Fantastic Forum

This week on Fantastic Forum, we are taking a look at two major comic launches that could reshape their respective universes. First up is Avengers: Armageddon #1 from Marvel Comics, written by Chip Zdarsky with art by Delio Diaz and Frank Alpizar. Spinning out of One World Under Doom and Zdarsky's ongoing Captain America storyline, the event finds Thunderbolt Ross, now the Red Hulk, seizing control of Latveria and launching a campaign to impose his vision of order on the world. To stop him, an unprecedented alliance forms between the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Namor, and more. With the fate of the Marvel Universe hanging in the balance and promises of a dramatically transformed status quo when the dust settles, we are breaking down whether this event delivers the epic scale Marvel is aiming for. Then we turn to M.A.S.K. #1 from Skybound and Image Comics, written by Dan Watters with art by Pye Parr. The latest addition to the Energon Universe reintroduces Matt Trakker and the Mobile Armored Strike Kommand as a covert team armed with cutting-edge transforming technology. Standing in their way is Miles Mayhem and the forces of V.E.N.O.M., setting the stage for a globe-spanning conflict filled with espionage, advanced vehicles, and high-octane action. We are discussing whether this relaunch successfully modernizes a beloved franchise while staying true to its roots. Watch tonight at 6:30 pm PT and call in live at www.fantasticforum.live to share your thoughts. Fantastic Forum, assemble! Subscribe – / fantasticforum Call In – www.fantasticforum.live #Avengers #MASK #Skybound #Marvel #NewComicBookDay

This week on Fantastic Forum, we are diving into two iconic heroes reimagined for a new era of fantasy and noir storytelling. First up is Masters of the Universe, the highly anticipated live action adaptation bringing Eternia back to the big screen. With Nicholas Galitzine starring as He-Man alongside Camila Mendes, Idris Elba, and Jared Leto as Skeletor, the film aims to reintroduce the legendary battle between good and evil with massive action, mythology, and cosmic fantasy. We are breaking down the cast, the world building, and whether this new take can finally deliver the definitive Masters of the Universe movie fans have been waiting for. Then we turn to Spider-Noir on Amazon Prime, starring Nicolas Cage as an aging private investigator version of Spider-Man navigating a dark and dangerous 1930s New York City. Inspired by the Marvel Noir comics, the series blends superhero storytelling with hard-boiled detective fiction, shadowy conspiracies, and stylized pulp action. With Cage stepping back into the role after Into the Spider-Verse, we are discussing whether this noir-driven take on Spider-Man stands out as one of Marvel’s most unique live action projects yet. Watch tonight at 6:30 pm PT and call in live at [www.fantasticforum.live](http://www.fantasticforum.live) to share your thoughts. Fantastic Forum, assemble! Subscribe – / fantasticforum Call In – www.fantasticforum.live #MastersOfTheUniverse #SpiderNoir #Mattel #PrimeVideo #NewComicBookDay

Fantastic Forum is back with another week of conversation, critique, and comics! This episode we’re diving into two very different corners of IDW Publishing with the newest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones mini-series and Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring. First up, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones spins the fan-favorite vigilante out of the pages of the main TMNT series and into his own spotlight. Written by Alex Paknadel with art by Amancay Nahuelpan and colors by Luis Antonio Delgado, the series finds Casey waking from near death with a renewed mission to protect New York City. Unfortunately for him, the city isn’t getting any safer. A new strain of mutagen and a dangerous new enemy threaten the vulnerable mutants of the streets, pushing Casey to his limits while his closest allies, including April O’Neil and Raphael, worry he’s pushing himself too far. Then we turn to one of IDW’s most talked-about horror titles with Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring. Created by Patrick Horvath, who serves as writer and artist with lettering by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, this sequel returns readers to the deceptively peaceful town of Woodbrook. Beneath the storybook charm lies something far darker as Samantha Strong, the small-town hardware store owner who also happens to be a serial killer, finds her carefully maintained double life under threat when a visitor arrives searching for answers about a long-missing brother. Cute aesthetics collide with brutal horror in a way only this series can deliver. We’ve read the issues and now it’s time to break down what worked, what surprised us, and what these stories say about the range of ideas coming out of IDW right now. Watch tonight at 6:30 pm PT and call in live at www.fantasticforum.live to share your thoughts. Fantastic Forum, assemble! Subscribe – / fantasticforum Call In – www.fantasticforum.live #TMNT #CaseyJones #BeneathTheTrees #IDW #NewComicBookDay

This week on Fantastic Forum, we are swinging into two action-packed releases that celebrate some of the most iconic street-level heroes in comics. First up is Spider-Man: Torn, the new limited series written by J. Michael Straczynski with art by Pere Pérez and colors by Guru-eFX. This story takes Peter Parker back to his early college years at Empire State University with Gwen, Harry, MJ, and Flash, but not everything is nostalgic. A new threat emerges that could leave lasting consequences for Peter’s future while Straczynski digs into character and legacy with every page. Watch tonight at 6:30 pm PT and call in live at www.fantasticforum.live to share your thoughts. Fantastic Forum, assemble! Subscribe – / fantasticforum Call In – www.fantasticforum.live #SpiderManTorn #Marvel #NewComicBookDay

