DF Interview: Joe Kelly yanks on readers’ heartstrings in ‘Immortal Sergeant’

By Byron Brewer

On the eve of his unwelcome retirement, Jim Sargent (aka "Sarge"), a grizzled, old-school detective, catches a break on a murder case that's haunted him for decades. Unfortunately, Sarge must drag his anxiety-riddled adult son, Michael, along for the ride or risk losing the lead forever. Can this dysfunctional duo overcome their own hang-ups, blind spots, and secrets to catch a killer?

Award-winning I Kill Giants storytellers Joe Kelly (Deadpool, Savage Spider-Man) and Ken Niimura (Eisner Award-winning Umami) return to yank on your heartstrings with Immortal Sergeant! I had the honor of sitting down with legendary scribe Joe Kelly to see what this latest limited series is all about.


Byron Brewer: Joe, before we get to Immortal Sergeant proper, how does it feel to be reunited with your I Kill Giants artist, Ken Niimura? How did this reteaming come about and why did it take 15 years?



Joe Kelly: It is always a pleasure working with Ken – and luckily for me we have worked together since I Kill Giants was published! We’ve done some Marvel work as well as a BlackJack story in Japan, not to mention our thrilling cameos in the I Kill Giants film. (Blink and you’ll miss us!) Despite these smaller pieces, it’s amazing to be back in a long form story like Sarge.

Ken and I have always wanted to do more graphic novels together and plan to do more post-Immortal Sergeant. But the best laid plans of mice and comics professionals often go awry. Sometimes it’s scheduling, sometimes it’s financial issues – there are a ton of things that can get in the way of moving forward on a project.
I will take the lion’s share of the blame this time, though, as Ken is a machine who’s always working and it took me a long time to find the words for Sarge. I knew that this was my next book with him, but it was a challenge to write.


Byron: I understand this story is very personal for you. What can you tell readers about the inspiration for this new limited series?



Joe Kelly: To put it bluntly, Immortal Sergeant is almost entirely inspired by my father and our relationship. That’s what made this one a challenge to write, even though it had been a decade since my father’s passing that I finally started the script.

My dad was a complicated figure in my life, as many fathers are. Even though we had a good relationship, especially in the latter years of his life, there were some rocky parts. I loved him and miss him, but growing up was tough. We didn’t exactly gel. I learned some family secrets in my teens that explained a lot, but there is a big difference between understanding a thing in your mind as opposed to in your heart.
So Immortal Sergeant was a way to process a lot of that, but it took time. Even the title of the book came from him – It was his email address, though he spelled “Immortal” incorrectly, which was kind of perfect.


Byron: Tell us a little about the world, the canvas Ken and you are building in this book.



Joe Kelly: The story takes place now, on a road trip that begins in suburban Long Island, New York and ends in suburban Atlanta, Georgia. As usual, Ken went to great lengths to research the route our father and son would take and does a beautiful job painting a portrait of this span of the East Coast.

It's a world of cops, criminals, and the relationships between them and their families. It’s a very human story, again, challenging to write because of the times we live in, but Ken and I went through great pains with our editor, Joe Illidge, to make sure we were telling a layered story that touches on many societal issues while keeping everyone’s humanity in sight.


Byron: Introduce readers to Jim Sargent aka Sarge. Give us your take on this character.



Joe Kelly: Sarge is a pain in the ass. He’s a career cop who has stayed on the force well beyond the time any sane person would. The sort of guy who tells stories about crime scenes at dinner in front of his kid/grandchildren because he thinks that’s a normal thing to do. He’s a detective with no aspirations other than putting “bad guys” in jail. The world is pretty black and white for him, which is his biggest flaw. Nuance isn’t his thing. Sarge doesn’t do subtle.

That said, even though it’s hidden away behind layers of sarcasm, gruffness, and emotional armor, Sarge does have a heart. Trying to find it is a huge part of his story.
As he relates to my Dad, some of Sarge’s character is plucked right from reality. The rest is the distilled, espresso version of who my dad might have been. My father was a policeman in Nassau County, and while he never had to draw his gun he saw a lot of pain and inhumanity. It affected him in many ways, the least of which was an anger issue that took a long time to fade. He was also incredibly fearful and raised me to be “aware of my surroundings” which was code for “bad sh*t is going to happen wherever you are, so be ready.”
And yes, he did tell us tales of murders over dinner when we were young.


Byron: Without spoilers, clue us into the relationship between Sarge and his son Michael. What else can you tell us about the Sargent offspring?



