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The latest Hellboy spin-off will center on the cult-background of The Black Flame

Dark Horse Comics has unveiled the cover for the eighth issue of the Fight Club 2 series. We’ve embedded the full image above—what do you think?

Comics creator David Mack drew this piece. Novelist Chuck Palahniuk wrote the story for this sequel project while artist Cameron Stewart and colorist Dave Stewart collaborated on the illustrations.

The publication date has been scheduled for Dec. 23. Follow this link to check out a variant cover designed by illustrator Steve Morris.

Here's an exclusive first look at the trailer for Craig Thompson's Space Dumplins, his long awaited first graphic novel for kids. It goes on sale next week.

England is gone, replaced by a new World Tree, promising to end this world and replace it with something new. Hellboy speaks with a spirit that may be his friend Alice, but who also appears to be something more. She delivers a prophecy of doom and beauty to Hellboy, who awakens, and finds himself in Hell once more. And then things start to get weird.

Who says you can’t talk about Fight Club? Dark Horse Comics has unveiled the cover for the first issue of the Fight Club 2 series. Comics creator David Mack drew this piece.

We’ve embedded the full image above—what do you think? Novelist Chuck Palahniuk wrote the story for this sequel project. In an interview with Maxim.com, Palaniuk revealed that he feels “it’s so much fun to be Tyler Durden, to think like that character.”

Artist Cameron Stewart and colorist Dave Stewart collaborated on the illustrations. The publication date has been set for May 27th. Click on these links to check out variant cover designed by Stewart and illustrator Lee Bermejo.

art by Mike Mignola and Dave Stewart

Story by: Mike Mignola
Art by: Ben Stenbeck
Colours by: Dave Stewart
Letters by: Clem Robins

Somewhere, right now, a comment section is beset by the grinning avatar of a nerd on a mission. “Um, actually,” the comment reads, metaphorical lips twisted into a knowing smirk, “This series should be called Frankenstein’s Monster Underground.”

They do this because they must. This is all they have, the poor dears. Let them have it. Let’s talk about a comic about a dude called Frankenstein who fought Hellboy in a lucha match that one time long ago.

The story begins somewhere in the middle with Frankenstein arriving at a temple in Mexico having been shot. As Mignola launches into the meat of the plot, he gives the character context and motivation with a sense of effortlessness. Through out the years, Mignola has done exemplary work taking areas of interest and blending them into a big tapestry, filling out corners of a world along a visible timeline with methodical ease. Clearly, he is trying to make us all look bad and is succeeding at every turn. The story reads clean whether you’ve immersed yourself in the finer points of the Hellboy universe, or if you’re approaching the concept free from back story. Exposition flows into the mechanics of the story without pulling you out of the flow and making you wait for the plot to continue. When the ending arrives, you’re sold on the emotion of the moment from what’s occurred within the confines of the story as printed, which is no small feat.

Art for this tale is provided by Ben Stenbeck – one of Mignola’s collaborators on the Baltimore series of comics – and the ever-vital colours of Dave Stewart. The pair work scenes beautifully with Stenbeck working from the Mignola play book, drenching scenes in shadow with impeccable stage dressing and camera motion. Stewart embellishes this with colour that denotes time and place as the story demands. While Stenbeck sets the stage, Stewart draws out the inky darkness and gives it life.

Clem Robins does an exemplary job of lettering. He’s either doing it by hand, or doing a fantastic job of building variation into digital lettering. Either way, there’s a seamlessness to his craft in this book, which calls upon him to change style for the volume of a voice, or the sound of an action. Working together, the creative team builds pages that flow, breaking wide and drawing in close as the story demands. The craft is undeniable and the read entertains. If the elements sound like they might be your cup of tea, then by all means, give the book a try when it arrives in shops.

By Matthew Jent

Hellboy and the BPRD #1

Writers: Mike Mignola & John Arcudi

Artist: Alex Maleev

Colorist: Dave Stewart

Cover Artist: Alex Maleev

Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Action/Adventure

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

“You’re taking Hellboy with you.”

In the mid-1990s I was in high school and looking for rebellion. Something to get pretentious about. It was a search for some kind of pre-hipster deep knowledge. Oh, you like superhero comics? Meh. I’m more of a Vertigo fan.

Then I found the comic book rebellion I was looking for. A group of comics creators, writers and artists of some renown, banded together and abandoned the Big Two publishers in order to make creator-owned work, following their passion and making the comics they wanted to make, unrestricted by corporate mandates, editorial oversight, and comics code authorities.

No, not the one you might be thinking of. I’m talking about Dark Horse’s Legend imprint. Founded by John Byrne and Frank Miller, it encompassed their extant Next Men and Sin City books, Paul Chadwick’s Concrete, and new series from creators like Art Adams, Geoff Darrow, and others. I was fifteen and looking for a bandwagon to jump on. So I decided Legend was going to be that bandwagon. Every creator, every book, the complete imprint: I was going to read them all.

