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, Skybound will preview four upcoming titles in July’s anniversary special “Skybound X” #25.
– Veteran Marvel colorist Marianne Lightle is asking fans for help via GoFundMe. Lightle is struggling with basics such as food and utilities after a series of financial hits, including outstanding medical bills, and tax issues following the passing of her husband (artist Steve Lightle) last year. As of this writing, Lightle has raised $8,307 of her $10,000 goal. Lightle is best known for her work on “Marvel Comics Presents” in the ’90s, including issue #150 featuring Jessie Drake, Marvel’s first openly trans character.
– BOOM! Studios imprint Archaia announced “Flavor Girls,” a magical superhero girl series by writer/artist Loïc Locatelli-Kournwsky (“Persephone”). It follows the Sacred Fruit Guardians of Earth, whose mission is to protect the Mother Tree from aliens who came to the planet twelve years ago. The protagonist is Sara, a woman training to be a peacekeeper, and who is suddenly chosen by the Mother Tree to become the newest Flavor Girl during an alien attack. Issue #1 will be released in July 2022.
– Dark Horse unveiled The Art of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, the latest in the publisher’s line of He-Man themed art books, this time focusing on the recent CGI series from Netflix. “This exciting tome brings you an in-depth look at the newest incarnation of Masters of the Universe,” the official description reads, “bringing an exciting sci-fi twist to the classic series.” The book features creator commentary and concept art for the current reboot, which debuted last September on the streamer. The book will be available on July 20, 2022 and priced at $39.99.
– Yen Press co-founder and former DC Comics Vice President of Book Trade Sales Rich Johnson (not to be confused with Bleeding Cool founder Rich Johnston) has joined Diamond Book Distributors as the company’s new Vice President, Sales and Business Development. DBD President Tony Lukus called Johnson “a constant advocate and catalyst for graphic novels in the book trade,” adding “few have done more than Rich Johnson to introduce the comic arts to American readers of every age.”
– Entertainment Weekly revealed that “Watchmen” and “V for Vendetta” scribe Alan Moore’s next project will be a collection of short prose stories titled Illuminations. The article also include a brief interview with Moore and an exclusive preview of the book’s cover art. Illuminations will contain nine supernatural tales, including “A Hypothetical Lizard” (set in a brothel for sorcerers), and the surrealist comic industry history “What We Can Know About Thunderman.” The book will be available in the US on October 11 from Bloomsbury.
– Crystal Dynamics, developer of the Square Enix-published Marvel’s Avengers, announced that the Mighty Thor (Jane Foster) will be a playable character for all platforms. In the most recent development update, it was revealed that the upcoming Update 2.4 patch would tweak event rewards and meta objectives, while the following Update 2.5 will bring Foster to the game’s lineup. Crystal Dynamics stated that “as a fellow wielder of Mjolnir, her suite of abilities will have a lot in common with the Odinson’s, however she will also have elements that are distinctly Jane.”
– The Baby-Sitters Club fans can read the first eleven pages of “Jessi’s Secret Language” via the School Library Journal‘s website. “Jessi’s Secret Language” is the twelfth and latest Baby-Sitters Club adaptation from Scholastic’s Graphix imprint. It is scripted and illustrated by Eisner nominee Chan Chau. The preview pages can be viewed here.
– Finally, Ezra Miller, the lead actor of The Flash movie, was arrested early Tuesday morning for second-degree assault in Hawaii. Variety states “Miller allegedly became irate after being asked to leave” a gathering at a private residence, “and threw a chair, striking a 26-year-old woman on the forehead and resulting in an approximate half-inch cut. The woman refused treatment for the injury.” Miller was released after a few hours, and remains under investigation. The news comes almost a month after the actor was arrested in the state for disorderly conduct and harassment. Warner Bros. have still not officially commented on Miller’s behavior at the time of writing.
