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Friday, July 23, 2004COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL COVERAGEThe Continuum is in San Diego for Comic-Con International and will have bonus reports throughout the show, including exclusive interviews and artwork. Coverage runs throughout the weekend, so check back often for the latest news.
COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: BATMAN: WAR GAMES PANELJudd Winick taking over Batman, Matt Wagner working on a new Batman maxi-series and a shuffle of writers were among the highlights of DC Comics' Batman: War Games panel on Thursday at Comic-Con International. Winick, who is joined by artist Doug Mahnke, said that his first four-issue arc will feature the return of The Red Hood. Wagner's 12-issue maxi-series is called Batman: Dark Moon Rising and deals with Batman's early adventures. "In an effort to give us all a chance to have some synergy with the movie (Batman Begins), which is basically the movie's version of Batman: Year One, this is going to be set during early in Batman's career," Wagner said. "In fact, I jokingly called it Batman: Year 1.5." For more on both projecrts and a rundown of news from the panel, CLICK HERE.
MARVEL COMICS FIRST LOOKSFor covers and four-page previews of Marvel Comics titles arriving in stores on Wednesday, CLICK HERE. Titles include Astonishing X-Men #3, Excalibur #3, Fantastic Four #516, Amazing Spider-Man #510 and Rogue #1. Look for more first looks this weekend here in The Continuum.
COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: JLA/JSA PANELGrant Morrison is returning to the Justice League, writing the first arc of a new title, JLA: Classified, it was announced by editor Mike Carlin Thursday at the JLA/JSA panel at Comic-Con International. While JLA will have a new regular team of Kurt Busiek and Ron Garney, JLA: Classified with feature the rotating teams that JLA has had for the past two years. "This will be set in any era the writer wants," Carlin said. "This is the place where you can do your JLA Satellite era story. We'll be covering all the bases and hopefully we'll be picking top guys." The new book is also where Gail Simone's JLA story will probably wind up. The story is penciled by Jose Garcia-Lopez and inked by Klaus Janson. "Oddly enough, they haven't worked together in 30 years," Carlin said of the art team. For more news from the panel, CLICK HERE.
COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: VERTIGO PANELA new writer on Swamp Thing, a new series written by Bruce Jones and a new series drawn by John Watkiss were announced at the first of two Vertigo panels on Thursday at Comic-Con International. For a rundown of highlights from the panel, CLICK HERE.
COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: DUSTIN NGUYEN PANELDustin Nguyen, who is moving from his run on Batman to teaming with Ed Brubaker on The Authority: Revolution, said the new book is "really the same characters, but going in a different direction." "We're going to explore a lot of their past," Nguyen said in a panel devoted to him -- and hosted by Jim Lee -- at Comic-Con International on Thursday. "We're going to have the origin of the Carrier, which is one thing I was really interested in. We're going to explore its origin and the people that created it. "It will be a pre-Authority story in some sense, but we'll balance that out. There will be back-and-forth with flashbacks and the future." The book, written by Ed Brubaker, starts with "Come the Revolution," the first part of a 12-issue arc. Here's how WildStorm describes the first issue, which hits stands on Oct. 27: "Following the dramatic events of Coup D'Etat, the Authority has settled into its role as governing body of the United States. The other major world powers have adjusted to the regime change and are slowly coming to terms with the meaning it has for the future. But many Americans are unhappy to lose their inalienable rights. Can a second American Revolution be far behind?" This is Nguyen's second crack at The Authority, following a fill-in run with Tom Peyer, where he said he trying to maintain the widescreen approach of Bryan Hitch and the characterizations of Frank Quitely. And now? "I don't know how to compare," he said. "This time I'll certainly get to draw The Authority. And I've grown as an artist. Hopefully, it will be better." Nguyen said his work on Authority will be more "mainstream super-hero" than his work on Batman. It definitely won't be so dark and gloomy as Batman," he said. "And I'm always trying to better myself, and I hope that comes through." Nguyen said during his Batman run he enjoyed drawing Robin so much that he's doing the covers for Robin #129-131 (#129 is shown here). He also said that enjoyed working with Joe Casey on the recently discontinued Wildcats 3.0 and hopes to work with both the writer and the characters again. He said that he and Casey had 16 more Wildcats issues plotted -- "It's the first time I've had a hand in the plot," he said -- and that he would have like to have done with more with Zealot and that Grifter would have recovered and gotten out of the wheelchair.
COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: LADY DEATH MOVIE UPDATEAndy Orjuela, producer/director of ADV Film's Lady Death: The Motion Picture, told The Continuum that the film will arrive in stores on Oct. 5. "It's not quite finished, but I've got together a working print," said Orjuela, who will stage a panel on Friday afternoon and then premiere the movie Friday night at Comic-Con International. Orjuela spent four years on the film and said he's pleased with the result -- and eager to show it to the public. "The guys in the office have been saying really good things about it," Orjuela said. "They're excited. They were surprised that the film has such a theatrical feel and epic quality. "The biggest obstacle has been staying true to the integrity of the character despite all the political pullings. That was the most difficult part." Lady Death's voice is performed by Christine Auten, who will appear at Comic-Con. She's performed in more than 20 anime adventures. Orjuela said Lady Death's soundtrack will be released simultaneously with the movie. "It sounds really big," he said.
COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: THE BATMAN UPDATEEric Canete, storyboard artist for The Batman animated series, told The Continuum that the show is in good shape heading into its premiere season. "The first few episodes are back from overseas and they look amazing," Canete said. Canete worked on an episode called "Traction" that features Bane in a new look designed by Jeff Matsuda. "It's a spin on the story about Bane and Batman's back, only more kid friendly," Canete said. At its booth at Comic-Con, Mattel is showing clips from the show, including scenes from "Traction." Look for more on The Batman on Saturday here in The Continuum.
COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: CONAN MOVIEThe new Conan the Barbarian live-action movie is being targeted for a 2006 release, Fred Malmberg, executive director of Conan Properties International, said Thursday athe CPI pane at Comic-Con. "The movie is moving forward and is actively in development at Warner Bros.," Malmberg said. Jeff Conner, vice president of publishing, said the company will have an advisory role for the film. "It's not our $200 million," he said. "Once Warner Bros. picks the director, it's going to be the director's film." Conner said the company is trying to be faithful to the creative roots of the characters with its licensed partners, which include Dark Horse Comics, McFarlane Toys, Ritenhouse Archives, Graphitti Designs and Swordplay Entertainment.
BRIEFLYCOMICS CONTINUUM BACK ISSUESIn case you missed The Continuum's recent coverage, here are some links: * For Saturday, July 17, including an interview with Catwoman star Halle Berry, CLICK HERE. * For Friday, July 16, including an interview with Catwoman star Sharon Stone, CLICK HERE. * For Thursday, July 15, including Smallville news, CLICK HERE. * For Wednesday, July 14, including Dark Horse's solicitations for October, CLICK HERE. * For Tuesday, July 13, including an interview with Catwoman star Benjamin Bratt, CLICK HERE. * For Monday, July 12, including DC Comics' solicitations for October, CLICK HERE. * For Saturday, July 10, including Catwoman movie news, CLICK HERE. * For Friday, July 9, including Marvel news, CLICK HERE. * For Thursday, July 8, including Teen Titans news, CLICK HERE. * For Wednesday, July 7, including Spider-Man 2 news, CLICK HERE. * For Tuesday, July 6, including Jessica Biel talking about Blade: Trinity, CLICK HERE. * For Monday, July 5, including Spider-Man 2 news, CLICK HERE. * For Saturday, July 3, including X-Men movie news, CLICK HERE. * For Friday, July 2, including Elektra movie news, CLICK HERE. * For Thursday, July 1, including Spider-Man 2 news, CLICK HERE. * For Wednesday, June 30, including an interview with Spider-Man 2 producer Avi Arad, CLICK HERE. * For Tuesday, June 29, including an interview with Spider-Man 2 star Tobey Maguire, CLICK HERE. * For Monday, June 28, including Blade Trinity news, CLICK HERE. * For Saturday, June 26, including UDON/Capcom news, CLICK HERE. * For Friday, June 25, including an interview with Spider-Man 2's Kirsten Dunst, CLICK HERE. * For Thursday, June 24, including Justice League news, CLICK HERE. * For Wednesday, June 23, including Image Comics' solicitations for September, CLICK HERE. * For Tuesday, June 22, including Spider-Man 2 news, CLICK HERE. * For Monday, June 21, including Dark Horse solicitations for September, CLICK HERE.
E-mail the Continuum at RobAlls@aol.com
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