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, Dark Horse revealed “Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1957,” and comic artist Dheeraj Verma passed away from pulmonary fibrosis and COVID-19.
– J. Michael Straczynski and Steve Epting have revealed their latest project at AWA through Syfy Wire. The six-issue miniseries “Telepaths” is set after a mysterious incident imbues a wide range of people with telepathy, endangering the secrecy and privacy of the world. “I’ve always been fascinated by questions of privacy and what defines the self,” said Straczynski. “And the fact that so often we are defined by our secrets, by the things that we don’t tell anyone and what happens when suddenly all of that is out in the open and there’s nowhere to hide. That to me is the most interesting part.” The series’ cast is set to include “police officers, White House staff members, MIT professors, and even convicted murderers.” “Telepaths” #1 releases September 1 at AWA: for a look at both available covers and a four-page preview, check here.
– “Darkhold” by Steve Orlando and Cian Tomey has been officially resolicited by Marvel. The series is set to pit Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch, against Doctor Doom in an war over the Darkhold, a magic book created by the dark god Chthon. “The Darkhold Alpha” #1 is set after Doctor Doom acquires the Darkhold. In response, Scarlet Witch has to assemble the team of Iron Man, Spider-Man, Wasp, Blade and Black Bolt to enter Chthon’s dimension, defeat Doom, and save the world, all while maintaining their sanity. This was originally set to be Steve Orlando’s Marvel debut, though after being delayed from its June 2020 release date, Orlando has since had ‘Curse of the Man-Thing’ published at the company. ““At last, we’re ready to open the Darkhold together,” said Orlando. “Scarlet Witch and Doctor Doom are two of Marvel’s most intimidating icons! And I am so excited for you all to get on board with this journey that pushes Wanda to the limit.” “The Darkhold Alpha” #1 releases September 22, 2021.
– Titan Comics have pulled their ‘Doctor Who 2021 Event’ graphic novel out of production due to it centering on Captain Jack, a character played by actor John Barrowman, who has had a range of indecent exposure allegations from his time on Doctor Who and Torchwood levied against him. Several crew members who worked with Barrowman detailed his serial history of indecency, a fact Barrowman confirmed in an interview with The Guardian. The Titan Comics graphic novel is one of many projects cancelled due to Barrowman’s involvement, including Big Finish’s audio drama Torchwood: Absent Friends, and Barrowman’s segment of theatrical adventure Doctor Who: Time Fracture.
– The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) released a statement concerning The 2021 Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Cartooning. The AAEC called into question the committee’s inability to settle on a single deserving winner, especially in a year of greater diversity amongst contestants, as well as the committee’s serial history of excluding female creators from the category. “The medium of editorial cartooning has been evolving for many years now, yet the Pulitzer board remains extremely traditional and narrow-minded in its tastes, apparently uncomfortable with contemporary trends in opinion cartooning and comic art,” said the AAEC. “It is notable that the three Finalists chosen for 2021 were of Jewish, Latinx, and Native American backgrounds, yet this is the first time in 48 years that the board has chosen not to issue an award. No woman has won in twenty years, and there has been only one female Finalist during those two decades.” A no prize decision has only ever happened five other times in the history of the award. The AAEC established its immediate demands as being the refunding of entrant fees for all entrants, as well as structural reform amongst the Pulitzer board.
– As a part of E3 2021, Square Enix have revealed their new single-player narrative action game Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. The game, developed by Eidos-Montréal, casts players as Star-Lord, who can influence the actions of the other members of the team during cutscenes. The player can make integral story decisions at different points that impact gameplay, team dynamics, and further story developments. The team includes Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Drax and Gamora, and the trailer shows glimpses of other Cosmic Marvel characters like the Blood Brothers, Cosmo the Space Dog, and Mantis. The game managed to make the cover of Game Informer for its June issue, featuring art by Marco Checchetto and Matt Wilson. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy releases October 26, 2021 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Continued below– Crystal Dynamics also revealed a range of details and a new trailer spotlighting the upcoming Avengers expansion War for Wakanda, slated for a Summer 2021 release. The free update introduces Black Panther, voiced by Christopher Judge, as a playable character, and villain Ulysses Klaue, who is trying to use his unique brand of sonic destruction to claim Wakanda’s vibranium and sell it to the world. The update also adds the Jungles of Wakanda as a playable region. Black Panther will be the third new character added to the game after Kate Bishop and Clint Barton. The update is set to launch sometime in August 2021.
– Radio and podcast broadcaster SiriusXM have announced their latest podcast series, Comic-Con Begins: Origin Stories of the San Diego Comic-Con and the Rise of Modern Fandom. The oral history is narrated by actor Brinke Stevens, with appearances from Neil Gaiman, Bruce Campbell and Kevin Smith. The six-episode series is set to launch on June 22, and continue weekly on all major podcast platforms.
– Michael Uslan’s autobiography, The Boy Who Loved Batman is being adapted for the stage. The memoir followed Uslan’s efforts to bring Batman to the screen, eventually culminating in Tim Burton’s 1989 film Batman. “I saw my first Broadway show when I was 10 years old. I fell in love with the theater that night and can’t believe that I get to bring my story to Broadway,” Uslan said. “The play is not about Batman, not about Batman movies, and it’s not about me. No, it’s about finding joy and passion in life.” The Broadway production’s working title is Darknights and Daydreams, and a 2022/2023 opening window has been set. Legion M and Nederlander Worldwide will be producing.
– In the UK, The Flash season 7, Supergirl season 6 & Legends Of Tomorrow season 6 have officially set debut dates on Sky One. Fans can expect The Flash to debut on Tuesday June 29 2021 at 8pm, Legends of Tomorrow on June 30 at 8pm, and Supergirl on July 1 at 8pm. There is still no premiere date for the CW’s Superman and Lois, which has not been picked up by a UK network.
– Finally, acclaimed character actor Ned Beatty has died at age 83. The actor, known for his eccentric performances in All the President’s Men, Deliverance and Network, would be most recognizable to comic book fans as Lex Luthor’s bumbling sidekick Otis in Richard Donner’s Superman, and Superman II. Beatty passed due to natural causes; he is survived by his wife and eight children.
