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Cold Dead War #1 Gets a New Printing and Variants

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Heavy Metal has announced that Cold Dead War #1, the first issue of the WWII Horror-War zombie series, written by George C. Romero and illustrated by Germán Ponce, has sold out and is going back to press. Due to popular demand, Heavy Metal is releasing a second printing of the issue, featuring brand-new pinup variant covers by artists D•MINT•ID and Albert Alvarado. The new covers, taken straight from the B-17 war bunker, show off a bomb-straddling model in both her human and undead form.

Cold Dead War follows the zombie crew of a B-17 bomber who continue their mission to fight and kill enemies of American democracy and freedom, even long after they’ve already given their lives to the cause. In this epic Horror-War series set across the past, present and future, a freak occurrence reanimates an island of freshly killed soldiers in the wake of the Battle of Midway in World War 2. In Cold Dead War #1, Captain Howard hides away on a small farm, but he can’t shake the memories he has of his failed bombing mission in Japan during the war, which ended in disaster and death. He can’t hide from his past…especially when it’s not dead yet.

For this special second printing, Heavy Metal is offering a set of variant covers featuring the traditional bomber pinup and a non-traditional zombie version: both versions will be available topless, as only Heavy Metal would have the nerve to do.

All three variant covers, in both standard and virgin cover formats, are available for retailers to purchase from Heavy Metal Direct, and only Cover A will be solicited via Diamond Distributors. The topless version of Cover A will be wrapped in brown paper due to the adult content.

Individuals can also purchase their cover of choice from the Heavy Metal website and have an option to buy a bundle, which also includes issues #2-#4 and a discount code to use for the trade paperback pre-sale. Cold Dead War #1, with Cover A, will be available to purchase in stores on September 29, 2021, and Golden Apple will be exclusively selling the topless zombie variant cover.

Retailers can use the sign up form on Heavy Metal’s website to order this special second printing. The final order cut off for purchasing retailer issues is August 4, 2021. The in-store date is September 8, 2021.

Review: Cold Dead War #1

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Cold Dead War #1

Cold Dead War #1 is an intriguing debut that goes in a direction I should have seen coming. Opening in 1950 Kentucky the story focuses on a World War II veteran haunted by his experiences and has a secret. It’s a small town story about a man trying to run from his past and struggling to move on with a normal life. Lance Howard was a pilot during World War II in the Pacific and experienced something while on a mission.

George C. Romero kicks Cold Dead War #1 off with an issue that eventually feels like something we’ve seen so many times. It’s the grizzled veteran being asked to complete one more mission for their country. It takes a while for the issue to get there, then it does. Then you find out more of what’s going on. That twist is something that’s not going to be spoiled. It’s part of the fun and charm of the debut and has me wanting to come back for more.

It’s a story and delivery that’s not surprising in the end but it’s done really well. There’s a quality in the writing and especially the slow build that sucks you in. And it feels like it has a pay off. Romero builds thing to the reveal so when that happens, and it’s unexpected, it feels like a big deal. There’s not really any hints or teases beyond something is troubling his main character.

German Ponce‘s art helps keep the secret. There’s something idyllic and peaceful about the Captain Howard and his small town life. It gets juxtaposed with his war experience and everything gets much more interesting as the war experience feels that much more shocking when we reflect on his now peaceful life. Ponce also handles ink along with Gabriel Rearte with Photobunker on color and lettering by Saida Temofonte. There’s three segments to the comic and the look of each really works as peace and horror are depicted.

Cold Dead War #1 comes together nicely. It’s a solid war debut with a setup that’s familiar but whose twists are unexpected. It has just enough that feels new and different to really pay off and keep things interesting. Overall, it sets up what feels like a entertaining B-movie action story.

Story: George C. Romero Art: German Ponce
Ink: German Ponce, Gabriel Rearte Color: Photobunker Letterer: Saida Temofonte
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

Heavy Metal provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics

Exclusive: Dark Wing #3 Preview with Commentary from Writer Matthew Medney

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The Dark Wing, a planet turned into a spaceship by human-like people known as the Quails, searches the cosmos for a solar system to call home. Piloted by the legendary Benedict Gunn, the exploration of this gargantuan planet ship is an adventure like no other. But when Captain Gunn pulls a daring interstellar maneuver, the price he and his crew must pay is deadly.

Dark Wing debuted in Heavy Metal #300 and runs as a serialization within the magazine from Issue #300-309

Dark Wing is written by Matthew Medney with art by German Ponce, color by Protobunker Studio, and the creative team of Bruce Edwards and Pete “Voodoo Bownz” Russo.

In Dark Wing #3, we learn about CELL- Collective Experiential Living Life-form is the planetary collective intelligence; basically, like a touch less internet that you can constantly access in your head just by thinking about something, connecting you to the entire world’s knowledge whenever you need it. It’s also used to help everyone make the most logical decisions possible, for the best outcome for the most amount of people, while being guided by your heart is also encouraged and actually assisted by not having to second-guess if your heart is affecting your thinking).

