The Marvel Creator Collection No.1: Back to the Savage Land Preview

 

In his afterward to The Chronicles of Conan Volume One: Tower of the Elephant and Other Stories from Dark Horse Books, Roy Thomas mentions that Barry Windsor-Smith wasn't his or Stan Lee's first choice for the penciling duties on Conan The Barbarian. Still, Roy had teamed with Barry on several titles when the UK artist briefly worked in the United States. 

"In fact," Roy confides, "Barry and I had done one story starring a Conan prototype we called Starr the Slayer in one of Marvel's 'mystery' titles, and it hadn't gone badly." Even though Barry had since returned to England, Roy decided to entrust the British artist with his new Sword and Sorcery series. 

What series did Barry Windsor-Smith draw before he teamed up with Roy Thomas to bring Conan the Cimmerian to comics? And what heroes and villains did Barry help create? 

Here's all the info from Fantagraphics:

 

Rediscover Legendary Artist Barry Windsor-Smith’s Early Masterworks with The Marvel Creator Collection No. 1: "Back to the Savage Land" Barry Windsor-Smith at Marvel Vol. 1 

Fantagraphics and Marvel Join Forces to Collect Windsor-Smith’s Long Out of Print Comics

A master of sword and sorcery, science fiction, psychedelia, super heroics, and comedic parody — Barry Windsor-Smith has done it all. Between his groundbreaking, character-defining work on Marvel’s Conan The Barbarian and Weapon-X and his critically acclaimed 2021 graphic novel Monsters, the artist has earned his reputation as an adventurous, boundary-pushing creator. Now, Fantagraphics is partnering with Marvel to release The Marvel Creator Collection: Barry Windsor-Smith at Marvel, a three-volume series collecting the artist’s trailblazing Marvel comics. Due out on April 29, 2026, The Marvel Creator Collection No. 1: “Back to the Savage Land” will feature early pre-Conan work on X-Men, The Avengers, Doctor Strange, and Iron Man, as well as his amazing run on “Ka-Zar” in Astonishing Tales, and much more! 

“I have literally been following Barry Windsor-Smith’s career since 1969 when he debuted at Marvel Comics and immediately became my 2nd favorite artist (after Jack Kirby),” says Fantagraphics Publisher and Co-Founder Gary Groth. “So, it is a distinct pleasure to have the privilege of finally presenting all the work he did for Marvel (with the exception of Conan) in a gorgeously produced 3-volume hardcover series.”

From the moment Marvel brought him to the U.S. in 1969, Windsor-Smith was a creative force to be reckoned with. A passionate devotee of Jack Kirby, Windsor-Smith’s earliest drawing at Marvel reflected that influence, but he quickly developed his own unique, eye-opening style,combining intricately detailed realism with the dreamlike lushness of art nouveau to the classicism of the Pre-Raphaelites.

This volume focuses on the earliest of his work, including memorable storylines on The Avengers, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and individual stories for Chamber of Darkness, Tower of Shadows, and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. All new benchmarks of comics art, culminating in what may be the highlight of this period: Windsor-Smith’s creatively fecund, Conan-esque epic tale of civil war in Ka-Zar’s Savage Land.. Future volumes will trace Windsor-Smith’s career through such milestones as Machine Man and Weapon X.

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Marvel Creator Collection No. 1: "Back to the Savage Land" is due out on April 29, 2026 from Fantagraphics. For updates Fans can follow Fantagraphics on X, Instagram, Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube.

 

Thanks to Fantagraphics and Superfan Promotions for sharing this preview with us.

 

About Fantagraphics:

For over 45 years, Fantagraphics has published the very best comics and graphic novels that the medium has to offer. Our mission is to celebrate great cartooning in all of its incarnations, from the form’s early luminaries to contemporary artists currently forging the future of visual storytelling. Not content to rest on our laurels and extensive roster of talented artists, we constantly seek out fresh voices from across the globe. Thus, we honor the rich history of comics while providing a platform for bold new stories, styles, and perspectives that push the boundaries of the medium. Fantagraphics remains peerless in our commitment to be the publisher of the world's greatest cartoonists.

