This week Clay, Kyle Josh and Daniel welcome Comic Writers Howard Wong and Josh Stafford to discuss their upcoming project Damned, Cursed Children from Source Point Press, available January 27, 2021
We hope everyone stays Safe and Healthy. Please WEAR A MASK & WASH YOUR HANDS!
FUTURE STATE: DARK DETECTIVE #1 “Dark Detective” written by MARIKO TAMAKI art by DAN MORA “Grifter” written by MATTHEW ROSENBERG art by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO
Dark Detective #1 Covers by Dan Mora and Variant by John Paul Leon
DARK DETECTIVE The world thought Bruce Wayne was dead. They were dead wrong! When the sinister para-military organization known as the Magistrate seizes control of Gotham City, the original Batman went big to put them down…but even the Dark Knight couldn’t predict how far this evil force would go to stop him. Now, Bruce Wayne is on the run! From Eisner Award-winning writer Mariko Tamaki and rising star artist Dan Mora, it’s the story of a Batman pushed to the brink—with nothing left to lose. “This is one of the most anticipated titles in the FUTURE STATE line.” Daniel from the Next issue Podcast
Preview Art for Dark Detective #1
GRIFTER Grifter is back! Cole Cash is having a bad day, and that’s not going to improve when the detectives of the GCPD show up! Will a chance meeting with Luke Fox change his luck? Or is his day about to get a lot worse? What can we expect from Grifter as he is back in Gotham?
Preview Art for the Grifter story in Dark Detective #1
Will you be picking up DARK DETECTIVE #1? In Shops: January 12, 2021 (DC Tuesdays!) $5.99 US | 48 PAGES CARD STOCK VARIANT COVER $6.99 US
Written by Daniel co-host of the Next Issue Podcast @eckospider on Twitter. Find the bi- Weekly podcast @NextIssuePod anywhere podcasts are available. Podcast available at Next Issue Podcast page
In a world of comic event happening every few months. DC comics prepares to launch Future State on January 5th 2021, but if you’re a new reader or have not been reading DC comics, the question remains, “What is Future State
DC Nation Presents: Future State
Here is the official description from our peeps at Comixology.
“DC Future State spotlights the World’s Greatest Super Heroes in fresh new roles, with all-new characters taking up their iconic mantles and terrifying new Super-Villains that will push them beyond their limits. DC Future State features an incredible array of creative talent, combining award-winning writers and artists with new voices from the worlds of TV, movies, and animation. In DC Future State, the Multiverse has been saved from the brink of destruction, but the triumph of DC’s heroes has shaken loose the very fabric of time and space! The final chapter of Dark Nights: Death Metal brings new life to DC’s Multiverse, kicking off this glimpse into the unwritten worlds of DC’s future!”
a full list of all the Future State titles
Starting this January, for two months, DC comics is taking a break form their ongoing continuity and skipping ahead into the future, a Future State where we’ll see the next generation of DC heroes having adventures, before returning to the present.
Presumably if some of those short miniseries about future heroes are really popular, they may get sequels. This potential glimpse into a future timeline. DC is has assembled an amazing roster of creator so handle these stories. It would be fair to assume that any series that is successful could be continued in the future although no official announcements have been made.
How to best pick what to read in Future State. Here is what we recommend. 1- Follow a creative team that you like even if you have never read that character or series. 2- Pick a character or family of characters (Batfamily, Superfamily, Magic etc) 3- Check out only the Anthology books, a few of the announced books are 80 page giants that contain 3 stories each, be advised those are priced at $7.99, most of the other titles range from $3.99 – $5.99 4 – If you have an unlimited budget, just get them all!! 5 – If patience is your strongest trait, wait for a collected edition or wait until the DC Infinite Service launches and they should be available to read there as part of your subscription in the next 6 months.
Let us know in the comments or twitter, which books you picked up, who are your new favorite characters and which stories you would like to see continued.
