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With Further Ado #241: SXSW Part 1 – Vault Unbound

With Further Ado #241: SXSW Part 1 – Vault Unbound

Posted on by Ed Catto

My head just about exploded at the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals (SXSW) this past week. This is an amazing event- kind of like the love child of San Diego Comic-Con and a musical festival and a business conference with a ton of forward-looking panels. There’s so much to dissect and analyze. I’ll be doing a deep dive in next week’s column.

But to give you a taste of it, I will focus on the lone comic panel at the SXSW this year – the Vault / Def Leppard / Kajabi panel.

This was a high-profile event that was designed, on the surface of it all, to celebrate Vault’s upcoming Hysteria project with Def Leppard. Phil Collen of Def Leppard was on the stage, along with Vault CEO Damian Wassel and Kajabi’s Sean Kim as part of the new Headshell imprint. Continue reading “With Further Ado #241: SXSW Part 1 – Vault Unbound” →

ITHACON Returns This April and Pop Culture Squad Will Be There

ITHACON Returns This April and Pop Culture Squad Will Be There

Posted on by PCS Staff

A long running tradition in Central New York is returning, and tickets are on sale. Pop Culture Squad will once again have a presence at the ITHACON comic convention which is held at Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY. The show organizers have released ticket information that you can find below:

Press Release: Continue reading “ITHACON Returns This April and Pop Culture Squad Will Be There” →
Upcoming Release: Boom! Studios Announces New Book From Dan Watters and Sebastian Cabrol – The Seasons Have Teeth

Upcoming Release: Boom! Studios Announces New Book From Dan Watters and Sebastian Cabrol – The Seasons Have Teeth

Posted on by PCS Staff

Boom! Studios has had a really good run of publishing excellent creator owned original series over the past few years, and we are hopeful that this new series from Dan Watters and Sebastián Cabrol will join that list.

Press Release:

BOOM! Studios Announces Brand New Series THE SEASONS HAVE TEETH

LOS ANGELES, CA (January 19, 2023) – BOOM! Studios is thrilled to announce THE SEASONS HAVE TEETH, a brand new 4-issue horror series from Home Sick Pilots writer Dan Watters, Anthony Bourdain’s Hungry Ghosts artist Sebastián Cabrol, coming to a comic shop near you this April. Continue reading “Upcoming Release: Boom! Studios Announces New Book From Dan Watters and Sebastian Cabrol – The Seasons Have Teeth” →

Upcoming Release: Second Coming Is Coming Back with “Trinity”

Upcoming Release: Second Coming Is Coming Back with “Trinity”

Posted on by Bob Harrison

Sometimes items show up in our inbox here at PCS, and they just make us shout, “Hell Yeah, Bring it on!!” This press release was one of them. We are huge supporters of Ahoy Comics here as you can tell from Mike Gold’s latest column.

Second Coming is also very dear to us in particular, and any time we can let people know that more Second Coming is on the way, we are happy to do it.

Press Release:

AHOY Comics’ Controversial and Acclaimed Comic about Jesus Christ and His Superhero Roommate is Resurrected with SECOND COMING: TRINITY

2022 Eisner Winner Mark Russell, Co-Creator Richard Pace and Artist Leonard Kirk All Returning for the Third Series

(January 17, 2023) You welcomed Jesus with open arms in SECOND COMING. You marveled at his miraculous return in SECOND COMING: ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. Now the book that turned the comics industry upside-down with “quite a bit of humor…[and] a lot of heart” (The New York Times) is back for its third act with SECOND COMING: TRINITY. Continue reading “Upcoming Release: Second Coming Is Coming Back with “Trinity”” →

Ringo Awards Nominations Are Now Open

Ringo Awards Nominations Are Now Open

Posted on by Bob Harrison

It’s time to vote again. The Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards nomination ballots are available to be submitted. This is the time to vote for the books that you loved most last year and reward the creators for their amazing work.

The Ringo awards are special in the industry because the nomination process considers input from both fans and professionals to make up the final ballot which is voted on by a selected rotating appointed jury. The categories highlight all aspects of the comic book industry including some special “fan favorite” categories.

