Dynamite's Black Bat #10 Solicitation (March 2014)

Writer: Brian Buccellato
Art: Ronan Cliquet

The Black Bat is forced to deal with the idea of betrayal in his own inner circle. Also, the blowback from his prison break-in escalates as he is declared public enemy number one; and the war against him is brought right to his doorstep.

And...that's it!  Noir ends this month (the solicitation for that book's 5th issue was posted earlier) and Miss Fury's last issue was scheduled for February.  So unless a series similar to Mask or Noir is announced soon, The Black Bat book will be the only relevant solicitation from Dynamite for however long the series lasts.  Here's hopin'.

Noir #5 early Solicitation

The solicitation below was among the "first look" at Dynamite's upcoming books for March 2014.  It appeared on comicvine.com.

Writer: Victor Gischler
Artist: Andrea Mutti

FINAL ISSUE! Lost in the labyrinth of the Templars and separated from the others, Miss Fury must outwit the demented Minerva and the Mohawk Akash. Meanwhile, The Black Sparrow has problems of her own. The sadistic Orlando has overdosed on Dr. Ravels super serum and he's out for blood. And just what is the lost treasure of the Templars that the Mohawks guard so jealously? Find out in the exciting conclusion of NOIR!

With the regular Miss Fury series coming to an end in February, it's easy to get the sense that this may be the last we see of this character for a while.  However, writer Victor Gischler made an interesting comment during an interview recently when asked about his dream line-up for Noir.

VG: I don't really know what the plans are beyond this first arc. But the real dream for a book like this is that the line-up could always be changing. Sparrow and Miss Fury this time ... maybe Miss Fury and Green Hornet next time. Or The Back Sparrow and Doc Savage. You could crack open a beer and daydream about the possibilities all day.

Sure could. I don't expect additional volumes of Noir, but there's nothing to suggest that a similar limited series could not appear in the future.  Dynamite has apparently developed a strategy along the lines of late, and Miss Fury's time-hopping aspect may make it easier to include her in any number of books.  So here's hoping.

Black Bat to guest-star in Captain Action novel

Got wind of an upcoming Black Bat appearance from 13th Dimension blog, by way of a Black Bat themed Facebook group.  Here is an excerpt from the post which made mention of it:

Below are the roughs by Rob Davis...for the sequel to (Jim) Beard’s “Captain Action: Riddle of the Glowing Men.” Included are a preliminary character study for one of the female leads … and the appearance of a different Bat-winged hero.

And here's our man:

The book is being published by Airship 27.  It is hardly their first handling of the character; they've had two novels dedicated to him specifically.  I have yet to read them but they will find their way into my collection before long, no doubt.

From a giant Nazi-bred monster to a gun-slinging Commie assassin, here are four brand new tales by Andrew Salmon, Aaron Smith, Mark Justice and Frank Schildiner starring the master of the night, the Black Bat, once again thrilling pulp fans with his daring exploits. Long considered the template from which dozens of comic book heroes were inspired, including Marvel’s Daredevil and DC’s Batman, the Black Bat is truly one of the most unique characters ever born of the pulps.

The above was released in mid-2010. The four stories are told over 208 pages.  It can be purchased from Amazon, as can the second volume.

It also includes four stories but is a slightly shorter read at 176 pages.

If you are into characters from that era to any degree, you owe it to yourself to work your way through Airship 27's online catalogue. They have a huge selection featuring a wide variety of pulp characters, some classic and some original creations.  It's hard to believe you wouldn't find something to enjoy.

Noir #4 Solicitation

The bulk of Dynamite's February solicitations were revealed about two weeks ago but the fourth issue of the Noir mini series, which features Miss Fury, did not appear among them.

This surprised me a bit, but the Black Bat book did skip a month recently.  Dynamite has a history of falling behind with books, so I assumed that they were trying to avoid to promote a book they knew full well they would not be able to produce on time, for whatever reason.

The publisher has finally updated its website to include the solicitations and Noir #4 does appear among them.  So maybe they just didn't submit it to news outlets earlier in the month.  Regardless, it's there now and presumably will be available on time.  There was also an alternative cover to Black Bat #9 revealed, which I've displayed at the bottom of this post.

NOIR #4 (of 5)
Writer: Victor Gischler
Art: Andrea Mutti

In the Labyrinth of the Templars, The Black Sparrow and Miss Fury follow the deranged villains Orlando and Minerva on a trail of a lost treasure. Along the way, they dodge traps and pitfalls and learn of the Templar connection to the Mohawk Tribe. Will the ladies be forced to join forces with the bad guys to attain their goal, or will one stab the other in the back at the first opportunity. Blazing guns, snapping bullwhips and the looming shroud of betrayal await you in the next issue of Noir.

Dynamite Entertainment's Bat/Fury February 2014 Solicitations

And they come with disappointing news.

MISS FURY #11
Writer: Rob Williams
Art: Jack Herbert

FINAL ISSUE! With Miss Fury now allied with US Naval Intelligence she is parachuted into wartime Europe in order to track down Schauburger's laboratory in Germany. Can she find her kidnapped lover, Captain Chandler, there? And who is attacking Schauburger during his garbled ghostly messages? Nazi forces are everywhere but a war can be fought on many fronts, as Miss Fury is about to discover...

