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05/09/14 @ 6:41 am EST
Ande Parks Talks The Lone Ranger at Bleeding Cool! As The Lone Ranger series from Dynamite hits issue #24, it seemed like a good time for Byron Brewer to check in with series writer Ande Parks to see what he has in store for the Masked Man and his companion Tonto.
BYRON BREWER: So Ande, was this your attempt to put into comic book form the 1994 runaway bus film Speed, except this is on a train? (lol)
ANDE PARKS: I actually didn’t think of Speed, but it is a good analogy. The train’s speed is out of our heroes’ control. It creates, I hope, a tension throughout the entire issue.
This issue came from me wanting to do something very high energy and action-packed. The confined spaces of a train seemed like a good setting. Plus, I will confess that the big action sequence at the end of the Lone Ranger movie stuck with me. It featured a train, so that was probably a factor.
BB: It is taking me sometime to realize the Ranger left Silver behind on this one!
AP: I had to do some real thinking to work out what to do with the horses! I knew I wanted to have Lone Ranger leap from his horse to the train, but then what? I have Lone Ranger mention that the horses will be along soon on the last page, the idea being that they’ve been running along the rails throughout the issue, playing catch-up. Poor horses. I guess they’re used to working long hours with little reward. They’re good like that.
BB: Esteve Polls’ renderings of a runaway Iron Horse in Lone Ranger #24 are just breath-taking! The pacing and the sense of urgency in the characters enhance your script greatly. Your thoughts?
AP: I’ve been really lucky to have had Esteve interpret so many of my scripts. He’s a wonderful storyteller, and he’s perfect for these Western stories. He gives everyone in the stories, good and bad, a unique personality that really comes through. He draws the quiet moments well and, as you noted, he really delivers with the action, as well. I knew he’d make the most out of this train issue.
BB: Is it hard to find comic book artists that can portray the Lone Ranger’s time period with the rugged Western realism needed for these stories?
AP: Somewhat, yeah? Like I said, we’ve been so lucky to have Esteve, and the same goes for our whole team, including letterer Simon Bowland and colorist Marc Rueda.
Esteve sets the tone by getting the settings right. He really creates a credible world for our people to move around in, and I think that adds something to our stories. He always nails the saddles, the guns, the clothes… all that stuff. In my opinion, the realistic world Esteve creates around our characters makes their heroic deeds that much more powerful.
BB: With all the innocents involved in such a closed environment, the pacing on this tale is certainly different than some Lone Ranger fare. Was it hard to pull off?
AP: Actually, it was a little easier than an average issue. I had a certain number of action sequences I wanted to include. When I plotted out the issue page-by-page, those action moments pretty much dictated the pace for the whole thing. There wasn’t much room left to worry about!
The challenge was trying to make sure that the villains were more than just cardboard bad guys. Yeah… we wanted to keep thing moving, but you still have to get to know the villains and understand their agendas. Without that, the whole thing in meaningless.
BB: Can you tell us anything about our “unkillable” foe?
AP: The villain for this issue was born when I re-watched Ken Burns’ Civil War documentary with my kids awhile back. It got me thinking about John Brown. He was an interesting figure… a man who did some horrible things (and died himself) in service to a noble goal; to end slavery. I started to think about a character with the same zeal, but with a different goal; the emancipation of oppressed Native Americans.
So, I had an idea for a villain who might have good intentions, but I wanted to make him more interesting. In the solicitation copy for this issue, I wrote something about the heroes fighting an “unkillable” foe. I didn’t really know what that meant when I wrote it. When it came time to tell the story, I just had to figure it out. I came up with a solution that, I hope, is unique but makes sense for the character.
BB: What makes Lone Ranger and Tonto characters you continue to enjoy writing about, and ones fans never seem to tire of reading about?
AP: I realized after writing more than a dozen scripts (including our Death of Zorro book) with these characters when I realized that every one of them was, in a way, about the same thing; why these two men have decided to do this together. What binds them so closely? Their friendship is the core of the book, I think.
