Thursday, August 23, 2001

TOM DEFALCO TALKS SPIDER-GIRL

Spider-Girl writer Tom DeFalco told The Continuum he still feels surprised that the title was given a reprieve from cancellation.

"I've been in the business for a long time, and I've seen titles canceled, but it never occurred to me that you could fight for the title like the fans did," DeFalco said. "I still feel guility."

After he heard of the title's cancellation, DeFalco let word get out. Soon web sites were being formed to save Spider-Girl, and within a week, Marvel had reinstated the title.

Spider-Man #38, which hits shelves next month, was originally going to be the final issue. DeFalco said, even though the issue isn't the last, there's a note of finality to the issue.

"Once, I knew it was canceled, we decided how to end the series," he said. "We kept all of that in there."

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"Caught between Funny Face and Crazy Eight, Spider-Girl also must confront the new Green Goblin. Has Normie Osborn fallen off the redemption wagon and jumped back onto his glider? This issue reveals all! Plus: Mayday finally learns what's been troubling Jimmy Yama, and Mary Jane makes a startling announcement -- one that will change Spider-Girl's life forever."

DeFalco said he altered his plans to accommodate the cancellation, and altered them again.

"We changed a bunch of subplots, things on the fly, once we knew we were canceled," DeFalco said. "Some of it we used, some of it we trashed and some of it we saved."

Spider-Girl #39 will feature Peter Parker beginning to uncover the secret of the new Spider-man with the help of a former Spider-Woman. Spider-Girl #40 is entitled "A Death in the Family."

"A cast member dies," DeFalco said. "It works. Trust me. We're expecting a lot of reaction to it."

Spider-Girl #41 is the silent issue. "It was really hard for us," he said. "We try to do the book like a silent movie, so it's exactly what we're doing already, except for all the internal stuff we now have to get in the issue."

DAVID GOYER TALKS GHOST RIDER, BLADE 3

David Goyer, writer of the Ghost Rider movie, told The Continuum that Nicolas Cage is still interested in starring in the film.

Stephen Norrington, who was slated to direct Ghost Rider, instead is directing Tick-Tock first, and the project seems to be in a state of flux.

"On Ghost Rider, Norrington bolted to Tick-Tock. Cage is still interested -- so we're exploring options now," Goyer said. "Wait for Norrington, talk to other people -- not sure yet."

Goyer will also be writing the third installment in the Blade franchise.

"But not yet. Maybe a few months from now," Goyer said. "We're kicking around story ideas, but nothing has been set in stone yet. No director -- too early!"

TNT RENEWS WITCHBLADE

TNT has renewed the Witchblade live-action series for a second season, The Continuum has learned.

Thirteen episodes will be produced in Toronto, with Yancy Butler starring in the title role.

The first season of Witchblade ended on Tuesday with a turn-the-clock back episode that opens the door for all of the cast members to return.

Top Cow's Marc Silvestri, an executive producer of the series, said that he was pleased with the way Witchblade has been adapted for television.

"We love to read comic books, but a lot of the rest of the population of the world doesn't get what we do," Silvestri said at Top Cow's panel at Wizard World last weekend. "So we have to service that population. Because, quite frankly, as much as we love you guys, you're not going to finance this TV show.

"That's what the network does. That's what the studio does. It's their dime. So they're going to go, in the development process, 'Yeah, Witchblade looks great with three inches of chain-mail bikini, but I don't think that Mr. and Mrs. Smith are going to appreciate that at 8 o'clock when their kids are watching TV, so we're going to have to do something about that.'

"We kind of go with the rule that we understand that things have to be changed for the mass media, but we have to be true to the basic concept of what we've got. With Witchblade, and everything else we have in development in Hollywood, we're holding pretty true to that.

"The Witchblade concept is pretty intact. We had to make some changes, obviously, so that is why we have the whole Joan of Arc look so heavily in Witchblade, even though it may not be all that important part of mythology in the comic book. It's something that the general populace understands. Everybody knows who Joan of Arc is, so we will hook into that, use that as a launching pad. Or at least a solid reference point. We have this whole bloodline thing that we use so the people get it, the studio gets it, the network gets it and they cut the check.

"You have to make compromises and I think with Witchblade we made some good compromises. We held true to the concept, and it's an outstanding show."

Look for more on Witchblade's second season soon here in The Continuum.

PAUL JENKINS TALKS THE DARKNESS

Paul Jenkins, Top Cow's story editor, said that artist Dale Keown will likely be joining him on the creative team of The Darkness when it returns.

"I did one issue with Dale Keown, and it seemed to very a popular issue," Jenkins said at Wizard World last weekend. "Most likely, we're 95 percent sure, Dale and I are going to be the regular creative team on The Darkness."

After the events of The Darkness #40 - the issue drawn by Keown -- don't look for the book to return right away.

"He's dead, and that kind of puts a damper on his next couple of weeks," Jenkins said. "In the pages of the next couple issues of Universe, we revisit that event. We explain what he meant, his idea of what the Darkness is. We introduce the idea of where Jackie was going in his life and what his motivations might be.

