Welcome to the Wednesday edition of Comics Relief where we’ve got news on two new ongoing series set to premiere by year’s end from Marvel Comics, as well as news on the possible end date for Attack on Titan and more. But first, DC/Vertigo has revealed the amazing covert art for the final of issue of Neil Gaiman’s finale to Sandman: Overture, and it is a thing of beauty. Read on for more details….
DC Reveals New James Jean Variant Cover for Final Issue of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman: Overture
It’s been a big week for prolific author Neil Gaiman, as a new Humble Bundle of his writing rarities was just announced (which you can read more about in our interview with Gaiman.) This month also marks the end of Gaiman’s long-awaited return to the world of the Endless with the final issue of Sandman: Overture. Now DC has released a special variant cover from artist James Jean for the final issue, which is due to hit comic shops on September 30th. Check out a preview of the cover in all its glory below:
Is Marvel’s Rumored Iron Man Spin-Off Title going to feature a famous character as Iron-Woman?
There have been rumors swirling around ever since All-New, All-Different Marvel was announced a few months back that an Iron Man spin-off title would be among the bunch, spinning out from the new Invincible Iron Man book from Brian Michael Bendis. Could it be, in a twist that no one saw coming, that the second Iron Man title be an Iron WOMAN title, starring none other than Mary Jane Watson in the suit of armor? (Yes, MJ. Not Pepper Potts. I’m sure you were expecting a different redhead.)
The folks at Bleeding Cool think they’ve stumbled on a clue to this possible clue; in Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #5, the final issue of the Secret Wars crossover that reunites Peter Parker with Mary Jane Watson as a married couple (and parents), MJ dons a suit of armor of her own. Could the Iron Man spin-off featuring a new character actually star Mary Jane Watson? Bendis spent a lot of time writing a version of MJ in Ultimate Spider-Man, so he has a good bit of familiarity with the character. Stranger things have happened at Marvel lately, that’s for sure. [Bleeding Cool]
DC and Scholastic Place the DC Trinity in Scooby-Doo Tradition with new Study Hall of Justice books
What would happen if a young Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman all went to primary school together? That’s the premise of the new book series Study Hall of Justice. This new series of younger reader’s novels is coming to us by the L’il Gotham team of writer Derek Fridolfs and artist Dustin Nguyen. The books, which are coming from Scholastic, reimagines Clark, Bruce, and Diana as kids in the same school creating their own detective agency. In the new series, the kids will be going to Doomvale Academy, where “gangs of Jokers roam the halls, and there’s a bully named Bane.” How did someone not think of this earlier? No official art has been released for this new series yet, but I just hope they are as cute as these guys: [Bleeding Cool] image by Camilo Otalora
Native American hero Red Wolf gets new ongoing series from Marvel in December
Although his image was among the first shown in the preliminary promo art for All-New Marvel, it’s only now that the publisher is making it official: A new incarnation of the Native American hero Red Wolf will be getting his own ongoing series in December. The book will launch with the creative team of writer Nathan Edmondson and artist Dalibor Talajić. Additionally, Jeffrey Veregge, a Native American himself, will consult on Red Wolf and provide the designs and cover art, to make sure the new version of the character is more culturally sensitive to modern audiences. For more info, click on our story on Red Wolf here.
Do we know when Attack on Titan is going to end?
Arguably the most popular manga out there right now, Attack on Titan does seem to have an expiration date on it. In a new interview with Antenna, editor Kawakubo Shintaro said that the end of the series was indeed in sight. Creator Hajime Isayama indicated that the series, which launched roughly six years ago, is now about 60% finished. Based on those estimations, it seems Attack on Titan is looking at a 2018 finale. Attack on Titan has become a massive multimedia success story, with both animation and live action versions coming to both film and television. [Nerdist]
Patsy Walker the Hellcat Gets New Title From All-New Marvel
Another Marvel hero getting their own new ongoing series is Patsy Walker. The former romance comic character turned badass superhero will be receiving her own title this December in Patsy Walker, AKA Hellcat. The new series will be written by Kate Leth and drawn by Brittney Williams, and is described as the adventures of a “superhero martial-arts wiz,” who balances that life with being a “twenty-something girl looking for work and purpose in New York City.”
Series editor Wil Moss says that Leth and Williams are “cooking up a series that’s like a superhero version of Trainwreck or Broad City — a comedic and action-packed story about a woman figuring out her life.” I can’t help but wonder if in all her twentysomething Sex and the City-style romantic drama she’ll talk about the time she was married to the son of Satan, who drove her insane to the point of committing suicide, at which point she ended up in Hell. (She got better though.) Talk about angst. [Newsarama]
Batman Day Variant Covers Revealed
DC Entertainment has released details for this year’s Batman Day celebration on September 26, which will now be a yearly event. Bat-fans will be able to receive a free copy of Batman Endgame Special Edition #1, which includes an 8-page preview of the upcoming Batman and Robin Eternal, at their local comic shops, libraries and bookstores.
The issue will ship with a ton of retailer specific variant covers for comic shops and other outlets celebrating Batman Day like Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Books a Million, FYE, Gamestop, Hastings, Hot Topic, Spencers, Apple iTunes, Amazon, ComiXology, Google Play and Nook. You can see a preview of the different covers in our gallery below: [Comic Book]
