060 The Massive-Verse Invades New York Comic Con
NYCC Plans! Signings! Exclusives! Plus, Bad Blood!
Hey everyone! Kyle here, coming to you from a super cool little hotel in Philadelphia— I’m here for my cousin’s wedding, before embarking on a Tuesday morning train adventure to New York to get ready for New York Comic Con!
And that’s where we’re going to start the newsletter today because next week’s convention (October 12-15 at the Javitts Center) is shaping up to be a big one for Black Market Narrative and The Massive-Verse. Unfortunately, we aren’t doing a Massive-Verse panel… but we are rocking a booth on the main show floor! And boy, do we have some fun stuff in store for yinz.
In addition to giveaways, we’ll be offering specials on our trade paperbacks, hosting creator signings and debuting some incredible new Massive-Verse pins from Kelly McMahon! Plus, 12x18” signed and numbered screenprinted posters by Tom Whalen! Limited to 100 for Radiant Black and 100 for Rogue Sun (if there are any left over, we’ll sell them here on the Newsletter. Make sure you’re subscribed!):
If you’re heading to the show, I recommend checking in with us each day at booth 3810– that’s across from Stylin Online, next to Kelly McMahon Design, and around the corner from Anthony’s Comic Art, Romitaman Original Art and Albert Moy Artworks. We might have a few other things that update on a daily basis… ;)
Here’s a helpful graphic for the show floor:
And what about those creator signings? Well, New York has a way of drawing out the best of the comics industry and this year is no exception— joining me for signings at the Black Market booth will be an absolute murderers row of Massive-Verse All-Stars! Here’s the lineup:
Ryan Parrott (Rogue Sun, Supermassive)
Melissa Flores (The Dead Lucky, Supermassive)
Mat Groom (Inferno Girl Red, Supermassive)
Erica D’Urso (Inferno Girl Red)
Valeria Favoccia (Inferno Girl Red)
Brian Buccellato (NO/ONE)
Geraldo Borges (NO/ONE)
Rod Reis (C.O.W.L.)
Francesco Manna (Supermassive)
Simone Ragazzoni (Supermassive, Rogue Sun)
Michael Busuttil (Mr. Massive-Verse)
We’ll be doing signings each day and, oh hey look at that, we’ve even got a schedule!
Of particular note— those Supermassive signings will also feature the 2022 reprint (with all that killer back matter) that we’ll be signing and giving everyone for free!
Also, while I’ll be spending most of my time at our booth (3810), I’ll also be signing at my table in Artist Alley with Comic Sketch Art (table H38) from 10-11am and 6-7pm each day. I’ll be kicking off the show each morning there, where I will for sure be pounding coffee and who knows, you may catch me at the right time with not-quite-enough-caffeine yet that I spill some fun secrets ;)
But another spot to hit us up for secrets? Our Massive-Verse Meetup on Friday night at Barcade! This is informal and open to everyone— swing by and join a bunch of Massive-Verse creators in some button mashing mayhem! First game’s on us!
Oh, and we’re also making a big announcement at the show. It’s not specifically Massive-Verse, but it features a number of Massive-Verse creators. News should drop Saturday night/Sunday morning. You’ll know it when you see it.
NYCC is a really special show for me. I’ve been doing this one every year since 2010 and I think I’ve only missed one, back in 2016. Despite how much has changed— for me, the industry and the city— I still have an incredibly romantic association with New York, what it means to comic books, superheroes, and my own career. (Catch me pre-caffeine and ask me about the time I squatted in an empty apartment on the east side to crank out a Gates of Gotham script… shoutout to Justin and Michelle!) I only really make it back once a year these days, but I always cherish the week that I’m there. This time should be no different.
Now I’m just praying for cool weather so the rotting garbage smell stays manageable :)
Awwww New York! It’s good to be back!
Last week, Fast Company ran a piece by Jason Tselentis about the growing convergence of comic books and audio, taking a look at some of the different initiatives that Marvel and DC have made in the podcast and audio series space.
The piece also has a heavy focus on what Brian Buccellato, Geraldo Borges, Mark Englert, Hassan Otsmane-Elhou and I are doing on NO/ONE as well as the way The Massive-Verse as a whole looks to take really immersive swings.
As a director and a former sound editor, I love the possibilities of the audio medium a lot. After NO/ONE wraps, we’ll definitely be doing more in this space. Jason’s article is a good precursor to what we’re working on!
Bad Blood
A few weeks ago, we announced that Black Market Narrative was teaming up with Kelly McMahon and Mat Groom for Kelly’s deadly-stylish 1920s playing cards + murder mystery Kickstarter, Bad Blood, to help take one of my favorite new projects to the next level with an 8 page ashcan comic book!
The comic will be written by Mat, illustrated by Nicoletta Baldari and edited by me:
Now, with just under two weeks left on the campaign, I have an interview with Kelly to tell you more about this very cool project!
Kyle Higgins: For those who are hearing about Bad Blood for the first time, how would you describe the cards + murder mystery experience?
