For the new "Spawn" creative team, Todd McFarlanekept it in the Image Comics family. In advance of McFarlane's panel midday Thursday at this year's New York Comic Con, CBR has the exclusive first details that "Savage Dragon" creator and McFarlane's fellow Image founder Erik Larsen will join the series as of "Spawn" #258, in what McFarlane describes as a "true partnership." Effectively, the two will co-write the series with Larsen penciling and McFarlane inking -- though it's a bit more freeform than that.

"It's going to be sort of a tag team," McFarlane told CBR News. "We're going to co-plot, we're going to co-write. He's going to do the early, rough laydowns on it, I'm going to do a little bit of inking, he's going to do a little bit of inking, I'm going to do some penciling on top of his inking, and we're just going to do this hodgepodge that, at the end, you're going to go, 'Who wrote that?' 'I don't know, do you remember, Erik?'"

Larsen is slated to contribute to at least five issues of "Spawn," starting with #258 -- what McFarlane calls a "essentially a silent issue" and the prelude to the previously announced four-part "Satan Saga Wars," which starts with #259. Beyond that, it's open-ended as to how longLarsen will contribute to McFarlane's creation.

As longtime fans know, Larsen and McFarlane definitely have history together. The two were both stars of Marvel's Spider-Man books in the late '80s and '90s, and were among the seven creators who famously left the company to start Image, the industry's most prominent publisher of creator-owned comics. They've collaborated on "Spawn" before for one issue -- 2010's "Spawn" #199 -- but this marks the first long-term partnership planned for the pair.

"He said, 'Hey, if you don't mind, let me throw some stories at you, for writing,'" McFarlane shared. "He actually surprised me with some of the stuff he was coming up with -- very thoughtful stuff. And then, 'If you can't find an artist, I'll do artwork.' I'm like, 'What? You've got your own book.' 'No, I can do it.' He sent in some of the early pages, and I was just blown away by them."

Larsen joins the book after a period of some upheaval on the long-running "Spawn" series, which launched in 1992. Writer Brian Wood and artist Jonboy Meyers were announced as the new creative team on the book last year, though Wood later departed the series without any of his contributions seeing print. Paul Jenkins was announced as Wood's replacement this past January, but both Jenkins and Meyers have since left the book.

The original intention of bringing in new writing talent to "Spawn" was for McFarlane to step away from monthly duties on the book, but now he's back and as involved as he has been in years -- pulled back in just when he thought he was out.

"I am Pacino in 'The Godfather Part III,'" McFarlane said. "At some point, you just go -- and Erik sort of has the same mentality -- 'Fuck it, I'll just do it myself.'"



"There's something to be said about stability on a book that I think has value," he continued. "Erik understands it, I understand it. We'll just do it ourselves -- two grumpy old men."

When discussing the qualities he admires in Larsen, for McFarlane it's both his consistency -- he's written and drawn "Savage Dragon" for more than 200 issues and counting -- and his ability to draw epic-scale action.

"I'm looking for somebody who can give me big, dynamic comic books," McFarlane said. "Erik Larsen, in spades, check. And, I need somebody who can do it on a regular basis -- which is arguably the harder thing to find. Every time I talk to somebody about doing a monthly, I preface it with, 'It is actually a grind. As cool as it may look, it's hard work to do a monthlycomic book.'"

"We've got 450 Image issues collectively under our belts, just with our two titles, so you've got two guys who can turn out books," he continued. "It's going to be good, because if I'm busy, Erik can pick up the slack. If Erik's busy, I can pick up the slack, and it's not going to hurt the production of the book."

McFarlane and Larsen's decades of shared history also seems to have helped accelerate the collaboration process, with McFarlane comparing it to his partnership with current "Batman" artist Greg Capullo, who drew "Spawn" for years.

"I haven't written one word for [Larsen]," McFarlane said to CBR. "Forget a full script, I haven't even given him a plot. We've talked on the phone, and he went, 'Got it.' 'Click.' And that's it. And as bizarre as that may sound, this is exactly how Greg Capullo and I did it for years."

That said, McFarlane did stress that the artistic dynamic between the two has continued toevolve, and that it likely will for the duration of their run.



