OK, no secret headquarters or anything, but how about a return to the “guardian monster” day? Granted, I’ll gladly accept the new version, but Godzilla and all the other Toho monsters? I say yes! But why make me wait until February 2011? OK, let’s move on to the Archie panel. Only one thing made me happy.
One of the biggest announcement was that Archie Comics will be partnering with Capcom to produce “Mega Man” comics. Writer Ian Flynn and artist Patrick “Spaz” Spaziante, the creative team behind “Sonic the Hedgehog,” will be responsible for “Mega Man” were happily signing “Mega Man” posters for fans during the show. The new series will debut in spring 2011.
Other reports (which I linked to in the Weekly Wrap-Up) say that they’re adapting the games, and while I have some ideas there that I’ve had for years (what really went on during those missions and how did it affect Rock), I’m curious to see what direction Archie takes it.
With two issues on the stands and a third due out next month, “Life with Archie” has been a big success, Pellerito said, and as a result, the publisher will launch a new magazine, “Betty Or Veronica,” with a similar format featuring “Two comic books worth of reading for $3.99,” Pellerito said. Written by Michael Uslan, the comic will invite the reader to explore the question of “Which are you?” Betty and Veronica will leave Riverdale to become exchange students and two new characters will arrive to take their places. The stories will go back and forth between Riverdale and Betty and Veronica’s travels.
I think they’re beginning to overdo it now. Besides, I’d take Betty over Veronica any day.
You know, if I wasn’t a 37 year old man in the real world. 🙂
Betty and Veronica will also star in a set of novels targeted towards middle grade readers to be published by Penguin. “Betty and Veronica: We’re With the Band” and “Betty and Veronica: Living the Dream” will be released next year, with at least one more novel and a joke book to follow.
Encouraging reading = win! Disney Publishing hosted two panels at this year’s Comic-Con. Let’s look at the first one.
The panel started with a look at two “Tron” books coming out this fall, both of which are linked closely with the new film. “Tron: Betrayal” is graphic novel that works to bridge the original movie with upcoming sequel, “Tron: Legacy.” It features a cover by Jock and interior art by Andie Tong. The book runs 128 pages with a 10 dollar price tag.
The other was an art book, so I wonder how this book connects with the Marvel offering (Marvel being owned by Disney) of the same name, or if this is a collection of that.
Next up was Mickey Mouse, who has a slew of comics set for release this fall and early 2011. There is a graphic novel based on the video game “Epic Mickey,” another original graphic novel set in the world of the video game and a restoring of the classic Carl Barks Strips which will be collected in partnership with Fantagraphics. There is even a Mickey Mouse “Choose Your Own Adventure” style book in the pipeline titled “Epic Mickey: It’s Your Call.”
This sounds as cool as the video game (which is winning me over the more I hear about it, if you recall a surprisingly lukewarm interest on my part during the E3 coverage). I also like the “Choose Your Own Adventure” idea. I loved those books as a youth, and you’ll probably see those books reviewed over at The Clutter Reports at some point. (Not so much here, because how do you do a “Chapter by Chapter” on one of those?)
It was during their Mickey Mouse discussion that Disney began to really stress their commitment to digital comic books, going as far as stating that their goal was to have everything published in both print and digital from now on. In the end of November, Disney will be releasing the “Epic Mickey” graphic novel on the Apple App Store with the first issue (of six) being available for free. The remaining issues will be available as a bundle for $8.99.
This could be a good thing.
In the realm of digital comics, Disney is working to release a motion comic version of BOOM! Studios “The Muppet Show” series by Roger Langridge. A brief teaser trailer was shown that really seemed to capture the feel and humor of the old Muppets television show. The Disney team stressed that The Muppets would be a coming back has huge franchise in the next few years.
This one I’m not too sure about. Instead of a “motion comic” (hopefully at least voiced by the Muppet performers, I haven’t seen the trailer) why not use the actual Muppets? It would convince people that a Langridge-penned Muppet Show TV (or internet) series would be great! They discussed Tron a bit more at the second panel.
Castro greeted the crowd and launched right into “Tron: Betrayal” written by Jai Nitz with art by Andie Tong. While Disney is publishing the complete, 128 page graphic novel in November, Marvel Comics is serializing the story with the first issue in stores now. Castro said that the goal of the book was to add to the overall continuity of “Tron,” and to not put out “something where we’re holding a gun to everyone’s head and saying ‘You have to spend two hundred dollars if you wanna understand everything when you go to the movie this December!’” Instead, the creative team worked to develop “something that can hold its own weight and be enjoyed on its own.” Castro hopes that the book will “enrich the experience” of the new film.
So it’s the same book? Then I’ll stick with the floppy form. Not answered was how the Tron 2.0 game (and the Landry Walker/Eric Jones comic made for SLG) would now fit into Tron continuity.
Next page: past creators remembered, and IvC2 runs some numbers.
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