Which leads us to Hellboy: Seed of Destruction. Growing up with superheroes, I wasn’t a big Mike Mignola fan. I knew him from covers and annuals and the occasional mini-series, and his art had always been too blocky, too weird, to squiggly for my tastes. But Hellboy, whatever that meant, was a Legend book, and more than that, it was tied in, however lightly, to the “Torch of Liberty” backup that was going to run with Byrne’s Danger Unlimited miniseries, so I was willing to buy it, skim it, and board it.

That was 20 years ago. If you’re reading this Hellboy review and wondering what a Torch of Liberty or a Danger Unlimited is, or even — yikes! — whatever happened to Concrete, that’s partly a testament to Mike Mignola and Hellboy, one of the few enduring comic book creations of the modern era. Inspired by mythology, pulp fiction, weird horror, and action-adventure stories, Hellboy was the book Mignola was made for, and it’s been published pretty continuously ever since that first issue of Seed of Destruction. There have been toys, cartoons, and a couple major motion pictures, but there’s never been a reboot or a relaunch. The universe has expanded to include solo series or one-shots for Abe Sapien, Lobster Johnson, and the whole Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. They’re not always written and drawn by Mignola anymore, but hey — the guy created a world around the idea that the (possible) Anti-Christ is a superhero/paranormal investigator. That’s fertile ground for a shared universe.

This December sees the release of Hellboy and the BPRD. In the year that Hellboy turns 20 for real, this series flashes back to 1952 to tell the tale of Hellboy’s first mission with the Bureau. This issue — like most Hellboy comics — is dripping with dread and foreboding. Professor Bruttenholm, the Director of the BPRD and Hellboy’s Earthly father figure, sends a team of soldiers and investigators to Brazil to look into a series of murders supposedly committed by a “superhuman creature,” the descriptions of which vary. They have a small plane, a contact in a Brazilian village, and orders to bring along the untested Hellboy, who is otherwise sitting on his bed, tossing playing cards, chilling with a pet dog. There are some visions of the future and worries (spoken and unspoken) as to whether Hellboy will be a force for good or evil, but any longtime fan of the character knows that the red guy has a heart o’ gold.

The art from Alex Maleev and Dave Stewart is a great fit for Mignola & Arcudi’s story, and for the world of Hellboy. The shadows are dark (though not as oppressive as in Mignola’s own art), and the architecture is appropriately doom-laden. There are very few examples of characters free-floating in space — when that does happen, there’s always evidence elsewhere on the page of where these characters are. Objects, walls, backgrounds — ceilings! — painting a full picture of the space these characters inhabit. It might seem like a small thing, but with very little action in the first issue, Maleev and Stewart do a great job of establishing tone and tension through their use of setting and space.

As for the story? There’s always a push and pull to serialized storytelling. Do you write for the trade? For the periodical? Do you just tell the story you want to tell, and let page counts fall where they will? Hellboy and the BPRD #1 falls into the same category as a lot of modern first issues, meaning there’s a lot of setup without any denouement. That setup is thorough, and the tension and weirdness grows with an appropriate balance of pacing and characterization — two of the four BPRD agents are interchangeable, but Archie and Xiang are interesting enough to allow for a few potential redshirts on the team — but there’s no release of that tension. It’s an issue-long intake of breath, with no exhale. If you consider this as a single issue in a 20-years-and-growing tale, that’s not a bad thing. But as the first issue of a new series, I was looking for one more 4-6 page scene or cutaway that gave a clearer sense of what this story would be about. The first issue of a Hellboy series doesn’t need to provide a clear shot of the villain or an assessment of the threat at hand, but when I get to page 22 of any comic and I find myself genuinely wondering if the ending has been cut off (and this was a review copy, so it’s possible), I consider that a storytelling misstep.

Single issues like this are hard to review out of context. The short version is, If everything comes together, this is a very good beginning. The longer version is, well, everything else you’ve read to this point.

That said, I don’t need a more complicated pitch to continue reading than “Mike Mignola tells the story of Hellboy’s first field assignment.” Hellboy and the BPRD is building on a 20-year bank of weird horror, existential dread, and tales well told. This isn’t a great jumping-on point for new readers, but it’s a promising start to an untold tale in a decades-long serialized story.

Hellboy and the BPRD #1 will be released on December 3rd, 2014.

The remaining half of programming for San Diego Comic-Con has been announced, and for your convenience, we have separated out every animation-related program. The sheer number of programs is impressive, and fans of TV animation—past, present and future—have especially rich pickings. Nostalgia is rampant on Saturday and Sunday with panels devoted to The Simpsons, Futurama, Pinky and the Brain, The Tick, Batman: The Animated Series, and the Disney Afternoon.

Creators of current and upcoming TV shows are also well represented, including Alex Hirsch (Gravity Falls), Pete Browngardt (Uncle Grandpa), Rebecca Sugar (Steven Universe), Skyler Page (Clarence), J.J. Villard (King Star King), Will Carsola and Dave Stewart (Mr. Pickles), Glen Murakami and Mitch Watson (Beware the Batman) and numerous others. Visit the Comic-Con website for program updates and additional information.

