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 ran exclusive previews of next week’s “Storm & the Brotherhood of Mutants” #3, and next month’s “I Hate This Place” #8. We also launched our coverage of Star Wars Celebration Europe, which you should be sure to keep an eye on.
– Tatsuya Endo’s “Spy x Family” Vol. 9 was the best-selling book in America last week, according to BookScan. According to Publishers Weekly‘s sales figures, the manga from Viz sold 31,486 copies in its debut week, outselling output from Colleen Hoovers, Prince Harry, and Ron DeSantis. “Spy x Family” follows a spy tasked with forming a family to maintain his cover. Also on the list were “Jujutsu Kaisen” Vol. 19, “Berserk Deluxe” Vol. 13, and “Bea Wolf.”
– Terry McGinnis will return to DC Comics in “Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic.” The new series is the sequel to “Batman Beyond: Neo Year,” and will be written again by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, with Max Dunbar handling art. “Children are going missing and being swallowed by the city’s old bones,” reads the official synopsis. “Batman Beyond will have to go underground, led by a mysterious splicer named Kyle the Catboi, to find the children and confront the city’s buried sins.” Issue #1 hits shelves July 25.
– Over at Marvel, Lanzing and Kelly will also pit the God of Thunder against a divine powered M.O.D.O.K. in “Thor Annual” #1. Joined by artist Ibraim Roberson, the King of Asgard must battle MYTHOS, the cosmic-powered evolution of the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing, and save the Ten Realms from this evolved threat. The book is set to hit shelves on July 5.
– “Breaklands” will begin its third and final season with its 11th issue on April 11. A comiXology Original, “Breaklands” has been described as “Mad Max meets Akira,” following a world where everyone gains superpowers, creating a post-apocalyptic hellscape. The new season picks up where the last left off, with Kasa Fain’s brother Adam on his way to the Shining City with Gargarin. Justin Jordan writes with art from Tyasetta.
– Dark Horse announced a new graphic novel about a woman who receives superpowers after an organ transplant. In “Transplants,” a woman named Jess gains otherworldly powers after an operation, quickly learning that she’s only one of many who’ve received an organ from a mysterious donor, then gained extraordinary abilities afterwards. The book was penned by screenwriter Dave Collard, in his comic book debut, while Domenico Carbone will handle art duties. “Transplants” will be available in bookstores on November 21, and comics shops on November 22.
– Adult Swim released a 15-second trailer for My Adventures with Superman, its upcoming animated series starring the Man of Steel. The Boys star Jack Quaid will voice Clark Kent/Superman, with Alice Lee as Lois Lane, and Ishmael Sahid as Jimmy Olsen. It’s due out this summer.
– In home video news, Warner Bros. announced Shazam! Fury of the Gods would be released digitally today, and on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD on May 23. Meanwhile, Marvel announced Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will be available digitally on April 18, and on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD May 16. (It was not stated when the film will be added to Disney+.)
– Oro El Coqui Dorado, first introduced in the pages of “La Borinqueña,” is getting his own solo spin-off title. “Oro El Coqui Dorado” #1 is set to debut at the Puerto Rico Comic Con this weekend (April 7-9) in San Juan. “La Borinqueña” creator and Somos Arte head Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez writes with interior art from Jim Muñiz, while cover art is provided by newcomer Cristian Muñiz Torres, and colored by established pro Juan Fernández. It is available for pre-order from Somos Arte’s website, and is due out on May 3.
– Rumiko Takahashi, best known as the creator of “Inuyasha” and “Urusei Yatsura,” received the title of Chevailer de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) from the French government. The decoration is the latest accolade for Takahashi in the past few years. She was inducted into the Harvey Award Hall of Fame in 2021, and the Eisner Hall of Fame in 2018. Between those, she was awarded the Purple Ribbon in 2020 by the government of Japan.
– Finally, Star Wars art director Norman Reynolds passed away at the age of 89. Reynolds won Academy Awards for his work on Star Wars: A New Hope and Raiders of the Lost Ark, with Steven Spielberg calling him the “creative core” of both franchises. Reynolds was responsible for many of the iconic images from Star Wars, such as the planet Dagobah, the Cloud City carbonite freezing chamber, and Emperor Palpatine’s throne room. The iconic boulder scene from Raiders was a design of his as well. Other credits include Superman, Empire of the Sun, and Alien 3. He is survived by his wife Ann and their three daughters.
