Tag Archives: donny cates

Preview: King in Black #3 (of 5)

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King in Black #3 (of 5)

(W) Donny Cates (A/CA) Ryan Stegman
Rated T+
In Shops: Jan 20, 2021
SRP: $4.99

After last issue’s shocking finale, the heroes of the Marvel Universe are reeling. Outgunned and outmanned, but never outdone, they unite and face KNULL, God of the Abyss, as he ensnares the planet in the darkness of his reign! Superstars DONNY CATES and RYAN STEGMAN continue to raise the game – and the stakes for the Marvel Universe in this Earth-shattering epic!

King in Black #3 (of 5)

Patrick Gleason Delivers a Mesmerizing Variant Cover for Carnage: Black, White, & Blood #1

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In the same vein as his iconic Amazing Spider-Man #55 cover, Marvel Stormbreaker Patrick Gleason delivers another stunning cover for the debut issue of Carnage: Black, White, & Blood and Cletus Kasady has never looked more frightening. These striking illustrations have become a major hit with fans, selling out at comic shops across the country.

Featuring all-star creators such as Donny Cates, Ken Lashley, Sara Pichelli, Benjamin Percy, Tini Howard, and more, Carnage: Black, White, & Blood will feature Carnage’s most spine-chilling tales presented in BLACK, WHITE, AND BLOOD. See Cletus Kasady cackle at the horror he’s about to unleash on Gleason’s cover below and don’t miss adding this extraordinary cover to your collection when Carnage: Black, White, & Blood #1 hits stands in March. 

CARNAGE: BLACK, WHITE, AND BLOOD #1 Patrick Gleason cover

Review: Crossover #3

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Crossover #3

Crossover has been an interesting series for its first two issues. The “comics come to the real world” has had some of its fun stemming from the “spot the comic character” aspect of it all. The comic itself has teased known comic characters but hasn’t really used them front and center. Crossover #3 changes all of that. Was writer Donny Cates goes meta with one of his co-creations, The Paybacks, coming to the story front and center.

The issue mostly involves various characters coming together as the journey to get to ground zero begins. But, it’s the latter half of the issue where things really stand out.

Cates has a lot of fun bringing in these co-creations (with writer Eliot Rahal) of The Paybacks to the comic. The Paybacks were a much too-short run comic series published by Dark Horse. Crossover #3 has fun with that mentioning the lack of support and its cancelation. The series itself was both a spoof and homage to comic books, a proto-Crossover in some ways.

But Crossover #3 has far more than that up its sleeve. It also introducesa more “classic” comic character to the narrative. It’s an interesting shift for the series. Up to this point, it has played up nostalgia but hasn’t done a deep dive using established comic characters. The move opens up a lot of possibilities of where this all goes and shifts the enjoyment from just fandom to all of the possibilities, especially due to the final reveal.

Geoff Shaw‘s art continues to be amazing. Along with the colors of Dee Cunniffe and lettering by John J. Hill the issue is another feather in everyone’s cap. Shaw also worked on The Paybacks, so to see him return with a slight twist of the style of Crossover makes it even more fun. The Ben-Day dots continue to amaze me and not only is a fantastic delineation from “reality” and the “comic world” but also a but of throwback for me to my early year of comic reading.

Crossover #3 is a fantastic issue that blends different worlds even more and allows Cate and Shaw return to an earlier property of theirs. That inclusion is fun (seriously, go read The Paybacks) but the further reveal really ups the “oh shit” factor of it all. This is a top-notch series that in its third issue has shifted things a bit taking this comic to an even crazier level of entertainment.

Story: Donny Cates Art: Geoff Shaw
Color: Dee Cunniffe Letterer/Design: John J. Hill
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology – Kindle – Zeus Comics

Preview: Thor #11

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Thor #11

(W) Donny Cates (A) Nic Klein (CA) Olivier Coipel
Rated T+
In Shops: Jan 06, 2021
SRP: $3.99

IT’S A SUNNY DAY IN HEL!
But the God of Thunder is about to bring down a bloody rain! Trapped in a suburban horror show, THOR faces down an old foe. But something far worse than the Midgard Serpent is sinking its fangs into Thor’s world…for DONALD BLAKE now roams the TEN REALMS with naught but death on the brain!

