---------------------------------------------------------------------- Ed Dukeshire and Mike Imboden Present: THE COMIC BOOK NET ELECTRONIC MAGAZINE ISSUE NUMBER 252 2/18/2000 Edited by: David LeBlanc - ComicBkNet@aol.com FREE VIA EMAIL SINCE FEBRUARY 1995 ______________________________________________________________________ T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] On the Net ............................ David LeBlanc [2] Letters to the Editor ................. Your Page! [3] TRIVIA CONTEST ........................ Win *real* prizes! [4] Network Buzz .......................... News, gossip & rumors [5] Ramblings 2000 ........................ Rich Johnston [6] Interview: Trina Robbins .............. Paul Dlae Roberts [7] Eagle Award Nominees .................. Mike Conroy [8] Stranger in a Strange Land ............ Jennifer M. Contino [9] Had your Phil? ........................ Phil White [10] And Let Me Tell You Why ............... David Coulter [11] Some Pages, A Cover and a Few Staples . Marlan Harris [12] M.O.E. Reviews ........................ Paul Dale Roberts [13] New Comic Book Releases List .......... Charles LePage [14] HYPE! Section ......................... Various [A] Submission, Back Issues, Copyrights ______________________________________________________________________ World Wide Web Home Page-->> http://members.aol.com/ComicBkNet Mailed by ONElist: http://www.onelist.com/community/ComicBookNetworkEmag HTML WEB EDITION at -->> http://www.digitalwebbing.com/cbem featuring a week's worth of the online strip: Steve Conley's ASTOUNDING SPACE THRILLS ----------------------------------------------------------------------- o \o/ _ o _| \ / |_ o_ \o/ o /|\ | /\ _\o \o | o/ O/_ /\ | /|\ / \ / \ |\ /) | ( \ /o\ / ) | (\ / | / \ / \ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The ComicBook Network was founded by Ed Dukeshire and Mike Imboden ----------------------------------------------------------------------- If you wish to receive each issue automatically through your Email account, FREE, please send amessage FROM that account TO: ComicBookNetworkEmag-subscribe@onelist.com To UNSUBSCRIBE send a message FROM the account to be dropped to: ComicBookNetworkEmag-unsubscribe@onelist.com See section [A] for the address to mail material to be reviewed. ______________________________________________________________________ All text contained within is copyrighted to the originating author(s). Except where elsewhere noted, The Comic Book Net Electronic Magazine is Copyright 2000 by The ComicBook Network. You may freely distribute or retransmit this file intact without alteration for noncommercial purposes only. Except for personal archiving, permission must be obtained from the individual authors to reproduce, retransmit, or publish any part of this magazine. ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] On the Net David LeBlanc This issue marks the anniversary of my becoming editor of the Comic Book Net Electronic Magazine four years ago. It is particularly joyful in that we recently learned of the nomination of this electronic publication for the prestigious U.K. EAGLE AWARD for FAVORITE E-ZINE. Our subscriber base has been steadily growing and it is because of you, our loyal fans who spread the word and recruit new subscribers, that we have gotten this particular accolade. It really is an honor just to be nominated. But it is more fun to win! So we ask you take a minute to cast a ballot and mark our box under FAVOURITE COMICS E-ZINE. Do this online at: http://www.comics-international.com/eagleawards/eagleawards.html but be advised this MIGHT NOT work from AOL so send a message WITH the ballot (it is an Email form) asking if it got through. The full list of nominees is included in this issue for you to plan your votes. As usual there are some interesting things to look for on the racks, these came out in the last two weeks: DC COMICS Millennium Edition Superman's Pal Jimmy Olson #1, 2.50 Tomorrow Stories #6, 2.95 INSIGHT STUDIOS GROUP Liberty Meadows #7, 2.95 MARVEL COMICS Earth X #12 (Of 12), 2.99 Punisher #1 (Of 12), 2.99 ONI PRESS INC. Adventures Of Barry Ween 2.0 #1 (Of 3), 2.95 TERRA MAJOR Roland Days Of Wrath Series Pack, 11.80 ACCLAIM COMICS Armorines Vol 2 #3 (Of 4), 2.50 Quantum & Woody #20, 2.50 DARK HORSE COMICS Dark Horse Presents #151, 2.95 Sergio Stomps Star Wars, 2.95 DC COMICS Gen 13 #50, 3.95 JSA #9, 2.50 Proposition Player #5 (Of 6), 2.50 IMAGE COMICS Rising Stars #5, 2.50 <--------Pick of the week! Saw the X-MEN movie trailer on Entertainment Tonight this week. It was too many quick clips to get a good feel but I will say that Storm looked decent, Mystique sexy, and Patrick Stewart bald. :) Next week we celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Emag. To help us note the occasion, our friends at THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT in Worcester, Massachusetts have donated a special prize for the Trivia Contest. They also let slip that comic fans within driving distance of central Massachusetts should mark Saturday, April 8th on their calender to make the journey for a special event at the Eisner winning store. It will involve Blue Monkey Comics creators Andy Fish & Tony Antetomaso, artist Paul Ryan and he who has three first names and credits too numerous to mention right now, Peter David. It has been my custom on the occasion of my editorial anniversary to reflect on the Emag and its evolution. This time, I prefer to talk about another person and the reason we went on hiatus for a week. It is a theme I raised last December when 6 firefighters fell in the line of duty in the city of Worcester, Massachusetts. It is about heroism. E. Leo LeBlanc (1925 - 2000) This is about my father, or rather about the "dash" between those dates. Twenty four years of it was spent as a firefighter. This is my idea of a hero. Putting your life on the line for strangers; not for glory, or wealth, or even some kind of public recognition, but because they will die if you don't; is the ultimate in heroism. Those in this profession, and police officers, and those in the armed forces as well, never know when they rise each day whether that day will be their last. Their families never know if Dad will come home that night, or the next morning, depending on his shift or if this time will be the time they all dread. My father was a retired firefighter, and I am proud of the service they render to the community. I can only reflect on what brave men they were. No wonder so many young boys' first ambition is to be a firefighter. Unlike the super heroes that can fly, or lift cars, or turn invisible - these heroes are real, do something that matters and they make a difference. Even at such a young age, we recognize bravery and selflessness - at least I would like to think we do. These public servants don't get enough praise or pay for what they do and for some we can never repay what they have sacrificed. We can only encourage those that carry on the work, despite the knowledge that they may be next, that they are the larger heroes in the scheme of things - and we love them for it. As I said, my father was a firefighter, and for that, to many others and me he too was a hero. As I grew older, and less thoughtful about the routine of public servants, until this past December, I thought less of what it means to be a hero. And, at an early age I learned about another aspect of my father's life, he was an alcoholic. I was too young to remember his drinking - he took his last drink when I was 5 years old. I have heard him speak of it enough to know that it nearly killed him and almost caused him to lose everything he wanted from life. Then he found Alcoholics Anonymous and, after trying to convince himself he did not need that kind of help, he finally hit bottom and reached out for the help he knew he could not live without. AA became my father's life. I DO remember going to the meeting hall with him on several occasions to help set it up for that week's meeting, and on several occasions meeting others who were in the program, people my family know well, some no longer with us. And because my father made that decision to reach out for help over 45 years ago he became a hero all over again. I don't mean just to his family and friends, for doing the right thing with his life, but because of his commitment to AA and the method by which it succeeds. AA is the granddaddy of self-help groups. It does not seek you out to save you from demon rum - you have to go to it - admit you have a problem. It all starts with the individual, not the group. That is why it works. And once you seek help you get a sponsor. That is where the heroism comes in. Over the years Dad has sponsored other people. To them he became a friend but also a symbol that AA works. The members of the program were also my father's closest friends right to the end. It was, I am sure, the thrill of his life to stand before the National Convention of AA in California, with over 40 years of sobriety, and speak to them all about how he overcame his problem, a story he has told many times over. I only wish I had been there to share in his joy. It was also, his last great desire to speak once more to his local group in Green Valley, AZ before he no longer had the strength to do so. I am happy he made it and that my brothers Ken & Keith got to share in that special evening. But the commitment of a sponsor is much more than telling your story. Staying up all night and nursing someone off a drunk, helping them face their demon, a full bottle on the table, and not taking a drink yourself, interceding with a mate or employer to get the break that person needs to turn the corner; these are the things that evolve from commitment to doing the right thing, what a hero does by nature. That, I now realize, made my father a hero. You don't have to go out and fight fires, or criminals or foreign enemies. You don't need to have bullets bounce off your chest or fly or pick up cars and throw them. Just by being there, listening, talking to people, convincing them there is hope for recovery through self-reliance and the help of others, you can emulate those other heroes in the most important way - you can save a life. That's what my father did. It was his way of saying thanks to the world for finding a way to save his life nearly half a century ago. That is why my father was a hero. That is how he spent his dash. Heartfelt thanks to all who sent their condolences about his passing. You will be in my family's thoughts and prayers for you consideration. ***** THIS issue is dedicated to the memory of my father. By now I am sure he is chairing a meeting and is in his glory because he finally got to meet Bill W. and Dr. Bob. To quote dad, "Isn't that nice!" David LeBlanc - ComicBkNet@aol.com Editor The Comic Book Net Electronic Magazine ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [2] Letters to the Editor If you want to comment on this or any previous issue, want to offer something for us to publish, or just want to shamelessly suck up to the editor to try and get your name in print send Email to: ComicBkNet@aol.com Note: Letters of comment may be used in future issues of CBEM unless you specifically request us NOT to use them. Your Email address and/or name will be withheld upon request. +++++ Subj: Re: [ComicBooknet E-Mag] Missing column From: SpIdeyIvan@aol.com re: The recent Had Your Phil? column -- The anal-rententive side of my mind forces me to point out that, while I agree with almost everything Phil said, he was inaccurate when he said Marvel was increasing the cover price of it's comics by 25%. Most Marvel comics currently sell for $1.99, and the price of these books will be going up to $2.25, and increase of 26 cents, which is only 13.06%. If the prices were really going up by 25%, those $1.99 books would be going to $2.50, not $2.25. Other than that, his comments seemed right on target. --Ivan A. Martin spideyivan@aol.com +++++ Subj: Airbrush Magazine wants to talk to Comic Book Artists! From: Silhouet9@aol.com Airbrush Magazine is looking for comic book artists who use the airbrush style in their drawings. Please contact Cliff Stieglitz at: cstieglitz@monmouth.com See Cliff's message to me below: From: cstieglitz@monmouth.com (Cliff Stieglitz) To: Silhouet9@aol.com Dear Paul, We'd love for you to direct us to some of the top talent in the comic book field. These would make for great features and covers. Lead the way!!! Thanks for writing. Warm regards, Cliff Stieglitz Publisher +++++ Subj: Titans Of Finance/Keyhole News From: dino@cobite.com (Dean Haspiel) "Titans of Finance," R. Walker and Josh's series of true tales of money & business, is now a monthly feature at TheStreet.com (http://www.TheStreet.com)! As most of you know, "Titans" tells the tales of Wall Street's most well-known Icaruses. The strips are entirely based on press accounts, with practically no embellishment. TheStreet.com, an online financial publication that covers Wall Street with an "irreverent and edgy" tone, features commentary by the likes of outrageous hedge fund manager James Cramer. We're hoping that "Titans" and TSC make good partners in our attempt to "break up the pretensions and self-aggrandizement characteristic of so many 'self-made' entrepreneurs, showing how their own all-too-self-denied foibles and obsessions eventually bring their grand schemes to ridiculous ends." (The Comics Journal) Anyway, TSC kicks off the series (which will run the first weekend of the month for six months ) THIS WEEKEND, Saturday, Feb. 5, at 10 am EST, in the "Weekender" section, with "Chainsaw," about former Sunbeam CEO Al Dunlap. They've done a fabulous job with translating the comic to the web environment; we think it looks terrific. "Weekender" is a TSC "premium" section, however, which means you have to be a subscriber to access it. They do provide a free 30-day trial, so if you're willing to give them your email address, you can see "Chainsaw" in all its glory. * * * In other "Titans" news, look for a new SEVEN-PAGE story, featuring Revlon Chairman and former owner of Marvel Comics, Ron Perelman, in the indy anthology EXPO 2000, published by the Small Press Expo. A Mighty Marvel Epic, as only R. Walker & Josh could tell it!!! In that same issue, look out for Dino's newest semi-auto-bio extravaganza, "Shit Fuck Piss Karate!" Crack is whak! * * * Also: Is it AMERICAN SPLENDOR or is it KEYHOLE? The next two issues of Harvey Pekar's "neo-realist" comic feature stories illustrated by Dino & Josh, including Josh's full-color back cover. Look for the newest AMERICAN SPLENDOR (published by Dark Horse) in stores soon. (And now on newsstands is the Winter 2000 issue of GREEN, featuring the aforementioned full-color one-pager. Buy a copy-- only $3-- and look for our piece, "Stupid Capitalists!" on page 50.) And--starting Tuesday, Feb. 8th, www.word.com will be running a new 5-week run of AMERICAN SPLENDOR, illustrated by Dino. P.S. You can find out more about the "Titans of Finance" mini-comic, as well all other Dino, Josh, and KEYHOLE related news, at http://keyhole.wraithspace.com . Dean Haspiel 335 Court Street, #131 Brooklyn, NY 11231 USA 718-237-1764 ************ Portfolio/Resume/Keyhole ~ http://keyhole.wraithspace.com/dean/ Top Shelf ~ http://www.topshelfcomix.com Weekly Billy Dogma ~ http://www.thecomicstore.com +++++ Subj: Gil Kane From: senft@worldnet.att.net (Donna Ellis € Mitchell Senft) David: Just a few words about G.K. I am still bummed about Kane's death.... Unlike in the case of Kirby or other of the old guys (no disrespect meant), I think Kan'e death was disturbing or saddening because unlike them he was, remained pretty much to the end at the top of his game. While, contrary to the N.Y. Times' staff hack's ridiculous comparison, Kane was no Jack Kirby, at least in what you can call fecundity (or is that sheer volume?) of published creativity -- I mean conceptually. Example: You can't begin to compare Kane's best work on Green Lantern -- a high point in Silver Age DC super-heroiics -- with Kirby's FF. (Let's not get in the why that was or may have been so.) What Kane was to me was a couple of things. He was, and again no disrespect is meant, what you could call the Hack Supreme. Virtually everything he did was beneath him and his abilities, but whatever he touched (on that level) was rarely, if ever, surpassed. At least IMHO. Coming to mind at the moment: His run on Superman: It was dynamic and the guy actually seemed super. The tragedy, I suppose, is that he was ambitious for his medium and craft and, again for whatever reasons, although I think it was primarily the market, fell short: Blackmark; Savage; the King Arthur book; Star Hawks. Nonetheless, unlike virtually anyone else in the field - Kirby (again) is the only exception that comes to mind, maybe Neal Adams, Carmine Infantino, Alex Toth and Nick Cardy -- I can say I enjoyed virtually everything of his that I've seen since he started to, um, get away from DC's 50-60s house style. Except for the God-awful rendering: But no one inked Kane to look like his inks, although there numerous guys that cranked out lovely stuff, keeping one eye closed, so to speak. Well, nuff said; this was a guy, unlike virtually any other in the field that never produced close to what he should have and, right to the end, worked at getting better and better at his craft: *not* a bad accomplishment at all. Mitchell +++++ Subj: 'Nuff Said! radio/web show guest info Feb/Mar, 2000 From: nuffsaid@escape.com (Nuff Said) If you had trouble getting us on-line before, try again. Porus.com, who live streams WBAI, just added a couple hundred connections so it'll be a lot easier to listen to us. 