Tag: Comics

The interdimensional crossover of DC… and Kentucky Fried Chicken

So much is the fanaticism for the historical figure (forgetting that in the last years of his life he fiercely criticized the KFC food, considering that they had forgotten about the quality) that he has starred in a good handful of DC comics.

Five years ago, it’s possible that anyone you asked on the street wouldn’t know how to respond if you asked them about the multiverse. Now, most people have seen ‘The Flash,’ ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home,’ or ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ and know what it refers to. But years ago, this idea was born in the world of DC with ‘Flash of Two Worlds’ in 1961. However, it’s possible that no one has exploited it better than a fast-food brand known for greasy chicken. How is that possible?

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Crisis of Infinite Colonels

Colonel Sanders was the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1952, and his face became the unofficial mascot of the company. No talking hamburgers, no walking pieces of pizza – just a real person who actually existed. The fanaticism for this historical figure (ignoring the fact that he strongly criticized KFC’s food quality in his later years) led to his appearance in a number of DC comics.

After his death in 1980, his heirs had free rein to do as they pleased. Thus, from 2015 to 2017, three comics were published that blended Colonel Sanders with counterparts from other alternate universes, as well as characters like Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl, or Superwoman. The three comics were titled ‘The Colonel of Two Worlds,’ ‘Crisis of Infinite Colonels,’ and ‘Across the Universe.’ Quite something.

Perhaps it will surprise you, but these comics aren’t of the highest quality. They’re not terrible either – they have their moments. It’s amusing to encounter Colonel Bizarro, Cowboy Sanders, or Koln-El, an obvious parody of Superman. There was even a chicken-shaped Colonel that we won’t ask any further questions about. It all started with the presence of a certain Colonel Sunder, the creator of ‘Easy Fried Chicken,’ on Earth-3. He promised, “I sell cheap chicken, maybe it doesn’t taste good… but it’s easy to make! Fill your belly, that’s all that matters, forget Kentucky, Easy makes you happier.” Uh-huh.

In the end, Captain Cold, Flash, and Green Lantern enjoyed “a decent meal” and even offered Colonel Sunder a position in the Justice League. Yes, the Justice League! ‘Crisis on Infinite Colonels,’ which is drawn in different styles, is quite amusing. It’s worth checking out, even if it’s just to see it in the ‘Teen Titans Go!’ world. The outcome is the same: they defeat the villain and ensure they serve good food to their customers. Logical, right?

You’re right; it might not be a grand thing, but it’s definitely a brilliant marketing maneuver. A decent comic sponsored by an absurdly large brand – how can it not be ridiculously enjoyable?

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The most impossible crossover in history brought together DC superheroes with… Tintin!

It was June 1987 and ‘Teen Titans Spotlight’ #11 introduced Tintin, Haddock, Tornasol, Snowy and Rastapopoulos as members of an alternate Earth.

When Hergé passed away in 1983, leaving his next Tintin adventure (‘Tintin and the Alpha-Art’) unfinished, there were no shortage of people willing to continue his adventures in the style of ‘The Smurfs,’ ‘Johan and Peewit,’ or ‘Spirou.’ However, the heirs of the comic artist were highly reluctant to let anyone touch his works, preserving Tintin’s legacy in memory. Of course, this hasn’t prevented some from finding ways to bypass Moulinsart’s censorship on the right.

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Any Belgian reporter at your service

It can’t be said that Randy Lofficier and Joe Orlando were particularly subtle when they had Tintin make a cameo appearance in their Teen Titans comic (which was known as Jóvenes Titanes in Spain at the time). It was June 1987, and issue #11 of ‘Teen Titans Spotlight’ introduced Tintin, Haddock, Professor Calculus, Snowy, and Rastapopoulos as members of an alternate Earth (specifically, Earth-11).

Indeed, just in case there was any doubt, the character was named Tin. So, if Hergé’s heirs had been a bit quicker, they might have considered legal action. The five characters are part of the Last Chance Army, fighting against the Brotherhood of Evil. True, they are only secondary characters, but it’s enough to make them a part of the history of unheard-of crossovers.

