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.
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– Diamond Comic Distributors have canceled their 2020 Retailer Summit due to coronavirus. The summit was scheduled to take place on April 14-16, in conjunction with MegaCon in Orlando, Florida.
– New York City’s MoCCA (Museum of Comic Cartoon Art) Arts Festival has also been postponed due to coronavirus concerns. The two-day comics festival was scheduled for April 4 and 5 and had over 500 artists scheduled to attend. The rescheduled dates for the festival have not yet been announced.
– Production on Falcon and the Winter Soldier has reportedly been shut down due to growing concerns over coronavirus. Production began in Prague last week but due to the government closing down schools and placing restrictions on events and travel, the studio halted the production and sent cast and crew back to Atlanta. There has been no word on if the series premiere will be delayed from its scheduled release in August.
– In other Marvel/Disney news, Variety has confirmed that Richard E. Grant will be joining the cast of Disney+ series, Loki. The details of the role are being kept under wraps but a source says that Grant will only appear in a single episode. The series is set for an early 2021 debut.
– Marvel have announced that Avengers Campus at Disneyland Resort, California, will officially open on July 18. Avengers Campus includes two immersive attractions, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! and Webslingers: A Spider-Man Adventure, featuring the voice of Tom Holland as the attraction’s Spider-Man. The campus will also include merchandise locations and a quick-service restaurant.
– A preview party for the Midwest premiere of the Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes exhibition will be taking place on March 26, 2020, at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. The traveling exhibition covers the 80+ year legacy and impact of the Marvel Universe. The preview party begins at 5:30pm and will include an “X-Men: The Marvel Mutantverse” panel discussion with exhibition curator Ben Saunders, and creators Chris Claremont and Ann Nocenti. Tickets to the preview party are $45, which include a timed entry into the exhibition, and are available at thehenryford.org.
– Sci-fi brand Heavy Metal has partnered with DiGa Studios in order to expand its reach outside of comics and into television, film, and more. DiGa Studios will serve as the production company for all Heavy Metal content beyond print. Currently, there a plans to develop content for film, television, and podcasts from Heavy Metal’s 40-year backlog of content. Heavy Metal magazine launched in 1977 and has been in publication since.
– Valiant Entertainment have announced that Heather Antos and Lysa Hawkins have been promoted to Senior Editors. Antos and Hawkins both have had extensive and acclaimed careers in the comics industry, and have been influential in the return of some fan-favorite characters at Valiant. Hawkins is currently editing “Bloodshot” and “Rai.” Antos is currently editing the comedy series, “Quantum and Woody,” as well as upcoming titles, “The Final Witness,” “X-O Manowar,” and “Shadowman.”