I also find The Ranger’s values appealing. He has been through tragedy, but he refuses to let the hardship darken his world view. He remains idealistic. Tonto is less so, and that makes the partnership more interesting.
BB: Is it hard to come up with new threats for the Ranger, locked in a period genre as it were? You certainly throw a ton of action his way in #24.
AP: It can be challenging, especially when telling single-issue stories as we have been recently. I just try to find something new for our characters to face. I start with a real world threat/theme that I find interesting, and try to add a little comic book jazz where I can.
I love the setting, and I try to mix in a little history whenever possible. It can’t be a history lesson, though. Yeah… we’re telling fairly realistic stories, but it’s still a comic book with good guys punching bad guys.
BB: Ande, any projects current or future you’d care to discuss?
AP: I’m writing a new thing for Dynamite. I don’t know how much they want to discuss that right now. I think I can say that crimes are committed. Lots of ‘em. So… keep an eye out for that. Thanks! 04/26/24 @ 9:41 pm EST
Sony has pushed its reboot of Karate Kid from December 13 this year to May 30, 2025. This has created a bit of a backward domino effect but won’t rob the year of theatrical releases. Backfilling Karate Kid‘s spot is Sony/Marvel’s Kraven the Hunter, which goes from August 30, the Labor Day weekend frame, to December 13. The Aaron Taylor-Johnson movie will have Imax and PLF screens. Kraven the Hunter will be the only R-rated movie during the holidays, directed by J.C. Chandor, it will go up that frame against Warner Bros’ animated Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim. The plus here on Karate Kid‘s move: The movie will now follow the sixth and final season of Cobra Kai, which was delayed due to the strike. The summer date will see 50% K-12 out on its opening day with great family-film spacing. Warner Bros has the weekend reserved for an untitled movie. Through five movies, the Karate Kid cinema franchise counts north of $620 million worldwide. (via Deadline) 04/26/24 @ 9:35 pm EST
The two most talked-about comic book icons of the year are co-starring in their latest team-up-series—DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: WWIII. Brought to you by two of the characters’ most legendary creators, writer Joe Kelly and artist Adam Kubert, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: WWIII is a three-issue epic that’s a must-have for fans and a perfect entry point for newcomers to Wade and Logan’s comic book adventures. The debut issue hits stands next week, and to celebrate this highly-anticipated launch, comic shops will receive a special surprise DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: WWIII variant cover! The Promo Surprise Variant Cover is an all-new take on acclaimed artist Gabriele Dell’Otto’s regular variant cover that features Wolverine in his beloved brown costume. WADE WILSON AND LOGAN AT THE ENDS OF THE EARTH - AND EACH OTHER'S THROATS! The most intensely mismatched team-up in comics and pop culture - the best there is and the merc with the mouth - undergoes a radical change in this three-part, globe-spanning saga for the ages! The mysterious Delta believes in change. Change is good. But as he sets his sights on Deadpool, and Wolverine is caught up in the plot, is the third time really the charm, or the curse? Get ready for WWIII to erupt on the scene with the wildest duo in comics! The DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: WWIII Promo Surprise Variant Cover is the latest complimentary cover delivered from Marvel to show appreciation for retailers and build excitement for readers. Check out Dell’Otto’s variant cover below and inquire with your local comic shop regarding availability.  04/26/24 @ 8:46 am EST
James Bond alum Pierce Brosnan is returning to his espionage roots. The actor is attached to star in A Spy’s Guide to Survival from director Simon Barry, the creator behind Netflix series Warrior Nun. Uri Singer’s Passage Pictures is producing the project that centers around a reclusive, retired spy who is brought out of hiding by his enigmatic new neighbor, digging up both of their secrets in the process. Barry will also write the film based on a story by him and his father, Derek Barry. The project will mark Simon Barry’s feature directing debut. “As a longtime Pierce Brosnan fan, I’m extremely grateful to have the opportunity to work alongside someone I admire for their craft, character and humanity,” said Simon Barry. (via The Hollywood Reporter) 04/26/24 @ 8:35 am EST
