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10/15/16 @ 6:03 pm EST
A Writer’s Commentary: Scott Lobdell talks Army of Darkness/Xena: Forever … and a Day #1, on sale now from Dynamite. Cover by Reilly Brown and interiors by Elliot Fernandez.  PAGE ONEI figured it was important to start the story at Xena’s lowest point ever. Her final battle, a dying Gabrielle in her arms… in part because it is so dramatic, but also because she is about to summon Ash Williams for help.And let’s be honest – if you are going to summon Ash Williams for help, things have to be pretty darn rock bottom! (I kid, Ash! I kid because I love!)One of the fun things about coming so late to the Xena/Gabrielle party is there is no need for “nudge, nudge/wink,wink” allusions to their relationship. I get to call her “life partner”, unambiguously. PAGE TWO AND THREEYep. Things are bad.Now, honestly, I would have preferred to use this two-page spread to establish that this village Xena was protecting has been devastated by these advancing hordes of Deadites – but the artist went in a different direction.In this version, there is no indication of a village at all… and as a result there is no sense of place, a sense of a risk that is greater than a risk to, say, Xena and Gabrielle.Also, while the coloring is gorgeous (this is the first time I’m seeing it) I have to say it adds to the “problem of place.” Rather than a village under siege with Xena as its last defender, this scene makes it seem like the battle it taking place in the pits of Hell itself.  But that’s the thing about writing, I’ll be able to adjust later in the series to make things clearer. (Or, honestly, who knows – I may be forced to abandon the idea of an overwhelmed village entirely for this scene to make sense in the larger context of the series. That is one of the strengths of being fluid… you can go with the flow.) PAGE FOUR AND FIVEStill no context.Again, I’m reading this for the first time. In black and white, it was easier to imagine background colors that would have made this feel like, say, it was outside, at night… on Earth. Our minds might have filled in the idea that this was an actual place under siege. But there’s that red again.Hmm… will definitely have to adjust my thinking re: village moving forward.On panels three and four: To me this is the great joy of writing Xena. Sure, you have drama, you have gods and monsters and epic battles… but more importantly you have the character and comedy that exists between Xena and Gabrielle. I love these two – and more importantly I love them together. PAGE SIXAnd here all my frustration with the artist over a sense of place dissolves away – because he really sells the back room of the S-Mart. With this single panel, we learn so much about Ash at a glance:We see his “world” is clearly much different than Xena’s world. This feels like a place where any of us might have worked over the years – the worn down mirror, the graffiti, those damned Employee edicts posted everywhere. (“Wait! I gotta wash my hands?! Thank god that sign is there!”)I also love how happy Ash is here: he is master of his domain, employee of the year again. He doesn’t see the graffiti or the worn mirror – he’s only concerned with that smiling visage of male confidence beaming back at him!  PAGE SEVENWell, we get some shelves here for a sense of place – I am grateful for that!(One of the things that always bother me in a comic is when we see a SIGN or a COMPUTER MONITOR that should have something written or projected on it and there is nothing there. [“Look at those security cameras! They show all those people sneaking over the fence!” Um, no. They don’t. They’re blank screens. We can see they are blank!”] Like, if we were watching a television show or a movie and someone walked down an aisle and there was a big blank sign there we would scratch our heads and wonder who puts up signs with no writing or images on them? I’ll have to be more aware of this in future issues when I get the lettering pages back.)There is Amber making an appearance! My muse! Eagle-eyed readers will recognize her from her cameo in IDW’s Galaxy Quest comic! Uh oh – I hope I won’t get sued now!(In my defense, that Amber was making out with Tim Allen! This Amber is about to make out with Bruce Campbell. So, really, it has to be two different Ambers who just share the same name! Lawsuit avoided!)There’s that red background again – which (to me) feels too much like the red from the previous scene. If I saw this coloring before now I probably would have asked for an adjustment here. PAGE EIGHTLove this page. Everything about it. Elliot Fernandez really knocked it out of the park here – and the coloring is gorgeous!While I probably could have gotten away without any reference to “enchanted summoning through time and space” because it is right there in the art… I didn’t mind punching it a little with dialogue because of what Ash reveals about himself in the dialogue.I love the fact that he’s pretty damned nonchalant about it – it has happened so many times already that he’s able to contrast the severity of this summoning against other times.It is that “Okay. This happened” attitude of Ash’s that I love. He takes the most outrageous things that happen to him in stride, but then gets so annoyed by some of the little things as we’ll see in an a bit.  