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.
– Cullen Bunn, Danny Luckert, and Leila Leiz will bring us an anthology of terror in “Shock Shop,” a four-issue horror flip comic from Dark Horse. Presented as tales from a haunted comic shop, each issue will feature two stories, with the first following a home haunted by a coven of witches, and the second a camping trip gone horribly wrong. Issue #1 will be available for pre-order soon, with variant covers from Francesco Francavilla, Fábio Moon, Caitlin Yarsky, James Stokoe, James Harren, and Tonci Zonjic. It is recommended for ages 14 and up.
– Bob Bolling and Don Rico will receive the 2022 Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing during the Eisner Award ceremony at San Diego Comic-Con, on July 22. Bolling is best known for his work on various “Archie” titles, with his best known being 1956’s “Little Archie.” He is unable to attend the ceremony, but will receive his award beforehand. Donato “Don” Rico will be honored posthumously for his body of work, starting with 1939’s “Fantastic Comics” #1. The awards will be presented by Jackie Estrada.
– ComiXology addressed criticism of its recent revamp in a series of tweets, outlining planned improvements to the digital comics service. These include double-page spreads, new zoom in/out functionality, and vertical scroll while reading, all of which will be released in beta on the website. Guided view is not included however. This has done little to quell the complaints online, which claim the improvements only inch the service back closer to where it already was before the revamp.
– Vault Comics is teaming with website and podcast GateCrashers for Pride Charity Auction, benefitting the William Way LGBT Community Center in Philadelphia. The auction will feature pieces from Tom King, Steve Orlando, Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, and others. A Harley Quinn poster signed by Kaley Cuoco and Lake Bell, as well as a signed book from Patton Oswalt, will also be among the items available. The auction will be broadcast on Vault’s WhatNot page on June 29, 4pm EST/1pm PST.
– Nickelodeon have announced three animated features based on Avatar: The Last Airbender. Lauren Montgomery, who helmed several early DC Universe Animated Original Movies, will direct the first of the trilogy, with series creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino producing. A release date was not given.
– Peyton List (Cobra Kai) will star in School Spirits for Paramount+. The show is based on an upcoming YA graphic novel by Nate and Megan Trinrud, and Maria Nguyen, and follows a teenager who becomes trapped in the afterlife, haunting her old high school as she attempts to solve her own murder. The graphic novel was originally announced last year, when it was picked up by Clarion/HarperAlley. The series does not have a release date, but the OGN is due out Fall 2024.
– Manny Montana (Good Girls, Mayans M.C.) has joined the cast of Marvel Studios’ Ironheart. The upcoming Disney+ series will follow young inventor Riri Williams, who builds an armor suit to rival Tony Stark. Montana’s role is still under wraps, but he joins a cast that includes Dominique Thorne in the lead role. And in more Marvel casting news, Nick Santos (Superstore, Crazy Rich Asians) will be seen in Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3. Santos’s role has yet to be announced, but the James Gunn-helmed sequel has completed filming.
– Finally, in an interview with Rolling Stone, iconic writer Grant Morrison discussed their time working on Warner Bros.’s upcoming Flash film, and their thoughts on star Ezra Miller’s recent legal problems. Morrison also discussed their upcoming novel Luda, and the time they claimed to have written a song with the specter of John Lennon (which you can listen to at the link.)