Thor #11

King in Black Comes to an End in March With One-Shots and a Final Issue!

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Earlier this month, KING IN BLACK #1 hit stands, and fans finally saw masterminds Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman plunge the Marvel Universe into darkness with the long-dreaded arrival of Knull. With four issues left and multiple exciting tie-in issues, things are just getting started. It’s all leading up to the final showdown in KING IN BLACK #5, which will bring this epic event to a close. Be there when the very fate of all symbiotes is decided, and the future of the saga of Venom is revealed. Check out the haunting cover by Ryan Stegman below and ask yourself: what is a god to a non-believer?

Also out in March will be essential one-shots starring some of your favorite Marvel heroes. Spidey is in for the fight of his life when the city around him erupts into chaos under Knull’s influence. Find out if he has what it takes to turn the tide in the action-packed KING IN BLACK: SPIDER-MAN by writer Jed MacKay and artist Michele Bandini. The war for Hell’s throne meets the war against the God of Symbiotes when Johnny Blaze gets caught in the madness of King in Black in KING IN BLACK: GHOST RIDER by writer Ed Brisson and artist Juan Frigeri. Scream makes her highly-anticipated return in KING IN BLACK: SCREAM by writer Clay McLeod Chapman and artist Garry Brown. Will her return be short-lived or does she hold the key to putting a dent in Knull’s symbiotic armor? And newlywed Young Avengers Wiccan and Hulkling’s honeymoon is taken over by symbiotes in KING IN BLACK: HULKLING AND WICCAN by writer Tini Howard and artist Luciano Vecchio. Also spinning out of KING BLACK, everyone’s favorite Korbinite finds a new destiny in BETA RAY BILL, a new series written and drawn by Daniel Warren Johnson.

Don’t miss the pulse-pounding final chapters of KING IN BLACK when they arrive this March. 

KING IN BLACK #5 (OF 5)

Written by DONNY CATES
Art and Cover by RYAN STEGMAN

KING IN BLACK #5 (OF 5)

KING IN BLACK: GHOST RIDER #1

Written by ED BRISSON
Art by JUAN FRIGERI
Cover by WILL SLINEY

KING IN BLACK: GHOST RIDER #1

KING IN BLACK: SPIDER-MAN #1

Written by JED MACKAY
Art by MICHELE BANDINI
Cover by CARLOS GOMEZ

KING IN BLACK: SPIDER-MAN #1

KING IN BLACK: SCREAM #1

Written by CLAY MCLEOD CHAPMAN
Art by GARRY BROWN
Cover by INKHYUK LEE

KING IN BLACK: SCREAM #1

KING IN BLACK: WICCAN AND HULKLING #1

Written by TINI HOWARD
Art by LUCIANO VECCHIO
Cover by JIM CHEUNG

KING IN BLACK: WICCAN AND HULKLING #1

BETA RAY BILL #1 (OF 5)

Written by DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON
Art and Cover by DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON

BETA RAY BILL #1 (OF 5)

Review: King in Black #2

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King in Black #2

The first issue of King in Black delivered a big screen blockbuster on the comic page and King in Black #2 continues the action and ups the desperation. Knull has taken over the world subjugating its heroes and controlling them through symbiotes. A small group of heroes remains to take a stand and their hope rests in Eddie Brock who last issue was tossed from atop a building. As we saw in the recent issue of Venom, Eddie does indeed fall and this issue we see the crushing conclusion.

Writer Donny Cates delivers an issue that’s full of desperation and really sets up the uphill battle that’s ahead. Things look bleak and dark without it actually being bleak and dark. Cates does an excellent job of giving us hope. It’s the battle where Optimus shows up before falling against Megatron… queue music as he clings for life.

Cates delivers the desperation and the heart as he teases hope and solutions. The heroes are desperate and instead of dragging things out, we’re delivered a possible solution within the issue. There’s a lot packed in and that adds to the emotional punch of it all. Hope is served and quickly taken away. King in Black #2 is a hell of an emotional ride.

