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biohazar
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Image News
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Jun 23 14:59 UTC 1996 |
Image News
**TOP COW LEAVES IMAGE** It's official! Top Cow (makers of Cyberforce,
Witchblade, Ripclaw, 21, Weapon Zero and varist others) has left Image. The
Big Scoop is that Wizard World interviewed Top Cow Editor Dave Wohl online
last night. Wohl spilled the beans and gave the inside info on the departure.
You can download the transcript in the Picture Gallery in the folder "Stuff
You Can Download." on America Online. Also available on the Wizard Web Page
(http://www.wizardpress.com).
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| 90 responses total. |
biohazar
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response 1 of 90:
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Jul 1 15:27 UTC 1996 |
Top Cow gave no specific reasons for the departure from Image, but did refer
to "a changing marketplace" as a reason for their decision; after the split,
Top Cow will become one of the five largest publishers in the comic book
field, producing comics trading cards, and other products.
"With the success of our comic book line and the increasing recognition
of Top Cow as a viable brand, it was tme to establish the company as an
independent entity," Top Cow Productions owner and president Marc Silvestri
said. Top Cow already has licensing arrangements with Dreamworks, Fox Children
Network, UPN, Playmates, and Mattel.
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mappy
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response 2 of 90:
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Jul 2 23:43 UTC 1996 |
well, i like top cow, so i say good luck. But i am kind of thinking. did they
use the image name to get somewhere and just when they got popular, they said
"see ya!" i dunno, image is so kewl, why someone would wanna leave is beyond
me. This next little tidbit has nothing to do with image or topcow, but i want
ppl to know "ALICIA SILVERSTONE SUCKS!!!!!!! BAD ACTRESS...PTOOEY!"
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pez
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response 3 of 90:
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Jul 4 00:26 UTC 1996 |
yes..
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biohazar
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response 4 of 90:
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Jul 4 00:44 UTC 1996 |
It was said that Marc Silvestri also had irreconcilable differences with an
unnamed Image partner. Furthermore, Silvestri felt that Image has slowly lost
it's goals and principles that it had when Image was founded. "This was a very
difficult decision. I had spoken with Todd, whose opinion I respect greatly
as a friend and peer and he understood our concerns," Silvestri stated. "We
hold no ill will towards Image. We still consiter ourselfs to be on good terms
with the company and hope that Image will continue to prosper." Still more
to come.
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biohazar
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response 5 of 90:
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Jul 4 00:56 UTC 1996 |
More Image News
**Upcoming Crossovers** Before Top Cow leaves Image, Cyberforce and
Witchblade will crossover with Event's Ash in August. Also that month, there
will be a Tomoe/Witchblabe crossover with Tucci, Gutierrez and artist Jamal
Igle.
With all the Marvel/Image crossovers, one more has been put on the list. Some
time in 97, the long waited, fan requested, Jim Lee's WildCATs will be teaming
up with X-men in a four issue mini-series. Scott Lobdell will most likely
write the story and Marvel and WildStorm will each produce two of the books
to the crossover. There will also be a Gen 13/Generation X crossover too (but
even less details are known). More to come, of course.
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biohazar
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response 6 of 90:
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Aug 6 11:38 UTC 1996 |
More Image News
**Spawns** Okay, lets count the Spawns (not including the ones in the toy
line)... 1)To start, the is the Al Simmons that we all know and love who is
the current series. 2)Medievil Spawn that premeired in issue #9, and also seen
in issues #14-15 and has just finished a Medievil Spawn/Witchblade mini
series. 3)The giant Spawn who appeared in the Angela mini series. 4)Cog who
has been helping Al Simmons since issue #9 and just reveiled that he was a
spawn in issue #50. 5)Daniel Llanso, a future spawn that appears one thousand
years in the future as he fights the anti-pope and perpairs for the final
battle of armageddon. 6)Vlad Tepes, a vampire spawn in a tale of a love that
defied death and a horror that defied God... Huh, what? You haven't heard of
the last two? Well, that's why this is "Image News".
Todd McFarlane is putting out two new comics. The first is, Curse of Spawn.
