Award-Winning Author Victor LaValle Announces New Original Series EVE

BOOM! Studios announced EVE, a brand new five-issue original series from award-winning author Victor LaValle (Victor LaValle’s Destroyer) and rising star artist Jo Mi-Gyeong (Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance) about a dangerous journey across a future dystopian America to save the world, available in May 2021. 

When the ice caps melted, most of humanity was lost to the hidden disease that was released. Now, a mysterious girl named Eve has awoken in secret and must deal with a world that’s nothing like the virtual reality she was raised in. In order to save her father, Eve must embark on a deadly quest across the country, but she has no idea of the threats that await her - or the price she will pay to restore life to a dying planet...  

Victor LaValle is the author of seven works of fiction including The Ballad of Black Tom, which was a finalist for a Nebula Award, a Hugo Award, a Bram Stoker Award, and the Theodore Sturgeon Award. His latest novel, The Changeling, was released in June 2017. His other books have won the American Book Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Key to Southeast Queens. LaValle is also the writer of the acclaimed comic book series Victor LaValle’s Destroyer with BOOM! Studios. He teaches at Columbia University and lives in New York City with his wife and kids.  

“What kind of planet are we leaving to our kids? This is the question that spawned my comic book. It’s an old one, of course. Many generations have wrestled with it, but the question has never been as immediate,” said LaValle. “But I didn’t want to write some grim story about how this joint went to hell. Instead, I wanted to write a story about how we let the planet fall apart and left it to the younger generations to fix it. So this is a story, inspired by young folks like Mari Copeny, Elsa Mengistu, Greta Thunberg and so many more, of how an eleven-year-old girl, EVE, and her android teddy bear try to do the seemingly impossible: save the planet, save us.”  

Jo Mi-Gyeong is a comic artist and illustrator based out of Seoul, Korea, best known for her work on Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance for BOOM! Studios and the original comic book series Beastlands.   

“A new kind of apocalyptic landscape awaits our hero EVE and her strange teddy bear in this brand new world full of the weird and the unthinkable,” said Mi-Gyeong. “I had a lot of fun illustrating this fascinating world that Victor built, and I can't wait to show you all a future beyond your wildest imagination!”  

EVE #1 features main cover art by artist Ario Anindito (Star Wars: The High Republic) and variant covers by famed illustrator Yuko Shimizu (Dracula, Motherfxxker), and acclaimed artist InHyuk Lee (Magic, Mighty Morphin).   

“Victor is a visionary writer who brings a sense of realism and heart to the sci-fi and horror stories he crafts,” said Eric Harburn, Senior Editor, BOOM! Studios. “He and Jo have created a beautiful, haunting world for EVE that is no less prophetic for being fictional, in a series that addresses one of the most pressing concerns of humanity today.”  

EVE is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to critically acclaimed original series, including BRZRKR by Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney; We Only Find Them When They’re Dead by Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo; Seven Secrets by Tom Taylor and Daniele Di Nicuolo; Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera; Once & Future by Kieron Gillen and Dan Mora; Faithless by Brian Azzarello and Maria Llovet; and Abbott by Saladin Ahmed and Sami Kivelä. The imprint also publishes popular licensed properties, including Dune: House Atreides from Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, and Dev Pramanik; Buffy the Vampire Slayer from Jordie Bellaire and David López; Firefly from Greg Pak, Lalit Kumar Sharma & Daniel Bayliss; and Mighty Morphin and Power Rangers from Ryan Parrott, Marco Renna, and Francesco Mortarino.  

Print copies of EVE #1 will be available for sale in May 2021 exclusively 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 Madefire.

Unboxing: Target Exclusive Culture Fly Game of Thrones Box

Spotted this Target exclusive Game of Thrones Culture Fly box at Marshall's for the low low price of $4.00. How could I pass that up? Obviously it came home with me which is why we're here today. The box came with six high quality products. Unlike the Captain Marvel box, I don't think there was one stinker in the box!

First up was a pair of House Targaryen Socks. The one size fits most socks are black with the House Targaryen logo. They're a bit thin, but still a nice looking pair of socks. You can never go wrong with a pair of fresh socks.

Second out of the box was a sigil pin set. They feature the House Stark and House Targaryen sigil's. The heavyweight pins look awesome. They're going to find their way onto my backpack at some point.

Next up was an "I drink and I know things" bottle opener. The famous line was uttered by Tyrion Lannister and we've seen the quote pop up everywhere; from tees to mugs. It's a no-brainer to put it on a bottle opener. It seems to be a well-made opener that should last.

The fourth item out of the box is Game of Thrones sketchbook. The book has Game of Thrones images on the cover. It's a nice looking, high quality book.

Fifth out of the box is my favorite item inside. It's a vinyl version of the Iron Throne. It's a nice display piece and if there wasn't one included in the box, I would have been disappointed. Up-close it's not as detailed as one would hope, but it's still a great looking display piece.

Finally, we pulled the big mystery item out of the box. It's a "Hodor" doorstop! For me, it's not useful, but it's definitely a cheeky little item. I may keep it just for the laughs. 