The BLACK BAT #9
Writer: Brian Buccellato
Art: Ronan Cliquet

To save Carol Baldwin's life, the Black Bat must do the unthinkable and break his most hated enemy out of prison. But will doing so cement his status as an outlaw? Also, the police start to lose their grip on the city as vigilantism takes hold with disastrous results.

These two items are from an "exclusive first look" at the solicitations that Comic Vine posted.  The fourth issue of Noir should also come out that month, but it was not included in the first look.  When its solicitation is available, I'll add it here.

And so ends the Miss Fury series, unfortunately.

Now historically Dynamite would tend to forget about characters that did not sell well for them.  Of late they've improved on that level though.  They have restored their 1940's version of the Green Hornet, for example, and have included some of their character in other books, much like they did for both The Black Bat and Miss Fury in Masks (and Fury in Noir).  So it's not necessarily the end for our leading lady.

And quite frankly, I believe The Black Bat is headed for a similar fate.  Brian Buccellato's current story ends at #12 and the book isn't a top seller for the company.  As best as I could determine, it was about in the middle of the pack in  terms of sales, but several of the books that sold similar amounts are now cancelled, including Vampirella, Jennifer Blood and Green Hornet: Legacy.  The positive side of that is that those titles all had 30 plus issues published, so perhaps there's hope.

Dynamite Entertainment's Bat/Fury January Solicitations

Dynamite was so late announcing their December solicitations that it feels I just got around to posting those.  Let's have a look at what we can now expect from them in the new year.

THE BLACK BAT #8
Writer: Brian Buccellato
Art:Ronan Cliquet
The fallout from recent events changes the dynamic between Carol, the Black Bat, and the shadow organization behind his creation. Black Bat wrestles with the choices he has made, and how far he is willing to go to get justice. Are the strings attached to his redemption worth the price?

MISS FURY #10
Writer: Rob Williams
Art: Marcio Abreu
PHILADELPHIA 2 of 2. Miss Fury's search for the missing Captain Chandler continues, and US Naval Intelligence are willing to give her the top secret location of Schauburger's laboratory in Nazi Germany, but first she has to do something for them. A deal with the New York underworld to keep the docks safe from saboteurs and Axis agents has become a deal with the devil, as a new murderous costumed crazy has appeared calling himself The Mob. Miss Fury will have to return to her pulp roots in order to take down a super-villain who is all about respect...

NOIR #3 (OF 5)
Writer: Victor Gischler
Art: Andrea Mutti
The unlikely team of The Black Sparrow and Miss Fury strong arm the Mohawk Akash into revealing a map they hope will lead them to the lost treasure of the Templars. But is the map actually worthless without the rune codes? Their quest takes them deep into the wilderness and to an ancient place that's been locked away for centuries. Danger and betrayal lurk around every corner.

These solicitations were revealed by Newsarama earlier today but they are likely incomplete as they do not include other standards like Vampirella, Red Sonja, etc. It's possible (but doubtful) that either Black Bat or Fury appear in other books in January so we'll keep an ear to the ground.

Sensational Sundays 1941-1944

This came out last week, but I only found out about it today.

Eisner Award-nominee for BEST ARCHIVAL COLLECTION!

Reprinting every Miss Fury Sunday page from the beginning in April 1941 through April 1944 (where IDW's companion volume picks up), we learn the origins of Miss Fury and her skin-tight panther costume - complete with its sharp claws on her hands and her feet!

By day, she was socialite Marla Drake - by night, the costumed adventuress Miss Fury. These early exploits introduce all of the memorable characters who remained in the strip for the rest of the decade: the one-armed General Bruno, the Baroness Erica Von Kampf (with a swastika branded on her forehead), Albino Jo, and the all-American Gary Hale and Detective Carey, who each vies for Marla's affections. The stories range from downright kinky to all-out action against Nazis, spies, cuthroats, and thieves.

Edited by Trina Robbins and designed by Lorraine Turner.

The "companion" volume had a release date of June 2011 and reprints material from 1944 to 1949.  I have no idea why it came out two years earlier when it contains the latter material, but presumably there's a good reason.

I've read reviews that state that the current Dynamite Entertainment Miss Fury series is nothing like the original version.  That may be so, but I can see why writer Rob Williams felt comfortable with including a healthy dose of wackiness.  Albino Jo indeed.

Dynamite Entertainment's Bat/Fury December solicitations

There hasn't been much Black Bat activity of late.  Dynamite's November solicitations did not include that book's seventh issue, which caused me to fear that the book had been canned early.  Apparently that's not the case; #7 is now planned for December.  Here it is, along with the Miss Fury books.

The Black Bat #7
Writer: Brian Buccellato
Art: Ronan Cliquet

The city government tries to pick up the pieces following the tragic climax of the police kidnappings. Looking to assess blame, the District Attorney sets his sights on The Black Bat. And as Carol faces the repercussions of her actions, she turns to Tony Quinn for help.

