HBO Max, Marvel and Axe and Interviews

SPEAKER_01 0:01

Tonight, Warner Bros. has named its streaming service Marvel and Axe Body Spray Makes Superheroes, and I have an interview with a couple of upcoming Comic Cons on this comics filled edition of Multiverse Tonight, Comic Books, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and more. If you're looking for a roundup of geeky news, you're in the right place. This is Multiverse Tonight. I'm of course your host, Thomas Townley. It's been uh a slow couple of weeks for the news. This time of year, San Diego Comic-Con causes the news to just trickle out. Guess they want news for all those Hall H panels, so we're a little light on the news. No fear, however. I have an interview saved up with the guys from TopCon uh conven the TopCon Convention in Topeke, Kansas, and the Air Capital Comic Con in Wichita, Kansas, that I got from SmallvilleCon a few weeks ago. So we're good. Just stick around uh till after the Geek News and uh to hear from those guys. And uh if you ever want to leave some feedback, go ahead multiverse tonight at multiverse tonight.com. You know, if you think our show opening is too long or you know s you know, something else got a little constructive criticism, got a little constructive praise. Whatever. You know, just reach out, reach out and touch someone. Let's get on with the news. Now, we start off the DC News tonight with word that Warner Brothers has announced that its new Netflix competing streeting streaming service will be called HBO Max. Well, at least they're staying away from using the suffix plus, and it's kinda getting played out. The new service will launch in the spring of 2020 and will have 10,000 hours of content at launch, including the exclusive streaming the exclusive streaming rights for all episodes of the 90s hit Friends, among other Warner Media properties, which will be slowly and surely clawed back from other streaming services. Now now the price really hasn't been given, but you can expect something in the $15 range. You know, cord cutting is just starting to get really, really expensive. HBO Max will combine content from HBO with a slate of originals and programming from Warner Bros., New Line, DC Entertainment, CNN, TNT, TBS, True TV, The CW, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, and Looney Tunes. In its announcement, Warner Media highlighted some of the content coming to HP Max, including previously announced originals. Now that has included some new material from uh from Greg Brlante and Reese Witherspoon. Mr. Brlante will produce an initial four movies in a young young adult genre, while Ms. Witherspoon's uh Hello Sunshine will produce at least two films for the service. Bob Greenblatt, chairman of Warner Media Entertainment and direct to con and direct to consumer, said quote, HBO Max will bring together the diverse riches of Warner Media to create programming and user experiences not seen before in a streaming platform. HBO Max will be the exclusive streaming home for new Warner Brothers produced CW shows in the fall of 2019 season, including Batwoman and Katie Keene, The Spinoff of Riverdale. New CW shows going forward will be made available on C HBO Max beginning 30 days prior to the TV premiere of the next season of those shows. The CW show is currently licensed to Netflix like Riverdale, The Flash, and Arrow, who remain on Netflix for the next few years. So that's right, folks. You wanna you wanna stream Batwoman? You gotta go up to HBO Max. So will you subscribe? Now, I just mentioned the inclusion of Rooster Teeth in HBO Max's Arsenal of Content providers. Well, that's rolling over to DC Comics as well. The Hollywood Reporter reports at this year's RTX Austin event, DC announced that it's teaming with Rooster Teeth to launch two new online comic book series based on popular animated series, Ruby and Gen Loc. Ruby will be written by Marguerite Bennett, with art by Mirka Andolfo and Erif Prianto, and will follow the adventures of Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang as they continue to try and protect the world of Remnant from the supernatural threat of Grimm. Meanwhile, Gen Lock by Colin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Carlo Barbieri, will further explore the world of the animated show, in which a group of young pilots learn to control massive mecha warriors. The Austin, Texas-based Rooster Teeth, originally launched in 2003 with the w web animation Red vs. Blue. Ruby, launched in 2013, and Genlock arrived in January of this year. Beyond its animated projects, Rooster Teeth, a subsidiary of Otter Media, a Warner Media Company, also maintains a YouTube network reaching more than 45 million subscribers and mixes animated and live action productions. It produces the popular Rooster Teeth podcast and has been holding its own RTX event in Austin since 2011. Rooster Teeth's CEO and co-founder Matt Hullum said in a statement, quote, connecting with DC and like-minded brands inside Warner Media has been a dream come true, and we're excited for the future of Rooster Teeth. The journey to bring out the Ruby and Genlock comics has been an awesome and fun experience with DC, and we can't wait for fans to get their hands on them. The two series will be initially released as bi-weekly digital titles with an alternating schedule, meaning that each week we will see the release of a new Rooster Teeth title, Ruby, will debut first with a late August launch, followed by Genlock in early September. Print editions of both series will come at a later date. And well we well as we speak the now as we speak while you're listening to this, the mash the masses, both washed and unwashed, are collecting in San Diego for Comic-Con International. Well, DC will be bringing the Batman Experience to the con to celebrate Batman's 80th anniversary. The Batman Experience, powered by AT ⁇ T, yeah, that's the full name is a pop-up exhibit that will take up three levels of the Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park, and will run from July 18th to the 21st. It will be open to convention goers and non-convention goers alike. There will be TV and movie props like Bat like Michael Keaton's Batman costume and rare comic book art. There will also be a gaming lounge with classic Batman games, as well as a quote, interactive punching bag experience. Unquote. Will will allow Batman, which will allow visitors to punch out Batman's Rogues Gallery and a VR skydiving experience through the Gotham Skies. This will all start with Batman's induction into the Comic-Con Museum character Hall of Fame. Now, a couple of bits of sad news. First, Mad Magazine will be leaving newsstands after the August issue, and no new material except for the end of the year specials will be produced, effectively ending the humor magazine after 67 years of publication. DC has announced that it will still publish classic content monthly through subscriptions and comic book shops. The magazine has been around since 1952, featuring its mascot, Alfred E. Newman, on the cover, and featuring satire and parody, as well as interesting features like Spy vs. Spy. I think Weird Alienkovic