Michael Moorcock Library: Elric – The Making of a Sorcerer
(W) Michael Moorcock (A/CA) Walter Simonson In Shops: Sep 25, 2024 SRP: $29.99
FROM ICONIC SCI-FI/FANTASY WRITER MICHAEL MOORCOCK!
FEATURING THE UNTOLD ORIGIN STORY OF ELRIC!
Witness the birth of a legend as the untold origin story of Elric and his epic ascension to the throne of Melniboné is finally revealed!
This stunning epic saga reveals the untold origin story of the classic sword-and-sorcery character Elric and takes place immediately before the opening of the novel Elric of Melniboné.
The 2024 Baltimore Comic-Con is this coming weekend, September 20-22, 2024 at the Inner Harbor’s Baltimore Convention Center. Tickets for admission and VIP experiences are online now.
Later this month, the highly anticipated Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime #1 hits stands, marking a historic collaboration between Marvel Comics and Disney storytelling! Following that landmark issue, the Marvel mythos continues to be infused with Disney magic in new What If…? one-shots. Following July’s Marvel & Disney: What If…? Donald Duck Became Wolverine #1, Donald Duck embarks on another Marvel Comics adventure in September’s Marvel & Disney: What If… ? Donald Duck Became Thor #1!
Marvel & Disney: What If… ? Donald Duck Became Thor #1 is inspired by Thor’s legendary first Marvel Comics appearance: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Larry Lieber’s Journey Into Mystery #83. Crafted by a team of acclaimed Disney comic creators—writers Steve Behling and Riccardo Secchi and artist Lorenzo Pastrovicchio—Marvel & Disney: What If… ? Donald Duck Became Thor #1 puts a quack-tastic twist on this foundational comic story as pop culture’s most iconic duck wields Thor’s hammer in an epic battle against alien invaders!
It features covers by Pastrovicchio, Walter Simonson, Peach Momoko, and Phil Noto.
IS THIS FOWL WORTHY OF THE HAMMER OF THOR?! When Donald Duck chaperones Huey, Dewey and Louie on an archaeological trip to search for ancient Viking artifacts, he finds more than he bargained for! He comes across the Stone Ducks from Saturn preparing for an invasion. But everything changes when he discovers an enchanted cane that causes an egg-ceptional transformation, gifting him with the POWER OF THOR! Can he learn how to use his new abilities in time to save Duckburg before he changes back? Find out in this mind-twisting retelling of the Mighty Thor’s thunderous origin!
Check out covers for Marvel & Disney: What If… ? Donald Duck Became Thor #1, including a piece by definitive Thor writer and artist Walt Simonson that homages one of his most iconic Thor covers, and preorder them at your local comic shop today!
Following Marvel & Disney: What If… ? Donald Duck Became Thor #1, fans can look forward to even more unexpected crossovers between Marvel’s greatest heroes and Mickey Mouse and friends.
All good things must come to an end, and as good of a thing as the Krakoan era has been for mutantkind…its time has come at last. The tragedy and triumph of Fall of the House of X, the madness and mystery of Rise of the Powers of X…they have all come to their end and led to this moment that will change the future of mutantkind for years to come. X-Men #35 officially closes the Krakoan era and teases what’s to come.
Just because a series ends, doesn’t mean the story is officially over. X-Men #35 celebrates 700 issues on Uncanny X-Men as it also wraps up the Krakoan era of the X-Men’s story. And, it does so with a choppy over-sized issue that has its ups and downs. From the beginning, I wasn’t a fan of the new take on the X-Men as I felt it took them too far from their roots fighting for their rights. It made them nationalists and statements in the first few issues were at times cringe showing a belief of superiority. It took Professor X and Magneto’s visions and mashed them together for a chimera of a monster. While there were some good ideas and moments, overall, it took the X-Men in too far of an extreme direction. It was Utopia on steroids. All of that came crashing down and from the teases within X-Men #35 and the Free Comic Book Day issue, it looks like the X-Men are getting back to a more traditional take.
