Eric J. Moreels
Aug 9, 2003, 08:47 am
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/canworms_logo.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/canworms_logot.jpg" align=left border="0" alt="Can of Worms logo"></a>Welcome to the inaugural edition of Can of Worms, a brand-spanking new column here at ComiX-Fan wherein the staff aim to keep you informed of the latest gossip and hearsay from the length and breadth of the comic book industry, as well as to shoot down some of those pesky inaccurate rumours that continue to plague us.
But first, the all-important...
<center>RUMOUR WARNING</center>
Before reading on, we need to make it clear to all that the material contained within this column is presented as rumour, unless expressly stated otherwise, and is intended for entertainment purposes only. Legitimate news can be found in ComiX-Fan's News (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=2) and Features (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=3) sections. If you reprint any information from this column, please clearly label it with an appropriate warning and provide a link back to us!
This column is brought to you by X-World Comics (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=346) and their X-Clusive Creator Edition signed comic books (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=346). Want a certified JLA/Avengers #1 signed by Kurt Busiek, or perhaps a certified Transformers/G.I. Joe #1 signed by John Ney Rieber? If you do, then look no further than X-World (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=346)!
IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY
Rumours are swirling about just who will be taking over the writing chores on Marvel's New X-Men after current scribe Grant Morrison wraps up his run. Sources tell us that the front-runner at the moment is Scott Allie, Dark Horse editor and Star Wars writer, who apparently impressed the powers-that-be at Marvel enough that they offered him some major financial incentives to switch companies. Allie's relatively low profile would appear to be a plus in this case, as Marvel were supposedly having trouble finding an A-list writer willing to follow in Morrison's footsteps. Marvel are expected to announce Allie as the new writer at this weekend's Wizard World Chicago, so stay tuned.
Thanks to "Piltdown Man" for the lead.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/logos/marvel_biglogo.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/logos/marvel_biglogot.jpg" align=right alt="Marvel Comics logo"></a>UNPLUGGING MARVEL'S HOLE
Visitors to Marvel Comics' official Web site at Marvel.com got more than they bargained for last week. Some interpid fans discovered that by visiting the On Sale This Week section and changing the dates in the URL, listings for titles, issues, and creative teams through until July 2005 could be viewed, though the amount of information present tapered off towards the end. This security hole has since been plugged, but not before we managed to obtain a copy of the listings.
According to our sources, the listed information is somewhat out of date, and in some cases is downright inaccurate, but it does provide an insight into the publisher's upcoming plans, some of which have already come to fruition.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list9.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list9t.JPG" align=right alt="Marvel.com Ultimate Hulk listing"></a>One such plan was for Fabian Nicieza's Hawkeye ongoing, which is presumed to be the "Hawkeye Proposal #1" listed in the advance solicitations for October and the only title from the following list to have made it into the publisher's actual October solits. Other such "Proposal" titles include "Black Panther", "Essential Marvel" by Pat Olliffe, "Iron Fist" by Michael Ryan, "Mutant Town" by Arthur Ranson, "Robots Week", "Rogue" by Paul Smith, "Sisters of The Dragon", "Starjammers" by Kia Asamiya, "Techbinders" by Scot Eaton, "Thor" by Ben Lai, "Thor: Fantasy" by Adam Kubert, and "Time Out".
Another such plan calls for two new Ultimate titles to debut next year. An ongoing Ultimate Hulk series was listed as debuting in October, but again didn't make it into Marvel's published October previews (see 'MARVEL COMICS OCTOBER 2003 PREVIEWS' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19998)). Similarly, an ongoing Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra was also listed, but absent from the released previews.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list3.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list3t.JPG" align=right alt="Marvel.com Ultimate Daredevil and Elektra listing"></a>Zeb Wells was listed as writer of the first issue of NYX (see 'WELLS NIXES NYX INVOLVEMENT' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17003)), a series now being written by Marvel EiC Joe Quesada himself (see 'QUESADA TO WRITE NYX' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19995)). Interestingly enough, a variant cover for NYX #1 was listed, but appears to have since been dropped from the October previews. April's NYX #7 was listed as having art by X-Men: Phoenix - Legacy of Fire creator Ryan Kinnaird.
Artist Salvador Larroca Martinez was listed as returning to provide interior art for X-Treme X-Men circa issue #32, however as that's mid-way through the "Intifada" story arc this development seems unlikely. Larroca himself updates us on his situation a little later in this column. X-Treme X-Men was also listed as shipping every two weeks in October and November, weekly throughout December, and every two weeks again in January and February.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list5.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list5t.JPG" align=right alt="Marvel.com Young Xavier listing"></a>Artist Scott Kolins was listed as regular series artist on Avengers with Geoff Johns through to November's issue #76, after which Uncanny X-Men scribe Chuck Austen was listed as regular writer from December's issue #77 with Olivier Coipel on art and J.G. Jones on covers.
