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https://blacknerdproblems.com/williams-and-cadonici-unearth-roots-of-madness-at-ignition-press/
It feels like a lifetime ago when I interviewed Stephanie Williams–one of my newer faves in comics as Nubia & the Amazons was dropping. Effortlessly funny and talented with a pen, Williams continued on making comics, establishing herself int he industry and even bringing along her son to conventions to enjoy the fanfare and present her own art. With her writing credits including Nubia and the Amazons, Nubia: Coronation Special, Nubia: Queen of the Amazons, Wakanda, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: Wreck and Roll, Strange and Unsung All-Stars of the DC Multiverse, The Raven Boys Graphic Novel Adaption, she’s now in the news for something new–her first original comic series, and I couldn’t be happier to share the news!
BNP Fave Writer Stephanie Williams (Nubia) teams up with artist Letizia Cadonici (House of Slaughter) team for a brand-new cosmic horror comic book series entitled Roots of Madness at Ignition Press. The publisher will preview the series during Comic-Con International in San Diego (SDCC) this July, at their previously announced boutique pop-up, the Ignition Press Room, in the Gaslamp District.
Roots of Madness Synopsis:
At the turn of the 20th century, a young Black woman named Etta Knight picks up the tradition of her late mother for creating special medicines using natural ingredients and secrets passed down from generation to generation.
Her mother has passed on a book of recipes and formulas, but it’s also full of strange symbols and dark musings that she doesn’t quite understand…
Inspired by the life of Madame CJ Walker, this unique alternate history combines tradition with the supernatural for something truly modern and unique.
Roots of Madness Creative Team:
“After spending years pursuing security and stability, I left my ‘stable career’ to transform the survival lessons my family taught me into creative dreams,” said Stephanie Williams. “Roots of Madness emerged from this blend of survival and ambition. Etta Knight embodies this transformation: a brilliant 1905 chemist who takes her ancestors’ healing knowledge—and pushes it beyond what they ever imagined.”
Roots of Madness marks Stephanie Williams’ first original print comic series and her first collaboration with artist Letizia Cadonici. The series will also feature color by Alessandro Santoro and lettering by AndWorld Design. Each issue will boast these breathtaking covers by Juliet Nneka.
“I’m just so proud and happy to be part of this comic. I feel so connected to Etta, I believe she is a stunning character, and when I first read the script I remember I thought that I’ve never read about someone like her before,” added Letizia Cadonici.
“When I reached out to Stephanie to discuss doing a book with us,” Ignition Press Editor-in-Chief Jamie S. Rich explained, “I was curious what she would come back with. As I hoped, she returned with something that only she could do. Roots of Madness immediately grabbed us. From its foundation in fact, to the specificity of its themes, the story has the fire of truth behind that makes great horror. It’s not just scary for what happens, but how it comments on our humanity, using the problems of the past to highlight our failures in the present. With Letizia and Alessandro on board, you know all the frights will come through in the most evocative ways.”
Fans attending Comic Con International in San Diego can get a special sneak peek at Roots of Madness by visiting the Ignition Press Room in the Gaslamp District (643 G Street). Additionally, Ignition Press will debut exclusive Roots of Madness merchandise on sale for the first time including an art print, premium canvas tote, and two types of scented hair gloss (in collaboration with Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab). As previously announced, Stephanie Williams will be in attendance for scheduled signings.
About Ignition Press
Ignition Press is the Los Angeles-based comic book and graphic novel publisher co-founded by publishing and media industry veterans Eric Gitter, Filip Sablik, Jamie S. Rich, and Jeremy Haun. The upstart creator-driven company will exclusively publish original series beginning in September 2025 including Murder Podcast and Voyeur. Ignition Press is repped by WME and attorneys Fred Goodman and Rich Marin of Marin Goodman, LLP.
