WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 2006
COMING THURSDAY
Superman Returns, September solicitations -- and much more!!!
SUPERMAN RETURNS UPDATE
If a scene in Superman Returns of Superman lifting a car over his head clicks in your brain, it should.
Screenwriters Dan Harris and Michael Dougherty confirmed that the imagery is a direct nod to the cover of Action Comics #1.
Part of the scene was shown Monday night during A&E's abridged broadcast of Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman, and an image is shown above.
Harris and Dougherty said there are several homages in the film to past incarnations of Superman.
"I think whenever you do a Superman project, whether it's a comic book, a TV show, or a new film, you have to acknowledge the legacy," Dougherty said. "You can't be cocky about what you're doing and say, 'Well, I'm not gonna use the theme, and I'm not gonna use any situations from before. I'm just gonna be brand new and fresh and original.'
"No, you're doing Superman. You're part of the bigger picture, so acknowldege what came before."
"Obviously this character and this history is bigger than any of us put together," Harris said.
Look for more on Superman Returns on Thursday here in The Contnuum.
MARVEL COMICS FIRST LOOKS
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For covers and five- to 10-page previews of Marvel Comics titles arriving in stores on June 21, CLICK HERE.
Titles include Captain America #19, Eternals #1, Giant-Size Hulk #1, Iron Man #9, Last Planet Standing #4, Marvel Adventures The Avengers #2, New Excalibur #8, Annihilation: Nova #3, Uncanny X-Men #474, Uncanny X-Men Annual #1 and X-Men: Fairy Tales #2.
Look for more First Looks on Thursday here in The Continuum.
DC COMICS FIRST LOOKS
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For covers and sequential three- to six-page previews of DC Comics titles arriving in stores on June 21, CLICK HERE.
Titles include The Flash: Fastest Man Alive #1, Justice #6, Claw the Unconquered #1, Ex Machina #21 and Hellblazer #221.
Look for more First Looks on Thursday here in The Continuum.
12 GAUGE SIGNS JAMES O'BARR, CULLY HAMNER
12 Gauge Comics' President Keven Gardner announced on Wednesday that his company has reached new agreements with creators James O'Barr and Cully Hamner:
"This is exciting news for 12 Gauge!" Gardner said. "James O'Barr -- creator of The Crow, the best-selling independent graphic novel of all time -- is one of the most influential comic creators of the modern era and he is itching to get back on the scene. It's very good news for the industry that James is ready to write stories and do sequential art again.²
"12 Gauge is composed of people I like and admire and I'm happy to be counted among their pit-crew," O'Barr said. In such worthwhile company, I look forward to having my turn behind the wheel of The Ride, taking on the challenge of adding my own special brand of depth, poetry -- and a whole bunch of violence -- to what is essentially one long car chase. I'm having fun doing comics again and that's what brings out my best work."
Gardner that O'Barr is already drawing and there will be something to show at Heroes Con in Charlote, N.C., at the end of teh month.
Hamner, currently the artist of DC Comics' Blue Beetle, is coming on board at 12 Gauge as a creative consultant.
"Cully was with us from day one, and has always been on hand to help and advise -- it's just time we made it official," Gardner said. "He's had so many irons in the fire over the past few years that he simply didn't have time to commit in a way that worked for everyone. Recently, though, he's felt comfortable enough to accept the title of creative consultant, with his focus on talent relations and story editing. On top of that, he has a few ideas rolling around in that dome of his that we hope to turn into comic books down the road.²
"I'm pumped to officially be with all my buddies at 12 Gauge," Hamner said. "I mean, who wouldn't want to be in the middle of all this talent and positivity? I can't wait for readers and fans to see the stuff we have in store for them."
IMAGE COMICS' SAM NOIR: SAMURAI DETECTIVE
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Image Comics has announced a September launch for Sam Noir: Samurai Detective, a three-issue mini-series by Manny Trembley and Eric A. Anderson, creators of the online Panda Xpress.
The book, from Image's Shadowline imprint, mixes classic
gumshoe fiction with the Samurai Bushido code and a heavy dose of off-
kilter humor to create something unique in comics.
"We wanted something
different for our first black-and-white book and Sam Noir: Samurai Detective definitely is," said Jim Valentino, Showline president. "Gorgeous art mixed with a fun and engaging story that combines several genres in a way never quite seen before!"
Sam Noir: Samurai Detective is the first foray for Trembley and Anderson into printed comic books.
s first foray
"The idea for
Sam Noir was created approximately 6 years ago," Trembley said. "Publishing a comic has been a dream for 15 years and realizing this character in print is a geeky dream come true. This book is my kind of perfect balance between art that I love to make and goofy humor that appeals to me. Telling this story is extremely satisfying, and we're very proud to be a part of Shadowline!"