'Nuff Said!, the comic book interview/talk show, is on the air for a full hour every Tuesday at 10 PM on WBAI-FM, 99.5 in the New York City metropolitan area. We're also on the internet at www.wbaifree.org and www.2600.com as well. There's a link to each of those on our own web site: www.nuffsaid.net. I'm hearing the limited number of connections gets filled up early, so dial in early. Tuesday, Feb 22, 2000 - Part 2 of our Will Eisner interview. Join us as we talk to one of the creators of the industry and of the art form itself. Tuesday, Feb 29, 2000 - Pre-empted for a special. Tuesday, March 7, 14, 21, 28, 2000 - One or two shows will be a short monologue from me then listener phone calls, another will be a special on Charles Schulz, another will be the re-scheduling of Arnold Drake. I'm talking to a couple other people, too. Watch this space. WBAI-FM, 99.5, is a 50,000 watt station broadcast from the Empire State Building. Our signal usually gets out to New Haven, CT; Westhampton, L.I.; the Poconos of Pennsylvania, Orange County, NY and Trenton & Princeton, NJ. But via the internet for an even greater distance, natch. The show covers the entire world of comics: golden age, silver age, contemporary, mainstream, independent, underground, foreign, strips and fandom. Hosted by Ken Gale (interviewer) and Ed Menje (Engineer). WBAI is a Pacifica Network station (if your local station carries any Pacifica programming (such as "Democracy Now" and Gary Null), they might be able to get 'Nuff Said! as well). WBAI-FM, 120 Wall St., 10th flr, New York, NY 10005. --Ken Gale, interviewer and co-host ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [3] [TRIVIA CONTEST] **THE FIRST PLACE TO FIND THE EMAG EACH WEEK IS ON OUR HOME PAGE!** IF YOU ARE DESPERATE TO WIN THE TRIVIA, GO THERE FIRST ON FRIDAY NIGHT http://members.aol.com/ComicBkNet/emag.htm QUESTION OF THE WEEK Prizes donated by Discount Comic Book Service at www.dcbservice.com where you can order most DC, Marvel, Image, and Dark Horse comics, statues and retail products for 35% off. +Submit your own trivia and win the CHEEZY PRIZE(tm) if you can stump+ +the readers! You MUST submit the correct answer with your question.+ LAST ISSUE'S QUESTION OF THE WEEK: What other comic cover did THE SIMPSONS COMICS #1 pay homage to? Bob Ingersoll wins again: FANTASTIC FOUR # 1, which is the most "homaged" comic cover in the world -- unless that's ACTION # 1. Bob gets 100 Bullets #8 and #9 from our sponsor. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION: From: Josep Calduch If you wrote "E-MAIL" on your envelope in the 1980's, you were writing to the letter section of which comic book series? IMPORTANT RULES NOTICE The first correct answer to reach the editor wins the CHEEZY PRIZE(tm). The editor will be the sole judge as to which guess arrived first! Messages with more than one guess will be disqualified. LIMIT: ONE PRIZE PER MONTH PER PERSON! ______________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [4] Network Buzz News, gossip and rumors from around the industry SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) - ``Peanuts'' creator Charles Schulz died at home following a battle with cancer, just as the last original cartoon of his half-century career was being published in newspapers worldwide. The 77-year-old Schulz was diagnosed with colon cancer in November, and his spirits recently sagged as he battled the disease and pondered retirement, said Monte Schulz, his eldest son. ``I think maybe he decided that his true passion was in the strip, and when that was gone, it was over,'' Monte Schulz said Sunday. ``He had done what he had wanted to do, and that was it for him . The son said that while the cause of death Saturday wasn't known, ``it appears he died in his sleep, almost between breaths.'' His wife, Jeannie, was with him when he died. On news of his passing, fans and colleagues across the country hailed Schulz as an irreplaceable artist whose work over the years had become infused in American popular culture. ``I think 'Peanuts' has been for most of its existence the best comic strip in history, and nothing's ever approached it,'' said Mell Lazarus, who draws the ``Momma'' and ``Miss Peach'' strips, and knew Schulz for 42 years. ``He's going to be missed and will clearly never be replaced.'' The famous strip - with its gentle humor spiked with a child's-eye view of human foibles - had one particularly endearing trait: constancy. Year after year, the long-suffering Charlie Brown faced misfortune with a mild, ``Good grief!'' Tart-tongued Lucy handed out advice at a nickel a pop. And Snoopy, Charlie Brown's wise-but-weird beagle, still took the occasional flight of fancy back to the skies of World War I and his rivalry with the Red Baron. The strip was an intensely personal effort for Schulz. He had had a clause in his contract dictating the strip had to end with his death - no one could imitate it. While battling cancer, he opted to retire it, saying he wanted to focus on his health and family without the worry of a daily deadline. His last daily comic ran in early January, and the final farewell strip appeared in newspapers on Sunday. Old versions of the strip will continue to be published. The last strip showed Snoopy at his typewriter and other Peanuts regulars along with a ``Dear Friends'' letter thanking his readers for their support. ``I have been grateful over the years for the loyalty of our editors and the wonderful support and love expressed to me by fans of the comic strip,'' Schulz wrote. ``Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy ... how can I ever forget them . It ended with his signature. +++++ Chaos! Mourns the Loss of Steven Hughes February 18, 2000 - Scottsdale, AZ - Chaos! Comics mourns the loss today of illustrator Steven Hughes. Steven died February 18th after a long illness. Steven was one of the driving forces behind the success of Chaos! Comics, beginning with the launch of Evil Ernie: Youth Gone Wild in December 1991. Steven's work gained national attention with the success of the wildly popular Lady Death #1 and he rose to global prominence with the release of the sequel, Lady Death: Between Heaven and Hell. Steven was listed in Wizard Magazine's top ten artist list in 1995 and his work was featured on the cover of Wizard Issue 75. He was one of the most prominent African-American artists in comic book history. Steven was an outspoken, fiercely independent artist. He was popular with his fans, a dedicated, hard core following who often waited in long lines at conventions for an autograph or a sketch. His work was most recently featured in The Next Step, a travelling art show featuring mainstream African-American comic book artists. Steven's work joined the tour in Boston in 1995 at the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Boston, Massachusetts. Steven was recently recognized during the Black History Month celebration at the Words and Pictures Museum located in Northampton, Massachusetts in February 1999. Steven was on hand to demonstrate illustration techniques and provide sketches. Steven was a dedicated father and husband, as passionate about his family as he was about his art. His wife Barbara and his children Amber, Chance, and Samantha survive Steven. A memorial service will be announced shortly. Chaos! publisher, Brian Pulido requests that fans leave testimonials on the Chaos! message board and they will be forwarded to Steven's family. # # # http://www.chaoscomics.com agoldfine@chaoscomics.com 7655 E. Gelding Rd. Suite B1 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 ph: 480.991.9080 ext. 546 fax: 480.991.6005 +++++ THE DREAM IS ALIVE DreamSmith Studios Resumes Publishing in 2000! 2/8/00 - DreamSmith Studios publisher Ben Capozzi announced today that the company will resume publishing this summer. Winner of Diamond's Gem Award for Best New Publisher of the Year (1998), DreamSmith Studios will publish 4 books this year, wrapping up storylines begun 2 years ago in their flagship title, BOOK, a medieval fantasy anthology. "If you read BOOK, then this year you WILL find out what happened to the characters, " says Capozzi. According to the publisher, there will be three trade paperbacks released this year, each collecting one of the three stories that made up BOOK. The trades will include the chapters published in BOOKs 1 & 2, plus the unpublished third and fourth chapters which complete the initial story-arcs. "If I had it all to do over again, this is the way I would do it. With higher page-count, self-contained, original graphic novels," Capozzi says. "They're reader friendly, publisher friendly, and the long shelf-life is retailer friendly." Capozzi says there will also be a DreamSmith art book this year. "There are more than 50 pieces - covers, pin-ups, posters - that have never been seen by fans. [That is] unless they looked in my portfolio at a convention. They've certainly never been published." Details of the format are still TBA, but Capozzi says the list of artists whose work will be in the book include - in typical DreamSmith fashion - some of the industry's best like Ed McGuinness Jr., Brandon Peterson, Chris Sprouse, Tim Townsend, George Perez, plus the regular BOOK interior artists. Capozzi says readers and retailers can look for the trade paperbacks for NORSE SAGA, CHIMERA, and ANNA to be on the shelves in late summer. "I'd tentatively estimate July. But I'm not saying ANYTHING officially until I have the electronic file of the book on a disk in my hand. I'm sure our readers know why, and they prefer it this way." DreamSmith published 2 issues of BOOK in 1998. After repeated setbacks, the company seemed to vanish in early '99. Capozzi looks to re-establish the company's credibility this year with a 100% follow-through on announced and solicited items. For Further Info, Contact: Ben Capozzi 8 Montague Street Christiansburg, VA 24073 PH (540) 382-0761 FX (540) 382-0034 Email: Drmsmth@aol.com Www.DreamSmithStudios.Com +++++ Media Contact: Richard Berman Middleberg and Associates 415-693-9580 Richard@middleberg.com NEW DORK CITY NextPlanetOver Now Features John Kovalic's Dork Tower San Francisco, CA, February 10, 2000: NextPlanetOver (www.npo.com), the ultimate Internet destination for the entertainment hobbyist, this week added John Kovalic's popular Dork Tower comic strip to its arsenal of original content. Not only will NextPlanetOver be the exclusive home of new monthly Dork Tower strips but Kovalic will also host a NextPlanetOver Artists Speak message board, where loyal fans and first-time readers can chat with the creator. "The addition of John to our community marks our commitment to developing the highest-quality, most popular online destination for comics fans," said Milton Griepp, chairman and CEO of NextPlanetOver. Dork Tower, which lovingly parodies its own fans as well as its creator, launched in June 1998. Following fantastic reviews and industry buzz, the first issue sold out in eight weeks. Due to tremendous demand from Dork Tower readers, Corsair Publishing began a bimonthly publishing schedule for the series beginning in April 1999. The humor of this comic book appeals not only to the entire fan community but also transcends language barriers and national borders: Dork Tower now runs in German, Portuguese, and Italian, and Spanish, Swedish, and French editions are in the works. "I'm thrilled to take part in NextPlanetOver's community, and to bring Dork Tower's brand of humor to the site's readership," said series creator and author Kovalic. "I think it really says a lot about NextPlanetOver's commitment to the entire field of comics that the company supports independent comics creators." On the future of the strip, he added: "Dork Tower on NextPlanetOver will basically continue where the strip's run at Comics Buyer's Guide left off, concentrating on Igor's love of all things comics and Matt's continuing attempts to comprehend the mind of comics fans. And of course, I'm not going to forget the gamers or the muskrats, either." +++++ Backstreet Boys Partner With Stan Lee Media to Create Internet-Based Series; ``The Backstreet Project'' To Turn Pop Group Into Super Heroes LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 8, 2000--The Backstreet Boys - presently recognized as the biggest pop group in the world - and Stan Lee Media (OTCBB:SLEE), comicbook icon Stan Lee's globally branded Internet animation production and marketing company, have entered into a partnership to produce a Web-based franchise chronicling the adventures of the platinum-selling singers as super heroes. The Backstreet Project, www.BackstreetProject.com, will debut as a special edition collector's comicbook to be sold exclusively at Backstreet Boys concerts starting Feb. 19, 2000 and on the Internet. The animated series will be launched on the Web in the summer of 2000 using Macromedia Flash animation. "The Web-isode series will be derived from The Backstreet Project comicbook," said Stan, Chairman and Chief Creative officer of Stan Lee Media. Stan is co-creating the series with Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter. "We will use the comicbook to introduce the super-hero story to fans, so those fans not yet connected to the internet can share in the excitement that is created by the animated Web-isodes." "I'm ecstatic to be involved with Stan Lee," says the BACKSTREET BOYS' Nick Carter. "A comic book is something I've always wanted to do and we've finally made it happen." The partnership between The BACKSTREET BOYS - Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean And Kevin Richardson - and Stan Lee Media in co-creating a musically-themed internet animation series is unprecedented. The jointly owned creative property will later be developed for all other media and merchandising opportunities. "The internet based collaboration between the most popular musical performing group in the world with the most successful Super Hero creator