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, Marvel announced a new, five-part Jessica Jones miniseries called “The Variants.” We also had an exclusive preview of “Archie Jumbo Comics Digest” #328.
– Via LGBTQReads, Dark Horse Comics revealed the cover for the upcoming graphic novel “The Marble Queen,” by writer Anna Kopp and artist Gabrielle Kari. The YA book will see Princess Amelia seeking to restore her kingdom by way of marriage after pirates have blighted their trade routes; after receiving an offer from the mysterious country of Iliad, Amelia sets out for her new life, only to discover the royalty she has given her hand to belongs to Queen Salira. In Iliad, Amelia must navigate her own anxieties, and the “strange new feelings” that have been instilled in her by Salira, as well as uncover the truth about the darkness “behind the Queen’s sorrowful eyes” before the outbreak of war.
– Publishers Weekly reported on seven new graphic novel deals last week. Included in the septet was “The Dark Room,” the first in a YA horror series by writer Victoria Setian and artist Savanna Ganucheau, which was acquired in a two-book deal by Abrams/Amulet. “The Dark Room” will follow Mina, a young photographer, who becomes incredibly intrigued by the mystery surrounding a recent shipwreck, and simultaneously begins to suspect that Raf, the brooding new addition to her school, is hiding a secret. “The Dark Room” is set to debut in Fall 2024. Among the other graphic novel deals were “Wake Now in the Fire,” Jarrett Dapier and AJ Dungo’s retelling of the true story of Chicago high schoolers who fought against the school system’s banning of “Persepolis;” and Caroline Palmer’s “Camp Prodigy,” the story of two non-binary violists who work together to improve each other’s technique and confidence at an orchestra summer camp. You can read the full list of deals and all of their details here.
– Declan Shalvey and Rory McConville announced that the proceeds made from Ukrainian artist Vlad Legostaev’s upcoming variant covers for “Time Before Time” #13 and #14 will be donated to the Ukrainian Red Cross. Legostaev’s involvement with the issues had been planned prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but Shalvey said that afterwards they sought Legostaev’s permission, and “decided to use his art to try to raise money for those suffering in Ukraine,” in the hope that “Vlad’s art can help his homeland, in some small way.” “Time Before Time” #13 will be released on June 8, with #14 following on July 6. Both covers can be previewed at Image Comics.
– Arledge Comics founder Jordaan Arledge launched a campaign to support transgender children in the wake of anti-trans legislation that has been introduced in the US in recent weeks. The campaign, which is being hosted on fundraising website Zoop, features a sword-and-shield pin badge that reads “Protect Trans Kids.” The proceeds from the campaign are set to be donated to the Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT), with Aledge explaining, “I was a transgender kid. I’m alive and well today because I have parents that love and support me – and parents that settled in a state I could grow up safely in. Unfortunately, as we’re seeing in Texas, not everyone has this privilege.” The campaign needed $400 to cover the production costs before all proceeds could be donated and, at the time of writing, the campaign has amassed $490.
– Cartoonist Crockett Johnson’s 1955 children’s book, Harold and the Purple Crayon, is set to be adapted into a Broadway musical by TEG Plus, Variety reported. AJR, the pop group who will be writing the songs for the musical, said the show will see a grown up Harold “realizing that his problems are too profound to simply draw away.” A book writer has not yet been signed to the project, though Vivek J. Tiwary has been confirmed as a producer. A window for a potential opening date has not yet been revealed.
Continued below– Deadpool 3 found its director in Shawn Levy, Deadline reported. The filmmaker most recently collaborated with the actor responsible for the Merc with a Mouth, Ryan Reynolds, on The Adam Project and Free Guy. Reynolds tweeted that “the third film in my Shawn Levy trilogy will be a tad more stabby,” with a photo of Deadpool alongside Reynolds’s characters from the previously mentioned films. A release date for the film has not been announced, but we do know that Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are writing the script, taking over from Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin, who were responsible for a previous draft.
In further Marvel directing news, composer Michael Giacchino was attached to direct the upcoming and as-yet-untitled Disney+ Marvel Halloween Special. Details about the special are otherwise scarce, with the only known details being that Gael Garcia Bernal and Laura Donnelly are set to star in unannounced roles, and that its working title is ‘Werewolf By Night.’ The latter gives fans a potential suggestion at its content. The special is set to enter production by the end of this month ahead of its expected Halloween period debut.
– Sony Pictures announced that the company’s business with Russia is now paused in its entirety following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. The company had previously halted the upcoming release of Morbius, but have now gone further to stop the upcoming home release of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and the conclusion of any “future television distribution deals.” Furthermore, the anime streaming platform Crunchyroll, which Sony owns, has been suspended in Russia.
– There were updates on two major comic book TV shows: firstly, Amazon Prime Video released a redband teaser trailer for the upcoming third season of The Boys, which teases Butcher (Karl Urban) having superpowers, and gives us our first look at Crimson Countess (Laurie Holden) in action, as well as Homelander (Antony Starr) milking a cow. Secondly, Netflix revealed that The Umbrella Academy will be returning for its third season on June 22, along with a brief teaser depicting the members of the Umbrella Academy coming face-to-face with their Sparrow Academy counterparts. The Boys season 3 is scheduled to debut on Amazon Prime Video on June 3 with the redband teaser trailer available here, whilst the Umbrella Academy teaser can be watched here.
– Finally, the Walt Disney Company’s CEO, Bob Chapek, announced in a company email that the company will temporarily cease all of its political donations in the state of Florida. The move comes days after a huge backlash erupted over Chapek declining to condemn the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, and stating that the “biggest impact we can have in creating a more inclusive world is through the inspiring content we produce.” In his latest email, Chapek wrote “It is clear that this is not just an issue about a bill in Florida, but instead yet another challenge to basic human rights,” continuing by apologizing to their LGBTQ+ employees, and stating “You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down.” The ceasing of political donations is set to be temporary, subject to an establishing of a “new framework for our political giving that will ensure our advocacy better reflects our values,” with updates due “in the coming weeks.” On a more immediate note, Chapek states the company will be “increasing our support for advocacy groups to combat similar legislation in other states.” The full email can be read here.