"Even the early pages that he sent me, I go, 'Erik, my guess is it's going to take us at least one, maybe two issues before we figure out what the dance is with the artwork; how much you need to give me, how much I need to give you back, how much you need to ink, how much I need to pencil,'" he said. "We're just going to figure it out. In a weird way, it may actually have different answers, depending on what the scenario is -- if it's a scene with a lot of light on it, it may be one method between us. If there's a lot of dark, there may be another one."

Despite the addition of Larsen to the book, McFarlane said that the series will likely continue in the same creative direction as he had intended since the return of Al Simmons with "Spawn" #251.

"Spawn and his mentality, and even to some degree, his powers, will change when he gets back to Earth," McFarlane said. "He'll be a changed man, both mentally, as well as physically. That was always the intent of him coming back, and being just a little more vulnerable, having a little bit more of an Achilles' Heel -- having to be a little bit smarter about how he moves around the world."

McFarlane's enthusiasm for the partnership with Larsen is clear, and between that and reclaiming his hacked-for-days Twitter account, the writer/artist/toy mogul has plenty to be happy about.

"I feel like a little 12-year-old comic book reader again -- except this time I get to have some input with it," McFarlane said. "Good old-fashioned superhero comic books. I'm hoping fans will like it." (Source: CBR)

Joe Manganiello has come aboard to produce and star in Mountain Man, a zombie thriller set to enter production later this year, which will launch sales via Film Bridge International at Cannes. An adaptation of the popular book series of the same name from Keith C. Blackmore, Mountain Man tells the story of Gus, a lonely post-apocalyptic survivor facing isolation and the ever-present specter of a zombie attack, who struggles with alcohol abuse and suicidal thoughts until he discovers another survivor, a captivating woman who poses another threat altogether. John Lee (A24’s False Positive) will direct from a script by Matt Deller, with Nick and Joe Manganiello’s 3:59 producing alongside Danny Chan (Barbarian). (via Deadline)

Foundation star Sandra Yi Sencindiver has joined FX and Noah Hawley’s Alien series which is filming in Thailand. Exec-produced by Ridley Scott, the prequel series will be set towards the end of this century (franchise watchers estimate the date to be a few years before Prometheus, and some thirty years before Scott’s film). It’ll be the first project in the franchise to take place on Earth and has been reported to deal with the emergence of the story’s infamous Weyland-Yutani Corporation and the race between corporations to create new android life. The series will star Sydney Chandler, Alex Lawther, Essie Davis, Adarsh Gourav, Kit Young, Timothy Olyphant, David Rysdahl, Babou Cessay, Erana James, Lily Newmark and Adrian Edmonson. Deadline is reporting that Sencindiver appears in multiple episodes and will play a senior member of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. There is reportedly scope for the character to grow in future series.

Maximum Carnage. Absolute Carnage. King in Black. Every few years, the wild symbiote corner of the Marvel Universe erupts in a saga oozing with violence, drama, and insanity that only Venom and his kind can deliver. This August, the next milestone symbiote event arrives in Al Ewing and Iban Coello’s VENOM WAR. A master at planning out epic storylines, Ewing has been laying the foundation for VENOM WAR since the very beginning of his current run of Venom. Limitless in scope, the series has followed Eddie Brock and his son, Dylan, on separate journeys as the symbiote heroes. But after both have terrifying glimpses of the future, they realize only one of them can be Venom. Their father and son feud will become everyone’s problem as past and present symbiote characters alike are forced to take a side! LAST VENOM STANDING! The Venom Symbiote has bonded with both Eddie Brock and his son Dylan at different points. Now both Brocks are going head-to-head, determined to be the one, true Venom! Father versus son in a showdown of showdowns that threatens to tear the world asunder! From heavyweight talent champions Ewing and Coello comes a Battle for the ‘Biote like you’ve never seen! "This is what we've been building to since the start of this wild and way-out symbiote odyssey - the fateful confrontation between father and son!” Ewing explained. “Where better to have it than inside the squared circle? And who better to bring this all-action epic to the page with than my old buddy Iban Coello? I'm tellin' ya, goo believer -- this is vehemently varied Venom violence like never viewed, and only one host can wear the symbiote when the dust settles! Who's it gonna be?" Stay tuned in the weeks ahead for more VENOM WAR news, including tie-in series announcements.