Things are helped by Ryan Stegman‘s art which is its usual amazing. Stegman is joined by JP Mayer on ink, Frank Martin on colors, and Clayton Cowles on lettering. Everyone nails it adding to the atmosphere. The brilliance of the art is delivering a dark horror comic without it being too dark and foreboding. The corrupted heroes are scary without being distracting. The color and ink create the darkness of Knull without making the art difficult to see. It’s a great balance and pulled off well. There’s also so much detail in the damage done, especially in Spider-Man’s tattered costume. And the lettering too adds to it all nailing Knull’s voice or emphasizing the emotion.

King in Black #2 is a hell of a second issue. It takes us on an emotional rollercoaster while also delivering big screen popcorn levels of visuals. It’s a great combination and what events should be. Two issues in and this is one of Marvel’s best events in many years.

Story: Donny Cates Art: Ryan Stegman
Ink: JP Mayer Color: Frank Martin Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology – Amazon – Kindle – Zeus Comics

Crossover #2 Heads Back for a New Printing

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Bestselling creative team Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw with Dee Cunniffe and John. J. Hill have sent an electric shock of excitement through the comics industry with the launch of their next level superhero series Crossover. The second issue has sold out instantly at the distributor level and is being fast tracked to a second printing in order to keep up with the skyrocketing sales trajectory.

Crossover #2 amps up the jaw-dropping reveals and sets the stage for even more surprises in the issues to come. The event continues to unravel as Ellie, Otto, and Ava rise from the ashes of their comic shop to begin their four-color odyssey to find the truth beyond the dome. Meanwhile: super-prisons! Magic guns! Mysterious government agents! Don’t miss out on all the plot twists to come.

Crossover #2, second printing (Diamond Code NOV208056) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, January 13.

Crossover #2, second printing

Review: Venom #31

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Venom #31

A tie-in to King in Black, Venom #31 is going to irritate some readers while others will praise the interesting direction of the comic. As the opening issue of King of Black ended, Eddie Brock had his symbiote ripped from him and thrown from the top of a buildng. This issue… is just Eddie falling. That’s it. Seriously.

Titled “Thirty-Two Seconds“, writer Donny Cates spends the issue chronicling Eddie falling to his possible death. We know as readers the likelihood of that isn’t going to happen but as pages flip we’re expecting a miraculous save and some action and are delivered… falling. Seriously. That’s it.

It’s an interesting issue and it has a key goal. For those who are new to Venom and started King in Black with its first issue, Venom #31 acts as a way to catch individuals up. The issue takes us through some of the history of the character reflecting how this is an event years in the making and setting up the difficult battle ahead.

But, what’s truly amazing about the issue is that it never delivers what you expect it to.

Eddie falls. That’s it.

There is not miraculous save. There is no symbiote to the rescue. This is an issue that never delivers what you expect and leaves the reader waiting for something that never happens. In that way, it’s an amazing issue. It’s also sure to piss people off.

Cates pulls off the audacious issue with art by Iban Coello. Along with Jesus Aburtov on color and Clayton Cowles on lettering, the art is fantastic as expected. Coello and Aburtov are a great combo for art. With panels delivering but seconds, the duo use it to show the terror as Eddie falls. We’re taken through the motions of fear, attempts at finding a solution, and then acceptance. Much of this is conveyed through Eddie’s face as he falls. His body language delivers a sense of someone out of control. His eyes tells us as much as to what he’s thinking as does the dialogue. Cowles lettering takes advantage of some of the page layouts delivering an almost poet like text during Eddie’s plummeting.

Venom #31 is a gutsy issue and I’m not sure what to think honestly. I want to read it again and as a single issue, there’s something amazing about it. But, little happens. It’s a non-story. We get taken through the steps of grief and are never delivered to our expectations. In that way, it stands out, but it’s also an issue that’s sure to anger some readers at the same time.

Story: Donny Cates Art: Iban Coello
Color: Jesus Aburtov Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Story: 7.5 Art: 8.75 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology – Amazon – Kindle – Zeus Comics

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