Tag: DC Comics

Watch the Death of Superman Panel from ITHACON 2023

Watch the Death of Superman Panel from ITHACON 2023

Thirty years ago Superman died. Amazingly, that was not the end of the Man of Steel, but the storyline that led up to to that momentous event and the subsequent stories that immediately followed it have become a huge part of the history of the character.

At ITHACON on April 21, 2023, I hosted a panel with writer Roger Stern and colorist Glenn Whitmore and we discussed how the story came to be and the execution of it. At the time there were four monthly “Superman” books and Roger Stern was writing Action Comics. Glenn Whitmore was coloring all four of those books.

Roger Stern began writing comics professionally in the mid 1970s and had long runs on Amazing Spider-Man and Avengers, as well as a memorable run on Captain America for Marvel Comics, among other titles. His work at DC Comics included creating the Will Payton version of Starman as well as long runs on Superman titles. Glenn Whitmore started as a colorist for DC Comics in 1988 and has had long career in comics working for DC, Archie Comics, and others. He has been involved in some incredible comics over his career.

Please enjoy the below embedded video of the discussion with these excellent comic creators:

New Number Ones: New Comic Series Coming in April 2023

New Number Ones: New Comic Series Coming in April 2023

Spring has sprung. April will be delivering a great array of new comics. If you are new here, in this column, we have compiled an alphabetical list with cover art and the official solicitation text from the publishers of some of the cool new comics that are coming out this month. Check below for our PCS NOTES to find out what we just have to tell you about the new comics in question.

This month, we have books on the list from: DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Image Comics, Boom! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment, Dark Horse Comics, , Mad Cave Studios, Ahoy Comics, Comics Experience Publishing, and IDW Publishing.

One thing to remember, we continue to measure the “comic week” as Wednesday. As such, if we have a month like March that starts on a Wednesday, the comics released the day before count as week one. #NCBD is Wednesday.

We will bring you reviews of these debut issues as they come out, and don’t forget to use the comments section to let us know what you think of this list.

You will find the books listed below in the order of when they are released.

Week of 4/5/23
Week of 4/12/23
Week of 4/19/23
Week of 4/26/23


Week of April 5  


Disney Villains: Scar #1
Dynamite Entertainment
Written by Chuck Brown
Art by Trevor Frailey
Cover Art by Jahnoy Lindsay

A startling new vision starring Disney’s greatest villain, set within the world of The Lion King! Eisner and Ringo Award-winning author Chuck Brown (Bitter Root) and stunning artist Trevor Fraley tell a tale of fire and fury, centered on an enraged Scar, unable to accept that he will never be king – not so long as long as Mufasa and his new son inhabit Pride Rock. A plan is starting to formulate within Scar’s corrupt mind, which will bring him face-to-face with the mysterious shaman, Rafiki…

Release Date: April 5, 2023

PCS NOTES: We are interested in seeing this story be excavated from the existing tale everyone knows and loves.


Hairball #1
Dark Horse Comics
Written by Matt Kindt
Art by Tyler Jenkins
Cover Art by Kindt & Hilary Jenkins

A brand-new supernatural nightmare that’s Junji Ito meets Hayao Miyazaki from the Eisner-nominated creators of Fear Case and Apache Delivery Service.

A young girl with a black cat begins to suspect the innocuous beast is behind all her troubles: her parents’ fighting, family plagues, and innumerable supernatural horrors. As she tries her best to rid herself of this creature, she discovers that maybe the cat is not evil after all and a greater terror may be behind these horrific events harming her life.

Release Date: April 5, 2023

PCS NOTES: This looks like a suspense-filled trip. We will definitely be checking it out. Continue reading “New Number Ones: New Comic Series Coming in April 2023”

Brainiac on Banjo: Bond… Hoagy Bond?

Brainiac on Banjo: Bond… Hoagy Bond?

Have no fear, look who’s here… James Bond… They’ve got us on the run… With guns… And knives… We’re fighting for our lives. – Casino Royale, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

The US release of the first James Bond comic book.