Curse of Spawn is NOT a mini-series but a ongoing anthology of variest spawn
tales. The first story arc is written by the Spawn movie and HBO animated
series writer, Alan McElroy and art by fan favorite, Dwayne Turner. It tells
a tale where the war between Heaven and Hell heats up. Daniel Llandos has to
decide to stop the war or take advantage of it.
The second is Spawn "The Impaler". NOTE: THIS IS IMAGE'S FIRST FULLY
PAINTED SERIES. This three issue mini-series spans the centuries between the
dark days of Vlad Tepes to the grim world of the near future. It is written
and drawn by Mike Grell and Rob Prior who paints over Mikes pencils.
**Extreme** Rob Liefeild is revamping his line again. In '97 Extreme Genesis
will cut down the titles to only four. These are Youngblood, Phrophet, Glory,
and Newmen. Lets see how long this last before he puts out even more comics.
Ithink that he will just make more comics at Maximun Press so he wouldn't
have to give a persentage to Image (this is only my opinion).
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biohazar
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response 7 of 90:
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Aug 23 07:34 UTC 1996 |
** Crossover Updates** It is rumored that Image and DC are talking on respects
of crossovers. Wildstorm will co-produce a Gen13/Batman and a JLA/WildC.A.T.s.
More later.
Top Cow will have it share of cross-overs, first starting with Event
Comics. Other then Ash in Cyberforce and Witchblade, fan fave writer, Garth
Ennis, will write a Witchblade/22 Brides set to hit the selves in '97. Top
Cow Comics will also cross-over with Marvel. This eight chapter cross-over
will start this December with Silver Surfer/Weapon Zero. This story starts
with Mephisto giving up the Marvel Hell to terrorize the Top Cow Universe.
The crossover will also feature Witchblade/Wolverine, Cyblade/Elektra,
Ballistic/Ghost Rider. Artist on these books are Marc Silvestri, Mike Turner,
and Joe Benitez, with writers Howard Mackie, Walter Simonson, David Wohl,
Christina Z and Brian Holguin. David Wohl also reported a Gen 13 crossover
in January and a another Spawn crossover next summer.
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pez
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response 8 of 90:
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Aug 23 08:16 UTC 1996 |
hmm.. crossover mania.. but where's Sleepwalker?
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bio
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response 9 of 90:
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Aug 25 07:02 UTC 1996 |
He's crossing-over with Frew :)
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pez
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response 10 of 90:
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Aug 25 16:17 UTC 1996 |
WOO-HOO!!!!!!!!!
Frew kicks @$$
heh heh heh
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bio
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response 11 of 90:
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Aug 28 08:57 UTC 1996 |
Okay, here's the plot... Sleepwalker desides to leave this Rick Sheridan guy,
but ends up going to another dimention which happens to be the real world.
Sleepwalker needs a host to explore our world and he goes into my dream world.
While I am dreaming, I dream something about Frew, but Sleepwalker prosevces
him to be real, subconcusly making Frew real... which destroyes our universe
and makes Droll's universe. The Sleepwalker has his misadventures with Droll
and friends until he meets Werf who explains to him it's all a dream and none
of this happened.
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pez
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response 12 of 90:
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Aug 28 23:42 UTC 1996 |
NEATO!! The origin of Frew with Sleepwalker thrown in.. hehe.. cool..
I'd get to write Sleepwalker into my comic.. I wonder if Marvel would mind
if i sort of 'borrowed' this unused character.. hmm..
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bio
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response 13 of 90:
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Sep 7 21:03 UTC 1996 |
**Homage Comes To Image** "The editorial content in Homage titles are not
interlinked continuities," said Jim Lee, founder of Homage Comics, about
Homage's move to Image effective in November. "Plus, the retail community is
now assured of a consistant flow of Hamage Comics product at the incredibly
competitive prices offered by Image Comis' discounting policies." They will
bring over all their comic to Image under a imprint simular to the original
purpose of Homage. They will also be putting out a graphic novel written by
Kurt Busiek and painted by David Wenzel called The Wizard's Tale. This trade
paperback is a medeival fanasty of the Land of Ever-Night, where an evil
wizard stands between a new damn and eternal darkness.
I was a little doubtful about Jim Lee's reasonings to make another company
other than Image, but since it had Astro City, Strangers in Paradice, and
Leave it to Chance, stories that where well acclaimed, created by some of the
best creators in the industry, and stories that didn't fit into Image's
Universe, I deside to not to think about it too much. There was no doubt that
Homage comics were going to be hot.
