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, Mark Russell and Bob Quinn will helm this summer’s relaunch of “X-Factor.”
– Max Brallier’s The Last Kids on Earth series will be adapted into graphic novels by artist Brian Churilla (“Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.”), the pair announced. The first retelling, simply titled “The Last Kids on Earth: The Graphic Novel,” will be published by Viking Books for Young Readers on November 5. The original series began in 2015, and follows four kids trying to survive after the world becomes beset by zombies and other monsters. It has spawned nine installments, two spin-offs, a Netflix adaptation, and three prior graphic novels following the characters outside the main narrative: “Thrilling Tales from the Tree House” (2021), “The Last Comics on Earth” (2023), and “Last Comics on Earth: Too Many Villains!” (2024).
– Skybound revealed a third “Creepshow” comics series, kicking off on September 25. The first issue of the new five-part anthology will feature stories by Chip Zdarsky & Kagan McLeod (“Kaptara”) and James Stokoe, while subsequent installments will have contributions from John Ridley, Mike Carey, Jorge Fornés, John Arcudi, Ed Brisson, Stefano Raffaele, and Chris Condon. Martín Morazzo and Chris O’Halloran will provide Cover A for the first issue, while Stokoe created Cover B, and Cover C (a 1:10 incentive) will be a connecting variant by Steve Beach.
– Dark Horse Comics announced “Summer Shadows,” a horror series reteaming “Wiper” writer John Harris Dunning, artist Ricardo Cabral, colorist Brad Simpson, and letterer Jim Campbell. The book follows Nick, a man searching for his missing ex-boyfriend on the (fictional) Greek island of Avraxos. Teaming up with a Coast Guard officer investigating another disappearance on the island, he learns both men “fell in with the glamorous inhabitants of a jet-black super yacht, the Nyx, before vanishing.” Issue #1 (of 4) will be released on September 11, and retail for $5.99; pre-orders start on May 24.
– Mad Cave/Maverick will publish “Teleportation and Other Luxuries,” a young adult sci-fi graphic novel by writer Archie Bongiovanni (“Grease Bats”), artist Mary Verhoeven, and letterer Lucas Gattoni releasing November 12. In a future metropolis, the book follows four different teenagers who team up to win the Blamazon Teen Scientist Competition. “Amidst their bickering and missteps, they uncover the secret of teleportation. Despite this invention being a clear albeit dangerous way to win, it becomes apparent that perhaps victory isn’t their only collective goal.” It will retail at 175 pages for $14.99.
– Netflix marked the start of filming on Wednesday season two by revealing the full cast. Billie Piper, Evie Templeton, Owen Painter, and Noah Taylor will join the series regulars alongside the previously reported Steve Buscemi, while Joanna Lumley will guest star as Grandmama Addams, and Christopher Lloyd will return to the franchise in an undisclosed role; other new guest stars will include Thandiwe Newton, Frances O’Connor, Haley Joel Osment, Heather Matarazzo, and Joonas Suotamo. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, Isaac Ordonez, and Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo have been upped to series regulars, while Jenna Ortega has been promoted to executive producer. Percy Hynes White will not return as Xavier Thorpe, a decision seemingly made in response to the sexual misconduct allegations about the actor.
– Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths — Part Three will be released digitally on July 16, before dropping on 4K UHD and Blu-ray on July 23. The final part of the animated film adaptation will feature the late Kevin Conroy as the voice of the “Earth-12” Batman, as well as Mark Hamill in what will likely be his final appearance as the Joker, and Jason Spisak reprising the role of the Blue Lantern Razer; also joining the cast are Corey Stoll as Lex Luthor (replacing Zachary Quinto), Ashly Burch as Mera and Nightshade, Cynthia Kaye McWilliams as Dr. Beth Chapel and Cheetah, and various previous Tomorrowverse actors returning to their roles, as well as voicing new characters in some cases. You can watch the trailer here.
Continued below– The fourth and final season of Snowpiercer will premiere on AMC and AMC+ on July 21 at 9 pm ET/PT. The series originally aired on TNT until it was pulled at the start of 2023, despite filming on the season having been completed, as a result of Warner Bros. Discovery suspending the channel’s original scripted projects. The first two seasons will be added to AMC+ beforehand on June 1, while the third will be added the following week. The final season will coincide with the 10th anniversary of the film version, which was released in the States on June 27, 2014 after a similarly troubled distribution phase.
– Marvel announced What If… Marc Spector Was Host to Venom? A Moon Knight & Venom Story. A prose novel by Mike Chen (Star Wars: Brotherhood), the book sees Marc Spector encounter a version of himself from another reality, who is a symbiote host. When it abandons the other Marc to latch onto him, his counterpart, who is now controlled by Jake and Steven, must become the new Fist of Khonshu and stop him. It will be released by Penguin Random House on October 22, and mark the third What If…? novel, after What If… Loki Was Worthy? (out now) and What If… Wanda Maximoff and Peter Parker Were Siblings? (August 27).
– Finally, artist E.J. Su (“Transformers”) has created a Godzilla mural for a 70th anniversary event being held in collaboration with the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. The art portrays the team’s mascot, Lou Seal, charging into battle with the King of the Monsters and Mothra against Rodan, King Ghidorah and Mechagodzilla at the Golden Gate Bridge. Anyone who visits section 113 at the park will be able to see the mural up close in-person throughout the current baseball season, after it’s unveiled on May 17. You can watch a timelapse of the mural’s creation here.