Sherlock Holmes. Tarzan. Superman. James Kirk. James Bond. The public’s continuing appetite for heroic fantasy superstars has long been well established, and ever since communication went mass they have been at the center of the most prevalent form of entertainment worldwide. This is a truth that validates our low-brow culture: it turns out that both boys and girls just want to have fun.

Not all such characters live forever. Tarzan, like The Lone Ranger, The Shadow, Bulldog Drummond and many other superstars of action, are in serious danger of being relegated to the storage stacks of cultural history. Of course, that death need not be permanent: Doctor Who, Star Trek and several others have been successfully resurrected and modernized without destroying the fabric of their creation.

When it comes to one of the most successful heroes, at the present we are on hold. Daniel Craig has retired as the latest James Bond and, even though the next Bond flick is just entering its development stage I can’t help but wonder how they’ll pull off James’ inevitable resurrection. Continue reading “Brainiac on Banjo: Bond… Hoagy Bond?”

New Number Ones: New Comic Series Coming in March 2023

New Number Ones: New Comic Series Coming in March 2023

Spring is just around the corner. And we have newly sprouting comics series to show you. If you are new here, in this column, we have compiled an alphabetical list with cover art and the official solicitation text from the publishers of some of the cool new comics that are coming out this month. Check below for our PCS NOTES to find out what we just have to tell you about the new comics in question.

This month, we have books on the list from: DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Image Comics, Boom! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment, Dark Horse Comics, AWA Studios, Ahoy Comics, Mad Cave Studios, Valiant Entertainment, Sumerian Comics, and IDW Publishing.

There are five jam packed Wednesdays in March and the first and the fifth weeks have the most New Number Ones.

One thing to remember, we continue to measure the “comic week” as Wednesday. As such, if we have a month like March that starts on a Wednesday, the comics released the day before count as week one. #NCBD is Wednesday.

We will bring you reviews of these debut issues as they come out, and don’t forget to use the comments section to let us know what you think of this list.

You will find the books listed below in the order of when they are released.

Week of 3/1/23
Week of 3/8/23
Week of 3/15/23
Week of 3/22/23
Week of 3/29/23


Week of March 1  


Cosmic Ghost Rider #1
Marvel Comics
Written by Stephanie Phillips
Art by Juann Cabal, Jonas Scharff, Arif Prianto & Espen Grundetjern
Cover Art by Morry Hollowell & Valerio Ganfiordano

DUEL IDENTITY, PART ONE / COSMIC GHOST STORIES

VENGEANCE REAWAKENED! In a far-flung corner of deep space, Frank Castle has eked out a quiet existence, his days as Cosmic Ghost Rider finally behind him. But across the universe, a vicious bounty hunter is leaving a trail of bodies in his wake and his name is… Cosmic Ghost Rider?! When Frank’s peaceful existence is shattered, he must suit up once more and face his most savage enemy yet—himself! Be there for the start of a sprawling space adventure with shocking twists and turns in the saga of Cosmic Ghost Rider!

Release Date: March 1, 2023

PCS NOTES: A fan favorite character returns in his own series guided by some excellent creators.


DC / RWBY #1
DC Comics
Written by Marguerite Bennett
Art by Meghan Hetrick & Marissa Louise
Cover Art by Hetrick

The world of Remnant comes crashing into the DCU! Grimm are running amok around Gotham, and Batman’s on the hunt to find whoever brought these mysterious monsters to his city. But as the trail goes cold, the Dark Knight finds himself face-to-face with none other than Team RWBY! What other effects are taking hold around our world with Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang here, and what does it mean for the future of the DCU?! Marguerite Bennett returns to RWBY with Meghan Hetrick and Soo Lee for an epic tale of adventure spanning every corner of the DC Universe!

Release Date: February 28, 2023

PCS NOTES: What a fantastic creative team DC assembled to tell this story?! Surprisingly for me, it has my interest.
Continue reading “New Number Ones: New Comic Series Coming in March 2023”

New Number Ones: One-Shots and Special Editions for February 2023

New Number Ones: One-Shots and Special Editions for February 2023

Welcome to our New Number Ones: One-Shots & Specials for February 2023 column.

