Tag Archives: joe rybandt

NYCC 2025: Thundarr the Barbarian Slashes Into Comics With Jason Aaron!

In the coming year Dynamite Entertainment, Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, and Jason Aaron present the sword and sorcery comics event of a lifetime, as the legendary Thundarr the Barbarian slashes into comic books! Thundarr the Barbarian ran for two thrilling seasons in the early 1980s, bursting wide the creative minds of a whole generation who watched it. The novel premise takes fantasy staples of barbarians, wizards, and monstrous beings and sets them in a post-apocalyptic vision of our world nearly 2,000 years in the future.

Writer Jason Aaron is coming up on a quarter century in comics, with forays on nearly every top character or franchise, wide-ranging genres, and hit independent creations. All-told his works have garnered countless awards nominations and wins, and proved definitive in many cases. He’s no stranger to swords and sandals, leading the charge in the revival of another barbarian comics icon in years past. Now he’s ready to bring the world of Thundarr to the page and the hands of readers.

Aaron is joined in this effort by artist Kewber Baal, teed up for his biggest breakout yet. The Vampirella, James Bond, and Jennifer Blood illustrator is ready to sling ink in bringing Aaron’s scripts to the page, alongside Thundarr’s signature Sunsword with his trademark portrayals of action.

The series features Thundarr and his trusty companions Princess Ariel and Ookla the Mok fighting to save the world’s last surviving humans from enslavement by mutants and wizards. But when Thundarr’s greatest foes, like Gemini and Mindok the Mind Menace, team-up to devise the ultimate revenge, the heroes must battle to save the future itself, an adventure that takes us all the way back to that fateful day in 1994 when a runaway planet came hurtling between the Earth and the Moon, unleashing cosmic destruction. And for the first time ever, we’ll also learn the origin of Thundarr, including his first meetings with Ariel, Ookla, and the first time he ever wielded his mighty and mysterious Sunsword.

To add to this monumental comics event, editor Joe Rybandt has called in top names for stunning series covers. Initial names include Rob Liefeld, Dan Panosian, Francesco Mattina, Michael Cho, Joseph Michael Linsner, Björn Barends, and more.

Shockingly in an era where it was common, Thundarr never once featured in its own comic book stories — a fact that stands out even more with its deep pedigree connections to the medium. The King of Comics himself Jack Kirby worked on the production design for the show, establishing its memorable look. He was complemented by Hanna-Barbera/Ruby-Spears icon and “artist’s favorite artist” Alex Toth, who designed key characters. The principal original creator of the show was the enigmatic writer Steve Gerber, known for his satirical and boundary-breaking work in comics like Howard the Duck, Man-Thing, Omega the Unknown, and more. Other comics mainstays like Martin Pasko, Mark Evanier, and Roy Thomas also played key roles in Thundarr’s original tales. And now these connections come full circle, courtesy of one of the biggest names in comics today!

Teased initially at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con, this year’s New York Comic Con brings major updates on Thundarr’s comics debut this January!

SDCC 2024: Dynamite dives into Disney with a panel

Darkwing Duck #1

With fans getting ready and beginning their travel plans for San Diego Comic-Con, Dynamite Entertainment has announced one of its big panels at the show, a breakdown of all the latest, greatest, and upcoming projects from the publisher’s Disney line. Fans attending the show are invited, and others can tune in to Dynamite‘s platforms for the key updates!

This panel will take place on Sunday July 28 from 11:30 AM through 12:30 PM in room 23ABC.

Dynamite’s Executive Editor Joe Rybandt will be moderating the panel, alongside an all-star cast of creators who have left an incredible mark on Disney fandom with the newest comic books featuring everyone’s favorite beloved characters and worlds.

Panel guests joining him include Amanda Deibert (Darkwing Duck, Wonder Woman), Sweeney Boo (Disney Villains: Cruella De Vil, Marvel Action: Captain Marvel), Soo Lee (Disney Villains: Maleficent, Carmilla: The First Vampire), and an exciting special surprise of Darkwing Duck creator Tad Stones!

Some of the titles and projects that will be highlighted include the acclaimed comics revivals of Gargoyles and Darkwing Duck. Just not even a couple years in and the excitement and momentum for these stories remains soaring, with all kinds of Disney fans waiting to see when their favorites might be next.

Subsequent successes that will be covered at the panel are the comics of Lilo & StitchHercules, and the Disney Villains line.