Miss Fury #9
Writer: Rob Williams
Art: Marcio Abreu

PHILADELPHIA 1 of 2. With Miss Fury now working undercover as The Pharaoh of Time's chief assassin, she is sent to a Philadelphia shipyard to murder a nuclear physicist who could become a time travel threat. But that physicist is working on The Philadelphia Experiment!

In the battle that follows, Miss Fury and the crew of the USS Eldridge find themselves thrown through time... into a naval battle unlike any seen before. Can Miss Fury save the scientific mind that could finally end the time war?

Noir #2
Writer: Victor Gischler
Art: Andrea Mutti

The Black Sparrow and Miss Fury are a team-up that makes Thelma & Louise look like a couple of girl scouts selling cookies. They've got wind of a long-hidden, secret Templar treasure, but they need the man with the clues to help them find it. That man just happens to be under police guard and unconscious in a Newport hospital, a Mowhawk Indian with a past. The ladies decide to break him out of the hospital, and they don't go about it gently.

Dynamite isn't the only producer of Black Bat material.  It's slow coming, but from time to time, Excelsior Webcomics adds a page to its ongoing story.  It is currently up to page 14 as a I write this.

Dynamite Entertainment's Miss Fury November 2013 solicitations

Had a bit of a scare here.  I found a large list of Dynamite solicitations for November and Black Bat wasn't on it.

Sales for the book do not appear to be strong, but according to writer Brian Buccelato, he had signed on for 12 issues.  I was concerned that the book was either ending prematurely, or falling behind schedule, something that has plagued Dynamite books a number of times in the past.  However, the actual answer for his absence is quite simple; the list I have found is incomplete.  So when the solicitation(s) for The Black Bat are revealed, I'll have a post specific to that.

In the meantime, let's see what's in store (pun intended) for Miss Fury.

Miss Fury #8
Story: Rob Williams
Art: Marcio Abreu

The Pharaoh of Time is alive and he and his enormous mothership have come to 1943's New York City for Miss Fury. But which one will he find? The immoral murderer with the samurai sword, the titanic stash of grenades and the epic love of debauchery or the Miss Fury who is lost in time, grasping for a sense of sanity and for the good inside her? It's a metaphysical battle played out with martial arts as two futures of our hero fight for supremacy, and only one Miss Fury is getting out alive.

And here's an unexpected treat...

Noir #1
Story: Victor Gischler
Art: Andrea Mutti

Prelude to Miss Fury! When thieves steal from other thieves it always causes problems, doesn't it?  So when The Black Sparrow is hired to steal a mysterious "Moon Stone" from a museum in New York, her decision to keep the thing for a better payday annoys her former employers who then steal it back from her.  Now it's The Black Sparrow who is annoyed, and that's a dangerous thing.  All she wants is what she stole fair and square, but she needs help.  She needs The Shadow!

The first volume of the Miss Fury series also comes out in November. Entitled "Anger is Energy", it checks in at a healthy 144 pages.

Miss Fury Digital #1, Chapter Two

Dynamite Entertainment quietly snuck this one out today.

Once again, it is available for $0.99 on Comixology (click the cover above to be taken to the page).  Where the first issue clocked in at 10 pages, this one has 12, yet seems like a quicker read.

These chapters take the time travel aspect of the series further.  In fact, they arguably take it too far.  She encounters Roman soldiers in this issue (among other things, but we want to remain spoiler-free) and based on the solicitation for the second compilation of digital chapters, they're going to be sticking around a while.

It was one thing when Miss Fury was travelling through two time periods in the regular series.  In this digital one, others are travelling to hers, and she also travels to a third era.  It may be getting to be a bit much.

Miss Fury Digital 1

Mystery solved.

This book's solicitation has been confusing from the beginning.  But a conversation with another poster on the Dynamite Entertainment message board finally cleared it up.

Bottom line: Three short stories are released digitally.  They are eventually collected into a 40-page print edition.  The first such collection will be available in stores in August.

The first "chapter" was very quietly released last week on Comixology.  It includes eight pages of story for $1 (The 10-page count includes to cover, inside and out).

The "digital" tag applies to more than the release format in this case.  It also refers to the art style (or at least it did in the first chapter).  See an example below.

Assuming that each chapter is the same length, that only cover 24 pages, so I'll be curious to see what fills the rest of the 40 pages.

Dynamite Entertainment October Bat/Fury solicitations

The solicitations below were posted on Dynamite's website earlier today.

The Black Bat #6
Writer: Brian Buccellato
Art: Ronan Cliquet

Detective Brody is on the move with the suitcase bomb. Will he plant it in the courthouse before The Black Bat finds him? The clock is ticking and all hope rests on the Black Bat's shoulders!

Miss Fury #7
Writer: Rob Williams
Art: Marcio Abreu

Trapped in a past that isn't her own, Miss Fury comes face-to-face with a version of herself who never found love, and it's a bloody, murderous revelation. Is this immoral figure who Marla Drake really is? Or has she grown through time into something better? And when the two Miss Furys cross swords, which one will survive?

