Publicamos ayer noticias de última hora sobre los próximos libros de DC Next Level que llegarán en abril, incluyendo la serie en curso de Starfire anunciada en el panel. Durante el propio panel de Next Level, la editora en jefe Marie Javins fue acompañada por varios creadores para detallar lo que está por venir y revelar el proceso creativo.
Primero estuvo Swamp Thing: Hallowed Ground, del equipo creativo formado por el guionista Steve Foxe y el artista Riccardo Federici. Según el creador de cómics Joshua Williamson, quien sirve como uno de los principales arquitectos de los planes de DC’s Next Level, uno de los objetivos de Next Level era tener en mente diferentes géneros, uno de los cuales era el horror. Dada la historia del personaje como una pieza crucial del DC Universe, supieron de inmediato que Swamp Thing tenía que estar incluido en Next Level.
Williamson luego pasó a Batman: Justice Year, una miniserie de 6 números escrita por él con arte de Bruno Redondo. Algunos podrían sorprenderse al saber que Williamson escribió el primer número hace casi cuatro años. Considerando que Redondo ha sido uno de los artistas más solicitados para la editorial, sobre todo con su aclamado trabajo en Nightwing, la espera es comprensible. En términos de estilo, el arte de Redondo en el libro está destinado a evocar el estilo de David Mazzucchelli de Batman: Year One. Williamson tuvo gran elogio para su colaborador artístico, llamando a Redondo un genio y diciendo que está haciendo el trabajo de su vida.
Next up was Batman: Shadow of the Bat from the creative team of writer Deniz Camp and artist Javier Rodriguez. If their acclaimed Absolute Martian Manhunter miniseries is any indication, readers could have yet another potential masterpiece on their hands. As someone who’s loved the character for most of his life, Camp aimed to craft a story that was grounded and touched on the anxieties of today. Shadow of the Bat begins with an explosion at Ace Chemical Factory resulting in the surrounding area being quarantined by a private security firm. The Dark Knight has to simultaneously fight and help the infected Gotham citizens.
Camp teased new villains being introduced in the series, as well as bringing normal civilians back into the Batman’s supporting cast. The concept of “shadows” is played throughout the book in various ways that give greater significance to the title. The creators described Batman as a “moving shadow” with Rodriguez coining the term “elegante Batman.”
Comic creators Stephanie Williams and Khary Randolph then proceeded to discuss their upcoming Vixen ongoing series. A fan-favorite character for years, Willliams aims to push Vixen to new heights teasing a new villain, and a love interest from the Bat-Family.
The DC Universe has no shortage of superheroes with animal based powers such as Animal Man and Beast Boy. With this series, Williams will restablish Vixen’s power set to differentiate her in a way that puts her in a community with animals. Though the book will be new reader friendly, longtime fans can expect plenty of easter eggs. Detroit is the main setting for the series and will showcase the city in amazing ways. Williams also hinted that the series will incorporate some horror elements.
Aftter previously working on the Absolute Power: Task Force VII miniseries, Williams and Randolph were eager to work together on another comics project. Randolph joked that the only thing he wasn’t excited about was having to draw horses.
Moving on, writer Cody Ziglar teased what’s to come for the new Static ongoing series. Knowing how hungry fans have been for the Milestone characters, Ziglar wanted to make sure he did the character justice, describing Static as a foundational character for contemporary young black superheroes. Ziglar revealed that he received the original Milestone tome that provided inspiration of ideas and concepts that never made it into the original ’90s comics.
The panel moved back to Williamson to discuss what’s to come in the main ongoing Superman title. After so many event-driven storylines, Williamson wanted to get back to a more grounded story with the “Nightshift” arc, which will also see the return of the Marilyn Moonlight, the vigilante character introduced in the book a few years back. Readers can expect some deaths. Despite being one of the busiest writers in the comics industry right now, fans will be relieved to know that Williamson has no intention of leaving the book anytime soon, saying that he’s having the happiest time of his life writing the character.
Williamson tuvo un momento de cierre casi circular al comentar qué vendrá en el libro Legion of Super-Heroes, recientemente lanzado, con el artista Hayden Sherman, que fue anunciado por primera vez en NYCC del año pasado. Se mostró el arte próximo que revela la introducción de los personajes Kid Quantum y Timber Wolf. Emerald Empress, enemiga perenne del equipo y miembro de la Fatal Five, será presentada como la líder de la versión futura del Green Lantern Corps, que creo que fue mencionada como la Green Lantern Corporation. El creador del cómic describió su enfoque metódico para introducir una legión literal de personajes de la Legión como algo más que simples personajes. Es un enfoque que recuerda a lo que Williamson ha estado haciendo con G.I. Joe en el Energon Universe.
Following the Bad Seeds crossover event, the main Batman book will see Bruce Wayne “assassinated” forcing Batman to go undercover to solve the case. Writer Matt Fraction joked how cathartic and joyful it was to kill a billionaire. As a fan of Columbo, he compared it to how the viewer always knew who the bad guy was early in the episode and the fun was watching how Columbo figured it out. After putting a price on Bruce’s head in the first year of Fraction’s run, the writer said that Bruce has decided to let the assassination happen and to work the case backwards. Fraction teased that readers can look forward not only to the return of the Matches Malone persona as he lives in a halfway home to solve the murder, but also to seeing Bruce adopt a new identity as a nascent villain. He also hinted that new books would be spinning out of the storyline.
Fraction señaló que el primer número del Batman relanzado salió hace un año, y se suponía que iba a aparecer en NYCC del año pasado para promocionarlo. Desafortunadamente tuvo que cancelar esa aparición, y Fraction reveló por qué: en ese momento estuvo hospitalizado. Para él fue realmente humilde y gratificante ver la enorme acogida del libro y eso ayudó a su estancia en el hospital. Por supuesto, es plenamente consciente de que Absolute Batman es todavía la joya de DC Publishing en este momento, con Fraction comparando en tono de broma la experiencia con ser el acto de apertura de The Beatles.
The panel spotlighted books from writer/artist comic creators such as James Harren‘s The Demon. First encountering the character through an episode of the ’90s Batman animated series, Harren came to discover the comics version of Etrigan was somewhat different than the animated adaptation, particularly his penchant for rhyming. As a Jack Kirby fanatic, this is a dream project for him. One of the big changes is his decidedly different intrepretaion of Etrigan’s human host Jason Blood, who is typically depicted as a “groovy professor.”
Next was Michael Walsh to discuss how his recently-launched Jonah Hex series came to be, due to his desire to tell a weird Western horror book for some time and Jonah Hex was an immediate choice. Though it has supernatural elements, he said that ultimately it’s a human story. The storyline features an older Jonah Hex who has put away his guns and is haunted by the ghosts of the people he’s killed.
After the immense success of his Zatanna miniseries, comic creator Jamal Campball got the go-ahead for an ongoing series with the superhero magician. As a lifelong fan of the character, Campbell’s aim is build Zatanna up, as well as her rogues gallery, and to push her forward beyond being just a stage magician.
The panel ended with the aforementioned announcement of a new Starfire ongoing series from writer Alyssa Wong and artist Belén Ortega. Pitched as “Red Sonja meets One Piece” by Wong, this series sees Starfire return to the home planet of Tamaran under siege. The theme of the book is what it means to come home after you’ve been away for so long. Wong teased Starfire’s sister Blackfire as well as “pirates” and “going gladiatorial.” The goal for the creative team is to break your heart and fill it back up.
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También se anunció justo al final del panel una historia corta de Superboy-Prime por Williamson y el artista Dan Mora.
Estate atento a The Beat para más noticias del NYCC ’26.