X-Men #35 wraps things up and moves things along as it gives us one final look at Krakoa and a battle with Apocalypse who isn’t taking what has happened too well. It’s a choppy story that feels like it’s an unnecessary fight, giving the X-Men one final battle of the old era. That choppy storytelling isn’t helped by the rotating artists who at times only take a page and foster a disjointed look along with a disjointed narrative. It feels like it’s almost too many cooks in the kitchen and the team didn’t know how to end things beyond… fight.
Chris Claremont gives us some family bonding time as Nightcrawler, Rogue, Mystique, and Destiny have a picnic and hash things out. While it’s nice to see this storyline continue, and not just dropped now lineage has been established, the dialogue is eye rolling at times where it feels like some things just repeat over and over. I had to pause and go back and reread pages to make sure that there wasn’t a mistake that’s how repetative the back and forth is.
The comic wraps up with a focus on Professor X who is now in custody but has his freedom too in a way. The comic as a whole teases his redemption but also what’s to come is the natural extension of his ideas. His children going off on their own. It teases the villainy of the character, the manipulative nature, but also that there’s reasons for his actions and he’s here to do good, though through at times evil means.
X-Men #35 will likely make fans of the era both happy and sad. There are some cheery moments and it reveals that Krakoa lives on and we might again see the island’s return in the future. It closes one door, leaves more opens, and begins whole new paths to take.
Story: Al Ewing, Gerry Duggan, Kieron Gillen, Chris Claremont Art: Joshua Cassara, Phil Noto, Lucas Werneck, Leinil Francis Yu, Walter Simonson, Mark Brooks, John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, Jerome Opena, Luciano Vecchio, Stefano Caselli, Sara Pichelli, Salvador Larroca Color: Romulo Fajardo Jr., Phil Noto, David Curiel, Laura Martin, Sonia Oback, Marcio Menyz, Matt Hollingsworth, Matthew Wilson, Guru-eFX Letterer: Clayton Cowles Story: 7.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
This June, Disney comic book icon Uncle Scrooge headlines his first-ever Marvel book in Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime #1. Written by Jason Aaron and drawn by an incredible lineup of celebrate Disney comic book artists like Paolo Mottura, Francesco D’Ippolito, Vitale Mangiatordi, and more, this one-shot blends the world of Uncle Scrooge with the hallmarks of Marvel Comics storytelling.
In addition to covers by Alex Ross and Lorenzo Pastrovicchio, Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime will have a fortunes-worth of variant covers by artists including Peach Momoko, John Romita Jr., J. Scott Campbell, Walter Simonson, Ron Lim, Elizabeth Torque, and Gabriele Dell’Otto. And like all of Marvel’s major launches, Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime #1 will shine as brightly as Scrooge’s treasure vault with a special FOIL VARIANT COVER by superstar artist Steve McNiven.
Announced last month, Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime #1 will see Scrooge embark on a time-honored Marvel adventure as he explores the Multiverse to stop a twisted alternate Scrooge from becoming the all-powerful and incomprehensibly rich Scrooge-Above-All! Along the way, the story will introduce exciting new takes on the iconic tycoon with a heart of gold and feature appearances by Scrooge’s nephew, Donald Duck; grandnephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie; and his supporting cast of characters, including Gyro Gearloose!
Scrooges’ unique legacy in the industry—as well as the types of exploits he’s famous for—make him the perfect candidate to headline Marvel Comics’ first foray into the imagination of Disney’s comic books. The over-sized special will also re-present Scrooge’s groundbreaking first appearance in Christmas on Bear Mountain so readers can experience it for themselves as he enters this exciting new era! Check out eight all-new Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime #1 variant covers now and stay tuned for more to be revealed in the weeks ahead!
In July 2019, the world of the X-Men was shattered and reborn on Krakoa in visionary writer Jonathan Hickman’s House of X. In the years since, fans have experienced a golden age of mutant storytelling, filled with bold ideas, astonishing character developments, and revolutionary new takes on the mutant metaphor. Now, the next seminal shift in the history of the X-Men is on the horizon, but first, Marvel Comics proudly presents the final act of the Krakoan Age this June in X-Men #35!
X-Men #35 will be the milestone 700th issue of Uncanny X-Men and will feature an epic-length story by acclaimed writers and artists who shaped the Krakoan Age including Gerry Duggan, Kieron Gillen, Al Ewing, Lucas Werneck, Joshua Cassara,and more. The giant-sized issue will also feature a story of family by X-Men master Chris Claremont and offer a glimpse of things to come in the new X-Men titles launching this summer. It’s a landmark issue for one of pop culture’s most beloved franchises that no comic book fan will want to miss!