The Ringo Awards are held during the Baltimore Comic-Con every year. This year the award ceremony will be on Saturday, October 29, 2022  Marc Nathan, the promoter of Baltimore Comic-Con said, “Words cannot express how great it was to be back in person for the Ringo Awards in 2021. Seeing so many of our friends and fans again and celebrating together was simply amazing. Everyone had a great time, the energy in the room was high, and we can’t wait to do it all again in 2022, so please make sure you (and your friends, and your friends’ friends!) submit your ballots — looking forward to another great slate for the final ballot!”

The open nomination season is open from April 15, 2022 until July 30, 2022. Eligible works and creators are based on print and web publications for the 2021 calendar year.

The categories that are available for nomination by fans and working professionals are: Continue reading “Ringo Awards Nominations Are Now Open” →

Black’s Myth from Ahoy Comics Is Set To Return in 2022

Black’s Myth from Ahoy Comics Is Set To Return in 2022

Posted on by Bob Harrison

This is fantastic news from Ahoy Comics. Black’s Myth by Eric Palicki and Wendel Cavalcanti was a severely underrated series from 2021. We are super excited to see that there will be new content with the original creative team. We also recommend checking out the trade paperback of the first series which is being distributed this month. The story is terrific for noir mystery fans with magical flair. Check out the press release below for more details and quotes.

Press Release:

The Acclaimed, Punk Rock Horror Series Returns Later This Year, 

(2/9/2022) Ahead of the trade paperback release of the acclaimed BLACK’S MYTH graphic novel by writer Eric Palicki (Atlantis Wasn’t Built For Tourists) and artist Wendell Cavalcanti (BlackAcre), Syracuse-based comic publisher AHOY Comics has announced that the creative team, including star cover artist Liana Kangas (Trve Kvlt, Star Wars Adventures, She Said Destroy, BLACK AF: Devil’s Dye), will return for an all new BLACK’S MYTH series, to be released by AHOY Comics later this year. The acclaimed, punk rock horror comic follows the adventures of werewolf PI Janie Jones “Strummer” Mercado and her charming djinn assistant Ben Si’lat as they solve crimes in the “supernatural underground” thriving in Los Angeles.

The first volume of BLACK’S MYTH will be collected as a trade paperback in bookstores on February 15th and in comic book shops on February 16th 2022 and will feature an introduction by CHEW co-creator, writer John Layman. In this volume, when the case of a lifetime falls into Strummer’s lap, it’s up to her and her charming djinn assistant Ben Si’lat to figure out just how many silver bullets have been used. (And just where do silver bullets come from, anyway?)

In the upcoming series, the son of the mysterious Rainsford Black has gone missing while searching for a grimoire dating to the 1600s which would allow him to summon demons to hunt and add to the elder’s growing collection of trophies. Now it’s up to Strummer and Ben to find him — but as always, the case is less clear cut than it seems on the surface.

“Our first story belonged to Strummer and Ben, but we called the book Black’s Myth for a reason, and we have so much more of Rainsford Black’s story to reveal,” said writer Eric Palicki. “What compels him to hunt (and collect) monsters, and what kind of case could possibly bring Strummer back into his orbit? Volume 2 promises answers, along with the return of everyone’s favorite Minotaur.”

“Werewolf, Djinn, vampires, Minotaur, Los Angeles, the Dodge Charger, and Grim — attaboy! I missed you guys. Here we go again!” said artist Wendell Cavalcanti.

“I am beyond thrilled to give the people what they want: the further adventures of Strummer and her band of mythological misfits,” said editor Sarah Litt. “The reception to the first book blew us all away and I believe the second series will be even better. The entire team is returning and I am delighted to be working with them again — truly some of the most talented people in comics.“

Just like the last volume, the latest BLACK’S MYTH series will feature covers by Liana Kangas (Trve Kvlt, Star Wars Adventures, She Said Destroy, BLACK AF: Devil’s Dye). Said Kangas: “I’m back, back, back again, baby!”

What The Heck Happened? Comics News for the week of 11/15/2021 – 11/20/2021

What The Heck Happened? Comics News for the week of 11/15/2021 – 11/20/2021

Posted on by Bob Harrison

This is our roundup of news and press releases from the comics industry for this past week. There are some interesting comic projects coming in the near future, and you can find out about them here.

