Friday, May 18, 2001

STEVE VANCE TALKS DEADMAN

Steve Vance is writing Deadman: Dead Again, a five-issue, weekly mini-series that begins in August from DC Comics and will be followed up by an ongoing Deadman series.

The Continuum caught up with Vance, who will also be writing the ongoing series, this week to talk about Deadman.

THE CONTINUUM: Can you explain the concept of the Dead Again mini-series?

VANCE: This series revisits some key moments in DC history -- Barry Allen's death in Crisis, Jason Todd's murder, the death of Superman, Hal Jordan's breakdown -- only this time from the point of view of Deadman, who, we learn, played a key role. There's a link between all these past events and a nasty scheme by one of DC's most evil bad guys that will reach a catastrophic climax in the present, and only Deadman is in a position to stop it.

THE CONTINUUM: Who is drawing the mini-series?

VANCE: Leonard Kirk is doing #s 1,3, and 5; #s 2 and 4 are being done by the guys who drew the original stories that we're jumping off from: Jim Aparo and M.D. Bright, respectively. Rick Burchett is inking the whole thing.

THE CONTINUUM: How did you come about getting the gig?

VANCE: Andy Helfer called me up and said he was looking for a new monthly book, and asked if there was any particular underutilized DC character I'd like to write. Deadman was at the top of both my list and his. The DC powers that be suggested we do a special mini-series as a prequel to the monthly, and after discussions between Mike Carlin, Mike McAvennie, Andy, and myself, "Dead Again" was hatched.

THE CONTINUUM: What is it about Deadman that you find interesting?

VANCE: Wow -- a ghost who can go anywhere and be anyone, yet at the same time is unable to have any direct human contact on his own -- I think the possibilities are enormous, and largely untapped, since DM hasn't had his own book in so long. And Boston (Deadman) Brand is very down to earth, a non-mystical guy stuck in a supernatural situation. Besides that, Max Loomis, the midget P.I. who is DM's best pal, adds a nice hard-boiled flavor to the mix.

THE CONTINUUM: Did you hear a Deadman TV show is in the works for TNT?

VANCE: Yeah, but I don't know any more about it than the "stuntman inhabits brother" description I've read online. I haven't heard if it's actually in production, or if they've just got a script in the works.

THE CONTINUUM: Anything else you'd like to say?

VANCE: The artist lined up for the ongoing monthly series, a Spaniard named (Josep) Beroy, is really cool. I can't wait for the American audience to see his work. And though "Dead Again" teams DM with a bunch of DC's top heroes, the Deadman monthly won't be as superhero oriented -- it's more of a nourish adventure/crime book, or as Andy said, "a DC book for Vertigo readers." Stay tuned!

DARK HORSE FOR AUGUST

Dark Horse Comics has released its solicitation information for August.

For a complete rundown, CLICK HERE.

THE TICK ON THURSDAYS

Fox announced on Thursday that The Tick live-action television series will air Thursday nights at 8:30 (ET) beginning next fall.

Here's how Fox describes the series, which will follow the animated series Family Guy in Fox's lineup:

"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 invulnerability, 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. Despite their odd-couple like tendencies, they both share a common dream - to fight evil. Accompanying them on their heroic exploits is Captain Liberty a patriotic superperson whose light from her torch of righteousness sends the roaches of wrong scurrying back to their dank, filthy crevices. Also joining the crusade is the suave Bat Manuel, whose Latin charm is as big as his wingspan."

The cast includes Patrick Warburton as The Tick, David Burke as Arthur, Liz Vassey as Captain Liberty and Nestor Carbonell as Bat Manuel.

The show is produced by Sonnenfeld/Josephson Worldwide Entertainment in association with Columbia TriStar Television.

Ben Edlund, who created The Tick, is executive producer/writer. Other executive producers are Barry Sonnenfeld, Barry Josephson, David Sacks and Larry Charles.

Genre shows returning to Fox include Dark Angels on Fridays at 8 p.m. and Sunday shows Futurama at 7 p.m., King of the Hill at 7:30 p.m., The Simpsons at 8 p.m. and The X-Files at 9 p.m.

