The Mix : What are people talking about today?

Glenn Ganges in: The River at Night by Kevin Huizenga

I always feel compelled to begin by stating for the record that Glenn Ganges is not Kevin Huizenga. Of course, he’s not Ganges the same way Sal Paradise is not Jack Kerouac — the old fictional yes-but-no-but-yes two-step.

Ganges has been a main character in most of Huizenga’s books I’m aware of: Gloriana and The Wild Kingdom  and Curses . No wait. I don’t mean “main.” I mean “viewpoint.”

That may sound like a nitpick. Describing the stories of Kevin Huizenga will lead to a lot of nitpicks, and descriptions of nitpicks, though — it’s inherent in the territory. Glenn Ganges is a man living in a secondary American city (maybe St. Louis, where Huizenga used to live, or Minneapolis, where he does live now), married to Wendy (I can’t find any references online to Huizenga’s personal life, and won’t speculate), and working some kind of tech-adjacent office job (again, I don’t know what Huizenga does to pay his mortgage and put food on the table, though a graphic novel every few years probably isn’t it).

But the reader gets the sense that Ganges is mentally an avatar for Huizenga. Huizenga’s comics are about thoughts more than actions, ruminations more than activity, knowledge more than thrills. It’s not quite true that his comics all take place in Ganges’ head, but that’s not a bad simplification.

The River at Night , similarly, is not the story of one night when Glenn just couldn’t fall asleep. That’s a framework for much of the book, true, but it ranges more widely than that — even leaving out the geological time and personal history and pure formalist cartooning that comes up during that one long, restless night.

A book like this relies heavily on two things: its creator’s visual inventiveness and intellectual curiosity. Huizenga has both in industrial quantities, seemingly inexhaustible supplies of startling imagery and complex thoughts, and he rolls them out in waves throughout River at Night, interspersing formalist comics experiments of two muating forms fighting (or whatever) in a video-game space with flashbacks to mundane life and long scenes of Ganges lying in bed thinking or wandering his house ruminating.

Huizenga’s art is on the cartoony side, with dot eyes and simplified limbs for his people, and he uses a cool night-blue palette for most of this book, with only a few sunset- or sunrise-desaturated pinks at appropriate moments. That visual simplification — or concentration, perhaps — lets him focus on the ideas and their visual representations; he doesn’t need to draw every line in Ganges’s hair when a calendar is exploding into deep time.

There is no real story to The River at Night. I’m not going to tell you “what happens” — that’s not the kind of book this is. It’s a dizzying, mesmerizing, deeply specific meditation on life and time and purpose and meaning. It’s both accessible in a way I didn’t always find Huizenga’s earlier work — leading into the deep thoughts in measured steps, looping in and out of obsessions to illuminate them from multiple angles — and thrilling in its audacious energy. I can’t guarantee it will make you think about things differently…but if a book like River at Night can’t make you think, I don’t know what can.

antickmusingsdyil2auoc8za-3499385 antickmusingsd63t7ie-lg7y-3252868 antickmusingsdqj6idk7rits-7817959

Reposted from The Antick Musings of G.B.H. Hornswoggler, Gent.

NextChapter Debuts with Sean Chen’s 24-Hour Only Wingman

NextChapter Debuts with Sean Chen’s 24-Hour Only Wingman

It takes a lot for a new publisher to get noticed these days and the challenge is to offer up something that hasn’t been seen before. New heroes? Check. New shared universe? Check. Variant covers? Check.

So, NextChapter—a graphic media publisher and distributor formed by and launching from The Great Company, arrives today with something unique. Veteran artist Sean Chen offers up their inaugural title, Wingman: Compendium of an Artist’s First Writing Experience, which showcases his artwork in addition to his first writing. The 9.5” x 12” 64-page softcover comes complete with Chen’s story and commentary on its creation and evolution.

One of the most interesting aspects is that the title will only be available on NextChapter’s website for 24-hours only, starting earlier today at 10:00 a.m. PDT. The storybook offers readers a look into Chen’s creative process, while random fans who purchase the book will also receive an autographed sketch from Chen, best known for his work at Valiant Comics and Marvel Comics.

In addition to the $28 softcover, 15 1-of-1 original drawings will be up for auction. The gallery will be powered by crypto vexels and hosted by crypto art community Machi X DAO, a member-directed organization where members pool resources and create proposals.

