Dune: Atreides Ornthopter Replica

 

I discovered Frank Herbert's novel Dune in the early 1980s. Like JRR Tolkien's novel The Hobbit, it opened an entirely different world to me. Dune was a visionary novel, with an impressive sweep, and more on the level of The Lord of the Rings than anything else I had ever read. In the late '80s and early '90s, I read Herbert's six volume series and Tolkien's Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings every year. 

One aspect of Herbert's novels that intrigued me was the Ornthopters. Along with stillsuits, lasguns, and personal shields, they imbued his future world with reality. Now, you can purchase your very own Ornithopter. You may not be able to fly it between Arrakeen Palace and Stilgar's sietch, but it can transport your imagination to Arrakis and beyond. 

Here's all the info from Insight Editions: 

INSIGHT EDITIONS EXCLUSIVE:
Dune: Atreides Ornthopter Replica Has Arrived

Available exclusively from Insight Editions, this meticulously engineered replica brings the iconic Atreides Ornithopter from DUNE into your hands. Crafted using the original VFX files from Denis Villeneuve’s visionary adaptation, this model captures the sheer power and elegance of the Imperium’s most formidable flying craft. Here's why you'll want one for your collection:

✹ Authentic to the Film: Modeled from official VFX files for ultimate accuracy ✹ Expert Craftsmanship: 10.5 inches long, die-cast metal & ABS construction ✹ Display-Ready Details: Flight mode with gear raised and weapons deployed.  ✹ Weathered Finishes: Film-accurate paint and aging effects

This is a limited-edition pre-order item and ships late September. You’ll be notified when your order ships.

For more photos and information, see the pre-order page at Insight Editions.

Batman #1 Preview

 

Batman #1 kicks off a new era for Gotham's guardian. Whether you've read Batman before, or this is your first issue, Matt Fraction makes his new story easy to leap into. Matt steeps the series in history, yet opens it up to new beginnings. Perhaps most exciting, Matt seems less interested in deconstructing Bruce Wayne and more interested in making him a hero. 

I grew up watching Batman on TV. He, and his friends and enemies, were there for me everyday. Adam West's Batman never took himself too seriously. But neither was he ever a joke. I don't expect Matt and Jorge's Batman to rope-climb walls beside Robin, and stop to chat with people gazing out their windows. But despite the first issue's serious tone, I can tell I'm going to have fun. In this complicated world, we all need a rollicking good tale now and then. 

Here's all the info on DC Comics' new Batman #1: 

 

Batman #1 Preview
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Jorge Jiménez
Colorist: Tomeu Morey
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Cover Artists: Jorge Jiménez, Jim Lee, Mark Silvestri, J Scott Campbell, Frank Quietly, Gabrielle Dell'Otto, Julian Totino Tedesco, Andy Kubert & David Aja
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $4.99; $5.99 (card stock)
Foil Variant by Jorge Jiménez: $7.99
Blind Bag Cover: $9.99
Showcase Variant Cover by Stanley "Artgerm" Lau: $24.99
Release Date: September 3, 2025 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

Spider-Girl #2 Review

 

Writer: Torunn Grønbekk

Artist: André Risso

Colorist: Java Tartaglia

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Designer: Stacie Zucker

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Cover Artists: David Nakayama; Javier Garrón & Jesus Aburtov; Nogi San; Chad Hardin & Alex Sinclair

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 16, 2025

 

Makawalu Akana, or Maka for short, is making a new start. After traveling around the world to compete in contests with Bullseye, the young Hawaiian is settling down. Maka is joining the Red Snow Dojo in New York City. She wants to demonstrate her indomitability. But her next challenge is to win friends, not trophies.

 

Even as Maka starts her first practice session with Sensei Barker, Dr Tramma paints a bullseye on Spider-Girl. After assaulting her with Vermin and the Squeak Squad, what will Dr Tramma hit the Hawaiian mutant with next? Let’s leap into Spider-Girl #2, and see, Brah!