Miss Fury Digital #2
Writer: Rob Williams
Art: Fritz Casas

The harrowing conclusion to Miss Fury's race through time! Find out what happens to our hero and her roving gang of Roman soldiers. Can they defeat Harmon, or will they be stuck time-traveling forever?

So what jumps out?

I think I remembered Brian Buccellato stating that he was only on board Black Bat for six issues, but he may have said that his first story was six issues long.  The solicitation does make it sound like the current arc is coming to an end, so I'll be looking forward to the solicitation for #7 with much curiosity.  Edit:  Buccellato confirmed to me on Twitter that his first storyline is actually 12 issues.  What a guy.  :-)

Speaking of departing talent, and for that matter, six issue stories, it seems Jack Herbert may be off Miss Fury.  Or perhaps Marcio Abreu is only filling in temporarily.  If not, what can we expect?  Here's a sketch that he recently posted on deviantart.

And Miss Fury Digital.  This one has been peculiar.  The first issue was actually solicited for August, yet there it is on Comixology at least two weeks early.  One would have assumed that the second issue would have been available in September then, but it's in the October solicitations.  And now, it's a 3-parter, apparently.

Peculiar, and unnecessarily confusing, but whatever.  More Miss Fury, for all of a buck, is a good thing.  Perhaps Dynamite is testing the waters with this digital-only stuff.

The Black Bat in All-Star Pulp Comics

I wish I was able to say more about this book.

I have long been unable to order from Indyplanet and at the moment, this is the only place from which Redbud Studios' All Star Pulp Comics can be had, either in print or digital form.

Here is a partial solicitation.

Standard Sized Trade Paperback
Black & White
Page Count: 58

Written and Illustrated by •Green Lama by Adam Garcia & Mike Fyles • Jim Anthony by Erwin K. Roberts & Pedro Cruz • Black Bat by C. William Russette & Wayne Beeman • The Blue Lady by Sean Taylor & James Ritchey III • The Rook by Barry Reese & Craig Wilson • Secret Agent “X” by Bobby Nash & Jeremy McHugh • Domino Lady by Percival Constantine, Rock Baker & Jeff Austin • Cover by Jeff Butler

There is a second issue as well. It also includes a Black Bat story but the solicitation does not indicate which writer tackled which character.  The writers of the Black Bat story in the first issue are not named in the credits to the second so evidently someone different handled the character.

If you're interested in the character and actually able to order from Indyplanet, then you may want to check these out.  Let me know what you think.  :-/

Black Bat by Bai Xau Li

I don't have much to add about this piece, simply because I first struggled to find the person to give proper credit to, then when I did, the page was written in Spanish. So here is the image, and if your Spanish is far better than mine, then by all means give it click to reach its source!

Dynamite Entertainment's September Bat/Fury solicitations!

So much for the double dose of Miss Fury in September. August's Miss Fury digital #1 was said to be the first of two issues, but the second is not solicited for September.  That whole thing has been unnecessarily complicated, for some reason.

As for the regular books, here they are:

The Black Bat #5
Written by Brian Buccellato, art by Ronan Cliquet, covers by Jae Lee, Billy Tan.

The Black Bat's loyalty to Carol and his mystery benefactors are put to the test when he is ordered to team up with a foe from his past. Also, Snate's suitcase bomb is on the move, putting hundreds of lives in danger!


Miss Fury #6
Written by Rob Williams, art by Jack Herbert, covers by Billy Tan, Ardian Syaf, Colton Worley, Sean Chen.

Miss Fury's journey through time has ended. But when she returns to "her" Manhattan, she finds that her lover, Captain Chandler, has disappeared. Did he ever exist at all, and if not, what does that say about her sanity? And how do the Crusades-era knights fit into the puzzle?

Black Bat prose in "Domino Lady: Sex as a Weapon"

First Comics News revealed Moonstone Comics' October (already?) solicitations recently.  Here's an abbreviated version:

The Domino Lady: “Sex as a Weapon”
Interior Art: Ver Curtis
222pgs, Squarebound, 6” x 9”, $16.95

New printing of this long sold-out collection!

Nine all-new tales of one of the world’s first female masked crime fighters, by Nancy Holder, Chuck Dixon, CJ Henderson, Martin Powell, Ron Fortier, James  Chambers, Bobby Nash, Gail McCabe. Introduction: Mystery Writers of America Raven Award winner Joan Hansen!

Stunned and enraged by the murder of her crusading politician father, beautiful socialite Ellen Patrick becomes determined to bring her father’s killers to justice…at any cost.  A talented Berkley graduate, she knows that to truly fight the men who killed her father she must break all the rules.  Donning a distinctive white dress and a black domino mask, she becomes The Domino Lady, one of the sexiest –and most elusive—crime fighters of all time.

Guest-starring: SHERLOCK HOLMES, THE BLACK BAT , & AIRBOY!

I removed the cover artist's name because the cover itself was not displayed.  The one at upper right is from the original hardcover edition of the book.  Being that this solicitation is for a reprint, I'm not 100% that the same cover will be used.

