DF Interview: Patrick Kindlon brings readers a fast-paced, sort-of sequel to ‘Frontiersman’ in new ongoing ‘Antioch’

By Byron Brewer

A king from a lost continent enters the world of man with a purpose: to stop us from killing the planet. But when he finds himself in a superhuman prison, his title is useless and his powers only matter if they help him survive!

Frontiersman creators writer Patrick Kindlon and artist Marco Ferrari pick up where that series left off with an all-new ongoing series in Antioch! Having been there at the beginning of Frontiersman, I jumped on this train quickly and chatted with scribe Patrick Kindlon.


Byron Brewer: Patrick, how does it feel to be teamed again with artist Marco Ferrari and on a direct continuation of a story began in your fan-fave book, Frontiersman?



Patrick Kindlon: Feels right. Marco and I are perfectly in sync. He's always been highly intuitive and really capable of pulling the most from any page, but I feel like he's operating on a new level with this series. I tend to judge books on how locked-in to their own rhythm a creative team is, and I give us high marks on Antioch! I know some readers don't like a cocky creator, and I get it. But I'd just be lying if I tried to downplay how strong this book is. Pick up anything superhero-related on the shelves and do a side-by-side. I'm feeling confident we'll come out on top.



Byron: For the uninitiated, can you bring us up to speed on what went on in Frontiersman. For the “new” readers, is it necessary to have read Frontiersman to enjoy Antioch?



Patrick Kindlon: Sure. So Frontiersman saw the title character lured out of retirement for what he thought would be a low-impact bit of protest against a logging company. It had been years since he did anything heroic and this felt right. But having his location known to the world brought out friends, lovers, and enemies from his past. So he's stuck, 150 feet up a tree, with what feels like the world coming to beat the snot out of him. But, as it turns out, he missed exactly that feeling!

New readers can enter Antioch without penalty. We try hard to make single issues full reading experiences, so you can be sure that any series we do can stand alone. I'd say Frontiersman is a bit more thoughtful, pulling a lot from Concrete and the Grell-era Green Arrow. While Antioch is action-heavy and big on set pieces. So pick your poison, but I think anyone who enjoys one will enjoy the other.


Byron: Tell us about this world you continue to build with Marco.



Patrick Kindlon: Ever read something or watch something and say, "I think I could do a better job"? After decades of reading superhero comics, I started to feel that way. No disrespect to anyone, but I just couldn't shake the idea that superhero books had gone in a direction that wasn't fulfilling. Maybe that's a natural byproduct of the two major purveyors of the genre being corporate-owned. It's difficult to pivot and impossible to take risks when you're 'too big to fail.' So the question became, "what would we do differently?" We're agile, don't have the baggage, and aren't weighed down by any agenda.

Marco and I decided the only course of action was to express ourselves fully and let the chips land where they may. Our books have a lot of Marco's love of manga in them, which means pages read fast and there's never a boring angle. They also tend to have a lot of my 80s comics love in the mix. So characters tend to express the themes of the book during action sequences. My favorite comics are ones where a debate is taking place by virtue of the action on the page.


Byron: Introduce us to Antioch, apparently a solicit-described “anti-hero with a chip on his broad shoulders.” Tell us what you can about his life: where’s he been, where’s he going (in a hurry!). I know there is a reference in some articles about Antioch to anime OVAs but to me #1’s main cover screams 1990s Marvel Comics (later Image).



Patrick Kindlon: Antioch calls himself the 'Son of Pompeii' which is a bit of a tease on his origins. In some ways, he's the stereotypical headstrong and dismissive royal. Believes himself uniquely qualified to solve some of the planet's problems, though not for the benefit of mankind! The balance we have to strike is just how 'anti' is this anti-hero? Will he dip into villainy? Only time will tell!

We're not afraid of 90s comparisons. When you've got muscled-up heroes punching concrete into rubble, it's inevitable! But we're borrowing more from Japan than the U.S. creators this time around. Something the 90s did well both in the east and west was reaching maximum cool with every panel and shot. We're proudly 90s in that respect!


Byron: What other important characters may be in the book we need to know about? Can you spotlight a few here? Is there a particular big-bad or behind-the-scenes group involved in this tale?



Patrick Kindlon: I love a superhero-goes-to-prison story. As a kid, I think it was the Vault in Marvel Comics. I don't know why, but the details of life inside for superhumans is just compelling as hell for me. You take a guy who could melt steel or whatever and make him harmless. What a blow to the ego! Who are you when what makes you special has been stripped from you?

