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FRIDAY, MAY 26, 2006COMING SATURDAYX-Men: The Last Stand, Teen Titans, Blade: The Series -- and much more!!!
X-Men: The Last Stand opens on Friday and is virtually a cinch to be No. 1 over the four-day Memorial Day weekend.
According to Variety, 20th Century Fox is opening The Last Stand at 3,688 theaters, slightly less than the 3,741 for X2. There are no other new major releases this weekend, and The Last Stand's only major competition will come from the second weekend of The Da Vinci Code.
Tracking is very strong for the movie, Variety reported, and Fox distribution president Bruce Snyder told the trade he hopes that The Last Stand can in four days match the three-day, $85.6 bow of X2.
"We have high hopes for this one," said Hugh Jackman, who stars as Wolverine. "We've worked very hard on these, and I think this is the biggest and best yet."
Variety reported that
early foreign numbers for X-Men: The Last Stand looked promising, led $2.4 million in France in 756 theatres on Wednesday. In Australia, The Last Stand" launched with $1.1 million at 409 sites on Thursday, 132 percent better than the X2 opening.
"It all bodes well," Jackman said Friday morning after learning of the early results in his homeland of Australia.
"I would be lying if I said there wasn't a little bit of pressure," said Halle Berry, who plays Storm.
In other X-Men: The Last Stand news:
* Cast members Jackman, Berry, Kelsey Grammer (Beast), Shawn Ashomore (Iceman), Anna Paquin (Rogue), Ellen Page (Kitty Pryde) and Ben Foster (Angel) appeared on NBC's Today on Friday morning.
Berry helped Al Roker with the weather report, promising to use her mutant powers to clear up areas where rain was forecast.
"We've done everything we could to make this the best of the movies," said Paquin, who was interviewed with the younger cast members.
KIDS' WB! FOR JUNEAs the May sweeps wrap up and the networks head into the summer reruns, Kids' WB! has provided The Continuum its Saturday morning schedule for June.
Episodes of The Batman -- all airing at 8:30 a.m. (ET/PT) -- will include:
* "The Laughing Bat" on June 3.
* "The Cat and The Bat" on June 10.
* "JTV" on June 17.
* "The Laughing Cats" on June 24.
For the network's complete schedule for the month, CLICK HERE.
Look for more DC animation news on Saturday here in The Continuum.
GIANT-SIZE HULK PREVIEWMarvel Comics has provided The Continuum with a preview of Giant-Size Hulk #1, due in stores on June 21.
The 96-page book features two-new stories and a reprint of Incredible Hulk: The End by Peter David and Dale Keown.
The first new story features Bruce Banner's first appearance since arriving on the alien world, by Planet Hulk writer Greg Pak, with art by Aaron Lopresti art. Banner and the Hulk will battle for supremacy over the body and soul they share.
Also, Peter David and Juan Santa Cruz bring an all-new untold tale from the Hulk's past. One of the oddest assemblages of superheroes ever, the Champions, take on the Hulk in a story from the past that holds a key to the Hulkıs future as Planet Hulk continues.
Click on the thumbnails for larger images.
NEW AVENGERS GUEST-STAR IN IRON MANMarvel Comics on Thursday announced that the New Avengers guest-star in Iron Man #9, as the father-and-son writing team of Daniel Knauf and Charlie Knauf continue their first arc, "Execute Progam."
"Execute Program" is bridging the gap that brings Tony Stark from the end of the Extremis story arc to the beginning of Civil War, which finds Iron Man leading the pro-registration faction.
In Iron Man #9 -- which reaches stares on June 21 -- a ruthless assassin is working his way down a list of targets. As the real Nick Fury searches for answers behind these mysterious executions, Tony Stark's mind seems to be elsewhere. He doesn't seem to care about those around him as he continues to burn the few bridges he has left.
The New Avengers aren't too happy with Tony's behavior, especially after his arrogant outburst in Iron Man #8.
The art above is by Patrick Zircher. Click on the thumbnails for larger images.
For an interview with the Iron Man writers and editor Tom Brevoort, CLICK HERE.
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT ROUNDUPDynamite Entertainment has announced an August release for Scout: Volume 1 TPB, a re-mastered collection of Tim Truman's 1980s comics series.
"Fans have been asking me for years to reprint the Scout material and for years I resisted it, since I seldom like to look at my own work," Truman said. "But the time seemed right. Scout was conceived in response to the bizarre and scary right wing political climate of the 1980's. It seemed past time for him to ride again. Dynamite has done a great job remastering the original artwork."
Scout, originally published in 1987 and created by Truman, features a Native American hero, Emanuel Santana, and his one-man war against oppressive governmental forces in a post-apocalyptic United States.
This volume features the first seven issues of the series, recolored for the volume. Truman provides a new cover.
Bonus features include: an introduction by John Ostrander, and afterword -- in the form of an interview -- with Truman, and original covers.
In other Dynamite news:
* The publisher has released images from its upcoming Monster War TPB that collects the four-issue crossover with Top Cow Productions.
The covers are by Marc Silvestri and Jospeh Michael Linsner. Monster War features stories by Christopher Golden, Tom Sniegowski, Joyce Chin and Vitor Ishimura.
The book will cost $14.99.
* Dynamite is turning the covers of Red Sonja #12 by Jim Lee and George Perez into lithographs measuring 18 inches by 24 inches. The will be available in signed versions.
