Batman #1 and other DC Comics’ The New 52 week 4 reviews, plus New Teen Titans: Games
The fourth week of “The New 52″ was fairly Bat-centric for most of the titles. “Batman” and “Nightwing” both re-established their core characters. There was also more sexual content in this week’s books, leading to lots of discussion online and in comic shops about gender relations and the portrayal of women in the DC Universe. Click past the cut for reviews of Week 4 of The New 52.
Walking Dead Season 2 first look from Comic-Con
Check out the first look at the second season of AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” revealed today at 
Comic-Con. The survivalist horror series is based on the comic books and graphic novels by Robert Kirkman.
- Matt Price
Voltron to have first Comic-Con panel in San Diego
The battling robot Voltron will have its first franchise panel at Comic-Con International in San Diego on Thursday, July 21.
The panel presentation at Comic-Con International will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 21, in the Indigo Ballroom at the Bayfront Hilton hotel.
The panel is scheduled to feature a mix of entertainment of new and classic Voltron content, including original graphic novels, comic books, video games, Nicktoons’ Voltron Force television series and more.
Carrie Keagan, host of VH1’s Big Morning Buzz Live, will moderate. Guests include:
· From THQ, Adam Affrunti, producer;
· From World Events Productions, Jeremy Corray, Voltron Force supervising producer, and Todd 
Garfield, Voltron Force story editor;
· From Nicktoons, Keith Dawkins, senior vice president and general manager of Nicktoons;
· From Mattel, Steed Sun, entertainment brands design director, Michael Montalvo, entertainment brands design manager, and Brandon Sopinsky, entertainment brands designer;
· From Dynamite Entertainment, Joe Rybrandt, editor, and Brandon Thomas, Voltron comic book writer;
· From VIZ Media, Traci Todd, senior editor, and Jacob Chabot, cartoonist and illustrator for VIZ Media graphic novels
“This is an epic year for Voltron fans and the Comic-Con panel is going to be a memorable event for them,” said Peter Armstrong, executive producer of THQ’s forthcoming video game, in a news release. “It’s the perfect time for us to present the first-ever Voltron panel since this legendary robot action franchise is back right now in a very big way. We can’t wait to talk about what’s next for Voltron, and to showcase some of the best and most exclusive Voltron content for the first time.”
An autograph session will follow the panel. A giant Voltron figure will also be on-site.
Voltron: Defender of the Universe was a highly rated cartoon show in the 1980s, in which five brave explorers pilot five robotic lion ships, which combine to form Voltron, the robotic hero.
A new animated series, “Voltron Force,” recently debuted on Nicktoons.
- Matt Price
Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard lets different creators play in fantasy world
Fans can dig into the mythology and stories of the “Mouse Guard” world in the creative anthology “Legends of the Guard.”
One night in the June Alley Inn, in the western mouse city of Barkstone, the mice join a storytelling contest. The winner will receive forgiveness of his bar tab. The rules are that Every story must contain at least one truth and at least one falsehood, and the story must be one the judge has never heard before.
Will Nathan Fillion’s geek cred generate Castle graphic novel sales?
Nathan Fillion in "Castle."
Actor Nathan Fillion has pretty good comics cred. Marvel Comics will see if that parlays into sales success when a graphic novel inspired by his “Castle” series is released this fall.
James Bonds battle; War, Politics and Superheroes; Castle graphic novel announced
Kyle Roberts’ stop-motion film “Battle of the Bonds” debuts tonight at IAO Gallery, 706 W Sheridan. Matt Price and Kyle Roberts will co-host the event. The short film will be released online Saturday.
Matt and Kyle talk to author Marc DiPaolo about his book, “War, Politics and Superheroes.”
And a graphic novel inspired by “Castle” is coming out this fall.
“Castle” TV series inspires Marvel graphic novel
In a blast of carefully timed media synergy, Marvel Entertainment and ABC Studios have announced a new hardcover graphic novel inspired by the “Castle” television series.
Richard Castle, as played by Nathan Fillion, will reveal the cover on the season finale of “Castle,” airing May 16 on ABC.
This 112 page hardcover will be released to comic shops and bookstores on Sept. 28.
The graphic novel will adapt the adventures of Derrick Storm, whose mystery novels are written by the fictional Richard Castle in the series.
“Castle: Richard Castle’s Deadly Storm” will be created by co-writers Brian Michael Bendis (Avengers, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man) and Kelly Sue DeConnick (Captain America And The Secret Avengers); interior artist Lan Medina (Fables); and cover artist Carlo Pagulayan (Planet Hulk).
“We are incredibly excited to be partnering with marvel to bring Richard Castle’s early literary works to life,” said Andrew W. Marlowe, “Castle” creator/executive producer, in a news release. “It’s a great way to expand the Castle universe for all our fans.”
Marvel’s Axel Alonso said he hopes it introduces “Castle” fans to a new medium.
“It’s exciting to bring the Derrick Storm novels to life for the first time ever,” said Alonso, Marvel Entertainment Editor in Chief, in a news release. “Whether you’re new to the world of ‘Castle’ or a long time fan, there’s something for everyone in Castle: Richard Castle’s Deadly Storm—and it’s the kind of book that reaffirms Marvel’s commitment to creating new fans of comic books.”
- Matt Price
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: 1969 set for July release
Chris Staros of Top Shelf announced via e-mail that Alan Moore’s “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 3: Century #2 (of 3): 1969 is set for a July release. The 80-page full-color graphic novel has a suggested retail price of $9.95 in the U.S.
Here’s how the book is described:
The League is back! Our merry metafictional marauders continue their bestselling adventures through the 20th century. In this volume, the League must battle dark cultists amid the sit-ins, sitars, and psychedelics of 1960s swinging London.
Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill are the creative team for “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen,” which features fictional characters from other books brought together as a superteam of sorts.
- Matt Price
“Wandering Star” features strong characters, interplanetary conflict
I picked up a copy of “Wandering Star” Vol. 1 at the recent Planet Comicon in Overland Park, Kansas. The trade paperback collects the first seven issues of Teri Sue Wood’s space adventure “Wandering Star.” After reading it, I found out that Wood – now Teresa Challender – is serializing the series online. So you can check out the first four issues at her web site.
“Peanuts” gang comes to graphic novel via kaboom!
Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts” characters have been delighting readers for more than 60 years, including in the comics section of The Oklahoman. But the characters have never appeared in a graphic novel. Boom! Studios will change that this spring, when the graphic novel “Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown” is released by Boom! Studios’ new all-ages imprint, kaboom!