There were two major reasons why Homage wasn't in Image in it's first
conseption. 1) Image has a rule about that the owners have complete control.
That means the creators have to take care of all of the business ends along
with the comic. With Homage, Jim Lee's company, Wildstorm, would take care
of all of the business while leaving the comic to the control of the creator.
2) Homage could be distributed in both Previews and Advance since Image had
an exclusive agreement with Previews. Last month was the last month Capital
City Distrubution put out Advance. It is rumored that DC Comics bought Capital
City and will be going exclusive. But the only confermed rumor is that Diamond
Comics Distributors acquired selectived assets of Capital City. Now, Homage
will only be distributed by Diamond which takes away their advantage in being
in to catalogs. With that taken away, Jim decided to take his company to Image
to take advance of Image's discount with printers and Diamond.
**Extreme Bullshit** I knew it. In this months Previews, those four titles
(Youngblood, Prophet, Glory, and Newmen) are going to be labeled under the
imprint of Maximum Heroes in Rob's non-Image comic book company, Maximum
Press. Okay, in Warchild #1 Rob Liefeld said, "We're looking to do things
different here at Maximum Press. There will be no shared universes, no
inter-connecting cross-overs, no tricks and no lies, no way." YEAH SURE! That
why there is Avengelyne/Prophet, Avengelyne/Glory, Avengelyne Warrior Nun
Areala, Avengelyne/Cybrid, etc. Rob claimed Maximum was going to a creator
owned/lisensed line variest types of comics and all he has done is make a
whole line of comics that is owned by him and he get the all the prophets.
There still some Extreme titles in Image. Those are, Bloodhunter (by Rick
Veitch), Supreme (by Alan Moore), Kid Supreme, Power Rangers Zeo, and
Beetleborgs. Question, why can't Power Rangers and Beetleborgs be in the
lisensing line in Maximum Press? Because Rob plans on making them be in the
"Image Universe"; Power Rangers will crossover with Youngblood in October.
No wonder Marc Silvestri took his line of comics and left Image. In all the
interviews and press releases for Marc's departure of Image said that is was
because of personal differences with an unnamed Image parter. It doesn't take
a genius to figure out that it is Rob. But, what is the point of reading
Extreme anyways? They're all just sad ripoffs of other characters. Prophet
is a cross between Cable and Captian America, Supreme is Superman, Glory is
Wonderwoman, Badrock is Thing, Bloodwulf is Lobo, etc, etc, etc. Can I further
the point by pointing out that Rob has also gone back to Marvel. He has remade
Captain America (with that stupid bird on his head insted of the A), but
insted of making Cap have more depth or story, Rob just writes a story where
Cap has amnesa (for no reason) and has some guy on the street tell him he's
Captain America... then he fights bad guys. Come on, I could make a better
story then that. In fact, I have. If anybody wants to see my version of
Captain America's revamp, I'll e-mail it. I tried to make it more mature and
meaningfull. I'm not trying to say I'm the best writer in the world, but I'm
trying to say that even some kid off the street can write a better story then
Rob.
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biohazar
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response 14 of 90:
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Sep 9 13:52 UTC 1996 |
**Extreme Leaves Image** Just when I reported how most of the books have gone
to Maxiumum, I found out the reason. "Image is a cool place and I feel very
strongly about Image and what we created there, but this is a decission that
we made," Rob Liefeld said in interview with a Detriot News reporter. Rob will
still do the Heroes Reborn, but Jim Valentino is sueing Rob for breach of
contract. Jim was to write the Avengers and it will be interesting to see what
will happen there since Rob has a contract will Marvel saying that if they
are late on one of the books creator control will go back to Marvel.
So where does this leave Image? Rob and Marc Silvestri have they own comic
book companies, Jim Lee's own comic company, Homage, is merging with Image,
Jim Valentino is left hanging because Rob was suppost to produce his books,
Whilce Portacio gave up his founder spot a while ago and only project is Iron
Man, Todd McFarlane and Erik Larsen are not going anywhere, and Jeff Smith
doesn't care, just as long as his book still comes out. So this leaves Image
with only three studios puting out books (four if you count Jeff's Cartoon
Books).
