Bastion, Avengelyne, Blood Coven, and Weapon XIII (13) are either new or old characters dominating the market this week! Many have little familiarity with most of this list, and that's awesome! We've seen the same faces, names, and storylines dominating the aftermarket for months, and change is good. However, Deadpool, Wolverine, and Dazzler still make their presence known, with Spider-Woman also featured heavily. First 'team' appearances outshined individual character's first appearances for the first time in forever. Variety is the name of the game on this week's Top Ten!

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.

#10: The Uncanny X-Men #333 | MARVEL | 1996: We welcome another under-the-radar character to our lists, and this week, it's Bastion. He first appeared in this book and is an odd combination of humanoid sentinel destruction. With the newest episode of X-Men 97,' they're truly bringing into focus how much of a threat Bastion is. With a whole new audience indulging in the character, there are bound to be fans who feel the urge to visit the aftermarket in search of a copy of his first appearance! We tracked it at a high sale of $28 for a raw NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $10.

#9: Wolverine #154 | MARVEL | 2000: Typically, issue #155 gets all the love, but this book is where the fun begins. In an early meet-up between Deadpool and Wolverine, shenanigans are bound to arise, much like they appear to be doing in the upcoming Deadpool and Wolverine. It also features a gaggle of first appearances like Geronimo Crowe, Cargo, Hardwire, Shooter, the Administrator, AND the first team appearance of the Scourge. The rumor mill is turning regarding the Scourge and their potential appearance in the film or down the line. Numerous fans opted to be cautious, picking up a copy before the hype train could reach new heights. We tracked it at a high sale of $30 for a raw NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $29.

#8: Spider-Woman #7 - Leinil Francis Yu | MARVEL | 2024: Spider-Woman sure was hot last week! They made some serious moves in the story and added a new team to the lexicon with the Assembly. Fans were on board, with a resounding "more please" coming from fans of the run. It sold out quickly with many local comic shops, resulting in collectors turning to the aftermarket to secure a copy. Spider-Woman has her fans and they were out in force for this book! We tracked it at a high sale of $20 for a raw NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $12.

#7: Avengelyne #1 | MAXIMUM PRESS | 1995: This book was hot a few weeks ago when it was announced Oliva Wilde was set to direct an adaptation of the series. Avengelyne is a fallen angel, which lends itself well to the screen. Then, rumors began circulating that Margot Robbie was in talks to portray the character. As many know, she also lends herself well to the screen, which caused a spike in aftermarket search and sales for the first appearance of Avengelyne! We tracked it at a high sale of $30 for a raw NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $21.

#6: Spider-Woman #7 - Peach Momoko - Black Costume | MARVEL | 2024: Three fandoms collide with this book. You have your Spider-Woman, Momoko, and Black Suit fans feasting. This variant sports an amazing cover and also features a new super squad with an intriguing roster, including Titan, Cadet Marvel, Moon Squire, Liberty, and Hellrune. We tracked it at a high sale of $25 for a raw NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $17.

#5: Spider-Woman #7 - Todd Nauck | MARVEL | 2024: We've touched on this book already, but this is the version fans are clamoring for. With only three covers to choose from, fans often pivot to the one that features the team or individual character. This book does mostly that, featuring Moon Squire, Hellrune, and Cadet Marvel front and center behind Spider-Woman. With all variations trending for roughly the same price, this is the one the fandom has settled on as a must-have. We tracked it at a high sale of $25 for a raw NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $19.

#4: Dazzler #1 | MARVEL | 1981: Geez, this book has been hot for months! The rumors of Taylor Swift portraying the character in Deadpool and Wolverine just won't quit. It almost feels like Swift has been leaning into it for the past few months. She's appeared publicly with the stars of the film as well as producers, dodged questions regarding the project, AND the last word on her newest album was "Dazzling," for Pete's sake! Until we get an official yes or no, or the movie comes out, expect this book to trend for a while longer, despite it feeling like the world's worst-kept secret. We tracked it at a high sale of $23 for a raw VF copy and a current raw NM FMV of $19.

#3: Blood Hunt: Red Band Edition #1 - Pepe Larraz | MARVEL | 2024: Marvel doesn't typically lean into the extreme violence in their comics, but something has to give when you're dealing with the Marvel Universe versus vampires. Blood Hunt was the recent darling of NCBD and Free Comic Book Day, drawing in oodles of fans who wanted a taste. Some were lucky enough to secure this variation of the book, which immediately found a healthy aftermarket for those who missed out. We tracked it at a high sale of $16 for a raw NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $13.

#2: New X-Men #128 | MARVEL | 2002: This book features the first appearance of Fantomex, or Weapon XIII (13). He's an under-the-radar character that's jumped in popularity recently. The Weapon X program is rumored to be featured in the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World, which naturally sends fans on a Weapon X hunt. There is a ton of hype surrounding the character, as a subset of collectors has been eager to see him adapted to the screen for years. If that does happen, those who spent last week picking up this book are in a good spot! We tracked it at a high sale of $129 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current raw NM FMV of $28.

#1: Blood Hunt: Red Band Edition #1 - Leinil Francis Yu - Crime Suspense Stories #22 Homage (1:25) | MARVEL | 2024: The Marvel Universe VS Vampires? Yeah, sign us up. The fandom embraced the idea and ran with it, making this the hottest book of last week! Fans are all in and were after this variant from Yu hard, thanks to the wonderful homage to a time long past that many consider the golden age of horror comics, and it is the only variant available for this book. It also features the first full appearance of Blood Coven, which consists of Megrim, Smoke Eater, Unusual, Cruel, and Damascene. It has a ton going on and helps scratch the itch some collectors feel toward Marvel, IE, the lack of hard-hitting, violent, over-the-top action series. It was a risk for Marvel, but it is one worth taking! We tracked it at a high sale of $125 for a raw NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $116.

Marvel has announced the roster and creative team for the new X-Factor series launching out of the X-Men: From the Ashes relaunch. The new era of X-Men comics begins this summer, and there's already a stacked lineup of titles for readers to digest. Marvel is making sure each X-Men series is unique and offers a different perspective on the franchise, which is where the premise of X-Factor comes in. The series is going back to its roots as a government-sanctioned mutant team, except this time fame and fortune are part of the deal.

X-Factor is written by Eisner winner Mark Russell (Fantastic Four: Life Story, The Flintstones) and illustrated by veteran X-Men artist Bob Quinn (Captain America, Knights of X). It features Angel and Havok as co-leaders, with Pyro, Frenzy, Feral, and more as part of their recruits. So it sounds like X-Factor could have a rotating cast of characters, with each member called in for specific missions. The press release describes the team as part "special agents for missions that require an arsenal of superpowers and part celebrity propaganda machine," and also teases some of the threats X-Factor will face, like the Mutant Underground and X-Term.

X-Factor creative team discusses new X-Men series

"The thing I've always loved about the X-Men is that they're characters first, super heroes second," Russell shared. "So being able to write characters like Havok and Angel and Frenzy in a post-Krakoa reality is an opportunity to write about what I really care about, which is how do we help each other survive the apathy of the world we live in?"

"It's so exciting to be back and drawing mutants in the X-Men universe again, and doubly exciting to work with Mark again," Quinn added. "To my mind, Mark's mix of humor and ability to shine a light on the peculiarities of modern society make him the perfect writer to tackle the relaunch of X-FACTOR. Drawing this team and every unexpected twist and turn of the story has been a blast so far, and I can't wait for readers to get their hands on it."

What is X-Factor about?

Formed by the government in response to a post-Krakoa outbreak of mutant paramilitary, ops squads, and mercenary teams, X-FACTOR will be co-led by Angel and Havok and include recruits like Pyro, Frenzy, Feral, and more. Part special agents for missions that require an arsenal of superpowers and part celebrity propaganda machine, X-FACTOR will wage war against emerging factions like the Mutant Underground and X-Term. Whether they believe in their actions or are just doing it for a check, the members of X-Factor are no fools when it comes to shady politics. As hidden agendas rear their ugly head, they'll fight against the dark consequences and disastrous public opinion from the inside!

FAME, FORTUNE, MUTANTS! From the ashes of Krakoa, a new mutant arms race sweeps the globe! International governments are building their own mutant armies. But only America's X-Factor has the most powerful, most patriotic, most marketable mutant heroes to stem the tide and make the world safe for democracy! Join them as they go from one death-defying mission to another. Who will die? Who will fall in love? Who will be the first to sell out? Like, comment and subscribe to find out!

X-Factor #1 goes on sale August 14th.

Below you'll find a breakdown of the new Marvel Legends releases along with release dates and pre-order links where applicable. Note that this article will be updated with additional launch dates and links when the info becomes available.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES WOLVERINE (MARVEL 85TH ANNIVERSARY) - $24.99 / Available here at Entertainment Earth and here on Amazon: "With unstoppable healing powers and adamantium metal claws, the astonishing Wolverine battles threats alongside the mutant X-Men team. Celebrate the MARVEL UNIVERSE and 85 years of MARVEL COMICS with this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES WOLVERINE (MARVEL 85TH ANNIVERSARY) figure. This quality 6-inch scale figure features deco inspired by the character's appearance in Marvel's Astonishing X-Men comics. The figure features extensive articulation and is highly posable for display and play. Includes figure and 6 comics-inspired accessories including masked and unmasked heads and hands with and without claws."

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN (MARVEL 85TH ANNIVERSARY) - $29.99 / Available here at Entertainment Earth and here on Amazon: "When Doc Ock swaps bodies with Peter Parker, gaining his powers and conscience, he becomes the unlikely hero Superior Spider-Man. Celebrate the MARVEL UNIVERSE and 85 years of MARVEL COMICS with this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN (85th ANNIVERSARY) figure. This quality 6-inch scale figure features deco inspired by the character's appearance in Marvel's The Superior Spider-Man comics. The figure features extensive articulation and is highly posable for display and play. Includes figure and 11 comics-inspired accessories including alternate head and Spider-Arms with removable backpack."

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES IRON FIST AND LUKE CAGE (MARVEL 85TH ANNIVERSARY) - $49.99 / Available here at Entertainment Earth and here on Amazon: "Luke Cage and Iron Fist reach new heights as heroes when they're called to join the roster of New Avengers, teaming up to fight for justice. Celebrate the MARVEL UNIVERSE and 85 years of MARVEL COMICS with this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES IRON FIST AND LUKE CAGE (85TH ANNIVERSARY) 2-pack. These quality 6-inch scale figures feature deco inspired by the characters' appearances in Marvel's The New Avengers comics. The figures feature extensive articulation and are highly posable for display and play. Includes 2 figures and 12 comics-inspired accessories including alternate head and hands for each figure."

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES GHOST RIDER (DANNY KETCH) (MARVEL 85TH ANNIVERSARY) - $49.99 / Pre-orders will launch on 4/30 at 10am PT / 1pm ET here at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "When Danny Ketch crosses paths with a cursed motorcycle, he is transformed into the Spirit of Vengeance, wielding supernatural powers as Ghost Rider. Celebrate the MARVEL UNIVERSE and 85 years of MARVEL COMICS with this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES GHOST RIDER (DANNY KETCH) (85TH ANNIVERSARY) figure set. This quality 6-inch scale figure and vehicle features deco inspired by their appearances in Marvel's Ghost Rider comics. The figure features extensive articulation and is highly posable for display and play. Set comes with 6-inch scale Hell Cycle vehicle with moveable foot peg, semi-translucent fire wheels, and fire stands for displaying on 2 wheels or 1. Includes figure, bike and 9 comics-inspired accessories including motorcycle display pieces and alternate hands and chain for figure".

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES VENOM (MARVEL 85TH ANNIVERSARY) - $24.99 - This Walmart Exclusive is expected to launch on July 25th or 26th during Walmart's next SDCC Collector Con event. When it does drop, you'll be able to find it here. "When Spider-Man breaks free from an alien symbiote, it latches onto Daily Bugle reporter Eddie Brock - who becomes the supervillain Venom, seeking revenge on the web-slinger. Celebrate the MARVEL UNIVERSE and 85 years of MARVEL COMICS with this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES VENOM (MARVEL 85TH ANNIVERSARY) figure. This quality 6-inch scale figure features deco inspired by the character's appearance in Marvel's Spider-Man comics. The figure features extensive articulation, is highly posable for display and play and comes on collectible cardback packaging with retro-inspired design. Includes figure and 3 comics-inspired accessories including alternate hands and an alternate head."

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES SKAAR, SON OF HULK (MARVEL 85TH ANNIVERSARY) - $39.99 / Fan Channel Exclusive / Release Date TBA: A born fighter from the brutal world of Sakaar, the Son of Hulk seeks the power needed to destroy his enemies. Celebrate the MARVEL UNIVERSE and 85 years of MARVEL COMICS with this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES SKAAR, SON OF HULK (85th ANNIVERSARY) figure. For the first time, fans can add Skaar, the son of Hulk to their collection. This quality 6-inch scale deluxe figure stands 8 inches tall and features deco inspired by the character's appearance in Marvel's Skaar: Son of Hulk comics. The figure features extensive articulation and is highly posable for display and play. Includes figure and 5 comics-inspired accessories including alternate head, hands, and weapons accessories."

