Tag Archives: the disciples

Review: The Disciples #4

The race to colonize the planets has begun. A wealthy tycoon turned cultist has landed on one of Jupiter’s 63 known moons and has taken his disciples with him, among them, a certain senator’s young daughter.

The crew, Dagmar, Rick and Julian are hired out to get her back.

A daring space adventure turns raw with horror after the crew nears our galaxies biggest moon, Ganymede.

The characters are punk inspired, perhaps taken from writer and creator Steve Niles’ background in the DC punk/hardcore scene.

The story is set in the near future, people are not exploring the furthest reaches of the universe, but instead, our own galaxy. Venus, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and all their moons are the subject of curiosity and the ever expanding search to stake one’s claim in new territories. There is talk of some holding water, others hosting weird,tiny creatures. What will the crew encounter in the cold reaches of these yet explored icy planets?

I must say, I love this comic. The story does not cease to surprise and astonish, breaking from the traditional trajectory that many comics go. Prepare to be kept guessing. Also, having a  alt-punk female lead does not hurt.

Artist and co-creator, Christopher Mitten has outdone himself, the pacing is well set, and the inking, clean yet not without grit, truly suits the horror genre. Check out his Tumblr, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by his prints, pages and other works.

Colorist Jay Fotos, and production artist Philip W. Smith III make for a great team and a well done new project by multi talented Steve Niles, and Christopher Mitten. The art team deserves applause.

The aesthetics are done so well–staggering craters, rock walls and machinery– that there is almost a blue silence that permeates the comics, sliding under dialogue and action, bringing to mind deep space and what, perhaps, early settlers once experienced in the shadow of great forests. The excitement. The horror.

This is a definite Buy.

Story: Steve Niles Art: Christopher Mitten
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Black Mask Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Preview: The Disciples #4

The Disciples #4

Artist: Christopher Mitten
Writer: Steve Niles
Colorist: Jay Fotos
Letterer: Thomas Mauer
IN COMIC STORES: 9/30

Niles and Mitten crank up the horror they’re famous for in the brain-combusting conclusion toThe Disciples’ first story arc. Amid horrifying deaths and an even more horrifying birth, can our heroes escape the carnage on this haunted moon of Jupiter?

THE DISCIPLES #4 1

Preview: The Disciples #3

THE DISCIPLES #3

Artist: Christopher Mitten
Writer: Steve Niles
Colorist: Jay Fotos
Letterer: Thomas Mauer
IN COMIC STORES: 8/19

Dagmar, Rick, and Jules, intrepid private eyes/bounty hunters, have been hired by a high ranking Senator to retrieve his teenage daughter who’s run off to join a mysterious religious cult. This is no ordinary cult though. In the near future of The Disciples, the ultra-wealthy have become true Masters of the Universe by colonizing moons throughout the solar system. Billionaire industrialist McCauley Richmond is one such colonist: he’s built a new society on Ganymede, a moon of Jupiter, where his flock of cultists can have the religious freedom to worship him. But when the team reaches Ganymede in their Starship Venture, they discover something has gone horribly wrong… This ghost story in space reunites comics’ king of the macabre, Steve Niles, with his longtime collaborator Christopher Mitten, whose stylish mix of grit and flow matches Steve’s sharp characterizations and taste for screams.

THE DISCIPLES #3 1

Around the Tubes

It’s new comic book day! What’s everyone excited for? While you decide on that, here’s some news and reviews from around the web to keep you busy.

Around the Tubes

BBC – The 100 Greatest American Films – Agree? Disagree?

Comics Alliance – ‘Ant-Man’ Director Peyton Reed Reveals Alternate Ending – An interesting ending. Better? Worse? What do you think?

Bleeding Cool – Europe Comics Will Host International Digital Comics In English – Pretty cool to see this.

Comics Alliance – Marvel’s Kevin Feige on When We’ll See The Wasp in the MCU – A good plan? A band plan?

The Christian Science Monitor – How comic books are combating extremism in Pakistan  – A lot of articles on this lately.