Animation Events: Saturday, July 20

Creating Animated Series
What does it take to create or develop an animated TV series? Do you have to be a writer? An artist or animator? Both? Neither? What do you have to have to pitch an idea, and what are the studios and networks looking for? Members of the Writers Guild of America’s Animation Writers Caucus who have created and developed series and network/studio executives who buy them talk about it and answer your questions. Ted Biaselli (VP, programming and development, The Hub), Steven Melching (Transformers Prime, Star Wars: The Clone Wars), Craig Miller (Pocket Dragon Adventures, Trash Pack), Bob Roth (Disney’s Legend of Tarzan, Penguins of Madagascar), and Dean Stefan (Matchbox Big Rig Buddies,Quack Pack) join the discussion.
Saturday July 20, 2013 10:00am – 11:00am
Room 9

Hasbro Studios: My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic
Representatives from Hasbro Studios and The Hub TV Network’s My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic share details of the making of the popular animated series and how the “friendship” and “magic” are brought to life. Also includes Q&A time.
Saturday July 20, 2013 10:00am – 11:00am
Room 25ABC

Marvel Television Presents
It’s the biggest, most animated Marvel Television panel ever! Join Marvel’s head of television, Jeph Loeb, for the latest from inside Marvel Universe on Disney XD, including what’s next for Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man, a new episode of the hit series Marvel’s Avengers Assemble, and the world premiere of Marvel’s Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.
Saturday July 20, 2013 10:30am – 11:30am
Room 6BCF

Avatar the Last Airbender: Beginning and Beyond
This panel is for fans who can’t get enough of the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe. Moderator Avatar_Mom, Kevin Coppa (Puppetbenders), Alisa Christopher (FatCat Gameworks), Gene Luen Yang (writer, The Promise/The Search), Gurihiru (artist team Sasaki and Kawano, The Promise/The Search), Sifu Kisu (martial arts coordinator), and Dante Basco (voice of Zuko/General Iroh) will be on hand to share their experiences and answer questions. Who knows, perhaps a surprise guest or two might stop in! Finally, the panel will end with a show of talented cosplay contestants.
Saturday July 20, 2013 11:00am – 12:00pm
Room 29A

Gravity Falls
Creator and executive producer Alex Hirsch (Grunkle Stan), creative director Michael Rianda, and series stars Jason Ritter (Dipper) and Kristin Schaal (Mabel) uncover the mysteries of Disney Channel’s hit series Gravity Falls. Find out what’s in store for television’s spookiest town with an exclusive clip from the show’s exciting season finale and an audience Q&A. The panel will feature a sneak peek of Wander Over Yonder, the new series coming from Craig McCracken (Powerpuff Girls).
Saturday July 20, 2013 11:00am – 12:00pm
Room 7AB

Mattel: Monster High 2013: Where SCREAMS Come True!
Celebrate the freaky fabulous year of 13 with the Monster High Team! Get a freak peek at exclusive scenes from the newest Monster High DVD, 13 Wishes (this fall from Universal Studios Home Entertainment). The freaky talented Monster High voice actors, including Erin Fitzgerald (voice of Abbey, Spectra, Scarah, and Rochelle), Debi Derryberry (voice of Draculaura), and America Young (voice of Howleen and Toralei), will discuss the making of the ghouls’ latest adventure. Moderated by Emmy Award-winning executive producer of Monster High, Audu Paden. But that’s not all…the Monster High team is just dying to share more secrets lurking the halls of Monster High! Garrett Sander, Rebecca Shipman, Natalie Villegas, and Javier Meabe (toy designers), Roy Juarez (packaging designer), and Eric Hardie (copywriter) will reveal uhhh-mazing new Monster High ghouls and how they came to un-life! Don’t forget to dress your monster best for a chance to win some scary cool prizes!
Saturday July 20, 2013 11:00am – 12:00pm
Room 25ABC

Futurama
We’re dooooooooomed! An epic panel for the ages will celebrate Futurama‘s latest and greatest final season. On hand will be most or all of Futurama‘s legendary voice cast, consisting of Billy West, John DiMaggio, Katey Sagal, Maurice LaMarche, Tress MacNeille, David Herman, Phil LaMarr, and Lauren Tom, performing never-before-heard scenes from the upcoming “Last Episode Ever.” Plus executive producer David X. Cohen, creator Matt Groening, and a cartooning showdown to the death! (Note: actual death not guaranteed.)
Saturday July 20, 2013 12:00pm – 12:45pm
Ballroom 20

The Simpsons
Celebrate The Simpsons’ 25th year on the air with creator Matt Groening, executive producer Al Jean, supervising director Mike Anderson, and consulting producer David Silverman, enjoy never-before seen footage from guest director Guillermo del Toro, and hear musical guests perform “We Put The Spring In Springfield!”
Saturday July 20, 2013 12:45pm – 1:30pm
Ballroom 20

Cartoon Voices I
Each year, moderator Mark Evanier gathers a bevy of the most talented cartoon voice actors working today and invites them to explain and demonstrate their artistry! This year’s lineup includes Scott Menville (Teen Titans Go, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Grey DeLisle (Scooby Doo, Pound Puppies), Christopher Cox (Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Family Guy), David Boat (Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Family Guy), Michael Leon-Wooley (The Princess and the Frog), and Kari Wahlgren (Bolt, Tangled).
Saturday July 20, 2013 1:00pm – 2:30pm
Room 6BCF