Nobody did superheroes in prison better than Brubaker and Lark with their Daredevil run. I'm borrowing liberally from their smart assertion that there's the 'big bad' inside, and then there's the BIG BAD that orchestrates your miseries from afar! In Antioch, we've got the immediate dangers in the shape of other inmates, but then there's the forces that make big decisions about how your life goes…


Byron: Can you give us an overview of the story, a spoiler-free summary?



Patrick Kindlon: Antioch wages war on an oil company he blames for polluting the oceans. And he does a pretty good job of kicking their butts. But he's losing in the public eye. Everyone thinks he's a madman and a terrorist. So he allows himself to be taken to jail in the hope of making his case in the courts. But first, he's got to survive his time incarcerated. And that oil company has long arms to reach him with and deep pockets to pay others to hurt him. He's locked up with Frontiersman, a hero of his. But there's some question on if Frontiersman returns that admiration or sees Antioch as most others do. Maybe going to jail wasn't a smart move after all!



Byron: Talk about the pulse-pounding art of Marco Ferrari and what he brings to the table here.



Patrick Kindlon: Marco is a beast. I know every writer is obliged to talk up their creative partners, but I sincerely believe Marco is one of the best in comics right now. He's always looking to maximize a page's potential and he's never cutting corners. He dies on every page and it pushes me to be a better writer. The action scenes in Antioch are getting compared to Ottley and I can see how readers would pull that. It's high-impact and every punch has weight. I'm also just impressed as hell by his cartooning in this series. He's really selling characters in a way I don't see very often in superhero comics. BIG personalities brought to life.



Byron: Patrick, tell readers about any upcoming projects you have that you may be allowed to mention.



Patrick Kindlon: Maurizo Rosenzweig and I are working in the Frontiersman universe in the pages of IMAGE! 30th ANNIVERSARY ANTHOLOGY, which is currently on shelves. Fantastic cartooning in that series! Eight-page chapters that kick you in the face every time.

I haven't revealed this yet, but there's a backup in Frontiersman that I'm over the moon about. Marco and I are trying to make our comics complete works. Total value for your money. No corners cut. So we've got a fantastic artist bringing a supporting character to life, four pages at a time. More on that soon!
Al Gofa and I recently completed a Kickstarter that I'm very excited to bring to life. It's a talking animal book that borrows equally from Dashiell Hammet and Total Recall. How's that for a pitch?
I was just asked to expand on an old project and take it in an... adult... direction. I'm pretty excited about that because I think the 'mature' comics label is misunderstood by many readers. People forget how much history there is there and how influential adult comics have been on the medium. Really excited to put my mark on that genre!


Dynamic Forces would like to thank Patrick Kindlon for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Antioch #1 from Image Comics is slated to be on sale September 7th!



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.

The Bluey-mania continues.The series’ first special, titled “The Sign,” made its Disney+ debut on April 14. After seven days of viewing, the episode drove 10.4M views globally, according to the streamer.In fact, the company says that’s the largest seven-day premiere audience for any Disney Junior episode — and any episode of Bluey — ever on Disney+.Disney+ rarely releases viewership figures, and this is the first time the streamer has done so for Bluey. However, the company did reveal Monday that it is consistently among the top five series on Disney+ by monthly views. (via Deadline)

The bickering duo of Marvel are at it again: The trailer for Deadpool and Wolverine dropped today, and finds Ryan Reynolds‘ Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine doing what they do best. “Hi peanut,” Deadpool says to a drowning-his-sorrows Wolverine. “I’m going to need you to come with me right now.” The trailer contains enough quips, fights, insults and R-rated verbiage to satisfy a universe, Marvel or otherwise. It's alll set to the tune of Madonna’s “Like A Prayer.” (via Deadline)

Trailer: https://youtu.be/cen0rBKLuYE

Dynamite and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products invite fans to pounce into the big new companion comic book series for the smash-hit ThunderCats mythos, as Cheetara rockets into her own title led by the stellar Soo Lee (Carmilla: The First Vampire).

In a historic first for the franchise, the fierce feline warrior famous for her lightning-fast speed is being showcased in a multi-issue story of her own. Writer/artist Soo Lee is joined by rising artist Domenico Carbone on ThunderCats: Cheetara, with the first issue releasing this July!

Before the founding of Third Earth, before the destruction of Thundera, Cheetara was a young woman with secrets. Now, for the first time, these secrets will be revealed. Wrapped in a stifling life of Thunderian nobility, she seeks to find her place in an unsure universe, and to understand why she's experiencing alarming visions of both the ancient past and the near future...

"There are some very cool things about Cheetara that have been overlooked in the original cartoon, things that I really want to make the center of her story," said writer Soo Lee. "She's also iconic and very strong, it makes sense she gets her own series. It's a look into one of the most important supporting characters.





