Pages and Panels

Archie Comics continues to lean into their successes with creepy by announcing a new one-shot special titled Happy Horror Days this December. Featuring three Christmas-themed spooky stories, this title brings back Werejug and the rest of the gang from the ongoing Jughead: The Hunger horror title.

The follow-up series to Eve, Eve: Children of the Moon is releasing next month. Boom! revealed a first look at the premiere issue that reunites a creative team consisting of Victor LaValle,Jo Mi-Gyeong, Brittany Peer, and AndWorld Design. It’s clear just from the visual that Eve’s grown and matured, so it’s exciting to see how this new five-issue limited series matures the character.

Also from Boom! was the cover reveals for Damn Them All, a new supernatural series that follows Ellie “Bloody El” Hawthorne as she sends demons back to hell. And yes, she’s British, so enjoy that “Bloody El” pun, because I sure do. If you’re someone who looked at Johanna Constantine in Netflix’s The Sandman and went “Yes, more of that”, this seems like it’ll be right up your alley.

In other Netflix-related comics projects, Dark Horse announced The Witcher: Ballad of Two Wolves, a new four-part comic series produced with Projekt Red, featuring a brand new plot for Geralt of Rivia. Writer Bartosz Sztybor is responsible for several other Witcher comics that expand beyond the scope of the novels, games, and television series, and is joined by Miki Montlló for the art and coloring, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou as lettering. Clearly inspired by Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs, this series sees Geralt and Dandelion (Jaskier, to those only familiar with the Netflix series) facing off against werewolves and three mysterious sisters.

Dark Horse also revealed that they’d reached a deal with Publishing giant Penguin Random House to distribute their single-issue comics, as had Marvel, DC, and IDW Publishing. While Dark Horse products will continue to be released wholesale through Diamond Publishing, Penguin Random House is really expanding its presence in the comics industry market, and I’m wondering what’s going to happen to Diamond as its foothold in the industry slips further and further.

Harley

In 1992, Batman: The Animated Series introduced a character meant only for one episode. Instead, thirty years later, DC is celebrating one of the comic industry and pop culture’s most recognizable women- Harley Quinn. With merchandise partnerships with Funko, Box Lunch, RSVLTS, Unique Vintage and the New Zealand Mint, DC has also released Harley Quinn 30th Anniversary Special and announced a new creative team of Trini Howard and Sweeny Boo starting with Harley Quinn #28. Plus, New York Comic Con goers will be able to join DC to celebrate Harley’s dirty thirty on Friday, October 7th, from 9:00am ET to 3:00pm ET, outside the Javits Center in New York City with comics, cupcakes, and more!

In Image Comic news, a special collection of Walking Dead Deluxe variant covers are being released for issues #49-54. These variant covers from artist Tula Lotay connect to form one giant image highlighting Rick, Carl, Lori, Michonne, Glenn, and Andrea as they’re related starting October 19th.

New Mutants #31 brings Marvel Voices: Pride character Shela Sexton/ Escapade to the main New Mutants continuity by sending her on a mission to save her best friend. But it sounds like Emma Frost made Shela’s mission out to be a lot easier on paper than it is in real life. Marvel shared some exclusive first looks at the pages of the issue this week before its release on October 26th.

Also releasing October 26th is Strange Academy: Finals # 1. This follow up to Strange Academy focuses on the aftermath of student Emily Bright’s rebellion against the school and the effect Doyle Doramammu’s hot-headed family drama has on his magical abilities- and social ones. The first look at this title offers a glimpse at class for Doyle, taught by Wanda Maximoff herself.

Marvel also announced two specialty variant covers to celebrate Comic Book Shop Day on November 23rd. Peter Parker’s Spider-Man takes a page from the classic Spidey style on The Amazing Spider-Man #13, drawn by Francesco Mobili. Then Mobili also takes on Miles Morales’s Spider style on the cover of Spider-Man #2. Each of these exclusive variants will only be available in comic shops and not online as part of a partnership with ComicsPRO to increase local comics shopping.

Webtoons currently is taking pre-orders for the first collected volumes of Tower of God and True Beauty as part of Webtoon: Unscrolled. This new imprint from Wattpad offers fans the opportunity to own physical book copies of some of their favorite webcomic series. While some of Webtoon’s other popular comics have been published through Kickstarter, personal publishing companies, and Penguin Random House, Webtoon: Unscrolled is one of Wattpad’s first major publishing ventures.

Tower of God is a fantasy series that follows a young man as he battles his way up a mysterious tower to be reunited with his best friend. It’s also been made into an anime, a mobile game, and published in Manga form, but the Unscrolled version is a collection of the English translation’s first volume.

True Beauty is a romance series that follows a young woman who turns her bullies’ cruel remarks about her appearance into a passion for make-up and fashion. Unfortunately, she still deals with issues about her self-esteem when she realizes make-up only changes how she appears, not who she is. The series on Webtoons is coming to an end (Yes, I bought extra coins to read all the way through), and has also been made into a K-Drama and published in manga form, as well as inspiring a line of make-up. The Unscrolled version is the first physical collected English language publication of the series. True Beauty is actually the first webcomic I got really obsessed with, and followed passionately. It’s probably my favorite, and I’m so sad to see it end, but I will be ordering the physical printed copy because I loved it so much.