The Tick 25th Anniversary
Ben Edlund (the creator of The Tick), Chris McCulloch (Tick Karma Tornado artist/writer and Venture Bros. creator), and Bob Polio (art director of The Tick comic series) discuss the 25-year history of The Tick.
Saturday July 20, 2013 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Room 23ABC

Family Guy
The Griffins are back at Comic-Con for another raucous panel and a sneak peek at season 12, featuring Seth Green (Robot Chicken), Alex Borstein (MADtv, Shameless), and executive producer Rich Appel (The Simpsons, The Cleveland Show) plus other surprise guests.
Saturday July 20, 2013 1:45pm – 2:30pm
Ballroom 20

The Awesomes: A Hulu Original Series
The Awesomes is a new animated show for adults that combines the thrills of comic book storytelling with the irreverent and inspired comedy that is the hallmark of co-creators Seth Meyers (Saturday Night Live) and Mike Shoemaker (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon). It is the story of the greatest superhero team in history, The Awesomes, and what happens after all the most powerful members leave. Join co-creator/executive producer/ series star Meyers, co-creator/executive producer Shoemaker, writer/producer and comic book author Judd Winick (Batman: Under The Red Hood), and cast members Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), Taran Killam (Saturday Night Live), Josh Meyers (That ’70s Show), Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live), and moderator Chris Hardwick (Talking Dead) for a special Comic-Con screening and audience Q&A. The Awesomes is the first animated Hulu Original Series and premieres August 1 on Hulu and Hulu Plus. It is a Hulu co-production with Broadway Video (Saturday Night Live) and Bento Box Entertainment (Bob’s Burgers). Watch The Awesomes first exclusively on Xbox 360 July 25-31.
Saturday July 20, 2013 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Abrams: An Adventure Time Encyclopedia Panel with The Lord of Evil and Marceline The Vampire Queen
A conversation moderated by Kent Osborne (head of story, Adventure Time) with Martin Olson (voice actor, The Lord of Evil), and Olivia Olson (voice actor, Marceline The Vampire Queen) about their new book from Abrams, The Adventure Time Encyclopedia, including a slide show and a dramatic reading from the book. Surprises may include a terrifying appearance by Hunson Abadeer himself, a music video from the Nightosphere, and Olivia singing with special surprise guests. Audience participation is encouraged for maximum chance of survival!
Saturday July 20, 2013 2:30pm – 3:30pm
Room 8

American Dad
Be on hand for an exclusive look at the new season, the world premiere of a song from the never-before-seen Christmas episode featuring the return of Krampus, and a Q&A featuring Wendy Schaal, Rachael MacFarlane, Scott Grimes (ER, Band of Brothers), Dee Bradley Baker (Phineas and Ferb, Star Wars: The Clone Wars), and more.
Saturday July 20, 2013 2:30pm – 3:15pm
Ballroom 20

Cartoon Network New Comedies: Uncle Grandpa, Steven Universe, and Clarence
Be the first to see an exclusive sneak peek of Cartoon Network Studio’s all new line up of chuckle-inducing comedies! The panel features Uncle Grandpa creator Pete Browngardt, creative director Audie Harrison, and Adam Devine (Workaholics) as the voice of Pizza Steve, Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar and creative director Ian Jones-Quartey, and Clarence creator Skyler Page. All your questions are sure to be answered and your anticipation is sure to be electrified!
Saturday July 20, 2013 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Room 6A

Pinky and the Brain 20th Anniversary Voice Reunion
Are you pondering what we’re pondering? How could two decades have passed since Pinky and the Brain first tried to take over the world? Celebrate one of the all-time funniest animated series when the original voices of the silly simpleton Pinky and his uber-genius pal Brain, Rob Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche, join eight-time Emmy Award-winning dialogue director Andrea Romano for an hour of hilarious reminiscing. Narf!
Saturday July 20, 2013 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Lyceum

Spotlight on Paul Dini
As a writer, producer, and creator, Comic-Con special guest Paul Dini enjoys a flourishing career in all aspects of popular culture. Join Paul and moderator Bill Morrison (Futurama, Bongo Comics) as they look back at fan-favorite career highlights (Batman: The Animated Series, Arkham City, Lost, Tower Prep), some current projects (Hulk and the Agents of Smash, Black Canary and Zatanna), and a few surprises for the future.
Saturday July 20, 2013 3:30pm – 4:30pm
Room 24ABC

Spotlight on Vera Brosgol
Eisner Award winner and Comic-Con special guest Vera Brosgol (Anya’s Ghost) talks about her background and influences in writing, art, and animation with YA rock star Holly Black (The Coldest Girl in Cold Town).
Saturday July 20, 2013 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Room 4

Spotlight on Sam Kieth
Sam Kieth is one of the quirkiest and most eccentric artists in comics. His unique art style and incredible drawing ability have won him legions of fans worldwide. Now, in an extremely rare appearance at Comic-Con, you can join Sam, with his long-time friend and editor Scott Dunbier, in an informal gabfest covering the wild spectrum that is Sam’s career (Sandman, Wolverine, The Maxx, and much more).
Saturday July 20, 2013 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Room 9

