Bullets: Previews... and Movie News.

And here I thought it was going to be a slow week.

• Previews of Upcoming Projects. Apart from Icon publications like Criminal, we haven't made a habit of linking to every preview of new work from Ed Brubaker or Sean Phillips, but I think it's worth highlighting a first look at new upcoming projects.
  
  First up is a preview of the debut issues for The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger - The Journey Begins. Sean Phillips joins Richard Isanove on art duties, and the issue is scheduled for a May 19th release.
  
  Next is Ed Brubaker's new ongoing Marvel series, Secret Avengers. A preview of its debut issue was released late this week. From Twitter Brubaker writes that readers have barely seen anything; the issue is scheduled to hit stores on May 26th.
  
  
• Brubaker Interview I: Captain America Backlash. The comics site io9 recently conducted an interview with Ed Brubaker about a variety of subjects, including Secret Avengers. Two issues stand out as very noteworthy.
  
  First, Brubaker relays that the recent, politically charged criticism of his work on Captain America has led to death threats sent through email, prompting him to close his more public account.
  
  Most of what I've had to say on the issue, I've said before, and I might add a couple more thoughts later, in the comments section.
  
  For now, it suffices for me to say that I don't think violence and intimidation are unique to the American right or even prominent in the "Tea Party" movement, but hardly any group is wholly free from bullies and thugs. Those who would send threatening emails to people who disagree with them are despicable, and Ed Brubaker should consider reporting any serious threat to the FBI.
  
  
• Brubaker Interview II: Sleeper Movie Update. Second, and on a brighter note, Brubaker relays that Warner Bros. is still working on the film adaptation of Brubaker and Phillips' first major collaboration, WildStorm's Sleeper.
  
  His comment suggests that pre-production might have been on hold but is now back on track, and Ed Brubaker confirms that Tom Cruise is still attached to the project.
  
  
• Incognito Film Rights Sold to Fox. The really big news this week is about another possible film adaptation. Followed by a few of the major comics news sites, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips both pointed to a story at Deadline.com, which exclusively reports that that Twentieth Century Fox has purchased the film rights to Incognito.
  
  Mike Fleming reports, "Robert Schenkkan, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of The Kentucky Cycle, will write the screenplay. Peter Chernin and his Chernin Entertainment will produce with Circle of Confusion’s David Engel...
  
  "Schenkkan most recently wrote Anabasis, the period epic drama which will be directed by District 13 helmer Patrick Allesandrin."
  
  In a follow-up comment on Twitter, Ed Brubaker relays that Incognito is "coming back in September with the sequel."

Criminal fans who haven't already read these other books are encouraged to check them out. Sleeper is now available in two "season-long" trade editions (and a prelude called Point Blank), and Incognito is also available as a trade paperback.