The issue comes to shops on February 17 and we have an exclusive look and commentary from writer Matthew Medney.

MATTHEW MEDNEY, writer: This page is so incredible for me. The incredible team I worked with to create the CELL (Collective Experiential Living Life) form is the planetary collective intelligence; basically, like a touch less internet that you can constantly access in your head just by thinking about something, connecting you to the entire world’s knowledge whenever you need it. It’s also used to help everyone make the most logical decisions possible, for the best outcome for the most amount of people, while being guided by your heart is also encouraged and actually assisted by not having to second-guess if your heart is affecting your thinking) CELL which was created after the first uprising of the sentient A.I. as a way to fuse the best parts of the Quails technology while mitigating any risks that could arise from sentient robotics, CELL was created and implemented.

MEDNEY: I mean come on, its Heavy Metal! We need at least one sex scene. The best part about Dark Wing, to me, is that we created an amazing universe that allows for high octane action weaved in between a love triangle and some interpersonal dilemmas. Pon and Ben are in this on again off again emotional pull and off in the corner is Ben and Phoebe, former lovers, and akin to each other. But the passion between Pon and Ben is as fiery as it gets! 

Dark Wing #3

MEDNEY: This spread is one of the best pages I have ever seen in comics. German and the coloring team at Protobunker Studios have dazzled our eyes with this montage that perfectly sums up the ethos of issue #3. We have the Dark Wing, CELL, Ben and Pon and the city of Tiberius all beautifully put together in this smorgasbord of color and wonder.

Dark Wing #3

MEDNEY: What’s Next in Dark Wing? Well, I can assure you it is a dashing cosmic adventure where the twists and turns will surprise you and keep you at the edge of your seats. I don’t want to give away too much, but I will say, you haven’t met all the players yet, and what you think will happen, most certainly not. Bruce, Pete, German, Protobunker, Ricardo (editor) and all of the brilliant minds that have come together to help construct Dark Wing into this cosmic adventure all have the guiding light of a true space odyssey that pays homage to stories like Star Trek, but pushes the envelope with what matters today in science, fiction, culture and genre. 

Dark Wing #3 is in comic shops nationwide on February 17, 2021.

Dark Wing #3

Review: Dark Wing #1

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Dark Wing #1

Dark Wing #1 is a fascinating sci-fi epic full of action and a world we’re dumped into the deep end to explore. It’s an unknown time and a human-like race is mining material they desperately need to survive. It’s a dangerous mission full of risk. It’s also full of visuals that challenge you to linger on the page to figure out everything going on.

Written by Matthew Medney, Dark Wing #1 is a solid sci-fi concept and comic with a lot of tension throughout. That tension and a wondering of “will the mission succeed” is the draw as we get little on the actual characters. This is a debut that drops the reader in the deep end as the action is underway with no build-up and no set-up. You’re challenged to piece together what’s going on in the thick of the action.

There’s some crazy concepts presented and I found much of my reading of the issue was just trying to piece together exactly what was going on. The mining of the material, the design of the ships, and how it all connects together, it’s a take that’s original. That originality also forces you to focus a bit more and just go with the flow. It’s a different sort of world and sci-fi adventure with a DNA that’s very familiar.

That unfamiliarity is primarily in the art. German Ponce handles that with color by Protobunker Studios. The design of the ships and where people are in relation to each other is a bit hard to piece together in my review copy. It’s possible the physical copy of the series is a bit easier to understand with the ability to get the literal full picture but as I read it, I found myself jumping between pages. And even then, I was a bit confused as to what was going on visually. It’s definitely a different thought on page layout and design of the ships. It took me much of the comic to get used to it. That’s not necessarily bad as further issues shouldn’t have this problem and I can focus more on the story itself.

That focus is needed. Dark Wing #1 doesn’t explain a lot about its characters and world. You’re really forced to figure out who people are and what’s going on by a sentence or two. The set-up is built into the story which is itself focused on the action. This feels like a bit more dense of a comic debut and should be interesting to see where it goes but as it stands this is one that might be for those really into space focused science fiction.

Story: Matthew Medney Art: German Ponce
Color: Protobunker Studios Creative Team: Brice Edwards, Pete Russo
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Heavy Metal Entertainment provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology

Heavy Metal Launches an Epic Summer with New Releases and Highly-Anticipated Debuts

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Heavy Metal is excited to announce a host of ambitious Summer titles ready for pre-order by June 24th, effectively introducing what promises to be a new age of innovation and creativity for the publisher, beginning with the landmark 300th issue. With comic shops re-opening their doors in many markets after a long dry spell, now is the time for fans of science fiction, fantasy and horror to discover or rediscover the magazine that started it all.

HEAVY METAL #300

(W) Various, Moebius (A) Various (CA) CVR A Claudia Iannciello, CVR B Agustin Alessio, CVR C Glenn Fabry
Cover Price: $9.99

A new era begins with a celebration of 300 incredible issues of America’s Premiere Sci-Fi/Fantasy magazine. Classic and new comic book creators from all over the world join the magazine to celebrate its 300th issue.