on Twitter said at best, quote, I am profoundly sad to hear that after sixty-seven years, Mad magazine is ceasing publication. I can't begin to describe the impact it had on me as a young kid. It's pretty much the reason I turned out weird. Goodbye to one of the all-time greatest American institutions. Hashtag ThanksMAD, unquote. And secondly, Eddie Jones, who played Pa Kent on Lois and Clark, The New Adventures of Superman, has passed away. Other than the role of Paw Kent, Mr. Jones appeared in such movies as Chud, The Rocketeer, and had roles on TV shows like The Equalizer and The Invisible Man. Eddie Jones passed away on July 6th at Theatre Sinai Medical Center at the age of 84. He is survived by his wife Anita Khan Zidian Jones and his sisters, nephews, and nieces. Now let's go on to some Marvel news. We start Marvel News with some breaking news. Tika Watiti has signed on to write and direct Thor 4. No official release or production date has been announced. Now let's move on to some other news. The Black Widow movie and indications seem that it has wrapped up filming in Budapest and has moved to the United Kingdom to continue shooting. According to some sleuthing by the GW dot.com by GW.com, excuse me, an Instagram story from Black Widow star Florence Pugh seemed to indicate her presence in London. Now the movie has yet to be announced officially, but that might be announ that it might be announced at Comic-Con International as I speak. However, actor David Harbour, who is also in Black Widow, told ComicBook.com, quote, This woman, Kate Shortland, who is directing this movie, is one of the best directors I've ever worked for, I've ever worked with. She's so so smart and makes such beautiful indie movies. But the fact that you'd put someone like that at the helm of one of these huge action movies, and she pays such attention to the story and such attention to character, speaks volumes. The LA Times reports that Marvel Runaway actor Kip Perdue has been found guilty of misconduct and fined $6,000 by SAG Astra for the uh acting guild for sexually harassing actor actress Sarah Scott in May of 2018. The incident took place while both were filming scenes for an independent series pilot called Mowgliz. The fine could be cut in half as he takes an online workplace sexual harassment training module within 90 days. Kip plays the role of Frank Dean on Runaways. No word on any action against taken against him by the production. Axe Body Spray Now let me say that again. Axe Body Spray has teamed up with Marvel to roll out a new comic series featuring teenage superheroes called wait for it. The Fresh Men. The characters are five characters the characters are five individuals who happen to be freshmen in high school named Damien Garcia, aka Burner, Lyce Lysa Jordan, aka Winchill, Danny Lee, aka Kid Vanish, Emil Emily Everhart, aka Override, and Terrell Taylor, aka Double Time. A trailer was released on YouTube, and it showcases how the team gets hooked up with Wacondian Tech to take on Black Panther's Nemesis, Ulysses Claw, and I guess smell good? No telling if this is just a one-off or what. The trailer does point fans to the Axe website, where people can register on a distribution list in exchange for a 30-day trial to Marvel Unlimited. It's also been revealed that the series will have an accompanying soundtrack with hip-hop artists, and that it's available to stream right now. Go go Smelly Rangers? Now, let's go on to some geek news. So, the uh new Hellboy movie kinda bombed all the way to hell. But would it have gone differently with say Jeremy Renner in the role? In a recent interview with EW, Renner was quoted as saying, quote, I was just reading the script and thinking, like, I don't get this. I just couldn't connect to it, Renner told EW. I said, I can't find a way into this character. I don't know what I'd be doing, uh so I had to say no. However, Del Toro has rebutted this claim on Twitter, saying that, quote, not the title role, but the role of Agent My Agent Myers, which went to Rupert Ev Rupert Evans, unquote. So there you have it from the horse's mouth. He wouldn't have been the lead anyway, he would just have been the human sidekick. And it still wouldn't have gone w have have done well done well, sadly. However, if you want to see it and make your own judgment as to where this film was any good or not, it's on digital right now, and will be on DVD and Blu-ray on July 23rd. Now, by the way, speaking of potential bombs, Sylvester Stallone has confirmed via Twitter that he has started work on the Expendables 4, saying, quote, all of those July 4th fireworks got my mind going. I am starting to cook up the next adventure, unquote. So who will be the expendable this time? Father Time, the Grim Reaper? Sylvester Sallone, by the way, is 73 years old. Now, file this in the thing in the s in the stupid things to get worked up over file? The live-action Disney remake of The Little Mermaid has found its aerial, Haley Bailey, the 19-year-old actress and part of the sing uh sister singing duo Chloe X Haley. Production of the movie will start next year and will be directed by Rob Marshall, and we'll have Marshall, John DeLuca, Mark Platt, and Lynn Manuel Miranda producing. All the original songs by Alan Mainkin and Howard Ashman will be in the film, as well as some new songs written by Mainkin with Lynn Manuel Miranda. No one else has been cast, but rumors have linked Melissa McCarthy, Aquafina, and Jacob Tremblay to roles in the film. Of course, there has been outrage over the casting of Haley because very stupid reasons I won't go into. So let me get on the soapbox here and say get over yourself. A new version of something you loved as a kid doesn't change the thing you love. They're not gonna take the old movie and recolor the actors or discontinue the original, or do anything silly like that. In fact, Disney's The Little Mermaid isn't quite the original anyway. It's based on the Hans Christian Anderson story, and they completely changed the ending. Which let's say was way more depressing. So let's all just just let it go. There are other things in the world to get mad at. Okay? I'm gonna get off my soapbox now. Good thing it fits under my desk. So, before we get into the interviews, Disney is dusting off an old character, and I do mean old. Before Before uh Mickey Mouse, old. Oswald, the Lucky Rabbit, was created by Walt Disney and predates Mickey by a couple of years. So he's been on the shelf for years. Zoom forward to now, and Disney Plus, which will need a lot of original content, looked around and decided it's going to develop a new show centered around the character for the streaming service. Now, this hasn't officially been announced, but writer Christopher Painter's online resume has been updated and includes a listing for the new series called Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in the animated television section. And has listed multiple episodes. Disney Plus is set to launch on November 12th when they announce the show officially. We'll let you know. And now, here's some interviews with the guys from TopCon and the Air Capital Comic Con. Take it away, me.