The new era of ThunderCats comics have been blazing up the charts, with fans hotly anticipating each new issue in the flagship series by Declan Shalvey and Drew Moss. For the new series spotlighting Cheetara, Soo Lee has been following the title and collaborating with Shalvey, alongside some binging of the original show and fandom resources to guide her own tales. All that said, this is a separate series that fans can jump right into and not worry about tight chronology with the preceding ongoing.

Lee also contributes a stunning cover to the series in her style. She's joined by superstar Sozomaika, Lesley "Leirix" Li, Rebeca Puebla, and Edwin Galmon.

No matter how fast Cheetara can run, she can never outrun her own past!



THUNDERCATS: CHEETARA #1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ May 2024 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in July 2024. Comic book fans are encouraged to preorder copies of the book with their local comic book retailers. It will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, Dynamite Digital, ComicsPlus, and more!

Dynamite and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products are excited to announce sugar, spice, and everything nice! Three of the most powerful superheroes are back together for new comic stories starting this summer from a team of superstar creators in Kelly Thompson and Paulina Ganucheau!

Professor Utonium added a little extra to that famous recipe, when some Chemical X was thrown into the concoction. And lo, The Powerpuff Girls were born! Since that day, Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup have dedicated their lives to fighting evil in all its forms. Their awesome powers and teamwork tirelessly defend their idyllic city from the likes of petty criminals, marauding monsters, and diabolical super-villains alike.

They're sweet, they're petite, and they can't be beat! Eisner Award-winner Kelly Thompson is one of the biggest names in comics and she's the perfect match for this trio of fearless heroes. She is known for DC's critically acclaimed Birds of Prey, acclaimed runs on Captain Marvel, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Deadpool, and contributions to both Spider-Man and X-Men. Thompson has also knocked it out of the park on other franchises from television and animation like Jem and the Holograms and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

Taking the reins on artwork, Paulina Ganucheau is acclaimed for her brilliant "Adventures of Young Diana" feature in issues of DC's Wonder Woman. She's also contributed to titles like My Little Pony, Zodiac Starforce, and Rainbow Brite. The duo's shared grasp on superheroics and balancing their storytelling for diverse ages fits the Powerpuff Girls to a tee — topped off only by their passions for the franchise!

"I have to say, I am a very big fan of The Powerpuff Girls," said writer Kelly Thompson. "So much so that when I was young — just out of art school — I even wrote a few short stories and began to storyboard them in hopes I could get a job on the show! So this just feels… exactly right. I was over the moon to get the offer."

Artist Paulina Ganucheau added, "I grew up obsessed with them. Had my own PPG OC and everything. I was on a Powerpuff Girls oekaki board way back in the day where all we did was draw in that style. I remember calling into Cartoon Network for PPG merch giveaways even. So yeah, safe to say: very exciting!"

Editor Nate Cosby added, "I was like, y’know who’d write an unbelievably awesome Powerpuff Girls story? Probably Kelly “Eisner-Freaking-Award-Winner” Thompson. And then I was like, y’know what artist’d blow people’s minds drawing The Powerpuff Girls? Probably Paulina “Eventually-Will-Be-An-Eisner-Winner-Too” Ganucheau. And after seeing what KT/PG have cooked up, I can confirm that my “probably’s” have turned into “definitely’s.""

In talking about the series, Thompson made sure to emphasize that just like the show, this comic is aimed at both younger and older audiences. The comic is aiming to capture a magic mix of heart and fun, with clever self-awareness that makes it rewarding for everyone. While artistically, the show's iconic designs and popping colors translate perfectly to the comics page. Uniquely rare today in comics, stories will be done in one so fans can pick up any issue and enjoy!

Fans can of course look forward to seeing plenty of the titular super-trio, as well as their father Professor Utonium, the Mayor of Townsville, Miss Keane, and iconic villains like Mojo Jojo, HIM, Fuzzy Lumpkins, Sedusa, the Rowdyruff Boys, and perhaps even more as the series goes on!

Ganucheau delivers the lead cover, an eye-catching vision of the girls taking on several of their infamous foes. Thompson's Birds of Prey and Hawkeye collaborator Leonardo Romero contributes a cover. Two more from Karen S. Darboe and Nicoletta Baldari round out the colorful classics on the first issue.

Dynamite has even more surprises in store for this series that fans will not want to miss!



POWERPUFF GIRLS #1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ May 2024 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in July 2024. Comic book fans are encouraged to preorder copies of the book with their local comic book retailers. It will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, Dynamite Digital, ComicsPlus, and more!

