Wednesday, September 25, 2002

STORM FEATURED IN X-MEN UNLIMITED

Chris Claremont and Paul Smith re-team for an X-Men story for the first time in nearly 20 years in X-Men Unlimited #39, an issue that spotlights Storm.

"In X-Men Unlimited #39, three different creative teams tell three different stories about three different periods of the Windrider's life," Cebulski said. "All stories are new reader friendly and accessible to X-Men fans of all ages."

Cebulski supplied a rundown of the tales:

"In the first story, written and penciled by Jason Pearson, The Master of Magnetism has picked the wrong day to visit Ororo as he catches her in a time of grief. It's Storm vs. Magneto, as the deadliest mutant on the planet is about to find out why it is unwise to cross the weather-controlling goddess!

"In chapter two -- by writer J. Torres and penciler Keron Grant -- Storm, after suffering injury and humiliation at the hands of Khan in the most recent issues of X-Treme X-Men, needs some personal time for peace of mind and healing. As she travels to Japan for some R&R, she finds she is unwelcome there as the hot-tempered Sunfire bars her entry to the country. But she is no longer the Storm that Sunfire remembers -- and he quickly becomes an unwilling victim to her more aggressive nature!

"Finally, in story three, it's a tale that X-Men readers have been waiting nearly 20 years for! Yes, after nearly two decades, the classic Uncanny X-Men creative team of Chris Claremont and Paul Smith reunite for a new story! In an adventure that fans have been clamoring for, Chris and Paul finally reveal what happened between Uncanny X-Men #173 and #174. Witness first-hand Storm's amazing transformation into the leather-clad, mohawked punk rocker! What caused Storm to undergo this startling change in Japan? Find out for the first time here!"

X-Men Unlimited #39 will have a cover by Chris Bachalo and will go on sale on Nov. 27.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

IMAGE COMICS FIRST LOOKS

For covers and four-page previews of Image Comics titles arriving in stores on Oct. 2, CLICK HERE.

Titles include Rising Stars #20, Witchblade #59, Tomb Raider Journeys #7 and Noble Causes: Family Secrets #1.

MICHAEL ROSENBAUM TALKS SMALLVILLE

Michael Rosenbaum, who plays Lex Luthor in Smallville, discussed his character and the show during an AOL chat on Tuesday.

Here are some of his comments.

* How are things on the Smallville set? "There is always a lot going on. Looking for a fun-filled intense season."

* What's it like working with the cast? "We're all one big happy family. We're all very different, but we all get along very well."

* On playing a villain: "It's always fun to be the bad guy. What was fun for me was the journey to becoming bad."

* On how Lex's father injuries will affect their relationship: "I'm not giving away any secrets...but good try."

* Did he know who Lex Luthor was prior to getting the part? "Yes. I had seen the movies, and read a few of the comic books. But I had never seen Lois and Clark. I'm not sure if I want to."

* How did he get the part? "I had a good relationship with Warner Brothers. However, I had only done sitcoms for them. It took selling myself. I had to go in and prove myself as a serious actor, and that I did. I auditioned and they were sold. It's easy to get stuck as either the funny guy or the serious guy. We always have to prove ourselves, don't we? That goes for every profession."

* On the Clark/Lex relationship: "I think Clark and Lex are slowly figuring each other out day by day. I guess that's what friendship is all about. We are learning more and more about each other as each episode passes. I guess the biggest secrets lie ahead, but right now, we continue in building a friendship.

"Tom (Welling) and I as actors greatly enjoy working together. We are always testing each other, and making each other laugh, like Clark and Lex. We have a great relationship as well. We are always trying to make scenes more interesting than they are written, although the great writing makes it easier for us."

QUEEN & COUNTRY MONTH AT ONI PRESS

Oni Press has declared January as Queen & Country Month, featuring Greg Rucka's creations in three releases and a T-shirt from Graphitti Designs.

Coming up in January are:

* The debut of the fourth story arc in Queen & Country #13, featuring the artwork of Jason Alexander, creator of Empty Zone for Sirius.

Queen & Country #13 sees Rucka taking a different approach with the material, moving out of the realm of international terrorism and into big business. French industrialists, who may have governmental ties that go all the way to the top of France's political structure, are blackmailing a wealthy British entrepreneur. The Minders have to stop them from ruining this man's business-and the lives of his family.

The book will be 32 pages, black and white, and will arrive in stores on Jan. 8 with a price of $2.95.

* The third and final issue of Queen & Country: Declassified, the spin-off series looking at Paul Crocker's past, illustrated by Brian Hurtt with a painted cover by Scott Morse.

Queen & Country: Declassified #3 focuses on Paul Crocker when he was Minder Two, and some of the rough lessons he learned out in the field.

