New York, N.Y. February 23, 2010 - WHA Entertainment, a publisher and
developer of entertainment games based on leading IP Franchises, today
announced it is releasing Kick-Ass for the PSN and iPhone April 15th.
Kick-Ass is a superhero action game based on the upcoming theatrical
movie by the same name. Players will be put to the test as they take
on the role of any 1 of 3 super heroes based on the super characters
featured in the movie.

Featuring multiplayer local co-op gameplay, Kick-Ass brings an
unsurpassed integration of Facebook and Twitter to the PSN Network.
Many of the Kick-Ass missions are given via friend requests from the
FACESPACE social networking site.

SCEA has announced that PSP owners can now purchase digital comics via the PlayStation Network.

Gamers who have upgraded their PSP to firmware 6.20 will have the Digital Comics Reader app. The service is launching with about 550 comics today with additional updates weekly. Marvel Entertainment, Disney, IDW Publishing, iVerse Media and others are providing select titles ranging from G.I. Joe, Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, TRANSFORMERS, Star Trek to Archie Comics and more.

The comics will carry one of three price tags including $0.99, $2.99 with the majority selling for $1.99. Select titles will be available for free.

With digital comics becoming even more of a reality across more devices, do you find that $2 and $3 is too much to spend for something that you can’t hold in your hand? Not to mention what has traditionally been a collectible medium?

NOLA

CBR feature on NOLA

advance review @ Comics Bulletin

HuffPo article from earlier this year about post-Katrina New Orleans

This new comic set in the Big Easy is a revenge thriller.

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Also this week:

Azrael #2

Black Lightning Year One TP

War Machine #11

Gold Digger #112, GD Tech Manual #9. By Perry.

President Evil #3

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Also notable:

Dr. Horrible one-shot. Based on the popular web series by Joss Whedon.

Farscape #1. Based on the sci-fi TV series.

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The following DC books are advance-solicited, meaning they’ll appear in the February 2010 Previews but will go on sale in March 2010:

HARDWARE: THE MAN IN THE MACHINE TP
Advance-solicited • On sale March 24 • 192 pg, FC, $19.99 US
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Denys Cowan, J.J. Birch & others
Cover by Denys Cowan
This first-ever HARDWARE collection, featuring HARDWARE #1-8, introduces inventor/engineer Curt Metcalf whose high tech armor enables him to break free of his corrupt employer, mob connected businessman Edwin Alva.

FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH: INK TP
Advance-solicited • On sale March 3 • 144 pg, FC, $17.99 US
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino Cover by Brian Stelfreeze
In this collection of the 6-issue miniseries, the Tattooed Man is considered a hero for the first time in his life. At first, it’s a welcome change, but things go from bad to worse when he finds his body covered in unfamiliar tattoos with lives of their own.

UNKNOWN SOLDIER VOL. 2: EASY KILL TP
Advance-solicited • On sale March 17 • 200 pg, FC, $17.99 US MATURE READERS
Written by Joshua Dysart
Art by Alberto Ponticelli & Pat Masioni
Cover by Dave Johnson
In this second volume, collecting issues #7-14 of the acclaimed series, a militant group makes the Unknown Soldier an offer: To focus the world’s attention on Africa’s problems, kill American celebrity Margaret Wells on Ugandan soil.

(In an unrelated aside, the 11″ x 17.5″ HC edition of Wednesday Comics is also being advance-solicited; it’s due May 26 and costs $49.99.)

Editor Axel Alonso (along with artist Scot Eaton) talk about the DoomWar mini-series, which will feature, among others, the Black Panther and Storm.

The Life and Times of Martha Washington in the 21st Century

War Machine #9

AOD: Ash Saves Obama #2 (of 4)

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Also notable:

Blackest Night #3 (of 8)

Captain America: Reborn #3 (of 5)

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New posts at Great Black Comic Books: Why I Hate Saturn and Aya.

The East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention is sponsoring a comics seminar in November.

Is there a new Vampirella in our future?

Losers director Sylvain White talks about his next movie, an adaptation of Frank Miller’s Ronin.

A report on the recent Morrie Turner exhibit in San Francisco.

New Shawn Martinbrough interview.

The secret history of Valerie from Josie & the Pussycats.

Robert E. Howard’s Thulsa Doom

Amazon link to a whole bunch of REH Conan books

Amazon link to the first in a series of Dark Horse Conan TPBs written by Kurt Busiek

Amazon link to the first in a series of Dark Horse Conan TPBs by Roy Thomas & Barry Windsor-Smith

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Also this week:

Buffy TVS #28. Pencils by Jeanty.

Black Panther #8

Luke Cage Noir #2 (of 4). Art by Martinbrough.

Barack the Barbarian #2 (of 4)

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Wow. Disney bought Marvel. What else is there to talk about, really?

