While Prince fans the world over are still mourning the musician's tragic, untimely death in 2016, his music continues to inspire new generations of artists. That's basically the theme of MPLS Sound, a new graphic novel from Humanoids. IGN can exclusively debut a new preview of MPLS Sound ahead of its April 13 release. Get a closer look at this funk-infused new comic in the slideshow gallery below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=mpls-sound-exclusive-graphic-novel-preview&captions=true"] MPLS Sound is a collaboration between writers Joseph Illidge and Hannibal Tabu, artist Meredith Laxton, colorist Tan Shu and cover artist Jen Bartel. The book is being published through Humanoids' LifeDrawn imprint, which specifically focuses on intimate, personal stories anchored in the real world rather than the science fiction tales for which Humanoids is generally known. Rather than act as a biography of Prince Rogers Nelson, the book explores his musical and cultural impact through the lens of a fictional Minneapolis funk band called Starchild. The story explores how the band, its lead singer Theresa Booker and the entire city are inspired by Prince's music, even as it also addresses the darker aspects of the singer's career and Minneapolis' recent history. "Prince was a nexus and catalyst of music history, and MPLS SOUND is the story of how he changed the trajectory of fictional bandleader Theresa Booker's life." said Illidge in a press release. "The way PURPLE RAIN was a musical quasi-biography in film form, MPLS SOUND is a romance, ballad, and musical drama in the graphic novel form. A narrative and visual homage to His Purple Goodness and the era of MTV's birth. Get ready for a journey of art, courage, and the price of reaching for the sky." “There is a certain level of expectation involved when trying to draw the unique wardrobe and general aesthetic of Controversy-era Prince and many scenes throughout the book are inspired heavily by the flashiness of 80’s funk,” said Laxton. “Ultimately, the story is about Theresa finding her own voice within the MPLS music scene and her evolving style throughout the book showcases that.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/04/what-to-expect-from-marvel-in-2021"] "It’s hard to learn your heroes have feet of clay, but Prince’s problematic issues of colorism and capricious business practices cannot overshadow his eventual philanthropy and gigantic musical legacy,” said Tabu. “Here we got a taste of all of that while looking at some of the roots of the city that eventually killed George Floyd. Minneapolis is a complicated town, and its tragedies have left lives battered as much as its triumphs have inspired.” MPLS Sound will release in bookstores on Tuesday, April 13 and comic shops on Wednesday, April 14. In other upcoming comic book news, Miles Morales is about to face his own Clone Saga, Inferno Girl Red will expand on the tokusatsu universe introduced in Radiant Black and MIND MGMT is returning as an NFT comic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

While Prince fans the world over are still mourning the musician's tragic, untimely death in 2016, his music continues to inspire new generations of artists. That's basically the theme of MPLS Sound, a new graphic novel from Humanoids. IGN can exclusively debut a new preview of MPLS Sound ahead of its April 13 release. Get a closer look at this funk-infused new comic in the slideshow gallery below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=mpls-sound-exclusive-graphic-novel-preview&captions=true"] MPLS Sound is a collaboration between writers Joseph Illidge and Hannibal Tabu, artist Meredith Laxton, colorist Tan Shu and cover artist Jen Bartel. The book is being published through Humanoids' LifeDrawn imprint, which specifically focuses on intimate, personal stories anchored in the real world rather than the science fiction tales for which Humanoids is generally known. Rather than act as a biography of Prince Rogers Nelson, the book explores his musical and cultural impact through the lens of a fictional Minneapolis funk band called Starchild. The story explores how the band, its lead singer Theresa Booker and the entire city are inspired by Prince's music, even as it also addresses the darker aspects of the singer's career and Minneapolis' recent history. "Prince was a nexus and catalyst of music history, and MPLS SOUND is the story of how he changed the trajectory of fictional bandleader Theresa Booker's life." said Illidge in a press release. "The way PURPLE RAIN was a musical quasi-biography in film form, MPLS SOUND is a romance, ballad, and musical drama in the graphic novel form. A narrative and visual homage to His Purple Goodness and the era of MTV's birth. Get ready for a journey of art, courage, and the price of reaching for the sky." “There is a certain level of expectation involved when trying to draw the unique wardrobe and general aesthetic of Controversy-era Prince and many scenes throughout the book are inspired heavily by the flashiness of 80’s funk,” said Laxton. “Ultimately, the story is about Theresa finding her own voice within the MPLS music scene and her evolving style throughout the book showcases that.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/04/what-to-expect-from-marvel-in-2021"] "It’s hard to learn your heroes have feet of clay, but Prince’s problematic issues of colorism and capricious business practices cannot overshadow his eventual philanthropy and gigantic musical legacy,” said Tabu. “Here we got a taste of all of that while looking at some of the roots of the city that eventually killed George Floyd. Minneapolis is a complicated town, and its tragedies have left lives battered as much as its triumphs have inspired.” MPLS Sound will release in bookstores on Tuesday, April 13 and comic shops on Wednesday, April 14. In other upcoming comic book news, Miles Morales is about to face his own Clone Saga, Inferno Girl Red will expand on the tokusatsu universe introduced in Radiant Black and MIND MGMT is returning as an NFT comic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Warner Bros. Animation, DC, and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment are returning to Gotham City for their next DC Universe Movie, but this isn't just any Batman movie. Batman: The Long Halloween is an adaptation of one of the most critically acclaimed Batman graphic novels of all time. IGN can exclusively debut the first trailer for this gritty animated DC movie. Check out the video player above or the embed below for your first glimpse at how this bona fide Bat-classic has been adapted for 2021. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/04/06/batman-the-long-halloween-part-one-exclusive-official-trailer"] As we recently learned, Supernatural star Jensen Ackles has been cast as Batman, his second animated DC role after playing the titular villain in 2010's Batman: Under the Red Hood. Here's the full cast of The Long Halloween, Part One:

