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, we interviewed Zach Weinersmith about his career. We also discussed comics we’ll be reading whilst we can’t get to our local comic shops in Comics Should Be New.
– Dark Horse Manga announced plans to release an English translation of “Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!.” The series by Sumito Oowara tells the story of Asakusa, Mizusaki, and Kanamori, three high school girls who start a club called Eizouken. Their aim for the club is to make science fiction anime, although with a small school budget and a rundown warehouse for a studio, the odds are stacked against them. The series was adapted into a Crunchyroll anime of the same name, which debuted in January. “Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!” Vol. 1 will be released on September 2.
– Marvel released a statement to Direct Market comic book retailers detailing that they will not be releasing any of their titles scheduled for release today, April 1, in either print or digital format. This follows from last week’s announcement by Diamond Comic Distributors that they will be ceasing distribution of new titles from today. Marvel Entertainment president Dan Buckley described the publishing situation as “fluid… with details changing every day.” The revised release dates for their April 1 titles have not been announced at this time.
Similarly, Image Comics confirmed that their titles set for release today will not be released digitally or in print, with an alternative release date not yet scheduled. These titles are: “20XX” #4, “Birthright” #43, “Copra” #6, “Exorsisters” #6, “Nailbiter Returns” #1, “Outcast” #45, “Postal: Deliverance” #8, “Savage Dragon” #248, and “Ludocrats” #1. Diamond Comic Distributors also confirmed that “Savage Dragon” #251 and the rest of the series has officially been canceled until print distribution resumes, following creator Erik Larsen’s statement last week that he doesn’t want to release the series digitally without print copies also being available.
– The DC Comics titles rescheduled for digital release on April 29 were removed from comiXology and Kindle. The titles had originally been scheduled for release today and were only rescheduled to April 29 on Monday. A new release date for the titles has not been given. Their digital-first comics, as well as digital reprints and collections remain unaffected.
– Stan Heidmann, President of Geppi Family Enterprises, the owners of Diamond Comic Distributors, wrote a letter to their Diamond vendors (publishers and manufacturers of collectables, etc.) to inform them of their decision to “hold payments to vendors previously scheduled to release this week” as they are “no longer receiving consistent payments from our customers” following the outbreak of COVID-19. Heidmann closed by stating that they are “committed to building out a plan for payment and will have more information to share later this week.”
– Archie Comics have announced that artist Dan Parent is drawing original portraits of individuals of your choice, including yourself or a family member. In addition, Parent is also commissioning original headshots of Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Sabrina and Josie. You can order a commission here.
– The artwork for the first ever “Flash Gordon” comic strip, by Alex Raymond, sold for $480,000, a record for a comic strip. The strip, which launched in January 1934, went on to have a huge influence upon popular culture, with Marvel Comics co-creator Jack Kirby citing its importance to him, as well as being a reason for the existence of Star Wars, with George Lucas coming up with the film after having attempts to acquire the film rights for “Flash Gordon” rejected. The auction also saw Raymond’s first “Jungle Jim” strip sell for $90,000.
– Via press release, Asmodee Entertainment announced that they will be partnering with Dark Horse Comics to publish licensed art books based on their tabletop games. The three currently planned art books are based on Fantasy Flight Games’s Android, Arkham Horror, and KeyForge universes, with each book featuring “never-before-seen production art and commentary.” Android sees players in the role of investigators in the distant future, in the city of New Angeles and the Moon colony of Heinlein, solving crimes, uncovering conspiracies, or finding happiness. Arkham Horror transports players to the 1920s where they have to fight against H.P. Lovecraft-inspired alien entities. Keyforge is set on the Crucible, a world created by the combination of other planets’s pieces, and pits two players against each other in the role of Archons seeking to unlock the Crucible’s Vault and learn its knowledge. The first of the books is set for release at the end of this year, or early next year.
– Lorne Balfe (Mission: Impossible – Fallout) has replaced Alexandre Desplat as the composer for the upcoming Black Widow. Desplat was announced as the composer for the film’s score earlier this year and it remains unclear what has prompted the change. Black Widow is set to star Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour and Rachel Weisz, although it is currently without a release date following its removal from May 1 as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
