FIREFLY: BAD COMPANY #1 Reveals The Secret Origin of Saffron

BOOM! Studios today revealed a first look at the highly anticipated FIREFLY: BAD COMPANY #1, the first oversized special issue from the company’s sold out continuation of Joss Whedon’s sci-fi epic, in partnership with 20th Century Fox Consumer Products, giving us the secret origin story of the infamous Mrs. Reynolds, available in stores March 2019.  

Writer Josh Lee Gordon and artists Francesco Mortarino (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), Giuseppe Cafaro (Power Rangers: Soul of the Dragon), and Moy R. (Dinosaucers) reveal the long awaited origins of the most beloved Firefly character in the ’Verse—SAFFRON! Long before she was Yolanda or Saffron or Bridget, she was a pickpocket on the streets of an Alliance planet, close enough to touch the rich and admire their wealth yet too far to ever dream of being a part of their glamorous world. Go all the way back to the early days of Saffron’s story and learn how she became the extraordinary grifter and master thief who’s wreaked countless havoc throughout the ‘Verse and caused especial trouble for Serenity and her crew, including the current bounty on Mal’s head in the pages of Firefly...unless she’s lying about this, too.  

FIREFLY: BAD COMPANY #1 features a main cover by Diego Galindo (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) and a variant cover by Jamal Campbell (Green Arrow).  

“Saffron is an enigma wrapped in a mystery surrounded by a puzzle, but at the heart of all the fake names and complicated lies is a woman who learned early on how to fend for herself and who knew that if she wanted anything in life, she had to go out and grab it,” said Jeanine Schaefer, Executive Editor, BOOM! Studios. “BAD COMPANY takes us on an eye-opening journey through Saffron’s early adventures as we discover the daring escapades that helped the infamous YoSaffBridge craft each new layer of mystery and intrigue around herself to become the baddest woman in the entire system.”  

Created by Whedon and set 500 years in the future in the wake of a universal civil war, FIREFLY centers on the crew of Serenity, a small transport spaceship that doesn't have a planet to call home. Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds, a defeated soldier who opposed the unification of the planets by the totalitarian governed Alliance, will undertake any job — legal or not — to stay afloat and keep his crew fed. Thrust together by necessity but staying together out of loyalty, these disparate men and women are seeking adventure and the good life, but face constant challenges on the new frontier, such as avoiding capture by the Alliance, and evading the dangers you find on the fringes of the universe.   

FIREFLY is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to a world-class group of licensed comic book series and ambitious original series, including Joss Whedon’s Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Planet of the Apes, Abbott, Mech Cadet Yu, Grass Kings, and Klaus.  

Print copies of FIREFLY: BAD COMPANY #1 will be available for sale on March 20, 2019, exclusively at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one). Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and the BOOM! Studios app.

eigoMANGA Will Publish "First Squad - The Moment of Truth" Graphic Novel

eigoMANGA and Molot Entertainment have joined forces  to publish "First Squad - The Moment of Truth" as a manga and graphic novel  series. "First Squad - The Moment of Truth" was adapted into a 2009  award-winning anime feature film produced by Studio 4°C and directed by Yoshiharu  Ashino.  

The story is set in the opening days of World War II on the Eastern Front and centers  around a Soviet teenager who possesses supernatural abilities to commune with the dead.  Nadya has been recruited by the Red Army to fight the invading German army and is tasked  to journey into the spiritual realm of the dead.   

There Nadya must recruit her fallen comrades and form the First Squad in order to oppose  the evil Baron Von Wolff, who is raised from the dead by the Nazis, and his occult army  of 12th century Crusaders. The First Squad and Crusaders engage in a spiritual battle  known as the "Moment of Truth". Whomever wins the supernatural battles within  the spiritual realm dictate the outcome of physical battles waged between the Red Army  and the Germans.  

The manga and graphic novel series was produced by Aljosha Klimov, Misha Shprits, and  acclaimed manga artist Enka Sugihara. "First Squad - The Moment of Truth" is  projected to circulate to retailers in the Fall of 2019.

