Blog Archives
Constantine, Responsibility, War And Sin – BBP! Speaks With Acclaimed Writer Ray Fawkes (Part 1)
After making the game-changer move of ending all of their monthly series in August 2011 and, calling it the “New 52”, re-starting them with brand new first issues, DC Comics continues to evolve. This year, the publishing company has definitely been shining a light on the darker corners of its universe. The mature, sophisticated publishing arm of Vertigo Comics is still undergoing changes as well, with flagship title Hellblazer recently ending it 300-issue run. The main protagonist of that series, the beloved chain-smoking English occultist, John Constantine, has been folded up into the DC universe proper, continuing his supernatural adventures in a new ongoing monthly series called, appropriately enough, Constantine.
Ray Fawkes has worked for both DC Comics and Vertigo Comics along with a host of other publishers including Oni Press, Image Comics, Top Shelf Comics and Marvel Comics. The Eisner, Harvey and Shuster Award nominee is now writing some of his most high-profile work to date at DC Comics, namely Justice League Dark and Constantine as well as having a hand in DC’s upcoming Trinity War summer blockbuster storyline.
JP Fallavollita met with the Toronto-based writer and artist at the 2013 edition of the Toronto Comics Arts Festival (TCAF) and had a chance to speak with him over the phone about his recent writing responsibilities. In the first part of this interview, Fawkes talks about his experiences with fan-favourite character, John Constantine, the history and responsibility of writing him in both a solo series and a group series, and his story plans for the near future.
Mighty Marvel March: Hickman’s Avengers
This week saw two different yet similar Avengers releases from Marvel Comics, both written by Jonathan Hickman – Avengers #8 and New Avengers #4. Both show vastly different sides of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in drastically different yet similar situations. You’ll have my thoughts, after the jump.
Mighty Marvel March: Avengers NOW!
The Brian Michael Bendis era is over. The guiding hand of the Avengers franchise at Marvel Comics has essentially relinquished control of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes with the advent of Marvel NOW!. Bendis may have one last devastating word for the team with his “Age of Ultron,” but for the moment, other hands on are the Avengers. Here’s a quick look at recent doings in the Marvel NOW! era, after the jump.
Mighty Marvel March: The Return of the New Universe
In the decades since “Flash of Two Worlds” in Flash #123 in 1961, the story that introduced Earth-Two and the basic concept of the Multiverse in comics, the idea of parallel universes have gone from science fiction theory to science fact. The Multiverse is more relevant now than it ever has.
While DC Comics has been the place the Multiverse is most bandied about, Marvel has done its share of play there as well. Marvel’s past in parallel dimensions seems about to come back and bite it in its butt in recent issues of Avengers and New Avengers. It’s a coming crisis in the Marvel Multiverse, after the jump.
The Many Origins of the Justice League
How did the Justice League get together the first time? Was it to stop an invasion from space? By whom? Did it have something to do with Mars? Apokalips? Appellax? Appa-what? Ask different people and you’ll get different answers. How many origins of the Justice League have there been anyway? That’s what we’re going to find out here, as we explore the many origins of the Justice League.
Titanic Teams – Gone But Not Forgotten Teams of the DC Universe
When you think super-teams in the DC Comics universe, the Justice League comes to mind immediately, maybe followed by the Teen Titans, the Justice Society and half a dozen others. I’m going to delve a little deeper, and take a journey into the forgotten corners of the DC universe. Here’s a look at some of the forgotten teams of the DC Universe.
Titanic Teams – Gone But Not Forgotten Teams of the Marvel Universe
When you think super-teams in the Marvel Comics universe, the Avengers come to mind immediately, followed quickly by the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and half a dozen others. I’m going to delve a little deeper, and take a journey into the forgotten corners of the Marvel Universe. Here’s a look at some of the forgotten teams of the Marvel Universe.
Biff Bam Pop! Guest Blogger: Glenn Walker on Fear Itself, or why I don’t like crossovers
…the only thing we have to fear… is… fear itself.”
These words were spoken to a terrified nation almost seventy years ago by President Roosevelt and have remained part of our collective memories ever since. Most recently they have become the inspiration for Marvel Comics’ newest crossover event, aptly named “Fear Itself.”
Former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Joe Quesada has said that Fear Itself would explore the greatest fears of Marvel’s heroes, some of them displayed in early visual teases before the series came out. Examples included Captain America with his indestructible shield shattered. Quesada also said that the series was based on real world concerns like global terrorism, the war, the economy, the environment, and American politics – things that we all fear in everyday life. Hmmm…