Joe Kelly: So if Sarge is a dramatized version of my dad, Michael is a dramatized version of me – actually it’s me and Ken as we both put a lot of ourselves into the book. (Daddy issues abound!) Michael’s creative mind is a breeding ground for anxiety, especially as a kid of a cop who taught him that there was danger around every corner. So he’s afraid of the world at large, afraid of his father…

And now he’s Sarge’s “partner” on a murder investigation. Perfect storm of hell for that poor guy.


Byron: Can you give us an overall summary of Immortal Sergeant, of the new mini readers will be picking up come the new year?



Joe Kelly: When Michael and his family visit Sarge on the eve of his reluctant retirement from the police force, Sarge gets a break on a decades old cold case. Sarge must make a split-second decision to follow his lead or let the case that’s haunted him for years remain unclosed. So Sarge follows the trail of a killer with his maladjusted, confrontation averse, anxiety riddled adult son from Long Island to Atlanta where truths are told, secrets are exposed, and their relationship is put to the ultimate test.



Byron: Talk more on the awesome art of Ken Niimura, what he brings to the table here.



Joe Kelly: It’s hard to compliment Ken without embarrassing him – he’s a humble master of his craft. Ken is an exceptional storyteller and character designer and graphic designer and a writer – he can do it all! I am lucky that he doesn’t have a huge ego and allows me to drop into his life from time to time and write for him, because anything he touches, he just makes better.

One of the things I love most about Ken’s work is the magical way he can keep a light, open style with cartoony elements while delivering stories with emotional heft and punch. Very few people can ride that line, but Ken is always pushing his art in subtle ways to convey more emotion and subtext with fewer lines – he’s a true wizard.
And for Sarge, he had to learn to love drawing cars, because Sarge’s ride – The Beast – is a character in its own right. Sometimes I think Ken believes I write these things just to torture him, but I like to think I’m helping him evolve. (smiles)


Byron: Joe, I know your talent covers multiple media. So tell readers what you can about projects involving you coming up, inside or outside comics.



Joe Kelly: Ken and I are already talking about the next book, since I have not made him sick of me yet. As I continue my run as luckiest guy in comics, I have a two-issue arc on Amazing Spider-Man happening at the top of the year, illustrated by Terry Dodson. It’s the first time we’ve ever worked together and I’m pumped – also Spidey is my fave. In a completely different corner of my brain, there’s kids animation! Sonic:Prime airs on Netflix in December, courtesy of Man of Action and Wildbrain. We have been working on that for a long time, so I’m excited for it to finally be out in the world. There’s plenty of other work that I hope will be announceable soon, but you know the NDA game. And lastly, even though I don’t do it as often as I would like to, I continue to post videos on YouTube about creativity, writing, and comics on my channel @ThatJoeKelly.



Dynamic Forces would like to thank Joe Kelly for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Immortal Sergeant #1 from Image Comics is slated to be on sale January 18th, 2023!



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.

Games Workshop has officially unveiled Warhammer 40,000: 11th Edition, confirming that the next evolution of its flagship tabletop wargame will launch in June 2026. The announcement was made during the AdeptiCon 2026 preview event, where a cinematic trailer, a new starter box, and early details about rules changes were revealed. The narrative focus of 11th Edition returns players to Armageddon, one of the most iconic war zones in Warhammer 40K lore. The new storyline centers on a massive conflict between the Imperium of Man and invading Ork forces, with the Blood Angels Space Marines positioned as the headline Imperial faction opposing an Ork Waaagh!. A major lore highlight is the confirmed return of Commissar Sebastian Yarrick, a long‑standing fan‑favorite character closely associated with Armageddon’s wars. His reappearance anchors the edition firmly in classic Warhammer history while advancing the ongoing narrative following recent campaign books. The launch of 11th Edition will be accompanied by a new boxed starter set titled Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon. The set includes newly revealed Space Marine and Ork miniatures, with early previews showing updated Intercessors that blend modern Primaris design with visual callbacks to older armor marks. While the full contents of the box have not yet been detailed, Games Workshop confirmed that additional starter products at different price points will follow, continuing the company’s recent approach to onboarding new players. Unlike the dramatic overhaul that accompanied 10th Edition, early information indicates that 11th Edition is designed as an iterative update rather than a full system reset. Existing 10th Edition Codex and Supplement books will remain valid at launch, meaning players will not need to immediately replace their current army rules. Confirmed design goals include streamlined core mechanics, reduced rules stacking, and a closer alignment between narrative and matched play. Games Workshop has emphasized faster gameplay, clearer interactions, and improved balance without discarding the foundations introduced in the previous edition. Although the June 2026 release window has been confirmed, many specifics—such as the full ruleset, complete model lineup, and codex roadmap—remain under wraps. Games Workshop has stated that deeper rules previews and additional reveals will be shared in the months leading up to launch. 

