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02/17/16 @ 8:25 pm EST
Corinna Bechko, writer of Aliens/Vampirella #6, talks with co-plotter/co-creator Ian Parker about Cage Hero #4, both on sale now from Dynamite. Cover and interiors by Renato Rei.  CORINNA BECHKO: Cage Hero has a truly globe-trotting feel. When choosing exotic locations for story events, do you pick places you’ve been or do you tend to aim for places you’re unlikely to visit in real life?IAN PARKER: Based on this series, I chose to go with locations that I have never been too before. It just seems right to choose locations that seen unfamiliar to most. For me, it just gives the reader another thing to imagine while reading. CB: The theme of the grandfather/grandson bond that runs throughout the book has only strengthened as the story progressed. What do you think makes that relationship so special, and so universal?IP: I think as the story goes on, Ryder (grandson) starts to appreciate his grandfather a little bit more. As he learns more about himself, he begins to understand why his grandfather is the way he is, and why his grandfather raised him in a strict manner. The relationship is so special because both Grandpa Stone and Ryder have dealt with loss and obstacles to overcome. As the story goes on, both obstacles become tied in and they have to work together in order to overcome together. CB: Is it a challenge to convey to the different styles of combat to the art team? Or did you choose collaborators based one their familiarity with the subject matter?IP: I chose my artist based on his style from his previous work. I felt that his imagination and his portrayal of my Cage Hero characters were very close if not the same as how I saw them. To be honest, Renato and the art team made it very easy to convey the different martial art styles and moves to them. I tried to also make it as easy for them as possible. When I explained what I was looking for, I sent them a picture of every move, submission, strike you could possibly think of. I gave everything to them with such detail that there was nothing left to the imagination. It worked really well and Renato did an incredible job. CB: This issue seems like it would go great with a really energetic soundtrack. Do you ever have music in mind when writing?IP: When writing, not only did I have music in mind, but I am able to envision the movie. I can see everything happening in real time and I hope others get that same feeling while reading the entire Cage Hero series. For more information on Cage Hero #4, click here.    
05/06/25 @ 1:43 pm EST
For the first time in almost 30 years, fans can board the Event Horizon for a twisted new tale…
EVENT HORIZON: DARK DESCENT is the first expansion of the cult horror favorite since it was released in theaters by Paramount Pictures in 1997. The terrifying cinematic universe was originally created by director Paul W.S. Anderson and writer Philip Eisner, and now an innovative crew of acclaimed comic book creators – multiple Eisner Award-winner Christian Ward (writer of Batman: City of Madness), powerhouse sci-fi artist Tristan Jones (Aliens: Defiance), and rising star colorist Pip Martin (That Texas Blood) – proudly present the official prequel to the unforgettable film that has haunted fans for decades. 
Embracing the hard-R rating of the shocking movie, EVENT HORIZON: DARK DESCENT #1 (of 5 issues) will lightspeed jump into comic shops this August. Taking place before the events of the film and completely accessible to new readers, this is the unbelievable story of the final fate of the original Event Horizon crew. What really happened to Captain Kilpack and the first crew as their ship journeyed across a nightmarish realm of torments beyond imagining? Abandon all hope as demonic forces - led by Paimon, the eyeless King of Hell - unleash agony and pure evil upon the crew in a gripping story. “It's a huge privilege to be handed the keys of such a beloved film, one I take very seriously and I have some extremely exciting things up my sleeve. Big gory swings will be happening. You'll never see the film in the same light again,” Ward said. 
“I think what Christian's laying out and adding to the lore is going to surprise people. It's certainly given me a lot of gnarly, visceral stuff to chew on visually, which is always fun and knowing that this is being done directly in collaboration with the team behind the film certainly helps lock things in as something fans of the film will want to explore with us,” added Jones. “There are few films better suited for an expansion than Event Horizon. It’s a strong character-driven horror movie that hints at a whole other dimension we get to build upon. And build we shall. This is a creative team possessed by some dark and seductive muse guiding their hands through a story in which evil never loses. Strap in now — DARK DESCENT is only the beginning of the pandemonium…” series editor Nicolas Niño said. 