I had written to Moonstone recently to find out which books featured their version of the Black Bat. I was told to expect the Black Bat "in the pages of the upcoming 'The Spider's Web' and 'Spider/Domino Lady'.

There already has been a Spider/Domino Lady book, but its solicitation says nothing about a Black Bat appearance therein.  Presumably, based on the wording of Moonstone's response, there's another such book on the way.

While it's good to see The Black Bat show up in various Moonstone books, I'd be more interested in seeing his own series continue.  That I know of, the second issue of his own has never been released and the story in the first issue was never completed. For those who may have missed it, here's an unused cover below (or if it was ever put in proper use, by all means someone draw my attention to it).

Miss Fury cover(s) reveal

When Dynamite's August solicitations first became available, the various covers for the fifth issue of Miss Fury were not displayed, oddly enough.

Here's one of them below.  You can click on it to be taken to the full solicitation to view the others.

I'm still unclear about the solicitation for Miss Fury digital #1 since it sounds very much like the story from the current book.

An all-new Miss Fury adventure never before seen in print! Miss Fury is back in time again! Or is she? Will Miss Fury be able to make it home for a nice long bath, or will she forever be transported? Find out now! This issues has all three digital chapters of Miss Fury in a new, never printed, super-sized collection!

There are a couple of extra details now though.  For one, it is now listed as being 40 pages instead of 32, so the claim of the book being "giant-sized" makes a bit more sense.  Also, it is now specified that the book is the first of two, so I guess we get a double serving of Miss Fury in September as well.  Good news!

The solicitations also offer an alternative cover to Black Bat #4, available to early subscribers.  It was done by Billy Tan.

The Black Bat by Ken Hauser

Artist Ken Hauser has worked on Dynamite Entertainment's Living Corpse series and he provides the rather ass-kicking pinup of The Black Bat below.

At first sight, I assumed it was meant to be a variant cover for a future, but that doesn't seem to be the case.  For one thing, most of the covers seems to be routinely done by the same handful of artists, and for another, the dimensions may not be quite right.

Nevertheless, a pretty awesome image.

"Origin of The (Five Star) Black Bat"

Since starting my primary blog, They Stand on Guard, early last year, I've found myself dealing with more small press publishers than I'd anticipated.  I didn't know that so many publishers included Canadian characters in their books and now I'm finding out how many versions of The Black Bat there really are.

The results of dealing with small publishers are usually very positive.  Supporting those who truly do what they do for the proverbial "love of the game" is in itself rewarding and it's clear that the support is appreciated.

Dealing with Five Star Comics has been as easy as I've ever had it.  I've commented on TSOG about how accomodating Red Leaf Comics has been in providing me with their product.  At least in terms of first impressions, Five Star is very similar.  After some quick e-mail back-and forth, Five Star and I worked out a price and shipping method and I had the three issues of their self-titled book in hand in a matter of days.  I wish it were always that simple.

And so on a windy, cloudy Friday evening at my cottage, I was able to read "Origin of The Black Bat" by the light of my wood stove.  A perfect setting for a moody story.

The Black Bat does not appear in the first issue, aside from the wicked back cover sketch displayed below.  His origin is the kickoff story in the second issue, the cover to which was posted here recently.

It is only six pages long, but covers a lot of ground in regards to Tony Quinn's background and its impact on him on his way to adulthood yet still confounds him in some ways.  The art style makes it particularly interesting.  Both story and art are provided by one Matt Marshall.

The third issue concludes with a 13-page novelette, called "Evil Stalks The Black Bat" (by Terence E. Hanley, the gentleman who ensured I had these books in hand promptly), which builds on the material from issue #2.  There are a few illustrations, most of which are individual panels from the origin story.  There is one new one though, of The Black Bat firing his tricked out pistol (a Five-star customization) from a motorcycle as Manhattan burns around him.  Inserted right on the first page, it helps establish the setting in a story about The Bat seemingly being the only sane person in a city gone mad.

It doesn't appear as though The Black Bat will be included in the fourth issue of Five Star Comics, scheduled to come out in the fall.  However, the character is prominent enough in the publisher's promotion that there's little doubt he'll be used again at a later time.

I'll be keeping an eye open for that.  If you're a fan of Golden Age characters, they also incorporate a number of others, such as Silver Streak and Lady Luck and plan to bring Miss Masque in the next issue.

Makes one wonder about what they'd do with Miss Fury... ;-)

Dynamite Entertainment's August Bat/Fury solicitations!

Looks like Comics Continuum is the first place to find the Dynamite August solicitations (as pointed out by "ChastMastr" on the company's message board).  Let's isolate our flawed heroes and see what we have to look forward to that month:

THE BLACK BAT #4
Written by Brian Buccellato, art by Ronan Cliquet, covers by Jae Lee, Ardian Syaf.

When Black Bat finds himself trapped by police who are determined to take him in "dead or alive", he receives an assist from an unlikely source. Also, a look back at the night that Tony Quinn lost everything.

32 pages, $3.99.