Obviously, this is way, way, WAY bigger than comics. I’ve been away from my computer this weekend so I’m still absorbing this news, but one thing I did see briefly touched upon that I thought was interesting was how some are saying that this could be a sign that the recession/depression may be, if not over, then at least on its last legs. Too soon to tell, but if true, that alone would make this good news. Early impression I’m getting is that Disney plans to let Marvel do their thing, though I’m really hoping they’ll take a look at what Marvel actually publishes right now and decide that constantly telling bleak and grim stories with characters who appear on lunchboxes and pajamas and coloring books is perhaps not the way to go. Not that I want everything to be squeaky-clean Hannah Montana sweetness and light all the time in Marvel superhero comics – but Pixar has proven time and again that “all-ages” does not necessarily mean “juvenile” or “dumbed down.” That’s a lesson I really hope Marvel takes to heart now that they’re part of Disney.

Back on topic: Raven Gregory interviews his former editor Renae Geerlings.

Tintin in the Congo continues to rile people up – in this case the French.

New entries at Great Black Comic Books: Narcissa and Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool.

The NY Times reports that pending approval from board members of both companies and Marvel’s sharedholders, the Walt Disney Company will buy Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion, in a combination of about 60 percent cash and 40 percent stock.

Well, dear readers, what do you make of this news?

Already set to star in Jonah Hex in June 2010, and in Michael Turner’s Fathom in the same year, according to British Tabloid, The Sun reports the current “It Girl” and Transformers star has possibly signed on to be in Christopher Nolan’s third Batman film set to hit theaters in 2011 along with Christian Bale, Michael Caine, and Gary Oldman.

Read the whole article on The San Diego Movie Examiner

“…It’s easy for people to take credit for things (like strategic marketing) when they are going well, but no one will step forward when unethical methods are implemented, methods that are clearly not ’strategic.’ Because I am credited in Tyrese Gibson’s MAYHEM! as Marketing Director, I’m obligated to come forward and absorb the blame for these (unauthorized) snake oil selling marketing tactics which I found to be unnecessary and insensative [sic] to comic book retailers. (I do not want to be associated with the comic book retail problem that has arisien because of this project , especially in this frail economy.”

Percy Carey

Playboy has always been a supporter of comics with a mature sensibility and visionary content, especially DC/Vertigo Comics. They’ve published articles in the past about Arkham Asylum, and Harvey Pekar’s The Quitter. This week on their Playboy.com site, they preview the first two graphic novels that will launch the Vertigo Crime imprint: Filthy Rich by Brian Azzarello and Victor Santos and Dark Entries, a Hellblazer story by Ian Rankin and Werther Dell’Edera. Art for both graphic novels will be in black, white, and gray with covers done by Lee Bermejo (Joker).
Check both of them out: here

And if that wasn’t cool enough (which it should be) Playboy is also showing a 6-page interpretation of a scene in Quentin Tarantino’s new film, Inglorious Basterds with art by the wonderful R.M. Guera who is also the artist for Vertigo’s Scalped series created by Jason Aaron. Let’s just say it’s bloody good. Read the comic: here

Big props for Playboy, who has always had good writing in their magazine, realizing a potential crossover in readership with Vertigo Comics. We only get a taste of what will surely be some of our favorite reads this year, but it’s enough to quell the hunger–for now.

The series would join such high quality fare as Mad Men and Breaking Bad on AMC.

Barack Obama: The First 100 Days

IDW’s latest Obama comic.

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Also this week:

Final Crisis Aftermath: Ink #3 (of 6)

Evil & Malice Save the World TP. By Jimmie Robinson.

Spawn #194

Gold Digger Tech Manual #6. By Fred Perry.

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I’m back in New York now, and I’ve had only sporadic access to the computer the past few days, but I expect things to settle into some kind of routine within the next week or two. So if I miss items from Comic-Con, feel free to provide me with news tips if you have them. Here’s some Comic-Con news that I haven’t posted yet:

- From the Top Cow panel: Marc Bernardin & Adam Freeman have a new project in the works called Cell Division.

- From the Wildstorm panel: B&F will also take over on The Authority after Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning. Their first arc will be about the Carrier being recalled by its creators… A new Welcome to Tranquility series is coming, which will pick up where the previous one left off.

- A Reggie Hudlin video interview.

- The Iron Man 2 panel includes comments from Don Cheadle. Also: a video interview with Cheadle.

- Black Film has a bunch of pictures from CCI.

In other news: could Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje be the Black Panther?

Marvel showed concept art of possible costumes were shown incorporating Iron Man, Wolverine and Captain America at an SDCC videogame panel, although other characters will be considered.

• From the Mondo Marvel panel: Reggie Hudlin & Denys Cowan will do a Captain America/Black Panther 4-issue mini-series next year. It’ll feature T’challa’s grandfather, so it’ll likely be set in the past.
• The interior artist for the Doctor Voodoo series will be Jefte Palo. Rick Remender will write.
• From the Superman panel: Jamal Igle will be one of several artists on a Supergirl Secret Files special this fall.
• From the Vertigo panel: Gary Phillips has a new graphic novel coming called Cowboys, with art by Brian Hurtt, about an undercover cop and an undercover fed involved in a brutal mafia killing.

Courtesy Superhero Hype: SLJ will be one of the voice actors in the forthcoming Astro Boy animated film.

Also: Rapper Ghostface Killah has a comic book.

From the press release:

Natalie Portman to Star as Jane Foster in Marvel Studios’ THOR

Portman is represented by Brillstein Entertainment Partners, CAA and George Sheanshang.