While attending a comics convention this weekend, Tom King offered fans a substantive update on the long‑anticipated Mister Miracle animated series, confirming that the project has moved into a significant new phase of development. King, who serves as both lead writer and showrunner on the series, revealed that the pilot episode has now been completed. According to his comments at the event, the show is no longer in early conceptual stages but is actively progressing, with King currently involved in editing the series and writing later episodes. One of the biggest takeaways from the panel was confirmation that a voice cast has already been hired. While no names were announced, King teased that fans would be extremely excited once the cast is officially revealed, suggesting that announcements are likely forthcoming. The Mister Miracle animated series is based on the acclaimed 12‑issue comic run written by King and illustrated by Mitch Gerads. During the panel, King reiterated that the show is aiming to closely reflect Gerads’ distinctive visual style, an approach that has been a priority throughout development. This commitment aligns with previous statements that the production is pushing the boundaries of animation to faithfully translate the look and tone of the original comics. King also confirmed that the series is set within the DC Universe and that he is writing all eight episodes himself. His dual role as writer and showrunner positions the project as a deeply personal adaptation of his Eisner Award–winning work, rather than a loose reinterpretation. Although no release date was announced during the convention, King’s update makes it clear that Mister Miracle is firmly in active development rather than stalled or uncertain. The completed pilot and hired voice cast mark major milestones, signaling that the project is steadily moving forward. 

With HBO and DC Studios’ upcoming series Lanterns positioning itself as a grounded, detective‑style drama, fans are paying close attention to how the show will deploy one of the Green Lantern mythos’ most iconic figures: Sinestro. Officially confirmed to appear in the series and portrayed by Ulrich Thomsen, Sinestro’s inclusion signals that Lanterns is not just telling a crime story—it is laying the foundation for the moral and ideological conflicts at the heart of the Green Lantern universe. According to DC Studios’ official character description, Sinestro is a former Green Lantern who turned rogue after abusing his power. He is described as “ruthless yet undeniably charming,” with a manipulative obsession centered on his former mentee, Hal Jordan. Jordan is being played by Kyle Chandler. This immediately suggests that Sinestro’s role in Lanterns will be personal rather than purely antagonistic. Rather than functioning as a straightforward villain to be defeated, Sinestro is more likely to appear as a philosophical counterpoint to Hal Jordan. In the comics, Sinestro believes order must be enforced through fear, not willpower or trust. Translating that worldview into a grounded HBO drama fits perfectly with the show’s True Detective-inspired tone, where moral certainty is often elusive. Lanterns centers on Hal Jordan and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as intergalactic law officers investigating a murder in the American heartland. While the crime is Earth‑based, the implications are cosmic, and Sinestro’s presence may loom over the investigation rather than dominate it outright. Given Sinestro’s history as Hal Jordan’s mentor, one plausible role is that of a symbolic embodiment of Hal’s past failures. Sinestro may serve as a reminder of what happens when a Green Lantern decides the rules no longer work—or that he alone should decide how justice is delivered. This framing would reinforce Hal’s status as a seasoned Lantern nearing the end of his career, forced to confront the ideological consequences of the Corps’ authority. Production reports confirm that Sinestro is a recurring character, not necessarily the central antagonist of every episode. That opens the door for a more subtle narrative function: Sinestro as a background manipulator. Rather than openly opposing the Lanterns, Sinestro could be: Feeding Hal Jordan information to test his judgment, quietly steering events tied to the murder investigation or Serving as a warning figure for John Stewart, illustrating what a Lantern can become when certainty replaces empathy. This approach aligns with comments from Ulrich Thomsen, who hinted on social media that his time as Sinestro may not be finished, suggesting long‑term narrative relevance beyond a single season. While Lanterns is firmly Earth‑based, it exists within DC Studios’ broader DC Universe (DCU). Sinestro’s introduction here may function less as a payoff and more as setup. In DC canon, Sinestro is to the Green Lanterns what Lex Luthor is to Superman—a recurring ideological nemesis rather than a one‑time foe. By grounding Sinestro early as a calculating, persuasive presence rather than a spectacle‑driven villain, Lanterns could be positioning him as: A future architect of larger DCU conflicts, a connective figure between cosmic and Earth‑level stories or as a moral antagonist whose philosophy spreads rather than attacks. Nothing beyond Lanterns has been officially confirmed, but Sinestro’s stature in DC lore makes his appearance here feel intentional rather than incidental. Based on what is known, Sinestro’s role in Lanterns is unlikely to hinge on spectacle. Instead, he appears poised to challenge the core identity of the Green Lantern Corps—and of Hal Jordan himself. Whether he appears as a mentor‑turned‑enemy, a manipulative observer, or a philosophical provocateur, Sinestro represents the question at the heart of the series: Is justice about enforcing order—or believing people can choose to do better? In a show built around investigation, doubt, and moral consequence, Sinestro may not be the loudest presence—but he could be the most dangerous one. 

