: Sarah Andersen (Sarah’s Scribbles), Marty Baumann (Pixar artist), Brian Michael Bendis (Action Comics), Jon Bogdanove (The Death of Superman), Judy Bogdanove (Steel Annual), Mark Buckingham (Fables), Jim Calafiore (NED, Lord of the Pit), Richard Case (Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Terror), Howard Chaykin (Time Squared), Frank Cho (Harley Quinn), Amy Chu (KISS: The End), Steve Conley (The Middle Age), Abby Denson (Uniquely Japan), Todd Dezago (The Perhapanauts), Garth Ennis (The Boys), Barbara Friedlander (Swing with Scooter), Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (DC Nation), Gene Ha (Mae), Tony Harris (The Whistling Skull), Mike Hawthorne (Deadpool), Greg Hildebrandt (Star Wars), Jeff Lemire (Black Hammer), Matthew Loux (Prunella and the Cursed Skull Ring), Kevin Maguire (Justice League), Laura Martin (Nubia: Queen of the Amazons), Adriana Melo (Action Comics), Pop Mhan (Gears of War 3), Ed Piskor (Red Room: Trigger Warnings), Joe Prado (Superman), Craig Rousseau (The Perhapanauts), Jim Rugg (Hulk Grand Design), Andy Runton (Owly), Louise Simonson (The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special), Walter Simonson (Thor), John K. Snyder III (Suicide Squad), Joe Staton (Dick Tracy), and John Workman (Wild Things).
The Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards is an annual celebration of the creativity, skill, and fun of comics. The awards will be presented on Saturday, October 29, 2022 as part of the fan- and pro-favorite convention, The Baltimore Comic-Con. The Ringo Awards is currently in the midst of the 2022 nomination process, which is inclusive of fans and comic book professionals alike. Please submit your nominations before voting closes at midnight on June 30, 2022.
An esteemed jury of comics professionals will participate in the nomination process, selecting favorite works in over 20 categories. The 2022 jury was chosen as a representative cross-section of the comic book industry, with members representing seasoned and venerated educators, retailers, and creators across numerous genres.
In 30-plus years working in comics, Jim Calafiore has worked on Peter David’s Aquaman, Judd Winnick’s Exiles, Gotham Underground with Frank Tieri, Red Lanterns with Charles Soule, various Batman books, Deadpool, and Black Panther. After a run on the critically-acclaimed Secret Six with Gail Simone, they reunited with for their creator-owned success Leaving Megalopolis. He’s currently working on his creator-owned supernatural-comedy saga, NED, Lord of the Pit.
Finder, the science fiction series Carla Speed McNeil started in 1996, was “born” in Maryland, and so were her two kids and three cats. She and her husband were born and raised in Louisiana, but we’ve lived here longer than we ever lived there, which is a funny thought sometimes. She’s won an Eisner, several Ignatzes, and the LA Times Book Prize. She teaches comics at MICA in Baltimore, and her COVID hobb-session is making teeny tiny doors.
Jarrett Melendez grew up on the mean, deer-infested streets of Bucksport, Maine. A longtime fan of food and cooking, Jarrett has spent a lot of his time in kitchens, oftentimes as a paid professional! Jarrett is a regular contributor to Bon Appetit and Food52, and is the author of The Comic Kitchen, a fully illustrated, comic-style cookbook. When not cooking and writing about food, Jarrett usually writes comic books and graphic novels, including Chef’s Kiss from Oni Press, and has contributed to the Ringo-nominated All We Ever Wanted, Full Bleed, and Murder Hobo: Chaotic Neutral. He is currently writing a graphic memoir for Oni Press. Jarrett lives in Somerville, MA, with his collection of Monokuro Boo plush pigs.
Joe Murray’s auspicious introduction to the world of comics was through the inauspicious Marvel toy tie-in comics of ROM, Micronauts, and Shogun Warriors, but they were enough to get him hooked. After earning a degree in English Literature and the job prospects that opened up (at graduation he was given a diploma and told he could never afford to turn down a free meal), he inveigled his way into a job at his Local Comic Shop, Captain Blue Hen Comics in Newark, Delaware. Within two years, he was running the place. In 2001, after picking the brains of the wisest and brightest in comic retailerdom, Joe and his wife Danielle decided to buy the business. Captain Blue Hen is a three-time Eisner Spirit of Retailing finalist, a seven-time Readers’ Choice Best Comic Shop winner, and celebrated its 40th anniversary overall and 20th anniversary under Joe and Danielle’s stewardship in 2021.
