Monday, April 22, 2002

IMAGE COMICS FOR JULY

Image Comics has released its solicitation information for July.

For a complete rundown, CLICK HERE.

SPIDER-MAN MOVIE UPDATE

J.K. Simmons, who plays J. Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man movie, is working with director Sam Raimi for the third time.

Simmons also worked with Raimi in The Gift and For Love of the Game. In Spider-Man, he plays the cigar-chomping publisher of the Daily Bugle.

"He is the proud owner of the last flat-top haircut in America," Simmons said of Jameson. "We have a wig that makes me look frighteningly like him. The astute observer might also notice some dental work."

Simmons said that Jameson is a "classic blowhard."

"He's always screaming at his employees, including Peter Parker," Simmons said. "But he is also a staunch civil rights advocate with a great deal of journalistic ethics - he's sort of a classic American success story."

Ted Raimi, who plays a reporter named Hoffman in the film, told The Continuum that Simmons is a "dynamo" and "an acting machine."

"He's just amazing," Raimi said. "We were given insane dialogue to read. Crazy, crazy, tongue-twisting dialogue. He did it all day long."

STRACZYNSKI, SMITH TO BE EXCLUSIVE WITH MARVEL

Marvel Comics is expected to announce on Wednesday exclusive deals with writers J. Michael Straczynski and Kevin Smith.

Sources told The Continuum that Stracyznski, currently writing Amazing Spider-Man, will likely be writing a new ongoing Spider-Man title later this year. John Romita Jr. is expected to join him on that book.

Smith, currently writing Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil Men Do, is expected to write both Amazing Spider-Man and an ongoing Black Cat series.

Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada would not comment about the deals over the weekend. "No comments until Wednesday," Quesada said.

DC UNIVERSE PROJECTS

At the Wonder Con in Oakland over the weekend, DC Comics provided an update on upcoming DC Universe projects, including Batgirl: Year One and Smallville.

Following are some highlights:

BATMAN

Batman #605, a 48-page issue in July, ends the storyline with Bruce Wayne accused of murder, but according to DC, "for Batman, life after 'Bruce Wayne: Fugitive' will hardly be easier than it was during this epic event. This summer's storylines lead to a fall event that makes being charged with murder look like a walk in the park. Look for Robin, Nightwing, the Spoiler, Oracle and Batgirl to continue to be a big part of Batman's life -- whether he likes it or not."

BATGIRL: YEAR ONE

Readers will learn exactly why Barbara Gordon originally donned the cape and cowl in Batgirl: Year One, written by Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty, with art by Marcos Martin and Alvaro Lopez.

> The story picks up where Robin: Year One left off. When Commissioner James Gordon is kidnapped, Barbara Gordon decides to take the law into her own hands, regardless of her own safety.

GOTHAM GIRLS

The five-issue mini-series will launch in August. Written by Paul Storrie with art by Jennifer Graves and J. Bone, Gotham Girls brings together Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Detective Renee Montoya, and Batgirl on a fast-paced chase for a vial of mysterious chemicals the contents of which is a mystery unto itself.

SMALLVILLE

Smallville, a 64-page special, will arrive in shops this fall, just in time for the second season's premiere episode. In addition to stories by the TV series' supervising producer, Mark Verheiden, there's also a story by series writer Michael Green, plus special behind-the-scenes features.

SUPERMAN BOOKS

The four Superman titles continue on their separate tracks, with the Man of Steel being invited to join a Pantheon of lesser-known gods, the mystery of the Superbaby deepening, and Lex Luthor finally calling in his favor with Lois Lane -- a favor that involves Lois's betraying her every journalistic Instinct.

GREEN ARROW

New writer Brad Meltzer, who stars with #16, blazes a new trail for Oliver Queen, beginning with a storyline that involves the plans Ollie laid out in the event of his death. Were his instructions carried out? Did the hero who was to act as executor do his job?

POWER COMPANY

The team has a surprising - and not altogether pleasant - encounter with Green Arrow in issue #8. Then, Josiah Power falls victim to an unexpected attack - one that has nothing to do with his meta-human abilities, and one that will leave the Power Company reeling as their leader's importance is driven home for them all to see.

WONDER WOMAN

Wonder Woman faces war in Skartaris, lost land of dinosaurs and danger, as Phil Jimenez continues his run as writer. Jimenez returns to full art duties as well with August's issue #184.

JLA

This summer, the JLA goes back in time to discover a Secret Age of Heroes that occurred thousands of years ago - a discovery with deadly consequences. For four months, JLA will ship twice a month, as the team desperately searches for Aquaman and Atlantis, missing since "Our Worlds at War." The struggle carries the team back through time, forcing a new group to rise in its place and assume the mantle - and the responsibilities - of the World's Greatest Super-Heroes.

VERTIGO PROJECTS

At the Wonder Con in Oakland over the weekend, DC Comics provided an update on upcoming Vertigo projects, including a graphic novel by Warren Ellis and Colleen Doran.

