The Justice League has had a rough time lately. Their future in the DC Extended Universe remains uncertain. Good thing that we still have them in the comics, right? Well, not for long, as the team will be on their way out there as well. On the 30th anniversary of the Death of Superman comic, the superhero team will follow suit in The Death of The Justice League.
DC seems to be all in these days, as they will end the current Justice League comic with issue #75. As teased previously, the series will pay tribute to the Man of Steel’s similar fate, as he originally died in the same numbered issue and was not present in comic books for an entire year. Joshua Williamson will pen the demise of the iconic heroes and talked with Entertainment Weekly about the upcoming event.
It’s very serious, It’s an interesting opportunity to do this on the 30th anniversary of ‘The Death of Superman,’ which happened in Superman #75. We get to take Justice League #75 and do ‘Death of the Justice League.’ We want people to understand, this is serious and this is gonna have a major impact in the DCU moving forward.
Joshua Williamson
Williamson wants fans to know that this isn’t going to be the fakeout most think it will be. Some of DC’s biggest names will disappear from comics for some time.
I remember the experience of reading the build-up to ‘The Death of Superman’ and then waiting in the rain for my copy of issue #75. I think one reason that story was so powerful was that after the ‘Funeral for a Friend’ story, there were no Superman comics for three months. That’s part of what led us to make the decision that this is the last issue of Justice League. But then three months later, there’s still not gonna be a Justice League comic. It’s gonna be a while, and that’s gonna be a major part of what the DCU looks like after this story: There is no Justice League.
Joshua Williamson
In the comics, no one ever stays dead. Superman didn’t and ended up returning after only a year. Who knows, this time could be different, especially with Future State and Infinite Frontier bringing in many new legacy heroes. Without the Justice League and its consistent roster, this would open up a lot more possibilities for other characters to get their chances at solo runs. DC could allow some other characters to take the spotlight during the team’s absence. The Justice League’s end is set to hit shelves on April 19th with Justice League #75.
It’s going to be a big year for the DC Extended Universe, as there are quite a few projects in some form of development. Among them is the multiversal storyline of The Flash, which may rewrite the DCEU as we know it. Ezra Miller is set to return in the titular role, as he meets up with a new yet familiar face in the form of Michael Keaton‘s Bruce Wayne. We still know very little about the film’s plot, but it seems we might get some new information as of April in the form of a prelude comic series.
Writer Kenny Porter and artist Ricardo López Ortiz will tackle a three-issue comic series that’ll release monthly. The series titled The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive will tell the story of his conflict with a villain named Girder. He ends up learning how to take on this threat under the watchful eye of the Dark Knight, as he tries to face the metallic threat.
The first issue will release on April 26th and consists of 48 pages. The collection of all three issues will be made available in October ahead of the film’s release in November. The main cover will be drawn by Max Fiumara with a variant cover by the film’s director, Andy Muschietti. JuanFerreyra will prepare the cover for the second entry and the final issue will be by Jason Howard in July.
The Sandman Universe is all the rage these days as it starts to expand through different mediums. While we don’t have an exact release date for it yet, the live-action adaption of the classic Sandman comics is set to hit Netflix at some time this year. Turns out, that’s not the only project heading our way, as a new comic series set within the universe is hitting shelves in April, as James Tynion IV is making his grand return to DC to tackle a new entry in the expanding universe.
Tynion IV, best known for his work on Batman,Something is Killing the Children and Detective Comics will write Nightmare Country under the DC Black Label, which is part of the Sandman Universe series. It’ll follow the Corinthian, the personification of a nightmare with rows of teeth for eyes. He is a creation of the lord of dreams, Morpheus. He had the following to say on his new project:
I spent my teenage years reading and rereading the volumes of The Sandman, trying to absorb all of their secrets. The series taught me that anything and everything was possible in the comic book medium, and set me on the inexorable path of becoming a comic book writer.
James Tynion IV
Lisandro Estherren will draw the series after previously working on Redneck, a Skybound horror comic about vampires. Each issue will also feature nightmare dream sequences drawn by a guest artist with the first issue locking down Yanick Paquette. Nightmare Country is set to hit shelves on April 12 at your local comic shops.
