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.
– NASA have launched the second issue of the digital graphic novel series “First Woman.” Written by Brad Gann and Steven List, with art by Brent Donoho with Kaitlin Reid, “First Woman: Expanding our Universe” follows Callie and her fellow astronauts as they work together to overcome various obstacles, while trying to install a next-gen telescope on the far side of the moon. The book includes QR codes that allow young readers to engage more with the material. You can read and download “First Woman: Expanding our Universe” for free on the “First Woman” website.
– Publishers Weekly‘s children’s book rights report from last week revealed two graphic deals. First up, Scholastic have acquired world rights to “I’m Going Through Something,” the debut graphic novel of intersex activist Hans Lindahl, illustrated by cartoonist Chan Chau. The book follows a 16-year old artist who has to navigate adolescence where puberty never happens. Publication is set for 2027.
Meanwhile, Astra/Wordsong have acquired world rights to “Beware the Dragon and the Nozzlewock: A Funny Graphic Novel Poetry Collection Full of Surprising Characters” by Vikram Madan. The book includes a collection of poems featuring recurring characters illustrated in a graphic novel format. Publication is set for Fall 2024.
– Via Popverse, Kieron Gillen appeared at a panel during MCM October 2023, where he revealed he was stepping away from Marvel to focus on creator-owned projects after he wraps his current projects. Gillen teased three upcoming unnamed projects, including another collaboration with “DIE” artist Stephanie Hans for a “post-apocalyptic fable about giants.” The writer claims the project would be “Gaiman-y, if Gaiman hated stories.” Gillen is currently the writer of “Immortal X-Men,” and will pen the miniseries “Rise of the Powers of X,” set to debut in January.
– Joe Hill announced, via Popverse, that his horror comic imprint Hill House Comics, as well as his comic book career has been indefinitely put on hiatus to focus on writing novels. Hill said before his career as a novelist is finished, he’d like to have published ten novels (he has only penned four at the time of writing.) Hill House comics debuted in 2019 with “Basketful of Heads,” while the last title to come out of the imprint was “Refrigerator Full of Heads,” in April 2022. Hill also teased the return of his “Locke & Key” series with Gabriel Rodriguez, although it may not happen for some time.
– Via LAist, two of the oldest comic book stores in LA County are set to shutter. Torrance’s Geoffrey’s Comics and Hi De-Ho Comics in Santa Monica will close at the end of the year. Owner Geoffrey Patterson II said that due to the pandemic, shoppers have been buying their comics online, not at the brick and mortar stores he owns. Geoffrey Patterson Sr. opened Geoffrey’s Comics in 1979, while Hi De-Ho, which Patterson II co-owns, opened in 1977. While the storefronts will be closing, the online store will remain along with their eBay shop and pull services, where customers reserve books to be picked up or delivered to them every month. Patterson II says he plans to hold a party at each location during their last week open for a final goodbye.
