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Saturday, September 13, 2003

SMALLVILLE UPDATE

The WB has released an official logline for "Exile," the third-season premiere of Smallville scheduled to air on Wednesday, Oct. 1.

Here's how the network describes the episode:

"The thrilling conclusion to last season's cliffhanger. Under the influence of red kryptonite and living in Metropolis, Clark (Tom Welling) gets involved with a crime lord named Morgan Edge (guest star Rutger Hauer) who hires him to break into LuthorCorp. Meanwhile, desperate to put his family back together, Jonathan takes drastic measures to bring Clark home. At the mansion, Lionel (John Glover) accuses Helen (Emmanuelle Vaugier) of killing Lex (Michael Rosenbaum)."

Executive producers Al Gough and Miles Millar wrote the episode, which was directed by Greg Beeman.

Gough explained to USA TODAY in more detail what Jonathan does.

"In order to bring Clark home, Jonathan will get temporary superpowers, " Gough told the newspaper. "It will mean the mother of all father/son fights."

According to Gough, the powers are from a deal Jonathan cuts with Jor-El.

Look for more Smallville news soon here in The Continuum.



PLATINUM STUDIOS' DEAL WITH DISNEY

Platinum Studios has entered a one-year, first-look deal with Walt Disney Television Animation and also signed a development deal with veteran producer Kaaren Lee Brown.

"This deal allows us to be very open to pitches from creators for concepts that make sense as a comic and as an animated series or feature," Platinum Studios founder Scott Rosenberg told The Continuum. "Of course, we're still always looking for comic ideas that work for live-action.

"Disney's allowing us to come in without full presentations, and with multiple pitches from creators. We're more than happy to option existing comics, finance new graphic novels and mini-series, which we'll distribute through other publishers, or to subsidize indy publishers if we think a proprety can work in other media."

Creators can make a pitch to Platinum by CLICKING HERE.

Two of the first 11 projects in development are Radar, The Hound Supreme and Quagmire, USA.

Here's how the projects are described:

* Radar, The Hound Supreme: "Created by Alan Moore and part of his dramatic reinvention of the Awesome Comics Universe, Radar is a real-world dog who gets super-powers -- including the ability to talk." (The Radar concept art is by Alex Ross and Alex Pollina, Radar design by Joe Bennett).

* Quagmire, USA: "The world of characters created by Ben Dunn in the long-running series Ninja High School (launched by Antarctic Press in 1986, subsequently published by Scott Rosenberg's Malibu Comics until its purchase by Marvel, then back at Antarctic Press, Ninja High School recently passed 100 issues and is still going strong). Quagmire is a seemingly ordinary small town that's the site of every wild, wacky adventure imaginable, from ninja princesses to steam-powered robots, talking animals or weird creatures from outer space."

(Click on the thumbnails for larger images.)

Other properties in development include Dylan Dog, Jest Cause, Patrick the Wolf Boy, Hotshot & Mighty Girl, Zoonatics, Alien Circus and Meet the Haunteds.





MARVEL RPG UPDATE

Marvel Comics on Friday announced that the Marvel Universe Roleplaying GAME Guide Hardcover - the publisher's first in-house foray into the RPG market - has gone into its third printing since its initial release in April 2003. The RPG's first supplement, May's RPG Guide to the X-Men Hardcover has just been approved for a second printing.

"From all of the feedback we've gotten from the gaming community - e-mails, Internet discussion groups, and personal contacts - people of all types are loving the Marvel Universe Roleplaying Game," said Jeff Simons, who along with his partners at Q.E.D. Games, Inc. helped Marvel develop the game. "There is quite a loyal, growing fan base, some of whom are very surprising for longtime members of the community like us.

"Most surprising are the GamesMasters. Because the game puts a lot of storytelling power into their hands, they've become some of its biggest supporters. Even GMs who never thought they'd like a diceless game are having fun playing Marvel, and have become the game's most vocal cheerleaders and more importantly - recruiters, enticing other long-time gamers who also never thought they'd get hooked on a diceless game to give it a try.

