Comic Book Feeds

Art by Jeff Call01 A jovial human trader eager to unload a large, glowing jar containing squirming creatures he claims are Mercurian dayside salamanders.

02 A shaggy, spider-eyed Europan smuggler waits nervously for her contact.

03 Four pygmy-like “mushroom men," fungoid sophonts from the caverns of Vesta. They are deep in their reproductive cycle and close proximity gives a 10% chance per minute of exposure inhaling their spores.

04 A Venusian reptoid lowlander with jaundiced eyes from chronic hssoska abuse and an itchy trigger-claw.

05 Two scarred, old spacers in shabby flight suits.  They're of human stock mutated by exposure to unshielded, outlawed rocket drives.

07 A cloud of shimmering lights, strangely ignored by most patrons, dances around twin pale, green-skinned chaunteuses. It's  actually an energy being from the Transneptunian Beyond.

08 An aging, alcoholic former televideo star (and low level Imperial spy) with 1-2 hangers-ons.

09 A Venusian Wooly who just lost a Martian chess game to a young farm-hand who doesn't know any better.

10 A Martian Dune Walker shaman on his way to a ritual at a nearby Old Martian ruin, with a bag of 2d6 hallucinogenic, dried erg-beetles. He dreams of driving all off-worlders from Mars.

This April, I’ll be releasing not one, not two, not three, but FOUR updates for Tales of the Splintered Realm. Each of these 8-page supplements will be a pay-what-you-want expansion for the niftiest RPG ever inspired by the niftiest RPG ever. Each of these will be released on consecutive Saturdays, starting with April 6:
Module B1: 66 Dungeon Dwellers. This ain’t your momma’s monster manual. (unless your mom is THAT cool). Drops on Saturday, 4/6.
Module C1: Trove of Treasures. A list of treasures. A percentile die. Fo sho. Drops on Saturday, 4/13.
Module D1: Into the Lost Halls. It’s a big dungeon. We’re just living in it. Drops on Saturday, 4/20.
Module E1: Against the Goblins. These goblins are bat poop crazy. That’s probably from the bat poop. Drops on Saturday, 4/27.

Art by Jim Holloway
This is an update to a post from 2017, originally conceived as I was reading Hero A Go-Go by Michael Eury. That book chronicles superhero comics' response (and influence on) 1960s camp pop culture. It's a combination that didn't always work well; many of the works now seem more goofy kitsch perhaps, and some are really just unfunny parody of superheroes. Still, when it works there is a certain charm to a lot of folks, as the revival comics Batman '66 and Wonder Woman '77 indicate.

I wonder why there hasn't been as much of a concerted attempt at published camp works for Dungeons & Dragons? Certainly, farcical humor abounds at the gaming table, and a number of comedic adventures have been written (a lot illustrated by Jim Holloway), in fact a couple of my Hydra colleagues have been taken to task for humorous elements in their work. There are, of course, humorous illustrations in the older AD&D books. But as far as I know, there has never been a camp setting or camp-informed setting--unless maybe HackMaster counts? Maybe it's just too difficult an approach to sustain well throughout a written project?

I should back up a bit here and define what I mean by "camp," since it's not a term with a universal, clear definition. What I mean in this case, is not the farce or cheese, but a sort of knowing amusement. An "engaged irony." As Isherwood would have it: "you’re not making fun of it; you’re making fun out of it." The "it" in our case being elfgames.

The settings of some OSR-related folks seem to me to have elements of camp without going all-in: Jason Sholtis' Operation Unfathomable, Chris Kutalik's Hill Cantons, some of Jeff Reints stuff, and my own Mortzengersturm. Dungeon Crawl Classics with its "airbrushed wizard van" elements could be taken as camp, but I'm unsure whether that is the intention.

Art by Jim Holloway

I wanted to make an introductory adventure with goblins that was fun and kind of offbeat. I think I have succeeded. Here's the elevator pitch: when a goblin chief goes bat poop crazy - from consuming too much bat poop - he makes a plan to protect the bat poop he loves, and his own immortality.

