Wednesday, February 6, 2002

PAUL LEVITZ NAMED DC PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER

Twenty-nine-year DC Comics veteran and writer of more than 300 published comic book stories with cumulative sales of more than 10 million copies, Paul Levitz has been named President & Publisher, DC Comics, it was announced today by Barry M. Meyer, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Warner Bros.

For the complete story, CLICK HERE.

SPIDER-MAN MOVIE UPDATE

Dr Pepper's promotion for the Spider-Man movie will begin in mid-April and run through July.

The grand prize for 50 winners will be a trip for two to an exclusive, insider party in New York. Dr Pepper provided The Continuum with images of standees for Spider-Man and Green Goblin.

"Spider-Man is one of the most recognized fictional characters in America, garnering an 85 percent household awareness in the minds of 18- to 24-year- olds, making this promotion a perfect fit to help us drive incremental sales among our key target audiences," said Cindi Clark, Dr Pepper's senior-vice president of marketing.

"What better way to start off the summer, than by launching a Dr Pepper promotion that allows us to team with Columbia Pictures, leverage the release of the new Spider-Man movie and offer our consumers a chance to win the grand prize of attending an insider party in New York City?"

In addition to the grand prize, consumers can win other incentives, including Spider-Man T-shirts and caps, video libraries and movie tickets, and Dr Pepper 12-packs.

To support the promotion, Dr Pepper will invest millions of dollars in national television advertising, which is scheduled to run as network 30-second commercials and 10-second promotion tags.

In addition, full-page print ads in People Magazine and Marvel Comics, Internet banner ads, as well as a special thematic Web site located within www.drpepper.com will support the promotion. Dr Pepper has also designed several in-store display merchandising and P-O-S (point-of-sale) pieces that highlight the graphics that are part of the Spider-Man franchise, including Spider-Man and the Green Goblin.

"Leveraging the Spider-Man theme is an extraordinary on-pack promotion that is sure to create excitement for the Dr Pepper brand," Clark said. "Throughout 2002, we will be implementing aggressive and strategic Dr Pepper product promotional campaigns, and leveraging all the appropriate marketing tools and resources to support those campaigns," Clark concluded.

In other Spider-Man movie news:

* MGA Entertainment is producing Spider-Man Walkie-Talkies, featuring Spider-Man and Green Goblin. The figural walkie-talkies include heads that light up when in use and an adjustable arm antenna. They can receive and send messages from a distance of up to 150 feet away.

* Dynamic Forces will be releasing Amazing Spider-Man Movie Storyboard Art Regular and Deluxe Signed Edition Lithographs, and Movie Storyboard: Green Goblin Art Regular and Deluxe Signed Lithographs. Illustrated by comics veteran Berni Wrightson for Sony Pictures, the lithographs are 18 inches by 24 inches. Look for the images later on Wednesday here in The Continuum.

SPIDER-MAN ANIMATED UPDATE

Marsha Griffin will serve as a story editor and writer for MTV's Spider-Man animated series.

"She is working with all of the other writers and also scripting herself," Spider-Man producer Audu Paden told The Continuum. "In the past she has been a story editor on series like Starship Troopers and Max Steel. A real pro."

Executive producer Brian Michael Bendis, Marty Isenberg and Kevin Hopps are the series' other writers.

In other Spider-Man news, Paden said that casting for the series continues.

"We are discussing the callbacks this afternoon and hope to record very soon," he said.

For The Continuum's first look at Spider-Man, CLICK HERE.

JOE KUBERT DRAWS SPIDER-MAN

Joe Kubert draws Spider-Man for the first time in his more than 60 years as a comics professional in a 10-page story in PS Magazine, the Preventive Maintenance Monthly #592.

PS Magazine, a periodical devoted to properly maintaining Army equipment and machinery has been published monthly since 1951. Will Eisner produced the first issue.

It evolved from Army Motors, a publication Eisner worked on while in the Army during World War 2. Eisner's theory was that even an Army manual will be more carefully read if the material was presented in an entertainingly interesting manner. He produced the magazine for more than 20 years.

Kubert has been producing PS Magazine through his Tell-A-Graphics agency since issue #579. Recently, Stuart Henderson, Production Manager on PS, approached Marvel editor Axel Alonso and asked about using the character. He received permission several months ago. Kubert was given a premise from which he wrote and drew the story.

The story features a battle between Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus, and also carries the message of performing preventive maintenance on equipment in order to avoid problems of the equipment malfunctioning in a combat or otherwise critical situation.

PS can't be purchased in a comics store or on the newsstand, but you can see the magazine on the internet. Go to http://www.logsa.army.mil/psmag/pshome.html and follow instructions there to download the current issue or any number of previous issues in the form of PDF files. The Spider-Man issue will be available in March.