[adult swim]: Rick and Morty
Premiering this winter, Rick and Morty is a show about a sociopathic scientist who drags his unintelligent grandson on insanely dangerous adventures across the universe. Executive producers Dan Harmon (Community, Channel 101) and Justin Roiland (Channel 101) will preview the new animated series and will be joined by writer Ryan Ridley and cast members Spencer Grammer (Greek) and Kari Wahlgren.
Saturday July 20, 2013 5:00pm – 5:45pm
Room 25ABC

Batman: The Animated Series Turns 21
Pop the champagne! The landmark television production Batman: The Animated Series turns 21 this year. Spend an hour with the creative core of this groundbreaking series — Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, Alan Burnett, and Eric Radomski — as they recollect the dynamics of crafting a series that would have a resounding influence on Dark Knight properties — and the entire animated television landscape — for two decades and counting.
Saturday July 20, 2013 5:45pm – 6:45pm
Room 6DE

[adult swim]: Aqua TV Show Show, Squidbillies, Superjail, King Star King, and Mr. Pickles
Dave Willis (Squidbillies, Aqua TV Show Show), Matt Maiellaro (Aqua TV Show Show), and Jim Fortier (Squidbillies) discuss the return of long-running animated series Aqua TV Show Show and Squidbillies. Christy Karacas (Robotomy) previews season 4 of Superjail. J. J. Villard (Monsters vs. Aliens), and Tommy Blacha (Metalocalypse) discuss King Star King. And get an exclusive look at Mr. Pickles from creators Will Carsola and Dave Stewart (Funny or Die Presents Nick Swardson’s Pretend Time).
Saturday July 20, 2013 5:45pm – 7:00pm
Room 25ABC

Animation Events: Sunday, July 21

DuckTales: Remastered
How do you take a beloved 24-year-old NES game and update it for today’s gamers while doing your best not to ruin anyone’s childhood? Go behind the scenes with Austin Ivansmith (director/designer), Matt Bozon (creative director), and Rey Jimenez (Capcom producer) for an in-depth look at how a great video game is made — from design, to art, to music, and more. Followed by a Q&A session, plus maybe a surprise or two.
Sunday July 21, 2013 10:00am – 11:00am
Room 25ABC

Emily the Strange Panel Experience
Join Emily the Strange creator Rob Reger and special guests to see the premiere of the Emily and the Strangers FIRST animated music video and single. See and hear private, behind-the-scenes footage in the recording studio and “making of” the animation. Take a sneak peek at the new comic book Emily and the Strangers #3 by Dark Horse Comics and hear more about the making of this new series and how it comes to life with Emily’s new band. There will be time for Q&A, including updates on the development of the motion picture with Universal Pictures and Dark Horse Entertainment. Reger will be encouraging “audience participation” to get giveaways, so bring on your strange and show him what you’ve got!
Sunday July 21, 2013 10:00am – 11:00am
Room 23ABC

LEGO Legends of Chima
The creators of LEGO Legends of Chima team up to discuss the development of the newest blockbuster LEGO property. Hear how the TV series is developed and see how LEGO model designers bring the characters and vehicles to life in LEGO form.
Sunday July 21, 2013 10:00am – 11:00am
Room 24ABC

San Diego International Children’s Film Festival
The San Diego International Children’s Film Festival presents creative, exciting, and imaginative short films from around the world — animation, live action, and documentary — good for all ages, throughout the day. Enjoy films from the U.S., Canada, Italy, Hungary, Croatia, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Spain, and beyond. Animators and filmmakers will talk about their work, ways kids can make their own films, and careers in animation and filmmaking.
Sunday July 21, 2013 10:00am – 5:00pm
Room 9

World Premiere of Scooby-Doo! Adventures: The Mystery Map
Everyone’s favorite Great Dane splashes onto the screen with a new, groundbreaking look that combines state-of-the-art puppetry with a cartoon sensibility. Witness the world premiere of this entertaining film along with panelists like Tony Award winner Stephanie D’Abruzzo (Avenue Q), puppetmaster supreme Peter Linz (The Muppets) and the voice of Shaggy, Matthew Lillard (Trouble with the Curve), as well as filmmakers David Rudman (The Muppets) and Adam Rudman (Sesame Street) and Warner Bros. Animation’s Jay Bastian as they reveal their magical visual techniques during a fun postscreening panel. Scooby-Doo! Adventures: The Mystery Map will be distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment as a digital download and a Walmart DVD exclusive on July 23.
Sunday July 21, 2013 10:00am – 11:15am
Room 6A

Cartoon Voices #2
Yesterday’s Cartoon Voices Panel will have been such a hit that we’ll have to do another one with different but equally talented actors from the world of animation voicing. Once again, moderator Mark Evanier has assembled an all-star dais that includes Bob Bergen (Porky Pig), Alicyn Packard (The Mr. Men Show, Poppy Cat), Maurice LaMarche (Futurama, Pinky and the Brain), Candi Milo (Dexter’s Laboratory, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends), Neil Ross (G.I. Joe, The Transformers), and maybe someone else.
Sunday July 21, 2013 11:30am – 12:45pm
Room 6A

