What's Happening - October 2025
Spooky season is upon us once more. And what is more spooky than a monthly newsletter? OooooOOOooooOOOO.
Welcome to my monthly newsletter, giving you updates on the things I’ve been reading, writing and lettering this month.
What am I writing?
Coming next month: Hero of Legend #5!
You can also finally read the first episode of this issue, which came out at the beginning of the month. Our heroes have reached the City in the Sun, and found a hoard of shadow monsters waiting for them there.
We also have our first two covers, the first by Niccolò:
And the second, as always, by the fantastic Laura Todisco:
This cover was original one of Laura's drafts for Chapter 3, where The Adversary first appears. I knew as soon as I saw it that we needed to use it, but that it wasn't the time.
We have one more cover coming that I'll show off in our newsletter next month. Until then, if you haven't yet, make sure you're signed up for our prelaunch page!
What am I lettering?
Heroes and Zeroes #1-2
Heroes and Zeroes is a super hero comic that I've had the pleasure of lettering. Paul Eza, who writes the series, is a great writer and supporter of indie comics. He's an awesome dude who has made an awesome, super hero murder mystery that is definitely worth checking out. Kasey Quevedo and Maya Opacic do a great job on the art, I've gotten to do some fun stuff on the lettering. Here's the synopsis:
Who Killed Erik Peterson, and Why?
Hundreds of years in the future, humanity and society have evolved. Most people now have at least one enhanced ability, and those who don’t — known as Zeros — are considered useless. But when the most powerful man in the world, Erik Peterson, is murdered and an innocent man is framed, three Zeros are swept up in an adventure that could reshape society as they know it — and prove to the world just how much they have to offer.
After Peterson’s death, Allison Archer, Issac Alexander, and Cassandra Christopher are recruited by an underground resistance group known as the Equalizers to solve the murder and clear the name of the falsely accused man. But Cassandra, fearing for her friends’ safety, gives the location of the Equalizers’ safehouse to the brutal Officer Jacobs in exchange for his promise to protect them.
When Jacobs and his team raid the Equalizers' safehouse, he double-crosses Cassandra, injuring her and taking her prisoner. But her resistance gives Allison, Isaac, and the others a chance to escape. Now they’re on the run from Jacobs and the ultra-powerful ruling Council — or, at least, its most nefarious member, Gaden Veles...
One week left on the Kickstarter! Back it today.
Kickstarter comics in prelaunch:
Some fun lettering:
What am I reading?
The New Gods vol 1: The Falling Sky
I am currently reading the fewest super hero comics I ever have in my life. And with the new Ultimate Universe ending, that number is basically going to be zero. (I'm probably going to cancel my marvel unlimited subscription at least until the next Hickman book is announced.) But, that was not always true! There was a while when I read a lot of super hero comics, and as part of that, was diving into older super hero books as well.
Jack Kirby's Fourth World was one of those deep dives. Kirby is obviously one of the greatest to ever do it, but I think New Gods, Mr. Miracle, the Forever People and Jimmy Olsen are all fundamentally interesting failures. Lots of interesting pieces, but the puzzle never fully coheres.
I think that's why its a series and characters that creators want to tackle and that I, as a reader, seek out. When something with the New Gods gets announced, I wonder, is this finally be the take that will put all these interesting pieces into a place that makes sense?
Historically, the answer has been no. Orion by Walt Simonson and Mister Miracle by Tom King and Mitch Gerads are the closest for my money But like Kirby's original, they are beautiful, artistically interesting books who fail to tell a larger overarching story. I talked a bit about both of these books in this piece for Multiversity comics 6 (yeesh) years ago, but that was written while I was in my "you have to be positive when you talk about comics" era.
Anyway, all that preamble is to say: the first volume of Ram V and Evan Cagle's New Gods is really good!
I wrote a couple months ago about my feelings about the creative team's last book (though with a different colorist and letterer, so not the full creative team) Dawnrunner which was... not my favorite. This book, though, works. This is super hero comics firing on all cylinders. The art, by Cagle and a rotating team of guest artists that provide prologues to each of the issues, is phenomenal. Both the bombast and small human moments are rendered perfectly, and it's the mix of those two things that make this series work in a way that previous New Gods stories haven't. Epic scale battles and spousal conversations are equally interesting, important, and enjoyable to read about.
This is still just the first trade, so there is plenty of time for things to go off the rails. But if you like the New Gods, definitely worth checking out.
Anything else?
Nope. See ya later.