How to Dive into KING IN BLACK

Posted on April 14, 2021 by Daniel

As the King in Black has come to an end, the question arises, “What’s the reading order?”, and if you want that answer you can follow this link. The main objective of this article is to try to shed some light on the different levels of this summer Event, from MUST READ – all the way to a fun inconsequential TIE-IN. Hopefully this will help you decide how much to spend (or how much more to spend).

RECOMMENDED READING – This issues are suggested reading prior to King in Black
Venom by Donny Cates

MUST READ – These issues are all the Main Story and all are a big part of the King in Black
King in Black #1 – 5
Venom #31 – 34
Venom #200

TIE-IN SIDE STORY – These issues add depth to the world of King in Black and fill in a lot of the gaps that could not be covered in the main story. If you have a favorite character and did not see them enough on the main book, they may show up in one of these titles. These are the titles where you will see weird and fun team ups.
King in Black: Planet of the Symbiotes #1 – 3
King in Black: Thunderbolts #1 – 3

ONE SHOTS – These issues are Stand Alone stories about specific characters, these stories do not directly impact the main story but they can add depth to the arc of each of the specific characters.
King in Black: Immortal Hulk
King in Black: Iron Man/Doctor Doom
King in Black: Black Knight
King in Black: Captain America
King in Black: Marauders
King in Black: Black Panther
King In Black: Wiccan and Hulkling
King In Black: Ghost Rider

STAND ALONE STORY – These issues are very stand alone but tell a complete story. These stories focus on a specific group of individuals with a specific task or goal that in the larger scheme is inconsequential to the main story. This does not mean these titles are bad or not worth reading. These titles are for those looking for a complete picture. These stories also are enclosed so can be read without reading the main title. (although some knowledge of what the King in Black and Venom would be helpful.)
Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black #1 – 5
King in Black: Namor #1 – 5
King In Black: Return of the Valkyries #1 – 4
King in Black: Gwenom Vs Carnage #1 – 3

OTHER TIE-IN – These are regular on going titles that took a small break to jump into a King In Black event. If you are a completionist, these Tie-Ins are for you
Atlantis Attacks #5
The Union #1 – 2
Black Cat #1 – 3
Spider-Woman #7 – 8
Guardians of the Galaxy #10
S.W.O.R.D. #2 – 4
Black Cat #2
Deadpool #10
Daredevil #26 – 27
Savage Avengers #17 – 18
Fantastic Four #29 – 30
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #23
Avengers #45

Written by Daniel co-host of the Next Issue Podcast
@eckospider on Twitter.
Find the bi- Weekly podcast @NextIssuePod anywhere podcasts are available.
Subscribe to our YOUTUBE page
Podcast available at Next Issue Podcast page

STRANGE ADVENTURES #8 Preview

Posted on January 25, 2021 by Daniel

Written by Tom King
Art by Mitch Gerards & Evan “Doc” Shaner
Letters by Clayton Cowles

Can the Justice League Stop the Pykkts?

CHAPTER 8

“The battle against the Pykkts continues! The Justice League—including Green Lantern, Doctor Fate, Batman, the Flash, Superman, and Wonder Woman—has scattered across the Earth, pushing back the marauders wherever they appear. Even Mr. Terrific takes a break from investigating Adam Strange’s alleged war crimes to land a punch or two in their stupid alien faces. But Adam Strange has made his decision: to save Rann at any price—even if that price is the Earth itself!”

This title will be available January 26th 2021 wherever DC comics are sold
32 pages – $4.99

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

DC First Look: Future State: Dark Detective #1

Posted on January 10, 2021 by Daniel

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

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

What is the DC comics’ Future State Event?

Posted on January 4, 2021 by Daniel

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

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

Future State: The Next Batman #1 Preview

Posted on January 2, 2021 by Daniel

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!

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

Dark Nights: DEATH METAL – How far to Dive in?

Posted on January 1, 2021 by Daniel

Reading time 3 minutes

Dark Nights: Death Metal is the Sequel to Dark Nights: Metal from 2017. This DC Comics event has shaped the DC Universe over the past few years and this current event promises to change it all forever.
The Main Issues of this event have been created by the team of Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, FCO Plascencia and Tom Napolitano.

DC Comics Formally Announces Dark Nights: Death Metal - The Fanboy SEO — *Promotional Art by Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion & FCO Plascencia*

These comic book events can often times have alot of supplementary tie-in comics and series. This article is not about the reading order, for that I recommend checking out this article be the great folks at How to Love Comics.
This post is our way to help you decide how deep to dive into this event.
We read all the tie-ins so you don’t have to, unless you want to.

