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.
– DC solicitations for June are making the rounds, and among the collections is a new printing of “Absolute Authority,” collecting the initial Warren Ellis, Bryan Hitch, Paul Neary 12 issue run, “Planetary/The Authority” #1 and a new Authority story by Ellis, Hitch and Neary. Ellis has commented that he feels that “The Authority” is a ‘finished story,’ so this is an interesting announcement. Whether or not the story was written in during the original run or not is not yet known.
– Archie Comics as an institution has been around for around seventy five years, and with the Mark Ward and Fiona Staples-led relaunch in 2015, and the CW incarnation of the story in Riverdale, there are a lot more and a greater variety of eyes on the long running story. Today a story called ‘Over the Edge’ was announced for the flagship “Archie” comic series, which will feature a dead mans curve sort of road race between Archie and Reggie and will culminate in the death of a Riverdale resident. Mark Waid and Pete Woods will be the creative team behind this story, and it will run from “Archie” #20 to #22 with a pivotal ominous call happening in issue #21.
– The Librarians from TNT is getting a comic adaptation from Dynamite Entertainment; their CEO and publisher Nick Barrucci has been a fan of the show and he compares it to Indiana Jonesas the show features a secret society working out of the Metropolitan Public Library protecting an unsuspecting world from the reality of ever present magic.
– “Magnus” makes the second announcement from Dynamite Entertainment today from creators Kyle Higgins (“Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers”) and Jorge Fornés (“Amazing Xmen”). The book takes a different approach, with the character presenting in in the Black Mirror-like near future with a cloud AI realm living in tense symbiosis with humanity. Along with a change in the plot, there will be a different protagonist: Dr. Kerri Magnus, a psychiatrist who works both with humans and AI, and is one of the few people able to remain sane when uploaded to the AI cloud.The book will also have a “Turok” backup story by Chuck Wendig (“Hyperion”) and Àlavero Serrasecca (“Witchblade”), continuing the strip from “The Sovereigns.”
– While still on the Dynamite kick, Multiversity alum/upcoming “Youngblood” writer Chad Bowers, along with Chris Sims and Mauro Vargas will be launching “Ash Vs. The Evil Dead” for the publisher this June. The first issue, like many Dynamite books of late, will have a deeply discounted first issue. Congrats, Chad!
– Marvel has cancelled yet another book, with “Foolkiller” being axed as of today’s issue 5. This is part of a pattern of Marvel books recently being cancelled in the page of the final issue, as opposed to being solicited as ending. This trend really started with some of the All-New All-Different relaunch titles “Black Knight,” “Angela Queen of Hel,” and “Mockingbird”.
–Darby Pop announced the winners of its third annual ‘Breaking Into Comics’ contest for writers and artists. This year’s winning writers Adam Breen and Richard Casey will have their 11 page stories see print with art provided by Steven Defendini Gary Deslauriers, both prior contest winners. The stories will be included in the “Side-Kicks” second printing out this summer.
–Aftershock Comics has signed an exclusive world wide distribution rights contract with Diamond Book Distributors, joining the long time likes of DC, Marvel, Dark Horse Comics, Image, and IDW to have agreements with the juggernaut distributor.
– Iron Fist co-creator Roy Thomas was in the news today for a series of comments about his frustration with fans’ anger at the cultural appropriation/white-washing of Iron Fist.
-Four more potential directors were named for Suicide Squad 2, alongside the previously named Mel Gibson.
-And, finally, actors Michael Peña and Judy Greer don’t know if they will be featured in Antman and the Wasp, which would be foolish, as both were excellent in Ant-Man.
