Comic Book Brain

Last Update: June 5, 2025


The expected payments from Diamond's new owner... "seem not to have been made"Bleedingcool

A lot of small companies waiting for money.


Capullo already generating art for the Batman-Deadpool crossoverBleedingcool

And more Deadpool/Batman artYahoo


Superhero movies that shoulda been hits but were not hits

Story at Collider

Ten films reviewed, like Mystery Men, Birds of Prey, and Rocketeer, among others.


Marvel puts out new Fantastic Four poster on eve of pre-ticket sales startingcomicbookmovie


Peter David ObituaryNY Times

Comic Book writer Peter David has diedUK Independent


Director Matt Shakman talks about his Fantastic Four movieVariety


Frank Miller’s 1/1 Sketch CardsSports Illustrated Collectibles


Bat Logo 2025

Okay, this probably isn't the new Bat Logo

Here comes a new Batman logoBleedingcool

"DC Has Changed Batman’s Logo Again Because the First 1 Million Times Weren’t Enough"Fandomwire


Black Panther game build is cancelledBoundingintocomics


I Want It


"Inside report" claims James Gunn's Superman movie needs to hit $500 million in box office to pay for itself and turn profitComicbook


Universal Distribution hiring ex- Diamond peopleBleedingcool


No Hall H this year from Marvel at San Diego Comic ConComicsbeat


Batman Bat Late

Batman #161 just keeps getting later and laterBleedingcool


Grouping graphic novels by author instead of by type?Comicsbeat


Review of the new The Art of Fantastic Four bookSuperhero Hype

Printed in an oversized 10″ X 14″ hardcover format, The Art of Fantastic Four is a treasure trove of Kirby’s artwork from 1961 to 1970. It contains several complete stories from issues #60, #71, #82, and #83. It also contains the king-size special Fantastic Four Annual #6..."


The science of Spiderman sticking to walls

Story at Sportskeeda


Five things that "make no sense" about SupermanComicbook

Only Five Things for Superman

The article is derived from the game that's been played around superheroes forever: the technical or scientific impossibilities. Sometimes it boils down to the the contradictions that are built into some hero's power array, that these overlapping powers would kill the user if deployed at the same time (or were even resident within the same person at the same time).

But, like most of pop culture, you have to ignore the reality scratching up from under the surface if you want to enjoy and "believe" in the phantasy spectacle of the story. "World building," however deep, cannot account for everything once you start comparing these stories to the infinitely detailed variables of reality.

Which is to say, picking out five nonsensical things about Superman is clearly clickbait.


Thunderbolted

A headline that makes little sense:

"Why Is Thunderbolts Headed Towards Becoming Marvel's 2nd Lowest Earning Film Despite Successful Run"Times Now

The A.I. brain cells are grinding together on this one:

Thunderbolts* has emerged as the biggest hit for Marvel in past few months. The movie, not [now] called The New Avengers brought back the fame and fortunes for the Studios, emerging a global hit. However, despite all the success, it is also set to become the second lowest earning MCU film...."

It is a global hit but it's also a financial loser that cannot make its production money back? This is the classic "doublethink" of the 1984 novel by George Orwell:

... the core psychological mechanism required to live under the Party’s rule — believing lies while being aware they're lies..."The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command."

After 27 days, Thunderbolts at $358,321,585 worldwide - Box Office Mojo

Why Thunderbolts* is a financial loser:

The accepted production and marketing cost for the film is estimated at $280 million, though many doubt this is the true figure—with the actual number likely higher. Even so, this means that Thunderbolts* would need to earn at least $560 million at the global box office (since theaters typically keep around 50% of ticket revenue) before it begins turning a profit.

See the Top Earning Superheroe Movies of All Time list - - currently Thunderbolts is ranked #73 without consideration for inflation.


With DC and Marvel buddying up to make a Deadpool/Batman crossover, why not go forward with a some other crossover projects, too?IGN MSN


Warner Bros has got a few hits going for them, but they're getting clobbered anywayBoundingintocomics

They've got hits with A Minecraft Movie and Sinners but its not making the difference in their finances.


July's Superman movie is the second shortest film in DCUSuperherohype

That might be a good sign, because over-long movies are a plague.