 

Story

Like Druig, Dr Tramma wants powerful actors she can manipulate. Spider-Girl wasn’t her first choice. But after Hijack resists her chemical control, Dr Tramma fills Vermin with murderous rage and points him at Spider-Girl. Despite how Maka repels her attackers and saves the dojo, another person in the organization thinks Dr Tramma is wrong. So, while Dr Tramma continues to work on Hijack, a mysterious woman investigates Spider-Girl.

 

The world knows her as Ms Matsumoto. But when she dons her costume, the woman goes by another name. As a knife flies past her to stick in her bedroom wall, Maka gazes out the window. Spider-Girl sees the woman clutching more knives on a nearby fire escape. Maka wanted to spend the night on patrol in Spider-Girl #2, so this engraved invitation is too good to miss. But when Maka thwicks out to follow her, Lady Bullseye cuts Spider-Girl’s barbed web with a sword.

 

While Torunn Grønbekk introduces readers to Maka’s family, Spider-Girl meets Lady Bullseye. Lady Bullseye knows the difficulties that accompany enhanced fighting abilities. She may have expressed disdain for Dr Tramma’s judgment, but Lady Bullseye’s interaction with Spider-Girl seems motivated by compassion. She sees her troubled origins in Maka. The young Hawaiian had already failed to realize Bullseye was a villain who meant her harm. Lady Bullseye makes it clear that life as a vigilante will force Maka to choose her friends and allies carefully in Spider-Girl #2. 

 

 

 

Art

Orange cones and yellow police tape warn pedestrians and motorists of the metal barriers circling the broken asphalt destroyed by Vermin and the Squeak Squad. Windows glow gold and peach beneath a purple sky. Java Tartaglia makes the night glow in the city that never sleeps. As Maka enters her family’s shop, green and purple plants occupy a worktable. Then her aunt bustles into a brick room filled with shelves of boxes, trays, and vases.

 

André Risso gives Maka’s mother and aunt the same dark, edgy hair. Maka’s grandmother restrains her gray hair in a tight bun. Tropical leis hang on her bedroom door, while a Hawaiian flag adorns a pillow and a ukulele perches on a dresser. When a knife with a braided leather handle flashes past, Maka ignores the Spider-Man plushie on her bed. As Maka unzips her backpack, the metal teeth emulate Devil Dinosaur as she withdraws her costume in Spider-Girl #2.

 

 

 

While André Risso introduces us to Maka’s homelife, and Java Tartaglia helps the black-and-white villain shine, Joe Caramagna introduces Lady Bullseye with black uppercase letters in yellow narrative boxes. Maka's assessment of Lady Bullseye appears as red uppercase letters in boxes. Uppercase black letters in white dialogue balloons grow bold for intonation and occasionally shrink, such as when Maka whispers to her new friend Beba. Sound effects accompany web-thwicking and sword-swishing, while Lady Bullseye's throwing knives hiss like the shuriken Maka once threw at Spider-Boy and Daredevil. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Maka Akana's mentor has let her down. Lady Bullseye knows the feeling. She doesn't want the young Hawaiian to make the same mistakes she did. Spider-Man ordered Bailey Briggs to relinquish his costume because the ten-year-old had robbed a bank. In Spider-Girl #2, Lady Bullseye delivers a warning. Drop the hero act now before life tempts or forces you to become a villain.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Heat Seeker Exposed: A Gun Honey Series #2 Preview

 

COVER A: INHYUK LEE

With everything going on around San Diego Comic-Con, I fell behind with what was coming out when. Then I went to the comic shop tonight and saw that Heat Seeker Exposed #2 was out! So, many apologies for not posting this preview earlier. I always look forward to Charles Ardai's stories, and can't wait to read and review Dahlia Racers' latest adventure! Here's all the info from Titan Comics:

HEAT SEEKER EXPOSED: A GUN HONEY SERIES #2 (OF 4)

(W) Charles Ardai

(A) Ace Continuado

Publisher: Hard Case Crime (imprint of Titan Comics)

FC, 32pp, $4.99, On Sale July 30, 2025

 

When a relentless investigative reporter threatens to expose her criminal activities, mistress of misdirection Dahlia Racers needs to disappear – from the reporter, the police, and her own former clients who want to silence her… permanently!

