Comic Book News

​Grave Lilies, New Creator-Owned Superpowered SciFi Series from

Critically-Acclaimed Writer Cullen Bunn, Breaks Out this December from Z2 Comics

October 19, 2016) In the aftermath of a mysterious explosion that tears through a major metropolitan area, five coffin-like stasis tubes are discovered, each branded with a woman’s name. Blasting off this December from critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling comic book writer Cullen Bunn (The Sixth Gun, Harrow County) and up-and-coming artist George Kambadais (A Place in The Heart), Grave Lilies is a riveting, Joss Wheedon-esque SciFi series — and the first superhero title from boutique New York publisher Z2 Comics.

“Grave Lilies is a super-powered mystery story I’ve been excited to tell for a while now. Five young women with supernatural powers. Shadowy government agencies. Conspiracies within conspiracies,” says Bunn, a bastion of creator-owned comic book series who has written comics for Oni Press, Dark Horse, Marvel, and DC. “I love these characters. I love the sense of action, adventure, and fun in this series. And I love the dark (dare I say apocalyptic) truths that are going to be uncovered as the story progresses.”

For his first Z2 Comics series, Bunn partners with artist George Kambadais, who has worked with Image Comics and DC Comics, to bring Grave Lilies to life. “I’m a huge fan of Cullen Bunn’s work. I feel very lucky that I’m working with him on Grave Lilies,” says Kambadais. “When he sent me a short description of the story and the characters i instantly fell in love with the girls. Each girl has a unique ability and personality. I’m sure the readers will fall in love with them too.”

In Grave Lilies, readers follow five mysterious women as they escape disaster without a scratch, and with no memory of who they are. They each discover that they possess a remarkable ability: the ability to charm the masses, the power to control plant life, the gift of healing, supernatural senses, and unbelievable physical strength. The women will need these powers, too, as they are pursued by sinister agencies that want to apprehend them before they learn the shocking truth of their origins and the destiny that awaits them.

Gravel Lilies is the latest in the line of creator-owned periodicals Z2 Comics launched last year. The Z2 Comics line launched with Ian McGinty’s all-ages WELCOME TO SHOWSIDE and Chris Hunt’s noir adventure CARVER: A PARIS STORY, both now out in trade paperback. Lauded, breakout post-apocalyptic animal story LEGEND: DEFEND THE GROUNDS, the comic book debut from novelist Sam Sattin with art by Chris Koehler, is due out in trade paperback in November, while political thriller INDOCTRINATION from Michael Moreci and Matt Battaglia is due out in trade paperback in December.

Grave Lilies, which retails for $3.99, is slated to hit stores December 7, 2016. The order code for the first issue of the title, is: OCT162100. For more information, please visit http://www.gravelilies.com/.

POW! ‘BATMAN ’66’ IS SPINNING INTO THE 70s TO MEET ‘WONDER WOMAN ’77’ IN NEW CROSSOVER COMIC BOOK SERIES

​POW! ‘BATMAN ’66’ IS SPINNING INTO THE 70s TO MEET ‘WONDER WOMAN ’77’ IN NEW CROSSOVER COMIC BOOK SERIES

‘Batman ’66 Meets Wonder Woman ’77’ will launch Digitally November 23

Things are about to get a little groovier for the 1960s BATMAN comic book series! At today’s Wonder Woman 75^th anniversary panel at New York Comic Con, DC announced the all-new Digital First title BATMAN ’66 MEETS WONDER WOMAN ’77.  Co-written by BATMAN ’66 veteran Jeff Parker and WONDER WOMAN ’77 writer Marc Andreyko, the best of the ‘60s and ‘70s will come together in this action-packed miniseries based on the classicBatman TV show staring Adam West and Burt Ward, and the fan-favorite Wonder Woman TV series starring Lynda Carter.

Parker is no stranger to the BATMAN ’66 universe, having served as the series writer on the inaugural BATMAN ’66 comic in 2013 and the BATMAN ’66 MEETS THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. crossover series earlier this year.

“Readers have asked for this team-up since the BATMAN ’66 comic began and I’m thrilled we’re able to finally make it happen,” said Parker. “Most of the credit goes to Marc Andreyko. He found me at a show and within minutes had me fired up about the story possibilities. It really feels like Lynda Carter and Adam West going into action again, this time together.”

Joining Parker, Andreyko—the original writer of the acclaimed WONDER WOMAN ’77 comic book series—will lend his hand to the new miniseries.

