Wednesday, April 4, 2001

X-MEN SEQUEL UPDATE

David Hayter, the screenwriter for the X-Men movie, confirmed that he is involved with the sequel.

"There are some things going on with X2 -- the fan community should be excited to know that's our inter-office term for it," Hayter told The Continuum. "I am involved, but we are still not sure what the story is going to be."

Hayter refuted a March 20 Chicago Sun-Times report that the script for X-Men 2 "is being turned in this week."

And while rumors swirl over potential characters, shooting locations and release dates, Hayter stressed X-Men 2 is in the early stages. "Things are still up in the air with this," he said.

JEPH LOEB ON BUFFY ANIMATED SERIES

Writer Jeph Loeb told The Continuum that he is working on Fox Kids' Buffy the Vampire Slayer The Animated Series.

"I am executive producing the show with Joss Whedon (who is also Executive Producing), who created and makes all things Buffy," Loeb told The Continuum. "He's incredibly focused, incredibly detail oriented, and wonderfully creative. As a Buffy fan, I still can't believe I'm in the same room with the guy! And he's a comic book fan (d'uh for Buffy/Joss fans) so we have a lot of the same references. We're really early on in the process, which is why we can't discuss things like the animation house and character voices, etc."

Loeb - whose current comics projects include Superman, Daredevil: Yellow and Fantastic Four -- said that Whedon will be very involved in "every aspect" of the show.

"So Buffy fans should be very pleased with what he has in mind," Loeb said. "What is so exciting is that animation allows Joss' imagination to go in even more extraordinary directions. We're currently writing Episode 1, putting together the bible (the handbook for the show) and coming up with stories for other fantastic new episodes."

Loeb said the show will not just be an animated version of the live-action series.

"It has its own life, but we will be keeping the tone and seeing the characters who have made Buffy such an enormous hit -- Xander, Giles, Willow and... a few surprises, too," Loeb said. "Joss came up with a very unique way that will allow us to 'stay within continuity' and still tell tales Buffy fans don't yet know. Folks who know my work from Superman For All Seasons, Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory will have an idea as to how we're going to pull it all off.

"At the same time, if you've never seen the live-action show, it will be very accessible. We want to break down the same walls that Batman Animated did originally, both in terms of style and content. So, Joss really has set the bar very high. The truth is, he doesn't want to do the show if it can't stand toe-to-toe with Buffy and Angel, his live-action shows. His hallmark is quality and this is no exception."

Loeb said the show could be on the air as soon as February.

GEOFF JOHNS TALKS HAWKMAN, FLASH

JSA COVERS #23 - 25, GIVE'EM A CLICK

Geoff Johns, writer of Flash and JSA, is adding a third DC Comics title to his workload with Hawkman, the new ongoing book that spins out of JSA.

Johns is writing the new book with James Robinson, and Rags Morales and Michael Bair providing the art.

The Continuum caught up with Johns for insight into the new book.

The Continuum: How are you and James going about writing the series?

Johns: James and I will be co-plotting, I'll be scripting. We can usually plot an issue over dinner now that we have a long term plan laid out.

The Continuum: Can you explain the series' approach?

Johns: We are concentrating on making this a series that starts from ground zero. The "new" Hawkman and Hawkgirl, a new rogues gallery, new locale, new motivation, new supporting cast. We will have a few familiar faces around -- one or two past Hawk adversaries and other DCU heroes and villains -- but we'll be focusing on creating a new era for the Hawks.

Expect to see a member or two of the JSA appear occasionally as well, particularly Dr. Fate.

It's still too early to get into many more details.

The Continuum: Will Hawkman be in the JSA?

Johns: Yes. His exact role, however, won't be clear for a few months.

The Continuum: Will there be other prominent characters in the series?

Johns: As I said before, Dr. Fate is a definite. Hopefully, we'll re-establish the relationship between Hawkman and Green Arrow early on. There's also a minor character we'll be dusting off and revamping for the book, but he won't show up until late in the first year.

The Continuum: Any villains you can talk about?

Johns: Nope.

The Continuum: Anything else you'd like to say about Hawkman?

Johns: Everyone is really putting their best foot forward on Hawkman. David Goyer, Steve Sadowski and the rest of the JSA team worked hard to bring him back in style and now, under our editor Peter Tomasi, we'll be doing our best to make sure Hawkman kicks ass.

The Continuum: What's going on with The Flash?

Johns: As for the The Flash, I have to say it's been nothing short of fantastic for us. I truly feel we've got one of the best teams around -- everyone; including Scott Kolins, Doug Hazlewood, James Sinclair, Digital Chameleon, Gaspar and Joey Cavalieri, is in sync on what we're trying to do and where we're going. Everyone communicates and, most importantly, listens and discusses ideas. The Flash is truly a collaborative effort that I'm glad to be a part of. I hear from a lot of colorists and even artists that they never talk to the writer. I don't understand that.