Overall, this was a solid box from Culture Fly. The others I've gotten have been hit or miss in terms of quality/selection. For the $4.00 price tag, it was a steal! Keep an eye out at your local Marshall's! 

Inside the Target Exclusive Culture Fly Game of Thrones Box:

-House Targaryen Socks

-House Stark and House Targaryen Sigil Pin Set

-"I Drink and I Know Things" Bottle Opener

-Game of Thrones Sketchbook

-Vinyl Iron Throne

-Hodor Doorstop

Todd McFarlane Reveals 2021 THE YEAR OF SPAWN

Image Comics' President Todd McFarlane announced his bold attempt at creating his own multi-character, interconnected comic book universe. His stated goal is to establish a shared fictional universe over time in the vein of what the other comic industry giants, Marvel, and DC Comics, have accomplished with their comic book universes.

The announcement was given by McFarlane during a first look presentation at the Direct Market Retailers at the Annual ComicsPRO Conference.   

The character Spawn, created by McFarlane, will be at the forefront of the initial launch of new titles, but the long-term goal is that Spawn will become but one of many characters that will succeed not only in the comics industry but in many mediums across the globe.  

McFarlane will capitalize on the twenty-eight-year success story of Spawn, which has seen sales increase between 150 to 600% from pre-pandemic orders. The Spawn title currently is a top 5 monthly selling title on the Diamond Distributors Top 100 Chart. Recently, a new release of a Spawn figure on Kickstarter set a new Kickstarter record, in its category, for raising just under $3.5 million in 30 days. That figure was also recently awarded the prestigious People's Choice 2021 Toy of The Year (TOTY) by The Toy Association, Inc.   

As part of his announcement, McFarlane announced four new titles coming out in 2021, with three of them continuing as regular monthly titles, meaning that there will be an opportunity for fans of the Spawn character and his new expanding world to get their stories from it on a weekly basis instead of just twelve times a year.   

"The simple question is this: DC Comics started a shared universe in the late 1930s. Marvel Comics began theirs in the early 1960's so, can lightning strike a third time beginning in 2021? I personally do not have the answer to that question right now, but the only way to get an answer to that question is to make the attempt in the first place, "said McFarlane, Image president, and Spawn Creator. "This is a long-intended plan that will need the help of dozens and dozens of creators to help create hundreds and hundreds of characters. And then to reward those creators if any of their ideas pay off in a big way outside of the comic industry. The quest isn't to have our ideas exclusively live in the comic book industry but to have merit and value outside of that industry as well. My character Spawn has been an example of what can happen with creation so, what are the possibilities if hundreds of creations are brought together? Marvel and DC Comics have shown us that a collective group of characters, together, in a shared universe can resonate globally. I think it is time for David to attempt to join the same arena as the Goliaths of the world."   

In June, in what McFarlane is calling "2021 the Year of Spawn," comic retailers will be able to order SPAWN'S UNIVERSE #1. This will be a book that will set the stage with a story that will then spill out into the other new monthly titles. The first title will release in August with a book called KING SPAWN #1. The character Spawn will now join the rare company of stalwart characters, like Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man, that will have multiple monthly books for the same title character. It will also mark the first time in twenty-eight years that anyone can buy a monthly issue #1 Spawn book. It gives McFarlane hope of reaching a new generation of readers that missed out on the initial launch of the Spawn back in 1992.   

In October comes the second new monthly called GUNSLINGER SPAWN. This title character has been a huge hit among the fanbase over the past year, and each of his appearances has garnered enthusiasm at the stores and online.   

Finally, there will be a new #1 team book, which will band five characters together to fight against forces too big for any of them to take on alone. That book is titled THE SCORCHED. Spawn, Redeemer, Gunslinger, Medieval Spawn, and She-Spawn begins the group's adventures. However, McFarlane promises a rotating cast of heroes over the coming months to keep the roster of heroes fresh. He also said that he would be bringing in new major villains into the fold, too.

To lend a creative hand on some of this expanding list of titles, McFarlane has recruited an all-star list of comic book creators such as Art Adams, Jason Shawn Alexander, Carlo Barberi, Brett Booth, J. Scott Campbell, Greg Capullo, Donny Cates, Jim Cheung, Mike del Mundo, Javier Fernandez, David Finch, Jonathan Glapion, Kevin Keane, AleÅ¡ Kot, Puppeteer Lee, Sean Lewis, Sean Gordon Murphy, Ben Oliver, Stephen Segovia, Paulo Siqueira, Marc Silvestri, Marcio Takara, and Frank Quitely, as well as others he will be announcing in the coming months.   

All of this just continued to build on the mythology of Spawn and his world. The original SPAWN book is one of the world's bestselling and longest-running comics, with over 100 million copies sold in more than 120 countries.   

In 2019, McFarlane made history with the release of the historic SPAWN #300 and record-breaking SPAWN #301. These milestones have earned McFarlane the Guinness World Records title for the world's longest-running creator-owned comic book series. SPAWN #300 became the 2nd highest-selling comic title and was also the only character to place two of its issues in the Top 11 for highest-selling issues for that year.   

