Spider-Woman turns 50, Feel Old Yet?

Heat Wave Updates And Switch 2

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Tonight, DC and Marvel together again, new Star Trek games, and we remember Anthony Gadera, James Handy, and Anthony Head. All then more on this edition of Multiverse Tonight. Welcome to Multiverse Tonight, your source for Geek News. We dissect films, games, comics, and much more, bringing you insightful commentary on open holiday. This is Multiverse Tonight. Now here's your host, Thomas Townley. Well, hello and welcome to episode 267 of Multiverse Tonight. I'm of course uh your able host, Thomas Townley. And well, summer's setting in. Tomorrow is gonna be a hundred degrees. But it doesn't look to be too bad. At least we've had, you know, a decent amount of rain that we're on a drought. Well, I broke down and bought a uh Nintendo Switch 2. So uh now I'm playing with power. Get the old phrase. And uh other than that, nothing uh really exciting is happening, so let's go ahead and go on to the DC Comics News.

DC And Marvel Crossover Collection

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DC Comics just announced DC slash Marvel, the Comic Kiss Caper and Other Stories. This 224-page collection is hitting shelves on September 8th, 2026, and it's pulling together the full lineup of those new crossover stories we've been hearing about. The collection is headlined by two absolute fan favorites, Batman slash Deadpool, written by Grant Morrison, with art by Dan Mora, which promises a mind-bending adventure and Superman slash Spider-Man by Mark Wade and Jorge Menez, where uh Clark Kent and Peter Parker uncover a massive conspiracy involving Brainiac and Dr. Octopus. But the book goes way beyond those headliners. It's packed with short tales featuring some wild pairings. We're talking Los Lane and Mary Jane Watson, Peter uh Power Girl and The Punisher, and even Jimmy Olsen and Carnage. It's got a massive roster of linear talent like Tom King, excuse me, Tom King, Jim Lee, and Gail Smoone. Now, uh, this also uh includes print editions of those Virgil Scroll Digital Comics and the Flash 4 Fantastic Four and Supergirl Play Blade crossover, and it's rounded out with a brand new cover by Jim Chuang. Now you can grab these in hardcover paperback at retailers nationwide this September. Now let's go on to the Marvel Comics News.

Spider-Woman Turns 50 With Mysteries

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And Marvel Comics News begins with uh this upcoming September Spider Woman's 50th anniversary special number one, which celebrates 50 years of Marvel's Dark Angel with a jam-packed one-shot honor honoring Jessica Drew's history and jump starring her spine-tingling new era. First, writer Dan Waters and artist Andrea Brocada will take Spider-Woman back to the shadows, revealing a status quo that will shock fans more than a bioelectric blast. A terrible twist of fate awaits Spider Woman in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man Spider-Diversity, kicking off the latest chapter in her tangled web of lies and mystery. Returning to her roots as a private investigator and teaming up with journalist Ben Yurik, Spider Woman adventures into corners of the Marvel universe that her fellow heroes fear, but will embrace of the darkness but will embracing her darkness threaten her historic legacy or even her sanity. Then, groundbreaking writer Anne Nocinta returns to the character alongside Stefano Rafaeli. In a detective story for the ages, drawn into a bizarre case in Los Angeles, Spider Woman finds herself chasing clues throughout the city before coming face to face with one of her classic foes, Flying Tiger. On his love of the character, Waters said, Mysterious and dangerous, Jessica Drew has always been one of my favorite Marvel heroes. I am pleased to be bringing Spiderwoman Venom Blasting into a new chapter of her story.