MISS FURY #5
Written by Rob Williams, art by Jack Herbert, covers by Billy Tan, Joe Benitez, Colton Worley, Sean Chen

In a future New York that's been turned into a war zone by a flying V the size of Manhattan, the truth is finally revealed to Miss Fury. Has her time travelling been real or is she insane back in 1943? And who, exactly, has been manipulating her throughout? With only a dead Nazi scientist as her guide, it's time for Marla Drake to decide what she is willing to fight and die for.

32 pages, $3.99.

MISS FURY DIGITAL #1
Written by Rob Williams, art by Wagner Reis, Johnny Desjardins, cover by Jose Luis.

Digital first! An all-new Miss Fury adventure never before seen in print! Miss Fury is back in time again! Or is she? Will Miss Fury be able to make it home for a nice long bath, or will she forever be transported? Find out now! This issues has all three digital chapters of Miss Fury in a new, never printed, super-sized collection!

32 pages, $3.99.

MASKS VOLUME 1 TP
Written by Chris Roberson, art by Alex Ross, Dennis Calero, cover by Alex Ross.

Before Superheroes, there were Masks! The Shadow. The Green Hornet and Kato. The Spider. In 1938, these masked vigilantes operated outside the law, working independently to strike fear into the hearts of evildoers. But when the corrupt politicians of the Justice Party transform New York into a fascist state run by mobsters, when an oppressive regime grants jack-booted stormtroopers free rein to imprison, extort, and execute the innocent, when the law itself becomes unjust -- justice must be served by outlaws! Outnumbered and outgunned, the legendary vigilantes emerge from the shadows to fight, joined by Zorro, the Green Lama, Miss Fury, Black Terror, and the Black Bat! Nine renowned pulp heroes, brought together for the first time in an epic conflict of Law vs. Justice!

200 pages, $24.99.

I ususally like to include a cover from each of the Black Bat and Miss Fury books, but the Fury ones weren't on display.

I'm not certain I understand what the Fury digital book is all about.  A new story but "all three digital chapters" in a collection?  Where did these digital chapters come from?  The digital version of the comic includes script pages.  Do they mean that they compiled those with a new story?  If so, how is it "super-sized" when it's listed at the usual 32 pages?

Lastly, stoked to see Masks referred to as "volume 1".  I choose to believe that this means there's a second volume planned for down the road at some point, hopefully one in which the pulp Bat is more prominent.

"The Black Bat Chats with Carol Baldwin" by Danny Budge

Danny's blog (which you can reach by clicking on the image above) only has a few posts over the course of a few months in 2011.  I don't know if he still draws, whether professionally or as a hobby, but I thought the brief scene above was well worth sharing.  I'd like to see how Budge does with an ongoing story.

Daring Dames: Comely Catwomen by Mini-Komix

Here's a little something I picked up on Drivethru Comics this past weekend.

Only six story pages are dedicated to Miss Fury (under her original name of Black Fury) but they are important ones.  Her first adventure is on display as the middle story in this collection.  Unfortunately, some of the art is a little rough, but for $1 it makes a nice little addition to the collection.

Here's a look at the first page.  Give 'er a click to be taken to the order page.

The Five Star Bat

Five Star Comics, based out of the Ohio, describe themselves as "a joint venture of cartoonists and comic book creators, some experienced, some just beginning, all committed to making fun and wholesome comics in the spirit of the Golden Age and Silver Age of Comics".  They have their own version of the Black Bat, and he is on display on the cover to the second issue.

Five Stars' take seems interesting; Their Bat is the son of the original.  Click on the cover, or the link at above left, to be taken to their blog if you'd like more information about their books.  As I write this, the first two issues are available and the third is on its way.

For now, it appears as though you can only purchase their books through the mail by cheque or money order.  I've written to them to ask about the possibility of a digital option down the road.

Edit, May 13th: Praise to Five Star's Terence Hanley, he's quick to respond to e-mails.  He adds that issue #3 is in fact available, that just hasn't been stated on Five Stars' blog as of yet.  They've considered going digital but have some work to do still with that option.  It appears that paypal payment may be available as well, thankfully.

This all sounds very positive and I hope to have another version of the Black Bat to sink my teeth into real soon!

Dynamite Entertainment's July Bat/Fury solicitations!

On the day the Black Bat's first issue was released, as well as Miss Fury's second, Dynamite's July soliciations appeared on their website.

The books specific to our featured players are displayed below.  We'll get to their two current issues a little later but at first read, I'm pleased to report, with a small sigh of relief, that it doesn't appear as though Black Bat will disappoint.

Writer: Brian Buccellato
Art: Ronan Cliquet

The Black Bat continues his redemptive quest to right the wrongs of his alter-ego Tony Quinn. But, before pursuing criminal kingpin Oliver Snate, Black Bat steals a page from Robin Hood to come up with the resources to fund his campaign. Also, Quinn's past unfolds as he recalls his first meeting with Carol Baldwin.

Writer: Rob Williams
Art: Jack Herbert

The covert Nazi army has laid claim to 2013, determined to make the nation's capital into Miss Fury's final resting place. But help comes from the most unexpected figure imaginable and in the form of one of the greatest weapons of World War II! If she survives, will Marla Drake finally discover the identity of her true enemy?

