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.
– IDW Publishing has cancelled its upcoming G.I. Joe series “Scarlett’s Strike Force” before its final orders cut-off from retailers on December 4th, according to Comic Book Resources. As a result, there are no plans for another “Scarlett’s Strike Force” after its third issue and the story will end on a cliffhanger. IDW said that its reasoning for cancelling the series was due to low sales, but fans are curious if writer Aubrey Sitterson’s controversial tweet claiming some alt-right people couldn’t deal with having a more progressive outlook, had anything to do with the decision. The first issue of “Scarlett’s Strike Force” hits shelves on December 27th.
– Actor Chris Evans shared his desire for a Captain America and Human Torch crossover film now that The Walt Disney Company and 21st Century Fox are ‘closing in on’ a deal that could be finished as early as next week, according to CNBC. In a tweet, Evans said: “So who do I talk to about a Cap / Human Torch buddy comedy spin-off? I’m thinking Planes, Trains and Automobiles meets Parent Trap.” Fox’s assets are valued at over 60 billion dollars.
– Lion Forge Comics announced on Wednesday that they will be releasing an anthology titled Puerto Rico Strong with all proceeds earned from the title going to Hurricane Maria relief efforts. The title will feature Puerto Rican comic creators including Fabian Nicieza, Vita Ayala, Rosa Colon, and Naomi Franquiz. Puerto Rico Strong is set for release this March.
– In painfully cute news, Rian Johnson confirmed a space version of Carrie Fisher’s beloved French bulldog, Gary Fisher, exists within the Star Wars universe and will appear in The Last Jedi. The familiar-looking alien, cutely nicknamed ‘Space Gary’, was noticed by Fantha Tracks in one of the photos in the film’s cover issue of Empire Magazine and confirmed by Johnson via tweet. Space Gary is pictured in a scene in Canto Bight, a casino-city Star Wars fans will see for the first time in The Last Jedi.
– More details have emerged about Mark Russell’s reimagining of the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Snagglepuss. Now, he’s a gay playwright in the new DC comic series “Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles.” “Snagglepuss in this story is having to live a double life as a gay playwright living in New York, and he’s closeted. But he has values and integrity as an artist, and he’s trying to stand up for people who otherwise would be shoved under the stairs in this time of great national paranoia in the Red Scare mentality,” Russell told Hollywood Reporter. “In a lot of ways, that frees me up to say what I think about what’s going on in the world now, just putting it in the context of 1953 America.” The first issue of the six issue mini-series will be released January 3rd.
– Cartoonist Sarah Andersen’s second book, “Big Mushy Happy Lump: A Sarah’s Scribbles Collection,” has won the Best Graphic Novels and Comics award at the Goodreads Choice Awards 2017. “Big Mushy Happy Lump” secured its win with over 26,000 votes from readers. It is Andersen’s second book. Her first book, “Adulthood is a Myth,” also won the Best Graphic Novels and Comics award at the Goodreads Choice Awards last year. Other comics and graphic novels nominated this year for the award included Saga,” “Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Lies,” and “Paper Girls” Vol. 2.
– “Power Rangers Shattered Grid” writer Kyle Higgins took to Twitter to clear up rumors surrounding one of BOOM! Studios’s most anticipated crossover storylines. “Been seeing outlets describe Shattered Grid as “every ranger ever” (most likely because of that variant cover image) — Make no mistake, our story has a LOT of Rangers in it… but it’s not everyone ever,” Higgins said. “All Rangers ARE at risk though, and it’s going to take a ton of them to stop Drakkon.” The storyline will boast rangers from past, present and future and will begin in the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” #25 in March.
