#NYCC: Dark Horse and Dynamite Announce CONAN & RED SONJA Crossover!

 

Conan and Red Sonja Reunite for the First Time in Fifteen Years
Epic Crossover Event from Dynamite and Dark Horse

October 8th, 2013- New York Comic-Con Announcement: Dynamite Entertainment and Dark Horse Comics are proud to announce the 2014 crossover of swords-and-sorcery icons Red Sonja, She-Devil with a Sword and Conan the Barbarian, a reunion that fans have asked for since their last team-up over fifteen years ago. Two series will be published, Conan/Red Sonja and Red Sonja/Conan, by Dynamite and Dark Horse, respectively. Acclaimed writers Gail Simone and Brian Wood are confirmed as the writers for the epic crossovers, both firmly established as valuable contributors to the Robert E. Howard fantasy mythos.

Gail Simone, current Red Sonja series writer, states, "It's only the crossover that readers have been begging to have for over a decade: the two greatest barbarian adventurers ever created in an epic tale of blood, lust, and vengeance. This is the kind of stuff that made me a reader in the first place, and working with Brian Wood and his amazing version of Conan? It's just a sword-and-sorcery dream come true. It's sword vs. sword, Cimmerian vs. Hyrkanian, loincloth vs. bikini, and it'll probably be the most fun you'll have reading a comic all year."

Brian Wood, current Conan series writer adds, "Conan and Red Sonja together are a genre dream team, and I'm looking forward to not only working with Gail on the story, but creating a crossover story that is epic and huge as these things should be... and something that matters, that's relevant, and adds something to each character's rich history."

Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite Entertainment, says, "Red Sonja and Conan are the power-couple of fantasy comics. They define the genre together, the iconic figures by which all others are measured. Their history is intertwined, and I suppose it was only destiny that would lead them together again. Well, that and a lot of planning alongside great folks like Mike Richardson, Gail Simone, and Brian Wood and the editorial teams from both of our companies. And the timing could not be better as this is a huge cross-over to hit as we go into our 10th Anniversary. We couldn't be more pleased to see the Robert E. Howard legacy made whole again with two Hyboria-shaking crossover events."

Mike Richardson, President and Publisher of Dark Horse, says, "I think the fans of these series have been waiting a very long time to see them together again. I'm happy that we could work this out with the good folks at Dynamite."

Gail Simone is a multiple award-winning writer of comics and animation. She began her career writing the popular comics parody column, "You'll All Be Sorry," which led to writing The Simpsons at Bongo Comics, Deadpool at Marvel, and Killer Princesses at Oni Press. She has since written for many different publishers, including popular runs on iconic books like Birds of Prey, The All-New Atom, Secret Six, Wonder Woman, Catwoman, and Red Sonja. n addition to her comic book work, Simone has written prose, game material, and animation, including Tomb Raider, Justice League Unlimited, and Batman: Brave and the Bold. She was also a co-writer of the critically-acclaimed Wonder Woman animated film released in 2009.

Multiple Eisner Award-nominee Brian Wood released his first series, Channel Zero, to considerable critical acclaim in 1997 and has gone on to create hard-hitting original series such as DMZ, Northlanders, The Couriers, and The Massive. Adding to that body of work, he's also written some of the biggest titles in pop culture, with work on Star Wars, Conan the Barbarian, Lord of the Rings, and The X-Men.

More information will be available in coming weeks regarding the long-awaited Conan and Red Sonja reunion event.

Reversal of Fortune. Gail Simone Back As Batgirl Writer

In a reversal of fortune and to the delight of Batgirl fans popular writer Gail Simone has been rehired by DC Comics.  Gail Simone will be writing the book she was dumped from Batgirl.  She will return with issue 20 which comes out in May after a short arc by stand in writer Ray Fawkes.  Here is here tweets on the matter.

"I Know Who The Next Writer On Batgirl Is…and her name is ME!"
"I am typing this on a snowy road, cell service is about to disappear, I know everyone has a million questions, but…BATGIRL, baby!
"Thank you to DC for this privilege, and a million thank yous to everyone who wanted to see this happen. I am ECSTATIC."

Source: CBR

Gail Simone Off Batgirl As Writer

Apparently Gail Simone is off Batgirl as the writer for that book that she has written since it was rebooted during the New 52 campaign last year. Batgirl number 17 will be her last.  Gail Simone made the announcement herself on Twitter.

“On Wednesday of last week, new Batgirl editor Brian Cunningham informed me by email that I was no longer the writer of Batgirl,” Simone said. “It is baffling and sad, I will probably have a statement later today or maybe tomorrow. But I want to give huge, huge thanks to the other creators in the bat-offices, and editors Bobbie Chase and @yourpallsmitty, champions all. And the biggest thank you of all to you guys for supporting this book so hugely and making it a commercial and critical success. I honestly don’t have the words right now to thank you all. I’m pretty choked up and it’s all gratitude, not bitterness. I am very proud of what we accomplished with Batgirl and it was an honor to get to write Barbara Gordon again. Love that dame.”

This is sad news as she is one of my favorite writers and has done great things with the character of Barbara Gordon and Batgirl.  This leaves her with only her creator owned project Leaving Megalopolis which she is doing with Jim Calafiore.  No word yet if she is doing anything else for DC Comics.

source CBR