Z2 COMICS AND HIP HOP LEGEND THE RZA ANNOUNCE BOBBY DIGITAL: IN THE PIT OF SNAKE ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL 

The comic publisher continues to build its catalogue of graphic novels inspired by and created by music superstars. This latest addition by hip-hop artist RZA will be released in June 2022, and can be pre-ordered on Z2’s website  Now

From the Press Release:

NEW YORK, NY—Z2 Comics proudly announces the larger-than-life rapper, actor, and filmmaker is the latest artist to bring his storytelling skills to the comic book medium with the announcement of Bobby Digital and the Pit of Snakes, an original graphic novel to be released in 2022. 

The founding member of the multimedia supergroup The Wu-Tang Clan first introduced the world to his alter-ego with the 1998 album Bobby Digital in Stereo, with lush digital orchestral sounds and inventive beats, putting the rapper’s love of comic books on full display through its concept and execution. Now, exactly 23 years since its original release, RZA announces a partnership with Z2 Comics to give the character a story in the medium which inspired his creation!

RZA says “Out of all my creative personas and alter egos Bobby Digital is probably the best fit, for comics and graphic novels. It’s a pleasure for me to collaborate with Z2 Comics and bring this lush world of creativity into the comic space. The readers are going to be hit with something they never seen coming. Bong-Bong.”

Who are you, what is real? This is the question Bobby Digital is seeking to answer. Embracing his id, ego and superego he embarks on a quest to figure out the nature of his reality and himself. He will be ambushed by enemies unknown, he will be tried in ways most men can’t endure. Will he be victorious? Most of all, will he survive the Pit of Snakes?! From the mind of the legendary RZA, Bobby Digital and The Pit of Snakes will coincide with the relaunch of the iconic character and be synced to music that will melt your mind.

Oni Press announces the debut of LatinX series exploring heritage, culture, and magic in 2022

Family Magic and Cultural Lore Take Center Stage in this Action-packed Creator-owned Series from Oni Press

Season of the Bruja will be released as five issue series starting in March 2022. It is written by Aaron Durán with art and colors by Sara Soler and letters by Jamie Martinez. The concepts and preview cover art that we have seen make this a book to keep an eye out for. The press release is below:

PORTLAND, OR: Oni Press is pleased to announce the forthcoming Latinx single-issue series, Season of the Bruja, written by Aaron Durán, illustrated and colored by up-and-coming artist Sara Soler (Us), and with lettering by AndWorld Design’s Jaime Martinez, coming Spring 2022. 

“Season of the Bruja is an exploration of forgotten culture and heritage I’ve been trying to tell for years,” said Aaron Durán. “Working with Sara has been a dream; her art and energy elevated our comic to levels I would never have imagined, and Shawna [Gore, Oni Press senior editor] does what all great editors do: she found the strongest story within the pages and helped Sara and I bring it to life.” Season of the Bruja is Durán’s debut project in which he adapted much of the lore for the series from his own family’s traditions. 

Althalia Cabrera might seem like any other witchy Portland hipster whiling away her days behind the counter of a freaky occult museum, but there’s more to her whole deal than a trendy pursuit of the craft. Althalia is a bruja by blood—the youngest in a long line of powerful magic users from a long-ago culture indigenous to Mexico. In her twenty years, Althalia has studied with her loving abuela by her side, supporting and mentoring her use of the family magic, and protecting her from the darkest parts of their practice’s history. But just as Althalia’s inner light and power begin to shine, the darkness of the past finds its way into her world and strikes a tragic blow, testing Althalia in ways she might not be prepared to survive.

Sara Soler said, “Season of the Bruja is a story that vindicates culture and diversity, the fighting for one’s own rights and also of learning, forgiveness, and the love that you can find in the family, whether of blood or not. Aaron is an exceptional storyteller, not only because of how he tells the story, but because of the values with which the script has been infused. And […] I couldn’t have asked for a better editor! [Shawna] has fought tooth and nail to carry out this project throughout some of the most difficult years I can remember (Hi there, 2020!) […]. Aaron and Shawna have made Season of the Bruja the kind of project I’ve always wanted to be involved in!”

