James Robinson quits Earth 2, DC

James Robinson has become the latest high-profile departure at DC, with the fan-favourite writer announcing via Twitter that Earth 2 issue #16 will be his last on the title and that he is 'no longer working at DC Comics'. DC has yet to comment on Robinson's exit or the future direction of the title, including rumours of spin-off books and a crossover with the main 'Earth 1' DCU. The news follows Andy Diggle and Joshua Hale Fialkov walking from their respective gigs on Action Comics and two Green Lantern titles before their first issues were even released. 

Whedon confirms Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver for Avengers 2

Avengers writer-director Joss Whedon has confirmed mutant twins the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are set to appear in 2015's second Avengers movie. Whedon also indicated he plans for Iron Man to continue as one of the on-screen Earth's Mightiest Heroes, despite Robert Downey Jr's multi-picture contract with Marvel Studios having concluded with Iron Man 3.

There are suggestions Hawkeye will either not appear or be re-cast in Avengers 2 after actor Jeremy Renner, who is potentially committed to future films in the Mission: Impossible and Bourne series, was recently openly critical of the character's minimal role in the Avengers and apparent non-involvement in any of Marvel Studios' forthcoming solo films in the buildup to the second Avengers outing. The rumour mill also suggests the film will introduce the Black Panther to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Marvel reportedly investigating studios and shooting locations in South Africa.

X-Men prepare for Battle of the Atom

The X-Men will celebrate their 50th anniversary in September with a ten-part crossover under the banner Battle of the Atom. Bookended with prologue and closing one-shots illustrated by Frank Cho, the story will run through Uncanny X-Men #12-13, All-New X-Men #16-17, Wolverine and the X-Men #36-37 and X-Men #5-6. 

Marvel looks to Infinity as DC prepares for Trinity War

Marvel has unveiled its next major crossover event Infinity, penned by Avengers vs X-Men co-writer Jonathan Hickman and centred on a six-part limited series published in August through November. The cosmic epic will see the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy teaming up to combat the ancient alien Builders, recently introduced by Hickman in the pages of Avengers, while on Earth the superhero Illuminati face an invasion attempt by Thanos. Jim Cheung will pencil the opening and closing issues, with Jerome Opena and Dustin Weaver handling the space and Earth-based segments respectively of issues #2-5. The story will also run through Avengers #18-23 (illustrated by Leinil Yu) and New Avengers #9-12 along with tie-in issues of titles including Wolverine and the X-Men, Captain Marvel and Thunderbolts, with a special preview issue to be released as part of Free Comic Book Day in early May.

Meanwhile, DC's long-awaited Trinity War crossover kicks off in July as a six-issue storyline across issues of Justice League, Justice League of America and Justice League Dark, with Jeff Lemire penning Justice League Dark and joining Geoff Johns as co-writer of Justice League of America. Art will be provided by regular Justice League penciller Ivan Reis, Doug Mahnke on JL America and Mikel Janin on JL Dark.


Robert Redford joins Captain America 2

Robert Redford has signed on to portray the head of SHIELD in Marvel Studios' forthcoming Captain America: The Winter Soldier, scheduled for release in April 2014 and adapted from the opening arc of Ed Brubaker's hugely acclaimed tenure on the comics series. The Academy Award-winning actor and director joins a returning cast including Chris Evans as Captain America, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Toby Jones as Arnim Zola and Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow along with newcomers Anthony Mackie as the Falcon, Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter, Frank Grillo as Crossbones and MMA fighter Georges St-Pierre as Batroc the Leaper.

RIP Carmine Infantino

Legendary artist and former DC editor Carmine Infantino has passed away aged 87. Born in Brooklyn in 1925, Infantino is best known for an almost career-long association with DC Comics and illustrated the introduction of the second Flash in 1956's Showcase #4, including designing the now-iconic red and yellow costume, in a story widely regarded as beginning the Silver Age of American comics. In the late 1960s Infantino was promoted to art director and subsequently editorial director at DC, where he actively recruited new creators including most notably luring superstar artist Jack Kirby away from Marvel, and after leaving his editorial role continued to work as a freelance artist for various publishers into the 1990s. 