All good things must come to an end, and as good of a thing as the Krakoan era has been for mutantkind…its time has come at last. The tragedy and triumph of Fall of the House of X, the madness and mystery of Rise of the Powers of X…they have all come to their end and led to this moment that will change the future of mutantkind for years to come.
On closing out this groundbreaking period of the mutant mythos, Senior Editor Jordan D. White shared, “Being a part of the Krakoan experiment has been a true thrill. Honestly—in many ways it echoed the experience of mutantkind itself in the era. We worked differently, we tried new things, we survived incredible new experiences. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have worked with such fantastically talented creators throughout the era, and working on the glorious ending is truly bittersweet. I will miss it with my whole heart, but I do know… Krakoa will live on within us forever.”
Check out superstar artist Pepe Larraz’s wraparound cover below. Continue to witness the final epic moments of Krakoa in the pages of Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X and stay tuned in the coming weeks to learn what will rise FROM THE ASHES!
This is a column that focuses on something or some things from the comic book sphere of influence that may not get the credit and recognition it deserves. Whether that’s a list of comic book movies, ongoing comics, or a set of stories featuring a certain character. The columns may take the form of a bullet pointed list, or a slightly longer thinkpiece – there’s really no formula for this other than whether the things being covered are Underrated in some way. This week: Havok & Wolverine: Meltdown.
I don’t remember the first time I read this story, but it was likely in the UK reprint magazine Wolverine Unleashed in the mid to late 90’s. That was also the last time I read it, so when I saw the collected edition at my LCS for $15 I couldn’t pass it up – now because Wolverine is a little bit more marketable than Havok, the trade was just called Wolverine: Meltdown.
Originally published in the late 80’s, Meltdown was written by Walter and Louise Simonson, with illustrations by John J. Muth and Kent Williams. The story is set around the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of the mid 80’s, and finds Havok and Wolverine caught up in the midst of a plot to end the world in nuclear war from the shadows. The art has a wonderful painted look to it at times, but the artists aren’t afraid to experiment with multiple forms of media throughout the book. It’s a choice that is divisive to some – I’ll freely admit when I was younger the art did nothing for me, but I enjoyed the story a fair bit, whereas now I find myself absorbed in the art more than the writing which is a strange twist on how I usually find myself feeling when coming back to stories I haven’t read in 20 some years.
It’s easy to imagine the way this story would have felt when initially released as it presents another possibility behind the Chernobyl disaster as an intentional act to snare the X-Men. Looking back now, it’s a great premise to a story, and one that still holds up despite the very specific time setting. Admittedly, I’ve no idea or memory as to how in continuity/canon this story is within the X-Universe but the story is entertaining enough to allow you to just enjoy it as is, and seeing Wolverine and Havok team up together is still a relatively rare event even today – and while I’m probably in the minority here, I’d love to see more chances for these two mutants to come together on the page.
The main reason I wanted to talk about this book today is solely because it’s a story that I’d completely forgotten about. This isn’t one of the classic Wolverine or X-Men stories that people will talk about, and honestly nor should it be, but it’s still an enjoyable tale that still stands the test of time; admittedly it’s the artwork that will pull you in more than the story, because this is a book that just looks utterly fantastic. The art is at times risky and pushes the envelope of what comics would typically feature 30 years ago (and yet is far more common today). Do yourself a favour and check this story out if you can – it’s a four issue mini series that shouldn’t break the bank if you hunt the individual issues.
Unless the comics industry ceases any and all publication look for a future installment of Underrated to cover more comics that aren’t cracking the top 100.
What better way for the 25th Anniversary Baltimore Comic-Con than to begin the 2024 guest announcements in earnest? The 2024 Baltimore Comic-Con will take place at the Inner Harbor’s Baltimore Convention Center on September 20-22, 2024. In addition to an already-announced Jim Lee, the convention presents comics superstars Eddie Campbell, Frank Cho, Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Louise and Walter Simonson as guests for thre 25th Anniversary event! Tickets for the show are on sale now.
