LYING IN THE GUTTERS VOLUME 2 COLUMN 10

Anyway, Lying In The Gutters is the number one source for comic industry gossip, rumour and general nonsense. Yes, even more than Millarworld. Red light means it's probably bollocks, Amber light means it's could be tainted by a partisan source, Green light means you can rely on it. Up to a point. Maybe. Your call.

THE BIG BAT

[Green Light]

For those of you who want to know what next year's big Batman arc, coming off of the One Year Gap, highlight the following white text.

Bruce Wayne has been committed to Arkham Asylum and Nightwing has assumed the mantle of The Batman. Nightwing, however, will continue as an ongoing comic.

Those who don't, please, continue in your Bat-ignorance.

CALM BEFORE

[Yellow Light]

Where's Wildstorm?

Well, their Gelatometti blog has achieved much praise for featuring sketches of fantasy characters. Well, next year, we can look forward to a new fantasy line from the company.

Ale Garza is working on "Skye Runner," announced at Comic-Con International with the rest of the line to be announced at Chicago.

It will also include a revival of DC's character "The Claw," reworked from its initial Conan roots - with Jim Lee involved at a conceptual level.

We already know about Morrison and Lee's "WildC.A.T.S" - this will be accompanied with a coordinated relaunch of "Authority," "Deathblow" and "Wetworks," amongst which Jim Lee may have more of an artistic hand. And Wildstorm editor Alex Sinclair is also leaving soon to return to just colouring comics - his true love.

DC CUTS

[Green Light]

"Doom Patrol" and "Breach" have been officially cancelled according to internal DC memos, ending at issues 18 and 11 respectively. We can expect more to join them soon - including a number of projects that never even made it to solicitation. DC's schedule should be bumped up by the weekly "52" book after "Infinite Crisis" ends, as well as more IC spinoff books all over the place.

Last week's "52" story will be confirmed by the new Wizard Magazine.

DUE TBA

[Green Light]

Devil's Due are going to do a new "G.I. Joe" series based on the "Sigma Six" animated series previewed by Hasbro at San Diego. Devil's Due might also be expanding the D&D line of comics with "Eberron" titles.

LIFE OF BRIAN

[Green Light]

Brian Augustyn is no longer writing the "Beowulf" monthly title being published through Speakeasy Comics due to creative differences. Dub, the artist has also dropped off to boot!

Speakeasy spent much of San Diego signing up new projects and managed to get half a dozen properties to be looked at by studios as well.

UDON HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME...

[Green Light]

Rumors are that Udon have some new investors, which enabled them to bring the Japanese Street Fighter creators and crew to San Diego. Multiple copies of the Exclusive Shin Akuma bust in order to get the secret packed in Gouken bust for $50 (now eBaying for $150)

Look for UDON finally becoming a full-fledged publisher of their own other than just a studio using other publisher. They will restart their successful "Street Fighter" title this coming October and also launch their epic fantasy title "Exalted" licensed by White Wolf publishing. Rumours are that the long awaited Capcom title "Rival Schools" will also begin sometime end of 2005.

BATMAN BEGINS PAYING

[Green Light]

Unofficially, creators with significant input into the finished "Batman Begins" script such as Frank Miller, Denny O'Neil, Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale and others will receive financial compensation, decided on a case-by-case basis by Paul Levitz.

THE DREAMWAVE LEGACY

[Yellow Light]

The appearance of Transformers trade paperbacks coming from IDW, listed by Amazon, collecting Dreamwave material has caused some creators to get rather annoyed - specifically because they haven't been paid for much of that work and haven't been contacted by IDW yet.

Hasbro's lawyers have advised creators that they wish to deal with publishers who will pay existing creative debts but "if these amounts are excessive, it might be necessary to negotiate as to the amounts due and/or cherry-pick the publications."

The Amazon solicitations do not yet mention which creators worked on the unpaid volume number three.

As to last week's listing of Dreamwave's assets for sale, it turns out as expected Hasbro did seize the physical comic book stock, claiming ownership. This may be challenged by other creditors however, especially since much of the stock printed work that was never paid for. It looks like freelancers have as much of a claim on the stock as any other parties.

However, Destination Entertainment has acquired the rights from Hasbro to distribute some of those books, specifically ones that were never released to the public. These books currently include the Pocket Sized versions of "Transformers Energon" Volume 2, and a black and white version of "Transformers Vs. G.I. Joe" Volume 1.

Destination Entertainment will attend Cybercon Expo 2005, with copies for sale, before distributing through Diamond. Alex Milne, the artist for many "Transformers Energon" issues will be in attendance as well, so you can get newly purchased copies signed right there at the show.

No word as to whether Alex will get paid for them though.

The other glitch with the Dreamwave assets liquidations is that the Canada Investment Act prevent non-Canadians from bidding on the assets.

Intriguingly, one person planning to bid for certain trademarks is coffee-drinking Porsche-driving Pat Lee himself.

ATLANTA ATTACKS

(Article removed at the request of Rob Felton, VP Business Development, Wizard Entertainment / Wizard Conventions)

SAD OWSKI

[Green Light]

"JSA" penciller Stephen Sadowski has stated that on issue 75 of the series, inker Michael Bair made a number of incorrect or uneccesary changes to the artwork in the inking process. His original pencils can be seen here for comparison purposes.

SPAWNED SOLICITATION

[Red Light]

Solicitation information for the new "Spawn" trade/hardcover series has caused some concerned comment from fans.

Currently listed as "written by Todd McFarlane and others, art and

cover by McFarlane" it proceeds to state it contains "'Spawn' issues

1-10."

Considering that included both the disputed ownership "Spawn" #9 written by Neil Gaiman and the off-continuity "Spawn" #10 by Dave Sim, of which there is also dispute as to whether Dave Sim has allowed republication.

Image representatives inform me that incorrectly solicited information has been released and it will be corrected. The volume will include issues 1-8, then issues 11 and 12. And additionally, Dave Sim has faxed instructions to Image that they may reprint "Spawn" #10 if and when Todd chooses to do so.

Watch as the Diamond Previews solicitation changes to reflect this.

KING FANTASTIC

[Yellow Light]

So has Stephen King signed a comic book deal with Marvel? And has he written his experience into an upcoming work?

"It looked like a good place for a man who had just sold his first graphic novel--and its sequel, both for an amazing, totally unexpected amount of money--to sit and eat a chocolate ice cream cone."

NEXT MEN

[Green Light]

Want to know more about Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen's new team book for Marvel, "NextWave?"

"An elite, superhuman task force of H.A.T.E. (Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort), the Nextwave team was originally hired by the government to stop superhuman terrorists, but finds their own organization is the one behind big-time bad guys taking out small towns in rural states where superheroes never venture, and decide to turn on their former bosses"

Machine Man, Pulsar, Boom Boom and more.

See? Just because I occasionally bitch about Wizard, doesn't mean I don't read it...

AND FINALLY...

[Green Light]

Beating Marvelman/Miracleman to the punch, look for a new superhero comic coming out soon - Captain Miracle. A superhero powered by Jehovah...

SMALL PRINT

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