Good morning, I hope the weekend has treated you well. The news this week is a mixed bunch so please be cautious as you make your way through it. I mean it starts off fine but it takes a pretty sharp turn half way.
Rob Leifeld has announced via what I can only describe as a Twitter essay that he is retiring from Deadpool. The self proclaimed auteur and Deadpool Daddy (again, his words not mine) has stated that his last stint on Deadpool is currently in production and will be released in summer 2024.
Netflix has confirmed production of a new live action adaptation of Hitoshi Iwaaki’s Parasyte. Co-written and directed by Yeon Sang-Ho, Parasyte: The Grey will transplant the story to Korea. Parasyte: The Grey is due to air in April 2024.
In movie news, the casting of everyone’s favourite internet father Pedro Pascal in Marvel’s upcoming Fantastic Four has been confirmed via Pascal’s page on the SAG-AFTRA Foundation website. This is, of course, the most boring way to find out about who has been cast in what but sky writers and burning things into hillsides is bad for the environment so we’ll have to make do.
Content warning: mention of suicide
This week saw a number of deaths including one presumed suicide across the comics community so please be aware going into this next section as there will be discussion of both.
Italian comics creator and writer Alfredo Castelli passed away this week. Known for his work on Martin Mystere, Castelli began working in comics at age 16 creating the strip ‘Scheletrino’ which was published in comic book Diabolik. Alongside his work in comics, Castelli, with Paolo Sala, created Comics Club 104, the first italian fanzine dedicated to comics.
Artist Jose Delbo has passed away at the age of 90. The artist best known for his work on Wonder Woman and Transformers began his career working on Argentine comic Poncho Negro in the late 40’s before transitioning to American publications following a move to the USA in the 1960’s. Delbo later taught at The Kubert School and at a Cartoon Camp for children in Boca Raton.
Ashihara Hinako, the award winning mangaka and creator of Sexy Tanaka-san, was found dead days after criticizing Nippon TV’s live action adaptation of the aforementioned work. Hinako was unhappy that the show had not remained faithful to the manga even though that had been a condition of its production. Hinako later retracted her criticism and apologized but was reported missing the same day. The death is being treated as a suicide.
That’s all for this week, friends. Be safe, take care, and look after each other.