In other Fox news, Ball and Chain, a pilot based on Scott Lobdell's WildStorm mini-series, did not become a series in the network's lineup.

Asked by The Continuum about what will happen next with Ball and Chain, Lobdell said, "Future cloudy."

X-MEN: EVOLUTION UPDATE

The first-season finale of X-Men: Evolution, "The Cauldron, Pt. 2," drew strong ratings for Kids' WB! last Saturday.

In numbers provided to The Continuum by Kids' WB!, X-Men: Evolution tied with Jackie Chan Adventures as the #1 program among the broadcast competition in and Kids 2-11 with a 3.4 rating and a 16 share.

For the morning, X-Men ranked as the No. 1 broadcast program in Boys 2-11 (4.9/20) and Kids 2-11 (3.4/15). The show and ranked as the No. 2 broadcast program in Kids 6-11 (4.4/19).

X-Men ranked as the No. 2 program for the morning among Boys 6-11 (6.4/25).

AMAN CHAUDHARY TO DRAW WHISPER

Publisher Larry Young announced on Thursday that Double Image #5 artist Aman Chaudhary will be the artist on Steven Grant's return to Whisper in the upcoming original graphic novel Whisper: Day X.

"One of my favorite things to do as a publisher is to match up writers on the top of their games with artists who can make the page sing," Young said. "The planets aligned when Aman's availability coincided with our search for someone to illustrate Steven's return to his most fondly remembered creation."

Whisper was created in 1980 and first published by Capital Comics in 1983. The series moved from Capital Comics, where it lasted two issues (Capital discontinued its comics line to focus exclusively on distribution), to First Comics, where the series spanned a one-shot special, six issues of First Adventures, a special apocryphal crossover with Mike Grell's Jon Sable in Crossroads #1, and 37 issues of her own comic.

The graphic novel is a self-contained story that takes place several years after the last issue of the First series. Where the original series dealt with shadow politics of the 1980s, the graphic novel will deal with the shadow politics of today.

"My comics related work so far has relied heavily on a lush, painterly use of color. It's a bit daunting, but I'm looking forward to the challenge of achieving the same type of drama working in monochrome," Chaudhary said.

Whisper: Day X will have a cover by Matt Haley.

FIRST LOOK: X-FORCE #116

X-Force #116 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Peter Milligan, with art and cover by Mike Allred.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"Professor X had a dream, that mutants and humans could live in peace and harmony. A new squad of operatives calling themselves X-Force are living that dream. These eight mutants are cashing in on their special skills to preserve the Free World from the Forces of Evil, but at no small cost to themselves. Adored by humans, reviled by their fellow mutants, X-Force has successfully 'crossed over.' Problem is, there may be no going back. Meet the new team: Zeitgeist, U-Go Girl, The Anarchist, Battering Ram, Plazm, Gin Genie, La Nuit and their amorphous assistant Doop! Eight mutants who've teamed together to do the big dirty jobs that others can't. Eight mutants who shine in the blinding lights of the media - but strike in the dark of night. Eight mutants who've agreed to burn brightly and - as readers will see - burn fast."

X-Force #116 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.25.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

FIRST LOOK: TANGLED WEB: THE THOUSAND #2

Tangled Web: The Thousand #2 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Garth Ennis, with art by John McCrea and James Hodgkins and a cover by Glenn Fabry.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"The first story arc continues. The web-slinger is being pursued by a relentless foe who gives new meaning to the adage 'beauty is only skin-deep' - and who decides that the best way to snare its enemy might be to hide in plain sight."

Tangled Web #2 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.99.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

FIRST LOOK: DEADPOOL #54

Deadpool #54 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from DC Comics. The issue is written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Buddy Scalera, with art by Georges Jeanty and Jon Holdredge and a cover by Steve Dillon and Palmiotti.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"Deadpool vs. The Punisher -- Round 1. Deadpool takes on the hit-job of the century when he's hired to take out the man who whacked Ma Gnucci -- none other than Frank Castle."

Deadpool #54 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.25.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

BRIEFLY