Frank Miller and Raphael Grampa launch TDK: The Golden Child

[Frostbite883]

I know, I know, I'm overthinking this. It doesn't even matter. It's just a comic.

Exactly. If it's possible for Act of God!Superman and Diana's baby to gained unexplained powers then there's no reason DKR!Jonathan Kent can't gained different abilities too.

[Superbat]

It pisses me off that such stunning artwork is going to waste on a Frank Miller comic.

[hellacre]

DARK KNIGHT RETURNS: THE GOLDEN CHILD leads advance-reorder chart.


https://twitter.com/comichron/status...362742785?s=21


https://www.comichron.com/monthlycom...9/2019-12.html

Also:
Rafael Grampá confirms, on IG, Darkseid is the villain as the covers have shown but says he isn’t the only villain.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B40ZI8ClwGy/

So basically this debunks the claim that no one wanted/ wants Miller's work. There is hard evidence that Miller sells. Also comichron did a post on how DK2 helped give the industry a boost. People are free to hate his art , his work but coming to say no one wants it and he should stop doing comics etc shows that they only speak for themselves and certainly not all comic fans.

Rafael Grampá interview for Veja


Rafael Grampá, the Brazilian cartoonist who is a worldwide hit
How the gaucho, partner of a hero legend, American Frank Miller, became a celebrity among lovers of the genre


https://veja.abril.com.br/entretenim...o-mundial/amp/

Well, I am even more interested now to read it.

[Deiasilva10]

Rafael Grampá’s video interview with Veja:



Grampá can't give spoilers but he calls Jon lovely because at 6/7 years of age he wants to change the world. The interviewer asked will Jon already have this conscience to fight for what he believes, at the age of 6 or 7 years? Grampá replied that Jon is the son of a Kryptonian and an Amazon, he really is a little Buddha.
Miller gave him all the freedom, even able to suggest scenes. It seems like the whole DK saga was built for this moment. In Golden Child, Miller wants to tell the story of Jon. They have been working on it for 4 years. And it is violent and deeply connected to the moment the world lives, this "waking up" of youth.

[Last Son of Krypton]

DC Social Media Ad Promoting The Golden Child Accused of Endorsing Political Change in China - Report: https://www.newsarama.com/48060-dc-p...-movement.html

[_Beautiful_Temptress_]

[QUOTE=hellacre;4704589]So basically this debunks the claim that no one wanted/ wants Miller's work. There is hard evidence that Miller sells. Also comichron did a post on how DK2 helped give the industry a boost. People are free to hate his art , his work but coming to say no one wants it and he should stop doing comics etc shows that they only speak for themselves and certainly not all comic fans.

That no one wants Miller's work is a fact. On all accounts about Batman and about Superman on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, almost everything is against Miller. And this is proof that no one wants Miller's work. Superman 18 is also reordering, but people are against Bendis. Even at the SDCC, it was proven that. Only Batman in this universe is sells, so DC use him to promote this comic book.

[Joker]

That no one wants Miller's work is a fact.

I am looking forward to this. There, you're wrong.

[hellacre]

Rafael Grampá’s video interview with Veja:



Grampá can't give spoilers but he calls Jon lovely because at 6/7 years of age he wants to change the world. The interviewer asked will Jon already have this conscience to fight for what he believes, at the age of 6 or 7 years? Grampá replied that Jon is the son of a Kryptonian and an Amazon, he really is a little Buddha.
Miller gave him all the freedom, even able to suggest scenes. It seems like the whole DK saga was built for this moment. In Golden Child, Miller wants to tell the story of Jon. They have been working on it for 4 years. And it is violent and deeply connected to the moment the world lives, this "waking up" of youth.

Great answer! Jonathan is born from Clark and Diana and coming from two rich heritages. I recall we've always talked about the offspring of SMWW and what that could entail. We always talked about the powers in terms of their physicality. This looks at his mind, re intellect and thought processes and it coming in from a young age well makes sense thb. We see child prodigies as young as 2 or 3 in the real world, so why wouldn't the son of a Kryptonian and Amazon not develop rapidly? I like that Frank thought of this angle. And yes, youth has always passionate and idealistic and modern one more so because of the world and technology we have.


It's gonna be violent? Hmm, finally something living up to the Black Label rating. I thought Superman year One was remarkably tame for a Black Label title.

DC Social Media Ad Promoting The Golden Child Accused of Endorsing Political Change in China - Report: https://www.newsarama.com/48060-dc-p...-movement.html

Wow. I read before that Grampa said it would piss off certain people but I am sure he never expected that. It's crazy though that an image that makes sense in the DK universe had to suddenly be censored because of real world politics. The image of Batwoman is a universal one tbh when it comes to protests and lobbying for change around the world. Not only re HK.

