Comic(s) Relief: Cronenberg’s The Fly Is Getting Comic Book Sequel
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Comics have long been a medium to explore further stories of the films, shows, and books we love — sometimes officially, and sometimes in the hazy grey area known as “non-canonical.” IDW Publishing has been in the business of spinning new tales off existing properties for years now, having served up series based on Doctor Who, Ghostbusters, and The X-Files, just to name a few. Now they’re teleporting in a sequel we definitely didn’t see coming: a new miniseries based on David Cronenberg’s ooky cult classic The Fly.
Set for release in March 2015, IDW’s The Fly: Outbreak will focus on Seth Brundle’s son as he attempts to deal with the mess his pop made of his DNA. That’s actually very similar to the storyline of the actual Fly 2 sequel film, which starred Eric Stoltz as the Son of Brundle (that really should have been the subtitle). It’s unclear from IDW’s initial release if Outbreak will acknowledge the events of that film or just ignore them and pick up straight where Cronenberg’s Fly left off. What we do know is that writer Brandon Seifert (Hellraiser) will be penning the series and somebody named menton3 (Silent Hill) will be handling the artistic duties. On the subject of The Fly, Seifert says:
To be totally honest, The Fly is one of the most disturbing things I’ve ever seen! It was really resonant for its time. And in the last 20 years or so, with all the advances in Genetically Modified Organisms, the film has taken on a lot of meaning it didn’t originally have. It’s really exciting to explore those elements in this miniseries — and great to have an amazing, super-distinctive artist like menton3 on the visuals!
There’s no word yet how many issues Outbreak will run, but I’d venture a guess it will stick around long enough to be really annoying, then you’ll squash it with a rolled-up newspaper.
This Week’s New SF Comics
Aliens: Fire and Stone #4 (Dark Horse)
Tying in with the Prometheus and Aliens films, this tale of stranded survivors and the tenacious xenomorphs that stalk them comes to a close! Scientist Derrick Russell makes more stunning discoveries about the strange planet the Hadley’s Hope refugees crashed on, while Aliens close in on him!
The Bionic Woman: Season 4 #4 (Dynamite Entertainment)
It’s the final issue of Dynamite’s Bionic Woman revival! Jaime Sommers will do anything she can to escape North Eden…but not if it means leaving the town’s innocent citizens behind. There are surprises around every corner (and we mean that), with plenty of bionic action and intrigue along the way! Guest-starring The Six Million Dollar Man!
Black Science #11 (Image Comics)
As the Pillar counts down towards its next jump the Dimensionauts are besieged by an endless wave of horrors. Can they hold out long enough to escape, or will one of them have to remain behind and pay the ultimate price? Join RICK REMENDER, MATTEO SCALERA, & DEAN WHITE, as they bring the second chapter of the smash sci-fi hit series to a close!
Dark Tower: The Drawing of the Three — The Prisoner #5 (Marvel Comics)
CONCLUDING THIS CHILLING CHAPTER OF STEPHEN KING’S DARK FANTASY EPIC! • With magic doors appearing, his eyes changing color, strange voices in his head, and monstrous lobstrosities hungry for his flesh, can the drug-addled Eddie Dean survive his desperate mission to Miami? • A bold new chapter comes to a chilling conclusion by writers Peter David (All-New X-Factor) and Robin Furth (The Dark Tower: A Complete Concordance), and artist Piotr Kowalski (Marvel Knights: Hulk)!
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes #2 (Boom! Studios)
After their Rise. Before the Dawn. The end for man is only the beginning for ape. At Koba’s request, Caesar sends a search party into the wild. The time to create sanctuary for all apes is upon them. On the other side of the Americas, Malcolm refuses to let Rita, his wife, die alone. Willing to risk the infection, his family must venture through the harsh and dying cities to find some chance for a cure.
Doc Savage Special 2014 (Dynamite Entertainment)
Known as the cousin of world famous adventurer Doc Savage, Pat Savage wants nothing more than to prove she has what is takes to be a hero. What starts out as a thankless job as a babysitter, soon turns into an epic life-and-death struggle that finds Pat squaring off against sinister forces. It’s a double-size tale of two-fisted action starring the first lady of pulp adventure, Pat Savage, Woman of Bronze.
Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor #6 (Titan Comics)
!Reverse in going is TARDIS the inside time that realises doctor the when strikes terror… The Doctor is the only one who realises that the flow of time in the vortex has been disrupted, but can he uncover the cosmic culprit and put causality back on the right track before Alice and her fellow TARDIS travelers are de-aged right out of existence?
Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor #3 (Titan Comics)
‘The Swords of Kali,’ Part 1 (of 3). In the distant past, the land that would be India played host to a war between ancient aliens, whose cross-temporal battles contributed to the country’s rich myths and legends. Kali, oldest and deadliest of these creatures, was thought defeated long, long ago; her body scattered throughout time to prevent her return. But her psychic essence could not be killed, nor her millennia-long quest for vengeance. Now, in the 23rd Century, she is on the brink of resurrection. And with India at the forefront of human spaceflight, it’s not only Earth that falls to her predations if she succeeds — but the whole cosmos! In a race against time and across it, the Doctor and Clara must gather secrets, intelligence and allies from across India’s past, present and future if they are to survive!
Garbage Pail Kids Comic Book Puketacular (Dynamite Entertainment)
Remember mullets and teased bangs? Stonewashed denim jackets and jeans? Well, not everything about the ’80s was lame, because that’s when the Garbage Pail Kids ruled the world! Those irreverent, satirical stickers quickly became a pop-culture phenomenon, but they never had their own comic book… until now! In the spirit of the avant-garde cartoonists and humorists who fathered these miscreants, a new generation of alternative-comics creators has lent their unique talents to bring the Garbage Pail Kids into the wacky world of comics- just in time for their 30th birthday!
Great Pacific #18 (Image Comics)
‘BIG GAME HUNTERS,’ Conclusion. The trash-trouncing finale! All nations have growing pains, and many have known the horrors of civil war. But if this is to be the final battle for Chas Worthington’s New Texas, who will survive, what will be left and, most importantly…who shall rule?
Halo: Escalation #13 (Dark Horse)
Requiem has been destroyed, but the real war between Commander Sarah Palmer’s Spartans and Jul ’Mdama’s New Covenant is just beginning…and everything hinges on control of one all-powerful artifact. Duffy Boudreau (BlackAcre, Bloodshot) and Sergio Ariño (Ms. Marvel) team up for an all-new chapter of the Halo saga and a great jumping-on point for new readers!
Judge Dredd #26 (IDW Publishing)
‘Mega-City Manhunt, part 2’ — Everybody wants Dredd. Chief Justice Cal wants Dredd erased, since he’s the only one who knows the truth about the Council of Five. SJS Judge Verrity wants Dredd to answer for his crimes in Sector One. Judge Anderson wants Dredd to stay alive long enough to figure out how she’ll get her body back. And Dubbie Cruz — an unfortunately Judge Cal lookalike — wants Dredd to leave him alone. Everybody wants Dredd. You’ll want Dredd, too. Specifically, Judge Dredd #26. Add it to your pull list now, punk!
Judge Dredd: Anderson, Psi-Division #4 (IDW Publishing)
In an all-new adventure from Cassandra Anderson’s early days in Psi-Division, writer Matt Smith and artist Carl Critchlow present ‘King of the Six Sectors.’ The theft of Cursed Earth artifacts has led Anderson from the mutant-filled swamplands near Texas City back to the criminal underground of Mega-City One, but nothing could prepare her for what’s coming next!
The Massive #30 (Dark Horse)
Dead calm. Quiet seas. Second chances? The Ninth Wave crew enter a brand-new chapter in Earth’s history.
Mind MGMT #29 (Dark Horse)
Meru takes on the Eraser one on one, with deadly results. But will a familiar face in sunglasses show up just in time?
Sundowners #5 (Dark Horse)
The Sundowners are on the run, pursued by the law and a horde of invisible aliens! Will they be able to forge a superteam from the remnants of their support group, or do they need to turn to a new ‘hero’ to lead them?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters #4 (IDW Publishing)
The supernaturally awesome conclusion to the blockbuster crossover is here! Ghostly forces converge on the Ghostbusters HQ, and the Turtles’ opportunity to get back home is fast dwindling! The two teams’ last-ditch efforts may come too late!
Terminator Salvation: The Final Battle #12 (Dark Horse)
STRACZYNSKI ENDS IT ALL!
This is it! With John Connor’s fate now sealed and Skynet taken over by the psychotic intelligence of Thomas Parnell, has humanity reached its final hour?
The X-Files X-Mas Special #1 (IDW Publishing)
The holidays have brought together all the X-Files agents for the very first time! Walter Skinner hosts a get-together for his most special agents, but the festive night turns tense when someone — or something — comes down the chimney! In a second story, the X-Files team of the 1940s — Bing Ellington and Millie Ohio from the Year Zero miniseries — investigate a potential Communist saboteur, but discover an impossible creature — a gremlin!
