News

After immersing readers in North Hollywood circa 1985, Stephan Franck is taking readers back to the deadly world of private investigating, this time in 1995 and following Eddie's daughter Liz, with Palomino: Volume 4 and 5, and with the new collections now on Kickstarter via Dark Planet Comics (along with Romance in the Age of the Space God), we caught up with Stephan Franck to discuss what readers can expect to encounter in the latest installments of Palomino!

Thank you for taking the time to answer questions for us, Stephan, and congratulations on the upcoming releases of Palomino: Volume 4 and Volume 5 in your six-volume series! When you began writing Palomino, did you always envision it as a six-volume series, or did the story take on a life of its own as you wrote it?

Thank you, it’s my pleasure! The original plan for Palomino only involved 4 volumes, which all were going to take...

What If...?'s third and final season received a mixed response from fans and didn't exactly conclude the animated series in a way that left people wanting more.

Interestingly, we did get a last-minute sequence showcasing all manner of Variants that failed to make the cut. Among them were a Maestro-like Hulk, Thanos-erine (the Mad Titan x Wolverine), an Ironheart Punisher, a samurai Ghost Rider, and six-armed Spider-Man.

The latter two are highlighted in newly released concept art shared by Joey Vazquez on X.

Spider-Man is complicated given the character's ties to Sony Pictures (it still feels like a miracle that we even got to see Peter Parker in What If...? season 1's "Marvel Zombies" episode). Why didn't this badass Ghost Rider make the cut? After all, we know the rights to the anti-hero returned to Marvel Studios several years ago.

It's probably because Marvel Studios wants to put its...

Quick Links What If's Byrdie Isn't a Consistent Hero What If's Byrdie Could Have Been Given a More Powerful Arc

The following contains spoilers for What If…? Season 3, Episode 4, "What If... Howard the Duck Got Hitched?" now streaming on Disney+.

Disney+'s What If...? thrives on introducing wild concepts in various realities. This allows Marvel Studios to play around in its creative sandbox, without messing too much with the live-action movies and shows. It's pretty much a novelty property. That's why heroes and villains sometimes swap places and big deaths occur.

The arcs seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe get subverted without much concern or rules. That's what the Multiverse allows: diverse storytelling to push boundaries and create thought-provoking, fresh narratives. Unfortunately, What If's final season creates a demigod with massive potential, only to end up squandering her. This is none other than Byrdie.

What If's Byrdie Isn't a Consistent...

What If...? has been and gone and, judging by the reaction to the final season, there won't be many fans clamouring for Marvel Animation to continue exploring the Multiverse.

One of the biggest points of contention has been the show's shift from exploring alternate realities to essentially asking, "What if this character was that one instead?" A final montage as the series ends is exactly that - Thanos with Wolverine claws! - but there's one Vartiant, in particular, who has grabbed everyone's attention.

That's a version of Deadpool who appears to have countless weapons strapped to his back; the prevailing theory is that this could be the Merc with the Mouth from the Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe reality.

We don't anticipate the storyline ever being adapted by Marvel Studios (unfortunately) but what an episode this could've made. Still, who wants to see Deadpool taking out The Avengers one-by-one when...

In the season 3/series finale of What If...?, Uatu joins forces with the Exiles - Captain Carter, Kahhori, Byrdie, and Storm - to battle a trio of villainous Watchers named the Eminence, Incarnate, and Executioner.

The trio overpowers the heroes and, in the process of attempting to wipe them from every reality, several of their respective Variants can be seen briefly on screen.

Thanks to @Cryptic4KQual, we now have some hi-res screenshots showcasing some of those characters. There's a Storm who became Black Panther, for example, along with a Byrdie who appears in both duck form and as a member of the Nova Corps.

Kahhori is particularly interesting as there are Apocalypse, Captain America, and X-Men Variants of the Native American superhero who was created specifically for What If...? In Captain Carter's case, we see Sabretooth, Elektra, Deathlok, and Valkyrie.

Somewhere along the line, it seems What If.

Based on What If...? season 3's Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes and comments on this website, the show's final batch of episodes has disappointed the majority of fans.

Matthew Chauncey, who wrote several season 1 and 2 episodes, took over from A.C. Bradley as Head Writer for What If...?'s last year and is next set to serve in that same showrunner role for X-Men '97 season 3.

