InFurNation Rotating Header Image

Comic Book News

Before He Danced the Magic Dance

Boom! Studios (through their Archaia imprint) are returning to the world of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth in a new series called Labyrinth: Coronation. It sounds like this: “Before Sarah braved the Labyrinth to save her brother, another young woman sought to save a young boy named Jareth from the clutches of the Goblins. Set in 18th-century Venice, Italy, Jim Henson’s Labyrinth is a striking look into the history of the Labyrinth itself, and what happens to the little boys who don’t get rescued. This is the untold history of the Goblin King.” Written by Simon Spurrier and illustrated by Daniel Bayliss, the first issue is on the shelves now. Mr. Bayliss, you may recall, was the illustrator of that marvelously weird anthropomorphic comic Kennel Block Blues.

image c. 2018 Archaia

Life Imitates Art Imitates…

Ethan Young is an artist and comic-creator who has made a name for himself at Dark Horse Press with titles like Nanjing: The Burning City and The Battles of Bridget Lee. Before all that though, there was his semi-autobiographical comic Tails, based on his time working at an animal shelter — while trying to kick-start his comic career. Now Dark Horse have brought it all together in a new collection, Life Between Panels: The Complete Tails Omnibus. “Ethan’s life as one of the many cartoonists living in NYC might look mundane at first glance—living with his parents, working a day job, playing with cats. But things get crazy when he starts to draw his comic strip Crusader Cat! Soon, Ethan can’t tell the difference between real life and the comic panel!” Look for it in trade paperback this April.

image c. 2018 Dark Horse Press

Good Boy!

As you may recall, last year we noted that Marvel Comics had collected together several previous adventures of the furry fans’ favorite Inhuman, Lockjaw the teleporting dog. Well it looks as if that collection must have done rather well, because now Lockjaw has been granted his own full-color 4-issue miniseries. Marvel puts it like this: “Lockjaw spends most of his time defending the Inhuman empire alongside Black Bolt and Medusa. But when he gets a message that his long-lost litter mates are in danger, he’ll spring into action to save them! But wait – Lockjaw has brothers and sisters? Can they teleport? Are they Inhuman? Can they possibly be as gosh-darned cute as their big brother?” Written by Daniel Kibblesmith (The Late Show) and illustrated by Carlos Villa, the first issue of Lockjaw hits the shelves this week. Find out more over at Comicosity.

image c. 2018 Marvel Comics

Talk About Your Dogs of War…

Atlas & Axis is a well-known and award-nominated funny-animal adventure graphic novel from Europe, written and illustrated by Pau. Now Titan Comics have brought us the first English-language edition, and they’re releasing it as a 4-issue comic miniseries through their Statix imprint. The publishers describe it like this: “In the fantastical world of Pangea, all the animals talk and walk on two paws. Warriors Atlas and Axis are mutts of very different pedigrees: Atlas is intelligent and rational, a calculating hero, while Axis is more likely to take a wild swing when his blood runs hot. When our roaming adventurers return home to find Viking raiders – brutes from the North who pillage and kill all who fall under their claws – have destroyed their village, they set off on a perilous quest across land and sea to save what remains of their friends and family!” Comicon.com have a more detailed look that includes several preview pages. And don’t be fooled: This is not a cute all-ages comic book!

image c. 2018 Statix Press

Two Brothers Make Comics

Bobby Timony (art) and his twin brother Peter Timony (writing) are the creators of Night Owls, an award-winning series from DC Comics that’s been available in print and on line since 2009. This Roaring-20’s-style adventure tells the story of two humans and a gargoyle who team up to solve supernatural mysteries. It features more than its fair share of non-human characters too, mind you. If you visit their web site (called, appropriately enough, Twin Comics) you’ll see much more of Bobby’s art and the brothers’ work on other comic series they offer on-line now. Among them Goblin Hood, Widdershins Wilderness Scouts, and (furriest of them all) McCool: Sheriff of Dogwood.

image c. 2018 twincomics.com

Stand By the Five

Jessica Reilly and Patrick Reilly have both served in the U.S. military — she’s still in, while he recently left after nearly a decade of service. In their free time, they formed a company called Zonks Illustration as an outlet for their creative endeavors. Among other things they’ve been working on Five Realms, a multi-species fantasy comic adventure reminiscent of Mouse Guard. He writes it, she illustrates it. You can see examples of her works over at their Zonks Etsy store. They also have a Patreon to try and get Five Realms out to the world.

image c. 2018 by Jessica Reilly

Beware of Bunnies with Sharp Things

We found this in a recent Previews magalog: Stabbity Bunny, written by Richard Rivera, illustrated by Dwayne Biddix, and published by Scout Comics. “Seven-year-old Grace, still clutching her adorable plush bunny, is kidnapped by supernatural forces that have been hunting her family for generations. She awakens in a shack on the outskirts of town, and for the first time in her life, the little girl can’t sense her mother’s presence. Her captor knows the family’s secrets, and that link has been severed. When her escape attempt fails, it seems there will be deadly consequences, but an unlikely protector intervenes. It’s a big mistake to kidnap a child with a plush toy named Stabbity Bunny!” Oh you just know someone is working on a movie adaptation of this, don’t you?

image c. 2018 Scout Comics

Son of Dragon: Save the World

New from Humanoids we have Dragonseed, a full-color fantasy graphic novel written by Kurt McClung (Might & Magic) and illustrated by the team of Jimenez and Mateo Guerrero (Warlands). “For centuries the men and creatures of Krath have prepared for a conflict that many hoped would never happen. A half-blood, Adam Serre Shadow, now has just two moons to find the thief of the teardrop stone, stolen from his fire-breathing father, before the Council of Elders trigger all-out war. The son of a Dragon will stop at nothing to find the magical relic and preserve the fragile peace that still exists between the two species.” It’s available now as a digital comic and as a deluxe hardcover.

image c. 2018 Humanoids

Run, Rodents, Run!

We had not heard about the Hammy and Gerbee series, but now the first volume is out, and apparently more are coming soon. Written and illustrated by Wong Herbert Yee, the first story of this graphic novel series for young readers is called Hammy and Gerbee: Mummies at the Museum. “Things are looking up for best friends Hammy and Gerbee—a hamster and a gerbil—when they find out they’re both in Miss Capybara’s class. But it’s not long before school becomes a battle between the good (Hammy and Gerbee), the bad (spelling bees and pop quizzes), and the evil (mice twins Anna and Hanna). Can things get any worse? Or mischievous? Yep! They’re going on a field trip to the science museum. What are two rodent friends to do but find their own fun (and trouble)?” It’s available now over at Barnes & Noble, from Henry Holt.

image c. 2018 Henry Holt