Archive Page 2247
August 2025
Where's all that box office money? Studios looking to 2030 for recovery – Comicbookmovie
About $11.8 billion in U.S. cinema revenue was reported in 2019. However, this number has dramatically decreased over the past few years. In 2024, it dropped to $8.9 billion, and it isn’t expected to fully recover until 2030...."
Obviously, "recovery" is dependant upon the film makers producuing something an audience wants, a point of importance which indicates that, at present, the film makers are not accomplishing this. Blaming the pandemic is not addressing the real problem, though the pandemic is certainly responsible for "breaking the habit of movie going." But, worth noting, there are billion-dollar-earning movies still happening:
Billion-Dollar Movies (2020–2025)
2021
Spider‑Man: No Way Home – approx. $1.92 billion
2022
Avatar: The Way of Water – approx. $2.32 billion
Top Gun: Maverick – approx. $1.50 billion
Jurassic World: Dominion – approx. $1.00 billion
2023
Barbie – approx. $1.45 billion
The Super Mario Bros. Movie – approx. $1.36 billion
2024
Inside Out 2 – approx. $1.70 billion
Deadpool & Wolverine – approx. $1.34 billion
Moana 2 – approx. $1.06 billion
2025 (to date)
Ne Zha 2 – approx. $2.22 billion
Lilo & Stitch – approx. $1.03 billion
Looks like Sgt Rock and Swamp Thing are both back as future releases from DC movies, not so for The Authority – Boundingintocomics
DC is officially leading the race for highest earning super-film in 2025 – Mens XP
Pedro Pascal got more payout for FF First Steps than the whole cast at Superman, combined – MSN Comic Basics
The massive payday makes sense for Marvel Studios, which has been leaning heavily on star power to bring in audiences. Some fans have even joked about “Pedro fatigue” because of how many high-profile projects he’s been in lately...."
Lawsuit from publishers against who is holding their Diamond bankruptcy consignment inventory
Story at Bleedingcool [Greek]
New owners of Diamond holding some $13.5 million in inventory from various comics publishers who want their books back – Bleedingcool
The Diamond Bankruptcy "slog" – Comicsbeat
Superman vs Fantastic Four - Review
Mr. Fantastic, Mr. Terrific, Ms. Teschmacher
Why is Superman the better movie? Because Fantastic Four stays entirely cramped within the Marvel formula. Disney plays it safe with FF, and I don't blame them after all the money-losers they've had lately, one after another, but star actor Pedro Pascal looks like he's being smothered, and we barely see him using Mr. Fantastic's stretch-skills. It's in there, but, wow, for a "Fantastic Four" movie to not be the mother lode of stretching from its erstwhile leader makes you wonder if Disney can parse the 64 years of material they're handling. And I'll go further than that, this is a color-themed movie that tells you exactly what its about: powder blue and white, the classic "she's having a baby" color scheme, because this movie is about giving birth to Mr. Fantastic Junior, not the Fantastic Four. What's the problem with that? Hang on, I'll tell you.
More of Superman vs Fantastic Four - Review
Batman 2, Teen Titans, etc., James Gunn doesn't seem to confirm or deny anything – Yahoo News
This effort at understanding AI, and more particular, how artists have to interact with clients in order to survive, doesn't cover everything just right, but is a good survey. Basically, the argument that AI is a tool and shouldn't be blamed when the actual place the artist is getting ripped off is by the client cheating, lying or withholding money, is a good starting point.
Fantastic Four at $368,727,635 worldwide - released July 25
Superman at $551,211,000 worldwide - released July 11
Remembering the classic comic book movie stinker The Spirit starring Scarlett Johansson & Samuel L. Jackson – MSN Screenrant
This film is almost unwatcheable as a film. As a series of amazing motion images it fares much better. When Martin Scorsese claims superhero movies aren't really "movies, but theme park rides" this film comes a lot closer to proving his case.
