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Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2000

MUTANT X TV UPDATE

The Mutant X live-action television series will likely premiere in syndication the week of Oct. 23, 2001, The Continuum has learned.

Daniel Tibbets, who is in charge of programming and development for Fireworks Television, which is producing the series with Tribune Entertainment and Marvel Studios, told The Continuum that Tribune has a commitment for two years of 22 episodes each.

"In the TV world, especially in syndication, you look for franchises and brands," Tibbets said of the X-Men spin-off. "And this is one of the biggest."

Tibbets said that a show-runner for the series has not been hired yet, but talks are beginning with "several" candidates. It's likely that the Mutant X TV series will be loosely based on the comic book - which was recently canceled by Marvel - and will be a group show.

Tibbets said that exactly which characters will be in Mutant X hasn't been determined yet. "It's too early," he said. "The show-runner will have a lot to say in that, as will Marvel."

Said Marvel's Carlos Lopez: "We have been playing with some characters and ideas for the powers on the show. Right now nothing is really set in stone, but I guarantee it will be really exciting and on the edge. We have done some roughs for costumes that are very hot, but as of yet not final."

Tibbets said that physical hires for Mutant X will happen in February, followed by scripts in March and production in May or June. The show will likely be shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, although that isn't official yet.

Marvel has been working on the show for some time now. "It's a whole new generation, you'll see," Marvel's Avi Arad said earlier this fall. "It's something very unique in live-action."

One of the advantages in working with Tribune - which produced NightMan and currently produces such shows as Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict and Andromeda - is that it owns a chain of television stations.

Those stations are on board for Mutant X, which means the show is already cleared in more than 39 percent of the country.

"In order to be successful in syndication, you have to be in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles," Tibbets noted of the range of the Tribune's stations.

The Tribune stations include: WPIX, New York; KTLA, Los Angeles; WGN, Chicago; WPHL, Philadelphia; WLVI, Boston; KDAF, Dallas; WBDC, Washington; WATL, Atlanta; KHWB, Houston; KCPQ, Seattle; KTWB, Seattle; WBZL, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale; KWGN, Denver; KTXL, Sacramento; KSWB, San Diego; WXIN, Indianapolis; WTIC, Hartford and New Haven; WXMI, Grand Rapids; WGNO, New Orleans; WNOL, New Orleans; WPMT, Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York; WEWB, Albany.

Mutant X will be sold to other stations Jan. 22-25 at the annual meeting of the National Association of Television Program Executives at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Marvel's other live-action television property, Thor, is being developed at Artisan Entertainment.

Look for more on Mutant X soon here in The Continuum.

ABSORBING MAN IN HULK MOVIE?

Will the Absorbing Man be the villain in the Hulk movie? The film's writer told The Continuum it isn't necessarily so.

David Hayter, who wrote the latest draft of the Hulk movie for Universal Pictures, could not confirm a report in Entertainment Weekly that said the Hulk will be squaring off with Crusher Creel.

"I read that in Entertainment Weekly, but I am not sure where they are getting their information," said Hayter, who also wrote X-Men.

"As far as I know, NO ONE has read my script outside of Universal yet and therefore I would assume that anything you read until it leaks out is incorrect."

MARY JANE CASTING UPDATE

Casting of the role of Mary Jane Watson for the live-action Spider-Man movie should be announced this month.

"We are in the final stages of casting M.J.," Kevin Feige of Marvel Studios told The Continuum. "We have done a number of screen tests and just need to complete a few more before we make our decision."

Originally, Kate Hudson appeared to be the front-runner for the part, and then Alicia Witt carried a buzz. Lately, names such as James King and Mena Suvari have surfaced.

Spider-Man is scheduled to begin production on Jan. 6 in Los Angeles. The shoot is expected to last four months.

TURNER TABS CALDWELL FOR FATHOM PROJECT

Michael Turner has signed Talent Caldwell to draw his new series Fathom: Killian's Tide. Talent was discovered by Turner when Top Cow went to his former art school to scout for young, new talent.

"Mike told me that part of why he hired me was because of the way I thought, my approach to comics and art, my basic repulsiveness to try anything that's already been done to death... that and my love for movies," Caldwell said.

"Although Talent needed work on a few basics like proportions, the problems were minor," Turner said. "I knew he'd work through these kinks quickly with guidance. Talent's main appeal to me was that he wasn't trying to mimic a style, he was trying to create his own. His story telling was also very cinematic, you really got the feeling of camera movement. These are similar to approaches that I take to my work."

