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, we have an exclusive preview of next week’s “Daredevil: Gang War” #4.
– Todd McFarlane Productions has renamed the Spawn Universe “The New U” following “Spawn” #350, with “Sam & Twitch: Case Files” being the first title to be part of it. The Image imprint promises “a next-level reading experience featuring gripping storylines, dynamic characters, and jaw-dropping plot twists,” but also adds that each book will retain “low introductory price points” (such as $2.99 or $3.99). McFarlane will write “Sam & Twitch: Case Files,” with Jon Goff co-plotting and Szymon Kudrański providing art. The series is set to feature “true-crime style murder mystery cases” that “showcase film noir aesthetics, and unfold like an R-rated drama.” The first issue is due out March 27.
Titles set to join The New U include “Rat City” from Erica Schultz and Zé Carlos in April, and “Monolith” by Sean Lewis and Valerie Giangiordano in May. Image has also teased a number of miniseries releasing between June and August (“Misery,” “Medieval Spawn,” “Spawn Kills Every Spawn,” and “Violator”), two new titles in August (“Knights vs. Samurai”) and September (“Deadly Tales”), and the bi-monthly “No Home Here” in October. Other titles mentioned with few details were “Focus,” “Spawn: The Dark Ages,” “She-Spawn,” “Bloodletter,” and “Spawn 77.”
– “The Silver Coin” creator Michael Walsh will both write and draw “Universal Monsters: Frankenstein,” a four-issue miniseries reimagining the classic 1931 film, released in partnership between Universal Pictures and Skybound. Issue #1 features Dr. Henry Frankenstein stealing hands from the corpse of a decorated police officer, only to cross paths the corpse’s son. This will be the third in the “Universal Monsters” line, following “Dracula” from James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds, and this April’s “Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives” by Ram V, Dan Watters, and Matthew Roberts. “Frankenstein” #1 is set to hit shelves on August 28, 2024.
– Tony Parker (“This Damned Band,” “God of War”) will write and illustrate the original graphic novel “Medusa” for Dark Horse Comics, which promises that everything we know about the mythological gorgon “is a lie.” Featuring colors by Tamra Bonvillain, the book reimagines the title creature as a monster hunter, who meets a new challenge in Scotland that makes even the gods themselves afraid. It will be released in paperback in bookstores on October 1, 2024, and comics shops the following day.
– Self-professed “gender-non confirming, lesbian werewolf” Ren Strapp will write and draw “How Could You,” her debut graphic novel from Oni Press. The book follows four college upperclassmen navigating “increasingly complicated relationships with others, all while trying to figure out who they are as they careen toward post-grad adulthood.” The book sees character Molly enlist her friend Lou to help her find a rebound relationship, only for the two of them to fall for the same girl, and Molly’s two exes fall for each other as they study abroad in France. Stall says “How Could You” is “for anyone who made mistakes, who spoke unkindly, who was selfish, who lost friends, who lost themselves. It’s for people stumbling into adulthood, carrying guilt over faux pas, betrayal, and not making amends when you could.” It’s due out December 17.
– Principal photography has begun on James Gunn’s upcoming Superman feature, which has undergone a name change. According to posts on his Instagram and Threads accounts, Gunn says, “When I finished the first draft of the script, I called the film Superman: Legacy. By the time I locked the final draft, it was clear the title was SUPERMAN.” The planned release date has been set for July 11, 2025. Gunn ended both posts by acknowledging Clark Kent’s canonical date of birth (February 29), wishing him a happy birthday.
– Matthew Vaughn’s next feature will be The Stuntman, which will be part of a trilogy set in the Kick-Ass universe. The Stuntman will actually be the second film in the trilogy, with the first being the as-yet unreleased School Fight. In an interview with Collider last month, Vaughn referred to the planned second installment as “Vram,” with the third being a reboot of the original Kick-Ass. Vaughn’s only set to produce the proposed trilogy, with longtime collaborator (and former stuntman) Damien Walters set to direct.
– Finally, Production IG and the production committee behind the Kaiju No. 8 anime have revealed the major names appearing on the series’ soundtrack. In an announcement via social media, they revealed the opening theme would be “Abyss” by YUNGBLUD, with “Nobody” by OneRepublic closing each episode. This is the first time an anime has tapped western performers for intro/outros themes. The anime is set to debut in the US and Japan concurrently on April 13, streaming on Crunchroll, and on Twitter worldwide in real-time when it airs in Japan, at the same time as the TV broadcast.
