The Beat |
- Kaare Andrews returns to Marvel with pulpy, era-blending Amazing Fantasy #1
- Ed Brubaker gets more residuals from his WINTER SOLDIER cameo than from creating the character
- Small Press Spotlight: Look into the FUTURE with Cast Iron Books
- INTERVIEW: Sujaya Dasgupta talks playing Zoya in SHADOW AND BONE
- Steve Trevor proposes to Wonder Woman in new JUSTICE SOCIETY: WORLD WAR clip
- The Marvel Rundown: SPIDER-MAN: SPIDER’S SHADOW #1 is a strong start for the new What If… line
- REVIEW: HOME #1 offers magical catharsis for real-world immigration injustice
- 2021 Will Eisner Hall of Fame inductees announced
| Kaare Andrews returns to Marvel with pulpy, era-blending Amazing Fantasy #1 Posted: 14 Apr 2021 01:15 PM PDT
It’s been a little while since Marvel took a meta look at its characters via spectacular art. But Amazing Fantasy by Kaare Andrews is here to fill that gap with a what looks to be a pulpy what-if that harkens back to primordial adventure. For those who like old school pulp comics, the first cover screams “homage” from the canvas texture used to the Frank Frazetta-esque poses and critters. Amazing Fantasy is, of course, the title of one of the original Marvel anthologies, one in which Spider-Man made his debut in the 15th issue. However prior to that bombshell, it featured short weird/sf/fantasy stories of the type common in that era, many written by Stan Lee and drawn by Steve Ditko. That makes this title a natural for this kind of update. The new five-issue Amazing Fantasy mini series will “blend different Marvel eras and genres for one epic adventure starring Captain America, Spider-Man, and Black Widow.” Andrews is an award-winning creator known for his work on things like Spider-Man: Reign and Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Year One, and he definitely has the enthusiasm and chops to take on this romp.
“My very first memories of reading anything, even before I could read words, were of holding a Marvel comic in my hands at the age of four, ” said Andrews in a statement. “I had no idea what the characters were saying, but I was enchanted with the story told through pictures. It is a thrill to return to a new Marvel limited series, writing and drawing not just my favorite characters– but my favorite versions of those characters. I just had to come up with a plan to put WWII Captain America, teenaged Spidey and spy school Black Widow into the same adventure. "This is a story that combines not just different Marvel eras but different art styles to depict them. As a creator, sometimes you want to invent new heroes and villains to expand the universe into different places or ideas, but sometimes there is an even greater power in embracing what has come before. In telling fresh and passionate tales with heroes that an audience has already invested a lifetime in. There is a beating heart to these archetypes. And they need to live again!” According to Marvel: “This is the one you've been waiting for, True Believers!” And indeed the sample pages look totally awesome.
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| Ed Brubaker gets more residuals from his WINTER SOLDIER cameo than from creating the character Posted: 14 Apr 2021 12:00 PM PDT In his online newsletter a few weeks ago, former Captain America writer and Winter Soldier co-creator Ed Brubaker expressed "mixed feelings" over The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Disney+ series, and over Marvel and Disney's treatment of the creators behind their cash cows. On Monday night, Brubaker appeared on the Fatman Beyond podcast hosted by Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin where he spoke in greater detail about his dissatisfaction.
Brubaker mentions turning down a check for a “Thank You” credit in Captain America: Civil War because he found the tiny amount to be such an insult. To add insult to injury, Brubaker apparently had to attend the premiere in the overflow theater as opposed to the main big theater with the big stars. Since the basic premise of the B-plot for Civil War involving Bucky hunting down rogue agents of the Winter Soldier program was based on his Captain America comics run, Brubaker’s indignation is understandable. Apparently Brubaker and artist Steve Epting, the team who reinvented Joe Simon and Jack Kirby‘s Bucky Barnes as The Winter Soldier, didn’t even get an invite to the Captain America: Winter Soldier movie after-party and had to text Sebastian Stan (the actor who plays the character in the MCU) to get them in because Kevin Feige‘s assistant apparently didn’t have them on their list. Adding salt to the wound was that Feige’s assistant was more than happy to let in other assistants and bloggers. Brubaker also recounted a near drowning experience almost two years ago that has him more reflective about how his wife would survive if something were to happen to him. The experience is what inspired his Western Pulp graphic novel with artist Sean Phillips. I can’t help but be reminded how Charlotte (Fullerton) McDuffie, the widow of Dwayne McDuffie, had to fight on her late husband’s behalf over the Milestone 2.0 relaunch that left McDuffie’s estate out of the deal. After a few years though, the lawsuit was eventually settled with a positive outcome for all involved. Not one to mince words, these are just few Brubaker quotes from the podcast that stood out:
Brubaker contrasted it with Netflix, who did right by Dave Chappelle by pulling Chappelle’s Show from its streaming service after the comedian revealed his original “raw deal” with Comedy Central that was settled last February.