A member of ComicsPro, the only trade organization for direct-market comic book retailers, Joe was elected to the Board of Directors in 2019 and became Vice President in 2021. Joe works with a multitude of schools and libraries in several states. He has been a speaker at the Delaware and Maryland Librarians conference, a workshop speaker at Diamond Summits and New York Comic-con, and is a regular guest speaker at the University of Delaware for graduate study courses in Library Sciences.
Qiana Whitted is professor of English and African American Studies at the University of South Carolina. A graduate of Hampton University with a PhD from Yale University, her research and teaching focus on Black literary and cultural studies, and American comics and graphic novels. She is the author of the Eisner Award-winning book, EC Comics: Race, Shock, and Social Protest, and co-editor of the collection on Comics and the U.S. South. She also wrote the introductory essay for the Black Panther volume of the new Penguin Classics Marvel Collection and is currently editing a collection on blackness in early American comics. She is the editor of Inks: The Journal of the Comics Studies Society and chair of the International Comic Arts Forum.
Fan and Pro Nomination Categories
Perennial Jury-Only Nomination
Fan-Only Favorite Categories
Hero Initiative Award (selected by the Hero Initiative)
The Baltimore Comic-Con is coming up this October 22-24, 2021 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. The Baltimore Comic-Con is pleased to welcome Marty Baumann, Jim Calafiore, Trish Forstner, Jim Pascoe, Joe Staton, Brian Stelfreeze, and Billi Tucci to this year’s event. Get your tickets online!
Marty Baumann is an illustrator, graphic artist, and production designer. He has contributed to some of the most popular, Oscar-winning animated films of all time. Marty has worked as an artist at Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios as an illustrator, graphic artist, and production designer on such films as Toy Story 3, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Cars 2, Planes, Wreck-It Ralph 2, and many others. He also helped develop theme park installations, toy packaging, and Pixar corporate branding. Marty has rendered illustrations and developed characters for toy manufacturers, magazines, and newspapers, and illustrated children’s books, created logos, info-graphics, broadcast promotions, and presentation art for Hasbro, Universal Studios, National Geographic, Scholastic Books, Nickelodeon, and many others. Recent projects include his role as concept artist for the new Mystery Science Theater 3000 and the visual development of Sir Paul McCartney’s feature film, High in the Clouds.
In 30 years working in comics, Jim Calafiore has spent extended time at Valiant, DC, and Marvel, notably on Peter David’s Aquaman, Judd Winnick’s Exiles, Gotham Underground with Frank Tieri, Red Lanterns with Charles Soule, various Batman books, Deadpool, and Black Panther. After a run on the critically-acclaimed Secret Six with Gail Simone, they reunited with for their creator-owned Kickstarter success Leaving Megalopolis, and volume 2 of the saga, Surviving Megalopolis. Volume 3 is in the works.
Trish Forstner is from Baltimore, Maryland and is a relative newcomer to the comic industry but brings a lifetime of experience in creating fun, lovable characters. She’s been drawing since she could hold a pencil. Trish is inspired by classic animation and has drawn influence from many sources, particularly Classic 80s and 90s toons. You’ve seen her work in IDW’s My Little Pony comic series. Most recently she co-creates Stray Dogs with Tony Fleecs, published by Image Comics.
James Pascoe has been a freelance illustrator for over 30 years, most of it in the comics field. He has done inking, pencilling, painting and/or digital coloring for Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, and Valiant. His credits include Azrael, Empire, Batman/Punisher, and Thor, among others. He also lovingly restores comic book and comic strip art with missing logos, balloons, and captions, does cover re-creations, and is currently illustrating the California Tarot – Shadows & Light tarot card deck.