Teen Titans Go! Screening and Q&A
This is a must-Go! panel for all Teen Titans fans, as Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Raven make their triumphant return to Comic-Con! Fans will be treated to a brand-new episode, as well as exclusive footage that will be screened only at Comic-Con! Following the screening, join producer Aaron Horvath (MAD) and members of the voice cast for a Q&A as they give fans a peek behind the cape at all the upcoming comedic mayhem that will be going on inside Titans Tower. From Warner Bros. Animation, Teen Titans Go! airs Tuesdays at 7:30/6:30c on Cartoon Network.
Sunday July 21, 2013 11:45am – 12:45pm
Room 6BCF

Mattel: Max Steel: Rise of Elementor World Premiere Screening!
Be the FIRST to see Max and Steel team up to take on their biggest threat yet in Rise of Elementor. You will get to watch this exciting two-part broadcast event before it airs on Disney XD this fall! Will our heroes be able to defend Copper Canyon and rescue Ferrus from the evil Dredd? Come by to find out, and receive a free toy giveaway!
Sunday July 21, 2013 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Room 7AB

Spotlight on Charlotte Fullerton
Join Ben 10 himself, Yuri Lowenthal as he interviews Comic-Con special guest Charlotte Fullerton, the co-head writer of Ben 10: Omniverse, about her extensive career in children’s TV, writing for a wide variety of shows such as My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and Green Lantern: The Animated Series, as well as her involvement in making the now-legendary Star Wars comedy fanfilm Troops. On a personal note, Charlotte is the widow of renowned writer/producer Dwayne McDuffie, co-founder of Milestone Comics. Q&A session.
Sunday July 21, 2013 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Room 8

Beware the Batman Screening and Q&A
The Dark Knight makes his return to television in this new action-packed CG animated series. A cool new take on the classic franchise, Beware the Batman incorporates Batman’s core characters with a rogues’ gallery of new villains not previously seen in animated form. With backup from ex-secret agent Alfred and lethal swordstress Katana, the Dark Knight faces the twisted machinations of Gotham City’s criminal underworld, led by the likes of Anarky, Professor Pyg, Mister Toad, and Magpie. After screening a new episode, producers Glen Murakami (Teen Titans) and Mitch Watson (Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated) and others will take attendees into the shadows of Gotham City for a lively discussion on the adventures that await Batman this season. From Warner Bros. Animation, Beware the Batman airs Saturday mornings at 10:00 ET/PT on Cartoon Network.
Sunday July 21, 2013 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Room 6BCF

SpongeCon 2013: The Year of the Fan
Tom Kenny (voice of SpongeBob) hosts an interactive live SpongeBob event! Croon along with some of your favorite tunes from Bikini Bottom. Screen finalists from the SpongeBob SquareShorts fan film competition. Enjoy an exclusive sneak peek of the new half-hour special SpongeBob, You’re Fired! Plus a whole lot more. So get your goggles and dive on down. We want to have the Best Day Ever with you!
Sunday July 21, 2013 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Room 6A

Cartoon Network: Ben 10 Omniverse
It’s Hero Time! Set your Omnitrix for “Awesome” with the Ben 10 Omniverse panel, highlighting the Cartoon Network hero of a million alien faces! Voice talent Yuri Lowenthal (Ben 10), Steve Blum (Vilgax), Paul Eiding (Grandpa Max), and Eric Bauza (Dr. Psychobos), Matt Youngberg (supervising producer), and Derrick Wyatt (art director) talk about the show, premiere an unseen episode, and much more.
Sunday July 21, 2013 1:45pm – 2:45pm
Room 6DE

25 Years of the Disney Afternoon: The Continuing Legacy
Life is like a hurricane! Spin it! When there’s trouble, you call D.W.! It’s been more than 25 years since Disney Afternoon debuted on television screens, and the impact of “the golden age of Disney TV Animation” is still felt today. Let’s get dangerous with Tad Stones (creator, Darkwing Duck, Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers), Jymn Magon (DuckTales, creator of Talespin), Bob Schooley (co-creator, Kim Possible, co-ex producer Penguins of Madagascar), Rob Paulsen (voice actor, Darkwing Duck, Animaniacs), and Aaron Sparrow (Darkwing Duck: The Duck Knight Returns) for raucous recollections and never-before-heard stories!
Sunday July 21, 2013 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Room 7AB

World Premiere of Tom and Jerry’s Giant Adventure
Wind down Comic-Con with everyone’s favorite cat-and-mouse combo in an all-new original movie, Tom and Jerry’s Giant Adventure. Tom and Jerry are the animal assistants to Jack, the young owner of a fairy tale-inspired theme park “where dreams come true, if you believe.” Unfortunately, the theme park has fallen on hard times — until some magic beans provide the means for Jack, Tom, and Jerry to get their hands on a golden goose. Along the way, they’ll meet fabled fellows like Droopy, Spike and a massively mean and hungry giant. The voice cast includes Tom Wilson, Garrison Keillor, Paul Reubens, and Grey DeLisle. Producers/directors Spike Brandt (The Looney Tunes Show) and Tony Cervone (The Looney Tunes Show), and seven-time Eisner Award-winning screenwriter Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series) will be on hand to present the film, which will be released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment as a Blu-ray Combo Pack and a digital download on August 6.
Sunday July 21, 2013 2:15pm – 3:15pm
Room 6A