Ignition Press is dedicated to empowering vibrant creativity through creator-driven original stories, told with integrity and commitment, that meet their audience where they are. The Los Angeles-based comic book and graphic novel publisher was co-founded by publishing and media industry veterans Eric Gitter (CEO), Filip Sablik (Publisher), Jamie S. Rich (Editor-in-Chief), and Jeremy Haun (Creative Director) in July 2024 and will exclusively publish creator-driven original series beginning in September 2025. To stay up to date on Ignition Press news, become an Ignition Insider at www.ignitionpress.com. To find a comic shop near you, go to findyourcomic.store.
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The post Williams and Cadonici Unearth ‘ROOTS OF MADNESS’ at Ignition Press appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
It feels like a lifetime ago when I interviewed Stephanie Williams–one of my newer faves in comics as Nubia & the Amazons was dropping. Effortlessly funny and talented with a pen, Williams continued on making comics, establishing herself int he industry and even bringing along her son to conventions to enjoy the fanfare and present her own art. With her writing credits including Nubia and the Amazons, Nubia: Coronation Special, Nubia: Queen of the Amazons, Wakanda, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: Wreck and Roll, Strange and Unsung All-Stars of the DC Multiverse, The Raven Boys Graphic Novel Adaption, she’s now in the news for something new–her first original comic series, and I couldn’t be happier to share the news!
BNP Fave Writer Stephanie Williams (Nubia) teams up with artist Letizia Cadonici (House of Slaughter) team for a brand-new cosmic horror comic book series entitled Roots of Madness at Ignition Press. The publisher will preview the series during Comic-Con International in San Diego (SDCC) this July, at their previously announced boutique pop-up, the Ignition Press Room, in the Gaslamp District.
Roots of Madness Synopsis:
At the turn of the 20th century, a young Black woman named Etta Knight picks up the tradition of her late mother for creating special medicines using natural ingredients and secrets passed down from generation to generation.
Her mother has passed on a book of recipes and formulas, but it’s also full of strange symbols and dark musings that she doesn’t quite understand…
Inspired by the life of Madame CJ Walker, this unique alternate history combines tradition with the supernatural for something truly modern and unique.
Roots of Madness Creative Team:
“After spending years pursuing security and stability, I left my ‘stable career’ to transform the survival lessons my family taught me into creative dreams,” said Stephanie Williams. “Roots of Madness emerged from this blend of survival and ambition. Etta Knight embodies this transformation: a brilliant 1905 chemist who takes her ancestors’ healing knowledge—and pushes it beyond what they ever imagined.”
Roots of Madness marks Stephanie Williams’ first original print comic series and her first collaboration with artist Letizia Cadonici. The series will also feature color by Alessandro Santoro and lettering by AndWorld Design. Each issue will boast these breathtaking covers by Juliet Nneka.
“I’m just so proud and happy to be part of this comic. I feel so connected to Etta, I believe she is a stunning character, and when I first read the script I remember I thought that I’ve never read about someone like her before,” added Letizia Cadonici.
“When I reached out to Stephanie to discuss doing a book with us,” Ignition Press Editor-in-Chief Jamie S. Rich explained, “I was curious what she would come back with. As I hoped, she returned with something that only she could do. Roots of Madness immediately grabbed us. From its foundation in fact, to the specificity of its themes, the story has the fire of truth behind that makes great horror. It’s not just scary for what happens, but how it comments on our humanity, using the problems of the past to highlight our failures in the present. With Letizia and Alessandro on board, you know all the frights will come through in the most evocative ways.”
Fans attending Comic Con International in San Diego can get a special sneak peek at Roots of Madness by visiting the Ignition Press Room in the Gaslamp District (643 G Street). Additionally, Ignition Press will debut exclusive Roots of Madness merchandise on sale for the first time including an art print, premium canvas tote, and two types of scented hair gloss (in collaboration with Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab). As previously announced, Stephanie Williams will be in attendance for scheduled signings.
About Ignition Press
Ignition Press is the Los Angeles-based comic book and graphic novel publisher co-founded by publishing and media industry veterans Eric Gitter, Filip Sablik, Jamie S. Rich, and Jeremy Haun. The upstart creator-driven company will exclusively publish original series beginning in September 2025 including Murder Podcast and Voyeur. Ignition Press is repped by WME and attorneys Fred Goodman and Rich Marin of Marin Goodman, LLP.
