DF Interview: Chrissy Williams examines older women sewing, baking and fighting to the death in ‘Golden Rage’

By Byron Brewer

In a world where older women who've been deemed useless to society are abandoned on an island, Golden Rage documents their golden years of making friends, baking dessert, and fighting to the death.

Created by writer Chrissy Williams (editor of DIE, The Wicked + The Divine), artist Lauren Knight (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), and colorist Sofie Dodgson (Bitter Root, Tank Girl), Golden Rage is a brand-new five-issue miniseries where Battle Royale meets The Golden Girls!

After that build-up, I could not wait to chat with scribe Chrissy Williams.


Byron Brewer: Chrissy, as a writer and editor myself, it always does me good to see an editor finally getting the chance to shine with Golden Rage. “Battle Royale meets Golden Girls”, eh? I don’t know why, but sounds like my late mom would sure love this! Tell readers about the inspiration and genesis of this book you are so enthusiastic (also does me good to see) about.



Chrissy Williams: So, Golden Rage looks at a group of older women who have been deemed useless to society and abandoned on an island to fight to the death, whilst making friends and dessert. The idea originally sprang from watching Mad Max: Fury Road. That scene where we meet all the badass older women in the desert, all so perfectly capable and tough? I remember feeling really moved in that moment, just to see those characters on screen at all. We are so rarely shown older women who are tough and capable, and I wanted them to be my protagonists and celebrate them as heroes.

I’ve always looked to older women as role models – Angela Lansbury is still working now at 96. 96! Anyway, the idea of older women being exiled and forced to live together sprang from that – and the two touchstones of Battle Royale and The Golden Girls came together quite naturally in my head as a result. I’m so sorry to hear about your mother – that’s rough. I’m glad to hear she would love the idea of Golden Rage. I hope my mother likes it.


Byron: Take us into the world you and artist Lauren Knight are building for this mini-series.



Chrissy Williams: Lauren and I have talked a lot about what happened on the mainland to bring the women to the island. We’ve talked about what kind of horrific fascist society would tell its children that old women are weak and useless. The worrying thing is that I don’t think that society is a distant dystopia, but only a (hopefully) slightly exaggerated version of our own reality. Golden Rage doesn’t care about that fascist society though. It is a comic explicitly focused on the women themselves and their island existence. They get to make the rules up for themselves – we see how they live, how they fight, and how they survive.



Byron: Introduce readers to some of your prime protagonists, spotlighting who they are and a bit about their natures.



Chrissy Williams: One of the first old women we meet is Rosie. She’s Italian, and incredibly physically strong. She’s terse and blunt and takes no sh*t. She’d make a great wartime consigliere. Rosie lives in an abandoned lighthouse with two other women, Lottie and Caroline. Lottie is…less strong. She frets about cats and chickens and wants to make sure everyone is dressed warmly enough. Caroline is a creative writing teacher who wishes there were more books on the island, and she makes fun of the chicken-obsessed Lottie. Then we have Jay. Jay is only in her thirties, and she’s only just been sent to the island to join all these older women. But why…?



Byron: What else can you tell us about the island? Are there more than one of these extant?



Chrissy Williams: That is an excellent question I’m hoping we’ll explore more in the future! Other islands would surely bring their own unique challenges and constraints. Imagine being trapped on an island surrounded by bears, for example. This particular island has a rugged North Atlantic vibe, but it’s good that we’re seeing it in the summer. The women have a very different fight for survival come winter…



Byron: Any other inhabitants on the island outside the “golden warriors”?



Chrissy Williams: There are lots of inhabitants on the island, and we explore a few of the various gangs. Different groups settle in different areas and have different challenges based on whether they’ve living in a lighthouse, a cave, or some other kind of structure. These women have had to build their society here for many many years, so all sorts of interesting behaviors and beliefs have developed. We look at life and death, but what else is there? Is there room for art in a survivalist society? Can you have a nice bath there? What about a tasty piece of cake?