The Epic open submission title Young Xavier, or Charlie X as it is now known (see 'WIZARDWORLD EAST 2003 DAY 3: EPIC' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18883)), was listed as beginning in October with art from Juan Bobillo, but that seems to not be the case any more. No writer has yet been announced for the series, which has been accepting submissions from the public since Marvel opened Epic's doors.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list2.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list2t.JPG" align=right alt="Marvel.com Ant-Man listing"></a>An ongoing Ant-Man series by Venom writer Daniel Way was listed for early November, as was the previously announced Logan: The End mini-series by Paul Jenkins and Claudio Castellini (see 'LOGAN'S END' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18730)). Kurt Busiek's upcoming Marvels: Eye of The Camera mini-series with Aria artist Jay Anacleto, due out early next year (see 'BUSIEK TO LOOK THROUGH EYE OF THE CAMERA' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20345)), was listed in early November as "Marvels Epilogue". New X-Men artist Chris Bachalo, who updated us on his upcoming projects a few articles down, was listed as working on a New Mutants story arc beginning in November as well as an arc on Uncanny X-Men beginning with January's issue #438.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list6.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list6t.JPG" align=right alt="Marvel.com 15-Love listing"></a>Incredible Hulk guest-artist Leo Fernandez was listed as working on a Wolverine story arc with writer Greg Rucka as of November's issue #7. Andi Watson's upcoming 15-Love teen romance series with artist Tommy Ohtsuka was listed as beginning that month as well with two issues. Hulk: Nightmericans Abroad, apparently a sequel to Robin Laws; Hulk: Nightmerica mini-series, was listed for a November start with art by Leonardo Manco.
Writer/artist Petter Bagge's previously-announced Startling Stories: The Incorrigible Hulk one-shot was listed for December, as was The Story by Brian Bendis and Michael Gaydos - a title that has since changed its name to The Pulse. Elektra artist Sean Chen was listed as penciling Punisher from December's issue #38, a move which the artist himself tells us later in this column is not happening.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list4.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list4t.JPG" align=right alt="Marvel.com Daredevil listing"></a>Heading into 2004, and Romano Molenaar was listed as artist for January's Emma Frost #7. Mark Waid was still listed as writing Fantastic Four after issue #508, which is to be his last after being fired from the title (see 'WAID'S 'FANTASTIC' EXIT' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19218)). A new #1 for Daredevil was listed for January as well, but current DD writer Bendis has since shot that possibility down (see below).
The Ultimates was listed as a bi-monthly shipping title with Millar and Hitch still onboard right through until listing's end with issue #23 in July 2005, though the recent announcement of a restart for the series at this weekend's Wizard World Chicago (see 'WIZARD WORLD CHICAGO 2003 DAY 1 REPORT' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20764)) has nixed the numbering part at least.
Artist collective UDON were listed as writing and drawing a Spider-Man & Friends series in early '04, though sources tell us this will actually be material for inclusion on CD-ROMs to be packaged with the toy line as opposed to an actual comic book series. And finally, Damion Scott and Rob Campanella were listed on art duties for Spectacular Spider-Man as of February's issue #11.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/Uncanny_Larocca.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/Uncanny_Laroccat.jpg" align=right alt="Uncanny X-Men by Salvador Larroca preview"></a>X-TREME LARROCA
Despite what you may have heard elsewhere, artist Salvador Larroca told us that he is not returning to draw interiors for Chris Claremont's X-Treme X-Men series.
"No, I'm afraid I won't be back. I'm still scheduled on Uncanny {X-Men}, {and} I think that Marvel will keep me doing covers {for X-Treme X-Men). But that doesn't mean that in a week Marvel could confirm it! You know, I'm always the last guy in the world to know something like this!"
CHEN 'PUNISHES' RUMOURS
Dispelling more rumours, and Elektra artist Sean Chen tells us that he is "absolutely not" working on Punisher in the near future.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/1103/Ultimates013cover.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/1103/Ultimates013covert.jpg" align=right alt="Ultimates #13 preview"></a>ULTIMATE MILLAR
Writer Mark Millar has been talking about the various rumours concerning him and his upcoming work on his Millarworld (http://raven.xssl.net/~millarworld.biz/index.php?act=ST&f=1&t=9806&s=) Web site. Millar's comments on The Ultimates are especially interesting when taking into account the aforementioned recent announcement at Wizard World Chicago that the series would get a second volume after the first ends with December's issue #13 (see 'WIZARD WORLD CHICAGO 2003 DAY 1 REPORT' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20764)).
