Comic News

“Classic” New Future Foundation Cover

Stan Goldberg, the original colourist
for Fantastic Four #1 way back in 1961 has returned to Marvel’s
family, now known as the Future Foundation, with a variant cover that
no Fantastic Four fan should miss out on, especially those that have
been following the series for a long time. This march, the three remaining
members of the Richards family, teamed with Spider-Man will do
anything they can to solve all the problems of the universe and
prevent any others from starting. Make sure you get in on this new
series written by creative genius Jonathan Hickman and artist Steve
Epting.

Murder is Afoot in March With Kill Shakespeare

The critically-acclaimed comic published by IDW, which places some of the Bard’s greatest characters together in the same story, is releasing its 9th issue this week and its 10th – featuring the death of one of the bard’s greatest creations – will be published April 20 (to commemorate the anniversary of Shakespeare’s own death and birth). “With the murder of Julius Caesar famously taking place on the Ides of March we thought it only fitting that we too conspire to kill a legend. We think Shakespeare would approve. After all, he may be the greatest literary mass-murderer in history, but even he would be shocked with what we have in store for his characters,” says co-creator Conor McCreery.

Happiness is the First Peanuts Graphic Novel

This March, join Charlie Brown, Linus, Snoopy and all your favorite PEANUTS characters as Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown, the very first PEANUTS graphic novel ever published, is released by newly-launched all-ages imprint kaboom! Based on the work by PEANUTS creator Charles M. Schulz himself, this graphic novel is sure to delight a whole new generation of PEANUTS fans! “We’re honored to publish such a beloved property,” BOOM! Studios Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Ross Richie said. “I can think of no better way to kick-off our new all-ages imprint kaboom! than with the first PEANUTS graphic novel ever published!”

FX says Yes to Powers Pilot

After lengthy development, FX has handed a pilot order to Powers, a drama based on the graphic novel by Brian Michael Bendis and
Michael Avon Oeming. The project, written by Charles H. Eglee and to be
directed by Michael Dinner, is a police procedural set in a world where
superpowers are relatively common and centers on two detectives,
Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim, in a Homicide department that deals
with cases involving “powers” (people with superpowers). Powers, from Sony Pictures TV and FX Prods., is slated to begin casting immediately for a spring shoot.

Flashpoint Interview with Andy Kubert

DC Comics got to sit down with artist Andy Kubert and
talked about his job on Flash’s new series. Flashpoint will be shaking all the
minds and hearts of both characters and readers. With the writing of Geoff
Johns and with Andy’s drawings, get ready for the newest, and probably one of
the greatest, DC Comics stories! Get ready for Flashpoint #1 later this year on
May 11th.

Space Warped and Word Girl Go Kaboom!

Kaboom! is rolling out the news this week. I’m beginning to think that losing Pixar and Disney was the best thing to happen to Boom! From it’s ashes rises four announcements with (I’m assuming) a fifth one tomorrow. So far we have the Peanuts at Kaboom! with rumors that it may be original material. Roger Langridge of Thor: The Might Avenger fame and the addition of two new titles “Spaced Warped” which looks a lot like Star Wars. Lastly we have “Word Girl” which defintely seems like it’s geared for younger children. What I have to say I’m looking forward to about this line is that it’s not seventy year old characters people are familar with watered down for children. In the case of “Word Girl” at least it looks like a kids superhero book. We’ll have to see what else Kaboom! has planned and what the release schedule is like, but with what little we know… it looks good!

DC’s First Wave is Over!

The Spirit. Doc Savage, the Blackhawks and Rima the Jungle Girl. First Wave is a series of books that combine Golden Age characters with Will Eisner’s The Spirit world with a 1940s styles Batman thrown in is getting the axe due to low sales and the fact that the rights were getting to be too costly.

First Wave was spearheaded by writer Brian Azzarello a few years ago as a way to expand the DC Universe with some classic adventure characters. The line kicked off with a Batman/Doc Savage team-up and has continued with a First Wave miniseries by Azzarello and Rags Morales which wraps up next week. JG Jones was recently announced to be taking over the DOC SAVAGE book, and he sounded pretty enthused. Looks like these guys will have some free time on their hands.

The Creator of Facebook Comes to Comics

Mark Zuckerberg (the creator of Facebook) enters the comic book world in a new comic book simply called Mark Zuckerberg (originality abounds). The comic is produced by an independent comic book company in Vancouver, Bluewater Productions Inc, written by freelance journalist Jerome Maida, and illustrated by Sal Field. After Mark Zuckerberg’s portrayal in the movie “The Social Network,” a movie chronicling the creation of Facebook and its creator, Bluewater Productions promises that this issue will present a different kind of Mark Zuckerberg rather than the cruel man stealing his friends’ ideas for Facebook portrayed in the movie. The scrip’s tone will still have a tone similar to the movie. The comic has also been proposed as the possible script for an animated movie about Zuckerberg.

Zombies vs. Robots – It’s a Movie Now

Hollywood’s fixation with robots and the undead has fueled a spec package deal that includes underlying rights to the IDW Zombies Vs. Robots. JT Petty has used the Ashley Wood/Chris Ryall-created comic as the basis for a spec script called Inherit the Earth. The film will be a co-production between Platinum Dunes, Circle of Confusion and IDW, produced by Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, Andrew Form, Dave Alpert and Rick Jacobs. Ted Adams will act as Executive Producer for the project. The story focuses on a young girl who is the last survivor on Earth. She is protected from a pack of intelligent and evolved zombies by a group of robots. Even though it sounds like it could be on the undercard, the comic title is unrelated to Cowboys & Aliens. Transformers‘ director Bay has more than enough experience with robots to turn this into something exceptional. Jonathan Kadin and Hannah Minghella will oversee for Sony. IDW’s title World War Robot is being developed by Jerry Bruckheimer.

BOOM! Studios Wins a Gem from Diamond

February 22, 2010 – Los Angeles, CA – For
the second year in a row BOOM! Studios is proud to announce they’ve
been awarded Diamond Comic Distributor’s 2010 Gem Award for Comic Book
Publisher of the Year Under 4%.“Thanks so much to Diamond Comics and
retailers everywhere for awarding us Comic Book Publisher of the Year
under 4% for the second year in a row!” says BOOM! Studios Founder and
CEO Ross Richie.”The people at BOOM! are some of the hardest working
individuals I’ve ever seen in comics and it’s rewarding to see all that
effort recognized. We’ll be shooting for a third year win!”