Joe Staton has been drawing comics since he started working for Charlton Comics in 1971, where he co-created E-Man and Michael Mauser. Though the bulk of his work has been for DC Comics, at last count, Staton has worked for at least 30 publishers and 100 different editors. Among his many comics credits are Action Comics, Green Lantern, The Legion, Classics Illustrated, and various incarnations of Batman. During his time on Green Lantern, he co-created several GLs, including Kilowog, Arisia, and Salakk. He also designed GL Guy Gardner’s “bad boy” look. More recently, with his writer-wife Hilarie, he produces medical comics such as Pete Learns All About Crohn’s and Colitis and Amy Goes Gluten-Free. In 1998, he received the Eisner Award for his work on World’s Finest: The Superman-Batman Adventures. He penciled over 100 issues of the Cartoon Network’s Scooby Doo comic. He illustrated a graphic novel adaptation of Ayn Rand’s Anthem for NAL and a graphic biography of Ronald Reagan. Since 2011, working with writer Mike Curtis, Joe has been the regular artist for the long-running Dick Tracy newspaper strip (available online at www.gocomics.com/dicktracy). Dick Tracy received Harvey Awards in 2013, 2014, and 2015 for Best Syndicated Strip or Feature.
Brian Stelfreeze, one of the original Gaijin Studios members, is a multi-talented artist, with experience and credits penciling, inking, coloring, painting, and even writing. His comic book covers have gained him much attention and lauding, and his run painting covers on DC Comics’ Shadow of the Bat for over 50 issues is noteworthy by itself. Brian’s creative output can be found on BOOM! Studios’ Day Men, Marvel Comics’ Black Panther, and be sure to pick up BOOM! Studios’ The Signature Art of Brian Stelfreeze to get a definitive look at the works of his publishing career.
Billy Tucci is an award-winning cartoonist best known for his modern-day samurai fable, Shi. Through Billy’s Crusade Fine Arts, the multi-Eisner Award-nominated Shi has been printed in five languages and sold more than 3 million comic books. He has also worked on a litany of projects for DC Comics, including Sgt. Rock, Harley Quinn, Flash Vs. Superman, and Batman. His earnest retelling of the Christmas story, A Child Is Born, has quietly turned into an international blockbuster after winning the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Award. 2021 celebrates Billy’s 27th Anniversary in comics with the release of the Shi: Return of the Warrior, Shi: Haikyo, and the Shi: Omnibus Vol. 1. He also illustrated Wonder Woman: Angel of Battle for DC Comics and wrote the comics return of June Tarpe’ Mills’ golden age icon, Miss Fury for Dynamite Entertainment.
2021 GUESTS
This year’s confirmed guests for the show include: Tom Akel (Stan Lee’s Backchannel, courtesy of Rocketship Entertainment), Chris Bachalo (Non-Stop Spider-Man), Art Baltazar (Big Alien Moon Crush), Marty Baumann (Disney/Pixar), John Beatty (Secret Wars), Carolyn Belefski (Curls), Brian Michael Bendis (Action Comics), Ziggy Blumenthal (Operation Pajama Pants), Russ Braun (The Boys), Brett Breeding (Superman), Reilly Brown (Deadpool), Greg Burnham (Tuskegee Heirs), Jim Calafiore (Welcome to Megalopolis), Chris Campana (The Adventures of Parker Reef), Castillo Studios, Cliff Chiang (Paper Girls), Frank Cho (Harley Quinn), Becky Cloonan (Dark Agnes), Steve Conley (The Middle Age), Steve Conte (Action Figure Kingdom), Katie Cook (Nothing Special), Jamie Cosley (Light Side), Kristina Deak-Linsner (Vampirella: Roses for the Dead), J. Robert Deans (Crass Fed), John Dell (Lobo, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Vito Delsante (Stray), Todd Dezago (Perhapanauts), Jason Douglas (Parallel, courtesy of Source Point Press), Charles C. Dowd (Lilith Dark), Ryan Dunlavey (M.O.D.O.K. Reign Delay), Garth Ennis (The Boys, Friday and Saturday only), Trish Forstner (My Little Pony), Franco (The Ghost, The Owl), Bob Frantz (Metalshark Bro), John Gallagher (Max