in history is bound to produce the most exciting character franchise of the new millennium," said Peter Paul, co-founder of Stan Lee Media. "This Internet initiative by Stan demonstrates his commitment to build a new global youth audience for the Super Hero genre that has missed out on comics." About The Backstreet Boys The BACKSTREET BOYS' latest release Millennium has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and has already spent over 36 weeks on Billboard's "Top 200 albums" chart (the majority of it in the Top Ten). In addition to receiving gold and platinum awards in 45 countries, MILLENNIUM was recently honored with five Grammy nominations: "Album of the Year" and "Best Pop Album" for the ten-times platinum MILLENNIUM album; as well as "Record of the Year," "Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal" and "Song of the Year" (a songwriter's award) for "I Want It That Way," the LP's first single. +++++ Marvel Enterprises, Inc. Appoints Bill Jemas President of Publishing & New Media NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--February 16, 2000-- Former Marvel Entertainment Group Executive Vice President Rejoins Company In Newly Created Position In a move designed to strengthen the company's core publishing business and bolster its online presence, Marvel Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:MVL), has re-hired former Marvel executive Bill Jemas to the newly created position of President of Publishing & New Media. The announcement was made today by Marvel CEO Peter Cuneo. In his new position, Mr. Jemas will be responsible for overseeing all publishing, brand management and licensing activities for the company. He will also be a contributor to the company's Internet strategy and operations. In addition to overseeing and evaluating the company's current operations in these areas, he will spearhead the development of new publishing endeavors and business ventures designed to enhance the image of Marvel and its superhero brands. Mr. Jemas will report directly to Mr. Cuneo in the New York office. "During the course of his professional career, Bill has repeatedly proven himself to be an innovative executive who has brought success to every venture with which he has been associated. His proven track record in building brands, combined with his knowledge of Marvel, will be instrumental in helping the company continue its leadership position in the comic book industry and expand its reach through the Internet," said Mr. Cuneo. Mr. Jemas originally worked with Marvel from 1992 - 1996, where he served as the president of Fleer Entertainment Group and Fleer Corp. (formerly owned by Marvel) prior to becoming the executive vice president of Marvel Entertainment Group. During his initial tenure with the company, Mr. Jemas' major accomplishments were creating a successful mass-market children's book publishing business and negotiating multi-property licensing deals with major entertainment companies, such as Warner Brothers, Disney, Fox and Viacom. Prior to re-joining Marvel, Mr. Jemas was most recently the Executive Vice President, MSG Sports. In this capacity, he managed more than 40 sporting events that took place at Madison Square Garden. He also oversaw MSG's Sponsorship Group and the MSG Collection, which produces and distributes MSG and team-identified merchandise. Earlier in his career, he served as vice president, business development and business affairs for the National Basketball Association, where he was instrumental in re-organizing NBA Properties into one of the League's most successful divisions. Mr. Jemas received his law degree from Harvard Law School and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Rutgers College. He currently resides in Princeton, NJ. Marvel Enterprises, Inc. is one of the world's leading entertainment companies with operations in the licensing, comic book publishing and toy businesses. The company was formed on October 1, 1998 upon the emergence of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. from bankruptcy and its merger with Toy Biz, Inc. Through its ownership of over 3,500 proprietary characters, the company has published comic books for over 60 years in over 70 countries. Marvel licenses the right to use its characters in a wide range of consumer products such as video games, interactive software and apparel, as well as for television series and feature films. For additional company information visit the company's corporate web-site http://www.marvel.com. Marvel Enterprises Embarks on Proactive External Communications Program NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 16, 2000-- Retains Bender/Helper Impact For Corporate Public Relations and Jaffoni & Collins For Investor Relations In a move to re-launch a proactive external communications program and to develop a broader corporate profile within the media and investment community, Marvel Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:MVL) has retained two agencies working in concert, Bender/Helper Impact and Jaffoni & Collins, for corporate public relations and investor relations, respectively. The New York offices of both agencies will spearhead communications efforts on behalf of Marvel. The announcement was made today by Marvel CEO Peter Cuneo. "Intentionally, Marvel has maintained a low corporate profile before the media and financial communities over the past year as we've worked to put in place a new senior management team, develop and begin to implement our new corporate strategy as well as divest non strategic assets," said Mr. Cuneo. "We now feel that Marvel is extremely well positioned to exploit its tremendous portfolio of character brands across a range of entertainment, media and consumer product areas, and we have retained a team of respected, accomplished professionals to communicate our corporate progress." During the initial phase of the campaign, Bender/Helper Impact will focus its efforts on enhancing Marvel's presence in the entertainment and online industries, while continuing to reinforce its strength in the toy (through its Toy Biz division), licensing and publishing businesses. Jaffoni & Collins will center its campaign on re-building Marvel's profile on Wall Street. Marvel Enterprises, Inc. is one of the world's leading entertainment companies with operations in the licensing, comic book publishing and toy businesses (Toy Biz, Inc.). Through its ownership of over 3,500 proprietary characters, the company has published comic books for over 60 years in over 70 countries. Marvel licenses the right to use its characters in a wide range of consumer products such as video games, interactive software and apparel, as well as for television series and feature films. For additional company information visit the company's corporate web-site: http://www.marvel.com. Focusing on the convergence between entertainment, new media and information technology, Bender/Helper Impact is one of the world's leading independent marketing communications and public relations firms. Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in New York and San Francisco and affiliates worldwide, Bender/Helper Impact employs more than 50 professionals. Current clients include: Disney Interactive, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Internet Advertising Bureau, Mattel Media, USA Home Entertainment, AsSeenIn.com, Internet Shopping Network, American Film Institute, Scholastic Entertainment, @d:tech/eMarketWorld, NetFlix.com, MGM Home Entertainment and GIST-TV, among others. Jaffoni & Collins is a full-service investor relations agency with extensive experience in the leisure, entertainment, media and new media industries. Founded in 1994, the Company is headquartered in New York, with a satellite office in Boston. Current clients include: AMFM Inc., Miami Computer Supply, Midway Games, Multex.com, Rex Stores, Wave Systems and WebcamNow.com. +++++ NEAL ADAMS FILM TO PREMIER ABOARD CBLDF CRUISE; "TOP TEN"'S ZANDER CANNON JOINS CREW Comics legend NEAL ADAMS has announced that he will premiere a long-awaited original film on board MAKING WAVES: THE CBLDF FUNDRAISING CRUISE. As the embarkation date approaches and decks start selling out, artists continue to join the CBLDF Crew. ZANDER CANNON is the latest creator to come aboard this unique cruise vacation which offers fans the chance to spend quality time talking, drinking, and dining with some of the best artists and writers the industry has to offer. All proceeds from this comics dream event benefit the COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND. Comic fans have heard rumors for years about the latest and greatest project from NEAL ADAMS. Adams' detailed, realistic artwork on "Strange Adventures", "X-Men," "Batman," and the famous "Green Lantern/Green Arrow" team-ups revolutionized superhero comics in the late '60s and '70s. But he's spent almost 27 years on his latest work, "Two Guys in a Bar, or, A New Model of the Universe." This massive graphic novel of science and physics promises to do for science what Adams' earlier work did for comics. In conjunction with the graphic novel, Adams has produced a never-before seen film challenging conventional wisdom about the formation of our planet's continents. Debunking traditional scientific views of earth's geological history, Adams builds on his new theory as a model for nothing less than the creation of the universe. No fan of comics or "Cosmos" will want to miss the premiere of this long-awaited work. "It's an honor and a privilege to be able to present Mr. Adams' film on board," said CBLDF executive director CHRIS OARR. "His fans have been waiting for years for this. It's a very special occasion." New crew recruit ZANDER CANNON is best known as the artist for "TOP TEN," part of ALAN MOORE's America's Best Comics line from Wildstorm/DC. Cannon's breakdowns and GENE HA's detailed finishes combine to propel Moore's tale of supercops in a super-powered city. Cannon also wrote and drew "Replacement God," an idiosyncratic fantasy combining high adventure and low humor. His work has also appeared in "Tom Strong," "Negative Burn," and "Chainsaw Vigilante." "The CBLDF is a great organization," said Cannon, "so I think nothing of making great sacrifices to help them out -- like taking a week-long vacation to Mexico on a luxurious cruise liner! If the Fund is able to get the donations it needs, why, even the horrors of calmly sipping a margarita in a deck chair while I watch the sun set will all eventually be worth it." "Zander couldn't have put it better"" said Oarr. "I want to thank everyone who has agreed to run the gauntlet of sun, sea, and endless cocktails on behalf of the CBLDF. You sacrifice will not go unappreciated." In addition to NEAL ADAMS and ZANDER CANNON, the creator crew for Making Waves includes: BRIAN AZZARELLO KURT BUSIEK DAN CLOWES EVAN DORKIN SARAH DYER WILL EISNER NEIL GAIMAN JAIME HERNANDEZ GILBERT HERNANDEZ LINDA MEDLEY FRANK MILLER MARTIN NODELL BRIAN PULIDO P. CRAIG RUSSELL JEFF SMITH JILL THOMPSON ADRIAN TOMINE MATT WAGNER MARK WAID CHRIS WARE and JUDD WINICK Making Waves will also include many comics professionals: Bob Chapman of Graphitti Designs, Fantagraphics publisher Gary Groth, CBLDF president Denis Kitchen, Mike Richardson and Diana Schutz of Dark Horse Comics, NextPlanetOver.com's Dave Reid, Bob Schreck of DC Comics, CBG's Maggie Thompson, and many more editors, publishers, and industry insiders. Making Waves is a unique chance for comics aficionados to wine, dine, and converse with some of their favorite creators in the informal atmosphere of a week-long luxury cruise. Departing APRIL 9 from LOS ANGELES, the cruise will tour the Mexican Riviera with stops in Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, and Mazatlan. To ask cruise-related questions or to book passage, please contact THE CRUISE AUTHORITY at 1-800-448-1830. On board, Making Waves will feature cocktail parties, slide shows, panel discussions, seminars, and much more comics programming. Fans will also be able to sign up for dinners and drinks with all the attending pros to guarantee time for some quality conversation. Of course, this is in addition to all the informal hanging-out in the ship's bars, pools, sundecks, restaurants, and casinos. Making Waves is made possible by the generous support of "The Comics Journal", Cartoon Books, Dark Horse Comics, Diamond Comic Distributors, Drawn & Quarterly, NBM Publishing, NextPlanetOver.com, Oni Press, Sirius Entertainment, Slave Labor Graphics, and WonderCon. All proceeds from the event benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit organization protecting the First Amendment rights of the comics community. To inquire about attending creators and comics programming, please contact the CBLDF at 1-800-99-CBLDF or visit our web site at http://www.cbldf.org. For additional information and artwork contact Chris Bleistein at the CBLDF at (413) 586-6967 or cbleistein@cbldf.org +++++ OnStar Is Now in the Batmobile DETROIT, Feb. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- GOTHAM CITY: The Batmobile, Batman's high-tech dream car, adds OnStar's personalized driver communication and information service to its array of features as part of a nationwide advertising campaign to be launched Feb. 17, 2000, during Warner Bros. Television's top-rated drama series, ER, on NBC. The TV spot is one element of a newly announced partnership between OnStar, a subsidiary of General Motors, and DC Comics, a division of Warner Bros. Batman, the Batmobile and the advanced technology and services that OnStar delivers will serve as the inspiration for a fully integrated marketing campaign for the OnStar brand. "Batman trusts OnStar to help him overcome the extraordinary obstacles he faces on the road. We believe consumers will feel similarly empowered with the confidence and security of knowing OnStar is there to lend them a hand," said Jeff Cohen, executive director for Sales and Services Marketing for OnStar. "Batman and the Batmobile are powerful metaphors for illustrating how OnStar's advanced technology can solve everyday problems on the road in a personal and easily accessible way." The first of three TV spots created by OnStar's advertising agency, Campbell-Ewald, is titled "Batcave" and introduces the Batmobile's newest feature -- OnStar. The spot begins as Batman lands in the Batcave and his longtime personal assistant, Alfred, announces that he has stepped up safety in the Batmobile: "Should a villain steal it, someone will track it. If your air bag goes off, an advisor will assist you. If you're stranded, satellites will help locate you." Batman, pleased with this enhancement, zooms out of the Batcave and tests his latest technological marvel. As he pushes the OnStar button we hear the OnStar Advisor ask, "OnStar. How may I help you, Batman?" In more than 60 years of existence, Batman has rarely made a live-action appearance for a product. "The Batmobile has been the most powerful and technologically advanced vehicle on the road for more than six decades," said Joel Ehrlich, senior vice president, DC Comics Promotions and Advertising & Warner Bros. Consumer Products Promotions. "And now OnStar's impressive service and technology will insure that Batman maintains his edge in his own singular way." "OnStar's partnership with Warner Bros. and Batman will provide an effective link between all consumer and dealer communications for the brand in 2000 and beyond," said OnStar's Cohen. "Batman is a global brand and as OnStar expands its reach, Batman will translate easily to other markets." Two future TV spots -- "Joker Face" and "Minor Setbacks" -- will follow "Batcave" and feature the OnStar-enhanced Batmobile and the superior safety, security and communication services now available to Batman. National print ads and Internet