Black Bolt #1 Lettered Preview

It's good that this isn't first person narration. I hate current Inhumans but I'll give this a try.

>>91890928
>many died during their transformations
Thank you! Marvel has been straight up ignoring that aspect

Holding out hope for some weirdness worth reading.

Ok this looks pretty fuckin rad. Has this guy Ward drawn anything else before?

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John Tyler Christopher Action Figure variant

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Butch Guice variant

>>91890996
For Marvel? He drew every fifth issue of Ultimates.

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Paul Pope variant (with Toby Cypress)

>>91890996
ODY-C
Ewing's first Ultimates run as guest artist

>>91890998
Anyone that buys these variants needs to be shot. By far the worst idea ever.

>>91890924
I read a book from this guy a few years back, and I remember it being okay. Even if this is another "Marvel hires an SJW writer who's never written comics before", it looks better than America at least.

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Jack Kirby 100th Anniversary variant (colored from the B&W inked scan by Paul Mounts)

The art is really nice.

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Rahzzah Hip-Hop variant (homages Pete Rock's "Petestrumentals")


FIN

>>91890998
These are really well done, but I just don't see the appeal. How many of these fuckers has he drawn by now? I feel like he's gotta be more tired of it than Skottie Young is of drawing characters as babies.

>>91891066
Well that's shit.

Heyyyyy, this preview wasn't too bad.

thank god its not yet another First Person Narration That Comments Smartly Or Sentimentaly Maybe Both What Happens On Panel

>>91890924
Sounds great and I hope they keep that black bolt sign

>>91890924
I really don't know why but I want to follow this book.

>>91890939
>it's a convenient memory loss episode
Come on book, don't lose me this early.

>>91891521
Last time we saw him, he was escorting Maximus to his exile. And then it turned out that they swapped places and costumes. I wonder how BB lost his memory. Could it have anything to do with Maximus? What a mystery,

>>91891607
I just really hate the books that start with character suffering from memory loss. It's just a convenient plot device and the payoff is almost never worth the cliche.

>>91890924

This art is fucking rad. After reading the author's interview about his ideas for the book, I'm super excited about this.

>>91890924
>>91890928
>>91890939
>>91890947
>>91890962
>>91890974

Are we sure this isn't Tom King's pen name?

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>>91890924
MFW I'm an X-fan who don't care about Inhumans
MFW when I have this and Royal on my pull list, but 0 X-book
Alright, Ike. You won.

>>91891906
Link?
>>91892020
Why do you think King wrote it? Because of the repetition? You do know that a lot of literary writers use that technique to make the narration more poetic right? Moore used it a lot, I think Gaiman might have as well.

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>>91892085
mfw when you are a liar and a shill

>>91892089
>Link?

>CBR: You’re picking up Black Bolt after what’s been a pretty eventful couple of years for the character. So what’s your sense of your protagonist? Which aspects of his personality are you especially interested in exploring?

>Saladin Ahmed: Despite the fact that he’s been around 50 years we’ve really almost always seen Black Bolt reflected in others. He’s sort of this blank slate to a degree because he doesn’t talk and because he has this kind of imperious distance as a king. So part of the challenge is getting in his head at all and starting to think about how with this being a solo title he’s always been defined by his place in the Inhuman Royal Family.

>This book is a chance to think about his personality and ask what is Black Bolt like on his own? Just even beginning to ask that question has been both fun and a challenge.

>As far as the past few years go, I’ve been walking a tight rope with this book. Marvel came to me as a science fiction/fantasy writer. This is my first comics project. I’m interested in bringing in some new readers; ones who don’t necessarily know who Black Bolt is or know a ton about the amazing past few years of the Inhumans comics. I’ve really loved reading those issues, but the mythology is thick. There’s a lot of material there with the history and the crossover events.

>>91892140

>On the one hand, I wanted to take Black Bolt away from all of that and just strip him down to some essential questions about his character and this unique thing of his power being something that’s always in check. It’s kind of this curse and blessing, but mostly a curse. So there’s these thematic threads that I’d be weaving through a novel and now I’m doing the same thing with a comic. We’re dealing with this question of being silenced, not being able to talk, and silencing yourself.

>There’s all these kind of abstract things that this character brings out and I’m trying to make those accessible and interesting to both to long time readers and readers who are new to Marvel Comics. I want to take a look at this almost god like figure who’s been humbled and examine what that means.

>I also wanted to say that those who have had questions about or outrage over Black Bolt’s machinations from the past few years should find this to be a satisfying series. Lingering questions about his unleashing the Terrigen Cloud and [his relationship with] his son definitely do get answered. So I think there’s going to be some satisfying examination of some of the decisions that Black Bolt has had to make, especially for people who have been reading Inhumans comics over the past few years. Ultimately though I want this to be a book that’s open to new readers.

