DC COMICS FOR OCTOBER

DC Comics is releasing its solicitation information for October. For a complete rundown, with more than 100 images, check back here right after midnight.

Until then, DC has provided The Continuum with the cover to JLA/Avengers #2 by George Perez. Click on the thumbnail for a larger look.

LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN MOVIE UPDATE

20th Century Fox's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie opened in second place at the box office over the weekend.

Showing in just 3,002 theaters, The League pulled in $23.2 million.

Pirates of the Caribbean placed first with $43.6 million.

The Hulk placed ninth with $3.6 million, pushing its total to $124.7 million.

BATMAN: MYSTERY OF THE BATWOMAN UPDATE

Warner Bros. has released a plot description for Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, the animated home video movie being released on Oct. 21.

Here's how the studio describes the film:

"When a new vigilante in the guise of a Batwoman appears in Gotham City, she is so ruthless and destructive that Batman feels compelled to stop her. As he tries to uncover her secret identity, he comes to realize that she has targeted a criminal consortium headed by Penguin, who is trying desperately to export a cache of high tech arms out of Gotham City.

"Eventually, Batman comes to suspect that Batwoman is Kathy Duquesne, the spoiled daughter of criminal kingpin Carleton Duquesne, who is Penguin's partner. But just when Batman thinks he has the goods on her, evidence points to another woman, and then another.

"By the time Batman realizes who the mysterious Batwoman really is, she has been captured by Bane, whom Penguin has hired to oversee the export of arms.

"It's up to Batman to save her, defeat Bane, and stop the shipment of arms before it leaves Gotham Harbor."

A representative of Warner Home Video told The Continuum the entire film will be shown this week at Comic-Con International in San Diego.

Look for more news on the film soon here in The Continuum.

CLIFF CHIANG EXCLUSIVE WITH DC COMICS

Cliff Chiang has signed a two-year exclusive agreement with DC Comics. Chiang is the illustrator of the current Vertigo miniseries Beware the Creeper, the recent DC Universe project Batman: The Golden Streets of Gotham, and the Detective Comics back-up series "Josie Mac."

"DC has given me so many opportunities in a relatively short time to grow as an artist and explore the medium -- from my work on mainstream characters like Batman and Wonder Woman, to cool and edgier fare like Beware the Creeper, so I'm more than happy to make the relationship official," Chiang said.

"That kind of diversity, combined with the support and encouragement of my editors, has really allowed me to stretch my abilities and take creative risks. I'm grateful for DC's commitment to developing and holding on to talent and look forward to the challenges of the next two years."

"Cliff's fluid and confident storytelling belies the fact that's he's only been professionally drawing comics for a few years," says Karen Berger, VP -- executive editor, Vertigo. "His sweeping linework and nuanced style has made him an artist with incredible potential, and a perfect partner in crime with Peter Milligan and Javier Pulido on Vertigo's new Human Target monthly."

COMIC-CON ROUNDUP

Several publishers are arranging for special products and programming for this week's Comic-Con International in San Diego.

Following is a roundup of some of the recent announcements:

*Avatar Press will be debuting a special convention edition preview book, Alan Moore's Yuggoth Cultures NecroComicon. The NecroComicon will feature artwork from Bryan Talbot, Jacen Burrows, Mike Wolfer, Marat Mychaels, and Juan Jose Ryp and an exclusive article from frequent Moore collaborator Antony Johnston.

* Wonderful World of Animation Art will have Batman voice actors Mark Hamill, Kevin Conroy and Arlene Sorkin for an authorized Warner Bros. signing event on Saturday at from 1:30-3:30 p.m. (PT).

* DreamHaven Books will release the new Neil Gaiman audio CD: Telling Tales. Like the previous bestselling CD, Warning: Contains Language, Telling Tales features Gaiman reading a number of his stories, including "A Writer's Prayer," "Harlequin Valentine," "Boys & Girls Together," "The Wedding Present," and "The End." Percussion between the tracks is provided by Robin Adnan Anders.

The CD will be on sale at DreamHaven's www.neilgaiman.net booth. Telling Tales' cover artist John Picacio will be appearing at the booth to sign copies during the course of the convention.

* Dynamic Forces has announced plans to help raise money for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. DF is making copies of their exclusive-cover edition of Sin City: Family Values by writer/creator/artist Frank Miller available at the CBLDF Booth for a suggested donation of at least $20. Consult with the CBLDF signing schedule to get a copy signed by Miller.

For those unable to attend Comic-Con International, Dynamic Forces is making unsigned copies of the Sin City: Family Values exclusive cover edition available through their website, again, for a donation of $20.00 (plus shipping),

For a complete listing of the show's programming, go to www.comic-con.org. Look for more Comic-Con updates on Tuesday and coverage from the convention all this week here in The Continuum.

FIRST LOOK: NEGATION #20

Negation #20 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from CrossGen Entertainment. The issue is written by Tony Bedard, penciled by Paul Pelletier, inked by Dave Meikis and colored by James Rochelle.

Here's how CrossGen describes the issue:

"Will the fugitives break into jail?! Obregon Kaine and his motely crew discovers another prison planet filled with captives from throughout the CrossGen Universe! But the question is: will they infiltrate this world to use its Negation technology to go home…or is the risk too great to dare?"

Negation #20 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.95.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

BRIEFLY

Coming Tuesday: DC Comics for October -- and much more!!!

E-mail the Continuum at RobAlls@aol.com

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