"We're also especially pleased with the number of female players who are enjoying the game. Guys who played roleplaying games have always lamented that there aren't more girls playing, but we're hearing stories that this isn't the case with the Marvel RPG."

"Here at Marvel we really didn't know what to expect with the release of this game, as it was a brand new market and community we were inviting ourselves into," said the project's editor Mark Beazley. "Plus, by going against the grain and creating our own system rather than simply putting out a 'D20' game, we placed ourselves in an underdog position which simply made us all the more determined to put out the best product possible and prove our worth to the gaming community.

"We feel with Q.E.D.'s veteran guidance and our rookie enthusiasm we've found a chemistry that gamers really seem to be responding to, and we're looking forward to expanding and improving this game to not only make it a great Marvel gaming experience, but to make it one of the most satisfying experiences in the entire market."

Marvel plans to continue publishing supplements. The Guide to the Hulk & The Avengers Hardcover, originally solicited as September release, will be held until November, to allow for more copies of the third printing of the main Game Guide (required to play the supplements) to find their way into player's hands.

Future supplements are also in the planning stages, with a Spider-Man's Guide to New York City - focusing on Spider-Man's Universe and more emphasis on NYC-centric heroes and villains - set for a spring release.



MOON RUSH COVER

Viper Comics has provided The Conitnuum with a first look at the variant cover to Moon Rush #1.

The cover was penciled by artist Jim Daly, whose credits include What If? Doom 2099, Ghost Rider 2099 and such video games as Tony Hawk Pro Skater and X-Men.

"The art for this cover was just so good we couldn't delay using it as an alternate cover," said Viper Comics' Jessie Garza. "This cover will be offered to retailers as a variant cover, and will be distributed in a ratio of 50/50 to comic shops."

The colors for the cover were done by William Daly, who is currently working at Sony Online Entertainment as a senior artist on Star Wars Galaxies.

Moon Rush #1 will be in stores in November.

The Simpsons at Spilsbury.com!


COMICS CONTINUUM BACK ISSUES

In case you missed The Continuum's recent coverage, here are some links:

* For Monday, Sept. 8, including Marvel news, CLICK HERE.

* For Saturday, Sept. 6, including Sharon Stone talking about Catwoman, CLICK HERE.

* For Friday, Sept. 5, including Spider-Man/MTV news, CLICK HERE.

* For Thursday, Sept. 4, including X-Men: Evolution news, CLICK HERE.

* For Wednesday, Sept. 3, including Spider-Man animated news, CLICK HERE.

* For Tuesday, Sept.2, including Justice League and Batman news, CLICK HERE.

* For Monday, Sept.1, including Street Fighter and Teen Titans news, CLICK HERE.

* For Saturday, Aug. 30, including Mutant X news, CLICK HERE.

* For Friday, Aug. 29, including Justice League season-premiere news, CLICK HERE.

* For Thursday, Aug. 28, including Smallville season-premiere news, CLICK HERE.

* For Wednesday, Aug. 27, including Mutant X and Batman animated news, CLICK HERE.

* For Tuesday, Aug. 26, including Transformers news, CLICK HERE.

* For Monday, Aug. 25, CLICK HERE.

* For Saturday, Aug. 23, CLICK HERE.

* For Friday, Aug. 22, CLICK HERE.

* For Thursday, Aug. 21, CLICK HERE.

* For Wednesday, Aug. 20, CLICK HERE.



BRIEFLY

  • Dark Horse Comics has provided The Continuum with a first look at the Hellboy movie lunchbox. Click on the thumbnail for a larger image.

  • ADV Films has announced eight release dates. On Nov. 18 are Aura Battler Dunbine: Escape from Byston Well; City Hunter TV: Season Two, Collection Two; Rune Soldier: Fists of Folly; and Eden's Bowy: Eden's War. On Nov. 25 are Pretear Volume 1; Angelica Layer: On The Wing and a Prayer; Full Metal Panic: Mission 05 and King of Bandit Jing: Volume 4.

    Click on the thumbnails below for larger images.

  • Coming Monday: TV news -- and much more!!!



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