This June, chaos reignites when Steve Orlando’s SCARLET WITCH run returns! Teaming up with X-Men Red’s Jacopo Camagni, Orlando’s SCARLET WITCH will continue to push the limits of what Wanda’s magic is capable of as she becomes the Marvel Universe’s prime defender against deadly mystical threats—new and old! Among them will be LORE, Wanda’s demonic counterpart from 1994’s Scarlet Witch limited series. Complete with a wicked new look from Russell Dauterman, fans can check out Lore on both the cover of August’s SCARLET WITCH #3 and Dauterman’s original design sheet. In addition, Dauterman will join Camagni as an interior artist on SCARLET WITCH #3 to bring Wanda and Lore’s epic battle to life. LORE RETURNS! Scarlet Witch’s fight to reach the land of the living puts her face-to-face with her necromantic multiversal counterpart! Lore won’t stop until her death at Wanda’s hands is avenged – but another one of Wanda’s nemeses may hold the key to her survival! "Redesigning Lore was a huge treat!” Dauterman said. “Lore is an evil Wanda variant, so I wanted to contrast the design I did for our Scarlet Witch, which was meant to be magical, vibrant, and super-heroic, by going dark and sinister, with a goth, undead vibe. I’m incredible excited to also be drawing some interiors in the issue where these two Wandas face off!" Lore, who destroyed her own world before trying to conquer the multiverse, represents Wanda’s worst fear—a version of herself that’s gone mad with power! Will Scarlet Witch need her own inner darkness in order to defeat her? Preorder SCARLET WITCH #1 at your local comic shop today! 
04/25/24 @ 9:48 pm EST
Universal Pictures will release DreamWorks Animation‘s Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie on September 26, 2025, the studio said Thursday. Universal already had the release date on hold for an untitled DWA movie.Late September is a prime time to launch family friendly animated pics, going back to Open Season and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, among others, including DreamWorks Animation‘s own Abominable.In the new film, directed by Ryan Crego, Gabby (Laila Lockhart Kraner, reprising her role from the series) heads out on a road trip with her Grandma Gigi to the urban wonderland of Cat Francisco. But when Gabby’s dollhouse, her most prized possession, ends up in the hands of an eccentric cat lady named Vera, Gabby sets off on an adventure through the real world to get the Gabby Cats back together and save the dollhouse before it’s too late. (via Deadline) 04/25/24 @ 9:38 pm EST
Mutants may no longer have a homeland—but they’ll always have a home! Announced last month and launching in August, celebrated writer Gail Simone and superstar artist David Marquez’s UNCANNY X-MEN will be the second of three flagship X-titles set in the upcoming From the Ashes era. Today, fans can see the reveal of the main cover and discover more about the series! With Professor X gone and his school transformed into a nightmare reflection of itself called Graymalkin Prison, the series sees Rogue step up to be the pillar of Xavier’s dream alongside Wolverine, Gambit, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee. From their new base of operations in New Orleans, the Uncanny X-Men are back to being the outlaw heroes the world hates and fears—and the light in the darkness for mutants everywhere! Mutantkind made a big statement with Krakoa, and now, life is harder for them than ever before, but Rogue’s X-Men will be there to welcome mutants to their new found family. A core group of essential X-Men rise From the Ashes to face a world without a home – and without Professor X! All bonds among the mutant community seem to be slipping away, and Rogue reluctantly finds herself as the hero designated to bring them back together...but a fearless, malignant power is out there hunting mutants, and it has a terrible secret that may destroy what remains of the X-Men. “Most of my time lately has been spent trying to keep my brain from exploding right out of my skull from this book,” Simone shared. “It's either the fun of all my favorite mutants acting in surprising and wonderful ways, the impossibly brilliant work of the art team, or the thrilling collaboration with all the other writers, but somehow every DAY is just filled with some kind of manic joy. Ever since I took the book, I've been scribbling notes and plots and bits of dialogue day and night. I feel like