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.
– The acclaimed Filipino comic book, “Trese” has been picked up by Ablaze Publishing ahead of its Netflix anime adaptation. Ablaze has announced that for the first time, the comic will be hitting US stores later this fall. Written by Budjette Tan with art by Kajo Baldisimo, the series is a supernatural crime saga set in the grim shadows of Manila, about detective Alexandra Trese’s hunt for unusual suspects. The US release edition is titled “Trese: Murder on Balete Drive,” and features new and redrawn artwork with bonus material and concept sketches. The upcoming Netflix adaptation series was announced in 2018 and will be directed by Jay Olivia (Wonder Woman, The Legend of Korra). There’s no release date for the Netflix series, but Volume 1 of the comic will hit stores as a black and white trade paperback this September.
– Marvel Comics have released a new checklist for the rescheduled summer event, ‘Empyre.’ 21 previously planned titles, a third of the event’s initially intended tie-ins, are missing from the checklist: the undated comics include “Empyre: Thor,” “Empyre: Ghost Rider,” “Empyre: Spider-Man,” “Empyre: Squadron Supreme,” “Empyre: Stormranger,” “Empyre: Invasion of Wakanda,” “The Union,” and “Strikeforce” #10. Marvel has yet to clarify its plans for the missing ‘Empyre’ tie-ins. The main “Empyre” series runs from July to September.
– IDW Publishing has teamed up with the Smithsonian Institution for an enlightening new line of coloring books. Airplanes: A Smithsonian Coloring Book, illustrated by John Pirtel, and Dinosaurs: A Smithsonian Coloring Book, illustrated by Rachel Curtis, are designed to provide coloring and learning experiences for all ages. The books contain insights from the National Air and Space Museum’s experts and the paleontology experts from the National Museum of Natural History. The coloring books release in October and are now available to pre-order from online booksellers and comic retailers.
– The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has announced that three of its Board of Directors members have decided to exit the non-profit organization. Paul Levitz, who served 16 years on the board, is exiting his post along with Jeff Abraham and Katherine Keller, who served six and seven years respectively. These changes come after a series of sexual assault and workplace harassment accusations against the organization’s former director, Charles Brownstein. CBLDF announced on June 22 that they had accepted Brownstein’s resignation and are now searching for a new Executive Director.
– Heavy Metal co-managing Editor, Joseph Illidge, has been promoted to Executive Editor. This change comes four months after Illidge joined the company. Illidge will report to Heavy Metal editor-in-chief Tim Seeley. In the newly created position, Illidge will develop new content and creator relationships for the publisher. The company’s freelance marketing person, Kris Longo, has also been hired as chief sales officer.
– Finally, Bloomberg has posted an online comic strip titled, “The Perfect Art Heist: Hack the Money, Leave the Painting,” written by James Tarmy and illustrated by Anna Haifisch. You can read it for free here.