Paramount and Hasbro’s animated Transformers One is pushing back its release in theaters by one week in order to take advantage of Imax screens and to provide some breathing room from the competition.The film will now open Sept. 20, 2024, instead of Sept. 13. That gives it two weeks of distance from Sony’s Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice.Paramount revealed the date change as it launched a new trailer for Transformers One from nowhere other than space — a first for Hollywood, according to the studio. The launch kicked off at 6 a.m. PT with a livestreamed countdown showing the journey into space. After one hour, the craft reached its peak at 125,000 feet above the Earth, revealing the trailer with a custom introduction video from voice stars Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry. The star-studded voice cast also includes Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key and Steve Buscemi, with Laurence Fishburne and Jon Hamm. (via THR)

Trailer: https://youtu.be/u1rqoa8x7g4

On May 18, the next Marvel Comics crossover epic begins! From Avengers and Moon Knight scribe Jed MacKay and acclaimed X-Men artists Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia comes the bloodiest event in Marvel history--BLOOD HUNT! The saga kicks off when eternal night washes over Earth, and vampires, united by a single vision for the first time in millennia, emerge from the shadows. To keep them at bay, a new world order may need to be put in place… Today, fans can get a peek at the final issue of the main series, on sale in July. In BLOOD HUNT #5, Doctor Strange is presented with a dread bargain to gain a chance to save the world. The Avengers ride into a battle they cannot win. The dead battle the undead across the globe. Will it be enough? Will the world be saved, and how will it be changed if it is? Featuring a dramatic shift for the future of the Marvel Universe! Check out the BLOOD HUNT #5 cover and pick up the debut issue on May 1.

Top Cow is reimagining the hit supernatural thriller series Witchblade. The new series, coming July 2024, will be penned by NYT Best-Selling Marguerite Bennett (Animosity, Batwoman, DC Bombshells) and visualized by artist Giuseppe Cafaro (Suicide Squad, Power Rangers, Red Sonja). The creative duo is working with original co-creator Marc Silvestri, who is the CEO of Top Cow Productions Inc. and one of the founders of Image Comics. Together, they will reintroduce the series to Witchblade’s die-hard fans with a reimagined origin with contemporary takes on familiar characters and new story arcs that will hook new readers and rekindle the energy and excitement that fueled the 90’s Image Revolution that shaped generations of top creators.Marguerite Bennett, who has been focused on writing for the upcoming Butterfly TV Series and Ark: The Animated Series, says, “The ability to tell a ferocious story full of monsters, sexuality, vision, and history was irresistible.” She adds, “Our saga is sleek, vicious, ferocious, and has a lot to say about power in the 21st century and will be the first time that we are stopping the roller coaster to let more people on. I’ve loved Witchblade since I was a child, and there is truly no other heroine like Sara with such an iconic legacy and such a rich, brutal relationship to her own body.”



In Witchblade #1, New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini's life was forever fractured by her father's murder. Cold, cunning, and hellbent on revenge, Sara now stalks a vicious criminal cabal beneath the city, where an ancient power collides and transforms her into something wild, magnificent, and beyond her darkest imaginings. How will Sara use this ancient power, or will she be consumed by it? Through last year’s Witchblade Complete Collection Kickstarter, the world received a glimpse of Marc Silvestri’s Witchblade Armor redesign. But, a whole new universe has been created by Giuseppe Cafaro, who states, “The Witchbladeuniverse is being modernized to reflect how Marguerite beautifully explores the extreme sides of Sara through memories, her personal thoughts, like desire and hunger, in her solitude and when she is possessed by the Witchblade. So, I had to visually intersect a noir True Detective-like world with a supernatural, horror world that is a fantastic mix between Berserk and Zodiac!”Marc Silvestri notes, “This is brand new mythology around Sara, and I can’t wait for you to fall in love with her and all the twists and turns. Discover Witchblade reimagined this summer, and join us as we bring all the fun of the 90s to the modern age and see how exciting comics can be. I can’t wait for you to read this new series.”Witchblade #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 17th, for $4.99 for 48 pages. The Final Order Cutoff deadline for comic shop retailers is Monday, June 24th, 2024.