Here are some highlights:

FABLES

Bill Willingham writes a new, ongoing series that sets traditional fairy tale characters loose in modern day Manhattan. Willingham, working with artists Lan Medina and Steve Leialoha on the first story arc, Mark Buckingham on the second, and cover painter James Jean, uses the Brothers Grimm's original, vicious versions of these familiar stories as the basis of Fables, which begins next month with the grisly murder of Snow White's sister, Rose Red. All of Fabletown is shocked by her death and, more important, desperate to keep the local lawman, Bigby Wolf, away from their doors in a series where there is No More Happily Ever After.

BLOOD AND WATER

Writer Judd Winick makes his Vertigo debut with Blood and Water, a six-issue series set in San Francisco and illustrated in gory fashion by Tomm Coker.

Here's how DC describes the book:

"Adam Cohen was once a happy, healthy young man. Now he's dying of a variety of illnesses, until he learns that his best friends have the key to eternal live: vampirism. And while his friends show him that being a vampire doesn't necessarily mean running away from crosses and garlic, existence as one of the undead comes with a terrible price, as Adam will quickly learn."

FIGHT FOR TOMORROW

Fistfights cross paths with Buddhist beliefs in Fight For Tomorrow, a six-issue mini-series coming this fall by Brian Wood, with art by Denys Cowan and Kent Williams.

Here's how DC describes the mini-series:

"It's a tale of violence, love and redemption set in contemporary New York City, in which Ced, a young martial artist whose dark past in Southeast Asia threatens to trigger a gangwar on the streets of Chinatown as he struggles to find the woman he thinks he loves."

LUCIFER: NIRVANA

A 48-page Prestige Format one-shot written by Mike Carey, with painted art by Jon J Muth, is scheduled for August.

Here's how DC describes the book:

"A beautiful angel with an ancient score to settle has put out a contract on Lucifer Morningstar. But can the devil die? In order to get the job done, she and her hired gun, the mysterious Silk Man, must make some personal scarifies and find the right tools, including a magical aid to meditation; a tiny ghost in a bamboo cage; and a young Chinese widow whose longing for peace makes her the perfect bait. The impending attack leads Lucifer from the realm of the Dreaming to the streets of Beijing, with appearances by Mazikeen and Daniel, lord of the Dreaming."

THE SANDMAN: ENDLESS NIGHT

Work on the hardcover continues, written by Neil Gaiman with artists including Moebius, Milo Manara, P. Craig Russell, Bill Sienkiewicz, Barron Storey on Despair and others illustrating tales of the Endless.

100 BULLETS

The collected edition A Foregone Tomorrow comes out in August.

IN THE SHADOW OF EDGAR ALLEN POE

The graphic novel is written by novelist Jonathan Scott Fuqua, with photo-illustration artwork by I, Paparazzi's Stephen John Phillips and Steven Parke.

Here's how DC describes the story: "A modern-day biographer uncovers evidence that Poe was tormented by living, breathing demons, as well as a disturbing relationship with his young niece."

ORBITER

A mystery in space with far-reaching consequences is explored in this graphic novel by writer Warren Ellis and A Distant Soil creator Colleen Doran.

Here's how DC describes the book:

"In this near-future tale, the American space program is in ruins, the victim of budget cutbacks that leave Cape Canaveral populated by squatters. But all that changes when the Space Shuttle Venture unexpectedly returns after a 10-year absence - an absence that most assumed spelled the craft's doom. And the lone passenger of the Venture may hold the key to a grand future for humanity - if a trio of down-on-their-luck technicians can decipher the clues he and the Venture hold."

JUSTICE LEAGUE'S "LEGENDS"

Part two of the "Legends" episode of the Justice League animated series will premiere on Sunday on Cartoon Network.

Part one of the story showed Justice Leaguers Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and Hawkgirl apparently transported to a different version of Earth, where they encounter the Justice Guild of America and a group of wild villains. The Justice Guild members were characters that John Stewart had read about in comic books as a youth.

Click on the images below for bigger screen grabs from a promotional clip for part two.

GORDON PURCELL UPDATE

Gordon Purcell has been named the regular artist for Claypool Comics' Soulsearchers and Company beginning with #53.

"The nicest thing is that it reunites me with one of my favorite writers, Peter David, whom I worked with on many Star Trek comics in the day," Purcell told The Continuum. "It's a fun superhero group that investigates the spooky side of life. I also drew a story for Elvira #114 for Claypool."

Following a Kolchak: The Night Stalker comic from Moonstone Books, Purcell filled The Continuum in on his other upcoming projects.

"I finished a Ford Windstar commercial that will be running in the Midwest region around Chicago," he said. " It's like Roger Rabbit in reverse, with the car driving through backgrounds drawn by me and colored by Pat Garrahy. It'll be out soon!

"I've also finished lithographs of the first four Star Trek series that will come out from Dynamic Forces this summer.

"And I have a short story for the Shooting Star anthology coming in July from many of the folks connected to the Dixonverse website."

AVATAR PRESS FOR JULY

Avatar Press has released its solicitation information for July.

For a complete rundown, CLICK HERE.

BRIEFLY