SNAKES ON A PLANE IN A COMIC
DC Comics is publishing a two-issue mini-series in August based on the film Snakes on a Plane.
The issues will arrive in stores on Aug. 16 and Aug. 30. They are written by Chuck Dixon with art by Gordon Purcell.
J.G. Jones is providing a variant cover for the first issue, and Jerome Moore a variant for the second.
Here's how DC describes the book:
"You've heard the Internet buzz...seen the hair-raising trailer...now experience the comic of the sensational summer movie Snakes on a Plane.
"Snakes on a Plane stars Samuel L. Jackson as an FBI agent assigned to escort a government witness on a flight to Los Angeles. But when a crimelord sets loose hundreds of deadly snakes during the flight, the agent must band together with the pilot, frightened crew and passengers in a desperate attempt to survive and protect his witness!"
Above are a photo of Jackson from the film and the poster logo. Click on the images for fuller and larger images.
BRIEFLY
* According to DC Comics, Superman/Batman #25, the conclusion to the "With a Vengeance" storyline, has sold out at DC and will go back to press for a second printing.
The second printing, with the cover shown here, will be in stores on July 6.
The new cover features the Superman and Batman figures from the two original covers. Click on the thumbnail for a larger image.
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.
* Friday, June, 9: Superman Returns, Marvel Westerns and DC First Looks.
* Thursday, June, 8: Who Wants to Be a Superhero?, Superman Returns, Civil War sell-outs, Moonstone Books for October and First Looks.
* Wednesday, June, 7: Smallville Season 6, Marvel First Looks, DC First Looks, Image First Looks and X-Men: The Last Stand.
* Tuesday, June, 6: Mythos, Marvel First Looks, Image First Looks, Smallville Season 5 DVD and Virgin Comics for August.
* Monday, June, 5: Black Widow movie stalled, First Looks, Blade: The Series' David Palffy, Superman Returns, Hawaiian Dick, WildStorm panel at Wizard World Philadelphia and IDW's Super Deluxe Hero Happy Hour.
* Sunday, June, 4: MTV Movie Awards, X-Men: The Last Stand and Marvel's Civil War panel at Wizard World Philadelphia.
* Saturday, June, 3: Erica Durance, Blade: The Series, DC Comics and Marvel's Cup o' Joe panels at Wizard World Philadelphia, Ultimate Avengers 2 and DC Comics First Looks.
* Friday, June, 2: X-Men, Mondo Marvel and DC Nation panels at Wizard World Philadelphia, Aspen's Shrugged, Blade: The Series and First Looks.
* Thursday, June, 1: X-Men press conference, X-Men: The Last Stand, Smallville, Transformers and Archie First Looks.
* Wednesday, May 31: X-Men: The Last Stand deaths, Avi Arad steps down, Marvel Comics First Looks, Image Comics First Looks, DC Comics First Looks and Superman Returns.
* Tuesday, May 30: Marvel Comics First Looks, X-Men: The Last Stand, Superman Returns' Bryan Singer, Alex Ross covers for Virgin Comics and Dynamite Entertainment roundup.
* Monday, May 29: Spider-Man 3 in New York, X-Men: The Last Stand's Ralph Winter, Blade: The Series and Superman Returns.
* Sunday, May 28: X-Men: The Last Stand, Alex Toth dies, Krypto the Superdog schedule, Starz comic-book marathon and Dark Horse First Looks.
* Saturday, May 27: X-Men: The Last Stand's big opening, Blade: The Series, Teen Titans, DB Pro's XIII graphic novels and First Looks.
* Friday, May 26: X-Men: The Last Stand, The Batman, Giant-Size Hulk, Iron Man and Dynamite Entertainment news.
* Thursday, May 25: X-Men: The Last Stand's Kelsey Grammer, Blade: The Series' Jill Wagner, Iron Man movie, Teen Titans and The Batman on DVD and First Looks.
* Wednesday, May 24: X-Men: The Last Stand's Shawn Ashmore, Marvel Comics First Looks, DC Comics First Looks, Image Comics First Looks, Ghost Rider variants and Komikwerks for August.
* Tuesday, May 23: X-Men: The Last Stand's Ben Foster, Marvel Comics First Looks, DC Comics First Looks, Top Cow/Marvel crossovers and Superman Returns.
* Monday, May 22: X-Men: The Last Stand's Anna Paquin, Civil War: Thunderbolts, Image Comics First Looks, Bongo Comics for August, Bomb Queen vs. Blacklight and Devi #1 preview.
* 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.
Copyright © 2006, The Comics Continuum