PAGE NINESee? He doesn’t like being poinked!Time and space travel? Piece of cake.But do not poink him — a man has to have his limits! PAGE TEN AND ELEVENThe character work on this two-page spread is pretty awesome.(This is the same village that we saw was obliterated in the first scene – so that we got a sense here that we are only days away from the devastation about to befall these people, but… Okay, okay! I’ll let it go!)A man can only take so much poinking! PAGE TWELVE AND THIRTEENAnd here it is! The moment we’ve been waiting for: Xena and Ash on the same page, in the same place and time!I love how he is so excited to see her… even as she has no idea who the hell he is! (Ah, the fun of time travel stories!)I love how she easily dispatches him. (Yes, he’s one resourceful guy – but he’s not a warrior woman, and he hasn’t been fighting his entire life like Xena. He might be able to get a punch in here or there, sure, but he’s not about to defeat Xena. C’mon!)That said, I also love that Xena is content to hold him at bay with her sword and not run him through. She’s the best!  PAGE FOURTEEN AND FIFTEENAgain, Elliot really shines here on this two-page splash.The fury, the surprise, the determination… the fight to the draw that can leave the fans of both characters convinced their favorite would have won if the battle might go on a moment longer! PAGE SIXTEENWho else but Gabrielle can get the two of them to focus with a single word?!I love that seeing her in a state is enough to focus both Ash and Xena in a heartbeat – nothing is more important to either one of them in this moment.I also love being able to write the last panel on this page, where we see that Gabrielle is the voice of reason between these two. (Let’s face it – both Ash and Xena can get a little immature when defending their own honor. I think it is part of their charms.) PAGE SEVENTEEN AND EIGHTEENI’ll confess something here! If I could write an entire mini-series about these three sitting around a campfire, I would!But who would read it besides me?  PAGE NINETEEN AND TWENTYThe sign-painters arrived while Ash was trapped in the past!I’m a little confused by Ash’s expression on the last panel of page nineteen. It feels like the tie gag is a reference to his previous attempt at love-making having been interrupted. (If I had noticed this expression earlier, I probably would have adjusted the dialogue to reflect his expression a little more.) Maybe that’s only distracting to me. That was fun! Did you like it?! 05/09/26 @ 3:03 pm EST
We are in the age of Matthew Lillard and everyone except Quentin Tarantino seems to be happy about it. The Scream and Scooby-Doo actor has been having a bit of a resurgence lately coming shortly after Tarantino made some disparaging comments about the actor with no provocation. Many in the industry stood up for Lillard and now the actor seems to be popping up everywhere including the latest Scream film, the second season of Cross and the second season of Daredevil: Born Again. The latest news reported by multiple sites has the actor joining the cast of Man of Tomorrow, the next DC Studios film written and directed by James Gunn. Gunn, who is good friends with Lillard and has worked with him previously on both Scooby-Doo movies, posted the below image of the pair together, commenting on the news reports as “pure speculation” and saying that they are just “casually hanging out”. Most took the posts to be sarcasm and assume that Lillard is now in the film as that is where Gunn is right now, filming the project. Fans on-line have begun even more speculation as to who Lillard could be playing including various heroes and characters with the most notable being Jim Gordon from Gotham and Plastic Man, a character that Gunn and Lillard once tried to pitch as a project to DC/Warner Bros. It’s my belief that he will be a more Superman centric character such as STAR Labs Professor Emil Hamilton or police detective Dan Turpin. But that also would be pure speculation.  05/09/26 @ 2:44 pm EST
