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.
In case you missed it, Dark Horse announced the latest “Black Hammer” miniseries “Colonel Weird: Cosmagog” from Jeff Lemire and Tyler Crook, and we exclusively revealed process art from the upcoming “X-O: Manowar” #1.
– “Fire Power,” the much anticipated collaboration between writer Robert Kirkman and artist Chris Samnee, will hit shelves a little earlier than was originally expected. Though the first single issue will still arrive as part of Free Comic Book Day on May 2nd, the Image Comics and Skybound Entertainment series will first debut with the original graphic novel “Fire Power Vol. 1: Prelude” on April 29th. The OGN will introduce series star Owen Johnson, a man on a quest to be the first person in a millennium to possess the mythical, titular Fire Power. “We need this prelude graphic novel to get you primed for the series launch with issue 1,” said Kirkman in a statement. “I’m so thrilled that we’re going to be introducing the world to ‘Fire Power’ in this format.” The full story alongside the book’s opening pages is available over at The Hollywood Reporter.
– Holy Reference to the Campy but Lovable Classic ’60s Batman, Batman! Via Newsarama, the legendary Burt Ward, who played Robin in the Batman TV series from 1966-1968, was honored with a long overdue star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame yesterday. “Burt Ward and his character Robin have been cult heroes for many years, to fans of all ages. We are thrilled to honor Burt with his star and happy to have been able to place Ward’s star next to the star of television’s Batman, Adam West and one of the creators of the Batman character Bob Kane,” said Ana Martinez, Producer of Walk of Fame. You can watch a video of Ward’s dedication ceremony here via Variety.
– Marvel and Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson have unexpectedly parted ways over creative differences, the director announced on Twitter yesterday. Derrickson was previously at work on the sequel Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness, which was officially confirmed just six months ago at San Diego Comic-Con alongside the rest of Marvel’s plans for Phase 4 of their cinematic universe. Derrickson will remain on as an Executive Producer for the film. Neither Marvel nor Derrickson provided any additional information about changes to the film, which is still expected to feature returning stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange and Benedict Wong as his ally Wong, as well as Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch. Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness is still expected to hit theaters on May 7, 2021.
– Our first look at Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Part 3 comes from an unexpectedly spooky and spritely source: a music video sung by star Kiernan Shipka. The video for the original song “Straight to Hell” features a very witchy Shipka singing alongside glimpses of the first footage from Season 2, including Sabrina’s boyfriend Nick (Gavin Leatherwood) trapped in Hell, his captor Madam Satan (Michelle Gomez) doing her best sinister stares, and Sabrina’s friends Harvey (Ross Lynch), Roz (Jaz Sinclair) and Theo (Lachlan Watson) rocking out. You can find the video alongside additional first look photos at Entertainment Weekly. The series is set to return on January 24.
– Via The Beat, HarperCollins has bought the rights to “Cress & Petra,” the debut graphic novel from creator Ashanti Forson. Forson will write and draw the book, which follows an autistic teenager and a lab-made AI looking for adventure. The book’s editor Carolina Ortiz described the book’s world as one “where the future is beautifully POC, Queer, and Neurodiverse.” “Cress & Petra” is due out in Fall 2022.
– The awards season train chugs along: the nominations have been announced for the 51st NAACP Image Awards, which honor the achievements of people of color in TV, music, literature and film, and those who promote social justice through creative endeavors. A number of comic book adaptations have scored nods, including the critically acclaimed Watchmen, which snapped up three nominations for Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (Regina King), and Entertainer of the Year for King. Disney XD received a nomination for Outstanding Children’s Program for Marvel’s Avengers: Black Panther’s Quest. Drawn and Quarterly’s “Hot Comb,” from writer and illustrator Ebony Flowers, was nominated for Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens. Finally, writer Patrick Joseph Charles received a nomination for his Black Lightning episode “Sins of the Father: The Book of Redemption.” A write-up on the full list of nominees is available over at The Hollywood Reporter. The NAACP Image Awards will air live on BET on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 8 p.m. ET.
– In honor of the victims of the attack on the Paris-based satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo five years ago, the French culture ministry has announced plans to create a “house of press cartoons and satirical cartoons.” Via The Art Newspaper, French culture minister Franck Riester says the project is based on the plans of George Wolinski, one of the five caricaturists killed in the 2015 attacks in which 12 people lost their lives. “I am convinced that today we need a meeting, training and exhibition place dedicated to press cartoons and satirical cartoons as Georges Wolinski had wished,” said Riester during the announcement. Riester plans to view proposals for a venue for the project by the end of May.
– Lastly, Warner Bros. unveiled a new trailer for the upcoming Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). Alongside this new look at the film, the latest entry in DC’s cinematic canon also received a confirmed runtime, via ComicBook.com. According to the IFCO, who is responsible for classifying films releases in Ireland, Birds of Prey will have a runtime of 108 minutes. The film, which will star the returning Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn alongside DC newcomers Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Ewan McGregor and Ella Jay Basco, will reach theaters on February 7th.