DC confirms Action Comics, Green Lantern departures; Gaiman brings Angela to the Marvel U

DC has announced the departure of two high-profile incoming writers, with Andy Diggle quitting Action Comics and Joshua Hale Fialkov walking off both Green Lantern Corps and Red Lanterns before issues bearing their name have even hit the stands. In both cases the shock departures are reportedly due to significant clashes with editorial, including plans to kill off a major ongoing Green Lantern character. DC has quickly announced that artist Tony Daniel will step up to also script Action Comics while Charles Soule and a co-writing team of Van Jensen and Robert Venditti will replace Fialkov on Red Lanterns and Green Lantern Corps respectively.

In a surprise announcement Marvel has revealed the character of Angela, introduced in the pages of Spawn by writer Neil Gaiman, will be entering the Marvel Universe. The angelic bounty hunter from Heaven will first appear in an epilogue to Age of Ultron #10 and then join the Guardians of the Galaxy with issue #5, co-written by Gaiman and Brian Michael Bendis. Angela first appeared in 1993's Spawn #9, and later formed part of a long-running legal dispute between Gaiman and Spawn creator Todd McFarlane over ownership and royalties which concluded with a 2002 settlement under which both parties share 50/50 rights to the characters of Angela, Cogliostro and Medieval Spawn.

 

The X-Files returns at IDW

IDW will launch a new X-Files ongoing series in June from writer Joe Harris and artist Michael Walsh. The title is slated as a 'season 10' continuation of the cult 1990s television series, with original series creator Chris Carter to 'executive produce' and oversee scripting of the book. The X-Files has previously been adapted into comics form in a mid-1990s series from Topps Comics which featured early work from Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard, and a 2008-9 DC/Wildstorm limited series penned by television series writer and producer Frank Spotnitz. 

Geoff Johns leads Green Lantern exodus

Fan-favourite writer Geoff Johns will conclude a 100-plus issue run of Green Lantern with May's double-sized issue #20, bringing to a close a creative tenure that began with the return of Hal Jordan in 2004-5's Green Lantern: Rebirth and continued through major storylines including the Sinestro Corps War, Blackest Night and War of the Green Lanterns. Johns will continue as writer of Justice League, Aquaman and the forthcoming Justice League of America in conjunction with his role as Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics' parent company DC Entertainment.

May will also see the departure of the current creative teams of other Green Lantern titles Green Lantern Corps, Green Lantern: New Guardians and Red Lanterns, as DC looks to shake up the line in the aftermath of the Wrath of the First Lantern crossover.

UPDATE: DC has announced current X-O Manowar and Demon Knights scribe Robert Venditti will succeed Johns as writer of Green Lantern, with artist Billy Tan also joining the book. I, Vampire's Joshua Hale Fialkov will pen both Green Lantern Corps and Red Lanterns, Green Lantern: New Guardians adds Deathstroke writer Justin Jordan, and Keith Giffen will launch a new title centred on the selfish Orange Lantern Larfleeze.

Guardians of the Galaxy casts lead; Sin City 2 adds Stacy Keach, Eva Green

Marvel Studios' forthcoming Guardian of the Galaxy movie has cast Chris Pratt in the lead role of Peter Quill, a NASA astronaut who joins the Guardians as their leader Star-Lord. Pratt, 33, has a diverse set of TV and movie credits including stints on The OC and Parks and Reaction along with big screen roles in Wanted, Moneyball and most recently Zero Dark Thirty. Production on Guardians of the Galaxy begins soon for a scheduled release in August 2014.

Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill For has rounded out its cast with the addition of veteran Stacy Keach as mob boss Wallenquist and Casino Royale's Eva Green as the titular femme fatale Ava Green. With returning co-directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller and a screenplay by William Monahan (The Departed), Sin City 2 hits screens this October.

J.J. Abrams to direct Star Wars

Star Trek director J.J. Abrams will switch franchises to helm the forthcoming Star Wars Episode VII, slated for release in 2015 and beginning a new trilogy of films under the Disney banner. The announcement ends intense speculation and a plethora of directors also linked with the director's chair including Ben Affleck, who is thought to have also passed on Justice League, and X-Men: First Class and Kick-Ass helmer Matthew Vaughn whom sources say was keen to cast Kick-Ass star Chloe Moretz as a female lead. 