"I can't comment completely on what's been offered yet because there's so much behind-the-scenes intrigue, spin and counter-*******-spin going on here. People want us, people are spreading rumours, factions within various companies are fighting other factions, etc. All I can say is what I've said before: Hitchy and I are guaranteed to complete our first volume of The Ultimates. It's the greatest thing we've ever worked on, the most fun we've had in our professional careers and it sells like Willy Wonka's chocolate bars. So let's just say it'd take a Hell of a lot (though not necessarily cash) to prise us from something we love this much.
It's been a very, very curious week. Old enemies building bridges, promises made, public denouncements, but also much much back-tracking. I'm sitting here with three offers from three different companies (one nobody knows about yet) and they have all massive reasons for signing up. I honestly haven't decided, as one of them in particular is a lifelong dream, but perhaps a little too early. That said, I also believe in sticking by the people who have been good to you so make of that what you will. Whatever happens, I'll be announcing two new titles at Wizard World. Sorry to be so vague, but all three companies concerned have asked me to keep my mouth shut until then and I probably shouldn't even be saying THIS much.
PS I'm definitely not the writer on Ultimate Hulk, although I can see why this rumour got out there. You'll see what I mean soon."
Sounds like Millar just confirmed that Ultimate Hulk will be the other Ultimate title to join Ultimate Fantastic Four next year.
WILD ABOUT HARRY
Heard the rumour that Roaring Studios recently attempted to secure the rights to Harry Potter in order to produce comic books based on the character but failed due to the high asking price of the license? Well, don't believe everything you hear. Extinction Event penciler Brett Booth tells us that the promotional art that supposedly accompanied the pitch were nothing more than fan art the artist did for his wife, colorist Jessica Ruffner-Booth.
"As far as I know, Roaring has not attempted to get the Harry Potter license. I am doing adaptations of Tad William's The Burning Man and The Dragonbone Chair for them. I think somebody must've got their wires crossed somewhere.
Both those pieces are fan art I did for Jess. She's a very big Harry Potter fan. I'm surprised to see the B&W one as I have only sent it out to one person. The colored one has been up on our web site (http://home.att.net/~brettbooth/Index.html) for months."
<table border=0 align=center><tr><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/harry1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/harry1t.jpg" align=right alt="Harry Potter by Brett Booth"></a></td><td><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/harry2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/harry2t.jpg" align=right alt="Harry Potter fan art by Brett Booth"></a></td></tr></table>
BUSY BACHALO
New X-Men artist Chris Bachalo recently checked in with us to provide some rumours of his own! Take it away, Chris!
"It's been difficult to pin down and confirm what I'm going to be working on for the past few months as this info has been changing, on what seems to be, a weekly basis. Today, rumor has it that I'm going to be working on a Captain America arc and that I'm in line to work on another New X-Men story arc. I've also heard rumors to be working on six - issues #7-13 - New Mutants covers. Not to mention, a cover that I did for Top Cow's new title Cursed and an issue of Hip Flask that I'm - slowly - turning around for Comicraft."
"I've also been rumored to be in contact with a few publishers regarding a new creator owned series that I've intentions of writing as well as drawing."
"I cannot confirm or deny these rumors at this time."
"That's the rumor for now.... but it's only a rumor.... stay tuned."
BENDIS BOOTS DD REBOOT
On his Jinxworld Message Board (http://www.imagecomics.com/cgi-bin/wwwthreads/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=bendis&Number=210171&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5), Daredevil scribe Brian Michael Bendis has shot down the rumor of a reboot of the title as suggested by the aforementioned "leaked" Marvel.com solicitations.
"Untrue....
Alex {Maleev} and I, who JUST won an Eisner for the book by the way :) , are staying, so is the numbering.
Want to hear how the rumor started? Come by my panel at Wiz World this Saturday.
Feel free to cut and paste this post wherever my good name is being besmearched."
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/1003/CREW_6.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/1003/CREW_6t.jpg" align=right alt="The Crew #6 preview"></a>'TRACKING PRIEST'S CREW
Are you a fan of Marvel's The Crew? Would you like to see it promoted more to help boost the series' sales? Well, so would writer Christopher Priest, which is why he apparently came up with a promotional CD entitled The Crew: Official Soundtrack that was to contain dotComic versions of the first two issues of the series, character and creator profiles, interviews, the complete scripts for issues #1-5 as well as the complete scripts for the seven-issue "Black and White" story arc from Black Panther, original Panther art, and web links. All this set to original hip-hop tracks produced by Priest for the low, low price of $1.99. The intent was to have these CD's packaged with magazines that appeal to the urban crowd, such as The Source, as well as to have it made available for retailers to order through Diamond.
The project has stalled, however, due to delays in having the first two issues transferred into the dotComic format, hesitation on Marvel's part to pay for the disc replication, as well as doubts from some Marvel executives that the CD would really reach its intended new market.
WHO LET THE CLAWS OUT?