Byron: It’s a comic, so it begs the question: Is there any manipulative behind-the-scenes big-bad lurking? If so, can we get a clue or two other than “buy the book”? (LOL)



Chrissy Williams: Well, the biggest-bad is obviously the mainland and its underlying threat is felt throughout. I want to say the ageism and sexism in this society has been instituted by the menfolk, but I imagine that many women would have participated willingly in the denigration of older women, conditioned by the society they were raised in. Societal conditioning doesn’t make for a super-fun villain, though, so of course we focus more on the island women themselves. There is a constant fight for supplies and survival, which makes it inevitable that different factions develop, based on strength, intelligence, and other skillsets. Sometimes these different groups of women can coexist peacefully. And then sometimes a woman comes along who thinks she should get more than everyone else.



Byron: Talk about your collaboration with Lauren on Golden Rage.



Chrissy Williams: Working with Lauren has been brilliant. It’s her first full series as an artist, and my first full series as a writer, so we’ve been learning how to make it work together. Obviously I’ve brought in my previous experiences working as an editor on series like DIE and The Wicked + The Divine, but being able to make all the final creative decisions ourselves has been really exciting. There’s so much of our own personalities wrapped up in the book. Lauren has a great eye for horror, and I think some of the comic’s best moments come from seeing her dark art juxtaposed with humor in the text. I honestly can’t wait for people to see this strange little world we’ve created.



Byron: Chrissy, as a creator or as an editor, tell readers as you can about some projects ready to come out or that you are working on.



Chrissy Williams: Well, we just sent the DIE hardcover to press, which is very exciting. That’s all four series of Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans’ comic in one gorgeous volume. It’ll be out at the start of November. The Poetry Comics anthology I co-edited is out in PDF form now, from the publisher Sidekick Books. I’m also a poet, and my latest collection LOW is available in the UK and U.S. It includes a lot of poems about clowns and drag queens.

Dynamic Forces would like to thank Chrissy Williams for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer our questions. Golden Rage #1 from Image Comics is slated to be on sale August 3rd!

For more news and up-to-date announcements, join us here at Dynamic Forces, www.dynamicforces.com/htmlfiles/, “LIKE” us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/dynamicforcesinc, and follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/dynamicforces.

Let the Exquisite Corpses game begin… The twelfth and final hired killer, The Lone Gunman, was revealed yesterday, exclusively at ComicBook. Now all 12 of the hired killers will hit the small town of Oak Valley, Maine, for this year’s bloody battle royale as fans speculate on who will be the last one standing after the gore hits.

Tiny Onion and Image Comics’ Exquisite Corpses—crafted by masterminds James Tynion IV (The Deviant, The Department of Truth), Michael Walsh (Universal Monsters: Frankenstein, The Silver Coin), and the “Corpse Crew” of creators—launches with the first issue hitting shelves next Wednesday, May 14, followed by the kickoff of the Corpse Tour ’25 at Revenge Of next Friday, May 16, with a Halloween-themed bash.

Exquisite Corpses will launch as an initial 13-issue story arc, but will expand with additional stories in the future. There will also be a companion trading card game launching soon, and fans can start collecting killer cards early with ones exclusively found in polybagged Cover C variants of each issue. 

In Exquisite Corpses, every five years on Halloween, the wealthiest families in America play a game. Twelve of the deadliest people in the world are dropped into a small town with just one goal: the last killer standing wins. For the citizens of Oak Valley, Maine—this year's unlucky arena—the goal is much simpler. They must survive the night. 

The series uniquely came together in a writers’ room led by Tynion IV and Walsh and made up of “Corpse Crew” comics superstars Adam Gorham (Hellhunters), Becca Carey (Absolute Wonder Woman), Che Grayson (Dark Spaces: Good Deeds), Claire Roe (Dark Spaces: The Hollywood Special), Gavin Fullerton (The Closet), Jordie Bellaire (Redlands), Marianna Ignazzi (Catwoman), Pornsak Pichetshote (The Good Asian), Tyler Boss (You’ll Do Bad Things), and Valentine De Landro (Bitch Planet). Each issue of the series will build upon the last in a true 'exquisite corpse' game style, with a passing of the baton, from creator-to-creator, to unfold the story in a collaborative and competitive fashion.

