Every DC hero is turning into an animal and all the other big comic news out of SDCC 2023

DC Comics unveiled the company’s following crossover extravaganza at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend: Beast world – in which millions of people are transformed into raging anthropomorphic animals, including, of course, numerous heroes and villains.

The whole thing seems to have roots in the Teen Titans’ main shape-shifter, Beast Boy, and some crazy science as well, as well as him turning into a giant space starfish to battle another giant space starfish and losing his mind in the process, but… I’m a little cautiously optimistic about it?

For starters, the book comes from Tom Taylor (with art by Ivan Reis and possibly Nicola Scott and Bruno Redondo), who is simply king of taking a wild premise – a literal one in this case – and turning it into hyper-compelling superhero drama. To another, it would just be hypocritical of me if I got huge hype for it Jurassic Leaguethe story where the Justice League are all anthropomorphic dinosaurs, not essentially giving the same concept, but set in the modern day DCU.

And for a third… look. Sometimes it’s nice when the crossover event isn’t about a threat ending the universe, or the multiverse collapsing, or each hero getting trapped in their own worst nightmare. Maybe it would be nice if the crossover event is about everyone battling it out like the Street Sharks encounters Zoo. Titans: Beastworld will start in November.

What else happens to our favorite comics? We’ll tell you. Welcome to Monday Funnies, which is usually Polygon’s weekly list of the books our comics editor liked over the past week. But comics creators and editors usually plan a pretty low-key fictional SDCC week, knowing they’ll all be busy at the biggest real-life industry event of the year. So this week we’ll be highlighting the most interesting real-life comic book events instead. (And if you missed the latest edition, read this.)

Amazons are attacking this fall

Comics (New champion of Shazam) and television (She-Ra, My adventures with Superman) writer Josie Campbell takes on the Amazons in a new limited series, Amazons attack. The series does not directly tie in with Tom King and Daniel Sampere’s new one Wonderwoman book, but seems to stem from the same plot development: the United States is banning Themysciran citizens from its shores. It will star Queen Nubia of the Amazons, Mary Marvel (whose powers now come from the Goddesses of the Amazons), and other non-Wonder Woman Amazons.

The first issue will hit shelves on October 24.

Chip Zdarsky returns (briefly) to Howard the Duck

Image: Joe Quinones/Marvel Comics

Sure, Dan Slott will return for another series about Superior Spider-Man, Doc Ock’s superhero identity, and there will be a Spider-Man crossover called “Gang War.” But we’re here for the big Marvel News: Howard the Duck’s Birthday.

Chip Zdarsky, who penned the character’s last notable fan-loved series, returns to the character for another Howard the Duck #1, a one-shot celebrating his 50th birthday. Talent on the book will include Zdarsky’s Howard collaborator Joe Quinones, as well as the likes of Daniel Kibblesmith, Annie Wu, and Ed McGuinness. It will hit the shelves in November.

The new Punisher is… just… a guy

Image: Rod Reis/Marvel Comics

After Marvel teased a new Punisher with a graphic question mark on his face, as if we’d recognize him, fans went into a natural frenzy of speculation. Leading contenders for short hair and two laser guns included Bishop and Cable of the X-Men, but Marvel instead revealed that the new man in the Punisher’s outfit…

An original character. Like he’s just a guy.

Eisner highlights

Image: Kevin Conroy, J. Bone/DC Comics

Often overshadowed by the big movie studio news, San Diego Comic-Con is also home to the American comic book industry’s closest thing to the Oscars: the Eisner Awards. And some of Polygon’s own favorite picks won big. Night eaters took home Best Graphic Album, Ducks: two years on the oil sands was awarded Best Graphic Memoirs, Do a Power Bomb was awarded Best Publication for Teenagers, and Best Short Story was given to “Finding Batman” by artist J. Bone and the late Kevin Conroy.

Andy Samberg makes a comic where a dude kills neo-Nazis with bowling ball trick shots

Image: Mike Hawthorne/Image Comics

Andy Samberg (yes, the actor-comedian) teams up with Joe Trohman (yes, from Fall Out Boy), Rick Remender (yes, the comics writer), and Roland Boschi (yes, the comics artist) for The sacred scroll. And, well, I’ll let the Image Comics press release put it:

To care for his ailing father, pro bowler Levi Coen is forced to quit his dream job and return to his hometown, only to discover it has been overrun by neo-Nazis! With only his collection of bowling balls to defend himself, Levi becomes THE HOLY ROLLER!”

Issue #1 of what looks to be a fun, gory adventure will hit shelves on November 22.

TMNT: Last Ronin II introduces a new generation of tesudines of altered martial arts for adolescents

Image: IDW Publishing

After the breakthrough success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin – a far-future story of the last living turtle brother co-written by TMNT creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird – IDW follows up the series with a new generation of turtles for the new future. Here’s the official summary:

Led by Casey Marie Jones, the formidable and strategic daughter of April O’Neil and the late Casey Jones, the next generation of Ninja Turtles – Yi, Uno, Odyn and Moja – will face the ultimate enemy! Will the young heroes be able to adapt to the pressures of a city at war?

Eastman will return to co-write the series with Last Ronin co-writer Tom Waltz and new-to-series artist Ben Bishop. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II – Re-Evolution #1 (phew, that’s a mouthful) will hit the shelves in December.