A new movie of SPAWN is currently in development with BlumHouse Studios, Jamie Foxx, and Jeremy Renner, all attached to the project as McFarlane will be making his directorial debut on the film when it goes into production.

Chaos Walking Trailer

In the not too distant future, Todd Hewitt (Tom Holland) discovers Viola (Daisy Ridley), a mysterious girl who crash lands on his planet, where all the women have disappeared and the men are afflicted by “the Noise” – a force that puts all their thoughts on display. In this dangerous landscape, Viola’s life is threatened – and as Todd vows to protect her, he will have to discover his own inner power and unlock the planet’s dark secrets. 

From the director of The Bourne Identity and Edge of Tomorrow and based on the best-selling novel The Knife of Never Letting Go, Daisy Ridley and Tom Holland star with Mads Mikkelsen, Demián Bichir, Cynthia Erivo, Nick Jonas, Kurt Sutter, and David Oyelowo in Chaos Walking.

Unboxing: Culture Fly Captain Marvel Box

I came across a Culture Fly Target exclusive Captain Marvel box at my local Grocery Outlet. At $4.99, I couldn't pass up the chance to pick one up. The box originally retailed for $24.99 in Target stores. The box contains six different items, making them under a dollar a piece at the $4.99 price point! If you've got a Grocery Outlet in your area, you may want to try and snag one for yourself if you like what's inside.

I'm going to be honest, the best thing about the box is the actual box itself. It's a solid, vibrant looking box with a clean design. That probably sounds crazy, but I found the quality of the items in the box hit or miss in quality. Overall, for what I paid, I'm not complaining; for the original price point, I'd be pretty disappointed.

First in the box was a Captain Marvel hat. The hat design isn't bad, featuring the Captain Marvel logo. Unfortunately the quality of the hat leaves a lot to be desired. It's thin and pretty cheaply made. It'll make a good hat to wear while doing yard work, but definitely disappointing.

Second up in the box was a Captain Marvel coin bank. The bank is small, but it'll definitely get some use in this house. The bank is in the shape of the Captain Marvel logo and is made of plastic. This was my favorite piece in the box.

Next up was a set of Captain Marvel patches. The first patch is a round Captain Marvel Logo; simple and perfect. The second patch is the words Captain Marvel in white with stars in place of the "A's" on a square black background. The last patch is another Captain Marvel logo. This one is a bit more stylized and has the words, "Captain Marvel" under the logo. It's the same design as the bank that's included in the box.

The next item was a Captain Marvel squishy. It's in the shape of the Captain Marvel logo. I don't understand the appeal of squishy's. This is the biggest miss in the box.

Next up was a set of Captain Marvel vinyl decals. The first decal features Goose the Flerken. Goose the cat was a breakout character in the film, so it was nice having something of the character included in the box. The second decal was of Captain Marvel herself.

The final item in the box was a Captain Marvel fanny pack. Like the hat, this is cheaply made. It's stiff and not that nice looking. It features what looks to be a heat pressed iron on of Captain Marvel's silhouette in flight. I'm not sure about other boxes, but this one seems to be poorly placed; it's a bit crooked. It also has air bubbles on it where it seems to have been attached poorly.

Overall, it's a disappointing box for the original price. At $4.99, I'd say it's a great deal, though not worth getting above that price. I'll definitely get use out of the bank and hat, but beyond that, the rest will be going to another Captain Marvel fan.

Inside the Culture Fly Captain Marvel box:

-Captain Marvel Hat

-Captain Marvel Logo Bank

-Captain Marvel Patch Set

-Captain Marvel Squishy

-Captain Marvel Decal Set

-Captain Marvel Fanny Pack

Your First Look at ORCS! #2 From BOOM! Studios

BOOM! Studios today revealed a first look at ORCS! #2, the next issue in the all-new original six-issue comic book series, by cartoonist Christine Larsen (Adventure Time, By Night), about a band of misfit Orcs who set off into the great, wide Known World in search of glory and gold, but find that the real treasures were the friends they made along the way.

After getting into trouble with the fearsome squirrels of the Eerieasallhel forest, Bog, Zep, Pez, Utzu, and Gurh are in for a fight for their lives against the tiny (but territorial!) beasties. Then it’s back home to get even with King Hrogragah for sending them on a fool’s errand! Plus, there’s something weird about their haul, it might be something more exciting than just acorns... it’s just too bad it might get them kicked out!

ORCS! is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ award-winning KaBOOM! imprint, home to comics for middle grade and younger readers including original series Just Beyond by R.L. Stine and Kelly & Nichole Matthews, Hex Vet by Sam Davies, Drew and Jot by Art Baltazar, Hotel Dare by Terry Blas and Claudia Aguirre, RuinWorld by Derek Laufman, and Pandora’s Legacy by Bones Leopard and Kelly & Nichole Matthews.

Print copies of ORCS! #2 featuring main cover art by series artist Christine Larsen, as well as variant cover art by Sweeney Boo (Eat, And Love Yourself) and Mirka Andolfo (Mercy), will be available for sale on March 17, 2021 exclusively 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 Madefire.