In this episode of Comics of Doom, Willie Gillis talks to Princeless writer Jeremy Whitley. Whitley talks about his comic book origins, his writing process, and even what he’s currently reading. Princeless, an all-ages four-issue comic book from Action Lab Entertainment, is about a princess named Adrienne who is tired of waiting to be rescued by a prince. Instead, she decides to be the rescuer versus the rescued. Adrienne takes an adventure with her dragon, Sparky, to rescue her sisters from various towers throughout the kingdom.

The Princeless: Save Yourself trade paperback is now available for pre-order through your local comic book shop. The trade will be released in April 2012 [...]

Doctor Who Classics, Series 4 #1
Written by Alan McKenzie
Original Art by John Ridgway
Colors by Charlie Kirchoff
Covers by John Ridgway and Charlie Kirchoff
IDW Publishing
Release Date: February 01, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Talk about a blast from the past. Doctor Who Classics Series 4 #1 is a republication of the original Doctor Who comic book series as first released in Doctor Who Magazine. Younger fans of the original television series who have viewed the DVD releases may recall some special features dealing specifically with these comic strips.

Classics Series 4 undertakes the interesting era of the Colin Baker years. During his time as the sixth incarnation of the Doctor, the television series was under threat of cancellation, an ever-increasing strain on budget availability, and a rising dissatisfaction from many fans as their criticisms of the John Nathan-Turner showrunner years would reach their peak [...]

DC Comics announced today that they will be going back to Smallville to bring fans of the show an eleventh season in digital comic book form this April.

Smallville: Season 11 will be a weekly digital comic penned by show writer, comic scribe, and personal favorite Bryan Q. Miller that goes deeper into Clark Kent’s first year as Superman while still using the mythos set up in the televised series. All of the characters that fans of the show know and love will still be major players in the series including Lois Lane, Oliver Queen (Green Arrow), Chloe Sullivan-Queen, General Lane, and many more [...]

Web comics are a wonderful thing. There are a variety of style that show anywhere from a single comic panel, strip, or full page with a host of topics and plots to choose from. One recent approach to web comics was that of Jim Zub (Skullkickers), Shun Hong Chan, and UDON with their recent web based comic Makeshift Miracle: The Girl From Nowhere, which is now getting collected and will be released in May.

There’s plenty to talk about with the specifics of the story of Makeshift Miracle and the all new hardcover presentation, but before we get into that, I want to tell you why Makeshift Miracle caught my eyes in the first place. [...]

Archie Archives, Vol. 4
Art by Bill Vigoda and Various
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: January 25, 2012
Cover Price: $49.99

Archie Archives, Vol. 4 is a strangely fascinating page from the history book of the typical teenager from Riverdale. Reprinting issues of Archie and Pep Comics, from 1944 and 1945, this is the books’ very early years, long before Kevin Keller and KISS. But things are far from bland: the art is almost exclusively from Bill Vigoda, the real life brother of Abe Vigoda, best known as Sal Tessio from The Godfather films. Like I said, it’s a little strange.

In this volume we see the ingredients that make up an average Archie comic still swirling around, not yet fully settled. On the surface everything is still the same, the stories hit all the same beats: Archie goes on a date or gets a new job or starts a new hobby… and then things go wrong with hilarious results [...]

Conan the Barbarian #1
Script by Brian Wood
Art by Becky Cloonan
Colors by Dave Stewart
Letters by Richard Starkings and Comicraft
Covers by Massimo Carnevale and Becky Cloonan
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: February 8, 2012
Cover Price: $3.50

I’ve been looking forward to Conan the Barbarian #1 ever since it was announced. Why? Because with the announcement of the book’s creative team, it promised something different for a Conan comic, and happily, it delivers. Big time.

Fans have been begging for Dark Horse to adapt the classic Robert E. Howard Conan story Queen of the Black Coast for quite a while now, and that has to be tricky for writer Brian Wood. Thankfully, he more than delivers on this fan’s expectations [...]

