This Week’s Indie Comics News Cycle
This is the latest instalment of ’ Indie Comics News. This page is a revolving news cycle post and will cease updating at 12pm 13th August AEST. You will find the latest indie comics news included here that are relevant for the week ending 13/8/21. Any news submitted outside of this time frame are counted as News for the following week and as such will be included in Next Week’s News Cycle.
NOTE: Indie Comics News WILL NOT be added retrospectively. Once the week is over, the news cycle is over.
If you have any questions, alterations or would like to submit an Indie Comics news item then send them to
Indie Comics News – 12th August 2021
The Many Panels in the Many Deaths of Laila Starr #5 – Revealed!
BOOM! Studios today revealed a first look at THE MANY DEATHS OF LAILA STARR #5, the final issue in the highly acclaimed original series from writer Ram V (Swamp Thing, Blue in Green) and artist Filipe Andrade (Captain Marvel), with letterer AndWorld Design, that explores the fine line between living and dying in Mumbai through the lens of magical realism, available in August 2021.
What will Laila Starr do when she’s finally given the chance to resume the mantle of Death? Finding herself back in the world, Laila searches out Darius and discovers that for the first time she will be witnessing the death of someone close to her. When they are both given a chance at immortality, their individual decisions lead to a surprising and touching series finale.
THE MANY DEATHS OF LAILA STARR #5 features main cover art by series artist Andrade and variant covers by superstar artists Nimit Malavia (Fables) and Martin Simmonds (The Department of Truth).
Print copies of THE MANY DEATHS OF LAILA STARR #5 will be available for sale on August 25, 2021 exclusively at local comic book shops or at the BOOM! Studios webstore.
Fans and readers can purchase copies of THE MANY DEATHS OF LAILA STARR SC, collecting the entire five-issue series, in local comic shops on January 12, 2022 and in bookstores everywhere on January 18, 2022.
Indie Comics News – 11th August 2021
Cyperpunk Body Horror Comic OBSO/LETE
A new horror comic is in the winds from creators G.A Alexander, Justin M.Ryan and Daniela Barisone.
Synopsis:
Two bartenders in a run-down future city realize their district is being infiltrated and assimilated by cybernetic horrors. That’s the premise of OBSO/LETE, the highly-anticipated new horror comic from G.A Alexander (writer), Justin M. Ryan (artist), and Daniela Barisone (artist).
Alexander had the following to say, “We were inspired by movies like Hellraiser and Blade Runner, as well as comics like The Crow and 30 Days of Night that offer a gritty street-level view of the fantastic and often horrific events that take place in their stories.”
The trio’s goal is to produce a comic that marries the neon-drenched world of cyberpunk with the grim tone and nightmare aesthetics of horror. The Kickstarter goal is $500 and in exchange for donating, supporters can snag themselves perks like OBSO/LETE T-Shirts, a physical copy of OBSO/LETE, and a ‘thanks’ on the credit page of the comic.
Support the OBSO/LETE campaign when it kicks off shortly at www.obsolete.rip
Frankee White’s new NC17 Comic EAT MY FLESH, DRINK MY BLOOD
Dauntless Stories have announced EAT MY FLESH, DRINK MY BLOOD, created by Frankee White, Adam Markiewicz, and A.H.G., as part of our new Greenlight initiative. Greenlight is a new in-house crowdfunding platform that is designed to give the creators more control over their projects, direct connection to the audience through our newsletters and discord groups, and allow us to bring this book to its readers faster.
Synopsis: John and Lisa are engaged and looking towards their future when John receives a letter from his past. John’s estranged father is dying and his mother wants him to meet with them both for mass at their parish. Lisa, curious about this mostly blank spot in her fiancé’s life, presses him to heal his family wounds. John agrees on one condition: Lisa must join him.
What comes next is a dive into a uniquely absurd romantic horror by the creative team behind the critically acclaimed graphic novel, BROKEN BEAR that asks, “How far will you go to be with the one you love?”
Crowdfunding for EAT MY FLESH, DRINK MY BLOOD kicks off Saturday 14th August.
First Look at Dune: House Atreides #9
BOOM! Studios today revealed a first look at DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES #9, adapted & scripted by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, who co-wrote the eponymous prequel novel based on Frank Herbert’s notes and illustrated by artists Dev Pramanik (Paradiso) and Mariano Taibo, colorist Alex Guimarães (Bone Parish), and letterer Ed Dukeshire (Once & Future), in partnership with Herbert Properties LLC and in full coordination with Abrams ComicArts, who published the first of three graphic novel adaptations of Herbert’s original classic novel DUNE in Fall 2020.
