Let's Hope The Only Backlash Is At The Munch

So here's what happened - first there was a week of meetings, and then I got Covid, and since then I've been digging out of the hole those things caused. So! Not many newsletters.

But tomorrow I have THREE - count 'em, THREE - comics out, including two that people are currently talking about and a third that people probably will be tomorrow. So let's talk about them some more!

WHAT'S OUT THIS WEEK?

First and foremost... Absolute Green Lantern #1, that's what!

What IS the Absolute Green Lantern? Well, it's a gigantic celestial object that's fallen on a small town in Nevada. There are three known survivors. One of them is still fully human.

Aside from that, I've done a pretty solid job of not telling anybody what's going on, and issue #1 doesn't have many answers either. That's by design – it's a book about the unknown, paced to create dread and tease knowledge out slowly. It's about alien contact, religious terror and being judged according to a strange, inflexible moral code you can't properly understand... only you're going to have to if you want to live through this. The pace seems deliberate, but the clock is ticking down.

How far out is the world that's coming?

Just be without fear. It's very important that you be without fear...

Jahnoy Lindsay is our artist – his style is reminiscent of the painted work I grew up with in UK comics, and he's fantastic at capturing small vistas of humanity, queasy moments of building tension or, if need be, a sudden explosion of violence. He's going places, and I'm glad we get to take this particular journey together.

Also out this week is All-New Venom #5, featuring the reveal of the mystery of the All-New Venom! Sadly, this got leaked a couple of days ago and Marvel had to get ahead of the news, so it's going to be pretty tough to avoid being spoiled. But I urge you to try! The issue is put together to walk you through the clues (and the red herrings) before the reveal on the last page, and that really is the ideal way to find everything out.

Anyway, some folks are being a little cynical about this, which is just how things are these days in a world where everyone fears the worst in big and small ways - honestly, though, I just want to make fun comics. Our true intent is all for your delight, as they say – and I think I can speak for art genius Carlos Gomez and color supremo Frank D'Armata there as well. We've all worked pretty dang hard to bring you this feast of telekinetic nostril beams, father-cat bonding, clues and secrets and a big last-page reveal - and I think once the dust settles and the waters calm, people are going to have a good time with it and the issues that follow.

And the third of three is Immortal Thor #22! Nobody's talking about this one yet, but they will, because in order to properly trap Thor in the maze of the Endless City - that's NRGL to you - we're pulling a little storytelling trick I don't think has been done before. There's a dose of interactivity to this one that I won't spoil ahead of time - don't worry, the comic will tell you how to read it. Whether you choose to fully bind yourself to Utgard-Loki's rules is up to you - if you go all in, it might be a long read for you... but then again, the reader is allowed to cheat.

Thor isn't.

As usual, Jan Bazaldua does an incredible job with the art, ably assisted by Matt Hollingsworth on colors.

OTHER BIZ

I'm in London this week, signing at the opening of the new Forbidden Planet Camden store on the site of Mega City Comics - that's 18 Inverness Street in NW1. Arrive at 2pm to catch me and Ram V, or drop by later at 4pm for the legendary Dave Gibbons. Or both!

I PROMISED I'D DO A MARVEL COMICS PANEL BY PANEL...

...but time's getting on, so sadly that's a promise I'll have to break. Next time! For now, love, strength and justice to all who need it, and I'll play us out with "Girl, So Confusing" by Charli XCX & Lorde.