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 announced a second volume of “Bunny Mask,” “Bunny Mask: The Hollow Inside.”
– As part of a DirecTV promotional campaign where tennis player Serena Williams becomes Wonder Woman, DC have launched “Serving Up Justice: Featuring Serena Williams and Wonder Woman,” a weekly, four-part digital comic exploring the events of the commercial. “Williams’s grand slam tournament turns into the competition of her lifetime when a sudden robot invasion interrupts the match,” reads the synopsis. “As she uses her tennis skills to try to protect innocent people from these overzealous invaders, she discovers a rift in the multiverse and someone who looks a lot like her… or an alternate version of Wonder Woman?” The comic was created by writer Amanda Deibert, artist Cat Staggs, colorist Dave McCaig, and letterer Josh Reed, and can be read here.
– In further superhero/sports crossover news, NFL player George Kittle starred in a commercial for Venom: Let There Be Carnage, where he becomes Eddie Brock & Venom’s new roommate. Kittle plays for the San Francisco 49ers, where the Venom movies are set. Venom: Let There Be Carnage will be released in theaters on October 1.
– Image Comics revealed Todd McFarlane’s upcoming Spawn Universe book “The Scorched” will be written by Sean Lewis, with art by Stephen Segovia and Paulo Sequeria. The book will bring together several past characters including Spawn, Reaper, Redeemer, Gunslinger, Medieval Spawn, She-Spawn, and many more. It will debut on December 15, two months after McFarlane’s next “Spawn” comic, “Gunslinger Spawn,” launches October 20.
– Publishers Weekly reported “Specter Inspectors” co-writer/artist Bowen McCurdy will collaborate with writer Jordan Morris on “Youth Group,” a YA First Second graphic novel about a church group that fights demons. Additionally, Little, Brown have acquired Nora Neus and Julie Robine’s “Stunt Girl,” based on the life of the early female undercover journalist Nell Nelson, while HarperAlley will publish Pablo Leon’s “Silenced Voices,” a two-parter about two sisters during the Guatemalan Civil War in 1982. Publication of all these books will take place from 2024 to 2025.
– The Hollywood Reporter revealed Polish animator and producer Tomasz Baginski (The Witcher games and TV show) is directing Knights of the Zodiac, a live-action film version of Masami Kurumada’s manga “Saint Seiya.” Created in 1986, “Saint Seiya” tells the story of five mystically empowered knights, who are sworn to defend the reincarnation of the goddess Athena from the other gods who want to take over the world.
The film, which was produced by Toei and Sony, was shot in complete secrecy this year, and stars Mackenyu (Pacific Rim: Uprising) as Seiya; Madison Iseman (the Jumanji sequels) as Sienna, Athena’s reincarnation; and Sean Bean as their mentor Alman Kiddo. It also stars Famke Janssen, Nick Stahl, Diego Tinoco, and Mark Dacascos. A release date has yet to be announced.
– Marvel and SiriusXM launched Marvel Podcasts Unlimited, a paid audio subscription for the companies’ podcasts, exclusive to Apple Podcasts. The platform, which costs $3.99 a month, will give subscribers early access to new podcasts like Wastelanders, and become the exclusive home of others like Marvel’s Declassified. Marvel also launched Wolverine: La Larga Noche, a Spanish language version of Wolverine: The Long Night, and announced Marvel’s Wastelanders: Hawkeye will begin on October 4.
– During an investor conference, Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings will be added to Disney+ on Friday, November 12, aka Disney+ Day (the anniversary of when the streaming service was launched.) Also premiering on the day will be “a special celebrating the origins and legacy of Star Wars’ legendary bounty hunter, Boba Fett,” and “a special celebrating the Marvel Cinematic Universe on Disney+ with an exciting look towards the future.” Additionally, Chapek commented the company’s talent deals are undergoing a “reset” in the wake of Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit over Black Widow‘s simultaneous theatrical/streaming release.
– Finally, actor Willie Garson has died from pancreatic cancer, aged only 57. Garson, who appeared in Supergirl, Quantum Leap, Stargate SG-1, Star Trek: Voyager, The X-Files, and many more, was best known for playing Stanford Blatch — Carrie Bradshaw’s gay best friend — on Sex and the City, and con man Mozzie on White Collar. He is survived by his son Nathen.