SPEAKER_04 18:15

Tom Townley here, Multiverse Tonight, and I'm here with the uh people from Air Capital Com Comic Con. And introduce. My name's Don Woodworth.

SPEAKER_03 18:26

Kim Collarell. I'm uh I'm actually not part of the Air Capital Comic Con. Don and I do a comic book together and we're kind of combining the two.

SPEAKER_04 18:38

So uh tell me more tell us uh tell us a little bit more about the comic book.

SPEAKER_02 18:43

Okay, so it's in Witch Kansas. It's November 16th and 17th this year. We are we're very comic book centered, as far as our creators are all com are mostly comic book creators, writers, artists. Um we do have authors, um, we have uh cosplay contest, you know, we'll have cosplay there. Um we have board games, video games. Um, so we try to hit a lot of the a lot of the genres. Let's try to keep it comic book centered. Okay, and uh do you have any twelve left so far? We do. We have um Pat Broderick will be there, um Kevin Nolan will be there. Bob Hall will be there this year. Names when I get put on the spot. But we have a lot of local people, we have a lot of like a couple of guests and everything on Facebook, maybe just our chaircap comic environment. Um let's uh go into about this comic book.

SPEAKER_03 19:45

It's called Mr. Ride. It's a humor series, uh basically making fun of superheroes, a parody. Uh I do the writing in the art, Don does the inking. Uh we've got 11 issues so far, and we're working on number 12. Uh it's a lot of fun. Uh everybody that reads it, all the feedback that we get is very positive. It's uh it's you know, I hate to sound uh like I'm pumping myself up, but it is funny. The writing, the art is is uh definitely interesting for this style. Uh it fits really well with the style of the humor. Uh Don really contributes a lot to the to that style. Uh and where do people find this book? We're at just about every convention you can imagine in Kansas, and uh Mr.RiteComic.com. Alright.

SPEAKER_04 20:50

And uh typically how how often does this come out? We do about two a year, I'd say. Two a year. Alright, excellent. Well, gentlemen, uh thank you for your time, and uh we'll see you at uh capital comic con. Alright, thank you very much. Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_01 21:12

Special thanks to Don Woodworth and Kim Cotrol for the interview. And now let's uh get the interview with the guys from TopCon.

