Author: Robert Greenberger

Brendan Deenan, Senior v-p, Objective Entertainment, announced this morning that the delay behind Flash Gordon #1 had to do with a bad printer.  In fact, the 13,000 print run has been pulped a new printer secured.  As a result, the first issue, due out August 20, will now hit comic shops on September 24.  The second issue will come out on schedule, one week later.

Ardden Entertainment’s adaptation of Alex Raymond’s classic comic strip hero was previewed amidst much fanfare this spring with a zero issue. Deenan wrote the comic with artist Paul Green working under the guidance of Ardden editor-in-chief J.M. DeMatteis.

Their contemporary take on the character does not resemble the abortive Sci-Fi Channel series from 2007 or previous comic strip incarnations.

According to a release from Ardden, “Copies of the first ‘faulty’ issue have arrived at a location in the USA and Ardden is requesting that if any retailer or comic fan is offered these faulty copies for sale from anyone saying that they represent Ardden Entertainment LLC, they should contact the NY based company immediately. There is a reward for anyone who reports the sale of these copies. These faulty printings have the credits on page 3 whereas the new printings carry the creator credits on page 1.”
 

Andrew Pepoy, creator of The Adventures of Simone and Ajax, appearing here regularly, notified us that a stage play he helped conceive will be coming to New York at month’s end.  Here’s the official release:

THE NEW YORK MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL AND CHICAGO TAP THEATRE PRESENT THE HOURGLASS AND THE POISONED PEN A SUPERHERO TAP DANCE OPERA 

SEPTEMBER 27 AND 28 AT THE MANHATTAN MOVEMENT AND ARTS CENTER (248 W. 60th ST.)

CHICAGO – When Super-heroes, live theater and tap dancing collide, the result is Chicago Tap Theatre’s The Hourglass and the Poisoned Pen.  Part story ballet, part summer blockbuster and all rhythm, this is the production that set Chicago on fire. The Hourglass and the Poisoned Pen is the sixth story show created by Chicago Tap Theatre, and the first revision of a previous production.  The show was created with the assistance of famed comic book artist and writer Andrew Pepoy (Batman, Fables, Simpsons). With a cast of eleven male and female dancers, all of whom excel in both tap and other forms of dance, and moments of intense action, irresistible humor and heartfelt emotion, choreographer and director Mark Yonally not only creates a whole new world for The Hourglass through his choreography – he also creates a unique new spin on the art of tap dance.

Follow the exploits of Elizabeth, as she and her best friend Daphne become The Hourglass and The Second Hand.  They duke it out with the nefarious Conductor and her violin-playing Trio of Terror. Ultimately, Elizabeth’s lame boyfriend, the vile Nick Prickley, gets possession of the source of the Conductor’s skills, the last sliver of wood from the Tree of Knowledge, which grants great and terrible powers. (more…)

Zits is one of the most consistently entertaining comic strips running today and a large reason behind the strip’s success is the varied supporting cast. The strip, introduced in 1997 and produced by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman, has focused on 15-year-old Jeremy Duncan, his loving but seemingly clueless parents, and his friends. 

Among them is Pierce, last name unknown, who lives up to his name with piercings over most of his body, complete with braces for maximum metal. Now, readers will enjoy a spotlight on Jeremy’s band mate in Pierced, the thirteenth collection of strips from Andrews McMeel Publishing.  The 128-page book, part of the Zits Sketchbook subset, will be on sale in October, retailing for $12.99.

Readers will be treated to the complex character who is actually very courteous and was recently revealed to actually take out all the metal and put on preppy clothing for a change-of-pace. He’s extremely loyal and is almost militant in his care for animals and insects of all kinds.
 

Director Guillermo del Toro has pacted with Universal Studios to helm four new films, three remakes — Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Slaughterhouse-Five – plus an adaptation of Dan Simmons’ novel Drood.  The director has also discussed his desires to make a film based on H.P. Lovecraft’s "At the Mountains of Madness” and there’s also the matter of Hellboy III.

These will all follow del Toro’s four year commitment to live and work in New Zealand as he mounts the two-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Script work on that project has already begun with del Toro working alongside producer Peter Jackson, and writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens.

Drood, which was released by Little Brown in February, is likely to be the first of four Universal films, according to Variety. The novel posits a train accident altered author Charles Dickens’ mind, turning him into a killer which inspired his The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Del Toro has made it clear for some time now his desire to remake Frankenstein, the 1931 film that began Universal’s journey into movie monsters that became its hallmark.  "To me, Frankenstein represents the essential human question: ‘Why did my creator throw me here, unprotected, unguided, unaided and lost?’ “del Toro said.”With that one, they will have to pry it from my cold dead hands to prevent me from directing it."

He has also indicated a desire for Jekyll and Slaughterhouse to both be more faithful to the source material than previous incarnations.

"I think they’ll decide when the last euro hits the piggybank," del Toro said of Universal hedging their bets on letting him complete the Hellboy trilogy he envisioned. "We laid the groundwork to have a magnificent third act. I’d like to return to an action franchise with 60-year-old actor Ron Perlman, because he’ll be scratching at that age when I get to it."  Universal indicated they may take a viral marketing approach to better prepare audiences for the final film if the decision to go forward is made.

As a producer, del Toro is already committed to working with Mark Johnson on Hater, based on David Moody’s novel plus Crimson Peak, a gothic romance del Toro and Matthew Robbins (Mimic) cowrote.

"No one expected The Hobbit to come about; it was the most marvelous monkey wrench tossed into my life," del Toro told the trade. "I consider (the new deals) the renewal of my marital vows with Universal."

Universal production president Donna Langley said,” We came out the other side of some tough conversations with a stronger bond and sense of long-term commitment," Langley said. "Guillermo is in the most prolific time of his life … Joe Johnston on The Wolf Man showed us the importance of entrusting the Universal franchise monsters to experienced filmmakers with voices. That was a big impetus for our decision to go with Guillermo to put his creative stamp on these properties."
 

Mark Millar is heating up in the eyes of Hollywood in the wake of Wanted‘s success so it’s no surprise to see him interviewed all over the place, including, most recently, G4. Mark is also given to shameless self-promotion and has discussed his business dealings so the news media has repeatedly pick up on his claims and treat them us news.  As is often the case, it’s Mark shilling for himself and making noise. Such may be the case with his latest interview where he spitballed his ideas for a Superman film. 

Now, Mark has clearly indicated his desire to write a Superman movie for several years now and he’s trying to stake his claim now that Warner Bros. has essentially apologized for Superman Returns by going in a different direction, without Bryan Singer attached.

He told Blair Butler, "I’ve had this plan for like 10 years for a big three-picture Superman thing, like a Lord of the Rings epic, starting over from scratch again with a seven-hour Superman story. One to be released each year."

Until Warner Bros. issues a confirming press release, take Mark’s comments with a grain of salt.