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.
ICYMI, we interviewed Irma Kniivila and Tri Vuong about their new graphic novel, “Everyday Hero Machine Boy.”
– Via ICv2, Eric Powell’s Albatross Funnybooks is becoming an imprint at Dark Horse Comics. Powell commented, “I couldn’t be happier to be returning to Dark Horse and bringing Albatross over as an imprint. This partnership will allow me to focus more on what I want to be doing, making books.” Dark Horse previously published Powell’s best-known comic, “The Goon,” from 2003 to 2016, before the writer/artist returned to self-publishing. The company will reprint several previous Albatross titles, including Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar’s “Pug Davis.” Albatross is only the latest creator-owned imprint to come under Dark Horse’s banner this year, following Stan Sakai’s Dogu Publishing, Matt Kindt’s Flux House, and Kevin Smith’s Secret Stash Press.
– In more Dark Horse news, the publisher announced (via Polygon) a new four-part Witcher game tie-in, “The Witcher: The Ballad of Two Wolves.” A modern take on “Little Red Riding Hood” and “The Three Little Pigs,” the series will see Geralt of Rivia and Dandelion/Jaskier investigating rumors of a werewolf, and the three Piglet sisters. The book, written by Bartosz Sztybor, with art by Miki Montelló, and lettering from Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, will begin on December 21.
– Per ComicBook.com, IDW Publishing revealed the first Star Trek: Strange New Worlds comic, “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds — The Illyrian Enigma,” in their December 2022 solicitations. Written by Kirsten Beyer and Mike Johnson, with art by Megan Levens, the comic will see Captain Pike trying to find evidence of Una’s innocence, after she was arrested over her illegal genetic modifications in the first season finale. The title derives from Una’s species, the Illyrians. The book will also debut on December 21.
– Via Bleeding Cool, Warren Ellis revealed in his newsletter that he plans to focus on writing audio dramas for the foreseeable future, but also hopes to conclude “Injection,” the Image Comics series he created with Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire. SoManyofUs.com, the site created by the people manipulated by Ellis, last updated in January, informing observers they had hired a facilitator to begin a “mediated conversation” with him, as part of a transformative justice plan. They stated, “Here is the clarity we can offer: our goal is to transform harm, not ‘cancel’ Warren Ellis (or anyone else). We cannot and will not sign off on his moral progress. We decline to be the authority on who is allowed to work in what context.”
– Polygon shares that Vol. 37 of Yoshihiro Togashi’s classic manga “Hunter x Hunter” will be released in Japan on November 4. The comic had been hiatus since 2018 because of Togashi’s health issues. Created in 1998, “Hunter x Hunter” tells the story of Gon Freecss, a young boy who dreams of following in his father’s footsteps of becoming a Hunter, an elite group of explorers and adventurers.
– “Dreamless” co-creator Sarah Ellerton launched a new webcomic earlier this year, titled “Immaterial.” The fantasy series follows Alex Velasco, who “wants nothing more than to settle into her new apartment, make some new friends, and most importantly, keep her job. But her life is turned upside down and back to front when she’s accidentally pulled into an surreal escher-esque reality where things that are lost and forgotten find a home.” You can read the comic on its own site, or at Webtoon. Ellerton’s “Dreamless,” which was created with Bobby Crosby, was optioned for a film version back in April.
– In awards news, L.L. McKinney and Robyn Smith won Best Comics Team for “Nubia: Real One” at the third annual Ignyte Awards, held Saturday, September 17. The awards, voted for by the public, honors “the vibrancy and diversity of the current and future landscapes of science fiction, fantasy, and horror by recognizing incredible feats in storytelling and outstanding efforts toward inclusivity of the genre.” Also this weekend, Molly Knox Ostertag’s “The Girl from the Sea” won the British Fantasy Award for Best Comic/Graphic Novel, as chosen by the British Fantasy Society at this year’s Fantasycon.
– Finally, Deadline reports Eugene Cordero has been upgraded to a series regular on Loki season two. The actor portrayed Time Variance Authority member Casey in the first season, before becoming Hunter K-5E as a result of Sylvie’s actions in the finale. Loki season two will be released on Disney+ sometime next year.