Wood, Coipel team for all-girl X-Men

Writer Brian Wood joins artist Olivier Coipel in April for a new X-Men ongoing title with a female-centric cast including Jubilee, Storm, Rogue, Kitty Pryde, Psylocke and Rachel Grey. The series will also feature the return of the villainous Sublime from Grant Morrison's acclaimed New X-Men. Wood previously had a short writing stint on the previous volume of X-Men and is also the current scribe of Ultimate Comics X-Men, while Coipel's most recent work for Marvel was as one of the artists on Avengers vs X-Men.

Warner Bros wins control of Superman

Warner Bros has almost certainly triumphed in its legal battle over control of Superman with the estates of co-creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, with the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling a 2001 agreement between the Siegel estate and DC Comics is legally binding and negates a 2008 ruling which saw the Siegels reclaim partial copyright to the character. Coupled with a similar US court decision in late 2012 which upheld a previous compensation agreement with the Shuster estate Warner Bros looks set to control the Man of Steel from this point on, and able to proceed with projects including its in-development Justice League of America movie which reportedly will feature the original JLA lineup of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman and Martian Manhunter versus Darkseid.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Josh Brolin join Sin City 2

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Josh Brolin are the latest additions to the cast of Sin City 2, slated for release this October. Brolin replaces Clive Owen in the role of Dwight while Gordon-Levitt will play the new character of Johnny, in a film compiling the stories A Dame to Kill For and Just Another Saturday Night along with a number of original tales from co-director and Sin City comics creator Frank Miller.

Shelly Bond new head of Vertigo; Hugh Jackman confirmed for X-Men: Days of Future Past

DC has promoted from within to form a new editorial group for its Vertigo imprint following the resignation of founder Karen Berger, with Shelly Bond set to take over as executive editor and Will Dennis and Mark Doyle moving up to group editor and editor respectively. Bond has been with Vertigo since its launch in 1993 and has worked on many of its most successful titles including Hellblazer, The Invisibles and Fables, while Dennis has overseen books including DMZ, The Losers, 100 Bullets and Scalped.

Bryan Singer has confirmed Hugh Jackman will return as Wolverine in the forthcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past, the followup to 2011's hit X-Men: First Class. Jackman will join fellow X-alumni Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen in what are expected to be small roles, with the film adapting the classic 1980s Uncanny X-Men storyline featuring a dystopian alternate timeline. Original X-Men series director Singer recently stepped in to helm the latest film after First Class' Matthew Vaughn declined to return for the sequel, with the latest speculation linking him to Star Wars VII. 

Karen Berger quits Vertigo

DC has announced Karen Berger is stepping down as executive editor of Vertigo, having helmed the publisher's mature readers imprint since its inception in 1993 and overseen hugely acclaimed titles including The Sandman, Swamp Thing, the recently cancelled Hellblazer, Preacher, 100 Bullets, Y the Last Man, The Invisibles and Fables. Recent restructuring at DC saw Vertigo's editorial staff and number of titles scaled back, major characters including Swamp Thing, Animal Man and John Constantine moved into the DCU as part of the New 52 relaunch, and Berger's role reassigned under editor in chief Bob Harras rather than continuing to report directly to DC's publisher and president. The award-winning and highly regarded editor will remain in her current role until March next year.

Berger joined DC in 1979 as an assistant to editor Paul Levitz, going on to edit Levitz's acclaimed writing tenure on Legion of Super-Heroes and the George Perez reboot of Wonder Woman while also recruiting a new wave of British talent including Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison and Garth Ennis and helming a range of titles 'suggested for mature readers' which went to form the basis of the Vertigo line.

Marvel prepares for Age of Ultron

Marvel has announced its next event book will be Age of Ultron, from outgoing Avengers and incoming Uncanny X-Men writer Brian Michael Bendis. The ten-part series will be released in May through June next year with art for the first five instalments from Bryan Hitch and the second half by Brandon Peterson and Carlos Pacheco, along with tie-in issues of titles including Fantastic Four and Superior Spider-Man. 

