Dynamite Comics and writer Max Bemis (Moon Knight, Polarity) are partnering to launch Black Terror #1, slated for release this October. According to Bemis, the title will be a little bit of an Alan Moore take on the Project Superpowers universe, but less depressing.
It’s been a while since Dynamite Comics published a Black Terror comic, and now it seems they’ve found the perfect team to resurrect the Nemesis of Crime. The art team includes Matt Gaudio (John Wick, Bettie Page) and Ruairi Coleman (Cloak & Dagger, Turok) along with colorist Brittany Pezzillo (Bettie Page, Green Hornet) and letterer Taylor Esposito of Ghost Glyph Studios (Bettie Page, Elvira).
Bob Benton aka the Black Terror is living in the 1970s and contending with his post-war mental health as well as the rapidly evolving social landscape around him. Each issue will not only be the next chapter in the story, but also a standalone, deeper look into the character’s life. Also included is Black Terror’s infamous plain-named sidekick Tim along with a slew of cult leaders, mobsters, drugs, and more.
The character actually dates back to the Golden Age, having been created in 1941 by Richard E. Hughes and Don Gabrielson. Pharmacist Benton develops a formula that gives him powers. He and sidekick Tim vow to eradicate evil during the war.
“I loved working with Dynamite on our take on Atari’s Centipede and they were kind enough to let my imagination run wild in terms of how I interpreted that world,” said Bemis. “They’ve let me go just as nuts with Black Terror, an awesomely designed and conceived vigilante who has never gotten a chance to venture into weirdness. If you’re a fan of Swamp Thing or Sandman and making a ‘conventional’ superhero go all wacky, but maybe want a bit more humor with your psychedelic, this is the book for you!”
“Being able to work with Max and the whole creative team on this vision of the Black Terror has been an absolute pleasure,” said Gaudio. “Those guys allowed me the freedom to interpret it as it played out in my head and I had a lot of fun with it, so I hope that comes through in the art! Without giving away too much, Bob Benton’s got a full plate, and readers are going to get a good look at what makes this guy tick as he deals with all the weird, messed-up things going on around him. It’s dark and it’s funny and it’s Black Terror like we’ve never seen him before.”
Coleman chimed in, “It’s been so much fun drawing Black Terror thanks to Max. His wicked sense of humor has me drawing some pretty outlandish things that I really didn’t expect. Yet he still manages to keep the stories engaging and meaningful. I can’t recommend this series enough—it’s shaping up to be something special.”
Fans should look out for covers by Francesco Francavilla, Jorge Fornes, David Nakayama, Erica Henderson, and Adam Gorham. Preorder your copy of Black Terror #1 in August ahead of its October release. It will also be available digitally on Comixology, Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, Dynamite Digital, ComicsPlus, and more.