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES MARVEL'S WARBIRD (MARVEL 85TH ANNIVERSARY) - $24.99 / Target Exclusive / Release Date TBA: "After damaging her powers while saving Earth's sun, Carol Danvers joins a team of Avengers and takes on the codename of Warbird. Celebrate the MARVEL UNIVERSE and 85 years of MARVEL COMICS with this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES MARVEL'S WARBIRD (85th ANNIVERSARY) figure. For the first time, fans can add Carol Danvers as Marvel's Warbird to their collection. This quality 6-inch scale figure features deco inspired by the character's appearance in Marvel's Avengers comics with her black Warbird-era costume from her time on the Avengers team. The figure features extensive articulation and is highly posable for display and play. Includes figure and 5 comics-inspired accessories including alternate head, hands, and power FX."

This week is going to be a busy one for McFarlane Toys. Several new releases are slated to drop, including a new Tim Drake Robin, a Batman vs Bane 2-pack, and a Batman Hush Sketch Edition Gold Label exclusive in the DC Multiverse lineup. There will also be a Batman '66 wave in their DC Retro collection. Details about the figures can be found below along with info on when / where they can be pre-ordered. Check back on the launch dates for updated links.

• DC Multiverse Batman Hush Sketch Gold Label 7-Inch Scale Action Figure - Limited to 4800 Pieces ($29.99) - Entertainment Earth Exclusive / Available Now: "The Caped Crusader plummets from the pages of Batman: Hush with sketch-edition deco! Batman comes with extra hands, 2 batarangs, display base, and card stand. Also included is an exclusive art card featuring Batman on one side and a numbered certificate of authenticity on the other. Fully articulated, the black-and-white Dark Knight is showcased in designer window-box packaging with an exclusive card stand and a Batman logo display base."
• DC Retro Batman 1966 6-inch Action Figures - Goes up for pre-order on May 8th. Retailer links will be added here when available. The wave will include Nightwing, Alfred, Bookworm, Batman, and Robin in a mix of figures inspired by the comics and the classic TV show.
• DC Multiverse Batman vs Bane / Batman: Knightfall 2-pack - Goes up for pre-order on May 10th. Retailer links will be added here when available.
• DC Multiverse Tim Drake Robin 7-inch Scale Action Figure - Goes up for pre-order on May 10th. Retailer links will be added here when available. Note that this figure is an upgrade to the Tim Drake Robin that was released last year.

In other recent McFarlane Toys news, pre-orders for the DC Multiverse Batman: Futures End Jokerbot figure launched last week as a standalone, Gold Label, glow-in-the-dark version of a Target exclusive Build-A-Figure from a few years back. This time around, it's an Amazon exclusive that you can pre-order right here for $29.99 with a release date set for July 26th.

It's a crazy figure from a really intriguing 2014 DC storyline in which Bruce Wayne is merged with the Joker to form a cyber soldier. That's why you'll find the Joker's visage on one side of the head of this figure and Batman's on the other. In addition to the glow-in-the-dark paint, the figure will also include and art card and a base.

The Boy Wonder #1 introduces readers to its narrative via a framing device in which a woebegone criminal is told a story by their hostage in Sheherazade-like fashion. What unfolds is instantly recognizable as the superhero origins of Damian Wayne, but its visual and prose style are bound in the tropes of fables and myths. Damian is shown to be the youngest child in a powerful dynasty seemingly in competition with adopted elder brothers, and it all rings true to the core mythos of Damian Wayne across media. This origin presents a young man of great potential riven with conflicts, internal and external, every bit the star character presented across Morrison's astonishing Batman run. And it seats that version of Damian--haunted by his past, striving for impossible standards--into a new adventure staged to reflect his essential relationships and nature. It's an outstanding premise for any reader fond of Batman's biological son.

The first issue also showcases how far-ranging this miniseries seeks to be, delivering a wide array of supporting Bat-friends and multiple engaging villains. There's plenty of action and humor amidst the unfolding mystery and chase that will bind this miniseries together. Which is simply to say that The Boy Wonder possesses the special blend of entertainment and wisdom that mark great fables.

Juni Ba's artwork is essential to this experience. He deftly shifts perspectives and scale to economically recap backstory and provide plenty of detail and space to the critical junctures of Damian's current story. There's a deft use of iconography in how Ba delivers the core of Dick Grayson's character in two brilliant pages. What makes these compressed sequences all the more impressive is how they are reflected back into the current narrative, as shown when Damian takes a lesson from who Dick is.

The story remixes itself as superhero adventure, feudal legend, and supernatural thriller at the turn of a page; Ba is more than capable of delivering all of these. All of the characters who appear in this first issue are instantly recognizable as they are composed with striking silhouettes with costume designs that are as close to evergreen as Batman fans might ever agree upon. Ba capably delivers emotionality with only a few well selected lines and expressive figures. Every page possesses an undeniable vitality with such lively compositions.

The Boy Wonder #1 is a special comic book as it tells a moving minor adventure unto itself while framing a grander hero's journey for Damian Wayne in the miniseries to come. Its framing of Damian expresses the clearest understanding of what makes the character resonate with readers and threatens to define the young hero for years to come.

Published by DC Comics

On May 7, 2024

Written by Juni Ba

Art by Juni Ba

Colors by Chris O'Halloran

Letters by Aditya Bidikar

Cover by Juni Ba

Wolverine and X-Factor are the next titles Marvel is adding to its X-Men: From the Ashes relaunch. When Marvel first announced what is in store for X-Men: From the Ashes, there were only three series fans could look forward to: X-Men by Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman, Uncanny X-Men by Gail Simone and David Marquez, and Exceptional X-Men by Eve L. Ewing and Carmen Carnero. Since then, we've had the announcements of X-Force, Phoenix, and NYX, but the hits keep on coming, as we now know we can add X-Factor and Wolverine to that growing list of X-Men comics.

Marvel released two teasers for X-Factor and Wolverine, with both series debuting in August. The publisher states that the official announcements for both titles will come later this week, though we do have some slogans to go with each. X-Factor has the logline, "Officially sanctioned to protect a world that hates and fears loves and adores them," while Wolverine states, "He'd kill for some alone time, but the fight always finds him. It's in his bones." Of course, those bones refer to Wolverine's Adamantium skeleton. You can get a look at the logos for X-Factor and Wolverine below.

Magneto gets a new look for X-Men: From the Ashes

The first variant cover for X-Men #1 by celebrated X-Men artist Tony Daniel is a group shot of Cyclops, Beast, Psylocke, Magik, Juggernaut, Kid Omega, Temper, and Magneto. Magneto is in his familiar red and purple costume with a matching helmet, which he went back to in the final issue of Resurrection of Magneto. However, you can see that Magneto has grown out a white beard and mustache. Perhaps Magneto is playing the role of Charles Xavier and leading the X-Men as a mentor figure, similar to what's transpiring on the X-Men '97 animated series on Disney+.

The other variant covers feature a character spotlight by fan-favorite cover artist J. Scott Campbell, which will also be available as a virgin variant cover, and a hidden gem piece by the legendary George P?rez. His iconic depiction of Beast during his time with the Avengers inspired Stegman's own take on Beast in X-Men.

Stay tuned to ComicBook this week for more information regarding Wolverine and X-Factor.

There are new villains and changes to be found when Marvel officially kicks off the X-Men: From the Ashes era. The next era of X-Men comics comes after the Fall of X, which wraps up the Krakoan era of X-Men storytelling that started when Jonathan Hickman essentially became the showrunner of the franchise. One of Marvel's Free Comic Book Day titles puts the spotlight on X-Men: From the Ashes, introducing a new villainous threat and a change to a locale that has become synonymous with the Children of the Atom.

*WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Free Comic Book Day 2024: Blood Hunt/X-Men #1. Continue reading at your own risk!

The X-Men story in Marvel's FCBD title comes from Gail Simone and David Marquez, the creative team on the upcoming Uncanny X-Men. The story follows Jubilee, who is checking in on the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. The school is the former home of the X-Men, where Professor Charles Xavier used to teach and train the next generation of mutants. The school hasn't been used in some time, especially after the X-Men relocated to the sovereign island nation of Krakoa. But here we learn that the Xavier School is no longer a school, but a detention center for mutants called Graymalkin Prison.

We then meet our new villains, Doctor Corina Ellis and her associate Phillip. As far as we can tell, Ellis is a human, but Phillip is a mutant telepath with pale skin and walking crutches. Ellis quickly tasks her team to gut Xavier's former office and to have it looking like an Ikea catalog. As we circle back to the prison aspect of the facility, we see someone who appears to be Theresa Cassidy, aka Siryn, held prisoner with her mouth clamped shut, a large gentleman who could be Blob, and a mysterious prison behind a door labeled "Inmate X."

Rogue steps up as leader in Uncanny X-Men

With Cyclops leading in Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman's X-Men, Rogue will take the leadership role in Uncanny X-Men. She'll be joined on the team by Wolverine, Gambit, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee, which will relocate to New Orleans as their new base of operations.

"Most of my time lately has been spent trying to keep my brain from exploding right out of my skull from this book," Simone shared. "It's either the fun of all my favorite mutants acting in surprising and wonderful ways, the impossibly brilliant work of the art team, or the thrilling collaboration with all the other writers, but somehow every DAY is just filled with some kind of manic joy. Ever since I took the book, I've been scribbling notes and plots and bits of dialogue day and night. I feel like a kid at a carnival. Who DOESN'T want to write Rogue and Jubilee and Gambit all the rest?"

"Uncanny X-Men is the book that made me fall in love with comics," Marquez said. "It's been a dream come true getting to work with Gail, Matt [Wilson], and the whole Marvel editorial crew under Tom to put together this story: a badass, heartfelt, action-packed, character driven X-Men mystery. I hope readers have at least half as much fun reading it as we have had making it."

"I absolutely have to take a moment to praise David Marquez," Simone added. "Not only is this going to be one of the best-looking books on the stands, he's simply an idea MACHINE and he makes every single page better than I wrote it. Anyway, come join us, we're having an X adventure and you're all INVITED!"

Dead Boy Detectives is now streaming on Netflix, and the new series is a spinoff of The Sandman. The Dead Boy Detectives were created by writer Neil Gaiman along with artists Matt Wagner and Malcolm Jones III, and made their first comics appearance in The Sandman #25 in 1991 before they got their own series. ComicBook.com recently spoke with George Rexstrew and Jayden Revri, and they talked about reading the comics to prepare for playing the titular detectives. However, there is one actor from the series who chose not to dive into the comics, and for good reasons. We also had the chance to chat with Briana Cuoco, who plays Jenny in the show. For most of the season, Jenny is very clueless about the supernatural goings on around her, so Cuoco thought it best to hold off on reading the comics.

"Well, I did a bunch of research to look into who they were, what the comics were, where it came from, all the things," Cuoco explained. "But I purposely didn't read any of the comics because Jenny has no idea what's going on all season. And I kind of wanted to be surprised by the world, not that it would've totally seeped into my work or anything. I did as much work as I felt was appropriate for Jenny."

"And then I did more work on the butcher side just to get into that mindset," she continued. "But now that it's all out and done, and now that she sort of understands or sees the world, and knows by the end of the series, I think I'm going to go back and start reading everything. Just for fun."

Do You Need To Read Dead Boy Detectives Before Watching the Series?

ComicBook.com recently attended a meet and greet with Dead Boy Detective showrunners, Steve Yockey and Beth Schwartz, and we asked if they recommend watching The Sandman or reading the Dead Boy Detectives comics before starting the spinoff series.

"Well, I think that you don't need to do any homework for the show, and I feel like it's more fun," Schwartz explained. "I don't know, everyone's different, but I think it's more fun not to do anything before you see it. So you can be surprised and then you can go back and watch Sandman and read the comics after."

"And we are true to the boys' origins and how they started the detective agency and Crystal's backstory," Yockey added. "But the rest of it is us kind of taking things from the comic books and sort of re-appropriating them, re-imagining them so that people who are familiar with the comic books will get to have those kind of, 'Oh, I recognize this, moment.' ... But regular people can just watch the show."

Dead Boy Detectives is now streaming on Netflix.

Three of Earth's Mightiest Heroes are the first to fall in the opening of Blood Hunt. The vampire crossover event has promised massive repercussions for the Marvel Universe, with no one safe from the creatures of the night's bite. Blood Hunt #1 introduced a new species of vampires, along with the surprising character leading them. When it came time for the Avengers to square off with the new breed of vampires, a sacrifice was made, a powerful hero was quickly taken down, and the betrayal of the year took place.

*WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Blood Hunt #1. Continue reading at your own risk!

