Wondercon 2025 Day Three Highlights

 

The final day of Wondercon 2025 started off with a bang. Priscilla kindly gave me a rundown of all the interlinked titles published by Stranger Comics. They started selling their comics in shops around the same time I resumed regularly purchasing new comics. Now they produce a short series periodically, sell at conventions, and build their company through their slowly expanding library of high quality comics.

My wife always enjoys purchasing art supplies at conventions, so we were pleased to find Cottonwood Arts at Wondercon 2025. My wife picked up three packs of hot pressed and cold pressed art paper for her watercolors. It sounds like this will be their final year at the convention, but we wish them all the best with their business!

Hopefully, more arts supply companies will return to Wondercon in the future!

 

I only did one panel on Sunday, but it was a big winner (even if it was small by design). The experts at The Micro Publishing Boom discussed how they explored their passions, and even became profitable, by running their own comic businesses. Best wishes for continued success to all of them!

Afterward, I caught up with Charlie Stickney from White Ash. He told me more about his company, and his thoughts on where the industry is headed. He publishes many of his new titles through Kickstarter. Thanks for chatting with me, Charlie!

 

I also caught up with Cutter Hays in his booth. After his demonstration Saturday night, it was great to see him working on a more elaborate composition. He was even using white ink, which he said he did sparingly, to showcase extreme highlights. He followed up the white ink with a white Prismacolor pencil to give softer highlights.

 

Josh Eiserike kindly told me about his books. He's another self published author who had a great looking range of books on display. He mixes smart storytelling, superheroes, and slasher horror to create compelling fiction. Thanks for sharing your indie comics journey with us, Josh!

Check out The Very Final Last Girls and all his titles at darbypop.com or Amazon.

Not everyone you meet at Wondercon is a rock star, but this guy is determined to hit the big time. His band, Satellite Citi, is releasing an album later this year. Along with drummer and lead singer Anna Gevorkian, guitarist Shaunt Sulahien is looking forward to touring in California and wherever else the band's musical journey take them. Satellite Citi produced a graphic novel based on their first album. You can learn all about who they are, what they do, and where they'll be at SatelliteCiti.com.

 

Last but not least, I got a chance to chat with Melissa Flores at Wondercon 2025. I connected with the talented author of Dead Lucky and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers at San Diego Comic-Con last year, and enjoyed chatting with her about her new Power Rangers Prime series. Readers are enjoying this fresh reboot with all new rangers, and she shared her thoughts on Rita Repulsa's chief virtue. 

What? Rita Repulsa is virtuous? Melissa Flores writes complex characters that draw you into her fictional world, which is one reason I enjoy covering her titles so much. Thanks for chatting with me about Power Rangers Prime, Melissa!

And thanks to the press department at Wondercon 2025 for inviting me to share their great event with you!

 

Mouse Guard: Dawn of the Black Axe #1 Review

 

Writer, Colorist & Letterer: David Petersen

Artist: Gabriel Rodriguez

Cover Artists: David Petersen, Gabriel Rodriguez, Goñi Montes, Derek Laufman, Walter Simonson & David Petersen

Publisher: Boom!

Price: $4.99

Release Date: March 19, 2025

 

Farrer served the residents of Shorestone. He enjoyed a happy life with a loving family. Now, Farrer braves a storm, crossing All-That-Is to reach the castle at Lockhaven. As he pushes through the rain and wind, he drags a heavy burden tied and wrapped in cloth. Why has the blacksmith abandoned his town to visit the Mouse Guard keep? Let’s grab our weapons, leap into Mouse Guard: Dawn of the Black Axe #1, and find out!

 

Story

Farrer interrupts a meeting of the Mouse Guard with a tale of woe. He explains that a great snake and its kin have slain his wife and three daughters. The blacksmith poured his mourning into his craft, fashioning a new weapon to avenge his family. But the guards argue that his black axe is too heavy to wield effectively. Matriarch Siobhan explains that she can not spare any guard mice to champion his cause.