DB PRO LANDS THROUGH WOLF'S EYES Jane Lindskold is the latest of the authors that the Dabel Brothers have licensed, bringing her Firekeeper saga, which begins with the novel Through Wolf's Eyes. The comic will be launched in the fall.
"Jane Lindskold is among the best of the latest generation of fantasy writers," said Ernst Dabel, president of Dabel Brothers Production. ³We're thrilled to be bringing her novels into the comic-book medium, and we're certain they will develop into yet another successful series of fantasy graphic novels once we get the books going."
Here's how DB Pro describes the concept:
"The Firekeeper series is innovative in its story setup: it is, essentially, about a girl who was raised by intelligent wolves before being recovered by society and placed within a royal court. As the young wolf-woman Firekeeper struggles to fit in within the world of the 'two legs' while holding on to her wolfish ways, she learns to put her upbringing to use to gain a unique understanding of human society that is tempered with the opinions of her wolf brother, Blind Seer."
"One of the magical things about this title is that it has a strong sense of characters," Dabel said. "Jane Lindskold does an excellent job of creating a rich and interesting world where people change and grow as the story moves forward. The wolves, in particular, steal the show with their interesting perspectives and positions. And the story itself is well suited to the comic book medium -- every issue will be loaded with fun twists and turns that keep things interesting."
Sean J. Jordan, who has handled many of the DB Pro adaptations to date, will be writing the scripts and directing the project. An artist has yet to be named, although the conceptual art above is by Brett Booth.
BRIEFLY* Marvel Comics has released an image of Olivier Coipel's variant cover to The Eternals #1. Click on the thumbnail for a larger image.
* Heroic Publishing and Shocker Toys have announced that Flare and Liberty Girl will be featured in Shocker's upcoming Indie Spotlight line of action figures.
* Zoom Suit #2 has sold out, Superverse is reporting.
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.
* Sunday, May 21: X-Men: The Last Stand's Famke Janssen, Jospeh Michael Linsner's Claws and Alias Comics for August.
* Saturday, May 20: George Perez at Motor City Comic Con, X-Men: The Last Stand and Dark Horse First Looks.
* Friday, May 19: Blade: The Series, X-Men: The Last Stand's Patrick Stewart, Marvel First Looks, Spider-Man chess set, V for Vendetta DVD details and Transformers: Stormbringer.
* Thursday, May 18: X-Men: The Last Stand's Aaron Stanford, Civil War #2 preview, Devil's Due Publishing for August, Captain Atom finale, Image Comics First Looks and Battlestar Galactica.
* Wednesday, May 17: Image Comics for August, Aspen Comics for August, Marvel Comics First Looks, DC Comics First Looks and Smallville.
* Tuesday, May 16: Marvel Comics for August, Marvel Comics First Looks, X-Men: The Last Stand, Highlander comic book and Vertigo trade paperbacks.
* Monday, May 15: X-Men: The Last Stand's Halle Berry, DC Comics for August, NBC's Heroes, Snakewoman artist, Archie Comics for August and Dragon's Lair.
* Sunday, May 14: X-Men: The Last Stand's James Marsden, Superman Returns writers and First Looks.
* Saturday, May 13: X-Men: The Last Stand's Dania Ramirez, V for Vendetta on DVD, Heroic Publishing for August and First Looks.
* Friday, May 12: X-Men: The Last Stand's Hugh Jackman, Legion of Super Heroes animated, DC Comics trade paperbacks, Halo Graphic Novel, Battlestar Galactica and IDW First Looks.
* Thursday, May 11: X-Men: The Last Stand, Justice League Unlimited, Superman Returns' Gilbert Adler, Boom! Studios for August and Moonstone Books for September.
* Wednesday, May 10: Marvel First Looks, DC First Looks and Superman Returns.
* Tuesday, May 9: Moon Knight's Charlie Huston, X-Men: The Last Stand, Superman Returns' Chris Lee and Marvel Comics First Looks.
* Monday, May 8: Superman Returns' Parker Posey, Who Wants to Be a Super Hero?, X-Men: The Last Stand, First Looks and DC Comics second printings.
* Sunday, May 7: Superman Returns' Kate Bosworth, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men animated and First Looks.
* Saturday, May 6: Dark Horse Comics for August, X-Men: The Last Stand and Superman Returns' Kal Penn.
* Friday, May 5: Superman Returns' Brandon Routh, Ron Garney exclusive to Marvel, The Simpsons, Justice League video game, Devil's Due First Looks and Smallville.
* Thursday, May 4: Ultimate Fantastic Four, Justice League Unlimited, X-Men: The Last Stand, Lords of Avalon to DB Pro and Image First Looks.
* Wednesday, May 3: Marvel First Looks, DC First Looks, Image First Loos and 100 Bullets video game.
* Tuesday, May 2: Justice League DVD, Marvel First Looks, DB Pro's The Highwayman, Sin City Marv bust and DC Comics' second printings.
* Monday, May 1: IDW Publishing for August, X-Men: The Last Stand, Marvel First Looks and Dark Horse First Looks.
* Sunday, April 30: X-Men: The Last Stand, Teen Titans, Alias Comics' The Vindicators and Image First Looks.
* Saturday, April 29: X-Men: The Last Stand, Spider-Man 3 in Cleveland, Krypto the Superdog and First Looks.
* Friday, April 28: X-Men: The Last Stand, Iron Man movie, Smallville, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Wolverine and Claypool Comics for August.
E-mail the Continuum at RobAlls@aol.com
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