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.
– After much debate and speculation, it looks like we officially have our Cable for Deadpool 2. Josh Brolin, who stars as Thanos in the MCU, has acquired his second Marvel character role ahead of close contenders Michael Shannon and David Harbour. Brolin joins director David Leitch and actors Ryan Reynolds and Zazie Beetz for a production reportedly beginning in June.
– In another bit of cast-related announcements, Dolph Lundgren has been confirmed to play King Nereus in James Wan’s Aquaman movie. Nereus rules over the aquatic kingdom of Xebel, and desires to kill Aquaman and take Mera for himself. Lundgren is most well-known for his roles in Rocky IV, and The Expendables, and he has played antagonistic characters in both The CW’s Arrow as a Russian mob boss, and as Frank Castle in 1989’s The Punisher movie. He joins Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Willem Dafoe, and Nicole Kidman in the film. The film is set to release on December 21, 2018.
– When Greg Rucka announced on Wednesday that he would be leaving "Wonder Woman" after issue #25, primary artist for the series, Liam Sharp, chimed in to inform fans that he too will be exiting the title. His future plans remain at DC Comics, but no further details have been released besides a mention that he "wouldn’t be straying too far," which is perhaps a hint that his next project will be closely intertwined with Wonder Woman in some way. The next creative team on "Wonder Woman" has yet to be announced.
– From one Twitter tease to the next: It looks like Tom King and his "Sheriff of Babylon" co-creator Mitch Gerads could be working together on a project involving Mister Miracle and Big Barda. King had previously announced a DC Superhero title with Gerads set for August, but details were slim. The tweet includes a picture of two costumed figures holding hands, the date "Summer. 2017," and the following quote from Thomas Wolfe: "Is this not the true romantic feeling; not to escape life, but to prevent life from escaping you." The mention of Summer falls in line with the previously planned August, and a close inspection of the art reveals stylistic similarities to Gerads’ previous work. So while there is no official announcement yet, it’s looking likely that this is their next project.
– Come August, we must say goodbye to "Gotham Academy: Second Semester" as it ends with issue #12. The final arc, entitled 'The Ballad of Olive Silverlock,' begins next month with issue #9. As one of the better Young Adult books currently published by DC, I’ll be sad to see the series go. However, co-writer Brendon Fletcher reassures that "there’s going to be more at some point… there are more semesters."
– A new Justice League poster was released Wednesday, and it looks like Warner Bros is staying consistent with their omission of Superman in the movie’s advertising – except for a brief appearance in behind the scenes materials. Compared to previous posters, I think this one is leagues better (I’m sorry). It’s not marred with awkward poses or blatant compositing. The blocking looks as natural as a scene from the movie itself, and their eye lines match up to the same point of focus, giving it presence. Plus, I count three lens flares and a potential fourth, and we all know that the quantity of lens flares in promotional material is directly proportional to the quality of the end product.
– It’s been more than a few months since Young Justice was picked up for a third season, but it appears that recording sessions have begun. Khary Payton, who voices Aqualad on the show, ambiguously teased the information via Twitter on Tuesday. Specifics on the return have yet to surface, but with this announcement it’s safe to assume that at least some of the original voice cast will be reprising their roles. The beginning of voice work could also suggest that the script is near completion. There is still no air date, but original producers Brandon Vietti and Greg Weisman are returning.
Continued below– Calista Flockhart will be reprising her role as Cat Grant in the final two episodes of Supergirl‘s second season on The CW. She hasn’t been seen on the show since her character’s departure earlier this season, so the details of her return have been kept secret. The final two episodes will air on May 15 and May 22, respectively.
– Spoilers for "X-Men Blue" #1: Marvel has unveiled the truth about the mysterious, clawed, and blurred-out mutant on the cover of issue #5. The reveal came earlier than expected, but the identity of this figure was not to our surprise.
– And finally: Introducing BoroughCon, the latest convention to celebrate pop culture. St. John’s University will host the four-day event on Union Turnpike and Utopia Parkway in the Queens borough of New York City over Memorial Day Weekend this May. The focus is on graphic media formats involving superheroes, such as comics, movies, television, and animation. Manga, anime, and gaming will also be highlighted. The University anticipates up to 20,000 attendees, and will host a diverse programming selection to accommodate them. Panels, signings, tournaments, an artists’ alley, screenings, and a cosplay competition are expected, with an emphasis on giving fans more opportunities to personally interact with special guests.