 

Mouse Guard: Dawn of the Black Axe #1 transpires in 915 AD. These are dark times for civilization, made all the darker by the snakes that enclose All-That-Is. The serpents’ continual incursions leave survivors like Farrer in mourning. Yet Matriarch Siobhan cares for her people as best she can. She assigns her captains to guard the workers when they harvest the fields. Siobhan also provides escorts for merchants transporting food and goods to towns like Shorestone.

 

In David Petersen’s story, one Guard Captain disagrees with the matriarch’s decision. But then, Bardrick already feels like he doesn’t belong in Lockhaven. The others are so focused on protecting the necessities that they have forgotten how to live. They only believe in what they can see, while Bardrick dares to believe in things he cannot prove. As they fail to understand what Farrer offers them, Bardrick accepts the gift they thoughtlessly reject. In so doing, Bardrick leaves his old life behind to embark on an adventure of discovery.

 

Art

While Ferrer braves the elements in a tunic and traveling cloak, the Guard Captains cover their chests in armor. They sit at a wooden table, illuminated by a candle and the nearby fireplace, and study a map of mouse-held territory. Gabriel Rodriguez shows tears fall from Bardrick’s eyes when Farrer kneels before them in Mouse Guard: Dawn of the Black Axe #1.

 

Among his fellow captains, Bardrick’s lowered hood rises higher toward his mouth. When Farrer leaves the room, Bardrick pursues the blacksmith down the dark halls supported by rings of voussoirs and roof bosses. Bardrick touches the metal ball at the end of the twisted metal handle. Then Bardrick kneels as Farrer lowers the axe onto the captain's shoulder with the inscribed blade pointing toward the ceiling.

 

David Petersen portrays the shadow that hangs over this land with muted browns, grays, and greens. Yellow and orange flames roar in fireplaces while candles burn in alcoves and make metal lanterns glow. The guards' armor and cloaks shine compared to Ferrer's gray cape and muted green and brown tunic. Matriarch Siobhan glows in her elegant purple, blue, and gold finery. When Bardrick embarks on his new mission, orange, peach, and brown threaten the dominance of the gray clouds.

 

While large white letters locate us in space, colored boxes fix events in time. Printed black text inhabits yellow and blue balloons. David Petersen opens Mouse Guard: Dawn of the Black Axe #1 with a frontispiece containing a symbol and colored lettering evoking illuminated manuscripts. Sound effects enhance a final battle as Bardrick struggles to wield the heavy weapon against an angry titan. Thanks to Boom! Studios and Archaia Entertainment for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Farrer forged the Black Axe through a desire for revenge. In Bardrick’s hands, it embodies the hope for a better future, one not ruled by their serpentine enemies. Mouse Guard: Dawn of the Black Axe #1 is about faith and sacrificing everything to protect the endangered and oppressed.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside and view more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Wondercon 2025 Day Two Highlights

 

Saturday at Wondercon 2025 was a lot of fun. The Invincible panel was one of the highlights.

I enjoyed seeing clips from Season Three and hearing from the creative team. They face a lot of challenges in adapting Robert Kirkman's comics into an adult animated hour-long drama. They discussed those and focused on key moments from the recent series, such as the Invincible War, Mark telling Eve how he felt about her, and Conquest's arrival on Earth.

 

Bad Idea started off only publishing in select comic shops. But now they are making their books available to everyone! They have an ambitious launch schedule, with a new series beginning every month in the second half of 2025.

 

One of those is Planet Death. If you attend the convention tomorrow, you can get your photo taken inside the space armor used in the series!

 

Jessica Fong discussed her cover work for Poison Ivy. She rarely stays on projects for more than a couple months. But she's on her third year with the series, and still loving her job!

 

She shared her influences and fascinations about the character. Jessica also showed us how she narrows her ideas down to a final image that best represents the story in each issue.

