73-year-old Jenny Blake Isabella, creator of Black Lightning, has come out as trans. Archie Comics has added Lunar as a distributor. Marvel teases Hell Hulk.
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Episode Transcript:
Black Lightning creator comes out as trans.
Archie Comics adds Lunar as distributor.
Marvel teases Hell Hulk.
This is Comic Book Club News for February 17, 2025.
Jenny Blake Isabella, Black Lightning Creator, Comes Out As Trans:
Jenny Blake Isabella, the 73-year-old creator of Black Lightning, Misty Knight, Tigra, and others, has come out as trans.
While she revealed the news on social media on February 9, she talked more about her transition via a blog post on her website late last week. While the whole post is worth a read, including her take on how she’ll handle past credits — DC Comics apparently immediately reached out to ask is she wanted a name change on the DC website and future reprints — and how she’s handling transitioning given the current, oppressive government is attempting to erase the existence of trans people entirely despite them simply wanting to exist like any other human beings, of note to comic book fans, Isabella is working on a new, trans comic book character.
Said Isabella on the character, “I love her more every day. I think she can be a contemporary Peter Parker for queer and straight kids alike.”
Congrats to Isabella, and looking forward to the new comic!
Archie Comics Adds Lunar As Distributor:
Archie Comics has added Lunar as a distributor, as the fallout from Diamond’s bankruptcy continues.
Of note, this won’t be an exclusive distribution deal so much as the publisher hedging its bets: Archie will still be distributed through Diamond and Penguin Random House, and is now adding Lunar as a third option.
As Mike Pellerito, President and Editor in Chief of Archie Comics, told ICv2, “We’re talking to everybody at this point. Diamond’s amazing, and has been amazing, especially through this process, but with the uncertainty of everything, we wanted to make sure our books can be found by every retailer, everywhere.”
Archie Comics will be available through Lunar starting in May.
Marvel Teases Hell Hulk In Upcoming Issue Of Hellverine:
You’ve met the Hell Wolverine, now say hello to the Hell Hulk. Marvel is teasing the arrival of a demonic Hulk in an upcoming issue of Hellverine by Benjamin Percy and Raffaele Ienco.
Designed by Ienco, this new hellish Hulk does not seem to be Bruce Banner, who is busy in his own title, but instead someone new. As Percy teased via press release, “All around the globe, in isolated pockets, people are being driven to murderous rage, a threat to themselves and others. An investigation reveals a common factor unites these cases: the presence of the HELL HULK, a monster who gives off infectious waves of infernal power.”
Hell Hulk will debut in Hellverine #6 on May 14.
For Comic Book Club News, I’m Hell Zalben. I mean, Alex Zalben.
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