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, Dennis Hopeless is drawing inspiration from his own family for “She’s Running on Fumes.” We also have an exclusive preview of next week’s “Star Wars: Doctor Aphra” #40.
– Has the Roxxon Energy Corporation sprung from the pages of “Immortal Thor” and taken over Marvel Comics? It would seem that is that case with a new one-shot. “Roxxon Presents: Thor” is the official superhero title of the fictional conglomerate, written by Al Ewing with Greg Land on art duties. It follows Thor, the dual identity of “A.I. spokesguru” Chad Hammer, who battles unhinged environmentalists needing the “wisdom of both sides.” The one-shot hits shelves on April 18. “Immortal Thor” #9 will be on sale two weeks earlier, on April 3.
– Dark Horse has announced a new miniseries starring a “LARPing bastard son of Odin.” “Lester of the Lesser Gods” follows the title hero as he wanders a post-apocalyptic (literally) wasteland after defeating Satan himself, only to be brought into the arena of Will Frye the Technomancer Guy. Written by Eric Powell and Archer actor Lucky Yates, the concept began life as an unproduced animated short from Powell. Gideon Kendall was brought on board to illustrate and letter the comic. Issue #1 (of 4) will be available on May 22.
– In more Dark Horse news, the publisher unveiled a horror miniseries inspired by Lovecraft, Midsommar, and Evil Dead. “The Butcher’s Boy” follows six friends on a road trip, who learn that the infamous serial killer who stalked a small town a hundred years ago may have never left. “Last Siege” creators Landry Q. Walker and Pannel Vaughn reunite for the series, which features colors from Brad Simpson and lettering by Pat Brosseau. Issue #1 (of 4) hits shops on May 22 of this year.
– We got our first glimpse of “Silicon Bandits” from Magma Comix. “Casual Fling” writer Jason Starr and artist Dalibor Talajić reunite for the sci-fi heist comic, which follows two programmers turning the androids that replaced them against their former bosses. “I’ve been telling people that ‘Silicon Bandits’ is Blade Runner meets Ocean’s Eleven,” Starr says of the book, “which pretty much describes the tone and vibe that artist Dalibor Talajić and I are going for.” The series debuts April 10. Each issue will feature variant covers from Goran Parlov.
– Manga publisher Kodansha and US comics company DSTLRY have struck a deal allowing them to swap cover artists. The first exchange will be artist Shūzō Oshimi, who’s produced a cover for Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay’s “Somna” #3. The latest issue of the historical horror series, set in puritanical 1600s England, is set to hit shelves on March 27.
– Finally, Jim Krueger and Steve Orlando have been revealed as heading up Gungnir Books, the new sci-fi/fantasy publisher set to launch this coming April. Krueger is the company’s editor-in-chief, while Orlando is its executive editor. The first title from them will be “Hiroquest: Genesis & Double Helix,” a “fantasy graphic novel/prose hybrid” from EDM superstar Steve Aoki and Krueger, due out April 9. The line’s first original title will be “Mutant Cats,” about a horde of extra-dimensional kittens brought over from another reality. It is produced by former Heavy Metal CEO Matthew Medney’s Herø Project, and is unfortunately based on an NFT brand of the same name. That book is set to drop May 7. You can check out our original coverage here.