EVENT HORIZON: DARK DESCENT #1 (of 5 issues) is on sale August 20 with a pre-order deadline of July 14. The first issue will feature a primary cover by Jeffrey Alan Love, variant covers by Christian Ward, Martin Simmonds, and Joshua Hixson, a foil full art variant of Ward’s cover, and a sketch cover. ... 05/06/25 @ 1:31 pm EST
Film Bridge International has wrapped filming in New Jersey and New York on action-thriller The Florist, starring Dennis Quaid (The Substance), Jean Reno (Léon: The Professional), and Sky Katz (Raven’s Home). Babak Najafi (London Has Fallen) directs from a script written by Eran Creevy (Welcome To The Punch) and Scott Windhauser (Mafia Wars). The film also features Anna Schafer (The Trials of Cate McCall) and Leonidas Gulaptis (A Nice Girl Like You). The movie follows Carl Rikker (Dennis Quaid), an introverted, quiet horticulturist who loves his day job. However, he holds a dark secret – at night, he moonlights as a ruthless assassin. His identity is threatened when he forms an unlikely friendship with a teenage girl. The sales and production outfit is currently in discussions with U.S. distributors for an early 2026 release and footage will be unveiled at next week’s Marché du Film in Cannes. (via Deadline) 05/06/25 @ 1:26 pm EST
HBO's long-awaited Green Lantern series is currently in production, and it seems filming is moving forward smoothly without any major hiccups. Lanterns, which stars Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler, is the first live-action series set in James Gunn's rebooted DC Universe, which debuts on the big screen this summer with Superman. The True Detective-inspired show follows two Green Lanterns investigating a murder mystery in America's heartland, which could have major repercussions for the rest of the DCU. During an interview with Forbes, Jason Ritter, who plays Billy Macon in Lanterns, revealed the current production status for the upcoming HBO series. He confirmed that Lanterns was halfway through filming its first season, with four episodes completed thus far. Additionally, he reveals that it is a "really well-written, really fun show," the latter of which is in contrast to how the grounded sci-fi drama has been described thus far. Ritter joins a star-studded cast in Lanterns that also includes Pierre as John Stewart, Chandler as Hal Jordan, Ulrich Thomsen (The Blacklist) as Sinestro, Kelly Macdonald (Trainspotting) as Kerry, Garret Dillahunt (Raising Hope) as William Macon, and Poorna Jagannathan (The Night Of). (via MovieWeb) 05/06/25 @ 1:15 pm EST
This August, BLACK CAT is back in an all-new solo ongoing series written by superstar writer G. Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel) and drawn by rising star Gleb Melnikov (Amazing Spider-Man). Spinning directly out of Joe Kelly, Pepe Larraz and John Romita Jr.’s Amazing Spider-Man, BLACK CAT kicks off with Felicia Hardy testing her luck at being a full-fledged super hero. The series will be a radical shift for the character’s solo adventures as Black Cat finds herself battling supervillains, including many of Spider-Man’s most fearsome foes, amidst her usual high-stakes capers. But is her most recent change of heart for purely altruistic reasons or simply a way to pull off her greatest heist yet? SUPER-THIEF, SUPER…HERO?! Felicia Hardy is the BLACK CAT, the world’s slyest and most skilled super-thief! She loves a good score. The longer the odds – the better! But her entire world turned upside down after SPIDER-MAN’s brutal battle with HELLGATE in Amazing Spider-Man #8-9, so Felicia is turning over a new leaf as New York City’s newest…super hero?! The first super villain on her list – THE LIZARD! But will the Black Cat risk it all after her do-gooding moral high ground attracts dangerous attention from the lowest of the city’s underworld? Easy, KINGPIN OF CRIME, she’s still skimming off the top – honest! Don’t miss the winding road of twists and turns, laughs and mind-bending action of BLACK CAT’s next exciting chapter! The series marks Wilson’s first ongoing Marvel series since her groundbreaking run of Ms. Marvel ended. Wilson wrote a short tale starring Black Cat last year in Spider-Man: Black Suit & Blood #4. “As soon as Spider-Man: Black Suit & Blood dropped and people saw the Black Cat story, readers began to ask me ‘When are you going to write more Felicia?’ Well, the answer is: right now,” Wilson shared. “Black Cat is so much fun to work with. She's a supporting character with main character energy. And she has such a rich history that there are tons of tantalizing story threads to pull on.” “I was itching to draw more of Felicia after finishing my first Spider-Man issue, so when [Editor] Tom Groneman asked if I was interested in working on the BLACK CAT series, I typed ‘YES!’ faster than a lightning bolt,” Melnikov said. “Black leather, street-level fights, and the chance to draw our favorite usual suspects from Spidey's rogues gallery? Sign me up! Not to mention I'm very excited to work with Willow and color artist Brian Valenza.” Check out superstar artist Adam Hughes’ main cover along with variant covers by acclaimed artists Jeehyung Lee, Peach Momoko and Simone Di Meo and preorder BLACK CAT #1 at your local comic shop today!    