More on Rob's departure later.
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bio
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response 15 of 90:
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Sep 30 06:03 UTC 1996 |
**Lots of stuff** Coming in November are two Marvel/Image crossovers. Team
7 (Grifter, Dane, Lynch, and Deathblow) and Team X (Wolverine, Maverick, and
Sabretooth) will go face to face. This is written by Larry Hama, drawn by
Steve Epting, and inked by Matt Ryan. Then, Gen13 will meet with Spider-Man.
This is written by Peter "Hack" David with art by Stuart Immonen. The
Cable/Prophet book will be delayed and will be rescheduled later.
Talking about Gen13, WildStorm Animation has casted the voice actors for
the Gen13 direct to video movie coming out summer of next year. Flea (from
Red Hot Chili Peppers) is Grunge, John Dalance (Q from Star Trek) is Lynch,
Olicia Witts (Mr Hollans Oppus) is Fairchild, EG Daily (Pee Wee's Big
Adventure) is Freefall, Loran Lane (The Nanny) is Ivana, and Mark Hamel (Luke
from Star Wars, Joker in Batman The Animated Series, Hobgogin in Spiderman
animated, Gargole in Incredible Hulk animated, creator of Black Pearl, etc.)
is Threshold (forgive any misspellings). The recordings are going on now and
there might be a TV animated to follow the release. More later.
Along with DV8, Gen13 will be spining off in another monthly ongoing
series, Gen13 Bootleg. Bootleg will have a rotating creative team on this book
for each story arc. The first story arc (in issues #1-2) is "The Lindquist
Fault" written and drawn by Alan Davis and inked by Mark Farmer. The second
story arc (in issues #3-5) is written by Terry "SiP" Moore and art by Tom
Koker. "There have been a whole lot of people wanting to do Gen13, but at the
same time, Brandon Choi and J.Scott Campbell have an extended story to tell,"
said WildStorm marketing dirrector Jeff Mariotte.
Talking about Wildstorm, there are romors that there is is a big WildStorm,
Top Cow, and Crusade crossover coming soon. This might even turn into a card
game afterwards.
Talking about Top Cow, with Rob Liefeld's departure from Image and Jim
Lee's Homage move to Image, will Top Cow come back to Image? Marc Silvestri
is still on the Image Board of Directors, so expect anything.
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bio
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response 16 of 90:
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Oct 4 08:28 UTC 1996 |
corection... Mark Famer and Alan Davis are both writting the first story arc
of Gen13, not Davis alone.
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bio
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response 17 of 90:
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Oct 4 08:30 UTC 1996 |
**More on Rob** Even though Rob Liefeld states that he has resigned from
Image, it is coming aparent the he might have been kicked out. The Image Comic
Inc. shareholders have approved of removing Rob Liefeld from the Board of
Directors and his titles as Cheif Executive Officer, Chief Finacial Officer,
and Sectretary of the Company. Even though some of Extreme's titles have
already moved to Maximun Press, the offical departure will take place in
November.
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bio
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response 18 of 90:
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Oct 4 08:32 UTC 1996 |
**Mars Attacks Image** The popular Topps trading card set from 1962 teams up
with Image Comic this December for one of the most unexpected crossovers of
the decade. There will be two books with one being done by Image Comic and
one by the largely expanding Topps Comics. In Mars Attacks The Image Universe
(a four issue mini-series produced by Image) the Martians Earth but insted
of facing normal humans, they have to face the Superheros of Image. This will
be written by Kieth Giffen and art by Andy Smith and Bill Sienkiewicz. In Mars
Attacks The Savage Dragon (a four issue mini-series produced by Topps) the
Martians abduct Dragon and take him back to Mars and conduct experiments on
him... and thats when the shit hits the fan. This is written by Dwight Jon
Zimmerman, with art by Hugh Haynes and Armando Gil. If you like Mars Attacks,
look out for the film starring Jack Nicholson in December.
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bio
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response 19 of 90:
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Oct 4 08:33 UTC 1996 |
v_**Other Savage Dragon Crossovers** Resently Dragon has already meet the Maxx
(TSD #28), WildStar (TSD #29), and Spawn (Spawn #52 & TSD #30). Not only will
he crossover with Mars Attack as written above Dragon, but the Savage Dragon
will also meet Mike Migola's HellBoy, and Destroyer Duck. I guess with PITT
gone to Full Bleed, Dragon must be the one to crossover with now.