It’s an interesting gamble for the tyro writer but one he feels ready for. “I have never written for the majors, or anything really,” he told ComicMix in an exclusive interview. “I have an abiding love for great stories and always wanted to dabble in the process.  Regardless of having never formally written anything, as I matured, my sensibilities and knowledge of what makes good writing developed, so I did feel ready and confident that I could write on a level that had a decent chance of going over well.  If not, the project can function as art content for my Instagram, which needed to be fed almost daily.  I would know soon enough if the writing was connecting with people.  If it did, then I would entertain the possibility of bringing it out of Instagram to a larger audience in print.”

Interestingly, Chen, known for Iron Man and X*O Man of War, went back in time to feature the story of an old Knight from the Crusades, dying and reflecting on a full life.

“Before I ever wrote anything, the one thing I was sure of was that the genre would be a science fiction thriller. That had always been my genre of choice because it was very visual, action-packed, but also engaged the heavy thought-provoking literary aspects that you usually don’t find in superhero stories.  The biggest surprise for me was that it was not that at all.  Instead, it went toward iconic characters from vintage foreign films.

“Another aspect that was a shock for me was that it had so much comedy in it.  In fact, the story seems to defy all attempts to classify which I think is great because it’s a rare thing to get that feeling of being totally engrossed in a story and invested in the fate of the characters and not having a clue of what’s going to happen next.

“Also surprising was the revelation that as episodes of the comic were being released on my Instagram, readers were commenting very positively about the story.  They wanted to know how the story would end, while also not wanting it to end.  That was when I found out that I can actually bring something to the table as a writer!

“I think the genre I ended up exploring in Wingman was a reaction to drawing decades of superhero work from Marvel and DC.  Normally, super-hero or Sci-Fi would be the genre I would work in, but this first project I wanted to take a breather from the capes and spandex.  I think people who are familiar with my Marvel/DC work would see that Wingman has a completely different style.  I came across the iconic image of The Seventh Seal opening movie scene where The Knight and The Grim Reaper play a game of chess on a desolate craggy beach.  Because of the imagination of Ingmar Bergman and the cinematography that image hit me like a lightning bolt, and I felt compelled to draw it.  The dialogue was equally iconic, so I added a word balloon repeating what I had heard in the clip.  It all began from there and became a reimagined story set in modern time.”

Chen began the story for himself, posting it on his Instagram account in small batches. In time, “that allowed me to gauge reader’s reactions in the comments section and mine it for vital feedback. I used my followers as an important focus group.  The most important feedback I was looking for was whether the story was engaging and if the jokes were landing with the proper effect. Other factors such as pointing out plot holes, and lesser things like grammar and spelling.  Many changes and corrections were made based on this feedback on both writing and art.  So I did dedicate the book to ‘My Fine Followers on Instagram’ whom I consider to be Editor/Art Director.”

He partnered with NextChapter because he knew the startup’s publisher, Carl Choi, from Chen’s work in the advertising field. “When he approached me about releasing a print version of Wingman what sold me on his new company was that he envisioned an educational and outreach component.  His vision was to build a community that connected readers to creators that had the goal of showcasing what was possible in the medium of comics and to teach people how they can express themselves using the medium.  He required of me to create even more content in the form of commentary and educational matter that demystified how a comic is drawn, written and produced.  The first prong of his publishing plan was to use Instagram to debut the comic.  This allows readers to connect directly to the creator with feedback or questions. Then in the printed release, the creator commentary and process discussion is another great way to give readers insight into the creative process.”

The other challenge for him as a creator having the work presented in landscape rather than the traditional waterfall page orientation. He explained this was NextChapter’s creative decision, which he wholeheartedly supported.  “This was because it allowed for the large amount of commentary and educational text that was added in sidebars which gives readers insight into the creative process.  The biggest challenge to the format was that because the comic was meant for Instagram, it had to be readable on a mobile phone interface.  Lettering needed to be larger, so dialogue had to be succinct while still feeling natural.  The art also had to be readable at a small size while still allowing me to indulge in my usual meticulous inking style.,” he said.

As this release heralds a new chapter in Chen’s growth as a creator, he remains the monthly artist on DC’s Batman Beyond and he’s excited for its future, noting, “I am about to embark on the massively important issue #50!  Beyond that, I plan to do more writing and drawing stories.  Probably that Sci-Fi thriller that has always been brewing in the back of my mind.  Or really anything that strikes my fancy.  It’s a great time to create now as self-publishing is easier than ever, and outlets for comics material are plentiful.  It’s a powerful feeling to be able to draw and write my own stories at a time where fans will respond to individual creators passion instead of habitually looking to the big 2 for their typical comics fix.

