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, Oni Press announced “The Vain”; Image Comics announced “The Walking Dead: Negan Lives”; Diamond Comic Distributors revealed the titles intended for this year’s Free Comic Book Day will be released over Free Comic Book Summer; and finally, IDW and Dark Horse announced “Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons.”
– Newsarama reports that voting on the 2020 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards has been closed due to what the organizers called “an anomaly with the site hosting the Eisner’s voting.” According to Newsarama, “several returning voters from previous years logged into the site and found portions of their personal information changed to unknown, third parties.” The nominees for this year’s Eisner Awards were announced earlier this month, with plans to announce the winners in July. The original deadline to vote in this year’s Eisners’ was to conclude at midnight PST on June 18, however the deadline was extended to June 22 before the voting was closed by SDCC. You can find out more about the 2020 Eisner Award Nominees here.
– DC Comics announced today that the Walmart “100-Page Giant” anthology titles will be replaced by shrink-wrapped collections of recent DC comic books from the DC Universe. Each pack of four is priced at $8.98, and includes a collectible backing board featuring a different DC Super Hero. When joined together, they form an image of the Justice League by Ivan Reis. DC is also working to make these 4-packs available to comic book stores by September 2020. The 4-packs will be available at Walmart beginning Sunday June 21, 2020.
– The Beat reports that DC Comics, Warner Bros., and Spotify have announced a new multi-year agreement that will bring scripted podcasts starring DC characters to the masses. Warner Bros. will produce the podcasts, which Spotify will receive a first look at hosting on both their free and paid subscription services. There is no word on a release date for the podcasts.
– Via Newsarama, artist Jorge Jiménez will be the subject of a biographical documentary debuting later this month on the DC Universe streaming service, and it’s titled Visionnaries: Featuring Jorge Jiménez. Jiménez is currently working on “Batman” with writer James Tynion IV. Visionnaries: Featuring Jorge Jiménez is scheduled to premiere on the DC Universe streaming service tomorrow at 1PM PST.
– Via The Hollywood Reporter, Nickelodeon has partnered with global licensors to produce a new Smurfs series. Created by Belgian cartoonist Peyo in 1958, The Smurfs will feature Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Brainy, Hefty and the rest. The computer-animated series is set to premiere in 2021.
– Via GeekTown, Doom Patrol season 2 will premiere July 16, 2020, on STARZPLAY in the UK. Season 2 will premiere on HBO Max and DC Universe on Thursday, June 25. Meanwhile, DC Universe’s Stargirl has found a UK home, as Amazon Prime announced they have picked up the DC Comics series for a premiere in August.
– Anime News Network reports that Toei Animation is delaying the first of the two Sailor Moon Eternal anime films, from September 11, 2020 to January 8, 2021. Additionally, Toei Animation announced that the second film will open on February 11, 2021. The two-part film project will take the place of a fourth season for Sailor Moon Crystal. The films will cover the “Dead Moon” arc of Takeuchi’s original manga.
– Via Broadway World, HBO will offer all nine episodes of Watchmen for free, beginning today through Sunday June 21, 2020, as an extension of the network’s content offering highlighting Black experiences, voices and storytellers during Juneteenth. The network will also air a marathon of the series on HBO and HBO Latino starting today at 1:00 p.m. ET/PT.
– Comicbook.com reports that Warner Archive Collection announced the upcoming release of Legion of Superheroes: The Complete Series on Blu-ray. The collection, out July 14, 2020, includes all 26 episodes of the popular show, which aired on The CW from 2006-2008, as well as a pair of bonus features.
– Netflix has released the first trailer and a July 17 premiere date for Arthurian drama Cursed, from creators Tom Wheeler and Frank Miller. Based on their New York Times-bestselling book, Cursed is a reimagination of the Arthurian legend, told through the eyes of Katherine Langford’s Nimue. Nimue is destined to become the powerful Lady of the Lake.
