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.
– Daniel Freedman and CROM (Cristian Ortiz), the creative duo behind “Raiders,” are returning to Dark Horse to publish their dark fantasy series “Birdking,” starting with an OGN of the first volume. The series follows Bianca, the young apprentice of a magic blacksmith, who is forced to flee her home and seek the fabled land of Atlas, all while being guided by the mysterious spirit of the Birdking. “’Birdking’ has been living in my head for years,” said CROM. “Invading my thoughts and waiting for the right story that would bring him to life in the only way a wraith of his caliber deserves. Fire, magic, undead champions, necromancers, skulls and fat swords, this book has it all. I can’t imagine a better playground to lark about in. I’m loving it.” The first 160-page volume in the series releases September 13, for US$19.99 with a cover by CROM.
– DC Universe Infinite has finally announced a global rollout plan after being a US-exclusive since its launch. As of this writing, the service is now available in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with a UK release set for April 28. Brazil and Mexico should receive access in Summer 2022, with other regions promised to be incorporated into the rollout soon. The service began in 2018 as DC Universe and was both a comics and streaming platform; it was rebranded in 2021 as the primarily comics platform DC Universe Infinite, after the TV and film segments were folded in WarnerMedia’s HBO Max service. Monthly and annual subscriptions will cost $9.99/$89.99 CAD, $9.99/$99.99 AUD, $9.99/$99.99 NZD and £6.99/£54.99, depending on region, with special discounts available for those who sign up soon in the 30 days after launch in their region. The service has a 25,000 comic back catalogue, including some digital-first series. New comics launch on the service with a six-month delay after their print release.
– To celebrate the 60th anniversary of Spider-Man, Marvel and Quatro will be releasing Spider-Man: A History and Celebration of the Web-Slinger, Decade by Decade!, a hardcover featuring interviews, images and behind-the-scenes from the creation and publication of Spider-Man. The history is written by Peter David, Robert Greenberger and Matthew Manning. The book releases September 6 in comics shops and book stores.
– Marvel have made ‘She-Hulk: Law and Disorder,’ ‘Ms. Marvel: No Normal,’ “America Chavez: Made In The USA” and ‘Thor: The Goddess of Thunder’ available to read for free until April 25 to celebrate the ‘Women of Marvel.’ The four stories act as modern entry points to the four heroines set to make their debut in 2022 Marvel Studios productions. Users can access the free comics through Marvel Unlimited.
– Netflix’s live-action One Piece series has officially cast Peter Gadiot as Shanks, the head of the Red Hair pirates, and the hero who inspired Luffy to become the infamous Straw Hat Pirate. The actor, who is known for his roles in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Yellowjackets, will be playing a younger version of the Pirate, as the series covers his prime during the East Blue saga. He will star alongside Inaki Godoy, Emily Rudd, Mackenyu, Taz Skylar, Jacob Romero Gibson, Morgan Davis, Aidan Scott, and Ilia Isorelys Paulino in the series developed by Steven Maeda and Matt Owens. The series is currently filming and has no set release window.
– Meanwhile, the CW has two new additions, respectively, to Stargirl and its Gotham Knights pilot with Tim Gabriel as Obsidian, the son of Green Lantern Alan Scott, and Anna Lore as Stephanie Brown, aka Spoiler/Batgirl. Gabriel will star alongside Ysa Penarejo, who plays his twin sister Jade. The queer hero has the power of shadow manipulation, and eventually ended up fighting his sister and the JSA in the comics. Season 3 of Stargirl has no set release as of yet. Lore is joining the teen cast of Gotham Knights as another honorary ‘child of Batman’ alongside Fallon Smythe’s Harper Row/Bluebird and Navia Ziraili Robinson’s Carrie Kelly/Robin. Lore is known for her regular roles in All American and Doom Patrol, and will be a series regular if Gotham Knights is successfully greenlit.
Continued below– Filming of Snowpiercer season 4 is now underway in Vancouver, with Paul Zbyszewski (LOST) taking over as showrunner and executive producer from Graeme Manson (who oversaw the show’s first three seasons.) Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s Clark Gregg and Tony Award winner Michael Aronov (The Americans) have also joined the cast in undisclosed roles.
– BBC has announced the second of this year’s three Doctor Who specials, “Legend of the Sea Devils,” will premiere on Sunday, April 17, and released a short trailer for the episode. A pirate story, “Legend of the Sea Devils” will follow an invasion from the title creatures in the 19th century, and the machinations of real life pirate queen Madame Ching. The Sea Devils first appeared in Doctor Who season 9 back in 1972, making them adversaries of the Third Doctor. The third and final special, set for a fall release, will mark Jodie Whittaker’s final appearance as the Thirteenth Doctor.
– Finally, the superhero comic “Black” by Kwanza Osajyefo, Tim Smith, Jamal Igle and Khary Randolph, is officially getting a film adaptation at Warner Bros. by writer/director Gerard McMurray and Studio 8. The Black Mask comic series is set in a world where Black people are the only bearers of superpowers, causing governments and secret societies to react with violent suppression. The original 2016 series followed Kareem Jenkins, whose powers manifest after he’s wrongfully shot by police. McMurray is best known for directing Burning Sands and The First Purge, and was also an associate producer on his USC classmate Ryan Coogler’s feature film debut, Fruitvale Station.