Blood Hunt #1 comes from the creative team of Jed MacKay, Pepe Larraz, Marte Gracia, and VC's Cory Petit. While the Avengers are helping fight the vampires in the streets, Bladecalls them up asking for help and saying he has vital information to share. The Avengers teleport Blade to their orbital base, the Impossible City, but instead of Blade showing up, a new breed of super-vampires called the Bloodcoven ambush them. The Bloodcoven gets the upper hand thanks to the sneak attack, with the blade-wielding Damascene lodging one of its sharp red blades inside Thor's skull. Since the Bloodcoven's leader, Bloodstorm One, wants to turn Captain America into a vampire as their new status symbol, Black Panther makes the hard sacrifice of evacuating as many Avengers as he can, only to wind up impaled in the chest by Bloodstorm One.

Finally, Blade pays a visit to Doctor Strange and Clea, who are working on a spell to kill every vampire on Earth. Blade fills them in on the vampire uprising, and how they've organized under a group called The Structure. Moon Knight killed their leader back in Moon Knight #18, but someone new has stepped up to fill that void. It's here that we learn that Blade is the person who blacked out the sun, assembled the vampires, and is The Structure's new leader. Blood Hunt #1 ends with Blade stabbing Doctor Strange through the back.

Are the Avengers really dead?

What we know is Black Panther will be turned into a vampire, with his adventures continuing in the Black Panther: Blood Hunt miniseries. The ongoing Doctor Strange series, written by Blood Hunt scribe Jed MacKay, will fill readers in as Clea and Wong race to save the Sorcerer Supreme, and Captain America assembles a new team of Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Avengers.

And this all took place in just the first issue of Blood Hunt! With several more chapters to come, there's no telling which way the story will go from here.

Space Ghost has had a one-of-a-kind journey in our pop culture landscape, becoming an action-packed cosmic superhero, an irreverent talk show host, and an all-around beloved part of the Hanna-Barbera world. This week, that decades-long history gets a new chapter in the form of a new Space Ghost comic series, which is launching from Dynamite Entertainment as part of their collaboration with Warner Bros. Entertainment. Written by David Pepose (Punisher, Moon Knight: City of the Dead) with art by Jonathan Lau (Red Sonja, Green Hornet), Space Ghost #1 shows fans a previously-unseen part of the franchise -- how Jan, Jace, and their monkey sidekick Blip became Space Ghost's wards.

In celebration of Space Ghost #1 making its debut, ComicBook.com spoke with Pepose via email about this new showcase for the titular hero, threading the needle of Space Ghost's previous eras, and so much more.

ComicBook.com: Prior to working on this series, what was your connection and familiarity to Space Ghost?

David Pepose: Growing up, my first introduction to Space Ghost was with Space Ghost: Coast to Coast -- it wasn't until my first internship in the comics industry that I learned who Alex Toth was, along with Space Ghost's original superheroic roots. It was during that internship that I read Joe Kelly and Ariel Olivetti's Space Ghost miniseries, and all that left me thinking that Space Ghost really did have all the ingredients of an A-list superhero. He's got the killer design, the awesome arsenal of weaponry like his Power Bands and Inviso-Belt, his immediately engaging sidekicks, and his absolutely top-shelf collection of villains. In a lot of ways, though, those elements have been locked in a time capsule for a whole generation of fans -- and that's why I'm so excited to reclaim that legacy for readers in our run on Space Ghost. He's a character that's long deserved a long, epic run harkening back to his superheroic roots -- and our entire creative team is looking to deliver on it.

I saw you mention in another interview that, to prepare, you read every Space Ghost comic you could find. Were there any that particularly stood out to you -- for good or bizarre reasons -- from that experiment?

Mark Evanier and Steve Rude's Space Ghost one-shot for Comico was a brilliant adventure, one that really distilled everything great about Space Ghost and his villains into one jam-packed issue. Rereading Joe Kelly and Ariel Olivetti's Space Ghost miniseries was also really useful for me -- their origin had a real Batman Begins vibe, but I think that series' focus on Space Ghost was particularly instructive for me, in that it pushed me to take a different angle, one that explores how expansive Space Ghost's cast is.

Obviously, the cultural impact of Space Ghost has taken multiple shapes, thanks to things like Coast to Coast. How do you thread the needle of all of those different tones in this new run?

To me, Space Ghost's various incarnations have always been a product of their time -- from the 1966 cartoon echoing the Silver Age energy of Adam West's Batman, to the 1981 revival being in the pantheon of Super-Friends and Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, to Coast to Coast embodying the irony of the MTV generation, to Joe Kelly and Ariel Olivetti feeling like a spiritual companion to Batman Begins. So I'm very excited to be reintroducing Space Ghost in this exact same way, this time using the storytelling techniques of today to delve into the various concepts of his universe.

What made you want to reintroduce Jan, Jace, and Blip, and give them an origin story that wasn't necessarily in the original source material?

It was a combination of what interested me the most, and it was also the road not taken. It didn't make sense to me to try to compete with Joe Kelly and Ariel Olivetti's run, especially since we were doing brand-new continuity -- so exploring Space Ghost's adventures through the eyes of two point-of-view characters instead made sense to me, and felt like a way to honor the vision of the original cartoon, which was particularly savvy in having both a young boy and a young girl for viewers to emotionally invest in. But tackling Jan, Jace, and Blip's story also felt like something I needed to wrap my head around for our run to make any sense -- like many elements in Space Ghost's continuity, there was no backstory as to how Jan and Jace wound up in Space Ghost's care. That felt like a really compelling story for me -- how does this found family come into each other's orbit, and how do they learn and grow from each other?

Brak is one of my favorite characters, and you nailed his characterization while making him even more terrifying. How did you approach that?

When I was rewatching all the original episodes of Space Ghost, the thing that stood out to me about Brak is that he's not a world-beater, he's not out there looking to conquer the galaxy -- Brak is almost blue-collar in his aspirations. Similar to somebody like Taskmaster over at Marvel, Brak is a guy just looking for a paycheck, looking to knock over the nearest gold freighter with his brother. For every villain that we're tackling in Space Ghost, I made it a point to really pay attention to the villains in their original cartoon appearances, and figure out what qualities and personality traits stood out most to me, and to figure out new ways to play that up. For Brak and his brother Sisto, it was that opportunistic streak -- and I'm really happy with the ways that we've been able to incorporate that into their characterization.

What has the collaborative process been like with Jonathan Lau?

Jonathan Lau is a truly sensational artist who has been outdoing himself with each and every issue. I looped him in on my general plans for the series the moment he came aboard, and with each script, I tend to preface it with whatever influences or goals I have for each issue. I've been a fan of Jonathan's since his work on Green Hornet with Kevin Smith years ago, and he's delivering the work of his career on Space Ghost. He's able to really masterfully switch gears between this big, bombastic action moments and these incredibly heartfelt character beats -- between the characters you'll fall in love with and the villains whose redesigns will leave you on the edge of your seats, Jonathan is the perfect fit for this book. Combine him with Andrew Dalhouse's energetic colors and Taylor Esposito's beautifully economical lettering, and Space Ghost really does come with a stacked creative team.

What has surprised you the most about the experience of working on this series?

Beyond just the overwhelming response we've received so far since our series was announced? I didn't realize how much I was going to love writing Jan and Jace -- at this point, they're honestly two of my favorite characters I've ever written. There's something really bittersweet about these two orphans and how they each try to preserve this unorthodox found family situation they've found with Space Ghost -- Jan being the feisty, responsible one, because she feels like if she doesn't think things through, she'll lose what she has left; while Jace is the impulsive one always rattling off jokes, because he feels like if he doesn't keep the others laughing, they'll go their separate ways. They're good kids, and wonderful point-of-view characters -- and they play off Space Ghost as the straight man magnificently.

What are you most excited for fans to discover about this series, once it launches?

I'm excited for readers to discover why Space Ghost is the greatest superhero that many of them have never heard of. He's a character with amazing powers, an even more incredible supporting cast, and a deep bench of iconic villains that will lead him on adventures across the galaxy. Space Ghost is a hero who can organically incorporate such a wide variety of genres, tones, and influences, a character who feels like equal parts Batman and Star Wars -- he's a cultural touchstone whose time has finally come, and I couldn't be more excited or honored to be spearheading his relaunch.

Space Ghost #1 is now available wherever comics are sold.

Marvel and DC put out great covers for Mystique and Harley Quinn last week, and fans are hunting them down! That wasn't the only cover artwork to generate buzz; Artgerm's Something is Killing the Children also was a huge hit. Deadpool & Wolverine is getting closer, and key books are heating up again. X-Men '97 has also been causing several keys to jump back into the spotlight. Finally, a neat crossover makes it to the top ten, thanks to Invincible. Read through our top ten list to see what happened in the Invincible Season 2 finale.

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.

#10: X-Men Forever #2 - Arthur Adams (1:25) | MARVEL | 2024: Arthur Adams' covers have always been a top collector's item. With the recent success of X-Men '97, X-Men covers have been rising in popularity. Mystique is also a top-selling X-Men cover character. Aside from it being fantastic cover art, this book is also a retailer incentive, a 1:25 ratio cover. The rarity adds to the desire to collect this cover and show off amazing Adams artwork! We tracked it at a high sale of $50 for a raw NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $41.

#9: Harley Quinn #39 - Mindy Lee (1:50) | DC | 2024: What a great cover from artist Mindy Lee! Harley Quinn is known for her wild covers, and this one is on the list! The cover depicts the character in a colorful space suit facing off against robotic minions. It is a great cover and it is also a retailer incentive variant, making it even harder to find! We tracked it at a high sale of $150 for a raw NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $124.

#8: Something Is Killing The Children #36 - Stanley Artgerm Lau - Thank You | BOOM! STUDIOS | 2024: Artgerm is one of the most sought-after cover artists in the industry today. His artwork has a huge fandom. Moreover, Something is Killing the Children is one of the most popular series, BOOM! Studios has produced. Pair these two factors with a limited retailer thank-you variant, and you have a highly desirable cover to chase! We tracked it at a high sale of $75 for a raw NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $31.

#7: The Uncanny X-Men #221 | MARVEL | 1987: Mr. Sinister is playing a huge role in the latest X-Men series. The animated show depicts Mr. Sinister as one of the main villains in the series. Since the show's announcement, Mr. Sinister was rumored to be in the show. Fans did not know his role's importance, whether he would be a villain of the week or a mainstay player. It turns out that Mr. Sinister is playing a huge role, and fans are swarming to pick up his first appearance. We tracked it at a high sale of $60 for a raw copy and a current raw NM FMV of 435.

#6: Marvel Team-Up #14 | MARVEL | 2006: In this issue, we see Invincible hop through the multiverse and end up in the main Marvel comic universe. He assists Spidey and the Avengers in a battle against Doc Ock. As most fans know, the rights to IP in comics vastly differ from those of film rights. It looks like Amazon didn't have the right to use Spider-Man, but they still handled the multiverse hop in their own way. Instead of running into our favorite wall-crawler, Invincible hops the multiverse and ends up assisting Agent Spider in a battle against Prof Ock. It's an elegant way of dealing with this pivotal moment while also navigating legal restrictions over Marvel IP. Fans of this moment wanted to revisit the original team-up and are picking up tons of copies of this great event! We tracked 19 copies sold, at a 7-day trend of 63%, with a high sale of $775 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current raw NM FMV of $275.

#5: X-Men #53 | MARVEL | 1996: There has been so much going on in X-Men '97 that fans are caught up in processing the events vs theorizing storylines. However, that changed with the debut of the latest episode. The ending revealed that Magneto was currently held captive by the surprise villain Bastion. Bastion also monitored Professor Xavier's whereabouts. Fans are speculating that Bastion is attempting to pit Magneto against the X-Men team and, subsequently, Professor X. This clash, at such a high emotional time in mutant-kind, might be the catalyst to bring out the monstrous villain, Onslaught! If this is true, fans have quickly grabbed his first appearance this past week! We tracked it at a high sale of $15 for a raw NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $5.

#4: The Uncanny X-Men #333 | MARVEL | 1996: The X-Men '97 series consistently boosts X-Men keys that have been dormant for years. The latest episode ended with a surprise villain debut: the mastermind behind the attack on Genosha, Bastion! In the comic books, the genocide on Genosha was orchestrated by Cassandra Nova. It looks like the showrunners are pointing the attack to Bastion and his manipulation of Bolivar Trask. Nevertheless, until the episode drops tomorrow, we won't know Bastion's endgame. We tracked it at a high sale of $20 for a raw NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $8.

#3: New X-Men #114 | MARVEL | 2001: Cassandra Nova has been a long-rumored villain for the Deadpool & Wolverine film. This past week, the movie released a second trailer, confirming the villainess' appearance in the film. The trailer also built a ton of hype around the film in general. Fans are ready to see the merc with a mouth join the MCU! We tracked it at a high sale of $20 for a raw VF copy and a current raw NM FMV of $25.