Beau DeMayo was in charge of X-Men '97's first season but parted ways with Marvel Studios in murky circumstances; there have been allegations of sexual misconduct which he's strongly denied by claiming he was a victim of a racist and homophobic working environment.

Whatever the case may be, DeMayo has some strong opinions about What If...? season 3. He started by sharing a negative review of the series before making his issues with Chauncey known.

He also suggested that claims the X-Men couldn't appear in the series were false.

In today's season 3/series finale of What If...?, Captain Carter makes the ultimate sacrifice (a decision which has upset many fans) and Uatu's story ends with him continuing to watch over the Multiverse.

There was no post-credits scene and nothing to suggest there are now live-action plans for The Watcher. However, the show ended with a montage of Variants who we may or may not get to see on screen somewhere down the line.

One we recognised instantly: the Moon Knight/Blade mashup who will appear in the upcoming Marvel Zombies animated TV series. Are there plans for the rest? We suppose the Jubilee/Silver Surfer combination could show up in X-Men '97 season 2; however, there's been speculation on social media about What If...? being followed by an Exiles series featuring these characters.

Other highlights include a duck Variant of the Scarlet Witch, a Maestro-like Hulk, Thanos-erine, a samurai Ghost Rider,...

What If...? season 3's penultimate episode opens by revisiting the reality inhabited by the Nebula from season 2 (who is now Xandar's "Nova Prime"). The interdimensional tentacle monster from previous seasons is attacking the planet but Captain Carter, Kahhori, Byrdie - the daughter of Howard the Duck and Darcy - and a Mjolnir-wielding Storm intervene.

Peggy kills the monster we first saw her face in season 1 and, moments later, the shards from the Observational Plane, shattered when the Eminence captured The Watcher, land nearby.

New opening credits reveal that the Eminence, Incarnate, and Executioner watch the Watchers and, with The Watcher captured, it's made clear that they now have no other choice but to intervene and undo his past actions.

Aboard Byrdie's ship, a foosball table features players with the likeness of characters such as Wolverine, Galactus, Rogue, Kang, and Beta Ray Bill.

Also of note is the fact Peggy...

What If...? season 3's sixth episode, "What If... 1872?" opens in the Wild West where John Walker's posse rings a bell ten times (the "Ten Rings") to summon local hero Shang-Chi to their location. 

The Master of the Martial Arts makes short work of the baddies thanks to a helping hand from his partner Hawkeye, a.k.a. Kate Bishop. They're both looking for The Hood, a villain we know takes centre stage in the upcoming Ironheart TV series. 

The Watcher explains that things can get really weird in the furthest reaches of the Multiverse, hence a Wild West reality like this one (we even catch a glimpse of worlds where Ultron was programmed to sing show tunes and Throg battles Alligator Loki).

It's revealed that Shang-Chi's sister, Xu Xialing, fled to America for a better life only to become a victim of The Hood and his plans to victimise...

What If...?'s third season has largely shifted the spotlight to characters from Phases 4 and 5. Much has changed since the animated series first went into development, of course, including Daredevil's long-awaited MCU debut.

While we won't get an episode putting the Man Without Fear from and centre, Matt Murdock was spotted in yesterday's "What If... Howard The Duck Got Hitched?"

Alongside Karen Page, he could be seen at The Grandmaster's breakfast where the Thor: Ragnarok villain intended to serve Howard the Duck and Darcy Lewis' egg aboard his cruise ship. In this reality, Matt and Karen were clearly on the guest list and eager to dine on this culinary delight.

Some fans have speculated that this might be Scott Summers/Cyclops and Jean Grey, especially with a Variant of X-Men '97's Storm set to factor into an upcoming episode of What If...? It's a nice theory, though...

What If...? season 3's fifth episode opens on a world with an army of drones called the Iron Federation marching through the streets. We find Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart, heading to a motel as The Watcher explains that she fails her mission in every version of this reality. 

Meeting with Sharon Carter, Riri acquires an analogue part from an Easy Bake oven that's an essential part of whatever she's building. The Power Broker betrays her, though, and the Iron Federation closes in - many of them are revealed to be holograms - as Ironheart makes her escape in a makeshift suit.

However, it's then that White Vision attacks and, just as things look bleak for the hero, she's rescued by Wong, Okoye, Valkyrie, and Ying Nan. This is no normal Earth; it's the remnants of our planet in a reality where the Emergence happened years before the Eternals stopped it.

