Hal Jordan / Green Lantern continues to be a part of the pop culture conversation, especially after confirmation that Kyle Chandler is set to portray the character in the DC Universe's forthcoming Lanterns television show. As fans prepare for Hal's newest foray into live-action, a new comic is paying tribute to one of his most beloved partnerships.

As part of DC's December 2024 solicitations, DC announced Green Lantern/Green Arrow: World's Finest Special #1, a new one-shot that will be released wherever comics are sold on Wednesday, December 18th. Written by Jeremy Adams with art by Lucas Meyer and Travis Mercer, the one-shot will reunite Hal and Oliver Queen / Green Arrow in a new adventure, continuing the legacy of Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams' beloved "Hard Travelin' Heroes" run of the 1970s.

What Is Green Lantern/Green Arrow: World's Finest Special #1 About?

Written by JEREMY ADAMS

Art by LUCAS MEYER and TRAVIS MERCER

Cover by DAN MORA

Variant covers by HOWARD PORTER and V. KEN MARION 1:25 variant cover by CRYSTAL KUNG

$5.99 US | 48 pages | Variant $6.99 US (card stock)

ON SALE 12/18/24

Everyone's favorite hard-travelin' heroes are back and brought to you through the iconic lens of World's Finest! In the not-too-distant past, Oliver Queen and Hal Jordan find themselves at a crossroads...and only teaming up together once more will save them from the scope of the mysterious bounty hunter known in whispered tones throughout the underworld as Deathstroke the Terminator. Plus, writer Jeremy Adams returns to the world of the Flash to weave a twisted tale of Barry Allen on the road to cri-sis--it's a World's Finest adventure you cannot miss in this special, oversize one-shot spectacular!

What Is Lanterns About?

Lanterns follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland. The roles of John has yet to be cast at this time.

"We are elated to be reuniting with both Chris Mundy and Damon Lindelof as they partner with Tom for this fresh take on DC's 'Green Lantern,'" Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO and Max Content, said in a statement. "As part of James and Peter's vision for the DC Universe, this first new live action series will mark an exciting new era."

As mentioned above, Green Lantern/Green Arrow: World's Finest Special #1 will be released wherever comics are sold on Wednesday, December 18th

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be having a major crossover with Naruto later this Fall, and the artist behind the series has dropped a new sneak peek at the highly anticipated team up with some special new art. Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto is now officially celebrating the 25th anniversary of the manga's original debut in Shuieisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, and that means we're likely to see all kinds of fun new projects celebrating how far Naruto has come in that time. This has led to the announcement of not only a new live-action movie in the works, but a fun new crossover event too.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto is a fun team up between IDW Publishing, Shueisha and Viz Media launching later this November that will see the Hidden Leaf Village colliding with New York, and it's going to spark a whole new conflict between all of these famous ninjas. The artist behind the second issue of the new crossover, Jorge Jimenez, took to social media to share a new sneak peek at the crossover that highlights both Donatello and Naruto's Kyubi form to great results. Check it out below:

What Is TMNT x Naruto About?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto teases that it will kick off when April O' Neil has a meeting with the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade. This secret meeting not only catches the attention of the Hidden Leaf Village (which seems to already exist within the Turtles' version of New York), but of the Turtles' own ninja foes, the Foot Clan. So naturally it's not long before the two have to join forces to take on an even bigger threat. Speaking with ComicBook earlier this Summer about the highly anticipated crossover, series writer Caleb Goellner opened up about bringing the two franchises together.

In incorporating Naruto into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' world, Goellner revealed that the Hidden Leaf Village was fully brought into the universe, "Team 7 will actually be headed to a new version of the TMNT's turf! We metaphorically (and I guess literally) added a TMNT section to the world of Naruto for this story so we could make it feel as lived-in and authentic as possible. Series artist Hendry Prasetya has done a ton of truly stunning design work to make this possible, of course. He's got powerful design jutsu."

When Does TMNT x Naruto Come Out?

In bringing these universes together, Goellner also explained why they felt this crossover is already seemingly perfect, "The magic of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto is pretty self-evident, but the main reason it works in my opinion is that the TMNT as a concept already has so much innate shonen energy. I mean, I've always loved the two Japanese TMNT anime OVAs and the resulting toys. I could easily imagine a TMNT series created specifically for Shonen Jump." And by the looks of this newest cover art, the two are already a perfect team before the first issue hits just as the writer says.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto is currently scheduled to hit comic shop shelves beginning on November 20th, and will be running for four issues to tell its story written by Caleb Goellner with illustrations provided by both Jorge Jimenez and Hendry Prasetya. Each of the issues will also likely have multiple variants, so fans of both franchises will want to keep an eye out for all of the cool crossover art that will be coming our way with this new limited series launching later this Fall,.

"There are good guys, and you're bad guys," Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Valentina Allegra de Fontaine remarks in the new Thunderbolts* trailer. "But there are worse guys." Before Marvel Studios assembles the anti-Avengers -- a motley crew of anti-heroes and reformed villains that includes Black Widow Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), and Bob Reynolds/Sentry (Lewis Pullman) -- Marvel Comics is assembling the comics that inspired the movie*.

* New trade paperbacks set to release in 2025 include Thunderbolts: The Saga of Yelena Belova, which compiles the earliest appearances of the Red Room's top assassin-spy in the Marvel Universe, and Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers, collecting the complete 12-issue run of the Bucky Barnes-fronted Thunderbolts Vol. 3 by Jim Zub and Jon Malin.

Out March 4th, 2025, Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers sees the non-lethal Thunderbolts squad led by Winter Soldier --Atlas, Moonstone, Mach-X, Fixer, Kobik, and Songbird -- battle S.H.I.E.L.D., the Squadron Supreme, and the original Thunderbolts: Baron Zemo and the Masters of Evil, a group of supervillains who posed as superheroes in the absence of the Avengers.

Thunderbolts: The Saga of Yelena Belova, on sale March 11th, includes Natasha Romanoff/Natalia Romanova's first self-titled solo series, 1999's Marvel Knights: Black Widow limited series by Devin Grayson and J.G. Jones, which pit Black Widow against Black Widow when Natasha met Yelena for the first time during a mission to Rhapastan. Also included in the 376-page trade paperback is 2001's Black Widow Vol. 2, co-starring both Black Widows, the 2020 one-shot comic Widowmakers: Red Guardian and Yelena Belova, the four-issue limited series Winter Guard (featuring White Widow, Red Guardian, and Russia's premiere super-team), and the four-issue "I Am the Black Widow" arc from Kelly Thompson and Elena Casagrande's 2020 Black Widow run.

Also slated for release in May is the Marvel Epic Collection Thunderbolts: Targeted for Death, which follows Hawkeye's Thunderbolts during writer Kurt Busiek and artist Mark Bagley's run on the '90s first volume.

Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers

The Winter Soldier leads a new team of Thunderbolts!

Out of the ashes of AVENGERS: STANDOFF, Bucky Barnes recruits a squad of renegades -- but are they heroes or villains? Do even they know for sure?! They're on a rampage across the Marvel Universe, hunting down and destroying bizarre, mind-bending threats -- all the while harboring one of their own! And among their number is the serial manipulator Moonstone! What could go wrong? How about a gut-wrenching battle for leadership, an alien threat and super-team showdowns with the All-New Inhumans and the Squadron Supreme?! As CIVIL WAR II rages, the Winter Soldier takes on Spider-Man! But Steve Rogers wants to know where Bucky's loyalties lie. Plus: The Thunderbolts used to be the Masters of Evil -- and if Baron Zemo has his way, their villainous legacy will be reclaimed with the infinite power of a Cosmic Cube!

COLLECTING: Thunderbolts (2016) 1-12

Thunderbolts: The Saga of Yelena Belova

Yelena Belova's journey from adversary to ally of the Black Widow!

Natasha Romanoff's time as the Black Widow may be running out -- because Yelena Belova is gunning for the mantle! Yelena is the first student in Red Room history to exceed Natasha's skills -- and now she's determined to eliminate her predecessor and claim the title for her own! It's a war of the Widows that will rage from the Middle East's deserts to New York's Upper West Side! But Yelena's path will soon place her square in the crosshairs of her home country, alongside Alexei Shostakov, the Red Guardian! Together, they face a race across Russia...pursued by the Winter Guard! And Yelena finds her destiny as the White Widow, helping Natasha protect San Francisco from a terrible threat!

COLLECTING: Black Widow (1999) 1-3, Black Widow (2001) 1-3, Widowmakers: Red Guardian and Yelena Belova (2020) 1, Winter Guard (2021) 1-4, Black Widow (2020) 7-10

Thunderbolts Epic Collection: Targeted for Death

Marvel's villains turned heroes, the Thunderbolts, continue their quest for redemption!

For the good of his team, MACH-1 gave up his liberty to atone for his sins. Now he's in prison, surrounded by the super villains who used to be his peers -- and who now want him dead! Meanwhile, the Thunderbolts have a new leader in Hawkeye, a new headquarters, a new ship and a new mission: to prove themselves heroes by taking down the biggest villains at large! But with Graviton next on their list, will Archangel join the team? Citizen V returns, the T-Bolts have a rematch with the Hulk, Scourge targets Baron Zemo, and you won't believe the identity of the new Beetle! Clint Barton leads the T-Bolts into hell and back for a fallen Avenger -- but when he locks lips with Moonstone, there's only one word for it: uh-oh! Plus: Enter, Sandman!

COLLECTING: Thunderbolts (1997) 26-41, Thunderbolts Annual 2000, Avengers Annual 2000

Marvel's Thunderbolts* hits theaters on May 2nd, 2025.

Deadpool and Wolverine are taking their lovefest from the big screen to the comics page with a new series featuring the two X-Men characters. Audiences have wrapped their arms around Deadpool & Wolverine to the astounding sound of box office records being broken. Marvel Comics has provided stories for Deadpool & Wolverine audiences to seek out, such as the Deadpool/Wolverine: WWII miniseries and the Weapon X-Traction backup story, but an upcoming ongoing series will pair the Merc With a Mouth and Logan together as they battle a returning X-Men villain and uncover mysteries involving their shared history.

Marvel's ongoing Deadpool/Wolverine series comes from writer Benjamin Percy and artist Joshua Cassara. Deadpool/Wolverine is a reunion between Percy and Cassara, who were the creative team that launched X-Force during the X-Men's Krakoa era. X-Force featured Wolverine in a main role, with Deadpool also making appearances during its run. As Cassara's cover for Deadpool/Wolverine #1 illustrates, fans can expect the same bloody and violent action that moviegoers witnessed in their MCU film.

"Josh and I really hit it off when we were working together on X-Force and became great friends," Percy told IGN. "When he made the jump to X-Men, it was honestly a little traumatic for us both--but if you get the opportunity to draw a flagship title, you have to go for it. And he drew the living shit out of that series. We never stopped texting or hanging out at cons. We're always trading stupid jokes (and many hundreds of Arnold Schwarzenegger GIFs). I even helped his wife locate one of the elusive 12-foot Home Depot skeletons recently, so we'll both be celebrating Halloween like bosses. This is all to say: we were both so damn excited to get the band back together. Deadpool/Wolverine is us cartwheeling onto the stage and shredding our guitars once more while smoke machines churn and pyrotechnics explode all around us."

Along with writing X-Force, Percy also penned Wolverine's solo series and was a writer on the Wolverine: The Long Night podcast, so he has extensive knowledge and experience penning Logan's extreme adventures.

"Well, in some ways it simply feels like business as usual," Percy said. "Since 2017--with the Wolverine: The Long Night podcast--I've never stopped writing Logan for Marvel, and this is simply the next chapter in his journey. But of course things have changed for the mutants, and we're leaning in to this new normal in the series."

How Deadpool/Wolverine comic is different from MCU movie

Percy also revealed how Deadpool/Wolverine was in development long before Deadpool & Wolverine found its way into theaters, and while fans of the movie will find much to enjoy, the comic is its own separate beast.

"The film was both a hit and a hoot, but we started working on this series long before we ever saw Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds tear each other apart in a Honda Odyssey," Percy said. "So I can't say it was an influence, but I can say the dynamic between the characters will feel familiar to theatergoers: fun, thrilling, and both adversarial and bro-mancey (not to mention violent as hell)."

Finally, Percy ended with a tease of the X-Men villain that will be the antagonist in Deadpool/Wolverine. "That's a big crazy reveal at the end of Issue 1, so I'm not sure I should say just now," he teased. "But both the future and the past are coming together in the present in a cataclysmic way, and it's up to our favorite superhero odd couple to save the day (and maybe the world)."

Captain America: Brave New World is coming up next year and Marvel Comics might have just hinted at a surprising MCU return with their new title. This week, fans got to see Sam Wilson: Captain America, a limited series featuring the talents of Greg Pak, Evan Narcisse and Eder Messias. Interestingly enough, our hero is tangling with Red Hulk, just like in the upcoming movie. But, there's another sneaky addition that MCU fans might want to keep an eye on. Taurin Clarke's dynamite cover for Sam Wilson: Captain America also features Eli Bradley's Patriot as part of the story. Isaiah Bradley has been confirmed to appear in the upcoming Marvel movie, but there's been no word of his grandson making a return appearance in the franchise. Could this be the first hint at Eli's role in the film?

Back in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, audiences were introduced to Isaiah Bradley, the first Captain America. Also included was his grandson Eli, played by Elijah Richardson. The American government experimented on Bradley and used his blood to try and replicate the Super Soldier serum that gave Steve Rogers his powers. It's clear that Isaiah still has the raw physical power afforded to him by those experiments, as he's jumping through windows in the Captain America: Brave New World trailer. But, it was never specified if his grandson inherited some of those powers. Could he be another burgeoning superhero in waiting for the MCU?

In Marvel Comics continuity, there's a long-running story featuring Eli as the hero Patriot fighting alongside the Young Avengers. As the team's Captain America surrogate, he helps them navigate the early days of their team-up after being trained by Steve Rogers. Of course, the MCU would probably like to streamline his origin as it gets pretty complicated with Patriots powers originating from a superhuman drug and then later replacing those sketchy abilities through a blood transfusion from Isaiah Bradley later on. With so many other young heroes rumbling about the MCU at the moment, it wouldn't be too strange to see Eli join-up with the rest of the Young Avengers that Kamala Khan is recruiting right now. We'll have to wait and see.

Young Avengers Slowly Assembling During All Of These Movies

From the early moments of Phase 4, Marvel fans have been expecting the Young Avengers to form. WandaVision featured Scarlet Witch's kids Billy and Tommy. From there, more young heroes just kept cropping up. Things came to a head in The Marvels when Kamala Khan got a hold of a SWORD information tablet. With access to their database, she could look up any young superhero on-file and find them. She approached Hawkeye Kate Bishop in the movie's post-credits scene. Iman Vellani joined ComicBook's Phase Zero podcast to talk about Ms. Marvel. She is looking forward to the Young Avengers assembling like the rest of us.