 

The Savage Sword of Conan Reforged #4 Cover Preview

 

COVER A: ROBERTO DE LA TORRE

 

A mighty city defies the surrounding wastes. The merchant caravans may no longer visit Kuthchemes. Yet the city's broken monuments and crumbling temples bespeak its former greatness. As the wind whistles through buildings and down the debris-filled streets, one man dares enter the abandoned city. Why has Shevatas traveled hundreds of miles to reach Kuthchemes? And what does the thief hope to find in a majestic dome among the ruins?

Here's all the info from Titan Comics:

 

THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN REFORGED #4

Format: Comic book

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema

Publisher: Titan Comics and Heroic Signatures

FC, 48pp, $9.99, On sale: April 22 2026

 

When a princess who enlisted Conan's help to save her kingdom is kidnapped by a mad sorcerer, Conan must track her to a cursed city that has been sealed for thousands of years before the dark gods who reside there can claim her! Reprinting the adaptation of the original Robert E. Howard story from Savage Sword of Conan #2, presented here for the first time in stunning color.

 

 

Here are more cover options:

 

 

COVER B: NEAL ADAMS

 

 

COVER C: ROBERTO DE LA TORRE VIRGIN VARIANT

COVER D: NEAL ADAMS FOIL VARIANT ($19.99)

 

For more info from Titan Comics: 

https://titan-comics.com/c/2421-the-savage-sword-of-conan-reforged/

  

For what happened last time, see my preview of The Savage Sword of Conan Reforged #3. 

 

Thanks to Titan Comics for sharing this cover preview with us. 

Detective Comics #1108 Review

 

Detective Comics #1108 Review

Writer: Tom Taylor

Artists: Pete Woods & Bruno Abdias

Colorists: Pete Woods & Lee Loughridge

Letterer: Wes Abbott

Cover Artists: Mikel Janín, Dustin Nguyen & Scott Godlewski

Things To Come Variant Cover Artist: Pete Woods

Editors: Jessica Berbey, Ben Meares & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99

Release Date: April 22, 2026

 

The Lion may have freed Gotham of its fear. Sadly, people can make poor decisions when they don't look before they leap. Even Batman threw himself into extraordinary danger while infected with The Lion's chemical courage. So, Batman and Mr Terrific's team worked to reverse Leo Kingsford’s cure.

 

Now, Batman wonders about some of the decisions made during that time. Chief among those are the coroner's rulings that three informants in protective custody died of natural causes on the same night. How did the whistleblowers die before they could testify against Klep Corp? And how might the company's owners be linked with someone the Bat and Arrow families loved and admired? Let's leap into Detective Comics #1108 and see!

 

Story

With Black Canary inheriting Wildcat's gym, the Bat and Arrow families gather to commemorate a fallen hero. Ted Grant wanted to make his gym a safe place for kids to improve themselves. While the Bat and Arrow heroes were his star pupils, another young boxer shone just as brightly. Although he died too soon, Bruce Wayne, Oliver Queen, and Dinah Shore visit his grave the next day. As they stand before Prion's grave, a young girl approaches the headstone. But her grandmother whisks her away before the heroes can learn who she is.

 

Detective Comics #1108 begins over a decade ago, when Batman, Green Arrow, and Black Canary met Prion. As the story returns to the present, the three friends leave the cemetery to pool information. Bruce sees what he can learn about the woman and her granddaughter. But while the girl is a curiosity, Bruce Wayne's primary concern is protecting the last person who could bring Klep Corp down.

 

In Tom Taylor's story, Oliver Queen is used to being Star City's premier superhero. After saving them from a villain who killed people by shooting them up with drugs, he's relocating to Gotham. He wants to get corrupt drug-peddling cops like Lieutenant Davis off his new streets. But Batman stands in his way. Worse, Batman is investigating the company that wants to take over Queen Industries.

 

Even before Oliver can establish a new power base in Gotham, Bruce cares for him like a big brother. And Batman recently worked closely with Black Canary when they combatted another former boxer at Wildcat's gym. So, Oliver questions Batman's decisions and tries to put his stamp on their mutual operation. But whether Oliver can establish himself in Gotham as a hero on an equal level with Batman, retain control of his company, and be the man Dinah Shore needs him to be is up in the air in Detective Comics #1108.