What If...? season 3's fourth episode isn't Christmas-themed, but it's certainly unlike anything else we've seen from Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation. 

Taking us back to the "What If... Thor Were an Only Child?" reality (we're sure you all remember Party Thor), it's revealed that Howard the Duck and Darcy Lewis fell in love after meeting in that episode. They tied the knot and Earth was forever transformed after many of those visiting aliens chose to stick around.

Howard and Darcy had a baby, though with the former being a duck and all, it initially takes the form of an egg. The Watcher suggests the child within has an important destiny but everything seems pretty normal when Topaz shows up and invites the trio on The Grandmaster's cruise. 

Yondu watches from afar and is clearly interested in the egg. The Grandmaster, meanwhile, treats Mr. and Mrs. the Duck like royalty...

Plot: Marvel’s animated series “What If…?” returns in Season 3 for its culminating adventure through the multiverse. Watch as classic characters make unexpected choices that will mutate their worlds into spectacular alternate versions of the MCU. The Watcher will guide viewers as the series traverses new genres, bigger spectacles, and incredible new characters. The series features an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles.

Review: When Marvel Studios announced an animated anthology series based on the What If…? line of comic books, the potential to explore different angles and twists on the same storyline seen on the big screen was almost too good to be true. The crux of the comic book is always the opportunity to see what would happen if a character made an alternate choice. However, the MCU take on What If…? centers more on the infinite possibilities of the...

What If...? season 3 has returned to Disney+ for its third and final season and today's episode, "What If... The Hulk Fought The Mech Avengers?" opens with a fun cartoon revealing that, in this reality, The Hulk unleashed monsters across the Earth and Iron Man responded by creating a team of giant robots to combat them.

With that, the teenage girl watching the show hears a commotion and sees one of the beasts outside! 

In reality, the "Gamma War" began after Sam Wilson met Bruce Banner in Washington D.C. instead of Steve Rogers. Sam convinced Bruce to attend his group therapy sessions to deal with the trauma of being The Hulk and the two soon became friends. However, when Bruce "Hulked Out" in front of Sam, he fled and attempted to put an end to the Jade Giant once and for all.

Unfortunately, bombarding himself with more Gamma just created a second,...

What If...? season 3 director Bryan Andrews opens up about the final season of the Marvel Cinematic Universe TV show. After three seasons of following The Watcher and his exploration of the multiverse, What If...? is getting ready to wrap up its story with the final eight-episode run premiering on December 22. Episodes will release daily through December 29, just in time to close out 2024. What If...? season 3 also acts as the final Marvel TV show for 2024, while also being the animated series that paved way for other animation within Marvel Studios.

What If...? season 3 taps into the larger multiverse as it visits alternative takes of some of the most popular MCU heroes and villains, but where things played out very differently from Earth-616. Some of the big new debuts that are coming up include the MCU introduction of Storm, with none other than X-Men '97's own Alison Sealy-Smith playing a new take on the mutant heroine.

What If...? returns with its third and final season this weekend and Marvel Animation has today shared the episode descriptions and credits for every episode.

There are some significant reveals here, though the biggest is Mysterio's role in "What If...The Emergence destroyed the Earth?" With the planet no more, it appears Quentin Beck finds a way to take charge of what's left; could a Spider-Man: Far From Home retcon be in the works establishing him as a Multiversal threat?

We wouldn't bank on it but in this reality, he must have survived the events of that movie and become more than just a con man out to steal Tony Stark's technology.

Beyond that, most of these episodes sound like fun, throwaway adventures and a couple really stretch the "What If...?" premise. However, the final two episodes sound pretty monumental and could have a major impact on the...

The third and final season of Marvel Animation's What If...? premieres on Disney+ one week from today and we finally have a list of confirmed episode titles.

Some reveal nothing - what the heck is the finale, "What If... What If?", going to be? - but others provide a clearer idea of what's in store for us with this next batch of episodes. For example, "What If... The Hulk Fought The Mech Avengers?" suggests that kaiju shown in the trailers is a new monstrous Variant of the Green Goliath.

Agatha Harkness, meanwhile, is heading to Hollywood and Red Guardian will do battle with The Winter Soldier, likely decades ago in their respective pasts. As for Christmas Day's "What If... Howard Got Hitched?", it sounds like he and Darcy Lewis will tie the knot.

