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, writer Warren Ellis has been accused of sexual coercion by multiple women. Also, Image Comics has announced the new series “The Department of Truth” from James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds.
– Via The Hollywood Reporter, a new Goosebumps comic is in the works at IDW. YA author Marieke Nijkamp will pen the five-part miniseries “Goosebumps: Secrets of the Swamp,” with art by Yasmin Flores Montanez and colors by Rebecca Nalty. The series will be IDW’s third release for the Goosebumps franchise. Nijkamp said in the announcement, “’Secret’ is a story all about finding your place in a new town, figuring out who your friends are, and dealing with the deadly monsters that lurk in the shadows. With Yasmin bringing the characters to life in such a wonderful way, I hope you’ll get caught in its snare too.” “Goosebumps: Secrets of the Swamp” #1 will hit shelves in September, with the first issue featuring cover art from Bill Underwood, and a Retailer Incentive variant from Clara Meath.
– There continues to be fallout to yesterday’s serious allegations of grooming and sexual coercion leveled on Twitter against artist and writer Cameron Stewart. “Ice Cream Man” artist Martin Morazzo confirmed on Twitter that Stewart’s cover B for August’s “Ice Cream Man” #20 would be cancelled, with the commission cost for the cover being donated to victim assistance organization Safe Horizon. Morazzo later announced that he and colorist Chris O’Halloran have contributed a replacement cover for the issue. Meanwhile, Stewart’s “Batgirl” and “Motor Crush” co-writer Brendan Fletcher disavowed the actions of his former collaborator, confirming that any future installments of “Motor Crush” would not involve Stewart. “Having an industry that’s open to anyone who wants to enter it is really important to me,” Fletcher said on Twitter. “We, especially male creators, have to make sure young women feel comfortable and safe.”
– ComicBook.com has a preview of the upcoming “Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious” #1 from Titan Comics. The issue will be one part of a multimedia, multi-platform Doctor Who crossover event that will feature the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Doctors, spread across audio, novels, comics, vinyl, digital, immersive theater, escape rooms, and games. Titan Comics’ entry in the event will feature the Tenth Doctor as he comes in conflict with his archenemies the Daleks, finding that something is coming that terrifies the cyborg aliens. “Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious” #1 will be written by Jody Houser with art by Roberta Ingranata, and will go on sale September 2nd.
– TKO Studios is expanding into the book market. The publisher has announced a new distribution deal with Ingram Publishing Services/Publisher’s Group West, the largest book distributor in the US. TKO expects the deal to pave the way for their titles to be stocked in bookstores around the country and beyond. “We are excited to work with Ingram to make our books widely available in bookstores,” TKO co-founder Tze Chun said in a press release. “The book market is the perfect place to be discovered by audiences interested in character-driven, non-superhero stories by the top creators in comics and graphic novels.”
– The Image comic “Skullkickers” by Jim Zub, Edwin Huang, and Chris Stevens is getting a cartoon adaptation. Via GamesRadar, an adult-oriented animated series is now in development with the production company Copernicus Studios. “Skullkickers,” which ran from 2010 to 2015, was a sword-and-sorcery action-comedy starring a trio of mercenaries, who fought monsters and caused general mayhem in their pursuit of money, fame and adventure. Co-creator Edwin Huang has provided new promotional artwork for the announcement, accompanied by a new logo designed by Tim Daniel, both of which you can find over at GamesRadar. A timeline for the animated series’ release has not been confirmed.
– Original Ms. Marvel writer G. Willow Wilson has made a surprise return to the character she co-created with an all-new prose story titled “Late Spring.” The story finds Kamala Khan mid-social distancing, and features her “in solidarity and celebration of essential workers everywhere.” Featuring header art from Nico Leon with colors by Ian Herring and letters by VC’s Joe Sabino, the story is available in full (including an audio reading of the story by Wilson) at Marvel’s website.
Continued below– Via Comicbook.com, DC has unveiled the trailer for their upcoming animated film Deathstroke: Knights and Dragons – The Movie. The film is an extension of the animated series of the same name. Originally greenlit as a 12-part animated series for CW Seed, the project instead saw the first 37 minutes released on that platform in January 2020. CW Seed later confirmed that Part Two of the project would come later this year, but the project will now see release on digital and Blu-ray as a feature film. The film finds the master mercenary and assassin Slade Wilson colliding with the terrorist organization H.I.V.E. after they kidnap his young son Joseph, bringing his personal and professional lives into conflict. No release date for the film has yet been announced.
– A new trailer has dropped for the upcoming Netflix fantasy Warrior Nun, based on the Antarctic Press series “Warrior Nun Areala” by Ben Dunn. The series follows a young girl named Ava who wakes up in a morgue and finds herself imbued with mysterious powers. She falls in with The Order of the Cruciform Sword, a secret society of warrior nuns sworn to protect the world from evil. The trailer gave us our first full look at Ava and her fellow nun warriors doing battle with the forces of evil. Warrior Nun begins streaming on Netflix on July 2.
– Imagine Kids + Family, a division of Imagine Entertainment, has struck a first look deal with Lion Forge Animation to develop short-form projects, TV series and digital stories. Via Deadline, a number of projects have already been identified for development, including Chippy Hood, a series following four little chipmunks as they look for fun in a magical world; Puerto Rico Strong, an adaptation of the Lion Forge Comics anthology of the same name that was created to benefit Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria; and Black Comic Anthology, a series of animated episodes by black creators that look at the black experience through time. Lion Forge launched their animated division just last year, going on to win an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film for Hair Love.
– In anticipation of the upcoming “Batman: The Three Jokers” miniseries, DC Comics is offering some promotional playing cards for each of the three issues of the series. Featuring art from series artist Jason Fabok, each of the cards will feature the Joker alongside one of his three major adversaries: Batman, Batgirl, and Jason Todd. “Batman: The Three Jokers” and its playing cards are scheduled to hit comic shops beginning August 25.