"I just want to see them interact. I think they've left so many of the younger character stories open-ended, and to see fans start shipping people together, it would be something like, I want to see Kamala interact with America," Vellani shared. "I want to see Kamala interact with Patriot, I don't know. Just all these random people. And so yeah, I think there's so many different avenues you could take with this."

At the time, it was a little bit curious to see the Ms. Marvel actress mention Patriot as he hasn't been discussed too much by Marvel Studios since The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. To be fair to Vellani, she was probably just listing the Young Avengers lineup that fans know from the comics. But, with Cassie Lang, America Chavez, Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel and more already teased for whatever Marvel Studios has cooking, there is room for another couple members of the team. (A lot of MCU fans believe we're about to get another foundational member really soon in Agatha All Along...) At any case, with Marvel doing more cross-comics synergy than ever before, maybe this new Captain America book is a subtle hint.

Do you think Stan is right about Marvel? Check out all the pop culture discussion at @ComicBook!

The co-creator of The Boys comic book series is one of the individuals behind a new horror imprint. Writer Garth Ennis co-created The Boys alongside artist Darick Robertson, with the mature series becoming one of the breakout hits at Dynamite and inspiring the live-action series at Prime Video. Ennis has remained a prolific creator in the comic book world, and his next challenge will come as a co-founder of Ninth Circle, a horror imprint published at Image Comics. Ennis' first title under Ninth Circle is Freddie The Fix alongside artist Mike Perkins, with a release date set for December 11th.

Deadline reports the other founders of Ninth Circle includes The Equalizer showrunner Adam Glass, Marguerite Bennett (DC's Bombshells), Joe Pruett (Negative Burn) and Ram V (The Many Deaths of Laila Starr). ABGO's Michael Bogner and TFC Management's David Stone are also named as part of the Ninth Circle leadership team. It sounds like select titles under the Ninth Circle banner could be adapted into other media, as Kimberly Steward (Manchester By The Sea, Suspiria) of K Period Media is listed as a lead investor. This has become common after the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with companies looking to scoop up creator-owned properties in the hopes of finding the next big thing.

According to the founders, Ninth Circle titles "will explore all of the dark avenues of the horror genre, including the paranormal and demonic, slashers, creatures, psychological, and even a dash of comedy, all coming straight to readers from the deepest depths of Hell."

What is Freddie The Fix about?

Freddie The Fix is billed as a darkly humorous and horrific series that follows Freddie, a fixer who cleans up the messes left behind by the monstrous stars of Hollywood: werewolves, vampires, zombies, aliens, bogeymen, predators, and...things.

"I've always been a big horror fan," said Ennis. "With Freddie the Fix, I hope to shock, thrill, and entertain our fans (and maybe give them a laugh or two along the way)."

Ninth Circle books are billed as standalone tales of terror, releasing double-sized issues each month. Joining the roster next to Freddie The Fix are titles from writer Marguerite Bennett and artist Jill Thompson (Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, the Scary Godmother series, Wonder Woman), writer Joe Pruett and artist Butch Guice (The Flash, Winter Soldier, Birds of Prey), and Glass with art by Bernard Chang (X-Men, Deadpool, Superman). More creators will be announced at a later date.

"Ninth Circle is all about embracing the horror genre in all its forms," Glass said. "With Garth's unparalleled ability to craft unforgettable worlds; Ram, Marguerite and Joe's daring eye for pushing the boundaries of the medium; and my own experience in storytelling across multiple mediums, we can't wait to share these stories with fans."

The Bad Batch's Disney+ series may be over, but their adventures are continuing in comic book form. Star Wars: The Bad Batch ran for three seasons, with the final season concluding earlier this year on Disney+. The streaming series followed Clone Force 99, a group of clone troopers first introduced in the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. What made the Bad Batch unique is they all had genetic mutations that kept them from falling under the control of the Emperor's Order 66 and turning on their Jedi allies. Now, fans can revisit the Clone Wars and a dangerous mission the Bad Batch were a part of.

StarWarsNewsNet.com announced Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories - The Bad Batch: Ghost Agents, a five-issue miniseries by writer Michael Moreci (Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories, Burning Fields) and artist Reese Hannigan (Black Spot, Terminus), with Elisabetta D'Amico (Black Widow, Cloak and Dagger), Michael Atiyeh (Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora) and lettering by Comicraft (Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories--Qui-Gon, Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures).

Hyperspace Stories are a set of anthologies released by Dark Horse that cover different eras in the Star Wars timeline. Dark Horse acquired the license for Star Wars comics in 2022, taking over the all-ages line from IDW. Marvel still publishes Star Wars titles and is getting ready for a relaunch that moves its storytelling to the period after Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

The art below is not the final cover art, but it does give a sense of what fans can expect when the series debuts early next year. Valeria "Lux" Favoccia (Stranger Things, By A Thread) is doing covers, with variant cover art by French Carlomagno (The Dead Lucky, Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories Volume 1).

What is Dark Horse's Star Wars: The Bad Batch comic about?

The Clones of the Bad Batch have been through some intense missions throughout the Clone Wars and it's said they have a 100% success rate. But this time, they may have met their match. In Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch: Ghost Agents, they are on a mission to hunt down the mysterious Separatist ghost agent who executed a daring heist on Coruscant! The thief's trail leads Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair, and Tech to the seediest corners of the galaxy, a place where kingpins and thugs threaten the clones' mission--and their lives!

"I think everyone who knows my Star Wars work knows I love the Clone Wars... And the Bad Batch is probably my favorite part of that," Moreci said in a statement. "They're just so cool and unique; they're like 1980s action heroes dropped into the Star Wars universe, and I love that. I'm after that look and feel-it's going to be a lot of fun, and I'm just thrilled to bring more Bad Batch stories to life!"

Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch: Ghost Agents #1 goes on sale January 15, 2025. Let us know your thoughts on the series on social media @ComicBook!

McFarlane Toys has another wave of DC Multiverse figures set to drop on September 20th, and once again it's all about Batman. That's understandable this time around as Batman Day 2024 takes place on September 21st. That said, we expect this collection to be popular if not a little polarizing. It includes a Batman Beyond from the 2023 limited series Batman Beyond: Neo Gothic with a strange face sculpt, Batman from the 2011 Batman: No?l graphic novel that was inspired by Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, a Silver Age Batman with Ace the Bat-Hound, and a Gold Label exclusive Batman with Bat-Glider that's based on on The Thirteenth Hour issue of The Court of Owls series from Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo.

Pre-orders for all of these figures are expect to drop on September 20th on or around 9am PT / 12pm ET. You'll find them via the pre-order links below. Note that direct links to the individual figures will be added after the launch, and Entertainment Earth has a flat $7.95 shipping fee that becomes free after $99 (includes mint condition guarantee). The Gold Label Bat-Glider figure will be an Amazon exclusive. UPDATE: Direct links added.

• DC Multiverse Batman - Batman Beyond Neo Gothic Figure ($22.99) - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon
• DC Multiverse Batman - Batman: Noel Figure ($22.99) - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon
• DC Multiverse Batman - Batman and Ace the Bat-Hound Silver Age Figure Set ($22.99) - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon
• DC Multiverse Batman - Batman with Bat-Glider Gold Label Figure - Amazon Exclusive
• Hot Toys also launched a Batman Returns 1/6th scale figure today. You can order it here in standard and deluxe versions.
• You can check out more recent McFarlane Toys releases right here.

As noted, Batman Day 2024 takes place on September 21st, and the event will be extra special this year as it coincides with the 85th anniversary of the character's first appearance in Detective Comics #27 (1939). Naturally, Batman Day will include loads of promotions and events for fans, and one of those promotions is happening right now at LEGO. Below you'll find a list of LEGO Batman promotions that will run through September 23rd.

• Free Batman 1992 Polybag with LEGO DC Batman purchases of $40 or more. See eligible sets at LEGO
• Double and Triple LEGO Insiders Points on select LEGO DC Batman sets. See eligible sets at LEGO
• LEGO BrickHeadz Limited Edition Batman 85th Anniversary set is available for 3000 LEGO Insiders Points - See at LEGO
• You can sign up for a free LEGO Insiders account right here.

cThe main characters in Captain America: Brave New World are going to headline a new Marvel series before the film hits theaters next year. Promotion and marketing for the fourth Captain America movie has centered on Sam Wilson, who is taking over the mantle of Cap from Steve Rogers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, aka Red Hulk. With Captain America: Brave New World on the horizon, you just knew that Marvel would release a comic that at least had Sam Wilson's Cap in it. This appears to be the case, and Red Hulk and other characters from the film will also make appearances.

Marvel announced Sam Wilson: Captain America, a new limited series by co-writers Greg Pak (Star Wars: Darth Vader) and Evan Narcisse (Wakanda), and drawn by artist Eder Messias (Phases of the Moon Knight). Similar to Captain America: Brave New World, the limited series will see Sam Wilson and Red Hulk on opposite sides of this super spy thriller. When Captain America uncovers a nefarious plot parading itself as a new tech venture, he'll be shocked to find that Red Hulk is running the company's security. The cover by Taurin Clarke reveals other heroes will also take part in the story, including Isaiah Bradley, Patriot (Eli Bradley), War Machine, and Storm.

Sam Wilson: Captain America creators share excitement for Marvel series

"Working with Evan on this book has been an absolute dream. We've spent hours sharing big ideas, finishing each other's thoughts, and cackling out loud over the story we're cooking up. Seeing the pages roll in from Eder has been absolutely mind-blowing," Pak shared.

"It's going to be a fun, fast, high-octane adventure that also explores what it means to feel locked out of the American Dream. I feel pretty confident in saying Sam's never flown through skies like these before," Narcisse said.

Narcisse also gave his thoughts on the character of Sam Wilson: "One of the great things about Sam Wilson is that he straddles the line between everyman and super hero in classic Marvel fashion. The core of "Better Angels" will explore how he navigates that tension and how he and others have expanded the symbolism of the Captain America legacy in a very different way."

"We're pulling out all the stops to tell a story that matters, that goes deep into what it means for a Black social worker from Harlem to pick up the shield - and put on those wings! - while delivering massive action and thrills in the grand tradition of Marvel super spy science fiction," Pak explained. "I particularly love how grounded the book is with characters like Sam's fast-talking cousin Billie, my new favorite character ever, while taking to the sky in ways you've never seen! And yes, that's a big tease! Don't you dare miss it!"

What is Sam Wilson: Captain America about?

When Captain America attends a birthday party for Isaiah Bradley, he catches wind of a new tech venture that sounds too good to be true: magnificent floating platforms in the sky, where the disenfranchised can apply for land grants and establish their own farms. But after Sam discovers the organization's dark underbelly, he'll have to tangle with its head of security: Red Hulk!

Sam Wilson: Captain America #1 goes on sale in January 2025.

Who is in Captain America: Brave New World?

Captain America: Brave New World stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Captain America, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross / Red Hulk, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito have been cast in unknown roles, with Esposito recently being added to the film in reshoots. Esposito announced at San Diego Comic-Con that he is playing the Serpent Society villain Sidewinder. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America: Brave New World arrives in theaters on February 14, 2025.

Halloween is nearly upon and DSTLRY's Come Find Me: An Autumnal Offering is a one-shot full of ghostly stories that will entertain and delight in disturbing ways. The roster of creators involved in the anthology is almost intimidating, thus making it little surprise that the issue, cover to cover, is among the most consistently excellent anthology comics I've ever opened. Each story, while distinct, has the air of folk horror about it, less slasher or monster movie and more the type of tale you might hear around a campfire or whispered among neighbors. The result proves mesmerizing and lingers in all the right ways.

HamletMachine and Joe Pavelka kick the anthology off with a lusciously rendered tale involving an obsessive musician and demon who deals in music. The musician seeks to play the suffering of a living being and moody artwork, with sharply contrasted blacks, whites, and greys, is like a poetic how one might indulge too deeply in one's pain and spread it to others, full of dramatic flair.

Becky Cloonan's tale, rendered in her signature shadowy, thick-lined style, begins a warning to both the reader and its protagonist to "Stop here." The story is a haunting tragedy of a single mistake -- or perhaps not -- that haunts the main character long after, ending in a chilling final moment.

The third story, by Molly Mendoza, shows a remarkable commitment to its theme. The tale of a man who can't get over the loss of his drowned lover is practically waterlogged, rendered in sharp blues, and with layouts affecting the notion of descent and ascent from the depths, all leading to a nightmarish ending.

Vanesa R. Del Rey and Andrew Betsch present a story that casts the struggle of a union man's family and the bosses of a company town in terms of a biblical apocalypse. The starchy linework and bleak colors convey a sense of desolation, and though justice may be served, the harrowing price reminds the reader that all things have their cost.

Celine Loup's story of alpine horror is a bit more challenging to follow than the other tales in the anthology. However, freehand linework and flat colors offer an immersive aesthetic and stunning compositions. While the story beats are muddied in spots, the visuals convey the themes of corrupted innocence and lurking dread well enough to be incredibly affecting.

Lastly, horror comics master E.M. Carroll offers an economically told tale of love after death turned sour. Over a few pages of grotesquely detailed designs, Carroll gives readers a fully formed story of gothic love and tragedy as devotion is taken to its twisted, fatalistic end.

Come Find Me: An Autumnal Offering is a prestigious offering of seasonal comics. Of the six stories, there's not a weak one in the bunch but the anthology stands out for how well the varied stories work together, each benefiting from the darkening mood further established by the harrowing ending of the one before it to create a compilation builds on itself into something greater the sum of its parts.

The distinctly resplendent visual styles and quality of storytelling on hand in Come Find Me: An Autumnal Offering is an embarrassment of comic book riches. Coming out on the eve of Halloween, any reader immersing themselves in Come Find Me: An Autumnal Offering will find the mood more than sufficiently set for an enthusiastic haunting and the working of witchcraft. More impressively, the stories within Come Fine Me are impeccably crafted enough to make rereading a rewarding new Fall tradition.

Published by DSTLRY

On October 30, 2024

Written by various

Art by various

Colors by various

Letters by various

Cover by Beck Cloonan

DC's new All In initiative is headed across time and space. On Thursday, DC announced Challengers of the Unknown, a new five-issue limited series written by Christopher Cantwell (Iron Man, Plastic Man No More), with art by Sean Izaakse (Green Arrow, Thunderbolts). The first issue of Challengers of the Unknown will feature a main cover by Mike Deodato Jr., with variant covers by series artist Izaakse and Romulo Fajardo Jr., Taurin Clarke, and Danny Earls, plus a foil variant cover by Gleb Melnikov and a character-design variant cover by Dan Mora.

In Challengers of the Unknown, Ace Morgan, June Robbins, Prof Haley, Red Ryan, and Rocky Davis, adventurers "living on borrowed time," run day-to-day operations for the Justice League's Watchtower base in orbit above Earth, collaborating with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the rest of the League to seal the rifts that threaten the galaxy. But a mysterious foe from the Challengers' past lurks in the shadows, and its connection to the Darkseid wave will put not only the Challengers, but all of the DC Universe on borrowed time.

Who Are DC's Challengers of the Unknown?