Howard the Duck's wedding isn't what we expected from this series but things will get a...

Disney's approach to marketing Marvel Animation's streaming offering often makes them feel like something of an afterthought - the first What If...? season 3 trailer was only released a month ago - but the hype is slowly building for the Multiversal series.

In this latest 30-second sneak peek, we hear Storm speak (X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men '97 star Alison Sealy-Smith reprises the role here) as several new Variants are teased.

Among them are Thanos, White Vision, Kingo, Shang-Chi, and more. We were told a while ago that the series would start throwing Phase 5 characters into the mix and Marvel Studios has made good on that promise. 

Also of note is the fact we get to hear those other Watchers talk; will Uatu be forced to pay for his role in assembling the Guardians of the Multiverse and his continued interference? If so, here's hoping that story continues into Avengers: Doomsday.

What If...? returns with its third and final season this month and the first clip from the show has just been released. In that, we see Captain America (Sam Wilson) and Monica Rambeau piloting massive Mech-Avengers.

The heroes are shown watching an "Apex" Kaiju leading an army of monsters into the ocean. A recently released promo confirmed that several of these heroic robots will assemble into a massive "Avenger" for an epic battle which feels very Power Rangers-inspired.

What If...? will be an interesting series to look back on once the Multiverse Saga ends; what was once a show meant to explore alternate realities where one decision changed everything has become an excuse to tell some pretty wacky stories. 

Still, we'd be lying to say this sneak peek isn't a lot of fun!

A handful of reactions from this launch event are circulating on social media but critics in...

The third and final season of What If...? is fast approaching, and Marvel Studios has just shared a new teaser offering a better idea of what's to come later this month.

While a lot of this preview is devoted to previous episodes - as a way of encouraging fans to go back and watch them - we also see plenty of intriguing season 3 footage. That includes Storm wielding Thor's hammer Mjolnir, the return of Mysterio, and Red Guardian assembling alongside The Avengers.

We still don't know whether What If...? will finally tie into the wider Multiverse Saga with this final season, though we'd imagine Marvel Animation will do something to at least tease what's to come in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Well, hopefully.

"What If...? season 3 feels like the completion of a trilogy," Marvel Studios' Head of Marvel Streaming, Television and Animation, Brad Winderbaum, recently revealed. "It...

Marvel Studios has assembled one of its best ensembles yet for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Led by Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, the supporting cast includes names like Ralph Ineson, Julia Garner, Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, and Natasha Lyonne.

We don't know who the latter is playing, though fans have speculated that the Russian Doll star could be everyone from Alicia Masters to the voice of H.E.R.B.I.E.

What we didn't expect was for Lyonne to join the cast of What If...? season 3 as a newly created superhero. Disney's press site has confirmed she's playing Byrdie, an original character who is shown flying into action alongside Captain Carter and Kahhori in the officially released still below.

The only character from the comics we can find with a similar name is Birdy, a mutant ally of Sabretooth who doesn't have wings...

Marvel has dropped the trailer for the third and final season of its animated anthology series “What If…?”, spotlighting more humor and spectacle. The alternate multiverse, led by a host of new characters, gets pushed to wacky extremes through the exploration of different genres.

One of the standouts is X-Men’s Storm as the self-proclaimed Goddess of Thunder, voiced by Alison Sealy-Smith, who played Storm in Disney+ series “X-Men ’97” and the original 1990s “X-Men” cartoon series. She’s a bit of a change of pace from Howard the Duck (voiced by Seth Green), who is back for a final flight.

Other characters mutating their way into Season 3 include Captain America/Sam Wilson, The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes, Hulk/Bruce Banner, The Red Guardian, Captain Peggy Carter, Agatha Harkness, and Shang-Chi. Plus, Jeffrey Wright’s omniscient Watcher returns as narrator. There are hints of Red Guardians and mechs, a Western and musical comedy.

The final season of Marvel‘s animated anthology, What If…, is here to tease one of the studio’s most epic battles as heroes and villains collide for a world-altering showdown. Marvel’s What…If Season 3 trailer comes as Disney’s D23 Brazil event winds to a close after a weekend of surprises, reveals, and hype for the Marcel Cinematic Universe’s future.