Fans of Matt Reeves’ film The Batman got excited this week because of driving in the snow. The director posted images to his social media showing test footage of the Batmobile driving in winter conditions, which were the first signs that the long-awaited sequel had begun production. Though it has been postponed many times, it is set to be released in October of 2027 and will make the first time live-action Batman and Superman films will be released in the same year. The cold weather setting has long been assumed for the film based on the timeline created in both the first movie starting on Halloween and ending on Election Day and then The Penguin series on HBO Max which took place over a week or so immediately after the flooding of Gotham. The new film will pick up right after the award-winning series which places the time frame squarely in December. The plot for the film is still under wraps, but along with returning stars Robert Pattinson, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell, Barry Keoghan and Jeffrey Wright, the project has reportedly added Scarlett Johannson, Sebastian Stan and Charles Dance. Stan is reported to be playing Gotham DA Harvey Dent aka Two-Face while Dance is said to be his father, Christopher. These castings have been reported by multiple reputable outlets but not confirmed by DC Studios or Reeves. With production having begun, the film is on track to keep its release date of October 2027.  05/02/26 @ 1:59 pm EST
James Gunn, co-head of DC Studios, has addressed the strange “partial reboot” of the DCEU and why he didn’t just start completely fresh. With the new DCU starting with the animated Creature Commandos series and the new Superman movie, certain elements from the previous regime carried over like Viola Davis as Amanda Waller and there were some questions about more recent projects like Gunn’s own The Suicide Squad and Blue Beetle. And Gunn’s first DC movie also had elements from previous films including Margot Robbie as Harley Qiunn. So why not just start over? Turns out a lot of it has to do with the John Cena lead Peacemaker series on HBO Max. According to a social media post by Gunn, “Peacemaker Season 2 deals were all in place when I became head of DC. It was either break everyone's contracts and pay out all that money and take away HBO Max's biggest show at the time or find a way to make it work. I chose the latter. Mostly tho because I love the character and the show and thought he/they could be an important part of the DCU.” Now, this has left quite a mess trying to figure out what is and isn’t cannon, and Gunn realizes this. He posted, “I've been thinking about this a lot in regards to The Suicide Squad & Blue Beetle and I've been meaning to rewatch both with an eye towards that knowing what I know now almost three years into the DCU (with a couple more years of scripts being actively filmed or created). Maybe after MoT Jenn & Steve & I can get together for a special couple podcasts to discuss. What do you guys think is potentially or definitely NOT canon from TSS & BB?” He is referring to Jennifer Holland, his wife and actress who plays Harcourt and Steve Agee who plays Economos. The three of them did the post-episode podcasts for Peacemaker season two. Doing The Suicide Squad film makes sense with its ties to Peacemaker, but the reason for the Blue Beetle is that there are talks of an animated Blue Beetle series based on the 2023 film with Xolo Maridueña continuing in the role of Jaime Reyes. The fact it’s included here confirms the animated series is still happening.  ...
04/18/26 @ 12:44 pm EST
David Harbour is heading into the jungle. The actor has joined the cast of John Rambo, an upcoming origin-story film set before the events of First Blood. Harbour will portray Major (also known in earlier films as Colonel) Sam Trautman, the tough-minded commander and mentor figure long associated with the franchise. The film stars Noah Centineo as a younger John Rambo and is directed by Jalmari Helander ( Sisu) from a screenplay by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani. The project is expected to explore the experiences that forged Rambo into one of action cinema’s most enduring figures—years before he returned home to the confrontation that launched the original 1982 film. John Rambo is backed by Lionsgate and Millennium Media, with Templeton Media and AGBO also involved, and has reportedly wrapped production in Thailand. Additional cast members include Yao, Jason Tobin, Quincy Isaiah, Jefferson White, and Tayme Thapthimthong. Sylvester Stallone—who originated the role across five films—is attached as an executive producer, alongside Anthony and Joe Russo and other producers tied to the project.  04/18/26 @ 12:24 pm EST
Deadline is reporting that Game of Thrones actor Charles Dance will be joining the cast of the upcoming The Batman Part 2, which is set to start filming in the next few weeks. While this is unconfirmed by DC Studios, Dance is believed to be playing Charles Dent, the father of Harvey Dent aka Two-Face played by fellow newcome to the franchise, Sebastian Stan. There had been many reports over the last few months of other actors turning down the role of the elder Dent which is believed to have some parallels with the role Dance is best known for, Tywin Lannister. He joins a cast that also returns Robert Pattinson, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell and that has added Scarlett Johansson in an undisclosed part. Prior to joining the Matt Reeves’ sequel, Dance appeared recently in Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein and the Peacock series Day of the Jackal. 