 

Writer and Artist Cutter Hays presented his annual panel The Marco Polo of Inking. My wife and I always enjoy his presentations. Some of it is his enthusiasm for art. Another is how you can see the ink move across the page as he works. The ink has a personality all its own. One day the ink will perform one way, then next another!

At least, that's Cutter's story. (And he's sticking with it!)

 

My wife suggested he try his hand at a unicorn. A couple minutes later, this magic happened. But then, art is a magical process. And Cutter Hays insists that we can all be magicians!

Thanks to the folks at Wondercon for inviting me to share some of the great things going on this weekend. Come back for Sunday! There's more to see and do at the best convention in Anaheim, California! 

Universal Monsters: The Mummy #1 Review

 

Writer & Artist: Faith Erin Hicks

Colorist: Lee Loughridge

Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Cover Artists: Faith Erin Hicks & Lee Loughridge; Joshua Middleton; Guillem March; Martin Simmonds; Gabriel Rodriguez; Skottie Young; Peter Smith; Clayton Crain

Designer: Jillian Crab

Editor: Alex Antone

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: March 26, 2025

 

One day, Helen’s mother takes her to her father’s archeological dig. The seven-year-old sees the relentless pace of the excavations and the callous way her father disregards accidents. Helen doesn't understand why people must work so hard beneath the blazing sun. But her father’s hunger for history proves infectious. How might picking up a piece of broken pottery influence Helen’s life? Let’s grab our picks and shovels, leap into Universal Monsters: The Mummy #1, and find out!

 

Story

The girl becomes a teen. Yet she still calls Thebes home. The ancient capital of Egypt hums with life. People from other countries visit to tour its historic sites. Once, pharaohs ruled Egypt as gods. In 1921, the British dominated the Cradle of Civilization. Their families form the cultural elite, while the natives are the servant class. Helen wasn’t aware of this social divide when she played with the children of her father’s workers. But now, it separates her from the teens she identifies with.

 

In Universal Monsters: The Mummy #1, Helen hates the British school she attends. She disdains her fellow students' airs and graces. Egyptian teens hum with vitality by comparison. Although her parents disapprove, she hangs out with them. Her childhood friend Iahmesu accuses her of slumming. But Essam returns her interest. Helen may only be sixteen, but she's not too young to fall in love.

 

In Faith Erin Hicks’s story, Helen dwells in the eye of a storm. One of her father’s archeologists ignores instructions when he opens a box. Once he sees a scroll, he can't resist translating it. But words have power. His incantation not only revives the past but awakens something inside Helen. Perhaps it was there all along. Or maybe it entered her nine years ago when she picked up the broken shard of pottery lying in the sand.

 

Art

Faith Erin Hicks portrays the grandeur of Thebes in Universal Monsters: The Mummy #1. The ancient ruins and monuments greet visitors sailing along the Nile. Young Helen frowns as she clutches her mother's hand and walks beneath a servant's umbrella. When Helen gazes up with questioning eyes, her mother's eyelids cover hers. The Egyptian woman smiles when observing her British husband overseeing the excavation in his suit and fedora. Despite the hand on her shoulder, Helen looks worried as she watches the straining equipment.

 

Lee Loughridge paints the evening purple, blue, green, and peach. Helen sits with the locals on an Egyptian rooftop. Iahmesu sits primly, wearing earrings, three necklaces, and a scarf over her hair. Helen's posture is more relaxed, and she smiles more readily than on that hot day nine years ago. When she and her friends visit a nightclub, orange, magenta, and yellow fill the background as Helen and Essam dance. Later, they run off to the green excavations. She and Essam share smiles as they hold hands while standing upon a blue dune. Essam’s fez looks more tan than red beneath the glowing moon. Still, fezzes are cool.

