NewsOK Comics Podcast: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man 2, Supergirl Annual 1, Torch 1
Things light up with Torch #1, and it’s the end of the world as we know it in Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #2. In Supergirl Annual 1, find out the origin of Superwoman and visit a day in the life of Linda Lang.
- Matt Price
New Swamp Thing movie may be in 3-D
LOS ANGELES — At the press conferences for “Whiteout,” producer Joel Silver talked briefly about another comic-book movie that has been long in development. When asked what movies might work well in 3-D, he mentioned a new version of the DC Comics property “Swamp Thing.”
“I’ll hopefully do Swamp Thing, which is a movie we’ve had for a long time,” Silver said. “We think that would definitely be great to do in 3-D.”
Silver said some movies do work well in 3-D, and others might not, and it’s still early enough in the development of new 3-D technology that it’s important to pick and choose.
“Certain movies fit really well into that situation, and others don’t need it,” he said.
Len Wein said in 2004 he was working on a script to a “Swamp Thing” film.
“Swamp Thing” was created by Wein and Bernie Wrightson. Alec Holland was transformed into a crusading force for the swamp in moody, atmospheric comics by Wein and Wrightson in the 1970s. Writer Alan Moore turned the concept inside out during his influential run on the character in the 1980s.
The character inspired two films and a TV series, in which the muck monster was played by Dick Durock.
- Matt Price
Blackest Night putting retailers in the black
WORD BALLOONS
DC Comics announced this week that it has sold out of “Blackest Night” No. 1, which kicked off the zombie-thriller superhero tale by Geoff Johns.
A second printing will be in stores Sept. 16, along with “Blackest Night” No. 3. “Blackest Night” No. 2 is in stores now. Local stores say the issue is moving well from their shelves as well.
“It’s our bestselling comic,” said Brian “Buck” Berlin of New World Comics in Oklahoma City. He said the black ring promo, which allowed stores to order a plastic “Black Lantern” ring with every issue, helped raise awareness of the series.
“We’ve ordered more of it than any other comic, and we’re still selling out of it,” said Eric Neal, an owner of Second Chance Books and Comics in Warr Acres.
Geoff Johns to co-write Shazam script
Writer/actor Bill Birch and comic book author Geoff Johns have been hired to write a script for a film adaptation of “Shazam!” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Shazam!” is the story of young Billy Batson, who turns into the superhero Captain Marvel when he says the word “Shazam!” Shazam, the wizard who gives Billy his powers, is also an acronym for the heroes whose powers Captain Marvel bears: the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles and the speed of Mercury.
Johns was also recently announced as a writer and producer on the film adaptation of DC Comics’ “Flash.”
- Matt Price
Expansive Sterling Gates interview at Newsarama
Oklahoma’s Sterling Gates gives an in-depth interview about his upcoming plans to Newsarama’s Vaneta Rogers. Superfans should go check it out, as more hints are revealed about what the Super-team writers are building to in the coming year.
Gates also lets some information slip about the upcoming “Supergirl Annual,” but reminds readers that sometimes it’s best if not everything is spelled out.
“You’ll see a lot of Lucy Lane’s back-story in Supergirl Annual #1, and some — and I said ‘some’ — of the questions about Superwoman’s origin will be answered there,” Gates tells Newsarama. “We won’t answer everything. I think it’s fun not to know everything about a character all at once. I mean, I was obsessed with Wolverine when I was a kid because his back story was this huge mystery, and it was great to just get little bits and pieces as I kept reading.”
- Matt Price
NewsOK Comics Podcast: Ultimatum 5, Detective Comics 855, X-Men Forever 4 and Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps 3
Tiny Wolverine guest-stars as Kyle Roberts and Matt Price discuss big Wolverine’s absence in other Marvel titles this week. Also: Detective Comics 855 and a Blackest Night tie-in.
Sterling Gates confirms Kid Flash ongoing series
SAN DIEGO — An Oklahoma writer is hitting the fast lane.