According to Durán, “Season of the Bruja is an ongoing journey of discovering our roots, and I think everyone will see a bit of themselves in the series.” 

Inspired by Aaron Durán’s lifelong love for his Mexican family’s cultural traditions and his devoted fandom of horror stories, comics, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season of the Bruja is a five-part series and will be available where comics are sold March 16, 2022. 

NEW REGENCY SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DEAL WITH GROUNDBREAKING COMICS PUBLISHER TKO STUDIOS TO ADAPT GRAPHIC NOVELS INTO TELEVISION SERIES

TKO Studios has been working with some extremely talented creative comic professionals in its short history and produced some great storytelling. Working with a studio like New Regency is an encouraging sign that if their stories are translate to a cinematic medium that they will be treated well. This is exciting news for TKO, their creators, and their fans.

From the Press Release:

Los Angeles – New Regency announced that it has entered into a development and production partnership with ground-breaking publisher, TKO Studios. Under the terms of the deal, New Regency will have the right to exclusively develop television projects from TKO Studios’ expansive library of IP. TKO’s Salvatore Simeone and Tze Chun will develop, produce, and package all shows with New Regency. 

Yariv Milchan, New Regency’s Chairman and CEO, stated, “Since the company’s inception, the team at TKO Studios have been innovators and leaders in their field and we have been longtime fans of their exceptional material. We are delighted to be partnering with Salvatore, Tze, and the rest of the team and look forward bringing their impressive collection of IP to television audiences all around the world.”

TKO Studios CEO Salvatore Simeone and President Tze Chun stated, “TKO is proud to partner with New Regency. Their track record creating groundbreaking film and television aligns with our history of publishing critically acclaimed thought-provoking genre stories. We feel our companies’ combined strengths make an ideal partnership and forges a new model for TV adaptation that will benefit all parties, including our incredible creators.”

Free Comic Book Day 2022 to Return to First Saturday in May

With the past two years of Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) being collateral damage to a worldwide public health crisis, Diamond Comic Distributors is bringing the fan favorite event back to its expected date on the calendar for 2022. This is traditionally one of the most important days for comic retailers across the country. The comic distribution process has changed drastically since the last May FCBD  in 2019. Diamond is not the only distributer in the game, and we will have to see how the event shakes out with some publishers no longer using Diamond for their distribution. Despite that we are excited to see this event back in its scheduled time. It is another sign of recovery and a return to a semblance of normalcy.

(Hunt Valley, MD) — (November 18, 2021)– Diamond Comic Distributors is pleased to announce that Free Comic Book Day (FCBD), one of the comic book industry’s most beloved and anticipated celebrations, will return to its traditional “First Saturday in May” date in 2022. The celebration is set to take place at local comic shops across the U.S. on Saturday, May 7, 2022.

“We are so excited for Free Comic Book Day to make its return to the first Saturday in May. We know it’s an event fans look forward to each spring, and we’re working with our retailer and vendor partners to make this year’s event one of the best yet!” said Free Comic Book Day spokesperson, Ashton Greenwood. “Free Comic Book Day is a great opportunity for newcomers to dive into the world of comics and for longtime readers to try a new title they may not have picked up otherwise. We encourage fans everywhere to visit their local comic shops on Saturday, May 7 to celebrate!”

Free Comic Book Day 2022 will feature forty-five free titles available at participating local comic shops. The titles will be comprised of eleven gold and thirty-four silver sponsor titles. Titles will be announced to the public in December and will appear in the January 2022 edition of the PREVIEWS catalog.

TOP COW COLLECTS THE ORIGINAL CYBERFORCE INTO A LIMITED EDITION 30TH ANNIVERSARY HARDCOVER EDITION VIA KICKSTARTER 

In a sign that I am getting old. There is a  30th Anniversary Edition for an Image Comics book. Unsurprisingly this book is already funded with 30 days to go. That means that there is no risk to backing this project if you are interested in getting your hands on this special edition.

