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, Little, Brown Young Readers will publish Niki Smith’s “The Deep & Dark Blue“; Roald Dahl’s The Witches is getting a graphic novel adaptation; and Lion Forge and Oni Press announced a merger. On that last note, Lion Forge publicist Jeremy Atkins tweeted a clarification that Oni Press will be the home of all creator-owned content at the new company, while Lion Forge will only publish company-owned properties like the Catalyst Prime line.
– Marvel published multiple teasers in their books this week for August, listing creative teams including Mark Waid and John Cassaday, Brad Meltzer and Julian Totino Tedesco, Joe Hill and Mike Allred, Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Javier Rodriguez, and Jeffrey Veregge and the Black Eyed Peas’ Taboo. For a full breakdown of the teasers, head on over to The Beat.
– Over at the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Disney chairman Bob Iger said to expect Marvel Studios to unveil their post-Spider-Man: Far From Home slate this summer, and that Avengers: Endgame will start streaming exclusively on Disney+ from December 11. It was also announced Captain Marvel will be released digitally on May 28, and on Blu-ray June 11.
– Forbes reports comics sales in North America hit an all-time high in 2018, generating $1.095 billion in revenue. According to ICv2‘s Milton Griepp and Comichron‘s John Jackson Miller, the gain was fueled by trade and digital sales, overcoming concerns about the state of the direct market, which held steady last year but saw little growth. Griepp said, “While comic stores are still the largest channel, they represented less than half the market for comics and graphic novels in 2018 for the first time in at least three decades.”
– The University of South Carolina received the entire collection of a fan from Ohio, which included over 180,000 comics, books, magazines, and other items, estimated to be worth roughly $2.5 million. Among the books donated were a first edition copy of the Justice League’s debut in 1960’s “The Brave and the Bold” #28, and the first appearances of several high-profile Marvel characters from the early ’60s. Some of the collection’s titles will go on display at the Thomas Cooper Library on August 29.
– HBO released the first full teaser trailer for the Watchmen series, overseen by Damon Lindelof. The trailer for the show, which is a present-day sequel to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’s comic, introduces Don Johnson’s sheriff, Jeremy Irons’s mysterious meditator, and several new vigilantes, including Regina King’s character, and a cult inspired by Rorschach. Watchmen premieres this fall.
– Warner Bros. Home Entertainment released the trailer for a new LEGO Batman film, LEGO DC Batman: Family Matters, which sees Troy Baker’s Brick Crusader and friends battle the Red Hood and Two-Face, after the latter buys out Wayne Enterprises. The extended short will be released digitally and on Blu-ray and DVD on August 6.
– ABC have ordered the adaptation of Greg Rucka, Lee Loughridge, and Matthew Southworth’s “Stumptown” to series, though it will air with a new, as-yet-undecided title. The show stars Cobie Smulders as Dex Parios, an army veteran-turned-private investigator in Portland, Oregon, and will premiere sometime during the next broadcast season.
– Finally, Archie Comics CEO and publisher Jon Goldwater was asked to comment on the decision by Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, to name their newborn son Archie. “Archie is an icon,” he said. “We’re honored and overjoyed to share his name with the new royal baby! Congrats to the new parents!” The Royals are keeping mum on why they chose the name for Archie, who was born on Monday and is currently seventh in line to the British throne.