I am really curious and eager for this title now.

[LoveStar]

Another Rafael Grampá interview with Gaūchazh

https://gauchazh.clicrbs.com.br/cult....co/KXJ7HEA7pO

A few excerpts translated:

In practice, how was the partnership?

”The Golden Child is 100% written by Miller and designed by a fan (in Jordie Bellaire colors) . I changed my trait to suit Miller's universe a lot. I studied his solutions, sought inspiration from his other works, such as Sin City and Elektra Lives Again, in narrative and page design. I was very careful. People will be happy to read because it is Miller at its height. He has a harder authorial voice to swallow. Many works that people don't like today will be considered classic in a while. If he were a musician, I'd say he's making an experimental move now, and those who liked his rock would be crying longing. Geniuses are like that. I was very emotional when I first read the script. And the process of creating what Stan Lee (1922-2018 ) was doing was very enjoyable : Miller gave me a plot and total freedom to create scenes without interference. Then he wrote the whole text.”

How do you situate The Golden Child in Miller's career?

”I think Miller created The Dark Knight to get to where he has come now. He is always ahead of his time. Many of her original characters are women: Carrie, Elektra, Martha Washington ... That's in the 1980s. Today, we see a women's movement fighting for their rights, 16-year-old girls like Greta Thunberg turning around activists (the Swedish teenager is a symbol of the fight against global warming) . The Golden Child comes at an opportune time, but it is not an opportunistic story, because Miller had already laid his groundwork back there. The Dark Knight is actually about Carrie becoming Robin, who will later become Batwoman. And The Golden Child also has Lara Kent (daughter of Superman and Wonder Woman in this parallel universe), which appeared in Dark Knight 2 (2002).”

While this female protagonism points to a progressive side, Miller is often criticized for his political stance. For example, for what he did in Holy Terror (2011), which, as a late response to the attacks of 11th September, propagates hatred to Muslims and invests in stereotypes and prejudices.

”I have a lot of empathy for people. Miller's studio was on the WTC side (the World Trade Center, building destroyed in the 2001 attacks). He says he smelled burnt people for months. I don't know what's on someone's mind when facing such terror. That contaminated him. For years. Miller said he wouldn't do such a comic today. He said he was motivated by anger, and nothing motivated by anger is good. But he has the right to have produced and the right to be criticized. He learns from criticism. In The Golden Child, he kind of portrays himself a bit. The most beautiful thing there is is a human being changing his mind.”

In the future, will you visit this bunch of friends?

”The Golden Child opens a very large door for me inside DC. The future will be a lot of fun.”

[LoveStar]

Great answer! Jonathan is born from Clark and Diana and coming from two rich heritages. I recall we've always talked about the offspring of SMWW and what that could entail. We always talked about the powers in terms of their physicality. This looks at his mind, re intellect and thought processes and it coming in from a young age well makes sense thb. We see child prodigies as young as 2 or 3 in the real world, so why wouldn't the son of a Kryptonian and Amazon not develop rapidly? I like that Frank thought of this angle. And yes, youth has always passionate and idealistic and modern one more so because of the world and technology we have.

It's gonna be violent? Hmm, finally something living up to the Black Label rating. I thought Superman year One was remarkably tame for a Black Label title.


Wow. I read before that Grampa said it would piss off certain people but I am sure he never expected that. It's crazy though that an image that makes sense in the DK universe had to suddenly be censored because of real world politics. The image of Batwoman is a universal one tbh when it comes to protests and lobbying for change around the world. Not only re HK.

I am really curious and eager for this title now.

As I said on the SMWW appreciation thread:
He is the son of a Kryptonian and an Amazon “two outsiders”, “otherworldly”, “foreign”. Father is known as the “Champion of the Oppressed” and “Man of Action”. Mother is a Warrior and Ambassador of Peace. He wants to change the world to be better just as his parents and fight for freedom. THAT’S what you call keeping the legacy alive while still following one’s own path and being defined as a unique individual.

Already making a move and being embraced in this very real situation.


"The Future is Young." - New graffiti seen in Hong Kong.

I hope @FrankMillerInk and @Rafael_Grampa see their work has been embraced by HKers.
https://twitter.com/uwu_uwu_mo/statu...665133056?s=21

“ By 6pm — the original scheduled ending time of the protest march — Salisbury Road has ceased to be a flashpoint, but riot police also dispersed protesters from the Hung Hom MTR Station end point, as well as Tsim Sha Tsui East station.
Photo: May James / HKFP.”


https://twitter.com/hongkongfp/statu...544416768?s=21

[hellacre]

As I said on the SMWW appreciation thread:
He is the son of a Kryptonian and an Amazon “two outsiders”, “otherworldly”, “foreign”. Father is known as the “Champion of the Oppressed” and “Man of Action”. Mother is a Warrior and Ambassador of Peace. He wants to change the world to be better just as his parents and fight for freedom. THAT’S what you call keeping the legacy alive while still following one’s own path and being defined as a unique individual.