The nine year old Great Company, found by Carl Choi and based in Los Angeles, promotes itself as providing “Event Marketing · Brand Marketing, Content Strategy, Content Marketing, and Marketing Consulting”.

Fangoria Gains a New Owner (Again)

Fangoria Gains a New Owner (Again)

Los Angeles, CA – Producer and CEO of Wanderwell Entertainment Tara Ansley (TRAGEDY GIRLS, ST. AGATHA, BEAST BEAST) and entrepreneur Abhi Goel are excited to announce they have acquired the FANGORIA™, STARLOG™, and GOREZONE™ brands. All brands will live under the FANGORIA™ umbrella and develop projects based on the legacy publication’s 40+-year-old archive of work and history, with an eye on inclusivity and championing forward-thinking creators.

Ansley & Goel negotiated the deal with movie producer Dallas Sonnier who acquired and resurrected FANGORIA™ as a print publication in 2018 and built the brand into a robust horror movie studio, book publisher, and podcast network through his Texas-based CINESTATE. FANGORIA™ Magazine, with its current editorial team under the stewardship of Editor-In-Chief Phil Nobile Jr. and Managing Editor Meredith Borders, will continue to publish as a print quarterly. FANGORIA™ Studios, FANGORIA™ Podcast Network, FANGORIA™ Digital, STARLOG™ Digital, and GOREZONE™ Digital will launch in 2021 with FANGORIA™ Studios producing and distributing both narrative and non-fiction projects in television, film, and digital content across all platforms.

Starlog Press debuted in 1976 with Starlog magazine, which rapidly became the premier American magazine to cover the fantastic. It spun off Fangoria in 1979 which quickly eclipsed Famous Monsters of Filmland as the Go To publication for classic and contemporary horror film and fiction. Other magazines through the years included Future Life, Cinemagic, and Comics Scene. Several notable writers and editors worked on staff including novelist Ed Naha, art director Howard Cruse, and writer/editors Robert Greenberger, Eddie Berganza, and Mike McAvennie.

“These brands have been a foundational force in genre entertainment for decades, and have inspired, influenced, and shaped generations of filmmakers, writers, actors, and fans – ourselves included,” said Ansley. “We will continue to honor FANGORIA™’s unparalleled legacy as we propel a future wave of talent and storytellers with an invigorating production and editorial slate that showcases the array of talent representative of our expansive community.”

“It has been an awesome ride! I am so proud of the work my team and I did rebuilding this legendary brand and securing our place in horror history. I wish Tara & Abhi much success as they take FANGORIA™ to even greater heights,” added Sonnier.

Goel projects revolutionary times ahead for the company. “We are thrilled to take a fresh approach while still paying homage to the nail-biting stories we grew up on. There could not be a better time to propel these brands to exciting, culturally diverse new heights,” said Goel. “Not only are we forging into tantalizing new territories, but we are paving the way for global creators to share their varied heritages and perspectives in never-before-seen storylines that will leave genre fans hungry for more.”

Milestone’s Return to Print Confirmed for 2021

Fans tuning in to the DC FanDome Hall of Heroes received unexpected and welcome news today, courtesy of a surprise panel announcing the return of Milestone to DC publishing.

Moderator Marc Bernardin and DC Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee were joined by Milestone partner/producer Reggie Hudlin and Milestone co-founder Denys Cowan, along with Phil LaMarr, the iconic voice of the Static Shock animated series.

The panelists discussed the origins and history of this groundbreaking imprint, the indelible impact, and legacy of Milestone co-founder, Dwayne McDuffie. Hudlin also discussed plans to create multimedia opportunities spotlighting Milestone characters, including feature films, animated movies and podcasts

Milestone’s return to publishing will be led by an all-new Static Shock digital comic series scheduled for February 2021. Future offerings will include a Static Shock original graphic novel written by Hudlin with art by Kyle Baker, plus the return of Milestone heroes Icon & Rocket, also written by Hudlin with art by Cowan and more to be announced.

But fans won’t have to wait until February to experience or rediscover Milestone, as Lee announced several publishing initiatives for 2020. Beginning in September through February 2021, DC will digitize classic stories from the Milestone library and make them available for purchase at Comixology, Amazon Kindle, Apple, and other participating digital retailers. A list of titles will be announced shortly, and more titles will be added as they are remastered for a digital format.

During DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse on September 12, fans will also have a chance to be introduced to these characters and stories. Milestone Returns #0, a 17-page sampler, will be available to read free for 24 hours. Written by Reggie Hudlin with Greg Pak and cover by Denys Cowan and Chris Sotomayor, the sampler will introduce and re-introduce fans to Milestone characters such as Static Shock, Icon, Rocket, Duo, and others. The sampler features art by an incredible lineup of Talent, including Cowan, Jim Lee, Ryan Benjamin, Khoi Pham, Scott Hanna, Bill Sienkiewicz, Don Ho, Alex Sinclair, and Deron Bennett.
In addition, the following titles from the Milestone library will also be available to read free for 24 hours during the event:

• Static Shock (2011 – 2012) #1
• Static Shock (2011 – 2012) #2
• Xombi #1
• Xombi #2
• Hardware: The Man in the Machine (2010)
• Icon: A Hero’s Welcome (1996)
• Icon Vol. 2: The Mothership Connection (2010)

John Ridley & Nick Derington Team for 4-part Batman POC Mini

Today’s Legacy of the Bat panel in DC FanDome’s Hall of Heroes contained great
topics and panelists in a celebration of the Dark Knight’s heritage and the impact he’s
had on his allies as they continue to do their part to protect Gotham City.

DC ended months of speculation regarding Batman’s upcoming comic book adventures,
confirming that award-winning screenwriter John Ridley (12 Years a Slave, Guerrilla,
American Crime) and artist Nick Derington (Doom Patrol, Batman Universe, Mister
Miracle) will team up for a four-issue miniseries scheduled for January 2021, featuring
a version of the Caped Crusader different from what many fans know and existing
alongside the current Batman run by James Tynion IV and Jorge Jimenez.

During his conversation with DC Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee, Ridley
revealed a breathtaking piece of key art for his version of Batman by artist LADRÖNN.
The writer also provided further credence to fan speculation that this Batman definitely
will not be Bruce Wayne:

“I think it’s a pretty safe bet that if I’m writing Batman, it’s probably a little better than a
47% chance he’s going to be a person of color,” said Ridley.

In addition, Ridley raised additional curiosity when he revealed his series will focus on
the family of Lucius Fox, head of Wayne Enterprises. “But he [Fox] has a family and this
is a family that has secrets, has kept secrets from one another,” said Ridley. “It’s a little
bit different dynamic than the Batman that we’ve always seen.”

While this will be the first time Ridley has written a series featuring Batman, he’s no
stranger to comic book writing, nor to DC. In 2004, he wrote The Authority: Human on
the Inside (with artist Ben Oliver) and contributed an arc to the 2005 series, The Razor’s
Edge: Warblade (with legendary artist Simon Bisley). Most recently, Ridley also
collaborated with artist Georges Jeanty on the groundbreaking limited series The
American Way (2006) and its sequel, The American Way: Those Above and Those
Below (2017).

James Gunn Reveals Suicide Squad Who’s Who at DC Fandome

  • News
  • August 22, 2020

Just a little while ago, director James Gunn unveiled the large cast for The Suicide Squad, opening Aug. 6, 2021. Gunn, at the daylong DC Fandome, talked about his love of the 1987 series, written by John Ostrander and illustrated by Luke McDonald and Karl Kesel.

Idris Elba is playing Bloodsport, Alice Braga is playing Sulsoria, Nathan Fillion is playing T.D.K., Pete Davidson is playing Blackguard, Michael Rooker is playing Savant, John Cena is playing Peacemaker, David Dastmalchian is playing Polka-Dot Man, Sean Gunn is playing Weasel, Peter Capaldi is playing the Thinker, Flula Borg is playing Javelin, Daniela Melchior is playing Ratcatcher 2, Mayling Ng is playing Mongal, and Steve Agee is playing King Shark for CGI and the team’s supporting player, Johnny Economos.

Roddenberry’s Genesis II/Planet Earth Pilots on Disc in Sept.

Burbank, CA (August 18, 2020) – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment brings consumers the opportunity to own more fan-favorite programming from the past several decades from the Warner Archive Collection. In September, five new TV and Animation titles will be released via Warner Archive including Prodigal Son: The Complete First Season, Harley Quinn: The Complete First and Second Season, Genesis II / Planet Earth – 2 Film Collection, Mom: The Complete Third Season and Riverdale: The Complete Fourth Season.