 

Gun Honey universe praised by celebrated crime writers ED BRUBAKER, MAX ALLAN COLLINS & DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI!

 

Now, let's look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

Here are more cover options:

 

 

COVER B: DERRICK CHEW

 

 

COVER C: BRÄO NUDE BAGGED ($10)

 

COVER D: ACE CONTINUADO

COVER E: PHOTO

FOC COVER: DERRICK CHEW

Cover: Derrick Chew Copic

I'm not sure if the Copic cover is the same as the foil trade cover or it's own thing. But doesn't it look stunning? Something to ask your retailer about! Here are the rest of what's listed as available.

COVER G: FOIL DERRICK CHEW TRADE ($14.99)

COVER H: UNIQUE BLIND BAG ($10)

COVER F: FOIL INHYUK LEE VIRGIN ($14.99)

 

Thanks to Titan Comics and Hard Case Crime for sharing this preview with us. 

 

Murder Drones Comes To Comics

 

 

I enjoyed attending the Oni Press panel at San Diego Comic-Con. This was one of the books they announced. Jo Mi-Gyeong's art brought Maria Ingrande Mora's series Ranger Academy to life, and helped us empathize with Sage's struggles. And recently, Jo helped Melissa Flores show us how Mark grew up on the water world of Aquitar before coming to Earth in Power Rangers Prime #6. I look forward to seeing more of Jo's art in this forthcoming series. Here's all the info on Murder Drones:

Glitch Productions’ MURDER DRONES Series Is Coming To Oni!

Oni Press and independent animation powerhouse Glitch Productions are proud to announce a new partnership to create comics and graphic novels based on the world of MURDER DRONES – Glitch's wildly beloved adult animated series that has accrued more than 300 million views worldwide and inspired a legion of die-hard fans, eye-catching merchandise, and spin-off content in its wake. 

The new collaboration will begin with an all-new graphic novel adapting MURDER DRONES' haunting and hilarious 8-episode first season chronicling robot workers struggling to avoid obsoletion on a post-apocalyptic space colony – originally created by Liam Vickers and adapted by acclaimed writer Wyatt Kennedy (Nights, Marvel United) and exhilarating artist Jo Mi-Gyeong (Eve, Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance). Following on from Oni's record-setting CULT OF THE LAMB and RICK AND MORTY pre-order campaigns on Kickstarter, the first MURDER DRONES graphic novel from Oni Press will debut for pre-order alongside with an array of deluxe, collectible, and exclusive items via a new Oni Premium Direct campaign on Kickstarter launching September 8th, 2025 and then be followed by standard, serialized comic book release to comic shops worldwide in February 2026. 

Follow MURDER DRONES on Kickstarter now to be instantly notified when the Oni Premium Direct pre-order campaign goes live in early September.

Read more at IGN.

 

Thanks to Oni Press for sharing this announcement with us. 

Uncanny Valley #10 Review

 

Writer: Tony Fleecs

Artist: Dave Wachter

Letterer: Pat Brosseau

Cover Artists: Dave Wachter & Tony Fleecs

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $4.99

Release Date: July 9, 2025

 

The First told his advisor that he wanted the cartoon world to lead the Human world. He planned to sacrifice Oliver to relieve suffering in both worlds. But as Oliver's sacrifice draws near, the First admits that there is power in suffering.

 

When Margaret and Pecos Peet return to the cartoon world, the daughter and father’s unhappy past separates them. Can they bridge the distance to each other? And can they slip past the army standing between them and the First’s castle? Let's grab our paintbrushes, leap into Uncanny Valley #10, and find out!

