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, we’ve got an exclusive preview of “Batman and The Outsiders” Annual #1, which is in stores tomorrow, and an interview with “Black Hammer/Justice League” artist Michael Walsh.
– As we previously reported, Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta are bringing “East of West” to an end. Image announced that the dystopian series will end with issue #45, which will be released in December 2019. Written by Jonathan Hickman, penciled by Nick Dragotta with colors by Frank Martin, and lettered by Rus Wooton, “East of West” began in 2013, and follows the four horsemen of the apocalypse as the end times draw near. Hickman said “We started ‘East of West’ with a story we wanted to tell and we’ve had the incredible honor of having a bunch of fans make that story a reality.” Dragotta added “Creatively with Jonathan, Frank, and Rus, ‘East of West’ has been an incredible ride, and none of it would have been possible without you—the readers—and Image Comics.”
– Sergio Bonelli Editore and DC, with RW Edizioni have announced a partnership to co-publish a limited series of crossover comic books featuring characters from both the Bonelli Universe and DC’s superhero universe. Issue #0 of the crossover, titled “Relazioni pericolose” (“Dangerous liaisons”), scripted by Roberto Recchioni with art by Gigi Cavenago and Werther Dell’Edera, will focus on the characters of Dylan Dog and Batman, with villains Xabaras and The Joker. SBE Editor in Chief Editorial Strategy, Michele Masiero, said “Our creative imaginations have been racing since the moment this kicked off with our friends at DC and RW.” The crossover comic will debut at Lucca Comics and Games 2019.
– The Los Angeles Times announced that Carly Usdin and artist Noah Hayes will continue BOOM! Studios’ “The Avant-Guards” as an original graphic novel. The new graphic novel will pick up where issue #8 left off, and will follow the basketball team from the Georgia O’Keeffe College of Arts and Subtle Dramatics as they work toward winning their league’s inaugural championship. Usdin said “The final installment will include teamwork, romance, lots of surprises and a dunk or two!” “The Avant-Guards” graphic novel is slated for a September 2020 release.
– A group of nursing professors have created an educational graphic novel called “We Need Some Help Out Here,” that depicts several scenes related to opioid use and abuse. Creators Dr. Sue Coffey and Leslie Graham say the graphic novel helps with students’ confidence during a simulated overdose. Graham adds “Anecdotally, we did find that their performance improved after reading the graphic novel.” Check out the full story here.
– The CW is currently developing Superman & Lois starring Supergirl‘s Tyler Hoechlin as the Man of Steel, and Elizabeth Tulloch of last year’s “Elseworlds” event as Lois Lane. Former Flash showrunner Todd Helbing will pen Superman & Lois and serve as an executive producer alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Geoff Johns. The duo are set to appear next in this year’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event.
– French actor and director Guillaume Canet is set to direct Asterix & Obelix, The Silk Road. Canet will also star in the film as Asterix. The new live-action film will see Asterix and Obelix head to China for the first time, in a story based on an original script by Philippe Mechelen and Julien Hervé. The film is a co-production between publishing house Les Editions Albert Réné and French production companies Les Enfants Terribles, Pathé Films and Les Productions des Trésor, and will begin shooting in 2020.
– Variety reports that ABC’s Stumptown has been picked up for a full season, though the episode count is yet to be determined. Based on the comic series by Greg Rucka, Matthew Southworth and Justin Greenwood, Stumptown follows Dex Parios as she makes her way as a private investigator in Portland, Oregon. The series stars Cobie Smulders as Dex and can be seen Wednesdays on ABC.
– Finally, writers and producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have left Lucasfilm after spending almost three years there developing a new Star Wars film trilogy. In a statement at Deadline, the pair cited their recent deal with Netflix as reason for their departure. The first film in their series, which was being developed in tandem with other projects from Rian Johnson and Kevin Feige, was set to be released on December 16, 2022. The departure comes in the wake of the heavy criticism the pair faced after the final season of Game of Thrones, which reignited over the weekend after a talk from the duo at the Austin Film Festival went viral.
