Tag Archives: donny cates

Zeea Adams, Donny Cates, Cully Hamner, J.G. Jones, Anthony Marques, and Wade von Grawbadger are coming to Baltimore Comic Con

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Head to the 2025 Baltimore Comic-Con on October 17-19 at the Inner Harbor’s Baltimore Convention Center. The Baltimore Comic-Con has announced comics creators Zeea Adams, Donny Cates, Cully Hamner, J.G. Jones, Anthony Marques, and Wade von Grawbadger as guests to the 2025 event. Tickets for the show are available online for purchase.

Zeea Adams is best known for coloring the art of Neal Adams on DC, Image, and Dynamite covers such as Deadman, Batman, Killadelphia, Mighty Mouse, and her first ever variant cover, Squish & Squash #1. Her most popular convention request is her color on commission art and her line of Voodoo Doll art. Zeea is fresh from her NYC gallery exhibition of Ben Casey hot girl paintings.

Donny Cates is an American comic book writer known for his work with Marvel Comics on titles like Venom, Thor, Doctor Strange, and Cosmic Ghost Rider. He’s also the co-creator of acclaimed indie series such as God Country, Redneck, and Crossover. Cates is recognized for his bold, energetic storytelling and for bringing fresh perspectives to iconic characters.

Cully Hamner has drawn many things for many publishers, but he’s probably best known for co-creating Jaime Reyes (DC Comics’ current Blue Beetle, recently adapted into a Warner Bros. feature film); his creator-owned comic Red (also adapted as a pair of hit Bruce Willis films); and a list of credits at DC about as long as your leg — most recently as cover artist on numerous titles across the Batman and Superman lines, as well as the new Blue Beetle: Graduation Day, and interiors on books like Detective Comics, Superman Red & Blue, and Blue and Gold. At Marvel, he’s provided a ton of covers for the Spider-Man titles, Black Panther vs. Deadpool, War of the Realms, Yondu, M.O.D.O.K., Planet of the Apes, Aliens, and the Joe Fixit series. Also coming up are covers for BOOM! Studios, AWA, Tiny Onion, Mad Cave, and many other publishers. His next major projects are Ruby Actual with Greg Rucka at Image Comics and as regular cover artist on DC’s new JSA series by Jeff Lemire and Diego Olortegui.

J.G. Jones, best known for the artwork that has graced the covers of such books as Wanted, 52, and Final Crisis, began taking over writing duties this month for DC Comics’ Doc Savage. In addition to the writing, Jones provided stunning cover art for the pulp hero’s monthly adventures, as well as art of the backup features in DC Universe Legacies.

Anthony Marques, a graduate of the prestigious Joe Kubert School, launched his career as an editor at DC Comics and Dynamite Entertainment before transitioning to a full-time freelance artist. Driven by a passion for the medium, he has brought fresh and innovative perspectives to his work on iconic characters for publishers like DC Comics and Dynamite, including Batman, Superman, the Green Hornet, and the Ghostbusters. Beyond his contributions to these major publishers, Anthony also taught at the Joe Kubert School, eventually becoming its president and owner. In this role, he collaborates with other educators to mentor and cultivate the next generation of comic book creators.

Embarking on his 30th year of creating comics, Harvey, Eisner, and Inkwell Award-winning artist Wade von Grawbadger is excited to make his return appearance at Baltimore Comic-Con! Wade is primarily known for contributing ink art on such titles as Starman, Amazing Spider-Man, All-New X-Men, and Star Wars, but there has been so much more! Other titles include Edge of the Spider-Verse (featuring Spider-Rex), Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds, and New Talent Showcase: The Milestone Initiative (helping new talent find their groove) among others! He hopes to see you there!