Meow: Cat Crusader), Kami Garcia (Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity), Mitch Gerads (Mr. Miracle), Joe Giella (Green Lantern), Mike Gold (Green Arrow), Michael Golden (Micronauts), Jimmy Gownley (Amelia Rules!), Dawn Griffin (Zorphbert & Fred), Laura Lee Gulledge (Page by Paige), Gene Ha (Mae), Scott Hanna (Icon and Rocket), Dean Haspiel (The Red Hook), Glenn Hauman (They Keep Killing Glenn), Mike Hawthorne (Happiness Will Follow), Marc Hempel (The Sandman), Jamal Igle (Wrong Earth), Klaus Janson (Daredevil, Saturday only), Dave Johnson (The Good wiAsian), Chris Kemple (Artist Alley Comics), Tom King (Batman), Scott Koblish (Deadpool, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Leeanne M. Krecic (Let’s Play, courtesy of Rocketship Entertainment), Robert Lemieux (Life in the Comics), Joseph Michael Linsner (Red Sonja), Howard Mackie (Ghost Rider: Return of Vengeance), Chris Mariano (Claire Lost Her Bear At The World’s Fair), Mark Mariano (Far Out Firehouse), Whitney Matheson (Pandemix: Quarantine Comics in the Age of ‘Rona), Ian McGinty (Adventure Time), Bob McLeod (New Mutants), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Frank Miller (Dark Knight III: The Master Race, Saturday only), Karl Moline (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Mark Morales (The Next Batman: Second Son), Trevor Mueller (Albert the Alien), Josh Neufeld (A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge), Jamar Nicholas (Leon: Protector of the Playground), Jerry Ordway (The Power of Shazam), James Pascoe (Azrael), Andrew Pepoy (Simone & Ajax), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Brandon Peterson (Sinestro: Year of the Villain), Khoi Pham (Star Wars: Crimson Reign), Andy Price (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic), Christopher Priest (Black Panther, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Joe Quesada (Daredevil), Tom Raney (Guardians of the Galaxy), Amy Reeder (Wonder Woman: Black and Gold), Afua Richardson (Omni), Andrew Robinson (Halo), Don Rosa (Uncle Scrooge), Jennifer Rouse (Frankenstein Mobster), Craig Rousseau (The Perhapanauts), Alex Saviuk (Web of Spider-Man), Stuart Sayger (Army of Darkness: 1979), Gregg Schigiel (SpongeBob Comics), Chris Schweizer (The Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton), Doc Shaner (Strange Adventures), Jim Shooter (Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars), Matt Slay (Equilibrium), John K. Snyder III (Killers), Mika Song (Donut Feed the Squirrels), Joe Staton (Dick Tracy), Brian Stelfreeze (Black Panther), Paul D. Storrie (Storm Kids: Stanley’s Ghost), Arthur Suydam (Merc with a Mouth), Martha Thomases (Dakota North), Peter Tomasi (Batman and Robin), Ben Towle (Four-Fisted Tales: Animals in Combat), Tim Townsend (Non-Stop Spider-Man), Timothy Truman (Grimjack), Billy Tucci (Shi), Fred Van Lente (Action Philosophers), Brian K. Vaughan (Saga, Friday and Saturday only), Emilio Velez Jr. (The Dodgeball Teens), Robert Venditti (Hawkman), Mark Waid (Dr. Strange), Lee Weeks (Batman/Catwoman Special), Mark Wheatley (Songs of Giants), Emily S. Whitten (The Underfoot), Matt Wieringo (Stargate Atlantis: Gateways), Keith Williams (Thor the Worthy), Marcus Williams (Tuskegee Heirs), Renee Witterstaetter (Guardians of the Galaxy), Javier Cruz Winnik (Puerto Rico Strong), Rich Woodall (Electric Black), Gene Luen Yang (Superman Smashes the Klan), Kelly Yates (Doctor Who), and Thom Zahler (Love and Capes).
Today there are a dozen new digital comics added to comiXology‘s store. Marvel has ten new releases ranging from Exiles to Hellstorm. Harlequin also delivers two new romance manga. Check out the full list of releases here or check out the individual releases below.
Exiles Ultimate Collection Vol. 2
Written by Chuck Austen, Judd Winick
Art by Jim Calafiore, Clayton Henry, Tom Mandrake, Mizuki Sakakibara, Kev Walker, Skottie Young
Cover by Mike McKone
Purchase
Collects Exiles #20-37 And X-Men Unlimited #41.