"In a way, if you think about it, it reenergizes the character. It gives us a chance to comment on him as a character and give him a motivation for such a time when we bring him back. When we do bring him back, it's going to be six or nine months, we'll see."

PAUL STORRIE WRITES JUSTICE LEAGUE ADVENTURES

Paul Storrie told The Continuum that he has written an issue of Justice League Adventures, DC Comics' book based on the upcoming animated series on Cartoon Network.

"My story spotlights the Martian Manhunter, but the entire League appears," told The Continuum. "The villain is entirely new."

Storrie said he isn't sure in which issue the story will appear.

"I believe it will be within the first three or four months," he said. "Nothing definite about when I will do a second issue, but I am talking with (editor) Dan Raspler about it."

JIM VALENTINO TALKS IMAGE'S ADULT PROPERTIES

Image Comics publisher Jim Valentino said that upcoming adult-oriented projects announced by the company are not a move to bad-girl comics.

Image last weekend announced Pro, a one-shot by Garth Ennis, Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti that features a prostitute; and a deal with Joseph Michael Linsner, that would consist of graphic novels of all of Linsner's works, including a remastered version of the second Dawn series (never before in graphic novel format), The Art of Joe Michael Linsner, a high-end art book of Linsner's body of work, and a new Dawn series.

"Pro is a satire. Ennis is one of comics' premiere authors and he promises that this piece will be nothing short of blistering," Valentino said. "Linsner is an intelligent writer whose art is far closer to Vargas in terms of it's style, grace and quality than to the tawdry titillation books of the past.

"Image Central remains focused on a wide diversity of product from exceptional creators. We believe these projects and these creators fit that bill."

Valentino said The Linsner Library will be a long-term project.

"We intend to make the works of this important creator available to his fans and keep it available for retailers to sell," he said.

MOONSTONE COMICS FOR DECEMBER

Following are Moonstone Comics' solicitations for December, with information provided by the company.

WORLD OF DARKNESS: VAMPIRE THE MASQUERADE'S THEO BELL

Written by Bryan Edwards and Mike Reynolds, art and cover by Chris Marrinan, colored by Paul Mounts.

The World of Darkness will focus on stories of existing characters in the White Wolf universe. The first story centers around the Brujah policeman Theo Bell who's on a grim mission. A small city brims with rogue thin-bloods that risk exposing the Masquerade. Theo unwittingly finds himself embroiled in a power struggle, with more than one high-ranking vampire hiding an explosive secret up his sleeve. Luckily for Theo, there are many faces to be smashed in, and many wind-pipes to be squished. Murder, deceit, and the Sabbat establishment all collide, as things are never quite what they seem to be in the World of Darkness.

48 pages, $5.95.

MIDNIGHT MUSE: PAINED BY NUMBERS

Written by Joe Gentile, art and cover by Drew Tucker.

A social worker makes a strange call on a dysfunctional family, who seemingly, have too many skeletons all in the same closet.Follow the unseen Muse, as she's summoned to this family by an autistic child's artistic ability. With the Muse's guidance, readers take a peek into the deep recesses of the child's bruised psyche. The Muse entices the truth to the surface. She comes when called... One touch is all you'll need.

32 pages, black and white, $2.95.

FIRST LOOK: WORLD'S FINEST: OUR WORLDS AT WAR #1

World's Finest: Our Worlds at War #1 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from DC Comics. The issue is written by Jeph Loeb, with art by Ed McGuinness, Doug Mahnke, Mike Wieringo, Cam Smith and various and a cover by Jae Lee.

Here's how DC describes the issue:

"The aftermath of the War and the toll it's taken on the heroes is examined in this grand finale to the epic event. The dead are buried as Superman tries to deal with what he's become. Guest-starring Wonder Woman, JLA and Young Justice."

World's Finest: Our Worlds at War #1 will be 48 pages and will cost $2.95.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

FIRST LOOK: JLA #57

JLA #57 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from DC Comics. The issue is written by Mark Waid, with art and cover by Bryan Hitch and Paul Neary.

Here's how DC dscribes the issue, which is part three of the four-part "Terror Incognita" story arc:

"The White Martians continue their assault on the League and on Earth. With the planet's ecosystem in complete upheaval and no hope for victory, the League has no choice but to retreat to Superman's Fortress of Solitude. Has the JLA finally admitted defeat? Or is there another plan?"

JLA #57 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.25.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

FIRST LOOK: GREEN ARROW #7

Green Arrow #7 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from DC Comics. The issue is written by Kevin Smith, with art by Phil Hester and Ande Parks and a painted cover by Matt Wagner.

Here's how DC describes the issue:

"'Quiver' continues with a very special issue! Green Arrow's finally starting to get some insight into the questions surrounding his return. The only problem is that each answer is starting to lead places that even Oliver Queen may be afraid to look into."

Green Arrow #7 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.50.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

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