Here's news from IDW Publishing, two previews from Maverick, a new series from Mad Cave Studios, and a new collection from the Treasury of British Comics.
Fresh off the news of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' new direction, IDW Publishing has announced the artists for the not-a-reboot!
The TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (TMNT) know it takes a team to accomplish their goals. Creating a comic is no different, and the upcoming TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES relaunch comic series from New York Times bestselling writer Jason Aaron will present amazing artwork from four incredible illustrators: Rafael Albuquerque, Joëlle Jones, Cliff Chiang, and Chris Burnham.
"I'm thrilled to be working with Jason on such a special project, with so many talented artists,” stated Albuquerque. “Being a child from the ‘80s, the TMNT cartoon has a special place in my heart, so having the chance to draw them for the first time kind of completes a full circle, full of nostalgia and excitement. I can't wait to reveal what we're working on!"
Burham has a strong personal connection to the TMNT’s comic history and is amazed to be added to the franchise’s history of excellent artists. “I am SO excited to be working on the Turtles! I’ve been a TMNT fan since the black and white days - Fugitoid is one of the first comics I ever owned, and the original Donatello One-Issue Micro Series is one of my favorite comics of all time. I discovered so many amazing artists as a kid reading the Turtles - beyond Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird there’s Mark Bodé, Rick Veitch, Mark Martin, Richard Corben, Michael Zulli, Eric Talbot, Jim Lawson, Sophie Campbell… the list goes on and on and it’s a great honor to add my name to it!”
Chiang also has fond memories of the Heroes in a Half Shell and is thrilled to be working with Aaron. "I still remember the thrill of reading those early black-and-white issues and how they ushered in a new wave of independent comics, and I'm incredibly excited to be a part of this next chapter for the Turtles. Even better, Jason and I have been friends for a long time but haven't yet worked together, so I get to kill two Mousers with one sword."
"For me, working on TMNT was first a nostalgia hit - being an '80s kid, I consumed it all!” said Jones. “But at its heart, and why I think it still resonates with people today, is that it’s a story about a family of outcasts brimming with personality and the conflicts that come out of it. Or maybe I just like the giant rat father figure, which might be something for me to unpack with a therapist at a later date!"
"I almost couldn't believe it when these folks started saying yes. It's such a dream team of modern artists, folks responsible for some of my favorite comics of this century,” added Editor-in-Chief Jamie S. Rich. “All four of them were so enthusiastic to draw characters they love for the first time. It was cool to hear why they loved each of the individual Turtles. Like Chris talked about the Donnie issue with the Jack Kirby homage, and Joëlle mentioned how she has always liked hotheads and fighters. It's comic book kismet!"
Co-publisher Mark Doyle cannot wait for fans to get these comics in their hands and gaze at the artwork. "These are some of the best artists and storytellers in modern comics bringing their style and action to characters they love. As a fan, I'm over the moon!"
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: ALPHA #1 is on sale this June with a 10-page prelude story, and TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #1 will go on sale this July. For updates on everything regarding TMNT comics, be sure to follow IDW and the official TMNT accounts on social media.
Maverick, the young adult imprint from Mad Cave Studios, has released details on its upcoming graphic novel, Of Her Own Design - coming in June 2024.
Mad Cave’s YA Imprint MAVERICK is pleased to announce OF HER OWN DESIGN, out June 18, 2024. In this incredible narrative from writers Birdie Willis and Nicole Andelfinger, teenage writer Brie Page gets magically transported to the world of stories, but no matter how far she goes, she can't seem to escape from the drama of her life.
In the small town of Holden, sixteen-year-old Brie Page has been struggling with a tremendous bout of writer’s block. And that’s a problem. One of many she has, actually. Parents that constantly fight, her former best friend/current bully Viv Kinsley, and the gorgeous new girl Kay Ardiger are causing a bit of stress. Brie used to hide from it all in her own worlds and stories, but that seems so far away now. Until an unexpected encounter with a mischievous bookseller, Ambrose Chance, gives Brie the extraordinary ability to go beyond her problems in life and bury them deep into three new stories. Too bad the whole town of Holden had to get caught up in it too when her stories come to life. Now, when the most important people in her life are stuck in fantastical tales, Brie needs to save them by diving into her worlds and facing her worries head-on. Which would be fine...if only she was better at writing endings.