Marvel didn’t want to be left behind either, and in 1991, during the relaunch of ‘The Fantastic Four,’ they had Tintin (who, to leave no doubts, referred to himself as Belgian rather than French) provide directions to a couple of mysterious assailants for a single page. Fortunately for the company, knowing how strict Moulinsart can be, they escaped legal wrath. It’s also true that the mysterious Belgian boy didn’t make a return.

We’ll always have the original masterpieces to revisit!

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The big villain of the Marvel Universe in theaters has just become the ultimate superhero in the comics.

Nobody at Marvel sleeps forever. Not even parallel universes.

The Ultimate Universe was born in the year 2000 showing alternative versions of the Marvel superheroes loved by all and it didn’t stop to fit hits until its inevitable downturn in quality. In 2015, ‘Secret Wars’ ended the multiverses and that was the end of the line. But, of course, no one at Marvel sleeps forever. Not even parallel universes.

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What a kangaroo

‘Ultimate Invasion’ is the new from Jonathan Hickman and Bryan Hitch, two of the most sought-after authors in the industry, and we already know that it will be the return of the Ultimate Universe. For this, we have as villain Reed Richards of that parallel Earth (don’t ask, things happen), who survived the destruction along with Miles Morales and a handful of other characters, called himself The Maker and became one of the strongest enemies in the history of the editorial.

Now, when he returns to his old ways, there is only one person who can stop him: his own descendant from the future, the time traveler from the 30th century, the famous Kang the Conqueror. Kang has been giving the Fantastic Four a hard time since the 1960s with his various incarnations, from Rama-Tut to Immortus to Iron Lad. And in the end, although it may not seem like it, he always ends up becoming a villain.

However, in ‘Ultimate Invasion’ he has revealed himself as the ultimate hero who can help the superheroes to put an end to their greatest threat, an absolutely histrionic Reed Richards with evil intentions. Is it a trap? Is it the demonstration that everything depends on the color with which you look at it and he has never really been a bad person… Or a clever twist to the comics giving a turn to his personality?

For the time being, Kang has assembled a handful of alternate versions of superheroes from all over the world to fight The Maker. If he succeeds and gets redemption, who knows? Maybe even Jonathan Majors can… although it doesn’t seem likely.

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DC responds to ‘Fables’ creator: no, it can’t put it in public domain

If you thought this soap opera was going to end with Willingham giving his work to the people, give it another spin.

The intentions were very good, yes, but they have come face to face with reality. Yesterday we told you that Bill Willingham had decided to release his greatest work, ‘Fables’, into the public domain so that everyone could make and market works based on his without anything stopping them, with absolute freedom and totally free. A good Samaritan? DC has said it’s crazy.

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Distinguished Comics

“The ‘Fabulas’ comics, as well as their stories, characters and elements, are the property of DC and are protected under the copyright laws of the United States and around the world, and are not in the public domain,” the company says, warning that they will do everything in their power to protect intellectual property rights. If you thought this soap opera was going to end with Willingham giving his work to the people, give it another spin.

The author himself has made the rules of the game clear: no, putting the title in the public domain does not make it so that just anyone can reprint the books and stories, any more than others could reprint your own stories from the franchise. “‘Create your own’ is the new order. No, I’m not bitter about ‘Fables,’ and will happily sign your books and talk about ‘Fables’ at conventions,” the author has said on Twitter, pretending he hasn’t listened to DC.

Apparently, the thing is not one color or another, but the contracts make it tremendously complicated to get away with it. Add to that the fact that public sentiment towards the author has gone in just one day from “hero of the people” to discovering his “Likes” to transphobic and racist tweets. For whatever reason, they have not fallen with their hands in front of them.

Honestly, if DC wants to fight back, it will do so with the full force of Warner Bros. lawyers. Willingham stands to lose hundreds of thousands trying to defend himself, and, by all accounts, he doesn’t. Should DC pay him fairly? Of course. Is he going to win this fight? That’s part of the fiction and the… fable.