The first round of hitters was previously revealed, and now a new contingency of cold-blooded killers are entering the game to fill out the roster. In the spirit of March Madness, each issue of Exquisite Corpses will feature playoff brackets that track the in-world competition—and readers will be able to play along at home, guessing who they think will live, who will die, and who will ultimately win the game. 
 
The Lone Gunman is a tall, dark, and mysterious player who never misses his mark. Here’s his official description from the confidential game dossier files:
 
MASSACHUSETTS selects LONE GUNMAN to wield THE GUN. Kill Count: REDACTED, Height: 6' 3”. Highly trained and highly dangerous, LONE GUNMAN puts years of combat training to use as he efficiently dispatches his opponents—or any collateral damage who get in the way. Dishonorably discharged for battlefield atrocities now sealed in government records, LONE GUNMAN'S penchant for excessive violence has become a benefit, not a hindrance, to his performance in this tournament…

"Lone Gunman is the embodiment of the Exquisite Corpses competition, in many ways," said Tynion. "This smirking, ornate mask being handed down generation to generation, turning tributes into faceless killing machines at the whims of the oligarchs...Tough to get much scarier than that."

Lone Gunman joins the ranks of these already revealed killers:
LEOPOLD STRONG:
NORTH CAROLINA selects LEOPOLD STRONG to wield THE HAMMER. Kill Count: 23. Height: 6' 5". Some killers might be afraid that an opponent could steal their signature weapon, but not LEOPOLD STRONG. He alone is strong enough to heft the massive mallet that he wields to pound flesh and bone into so much bloodied paste. It's unknown if he truly comes from the circus or merely likes the theatricality of the look, but what is clear is that LEOPOLD STRONG is easily the most physically imposing murderer in this year's games. Heave ho!
 
RECLUSE:
RHODE ISLAND selects RECLUSE to wield THE ROPE. Kill Count: 64. Height: 5' 10". An artist with wires and ropes, RECLUSE sets her own field of battle, drawing opponents into traps from which few leave intact. Though she's deadly on the move with a garrote in hand, RECLUSE prefers a patient approach, lying in wait until her razor-wires snare her opponents. Some say her love of ropes borders on fetishism, but few get close enough to find out the truth.
 
FOX MASK KILLER:
NEW YORK selects FOX MASK KILLER to wield THE SWORD. Kill Count: 87. Height: 5' l". Among killers-for-hire, there are a select few feared even by other assassins. The enigmatic swordswoman known as FOX MASK KILLER is at the top of that list, having achieved a reputation for completing her jobs with ruthless efficiency--and for chasing increasingly challenging targets. Whether she sees the tournament as just another paycheck, or a chance to push herself past her limits, remains to be seen.
 
PRETTY BOY:
GEORGIA selects PRETTY BOY to wield THE AXE. Kill Count: 36. Height: 6' 2". Despite what Hollywood tries to sell the masses, most serial killers are charmless, asocial monsters. Most, anyway. PRETTY BOY, on the other hand, could kill with a wink and a flash of his pearly whites. He prefers an axe, though. Like many a heartthrob, PRETTY BOY takes out his pent-up rage through wanton violence, splattering his six-pack abs with gore with every swing of the axe. He has the honor of wielding the weapon that won the very first game ever conducted, but the significance is lost on him--he's just here to look good and get bloody.
 
 LADY CAROLINA:
SOUTH CAROLINA selects LADY CAROLINA to wield THE ARROW. Kill Count: 7 Height: 5' 8". No one from the patron families enters the games themselves. It is simply unheard of. So when LADY CAROLINA stepped foot inside the arena, the other families were aghast. She comes from noble stock and received the best training their money could buy, but it still feels like a transgression. Is she simply seeking a death-defying thrill? Or does she have a more personal reason for aiming her crossbow at this year's set of killers…
 
THE CONGREGATION:
NEW HAMPSHIRE selects THE CONGREGATION to wield THE KNIFE. Kill Count: 39. Height: 6' 0". The only killer in the game to turn down a fee from his patron family, THE CONGREGATION feels that taking a life is a higher calling--a monk-like tribute to whatever dark gods whisper in his ears. And while he's almost certainly a raving lunatic (you'd have to be, to cover yourself in the sliced-off faces of your victims), THE CONGREGATION'S knife has brought many offerings to his altar, and will no doubt bring many more still before his prayers are finished.
 
