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.
– IDW has announced the ’80s crossover to end all ’80s crossovers with “Transformers/Back to the Future” from writer Cavan Scott and artist Juan Samu. The four-issue miniseries finds Marty McFly and Doc Brown returning from an adventure to find that Doc’s time machine has attracted the attention of the Decepticons. “It’s the perfect fit,” says Scott. “Both Transformers and Back to the Future are packed with adventure, humor, and (most importantly) heart. Plus, it gave me a chance to play with multiple Transformers timelines, harkening back to some of my favorite Transformers storylines of the ‘80s, while also bringing in elements of all three Back to the Future movies.” The two worlds will collide when “Transformers / Back to the Future” #1 hits shelves in October.
– Following the news earlier this week that President and Publisher of IDW Publishing Chris Ryall would be stepping down from his position, IDW has announced the new figures who will be stepping into his shoes. Via PREVIEWSworld, industry veterans Jerry Bennington and Jud Meyers will take over the roles of President and Publisher, respectively. Bennington rises to his new position from his prior role as EVP of Product Management for IDW Publishing, while Meyers currently works as IDW Publishing’s Sales Director. In addition, Rebekah Cahalin, an 11-year IDW veteran, has been promoted to General Manager and EVP of Operations for IDW Media, a position which will oversee both IDW Publishing and IDW Entertainment. No timetable was provided by IDW for the transition.
– Via Creative Review, the fashion house Gucci is teaming up with the art magazine Kaleidoscope for the new comic “Mystrica” from cellist and songwriter Kelsey Lu. “I’ve been a fan of comics since I was a kid, and graphic novels were something I started getting more into as a young adult when I started to realise the astoundingly complex storylines that can be contained within them,” Lu says. The comic draws on similar themes to Lu’s recent album Blood, which features an exploration of Lu’s identity as a Black, queer woman. “Mystrica” was created by Terrell Villiers and Akia Dorsainvil of Masisi Studios, and will be included as a supplement in Kaleidoscope’s upcoming issue. You can find more about it at Kaleidoscope’s website.
– Via ComicBook.com, the educational video-calling app Caribu will be adding 77 kid-friendly DC titles to their service. The app, designed to help kids stay connected and engaged with interactive reading and video calling, will offer a variety of DC kids titles like “DC Super Hero Girls,” “Teen Titans Go!,” “Scooby-Doo,” and “Looney Tunes,” alongside free previews of DC’s middle-grade novels, like “Diana: Princess of the Amazons” and “Black Canary: Ignite.” The announcement is paired with Caribu’s Superhero Week in their ongoing Virtual Summer Reading program, which began July 20, and will continue through July 26. You can access the DC kids titles through the Caribu app, available for download at caribu.com.
– A cute new squad is set to launch on Webtoon — or, well, a KUTE squad. Via Women Write About Comics, the marsupials of the Koala Underwater Tactical Elite team will debut in “KUTE Crew,” a new webcomic from Nick Marino and Nils-Petter Norlin. The comic follows the team through their ocean adventures on their submarine, the Tangerine Marine, as they face off with their sworn enemies in the Squid Squad. The first chapter in the series debuts on August 4.
– The cybernetic gorilla Cy-Gor, a “Spawn” character created by Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo, is headed to Walmart’s shelves in plastic form. From GamesRadar, a new line of McFarlane Toys action figures called RAW10, fronted by Cy-Gor, will be available exclusively at Walmart. “I’m excited to get back to creating and designing creature and monster toys,” says McFarlane, who also revealed that an accompanying digital comic series for the line was on its way. The RAW10 line features a number of other cybernetic animals, with the characters representing a merger of “the worlds of super-science and primal savagery.” The line goes on sale August 1.
– Humble Bundle is offering a new bundle presented by Humanoids in support of The Hero Initiative, a non-profit dedicated to creating a safety net for comic book artists and craftsmen in need. The bundle boasts an impressive haul of works from Alejandro Jodorowsky as well as books like “Strangelands,” “Ignited,” “Barbarella,” and last year’s graphic biography “The Twilight Man: Rod Serling and the Birth of Television.” You can browse the selection of included titles at Humblebundle.com.
