MARVEL'S BIG TOWN

Writer Steve Englehart revealed details about Big Town, his new six-issue mini-series from Marvel Comics that will be penciled by Mike McKone and inked by Mark McKenna.

"The Marvel Universe operates on the premise that once the superheroes appeared, the world didn't appreciably change, so that the heroes can still live normal lives," Englehart told The Continuum. "Big Town operates on the premise that the world changed significantly - that the high-tech inventions the FF and Stark Industries created to fight villains were then plowed -- in suitably modified form -- into consumer products. Civilization as a whole took a great leap forward, and New York became its leading edge. Silicon Valley and Microsoft never happened; all the computer people moved to New York.

"Everything cutting edge moved to New York, because that's where the superheroes are, so that now the city extends 15-25 miles farther in all directions, subsuming chunks of New Jersey, Westchester, Connecticut, and Long Island. Almost all of that has been rebuilt using Reed and Tony's new technology, paid for by the vast wealth generated by the New Synergy. Gasoline cars have been replaced by electric (based on IM's armor tech), but most people take the 150 mph trains that link all parts of the city. Everything between the Baxter Building and the Avengers Mansion has been cleared, converted (aboveground) into the beautiful Heroes Park, and (below) the nerve center of the city systems. Central Park from 97th to 110th is a landing zone for quinjets. New York is a gleaming, ultra-modern showcase of superhero technology. New York is, more than ever before, the Big Town.

"But within that town, people still live and move and have their being. One of them is Soledad (Sally) Juárez, who works in the Baxter Building computer division and has caught Johnny Storm's eye. As we begin the series, they're about to be married, and the Richards are going to meet her family.

"But this concentration of power in the Big Town has driven the world's major villains, ordinarily in conflict with each other for world domination, to band together to destroy it...

"Big Town is about the town and the many and varied people who live and work there -- so it stars re-imagined versions of the FF, the Avengers, the original X-Men, Doctor Doom, Magneto, the Red Skull, Namor, Ultron, the Hulk -- and Speedball.

"The NYPD has low-level heroes on the payroll, and there is also a training schools for buff guys to learn to be superhero technicians--kinda like medical technicians, where you do some of the big guys' grunt work. It's called the X Squad and it's run by Hank Pym and Charles Xavier.

"What I'm trying to do is take the open, optimistic look and feel of 60s Stan and Jack and re-imagine where it could have gone. The stories have a harder edge because New York is more realistic, and it's 2000, not 1965, but it all comes out of the possibilities of primal Marvel. And that's why Mike is the perfect artist - he draws 2000-type people with the "heroes on a new frontier" spirit of the 60s.

"This is not a 'What If' or an 'Elseworlds' so much as 'The Road Not Taken.'"

The mini-series premieres the first week of November.

FIRST LOOK - EXPOSURE VOL. 2

Exposure: Second Coming #1 will be released in August from Avatar Press, the new home for the series, which was previously published for four issues at Image Comics.

The book is written by David Campiti, with art by Al Rio and Dan Schaefer.

"Retailers overwhelmingly told us re-numbering from #1, rather than from #5, made a substantial different to them," said consulting editor Howard Feltman. "We are following their wishes."

Here's how the book is described:

"The series chronicles the tales of Dr. Lisa Shannon and former cop Shawna Diaz, lifelong friends whose sensitivity to paranormal phenomena leads them down the path of sometimes sexy, often terrifying, adventures.

"The first story, 'Second Coming,' recounts, for new readers, the adventures and origins of the characters so far; it also uncovers Lisa and Shawna dealing with an alien invasion in an unusual manner.

"The 25-page second story, 'The Ninth Order,' tells of a man arrested for three gruesome murders; motive points to him: All three victims had schemed to steal the billion-dollar profit-making video game The Ninth Order from him, leaving destitute him and his young son. The catch: He was across country at the time! The vicious, hysterically impossible killings lead to the involvement of ParaTech Research's Lisa Shannon and Shawna Diaz and deal with such topics as empathy, dreams, and revenge. And a related plot finally reveals the startling secret of the 'angel' who has mysteriously appeared throughout the series."

"In terms of the angel, we certainly didn't want fans to be short-changed on that storyline," Campiti said. "What's more, on this issue Al Rio and Dan Schaefer create some of the finest, most inspired art we've ever seen from them. And that's saying a lot."

Exposure: Second Coming #1 will be 44 pages and will cost $3.50.

The relaunch of Exposure is one of a group of titles that Glass House Graphics plans to package for Avatar over the next year. Other titles on the drawing board include Mike Deodato's Jade Warriors, plus Crucifix; Sorceress; and an Exposure spin-off entitled The Ninth Order.

Exposure #2, in October, has a story called "For the Good of the Children," a story of mental illness, historical fact, mind control, and modern-day murder.

Planned for Christmas release is Exposure Special #1, which offers the Campiti/Rio adventure "Spirit Whirled," previously available only in last year's exclusive limited-edition Exposure Preview. The book will also feature an Exposure models convention photo album and new Rio pin-ups.

DIGIMON AT TACO BELL

Taco Bell has announced a summer partnership with Fox Kids' Digimon: Digital Monsters.

Millions of collectible metal trading cards of the eight Digimon heroes and their digital monster friends will be available at nearly 5,000 Taco Bell restaurants nationwide beginning Thursday, July 13.

The set of cards will total 48. Sixteen unique stackable digivices containing three metal trading cards will be available in various colors to store the cards. Bandai America will also produce 16 new battle/tip cards exclusive to Taco Bell that can be integrated into the Digi-Battle card game. Each premium -- containing one digivice, three trading cards and one game/tip card -- comes free with purchase of a Taco Bell Kids Meal or is sold separately for 99 cents each at participating locations.

"Kids love toys that are engaging, entertaining and based on their favorite books, television shows or movie properties," said Kip Knight, Chief Marketing Officer, Taco Bell Corp. "We're always looking for hot emerging properties that have the ability to connect with our consumers in a fun and entertaining way and Digimon is a great fit for Taco Bell."

The promotion will run through Sept. 9.

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