In this regular column, we collect the one-shot books, special anthologies, and original graphic novels that are being released this month. You can check out our regular New Number Ones column for the month here.

There is an alphabetical list of these special books below by release date, and don’t forget to check for our PCS NOTES to find out what we just have to tell you about these comics.

A couple of notes for this list. First of all DC Comics is in the midst of an event that is not quite an event. The Lazarus Planet storyline that is re-setting some status quos across the DC Universe is in full swing, but it is being told through a series of one-shots. We noted them here, because it seems pretty important to the cohesive narrative of the DC continuity of the moment.

Also, be aware that this list is very top heavy with the first week, mostly by DC books. The DC books actually hit some stores on January 31st because of their “New on Tuesday” rule. We consider the month to start on the first Wednesday of the month, so they are included in this February list.

One more thing, February is a month with themes and holidays. As such, you will find some anthologies on this page in honor of Black History Month, and there are some Valentine’s Day specials as well.

There are books on the list from: DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Marvel Comics, Archie Comics, Vault Comics, Top Shelf Productions, Little Bee Books, and Oni Press.


Batman: Legends of Gotham #1
DC Comics
Written by Andy Diggle
Art by Karl Mostert & Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Cover Art by Carmine Di Giandomenico

ONE-SHOT SPECIAL

With Batman preoccupied, his deepest, darkest, most dangerous secrets are about to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. The guest list is strictly villains only, and the outlaw Red Hood fits the bill–putting him on a collision course with Batman’s deniable black-ops team, the Outsiders! With Lazarus Island spawning wild-card superpowers across the globe, the stakes could not be higher. Jason Todd, Black Lightning, and Katana will have to put aside their differences to save Batman’s legacy–and with it, the world. That’s assuming they don’t kill each other first!

Release Date: January 31, 2023


DC’s Harley Quinn Romances #1
DC Comics
Written by Ivan Cohen, Amanda Diebert, Greg Lockard, Jessica Berbey, Alexis Quasarano, Frank Allen, Zipporah Smith, Raphael Draccon, Carolina Munho`z
Art by Ig Guara, Adriana Melo, John McCrea, Fico Ossio, Will Robson, Max Sarin, Priscilla Petraites, Gulio Macaione
Cover Art by Amanda Conner

ONE-SHOT SPECIAL

STRANGER THAN FAN FICTION / HERE’S TO JACK, HERE’S TO MOLLY / POWER GIRL AND ALL-AMERICAN BOY / GRACE / DATING APP DISASTER / ACROSS THE MULTIVERSE / ONCE UPON A ROMANCE NOVEL / SPLENDOR IN THE FOAM

DC is proud to present a selection of eight stories of rapscallion romance, prodigious passion, and undulating, unbridled affection. Tension builds as Apollo and Midnighter are captured by an unknown alien species who are determined to learn the secrets of their supersoldier success. Harley Quinn gets caught in a scintillating fantasy.

Release Date: January 31, 2023 Continue reading “New Number Ones: One-Shots and Special Editions for February 2023”

New Number Ones: New Comic Series Coming in February 2023

New Number Ones: New Comic Series Coming in February 2023

One month down, already? Well if it’s the beginning of the month, we have new comics series to show you. If you are new here, in this column, we have compiled an alphabetical list with cover art and the official solicitation text from the publishers of some of the cool new comics that are coming out this month. Check below for our PCS NOTES to find out what we just have to tell you about the new comics in question.

This month, we have books on the list from: DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Image Comics, Boom! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment, Dark Horse Comics, AWA Studios, Comics Experience Publishing, Mad Cave Studios, and IDW Publishing.

One thing to remember, we continue to measure the “comic week” as Wednesday. As such, if we have a month like February or the next one that starts on a Wednesday, the comics released the day before count as week one. #NCBD is Wednesday.

Special Note: As part of the Sins of Sinister Event. Marvel is rebranding and renumbering a few of the “X” titles.. We will note those below with the Logo for the event.