a kid at a carnival. Who DOESN'T want to write Rogue and Jubilee and Gambit all the rest?” "Uncanny X-Men is the book that made me fall in love with comics,” Marquez said. “It's been a dream come true getting to work with Gail, Matt [Wilson], and the whole Marvel editorial crew under Tom to put together this story: a badass, heartfelt, action-packed, character driven X-Men mystery. I hope readers have at least half as much fun reading it as we have had making it." “I absolutely have to take a moment to praise David Marquez,” Simone added. “Not only is this going to be one of the best-looking books on the stands, he's simply an idea MACHINE and he makes every single page better than I wrote it. Anyway, come join us, we're having an X adventure and you're all INVITED!” With three flagship titles and a host of additional satellite series, the upcoming From the Ashes era will present fans with a wide range of different approaches to the X-Men’s mission. Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman’s X-MEN are ready to do whatever it takes to secure mutantkind’s future, even if it means revolution. Eve L. Ewing and Carmen Carnero’s EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN train and prepare mutants to survive the dangers they’ll inevitably face. Meanwhile, Simone and Marquez’s UNCANNY X-MEN are here to save everyone, making the world a brighter place for mutant and human alike! Check out Marquez’s main cover below! 
... 04/25/24 @ 12:24 pm EST
Today Skybound and Image Comics, in partnership with Universal Products & Experiences, revealed an impressive slate of variant covers and a first look at interior pages from Universal Monsters: Creature from The Black Lagoon Lives! #2, the next issue of the new four-issue limited comic book series from acclaimed writers Dan Watters (Home Sick Pilots, Lucifer) and Ram V (The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, Batman: Detective Comics), along with artist Matthew Roberts (Manifest Destiny), and colorist Dave Stewart (Ultramega, Hellboy). The next installment of the new Universal Monsters phenomenon hits comic book shops May 22, 2024. In addition to the main cover by Matthew Roberts and Dave Stewart, Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! #2 boasts a variant cover lineup from top artists including both an open to order cover and “classic horror” black and white 1:25 incentive variant by Francis Manapul, the continuation of a four-part 1:10 incentive connecting cover series by DANI, a 1:50 incentive variant by Stephanie Pepper, and a 1:75 incentive variant by Christian Ward. Kate Marsden has miraculously survived – but just who, or what, is the creature that she saw? As Doctor Thompson and Kate work to discover the truth, they come face to face with an elusive serial killer...who’s also the man that Kate has dedicated her life to destroying. Picking up where the original films left off, this Universal Monsters tale takes readers back to the mysterious Amazonian lagoon where terror lurks beneath its murky waters. This series is perfect for new readers and longtime fans alike. Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! is the second Universal Monsters series launch from Skybound, following James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds’ Dracula, and will be followed by Universal Monsters: Frankenstein by writer/artist Michael Walsh coming in August and more new limited series pairing the biggest names in comics with pop culture’s most iconic monsters. Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! #2 (of 4) (Lunar Codes Below SRP: $4.99) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, comiXology, and Google Play on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The full list of covers is below: Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! #2 Cover A by Matthew Roberts & Dave Stewart (Lunar Code 0324IM295) Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! #2 Cover B by Francis Manapul (Lunar Code 0324IM296) Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! #2 Cover C (1:10 Connecting Copy Incentive) by DANI (Lunar Code 0324IM297) Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! #2 Cover D (1:25 “Classic Horror” B&W Copy Incentive) by Francis Manapul (Lunar Code 0324IM298) Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! #2 Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive) by Stephanie Pepper (Lunar Code 0324IM299) Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! #2 Cover F (1:75 Copy Incentive) by Christian Ward (Lunar Code 0324IM300) 
     