Six strangers, each an X-Man from a different reality — brought together to ensure that life as we know it doesn’t cease to exist! They have become unhinged from time. They are heroes from different realities whose own timelines have become compromised. The lives they once knew are gone. To return to their worlds, they must travel together from one alternate universe to another, each time completing a mission to set right what went wrong. They have found love, experienced danger and formed friendships. Their lives are unpredictable. No one can say where their next mission will take them. They are the Exiles, and this is their fate. Now, relive their quest to fix the kinks in the chains of reality.
Exiles Ultimate Collection Vol. 3
Written by Chuck Austen, Tony Bedard
Art by Jim Calafiore, Mizuki Sakakibara
Cover by Mizuki Sakakibara
Purchase
Collects Exiles 38-58.
They have become unhinged from time. They are heroes from different realities whose own timelines have become compromised. The lives they once knew are gone. To return to their worlds, they must travel together from one alternate universe to another, each time completing a mission to set right what went wrong. They have found love, experienced danger and formed friendships. Their lives are unpredictable. No one can say where their next mission will take them. They are the Exiles, and this is their fate.
Exiles Ultimate Collection Vol. 4
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Jim Calafiore, Mark McKenna, Paul Pelletier, Mizuki Sakakibara
Cover by Jim Calafiore
Purchase
Collects Exiles #59-74 And The Age Of Apocalypse Handbook.
Six strangers, each an X-Man from a different reality — brought together to ensure that life as we know it doesn’t cease to exist! They have become unhinged from time. They are heroes from different realities whose own timelines have become compromised. The lives they once knew are gone. To return to their worlds, they must travel together from one alternate universe to another, each time completing a mission to set right what went wrong. They have found love, experienced danger and formed friendships. Their lives are unpredictable. No one can say where their next mission will take them. They are the Exiles, and this is their fate.
Exiles Ultimate Collection Vol. 5
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Jim Calafiore, Casey Jones, Paul Pelletier
Cover by Jim Calafiore
Purchase
Collects Exiles #75-89 And Exiles Annual #1.
Six strangers, each an X-Man from a different reality — brought together to ensure that life as we know it doesn’t cease to exist! They have become unhinged from time. They are heroes from different realities whose own timelines have become compromised. The lives they once knew are gone. To return to their worlds, they must travel together from one alternate universe to another, each time completing a mission to set right what went wrong. They have found love, experienced danger and formed friendships. Their lives are unpredictable. No one can say where their next mission will take them. They are the Exiles, and this is their fate.
Exiles Ultimate Collection Vol. 6
Written by Chris Claremont, Mike Raicht
Art by Ronan Cliquet, Tom Grummett, Clayton Henry, Paul Pelletier, Steve Scott
Cover by Paul Pelletier
Purchase
Collects Exiles #90-100, Days Of Then & Now And X-Men: Die By The Sword #1-5.
Six strangers, each an X-Man from a different reality—brought together to ensure that life as we know it doesn’t cease to exist! They have become unhinged from time. They are heroes from different realities whose own timelines have become compromised. The lives they once knew are gone. To return to their worlds, they must travel together from one alternate universe to another, each time completing a mission to set right what went wrong. They have found love, experienced danger and formed friendships. Their lives are unpredictable. No one can say where their next mission will take them. They are the Exiles, and this is their fate.
Ghost Rider: Trail Of Tears
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Clayton Crain
Cover by Clayton Crain
Purchase
Collects Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears #1-6.
Here it is – the prequel to Garth Ennis and Clayton Crain’s smash hit GHOST RIDER: ROAD TO DAMNATION! Travis Parham thought he’d seen hell. As a lieutenant in the Confederate Army, he stood neck-deep in muck and blood, surrounded by the whistle of hot shrapnel and the screams of dying men. Two years later, Parham has carved a new life for himself, doing his best to forget the depravity that lurks in the pits of men’s souls. Now, Parham’s tranquil world is about to be rudely interrupted. Up from the depths comes a force of nature that transcends his wildest dreams – a fiery wraith that knows a thing or two about evil and even more about vengeance.