Already making a move and being embraced in this very real situation.


"The Future is Young." - New graffiti seen in Hong Kong.

I hope @FrankMillerInk and @Rafael_Grampa see their work has been embraced by HKers.
https://twitter.com/uwu_uwu_mo/statu...665133056?s=21

“ By 6pm — the original scheduled ending time of the protest march — Salisbury Road has ceased to be a flashpoint, but riot police also dispersed protesters from the Hung Hom MTR Station end point, as well as Tsim Sha Tsui East station.
Photo: May James / HKFP.”


https://twitter.com/hongkongfp/statu...544416768?s=21

Wow.

And the irony is this was not even about that but just about modern youth in general as explained by Grampa before. But this goes to show you how powerful art can become. It was done for a comic verse, people read stuff into it and now it's being used as a slogan. It's like how Moore's V mask became part of anti authoritarian movement. Comics often are seen as this fun or campy medium for entertainment but we have seen how influential it has become. The Joker movie controversy being another recent phenomenon.

Say what you will, Miller, like Moore, has been one of the most important comic voices ever. Miller has been always ahead of the times. Even his DK was controversial when it was released. And I maintain his DK2 is good work and reads well in today's climate. I like what I am hearing from Grampa. He seems like the young blood comics need. Rebirth era struck me as a very conservative turn to comics. I am glad Black Label is a line we have and I hope DC has the spine to stand behind their writers and artists and give them their freedom. Censoring work for no good reason is stupid.

[LoveStar]

Rafael Grampá posted on his IG the promo image is now being printed used for the protests

And then THIS happened. Only 7 days to release Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child and the promo AD -that was created in 2018 and portraits a scene in the book- is all over the place. That’s crazy.




https://www.instagram.com/p/B5oEks2F-T2/

[hellacre]

Rafael Grampá posted on his IG the promo image is now being printed used for the protests

And then THIS happened. Only 7 days to release Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child and the promo AD -that was created in 2018 and portraits a scene in the book- is all over the place. That’s crazy.




https://www.instagram.com/p/B5oEks2F-T2/

Wow. This is amazing. The power of art and the word.

I think Golden Child is shaping up already to be the most relevant thing to come out of DC in terms of a comic book impacting the real world . Joker movie of course is the other but that is live media.

Things have kicked off at CCXP. I can't wait to hear more. Please keep us informed.

[LoveStar]

Translated Pre-CCXP interview from Estadão

https://cultura.estadao.com.br/notic...19,70003112440

Frank Miller's meeting with Rafael Grampá will be one of the highlights of the CCXP19
In conversation with the audience, the duo will reveal details of the BOM “The Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child”

An affectionate hug on Wednesday will mean more than the reunion of two friends who haven't seen each other since July - in a way it will also kick off the informal start of Comic Con Experience 2019, or CCXP19, as it already is. known one of the biggest celebrations of pop culture on the planet and starting on Thursday, 5, in Sao Paulo. Yes, because the exchange of affection involves two big names in the party: Brazilian designer Rafael Grampá and American Frank Miller, one of the greatest creators of comics stories today. They will talk to the audience on Sunday, the final day of the event, when they will reveal details of The Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child, written by Miller and illustrated by Grampá.

The book will not be released in the US until the 11th, but it is already raging among internet fans. All in search of information crumbs that have already been released. “It's a work that directly and bluntly dialogues with the reality of the planet,” says the Brazilian, surprised last week when one of the comic books (featuring Carrie Kelley dressed as a Batman, about to throw a cocktail molotov) was adopted by the Hong Kong rebels.

The Golden Child marks, after three years, Miller's triumphant return to the Dark Knight world and the beginning of the partnership with Grampá, whose incisive, violent but clever trait has awakened admirers like the 63-year-old American. “Rafael was the obvious choice for me to introduce the new generation of heroes who are vigorous and full of promise,” he says. In fact, such a "golden child" is Jonathan Kent, son of Superman and Wonder Woman. Her older sister, Lara, inherited her mother's Amazonian discipline as well as her father's Kryptonian powers. Jonathan had only been a baby for three years and, although still a child, he has now become a powerful presence.

