I’d meant to write about this much earlier than now… but to be honest, it was a lot more fun to sit back and watch the various reactions pour in across multiple platforms. Needless to say, it’s been one hell of an eye-opener. Plus, I was actually, y’know, working. But the time has come for me to write a little bit about it on this platform, so let’s get into it…

So, during ComicsPro week (where my other new series, TERMINAL, was also first revealed to the world), Dynamite Entertainment released the first pertinent details related to the upcoming monthly comicbook series, BEN 10. There’s also a 10-page ashcan preview that was just released -- in very limited quantities -- exclusively to comicbook stores, and its contents are already being passed around. There’s even been some wildly hysterical misinformation spread around online, based on what’s gotten out there. All in all, good times.

With the first issue set to be released on May 6 (under a plethora of killer covers), here’s my own pithy quote straight from a Dynamite press release:

“As original creators of the entire Ben 10 phenomenon, this comic book is a huge deal for us,” said writer Joe Casey. “For Ben 10 fans, both new and old, we’re committed to giving you everything you could possibly want in this series. We’ve got every previous incarnation to draw from and we’re not holding anything back. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… this is the most ‘Absolute’ Ben 10 you can get!”

Yeah… I know, I know. But what can I say? It’s the kind of hyped-up rhetoric you tend to indulge in when it comes to these “official” press announcements. I’ve certainly done my share over the years. Sure, it works great as a sound bite, and hopefully it also conveys at least some of the genuine excitement we’re feeling when it comes to bringing this comicbook to life (so to speak). Believe me, it’s been a long time coming.

It’s strange to think, after creating the show more than twenty years ago for Cartoon Network, all of us in Man Of Action are incredibly psyched to be executing a new vision of BEN 10 in the storytelling medium we love most of all. Y’know, we all sprang from comicbooks… and now they’re providing the means to tackle our creation in a manner that most accurately reflects our purest vision for it. Fun. Serious. Action-packed. Dramatic. Cosmically expansive. Epic.

I mean… yes, of course, we created the damn thing, way back when. We developed it for years and eventually consulted on the show as it evolved through its various televised incarnations. There were a lot of cooks in those early kitchens, a lot of talented, dedicated folks who busted their asses to bring our idea into your living rooms. Even when Man Of Action came back around to actually run the show in 2016 -- for the incarnation known colloquially by the fans as the “Reboot” -- there were still quite a few masters that needed to at least feel like they were being served. We did our job and I’d like to think we did it well…

… but, to me, this is the real deal.

Along with the announcement, Dynamite released the covers and a handful of pages from issue #1 (colored but not lettered) and the speculation and the scrutiny that resulted -- much of it occurring within mere days of that material going public -- really blew me away. It was happening everywhere… on X, on YouTube, on TikTok and elsewhere… and in just about every language. I’d damn near forgotten how international BEN 10 has ended up being, so this was a nice reminder.

There’s clearly a sizeable -- and vocal -- fanbase out there that’s been waiting for something like this. The sheer levels of passion I’ve seen so far proves it. I suppose that makes them more of an army than a typical fanbase. We owe them as good as we can give.

Not to mention… when (not “if”, but “when”) the BEN 10 live action feature film eventually happens… the one that’ll get released to theaters worldwide… I guarantee you this new comicbook is going to be the primary source material.

Now, this may only be tangentially related, but when I was checking out the various online reactions to the announcement, I stumbled across this YouTube video and I feel compelled to share. Now, this is some crazy shit. I’m telling you, this particular BEN 10 fan is amazing…

So there you go. I hope this sheds at least a little bit of light on where we’re coming from, at least when it comes to making the new BEN 10 comicbook. I have a sense that at least some of the folks who’ll be seeking this out might not be typical Direct Market customers. That, in itself, is exciting to think about.

Obviously, I’ll write more about this series as we get closer to release. Should be fun to watch the anticipation continue to grow. Personally, I think it’ll be well worth the wait.

Until next time…

Joe Casey

USA