Star Wars: Crimson Empire III – Empire Lost #4
Written by Mike Richardson and Randy Stradley
Pencils by Paul Gulacy
Colors by Michael Bartolo
Cover Art by Dave Dorman
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: February 08, 2012
Cover Price: $3.50

Now past the halfway mark, Star Wars: Crimson Empire III launches its acceleration to the incoming conclusion of the series. The fourth issue of Empire Lost finds Kir Kanos determined to stop the planned attack of Devian, warlord of a splinter element of the Imperial Remnant fixed on bringing both the New Republic and Grand Admiral Pellaeon’s Empire into his own demented grasp.

Empire Lost #4 kicks off in space, with a New Republic naval force under command of General Han Solo. We’re introduced to a subplot involving a character named Ndigo who is tasked with investigating the disappearance of the New Republic ship Endor, seen at the beginning of the first issue [...]

Each and every week “Mr. I Look Good In A Suit” MK2Fac3 and “Mr. I Look Good In A Plastic Incredible Hulk Mask” Henchman21 read a lot of comics. Seriously you guys, a lot of comics. Maybe too many comics. I mean, it is possible…theoretically. They look forward to some more than others, I mean, who doesn’t? So, let’s take a look into the depths of their pull lists, grab some comics, and we’ll let YOU know what the top books to look forward to are for the week of February 8, 2012. Single issues and trades, they’re all here.

I’ve really got nothing fun or interesting to tell you this week. I mean, I had a job interview, but who cares about that? You’re here for comics! And boy let me tell you, there are a whole lot of comics to talk about this week. So, let’s skip this intro and get to the meat of the week. Ladies and gentlemen, I present…The GoD List! [...]

Twentieth Century Fox has set an official release date for their long-in-development sequel to X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which was once titled The Wolverine but is now simply being called Wolverine 2 until a more official title is selected.

The studio has reserved July 23, 2013 for the return of Hugh Jackman as the beloved Marvel anti-hero, which will see him heading overseas to Japan for the Samurai storyline this time around. [...]

Too Much Coffee Man #2 Facsimile Edition
Written and illustrated by Shannon Wheeler
Boom! Studios
Release Date: January 25, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

At the center of Too Much Coffee Man #2 Facsimile Edition our hero faces off in a grueling gauntlet for survival against an exciting new villain to the bitter end.

But, really, that’s not what’s important at all. This is BOOM! Studios reprint of the original issues of Shannon Wheeler‘s cult classic which helped define small press early 90s comix, TMCM is a frumpy protagonist who’s drive involves coffee, loafing around, and not much else, while his nemesis is a Liefeld-parody named Cliche, and they throw old fashioned truisms at each other along with punches and bullets. It’s silly, enjoyable, and knows when to wrap up [...]

Key of Z #4
Written by Claudio Sanchez and Chondra Echert
Art by Aaron Kuder
Colors by Charlie Kirchoff
Letters by Johnny Lowe
Cover by Nathan Fox and Jeromy Cox
Evil Ink Comics/Boom! Studios
Release Date: January 25, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

I’ve read a lot of zombie-themed comic books, but I can honestly say that I’ve never read one quite like Key of Z, and I’m going to tell you right now, from the first issue to the last issue, this series is fantastic.

I’ve been following the creation of the series since 2010 when creators Claudio Sanchez and Chondra Echert first announced that they would be working on a zombie comic that would take place in New York City and encompass a lot of specifics from the area under the working title Subway Seriez, which is still used as the subtitle for Key of Z, as evidenced by the cover of issue three [...]

House Of Night #4
Story by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Script by Kent Dalian
Art by Joelle Jones and Jonathan Case
Colors by Ryan Hill and Jonathan Case
Letters by Nate Piekos of Blambot
Cover by Jenny Frison
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: February 8, 2012
Cover Price: $2.99

We return to the story of Zoey Redbird, a fledgling vampyre attending the Tulsa House of Night and learning to control her newfound powers. House Of Night #4 addresses the issues of overconfidence and vanity. When Zoey accidentally destroys something sacred to her goddess, she decides to concentrate on repairing the damage done and learning from the experience [...]

