Katie Kubert is only taking over Batman editing duties temporarily. ShortBox closing down at the end of the month. Ahsoka Tano is getting her own comic at Marvel. All on Comic Book Club News for February 5, 2024.
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Episode Transcript:
Batman editor search begins!
Boutique publisher Shortbox closing.
Ahsoka Tano comic coming from Marvel.
This is Comic Book Club News for February 5, 2024.
Katie Kubert Not Taking Over Batman, Search Is Ongoing:
Last week, we reported that it certainly seemed like DC Comics editor Katie Kubert was taking over the Batman line of comics, after the rumored departure of editor Ben Abernathy. However, Comic Book Club News has learned this is not exactly what is happening. While Abernathy has indeed left the company, Kubert is only stepping in temporarily as interim editor, while a search for Abernathy’s replacement is ongoing. The news was first reported by The Beat.
What does this mean? Well, Abernathy has been editing the Batman line for a while now, and you’ll see his name credited at least through the three issues being released by DC Comics this month, as part of the Joker: Year One storyline, running through issue #144. However, Kubert will be stepping in at some point after that to help support the Gotham editorial team. As teased by Chip Zdarsky’s newsletter, Kubert is at the very least editing issue #148, which should most likely hit in June.
PopVerse has a little more speculation on the vacated job, noting that in their estimation the role of Batman editor is almost more important than Editor-in-Chief. Nobody tell the DC EIC that, but they’re not totally wrong, as Batman is essentially the sales standard by which the rest of the industry measures itself. So who will nab this key role? Will it, in fact, be Kubert? Someone else from the Bat-office?
Or, to throw it out there, what about someone who has intimate knowledge of Batman, a ton of experience with the character, and the capability to master any discipline? I’m talking, of course, about Batman. Let Batman edit his own comics. He’ll do a great job, I’m sure. He usually does!
Boutique Publisher ShortBox Is Closing:
ShortBox, a boutique publisher based in the UK, is closing its doors at the end of the month. Or at least, it will be closing its physical shop — and therefore is selling off the print copies of the books it produced at a steep discount.
As reported by SKTCHD, that includes currently discounted copies of the Eisner nominated Minotaar, though other books include Sobek by James Stokoe, Cuckoo and Homunculus by Joe Sparrow, and many more.
This isn’t a shock, or new news, necessarily. The line was started by Zainab Akhtar in 2016, and announced it was closing at the end of 2023, way back in 2022. So if anything, this is a bit of an extension for the beloved publisher.
And while the publisher is ending its run on physical copies, the spinoff ShortBox Comic Fair will continue in 2024. The last edition took place October 1-31, so stay tuned for more on the next edition. In the meantime, snag those cheap books at ShortBox.co.uk before February 29.
Ahsoka Tano Comic Coming From Marvel:
Ahsoka Tano is getting her first-ever comic book series from Marvel. However, before you get too excited about the ongoing adventures of everyone’s second favorite former Padawan, Ahsoka will be an eight-issue adaptation of the Disney+ series of the same name. Which is still cool, but I’m just saying.
The series will be written by Rodney Barnes with art by Steven Cummings and Georges Jeanty, aka the creative team who previously took on adapting the first two seasons of The Mandalorian.
Said Barnes, via a press release provided to Comic Book Club News: “It is truly an honor to be adapting Ahsoka. The character is the essence of classic Star Wars: layered, complex and fun! I hope the fans enjoy this adaptation as much as the series it’s adapted from.”
The first issue of Star Wars: Ahsoka, featuring a cover by David Nakayama, will hit stores this July.
For Comic Book Club News, I’m Alex Zalben. Now that I think about it, Batman isn’t much of a team player, so probably wouldn’t work as an editor. Also, I think he’s fictional?
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