We will bring you reviews of these debut issues as they come out, and don’t forget to use the comments section to let us know what you think of this list.

You will find the books listed below in the order of when they are released.

Week of 2/1/23
Week of 2/8/23
Week of 2/15/23
Week of 2/22/23


Week of February 1  


Almighty #1
Image Comics
Written by Edward Laroche
Art by Laroche & Brad Simpson
Cover Art by Laroche

MINISERIES PREMIERE

THE WARNING writer/artist EDWARD LAROCHE returns to comics with a five-issue epic! Max Max: Fury Road-style action combines with the mutated horror of Annihilation in this original sci-fi/fantasy epic for mature readers.

The year is 2098 in a Third World America ravaged by economic collapse, anarcho-warfare, and a mysterious environmental disaster contained behind a massive wall. A girl has been abducted, and a killer has been hired to find her and bring her home.

Release Date: February 1, 2023

PCS NOTES: Sounds like this will be a fun ride.


Black Tape #1
AWA Studios
Written by Dan Panosian
Art by Dalibor Talajic& Ive Svorcina
Cover Art by Panosian

Jack King was a rock’n’roll god who projected a stage persona on par with the devil. After Jack dies on stage, his widow, Cindy, grapples with grief and struggles to protect his legacy, unaware that she is being surrounded by dark forces that covet the master tapes to Jack’s final, unreleased album – a heavy metal masterpiece that just might open a doorway to hell.

Release Date: February 1, 2023

PCS NOTES: We have always known that Dan Panosian is a gifted artist, but his writing has had us cheering up a storm the last few years. Dalibor Talajic is another creator who has been laying down excellent work. This is a combination we think will make some excellent comics.


Blood Tree #1
Image Comics
Written by Peter Tomasi
Art by Maxim Simic
Cover Art by Christian Alamy & Brad Anderson

SERIES PREMIERE

Two obsessed NYPD detectives hunt for a vicious butcher called the Angel Killer, a sociopath who preys on the innocent family members of known murderers in order to “purify” the rest of society.

From comics super team PETER J. TOMASI and MAXIM SIMIC comes a story that confronts the battle of nature versus nurture, considers how present and future generations are tainted by past generations, and asks the age-old question: Who must pay for the sins of the fathers-and perhaps even the sins of the mothers?

Release Date: February 1, 2023

PCS NOTES: Great creators interesting topic. We are in. Continue reading “New Number Ones: New Comic Series Coming in February 2023”

Breaking News: James Gunn Reveals the Plan for the Near Future of the DC Universe in Film and TV

Breaking News: James Gunn Reveals the Plan for the Near Future of the DC Universe in Film and TV

James Gunn, the co-custodian of the DC Universe (DCU) for Warner Bros. Discovery announced today the plan for what is coming out now and what is to come and it is amazing.

Gunn, along with Peter Safran, have addressed the properties that are currently in the pipeline, and in his video he details how they fit into the new vision which is being developed as an eight to ten year plan. The first “Chapter” of the DC story will be under the umbrella of “Gods and Monsters.”

There was so much exciting proposed content in this six minute video. We encourage everyone to check it out. Gunn’s enthusiasm about the DC characters radiates through the clip. It is infectious. I am more excited about these films and shows coming to fruition than I have been in a long time.

Here is a list of what is new on the docket in the first portion of “Gods and Monsters”: Continue reading “Breaking News: James Gunn Reveals the Plan for the Near Future of the DC Universe in Film and TV”

So Long and Thanks for the Fish, Man #079: “Dear Dwayne”

So Long and Thanks for the Fish, Man #079: “Dear Dwayne”

Dear Dwayne,

I know you prefer to be called by your full moniker,  Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, but I want to speak to the person behind that particular mask. Put the eyebrow down. Send your posse on a 20 minute break. Place your phone on airplane mode, and place it face down on the table in front of us. It’s just you, me, and the millions (AND MILLIONS) of my fans reading this. Cool? Cool. 

You need to stop it. Seriously. C’mon, man. You know what I’m talking about. Really? You’re going to make me say it out loud? Fine.