Created by Jack Kirby (as well as possibly Dave Wood or Joe Simon) in 1957's Showcase #6, The team of adventurers consisted of Kyle "Ace" Morgan, Matthew "Red" Ryan, Leslie "Rocky" Davis, Walter Mark "Prof" Haley, and later June Robbins, all of whom are inspired to go on larger-than-life adventures after a near-death plane crash makes them realize they are living on "borrowed time." The group faced many unconventional threats over the years, all while dealing with the allure of celebrity.

The Challengers of the Unknown were subsequently revived over the years, both in their own title and in DC anthology books, with the most recent incarnation of the team being relaunched as New Challengers in May of 2018. The team also became the subject of a joke in 2018's Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, even appearing in the film's post-credits scene.

What Is DC All In?

As announced earlier this summer, the new initiative will offer both an exciting, reimagined "Absolute" universe of DC's characters, as well as an ongoing line of core titles, featuring bold new directions and jumping-on points for many characters and teams. The Absolute titles will initially encompass Absolute Batman from Snyder and Nick Dragotta, Absolute Superman from Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval, and Absolute Wonder Woman from Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman.

"The creation of the Absolute Universe is how I always imagined coming back to DC, and DC All In will be a great jumping-on point for new readers as well as lapsed fans to discover new stories to love and the chance to explore the new directions in store for DC's core series lineup," Snyder said in a statement when the line was first announced.

Challengers of the Unknown #1 will be available wherever comics are sold on Wednesday, December 18th.

Something wicked this way comes on Agatha All Along. Wednesday's two-episode premiere -- titled "Seekest Thou the Road" and "Circle Sewn with Fate Unlock Thy Hidden Gate" -- saw the return of the centuries-old witch Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), who we last saw under a Scarlet Witch-imposed spell in 2021's WandaVision series finale. Now powerless and coven-less, Agatha is accompanied by a mysterious teen (Joe Locke) and a motley crew of local witches as they journey down The Witches' Road to regain their powers.

Agatha's coven includes the apothecary witch Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata), protector witch Alice Wu-Gulliver (Ali Ahn), the divination witch Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone), and the Green Witch Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza), with Agatha's bewitched Westview neighbor Mrs. Hart (Debra Jo Rupp) bringing their number to seven. As the incantation goes: "The path is wild and wicked, winding through the wood. Where all that's wrong is right, and all that's bad is good. Through many miles of tricks and trials, we'll wander high and low. Follow me, my friends, to glory at the end."

Enter: Salem's Seven!

Those trials include the seven hooded figures after Agatha: Salem's Seven. Press materials identify actress Okwui Okpokwasili (The Exorcist: Believer) as their leader, Vertigo, who in the comics is the half-sibling of the magically-mutated Brutacus, Gazelle, Hydron, Reptilla, Thornn, and Vakume. The Seven are the seven children of Agatha's son, the sorcerer Nicholas Scratch, and are residents of New Salem, Colorado, a secret community of witches that Agatha founded in the 17th century.

Centuries later, after Agatha took residence in Whisper Hill in upstate New York as the nanny of the young mutant Franklin Richards, Scratch abducted his mother and put her on trial for allegedly revealing New Salem's existence to the mortal world. Scratch sentenced Agatha to death, but Franklin's kidnapping brought the Fantastic Four to New Salem, where they fought the Seven to a standstill and rescued "auntie" Agatha. The hooded witches and wizards of New Salem then banished Scratch to the Dark Realm.

Let us join our powers together -- and together we shall destroy the witch named Agatha Harkness!

Years later, when the Four returned with Agatha to New Salem in 1979's Fantastic Four Annual #14, Salem's Seven put the New Salemites in a trance and attempted to sacrifice the Four and restore their master's spirit to their realm. With Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and the Thing incapacitated by Scratch's mind control spell, Agatha freed the Four, withdrew the Seven's powers, and sent them back to New Salem.

Salem's Seven returned once more in 1985's The Vision and the Scarlet Witch #3 -- one of the comics that influenced WandaVision -- and by this time Vertigo had become priestess of the Salem's Seven coven, as willed by all 666 New Salemites. The Seven burned Agatha at the stake, and the witch cursed all of New Salem as she died. When Wanda Maximoff and the Vision came across the village of New Salem, Vertigo invited the Scarlet Witch to join the coven of Salem's Seven.

Vertigo, as Agatha's eldest granddaughter and queen of the New Salem witches, led the Seven in their attempt to sacrifice the Scarlet Witch to a winter god. Agatha appeared as a spirit and helped her prot?g? channel and contain Magick energies that killed the Seven, who then pulled Wanda into the dead realm of the demon Samhain, the embodiment of All Hallows, on Halloween night.

The slain Seven revealed that Wanda's unborn child was the key to returning to life, so the ghostly Agatha transferred Samhain's dark forces into the undead Seven, keeping him forever fragmented in their corpses. Agatha would then continue to mentor Wanda as her spirit guide, eventually joining her on her own trek down the Witches Road -- a journey that ended with Wanda's mother, the Scarlet Witch before her, saving the goddess Witchcraft and restoring Agatha to life.

New episodes of Marvel's Agatha All Along premiere Wednesdays on Disney+.

While one Marvel hero has joined the roster of Avengers, Earth's Mightiest Heroes say goodbye to a member who was there when the team was founded. The Avengers are rebounding after the Blood Hunt event changed the landscape of the Marvel Universe. Doctor Doom is now the Sorcerer Supreme, vampires are no longer effected by sunlight, and Miles Morales is now a permanent creature of the night. With everything in disarray, the Avengers have looked to fill out their roster with a new recruit, who is no stranger to being among Earth's Mightiest Heroes. But what we didn't know was that the addition of a hero would come with someone else stepping away from the team.

*WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Avengers #18. Continue reading at your own risk!

Avengers #18 comes from the creative team of Jed MacKay, Valerio Schiti, Bryan Valenza, and VC's Cory Petit. The Avengers are trying to come up with a plan to stop Hyperion, who is rocketing towards Earth with the intention of splitting it in half. Hyperion is reeling from having his world wiped from existence in the Heroes Reborn event series, and wants to take his frustrations out on our world. Captain America (Sam Wilson) had just asked Storm of the X-Men to join their team when they got alerted to Hyperion's actions.

Luckily, the Avengers are able to stop Hyperion and come up with a solution that saves not only his life, but the lives of everyone on Earth. Afterwards, Thor and Storm catch up inside the Impossible City, the new floating headquarters of the Avengers. Thor asks Storm if she has given more thought into her invitation to the team, and when she asks Thor for his thoughts on the matter, we learn the God of Thunder has an ulterior motive for wanting Storm to become an Avenger.

Why Storm replaces Thor on The Avengers

Thor wants Storm to join the Avengers because he plans on taking a leave of absence. Recent events in Immortal Thor have led the Thunder God to be falsely accused of murder, and it's starting to weigh heavily on him. Thor doesn't want the bad publicity that he's receiving to rub off on the Avengers, and he doesn't want his distractions to put his teammates in danger.

So in essence, the Avengers are replacing one God of Thunder with another. Storm is an omega-level mutant that can control the weather, putting her on par with Thor as far as power levels go. The Avengers won't be the same without Thor, but at least they can now count an X-Man amongst their ranks. The X-Men's battle with Orchis saw the Avengers entery the fray, and their alliance continues here. They will need all the help they can get, because the next issue of Avengers features a showdown with Doctor Doom.

Lottie Person fans, we are so back. Or, rather, we will be this December. On Wednesday, Image Comics announced that the fan-favorite Snotgirl series from Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O'Malley and artist Leslie Hung is officially returning with Snotgirl #16 is set to hit shelves on December 4th. According to the announcement. the issue will kick off a new story arc for the ongoing series and will see fashion influencer Lottie Person in an official relationship with the girl of her dreams, Caroline but that only leaves one question -- what kind of trouble will they get into next?

"This comic has been cave-aged for four years until the crystalline structures are perfect," O'Malley said. "It will have an incredible mouthfeel."

Hung added, "Finally, some good food."

You can check out preview art released by Image Comics below.

The official announcement of Snotgirl #16 comes just over a month after O'Malley and Hung took to social media to not only celebrate "Snottie's" birthday, but to tease the beloved comic's return as well. Last month, O'Malley had posted an image only bearing "No. 16" teasing a sixteenth issue of the series and writing at that time that they'd submitted paperwork for the next issue. Of course, at the time fans were cautiously optimistic as that wasn't the first time that a return for Snotgirl had been teased. In 2022, Hung shared an update that, at the time, indicated a return in October 2023, but that date came and went with no new issues. Prior to the upcoming December issue, the last new issue of Snotgirl was released in March 2020 -- and that issue was one fans had to wait several months for as well.

Snotgirl originally debuted in 2016 with the comic telling the story of Lottie Person, aka Snotgirl. Lottie is a social media star and influencer who gets her unfortunate nickname due to her equally unfortunate severe allergies. Lottie does a great job of seeming like she has everything together online, but her personal life is a hot mess: she's not over her ex, she dislikes her friends, and most of the people in her life are self-absorbed and did we mention those allergies? Then, one day, she meets the beautiful Caroline in a coffee shop. Caroline is an influencer as well who has it all together but trouble just seems to follow her wherever she goes.

Snotgirl is currently available in three trade paperbacks, Snotgirl Vol.1, Snotgirl Vol. 2, and Snotgirl Vol. 3. Snotgirl #16 is set to hit stores on December 4th.

Marvel's X-Men reboot event "From the Ashes" is now fully underway, and the latest issue (X-Men #4) throws a major curveball at fans by revealing that the first "big bad" of the new X-Men comic's arc will be one of the weirdest villains from the X-Men rogues gallery that you could get! Of course, given the larger context of X-Men #4, perhaps we shouldn't have been so shocked to see this villain is making a comeback!

WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW!

The story of X-Men #4 sees Cyclops's X-Men strike team take on a new target: Trevor Fitzroy and his team the Upstarts. The ongoing mystery of who is creating new mutants gives Fitzroy an opening for a very public campaign against the X-Men and other mutant factions, by announcing to the world that he and the Upstarts are willing to kill them off. Naturally, Cyclops and co. take that personally, and send a team to confront the Upstarts directly, before they can locate and terminate a new mutant who has popped up on the radar.

Magik leads the Beast, Juggernaut, and Temper squad to Detriot, where the Upstarts have the young new mutant cornered. The battle is fought, and the X-Men claim the victory of getting the young mutant, Jennifer Starkey, back to their Alaskan base where she can get help. Fitzroy slinks back to his hideaway, thinking that he won the PR victory of spinning the battle into an Upstarts victory on social media; however, his boss disagrees - and that boss is none other than The Sugar Man!

X-Men #4 makes it seem like Sugar Man is mad that someone else is turning humans into mutants - and wanted Fitzroy to get him a living sample to experiment on. Since his lackey failed, we can only presume Sugar Man will get it himself.

Marvel's Sugar Man Explained

Sugar Man was a villain character that Marvel first introduced in 1995 as part of the "Age of Apocalypse" crossover event. That storyline saw the reality of the Marvel 616 Universe diverge into a splinter timeline, where Charles Xavier died before ever forming the X-Men, leaving the militant mutant ruler Apocalypse unchecked in his "survival of the fittest" campaign against the world. Magneto and Rogue formed their own X-Men army, including a squad of younger mutants - led by Shadowcat and Colossus - called "Generation Next." That squad was given a veritable suicide mission by Magneto: breaking into the Seattle Core slave camp to save Colossus' sister Illyana from the Core and its demonic overseer, the Sugar Man. Colossus sacrifices nearly everyone on his squad during the mission, to save his sister; Sugar Man fakes his own death in the showdown, using his mutant ability for size/mass change to shrink down and hide inside Colossus's costume. When the Age of Apocalypse came to an end, Sugar Man was one of the characters who made it into the main Marvel 616 Universe.

Since then, Sugar Man has been one of the most vile villains the X-Men have in their orbit, helping to enslave and experiment on the mutates of Genosha; returning to his original Age of Apocalypse timeline to serve the Hier of Apocalypse, Weapon Omega (the AoA Wolverine); and conducting mad scientist experiments on mutants, including trying to create his own next generation of mutants.

Last seen, Sugar Man had seemingly been killed - but then again he popped up later in a random issue of Amazing Spider-Man in 2020. With his regenerative powers and track record for side-stepping death, it was only a matter of time before Sugar Man returned.

What's up, Dark Knight? MultiVersus -- the free-to-play platform fighting game featuring playable characters from the Warner Bros. multiverse, including Looney Tunes, Game of Thrones, Steven Universe, Rick and Morty, Beetlejuice, and the DC Universe -- has hit the pages of DC Comics. Out Sept. 18th, MultiVersus: Collision Detected #1 is the first in a new six-issue limited series from writer Bryan Q. Miller (Batgirl) and artist Jon Sommariva (Star Wars Adventures) that reveals the original story behind the game by developer Player First Games and publisher Warner Bros. Games.

"Level One: The Rabbit, The Witch, and The Star Child" begins with the DC trinity -- Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman -- trapped inside what appears to be a giant Mother Box, extra-dimensional technology belonging to the New Gods of New Genesis. This is revealed to be a dream as Superman snaps awake and burns a glyph into the wall with his heat vision: a boy with a star on his stomach.

The rune-like symbol doesn't match anything on record at Superman's Fortress of Solitude, but it turns out that his super friends shared the same dream and experienced similar visions. Wonder Woman sleep-painted these "omens": symbols for "the Rabbit," "the Witch," and "the Star Child."

After suffering a psychic vision, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are transported through time and space to just outside Jersey City, New Jersey. There they meet Avia, the daughter of New Gods Mister Miracle and Big Barda, whose home is infused with Apokolips technology. The world's greatest detective determines it's no coincidence that the trio -- who have had constant exposure to Fourth World tech over the course of their careers -- woke up at Avia's after a psychic assault by arcane cosmic symbols.

Avia mentions that her parents are away at the Source Wall, a cosmic boundary that surrounds the multiverse. The girl doesn't mention the Flatbush-accented, carrot-chomping friend she's hiding in the closet: Bugs Bunny, who brought with him a multiversal video game console crackling with cosmic energies.

The Rabbit (Batman), the Witch (Wonder Woman), and the Star Child (Superman) are Bugs Bunny, the rascally rabbit of Looney Tunes fame; The Wizard of Oz's green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West; and the titular half-Gem, half-human hybrid star of Cartoon Network's Steven Universe.

Th-th-th-that's not all, folks. MultiVersus: Collision Detected continues with issue #2 on Oct. 2nd. Upcoming issues, which are previewed below, will feature the trinity's team-up with Bugs Bunny, mystery-solving with the Scooby-Doo gang, cosmic crossovers with the characters of Adventure Time, Steven Universe, and Tom and Jerry, and battles with the Wicked Witch, the Joker and Harley Quinn, and a new villain: Devoid.

MultiVersus: Collision Detected #2 (October 2nd)

The Invasion Begins! Relocated from their home dimensions by a mysterious, sinister force, champions from across the multiverse have appeared on the Justice League's Earth. Now, it's up to Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman to figure out which champions are friends and which are foes--before chaos erupts across the entire globe!