Ignition Press is dedicated to empowering vibrant creativity through creator-driven original stories, told with integrity and commitment, that meet their audience where they are. The Los Angeles-based comic book and graphic novel publisher was co-founded by publishing and media industry veterans Eric Gitter (CEO), Filip Sablik (Publisher), Jamie S. Rich (Editor-in-Chief), and Jeremy Haun (Creative Director) in July 2024 and will exclusively publish creator-driven original series beginning in September 2025. To stay up to date on Ignition Press news, become an Ignition Insider at www.ignitionpress.com. To find a comic shop near you, go to findyourcomic.store.
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram!
The post Williams and Cadonici Unearth ‘ROOTS OF MADNESS’ at Ignition Press appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
The Summer 2025 anime season has arrived, and David Production came in swinging. Onmyo Kaiten Re:Birth Verse doesn’t waste a second. From the opening scene, we’re pulled into a world that feels like ancient Kyoto got a cyberpunk upgrade and a demon problem, and I am absolutely here for it.
Takeru Narihira is our protagonist: a delinquent with fists, attitude, and recurring dreams of a mysterious girl named Tsukimiya. When he finally meets her—for real—it’s not in Tokyo, but in a completely different world after he gets trucked mid-Pikachu chase. Welcome to Denji Heian-kyou, a city protected by Onmyouji, haunted by Oni, and lit with more glowing hues than a synthwave music video.
Let’s pause for the important stuff. The Oni design? Incredible. They’re twisted, massive, and carry a weight of menace that feels pulled from old folklore but refreshed for modern eyes. The Shikigami are their magical counterparts—more elegant, fluid, and designed with that perfect balance between spiritual charm and combat readiness.
And the color palette? Every frame looks like it was meant to be paused, printed, and framed. Deep reds, eerie blacks, shimmering crystals, and blinding magic attacks create an atmosphere that’s chaotic and beautiful. Denji Heian-kyou feels alive, layered, and buzzing with danger just under the surface.
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The first episode doesn’t hold your hand. You get world-building through action, with just enough mystery to keep you leaning in. Takeru wakes up in a dreamworld, meets Tsukimiya again (this time she doesn’t know him), and quickly learns about the black mist that signals the arrival of the Oni. Civilians are crystallized on sight once the black mist pours into town. Shikigami battle to protect the innocent.
One minute Takeru’s awkwardly reuniting with Tsukimiya, the next he’s going full shikigami-mode to avenge her crystallized corpse and getting absolutely wrecked for his trouble. Then bam—he wakes up like none of it happened. The man literally said, “I reject your reality and substitute my own.”
There’s something satisfying about a first episode that throws you into the deep end, then resets the board just to let you know this isn’t going to be a linear ride. It’s messy, chaotic, emotional, and did I mention gorgeous? I’ve already clocked the potential for heartbreak, hidden betrayals, and power-ups earned through sheer trauma.
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That’s the hook. You realize the time loop isn’t a one-off, and the emotional stakes are already high. Takeru isn’t just trying to survive. He’s trying to change fate. The pacing keeps you guessing, the fight scenes are crisp and clean, and the characters already show promise, especially with the introduction of Yura, Astunaga, and the legendary Abe no Seimei.
There’s potential here. Not just for cool fights and flashy transformations, but for emotional growth, relationship depth, and a layered story about identity, fate, and purpose. If you love your isekai with stakes, style, and supernatural flair, Onmyo Kaiten Re:Birth Verse might just be your next obsession.
Onmyo Kaiten Re:Birth Verse premieres July 2 and will stream new episodes every Wednesday exclusively on Crunchyroll.
About Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the global anime brand that fuels fans’ love of anime. With the ambition to make anime an even bigger part of pop culture, Crunchyroll offers fans the ultimate anime experience and destination centered around a premium streaming service. Crunchyroll has the largest dedicated anime library, an immersive world of events, exciting theatrical releases, unique games, must-have merchandise, timely news, and more. Anime is for everyone and is accessible to stream across territories through Crunchyroll—whether on the go on mobile, through gaming consoles and big-screen devices at home, or on desktops anywhere.