 

Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou incants uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons. The letters grow bold for inflection and raised voices. Smaller, lowercase words indicate lowered voices. Words also inhabit colored narrative boxes or hover in the air. Music notes flow along ethereal streams. Giant words fill a jagged river dividing an archeologist’s yellow and brown office from Helen’s blue-and-green moonlight idyll. Blue words inhabit pale blue cloudy balloons. Yet they belong to more than one person in Universal Monsters: The Mummy #1. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound, and Universal for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Helen belongs to two worlds. While she despises her British heritage, she tries to meet her father's expectations. Helen hungers for acceptance among her childhood friends. Yet Helen thinks nothing of withdrawing the favors she grants. Nor does Helen worry about getting her friends into trouble. When an unsuspecting archeologist awakens an ancient entity, Helen discovers why she doesn't belong in Universal Monsters: The Mummy #1.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Conan The Barbarian: Battle Of The Black Stone TP Preview

 

Come one, come all, as Robert E Howard's classic characters unite to fight a monster who haunts space and time, and attacks people amid their darkest memories! If you missed any of my individual reviews, rest assured: every issue delivers!

Here's all the info from Titan Comics:

 

CONAN THE BARBARIAN: BATTLE OF THE BLACK STONE

Author: Jim Zub

Artist: Jonas Scharf & Joao Canola

Publisher: Heroic Signatures & Titan Comics

SC, 128 pages, FC, $17.99

ISBN: 9781787743281

On sale April 1, 2025

 

The legendary roster of characters created by Robert E. Howard, who single-handily forged a whole new genre – sword and sorcery – are about to collide!

 

Spinning out of Titan and Heroic Signatures’ critically-acclaimed Conan the Barbarian comic series, this epic multi-verse event features the iconic titular hero, Dark Agnes, Solomon Kane, and a host of Howard favorites. Fans will not want to miss this!

 

CONAN OF CIMMERIA is haunted by shadows, living nightmares connected to a mysterious eye symbol etched in BLACK STONE. The unspeakable evil foretold by THULSA DOOM looms over the Hyborian Age and every age connected to it... and it will take more than a lone barbarian to stop its relentless march upon time, space, and sanity.

 

BATTLE OF THE BLACK STONE, an epic new CONAN EVENT from Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics, begins HERE, from Jim Zub (Conan the Barbarian, Dungeons & Dragons) and artist Jonas Scharf (Dark X-Men, Basilisk)!

 

Collects Conan the Barbarian Free Comic Book Day 2024 and Battle for the Black Stone #1-4

 

Conan the Barbarian: Battle of the Black Stone is on sale April 1, 2025 at bookstores, comic shops and digital. 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

     

     

 

 

Order now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million and Forbidden Planet for UK. Also available, Conan the Barbarian: Battle of the Black Stone DM edition with cover art by Rob De La Torre, available from comic shops and Forbidden Planet for UK. 

 

 

New Exhibits at Comic-Con Museum

 

Earlier this month I posted news and photos from the Comic-Con Museum's Doctor Who exhibit. Here is more of what's available at San Diego's fan-tastic pop culture museum!

The World Comes to Comic-Con Museum^®: New Exhibits Announced at WonderCon ^®

Lucha Libre, tokidoki Land at Museum in Early Summer; New Doctor Who Exhibit Open Now!

Yesterday at its WonderCon panel, Comic-Con Museum announced two upcoming exhibits, one highlighting the artistic world behind the fan-favorite Mexican pro-wrestling form, lucha libre, and the other celebrating 20 years of Japanese-inspired art and collectibles with tokidoki. Recently dubbed the 2025 “Best Pop Culture Museum” by USA Today 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards, the Museum is bringing all-new exhibits that represent some of the most celebrated popular art forms from around the world. 

 

The international focus continues, featuring its new headline exhibit Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction, which made its U.S. debut earlier this month. The exhibit invites guests to explore the iconic props, sets, costumes, and behind-the-scenes materials, as well as dive into exciting scientific topics–examined in the show and in reality–from the world’s longest-running science fiction show.