... 05/06/25 @ 4:45 am EST
Netflix‘s Squid Game is gearing up to release its final season on June 27, and a new trailer reveals that the games continue, and nobody is safe, not even lead character Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae). In a shockingly morbid moment, Gi-hun is brought out in a giant black gift box, which the guards use as coffins for fallen players. Curious and scared, the players approach and open the box, revealing Gi-hun inside. As he awakens, viewers are transported to the beginnings of a new game. A massive gumball machine dispenses red and blue balls, representing the fates that will determine the next challenge. Netflix teases, “Picking up from Season 2’s devastating cliffhanger, Season 3 thrusts Gi-hun (Player 456) back into the brutal heart of the games, determined to dismantle them once and for all. Still haunted by the betrayal and loss of his closest ally, Jung-bae (Player 390), Gi-hun faces new perils — including the Front Man, who shockingly infiltrated their rebellion disguised as Player 001.” (via Deadline) Trailer: https://youtu.be/Lb6v6AUFWrM 05/06/25 @ 4:32 am EST
BOOM! Studios today revealed a first look at HELLO DARKNESS #11, the terrifying continuation to the ongoing anthology series highlights a truly unique story, “ShitCan” by Evan Skrederstu with Gavin Lawson, with the published art painted directly on an underground tunnel wall, hidden from light and existing only within the darkness… The story is a bold combination of graffiti, photography, and comic art in a way never before seen in a mainstream title. Also included in this horrifying issue, “Gas Station Snacks” by Dan Watters and DANI, “Hell Horse” by Kalen Egan and Gavin Smith, “The Void That Lived in the Manor” by Shannon Hochman, plus more madcap mayhem from Robert Hack’s “I Can’t Take You Anywhere”! HELLO DARKNESS #11 features a main cover by Miguel Mercado (The Amazing Spider-Man), and variant covers by Jenny Frison (Something is Killing the Children), Mirka Andolfo (Mercy), Jae Lee & June Chung (Wolverine), and a limited BOOM! Studios Direct Reserve exclusive variant by Jenny Frison! HELLO DARKNESS #11 is the latest entry in the ongoing anthology series featuring what BOOM! Studios is known for–the best in modern Horror, Fantasy, and Mystery, not to mention the darkest stories yet from a murderer’s row of world class creators including R.L. Stine, Francesco Francavilla, Garth Ennis, Becky Cloonan, James Tynion IV, Werther Dell'Edera, John Arcudi, Ryan Sook, Cullen Bunn, Daniel Bayliss, Sas Milledge, Sarah Gailey, Liana Kangas, Marguerite Bennett, Luana Vecchio, Michael W. Conrad, Martín Morazzo, Andy Lanning, Trevor Hairsine, Steve Orlando, A.L. Kaplan, Genevieve Valentine, Ming Doyle, Jude Ellison S. Doyle, Letizia Cadonici, Sarah Andersen, Chuck Tingle, Robert Hack, and more! Everything from primal fears to modern political horrors will be explored, in the classic style of Creepy and Eerie and the contemporary chills of Black Mirror. HELLO DARKNESS is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to critically acclaimed original series, including BRZRKR by Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney; Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera; bestselling horror anthology Hello Darkness; Grim by Stephanie Phillips and Flaviano; Stuff of Nightmares by R.L. Stine and A.L. Kaplan; A Vicious Circle by Mattson Tomlin and Lee Bermejo; Ghostlore by Cullen Bunn and Leomacs; Rare Flavours by Ram V and Filipe Andrade; Underheist by David and Maria Lapham; Animal Pound by Tom King and Peter Gross; Minor Arcana by Jeff Lemire; Vicarious by Ryan Parrott and Eleonora Carlini; The Creeping Below by Brian Azzarello and Vanesa Del Rey; Bronze Faces by Shobo, Shof, and Alexandre Tefenkgi; In Bloom by Michael W. Conrad and John J. Pearson; and When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee by Gus Moreno and Jakub Rebelka. The imprint also publishes popular licensed properties, including Dune: House Corrino from Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, and Simone Ragazzoni; Power Rangers Prime by Melissa Flores and Michael YG; and The Expanse: Dragon Tooth by Andy Diggle, Rubine, and Francesco Pisa. HELLO DARKNESS #11 will be available in comic shops June 11, 2025. It is available for pre-order at your local comic shop. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including Kindle, iBooks, and Google Play.              
