Marvel celebrates a Giant-Size anniversary. Black Mask is launching a WGA fundraiser on Kickstarter. The Ultimate Universe sets its stakes. All this on Comic Book Club News for September 27, 2023.
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Episode Transcript:
Black Mask launches WGA Strike fundraiser.
Marvel celebrates Giant-Size anniversary.
The new Ultimate Universe sets its stakes.
This is Comic Book Club News for September 27, 2023.
Black Mask Launches WGA Strike Fundraiser:
Right on time, Black Mask is launching a Kickstarter for their new book General Strike, which will double as a fundraiser for the WGA.
The just-launched Kickstarter includes WGA writers slash comic book writers Grant Morrison, Brian Michael Bendis, and Rodney Barnes on its roster. It will also include art by Tyler Boss, Ben Templesmith, Darick Robertson, and many more on covers, as well as Jamal Igle, Michael Avon Oeming and more on interior art.
The book is subtitled Calexit and Other Tales of Fighting The Good Fight, and is set in a speculative fiction world where California has seceded from the United States, and gone to war against the USA’s fascist regime.
Those plugged into the entertainment industry might note this comes at a weird time, as the WGA and the AMPTP reached a tentative deal this past Sunday, September 24. However, there are still weeks to go before the strike is officially resolved — and plenty of writers are in need of monetary assistance. So Black Mask will not only be paying the Marvel/DC level writing rates but donating an equal amount of money to the Entertainment Community Fund.
We’ll also note that the Kickstarter lasts for a month and then it’ll take a while after that to get the funds from Kickstarter, by which point the strike will hopefully be long over. But whatever, their hearts are in the right place, so let’s not quibble.
The Kickstarter will run through October 20, and you can pledge to fund it right now.
Marvel Celebrates Giant-Size Anniversary With New Issues, Reprints:
Marvel is going big or going home with the 50th anniversary of Giant-Size.
The year-long event will kick off a little early in December with the release of Giant-Size Super-Stars #1, a facsimile edition of the original Giant-Size book. Written by Gerry Conway, with art by Rich Buckler, the oversized issue features the Hulk fighting Thing in Madison Square Garden. According to the press release provided by Marvel, the fight is “a double-length slobberknocker.” Which maybe meant something different in 1974? Regardless, in a fun addition for fans, the reprint will include the original ads from the 1974 edition of the comic.
As for new stories, Cody Ziglar and Iban Coello will collabo on Giant-Size Spider-Man #1. The issue will feature the first confrontation of Miles Morales with Dylan Brock, aka the son of the original Venom. It will also feature a reprint of Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #22, which pitted Miles against the Ultimate Venom in 2011. That issue hits stores on January 10.
Marvel promises this is the first of a year-long celebration of Giant-Size. Arguably, the most famous issue in the line was 1975’s Giant-Size X-Men #1, which introduced a whole new team of X-Men and rejuvenated the flagging title. Given X-Men is going through some major shake-ups in 2024, will we see a Giant-Size X-Men #1… Two? Stay tuned.
The New Ultimate Universe Sets Its Status Quo:
In the final issue of Ultimate Invasion, Jonathan Hickman sets the stakes for his new, rebooted Ultimate Universe… Stakes that will likely influence the upcoming Ultimate Universe special, and the new Ultimate Spider-Man. Spoilers for today’s Ultimate Invasion #4 past this point.
Here’s the gist, for those who have skipped the series or might be confused. This new Ultimate Universe is run by The Maker, aka the evil Reed Richards. He’s controlled history through time travel and divvied up the world between various factions who by various turns attack one of the other factions. His theory is peace, by creating one, unified enemy.
After The Maker is trapped in his own fortress, we’re told there are at least two years until he potentially emerges, while inside thousands of years may have passed. So the various factions decide they should split up the United States in the meantime.
On the opposing force? Tony Stark, who calls himself Iron Lad, and Doctor Doom, who is really another Reed Richards. And in the stinger, they go to unfreeze Captain America.
What Hickman has neatly done here is give the new Ultimate Universe a ticking time bomb, two years to establish a new status quo before The Maker emerges and wreaks his revenge. What will the Ultimate Universe, let alone the comic book world look like by 2025? We’ll have to wait and see.
For Comic Book Club News, I’m Alex Zalben. And honestly, I can’t remember the last time I saw a double-length slobberknocker at Madison Square Garden, I can’t wait.
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