Welcome back to The Beat Digest, a twice-weekly round-up of the biggest comics-related news stories we’ve missed every Tuesday and Friday. Is there a story out there you think we should cover? Be sure to let us know in the comments.
§ Via the Los Angeles Times, AWA Studios announced Beast Mode 510, a graphic novel created by actor/former football player Marshawn Lynch (Bottoms) in collaboration with Sheldon Allen (They Choose Violence), Denys Cowan, Dexter Vines, and Chris Sotomayor. The book follows Beast Mode, a fixer and freelance detective based in Oakland (area code 510), who uncovers a global conspiracy “involving missing young women, Silicon Valley corruption, Yakuza assassins, reptilian billionaires, and a million-dollar bounty on his head.” The character derives his nickname from the one Lynch himself earned on the football field. It will be released on October 6.
§ The Dunwich Horror, Gou Tanabe‘s latest manga adapting a H.P. Lovecraft story, will be unleashed by Dark Horse in English on September 29. Translated by Zack Davisson, and lettered by Steve Dutro, the book will retell the 1929 story of a college librarian, who heads to Dunwich, Massachusetts, to meet a child prodigy interested in obtaining a Latin copy of the Necronomicon. The 650-page release will retail in a deluxe edition for $49.99.
§ Nakama Press, Mad Cave’s imprint for East Asian comics, will release Casshan, a new take on the ’70s anime series by writer Mario B. Long (God Tier) and artist Kusanagi. The book follows the titular cyborg hero, as he’s reawakened with no memories of his past life, to rescue two girls who were kidnapped by rogue robots. It will be released on September 8. The cartoon previously received a manga adaptation, Casshern R, in 2023.
Mad Cave also announced a print edition of Wag, the 2023 comiXology series by Scott Hoffman (of Scissor Sisters fame), Juan Bobillo, and Rian Hughes. The post-apocalyptic sci-fi comic follows the titular loner, as he embarks on a quest with an increasing number of new friends to uncover the source of the voices in his head. It will arrive in brick-and-mortar stores on July 21.
§ LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight‘s release date has been moved up a week, to Friday, May 22. Those who pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition will still be able to play it 72 hours earlier on May 19. The new date will provide the PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5 game some breathing room from James Bond reboot 007: First Light, which will arrive on those platforms and the Nintendo Switch 2 on May 27.
§ Lucasfilm Animation released a full trailer for Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, providing us much more dialogue from Wagner Moura as Captain Brander Lawson, and some of Dennis Haysbert‘s voiceover as Eeko-Dio-Daki, the Jedi Master of Gideon Adlon‘s Twi’lek Devon Izara. The series premieres on Disney+ with two episodes on Monday, April 6.
§ Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige was honored by the USC School of Cinematic Arts last week, where a division of film and television was dedicated to him following a sizeable donation last year. A talk was held with Feige and fellow USC alumni Ryan Coogler and Shawn Levy, which was attended by Robert Downey Jr., incoming Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro and president & CCO Dana Walden, Marvel Studios co-president Louis D’Esposito, and Marvel TV boss Brad Winderbaum, among others. For a description of the evening, including an anecdote from Feige about the last time he met the late Chadwick Boseman, head to The Hollywood Reporter.
§ Speaking of Coogler, it’d be remiss of The Beat to not acknowledge the Black Panther director received his first Oscar, after Sinners won Best Original Screenplay at this year’s awards. Frequent collaborators Michael B. Jordan, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, and Ludwig Göransson also picked up awards for the film at the ceremony, where One Battle After Another won Best Picture and Director.
The show brought additional Disney-related fun, with Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Channing Tatum reuniting to present the screenplay Oscars while celebrating 14 years of The Avengers and Magic Mike, and a skit involving Sigourney Weaver, a clean-shaven Pedro Pascal, Kate Hudson, and Conan O’Brien, that featured some surprisingly strong language to ostensibly promote The Mandalorian and Grogu.
§ Finally, Titan announced a new reprint of the James Bond newspaper strips. The first volume of the (deep breath) Ian Fleming’s James Bond Signature Comic Strip Collection will collect the Daily Express comics from 1958 to 1961, that adapted Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia with Love, Dr. No, and Goldfinger. It’ll also include scans of artist John McLusky‘s original, unlettered work when it arrives on September 8.