Crunchyroll, LLC is an independently operated joint venture between U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group.
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Back in the heyday of Shokugeki no Soma, I repeatedly found myself constantly trying to explain to friends and casual acquaintance that despite quite literally being food porn in both definitions of the phrase, that the 2015-2020 anime was one of the best critique of classism in the culinary world (a stance shared by several other members of BNP). If you can get past the moaning and ecchi, you’d find yourself enthralled by a world of ridiculous cooking shenanigans that the world has only recently been catching up to with 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing and Culinary Class Wars.
So perhaps this is a predicament of my own design, but I am once again here to expound that My Dress-Up Darling, a series which at first, second, and third glances appears to be thinly veiled ecchi is actually a brilliant romance anime that manages to weave together different aspects of cosplay into the main story (pun very much intended).
For the uninitiated, My Dress-Up Darling follows Wakana Gojo, your not exactly run of the mill 15-year-old school student with a passion for making hina dolls. His obsession with the craft manages to accidentally attract the attention of Marin Kitagawa, a super popular girl in his glass who also models and crucially cosplays. Marin convinces (accosts) Gojo into sewing outfits and making costumes, and Gojo enamored with Marin and the fact that someone doesn’t think his hobby is creepy, agrees and thus their friendship (and pseudo courtship) commences.
At your standard twelve-episode length, season 1 saw Gojo develop confidence with his skills and honing his craft, and Marin developed a steadily growing infatuation with the boy hand crafting a wide of cosplays that clearly were making him uncomfortable because he is in fact a fifteen-year-old boy in close physical proximity of a girl he finds attractive.
And I understand that all of this sounds completely wild, but the thing is in between the scenes you wouldn’t want to watch with your family, there is a sweet story about two individuals with different levels of confidence navigate a niche world. It is a show about craft, and there is a lot of effort into showing the effort required to do said craft. In fact, a lot of the information about cosplay is directly transferable to real life. From the tips of sewing, make up, hair styling, photography, My Dress Up Darling manages to be a pretty comprehensive tutorial about how to start cosplay while also being an incredible sweet story about sharing your passions with other people.
And in the second half of 2025, I find myself still very much enamored with My Dress-Up Darling as it continues to showcase a fascinating character study of an insecure boy and girl, the intricacies of cosplay, and a very progressive stance of normalization of people having the choice to present themselves in the ways that they want.
CloverWorks second season keeps all of the charm of the previous run while finding even more ways to be play with their animation and continuing to bring the seinen to life. And yes, there is a lot of fan service, but to its credit, the fan service at least makes sense within the context of the show and is used as a way to actively forward the plot in meaningful ways (yes, I am looking at you Fire Force).
So while I didn’t put my critic hat on back in 2022 to extol this series, I am putting it on now just in time for the premiere on July 5th. There is nothing more that I love than a series about passionate people learning to be passionate about a thing they love, and My Dress-Up Darling fits that bill on two ends: the art of cosplay and the act of loving oneself.
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The post ‘My Dress-Up Darling,’ My Anime “Hear Me Out” of 2022, is Back and Sweet as Ever for Season 2 appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Of all the elements of Superman lore that have existed since 1938, the toughest for modern audiences to swallow has been the notion that a simple pair of glasses hides Clark Kent’s secret identity. Christopher Reeve did the most in selling that Clark Kent and Superman were two different people. But even that was a stretch in suspension of disbelief. Meanwhile, subsequent Superman actors like Henry Cavill and Tyler Hoechlin look and act almost exactly the same in both guises. No matter how good the Superman project is, there’s always an eye roll that goes with it, thanks to this aspect. But DC Studios may have found a solution to this problem in a forgotten piece of Superman comics history from the ‘70s.