DC cancels Hellblazer; Bendis/Bachalo to relaunch Uncanny X-Men

DC has cancelled Vertigo mainstay Hellblazer with February's issue #300, to be replaced by a John Constantine title set in the DC Universe by writer Robert Venditti and artist Renato Guedes. Hellblazer launched in 1988 before moving to DC's mature readers imprint Vertigo at its launch in 1993, going on to feature acclaimed and often controversial runs from writers including Jamie Delano, Grant Morrison, Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis, Paul Jenkins, Brian Azzarello and most recently Peter Milligan. Marvel has announced writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Chris Bachalo will relaunch Uncanny X-Men in February, with a new team based around the 'Phoenix Five' from the recent Avengers vs X-Men. 

Locke & Key headed for big-screen trilogy

Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez's Eisner-winning Locke & Key has been optioned by Universal for a planned three-part movie adaptation, with Star Trek and Transformers writer/producers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzmann attached to develop the IDW horror series for the big screen. Orci and Kurtzmann were also involved with a television pilot version commissioned by Fox in 2011, only for the network to ultimately decide against ordering a full series and attempts to shop the project to other networks proving unsuccessful.

Disney to buy Lucasfilm for $4B, plans new Star Wars trilogy

The Hollywood Reporter confirms entertainment giant the Walt Disney Company will acquire Lucasfilm for around $US4 billion in cash and stock, the same amount it paid for Marvel in late 2009, with plans for Star Wars Episode VII in 2015 which according to Variety will form part of a new movie trilogy. Current Lucasfilm co-chair Kathleen Kennedy will become its new president, with founder and Star Wars creator George Lucas remaining with the company as a creative consultant.

 

Vaughn quits X-Men: Days of Future Past

20th Century Fox has announced X-Men: First Class director Matthew Vaughn will not return to helm the followup film X-Men: Days of Future Past, based on the classic Uncanny X-Men storyline. The studio may have to appoint a replacement director quickly to meet a previously announced release date in July 2014, with First Class producer and previous X-Men series director Bryan Singer the frontrunner to step in.

Vaughn previously succeeded Singer as helmer of the series for 2006's X-Men 3 but abruptly quit the project less than a month before the scheduled start of filming, with Brett Ratner hurriedly drafted in as his replacement, and was similarly attached but later pulled out of directing Marvel Studios' Thor feature film. The UK-born Vaughn has reportedly left First Class to move forward on directing a screen adaption of Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons' creator-owned series Secret Service, co-developed with Vaughn.

WB plans Justice League movie for 2015

The Los Angeles Times reports Warner Bros is ramping up development of a Justice League feature film, with the studio planning to roll cameras next year for release in 2015. The news comes little more than a day after the entertainment giant scored a crucial win in the legal battle over ownership of Superman, with uncertainty over control of the character beyond 2013 having put a freeze on efforts to bring the DCU's premier superhero team to the big screen.

A 2015 release date would put Justice League in competition with Marvel Studios' second Avengers movie, with plans for a successful team outing to lead into solo movies for characters including Wonder Woman, the Flash and a rebooted take on Batman. Warners is yet to sign up a director for Justice League, with the studio reportedly courting Matrix trilogy directors Lana and Andy Wachowski after Ben Affleck turned down the project. Will Beall, a writer and story editor on TV series Castle, has been hired to pen the screenplay, with comics writer Mark Millar recently commenting Beall's take on the League is 'dark and mature'.

Warners scores big win in battle over Superman rights

Warner Bros has secured what may be a significant victory in its ongoing legal battle with the Siegel and Shuster estates over legal ownership of Superman, with a US District Court judge ruling a 1992 agreement between DC Comics and Joe Shuster's sister Jean Peavy invalidates the Shuster family's subsequent attempts to reclaim partial copyright of the Man of Steel. Warner Bros is currently contesting a 2008 ruling which saw half of the Superman rights awarded to the family of co-creator Jerry Siegel, under a provision in US copyright law which allows authors and their descendants to under certain conditions reclaim copyright to characters created before 1978.

The legal wrangle between Superman's corporate owners and the estates of his creators is growing increasingly nasty, with Warners recently accusing lawyer Marc Toberoff of attempting to use his representation of the Siegel and Shuster families as a ploy to seize control of Superman for himself, with Toberoff in turn alleging the entertainment giant stole confidential legal documents from his office before publicly filing these documents as part of their legal defence.