Was foul play involved in Leto’s father’s untimely death? Follow the new Duke Atreides as he stops at nothing to find out. Power, lies, and corruption continue as Baron Harkonnen hatches a plan to frame Leto for an attack on the Tleilaxu even as Shaddam prepares to usurp the throne from his father once and for all.
Created by visionary writer Frank Herbert, Dune debuted in 1965, has sold millions of copies and is arguably the most admired science fiction novel of all time. After winning the Hugo Award and inaugural Nebula Award, Dune inspired a best-selling novel series and led to multiple live-action adaptations, including the upcoming feature film from Legendary Pictures. The influence of Dune extends well beyond the world of entertainment, with an incalculable influence on modern scientific thinking about politics, religion, outer space, environmentalism and more.
The DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES limited series is published in coordination with Abrams ComicArts, who will release a graphic novel trilogy adapting Frank Herbert’s original novel Dune, with volume one published in November 2020. The Dune graphic novels from ComicArts are also adapted and scripted by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, and will be illustrated by Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín, and feature covers by Bill Sienkiewicz.
DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES #9 features main cover art by Evan Cagle (Strange Skies Over East Berlin) and variant cover art by Christian Ward (We Only Find Them When They’re Dead).
Print copies of DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES #9 will be available on August 25, 2021 at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one), or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers like comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle. Print copies of DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES Vol 1 HC are available now wherever books are sold.
Skottie Young’s The Me You Love In the Dark Sells Out at Distributor Level
The bestselling creative team behind the Eisner Award nominated Middlewest—Skottie Young and Jorge Corona—are bewitching readers yet again, this time with the haunting new comic, The Me You Love in the Dark. The dark debut issue sold out instantly upon its release last week and is being rushed back to print in order to keep up with demand.
In this chilling five issue miniseries, an artist named Ro retreats from the grind of the city to an isolated old house to find solace and inspiration—but the muse within is not quite what she expected. Fans of Stephen King and Neil Gaiman will enjoy this disturbing story of discovery, love, and terror.
“I’m overwhelmed and grateful for all the love readers have sent us for this book,” said Young. “We are so proud of it and are thrilled that everyone is along for the ride!”
Corona added: “Thanks so much to each and everyone of you. Your support has made the launching of this series an amazing moment for us all. We cannot wait to keep telling the stories that we love to you. Hope to keep you along for the ride!”
The Me You Love In The Dark #1 Cover A (Diamond Code JUN219987) and The Me You Love In The Dark #1 Cover B 1:20 copy incentive (Diamond Code JUN219988) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 8.
The Me You Love In The Dark #1 will also be available for purchase across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, comiXology, and Google Play.
King Spawn Sales Numbers Destroy Avengers’ Record
The recent launch of Todd McFarlane’s new monthly comic book, King Spawn #1, has shattered sales records. With just under a half-million pre-orders by comic stores retailers, this marks the single largest new superhero monthly title launch in the comic book industry in the past 25 years based on the standard sales formula of the comic book industry (non-returnable, non-retailer exclusive sales).
Total pre-orders of 497K are bigger than any Marvel new monthly superhero launch, including Ironman, Hulk, Thor, or Captain America issue in the past quarter-century. McFarlane’s King Spawn #1 also topped any DC Comics new monthly title launch for the past two and a half decades, including Batman, Superman, Flash, or Wonder Woman.
No Avengers or Justice League character has debuted a monthly book with sales numbers like King Spawn #1 in the 21st century.
The Spawn character was first introduced in 1992, with the release of Spawn #1, to a record of 1.7 million copies that still stands today as the highest selling, creator-owned comic issue of all time. Published by Image Comics (the third largest comic publisher in North America behind Marvel and DC), the Spawn character also set a record as the longest running, creator-owned comic on the planet when issue #301 was published in 2019.
With its creator, McFarlane, announcing the expansion of a new “shared universe” at the beginning of this year, the initial title from that announcement, Spawn’s Universe #1, hit stores in June to the largest sales from Image Comics since 1998. The first issue of King Spawn beat that number by two and a half times. This is an unprecedented level of sales for a character who has only been published in one book for the past three decades.
Spawn’s creator, Todd McFarlane, also owns the world’s record for most sales of a superhero book written and drawn by the same person, with Spider-Man #1 published by Marvel in the ’90s. During his time at Marvel, McFarlane was the visual creator of Venom, appearing in multiple titles and a successful movie for Sony’s film division.
