Horror Awaits You In The Pages of New Ravenloft Comic

Ravenloft rises from the grave once more to terrify comic book readers this August with a new eponymously titled four-part miniseries from Dark Horse.

Ravenloft is falling apart, and nobody knows why. Fortunately, monster hunter Ez D’Avenir is on the case! She’s searching the frozen wasteland of Lamordia for an undead creature that may hold the key to Ravenloft’s fate. But when Darklord Viktra Mordenheim catches wind of her quest, Ez is suddenly the one being hunted!

Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft, a new four-issue genre-bending comic series will unite Rudolph van Richten’s protégés from across the horrifying domains of Ravenloft.

The miniseries is written by Bram Stoker Award–winning author Amy Chu (Carmilla: The First Vampire, Red Sonja), with line art by Ariela Kristantina (The Girl Who Draws on Whales, Adora and the Distance), colours by Arif Prianto (Poison Ivy, Green Lantern Corps), and letters by Haley Rose-Lyon (BUMP: A Horror Anthology, Jill and the Killers).

Issue #1 will feature cover art by Guillem March, Riley Rossmo, Francesco Francavilla, Todor Hristov, and Angela Wu.

The series is also being touted as the perfect companion piece to the forthcoming Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, the new TTRPG supplement book for Dungeons & Dragons 5.5 that is due out in June.

Superman (2025)

On his own initiative, Superman (David Corenswet) has sought to prevent a war between an allied nation of the United States and its neighbour, much to the annoyance of the American government and tech billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult).

A social media campaign is orchestrated to turn the American people against Superman, and even his girlfriend, Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) starts to question him.

Superman is not another origin story, rather throwing readers into the non-stop action in media res. However, Superman's backstory is explained episodically throughout the movie as it's a central theme of the story.

This brand, spanking new iteration of the Man of The Steel unapologetically blends the wholesome positivity of the Christopher Reeve era of Superman movies with both Silver Age comic book zaniness and modern sensibilities.

It's clear from the get-go that writer/director James Gunn loves comic book superheroes and has a deep knowledge of his chosen universe, presenting deep cuts - such as Superman's robots and flying dog, Krypto; Metamorpho The Element Man (Anthony Carrigan); bowl-haircut-sporting Green Lantern Guy Gardener (Nathan Fillion); Mr Terrific (Edi Gathegi); and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) - in a matter-of-fact way, rather than tongue-in-cheek.

Superman isn't embarrassed to be a comic book movie, rather it dives headlong into the superhero genre tropes with relish, emerging as one of the finest and most accurate adaptations of the beloved source material that we've yet seen on the big screen.

Gunn's film captures the brightness and optimism of the best, most truthful, Superman stories, yet still manages to weave in the character's inherent "look after the little guy" political nature that has been part of the Last Son of Krypton's makeup since he was created by a pair of Jewish immigrants in the 1930s as a rebuttal to the rise of Adolf Hitler.

Launching the new DC Comics cinematic universe, Gunn brings his A-game to his iteration of Superman, meaning I was hooked from start to finish, and came away totally smitten by this work of art.

However, something I kept to myself until I actually saw this film: I actually wasn't sure if Superman was going to work under the character's current cinematic stewardship.

While I adored Gunn's Guardians of The Galaxy trilogy for Marvel, for embracing the wackiness of comics, his other recent superhero-related shows, such as Peacemaker, Suicide Squad and Creature Commandos, have left me cold. These attempts to force "mature themes" (ie. swearing, crass humour and graphic violence) onto DC characters just doesn't work for me.

These are attitudes I'll embrace on more independent  "superhero" worlds, such as Invincible and The Boys, because they are their own thing and their "edginess" is there for a reason, but for me the 90-year-old beating heart of the DC comics universe isn't like that at all, it's purer, family-friendly and more aspirational.

And that's exactly what Superman is.