Business of Cartoon Voices
Interested in a career doing voices for animation and videogames? There are plenty of people around who’ll take your money and tell you how to go about it…but here’s 90 minutes of absolutely free advice from folks who work in the field. Get the scoop from cartoon voice actors Gregg Berger and Candi Milo, agents Pat Brady (C.E.S.D.) and Heather Vergo (Atlas Talent) and your moderator, voice director Mark Evanier (The Garfield Show).
Sunday July 21, 2013 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Room 25ABC

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I noticed a common feature in the comics I was reading this week, a feature that made them all compelling as stories: the role of the underdog pitted against overwhelming odds. Seeing the psychological reactions of the characters was an important part of the ride, but excellent artwork, particularly in executing fight scenes, left me more than impressed with each one. HELHEIM #1 (out March 6^th), TRIGGER GIRL 6 (out March 13^th), and SLEDGE-HAMMER 44 (out March 13^th) strike a fluid balance between characterization and action, always a kind of brass ring for comics creation, though sometimes a little difficult for readers to come by.

[Spoilers for HELHEIM #1, TRIGGER GIRL #6, and SLEDGE-HAMMER 44 #1 below]

[HELHEIM #1]

HELHEIM, from Oni Press, kicks off a new series, and so has a great deal of storytelling to accomplish in a single issue. It does this with axes, axes, and more axes.  Though it’s true there are plenty of axes, there’s also a lot more to HELHEIM, a tale “of the North” featuring what I’ll assume from the title are Vikings. Joelle Jones (FABLES) illustrates the issue, and her style is not only eye-catching but moody. Her characters in profile resemble figures from Viking-age artifacts but also have an angularity to their movement that really establishes the world of HELHEIM. I mentioned fight-scenes. These are equally unique and captivating. Though pseudo-medieval fight scenes are common enough in comics to keep you from really paying attention to the detail of their rendering, Jones breaks down that familiarity through unique panel layouts, occasionally rounded to depict landscape or full-page with overlaid panels to create emphasis. If she impresses with her Vikings, she’s even more at home with her artwork conjuring the undead, which sets up the forthcoming themes of the series well. There’s a kind of epic weight to some of her panels that simply stays with you, a sign of excellent art.

[HELHEIM #1]

Writer Cullen Bunn keeps up the pace of the story with driving action, and combines many of the tropes from medieval sagas without slowing things down. He establishes the role of kin relationships straight off the bat as central hero Rikard tries to save his wounded son, but ultimately has to leave the corpse behind, and then engages with both his father and other relatives at their timber fort under siege. Family relationships make for good drama, particularly in 580 AD. This forms a large part of the psychology of Rikard in his role as protector, but also as father and son. But it’s the supernatural elements Bunn includes that I particularly applaud, from Rikard seeing a vision of his own bleeding ghost predicting his imminent death (this happens in Irish Sagas of the period, and perhaps Viking too), to the rising corpses of his recently slain grotesque foes pursuing him. These are some of the elements that make Viking sagas great in their own right, including blue-faced undead who haunt houses and pound on the roof, calling the cowering inhabitants by name. Bunn brings the most evocative moments of Viking tales to new life, but isn’t afraid to introduce his own developments, like the series premise set up in #1, that Rikard can be resurrected by witchcraft to act as a vengeful Franken-Viking. If the rest of the series shows such careful consideration as this issue, the combination of powerful artwork and strong storytelling will be well worth the read.

[TRIGGER GIRL 6]

TRIGGER GIRL 6, the compilation volume of the series that appeared in the too soon cancelled magazine CREATOR OWNED HEROES, but thankfully presented as a whole by Image, already took fans by storm in 2012, but seeing the series in one unit was entirely worth the wait. Phil Noto’s artwork on the series is simply dazzling, from sleek line-work to color themes. Noto has the uncanny ability to present moments of stillness in the midst of action that creates a sense of vertigo for the reader. Since about two thirds of the story-line involves clone Trigger Girl 6’s attempt to assassinate the president of the USA, hang on tight. The plot calls for handling animals in a majestic, impressive role and Noto proves up to the challenge, too, making you wonder if there’s anything that’s not his forte when it comes to comic art. The pastel hues of the early stages of the story also merge into ethereal jungle settings within any jarring sense of transition. From near-future technology to talking animals, Noto knows the score.