The entertainment world is mourning the loss of Nicholas Brendon, the actor best known for his role as Xander Harris on the beloved television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Brendon passed away at the age of 54, his family confirmed, stating that he died in his sleep of natural causes. News of his passing has prompted an outpouring of tributes from colleagues, friends, and fans who grew up with his work and were touched by his honesty and humanity. Born in Los Angeles in 1971, Brendon rose to international fame in 1997 when he was cast as Xander Harris, the witty, loyal, and often self‑deprecating heart of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Appearing in all seven seasons of the series from 1997 to 2003, Brendon helped shape one of television’s most enduring ensemble casts. Xander, the lone member of the group without supernatural powers, became a relatable stand‑in for audiences—grounded, flawed, brave, and deeply human. Following Buffy, Brendon continued to work steadily in television and film. His credits included recurring roles on Criminal Minds and Private Practice, as well as appearances in Kitchen Confidential, Faking It, and cult films such as Psycho Beach Party and Coherence. While none matched the cultural impact of Buffy, his performances were often praised for their sincerity and emotional openness. In later years, Brendon spoke candidly about his personal struggles. He was open about living with addiction, mental health challenges, and serious medical conditions, including a congenital heart defect and complications from spinal injuries that required multiple surgeries. His willingness to discuss these issues publicly resonated with many fans, who saw in him not just a television star, but a person navigating real and painful challenges while continuing to create. Despite these difficulties, Brendon remained creatively driven. According to his family, he found renewed passion in painting and visual art in recent years, sharing his work with friends and supporters. In their statement announcing his death, they remembered him as “passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create,” and asked for privacy as they grieve and celebrate his life. 

Multiple sites, including Deadline and Variety, are reporting that one of the stars of the upcoming HBO series Lanterns will be making taking his character to the big screen. Aaron Pierre, who plays new Green Lantern John Stewart, is now set to appear in the upcoming James Gunn film Man of Tomorrow. Though not officially a Superman sequel, MoT stars David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult reprising their roles as Superman and Lex Luthor along with other returning cast members Rachel Brosnahan, Skyler Gisondo and Sara Sampaio. This film will also introduce another popular DC Comic’s villain, Brainiac, played by German actor Lars Eidinger. Pierre joins DC’s cosmic police force along with Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan as they team up to investigate a murder in Nebraska. The tone of the Lanterns series is much darker and grounded, in the style of a True Detective season, but this move drives home that the series is connected to Gunn’s growing DC Universe that also includes Peacemaker and the animated Creature Commandos. The interesting thing to note is that while Pierre’s Stewart will appear, there is no word on whether Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, the Green Lantern introduced in Superman, will return. Fillion is also set to appear in Lanterns, having told reporters he has sworn more in his appearance in the upcoming series than in all of his previous roles combined. This may not bode well for the ring-wielding hero or his bowl cut. Lanterns is set to debut in August on HBO Max and Man of Tomorrow is scheduled for July 2027. 

The anticipated reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will not be moving forward at Hulu. The news was broken to disappointed fans by producer and returning star Sarah Michelle Gellar on her Instagram this morning. The streamer had originally ordered a pilot to be directed by Eternals director Chloé Zhao from a script written Poker Face writers by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman. Gellar wrote in her post, “I want to thank Chloé Zhao because I never thought I would find myself back in Buffy’s stylish yet affordable boots. And thanks to Chloé, I was reminded how much I love her and how much she means, not only to me, but to all of you. This doesn’t change any of that, and I promise if the apocalypse actually comes… you can still beep me.” Sources say that the initial reaction to the pilot were not good and while discussions were had about reworking the pilot, Hulu has decided not to proceed but remains excited about the Buffy IP and will likely regroup and find a new approach to move the franchise forward. 