It's Nearly Superman Time

DC Stages A Comeback In My Superhero-Dominated Pull-List

Krypto: Last Dog of Krypton #1 movie variant cover (out this week)

As we were talking about statistics yesterday, I thought today would be a good time for a breakdown of my comic book pull-list.

This will then set a baseline for future comparisons as I monitor my shifting tastes.

There are currently 36 titles on my list, which sounds like a lot but includes pre-orders and one-shots as well as ongoing titles and limited series.

Over my nearly five decades of collecting, my "publisher of choice" has oscillated between DC and Marvel every few years - often with a short spell in between to focus on the smaller publishers. 

I actually thought my current list was dominated by DC at the moment, but I'd overlooked the number of Fantastic Four titles Marvel is pumping out to coincide with the arrival of their First Family in the MCU next month.

Pull-list broken down by publisher - June 2025

DC and Marvel are actually running pretty much neck and neck, thanks to both publishers pushing books tied into their potential summer blockbusters - which just happen to feature my favourite team and my favourite solo hero.

Pull-list broken down by genre - June 2025

I'm not surprised to see "superhero"-themed comics holding such sway over my list though as DC has really hit its stride this year, with its All In initiative. I hope this quality of storytelling will set the status quo for the company's books for a looooong time.

Prior to this, DC had pretty much been wiped off my pull-list (as I wasn't a fan of whatever convoluted balderdash they were doing with their storylines), but now the pendulum is definitely swinging back in the direction of the Distinguished Competition. 

Which is all great fun for me as a reader, but it's also starting to really put a strain on my budget. 

Therefore, largely for financial reasons (the cost of a single comic book continues to creep upwards) I'm aiming to trim my list down to books related to DC's Superman, books related to Marvel's Fantastic Four, and books related to the works of Robert E Howard (e.g. Conan The Barbarian, Solomon Kane etc).

We'll have to see how that goes. I'm already pondering "exceptions", such as catering to my interest in the Green Lantern Corps and its members as well as the JSA!

Fantastic Four Fanfare #2 (out this week)

Did You Know Earth's First Green Lantern Was a Cowboy?

For a short while in 1873, Sheriff Daniel Young of Bailysville, Montana, was drafted into the Green Lantern Corps by the extra-terrestrial Abin Sur (who would later pass his ring on to Hal Jordan) - making him (possibly) Earth's first Green Lantern.

Unsurprisingly, Sasha of Casually Comics has the full story in her latest video (see above).

Daniel's brief adventure appeared in Green Lantern #149 (February 1982), written by Paul Kupperberg, with art by Don Newton and inker Dan Adkins.

On July 11, The Entire World Will Look Up

Character Posters for The Metahuman Good Guys In Superman

I'll Say It Now: This Is Going To Be A Classic

From today's trailer, James Gunn's Superman feels like it ticks all the boxes for superhero movie greatness (although I'll confess I'm slightly anxious about the 'political' issues that Lois raises at the start of the trailer. But, sadly, that's the world we live in - a world that struggles to accept that Superman is the best of us).

I cannot wait to see Superman: and, yes, all being well, I'll drag my sorry ass to a genuine cinema and watch it on the big screen. Because I want to see it "first" (before any surprises are inevitably spoilt by da Interwebz) and I want to do my very small part in ensuring that this movie is a success.

Comic Book Collecting Isn't Just A Hobby, It's A Lifestyle

Latest comic book mail call: a pair of vintage issues of The Mighty Marvel Western

A combination of factors has necessitated constant revisions to my monthly comic book pull-list at Paradox Comics in Poole in recent years.

Not only do I find shelf space increasingly limited (despite dedicating most of the wall space in our office to my comic book collection, coupled with numerous short boxes under the bed and stacks of "to be read" books), but the cost of a single, new, comic book continues to rise while my pool of disposable income shrinks.

Yet while my list of new titles contracts, I can't help myself but seek out vintage back issues, either to fill holes in my collection or latch onto new (to me) titles that I decide I want to collect.