From the Press Release:

November 18th, 2021 — Los Angeles, California — In celebration of Top Cow Productions/Image Comics’ 30thanniversary, CYBERFORCE is being collected in a special action-packed 664-page hardcover collection of the original stories that launched the Top Cow Universe. The original CYBERFORCE run features the work of legendary creators Marc Silvestri, Jim Lee, Todd McFarlane, Walter Simonson, David Finch, Joe Chiodo, Scott Williams, Brian Haberlin, Joe Benitez and Michael Turner which has not been reprinted in any format since 1994. Top Cow is inviting fans to take part in the excitement and push how far the campaign’s exclusives can go via Kickstarter stretch goals. 

This exclusive CYBERFORCE COMPLETE COLLECTION VOL 1 Hardcover Kickstarter collection will feature the cover art by the original series creator and founder of Top Cow and Image Comics, Marc Silvestri with fan favorite colorist Bryan Valenza. In addition, every physical backer will receive a special edition bookplate signed by Marc Silvestri and Kickstarter exclusive dust-jacket!

Zoop campaign for John Paul Leon’s ‘THE WINTER MEN Artist’s Edition’ raises over $190,000 for late artist’s family

The loss of artist John Paul Leon this year to cancer has been a devastating hit on the comics industry and also to his family. Many of his friends and admirers contributed to a campaign on Zoop to create a special collected edition of John Paul’s only creator-owned work “The Winter Men”.  This type of creators supporting creators is an important aspect of the comic industry and unfortunately extremely necessary. We lend our full throated support to this news and any other projects like it.

Original Press Release:

Los Angeles, CA – Zoop is thrilled to announce that the fundraising campaign for John Paul Leon’s THE WINTER MEN Artist’s Edition has successfully been fully funded, with an astonishing 992 individuals pledging over $190,000 and claiming over 1,000 copies of the book, with all proceeds going to the late artist’s family. THE WINTER MEN Artist’s Edition is the most successful fundraiser to date on the Zoop platform.

Contributors included some of the renowned artist’s closest friends, including Tommy Lee Edwards, Bernard Chang, Bill Sienkiewicz, Lee Weeks, Duncan Fegredo, Sean Phillips, Walter Simonson, Kim Jung Gi and Peach Momoko, who created brand-new signed and numbered art prints for the campaign, which will also be featured in the edition. In celebration of the astonishing and inspiring body of work by John Paul Leon, THE WINTER MEN Artist’s Edition features 200 pages of full-size 12 x 17 scans of all of the original comic art pages, along with never-before-seen concepts, sketches, and unused art.

“On behalf of the Leon family, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for all the love and support each and every one of you have shown in helping JPs dream come true. His legacy will continue to grow strong with the Artist’s Edition release
which commemorates one of his most celebrated accomplishments. We will never forget the amount of love and passion JP had in his work. We would also like to give a special thanks to all the personnel working with this project, who organized and dedicated their time and support in making it happen. Thank you, Bernard, Tommy, Scott, all the artists that have contributed, and last but not least Zoop,” said John Paul Leon’s wife Christina.

“JP gave all of us 30 years of his heart, soul, and talent. It’s so wonderful to see so many of you all giving some back,” said artist and contributor Tommy Lee Edwards, who was close friends of John Paul Leon.

Marvel-DC veteran Bobbie Chase will be leading Webtoon’s transition to print comics

Newsarama release the news that Webtoon Unscrolled will be led by veteran comic editor Bobbie Chase.

Webtoon Unscrolled is the print graphic novel imprint of the webcomic publisher webtoon.com and it will begin its twelve graphic novel per year release schedule in 2022. The genres will cover both adult and children’s books.

We are excited to see Chase in this role. Her expertise and reputation in the comic industry are unquestioned and while the webtoon platform has countless readers, being able to have a physical copy of the stories is definitely something that the fanbase is interested in. There are also plenty of comic readers who prefer hardcopies of their comics and this is a chance to reach those readers. We have no doubt that Chase will excell in this position.

