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04/17/23 @ 12:37 pm EST
 DF Interview: Sean Phillips’ art brings to life a Jekyll-and-Hyde noir thriller in the ‘Night Fever’ graphic novel By Byron BrewerWho are you, really? Are you the things you do, or are you the person inside your mind? In Europe on a business trip, Jonathan Webb can't sleep. Instead, he finds himself wandering the night in a strange foreign city with his new friend, the mysterious and violent Rainer, as his guide. Rainer shows Jonathan the hidden world of the night, a world without rules or limits. But when the fun turns dangerous, Jonathan may find himself trapped in the dark. The question is, what will he do to get home? Night Fever is a pulse-pounding Jekyll-and-Hyde noir thriller about a man facing the darkness inside himself. This riveting tour of the night is a must-have for all Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips fans. I sat down with artist and buddy Sean Phillips to do more of a deep dive into this epic graphic novel. Byron Brewer: Sean, first: thanks as always for doing this interview. I don’t think I have missed you for a Brubaker/Phillips graphic novel adventure yet! And, as Ed has said, this IS “a weird one”. Second: For your tried-and-true fans, a little from my high school teachers: Compare and contrast your coming Night Fever with the B/P OGN it is closest to in style and tone (if there is one close to it). Sean Phillips: I’m always too close to these books to be that objective about them, but with a few weeks’ hindsight after finishing drawing Night Fever, I think it might be closest to Incognito in feel. Some of the parts definitely remind me of that. Not in the plot or characters but just in the weirdness. Otherwise, it’s just another of our books about a confused middle-aged man. Byron: Ed has said that this book contains “the best art of Sean’s entire career, which feels almost unbelievable. But it’s true.” Modesty accepted, your response or reaction? Sean Phillips: Well, hopefully I get better with each project but I’m never sure I accomplish what I set out to do. With this book, I had some things I wanted to try. As it is set in Europe in the 1970s, I thought I’d take some things from some of my favorite French comics from back then. A lot of French comics including Blueberry were drawn in two halves, with a horizontal gutter on every page. I thought that might be a subtle thing to work with, instead of the three tier grid I always use on my creator-owned books with Ed. I found it made for some interesting page layouts but Ed found it too different to write for that rhythm so we’re back to our usual grid on the next book. Because each page was drawn in two halves, I could draw them bigger too. Usually I work at 125% of print size but these are 200%. That means I could draw more detail while keeping to my usual pens and brushes. Byron: Talk about the world you are building here with Ed. What canvas will you be setting the readers down in when the graphic novel goes on-sale in the summer of 2023? Sean Phillips: Ed set the story in an unnamed Western European country so I decided to base it on the town of Angouleme in France as I’ve been there a few times for the comic festival and I thought it offered all the things the story needed visually. Also doesn’t hurt it’s chances of being published in France too! Byron: Introduce us to Jonathan Webb and his new friend, Rainer. Who are these men, and what is/will be the relationship between the two? Sean Phillips: Jonathan is an American editor at a book fair in France. When he can’t sleep because of jet lag, he goes out into the night where Rainer offers him a glimpse of all nocturnal treasures the city has to offer. It doesn’t go well for either of them… Byron: If my info is correct, this tale’s scribe was inspired by old Black Lizard noir novels and weird [that word again!] and sexy European comics from the ‘70s. What has been your muse, your inspiration for this new book? Sean Phillips: I looked at a few of my favorite European artists. Moebius, Bilal and Toppi all influenced me a little, but I’m way out of their league obviously. Mostly drawing this book was a great excuse to look at a lot of French comics. Byron: Can you give readers an overview of this novel, what it’s all about without spoilers? Sean Phillips: It’s about an uptight American middle-aged man who gets seduced by the bright lights of an exotic foreign city and gets in way over his head. Byron: Was there a character design or a set piece that you either really loved in the OGN or that presented unexpected difficulty? I know each of these characters is special, but was there one you could not wait to render? Sean Phillips: None of the characters were more difficult to draw than in other books but mostly I enjoyed drawing the old buildings of a French town rather than the American streets I usually have to draw. It always takes a lot of research whatever it is though. Byron: Sean, what other projects are set to rise from your artistic horizon soon? Sean Phillips: Ed and I are already deep into our next book, out in December. Apart from that, nothing else planned. Dynamic Forces would like to thank Sean Phillips for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Night Fever from Image Comics is slated to be on sale June 14th! For more news and up-to-date announcements, join us here at Dynamic Forces, www.dynamicforces.com/htmlfiles/, “LIKE” us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/dynamicforcesinc, and follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/dynamicforces. 