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.
– The first trailer for The New Mutants film was released at midnight PST, and it looks like the first bona fide mutant horror film. Set to a creepy rendition of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall,” the trailer emphasizes Danielle Moonstar (Blu Hunt) undergoing psychological treatment by Dr. Cecilia Reyes (Alice Braga). No sign of the Demon Bear though. The film is out on April 13, 2018.
– 20th Century Fox also announced Gambit will be released February 14, 2019. The Channing Tatum project was courting Gore Verbinski (Rango, The Lone Ranger) to direct before NYCC.
– DC have released further details on the “Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt” one-shot announced at NYCC. The comic, which will be released between “Dark Nights: Metal” #5 and #6 on February 14, is written by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, and Joshua Williamson, with art by Doug Mahnke, Ivan Reis, and more. The 40-page book will feature the Flash, Cyborg, Raven, and Detective Chimp, as well as the Metal Men, who have been conspicuously absent from the event.
– DC also announced they are marking Justice League‘s release date with Justice League Day on November 18. They are offering a free copy of Geoff Johns and Jim Lee’s “Justice League” #1 with a new cover by Ivan Reis (which will cost retailers 25 cents), as well as free temporary tattoos of the film’s characters.
– To mark the start of ‘Avengers: No Surrender,’ the variant cover theme for Marvel Comics in January will be the various Avengers team rosters. You can view the variants for “Avengers,” “Black Panther,” “Old Man Hawkeye,” “Amazing Spider-Man” and “Astonishing X-Men” on Newsarama. Barry Kitson’s “Old Man Hawkeye” is particularly relevant to ‘No Surrender,’ as it includes Voyager with the Kooky Quartet version (which comprised of Captain America, Hawkeye, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch).
– Marketing research group the NPD report sales of comics in bookstores have grown by 15 percent over the past three years. The study also shows:
- Women account for 37 percent of buyers.
- 13-29 year olds make 57 percent of purchases.
- Manga makes up 76 percent of comics bought by that age range.
- Manga readers are 20 percent less likely to be white.
All of this a far cry from the perception the Direct Market wants to establish.
– Newsprint publisher Alterna Comics have announced their books will be sold at Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Toys R Us. Founder Peter Simeti said, “Comic shops are obviously still the best place to find comic books, but expanded distribution in today’s market is an absolute necessity. Comics should be everywhere and as a publisher, my entire job revolves around getting our comics in as many places as possible.”
– A trailer has been released for My Friend Dahmer. The film, based on John “Derf” Backderf’s graphic memoir of the same name, recounts when he was at high school with Jeffrey Dahmer, who became a notorious serial killer. My Friend Dahmer, which stars Ross Lynch as Dahmer and Alex Wolff as Derf, will be released November 3.
– If Loving You Is Wrong actress Edwina Findley has been cast in Black Lightning as Tori, the sister of main villain Tobias Whale (Marvin “Krondon” Jones III). The show will air on the CW next year.
– In a press release, Valiant have announced a partnership with Nigerian publisher Peda Studio to sell their comics there and in other countries like Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. This is the first African distribution deal Valiant have made, following arrangements with publishers from other countries across Europe, Asia, Central and South America.