According to the article some of the initial release will include:

  • Tower of God by SIU
  • True Beauty by Yaongyi
  • Doom Breaker by Blue-Deep
  • Boyfriends by Refrainbow
  • Cursed Princess Club by LambCat
  • Everything is Fine by Mike Birchall

From <https://www.gamesradar.com/webtoon-unscrolled/?fbclid=IwAR1kt6ljZmICvLtlNHcItvRIP1AzclXmL9-7Tvqywb7t0r_NzxLKvvGi00k>

New Archie Comics Anthology Delivers Heartwarming Rom-Com This February

Archie Comics announced a Valentine’s Day special this week. Releasing on February 9, 2022 is Archie: Love and Heartbreak Special #1. The one-shot comic will include the talents of Thomas Pitili, Stephanie Cooke, Sina Grace, Lisa Sterle, Iolanda Zanfardino, with colors by Matt Herms and letters by Jack Morelli. As the weather finally turns colder, this is heartwarming news and something that we look forward to:

Ride down the tunnel of love with the Riverdale gang in ARCHIE: LOVE AND HEARTBREAK SPECIAL #1, arriving February 9, 2022 from Archie Comics. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the special one-shot follows Archie and his friends during a romantic night out at the Riverdale carnival as romances burn bright, while others fizzle out and some are just getting started.

Cupid has his eye on Riverdale as Archie and his friends find themselves embroiled in the uncertainty of young love. As Archie and Veronica hit a speed bump in their relationship, Jughead explains his unique philosophy on love to Betty, while Kevin finds himself in too deep on a date of his own! As new bonds begin to form, our key characters find themselves relishing in the high-highs and low-lows associated with young love in this rom-com one-shot spearheaded by Archie’s Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante.

The modern-style anthology features a welcomed mix of beloved and unexpected pairings: Veronica and Dilton, Kevin and Devon, and Betty and Jughead. The special one-shot also builds upon the recent KEVIN KELLER CELEBRATION Kickstarter by placing Kevin right in the midst of his own romantic debacle alongside Devon, his boyfriend from the classic Archie comic series. Brought to life by writer/artist Thomas Pitilli, writers Stephanie Cooke and Sina Grace, and artists Lisa Sterle and Iolanda Zanfardino, the all-new romantic one shot is perfect for fans of the modern Archie Comics series.

“Coming off the heels of our 80th anniversary, we wanted to welcome fans of the modern comics back to the romantic core of Riverdale with this special one-shot,” explains Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante. “Capturing the ideals of young love, readers get to experience firsthand the ups-and-downs of new relationships and what it means to discover yourself in a way we haven’t seen before in Archie comics. We hope readers see a little bit of themselves in each of these stories.”

Non-Comic News:

Spider-Man: No Way Home Trailer Finally Arrives

The eagerly anticipated trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home dropped this week, and it sent fans into a tizzy of speculation. The movie releases in theaters only on December 17, 2021, and while we know for certain that Tom Holland will be appearing as Spider-Man, the trailer gave theorists more ammunition for the idea that Toby Maguire and/or Andrew Garfield will also appear based on both what is in and what isn’t in the clip. Check it out for yourself and tell us what you think.

Cowboy Bebop is released on Netflix

The live action reboot of the fan-favorite classic anime Cowboy Bebop was released on Netflix this week and the reception has been mixed. Some fans are clearly not happy but what do you think of this series?

Here is an example of a thoughtful take on the show.

What Else Happened on PCS:

We had a review column of a bunch of good comics from last week.
Everything We Read for the Week of November 10, 2021

Ed Catto found a gem of advertising and comic history in a bargain bin at a show last weekend.
With Further Ado #171: Come Fly With Me

Mike Gold explored the DC Comics January catalog with a calculator and the numbers are batty in a dark and brooding way.
Brainiac On Banjo: How Many Batmans Does It Take To Screw Up A Catalog?

Marvel Announces Exclusive Agreement to Distribute Marvel Comics and Graphic Novels With Penguin Random House

Marvel Announces Exclusive Agreement to Distribute Marvel Comics and Graphic Novels With Penguin Random House

Posted on by Bob Harrison

And the times continue to be changing. At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Diamond Comics Distributors was the exclusive distribution outlet for all monthly comics and most book format products in the US. That has changed. The shutdown of distribution caused by the lockdowns last March exposed a single point of failure weakness in the distribution. Since then, DC Comics has left Diamond all together, and many smaller distributors have come up with different distribution plans.