- Cover A: Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
- Cover B: Giuseppe Cafaro and Arif Prianto (Full Color)
- Cover C: Blank Sketch Cover
- Cover D (1/10): Dani and Brad Simpson (Full Color)
- Cover E (1/25): Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto, Virgin Cover (Full Color)
- Cover F (1/50): J.Scott Campbell (Full Color)
- Cover G (1/100): Bill Sienkiewicz. (Full Color)
- Cover H (1/250): Line art by Marc. Virgin Cover, Inks (B/W)

Witchblade #1 will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

The bestselling creators behind the three-time Hugo Award nominated, two-time British Fantasy Award winning series Die—Kieron Gillen (The Wicked + The Divine, Immortal X-men) and Stephanie Hans (Secret Wars 1602: Witch Hunter Angela, Black Bolt)—will reteam for their first ever original graphic novel collaboration to be titled, We Called Them Giants. This epic, post-apocalyptic story is scheduled to hit shelves in November from Image Comics. Gillen and Hans first made waves with their breakout hit dark fantasy Die in 2018. Die quickly caught reader attention and the series skyrocketed to the top of the sales charts and launched Hans’ career into superstardom. It went on to appear on many Best of the Year lists, including that of Tor.com, and snagged multiple award nominations and wins. "After we finished Die, we knew we wanted to do something completely different. Rather than a sprawling ongoing, do something smaller, intimate, self-contained and really pure,” said Gillen. “So, in the middle of the covid lockdowns, I was left alone with my cats, staring at them, and them staring at me, and thinking about the miracle of relationships between beings of completely different kinds of intelligences, and the wonder of the jump across that gap. The image of the feral girl in the devastation and the giants came quickly after that, and we were away. People will fall in love and have their hearts broken—the full Hans/Gillen experience. Despite the post-apocalypse setting the story has an almost weird-fable kind of vibe, and ends up basically as a conversation between The Walking Dead and The Iron Giant. Basically, We Called Them Giants is the story of communication across a chasm at the end of the world. Folks have seen what Stephanie does on a month-by-month rush on an ongoing comic. Here, it's a thrill to see her luxuriate—creating this single long story, and being able to shape the whole thing into a poignant, romantic, devastating single canvas." We Called Them Giants follows main character Lori, who wakes to find the streets empty. Everyone has gone. Or at least, nearly everyone. She’s thrown into a world where she has to scrape by in the ruins of civilization, nearly starving, hiding from gangs when… They arrive. Hans added: “As an Artist, it is always a joy to work on new challenges, especially when it is with such a great Writer. Kieron wrote an emotional story in which he let me go wild on designs. It’s a new, beautiful end of the world tale, a little bit epic, a bit nostalgic and a bit contemplative. It’s nothing like we did before. In all the best ways.” We Called Them Giants promises readers the poignant, romantic, and devastating story of a young girl who wakes up to find her world has turned upside down. "This book is nothing short of incredible," said Eric Stephenson, Publisher and Chief Creative Officer at Image Comics. "Kieron and Stephanie had already established themselves as one of comics’ premier creative teams, but they’re operating at a whole other level with We Called Them Giants." We Called Them Giants hardcover (ISBN: 978-1534387072) will be available at local comic book shops on Wednesday, October 30 and independent bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indigo, and Waterstones on Tuesday, November 12. We Called Them Giants will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

Following Krakoa’s fall, it’s a dangerous time to be a mutant in the Marvel Universe. Luckily, Cyclops will step up to lead a formidable new team in Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman’s X-MEN #1. Today, fans can see three new variant covers for the debut issue! In MacKay and Stegman’s X-MEN, mutant business is Cyclops’ business as the first X-Man makes it his mission to keep hope alive for the species—by any means necessary! Cyclops’ group includes some of his most trusted soldiers like Psylocke, Magik, and Beast, the brightest of the next generation including Kid Omega and Temper, along with powerhouses like Magneto and Juggernaut. Raising a flag of defiance at their new base in Alaska, everyone in the world will soon know that if they want to go after mutantkind, they’ll have to go through them first! X-MEN, the first of three flagship titles set in the X-Men’s From the Ashes era, will have new variant covers including a group shot by celebrated X-Men artist Tony Daniel, a character spotlight by J. Scott Campbell that will also be available as a virgin variant cover, and a hidden gem piece by the legendary George Pérez, whose iconic depiction of Beast during his time with the Avengers inspired Stegman’s own take on the character! Check out the covers and preorder X-MEN #1 at your local comic ship today!