>>91892119
But X-Men line is garbage currently anon. Neither art, nor writing is good or stands out. At Least Royals has Cuckwing and this looks better than any X-Men comic or a lot of Marlel output currently.

>>91892153

>CBR: What’s it like writing a character like Black Bolt, where you can’t really have him communicate with dialogue? Will you use other techniques for the character, like an internal monologue?

>Ahmed: I don’t want to say too much about the exact technique because both myself as a writer and Christian Ward as an artist are going to employ some neat tricks to get in there. Giving readers a chance to discover those things on their own will be part of the fun of the book, but there will be a cerebral edge to the series. So we will occasionally get into Black Bolt’s head via captions the same way that Stan Lee did some 50 years ago.

>Part of what I’m trying to do, stylistically, is to do an updated version of that. The Inhumans are these epic sets of characters like the Asgardians. They’re one of the places where Lee and Kirby came closest to almost doing illustrated books. There’s this real kind of mythical sense to them. I haven’t looked at things like word count, but if you looked at an issue of the “Fantastic Four” where the Inhumans appeared versus say an issue of “Spider-Man,” I’d guess that the word counts would be higher.

>So there’s this prose quality about the Inhumans as opposed to some of the other characters. I’m trying to take that into the 21st century with “Black Bolt.”

>>91892165
You are garbage. X-Men might suck, but it doesn't mean that shithumans are worth anything.

I'd rather buy your poo poo than shithumans

>>91892172

>CBR: In “Black Bolt” you’re taking your character to a location that I don’t believe he’s spent much time in: prison. And what’s it like for a former monarch to suddenly find himself behind bars?

>Ahmed: That’s the thematic core of the first arc of the book. Black Bolt is kind of a mysterious guy, but he’s also kind of arrogant. We’ll see him humbled — but it’s not a story about humiliation so much as becoming less sure of the pecking order of things as he interacts with his fellow prisoners.

>The comic book takes place in a space jail with aliens and super villains, but I think the story of what happens when we lock people up, having had family locked up myself, is an important set of questions. So this is very much a cosmic sci-fi comic, but the chance to occasionally examine some of those questions is why we started here.

>CBR: Will readers immediately know why Black Bolt is behind bars?

>Ahmed: You’ll get an immediate answer, but there is a much deeper answer that will be revealed over the course of the arc.

>CBR: What can you tell us about the prison that Black Bolt is incarcerated in? Is this an established Marvel facility? Or something you created for this story?

>Ahmed: It’s something new, and that’s all I can say about it right now.

>>91892190

>CBR: Fair Enough. Let’s talk a little bit about some of the other inmates then. We know this is a cosmic story which suggests the jail would be populated with alien inmates. I was surprised and intrigued, then, to learn that Carl “Crusher” Creel, aka the Absorbing Man, would be one of the convicts incarcerated there.

>Ahmed: Yes! He is going to be the only other Earthling in the prison, so he and Black Bolt immediately have a kind of weird connection. Crusher is very much the co-star of at least this first arc of the book. There’s almost a buddy picture feel to it. It’s been a lot of fun playing this king off of a lifelong con.

>CBR: The Absorbing Man and Black Bolt are a very unlikely pairing. What made you want to bring Creel into the book?

>Ahmed: The fun part of this book was that I originally had developed some of the pitch as a mini-series around Crusher. Just around the time I was getting ready to pitch it to Marvel, editor Wil Moss came to me and said that since I have a background in science fiction and fantasy he was thinking about me for “Black Bolt.” I said, “It’s funny, because I have this back pocket pitch that I was going to send you.”

>Then when we bounced these things off of each other they just immediately meshed. That’s where this story came from. So Crusher predates Black Bolt as far as Marvel characters I’ve wanted to write about. He’s a hero to me, even if he’s a villain. [Laughs]

Hey this was an actual good preview and i say this as a x-fag

>>91892212

>CBR: Who are some of the new supporting characters you’re introducing in “Black Bolt?”

>Ahmed: One inmate is a teenage kid named Blinky. She is an alien psychic and an ex-pickpocket. She ended up in this story because the aspect of the incarceration question where we lock up kids kept coming up in my mind. She then became this really important character.

>Another cellmate is a woman named Raava. She’s a Skrull, but not like the Skrulls we’ve seen. She’s a kind of anarchist pirate.

>There are some more supporting characters that will be revealed. Some are ones I’ve created and there are also a number of obscure Marvel characters in the book. I’ll leave those cameos for readers to discover.

>>91892234

>CBR: What else can you tell us about the action and tone of “Black Bolt?”

>Ahmed: I like good fight scenes, and Christian is amazing at drawing fight scenes. That may not have been one of my strengths in scripting, but that’s one of the wonders of collaboration. People can strengthen your weaknesses. So Christian’s fights have an almost French style manga edge to them. Characters are flying off the page.