Kelly McMahon: So, Bad Blood is my stylish, illustrated tribute to the 1920s, and it starts with a set of 54 art deco-inspired card designs. However, each character card also brings to life a different faction of our one-time solve murder mystery written by Mat Groom that can be played alongside any traditional card game! The card game is a 1+ player experience.
Kyle: You know I’m a sucker for a good murder mystery— what can you tell us about that aspect of the project?
Kelly: We’re inviting you to fill the well-polished shoes of journalist Joseph Field and uncover the mystery behind Dee Dumas’ murder. His journal is the key to solving this crime; players can read through his findings and decipher the clues across the deck of cards— of course, if you’d rather not unravel the threads of a diabolical conspiracy, you can always just grab a drink and try your hand at a game of poker as the body count grows (laughs).
Kyle: This isn’t your first time working with playing cards as a design medium— your previous campaign, Imperium, was another incredibly stylish reimagining. How did your experience on Bad Blood compare to Imperium?
Kelly: I definitely I learned a lot on Imperium. There were so many things about traditional playing cards that I was unaware of before starting— Imperium definitely made me more confident in approaching the slightly-more-ambitious Bad Blood deck. I had an understanding of how to set up the designs which is one of the hardest parts of these projects. I also understood how to lay out the cards for both functionality and aesthetic. However, I often get caught up in the aesthetic and compromise the functionality and then have to go back and rework what I’ve done, but this time I knew the specs I needed to work within.
That said, I definitely approached the Bad Blood deck differently to Imperium. Whereas Imperium focused more on the aesthetic of my style and the patterns of the suits, Bad Blood indulges more in the concept and story, from the characters to the box and the pips cards— the narrative and “mystery” concept is a focal point in the design. So, the functionality of the “mystery” helped dictate a lot of the layout for Bad Blood.
Kyle: Are there any other projects you’re working on right now?
Kelly: I have a few exciting ones coming up, most of which I can’t talk about. But the one that I can tell you about is the enamel pin set I designed for The Massive-Verse! The set features Radiant Black, Pink, Yellow and Red, as well as Rogue Sun, The Dead Lucky, Inferno Girl Red, and NO/ONE. It will drop at NYCC, available exclusively from the Black Market Narrative booth (3810) which will be next to my booth (3808) on the main show floor. I was honoured to be asked to collaborate on this one with you guys!
You can check out the Bad Blood Kickstarter right here! Just under two weeks to go! Huge thanks to Kelly for the interview!
Radiant Black Goes .5
Last week, Image rolled out a press release with some Radiant Black updates. In order to keep things as clear as possible for retailers, we’re changing the labeling on our A and B covers for The Catalyst War to a .5 model. Here’s the press release that explains what I mean:
“Known for pushing the envelope with unique twists, easter eggs, and multimedia tie-ins, the Massive-Verse’s Radiant Black, by Kyle Higgins, Marcelo Costa, Eduardo Ferigato, and Joe Clark, will have fans doing a double-take next month yet again—literally—with the release of two issues: Radiant Black #26 and the Radiant Black #26.5.
One storyline follows Marshall, one storyline puts the spotlight on Nathan, but both issues are a must-buy for readers to get the full experience. There are, after all, two sides to every story.
‘The Catalyst War is the most ambitious story that I have ever been a part of,’ said Radiant Black co-creator and co-writer, Kyle Higgins. ‘This is a story that we’ve been building to for over two years, an event told across timelines featuring two different art teams telling two different stories each month, under our two covers. Both timelines are integral to the event—the different choices that Marshall and Nathan make and how they impact their respective worlds is at the center of what The Catalyst War is about. And by the end of issue 30.5, you will learn who won the vote and who will be Radiant Black going forward. That is, if either of them survives…’
The ‘.5’ storyline will run through Radiant Black #30 and Radiant Black #30.5 before hitting fans with another jaw-dropping plot twist.”
Available at comic book shops on Wednesday, October 25:
Radiant Black #26 – Lunar Code 0923IM859
Radiant Black #26.5 – Lunar Code 0923IM860
Available at comic book shops on Wednesday, November 22:
Radiant Black #27 – Lunar Code 0723IM362
Radiant Black #27.5 – Lunar Code 0723IM363
Available at comic book shops on Wednesday, December 20:
Radiant Black #28 – Lunar Code 0823IM421
Radiant Black #28 Cover B The Walking Dead 20th Anniversary Team Up Variant by Stefano Simeone – Lunar Code 0823IM423
Radiant Black #28.5 – Lunar Code 0823IM422
Radiant Black #28.5 Cover B The Walking Dead 20th Anniversary Team Up Variant by Stefano Simeone – Lunar Code 0823IM424
Okay, that’s going to do it for me today! I’ve got a wedding to get to!
See you in New York!
Stay Radiant!
Kyle
Philadelphia, PA
Very interested in what the announcement is going to be next week. Also, makes me wish I could go to NYCC, because I'd love to meet the whole Massive-Verse crew.
For those of us who can’t go to NYCC, Will there be an opportunity for us to purchase the Massive-Verse pins??