The latest arrival in this category is a pair of 1970's The Mighty Marvel Western (which, in turn, reprinted tales from the '50s and '60s), creating a fresh category on my list of titles to look out for.

There are 46 issues in that title, so that's going to take some work to fill up. But the joy is in the hunt.

Other comic book runs I'm gradually tracking down include Shang-Chi, Master of Kung-Fu (which I'm nearly there on); Blue Devil (I'm only a handful issues away from finishing the original run of this title); and Jonah Hex (which I have a long way to go on).

Jonah Hex #40, from 1980: one of my recent acquisitions

While I collected the modern Jonah Hex run as they were published (well, at least, until he got zapped forward in time - again - to contemporary Gotham City) and the gorgeous Joe Lansdale and Tim Truman horror mini-series from the '90s, I'm currently on the hunt for the Bronze Age books.

I'm aiming for the first volume of Jonah Hex, the 92 issues published between 1977 and 1985, with the idea that I'll then look further back in time and try to collect his appearances in All-Star Western and Weird Western Tales (1972 - 1977).

Ultimately, I can see my pull-list of new titles shrinking down to, primarily:

• Superman Family books, 
• Fantastic Four titles, 
• and Titan's Robert E Howard books (currently Conan The Barbarian, Savage Sword of Conan magazine, and my top comic of the year so far Solomon Kane)

Hopefully, there'll be a bit of wiggle-room to still embrace the Justice Society and Justice League, Green Lantern and Daredevil. I'd like to also be able to squeeze some Archie in there too.

Sadly, top indie publisher Mad Cave's excellent books aren't getting distributed over here at the moment (because of the collapse of Diamond), which makes it easier to drop those titles and the first wave of EC horror books are coming to an end soon, so that'll make a convenient point to jump off.

Even though I've loved those books.

This month's Summer of Superman Special

HAPPY SUPERMAN DAY!

Eighty-seven years ago, Action Comics #1 was published on this date, heralding not just the arrival of Superman but the birth of the comic book superhero genre. 

April 18 is now - and forever - Superman Day, celebrating the first, and greatest, superhero.

While we didn't get a new trailer for James Gunn's eagerly-anticipated Superman movie today, as many of us had hoped, we were gifted this look behind-the-scenes which is full of tantalising glimpses of things to come:

Among the many Superman items being released - or put up for pre-order - today was, the previously mentioned, Golden Age facsimile of 1938's Action Comics #1.

Action Comics #1: Where it all began...

However, available for pre-order from today, DC is releasing another Golden Age facsimile on July 30: 1939's Superman #1.

See the origin of Superman retold as the infant Kal-El escapes the destruction of Krypton and is adopted by the kindly Kents on Earth. Then, thrill to the early escapades of the Man of Tomorrow as he saves an innocent woman from the electric chair, foils a plot to foment war, and champions the cause of workers’ rights as a reporter for the Daily Star!

It's A Five-Minute Sneak Peek - Not A Trailer!

Superman, DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humour and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.

In 2025 We Can Look Up Again...

Now this is what I want from a superhero picture: inspirational and optimistic. 

And Krypto!!!

It's looking like 2025 is going to be a great year for superhero films, but, truth be told, I have no particular interest in seeing Marvel's pair of military-fetish offerings - Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* - at the cinema.

I can comfortably wait for the Blu-Rays (or Disney Plus release) of those.

However, then we get to July and it's a double-hit of my favourites getting (hopefully) the treatment they deserve.

First we have James Gunn's Superman on July 11 (my favourite character in DC Comics) and then on July 25 The Fantastic Four: First Steps (my favourite superhero team finally earn their place in the MCU).

I rarely go the cinema these days (I think the last time was in late 2023 to see The Marvels), but I really feel as though July is going to see a couple of carpe diem days as I really need to see both these pictures on the silver screen.

As bleak as the world is probably going to be by then, these two films should prove the ultimate fillip in the dark days ahead.