We just got the trailer for the upcoming Moon Knight series heading to Disney+. Naturally, Marvel is using the opportunity to cross-promote with a brand new anthology series, which is the second comic book series for the iconic Marvel character. The four-issue anthology titled Moon Knight: Black, White, and Blood aims to explore the darker side of the titular hero and the one who may replace him.
There are three teams working on individual short stories, such as one being from writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Chris Bachalo. Marc Guggenheim is teaming up with Jorge Fornés while Murewa Ayodele will work with Dotun Akanda. The series is another addition to a series of anthology series with the “Black, White, And” concept. Deadpool, Wolverine, Carnage, and Elektra were the latest series to get an entry in this anthology series. DC also had a similar trend using color naming.
The first issue of the anthology will be made available in April, which is perfect timing, as the Disney+ series will release on March 30th. As the title implies, we might be in for a bloody adventure featuring the Fist of Khonshu and the recently introduced new character of Hunter’s Moon. Even as an anthology, it may offer some additional insight into what the future has in store for Moon Knight.
Following the conclusion of Jonathan Hickman’s 4-issue Inferno, Marvel Comics’ X-Men line will move out of the Reign of X era and into Destiny of X. Launching in 2022, Destiny of X will be comprised of 9 books and is being billed as the “Second Age of the X-Men of Krakoa.” In the weeks since the original announcement, more information about the line of books has made its way online, including creative teams and solicitations for some issues. With that in mind, here’s a look at what to expect from the line of books when they launch next year.
Immortal X-Men
Launching in March, Immortal X-Men will focus on the political machinations of the ruling body of Krakoa, the Quiet Council. Described by writer Kieron Gillen as a companion book to the main X-Men title by Gerry Duggan, Immortal X-Men will deal with the fallout of Inferno and the revelations of Ben Percy’sX Lives of Wolverinie/X Deaths of Wolverine. Artist Lucas Werneck will join Gillen in telling the story behind the scenes of the most powerful governing body on the planet. Immortal X-Men will be available at your local comic shop on March 30th. The full solicitation is available below.
IMMORTAL X-MEN #1 Kieron Gillen (W) • Lucas Werneck (A) • Cover by Mark Brooks Design Variant COVER by Tom Muller Headshot variant COVER by Todd NAUCK Carnage FOREVER variant COVER by TBA Quiet Council Variant COVER by Phil Noto Promo Variant COVER by Leinil FRANCIS Yu Teaser Variant COVER by Lucas Werneck Variant cover by Peach Momoko Variant cover by Oscar Vega WOMEN’S HISTORY VARIANT COVER BY EMA LUPACCHINO IN THE QUIET COUNCIL, NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM! The Quiet Council rules the Krakoan age, for better… or worse. Now, shaken by INFERNO and X LIVES / X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE they strive to hold together, no matter how much they want to tear each other apart. Writer Kieron Gillen (UNCANNY X-MEN, ETERNALS, The Wicked + The Divine, Die) returns to the world of X with artist Lucas Werneck (TRIAL OF MAGNETO) to bring us all into the room where it happens. “It” being “the most powerful people on Earth deciding the fate of the whole planet.” Prepare for sinister secrets to be revealed and learn that some secrets are more sinister than others… 48 PGS./Rated T+ …$5.99
Marauders
One of the six titles that launched the Dawn of X era in 2019, Marauders is being relaunched with a new #1 in March. Steve Orlando will take over writing duties from Gerry Duggan and be giving Captain Kate Pryde and Bishop and all-new, all-different crew consisting of Aurora, Daken, Psylocke, Tempo, Somnus and a recently revealed final member: Cassandra Nova. Nova, the evil twin sister of Charles Xavier, will be helping the Marauders as they try to solve a mutant mystery over two billion years in the making. Eleonora Carlini will be handling the art on Orlando’s stories and the duo will actually make their debut on the book with Maruaders Annual # in January. Marauders #1 goes on sale March 30th; the full solicitation for the book is below.
