Not having been run out of town yet, even though the rumors he revealed were RED HOT, the Outsider is back to dish the virtual dirt on the great and the gross of the comics industry. This week: casting news on the Iron Man movie, Jack Chick, the return of Amalgam, and Marvel succession planning for Captain America.

GUANING AUTHENTICITY

Okay, so the "graphical gurus" were asleep this week and there's no new rumor gauge. However, we have been granted an unlimited user license to Guan Tai's Spidey-face signs. Why don't you take a look at his Your Tube videos. There are bootie videos there.

So, if its definitely (possibly) true its , possibly true but maybe not we have , and for probably so much bat guano that its... well... . Thanks Guan.

On with the scoops!

GOT MILF?

Over at the old House of Ideas, watch out for the resurrection of Agatha Harkness and the resultant torrid affair with a directionless Spider-Man, once again sans silly-costume. This one has Valentines 2007 dripping all over it.

TONY STARK RAVING MAD

Heard on the Oscar Red Carpet: Nick Nolte...Iron Man...

FANBOY, CRAP THYSELF

DC Staffers were abuzz last week over the heretofore-secret news that the real conclusion to Infinite Crisis will take place in 52. Specifically, in issue #52 of 52.

WINTER'S COME AND GONE

This summer it will be revealed that the Winter Soldier is actually a memory implant that is part of a plan, orchestrated by the Red Skull, of course, to drive Steve Rogers mad. Look for Steve to retire the shield and be replaced. By who, you ask? By none other than the high-flying Falcon, Sam Wilson! Sam Wilson will then be replaced as the Falcon by the lethal and sexy Diamondback. Diamondback will be replaced by the enigmatic Ronin/Echo from New Avengers. Ronin will see her mantle taken up by none other than Danny Rand, Iron Fist. With Danny Rand otherwise occupied, who will be the new Iron Fist? None other than Shang Chi, Master of Kung Fu! And, of course, the new Master of Kung Fu will then be... Misty Knight! Marvel has no plans yet to replace Misty Knight. But give them time! Maybe Dakota North or something.

A MURDER OF 'WINGS

Bruce Jones the new writer of Nightwing will be introducing a Nightwing Corps. A murder of Nightwings to take root in several cities across the DCUnited States. Expect Nightwings to be placed in New York(confirmed), Dallas, Los Angles, Seattle, Chicago, Denver, Phoenix and Paris, Texas.

Where they get their funding and who leads them is unknown, only that they are contacted from time to time from a mysterious Mr. Blue.

AKA: THE LAMB

Recent news be damned! Alias Comics, tied closely with fellow indie publisher Speakeasy, will NOT, in fact, be shutting its doors. It will be tweaking its line, however. All Christian comics. The first book, The Lamb and the Lion, is slated for publication in September. Alias is planning on "skewering modern genres by inserting quietly subversive Christian messages." The Lamb and the Lion is a ministry book molded on the traditional buddy-cop formula--a hard-drinking ex-Crip priest teams with a fresh-faced, soft-spoken "n00b" right out of Seminary to fight the forces of creeping moral decay on the mean streets of Indianapolis.

YOU DON'T KNOW JACK

Look for a recently-in-the-news comic book publisher to announce a deal with Jack Chick to publish and distribute new and old Chick Tracts. The deal will also include toys and merchandising, so expect to see toys of your favorite Chick Tract characters, including Blasphemous Business Man, Blasphemous Gang Member and Blasphemous Pagan Witch to make it to toy shelves in 2007.

"The toys will come with prayers that children can say with the toys during play time, thus 'saving the soul' of the toy character," says an insider familiar with the deal.

Why re-publish Chick Tracts, which are already more or less available everywhere, free?

"It's all about getting our product into WalMart," said a spokesman for the company.

Look for the 16 page, black and white, 2 x 3 inch tracts to individually retail for $3.99 this fall.

If you have any information on scoops, swipes and sc-rumors, then drop The Comics Outsider a line to comicsoutsider @ gmail.com.

Read The Comics Outsider (March 4, 2006).



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