05/10/24 @ 2:29 pm EST
Hiroyuki Sanada, star and producer of FX‘s limited series Shōgun, has closed a deal to return as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, Deadline reports. Securing Sanada, whose character’s journey to become shōgun and lead Japan to an era of peace was chronicled in the 10-episode adaptation of James Clavell’s novel, has been considered crucial to any plan to extend Shogun beyond its original installment.Other elements are still being worked out and deals are being finalized as part of an effort by FX to take Shogun to a second season in light of the big commercial and critical success of the limited series. The outcome of the effort would determine whether Shōgun would be considered a limited or drama series going forward, which could have major ramifications on the 2024 Emmy race, with the timing of the decision tied to the deadline for Emmy submissions.Shōgun is looking to move into the drama series category from the start if a determination about a potential second installment is made in time to adjust Emmy submissions. Not all the pieces are in place for that, sources said, but the significant deal with Sanada is a great start. 05/10/24 @ 2:20 pm EST
Frank Grillo has been cast in Season 2 of James Gunn‘s popular DC series Peacemaker. Gunn announced the news Friday on Instagram, revealing Grillo will reprise the role of Rick Flag Sr., the character he voices in Gunn’s upcoming animated series Creature Commandos. The Suicide Squad spinoff series starring John Cena follows the escapades of Peacemaker, a role that Cena originated on Gunn’s 2021 film. Peacemaker is a vainglorious man who believes in peace at any cost, no matter how many people he has to kill to get it. The show’s cast includes Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Chukwudi Iwuji, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick. Gunn teased last month that Season 2 had begun production. (via Deadline) 05/10/24 @ 2:15 pm EST
Top Cow Productions is pleased to share an exciting peek into the new world of Witchblade with a trailer video featuring New York Times bestselling writer Marguerite Bennett and the legendary Marc Silvestri on what's in store for readers this July from Image Comics. This new Witchblade #1 will be penned by Bennett (Animosity, Batwoman, DC Bombshells) and drawn by fan-favorite artist Giuseppe Cafaro (Suicide Squad, Power Rangers, Red Sonja). The creative duo will work closely with Silvestri (Top Cow CEO, Image Comics co-founder, and original Witchblade co-creator). Together, the team will reintroduce the this popular action-packed, crime noir series to longtime die-hard fans and new readers alike. This forthcoming Witchblade #1 will feature a reimagined origin, with contemporary takes on familiar characters, as well as fresh story arcs to hook new fans and rekindle the energy and excitement that fueled the '90s Image Revolution. New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini's life is forever fractured by her father's murder. Cold, cunning, and hellbent on revenge, Sara now stalks a vicious criminal cabal beneath the city, where an ancient power collides and transforms her into something wild, magnificent, and beyond her darkest imaginings. How will Sara use this ancient power? ...Or will she be consumed by it? Witchblade #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 17, at only $4.99 for 48 pages. The Final Order Cutoff deadline for comic shop retailers is Monday, June 24: Cover A by Silvestri and Arif Prianto - Lunar Code 0524IM221 Cover B by Giuseppe Cafaro and Arif Prianto - Lunar Code 0524IM222 Cover C Blank Sketch Cover - Lunar Code 0524IM223 Cover D (1:10 copy incentive) by Dani and Brad Simpson - Lunar Code 0524IM224 Cover E (1:25 copy incentive) by Silvestri and Prianto, virgin cover - Lunar Code 0524IM225 Cover F (1:50 copy incentive) by J. Scott Campbell - Lunar Code 0524IM226 Cover G (1:100 copy incentive) by Bill Sienkiewicz - Lunar Code 0524IM227 Cover H (1:250 copy incentive) line art by Marc Silvestri, virgin cover, B&W inks - Lunar Code 0524IM228Witchblade #1 will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.        
