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, AfterShock has announced “Miskatonic,” a 1920s horror/crime series inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft, and IDW will publish “Star Trek: Voyager – Seven’s Reckoning,” a four-part miniseries starring Seven of Nine. We also talked to Scott Snyder and Tony S. Daniel about their new project, “Nocternal.”
– Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante and illustrator Delphie Côté-Lacroix will detail Plante’s political rise in ”Okay, Universe: Chronicles of a Woman in Politics,” due out in October. The English version will be published by Drawn & Quarterly (with translations by Helge Dascher), while the French edition will be put out by Editions XYZ. “Okay, Universe” will follow Plante’s grassroots journey to become the first woman elected mayor of Montreal.
– Ten out of Rocksteady’s sixteen female employees have accused the video game developer of inaction regarding sexual harassment. One of the signers, who wished to remain anonymous, released the letter to The Guardian, in the hopes of shining a light on abuses within the company. While the letter itself is from November 2018, the anonymous signatory cites lack of action from the company to curb abuses in their decision to make the letter public. Rocksteady are currently set to unveil their next video game, dubbed Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, during DC Fandome on August 22.
– Utopia, based on the Channel 4 series of the same name, will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on September 25. The streaming service has released a trailer for the pandemic thriller, introducing viewers to the main characters, and the comic book that drives the main action of the story. The series is produced by Gone Girl and Sharp Objects author Gillian Flynn.
– Marvel’s ”Taskmaster” and “Widowmakers: Yelena Belova and Red Guardian” have new release dates. Both books are now slated for November 2020 to coincide with the principal characters’ film debut in Marvel Studios’ Black Widow, itself pushed back until November 6. “Widowmakers: Yelena Belova and Red Guardian” will be helmed by Belova co-creator Devin Grayson and artist Michele Bandini, while writer Jed MacKay and artist Alessandro Vitti will handle ”Taskmaster.”
– Similarly shelved due to COVID-19, the first issue of Ryan North and Nico Leon’s five-part “Power Pack” mini-series will hit shelves this November. The series will be connected to Marvel’s ‘Outlawed’ event, which will include “Miles Morales: Spider-Man,” “Magnificent Ms. Marvel,” “Champions,” and “New Warriors.”
– Following the arrest of “Act-Age” series writer Matsuki Tatsuya, and the cancellation of the manga, Viz Media has will be removing the manga from “Shonen Jump’s” digital vault. Tatsuya was arrested for inappropriate acts with a minor. The final chapter of the manga was released in print this week, though both “Shonen Jump” and MANGA PLUS have refused to host it digitally.
– Koyama Press has awarded a $1000 grant to Chicago-based illustrator and cartoonist Bianca Xunise. Annie Koyama, founder of the Canadian publisher, writes that Xunise “continues to fearlessly break boundaries for others and her voice is important.” Xunise tweeted her appreciation. “It’s really cool to be respected by the folks in comics I have admired for years!”
– Finally, prolific actor British actor Ben Cross passed away at the age of 72 on Tuesday. Best known for his role as Olympic athlete Harold Abrahams in 1981’s Chariots Of Fire, Cross was also recognizable to Star Trek fans as Spock’s father Sarek in J.J. Abram’s 2009 reboot. He is survived by his wife Deyana Boneva Cross, and two children, Theo and Lauren.