MultiVersus: Collision Detected #3 (Oct. 16th)

Mayhem In The City Of Tomorrow! Metropolis's newest city-wide battle has everything: Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, a child with a gem on his shiny round tum-tum, a sprite-sized Dark Knight, and...the Head. (It's that thing where Brainiac's code gets overwritten by an inebriated scientist who couldn't be bothered to hang around for the entire issue!)

MultiVersus: Collision Detected #4 (Oct. 30th)

Start your engines! "The Clown Princess of Crime." "The Maiden of Mischief." "PhD." Call Harley Quinn anything you want, but don't you dare try to take away her cuddly-wuddly new best friend from another universe! Clear the crosswalks and fasten your seatbelts as Harls leads the Justice League and a skyful of multiversal champions through the streets of Gotham City on a physics-bending, law-breaking, rubber-burning race to the finish...that will leave one champion's life hanging in the balance!

MultiVersus: Collision Detected #5 (Nov. 13th)

With a countdown clock ticking down toward zero and skies filled with the villainous Devoid's digitizing drones, Steven Universe's Multiversus Force prepares for the worst beneath Wayne Manor. But with the Joker, the Wicked Witch, Harley Quinn, and Brainiac all under the same roof, it's only a matter of time before an already explosive situation outright self-destructs!

MultiVersus: Collision Detected #6 (Nov. 27th)

Devoid finally arrives on Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman's world to collect fighters for his Imaginarium--whether the DCU likes it or not. With the existence of each Multiversal champion's home Earth on the line, Multiversus: Collision Detection reaches its kill screen...now!

Ernest P. Worrell is taking on his first adventure in 25 years with Ernest & the Dream Stone, the first original graphic novel to feature the beloved character originally played by actor and comedian Jim Varney. In the comic, which hails from writer Corey Perkins and artist M. Arief Russanto, Ernest will face off against Dr. Otto -- a character originally played by Varney as well, in the movie Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam. In the story, Ernest comes across a "Dream Stone" that brings his dreams to life. Since he's such a fundamentally decent character, you would think that's a good thing -- but it also brings his nightmares to life, which means it's not safe with a guy whose imagination can run wild. That's proven when he inadvertently conjures Dr. Otto into existence.

Perkins, a college professor and lifelong Ernest fan, has put together an official comic, working directly with Josh Cherry (the Ernest IP owner) and endorsed by Justin Lloyd (Jim Varney's nephew and author of Jim's biography, The Importance of Being Ernest). That makes this the first canon Ernest story since Varney passed away in 2000.

Perkins is funding the project via Kickstarter, and in the first 30 or so hours of fundraising, has already made more than $40,000, already surpassing the project's $35,000 goal and guaranteeing that it will go forward.

"How did I end up being the guy bringing back Ernest? No effing clue," Perkins joked. "I've been a huge fan of Ernest my whole life. I grew up watching those films. My first friend when I was five years old, Eric Jones, showed me Ernest Goes to Camp, and I fell in love with the Ernest movies. I started writing graphic novels and screenplays, and then the owner of the Ernest franchise and I sat down together and we just had some talks."

"The idea for Ernest & the Dreamstone probably started in 2021, and then I ended up writing the script," Perkins added. "We worked really hard to make sure it's as authentic and Ernest-y as possible. We didn't just throw something together, because I really love these movies. It was really important for me that if anyone saw a new Ernest piece of media, they'd really feel like it was Ernest. We took time to make sure the jokes and the vocal rhythms all felt, right, so that when you read it, you can hear Ernest's voice in your head. As you read through, I worked with the illustrator to make sure the facial expressions that we draw are really like Ernest. So, we've taken a lot of time to make sure it feels authentic."

The crowdfunding falls in the spooky season, and that isn't by accident: Perkins sees the graphic novel as something of a spiritual sequel to Ernest Scared Stupid, the classic Halloween comedy in which the jean vest-wearing hero squares off against an evil troll. As in The Dreamstone, that movie centers around a threat that Ernest unwittingly sets loose.

"This story is my love letter to Ernest Scared Stupid, which has become one of my favorite movies. Not my favorite Ernest movies, my favorite movies," Perkins told ComicBook. "You'll see a lot of influence from that movie, but Ernest has some new challenges to face in this story. It's not just pure horror -- there's also a heartfelt story arc going on behind it. I got that from the pathos of Ernest Goes to Camp.I know a lot of people might think, 'Pathos? Ernest Goes to Camp?' Go back and watch it. Yes, it's a zany comedy. Yes, it's funny. Yes, it's slapstick. But there are some really touching moments that are almost magical in the way Jim Varney, as Ernest, gets people to emote."

The project was first written in screenplay format, since Perkins has written those before, and comics are a new form for him. From there, he and Cherry started developing it -- but there's an important piece of comics that wasn't represented in those early talks: the art. Perkins explained that it was a lengthy ordeal finding the ideal fit for his vision.

"I scoured the internet from countries all across the world looking for the right artist, and we did trials with different artists," Perkins said. "We found some really cool artists out there, and I found Arief Russanto."

Russanto is from Indonesia, and he was so passionate about the project that Perkins told us that they would get image after image from Russanto, trying to fine tune the expressions and the likeness, while they were trying out artists for the book.

"Arief is bringing Ernest back, it's not me," Perkins said. "I may have written the story, but Arief is the guy who's physically in the trenches, bringing us back. It's magical what he's doing. We're just really happy to have him."

The colors come from Mariam Yasser, and the rest of the creative team are just as engaged as Perkins and Russanto: the book is edited by Erin Natal, creator of Ernest Goes to Podcast, with graphic design and marketing by Maureen (Mo) Edwards of #ErnestWatchParty.

There are likely those who would argue that any Ernest project without Jim Varney is doomed to the same fate as the 2012 The Three Stooges movie, but while Varney was certainly key to the character's appeal, he was never the only person behind Ernest. Cherry's father, ad executive John Cherry, had conceived of the Ernest character and brought it to Varney, whose work he knew. After a series of regional advertisements blew up, the character finally got the first of his many film adventures in film.

Ernest went on to become a bona fide movie star and pop culture phenomenon. After having done hundreds of commercials as Ernest, Varney appeared in a series of shorts, followed by nine -- yes, nine! -- feature films.

He made his non-commercial debut in a Saturday morning sketch comedy series, Hey Vern, It's Ernest!, for which Varney earned a Daytime Emmy Award. The movies started in 1987 with Ernest Goes to Camp. The movie, which starred Varney alongside a cast of mostly-unknowns that included future Supernatural standout Richard Speight Jr. and beloved character actors Iron Eyes Cody and John Vernon. The movie, made for a reported budget of $3.5 million, made $23.5 million at the domestic box office and became a staple of the video rental market, where it would continue to make a profit for years to come.

"There was a lot of consideration on how to approach it without Jim Varney," Perkins admitted. "A graphic novel is never going to be the same as Jim Varney as Ernest in a film. You will never capture the magic of that group of fantastic writers and director and creators that actually oftentimes don't get credit when you look back on the Ernest films. But anyone that is interested in this can rest assured: we really worked our butts off to make sure that the product felt as authentic as it possibly can in a graphic novel form. You're never going to open it up and feel the magic of watching Ernest Scared Stupid when you're a kid, but I do believe and do hope that people will open the book and feel the magic of Ernest. Jim Varney's nephew and biographer, Justin Lloyd, has been very, very supportive and endorsing the product. If you go to our Kickstarter, you can watch our trailer and he makes a guest appearance in there. It's just been amazing to have the support of all these different pivotal people to really bring back Ernest."

The 150-page graphic novel is set to release to backers in December 2025, just over a year after the crowdfunding campaign wraps up.

The Kickstarter campaign for Ernest & the Dream Stone will run from September 17th until October 17th, ending just in time for spooky season. You can sign up for notifications here.

Marvel has announced its plans for New York Comic Con 2024, including panels, sneak peeks, and themed booths from Marvel Television (Daredevil: Born Again), Marvel Animation (Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man), Marvel Comics (Amazing Spider-Man, All-New Venom and Fantastic Four), and Marvel Games (Marvel Contest of Champions and the upcoming Marvel/Magic: The Gathering collaboration). The convention, which runs Oct. 17th--20th, returns to the Javits Center in Hell's Kitchen, setting of the upcoming Daredevil revival on Disney+.

The Marvel booth (#2153) on the convention floor will feature a display of costumes from Daredevil: Born Again and a photo opp from Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, which swings onto Disney+ later this year before Born Again arrives in 2025. Fans can also try a hands-on demo of Marvel Contest of Champions, the mobile game celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and be the first to get a look at Marvel in Magic the Gathering trading card game, which is set to host its own panel on Friday, Oct. 18th.

From Marvel Comics, the publisher's Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski, VP & Executive Editor Tom Brevoort, VP of Digital Media & Creative Strategy Ryan Penagos (a.k.a. Agent M), and writer Ryan North (Fantastic Four) will be on hand to preview the future of the Marvel Universe.

Marvel's First Family will be in the spotlight alongside the future of the new Ultimate line -- which includes Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto's Ultimate Spider-Man and Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri's The Ultimates -- the One World Under Doom event centered on Doctor Doom as the new Sorcerer Supreme, and the just-announced X-Men vs. Uncanny X-Men crossover, the first major event of the X-Men: From the Ashes relaunch.

A second Marvel Comics panel will tease the Spider-Verse corner of the Marvel Universe, including the epic 8 Deaths of Spider-Man storyline coming to Joe Kelly's run on Amazing Spider-Man (launching in November) and Al Ewing and Carlos G?mez's All-New Venom (launching in December), a street-level relaunch that sees a mystery host bond with the symbiote as the new Lethal Protector after the events of Venom War.

See the full Marvel NYCC 2024 schedule below.

Thursday, October 17th

Marvel Comics: Next Big Thing
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET, Room 409

This is it, True Believers, the biggest comics panel of the weekend! Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski, VP & Executive Editor Tom Brevoort, VP of Digital Media & Creative Strategy Ryan Penagos, AKA Agent M, and other Marvel guests including writer Ryan North (FANTASTIC FOUR) are here to give fans a glimpse into the future of your favorite heroes-including the thrilling adventures of Marvel's First Family, the newest milestones of mutantkind, the future of the Ultimate line, and more!

PLUS: What does the future hold for the Marvel Universe now that Doctor Doom has become the Sorcerer Supreme? Attendees who stay until the end will receive an exclusive giveaway comic book!

Friday, October 18th

Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game LIVE! Ft. Glass Cannon Network
2:45 - 4:45 PM ET, Room 408

Join the Glass Cannon Network and their special guests as they smash, clobber, and thwip their way through an exciting and hilarious adventure that you won't want to miss.

Saturday, October 19th

Marvel Fanfare with C.B. Cebulski
2:00 - 3:00 PM ET, Room 405

Marvel masters collide in an unprecedented meeting of page and screen! Join Marvel Comics Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski and very special surprise mighty Marvel guests as they discuss their mutual love for all things Marvel Comics, alongside some other surprise guests. It's a behind-the-scenes trip through House of Ideas storytelling, including insider insights and unheard comic book anecdotes behind upcoming and past projects! Following the discussion, fans will receive an exclusive giveaway comic.

Sunday, October 20th

Spotlight on Ryan Meinerding
12:15 - 1:15 PM ET, Room 1B02

Join Marvel Studios' Head of Visual Development Ryan Meinerding as he takes you behind the scenes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in his brand-new book, The Art of Ryan Meinerding (Abrams; October 1, 2024, written by Paul Terry and Tara Bennett). Meinerding will share unprecedented insight into his creative process and never-before-seen work-in-progress character designs and illustrations spanning over 15 years of Marvel Studios' movies. Authors Paul Terry and Tara Bennett will moderate.

Women of Marvel
12:30 - 1:30 PM ET, Room 409

The Women of Marvel Panel returns to New York Comic Con! Talent from across the Marvel Universe assemble to talk about breaking in as a creative, building a career in nerd spaces, how fandom has changed, and being a part of Marvel's 85-year legacy, while teasing what's next-including a behind-the-scenes look at the women-led X-titles starring Marvel's mightiest mutants! Plus, be sure to stay until the end for the exclusive giveaway.

Marvel Comics: Spider-Man and his Venomous Friends
2:00 - 3:00 PM ET, Room 405

Webheads, gather to discover what's on the horizon for Spider-Man, Venom, and the entire Spider-Verse! This November, Doctor Doom will grant Peter Parker eight extra lives to face an evil god... but will they be enough? The AMAZING SPIDER-MAN epic, "8 Deaths of Spider-Man," is upon us and you don't want to miss this panel for the latest scoop.

PLUS: Learn about the finale and aftermath of Symbiotic saga VENOM WAR-including the new ongoing series spinning out of it, ALL-NEW VENOM! VP & Executive Editor Nick Lowe, Senior Editor Jordan D. White, and a host of extraordinary Marvel talent including writer Joe Kelly (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN) will reveal never-before-seen art, thrilling announcements, and more! And be sure to stay until the end for the exclusive giveaway.

In the lead up to this summer's blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel fans had no shortage of theories about the eagerly anticipated MCU film, but there was perhaps one that got the most buzz of them all. The theory in question? Would Taylor Swift appear as Dazzler in the film. Ultimately, the star didn't end up playing the beloved mutant popstar, but thanks to Marvel's new Dazzler series, fans are getting a taste of just how that might have gone. Written by Jason Loo with art by Rafael Loureiro, Dazzler #1 is bringing Alison Blaire to the stage post-Krakoa in an issue that feels a little light and fluffy from an X-Men perspective -- but is sure to have Swifties ready to sing along.

Dazzler #1 sees Alison Blaire getting ready to kick off her world tour, having recently released a chart-topping new album. This new adventure comes at an interesting time for not just Blaire but for mutants -- and humans -- as well. For Alison, this is her first time back out on the road in a long time, but anti-mutant sentiment is high. It's this politically charged environment that has Alison thinking about her own recent experiences, but also has those around her thinking about safety, security, and public sentiment as the stage gets put together and the lights are about to go down for the show to start.

In terms of actual story, there really isn't much of one. The issue is largely engaged with setting the stage and, to an extent, introducing Dazzler to readers while making sure that the reader is aware of recent events and just how tense things are between humans and mutants. It's a nice touch that readers get to see, both through the story and the art, that public reaction to Dazzler and her music is somewhat mixed; her fans love her and see her as inspiration and a role model while those who do not share her ideology -- or have anti-mutant ideologies -- are outspoken and have no problem making commentary online. It is extremely reminiscent of some of the real-life discourse that we see not only generally online, but that sometimes surrounds Swift's music and public persona.