 

 

 

Scheduled to open to the public in May and June 2025, these world-premiere exhibits are original to the Museum: 

Sangre, Sudor, Myth: The Art, Culture, and Heritage of Mexican Lucha Libre
Opening May 22, 2025

Showcasing the masked legends of Mexican culture, the exhibit marks the third binational showcase the Museum will open in collaboration with the Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego. The immersive exhibit will explore the rich tapestry of lucha libre, tracing its deep roots in indigenous traditions and mythology, and its impact on popular arts and storytelling across mediums, such as movies, comics, graphic arts, and costuming. Artifacts include authentic wrestling masks from different eras, championship belts, elaborate costumes, vintage toys, and collectibles. The exhibit will honor the legendary wrestlers and historical figures who have defined this art form and continue to shape it today, with personal stories and their lasting impact on entertainment and identity. 

 

 

 

tokidoki Exhibit – Title TBA

Opening June 30, 2025

tokidoki, which translates to "sometimes" in Japanese, is an internationally recognized and iconic lifestyle brand based on the vision of Italian artist Simone Legno and his partners, serial entrepreneurs Pooneh Mohajer and Ivan Arnold. Since debuting in 2005, tokidoki has amassed a cult-like following for its larger-than-life characters and emerged as a sought-after global lifestyle brand. tokidoki offers an extensive range of products which include apparel, handbags, cosmetics, accessories, toys and more. Simone Legno, tokidoki's Chief Creative Officer, was born in Rome, Italy, and from a very young age developed a deep love of Japan and a fascination with world cultures. Combining Legno's unique talent and creativity with Mohajer's business acumen, tokidoki has grown exponentially. As an innovative company, tokidoki is known not only for its eye-popping aesthetic and criminally cute characters but also its megawatt partnerships.

 

“Simone Legno and tokidoki earned recognition and have had a big presence at Comic-Con over the years, and an exhibit at the Museum will strengthen and promote this longtime relationship,” said Museum Executive Director Rita Vandergaw. “We also look forward to our continued exhibitions sharing Mexico’s artistry and impact on the popular arts, this year through legendary lucha libre.”

Additionally, on display for a limited time, guests can visit Becoming Betty Boop (on display through June 15), Border Blitz: Artistas del Comic de Tijuana, and Collaboration(s)! A Journey with John Jennings (both on display through May 12).

 

Doctor Who fans: Check out my post on Comic-Con Museum's Worlds Of Wonder Exhibit! Geronimo!

 

Comic-Con Museum is open Thursday through Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last entry at 4 p.m. Closed on Wednesdays. Admission (adults ages 18+) is $30; children (ages 6–12) are $12; seniors (65+), students (13–17), and military are $20. Children five years of age and younger are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance at comic-con.org/museum or at the door.

About Comic-Con Museum
Comic-Con Museum is a division of San Diego Comic Convention (SDCC) a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation organized for charitable purposes and dedicated to creating the general public's awareness of and appreciation for comics and related popular art forms, including participation in and support of public presentations, conventions, exhibits, museums, and other public outreach activities which celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture. In addition to its San Diego convention each summer, Comic-Con (the premier comics convention of its kind in the world), SDCC organizes the Anaheim-based WonderCon each spring and the SAM: Storytelling Across Media symposium in the fall. On the web: comic-conmuseum.org, Facebook.com/ComicConMuseum, and follow us on X (@ComicConMuseum) and Instagram (@comicconmuseum).

The Rocketfellers #4 Review

 

Writer: Peter J Tomasi

Artist: Francis Manapul

Colorists: John Kalisz, Ian Herring & Francis Manapul

Letterer: Rob Leigh

Cover Artist: Francis Manapul; Brad Walker & Brad Anderson; Todd Nauck

Designer: Steve Blackwell

Editor: Brian Cunningham

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 19, 2025

 

Roland Rocketfeller discovered a secret his employer prefers to remain hidden. Forced to flee their wrath, Roland's brother Reggie enlisted Roland and his family in the Time Zone Protection Program. Officially, no one knows where and when the Rocketfellers reside. But Reggie has told his fiancée Olivia. And Cronex is scouring time zones and interlinked realities for clues to their hiding place.