I plan to release this in the next week or two, but for now here's the map:

I haven't posted an update on this in a while. The project is still on-going, it's just been moving slower of late due to real life stuff for both myself and my collaborator. Here's another piece of art for it, though: another look at Futura by Julian Shaw.

Moving as left me no time for reading Storm, so his adventures will have to wait a little longer. Instead, here's the rundown on some stuff I read recently:
Spider-Man: Life Story 1: The 60s
Chip Zdarsky and Mark Bagley begin the story of Peter Parker's life as Spider-Man, if it hadn't been untethered from the era in which it was written and proceeded in real time. As readers of my Omiverse essays have likely guessed, this is the sort of thing I like. The first issue didn't wow me, but it was competent, and I'm on board. There are hints that it may develop into a fairly different Marvel Universe along the lines of the differences to the DC universe seen in the similar DC New Frontiers or maybe even as variant as Batman & Superman: Generations. We'll see.

Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt #2
I mentioned issue #1 of this here. I admit after the clever first issue, I expected issue #2 would start getting down to brass-tacks superheroics of dealing with the "evil" (we assume) Not-Ozymandias-But-Peter-Cannon of the alternate Earth, but nope, Gillen chooses to go full Morrison, with characters entering (and breaking) the nine panel grid like it was  a magic circle. I want to say it was a bit too clever for its own good, but maybe its because I was expecting it to do what it did. Regardless, they have on board for next issue.

03-26-19 Aspen Comics has taken careful consideration of their retailer partner’s feedback and is pleased to introduce zero restriction Retailer Special Edition Variants for their new spring and summer releases, beginning with Michael Turner’s Fathom Volume 8 #1 on May 15th. Retailers can order as many of these Retailer Special Edition variants as they choose, as opposed to incentive ordering. Aspen Co-Owner and President Frank Mastromauro discuss the reason for the new retailer variant ordering format:

“We’ve tried to be as receptive as possible to our retailer partners and the struggles they have for ordering comic books in today’s crowded market. We’re a boutique publisher and we want fans and retailers to be able to order our special edition variants with fewer restrictions across the board. By streamlining our line of books and a renewed focus on higher quality comics over quantity, we feel this will be helpful to not only comic shops in selling our products but the industry as a whole.”

In addition to the new changes to their variants, Aspen Comics is also introducing new starter edition trade paperbacks of their most popular flagship titles, including Michael Turners Fathom and Soulfire, and Executive Assistant: Iris. These new affordably priced editions are the perfect jumping-on point for new readers at a lower price point for retailers to order. The Executive Assistant: Iris Volume One starter edition trade paperback is already in stores, and follows by Fathom Volume One on May 1st and Soulfire Volume One on June 26th.

New York, NY—March 26, 2019—Everyone is a target as ABSOLUTE CARNAGE takes over the Marvel Universe, hooking its symbiote into every hero! To celebrate the release of the epic summer event, Marvel is releasing a series of “Carnage-ized” variant covers that reimagine some of Marvel’s iconic heroes as victims of the deadly symbiote!

First revealed at the C2E2 retailer panel this weekend, Marvel is excited to share additional cover art for this variant program, which will consist of 25 covers. Look for the following “Carnage-ized” variant covers on these select books this July, and look for a full list of the remaining variants in the July Previews catalog!

1. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #25 by TODD NAUCK
2. AVENGERS #22 by JUNGGEUN YOON
3. BLACK CAT #2 by MARK BROOKS
4. BLACK PANTHER #14 by RYAN BROWN
5. CAPTAIN AMERICA #13 by BUTCH GUICE
6. CAPTAIN MARVEL #8 by INHYUK LEE
7. DAREDEVIL #8 by LEE GARBETT
8. DEADPOOL #15 SKOTTIE YOUNG
9. DOCTOR STRANGE #17 by EMA LUPACCHINO
10. FANTASTIC FOUR #12 PATCH ZIRCHER
11. FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #9 by WOO DAE SHIM
12. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #7 by GUISEPPE CAMUNCOLI
13. IMMORTAL HULK #20 by NICK BRADSHAW
14. SAVAGE AVENGERS #3 by LEINIL YU
15. SPIDER-GWEN: GHOST-SPIDER #10 IBAN COELLO
16. THOR #15 by MIKE MCKONE
17. TONY STARK: IRON MAN #14 PASQUAL FERRY
18. UNCANNY X-MEN #21 by DECLAN SHALVEY
19. VENOM #16 by RON LIM