#2: The New Mutants #98 | MARVEL | 1991: Deadpool & Wolverine continues to get closer every day! As the movie approaches, more and more rumors are unraveling. The latest rumor is about the movie's end credit scene. Several well-known leakers have shared that they have seen the end-credit scene of the movie. The scene is being praised across the board, and it is said to completely redefine the MCU. However, nearly all the leakers have a united front when sharing any information about the scene. Nearly all information from Deadpool & Wolverine has been pretty tight-lipped, but the rumors have had enough fuel to light the fire under these keys! We tracked 41 copies sold, at a 7-day trend of 24%, with a high sale of $1,382 for a CGC 9.8 and a current raw NM FMV of $386.

#1: Dazzler #1 | MARVEL | 1981: Taylor Swift cameoing as Dazzler in Deadpool & Wolverine has been the most popular rumor surrounding the film. It has been a long time since any new rumor has emerged, but the book has managed to stay on our top lists just because of Swift's star power alone. However, Swift fans are now combing through her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, to find out any information about her cameo. In the final track of her album, Clara Bow, there is a lyric that reads, "The future's bright, dazzling." This small line has been speculated as the star's way of confirming to her fans that she will be playing the character Dazzler. Obviously, this is not hard evidence, but it was enough to push this book back to the number one spot! We tracked 61 copies sold, at a 7-day trend of 110%, with a high sale of $174 for a CGC 9.8 and a current raw NM FMV of $9.

McFarlane Toys has opened up pre-orders for the DC Multiverse Batman: Futures End Jokerbot figure, which is a standalone, Gold Label, glow-in-the-dark version of a Target exclusive Build-A-Figure from a few years back. This time around, it's an Amazon exclusive that you can pre-order right here for $29.99 with a release date set for July 26th.

It's a crazy figure from a really intriguing 2014 DC storyline in which Bruce Wayne is merged with the Joker to form a cyber soldier. That's why you'll find the Joker's visage on one side of the head of this figure and Batman's on the other. In addition to the glow-in-the-dark paint, the figure will also include and art card and a base.

"In a possible future decades from now, an aging Bruce Wayne helps his successor Terry McGinnis (aka Batman Beyond) travel back in time to prevent a highly advanced A.I. from taking over society. Terry successfully makes the trip, but Bruce gets critically injured in the process and is left behind. Enemy forces quickly take Bruce and merge him with The Joker, whom they previously captured and have locked away combining the two in a twisted act that makes Super Hero one with Super-Villian Together, they become a deadly, cybernetic soldier whose singular mission is to destroy Batman Beyond(TM) before he can complete his mission and return home."

While you're at it, not that McFarlane Toys recently launched a Joker figure that comes packaged with his chaotic new girlfriend Punchline (aka Alexis Kaye). If you're unfamiliar, the character first appeared in the February 2020 "Batman" #89 issue from James Tynion IV and Jorge Jim?nez, and she possesses a darker, more violent personality than that of her predecessor Harley Quinn.

That said, Punchline is a welcome addition to the DC Multiverse lineup, though some collectors would have probably preferred to pick up a standalone figure instead of having to acquire yet another Joker to get her. However, the set certainly makes sense for display, Pre-orders are available here on Amazon now.

That's something writer Jed MacKay and the creative team behind Marvel's newest event, "Blood Hunt," seem to be keenly aware of. In Blood Hunt #1 a vampire cult manages to black out the sun, attack major cities with vampiric hordes and wipe out half of the current Avengers team with a kill squad comprised of six different shades of gory horror.

In short, this is a very fun comic book.

The events leading up to Blood Hunt are deeply rooted in Marvel Comics history--as far back as when Doctor Strange nearly wiped out all vampires back in the 1980s--but you can actually jump into this opening issue without any required reading. There are references to recent events in Moon Knight, Blade and even recent horror-themed mini-events like 2021's "Darkhold Saga" and last year's "Contest of Chaos," but they're all garnishes. The sun is blocked out in just two pages and four pages later the hordes have already mobilized. This issue grabs your attention from the jump.

I get the feeling Pepe Larraz's artwork will be a sticking point with the five issues of Blood Hunt. On the one hand, the art does outstanding work with character designs, particularly with the six members of The Bloodcoven. But the artwork also has a certain inky murkiness, making action scenes read like static with recognizable characters wandering through rather than teeth-gritting, blood-soaked brawls. It's not as noticeable when each of The Avengers are fighting off waves of nameless vampires, but certain moments in the Avengers vs. Bloodcoven fight are difficult to parse. It definitely fits the theme, but some of the intended effect wears off when you have to keep re-reading panels to understand what's happening.

Finally, there's a big twist at the end, though there's no sense in spoiling it here. Even though it's telegraphed fairly early on, the big reveal still hits its mark and is a bold choice for one of Marvel's most recognizable characters.

After only one issue, it's hard to say where Blood Hunt will land within the pantheon of superhero event comics. DC took its shot at "superheroes versus vampires" just a couple of years ago to mixed results and Marvel events have been hit or miss in recent years. But it's been quite a while since I've seen one start on such a high note and it'll have me hooked reading through the summer.

Published by Marvel Comics

On May 1, 2024

Written by Jed MacKay

Art by Pepe Larraz

Colors by Marte Garcia

Letters by Cory Petit

Cover by Pepe Larraz and Marte Garcia

The villain behind the vampire uprising in Marvel's Blood Hunt event has been revealed. The big summer blockbuster event officially kicked off this week, as the Avengers Assembled to stop the initial attack. Blood Hunt will span several titles, with big names like Doctor Strange, Miles Morales, and Earth's Mightiest Heroes being joined by overlooked heroes like Bloodline and Union Jack. Of course, since Bladeis Marvel's expert in vampire hunting, he'll have a major role to play in Blood Hunt as well. However, when it came time for the first issue to reveal the true mastermind behind the vampires, their identity was not who anyone would have expected.

*WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Blood Hunt #1. Continue reading at your own risk!

Blood Hunt #1 comes from the creative team of Jed MacKay, Pepe Larraz, Marte Gracia, and VC's Cory Petit. The opening salvo mostly deals with the Avengers' response to the sun being covered in darkness after the Darkforce users are corrupted. This allows vampires across the globe to go on the offensive. Blade pops up to recruit Miles Morales and warn the Avengers, asking them to send him to their orbital base called the Impossible City. However, it's not Blade who shows up in the Impossible City, but a new breed of super-vampires called the Bloodcoven. Black Panther sacrifices himself to allow the rest of the Avengers to escape.

Back in New York City, Blade meets with Doctor Strange and Clea to fill them in on everything he knows about a group called The Structure, who are behind the vampire uprising. Doctor Strange plans to use the Montesi Formula to kill every vampire on Earth, but before he can go through with the ritual, Blade stabs Doctor Strange through the chest from behind, revealing himself to be The Structure's leader.

Why did Blade turn on the Avengers in Blood Hunt?

With this being the first issue of Blood Hunt, we'll have to wait and see what caused Blade to join with the vampires in their plot to take over the Earth. Marvel's Blade ongoing series has the vampire hunter fighting a new supernatural threat called the Adana. Blade also mentions in Blood Hunt #1 that Moon Knight killed The Structure's former leader in Moon Knight #18, and that they are a vampire cult that was spreading worldwide.

Perhaps Blade has been turned by The Structure to serve their evil purposes, or he's working as a double agent to take them down from the inside. Either way, Blood Hunt has gotten off to a thrilling start, and we can't wait to see what happens next.

The first issue functions primarily as prologue and asserts as much on the first few pages in which the eldest Blood brother narrates that before his story can unfold readers must first see his father's. And so readers are introduced to Carter Cain, a cold-blooded outlaw who readily carries a grudge and kills without hesitation. His release from prison introduces readers to his history, his gang, and his penchant for violence.

Risso's blend of pencils and watercolors paints Cain's often terrifying reintroduction to society in the iconic imagery and colors of the American Southwest. Oranges and reds at sunset provide an undeniable beauty that reflects the blood-stained, wretched acts of Cain's cohort. In this vision of the Old West, Hobbes' state-of-nature is at play in an unending war of all against all in which Cain is an apex predator. Risso delivers the natural world surrounding all of this in spectacular glimpses of the natural world juxtaposed with terrible imagery of the state-of-nature.

Readers ought to be aware that in a sequence set to evoke McCarty's most terrible descriptions, Risso graphically portrays sexual assault in a series of pages bound to repel some readers altogether. I sometimes find it difficult to judge sequences like this in a serialized format where the complete narrative context is absent. Westerns, like those sited in the debut's solicit, have considered the darkest of human themes with all of the weight and gravitas they merit. They've also been used to generate exploitive dreck. For now I withhold judgment as the series unfolds, but urge readers wary of sexual violence to pass on this issue.

As a fond reader of both Cormac McCarthy and 100 Bullets, though, I find myself primarily intrigued. As Cain emerges from Mexico, readers find his son Daniel in a peaceful, almost idyllic, life in a border town that predictably comes crashing down about him. The framing of Daniel's life with two, too-cute younger (likely half-)brothers, an earnest preacher for a step-father, and ill-defined, but Madonna-like mother provides a biblical framing for events to come and a scenario already wrought with tension as soon as Cain enters the frame.

Events play out with the sort of work that made Risso an iconic artist of crime comics with unbelievably tense scenes stacked with inset panels that develop the sequence in unnerving fashion. Action sequences are filled with surprises and never deny the realities of violence. It's still stunning how beautifully Risso portrays the ugliest of circumstances.

The Blood Brothers Mother #1 is an undeniable success in delivering a nihilistic vision of the Western portraying bleak men against a harsh environment. Whether it can meet the ambition of crafting a compelling statement about humanity's nature is yet to be seen, but as a genre-vehicle it will more than satisfy readers who crave the next Bone Tomahawk or Hell or High Water, ready to see bad men and innocent boys alike damn themselves.

Published by DSTLRY

On May 1, 2024

Written by Brian Azzarello

Art by Eduardo Risso

Colors by Eduardo Risso

Letters by Jared K. Fletcher

Cover by Eduardo Risso

Pete Wentz, the lyricist and bassist for the beloved band Fall Out Boy, is taking his storytelling into a whole new arena. This week, fans can begin to pre-order Dying Inside, a new graphic novel co-written by Wentz and writer-director Hannah Klein with art by Witchblood and Squad's Lisa Sterle. Dying Inside is part of Vault's new Headshell imprint, which is the home of graphic novels inspired by and in collaboration with real-life recording artists. Copies of Dying Inside will feature QR codes that lead readers to a playlist curated by Wentz and Klein, original lyrics and poetry from Wentz, and so much more.

In Dying Inside, today is Ash's big finale. And by finale, she means exiting the stage permanently. Ash is a sixteen-year-old girl with more angst than Ian Curtis and Elliott Smith combined (her two idols). She's apathetic and therefore believes death is the easiest route to relief. But nothing is more embarrassing than a lame death. Unfortunately, her meticulous plans are all ruined when the beautiful knife she buys off a webstore turns out to be charmed with a protection spell. Now, Ash has to track down the witch who transformed her clocking out attempt into the worst gift imaginable: immortality. Turns out, the witch responsible is another sixteen-year-old-girl named (get this) Liv. The two vow to undo the charm together and fight for Ash's death...even as things get increasingly entangled with a strange new antidepressant called Somnia and her mom's gross boyfriend, Greg.

In celebration of Dying Inside now being available to pre-order, ComicBook.com spoke with Wentz, Klein, and Sterle about their one-of-a-kind collaboration.

ComicBook.com: I was so excited to hear that fans can get an early look at Dying Inside on Free Comic Book Day! How does it feel to be a part of such an iconic tradition in the comic world?

Pete Wentz: It's really exciting. I'm psyched for us to be a part of something that is such an integral part of the community. Also, the fastest way to people's hearts is free stuff -- I know this from 7-11 Slurpee day!

Hannah Klein: It's so insanely cool! I've participated in Free Comic Book Day so many times as a consumer, so being represented as a writer for the first time is surreal.

Lisa Sterle: I am absolutely thrilled, this is the first time one of my books will be available as a free comic on Free Comic Book Day! I always have a table at my local shop, Laughing Ogre, so it will be so cool to be able to sign and give out the Dying Inside preview this year.

Pete, as someone who read Fall Out Toy Works, I have to say congrats on your return to the world of comics! What made Dying Inside the perfect story to go back to the medium?

Wentz: Dang, that's cool that you read that. Toy Works was an interesting art project. I'm not sure whether it was a story totally meant for a record or a comic but it was something kind of in between...and in some ways, the chaos of the in between was what made it work (or not if it didn't work for you). Hannah is one of my favorite contemporary writers, and when she had the idea for a graphic novel, I knew we had to get it done... seeing Lisa's drawing really brought it to life for me.

Pete, you and your bandmate Joe Trohman both have comic projects coming out this year, with Joe working on The Holy Roller for Image. Have the two of you chatted about that at all?

Wentz: We haven't gone super in-depth on specific projects, but we have talked about writing in general a lot over the past year. The Holy Roller is sick. Joe has a really distinct perspective and way of writing, and it's been so rad to see it come to life.