Marvel Confirms Ant-Man Movie for 2015

Marvel Studios has announced a November 2015 release date for a live action movie adaptation of Ant-Man, joining Avengers 2 in May of the same year. Scott Pilgrim and Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright has been developing the project since 2006, and recently previewed a special effects test reel at July's San Diego Comic Con.

New York Comic-Con highlights

DC will launch a new Man of Steel ongoing series in 2013 from the all-star pairing of Scott Snyder and Jim Lee. Also, Action Comics #18 will see the debut of a new creative team in writer Andy Diggle and penciller Tony Daniel.

Marvel has announced the February debut of two cosmic-themed ongoing series, Guardians of the Galaxy from Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven and Nova by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness.

Forthcoming projects from DC's mature readers imprint Vertigo include Trillium, a ten-part time travel love story from writer-artist Jeff Lemire, and 12-issue horror/science fiction series The Wake from Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy. Snyder's American Vampire ongoing title will go on hiatus during 2013 in favour of a number of one-shot specials, while characters from Fables will appear in an upcoming arc of The Unwritten.

Following December's landmark 700th issue Amazing Spider-Man will relaunch in the new year as Superior Spider-Man, with ongoing writer Dan Slott and a rotating art team of Ryan Stegman, Humberto Ramos and Giuseppe Camuncoli.

Uncanny Avengers writer Rick Remender will join artist Paul Renaud for the EC Comics and pulp adventure-inspired Devolution, forthcoming from Dynamite.

Upcoming creator-owned projects from Image include East of West by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta, Snapshot by Andy Diggle and Jock, and Three by Kieron Gillen and Ryan Kelly.

Marvel Television's forthcoming live-action SHIELD series, produced by Avengers writer-director Joss Whedon, will feature the return of Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson.

Grant Morrison will launch his latest creator-owned book, the pulp-inspired Annihilator, through Legendary Comics. Legendary will also publish a graphic novel prequel to director Guillermo del Toro's forthcoming Pacific Rim, penned by Del Toro and movie screenwriter Travis Beachem.

Ethan Van Sciver is the new ongoing artist of Batman: The Dark Knight as of January's issue #16, with David Finch switching to the forthcoming Justice League of America. Also, Paul Pelletier will end a lengthy association with Marvel to become the new ongoing artist of Aquaman. 

Marvel announce Young Avengers, Wolverine relaunches

Marvel has announced Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie, the creative team behind indie hit Phonogram, will reunite in January to launch a new Young Avengers ongoing series under the Marvel NOW banner. Also in January Frank Cho will write and illustrate a relaunched Wolverine solo series titled Savage Wolverine, which will see the titular mutant team up with Shanna the She-Devil.

Mark Waid to relaunch Green Hornet; Dynamite readies crime line

Eisner and Harvey-winning writer Mark Waid will helm a relaunch of Dynamite's Green Hornet in 2013, with a new ongoing series featuring covers from Waid's Daredevil collaborator Paolo Rivera. The publisher is also preparing to launch a new line of crime titles spearheaded by Red Team from writer Garth Ennis and artist Craig Cermak, and also featuring a book penned by former Daredevil and Hellblazer scribe Andy Diggle.

Mark Millar to consult on X-Men, FF movies

20th Century Fox has hired fan-favourite comics writer Mark Millar to serve as a consultant on its X-Men and Fantastic Four movie franchises. Fox currently has The Wolverine in production for release in July 2013 and X-Men: Days of Future Past in development for 2014, while Fantastic Four is set to be rebooted with a new cast under Chronicle director Josh Trank.

Millar shot to fame in the early 2000s at DC/Wildstorm with a controversial run on The Authority before moving to Marvel to work on titles including The Ultimates, Ultimate X-Men, Civil War, Wolverine and both regular and Ultimate Fantastic Four. More recently the Scottish scribe has shifted his focus to creator-owned books under the 'Millarworld' banner with a firm eye to developing them for the screen, with a loose adaptation of Wanted released in 2008 and Nemesis currently set up at Fox under A-Team director Joe Carnahan.