Originally published in 1985, Margaret Atwood’s novel THE HANDMAID’S TALE is a seminal work of fiction: influential and inspirational, provocative and prophetic. The book’s taut prose and unforgettable characters have been adapted into a major motion picture starring Natasha Richardson and Faye Dunaway, a radio play, a stage play, an opera, and, most recently, Hulu’s Emmy Award-winning show starring Elisabeth Moss. Now, on March 26, 2019, Doubleday Books will publish the first-ever graphic novel adaptation of THE HANDMAID’S TALE.

THE HANDMAID’S TALE Graphic Novel features the art of Renée Nault — a Canadian artist and frequent illustrator for the Los Angeles Times — who was hand-selected by Atwood to adapt her seminal novel. Nault tells the iconic story of Offred and the Republic of Gilead over the course of 240 full-color pages. Her watercolor illustrations, which took her over two years to complete from initial sketches to final pages, are gorgeous and haunting.

And Atwood herself is no stranger to the world of comics and graphic novels. ANGEL CATBIRD, written by Atwood and illustrated by Johnnie Christmas and Tamra Bonvillain, was the author’s first ever New York Times # 1 bestseller in 2016.

THE HANDMAID’S TALE has long been a global phenomenon. With this stunning graphic novel adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s modern classic, beautifully realized by artist Renée Nault, the terrifying reality of Gilead has been brought to vivid life like never before. Like the Booker Award-winning novel it adapts, THE HANDMAID’S TALE Graphic Novel is worthy of widespread attention and discussion.

The 18th Annual East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC 2019)

Relive the excitement at the 18th Annual East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention!  Bring your costume, your artwork, your story ideas, or your passion to the Temple University Student Faculty Center at 3340 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA on May 18, 2019, 11 am to 7 pm, to get your yearly fix of positive vibes!

The East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention is an annual gathering of comic book artists, writers, and their fans who are interested in discussing, buying and selling comic books, sci-fi, action figures, and related material by and/or about Black superheroes/super-powered characters/adventures. In addition, the event features panel discussions, a costume contest, self-publishing and graphic arts workshops for aspiring creators, and film screenings of works of veterans and amateurs alike.

FREE ADMISSION!

Attendees can enhance their ECBACC experience
eventbrite.ecbacc.com
zazzle.ecbacc.com
hotel.ecbacc.com

ECBACC 2019 REGISTRATION IS UNDERWAY

Visit exhibitors.ecbacc.com to keep up with who you’ll find at ECBACC 2019
Go to forms.ecbacc.com for information on how to join them

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – March 26, 2019 – The Baltimore Comic-Con returns to the Baltimore Convention Center on October 18-20, 2019. The Baltimore Comic-Con will feature some of Batman’s most prolific creators in 2019, including Neal Adams, David Finch, Tom King, and Lee Weeks.

Neal Adams‘ work on such DC Comics characters as Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, and Green Arrow redefined an era of comics, bringing a photorealistic feel to the pages of their respective books. In the late-’60s, while freelancing for DC Comics, Adams also began working at Marvel Comics on X-Men with Roy Thomas. He continued to work for DC and Marvel throughout the late-’60s and ’70s, working on The Avengers, Detective Comics, and Green Lantern/Green Arrow. More recently, Adams did a Deadman limited series and the 7-issue second volume of Batman: Odyssey for DC Comics, and handled art duties on Marvel Comics’ First X-Men and DC’s Harley’s Little Black Book, parodying his famous Superman vs. Muhammad Ali comic from the 1970s.

Joining us from Canada, Eisner Award-winning  David Finch received recognition for his early work at Top Cow Productions on titles such as Cyberforce, Ascension, and Aphrodite IX. He then went on to spend a number of years at Marvel Comics, working on blockbuster titles including Ultimate X-Men, Avengers (and the relaunched New Avengers), and Moon Knight before jumping into an exclusive contract with DC Comics in 2010 where he flexed his writing muscles as well as his drawing skills on Batman: The Dark Knight. He also worked on DC’s Forever Evil, and provided art on Wonder Woman (with his wife Meredith on writing duties).