Marvel’s What If… Season 3 begins streaming on Disney+ on December 22, with a new episode debuting daily for eight days. You can read Disney’s official synopsis for the series below:

Marvel’s animated series “What If…?” returns in Season 3 for its culminating adventure through the Multiverse. Watch as classic characters make unexpected choices that will mutate their worlds into spectacular alternate versions of the MCU. The Watcher (voice of Jeffrey Wright) will guide viewers as the series traverses new genres, bigger spectacles, and incredible new characters.

As promised, Marvel Studios has released the first trailer for Marvel Animation's What If...? season 3. It's also been confirmed today that, when the show returns to Disney+ on December 22, we're getting new a instalment daily for eight days.

Season 3 will be the show's last batch of episodes, and it's said fans will, "Watch as classic characters make unexpected choices that will mutate their worlds into spectacular alternate versions of the MCU. The Watcher (voice of Jeffrey Wright) will guide viewers as the series traverses new genres, bigger spectacles, and incredible new characters."

The series features an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles.

Season 3 features fan-favourite characters like Captain America/Sam Wilson, The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes, Hulk/Bruce Banner, The Red Guardian, Captain Peggy Carter, Agatha Harkness, Shang-Chi, Storm the Goddess of Thunder, and numerous others.

Yes, you read that correctly:...

Marvel Animation has released the official trailer for Season 3 of the acclaimed animated series What If…? The third and final season of the popular series begins streaming on December 22 on Disney+, with a new episode debuting daily for eight days.

Marvel’s animated series What If…? returns in Season 3 for its culminating adventure through the multiverse. Watch as classic characters make unexpected choices that will mutate their worlds into spectacular alternate versions of the MCU.

The Watcher (voice of Jeffrey Wright) will guide viewers as the series traverses new genres, bigger spectacles, and incredible new characters. The series features an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles.

Season 3 features fan-favorite characters like Captain America/Sam Wilson, The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes, Hulk/Bruce Banner, The Red Guardian, Captain Peggy Carter, Agatha Harkness, Shang-Chi, Storm the Goddess of Thunder, and numerous others.

The Season...

Marvel has released the trailer for the third and final season of “What If…?” which premieres with eight episodes beginning on Dec. 22.

The new trailer showcased alternate Marvel universes that includes Storm from the X-Men as the new Goddess of Thunder, a Gundam-sized Captain America, a cowboy Shang-Chi and more. Disney has confirmed the following characters will make appearances: Captain America/Sam Wilson, The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes, Hulk/Bruce Banner, The Red Guardian, Captain Peggy Carter, Agatha Harkness, Shang-Chi, Storm the Goddess of Thunder and more.

First premiering in 2021, “What if…?” is an animated anthology series that re-imagines iconic events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in vastly new ways. Some of the series’ most popular episodes included “What If…Ultron Won?,” “What If…Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?,” “What If…T’Challa Became a Star-Lord?” and “What If…The World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?”

While...

Marvel's What If...? is getting a creative shakeup ahead of its upcoming third season.

First premiering on Disney+ in 2021, What If...? was developed for the streaming platform by A.C. Bradley. After serving as head writer for the first two seasons, Bradley announced on X that she would not be a part of Season 3. She shared the sneak peek clip of Season 3 to comment that this was the last-ever script for the series that she had worked on. Bradley also said it was her decision to depart the series, feeling eager to pursue other opportunities outside of the Marvel umbrella.

Related What If...? Star Jeffrey Wright Addreses the Watcher's Evolution and 'Epic' Season 2 Finale Actor Jeffrey Wright says the Season 2 finale of Marvels What If? culminates all the alternate stories of the MCUs reimagined heroes and heroines. Last #WhatIf tweet! This ep is my absolute Favorite and marks my final What If script.

Plot: Season two of “What If…?” continues the journey as The Watcher guides viewers through the vast multiverse, introducing brand new and familiar faces throughout the MCU. The series questions, revisits and twists classic Marvel Cinematic moments with an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles. Featuring fan-favorite characters this season like Nebula, Hela and Happy Hogan, episodes are directed by executive producer Bryan Andrews with executive producer AC Bradley as head writer.

Review: 2023 has been rough for Marvel Studios. After the box office disappointments of The Marvels and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the critical failure of Secret Invasion along with Jonathan Majors’ real-life legal woes putting the Multiverse Saga in jeopardy, the MCU has one final shot to try and redeem themselves in the eyes of fans. Two years ago, the animated series What If…? managed to entertain fans of feature films,...

