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 announced the Hellboy Universe miniseries “Castle Full of Blackbirds.”
– Via Popverse, DC Comics announced a sequel to last year’s “Titans United” miniseries. Just like its predecessor, the six-issue series “Titans United: Bloodpact” features a lineup that is inspired by the HBO Max series Titans. Writer Cavan Scott and artist Lucas Meyer are on the series that will see the Titans – including Tim Drake, Nightwing, Superboy, Starfire, Beast Boy, Donna Troy, and a currently missing Raven – head towards a confrontation with the Fearsome Five. Popverse notes that Fearsome Five members Shimmer and Gizmo have appeared in earlier seasons of Titans, potentially teasing the full supervillain team’s appearance in the upcoming season 4. The first issue features a main cover by Eddy Barrows and variants from Derrick Chew, Taurin Clarke, and Stephen Byrne. “Titans United: Bloodpact” #1 debuts on September 20.
– Marvel is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the modern era of Miracleman with a new series of variant covers across their line. Fan-favorite artists like Peach Momoko, Pepe Larraz, John Cassaday, Terry Dodson, and Jim Cheung will craft the covers, which will appear on books throughout the fall. Each cover will feature Miracleman fighting alongside Marvel’s greatest heroes. The line begins with a Mark Bagley variant for “Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty” #4, on sale September 7. They also announced the books that will be returning to comic shops as part of this year’s Marvel Halloween Comic Book Extravaganza: you can read the full list of reprints at the link. Marvel’s Halloween Comic Book Extravaganza spooks its way back to participating comics shops on October 29.
– Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse made a presentation as part of the 2022 Annecy International Animated Film Festival this weekend, leading to the release of a still that gave a first look at one of the film’s villains. CBR has the story on the feature film debut of the Spot (Jason Schwartzman), a relatively recent addition to Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery whose body is covered in interdimensional portals. The animation showed off in the preview gave a glimpse of the ink-like portals the villain wields in a battle against Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy. The upcoming film was written by Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and David Callaham, and directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse swings into this dimension June 2, 2023.
– Lady Gaga is in talks to star with Joaquin Phoenix in the Joker sequel. Via The Hollywood Reporter, the sequel will be a musical, and presumably see Gaga (real name Stefani Germanotta) play Harley Quinn. The project will be a reteaming of sorts for Gaga and director Todd Phillips, who produced the 2018 remake of A Star Is Born that starred her and Joker producer Bradley Cooper. The second Joker film — currently titled Joker: Folie à deux — does not have a firm release date, with Phoenix still negotiating the contract to reprise the role that earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor.
– HBO Max Latin America is putting a new spin on the Dark Knight with the animated film Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios (Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires). Via Variety, the Spanish-language film will be produced entirely in Mexico, and comes from a collaboration between Warner Bros. Animation, Particular Crowd, and Mexican animation studios Anima and Chatrone. The studios announced the film yesterday at the Guadalajara International Film Festival. The translated synopsis reads, “Using the temple of Tzinacan, the bat god, as a lair, Yohualli trains with his mentor and assistant, Acatzin, developing equipment and weaponry to confront the Spaniard invasion, protect Moctezuma’s temple, and avenge his father’s death.” The film is directed by Harley Quinn alum Juan Meza-León.
– Justin Lin has set up a new project following his highly publicized exit from the upcoming Fast X. Via Deadline, Lin is set to direct the live-action One Punch Man adaptation for Sony Pictures and Arad Productions. Based on the hugely popular manga created by writer and artist ONE in 2009 – with a remake from ONE and illustrator Yusuke Murata published starting in 2012 on Shueisha’s Weekly Young Jump – the story follows Saitama, a superhero with the ability to defeat seemingly any hero with a single punch, causing him to become bored by the lack of challenge. Writers Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner (Jumanji: The Next Level and Venom) have been tapped to pen the script, which Sony is eyeing as a potential franchise starter.
Continued below– In a letter to retailers, Penguin Random House has said they’ve developed new methods of shipping comics to shops that should result in less damaged product. Via Popverse, the letter comes shortly after the announcement that Marvel would be expanding their distribution deal with the company, which already handles distribution to comic shops, and will now take over Marvel’s booktrade distribution starting in 2023. “We are writing to inform you that we are introducing a new carton-packaging configuration for comic books, beginning with select cartons of your June 15th shipments,” Penguin Random House’s US Direct Market Sales Teams said in their message. Popverse reports that over 500 comic shops took part in the testing process for the new shipping boxes, which features new linings and fillers designed to help the boxes reach shops safely.
– Marvel and SiriusXM have dropped their newest original scripted podcast. Marvel’s Wastelanders: Wolverine is the fourth installment in their ongoing Wastelanders series, which previously included Marvel’s Wastelanders: Star-Lord, Marvel’s Wastelanders: Hawkeye, and Marvel’s Wastelanders: Black Widow. The series follows Old Man Wolverine as he guides a young mutant named Sofia to the safe hands of his estranged former allies Kitty Pryde and Rachel Summers. Written and directed by Peabody Award-winner Jenny Turner Hall, the series stars Robert Patrick as Wolverine, with an additional cast that includes Ashlie Atkinson (Kitty Pryde), Rachel Crowl (Red Skull), Isabella Ferreira (Sofia), Jennifer Ikeda (Rachel Summers), Justin Min (Justin), Clarke Peters (Professor X), Daniel Sunjata (Cyclops), and Carl Tart (Kevin). Chapter One of Marvel’s Wastelanders: Wolverine is available now wherever you get your podcasts; each subsequent episode will premiere exclusively on the SXM App and Marvel Podcasts Unlimited on Apple Podcasts before being released across all major podcasting platforms a week later.
– Wu-Tang Clan alums Raekwon and Ghostface Killah have put together a song for the soundtrack of the new game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge. The soundtrack, produced by Kid Katana Records, will go live on digital and streaming platforms alongside the game’s release this week. The game’s developer Dotemu premiered the track on Twitter, previewing the “ultimate hip-hop experience” to come on the full soundtrack. Mike Patton of Faith No More also provided a track, which will accompany the main game score from Tee Lopes on the full soundtrack. You can pre-order a physical edition of the soundtrack with an expected fulfillment of October 28. In the meantime, you can play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge – and hear the full soundtrack – starting June 16.
– In some sad news, DC Comics Chief Creative Officer and Publisher Jim Lee has shared that legendary artist Tim Sale has been admitted to the hospital with “severe health issues.” “Stay strong & know that your legions of fans around the world loves & cherishes you & your amazing talent,” Lee tweeted. Best wishes to Sale for a full and speedy recovery.