Ringo and Eisner Award-winning Tom King is currently the writer of Batman at DC Comics, where he has also written Mister Miracle, Grayson, The Omega Men, DC Nation, Swamp Thing Winter Special, Heroes in Crisis, and has a story in Action Comics #1000, not to mention his award-winning work at Marvel on The Vision. King’s first book, A Once Crowded Sky, a postmodern super hero novel, was recognized by USA Today as one of the best Graphic Novels of the year. He was named by the Hollywood Reporter as one of the five comic creators to watch in 2015. He was the 2018 Ringo Awards winner of Best Writer, and collected awards for Best Series (Mister Miracle, DC Comics), and Best Single Issue or Story and Best Humor Comic (Batman/Elmer Fudd Special, DC Comics).

Debuting professionally in the 1980s, artist and occasional writer Lee Weeks initially received publication in Eclipse Comics’ Tales of Terror horror anthology. He has contributed to much lauded work on titles such as Marvel’s Daredevil, Captain America, and Spider-Man’s Tangled Web, DC Comics’ bookshelf format Batman Chronicles: Gauntlet, and Dark Horse Comics’ Tarzan vs. Predator. He was also the featured artist in Volume 17 of TwoMorrow Publishing’s Modern Masters. In 2018, he was the recipient of numerous Ringo Awards, including Best Artist or Penciller, and Best Humor Comic and Best Single Issue or Story for his work on DC’s Batman/Elmer Fudd Special.

“Batman is, arguably, the most popular superhero comic book character there is,” said Marc Nathan, show promoter for the Baltimore Comic-Con. “He is instantly recognizable even in profile, and fans love this character. We are honored to host such dignitaries of the industry who have had the privilege of working on this character’s storied history. Each one of these guests is an industry superstar, fans will be thrilled to see them return to Baltimore this October, and we are not done with the caped crusader yet — we are busy working on a few others that have left their mark on Mr. Wayne!”

Lee Weeks and Tom King at the Ringo Awards, photo by John Milewski TICKETS LAUNCH SOON We have been fielding a lot of questions regarding the availability of tickets. We are working now towards enabling ticket sales, and will announce availability first to our mailing list. If you are not currently subscribed, you can do so by going to www.baltimorecomiccon.com and finding the “Stay up to date!” section to sign up. NO SPRING FLING IN 2019 While we were looking to try to host another Baltimore Comic-Con Spring Fling this year, between schedules and hotel availability, we were unable to make the calendar work for us. We apologize to the many fans who have been asking via the website, social media, email, and in person at comic shows when we’ve bumped into you. We’ll see you in October for our regular show! In addition to on-site CGC grading, this year’s confirmed guests for the show include: Neal Adams (Detective Comics), Arantza (fantasy artist), Howard Chaykin (Hey Kids! Comics!), Frank Cho (Harley Quinn), Matthew Clark (Green Arrow), David Finch (Batman), Ramona Fradon (The Mike Wieringo Tellos Tribute), Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (DC Nation), Cully Hamner (Batman Beyond), Adam Hughes (Superman), Matt Kindt (X-O Manowar), Sharlene Kindt (Dept. H), Tom King (Batman), Jeff Lemire (Black Hammer), Carla Speed McNeil (Twisted Romance), Pop Mhan (Raven, Daughter of Darkness), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Afua Richardson (Run), Louise Simonson (Death of Superman), Walter Simonson (Ragnarok), Allison Sohn (The Art of Red Sonja, Volume 2), William Stout (Fantastic Worlds – The Art of William Stout), Mark Waid (Avengers: No Road Home), and Lee Weeks (Batman).

ATLANTA – March 26, 2019 – Creative talents behind animated legends will delight attendees of MomoCon 2019, the largest event in the southeast United States for fans of video games, animation, cosplay, comics and tabletop games. With more than 38,000 unique attendees expected in its fifteenth year, MomoCon will take place Thursday, May 23 – Sunday, May 26, 2019 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA.