advertising will also soon be unveiled in support of the campaign. For more information about OnStar and subscriber services, visit www.onstar.com; for more information about Batman visit www.dccomics.com. +++++ Doris Day Animal Foundation Commissions Superman to Help Stop Violence WASHINGTON--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Feb. 14, 2000--"Superman for the Animals," a comic book designed for readers ages 8-12 to promote respect for animals, has been produced by DC Comics for the Doris Day Animal Foundation's "Comics For Compassion" project. In "Superman for the Animals," the plot focuses on a boy who is unsure how to handle peer pressure from classmates who harm animals. Following Superman's compassionate and heroic example, the boy finds the courage to stop his classmates from continuing their inhumane actions. The "Superman for the Animals" comic is now available in comic book stores packaged at no additional charge with copies of "Batman: Gotham Adventures," "Superman Adventures," "Impulse," "Hourman" and "Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E." comic books. "Superman for the Animals" is written by Mark Millar with art provided by Tom Grummett and Dick Giordano. "We use many resources to teach important messages about the humane treatment of animals. This time, we thought we would take a big leap and enlist Superman's help," stated Doris Day. "But this project is not only important to stopping violence to animals, but to all living things. Numerous studies show that there is a correlation between cruelty to animals and abuse to humans." "We are delighted that DC Comics came on board to assist us in reaching out to pre-teens," said Holly Hazard, executive director of The Doris Day Animal Foundation and the Doris Day Animal League. We hope to reach this impressionable group of children in a manner they can relate to and we are pleased to have Superman's help." "Superman for the Animals" includes an essay and coloring contest for children ages 8-12. The grand prize winner will be featured along with his or her pet in a future DC Comics comic book. Other prizes include passes to a Six Flags Theme Park, DC Comics Masks books from Bullfinch Press, Batman/Superman: World's Finest from Warner Home Video, as well as "Comics for Compassion" baseball caps. A limited number of free copies of "Superman for the Animals" is available to parents and educators by contacting the Doris Day Animal Foundation, 202/546-1761 or e-mailing richard@ddal.org. The Doris Day Animal Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization formed in 1998 to find creative solutions to animal-related problems including pet overpopulation, and sponsors Spay Day USA. CONTACT: Linda Dozoretz Communications, Los Angeles 323/656-4499 pr@ldcomm.com +++++ DC Comics' Super Heroes Batman and Superman to Star in Milk Mustache/Got Milk? Campaign BURBANK, Calif.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Feb. 15, 2000--DC Comics' Caped Crusader(tm) and Man of Steel(tm) have joined forces with America's Dairy Farmers and Milk Processors, and will wear Milk Mustaches for a multi-faceted, year-long promotional alliance that includes a consumer-targeted promotion, sweepstakes program, custom comic book publishing program and an in-school campaign, through a promotional licensing agreement with DC Comics and Warner Bros. Consumer Products. The promotion was created with Bozell New York, the advertising agency for the Milk Processor Education program (MilkPEP) and Dairy Management Inc. "We're very excited about pairing Batman and Superman with Milk. Milk is associated with wholesome, all-American ideals and behavior and we believe that this attitude is the foundation of what motivates our characters to be heroes," said Joel Ehrlich, Senior Vice President - DC Comics and Warner Bros. Consumer Produccts. "For generations, Superman and Batman have been heroes that kids aspire to, and we're excited to work with Warner Bros. to add them to our Milk Mustache celebrity roster," said Kurt Graetzer, CEO of the Milk Processor Education Program. "The Superman and Batman ads will help remind kids to drink at least three glasses of milk every day to get the calcium they need to help them grow up strong." "DC Comics provides a powerful way to leverage the hugely popular appeal of Superman and Batman with the Milk Mustache campaign's focus on health and nutrition," said Peter Gardiner, Media Director of Bozell New York. "At the same time, this marketing program generates a unique, business-driving consumer premium at retail." Print ads featuring Batman with a chocolate-milk mustache will begin in late March. Ads will run in issues of Sports Illustrated for Kids, Electronic Gaming Monthly, Skateboard Magazine, Surfing, and DC Comics' kid and teen comic books including Batman, Superman, Scooby-Doo and Looney Tunes. Superman Milk Mustache print ads will start appearing in April in the same publications. Nationwide outdoor advertisements featuring Superman are scheduled to begin in May 2000. In early May 2000, consumers will be able to instantly receive a specially created Adventures with the DC Super Heroes Magazine free with the purchase of two gallons of milk. Large Superman-themed point-of-sale displays will hold 200 magazines in the milk aisle in 15,000 supermarkets and grocery stores nationwide. The Adventures with the DC Super Heroes Magazine will feature valuable coupons and discount offers from Warner Home Video, Warner Bros. Studio Stores, Best Western Hotels, Fruit of the Loom, Hasbro and Best Personalized Books. Editorial content includes articles on the Kids' WB! hit animated series "Batman Beyond" (a behind-the-scenes look at the world of Warner Bros. Animation), "The Super Heroes of Racing" with Jeff Gordon and Dale Jarrett, milk recipes and lots of activities and puzzles. DC Comics is overlaying the promotion with an exciting interactive program and sweepstakes in partnership with WB Online/AcmeCity. The Milk-Mustache - DC Super Heroes Sweepstakes can be entered by mail or online at dcmilk.com. After entering, visitors can build their own super-hero Web site with Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman within AcmeCity. Sweepstakes grand prizes include trips for 4 to New York ("Adventure in Metropolis"), Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank ("Adventure in Gotham City"), and Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort & Spa in the Caribbean ("Adventure in Paradise"). One thousand 1st prizes -- DC Super Hero Adventure Packs (valued at $100) include a home video, the Batman Beyond soundtrack, a collectable limited edition Robin statue, "Catwoman" for Color GameBoy and more! Ads for the sweepstakes will also run in DC Comics kids comic books and Six Flags Park Guides. Both Batman and Superman are being featured on more than 2 million bookcovers distributed in schools nationwide along with other milk-mustached celebrities starting February 2000. Additionally, March 2000 is Batman Month in approximately 20,000 elementary schools nationwide. Batman, Robin and Batgirl will encourage kids to drink chocolate milk as part of a healthy diet on in-cafeteria signs, posters and meal planners. The `got milk?(R)' Milk Mustache marketing campaign is jointly funded by the nation's fluid milk processors and America's dairy farmers. The multi-faceted campaign was initiated to educate consumers and correct misconceptions about milk. A series of educational brochures for consumers is available by calling 800 WHY-MILK or by visiting the milk Web site at http://www.whymilk.com. `got milk?(R)' is licensed by Dairy Management Inc.(tm) (DMI) and the National Fluid Milk Processor Education Board. DMI and state, regional and international organizations manage the American Dairy Association(R), the National Dairy Council(R) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council(R). The MilkPEP program was developed under the guidance of the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board, an organization funded by U.S. milk processors. +++++ Heavy Metal 2000'' Soundtrack Fuels Animated Movie Sequel With New Material by Pantera, Monster Magnet, Days of the New, Insane Clown Posse and More LOS ANGELES--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Feb. 17, 2000--Sex, violence and the silver screen get a lethal injection of some of the hardest music on the planet as rock's most explosive bands offer up new material for the upcoming "Heavy Metal 2000" movie soundtrack (Restless Records). The soundtrack, available in stores on April 18, will feature 18 tracks of unreleased and/or exclusive music from Pantera, Monster Magnet, MDFMK, Zilch, Insane Clown Posse and Twiztid, System of a Down, Days of the New, Coal Chamber, Sinisstar, Queens of the Stone Age, Machine Head, Full Devil Jacket, Hate Dept., Puya, Apartment 26, Billy Idol and the first original Bauhaus recording in 17 years! "Heavy Metal 2000" is the sequel to the 1981 animated film "Heavy Metal," which featured original music by Black Sabbath, Cheap Trick, Journey, Stevie Nicks and others. Now with a new "Heavy Metal" adventure on the horizon, creators Kevin Eastman ("Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles") and legendary illustrator Simon Bisley ("Lobo," "Batman/Judge Dredd," "Slaine") found just the right mix of ear-bleeding mayhem to fuel their celluloid tale. Restless Records will release four separate cover designs by Simon Bisley and a limited edition, double CD that includes a CD-ROM containing additional movie paintings, a comic book version of the movie, PC game demos and a movie trailer. Not only will the CD become a collectible but an entire line of "Heavy Metal 2000" merchandise -- including games for the PC, Mac and Sega Dreamcast, action figures, skateboards, trading cards, magazines, posters and clothing -- will soon become available. Originally based on the illustrated adult fantasy magazine Heavy Metal, the story behind "Heavy Metal 2000" was adapted from the graphic novel "Melting Pot" by Kevin Eastman, which recounts the gory saga of the beautiful heroine Julie aka FAKK2. Together, Eastman and Bisley modeled FAKK2 after B-movie queen and former Penthouse Pet of the Year Julie Strain, who is the voice of Julie in the film. Other soundtrack highlights include the first new recording by Billy Idol in more than seven years. Idol also adds his voice to one of the movie characters. Adding to the mix is veteran rock producer Bob Ezrin (Kiss, Pink Floyd) who was hand-picked to capture the raw energy of Monster Magnet and help create the moody, emotional aspect for the Bauhaus masterpiece. "Heavy Metal 2000" also boasts a bit of history in that Apartment 26 singer Biff Butler is the son of Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler, who was featured on the original "Heavy Metal" soundtrack almost two decades ago. The movie "Heavy Metal 2000" is scheduled for release this summer through Sony Entertainment/Columbia Tri-Star. Fans can check out these Web sites for more news about "Heavy Metal 2000": www.heavymetal.com, www.hm2000music.com, www.ritual.com and www.restless.com. CONTACT: Ana Adame, 908/490-0674 AnaAdame@aol.com +++++ Set for February 19, 2000 Disinfo.Con Will Explore the Future With Marilyn Manson, Kenneth Anger, Mark Pesce and More! NEW YORK, Feb. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Richard Metzger, Creative Director for The Disinformation Company Ltd. (www.disinfo.com) has announced several new participants in the much speculated upon Disinfo.Con today. Disinfo.Con will be the first event of its type in New York since the legendary Nova Convention, honoring author William Burroughs, in 1979. Featuring a line-up of speakers drawing from the best of the underground media, new science and far fringes of the art scene, Disinfo.Con 2000 will turn New York City's majestic Hammerstein Ballroom into an 11 hour Technicolor dream house of revolutionary thought, visionary art and lysergic lectures. The event will be "one part rave, one part performance, and one part mind f**k," according to Metzger. The new additions to the already exciting program include: controversial icon Marilyn Manson in a satellite presentation, "Hollywood Babylon" author and magical filmmaker Kenneth Anger, Michael Crichton's co-writer and visual effects pioneer Michael Backes, VRML creator Mark Pesce, and Sanskrit expert Vyaas Houston. The event brings these speakers together with many of today's most important thinkers including Cyberculture pioneer RU Sirius, comic book legend Grant Morrison, elder statesman of conspiriology Robert Anton Wilson, future culture "queen" of all media Genesis P-Orridge, visionary artist Paul Laffoley, outsider artist Joe Coleman, new media visionary Douglas Rushkoff, and Feral House publisher Adam Parfrey. The event will also feature a Conspiracy Theory Roundtable featuring publisher and researcher Kenn Thomas, Robert Sterling, editor of The Konformist, Excluded Middle publisher Greg Bishop, and conspiracy theorist and academic Jodi Dean. Paleo-psychology and mass behavior expert Howard Bloom will present a special video lecture. There will also be an exclusive US preview of the new Disinfo Nation TV series now breaking time-slot records on Channel 4 in the UK, featuring a behind the scenes look at the Montauk Project, a biographical short about Timothy Leary, the brain damaged snuff film carnage of "Uncle Godd**n," Salvador Dali advertising Alka Seltzer and more! Disinfo.Con 2000 will take place on Saturday February 19, 2000 at the Hammerstein Ballroom, 311 West 34th Street off of 8th Avenue in New York City. Doors open 10 am; the event starts at 11 am and finishes at 11 pm. The Ballroom is walking distance from Penn Station and The Port Authority Bus Station. There are also a limited number of rooms at a special conference rate reserved at the New Yorker Hotel, next door to the Ballroom. Passes for the 12-hour event cost $99.95 Attendees can register online at http://con2000.disinfo.com. For more information please contact Susan Mainzer or Lynn Hasty at Green Galactic, 323-466-5141 or info@greengalactic.com. Please also check out the Disinfo.Con website at http://con2000.disinfo.com. The Disinformation Company Ltd. The Disinformation Company Ltd. owns and operates the Disinformation Web site (www.disinfo.com), the leader in alternative information on the Web since its launch in September 1996. TDC recently completed production on a six program television series to air on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom beginning in January 2000. TDC also recently released the compilation CD The Best Of Moog as part of a joint venture with Loud Records, a Sony Music company. TDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of New York's Razorfish Studios, Inc. (Nasdaq: RAZF) and a cornerstone of RSUB, the Razorfish Subnetwork, an aggregation of cutting edge digital content. SOURCE The Disinformation Company Ltd. +++++ SOLDIER OF GOD #2 is currently available. This issue features ROBERT SWEET(of STRYPER fame, www.robertsweet.com)and CREED, battling the menace of Goliath and Abaddon! For ordering info- Soldier of God or www.freelinks.com/soldierofgod 32 pages(29 page story!), b+w interior, color cover. Written by Peter J. King-Art by Eric L. Kent Quest Comics will be starting a new title this spring.....CHRONICLES! Issue #1 of CHRONICLES will be available in April 2000 and feature ANGELFIRE, along with a guest appearance of Dove award nominee, HM Magazine band of the decade "90-"99- TOURNIQUET! Among the scheduled guest in CHRONICLES for this year include Dove Award winning band, BRIDE and U.W.A. wrestling champion, THE NEW YORK NIGHTMARE. Look for updates on our site about this exciting new series. Church/youth group and retailers discounts are available. QUEST COMICS "Where The End Is Just The Beginning" +++++ NEW YORK (Variety) - TNT will begin production next week on ''Witchblade,'' a movie based on the cult comic book of the same name, the cable channel said Wednesday. The story of a New York detective whose search for justice brings her into contact with an ancient living weapon that can battle evil forces, ``Witchblade'' will star Yancy Butler (''Drop Zone'') and David Chokachi (''Baywatch''). The two-hour film will begin shooting Monday in Toronto and will air in October. Insiders said it has a good shot at being turned into a regular series. Oliver Stone, who originally brought the project to TNT as a series pilot, is no longer attached. Instead, his former production partner Dan Halsted will serve as an executive producer. +++++ The Nine Rings of Wu-Tang's New Action Figures Modeled After the Popular Characters in the Hot Comic Book Series To Debut During American International Toy Fair 2000 In New York City, Feb. 10-17 Life-Philosophy of Popular Wu-Tang Clan Recording Artists Is Inspiration for Nine Rings' First Action Figures NEW YORK, Feb. