Welcome to the Dynamite Comics Pubwatch for the month of December ! I’m Lisa, Dynamite is my explosive beat, and here’s this month’s news!
Army of Darkness Receives its Sixth Dynamite Continuity Reboot in February
Dynamite’s oldest license is receiving yet another face-lift as Ash Williams gets a fresh lease on life with Death to the Army of Darkness, set to street in February.
The series; written by Ryan Parrott, drawn by Jacob Edgar, colored by Kike J. Díaz and lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou; will sport initial covers by Ben Oliver, Arthur Suydam and Mirka Andolfo. There will be a special flashback cover by J. Scott Campbell, who will re-draw one of his covers from Dynamite’s first Army of Darkness runs, Ashes 2 Ashes. Sebastián Píriz will also contribute a special Valentine’s Day cover (see below).
The plot, to quote the blurb, will feature the following:
Picking up just barely after the legendary Army of Darkness film, the big mixup is of course due to some classic bad translation of the Necronomicon. Introducing the cast… Ash is joined by the personification of his feminine side with Ashley Williams, the erratic Lil’ Ash, Dash aka Doggie Ash, the cynical and morose Skeleton Ash and Chainy – Ash’s now sentient chainsaw!
Together they must travel through time to Ancient Egypt and prevent the Necronomicon from ever being written in the first place. Along the way, can Ash solve his split personality predicament – and how would the others feel about that? Could one of the party members be hiding something? Fans will just have to read to find out!
Dynamite has been publishing Army of Darkness comics for fifteen years, with the latest being a crossover between Bubba Ho-Tep and the movie franchise. This is not the strangest twist Dynamite’s run of Army of Darkness—which has done everything from marry Ash to Gabrielle from Xena: Warrior Princess, to have him briefly share breathing room with former President Barack Obama—has taken.
Dynamite set to issue Special Valentine’s Day Cover Variants for Their Comics
Dynamite will release several promotional Valentine’s Day covers for their comics. Besides the Army of Darkness cover, there will be Valentine’s Day covers for Vampirella/Red Sonja #6, Dejah Thoris #3 and Red Sonja #13. As stated above, Sebastián Píriz handled the AOD cover, while Lynne Yoshii drew the Red Sonja cover and Sanya Anwar drew both the Dejah Thoris and Vampirella/Red Sonja covers
All four issues will street in early February.
Mark Russell Will Continue as Red Sonja Scribe into 2020
Mark Russell has announced he will be continuing on as the scribe for Dynamite’s main Red Sonja line, this time with art by Bob Q.
Vampirella #8 Celebrates Black History Month with Covers Featuring Black Vampis and Black Vampi Cosplayers
Vampirella #8, set to street in February, will pay tribute to Black History Month and feature four WOC Vampi covers as well as a black Vampirella cosplayer. Christopher Priest has said that the covers are also in tribute to the women who inspired Vampirella’s original look. Denys Cowan, Alitha Martinez, Mark Beachum (above) and Afua Richardson will contribute covers, as well cosplayer Mai (Maidenhellxo).
The issues will street in February.
Dynamite to Produce Trading Cards for the Video Game Fallout
Dynamite has announced it will be producing more trading cards for the video game Fallout, including a special edition release available to those who previously contributed to the company’s Kickstarter for the Series 1 set, called the Hidden Vault Collector’s Box, available to backers by February.
There will be only 600 boxes made, and they will include a complete base set of Series 1 Fallout Trading Cards (144 total cards) , plus 5 foil packs of Series 2, and 7 exclusive S.P.E.C.I.A.L. cards created only for this package.
Each box will contain two one-of-a-kind sketch cards as well. Artists contributing to the project include Andy Bohn, Norvien Basio, Miranda Gainey, Rusty Gilligan, Alex Mines, Rich Molinelli, Barry Renshaw, April Reyna and Xinjix.
