Daniel Warren Johnson rallies the forces of Asgard for Beta Ray Bill #1

page from Beta Ray Bill #1
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Fan favorite writer/artist Daniel Warren Johnson and his longtime colorist Mike Spicer will lend their talents to a new adventure for likewise fan-favorite spacehorse ero with a new Beta Ray Bill#1 on March 31 – and we have a fresh look at some interior pages from that inaugural issue of the five-issue limited series right here.

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Beta Ray Bill #1 spins out of the current King in Black Venom-centric crossover, with Bill squaring off against a Knull-controlled Fin Fang Foom as he quests for a new weapon along the way.

See, Bill's usual hammer, mighty Stormbreaker (which lends its name to Marvel's current roster of rising artists), was destroyed in a duel with Bill's ally and kinda sometimes contentious friend Thor – though the two have since patched things up.

In the pages in the gallery below, Sif summons Bill to rally the warriors of Asgard to fight the forces of Knull, and Bill delivers.

Check out the pages:

"FROM THE PAGES OF DONNY CATES' THOR AND SPINNING OUT OF THE EVENTS OF KING IN BLACK!" heralds Marvel's official synopsis for Beta Ray Bill #1.

"The second-most famous wielder of Mjolnir. The right-hand man to the god of Thunder. And now, a warrior without his best weapon. Beta Ray Bill is tired of playing second fiddle to Thor - and with Bill's famous hammer, Stormbreaker, recently destroyed at the new All-Father's hands, tensions are higher than ever," it continues. "The Korbinite must strike out in search of a new weapon...and a new destiny. Assuming he can first defeat a Knullified Fin Fang Foom!"

"Writer/artist Daniel Warren Johnson (Extremity, Murder Falcon) and colorist Mike Spicer take Beta Ray Bill on a journey beyond the shadow of a god!" concludes the synopsis. "Plus: This oversize first issue contains an exclusive conversation between Johnson and Beta Ray Bill's creator, the legendary Walter Simonson!"

There you have it – if the current reigning fan-favorite writer/artist of mainstream comic books doesn't draw you in, the presence of Johnson's predecessor (and Bill's noted creator) Walter Simonson ought to seal the deal. If you haven't enjoyed the work of Johnson or Simonson yet, it's always a good time to get struck by the electric power of their stories.

You'll get a bit of both in Beta Ray Bill #1 on March 31.

Beta Ray Bill and his creator Walt Simonson are both part of some of the best Thor stories of all time.

George Marston

I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)