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.
§ Dark Horse unveiled Resident Alien: One More for the Road, a one-shot that will conclude the series by creators Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse on April 15. The special sees Harry Vanderspeigle’s people hold a conference to help Earth join the Circle of Worlds, while Harry finds himself in a dangerous situation that might finally expose his identity. The news comes shortly after the Syfy series of the comic concluded after four seasons this summer. Resident Alien began in 2012, and has spawned nine miniseries, including this year’s The Book of Changes.
§ Image will publish Tigress Island, a pulpy, centerfold-inspired miniseries by Patrick Kindlon (Gehenna, Stringer) and EPHK (Harpy). The book follows “a crew of washed-up starlets [who] finds themselves snatched, shackled, and shipped to a jungle hellhole ruled by a vicious, velvet-gloved she-devil of a warden. The only shot at freedom? Band together, break their chains, and outrun betrayal lurking around every corner.” Issue #1 (of 5) will be released on March 11.
§ Popverse shares Titan will debut Dead by Daylight: The Hillbilly, a new miniseries starring the titular killer this April. Written by Derek Fridolfs (Batman: Arkham) with art by Dean Kotz (Black Hammer: Visions), the book follows a rookie cop uncovering the origins of the Hillbilly, a disfigured, chainsaw-wielding fiend who preys on animals and humans alike. It marks the second Dead by Daylight comic, following Titan’s 2023-24 series that was collected under the name The Legion.
§ Via AIPT, Titan revealed Rafael Garcia: Henchman, a workplace comedy take on spies and supervillains, created by writers Peter Murrieta (Wizards of Waverly Place) & David Schrader (Baby Badass), and artist Ben Herrera. Plot details were scant for the series, which was crowdfunded by SBI Press on Kickstarter in 2021, but it promises “an action comedy that mixes the daily grind of The Office with the slacker absurdity of Stripes – if the General in charge was more like Lex Luthor.” Issue #1 (of 4) releases March 18.
§ ICv2 reports Spider-Gwen and Spider-Punk will star in the original graphic novel Ghost-Spider: Broken Chords, due out from Scholastic Graphix on April 7. Written by Roseanne A. Brown (Around the Spider-Verse), with art by Diobelle Cerna (Stitch: You’re My Little Ohana), Nabi H. Ali (Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin) & Maca Gil (Anti/Hero), the book sees the pair team up against an original villain (with similar powers) named Arachnid. While Gwen appeared in Scholastic’s Around the Spider-Verse, this will mark the first OGN she headlines from the publisher.
§ Netflix announced the Extraction spin-off series starring Omar Sy is titled Mercenary, while providing a first-look photo from filming. The show, which will also feature Boyd Holbrook, Natalie Dormer, and many more, will follow Sy’s character as he embarks on a rescue mission in Libya. It is the second spin-off of the films in the works, following the Korean movie Tygo. Mercenary, Extraction et al. originated from the series Ciudad, created by Joe and Anthony Russo with Ande Parks and Fernando León González.
§ Speaking of Netflix, Warner Bros.’s board of directors have rejected Paramount’s larger, hostile bid for the company, and recommended their shareholders stick with the streamer’s acquisition deal instead. Paramount responded they remain committed to buying out their rival, although one of their backers, Jared Kushner‘s private equity firm Affinity Partners, has reportedly pulled out over scrutiny about its involvement. In any case, over to you now, Warner Bros. (and DC Comics) shareholders!
§ Finally, actor Gil Gerard died on Tuesday, December 16, following a battle with cancer. He was 82. Best known for playing the lead role in the 1979-1981 series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Gerard also starred on Sidekicks and Days of Our Lives, and appeared in Little House on the Prairie, Hawaii Five-O, Fish Police, and The Nice Guys. His voice roles included Megatronus (Megatron’s predecessor, aka the Fallen) on the 2015 Transformers cartoon Robots in Disguise. He is survived by his fifth wife, whom he married in 2007, and a son from his third marriage, born in 1981.
