The Mouse and the Spider

Disney is buying Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion. This will no doubt mean all manner of merchandising of Mickey Mouse dressed as Spider-Man, Donald Duck as the Hulk or Wolverine, and so on, and undoubtedly some sort of theme park attraction, probably at Disney Studios. Hopefully it will also mean the return of Disney Comics, which have been pretty absent in this country (excepting reprints of archived material).

Details, as they are known at this time, can be found here.

Happy Birthday to the King

When I was a kid, I doubt I knew his name, but I sure knew his art. It seemed like every comic book I read (except for the Disney ones) was drawn by him. All hail Jack Kirby!

Miscellaneous

Jay Stephens has posted his pencil roughs for the cover to CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #44 here. This issue contains a two-part THE SECRET SATURDAYS story that I wrote.

One of my earliest work in comics (be warned) has been posted at Bosch Millennium

Rik Offenberger discusses the Red Circle comic books from DC, including THE HANGMAN, with editor Rachel Gluckstern at Newsarama .

A couple more takes on MIDNIGHT, MASS. going to NBC here , here and here .

Comics Bulletin Interview

Andre Lamar has posted an interview that he conducted with me with at Comics Bulletin where we discuss the two hats I wear in writing comics; the more adult oriented comics like MIDNIGHT, MASS. and the forthcoming THE HANGMAN and the child oriented work I do in SCOOBY-DOO and THE SECRET SATURDAYS.

H.P. Lovecraft's Birthday

Today is the birthday of H.P. Lovecraft. To celebrate I may end up reading one of his stories over some seafood. For more info start here.

New XOMBI comic available today

XOMBI was a comic book series I wrote for Milestone Comics between 1994-1996. It lasted 22 issues and was well regarded by my peers and a cult following. The series was illustrated by J.J. Birch with color by Noelle Giddings and others, and letters by Agnes Pinaha. There were also a handful of guest cover artists including John Byrne, Walt Simonson, Howard Chaykin, and one that unfortuantely went unused by Kent Williams. There was also, sadly, an entire Hanukkah Special that was completed, but never published, with art by Guy Davis and a cover by Guy Davis and Vince Locke.

The series followed David Kim a medical researcher working with nanotechnology. His laboratory is broken into by supernatural creatures sent to steal his research. The creatures mortally wound David with occult weapons, and David's assistant saves him by infusing his body with his experimental nanomachines which restore him at her expense. David soon discovers that he can't die. Cut off a limb, he'll grow it back. Infect him, his body will get rid of the disease. The nanomachines also keep him at an ideal age, and weight, correct his eyesight, and keep him from ever needing to brush his teeth or use a toilet.

Due to the nature of his transformation, David also discovers that he's a weirdness magnet. He becomes the center of a number of bizarre supernatural and just plain weird adventures, assisted and mentored by an odd assortment of paranormal combattants including Rabbi Sinnowitz, Vatican endorsed Nun of the Above and her superpowered sidekick, Catholic Girl, and magician infect with supernatural VD, Julian Parker.

After a thirteen year absence, David Kim returns to comics today in BRAVE AND THE BOLD #26, along with Julian Parker, and DC's spirit of vengeance, THE SPECTRE. The artwork is by Scott Hampton and features a cover by Michael Kaluta.

You Can Now Spend Eternity As A Severed Head

Forget the coffin. Spend eternity gazing down on your loved ones in the form of a severed head. Here's how.

MIDNIGHT, MASS. - The television series

The troubled comic book series, "Midnight, Mass." which I created for DC/Vertigo in the early 2000s may be headed to television.

According to the Hollyood Reporter:

NBC to adapt 'Midnight' comic
Drama among the most heavily pursued DC titles
By Nellie Andreeva
Aug 16, 2009, 11:00 PM ET
"Midnight, Mass." is headed to television.

NBC has picked up a live-action drama adaptation of the comic book series from DC Comics' Vertigo imprint.

Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts are on board to write the project for Warner Bros. TV and studio-based Jinks/Cohen Co.

"Midnight," which has received a script commitment with penalty from the network, revolves around Adam and Julia Kadmons, a sophisticated, sexy, globe-trotting husband-and-wife team who solve mysteries and crimes of the supernatural.

John Rozum's "Midnight, Mass." has been among the most heavily pursued of DC Comics' properties for a TV series adaptation by sister company WBTV.

Over the years, almost a dozen producers at the studio had taken a stab at the comic, but this is the first time such a project has been set up at a network.

Berg and Harberts are executive producing "Midnight" with Jinks and Cohen.

ICM-repped Berg and Harberts serve as executive producers/showrunners on NBC/UMS' new medical drama "Mercy" with creator Liz Heldens.

For the record, the main characters are Adam and Julia Kadmon, not Kadmons, and error made in every report I've seen so far.

This is the second attempt to turn Midnight, Mass. into a television series. Hopefully, this one will work out.

To read other reports on the project visit Bleeding Cool and UGO .

In Comic Book Stores Today

Piecemeal returns to plague the Saturdays in a new story written by me, with art by Scott Jeralds and Mike Manley and a great cover by Jay Stephens. It all happens in the pages of CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #40, from DC Comics, on sale today at a comic book store near you. With the second season of THE SECRET SATURDAYS having just finished on the Cartoon Network, this makes the perfect gift for any fans who can't wait until the third season begins this Fall.

40 Years of Ghosts and Ghouls

Forty years ago today, one of my favorite places in the world opened its creaking doors to the public for the first time. Happy Birthday to Disneyland's The Haunted Mansion.