Tuesday, July 3, 2001

GHOST RIDER MOVIE UPDATE

Despite recent Internet reports, Nicolas Cage isn't signed on yet to star in the Ghost Rider movie.

"Nope, still not official," David Goyer, who wrote the script, told The Continuum on Monday. "They have been in talks for a couple of weeks."

Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige also confirmed that Cage isn't signed yet. "Nic Cage is in negotiations to star in Ghost Rider," he said.

Cage, who took his stage name after the Marvel Comics character Luke Cage, will be presented The 16th American Cinematheque Award on Sept. 22. TNT will air An American Cinematheque Tribute to Nicolas Cage on Wednesday, Oct. 10.

If he signs for the Ghost Rider movie, and it could happen very soon, Cage will play the Johnny Blaze version of the character, who will have no control of Ghost Rider whatsoever.

"Ghost Rider kills people right and left, and Johnny Blaze is left to pick up the pieces," Goyer said. "He doesn't speak, and the Ghost Rider is just unstoppable. He's actually this very scary force. In the first scene where you see Ghost Rider, he kills a lot of people, but he spares one person. We liken it to coming face-to-face with a Great White shark and for whatever reason, the shark turns away and doesn't kill you."

Goyer said Ghost Rider won't have a costume, per se.

"It will be an exaggeration of whatever Johnny Blaze happens to be wearing," he said. "He'll have a lot of frayed blue jeans and motorcycle boots and cracked, banged-up leather dusters and motorcycle leathers."

UNCANNY X-MEN ARTIST UPDATE

Editor Mark Powers told The Continuum that artist Ian Churchill is leaving Uncanny X-Men, with no immediate announcement on a replacement.

"The reason for Ian's leaving Uncanny was very simple -- he didn't feel that he and Joe Casey were a good creative match," Powers told The Continuum. "He wasn't happy with the final product, and felt the best thing to do was step aside. We're hoping to work with him on some other things."

As for a replacement?

"I have nothing to report just yet," Powers said.

BLACK PANTHER'S MONSTER ISSUE

Black Panther #36 in September with be a 100-Page Monster celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Panther's first appearance.

Although they were not solicited, The Continuum has obtained a list of stores in the book:

* "The Once and Future King," part one of two, the new 22-page story by Christopher Priest, Sal Velluto and Bob Almond.

* Fantastic Four #52-53, by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott, which introduced the Black Panther, as well as Wakanda, T'Chaka, vibranium and Klaw.

* Jungle Action #8, which is the first appearance of the original (non-Nakia) Malice, one of Killmonger's minions during this "Panther's Rage" story by Don McGregor, Rich Buckler and Klaus Janson.

* A Panther pin-up gallery by Sal Velluto.

The book ships on Sept. 12.

In other Panther news, inker Almond has a new registered domain name for his web site, http://www.almondink.com.

TROY NIXEY'S TROUT RETURNS

Troy Nixey's Trout returns in October a two-issue mini-series from Oni Press.

Trout features the odd little boy of the same name who was previously featured in Dark Horse Presents.

"It's exciting to be coming back to do a character that is such a big part of me," Nixey said. "With Batman and The Simpsons dominating my time lately, I was really anxious to get back to something that was 100 percent my work and my voice."

"I discovered Troy's work through Trout's initial appearance in DHP," said series editor James Lucas Jones. "In an anthology that at the time was featuring fan-favorite creators like Evan Dorkin, the Pander Bros, and Art Adams, Troy's work still stood out as different and intriguing. When the opportunity arose to work with Troy on this homecoming of sorts, I knew it was a project I wanted to be involved in."

Trout is the story of one boy's journey through a world where the rules of reality are chucked out the window. He lives in a place where dreams and souls can be stolen with ease and evil can take on even the most innocent form.

"I know people have always seen some kind of fictional bad blood between Troy and us," said Jamie S. Rich, editor in chief of Oni Press. "The truth is, while Jenny Finn didn't work out for either of us, we've been able to remain friends through all of it. When Troy decided to return to the world of Trout, we knew it would be a natural fit."

Each issue Trout will be 32 black-and-white pages and will cost $2.95. The first issue ships on Oct. 31.

FIRST LOOK: 10TH MUSE #5

10th Muse #5 will arrive in stores on July 18 from Image Comics. The issue is written by Marv Wolfman, drawn by Roger Cruz and colored and lettered by Paul Mounts.

Here's how Image describes the issue:

"The Muse is taking her first trip to the Savage World. There she will team up with the Savage Dragon to track down the Mighty Minotaur. There is no telling what can happen when these two heads collide. This is the start of a new story arc."

10th Muse #5 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.95.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

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