Thursday, July 25, 2002

JUSTICE LEAGUE ANIMATED UPDATE

A 90-minute Justice League movie and new episodes featuring the Injustice Gang and Etrigan will air on Cartoon Network in September.

Justice League: The Savage Time will premiere on Cartoon Theater on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 7 p..m (ET/PT).

Here's how Cartoon Network describes the movie:

"The Justice League returns from a mission in deep space to find a world that has drastically changed - for the worse. A ruthless, repressive dictator named Vandal Savage has seized control. To restore life as they know it, the world's greatest collection of superheroes must travel back in time and team up with Sgt. Rock and his military squadron, the Blackhawks. Together, they must re-fight a world war in order to stop Savage from taking power."

New episodes of Justice League will premiere on Fridays at 7 p.m. (ET/PT) throughout September.

"Injustice For All" will air on Sept. 6 and Sept. 13.

Here's how the network describes the episode:

"When Lex Luthor discovers that he has contracted an incurable case of Kryptonite poisoning, he blames the Man of Steel. Using his vast personal fortune, Luthor hires a team of the world's most powerful super-villains to destroy Superman and the Justice League. He taps Joker, The Ultra-Humanite, Solomon Grundy, Shade, Star Sapphire, Cheetah and Copperhead to assist him in his diabolical efforts. The entire Justice League must assemble to face their greatest challenge yet."

"A Night of Shadows" will air on Sept. 20 and Sept. 27.

Here's how the network describes the episode:

"Morgaine Le Fey is an ancient sorceress who is assisted by the demon Etrigan in her quest for the legendary Sorcerer's Stone. The Justice League must stop Morgaine Le Fey before she captures this object that would give her the power to rule the world."

Look for more on Justice League soon here in The Continuum.

ALAN CUMMING TALKS X-MEN SEQUEL

Alan Cumming said that he has been training in preparation for his role of Nightcrawler in the X-Men sequel.

Appearing on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien on Wednesday, Cumming said, "Because I'm going to do this X-Men 2 film, I've been going to a trainer to get leaner and stronger. I've got to do wires and things. I wish I had worn something more revealing to show my muscles."

Cumming, 37, joked that he's becoming "buff" and is "like Stretch Armstrong."

Cumming was promoting Elle, the play he's appearing in at the Zipper Theater in New York City.

DC COMICS FIRST LOOKS

For covers and four-page previews of DC Comics shipping next week, CLICK HERE.

Titles include Action Comics #793, Batman: Gotham Adventures #52, Codename: Knockout #15, Haven: The Broken City #8, Hellblazer #174, JLA #68, Samurai Jack Special #1 and Wonder Woman #183.

X-MEN UNLIMITED PREVIEW

Marvel Comics has released preview art from X-Men Unlimited #37, which reaches stores on Wednesday.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"The 48-page issue, written entirely by Incredible Hulk cover artist Kaare Andrews, introduces a young boy who possesses unimaginable power who has unfortunately fallen under the thrall of a religious zealot who seeks to eradicate the 'stain' of mutantkind from our world -- and from every other reality! Together, the two open a gateway that thrusts countless versions of the X-Men from across multiple dimensions against one another in all-out war! It's Wolverine vs. Wolverine vs.... well, you get the picture. Can Professor X and Kitty Pryde save themselves and this boy -- and what are they willing to sacrifice to do so?"

In keeping with the issue's theme of alternate visions, associate editor C.B. Cebulski drafted a number of fresh artists to bring this fractured fable to life.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

Provided by Marvel are the cover and an interior double-page by Andrews; a touching scene by Mike Kunkel; and a page by Josh Middleton.

MAGE KNIGHT: THE COMIC BOOK

WizKids has announced the release of the first Mage Knight comic-book series, produced in cooperation with IDW Publishing.

Premiering in October, Mage Knight: Stolen Destiny is a five-issue mini-series. The series features cover art by J. Scott Campbell and Alex Garner -- reunited for the first time since Danger Girl -- and interior art by David Cabrera.

The story was written by Todd Dezago, based on a plot by Mage Knight creator Jordan Weisman.

In addition, every copy of Mage Knight: Stolen Destiny #1 includes a coupon that can be redeemed for an exclusive, limited-edition Mage Knight figure of a character in the comic, Maren'Kar.

"I am jazzed about this project," said Weisman, WizKids founder and CEO. "The development and presentation of the Mage Knight universe to our fans has been one of our goals from the start, and this comic book goes a long way towards doing that. The tale began in the first Mage Knight mini-comic that was included with the Mage Knight: Rebellion Starter. It continued in the pages of Scrye magazine and the second mini-comic included in the Mage Knight: Unlimited Starter. The storyline will be further expanded and more fully developed in this series."

"We've had a long relationship with WizKids. Having produced the prior comic books that were included in Mage Knight Starters, we have a great grasp on the universe," said Ted Adams, publisher, IDW Publishing. "Anybody who has read Tellos knows that Todd Dezago tells a great fantasy story with well developed characters. Having worked closely with Jordan on this project, Mage Knight fans will be absolutely blown away, as will fans of fantasy comics in general."

The first issue of the Mage Knight: Stolen Destiny will cost $3.50.

MCFARLANE DECISION UPHELD

The Missouri Court of Appeals has upheld the November 2000 dismissal of the $24.5 million judgment against Todd McFarlane in the Tony Twist Lawsuit.

The ruling was handed down on Tuesday, July 23, 2002 in a 35-page opinion written by Judge James R. Dowd, a member of the three-judge Missouri Court of Appeals' Eastern District panel.

Twist, then a member of the NHL's St. Louis Blues, had alleged McFarlane had used his name for Antonio Twistelli, a character in the Spawn comic book whose nickname was Tony Twist.

"This was a First Amendment Case, pure and simple," McFarlane said. "This ruling reaffirms that comic books are an important story telling medium entitled to the full protections of the First Amendment; something we in the comic book community have always known to be true."

AVATAR PRESS FOR OCTOBER

Avatar Press has released its solicitation information for October.

For a complete rundown, CLICK HERE.

BRIEFLY