Welcome back to The Rundown, our daily breakdown on comic news stories we missed from the previous day. Have a link to share? Email our team at rundown@multiversitycomics.com.
-Writer Damon Lindelof (Lost, Prometheus) has apparently confirmed his involvement in the previously announced HBO adaptation of Alan Moore (“Saga of Swamp Thing,” “V for Vendetta”) and Dave Gibbon (“The Secret Service: Kingsman,” “Green Lantern”)’s “Watchmen.” Yesterday Lindelof posted a picture of the statue which Hollis May, the original Owl Man, receives for his countless years of service as a caped crusader, which is then later used as a murder weapon (you should really read “Watchmen”). Watchmen is still in early production so it will likely be some time before we get a better look at the series, but while we wait we can enjoy DC’s upcoming spiritual successor “Doomsday Clock” which begins November 22.
-Speaking of comic book TV adaptations and having to wait longer than we’d like: Syfy has pushed back the premiere of Happy!. Writer Grant Morrison (“Animal Man,” “The Invisibles”) and artist Derick Robertson (“The Boys,” “Wolverine”) originally created “Happy!” in 2012 as a 4 issue mini-series for Image Comics. The series revolved around a corrupt cop turned hitman who, after a hit goes awry he has his life turned upside down by a super positive blue cartoon pegasus named Happy. The pilot was written in part by Morrison himself so it is safe to say that this adaptation has the authors approval. Happy! will debut on Syfy at 10 pm December 6.
-Imagination Agency, the children-focused multimedia company founded by NFL star Martellus Bennett, has announced a deal with Joe Books for distribution and co-publishing of Bennet’s debut children’s book “Hey A.J., It’s Saturday.” The deal also includes the forthcoming sequel by Bennet “Hey A.J., It’s Bedtime” and Imagination Agency’s first graphic novel “Towel Boy” which will be released throughout the NFL season with a special Super Bowl issue at the end of the season. Joe Books is the leading independent publisher of kid’s comics, graphic novels, and children’s books.
-Gareb Shamus the founder of Wizard Entertainment, the company which puts on the Wizard World Conventions and at one point was the publisher of “Wizard: The Comics Magazine,” has announced that he will be starting a new company called ACE Universe with plans to establish a new set of cons to be called ACE Comic Cons. The Conventions were described as being arena-based, highly immersive, live-streamed events that will be themed and include a “curated” environment centered around the talent appearing at the con. The first of these events will reportedly be centered on the upcoming Warner Bros. Justice League film and will feature five of the six (*seven) Leaguer’s from the film in addition to oodles of branded merchandise, JL associated creators, and who knows it might even be quaint if there were some Justice Leauge comic books there too.
-To celebrate the return of the adult Jean Grey to comics Marvel will be releasing a series of variant covers for some of their December titles. “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Black Panther,” and “Mighty Thor” among others, will all have Phoneix themed variant covers from the likes of Erica Henderson (“Unbeatable Squirrel Girl,” “Jughead”), Ken Lashley (“Secret Six,” “Uncanny X-Men”), Kris Anka (“Runaways,” “Starlord”) and a whole laundry list of talented artists. “Phoniex Resurrection: The Return of Jean Grey” #1 by writer Mathew Rosenberg (“X-Men Gold,” “Secret Warriors”) and artist Lenil Francis Yu (“Supercrooks,” “Superman Birthright”) debuts December 27.
-Hey and speaking of the Phoniex, veteran X-film actor Daniel Cudmore (X2, X-Men: Days of Future Past) has confirmed that he will be joining the cast of X-Men: Dark Phoniex in a mysterious role. Cudmore was playing coy as to who he would be playing, but he had previously portrayed the metallic X-Man Colossus aka Peter Rasputin. Who could he be playing, a grizzled future Colossus, perhaps some innocent bystanders hanging out with Stan Lee, or hey maybe he is playing X-Men/Colossus villain Omega Red? Whatever the case we will probably have to wait until X-Men: Dark Phoenix comes out November 2, 2018, to find out.
-In other things coming back from the apparent dead: a live-action Akira movie adaption is once again in the works at Warner Brothers, this time possibly with Taiki Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok, What We Do in the Shadows) attached as director. The Akira adaption has been in the works in some form or another for about 15 years at Warner Brothers, so pardon us if we say we’ve heard this one before, the film has had many notable names attached to it in various roles including Leonardo DiCaprio (Django Unchained, Titanic) producing the film. The original “Akira” manga and subsequent anime created by Katsuhiro Otomo (Steamboy, Metropolis) is quite possibly one of the most distinguished series of all time, influencing countless artists and filmmakers working today.