There are other fun nods to Swift in the issue as well. Dazzler's music is personal -- she opens her show with a song about a relationship but makes sure to tell her adoring fans that it was "a long time ago" and that things are cool now. There's also a wardrobe change near the end of the issue that looks a lot like a very specific outfit seen on Swift's Era's Tour -- and those are just two of the more obvious nods. Outside of the Taylor Swift of it all, however, are some more important themes. There's the idea of having to hide oneself to keep the peace and also having to be mindful of how one reacts to direct threats in order to not have simple self-defense be seen as a larger threat from your particular group. Both of those things, along with the negative discourse that is shown as being part of what Dazzler is dealing with, serves as a reminder of just how difficult a time it is for mutants and how divided society is which, in turn, serves as a reminder about our current society and landscape.

Overall, Dazzler #1 isn't some big, action-packed issue with a hard-driving plot that it's setting up. Instead, the issue feels a bit like a love letter to the character that strongly connects her to a real-world popstar and, in doing so, makes her feel more accessible outside of Marvel fans. There's also the reminder of how complex the relationship between mutant kind and humanity has always been within the Marvel universe all wrapped up in a pop rock package, complete with lyrics. The issue isn't breaking any new ground, but it's a lot of fun.

Published by Marvel

On September 18, 2024

Written by Jason Loo

Art by Rafael Loureiro

Colors by Java Tartaglia

Letters by Ariana Maher

Cover by Terry and Rachel Dodson

Since the birth of the Alien franchise back in 1979, the franchise has taken the frightening xenomorphs into a number of unsettling environments, but with the upcoming comic series Alien: Paradiso, the monstrous characters will encounter what are likely the most underprepared victims they've ever seen. Rather than escaping a laboratory or a military outpost or facing off against Colonial Marines, the xenomorphs will overrun a luxury resort, though the new series will honor the idea of a group of unlikely characters having to band together to outwit and outlast the terrifying creatures. Alien: Paradiso will hit shelves on December 11th.

"With [Alien:] Romulus taking the franchise back to its roots in many respects, I wanted to make sure we were offering readers a story they couldn't find anywhere else," writer Steve Foxe shared in a statement. "Setting our tale on the sun-kissed shores of a high-end beach resort populated by underhanded criminals, undercover marshals, and underpaid employees immediately spun us in a new direction."

He continued, "But as someone who considers Alien perhaps the most perfect film of all time, I hewed very close to the fundamentals of what I found so horrifying in the first place: a small group of people out of their depth, stalked by an unknowable threat in a contained location. [Artists] Edgar [Salazar], Peter [Nguyen], and I are working to bring you the Alien you know, love, and fear, but in a way you've never seen before. Pull up a beach chair and watch out for the acid splash."

Per press release, "Alien: Paradiso will introduce fans to an all-new side of the Alien universe as the universe's deadliest life form discovers a feast of fresh victims at a luxury resort! But these vacationers are far from innocent, and as the xenomorph bathes this picturesque landscape in blood and carnage, the familiar corruption, greed, and horror that comes with the territory of Alien storytelling rears its ugly head! In a bold twist, each issue will feature special xenomorph point-of-view pages drawn by Nguyen, allowing readers to see through the eyes of a xenomorph as it hunts its terrified targets!"

"Welcome to Paradiso, where the money flows like blood and the blood flows like acid! The Tulum of space, Paradiso is a hidden gem among the colonies with its tropical climate, white sand beaches, and a remarkable population of hyper-wealthy criminals. When Colonial Marshals Dash Nanda and Lydia Reeves are sent there to bust a smuggling ring, they think they've hit the job-assignment jackpot. But the only ones getting lucky here are those hungry enough to take what they need."

The last big-screen entry into the franchise before this year was 2017's Alien: Covenant, with the spirit of the franchise being kept alive in the pages of many various Alien comic books in the years since, exploring a variety of points in time in the world of the series. Fans were even given Aliens: What If...?, exploring a world in which Paul Reiser's Carter Burke survived the events of Aliens.

The critical and financial success of Romulus earlier this year has put new attention on the franchise, likely signaling more expansions of the mythology could be on the way, with Marvel having already confirmed an Alien: Romulus prequel comic would be released later this year.

Alien: Paradiso is set to hit shelves on December 11th.

Are you looking forward to the new series? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

The Moon is Following Us #1 tosses readers into the deep end of a surreal science fantasy adventure already in progress. Daniel Warren Johnson and Riley Rossmo's introductory issue presents the audience with a mother and father duo embarking on a dangerous quest the specifics of which are vague, but which centers on the fate of their child. Readers are propelled through a brilliantly illustrated adventure at a breakneck pace until finally arriving at the end, where a clearer picture of what's happening recontextualizes everything. When the reader closes the book, they may be left wanting answers, but likely eager for the next installment.

Our heroes are Sam and Duncan, parents of Penny, whose life hangs in the balance of a struggle involving talking humanoid frogs and a skeevy batlike succubus who deals in fantastic black market technology. While both Sam and Ducnan are clearly dedicated to the well-being of their child, their commitment takes different shades. Sam seems willing to do anything, without question, to save Penny, regardless of what it costs her or Duncan -- physically, mentally, or morally. Duncan is more concerned with what happens after they rescue Penny, whether its worth saving her only to then present with two traumatized and morally compromised parents, and perhaps a bleak future ahead.

These attitudes could be seen as overly gendered, Sam playing the overly emotional woman while Duncan acts as her more rational male counterpart, but if that's true then the traits present in inverted fashion, Sam being shown as the more willful and capable of the two, powered by her emotion, while Duncan's doubts leave him, at times, fumbling and clumsy in his efforts. Regardless, the tension between the two carries the narrative of this first issue and anchors the readers in something meaningful before the larger scope of the story is made clear.

Well, that and Rossmo's stunning artwork. Interestingly, Johnson and Rossmo are working together on this series given that Johnson has plenty of critically-acclaimed series under his belt which he both wrote and drew. Where a Johson-drawn version of this story might be a purely balls-to-the-wall heavy metal-infused affair, Rossmo's more fluid linework leans into the dreamlike nature of the setting. The still moments feel quieter and the emotion on the characters' faces a bit more subtle, their sadness more insidious and piercing.

Even so, The Moon is Following Us #1 is far from under the top. Genre expectations collide in moments like when a magical item summons a helicopter for a rescue and a frog that might otherwise be at home in The Wind in the Willows shows up in a VW Beetle with a mounted gun. Johnson and Rossmo, it seems, are letting their imaginations run wild on this one, and the issue is practically crackling with energy as a result.

The Moon Is Following Us #1 is a debut issue that leaves and impression. The artwork is stunning, balancing compositions that evoke chaos without becoming chaotic themselves. The twilight colors create a moody sensibility that speaks to the uncertainty at play, and the two leads prove relatable and remarkable, as does their quest, which asks prickly questions about the nature of a parent's devotion to their child. The creators still have much to reveal as far as where we are and how we got there, though if every issue of the series offers an equally stunning adventure then I'd say there's no rush. With visuals this stunning, readers should be more than willing to hop onboard and enjoy the ride wherever the epic journey may ultimately take them.

Published by Image Comics

On September 18th, 2024

Written by Darren Warren Johnson

Art by Riley Rossmo

Colors by Mike Spicer

Letters by Shawn Lee

Cover by Riley Rossmo

Cable's rise in popularity following the first season of X-Men '97 continues with the time-traveling X-Man starring in a new solo series. There are times when certain X-Men seem to resonate with the fanbase, whether its due to a cool visual look or compelling backstory. In the case of Cable, it's all these factors and more. Whether its his leadership of X-Force, oversized guns, Techno-Organic Virus, or sometimes-pairing with Deadpool, Cable has maintained his status as a fan-favorite X-Man. This is probably why Marvel is giving him the spotlight in an X-Men spinoff series.

ComicBook can exclusively reveal Cable: Love and Chrome, a five-issue limited series by writer David Pepose (Punisher, Savage Avengers) and artist Mike Henderson (Daredevil, Deadpool vs. Old Man Logan). Cable is sticking to his time-travel roots as he gets embroiled in a civil war after being stranded in the time stream. Cable: Love and Chrome also teases an exploration of the Techno-Organic Virus that ravages part of his body and caused Cable to be sent into the future as a baby, which was adapted in the first season of X-Men '97.

"As a child of the '90s and a lifelong X-Men fan, few characters have been able to capture the zeitgeist of action, excitement, and attitude better for me than Cable -- and Mike Henderson and I are channeling that same energy in Cable: Love & Chrome!" David Pepose said in a statement.

"To me, Cable has always been such a fascinating and complex character -- a soldier from the future who spends every day of his life battling against the ravages of the Techno-Organic Virus. For years, that's a war that Cable has waged alone -- but what happens when he finally meets someone with this exact same terminal condition? Get ready for an epic sci-fi adventure that will cross the boundaries of time itself -- and deliver all the larger-than-life action that every good Cable story demands!"

Mike Henderson said, "Cable's been on my short list for a long while so when this idea bodyslid into my inbox, I had to find a place in my schedule to make it happen. Throw him in a portal to the apocalypse and strap on some big guns that would make the 1990's blush and I'm your guy. I can't wait for people to see what we're cooking up!"

What is Cable: Love and Chrome about?

MARVEL'S MOST EXTREME MUTANT RETURNS!

He's been a soldier. An X-Man. A protector of the timestream. But even from his earliest days, the mutant known as Cable has been living on borrowed time, waging a lonely war against the ravages of the Techno-Organic Virus. Yet when a high-stakes mission in the future goes catastrophically awry, Cable is left stranded in the dystopian city of Salvation Bay -- and will find himself caught in the midst of a civil war that will change his life forever.

Get ready for big action, bigger threats and the biggest guns in the Marvel Universe, in this epic new series from Ringo Award-winning writer David Pepose (PUNISHER, SAVAGE AVENGERS) and superstar artist Mike Henderson (DAREDEVIL, DEADPOOL VS. OLD MAN LOGAN)!

Cable: Love and Chrome #1 goes on sale in January 2025. You can take an exclusive first look at interior pages below.

Marvel has done the unthinkable and officially killed Deadpool. The Merc With a Mouth is at the height of his popularity after the dominating box office run of Deadpool & Wolverine. Marvel launched a new volume of Deadpool before the movie landed in theaters, introducing a new villain named Death Grip who appears to be a formidable foe for Wade Wilson. One thing Deadpool has always depended on during his mercenary days was his healing factor. Similar to Wolverine, Deadpool's healing factor has gotten him out of some near-death situations. But once it's neutralized, it leaves Deadpool vunerable and open to being killed. Would Marvel really kill Deadpool while his movie is still in theaters? It appears the answer to that question is YES!

*WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Deadpool #6. Continue reading at your own risk!

Deadpool #6 comes from the creative team of Cody Ziglar, Rog? Ant?nio, Guru-eFX, and VC's Joe Sabino. Deadpool is still recovering from his latest fight with Death Grip, and he's reduced to getting around in a wheelchair since he can't regenerate a new right leg or arm. He's managed to keep his cheerful disposition by sending his human daughter Ellie and symbiote-daughter Princess out into the field. Ellie gets her very own Deadpool costume, and together with Princess they take out a Russian weapons smuggler. With Taskmaster chaperoning Ellie and Princess, that leaves Deadpool back at home alone, where he's visited by Death Grip.

The last issue of Deadpool had Wade Wilson cut off Death Grip's hands, keeping him from performing the dark magic that he's known for. Together with Taskmaster, Ellie, and Princess, they were able to blow up Death Grip's lair, presumably killing him in the process. However, that doesn't seem to be the case.

How Marvel kills Deadpool, explained

Death Grip previously absorbed the Muramasa Blade, which is a mystical weapon that can nullify healing powers. This is how Death Grip was able to gravely injure Deadpool. Wade assumes that his healing factor will kick back in at some point in the future, but we don't get to see that happens after Death Grip's latest attack.

Deadpool is ambushed by Death Grip, who shows back up with both his hands firmly reattached. We're not given an explanation of how Death Grip survived the explosion at his temple or how he has his hands again. But as Death Grip says, he wouldn't be a good student of death if he didn't learn how to escape her grasp. Death Grip's first attack slices off Deadpool's left arm, leaving him with just his left leg. The villain then conjures a spell to lift Deadpool off the ground, and follows it up with an explosive spell that radiates blue energy throughout the room. This energy courses through what's left of Deadpool's body, and by the time Death Grip is done, nothing is left of Deadpool except his lifeless corpse. It's almost as if Death Grip ripped the soul out of Deadpool's body. His last words are the whisper of his daughter's name, "Ellie," while a tear runs down his eye.

The last thoughts that Deadpool has are of his family, and how he had finally found peace and happiness after searching for it for so long. This has been a subplot during Cody Ziglar and Rog? Ant?nio's run on Deadpool. Just as life appeared to be finally making sense, this has to happen. So for now, Ellie will be running the Deadpool show, with Taskmaster and Princess backing her up. We'll have to see how long Deadpool's death lasts, and what creative way Marvel will come up with to bring him back to life.

No character in mainstream comics has had a journey quite like Catwoman. Originally introduced amid the Golden Age's sea of duplicitous dames, she has evolved into her own formidable part of the DC Universe, headlining movies and comics as both a hero, an antihero, and a villain. Even then, it still feels undeniably remarkable that the latest Catwoman solo title is nearing seventy issues, as multiple creative teams have helped tell an uninterrupted tale of Selina Kyle's life. The series is showing no signs of slowing down, keeping its numbering as a new creative team steps in for the DC All-In initiative, but this week's Catwoman #68 does represent the end of an era. After more than two years, the Tini Howard-penned run of Catwoman culminates in an issue that tries to stick a balance between grandiosity and intimate characterization.

Catwoman #68 continues the all-out war between Selina Kyle and her allies, against the machinations of the White Glove and other DC villains. As Selina's life hangs in the balance, everything from her relationship with Gotham to her relationship with those closest to her is put to the test.

The "Nine Lives" story arc, which has stretched across Catwoman for nearly the past year, has become the best distillation of what the overall title has had to offer. As Selina has grappled with her newfound regenerative properties, embarking on the toughest scores that the planet and cosmos have to offer, individual chapters have made space for some profound and fascinating explorations of her character. A bit of this discovery is still on full display in Catwoman #68, as Selina is given the opportunity to mend her previous relationships and further realize her individual value. Depending on how a reader feels about Selina's relationship with Bruce Wayne / Batman, their mileage on some of that epiphany might vary, but it still proves to be a defining moment for Selina as a person.

In a way, Catwoman #68 also continues one of the more frustrating aspects of the "Nine Lives" arc (and much of Howard's run on the character), as far as the other characters in Selina's orbit are concerned. Despite Eiko Hasigawa / Catwoman and newly-created character Dario Tomasso / Tomcat getting a good chunk of the real estate across the past few years of issues, their arcs fall to the wayside across this finale, with no certainty that they will be explored in the future. The same can be said for the other miscellaneous DC characters who have called the series a temporary home, including fan-favorites Onyx and Scandal Savage. While this is often the nature of superheroic storytelling, it does provide a bit of an anticlimatic end to one of Selina's stronger supporting casts in recent memory.