How did the initial idea of Dying Inside come about? What was the back-and-forth like of turning it into the concept we ultimately are seeing?

Wentz: Hannah had brought up the basic idea to me years ago. Like all of her other ideas, it's hilarious and morbid and heartfelt and completely sad which is an extremely insane target to hit. When it comes to collaborative art, I am a big believer in doing the job that you do best and not adding colors to the painting unless they are called for... so I think you will hear my voice here and there, but it's just a spice on Hannah's dish.

Klein: Dying Inside was originally a concept I had for a television series, weirdly enough. But throughout talking about it with Pete - I can't remember which one of us said it would be great as a graphic novel - but someone did. And then we collabed from there!

I was really moved by the tone of Dying Inside, and how it navigates its intense subject matter with so much charm and humor. How important was it, both narratively and aesthetically, to strike that balance?

Klein: For me personally, I think making sure there's levity when talking about heavy topics is incredibly important, for a few reasons. One reason being, sugar always helps the medicine go down and a sense of humor welcomes the reader into the world/mindset of our protagonist instead of scaring them away. Another reason is, as a person who has experience dealing with my own mental health struggles, I like to show all sides of the illness. Just because someone is depressed doesn't mean every single day is the worst day of their lives. There's plenty of hope and moments of clarity and happiness so we don't need to be total downers when we make art about it.

Sterle: I have always loved making stories that express the full range of human emotion. there is a lot of beauty to be found in sadness, and humor can absolutely be an important tool to cope with darkness. I think it's those conflicts and contrasts that make for both compelling stories as well as complex characters. Personally, I also deal with depression and anxiety, and even so...I love to dwell in a heartbreaking song on a beautiful sunny day.

Lisa, I have followed (and loved) your art for years, and was blown away by your work on Dying Inside. What was it like working on a project of this scale, with so much room for expression and Easter eggs?

Sterle: Thank you so much! It has been one of my absolute favorite projects to work on, it just really reflects what I'm passionate about. Witchcraft is totally on brand for me, and mixed with teenage angst, Elliot Smith? This is the kind of book emo teen Lisa would have been obsessed with, so it felt like I was making it for her at times. I've definitely snuck in a lot of references to albums, movies, anime, etc that I loved when I was that age. It was also a great opportunity for me to develop an artistic style that's been swirling around in my head for awhile. I'm so happy with it.

The early pitches for Dying Inside have cited its similarities to everything from Fleabag to Jennifer's Body to Wednesday. Are there any specific cultural touchstones, even the more esoteric ones, that you used as inspiration?

Klein: I'd say Jennifer's Body, Scott Pilgrim, and Chekhov are the holy trinity for me in terms of inspiration on this graphic novel. And on most things I write.

Sterle: Artistically, I was inspired a lot by manga: Sailor Moon, Nana, Kimi Ni Todoke. As well as a few other comics: Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, Love and Rockets, Ghost World.

What can you tease about the ways music is utilized in Dying Inside, especially with the partnership with Headshell?

Klein: We've definitely put a TON of thought into accompanying playlists for this project but also there is at least one very special exclusive track by a band Pete and I work with that will be included with the book.

Sterle: Music is definitely a big part of this story, both narratively and aesthetically. I had a blast figuring out all the ways I could sneak it in.

I loved the very small Fall Out Boy Easter egg early on in Lisa's art: what do you think Ash's favorite Fall Out Boy album/song would be?

Wentz: I would just be guessing but I would think it would be something like "It's Not a Side Effect of the Cocaine, I Am Thinking It Must Be Love."

Klein: This is my favorite question anyone has ever asked me and I wish I could be asked this about everything I write. I think Ash's favorite album would be "Infinity on High." I don't know why but it's just what my heart is telling me. The lyrical imagery on that album feels very Ash.

Sterle: Ooo yes, gonna have to agree with Hannah on that one!:

What surprised you the most about the experience of working on Dying Inside?

Klein: I was surprised at how similar it felt to writing screenplays. I've never written for a graphic novel before so I was pretty nervous that I was going to fuck it up (excuse my language) but I found that dialogue is the backbone of graphic novel writing AND my typical screenwriting practice. That was very convenient. Also, I didn't realize how much I would love working in the graphic novel space - Vault is one of the most supportive, lovely teams I've ever had the pleasure of working with. They made the entire process so fun.

Sterle: Honestly, how much it didn't feel like work? Don't get me wrong, I love working on comics. But when you're 120 pages deep into inking a 200+ page story it can feel like a slog at times and you can burnout very easily if you don't take care of yourself. But I think it's a testament to how well this comics was crafted and how much I love the characters that I really enjoyed working on it every day.

What are you most excited to see fans respond to, once Dying Inside is released?

Klein: My biggest hope is that the girls (universal, all female identifying people) feel seen in this story. I really wanted to make an incredibly girl centric graphic novel so that is the collective reaction I'm excited to see.

Sterle: I hope everyone falls in love with Ash and Liv as much as I have! I hope that folks that are older can step onto that space of being an angsty teen again and feel love and compassion for their past selves. I hope that the kids that read this as they might be going through similiar struggles find the heart and humor as a path to make it through.

Without giving away spoilers or trying to guess the ending, it seems like there's a lot that can be explored in the world of Dying Inside. Would you all want to reunite on some sort of sequel or spinoff, if given the opportunity?

Klein: It would only be my greatest pleasure in life...

Sterle: Absolutely!!!

***

Dying Inside is now available to pre-order.

Warner Bros. is reportedly close to closing a seven-figure deal for the film rights to Avengelyne, a series created by Rob Liefeld that has been in and out of film and TV development for years., The project will reportedly come to WB by way of Margot Robbie's production company, with Robbie expected to star as the title character and Olivia Wilde expected to direct. Poor Things writer Tony McNamara will write the screenplay, and according to Deadline, who first reported the talks, "most of the deals are closed," meaning this is closer to reality than any prior attempt to bring the property to the screen.

A fallen angel, Avengelyne fights demons and monsters as a member of the Warhost of Heaven - think Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets John Wick and you have a decent idea of the vibe they're focused on. She has great strength and miraculous (and weaponized) blood. The movie should be a pure actioner, something the producer of I Am Legend, The Losers, and upcoming Transformers movies (along with other Hasbro properties) shouldn't have a problem with.

"Avengelyne resonated so powerfully with the audience because her story of redemption is one that is so relatable," Liefeld said in a previous interview. "A fallen angel, sentenced to redeem herself by serving humanity, Earth is a foreign environment to her, she must adapt in order to save herself as well as mankind. Her dilemma provides humor amidst the larger plot engine driving her journey."

Way back in 2023, Liefeld hoped to get a movie off the ground with Gina Carano as Avengelyne, By 2016, the movie had headed to Paramount, but without Carano's involvement. The property seemingly never found another lead (or a script) before Paramount's option expired.

LuckyChap, the production house Robbie runs with Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara, is set to produce, along with Simon Kinberg and Audrey Chon through their Genre shingle.

Deadline also claims that the rights deal for Avengelyne is expected to be even bigger than Warners' recent deal to make Josh Gad and Paul Walter Hauser's biopic of Chris Farley, which cost the studio about $2.5 million to acquire. Liefeld, meanwhile, has been teasing plans for a Bloodstrike movie. He also has Prophet still in some stage of development, although it seems to have suffered a few setbacks, with writer Marc Guggenheim and star Jake Gyllenhaal both off the project at this stage.

The former PlayStation 5 exclusive Returnal officially turns three years old today on April 30th with some new announcements from developer Housemarque shared to celebrate. Returnal teasers from Monday suggested that something new was on the way, and we now know that something to be Returnal: Fallen Asteria, a graphic novel telling a new story involving the game's protagonist, Selene. Alongside this graphic novel, it was announced that an art book from Dark Horse is on the way, and the first chapter of Returnal: Fallen Asteria has been adapted into an animated comic as well that you can watch right now.

Atropos is the hostile alien planet Selene finds herself stranded on in Returnal, and that's the planet that'll once again play host to a Returnal story in the new Returnal: Fallen Asteria book. It's created by creative director Gregory Louden and Khalil Osaimi from Housemarque with art by Igor Lomov and Aaron J?rvinen, and you'll be able to find it in bookstores on October 22nd and a day later in comic shops on October 23rd. The art book, The Art of Returnal, will be available on the same dates.

The first issue of the graphic novel can be seen in its animated form below.

Any new Returnal news is welcome by those who've been strong proponents of the game since its launch, but it's true that many people thought these teases from Monday had more to do with video games rather than extensions of the Returnal world. There's been no indication that the Housemarque game would get DLC, especially not three years after release, but from the teasers, many were hoping that this would lead up to a sequel being announced or something of that sort.

Housemarque is indeed working on a new game but confirmed previously that game would be a new IP, so a Returnal 2 or anything similar seemed unlikely. After Dark Horse got in on the teasers and started sharing them, too, people began to put together the pieces that this would likely be a comic or a graphic novel.

Still, if you liked Returnal, this can be seen as good news as it shows the IP is still very much alive even if the smaller Housemarque team is focused elsewhere right now. And if you haven't played Returnal before, it's very much worth your time either on the PS5 platform on on the PC via Steam. It's a roguelike shooter, and while many of those are played from a top-down or platforming perspective, Returnal takes a different approach with some great ideas worth replicating. One of my own grievances with the game was that it was a PS5 exclusive at the time which limited its reach, but that's since been rectified, so it's only gotten better since launch. Returnal also utilizes the DualSense controller exceptionally well, so if you've got one, it's best to play it with that.

"Returnal may not beat out other more anticipated titles for Game of the Year honors at the end of the year, but it won't by any means be forgotten as the potential of next-gen hardware is explored," an excerpt of our review said. "It's a shame the game isn't available on the PlayStation 4 or even other platforms so that more players could experience it, but if that compromise means we get more games like Returnal, that's a convincing argument. Other games may employ similar mechanics in the future, but Returnal should always be remembered as one of the ones that did it first, and, as of now, did it best."

DC's "House of Brainiac" hit the ground running in its first two chapters across Action Comics and Superman, and while the next chapter hasn't arrived just yet, there is one important stop to make before we get there. DC Comics delivers the Superman: House of Brainiac Special #1 to comic stores this week, and it lives up to its billing as "Chapter 2.5" throughout three compelling stories that paint an impressively complete picture of the current state of things and how they came to be. These stories not only matter to the greater story, but also serve to flesh out that world pre- and post-attack, while also teeing up the next big move in Brainiac's master plan. The scale is already grand, but what is perhaps most impressive is how the creative teams keeps everything moving forward while tethering readers to the people experiencing all this chaos. That attention to detail is paying off in spades.

House of Brainiac Special is split into three chapters, with Joshua Williamson, Edwin Galmon, and Dave Sharpe taking the helm in the opening story "Secrets of Czarnia." As the title suggests, this story takes a step back and examines how Brainiac came to first interact with the Czarnians and their empire. Galmon's work on the Czarnians is simply superb.

That quality continues to impress across the first chapter, presenting the Czarnians as menacing, strategic, cunning, and brutal all at once, while also bringing new personalities into the mix that quickly stand out. Then there's Brainiac, who appears as intimidating as ever, and yet Galmon is able to bring an element of humanity to the world-consuming titan. This could be nothing more than filler in the wrong hands, but Williamson uses the trip back in time to further develop characters like General Chacal and detail the divide that split Czarnia, which will inevitably impact the present conflict.

The second story "Campaign Headquarters" shifts back to Metropolis and focuses on Perry White's mayoral campaign. While there have been some significant reveals regarding Perry in Superman, this is the first chance we've had to check in with Perry in "House of Brainiac." This is a major shift from the cosmic-scale happenings of the first and final stories, but that's also one of its greatest strengths.

Mark Russell, Steve Pugh, Jordie Bellaire, and Dave Sharpe team up for an election-focused story that provides our best glimpse at the fallout from the Czanian army's attack. Instead of zoning in on the physical toll of the attack, Russell opts to spotlight the mental toll of the attack and how catastrophic events feed existing attitudes and movements. The real-world parallels are apparent, and some will likely not love how clear those parallels are made. That said, having Bibbo be the lead perspective through this story is brilliant, and it's his perspective on Metropolis's people and the city itself that allows this story to take hold.

As someone who is especially sensitive to the debated issue at the center of this story, this resonated with me, as did the hopeful message that change is possible, even if slow in coming. That could be viewed as naive, but what can I say, I'm an optimist at heart. Throughout all this, Russell also paints a compelling and at times hilarious portrait of Perry as a candidate, and that puncher's chance mentality does wonders to get you invested. Pugh and Bellaire's art is a perfect one-two punch for this story as well, and their work on Bibbo is absolute gold.

That takes us to the third and final story "Signal" from the team of Joshua Williamson, Rico Ossio, Rex Lokus, and Dave Sharpe. Whereas "Secrets of Czarnia" filled in the gaps of the past and "Campaign Headquarters" provided a view of the present, "Signal" brings things full circle with a major revelation and sets the stage for the next big threat. Williamson once again weaves in elements from past issues and pays them off in a way that moves the entire story forward. I won't get into the whys, but it's a payoff I deeply appreciated, and the final hook moves readers right into a much-anticipated third chapter.