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On how her story encapsulates Jessica's unique appeal, Osenta explained, everyone has flaws and it's heroic to overcome them. When editor Caden McGay asked me to spin a tale for Spiderwoman's 50th anniversary, I thought of how Jessica Drew's Spider-Fermoon scent can be isolating. It's a great test of her detective skills to sleuth out clues, despite her creepy vibe, and also it's a universal chord. We all have the occasional everyone hates me moments in life. So uh Jessica Drew, during 50 years old as September. Welcome, Jessica, to the 50

Two New Star Trek Games Revealed

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Club. Let's go on to the Star Trek news. Big news from the PC Gaming Show. PlayStation and Magic Fuel Games have just pulled back the curtain on Star Trek Outposts Unknown. This is a narrative-driven outpost builder that drops us right into the 23rd century, right alongside the era in Star Trek Strange New Worlds. In this one, you're stepping into the role of cap the captain of the USS Resident, a specialized outpost building ship. You'll be leading your crew across uncharted worlds using all that iconic Star Trek tech for scientific discovery and to solve interstellar mysteries. But it's not all just building. As you expand through the system, a mysterious cosmic force begins to threaten a new ally. So you'll need some serious strategic planning and leadership to pull it through. Now, if you're ready to earn your pips, here's even better news to celebrate the reveal that developers are inviting everyone to jump in early. The demo for Outpost Unknown is live right now, a full week ahead of Steam Next Fest, so you can start building your legacy among the stars today. And more game news. Blobber team, the developer behind Silent Hill 2 and Kronos, the new Dawn, has uh boldly gone where they haven't gone before. They've just announced Star Trek, Shadow Frontier, a new psychological thriller set in the Star Trek universe. Now, this one is really exciting for longtime fans because it brings back a familiar face, Ro Laren, the Bajorian officer who famously clasps with Starfleet back in the next generation, and uh met with Michelle Forbes reprising her role. The premise sounds intense. Ro crash lands on Uncharted Planet after answering a distress call, a place described as a ship's spaceship graveyard. As she navigates this corrupted, hostile world and encounters other survivors, she'll be battling twisted creatures and a mysterious entity that's trying to consume her body and mind. Now they've only put out a teaser trailer so far that raises more questions than answers. But seeing Blobber team with their signature of psychological horror style to Star Trek is a fascinating pivot for the franchise, and it's definitely something

Nickelodeon Doubles Down On SpongeBob

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to watch. Now let's go on to the geek news! Big news coming out of Nickelodeon. They're doubling down on their biggest hits. The network just announced it's picking up even more seasons of the long-running SpongeBob SquarePants and its spin-off, the Patrick Star Show. For Spongebob, we're looking for a renewal at season 16, which covers uh seasons or cycle 16, which covers seasons 7, uh seasons 18 and 19. The Patrick Star show with Bill Fegerbeck is returning and is getting a Cycle 4 renewal for seasons 6 and 7. Now, production is already underway on all four of these new seasons, with the first wave of new episodes slated for a Q4 2026 premiere and the rest following in 2027. Now, this move follows some recent renewals for Paw Patrol and Rubble and Crew, as well as a wider programming shift following the Paramount Skydance murder. The network is really focusing on its top-tier franchises, slimming down the overall roster to lean into what resonates most with the audience. So while we're saying goodbye to some artist shows like Dora and the Tales of the Teenage Mutant Turtles, it's clear that SpongeBob isn't going anytime soon.

HBO Harry Potter Casting Update

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Next, uh, turning to the world of wizardry, we've got an update on HBO's Harry Potter series. Following the recent news that they are recasting Ginny Weasley for season two, it looks like they'll also be recasting another phase. Casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockman are currently scouting for an actor to play Colin Creevy. Auditions are reportedly well underway with recalls happening as we speak. For those with a near refresher, Colin Creevy is that enthusiastic camera-tuning student who first shows up in Chamber of Secrets. And since he pops up in six of the books, he's likely to be a major fixture in the new series. It'll be interesting to see who lands the role as a gear up for filming this fall.