This year’s confirmed guests for the show include: Arthur Adams (Longshot), Joel Adams (Ms. Mystic), Zeea Adams (Deadman), Kaare Andrews (Spider-Man: REIGN 2), Eddy Barrows (Superman), Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl), Marty Baumann ((Pixar artist), John Beatty (Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars), Rose Besch (Miles Morales: Spider-Man), Josh Blaylock (Mercy Sparx, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Russ Braun (The Boys), Mark Buckingham (Fables), Jacen Burrows (Crossed), Jim Calafiore (NED, Lord of the Pit), Richard Case (Doom Patrol), Donny Cates (Venom), Keith Champagne (Stranger Things), Howard Chaykin (Time Squared), Jo Chen (Runaways), Sean Chen (Evermind), Jim Cheung (Young Avengers), Mark Chiarello (Wednesday Comics), Frank Cho (Harley Quinn), Michael Cho (The Avengers and the Veracity Trap), Amy Chu (Emma Frost: The White Queen), Chris Claremont (X-Men), Matthew Clark (Adventures of Superman, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Becky Cloonan (Somna), Steve Conley (The Middle Age), Michael W. Conrad (Manowar: Invictus), Denys Cowan (The Question), Dani (Sensational Wonder Woman), Alan Davis (Excalibur), Deans Family Productions (Crass Fed), Jeff Dekal (Something is Killing the Children), Francine Delgado (Gatchaman), Kevin Delgado (Tuff Stuff, courtesy of Comics and Collectibles R Us), Todd Dezago (The Perhapanauts), Ryan Dunlavey (Action Philosophers), Garth Ennis (The Boys, Saturday and Sunday only), Viktor Farro (Invincible Universe: Battle Beast), David Finch (Moon Knight), Tony Fleecs (Stray Dogs), Trish Forstner (Feral), Franco (Deadman Tells the Spooky Tales), Barbara Friedlander (Swing with Scooter), Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (DC Nation), Ron Garney (BRZRKR), Chris Giarrusso (Mini Marvels), Dan Goldman (Unfinished Business), Randy Green (Witchblade). Mike Grell (Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters), Torunn Grønbekk (Catwoman), Gavin Guidry (Action Comics), Brian Haberlin (Spawn, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Bob Hall (West Coast Avengers), Cully Hamner (Blue Beetle), Scott Hanna (Amazing Spider-Man), Dean Haspiel (The Red Hook), Mike Hawthorne (Deadpool), Marc Hempel (Sandman), Jamal Igle (Superman, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Klaus Janson (Daredevil), Dave Johnson (100 Bullets), Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Incredible Hulk), J.G. Jones (Wanted), Chris Kemple (Artist Alley Comics), Chip Kidd (The Avengers in the Veracity Trap), Derek Kirk Kim (The Last Mermaid), Tom King (Wonder Woman), Dan Krall (House of Night), Adam Kubert (Wolverine), Jae Lee (Inhumans), Jeph Loeb (Batman: The Long Halloween), Tula Lotay (Barnstormers), Nate Lovett (Dungeons & Dragons), Kevin Maguire (Justice League), Alex Maleev (Star Wars: Boba Fett – Black White and Red), Anthony Marques (The Green Hornet), Laura Martin (Nubia: Queen of the Amazons), Shawn Martinbrough (Red Hood: The Hill), Ron Marz (Green Lantern), Jose Marzan Jr. (Y: The Last Man), Justin Mason (Spider-Punk), Charlie McElvy (Spider-Squirrel), Mike McKone (Red Goblin), Bob McLeod (New Mutants), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Adriana Melo (Action Comics), Josh Middleton (Aquaman), Al Milgrom (Spectacular Spider-Man), Mark Morales (Thor), Trevor Mueller (Albert the Alien), Sarah Myers (TMNT Saturday Morning Adventures), Tom Nguyen (The Switch), Mike Norton (Battlepug, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Kevin Nowlan (Batman: Sword of Azrael), Patrick Olliffe (Untold Tales of Spider-Man), Dan Parent (Sabrina the Teenage Witch), John J. Pearson (In Bloom), Andrew Pepoy (Simone & Ajax), Barbara Perez Marquez (The Cardboard Kingdom), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Brandon Peterson (Uncanny X-Men), Khoi Pham (Star Wars: Darth Vader), Paul Pope (THB), Tom Raney (Green Lantern), Amy Reeder (Power Girl), Rod Reis (COWL), Esad Ribic (Conan the Barbarian), Afua Richardson (Kahhori: Reshaper of Worlds), Andrew Robinson (Halo), James Robinson (Starman), Don Rosa (Uncle $crooge), Craig Rousseau (Herculoids), Stephane Roux (Void Rivals), Jim Rugg (Street Angel), Andy Runton (Owly), Stuart Sayger (Conan the Barbarian), Joseph Schmalke (Seven Years in Darkness, courtesy of Groundbreaking Comics), Bart Sears (Deathstroke), Declan Shalvey (Old Dog), Louise Simonson (The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special), Walter Simonson (Thor), Don Simpson (Megaton Man), Jeff Smith (Bone), John K. Snyder III (Suicide Squad), Mark Sparacio (Chelsea Dagger and the Women of Excalibur), Joe Staton (Dick Tracy), Brian Stelfreeze (Black Panther), Paul D. Storrie (Storm Kids: Stanley’s Ghost), Karl Story (The Mandalorian), Zoe Thorogood (It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Universe), John Timms (Superman: Son of Kal-El), Peter Tomasi (The Rocketfellers), Billy Tucci (Shi), Fred Van Lente (Action Philosophers), Brian K. Vaughan (Spectators, Friday and Saturday only), Gus Vazquez (Sunfire and Big Hero Six), Charles Vess (Stardust), Wade Von Grawbadger (Justice League), Mark Waid (Justice League Unlimited), David F. Walker (Big Jim and the White Boy, Saturday and Sunday only), Dan Watters (Nightwing), Lee Weeks (Batman/Catwoman Special), Mark Wheatley (Breathtaker), Matt Wieringo (Stargate Atlantis: Gateways), Keith Williams (Web of Spider-Man), Rich Woodall (Electric Black), John Workman (Wild Things), Kelly Yates (Doctor Who), and Thom Zahler (Love and Capes).