 

Art

When masked intruders threaten a woman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Barman burst through the windows of Gotham Children's Foundation. Pete Woods and Bruno Abdias show the trio attacking in panels shaped like glass shards. As more invaders point guns at the workers, yellow and black warning strips surround the loading bay. While Green Arrow enters with Batman and Black Canary, he often stands apart from or in front of his friends. But another hero steals the spotlight. The trio watches as Prion demonstrates the precise attacks that Black Canary strives to master.

 

The bright blue sky outside fades to gray as Green Arrow and Black Canary climb into Bruce's vehicle. When they race into the night, they trade their blue environment for a green realm in Detective Comics #1108. Like the diffused white lights that glowed like suns in the Gotham night ten years ago, Pete Woods and Lee Loughridge adorn this environment with blue dots and swirls. Later, when people wearing dark suits approach Oliver in his new office, yellow caution tape evokes the yellow-and-black lines in the Gotham Children’s Foundation. The diagonal brown walls veer over Oliver, casting dramatic shadows over the man trying to retain control of his company.

 

Wes Abbott fills white balloons with uppercase dialogue in balloons and colored narrative boxes. Oracle's transmissions appear as dark green letters in green balloons. Lightning bolt arrows accompany balloons in a hazardous environment. Sound effects enhance fighting in the past and present, a dramatic rescue attempt, and Oliver Queen getting the surprise of his life. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Once, Batman, Black Canary, and Green Arrow fought on the same team. As they reunite to honor Wildcat, their thoughts dwell on another of his pupils. They regarded Prion as a fellow hero, friend, and teammate. Not many people claim to know him. Yet a girl remembers the hero who protected the Gotham Children's Foundation in Detective Comics #1108.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Detective Comics #1108.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Detective Comics #1107. 

 

Mary Zorilita Bellamy: Indie Creator Spotlight

 

If you've ever considered making your own comics, Mary Zorilita Bellamy recommends you try it. She regards herself as an artist who taught herself how to write. While doing cover art for licensed properties like My Little Pony, Mary created her own series. One title she is especially proud of is Faux Files. Mary tailored the series to young girls, an area of the comic community she felt the publishers were ignoring. 

 

 

 

As Mary kept writing and drawing the series, and her stories grew more refined, her audience kept coming back for more. She started Faux Files in 2000 and is finally concluding it this year with Faux Files Vol 11. Still, that won’t be the end of Faux Files. When she collects the individual volumes in larger editions, Mary plans to make them sparkle by including new stories.

 

While Mary Zorilita Bellamy enjoys writing comics, she also sees it as therapy. As a neurodivergent author and artist, she crafts stories for readers who may wonder why they’re different from their peers. Mary also sees creating comics as a lifesaver. When a postoperative infection made her home-bound, creating art and comics helped Mary get through that difficult period of her life.

 

 

 

Perhaps you've written a script for a comic. Or maybe, like Mary, you've crafted storyboards to help visualize the story. Still, she suggests encapsulating the story before you start. Whether creating the story for a publisher or yourself, reduce your story to no more than two sentences. The sharp, focused elevator pitch will keep you on track as you work and reduce the stress that accompanies any creative endeavor. Thanks to Mary Zorilita Bellamy and Wondercon 2026 for sharing this story with us. 

 

To connect with Mary Zorilita Bellamy, ask her questions, and check out her books, see her website. And if you're attending San Diego Comic Con, visit her at Small Press N04.

 

For more on the lives and struggles of indie comic creators, see my Wondercon 2026 post: David Lucarelli: Indie Creator Spotlight.  

Rafael García: Henchman #2 Preview

 

COVER A: FLOPS

Lita said he'd be a good squad leader. Or at least, that's what Rafael heard. It's been two years since she threw him out. Still, with Danny's retirement, perhaps he has a shot at impressing the love of his life. But can Rafael be a cool boss like Danny and handle the demands of leadership? And can he resist the call of cannabis when his former girlfriend sells stems and seeds at Medical Organix?

