Last Update August 6, 2026
Printing edition number 12 for Absolute Batman #1 – Bleedingcool
The Diamond Bankruptcy debacle keeps moving forward – Comicsbeat
....a legal victory for the publishers..."
Personal note: Bankruptcy works in mysterious ways. A couple of generations ago, a relative was doing repair work for a small-time manufacturer, and left repair tools on-site while doing the work. Suddenly the property was seized as part of bankruptcy. Despite circumstances, the tools were ultimately (and legally) left in the possession of the main creditor who seized the property.
Graphic novel review, preview: the lives of the inhabitants of Bedford Street – Broken Frontier
An Altman-esque, darkly comic exploration of social decay, hardship, recklessness, and isolation composed of loosely interwoven stories of different sets of characters living on the same street..."
Push the Wall: My Life, Writing, Drawing, and the Art of Storytelling
Profile of Batman (and Frank Miller) – BBC News
The lead on the BBC article totally ignores Neal Adams and Denny O'Neil, the two typically credited with moving Batman from the 1966 Batman TV show "camp" style back towards the original roots in crime-busting and scaring criminals.
First published 40 years ago in 1986, Frank Miller's graphic novel transformed the Caped Crusader from a camp, comical figure into a brutal new kind of superhero. He tells the BBC how it became a sensation. [No longer] ...a deadpan do-gooder who wears underpants over his tights, and always carries a can of shark repellent spray..."
It is surprising the headline doesn't have the classic, and staid, "Bang! Pow!" that starts these kind of comic book subject overviews.
Described by Star Wars creator George Lucas as "the Michelangelo of our time", Miller is notable in the world of superhero comics in that he is a writer-artist who both writes and draws to the same breathtaking standard..."
Frank Frazetta used to be called the "Michelangelo" of the late 20th century, though that was a pretty hard stretch since Michelangelo was so focused on getting his anatomy right that he challenged critics to find errors. Frazetta readily acknowledged "exaggeration" as an important element of his style.
But Frazetta certainly comes closer to Michelangelo than does Frank Miller in this regard. Miller has a style that long ago devolved into a personal version of superhero-cartooning.
But he [Frank Miller] is best known for The Dark Knight Returns, which Stephen King rates as "probably the finest piece of comic art ever to be published in a popular edition".
Congealing Miller's artwork with the story might be the best way to judge The Dark Knight Returns. Getting a high five from Stephen King (in 1986) certainly didn't hurt when it came to selling the book to a non-Batman-fan audience.
1986 is as good a marking point as any to recognize there was a divide between the people with built-in memories of the 1966 Adam West TV show and people who were now young enough that the 1960's silly version of Batman wasn't a significant cultural marker for understanding the character.
While Americans in the 1980s were renting VHS tapes in massive numbers from video stores and rewatching older movies and shows from their past, the 1966 Batman was remarkably absent, tied up in legal issues over rights. That Batman simply wasn't available (except for TV syndication) to compete against a modern, harsher version of the character, one that was not only harkening backward to the pulp era and its Bob Kane-Bill Finger roots (as Frank Miller will often say) but was obviously strained through 1970's urban crime films like Death Wish and, perhaps more so, packaged within an era in which Bernard Goetz was a well known and peculiar cultural artifact.
Numerous articles were written about how superhero comics weren't for children anymore. And the influence his work had on the comics industry was "pretty obvious fairly quickly", he admits – as were the shameless imitations. "But that's the nature of the beast. If something succeeds, there's a natural inclination by not just the publishers but the talent as well to imitate it. It's certainly nothing to resent or deplore..."
Imitation and "lifting" from The Dark Knight Returns is so abundant across comics and film that a person has already partially read The Dark Knight Returns before ever actually doing so. Miller articulated the vigilante pose in a way that was acceptable in the 1980s and moved that attitude into the mainstream, changing how aggression could (and couldn't) be presented. Miller wasn't the only person working that fertile field, but The Dark Knight Returns might be the clearest crystallization of it, for comics or for related narrative mediums, in the 1980s.
The angry inner-world of Miller's Bruce Wayne doesn't surprise anyone reading Batman comics now because that is the usual way the character is presented, but that wasn't the case prior to 1986. Even more so, Miller's earlier run on Daredevil introduced the "pulpy" elements that The Dark Knight Returns amplified, and between those two poles a lot of comicdom was changed.
Whether Frank Miller changed comics for good or ill isn't an argument that appears in the BBC article (but the new book Push the Wall: My Life, Writing, Drawing, and the Art of Storytelling itself isn't so humble about the matter "Frank Miller is our greatest living comic book writer and artist"). Elsewhere, though, across comicdom, there are numerous ideological attacks on Frank Miller for various reasons.
The amount of time between The Dark Knight Returns originally coming out and the newer 21st era of politcally-enfused evaluation of art (for purposes of politics and not art) is a gulf that, in a way, keeps The Dark Knight Returns safe from Miller himself.