>“Black Bolt” is not a slugfest book, but there are absolutely some big action scenes. There’s a meditative tone to the book as well though. It is about incarceration in a social sense and in an existential almost Kafka sense. Some times the art will reflect that.

>So Christian can do these amazing fights, but there will also be this dark, bleak tone from time to time that people won’t be used to seeing from him. He mostly does really psychedelic, colorful, cosmic stuff and he’s perfect for the book because of that. He’s quite good though too when things get grungy.

>Besides the action and social commentary I always try and put jokes in my books. Readers have to laugh sometimes. So we’ll try and include a laugh at least once per issue. [Laughs] Plus, Crusher is a great source for that kind of stuff. He’s really good at deflating Black Bolt’s serious balloon with some Bronx-style snark.

>>91892229
you again?

>>91892257

>CBR: I understand you want your books to stand on their own, but “Black Bolt” launches one month after Al Ewing’s “The Royals,” where your title character heads into space on a mission with his family. Will there be some connective tissue between your two books for people who read both?

>Ahmed: I believe that over the next year or so there will be some light connective tissue between all of the Inhumans books. It may look like there’s a paradox happening in the first issue of “Royals” and “Black Bolt.” We will provide an explanation, though, of how he can be in both books.

>CBR: Finally, your work on “Black Bolt” is bound to make some readers curious about your work as a novelist. What would you like curious readers to know about your prose work?

>Ahmed: The best thing they can do is check out first my novel “Throne of the Crescent Moon,” which is an epic fantasy with a sort of Middle Eastern flair. People like George R.R. Martin have said nice things about it. [Laughs] So if they enjoy the epic scope and weirdness of the Inhumans. I think they’ll enjoy the book.

>>91892179
>being an unironic characterfag
(You) are the problem. Please fuck off back to CBR.

>>91892286
How about I slap your shit instead?

>>91892089
Moore didn't use it a lot and I don't think Caiman used it at all. Miller did a few times iirc. Either way it was a joke, you miserable cunt.

>>91892085
Royals was shit, had to drop it. Ewing fucking sucks and that art is crap. Black Bolt and the Priest mini look really good though, too bad BB will probably crossover with other Inhuman titles...

>>91892140
>>91892153
>>91892172
>>91892190
>>91892212
>>91892234
>>91892257
>>91892272
Thanks. So Black Bolt will be an introspective weaboo and book is about his existential crisis. Sure, sounds good.

>>91892302
Anon you'll get yourself dirty slapping my shit but by all means go ahead.

>>91892445
>not using gloves
no shit? where do you live? in a cave?

>>91892383
>Moore didn't use it a lot
False, Moore used it a lot. From a literature quoute to character narration to character dialogue, he just used it a bit differently.
And yeah I know it was a joke, I still thought it was worth educating about the stylistic choices being made here. Because you are not the only smatass that will make that annoying and most of the time misinformed joke.

>>91891066
While I love that album, that is a really obscure reference and a shitty piece of art.

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I'm only popping in this thread to say, that Black Bolt logo has some striking similarities to the generally accepted KISS font

Which is only worth noting because Gene Simmons historically based parts of his early costume on Black Bolt

>>91892531
You are objectively wrong, son.

>>91892562
The only difference is the O and the fact the K is upside down.

>>91890939
Hmm, I really liked the writing and art here. Definitely seems like a more personal, introspective look into an interesting figures psyche.

Also I can't put my finger on it but the repetition writing technique doesn't bother me as much as it did with King's batman (which fucking pissed me off). Is it the art? Is it that the repetition with slight changes? Is it the third person narration?

>written by an sjw
idgaf if he's Muslim or whatever else. as long as he can write interesting things in an interesting way. And I have a positive impression so far. Let's see how his first run goes.

>a total newbie

Think this guy will be able to make at least someone give a shit about the Inhumans?

I personally doubt it.

>>91893079
It's because the hivemind is telling you to hate one but doesn't have an opinion on the other.

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>>91892737

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>>91892737
>>91893228

>>91892270
No the same anon, anon.

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>>91892737
>>91893251

I couldn't get into his novel but I'll give this a shot

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>>91892737
>>91893273

>>91893228
>>91893251
You're only proving my point.

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>>91892737
>>91893294
Don't teach me my Mooreism anon. For months I extensively read and re-read Moore because I was so fascinated by his style. I know a lot about his mannerisms and quirks.

>>91893330
Then you'd know what this Ahmed dude is doing is no Moore.

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>>91893330
And Moore's repetition didn't just come in form of verbal echoes.

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>>91893411
It came in form of symbolic echoes as well. Moore was very autistic about making his books symmetric and poetic.

>>91893385
>gets btfo
>changes the narrative
Every time. Well it is always just great educating plebs like you.

