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.
– Ben Mendelsohn (Bloodline, The Dark Knight Rises, Rogue One) is in talks to play the villain in Captain Marvel. The Australian actor previously worked with directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck on the 2015 gambling film Mississippi Grind. It’s possible Mendelsohn will play a Skrull commander, but given the Kree’s presence in the film, it’s just as likely he will be cast as Carol’s old enemy Yon-Rogg. The film starring Brie Larson is scheduled for release March 8, 2019.
– Lion Forge are publishing cartoonist Hazel Newlevant’s memoir, “No Ivy League,” late next year. The comic by Newlevant, who was recently appointed as an editor by the company, is set when she was 17 and working for the titular group. The memoir recalls when she reported a black boy for insulting her that summer, and the ensuing disproportionate response he received. Described as “uncomfortable and compelling,” the book is a reflection on how Newlevant came to understand “the racial insularity of her life, the power of white privilege, and the hidden story of segregation in [her hometown] Portland.” “No Ivy League” was originally published in single issues by JMC Aggregate, which Lion Forge’s 200-page version will expand upon.
– Similarly, Oni Press have announced a new graphic novel by Katie O’Neill for next October. “Aquicorn Cove” is the all-ages tale of a girl named Lana, who discovers a colony of Aquicorns, magical seahorse-like creatures. “In this story I wanted to combine aquatic fantasy elements with the feelings I get from the tiny seaside villages in my home country of New Zealand,” O’Neill said. “Marine conservation has always been extremely important here, and I wanted to explore the point of view of a child living in a world where the actions — or inactions — of her guardians already have had environmental consequences.” Oni previously published O’Neill’s “Princess Princess Ever After” and “The Tea Dragon Society.”
– “Pashmina” author Nidhi Chanani has revealed her second graphic novel, “Jukebox,” will be released in 2020. The book, published by First Second, is about two Muslim American cousins, Shaheen and Tannaz, and a magical jukebox that comes to their aid when Shaheen’s father, Giovanni, goes missing. You can look at early artwork at SyFy Wire.
– Roye Okupe, owner/creative director of YouNeek Studios, is seeking funds on Kickstarter to release a second volume of “Malika: Warrior Queen” in March. Okupe will return as writer and reunite with penciller/inker Chia Kalu, colorist Raphael Kazeem, and cover artist Godwin Akpan. The first “Malika: Warrior Queen” graphic novel, which depicts the exploits of the titular queen in a fictionalized version of 15th century West Africa, was released earlier this year.
– Philippine channel News5 showcased a graphic novel written by college students Ethan Chua and Scott Lee Chua, “Doorkeeper.” The book features six stories and an epilogue, each with a different artist, involving the titular cosmic immortal who appears during different moments in Philippine history and mythology. The book will launched on November 11 at Komikon, the Philippines’ biggest and longest-running comics convention.
– Erik Oleson will succeed Marco Ramirez and Douglas Petrie as the showrunner for Daredevil. Ramirez and Petrie left after season two to oversee The Defenders. Oleson was co-executive producer on season three of Arrow, and was more recently executive producer on season two of The Man in the High Castle. It was also confirmed Vincent D’Onofrio will return as Wilson Fisk: the character was last seen plotting revenge on Matt Murdock and Foggie Nelson in the second season, but he was absent from The Defenders.
– DC Films have announced another project, Deathstroke, with Gareth Evans attached as director. It’s the latest in a long line of budding Batman spin-off films, including Batgirl, Nightwing, Gotham City Sirens and Joker. Joe Manganiello was cast as Slade Wilson for Ben Affleck’s The Batman, but his status has been in limbo since Affleck stepped down as director and Matt Reeves came on board. Evans, the Welsh filmmaker behind the acclaimed Indonesian action films The Raid and The Raid 2, is currently directing next year’s Netflix thriller Apostle, and will presumably make Deathstroke his next film. One thing’s for sure, if it gets made, it’s certainly going to be R-rated.
– In an interview, Australian cartoonist Colin Wicking expressed concern over the Northern Territory’s proposed new anti-discrimination laws, fearing he could fall afoul of them when readers misinterpret his provocative art.
– “Cyberforce” creator Marc Silvestri teased a new series, posting new artwork on Twitter. The writer/artist also underwent cataract surgery a few hours later (his second this month), so it will be a while.