04/11/26 @ 11:27 am EST
FX is doubling down on one of television’s most unlikely success stories. The Emmy‑winning docuseries Welcome to Wrexham has been officially renewed for three additional seasons, ensuring the show will run through at least Season 8. The announcement comes just weeks ahead of the series’ Season 5 premiere on May 14, 2026. The series chronicles the ownership journey of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney—often credited onscreen as Rob Mac—after their 2020 takeover of Welsh football club Wrexham AFC. What began as a celebrity‑owned sports experiment has evolved into one of FX’s most successful and beloved nonfiction franchises, following the club’s extraordinary rise through the English football pyramid. FX Entertainment president Nick Grad called the renewal “nearly unheard of,” praising the creative team and the global connection audiences have formed with the club and its community. Reynolds and McElhenney echoed that sentiment in a joint statement, crediting the documentary crew and Wrexham’s rapid on‑field success for making such a long‑term commitment possible. Season 5 will continue to track Wrexham’s pursuit of promotion to the Premier League following three consecutive promotions, a feat never before achieved in English Football League history. With cameras set to keep rolling for years to come, FX has made it clear that Wrexham’s story—both on and off the pitch—is far from finished.  04/11/26 @ 11:17 am EST
As anticipation builds for DC Studios’ upcoming Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, speculation around its final unannounced role has gone into overdrive. Over the past several days, a wave of casting rumors surged online—only to be decisively debunked by director and DC Studios co‑chair James Gunn himself. The most prominent rumor centered on the alien queen Maxima, a character from DC Comics long speculated to appear in the film. An initial report from Deadline claimed that Ella Purnell, Marisa Abela, and Adria Arjona had screen‑tested for the role. Gunn fired back on Threads, calling the report “shoddy & incorrect” and stating that he had never even met two of the actresses named. He emphasized that had anyone from the outlet checked with the production, the story would have been immediately denied. Gunn further clarified that his statement was not an indirect confirmation that Maxima is in Man of Tomorrow at all. When pressed by fans, he said he was “absolutely not confirming” the character’s inclusion, while adding that the film has only one remaining role left to cast, with all major roles already announced. Shortly after Gunn posted, the Hollywood Reporter came out with its own list of finalists for the role that included Arjona, the one actress in the first report that Gunn has worked with previously, along with Eva De Dominici, Sydney Chandler, and Grace Van Patten. Another rumor floating around is that Maxima is just a cover character and that they are really casting the DCU’s new Wonder Woman. While the character’s stories are very different, the physicality of both women are similar enough and it would be a good cover if DC Studios wanted to keep the introduction of a major character quiet. Which ever it is, a decision will need to be made soon as Man of Tomorrow is slated to begin filming sometime this month down in Atlanta and is slated to be released July 9th, 2027.  ... 04/05/26 @ 4:17 pm EST
Marvel fans may finally be getting the reunion they’ve been waiting for. Mike Colter and Finn Jones were recently spotted on the New York set of Daredevil: Born Again season 3, sparking widespread excitement that The Defenders are officially back. Photos from the production show Colter and Jones alongside Krysten Ritter, who reprises her role as Jessica Jones, strongly suggesting that Luke Cage and Iron Fist are once again entering Marvel’s street-level corner. While Marvel Studios has not formally announced their return, the presence of all three actors together during filming points to a deliberate reunion rather than a coincidence. The sighting is significant because Colter and Jones last portrayed their characters during Marvel’s Netflix era, where they joined Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and Ritter’s Jessica Jones in the 2017 crossover miniseries The Defenders. With Daredevil: Born Again already reestablishing that continuity on Disney+, season 3 now appears poised to fully reassemble the team for the first time in nearly a decade. Although plot details remain under wraps, the set photos alone have reignited fan enthusiasm for Marvel’s grounded, Hell’s Kitchen–based heroes. If the reunion is confirmed on screen, Daredevil: Born Again season 3 could mark a major turning point—bringing The Defenders back together and firmly reintegrating Marvel’s Netflix characters into the broader MCU.  03/28/26 @ 1:40 pm EST