John Romita Jr and Mark Millar getting back together on Kickstarter projectComicsbeat


Cancelled Batman Forever Fans

Well, it almost happened

"Legendary" dark version of Batman Forever, aka "Shumacher work print cut" was about to be screened in Los Angeles for free, then legal things occurredAV Club


New Fantastic Four movie promo

Fantastic Four First Steps premiers in USA on July 25, 2025


Why Boston is a comic book hub MSN Boston.Com


Mission Impossible Final Reckoning at $30 million, so far, for opening weekendThe Numbers - Looks like Lilo and Stitch movie could go to $165 million over Memorial Day weekend - Hollywood Reporter

The two movies are expected to fuel the biggest Memorial Day of all time in terms of ticket sales, as well as set numerous records in their own right. While the mash-up isn't expected to be quite the same cultural phenomenon that Barbenheimer was, the potent combo of the two movies can't be ignored. Parents may take their kids to see Lilo one day, then ditch them and go see Mission sometime else over the long holiday weekend (as for a moniker, how about "Stitchin: Impossible")..."


Luke Cage and Iron Fist to be in Daredevil Season 2?Superherohype


Mafalda comic in English translationComicsbeat

There’s no real way to quantify this, but it’s quite possible that to date Mafalda is the most famous comics character in the world who has not had her books translated widely into English. Well, that’s about to change. Next month, New York Review Books is releasing Mafalda Book One, a collection of the classic Argentine comic strips by the cartoonist Quino, available in English for the first time with a new translation by Frank Wynne...."


Wait, what?

Diamond is going to stop distributing comic booksBleedingcool


Weekly bestseller: Invincible spin-off titleFiction Horizon MSN


Diamond Select Toys getting shut downMSN Fortress Solitude


Rebooting Red SonjaComicsbeat


Julie Newmar Catwoman

Julie Newmar, original Catwoman, makes rare public appearancePeople Magazine


Thunderbolts* goes to $325.7M worldwide though it loses top spot at box officeDeadline

To turn a profit, general estimates put the required worldwide gross for Thunderbolts aka The New Avengers needing to cross the $560 million mark.


Mike Deodato talks about not getting paid by Marvel for Riri Williams/ Ironheart TV show featuring the character he co-createdBleedingcool

Supposedly, this Disney+ show was filmed three or more years ago and was shelved, and is now coming out because it has to meet certain contract obligations with the cast. Which is to say, the show is "rumoured" in that internet-way that rumours are spread around, that Ironheart, as originally filmed, was "incomprehensible" and the "worst thing Disney has yet made with Marvel characters."

The other complaint I've seen, and one that occurred to me, too, when watching the trailer, is that Riri sounds like a Marvel villain ("the world shall acknowledge my greatness!")

Is Marvel carefully setting up a plot twist in which the character learns that seeking "greatness" comes with a price and isn't the way heroes generally motivate themselves to do the things they do? Is Marvel trying to appeal to an audience that will identify with a narcissistic personality type? Is this actually a throwback to ancient heroes like Beowulf, who lived and adventured as a hero trying to make their name "live forever"?


Layoffs hit Diamond Distributors staffComicsbeat


List of new comics and comic-related booksDaily Cartoonist


Image Comics August book listBleedingcool


Chicago Alternative Comics Expo coming in JuneCake Chicago


Eisner Award nominations are outComicsbeat


Krysten Ritter will be Jessica Jones again for next Daredevil TV ShowComicsbeat


Alec Baldwin Batman? Instead it was Michael Keaton in 1989Cinema Blend


New Superman Trailer


Why does Manga beat American comics? What could be the reason?Fandomwire

back in August 2022, One Piece totally crushed it by selling over 516 million copies worldwide...

"

The article makes a comparison between Manga sales and (for example) Superman sales, and approaches the subject from various angles. Worldwide, manga simply has deeper reach and higher numbers.

Manga has completely blown up in the past ten years. In 2021, the manga market represented 70% of the comic book market, and superhero comics only represented around 15%..."


Hollywood box office sure is getting unpredictableLos Angeles Times


GO TO ARCHIVES

Get into the Public Domain archives that are online at Graphic Chatter

Time to go to Disney World? Goofy 4 Mickey

Classic Film, reviews and more Cinemagraphe

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