Kieron Gillen & Dan Mora Debut ONCE AND FUTURE at BOOM! Studios

BOOM! Studios announced ONCE AND FUTURE #1, an extra-sized issue kicking off an all-new limited series from New York Times bestselling writer Kieron Gillen (The Wicked + The Divine, Star Wars) and Russ Manning Award-winning artist Dan Mora (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Klaus) exploring the mysteries of the past, the complicated truths of our history and the power of family to save the day…especially if that family has secret bunkers of ancient weapons and decades of experience hunting the greatest monsters in Britain’s history!  

When a group of Nationalists use an ancient artifact to bring a villain from Arthurian myth back from the dead to gain power, ex-monster hunter Bridgette McGuire pulls her unsuspecting grandson Duncan, a museum curator, into a world of magic and mysticism to defeat a legendary threat. Now the two must navigate the complicated history of the McGuire family and combat the deadly secrets of England’s past that threaten its very future.  

Kieron Gillen is an award-winning writer based in London. He's the co-creator of hit books such as The Wicked + The Divine, Die and Phonogram for Image. His work for Marvel includes Young Avengers, Star Wars, Iron Man, Uncanny X-Men, Thor, Journey Into Mystery and Darth Vader, where he co-created Doctor Aphra.  

"I've been chewing over how the classic explorer adventure serial could operate in the twenty-first century for a while. Doctor Aphra transplanting the genre to space was one conclusion. ONCE AND FUTURE is another, taking a genre whose core has barely changed since the 19th century, and updating it for the now,” said writer Kieron Gillen. “Adventure, romance, supernatural horror and too much bloody research, as always. When BOOM! Studios told me one of the most talented action artists of his generation was interested in collaborating, I knew that we had all the ingredients we needed to create gold. Gold which, inevitably, our heroes will steal."  

Dan Mora is the artist behind some of the biggest hits in comics today, from the recent re-imagining of Buffy The Vampire Slayer to the landmark Power Rangers: Shattered Grid comic book event at BOOM! Studios, along with a number of iconic covers for Marvel Entertainment and DC Comics. In 2016, Mora was honored with the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award for his work on the chart-topping Klaus series from BOOM! Studios.  

“Working with BOOM! Studios has opened the door to new dream projects every year, but ONCE AND FUTURE is unlike anything I’ve ever worked on before,” said artist Dan Mora. “Kieron’s created a new world very much like our own, but plagued by supernatural and mythological creatures that are a joy to bring to life. And Bridgette, well, she’s one of the most fun - and surprising - characters I’ve ever worked on and I can’t wait for audiences to meet her!”  

ONCE AND FUTURE is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to critically acclaimed original series, including Faithless by Brian Azzarello and Maria Llovet; Abbott from Saladin Ahmed and Sami Kivelä; Bury The Lede from Gaby Dunn and Claire Roe; Grass Kings from Matt Kindt and Tyler Jenkins; and Klaus from Grant Morrison and Dan Mora. The imprint also publishes popular licensed properties including Joss Whedon’s Firefly from Greg Pak and Dan McDaid; Buffy The Vampire Slayer from Jordie Bellaire and Dan Mora; and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers from Ryan Parrott and Danielle Di Nicuolo.  

“Kieron Gillen and Dan Mora are two of my favorite storytellers in comics, hands down. Not only was bringing them together a dream come true--speaking personally--but ONCE AND FUTURE has also blown away all of our expectations," said Matt Gagnon, Editor-in-Chief, BOOM! Studios. "Kieron & Dan are crafting a world of adventure that's both epic and intimate, timeless and immediately relevant. This is truly one of the biggest projects in our company's history.”  

Print copies of ONCE AND FUTURE #1, featuring a cover by Dan Mora, will be available for sale on August 2019 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, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and the BOOM! Studios app.