Man, I love the Fury cover.  Click on the images to be taken to the full solicitation from Dynamite for each book.

Miss Fury sketch by Megalobo

While we wait for Dynamite's Black Bat #1 and the second issue of Miss Fury to come out, let's have a look at a sketch of our leading lady from someone named "Megalobo" on Deviantart.

Black Bat sketch by Jun Bob Kim

Here's a recent sketch for sale by Jun Bob Kim.  Great take on the original version of the character.

Custom Action Figures

Man, how great would this thing look on my computer desk?  There is an ebay store address displayed at the bottom of the image, which is still active, but a Black Bat search in that store revealed no results.

The action figure was built by someone who goes by the name "Xysma the Warhorse" on the figurerealm.com website.  Here's his description of the process:

I've been getting into the pulp heroes lately, reading some of The Spider books and just recently got the Black Bat Omnibus for my Kindle. I decided to make three heads for this figure, an unmasked version, the original complete face mask, and the cowl, which became his more famous look. I used the Owl for the base, Bronze Tiger lower legs, and Starman forearms, Yellow Lantern Batman cape.

Click the image for more pictures and maybe view Xysma's profile to check out more of his work.  Wonder if he's ever done a Miss Fury...

Edit: Oh, damn, there is a Miss Fury out there!  "Emmett" fielded this one (in 2009 no less):

Here's his description:

One of the earliest female characters in comics. From 1941 to 1952. Created, written and drawn by June Tarpe Mills, one of the few women in the business. Miss Fury is the inspiration for Marvel's Hellcat. (from Comic Vine site) For this character I took a Cat-Woman figure and switched out the feet with a Marvel Select Elektra. I removed the "cat" goggles and painted a mask on her. Gave the whole figure a once over with Black acrylic paint. Finally I gave it a light coat of Testors Dullcote.

Awesome.  Again, click on the image to view the original page.

Mars Attacks Miss Fury!

I just stumbled into this image on Tumblr.  I had totally forgotten about it.

IDW Publishing released its January solicitations this past October.  Their theme for that month was that "Mars Attacks everyone".  Oddly enough, that cover is for a book in which Mars Attacks...Popeye.

Mars Attacks Popeye
Martin Powell (w) • Terry Beatty (a) • Ray Dillon (c)
The weekly event of the year starts on the second day of the year! Mars Attacks Martians invade five different IDW timelines and universes this month, starting with their assault on Sweethaven. How can Popeye, Alice the Goon, the Sea Hag the rest of the one-eyed sailor’s friends and foes possibly contend with this threat from beyond the stars?

I don't pretend to understand the reasoning behind using Miss Fury on the cover, but I don't have to pretend that I think it's quite cool. The cover was drawn by J. Bone, who includes additional sketches on his blog.

The reviews are in! Mask #5, Miss Fury #1

Just a sampling of comments made about these books.  For the full version, click on the link provided at the beginning of each paragraph.

Masks 5, Unleasethefanboy: This might just be the biggest issue of MASKS since #1...Chris Roberson juggles all these characters well, which is quite impressive considering the large number which appear....Black Bat is a neat inclusion. Granted, he doesn’t have a truly important role other than to give the story another character, but that of course could change in coming issues...

Dennis Calero’s art is strong throughout. A minor complaint is that the faces sometimes look a little strange, but otherwise it’s solid. The action comes alive in a bright and dynamic way. Covers are once again fantastic. The main one by the always amazing Alex Ross showcases Zorro and Black Bat, pretty accurate since both get their major debuts...Overall, a great installment of MASKS. The plots moves with some very interesting development...These pulp heroes are quickly rising up to becoming all star comic characters, you should be reading this event.

Miss Fury 1, Unleashthefanboy: (Rob) Williams smoothly explains what could be an easily convoluted plot....The art of this comic is done by Jack Herbert and is phenomenal...Each panel transitions seamlessly to the next and, let’s face it, the pages are just sexy...

I heartily look forward to the second issue and give this one a five out of five. I have no complaints and I feel like it has started with a great platform to launch from.

Miss Fury 1, Geeks of Doom:  I have to say, I REALLY enjoyed this book...I was shocked at how Miss Fury #1 was written: cliffhangers, mysteries, good old fashioned super heroics, fun, it’s really got it all. Not only do you get a fantastic adventure that finishing with a great cliffhanger ending, (Rob) Williams also manages to sneak in a FULL and COMPLETE origin story into the issue about halfway through...

Good God, I hope Jack Herbert stays with this book. Forever. His art is, simply put, GORGEOUS! There is a ton of different things that have to be drawn here. Everything from rooftop fight scenes to jungle adventures to high society functions, and Herbert renders them all perfectly...There’s also some great close up human expressions done here. Just fantastic...BUY THIS!!!….but, only if you’re over 17 years of age. This series is definitely NOT for the younger readers. That being said, it’s awesome. A proud addition to Dynamite’s excellent stable of pulp heroes.