The book will be 32 pages, black and white, and will arrive in stores on Jan. 22 with a price of $2.95.

* Queen & Country Vol. 3 - Operation: Crystal Ball, the collection of the third story arc illustrated by Leandro Fernandez.

Crystal Ball collects five issues, Queen & Country #8-12. It focuses on a plot by a terrorist organization to unleash sarin gas and the Minders' efforts to pinpoint where the attack takes place. Rucka and Fernandez also go deeper into the personal lives of the characters as Tara and Ed begin to develop a romantic relationship. This edition, like the previous Q&C collections, will have simultaneous paperback and hardcover releases, with the hardcover being limited to initial orders. Both versions will feature an extensive section with Fernandez's preparatory work.

Queen & Country Vol.3 - Operation: Crystal Ball will be 152 pages, black and white, and will arrive in stores on Jan. 22 with a price of $14.95. The hardcover edition will be $30.

CROSSGEN'S KEY ISSUE PROGRAM

CrossGen Comics will begin a Key Issue Program in December, releasing certain issues of every CrossGen Universe title in the direct market with special logos and trade dress.

Each Key Issue will contain a complete story that fits into the current longer-term storyline, but with certain key elements and characters featured in such a way that new readers can come on-board easily without having to have read any previous issue of that title. The current plan is to have one Key Issue every month, and one Key Issue per year for each title.

According to CrossGen, the scheduling might work out differently in the long run, as the Key Issues will also feature that title's regular art teams and not relief artists, so there might be slight variations as time goes by. The logos of the books will change for that issue only, and the style of that logo will be consistent for every title published in the Key Issue Program. In addition, the issues will have a Key Issue banner running across the top of the book, and a miniature sigil-key near the artists' signatures. The first three CrossGen Key Issues will be The First #25, Mystic #31 and Crux #22.

"This whole idea started at an after-hours bull session with a couple creators and executives here talking about the fact that there is still a public perception about the CrossGen Universe that the train has left the station, and there is no way to get on it now," said Tony Panaccio, vice president of product development for CrossGen.

"It's a complete fallacy, because we try very hard to make each title stand alone and each issue new reader friendly. For the uninitiated, we need to reiterate that every CrossGen title can stand on its own as a story without readers needing to follow every other CrossGen title and we don't do company-wide crossover events. So, the Key Issue Program is simply an extension of that overall philosophy."

"What we didn't want to do in the Key Issues was write stories that rehashed everything, and provided no value for our existing fan-base," said Barbara Kesel, CrossGen's head writer. "We needed to provide complete stories that moved the overall stories along, while at the same time, introducing the basic concepts and characters of the ongoing epic of each title. With each new issue, we're finding that we're more and more up to that challenge, and we couldn't be more pleased with the stories our teams have cooked up."

SUPERMAN: METROPOLIS LAUNCHES IN FEBRUARY

Writer Chuck Austen and artist Danijel Zezelj are collaborating on Superman: Metropolis, a 12-issue, monthly maxi-series for DC Comics, set to launch in February.

Austen and artist Zezelj give center stage to The City of Tomorrow as an increasingly dangerous turn of events occurs in Superman's city. The B13 virus - which citizens of Metropolis call the Tech - has quietly infested the city since 1999's Supeman: Y2K. Now the Tech has begun to assert its power over ordinary people in ways that at times may seem beneficial, but have potentially deadly consequences.

"The Tech is growing," said Senior Editor Eddie Berganza. "It almost seems to have a mind of its own - and I'm not saying whose mind that might be, except that it's not Brainiac's!"

The Tech is a continuing menace throughout the run of the maxiseries, one that the creators liken to the presence of Kryptonite on Smallville. Although Superman makes appearances in the series, Jimmy Olsen is the star of Metropolis. The series also focuses on other members of the Superman cast and adds a number of new characters, both good and evil. Among those joining the cast is another photojournalist who may prove to be a competitor for Jimmy Olsen.

"Chuck's turned in some amazing concepts for the series," Berganza said. "He's really captured the essence of Superman - that combination of heart and power. And Danijel's art captures the scope of the story in a realistic yet larger than life style that fits the World's Greatest Super-Hero's hometown."

"I'm very excited to be working on this project, especially with Eddie and Danijel," Austen said. "I'm really looking forward to charting out new territory in the Superman mythos and turning Metropolis into as interesting a character as New York City is in the real world. We're looking forward to doing some unusual, off-beat stories. It's going to be exciting and fun, and I can't wait for people to see what we're doing."

Events in Metropolis will tie into the ongoing series Action Comics, Adventures of Superman and Superman.

BRIEFLY