MARAUDERS #1 STEVE ORLANDO (W) • ELEONORA CARLINI (A) • Cover by KAEL NGU Variant Cover by PEACH MOMOKO Design Variant COVER by Tom Muller Variant COVER by Skottie Young Promo Variant COVER by Leinil FRANCIS Yu Teaser Variant COVER by Eleonora Carlini Variant cover by Russell Dauterman Variant cover by Erica D’Urso Variant cover by Lucas Werneck NEW TEAM! NEW VILLAINS! NEW MYSTERIES! Captain Pryde and the Marauders are rededicating themselves to rescuing mutants, wherever they may be, and no matter how dangerous the odds against them are. But Captain Pryde’s crew is not yet complete! Against her better judgment, Pryde comes face-to-face with the final Marauder: Cassandra Nova! One of the most infamous villains in mutant history might be the Marauders’ only chance to unravel a mystery stretching two billion years into the past! 40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99
X-Force
Current X-Force writer Ben Percy will stay on for Destiny of X’s X-Force book, launching in April. The official teaser shows X-Force members Wolverine, Kid Omega, Beast, Force and Sage hooked into Cerebrex, which seems to be an upgraded version of the current Cerebro worn by Professor X. Artist Robert Gill, who has been working with Percy on X-Force for the last 4 issues will remain on the book.
Knights of X
Also launching in April, Knights of X will be, is some ways, a continuation of the current Excalibur book that launched during Dawn of X and “ended” with this month’s #26. Excalibur writer Tini Howard will be joined by artist Bob Quinn on Knights of X which, as it turns out, should be read “Knights of Ten” (the teaser reads, “Ten Realms, Ten Knights”). It’s expected to be set primarily in Otherworld and pick up where the events of Excalibur #26, which saw Betsy Braddock remain in Otherworld to fight Merlyn, left off.
X-Men
Gerry Duggan will remain on board the main X-title. The solicitation for X-Men #9, which can be seen below, hints at some big troubles ahead for the squad.
X-MEN #9 GERRY DUGGAN (W) • Javier Pina (A) • Cover by Pepe Larraz Trading Card Variant Cover by Russell Dauterman Promo Variant Cover by Leinil FRANCIS Yu • CARNAGE FOREVER Variant Cover by TBA STORMBREAKERS VARIANT COVER BY NATACHA BUSTOS The Quiet Council of Krakoa. The Great Ring of Arakko. The Central Column of Orchis. Three ruling bodies, all about to make vital decisions that will affect their people for years to come…and the X-Men are caught in the cross fire. 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Legion of X
Details have yet to be released on Legion of X, but it seems likely that it will star Nightcrawler and Legion and be a bit of a continuation of Way of X, written by Si Spurrier and drawn by Bob Quinn. A new team, shown above, was teased at the end of X-Men: The Onslaught Revelation, which served as the end of the Way of X story. The team, featuring Juggernaut, Doctor Nemesis, Pixie, Forgetmenot and a newly resurrected Blindfold, who was originally kept out of the Resurrection Protocols due to Moira’s demands that no precog mutants be allowed to be brought back to life. With Destiny having been resurrected in Inferno and Blindfold on the way and Juggernaut, who was banned from Krakoa by Xavier, on the team, it seems like there truly are some big changes coming post-Inferno.
Wolverine
Again, no new details here but Ben Percy, whose run on the book has produced the best work on Wolverine in decades, will continue on. Wolverine will continue in April with issue 20 that will, apparently, feature Deadpool who has been notably absent from the X-line for the most part.
New Mutants
This looks like a potential continuation as well with Vita Ayala and Rod Reis working on issue #25 which is headed to stores in August. The description of the book, which can be read in full below, calls it a “perfect jumping-on point”for new readers.
THE LABORS OF MAGIK START HERE! The big two-five is here – and it’s the perfect jumping-on point for fans new and old! Illyana Rasputin is the Sorcerer Supreme and the rightful queen of Limbo…but she’s been awfully busy on Krakoa. Someone’s got their eye on the throne – and Magik isn’t the only queen in mutantdom. Vita Ayala and Rod Reis rekindle an old flame for a whole new generation of Magik lovers
X-Men Red
A Storm-centric book launching in April, X-Men Red will see Al Ewing and Stefano Caselli team up to tell the story of the Regent of Arakko defend the Red Planet.
