Monday, Jan. 29, 2001

BIG GUY AND RUSTY Q&A/EPISODE GUIDE

Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot returns to Fox Kids on Monday, its first episode since Oct. 23, 1999.

The series, based on the Dark Horse comic book by Frank Miller and Geoff Darrow, premiered on Fox Kids on Sept. 18, 1999. Fox Kids showed six episodes before pulling it from its Saturday morning position.

Twenty-six episodes of the series were produced at Sony, with Duane Capizzi producing.

For a question-and-answer with Capizzi and a rundown of the first 11 episodes, CLICK HERE.

WRITERS TALK MARVEL'S SILENT MONTH

Reaction to the untitled Marvel Comics event in December - in which none of the books will have words - was generally positive among creators contacted by The Continuum.

Here's what writers had to say:

Kurt Busiek, Avengers and Defenders: "I'm planning to have fun with it -- we're something like six months ahead of those plots being due, so we've got ample time to plan. And we've talked through at least basic ideas for stories of wildly different tone, approach and emotional effect in both Avengers and Defenders, so if we do it right, it could end up with some very enjoyable and memorable issues."

Frank Tieri, Wolverine and Iron Man: "It should be fun, as well as challenging to the creators involved. We'll all be trying to capture the magic from that silent issue of G.I. Joe while at the same time, tell a story that fits our respective characters. I for one am very interested to see what everyone comes up with -- including myself!"

Fabian Nicieza, Thunderbolts: "My concerns about the silent month idea are not because I don't think it's a fun and challenging storytelling approach that could lead to interesting and dramatic stories -- but rather because I think floating the announcement to gauge reader reaction this early was kind of silly and also because the normal shipping schedule might create a preconceived notion of 'been there done that' for titles that ship in the third or fourth weeks (which T-bolts does).

"That being said, the silent month device fits perfectly into a story and climax of a subplot development I had already planned to do in the title featuring Songbird.

"And it will be -- as I hope are all issues of the book(s) I write -- an 'important' story. Which will be recapped the following month should you choose to skip it."

Jimmy Palmiotti, Deadpool: "Well, as gimmicks go, it's just OK."

THE TICK PILOT DETAILS

Although Fox has not announced a premiere date for The Tick live-action television series, the network has released a video of the pilot episode.

Here's how Fox describes the show:

"In the city known as The City, crime fights back. And where the forces of good are hip-deep in evil, there is...The Tick! Armed only with his nigh-invulnerability and battle cry of "Spoon!," this big blue defender of all that is right patrols The City's rooftops, not for fame, not for money, but for the love of his demanding mistress, a notion called Justice.

"At the Tick's side is Arthur, an accountant who scorned the fuzzy security blanket of Corporate America to pursue his destiny as a heroic moth. Destiny deemed that these two should meet, and necessity dictated that the Tick should sleep on Arthur's fold-out sofabed. Despite their Odd Couple-like tendencies, they both share a common dream -- to fight evil in its various shapes and sizes, from XS to XXXL, from AA to the wide expanse of an EE and all the letters in between. Accompanying them on their heroic exploits is Captain Liberty (Janet), a patriotic superperson whose light from her torch of righteousness sends the roaches of wrong scurrying back to their dank, filthy crevices. She is the government's top operative in the war on super-villainery. Also joining the crusade for justice is the suave Bat Manuel, whose Latin charm is as big as his wingspan, if you know what I mean. Whether cleaning criminal's clocks or oiling his well-honed publicity machine, Batmanuel never misses the opportunity to promote the superhero cause, or himself, for that matter.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

"The Tick is a new comedy from Sonnenfeld-Josephson in association with Columbia TriStar Television. Based on Ben Edlund's cult comic book and animated series of the same name and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (Men In Black, The Addams Family), The Tick offers a skewed take in the never-ending battle between good and evil. Ben Edlund is the creator/executive producer and Barry Sonnenfeld, Barry Josephson and Larry Charles are executive producers."

Look for more on The Tick soon here in The Continuum.

PEYER TALKS THE AUTHORITY

Writer Tom Peyer, who joins artist Dustin Nguyen on four issues of WildStorm Productons' The Authority, told The Continuum his run will involve "a gang of Authority knock-offs."

Peyer and Nguyen will team on The Authority #23-26. Mark Millar then returns with artist Arthur Adams.

Here's what Peyer had to say in an interview on Friday:

The Continuum: How do you approach a book like The Authority?

