[SPEAKER_00]: After life with Archie to publish additional issues of the iconic comic FBI director cash-patel, Reignite's Punisher controversy, this is comic book club news for October 6, 2020-25.
[SPEAKER_00]: Some big TV news.
[SPEAKER_00]: Riverdale creator would murder a Gearsacasa will be show running a live action adaptation of afterlife with Archie for Disney+.
[SPEAKER_00]: And that's cool at all, but somewhat buried under that news is an additional item.
[SPEAKER_00]: After nearly 10 years, the comic book is continuing as well.
[SPEAKER_00]: First published in 2013, the book, written by a Gearsacasa with Art by Francesco Francovia, details a sort of walking dead meets Archie Comics scenario with all the gruesomeness that implies.
[SPEAKER_00]: It eventually spiraled off into Eltrick Harr, a theme a Gearsacasa would pick up in chilling adventures of Sabrina.
[SPEAKER_00]: But despite being hit, only 10 issues were published through 2016, though the plan had been for at least two additional issues beyond that.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well guess what, those issues are finally coming.
[SPEAKER_00]: In an Instagram post from Aguierse Casa announcing the Disney Plus series, he wrote quote, "...the rumors are true.
[SPEAKER_00]: We are all over the blood-red moon to be working on the television adaptation of after-life with Archie for Disney Plus."
[SPEAKER_00]: But just as exciting and in some ways even more exciting, the incomparable Francesco Frankovia and I are resurrecting the OG comic book that truly started it all.
[SPEAKER_00]: Issues 11 and 12 have been written.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm plotting 13 even as we speak, and Francesco's already drawing.
[SPEAKER_00]: And every issue will be plus sized and loaded with tons of bonus content.
[SPEAKER_00]: We're beyond committed to making these next three issues worth the extremely long wait.
[SPEAKER_00]: Specific details, release date, et cetera, coming soon from Archie Comics.
[SPEAKER_00]: There's no timeline from the Disney Plus series either, which has a script to series order, but is still very much in development.
[SPEAKER_00]: But it's fair to expect the two releases may coincide, possibly even some time late in 2026.
[UNKNOWN]: Thank you.
[SPEAKER_00]: Gash Patel, director of the FBI, is giving out challenge coins inspired by the Punisher symbol.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's the short version.
[SPEAKER_00]: The long version?
[SPEAKER_00]: Over the years, the symbol of Marvel's Punisher, aka the skull on his chest, has been used at various times by both militias and the police, among others, including QAnon recruitment flyers, often to justify or imply extrajudicial actions.
[SPEAKER_00]: The frequency of seeing the symbol on those who were taking the lawn to their own hands, particularly those who are part of the law,
[SPEAKER_00]: Game so great that not only did Punisher creator Jerry Conway speak out about it, suggesting that the symbol should be co-opted by Black Lives Matter supporters instead, but though they haven't confirmed the connection explicitly, Marvel retired the symbol and then the character of Frank Castle.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, Frank Castle and the classic scholar back in comics thanks to last month's Punisher Red Band, and so is the controversy.
[SPEAKER_00]: As Patelis be giving out these challenge coins, aka little tokens for what he considers a job well done that are an augmented version of the skull with guns instead of teeth.
[SPEAKER_00]: Naturally, there's been a large pushback against this online that's likely nothing will change unless Marvel takes some sort of legal action, which thus far they have not taken with any instances of misuse of the Punisher symbol.
[SPEAKER_00]: We'll have more on this as it develops.
[SPEAKER_00]: For comic book club news, I'm Alex Albin.
[SPEAKER_00]: And a quick programming note.
[SPEAKER_00]: As you may have attuned it with only two news items today with New York Comic-Con happening this week in Baltimore, Comic-Con the week after.
[SPEAKER_00]: This podcast may hit a few release hiccups so bear with us.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks as usual for all your support.
[SPEAKER_00]: Got tips or stories you'd like us to cover?
[SPEAKER_00]: Email us at comic bookclublive at gmail.com.
[SPEAKER_00]: For more comic book news, reviews, and interviews, check out comic bookclublive.com.
[SPEAKER_00]: Listen early and add free on patreon.com slash comic book club.