Last week, U.S. District Judge Ronald Lew made a decision to allow DC Comics to sue a man who was making and selling Batmobiles on the grounds of copyright and trademark infringement. Despite numerous articles you may have read, this is nothing new.

Automobile enthusiast Mark Towles was manufacturing and selling a variety of Batmobiles through his company Gotham Garage as well as other items from TV and movie history including the 1966 version of the Batboat and the famed Munsters family car. DC Comics found out about this man’s company and decided that it was within their right to file a claim against the man for violation of copyright and patents that they’ve had on the Batmobile for decades. [...]

As I write this, the New York Giants are facing off against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

Artist Vincent Aparo had his own idea of what the Giants Vs. Patriots would look like with a comics-inspired piece of art that’s an homage to fellow artist Scott C and his Great Showdowns series [...]

Episode Guide

Comics of Doom Intro [Section 1]
Recorded February 3, 2012. Hosted by Justin Vactor, Willie Gillis, Hunter Camp, and Chris McDavid. Special Guest: Chris Eaton

News of Doom [Section 2]
- DC Confirms ‘Watchmen’ Prequel Comic Book Event ‘Before Watchmen’
- Exclusive: Dark Horse Comics Brings ‘Skeleton Key’ Back To Life [...]

Dark Horse Comics announced this week that they would be collecting Mike Norton‘s Battlepug web comic this July.

Now, you may not know what Battlepug is, and for that I hold a great deal of contempt towards you. Battlepug is Mike Norton’s ongoing web comic telling the tale of a barbarian on revenge quest — a revenge quest that is aided by a giant pug. You see, pugs are completely awesome. As any pug owner will attest, my wife and I included, pugs are pretty much the perfect breed, so it makes complete sense that Mike Norton would tell this Conan-esque story while using a giant pug to make the comic that much more awesome. So, basically it’s about a pug that battles. How could anything be better than that? Spoiler Alert: It’s impossible [...]

Marvel Entertainment is gearing up for their big film The Avengers, hitting theaters in May. This Sunday a new commercial with never before seen footage will air during the Super Bowl and on the Marvel Comics App, the company is giving away the first issue of a prequel comic book miniseries.

The miniseries is titled Marvel’s The Avengers Prelude: Fury’s Big Week and it will run for 8 issues. After this Sunday’s free issue is released, subsequent installments will be released on the app each Tuesday for 99 cents each [...]

Hoax Hunters #0
Story by Michael Moreci and Steve Seeley
Art by JM Ringuet
Inks by John Lucas
Cover by Steve Seeley
Image Comics
Release Date: March 21, 2012
Cover Price: $2.99

There’s a lot to be said about Hoax Hunters. I could easily fall into the comparrison trap. You know, the one where the guys in the comic book store says “It’s Buffy meets Scooby-Doo meets Mad Men!”, but I’m not a big fan of that. Things need to be judged and sold on their own merit. That said, this comic does take a few modern day pop culture staples, and turns them on their ears.

Writers Steve Seeley and Michael Moreci have taken something that I normally would gloss over on the comic racks and turned it into something that I can’t wait to read. Without going too deep into spoiler territory, the Hoax Hunters are a group that goes out and investigates, let’s just say, suspicious activities. [...]

Dark Horse Comics has chosen Geeks of Doom to show off the cover art for a new one-shot of one of the most critically acclaimed all-ages comics of all time, Andi Watson‘s Skeleton Key.

Check out the full, larger version of the cover here below.

Collected in the all-new, all-color one-shot, being released on May 2, are the shorts from Dark Horse Presents #5-7, the publisher’s anthology comic book series [...]

Earlier today, my overlord and master Empress Eve posted an article telling all of you about the “it’s really happening, isn’t it?” Watchmen prequel comics miniseries collection entitled Before Watchmen coming this Summer from DC Comics.

Well folks, I have been tasked to bring you my opinions on the creative teams and titles and to put it shortly, this whole thing is hilarious to me.

First and foremost let’s talk about the whole idea of a Watchmen prequel comic. Does it need to happen? Absolutely not. Thinking back on the multiple times that I’ve read Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ seminal work, I can’t recall feeling like I really needed to know anything about their time prior to the events in the comic.[...]