Coming up after Blood Will Run we've got several one and two-part stories with subplots building towards the end of this year. Next up in 174 we're introducing Tar Pit, 175 and 176 we re-introduce the Weather Wizard, in 177 Flash will meet up with an old supporting cast member - a guy named Chunk - in a most unpleasant way and 178 will feature our spin on Grodd. Scott was dying to draw Grodd, and with his talent on depicting destruction, I was only too happy to oblige.

Our one shot The Flash: Iron Heights -- is out around then as well.

CHAOS! COMICS FOR JULY

Following are Chaos' Comics' solicitations for July, with information coming from the company.

LADY DEATH / MEDIEVAL WITCHBLADE #1

Written by Brian Holguin, illustrated by Romano Molenaar, colored by Roy Young.

When all hell let's loose, can these two women set aside their differences, find a common ground, and defeat a sinister enemy or will their combined efforts fail?

40 pages, $3.95, ships on July 20 (variant cover by Marc Silvestri; Premium Edition, cover by Romano Molenaar and Roy Young, $9.99; Super-Premium Edition, painted cover by David Michael Beck, $20).

LADY DEATH / MEDIEVAL WITCHBLADE POSTER

Illustrated by Marc Silvestri.

Lady Death, Medieval Witchblade, Marc Silvestri - what more could you ask for? Both Lady Death and Medieval Witchblade are featured here with art taken from the variant cover of Lady Death / Medieval Witchblade #1.

24 inches by 36 inches, $8, ships on July 20.

LEGEND OF THE SAGE #1

Written by Brian Augustyn, illustrated by Romano Molenaar, inked by Curtis Arnold.

Victoria Noble never fit in, living in a world of hard realities and harder lessons. She's a dreamer and a romantic. Residing in New York City, Victoria far prefers to live in her books of fantasy and myth, never expecting that her two worlds are about to clash. Though no one on earth realizes it, our world and another co-exist, separated by a gossamer-thin intra-dimensional barrier. That other realm is a wild, primordial one, where magic and myth reign supreme. An evil wizard-king schemes to merge the two realities which will destroy earth in the process. Only a chosen visionary, one who can see in both worlds can save the day. To her surprise, Victoria is that one champion. It's a battle between realms to save the entire multi-universe from evil sorcery.

32 pages, $2.99, ships on July 6 (Premium Edition, cover by Ale Garza, $9.99).

CHAOS! PRESENTS: JADE #4

Written by Tom Sniegoski and Christopher Golden, penciled by Ken Lashley, inked by Curtis Arnold, colored by Jay Fotos, cover by Lashley, Arnold, and Fotos.

The final chapter of the "Turn Loose the Dragon" saga. Suddenly in touch with her humanity again after 400 years, how will the vampire sorceress, Jade, cope with the surgeoning threats posed against her criminal empire by the resurrected White Dragon and the anti-crime organization, Kuei? This issue has it all as a trusted subject, within Jade's ranks, is revealed as a traitor. Mr. Ko hatches a mad scheme to take the White Dragon's power as his own, and Jade is forced to embrace the one thing in all the world that she despises most if she is going to be victorious against those that threaten her plans for China - she must embrace technology.

32 pages, $2.99, ships on July 13 (Variant edition, cover by Wilson Tortosa and Jonathan Balaos, $7.50).

LADY DEATH: ALIVE! #4

Written by Brian Pulido and Len Kaminski, illustrated by Ivan Reis, inked by Joe Pimentel, cover by Reis, Pimentel, and Young.

Lady Death discovers the mysterious secrets behind the powers that brought her to her strange new world -- and faces one of the greatest of its Dark Forces, a merciless new enemy who knows all of her secrets. Will she remain alive or will Lady Death's fate take another course?

32 pages, $2.99, ships on July 13 (Variant edition, painted cover by Scott Lews, $7.50).

PURGATORI: THE HUNTED #2

Written by Joshua Dysart, penciled by Fabiano Neves, cover by Romano Molenaar, colored by Colorgraphix.

Purgatori is trapped! Trapped in human form, trapped in Los Angeles, trapped by dangerous hi-tech vampires that close in on her from all sides. With no memory of who she is or how she can tap into her awesome powers Purgatori is forced to rely on instinct alone to survive.

32 pages, $2.99, ships on July 13 (Variant edition, cover by Daerick Gross, $7.50).

INSANE CLOWN POSSE: THE PENDULUM #10

Written by Jesse McCann, illustrated by Jerry Beck, inked by Sandu Florea, colored by Colorgraphix, cover by Beck, Florea and Colorgraphix.

The demon Killnor finds himself in the hot seat as Mr. Gray and his Stress Team attempt a full-on military assault of his corporate headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona. But have the commandos bitten off more than they can chew? Meanwhile, the Wicked Clownz, Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, are wondering how to kick Killnor's butt themselves. They call forth the Dark Carnival's Riddlebox for help-- and the Riddlebox's response is unexpected and hella fresh. All this, plus faith-healing Jesus, the demon Jaxxsin and a bar fight in a strip club.

32 pages, $5.99, ships on July 6.

BRIEFLY