Secretary On Demand
Written by Cathy Williams
Art by Maoko Nagasaki
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Waitress Shannon secretly looks forward to seeing the man who comes to her restaurant for lunch every day. But then trouble with a customer gets her fired! The man who saves her from her financial woes is none other than her lunch man, Kane! He’s the president of a major corporation and he offers her a job. He wants to turn a waitress into his secretary? Should she take him up on his offer?
The Sheikh’s Bride: Sheiks
Written by Sophie Weston
Art by Rikako Tsuji
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While tour guide Leo is visiting Cairo with her clients, she runs into members of an Arabian royal family at the hotel where she’s staying. She is immediately drawn to a sophisticated man with a noble air. His name is Amer and he’s the sheikh of Dalmun, a country in the Middle East. The prince of the desert should want nothing to do with her. But that night, he suddenly appears in front of her when she gets fired from her job!
Hellstorm: Son Of Satan – Equinox
Written by Alex Irvine
Art by Russell Braun
Cover by Arthur Suydam
Purchase
Collects Hellstorm: Son of Satan (2006) #1-5.
When the Son of Satan is your best option, God help you. New Orleans. The Big Easy. The membrane between our world and the underworld has always been a little thinner here. Now, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the outpouring of human misery has drawn demons like sharks to a bloodbath. What better time for Daimon Hellstrom – a.k.a. the Son of Satan – to pay a visit? It starts with the doctor who delivers a baby that vanishes into the night. A doctor who is devoured by demons wearing New Orleans P.D. badges. Demons who work for someone – or something – -that’s descended on the Big Easy and doesn’t give a damn who Hellstorm or his father is. Something that’s harvesting body parts in a furious race toward unspeakable purposes. This is the Son of Satan as you’ve never seen him before, brought to you by acclaimed novelist Alexander Irvine (The Narrows), with searing art by Russell Braun (Animal Man) and Klaus Janson.
Heroes For Hire Vol. 3: World War Hulk
Written by Zeb Wells
Art by Clay Mann
Cover by Francis Tsai
Purchase
Collects Heroes for Hire (2006) #11-15.
The Heroes return to New York to find it the first battleground in WORLD WAR HULK. Will Humbug’s recently amplified powers be a factor against Hulk’s compatriots, Miek and Brood? Can the heroes salve the wounds of their adoptive city and still turn a profit? Both answers are “yes” if Misty Knight has anything to say about it!
Hulk And Power Pack: Pack Smash!
Written by Chris Giarrusso, Marc Sumerak, Paul Tobin
Art by Chris Giarrusso, Andy Kuhn, David Williams
Cover by David Williams
Purchase
Collects Hulk and Power Pack #1-4.
Power Pack couldn’t be more excited to meet their father’s new colleague, the world-famous Dr. Bruce Banner. But when the kids find themselves trapped in the tunnels beneath Manhattan by the Absorbing Man, they find out what happens when the good doctor gets angry! Get ready to go gamma as a brand-new team-up begins here!
Iron Man And Power Pack: Armored And Dangerous
Written by Marc Sumerak
Art by Marcelo Di Chiara
Cover by Gurihiru
Purchase
Collects Iron Man and Power Pack #1-4.
Everyone’s favorite super-powered siblings – Alex, Julie, Jack and Katie – join forces with the Armored Avenger to bring down the mega-sized metallic monstrosity known as Ultimo; Marvel’s fastest villain, the Speed Demon; and the cryogenic criminal called the Blizzard! Does the action ever end? Not for Marvel’s youngest heroes! Someone is using stolen Stark Industries technology to take control of Marvel’s most high-tech heroes and villains. Sounds like the perfect time for Power Pack to attend an exhibit of old Iron Man armor! Nothing could possibly go wrong there…right?
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ComiXology has ten new digital comics and manga for you to check out today. It’s a mix of brand new releases as well as collections from DC Comics, Marvel, and Yen Press. Check out the full list of releases here or the individual releases below.
