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.
– Via Deadline, Tapas announced “Drac: Son of Drake,” a 15-part webcomic created by writer Saladin Ahmed with filmmakers Shaka King (Judas and the Black Messiah) and Travon Free (Two Distant Strangers). The series offers a new spin on the tale of Dracula, telling the story of Dante, an eccentric, flute-playing immortal, who is approached for help by a woman over her missing daughter, at the same time his evil son has chosen a new bride. Ahmed wrote the series with Son M., Rob Markman and Deron Bennett, while the art was provided by Ray-Anthony Height, Don Ho, Craig Yeung, and many more. The comic also features a soundtrack by record producer and rapper Quelle Chris. You can check out the first two chapters for free here.
– At ComicBuzz, Dark Horse Comics unveiled “War Birds,” a sci-fi graphic novel by writer/artist Steve Parkhouse (co-creator of “Resident Alien”), and co-writer Geoffrey D. Wessel (“Keeper”). The book follows a robotic soldier and a drone, who decide to quit fighting, and flee the warzone they were deployed to. They will befriend two sympathetic humans, while avoiding their superiors, who want to “retire” them. “War Birds” will be released in comics shops March 8, and bookstores March 21, 2023. Dark Horse also released their September solicits, which revealed the full plot, creative team, and art for Kevin Smith’s “Maskerade” (formerly “Masquerade”).
– Vault Comics announced Matthew Erman and Emily Pearson’s long in-development sci-fi coming-of-age graphic novel “Bonding” will be released in October. The book, first revealed in 2018 as part of Vault’s young reader imprint Wonderbound (then known as Myriad), imagines a world where everyone has an alien parasite attached to their heart, that displays how you feel. It follows Marcus and Laura, who “have a great first date,” when Marcus almost dies because his parasite nearly rejects him. You can check out the final cover and a preview at CBR.
– Skybound Comet revealed they will publish their collection of Mac Smith’s webcomic “Scurry” in comics stores on February 15, and online and in bookstores on February 21, 2023. The comic, which is set in a world where humans have disappeared, follows a mouse scout named Wix on his quest to return home. The book was announced as one of the new titles that will be previewed in “Skybound X” #25, due out on July 20, 2022.
– The Observer announced publisher Faber will take over from Jonathan Cape as a partner for the annual Observer/Comica Graphic Short Story Prize. Jonathan Cape had sponsored the Observer‘s graphic short story prize since its inception in 2007; it was not stated why the imprint and newspaper decided to part ways. The paper also declared submissions for this year’s prize are now open until September 16, and that this year’s judges will include cartoonist Adrian Tomine, as well as actor Michael Sheen.
– The Los Angeles Times have started carrying five new diverse comic strips, including Tauhid Bondia’s popular online comic “Crabgrass,” and award-winning Argentinian cartoonist Liniers’s “Macanudo.” The decision was made following a review prompted last year by an edition of “9 Chickweed Lane,” that contained an anti-Asian slur. After replacing that title with “Luann,” the Times surveyed roughly a thousand readers regarding what kind of comics they wanted to see the paper carry instead, and chose the new selection based on “criteria including reader support, frequency of new installments, instances of insensitivity and quality of content.”
– Deadline reports Emma Roberts has joined the cast of Sony’s Madame Web movie, starring Dakota Johnson. Directed by S.J. Clarkson, Madame Web will apparently see Johnson play Julia Carpenter (originally the second Spider-Woman in the comics), who inherited the powers of clairvoyance and precognition from her elderly predecessor Cassandra Webb. It is unclear who Roberts will play at the time of writing. The film, also starring Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, Isabela Merced and Tahar Rahim, will be released July 7, 2023.
– Finally, Scout Comics formed a partnership with board game publisher Usaopoly (The Op), who will have first right of refusal on all board games based on Scout series. “Gaming and comics have always had a special relationship, and we look forward to expanding Scout’s IP into new territory with our incredible new partners at The Op,” said Scout Comics’ chief creative officer, Don Handfield.