RASCAL RANDY:
NEW JERSEY selects RASCAL RANDY to wield THE HANDS. Kill Count: 19. Height: 5' 11". There is a man inside the RASCAL RANDY costume, but that man doesn't matter. That man has never mattered. He was no one until he put the mascot head on for the first time, until he felt the life leave someone's body through the thickly furred gloves of the suit. The man inside the suit will wear any disguise if necessary, but his true skin is RASCAL RANDY, and god help anyone who sees him coming toward them on a dark night.
 
LAYLA BLAZE:
DELAWARE selects LAYLA BLAZE to wield FIRE. Kill Count: 335. Height: 5' 3". They say some people just want to see the world burn, but LAYLA BLAZE will settle for seeing anything go up in flames. It's unclear if the burn marks that criss-cross her body are the results of fires that got out of control...or LAYLA BLAZE running out of any other kindling. All that can be said for sure is that she burns hot in life, love, and the act of killing, and leaves only ashes in her wake.
 
SLATER:
MARYLAND selects SLATER to wield EXPLOSIVES. Kill Count: 124. Height: 5' 10". Tick...tick...BOOM! The hot young thing known as SLATER has never had a problem attracting attention, but his entourages have a habit of blowing up—as does anything else in his vicinity. Under the right circumstances, SLATER might have channeled his fascinations with pyrotechnics into something productive—instead, he's just a walking powderkeg.
 
NURSE PETE:
VIRGINIA selects NURSE PETE to wield POISON. Kill Count: ???. Height: 5' 6". No one would guess that the unassuming, schlubby NURSE PETE had a body count approaching three figures, and that's just how he likes it. A compulsive killer who endlessly tweaks his deadly cocktails of paralyzing narcotics and tests them on patients around the country, NURSE PETE is usually content to slip from hospital to nursing home to pediatric ward, changing identities just in time to avoid being noticed. But the sum offered to him for joining this game would pay for oh so many tantalizing new chemical components...
 
G4M3R_KlD & CALVIN:
CONNECTICUT selects G4M3R_KlD to wield ELECTRICITY. Kill Count: 9. Height: 4' 0". Aww, c'mon—you wouldn't hurt a little kid, would you? A product of the iPad generation, weaned on slur-filled gaming lobbies, G4M3R_KlD has no business being anywhere near an event like this, but he's so desensitized to violence that he has no qualms piloting CALVIN, his heavily armed drone, and aiming it at any target in sight. Kill counts are just high scores to this tyke, and he wants to see his name on the leaderboard.

Exquisite Corpses #1 will be a triple-length debut issue, featuring 60 pages of story content for just $4.99, and will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, May 14. The Cover C variant not only features the extra-length issue, but also an exclusive Exquisite Corpses: The Game killer card within a protective polybag for $6.99.Cover A by Walsh – Lunar Code 0325IM247Cover B by James Stokoe – Lunar Code 0325IM248Cover C by Walsh (polybagged with game card) – Lunar Code 0325IM249Cover D blank sketch cover – Lunar Code 0325IM250Cover E "stealth variant" by Jenny Frison – Lunar Code 0325IM251Cover F 1:25 copy incentive by Alex Eckman-Lawn – Lunar Code 0325IM252Cover G 1:50 copy incentive by Nimit Malavia – Lunar Code 0325IM253Cover H 1:100 copy incentive by Jae Lee & June Chung – Lunar Code 0325IM254Exquisite Corpses #2 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, June 18 (Final Order Cutoff deadline for retailers is May 26):Cover A by Walsh – Lunar Code 0425IM328Cover B by Marianna Ignazzi – Lunar Code 0425IM329Cover C by Walsh (polybagged with Killer card) – Lunar Code 0425IM330Cover D "stealth variant" by [to be revealed] – Lunar Code 0425IM331Cover E 1:25 copy incentive by Riley Rossmo – Lunar Code 0425IM332Cover F 1:50 copy incentive by Martin Simmonds – Lunar Code 0425IM333Exquisite Corpses #3 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 23 (Final Order Cutoff deadline for retailers is June 30):Cover A by Walsh – Lunar Code 0525IM344Cover B by Valentine De Landro – Lunar Code 0525IM345Cover C by Walsh (polybagged with Killer card) – Lunar Code 0525IM346Cover D "stealth variant" by [to be revealed] – Lunar Code 0525IM347Cover E 1:25 copy incentive by Ricardo Lopez Ortiz – Lunar Code 0525IM348Cover F 1:50 copy incentive by Joshua Hixson – Lunar Code 0525IM349Exquisite Corpses will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