This dynamic creator team noted its excitement for the release:
Vash Taylor, Illustrator:
"Of Her Own Design is a beautiful project. I really enjoyed the time I got to spend with Brie, getting to know her and her insecurities, and her talents, as I drew the comic. I love coming of age stories, especially the kind I never got to see as a teenager. I hope there's a kid out there a little unsure of who they are, who gets to read this and see that it's ok. We've had a boom in LGBTQ+ media lately and every story is unique and wonderful, and Brie is no different! She and Ambrose hold a special place in my heart - one filled with mischief and fantasy. I hope everyone who gets to read this book can feel a little of the magic of what it is to dream and be and make.
As for the project itself, I had the special pleasure of designing the main cast and drawing the first section of the story. It was a lot of fun to take this personality on the page and turn it into a fully fledged character with tastes, interests and expressions. I've always focussed on character and lore heavy design and I hope every reader can find the little things I hid in there that ties the cast together - from the colour palettes to the shape of things, to the way they move. I wish for every reader to have as much fun with them as I did."
Writer, Nicole Andelfinger said,
“Twelve year old me has been waiting for this kind of story to be on the shelves for years now and I'm so delighted to be a part of bringing that story to life. For everyone who finds themselves lost in their own worlds, this one's for you."
Artist Vash Taylor said, “Of Her Own Design is a beautiful project. I really enjoyed the time I got to spend with Brie, getting to know her and her insecurities, and her talents, as I drew the comic. I love coming of age stories, especially the kind I never got to see as a teenager. I hope there's a kid out there a little unsure of who they are, who gets to read this and see that it's ok. We've had a boom in LGBTQ+ media lately and every story is unique and wonderful, and Brie is no different! She and Ambrose hold a special pace in my heart - one filled with mischief and fantasy. I hope everyone who gets to read this book can feel a little of the magic of what it is to dream and be and make.
…As for the project it's self, I had the special pleasure of designing the main cast and drawing the first section of the story. It was a lot of fun to take this personality on the page and turn it into a fully fledged character with tastes, interests and expressions. I've always focussed on character and lore heavy design and I hope every can find the little things I hid in there that ties the cast together - from the colour palettes to the shape of things, to the way they move. I wish for every reader to have as much fun with them as I did."
Of Her Own Design is available for preorder now, and on-sale wherever books are sold on June 18, 2024.
About the Creators:
Nicole Andelfinger was crafting stories back when jelly shoes were cool. Since then, she's only continued to dwell in the realms of magic, monsters, and myth. When not changing her hair color or writing comics for some of her favorite franchises - such as Jim Henson’s Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Regular Show, Rugrats, Steven Universe and more - she works a day job best described as 'emails'. She lives with her absolutely, most decidedly perfect cat in Washington.
Artist Jess Taylor is a comics artist and illustrator based in the UK. They are best known for their graphic novel Galaxy: The Prettiest Star (DC), written by Jadzia Axelrod. They have also worked on Critical Role, Stranger Things, and Adventure Time comics, as well as lending their art to the acclaimed children's cartoon Tee and Mo. In their free time they put on silly voices and play D&D on the internet
Artist & Cover Artist, Fiona Marchbank is an Illustrator and Comics Creator with a passion for colour, expressive storytelling and queer historical floof. She has done work for Disney and Tapas as well as her own ongoing comic, Ladies of the Knight. She currently lives in Yorkshire with her houseplants and a large collection of yarn. Find her work at http://fionacreates.net
Mad Cave Studios has announced a new series - Love Me- a romance, science fiction action series out in April 2024.
