Welcome back to The Rundown, our daily breakdown of 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, the indie video game Yooka-Laylee is getting a graphic novel sequel, underground comix artist Leslie Sternbergh has passed away, and Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt, and Tyler Crook will be releasing “Manor Black” with Dark Horse. We also have an exclusive preview of next week’s “Star Wars: Age Of Rebellion – Grand Moff Tarkin.”
– Simon Furman and Geoff Senior, the creative team behind some of the ’80s “Transformers” comics, “Death’s Head,” and “Dragon’s Claws,” will be doing a 10-issue mini-series called “To the Death.” The series will follow a soldier returning from off-world wars, only to find himself caught in a different struggle and marked for death as he returns home. It promises, “widescreen kinetic action all the way, building to a truly Earth-shattering conclusion.” The series is eschewing traditional distribution through Diamond and instead partnering with Comic Toolbox, a new indie comics portal with a dedicated online local shop distribution service. The book will officially launch in May at MCM London Comic Con.
– Speaking of Diamond, Syracuse-based publisher AHOY Comics has just signed an agreement with them for their comics and OGNs. This will be just in time for the recently acquired “Second Coming” by Mark Russell and Richard Pace.
– Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop has found its Spike in John Cho (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, Star Trek). Rounding out the rest of the main cast will be Mustafa Shakir (Luke Cage) as Jet Black, Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) as Faye Valentine, and Alex Hassel as the main antagonist, Vicious. Also announced is that frequent Marvel TV director Alex Garcia Lopez will be helming the first two episodes of the series.
– Artist Gabriel Picolo’s upcoming “Icarus and the Sun” is now the most funded comic of all time on Indiegogo with $589,990 raised so far on a $20,000 goal at the time of writing, and there are still four hours left in the campaign. It also has the pleasant side effect of taking that honor away from a certain disgraced former DC artist.
– Anti-bullying advocacy group, Pop Culture Hero Coalition, will expand their publishing projects with a comic coloring book called “SuperKids.” The Kickstarted project will be given to kids in hospitals with cancer and other serious illnesses to help them combat the anxiety, fear, and depression that often comes with being sick and hospitalized.
– Jimmy Kimmel Live! will have an Avengers: Endgame week starting on Monday, April 8. Monday will feature Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Paul Rudd, and Chris Hemsworth, Danai Gurira will visit on Tuesday, and closing out the week will be Jeremy Renner and Don Cheadle on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
– Leah Williams (“X-Men”) and Guillermo Sanna (“Luke Cage”) have been revealed as the final creative team for May’s “Marvel Comics Presents” #5, telling a “pivotal” Venom story.