The Main Core of the Story.
These 7 issues are the main part of the story, there is enough here in these issues for complete story, no extra reading just pure DEATH METAL
Dark Nights: Death Metal issues 1 – 7

The Sounds of Death Metal!
The following issues are all one shots that although not immediately relevant to the main story, really allow the reader to understand certain events and references that the characters in the Main DEATH METAL title are experiencing. These titles could be seen as side quest that are consequential to the main story. None of these issues are an ongoing series but they directly affect our protagonists and antagonists.
Dark Nights: Death Metal – Legends of the Dark Knights
Dark Nights: Death Metal – Trinity Crisis
Dark Nights: Death Metal – Speed Metal
Dark Nights: Death Metal – Multiverse’s End
Dark Nights: Death Metal – Rise of the New God

The Coda of Doom
If you are in this deep and need more lets go on a SIDE QUEST
the issues below are part of an ongoing series and the events are directly related to DEATH METAL. The Events on this miniseries indirectly affect the characters and lead up to Death Metal issue #5
Justice League Issues 53 – 57 (2020) “DOOM METAL”
This story directly deals with the fate of the Legion of Doom during the Events of DEATH METAL. For a Full breakdown check out this article from DC Comics

Turn it up to ELEVEN, and ROCK OUT
This level for the true completionists. If you are into the deep cuts these issues are for you. This is where the creators explore the backgrounds and motivations of everyone involved in the story. Explore the dark multiverse at your leisure. Although these titles do not directly impact the main story they add depth and substance.
Dark Nights: Death Metal Guidebook
Dark Nights: Death Metal – Robin King
Dark Nights: Death Metal – Infinite Hours Exxxtreme!
Dark Nights: Death Metal – The Multiverse Who Laughs
Dark Nights: Death Metal – The Secret Origin
Dark Nights: Death Metal – The Last Stories of the DCU
Dark Nights: Death Metal – The Last 52: War of the Multiverses

Tie-in issues for big events are not for everyone, but this should help you decide how to spend your money and how deep to dive into Dark Nights: Death Metal
ROCK ON!!

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

Wall Update (Nightcrawler Wall)

Posted on September 7, 2020 by clay

HEY NOW! Clay here.

Being at home, I’ve had more time to update my house. If you saw part 1, here are some changes I made. I finally collected the Nightcrawler covers I wanted for my stair wall. I also framed and hung some autographs I’ve collected over the years. I’m out of frame for now.

I updated some pictures to cover scans. Pics were bad and didn’t have autographs so I wanted a better pic.

Charles Baker

Lance Henriksen

Tyler Mane

Fringe cast

Stairs

Stairs wall

Power Man and Iron FIst

Aaron Kuder Variant War of the Realms 4

Nightcrawler Wall

X-Men Red 2 Travis Charest

Nightcrawler 1 Todd Nauck

The Saga of Crystar Crystal Warrior 6 Michael Golden

Micronauts 37 (Greg_LaRocque/Al Milgrom)

Uncanny X-Force 33 (Julian_Tedesco)

Aston. X-Men 60 Giuseppe Camuncoli

X-Men Red 1 Skottie Young

Marvels Epilogue 1 Skottie Young

FF 6 by PhilNoto

Epic Ill June 85 – Bernie Wrightson – Edited

Late to the Party Review #1 – Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff

Posted on September 2, 2020 by adrian

It has been one hell of a year so far. Because 2020, I have not read or watched too much of anything. It is something that is missing in my life and I’m about to remedy that. Books, comics, TV shows and movies all make up what I’ll being doing for the next several months. I’ll consume the material and give you my thoughts and review. First up to the plate will be a review of the book Lovecraft Country, by Matt Ruff. With the first couple of episodes of the HBO adaptation out I decided to read the book first.
Thanks for going on this journey with me.
Your brother in nerdom,
Big A

Lovecraft Country (Book)

By Matt Ruff

I remember seeing the first trailer for the show, Lovecraft Country, back in the beginning of this year. All I had to know was that it was a period sci-fi, horror show produced by Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams. I had my calendar marked and was ready to roll or so I thought. What I got in that first episode blew my mind so much that I had to get the book the show is based upon.

Published in 2016, Lovecraft Country is a bunch of interconnected short stories set in 1950’s Chicago. Atticus, who is a black man, his immediate and extended family are all main characters. Tick, as he is called, has come home from fighting in the Korean War. Tick returned to Chicago after receiving an urgent letter from his father. Upon arriving, it is discovered that his dad has gone missing. So he, his uncle George, and his childhood friend Leticia, set off on a road trip to find him.

