N E W S
Return to the Continuum home page

Clicking on images frequently provides larger ones.

Friday, August 31, 2001


MUTANT X'S LAUREN LEE SMITH

Lauren Lee Smith, who plays Emma deLauro in the upcoming Mutant X television series, told The Continuum her character is not a member of the team when the series starts.

"In the first episode, Victor (Webster, who plays Brennan Mulwray) and I are not even part of the team yet," Smith told The Continuum. "Him and I are out on our own. We don't really want to accept that we have these abilities. We're sort of telling everyone, 'Bug off.' Then we realize what a great place this is to be, to help us with our abilities."

Smith's character is a "telempath," who can transmit and receive feelings telepathically and direct the behavior of others.

"I get into people's heads," Smith said. "For example, I've made people think they're being strangled by a rope. So they temporarily think they're dying, and then Shalimar will come in and kick their butt. So I can make them think they can't breathe or that they're falling.

"That's how we've been using it so far. I really like playing around with it because, man, if you really had that power, you could do some damage."

Smith previously appeared in the Sylvester Stallone movie Get Carter, the pilot episode of Fox's Dark Angel, MTV's boy band parody 2Gether and then in PAX TV's Christy: Choices of the Heart.

"I was never really into sci-fi. This is a whole new thing for me," she said. "I'm enjoying it, actually. It's really a lot of fun."

After auditioning for Smallville for both the Lana Lang and Chloe Sullivan parts, Smith, a native of Vancouver, was one of last members cast in Mutant X.

"When I found out I was going to Toronto to test, the first thing I did was look up everyone on the Internet," Smith said of the Mutant X cast. "And I was like, 'Ok, everyone's really good looking and really buff.'"

Because her powers are mental, Smith hasn't done any wire work like her cast mates, who have more of a stunt background than she does.

"I'm sure my character is going to develop physically," she said. "I think the plan is for my character, and me, to progress."

Emma doesn't wear a costume per se, but she does have specific wardrobes.

"If we know we're going out to kick some butt, we'll wear these outfits," she said. "Mine is sort of this really cool Emma Peel-y look. It's all leather with this little belt and a collar. It's really fun."

Smith said the outfit is functional for physical exertion - except for one part.

"Emma does an awful lot of running in the first three or four episodes," she said. "And man, the heels! I don't mean to pat my own back or anything, but at the end of the day, I did pretty well."

Smith was surprised at the immense reaction to Mutant X at last weekend's panel at the Canadian National Comic Book Expo in Toronto.

"I've not experienced anything like this before," Smith said. "I was so nervous."

Mutant X opens in syndication the week of Oct. 1. Look for more on the show soon here in The Continuum.


DEATHLOK, MARVEL MOVIE NEWS

Marvel Studios is teaming with Paramount Pictures on a live-action Deathlok movie.

"Deathlok is going to be one of the greatest movies we ever make because the movie is so amazing," Marvel Studios' Avi Arad told The Continuum. "It's fantastic, really an amazing story."

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Stu Zickerman and Raven Mentzner will write the script, about a suburban family man who is unwittingly made a test subject for technology research that slowly turns him into a living computer.

Marvel is producing the project with Crystal Sky Prods., which has a co-production and co-financing deal with Paramount. The studio's executive vice-president production, Brian Witten, is overseeing the project. Witten has a background with comics-based projects and even wrote a few comics stories for Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios.

In other Marvel movie news, Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige told The Continuum that Internet reports that Drake Hogestyn, of NBC's Days of Our Lives, is in the running to play Daredevil are false. "It's not even worth shooting down," Feige said.

KIDS' WB!/X-MEN: EVOLUTION SCHEDULE

Kids' WB! has announced its new lineup for the fall, which starts on Saturday, Sept. 15 and features the second-season premiere of X-Men: Evolution at 10:30 a.m. (ET).

The network's Saturday morning lineup includes:

8 a.m.: Pokemon: Johto League Champions.

8:30 a.m.: Cubix.

9 a.m.: Jackie Chan Adventures.

9:30 a.m.: The Mummy.

10 a.m.: Pokemon: Johto League Champions.

10:30 a.m.: X-Men: Evolution.

11 a.m.: Robert L. Stine's The Nightmare Room.

11:30 a.m.: Yu-Gi-Oh!

The network's weekday line starts on Sept. 17. Here's a rundown:

3 p.m.: Cardcaptors (Rescue Heroes: Global Response Team on Wednesdays).

3:30 p.m.: Pokemon.

4 p.m.: Pokemon: The Johto Journeys.

4:30 p.m.: Jackie Chan Adventures.

Kids' WB! announced that Static Shock and The Zeta Project will return later this season.

DAVID TISCHMAN TALKS BARNUM

Frequent collaborators David Tischman and Howard Chaykin are teaming on Barnum, a 128-page hardcover from DC Comics' Vertigo imprint.

"Howard and I thought it would be kind of neat if maybe there was this group of weird people who were born with powers and the world feared them and hated them," Tischman said. "And the X-Men was already taken. So we went back 115 years and have a story about P.T. Barnum and his circus freaks saving the United States."

Barnum's art is by newcomer Niko Henrichon.

"He's doing a great job with this," Tischman said.

Barnum is tentatively scheduled for a second quarter 2002 release.

JEFF YOUNGQUIST BECOMES MARVEL EDITOR

Jeff Youngquist, formerly an editor in Marvel's New Media team, has become an editor in Tom Brevoort's office at Marvel Comics.

As an assistant editor, Youngquist will work side-by-side with Brevoort and assistant editor Marc Sumerak. Brevoort's books include Avengers, Iron Man, Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four, Captain Marvel, Defenders and Thor.