Superman: House of Brainiac Special #1 delivers critical context that enhances not just "House of Brainiac" but Williamson's broader body of work at DC Comics, and those enjoying the event thus far will get even more out of it when 2.5 is added into the mix.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Published by DC Comics

On April 30, 2024

Written by Joshua Williamson and Mark Russell

Art by Edwin Galmon, Steve Pugh, and Rico Ossio

Colors by Edwin Galmon, Jordie Bellaire, and Rex Lokus

Letters by Dave Sharpe

Cover by Jamal Campbell

A new live-action Scooby-Doo project might be on the horizon, with reports revealing on Monday that Warner Bros. Television and Netflix are rebooting the franchise for television. The series, which counts Arrowverse and Riverdale alum Greg Berlanti among its executive producers, will reportedly be an hour-long drama, although it is unclear at this point exactly what premise that will follow.

The very news of development on a new Scooby-Doo series has already sent the Internet into a tizzy, as fans of the long-running multimedia franchise debate about which direction the show should take. While there's no telling at this point if the Scooby-Doo series will be a straightforward adaptation of the source material, or something a bit more esoteric, the conversation has brought up another project that seems tailor-made for movies or television -- Scooby Apocalypse.

What Is Scooby Apocalypse About?

Created by Jim Lee and written by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis with art by Howard Porter, Dale Eaglesham, Ron Wagner, and Jan Duursema, Scooby Apocalypse first made its DC debut in May of 2016. As the title suggests, the series places Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Machine Gang in a post-apocalyptic world, in which nearly everyone has been mutated by a terrifying nanovirus.

The wasteland scenario of Scooby Apocalypse not only allows readers to check in on the characters in an older point in their lives, with all of the messiness that that entails, but makes way for some grotesque sequences. The series ultimately ran for three years, debuting its final issue in April of 2019.

Why We Need a Scooby Apocalypse Adaptation.

Whether as a standalone movie or as some sort of television reboot, the mere pitch of Scooby Apocalypse could easily translate beyond the comic book page. There have certainly been plenty of recent television hits that tap into a high-concept apocalyptic setting, ranging from Prime Video's recent Fallout to HBO's 2023 hit The Last of Us to AMC's ever-evolving The Walking Dead franchise. That cultural familiarity would certainly help sell something as gruesome as Scooby Apocalypse, especially when the larger Scooby franchise is more traditionally associated with rubber monster masks. It would be a shocking reimagining of the expectations older fans have of Scooby-Doo, without completely diverting from any sort of existing canon.

A Scooby Apocalypse adaptation would also provide space for the central cast of characters to really shine, an element that has been a bit make-or-break as the franchise has evolved. While Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Shaggy do lean into a series of archetypes, they have endured in weirder and more personal moments, whether in a fleeting line of dialogue or a larger character beat. That's part of why adaptations like James Gunn's live-action Scooby Doo movies have remained fan favorites -- and why the original Scooby Apocalypse comic quickly became a hit amongst readers. It's easy to imagine an adaptation of Scooby Apocalypse, in the hands of the right creative team, having the same effect.

After soaring into the spotlight in recent episodes of X-Men '97, Rogue is taking the lead in the all-new Uncanny X-Men. Announced as part of Marvel's X-Men: From the Ashes relaunch -- which will see Cyclops and Shadowkat leading their respective X-Men teams in Alaska (X-Men) and Chicago (Exceptional X-Men) -- Uncanny brings the X-Men to the Big Easy: New Orleans, Louisiana. The next evolution of Uncanny comes from writer Gail Simone (DC's Wonder Woman) and artist David Marquez (Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man), who unveiled his standard cover for August's Uncanny X-Men #1.

Now Marvel Comics has revealed four new variant covers, including one by Marquez (below) and artists Leinil Francis Yu (Wolverine), Luciano Vecchio (Resurrection of Magneto), and Andy Kubert (Ultimate X-Men).

Rogue has previously led the X-Men and the Avengers Unity Squad, and now she'll head her own Uncanny team consisting of Wolverine, Gambit, Jubilee, and Nightcrawler. Per the official synopsis: "After the brutal loss of Krakoa, mutants need the X-Men more than ever. With Professor X missing, Rogue reluctantly finds herself as the X-Man designated to keep the team together. Rogue, Wolverine, Gambit, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee forge a new home in a New Orleans, and when four mysterious young mutants show up at their doorstep, that home becomes a haven. Protecting mutants from a world that hates and fears them, and using their powers to ensure there's a future worth living in. They are the Uncanny X-Men!"

"Most of my time lately has been spent trying to keep my brain from exploding right out of my skull from this book," Simone said in a statement. "It's either the fun of all my favorite mutants acting in surprising and wonderful ways, the impossibly brilliant work of the art team, or the thrilling collaboration with all the other writers, but somehow every DAY is just filled with some kind of manic joy. Ever since I took the book, I've been scribbling notes and plots and bits of dialogue day and night. I feel like a kid at a carnival. Who DOESN'T want to write Rogue and Jubilee and Gambit all the rest?"

"Uncanny X-Men is the book that made me fall in love with comics," Marquez added. "It's been a dream come true getting to work with Gail, Matt [Wilson], and the whole Marvel editorial crew under Tom [Brevoort] to put together this story: a badass, heartfelt, action-packed, character driven X-Men mystery. I hope readers have at least half as much fun reading it as we have had making it."

Uncanny X-Men #1: Leinil Francis Yu Variant Cover

Uncanny X-Men #1: Luciano Vecchio Rogue Pinup Variant Cover

Uncanny X-Men #1: Hidden Gem Variant Cover by Andy Kubert

Uncanny X-Men #1 is on sale August 7 from Marvel Comics.

Image Comics' wildly popular series Radiant Black is getting an audio book adaptation with Will Friedle and Rider Strong tapped as the leads. Radiant Black: The Audiobook, Volume One is written, directed, and narrated by Radiant Black co-creator and Massive-Verse architect Kyle Higgins. The announcement was shared during the Massive-Verse panel at C2E2 on Saturday, along with a video teaser which you can check out in the exclusive video above. Radiant Black: The Audiobook, Volume One is set to be the first in a planned series of audio book adaptations from Black Market Narrative and Image Comics and will add another level of immersion to the Massive-Verse.

Friedle, known for his roles in Boy Meets World and Batman Beyond, voice Marshall Ward. Strong, who also is known for his role in Boy Meets World as well as Cabin Fever, will voice Nathan Burnett. For Friedle, Radiant Black: The Audiobook, Volume One isn't his first foray into the Massive-Verse as he voiced Marshall Ward in a secret, in-universe animated short film easter egg titled Versus in 2022.

"One of the things I love about Radiant Black is the way it constantly looks to push the boundaries on what a comic book -- much less a superhero book -- can be," Friedle said. "Whether it's huge twists or blacklight issues or secret animated films or dual timelines under variant covers, Kyle and the team put everything they have into this universe and I could not be more thrilled to come back and voice the obviously-much better Radiant Black, Marshall Ward. Sorry, Rider!"

"Reuniting with my old friend and co-worker, Will Friedle, is an absolute nightmare," Strong said. "But when Kyle pitched us the audio book, the arc of two best friends and his bold, immersive approach, it was an easy 'yes'. I can't wait for everyone to meet Nathan... the real Radiant Black!"

"We love finding new ways to connect with readers and audiences, especially in mediums that can help us bring a new level of immersion to Radiant Black and the Massive-Verse," Higgins said. "As a director, a former sound editor, and an all-around huge audio nerd, the idea of building Radiant Black with a full voice cast and taking advantage of all the possibilities that an audio book affords has made this one of the most exciting projects that I've ever been a part of. And just wait until you see the rest of this cast!"

What Is Radiant Black?

Here's how Image Describes Radiant Black: "Radiant Black began with Nathan Burnett, a down-on-his luck 30-something still trying to find his way in the world. When Nathan discover the ethereal, cosmic RADIANT, his whole world is turned upside down -- and when his best friend Marshall gets involved, things become even more complicated. Now an alien army -- vaster than the stars -- descends upon Earth and together the two must make the biggest decision of their lives: which of them will be Radiant Black? Two timelines will be tested in the trials of THE CATALYST WAR -- and neither will escape unchanged!

You can check out more information as well as sign up to be notified when Radiant Black: The Audiobook, Volume One is released here.

Doctor Octopus is the next major villain set to debut in Ultimate Spider-Man. The new series from writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Marco Checchetto is one of the premier titles in Marvel's new Ultimate Universe. Fans have already witnessed how Ultimate Spider-Man is changing the web-slinger's mythos. For example, in the new Ultimate Universe, Peter Parker is an older, married Spider-Man who is a father of two kids with Mary Jane Watson. Fans have also been introduced to the Ultimate versions of Wilson Fisk, Bullseye, Shocker, and Green Goblin, but it appears the next nemesis to show up is Doctor Octopus.

Marvel released a teaser image for Ultimate Spider-Man #5, the next issue of the breakout series by Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto. Artist David Messina joins Hickman for the May issue, and a page from the comic features Doctor Octopus in his civilian identity as Otto Octavius, Harry Osborn, and his wife Gwen Stacy. Gwen tells Otto that he needs to sign a new NDA to continue his work on Oscorp's "toys," which brings a smile to Otto Octavius' face. Some of those "toys" could be weapons for Harry Osborn's side gig as the Green Goblin, which may ultimately lead to Otto transforming into Doctor Octopus.

What is Ultimate Spider-Man #5 about?

The description of Ultimate Spider-Man #5 reads, "THE SECRET HISTORY OF HARRY OSBORN! How does the heir apparent of Oscorp become a masked vigilante? And what does Green Goblin know of the true status of the world he lives in? All and more will be revealed!"

Ultimate Spider-Man has already redefined Peter Parker's relationship with Norman Osborn. Harry Osborn is one of Spider-Man's oldest and closest friends, but there have been times when they've been mortal enemies. Harry took on the mantle of Green Goblin from his father, Norman Osborn, and battled Spider-Man many times. After being resurrected during Spider-Man's "Brand New Day" relaunch, the friendship between Harry and Peter returned.

Ultimate Spider-Man is rewriting Spider-Man's origin story, and with that comes a new take on Peter and Harry's relationship and dynamic. In the new Ultimate Universe, Harry Osborn is a heroic Green Goblin, and it appears the two will bond over being new crimefighters.

Ultimate Spider-Man #5 goes on sale May 29th.

McFarlane Toys / DC Direct are celebrating the legendary comic book artist and current DC Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee with a pair of new 1:6th scale statues of Superman and The Flash. They're based on Lee's designs from DC Comics projects like the Justice League and Superman: For Tomorrow, and each statue will include a McFarlane Toys digital NFT collectible and an art card,

Pre-orders for The Superman and The Flash Jim Lee statues are available here at Entertainment Earth now priced at $49.99 each. Note that US shipping is free at Entertainment Earth on orders $79+. While you're at it, you might also want to check out the Spawn statue that launched yesterday as part of the McFarlane Toys 30th anniversary festivities.

Speaking of Jim Lee, the artist revealed his cover for the DC Versus Marvel Omnibus earlier this week, which includes his first X-Men work in ages. DC Versus Marvel Omnibus and DC/Marvel: The Amalgam Age Omnibus will both be released on Tuesday, August 6th. Pre-orders for the DC Versus Marvel Omnibus are available here on Amazon now. The DC/Marvel: The Amalgam Age Omnibus is also available to pre-order here on Amazon.

What Is DC Versus Marvel Omnibus About?

Who would win: Superman versus Spider-Man? Batman versus Captain America? The X-Men meeting the Teen Titans? DC Versus Marvel Omnibus collects crossovers between the core DC and Marvel characters, from 1976's Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man to 2000's Batman/Daredevil. Included are stories from some of comics' most revered talents, namely Dennis O'Neil, George P?rez, Dan Jurgens, Chris Claremont, Walter Simonson, J.M. DeMatteis, Mark Bagley, Gerry Conway, John Romita Jr., and more. DC and Marvel fans alike can't miss these thrilling pieces of unearthed comic book history!

DC Versus Marvel Omnibus collects Batman/Captain America #1, Batman/Daredevil #1, Batman/Punisher: Lake of Fire #1, Batman/Spider-Man #1, Daredevil/Batman #1, DC Special Series #27, Darkseid vs. Galactus: The Hunger #1, Green Lantern/Silver Surfer: Unholy Alliances #1, Incredible Hulk vs. Superman #1, Marvel and DC Present Featuring the Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans #1, Marvel Treasury Edition #28, Punisher/Batman: Deadly Knights #1, Silver Surfer/Superman #1, Spider-Man and Batman #1, Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man #1, and Superman/Fantastic Four #1.

What Is DC/Marvel: The Amalgam Age Omnibus About?

