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, “Hellboy” creator Mike Mignola is going to be the focus of an upcoming documentary, and we have an exclusive preview of this month’s “Hollow Heart” #2.
– The organizers behind San Diego Comic-Con have announced that the upcoming 2021 edition of the famed pop-culture extravaganza will not be held in person. Though the convention acknowledges that they are pleased to see COVID-19 vaccinations rolling out on a global scale, they do not project that they will be able to hold the event safely by July. Instead, San Diego Comic-Con will once again host Comic-Con@Home via their social media channels from July 23-25. Along with this news, the convention organization announced that plans are in the works for a smaller San Diego-based comic book convention for this November, though specific details for that event are not available at this time.
– Netflix continued to tease their upcoming adaptation of “Jupiter’s Legacy” by Mark Millar and Frank Quitely. The streaming platform released a new trailer that showcases the transformation from comic book to TV series, giving fans their first look at the main cast for the show. The series stars Josh Duhamel as Sheldon Sampson aka the Utopian, as well as Ben Daniels as Walter Sampson aka Brainwave, Leslie Bibb as Grace Sampson aka Lady Liberty, and Elena Kampouris as Chloe Sampson, the daughter of Sheldon and Grace. Jupiter’s Legacy will be debuting on Netflix May 7.
– The cast of the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series is beginning to take shape, with actress Indira Varma joining the show. Disney has not given any details on her role in the series. Varma is known for her role on Game of Thrones as Ellaria Sand, as well as for her roles on Carnival Row and the ABC legal drama For Life. She joins stars Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, who will reprise their roles as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader. The show is set to begin filming later this month.
– The final season of The Walking Dead is on the horizon and actor Michael James Shaw has joined the cast. Shaw will be playing the role of Mercer, a popular character from the comic book series who made his debut towards the end of its run. Shaw can currently be seen on the CBS TV series Blood & Treasure. He previously played the role of Corvus Glaive in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
– Vault Comics announced that they have signed a new distribution agreement with Simon & Shuster, Inc. This new partnership will take effect on May 1, 2021, and will expand Vault’s presence in books stores worldwide. In a statement, Vault CEO & Publisher Damian Wassel said, “As Vault continues to expand our catalog, break ground in film, television, and other media, and reach new fans, we know we’ll be able to count on the team at S&S to support our growth for years to come.”
– Scout Comics has announced that they have signed a deal with Lunar Distribution to sell their comics, trade paperbacks, and merchandise. This new contract is a non-exclusive deal, meaning that Scout books will still be available through Diamond Comics Distribution as well, offering retailers more options on how they would like to order their books. In a statement, Scout CEO Brendan Deneen said, “We are thrilled for Lunar to help get out books into readers’ hands, and for more people than ever to discover the unique brand of Scout excellence.”
– TKO Studios has released a new wave of short horror comics for order on their website. The first is “Dame From the Dark” by writer Rob Pilkington and artist Kit Mills, which focuses on a private detective and his spirit comrade as they teach a magician a lesson on the laws of magic. Then, writer Alex Paknadel and artist Jen Hickman present “Hand Me Down,” which tells the tale of a couple working through their failing marriage, when they get invited to a glitzy party with a demonic presence. And lastly, “Killiamsburgh” by writer Erick Freitas and artist Jelena Dordevic-Maksimovic tells a story about Brooklyn hipsters caught fighting off a zombie horde during the middle of a ’90s themed party.
– The Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) announced their nominees for the 68th Annual Golden Reel Awards, which honor significant works in the field of post-production sound design. Amongst the nominees are Wonder Woman 1984 for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Underscore and Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Effects/Foley; The Boys for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Episodic Long Form – Music/Musical; and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Episodic Short Form – Dialogue/ADR, and Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Episodic Short Form – Effects/Foley. Other nominees include The Mandalorian and Spider-Man: Miles Morales for the PlayStation.
– Finally, Ninjababy, a Norwegian dramedy film, has been picked up for distribution across Eastern Europe and Asia through TrustNordisk. The film is an adaption of the graphic novel “Fallteknik” by Inga H. Saetre, and made its worldwide premiere at the 2021 Tromso International Film Festival. It tells the tale of Rakel, a single, young woman who discovers that she is pregnant – much to her dismay. To cope with her pregnancy, she imagines the fetus going on adventures inside her uterus, and nicknames the child Ninjababy. The film will be screened in the Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival)’s Generation strand later this week.
