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 over the weekend, Valiant announced a new miniseries for 2019, “The Life and Death of Toyo Harada,” Archie Comics revealed “Archie Superteens VS Crusaders,” and Diamond are hoping to make preordering comics easier with the app PULLBOX along with DC getting their own Previews catalog like Marvel.
– Kicking off, a number of Marvel creators have announced that their contracts have finished with the company and they are moving on to other projects. Current “Captain America” artist Chris Samnee has revealed that the anniversary #700 issue is his last work with the company and he has other projects lined up that he will announce soon. Artist Gabriel Hernandez Walta is also finished at Marvel after the recent “Doctor Strange” #385. Writer David Walker also revealed that with the cancellation of “Luke Cage” he is finished as well. With Marvel’s new “fresh start” will there be more turnover? What will these creators do next?
– A GoFundMe has been set up for Marvel colorist Justin Ponsor to help cover some of his medical costs for his current cancer treatments. The fundraiser was set up by one of his friends, Alex Car, and they are hoping to raise $50,000. If you would like to contribute, the info can be found here.
– The publishing dates for the titles from DC’s newest imprints, DC Ink and DC Zoom, have been revealed with an ambitious slate to be released starting this fall and going through next year. DC’s new imprint will focus on all-ages and young adult titles, folding in the current “DC Super Hero Girls” graphic novels. You can find the entire publishing slate with dates here.
– Constantin Film and Netflix’s upcoming movie Polar has added actors Vanessa Hudgens, Katheryn Winnick, and Matt Lucas, alongside previously announced actor Mads Mikkelsen. The film is based on the Dark Horse graphic novel “Polar: Came From the Cold” by Victor Santos, about a retired assassin who goes on the run from younger assassins when his firm decides he’s a liability. The film is scheduled to come out on Netflix sometime next year.
– Black Panther is shattering more records, becoming the fourth film ever to pass $100 million domestically in its second weekend, with the second highest grossing second weekend ever. The film also earned the highest weekday totals for a Marvel film ever this last week, and has earned $704 million worldwide, and is still yet to open in China. You can find our review of the film here, and a look at the film on Make Mine Multiversity as well. Wakanda Forever!
– Writer Roxanne Gay, known for her books Bad Feminist and Hunger tweeted out following the reveal that Joss Whedon would no longer be writing and directing Batgirl, “Hey @DCComics I can write your batgirl movie, no prob.” The tweet was soon replied to by Warner Bros. Vice President Michele Wells asking Gay to email her if she was truly serious. Gay previously contributed to Marvel’s “Black Panther: World of Wakanda” series. Former “Batgirl” writer Gail Simone also threw her hat in the ring and has said she’d co-write with Gay.
– Filming on Valiant’s upcoming Bloodshot movie is reportedly scheduled to begin in May with Vin Diesel in the title role. The filming will take place at Origo Film Studio in Budapest, Hungary and in Capetown, South Africa, although it is possible work on Furious 9 could delay production. The film is set to be directed by Dave Wilson with a script from Eric Heisserer.
– Gene Ha’s creator-owned series “Mae” is moving from Dark Horse to Lion Forge for a reprint and sequel. The unnamed six-issue follow up to the first volume will begin June 20th alongside a reprint of volume one. The series initially came to life on Kickstarter in 2015 before being printed and distributed by Dark Horse.
– Brian Michael Bendis, Michael Avon Oeming, and Taki Soma are contributing a story to the JH Williams III organized Image Comic anthology “Where We Live” in response to the mass shooting that took place last October in Las Vegas. In more Bendis news, DC also revealed the full colored version of the Ivan Reis connecting covers for Bendis’ upcoming “Man of Steel.” Bendis also plans to be at ECCC this weekend to reveal the details of his Jinxworld titles at DC.
– A number of series’ from indie publishers have been cancelled or delayed recently. Phil Hester and Tony Harris’ Aftershock series “Blood Blister” has been cancelled after two issues. Titan Comics has pulled orders on “Warhammer 40000: Deathwatch” by Aaron Dembski Bowden and Tazio Bettin with the option of resoliciting in the future. Finally, Jonathan Hickman and Ryan Bodenheim’s “The Dying & The Dead” has been put on hiatus (again).
