Author: Glenn Hauman

DC Comics Bringing Walmart "Giant" Anthologies To Comic Shops

DC Comics is bringing Walmart stories to comic stores

If you have been tearing your hair out trying to find the DC 100-Page Giant comics at your local Walmart, you can stop making yourself bald now. DC is going to make the stories available in comic shops.

The fireworks start early on July 3, with SUPERMAN: UP IN THE SKY #1, written by Tom King (BATMAN) with art by Andy Kubert and Sandra Hope. Following a home invasion that ends in murder, Superman is put on the trail of a Metropolis mystery by Batman—but can even the Man of Steel discover the truth behind these tragic deaths, or their ties to the far-off world of Rann?

Originally at www.previewsworld.com

The action continues July 10 with BATMAN UNIVERSE #1 and WONDER WOMAN: COME BACK TO ME #1, on sale July 17.

Caped crusader, four, dresses as his favourite superhero The Flash to spend hundreds of hours ridding his home town of litter

Four-year-old dresses as the Flash to clean up his town. No, really.

Now this is how superheroes inspire people! I want to join his Justice League!

A four-year-old dons a cape and dresses up as his favourite superhero to go litter picking in a bid to rid his home town of rubbish.

Originally at www.dailymail.co.uk

Sony battles DC Comics over ‘Zero Hour’ TM

Sony battles DC Comics over ‘Zero Hour’ TM

See, we’re not the only comic company with trademark fights!

Sony has filed a petition to cancel DC Comics’ trademark hfor its 1994 comic book series ‘Zero Hour’.

In December 2017 Sony filed a trademark application (US number 87713622) for the title. The US Patent and Trademark Office rejected the application in September last year as the examiner found it was likely to cause confusion with DC’s marks.

Sony has now taken its fight to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, claiming that DC has not shown sufficient use of the mark in the period since it was registered.

Sales of a series published in 1994 cannot be considered “continuous” use of the mark, according to Sony.

Originally at www.worldipreview.com

Senator Patrick Leahy writes a tribute for his longtime friend, Batman

Senator Patrick Leahy, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, talks about his introduction for Detective Comics #1000, his longtime relationship with fellow crimefighter Batman, how he’s appeared in more Batman movies than any mere actor, and more in his local paper.

Decades after meeting him in Montpelier’s Kellogg-Hubbard Library, the longest-serving U.S. senator, Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., is wishing a happy 80th anniversary to his best-known associate and Gotham City’s Dark Knight, the Batman.

Originally at www.rutlandherald.com

Man, 39, Arrested In Modesto Comic Book Store Break-Ins

There’s been an arrest in Modesto comic book store burglaries

Detectives have made an arrest in the case of thousands of dollars worth of rare merchandise stolen from a Modesto comic book store.

Modesto police say 39-year-old David Garcia has been arrested in connection to the break-ins at Invincible Comics back in February. About $5,000 worth or rare comic books and other merchandise was taken.

Originally at sacramento.cbslocal.com

It’s official: Fox’s Marvel heroes go to Disney, along with everything else

Here we go, kids. The acquisition of 20th Century Fox by Disney is official today.

Ryan Reynolds is getting into the spirit of the thing:

And some happy soul has helpfully embedded Deadpool into Avengers: Endgame…

The Hollywood Reporter, umm, reports:

Reynolds’ Deadpool is expected to be the only iteration of the X-Men to make the jump to Disney, with Disney CEO Bob Iger having confirmed multiple times that popular, R-rated version of the character could exist at the studio. […] Marvel Studios has not publicly revealed any plans for integrating members of the X-Men and Fantastic Four into its cinematic universe, though Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige is said to have met with several members of the X-Men old guard in recent months. Fargo showrunner Noah Hawley, who was hired to write a Doctor Doom movie in 2017, earlier this month confirmed he’s spoken to Feige about the script centering on the Fantastic Four villain, though Hawley downplayed how serious those discussions were.

Here’s hoping the, ah, crisis passes smoothly.

(more…)
Mike Raub

Mike Raub: 1951-2019

Mike Raub, long-time comic fan, retailer, broadcaster and podcaster, passed away tonight after a long illness. He was 68.

Mike was the original podcaster here at ComicMix from 2006 to 2008, later creating Get The Point Radio, all while moonlighting from his day job as the director of AM programming for Cox Communication. If you listened to radio in the 2000s, you probably heard Mike on the dial on one station or another.

I first met Mike at the age of 15, at a meeting of the fledgling East Coast Comic Book Retailers Association, when he and his first wife Lori ran The Dream Factory in Connecticut, which he owned and operated from 1985 to 1994. He impressed me with his energy and passion in a field not exactly lacking in extroverts.

He was born in Marion, Ohio and turned into a hardcore comics fan at a very early age, writing letters and creating fanzines. He later studied radio broadcasting at Ohio State University.

We were very lucky that he combined his love of comics, pop culture, and broadcasting for us for so many years.

Our deepest condolences to his wife Kai, his children Matt, Max, Mark, Mickey, Mike, and Sammy, and to his hundreds of friends and thousands of listeners.

Gaze Inside The Studio Sanctorum of Steve Ditko!

Russ Maheras writes an incredibly detailed essay over at Pop Culture Squad about visiting Steve Ditko at his studio in the Times Square district, right around the corner from DC’s offices:

Steve was a fairly-thin, gray-haired older man. His thinning hair was combed back, and he wore narrow-frame glasses. He was wearing a short-sleeved soft-plaid shirt (with pocket) that buttoned up in front, a white t-shirt, and slacks. He stood nearly erect and appeared in excellent health. He was alert, moved deliberately, and had no signs of any age-related issues. His hearing was fine, and his mind was very quick and very sharp.

Read the entire thing– it’s as good a description as we’re going to get.

Originally at popculturesquad.com

Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara ousted after sexual misconduct allegations

Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara ousted after sexual misconduct allegations

As we continue to add to the chaos at the top of DC Comics…

Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara has been ousted after an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations….

Tsuijhara, 54, had been with Warner Bros. for more than 24 years. He became CEO in early 2013 and became chairman position later that year. Tsuijhara, the first executive of Asian decent to head a major Hollywood studio, led Warner Bros. to have its most profitable year ever in 2017.

However, also under Tsuijhara’s tenure, Warner Bros. struggled to produce DC superhero films at the same caliber of its counterparts at Disney and Marvel Studios. It wasn’t until 2017’s “Wonder Woman” that the studio found true success, taking in $821 million in ticket sales worldwide. A year later, “Aquaman” became the first DC film to cross the $1 billion mark.

Originally at www.cnbc.com

No word yet on how this will impact DC. A successor has yet to be named.

Disney Reinstates Director James Gunn For ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy 3’

James Gunn returning to direct “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3”

The good guys win one. Deadline.com reports:

Disney has reinstated James Gunn as the writer-director of Guardians of the Galaxy 3, and I’ve confirmed it with Marvel and Gunn’s camp.

Gunn was fired last July by Disney after alt-right journalists hyped a bunch of decade old social media missives that made light of pedophilia and rape. Persuaded by Gunn’s public apology and his handling of the situation after, Horn decided to reverse course and reinstate Gunn.

Gunn took to Twitter to express his thanks:

https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1106633508657651712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1106633508657651712&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdeadline.com%2F2019%2F03%2Fjames-gunn-reaction-guardians-of-the-galaxy-return-thank-you-1202576624%2F

Gunn is also slated to do Suicide Squad 2, which is scheduled to be done before Guardians 3.