 

Story

The First was troubled. People kept disappearing from the cartoon world. In search of answers, he used magic to understand the link between the Human and cartoon world. Then he lured a Human girl to his domain, and she fell in love with Pecos Pete. The First understands the lifegiving power of blood. What he doesn’t understand is that everything dies. In Uncanny Valley #10, the First claims he wants to transform chaos into order. But all he wants to do is call the shots. And instead of letting fate determine when people disappear, the First wants to wield the power of death.

 

Oliver never understood where he belonged. His mother never told him about her past. As they moved every few years, Oliver never understood why he didn’t fit in with the Human kids he met. When the First insists that his purpose is to unite both worlds, part of Oliver wants to believe him. What wouldn’t be better than ending death?

 

Unlike Paul Atreides, the characters in Tony Fleecs’ series didn’t benefit from Bene Gesserit teachings. Pecos Pete didn’t know how to bridge the gap with his daughter. Oliver accepted a risky dare because he feared the boys in his new school wouldn’t accept him. Spriteleigh left her community because she worried about fitting in. Pecos Pete’s dog, Dewy, trusted the First because he believed the sorcerer's prophesies of doom and disaster.

 

Oliver remembers how Spriteleigh’s father asserted that the First’s fears about the demise of the cartoon world were unjustified. The tiny wise man assured Oliver that he embodies the wisdom and power of his ancestors. As he faces death in Uncanny Valley #10, Oliver also remembers what he told Sprightleigh in Pixiedust Forest. The people who don’t fit in are special.

 

Art

Soldiers line a stairway along a precipice to a wooden platform. The First declared that Oliver would die at Dawn's first light. But as he grasps Oliver like Darth Vader and presents him to the dark sky, his world rewards the First with rain. Dewy clamps Oliver to a wheeled wooden table. But instead of torturing Oliver like Count Rugen’s pain machine, poles rise, lifting the boy like Ann Darrow awaiting Kong.

 

While filling the pages of Uncanny Valley #10 with action-packed spectacle, Dave Wachter fills the starry night with pink and purple clouds. The bottom of the First's purple robe lifts, emulating red eyes peering into the cartoon world. Margaret and Pecos Pete mount a cherry red rescue that symbolizes freedom. Along with their hair color and skin tones, the top of Oliver's shirt shares the same green as Margaret's sweater as she storms toward her son.

 

Pat Brosseau fills white dialogue balloons and boxes with uppercase letters that embolden for inflection, swell for volume, and rarely shrink. The First speaks white uppercase letters into cloudy black balloons. Sound effects help us hear Pecos Pete firing his rifle, the First wielding destructive pink fire, and Margaret speeding along like a tornado. Robust and colorful lettering on two fan-pleasing double-page spreads provides Oliver with a crucial insight into his past in Uncanny Valley #10. Thanks to Boom Studios for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Families come in all shapes and sizes. Oliver’s may be small. Still, he has all he needs. Uncanny Valley #10 closes out this Eisner-nominated series by urging us to embrace our heritage, accept change, and forge our paths.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For another cover see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory Preview

 

Mortal Kombat has a rich history spanning books, comics, TV, and films. But the heart of the franchise remains the beloved game. Here's all the info on a new book celebrating the fantastic fighting game that started in 1992:

 

Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory

By Ian Flynn

Insight Editions | 9.25 x 12.75 inches | 304 pages

Hardcover | $50.00

ISBN: 9798886635560| October 21, 2025

 

 

Fatality! Delve behind the scenes of one of the most storied, and gleefully gruesome, franchises in fighting game history. 

Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory [Insight Editions; October 21] takes readers on a journey through the visual history of the iconic, over-the-top fighting game that was first introduced to the world in 1992. Go beyond the game with exclusive interviews with the development team, stunning concept sketches, renders, and illustrations. What are you waiting for? Get over here!