This September, Marvel Comics marks the 30th anniversary of Age of Apocalypse, a groundbreaking X-Men storyline, with X-MEN OF APOCALYPSE, an all-new six-part event series by legendary writer Jeph Loeb, one of the creators behind the original Age of Apocalypse, and, in his first series since returning to Marvel earlier this year, Eisner nominated artist Simone Di Meo.

Mirroring the first Age of Apocalypse saga, X-MEN OF APOCALYPSE will kick off in X-MEN OF APOCALYPSE ALPHA #1, continue through X-MEN OF APOCALYPSE #1-4 starting in November, and conclude in X-MEN OF APOCALYPSE OMEGA #1. A prelude to the event will be featured in Giant-Size Age of Apocalypse #1 next month, where Loeb and Di Meo team up for the one-shot’s special Revelations Backup story.

THE X-MEN OF APOCALYPSE CRASH INTO THE MAIN MARVEL UNIVERSE! A dystopian future created when Charles Xavier was killed, AGE OF APOCALYPSE is home to a wartorn group of X-Men led by Magneto. In order to free their Earth from Apocalypse’s cruel reign, they were willing to sacrifice their very existence—or so they thought! The main timeline was restored, Apocalypse was defeated, but their world lived on!

Taking place in the direct aftermath of the original crossover’s explosive finale, X-MEN OF APOCALYPSE reignites the mission of this iconic reality’s X-Men as they journey here to ensure their universe’s survival. This desperate mission will take them into the main Marvel Universe, where they will come into conflict with their classic counterparts, forever impacting both team’s destinies!

“Thirty years ago, THE X-MEN OF APOCALYPSE took the comics world by storm and I was lucky enough to be part of it,” Loeb shared. “There were new characters! New designs! Heroes who were villains and villains who were heroes! Now, for the 30th anniversary, an all-new, all-different story with spectacular art by Simone Di Meo brings us to this uncanny team that shouldn't even exist -- and they are coming here! Join Gambit, Sabretooth & Wild Child, Blink, Forge and Morph and more as they try to save one universe without dooming another!”

"Working with a legend like Jeph is really exciting,” Di Meo said. “I've known his work for years along with the great impact it’s had on this industry and I'm really honored. Beyond that, I've really found a friend and someone who’s passionate about his work so it's really nice to work with him, Marvel and Tom [Brevoort] together day by day trying to build the best book of my career.

"Being able to touch a legendary story like Age of Apocalypse is unexpected for me, that event has an important place in Marvel history, and being able to enter it and give my own take is absolutely incredible. I'm giving my all to make all the readers happy, from the longtime fans who loved the event in the ‘90s and the new ones who I hope can become just as passionate about it. I’m excited and nervous at the same time!"

Check out the main cover for X-MEN OF APOCALYPSE ALPHA #1 by Simone Di Meo along with a first look at interior artwork and stay tuned for more news about the series in the weeks ahead, including exciting variant cover reveals.

As the summer heats up in August, Dynamite Entertainment is bringing the heat too with a thrilling third entry in the newly established paperback line of the much-sought Vampirella Archives.

Vampirella Archives Volume Three collects issues #15-21 of the Vampirella, the Daughter of Drakulon's first ever ongoing magazine anthology series released at the time by Warren Publishing. This third volume covers the entire stretch of issues released in the year 1972.