Seems like Marvel Comics President Bill Jemas did. According to our sources, Jemas apparently demanded that the über-popular Wolverine be made the focus of the X-Men team because his popularity from the movies should carry over. Any stories wherein he was absent from the team were to be re-written with Logan in it, if not the main character. Apparently, this is no longer the case, but it would explain the glut of Wolverine appearances of late.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel_botypb.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel_boytpbt.jpg" align=right alt="Marvel Boy TPB"></a>MARVEL-OUS MORRISON
Meanwhile, writer Grant Morrison recently told the Comic Book Resources (http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=2662) Web site what his plans for Ultimate Fantastic Four would have been.
"Ultimate Fantastic Four will probably still appear, but I won't have anything to do with it. I was involved in some of the discussions that went on prior to the release of The Ultimates so I feel as though I've contributed my ten cents worth already.
One thing I wanted to do was 'Ultimate Kree/Skrull War' (or Kree/Chitauri War...) which would reveal that the original Super-Soldier serum was genetically-engineered by Kree scientists using shapeshifting Skrull/Chitauri Dna. The Kree, hidden on our planet for centuries, were attempting to create a race of genetically-perfect supermen to protect the Earth in the oncoming Kree/Skrull conflict. The Skrull Super-Soldier mix, applied to the not-very-fluid human anatomy, would have also explained why Banner turns green... among other things..."
Morrison also went on to discuss what happened with the two proposed sequels to his Marvel Boy mini-series.
"Bill {Jemas, Marvel Comics President} didn't ever try to alter anything at any time. He rejected a Frank Quitely X-Men cover once for some unlikely reason, but that's all I can recall. He simply didn't like the fluorescent overtones of what I was doing in Marvel Boy 2 and asked me if I was prepared to try a different and more down-to-earth approach to the basic idea of angry alien boy trapped on Earth. My original series pitch and scripts were based in a horrible super-security prison called the Cube, home of the most deranged inhuman mutants and mother****ers on the face of the Earth. Grotesques like Daddy Heart, Alan Satan and the Spider Sisters filled every page and the whole thing was a very fast-paced religious satire in the Marvel Cosmic style.
So I didn't want to do 'down to earth' stories in Marvel Boy. I decided that movies were doing comics so well there was no point in doing comics to look like movies any more. Let's make this stuff really crazy... so that special effects have to keep up with us. I foresaw a new demand for intricate bizarre psychedelic comics and was eager to oblige. Cycles whip and twist faster all the time and pop culture's threshing tentacles are flailing into an ultraviolet magic goth phase for a little while before the lights come on and the kids all look really weird in the sunshine. Time for the comic books to get crazier again, you might think.
However, what I did have for Bill was a TV series outline I'd created for Marvel Entertainment - a low budget, ground-level interpretation of the Marvel Boy idea which I was never too keen on doing in comic form. Bill liked that one and was happy to let me write it. I wasn't sure and vacillated. In the end, contracts never materialized anyway so there was a sense that the project was doomed to fall through the cracks from the start. It went through all kinds of hellish changes over the years. My own personal Authority.
There are some parts of the Marvel Boy 2 series which I may use again - the Kree Book of The Dead issue, 'Beyond The Withinfinite', delved into Kree comic book religion in full-on Prog Comics style and had loads of mad ideas which may find their way into something else eventually."
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_rosm1cover.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_rosm1covert.jpg" align=right alt="He-Man and The Rise of The Snake Men #1 preview"></a>HE-MAN DOWN UNDER
Noble Causes back-up artist Andie Tong has landed himself a high profile gig with MV Creations. The Aussie artist tells us that he will be working on the three-issue Masters of The Universe mini-series entitled He-Man and The Rise of The Snake Men. The mini was previously announced as being drawn by Jonboy Meyers, who has been forced to pull out due to personal reasons.
<table border=0 align=center><tr><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/he_man_tong.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/he_man_tongt.jpg" alt="He-Man character sketch by Andie Tong"></a></td><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_genrattlor.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_genrattlort.jpg" alt="General Rattlor character sketch by Andie Tong"></a></td><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_mekaneck_tong.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_mekaneck_tongt.jpg" alt="Mekaneck character sketch by Andie Tong"></a></td><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_zodak_tong.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_zodak_tongt.jpg" alt="Zodak character sketch by Andie Tong"></a></td></tr></table>
Sad news for He-Man fans down under, however, as the Masters of The Universe comics will not be sold outside of North America.
Well, that's it for this first edition of Can of Worms. Look for future editions to be published when the ComiX-Fan staff have enough info to pack into it! If you've heard any choice rumours or juicy gossip lately, be sure to drop us a line. We will ensure that you remain anonymous unless you specify otherwise. And remember, you'll always find the factual news in ComiX-Fan's News (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=2) and Features (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=3) sections.