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The creator of Fables has said “enough” and has made his work public domain: we explain the soap opera to you

The creator of Fables has decided to definitively break with DC Comics after years of rudeness, releasing his work… and confronting the company

When working for a multinational corporation, there’s always a risk of losing control over your work. In the end, you depend on the good faith of the other party involved because, unfortunately, the law isn’t equally applied to everyone. A gigantic company can afford to spend years in legal battles, while an ordinary person cannot. This means that in the face of any issues with a large multinational, most of the time, workers have only two options: remain silent or take actions outside the legal system. This is especially true in a litigious country like the United States.

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That has been the case for Bill Willingham, the creator of the comic book series Fables. As the creator and writer of this series that began in 2002 and is still ongoing, he blended characters from fairy tales like Snow White and the Big Bad Wolf with the real New York, where they had to conceal their appearance and abilities from the rest of the world. This comic book series led to the creation of The Wolf Among Us, the popular video game by Telltale. Today, Willingham has made a public statement announcing that he is relinquishing the intellectual property rights of his work to the public domain.

The reason behind this decision is that DC Comics executives have been imposing increasingly abusive conditions on him, to the point where their relationship deteriorated so much that he saw no other way out. Unable to engage in a legal battle against the company, he has decided that, at the age of 67, it’s more worthwhile for Fables to be owned by everyone than to try to defeat a giant like DC Comics in the courts.

Willingham is thus denouncing the fact that DC’s current executives believe they can do whatever they want with the property without considering its authors. He uses The Wolf Among Us as an example, where not only have they not paid him royalties for the licensing of his work to Telltale Games, but they have also not consulted him on the changes and trauma introduced by the game in relation to the comics.

The Wolf Among Us 2: A Telltale Series is scheduled for release in 2024 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, and Mac OS. Meanwhile, Willingham has stated that he has read the script that they tried to hide from him for two years and that even if he has put his work into the public domain, he will continue to fight to get the money they owe him. Something we can only applaud.

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The sad history of The Simpsons comics

Groening noticed that there were not enough comedy comics on shelves overcrowded by superheroes, and decided to open the door to anyone who had talent and wanted to change the rules of the game: Bongo Comics was born.

In 1993, ‘The Simpsons‘ was in its prime (which would last until 1998, with the end of season 9). In the middle of Bartmania, Matt Groening and his team didn’t know how to grow the franchise beyond the usual merchandising. A movie? Video games controlled by them? Or better yet: Why not comic books? At the time, Groening noticed that there weren’t enough comedy comics on shelves overpopulated by superheroes, and decided to open the door to anyone who had talent and wanted to change the rules of the game: Bongo Comics was born.

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Oingo-Bongo

The truth is that Bongo Comics, beyond a couple of limited series (‘Mylo Xyloto’, created by Coldplay, and ‘Roswell, little green man’, which was nominated for four Eisner awards) only published comics related to ‘The Simpsons’, ‘Futurama’ and, to a lesser extent, ‘SpongeBob’. In total, ‘Simpson Comics’ had 245 issues, each with its own particular style, expanding on the stories of the series and getting carried away. For example, there was an issue in which Mr. Croquet, Homer’s head that served as a detergent logo, ended up with the manga, and another narrating the family’s reunion with Spider-Pig.

The problem came with overproduction: in addition to ‘Simpson Comics’ so many series were published that it was impossible to keep up. ‘Bartman’, ‘The Treehouse of Terror’ (fabulous, by the way), ‘Bart Simpson Comics’, ‘Futurama Comics’, ‘Simpson Classics’, ‘Simpsons Super-Spectacular’, ‘Simpsons Illustrated’… Even Ralph Wiggum, Milhouse, the guy in the comic store or Professor Frink had their own title. It couldn’t go on for long.

There were magnificent comics during this time, mind you: all the Halloween specials, where they had different guest stars, were a joy, and Bartman’s parodies were very well channeled, but, although the comics still kept their DNA intact, the fame of the series began to decline along with the quality of their scripts and, little by little, ‘The Simpsons’ was running out of that redoubt of humor in comic book stores that Groening was looking for.

Bongo Comics went out of business in 2018 after publishing things like a crossover between ‘Futurama‘ and ‘The Simpsons’ that was much better than what we would later see on TV and a story about Chief Wiggum. Would it have survived if they had opened up to other kinds of comics or was Bongo doomed before it started? In any case, it’s a shame. It only remains to tell the American readers who doomed it to multiply by zero. There is no other way.

