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, Marvel announced a new “Damage Control” series, and we had a exclusive cover reveal for “That Texas Blood” #16. We also had previews for “Oblivion Song” #36 and “Punisher” #3, and an interview with Jeffrey Brown on “Loved And Lost: A Relationship Trilogy.”
– Frank Miller revealed ”Pandora,” an upcoming YA series from his Frank Miller Presents imprint. While Miller developed the dark fairy tale concept, writers Anthony Maranville and Chris Silvestri (Star Trek: Discovery) will handle scripting duties. Art will be handled by Emma Kubert, creator of “Inkblot” and “Brushstroke.” The book will follow Annabeth, a girl who searches “for a perfect world for her to live and thrive in,” says Kubert. “But as she’s searching for that world, everything around her starts falling down the rabbit hole of not being what it seems. It’s something that I think a lot of people find themselves getting into, constantly searching for perfection, and it causes chaos.” Issue #1 (of 3) hits shelves in December, with all three being published in a 48-page prestige format.
– Dark Horse Comics are releasing their first new Star Wars comics since the Disney buyout. The all-ages “Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories” and “Star Wars: Tales from the Rancor Pit” are both set to drop later this year. The anthology series “Hyperspace Stories” drops first in the summer, and is set to feature stories from Cecil Castelluci, Michael Moreci, and Amanda Deibert. The first story from Deibert and artist Lucas Marangon follows a mission to save Padmé Amidala from General Grievous. “Tales from the Rancor Pit” will hit shelves this fall, in time for Halloween. Cavan Scott will pen a trio of spooky tales with artists Nick Brokenshire, Juan Samu, Rafael Pérez, and Andy Duggan. More information will be revealed at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim next week.
– “Hello, and welcome to your new favorite thing,” Popverse Editor-in-Chief Chris Arrant writes, introducing readers to the new “modern entertainment brand from ReedPop.” The website will specialize in pop culture news and commentary. A subscription can be purchased for the website, with perks such as an ad-free experience and pre-sale tickets to ReedPop’s multiple conventions. Of the first batch of stories covered by Popverse is a preview of the upcoming miniseries “20th Century Men,” a six-issue alternate history war comic due out this August from Image, written by Deniz Camp with art by S. Moran.
– Image also announced “The Dead Lucky,” a new, ongoing installment in the Massive-Verse, which also consists of “Radiant Black,” “Rogue Sun,” “Radiant Red,” and “Inferno Girl Red.” Written by former “Power Rangers” writer Melissa Flores and artist French Carlomagno with colorist Mattia Iacono, the book will follow Bibiana “Bibi” Lopez-Yang, a Afghan veteran with the ability to control electrical currents, and who finds herself caught in conflict with the tech company Morrow, which is creating “peacekeeper” robots to patrol the streets of San Francisco. Issue #1 will be released Wednesday, August 3.
– “First came the REVEALER movie (premiering on Shudder 6/23!),” Michael Moreci teased on Twitter, “and now – The ‘REVEALER’ comic!” Due out this August, “Revealer” #1 will be a one-shot written by the film’s writers, Michael Moreci, Tim Seeley, and director Luke Boyce, with Aaron Koontz and art by Dean Kotz. It will be set in the same apocalyptic 1980s Satanic Panic-era Chicago as the film. All proceeds from the comic will go towards Chicago-based, Black/trans-led LGBTQ+ center Brave Space Alliance.
– IDW are taking Transformers fans back to the universe of Evil Optimus Prime in “Transformers: Shattered Glass II.” Writer Danny Lore, artists Daniel Khanna, Guido Guidi, Marcelo Matere, and colorist John-Paul Bove handle creative duties on the sequel to 2021’s “Shattered Glass” miniseries. IDW’s official description teases “Optimus Prime is a ruthless tyrant and Megatron is a compassionate peacekeeper,” and a “Titan juggernaut whose raw power could decide the ultimate victor.” Issue #1 (of 5) hits shelves in August.
Continued below– Season 7 will be Riverdale’s last. The Archie reimaging has becoming the latest CW series to get the axe from the network, following Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, Naomi, Legacies, Dynasty, Charmed, Roswell, New Mexico, In The Dark, and 4400. In the meantime, it will move to midseason with Nancy Drew and Tuesday night neighbor The Flash. This is to make room for the upcoming The Winchesters and Professionals. Also joining the midseason lineup will be new series Gotham Knights.
– Netflix unveiled two trailers for series featuring trans performers. Animated series Dead End: Paranormal Park, based on the “Deadendia” graphic novels, debuts June 16, and follows trans character Barney, played by trans actor Zach Barack. Season 3 of The Umbrella Academy, based on the Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá comic of the same name, is set to premiere June 22. Elliot Page’s character, now named Viktor Hargreeves, is set to transition along with the actor.
– Disney+ is producing a new Daredevil series. Matt Corman and Chris Ord have been tapped to write and executive produce. Marvel has yet to make any formal statement regarding the series, though both Charlie Cox (Daredevil) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Wilson Fisk) have resumed their roles from the series in MCU projects recently (Spider-Man: No Way Home and Hawkeye respectively).
– DC revealed the villains for the upcoming Batwheels preschool animated series. In the series, Batman and Bam the sentient Batmobile will battle the Legion of Zoom, led by Prank, the Jokermobile. Addams Family 2 star Griffin Burns will lead a villainous vehicle cast that includes Xolo Maridueña, Tom Kenny, and Alexandra Novelle. Mick Wingert will voice the Joker himself, with the human villain cast including Gina Rodriguez, Chandni Parekh, and Jess Harnell. Batwheels is set to premiere this fall on Cartoonito, HBO Max, and Cartoon Network.
– In more TV news, Disney+ revealed the Big Hero 6 spin-off Baymax! will premiere June 29. Also, Emmy-nominee and DGA Award-winner Nicole Kassell will direct and executive produce Amazon’s live-action She-Ra pilot, should the project go forward. Kassell’s credits include acclaimed work on HBO’s Watchmen, Westworld, and The Leftovers.
– Finally, after being removed from Virginia Beach schools, a lawsuit has been filed to remove Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer” from retailer Barnes and Noble. State Delegate Tim Anderson and Republican congressional candidate Tommy Altman are attempting to “seek a restraining order against Barnes and Noble and Virginia Beach Schools to enjoin them from selling or loaning these books to minors without parent consent.” Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Mist and Fury was also listed in the lawsuit.