Romance takes a sci-fi turn in this all-new Mad Cave series from comics newcomer Francesca Perillo and celebrated artist Stefano Cardoselli
Mad Cave Studios is excited to announce the LOVE ME: A ROMANCE STORY, the debut romance/sci-fi/action series from writer Francesca Perillo, featuring art from Stefano Cardoselli (Don’t Spit in the Wind) with colors by Lorenzo Scaramella, letters by Buddy Beaudoin, and cover B by Nimit Malavia.
“Love Me is the story everyone can read: it's about possibility, hope and diversity. It talks about the ability to wait for and recognize the love that comes after personal fulfillment,” said Francesca Perillo. “In fact, if you are fulfilled with your life, grateful for the work you have achieved, the conquests you have made and the friends you have chosen, despite the difficulties, you can leave room for true feelings even if they are scary and put you face to face with great challenges and strange emotions. Love me is the story of all those who have been able to wait for true love, in the seat of a taxi or at the table in a bar just like what happened to me.”
"This is my first romance story. It has made me more patient in constructing the details of a story’s design, and it contains many details that I hope readers will like,” said artist Stefano Cardoselli. “I had fun inserting Easter Eggs into many pages of the comic (poking fun at the author Francesca a bit)! With this series, I faced some new challenges such as: creating buildings, skylines, perspectives, and points of view different from those I was used to when creating my previous Mad Cave series (Don't wind spit in the Wind). The biggest difficulty was bringing out the emotions felt by a robot that has no mouth to smile or express disappointment, just a set of binoculars to look at the world."
“The title of this series is fitting as I love the story and working with Stefano Cardoselli and Francesca Perillo,” said Mad Cave Studios editor, James Emmett. “Stefano’s work continues to push the envelope visually and he’s found a wonderful partner in Francesca. Together, they have brought to life a dystopian futuristic look at a love story through the eyes of a robot taxi driver named JoJo.”
Love Me: A Romance Story #1, the debut chapter in the four-issue miniseries, drops April 17.
WINX returns from Maverick and Netflix in July 2024, with details on what we can expect here.
The book returns to Winx's beloved characters: a group of fairies enrolled at the magical school of Alfea, who are reeling in the wake of losing their close friend, Bloom.
A short time has passed since Bloom entered the Realm of Darkness to find her mother, and she is still missing. Despite this, her friends at the magical school of Alfea are gearing up for a new year of classes, new students, and new challenges. Still reeling from the loss of Bloom, Aisha, Kat, Terra, Stella, Musa, Riven and Sky are struggling to get used to their new normal.
When the school is attacked by fairy powers few have seen before, our heroes are faced with a mystery and an enemy that could spell doom for them all. During their darkest hour, can they rely on the wielder of the Dragon Flame to return to them? Or has Bloom been lost forever? Find out in this exciting continuation of the hit Netflix series!
Fate: The Winx Saga Vol. 1 Dark Destiny (9781960578938) is out in July 2024.
The Treasury Of British Comics has a new collection coming in March for fans of WWII comics. Hellman of Hammer Force: Downfall contained some classic comics from Battle.
CREATIVE TEAM: Gerry Finley-Day (w), Jim Watson, Mike Dorey and Patrick Wright (a)
RELEASE DATE: 28 March
PAPERBACK, 128 pages
PRICE: £14.99
ISBN: 9781837860982
There has never before been an anti-hero like Hellman of Hammer Force in British comics!
From the invasion of Poland in 1939 through to the fall of Berlin in 1945, Hellman of Hammer Force saw action on many fronts, and this collection contains all the hard-hitting war stories told through the eyes of Hellman which were published in Battle from 1977 through to 1978.
This ground-breaking series of thrilling combat is written by Gerry Finley-Day (Rogue Trooper) and drawn by Mike Dorey (Ro-Busters) and Patrick Wright (Day of the Eagle).
Available in print from: Treasury of British comics webshop, online retailers, book stores, and comic book stores via Diamond
Available in digital from: Treasury of British Comics webshop, 2000 AD app for Apple & Android