More details on all titles are included below.

PRODIGAL SON: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON

Available on Blu-RayTM and DVD September 8, 2020

Year: 2019-2020
Run Time:  880:00
Subtitles: English SDH
Sound Quality: DTS HD-Master Audio 5.1 – English
Aspect Ratio: 2.0:1, 16 X 9 FULL FRAME
Product Color: COLOR
BD Disc Configuration: BD 50 (4)
DVD Disc Configuration: DVD 9 (4)

Criminal psychologist Malcolm Bright (Tom Payne) knows how killers think and how their minds work. Why? His father is “The Surgeon,” a serial killer who has taken the lives of more than 20 people. He works with NYPD detective Gil Arroyo (Lou Diamond Phillips); Detective Dani Powell (Aurora Perrineau), a headstrong cop; Dr. Edrisa Tanaka (Keiko Agena), an off-center coroner; and Detective JT Tarmel (Frank Harts), who questions whether Bright is a psychopath himself. But Bright’s best resource is his homicidal yet oddly loving father, Dr. Martin Whitly (Michael Sheen). As he helps track down dangerous criminals, Bright also battles his own demons – and it doesn’t help that his mother, former leading socialite Jessica Whitly (Bellamy Young), has an opinion on every aspect of his life. Thankfully, he has the support of his annoyingly normal sister, Ainsley (Halston Sage), a TV journalist. Malcolm Bright isn’t a serial killer, he was just raised by one.

MOM: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON

Available on DVD September 15, 2020

Year:  2019-2020
Run Time: 411:00
Subtitles: English SDH
Sound Quality: DOLBY DIGITAL SURROUND 5.1 – English
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1, 16 X 9 Widescreen
Product Color:  COLOR
Disc Configuration: DVD9 (2)

Anna Faris and Emmy® and Oscar® winner* Allison Janney star in this hilarious and heart-wrenching comedy from executive producer Chuck Lorre (The Big Bang Theory). Christy (Faris) is still sober and has her life mostly back on track, though she’s continually tested by her mother, Bonnie (Janney). Together, the two work to overcome their mistakes and build a better future. Now, Christy is well on her way to becoming a lawyer, while Bonnie is in a healthy romantic relationship and has just married Adam (William Fichtner). Through it all, they rely on their support system from AA, including the wise Marjorie (Mimi Kennedy); the wealthy and sometimes misguided Jill (Jaime Pressly); the overly emotional Wendy (Beth Hall); and Bonnie’s foster sister, Tammy (Kristen Johnston), who was recently released from prison. Collectively, they help each other stay sober in the face of whatever life throws at them.

RIVERDALE: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON

Available on DVD September 22, 2020

Run Time: 805:00
Subtitles: English SDH
Sound Quality: DOLBY DIGITAL SURROUND 5.1 – English
Aspect Ratio: ORIGINAL ASPECT RATIO – 1.78:1, 16 X 9 FULL FRAME
Product Color: COLOR
Disc Configuration: DVD9 (4)

The fourth season of Riverdale begins with a farewell to Fred Andrews (Luke Perry). As Independence Day approaches, Archie Andrews (KJ Apa) receives a phone call that will forever change his life. Through an emotional journey, with support from his girlfriend, Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes), and best friends Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart) and Jughead Jones (Cole Sprouse), Archie and the citizens of Riverdale grieve the loss of the town’s heart and soul. Our story continues with senior year at Riverdale High, which means varsity football games, cheerleading, back-to-school parties and college applications. But it also means bittersweet moments, like the first last day of high school. In the meantime, Archie honors his father and develops a deeper connection with his mother, Betty uncovers more about her mother and sister, Veronica goes unsupervised while her parents spend time in jail, and Jughead turns more to writing.

GENESIS II / PLANET EARTH – 2 FILM COLLECTION

Available on Blu-rayTM September 29, 2020

Year:  1973-1974, NEW 2020 1080p masters!
Run Time:  148:00
Subtitles: English SDH
Sound Quality: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 – English, MONO – English
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1, 4 X 3 FULL FRAME
Product Color:  COLOR
Disc Configuration: BD 50 (1)

“My name is Dylan Hunt. My story begins the day on which I died.” So begins this sci-fi saga from visionary creator Gene Roddenberry (Star Trek). Genesis II follows NASA scientist Dylan Hunt (Alex Cord), who’s buried in his own suspended-animation machine at NASA’s underground Carlsbad complex following an earthquake. Revived in the terrifying 22nd century by the pacifists of PAX, descendants of his fellow scientists, he learns of The Great Conflict, a third and final world war that destroyed everything he knew. As an agent of PAX, Dylan seeks to spread the message of science and peace throughout this savage and strange new world called Earth. In Genesis II, he encounters the Tyranians, a mutant, militaristic neighboring civilization. In Planet Earth, Dylan (now played by John Saxon) journeys to the Confederacy, where a despotic matriarchy enslaves all males.