You may have noticed that I’m not the biggest fan of ‘Industry Insiders’ who have paywalls set up to dole out rumors like… well, I couldn’t find a metaphor that wasn’t extremely insulting so we’ll just move on. Those ‘insiders’ need to have a ready supply of rumors to keep their subscribers coming back and since there is no accountability for erroneous rumors, one has to wonder if some of them are just made up out of thin air. James Gunn, co-head of DC Studios, has a times come out and addressed a batch of rumors that fans ask him about on social media. He did this again recently and here are some of the rumors he addressed along with his response. A report that the upcoming Man of Tomorrow has changed its title to Superman: Man of Tomorrow. Gunn has said before that this was more than a Superman movie and confirms the title has NOT changed by simply saying, “Nope.” Another report says that the film with begin filming in a few weeks, and while it will begin shortly, he says “by strict definition of Few, nope.” Reports say that he’s trying to rush through Matt Reeves’ The Batman Epic Crime Saga so he can then get to Brave and the Bold. That’s another ‘Nope’. Scoopers claim that Paradise Lost, the Wonder Woman prequel series was now dead or shelved. I know this will surprise you, but he said, “Nope”. And he did confirm one thing, that Superman does not believe in Santa Claus because, “He’s an adult.” Rumors can be fun to talk about and debate, but if they set unrealistic expectations that ruin the film for someone, then that’s a problem. And paying for rumors… that seems a bit crazy to me. 

Many MCU fans wonder why the events of Daredevil: Born Again won’t be even referenced in upcoming films like Spider-Man: Brand New Day. In Born Again, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) is the new Mayor of New York and has declared martial law along with creating a taskforce to hunt down vigilantes and you would think someone like Spider-Man (Tom Holland) would be on his radar. But that’s not going to happen on the big screen, no Fisk in BND and SFX Magazine thought that would be a good thing to ask Born Again showrunner Dario Scardapane about. “I’d be into it, because I dig the comics! But no, that’s been kind of a fun and challenging thing. We know there’s a huge world out there of the MCU. This corner of it has crossovers. We’ve seen Daredevil in other shows, there are other characters that are going to be popping up in movies and stuff, and that all goes into the larger MCU of it all. The joke we make is, ‘Oh, those guys are uptown – we’re downtown!’ We kind of have a pocket that’s in this world of Hell’s Kitchen, in this world of New York. I always think that maybe these characters take a little vacation into the larger world but the story that we’re focusing on is really granular.” Let me translate that, “They can borrow our toys, but we can’t touch there’s.” A shame as we all want a real Daredevil/Spider-Man crossover.   

“You have failed this beach!” Okay, there is probably no way Stephen Amell will say that line in the new Baywatch reboot, but I can’t be the only one who thought about it. Fox announced yesterday that the former Arrow, Heels and Suits LA star would be the lead in the networks bid to recapture the popularity of their lifeguard themed drama from the 90s. Amell will be playing the role of Hobie Buchannon, a role first introduced in the OG series. Hobie’s world turns upside down when Charlie, the daughter he didn’t know he had, shows up ready to put on the red bathing suit and follow in the family business. The show got a straight-to-series 12-episode order back in September, so the network is moving quickly. An interesting note is that Amell is the right age if the network wanted to bring back David Hasselhoff to reprise the role of Hobie’s father Mitch for an episode or two. 

You may not have known this, but in 2021 a Zatanna movie was in the works. J.J. Abrams had given the project to Emerald Fennell to script as she was coming off 2020 directorial debut, A Promising Young Woman. So, what happened? According to Fennell, who recently joined the Happy Sad Confused podcast, what she had written was “probably too far away from the genre.” She was very honest about the work, saying: “I think it was demented because I was probably going through it at the time. And the thing is, I think what I can’t help but—and then, I’d just finished A Promising Young Woman, and there was this huge thing in this world I’d never operated in. And again, it was a kind of superhero movie, and I was like, ‘How do I make the version of a superhero movie that I would connect to emotionally?’ Which is sort of the woman in the middle of a nervous breakdown, so it’s a script reflective of a woman in the middle of a nervous breakdown. And in terms of what that means, I suppose it just meant that it was probably too far away from the genre.” For those of you who are not familiar with Zatanna, she was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson in the pages of November 1964’s Hawkman and has been a consistent magical character in the DC Universe ever since, regularly teaming up with Batman, John Constantine and was a member of the Justice League. Fennell went on to describe the script, “It was really dark. I haven’t read it for a really long time, because I found it really difficult. Because, also the thing is, I love JJ [Abrams] so much, and he took a chance offering me to do it, and I really wanted to deliver something amazing for them. And I always felt like I hadn’t quite maybe delivered the thing that they wanted. So, I haven’t read it since, and I wonder if I read it now, I’d be more generous toward myself. But I felt like, I wished I’d been able to deliver the thing they wanted. They were really lovely about it, it’s even just remembering. You’re making me remember scenes, I’m like, ‘Nobody would have made that.'” I have to admit I totally want to read that script now.