Just to name some of our VIP guests: Moebius attends with a short story published in English for the first time as well as an interview, never released, done by acclaimed comics and music writer Geoff Boucher. Richard Corben, Liberatore, Vaughan Bode, Stephanie Phillips, Justin Jordan, Blake Northcott, Jeff Rebner, Matt Medney, David Erwin, Germán Ponce, and Duke Mighten who are joined by “New Hollywood 21st century” actor/writers Dylan Sprouse & Brendan Columbus.

And this party could not be complete without the fictional characters who attend it. Among the prominent fictional guests, we have confirmation of: Taarna, Nelson the B52 Bomber, Lucy the Australopithecus, and the Dark Wing crew, among many others.

In Shops: Aug 19, 2020

SUNEATER #1

(W) Dylan Sprouse, Joe Harris (A) Diego Yapur (CA) Brian Stelfreeze
Cover Price: $4.99

From actor and entrepreneur Dylan Sprouse, Suneater #1 kicks off a nine-issue saga that takes place in ninth century Norway, where a drug-addled warrior sacrifices his leg to the Gods.  In return he is fused with a parasitic beast, giving him the power to rescue his son from his sworn enemies—history’s first Norwegian king and his five personal guards. The result is a grim and bloody adventure—a dark metaphor for drug addiction, selfishness, and the children it affects.

“I love fantasy-action and I wanted to create something that would appeal to newer fans of the genre while tackling an elevated story,” said Sprouse. “The characters I wrote are from actual tales and bardic songs, and the story is about the adult, dark, grotesque, and somber world of Suneater and its desperate, faulty protagonist. While I have been actively writing Suneater for years, the culmination of the content rings especially true for me now, at this stage of my life.”

In Shops: Aug 26, 2020

SUNEATER #1

BROOKLYN GLADIATOR #1

(W) Dan Fogler, Andrew Harrison (A/CA) Simon Bisley
Cover Price: $3.99

The first of the Fogler’s Fictions titles, Brooklyn Gladiator is a vivid, violent, and frightening glimpse into a fictional future that feels all too familiar, a future we may find ourselves sleepwalking into if we’re not careful.

Welcome to Brooklyn, 2033! New Yorkers survive on scraps in a despoiled America. John Miller is an action hero for the ages, a rough and ready badass who could drink Han Solo, Jack Burton, and John McClane under the table. Brooklyn Gladiator is a tribute to the comics, films, and experiences that have inspired author Dan Fogler.

In shops: August 5, 2020

BROOKLYN GLADIATOR #1

FISHKILL #1

(W) Dan Fogler, Laurence Blum (A/CA) Ben Templesmith
Cover Price: $3.99

Also from Dan Fogler, Fishkill is a love story wrapped in a modern noir that takes our hero, Detective Bart Fishkill, so far down the conspiracy rabbit hole that he starts to question his own sanity even to the point of wondering whether if he isn’t the villain in the first place.  

In shops: August 12, 2020

FISHKILL #1

MOON LAKE: MIDNIGHT MUNCHIES

(W) Dan Fogler (A) Alex Eckman-Lawn, Tim Seeley, Kevin Colden, Darick Robertson, Alex Horley (A/CA) Dennis Carlsson
Cover Price: $24.99

The third Fogler’s Fiction entry, Moon Lake: Midnight Munchies tells the tale of a mysterious portal into the bizarre and demented.  Zombie dinosaurs, a mass-murdering high school cheerleader, and an inter-dimensional Sasquatch trying to save his species from extinction.  All created by the lunar radiation in the small town of Moon Lake.  

In Shops: Aug 19, 2020

MOON LAKE: MIDNIGHT MUNCHIES

Dark Horse Returns to the World of Dragon Age with Unabridged Edition of “Hard in Hightown”

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Revisit the streets of Kirkwall in this unabridged edition of prolific dwarven author Varric Tethras’ Hard in Hightown.

This in-world novel follows the adventures of Donnen Brennokovic, a weathered and weary city guardsman who finds himself paired with a fresh-faced recruit. While on a routine patrol, the unlikely duo stumbles across the body of a murdered magistrate, and soon find themselves embroiled in a clash between Chantry agents and a shadowy organization known as the Executors, over a mysterious ancient artifact.

What unfolds is a fast-paced crime noir full of adventure, passion, and Varric’s signature panache to keep readers hooked.

Ghostwritten by Mary Kirby, who wrote Varric for both Dragon Age II and Dragon Age: Inquisition, and gorgeously illustrated by Stefano Martino, Álvaro Sarraseca, Andres Ponce, and German Ponce, with a painted cover by E.M. Gist, Dragon Age: Hard in Hightown is an essential addition to Dragon Age fans’ collections!

Dragon Age: Hard in Hightown goes on sale July 31, 2018. The gorgeous 96-page hardcover retails for $19.99.