Welcome back to The Rundown, our daily breakdown of comic news stories we missed from the previous day. Have a link to share? Email our team at rundown@multiversitycomics.com.
– The BBC announced Jodie Whittaker will play the Thirteenth Doctor in Series 11 of Doctor Who. Whittaker, 35, is the first woman to play the Doctor and previously worked with incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall on Broadchurch. She will presumably make her entrance during Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi’s final episode on Christmas Day. Eventually, we expect Titan Comics to announce a comic book subtitled “The Thirteenth Doctor” to coincide with Series 11 next year.
– On Friday, DC announced Italian artist Enrico Marini will make his American comics debut with “Batman: The Dark Prince Charming.” The two-part graphic novel involves Batman’s search for “a strange and mysterious young girl” in the Gotham underworld after she is kidnapped by the Joker. Artwork also reveals Catwoman will be making an appearance. Volume one will be released November 1, 2017, with the second due spring 2018.
– Disney held their biennial D23 Expo, and quite a bit happened/was announced, like new Star Wars: The Last Jedi footage, Jack Kirby and Stan Lee getting inducted into the Disney Legends Hall of Fame, the first teaser for Avengers: Infinity War (and the introduction of the Black Order, via Josh Brolin), a new Marvel Studios logo, lots and lots of Marvel animation news, a new Marvel VR game, the appearance of Marvel characters in the Wreck It Ralph sequel, and the announcing of huge new Star Wars and Marvel attractions at Disney resort locations. Phew.
– In a roundtable interview with The Hollywood Reporter, John Cunningham, the senior vice-president of sales at DC Entertainment, surprisingly revealed “DC Super Hero Girls: Finals Crisis” was their second best-selling trade paperback in 2016, after “Batman: The Killing Joke.”
– Axel Alonso has been teasing a new Punisher series set during Frank Castle’s service during the Vietnam War, drawn by Goran Parlov. Parlov previously pencilled issues of “The Punisher MAX,” and “Fury: My War Gone By,” written by Garth Ennis and which also featured a Vietnam era Castle.
– Dave Scheidt (“Adventure Time,” “Trolls”) and Scott McMahon (“Aw Yeah Comics!”) are teaming up on an ongoing new series titled “Wrapped Up,” which tells the story of Milo, a twelve-year old boy whose parents happen to be mummies. The first issue will be published by Lion Forge on October 25. Bleeding Cool has the cover, preview art and a statement from the creators.
– Filming on the eighth season of The Walking Dead has halted after a stuntman died following an on-set injury. Variety reported John Bernecker suffered blunt-force trauma to the head after he fell off a 20-feet balcony onto a concrete floor, and died on July 12 at the Atlanta Medical Center. The SAG-AFTRA guild is currently investigating the accident. Bernecker worked on several comic book movies including the upcoming Black Panther, and had small acting roles in films like Logan. He was 33.
– Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson will no longer helm the pilot of Hulu’s adaptation of Locke and Key. The Hollywood Reporter reports Derrickson chose to concentrate on the pilot of TNT’s Snowpiercer, and that Andy Muschietti, director of Mama and the forthcoming remake of It, will take over the project.
– Tyrese Gibson confirmed to Syfy he has met with Warner Bros. about starring as John Stewart in Green Lantern Corps, though with the movie reboot of Green Lantern not due for release until July 24, 2020, he understandably expressed skepticism about being cast. David Goyer and Justin Rhodes are currently writing the screenplay.
– The nominees for this year’s British Fantasy Awards have been announced, with the Best Comic / Graphic Novel shortlist consisting of:
“2000AD” (progs 1963-2011) ed. Matt Smith
“Monstress, Vol 1: Awakening” – Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda
“Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat!” (#2-13) – Kate Leth & Brittney Williams
“Saga” (#33-40) – Brian K Vaughan & Fiona Staples
“Sixpack and Dogwelder: Hard Travelin’ Heroz” (#1-5) – Garth Ennis & Russ Braun
“Skal” (Chapter 3, pages 1-19) – Jennie Gyllblad
A jury consisting of Alasdair Stuart, Stephen Theaker and Marcus Gipps will determine the winner, which will be announced at BFA Banquet during FantasyCon, which will be held at the Bull Hotel in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, from September 29 to October 1.