Acclaimed animator/director Stephan Franck is bringing his critically acclaimed Palomino series back to Kickstarter for two new volumes. Perhaps best known for his contributions to classics like The Iron Giant and Into the Spider-Verse, or for being the head of Marvel's animation for What If...? Stephan Franck originally released the first volume of Palomino through Kickstarter back in 2020. He crafted the project through his production company, Dark Planet Comics, and now does so again as he returns to his passion project.

Stephan Franck returns to Kickstarter to crowdfund volumes 2 and 3 of a planned 4-volume epic for his Palomino series, returning as both writer and artist. The pre-launch page for Palomino volumes 2 and 3 is now live on Kickstarter. A preview for what is to come in each volume, as well as exclusive cover art, can be enjoyed below.

Stephan Franck Returns to Palomino

8 Images

Close

For those who missed out on the first volume,...

Silver: Of Treasures and Thieves Book One

By Stephan Franck

Abrams ComicArts/224 Pages/24.99

When you think you’ve seen every interpretation of vampires, someone comes along to prove you wrong. In this case, Stephan Franck offers us vampires on a heist caper successfully mixing gothic horror and crime noir.

Frank, a supervising animator on The Iron Giant, wrote and drew the story across four volumes over the last decade or so. Now, Abrams ComicArts has wisely seen to it to collect these into two handsome volumes, the first of which is now available.

Franck starts with characters and legacies directly tied to Bram Stoker’s Dracula so there are many familiar names, including Vlad Tepes himself. But we focus mainly on other players as the criminals gather to raid a castle in European. Our protagonist is James Finnigan seeking bar of pure silver that is coveted by the castle infested with vampires,...

Through the first four episodes of “What If…?,” the animated anthology has managed to turn the MCU on its head with inspired alternative narratives while embracing a graphic style that elevates the characters and environments.

What if Peggy Carter (Haley Atwell) became the first Captain America through the lens of World War II expressionism? What if T’Challa/Black Panther (the late Chadwick Boseman) became Star Lord in a Guardians universe that reflects his personality? What if Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) turned detective in a film noir procedural? And what if Doctor Strange lost his heart instead of his hands in a surreal nightmare?

“We have the advantage that people have seen these places before, and so we have a lot of latitude and can do all sorts of things and they will get it,” said production designer Paul Lasaine. “So they see that room in the Captain America world,...

What if Peggy Carter became the first Captain America to battle the Nazis and Hydra? What if Black Panther became Star Lord and fought The Collector? And what if Nick Fury was forced to team up with Loki to solve the murders of several would-be Avengers? All of those hypothetical questions are brought to life in the initial three episodes of “What If…?,” Marvel’s first animated anthology (currently streaming on Disney+), which turns the MCU on its head — “Twilight Zone” style — with 10 wild alternate timelines in Season 1, narrated by Jeffrey Wright’s omniscient Watcher.

“So often in these kinds of media, women write the female characters and writers of color write the heroes of color, and white men get to write everything else,” said creator A.C. Bradley (“Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia”). “And the fact that they were trusting me, a woman, to tell an Iron Man story, to go have fun with Thor,...

Stephan Franck (The Iron Giant), who has worked on everything from animated films to graphic novels, has launched a Kickstarter campaign for Volume 4 of Silver, a graphic novel series featuring action, adventure, Dracula, Van Helsing, and so much more, and it headlines today's Horror Highlights. We also have details on a virtual reality experience for Speak of the Devil and Ghost Source Zero digital release details.

Silver Volume 4 Kickstarter Details: Press Release: "May 29, 2018) Stephan Franck has worked on some of the most beloved animated films of all time, including The Iron Giant, How to Train Your Dragon, and Despicable Me —and his passion for storytelling extends from the silver screen to comic books and graphic novels. Over the course of the last four years, Franck has been writing, illustrate self-publishing Silver, a globe-trotting graphic novel series that mashes up the world of Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula with action,...

Exclusive: Hellboy‘s Andrew Cosby has come attached to adapt Stephan Franck’s award winning graphic novel series Silver for Solipsist Films. The comic expands Bram Stoker’s universe into the pulp era of the 1930’s. A soulless con man sets out to steal a treasure made of ancient silver from a castle full vampires. Assisting him is a crew of talented but broken misfits assembled to pull off the greatest heist of the last ten centuries. A collision of Ocean’s Eleven and the…...

