Wednesday, May 29, 2002

CROSSGEN COMICS FOR SEPTEMBER

CrossGen Comics has released its solicitation information for September.

For a complete rundown, CLICK HERE.

ACTIVISION'S MARVEL GAMES

Activision has provided The Continuum with first looks at three of its upcoming Marvel Comics-based games.

Here's a rundown, with information provided by the company:

X-MEN: NEXT DIMENSION

A fighting game for the next-generation consoles that recreates the super heroes battles from comic books and films. Players expand their combat beyond the traditional arena and battle across expansive 3D levels using advanced fighting combos, aerial combat and dynamic interactive environments to wreak havoc on foes. X-Men: Next Dimension has been rated "T" (Teen) with violence and suggestive themes by the ESRB.

X-MEN: WOLVERINE'S REVENGE

Players take on the persona of Wolverine as they explore the mysterious past and deadly future of the most popular X-Men character. X-Men: Wolverine's Revenge is currently rated "RP" (Rating Pending) by the ESRB. (PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox video game system from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance).

BLADE 2

Players take on the role of the baddest of the vampire slayers. Players must make maximum use of Blade's special abilities, weapons and martial arts moves to stop the vampire nation's quest to create an all-new form of super-vampires known as Reapers. Blade 2 has been rated "M" (Mature) with violence, blood and gore, strong language by the ESRB. (PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox video game system from Microsoft).

WITCHBLADE TV UPDATE

Eric Etebari, who plays Ian Nottingham in TNT's Witchblade, said his character will "evolve more into his own man" in the second season.

"In the first season, he really was a child, and his now evolving more into his adolescence," Etebari said. "He's going to tap into all those things that have been subdued by Irons. He's going to touch for the first time and love for the first time.

"Originally, his mission was to be the connection between Irons and Sara for Irons' master plan to control the Witchblade. But I think now his mission is to find out who he is, where he's from and why he is so different from your everyday man."

Etebari's black-clad Nottingham has developed his own fan base.

"I think I bring a certain compassion to the role," Etebari said. "Nottingham is really a noble character with classic leading-man qualities. People want to take care of Nottingham. They want to see him grow. They want to see his first kiss, for example. He's a likeable killer.

"I think he's won the support of the fans because he doesn't know it all, he's sensitive and he also expresses feelings when it comes to killing someone. He's an evoloving character. He's a child trapped in a man's body, and, thus, he experiences the insecurities that go along with that."

Witchblade's second season begins on Sunday, June 16 on TNT.

In other Witchblade news:

* The Monday, June 17 episode will be "Agape." As Sara and Danny investigate a series of bizarre drug-related murders, rookie detective Jake is pulled into a sting with a questionable cop. Now Sara must learn to use the Witchblade to solve the crime and save Jake before it's too late.

NEW JEREMIAH EPISODE

"Tripwire," a new episode of Jeremiah, will air Friday at 10:45 p.m. on Showtime.

The episode is written by J. Michael Straczynski and directed by Neill Fearnley.

Here's how the episode is described:

"Marcus begins forging alliances with those strong enough to oppose Valhalla Sector forces, including the residents of the nearby town of Camden, which still contains a nuclear arsenal."

"Tripwire" will have an encore on Showtime Beyond on Sunday at 10:45 p.m.

EYE OF THE STORM UPDATE

GIVE'EM A CLICK

Debut issues of WildStorm Productions' Eye of the Storm titles will reach comic book stores with variant covers.

The newly added variant covers will be by the same artists who provide each title's originally announced covers, with the exception of Point Blank, which sports a variant cover by interior artist Colin Wilson (with the regular cover by Simon Bisley).

The variant- and original-cover editions will each constitute 50 percent of all orders on these issues.

Eye of the Storm titles launching include:

* Stormwatch: Team Achilles #1, written by Micah Ian Wright, with art and covers by Whilce Portacio and Richard Friend, in stores on June 12.

* Automatic Kafka #1, written by Joe Casey, with art and covers by Ashley Wood, in stores on June 19.

* Point Blank #1, written by Ed Brubaker with art by Colin Wilson, one cover each by Simon Bisley and Wilson, scheduled to be in stores on Aug. 14.

* Wildcats 3.0 #1, written by Joe Casey with art and covers by Dustin Nguyen, scheduled to be in stores on Aug. 28.

* Black Sun #1, written by Marc Andreyko, with art and covers by Trevor Scott, scheduled to reach stores on Sept. 18.

"We're all very excited about the Eye of the Storm launch," said WildStorm group editor Scott Dunbier, "and we're trying to make it as intriguing to the readers as possible. We see this as a way to help generate buzz about the projects."

BRIEFLY