After drawing backgrounds on several issues of Fathom, Turner felt Caldwell was ready to move onto drawing his own issues and offered him Fathom: Killian's Tide.

Here's how Top Cow describes the book:

"The story's basic elemental breakdown is 'Man versus Society.' A group of rebellious teens embody 'man' and a government council represents the 'society.' The teens, later referring to themselves as the Dissidents, are headed by Killian and his older brother Sear. They feel repulsed with the council's decision of non-involvement after humans unintentionally destroyed an underwater habitat housing others of their species. In angst they set to invoke a series of events against humans for retribution of their acts both current and historical. Amid this, Killian discovers his drive and formulates idealized priorities which beg to question, 'At what point is the loss of life too much? When do you draw the line, devise your limits?"

When asked about what the differences were between this story and the original Fathom series, writer Bill O'Neal said, "While Fathom mainly focused on Aspen, most of this story will take place underwater and focus on the beings that live there. The readers will get to learn Killian's origin. How he went from a rebellious teen to a polarizing political figure."

Top Cow will also be publishing a preview book for the mini-series.

FIRST LOOK: EXCALIBUR: SWORD OF POWER #1

Excalibur: Sword of Power #1 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Ben Raab, with art by Pablo Raimondi and a cover by Ian Churchill.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"In the wake of Excalibur's break-up, Brian Braddock and his wife Meggan at last lead 'normal' lives. But their peace is shattered when Brian learns that a mysterious knight has decimated his birth planet, Otherworld. Now only Captain Britain-and his companions Psylocke and the Black Knight-have a hope of bringing this fiend down. But it will be a quest that will test Brian like never before-and force him to confront untold horrors and his own inner demons."

Excalibur: Sword of Power #1 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.99.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

FIRST LOOK: MARVEL BOY #5

Marvel Boy #5 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Grant Morrison, with art and cover by J.G. Jones.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"It's kiss and tell time as Marvel Boy and Oubliette share secrets from their past. But they better not get too cozy, because both Dr. Midas and S.H.I.E.L.D. are hot on their trail-along with the monstrous beast known as the Mindless One."

Marvel Boy #5 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.99.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

FIRST LOOK: 100 BULLETS #19

100 Bullets #19 will arrive in stores on Wednesday form DC Comics. The issue is written by Brian Azzarello; with art by Eduardo Risso and a painted cover by Dave Johnson.

Here's how DC describes the issue, which is the epilogue to "Hang Up on the Hang Low" story arc:

"After completing Agent Graves' 'assignment,' Loop finds himself in an even more difficult position: face to face with one of Graves' most dangerous associates. As if this weren't trouble enough, Graves himself makes Loop an offer that will forever change his life."

100 Bullets #19 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.50.

GIVE'EM A CLICK





BRIEFLY

  • Chris Simmons, story editor of Kids' WB!'s Static Shock, wrote this Saturday's episode, "Son of the Fathers," which deals with racism. Look for more on this episode later this week here in The Continuum.

  • Brian Michael Bendis, writer of Ultimate Marvel: Spider-Man andâ¤|, listed the following artists for the book: Matt Wagner on Wolverine, Phil Hester on Hulk, Mike Allred on Iron Man, Sam Kieth on Daredevil, Terry Moore on Black Widow, Bill Sienkiewicz on Punisher, Michael Avon Oeming and Pat Garrahy on Captain America, Andy Kubert on Nick Fury, P. Craig Russell on Man-Thing, David Mack and Rick Mays on Shang-Chi and David Gibbons on Fantastic Four. Also lined up for work, according to Bendis, are Zander Cannon, John Romita Sr., John Romita Jr., Leonard Kirk, Jim Mahfood, Phil Jimenez, Dan Brereton and Steve Rude.

  • A ToyBiz web site is in the works at Marvel.

  • Gundam Wing: Blind Target #1, the first issue in a four-issue monthly series, begins in February in from Viz Comics. The series, by Sakura Asagi and Akemi Omoid, tells what happens after "Endless Waltz," the first story arc. The G-Boys discover that world peace does not come without a price. Trowa meets an old comrade from his days in the resistance who offers to buy his Gundam, which he hasn't used since the war. But who are the killers who are after the lives of Relena and the Gundam pilots?

  • Coming Wednesday: Spider-Man TV news, Thunderbolts news, Cliffhanger news - and much more!!!
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