On episode 18 of 9 Panel Grid, we take a look at Dark Planet's Silver, by Stephan Franck. Also, information about his Kickstarter for Vol. 3!

The 9 Panel GridEpisode 18Splash Page - Silver

Introduction - Stephan Franck

Techniques of Storytelling

Comics vs Animation

Silver

What’s the story all about?

Recap of Volume One and Two

Kickstarter for Volume Three

Links

Dark Planet comics - http://dark-planet-comics.com/

Volume 3 Kickstarter - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/darkplanetcomics/silver-volume-3?ref=discovery

Don't forget to share this post on your Facebook wall and with your Twitter followers! Just hit the buttons on the top of this page. Jace Milam Rt @TheComicSource: Hear all about @LRM_Emmanuel first #SDCC2017 & @LRM_Jace talks networking & nightlife Next best thing to being there https://t.co/9GrBdd9dsB about 2 hours ago...

For a group of con men and a descendant of Van Helsing, robbing Dracula's castle could be the score they need to be set for life, but things get complicated when vampires stand in their way of a big payday in Stephan Franck's graphic novel series Silver. With Dark Planet Comics launching a Kickstarter campaign for Silver Volume 3, we had the chance to catch up with Franck for our latest Q&A feature to discuss the influences of Bram Stoker's Dracula on his work, what readers can expect to see in Volume 3, and much more.

Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us today, Stephan. When and how did you first come up with the idea for Silver?

Stephan Franck: It’s my pleasure, thank you for having me. Two of my greatest fascinations in story have always been vampires and conmen, and this notion...

Nominations for the 41st Annual Annie Awards were announced and "Frozen" and "Monsters University" led the pack with 10 nominations each. "Despicable Me 2" and "The Croods" followed closely with 9 noms each.

I am rooting for "Frozen" to win! It's a return to form to what Disney does best -- affecting fairy tale with memorable musical numbers. "Monsters University," on the other hand, was bland. The film bored me on second viewing.

Steven Spielberg will receive the Winsor McCay Award for career achievement at the awards ceremony happening on Saturday, Feb. 1, at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus. Patrick Warburton will serve as host.

2013 Annie Award Nominations

Production Categories

1 . Best Animated Feature

A Letter to Momo . Gkids

Despicable Me 2 . Universal Pictures

Ernest & Celestine . Gkids

Frozen . Walt Disney Animation Studios

Monsters University . Pixar Animation Studios

The Croods . DreamWorks Animation

The Wind Rises . The Walt Disney Studios

2 . Annie Award for Best Animated...

Tra-la-la-la-la-la... The Smurfs capped off the summer with a live-action sequel full of fun and hijinks, and as autumn approaches, the gang of lovable little blue characters are back with an all-new, Halloween-themed special mini-movie combining live-action with the traditional, hand-drawn animation of the beloved Saturday morning cartoons.

Pics: 'Smurfs 2' and Smurf-tastic Cartoons Come to Life!

"My attachment to this story is really the fall," The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow director Stephan Franck (whose credits include The Iron Giant and Despicable Me) tells ETonline. "The history of it, the colors of it, the spookiness of it a little bit, that's what was really great in this -- within the Smurfs' universe, to bring in ... a little bit of the mystery, which is in the books. I think there is an artistry to the fall, the colors are really inspiring."

The Smurf-tastic special bookends the traditional Saturday-morning-styled animation with a live-action/CGI-animated scene with Smurfs...

David Reynolds, who was nominated for an Oscar for his screenplay for Finding Nemo, has been hired to write a film based on an original story by animation veteran Stephan Franck.  Franck animated The Iron Giant and Despicable Me and will also direct.

Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Peter McHugh and Eric Robinson of The Gotham Group and Academy Award winner Karen Dufilho-Rosen (Geri's Game, For the Birds) will executive produce. This film is part of a four picture, first-look deal that Gotham signed with Sony Pictures Animation in 2009.

Here is what Ellen Goldsmith-Vein had to say about the project,

"We are thrilled and excited to be making a movie at Sony Pictures Animation with Stephan Franck directing and David Reynolds, one of the funniest writers in the business."

Reynolds received Oscar and BAFTA nominations and won an Annie Award for his work on Finding Nemo. He also worked on such films as,...