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From Hero to Villain: The Shocking Transformation of Spider-Man into the Black Goblin

Peter Parker is the Black Goblin and he's willing to go around doing mischief.

Zeb Wells, the current writer of ‘Amazing Spider-Man’, is facing backlash from fans… rightfully so. The writer, who began with a promising question (“What did Spider-Man do to be hated by everyone around him?”), has ended up with Mary Jane married to a character we hadn’t seen before, whom she met in an alternate reality, and with whom she had two children who have vanished. And unfortunately, this isn’t the worst of it.

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Spiderblack

Spider-Man has always had to deal with Goblins. The Green Goblin, the Hobgoblin, the Grey Goblin, the Kingpin Goblin, the Red Goblin… And now, he himself has become one in the most complex, absurd, and Marvel-esque way possible. Yes, you heard it right: now, Peter Parker is the Black Goblin and he’s ready to cause mischief around. Just in time for the next – sigh – 24 issues of Spider-Man. A year with this. Utter laziness.

To understand what happened, we have to go back a few years when the Sin-Eater shot Norman Osborn while he was wearing the Green Goblin suit and freed him from evil (yes, he’s been a good guy for a few years now, hard to believe). What happened to the sins he carried within him? Well, they turned into a kind of slimy monster that Doctor Kafka, a former benefactor, became the Queen Goblin. Wait, Marvel always has one more twist up its sleeve.

What happens? Well, the Queen Goblin got involved with Kraven the Hunter, who managed to remove her “sins” (Norman Osborn’s sins, to be clear) by transferring them into a special lance. At this point, I wouldn’t overthink it too much either. So, when he’s about to transfer them back to Osborn, Peter steps in the middle and ends up receiving all the evil from his archenemy, becoming the Black Goblin.

This signifies the return of the black suit, a pursuit against Kraven (the hunter becoming the hunted), and a story that, as they promise us, will be very dark and change the character forever. It’s the usual Marvel fare. Is it possible that suddenly and unexpectedly Wells can revive a dying era that no reader is truly enjoying? Who knows. Apparently, we have 24 more issues to find out.

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Whose Heart Has Iron Man Captured? Wedding Bells Ring for Tony Stark!

In this case, it is Tony Stark, the millionaire playboy that many of you will recognize as the eternal lover of Pepper Pots, who is going to go through vicarage. But you don’t expect from whose hand.

Wedding bells are ringing in the world of superhero comics once again. It’s true that these things don’t usually end well (just ask Batman how his ceremony with Catwoman went or inquire how Spiderman‘s marriage with Mary Jane is holding up), but superheroes also have the right to seek love, of course. In this case, it’s Tony Stark, the millionaire playboy that many of you will recognize as forever in love with Pepper Potts, who is about to tie the knot. But you wouldn’t expect who’s holding his hand down the aisle.

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Mutated loves

In fact, in the comics, although Pepper and Tony had a relationship, she married (twice!) Happy Hogan, the other part of the love triangle. Now that she’s a superhero herself and has distanced herself from the millionaire playboy, it’s only natural for someone else to occupy her heart: none other than Emma Frost, one of the most recognizable mutants, known as the White Queen.

Obviously, being a Marvel wedding, we can expect trouble in paradise, especially since mutants have practically disappeared from the Earth. “They don’t seem ready to marry anyone, let alone each other, but life can change quickly,” said event writer Gerry Duggan, who doesn’t seem too convinced that this thing is going to last forever.

And rightfully so: neither of them has shown interest in each other until this year, and although undoubtedly – undoubtedly – they haven’t left any surprises for the wedding night, the editorial promises that it’s going to happen for real. Another thing is that, for example, it could all be some kind of trick that will be revealed in a few months. The typical detail for fans that will sneak into a panel in three years, almost ridiculing it, like “Weren’t you married to Emma Frost?”