And to those wondering about the recent change in name of this column, we were asked to due to an existing online column - Marv Wolfman's What Th--? ComiX-Fan would like to apologise for any confusion that may have arisen from the similarity.
But first, the all-important...
<center>RUMOUR WARNING</center>
Before reading on, we need to make it clear to all that the material contained within this column is presented as rumour, unless expressly stated otherwise, and is intended for entertainment purposes only. Legitimate news can be found in ComiX-Fan's News (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=2) and Features (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=3) sections. If you reprint any information from this column, please clearly label it with an appropriate warning and provide a link back to us!
This column is brought to you by X-World Comics (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=346) and their X-Clusive Creator Edition signed comic books (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=346). Want a certified JLA/Avengers #1 signed by Kurt Busiek, or perhaps a certified Transformers/G.I. Joe #1 signed by John Ney Rieber? If you do, then look no further than X-World (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=346)!
IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY
Rumours are swirling about just who will be taking over the writing chores on Marvel's New X-Men after current scribe Grant Morrison wraps up his run. Sources tell us that the front-runner at the moment is Scott Allie, Dark Horse editor and Star Wars writer, who apparently impressed the powers-that-be at Marvel enough that they offered him some major financial incentives to switch companies. Allie's relatively low profile would appear to be a plus in this case, as Marvel were supposedly having trouble finding an A-list writer willing to follow in Morrison's footsteps. Marvel are expected to announce Allie as the new writer at this weekend's Wizard World Chicago, so stay tuned.
Thanks to "Piltdown Man" for the lead.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/logos/marvel_biglogo.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/logos/marvel_biglogot.jpg" align=right alt="Marvel Comics logo"></a>UNPLUGGING MARVEL'S HOLE
Visitors to Marvel Comics' official Web site at Marvel.com got more than they bargained for last week. Some interpid fans discovered that by visiting the On Sale This Week section and changing the dates in the URL, listings for titles, issues, and creative teams through until July 2005 could be viewed, though the amount of information present tapered off towards the end. This security hole has since been plugged, but not before we managed to obtain a copy of the listings.
According to our sources, the listed information is somewhat out of date, and in some cases is downright inaccurate, but it does provide an insight into the publisher's upcoming plans, some of which have already come to fruition.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list9.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list9t.JPG" align=right alt="Marvel.com Ultimate Hulk listing"></a>One such plan was for Fabian Nicieza's Hawkeye ongoing, which is presumed to be the "Hawkeye Proposal #1" listed in the advance solicitations for October and the only title from the following list to have made it into the publisher's actual October solits. Other such "Proposal" titles include "Black Panther", "Essential Marvel" by Pat Olliffe, "Iron Fist" by Michael Ryan, "Mutant Town" by Arthur Ranson, "Robots Week", "Rogue" by Paul Smith, "Sisters of The Dragon", "Starjammers" by Kia Asamiya, "Techbinders" by Scot Eaton, "Thor" by Ben Lai, "Thor: Fantasy" by Adam Kubert, and "Time Out".
Another such plan calls for two new Ultimate titles to debut next year. An ongoing Ultimate Hulk series was listed as debuting in October, but again didn't make it into Marvel's published October previews (see 'MARVEL COMICS OCTOBER 2003 PREVIEWS' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19998)). Similarly, an ongoing Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra was also listed, but absent from the released previews.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list3.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list3t.JPG" align=right alt="Marvel.com Ultimate Daredevil and Elektra listing"></a>Zeb Wells was listed as writer of the first issue of NYX (see 'WELLS NIXES NYX INVOLVEMENT' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17003)), a series now being written by Marvel EiC Joe Quesada himself (see 'QUESADA TO WRITE NYX' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19995)). Interestingly enough, a variant cover for NYX #1 was listed, but appears to have since been dropped from the October previews. April's NYX #7 was listed as having art by X-Men: Phoenix - Legacy of Fire creator Ryan Kinnaird.
Artist Salvador Larroca Martinez was listed as returning to provide interior art for X-Treme X-Men circa issue #32, however as that's mid-way through the "Intifada" story arc this development seems unlikely. Larroca himself updates us on his situation a little later in this column. X-Treme X-Men was also listed as shipping every two weeks in October and November, weekly throughout December, and every two weeks again in January and February.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list5.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list5t.JPG" align=right alt="Marvel.com Young Xavier listing"></a>Artist Scott Kolins was listed as regular series artist on Avengers with Geoff Johns through to November's issue #76, after which Uncanny X-Men scribe Chuck Austen was listed as regular writer from December's issue #77 with Olivier Coipel on art and J.G. Jones on covers.
