The Black Beetle (Dark Horse Comics)

The Black Beetle

Cover to The Black Beetle #1
(art by Francesco Francavilla)
Publication information
Publisher Dark Horse Comics
Schedule Monthly
Format Ongoing series
Genre Superhero
Publication date December 2012
Number of issues 5
Creative team
Writer(s) Francesco Francavilla
Artist(s) Francesco Francavilla
Creator(s) Francesco Francavilla
Editor(s) Jim Gibbons (2012–2015)
Collected editions
No Way Out ISBN 9781616552022

The Black Beetle is a comic book series about a masked vigilante. It was created by Francesco Francavilla and published by Dark Horse Comics.

Publishing History

Pulp Sunday

The first drawing of The Black Beetle

The Black Beetle made its first appearance on the forum drawingboard.org on the twelfth of January, 2006, as ten-minute doodle.[1] In 2009, Francesco Francavilla held a poll on his blog, Pulp Sunday. He had decided to do a webcomic and asked readers whether they would rather Max Malone or The Black Beetle, described as "in the vein of masked vigilante pulp in some sort of '40s/'50s settings, with some slight (40s/50s) sci-fi tone to it".[2] More than two-thirds of the readers voted for The Black Beetle. Shortly after, he came up with the setting of Colt City, his own mix between New York City and Gotham City.[3]

No Way Out

On Sunday, May 17, 2009, The Black Beetle made its debut as the opening page of No Way Out (although at the time this title had not yet been announced).[4] This first appearance ran for a total of ten pages, appearing on most Sundays until August 2, when it ended with The Black Beetle falling from a rooftop.[5] These ten pages were billed as the first part of six. The pages were printed in The Black Beetle ashcan, which was first sold at HeroesCon 2009.[6]

Kara Böcek

In December 2009 Francesco Francavilla attempted to tell a shorter Black Beetle story, a one-shot, roughly 20 pages, between his paid publishing work. This story was released in a landscape format. The plan was to update as frequently as possible, sometimes twice a week on Sundays and Wednesdays.[7][8] Upon reaching the tenth page, Francavilla stated the comic was one-third finished.[9] Page 11, which was supposed to be the first page of the middle third of the story, was the last completed page.[10]

The Kara Böcek was mentioned in the Dark Horse printing of The Black Beetle #1: No Way Out (Part 1),[11] and Francavilla said he intends to return to the story some day in the letters column of The Black Beetle #0: Night Shift.[12]

Dark Horse Comics

Night Shift

In December 2011 Dark Horse announced The Black Beetle's debut in the pages of Dark Horse Presents. The story, Night Shift, was told in three eight-page parts in issues #11-13 (April–June, 2012).[13] The story was later republished as The Black Beetle #0 in December 2012.[14]

No Way Out

At a Dark Horse convention panel in July 2012, Francavilla announced that The Black Beetle had been picked up for its first miniseries, No Way Out, the story originally started on his Pulp Sunday blog. The series began its run in January, 2013.[15] The first ten pages were from the original version of the story on Pulp Sunday, but recolored and with altered text and art.

In 2013, at the Emerald City Comicon, it was announced that The Black Beetle would continue at Dark Horse as an ongoing monthly series.[16] This was later corrected by editor Jim Gibbons, who said the series was going to be "semi-monthly".[17] Francavilla has further clarified, it will be an ongoing series of miniseries.[18]

Kara Böcek

In 2016, The Black Beetle returned to Dark Horse Presents. The new story, Kara Böcek, was adapted from the version originally published on the Pulp Sunday blog. The story commenced in Dark Horse Presents #28 in November 2016.[19]

Necrologue

Necrologue was initially announced as a five-issue miniseries to be released in 2013.[20] However, no further issues were solicited after the fourth, and the title was removed from Dark Horse's publishing schedule.[21]

Publications

Issues

Issue Title Published Story Art Colors Cover Notes
#0 Night Shift 19 December 2012 Francesco Francavilla [22]
When a powerful totem of dark magic shows up at the Colt City Natural History Museum, Hitler sends his fearsome Werwolf Korps to collect the piece. Unfortunately for the führer, Colt City’s protector, the Black Beetle, is on the case!

From the mind of 2012 Eisner Award winner Francesco Francavilla (Batman: The Black Mirror). Collects three Dark Horse Presents stories from issues #11–13.

