Thursday, Feb. 1, 2001

X-MEN, SPIDER-MAN FIGURE NEWS

Toy Biz has announced more of its X-Men: Evolution line and the release date for the second assortment of Spider-Man Classic figures.

The X-Men: Evolution line will continue to expand this year with an 8-inch assortment called Mutant Outcasts. Each of the poseable action figures comes with an X-costume and a set of civilian clothes that they can change into. Different uniforms and civilian accessories can be stored in the lockers that come with each figure.

Mutant Lockers are miniature versions of the lockers used by the students of The Xavier Institute. Each locker comes with an exclusive magnetic key that remains hidden within a cover.

The second assortment of X-Men: Evolution figures will include Karate Logan right, Juggernaut, Spyke left, Storm and the Blob.

Now available is an Infrared Motorcycle featuring an attached 8-inch Wolverine. This follows a previous version with the movie Wolverine.

Toy Biz also announced that its second assortment of Spider-Man Classic figures will be available in July. The line will include Spider-Man as he first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15, right, the Scarlet Spider, left, the Rhino and Battle-Ravaged Spider-Man. The figures come packaged with a projectile-shooting accessory with shoot-and-stick action, along with a 32-page comic book.

HUMBERTO RAMOS' OUT THERE

The first issue of Humberto Ramos' new Cliffhanger Productions series, Out There, will arrive in stores on May 23 from DC Comics.

Here's how DC describes the book:

"There's something not quite right... Out There.

"El Dorado City.

"Almost every citizen of this idyllic town would agree that it's a perfect place to live and raise a family, with its bucolic setting, tight-knit community, and lack of crime. But beneath the surface of this pastoral town lies a deadly secret. At what cost was this paradise made?

"Four adventurous high school students are about to find out...

"A pact has been made between the mayor of El Dorado and the masters of the Draedrealm -- an otherdimensional plane. Demon invaders have been taking over the small town, and the citizens are trading their services for a better life. Only outcast Jessie Santiago, bookish Mark Wexler, quarterback Zach Mullins and his girlfriend, the popular, beautiful Casey Phillips seem to realize what's going on -- and they are thrust together to uncover El Dorado's secret and save their hometown from its looming fate. But to face the dark forces that threaten everything they hold dear, the four teens first must learn to bridge their own differences."

The series is co-written by Brian Augustyn and inked by Sandra Hope. Both worked with Ramos on Crimson.

"Out There is a story about distinctly normal kids facing strange, fantastical forces," Augustyn said. "The key to victory will be their innate goodness, their innocence. They'll need to maintain their humanity in the face of the other (dark forces). We're all proud of how Crimson went, but I think Out There will take Humberto's work to the next level."

Said Ramos: "Out There is a story about characters. It's about the relationships that these kids have with each other and the very exciting and extraordinary circumstances they find themselves in -- and how these situations affect them as they grow up. It's about people you'd enjoy meeting and hanging out with."

The first issue will ship with a variant cover (25 percent) by Carlos Meglia.

FIRST LOOK: BATMAN #588

Batman #588 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from DC Comics. The issue is written by Brian K. Vaughan, with art by Scott McDaniel and Karl Story and a cover by McDaniel.

Here's how DC describes the issue:

"Guest writer Brian K. Vaughan begins a startling 2-part story, 'Close Before Striking.' Things get weird when Batman comes face to face withâ¤|Matches Malone? But isn't Matches just an alias of Batman? Questions abound, and one of Batman's all-time nastiest villains - Scarface - returns to unleash mayhem in Gotham."

Batman #588 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.25.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

FIRST LOOK: GREEN LANTERN #135

Green Lantern #135 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from DC Comics. The issue is written by Judd Winick, with art and cover by Darryl Banks and Rich Faber.

Here's how DC describes the issue:

"In Part 4 of the 5-part 'While Rome Burned,' Nero goes berserk in New York, and Kyle can't stop him alone. Fortunately for Kyle, he's getting some help from the JLA. But even the World's Greatest Heroes may not be able to stop the madman with the yellow power ring."

Green Lantern #135 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.25.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

FIRST LOOK: 100 BULLETS #21

100 Bullets #21 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from 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 part one of the two-part "Sell Fish and Out to Sea" story:

"Up until now, Agent Graves' choice of 'clients' has made sense. Well, not anymore. Junkie Jack Dau has got some problems: He's penniless, he's homeless, and he's aimless. On top of all that, he's managed to alienate everyone he's ever cared about, or who's cared about him. When Agent Graves enters this broken man's life with the offer of revenge, Jack's already upside-down life gets body-slammed as he's forced to confront the person responsible for his fate."

100 Bullets #21 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.50.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

FIRST LOOK: LUCIFER #11

Lucifer #11 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from DC Comics. The issue is written by Mike Carey, with art by Peter Gross and Ryan Kelly and a cover by Duncan Fegredo.

Here's how DC describes the issue, which is the second part of the four-part "Children & Monsters" story:

"When a mysterious stranger tracks down British school-girl Elaine Belloc and claims to be her father, a nasty secret unravels that begins to claim lives. Meanwhile, the infinite legions of the Heavenly Host prepare for an epic battle with Lucifer who is still in the midst of organizing a ruthless army of his own."

Lucifer #11 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.50.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

BRIEFLY