The second volume featured beloved creator and editor Archie Goodwin taking the reins and rapidly revitalizing the lore of the titular vampiress, establishing a tradition for nearly every issue of the mag to feature a chapter in her ongoing adventures. Fans will get a taste of the era's most iconic Vampi illustrator Jose Gonzalez in that book, and now in this third book every single solo story of the Drakulonian dame features his stunning work.

In addition to Goodwin and Gonzalez, Volume Three also features the run on the character by T. Casey Brennan, across issues #17-21. His final chapter is co-written by the legendary Steve Englehart, whose brief run continues in the forthcoming fourth book, acclaimed for his tenures on titles like Avengers, Defenders, Captain America, Doctor Strange, Batman in Detective Comics, and many more.

Front and central for Vampi's tales in this entry are her encounters with the deadly Dracula. Featured in the future by top creators like Kurt Busiek, James Robinson, and Christopher Priest, this is where the two first crossed paths! For Vampirella fans, the editorial feature from #19 is indispensable for diving into the behind the scenes of how the character was created.

Another big draw for this edition is its inclusion of almost all the chapters of Spanish genius Esteban Maroto's Tomb of the Gods feature. His artwork is absolutely jaw-dropping, and he would continue to be a key contributor to the magazine, and eventually drawing some of Vampi's own stories, like the pivotal first appearance of the Blood Red Queen of Hearts in #49.

Other luminaries with writing and artwork featured within these issues include Doug Moench (Moon Knight, Batman), Jose Bea, Don McGregor (Black Panther), Richard Corben (Den), Pat Boyette (The Phantom, Peacemaker), Luis Garcia, Jan Strnad (Sword of the Atom), Steve Skeates (Aquaman, Hawk and Dove), Greg Potter (Wonder Woman), and more. All wrapped under included covers by Sanjulian, Enrich Torres, and Luis Dominguez.

These paperback printings of the comprehensive archival reprints of Vampirella's first decade-plus-spanning title are set to release every two months, working towards the 15 volume final set. They are printed at magazine dimensions to match the original format. Stories are primarily in black and white.






Visit www.dynamite.com for more news and information.

The ThunderCats comic book saga raises the stakes — and the swords — this May with the start of the fabulous fourth story arc of the flagship series, from Dynamite Entertainment and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products.

Tireless talents Declan Shalvey (Mystique, The Terminator) and Drew Moss (Gargoyles: Dark Ages) pull out all the stops starting in ThunderCats #16 with a series of Third Earth-shattering revelations and a major level up for the titular feline warriors. In the preceding storyline, the 'Cats were met with both significant discovery and tragic loss.

“The first year of bringing ThunderCats back to comics, to old fans and new, has been a thrilling experience," said writer Declan Shalvey. "It’s been a privilege for myself and Drew Moss to establish a new mythos for these characters in comics, and seeing it build out into new and exciting connected series like SilverHawks and ThunderCats Lost. Now the playing field for our series is bigger and bolder, our characters face greater challenges requiring a new innovation: The Knights of Thundera.”

Their traditional leader of Lion-O is missing in action, motivating Cheetara to step up and take the mantle. The mysterious new character to this series (first appearing in #2) Calica has returned. Tygra has crafted a new metal alloy christened Thundore and outfitted the team with armored suits, which Panthro now requires in order to walk following his injuries at the hands of Mumm-Ra. And when another unexpected character crashes the party in Bengali, last seen in companion series ThunderCats Lost, tensions flare.





In spite of all these curveballs and uncertainties, the ThunderCats begin a new era on their newfound home of Third Earth, establishing the Knights of Thundera, to be a more proactive security force hunting down and crippling their enemies. Each new knight is equipped with a fearsome new sword, all matched to their characterization and existing fighting styles and designed by Drew Moss, alongside their new armors.

With their offensive and defensive capabilities upgraded, that won't stop forces from continuing to clash and lay siege to them. The question remains, will this new incarnation of the team be able to deal with what comes next?