 

Abandoning the 25^th Century for the 21^st necessitated learning new ways of living. It also meant leaving behind Roland's mother, Rose. While the Rocketfellers gradually adjust to our time, their neighbor notices Rachel’s enhanced swimming ability. Roland and Rachel's son Richie exploits his futuristic skills for spending money. Can Cronex follow the family’s footsteps through time? And will they capture Roland’s bioengineering project before it matures? Let’s grab our hoverboards, leap into The Rocketfellers #4, and find out!

 

Story

While Richie attracted notice at the family's neighborhood Thanksgiving bash, Rodney proved a hit with the ladies. Seniors in the neighborhood join him on his morning run. The ladies don't realize he wasn't joking about his age. Nor do they know he has a cybernetic leg. But they respond to his zest for life, and he inspires them with his commitment to physical fitness.

 

Rachel remains the thrill seeker in the family. In The Rocketfellers #4, she remembers the heartbreaks of her career. Roland takes a rare break from his basement lab to revive her spirits. While Rachel refuses to complain about her sacrifice, her actions on their sporting date suggest resentment over putting her dreams on hold.

 

Perhaps the most intriguing member of the family is little Rae. In The Rocketfellers #4, the Sparrows she rescued from a Christmas tree are no longer babies. Yet they return to her after their flights and are content to remain in a box. Rae has a reverence for nature. In Peter J Tomasi's story, the young girl demonstrates a deeper understanding of our world than her brother senses.

 

Art

Francis Manapul gives us a second look at Yuri and Nicholas. The stature-challenged brothers dress like decorated generals as they shake a seated man awake. Like Dennis Nedry in Jurrasic Park, the worker sits at a desk littered with empty cans, paper cups, and scattered snacks from a bag. He is shocked when his Napoleon-like bosses surround him in The Rocketfellers #4. Their words relax his facial muscles, and he smiles as they escort him from the control room. When the brothers activate a big screen, the other workers turn to watch the man meet with the demure Miss Kleb.

 

John Kalisz, Ian Herring, and Francis Manapul lavish bright colors and realistic flesh tones on Rachel as we glimpse her face through a page of numbers. Green holoscreens surround control room workers clad in green suits. The repulsors on their gravchairs glow yellow, linking them with the mission controller and the astronauts surrounded by purple. Then Rachel, clad in a green-and-yellow Jetsons-like minidress, stares at their yellow-and-brown TZPP suits hanging in the closet.

 

Rob Leigh portals black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons in The Rocketfellers #4. The letters grow bold for inflection, enlarge for raised voices, and rarely shrink. Balloons grow spiky when characters undergo stress. Purple letters in lavender boxes denote time and space changes as Reggie's fiancée Olivia travels through time. A fact sheet on Rodney featuring lowercase letters closes this family saga. Thanks to Image Comics and Ghost Machine for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Raina demonstrates the company's ruthlessness when she travels through time to prevent the Time Zone Protection Program from building a case against Cronex. Raina seems heartless and cruel. Yet a repetitive injury suggests an intriguing link between Raina and Roland in The Rocketfellers #4.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside and view more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Wondercon 2025: Day One Wrapup

 

Comic creators have a lot of passion, and certainly true of Edward Davis. On Friday at Wondercon 2025, Edward told me about his Immortal Era series. When people live forever, and some enjoy it more than others. This leads to violence. Without healing factors, if you lose a limb or organ, they don't grow back. Imagine living for a hundred years as a severed head!

Edward started writing his Immortal Era series in the late 1990s, when everyone was worried about computer systems breaking down due to the Y2K bug. People also feared that the year 2000 might bring about the Rapture, or the end of the world like in the movie 2012. Thankfully, the world didn't end, and he found a talented Brazilian artist to bring his series to life. Thanks for sharing your comic journey with me, Edward!