... 05/09/24 @ 8:01 pm EST
Ralph Ineson, the British actor whose three-decade career ranges from the Harry Potter movies to recent horror prequel The First Omen, has landed the plum part of Galactus, the antagonist in Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four. The high-profile, big-budget outing, the Fantastic Four’s first under the Marvel Cinematic Universe umbrella, has been casting up in recent weeks ahead of a planned mid-summer shoot in England. On the call sheet are Perdro Pascal as scientist Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as her hot-heated brother Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richards’ friend with body issues, Ben Grimm/The Thing. Also cast are Julia Garner as a female Silver Surfer and Paul Walter Hauser in an undisclosed role, which some have theorized could be Mole Man or the robot H.E.R.B.I.E. John Malkovich is also signed on. Matt Shakman is directing the new Fantastic Four feature, which has Marvel taking the interesting creative choice of setting the story in the 1960s, the era when the super-team was first created. Eric Pearson, Josh Friedman, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer wrote the screenplay. Peter Cameron (WandaVision) has also done some writing on the project. (via THR) 05/09/24 @ 7:49 pm EST
Mr. ZIP™ is back for a whole new generation, and his latest mission for kids is a deep dive into S.T.E.A.M. subjects across a fun-filled activity book, from the United States Postal Service® (USPS), under license with Curiosity Ink Media (a division of Grom Social Enterprises, Inc.), and distributed by Dynamite Entertainment. Children can explore science, technology, engineering, math, and even art alongside the hardworking hero of the Postal Service in this new summer release. Writer Carrie Rodell and artist Laura Catrinella have assembled 80 pages full of fun. Each page is jam-packed with mazes to solve, differences to spot, cool activities, and much more. The book focuses on S.T.E.A.M. subjects, as educators and parents look to integrate the arts alongside traditional science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines. This innovative approach to education emphasizes critical thinking, imaginative and creative approaches to academic challenges, and real-world problems. Mr. ZIP's Super Steam Activity Book is a top choice for 3-to-5-year-olds getting a head-start on critical skills and seeking fun! The USPS introduced Mr. ZIP, or “Zippy” in 1963 as a fun cartoon personification to help spur widespread usage of the new ZIP Code™ system. The USPS, Curiosity, and Dynamite are excited to celebrate the 60th anniversary of this classic American icon as he stars in a new series of licensed books. Young readers can also seek out Mr. ZIP's Windy Day to follow an adventure and have fun with liftable flaps throughout and can look forward to Mr. ZIP’s Day in the Countryside and Where’s MR. ZIP?, coming this fall.  MR. ZIP'S SUPER STEAM ACTIVITY BOOK will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ May 2024 Previews catalog and slated for release in July 2024. ... 05/09/24 @ 1:24 pm EST
The first of two new Lord of the Rings films at Warner Bros. Discovery — working title Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum — will be directed by and star Andy Serkis (Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle), with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens set to write the screenplay, along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou (Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim). The film will be executive produced by Ken Kamins, with Serkis and The Imaginarium’s Jonathan Cavendish. Release has been set for 2026. Serkis said, “Yesssss, Precious. The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle Earth, Peter [Jackson, producer], Fran and Philippa. With Mike [De Luca] and Pam [Abdy], and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our film making family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious…”. No plot points have yet been revealed about the film. (via Deadline)
05/09/24 @ 12:58 pm EST
From the New Mutants to the Hellions, discovering you’re a mutant in the Marvel Universe has never been easy, and in the wake of Krakoa, it’s going to be harder than ever! While the X-Men reintegrate into society after the fall of their mutant nation, mutants around the world still need protection, community, and guidance. In EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN, a group of young mutants will luckily be trained by two of the greatest teachers in X-Men history—Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost! Today, fans can learn more about the series and see the reveal of the first issue cover! Written by acclaimed author Eve L. Ewing and drawn by superstar Marvel Stormbreaker artist Carmen Carnero, EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN will be the final flagship X-Title to launch in the upcoming From the Ashes era. The series will introduce three all-new mutants who turn to Kitty and Emma for help with their emerging gifts: the metallic and whip-wielding Bronze, the emotion-stirring Axo, and the stealth-skilled fighter Melee! Under Kitty and Emma’s tutelage, they’ll learn not just how to survive—but to thrive! But Kitty and Emma haven’t always seen eye-to-eye, and they’ll also have lessons to teach each other, as they take up the call once more—for the children! EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN begins with Kitty trying to get as far away from all things X as she possibly can. After the actions she took during Fall of X, Kitty craves normalcy and takes a job as a regular-degular bartender. She’s definitely NOT getting ready to head up an all-new team of wayward young mutants while avoiding the watchful gaze of Emma Frost. Nothing but work, dating and staving off depression. That’s it. Let’s see how long it lasts… "Longtime fans of Kitty Pryde can count on the kinds of adventures you expect from her as a classic favorite, while I hope new and old readers alike will get to love this all-new team of young mutants," Ewing shared. "Kitty, the one-time kid sister figure of the X-Men, has to reckon with her own memories—good and bad—of being a child of Xavier as she navigates a role as leader and mentor for a new generation of mutants who are trying to make their way in a time of crisis." “The story Eve brought up really hooked me from the beginning,” Carnero said. “I found it very interesting to see Kitty away from the X-Men and trying to live a normal life in Chicago, but finding herself with young mutants who have to deal with this post-Krakoa world and Emma's plans.” On how the new cast will connect with both new and longtime fans, Ewing said, "I always try to strike a chord between appealing to veteran comics fans and new readers, but since so many people fell in love with the X-Men as teens and this book is about a team of young folks, that feels especially important to me here.” “Regarding the young mutants, I think the whole team fell in love with all three of them,” Carnero added. “I love that they are such opposites. Eve had very clear personalities, hobbies, musical tastes, how they feel… And when it came to designing them, it all developed naturally, and the whole team had a clear vision of what their final looks would be. I can't wait for readers to meet them.” 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 storytelling! Gail Simone and David Marquez’s Uncanny X-Men are outlaw heroes protect a world that hates and fears them from their home in New Orleans. Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman’s X-Men navigate the uncertain future of mutantkind while preparing for the worst in their base in Alaska. Meanwhile, Ewing and Carnero’s EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN exemplify that even in the darkest times, hope can always be found in the next generation! See Emma, Kitty, and the three new mutants they take under their wing in the debut issue’s cover and pick up EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN #1 when it arrives in September. 