Carmine di Giandomenico has fit into the fold of this Catwoman ongoing with ease, rendering countless impossible scenarios and flamboyant vigilante costumes with a scene of kineticism. The reading experience of Catwoman #68 is not completely flawless, as there are a few panels amid the big fight that are awkwardly blocked and paced, but di Giandomenico's aesthetic approach remains visually and sartorially compelling. Veronica Gandini's vibrant color work keeps even the most thematically-dark moments bathed in golds and blues, and Tom Napolitano's lettering traverses realities and personalities with an angled ease.

These past two years of Catwoman have been filled with some undeniable bright spots, as Selina's personality as both a superhero and an ever-evolving woman has been charmingly fleshed out. While the grand finale of Catwoman #68 might not tie everything up in a perfect bow, it still carries that same sense of scrappiness and reverence for its titular protagonist. Regardless of whatever the future holds for Selina Kyle, this run has proven to be an entertaining chapter in her journey.

Published by DC

On September 18, 2024

Written by Tini Howard

Art by Carmine di Giandomenico

Colors by Veronica Gandini

Letters by Tom Napolitano

Cover by David Nakayama

DC is headed to New York Comic Con in a pretty major way. On Wednesday, the publisher announced its official plans for New York Comic Con 2024, which will be held in mid-October in New York City. DC's panels will include the usual Jim Lee & Friends celebration, as well as a spotlight on the Gotham City side of publishing, and a new look at the Absolute/All In universes.

These publishing panels will be just one extension of DC's presence at NYCC 2024, with confirmation that the DC Studios animated series Creature Commandos will be getting its own panel. Series creator and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn will be in attendance at the panel, alongside executive producer Dean Lorey and stars Frank Grillo, David Harbour, Zoe Chao, Sean Gunn, and Steve Agee.

DC's Plans for New York Comic-Con 2024

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17

• Title: DC's Gotham City
• Date: Thursday, October 17, 2024
• Time: 5:15pm-6:00pm
• Description: Walk the dark and gritty streets of the DC Universe with Alex Segura (The Question: All Along the Watchtower), Christian Ward (Batman: City of Madness), Dan Watters (Nightwing), Hayden Sherman (Absolute Wonder Woman), Tate Brombal (Batgirl), and more, for news and surprises involving Batman and the other protectors of Gotham City.
• Location: Room 406.3
• Moderated by: DC Group Editor Rob Levin.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18

• Title: DC's Absolute/All In Universes
• Date: Friday, October 18, 2024
• Time: 4:00pm-5:15pm
• Description: Join Al Ewing (Absolute Green Lantern), Clayton Henry (Action Comics), Dan Mora (Superman, Justice League Unlimited), Daniel Sampere (Wonder Woman), Hayden Sherman (Absolute Wonder Woman), Jason Aaron (Absolute Superman), Jeff Lemire (JSA, Absolute Flash), Jeremy Adams (Green Lantern), Joshua Williamson (Superman), Nick Dragotta (Absolute Batman), Nick Robles (Absolute Flash), Ram V. (The New Gods), Scott Snyder (Absolute Batman), Tom King (Wonder Woman), and more, in an oversized can't-miss NYCC panel that dives deep into DC Comics' new 2024 "All In" comics initiative and looks toward what's coming up in 2025!
• Location: Room 406.2
• Moderated by: DC Executive Editor Chris Conroy, DC Group Editor Paul Kaminski

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19

• Title: Jim Lee & Friends
• Date: Saturday, October 19, 2024
• Time: 1:45-2:30
• Description: At this year's New York Comic Con, DC President, Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee will treat fans to a powerful lineup of surprise announcements, reveals and special guests, along with great conversations with top comic creators, during DC's annual NYCC "Jim Lee & Friends" panel.
• Location: Room 409
• Moderated by: DC President, Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee

What Is DC All In?

As announced earlier this summer, the new initiative will offer both an exciting, reimagined "Absolute" universe of DC's characters, as well as an ongoing line of core titles, featuring bold new directions and jumping-on points for many characters and teams. The Absolute titles will initially encompass Absolute Batman from Snyder and Nick Dragotta, Absolute Superman from Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval, and Absolute Wonder Woman from Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman.

"The creation of the Absolute Universe is how I always imagined coming back to DC, and DC All In will be a great jumping-on point for new readers as well as lapsed fans to discover new stories to love and the chance to explore the new directions in store for DC's core series lineup," Snyder said in a statement when the line was first announced.

Two comic book events took over the top ten lists this past week: the release of Venom: The Last Dance's final trailer and Marvel's promotional partnership with Whatnot. The Venom trailer has created a massive boom in the aftermarket for a particular villain of darkness. While this new promotional sale has fans wondering about the future of comic books. Ironically, the outliers of this week's Top Ten are The Outliers themselves! Scroll down to check out their first cover appearance!

Want to know what comic books are trending each week and why? COVRPRICE.COM uses live sales analytics to identify and compile the most robust market price guide, highlighting the weekly top trending comics. No opinions. Just data. Each week, they present a newly updated list of the TOP 10 COMICS trending in the aftermarket. These trends are due to rumors, fan-favorite covers, story-driven content, and content-related news.

1: VENOM #3 - RYAN STEGMAN - REGULAR | MARVEL | JUNE 2018: Last week, Sony released their final trailer for Venom: The Last Dance. The trailer focused heavily on the intergalactic nature of the film and highlighted top-tier Marvel Comics villain - Knull. There has been an alleged rumor floating around that Marvel was aiming to make a grounded Spider-Man 4 movie and that Sony wanted a multiversal film, including Knull and Venom. With the trailer drop, the latter theory now has more reason to be believed. Kevin Feige came out and said, "When we said we wanted Spider-Man to be more grounded, we just didn't tell you that ground was from an alien planet in another universe." However, neither studio has confirmed whether the King in Black will play a role in any future movies. While we're waiting for more news on Knull, take time to look through your back issue bins at your LCS, as this book has been steadily dropping in price these past few years. As with most Sony-related books, buyers beware. They have not had the best track record at keeping their movie-related keys at top value! We tracked it at a high sale of $280 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw of $140.

2: X-MEN '97 #1 - ROB LIEFELD - WHATNOT - SEALED COMIC TRADING PACK BLIND BAG | MARVEL | SEPTEMBER 2024: In case you were unaware, Marvel Comics partnered with Whatnot to launch their Marvel Comic Trading Packs. There were four pack designs, with three random X-MEN '97 #1 variants in each one. The pack designs were collaborations with renowned Marvel artists Ariel Olivetti, Rob Liefeld, Salvador Larroca, and Stephen Segovia. Based on tracking of each sealed pack and individual issue sales, Liefeld's sealed pack design had the most traffic. When this marketing concept was announced, the fan base was divided on whether this would be good for comic books. However, the sales clearly show that the tactic was a success. Not only were the blind bags selling at record speeds, but they immediately were also trending in the aftermarket as well. This promotional run was only offered to a select few in the Whatnot community, but time will tell whether Marvel Comics will decide to offer these blind bags to your local comic shops as well. We tracked it at a high sale of $200 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $188. Keep in mind that we track each individual cover and sealed mystery pack separately. So, overall, the volume of sales is much higher. Liefeld's blind-back cover definitely seemed to capture the demand amongst all offerings.

3: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #23 | MARVEL | JANUARY 2015: It is fair to say that the latest Venom: The Last Dance trailer would kick all related keys into high gear. This is an unexpected one to hit so high on the list: the first appearance of Klyntar (the symbiote planet). The trailer offers us a brief glimpse at Knull and his throne. Some fans speculate that this would be most of what we see of the symbiote planet, with the story mostly focusing on the invasion of Earth. While VENOM #3 has a larger buy-in, this book is an easier find and has a lower price, making it a top key to hunt down. We tracked it at a high sale of $100 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw of $17.

4: VENOM #3 - RYAN STEGMAN - 3RD PRINT | MARVEL | JUNE 2018: While the first print of this issue is at the top of this list, don't count out this third print! It may be lower on the list, but it is the 2nd most valuable reprint. The reason is that many believe it to be the first cover appearance of the God of Symbiotes. However, a less flattering first cover appearance occurs in the 2nd printing of VENOM #4, which was released before this issue. This issue is more attractive to collectors because the 3rd print had a low print run, making it that much harder to find. We tracked it at a high sale of $400 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw of $165.

5: THOR: GOD OF THUNDER #6 - ESAD RIBIC - REGULAR | MARVEL | MARCH 2013: This book saw a significant bump when Thor: Love and Thunder announced Gorr the God Butcher as the main villain. After the lackluster reception of this film, this book took a nosedive and rarely makes an appearance. Aside from being the origin of Gorr, this book also harbors another key, a Knull cameo. This cameo is why we see this book trending on the aftermarket again. We tracked it at a high sale of $180 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw of $57.

6: VENOM #4 | MARVEL | JULY 2018: By now, you'll have an idea of where this list is going, and while Knull may not succeed in conquering Earth in Venom: The Last Dance, he certainly has conquered this Top Ten list! This book features the origins of Knull and the creation of Knowhere through the severing of a celestial head. In this issue, we see how Knull created his planet of symbiotes. We also get a nice full art page of Miles Morales punching Knull right on the jaw. This artwork is used for the second printing of this book and could be considered Knull's first cover appearance. Regardless, this book tells a great origin story for the titular villain. We tracked it at a high sale of $72 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw of $14.

7: VENOM #3 - MOLINA (1:25) | MARVEL | JUNE 2018: Fans of Jorge Molina and Venom are flooding the aftermarket to pick up this issue. This was the retailer incentive for VENOM #3 and it is now one of the harder variants to track down. The raw NM value of this book is nearly twice the amount of Cover A. It is likely this book could trend higher if it was easier to find and more affordable. For the time being, it looks like this book will be going to the avid comic book hunter who is willing to pay a decent price for a Venom key. We tracked it at a high sale of $385 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw of $223.

8: VENOM #3 - SKAN - FRANKIE'S COMICS / GOLDEN APPLE COMICS | MARVEL | JUNE 2018: Another popular Venom artist is Skan, and his variant of Knull's first appearance has been making aftermarket waves. This book was a collaborative store exclusive with Frankie's Comics and Golden Apple Comics. The book also has a virgin variant version, but it seems that the trade copy is much easier to find. We tracked it at a high sale of $125 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw of $63.

9: VENOM #3 - 2ND PRINT | MARVEL | JUNE 2018: All VENOM #3 books are currently hot commodities. While this book is lower on the list, it still has had a ton of sales growth in the past few days since the trailer debuted. Even though it is not the most popular reprint of issue #3, it still holds value for collectors of Knull. We tracked it at a high sale of $95 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw of $51.

10: UNCANNY X-MEN #1 - DAVID MARQUEZ - 2ND PRINT (1:25) | MARVEL | SEPTEMBER 2024: While the X-Men seem to still be on the back burner over at the MCU, the comics have been releasing great content. In the latest release, UNCANNY X-MEN #1 introduced us to a new mutant team, The Outliers. In true comic book fashion, a request for help is misunderstood, and a battle ensues. Once the confusion is cleared, the X-Men will welcome the new super team. This second printing retailer incentive is the first cover appearance of that team. As we've seen in all these Knull keys, second prints and cover appearances are top-tier collector items! We tracked it at a high sale of $150 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $132.

1974's Giant-Size Super-Stars #1 featured some of Marvel's biggest superstars: the Fantastic Four and the Hulk, who duked it out with the Thing in a mind-swap story by Gerry Conway (The Amazing Spider-Man) and artist Rich Buckler (Fantastic Four). The 52-page epic was to be followed by Giant-Size Super-Stars #2 -- featuring Spider-Man, Morbius, and Man-Wolf -- and a third issue featuring Conan the Barbarian. According to editor Roy Thomas, the 35-cent Giant-Size was Marvel's version of the early 1970s wheel series The NBC Mystery Movie, the network's rotation of its most popular programming in the same time slot.

If television networks could "get plenty of mileage out of Columbo and McCloud and McMillian & Wife in the same time slot on alternate weeks," Thomas wrote in a two-page sermonette in Giant-Size Super-Stars #1, "then why couldn't mind-boggling Marvel likewise have three of our most popular series alternate in one mag, so that each feature would appear in four giant-size mags a year?"

After "last-minute economic considerations" forced Marvel to abandon the 52-page comic magazine for 36 pages, it was Marvel publisher Stan Lee who looked to television's slate of rotating series for the quarterly comic featuring new stories, pin-ups, and special features.

Lee and Thomas "were discussing the ways and means of introducing a line of 52-page comic-mags with a bang," the editor recalled, adding Marvel Comics "wanted to turn out an issue every thirty days -- but without replacing (or competing unduly with) our regular titles." Enter Giant-Size Super-Stars, retitled Giant-Size Fantastic Four from #2 onward while other planned features were spun off into the stand-alone Giant-Size Super-Heroes Featuring Spider-Man #1 and Giant-Size Conan #1.

The giant-size format spawned the companion magazine Giant-Size Chillers Featuring Curse of Dracula #1 and the four-issue Giant-Size Dracula, the six-issue Giant-Size Spider-Man, creature features starring Marvel monsters like Werewolf (of Werewolf by Night) and Man-Thing, the two-issue Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up (featuring Doctor Doom and Namor the Sub-Mariner), and 1975's Giant-Size X-Men #1, which introduced the all-new, all-different X-Men team.

Those stories and more will be collected together for the first time in Giant-Size Marvel Omnibus. On sale April 15th, 2025, the 1272-page omnibus collects the following:

Giant-Size Super-Stars (1974) 1; Giant-Size Fantastic Four (1974) 2-5; Giant-Size Super-Heroes featuring Spider-Man (1974) 1; Giant-Size Spider-Man (1974) 1, 4-5; Giant-Size Chillers featuring the Curse of Dracula (1974) 1; Giant-Size Dracula (1974) 2-5; Giant-Size Creatures featuring Werewolf (1974) 1; Giant-Size Werewolf (1974) 2-5; Giant-Size Defenders (1974) 1-5; Giant-Size Avengers (1974) 1-4; Giant-Size Man-Thing (1974) 1-5; Giant-Size Chillers (1975) 1-3; Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up (1975) 1-2; Giant-Size X-Men (1975) 1; Giant-Size Invaders (1975) 1

Giant-Size classic issues were one of Marvel's signature formats in the 1970s, in one great big Omnibus!

All your favorite super heroes -- plus some of Marvel's horror icons -- star in extra-length adventures that gave comic fans of the 1970s even more bang for their buck! The Thing battles the Hulk, and the Fantastic Four meet the Multiple Man! Spider-Man endures monstrous encounters with Morbius, Man-Wolf, Dracula and Man-Thing! The Avengers mourn a loss -- and celebrate the wedding of Vision and the Scarlet Witch! The Defenders meet the Guardians of the Galaxy! The all-new, all-different X-Men are recruited to rescue the original team! Plus: giant-size chillers featuring Dracula, Werewolf by Night, Man-Thing and more!