Smith Educational Comics moving into the animation market – Manila Times
Marvel X-Men movie cutting costs by enlisting young, unknown cast – Gamesradar
Fantastic Four movie still rules box office but the drop off in ticket sales is "biggest second-weekend box office drop in MCU History" – Fiction Horizon
Fantastic Four at $269,186,446 worldwide - released July 25
Superman at $534,106,392 worldwide - released July 11
Remembering the life and work of artist, educator, publisher, and activist Turtel Onli – The Comics Journal
Could DC comic book movies be the future for the genre? – Digital Trends
Fantastic Four movie expected to stay at top of box office but new releases Naked Gun and Bad Guys 2 have got to fight for the number two slot – Yahoo - Gold Derby
The new George Lucas "narrative art" museum will "transform how you view comic books" – Yahoo
If you'd like to own a 1989 Tim Burton-style Batmobile, here's your chance – AutoBlog
The odd looking empty rows of tables for Diamond Comic Distributors at SDCC – Bleedingcool
Diamond's absence was partially expected due to the Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but the debtors' executives and lawyers did have an internal meeting and billed the bankruptcy debt for it to debate what to do with this asset. In the end, the answer was… nothing. They didn't manage to use it or sell it...."
The Tim Burton Batman and Batman Returns coming back for theater release August 25 – Comicbookmovie
The remastered versions of both movies (from 1989 and 1992) will play at Dolby equipped cinemas at AMC Theatres locations across North America.
Superman movie flies past $300 million mark in the domestic market – rare for DC movies of late – MSN Hollywood Reporter
In a second milestone, Superman has already passed up the entire lifetime of Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, which topped out at $291 million domestically in 2013, not adjusted. That film was the last solo Superman movie; in 2016, Snyder's sequel Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice grossed $330.4 million domestically. (The latest Superman pic will soon overtake Dawn of Justice as well.) Overseas, Superman has already cleared $500 million...."
That last remark about "$500 million overseas" isn't accurate, but corresponds to the total world-wide take (including domestic) that has accumulated so far for the James Gunn Superman reboot.
Superman as a "surrogate dad" – Washington Post
Six "letters to the editor" at the Washington Post explore what Superman/Clark Kent means to them. Some letters provide analysis:
Although he could fly and lift tremendous weights, and bullets bounced off his chest, he was the son of the Kents, that good, kind and sometimes humorous couple in Kansas. That’s why he wanted to use his powers to save lives and help people by doing things that humans couldn’t. And he didn’t want to take credit, nor to endanger people he loved, so he disguised himself when he did those things. His “secret identity” was Superman, not Clark Kent..."
Superman Then - Superman Now
Versioning and reversioning Superman has been an industry for decades, and as a kind of Rorschach test for how DC Comics is thinking (and feeling) about what a "good superhero" is really about – more about Superman and his changing times
Thinking about J.M.W.Turner and Corben's Den series – The Comics Journal
Bloodstar 1975 - Rich Corben "The First Graphic Novel"
Thoughts on Rich Corben and Den
House on the Borderland 2000 - by Richard Corben
Edgar Allen Poe and Richard Corben
Comics important again at 2025 SDCC – Publishers Weekly
Little publishing news broke at the show, with no bombshell announcements dropping during any panels. Robert Kirkman announced the return of Capes, a 20 year old spin-off of his popular Invincible franchise, under writer Benito Cerino, while X-men artist John Byrne’s fanfic based on his own work, X-Men Elsewhens, will come out from Abrams Comic Arts via their partnership with Marvel. Uncertainty over how Diamond’s bankruptcy will affect publishers may have contributed to the news dearth. Several publishers were absent due to a lack of books to sell. (Diamond is holding onto inventory while the legal mess untangles.)
The writer of the article, Heidi MacDonald, is usually talking up comic books at her ComicsBeat website, such as:
SDCC "winners and losers" – Comicsbeat
Fantastic Four First Steps at $117 million domestic / $99 million international – The Numbers
Superman at $292 million domestic / $114 million international – Box Office Mojo
SDCC talking up the coming Batman-Deadpool teamup – Comicsbeat
Debuting in September, Marvel/DC: Deadpool/Batman #1 features writing by Zeb Wells with Kevin Smith; Kelly Thompson; Chip Zdarsky; Al Ewing; and Frank Miller, with art by Greg Capullo with Adam Kubert; Gurihiru; Terry Dodson; Dike Ruan; and Frank Miller..."
Greg Capullo is doing the cover but there's going to be a bunch of variant covers.
An interesting plus are the backup stories: Rocket Raccoon/Green Lantern and a Wolverine Old Man Logan/Batman written and drawn by Frank Miller.
Get into the Public Domain archives that are online at Graphic Chatter
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Original page August 1, 2025