DC/Marvel: The Amalgam Age Omnibus features stories, first told in 1996, of the two superhero universes fused together into a new Amalgam Universe, combining DC's and Marvel's heroes, villains, and mythologies. The result was a series of unforgettable one-shot comic books starring the likes of Dark Claw (Batman and Wolverine), Super Soldier (Superman and Captain America), Iron Lantern (Iron Man and Green Lantern), and many more! These stories, from creators such as Peter David, Dan Jurgens, Mark Waid, Dave Gibbons, Ron Marz, Jos? Luis Garc?a-L?pez, Gary Frank, Bill Sienkiewicz, Claudio Castellini, and more, represent one of the most fun and unlikely periods in comic book history, and now are available in one omnibus. Included in this volume are the historic DC Versus Marvel miniseries and its sequels, perfect for fans of both DC and Marvel!

DC/Marvel: The Amalgam Age Omnibus collects DC Versus Marvel #1-4, DC/Marvel: All Access #1-4, Unlimited Access #1-4, Bat-Thing #1, Bruce Wayne: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1, Bullets and Bracelets #1, Challengers of the Fantastic #1, Doctor Strangefate #1, Iron Lantern #1, Legends of the Dark Claw #1, Lobo the Duck #1, Speed Demon #1, Spider-Boy #1, Super Soldier #1, Thorion of the New Asgods #1, X-Patrol #1, and more, plus a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes material.

An iconic location associated with the X-Men is undergoing a dramatic change during X-Men: From the Ashes. The new era of X-Men comics comes after the Fall of X and the conclusion of the Krakoan era. One of the three main titles scheduled to launch this summer is Uncanny X-Men by Gail Simone and David Marquez. While the creative team and X-Men lineup were already announced, new information was revealed that sheds more light on what fans can expect from Uncanny X-Men, including what has become of their former school.

Marvel released the cover and new information for Uncanny X-Men #1, which includes the reveal that Charles Xavier's former school, where he trained the X-Men, is being turned into Graymalkin Prison. This connects to preview images for X-Men: From the Ashes that showed a mysterious Prisoner X that was inside the most recent edition of Timeless. The school has gone by a few different names over its long history, first as the Xavier School for Gifted Youngers, then the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, and later renamed the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. Somehow, in the fallout of the X-Men's war against Orchis, the school is turned into a prison that will presumably hold mutants captive.

Rogue steps up as leader in Uncanny X-Men

With Cyclops leading in Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman's X-Men, Rogue will take the leadership role in Uncanny X-Men. She'll be joined on the team by Wolverine, Gambit, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee, which will relocate to New Orleans as their new base of operations.

"Most of my time lately has been spent trying to keep my brain from exploding right out of my skull from this book," Simone shared. "It's either the fun of all my favorite mutants acting in surprising and wonderful ways, the impossibly brilliant work of the art team, or the thrilling collaboration with all the other writers, but somehow every DAY is just filled with some kind of manic joy. Ever since I took the book, I've been scribbling notes and plots and bits of dialogue day and night. I feel like a kid at a carnival. Who DOESN'T want to write Rogue and Jubilee and Gambit all the rest?"

"Uncanny X-Men is the book that made me fall in love with comics," Marquez said. "It's been a dream come true getting to work with Gail, Matt [Wilson], and the whole Marvel editorial crew under Tom to put together this story: a badass, heartfelt, action-packed, character driven X-Men mystery. I hope readers have at least half as much fun reading it as we have had making it."

"I absolutely have to take a moment to praise David Marquez," Simone added. "Not only is this going to be one of the best-looking books on the stands, he's simply an idea MACHINE and he makes every single page better than I wrote it. Anyway, come join us, we're having an X adventure and you're all INVITED!"

What is Uncanny X-Men #1 about?

The description of Uncanny X-Men #1 reads, "With Professor X gone and his school transformed into a nightmare reflection of itself called Graymalkin Prison, the series sees Rogue step up to be the pillar of Xavier's dream alongside Wolverine, Gambit, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee. From their new base of operations in New Orleans, the Uncanny X-Men are back to being the outlaw heroes the world hates and fears--and the light in the darkness for mutants everywhere! Mutantkind made a big statement with Krakoa, and now, life is harder for them than ever before, but Rogue's X-Men will be there to welcome mutants to their new found family.

"A core group of essential X-Men rise From the Ashes to face a world without a home - and without Professor X! All bonds among the mutant community seem to be slipping away, and Rogue reluctantly finds herself as the hero designated to bring them back together...but a fearless, malignant power is out there hunting mutants, and it has a terrible secret that may destroy what remains of the X-Men."

Uncanny X-Men #1 goes on sale August 7th.

Since her debut in 1966, Poison Ivy has gone through a lot of trials and tribulations in the DC Universe, operating as a hero, a villain, and something in between. As the latest update surrounding her solo series reveals, her story could soon culminate in a major way. The first details for Poison Ivy #24 were revealed as part of DC's July 2024 solicitations, dubbing the issue "The Death of Pamela Isley." It remains to be seen if the issue will actually end with Pamela Isley / Poison Ivy's demise, or potentially the end of the series itself, but the synopsis hints that she will have to go to great lengths to fight Jason Woodrue's latest machinations.

POISON IVY #24

• Written by G. WILLOW WILSON
• Art by MARCIO TAKARA
• Cover by JESSICA FONG
• Variant cover by DAVID NAKAYAMA
• Variant cover by FRANK CHO
• 1:25 variant cover by ELIZA IVANOVA
• 1:50 variant cover by FRANK CHO
• $3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
• ON SALE 7/3/24

THE DEATH OF PAMELA ISLEY

Dr. Jason Woodrue, the Floronic Man (a.k.a. Floro), has stacked the deck in his favor. Neither Ivy's powers nor her allies are enough to put an end to Floro and his devilish plan to turn Ivy's victims against her. As time, and her own supply of blood, runs out, one thing becomes apparent: to bring the outbreak of the parasitic fungi, Ophiocordyceps Lamia, to an end, Poison Ivy will have to kill both her own creator and herself.

What Is DC's Poison Ivy About?

In Poison Ivy, Pamela Isley has been a lot of things in her life. A living god, a super-villain, an activist, a scientist, and dead. In a new body that she didn't ask for and with a renewed sense of purpose, Ivy leaves Gotham and sets out to complete her greatest work-a gift to the world that will heal the damage dealt to it...by ending humanity.

"I don't think you can lock her down," Wilson explained in a 2023 interview with DC.com. "I think her goals are noble--she really does love and care about planet Earth. Her motives are pure, but her methods can be shocking and inhumane. And it's that juxtaposition that I really love to explore. You look around and, in many ways, large and small, we're feeling the effects of a changing planet. There's a lot of tension and anxiety about that. She shares those feelings, but she acts on them in a villainous way. She's grown over the course of the last year. I think she's kind of taken the fight to the main bad actors in destroying the Earth rather than kind of lashing out at humanity as a whole. There are villains who are evil, their methods are evil, their motives are evil, they're evil top to bottom, and she's definitely not one of those."

Will Poison Ivy Appear in the DCU?

Poison Ivy has remained a character who fans really want to see onscreen in James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Universe, whether in a Batman-related context or otherwise. Margot Robbie, who has played Harley Quinn onscreen and is rumored to potentially reprise her role in the DCU, has continued to advocate for bringing Ivy to the modern superhero world.

"I have been pushing for that for years," Robbie told ComicBook.com in a 2022 interview. "I cannot tell you how hard I've been pushing for that. I want it too."

They were born mutants: the next stage of human evolution. Possessing powers and abilities of genetic origin, they use their unique gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them. From outcasts to outlaws, they are the Uncanny X-Men: Rogue, Gambit, Jubilee, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine. The flagship X-Men title mutates again with the milestone 700th issue of Uncanny X-Men, which will end with the Krakoan Age in June. And then, in August, Marvel Comics relaunches the X-books with Uncanny X-Men #1, one of three flagship titles set in the all-new X-Men: From the Ashes era.

Marvel already announced that Gail Simone (Marvel's Deadpool and Agent X, DC's Batgirl and Birds of Prey) will write Uncanny, with art by David Marquez (Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man, All-New X-Men). Now the publisher has released the cover (below) and new details about the core series, which sees Rogue leading the X-Men from their new base in Louisiana. (Meanwhile, Cyclops leads his own X-Men team in the Alaska-set X-Men, by Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman, while Kate Pryde and Emma Frost set up in Chicago in Eve L. Ewing and Carmen Carnero's Exceptional X-Men.)

The official synopsis: "With Professor X gone and his school transformed into a nightmare reflection of itself, the series sees Rogue step up to be the pillar of Xavier's dream alongside Wolverine, Gambit, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee. From their new base of operations in New Orleans, the Uncanny X-Men are back to being the outlaw heroes the world hates and fears-and the light in the darkness for mutants everywhere! Mutantkind made a big statement with Krakoa, and now, life is harder for them than ever before, but Rogue's X-Men will be there to welcome mutants to their new found family.

"A core group of essential X-Men rise From the Ashes to face a world without a home-and without Professor X! All bonds among the mutant community seem to be slipping away, and Rogue reluctantly finds herself as the hero designated to bring them back together... but a fearless, malignant power is out there hunting mutants, and it has a terrible secret that may destroy what remains of the X-Men."

"Most of my time lately has been spent trying to keep my brain from exploding right out of my skull from this book," Simone said in a statement. "It's either the fun of all my favorite mutants acting in surprising and wonderful ways, the impossibly brilliant work of the art team, or the thrilling collaboration with all the other writers, but somehow every DAY is just filled with some kind of manic joy. Ever since I took the book, I've been scribbling notes and plots and bits of dialogue day and night. I feel like a kid at a carnival. Who DOESN'T want to write Rogue and Jubilee and Gambit all the rest?"

"Uncanny X-Men is the book that made me fall in love with comics," Marquez said. "It's been a dream come true getting to work with Gail, Matt [Wilson], and the whole Marvel editorial crew under Tom [Brevoort] to put together this story: a badass, heartfelt, action-packed, character driven X-Men mystery. I hope readers have at least half as much fun reading it as we have had making it."

"I absolutely have to take a moment to praise David Marquez," Simone added. "Not only is this going to be one of the best-looking books on the stands, he's simply an idea MACHINE and he makes every single page better than I wrote it. Anyway, come join us, we're having an X adventure and you're all INVITED!"

X-Men #1 hits stands July 10, followed by Uncanny X-Men #1 on August 7 and Exceptional X-Men on September 4.

Thanks to countless appearances in comics and onscreen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Scarlet Witch has become a pretty beloved part of the Marvel Comics lexicon. This summer, Wanda will once again be headlining her own solo comic -- and that will apparently bring to life a surprising iteration of the character. On Thursday, artist Russell Dauterman revealed the first look at Lore, an evil variant of Wanda who originally debuted in the 1994 Scarlet Witch limited series. This new version of Lore has a new costume, which conveniently resembles Elizabeth Olsen's onscreen outfit in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. She will be debuting in August's Scarlet Witch #3, which will be written by Steve Orlando with art by Dauterman and Jacopo Camagni.

"Redesigning Lore was a huge treat!" Dauterman said in a statement to Marvel.com. "Lore is an evil Wanda variant, so I wanted to contrast the design I did for our Scarlet Witch, which was meant to be magical, vibrant, and super-heroic, by going dark and sinister, with a goth, undead vibe. I'm incredible excited to also be drawing some interiors in the issue where these two Wandas face off!"

The bit of the issue I'm drawing is where Lore faces off with our Wanda -- I'm thrilled to draw it! ?

SCARLET WITCH #3, out in August -- written by @thesteveorlando, interior art by me alongside series artist @jacopo_camagni, main cover drawn/colored by me!

-- Russell Dauterman (@rdauterman) April 25, 2024

What Is the New Scarlet Witch Series About?

In Scarlet Witch, the Scarlet Witch has carved out a haven for herself in upstate New York, but it's all about to go up in flames. Wanda's newfound peace has drawn the wrath of a primal force unlike anything she's ever faced before, and it won't stop until it razes Wanda's world to the ground. It's a clash of titans as Wanda and her allies fight for all she holds dear! What happens when an unstoppable force meets the end of all things? When pure chaos meets pure destruction? Wanda's about to find out - if she survives long enough.

"The news is out and I couldn't be more excited!" Orlando shared in a statement. "SCARLET WITCH has been a dream job, and getting to return to her once again and continue Wanda's adventures is something I could never say no to. And Wanda's going to keep climbing! Here, we'll be bringing the blockbuster storytelling of SCARLET WITCH AND QUICKSILVER to the focused, personal journey Wanda began in DARKHOLD and SCARLET WITCH. And standing in her way? Only one of Marvel's most powerful and climactic entities, bent on destroying everything Wanda stands for."

Will Scarlet Witch Return to the MCU?

At the time of this writing, Olsen is not yet confirmed to be reprising her role as Scarlet Witch in the MCU. Still, the actress has cited specific storylines she would love to tackle in the event of her return.