... 05/05/25 @ 12:02 pm EST
A secret hero that fans have speculated about in Marvel’s Thunderbolts* may have been finally confirmed. Thunderbolts*, which made its way to theaters last week, stars a ragtag team of heroes from across the MCU, but fans believe the movie features another hero that Marvel has kept hidden — Geraldine Viswanathan’s Mel, an assistant to Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). In the comics, Mel is the Thunderbolt named Songbird. While Viswanathan never displays powers in Thunderbolts*, one of the movie’s executive producers teases that it could happen at some point in the MCU future. Thunderbolts* executive producer Brian Chapek spoke to IMDb, where he elaborated on a character, possibly Mel, and how a necklace she wears foreshadows her becoming Songbird. “There is a character that fans are trying to figure out whether — is she or is she not — I would say, what emblem does she wear that may or may not hint at this character’s larger identity moving forward? Potentially. That’s what I would say,” Chapek said. (via ComicBook.com) Thunderbolts* is in theaters now. 05/05/25 @ 11:23 am EST
Akira is coming back for more John Wick ass-kicking.Rina Sawayama, who became a fan-favorite as the fearless daughter of Hiroyuki Sanada’s Shimazu Koji in “John Wick: Chapter 4,” will reprise her role opposite Donnie Yen in the franchise’s upcoming spinoff “Caine” for Lionsgate. First officially unveiled at CinemaCon, “Caine” is also being directed by Yen, and produced by franchise producers Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee (“John Wick” chapters 1 through 4, “Ballerina,” “Monkey Man”) through their Thunder Road shingle and by Chad Stahelski (“John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum,” “Day Shift,” “John Wick: Chapter 4”), who produces through his 87Eleven Entertainment production banner. Yen will also serve as an executive producer on the project. Lionsgate is set to launch sales on the project — which goes into production later this year — in Cannes. While the logline is being kept under wraps, the new film will continue the story arcs following the events of “John Wick: Chapter 4,” as Caine has been freed from his obligations to the High Table. (via Variety) 05/05/25 @ 11:10 am EST
Spike Lee has released the first trailer for his A24 and Apple-backed crime thriller “Highest 2 Lowest” starring Denzel Washington, A$AP Rocky and more. The movie will be released in theaters August 22 and stream on Apple TV+ starting Sept. 5 after world premiering later this month at the Cannes Film Festival. Written by William Alan Fox, “Highest 2 Lowest” is loosely based on Akira Kurosawa’s “High and Low,” which follows a businessman deciding whether or not to use his wealth to further his career or save a child’s life. Both “Highest 2 Lowest” and “High and Low” are reinterpretations of Ed McBain’s mystery novel “The King’s Ransom.” The film marks the fifth collaboration between Lee and Washington. “I’m just glad we got five in,” Lee said of working with Washington. “Highest 2 Lowest” also stars Ilfenesh Hadera, Jeffrey Wright, Dean Winters, John Douglas Thompson and rapper Ice Spice. (via Variety) Trailer: https://youtu.be/MZ2V8znYMSk 05/04/25 @ 11:04 am EST
This article has spoilers for the Thunderbolts* movie, so be warned… When the original cast of the Thunderbolts were announced, fans were surprised to see the main characters were Bucky Barnes, US Agent, Yelena Belova, Ghost, Red Guardian and Taskmaster. Most of these characters we in supporting roles in other people’s movies and now they were getting the spotlight. The one that stood out to a lot of people was Taskmaster played by Olga Kurylenko, who had been introduced in the Black Widow movie and was the payoff to something Loki had said all the way back to the first Avengers film. Fans had a mixed reaction to the gender-swapped villain, taking it very far away from the popular comic version. When teasers and trailers started coming out for the film, people noticed that Taskmaster didn’t seem to appear that much in the footage, giving the idea that maybe she was long for the film. Then Marvel spoiled the twist when they announced the cast of Avengers: Doomsday and it included every member of the Thunderbolts except for Kurylenko. And while director Jack Schreier has said the idea of killing off a character early on was to make the audience believe anything might happen… the majority of them went in waiting for it to happen and knowing the rest of the cast will survive. This doesn’t seem to have hurt ticket sales or fan reaction to the film, and now Marvel could take the technology that created the first Taskmaster and use it to create a new one that is closer to what the fans of the comics wanted.  |