Here's all the info from Titan Comics: 

RAFAEL GARCIA HENCHMAN #2

Writer: Peter Murrietta, David Schrader

Artist: Ben Herrera

Cover Artists: Flops, Ben Herrera & Ramon Villalobos 

Publisher: Titan Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages (full color)

Price: $4.99 

Release Date: April 22 2026

 

The Future is Empty. Rafael endures a Maverick, Inc. team-building (and blaming) seminar before leading his squad on a dangerous mission that brings them a blast from the recent past

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are more cover options:

 

 

COVER B: BEN HERRERA

 

COVER C: RAMON VILLALOBOS

Thanks to Titan Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Rafael Garcia Henchman #1. 

 

More info: 

https://titan-comics.com/c/2427-rafael-garcia-henchman/

Absolute Wonder Woman #19 Review

 

Absolute Wonder Woman #19 Review

Writer: Kelly Thompson

Artist: Hayden Sherman

Colorist: Jordie Bellaire

Letterer: Becca Carey

Editors: Ash Padilla & Chris Conroy

Cover Artists: Hayden Sherman & Jordie Bellaire; Ben Oliver; Carmine Di Giandomenico; Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: April 22, 2026

 

When Zatanna's father attacked her, Diana fled. Barbara Minerva watched as the Amazon she dedicated her new exhibit to abandoned her. Then, the people of Gateway City saw Wonder Woman fall into the sea. When Pegasus carried her to the Hieron, Zatanna blew past Diana’s wards, invading her sacred home.

 

Zatanna released Diana from her spell, but she won’t help the Amazon attack her father. Diana has witnessed how Veronica Cale can force people to commit unspeakable crimes. Still, she must protect the people in Gateway City from the burning skeleton, Giganta, and whatever else Cale sends to attack them. Can the Troika free Giovanni Zatara from Cale's control? And will the attack in the Natural History Museum shake the public's faith in Diana? Let’s leap into Absolute Wonder Woman #19 and see!

 

Story

Giovanni Zatara tormented Diana with fire. As her magic arm melted away, fire burned in her veins. Zatara’s daughter may have freed Diana from her control. Still, restoring her body and her magic arm takes a toll on Diana. As she returns to Gateway City, Diana marches toward Zatara. She doesn’t know if she can free him from Veronica Cale’s control. Nor does Diana know if she can survive the encounter. Still, Diana risks her life to protect people from overwhelming forces.

 

In Absolute Wonder Woman #19, Diana wields a new lasso. Imbued with the essence of three gods, she hopes it can reveal the magician’s deepest secrets. Harnessing her magic to help people is nothing new to Diana. After experiencing Medusa’s pain, Diana couldn’t rest until she braved the Gorgon’s glare to free her from her isolation. This time, Diana carries the Troika instead of Sacrifice, the lasso of Transmogrification. But she is weak and may lack the concentration to control it.

 

Diana has always been special. Exiled from her people, Circe raised her on an island in Hell. Yet her patron goddesses visited Diana regularly to talk with her, train her, and show her how much they loved her. After Diana confronted Gaia with the truth about their world, Kelly Thompson reveals why the gods trained her and fortified the Amazon with aspects of themselves.

 

Diana may never know why the goddess she loved abandoned her. Her longing to see Aphrodite again plagues her flagging spirit. Yet to protect the people of Gateway City and heal a tormented magician, Diana confronts Zatara in Absolute Wonder Woman #19.

 

Art

While Circe works with glowing thread, Aphrodite gazes into the fire. When the goddess rises from the floor, Circe abandons the yarn and her chair, pausing to gaze at her adoptive daughter before obeying. As she dwells in Diana's heart, Aphrodite occupies the center of each page in which she appears. Yet when readers arrive in the present, a tall, thin panel obscures an overhead view of Gateway City as Steve and Etta carry the endangered to safety.

 

As Diana appears fighting the skeleton, the panel shapes of the two-page layout evoke the yellow and orange flames Zatara hurls at her. The same orange fires that warmed Circe’s home in Hell burn in Gateway City. The overwhelming orange tinges Giganta’s hair and skin as she seeks an adversary. Despite wielding the Troika instead of Sacrifice, Diana's skin turns green, evoking Medusa and her sisters, as she and Zatara undergo their trial. Yet as the colors of his inner torment link past with present, Veronica Cale's pink jacket evokes Diana's beloved goddess in Absolute Wonder Woman #19.