The Epic open submission title Young Xavier, or Charlie X as it is now known (see 'WIZARDWORLD EAST 2003 DAY 3: EPIC' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18883)), was listed as beginning in October with art from Juan Bobillo, but that seems to not be the case any more. No writer has yet been announced for the series, which has been accepting submissions from the public since Marvel opened Epic's doors.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list2.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list2t.JPG" align=right alt="Marvel.com Ant-Man listing"></a>An ongoing Ant-Man series by Venom writer Daniel Way was listed for early November, as was the previously announced Logan: The End mini-series by Paul Jenkins and Claudio Castellini (see 'LOGAN'S END' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18730)). Kurt Busiek's upcoming Marvels: Eye of The Camera mini-series with Aria artist Jay Anacleto, due out early next year (see 'BUSIEK TO LOOK THROUGH EYE OF THE CAMERA' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20345)), was listed in early November as "Marvels Epilogue". New X-Men artist Chris Bachalo, who updated us on his upcoming projects a few articles down, was listed as working on a New Mutants story arc beginning in November as well as an arc on Uncanny X-Men beginning with January's issue #438.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list6.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list6t.JPG" align=right alt="Marvel.com 15-Love listing"></a>Incredible Hulk guest-artist Leo Fernandez was listed as working on a Wolverine story arc with writer Greg Rucka as of November's issue #7. Andi Watson's upcoming 15-Love teen romance series with artist Tommy Ohtsuka was listed as beginning that month as well with two issues. Hulk: Nightmericans Abroad, apparently a sequel to Robin Laws; Hulk: Nightmerica mini-series, was listed for a November start with art by Leonardo Manco.
Writer/artist Petter Bagge's previously-announced Startling Stories: The Incorrigible Hulk one-shot was listed for December, as was The Story by Brian Bendis and Michael Gaydos - a title that has since changed its name to The Pulse. Elektra artist Sean Chen was listed as penciling Punisher from December's issue #38, a move which the artist himself tells us later in this column is not happening.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list4.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/marvel_list4t.JPG" align=right alt="Marvel.com Daredevil listing"></a>Heading into 2004, and Romano Molenaar was listed as artist for January's Emma Frost #7. Mark Waid was still listed as writing Fantastic Four after issue #508, which is to be his last after being fired from the title (see 'WAID'S 'FANTASTIC' EXIT' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19218)). A new #1 for Daredevil was listed for January as well, but current DD writer Bendis has since shot that possibility down (see below).
The Ultimates was listed as a bi-monthly shipping title with Millar and Hitch still onboard right through until listing's end with issue #23 in July 2005, though the recent announcement of a restart for the series at this weekend's Wizard World Chicago (see 'WIZARD WORLD CHICAGO 2003 DAY 1 REPORT' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20764)) has nixed the numbering part at least.
Artist collective UDON were listed as writing and drawing a Spider-Man & Friends series in early '04, though sources tell us this will actually be material for inclusion on CD-ROMs to be packaged with the toy line as opposed to an actual comic book series. And finally, Damion Scott and Rob Campanella were listed on art duties for Spectacular Spider-Man as of February's issue #11.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/Uncanny_Larocca.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/Uncanny_Laroccat.jpg" align=right alt="Uncanny X-Men by Salvador Larroca preview"></a>X-TREME LARROCA
Despite what you may have heard elsewhere, artist Salvador Larroca told us that he is not returning to draw interiors for Chris Claremont's X-Treme X-Men series.
"No, I'm afraid I won't be back. I'm still scheduled on Uncanny {X-Men}, {and} I think that Marvel will keep me doing covers {for X-Treme X-Men). But that doesn't mean that in a week Marvel could confirm it! You know, I'm always the last guy in the world to know something like this!"
CHEN 'PUNISHES' RUMOURS
Dispelling more rumours, and Elektra artist Sean Chen tells us that he is "absolutely not" working on Punisher in the near future.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/1103/Ultimates013cover.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/1103/Ultimates013covert.jpg" align=right alt="Ultimates #13 preview"></a>ULTIMATE MILLAR
Writer Mark Millar has been talking about the various rumours concerning him and his upcoming work on his Millarworld (http://raven.xssl.net/~millarworld.biz/index.php?act=ST&f=1&t=9806&s=) Web site. Millar's comments on The Ultimates are especially interesting when taking into account the aforementioned recent announcement at Wizard World Chicago that the series would get a second volume after the first ends with December's issue #13 (see 'WIZARD WORLD CHICAGO 2003 DAY 1 REPORT' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20764)).
"I can't comment completely on what's been offered yet because there's so much behind-the-scenes intrigue, spin and counter-*******-spin going on here. People want us, people are spreading rumours, factions within various companies are fighting other factions, etc. All I can say is what I've said before: Hitchy and I are guaranteed to complete our first volume of The Ultimates. It's the greatest thing we've ever worked on, the most fun we've had in our professional careers and it sells like Willy Wonka's chocolate bars. So let's just say it'd take a Hell of a lot (though not necessarily cash) to prise us from something we love this much.
