This weekend was the Emerald City Comic Con (Seattle) and we are absolutely jealous of everyone that attended. Even though ECCC might not measure in size next to SDCC and NYCC, it is a fan favorite. It's not too big, not too small, just the perfect size. Since Brian and I could not attend, we relied on sites like Bleeding Cool, Newsarama and CBR to fuel our comic needs. Everything that is highlighted is news coming out of ECCC and below the highlighted are our opinions.
DC
Batman #18-20 stories will consist of the fall out from "Death of the Family" and "Robin's Death" in Batman INC. #18 is a Harper Row POV story and #19-20 is a two part story. Starting with #21, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo will be putting together a 9 part arc. Snyder has stated the story will revolve around Riddler and a few new villains. Nightwing has lost his circus and his former sidekick is dead. Now that there is nothing left for him in Gotham, he will be permanently fighting crime in the Chicago. Ventriloquist will be returning to the Bat-universe as a female and she's fighting Batgirl.
I'm a little worried that Harper Row will be the next Robin. I was hoping she would be the new Oracle or be Batman's new Harold. I do believe a nine part series is long but Snyder knows what he is doing and I trust him. Also, the comic market community is very happy to see The Riddler make a strong return to the New 52. The Riddler has not been used properly since the Hush storyline.
Is anyone else a little bummed out that Nightwing is going to Chicago? I was really hoping for the return of Bludhaven.
I was just a bit disappointed with the ending of "Death of the Family". I loved the writing, art and the direction it was going but I wanted something huge to happen, and in the end the status quo was more or less maintained. I thought "Death of the Family" deserved at least one death (it would have been great to see Bruce's downfall after his best friend and confidant, Alfred got killed) but we got it in Batman Inc. It was good to see something really changing, and I think for the best. Comic book characters have to have real stakes, we have to fear that something awful could happen to them at any moment and it was great to see Grant Morrison allow the worst to happen. I'm excited to see where they go with the next story line and trust the Snyder/Capullo tandem more than anyone since Miller's "Dark Knight Returns".
100 Bullets is coming back....sort of. The original team on the book are reuniting and telling us new stories. Don't worry, they are not pulling a "Before Watchmen" stunt. Brother Lono will be told after the events of 100 Bullets #100.
In May, Snyder and Sean Murphy are collaborating on a new vertigo series, The Wake. Newsarama- "There's a discovery at the bottom of the ocean that unlocks the mysteries of the sea. "There's a post-apocalyptic element, horror, and more science-fiction," Snyder said. "It's definitely different from anything you've ever seen from us."
It looks like The Wake is Michael Crichton's Sphere but add a decent amount of awesome.
I'd say it looks more like They Abyss, but that's only to be different from Phil. It also reminds me a bit of the works of HP Lovecraft because it blends horror and sci-fi in an apocalytic setting which just says Cthulhu to me. Which makes me extremely excited. I love Snyder and Sean Murphy's "Punk Rock Jesus" was wonderful.
Now that "Rotworld" has ended, Snyder is leaving Swamp Thing and Lemire will be focusing on Buddy Baker's A list celebrity status in Animal Man. In Animal Man #18, Baker wins an Academy Award and something terrible happens. In Justice League Dark, Lemire will start exploring what the typical DC superheroes think of the DC's Magic World.
If something terrible happens to Buddy Baker, it better not be about his family. The first 17 issues of Animal focuses on his family a lot, so I definitely want to see something different.
When I learned that Lemire will be exploring what DC's typical superheroes think of DC's Magic World, I jumped in joy. If done right, DC will be pushing a sibling rivalry between the two different types of heroes. Maybe we will see a John Constantine vs Batman and Swamp Thing vs Superman.
Anything Justice League Dark is exciting to me. Can't wait for Guillermo Del Toro's movie. Can we get some news about that please???
A Secret Six book is not on DC's agenda.
This sucks but I'm ok with DC not rushing it. Today on Twitter, I mentioned I wanted to see a brand new Catman origin. It could be interesting if Batwing was not the first Batman of Africa. Instead, Batman recruited Catman but he was a failed Batman INC experiment and Batman tried to shut him down which forces Catman went into hiding.
A Pandora on-going is happening. The title is Trinity of Sin: Pandora
Cheshire will be making her New 52 in Red Hood and the Outlaws.
I want her to be everything that Starefire is not. Even though Starfire at times is linked to both Jason and Roy, she has not ended their bromance. I want to see Cheshire be RHATO's Yoko Ono.
