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, Titan Comics announced “Blade Runner: Origins,” Vault’s imprint Wonderbound announced “Verse,” and “Fun Home” cartoonist Alison Bechdel announced her new graphic memoir “The Secret to Superhuman Strength.” We also had an exclusive preview of Christopher Cantwell and Salvador Larroca’s “Doctor Doom” #8.
– BOOM! Studios have announced the graphic novel “Guerilla Green” from the team of Cookie Kalkair & Ophélie Damblé. Kalkair will illustrate the book, as well as co-write it with eco-activist Damblé. The story follows a thirty-year-old city-dweller who joins the guerilla gardening movement, which has been fighting for decades to bring more green back into cities that increasingly resemble concrete jungles. The book aims to educate city folk “about the power of green rebellion.” “While working with Ophélie for more than a year on this book, she has shown me that my city deserves more than just endless layers of concrete and buildings,” said Kalkair. “More plants and more life! And that the Green Revolution is accessible to ANYONE — even to a comic book geek like me.” “Guerilla Green” will be on sale in April 2021.
– After a long hiatus, the Marvel Comics series “Runaways” will be making a surprise return to shelves next week. Via GamesRadar, the book has been missing from shelves ever since the COVID-19 pandemic stopped distribution back in March, and was one of the last Marvel Comics to be solicited prior to the stoppage that had yet to be cancelled or resolicited. “The Runaways have always been full of surprises,” says editor Nick Lowe. “So we’re following in their footsteps and surprising you with ‘Runaways’ #32 at comic shops next week.” Series writer Rainbow Rowell will be joined for #32 by artist Natacha Bustos. Bustos was originally solicited to also draw #33, but GamesRadar is reporting that series artist Andres Genolet will return for that issue with a story featuring guest stars Wolverine and Pixie, that was originally solicited to take place in issue #34. In addition to this reported shuffle, Marvel has begun teasing a special anniversary issue for the milestone 100th issue of “Runaways,” which, counting up the issues from all five volumes of “Runaways” thus far, would fall on “Runaways” #34. In the meantime, “Runaways” #32 will be available next week on October 28.
– Ryan Wilder, soon to debut as the replacement for Kate Kane on the CW’s Batwoman, will first make her comic book debut. The new character is set to make her first appearance in the oversized “Batgirl” #50, the final issue of the ongoing series that has been running since ‘DC Rebirth’ in 2016. You can take a look at Wilder’s first appearance over at CBR. “Batgirl” #50 goes on sale next week on October 27.
– Via C21 Media, the French studio Team20 is developing a television series adaptation of the graphic novel fantasy series “Ninn,” which blends Miyazaki-style fantasy into a story revolving around the Paris Metro. The series will follow the 11-year-old girl Ninn, a Parisian who is protected by an origami tiger as she searches for the secrets of her past. The graphic novel series is written by Jean-Michel Darlot and illustrated by Belgian artist Johan Pilet, and four books in the series have been distributed in Belgium, France, and Canada. Volumes five and six are currently in production.
– Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Berkeley Breathed, best known for his comic strips “Bloom County” and “Opus,” is branching out into animation. Via Deadline, the cartoonist is serving as the screenwriter and character designer for Hitpig, an upcoming animated film from the UK animation studio Aniventure. The story follows the titular Hitpig (Peter Dinklage), a grizzled porcine bounty hunter who accepts his next hit: Pickles (Lilly Singh), a naive elephant who has escaped the clutches of an evil trillionaire. The unlikely pair finds themselves on a globe-trotting adventure that brings out the best in both of them. The voice cast is rounded out by Rainn Wilson, RuPaul, Hannah Gadsby and Dany Boon, and will be directed by Cinzia Angelini (storyboard artist on Minions and Despicable Me 3), and Maurizio Parimbelli (the Peter Rabbit TV series). Hitpig is on schedule for a 2022 debut.
Continued below– Animator and director Tim Burton has set his sights on what would be his first live-action television series. Via Deadline, Burton is planning the latest adaptation of The Addams Family, based on the much-adapted series of comic strips by cartoonist Charles Addams. Burton will executive produce alongside Smallville executive producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, who will also serve as head writers and showrunners for the series. Burton will also potentially direct every episode of the series. First adapted as a live-action television series in 1964, The Addams Family have since featured in two animated series, a live-action film series, a stage musical, and the recently rebooted animated film series that began in 2019. The Burton-developed adaptation is currently in development.
– Degrassi: The Next Generation graduate Stacey Farber is joining the CW’s Superman and Lois. Via The Wrap, Farber will play Leslie Larr, yet another double-L’d character in the Superman mythos who is described as “the right hand to one of the most influential people on the planet, she’s gone from a young, idealistic dreamer to a hardened, world-worn dream killer. Athletic, strong… and oftentimes heartless.” Although there is no Leslie Larr to be found in the comics, The Wrap points out that her name is strikingly similar to Lesla-Lar, a Supergirl villain created by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel and artist Jim Mooney in 1961. Larr sporadically tormented Supergirl throughout the Silver Age, but she hasn’t been seen since “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” Farber joins Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch as Superman and Lois Lane, respectively, with Jordan Elsass and Alexander Garfin as the pair’s teenage sons, as well as Dylan Walsh as Lois’ father and Emmanuelle Chriqui as Lana Lang. Superman and Lois will premiere on the CW sometime in January 2021.
– The sci-fi animated series New-Gen has picked up two new members of its voice cast. Via Deadline, the adaptation of the Marvel Comics series by J.D. Matonti, Chris Matonti and Julia Coppola has added Lena Heady (Game of Thrones) and Luke Wilson (Stargirl). The series follows twin brothers and nanotech-enhanced superheroes (voiced by Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard and his brother, Nick Wolfhard) as they work to save the world of New-Gen from destructive war. Heady will voice Thea, the matriarch of the Association of the Protection of New-Gen, while Wilson will play Roboduck, a comical and mischievous sidekick whose special ability is burping fire. No release date for the series has currently been announced.
– French actor Gérard Depardieu will be appearing in a cartoon based on his life. Via CartoonBrew, the project, Depardieu seul le sait! (Depardieu Only Knows!) reteams Depardieu with illustrator Mathieu Sapin, whose 2017 graphic novel “Gérard: Five Years with Depardieu” recounts his travels with the actor. Sapin will again draw Depardieu for the series, which will consist of 52 3-minute episodes. Depardieu has had a long and successful career, earning 17 nominations for Best Actor at the César Awards (France’s Oscars), winning twice. He has also generated several controversies in recent years, including renouncing his French citizenship and moving to Russia at the invitation of Vladimir Putin, publicly urinating on a plane, and an investigation into rape allegations in 2018. Depardieu Only Knows! will be produced by the French studio Toon Factory.
– Finally, more than a year after its North American debut, the most recent Hellboy film is set to premiere in China next month. Via Variety, the Neil Marshall film was one of the biggest financial disappointments of 2019, earning only $44.7 million against its $50 million budget, and a significant loss for the studio Lionsgate. Variety notes that the film was initially delayed in China due to a long bit of difficulty getting through Chinese censors (who often ban or limit films that feature supernatural or superstitious elements) and is likely seeing release now to fill a gap in Chinese theaters as the ongoing pandemic has slowed the rollout of films worldwide. Hellboy, which (in case you’ve forgotten) starred David Harbour, Milla Jovovich and Ian McShane, will debut in China on November 9.
