Thursday, June 6, 2002

JEPH LOEB ON SMALLVILLE STAFF

Jeph Loeb, who just ended his run on the Superman comic, has joined the staff of The WB's Smallville as a consulting producer.

"As with most things that happen in my life, I got lucky," Loeb told The Continuum on Wednesday. "Al and Miles (Gough and Millar, the show's creators and executive producers) called me in last season to pitch some ideas for shows. I just kept babbling until they offered me a job for THIS season! It's a great group of folks and I'm having a blast."

Loeb began work on the show on Monday.

"At the moment, I'm the guy who writes everything down on the whiteboard. My hands are covered with markers!" Loeb said. "Actually, Al and Miles run the writers' room as very much a team effort. Everyone pitches ideas for stories and they help us form them into some very cool upcoming episodes. I WILL be writing for the show and my title is 'consulting producer' which I guess means that I'm the ambassador to Spain."

Loeb has been vocal about his admiration for Smallville at convention appearances.

"What's there not to like?" Loeb said. "I'm a (d'uh) huge Superman fan and it's Superman for this generation. I like the way the characters interact; the cast is wonderful and the whole "making of a hero" is very appealing to me. Al and Miles have added some amazing things to the legend -- between Chloe's character to the meteors being part of the creation and destruction of Smallville, to their take on Lex's character -- it's all terrific stuff. It very much reminds me of the graphic novel Superman For All Seasons (which was written by Loeb and illustrated by Tim Sale) in terms of tone and that makes me very comfortable on what is unquestionably the hottest show on television. Like I said, I'm really, really, lucky!"

Production on the second season of Smallville is expected to begin within two months in Vancouver.

As he joins Smallville, Loeb is leaving the Buffy the Vampire Slayer animated series that is in development.

"The Buffy Animated Series IS going to happen," Loeb said. "I left the show in excellent hands and terrific shape. The scripts are as good as the live-action show -- that would be because the live action writers wrote them! -- and the look of the show is being handled by a world class animation team -- that must go unnamed at this time -- and the entire operation is still under the watchful eye and care of Buffy/Angel creator and media mogul Joss Whedon.

"We hope to see some first rough animation by the end of the year. I was really sad to have to step back to go to Smallville, but I DO fell like I carried the baby through the entire pregnancy and now someone else -- Joss and Mutant Enemy's Chris Buchanan -- will deliver the goods and make it grow up to be big and strong!"

Loeb is re-teaming with Sale on Marvel's Spider-Man: Blue and will be writing a Superman/Batman title for DC. He'll also be joining Jim Lee on Batman.

DC COMICS FIRST LOOKS

For covers and four-page previews of DC Comics titles arriving in stores on Wednesday, CLICK HERE.

Titles include Adventures of Superman #605, Batgirl #29, Green Lantern #151, Transmetropolitan #57, Fable #2 and 100% #1.

DK2 #3 IN STORES ON JULY 31

DC Comics has announced that the third and final issue of The Dark Knight Strikes Again! will have an in-store date of July 31.

DC will take order adjustments on the delayed issue from retailers.

"We realize retailers and readers have been anxious for this issue and for the news of its release," said Bob Wayne, DC's vice president - sales & marketing. "Having read issue #3 myself, I can attest to its quality and to the level of satisfaction people will have on the conclusion of this groundbreaking story."

"Good things take time," said Bob Schreck, DC Group Editor. "We didn't anticipate such a delay when we started out and thank everyone for their patience. I am confident it will be well worth the wait."

MARVEL MOVIE ROUNDUP

The Spider-Man movie had its United Kingdom premiere in London on Wednesday.

Stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst attended the rainy premiere.

"It's just an honor to be part of a monumental kind of film like this," Dunst told E! News Daily. "And that's a good film, and I'm proud of it."

According to the Box Office Mojo website, Spider-Man brought in $1.6 million on Tuesday, pushing its domestic total to $356.9 million.

In other Marvel movie news:

* Halle Berry, who begins work on the X-Men sequel next week, will be seen on Fox Thursday night, winning an Essence Award.

BRIEFLY