Following blockbuster series launches—ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN, ULTIMATE BLACK PANTHER, and ULTIMATE X-MEN—the highly anticipated next title in Marvel’s new Ultimate Universe arrives this June: ULTIMATES! Directly spinning out of Jonathan Hickman’s foundation for the new Ultimate line, ULTIMATES will be written by Deniz Camp, known for his thought-provoking and socially relevant work on titles like Children of the Vault and 20th Century Men, and drawn by rising superstar Juan Frigeri, known for his acclaimed work on Invincible Iron Man. The series will introduce the all-new super hero team that will usher in the next wave of bold storytelling within the new Ultimate Universe. Months ago, Tony Stark sent Peter Parker a radioactive spider to set him back on the course to become Spider-Man. Since then, Iron Lad (Stark), Captain America, Doom, Thor, and Sif have begun to do the same for other lost heroes, building a network of super-powered heroes hungry for change… Over two years, they must band together to destroy the Maker’s Council and restore freedom and free will to a world ruled from the shadows. Fans can see their opening efforts in the all-new ULTIMATES #1 trailer, featuring never-before-seen artwork from both ULTIMATES #1 and FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2024: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN/ULTIMATE UNIVERSE #1. "The new Ultimates line is the most exciting super hero comics event in years, and it’s humbling to be a part of it!" Camp shared. “We are reinventing these classic characters and archetypes to be as surprising and vital as when they were first introduced. Our Ultimates is an evolution not just of the Avengers, but of the whole super hero team concept; from the grand and operatic to the small and personal, THE ULTIMATES will feel like no Avengers or Ultimates comic ever before! That's our ambition, anyway; tune in to find out if we succeed.“ In 2002, Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch’s mega influential ULTIMATES series revolutionized the super hero epic, and its impact is still felt today! Now, 20 years later, Camp and Frigeri return the ULTIMATES to greatness with a modern take for a new world and a new generation of readers! The time has come for an ULTIMATE plan of action! Check out the trailer and preorder ULTIMATES #1 at your local comic shop today!

New York Times bestselling writer C.S. Pacat and lauded artist Johanna the Mad return to the high stakes world of Fence with FENCE CHALLENGERS: LONG SHOT, the next chapter in the Fence saga. The Kings Row fencers are fresh off of Halverton Training Camp and ready for State Championships, bringing with them the burden and blessing of a brand-new reputation as the underdog champions. As attraction rises between Nicholas and Seiji, the team will face old training rivals in their first match, but MacRob has a secret strategy that turns the tide… “The State championship begins! Everything the boys of Fence have fought for is on the line. Get ready for some epic showdowns–this is my favorite volume yet!” said bestselling author C.S. Pacat. “Kings Row heads on to a new challenge and they will need a lot more than just skill!” said series artist Johanna the Mad. “I hope readers enjoy diving into this new chapter as much as we do creating it!” FENCE CHALLENGERS: LONG SHOT #1 will be available in comic shops July 24, 2024. It is available for pre-order at your local comic shop. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including Kindle, iBooks, and Google Play. FENCE CHALLENGERS: LONG SHOT is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ award-winning BOOM! Box imprint, home to groundbreaking original series such as Lumberjanes by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Gus Allen, and ND Stevenson; Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera and Celia Moscote; Giant Days by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Max Sarin; Mamo by Sas Milledge; Save Yourself! by Bones Leopard and Kelly and Nichole Matthews; Specter Inspectors by Bowen McCurdy and Kaitlyn Musto; The Last Witch by Conor McCreery and V.V. Glass; Ghosted in LA by Sina Grace and Siobhan Keenan; The Avant-Guards by Carly Usdin and Noah Hayes; Fence by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad; Goldie Vance by Hope Larson and Brittney Williams; Hollow by Shannon Watters, Branden Boyer-White, and Berenice Nelle; Getting Dizzy by Shea Fontana and Celia Moscote; and the educational series Seen: True Stories of Marginalized Trailblazers.