Lately, Marvel has been shaking up some of the most iconic couples: Mary Jane is married to someone named Paul (whom she met in an alternate universe and all the fans hate), Betty Ross has long become an enemy of Hulk… And what if Emma and Tony are the only way to believe in love in a turbulent 21st century? Well, who knows. Let’s see how long the idea lasts.

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X-Men Face Immigration Block: United States and Canada Bar Entry

We are witnessing its lowest moment. So much so that they are being prohibited from applying for asylum. Bad business.

No, we haven’t completely lost our minds while writing this headline, and you haven’t arrived from another world into the Marvel Universe (we wish!). Nor has the X-Gene been discovered in part of the population. It turns out that in Marvel comics, after years of triumph for Cyclops, Xavier, Magneto, and the rest of the mutants, we are witnessing their lowest point. So much so that their asylum requests are being denied. Troubling times.

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Mutant emigrant

It all begins at the annual Hellfire Gala, which started with the murder of several mutants and ended with the destruction of Krakoa, the island where the group had been living (and continuously resurrecting) in peace since 2019. The culprit is none other than Orchis, an organization determined to eliminate the “homo superior” before it destroys humanity, led by a robot from the future. And yes, they’ve succeeded quite well. For now.

Who died, you ask? Get ready: Jubilee, Dazzler, Jean Grey, Cyclops, half the world. Well, more or less, because the inhabitants of Krakoa were transported at the last minute to an uninhabited planet, and we still don’t know exactly where… and they tell us that apparently only Jean Grey has truly died. And in Marvel, we know what “truly” means.

So, Orchis is capturing as many living X-Men as possible and taking them to concentration camps where they’ve implanted power inhibitors, sending mutants to other planets where they won’t be a bother and leaving them there to die. Fortunately, Quicksilver is helping mutants enter safe territories in the United States and Canada…

Until both countries have banned X-Men from entering their territories. They’ve even formed superhero groups like the new Alpha Flight to eliminate them and prevent them from crossing the borders. In short, things are getting chaotic in a world that’s united against mutants, creating a metaphor reminiscent of Nazism. A perfect time for Ms. Marvel to have returned, now as one of them, right? Talk about timing, young lady.

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Web of the Weird: Exploring Marvel’s Motivation Behind the Unexpected Sequel to an Eccentric Spider-Man Tale

“Spiderman: Kingdom”, a graphic novel from 2006 that shows us an aging Peter Parker and that with the passing of the years becomes more and more grotesque.

Someday, the damage caused by ‘The Dark Knight Returns’ to the history of comics should be analyzed. Not the comic itself, which is a masterpiece, but all those that came after, wanting to emulate their own Frank Miller without the author’s talent, enthusiasm, or know-how. One of the finest examples of this crude imitation is ‘Spider-Man: Kingdom,’ a graphic novel from 2006 that portrays an aged Peter Parker, becoming increasingly grotesque as the years go by.

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Radioactive fluid

‘Spiderman: Reino’, created by Kaare Andrews, is better known as “the story in which Spider-Man kills Mary Jane with radioactive semen.” Yes, you read that correctly. Peter lives alone and hasn’t worn the superhero suit in a long time, until we finally discover that it’s because he killed his wife through, let’s say, a “fluid exchange.” An absolute madness that overshadows anything else they might want to tell (which, by the way, isn’t anything extraordinary either).

But in the midst of the revival of formats and stories, someone at Marvel has thought, “Hey, why don’t we wrap up that story with a triumphant return?” and they’ve decided to bring it back. For Marvel, it remains the most “notorious” Spider-Man comic (although only for them), which is why they believe a sequel will be well-received among an audience that has been mocking the original series for the past fifteen years.

The first issue will be released in November, and for now, they announce to us that the story “isn’t over yet,” with an image showing Spidey carrying the ghost of Mary Jane on his back. It’s worth noting that in the current ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ series, MJ and Peter are not together because she married another man in an alternate dimension, where they had two non-real children. Well, that’s a Marvel move.

In the preview that has been released this month, we see a monstrous Kingpin and an MJ saying, “So much hurt and pain and death… Too many things you can’t rewind. What did you let them do, tiger? And what are we going to do about it?“ Well, it’s a testament to how much unintended damage Frank Miller caused.

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