Friday, June 28, 2002

ROGER DALTREY ON WITCHBLADE -- AGAIN

Roger Daltrey of The Who is returning for his second guest appearance on TNT's Witchblade.

In the episode, "Hierophant," which airs on Monday, July 22, Daltrey plays a cross-dressing fortune teller with a unique connection to the Witchblade.

Here's how the network describes the episode:

"A powerful mystery figure named V (James Acheson) is forcing the top crime bosses of the city to unite into a single criminal enterprise - but not everyone wants to join. Sara (Yancy Butler), Danny (Will Yun Lee) and Jake (David Chokachi) investigate multiple homicides in the aftermath of a shootout at a meeting of the city's top crime bosses, where crime boss Tommy Gallo (Conrad Dunn) is the only survivor.

"The investigation takes Sara to see a fortune teller named Madame Sesostris (Daltry). Sara's palm reading is cut short when an otherworldly force intervenes. Sara is haunted by the mysterious V until his shocking identity is finally revealed."

In the first season, Daltrey played a priest. Look for photos of his second-season appearance soon.

Daltrey was slated to kick off a nationwide tour with The Who on Friday, but that was cancelled with the death of bassist John Entwistle on Thursday in Las Vegas.

In other Witchblade news:

The July 1 episode is "Static." Here's how TNT describes the episode:

"Pezzini and McCartey investigate the violent murder of a popular musician (Cormac Cleary), which is masked as a self-inflicted death until his lover Lorelei (Gabrielle Ashry) unveils the truth behind the investigation--right before she falls victim to an assisted suicide at the hand of her disturbed psychiatrist, Dr. Anna Granger. McCartey discovers the missing link in the case when he discovers that three other people who had committed suicide in the city were also patients of Granger. Nottingham (Eric Etebari) reveals who the next threat to the Witchblade might be."

The July 8 episode is "Nailed." Here's how TNT describes the episode:

"Danny Woo is haunted by the consequences of an old homicide case when a convicted sex offender (Currie Graham) he put away for molesting and mutilating teenage girls is released from prison on a reduced sentence. Woo's moral code as a cop is tested when the offender seeks revenge and strikes again - only this time, it's personal."

MARVEL COMICS FIRST LOOKS

For covers and four-page previews of Marvel Comics titles arriving in stores next week, CLICK HERE.

Titles include Uncanny X-Men #408, Ultimate Spider-Man #24, Marvel Mangaverse #4, Fantastic Four #58, Exiles #15, Marvel Knights: Double-Shot #4, The Call of Duty: The Brotherhood #2 and Avengers #55.

CROSSGEN'S NEW PUBLISHING ENTITY, IMPRINT

CrossGen Comics has launched two entities which will include affiliated creator-owned comics and a new imprint, Code 6 Comics.

For the complete story, CLICK HERE.

MORE KISSING CHAOS FROM ONI PRESS

Oni Press in October will launch the second Kissing Chaos series, the five-issue Nonstop Beauty, from Arthur Dela Cruz.

The first Kissing Chaos series detailed three troubled teens' flight from the law, and Dela Cruz introduced clues of a larger story at work. Now, the conspiracy becomes even more clear, as readers meet Ashley, a member of an underground art collective devoted to sewing the seeds of anarchy. When her friend Angela sends her a top secret computer document via e-mail, Ashley suddenly discovers herself at the center of a very real and dangerous situation -- something her art pals would never even dream really existed.

"Kissing Chaos: Nonstop Beauty cracks the world of this comic wide open," said Oni Press editor-in-chief Jamie S. Rich. "While the first series began as a very personal story, readers were treated to hints of a much bigger production throughout the journey. There were mysterious men in black, the much-sought-after laptop, and possibly hidden agendas on the parts of even our main characters. Nonstop Beauty will start to unravel the strings to show us what it's all about. Though, of course, in typical Kissing Chaos fashion, it will likely raise just as many questions as it does answers."

"I kind of tricked the Oni guys into taking on my large-scale action soap opera," Dela Cruz said. "I had been planning Kissing Chaos for years before the ash can that ultimately lead to me working with Oni, and the story became pretty huge. I was worried that they wouldn't go for that sort of thing, though, and so I didn't tell them what was up. Midway through the series, Jamie and Joe started to wonder about these things going on in the background, and it was time to 'fess up."

"Not a technique I would recommend attempting to replicate," Rich said, "but lucky for Arthur, rather than tossing him out on his ear, we were excited. For Oni, Kissing Chaos was a real success story. Not only were we extremely pleased with the work itself, but the response of fans, retailers, and critics seemed to equal ours. We were engulfed in the tale Arthur was weaving, so we couldn't possibly say no to more."

"I hope readers are ready for the breadth this series will take," Oni publisher Joe Nozemack said. "While some of the original characters will return for the second go-around, we won't see most of them again for a while, if at all. But each one that comes along is a piece to a wonderful puzzle. It's constructed smartly, so that the individual parts can be enjoyed on their own, but then when it's all done, there's a much richer reward. Not unlike, say, Stray Bullets."

Dela Cruz's distinctive combination of traditional and digital artwork will continue.

"One of the greatest mysteries of Kissing Chaos was how Arthur got his pages to look so cool," Rich said. "His skills have only improved. Doing finishes over Brian Hurtt for Skinwalker has taught him more about his craft, and I think it will really start to show on the pages of Nonstop Beauty. That alone was enough to get the series going again."

Kissing Chaos: Nonstop Beauty #1 will be 24 black-and-white pages and will cost $2.95. It will be in stores on Oct. 16. It is presented in the same digest size as the original series (though with a longer page count), and is suggested for mature readers.

The Kissing Chaos trade paperback will hit shelve on Sept. 18. The 176 page book (6 inches by 9 inches) will cost $17.95.

Dela Cruz's work can also be seen as part of the art team working on the current Oni Press mini-series Skinwalker. The second issue of that series is on sale July 10.

IDW'S HAIRBALL: A CAL MCDONALD MYSTERY

IDW Publishing and writing Steve Niles are teaming to release another adventure for Cal McDonald, "the world's great paranormal detective."

Hairball: A Cal McDonald Mystery will be published by IDW Publishing in September.

Cal McDonald is the star of the recently released novel by IDW, Savage Membrane. In Hairball, Cal must find a way to strap muzzles on a pack of hipster werewolves that are into crime and prime rib -- the human kind!

Hairball is penciled by Casey Jones, and he brings a unique blend of gas-lit blacks with a razor-edge line. Originally serialized in Dark Horse Presents, this is the first time the story has been collected and it features an all-new cover by Jones.

"Imagine a marriage of Philip Marlowe and The X-Files. HAIRBALL could be their baby -- it's just plain scary," said Beau Smith, vice-president of sales and marketing for IDW Publishing.

"I think Steve has the best concepts of anyone writing comics. As with 30 Days of Night, I'm sure this book is going to draw the attention of lots of folks in Hollywood," said Ted Adams, publisher of IDW Publishing.

The book will be 32 black-and-white pages and will cost $2.99.

BRIEFLY