Underrated: God Country

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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: God Country

God Country has one of the more interestingly unique concepts in comics; that of an Alzheimer’s patient who is cured when his hand touches a twelve foot sword, only to be drawn into the soap  opera like world of space gods that have more than a passing resemblance to the Greco-Roman pantheons. Written by Donny Cates, who also co-wrote The Paybacks with Eliot Rahal; that series looked at the other side of superheroing with a starkly funny focus on a group of knock off characters serving as superpowered repomen (and women) struggling to emerge from the crippling debt their equipment put them in. On the surface, God Country may have little in common with The Paybacks other than half of the writing team (and Geoff Shaw‘s art), that’s certainly true on a superficial thematic level, but at their core both series focus on something quite relatable: people and their struggles against every day adversity.

There is every chance that you probably recognize Cates’ name from his work on Venom, Thor and King In Black, and I’ll admit that it feels strange to write about something Donny Cates has written as being underrated, but this is a book that I don’t see people talk about as much as they should.

Emmet Quinlan’s family have been struggling with the horror of watching a loved one slip away whilst suffering from Alzheimer’s, and their struggles are haunting – if you’ve ever had to watch a loved one slip away while suffering this horrible disease as I have, then you’ll understand immediately how hard it can be. Donny Cates treats the subject with the respect it deserves without sugar coating the emotions that Emmet’s family face.

Of course, with this being a comic book called God Country, that’s not what the comic is about.

At least not in it’s entirety. You see Emmet finds a giant sentient sword that restores his mind in its entirety. While Emmet’s disease does form the backbone of his desire to keep his hand on the sword that returned his mind, it’s the conflict with the space gods who want the sword back that provides the more immediate physical threat.

If you enjoyed Jason Aaron’s run on Thor: God Of Thunder  then you’re going to find a lot to love here, from the heavily emotional sequences in the first issue to the more operatic space god scenes in subsequent comics, this is a powerful series – indeed, without Cates wry humour that appears every so often throughout the series, then this could easily become an almost too heavy story.

Ultimately though, this story is so much more than it seems on the surface.

God Country is that rare beast that uses a well thought out high concept science fiction or fantasy premise to tell the most human of stories. It is truly a work of art that had my eyes sweaty with respect – and that doesn’t happen very often when I read comics.

Join us next week when we look at something else that is, for whatever reason, Underrated.

Preview: Thor #32

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Thor #32

(W) Donny Cates (A) Juan Gedeon (CA) Nic Klein
Rated T+
In Shops: Mar 29, 2023
SRP: $3.99

THOR VS. DOCTOR DOOM! It’s THOR against DOOM in a battle of wits, morals and, of course-might! Doom’s latest plot lies deep in Asgard’s history. And nothing, not even time itself, will stop him from getting what he wants-except maybe for Thor, who must pursue him to protect reality itself!

Thor #32

Preview: Hulk #12

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Hulk #12

(W) Donny Cates (A/CA) Ryan Ottley
Rated T+
In Shops: Feb 15, 2023
SRP: $3.99

TITAN IS COMING…
Bruce Banner has finally found paradise. Revered as a god and with no fear of hurting everyone around him, for the first time in a long, long time… things are looking pretty good for the Hulk. But as with everything else, Bruce Banner should have known that he can never know peace for long. And Titan, the darkest part of him, refuses to remain caged like an animal…

Hulk #12

Preview: Hulk #12

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Hulk #12

(W) Donny Cates (A/CA) Ryan Ottley
Rated T+
In Shops: Feb 15, 2023
SRP: $3.99

TITAN IS COMING…
Bruce Banner has finally found paradise. Revered as a god and with no fear of hurting everyone around him, for the first time in a long, long time… things are looking pretty good for the Hulk. But as with everything else, Bruce Banner should have known that he can never know peace for long. And Titan, the darkest part of him, refuses to remain caged like an animal…

Hulk #12

Unleash the Titan in the finale to Hulk Planet

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In the pages of Donny Cates and Ryan Ottley’s action-packed run of Hulk, Bruce Banner has jetted off to the far reaches of space and found a new home for himself—an entire planet of Hulk-like creatures thriving under the heat of a gamma star! On this Hulk Planet, Bruce is worshipped and enjoying a peace he’s never known… but where the Hulk goes, destruction follows. Titan, the deadliest Hulk in Marvel Comics history, refuses to be suppressed any longer, and Bruce is about to pay a terrible price for believing he was ever in control. Written and drawn by Ottley, the breathtaking finale to this dramatic new Hulk saga will be told this April in Hulk #14, and fans can expect surprise revelations and shocking twists that will smash open the way to what’s next for the character.  