This next story arc and perfect opportunity to jump right into the franchise is complemented by a set of stunning covers from Shalvey and Moss, as well as Lucio Parrillo, Jae Lee, and Manix Abrera.





Visit www.dynamite.com for more news and information.

Runway Studios, the production and entertainment arm of AI company Runway, has released a six-minute pilot for “Mars & Siv: No Vacancy,” an animated series produced by the studio and created by Jeremy Higgins and Britton Korbel. Co-directors Higgins and Korbel will now be shopping the series to animation studios and streamers.

The comedic crime series will follow a detective and his partner, who is alien. Higgins describes it as a “satirical take on classic noir film set in a more futuristic setting.” Episodes are expects to be in the 11-20 minute range.

Higgins and Korbel related that the pilot was created with Runway tools, by roughly a dozen artists. “We kind of made use of their tools in as many different ways as possible throughout the process,” Higgins said. “We ourselves are very traditional animators, so we did everything from a base level by hand, and then we kind of used Runway and their tools (including its latest Gen-4 AI model) to assist with all of the steps in the process.” (via Variety)

L-R: Brendan Fraser, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Annie Murphy Elizabeth Hurley And Josh Gad

Brendan Fraser (The Whale), Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Annie Murphy (Schitt’s Creek), Elizabeth Hurley (The Royals) and Josh Gad (Frozen) will lead the voice cast for Tubi‘s new adult animated series Breaking Bear.

The series parodies the tropes of mobster dramas, comically combining elements of characters like Yogi Bear with series like The Sopranos. It hails from Julien Nitzberg (The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia), Evoke Entertainment (Creepshow, Twelve Forever, Day of the Dead) and Tom DeLonge’s To The Stars Media (Monsters of California, Unidentified).

Created by Nitzberg, Breaking Bear is billed as “a fur-flying, law-breaking, forest-saving rampage following a dysfunctional family of bears who go full criminal to stop frackers, mobsters, and a psychotic wolf pack from destroying their home. As they spiral deeper into the criminal abyss, they face off against biker gangs, an egomaniacal news anchor, and their own spectacular talent for self-sabotage.” (via Deadline)

In March, Marvel Comics announced that a new era of THUNDERBOLTS was coming this June by writer Sam Humphries (Uncanny X-Force) and artist Ton Lima (West Coast Avengers). Now, a startling truth is revealed—in classic Thunderbolts fashion, this latest iteration aren’t at all what they seem! They’re the NEW AVENGERS!

Since their debut as a team of disguised supervillains, the Thunderbolts have become synonymous with unpredictable twists and unconventional rosters. This legacy continues with a surprise—and first-of-its-kind—comic book title change that echoes the jaw-dropping twist in Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*, now in theaters, while introducing an entirely new—and shocking—team of heroes!

THE WINTER SOLDIER. BLACK WIDOW. EDDIE BROCK, CARNAGE. THE HULK. NAMOR. CLEA. WOLVERINE. It’s a group of the most dangerous loners and antiheroes in the Marvel Universe, and yet they’ll come together as the NEW AVENGERS! In classic Avengers fashion, they’ll assemble to take on a threat too big for any one hero to combat—corrupt clones of the Illuminati! And in the spirit of Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch decade-defining New Avengers run, this radical lineup will usher in a revolutionary new era of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!

Elated to finally talk about the secret change, Humphries said, "Plot twist--it's been NEW AVENGERS all along! I promised surprises, and this is the first of many. It's a thrill and an honor to continue the grand New Avengers tradition of team dynamics that are as explosive as the threats. And this era has two combustible teams: the New Avengers and the Killuminati!"

Check out the covers, including a homage to David Finch’s iconic New Avengers #1 cover by Whilce Portacio, newly revealed character variants by Derrick Chew, Ejikure and Woo-Chul Lee and the first of three Marvel Studios Variant Covers. Featured on the first three issues of the series, the Marvel Studios Variant Covers spotlight original character designs by Marvel Studios' Director of Visual Development Andy Park for the Thunderbolts* film. Preorder NEW AVENGERS #1 at your local comic shop today and stay tuned for news about the series later this week!