Eddie Campbell has been in comics for a long time. He was the artist on Alan Moore’s From Hell and even published it himself. He recently made a digitally colored edition of the book. He is also known for the omnibus editions of Alec: The Years Have Pants and Bacchus, complete in two volumes. His latest work is The Second Fake Death of Eddie Campbell.
Ringo Award winner and Harvey and Eisner Award nominee Frank Cho launched his career as a comic strip artist at the University of Maryland-College Park student newspaper, penning University2, which was the predecessor of his creator-owned syndicated strip and comic series, Liberty Meadows. His body of work also includes Marvel Comics’ New Avengers, Mighty Avengers, Shanna the She-Devil, New Ultimates, and X-Men: Schism, as well as Jungle Girl for Dynamite Entertainment. His recent work can be seen on covers from DC’s Harley Quinn.
Award-winning artist Amanda Conner started in comics working on the Marvel Comics Barbie line and Disney’s Gargoyles comics, which quickly led to her working with the top writers in the field, such as Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, Warren Ellis, and Garth Ennis on titles such as X-Men, Vampirella, Two-Step, and her creator-owned Eisner nominated one-shot, The Pro.
Since then, Amanda has moved on to illustrating many of the top comics in the industry including Supergirl, Painkiller Jane, Wonder Woman, Power Girl, Terra, Gatecrasher, and so much more. She was the co-writer and artist along with Darwyn Cooke on the Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre project and has since worked with her writer/husband co-writing and illustrating Harley Quinn series for DC Comics, and her own creator-owned series BOOM-POW for her company Paperfilms. Her work can currently be seen in numerous covers for Marvel, DC, and so many other companies.
Jimmy Palmiotti is a multi-award winning intellectual property creator and world building architect with a wide range of experience and background in advertising, production, editorial, screen writing, film production, media presentation, and video game development. Just a few of his clients include Nike, Disney, Marvel Studios, Warner Brothers, Lion’s Gate, Fox, Paramount, Dream Works, Lotus Entertainment, New Line, 2KGames, and THQ Nordic.
Co-founder of such companies as Event Comics, Black Bull Media, and the Marvel Knights imprint – a division of Marvel Comics that launched Marvel films and TV properties including the supervision of the titles Black Panther, Punisher, The Inhumans, and Daredevil, which all became blockbuster properties. At Warner Brothers, Jimmy wrote Jonah Hex, Power Girl, Batman, and Superman, and with his wife, award-winning artist Amanda Conner, Harley Quinn.
Jimmy has created and co-created numerous series and characters for a range of other companies and his own imprint, Paperfilms, which is co-owned with his wife, Amanda Conner. They currently create new Intellectual Properties covering a wide range of genres, and he is currently writing the new monthly series Deadly Tales of the Gunslinger for Todd McFarlane.
Louise Simonson has, like her husband Walter, contributed significantly to the comic book industry. “Weezie”, as she is known, began her comics career as an editor at Warren Publishing before leaving for Marvel to edit titles including X-Men, New Mutants, and Star Wars. Departing the editorial role in favor of writing, Weezie has contributed to storylines in Marvel’s Marvel Team-Up, Web of Spider-Man, and Red Sonja, and was responsible for the introduction of Apocalypse in X-Factor as well as the launch of Power Pack. At DC Comics, she worked on Superman: The Man of Steel and The Adventures of Superman.
Walter Simonson has made vast contributions to comics publishing, as a writer, an artist, and even in founding publishing imprints. He was recognized in 2012 at the Harvey Awards in Special Award for Excellence in Production/Presentation and Best Domestic Reprint Project for Walt Simonson’s The Mighty Thor, Artist’s Edition from IDW, and in 2013 for Alien: The Illustrated Story from Titan Books for Best Graphic Album of Previously Published Work. He also received the Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 at the Harvey Awards. Walt’s career began in the 1970s at DC Comics, where he worked on titles such as Weird War Tales, Manhunter, Metal Men, Orion, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Vigilante, and Hercules Unbound. Over at Marvel Comics, Simonson has had numerous noteworthy runs, including The Rampaging Hulk magazine, X-Factor, Fantastic Four, and Thor, on which he was responsible for the introduction of Beta Ray Bill and Thor as a frog.