Aquaman: Deep Dives #9
Written by Andrea Shea, Tom Taylor
Pencils Isaac Goodhart, Pop Mhan
Inks Isaac Goodhart, Pop Mhan
Colored by Rex Lokus, Cris Peter
Purchase
Story 1 – Aquaman and Mera must stop Lex Luthor’s plans to drill into the ocean floor. Story 2 – Tula agrees to a Girls Night with Mera, but she quickly discovers that she and Mera have completely different ideas of what a Girls Night should be.
Batman: The Adventures Continue (2020-) #6
Written by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini
Pencils Ty Templeton
Inks Ty Templeton
Colored by Monica Kubina
Purchase
Deathstroke enacts his final plan to kill the Dark Knight, luring him away from the rest of the Bat-Family. Can Batgirl and Robin deduce Deathstroke plans, or will Gotham have a new, more brutal, protector?!
Black Butler #165
Written by Yana Toboso
Art by Yana Toboso
Purchase
As Mey-Rin recalls her early days as a maid, she must now decide where her allegiances lie… Read the next chapter of Black Butler at the same time as Japan!
But I’m A Cat Person #27
Written by Erin Ptah
Art by Erin Ptah
Purchase
World Without Logos
Two ordinary graduates accidentally adopt a magical shapeshifting battle monster. Chapter 27: Backstory, bravery, and the big bad Wolf.
D.P. 7 Classic Vol. 1
Written by Mark Gruenwald
Art by Paul Ryan
Cover by Paul Ryan
Purchase
Collects D.P.7 #1-9.
The Gru tackled the New and it’s here for you! Before his history-making work on Captain America and Quasar, Mark Gruenwald helped build the New Universe from the ground up with an outcast cast of Seven Displaced Paranormals on a quest leading them into urban legends, domestic disasters, and teen terror! Super-speed, super-strength, and superlative action from the creator of the ground-breaking Squadron Supreme miniseries! It’s an out-of-body experience you can’t miss!
Exiles Ultimate Collection Vol. 1
Written by Judd Winick
Art by Jim Calafiore, Mike McKone
Cover by Mike McKone
Purchase
Collects Exiles (2001) #1-19.
Led by Blink, who hails from the wildly popular X-Men storyline “Age of Apocolypse,” the Exiles consist of heroes pulled from alternate times and universes who are sent to correct problems in the multiverse. Their adventures span hundreds of different worlds, setting events and characters back on their proper course — or else risk having them “blink” out of existence.
Heroes For Hire Vol. 2: Ahead Of The Curve
Written by Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti, Zeb Wells
Art by Al Rio
Cover by Billy Tucci
Purchase
Collects Heroes for Hire (2006) #6-10.
Marvel’s strangest team of heroes find themselves trapped in the hull of a ship with a bomb as the Grim Reaper plans to blow up the Statue of Liberty and take the Heroes for Hire with it! But why? What nefarious plan could he have up his sleeve? He’s evil so does it matter? He has to be stopped! Also, someone dies! No kidding. As if that wasn’t enough, here comes the return of villains no one asked for! THE HORRIFIC HEADMEN have a special surprise for the hapless Humbug
Weapon Omega
Written by Rich Koslowski
Art by Andrea Di Vito
Cover by Mike Choi
Purchase
Collects material from Marvel Comics Presents (2007) #1-12 and Civil War: The Initiative One-Shot.
Omega Flight’s Michael Pointer (a.k.a. Guardian) faces down demons both internal and external. What is happening to him — and who is responsible?
Marvel Illustrated: Moby Dick
Written by Roy Thomas
Art by Pascal Alixe
Cover by John Watson
Purchase
Collects Moby Dick #1-6.
Melville’s seafaring masterpiece is brought to stirring life in the pages of the Marvel Illustrated line. Young sailor Ishmael signs onto the whaling ship, Pequod. Soon, he comes to question his judgment as the vessel sets sail and he meets the strange crew sailing with him. Strangest of all is the mysterious Captain Ahab, whose obsession with the great white whale who once bit off his leg may lead them all to a watery doom. It’s been called the Great American Novel. And they weren’t kidding.
The Royal Tutor #92
Written by Higasa Akai
Art by Higasa Akai
Purchase
The unlikely group of Professor Heine, the princelings, and Count Rosenberg take off on a search of grave importance. Read the next chapter of The Royal Tutor the same day as Japan!
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site.