“It was BATMAN ’66 by Jeff Parker that inspired me to ask about doing WONDER WOMAN ’77, so getting to co-write with him is a dream come true,” said Andreyko. “The story we’re spinning spans thirty years as these two legendary Super Heroes fight an ancient evil across the decades. We’ve planned lots of twists, cameos and surprises along the way that fans of both series will appreciate.”

Also announced on the panel in New York, the 12-chapter series will launch digitally November 23, releasing new chapters every other week, and will feature art from popular artists David Hahn and Karl Kesel and cover art by Michael Allred.

Following the November digital launch, the comic will later be offered as a six-issue print series with the first issue debuting in January 2017.

Here is the full solicitation information including a description of the first chapter:

BATMAN ’66 MEETS WONDER WOMAN ’77 #1

What mysteries are hidden in the book Ra’s al Ghul just hired Catwoman to steal? And why does this caper lead Batman down memory lane—to his childhood fight against actual Nazis?! Witness his first encounter with one of the greatest heroes the world has ever known: Wonder Woman!

Rated E for Everyone

Writers:  Jeff Parker and Marc Andreyko

Artists: David Hahn and Karl Kesel

Cover Artist: Michael Allred

Variant Cover: Alex Ross

ComiXology unveils digital only program to spotlight exclusive comic content

Debut lineup includes titles from publishers BOOM! Studios, Valiant Entertainment and the legendary Harvey Kurtzman

October 4th, 2016 – New York, NY – ComiXology, Amazon’s premier digital comic shopping & reading platform, today announced comiXology Originals, a new program featuring exclusive comic content on comiXology and Kindle. The comiXology Originals debut lineup includes titles from BOOM! Studios, Valiant Entertainment and the legendary Harvey Kurtzman all available for pre-order today. ComiXology Originals titles will be digital only and exclusively available for comiXology and Kindle customers.

“Our mission is to make everyone on the face of the planet a comic fan, and with comiXology Originals we’re excited to offer a range of content by diverse creators,” said comiXology co-founder and CEO David Steinberger. “It’s fantastic to be working with publishers across the spectrum to deliver great comics to comiXology and Kindle, offering fans stories that they can’t get anywhere else.”

ComiXology Originals offers a host of diverse comic book content – debut titles include:

• Adventure Time Marshall Lee Spectacular from BOOM! Studios with three all-new original Marshall Lee stories set in BOOM! Studios’ bestselling continuation of Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time TV show. The first story features New York Times bestselling writer Mariko Tamaki with artist Audrey Mok, followed by stories teaming up writer Melanie Gillman with artist Trungles and writer S.M. Vidaurri with artist Asia Kendrick-Horton — all found behind a fully painted cover by Fabio Moon. This digital only exclusive is available for pre-order today oncomiXology andKindle for $3.99.

• 

• Valiant High from Valiant Entertainment is a hilarious reimagining of Valiant’s award-winning superhero universe by writer Daniel Kibblesmith (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert), artist Derek Charm (Jughead) with a first issue cover by David Lafuente! Before they became the world’s most formidable heroes, they were roaming the halls at a super-powered preparatory academy where Aric “X-O Manowar” Dacia is a record-setting running back, Colin “Ninjak” King is a debonair foreign exchange student, and Coach Bloodshot is way too into dodgeball! Now…Faith “Zephyr” Herbert is about to discover it all for the first time as the newest girl in school! Issue #1 (of 4) of this digital only exclusive is available for pre-order today on comiXology and Kindle for $3.99.

• Harvey Kurtzman’s Marley’s Ghost will see The New Yorker cartoonist Shannon Wheeler, illustrator Gideon Kendall and editor Josh O’Neill expand and complete Kurtzman’s first attempt at the graphic novel form courtesy of the Estate of Harvey Kurtzman and packagers Kitchen, Lind & Associates. Never completed until now, in the 1950s Kurtzman attempted to adapt the Marley’s ghost section of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol with over 70 pages of breakdowns. The completed work will be a 100+ page digital only exclusive graphic novel and is available for pre-order today for $9.99. on comiXology and Kindle with a winter 2017 release date.