This year’s confirmed guests for the show include: Marty Baumann (Pixar artist), Mark Buckingham (Fables), Jim Calafiore (NED, Lord of the Pit), John Cassaday (X-Force), 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), Steve Epting (New Avengers), Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (DC Nation), Greg Hildebrandt (Star Wars), Jamal Igle (Superman), Barry Kitson (Amazing Spider-Man), Jim Lee (Superman), Al Milgrom (Spectacular Spider-Man), Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise), Dan Parent (Sabrina the Teenage Witch), Andy Price (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic), Alex Saviuk (Web of Spider-Man), Liam Sharp (X-O Manowar Unconquered), 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), and Marv Wolfman (What If…? Dark: Tomb of Dracula).
This is a column that focuses on something or some things from the comic book sphere of influence that may not get the credit and recognition it deserves. Whether that’s a list of comic book movies, ongoing comics, or a set of stories featuring a certain character. The columns may take the form of a bullet pointed list, or a slightly longer thinkpiece – there’s really no formula for this other than whether the things being covered are Underrated in some way. This week: Havok & Wolverine: Meltdown.
I don’t remember the first time I read this story, but it was likely in the UK reprint magazine Wolverine Unleashed in the mid to late 90’s. That was also the last time I read it, so when I saw the collected edition at my LCS for $15 I couldn’t pass it up – now because Wolverine is a little bit more marketable than Havok, the trade was just called Wolverine: Meltdown.
Originally published in the late 80’s, Meltdown was written by Walter and Louise Simonson, with illustrations by John J. Muth and Kent Williams. The story is set around the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of the mid 80’s, and finds Havok and Wolverine caught up in the midst of a plot to end the world in nuclear war from the shadows. The art has a wonderful painted look to it at times, but the artists aren’t afraid to experiment with multiple forms of media throughout the book. It’s a choice that is divisive to some – I’ll freely admit when I was younger the art did nothing for me, but I enjoyed the story a fair bit, whereas now I find myself absorbed in the art more than the writing which is a strange twist on how I usually find myself feeling when coming back to stories I haven’t read in 20 some years.
It’s easy to imagine the way this story would have felt when initially released as it presents another possibility behind the Chernobyl disaster as an intentional act to snare the X-Men. Looking back now, it’s a great premise to a story, and one that still holds up despite the very specific time setting. Admittedly, I’ve no idea or memory as to how in continuity/canon this story is within the X-Universe but the story is entertaining enough to allow you to just enjoy it as is, and seeing Wolverine and Havok team up together is still a relatively rare event even today – and while I’m probably in the minority here, I’d love to see more chances for these two mutants to come together on the page.
The main reason I wanted to talk about this book today is solely because it’s a story that I’d completely forgotten about. This isn’t one of the classic Wolverine or X-Men stories that people will talk about, and honestly nor should it be, but it’s still an enjoyable tale that still stands the test of time; admittedly it’s the artwork that will pull you in more than the story, because this is a book that just looks utterly fantastic. The art is at times risky and pushes the envelope of what comics would typically feature 30 years ago (and yet is far more common today). Do yourself a favour and check this story out if you can – it’s a four issue mini series that shouldn’t break the bank if you hunt the individual issues.
Unless the comics industry ceases any and all publication look for a future installment of Underrated to cover more comics that aren’t cracking the top 100.
(W) Stuart Moore (A) June Brigman, Roy Richardson Cover A: June Brigman Cover B: Walter Simonson November 8, 2023 $3.99
Back for a two-issue AHOY anniversary special: the “wonderfully entertaining series, combining all the tropes and trappings of serious sci-fi with the ridiculousness of cats being cats” (Comics Beat)! In this all-new epic, Captain Ginger and his crew find themselves scattered across a thousand light-years, facing the twin mysteries of the Captain’s long-missing father—and the final fate of the human race. By Stuart Moore (Marvel Crisis Protocol) and June Brigman (Power Pack), with a galactic variant cover by Walter Simonson (Thor, Ragnarok)! Issue #1 also features a new installment of the AHOY fifth anniversary prose serial by Alex Segura (Secret Identity).
Incentive cover by Walter Simonson (Thor, Ragnarok).
