Tuesday, February 25, 2003
KIDS' WB! ANNOUNCES LINEUP
Kids' WB! announced its 2003-2004 slate on Tuesday, including the return of X-Men: Evolution and the introduction of Teen Titans.
The network did not announce a renewal for Static Shock, although it said the show, along with X-Men: Evolution, "may be highlighted" in its weekday lineup.
The fourth season of X-Men: Evolution, aimed to start mid-season, will consist of nine episodes, pushing the show's total to 52.
Teen Titans will also air on Cartoon Network. Thirteen episodes are currently being produced at Warner Bros. Animation.
Teen Titans is one of three new animated series Kids' WB! has added to its lineup. The others are MegaMan: NT Warrior, previously announced as set to premiere this summer, and Xiaolin Showdown.
Xiaolin Showdown is "a mystical-adventure that takes viewers on an around-the-world journey with four, young but wise, monks trained in the ancient art of Shaolin Kung Fu. These young heroes protect the world from villainous adversaries in gravity-defying showdowns along the way."
Following is the network's lineup for the fall:
SATURDAY
8 a.m.: Yu-Gi-Oh!
8:30 a.m.: What's New Scooby-Doo?
9 a.m.: Jackie Chan Adventures
9:30 a.m.: Ozzy & Drix
10 a.m.: Yu-Gi-Oh!
10:30 a.m.: Xiaolin Showdown
11 a.m.: Pokémon
11:30 a.m.: ˇMucha Lucha!
MONDAY-FRIDAY
3 p.m.: Scooby-Doo
3:30 p.m.: Jackie Chan Adventures
4 p.m. Pokémon
4:30 p.m. Yu-Gi-Oh!
The network has announced 13 new episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh!, a fourth season of Jackie Chan Adventures and that the second season of Cubix will begin on March 15.
G.I. JOE TALENT
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Image Comics released a list of talent contributing to upcoming G.I. Joe titles G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe Frontline and G.I. Joe vs. Transfromers.
Leading the pack is Mike Zeck, known for the covers he contributed to the original G.I. Joe comic book series in the 1980s. Zeck will be pencilling the interiors for an all-new silent issue featuring the most popular G.I. Joe characters, Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow. This marks Zeck's return tosequential illustration and his first-ever full-length G.I. Joe story.
Regular artist Brandon Badeaux will draw G.I. Joe #20, the first half of this two-part story, and then he'll skip ahead to #22, which will kick off Joshua Blaylock's final arc as head writer.
Zeck and Blaylock will make a brief signing appearance at the Orlando Mega-Con on Saturday from 3-6 p.m.
Additional talent includes:
* J. Scott Campbell: G.I. Joe vs. Transformers: cover - June
* Tony Harris: G.I. Joe: Frontline covers, March.
* David Mack: Writing upcoming G.I.: Joe Frontline one-shot.
* Paul Jenkins: Writing upcoming G.I. Joe: Frontline one-shot.
* Kaare Andrews: G.I. Joe vs. Transformers cover, June.
* Francis Manapul: G.I. Joe: Frontline covers, July.
* Sean McKeever: G.I. Joe: Frontline, writer "Zanya," July.
MUTANT X UPDATE
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A new episode of Mutant X, "Once Around," is scheduled to air in syndication this week.
For a complete synopsis, with photos and spoilers, CLICK HERE.
Following "Once Around," Mutant X will have several weeks of repeats before closing out its second season in May.
Upcoming episodes include "Crossroads of the Soul" the week of March 3 and "Sign From Above" the week of March 10.
ANDI WATSON'S LOVE FIGHTS
Oni Press announced that Andi Watson's new series, Love Fights, will launch in June.
Watson is the creator of Dumped and The Complete Geisha. He is also writing Marvel's new Namor series.
Here's how Oni describes the book:
"Set in a world where superheroes really exist, Love Fights is a romantic tale of how ordinary people have trouble connecting in a world where extraordinary circumstances often get in the way.
