1998 NEWS

November 1998

October 1998

September 1998

1) Limited Resin Statue of DD in his yellow costume
2) Limited Resin Statue of DD in his red costume

SRP - $150.00 (US) ea.

Steve Warble of Diamond Comics has told CSNsider that "Daredevil #1 is sold out. Marvel has told Diamond that we will receive a limited supply of additional first printing copies of the first issue of the new Daredevil series. Due to the limited number of copies we will be receiving, I cannot guarantee which orders will fill and which will not." Even with a strong overprinting, it's likely that this book will sell out on the retail level in the next few days, so grab a copy while the grabbing's good!.

August 1998

July 1998

June 1998

May 1998

April 1998

DAREDEVIL; NEW YORK UNDERGROUND

A novel based upon the Marvel Comics character, written for Keith DeCandido at Byron Preiss via Berkeley books. Release date is set as June 1999. This is going to be a lot of fun; as straight a crime novel as I can manage, full of drugs, torture and sick movies. only with Daredevil in [it]. My notion of what the comic should be like, I guess.

March 1998

March 9 - Joe Kelly, writer of DD, 8PM
March 16 - John Romita, Sr., former artist of DD, 8PM
March 18 - Matt Idelson, editor of Ka-Zar/DD, 9PM
March 19 - Tim Tuohy, new editor of DD, 7PM
March 23 - John Romita, Jr., former artist of DD, 8PM

February 1998

Marvel, Event Co-Founders Strike A Deal

The formal announcement has finally been made. The formation of a strategic packaging alliance between Marvel and Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti, co-founders of Event Comics.

Marvel has entered into an exclusive publishing agreement that has Quesada and Palmiotti producing four Marvel titles: Daredevil, Black Panther, Inhumans and The Punisher. Marvel will market and distribute the titles produced under this agreement. Based in Marvel's New York headquarters, Quesada and Palmiotti will reports to Bob Harras, Editor in Chief, Marvel Comic Group.

With writer and director Kevin Smith already set to write the first six issues of Daredevil, Quesada and Palmiotti plan to assemble and lead an all-star team in the new genesis of story arcs for the four Marvel titles.

"Jimmy and I are incredibly excited about the opportunity Marvel has given us," Quesada said. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take a set of characters and give them a fresh and unique spin without changing the formula that Stan Lee gave the world. We will take that formula of super heroes with human frailties and bring it into the new millenium."

Palmiotti added, "It is a thrill for us to put our own spin on the books we grew up with. I think of this move as a natural step for us. This will be a blast for everyone and we promise it will be obvious in the books."

The re-invigorated titles are scheduled to hit comic book shelves near the end of summer '98.

Daredevil Live Action Flick on Hold

by Rob Allstetter

The Daredevil live-action movie has been put into turnaround. The film is no longer at 20th Century Fox, and rights have reverted back to Marvel Entertainment.

J.M. DeMatteis said he was days away from working on the Daredevil screenplay when the movie was put into turnaround.

"Right now I believe that there are other studios very interested in the project, but my understanding is that it's being held up until Marvel's current financial mess is sorted out," DeMatteis.

"That said, I have no idea if anyone currently involved with the project will be around when it's resurrected. I hope so.but, Hollywood being Hollywood, I certainly won't count on it."

DeMatteis was approached the by the film's attached director, Carlo Carlei, to write the screenplay after earlier versions were written by Carlei and producer Chris Columbus.

"Despite the fact that I was brought in to rewrite, the two earlier scripts I read and built from, one by Chris and a rewrite by Carlo, were extremely good," DeMatteis said. "They weren't completely there yet.but they were very impressive pieces of work. And they really pointed the way for me.

"As it stands the story begins with the origin and involves (quite logically, I'm happy to say) DD, Elektra, Bullseye, and the Kingpin. And all the characters are there for a reason."

DeMatteis had some interesting casting ideas.

"Nicolas Cage would make a great DD, I think. Forget Superman, Nick -- this is where you belong!" DeMatteis said. "And if we could just resurrect Orson Welles -- at, say, age 50 -- and shave his head.you'd have one helluva Kingpin."

DeMatteis continues to work on another script, an original called Straight on Till Morning, for Columbus' 1492 Pictures. It's a modern-day Rip VanWinkle story.

February 9 - 8pm - Joe Kelly, writer of DD
February 16 - 8pm - John Romita, Sr., famed artist of DD
February 18 - 9pm - Matt Idelson, editor of delayed Marvel Annual w/DD
February 19 - 7pm - Tim Tuohy, new editor of DD
February 23 - 8pm - John Romita, Jr., former artist of DD

January 1998

What would you like to see in a film?
What story arcs would you be interested in? Death of father? Elektra relationship (college or as assassin?) Foggy relationship? etc.
What characters would they like to see involved? Stick? Kingpin? Bullseye? Karen Page? Black Widow?
What concepts (in the comic) would you not like to see (in the movie)? Lawyer? Blind? Childhood?

[A]ccording to [JOE] QUESADA, news of KEVIN SMITH's departure as writer of DAREDEVIL over the weekend proved to be premature, and that Smith is still in, or more accurately BACK in, as writer of what-will-be a relaunched DD.

Last week, Smith announced to reporters that he was NOT going to participate as has been long-rumored, and left the following explanation at his website. "I wanted to do a storyline about Matt Murdock getting his sight back. About a week ago, Joe informed me that in the lag between the Event pickup and Joe Kelly's run, Scott Lobdell was going to do 4 issues. In those 4 issues, Daredevil was, you guessed it, going to get his sight back. This left me in a bad place, as that was the storyline I was working on for a few weeks."