Miss Fury 1, bloody-disgusting:  ...an impressive first issue with a protagonist that we’ve all seen before. Yet, an imaginative and original plot and some rather impressive art let this book stand out among the other number one’s out there. If the frenzied pace keeps up, and the setup from this issue has proper payoff, we’re looking at one helluva great new series.

Dynamite's Miss Fury #1 (Finally!)

I've been looking forward to this book, but admittedly with some concerns.  The solicitation made mention of a time-travel aspect which seemed out of place for this character.  Also, some of the preview art made the book seem as though it would feature "splashy" violence so I worried that a significant portion would be little more than scenes intended to generate cheap shock value (like the first issue of Jennifer Blood, which convinced me to drop that title immediately).

But here, we're off to a good start.  Violence, sexuality and profanity?  Yep, all are included, thank you.  And frankly, they should be, to some degree.  Like the the cat woman character that Fury will forever be compared to, at least the first two categories are arguably inevitable.

But there's substance to the book too, which doesn't allow for those aspects to dominate.  The basics of her origin story are laid out and they explain not only her abilities, but also her present mindset. The time travel portion of the story is introduced, but clearly there are a lot of details yet to be revealed on that front.

For an introductory issue, writer Rob Williams delivers a great balance.  You become interested in Miss Fury because of what you know of her, and you are made curious about what you know you have yet to discover about her.

As for Jack Herbert's art, a few pages of the opening fight scene are on display on popular sites such as Comic Book Resources.  It's gorgeous, but I think I would rather share a partial page from further on in the story to also help make my point that the book is more than page after page of graphic violence.

Very pleased with this book, and also much more optimistic.  The sex/violence/profanity "triple crown" can actually complement a character without becoming what that character is all about.  Williams displays this very well in Miss Fury.

Dynamite's Masks #5 out today!

I had previously posted that the 5th issue of Dynamite Entertainment's very fine Masks limited series would be out on March 20th.  This was based on the original solicitation and turned out to be innacurate.  Sorry to say that with Dynamite, that happens.

The book hits shelves, both the physical and "cyber" types, today.  And at last, The Black Bat is revealed.

Tony Quinn has been in earlier issues as we worked our way through his origin, but this is the first time he is seen in uniform in-story.

As expected, his abilities differ somewhat from that of the original character.  This Black Bat can only see in the dark and it doesn't appear as though he will rely on firearms to the extent that the pulp era Bat did.  Mind you, if gunplay's your thing, the modern day Bat (seen at right), clearly intends to do so that might be more your speed.

Frankly, I think I will prefer the 40's era version and I hope that, at the very least, he appears in a second volume of Masks. Dynamite does publish two versions of The Green Hornet but to this point there's nothing to indicate that they will do the same with The Black Bat.

The first issue of Miss Fury is available today as well (more on that later).  Assuming that Masks remains on its current schedule, that would mean that all three books would normally be released on the same day every month (until Masks's conclusion in July, of course).  That would be a lot of pulpy goodness to take in those days!

Black Bat guest appearance in The Spider: Extreme Prejudice

I mentioned in an earlier post that while I'd been aware of The Black Bat character for some time, he didn't fully capture my interest until I heard of Moonstone Books' "Return of the Originals" event.  I began looking into the individual characters involved in that storyline and The Bat seemed like someone I could get into.

When the book finally was available for purchase, I initially got turned off by the ridiculously high shipping charges.  I was hoping to bundle the RotO graphic novel with a few issues of the Black Bat book, but only the first issue of that series was ever made available on the Moonstone Books website.  The whole thing pretty well slipped my mind after a while.

With Dynamite Entertainment now showing The Black Bat some love, my interest in the character has been stoked again.  I've obtained Moonstone's graphic novel (from Amazon) and am presently working my way through that.

Having looked further into that version of The Bat, I've come across a couple more of his appearances.  One is rather obvious, if you clicked on the links above.  The Black Bat was involved in another "return", this time of the Monsters.

Eh. I'm usually all for different interpretations, but that one might stretch the levels of my open-mindedness.

The other appearance is a little harder to find out about.  It seems The Black Bat guest-stars in a Spider prose book.

The SPIDER: Extreme prejudice SC:
Cover: Malcolm McClinton
6×9, 288pgs, $18.95

New short stories of SEARING WHITE HOT PROSE starring pulpdom’s most violent and ruthless crime fighter ever: THE SPIDER! More just than the law, more dangerous than the Underworld…hated, feared and wanted by both!

One cloaked, fanged, border-line crazy denizen of the dark force-feeding hard justice with a pair of 45′s!

Guest starring: The Black Bat, The Green Ghost, and Operator 5!

James Chambers, CJ Henderson, Will Murray, Ron Fortier, Rik Hoskin, Don Roff, Matthew Baugh, Eric Fein, Gary Phillips, and more!

I would assume The Black Bat only appears in one of the stories.  The Spider is not a character that has ever drawn me to read his stories but perhaps I can use this book as a way to be better introduced to the various guest-stars.

In any event, I thought completists should be aware of its existence.  The book is included in Moonstone May 2013 solicitations.