• Jensen Ackles as Batman
• Naya Rivera as Catwoman
• Josh Duhamel as Two-Face
• Billy Burke as James Gordon
• Titus Welliver as Carmine Falcone
• David Dastmalchian as Calendar Man
• Troy Baker as Joker
• Amy Landecker as Barbara Gordon
• Julie Nathanson as Gilda Dent
• Jack Quaid as Alberto Falcone
• Fred Tatasciore as Solomon Grundy
• Alistair Duncan as Alfred Pennyworth.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=batman-the-long-halloween-part-one&captions=true"] The film is written by Tim Sheridan and directed by Chris Palmer, who previously collaborated on 2020's Superman: Man of Tomorrow. Producers are Jim Krieg (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight) and Kimberly S. Moreau (Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Butch Lukic (Justice Society: World War II, Superman: Man of Tomorrow) is Supervising Producer. Executive Producer is Michael Uslan. Sam Register is Executive Producer. The Long Halloween -- originally published as a 13-issue limited series in 1996, written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Tim Sale -- is set shortly after the events of Batman: Year One, in a time when most of Batman's major rogues have been established but Robin has yet to join the Caped Crusader. The series unfolds over the course of a year, as Batman, Gordon, and Dent take on the Falcone crime family and hunt down a serial murderer known as the Holiday Killer. The Long Halloween ranked highly in IGN's list of the 25 greatest Batman graphic novels. It's unknown whether The Long Halloween is meant to take place in the same shared universe as Man of Tomorrow. However, given the creative team, the similar art style, and the fact that the story revolves around a younger, less experienced Batman, that connection certainly seems possible. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-greatest-batman-graphic-novels-of-all-time&captions=true"] This animated adaptation will mark the third DC Universe Movies project to adapt an existing story as a two-part film. The previous two were The Dark Knight Returns and the Death of Superman/Reign of the Superman duology. Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One will release at some point in Summer 2021, with the second part to follow in Fall 2021. Before that, DC fans can look forward to the release of Justice Society: World War II, which pairs the classic superhero team with a time-displaced Barry Allen. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Warner Bros. Animation, DC, and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment are returning to Gotham City for their next DC Universe Movie, but this isn't just any Batman movie. Batman: The Long Halloween is an adaptation of one of the most critically acclaimed Batman graphic novels of all time. IGN can exclusively debut the first trailer for this gritty animated DC movie. Check out the video player above or the embed below for your first glimpse at how this bona fide Bat-classic has been adapted for 2021. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/04/06/batman-the-long-halloween-part-one-exclusive-official-trailer"] As we recently learned, Supernatural star Jensen Ackles has been cast as Batman, his second animated DC role after playing the titular villain in 2010's Batman: Under the Red Hood. Here's the full cast of The Long Halloween, Part One:

• Jensen Ackles as Batman
• Naya Rivera as Catwoman
• Josh Duhamel as Two-Face
• Billy Burke as James Gordon
• Titus Welliver as Carmine Falcone
• David Dastmalchian as Calendar Man
• Troy Baker as Joker
• Amy Landecker as Barbara Gordon
• Julie Nathanson as Gilda Dent
• Jack Quaid as Alberto Falcone
• Fred Tatasciore as Solomon Grundy
• Alistair Duncan as Alfred Pennyworth.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=batman-the-long-halloween-part-one&captions=true"] The film is written by Tim Sheridan and directed by Chris Palmer, who previously collaborated on 2020's Superman: Man of Tomorrow. Producers are Jim Krieg (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight) and Kimberly S. Moreau (Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Butch Lukic (Justice Society: World War II, Superman: Man of Tomorrow) is Supervising Producer. Executive Producer is Michael Uslan. Sam Register is Executive Producer. The Long Halloween -- originally published as a 13-issue limited series in 1996, written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Tim Sale -- is set shortly after the events of Batman: Year One, in a time when most of Batman's major rogues have been established but Robin has yet to join the Caped Crusader. The series unfolds over the course of a year, as Batman, Gordon, and Dent take on the Falcone crime family and hunt down a serial murderer known as the Holiday Killer. The Long Halloween ranked highly in IGN's list of the 25 greatest Batman graphic novels. It's unknown whether The Long Halloween is meant to take place in the same shared universe as Man of Tomorrow. However, given the creative team, the similar art style, and the fact that the story revolves around a younger, less experienced Batman, that connection certainly seems possible. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-greatest-batman-graphic-novels-of-all-time&captions=true"] This animated adaptation will mark the third DC Universe Movies project to adapt an existing story as a two-part film. The previous two were The Dark Knight Returns and the Death of Superman/Reign of the Superman duology. Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One will release at some point in Summer 2021, with the second part to follow in Fall 2021. Before that, DC fans can look forward to the release of Justice Society: World War II, which pairs the classic superhero team with a time-displaced Barry Allen. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Bill Murray has said that he was tricked into making Ghostbusters 2, and that the studio brought the original cast back "under false pretences". In an interview during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (transcribed by Collider), Murray talked about how he was "very reluctant" to do Ghostbusters 2 at first, and that he was "outfoxed" by the studio: "I don’t know if [director Ivan Reitman] set it up, but they got us all back together in a room, and really, we hadn’t been together in a room since the movie came out and it was just really, really fun to be together. [...] They got us all together and they pitched a story idea that was really great. I thought, “Holy cow, we could make that work.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/09/ghostbusters-afterlife-official-trailer"] The problem is that, according to Murray, that story idea never came to fruition. "They got us in the sequel under false pretenses," Murray said. "Harold had this great idea, but by the time we got to shooting it, I showed up on set and went, ‘What the hell is this? What is this thing?’ But we were already shooting it, so we had to figure out how to make it work.” Murray went on to say that he's more fond of the first film than the second "I probably like the first one better than the second one, just because the first cut is the deepest. We were in New York and we really made a mess in New York for a couple of months, but we had a lot of fun." Bill Murray will appear in Ghostbusters Afterlife, a direct sequel to both Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2 that's set to launch later this year. Murray praised the script in January of 2020, saying "It's got a lot of emotion in it. It's got lots of family in it, with through lines that are really interesting." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Bill Murray has said that he was tricked into making Ghostbusters 2, and that the studio brought the original cast back "under false pretences". In an interview during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (transcribed by Collider), Murray talked about how he was "very reluctant" to do Ghostbusters 2 at first, and that he was "outfoxed" by the studio: "I don’t know if [director Ivan Reitman] set it up, but they got us all back together in a room, and really, we hadn’t been together in a room since the movie came out and it was just really, really fun to be together. [...] They got us all together and they pitched a story idea that was really great. I thought, “Holy cow, we could make that work.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/09/ghostbusters-afterlife-official-trailer"] The problem is that, according to Murray, that story idea never came to fruition. "They got us in the sequel under false pretenses," Murray said. "Harold had this great idea, but by the time we got to shooting it, I showed up on set and went, ‘What the hell is this? What is this thing?’ But we were already shooting it, so we had to figure out how to make it work.” Murray went on to say that he's more fond of the first film than the second "I probably like the first one better than the second one, just because the first cut is the deepest. We were in New York and we really made a mess in New York for a couple of months, but we had a lot of fun." Bill Murray will appear in Ghostbusters Afterlife, a direct sequel to both Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2 that's set to launch later this year. Murray praised the script in January of 2020, saying "It's got a lot of emotion in it. It's got lots of family in it, with through lines that are really interesting." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

This week in Red Dead Online, claim bonus rewards in Animal Sample sales, Free Roam Fishing Challenges, new discounts, and much more.