"Faced with this, I had to come up with a new storyline, and guess what? I couldn't. I didn't have another story arc in me. I thought and I dwelled, did a bunch of re-reading of my favorite DD storylines - I did my homework. And I still couldn't come up with one."

HOWEVER, over the weekend, after a pep talk with Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti, Smith came up with another idea. "A (bleep)in' brilliant idea, better than his original," said Quesada. According to the Event co-head, Smith has already finished the plots for the first 2 issues and will now write 6 issues, or at least as many as his filmmaking schedule will allow. "Kevs original idea was really good, this new one is epic, I don't want to give away any details but I've worked with a lot of great writers before but this has to be hands down the best 2 issues of any comic I've ever received to pencil, you can tell that Kevin was truly inspired writing this, it's not an easy task taking a much worn hero and taking him to new horizons but I believe Kevin is going that way," concluded Quesada.

After Smith departs, writer DAVID MACK (KABUKI) will come on and finish out the year of stories the deal entails.

I know, it sucks. It was a tough decision to make. In the end, I think I did what was best for me, Joe and Jimmy, and the comic.

I wanted to do a storyline about Matt Murdock getting his sight back. About a week ago, Joe informed me that - in the lag between the Event pickup and Joe Kelly's run - Scott Lobdell was going to do four issues. In those four issues, Daredevil was - you guessed it - going to get his sight back. This left me in a bad place, as that was the storyline I was working on for a few weeks.

Faced with this, I had to come up with a new storyline, and guess what?

I couldn't.

I didn't have another story arch in me. I thought and I dwelled, did a bunch of re-reading of my favorite DD storylines - I did my homework.

And I still couldn't come up with one.

Taking over this (and the other titles they'll be doing) is a big deal for Jimmy and Joe. I didn't want to be the guy who fucked it up because I wasn't good enough to come up with an original enough storyline.

So I had to bow out.

I know Joe and Jimmy were there for me in the past (they've done artwork for us on two of our three flicks). I've always been as supportive of them as I could, whenever it was appropriate (meaning, in every interview I was asked about my faves and fave creators, I always plugged Joe and Jimmy). It hurt like hell to have to tell them (which I had to do first by fax, so I didn't backpedal on the phone - I know me and that's what I would've done because I hate to let people down. especially friends), but I do believe it's the best thing for all concerned. I had nothing new to bring to the book, after my storyline was intercepted. Call me talentless, call me whatever, but that's the simple truth.

Hopefully, something will come up in the future that I can write for the guys. But between my lack of anything new to offer and the pile of commitments I've got ahead of me ('Dogma', 'Fletch', the novel, and. well, we won't talk about that yet), I wouldn't be able to do the book the justice it deserves.

I know this opens me up for flaming of all sorts (on the last board, I was deemed a 'homo' for letting the guys down), and it may be a letdown for folks who wanted to see what I'd do with the character. But in the end, I don't want to put something out there that I feel isn't the best I can offer (and that's the best *I* feel I can offer, so no 'Hey man, 'Mallrats' sucked' crap, please). And right now, the only thing I can offer ol' hornhead falls far below what Miller did with the character, oh so long ago.

So that's the story on that.

MARVEL/EVENT UPDATE

Marvel and Event Comics continue to hammer out the details regarding a long-rumored joint publishing deal. According to Event co-head Jimmy Palmiotti, IF the current and progressing negotiations are successful, the deal will not only result in Event packaging 4 monthly Marvel titles, but also involves JOE QUESADA and Palmiotti relaunching their own titles under EVENT Comics, but distributed by Marvel and through Marvel's retail catalog.

As for the Marvel titles will package, Palmiotti confirmed they are currently negotiating for the BLACK PANTHER, and DAREDEVIL.

DD would be written by filmmaker KEVIN SMITH (who has committed with Event to write the title for 1 year) and illustrated by Quesada and Palmiotti. According to Palmiotti, the title will be relaunced with a new #1, probably sometime later this summer.

Palmiotti could not confirm the other 2 titles, but rumors point to the PUNISHER, and a 4th "title" that will be made up a monthly series of one and two-shots starring a variety of Marvel characters.

As for Event (who will move into the 13th penthouse floor of Marvel's Park Avenue NYC headquarters), Palmiotti describes their relationship with Marvel as "working partners", and they will retain total editorial control over their characters, properties, and titles, but take advantage of Marvel superior distribution system. Event is considering and hopes to lower the price of their titles from $2.95 to $2.50 (while retaining the same quality), once the deal is in place and their title relaunch

Plans are in the works for new ASH, PAINKILLER JANE, and 22 BRIDES ongoing titles, some unrevealed "creator-owned" projects, and some crossovers with Marvel characters (but "not for a long while" according to Palmiotti). But among the 1st titles that would be distributed and cataloged by Marvel include the long-awaited 5-issue JAMES ROBINSON/Quesada/Palmiotti ASH mini-series, and the completion of GEORGE PEREZ's CRIMSON PLAGUE mini.

Event also has plans for a series of PAINKILLER JANE crossovers. Following May's Waid/Augustyn/Leonardi VAMPIRELLA/PAINKILLER JANE one-shot with Harris, Event currently has deals with one large comic publisher, one smaller one, and are negotiating with another for crossovers in June, July and August, leading into the new PK ongoing series later this year.