SPEAKER_04 21:22

Tonight here at Planet Comic. Uh SmokvilleCon! Hey, hey they all kind of meld together after a while.

SPEAKER_00 21:34

All kind of melt together, some of them stand up hard. Yep. I'm here with the gypsy from TopCon. Okay, and tell us more about Topcon. Uh Topcon is the original Northeast Kansas Top Exposition. And um, we've been doing it six years now. That's the same Mountain Time Smallville's been doing it. And it takes place Kansas Expo Center. Uh this year it's on September 21st and 22nd, and we have uh All sorts of things going on. It is one big show and it's very interactive. Extremely interactive. It's like a it's like a geek carnival. Well, great. And uh what kind of geek do you have the guests lined up right now? Yes, we do. We uh have Tanya Pinkins, she is uh SOP Body from Gotham, she was also Martha on Fear of the Walking Dead, and she'll be coming. Uh we're waiting to hear on Jeremy Planko from The Walking Dead. He may be coming right now. Uh we have uh Car Arizona uh Power Girl, she'll be there, and we have some others that we're working on right now, but those are the main oh, and we also have Susan Lambden, who was a uh Star Trek Next Generation screenwriter, she'll be there. And uh do you plan to have having more guests lined up before uh September? Oh yeah, heaven. We're working on them every day, so they're coming in, there's some of them we can't even talk about right now.

SPEAKER_04 22:56

And for the uh person, uh how large is the convention?

SPEAKER_00 23:02

Last year we were around 3,000 people, outgrew the space we were in. That's why we're moving into the big exhibition hall this year. I can't even talk. Exhibition hall this year. So uh we're looking probably pushed around 5,000 people this year. Well, that's excellent.

SPEAKER_01 23:18

And uh again, that's in that's in September. Uh how can people find out more about the convention?

SPEAKER_00 23:24

The easiest way to do it is to go to topconpop.com on the internet. They can also go to our Facebook page, which is uh TopCon Expo. They can find us on Twitter that way, they can find us on Instagram that way, always TopConExpo. Alright, that's excellent. And uh so have you been having a good time here? Oh, we always have a good time here. We get to talk to people, get to talk to fans, uh, get to talk to other vendors and uh creators. Love talking to the creators, you know, because they're what brings these cons together.

SPEAKER_04 23:56

All right. That's great.

SPEAKER_00 23:58

Uh thank you for thank you for your time, and we'll see you at TopCon. That sounds good. I look forward to seeing you all there too, and you come also. All right, thank you very much.

SPEAKER_01 24:12

Special thanks uh to the uh gypsy from TopCon there. And uh, you know uh Smallville Comic-Con was uh was uh pretty pretty fun. And uh I look forward to to going back to Smallville next year. So uh that brings us to the end of our comic book news. Again, uh the next episode we'll probably have more news than you can shake a stick at. As I said, a lot of a lot of stuff is gonna come out of San Diego Comic-Con. So we'll have plenty we'll have uh more than enough news for the next episode. Uh be sure to check us out on our social media, or at Twitter, at uh multiverse tom and uh we're also on Facebook and Instagram as well at please uh if you'd like to contribute some money to the to our noble and worthy cause, uh please visit mtpodcast.com to go to our coffee or patreon links as well. Uh coffee is uh ko-fi.com. That is a site that basically you can you know it it's much easier to do a single donation uh than go than going to Patreon where they'll expect you to give it give it up every month. So if you're not not someone who's down with you know giving a donation regularly every month, you just want to give me you know one dollar, you like this episode, here's a dollar, go to uh ko-fi.com and uh go ahead and visit uh multiverse tonight.com. Uh visit our affiliate marketplace links. They're all there on the right hand side. I link we have a link to our tea public store. That's another way you can help me out. Um I have some t-shirts and some other uh items you can order that have our logo on it. Uh on uh multiverse tonight.com we also have our show notes, and occasionally I I write a column, you know, whenever I'm in the mood, whenever I think I have something I need to say. And uh be sure to uh visit us next time. Now, if you're a subscriber, be sure to share us with your friends, and if you're brand new to the show, be sure to subscribe. There's there's no no harm in that. You'll get get that uh download into your feed every month. And uh you know if you wanna leave us with some feedback, uh go to Apple Podcast.com uh Apple Podcasts, leave us some feedback for at Apple, leave us some feedback at Google, leave us some feedback anywhere you want, and let us know how you're doing. Special thanks to Shane Ivers for our intro music and Lobo Loco for our outro theme music. Now, thanks for watching the comic book edition of Multiverse Tonight. We'll be back in two weeks with the sci-fi edition. Now please exit the universe in an orderly fashion. Good night. Multiverse tonight is a production of half a big genre productions, copyright twenty nineteen. All right, reserve.