DC Fandome Adds Second Day in September

DC Fandome Adds Second Day in September

This just in: DC FanDome — the first-of-its-kind virtual experience for DC superfans globally — became too massive to contain in the four dimensions of only a single day on Earth-Prime! And we realized that not even The Flash could get through the entire 100+ hours of programming in 24 hours. With hours upon hours of content and choices of what to watch and explore, DC fans (including DC’s Jim Lee himself!) clamored for a way to access more of what DC FanDome has to offer. So, in order to super-serve the world’s finest fans, DC FanDome has been transformed into a two-part event: the eight-hour DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes show on Saturday, August 22, followed three weeks later by DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse, a 24-hour, on-demand experience accessed via the DCFanDome.com program scheduler on Saturday, September 12.

“This is an incredible way to deliver for our fans and offer them twice the DC FanDome experience,” said Jim Lee. “Seeing all the feedback in real-time on social media, we realized that the only way to do ‘Justice’ to DC FanDome was to allow it to evolve and expand into two unique events.”

Completely free to fans worldwide, all DC FanDome content at both events will be presented in nine Earth languages: Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese
and Spanish.

In addition, the DC FanDome creators (no, not Perpetua) have set their fans free to explore both events on mobile devices. Now fully accessible on your phone or tablet as well as laptop or desktop, the DC FanDome experience can teleport with you to whichever dimension you choose to travel! Get ready to vibe!

Here’s the scoop on both events:

On August 22, fans will be transported into the DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes, the epic world designed personally by Jim Lee and featuring special programming, panels, and exclusive reveals
from DC films, TV series, games, comics and more. The supercharged eight-hour show will air three times during a 24-hour period, allowing fans all across the world the chance to experience
DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes in their own universe. The superpowered event will begin at 10:00 am PDT at DCFanDome.com.

On September 12, DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse will offer DC fans the experience of a lifetime, with full access to more than 100 hours of on-demand content, beginning at 10:00 am
PDT. This is the time for fans to suit up and determine their own adventure, selecting from exclusive panel sessions, screenings, and never-before-seen content from the DC Multiverse of
films, television, comics and games. Fans, your timeline awaits — at your own pace and on your own schedule. Choose your path wisely with the help of the official DC FanDome: Explore the
Multiverse program scheduler found at DCFanDome.com. It doesn’t have the 12th-level intellect of Brainiac, but it will certainly be a great guide to help you explore the Multiverse on September
12!

And it’s not just the adults who get to have all the fun, the adventure is also heating up for young DC Super Hero fans. Launching Saturday, September 12, DC Kids FanDome will offer kids
(and their parents) a break from the seemingly endless “at home” summer with a kid-friendly companion event to DC FanDome, accessed separately at DCKidsFanDome.com. The one-day-only festivities kick off at 10:00 am PDT, and young Super Heroes in training around the world will not want to miss it!

DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes opens its doors on Saturday, August 22, at 10:00 am PDT, with an eight-hour show that will air three times during a 24-hour period.

DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse will be unleashed on Saturday, September 12, at 10:00 am PDT, with 100+ hours of content available on-demand, to watch on your own schedule, for 24
hours.

DC Kids FanDome also launches on Saturday, September 12, at 10:00, am PDT, with its own kid-friendly companion site at DCKidsFanDome.com, accessible on-demand for 24 hours.

An Open Letter to DC Comics and the comic book industry

  • News
  • August 19, 2020

An open letter to DC Comics and the comic book industry:

The Black Panel has been a leading voice for creators of color for over 20 years. The Bad Boy Studio Mentor Program has outstanding alumni, some world-famous. Millions of Black people purchased the Guardian comic books. Milestone Comics was a groundbreaking achievement.

The link that ties them together is Michael Davis.

But for Milestone Comics, all are the creation of Michael Davis alone.