One of my favorite scenes in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and yes, I liked the film, was when Hank Pym showed up with his ant friends to save the day. I’ve been a Hank Pym fan since I was a kid, never really happy with what comics did to him later on, but really liking Michael Douglas’ performance as the character. That was Hank’s hero moment, and I was all there for it. Douglas has since said that he would only return to the character if he was going to be killed off. Turns out, Douglas wanted that to happen in Quantumania. He was on The View promoting his new series Franklin and said: “[Getting killed off] actually was my request for the third one. I said I’d like to have a serious [death], with all these great special effects. There’s got to be some fantastic way where I can shrink to an ant size and explode, whatever it is. I want to use all those effects. But, that was on the last one. Now, I don’t think I’m going to show up [for a fourth].” It’s unclear what the future of the Ant-Man franchise will be with the poor performance of the most recent film, but Kevin Feige never forgets about characters, and you never know just where he might show up again if Douglas is willing.   

Skybound Entertainment is getting ahead of a potential scandal. The studio created by Robert Kirkman and home of titles like The Walking Dead and Invincible put out a statement this morning addressing concerns that they might be working with a North Korean company. They explain that there is an unconfirmed report of a cloud storage server connected to a North Korean IP address and that it contains an Invincible animation sketch. It was followed by an official statement that reads: “We do not work with North Korean companies, or any affiliated entities, and have no knowledge of any North Korean companies working on our animation. Our policies strictly prohibit any subcontracting to any third-party without our express prior written consent, which, in this case, was neither sought nor granted. We also mandate that all our service providers fully comply with all applicable rules and regulations and prohibit disclosures of materials by our service providers to third parties. Skybound Entertainment takes these allegations seriously and has initiated a thorough internal review to verify and rectify any potential issues. We have also notified the proper authorities and are cooperating with all appropriate bodies.” The sanctions on North Korea would prohibit Skybound from using animation studios based in North Korea, hence the company wanting to nip these rumors in the bud. 

This morning James Gunn posted a simple image to Threads and of course multiple articles were written about it. What did the writer/director of the upcoming Superman movie post to get this quick a reaction? The original Superman logo, the simple red “S” on the yellow badge that Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster first put on the early sketches of the character in 1936. It appeared in Action Comics #1 in 1938 but would change to a triangle shape with red borders quickly that same year. The logo changed a lot in the first few years and wouldn’t settle on the most recognized version until 1944. We already know that the logo for his Superman is going to be similar to the one created by Alex Ross for Kingdom Come but with yellow instead of black. Many of the articles posted try to figure out what Gunn is trying to say by the post. There’s no text with it, he just posted the first logo. It’s possible that Gunn isn’t trying to send a message with this anymore than he was with the picture he shared of his cat the day before. The people who follow these films and the websites that cover them are always looking for clues and Easter Eggs and that’s mainly because the people that produce these films love teasing their fans… but sometimes what Sigmund Freud said is true, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. 

When word came out that the upcoming Joker: Folie à Deux was going to be a “jukebox musical” a lot of fans of the original Todd Phillips film became nervous. The original 2019 Joker was extremely gritty and dark, so the idea of the sequel having the main characters bust into popular songs didn’t sit too well with a few people. Now director Phillips is setting the record straight, saying, "We've never really talked about it like that but it's a movie where music is an essential element and, to me, it doesn't veer to far from the first film." He went on to say that this fits with the character introduced in the first film, "Yeah, Arthur is weird and aloof...but he has music in him." This does go against the original report that the film was going to have 15 covers of popular songs from the recent past, but it also said that the film would break the mold of traditional musicals. The Joaquin Phoenix lead Joker made over $1 billion and Warner Bros is hoping that the sequel, with addition of Lady Gaga, will do just as well when released this October. 

One of the big, rumored cameos associated with the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine is the potential of megastar Taylor Swift appearing in the film as the mutant/singer Dazzler. The character has an extremely interesting creation, having been a collaboration between Marvel and Casablana Records as a multi-media disco star that could appear in comics, make music, and eventually go into film. Where the idea originated is debated, but the initial design was based on singer/actress Grace Jones at first, but when John Derek showed interest in doing the movie, Dazzler’s look changed to appear very similar to John’s wife Bo Derek who was coming off the film 10. The movie never happened, but Dazzler had her own solo series, and she would eventually be retconned into being a mutant, her powers to turn sound into light, and would work with the X-Men. There have been rumors floating around for some time about Swift being part of the movie because of her friendship with star Ryan Reynolds and his wife, actress Blake Lively. We move to yesterday’s release of Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department, which was a surprise double album, and one of the songs, Clara Bow, ends with the line: “The future is bright, dazzling.” While it might seem like a stretch to see that as a tease for her potential role, we know that Swift loves to put “Easter Eggs” into her album and the Deadpool & Wolverine is believed to have a bunch of surprise cameos, so who knows. This one could be true.