Fans of Pixar’s beloved Finding Nemo might want to sit up and take notice as one of the film’s writers, David Reynolds, is set to write the script for an original, yet-to-be-titled animated film which was just picked up by Sony Pictures Animation.

Heat Vision has the news of the new animated film, the plot of which is being kept under wraps for the time being. Along with the news of Reynolds writing the script, animation veteran Stephan Franck will direct the film.

Franck has been working in animation for years, with some of his most notable work being as a storyboard artist on Despicable Me, a story artist on How To Train Your Dragon and an animator on The Iron Giant and Space Jam. Franck actually came up with the…

After reading this article, people also read:

Tim Burton’s ‘Superman Lives’: More Images and Storyboards...

The first photo of Glenn Close dressed as a man on the set of Albert Noobs, two new photos of Justin Bieber in his concert movie Never Say Never.

"A purported copy of Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises" script landed on-line claiming to reveal the villains of the piece - Dr. Hugo Strange (the main villain), Talia al Ghul (female lead/secondary villain), Black Mask (the mob boss), and Killer Croc (mob's muscle). Warner Bros. Pictures have since denied such a leak while the source is purported to be a poster on the Superhero Hype forums..." (full details)

"Summit has now locked in a March 23rd release date for the Mel Gibson-led dark comedy "The Beaver". A limited run will begin on the date before expanding two weeks later on April 8th, that expansion's size will likely be determined by the reaction and box-office opening weekend results.

The first photo of Glenn Close dressed as a man on the set of Albert Noobs, two new photos of Justin Bieber in his concert movie Never Say Never.

"A purported copy of Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises" script landed on-line claiming to reveal the villains of the piece - Dr. Hugo Strange (the main villain), Talia al Ghul (female lead/secondary villain), Black Mask (the mob boss), and Killer Croc (mob's muscle). Warner Bros. Pictures have since denied such a leak while the source is purported to be a poster on the Superhero Hype forums..." (full details)

"Summit has now locked in a March 23rd release date for the Mel Gibson-led dark comedy "The Beaver". A limited run will begin on the date before expanding two weeks later on April 8th, that expansion's size will likely be determined by the reaction and box-office opening weekend results.

Sony Pictures Animation, which made a four-picture first look deal with the Gotham Group last year, has gotten the first project up and running. It's untitled, and will be scripted by Finding Nemo scribe David Reynolds. The film's based on an original story by Stephan Franck, who is attached to direct. Franck's credits as an animator include Iron Giant, Space Jam and How to Train Your Dragon. Gotham Group's Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Peter McHugh and Eric Robinson will produce. Karen Dufilho-Rosen will be exec producer. Reynolds got an Oscar nomination for Finding Nemo and his other credits include Chicken Little, A Bug's Life and Toy Story 3.

Two major animation projects have been announced today. First, Variety reports that David Reynolds, who co-scribed Finding Nemo is setting up his directorial debut for Sony Animation, who most recently delivered the successful Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. He will write the script with Despicable Me‘s Stephan Franck. The film is currently untitled and has no plot details, only a quick shot of praise from Sony Pictures Animation executive producer Ellen Goldsmith-Vein:

We are thrilled and excited to be making a movie at Sony Pictures Animation with Stephan directing and David, one of the funniest writers in the business.

Also announced today, via Coming Soon, is the next feature from Oscar-nominated Corpse Bride co-director Mike Johnson. He will direct a CG/stop-motion hybrid feature film, Oz Wars. The animation is written by Rob Moreland (Space Chimps 1 & 2) and Athena Gam (upcoming Alien Rock Band), in which the Oz...

Oscar-nominated screenwriter David Reynolds ( Finding Nemo ) has been hired to write an untitled animated feature film based on an original story by animation veteran Stephan Franck ( The Iron Giant , Despicable Me ) who will also direct. The Gotham Group.s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Peter McHugh and Eric Robinson, and Academy Award winner Karen Dufilho-Rosen ( Geri's Game , For the Birds ) will executive produce. The film is the first in a four picture, first-look deal that Gotham signed with Sony Pictures Animation in 2009. "We are thrilled and excited to be making a movie at Sony Pictures Animation with Stephan Franck directing and David Reynolds, one of the funniest writers in the business," said Ellen Goldsmith-Vein. Reynolds' Finding Nemo screenplay received Oscar...