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, DC Comics announced “Mister Miracle: The Source of Freedom,” a new miniseries spinning out of the pages of ‘Future State’ and ‘Infinite Frontier.’ Also, Marvel artist Joe Bennett has offered an apology for anti-Semitic imagery in the latest issue of “Immortal Hulk.”
– Peter Parker is doing his best Jimmy Olsen impersonation this May in “Heroes Reborn: Peter Parker, The Amazing Shutterbug.” The one-shot story follows Peter Parker in his role as photographer for the Daily Bugle, hot on the trail of the world’s greatest hero – Hyperion. Written by journalist Marc Bernardin and drawn by artist Rafael De Latorre, this story seemingly implies that in the ‘Heroes Reborn’ Universe, Spider-Man never came to be. However, as the solicit implies, nothing can stop Peter from finding himself in the “heart of the action.”
– Marvel’s Champions are also undergoing a dramatic change in “Heroes Reborn: Young Squadron.” As the name implies, the Young Squadron pays homage to the Squadron Supreme of America, the premiere heroes in the ‘Heroes Reborn’ event. The book stars Kamala Khan as Girl Power (inspired by Power Princess), Miles Morales as Falcon (a protege of Nighthawk), and Sam Alexander as Kid Spectrum (following in the footsteps of Doctor Spectrum). The one-shot is written by former “Champions” writer Jim Zub, who teams up with his “Wayward” co-creator, artist Steve Cummings. The comic is due out this May and sees the team facing off against the ‘Heroes Reborn’ iteration of Deadpool.
– Elsewhere in the ‘Heroes Reborn’ event, the X-Men are being boldly reimagined in “Heroes Reborn: Magneto & The Mutant Force.” Written by Steve Orlando with art by Bernard Chang, this special one-shot focuses on Magneto bringing together a team of mutants to track down and rescue Charles Xavier, who has been missing for years after the Squadron Supreme’s brutal mutant massacre. Among the characters featured on the Mutant Force are Rogue, Emma Frost, and Sabra. The one-shot will be coming out this May.
– Closing out the latest ‘Heroes Reborn’ announcements, writer Ryan Cady and artist Michele Bandini will explore one of the core Squadron Supreme heroes in “Heroes Reborn: Hyperion & The Imperial Guard.” This one-shot, set to be released in May, focuses on Hyperion as a teenager. It sees the hero team up with the Imperial Guard for a special mission to the Negative Zone, one that may mean farewell for Hyperion and his teenage friends! One of the unique aspects of this one-shot is that it is intended to read like an installment in an ongoing series from this ‘Heroes Reborn’ world, and features preview pages from an in-universe Starjammers series.
– A beloved DC heroine will be getting her own original graphic novel this fall with the release of “Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld.” The book, which comes out on November 9, focuses on Amethyst and Amaya, princesses of Gemworld. The two are inseparable, but when Amaya is banished to Earth for being a troublemaker, it changes her perspective on magic entirely. The book will be written by Shannon and Dean Hale, with art by Asiah Fulmore. Shannon and Dean Hale previously wrote the 2020 graphic novel “Diana: Princess of the Amazons.” This new graphic novel is the latest in DC’s continued push into the YA book market.
– Fans waiting for the Justice Society to make their animated feature debut now have a release date for the forthcoming release. Justice Society: World War II will be available digitally on April 27, and then will be in stores in a 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray Combo Pack and separate Blu-Ray release on May 11. The upcoming feature sees Barry Allen’s iteration of the Flash (voiced by Matt Bomer) thrust backwards in time to meet Wonder Woman (Stana Katic), Jay Garrick’s Flash (Armen Taylor), and the rest of the JSA as they face off against the Nazis. Along with the release of Justice Society: World War II, Warner Bros. will be releasing a DC Showcase animated short titled Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth!
Continued below– Actress Gillian Anderson is set to star in White Bird: A Wonder Story from director Marc Forster. The film is an adaptation of R.J. Palacio’s graphic novel of the same name, which is part of the Wonder series of books. The first book in the series was adapted into a movie in 2017, and was subsequently nominated for multiple awards, including a Critic’s Choice Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. “White Bird: A Wonder Story” focuses on a young Jewish girl hidden away by a family in Nazi-occupied France during World War II.
– Abrams Books has purchased the rights to “Goodbye to All of You” by Alexander Lu and Tara Kurtzhals. The middle-grade graphic novel follows two Chinese-American siblings who wake up in a space between the Earth and the afterlife, after the death of their mother. As the two make peace with their past, they’ll also have to make peace with one another. The book is set to come out in 2022.
– First Second has acquired the rights to two separate graphic novels. The first is titled “Saving Sunshine” and is written by Saadia Faruqi with art by Shazleen Khan. In it, bickering twins Zara and Zeeshan must put their ongoing feud aside when they find a sick turtle on the beach that needs their care. The middle-grade graphic novel is set to come out in 2023. Additionally, the publisher has purchased “Cover Your Tracks” by Bowen McCurdy. This YA graphic novel follows a newlywed lesbian couple who sleep through the apocalypse, and must find a way to survive in its wake. The book is set to come out in 2024.
– Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Random House, has purchased the rights to “Paws,” a middle-grade graphic novel series by Michele Assarasakorn and Eisner Award-nominee Nathan Fairbairn. The books focus on three girls who start a dog-walking service together. Along the way, they learn that running a business isn’t as easy as they thought it would be, and keeping their friendship together may be even harder.