It's been a very, very curious week. Old enemies building bridges, promises made, public denouncements, but also much much back-tracking. I'm sitting here with three offers from three different companies (one nobody knows about yet) and they have all massive reasons for signing up. I honestly haven't decided, as one of them in particular is a lifelong dream, but perhaps a little too early. That said, I also believe in sticking by the people who have been good to you so make of that what you will. Whatever happens, I'll be announcing two new titles at Wizard World. Sorry to be so vague, but all three companies concerned have asked me to keep my mouth shut until then and I probably shouldn't even be saying THIS much.
PS I'm definitely not the writer on Ultimate Hulk, although I can see why this rumour got out there. You'll see what I mean soon."
Sounds like Millar just confirmed that Ultimate Hulk will be the other Ultimate title to join Ultimate Fantastic Four next year.
WILD ABOUT HARRY
Heard the rumour that Roaring Studios recently attempted to secure the rights to Harry Potter in order to produce comic books based on the character but failed due to the high asking price of the license? Well, don't believe everything you hear. Extinction Event penciler Brett Booth tells us that the promotional art that supposedly accompanied the pitch were nothing more than fan art the artist did for his wife, colorist Jessica Ruffner-Booth.
"As far as I know, Roaring has not attempted to get the Harry Potter license. I am doing adaptations of Tad William's The Burning Man and The Dragonbone Chair for them. I think somebody must've got their wires crossed somewhere.
Both those pieces are fan art I did for Jess. She's a very big Harry Potter fan. I'm surprised to see the B&W one as I have only sent it out to one person. The colored one has been up on our web site (http://home.att.net/~brettbooth/Index.html) for months."
<table border=0 align=center><tr><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/harry1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/harry1t.jpg" align=right alt="Harry Potter by Brett Booth"></a></td><td><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/harry2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/harry2t.jpg" align=right alt="Harry Potter fan art by Brett Booth"></a></td></tr></table>
BUSY BACHALO
New X-Men artist Chris Bachalo recently checked in with us to provide some rumours of his own! Take it away, Chris!
"It's been difficult to pin down and confirm what I'm going to be working on for the past few months as this info has been changing, on what seems to be, a weekly basis. Today, rumor has it that I'm going to be working on a Captain America arc and that I'm in line to work on another New X-Men story arc. I've also heard rumors to be working on six - issues #7-13 - New Mutants covers. Not to mention, a cover that I did for Top Cow's new title Cursed and an issue of Hip Flask that I'm - slowly - turning around for Comicraft."
"I've also been rumored to be in contact with a few publishers regarding a new creator owned series that I've intentions of writing as well as drawing."
"I cannot confirm or deny these rumors at this time."
"That's the rumor for now.... but it's only a rumor.... stay tuned."
BENDIS BOOTS DD REBOOT
On his Jinxworld Message Board (http://www.imagecomics.com/cgi-bin/wwwthreads/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=bendis&Number=210171&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5), Daredevil scribe Brian Michael Bendis has shot down the rumor of a reboot of the title as suggested by the aforementioned "leaked" Marvel.com solicitations.
"Untrue....
Alex {Maleev} and I, who JUST won an Eisner for the book by the way :) , are staying, so is the numbering.
Want to hear how the rumor started? Come by my panel at Wiz World this Saturday.
Feel free to cut and paste this post wherever my good name is being besmearched."
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/1003/CREW_6.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/1003/CREW_6t.jpg" align=right alt="The Crew #6 preview"></a>'TRACKING PRIEST'S CREW
Are you a fan of Marvel's The Crew? Would you like to see it promoted more to help boost the series' sales? Well, so would writer Christopher Priest, which is why he apparently came up with a promotional CD entitled The Crew: Official Soundtrack that was to contain dotComic versions of the first two issues of the series, character and creator profiles, interviews, the complete scripts for issues #1-5 as well as the complete scripts for the seven-issue "Black and White" story arc from Black Panther, original Panther art, and web links. All this set to original hip-hop tracks produced by Priest for the low, low price of $1.99. The intent was to have these CD's packaged with magazines that appeal to the urban crowd, such as The Source, as well as to have it made available for retailers to order through Diamond.
The project has stalled, however, due to delays in having the first two issues transferred into the dotComic format, hesitation on Marvel's part to pay for the disc replication, as well as doubts from some Marvel executives that the CD would really reach its intended new market.
WHO LET THE CLAWS OUT?