I think this book sets itself from a lot of others in the genre, Ruff does an amazing job of showing just how getting in the car and driving across country could be for a black man in the ‘50’s. We’ve been led to believe that racism stopped at the Mason/Dixon Line. That was far from actuality and the author brings it home.

Lovecraft Country does a unique job of shining a light on bigotry. It tells the story from the perspective of a 1950’s black family. The Turners where an educated, middle class family, with all the same interests and desires as white Americans. And to see that juxtaposition against how everyday white people saw them, was nothing new, but done with great sensibilities. Ruff was able to show that everyday life could be a horror show. I personally found a real connection with Atticus and his love of reading sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. It also is a love letter to those genres weaved with the dark history of this country. Ruff thoroughly researched and drops little Easter eggs, throughout the book. From mentioning other works of literature, to weaving historical events throughout the time period of the book, each story is a tribute to a different genre of writing.
They all connect so beautifully.

So with that being said, I highly recommend this book. I hope Mr Ruff can take us back to Lovecraft Country again soon.

Daniel’s 5 favorite Things (and 1 unfavorite) about DC Fandome

Posted on August 23, 2020 by Daniel

DC Fandome went live on August 22nd, 2020 as DC Comics, Warner Bros. Entertainment and Warner Bros Games launched the first and biggest DC Comics themed virtual convention experience. The show was composed of many panels and lasted about 8 hours. It celebrated the upcoming movies, TV shows, video games and some of the comics.

I will be listing my 5 favorite things about the DC Fandome Event, but first, one thing that was very disappointing but maybe it will be addressed as part of the events that will be taking place in September.

The big downer was the lack of comic book content in the event. The exception was a few of panels that will be addressed in the list below and with Jim Lee all over the place there was no mention of the comic books. No writers in ongoing books, no artist spotlights or any other mention of anyone currently working on the comics side of the business. We know SDCC just happened last month and there was a lot of focus on the comics, but also a big restructuring happened in DC Comics after the WB Media layoffs.

The top 5 things that happened at DC Fandome

5 – The Mini-Panels in between the Movie/Events.
An avid convention attendee knows how tough it can be to get into the big panels with the movie stars. A nice alternative is to visit the smaller, more intimate panels. At DC Fandome there were some very interesting and even unexpected panels. From Jim Lee, doing an artist portfolio review, to a visit with Batman voice actors from all over the world. The biggest surprise of them all, the Milestone Media panel hosted by Marc Bernadin. These were intimate conversations about topics that are very relevant to the work but not always in the spotlight.

4 – The Suicide Squad directed by James Gunn. This panel garnered a lot of buzz because there was little to no information about this movie. James Gunn addressed some fan questions, then revealed the cast and the characters they’re playing. Even as an avid comic fan, I had to keep the Google search handy. Lastly, we got a very interesting Behind the Scenes teaser for the movie.

Behind the Scenes footage for The Suicide Squad (2021)

3 – Wonder Woman 1984 directed by Patty Jenkins. like in the Suicide Squad panel, the cast along with the director, addressed fan questions. Unlike the Suicide Squad panel, a lot of the cast was participating. We also got a look at the final trailer that revealed what Cheetah (Kristen Wiig) will look like in different stages of the film. WW84 is set to release next month and the excitement is palpable.

Stills from the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984 film

2 – Zack Snyder’s Justice League. This panel focused on explaining how the upcoming project will be released on the HBOMax platform as well as globally.
The cast joined in (pre recorded segments) where they asked questions from the fans. Snyder also has a chat with fans involved in creating the petition and movement to get the movie released as Snyder’s version. Lastly, we were treated to a trailer that was recut, with new or unseen footage. 2021 cannot get here soon enough.

Stills from the new trailer for Zack Snyder’s Justice League

1 – The Batman directed by Matt Reeves. I’ll keep this brief since it echoes a lot of the above. Robert Pattinson introduced the panel but was unable to give much information other than mentioning a “big surprise” at the end. Then Matt Reeves and host Aisha Tyler (shout out Tyler for a long day of had work) addressed questions and Reeves expanded on the feel and influences of the movie building up to the release of a teaser trailer. As a Batman fan, this is where I passed out.

Overall DC Fandome has set the standard for virtual conventions and was an outstanding success

Written by Daniel co-host of the Next Issue Podcast
@eckospider on Twitter.
Find the podcast @NextIssuePod anywhere podcasts are available.
Podcast available at Next Issue Podcast page

Cribs – Next Issue Edition

Posted on August 20, 2020 by clay

HEY NOW!

Clay here.
Some of you know I started collecting vinyl for comic book art. I’ve also been able to frame some of my art and autographs from cons. I thought I’d share what I’ve collected over the past years.

Then I wanted to add the weird stuff.