As he said in his aforementioned newsletter, Brubaker has absolutely nothing but respect for everyone at Marvel Studios, and his issues stem from publishing. Perhaps most surprising is the revelation that appearing in the Winter Soldier film for a brief cameo makes Ed Brubaker more royalties than actually co-creating the character.
 It seems not dissimilar to how comic creator Jim Starlin revealed in a Facebook post that he received more money from DC Comics Entertainment when Anatoli Knyazev (better known in the comics as KGBeast) appeared for a relatively minor role in Batman v Superman than for appearances by his creations, most notably Thanos the Mad Titan, in the Marvel movies combined. Other quotes from Brubaker of note.
As frustrated as Brubaker may be with his own “raw deal,” he doesn’t want that to detract from others enjoying The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Nevertheless, much like Dave Chappelle, here’s hoping that Brubaker’s appearance on Fatman Beyond to air his grievances will lead Marvel/Disney to reconsider things. The post Ed Brubaker gets more residuals from his WINTER SOLDIER cameo than from creating the character appeared first on The Beat.  |
| Small Press Spotlight: Look into the FUTURE with Cast Iron Books Posted: 14 Apr 2021 11:00 AM PDT It's Wednesday, which means your weekly dose of the Small Press Spotlight! This installment focuses on indie publisher Cast Iron Books. The fresh company offers graphic novels, illustrated books, and experimental fiction as well as a philosophy that centers on "empowering writers and artists to create stories that stay with a reader long after the last page has been turned." With beautiful art and quality storytelling, picking up one of their tales goes beyond reading a comic. It becomes a memorable, sensory experience. Their current title Future is the perfect example of their style. Written by Tom Woodman, the 128-page full-color graphic novel features art by Rupert Smissen and letters by Aditya Bidikar. Read the synopsis here:
Future is available now. Head to the publisher's website for details and how to purchase. Stay tuned for future releases from them.         The post Small Press Spotlight: Look into the FUTURE with Cast Iron Books appeared first on The Beat.  |
| INTERVIEW: Sujaya Dasgupta talks playing Zoya in SHADOW AND BONE Posted: 14 Apr 2021 10:00 AM PDT We’re officially down to the single-digit day countdown for the release of Shadow and Bone! If you’ve been following along, we have been publishing interviews these past few weeks leading up to the premiere, and today we’ve got a new one with Sujaya Dasgupta who plays Zoya Nazyalensky in Shadow and Bone. Zoya is a powerful Grisha in the Second Army of Ravka who goes on the journey of a lifetime throughout the books of the Grishaverse. As a Squaller, a member of the Etherealki Order of Grisha, Zoya can manipulate air pressure and the wind. She is one of the most powerful Grisha in the Second Army. Sourcing from the NovelsAs one of the few characters who is mentioned or seen in nearly all of the books in the Grishaverse (she is only mentioned in Six of Crows), Sujaya Dasgupta had a lot of material to work from when it came to Zoya. Of course, those who have read the most recently released Rule of Wolves will know that this character has one of the most prolific journeys of any of the characters in the series. I really hope we get to see more seasons of the show, if only so that we can see Zoya during her Rule of Wolves storyline! Dasgupta spoke about the benefits of being able to pull from the novels while shooting the series. “I think we’re really lucky to have Leigh’s book there at hand. She left us such a fantastic blueprint on which to base these characters, and we’re very lucky to have all of that information as a resource. I certainly kept going back to the books to enhance the knowledge of [Zoya’s] backstory and what’s happened to her, King of Scars as well. [I was] very lucky that that had come out, to know more about my character. So, I felt we’re very privileged to have that and Leigh as well. [She was] just always at hand for support and gave any answers to any questions that we had and really valuable insight all the time. She’s a fantastic lady.”  Traveling Across RavkaAlthough it was difficult to discuss some of the major scenes with Zoya, Dasgupta did reveal that Zoya’s journey in the season includes an emotional journey as well. “They do journey to a lot of a lot of different places in Ravka, which was really useful for Zoya because she’s going through such an emotional, tumultuous time,” Dasgupta divulged. “It’s very much reflected in where they go physically as well. I think it was really interesting and really fun to play with all these different places and scenery and sets,” she added. While we won’t elaborate on to keep from spoiling the show, Zoya is definitely one of the key characters at the center of the action. One who takes a surprising turn as the story progresses. Hard Outer ShellIt’s no secret that Zoya Nazyalensky has a bit of a tough outer shell. Being powerful and proud, she is the envy of many and it’s safe to say she’s got a lot of social capital at the Little Palace. Book readers know that she goes on quite the journey when it comes to her beliefs and her motivations as the series progresses, and Dasgupta spoke to that. Warning, her response contains mild spoilers for King of Scars in regards to Zoya’s character and background.  “She has a lot of hard edges and a lot of a very hard outer shell. I think she can come across as mean and vindictive, and very, very hard, very, very abrasive. But I think underneath all that you have to pick apart this woman. Who is she? And why is she like this? Oftentimes when you have such a hard exterior, it’s because you’ve had to deal with a lot of things in the past. [She’s] gone through a big old journey, and, for her, she’s already been through a lot,” Dasgupta explained. “She endured a lot of hardship when she was a child. Her mum tried to marry her off as a child to an older man. She’s only had her aunt as family all these years. So, that’s where I think her vulnerability lies. Because, I think, for all her hardness, she’s incredibly loyal. She’s very loyal to her family, to her aunt. She’s very loyal to the cause, to defending the Grisha and defending her homeland, Ravka. [She’s] very proud of where she comes from, despite having a dual heritage, she knows where she’s from. She knows what her abilities are and I think the kind of arrogance that she displays at times is less to do with her self-righteousness, as it is to do with her confidence. She’s just supremely confident. I think there’s a lot to learn from her, especially for me.” She added, “I’d love to have her there all the time, and I learned a lot from her during this process.” I can’t wait for the world to see Sujaya Dasgupta’s Zoya along with the rest of the world of Shadow and Bone. I’ll say as a very recent Zoya convert, Dasgupta’s performance lent a lot to me empathizing with a character who often gets shown an unfavorable light in the early novels of the series. Keep an eye on The Beat for more content and keep an eye on Netflix as we get close and close to that release date! Season 1 of Shadow and Bone will premiere on Netflix on April 23rd, 2021. The post INTERVIEW: Sujaya Dasgupta talks playing Zoya in SHADOW AND BONE appeared first on The Beat.  |
| Steve Trevor proposes to Wonder Woman in new JUSTICE SOCIETY: WORLD WAR clip Posted: 14 Apr 2021 09:40 AM PDT Justice Society: World War II, the latest DC animated feature arrives on Digital at the end of this month. In anticipation Warner Bros. Entertainment has released a new clip from the film that sees Steve Trevor (voiced by Chris Diamantopoulos) continues his relentless romantic pursuit of Wonder Woman (Stana Katic). Keep your eyes peeled for The Beat's interview coverage with the cast and crew. And in case you missed it, the Justice Society: World War II WonderCon@Home panel is now available for viewing on DC's YouTube page at https://youtu.be/x0kF301Sjzo, as well as on WonderCon's YouTube Page at https://youtu.be/7Es8ztlK5Bw. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC, the feature-length Justice Society animated film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Digital starting April 27, 2021, and on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray on May 11, 2021.
The post Steve Trevor proposes to Wonder Woman in new JUSTICE SOCIETY: WORLD WAR clip appeared first on The Beat.  |
| The Marvel Rundown: SPIDER-MAN: SPIDER’S SHADOW #1 is a strong start for the new What If… line Posted: 14 Apr 2021 09:00 AM PDT On the heels of one symbiote-centric storyline reaching its conclusion last week, another begins with the launch of Chip Zdarsky and Pasqual Ferry's Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow! The four-issue alternate reality series begins a new line of What If…? titles from Marvel — does it get off to a strong start? We've got a review of Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow #1, along with a Rapid Rundown of other new Marvel titles for the week, all ahead in the latest installment of The Marvel Rundown!  Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow #1Writer: Chip Zdarsky I have a particular fondness for Marvel's old What If… stories, particularly the series that ran from 1989 until 1998. The series was my introduction to a lot of the major events of the Marvel Universe, and at a time when collected editions were scarce and the best I could do if I wanted to know more was to scour back-issue bins, the possibilities of the series, and of the stories on which it riffed, inspired a lot of imaginative wondering. One of the first issues of that series that I read was What If… #4, "What if…the alien costume possessed Spider-Man?" Written by Danny Fingeroth and illustrated by inker Keith Williams and a still-relatively-up-and-coming penciller named Mark Bagley, the story saw Peter Parker unable to rid himself of the symbiote that had bonded itself to him, ultimately being consumed by the alien, which moved on to more powerful heroes like Thor and Hulk before finally being killed by Black Cat. The story introduced me to the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, Doctor Strange, and, most importantly, Spider-Man's black costume.  