“It’s humbling to kick off the comiXology Originals program with such a fantastic roster of creators like Mariko Tamaki, Derek Charm, Audrey Mok, Fabio Moon, Shannon Wheeler, Harvey Kurztman and so many others,” said Chip Mosher, comiXology’s Head of Content and Senior Director of Communications. “From a fun superhero romp with Valiant, to BOOM!’sAdventure Time, to posthumously finishing Mad Magazine founder Harvey Kurtzman’sMarley’s Ghost – this is truly an embarrassment of riches.”

The debut of comiXology Originals is just the latest in a long line of innovations and offers from comiXology. With over 75,000 comics, graphic novels and manga from more than 125 publishers, comiXology offers the widest selection of digital comics in the world. ComiXology’s immense catalog, comiXology Unlimited subscription service and cinematic Guided View reading experience make it the best digital platform for comic fans worldwide.

The Kindle Store gives readers access to millions of books on the most popular devices and platforms, including Fire tablets, Kindle e-readers, iOS, Android and more.

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Foes of evil! Enemies of injustice! As it began in DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH, for the mighty heroes of the Justice League of America, all wrongdoing is a menace to be stamped out! Whether it comes from outer space, from the watery depths of the seven seas, or springs from the minds of men, the JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA is back—just when we need it most!

In January 2017, kicking off JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA (hitting shelves twice monthly starting February 2017) are four DC Rebirth one-shots. They make four bold statements that form the foundation of a team that will bring justice to places that have given up on hope; places that thought heroism would never find them. The Justice League of America goes there! They explore the Microverse, the Hidden Cities, the worlds within worlds; they go to the other side of the map and explode forward with the new face of Heroism.

This is a Justice League that looks like America, that proves Heroism can look like ANYTHING and ANYONE.

From February 1960 to February 2017. The mission hasn’t changed. It’s just evolved.

Who’s on the roster so far?

THE ATOM. Meet Ryan Choi, prodigious theoretical physics student, hyper-allergic, and crippling social anxiety sufferer. But little does young Ryan know, his first day at Ivy University will begin an epic journey that will take the all-new Atom into the very heart of the DC Universe.

VIXEN. She’s one of the country’s most successful businesswomen, an iconic fashion pioneer, a crusader for social justice, and an incredibly powerful member of the Justice League of America. But Mari McCabe life wasn’t always this way. Follow her path to becoming the heroic Vixen in this crucial special!

THE RAY. Locked indoors, raised in the dark, and told his medical condition could be fatal to himself and anyone he meets, Ray Terrill is dangerous. A freak. Broken. Or is he…? Witness the amazing power of realizing your true self and

stepping into the light in this moving DC Rebirth of a long lost hero for a new generation.

KILLER FROST. What happens to a supervillain on their last day in Belle Reve Prison? Against all odds, Killer Frost is up for parole from the Suicide Squad, but you can bet Amanda Waller isn’t going to make it easy for Frost to take her

place on the new JLA.

These four will be joined by more team members! DC isn’t done stocking the JLA roster. More heroic DC leaders, more of the characters you love, and maybe a few out-of-this-world surprises will follow these four to the pages of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA in February. Stay tuned!

January 2017’s JLA: REBIRTH publishing schedule:

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE ATOM #1

Written by STEVE ORLANDO

*Artist to be revealed!

Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLO

One shot • On sale JANUARY 4

32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: VIXEN #1

Written by STEVE ORLANDO and JODY HOUSER

Art by JAMAL CAMPBELL

Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLO

One shot • On sale JANUARY 11

32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE RAY #1

Written by STEVE ORLANDO

Art by STEPHEN BYRNE

Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLO

One shot • On sale JANUARY 18

32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: KILLER FROST #1

Written by STEVE ORLANDO and JODY HOUSER

Art by MIRKA ANDOLFO

Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLO

One shot • On sale JANUARY 18

32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

*More JLA information will be revealed on the “DC ALL ACCESS” panel at New York Comic Con on Thursday, October 6 from 1:45-2:45PM Eastern time. Additionally, Steve Orlando, Jody Houser, Jamal Campbell, and Stephen Byrne will be at NYCC – please track them down! For all of the latest updates from New York Comic Con, download the new DC All Access mobile app for a complete list of panels and talent signings, behind the scenes coverage and in–depth interviews directly from DC’s web series, “DC All Access.” The app is available for free at the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA will debut in February 2017 following the JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD crossover and the January JLA: REBIRTH one shots on a twice monthly schedule, written by Steve Orlando (SUPERGIRL, MIDNIGHTER AND APOLLO) with art by Ivan Reis (DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH, THE MULTIVERSITY).