This deluxe edition dives into interviews with the development team at NetherRealm Studios on the process of creating and evolving an iconic fighting game franchise, providing an in-depth look at the legendary characters (such as Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, and Johnny Cage), detailed environments, and powerful moves that bring Mortal Kombat to life. 

Filled with behind-the-scenes fun facts and information about the game making process, from crafting the setting to developing the gameplay, this beautiful volume is a must-have collectible for Mortal Kombat fans and fighting game enthusiasts.

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory is on-sale on October 21st, 2025. 

About the Creators 

Ian Flynn is a Charlotte-born, Toronto-based freelance writer. He’s best known for his nearly twenty years of working with the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. He has contributed to numerous properties across comics, television, streaming media, and video games. He co-hosts a Q&A podcast that tackles fans’ questions called “The BumbleKast.” (www.BumbleKing.com)

 

About Insight Editions

Insight Editions pushes the boundaries of creativity, design, and production with award-winning books and collectibles. From collaborations with innovators like James Cameron and Guillermo del Toro to partnerships with global brands including Warner Bros. and Disney, Insight Editions creates stories and experiences for fans, readers, and seekers of all ages that transcend the page. The dynamic catalog ranges from pop culture to photography to cooking to nature conservation. 

Learn more at insighteditions.com.

About Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBDGCP), part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s Revenue & Strategy division, extends the company’s powerful portfolio of entertainment brands and franchises into the lives of fans around the world. WBDGCP partners with best-in-class licensees globally on award-winning toy, fashion, home décor and publishing programs inspired by the biggest franchises from Warner Bros.’ film, television, animation, and games studios, HBO, Discovery, DC, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Eurosport, Adult Swim, and more. With innovative global licensing and merchandising programs, retail initiatives, and promotional partnerships, WBDGCP is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.   

MORTAL KOMBAT, THE DRAGON LOGO, and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s25)

 

Thanks to Full Complement Communications for sharing this preview with us. 

 

 

Star Trek Panel Reveals at San Diego Comic-Con

 

As a life-long Star Trek fan, it's great to see new books, comics, TV shows, and movies continue to expand Gene Roddenberry's beloved universe. Here's some takeaways from the Star Trek Universe panel at San Diego Comic-Con:

 

 

 

• During the STAR TREK Universe Panel at Hall H on Saturday, July 26, moderator Robert Picardo – a STAR TREK legend and fellow STARFLEET ACADEMY cast member – welcomed the new cast on stage for their big SDCC debut.
• The attending cast included series star, Academy Award winner Holly Hunter, plus Sandro Rosta, Kerrice Brooks, Bella Shepard, George Hawkins, Karim Diané, and co-showrunners/EPs Alex Kurtzman& Noga Landau. 
• The new series follows a group of cadets in the 32nd century as they train to become Starfleet officers. The series explores themes of friendship, rivalry, first love, and the challenges of upholding Starfleet's ideals in a galaxy still recovering from a cataclysmic event. A new enemy also emerges, threatening both the Academy and the Federation. 
   
  STARFLEET ACADEMY is set to premiere early 2026 on Paramount+ 

 

 

• Cast members from Season 3 including Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Paul Wesley, alongside co-showrunners/EPs Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers, and EP Alex Kurtzman joined the Hall H panel.
• Season 3 of the hit series premiered with two episodes July 17 on Paramount+, with new episodes dropping every Thursday on the service through September 11. 
• The new season follows Captain Pike and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise as they explore the galaxy in the decade before Captain Kirk's command. Season 3 will feature the conclusion of the Gorn conflict from season 2, with Captain Pike leading a rescue mission and facing a new formidable villain. The season will also explore new life and civilizations, with episodes delving into faith, duty, romance, comedy, and mystery, including some genres that have never been seen before in Star Trek.  
• A season 4 Episode will boldly explore the puppet-verse featuring puppets created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop: WATCH the teaser now
• The Hall H audience was also surprised to a special advance screening of the upcoming season 3 episode, “A Space Adventure Hour,” ahead of its debut this Thursday on Paramount+