While doing the press rounds for Superman, director James Gunn explained how DC Comics writer Tom King reminded him that Superman’s “Hypno-glasses,” which Clark Kent uses in the film, actually amplify his super hypnosis and hide his true identity. And they came straight from the comics. Via IGN, here’s what he had to say:
That’s canon in the comics. It’s kind of been forgotten but that’s from the comics. I was sitting with Tom King, the (Supergirl and Mister Miracle) comic book writer, and I was like, ‘You know the thing that I just don’t really know how to reconcile in myself is the glasses because the glasses always bothered me as a kid.’ They bothered me because I just don’t have that much suspension of disbelief to believe that.
In the 1930s, the idea of Clark Kent hiding his identity of Superman behind a pair of glasses and a fedora wasn’t really that far-fetched. Superman was a mystery man who flew in, beat the bad guys, and left, back when cameras were hard to come by. Clark Kent was a reporter for a newspaper, and only his friends and family knew what he looked like. Of course, it was ridiculous that Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, who spent a lot of time with both Superman and Clark, couldn’t figure it out. But it wasn’t so wild to imagine the public at large wouldn’t ever make the connection.
In the early ‘70s, the notion of the glasses disguise became even more absurd. This was because TV Network WGBS bought the Daily Planet, and its staff all became television news anchors. So now, millions who watched the nightly news knew exactly what mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent looked like, as well as Superman. How could literally no one realize they were the same person? It was one thing to suspend your disbelief that Clark’s friends didn’t know, but all of America was fooled too?
So, in 1978, one Superman superfan came up with a solution. A devoted comic book reader named Al Schroeder III wrote to the Superman letter column with a solution. He suggested an amplified version of Superman’s powers of super hypnosis. (This factoid was discovered by YouTube channel Casually Comics.) Superman first displayed this power in 1940’s Action Comics #32 and 33, a mere two years after his debut. We’re not exactly sure how it works, but Superman can use his vision to hypnotize those he wants to convince them of anything. Hey, we’re not sure how his vision creates heat or has X-rays, but we all accept that, right? In Schroeder’s mind, Superman’s glasses were special, and amplified his super hypnosis to everyone who made eye contact with him.
The story in question, based on the fan suggestion, was written by Martin Pasko and illustrated by legendary Superman artist Curt Swan. “The Master Mesmerizer of Metropolis!” ran in Superman #330, hitting stands the same month as Superman: The Movie arrived in theaters. In the story, Kal-El fought the C-list Batman villain Spellbinder, who wore a terrible costume and used the powers of hypnosis. A better version of Spellbinder eventually appeared on Batman Beyond. We’re not sure why this guy, whom Batman once defeated, thought he could take on Superman. Of course, the Metropolis Marvel beat him handily. But throughout this story, Superman realized his glasses were more than just glasses.
He explained (to himself, via thought balloon) that because he had crafted the lens of his glasses using Kryptonian plexiglass from the rocket that brought him to Earth, it amplified his super hypnosis powers by a lot. A Superboy story had already revealed that Clark had made these glasses as a teenager years before. So with that, DC hoped readers would stop bringing up the glasses once and for all. But that’s not exactly what happened. Superman’s hypno-glasses were barely ever mentioned again throughout the rest of the Bronze Age of comics.
In the Post-Crisis of Infinite Earths reboot of Superman, the hypno-glasses became a thing of the past. John Byrne’s explanation was simpler. In his mind, whenever he was out and about as Superman, Clark was vibrating at a hyper-fast speed. So no one could ever take a clear picture of him. Everyone knew he was a tall man with dark hair in a colorful costume. But no one could ever make out exactly what his facial features were. He was a blur. So no one could make the Clark Kent connection. This more or less worked in the ‘80s, but in the digital age? Anyone could use computer technology to create a reasonable facsimile of what he really looks like from a blurry image.
So the hypno-glasses from the ’70s work as well as anything to explain away the glasses problem. It’s better than believing everyone around him is either blind or stupid. Now that it’s going to be in the cinematic DCU, we’ll see if the writers at DC Comics will dig this nugget of Superman lore out of the basement and make it canon again. As often happens with comics and outside media adaptations, the comics themselves reflect what the more widely-seen movies and TV series use for the characters. We expect the same for the Man of Steel.
The post The DC Comics History of SUPERMAN’S Identity Concealing Hypno-Glasses appeared first on Nerdist.