 

Around the Tubes Reviews

Nothing But Comics – The Disciples #2

Comics Alliance – Mercury Heat

Preview: The Disciples #2

THE DISCIPLES #2

Artist: Christopher Mitten
Writer: Steve Niles
Colors: Jay Fotos
Letters: Thomas Mauer
IN STORES 7/22

Despite foreboding premonitions, interstellar private investigators Dagmar, Rick, and Jules land on Jupiter’s moon Ganymede… and, to their horror, our doomed heroes realize things are far worse than they could have imagined. One will die this issue… and that’s the lucky one.

This ghost story in space reunites comics’ king of the macabre Steve Niles with his longtime collaborator Christopher Mitten, whose stylish mix of grit and flow matches Steve’s sharp characterizations and taste for screams.

THE DISCIPLES #2 1

Sell-Outs and New Printing Roundup

THE DISCIPLES #1 (reprint)

The announced sell-outs and new printings was pretty thin this week. Black Mask Studios announced that The Disciples #1 has sold out and gone back to print.

Created by horror legend Steve Niles has teamed up with longtime collaborator Christopher Mitten to create something terrifying and new. The Disciples is a collision of pulse-racing horror and mind-bending sci-fi.

Already being called “a master class in horror,” The Disciples is a book that continues to grow and excite horror fans, sci-fi fans, and those new to comics alike. In late March it was announced that Universal Cable Productions would begin developing a TV adaptation of the comic with master of horror Wes Craven at the helm.

The buzz on The Disciples #1 was huge when it released and has only grown. Black Mask has announced they are going back for a second printing. It will hit shelves on July 22nd, the same date as issue #2.

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

Starve01Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Brett

Top Pick: Mike’s Place: A True Story of Love, Blues and Terror in Tel Aviv (First Second) – The graphic novel recounts the true story of a suicide bombing at Mike’s Place, a bar where people of all persuasions get together to enjoy music and beer. It’s beyond moving, and hits you with a punch to the gut. Just an amazing example of using graphic novels to recount real life and history.

Batman #41 (DC Comics) – James Gordon in a robot/mech Batman suit? Yes please! Scott Snyder has been an amazing writer on Batman and it’s sure to look amazing with Greg Capullo on art. The all-new Batman makes his debut! What happens next? This is the new era in Gotham and it looks awesome.

Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps #1 (Marvel) – They are the elite. The best of the best. Kelly Sue DeConnick and Kelly Thompson take Carol Danvers and her team of elite pilots into Secret Wars. It looks awesome. Beyond awesome.

The Disciples #1 (Black Mask Studios) – In the near future, Dagmar, Rick, and Jules, intrepid private eyes/bounty hunters, have been hired by a high ranking Senator to retrieve his teenage daughter who’s run off to join a mysterious religious cult. The latest from Steve Niles and Christopher Mitten.

Starve #1 (Image) – In a world torn apart by starvation and rising water, Chef’s are stars, especially one. This is the story of a popular cooking competition television show, and its star who wants to bring it down.

Edward

Top Pick: Gotham Academy #7 (DC Comics) – This title was an unexpected standout before Convergence, and while the crossover might have lost a bit of momentum for the title, it remains to be seen where the series can go from here, especially with the addition of Damian Wayne.

Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps #1 (Marvel) – Marvel has to get the ball rolling after giving Carol her own movie, but previous attempts have not always gone so well.  With budding superstar writers Kelly Sue DeConnick and Kelly Thompson on board this might be the vehicle to put Carol where she belongs.

Silk #5 (Marvel) –  Flying under most people’s radar is the most engaging of all the Spider-books, and Marvel’s most intriguing Spider-Woman.

Starfire #1 (DC Comics) – Starfire gets her own ongoing series for the first time ever. It will be interesting to see if the series’ less serious tone can stand a chance against other titles.

Starve #1 (Image Comics) – From a near future where humanity is obsessed with celebrity and looser with the laws, a celebrity chef returns to an unexpected challenge.

Elana

Constantine the Hellblazer #1 (DC Comics) – I’m going to have to come clean: I never read Hellblazer. I mostly know John Constantine via Swamp Thing and his various guest appearances over the years plus the recent television show which we reviewed the earlier part of. Occult detective/conman/former punk band frontman is a great logline if I ever heard one. He’s just the sort of character I’d enjoy reading (and not only because we have a good amount of music collection overlap and bi-solidarity and whatnot).

