Steel Commando, The Leopard From Lime Street, Defenders Of The Earth, Talent Search, and Tomorrow Girl & Section 12
Monster Fun, Mad Cave Studios, Antarctic Press & Lenovations Press
Here the latest comics news and previews including:
A new release from Monster Fun.
A new adventure for The Leopard From Lime Street.
A team-up with the Defenders Of The Earth.
A new talent search from Mad Cave Studios.
A team-up between Antarctic Press and Lenovations Press.
Monster Fun has a new adventure coming soon with the Steel Commando.
CREATIVE TEAM: Ned Hartley (w) Dan Boultwood (a) Leila Jess (l)
RELEASE DATE: 17 July
PAPERBACK, 144 pages
PRICE: £9.99
ISBN: 9781837861903
Get ready for time travelling adventures in this epic graphic novel as heroic robot soldier Steel Commando battles his way across past, present, and future to stop the forces of evil and save the day!
Invented by Professor Brayne, The Steel Commando is a robot created at the height of World War II. Fighting giant bats whilst riding a missile above London the story only gets more awesome from there, with the nefarious Doktor Von Hoffman sending his minions after Professor Brayne's new secret weapon plans! Together with his friends, Ernie and Penny, Steel Commando will have to travel into the future, the past and modern day London in order to stop Von Hoffman from winning the war.
Part of the Monster Fun Collection, spinning from the pages of the hit UK comic, this brilliant range of books aims to inspire children to love reading through incredible stories and cool characters.
Available in print from: Newsagents and comic book stores via Diamond
Available in digital from: The Monster Fun webshop, 2000 AD apps for Apple & Android
In addition to the above, there is also a new Leopard From Lime Street adventure to look forward to with Birthright.
CREATIVE TEAM: Simon Furman (w) Laurent LeFevure, Nick Roche, PJ Holden (a) John-Paul Bove (c) Sqakezz (l)
RELEASE DATE: 17 July
PAPERBACK, 144 pages
PRICE: £9.99
ISBN: 9781837861910
Billy Farmer may look like your average teenager, but he has a big secret: he’s a super-hero! After being scratched by a radioactive leopard (happens all the time, right?), young Billy soon discovered he had the powers of the mighty jungle cat – but is there more to this power than he thinks?
Taking to the streets to fight crime as “The Leopardman”, Billy soon finds himself up against a whole horde of spooky villains intent on stopping him and hatching some evil plans. Teaming up with his long lost sister, the vigilant hero “Alleycat”, the dynamic duo must uncover the fate of their family and the source of their powers – before it’s too late!
Part of the Monster Fun Collection, spinning from the pages of the hit UK comic, this brilliant range of books aims to inspire children to love reading through incredible stories and cool characters.
Available in print from: Newsagents and comic book stores via Diamond
Available in digital from: The Monster Fun webshop, 2000 AD apps for Apple & Android
Young me would have loved this from Mad Cave Studios - I used to really enjoy the Saturday mornings watching Defenders Of The Earth.
Reinventing the classics: Renowned comics creators Dan DiDio and Jim Calafiore join forces for Mad Cave Studios’ newest Flash Gordon series
Embark on the return of DEFENDERS OF THE EARTH, an exhilarating reimagining of the beloved adventure series, coming soon from Mad Cave Studios.
Inspired by the classic Defenders of the Earth cartoon series, writer Dan DiDio, best known for his ten years serving as co-publisher of DC Entertainment Prolific comics, along with celebrated artist Jim Calafiore (Exiles, Secret Six), join forces in this groundbreaking comic, sure to shake up the universe.
The newly-minted Defenders of the Earth comic is not just about superheroes; it's about the human struggles and triumphs behind the masks—drawing inspiration from contemporary issues and timeless themes, while tackling relevant topics of gender, familial expectations, and the ethical dilemmas of modern heroism. With society at a crossroads and betrayal lurking in the shadows, the fate of Earth hangs in the balance. Each character grapples with their own demons, forging their own path while honoring the legacy of those who came before them.
Flash Gordon, The Phantom, Mandrake the Magician and Lothar are united again in this reimagining of the classic animated series, Defenders of the Earth. Picking up with characters and storylines from the original series, Flash confronts Ming in a final battle, only to find that even greater threats await him and his teammates as they each must confront ghosts of their past to protect their families and future.
The first action-packed issue in an eight-part series!
“As a fan of the original animated series, I was excited by the opportunity to work on this title,” said Dan DiDio. “I’m hoping to build on some of the show's classic elements and move them in new directions while exploring the personalities and lives of the characters that make the series great. One of the best aspects of the series was finding a way to unite the show’s four disparate, iconic stars following the end of their war with Ming. What sets it apart from other books featuring Flash Gordon, Mandrake, The Phantom, and Lothar is the added generational aspect of the story—that’s the fun part of writing. The father/son relationships of Flash and Rick, and Lothar and LJ; the father/daughter relationship of The Phantom and Jenna; and the mentor/protege relationship of Mandrake and Kshin are really the heart of the story. What makes and breaks these families is key to saving the world from a new and more deadly challenge.”
