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, BOOM! Studios announced “Eat the Rich,” and we took a look at August’s ‘Black Hammer’ books. Comic book writer/journalist David A. Kraft also passed away.
– Jeremy Haun and Jason Hurley’s “The Beauty,” an ongoing horror series at Image, is set to return this September with its final arc ‘All Good Things.’ Haun will be replaced on art duties by Matthew Dow Smith, although Haun has hinted at returning to draw a portion himself. “I’m proud to finally get to announce the conclusion to my and Jason Hurley’s long epic story about the lengths we go to in order to be ‘beautiful,'” said Haun. “‘The Beauty: All Good Things’ wraps up this series in exactly the way we always planned.” “The Beauty” #29, the last issue of the series, was released in September 2019.
– “Locke & Key/The Sandman Universe: Hell & Gone” #2, the final issue in Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s surreal horror crossover, has been solicited with its three covers revealed. Main cover artist Gabriel Rodriguez will be supported by variant cover artists and “Sandman” veterans Kelley Jones and J.H. Williams III, the artists respectively behind ‘Seasons of Mist’ and “Sandman: Overture.” The 48-page comic is set to release August 31 for US$6.99.
– Z2 Comics are creating a biographical Freddie Mercury OGN this November. “Freddie Mercury: Lover of Life, Singer of Songs” will be written by Tres Dean with a wide array of artists attached including Kyla Smith, Robin Richardson, Safiya Zerrougui, Tammy Wang, and Amy Liu. The book will divide Mercury’s life into smaller episodes, each featuring a different artist. The 136-page OGN features cover art by David Mack and is available for pre-order, with a deluxe edition including a vinyl LP of the solo compilation Never Boring, and prints by Sarah Jones, Kyla Smith, and Sanya Anwar.
– Archie Comics are celebrating the character’s 80th anniversary with “The Best of Archie Comics: 80 Years, 80 Stories,” a compilation of the character’s best single issues, featuring one story from each year between 1941 and 2021. In addition to the wide range of stories, the special graphic novel will also include a behind-the-scenes section on how Archie has been produced over the years. The comic is set to release August 25, clocking in at over 700 pages. Archie Comics have not revealed any of the stories set to be included.
– Vault Comics have confirmed “The Unfinished Corner,” a graphic novel in their YA imprint Wonderbound, will be released on October 19. The 220-page fantasy OGN by writer Dani Colman, artist Rachel “Tuna” Petrovicz, and colorist Whitney Cogar is based on Jewish mythology. An 8-page preview is available to view at The Beat; Vault also confirmed Wonderbound’s first print collection of the webcomic “Verse, Book One: The Broken Half,” will be released September 28.
– Via press release, Diamond Comics Distributors have revealed Pullbox, a new online service in conjunction with PREVIEWSworld that allows customers to manage their pre-orders and subscriptions with participating comic shops, will launch June 7. The service syncs any orders, pre-orders or subscriptions users make on PREVIEWSworld with their local comic shop, leaving it ready for pick-up upon release. Users can also manage a wishlist, track orders or get alerts for new arrivals. “We took advantage of an extended beta test period to add more features and enhance the functionality of these tools,” said Chris Powell, Chief Sales & Service Officer. “We have heard from many retailers already that PREVIEWSworld Pullbox has increased their sales while also providing added convenience for their customers and I am excited to be rolling it out to a much wider audience with this launch.”
– A first look at Bart Allen a.k.a Impulse’s supersuit has been revealed. The character is set to debut in The Flash season 7. Jordan Fisher’s Bart will appear alongside Jessica Parker Kennedy’s Nora Allen in the series’s 150th episode “Heart of the Matter, Part 1.” The CW’s promotional image is reminiscent of Bart Allen’s return in Joshua Williamson and Howard Porter’s “The Flash” #50 as a part of the ‘Flash War’ story arc. The Flash episode 150 is set to air on July 13.
– The animated League of Super-Pets feature film has found its star, with Dwayne Johnson signed on to play Krypto the Superdog. With Johnson in the role, his production company Seven Bucks has signed on to produce. DC League of Super-Pets is written and directed by Jared Stern with a slated May 20, 2022 release date. No other stars are attached as of yet.
– Finally, according to Variety, Lucasfilm have taken Star Wars: Rangers of the New Republic out of active development. No reason was given for the indefinite hiatus, though it could likely be related to the company’s decision to not renew Gina Carano’s contract. Many saw Carano as the most likely protagonist for the show. Rangers of the New Republic was originally set to culminate in a crossover with the upcoming Ahsoka and The Mandalorian season 3, both of which are set to release after this winter’s The Book of Boba Fett.