Warren Ellis’s James Bond Run to Be Republished; Dynamite Dollar Edition Coming of First Issue; New Graphic Novel Featuring over 20 Artists and Writers Coming in February
Dynamite is giving readers two options if they want to read Warren Ellis’s run as a writer on Dynamite’s James Bond license. Readers may pick between a full omnibus, James Bond: The Complete Warren Ellis Omnibus, or sample the series with its Dynamite Dollar reprint of Ellis’s first book in the arc.
Both books will be available in February.
Also in February, Dynamite will publish a new James Bond anthology graphic novel. James Bond in Reflections of Death will be written by a constellation of comics writers, with a framing story by Vita Ayala and Danny Lore. The issue will also include writing from Benjamin Percy, Andy Diggle, Greg Pak, Gail Simone and Mark Russell, and art work from Luca Casalanguida, Robert Carey, Jordi Perez, Dean Kotz, Eoin Marron and Kewber Baal. Fay Dalton handles the cover.
The storyline of the volume will tie into the upcoming overarching Ayala and Lore Bond series to be released this December, but it will also stand on its own. According to the press release, the plot will feature numerous stories and “The central figure through the anthology of case files is Moneypenny. She’s been kidnapped. and the mystery of her captors and their demands will only be revealed when, or if, 007 is able to complete his missions. While Moneypenny herself may have some surprises up her sleeve.”
Joseph Linsner Launches IndieGoGo for Exclusive Vampirella #1 Cover
Joseph Lisner has launched an IndieGoGo campaign to fund the production of his cover of Vampirella #1. Backers will have the opportunity to pledge their money to several different variants, from a pencil sketch version to a colored version to a logo-less colored version.
Pledgers can also get their hands on various Lisner-drawn Dynamite-published Vampi graphic novels, including a graphic novel of the Dawn/Vampirella crossover series.
Big Blast of the Month
The Six Million Dollar Man TP
David Hahn (art), Christopher Hastings (writer), Michael Walsh (cover)
November, 2019
This series is probably the second-most fun I’ve had all year with a media tie-in. Taking Steve Austin and plunking him into Japan, where he cheerfully takes a lot of punishment while feeling little pain as his long-suffering fellow agent drags along in his wake, facepalming sincerely, is a pretty brilliant move. This is a surprisingly bright and sunshiney piece, and even at its darkest it has the right cheesiness to make you come away from it with a big grin.
A fun little tale that’s just right for cozying up with.
Bangs and Fizzles
KISS: Zombies
Rodney Buchemi (cover and art), Ethan Sacks (writer), Stuart Sayger (cover)
November 6, 2019
Unsurprisingly, KISS and zombies go together like peas and carrots in this fun romp with some surprisingly strong original characters. The art and the spooky storyline both work and keep the reader pinned to the page even before the band in the title shows up, making this one a keeper thus far.
Vengence of Vampirella #2
Buzz (cover), Ben Oliver (cover), Lucio Parrillo (cover), Tom Sniegoski (writer), Michael Sta. Maria (art)
November 13th, 2019
This gory-good series has been swimming along beautifully, and the latest issue is no exception to that rule! Vampi’s back, but she’s come back…well, not wrong, but hungry! A worthy spectacle and the best Vampi book Dynamite’s putting out these days aside from the Archie comics crossover. Read our full review of the second issue here.
Future Fire
Xena: Warrior Princess: Road Warrior TP
Vita Ayala (writer); Erica D’Urso (art), Vasco Georgiev (art), David Mack (Cover), Jordi Perez (art), Olympia Sweetman (art)
December 4th, 2019
This is flat-out my comic of the year, and the best thing I’ve ever read when it comes to Xena comics. Utter perfection. Buy it!
Kiss: Zombies #2
Rodney Buchemi (art), Ethan Sacks (writer), Stuart Sayger (cover), Arthur Suydam (cover)
December 11th, 2019
Knocking wood this will continue to be amazing!
James Bond Vol. 3, #1
Vita Ayala and Danny Lore (writers), Jim Cheung (cover), Eric Gapstur (art)
December 4th, 2019
I’m excited to see what Vita Ayala and Danny Lore have in store for Bond in their new series!