Online collection of cartoons by Clar Hart – AOL
If you've been interested in Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, there's currently an unusually good discount—around 40% off—making this one of the cheapest opportunities to buy or pre-order the game. – Manchester Evening News
The August 5 releases – Freshcomics
Large number of Alex Ross "Timeless" variant covers coming – 13th Dimension
The article mentions, is that a Adam West nod in the Black Knight cover art?
Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton – "there should've been two sequels already" – Games Radar
The estimate on the total cost of making Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) is somewhere (reportedly) between $250 million to $300 million. The total earnings on the films box office puts it at $432 million. Since half the ticket earnings are typically split with the theatres, the math shows that the gross certainly doesn't show earnings to equal what the film cost. That's the usual reason a film doesn't produce a sequel.
Shang-Chi, though, isn't quite a "flop." The argument could be made that a quality sequel could build audience. Even without a strong earnings profile, a title can spawn a cheap victory lap sequel where the people involved in the earlier film get a second chance to get a bigger paycheck, but with cheaper writing, production and preparation. If the original has a strong core audience, though not big enough for strong grosses, then whoever is holding the rights can cannibalize that audience for a quick and cheap cash grab.
But Shang-Chi is a Disney film, and whether Disney is making something on the cheap or burning through a Jokeresque mountain of cash, they want to always appear to be making something that is burnishing their logo. Shang-Chi probably needs a semi-shlock action film effort to produce a winning sequel, something well outside of the range of Disney.
Interview with Katie Skelly and her new graphic novel Heaven – The Comics Journal
Capitol Comics in NC wins "Image Select Retailer Award" – Bleeding Cool
At the ComicsPRO event at San Diego Comic-Con, Image Comics announced that the Summer 2026 Image Select Retailer Award winner, Capitol Comics in Raleigh, North Carolina, is their second North Carolina shop in a row.
Spider-Man Brand New Day clears one billion box office in six days – MSN Variety
With euphoric word-of-mouth and minimal competition in the weekends ahead, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" will quickly climb to $2 billion, a metric that only seven other movies have ever achieved, and should rank among the highest-grossing films of all time by the end of its theatrical run..."
Sure to change: the film is now #16 in biggest earning superhero films of all time. It is now being predicted to reach to $2 billion before its run is over. Good word of mouth is leading to repeat viewings, the sort of thing that helps to heap on extra earnings a typical film doesn't manage.
"Mind-Blowing $355 Million Debut" for Spider-Man Brand New Day– Variety
It’s the second-biggest debut in domestic box office history following 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame” with $357 million, not adjusted for inflation. “Brand New Day” could end up eclipsing the all-time record if Monday’s final tally lands above estimates..."
The main point being made by this cash avalanche surrounding this Spider-Man in the summer of 2026 is that there are superhero films the crowds are willing to go to the theatre to see, and then there are the superhero films they are not willing to pay for, which so far had been the whole slate of superhero films of 2026 until this film broke open the box office.
Odyssey is moving off its exclusive Imax deal and Spider-Man Imax schedules are coming – Deadline
Online collection of Caleb Henshaw comics – AOL News
Stefanie Cragg profile – The Comics Journal
Whoa: summer box office has suddenly outstripped all projections
Spider-Man Brand New Day at $927,000,000 worldwide and The Odyssey at $911,397,000 worldwide
"The biggest weekend in box office history" – Yahoo
Spider-Man box office numbers – The Numbers
The Odyssey box office numbers – The Numbers
"Not bad for an adaptation of a nearly 3,000-year-old poem."
The incredible career of Bob Staake – Daily Cartoonist
"Superhero fatigue" takes a hike
Spider-Man Brand New Day breaks record with opening gross of $168 million and could reach $325 million+ by Sunday – Variety MSN
The cash rolling in on Tom Holland's latest Spidey outing could mean this one film eclipses everything else superhero so far this year combined.
Marvel Wonder Man TV Show gets the axe – MSN Today
The 2026 Eisner Award Winners – ComiCon
Spider-Man Brand New Day is setting records with $72 million domestic start – CNBC MSN
The Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art is moving, acquired by the County College of Morris – Daily Record Morristown MSN
Tel Aviv Anime Festival – Jerusalem Post
Print vs digital – Comicsbeat
Even at the height of digital comics, Haines said, digital comics still accounted for around 10% of the market, and that never changed. It did not eat into the print market, and as the print market grew, the digital market stayed at 10% or less. Sometimes it even shrank below that. Digital simply hasn’t had the opportunity to cannibalize print comics..."
Does Amazon even want Batman: Caped Crusader season two animated series to succeed? – Yahoo
60th Anniversary of the novelizations Batman vs. 3 Villains of Doom and Batman vs. The Fearsome Foursome – 13th Dimension
Nolan's The Odyssey has cleared $700 million since July 15 – Variety MSN
Obituary for Will Franz – The Comics Journal
After 1970, Franz mostly left comics behind. He wrote one story, “Slave,” that appeared in 1972’s Weird War Tales 5 sans byline and a few one-off war stories for Charlton. An attempt to write "Haunted Tank" comics for DC was dashed after an editor, who Franz never identified, sent a rejection letter mocking Franz for his overconfidence in sending completed scripts. Stung by the experience, Franz gave up on writing war comics for the company. In 2002, he reunited with Glanzman for the Ancient Rome-set webcomic The Eagle, which was printed in Negative Burn in 2006."