While 2009's Constantine wasn't a massive financial or critical hit, the movie has earned a cult following in the years since its release, and at present, Warner Bros. Discovery and DC are working to bring a sequel to life. That movie would bring back Keanu Reeves in the title role, although nothing else is known about plans for the story. The first Constantine also starred Shia LaBeouf as Chas, Peter Stormare as Lucifer, Tilda Swinton as Gabriel, and Rachel Weisz as Isabel Dodson, a love interest for Constantine. Only Stormare has specifically talked about returning for a sequel (and that was years ago, before the sequel was real).

More recently, one of the film's producers revealed that there is finally a completed script draft for the sequel, saying with tongue in cheek that he was "scared" to read the thing. Given how elements of many of the best Hellblazer comics were blended for the first movie, some have wondered what comics could be inspiring the new iteration.

Since John Constantine is now part of the broader DC Universe, there are theoretically hundreds of new comics that could inform the sequel -- but it seems pretty safe to assume that won't happen. Not only is there already a new DC Universe coming to the big screen, but rushing to team him up with the Justice League Dark would kind of defeat the purpose of making a sequel to the Reeves movie. Of course, there's at least one element of post-New 52 Constantine that could easily make its way into the movie: a relationship with Zatanna.

Zatanna is another DC character who has had a number of false starts in Hollywood over the years, with rumors about her own movie at one point and plenty of variations on the Justice League and Justice League Dark rumors, too. If a Constantine 2 happens without Rachel Weisz's character, it would not be difficult to imagine them casting a Zatanna character who could play a similar role in a potential sequel to the one Weisz played in the original.

In both the Constantine TV series and John's stories on DC's Legends of Tomorrow, his old band (and the shenanigans he got up to in those days) played a pretty big role. Since the first movie dealt with the consequences of John's bad decisions as a smoker heading into middle age, it would stand to reason that a second movie could touch on the Mucous Membrane era -- hell, Keanu Reeves can even play music for real! -- and John's greatest mistake in life, accidentally damning Astra Logue (his friends' daughter) to Hell. That moment tortures John for the rest of his life (even if, in Legends, he got a chance to kinda-sorta make up for it). Dealing with the fallout from that is inherently a clever premise for a story, and while it was just recently mined for conflict on Legends, it does seem like the kind of thing the film could easily take in a different direction.

One tantalizing idea would be to include a version of the "Hard Time" story from Hellblazer in the movie. In it, John is stuck in an American prison, and working on a secret plan that only comes together toward the end for the audience. The story was one of the first tales by Brian Azzarello, the first-ever American writer to tackle Constantine on an ongoing basis, and its darkness and brutality made up for the lack of traditional supervillains and trenchcoats. Of course, the lack of John's customary wardrobe in a movie is likely never going to happen, since there are really only so many opportunities to see him suited up on the big screen.

Another story that seems like a great idea for a stand-alone movie is Jamie Delano's story of "The Family Man," a serial killer whose path crossed with Constantine's. You could dig into the story itself for some great character development, or you could go the safer route and just write a whole new movie around the premise. The idea -- that John had to compromise his morals and really get dirty in order to take down somebody who's a monster even without magic -- is one that could really resonate with a post-John Wick Keanu Reeves, and it's one that could make for a cheaper movie to produce, too.

Diamond Select Toys has provided ComicBook with an exclusive first look at their upcoming X-Men: Inferno Minimates set. Inferno, a 1989 crossover event that ran through Marvel's X-titles (at that time, Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, X-Terminators, Excalibur, and The New Mutants), pitted the mutants against Mister Sinister and two heroes-turned villains: Madelyne Pryor as the Goblin Queen, and Illyana Rasputin/Magik as Darkchylde. Each of those three villains appears in the set, along with a possessed version of Wolverine and a pair of demons (Darkchylde's full-demon form, and N'Astirh) who played big roles in the story, too.

The crossover did fine at the time, but was never considered one of Marvel's more iconic crossover stories. Nevertheless, after an Inferno tie-in to 2015's Secret Wars, the story would also come back again in 2021.

The story also transformed Jason Macendale into the Hobgoblin in some Spider-Man tie in comics, but despite the similarity between Hobgoblin and the other demons, he doesn't make an appearance here (likely becuase he's already got plenty of collectibles, whereas this is the only place you're going to get the demonized Magik.

The story was written by a murderer's row of 1980s and '90s Marvel talent, including Louise Simonson, Chris Claremont, Marc Silvestri, Jon Bogdanove, Walter Simonson, Ann Nocenti, and Gerry Conway, among others.

You can see the images above and below, along with Diamond's official solicitation text for them:

Marvel Minimates X-Men: Inferno Deluxe Box Set

A Diamond Select Toys release! Let the Inferno commence! As far as comic book crossovers go, Inferno was a big one, spilling out of Limbo and into the X-Men books and beyond. Now, DST is proud to introduce the latest deluxe box set in the long-running Marvel Minimates line, dedicated to the iconic X-Men story! The five-figure set includes the Goblin Queen Madelyne Pryor, the demon N'Astirh, genetic criminal Mr. Sinister, a demon-possessed Wolverine, and the fully demonic Illyana Rasputin a.k.a. Magik. As a bonus, the set includes an alternate Wolverine face, Illyana's Soulsword, five support stands and a non-poseable figure of baby Nathan Summers, a.k.a. Cable! All five come packaged in a full-color window box with a front flap featuring original artwork by Minimates artist designer Barry Bradfield.

SRP: $39.99
Pre-orders open 9/20 at Diamondselecttoys.com
Shipping Spring 2025

Dark Horse Comics's The Writer, written by Ben and Max Berkowitz with actor and producer Josh Gad, is crossing its midway point. This week, The Writer #3 hits the stands, with the penultimate issue featuring a trip into the Unknown World for Stan, Izzy, and Liz -- complete with a confrontation with King Solomon along the way. The series, which incorporates elements of Jewish mythology (as illustrated by beloved artist Ariel Olivetti) with superhero tropes, debuted in June. The four-issue miniseries is set to be the first in a series of stories featuring Stan Siegel, a character modeled on Gad who becomes an unlikely hero.

We spoke to the Berkowitz brothers and Gad earlier this year, but with the midway point coming up, it seemed like a good time to check back in with Stan and company. We asked them about the progress of the story, which sees Stan starting to really embrace his destiny and face some larger-than-life battles.

"This issue was such a blast to write because it's where things really start to click for both Stan and the reader," Ben Berkowitz told ComicBook. "Up until now, Stan's been along for the ride, but here's where the question arises: 'Is what's happening around him somehow influenced by his thoughts and feelings?' It's almost like Stan's waking up to the fact that he's not just a passenger on this journey. It's been so exciting to explore that slow burn of realization, where he starts to feel that his mind, like any writer's, is far more dangerous and powerful than he realizes."

"We're not just telling a story; we're diving deep into what it means to be a writer, grappling with the power of thought and imagination," Max Berkowitz explained. "Stan's in the thick of it, questioning how much of this reality he's created or influenced without even knowing it. The fun comes from pulling the reader along with him as he starts to understand that his thoughts may have real consequences."

Of course, while the first issue was more or less an action movie with car chases and contemporary imagery, we are getting deeper and deeper into fantasy elements as the story goes. Olivetti is a perfect choice for a series that has to work with such a broad range, and the writers of The Writer say it's been a thrill seeing what he has brought to the book.

"It has been pure joy bringing in all these fantastic creatures and stories from Jewish mythology and putting our own spin on them," said Ben Berkowitz. "An approach that was very much inspired by our friend Mignola and the Mignolaverse. Ariel's work has been a huge part of that. He has this operatic, almost biblical gonzo style that explodes off the page. With this issue, we're bringing mythological figures like Lilith and Naamah to life, while also highlighting a profound real-life event - Operation Solomon - and introducing it to a broader audience. It's a powerful mix of personal, historical, and mythological storytelling, all wrapped up in one."

"Ariel was a dream to work with on this issue," added Max Berkowitz. "Ariel combines something as grand and epic as Jewish folklore with modern, emotional stakes. Seeing Liz, a character inspired by our mom, come to life in this world that's both grounded and completely surreal has been one of the most meaningful parts of the process. It mixes heart and history - from exploring real-life events like Operation Solomon to conjuring creatures that feel larger than life. That blend of mythology and personal connection made this issue so special to all of us."

The Writer #3 will be in comic shops tomorrow. You can also snag a copy of all three issues on digital marketplaces like ComiXology/Kindle, Google Books, and more.

A new team of Marvel heroes are about to star in their own series, but fans may have already met them. Even though the Marvel Universe is filled with recognizable teams like the Avengers, X-Men, and the Fantastic Four, the publisher has still managed to introduce and establish new groups, even turning some of them into household names. For example, the Young Avengers may borrow the name of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, but their first iteration included several new heroes who readers weren't familiar with. So it is possible to introduce new characters and have them catch on with the greater comic book population. Marvel is hoping that is the case with its latest teaser.

Marvel released a teaser for a new comic series debuting in the new year. "New Heroes Assemble to Change the World!" Marvel's press release reads. "Stay tuned this week to learn about a new Marvel comic series coming this January." The only other piece of information is a piece of teaser art of the phrase "Change the World" with several young heroes superimposed in the background of the letters. While they may look new, we've actually seen and met these characters before in another Marvel series.

Meet Marvel's Assembly

Last year, Marvel debuted its New Champions Variant Cover Program, with several high profile artists illustrating variant covers featuring secret sidekicks for the likes of Black Cat, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, and more. Marvel even teased that these heroes could have a place in their universe, stating that "these stunning new covers may just be a glimpse into the future of the Marvel Universe!"

Many of the heroes on the New Champions Variants are the heroes we see in this new teaser, including Scarlet Witch's protege Amaranth. The group is officially called The Assembly, and their official debut came in Spider-Woman #7, though they were teased in the Timeless end-of-year one-shot and in Web of Spider-Man #1. Their membership consists of Cadet Marvel, Hellrune, Titan, Moon Squire, and Liberty, who all are on this ominous teaser. The Assembly has ties to Hydra, which could come into play in their own spinoff series.

Are The Assembly replacing the Young Avengers?

While it may seem odd that Marvel is bringing in a group of young heroes while the Young Avengers remain on the sideline, there's little doubt that an ongoing Young Avengers series is going to come in the not too distant future. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been building to the Young Avengers, most recently with Ms. Marvel recruiting Kate Bishop Hawkeye in the post-credits scene of The Marvels. Marvel Comics is most likely waiting to time the release of a new Young Avengers volume to coincide with their MCU project, which could be a streaming series on Disney+.

"In the Marvel universe, you hope for [the possibility of being a Young Avenger],"
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's Kathryn Newton said in response to The Marvels' Young Avengers setup. "You hope to be. My whole thing is that I grew up watching Iron Man, and I feel like I grew with that character. So my hope for Cassie Lang has always been to grow with my audience, be it the people who are my age and saw [Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania], or the people who are just starting to watch Marvel movies at a young age. I saw one when I was a little young, but I still love those movies. So if I get an opportunity to continue the story, then that would be so cool to be a part of a generation that's growing up with a film. It's such a big part of my life. But they don't really tell you. They tell you an overall, but I don't take anything for granted. I am just trying to get through the day. Let's finish one movie and then let's continue. But I would very much also jump at the opportunity to work with Marvel Studios again."

Stay tuned to ComicBook for more information on The Assembly.

"You saved the Skywalker boy, but he will never join you. And you can't defeat the Emperor alone." So says Sly Moore in this week's Star Wars: Darth Vader #50, the series grand finale of writer Greg Pak and artist Raffaele Ienco's run on the Marvel comic. On sale Sept. 18th, the giant-sized conclusion is titled "Terminus" and will end Marvel's current era of comics set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, where Vader dies saving his son -- the Jedi Luke Skywalker -- from the Emperor aboard the Death Star II.

But Vader saved Luke long before the return of Anakin Skywalker. Below, read on for a preview of what to expect from the 64-page Darth Vader finale and a recap of recent events.

A FEW ISSUES AGO IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY...

The Dark Lord of the Sith has been leading Sly Moore's Schism Imperial, a covert group of Imperials determined to overthrow Emperor Palpatine. After facing the Cult of the Sith Eternal and the psycho-venomous Summa-Verminoth on the Sith Citadel on the planet Exegol, Vader raided the Kyber Temple and claimed a crimson red Kyber crystal. He then fashioned himself a staff and shield with the crystals that powered the cannons of the Galactic Empire's planet-destroying superweapon: the Death Star.

In a vision about Vader and Skywalker's futures in Empire, the Emperor taunted his Sith apprentice. "I knew that once you'd seen the power of Exegol, you would eventually try to seize it for yourself. Because you are a Sith," Palpatine said. "It is in our nature to seize any and all power. But what will you use it for? There are only two Sith. So who are they? You and I? Or your son and I? Or you... and your son?"

Meanwhile, Sab? -- the former handmaiden of Naboo's Queen Amidala, who knew Luke's parents as Anakin and Padm? -- confronted the Jedi on the Outer Rim planet Caranthanax B and attempted to provoke his dark side. As Vader sensed his son's anger through the Force, the Sith Lord attempted to wield the unstable power of the Kyber of Exegol. "Anger leads to hate," Vader said, "and hate leads to power." Sab? planned to kill Luke if she saw even a glimmer of the Sith in him, but the Jedi proved to her: "I am not my father."

Administrator Moore similarly planned to kill Skywalker because "if we kill the boy, we destroy the Emperor's dearest plans." An angered Vader refused, so the Umbaran's Schism Imperial betrayed Vader and injected his armor with a body-controlling droid brain to steal his Kyber weapons.

"The Sith say there can only be two. A master and an apprentice. Like the Emperor and Vader. Or the Emperor and Skywalker. Or Vader and Skywalker," Administrator Moore told the Schism. "But if we remove Vader... and Skywalker... who else remains? I will become the second Sith, ruling at the Emperor's side. And the Schism Imperial... will become the Empire itself."

The Schism attacked Vader and abandoned him, as he did the M.A.R. Corps: the cybernetic Rebel warriors Tandorvo, Masakint, Blades, and Chamdaka. While Vader was trapped as a prisoner in his own body, the Schism attacked the Jedi and his allies on Caranthanax B with their Kyber weapon. When Vader warned the M.A.R. Corps that the Schism was going to kill the Rebellion's hero, he told them of Skywalker: "If you Rebels want to save him... you need my help."

The droid ZED-6-7 speculated that Darth Vader wished to save Skywalker because the Jedi "could become strong and useful" should he survive the Schism. Vader broke free of the M.A.R. Corps' implanted droid brain just as the Schism's Death Machine landed on Caranthanax B, where Administrator Moore proposed an alliance with Skywalker. "I used to think the rule of two meant the Emperor and Vader. Or perhaps one of them and you. But what if it meant... you and me?" she said. "The Schism and the Rebellion. That could topple the Empire."

With Schism's Death Machine threatening to drain all life from the planet, including Sab?, Skywalker surrendered himself -- just as he felt his father's presence on Caranthanax B. Administrator Moore fired her Kyber weapon at the Jedi... only to have Vader block it through the Force.