Peyer: Running and screaming and waving your arms. Don't hold back. Write the scenes you'd find a million reasons not to write for other books, even though they're good scenes. Make the action big and the details outrageous, funny and vile. And don't worry about burning the artist out; WildStorm will find more. (Kidding, Dustin... but just barely.)

The Continuum: Is it difficult being an "interim" writer?

Peyer: Not at all. I can write a lot of stuff in four issues, so space isn't much a problem. But it's a short enough stay that I feel pretty confident about sustaining my concentration and trying to do my best. Plus, I want my run to end so I can read Mark's new chapters. His Authority stories crack me up.

The Continuum: Is this your first WildStorm work?

Peyer: Yes, and I'm looking forward to more. They're making me feel right at home.

The Continuum: Any details about what you'll be writing?

Peyer: I'm writing about a gang of Authority knock-offs who replace the original team. Where the originals sought to change the world and challenge the existing power structures, the new Authority will fight to keep the world pretty much the way it is now, which is a terrible thing to do. Of course, preventing change is a huge struggle. Even though I disagree with what they're doing, even though they're just out for themselves, they are the book's stars, at least for my issues, so I'm going to try to make them at least slightly sympathetic as the story progresses.

As for details: Vietnam War II. The rich and famous starve. Prayers are said. Midnighter's replacement embarks on a hopeless crusade to be accepted as a heterosexual. Our heroes leave the world a worse place than they found it.

The Continuum: Any other projects coming up you can discuss?

Peyer: Plenty in the hopper, but nothing I can yet discuss in detail. I'm working mostly on what I hope are unusual super-hero ideas. I know a lot of intelligent people say super-heroes are holding the medium back, but I don't care. I just love them, and comics are made to be enjoyed. Some of my big ideas concern established characters and some of them are brand new. We'll see what sticks.

X-MEN UP FOR BLOCKBUSTER AWARDS

The X-Men movie was nominated six times for Blockbuster Awards.

Voting begins Tuesday in Blockbuster stores and at blockbusterawards.com. The awards show will air on Fox on April 11 from 8-10 p.m. (ET).

Nominated from X-Men were Anna Paquin (Rogue) for favorite actress/science fiction; Patrick Stewart (Professor Xavier) for favorite actor/science fiction; Ian McKellen (Magneto) for favorite villain; Famke Janssen (Jean Grey) and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos (Mystique) for favorite supporting actress/science fiction; and James Marsden (Cyclops) for favorite supporting actress/science fiction.

Kirsten Dunst, who is playing Mary Jane in the Spider-Man movie, was nominated for favorite actress/comedy for Bring It On.

Activision's Spider-Man game was nominated for favorite PlayStation game.

CHAOS! DOES MUMMY MINI

Chaos! Comics is publishing a three-issue Mummy series in May to correspond with the release of the movie, The Mummy Returns, from Universal Pictures. The comics series is called The Mummy: Valley of the Gods.

Marv Wolfman is writing and Mat Broome is pencilling the series, which is from Chaos! and Prime Universe Entertainment through a licensing deal with Universal Pictures.

"We are very excited to be working with Chaos! Comics in bringing this exciting property to the comic book audience. We hope that the Mummy series is the first of many partnerships between Chaos! Comics and Prime Universe," said Adrian R. Askarieh, president and CEO of Prime Universe.

The Mummy: Valley of the Gods #1 will ship on May 9. It will be 32 pages and will cost $2.99. It will also be available with a photo cover of film star Brendan Fraser, and a premium cover with a collage of all the Mummy characters.

FIRST LOOK: MERIDIAN #8

Meridian #8 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from CrossGen Comics. The issue is written by Barbara Kesel, penciled by Mike Wieringo, inked by Rob Stull and colored by Paul Mounts.

Here's how CrossGen describes the issue:

"Special guest penciler Mike Wieringo, along with Rob Stull and Paul Mounts, step in to add the next chapter of Sephie's story as she battles the foul and smelly menace of the dye vats of Akasia! Finding herself a "special guest" of the surface city, Sephie must help with the work while figuring out a way to help the workers and then plan her own escape. Meanwhile, Uncle Ilahn is on his way to retrieve her..."

Meridian #8 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.95.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

BRIEFLY

Two commercials for the Tomb Raider movie were aired Sunday during CBS' broadcasts of the Super Bowl and Survivor. The movie opens June 15.

GIVE'EM A CLICK