Welcome to The Dynamite Report, a new special feature here at CraveOnline that focuses exclusively on Dynamite Entertainment.
Dynamite is one of the largest comic book companies in America, with titles including Red Sonja, Flash Gordon, Vampirella, Army of Darkness, The Twilight Zone, A Game of Thrones, Zorro, The Lone Ranger, Lord of the Jungle, John Carter of Mars, Dejah Thoris and several others.
The company is also well known for its stellar lineup of comic book creators including Gail Simone, Jeff Parker, Nancy Collins, Steve Niles, J. Michael Straczynski, Tim Seeley, Mark Waid, Greg Pak, Marc Andreyko, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Duane Swierczynski, Peter Milligan, Alex Ross, Jae Lee, Gabriel Hardman, Joseph Michael Linsner, Amanda Conner, Francesco Francavilla, Terry Dodson and Emanuela Luppachino.
One of the first stories I wrote as a professional journalist was about Dynamite’s Red Sonja launch in 2005. In the years since, I’ve followed Dynamite very closely as a fan and I’ve covered its books for several media outlets. And now, it’s my profound pleasure to launch The Dynamite Report here at CraveOnline.
Joining me for the inaugural column are Dynamite Senior Editor Joseph Rybandt along with Associate Editors Molly Mahan and Hannah Gorfinkel Elder.
CraveOnline: Flash Gordon # 4 came out earlier this month and it has been one of my favorite titles this year. How long do you have Jeff Parker and Doc Shaner lined up on the book?
Joseph Rybandt:: They are working up through issue #8 and then we have some plans to switch things up a bit, with a new creative team, tho Jeff is always welcome back at the table on this or any other project. Fans of what’s going on in the “King Features” end of the Dynamite Universe need to stay tuned for sure, because we have plans for characters you’ve seen from us previously, along with a couple of new additions.
That sounds exciting. Can you give us any hints at which characters you have in mind? I think it’s been nearly twenty years since Mandrake and Lothar have headlined their own comic. So I’d love to see them back in action.
Rybandt: Our plans involve both, with one of them headlining their own comic. Let the guessing games begin!
I also see that King’s Watch came out in trade this week. That was another book I really enjoyed. Is there any chance of seeing Flash, Mandrake, Lothar and the Phantom together again for another adventure?
Rybandt: Absolutely, the King’s Watch series is what set about everything you’re seeing in Flash, will continue to see in Flash and the other titles and characters we have planned that fall under the “King Features” banner. At this point, we are working to get all of this underway at the tail end of this year, or the very beginning of next.
Peter Milligan’s Terminal Hero # 1 is also out this month as part of your Creators Unleashed line. How did that book came together at Dynamite?
Rybandt: Creators Unleashed started with writers and projects that we had been circling in some form or fashion and wanted to group together under a unified banner to let retailers and fans know that these were something new and interesting to check out. They fall under a variety of genres, approaches, etc. Peter is a visionary writer and creator and Terminal Hero a book that pushes every boundary.
Speaking of Creators Unleashed, what has the response been to Joshua Hale Fialkov’s The Devilers?
Molly Mahan: Response to The Devilers has been VERY positive. Which is a relief as an editor, because no matter how good you know your product is, it’s awesome to see the reviews and sales come out and meet, if not exceed your expectations. A lot of time and dedication has gone into this title — the environment and character designs alone! — that it is awesome to see everyone’s hard work be recognized by the readers and reviewers in the industry. Joshua and Matt have put a beautiful and exciting book together, and I love seeing Jock’s cover designs come in each month as well. I think everyone who sees the book knows, and immediately appreciates, the kind of thought that went into the project and will definitely come back for issue 3.
And what is the next Creators Unleashed book on the horizon?
Rybandt: Ex-Con by Duane Swierczyski and Keith Burns is next up in September, and then a whole new batch of titles in early 2015. Including the return of Garth Ennis’ Red Team.
Another new Dynamite debut this month is Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers # 1 by Joe Casey and Nathan Fox. Is this spinning out of Kirby Genesis or is it a brand new take on the classic Jack Kirby character?
Rybandt: A new take, but one that builds upon the foundations of the original creation, like Kirby: Genesis, so it doesn’t negate what we did there, but it isn’t beholden to it either. This new series, spearheaded by Casey, is unlike anything we’ve ever done, it’s bold book on all fronts, including the visual approach and if you haven’t checked it out, I insist that you do.
You’re also releasing a new edition of Heart of the Beast this month, which I have to admit that I am not familiar with. Although with Sean Phillips on art, I’m definitely interested in it. Can you tell our readers what Heart of the Beast is about?
Hannah Gorfinkel Elder: Heart of the Beast is a gothic love story set in the lavish nineties art world of Manhattan. The narrative follows Sandra, a young and naïve actress trying to make it, and her dangerously mysterious relationship with a man named Victor — who is covered in horrendous scars and hides a terrible secret. It’s a story about what happens when the nasty underbelly of society brings out the worst in seemingly good people, namely in the form of violence and hatred unmatched by previous generations.
To add to the story and celebrate the 20th anniversary of the book, there is a special section of never before seen material from Sean Phillips that showcases a few of the pages that didn’t make it. It’s fascinating because in the commentary Sean discusses his process of how he gathered materials to create his mixed media artwork— it adds a new dimension to the story.
The Dynamite solicitations for November are coming up soon. Is there anything you can tease for us before the announcements go out?
Mahan: With the holidays starting up, we have a surprise special that will be in-stores November that I am particularly excited about. We tend to be known for our pulp and gritty action books — which I love (who doesn’t?) — but there will be at least one title that’ll be a perfect stocking stuffer for the good li’l boys and girls on your shopping list.
Rybandt: We’re closing out the year in a big way, but also planning on kicking off 2015 in a massive way. We’ve made a lot of announcements this year, and you may be wondering when they’re all coming, and to this I say, look to the skies in 2015.
That’s it for the first installment of The Dynamite Report here at CraveOnline! But if you want to send us questions for the next Dynamite Report, you can e-mail them to TheDynamiteReport@gmail.com or tweet your questions to @BlairMarnell or @CraveOnline!