"Hellboy" - New Trailer, Posters

Hellboy is back, and he’s on fire. From the pages of Mike Mignola’s seminal work, this action packed story sees the legendary half-demon superhero (David Harbour, “Stranger Things”) called to the English countryside to battle a trio of rampaging giants. There he discovers The Blood Queen, Nimue (Milla Jovovich, Resident Evil series), a resurrected ancient sorceress thirsting to avenge a past betrayal. Suddenly caught in a clash between the supernatural and the human, Hellboy is now hell-bent on stopping Nimue without triggering the end of the world.     

Hellboy also features Ian McShane (John Wick), Daniel Dae Kim (“Hawaii Five-0” and “Lost”), and Sasha Lane (American Honey).     

Summit Entertainment and Millennium Films present, a Lawrence Gordon/Lloyd Levin production, in association with Dark Horse Entertainment, a Nu Boyana production, in association with Campbell Grobman Films.

The Notorious Mo'dok Kickstarter by Raphael Phillips

We first heard of Raphael Phillips' Notorious Mo'dok on a Fatman Beyond podcast in which he presented one to Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin. That appearance led us to checking out his Instagram and following his feed. Now, the Kickstarter for this amazing mash-up is live and ready for backers to support this artist and get their hands on this amazing piece for their own collection. Do yourselves a favor and head on over to his Kickstarter page and check out the video and backer rewards!

From the Kickstarter page:

The Notorious Mo’dok sculpture is an expanded idea that had its genesis as an illustration by artist Adam J. Rosenlund. Roughly 7 years ago, I ran across an illustration of The Notorious B.I.G. as M.O.D.O.K., and thought ‘Damn, this needs to be sculpted!’  I started the digital sculpture in March of 2015, thinking that I’d create exactly what I saw and wrap it up in a few weeks. However, as most sculptors will tell you, turning a front view image into a 3-dimensional sculpture takes time.  It was during this process that I unknowingly started making this project my own. The challenge became making the statue feel equal parts, comic book, hip hop, and tech, all while being visually pleasing to the eye in 360 degrees. I would get to moments where I thought it was done, but it just didn’t feel right. Finally, in January of 2017, after fits and starts of adding and subtracting parts, I at last added the Jesus piece, and in that moment, finished the first iteration of the Notorious Mo’dok.  Little did I know, this creation would be a mirror of myself:  A video game/movie character artist, brought up on classic hip hop and Marvel comics.   

I shared images of the digital model through various social medias, relieved that I finally finished it. That relief was quickly replaced with a warm sense of pride once I started seeing reactions to the model.  However, one reaction kept on reoccurring: YOU NEED TO 3D PRINT THIS %$#@ RIGHT NOW!!! I wish I could say that I was able to immediately capitalize on the peoples desire to own this thing that I made, but the journey from a digital model to a finished product would take another two years due to the amount of detail in the digital sculpture.  In preparation for a soft launch of sculptures in late 2018, I collaborated with a well respected manufacturer in the collectibles industry, and we made sure that the product could be reproduced at a high quality.  The Notorious Mo’dok is now ready for his world debut! 

McFarlane Toys and DC Team Up to Create Collector Figures Starting in 2020

Batman, Superman and the entire roster of DC's iconic characters have a new place to hang up their capes and cowls. McFarlane Toys, an award-winning toy company, announced today they have entered into a three-year global licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, on behalf of DC, to release DC Multiverse collector figures in both mass and specialty retail spaces. Beginning early 2020, McFarlane Toys will bring dozens of the iconic DC comic books, video games and feature films' near-endless stable of characters to life with 6" & 12" ultra-posable action figures, corresponding accessories and vehicles branded DC Multiverse.

"This partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC will be great fun for my company, and a chance to deliver products that millions of fans of the DC brand have been asking for," said Todd McFarlane, Owner and CEO of McFarlane Toys. "The DC universe has captivated the world and to be able to play in that sandbox now makes me feel like a kid all over again. I can't wait to see what we can accomplish together."

The DC Multiverse collector figures and related toys will be available at major retail locations beginning in 2020.  Fans of both McFarlane Toys and DC can check www.mcfarlane.com and the McFarlane Toys social media channels for updates and news, www.mcfarlane.com; www.instagram.com/mcfarlane_toys_official; and www.facebook.com/mcfarlanetoys.