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.
NB: a full report on Stardust the Super Wizard‘s retracted Eisner nomination is coming.
§ DC Studios co-CEO and chairman James Gunn returned to his alma mater, Saint Louis University (in St. Louis, Missouri) on Saturday, May 16, to give the commencement speech at the graduation for the class of 2026. During his 22-minute speech, the filmmaker gave what he considered to be four pieces of essential advice to the 6500-strong crowd, before telling them, “The future is yours, and the world’s future is you. In all senses of the word, be good.” Gunn also received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from the university. You can see more from the event here.
§ Amazon MGM revealed none other than Queen guitarist Brian May contributed to the score for the new Masters of the Universe movie. He is featured on the track “Eternia” (named after He-Man’s homeworld), and another arrangement of the piece played over the end credits. The movie, scored by composer Daniel Pemberton (the Spider-Verse films), will be released on June 5. Other film music work by May includes 1980’s Flash Gordon, the original Highlander (1986), Mission: Impossible 2 (2000), and Spider-Man 2 (2004).
§ Retro beat-em-up game Marvel Cosmic Invasion launched the first of two planned DLCs, which adds the X-Men’s Cyclops/Scott Summers, and the Thing/Ben Grimm from the Fantastic Four, as playable characters. The DLC is available now, for only $3.99. The second DLC, which will add a new game mode as well as more characters, will be released in the fall. In the meantime, Dark Horse will release the game’s official artbook on August 4.
§ Image will release Yumi: 00EX, a four-issue “anti-spy” thriller by Doug Wagner (Narco, Plastic) and Hoyt Silva. The zany comic follows the titular heroine, who is searching for a missing MI6 agent she was in a relationship with. After attacking the British agency’s headquarters, she discovers “a fully AI Lamborghini that’s built less like a car and more like a Weapon of Mass Destruction.” Issue #1 releases August 12. The book was originally crowdfunded on Kickstarter in 2021.
§ Via IGN, Oni Press revealed the war-themed EC Comics special Shellshock. The 56-page book will feature sci-fi and horror stories on the subject by John Arcudi & Shawn Martinbrough, Michael W. Conrad & Albert Monteys, Julio Anta & David Lapham, and Benito Cereno & Tom Fowler, plus a reprint of the classic William M. Gaines, Al Feldstein & Jack Davis comic “Yellow.” It will be released on August 19.
§ Deadline shares season two of Moving, the Korean Hulu series based on the webtoon by Kang Full, is now in production. The first season of the show, released back in 2023, followed three high school students who discover they have superpowers, and their former government agent parents, after they become pursued by a mysterious organization. All of the cast are returning, except Lee Jung-ha, who played Kim Bong-seok, following his decision to enrol in South Korea’s compulsory military service. The role will be taken over by Won Gyu-bin (Btch x Rich).
§ Finally, prolific voice actor Tom Kane passed away on Monday, May 18, following complications from a stroke. He was only 64. Kane was best known for voicing Yoda, the narrator, and Admiral Yularen on Star Wars: The Clone Wars from 2008 to 2020, and for playing the title characters’ father, Professor Utonium, on The Powerpuff Girls (1998-2019).
Other roles across his vast career included Magneto on Wolverine and the X-Men, Gandalf in several video games, Warden Quincy Sharp in the Batman: Arkham series, and working as an announcer for Disneyland and Walt Disney World, as well as the Academy Awards. Kane had retired from acting in 2021, following a stroke the previous year. He is survived by his wife, Cindy Roberts, and nine children.