"The book stars Jack, a penciller for the comic book adventures of real-life superhero The Flamer, and Nora is a junior reporter at a capes-and-tights tabloid. He sees the superpowered as self-centered nuisances, whereas she finds them fascinating and views them as her answer to career success. With such differing opinions, aren't they destined to fall in love and find it impossible to get together?"
"The romantic comedy genre is a fun one," Watson said. "You get to create two unique characters with their own quirks and foibles. You then get to bump their personalities together and make them miserable, vacillating between points of high comedy and weepy melodrama. Throw in superheroes, and really, anything is possible.
"The key to keeping the book fresh is creating an open world for Jack and Nora to maneuver in. They may be the focus, but there are plenty of subplots that I can explore, drawing parallels and adding more to the tension of their failed love connections. In the first story line alone, there is a scandal with The Flamer, the interoffice romance of Jack's colleagues at the comic book company, and Jack's missing cat, Guthrie. That last one should prove to be the most fun.and the most surprising."
"For me, as a fan and an editor, Love Fights is a cause for celebration," said Oni Press editor-in-chief Jamie S. Rich. "Andi has been steadily creating fascinating and entertaining independent comics for several years now, while so much in the mainstream has wallowed in mediocrity. With each new project, he progresses to a new level of creativity and furthers our medium. I look forward to the day when this industry is ready to match his artistry."
Love Fights #1 will be 32 black-and-white pages and will cost $2.99. It arrive in stores on June 11.
CHRISTOPHER MOELLER AWARDED
Christopher Moeller received an award for special achievement in the tenth annual Spectrum Competition, held in Kansas City, Kan., last week.
The award-winning painting, chosen from among 3500 entries, was one of fourteen to receive an award this year. The image originally appeared on the cover of Vertigo comic book Lucifer #28. The painting will be showcased in Spectrum 10: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic art, published by Underwood Books in October 2003.
Moeller is a writer and painter, who has been working in the comics industry since 1990. His original artwork is included in collections worldwide, including the Library of Congress. His comics have been translated into German, French, Spanish and Italian. Moeller is perhaps best known as the creator of the Iron Empires series of science fiction graphic novels: Faith Conquers (1994) and Sheva's War (1998).
Moeller's most recent graphic novel was JLA: A League of One released in 2000 by DC Comics. Moeller is currently the regular cover artist for Lucifer, and is working on another painted JLA graphic novel entitled JLA: Cold Steel, due to be released in 2004.
In addition to comics work, Moeller is a contributor to
Wizard of the Coast's collectible card game Magic: the Gathering and
the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.
FIRST LOOK: THE LEGION #19
The Legion #19 will arrive in stores on April 30 from DC Comics. The issue is written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, with art by Chris Batista and Mark Farmer and a cover by Tony Harris and Tom Feister.
Here's how DC describes the issue:
"Introducing a new art team and kicking off 'Dream Crime,' a new 5-part storyline! Saturn Girl visits Titan, hoping to repair the damage to her mental powers, and Dreamer hopes the Titanet telepathic system will turn her powers of prediction into a large-scale early-warning network for the United Planets. But Saturn Girl learns the damage to her mind might be more extensive than she believed, and Dreamer's first experiments with the Titanet show her terrible visions of an ancient darkness rising once more."
The Legion #19 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.50.
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FIRST LOOK: MISPLACED #1
Misplaced #1 will arrive in stores on May 14 from Image Comics. The issue is written by Josh Blaylock, penciled by Blaylock with Clint Hilinski and inked by Clayton Brown, with covers by Blaylock, Chynna Clugston-Major and Randy Green.
Here's how Image describes the issue:
"Realm 77 is one of many hi-tech cities in an all-too-perfect Utopia. Everyone in the Realm lives a simple, content life... except for Alyssa. She's smarter, faster and better than all her peers, and for that, her entire society punishes her every day. Soon she will learn that there is more to her abilities than she ever knew, and someone isn't happy about it. Alyssa always wanted another life, and when the Realm Elders secretly order her put to death, she'll have no choice but to find one... on Earth. It's a sci-fi, action-packed punk rock thrill ride for fans of all genres."
Misplaced #1 will 32 pages and will cost $2.95.
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BRIEFLY
Copyright © 2003, The Comics Continuum