 

 

STAR TREK: KHAN

• Star Trek’s most iconic villain Khan is back! The anxiously awaited scripted podcast series, STAR TREK: KHAN, is set to release its first episode on September 8, 2025, in celebration of Star Trek Day.
• The premiere date, key art, trailer reveal and additional voice cast announcements were made during the STAR TREK universe presentation in Hall H at Comic-Con® International in San Diego, CA. 
• The new podcast explores the untold events on Ceti Alpha V, chronicling Khan’s descent from a superhuman visionary into the vengeful villain seen in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. 
• New episodes will be available weekly on Mondays through November 3, wherever you get your podcasts.
• Naveen Andrews (Lost) voices the iconic role of Khan Noonien Singh, and is joined by a stellar cast, including Wrenn Schmidt (For All Mankind) as Lieutenant Marla McGivers, Sonya Cassidy (Reacher) as Dr. Rosalind Lear, with Star Trek veteran Tim Russ (Star Trek: Voyager) reprising his role as Ensign Tuvok and the legendary George Takei (Star Trek) as Captain Sulu.
• Supporting voice cast includes Olli Haaskivi (Oppenheimer) as Delmonda, Maury Sterling (Homeland) as Ivan, Mercy Malick (Mr. Mayor) as Ursula, and Zuri Washington (Life with Althaar) as Madot.
• It is based on a story by “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” writer and director, Nicholas Meyer. Kirsten Beyer and David Mack serve as writers on the podcast. STAR TREK: KHAN is produced by CBS’ Eye Podcast Productions Inc., Secret Hideout, and Roddenberry Entertainment. 
• Executive producers include, Alex Kurtzman, Aaron Baiers, Kirsten Beyer, Molly Barton, Carly Migliori, Fred Greenhalgh, Trevor Roth and Rod Roddenberry. Robyn Johnson serves as Co-Executive Producer, and the podcast was directed by Fred Greenhalgh. Realm serves as the production studio for the series.

 

ABOUT “STAR TREK”

In the nearly 60 years, since the legendary creator Gene Roddenberry introduced the world to a “Star Trek” universe where “Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations” remains its proud legacy, the series has continued to break barriers – inspiring generations of fans with a celebration of cultural diversity and inclusion, scientific exploration, and the pursuit of uncharted frontiers. Today, the “Star Trek” canon continues to thrive through film, television, animation, games, publishing, podcasts, experiences and children’s programming. Available in over 190 countries worldwide, the “Star Trek” franchise of 11 TV series, 14 films and over 900 episodes has been a mainstay in generating stories that are both exciting and thought-provoking, as well as vastly contributing to the pop culture lexicon throughout the years. StarTrek.com is the official home of the final frontier and fandom - sharing the latest news, celebrating fandom, and so much more. Be sure to follow @StarTrek on social media for all things across the franchise. The “Star Trek” series, including STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS, STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, STAR TREK: PICARD, and the upcoming STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY, original movie STAR TREK: SECTION 31 and the animated series STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS on Paramount+ and STAR TREK: PRODIGY on Netflix are produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. Executive producer Alex Kurtzman oversees the “Star Trek” universe across all platforms. For more information on where to watch Star Trek, visit StarTrek.com/Where-To-Watch.

ABOUT CBS STUDIOS

CBS Studios is one of the world’s leading producers of entertainment programming, with dozens of globally popular series for broadcast and streaming. The Studio’s expansive portfolio includes a diverse slate of commercially successful and critically acclaimed programming which includes genre-defining franchises such as NCIS and the STAR TREK universe, fan-favorite comedies such as THE NEIGHBORHOOD and GHOSTS, the newly reimagined MATLOCK, and buzzy international co-productions such as COLIN FROM ACCOUNTS and upcoming KING & CONQUEROR. 

 

Thanks to Sunshine, Sachs, Morgan & Lylis for sharing this announcement with us.