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The Nine Rings of Wu-Tang, the sensational new comic book phenomenon published by Image Comics Inc, will premiere the first four in a line of action figure toys developed by D-Boy Inc. and Gibraltar Entertainment, during the annual Toy Fair 2000, February 10-17 at the International Toy Center, it was announced by Aaron Bullock, Managing Partner of the parent company, Gibraltar Entertainment. Two warriors and a villainess, the first in a line of action figure toys, will be introduced at Toy Fair 2000. They are, respectively, Prince Rakeem, modeled after Wu-Tang's RZA; Ghost Face Killah, and the wicked Kryle in Monster Form and Kryle Femme. Inspired by the philosophies and culture of the globally popular, multi-platinum recording artists, Wu-Tang Clan, The Nine Rings of Wu-Tang is an advocate for education in the areas of humanity, history, anthropology, and discipline through martial arts training. It also upholds the spiritual message of mastering mental prowess -- focusing -- as well as physical powers to destroy eviil, combat adversity and overcome life challenges. The celebrated, chart-topping Wu-Tang Clan is a consortium of nine performing artists known for their distinctive approach to Hip-Hop music; they blend martial arts into the genre. The Wu-Tang Clan is especially known for their lyrical genius; they wordsmith current-day issues into a sophisticated hip hop vernacular. Their universal message encourages youth to increase their knowledge outside of the comfort zones. "The Nine Rings of Wu-Tang" comics are regarded as top-quality books with wonder-filled illustrations, extraordinary coloring and impassioned, lively story content. The comic's forceful soul, art and editorial are driven by the genius of: Aaron Bullock, a martial arts practitioner who serves as the writer of the comic book and producer for the animated feature; comic executive Brian Haberlin, one of the industry's most talented leaders, who spawned the world-famous "Spawn," "Curse of Spawn," "Aria" and "M-Rex" comic book classics; RZA, Wu-Tang's beat-master, the force behind Wu-Tang's multi- platinum records; K.D. Andrews, also a martial arts practitioner, who developed the concept for the franchise; and gifted new-comer, prolific artist/illustrator Clayton Henry, already considered an industry pioneer at age 23 with The Nine Rings of Wu-Tang as his debut. Says Bullock, "The Nine Rings of Wu-Tang redefines comics as a 'cutting edge' source of entertainment. "Comic book readers and fans rave about these characters via the website ninerings.net. They look for the latest Nine Rings of Wu-Tang news, previews, merchandise, and they chat with the Nine Rings writers on-line and visit the sponsors' sites," declares Bullock. Since the comic book's launch in October of '99, Nine Rings has spawned other properties-including collectable sculptures, trading cards, competition-styled yo-yos, skateboards, snowboards, trading cards and t-shirts. Last week, in Paris, France, The Nine Rings of Wu-Tang characters wowed an audience of 200,000 industry leaders, buyers and collectors, at the Annual Comic Box International Comic Conference. Haberlin, as a featured guest, discussed the creation of The Nine Rings of Wu-Tang, the unique process that will bring these characters to animated life in a feature film later this year and additional spin-off comics planned for the beginning of next year. Upcoming related Nine Rings appearances include a Nine Rings of Wu-Tang national promotional tour sponsored by Ford Division at Tower Records stores, high schools, colleges and special events. Attendees have the opportunity to enter a skateboard sweepstakes at Tower Records and obtain autographs from the comic book creators and members of the Wu-Tang Clan. SOURCE Gibraltar Entertainment +++++ From Beau Yarbrough's Comic Wire at: http://www.comicbookresources.com/ THE CBLDF WANTS YOU! Neil Gaiman. Linda Medley. You. Previously, you had to be a big name comic creator to do a benefit for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. For this fall's Small Press Expo's EXPO2000 showcase comic - the proceeds of which benefit the CBLDF - the organizers are having an open call for creators to submit their work. "The 2000 version will continue the inexpensive showcase format that was such a success in 1998 and 1999," the letter announcing the call for creators reads in part. "This is an excellent opportunity for you to expose your work to new, enthusiastic readers and make a contribution to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. These books have raised thousands for the CBLDF. We're looking for even stronger sales in the direct market next year, even as we expand our distribution into the bookstore market." All the material has to be new as of August 2000, although the individual creators, naturally enough, will retain reprint rights to material. Specifications for the pages can be found online at http://www.spxpo.com/comicbook/pagetemplate.htm "The page count of your story can be from 1 to 20 pages, but all creators must contact us right away to confirm their planned strip. It is especially important we know the page count of your strip right away. If you are considering a story over 8 pages in length you need to confirm very early on as we are limited by the number of creators we can give large page counts to. "In general, we want most of the book to consist of 6-8 page stories. The most important thing for you and us is that you provide us with something complete that stands on its own. "We are excited to produce an anthology that reflects the diversity of today's small press scene. We will create a book that represents all the diversity in our incredible medium: slice of life, humor, teen angst, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, westerns, horror, etc. Play to your strengths and have fun with your piece. We ask that your story be a strong stand-alone selection and not a hype ridden ad. Honestly, a great story is the best ad your work could ever have and The EXPO Anthology is the best place to show off. The goal is to expose your work to a lot of people who have never seen it." The book is scheduled to debut at Comic-Con International in San Diego this summer, and thus the deadline for submissions is April 1. For more information, or to confirm submissions, contact Brian Clopper at WingnutIBH@aol.com. DC ANNOUNCES NEW FIGURES, THREE BEANIE HEROES ARRIVE AT WB STORE If action figures are secretly dolls, what does that make superhero bean bag dolls? That's something for the muy macho DC Comics superhero fan to ponder at the WB Store in malls across America, where three new beanie heroes have just arrived: Captain Marvel, the Martian Manhunter and the animated television version of Supergirl. And come September, the next wave of DC Direct Action Figures - the one following the set of magical characters solicited in this month's Previews catalog - arrives in stores. Once again there's a theme to the line of figures, which are split into two waves. The first figures are packaged together: Billy Batson and Captain Marvel, included with a diorama that features a sound card that simulates the roll of thunder that accompanies Billy's transformation into the World's Mightiest Mortal. The other figures are three of DC's android characters, including Hourman, JLA nemesis Amazo and the would-be JLA assassin-turned-hero Tomorrow Woman. PORTER LEAVES 'JLA' WATCHTOWER FOR METROPOLIS So, what do you do for a follow-up to being the artist on the revival of one of DC Comics' staples, "JLA," and helping make what was often a second-tier title for much of the past few decades into a certifiable hit? You draw the "Adventures of Superman." Just not yet. "No, I'm just starting Mark Waid's first story line," Howard Porter told the Comic Wire on Saturday, "Which I believe is four issues." So he'll be the artist for both outgoing "JLA" writer Grant Morrison and for the first arc under the new writer, Waid. Some creators might find leaving behind a title that's brought them their fame would be difficult. But Porter said he is ready. "I'd been on it for a while. And, then having drawn a team book for such a long time, I wanted to take a crack at drawing a single character. I had spoken with [Superman books editor] Eddie Berganza, and he offered me the gig on ['Adventures of Superman.']" So, what should fans expect from his new run in Metropolis? Who knows? "I haven't even talked to [writer J. M.] DeMatties yet," Porter said. "Grant's last story arc started running really late, and this last issue was a double-sized, which made it even later, so I've really been concentrating on it." The success of "JLA" hasn't gone unnoticed at DC, which has signed Porter to an exclusive contract for two more years. And turning his attention to DC's flagship character just makes sense for him. "Well, I think he's 'the' superhero. I mean, everyone knows Superman. And when you think of comic books, you think of Superman. At least I do." While it's too soon to say what Porter will be drawing in the new Metropolis of the 21st century, he does know what he'd like to do. "I'm going to concentrate on different areas that I wasn't able to in 'JLA.'" What hasn't Porter drawn during his tenure on Morrison's larger than larger-than-life "JLA?" "For instance, I assume I'm going to be drawing more ordinary people, like people in suits." PAT McGREAL RUNS ANOTHER LEG ON 'FLASH' Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn have left "The Flash," passing the baton to … well, no one's saying just yet. But in the meantime, look for Pat McGreal to take a few laps around the course with the Fastest Man Alive. "I'm doing two [issues] that I know of," McGreal told the Comic Wire on Sunday night, "Issues #161 and #163. I was asked to do #161 a couple a months ago, to run after Wally's honeymoon." The first issue, appearing on comic stands in April, features the secret origin of Las Vegas - a variant of how the city was really founded by mobsters in our world. "It's Jay's honeymoon and, you know, a Golden Age story and takes place in the late 1940s," McGreal said. "Sort of right around the area that Bugsy Siegel had opened up the Flamingo casino." As for June's issue of "The Flash," "It's a story of Wally and Linda shortly after they've been married," where the newlyweds "talk about their future, trying to sort it out. And then an event takes place - on I think it's page four or five - that the rest of the story takes place in the course of a heartbeat. That's the name of the story: 'Heartbeat.'" Look for cameos by the major DC heroes in the story. McGreal, of course, is no stranger to the Flash family of characters, having recently wrapped up the "Flashpoint" Elseworlds miniseries. "I have no idea how well it did in terms of sales," he said. "Apparently, it got read by a lot of people in editorial at DC, and I heard it got nothing but good reviews." THE MAN WITH A PLAN: STAN LEE HOPES TO BUY MARVEL Hey, if America Online can buy Time-Warner, surely [Stan Lee] an Internet start-up that has little to show so far other than a variety of "coming soon" promotional pages can eye Marvel Comics hungrily. That's certainly what Stan Lee, once the dominant force behind Marvel Comics, is thinking. Lee, who is now in a figurehead position at Marvel and has founded a new company, Stan Lee Media, that is working on online superhero cartoons, told "Time" magazine last week that he may well be storming the gates of the House of Ideas one day soon. "I hope we can make Stan Lee Media so big and prosperous that we can eventually buy Marvel," he's quote as saying. That's not out of the realm of possibility. Just as AOL's stock value grew valuable enough to enable the online service to buy out media conglomerate Time-Warner using the stock, so too might Stan Lee's as-yet-untested company, which has the benefit of dot com luster. While Marvel Enterprises (NYSE:MVL) closed Friday at $5 7/8 a share, Stan Lee Media (NYSE:SLEE) closed at $18 3/4 a share. So far, Stan Lee Media's business plans consist of a new team of Internet-based superheroes and a series based on superheroic versions of the Backstreet Boys (http://www.BackstreetProject.com/). +++++ From the Comics Continuum at http://www.comicscontinuum.com/: X-MEN ANIMATED UPDATE The new X-Men animated series - headed for Kids' WB! - will be called X-Men: Children of the Atom, said one of the creators involved with the show. Bob Skir told The Continuum that he and partner Marty Isenberg will be story editors of the series. The pair have teamed as story editors on several animated shows, including Beast Machines, Godzilla: The Series, Ultraforce and the upcoming Action Man. They've written for such Marvel shows as the first X-Men series and Spider-Man and developed the story bible for The Avengers. Boyd Kirkland, an animation veteran, will be producer of X-Men: Children of the Atom. Kirkland's credits include the straight-to-video movie, Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero. Skir confirmed earlier comments from Marvel's Avi Arad that the series will involve the X-Men in their early days. The series, being produced at Film Roman, is not officially scheduled yet, but should be on Kids' WB!'s lineup this fall. Although he said the animated series will not be based on this summer's movie, Skir is giving the film a thumb's up so far. "I've seen some X-Men movie footage, and I really liked it," Skir said. "It's not the traditional X-Men in terms of costumes and such, but it really works. Looks terrific." WONDER WOMAN/XENA CROSSOVER Beau Smith told The Continuum that he is writing a Wonder Woman/Xena Prestige Format one-shot that will be published by DC Comics. Smith, who works for Todd McFarlane Productions, returned from Toy Fair in New York with positive comments from his DC editors. "They love it," Smith said. "The book also has Wonder Girl, Gabrielle and Ares in it. Plus, I am coming up with two new characters that are proving to be too much fun - Bolos The Manly and his son Nicholas The Nasty. DC thinks that they might just steal the show." Eduardo Barreto will be the artist. "I have been dying to work with him for years," Smith said. Smith added that he has designed "a very cool symbol" for the crossover that unites the symbols of Wonder Woman and Xena. "The book promises to have lots of action, humor, fun, maybe a switch of costumes, and of course ... mud wrasslin'," Smith said. IMAGE'S AVIGON IN FALL Avigon, the latest project from Evil and Malice creator Jimmie Robinson, will ship this fall from Image Comics as a 56-page "graphic novella." Robinson is teaming with Che Gilson, a contributor to the Action Girl series, and Avigon is based