“You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

We loved when you dabbled your toe into acting. That turn as your own father in That 70’s Show? Great. Playing an alien version of yourself in Star Trek: Voyager? Uhhh… let’s come back to that.. And hey… your first trip to Saturday Night Live? Pitch perfect. Seriously. Better than any “sports stars” they featured prior. You then took the summers off in 2000 so you could become the Scorpion King (which, I assume was why you were on SNL). Like many fans… I actually went to the theater to catch your first starring role. Because it would either be good, or we’d have something to replace that one flick where Hulk Hogan made a dude crap himself.

And hey. It was fine. 20 something years later? I can’t recall a single scene, line of dialogue, or action sequence. But I do recall you fighting the late Michael Clark Duncan, and thinking it was cool. 

After that? I really want to commend you. You started taking interesting roles. Get Shorty. The Rundown. Walking Tall. Southland Tales. Were you “generic badass tough guy” in most of them? Sure. But the scripts were smart. And because of it, you looked smart. Not just catchphrases and stuntman body slams. Versus previous wrestler-turned-actors — Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, and Jesse Venture — you seemed to have more depth, better comedic timing, and pathos (when called for).  Continue reading “So Long and Thanks for the Fish, Man #079: “Dear Dwayne””

Brainiac On Banjo: Streaming Ahoy!

Brainiac On Banjo: Streaming Ahoy!

The reading today is from the book of Punter, Chapter 9, Verse 17: “All we have to fear, is me.” – Firesign Theater

Presuming climate change doesn’t do us in first, Americans are about a decade way from abandoning the concept of the continuous media vehicle. In English, that means the idea of television (and radio before 1962) had lengthy “seasons” and, if successful, would return for a following season.

Of course, this was well before streaming became a thing.

Unlike the rest of magazine publishing, the comic book medium also was a continuous media vehicle: numbering was consecutive and rarely split into “volumes” of, say, twelve monthly numbers per year. Nobody cares what consecutive issue numbers were applied to Time Magazine in August 1975, but if you ask the issue number for the X-Men cover-dated that same month there are enough comic book enthusiasts who know the answer to that – #94, for those who came in late – to fill Yankee Stadium. At least the #94 that was in use in August, 1975. Around that time, the late, legendary comics retailer Joe Sarno pointed out in an interview if you put consecutive numbering on something, some people are going to collect it. Continue reading “Brainiac On Banjo: Streaming Ahoy!”

New Number Ones: One-Shots and Special Editions for January 2023

New Number Ones: One-Shots and Special Editions for January 2023

This is the first column of the year for our fan-favorite New Number Ones: One-Shots & Specials column.

In this regular column, we collect the one-shot books, special anthologies, and original graphic novels that are being released this month. You can check out our regular New Number Ones column for the month here.

There is an alphabetical list of these special books below by release date, and don’t forget to check for our PCS NOTES to find out what we just have to tell you about these comics.

There are books on the list from: First Second Books, DC Comics, Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Marvel Comics, Archie Comics, and Oni Press.


Now Let Me Fly: A Portrait of Eugene Bullard HC
First Second Books
Written by Ronald Wimberly
Art by Brahm Revel
Cover Art by Revel

ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL

From author Ronald Wimberly, creator of the viral comic Lighten Up, comes a soaring graphic biography that casts new light on the first African-American fighter pilot.

On the eve of World War I, Eugene Bullard was a refugee of the Jim Crow South who was determined to find a place where a Black man would be treated as a fellow human being. His search took him from rural Georgia to the streets of Paris, from the vaudeville stage to the boxing ring, and finally, from the muddy trenches to the open skies. In 1914, Bullard joined the fight to defend France—and made history as the world’s first African American fighter pilot.

In this candid but sensitive portrait of Bullard, author Ronald Wimberly balances the personal and the historical to interrogate concepts of cynicism, idealism, fear, glory, and the pervasiveness of anti-Black racism.

Release Date: January 3. 2023

PCS NOTES: This is the kind of important content that needs to be seen in the comic form. Continue reading “New Number Ones: One-Shots and Special Editions for January 2023”