DC’S YOUNG ANIMAL (Friday) – It’s only fitting that I encapsulate this wonderful 2017 edition of WonderCon with a pair of panels from DC Comics, considering it was just one year ago when “Rebirth” was announced (and I’ll have that Year One follow-up tomorrow). The publisher-wide event went over so well, that it gave way to a line of reimagined Hanna-Barbera comics–which, to the date, have more or less been awesome–and, here, a line of the more eclecti and refreshing, indie-inspired comics ala Young Animal.
Founder — and former My Chemical Romance frontman — Gerard Way explained why his current critically-lauded run on Doom Patrol would be taking a little break after its recent #6 issue, calling the whole process “a bit more complicated than expected” and promises a new issue in July with Mike Allred on the art (the first Doom Patrol TPB will be out in June with plentiful bonus content). Way also found his inspiration for scripting DP from the title’s famous former writer Grant Morrison, who told the Young Animal prez to do “a monster of the week” and keep his arcs to a 3-issue minimum.
Panic, Shade, Cave.
Mother Panic scribe Jody Houser, on the other hand, enjoyed the challenge of working with 3 different artists on the book with each focusing on a different villain as well as a different style to offer (Shawn Crystal = fantastical; Tommy Lee Edwards = stark and gritty; etc.). We go from one new Gotham “hero” hellbent on revenge to one who wants to mold Gotham to her own design in Shade the Changing Girl. Writer Cecil Castellucci dived further into the psyche of Shade, referring to the untamed “madness” that has taken ahold of the hero; an inner-struggle channeled from images in new memories that are growing twofold.
BUG!
Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye‘s Jon Rivera lightened up the mood when poking fun of all the butt-shots in his own book. “Everyone gets a butt in–we’re now in the second arc of butts. Of course in the [next] issue with Superman, I chose to do full frontal nudity.” And what was it like to pen up an issue on the Man of Steel? “Zero pressure,” Rivera deadpanned to audience laughter. Finally, the very informative and entertaining panel came to a close with an announcement of Young Animal’s next title, Bug!: The Adventures of Forager. The #1 issue created by the entire Allred lot–Lee, Mike and Laura (the “prettiest couple in comics”) will be out in June, and will serve as a moldpiece for the line — a way for all the books to hop through (and share) different realities. Count me in.