This week in Red Dead Online, claim bonus rewards in Animal Sample sales, Free Roam Fishing Challenges, new discounts, and much more.

Update: Both Isabelle and Tom Nook are now sold out, though Build-a-Bear reassures they will return "soon." The digital queue to buy them lasted for over three hours, and even if those who were in line right when it started weren't guaranteed to get a chance to buy either. Original story: This morning, Build-a-Bear and Animal Crossing officially revealed the stuffed toys they announced a partnership on last month: it's Isabelle and Tom Nook...but you might not be able to get one today. The Build-a-Bears went live at 8 am PT today, following a 30-minute "waiting room" queue you could sit in on the website. While in that queue, I was told I would get a "random place in line" if I was in the waiting room early.

Create a world of your own alongside our Animal Crossing™: New Horizons friends! Available online now and arriving in stores soon!

US: https://t.co/Ow1pYIItQs UK: https://t.co/5oNmXqy14m pic.twitter.com/6Yox06e4G8 — buildabear (@buildabear) April 6, 2021

When 8 am hit, though, I was told my estimated wait time was "more than an hour" -- and I'm still in it at the time this is being written. There's a tiny progress bar on my screen that inches forward every so often, but after 40 minutes in the queue it's not really gone anywhere, and my wait is still over an hour. I can sign up to be notified by email when it's my turn, but I'm worried that closing this window will cause me to lose my place. Isabelle and Tom Nook were only available for pre-order online today, and come with their own "summer outfit" and either music or spoken phrases included when you give them a squeeze. They're limited to one per person, too. The Build-a-Bear website's FAQ says the toys will reappear online in the future once they sell out, but does not specify when -- though it does indicate they will also come to physical stores sometime this summer. This is far from the first time something Animal Crossing (or even Nintendo)-related has suffered from ridiculous demand. Anyone who has tried to get their hands on the Animal Crossing Sanrio amiibo cards has had a nightmare of a time given their limited supply and Target exclusivity. And while Build-a-Bear has done plenty of other franchise crossovers before, including Super Mario, Doctor Who, Pokémon, Frozen, How to Train Your Dragon, Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Mandalorian, none have quite reached this level of demand. Not even Sonic the Hedgehog. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

This morning, Build-a-Bear and Animal Crossing officially revealed the stuffed toys they announced a partnership on last month: it's Isabelle and Tom Nook...but you might not be able to get one today. The Build-a-Bears went live at 8 am PT today, following a 30-minute "waiting room" queue you could sit in on the website. While in that queue, I was told I would get a "random place in line" if I was in the waiting room early.

Create a world of your own alongside our Animal Crossing™: New Horizons friends! Available online now and arriving in stores soon!

US: https://t.co/Ow1pYIItQs UK: https://t.co/5oNmXqy14m pic.twitter.com/6Yox06e4G8 — buildabear (@buildabear) April 6, 2021

When 8 am hit, though, I was told my estimated wait time was "more than an hour" -- and I'm still in it at the time this is being written. There's a tiny progress bar on my screen that inches forward every so often, but after 40 minutes in the queue it's not really gone anywhere, and my wait is still over an hour. I can sign up to be notified by email when it's my turn, but I'm worried that closing this window will cause me to lose my place. Isabelle and Tom Nook were only available for pre-order online today, and come with their own "summer outfit" and either music or spoken phrases included when you give them a squeeze. They're limited to one per person, too. The Build-a-Bear website's FAQ says the toys will reappear online in the future once they sell out, but does not specify when -- though it does indicate they will also come to physical stores sometime this summer. This is far from the first time something Animal Crossing (or even Nintendo)-related has suffered from ridiculous demand. Anyone who has tried to get their hands on the Animal Crossing Sanrio amiibo cards has had a nightmare of a time given their limited supply and Target exclusivity. And while Build-a-Bear has done plenty of other franchise crossovers before, including Super Mario, Doctor Who, Pokémon, Frozen, How to Train Your Dragon, Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Mandalorian, none have quite reached this level of demand. Not even Sonic the Hedgehog. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.