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, comiXology announced the superhero series “The Final Girls,” Vault announced the new fantasy series “Barbaric,” and Marvel Comics announced an exclusive direct market distribution partnership with Penguin Random House Publisher Services. We also have an exclusive preview of next week’s “X-Men” #19.
and Stef Purenins
– From The Beat, Dark Horse is putting out another middle-grade graphic novel in the world of Minecraft. “Minecraft Volume 3” comes from the team behind volumes 1 and 2 – writer Sfé R. Monster, artists Sarah Graley and Stef Purenins, and letterer John J. Hill – and follows the same group of young heroes introduced in the previous two volumes. The story finds Candace, Evan, Grace, Tobi, and Tyler arriving in a strange corner of the Nether that they have never seen, facing new threats and working together as a group to overcome the unknown. “Minecraft Volume 3” comes out on October 26.
– IDW has announced a new art book featuring the work of legendary Marvel artist John Buscema. Via ICv2, the 176-page hardcover “John Buscema’s Marvel Heroes Artist’s Edition” will feature stories, covers, and interiors from Buscema’s mid-60s to the late-70s work, including complete stories from “Avengers” and “Sub-Mariner,” as well as examples of his art from “Fantastic Four” and “Thor.” The artbook hits shelves in October.
– Via ICv2, Dark Horse is collecting “Nexus: The Newspaper Strips” by writer Mike Baron, artist Steve Rude, and colorist Steven Legge in a trade paperback. Originally self-published, Rude previously wanted to release “Nexus” in a Sunday newspaper format, producing eight papers in 2016 after funding the project via Kickstarter. The story follows a planet-devouring creature and his mysterious ally, as they are drawn to the planet Ylum by something that lies dormant beneath the surface. The trade will feature the newspaper material alongside a newly remastered “Nexus: The Origin” comic, and a classic Sundra work by Rude, ‘When She Was Young.’ “Nexus: The Newspaper Strips” is due out in August.
– Writer Dave Baker announced on Twitter that his upcoming comic with artist Nicole Goux and colorist Ellie Hall will be serialized online. “Everyone is Tulip” follows an aspiring actress named Becca, who dons the guise of “Tulip” for an experimental video, and finds herself losing track of her own identity when she becomes the talk of the internet. “Everyone is Tulip” is due out as a graphic novel from Dark Horse in June, but the comic will be updating on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in advance of its publication at EveryoneIsTulip.com.
– A new cartoonist initiative has launched to raise awareness about life in Myanmar after the military coup earlier this year. Via Broken Frontier, The Professional Cartoonists’ Organisation, in partnership with Burma Campaign UK, have launched a social media campaign to raise awareness of the situation, and to support local artists who have been affected by the crisis. Members of the organization have been sharing drawings of themselves giving a three-fingered salute along with the hashtag #threefingers. The artwork has also been going up at ThreeFingers.org, with proceeds of any sales benefitting Mutual Aid Myanmar.
– A new Humble Bundle has dropped featuring highlights from BOOM! Studios’ 2020 releases. Humble Bundle is calling the package The Best Year of BOOM! Studios, and in many cases our own staff agrees. Several of the bundle’s offerings made our own Year in Review lists, with “Once and Future” and “Something is Killing the Children” making the list for Best Ongoing, “Alienated” getting notice for Best Completed Series, and “We Only Find Them When They’re Dead” being named our #2 Best New Series. Buyers can unlock those titles as well as buzzy books like “Seven Secrets,” “King of Nowhere,” and “Wynd” for $25 or more. Each purchase helps support the ACLU and Freedom to Read. You can pick up the bundle now through April 15.
– Nikita alumni Peter Outerbridge is joining the cast of the CW’s Batwoman. Via Deadline, Outerbridge will portray gangster and businessman Roman Sionis, aka Black Mask, for the remainder of season 2. A notorious member of Batman’s rogues gallery, Black Mask was recently portrayed on the silver screen by Ewan McGregor in last year’s Birds of Prey. Outerbridge is the second mid-season addition to the cast, after Sunday’s episode revealed actress Wallis Day was introduced as – spoilers – taking over the role of Kate Kane from the departing Ruby Rose. Batwoman airs on Sundays on the CW.
Continued below– Legendary actress, comedian and writer Jessica Walter has passed away in her sleep at the age of 80. Perhaps best known to modern audiences for her roles as Lucille Bluth on Arrested Development and Malory Archer in Archer, Walter’s career spanned six decades and featured parts in projects as varied as Columbo, Babylon 5, Joanie Loves Chachi, and Dinosaurs. Born in Brooklyn in 1941, Walter made guest appearances in countless TV episodes and movies, earning an Emmy Award in 1975 for playing the titular role in Amy Prentiss. She earned another Emmy nomination for her acclaimed turn in Arrested Development.
She put her mark on a number of comic book adaptations throughout her long career as well, appearing in the season 2 premiere of The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, portraying Morgan le Fay in the 1978 TV movie Dr. Strange, and providing the voice for Granny Goodness on the recent DC Universe/HBO Max series Harley Quinn. Remembrances poured in on social media from her co-stars and collaborators, including Aisha Tyler, Jason Bateman, Tony Hale, John Levenstein, Will Arnett, and Henry Winkler.