The first teaser trailer for Peacemaker Season 2 has arrived, confirming John Cena’s Christopher Smith and the 11th Street Kids are hurtling back into action.

This electrifying new look immediately showcases the return of the beloved main cast from the hit first season, including Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo and Freddie Stroma as the irrepressible Vigilante. More significantly, the footage establishes a dangerous new adversary in Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr., who is seen spearheading an operation to bring Peacemaker in.

Finally, the teaser signals that the upcoming season will see the team facing their continuing struggle for acceptance in a world still skeptical of their heroism, despite their previous world-saving efforts.

Season 2 of Peacemaker premieres Thursday, August 21st, on Max, soon after Superman flies into theaters on July 11th. (via ComicBook.com)

Teaser: https://twitter.com/i/status/1920014928427040927

Jar Jar Binks will make his Disney+ return later this year. The bumbling Gungan-turned-galactic senator has long drawn the ire of Star Wars fans; however, a reversal in sentiment surrounding the Phantom Menace character has started to slowly make waves among the Star Wars faithful.

Jar Jar Binks will return to the galaxy far, far away later this year, popping up in the upcoming LEGO Star Wars Rebuild the Galaxy: Pieces of the Past. Played once again by Ahmed Best, the infamous prequels character is set to play a significant role in the four-part LEGO Star Wars streaming special, which will debut on Disney+ on September 19, 2025.

Binks' inclusion in Pieces of the Past was officially confirmed by showrunners Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit in a conversation with StarWars.com, saying that the special will explore "what's next" for several characters, including Jar Jar Binks.

Jar Jar was a key part of the first Pieces of the Past special, showing up on the scene as the long-memed Darth Jar Jar (a multiversal version of the character fans have speculated was secretly the mastermind behind the fall of the Republic). (via The Direct)

A long-standing scheme involving Marvel’s greatest supervillains is uncovered this June in BRING ON THE BAD GUYS, a new seven-part saga celebrating the nearly 50 year legacy of the groundbreaking BRING ON THE BAD GUYS trade paperback. The event begins this June in BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: DOOM #1 by Emmy Award-winning writer Marc Guggenheim and acclaimed artist Stefano Raffaele and continues in July with BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: GREEN GOBLIN #1, BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: ABOMINATION #1, and BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: LOKI #1, each delivered by all-star creative teams. Today, fans can learn about the event’s final three chapters, on sale in August: BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: RED SKULL #1, BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: DORMAMMU #1, and BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: MEPHISTO #1, which sees Guggenheim return to deliver the event’s fiery conclusion alongside artist Álvaro López. In addition to writing the first and last installments, Guggenheim will team up with artist Michael Sta. Maria for a backup story in each issue shedding light on Mephisto’s overarching scheme and the mysterious new villain SISTER SORROW!

Acclaimed writer and military-history buff Stephanie Phillips and moody, dynamic artist Tomasso Bianchi dive deep into their dark sides in BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: RED SKULL #1! Witness Red Skull at his most sinister in a story from his ruthless past during the dark days of World War II along with the horrible future that awaits Captain America as a result, thanks to a deal with the devil himself!

Then, join acclaimed creators, writer Alex Paknadel and artist Javier Pina, as they dare to test the dread Dormammu in BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: DORMAMMU #1! The saga takes a mind-bending turn as Dormammu is drawn into a battle across generations and the arcane horrors of the Dark Dimension come to vivid life as you’ve never seen them before! But what could possibly move Dormammu to help anyone seeking his aid?

Finally, all seven villains’ paths collide in the grand finale, BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: MEPHISTO #1 by event architect Marc Guggenheim and artist Álvaro López. Victory is in Mephisto’s grasp as he prepares to take control over all souls on Earth! But who is the mysterious figure who stands against him?

“Marvel broke the mold with supervillains, pushing them past the archetypical to the complex and some even morally gray but still to be feared,” Editor Mark Paniccia added. “Each of these one-shots are an opportunity for fans to see what makes these villains some of the most dangerous characters in the Marvel Universe.”