SDCC 2021: Heavy Metal magazine celebrates comics and art that push the boundaries

Since his trip from France to the American public in 1977, Heavy Metal magazine has established itself as a limitless pusher. Fortunately for old and new readers alike, the Heavy Metal Publishing panel on Friday night at San Diego Comic-Con 2021 assured fans that despite a CEO change and a pandemic recovery underway, readers can expect the same. of hype and grandeur that they always have.

Moderator Leah Palmieri kicked off by asking Heavy Metal CEO Matt Medney how this year has affected him and the work of the Heavy Metal team members.

“I took over just before the start of the pandemic. It was a pretty crazy time and working on it and meeting all these people was crazy. It was a very crazy and very cool time, ”said Medney. “We came together around the idea of ​​storytelling and how to get through this unprecedented time with a love of art. Looks like the pandemic is in the rearview mirror […] I feel like it’s a bright future.

Alongside Medney, the panel presented Fishkill and Brooklyn Gladiator writer Dan Fogler; To the stars writer Steve Orlando; and writer-producer and heir to the Romero “Dead” franchise, George C. Romero – who were all delighted to agree with Medney’s enthusiasm for the current and upcoming projects within the Heavy Metal family. despite the setbacks caused by the pandemic.

“I’m a very proud dad of this book,” beamed Fogler, holding a copy of Fishkill, his neo-noir comic with artist Ben Templesmith. “I’ve been a fan of Ben Templesmith for a long time and he really rose to the challenge. Moon Lake was my first book, which was a great tribute to Heavy metal movie […] and volume 3 is actually coming in October. Romero also contributes! It’s really cool”

Romero, whose career is no stranger to bizarre sci-fi concepts and feats of heroism, stepped in not only to brag about his enthusiasm in contributing to Fogler’s efforts, but by continuing to tell the stories of his father with The climb, a prequel to Night of the Living Dead, and the stories of those who otherwise would not have space to tell them in War of the Cold Dead – his horror war series covering the past, present and future:

“It was incredible. When [The Rise] came out for the first time, it sold out almost instantly and we made a second impression. It’s just surreal. It was more humiliating than anything else. I can’t imagine a more perfect home for The climb. Each person on the team has their fingerprints on it. It was a real pleasure.

Palmieri also led the conversation on one of the more recent aspects of the Heavy Metal family by asking To the stars writer Steve Orlando on the process of taking a YA concept with young women and giving it the edge that Heavy metal is so often noted for.

“It’s about threading the needle. We wanted to make a book that was a part Sailor moon, a part 300, part of Wonder Woman – which was relevant to my life since I had just written the main title of Wonder Woman with DC Comics – but I wanted to make a story that had no limits this time around, ”said Orlando .

Image: Steve Orlando, Ivan Shavrin / Heavy Metal

“[Starward] has become to push the boundaries of how Heavy Metal has always been known for […] while pushing into a new genre. We just let the characters be young adults. The life of Stefanie’s main character is based on my own life, and not just on my Jewish background, but also on a dreadful summer job and the desire to get out of it. It was a meditation on those years of spending months of your life in the summer balancing adult discomfort and expectations with something fantastic. And that was something fantastic that I couldn’t do with a character like Wonder Woman who has lunchboxes and high shoes and all these other things that are part of the contract. I wanted to establish my own accord.

While no projects were announced during Friday’s panel, the creators were excited to promote their previously announced projects, including the one in Orlando. Halloween Takeover with a massive cast of larger-than-life characters including the beloved Boulet brothers.

“The Boulet Brothers are the perfect team with Heavy Metal. In the world of drag, it’s the subversives; they are the ones telling the truth, ”said Orlando. “Their credo is’ ‘drag the dirt, the horror and the glamor.’ All of these things are things that we bring to Heavy Metal every month, so that seemed like the perfect fit. It’s going to be icons working with Heavy Metal with a range that’s just out of this world. Katya Zomolodichkova, Alaska 5000, Evie Oddly, Excel Carolyn, Dan Hausen and Steve Fox. It’s gonna be a row of murders – every pun is expected. ”