Friday, October 28, 2005
ULTIMATE AVENGERS UPDATE
Lions Gate Entertainment has provided The Continuum with a first look at designs for Black Widow and Nick Fury from the Ultimate Avengers direct-to-DVD movie.
Steven Gordon, who is co-directing the film with Curt Geda, adapted the designs of Ultimates comics artist Bryan Hitch for animation.
Gordon also designed many characters and was a director for the X-Men: Evolution animated series.
During a recent convention appearance, Marvel Studios' Craig Kyle said that Nick Fury is a key character in the film.
"He's got to pull all these hotshots together and make them a team," Kyle said. "He's one of my favorites in the movie, actually.
"The design is very close to what it was in the Ultimates."
Black Widow is voiced by Olivia d'Abo.
Click on the thumbnails for larger images and look for more on Ultimate Avengers soon here in The Continuum.
MARVEL COMICS TEAMS WITH NOVELISTS
In three separate announcements on Friday, Marvel Comics unveiled projects with best-selling novelists, led by a long-rumored deal with Stephen King.
Marvel will be adapting King's The Dark Tower, Eric Jerome Dickey is writing a Storm series and David Morrell is working on a Captain America project.
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* The Dark Tower comic series will mark the first time King has produced original content for an ongoing comic book project.
Here's how Marvel describes the book:
"The series will expand the saga of King's epic hero, Roland Deschain, whose quest to save the Dark Tower is captured in seven best-selling novels published over the course of 25 years. King's unparalleled storytelling power will inform new stories that delve into the life and times of the young Roland, revealing the trials and conflicts that lead to the burden of destiny he must assume as a man, the last Gunslinger from a world that has moved on. The comics will work in conjunction with the novels, further supplementing and defining the saga's mythology under the direction of the acclaimed author himself."
"As a lifelong fan of Marvel comic books, and as an adult reader who's seen comics 'come of age' and take their rightful place in the world of fantasy and science fiction, I'm excited to be a part of Roland's new incarnation," King said.
The series will be illustrated by Jae Lee.
"I love Jae Lee's work, and I think this is going to be a dynamite partnership," King said. "Frankly, I can't wait."
Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, will be releasing the last three novels in the Dark Tower series (Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, and The Dark Tower) in 2006. Available in paperback from Scribner is a two-volume concordance to the novels compiled by Robin Furth, who is also contributing to the Marvel comic project.
* Dickey, author of New York Times bestsellers Thieves' Paradise, The Other Woman, and Genevieve, has signed on for a six-issue Storm series scheduled to debut in February, coinciding with Black History Month.
Here's how Marvel describes the series:
"Dickey's Storm story arc will present an epic romance, revealing the untold love story of the world's two most popular African American Super Heroes, Ororo (also known as Storm of the X-Men) and T'Challa (a.k.a. The Black Panther), the world's first African American Super Hero. Marking Dickey's first comic book writing effort, the captivating series blends romance and adventure against the backdrop of Africa's cruel plains.
"The six-issue series follows how the famed African Prince T'Challa crosses paths with Ororo, an orphaned street urchin who only survives by sheer wit as her mutant powers are still in their infancy. As the story and romance unfold, the duo come together to fight against a mutual foe who seeks to put them in a cage and exploit them toward wicked ends."
David Yardin will be the artist.
"I never would have imagined that I'd get an opportunity to step into the Marvel Universe and work on Storm," Dickey said. "She is such a remarkable character. And being allowed to incorporate T'Challa, the future Black Panther in the same series...wake me up because I have to be dreaming."
* Morrell is the author of First Blood, the novel in which Rambo was created. He has written numerous best-selling thrillers.
Here's how Marvel describes his Captain America story:
"In the story of a young Marine, Corporal James Newman, who is on his tour of duty in Afghanistan. In the midst of a brutal fire fight with enemy forces, Captain America leads him out of the battle while helping him rescue his wounded comrades who are trapped by enemy fire. When the smoke clears, Newman is unsure if Captain America was really there, or a hallucination in the stress of battle."
"I want the characters to feel real," Morrell said. "In particular I want the reader to believe in Captain America. Also, I want to explore the major theme of what it means to be a hero in this troubled modern world. I hope the story is deeply moving as well as exciting."
FIRST LOOKS
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For covers and three- to five-page previews of upcoming titles, CLICK HERE.
Titles include G.I. Joe: America's Elite #5 from Devil's Due Publishing, Star Wars: X-Wing -- Rogue Leader #2 from Dark Horse Comics and Wolverine #36 from Marvel Comics.
SMALLVILLE UPDATE
The WB has released five images from "Splinter," the Thursday, Nov. 10 episode of Smallville.
Here's how the network describes the episode:
"Clark (Tom Welling) is exposed to silver kryptonite, causing him to have paranoid delusions. The silver kryptonite makes him believe that Chloe (Allison Mack) is going to reveal his secret, Jonathan (John Schneider) is scheming against him with Lionel (John Glover) and Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) and Lana (Kristin Kreuk) are having a secret relationship. Chloe and the Kents frantically search for a cure, but it is Professor Fine (guest star James Marsters) who comes to Clark's rescue - but not without an agenda."
The episode was written by Steve DeKnight and directed by Greg Beeman
Click on the thumbnails for larger and fuller images and look for more on Smallville soon here in The Continuum.
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THE SIMPSONS IN NOVEMBER
Fox has released details for the November sweeps episodes of The Simpsons.