“I don’t say that I’m so old that I read the original strips back in the day, but every artist knows these classic characters and have been influenced by them and their creators,” said Jim Calafiore. “A lot of great artists have worked on them over the years. The challenge, and the fun, is having my name added to the list.”
“Be it comics, radio, TV, or film, King Features Syndicate's stable of characters has captured the hearts of fans for over 100 years,” said Mad Cave Studios Senior Editor, Chas! Pangburn. “Mad Cave is honored to add to this legacy by providing a modern interpretation of their 1986 cartoon supergroup, the Defenders of the Earth. Set in a separate continuity from our ongoing Flash Gordon series, Dan and Jim's take on these four classic heroes (and their wards) is an action-packed character study that sees the Defenders confront ghosts of their past in order to protect both their families and the future. From physical kicks to emotional punches, Dan and Jim have concocted a series perfect for longtime fans and those just now discovering these iconic characters.
“It has been such an exciting journey to work with Mad Cave and their talent as they reintroduce our classic heroes, who inspired the modern-day superhero genre, to new audiences,’ said Christina Nix Lynch, Senior Director of Domestic Licensing at King Features. “This comic launch is extremely special as it’s the first time the Defenders universe has been introduced through fresh storytelling and gives our fans the opportunity to see how our core characters interact as a team.”
Defenders of the Earth #1 from Mad Cave Studios in partnership with brand owner, King Features, hits shops Aug. 14th.
Mad Cave Studios are looking for new talent. This has been a brilliant way of discovering new talent, and I look forward to seeing what comes from it in 2024.
This year marks Mad Cave Studios' 7th annual talent search. With submissions open to creators all across the world, we are always blown away by the breadth of talent submitting. By running this talent search our goal is to give aspiring creators the opportunity that many people can only dream of; having their work published!
This year Mad Cave is searching for two writers, two illustrators, two colorists, and two letterers to work on an upcoming project. This search is specifically for underrepresented talent with a unique voice that has never worked with or been distributed by a major publisher.
Each submission must be based on one of these Mad Cave titles to qualify: Battlecats (Fantasy), The Devil That Wears My Face (Horror), Nottingham (Historical Fiction), or Hunt. Kill. Repeat. (Mythology). Each creator may send one submission, but keep in mind that the project you could potentially be working on may or may not be set in the same universe as your submission.
*Note: To any artist who chooses to submit an entry for only Battlecats; any series that you may potentially be working on may or may not feature anthropomorphic creatures.
Only submissions that follow these guidelines, and are submitted through Mad Cave Studios’ 2024 Talent Search Submission Form, will be reviewed.
The contest begins in June 2024, and runs through August 2024. Each entry will be considered by members of our editorial team at Mad Cave Studios. The eight winners will be announced in September. To get started, visit https://madcavestudios.com/talent-search/
If you are not selected this year, don’t worry, we will be running this talent search again next year. So put your nose to the grindstone and hone your craft!
Antarctic Press and Lenovations Press have teamed up to bring Tomorrow Girl into Section 12.
Tomorrow Girl from Antarctic Press crosses over with Section 12 in a three issue Mini-Series
Lenovations Press, a long-standing indie comic publisher, is thrilled to unveil their first ever mini-series that brings together two comic book universes. This groundbreaking collaboration will see Tomorrow Girl, a fan-favorite character from Antarctic Press, teaming up with Lenovations' very own super-team, Section 12.
"Section 12 (Antarctic Special):" this three-issue story titled “Search for Tomorrow” marks a significant milestone for Lenovations Press as they venture into uncharted territory. Fans can expect an exhilarating narrative that uniquely blends the distinct worlds of Tomorrow Girl and Section 12.
Lenovations Press publisher Len Mihalovich, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, "We are grateful to Ben Dunn and Antarctic Press for letting us use Tomorrow Girl for this story. She was an exciting character to work with and unlike anything we already have in our Section 12 universe. This cross-over opens up a world of possibilities. We're excited to explore the dynamics between Tomorrow Girl and our own Section 12 characters and deliver an unforgettable story that will resonate with fans of both universes."
Section 12, follows a top-secret government project employing super-powered individuals to contain scientific failures. This comic has captured the imagination of readers for many years. With Tomorrow Girl flying through our pages, readers can anticipate a thrilling adventure packed with action, intrigue, and some unexpected revelations.
"We have never done a mini-series before. I felt this cross-over was important enough to break withour regular publishing schedule to get this story out there as quickly as we could. We put some of our best people on this story and are VERY happy with the results" remarked Len Mihalovich, Publisher at Lenovations Press. "This collaboration exemplifies our commitment to pushing the boundaries of indie comics’ storytelling and delivering unparalleled and unusual entertainment to our readers."
"Section 12 (Antarctic Special): Search for Tomorrow" is set to debut on 6/11/2024.