‘Gaysians,’ ‘Avengers Academy: Marvel’s Voices’ win at the GLAAD Media Awards

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation recognized comics from Marvel and Algonquin Books in their 37th annual Media Awards.

Gaysians and Avengers Academy: Marvel’s Voices were among the winners at the 37th annual GLAAD Media Awards, which recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBTQ+ community and the issues that affect their lives.

GLAAD recognizes the comic arts in two categories — “Outstanding Comic Book” and “Outstanding Original Graphic Novel/Anthology.” The awards were given out Thursday night in Los Angeles, across categories that recognized film, television, video games and more. Other winners included the TV show Heated Rivalry and the video game Lost Records: Bloom & Rage.

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Founder Mike Richardson out at Dark Horse Comics after 40 years as Embracer installs interim CEO

The founder of one of comics’ most influential independent publishers was removed from his position this week by parent company Embracer Group, which purchased Dark Horse in 2022.

Mike Richardson, who founded Dark Horse Comics in 1986 and served as CEO ever since, has been removed from his position by parent company Embracer Group. Gaming executive Jay Komas, who previously served as head of Embracer’s Middle Earth Enterprises division, will serve as interim CEO.

The Hollywood Reporter shared a statement Embracer sent to business partners and creators regarding the news:

“As part of our long-term vision to better align Dark Horse within a more connected and forward-looking group structure, we are implementing changes to modernize the business and strengthen collaboration across publishing, games, film, merchandise and other key areas,” Embracer said. “Our goal is simple: to ensure Dark Horse is positioned for sustained success while continuing to serve creators, partners and fans at the highest level.”

Richardson’s long road in comics started off in comcis retail with his Oregon-based store Pegasus Fantasy Books, which was later renamed Things From Another World. In 1986, he began publishing comics with a concerted effort to protect creators’ rights.

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Jeff Lemire signs five-book deal with HarperCollins’ Harper Alley imprint

The deal kicks off with a three-volume series illustrated by Teddy Kristiansen, followed by two standalone graphic novels.

Jeff Lemire has signed a five-book deal with HarperCollins’ Harper Alley imprint as part of the publisher’s inaugural line of original graphic novels for adults, the super-prolific Canadian cartoonist announced on his Substack newsletter.

The deal kicks off with Mr. Oblivion, a three-volume supernatural detective series with artist Teddy Kristiansen. The duo previously worked together on Black Hammer: Spiral City.

The series follows Marty McCabe, who was once the world’s greatest occult detective. But 20 years later, he sells real estate in the suburbs and struggles with middle age, marriage and a teenage daughter. When the demons of his past return, Marty must put on the fabled Merlin Mask to save his family, even if it eats his soul alive.

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Exclusive | Take a look at the cover for ‘Babs: The Black Road South’ #6, the finale of Garth Ennis + Jacen Burrows’ barbarian comedy

The six-issue series from Ahoy Comics wraps up in June in a fittingly volcanic fashion.

Courtesy of Ahoy Comics, we’ve got an exclusive first look at the cover of Babs: The Black Road South #6, the finale of the second Babs miniseries from writer Garth Ennis and artist Jacen Burrows. The issue arrives June 24.

Babs: The Black Road South is the follow-up to last year’s Babs, which introduced sharp-tongued, sharper-sworded barbarian Babs and her partner-in-barbarism Izzy. The new six-issue series picks up after a gladiator arena victory lands the pair an unexpected windfall, which has even more unexpected consequences.

The finale’s solicit promises an intense showdown, with Babs inside a live volcano, dodging flame and steel while facing an infinitely powerful artifact, an undead swordswoman and what the solicit describes only as “one distressingly kinky hobbit.” The cover is by Burrows, which you can see below:

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Saladin Ahmed + Mario Santoro dig into Bishop’s family history in a new miniseries

The five-issue miniseries reunites Bishop with his sister Shard as a new villain group from his future travels to the present to eliminate him.

The displaced-from-the-future X-Man known as Bishop will star in a five-issue miniseries written by Saladin Ahmed and illustrated by Mario Santoro. The first issue will arrive in June.

The series follows in the footsteps of recent standalone X-Men miniseries like Rogue and Cyclops, delivering a self-contained story that digs into the character’s history while putting him through his paces. In this case, Bishop will reunite with his sister Shard, who appeared in X-Factor and seemingly died in a previous Bishop series.

“I’m having a blast doing a deep dive into the dark corners of Lucas Bishop’s time-travel traumatized mind!” Ahmed said. “I’m a writer who loves both family drama and spectacle, so getting to juxtapose the big visual comic book elements of temporal warping and explosive powers with the quiet pain and joy of sibling relationships is my happy place.”

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Jonathan Hickman + Adam Kubert reunite for ‘Spider-Man: Long Way Home’

The creative team behind ‘Wolverine: Revenge’ put Spider-Man, Punisher and Hulk on a three-way collision course.

Marvel has announced Spider-Man: Long Way Home, a five-issue miniseries written by Jonathan Hickman and illustrated by Adam Kubert, beginning June 17.

The series reunites the creative team behind 2024’s Wolverine: Revenge and follows that same formula as a self-contained, continuity-free story designed to be accessible to all readers. Hickman and Kubert are joined by colorist Frank Martin on the project.

“I’m so happy to be working with Adam Kubert again and even happier that we’re getting to work on Spider-Man: Long Way Home,” Hickman said. “Absolutely no one is going to see this one coming.”