Darth Vader #50 picks up where issue #49 left off when the finale hits stands on Sept. 18th. See the official synopsis below.

STAR WARS: DARTH VADER #50
Written by GREG PAK
Art by RAFFAELE IENCO & MORE
Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU
Connecting Variant Cover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI
On Sale 9/18

Acclaimed writer Greg Pak closes out the longest-running Darth Vader comic series ever alongside artist Raffaele Ienco and more in STAR WARS: DARTH VADER #50. Pak's run reaches its stunning conclusion as the Dark Heart of the Sith comes full circle!

Darth Vader finally unleashes the unfathomable power he's accumulated through the Schism Imperial against the only person in the galaxy he hates more than he hates himself: Emperor Palpatine! Also featuring the final twists in the saga for key characters like Luke, Leia, Sab?, Ochi, the droid ZED-6-7, Sly Moore, the members of the Schism Imperial and more!

Batman is going from the streets of Gotham City to Los Angeles. On Monday, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced that Batman will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday, September 26th, making the DC Comics character the first superhero to receive the honor. The 2,790th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame will be dedicated next to the stars of television's Batman actor Adam West and the Dark Knight's co-creator, Bob Kane.

Jim Lee, DC's president, publisher, and chief creative officer, and Anne DePies, DC's senior vice president and general manager, will attend the Batman Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony at 11:30 a.m. PT at 6764 Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Hollywood Guinness World Records Museum. The Caped Crusader himself will also appear in costume to accept his star in the category of motion pictures, plus the Guinness World Records title for the first superhero with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in a special presentation by official GWR adjudicator Michael Empric.

Batman was entered into the Guinness World Records books in recognition of having the longest-running comic book (Detective Comics, continuously published since 1938), and in 2012, Batman was recognized as the most adapted comic book character in live-action movies spanning 1966's Batman through 2012's The Dark Knight Rises. Guinness also recognized Batman for having the most Oscar winners to play one superhero -- George Clooney (1997's Batman & Robin), Christian Bale (Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy), and Ben Affleck (2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) -- and for having the most video game adaptations of a superhero movie.

Following Batman Day 2024 on Sept. 21st, Warner Bros. Discovery will continue the festivities with a fan activation coinciding with the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony on Sept. 26th. In collaboration with Funko, the all-day fan event at the Funko Hollywood store (6201 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028) will host a one-hour meet and greet and signing with Lee from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Along with his role as the CCO of DC, Lee is known for penciling such titles as Batman, including the Batman: Hush storyline, All Star Batman and Robin, The Boy Wonder, and the Geoff Johns-scripted New York Times bestseller, Justice League.

Attendees for the exclusive signing will be limited to the first 100 fans who receive a wristband, which will begin to be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis with the purchase of a Batman product at Funko Hollywood on Tuesday, Sept. 24th. In addition to the Lee signing, Warner Bros. Archives will stage a curated pop-up museum of costumes and props from Batman's history in film and TV at Funko Hollywood. Authentic props, iconic costumes and "some surprises" will allow audiences a rare chance to enjoy pieces of Batman cinematic history up close and in person.

Batman is just the 20th fictional character to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As part of the Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2024, Batman joins a list of honorees that includes Tim Burton (director, 1989's Batman and 1992's Batman Returns), Maggie Gyllenhaal (star of 2008's The Dark Knight), and Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman and Justice League).

After 15 years in operation, Fanbase Press' first-ever Kickstarter campaign, for a new comic called Ripple Effects, is now live, and ComicBook has an exclusive first look at the book's foreword, from Star Trek: Picard's Todd Stashwick, which appears in the Deluxe Edition of the book, now on Kickstarter. Ripple Effects centers on a superhero whose invincibility is offset by an acute case of type 1 diabetes that must be monitored and treated daily.

Ripple Effects was created, written, and colored by Jordan Hart (Image Comics / Syzygy Publishing's The Cabinet, Terminarch, Doppelg?nger), illustrated by Bruno Chiroleu (El Borde, Mara and Samu), flatted by Shane Kadlecik, lettered by Oceano Ransford (The Sequels, Haphaven), and features cover art by Justin C. Harder (CLAUS Studios) and a foreword by Matthew Noe (librarian, Harvard Medical School).

"Ripple Effects was created to remind those with invisible disabilities, and their loved ones, that they are not alone, that they're unique, and that they're special," series creator Jordan Hart said in a statement on the campaign page.

Here's the foreword:

I would do cartwheels during Sunday school. My report cards consistently stated, "Todd is disruptive to the other students. He is too talkative." In eight grade, I was failing four classes at midterm. I would forget to hand in assignments, do the reading, focus. I spent a lot of my time in imagined worlds. Drawing instead of listening. Mom just called me her "Peter Pan." So, onward I went, high school...I got a D in Drama for not handing in homework. In Drama. I know. The irony is not lost on me. I pushed ahead. Second star to the right, and straight on 'til morning. College bound with dreams of being a professional actor. Took me three different schools to finally graduate. Three. Different. Schools. Oh, the pattern.

I chose a career that allowed the constant shifting of focus, very physical, varied tasks, and REALLY social. I had no problem memorizing. Hell, I could recite the lessons from Sunday school despite doing cartwheels, and, in hindsight, maybe because of them. Keep changing the channel on what was asked of me and I soared. Focus (There's that word again.) on one topic or, god forbid, make me sit still? Forget about it. I would not have functioned well in an office, behind a desk, hours at a time. I got the necessary reading of scripts done, plays, what have you. I adored comic books, words and pictures pulling around the page. Video games? Hyperfocus!

I built my world around how my brain met with it. My dreams suited my profession, and I can proudly say I flourished. Now, during the last 20+ years, if you asked my wife if I lost things often? Walked away from lit oven burners? Forgot to lock doors? Close the fridge? Forgot what she said seconds after she said it? Unable to focus on reading (other than scripts) for more than five minutes at a time? And so on and so on... She would resoundingly concur. I mean, that's how most people live, right? Right?!?

Cut to mid 2020. The world was in the thrall of lock down. This was unprecedented. Like so many businesses, the television and film industries came to an abrupt halt. There was no work, like the work that I normally did. That I excelled at. That fit my brain. Incoming digression... in 2007, during the writers' strike, which also stopped my work, I realized I needed to diversify my revenue streams. Many mouths under my roof to feed. So, I launched a second career as a writer. Which would seem counterintuitive because TV and film writers weren't working either, so, instead, I started with a self-published comic book. It became a key to a lock and opened up new opportunities for me. The strike ended and now I had two careers which have continued to this day. Acting and writing alongside each other. Screenplays, video games, D&D material. A lovely second income. But like I said, I digress. A lot. I'm REALLY good at it. Anyway. FOCUS, Todd! Lockdown. Right. No acting work for an indeterminate amount of time. Now, all my writing work switched to Zoom (which normally would involve me pacing in front of a whiteboard with a partner in a room). I was grateful beyond words. I was employed when many weren't. However, now, I had to sit still at a desk, face forward, and somehow be clear and creative and stay on topic...for hours. This was a sport I'd never trained for. I was not built for. This was torture. I am in awe of those who excel at this. So, this brings us to that acronym we see plastered all over social media. I'm talking about ADHD. Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. I began to see posts and TikToks everywhere. On top of the pandemic, this seemed like a co-epidemic. As I watched and internalized how folks were describing their symptoms... it was like looking in a mirror. I then had to wade through all my self-denial. "It's just the fog brain of the pandemic." "Everyone gets distracted." "We all have a lot on our minds these days." "I'm not unique in this." "I'm fine." But there was another mirror looking right at me, in the form of my grown son. I was seeing all the same behaviors manifesting in him. In fact, they had been with him since he was a boy, just like me. I was seeing his struggle. My wife and I wanted to help him. It was time to at least talk to far smarter professional people than the self-diagnosis many of us do from social media and the internet.

We made an appointment for him to see these far smarter professional people at UCLA. My far smarter wife than I also snuck in an appointment for me. Or should I say we got on a waiting list for analysis screenings for ADHD. A few months later, they called and set us up.

The screening for me consisted of three separate questionnaires, one to be filled out by my mother, one by my wife, and one myself. This is to gauge what issues may have begun in my youth and continued into adulthood. Then, I met with the psychologist. She took an aggregate of the answers from the questionnaires, interviewed me extensively, then took me through a thorough cognitive processing test. It was a long and fascinating process. She then gave me a score. As a surprise to no one, I scored high on both inattentiveness and impulsivity (a.k.a. a bullseye for ADHD). I now had a name for why I was turning cartwheels in Sunday school, can't sit still or climb that mountain called focus. This was beyond Peter Pan. The short version: My brain doesn't produce dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and serotonin the way many others do. These are necessary for healthy brains and focus. So, I seek distraction, activity to overcompensate. This needed outside help. Therapy and therapeutics. For the first time in my fifty plus years, I was understanding my brain and how to not be ruled by it.

It's an ongoing process, for both me and my son. He has his own path. He scored high, as well, just like his old man. Do I wish I was his age or younger when I was diagnosed? I don't know. Maybe? I built amazing coping skills and work arounds and did not come up in an age of smartphones, the internet, and the carnival of distractions at our fingertips. Smartphones are like crack to someone with ADHD. So, my experience growing up with it and all its struggles is different from my son's. I am who I am. Now is when I'm dealing with it. So, here we are. Better late and all that.

The other thing that popped up during the last few years was I developed type 2 diabetes which could be its own foreword in itself. It is genetically rampant in my family and now it's part of me. It definitely contributed to the fog brain, lethargy, and lack of focus. I'm getting that under control, as well, with medicine and diet.

We all may find that we have something we wrestle with. A shadow that others cannot see. This comic you hold explores that truth. People have to move through this world, find their purpose, and also live with a silent illness. We need to be kind to ourselves and seek help, be compassionate, because you never know what someone else is carrying, and be brave knowing that these issues don't define you, they are just part of who you are.

As things get back to "normal" after the height of the pandemic, I realize that my "normal" is different. It always has been, I just didn't know it. I found ways to quiet my brain without losing my spark, drive, and creativity.

Like Peter Pan, I've learned how to dance with my shadow.

Hasbro's Pulse Con 2024 event is in the books, and it's seems as though the Marvel Legends wave inspired by the iconic '80s Secret Wars storyline was the big star of the show. The main highlights of the wave are the retro figures of black suit Spider-Man and Wolverine, but it also includes Captain America, Beyonder, Titiania, and Iron Man.

Pre-orders are available via the list below, and we suggest moving quickly as the figures are selling out fast - particularly Spider-Man and Wolverine. Note that Entertainment Earth has a flat $7.95 flat shipping fee that becomes free after $99 (includes mint condition guarantee). You can check out all of the Hasbro Pulse Con 2024 releases right here.

Marvel Legends Pulse Con 2024 Pre-Orders

Marvel Legends Secret Wars Beyonder - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "After pitting the greatest Super Heroes and Super-Villains against each other, The Beyonder attempts to discover his humanity -- and in the process, becomes an all-powerful, if na?ve, god. Inspired by Marvel's Beyonder's appearance in the epic 1980s Secret Wars storyline, this 6-inch action figure features multiple points of articulation and poseable head, arms, and legs. Comes with a set of alternate hands and energy FX -- plus a "secret" shield based on the original figure releases. Features collectible cardback packaging with retro-inspired design and comic character art celebrating the 40th anniversary of Secret Wars."

Marvel Legends Secret Wars Titania - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "When Doctor Doom harnesses The Beyonder's power to create superhumans, Mar MacPherran becomes Titania -- whose immense strength and durability make her integral to the Super-Villain team. Inspired by Titania's appearance in the epic 1980s Secret Wars storyline, this 6-inch action figure features multiple points of articulation and poseable head, arms, and legs. Comes with a set of alternate hands -- plus a "secret" shield based on the original figure releases. Features collectible cardback packaging with retro-inspired design and comic character art celebrating the 40th anniversary of Secret Wars."

Marvel Legends Secret Wars Wolverine - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "On a patchwork Battleworld, Wolverine fights a raging war alongside the X-Men -- but is wary of forging alliances outside his trusted fellow mutants. Inspired by Wolverine's appearance in the epic 1980s Secret Wars storyline, this 6-inch action figure features multiple points of articulation and poseable head, arms, and legs. Comes with a set of alternate hands and an alternate head -- plus a "secret" shield based on the original figure releases. Features collectible cardback packaging with retro-inspired design and comic character art celebrating the 40th anniversary of Secret Wars."

Marvel Legends Secret Wars Iron Man - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "The Invincible Iron Man helps the Avengers navigate The Beyonder's gladiatorial contest - all while harboring a secret about his identity. Inspired by Iron Man's appearance in the epic 1980s Secret Wars storyline, this 6-inch action figure features multiple points of articulation and poseable head, arms, and legs. Comes with alternate hands -- plus a "secret" shield based on the original figure releases. Features collectible cardback packaging with retro-inspired design and comic character art celebrating the 40th anniversary of Secret Wars."

Marvel Legends Secret Wars Captain America - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "When the Avengers, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four are transported to a strange planet, Captain America is chosen to take the lead in fighting the ultimate war. Inspired by Captain America's appearance in the epic 1980s Secret Wars storyline, this 6-inch action figure features multiple points of articulation and poseable head, arms, and legs. Comes with Captain America shield fragments, as well as a set of alternate hands and an alternate head -- plus a "secret" shield based on the original figure releases. Features collectible cardback packaging with retro-inspired design and comic character art celebrating the 40th anniversary of Secret Wars."

Marvel Legends Secret Wars Black Suit Spider-Man - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "Spider-Man discovers a mystery glob on Battleworld, giving him a new, black suit with stronger powers - and, unbeknownst to him, his first encounter with a certain alien symbiote. Inspired by Spider-Man's appearance in the epic 1980s Secret Wars storyline, this 6-inch action figure features multiple points of articulation and poseable head, arms, and legs. Comes with an alternate head and 2 sets of alternate hands -- plus a "secret" shield based on the original figure releases. Features collectible cardback packaging with retro-inspired design and comic character art celebrating the 40th anniversary of Secret Wars."

Marvel Legends VHS Spider-Man and Vulture 2-Pack - Pulse Exclusive: "An aging engineer consumed by vanity, Adrian Toomes, a.k.a. Vulture, attempts to steal Spider-Man's powers --- and his youth. Bring the excitement and wonder of the Marvel Universe to your collection with this Hasbro Marvel Legends Spider-Man & Marvel's Vulture 2-Pack. These collectible 6-inch-scale Marvel figures are detailed to look like Spider-Man & Marvel's Vulture from the 1994 Spider-Man: The Animated Series. Fans can display this 6-inch action figure set -- featuring poseable heads, arms, and legs -- in their Marvel action figure collections. Spider-Man includes 2 sets of alternate hands, as well as alternate unmasked Peter Parker and Flash Thompson portrait heads. Marvel's Vulture features a set of alternate hands, an alternate head, and 4 wing parts. This 2-pack comes in unique vintage-style VHS-themed closed box packaging with series-inspired logos and design.