Today Marvel Comics announced that they are going to be using Penguin Random House as their exclusive distributor. This adds a layer of abstraction between Diamond and Marvel. Diamond will continue to service the direct market comic shops as a wholesaler, but this allows for other wholesaler agreements as well as the possibility of direct distribution to the retail locations.

As always these decisions are financially driven. Publishers saw their revenue affected by the real world pandemic and are looking for the best ways to insulate themselves from that in the future.

You can read the full press release from Marvel below:

New York, NY – March 25, 2021 – Marvel Comics and Penguin Random House Publisher Services (PRHPS), a division of Penguin Random House, the renowned trade book publisher, today announced an exclusive worldwide multi-year sales and distribution agreement for Marvel’s newly published and backlist comic books, trade collections, and graphic novels to comics shops, known as the Direct Market. PRHPS officially begins its distribution to Direct Market retailers for all Marvel titles starting October 1.

Penguin Random House Publisher Services will begin Marvel’s Direct Market distribution this October. New Marvel comics will continue to be available on Wednesdays at comic shops everywhere.

After a thorough analysis of the market environment, Marvel has chosen PRHPS as its distribution partner to create a sustainable, productive supply chain and enhanced infrastructure for Marvel publications that will benefit comics retailers and fans alike for years to come. Penguin Random House is known for its state-of-the-art multi-ranging services that enable independent booksellers to increase efficiency and profitability.

“Marvel’s entire history is built on telling great stories. And as we’ve seen for decades, those stories go hand in hand with equipping the comic shops who share them. Marvel and Penguin Random House stand by that vision, and we are excited to build and expand those opportunities for our talent, retailers, and fans,” said Dan Buckley, President of Marvel Entertainment. “Comics are the core of the Marvel Universe, and we are confident this new partnership will continue to grow and evolve this resilient industry. We look forward to advancing our capabilities with PRHPS to serve our fans and the Direct Market. We thank Diamond for their many years of support and partnership as we continue our relationship with them in other areas.” Continue reading “Marvel Announces Exclusive Agreement to Distribute Marvel Comics and Graphic Novels With Penguin Random House” →

DC Comics Announces a 80-Page Comic Anthology for Pride Month in June

DC Comics Announces a 80-Page Comic Anthology for Pride Month in June

Posted on by Bob Harrison

DC Comics has announced that it will be publishing an anthology of comic stories focusing on LGBTQIA+ characters in time for Pride Month this June. The anthology titled DC Pride #1 will be 80 pages and be released on June 8, 2021.

Characters spotlighted in the book will include: Batwoman, Alan Scott, Midnighter and Apollo, Poison Ivy, and more. Writers on the stories include James Tynion IV, Steve Orlando, Danny Lore, Vita Ayala, and Sina Grace, and fan favorite artists on the project include: Amy Reeder, Stephen Byrne, Klaus Janson, Kris Anka, Nick Robles, and more.

The full list of stories and creative teams are:

  • Batwoman (Kate Kane) by James Tynion IV & Trung Le Nguyen
  • Poison Ivy & Harley Quinn by Mariko Tamaki & Amy Reeder
  • Midnighter by Steve Orlando & Stephen Byrne
  • Flash of Earth-11 (Jess Chambers) by Danny Lore & Lisa Sterle
  • Green Lantern (Alan Scott) & Obsidian by Sam Johns & Klaus Janson
  • Aqualad (Jackson Hyde) by Andrew Wheeler & Luciano Vecchio
  • Dreamer by Nicole Maines & Rachel Stott
  • Renee Montoya by Vita Ayala and Skylar Patridge
  • Pied Piper by Sina Grace, Ro Stein & Ted Brandt

There will also be Pride variant covers throughout the month of June on major titles featuring fantastic artists.

This DC Pride book follows up the May DC releases of Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition #0 and DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration #1. The commitment to celebrating inclusion and diversity is running strong at DC these days.

 

Source: https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2021/03/11/dc-announces-dc-pride-anthology-comic-to-arrive-june-8-and-more