#1 No Way Out 16 January 2013
13 March 2013 (2nd printing)		 Francesco Francavilla This issue has three different covers:
Black Beetle’s investigation of two local mob bosses is interrupted when a mysterious explosion murders them and a pub full of gangsters—taking out most of Colt City’s organized crime in one fell swoop. Who could pull off such a coup, and what danger might that murderous bomber do to Colt City and Black Beetle?
#2 20 February 2013 Francesco Francavilla [26]
While investigating a mysterious mass murder that leveled Colt City’s mob bosses, Black Beetle gets wrapped up in a puzzling maze of clues. Could the appearance of a costumed criminal named Labyrinto be related to the destruction of the powerful organized-crime racket?
#3 17 April 2013 Francesco Francavilla Originally scheduled for 20 March.[27][28]
Under the watchful gaze of the mysterious Labyrinto, Black Beetle fights for his life! Is this the doing of a man that Black Beetle thought was dead? Could a zombie mobster be commanding the foes of Colt City’s dark avenger?! If he survives the night, the investigative insect will be left with questions to ponder as he takes his investigation . . . to the morgue!
#4 12 June 2013 Francesco Francavilla Originally scheduled for 17 April.[29][30]
The epic conclusion to Black Beetle’s first series! Colt City’s caped crusader goes head to head with the mysterious villain Labyrinto! Can Black Beetle make it out of this maze of matched wits and matched blows alive?!

Collections

Night Shift and No Way Out are collected in the first Black Beetle hardcover volume, published October 2013.[31]

Volume Title Published Collects ISBN Notes
1 No Way Out 16 October 2013
  • The Black Beetle #0: Night Shift
  • The Black Beetle #1–4: No Way Out
 ISBN 978-1616552022 Originally Scheduled for 27 August 2013[32]

References

  1. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco. "Drawingboard.org". Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  2. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco. "Black Beetle vs Max Malone". Pulp Sunday. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  3. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco. "Greetings from Colt City". Pulp Sunday. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  4. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco. "Black Beetle: Lost Wars". Pulp Sunday. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  5. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco. "Black Beetle: Tump!". Pulp Sunday. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  6. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco. "Black Beetle: "No Way Out" Ashcan". Pulp Sunday. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  7. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco. "Kara Böcek page 1". Pulp Sunday. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  8. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco. "Kara Böcek page 5". Pulp Sunday. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  9. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco. "Kara Böcek page 10". Pulp Sunday. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  10. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco. "Kara Böcek page 11". Pulp Sunday. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  11. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco (January 2013). The Black Beetle #1: No Way Out (Part 1). Dark Horse Comics.
  12. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco (December 2012). The Black Beetle #0: Night Shift. Dark Horse Comics.
  13. ↑ "Francesco Francavilla Unleashes The Black Beetle!". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  14. ↑ "The Black Beetle: Night Shift #0". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  15. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco. "EISNERs, The Black Beetle, and Creature From The Black Lagoon!". Pulp Sunday. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  16. ↑ Khouri, Andy. "Dark Horse Superheroes: New Ongoings, Pulp Revivals and DC Refugees". Comics Alliance. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  17. ↑ Gibbons, Jim. "semi-monthly". Twitter. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  18. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco. "9 April - Twitter post". Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  19. ↑ Brusio, Vince. "Black Beetle Anniversary at Dark Horse Comics". Preview World. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  20. ↑ Glendening, Daniel. "SDCC Exclusive: Bodies Fall in Francavilla's "Black Beetle: Necrologue"". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  21. ↑ "Dark Horse February 2014 Solicitations". Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  22. ↑ "The Black Beetle #0: Night Shift". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  23. ↑ "The Black Beetle #1: No Way Out". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  24. ↑ "The Black Beetle #1: No Way Out (2nd printing)". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  25. ↑ Francavilla, Francesco. "The Black Beetle Goes ComicsPRO!". Pulp Sunday. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  26. ↑ "The Black Beetle #2: No Way Out". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  27. ↑ "Dark Horse Solicitations March 2013". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  28. ↑ "The Black Beetle #3: No Way Out". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  29. ↑ "Dark Horse Solicitations April 2013". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  30. ↑ "The Black Beetle #4: No Way Out". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  31. ↑ Khouri, Andy. "Dark Horse Superheroes: New Ongoings, Pulp Revivals and DC Refugees". Comics Alliance. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  32. ↑ "The Black Beetle - Volume 1: No Way Out HC". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved 13 March 2013.

External links

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