This week on Fantastic Forum, we are swinging into high-stakes action and street-level brutality with two Marvel releases. First up is Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (2026), written by Saladin Ahmed and Joe Kelly with art by Federico Vicentini. In this oversized annual Peter Parker teams up with a new speedster named Rapid as chaos erupts across New York, and a live-streaming threat named Screwball turns the city into a digital battleground. Do Ahmed and Kelly bring their sharp character work to our resident web-head in this yearly outing? We'll let you know tonight!? Then we take a deep dive into Punisher: Red Band, the five-issue limited series from Benjamin Percy and Julius Ohta with covers by Marco Checchetto. In this gritty, visceral revival of Frank Castle, the Punisher returns with no memories and a full clip, ready to rain down vengeance on the criminal underworld. We'll tell you if blood, bullets, and brutal justice truly define this Red Band run as Percy and Ohta try to push the limits of what Punisher stories can be! Watch tonight at 6:30 pm PT and call in live at www.fantasticforum.live to share your thoughts. Fantastic Forum, assemble! Subscribe – www.youtube.com/fantasticforum Call In – www.fantasticforum.live #AmazingSpiderMan #Punisher #Marvel #NewComicBookDay

This week on Fantastic Forum, we are diving into satire and the cost of perfection across comics and television. First up is Wonder Man on Disney+, Marvel’s latest live action series spotlighting one of the publisher’s lesser known characters, Wonder Man. Starring Yahya Abdul Mateen II as Simon Williams, the show explores fame, identity, and heroism through the lens of a reluctant super powered actor. We are talking about how Wonder Man fits into the larger Marvel landscape and whether this offbeat corner of the universe brings something genuinely new to the table. Then we turn to The Beauty, the Image Comics series created by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley. Set in a world where physical perfection can be achieved through a mysterious and contagious condition, the series blends crime, science fiction, and social commentary to examine obsession, vanity, and the hidden cost of looking flawless. Finally, we discuss The Beauty television adaptation on Hulu and what it means to translate this provocative concept from the page to the screen. We break down the premise, expectations, and whether the series can captures the spirit of the source material. Watch tonight at 6:30 pm PT and call in live at www.fantasticforum.live to share your thoughts. Fantastic Forum, assemble! Subscribe – / fantasticforum Call In – www.fantasticforum.live #WonderMan #MarvelStudios #TheBeauty #FX #NewComicBookDay

Fantastic Forum is back with another week of sharp takes, wild worlds, and comics worth talking about. This episode we’re unpacking The Darkness #1 (2025) from Image Comics/Top Cow and Carmen Red Claw: Belly of the Beast #1 from Dark Horse Comics. In The Darkness #1, original co-creator Marc Silvestri returns to the shadowy saga of Jackie Estacado, the mafia hitman whose curse grants him dominion over demonic forces. With pencils by Ed Benes, inks from Matt “Batt!” Banning, Sal Regla, and John Livesay, colors by Arif Prianto, and letters by Troy Peteri, this relaunch blends noir-style crime and supernatural warfare as Jackie is pulled into a brutal conflict where the lines between good and evil blur into darkness itself. Meanwhile, Carmen Red Claw: Belly of the Beast #1 introduces a paranormal Western twist to the Hellboy Universe. Created and illustrated by Rae Allen (with co-writing contributions credited alongside Mike Mignola, colors by Michelle Madsen, and letters by Clem Robins), this four-issue miniseries follows supernatural gun-for-hire Carmen Red Claw as she investigates mysterious cattle deaths on cursed ranch land in 1870s New Mexico. Two very different corners of genre storytelling: one steeped in shadowy bloodlines and cosmic menace, the other rooted in folkloric grit and frontier mystery. We’ve read the books and now it’s time to talk about what worked, what surprised us, and why these launches resonate beyond their covers. Watch tonight at 6:30 pm PT and call in live at www.fantasticforum.live to share your thoughts. Fantastic Forum, assemble! Subscribe – www.youtube.com/fantasticforum Call In – www.fantasticforum.live #TheDarkness #CarmenRedClaw #Image #DarkHorse #NewComicBookDay

This week on Fantastic Forum, we are heading back into the wasteland and catching up on the biggest stories shaking the comic book world. First up is the premiere of Fallout Season 2, returning to Prime Video after a hugely successful first season. With the stakes raised and the world expanded, we talk about where the story picks up, how the characters evolve, and whether the series continues to capture the dark humor, brutal survival, and retro future vibe that made Fallout such a standout adaptation. Then we shift gears into comic book news, breaking down the latest announcements, creative shakeups, surprise reveals, and industry buzz you need to know. From upcoming series to big creative moves, we are sorting through what matters, what excites us, and what has us cautiously optimistic. Watch tonight at 6:30 pm PT and call in live at www.fantasticforum.live to share your thoughts. Fantastic Forum, assemble! Subscribe – www.youtube.com/fantasticforum Call In – www.fantasticforum.live #Fallout #PrimeVideo #ComicBookNews #NewComicBookDay