Written by Daniel co-host of the Next Issue Podcast @eckospider on Twitter. Find the bi- Weekly podcast @NextIssuePod anywhere podcasts are available. Podcast available at Next Issue Podcast page
THE NEXT BATMAN, PART ONE / OUTSIDERS, PART ONE / ARKHAM KNIGHTS, PART ONE
Written by John Ridley, Brandon Thomas & Paul Jenkins Art by Nick Derrington, Sumit Kumar, Raul Fernandez & Jack Herbert Colors by Tamra Bonvillain, Jordie Bellaire & Gabe Eltaeb Letters by Clayton Cowles, Steve Wands & Rob Leigh
Future State: The Next Batman #1 cover by Ladrönn
This first Issues is comprised of three different all new stories set in the FUTURE STATE The Next Batman Who is the Next Batman and how will Gotham receive this new Caped Crusader? Gotham City has always been dangerous—but now, it’s downright deadly! Following the tragedy of “A-Day,” the mayor allowed the private law enforcement group known as “the Magistrate” to take over policing so-called mask crime—and that has given rise to a new Dark Knight! What is this mysterious crime fighter’s connection to former Batman weaponeer Lucius Fox? The fight for justice has never been this dangerous!
Interior art by Derrington & Bonvillain
The Outsiders The Outsiders are back, but they have received a very cool upgrade. In a new tale of the Outsiders, everything in Gotham City may be under the thumb of the Magistrate—but even members of that totalitarian force know that the outskirts of town are protected by the sword of Katana!
Arkham Knights A new force rises out of Arkham, but whose side are they on? Ride with the Arkham Knights on their quest for freedom. Arkham Asylum has been decommissioned, and the Magistrate rules the land with an iron fist and zero tolerance. Now it’s time for the lunatics to take back their town! Follow Croc, Two-Face, Phosphorus, Zsasz, Clayface, and Astrid Arkham as the Arkham Knights raise holy hell on the occupiers of Gotham!
Three different Stories that will reshape both Gotham City and the Legacy of The Batman. This title will be available January 5th 2021 wherever DC comics are sold
Written by Daniel co-host of the Next Issue Podcast @eckospider on Twitter. Find the bi- Weekly podcast @NextIssuePod anywhere podcasts are available. Podcast available at Next Issue Podcast page
This week we are back to regularly scheduled format. Clay, Kyle Josh and Daniel Godzilla the King of the Monsters, other Kaiju and the Sentai Genre
We hope everyone stays Safe and Healthy. Please WEAR A MASK & WASH YOUR HANDS!
Previously on Next Issue … [01:00 – 39:00]Comics Mentioned
Iron Man #2:
Juggernaut #2
X of Swords (Except for X-Men #13)
Batman: Joker War (Batman #95 – 101+ Joker War Zone)
Daredevil Ongoing
Nightwing 75
Also, slight Discussion of Borat 2, The West Wing reunion and LoveCraft Country
Main Topic [39:00 – 01:20:00]
GodZilla the King of the Monsters
Other Kaiju, The Marvel/Toho Partnership during the late 70’s that let to Japan having Spider-man and Marvel Having Shogun Warriors and Godzilla. Godzilla would go to be in American comics with Darkhorse Comics and then IDW
Recommendations [01:40:00 – End]
Josh: Star Wars: Squadrons video game
Clay: recommends 2 people Lennie James, Colby Minifie
Suicide Squad #9 is a comic book published by DC Comics. Written by Tom Taylor, art by Bruno Redondo, colors by Adriano Lucas and letters by Wes Abbott
Suicide Squad #9 Cover by Bruno Redondo
This issue, it’s the shocking death of one of the members of the Suicide Squad. They’ve seen teammates blow up and countries fall. They’ve faced down heroes and villains alike. Now the Suicide Squad has one final mission: bring down the man who enslaved them, then put a bounty on their heads when they escaped: But to finish the job, one of their members will have to DIE!