Additional Titles
And while they were not teased as Destiny of X books, fans of the X-books can also look forward to a Gambit solo series, which sees the return of legendary X-Men writer and Gambit creator Chris Claremont, who will be working with artist Sid Kotian, and Giant-Size X-Men: Thunderbird, written by Steve Orlando and Nyla Rose, which will tell the tale of the newly resurrected John Proudstar.
More information on all these titles will be available when the full April solicitations are revealed in January.
Back in August when Jonathan Hickmanannounced he would be leaving the X-line of Marvel Comics following the completion of Inferno, he mentioned he’d be doing so to go work on his “Next Big Marvel Thing.” When Hickman signed on with Marvel Comics, it was to, in his own words “try things.” According to some speculation by Rich Johnston at Bleeding Cool, the next thing he chooses to try might just be taking the reigns on writing duties for Marvel Comics most popular character: Spider-Man.
Following the end of Nick Spencer’s long run as the writer of Spider-Man, the publisher went to a weekly arc, Spider-Man Beyond, that will end in March. The announcement for this year’s Free Comic Book Day, which will be May 7th, includes a description of Spider-Man/Venom #1, which promised “the first glimpse at Spider-Man’s new era.” Finally, this week artist Chris Bachalo, who worked with Hickman the 2019 Spidey anthology, The Amazing Spider-Man: Full Circle, retweeted one of his 2008 covers from The Amazing Spider-Man. As it turns out, Bachalo’s most recent book, Non-Stop Spider-Man, was cancelled and Hickman is a big fan. As Johnston pointed out, the new Spider-book is expected to have a high profile creative team and, given the convergence of events, it is reasonable to speculate that Hickman and Bachalo could be that team.
Hickman, of course, has spent some time with the Wall-Crawler before. Following the death of Johnny Storm in Hickman’s Fantastic Four #587, he replaced him on the newly renamed team, the Future Foundation, with Spider-Man, in FF #1. When Storm returned from “the dead”, Spidey left the team but showed up on and off throughout the remainder of the series.
Hickman’s well-known for his high-concept sci-fi and while Spider-Man is, like many of Marvel’s heroes and villains, the result of a scientific accident, he’d be the most “street-level” hero Hickman has tackled to date at Marvel. If Hickman is indeed the brain behind the main Spider-book, it’ll be incredibly interesting to see what direction he takes the Web-Slinger in next. Of course, Hickman also did quite a bit of work with Miles Morales in Secret Wars, including bringing him into the 616 continuity…
Here’s a rather curious surprise. Dark Horse, the famous indie comic publisher, has hinted at its interest in selling to find a new home for some time. They’ve been setting up a lot of future projects together with Netflix, especially after their success with The Umbrella Academy yet they were still seeking a new home even as they continue their first-look deal with the streaming service. After a long wait, it looks like they found it in a Swedish gaming conglomerate, the Embracer Group. Dark Horse CEO Mike Richardson offered the following statement on the purchase:
The synergies that exist with the Embracer network of companies promise exciting new opportunities not only for Dark Horse, but also for the creators and companies we work with. I’ve had a number of compelling conversations with Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors and I’m very impressed with him and what he and his team have built. I have to say, the future for our company has never looked brighter
Mike Richardson
The financial dealings have not been shared by both companies involved with the project. It does seem like the Swedish company is interested in keeping the comics ongoing dealings alive, as they bolster around 300 untapped intellectual properties, which includes Timecop, Hellboy, The Mask, and many more. It’ll be interesting to see what the future has in store for everyone involved.
It looks like Marvel Comics has found its new Sorcerer Supreme. Doctor Strange has recently passed away and someone new has taken on the mantle. It turns out that person will be the Mistress of the Dark Dimension, Clea, who will lead her own comic titled Strange. Jed MacKay is set to write the new series right after his work on Death of Doctor Strange with Marcelo Ferreira bringing his Amazing Spider-Man artistic talents to the project. Marvel has shared the following synopsis:
Haunted by her recently returned memories, Clea longs to bring Stephen Strange back from the dead! But when a mysterious group attacks the magical realm, Clea, now the sole protector of Earth against magical threats must rise to the duties of Sorcerer Supreme. Don’t miss the shocking twists, new villains, and unbelievable magical feats as Clea takes Marvel magic to places it’s never gone before!