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Rest in peace, Jacopo Camagni

The artist of ‘Generation X-23,’ ‘Nomen Omen’ and more passed away after complications from heart surgery.

As reported by Bleeding Cool and several Italian outlets, comic artist Jacopo Camagni died this past Sunday following complications from heart surgery. He was 48 years old.

Camagni’s work spanned continents, as he began working in the industry in Italy in the late 1990s and eventually found success in the United States working for Marvel, most recently on Generation X-23, which launched in February. His final Marvel work, Generation X-23 #2–4, is scheduled for release in March, April and May.

“We are deeply saddened to share artist Jacopo Camagni has passed away,” Marvel said in a statement on social media. “To those who experienced his work, he brought undeniable energy both on and off the page. He was Marvel family and a dear friend to so many more. We will be honoring his memory and work in the weeks to come.”

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Exclusive | Two new ‘Weird Tales’ comics join Monstrous’ Kickstarter campaign for the franchise’s first graphic novel

The hardcover will include comic adaptations of classic stories by Ray Bradbury, Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft and more.

Monstrous and Weird Tales Magazine are collaborating on the first-ever official Weird Tales graphic novel, currently funding on Kickstarter with more than 1,200 backers in its first two weeks. And we have an exclusive first look at two limited-edition saddle-stitch comics being offered as part of the campaign.

Weird Tales #1 is a 28-page floppy featuring “Doctor Satan vs. Jules de Grandin” by writer James Aquilone and artist Dave Swartz. It also includes an adaptation of “Ooze,” the very first story published in Weird Tales in 1923, by Weird Tales president John Harlacher and artist Zac Atkinson, who also provides the cover. Weird Tales #2, also 28 pages, features “The Cthulhu Project” by Richard Krepit and artist EV Cantada, and “The Abominable Professor Gaius” by Aquilone and Atkinson, again with a cover by Atkinson.

Here’s a look at the covers:

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Top Shelf’s ‘We Are Pan’ recounts the secret operation that brought 14,000 Cuban children to America

Andre Frattino and Yasmin Flores Montanez tell the true story of Operation Pedro Pan, which brought 14,000 children from Cuba to the United States between 1960 and 1962.

Top Shelf Productions will publish We Are Pan, an original graphic novel written by Andre Frattino and illustrated by Yasmin Flores Montanez, this summer. The hardcover tells the true story of Operación Pedro Pan, a secret joint effort between the U.S. government and the Catholic Welfare Bureau to evacuate Cuban children to the United States in the wake of Fidel Castro’s revolution.

Between 1960 and 1962, 14,000 children were sent from Cuba to America by parents who feared for their futures under communism. The children, later known as “Pedro Pans,” were relocated across the United States, most living in foster homes. In many cases, they never saw their families again.

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Smash Pages Q&A | Bruno Redondo on ‘The DC Art of Bruno Redondo’

From a 12-year-old reading ‘Incredible Hulk’ to three Eisner Awards, Redondo reflects on the career that led to his first major art book.

Bruno Redondo has spent the last decade building an impressive body of work in comics. From his early DC work on Human Target and Batman: Arkham Unhinged to his career-defining runs on Injustice and Nightwing, he’s developed a visual language that’s entirely his own — fluid, expressive, and packed with personality. Along the way, he’s picked up three Eisner Awards and won over countless fans.

Now, Clover Press is giving his work a retrospective with The DC Art of Bruno Redondo, a 200+ page, 9″x12″ hardcover collecting his best DC work to date, with an introduction by his longtime collaborator Tom Taylor. The campaign is live now on Kickstarter, with edition options ranging from hardcover to signed slipcase, plus extras like a fold-out edition of the iconic Nightwing #87, rarely-seen sketches and commissions, a sticker pack and more.

I recently had the chance to talk with Bruno about how he fell in love with comics, what makes his creative partnership with Tom Taylor tick, what it means to look back at a career still very much in progress. and more. Here’s what he had to say.

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Can’t Wait for Wednesday | DC K.O. #5 brings the final showdown with Darkseid

New comics and graphic novels arrive this week by Scott Snyder, Javier Fernandez, Jed MacKay, Farid Karami, Ben Stenbeck, Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, Milena Ciccarello and more.

Welcome to Can’t Wait for Wednesday, your guide to what’s coming to your local comic shop this week. It’s a week with two big endings and several beginnings.

I’ve pulled out some of the highlights for this week below, but for the complete list of everything you might find at your local comic shop and on digital this week, you’ll want to check out one or more of the following:

As a reminder, things can change and what you find on the above lists may differ from what’s actually arriving in your local shop. So check with your retailer to see what’s arriving at their shop this week.

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Rest in peace, Tatjana Wood

The pioneering DC colorist passed away at the age of 99.

Tatjana Wood, the German-born colorist who brought a distinctive sensibility to decades of DC Comics covers and interiors, including Alan Moore’s Saga of the Swamp Thing and Grant Morrison’s Animal Man, passed away Feb. 27. She was 99.

Her passing was confirmed by former DC editor Karen Berger. Today would have been her 100th birthday.

“So sad to share that legendary colorist Tatjana Wood has passed away at the age of 99,” Berger wrote. “Her pioneering painterly touch graced scores of DC & Vertigo series. She was truly one of a kind and a special friend. May her memory be a blessing.”

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