>>91893469
You're clearly a fucking retard if you think King or this guy's narration is anything close to Moore. Moore uses repetition sometimes too but he uses it very very differently while these guys gave a minimalistic approach and immediately repeat stuff. Suck a dick, plebeian.

>>91893134
>implying implications
we're not a hive mind. Right, /co/mrades?

>>91892562
>>91892769
I wonder if that's enough to avoid a lawsuit, Gene is absurdly litigious you know

>>91893521
>anon Moore uses repetition as well, although a bit differently, a lot of other literary writers do
>no you're objectively wrong
>here are some examples
>REEEEEEEEE I never said Moore didn't use it, you totally didn't prove me wrong, suck a dick
Also the way King uses repetition is very similar to how Moore used it. Want to be proven wrong second time as well?

>>91893630
>tries to prove someone wrong
>ends up proving them right
>gets assblasted by a simple joke
So this is what aspergers really looks like.

>>91893079
King actually uses repetition pretty well in his other works, but I too find his use of it in Batman grating. Maybe because the story he's telling in Batman is not as interesting? I don't know, but I'm a big fan of his Omega Men and Vision.

I'm intrigued by this preview, gonna pick up the book. Christian Ward is also one of my favorite artists currently.

>>91893674
>ends up proving them right
How?

>>91893578
Wrong. Remember the phase /co/ went through when threads of "so now we hate x creator?" Or look at how many people unironically use contrarian. Half of the people here are from redit and the other are from the CBR forums and make inside jokes about that place.

>>91890924
>Detroit-born Arab-American novelist and columnist
2progre4me

>>91893761
relax man, it was a silly joke

>>91893892
>get btfo
>hehe it was just a joke bro

looks like a meme comic, taylor made for reddit

>>91893795
It's Marvel so it's par for the course.

At least we can gawk around for hidden koran or Islamist statements like with X-men Gold.

>>91893978
>looks like a meme comic, taylor made for reddit
Ah, then it aligns with /co/'s taste perfectly.

>>91893984

He's an atheist.

>>91893941
Listen man, I appreciate your input. But you clearly care way more than I do about a couple of sentences I said in an almost meaningless attempt at unfunny, ironic humour. It really is no big deal.

>>91892414
>too bad BB will probably crossover with other Inhuman titles
It's probably a stealth mini, so it should be good on that front.

>>91894730
That won't stop it from crossing over with the other Inhuman titles.

>>91894787
It will when it gets cancelled before any potential crossover could happen.

>>91891521
Based on the narration he only forgot how he got there. Since this place and people in it are new it is probably better shown than done in flashback. Plus bb can't throw out exposition

>>91894798
It's gonna last at least 10 issue, even garbage like Mosaic lasted. Plenty of time for crossovers.

>>91890939
You forgot Castrated buddy

>>91893674
I'm glad you have self-awareness of your own posts.

>>91892548
The reference actually makes sense and they did obscurer before.
The art is shit tho

>>91890974
This was the worst bondage party I have ever seen

>>91892548
He's a literal diversity hire after Marvel got shit for having white artists draw those covers

>>91890924
I've heard nothing but good word of mouth from folks that have read this. I'll pick it up.

No bane jokes?

>>91890996
Ody-c had neat, trippy art. Haven't read anything else he's worked on.

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>tfw based Death's Head is showing up here

>>91895027
>Mosaic lasted
6 issues are now considered a log run?

>>91890996

ODY-C with Matt Fraction, a genderswapped retelling of the Odyssey but in space.
Ultimates with Al Ewing (at Marvel), only a couple of issues. Is doing the covers for the current series, Ultimates squared.
Olympus, with Nathan Edmondson. Kinda generic.
Infinite Vacation, with Nick Spencer, pretty good.

all the rest of his work is covers really.

>>91894730
>>91894798

I'm pretty sure this is only 5 issues.
or at least Ward is only on it for 5 issues.

I'm not reading Royals (waiting for the tpb because jonboy's art....hurts)

but am getting this. does Royals set this up at all? like BB disappears or something?

>>91898271
I have no idea how Jonboy has fans

>>91890924
>Muslim embarrasses Marvel by drawing hate.

Hire more Middle Easterners!

>>91891059
But watch, half of it or more will be drawn by a shitty webcomic artist.

>>91894147
That's honestly surprising.

>>91898271
Royals reveals in the second issue that the "Black Bolt" in their crew is actually Maximus. Nothing in Royals sets this up

>>91890939
>>91890947
>>91890962
>>91890974
>>91890985
i'm actually liking this preview. the repetition seems a bit weird, but if this implies that the book has a more heavy-handed tone (which is why i don't have too much of a problem with the current Black Panther), i'm all set for this. also hype for Christian Ward's art

>>91890924
>Arab-american
Dropped.

>>91898084
first arc is six chapters and the writer said there is a second arc

>>91891029
Why is Black Bolt black?

>>91902487
Affirmative action