DC Comics is embracing Black Lives Matters as are many Black creators. They are leading with The Other History of DC Comics. From what I’ve read, Michael Davis created that and is not involved although he wants to be. This is just another in a long line of injustices DC Comics has done to Mr. Davis, who has written that a former DC Comics editor accused him of causing a “loud scene” at a meeting, and because of that, he was removed from a six-figure project.

When it was proven to be a lie, the company refused to reinstate the project. That’s just plain evil. Presenting him with an agreement that prevents him from ever working at DC Comics was much more corrupt.

The comics industry ignores this- it seems Black comic creators do as well. His partners used him then excluded him. He still supports them. I can find no support for this man even from people he has helped. That is truly shameful. Outside of the comic book world, it is quite a different story.

For goodness sake, there is a Michael Davis Auditorium at the Gordon Parks Academy in Kansas City. I have left out a great many things from his resume. His name next to one of the most celebrated thinkers of our time says it all.

WE CAN’T BREATHE, a film produced by Mr. Davis and Wayne Brady, the comedian about the killings of unarmed Black men and women, is a powerful message.

Mr. Davis and Mr. Brady did the short video as a promotion for LevelNext comic books. I saw the video at The Black Panel and was moved to tears as were others. This was three years ago when no comic book company was thinking about these topics. I hear he is disliked because he’s loud and demanding. I believe it’s because he won’t play anyone’s game.

It is nothing short of despicable that those who have claimed to be friends and allies stand by and do nothing to support this man. Some ridicule his depression and claim he faked his own death. God, I have no words for that kind of malice. No one stepped up to defend him, but he’s always there defending those who need it, even those who have betrayed him.

Shame on DC Comics, shame on Milestone Media, and shame on all he has helped who remain silent.

Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons Comes to Digital Aug. 18

REVIEW: Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons

Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons Comes to Digital Aug. 18It seems every decade, DC and Marvel each introduce a major threat that captures the readership’s imagination. In the 1980s, for DC that was Deathstroke, a wonderfully complex opponent to the New Teen Titans, reaching a high point with the much-lauded “The Judas Contract” storyline in 1985. In the hands of writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, he rose head and shoulders above most other super-villains of the day.

Since then, he has been used by virtually every writer, pitting him against most every mask and cape in the DC Universe. He’s successfully crossed over to animation and even live-action television and film. As a result, depending on the creators involved, he remains a fascinating, deadly threat or a run of the mill villain used to merely show up the hero.

The most recent such example is the CW Seed animated miniseries, Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons, which is now out as a feature film from Warner Home Entertainment. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and Blue Ribbon Content, the story features yet another take on Slade Wilson and the choices he made from soldier to husband to mercenary to contract killer. Thankfully, it is in the hands of J.M. DeMatteis who understands characterization, comics, and has proven rather adept at bringing comics characters to other media.

DeMatteis focused on one of the most interesting aspects of Wilson (Michael Chiklis), that of a married man with a child. Whereas the comics had Wilson as the father of two with Adeline “Addie” Kane Wilson (Sasha Alexander) (and a daughter, Rose, with another woman, alluded to here), here, the focus is just on Joseph (Griffin Puatu) and Wilson keeps his alter ego a secret from his wife, who in the comics knew all about it. Their domestic tranquility, already tense from his frequent business trips, is shattered when the Jackal (Chris Jai Alex) leads a horde of H.I.V.E. agents to kidnap Joseph to force Wilson to do their Queen’s (Faye Mata) bidding.

Along the way, we find many other familiar DC faces such as Bronze Tiger (Delbert Hunt), Jade (Faye Mata), and of course, Lady Shiva (Panta Mosleh). None of whom figured in the original source material so it’s with relief that Wilson’s brother in arms, Wintergreen (Colin Salmon) is present.

The 87-minute compilation is smoothly edited and works better as a whole. Note that this is violent and earns its R rating repeatedly throughout the tale thanks to director Sung Jin Ahn (Niko and the Sword of Light) taking full advantage of his medium.

The single disc comes in a perfectly fine 1080p transfer, supported with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix. This makes for a good viewing experience. The sole special feature is Deathstroke: One-Man Death Machine (13:44), which nicely spotlights his evolution with commentary from Wolfman, Pérez, Chiklis, and Arrow’s Manu Bennett.

Categories

Archives

Everything you need to make great comics!

comicmix-pro-300x69-2

Nucleus X

Bookshop Zaks