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.
– This year’s Los Angeles Times Book Prize winners were announced, with E.M. Carroll (credited as Emily Carroll) winning the Graphic Novel/Comics prize for their horror tale “A Guest in the House.” Published by First Second, “Guest in the House” follows Abby, a newly married stepmother, who uncovers evidence the death of her husband’s first wife, Sheila, was not as natural as it originally seemed. Check out the full list of winners and nominees, and a description of the speeches at the ceremony on Friday, April 19, at the paper’s write-up of the event.
– ComiXology revealed Rafael Scavone and Rafael Albuquerque’s new fantasy series “Mistland” will begin tomorrow, April 23. Written by Felipe Castilho and featuring art by Alex Shibao and Felipe Watanabe, the gritty tale is set in the Hollow, an underground kingdom inhabited by three clans. When a murder occurs, the tribes keep the peace by exiling the suspects to the titular frozen Mistland, “with nothing more than each other to survive. But is it enough?” The book will run for five issues, and be the first of several comics released as part of a new deal between Amazon and Scavone & Albuquerque’s imprint Stout Club.
– Stephen Mooney is writing a new Rocketeer series, “The Rocketeer Breaks Free,” beginning July 10. Featuring art by Staz Johnson, the four-issue series will see Cliff Secord and Peevy head to San Francisco, where Betty is shooting a movie, and reunite with fellow pilot (and government operative) Debbie Seville. “As always, trouble seems to follow Cliff, who gets caught up in a cable car accident! But at least it’ll be all smooth sailing after that, right? Not if the Rocketeer’s luck stays true to form!” It will mark the third Rocketeer mini written by Mooney, and published by IDW, since 2022.
– “Blue Beetle” creative team Josh Trujillo, Adrián Guitiérrez, Will Quintana, and Lucas Gattaoni announced July’s issue #11 will mark the end of the current volume. “We are beyond grateful to DC for letting us tell these stories, but we’re sad to say goodbye to Jaime after so many years together,” they said. “Still, we’re not done yet! We pulled out all the stops for our last two tales, including our oversized finale.” The team’s series launched in September, in the wake of Jaime’s movie debut, and their preceding miniseries “Graduation Day.” Head here for all of DC’s July 2024 solicitations, and stay tuned for the Soliciting Multiversity column with our thoughts on the month’s releases.
– In further DC news, the publisher have pulled variant covers by Chinese artist Daxiong (Jingxiong Guo) that were solicited for June, following speculation that they were made by generative AI. The covers, created for “Power Girl” #10, “Wonder Woman” #10, and “Shazam” #12, have been replaced respectively by new art by Dave Johnson, Dan Panosian, and Cully Hamner. Daxiong said in a YouTube interview that he does not use AI, but “DC and I considered changing the cover[s] because the controversial image[s] might affect their sales. It does not mean it proves that [they are] AI.” The move was also made following similar scrutiny over Andrea Sorrentino’s artwork in “Batman,” which DC are currently investigating.
– BOOM! Studios revealed a new “Hex Vet” book, “Hex Vets: The River Guardian.” Creator Sam Davies will be joined by cartoonist Lisa Moore on the third installment of the children’s graphic novel series, which sees witch vets Nan and Clarion investigate why the creatures in the local river, “both magical and normal,” are behaving strangely. It will be released in comics shops on September 18, and bookstores on September 24, 2024. “Hex Vet” debuted in 2018, and is being adapted into a Nick Jr. series, HexVets and Magic Pets, which is also expected to debut later this year.
– Publishers Weekly‘s children’s book rights report features word on several graphic novel projects, including “Frostbite,” a young adult vampire thriller by husband-and-wife team Ian Boothby and Pia Guerra. The book, due out from Scholastic Graphix in Fall 2025, follows a pair of siblings who film extreme sports videos. “When they jump out of a helicopter to ski down a mountain in an unfamiliar town, they find themselves surrounded by frost vampires, and must survive the night.”
The magazine also shares “Pashmina” author Nidhi Chanani has a YA graphic novel in the works at Atheneum Books, titled “Unfinished.” The book follows teenager Sanjay Lal, as he embarks on completing a historical comic his late brother started about the Ghadar Movement, an Indian anti-colonial group who were formed in San Francisco in 1913. “In the process, [he will uncover] astonishing truths about his brother, his community, and the power in remembering.” It will be released in Fall 2026.
– Finally, renowned Star Trek fan John G. Trimble passed away on Friday, April 19. He was 87 years old. Trimble and his wife, Bjo, spearheaded the fan mail campaign to save the original show after its second season in 1968, leading to NBC renewing it for a third, thereby giving it enough episodes to be syndicated, and paving the way for every subsequent incarnation of the series since then. The couple were a regular presence at fan events, conventions, and premieres, becoming ambassadors for science fiction, the space program, and the Society of Creative Anachronism. He is survived by Bjo and their three children.