Sterling Gates, an OU graduate who was born in Tulsa, was named the writer of a new Kid Flash ongoing series at Comic-Con International. The series will star the character Bart Allen and will tie into Geoff Johns’ Flash series.
“It’s too early to talk about specifics, but I’m really psyched to be working closely with Geoff Johns. We want to make the two Flash universe books as exciting as possible,” Gates said, “and I think we can do it.”
Gates is the writer of “Supergirl” and is writing a “World’s Finest” miniseries featuring characters from the Superman and Batman families of characters.
- Matt Price
Geoff Johns gives advice, scoops at spotlight panel
Eddie Berganza and Geoff Johns
SAN DIEGO — Blackest Night writer Geoff Johns kept the crowd engrossed during his Spotlight panel at Comic-Con, with tales of his days interning for Superman director Richard Donner and advice to aspiring writers. Along the way, he dropped some hints and revelations about upcoming DC storylines. Editor Eddie Berganza was on-hand with Johns to help the discussion along.
Barry Allen, the Flash who returned from the dead to the DC Universe, will be around for a while, Johns said, and is co-starring with Wally West, another Flash, in the Blackest Night: Flash series by Johns and Scott Kolins.
Blackest Night, the zombie-superhero tale currently unfolding from DC Comics, is meant to be dark and scary, Johns told attendees who might be concerned about the content. It’s intended to push the boundaries.
“It’s about the dead rising; it’s supposed to be violent … it’s supposed to be horrific,” he said.
“Blackest Night” has Green Lantern Hal Jordan front and center in the DC Comics universe. When asked why he preferred Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern that Johns has returned to the spotlight, over 1990s Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, Johns said he thought the Jordan character was more universal.
“It’s about the theme of overcoming fear,” Johns said. “We’re bombarded by things that are all about scaring us.” Green Lantern’s ability to overcome fear should resonate with everyone, he said.
Johns has no plans to leave Green Lantern anytime soon, he said, and said the villain Hector Hammond will return to prominence in the future of the title.
A large number of people at the panel thanked Johns for getting them into, or back into comics. Some wanted his advice on breaking in as a writer.
Johns recommended those looking to break into writing look for internships to hone their craft, and to check out the books The Writer’s Journey and Shot By Shot.
From his own days as an assistant, Johns told a story of wrecking Donner’s car, then calling Donner and saying, “I’m fired, right?” Johns survived the mishap, and later met with DC Comics execs while Donner worked on the film “Conspiracy Theory.”
Even after that, it took a couple of years for his project “Stars and STRIPE” to get going at DC, Johns said, advising persistence to those in the crowd.
- Matt Price
Superman books continue to build
Sterling Gates and Greg Rucka
SAN DIEGO — A group of all-stars held court on Superman at the Superman: Two Worlds panel at Comic-Con International: Geoff Johns, James Robinson, Ian Sattler, Matt Idleson, Francis Manapul, Tulsa-born Sterling Gates, Jamal Igle, James Robinson and Greg Rucka.
The upcoming Codename Patriot arc is part of the overall plan building into a major Superman storyline in 2010, said Robinson, who is writing “Superman,” currently starring Mon-El.
“General Lane has been a factor in these books, obviously, what we want to make him into is the supreme strategist,” Robinson said. “He has literally plans, and layers on top of these plans, which are all leading up to this event in 2010. We’ll see how it grows until eventually all the pieces come together and we’ll have an event that you’ll all love.”
OU graduate Sterling Gates will get his name on perhaps the most successful comic book of all time, Action Comics. He and Greg Rucka will co-write an Action-Supergirl crossover that will feature Kara at odds with her former best friend, Thara, who now wears the Flamebird costume.
Gates also talked about his new miniseries, World’s Finest, which will deal with the issue of Bruce Wayne being missing from Superman’s circle after Batman’s presumed death. Each issue of World’s Finest will pair a member of the Superman cast with a member of the Batman cast.
- Matt Price
Jonah Hex movie poster revealed
The movie poster for Jonah Hex, based on the DC Comics property, was revealed by Yahoo Movies.