My Hero Academia voice actors Justin Briner (Izuku “Deku” Midoriya), Luci Christian (Ochaco), and Keith Silverstein (Wolfram) unite for a heroic presence at MomoCon. With individual credits including Dragon Ball Super, Full Metal Alchemist, and more, opportunities with these anime stars will be a hallmark of the weekend.

Among the most prolific industry talents is Patrick Warburton, who joins MomoCon 2019 for autograph and photo opportunities. From Family Guy’s Joe Swanson and The Venture Brothers’ Brock Samson to Lemony Snicket in A Series of Unfortunate Events, Warburton’s iconic voice and humor have endeared him to millions.

The compelling characters and worldbuilding of Steven Universe have made it a global phenomenon. Cast members at MomoCon include Zach Callison (Steven), Susan Egan (Rose Quartz), Michaela Dietz (Amethyst), Estelle (Garnet), and Deedee Magno Hall (Pearl). With a wealth of autograph and panel opportunities, MomoCon 2019 is a cannot-miss event for series fans.

Other notable guests include Kenji Kamiyama (Director of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Along Complex and upcoming Ghost in the Shell SAC 2045), Shinji Aramaki (Director of APPLESEED), Tony Anselmo (voice of Donald Duck), NateWantsToBattle (Damien in Monster Prom), AmaLee (Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card), and ProZD (Red vs Blue, Anime Crimes Divison).

“Voice actors make MomoCon an incredible experience for animation fans, who can interact with the personalities that bring their beloved worlds to vibrant life,” said Chris Stuckey, co-chair, MomoCon. “This year, we can’t wait to celebrate some of the most popular animated works with the talent that makes them unforgettable.”

PORTLAND, OR 03/25/2019 — Award winning playwright and comics writer Sean Lewis (Coyotes, Saints, The Few) teams up with award winning artist Hayden Sherman (The Few) for a new technology thriller series in Thumbs. The rapid-paced, science-fiction maxi-series will be five issues—each issue a total of 40 pages—and will launch from Image Comics this June.

Imagine someone like, say, Mark Zuckerberg created his own army of tech-obsessed teens and directed them to take on the government. What would the fall-out be? Thumbs explores a high-stakes world where that—and much worse—can unfold. Charley “Thumbs” Fellows is a member of just such an army. Poor and raised by the influential MOM™ app, he finds himself in the center of a war.

“I was watching a kid play with his phone and how anxious he was waiting for a message back from a friend and it made me think about how anxious all the people I know are,” said Lewis. “I started thinking about the internet and our obsession and reliance on it and the realities of who controls the flow and embedding of information. Was our anxiety planted? Has tech become such an obsession for us that we’d go to war to keep it? Just watching that kid and all the emotions that three dots on a screen were creating made me wonder—do we actually control the tech, even at its smallest levels?”

Best described as The Social Network meets Black Mirror, Thumbs is a must-read book from the team behind the hit series The Few and is perfect for readers of Christopher Sebela, Ro Stein, and Ted Brandt’s Crowded.

Sherman added: “Thumbs is as much a story about technology as it is about loss, time, and learning your place in the world. With the great range of themes and locales that play into these five issues, I’ve taken the chance to expand and really push myself with how a story can be told. The hope is for it to be between storybook and comic book, where it could be either at any given moment.”

Thumbs #1 (Diamond Code APR190011) will be available on Wednesday, June 5. The final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, May 13.

Thumbs #1 will also be available for purchase across many digital platforms, including the official Image Comics iOS app, Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, comiXology, and Google Play.

SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH #1 (OF 5)
BRAND NEW SERIES! Sabrina is a teen witch who’s struggling with balancing the double life of high school and her burgeoning powers. Newly relocated to Greendale with her aunts Hilda and Zelda (also witches), Sabrina is trying to make the best of being the new girl in town which so far includes two intriguing love interests, an instant rivalry, a couple of misfits that could turn into BFFs, and trying to save the high school (and maybe the world) from crazy supernatural events. NBD!
Script: Kelly Thompson
Art: Veronica Fish, Andy Fish, Jack Morelli
Cover: Veronica Fish
Variant Covers: Stephanie Buscema, Adam Hughes, Victor Ibanez, Sandra Lanz
On Sale Date: 3/27
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.