"I think fans usually have the best ideas and I genuinely don't know where we go from here and what the limitations are of the MCU because I don't follow what their plans are," Olsen told ComicBook.com. "I feel like the fans always know what the plans are, even when they're not announced. And so, I don't. I do have this image.... There are a few images in my head of, I think they're from 'Witches Road,' as she's aging and decaying, while using her power and there's something in that, this older woman, who's aging from her power, that I'm interested in. And I don't really know what that means, but I kind of would love to be old."

Scarlet Witch #1 will be released wherever comics are sold on June 12th.

Marvel has made Wolverine one of the most powerful characters in its universe thanks to his mutant healing factor and retractable claws - but the real "X factor" in Logan's power level is his Adamantium-laced skeleton. By having his bones coated in Marvel's strongest metal alloy, Wolverine is guaranteed to have at least a portion of his body survive any attack - enough for his healing factor to rebound and rebuild from.

However, in the current "Sabertooth War" story arc, Logan is down bad after his nemesis Sabertooth used one of Forge's mutant-depowering guns to zap away his healing factor. Without his mutant gift to repair all the damage and pain, Wolverine needs a bold new Adamantium upgrade to take the fight to the "Saberteeth" army of variants that are on the loose.

WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW!

In Wolverine #48 (Sabertooth War Part 8) Wolverine is recovering on the Exiles' Ship, and dealing with the game-changing fact that he can't heal. The surviving Exiles (Oya, Third Eye, Nekra) accompany Logan to a safehouse he built in the Alaskan tundra. Logan explains that his multiple lifetimes of violence and lone-wolf living had him build the bunker, and install Krakoan portals to transport there in an instant. The group has to brave the cold and fight some giant bears, but they make it to the door, and Logan retrieves the power-ups he needs in lieu of his powers.

Wolverine's New Adamantium Armor Revealed

Wolverine's Alaskan bunker is revealed to hold two key items he needs to battle the Saberteeth: A Muramasa Blade capable of cutting Creeds apart, and an entire Samurai-style armored suit made of Adamantium!

Wolverine has had pretty much every power-up known to man at one point or another in the comics, but this Adamnantium is, admittedly, a pretty cool-looking one. Logan's ties to Japan and its culture have always run deep - just as deep as his metaphoric connection to Samurai warriors. Now he looks the part, and it will be interesting to see Logan going into battle fighting as a samurai swordsman, rather than relying on a brawler style with his claws.

At the very least, writer Benjamin Percy has given Marvel fans a new subject to debate when it comes to the physical mechanics of how Wolverine moves in the armor, its weight (combined with his Adamantium bones), durability, and all the rest.

Wolverine #48

• Writers: Victor Lavalle, Benjamin Percy
• Penciler: Cory Smith
• Cover Artist: Leinil Francis Yu

CREED VS. CREED! - SABRETOOTH WAR - PART 8! It's a family affair as GRAYDON CREED, the maligned son of VICTOR CREED, A.K.A. SABRETOOTH, brings the fight to his father. The winner gets WOLVERINE - or...what's left of him...!

The bloody Sabretooth War -- and writer Benjamin Percy's run on Wolverine -- is almost at an end. Marvel Comics has unveiled the first look at Wolverine #50, the oversized conclusion of the 10-part Sabretooth War storyline and the final issue wrapping up Vol. 7 of Wolverine just in time for the X-Men: From the Ashes relaunch. Written by Percy and Victor Lavalle with a bonus story by legendary Wolverine writer Larry Hama, and art by Geoff Shaw, Cory Smith, Daniel Picciotto, and Javi Fern?ndez, the issue also commemorates the 50th anniversary of the adamantium metal-clawed mutant who first appeared in the pages of The Incredible Hulk in 1974.

Recent issues of Wolverine saw Logan stripped of his mutant healing factor by his nemesis, Victor Creed/Sabretooth, who has been slaughtering Logan's family and friends with his army of Sabreteeth. For their final confrontation, the depowered Wolverine will don a suit of Adamantium Armor pictured on artist Leinil Francis Yu's cover below.

"Fifty issues of Wolverine is a hell of a lot to be thankful for. But the math gets hairier when I do some accounting," Percy said in a statement. "I've actually been writing Logan -- in the audio drama, in X-Force and Wolverine and all the crossovers and spin-off events -- for seven years, twenty episodes, and a hundred thirty-ish issues. That's a whole lot of SNIKT. That's a big part of my life and career, and I feel nothing but gratitude for the experience. I can't believe I've been lucky enough to serve as the custodian of a character who is so important to me. Thanks, bubs, for joining the mayhem."

Hama returns to Wolverine and teams up with Picciotto for a back-up story featuring Jubilee of the X-Men, and Percy pens a special sendoff story with Fern?ndez on art that explores Wolverine's 50-year legacy. Marvel will celebrate the character with the Wolverine Wolverine Wolverine Variant Cover series, which pay homage to classic Marvel Comics covers across issues of Amazing Spider-Man, Blade, Avengers, X-Men, and more.

The issue will also feature a special sneak peek at what's next for Wolverine in the From the Ashes era, where the yellow suit-clad Logan will join the "outlaw" X-Men of Louisiana -- Rogue, Gambit, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee -- in Gail Simone and David Marquez's Uncanny X-Men #1.

Wolverine #50 is on stands May 29, followed by the all-new Uncanny X-Men #1 on August 7.

McFarlane Toys has opened up pre-orders for a new Spawn posed figure/statue that's part of the 30th anniversary celebrations for the company that legendary comic book creator Todd McFarlane founded in 1994. The design is based on the cover art for Spawn #95, which launched in 2000. Note that McFarlane utilized this design previously on a 2005 The Art of Spawn figure release that currently fetches between $350 and $400 on eBay.

However, this 1:7 scale version will only set you back $49.99 here at Entertainment Earth (free US shipping on orders $79+) and here on Amazon. It will come with an art card and McFarlane Toys Digital Collectible NFT. Note that a autographed version of the statue will be available here at McFarlane Toys for a very limited time.

Back in February, McFarlane Toys launched the Spawn Wings of Redemption 1:8 scale statue, which is inspired by the 1998 cover of Spawn #77 from Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo. In addition to the statue, you'll get a digital version to add to your McFarlane Digital collection.

Pre-orders for the Spawn Wings of Redemption statue are live here at Entertainment Earth and here on Amazon for $49.99 with a release date expected in April / May. The statue stands at 12-inches tall and comes with an art card and and a display base in addition to the digital collectible.

"A highly trained assassin, double-crossed and murdered by his evil boss Jason Wynn. Al sold his soul to Malebolgia, one of the many rulers of hell, in order to see his wife Wanda Blake again. Malebolgia had other things in mind for Al and sent him back to earth with no memory as a Hellspawn, one of his soldiers, to do his bidding. He is ordered by the devil's minion, The Clown, to kill Wynn/ Wynn has made a deal with the Clown too, and is supposed to destroy the world with a deadly virus that will help start Armageddon and allow Hell to attack Heaven. Spawn must choose between Good and Evil.?

Funko comic book cover Pop figures haven't been especially thrilling as of late, but that changed today with the debut of The Dark Knight Returns figure, which is based on the iconic 1986 Batman miniseries from Frank Miller. In addition to highlighting one of the best comic books series ever made, the bolt of lighting in the background glows in the dark, which is a really nice touch.

If you want to get your hands on it for your collection, and we suspect that you do, the only place you can pre-order one is here at Entertainment Earth where it's an exclusive priced at $29.99. Note that US shipping is free at Entertainment Earth on orders $79+, so you might want to pick up something like the recently released Deadpool & Wolverine Funko Pops to get you over the threshold. You might also want to check out the C2E2 Funko Pop exclusives that are set to launch on April 26th.

Could Ben Affleck Come Back For The Dark Knight Returns?

The idea of Ben Affleck in the popular story isn't lost on the fandom. Kevin Smith talked about the possibility of the star coming back for The Dark Knight Returns on his podcast this year. The longtime comic book fan and creator told fans that it just makes a bit too much sense. Last year, Affleck had a part in The Flash as Bruce Wayne again. He's said he wouldn't return. But, anything is possible in a multiverse...

"I know Ben loves The Dark Knight Returns in a big bad way," Smith said. "Like most of us do, but like... all through [filming] Chasing Amy he read that on the floor of my condo; he slept on the couch and s**t. And he was always like 'Why can't somebody do this as a f*****g movie?"

"And you know, when Zack [Snyder] did BvS, he got damn close: he got to wear the outfit [Bat-Armor] and s**t, there were elements of Dark Knight Returns... So I can't imagine if somebody backed up a money truck ten years from now, and said to a f*****g nearly sixty-year-old Ben Affleck 'Do you want to do The Dark Knight Returns?' He might say 'Yeah,' and that would be glorious," he added. "But for right now he had to put the cowl away, and he seems to have had a good time doing it."

What Is The Brave and the Bold About?

The Brave and the Bold is confirmed to star Bruce and his son, Damian Wayne / Robin, with Gunn and Safran teasing that the film might feature other characters from the larger "Bat-family."

"This is the introduction of the DCU's Batman..." Gunn explained to reporters in January of this year. "This is the story of Damian Wayne, who is Batman's actual son who we didn't know existed for the first eight to 10 years of his life. He was raised as a little murderer and assassin. He's a little son of a bitch. He's my favorite Robin. It's based on the Grant Morrison comic book's run, which is one of my favorite Batman runs, and we are putting that all together right now."

"And this is obviously a feature film, and it's going to feature other members of the extended 'Bat-family', just because we feel like they've been left out of the Batman stories in the theater for far too long," Safran added.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had one shell of a run. On Wednesday, IDW published TMNT #150, the final issue of the longest-running ongoing comic book series in the franchise's 40-year history. The four heroes in a half-shell -- Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello -- have headlined the first volume of the reboot comic since 2011, with a fifth turtle, Jennika, eventually joining their ranks. The double-sized, 68-page milestone issue is written by Sophie Campbell with art by Vincenzo Federici and former series artists Fero Pe, Dan Duncan, and Campbell.

"It's the end of the road, but also the start of another. More like coming to an important monument, a highlighted point of interest on a map," Jamie S. Rich, IDW Publishing editor-in-chief, wrote in an essay ending issue #150. "Sophie Campbell started off on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles drawing covers for some of the Mirage comics, and then returning to the comics at IDW to pencil the Leonardo microseries, followed by various different comics in the TMNT line. When she took over writing with TMNT #101, she brought a special new voice to the series. Sophie has always had great empathy for the outsiders and those who might be perceived as 'different,' and this lent a potent insight to her takes on the mutants that the Turtles have fought to protect.

"She also gave life to characters, in large part making them her own. Under her guidance, Alopex and Venus took a stronger role in the comics. And, of course, she designed Jennika, working with writer Tom Waltz to give the four brothers a sister. To my mind, though, there is no more Sophie-esque character than Pepperoni! Joining Sophie on the journey has been a host of amazing artists, including Nelson D?niel, Jodi Nishijima, Ken Garing, Pablo Tunica, Fero Pe, Gavin Smith, and Vincenzo Federici. Plus Sophie herself drew 10 issues of her own run."

Rich went on to shout-out guest artists Pe (TMNT: The Armageddon Game), who next returns for the spinoff series Nightwatcher, and Duncan, the original IDW TMNT artist who helped launch the book in 2011. Ronda Pattison, who colored all 150 issues, and longtime letterer Shawn Lee "provided a throughline over these many years that can't be matched," Rich added.

As previously announced by ComicBook, the next mutation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book is from Eisner Award-winning creator Jason Aaron (Thor, Batman: Off-World). The relaunch, which kicks off with the new TMNT #1 in July, continues the IDW continuity and features a lineup of artists that includes Rafael Albuquerque (Blue Beetle), Jo?lle Jones (Catwoman), Cliff Chiang (Human Target), and Chris Burnham (Batman Incorporated).

"We've reached this point on the map, and the impact this creative team has made reverberations, starting paths to other places, more unexpected twists and turns," Rich continued. "Just as they all picked up the creative gauntlet from those who preceded them, going all the way back to Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the new teams will be picking up the gauntlet from them, and their work in turn will inspire those that follow. The TMNT turn 40 this year, but it's still only the beginning!" (See IDW's TMNT 40th anniversary slate.)

"I still can't quite believe I've gotten to work on this much TMNT. I thought for sure I'd get the boot in the first year but nope - here I am four years later still here against all odds," Campbell said when announcing the last issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. "It's really been amazing, truly a dream job. I wonder what my 10-year-old self would think if she knew what she'd go on to eventually do. The fact that this chapter is ending and I'm leaving the series is bittersweet, I'll miss it for sure but it's time to move on and let somebody else have a shot at the Turtles, and I'll be back for more before you know it, whatever form that might take. As two great men once said, 'change is constant' and 'life at best is bittersweet.'"

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #150 is on sale now from IDW. The new No. 1 hits stands this July.