... 05/09/24 @ 1:03 pm EST
Dynamite is excited to announce a thrilling addition to the new Space Ghost comic series through its partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products. One of the most influential and historic creators of all time has made his own special contribution to the saga, as Joe Quesada has illustrated a variant cover for issue #2 that will be exclusively available for retailers and fans to order at Final Order Cutoff. Space Ghost has been soaring off to a strong start already, with the first issue in stores May 1 and being showered with praise from readers, critics, and retailers. It continues the incredible momentum of Dynamite's new efforts collaborating with Warner Bros. Discovery on an expanding library of beloved licenses that kicked off with ThunderCats, one of the biggest hits of the year. Space Ghost is starting off strong as well, with practically unheard of jumps in order numbers from initial orders to the Final Order Cutoff deadline, and expected sell-through from fans. "Nobody is more blown away than me that the legendary Joe Quesada has graced us with this sensational cover for Space Ghost," said series writer David Pepose. "From his work on Daredevil to spearheading Marvel Knights, I've been a tremendous fan of Joe for years as both an artist, an editor, and as one of comics' most enthusiastic ambassadors. I truly could not be more excited to have him lend us his extraordinary talents to Space Ghost with this instantly iconic image." Joe Quesada is one of the most impactful people in the history of the American comic book industry and culture. In the early 1990s he rose to blazing success with his one-of-a-kind artwork on titles like Batman: Sword of Azrael, X-Factor, The Ray, and Ninjak. Then alongside frequent Dynamite collaborator Jimmy Palmiotti, he founded the upstart publisher Event Comics, with their flagship characters Ash and Painkiller Jane. Following that, the duo were brought on by Marvel Comics to spearhead the Marvel Knights imprint. By the year 2000, Quesada ascended as the editor in chief of Marvel, and later roles like Chief Creative Officer. In 2022 he stepped away from the publisher, returning to a focus on art as well as other ventures. Space Ghost #2 is on Final Order Cutoff the weekend of May 13. Readers can contact their Local Comic Shop to reserve this jaw-dropping cover for their collections. ... 05/08/24 @ 5:10 pm EST
Oscar winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator) will re-team with his Unhinged director Derrick Borte on the action-thriller Bear Country. Crowe will play aging but formidable club owner Manco Kapak who has been robbed by a masked gunman. Now, his aspirations of selling his club and riding off into the sunset alongside his girlfriend appear more distant than ever. Cartel bosses are breathing down his neck and a young upstart has been posing as the new guy in town eager to purchase the club. Borte, alongside Daniel Forte (American Dreamer), wrote the screenplay based on the Thomas Perry novel, Strip. A Higher Standard will handle sales at the Cannes market. The production is due to begin principal photography in October on the Gold Coast of Australia. (via Deadline) 05/08/24 @ 5:09 pm EST
The actress, best known for her key role in You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, has been cast as the titular heroine in Nickelodeon Studios’ new live-action Dora the Explorer feature being made for Paramount+ and Nickelodeon.Alberto Belli, who directed Disney+ holiday feature The Naughty Nine and episodes of Disney show Ultra Violet and Black Scorpion, is helming the new production that has a working title of Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado.Written by J.T. Billings , the script follows as Dora, her cousin Diego and their new friends trek through perilous dangers of the Amazonian jungle in search of the ancient treasure of Sol Dorado in order to keep this powerful treasure out of enemy hands. (via THR) |
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