The announcement of Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow and the return of the What If… line had this reviewer excited for several reasons. For one thing, writer Chip Zdarsky's run on Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man was one of the best Spider-Man comics of the past decade-plus for the character, and Spider-Man: Life Story, the alternate history series by he and Bagley was equally entertaining and innovative in its approach to Spidey's history. For another, Pasqual Ferry has a dynamic, fluid style of art that fits the web-slinger beautifully. Mostly, though, Peter's time with the costume was brief, but I've been fascinated by it ever since reading that old issue of What If…, so I was excited to revisit the alien costume storyline outside of the confines of yet another lackluster Venom-related event storyline. I'm pleased to say that Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow #1 doesn't disappoint. Zdarsky seems to pick up right where he left off writing Spidey, and Ferry and colorist Matt Hollingsworth bring the tale to life beautifully. You can feel the weariness of Peter Parker emanating off of the page, even when he's in his full black costume, as his body language speaks volumes. Zdarsky does a great job easing readers into Peter's status quo at the time of the story, and even if some of the narration is a little exposition-heavy it goes by quickly and reads smoothly. And as for the black costume itself, Ferry and Hollingsworth's rendition of it is immediately striking, with Spidey often appearing as a mass of flat black with only partially discernible limbs/anatomy. It's an incredible effect that nicely represents the amorphous symbiote's influence on Peter, and the addition of more physical detail to the look as the issue progresses and Peter embraces the suit fully is also a great visual rendering of the changed relationship between human and alien. Joe Caramagna's lettering throughout the issue is also particularly on-point, especially when it comes to the varied sound effects, which feel evocative of the original storyline's '80s time period without looking dated.  I was also pleased to see that the point at which Spider's Shadow diverges from Spider-Man canon was very distinctly different from the previous What If… issue from 1989. The way Zdarsky and co. set up the issue, and the way Peter is portrayed in the scenes leading up to the twist of events, makes what ultimately happens feel like a perfectly natural progression, and all the more tragic and brutal. If there's anything to complain about here, it's a minor complaint: the issue, as the first of a four-part miniseries, lacks something of the manic energy of the old What If… series. As single-issue stories, those tales had to establish their setting and then change things up quickly, with events often spiraling out of control in completely insane ways before wrapping up within the span of 20-odd pages. Of course, the benefit of the slower pacing of Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow is that readers get to spend more time in Peter's head, so that the aforementioned twist does land as well as it does, and it sure seems like things are going to get pretty crazy as the series progresses. But I still missed that breakneck pacing that most issues of the old series had, largely out of necessity. Still, as a launch for Marvel's new What If… line, Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow #1 is a fantastic debut. Zdarsky, Ferry, and team deliver a strong first issue that sets up the direction of the series clearly, and that grounds everything firmly in a familiar, if slightly askew, characterization for Peter Parker. Now that things are moving I can't wait to see what dark direction this series heads. Final Verdict: BUY.  Rapid Rundown!
Next week, the X-line expands once again with Way of X! The post The Marvel Rundown: SPIDER-MAN: SPIDER’S SHADOW #1 is a strong start for the new What If… line appeared first on The Beat.  |
| REVIEW: HOME #1 offers magical catharsis for real-world immigration injustice Posted: 14 Apr 2021 08:00 AM PDT
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| 2021 Will Eisner Hall of Fame inductees announced Posted: 14 Apr 2021 06:00 AM PDT Six inductees and 16 nominees for the 2021 Will Eisner Hall of Fame have been announced, with winners to be made public at a virtual ceremony during Comic-Con@Home in July. This year’s Eisner Award judges selected the following six creators to be automatically be inducted, the first four deceased and the last two living.
The judges have also chosen 16 nominees from whom voters will select 4 to be inducted in the Hall of Fame this summer. These nominees are Ruth Atkinson, Dave Cockrum, Kevin Eastman, Neil Gaiman, Max Gaines, Justin Green, Moto Hagio, Don Heck, Klaus Janson, Jeffrey Catherine Jones, Hank Ketcham, Scott McCloud, Grant Morrison, Alex Niño, P. Craig Russell, and Gaspar Saladino. More information on the nominees can be found on the Eisner Awards website, with bios of the nominees and inductees here. Voting this year will be online, as usual, but new voting procedures for 2021 will be announced soon. Eligible voters include comic book/graphic novel/webcomic creators (writers, artists, cartoonists, pencillers, inkers, letterers, colorists); comic book/graphic novel publishers and editors; comics historians and educators; graphic novel librarians; and owners and managers of comic book specialty retail stores. The 2021 Eisner Awards judging panel consists of comics retailer Marco Davanzo (Alakazam Comics, Irvine, CA), Comic-Con Board member Shelley Fruchey, librarian Pamela Jackson (San Diego State University), comics creator/publisher Keithan Jones (The Power Knights, KID Comics), educator Alonso Nuñez (Little Fish Comic Book Studio), and comics scholar Jim Thompson (Comic Book Historians).
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Home #1
It's a testament to the book’s skillful story construction and emotive art that I found myself more and more angry as I turned the pages. And while some of the antagonists so far seem very cruel, other enforcers seem mostly caught within the cruel gears of the system, a touch I appreciated. Anta has a history of 
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