Remembering Actor Anthony Head

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And sadly tonight, we turn to the obituary section. Anthony Head, the British actor best known for his roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Ted Lasso, has passed away at the age of 72. His daughters, Emily and Daisy Head, announced his death in a statement to the BBC, saying their father passed away peacefully due to complications from pneumonia, surrounded by his family. Ted played Rupert Giles, the watcher and father figure of the Slayer Buffy Summers on all seven seasons of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer, alongside Sir Michelle Gillar. Aunt Ted Lasso, he played Rupert Manning, the grumpy former owner of the AFC Richmond, who cedes ownership of the club to his wife, played by Hannah Waddingham during their divorce. Head's other credits include playing the Prime Minister in the sketch comedy series Little Britain and Uther Pendragon in the Merlin Adventure program Merlin. While he was mostly recognized for his work on television, Head began his career in the theater acting in the musical Godspell in the late 70s. He would go on to perform in productions of Chess, Peter Pan, and Rocky Horror Show Live before he broke out onto the screen. Head gained recognition in the UK as the star of a series of NIST Cafe commercials that ran from 1987 to 1993. Emily and Daisy wrote in a statement, quote, It has been and forever will be an honor and a privilege to be his daughters and to have witnessed firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many. We know how dearly he will be missed by friends, colleagues, and fans of the shows he was in. He loved his job very much, and he always considered himself incredibly lucky to have been able to work alongside such exceptionally talented people in such wonderful productions across a career that spans several decades. Again, Anthony Head passed away at the age of 72.

James Handy Death And Investigation

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Next up, James Handy, the actor who appeared in Top Gun Maverick, Jumanji, the verdict, and Erachtophobia, has died after being stabbed at the age of 81. On Wednesday at around 9:30 a.m., the LAPD responded to a cryptic call in Tarzana, where Handy was discovered in the front yard of his residence unconscious after being stabbed in the chest. He was transported via ambulance to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Quote, I am the son of man. I just killed the man of sin, the 911 caller called the dispatcher. The suspect, 44-year-old Michael Glidhall, Glittl, uh flagged down responding officers and told him he was the one they were looking for. LAPD reported that Glidall and his mother reside with the actor and that she was Handy's girlfriend. Glidall was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder with a bail set at $2 million. Born in New York City, Handy made his on-screen debut in two 1977 episodes of ABC's Ryan's Hope, going on to appear in after school ABC Afterschool specials, Cagne and Lacey, Mattlock, Quantal Leap, Wings, Murder She Wrote, LA Law, NYPD Blue, Beverly Hills 9210, Mulrose Place, The X-Files, Walker, Texas Ranger, Law and Order, ER, Criminal Minds 911, and many more. Handy also appeared in movies like The Verdict, K9, Arachnophobia, The Rocketeer, Point of No Return, Jumanji, Unbreakable Logan, and Top Gun Maverick. Again, James Handy was 81 years old.

Anthony Gadera Remembered

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And finally, tonight, Star Trek Deep Space Nine guest actor Anthony Gudera passed away at the age of 65. The actor and model portrayed a Cardassian in season 2's The Circle, but most fans will likely remember him for his contributions to The Godfather Part 3 and some steamy screen time with Natasha Henstridge in the original Species. According to TMZ, Gadera's heart unexpectedly gave out on him when he collapsed back in May while with his wife Valerie. Unfortunately, after being taken off a fly support, the Deep Space Nine guest star passed away on September June 6th. Gadera didn't play a big role in Star Trek Deep Space Nine, and even if he had, it's likely the actor and model would have gotten lost in the mix. In addition to the regular cast of heavyweights led by the show's leader, Avery Brooks, the second season episode Gadera appeared in, the Circle, was loaded with a who's who of Hollywood talent as that particular installment's guest stars. Now, uh, The Godfather Part 3, which he started, also featured Gadera's first professional credit as he portrayed one of Vincent's bodyguards, not to be confused with the famous twins who protected the future Corleone. Anthony Gadera died at the age of 65.

Where To Follow And Support

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And that brings us to the end of the show for today. Please be sure to check us out on social media or on Blue Sky at Multiverse Tong, Threads, Facebook, and Instagram at Multiverse Tonight. If you've gotten some value out of the show and would like to pay it back, please head on over to multiverse tonight.com, where you can find our Patreon and Kofi links, check our show notes, visit our Tee Public store, leave some feedback, and so much more. And if this is your first time listening, thank you and welcome. Go ahead and hit that subscribe button and share it with others. Special thanks to Shane Ivers for the intro music and Lobo Loco for the outro theme music. Thanks for watching this edition of Multiverse Tonight. We'll be back in two weeks with more sci-fi and comic book news. Now please exit the universe in an orderly fashion. Good night. Multiverse Tonight is a production of Half Big Genre Productions Copyright 2026. All rights reserved