makes me think of this:
Something from my upcoming Ultimate X-Men (out June 13th)
[video]
“Free States Rising” runs from issue 60 to 66, and is comprised of two smaller arcs and a single spotlight issue. The first arc chronicles the birth of the movement through the eyes of one man’s induction into the FSA, as he turns from being an arms dealer riding the profitable tide of war to full-fledged FSA leadership. Shawn Martinbrough delivers this two-parter in his dark and ominous style. Issue 60 is aptly titled “Middle America,” and touches on the disenfranchised American Heartland, while “The Jersey Shore” in issue 61 depicts the takeover of the Lincoln Tunnel. Brian Wood’s trademark newsfeed informs us that the US has nearly one million troops deployed in the Middle East, including places like Yemen and Syria, entrenched in a campaign of 39 years of combined war on 6 fronts around the world. Riccardo Burchielli returns to the series he helped launch with the “Free States Rising” arc, captured in issues 62 through 65. In his newly minted role as official UN Observer, Matty witnesses the aftermath of some of his actions and reaches a mental tipping point, as the final surge to Broadway opens with an air strike, and is followed by an intense ground war. We learn definitive revelations about the Indian Point nuclear detonation, as well as the final fate of Parco Delgado. Issue 66 is the last solo issue focusing on Zee Hernandez, recapping the story of her corporeal existence in the DMZ, but also solidifying the figurative notion that she is the physical manifestation of New York City.
Brian, seeing the title of this arc, it’s impossible for me not to think of the Bruce Springsteen song “The Rising,” which he wrote as a response to 9/11. Any subconscious connection there? Does your musical taste even swing toward The Boss? C’mon, tell me you’re over there hammering out the guitar riff from “Born To Run.”
(the massive)
(the massive)
Something from next month.
The Massive #2, page 10, by Kristian Donaldson
The Massive #2, page 8, by Kristian Donaldson
This week.
“Collective Punishment” collects issues 55 through 59 and offers a plethora of diverse stories with rotating artist contributions by some of the most interesting artists working in comics today. For many of the characters, the stories bookend earlier spotlight issues and close down their story threads, securing many of the last remaining “loose ends” for posterity, prior to the resolution of the entire saga. Andrea Mutti depicts an undercover special operative in issue 55, Nathan Fox returns to tell the last Wilson story in issue 56, Cliff Chiang joins the roster of DMZ talent for Amina’s story in issue 57, Danijel Zezelj chronicles Decade Later’s story in issue 58, and David Lapham joins the urban fray with issue 59.
Brian, how does the tone of the writing change in this arc?
Does it? I wasn’t setting out to change my tone, but this is an arc filled with goodbyes and the wrapping up of minor storylines, in anticipation of the series coming to an end. Certainly by now I knew what issue was going to be the final one, so I knew how much space I had left to work with. It was odd to start to kill off characters and write conclusions to others more than a year away from the series’ conclusion, but this was the last chance I felt I had.
My workbooks. Everything I write gets broken in these, first.
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #7
Brian Wood (W), Becky Cloonan (A), Dave Stewart (C), and Massimo Carnevale (Cover)
On sale Aug 8
Artist Becky Cloonan rejoins Brian Wood for a new story arc! Hearing of an impostor committing atrocities in his name, Conan returns to Cimmeria to confront the scoundrel. In the frozen North of Conan’s birth, it is now Bêlit who is out of her element!
The third (of 3) variant covers that Rafael Grampá is doing for The Massive.
Back by popular demand (literally, in this case), the Channel Zero t-shirt from 2001. Since this ran out that same year, I still get requests for more, see people wearing their battered remains at conventions. So here it is, slightly updated, still the classic message, for pre-orders.
The run of shirts will be limited to pre-orders + an extremely small overprint, and then will be retired permanently.
Depending on how this goes, more shirts will be coming.. both reissues and original designs.