Fund raiser for Will Franz end of life care costs.
"The video Marvel doesn't want you to see" – Comicsbeat
ComiCon roundup – Boston Herald
36 years ago "Swamp Thing" was a "weird" TV Show – Comicbook
Marvel's "Midnight Universe" schedule – Bleedingcool
The first trailer for Bill Sienkiewicz: That Polish Guy San Diego Comic-Con – Film Threat
Music takes over ComiCon – CA Yahoo News
What was once a comic book convention is now, has been pointed out for more than a decade, something that is really "all things pop fandom."
Spaceballs hype at ComiCon, Johnny Depp scolded as Ebenezer Scrooge, more – Washington Post
Do you have jobs? It seems as though you have so much spare time. Why are you here?" said the actor, clad in an overcoat and top hat as he emerged from a faux snow-lined downtown San Diego storefront marked with a "Scrooge and Marley" sign. A crowd gathered, recording on cellphones and calling out “Merry Christmas!"
New Jonah Hex series coming from DC – Screenrant Yahoo
What's wrong with "Blind Bags"? – CBR
DC's marketshare outstrips Marvel last week – Bleedingcool
Announcement on the Ryan Gosling Ghost Rider movie – Comicsbeat
The Star Wars animated parody series "Detours" getting limited exposure – MSN Hollywood Reporter
"Sword of Pandemonium" series coming featuring Indiana Jones – Polygon
Just saw Masters of The Universe (2026) and the beginning and ending sections of the film show a thoughtful effort to multi-plane the story with a hovering self-conciousness about the use of fandom and fantasy, an inward commentary about the film within itself trying to identify where the manipulation of "reality" goes beyond mere escapism (for example the brutal parodying of HR relationship language), but, alas, it can't be maintained. The main middle section of Masters of The Universe has the look of a $200 million dollar adventure-superhero film (frequently gorgeous) but the script is a SNL comedy sketch gone feral. Few of the moments of seriousness built up within the story are allowed to go by without being underminded with a joke of some kind to cap the scene. All of this winking at the audience about the material shows a complete lack of confidence in the project.
Before her death Kaylee Hottle had signed to appear in What Doesn’t Kill Us superhero film – MSN E News
How superhero movies can still make money despite flopping at the boxoffice – National Review
.... revenue from video-on-demand is modest, but some big movies have a significant "second life" this way: Jurassic World: Dominion made $66 million, Super Mario Brothers made $75 million, and Wicked made $100 million. And note, "An important feature of the VOD model is that studios keep 70 percent of rental sales, as opposed to the typical 50/50 split for theatrical box office."
With product placement (which comes with a hefty fee attached) and licensing, there can be many alternative revenue streams, such that superhero movies, perhaps more than any other genre, demonstrates the Hollywood Maxim that often the real creativity energy goes into the contracts for a film, not the film itself.
The severed hand lightsaber from Empire Strikes Back auctions for $3.75 million – Heritage Auction
So the rumour is that (as has been announced) Robert Downey Jr. is doing Dr. Doom in the coming Avengers V movie, but part of his hundred-million dollar deal with Disney is a new Iron Man movie with Downey coming back again as Stark. Does the logic of this, as a story, gets expained in the coming Avengers film?
Odyssey at $327,835,227 worldwide – The Numbers
Nolan's ‘The Odyssey’ piles up $124.5 million in ticket sales in the United States and Canada – NY Times
The new Spider-Man movie trailer
Jerry Moriarty has died – Comics Journal
Moriarty was a singular artist whose haunting and poetic Jack Survives comic strips meshed the seemingly incongruous worlds of Edward Hopper with Ernie Bushmiller, creating a form of art he coined "paintooning."
Jack Survives was literally a painted cartoon and each page took a month," he wrote in Comic Art magazine in 2007. "It was done with black ink and white acrylic on 18 x 24 [inch] Arches paper."
"Unexpected" at ComicCon with Thump Records getting into comic book publishing with East Side Story #1 – Daily Journal
The Wednesday releases for July 22 – Fresh Comics
Supergirl at $121,656,634 worldwide – The Numbers
Batman
The Pattinson Batman II is delayed again – Yahoo News
James Gunn's Brave and the Bold Batman movie ... is going to cast Mitchell Slaggert? – Geek Tyrant
National Cartoonists Society "Reuben Events" film – Daily Cartoonist
Ryan Reynolds "next Deadpool movie" will lean heavy on the comics – Total Film
Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is now selling tickets – Daily News
Boris Vallejo
The word all over Twitter is that Boris Vallejo has announced his retirement, message via his wife Julie Bell. He is suffering from Parkinsons. I didn't see any mention on their official website.
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