[TRIGGER GIRL 6]

Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray bring us a story in TRIGGER GIRL 6 that defies you to doubt its central truths. In an included interview, the collected volume expresses Palmiotti and Gray’s concern about big corporations, and the increasingly “overpopulation and greed” in modern society that gives weight to the whole TRIGGER GIRL concept. It’s not just a beautifully drawn assassin story (though that would probably be enough to sell the book), but it’s also a commentary on social conscience. The character of Trigger Girl 6 also develops and expands for the reader, drawing us into her psychology. While TG 6 is silent and therefore mysterious in the early stages of the story, after her escape from government interrogation, Palmiotti and Gray also include inner monologue text boxes that emphasize her own internal questions and search for identity. Though this is often a common feature of sci-fi clone stories, it’s always compelling when it’s handled well, and Palmiotti and Gray manage to convey a great deal about her personality in such a brief story arc. What’s most impressive about the story, though, is that the writers bring out their big themes in what’s effectively a single-issue finale as TG 6 discovers the biological haven where she was born and the scientifically enabled talking animals who have created her. It’s a wild idea, but it doesn’t feel forced in the least, and engages with a long history of social commentary and sci-fi literature that reflects on human behavior and finds it lacking. To say the story has heart would be an understatement; it has compassion and concern. The fact that Palmiotti and Gray feel that they can reach comics readers with such a weighty message elevates the medium in all the right ways.

[SLEDGE-HAMMER 44]

SLEDGE-HAMMER 44 #1, from Dark Horse, introduces a character from Mike Mignola and John Arcudi who has his own mysterious origins and motivations. Like a lot of intriguing Dark Horse comics set in the HELLBOY universe, WWII and the Nazi legacy feature, but this story focuses on the role of fighting men and establishes a skillful balance between the fantastic and the historically grounded. Jason Latour’s artwork has a lot to do with the success of this balance. His blend of stylized linework with military detail suggests 1940’s comic art dealing with war, and the fairly unusual (from Dark Horse) sepia and muted tones of Dave Stewart’s color palette set the comic apart as something a little different. It hints that the war, and its own epic aspects, are as important as the heroic figure that the comic introduces: Sledge-Hammer. But for steam-punk and technology fans, there’s also plenty to love in Latour’s artwork. Mike Mignola’s cover art set up the design of Sledge-Hammer’s mechanoid appearance in his characteristic wood-block imprint style, but Latour also brings a sense of the human to Sledgehammer’s anatomy and appearance, from the first panel where he’s introduced, looming large in his army jacket, to his explosive one-man operation fight scenes where he takes a beating from a Nazi robot. The comic has got atmosphere in spades thanks to the artistic team work involved.

[SLEDGE-HAMMER 44]

Mignola and Arcudi also craft a story with universal appeal through grounding the reader in the perspective of soldiers watching the mysterious Sledge-Hammer operation in action, as well as through giving Sledge-Hammer a speaking role even this early in the story-line. He may be a being of few words, but urging the soldiers to leave him behind and save themselves sets Sledge-Hammer up as a classic heroic being, capable of miscalculation (he seems not to have seen the Nazi robot coming), but also of personal sacrifice. It’s also a wise move that Mignola and Arcudi don’t give too much away about Sledge-Hammer’s mentality, leaving the reader to make assumptions and hang on for the next installment to learn more about whether this metal soldier has any other human characteristics, and what exactly motivates his driven actions against the Nazis. It’s a comic staged for a grand entrance of a unique character, and all the better for picking out the details of wartime experience in Europe through secondary characters. Like many projects that Mignola works on, the storytelling feels decompressed to allow the images to tell their own tale, often with only a few panels per page. The comic calls for more dialogue, actually, than many of Mignola’s works, to create a sense of experiencing conflict on the ground during WWII. The story feels particularly unencumbered by having to fit into any specific moment in a wider mythology, and for that reason it has an overpowering sense of being something new, brisk, and somewhat unpredictable. If you read issue #1, it’ll be almost impossible not to follow SLEDGE-HAMMER into its second issue whether due to its lavish homage artwork or its fresh storytelling, but most likely a combination thereof.

[SLEDGE-HAMMER 44]

These three comics display a strikingly high standard for comic artwork, really setting their artists loose to develop an aesthetic appropriate to the worlds they’re creating. It helps that the reader is following central characters into conflict and watching them battle it out against the odds within their own stories. This gives action scenes even more of an edge and also leads the reader deeper into the psychological layers of the storytelling involved.  All three comics celebrate the role of the hero, taking traditional elements and redefining them according to the personal vision of their respective creative teams. HELHEIM #1, TRIGGER GIRL 6, and SLEDGE-HAMMER 44 #1 prove that you don’t have to choose between spectacular art or strong storytelling in comics: you can actually find them both in one package if you’re lucky.

Title: HELHEIM #1/Publisher: Oni Press/Creative Team: Cullen Bunn, Writer, Joelle Jones, Illustration, Nick Filardi, Colors, Ed Brisson, Letters

Title: TRIGGER GIRL 6/Publisher: Image Comics/Creative Team: Jimmy Palimiotti, Justin Gray, Writers, Phil Noto, Artwork, Bill Tortolini, Letters, Design

Title: SLEDGE HAMMER 44 #1/Publisher: Dark Horse Comics/ Creative Team: Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Writers, Jason Latour, Artwork, Dave Stewart, Colors, Clem Robins, Letters

Hannah Means-Shannon writes and blogs about comics for TRIP CITY and Sequart.org and is currently working on books about Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore for Sequart. She is @hannahmenzies on Twitter and hannahmenziesblog on WordPress.

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