The next big Flash story will take over the rest of 2013 and it will be all about the Reverse Flash. His powers and identity will all be new.
In Flash #11, Reserve Flash returned. I believe Reserve Flash is from the future and he's Wally West's Dad.
Earth 2 # 11 will be the first appearance of two very unexpected characters.
Marvel
West Coast Ultimates will be seen in 2013. Members of the West Coast will be Ultimate Wonder-man, Vision and Black Knight.
I thought the Ultimate line was being canceled.....
Samesies.
Age of Ultron #1 will not show the battle between the Avengers and Ultron. #1 starts with the Avengers already defeated by Ultron.
For the past five years, Marvel has had way too many crossovers. Most of the crossovers are too expensive and take way too much time. AOU better be 1.2.3 finished.
I like the idea of it showing the Avengers already being beaten up by Ultron. Let's see where it goes.
Hawkeye plans: #9 is everything that happened in #8 but in the perspective of the women in his life. #10 introduces a new villain and #11 involves a mystery and Hawkeye's Pizza Dog. Fraction also plans for an entire issue to be done in sign language.
I love fiction where we show the same scene through a different perspective. I love seeing different angles and what another perspective can show us about something we have already seen.
Image Comics
The Walking Dead introduces a new character, Ezekial in #108. #109 sees the return of Maggie. It was confirmed there will be no Waking Dead book spinoffs. After the events of Invincible #100, fans will see the return of Angstrom Levy. Future issues of Invincible will focus on the Golden Age team up of Allen the Alien and Oliver.
The Walking Dead #100 was sad, shocking and paved the road for the next few years. Overall, I was very disappointed with Invincible #100. Kirkman pulled a page from Marvel's Ultimatum and tried to drown the world.
In 2013, we will see a new Image comic book, Ghosted by Joshua Williamson and art by Goran Sudzuka. According to Williamson, Ghosted is Ocean's Eleven 86 the casino sub haunted house. It is a five book mini series and it's already finished which means it will be shipped without delays. Thanks to Comic Book Resources - " The series focuses on a thief named Jackson T. Winters who is broken out of prison by a collector intent on capturing a ghost. Winters puts together a dream team of ghost hunters including a magician, a psychic, a skeptic and others."
You say the words "this comic is Ocean's 11 meets-" just about anything and I'm on board. Though I'm instantly doubtful it can maintain the charm of either George Clooney or Brad Pitt. Or Matt Damon. Or Casey Affleck. Or... forget it. But when you throw in "haunted house", just tell me where to sign up.
Fraction will be collaborating with Chaykin for a book titled, "Satellite Sam". The book is set during the Golden Age of Television and its a noir story that involves drunks and sex. Another Image book, "Sex Criminals" written by Chip Zdarsky involves two lovers that can stop time when they are intimate.
Prior to ECCC, one book that has been getting a huge push in the comic market is Paul Casey's Sex. Casey describes Sex as "50 Shades of Grey meets Batman". The plot is a superhero stops fighting crime after his mentor's dying wish is that he hang up the cape and start a new life. According to Casey, the main protagonist is emotionally stunted as an teenager and he's forced to enter the "real world" at the age of 35 but with the attitude of a teenager.
In Other ECCC News:
IDW: Joe Harris will be writing X-Files: Season 10. #1 will be picking up sometime after the last movie ended. Michael Walsh (Artist on Comeback) will be the artist on Season 10.
I love the team on this book but I'm worried for one major reason. Does Season #10 mean we will never see a X-Files movie????
David Duchovny has been trying to get fans to sign up for a new X-Files movie. I hope he didn't get his wish here in a continuation of the series via comics because this story deserves live-action accreditation. That being said, if you're not reading "Comeback" you're missing out. It's a truly unique series and Michael Walsh's art is absolutely fantastic. So I'll certainly be buying this comic even if it means no new movie.
Dynamite Entertainment: Gail Simone has been officially announced as the writer of Red Sonja. Mark Waid will be writing a Green Hornet story which follows the radio show continuity.
In News Outside ECCC
Announced on Kevin Smith's Fatman on Batman, he and Geoff Johns are working together. It has not been confirmed whether or not its a book or a movie.
The Illumi-Nerdi has a Podcast. You can find it on ITunes, under the name "The Illumi-Nerdi: Pop Culture Talk".