McFarlane said, “The numbers that came in were much higher than what I had projected. With sales that now have a historical impact in our industry. It proves that the character Spawn and the world he lives in still resonates to fans almost thirty years after I first introduced him. But the biggest thing for me is having King Spawn becoming another example to the creative community that you can have creator-owned success outside of the two huge publishing giants, Marvel, and DC Comics. Every story that shows you can make a career on your own will hopefully inspire other talented people to try. As President of Image Comics, advocating for the creators has been our goal since its inception in 1992.”
King Spawn #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, August 25:
- King Spawn #1 Cover A by Puppeteer Lee – Diamond Code JUN210027
- King Spawn #1 Cover B by McFarlane – Diamond Code JUN210028
- King Spawn #1 Cover C by David Finch – Diamond Code JUN210029
- King Spawn #1 Cover D by Sean Gordon Murphy – Diamond Code JUN210030
- King Spawn #1 Cover E by Greg Capullo – Diamond Code MAY218952
- King Spawn #1 Cover F by Brett Booth – Diamond Code MAY218953
- King Spawn #1 Cover G by Donny Cates – Diamond Code JUN218205
- King Spawn #1 Cover H 1:50 copy incentive Raw by Capullo – Diamond Code JUN218206
- King Spawn #1 Cover I signed 1:250 copy incentive by McFarlane – Diamond Code JUN218207
Spawn #321 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 1:
- Spawn #321 Cover A by Björn Barends – Diamond Code JUN210250
- Spawn #321 Cover B by McFarlane – Diamond Code JUN210251
- Spawn #321 Cover C by Francesco Mattina – Diamond Code JUN210252
- Spawn #321 Cover D by Barends 1:50 copy virgin incentive – Diamond Code JUN210253
Gunslinger Spawn #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, October 6:
- Gunslinger Spawn #1 Cover A by Booth – Diamond Code AUG210013
- Gunslinger Spawn #1 Cover B McFarlane – Diamond Code AUG210014
Indie Comics News – 10th August 2021
The Electric Black Title Box is Here, courtesy of Scout Comics
Every week, Scout Comics unveils a limited edition title box and this time it’s The Electric Black‘s turn.
Co-created by Writer/Artist’s Joseph Schmalke and Rich Woodall, The Electric Black is a cursed antique shop, appearing in any time or space, soliciting customers it hungers to corrupt or devour. The mysterious Julius Black is the store’s demonic proprietor and narrator. He, along with his psychopathic employees, regularly manipulates patrons for their own devious purposes. The poor souls that enter never leave without something. Dare you step within its sinister halls?
Each Electric Black deluxe title box will contain a complete set of comics! There’s a mystery element in each box offering that includes rare variants and out off print covers.
Along with the set of single issues you will also get a digital download/collectible card of each series in Scout’s new COMIC TAG format! These limited edition collectibles look just like a mini comic book with a collectible card attached!
At only $50 USD and limited to 200 copies, head here to pick up your Electric Black title box.
Image Comics goes Threadless!
Image Comics have announced that Official Image Comics branded merchandise is now available for purchase on Threadless!
Fans can now show off their Image Comics fandom by purchasing official Image merchandise in a variety of forms—everything from t-shirts and hats to bathmats and beach towels. Deck yourself out in Image gear so that everyone knows that you’re a proud Image Comics fan.
Designs available for purchase include the official Image Comics logo, the word “Image” as is printed on graphic novels, the “Comics in Your Image” campaign logo, the Image “icons” design, the “Future of Comics” campaign logo, and the retro-style Image Comics circle logo.
Image Comics have advised more designs will be made available in the coming months. Visit: https://imagecomics.threadless.com
Indie Comics News – 9th August 2021
Red 5 Comics’ Newest All-Ages Fantasy comes this October
Bronze age England is under attack by magical invaders, shapeshifters who can be anywhere or anyone. With no king and no armies the only hope is a young swineherd who dreams of magic and monsters; a swineherd named MERLIN. Chased by villagers and monsters alike, Merlin’s only hope is a young thief named HECTOR. Can these two outcasts band together long enough to save the land or is a new dark age on its way?
Following in the footsteps of weekly adventure strips like Prince Valiant, Merlin & Hector takes a new look and breathes new life into a classic character.
“There have been a lot of Camelot and Arthur stories over the years but not man that have taken a look at Merlin before he became the wizard we all know. Rodolofo’s takes breathes new life into a classic character while touching on several of the classic myths of Celtic Britain,” Red 5 co-publisher Joshua Starnes said.
“A fun adventure for all ages, Merlin & Hector will make you look at this character in a new way.”
Merlin & Hector comes from writer Rodolfo Santullo and rising star artist JOK as a special three issue monthly series running from October to December 2021. Look for it wherever Red 5 Comics are sold.
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