It’s a great direction for the character, and MacKay highlights that “there’s a new Sorcerer Supreme in residence at 177A Bleecker Street, and a new Doctor Strange—Clea Strange. And she’s got her work cut out for her—when she’s not fighting off the magical gangsters of the Blasphemy Syndicate, or battling undead super-monsters, she’s going after what’s hers: the late Stephen Strange.” So, her fight with the need to revive the one she lost will put her into a very different situation from the previous holder of the mantle and we’ll see what her struggle might mean for the future of the Marvel universe. The comic is going to release on March 2nd.
The latest chapters of One Piece were a well-balanced mesh of action, drama, and character development. Sanji was the main act for quite a few chapters due to his conflict of embracing the alterations inflicted upon him by wearing the Germa 66 raid suit. Yet, the latest chapter has fully moved over to Zoro, who’s still in his ongoing conflict with King. Ever since the post-time skip, it seemed he never had a true challenge. So, Eiichiro Oda gave him exactly that in the mysterious Lunarian who seemingly takes each strike without a scratch. Will Zoro finally meet his match?
Let’s not waste any time and just focus on the biggest aspect of this chapter. Yes, there has been quite a bit of foreshadowing by Kaido and even the anime release, but Zoro finally has unleashed his Conquerors Haki. He has definitely been pushed to his limit and we once again are reminded by Raleigh’s lesson that it is formed through combat. Seeing the underlings of the Beast Pirates foaming at the mouth and seeing the lightning around all three swords is a great visual flair to confirm it. His ambitions have finally broken to the point that he can not only wield Enma – likely turning it into a black blade by the end of this fight – but also solves the question of what a sword curse is all about.
I love the flashback to Zoro’s time as a kid. Didn’t expect we get an explanation where he got the two swords for his fight against Kuina from, but it’s a nice detail. The introduction of Shimotsuki Kozaburo and confirmation of his connection add a nice layer. Though the hints that Zoro is also a member of the Shimotsuki family due to his father potentially being Ushimaru does raise a few questions. We’ll likely find out more once Onimaru makes their return to the story. For now, we got a confirmation about his backstory set-up a few episodes ago and the mangaka manages to make a joke drawing for one of the swords as a person into an actual character design.
His opponent, King, is given a lot more weight this time around. A short discussion between Queen and Sanji hints at some kind of underlying weak spot that’ll probably get exploited by Zoro. It makes me wonder if the Lunarian’s “defeat” might be connected to Mihawk that builds up a parallel with his pupil. While great foreshadowing, it does take away from the momentum that we had with Sanji when he kicked Queen full force a few chapters ago. Still, the built-up is strong and Oda will very likely take a detour before getting back to Zoro’s big payoff.
The current Avengers comic run written by Jason Aaron has been pretty blatant in terms of focusing on characters that are either gaining new relevance in the movie side of things or that are straight-up joining the MCU in the coming months. After devoting arcs to the Celestials (and introducing a new Avengers HQ similar to the one the MCU might get to in a few movies’ time), Ghost Rider, Moon Knight, Echo, Blade, and She-Hulk (all of which are soon to be the focus of their own TV series or movie) we are now getting word that the series is focusing on both Namor and Valkyrie as the duo are joining Marvel’s core Avengers team in 2022.
The current head Valkyrie in the comics is no other than Jane Foster, a former Thor (an arc also written by Aaron and that is a major inspiration for the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder) that has had a new part to play in the comics for some time now. As for Namor, he’s known for showing up now and then in the series but is now becoming a full-fledged member as he reunites with his long-time nemesis, Black Panther, in what is another interesting comic-to-movie connection.
These are interesting news in what the comics are concerned, but they can also mean something towards the future of the MCU. Ever since Kevin Feige was named Chief Creative Officer for Marvel Comics, Marvel Television, and Marvel Animation in October 2019, in addition to being President of Marvel Studios, you now can sometimes catch glimpses of what some MCU projects might be focusing on down the line by reading up on the latest issues. This was something that had already been going on for a while, but it was with Feige’s formal appointment that it likely became a more reliable reality.
Avengers #53 will be available on February 9, 2022
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