Grampá, now 41, first contacted Miller on Twitter in 2014. “I got into a debate he promoted, but in answering it, Miller marked everyone,” explains Grampá, whose work soon caught the eye because the American noticed the qualities of his drawing and, especially, the intentions of his plots. “As a fan, I sought to understand his trait to insert into mine,” said Grampá, whose Even Delivery album , with groundbreaking graphic experiences, opened the door for him to maintain constant contact with the American. Miller was about to invite Grampá to work on what would be The Golden Child. “He wanted me to move to New York. It wasn't possible, but I traveled there several times, ”recalls Grampá, whose meetings at Miller's studio allowed him to understand what the essence of the new album would be.

“It was 2017 and Miller wanted to portray the various revolutions that were exploding in the world,” says the Brazilian, who designed a demonstration. “Miller liked it and said that would be the cornerstone of the job. So I began to develop what Jonathan would look like, his haircut, the curvature of his shoulders. I also reworked Lara's profile, adding the S to her chest. For that, I had to destroy my trait to get to Miller's - I didn't lose my artistic personality, but I gained new challenges. From now on, I will always destroy my trait before starting a new job.”

The exchange of messages between the two artists became more intense, feverish. In order to get the job done, Grampá secluded himself at a friend's studio in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where he only thought of drawing. “Miller was asking the comics to reveal this yearning for freedom that grips young people around the world. After all, in the most critical moments of society, it is the comics that inspire the rebellious. First was the V for Vendetta character , now it's the Joker. ”After the drawings were over, Grampá waited anxiously for Miller's script. "It's impactful," he says. "It will provoke more controversy, because it will mess with other people."

The work was born of urgency - Brazilian Rafael Grampá finished the drawings of the book The Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child exactly on October 3rd. And in early November, it hosted the dialogues created by the American Frank Miller. The book is expected to come out in the US exactly one week from now, on the 11th - there is no forecast for Brazil yet. “It was a thrill to read Frank's story,” says Grampá. “Our album is rock'n'roll with something new. It brings elements of the first Dark Knight , but with more freshness, especially by the influence of this troubled moment in which the world lives today. ”

In fact, the pair ended work as late as possible to capture the pulse of the planet more vigorously. The speech of figures such as the 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who denounces countries' inefficiencies in combating global warming, for example, was decisive. “Our story has a strong political content and conversation with this awakening of people who stand out,” explains Grampá.

The Golden Child marks Frank Miller's return to the fascinating universe of the Dark Knight, whose current phase began in 1986, when comic book fans around the world were surprised by a fresh look at Batman. At 55, Batman interrupted retirement to fight crime, arousing opposition from the Gotham City police force and the United States government. The story revealed Carrie Kelley as the new Robin and culminated in a confrontation against Superman.

The Dark Knight was a watershed in the world of comics alongside Watchmen , Alan Moore (HQ published in the same year) and Maus , Art Spiegelman (1988), all setting standards for old stories in a universe that was believed essentially juvenile. Thus, consecrated characters were remodeled, gaining more psychological complexity.

Miller published a second volume in 2001, The Dark Knight Strikes Again , which did not thrill critics but gained huge commercial success - the highlight here was the transformation of Carrie Kelley into Batwoman. In 2015, The Dark Knight III: The Master Race was released in nine editions. Here, the reader follows the trajectory of Lara, daughter of Superman and Wonder Woman, who inherited the main powers and qualities. There, Jonathan, Lara's youngest brother, was still a baby, although it was already relevant because it was the cause of a battle between the Amazons and the Kandor Kryptonians.

Finally, in The Golden Child , little Jonathan also takes the lead by revealing a hitherto unknown power that will be decisive against an evil force that once again terrorizes Gotham City - Lara Kent and Carrie Kelley (who has fully assumed the identity of Batwoman) discover the boy's strength and use it in combat. "He has powers far beyond our comprehension," Miller says in an e-mail interview with the state . "About the brothers, I'd say Lara is the strongest, while Jonathan is the wisest."

Asked about the thrill of returning to such an iconic character as Batman, Miller does not hesitate: “He certainly is essential, because, along with Superman and Wonder Woman, they represent a triad of heroes I like to return to. Batman is the one who scares others just because he's the least predictable character. ”

Miller followed and made few suggestions on Grampá's graphic conception of superheroes. His admiration for the Brazilian's work, by the way, unlocks the language: "I wanted to work with Raf as soon as I found out about his work - among the new talents that have sprung up, he's the one that has thrilled me for so long."

The American creator says he is mostly flattered by Batman's films adapted from the Dark Knight series, which proves the vigor of his narrative. Finally, Frank Miller revealed his satisfaction from watching Joker and discovering that the character carries traits the way he showed in The Dark Knight , that is, a man who turns into a killer. “And Joaquin Phoenix was a great choice.”

[Flash Gordon]

Golden Child is looking real rad.