 

While Hayden Sherman’s inventive page layouts and Jordie Bellaire’s contrasting colors make powerful visual statements, Becca Carey uses white block letters to differentiate time and place. Uppercase black letters occupy white dialogue balloons. Diana’s thoughts fill white narrative boxes with WW in the top-left corner. Blue backwards words in white balloons with blue borders attempt to repel adversaries. As Aphrodite’s white words in red balloons with pink borders convey concern, Diana’s white letters in black balloons with purple and pink borders offer assistance. Sound effects change from yellow to orange and red as the stakes for everyone rise in Gateway City. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Life is a journey of continual transformation. But each time we enter another chapter of our lives, it takes bravery to approach the crossroads. We need strength and clarity to navigate the intersecting paths, and the determination to travel a new one. When Diana moved to Gateway City, each of her new friends chose to brave the crossroads to begin a new journey with her. But now, as a weakened Diana approaches an angry, tormented magician, the Amazon wonders if she can guide Giovanni Zatara through his crossroads in Absolute Wonder Woman #19.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Absolute Wonder Woman #19.

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Absolute Wonder Woman #18.

 

For Diana's encounter with Medusa, see my review of Absolute Wonder Woman Annual #1. 

Ghostbox: Black & White #3 Preview

 

 

After Messer shot her sister, Chloe killed him. But it wasn't really her. Instead, it was the spirit of Mary Fields possessing her. Still, when the police find the murder scene, all they find is the gun, Jan's body, and a pile of bones resembling a horse. As far as they're concerned, Messer didn't exist. And the only finger prints on the gun belong to Chloe.

Locked in a police cell, Chloe doesn't understand when a horrific creature grows out of the wall. But this time, she's not waiting on anyone to save her. Can Chloe take the Ghostbox to a place of safety? And what nightmarish creatures will attack her next?

Here's all the info from Comixology:

 

Ghostbox: Black & White #3

Written by Mike Carey 

Art by Pablo Raimondi

Publisher: Comixology

Price: $2.99 (Free to read with your Amazon Prime membership)

Release Date: April 21, 2026 

Experience the series in raw black and white!

 

Where Chloe runs, the Estival follow. Gerwais has a plan that might shake them off but it will only work if she can get to a place of worship, with half the Cornish police force on her tail. Meanwhile in the ghostbox Jan finds new information and new dangers.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Comixology and Superfan Promotions for sharing this preview with us.

For what happened last time, see my review of Ghostbox: Black & White #2.

For how this series started, see my preview of Ghostbox: Black & White #1. 

 

You can find the series at Amazon. 

Harley & Ivy: Life & Crimes #5 Preview

 

When Poison Ivy helped Harley Quinn break free of an abusive relationship, she didn't realize that the Joker would set the police on her. Nor is she good with relationships. But with the GCPD hunting them, Harley offers her a means of escape. Now, they're in Brooklyn, hooking up with a woman who takes in runaway teens. Will Ivy and Harley bring down the wrath of the authorities on Ma Hunkel? And can they learn to trust each other?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Harley & Ivy: Life & Crimes #5 Preview

Writer, Artist & Cover Artist: Erica Henderson

Variant Cover Artists: Leirix & Rickie Yagawa

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99 US/Variant Covers $4.99 US (Card Stock)

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Release Date: April 22, 2026

 

A Red Tornado of emotions (and mischief)!

 

On the lam from the law, the increasingly close gal pals only have so many safe havens they can hunker down in. Luckily, Harley remembers one such place of perfect harmony—Ma Hunkel’s house! That’s right—the Golden Age Red Tornado herself, Scribbly Jibbet’s landlord Ma Hunkel! Buy this issue and discovery why Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou and Arianna Turturro got banned from an all-you-can-eat buffet in Biloxi!

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Harley & Ivy: Life & Crimes #4.

 

For how this series began, see my preview of Harley & Ivy: Life & Crimes #1.