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.
– Vin Diesel (Fast and the Furious, Guardians of the Galaxy) is reportedly in talks to play the titular antihero in Bloodshot, the Sony adaptation of Valiant’s comic of the same name. Bloodshot, a wounded soldier turned nanotech killing machine, will reportedly be running rampant on the big screen in all his bloody grandeur in an R-rated superhero film in the style of Terminator, Robocop, with a dash of Deadpool and Logan thrown in there for good measure. Sony also has plans to adapt Valiant’s “Harbinger” to the big screen as part of their five-film shared universe franchise deal with Valiant Comics.
– Marvel yesterday revealed the fifth and final member of their new “Exiles” team in the form of a Tessa Thompson (Thor: Ragnarok) inspired Valkyrie described as the “Lone Defender of Asgard.” Valkyrie, like all the members of the Exiles to date, will be an alternate universe version of one of your favorite Marvel standard bearers. This brawling, drunkard version of Valkyrie joins a battle-scarred Kamala Khan going simply by Khan, Iron Lad aka pre-“Young Avengers” Kang the Conquerer, the hyper-cute Wolvie from the Xavier’s Playtime Fun School for Gifted Youngsters, and of course their leader Blink (circa ‘Age of Apocalypse’) all to be written by Saladin Ahmed (“Black Bolt”) with art by Javier Rodriguez (“Royals,” Spider-Woman”). The first issue of this new “Exiles” series hits shelves April 25.
– Marvel also teased the first images and story bits from the upcoming oversized milestone issue #700 of “Captain America” from Chris Samnee and Mark Waid (“Black Widow,” “Daredevil”). The issue will be the conclusion of the upcoming ‘Out of Time’ arc in the book in which Cap gets put back on ice and once again travels into the distant future, being forced to do the one thing he can’t do (again): rule the country with an iron grip. That’s right, Waid and Samnee are bringing on King Cap, along with the Thing, what appears to be a resurrected Bruce Banner as the Hulk, a talking anthropomorphic dog, and no doubt a bevy of other surprises and treats for issue #700. The book will also feature another story, written by Waid, utilizing unused Jack Kirby artwork. The special oversized issue #700 hits the racks April 4.
– IMAX has made the announcement that Marvel’s upcoming Black Panther will feature select scenes specifically with the enlarged format in mind. Director Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station, Creed)’s choice to enlarge the aspect ratio of certain scenes to utilize the IMAX’s 1.9:1 aspect ratio will include an extra 26% more picture during the scenes in question which will, judging by all of the trailers, be a spectacle to watch regardless of size. Black Panther, starring Chadwick Boseman (Captain America: Civil War, 42) as the titular King of Wakanda T’Challa, will be out in theatres February 16.
– Publisher First Second Books gave us our first look at their fall lineup of graphic novels, along with covers by all of the talented artists working at the company yesterday. Whether it’s kittens building houses, fortresses floating in space or tigers and monsters duking it out against villainous apparations First Second has got a flavor for every young and old reader alike. Some highlights include a new nonfiction graphic novel focused on Thelonious Monk by Moroccan cartoonist Youssef Daoudi, and the final chapter in Faith Erin Hick (“Lumberjanes,” “Adventures of Superhero Girl”) and Jordie Bellaire (“The Vision,” “Redlands”)’s “Nameless City” trilogy.
– Speaking of cover reveals for beloved children’s books, the second to last chapter in the “Amulet” series, titled ‘Supernova,’ was revealed yesterday. The #1 New York Bestseller has, over the course of seven books, developed a passionate and loyal fan base of children, young adults and parents, all of them excited to see where author and artist Kazu Kibuishi (“Flight Explorer,” “Daisy Kutter: The Last Train”) will end the series, which began in 2008 with ‘The Stonekeeper.’ The eighth and penultimate book in the series will see Em and the Hayes family set adrift in a science fiction adventure towards the inevitable end of the series. “Amulet: Supernova” will be hitting bookshelves and comic racks September 25.
Continued below– Barnes & Noble have seemingly dropped DC Comics from their newsstands in all of their chain stores across the US. A similar occurrence happened back in 2011 when DC released over 100 exclusive digital graphic novels on the Amazon Fire Kindle instead of Barnes & Nobles Nook, the situation worked itself out eventually but it seems that this may be a more permanent like the 2013 removal of Marvel floppies from the newsstand, which they have not returned to since. Barnes & Noble is the single largest brick and mortar bookstore chain left in the US, so the removal of DC comics from the newsstands should give anyone watching at least a moments pause, but going forward Barnes & Noble will still stock floppy comics; it’s just now that they may include a few more offerings from publishers like Titan, Image, Dark Horse, and Archie.
– Hulu has decided to renew Runaways for a second season. The renewal also comes with an extra three episodes for the sophomore season of the show based on Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona’s Marvel comic. The first season of Runaways introduced us to the Pride’s children, all of whom come to realize the evil lengths their parents are going to in order to control them, while discovering all of their powers and secrets.
– Armando Iannucci’s film adaptation of “The Death of Stalin” was nominated for Most Outstanding British Film and Best Adapted Screenplay at the BAFTA Awards. Tessa Thompson, meanwhile, was nominated for the EE Rising Star Award, which is voted for by the British public. The winners will be announced on February 18.