Following is a rundown:
* Sunday, Nov. 6: Former athletes Terry Bradshaw and Dennis Rodman, playing themselves, stir up tricks and treats in the annual "ghoultide" Halloween trilogy, "The Simpsons' Tree House of Horror XVI." The episode begins with "B.I.: Bartificial Intelligence" when the Simpsons adopt David, a newly developed artificial robot son, to replace Bart after he falls into a coma.
In "Survival of the Fattest," Mr. Burns invites Homer and his friends to his gigantic estate for a hunting tournament, but Homer and the gang learn they are the ones being hunted on "The World Series of Manhunter," hosted by Bradshaw. In the final segment, "I've Grown a Costume on Your Face," a costume contest goes awry when a real witch turns all the Springfieldians into real-life versions of their costumes, leaving only Maggie with the power to reverse the spell.
* Sunday, Nov. 13: Observing that Marge is lonely, Bart offers to spend time with her. After they go on tandem bike rides and decorate Bart's tree house as a "teahouse," the bullies from school dub Bart a "mama's boy." When Marge finds out that Bart's schoolmates are teasing him, she gives him the necessary tools to win back his reputation. Meanwhile, Homer teams up with Moe and joins a professional arm-wrestling circuit.
* Sunday, Nov. 20: Homer's inability to embrace Lisa's Father's Day book the same way he does Bart's Father's Day Toolman causes Lisa to develop DDD (Disappointed Daughter Disorder). Meanwhile, Bart steals the "Bart Boulevard" street sign and causes a huge pile-up. While Mayor Quimby creates The Safety Salamander spokesperson in response to the accident, the town still forces the ineffective Mayor into a recall election. Homer, longing to win back his daughter's love, takes the spokesperson position, and after a heroic run as the Safety Salamander, he runs for Mayor -- along with every other unqualified Springfieldian.
* Sunday, Nov. 27: In "The Last of the Red Hat Mamas," featuring Lily Tomlin as a guest voice, Homer has an altercation with the Easter Bunny at the Mayor's egg hunt, causing Marge to be shunned. A lonely Marge decides to join a women's group called the Cheery Red Tomatoes and agrees to help with an upcoming charity drive -- robbing Mr. Burns of his Faberge egg collection. Meanwhile, Lisa's plans to spend a summer in Italy hit a bump when she learns the first requirement is being fluent in Italian, so she takes on a teacher from a classified ad -- who turns out to be Milhouse.
BRIEFLY
* With the first set of Q-Type characters shipping now, HyperChild has announced a set based on the Fantastic Four. Each Q-Type set comes with four characters, is packed in a special collector's box and limited to only 500 sets exclusively for the Asian market.
Future sets will spotlight New Avengers and Ultimate X-Men.
* Coming Saturday: Animation news -- and much more!!!
COMICS CONTINUUM BACK ISSUES
In case you missed The Continuum's recent coverage, here are some links. Click on the date to get the day's full report.
* Saturday, Oct. 22: Smallville ratings and First Looks.
* Friday, Oct. 21: Painkiller Jane, Smallville, Oni Press for January, Devil's Due First Looks and Marvel in the Middle East.
* Thursday, Oct. 20: Devil's Due for February, Marvel's New Mangaverse, Supergirl #4 variant, Marvel First Looks and Justice League Unlimited.
* Wednesday, Oct. 19: Savage Dragon and Marvel and Image First Looks.
* Tuesday, Oct. 18: Marvel and Image Comics for January, DC First Looks and DC exclusives Don Kramer and Dale Eaglesham.
* Monday, Oct. 17: DC Comics for January, New Excalibur and Brian Pulido.
* Sunday, Oct. 16: Motor City Comic Con panels featuring Grey DeLisle (voice of Wasp from Ultimate Avengers) and Ron Garney.
* Saturday, Oct. 15: Smallville and First Looks.
* Friday, Oct. 14: Sin City DVD, September sales, Maximum Fantastic Four, The Simpsons' "Treehouse of Horror," The Batman, Scott Allie talks The Fog and First Looks.
* Thursday, Oct. 13: IDW Publishing for February, Marvel and Image First Looks and Superman DVDs.
* Wednesday, Oct. 12: Kirsten Dunst on Spider-Man future, Smallville, City of Villains, Marvel and DC First Looks and Moonstone Books' February soliciations.
* Tuesday, Oct. 11: Teen Titans' Kid Flash, Geoff Johns exclusive to DC and First Looks.
* Monday, Oct. 10: Dark Horse solicitations for November, Marvel movies, Alan Moore's DCU collection, DC trade paperbacks, Dwayne McDuffie on Fantastic Four and Tom Welling in The Fog.
* Saturday, Oct. 8: Elektra and Spider-Man 2 on Cinemax, more Franklin Richards, House of M trade paperbacks, The Batman and Smallville.
* Friday, Oct. 7: Teen Titans, Smallville, Star Wars: Purge and First Looks.
* Thursday, Oct. 6: IDW Publishing's soliciations for January and Smallville.
* Wednesday, Oct. 5: Batman Begins and The Flash on DVD, Marvel and DC Comics First Looks, Blade: Trinity on Starz and Neal Adams covers All Star Superman.
* Tuesday, Oct. 4: Smallville's Aquaman, Marvel and DC First Looks, Superman Returns video game, New X-Men and Claypool for January.
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