DC Comics has gone through a major resurgence over the past year thanks to new initiatives like DC Rebirth and Young Animal, making smarter editorial choices while bringing in a wider array of creators to offer different perspectives on its superhero characters. With the creation of the DC Talent Development department last year, the publisher made a commitment to helping DC Comics rookies refine their craft, and writers and artists from the 2016 workshops get to show off their skills in next week’s DC New Talent Showcase #1. The line-up features a range of creators with varying levels of experience, and these preview pages feature work from an Eisner Award nominee alongside work from a creator who is just starting in the industry.
Writer Christopher Sebela has written comics for BOOM!, Dark Horse, Image, Marvel, Monkeybrain, and Oni in past years. He received an Eisner Award nomination for his work on Monkeybrain’s High Crimes with artist Ibrahim Moustafa, who is in the current class of artists working with the DC Talent Development department. He already has an ongoing DC gig as the writer of Injustice: Ground Zero, and these pages from his Deadman short story with artist David Messina and colorist Moreno Dinisio spotlight Sebela’s talent for getting into the heads of his characters.
Writer Vita Ayala has considerably less experience, but her Wonder Woman short reveals a strong understanding of when to let visuals carry the story, providing just enough text to amplify Diana’s aggressive warrior attitude while ultimately putting the focus on artist Khary Randolph and colorist John Rauch’s dynamic visuals. Randolph’s linework combines elements of graffiti, manga, and Mike Mignola for an extremely kinetic style, and Ayala gives him a plot that highlights those strengths. There are seven other stories in the DC New Talent Showcase, and DC fans are highly encourage to check out this book to learn more about the names that will be shaping DC Comics’ future.