on Gilson's book Deus Ex Machina. The project came about when Robinson decided - on his own - to adapt the work into comic form. "I had about five pages of the comic already finished when I decided to call Che' and tell her," Robinson said, "When I first saw it, I had to do it in comics. I didn't know where it was going to go, or who would publish it, I just wanted to do it." Avigon is the story of a female robot, who escapes her duties as a bodyguard to her creator, and sets out to discover the world, and herself. The conclusion is met through battles, both physical and psychological. "Well, I've been calling it the tragic story of a machine in love," Robinson said. +++++ From Comics2Film at http://www.comics2film.com Witchblade ---------- A source for TNT Networks has informed Comics 2 Film that sci-fi babe Yancy Butler has been cast in the lead role of the Witchblade TV movie. Butler will play Sara Pezzini, a NY City homicide detective who wields an ancient weapon called the Witchblade. The actress is just one of many actors cast in the movie which is scheduled to begin filming in just a few weeks in Ontario. An official announcement will be made soon by the publicity department of TNT. Butler is a C2F fave, appearing in such TV fare as Mann & Machine, Perversions of Science, Brooklyn South and South Beach. She can also seen throwing Wesley Snipes out of an airplane (and then catching him) in Drop Zone and has appeared in other action movies like Hard Target and Ravager. The official announcement for Turner Network Television came later. It revealed that David Chokachi (12 Bucks), Eric Etebari (The Murder in China Basin), Anthony Cistaro (Angel) and Will Yun Lee (Profiler) have all joined the cast of the made-for-TV Witchblade movie. Last week we reported that Yancy Butler (Drop Zone, Hard Target) had landed the lead role in the film. Witchblade is a two-hour film from Warner Bros. Television. Ralph Hemecker (Millennium, The X-Files) is set to direct from a script by J.D. Zeik (Ronin). Dan Halsted (Any Given Sunday, The Virgin Suicides) will executive-produce for Halsted Pictures, with Marc Silvestri executive-producing for Top Cow Productions. The film will premiere on TNT in October. The TNT announcement provides this description for the movie: "Witchblade is the mesmerizing story of a New York detective, Sara Pezzini (Butler), whose search for justice brings her into contact with an ancient, intelligent, living weapon so powerful it can battle Earth's darkest evil forces. Chokachi will portray fellow detective Jake McCartey, a laid back surfer who has transferred from California. Cistaro will star as Kenneth Irons, a billionaire obsessed with possessing the Witchblade and Etebari will star as Ian Nottingham, Iron's enigmatic henchman. Lee will star as Pezzini's partner Michael Yee." X-Men ----- Shoppers on the eBay Auction site got a glimpse at the fight sequence between Wolverine and Sabretooth from the X-Men movie. Four pages of storyboards depicting the sequence were listed, with photos, on the auction site. As trusted source verified that the boards were authentic, but our source also told us that Twentieth Century Fox was aware of the auction and was taking steps to put a stop to it. Sure enough, while we were double checking the auction tonight, it disappeared before our eyes. Searching eBay for "X-Men Storyboard" will fetch you a link to the sale, but clicking the link leads to a dead-end. Fortunately we were able to salvage the images before the auction was shut down. Visit the Comics 2 Film website at http://www.comics2film.com to see the images. Be warned: these should be considered SPOILERS. Thanks to Brent for the scoop! http://www.ebay.com/ FROM CORONA COMING ATTRACTIONS: For those of you who aren't satisfied with a fan trailer, Corona Coming Attractions reports that the actual trailer is now looking like it'll debut Friday, February 18th. Major releases for that weekend are said to be Pitch Black, The Whole Nine Yards, The Boiler Room, and Hanging Up. CCA also warns us to keep our eyes peeled for an X-Men standee in theater lobbies. http://www.corona.bc.ca FROM SOUNDTRACK MAGAZINE: Meanwhile the website for Soundtrack Magazine reported on February 1 that Michael Kamen (The Iron Giant, What Dreams May Come) has signed on to score the movie. http://www.soundtrackmag.com/ Spider-Man ---------- FROM ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY AND SPIDER-MAN HYPE: The Spider-Man movie continues to be a hot-topic for the internet rumor mill. A host of new casting buzz cropped up this week. While the previous rumors soundly more plausible to us, this week's set reads like retreads of old gossip and some brand-new unlikelihoods. First up is the report from Entertainment Weekly Online. Sources deemed to be highly placed at Sony allegedly told EW that Leonardo DiCaprio (The Beach), Freddie Prinze Jr. ('Down to You'), and Jude Law ('The Talented Mr. Ripley') are all hot to don the webs and are under consideration. DiCaprio's people told EW, ''He's obviously approached all the time about great-sounding ideas, but he's [got to] see the script.'' Law's rep told the magazine, ''There have been some overtures about it. Jude has been a Spider-Man fanatic since he was a kid.'' Prinze's handlers made no comment, although the actor did publicly express his enthusiasm for the role last March. http://www.pathfinder.com/ew/daily/0,2514,2561,willleonardodicapriostar .html An anonymous source at Spider-Man Hype claims that Liam Neeson (The Haunting) has actually been cast to play Green Goblin in the movie. Supposedly the actor is set to collect $6 million for the role. Neeson and probably Spidey director Sam Raimi paired in 1990 for the movie Darkman. However, if screenwriter David Koepp is adhering closely to James Cameron's scriptment, the Goblin isn't even in the movie. Spider-Man Hype points out that this could be an indication that there's more to Koepp's script than we've been led to believe. Later, the Spider-Man Hype website offered a debunking of a recent rumor regarding the Spider-Man movie. Last month one of their scoopers reported that Sony had already dropped $20 million at Digital Domain for test effects for the movie. SMH talked to a representative for Digital Domain and they said that the story was untrue. Supposedly the rumor grew out of the work the effects house did for those awesome commercials promoting Universal Studios Florida's Spider-Man attraction. At this point Digital Domain has done no work on the movie. http://www.spidermanhype.com/ Asterix ------- FROM LA REPUBBLICA: During a January 31 interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, Gerard Depardieu talked about the planned sequel the the French made Asterix and Obelix Versus Caesar. Depardieu, who plays the burly Obelix in the movies, claimed that the planned sequel will be based on Asterix and Cleopatra, and not on Asterix Legionnaire as previously reported. The actor went on to say that the movie is still being scripted and they are considering a particular actress to play the part of Cleopatra. Depardieu also hopes to see Roberto Benigni (Life is Beautiful) return in the role of Detritus. Asterix and Cleopatra was filmed once before as an animated feature. Asterix and Obelix Versus Caesar has not yet been screened in the United States. Thanks to Antonello for the scoop and translation! http://www.repubblica.it/ LETHARGiC LAD ------------- A news item appearing on the Lethargic Web Page states that a LETHARGiC LAD animated show may be in the works. According to the write up Greg Hyland, the character's creator, has been in negotiations Studio Frog, a new Toronto based animation studio. The report claims that Hyland will provide 100% of the artwork for the show. Apparently they've already completed one minutes worth of animation. Original music is also being recorded at this time. Thanks to Cinescape for the lead. http://nebula.on.ca/lethargic/ http://www.cinescape.com Batman 5 -------- FROM AIN'T IT COOL NEWS: While recent reports indicate that Warner Bros. is talking to Darren Aronofsky (Pi) about directing the next Batman movie, Ain't it Cool News has added a new wrinkle to the story. A spy, whom AICN vouches for, claims to have overheard a conversation between Aronofsky and another party. According to the spy, Aronofsky is looking to direct Batman, but is not too keen on the concept of following the Year One storyline. Allegedly the director feels the concept of Wayne whipping himself into crime- fighting shape leans heavily on Rocky-esque clichιs. The scooper claims that the filmmaker let drop that he would rather adapt Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns story instead. Aronofsky and Miller are also collaborating on a big-screen version of Miller's Ronin. http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/ FROM JETTD60'S BATMAN 5 SITE: When the trades reported that Aronofsky was in talks with WB, they also reported that the Bruce Wayne TV show was on hold. However, JettD60 of the Batman 5 website checked in with us to share his insights. Jett told us, "A source very close to the [Bruce Wayne TV show] contacted me after the story ran that the TV series has been put on hold. He did acknowledge that they are waiting for WB to make a decision on the movie series, but was adamant that [Bruce Wayne] has in no way been killed. "He goes on further saying that the 'bat-war,' between WB Film and TV, has been exaggerated," Jett told us. However the source does concede that while "WB big-wig Lorenzo DiBonaventura may be against the TV series, he may not have the final say-so towards it being greenlit." Other sources for JettD60 tell him that if the next Batman feature is a Year One story, then chances for the TV show will be greatly diminished. http://JettD60.tripod.com FROM THE BATCAVE: Fabio2 of the Batcave web site wrote to Comics 2 Film recently to respond to recent rumors about various Batman projects. First up, in spite of rumors that Darren Aronofsky has said he would rather adapt The Dark Knight Returns than Year One for a Batman sequel, Fabio2 insists it is not happening. Just to keep it in perspective, the report on Dark Knight did say that the director only mentioned it in a casual conversation. No claims were made that the notion had gone further than that. Fabio2 also insists that Year One is the only project Lorenzo DiBonaventura is considering. Should Aronofsky get the directing job, that's the movie he'll have to make. However Aronofsky hasn't signed and he is just one of many directors being considered for helming duties. Steadfast that Year One will be the next Batman movie, Fabio2 also claims that the Bruce Wayne TV show is "D.O.A." Fabio2 states, "There's no way both [Year One] and [Bruce Wayne] will co-exist, despite what others may say. As for waiting until Warner's Batman 5 plans become more concrete...plans aren't expected to properly solidify for another year. Tollin-Robbins Productions, obviously, won't wait that long." http://www.fabio2.zzn.com Dr. Strange ----------- FROM THE COMICS CONTINUUM: Rob Allstetter of the Comics Continuum reports that Chuck Russell (The Mask) "could be" attached to write and direct the Doctor Strange movie. The movie has been on the fast track ever since landing in the hands of producer Don Murphy. The source of the information is not named in the article. http://comicscontinuum.com Shi --- FROM MANIA: Billy Tucci recently spoke with Matt Brady of the Mania website about the development of this Shi motion picture. Tucci reports that the movie is now slated to lens in June for Warner Bros. The creator is headed to Hollywood this month for meetings about the production. At the same time Tucci is working on a CGI movie of his heroine. "Right now, we're working on putting together a 30 second trailer for the film," Tucci told Brady. "I've met with a number of investors who want to get on board and really see it take off. Right now, we're thinking of producing a 70 minute film." http://www.mania.com Batman ------ Early this week, news spread across the Internet that Warner Bros. had snapped up a domain name relating to the upcoming Batman sequel. Many sites suggested that, surely, the fact that WB purchased batman- yearone.com is an indication as to the direction the studio was taking with the franchise. We here at Comics 2 Film have taken a closer look and have come up with a different view of things. You see, not only did the Warner buy the aforementioned domain, but they also purchased batmanbeyonethemovie.com on the very same day. This could just as likely give credence to rumors that a live-action Batman Beyond feature is still under consideration. The studio also picked up the more generic batmanfive.com. These domains were just three of over a dozen Batman related domain names that the studio purchased on January 31, 2000. The studio likely made the January turf-grab to protect itself from the nefarious domain squatters who had already taken names like batmanyearone.com and batmanyear1.com. Here's a complete list of Batman related domains that were purchase by WB on 1/31/2000: batman5.net batmanbeyondmovie.com batmanbeyondmovie.net batmanbeyondthefilm.com batmanbeyondthefilm.net batmanbeyondthemovie.com batmanbeyondthemovie.net batmanfive.com batmanfive.net batmanv.com batmanv.net batman-yearone.com batman-yearone.net batmanyearone.net batman-year1.com batmanyear1.net As of today, none of these addresses has been attached to an actual website. Thanks to M@th for the tip. In a related story, our friends Fabio2 and Lovecraft13 over at Batcave web site have launched a campaign to get screen and comic writer Jeph Loeb hired as the writer for the Batman sequel. Lovecraft13 tells us. "Jeph Loeb is the hottest writer in the comic industry today, and his mini-series (set in Batman's early years) Batman: The Long Halloween has been one of the greatest Batman stories ever told. "Jeph Loeb, himself, is personally supporting our campaign, and we are looking for support from everyone who is interested in seeing a good Batman movie! The petition's URL is: http://homepages.go.com/~fabio2_batcave/campaign.html "Both Fabio and myself really believe we can turn some heads if we get enough signatures, and once we do he will send them up the WB food chain!" Fans: this is your chance to shape the future of the bat-franchise! X-Men ----- While attending a recent sneak preview of Pitch Black yours truly ran into the 3-D X-Men theater lobby display. Anticipating the encounter, I had concealed my digital camera in my coat pocket and snapped three pictures of the much-discussed piece of art. As described in the past, it is basically a six-foot-tall, three-dimensional model of the "X in a circle" art from the movie poster. Corona Coming Attractions unveiled the next phase of the X-Men movie poster artwork today. The latest poster reveals what is behind the X- Door. The poster depicts, backlit by the intense light seen in the earlier artwork, Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, Jean, Cyclops and Professor X. CCA also alerts readers to a display of X-Men toy photos at the Raving Toy Maniac (RTM) website. The photos depict 11 of the movie-based toys that were being shown at the Toy Fair trade show. In trailer news, CCA now reports that the trailer may appear before The Whole Nine Yards which is set to debut in theaters this Friday. However, a separate source told the website that the trailer had shipped, but theater managers will likely be asked to show it with Mission To Mars instead. (Images of the Standee and the poster can be viewed at http://www.comics2film.com) http://www.corona.bc.ca http://www.toymania.com/ The Countdown To X-Men website also gave fans a sneak peek at the upcoming X-Men movie. The site recently posted a pair of concept sketches from the production. Readers are cautioned to view them at their own risk as they do contain spoilers. http://countingdown.com/x-men/ Spider-Man ---------- According to a recent report from Ain't it Cool News Doctor Octopus and Green Goblin are set to be the villains in the Spider-Man movie. This comes from a spy that AICN reports has been 100% accurate in all reports made in the past three years. The spy reports that the information comes from a studio document. The spy also claims that the document is fairly recent as it references Sam Raimi as the director. Raimi's name hadn't worked its way into the rumor mill until early this year. Late last week the Spider-Man Hype site offered up the latest casting rumor. According to their source Jennifer Aniston (Friends) is the top contender for the role of Mary Jane. The source does not say where this bit of casting speculation comes from. http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/ http://www.spidermanhype.com Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker -------------------------------------- The feature-length, animated Batman Beyond video has been give an new release date according to a recent press release from Warner Home Video. Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker is now slated to be in stores on October 31. WB provides this description for the movie, "In this thrilling action-packed adventure, the sleeker, more dangerous and seemingly immortal Clown Prince of Crime is back to terrorize Gotham, Batman and the aging Bruce Wayne. While trying to uncover the Joker's secrets, Terry McGinnis, the new Batman, discovers the greatest mystery in the career of the original Batman -- the true story of the night Batman fought the Joker for the last time. When Bruce Wayne is almost killed in one of the Joker's new attacks, it's up to Batman Beyond to avenge his mentor and put the Joker to rest forever." Josie and the Pussycats ----------------------- Rachael Leigh Cook (She's All That) is set to star in the big screen version of Josie and the Pussycats according to a recent article in the Hollywood Reporter. Cook will play Josie and reportedly would like to perform the singing parts as well, although it's uncertain if she'll actually do that. The Archie Comics concept will be directed by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan (Can't Hardly Wait) for Universal Pictures. The movie is set to go before the cameras this summer. Riverdale Prods. will produce with Marc Platt. The article also states that Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and his wife Tracey negotiating to produce the music for the movie. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ The Tick TV ----------- Today's Daily Variety reports that fan fave Patrick Warburton has signed to play the title role in the live action TV pilot The Tick. Warburton is best known to fans as Elaine's rock-headed boyfriend Puddy on Seinfeld. He's also frequently seen terrorizing M & M's and has a role in current box-office champ Scream 3. Fans at this website have long maintained that Warburton would be the perfect actor to bring Ben Edlund's goofy superhero to life. Barry Sonnefeld, the producer of the show, has also signed on to direct the pilot episode. Sonnefeld has directed such big-budget box office fare as Men In Black and Wild, Wild West. "I've been a huge fan of The Tick for years," Sonnenfeld told Variety. "I like it even more than my 6-year-old daughter. It's really up my alley. It doesn't feel like anything on television today." Sonnenfeld, Edlund and Barry Josephson are producers on the show, which has been scripted by Edlund. Bo Welsh (Men in Black) has been named the production designer on the project. The show is slated to air on Fox TV. The Tick is set to go before the cameras in the first two weeks of April. Thanks To Kevin "Jedi" Prisock for the heads up! http://www.variety.com +++++ Hyper Active Studios Press Release 2/11/00 Hyper Active Studios is proud to announce the formation of HAS Komix, a comic book publishing arm of the production company. The first comic book release will tie in with the upcoming GODDESS motion picture. GODDESS will be written by Robert R Baker, who will also write and direct the motion picture. The first GODDESS product is the GODDESS PREVIEW EDITION comic book. The preview itself will look at the artwork from the upcoming GODDESS #1, as well as introducing the actresses that will star in the motion picture. ALYSSA ALPS will be portraying the character of WYND in both the comic books and the motion picture. Alyssa has appeared in magazines and stages around the world, and she is very excited to be part of this project. KATHRYN ALEXANDER will be portraying the character of RAYHNE in both the comic book and in the motion picture. Kathryn has appeared in numerous motion pictures such as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and many others The GODDESS PREVEIW EDITION will be available in MAY with the first issue of GODDESS hitting the shelves in JUNE. Available from finer comic book distributors world wide! +++++ From The Daily Buzz at http://www.mania.com/newsarama/index.html Marvel Novel Schedule Updated According to former line editor Keith R.A. DeCandido, the release schedule for the remaining Marvel novels in the Byron Preiss novel series has been shuffled somewhat. The novel series was halted in June 1999 due to legal difficulties between Marvel and then-publisher Byron Preiss Multimedia Company. The legal problems were recently resolved, allowing for Berkley Boulevard to publish the remaining books in the Preiss catalog. The most notable of the changes is X-Men & The Avengers: Gamma Quest Book 3: Friend or Foe by Greg Cox, which has been moved to June from its previously announced April release. The remainder of the schedule is as follows: May: X-Men Legends, an anthology featuring stories by DeCandido, Brian K. (Swamp Thing) Vaughn, Ashley McConnell, Thomas Deja, and others; and a paperback reprint of X-Men: Codename Wolverine by Christopher Golden. June: Gamma Quest #3. July through September: Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Empyre by Will Murray; Spider-Man: Emerald Mystery by Dean Wesley Smith; Generation X: Genogoths by J. Steven York; and the reprint of Spider-Man: Goblin Moon by Kurt Busiek & Nathan Archer. This fall, the Marvel novel line is slated to start up again under the Byron Preiss Visual Publications, and edited by former Marvel and Topps editor Dwight Zimmerman. ----------------------------------- Bone Lands on SPIN's Top 20 According to a release from Cartoon Books, Old Man's Cave, Volume Six of the Bone series, which has just been released, will be highlighted on the Top 20 list in the March, 2000 issue of SPIN magazine. SPIN says of the collection of the storyline originally released in the regular series: "Volume Six, a sprawling, mythic comic is spectacular." This is just the latest accolade Bone has received - currently, the Bone collections and series are printed in 13 different languages around the world, earning creator Jeff Smith a collection of international awards and commendations. "Smith's animation inspired story-telling, with its traces of Walt Kelly and Carl Barks and its impressive balancing of humor and adventure, continues to astound," says Gordon Flagg of the American Library Association Booklist. Tucci Talks Shi Movie and CGI Matt Brady, Newsarama So whatever happened to the Shi movie based on Billy Tucci's mid ‘90s hit comic series? It's still coming along, just a little slower than expected, which is the Hollywood way. "Warner Brothers is supposed to start shooting the live-action Shi movie in June, and I'll be heading out to Hollywood in the middle of the month for more meetings as well going to the premiere of the new Bruce Willis movie, The Whole Nine Yards,” Tucci says. "After I get back, we're really going to start moving fast on a Shi CGI movie. Right now, we're working on putting together a 30 second trailer for the film. I've met with a number of investors who want to get on board and really see it take off. Right now, we're thinking of producing a 70 minute film. Faerber Regular on Titans Rob Allstetter Jay Faerber said he will join Devin Grayson as regular co-writer of DC Comics' The Titans as of issue 17, which ships in May. Faerber also said that Mark Buckingham's last issue as artist will be The Titans #16. Adam DeKraker is drawing #17-19. Faerber also writes Marvel's New Warriors and will be handling two teams at the same time for a second time (he used to write Marvel's Generation X). But he said he'll have no problems with all of The Titans characters. Jurgens, Thibert Team For Captain America Rob Allstetter Dan Jurgens said that Art Thibert will be inking his pencils as he becomes writer and artist of Captain America with Captain America #36. Thibert inked Jurgens' pencils on Adventures of Superman as well as the more recent Superman/Fantastic Four one-shot. Hawkins Discusses Lady Pendragon's Future Rob Allstetter The May solicitations from Image Comics note that Lady Pendragon #11 is "11 of 12," but series creator Matt Hawkins said that doesn't mean the end of Lady Pendragon comics. "(No.) 12 will be my last issue of this story arc," Hawkins said. "A lot of this is due to time constraints. I do have every intention of doing story arcs as I come up with additional stories." Hawkins began the Lady Pendragon series before taking his current position with Top Cow Comics. Pitt in From Hell? While Brad Pitt is currently mulling over making Urban Townies with Barry Levinson, The Mexican with Julia Roberts, Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's 11 opposite George Clooney, and the recently green-lit Pearl Harbor, The Hollywood Reporter reports that Pitt has been approached to play the role of Jack the Ripper in the Highes Brothers' big screen version of Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell's From Hell. ---Hollywood Reporter Batman Beyond's Final Horizon Like all good things, Batman Beyond is coming to an end, but it's hardly a surprise ending to the show's production team. While fan response to the announced ending of the current run of Batman Beyond has mostly been akin to wailing and gnashing of teeth, co-producer Paul Dini pointed out in a WizardWorld interview that Batman Beyond was initially set for a specific, three-season run, much like the other animated WB series. "We were only going to go to 52 episodes to start with," Dini told WizardWorld. "We're taking a wait-and-see attitude right now." In addition to the feature-length Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker movie which will be released direct to video in November, the series will return for a full season – 13 episodes – in September. "The series is kept completely open-ended,” Dini said. "If the show performs well, there's always the possibility it'll come back. And if it performs well, WB would be silly not to order more episodes to freshen up the [weekly] rotation.” Fans will recall that Dini and company were brought back on for a new season of Batman: The Animated Series after the original series ended. At San Diego, Dini commented in regards to creating new episodes of Superman: The Animated Series after that series' conclusion with a wry, "I've learned to never say never," so we'll have to wait and see if Terry McGinnis wears his super-powered Batsuit past 2001. ---Wizardworld.com Grant Launches New Website For Writers Writer Steven (X-Man) Grant has announced a March 15th debut of @Venture (wwww.atventure.com), a new online fiction magazine created specifically to present prose stories written by professional comic book writers. According to Grant, a 20 year comics veteran and current author of the online column on the industry Master of the Obvious, the new site is designed to provide writers 1.) a place to keep existing creator-owned properties active; 2.) a place to introduce and establish rights to new creator-owned characters, series and other properties; and 3.) a venue for prose fiction. "Comics writers have had a very rough time over the past few years," Grant explained. "The industry-wide depression has made it very difficult for writers to introduce new creations, keep existing creations active, work in varying genres, or garner an audience, and comics companies have increasingly treated writers as interchangeable. Many comics writers are accomplished prose writers as well, but the markets for prose have shrunk considerably over the last decade as well. The World Wide Web presents a unique opportunity to change all that." Publication is open solely to published comic book writers. According to Grant, there will be no restrictions on genre or style, and @Venture encourages writers to experiment. It's also hoped writers will use @Venture as a promotional tool to market their ideas to other media, whether comic books, film and TV, or book publishers. And Grant also says this is not just a site just for comic book fans. "These are some of the most inventive writers working in any medium today, and anyone who loves fiction should be pleasantly surprised by what they find at @Venture,” he said. I'VE been in touch with a number of writers already and their enthusiasm is very strong. Damage Control To Hit the Big Screen Comic writer Dwayne McDuffie has told fans on his website (dwaynemcduffie.com) that a live-action film version of the Marvel Comic series Damage Control - the first McDuffie ever wrote - is in development at Village Roadshow (The Matrix, Deep Blue Sea) Pictures. Barry (Detroit Rock City) Levine is producing. McDuffie, who has begun work on the script for an all-new Milestone comic, which will mark the return this fall of one of the most popular characters from the former imprint he co-founded, might also have some additional "other-media" news in the near future, this time involving Milestone as well. There are rumors that 'Static' may be on the WB's slate for development as an animated television show. Zombie/Wildstorm Team on Video Game/Comic Book GameSpot News is reporting that video game developer Zombie and Wildstorm Productions are teaming to co-develop a new title called Shrapnel. According to Zombie cofounder and president Mark Long, who spoke with Gamespot, the game's plot will involve an alien invasion of Earth by bug-like creatures. While details are still sketchy, Shrapnel's story will reportedly involve bug/aliens colonizing the dark side of the moon, eventually moving it closer to Earth to alter the planet's weather cycles and overall climate, thus making it more suitable for an invasion. Game players will take the role of a member of a resistance pocket on Earth and use handheld weapons and land and air-based vehicles to fight off the alien aggressors in a game Long describes as combining the action of "Tribes with Crazy Taxi's detailed environments and free-roaming gameplay." As part of the agreement with Zombie, Wildstorm Comics will reportedly release a Shrapnel comic book just before the game's launch. Tommy (Speed Racer) Yune, will oversee the art direction of both the game and comic book, according to Gamespot. Development of the game is expected to be in the 12 to 16 months range, placing the game's release date around late spring 2001. - Gamespot News Quesada Continues With Iron Man Writer Joe Quesada – let's say that again, writer Joe Quesada, is extending his stay as scribe of Iron Man, according to this week's Yourman@Marvel. According to editor Bobbie Chase, after the departure of Kurt Busiek, she was going to take the next year to bring in various creative teams to provide limited story arcs, but as Quesada has pitched her so many more good ideas, she's revising her original plans. Quesada will continue on after his current 5-issue arc (#26-#30), for a 3-issue arc (#31-#32, plus this year's