Layer by Layer
I saw an old pal this weekend who mentioned my “sporadic newsletter,” one of the most quietly devastating reads I’d experienced in quite some time. It’s true, I’m terrible at this. But in my defense…I have a job now. That’s the big top-line news of the issue, in case you didn’t see it a few weeks back: TINY ONION grew a few sizes, and I have officially joined the allium. I don’t talk a ton about my editorial work here on the newsletter, since I’m usually hawking my own wares, but I’ve been working with James Tynion IV since the development of The Department of Truth, editing first that and then later W0RLDTR33 and The Deviant, along with Razorblades, which we co-created.
The formation of Tiny Onion as a production house has been a long time coming and I’ve been working behind the scenes for quite a while, so it’s exciting that the news is out in the open. We have a pretty absurd amount of cool stuff planned that’s going to start rolling out in the next few months (and years!) that I think folks are going to dig. And no, that doesn’t mean I’ll be pumping the breaks on writing. In fact…
Today is final order cutoff for X-MEN: BLOOD HUNT—PSYLOCKE #1. I’m pretty bad about calling out FOCs, which are important sales triggers for books, but my killer editor on this book, Lindsey Cohick, reminded me just as I remembered to dust off the newsletter. I also happen to be freakishly proud of how this issue turned out. Lynne Yoshii (accompanied by Ruth Redmond on colors) just tore it up on art, turning this self-contained event tie-in into a blood-drenched, neon-lit, achingly romantic monster vs. mutant melee manga. And while you definitely SHOULD be reading Blood Hunt, you can pick this up fresh as a Psylocke fan and not be lost if you’re not otherwise following the event. Ask your shop to preorder your copy TODAY. Seriously—this one slays. (Sorry.)
SPIDER BITES!
I’ve had a trio (!) of Spider-related announcements since my last newsletter. The biggest of which is that Andrea Boccardo and I will teaming up this August for the four-issue CHASM: CURSE OF KAINE, which follows up on the two shorts from WEB OF SPIDER-MAN I did with Greg Land and co. this spring. In this miniseries, Kaine, a.k.a. the Scarlet Spider, tries to play brother’s keeper for his fellow oft-wayward clone Ben Reilly, a.k.a. Chasm. But we’re all still waiting to discover where Chasm and Hallows’ Eve really fall on the moral alignment chart, aren’t we? Especially when there are other threats afoot—older, Eternal maliciousness, even. This is the first time Andrea and I have worked together and it has been such a blast. He was born to do Spider-comics, especially with a gruesome twist. I love both of these damaged clone boys, and getting to write Janine Godbe has also been a standout surprise—I can see why Hallows’ Eve has really taken off since her reintroduction to the Marvel Universe. Expect big, bold, spooky fun when this one launches at the end of summer, just in time for stores to start stocking Halloween decorations.
In briefer but no less exciting Spider-news, Kei Zama and I are back back back again for another Web-Weaver tale…but this one’s not about Cooper Coen! In VENOMVERSE: REBORN #3, we tell the tragic tale of a very different type of Venom. And no, it’s not the drag queen from the earlier Web-Weaver story. This is easily the darkest Web-Weaver story, and also fleshes out the back-story of his version of Silk. Don’t miss it, especially if you’re a fan of cosmic horror. Also—check out Kei’s killer design above on the right, which was inspired by the work of Gareth Pugh. Even when it’s not obvious, almost everything in Cooper’s world is somehow slightly inspired by fashion designers.
Finally, in what was a surprise even to me until the announcement, the short, all-ages Spider-Man stories I’ve been writing for the European market are coming stateside! SPIDER-MAN: HOMEROOM HEROES launches this September, with each issue collecting two standalone stories featuring a teenage version of Spider-Man facing some of his most classic foes, teaming up with the Marvel U.’s most exciting heroes, and experiencing the everyday struggles of being a kid with a secret identity. I’ve absolutely loved writing about 40 of these stories over the last couple of years, and I’m stoked some of them will be available on these shores finally. I’m not sure, but I suspect the stories my pal Marco Rizzo wrote for the same magazine are also likely to find their way into this volume over time—they’re a blast and a half, too. A bevy of talented Italian artists joined us on these and the result is pure animated fun. Pick this up for Spidey fans of all ages.
