Archive Page 2190

December 2023

"Like It Or Not" but The Marvels has bombed in every measureable way – Forbes Magazine talks about that and in other box office news says that the Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes led the weekend in earnings.

McFarlane Toys and Hasbro doing new figures for Transformers, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, G.I. Joe, and Dungeons & Dragons – Comicbook

Controversy around Uderzo painting for Astérix and Obelix that was up for auction. Uderzo estate said it was stolen 5 decades ago – Artnet

The gouache drawing is by the late French illustrator Albert Uderzo, co-creator (with René Goscinny) and illustrator of the series, and shows Cleopatra and the two French heroes Astérix and Obelix. It echoes the composition of the poster for the 1963 film Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Rex Harrison, in which the Egyptian ruler reclines while flanked by the two men. Brussels auction house Millon had estimated the piece to sell for about $430,000 to $540,000. The auction house’s director general, Arnaud de Partz, told AFP that buyers may have been scared off by the legal complaint.

Shareholder wars: Disney major stock holder Ancora Holdings wants to make a deal over shareholder revolt by Nelson Peltz – Letter at Businesswire and more story about this at Pirates & Princesses.net

Comic book, superheroes and anime Comic Con in Delhi, India – MSN Times of India

"Merry Little Batmen" - description at Amazon prime for new 1 hour, 36 minute movie:

...Damian Wayne wants to be a superhero like his dad – the one and only Batman. When Damian is left home alone while Batman takes on Gotham's worst supervillains on Christmas Eve, he stumbles upon a villainous plot to steal Christmas and leaps at the chance to save the day."

Did Marvel yank stories from Predator The Original Years Omnibus Vol 2 due to racial content? – Bleedingcool

Marvel's most all-powerful God doesn't actually show up but is sometimes depicted as Jack Kirby, among others – CBR

...the One-Above-All is portrayed not as a character, but as force of nature

...

The "most coveted role in comics" – Kickstarter’s Head of Comics – Job opening up, story at ComicsBeat

Steve Ditko Estate and Marvel make deal on copyrights for Doctor Strange and Spider-Man

Story at Reuters

The article briefly summarizes the actions in the case, which is that Ditko Estate exercised copyright termination rights in 2021, notifying Marvel they were reclaiming the Spider-Man and Doctor Strange properties.

Marvel/Disney argued the works from 1962-1966, where Ditko created and co-created, wrote and drew Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, was all work-for-hire which meant no copyright could be claimed.

The Ditko estate responded that

"he was a freelancer who developed his heroes and stories independently, and that Marvel intentionally avoided hiring him because of the "dire state of its business" at the time."

The deal details between the Ditko Estate and Marvel/Disney were not revealed.

Marvel to "soft reboot" and recast movie roles of Black Widow, Captain America and Iron Man?

Story at Bounding into Comics

Thunderbolts the comic book vs Thunderbolts the Movie – Gamesradar

Is Hollywood turning to gaming movies as the new "comic book movie" style cash cow? – Los Angeles Times

Black History Month Marvel book covers – Superhero Hype MSN

I was so appalled at the way a comic retailer was being harassed and bullied by a digital mob this week just for saying comic-books are going in the wrong direction I had to talk to him. Here is my interview with Glenn O'Leary from this afternoon...https://t.co/IyIJ0K2Yy8 pic.twitter.com/u2oXXRlLUy

— Millarworld (@mrmarkmillar) December 6, 2023

Millarworld catalog moving to Dark Horse – Forbes

Under this deal, the company (founded and fronted by president Mike Richardson) takes over from Image Comics as the brand-new publishing home of Mark Millar’s creator-owned titles.

The 12 cent comic selling for $44K

Story at Business Insider

The Marvels indicates the mounting problems within the MCU – LA Times

Article doesn't project forward into the ongoing troubles for example the already shot new Captain America, originally meant for 2024 release, is being completely reshot for 2025, apparently featuring the new Captain America fighting Red Hulk (say the rumours).

Disney "pulls" The Marvels from cinema run, but also leaves it in theaters through January 1, 2024 – MSN Variety – this looks like a dodge to not have bad press every weekend showing the film getting steamrolled by the competition, but to leave it in some theaters hoping to pick up whatever dollars can be found.

The superhero sequel is officially the lowest-grossing installment in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After four weeks on the big screen, the comic book tentpole is running out of steam with $80 million in North America and $197 million globally. There would typically be optimism that attendance could rebound over the busy holiday season, but Disney apparently doesn't expect that to be the case because it won't be reporting the film's weekend box office results any longer. The studio wrote on Sunday in a note to press, "With ‘The Marvels' box office now winding down, we will stop weekend reporting of international/global grosses on this title."

"Batman’s drinking, Captain Marvel has anxiety, and Hawkeye is on the couch" – El Pais – "Bruce Wayne faces unprecedented enemies: hangover and boredom."

Article talks to writer Santiago García, quotes Carlos Pacheco, Gabriel Hernández Walta, artist Jorge Fornés and Ana Murillo Yagüe (aka Aneke).

Spider-Man

Spider-Man #300 for Miles Morales – Bleeding Cool

Marvel Comics has decided that Miles Morales: Spider-Man #18 in March will count as its three hundredth issue when you add all the series up.