THE DEFENDERS VS. THE AVENGERS

Marvel Comics has released the cover to The Order #3, by Carlos Pacheco.

The issue goes on sale on April 10. Here's how Marvel describes the story:

"At the behest of the nations of the world, Earth's Mightiest Heroes head to the Antarctic wastes for a showdown with the totalitarian Order! But do even the mighty Avengers have enough power to get the job done?"

The issue is written by Kurt Busiek and Jo Duffy, with art by Matt Haley and Dan Panosian.

SEPTEMBER 11 BACK TO PRESS

Less than a month after reaching stores, September 11 Volumes 1 and 2 have gone back to press for a second printing.

The new printings have an in-store date of Feb. 13.

Said Bob Wayne, DC Comics' vice-president - sales and marketing, said, "The brisk sales of both volumes is a testament to the power of their editorial content, the public's interest in reading stories that reflect on the tragic events of September 11, and the retailers' efforts to get these books into the hands of their customers."

"The response these books have received has been phenomenal at every level," said Michael Martens, Dark Horse's vice-president of marketing. "Creators, publishers, printers, retailers and consumers have all embraced the 9-11 project, resulting in a two of the best-selling graphic novels in recent memory. Thanks to everyone who participated."

MATT WAGNER COVERS LONE WOLF AND CUB

Matt Wagner told The Continuum he will be providing eight covers for Dark Horse's Lone Wolf and Cub reprints.

"I'm very excited to be doing so," Wagner told The Continuum. "LW&C is one of the all-time greatest comic-book series. An amazingly realized vision that remains steadfastly true to its vision over a vast amount of pages."

Wagner's covers will appear on Lone Wolf and Cub Vols. 19-26.

Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 19 will ship on March 27.

BATTLE OF THE PLANETS TRADING CARDS

Dynamic Forces will be releasing a trading card set in June as the latest in its line of exclusive Battle of the Planets merchandise.

A combination of classic Battle of the Planets episode images will be featured from the original TV series, along with brand-new illustrations by contemporary artists.

Alex Ross will contribute to this set with his first painted trading card work in more than five years, providing nine cards that connect to form one image.

Other contributing artists include John Cassaday (see image), Jae Lee, Mike Allred, Dan Fraga, Dan Parsons, Greg and Tim Hildebrandt and Alex Horley. The trading card backs will be written by Battle of the Planets expert, Jason Hofius!

Full sets will be comprised of 90 base cards, with additional rare hand-sketched, signed and acetate (cel) insert cards. Each pack will include six cards, and each box will ship with 40 packs.

DARK KNIGHT #3 TOPS FEBRUARY COMICS

The Dark Knight Strikes Again #3 was the top-ordered comic book for February, according to numbers released by Diamond Distributors.

For a listing of the top 100, CLICK HERE.

BLACK PANTHER PREVIEW

Black Panther inker Bob Almond has provided The Continuum with a look at the cover to Black Panther #44, the penultimate issue of "The Enemy of the State II" story arc.

The cover is by Sal Velluto.

The arc begins with Black Panther #41, in stores on Feb. 13.

Black Panther Christopher Priest has posted a preview of the arc on his web site, which can be found HERE.

Here's what he had to say about the preview:

"I've posted a preview of 'Enemy of the State II,' our new arc beginning this month in Black Panther #41, pitting Wakanda's king against the Emerald Avenger for five rounds of no-holds-barred warfare: wits against wits, company against company, loyalties vs. loyalties, and, ultimately, an (Iron) mano-a- (Black) gato slugfest that will change Panther's relationship to Iron Man and the Avengers forever.

"**Warning** Mild spoilers for issue #41 abound in my online preview.

"I have posted cover art, a 'trailer' preview scene from issue #42, and script pages of deleted scenes ultimately cut from arc.

"New readers will also find a wealth of reference material on the Black Panther series, supporting cast, a FAQ, a summary of the series to date, previews of other story arcs and much more.

"'Enemy of the State II' also guest stars Wolverine, and Alpha Flight makes a special appearance as well.

"'Enemy of the State II is a sequel to our landmark political thriller, Enemy of the State, which is now available in trade paperback, also on sale in February."

FIRST LOOK: MUTIES #1

Muties #1 will arrive in stores on Feb. 13 from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Karl Bollers, with art by Peter Ferguson and Max Douglas and a cover by Ferguson.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"Meet a 13-year-old boy genius who is taunted and tormented by his peers. But what is the secret that makes Jared different from anything mutant fans have ever encountered before?"

Muties #1 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.50.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

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