annual) that will see Tony Stark searching for his roots and "coming up with some unexpected answers.” Quesada, whose commitments to Marvel Knights and as penciler of Daredevil keep him very busy, will be joined by a co-writer, Marvel.com contributor Frank Tieri, and the pair plan to continue on with the title until at least the end of the year. For readers looking forward to the previously announced Bob Layton/David Michelinie arc, fear not – Chase has decided to release the story a stand-alone special due out this summer. And in other Marvel news, it was announced that a 16-page special, The History Of Marvels Comics, will be released as a companion to May's Marvels Comics one-shots. it's described as a condensed version of Harry N. Abrams 1991 hardcover Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades Of The World's Greatest Comics. X-Men Movie Cards Preview In Uncanny X-Men #381 Marvel Comics and Topps have announced that an "exclusive Preview Card" of Topps' upcoming X-Men The Movie Trading Card set will be packaged with this April's Uncanny X-Men #381, a continuation of X-Men:Revolution featuring the return of writer Chris Claremont to the franchise. The card, which will be clear celo-wrapped and bound into the issue, will feature a unique photo of a major character from this summer's highly anticipated film. Three additional cards will feature photos of other key characters and will be distributed with Wizard #104 and to participating comic book and hobby retailers. All four cards interlock to form a puzzle revealing one large image. "The great thing about these four cards is that this will be the first time 20th Century Fox is allowing fans to see what any of these characters look like," said Marc Patten, Topps' X-Men Project Manager. "It's a hobby exclusive promotion with bit of fun added in, as X-admirers of all ages chase down the other cards to get the complete image.” Bats Beyond to Continue? Rumors of Batman Beyond's death may have been premature and slightly unfounded after all. Responding to Internet rumors based on quotes from an assistant on the series, Kids WB Senior Vice President said that the series is "absolutely one of our top priorities for the network. The show is still totally in production and we will have 13 episodes for next season. We'll make that determination [on the series future] at the end of next season." Previously, in response to the rumors, Batman Beyond co-producer Paul Dini had confirmed that the series would return next season for 13 seasons, but has given the impression that next season's 13th episode, the series' 52nd episode would be the final episode. ---New York Post Devin Grayson on CNN.com It's always a thrill to see the comic industry get a nod from the mainstream press, and Batman: Gotham Knights writer Devin Grayson got just that with an interview at CNN.com. The interview, which was originally posted at womenCONNECT.com touches on Grayson's beginings in comics, her view of the world and how she approaches writing Batman: Gotham Knights. Check it out at: www.cnn.com/2000/books/news/02/15/comics.writer.batman/index.html +++++ From Newsarama; http://www.AnotherUniverse.com/newsarama WINNER OF THE 1997 & 1998 INTERNET "SQUIDDY" FOR BEST WEB SITE J'ONN J'ONZZ, PROFESSOR OF DCU HISTORY Martian Manhunter writer John Ostrander is going to spend the summer and early fall detailing J'onn J'onzz's secret history in the DCU. Beginning in May, Ostrander is starting a 5-part run they're calling Revelations. Each issue will be self-contained and each will detail a period of J'onn's history in the DCU after he arrived on Earth and before (with one exception) the start of JLA: Year One. According to the writer, issue #19 deals with a strange visitor and J'onn's reaction to an alien vessel that lands in Kansas farm field Issue #20 - with guest artist Tim Truman – teams J'onn up with Green Lantern Abin Sur, Hal Jordan's predecessor and reveals the relationship between the Guardians of Oa and the Manhunters from Mars. Tom Mandrake returns with the following issue (#21) as John Jones pursues a mystery in Gotham City. "What is the connection with the mysterious new figure that haunts the city - a figure people are calling the Batman? Asked Ostrander. "The fourth of our Revelations involves private eye John Jones crossing paths with P.I. Jim Corrigan. "Could this mean that the Spectre is near at hand? Seems reasonable as Tom and I return to the character for one last untold story.” Finally, the last story – with guest art by Doug Mahnke - jumps to the years of the Justice League International, "when everything was a bit whacky and J'onn ate lots of Oreos,” explained Ostrander. "Then somebody steals his cookies. Believe me, you've never seem a Martian Manhunter story quite like this one. We feel that any of these issues would be a good place for new readers to jump aboard but will also have special meaning for our regular readers and fans of the DCU in general.” NEWSARAMA DIGEST – THE BUZZ THAT WAS - While readers may still be buzzing over ruumors and speculations regarding the fate of Jenny Sparks in Warren Ellis' final issue of The Authority, either way it goes, fans of the series will be seeing a lot more of her in 2000. New series writer Mark Millar and artist John (Hitman) McCrea are teaming up for an upcoming 5-issue Jenny Sparks: The Secret History of The Authority mini-series, that for the first time will detail the still untold events between the final issue of Ellis' Stormwatch V.2 series and the first issue of The Authority. With half of Stormwatch dead and their Skywatch headquarters destroyed, Jenny, Jack Hawksmoor and Swift attempt to assemble a new team to fill the void. Each issue of the series spotlights one character from the new team - including Apollo, the Midnighter and the Engineer - and chronicles Jenny's first encounter with each of them. Issue #1 focuses on the Doctor, where he came from and how he found the Carrier, the 50-mile wide "ship" the team uses as their headquarters. Explaining why he took on the series, Millar succinctly explained, "Wildstorm is so bloody good to work with and Jenny is such a bloody good character." The series is tentatively set to begin in July, according to Millar. - Thor editor Tom Brevoort has announced whoo will be his next full-time penciler following the exit of John Romita Jr. for Amazing Spider-Man. After Erik Larsen's previously announced three-issue fill-in (issues #26-28) Captain America's Andy Kubert will sign on as regular penciler with issue #29, joining writer Dan Jurgens. Of course, while this raises the question as to who will take over as Captain America penciler, one doesn't have to look far for the answer. Jurgens will take over penciling chores with issue #36, as well as continue in his role as series writer. This will be Jurgens first ongoing monthly penciling assignment since his former Teen Titans series for DC. He'll be joined by inker Art Thibert. Asked why Jurgens is taking on Cap as opposed to just simply filling the Romita vacancy on Thor, Brevoort like Jurgens explained the Kubert expressed immediate interest in moving to Thor soon as he heard the slot was open. Brevoort also said that he feels Jurgen's strengths as a penciler are probably more suited to Captain America, an assessment he thinks Jurgens would agree with. "Without any slight to Dan, I think Andy'll make for a better Thor penciler," he said. "It's the Kubert in him, I think." - A spokesperson for Dark Horse Comics confiirmed this week that beginning in June of this year, they'll begin a publishing program based on the successful FoxKids animated series Digimon: Digital Monsters. No creative teams or further details were announced at this time. - A spokesperson for DC this week confirmed an upcoming creative change for the Wonder Woman ongoing series. Writer Eric Luke will be leaving the title as of issue #159 (June). Writer Brian (Swamp Thing) Vaughan is currently scheduled to write a two-part story arc immediately following Luke's exit (issue #160-161), joined by penciler Scott (Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E #9) Kolins. "I've already written a two-part story starring a villain I couldn't believe Wonder Woman had never before faced,” said Vaughan when reached for comment. The villain Vaughan is referring to is Batman foe Clayface, who knowing Wonder Woman was molded from clay, will seek her power for his own. And though DC has not officially named a new regular writer, the spokesperson did say Vaughan may be contributing more story arcs following his 2-issue stint with Kolins. “I know that I'm writing a few more issues, but I honestly have no idea how many or what they'll be about," he said. "I think WW is the DC character with most untapped potential, and I have a thousand ideas for her stories, but I'm waiting to hear how many issues editor Maureen McTigue needs before I decide which stories I'll go with.” Artist Matthew Clark remains with the series as its regular penciler. And speaking of Wonder Woman… - As if writing Detective Comics, Batman/Hunntress: Cry For Blood, Whiteout: Melt and his latest novel isn't keeping him busy enough, Greg Rucka is firming up a Wonder Woman graphic novel that will set Princess Diana against the Dark Knight like never before. - A representative for Todd McFarlane Producctions announced to fans on TMP's official Spawn.com website a pair of creative changes to Spawn: The Undead, following the previously announced upcoming exit of writer Paul Jenkins, along with artist Dwayne Turner with issue #9. According to the rep, joining the title as its next regular scribe is the red-hot Brian Michael Bendis, who currently writes Sam & Twitch for TMP. Bendis will be partnered with artist Ashley Wood, who will provide painted interior art for the series. Responding to the news on his own World Famous Comics (wfcomics.com) message boards, Bendis shed a slightly different light on the news. According to the writer, the announcement may be "incomplete". Bendis confirmed he and Wood would be doing a book together replacing the Jenkins/Turner Undead series, but explained that whether or not the book will continue in its current incarnation or be relaunched into a new series has not been finalized. "The only thing I know as fact is that I am writing, I have already started, and doing layouts ala Sam and Twitch. And Ash will be doing full painting," posted Bendis. "We both have a million ideas for this book, not to mention Todd's." - Marvel Comics has announced that all four issues of writer John Ostrander's and penciler Leonardo Manco's western mini-series Blaze of Glory are sold out - a noteworthy achievement for a project that almost never saw publication. The project began life in late 1997 under then Marvel editor Mark Bernardo, and was originally scheduled for release in the summer of '98 before being delayed due to what Ostrander believes were economic issues related to Marvel's bankruptcy and financial reorganization. At one time the series was in editor-less limbo when Bernardo was laid off by Marvel in late '98, until editor Tom Brevoort came to the rescue late last spring vowing to find a format in which to release the project, which at the time was nearly completed. The rest as they say, is history_ According to Marvel's Bill Rosemann, readers can expect a trade paperback collection soon due to the positive response. And what about a possible sequel? Iron Man Artist Named Iron Man editor Bobbie Chase has confirmed that artist Alitha Martinez will be penciling Joe Quesada's second Iron Man story arc (co-written by Frank Tieri), as well as a part of his current one. According to the editor, Martinez, Quesada's background assistant and penciler of the Wizard Iron Man #1/2 issue, will pencil half of issue #28 (with Sean Chen handling the other half) as well as all of issue #29. Chen returns for what looks to be his final Iron Man story - issue #30, the wrap-up of Quesada's first 5-issue arc -and then Martinez takes over for #'s #31-32. More Iron Man products More Iron Man articles Before The 4 Readers of Marvel's Fantastic Four are going to have a lot to look forward to this year. In addition to the arrival of new writer/penciler Carlos Pacheco, the FF will star in a series of mini-series and specials throughout the summer and fall. According to FF editor Bobbie Chase, the Fantastic Adventures of series of mini-series spotlighting the individual members of the team before they gained superpowers has been redubbed Before the 4. In addition to the previously announced Before the 4: Ben Grimm & Logan (May - July), by Larry Hama, Kaare Andrews and Walden Wong, the creative team of Peter David and Duncan Fegredo will take on Before the 4: Reed Richards (July-Sept), and Terry Kavanagh & Charlie Adlard are slated for Before the 4: The Storms (Oct-Dec). David replaces the writer originally signed for the Reed Ricards mini, Karl Kesel, who told Mania's Newsarama that he had to back out – "very regrettably" - over scheduling issues. According to David, the series is following the original basic premise - a sort of Young Indiana Jones-type adventure. "The basic concept at this point is that Reed is searching for an object reputed to have miraculous healing powers, so that he can use to cure a brilliant scientist," said the writer. "The problem is that the object can only be used one time...and a hideously scarred and bandaged Victor Von Doom is looking to get his hands on it as well." Speaking of the Dooms, they'll also get into the act, as John Francis Moore and Kaare Andrews are the team for this fall's Marvel Girl 3-issue limited series (Sept-Nov). And writer Chuck Dixon will tackle his second Marvel project since becoming a non-exclusive freelancer - a 3-issue Doom 2000 mini-series (Aug-Oct) with artist Leonardo Manco. The mini-series should not be confused with a one-shot annual, despite the similarity in title. Calling the story an "epic" one, Dixon explained that he can't reveal too much about the series as it would blow plot points Chris Claremont will be introducing in his last FF story arc, but told us Doom 200 basically explains the backstory to these upcoming events. "It's Doom versus a World He Never Made! You gotta love Marvel! I get to write Doom, my favorite villain of all time," exclaimed Dixon. Also tying into Claremont's final/Doom story arc is this June's Fantastic Four 2000 annual by Louise Simonson and Salvador Larroca that ties directly into the storyline. Punisher Will Not Get Code Seal Did you notice? While featuring gorgeous Tim Bradstreet art, the cover to The Punisher #1 was missing something - a Comics Code seal, the lack of which on a Marvel comic tends to raise a few eyebrows. Despite online assurances by Marvel editor Tom Brevoort that the lack of the Comics Code seal on the cover of The Punisher #1 was an oversight, and that the book had been submitted to, and approved by the Comics Code Authority, Marvel's Vice President of Retail Sales Matt Ragone said this afternoon that the 12-issue Punisher series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon is not, and will not be Comics Code approved during its entire run. "By making this book non-Code approved, it means that it won't be going through the distribution channels that Code-approved books go through, namely, it won't end up on newsstands or in Wal-Marts,” Ragone told Mania. "We knew with the talent on The Punisher, the book would be geared for the older, more mature reader, readers who would be more likely to pick the series at a comic shop rather than a mass market outlet. Ragone said that the move to make The Punisher non-Code is a return for Marvel to occasionally publish non-Code books. "This is somewhat of a new approach for Marvel,” Ragone said. "We're not planning to make every new title Code-approved, while at the