Check out Edward's stories at Finish Line Comics.

Joe Benitez produces the Lady Mechanika series. Benitez Productions always has a spectacular booth at Wondercon, and this year was no exception. There are lots of comics, variant covers, art and merchandise available. For more on Joe Benitez and Lady Mechanica, check out the Benitez Productions website.

 

There's always plenty of comics and other fun items for sale at Wondercon. These posters caught my eye. I particularly love the Japanese Star Wars poster.

Harry Potter fans rejoice! You can purchase your wands at Wondercon 2025! Perhaps you can even find a holly wand with a phoenix feather core!

 

Want to play some games? There are lots of table top and role playing games on offer. And then there are these retro arcade games you can check out!

 

The Anaheim Library had a Spin And Win wheel. These folks are so generous! They offered me some tips to increase my online readership and an Iron Man bobblehead! Thanks for all you do for the fans, Anaheim Public Library!

They're hosting a free mini-convention on Saturday, April 12. For more info, see their Anacon page. 

The biggest surprise was meeting Dave Dwonch at Wondercon 2025. His series The Loose End from Titan Comics is based on an experience he had in Lebanon several years ago. If you've been following his series, he promises that the next two issues will be even more exciting!

For more on Dave's new series, see my review of The Loose End #1.

 

Livio Ramondelli is a terrific comic artist. I'm most familiar with his cover art for Transformers. One of Livio's favorite childhood heroes was Optimus Prime, and the Autobot leader is still a firm favorite today. I attended a panel on a series called The Rupert Wars that he is creating with his brother Yuri. It's based on little known history of World War II in Italy. The brothers' story features a robot as the central character, and will be published later this year via a Kickstarter by Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide.

To check out his art, see Livio's website. 

Check out the Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide website. (They've got a Conan The Barbarian book available!)

 

Dan Slott is finishing up his Spider-Boy series. I asked him about Bailey Briggs' popularity. He said that Spider-Man #7 (2023), which was Spider-Boy's first appearance, was the top selling Marvel book for the year. With books flying off the shelves, Marvel asked him about his plans for a Spider-Boy series. When Dan told them he had no plans, they told him "You are writing a Spider-Boy series!"

Spider-Boy #1 was the top selling Marvel comic when it came out, although it didn't end up being the top seller for the year. For more on Dan's popular creation, see the Spider-Boy Wikipedia Page.

This is the most beautiful backpack purse ever! A lady at the Funko Pop booth showed it to us. The visor showing the Power Rangers is lenticular, and the back reminds you that It's Morphin' Time! 

Make Tommy Oliver proud! Pick up your Green Ranger Mini Backpack at the Loungefly website.

 

Travis Hanson has a lot of great art and books for sale. He also offers free 1-minute sketches. He kindly made a sketch of Groot for my wife. Thanks, Travis!

Check out more of his work, and read his web comics, and Bean Leaf Press.

Standup comedian Matt Weinheld held a Q & A panel with his friend Darick Robertson, the co-creator of series like Transmetropolitan and The Boys. Darick has written or drawn most of the characters at DC and Marvel. When he discovered Spider-Man as an 8 year old, Darick thought Peter Parker was a villain. Imagine a person who bit you, and webbed you so he could return to feast on your blood! 

For more of Darick's work as a writer and artist, see Darick Robertson's website.

 

Last but not least, Bad Idea Comics wants you to armor-up! Forget Joe Haldeman's novel The Forever War! Forget John Steakly's story Armor! Check out the ultimate military sci-fi adventure coming to comic shops this May. It's called Planet Death, and it looks terrific! If you attend Wondercon, you can pick up a free sampler comic of their upcoming titles. 

For more on all their offerings, see the Bad Idea website.

That's my wrap up of Friday's highlights. Thanks to the great folks at Wondercon 2025 for inviting me to cover their cool con!