(I’ll have a some other Spider-news soon, but it’s a bit too early to spoil it…)
And while we’re on Spider-topics, SPIDER-WOMAN #7, the debut of THE ASSEMBLY, sold out and went to a second printing. A sell-out on a #7 is so random—gotta love the speculator market. But hey, whatever, we’ll take it! Ig, Arif, Ellie, MR, and I love doing this series, and it’s been a blast introducing these new kids while also putting Jess through the ringer. I could write Ms. Drew forever—she’s just one of those platonically perfect Marvel characters. If you want to see more of Jess—and meet the newest kids on the Marvel block—pick up your copy of Spider-Woman, pronto.
ON TO THE NE-X-T TOPIC
Also out since my last installment—X-MEN ’97 #3, our penultimate issue, which finds our heroes preparing for a baby shower where absolutely nothing will go wrong and everyone will have a good, uneventful time, as one does in the X-Men. Mostly I’m just impressed I got Siena Blaze on a comic book cover in the year 2024. That’s wild.
On a very different X-note, I’m back at X-Men Monday today for what may very well be my final appearance to hype up X-MEN: HEIR OF APOCALYPSE, which launches NEXT WEEK and then comes out every other week. Jeeze, time flies. I couldn’t say too much ahead of the monumental X-Men #700 out this week, which wraps up the Krakoan era. I am immensely grateful to have been part of Krakoa at all, and will leave the more introspective words to the creators who were in the room longer than I was. But what I will say as far as Heir is concerned is that, while you can absolutely come to the series fresh, it’s also very much an epilogue for the era, as both the characters and I process what it means to lose the idea of a mutant homeland. It’s what drives much of the motivation for the plot. So when #700 hits you like a friggin’ sledgehammer this Wednesday, Netho Diaz and I will be there next week to sweep up the pieces. And if nothing else, Netho absolutely DEMOLISHED the art on this book. Some of the most dynamic, action-packed stuff I’ve ever been a part of. He’s going to blow up after this, mark my words.
And speaking of endings—X-MEN UNLIMITED INFINITY COMIC concludes today, and actually concludes-concludes, now that the news is out that it’s going to relaunch with a new #1. Doing these final 22 chapters were among my favorite X-assignments, as Steve Orlando, Phil Sevy, Nick Roche, Yen Nitro, Lauren Amaro, Jordan White, and I got to pull together some of the franchise’s most beloved B-listers and pit them against some of the franchise’s most infamous villains on a big, ridiculous, classic adventure. The final chapter is my favorite, and I’m glad it seems to be resonating with people. (As a rule, I don’t look at reactions online, but I broke that rule for today’s chapter.) I’ll need to circle back at some point and talk more about this wild ride, but for now, I’m just feeling a sense of accomplishment that we got here.
MY BACK HURTS
Andddddd that should be all. I always go so long on the stuff I’m promoting that I never leave room for anything fun and casual, but I’ll force it here at the end anyway. I rarely feel old since my job is writing the same characters I’ve loved since I was four, but this past week I got to see The Crow in theaters for the first time ever (with my pal Kenny Porter, writer of The Schlub from Image Comics and many a fine DC Comic as well—hey Kenny!!!). The Crow is my favorite movie of all time, and I first saw it when I was five years old. It made an insane impact on my life trajectory, particularly the soundtrack. Seeing it on the big screen, and showing it to my partner, was close to a religious experience. And on the way home, I realized it came out 30 years ago. I had been listening to these songs for three decades.
And for a double whammy, the week before, I started looping the anniversary edition of Modest Mouse’s Good News for People Who Love Bad News, which is 20 years old. An album I was excitedly sharing with people in middle school is nearly old enough to drink. At least the remixes on it are actually good.
xoxo