Titan is now in control, and his endless rage may destroy Hulk Planet. Within the remaining fragments of the Mind Palace, Bruce Banner must reckon with the harm he has inflicted on the Hulk if either of them are to have any chance of regaining control and saving the planet.  But Bruce knows better than anyone that once a part of the Hulk has unlocked itself, there’s no closing that door ever again…

Check out the cover below, and see the full might of Titan this April in Hulk #14!

Hulk #14

Underrated: God Country

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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: God Country

God Country has one of the more interestingly unique concepts in comics; that of an Alzheimer’s patient who is cured when his hand touches a twelve foot sword, only to be drawn into the soap  opera like world of space gods that have more than a passing resemblance to the Greco-Roman pantheons. Written by Donny Cates, who also co-wrote The Paybacks with Eliot Rahal; that series looked at the other side of superheroing with a starkly funny focus on a group of knock off characters serving as superpowered repomen (and women) struggling to emerge from the crippling debt their equipment put them in. On the surface, God Country may have little in common with The Paybacks other than half of the writing team (and Geoff Shaw‘s art), that’s certainly true on a superficial thematic level, but at their core both series focus on something quite relatable: people and their struggles against every day adversity.

There is every chance that you probably recognize Cates’ name from his work on Venom, Thor and King In Black, and I’ll admit that it feels strange to write about something Donny Cates has written as being underrated, but this is a book that I don’t see people talk about as much as they should.

Emmet Quinlan’s family have been struggling with the horror of watching a loved one slip away whilst suffering from Alzheimer’s, and their struggles are haunting – if you’ve ever had to watch a loved one slip away while suffering this horrible disease as I have, then you’ll understand immediately how hard it can be. Donny Cates treats the subject with the respect it deserves without sugar coating the emotions that Emmet’s family face.

Of course, with this being a comic book called God Country, that’s not what the comic is about.

At least not in it’s entirety. You see Emmet finds a giant sentient sword that restores his mind in its entirety. While Emmet’s disease does form the backbone of his desire to keep his hand on the sword that returned his mind, it’s the conflict with the space gods who want the sword back that provides the more immediate physical threat.

If you enjoyed Jason Aaron’s run on Thor: God Of Thunder  then you’re going to find a lot to love here, from the heavily emotional sequences in the first issue to the more operatic space god scenes in subsequent comics, this is a powerful series – indeed, without Cates wry humour that appears every so often throughout the series, then this could easily become an almost too heavy story.

Ultimately though, this story is so much more than it seems on the surface.

God Country is that rare beast that uses a well thought out high concept science fiction or fantasy premise to tell the most human of stories. It is truly a work of art that had my eyes sweaty with respect – and that doesn’t happen very often when I read comics.

Join us next week when we look at something else that is, for whatever reason, Underrated.

Preview: Hulk #10

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Hulk #10

(W) Donny Cates (A/CA) Ryan Ottley
RATED T+
In Shops: Nov 02, 2022
SRP: $3.99

“HULK PLANET” PART TWO!
Starship Hulk has found what should be the ultimate paradise – an entire planet of Hulk-like creatures thriving under the heat of a gamma star. But Bruce can’t shake thoughts of the past or the nagging suspicion that Monolith isn’t being totally honest about what she wants from the Hulk. And then there’s the matter of the planet’s “welcoming committee”…

Hulk #10

Preview: Thor #28

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Thor #28

(W) Donny Cates (A) Salvador Larroca (CA) Nic Klein
RATED T+
In Shops: Oct 19, 2022
SRP: $3.99

THOR VS. VENOM – ROUND TWO!
Hammer vs. tongue! Thunder vs. symbiote! Golden hair vs. pointy teeth! It’s the epic finale of this dark, twisted team-up between Thor and Venom! How will events from the current VENOM series impact the future of Asgard? Find out here!

Thor #28

Preview: Hulk #9

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Hulk #9

(W) Donny Cates (A/CA) Ryan Ottley
RATED T+
In Shops: Oct 05, 2022
SRP: $3.99

New Arc – HULK PLANET!
Thoroughly shaken by his battle with Thor and Titan’s impact on his friends, Bruce Banner decides that his best company is himself – and only himself. As he sets Starship Hulk on a far away course, he begins to reckon with what it means to be healthy – and encounters an alternative to isolation he’d never thought to dream of. But this alternative begs the question – who exactly is Monolith?

Hulk #9
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