AVENGERS
Vol. 3, Issue 27, April 2000, Marvel Comics

"Five Dooms To Save Tomorrow"
story/plot, Harlan Ellison;adaption/script, Roy Thomas;
art, Rich Buckler

Update: Winter 2000
HE's classic Avengers story from Avengers Vol. 1, Issue 101 (July 1972) is being reprinted in Avengers Vol. 3, Issue 27 as part of Marvel's "100-Page Monster" program which reprints classic stories along side a new story in a regular issue of the title. Marvel's solicitation copy reads as follows:

On Sale February 23
Avengers No 27
Cover by George Pérez
Kurt Busiek/George Pérez/Al Vey

The Scoop: The 100-page Monster strikes, giving you the biggest issue of AVENGERS ever!

The Story: Due to the events of the last few issues, the Avengers are forced to change their line-up! And of the crime-fighters who assemble at the beginning of this issue, only two will remain on the team! Who will stay and who will go? And are the Earth's Mightiest Heroes playing right into the hands of the Triune Understanding?

The Extra Stuff: In commemoration of this historic moment, four similarly themed stories from the Avengers' storied past are reprinted in this gargantuan-sized issue! First, it's a key line-up-changing tale by Steve Englehart and George Pérez from Avengers (Vol. 1) #150-151 (that incorporates material by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)! From Avengers Annual #19 it's "The Day The Stranger's Came!" - the very first Avengers Tale written by current writer Kurt Busiek. Finally, it's "Four Dooms to Save Tomorrow," an adventure that ran in Avengers (Vol. 1) #101, and featured a classic story written by Roy Thomas and Harlan Ellison!

The Format: The 100-Page Monster selects key issues of ongoing titles and supplements the reading experience with related stories from Marvel's rich history at a price that can't be beat. With 100 pages of new and classic action, it's the biggest bargain in comics! But the question is...where will the Monster Strike Next?!

Batman: Black and White Vol. 2 Oversized HC — featuring "Funny Money"
Status: Released Aug 28, 2002, DC Comics

story, Harlan Ellison; art, Gene Ha

Update: June 2002
In late August 2002, DC Comics will be publishing a hard-cover collection of the first sixteen "Batman: Black and White" short stories from Batman: Gotham Knights, along with five brand new stories. Included will be HE's story "Funny Money" from Batman: Gotham Knights #13. The following is from the Batman: Black and White "mini-site" at www.dccomics.com

After the success of the first BATMAN: BLACK AND WHITE anthology series (and subsequent collection), the noir-flavored short stories featuring the Dark Knight — written and drawn by a stellar lineup — have continued as a popular backup feature in the monthly BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS.

Now the first sixteen of those tales are reprinted in BATMAN: BLACK AND WHITE Volume 2 — a 176-page oversized (7 1/2" x 11 5/8") hardcover that also includes five new, never-before-published 8-page stories created just for this volume! (Note: these new tales will eventually be seen as backups in BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS). Printed on high-quality paper and topped with a stunning cover by Mike Mignola (Hellboy), this handsome book is a must-have for the collections of every Batman fan and aficionado of comics fine art!

And wait until you hear who’s supplying the new stories! First up, multiple award-winning creators Paul Dini and Alex Ross — who have collaborated on such highly successful Specials as SUPERMAN: PEACE ON EARTH and BATMAN: WAR ON CRIME — reunite on "Case Study," a story that features Ross’s rare black-and-white painted work. Then, popular writer Chris Claremont (Extreme X-Men, GEN13) teams with Steve Rude (Nexus, X-Men: Children of the Atom) & Mark Buckingham (Peter Parker: Spider-Man, FABLES) for "A Matter of Trust." Writer Steven T. Seagle (THE CRUSADES) supplies the story of "Fortunes," featuring art by internationally acclaimed illustrator Daniel Torres (Heavy Metal). BATGIRL’s Kelley Puckett writes "Night After Night" for Eisner Award-winning artist Tim Sale (BATMAN: DARK VICTORY, Spider-Man: Blue). And the irrepressible Ty Templeton (BIGG TIME) teams up with the legendary Marie Severin for "Bats, Man!"

But that’s not all! The talented roster behind the reprinted tales from BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS #1-16 must be seen to be believed: Warren Ellis & Jim Lee, John Byrne, Paul Pope, John Arcudi & Tony Salmons, Paul Levitz & Paul Rivoche, Walter Simonson & John Paul Leon, Arcudi & John Buscema, Brian Azzarello & Eduardo Risso, Howard Chaykin & Jordi Bernet, Alan Brennert & José Luis García-López, Robert Kanigher & Kyle Baker, Dave Gibbons, Harlan Ellison & Gene Ha, Dini & Ronnie Del Carmen, Tom Peyer & Gene Colan & Tom Palmer, and Alan Grant & Enrique Breccia! Whew!

BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS
Batman Black & White Back-up Story
Issue 13, January 2001, DC Comics

"Funny Money"
story, Harlan Ellison; art, Gene Ha

Update: November 2000
Batman: Gotham Knights #13, featuring the story by Harlan Ellison and Gene Ha, has been officially solicited. It will arrive in comic book stores January 31, 2001. The full solicitation copy reads as follows:

Batman: Gotham Knights #13
Written by Greg Rucka and Harlan Ellison
Art by Rick Burchett, Gene Ha and Rodney Ramos
Painted Cover by Durwin Talon

"In stores January 31. The not-to-be-missed conclusion to "Officer Down!" [a story running through all Batman titles in January rumored to involve the on-the-job shooting of Commissioner Gordon] James Gordon faces his final destiny and Batman must accept the possibility of the loss of a valued comrade, and a life which never will be quite the same. Plus, a black-and-white backup feature written by Harlan Ellison and illustrated by Gene Ha!"

Update: June 2000
Ellison's Batman back-up story was announced by him in his Summer 2000 issue of Rabbit Hole (the official newsletter of the Harlan Ellison Recording Collection). Here are a few selections from that item:

Ellison writes 'Funny Money'

"Close on fifteen years after writing, 'The Night of Thanks, But No Thanks' for Detective Comics #567, Harlan will return to the character of Batman with a new story. 'Funny Money' will appear in an upcoming issue of Batman: Gotham Knights. Although the exact issue has not bee scheduled (but soon, very very soon), one of HE's favorite graphic artists, Gene Ha, has been assigned the black and white art chores by DC Comics editor Mark Chiarello...

"'All through last year's "No Man's Land" arc, Batman became concretized in the role of a humorless brute. I [HE] have elected to go back to basics with my view of Batman in this story. First, I let him be what he hasn't been permitted to be—what he was created to be—for many years... a detective.'"

Update: April 11, 2000
It was announced today that Harlan Ellison would be writing a back-up story entitled "Funny Money" for DC Comics Batman comic Batman: Gotham Knights. This title features short, black and white back-up stories featuring Batman by a variety of artists and writers in every issue. HE's story will be illustrated by Gene Ha, artist of Alan Moore's Top Ten. The item, as reported on Mania's Fandom website although originally broken by the Comics Buyer's Guide, read as follows:

Harlan Ellison Returns To Gotham City
by Michael Doran, Newsarama

"Yesterday, comics fans learned that after 14 years, Frank Miller will be making his return to the Batman mythos with an upcoming sequel to his landmark 1986 mini-series, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Now readers can look forward to another high-profile writer making his return, also after a 14-year absence.

"According to the new issue of Comics Buyer's Guide (#1380, April 28th), Harlan Ellison will write his first Batman story since 1986's Detective Comics #567 - a black & white back-up story for an upcoming issue of Batman: Gotham Knights. 'I'm taking Batman back to what he hasn't been in years: a detective,' Ellison told CBG's John Jackson Miller.

"Gene (Top Ten) Ha is set to draw Funny Money, a story that finds the Caped Crusader called in by U.S. Treasury agents to investigate a counterfeiting operation. According to the article, 'Correctly sensing that punches and batarangs alone aren't going to do the job this time, Batman relies on his smarts to bring the matter to a surprising and clever conclusion.'

"Ellison told CBG he enjoyed returning to work in the Batman universe, noting how closely he tried to pay attention to some of the milieu's finer details.

"'There's a scene where Batman meets Commissioner Gordon and some treasury agents, and even though he calls Gordon by his first name through the whole story, here you must have Batman say 'Commissioner', because Batman isn't sure Jim Gordon wants the feds knowing how cozy he is with a vigilante.'

"According to a spokesperson for DC, the story is in the 'development' stage and has not yet been placed on their schedule for publication."

Source: Newsarama

COMIC BOOK ARTIST #23 — Harlan Ellison Interview
Status: To Be Released October/November 2002, TwoMorrows Publishing

interview with, Harlan Ellison

Update: August 2002
Harlan Ellison will be interviewed in issue 23 of the magazine Comic Book Artist by editor Jon Cooke.

Edited by Jon B. Cooke, Comic Book Artist, Eisner Award winner for "Best Comics-Related Magazine", celebrates the lives and works of great cartoonists, writers and editors from all eras through in-depth interviews, feature articles, and unpublished art.

The October dated issue will include a cover featured interview with writer/artist Mike Mignola [Hellboy], interviews with Jill Thompson [Scary Godmother, Sandman, The Invisibles] and Tom Palmer [inker of numerous Marvel Comics over the past several decades], and:

...also have a talk with legendary science-fiction author Harlan Ellison on his various forays into comics!

Can't see how that would be of any interest to people visiting this site ;-) TwoMorrows is a great publisher of numerous magazines on comic books, comic history, and comic fandom, including Roy Thomas' Alter Ego and Danny Fingeroth's Write Now! that your humble web master designs. Check out their web site at www.twomorrows.com for more information on their many books many of which would be of interest to Ellison fans such as their comprehensive history of Warren Publishing [information from which will update several entries here in the near future.]