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, Image Comics announced “The Good Asian” and “Time Before Time,” while Dark Horse will publish “Far Cry: Rites of Passage” and “Rangers of the Divide” in May. “They Called Us Enemy” also won the Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity.
– Studio Tapas launched “Rest Area 51,” a webcomic by writer Caleb Goellner (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures”) and artist Coleman Engle (“Steven Universe”). The series follows pre-teen Grayce Greene, as she learns that the rest stop owned by her late grandmother, styled after Area 51, is actually a home for multiple aliens. Grayce then sets out to help aliens as they come to Earth, aided by her friends, the genius engineer, Starla, and an alien called Torctus. The series will run for 24 chapters, the first three of which are available now. “Rest Area 51” will continue to be released every Wednesday and Sunday.
– At the retailer event ComicsPro, DC Comics announced they will be taking part in this year’s Free Comic Book Day, and teased a host of titles currently in development. There will be a tie-in comic for HBO Max’s Harley Quinn; an untitled 80th anniversary Wonder Woman comic; “Elseworld;” “DC Vampires;” “DC Middle Ages;” “Nubia and the Amazons;” and “Crush and Lobo;” as well as “Deathstroke Inc.,” “Robin and Batman,” “Joker: A Puzzle Box,” and “The Legend of Batman.” All of the comics are currently scheduled for release this year, though their titles are not finalised, and the creative teams have not yet been made public. Free Comic Book Day will take place this year on August 14, with the involved titles set to be unveiled during the week beginning March 15.
– Z2 Comics announced “Czarface: A Czar is Born,” which is to be written by the hip-hop group’s co-founder Seamus “Esoteric” Ryan, and illustrated by Ariel Olivetti. The graphic novel will tell the origin story of the superhero, Czarface, who has featured on many of the group’s album covers; explore the alien race, the Zarta Ku; and tell of Zach and his dog’s (a wrestling tag team) life-changing encounter with a woman at a comic convention. Czarface was formed by Esoteric with 7L and Inspectah Deck in 2013. “Czarface: A Czar is Born” is scheduled for release in August, with deluxe editions available directly from Z2.
– Viz Media announced that they will begin publishing the eponymous Animal Crossing: New Horizons manga series by Kokonasu Runpa in the US later this year. The series tells stories about some of the most famous characters from the video game, such as Tom Nook. It currently consists of two volumes and started publication in Coro Coro Comics last June. This is the second of two manga series based on the game, after Minori Katō’s series, which is not currently scheduled for a translation. The first volume, ‘Deserted Island Diary,’ will be published in English on September 14.
– The full details for the second “Reckless” graphic novel, “Friend Of The Devil,” by writer Ed Brubaker, artist Sean Phillips, and colorist Jacob Phillips, were unveiled. The story will be set in 1985 and explore the “secret occult underbelly” of Hollywood, with Ethan Reckless seeking out a missing person who has been spotted in the background of a B-movie from the ’70s. When the series was first announced, the second book had been scheduled for an April release, but is now set for May 5.
– The TV and film rights to James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds’s conspiracy-centric “Department of Truth” were bought by production banner, Sister. The current plans for the adaptation are for it to be a series, with Tynion writing the show alongside a not-yet-chosen co-writer. Tynion and Simmonds will both be executive producers on the series. The production banner, Sister, was founded by Elisabeth Murdoch, Stacey Snider, and Jane Featherstone, and has been involved in other productions like Chernobyl. A release schedule for the adaptation has not been announced.
Continued below– Zack Synder’s Justice League will be released worldwide day and date with the US on March 18, except for in China, France and Japan, WarnerMedia confirmed. The film had previously only been announced for release in the US for subscribers to HBO Max, but is now set to debut via a variety of different methods around the globe, including PVOD, HBO linear, and HBO Go for HBO Europe and HBO Asia territories. Details regarding the specific platforms for different countries is set to be announced imminently, with release dates for China, France and Japan not yet decided.
– Sasha Calle (The Young and Restless) was cast as Supergirl for the upcoming Andy Muschietti-directed movie The Flash. Muschietti revealed the news to Calle in a video call, which you can see over on his Instagram. She will be the first Latina actress to portray the character, and the film itself will be her silver screen debut. Calle will be joining the cast that also includes Ezra Miller, Ben Affleck, and Michael Keaton when the film starts production later this year. The Flash is currently scheduled for release on November 4, 2022.
– The upcoming Disney+ series Ms. Marvel added Laurel Marsden (Survive) to its cast, with her set to portray Zoe Zimmer, THR reported. Zimmer is one of the bullies at Kamala’s school and the first person she saves. Marsden joins Iman Vellani in the show’s current production in Atlanta, which is being overseen by head writer and creator Bisha K. Ali. Ms. Marvel is expected to debut on Disney+ later this year.
– Finally, Jay Edidin released A Brief Guide to the Comics Industry for Mental Health Professionals, a document he has been developing over the last six months with other comic book industry workers, to aid mental health professionals who have comic professional clients. It introduces the industry’s culture and the common problems individuals within it may experience. The guide is available on Gumroad at your chosen price.