Seems like Marvel Comics President Bill Jemas did. According to our sources, Jemas apparently demanded that the über-popular Wolverine be made the focus of the X-Men team because his popularity from the movies should carry over. Any stories wherein he was absent from the team were to be re-written with Logan in it, if not the main character. Apparently, this is no longer the case, but it would explain the glut of Wolverine appearances of late.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel_botypb.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel_boytpbt.jpg" align=right alt="Marvel Boy TPB"></a>MARVEL-OUS MORRISON
Meanwhile, writer Grant Morrison recently told the Comic Book Resources (http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=2662) Web site what his plans for Ultimate Fantastic Four would have been.
"Ultimate Fantastic Four will probably still appear, but I won't have anything to do with it. I was involved in some of the discussions that went on prior to the release of The Ultimates so I feel as though I've contributed my ten cents worth already.
One thing I wanted to do was 'Ultimate Kree/Skrull War' (or Kree/Chitauri War...) which would reveal that the original Super-Soldier serum was genetically-engineered by Kree scientists using shapeshifting Skrull/Chitauri Dna. The Kree, hidden on our planet for centuries, were attempting to create a race of genetically-perfect supermen to protect the Earth in the oncoming Kree/Skrull conflict. The Skrull Super-Soldier mix, applied to the not-very-fluid human anatomy, would have also explained why Banner turns green... among other things..."
Morrison also went on to discuss what happened with the two proposed sequels to his Marvel Boy mini-series.
"Bill {Jemas, Marvel Comics President} didn't ever try to alter anything at any time. He rejected a Frank Quitely X-Men cover once for some unlikely reason, but that's all I can recall. He simply didn't like the fluorescent overtones of what I was doing in Marvel Boy 2 and asked me if I was prepared to try a different and more down-to-earth approach to the basic idea of angry alien boy trapped on Earth. My original series pitch and scripts were based in a horrible super-security prison called the Cube, home of the most deranged inhuman mutants and mother****ers on the face of the Earth. Grotesques like Daddy Heart, Alan Satan and the Spider Sisters filled every page and the whole thing was a very fast-paced religious satire in the Marvel Cosmic style.
So I didn't want to do 'down to earth' stories in Marvel Boy. I decided that movies were doing comics so well there was no point in doing comics to look like movies any more. Let's make this stuff really crazy... so that special effects have to keep up with us. I foresaw a new demand for intricate bizarre psychedelic comics and was eager to oblige. Cycles whip and twist faster all the time and pop culture's threshing tentacles are flailing into an ultraviolet magic goth phase for a little while before the lights come on and the kids all look really weird in the sunshine. Time for the comic books to get crazier again, you might think.
However, what I did have for Bill was a TV series outline I'd created for Marvel Entertainment - a low budget, ground-level interpretation of the Marvel Boy idea which I was never too keen on doing in comic form. Bill liked that one and was happy to let me write it. I wasn't sure and vacillated. In the end, contracts never materialized anyway so there was a sense that the project was doomed to fall through the cracks from the start. It went through all kinds of hellish changes over the years. My own personal Authority.
There are some parts of the Marvel Boy 2 series which I may use again - the Kree Book of The Dead issue, 'Beyond The Withinfinite', delved into Kree comic book religion in full-on Prog Comics style and had loads of mad ideas which may find their way into something else eventually."
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_rosm1cover.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_rosm1covert.jpg" align=right alt="He-Man and The Rise of The Snake Men #1 preview"></a>HE-MAN DOWN UNDER
Noble Causes back-up artist Andie Tong has landed himself a high profile gig with MV Creations. The Aussie artist tells us that he will be working on the three-issue Masters of The Universe mini-series entitled He-Man and The Rise of The Snake Men. The mini was previously announced as being drawn by Jonboy Meyers, who has been forced to pull out due to personal reasons.
<table border=0 align=center><tr><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/he_man_tong.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/he_man_tongt.jpg" alt="He-Man character sketch by Andie Tong"></a></td><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_genrattlor.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_genrattlort.jpg" alt="General Rattlor character sketch by Andie Tong"></a></td><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_mekaneck_tong.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_mekaneck_tongt.jpg" alt="Mekaneck character sketch by Andie Tong"></a></td><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_zodak_tong.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/crossgen/heman_zodak_tongt.jpg" alt="Zodak character sketch by Andie Tong"></a></td></tr></table>
Sad news for He-Man fans down under, however, as the Masters of The Universe comics will not be sold outside of North America.
Well, that's it for this first edition of Can of Worms. Look for future editions to be published when the ComiX-Fan staff have enough info to pack into it! If you've heard any choice rumours or juicy gossip lately, be sure to drop us a line. We will ensure that you remain anonymous unless you specify otherwise. And remember, you'll always find the factual news in ComiX-Fan's News (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=2) and Features (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=3) sections.
And to those wondering about the recent change in name of this column, we were asked to due to an existing online column - Marv Wolfman's What Th--? ComiX-Fan would like to apologise for any confusion that may have arisen from the similarity.