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 we offered up an exclusive preview for “Children of the Atom” #4. Additionally, beloved Disney and Vertigo writer Pat McGreal sadly passed away at age 68.
– LEGO has announced a partnership with Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and children’s book publisher AMEET to produce a line of comic books featuring the properties and characters of the LEGO brand. These books will debut in 2022, with no confirmation at this time on what properties will be utilized for this deal. Sean Mackiewicz, Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief at Skybound, said in a statement, “As a lifelong fan of LEGO toys and content, nothing brings me greater joy than partnering with AMEET on this iconic brand. Each title will be a portal to the endless worlds accessible in every LEGO play session, created to inspire the LEGO builders, readers, and thinkers of tomorrow.”
– FX has revealed the official premiere date for the upcoming Y: The Last Man series. The show, which is based on the Vertigo Comics’ series of the same name, will be debuting on Monday, September 13 through FX on Hulu. The comic was originally written by Brian K. Vaughan and drawn by Pia Guerra, and takes place in world where every male on the planet suddenly dies. The only exceptions to this phenomenon appear to be a young man named Yorick, the titular “Y: The Last Man,” and his pet monkey Ampersand. Together, the two will have to travel the planet in their quest to survive and reunite with Yorick’s remaining family. The FX television series is set to star Ben Schnetzer as Yorick, with Diane Lane, Ashley Romans, Olivia Thrilby, and more in the ensemble cast.
– Amazon Prime Video has released a full music video for the song “Never Truly Vanish,” which comes directly from the in-universe story of The Boys. The song, performed by Starlight (Erin Moriarty), was originally played in the season 2 premiere of The Boys at the memorial service for Translucent (Alex Hassell). In the music video, Starlight pays tribute to the legacy of Translucent and makes reference to his unique abilities with invisible back-up dancers. The song was produced by Chris Lennertz, the show’s composer, and features vocals from Moriarty. This is the latest meta-marketing technique from The Boys, which has previously released commercials and full ad-campaigns set within the show’s universe. Season 3 of The Boys is currently under production, though no release date has been revealed at this time.
– Paramount+ will be debuting a less expensive version of their streaming service on Monday, June 7. This new tier for the platform will be titled Paramount+ Essential, and will be available for only $4.99. The two most distinguishing aspects of this new tier compared to the existing service is that it will have advertisements before videos, and not include access to local CBS stations, although it will still provide live sports coverage. Paramount+ Premium, the existing $9.99 tier, will not be undergoing any changes. Paramount+ was introduced in March as an evolution of CBS All Access. The steaming service provides users with access to a wide range of content from CBS, BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, MTV, and Paramount Pictures, including the new Star Trek series.
– Les Olympiades, the French film adaptation of the graphic novel “Killing and Dying” by Adrian Tomine, will be making its debut during the 2021 edition of the Cannes Film Festival. The festival, which will be taking place from July 6-17, will also feature films such as The French Dispatch by Wes Anderson, Benedetta by Paul Verhoeven, and Flag Day by Sean Penn. “Killing and Dying” was originally released in 2015, and is a compilation of six interconnected short stories written and drawn by Tomine, which detail the human condition, with themes revolving around loss, parenthood, mortality, and stand-up comedy. Les Olympiades is directed and produced by Jacques Audiard, with a screenplay by Audiard, Celine Sciamma, and Lea Mysius.
– HarperCollins will be publishing a hardcover collection of the work of cartoonish Paul Magrs on September 30. The book, which will be called “The Panda, the Cat, and the Dreadful Teddy: A Parody” is a humorous anthology featuring inspirational stories that turn into dark, twisted jokes. Though on the surface the collection and art style looks tailored for kids, the language and content is definitely inappropriate for young readers. Paul Magrs is a writer, cartoonist, and lecturer who is perhaps best known for the Iris Widthyme book series, as well as various different Doctor Who licensed novels. He has also worked for the BBC and has written multiple plays.
– Oni Games will be partnering with Renegade Game Studios for Love Letter: Princess Princess Ever After. The board game spins out of the world of “Princess Princess Ever After,” a graphic novel by Kay O’Neill, and is an expanded edition of the previously released board game Love Letter. The game is intended for two to six players, and will retail for $20.00 on October 1.
– Finally, Little Witch Academia, the popular manga and anime series about a school for young girls who want to become witches, will be receiving a wide release for its video game, titled Little Witch Academia VR Broom Racing. The game was originally funded through Kickstarter in 2019 and had a partial release in October 2020 on the Oculus Quest and Oculus Quest 2, but was faced with numerous delays due to COVID-19. Now, players will be able to enjoy the game across Oculus Rift, SteamVR, and Playstation VR beginning July 15. In Little Witch Academia VR Broom Racing, players take to the skies and hunt down ghosts to become the best witch racer in the world, playing across more than a dozen tracks inspired by the series, as they upgrade their skills and magic powers. The game features online multiplayer and was developed by UNIVRS, Inc.
