• The fellow who produced WATCHMEN is now interested in developing MAGE, Matt Wagner’s modern day Arthurian fantasy. Lloyd Levin, who professes to be a big fan of the material, has optioned the “Hero Discovered” portion of the tale of Kevin Matchstick and his wonder-bat. Originally published in the indie-comics-lovin’ ’80s, MAGE is one of those tried and true tales which remains a good read, and always in play for Hollywood — Zack Snyder was attached to a previous deal.

• With KICK-ASS coming out on DVD and Blu-ray this week, director Matthew Vaughan has been doing a lot of press, including hints about X-MEN: FIRST CLASS and plans for KICK-ASS 2

Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall begins with Hit Girl living with her newly adoptive father, who used to be Big Daddy’s ex-partner on the police force. She has retired her guns and is no longer killing people. Meanwhile, Red Mist has hired a Russian Assassin to murder Hit Girl, while also assembling a group of super villains on-line who decide to hunt Kick-Ass down in a storyline that is similar to the one seen in The Warriors, which climaxes with a huge rumble in Times Square, where costumed heroes battle costumed villains to the death.

• Comics folks Andy Diggle and Neal Adams have a new agency, , namely WME, and THR feels it worthy of mention. Diggle’s contract with Marvel is up in March, and he hopes to pursue “creator owned” projects, we’re told.

• Old news now, but we just wanted to give the Beat Stamp of Approval™ to the news that Guillermo del Toro has finally decided to direct an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS. Del Toro has been dancing with Cthulhu for years, and, let’s face it, tentacled horrors are way more up his alley then hobbit holidays.