Games Workshop has officially unveiled Warhammer 40,000: 11th Edition, confirming that the next evolution of its flagship tabletop wargame will launch in June 2026. The announcement was made during the AdeptiCon 2026 preview event, where a cinematic trailer, a new starter box, and early details about rules changes were revealed. The narrative focus of 11th Edition returns players to Armageddon, one of the most iconic war zones in Warhammer 40K lore. The new storyline centers on a massive conflict between the Imperium of Man and invading Ork forces, with the Blood Angels Space Marines positioned as the headline Imperial faction opposing an Ork Waaagh!. A major lore highlight is the confirmed return of Commissar Sebastian Yarrick, a long‑standing fan‑favorite character closely associated with Armageddon’s wars. His reappearance anchors the edition firmly in classic Warhammer history while advancing the ongoing narrative following recent campaign books. The launch of 11th Edition will be accompanied by a new boxed starter set titled Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon. The set includes newly revealed Space Marine and Ork miniatures, with early previews showing updated Intercessors that blend modern Primaris design with visual callbacks to older armor marks. While the full contents of the box have not yet been detailed, Games Workshop confirmed that additional starter products at different price points will follow, continuing the company’s recent approach to onboarding new players. Unlike the dramatic overhaul that accompanied 10th Edition, early information indicates that 11th Edition is designed as an iterative update rather than a full system reset. Existing 10th Edition Codex and Supplement books will remain valid at launch, meaning players will not need to immediately replace their current army rules. Confirmed design goals include streamlined core mechanics, reduced rules stacking, and a closer alignment between narrative and matched play. Games Workshop has emphasized faster gameplay, clearer interactions, and improved balance without discarding the foundations introduced in the previous edition. Although the June 2026 release window has been confirmed, many specifics—such as the full ruleset, complete model lineup, and codex roadmap—remain under wraps. Games Workshop has stated that deeper rules previews and additional reveals will be shared in the months leading up to launch.  ... 03/28/26 @ 1:16 pm EST
While attending a comics convention this weekend, Tom King offered fans a substantive update on the long‑anticipated Mister Miracle animated series, confirming that the project has moved into a significant new phase of development. King, who serves as both lead writer and showrunner on the series, revealed that the pilot episode has now been completed. According to his comments at the event, the show is no longer in early conceptual stages but is actively progressing, with King currently involved in editing the series and writing later episodes. One of the biggest takeaways from the panel was confirmation that a voice cast has already been hired. While no names were announced, King teased that fans would be extremely excited once the cast is officially revealed, suggesting that announcements are likely forthcoming. The Mister Miracle animated series is based on the acclaimed 12‑issue comic run written by King and illustrated by Mitch Gerads. During the panel, King reiterated that the show is aiming to closely reflect Gerads’ distinctive visual style, an approach that has been a priority throughout development. This commitment aligns with previous statements that the production is pushing the boundaries of animation to faithfully translate the look and tone of the original comics. King also confirmed that the series is set within the DC Universe and that he is writing all eight episodes himself. His dual role as writer and showrunner positions the project as a deeply personal adaptation of his Eisner Award–winning work, rather than a loose reinterpretation. Although no release date was announced during the convention, King’s update makes it clear that Mister Miracle is firmly in active development rather than stalled or uncertain. The completed pilot and hired voice cast mark major milestones, signaling that the project is steadily moving forward.  ... |