So, I can’t wait to check out this series premiere by artist and now writer, Ming Doyle. She’ll be our podcast guest on Monday! Doyle’s created some of the most beautiful and singular art in comics so while I’m a bit sad that there’s someone else on art duties, Riley Rossmo‘s art looks evocative and unique too. Co-writer is James Tynion IV.

1602 Witchunter: Angela #1 (Marvel) – Now here’s an alternate history Secret Wars book I can’t wait to read! It sounds sword and sworcery-ish and a whole lot of fun. Writers Marguerite Bennett, Kieron Gillen and artists Stephanie Hans and Marguerite Sauvage set up what looks to be a lovely package of King James England era heroics. I found the story in the other costume period drama Secret Wars book underwhelming: a faux Medieval themed Young Avengers-y book. But I have faith in these creators to put together something worthy of this stunning cover.

Gotham Academy #7 (DC Comics) – Did you hear? Bruce Wayne’s son Damian is now enrolled in Gotham Academy! He’s going to keep tabs on our misadventuring cohort of rebellious and lovable kids and keep them out of trouble. Or maybe just scowl and act aloof. It’s anyone’s guess!

Jack Kirby: Kamandi Artist Edition (IDW Publishing) – You really love me, right? You know how happy it would make me to get this gorgeously put together compendium of one of Kirby’s later masterpieces? Kamandi is/was “The Last Boy on Earth!” an inspiration for characters like the beloved Finn the Human of Adventure Time. Put it on your gift lists now because it’s going to be beautiful.

Silver Surfer #12 (Marvel) – This series has been fantastical with some of Allred’s most creative art in years. But the series is about to end. The previews make this story look like our heroes are trapped in a dream of some kind. Lots of time and space paradoxes have sprung up of late in this book. I feel like the previews are lampshading Dawn becoming the new Silver Surfer. That would be a pretty wild conclusion!

Pharoah

Top Pick: Ghost Racers #1 (Marvel) – This the title I have been looking forward to since it was first announced, as every Ghost Rider that has ever existed or ever even mentioned now compete against each other against all odds for freedom.

Injection #2 (Image) – When Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey left Marvel’s Moon Knight last year, one could only wonder hat this dynamic duo would be doing next. I can only say they did not disappoint ,  with this series so far, the first issue was a gut punch, the second issue , can only be an uppercut.

Red Hood & Arsenal #1 (DC Comics) – Out of the DC YOU reboot going on at DC, this sounds like one of the more promising titles, as Red Hood has become a fan favorite, now teamed with rogue hero, Arsenal, definitely sounds like a lot of fun, as these two  fight against the underworld of the DC Universe.

Starve #1 (Image) – I have been interested in this series since it was first introduced at Image Expo and Brian Wood has never disappointed since his days working on the landmark, DMZ. A story that sounds like Masterchef meets Survivor, pretty cool.

Weirdworld #1 (Marvel) –  Part of the Secret Wars titles , but written by Jason Aaron of Southern Bastards fame and art by Mike Del Mundo, defintely  one of the more interesting series to crop out of this Marvel event about a new character named Arkon, a medieval warrior type.

Wes Craven & Steve Niles Team Up For The Disciples Adaptation

The Disciples #1 CoverBlack Mask Studios has announced that horror maestros Wes Craven and Steve Niles are joining forces to adapt Black Mask’s upcoming comic book The Disciples into a TV show for Universal Cable Productions with Niles’ Black Mask co-founders Matt Pizzolo and Brett Gurewitz executive producing alongside Industry Entertainment’s Sara BottfeldThe Disciples marks Black Mask’s latest foray into TV, joining the adaptation of Five Ghosts that Black Mask has in development at Syfy with Evan Daugherty writing the pilot.

The Disciples is a sci-fi/horror story about a team of interstellar private eyes tracking down a girl who’s run off to join a cult on Jupiter’s moon Ganymede… it’s ‘True Detective in space’ brought to you courtesy of Steve Niles and Christopher Mitten.

Niles co-founded Black Mask Studios with Pizzolo and Gurewitz in 2013 as a home for edgy and subversive comics.

The Disciples #1 comes to shelves May 27th.