"I want to thank Tom, Joe (Quesada), and everyone else who pulled for me," Youngquist said. "This job is a dream come true. I never imagined when I was managing a small group of weekly newspapers in Connecticut two years ago that I'd wind up working for Marvel Comics.

"I learned so much during my time in the New Media Department, and met a lot of great people. But I always envisioned myself in the thick of things, working on the comic books themselves. Now, I have my chance to contribute, in my own small way, to the Mighty Marvel Mythos."

ACTIVISION ACQUIRES FANTASTIC FOUR, IRON MAN RIGHTS

Activision announced it has signed a deal to bring Marvel's Fantastic Four and Iron Man to the interactive arena.

Activision has acquired the exclusive worldwide rights to develop and publish interactive games for the next-generation console systems and the PC based on the properties. Fantastic Four and Iron Man complement the company's current slate of Marvel characters that include Spider-Man, X-Men and Blade.

Twentieth Century Fox is currently in development with a theatrical film based on The Fantastic Four and New Line Cinema is developing a motion picture based on Iron Man. Both projects are slated to be released in 2003/2004.

"Activision is thrilled to extend our relationship with Marvel by adding these phenomenally rich characters to our slate of established brands," said Greg Goldstein, vice-president of brand development and licensing for Activision.

"Both of these properties have entertained fans around the world in the form of comic books and other media for more than 35 years. We intend to take full advantage of current video-game hardware technology to bring these iconic super heroes to life as never before."

Russ Brown, senior vice-president, consumer products, promotions and media sales for Marvel said, "After seeing the excitement and success surrounding Activision's Marvel video games, it is obvious to me that the people at Activision understand Super Heroes and know what our fans expect. Fantastic Four and Iron Man are two other properties that possess extremely loyal fan bases who have been waiting a long time to be able to share their adventures in the form of video games."

BIGG TIME/DC PREVIEWS

Ty Templeton said that he is close to finishing Bigg Time, his Vertigo graphic novel that will be released next year.

The 120-page book features a homeless actor, Lester Bigg, and his guardian angel, "who just hates him," according to Templeton.

"One day Lester is peeing against the third rail of the subway line and is electrocuted," Templeton said. "When he awakens, he finds he can see his guardian angel."

Lester wants to be famous and blackmails the guardian angel.

"But it's not so quite so easy for Lester to be famous," editor Heidi MacDonald said. "The comic adventures they go through to try to make him famous - they try to make a movie, they go on talk shows -- really explores what it means to be a celebrity in a really amusing way."

In addition to Bigg Time, DC Comics has provided The Continuum with covers to the upcoming books:

* Midnight, Mass., the ongoing Vertigo series by John Rozum and Jesus Saiz.

* Green Arrow #11 and Flash #181, which ship in December and are part of DC's incorporating titles into cover images and issues that server as launching points.

* Power Company, the DC Universe series by Kurt Busiek and Tom Grummett that starts in January.

* Top Ten: Smax the Barbarian, an America's Best Comics graphic novel by Alan Moore and Zander Cannon.

* Superboy #95.

* Lovecraft, a Vertigo graphic novel written by Keith Giffen, from a screenplay by Hans Rodionoff, with painted art by Enrique Breccia.

* The Danger Girl trade paperback.

FIRST LOOK: ORIGIN #1

Origin #1 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Paul Jenkins, with art by Andy Kubert and a cover by Joe Quesada.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"Almost 30 years after he was created, Wolverine will finally have the story of his origin told for the first time. Who is the mysterious man known only as Logan? Where does he come from? How did his powers first appear? This special six-issue series will finally answer the question: who is the man known as Wolverine?"

Origin #1 will be 32 pages and will cost $3.50.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

FIRST LOOK: FANTASTIC FOUR # 47

Fantastic Four #47 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Carlos Pacheco, Rafael Marin and Jeph Loeb, art and cover by Pacheco and Jesus Merino.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"Abraxas has come to New York City -- but the FF is racing through alternate Earths. Mr. Fantastic, the Thing and the Invisible Woman hurtle through dimensions on a desperate quest -- but will they find the only weapon that can destroy Abraxas or will the Atlantean Empire and the Challengers of Doom prove their undoing?"

Fantastic Four #47 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.25.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

FIRST LOOK: AVENGERS: CELESTIAL QUEST #1

Avengers: Celestial Quest #1 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Steve Englehart, with art and cover by Jorge Santamaria and Scott Hanna.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"The flaring of a star in the night sky signals the dawning of the age of the Celestial Messiah, the offspring of the former Avenger known as Mantis. But this is an age that the mad titan Thanos will do anything to prevent -- even if he must kill the Celestial Madonna time after time after time. Once again the fate of the universe rests in the hands of Thor, Vision, Scarlet Witch and Earth's Mightiest Heroes."

Avengers: Celestial Quest #1 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.50.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

FIRST LOOK: SUPERMAN #174

Superman #174 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from DC Comics. The issue is written by Jeph Loeb, with art by Steve Lieber, Ed McGuinness and Cam Smith and a cover by McGuinness and Smith.

Here's how DC describes the issue:

"The aftermath of 'Our Worlds at War' has taken its toll on the Man of Steel. Superman returns to Smallville in order to restore the Kent farm, but he can't shake the terrible feelings inside him. Will Superman hang up his costume for good?"

Superman #174 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.25.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

BRIEFLY

  • Kids' WB! has revised it schedule and will now be showing an episode of X-Men: Evolution at 10:30 a.m. (ET) on Saturday, Sept. 8.

    Last Saturday in its 9:30 a.m. slot, X-Men: Evolution ranked as the top broadcast show for the morning among boys 2-11.

  • Coming Monday: Marvel news - and much more!!!!
    E-Mail the Continuum at roballs@aol.com



    Return to the Continuum home page


    Copyright © 2001, The Comics Continuum