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bio
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response 20 of 90:
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Oct 7 07:02 UTC 1996 |
The following is an E-mail I got from Steve Roston:
One of the Image founders (can't remember which one, though I think it was
Todd) said that Rob pulled a Nixon, resigning just before he was about to get
fired. The Image founder then confirmed that Rob was going to get the boot.
The quote was in one of the recent Wizard's, if anyone wants to look it up.
I acn tell y9ou dislike Rob, so I'll show you this article I found on the
Internet...
<begin quote>
Talk about being hit by the Onslaught!...You may have already heard the rumors
for the last couple of weeks, but now it can be confirmed...I've been told
by inside sources that Rob "let me tell you a" Lie-feld has been fired by
Marvel!!!...THIS IS NO RUMOR, NO JOKE AND NO HOAX...
It seems like Marvel was trying to get rid of Roy-boy for a while now because
of missed deadlines and disputes with other creators, but Marvel finally found
the loop-hole in their 1-year contract with Liefield when they discovered that
Rob Roy was selling unauthorized ash-can versions of Captain America at the
San Diego Comic Con AND KEEPING ALL OF THE MONEY FOR HIMSELF...(Maybe I should
start calling him a new name, like "I want to Rob you of all your money"
Liefeld)...
It's also true that issues #2-#3 of both The Avengers and Captain America are
already in the can, but Marvel is trying to put a new creative team on the
books to do issue #4 on both books...AND if they can get a really big name
creative team ASAP, they are apparently ticked off enough at Liefeld that they
are willing to scrap Liefeld's issues #2-#3 and replace them with different
versions by this new creative team...
First he was dumped by Image and now Marvel...I guess it's been a bad month
for Liefeld, but to paraphrase Marc Silvestri, he made his own bed...
So who will Marvel get to replace Liefeld?...Some think that Jim Lee may
inherit the Avengers and Cap to go along with Iron Man and the FF...Some think
that Marvel may go after someone with a history of working Marvel legends like
Byrne, Claremont or Perez...Some think that they may use some newer talent
like Waid and Kubert...Some think that Marvel may go after someone or
someone(s) who have never done anything for Marvel before...All agree however,
that Lobdell should not be involved in any more Marvel titles!...Either way,
no decissions have been made yet, but the possibilities are
endless...Endless?...Hmmm...I wonder what that Gaiman fellow is doing these
days?....
<end quote>
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bio
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response 21 of 90:
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Oct 9 08:00 UTC 1996 |
**Corrections** It is Event, not Top Cow who will be a part of the
multicompany croossover. Coming soon, there will be an Shi/Ash/Grifter comic
where expanding to become a Fleer collector card game called CrossOverPower.
This will an expantion set of Marvel's OverPover game with characters from
WildStorm, Event, Crusade, and High Impact. (Also look out for a Shi Daredevil
crossover.) More later. I also forgot to mention that the Mars Attacks movie
will be dirrected by Tim Burton. And, it was Eric Larsen who made the "Nixon"
quote not Todd.
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bio
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response 22 of 90:
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Oct 9 08:01 UTC 1996 |
**WildCATS/X-Men** It's happening! Scott Lobdell is writting away, Travis
Charest is already drawning the first issue. There is a really cool preveiw
in a WildStorm Sampler free from the Jim Lee Special by Wizard Press.
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bio
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response 23 of 90:
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Oct 16 13:16 UTC 1996 |
Image Comics made a statement about Rob Liefeld. They colectively stated that
Rob was kicked out, ant that Rob did not leave on his own like he implied.
The statement also said that Rob owes Image and that he is withholding the
money. Furthermore, Image believed that Rob was using Image to further his
Maximum Press line. In responce to the statement, Rob Liefeld has filed a
lawsuit agianst Image. Image is also plaining on counter-sueing Rob. (what
a mess)
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bio
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response 24 of 90:
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Oct 16 13:19 UTC 1996 |
**WildDisney?** Disney has made a deal with WildStorm Productions to produce
a live action Gen13 movie. Disney will also be in charge of distributing the
Gen13 Animated video next summer (more later).
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