This issue drops us into the middle of the Squad’s mission to gather some information about their target, the man who previously betrayed them. Also, we catch up with the remainder of the team as they prepare to set off. The book focuses on the intense moments as much as it does the more quiet times in which the squad can actually lay back and hang out. As the issue progresses the team has not only prepared for what could be their final mission, but also unknowingly the loss of one of their teammates.
Taylor’s storytelling is propelled forward with a mix of genuinely dialogue, heartfelt moments, action bits and comedy. The team is quite large but it does not feel fractured as they work very well in smaller teams as well as a larger ensemble. The dialogue is very clever and captures the different personalities in the team. Although it is clear that death is impending, the issue is very upbeat, and not all about doom. The impact of the events is felt as the issue speeds towards the last few pages.
Redondo’s art throughout the issue is light, stylized and very fitting to the action. Whether the setting be a government building or a small jungle, Redondo provides seamless transitions in the art. Lucas’ colors are vibrant as you would see in a SuperHero book, which is telling as to how the protagonists are seen in this point of view. The panels and in some pages lack of border set up the pace in each of those key moments in the story.
Abbott’s letters are very well placed and come to light when needed in the story. The text never hinders the art.
Suicide Squad #9 comes up with an action filled story, fun character moments and a last page reveal that makes this book an entertaining story. Long time fans as well as New readers will enjoy this issue.
Suicide Squad #9 is available September 22nd wherever comics are sold.
RATING 4 / 5
Written by Daniel co-host of the Next Issue Podcast @eckospider on Twitter. Find the bi- Weekly podcast @NextIssuePod anywhere podcasts are available. Podcast available at Next Issue Podcast page
The Autumnal #1 is a comic book published by Vault Comics. Written by NYT bestselling author Daniel Kraus (The Shape of Water, Trollhunters), art by Chris Shehan, colors by Jason Wordie and letters by Jim Campbell
In THE AUTUMNAL, is part of the NIGHTFALL Line, Vault‘s annual fall horror imprint. Every year as the weather turns brisk and autumn sets in, NIGHTFALL comes. As Vault continues its usual line, select new series introduced from September to December will bear the NIGHTFALL icon, promising genuine horror. Following the death of her estranged mother, Kat Somerville and her daughter, Sybil, flee a difficult life in Chicago for the quaint–and possibly pernicious–town of Comfort Notch, New Hampshire.
In this series premiere from Vault Comics NIGHTFALL line we catch up with Kat as her life is in a state of imbalance and disarray. At this very moment the death of Kat’s mother starts a series of events that take Kat and her daughter Sybil back home. The small town setting, along with the familiar story of having to go back to your roots set up the mystery in this issue. We find Kat and Sybil’s lives to be complicated and full of challenges. Each other is all they really have, and they have to take the chance to make this trip.
Chris Sheran brings this world to life as their art sets up the eerie slow burn of this story. The detailed facial expressions in the story fill the panels with the feelings of the protagonist. The backgrounds are filled with details about Kat and Sybil that inform the reader about their personalities. Wordie’s color palette is cool and muted initially and as the setting changes to the town of comfort Notch where the colors explode with lush vibrant autumn tones. Furthermore the panel work is very distinct, although mainly shaped like normal rectangular panels, the borders bleed into the story as conflict escalates and they provide a sense of uneasy and raise the tension.
Something is amiss in this small town and this first issue sets up the mystery of Autumn in the town of Comfort Notch. The future of Kat and Sybil remains a mystery. The book addresses personal trauma in the context of a horror story. The characters are likeable, approachable and sympathetic. All of these elements make this a very entertaining and engaging read.
The Autumnal #1 Variant cover
THE AUTUMNAL #1 hits store shelves on September 23, 2020, and will launch with two variant covers, both by Nathan Gooden and Tim Daniel. Sold wherever comic books are found
Rating 4.5/5
Written by Daniel co-host of the Next Issue Podcast @eckospider on Twitter. Find the bi- Weekly podcast @NextIssuePod anywhere podcasts are available. Podcast available at Next Issue Podcast page