"Miles Morales is better than Peter Parker Spider-Man" – Bleeding Cool

Article says that Morales is "the superior Spider-Man for a generation. Miles Morales has more complex family dynamics compared to Peter Parker, which adds depth to his character."

PlayStation Studios' Spider-Man 2 game "Shatters Sales Records" – Gamezone

Trademarking of "DC Metal Force" shows DC has big plans for secret project – Bleeding Cool

Bob Iger "The Marvels" lacked "on-set supervision" – Deadline Hollywood

Disney CEO Bob Iger blames the pandemic effect as part of the reason for the dismal box office results on The Marvels.

Current box office for The Marvels worldwide is $187.86 million USD.

Unfortunately, whatever the reasons are given for the terrible box office, the film in question just isn't that well made. It has the same tone as the TV show Ms Marvel, and as an episode of that show (like a big triple-parter with editing to make it work) it woud probably go down as a fantastic example of Disney TV, but as a feature film, and there really is a big difference between the two very-divided mediums, The Marvels just isn't feature film quality.

I saw the film with a hardcore Marvel-and-Disney fan, and I said afterward "the middle section is the most Disney a Marvel film has been yet" and he agreed.

Original art sized "Conan the Barbarian - Colossal Edition"

190+ page book

Story pages from the original comic and magazine runs of Conan with art mainly by John Buscema, Gil Kane, and Barry Windsor-Smith and also "key art" by Art Adams, Neal Adams, Alfredo Alcala, Enrique Alcatena, Ernie Chan, Howard Chaykin, Joe Choido, Tim Conrad, Geof Isherwood, Gary Kwapisz, Jim Lee, Esteban Maroto, John Mccrea, Rudy Nebres, Alex Nino, Kevin Nowlan, Tony Salmons, Bill Sienkiewicz, Alex Toth, and Jorge Zaffino.

The complete Devil Wings over Shadizar from Conan the Barbarian #6

Three special covers by Jim Lee, Barry Windsor-Smith and John Buscema

Funding page to see art and purchase book at Zoop GG

Ivan Reis joins Image Comics‘ Ghost Machine collective – Superhero Hype MSN

55 graphic novels of Fall 2023 – Comicsbeat

2023's best selling Manga titles – Comicbook

Marvel movie Avengers getting back together? "News to me" says Chris Evans – ABC News

Marvel revamps X-Men – Bounding into Comics

Replacing one questionable editorial decision with another, Marvel Comics has finally retconned Nightcrawler’s widely-panned ‘mutants are demons’ backstory by revealing that rather than Mystique and Azazel, the furry blue teleporter is actually the biological son of the blue shape-shifter and her lesbian lover Destiny."

Blue Lock sports manga makes 2023 sales record with 10 million plus in sales – Comicbook

The news out on the internet is that director Destin Daniel Cretton has left the Avengers Kang Dynasty Marvel movie and now they've got to rebuild the production team.

Time to get worried over Marvel's future? – MSNBC

With not-so-great superhero content flooding the market comes not-so-great tidings for the studio’s future."

Interview with Chris Wisnia – The Comics Journal

Talks about the release of the title Doris Danger: Giant Monsters Amok an "interwoven, eclectically elaborate and always clever story of Doris Danger, a journalist seeking the truth behind the appearance of giant monsters. The book takes cues from Silver Age monster comics and amplifies their absurdity to the absolute limit, whether it’s Army generals discussing the logistics of giant monster underwear, undercover agents incessantly reminding the reader of who they’re really working for, or humans masquerading as robots masquerading as humans."

Some Weekend Box Office

Napoleon – $78,800,000 worldwide earnings [$200 million production budget]

The Marvels – $187,053,446 global earnings [$274 million production budget]

Killers of the Flower Moon – $151,814,000 global earnings [$200 million estimated production budget]

To pay for itself, a movie production company typically has to earn back approximately twice what it cost to create a title since movie theaters keep back roughly 50% of earnings for themselves (the actual ratio varies from film to film).

At this rate, movie production on an expanding number of film titles, and especially superhero films, is becoming a charity effort for the studios. There's no way to actually make a profit pursuing the way they're creating films, and even covering costs is becoming impossible, a formula for financial disaster. Hollywood looks to be approaching a scenario where their system simply collapses.

Tina Turner bio comic book coming Tidal Wave Comics – Yahoo News

Expendables sequel flops – Variety

Impresario Marty Krofft has died – Hollywood Reporter – Producer of The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, H.R. Pufnstuf and Land of the Lost, among others.

Using comics in France to report the news – Niemanlab

Why isn't DC's Captain Marvel called Captain Marvel? – Dexerto

Ghost Busters comic book coming – Yahoo Entertainment

William Stout interview – Down the Tubes

The latest issue of TwoMorrows Publishing’s ongoing magazine Comic Book Creator (Issue 32) leads with an interview with American fantasy artist William “Bill” Stout. Specialising in paleontological art, Stout’s many career highlights since age 17 include work for underground comix, early issues of Heavy Metal, and rock magazine Bomp!. Stout has worked on over thirty feature films, doing everything from storyboard art to production design, designed theme parks and has worked in radio with the Firesign Theatre.

William Stout profile on Youtube

Garth Ennis talks up his varied opinions at Lucca Comics & Games. – Yahoo Entertainment

As forseen: Disney is moving into advertising on their streaming platform – Variety

Original page November 27, 2023 | Updated Dec 27, 2023