JUGHEAD: THE HUNGER #13
Where did Bingo take Jughead when he was near death after he was shot by Archie? As the epic first season of JUGHEAD: THE HUNGER comes to a close, that mystery will be resolved—and the answer will only raise even more questions about Jughead and his werewolf legacy! It’s all part of our big finale, leading up into our mind blowing JUGHEAD: THE HUNGER VS VAMPIRONICA crossover!
Script: Frank Tieri
Art: Joe Eisma, Matt Herms, Jack Morelli
Cover: Adam Gorham
Variant Covers: Vic Malhotra, Greg Scott
On Sale Date: 3/27
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.

Gameroom in Progress.I spent most of my weekend packing books and assembling a new gaming table, so all I've got for you today is two new previously only available on Google Plus Omniverse posts.

These delve into the lesser known periods: the secret vigilante past of the future Commissioner Gordon of Gotham and the heroes who combated the monster surge of the 1950s, the Monster Hunters.

I posted these maps/diagrams from Marvel's Micronauts before, but it has been a few years. They're always good for a gander...

Here's the Homeworld of the Micronauts:



And here's the insides of their ship, Endeavor.

This post was originally from 2013. It doesn't related to any of my recent Solar System speculations, pulpy or otherwise, though of course it could. He bared repeating for Lester B. Portly's animated title...


By the mid-thirties, the major film studios were all exploiting the public’s interest in the exotic worlds of the solar system. Of all the one-reel travelogue series produced, perhaps none was more popular than The Rocketship of Movietone, debuted in 1931.

Several of the earliest films dealt with Venus. “Giants of the Jungle” focused on the exotic and dangerous Venusian saurians. In early 1932, “Lost Cities of Venus” used footage from the Markheim survey expedition's dangerous foray into one of the ruins of the ancients.


Of course, Mars figures prominently in the early subjects. The low canal markets and bazaars were featured. Another dealt with the desert tribes--though the tragic fate of the expedition that provided the footage was wisely kept from the movie-going public.

While the initial run of films dealt predominantly with the inner worlds and their satellites, one was made from footage shot by one of the earliest commercial missions to Ganymede. While the footage is limited (still photos had to be used at times) and of lower quality than what was coming from film crews on Mars or Venus, it did give the public their first view of the eerie necropolises of that cold and distant moon.


More than one spaceman of the fifties and sixties sited these early Rocketship of Movietone films as an important influence on their lives.

So this morning, I decided to start a solo game and take my character through the introductory adventure in the core rules. Here are a few basic takeaways before I get into the specifics of characters:

It's a fun little adventure. I like the little seeds of things that can get you going further without much effort.
The rules are nice and fast and loose. I really like this iteration. It's fluid. I was able to run the entire adventure in about 2 hours, and that is with rolling up two characters as well!
I created a few house rules on the fly... which prompted this morning's earlier posting about house rules.

Characters:

I ended up making two characters for this adventure; a stoutling defender and a red gnome trickster. Basically, I wanted to play the stoutling, but I realized about halfway through that he was going to be tough to play solo for a long time; he has no ability to take on multiple foes at once, so any time there were more than 2 or 3 foes, he got wrecked pretty quickly. In addition, as he scales up, his abilities are going to be largely supportive and defensive. He's a GREAT guy to have on your team; he's not such a great guy to have AS your team.

The red gnome trickster is a much more capable solo character. He has multiple ways to get past obstacles (he can try a STR check if the burglary doesn't work to open a door); he has ways to do some crowd control (sleep), and he has some ways to quickly deal some automatic damage. He'll scale better for solo play; he can sneak by really tough foes and scout things out, get extra damage with his sneak attack... he has more options for how to manage a variety of situations. I found that I really needed that if I was going to pursue solo play.

FYI, here are the two character sheets: Sty has he was in progress, and Myth as he had finished the adventure (I spotted him about 30 xp to get to level 2; yeah, I know...)