... 04/25/24 @ 12:16 pm EST
A new Harry Potter audiobook series is coming to Audible. As part of a partnership with Pottermore Publishing and Audible, the two will release seven new English language audiobooks scheduled for late 2025. The audiobooks will feature a full range of character voices, with the Audible CEO citing more than 100 actors, Dolby Atmos sound design and new scoring. Each book will be released sequentially and globally. This is in addition to the original single-voice audiobook recordings by Jim Dale and Stephen Fry, which were first released in 1999 and have reached 1.4 billion global listening hours after launching on Audible in 2015.The Harry Potter audiobooks on Audible also include The Tales of Beedle the Bard performed by Jude Law, Harry Potter: A History of Magic performed by Natalie Dormer, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them performed by Eddie Redmayne, and Quidditch Through the Ages performed by Andrew Lincoln. (via The Hollywood Reporter) 04/25/24 @ 12:16 pm EST
The feast-for-the-eyes, bestselling comic book series Seven to Eternity—by fan-favorite and New York Times bestselling team of Rick Remender (Napalm Lullaby, Deadly Class, LOW), Jerome Opeña (The Avengers, The Punisher), James Harren (Ultramega, Rumble), and colorist Matt Hollingsworth (Love Everlasting, Wytches)—will be collected in its entirety into one complete compendium paperback edition this September and join the Giant Generator line at Image Comics. The Seven to Eternity Compendium will include Seven to Eternity issues #1-17 of the series with a brand new cover by Opeña and Hollingsworth. The God of Whispers has spread an omnipresent paranoia to every corner of the kingdom of Zhal; his spies hide in every hall spreading mistrust and fear. Adam Osidis, a dying knight from a disgraced house, must choose between joining a hopeless band of magic users in their desperate bid to free their world of the evil God, or accepting his promise to give Adam everything his heart desires. “I couldn’t be prouder of a project than Seven to Eternity. The sum of my relationship with Jerome, which began 20 years ago at Image on Strange Girl, you’ll find no better comic with our names on it. We’re very excited to put the entire tale in one compendium to allow a whole new audience to enjoy the entire journey,” said Remender. Opeña added: "Seven to Eternity represents seven years of my life and is one of the projects I’ve worked on that I am most proud of. I’m extremely thankful to everyone that has supported the book over the years and hopeful that new readers will be able to enjoy the book with this new Compendium Collection." Seven to Eternity Compendium paperback (ISBN: 9781534363861) will be available at local comic book shops on Wednesday, September 11 and independent bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indigo, and Waterstones on Tuesday, September 24. Seven to Eternity is also available in trade paperback and hardcover editions: Vol. 1 trade paperback - ISBN: 9781534300613 Vol. 2 trade paperback - ISBN: 9781534303218 Vol. 3 trade paperback - ISBN: 9781534306981 Vol. 4 trade paperback - ISBN: 9781534312425 Book One deluxe hardcover - ISBN: 9781534319318 Seven to Eternity will also remain available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.    
... 04/24/24 @ 5:02 pm EST
Briarcliff Entertainment has acquired domestic rights to Valiant One, a military action thriller starring Chase Stokes (Outer Banks) and Lana Condor (To All the Boys franchise), slating it for release in theaters nationwide on January 24, 2025. Check out a first-look still above. Marking the feature directorial debut of producer Steve Barnett, the film watches as a routine mission goes awry when a U.S. army helicopter crashes deep within North Korean territory. Now, a team of non-combat tech specialists, led by Captain Edward Brockman (Stokes), must navigate the hostile terrain and fend off North Korean forces as they desperately race to escort a civilian tech specialist across the treacherous Demilitarized Zone. A Monarch Media production written by Barnett and Eric Tipton, with counsel from former members of the U.S. Military, CIA and Department of Defense, Valiant One also stars Desmin Borges (Only Murders in the Building) and Callan Mulvey (The Grey Man). The film is produced by Bernie Goldmann and Alan Powell, and executive produced by Vicky Patel. Stokes served as co-executive producer. (via Deadline) |
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