Variety reported today that Warner Bros. Pictures has tapped Wolfgang Petersen ( Das Boot , Air Force One ) to direct Batman vs. Superman , which Warners envisions as the studio's tentpole picture for the summer of 2004.

Word leaked out from Marvel last week that Vice President of Sales Matt Ragone has left the company.

Right smack dab in the middle of what has become a remarkable year for comic books, Wizardworld Chicago was short on major announcements and long on behind-the-scenes maneuvering and positioning.

Dark Horse Comics announced its comic series based on the rock band Kiss at last year's San Diego Comicon without a lot of fanfare. After all, Image's Kiss: The Psycho Circus comic had sort of just faded away and expectations for Dark Horse's book were not very high. Well a year later, Gene Simmons, the tongue-wielding bassist and driving force behind Kiss licensing, will be back at San Diego, and he will be touting Dark Horse's number one comic for July.

Chris Pollichemi of Altered States Game and Hobby in Syracuse, New York has a different slant on the Yu-Gi-Oh shortage in hobby stores. He feels Upper Deck is making the right moves, but doesn't think much of the game, or some of its purchasers.

Stan Tychinski of Collectible Dreams in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania took an extra sarcasm pill before composing this missive. He's upset about the Yu-Gi-Oh shortage for the hobby, among other things.

Mike Boze of HawgHead Comics in Fort Smith, Arkansas took a look at Marvel's new U-Decide promotion and decided he didn't like it.

Diamond has added three more small publishers to its book division: IDW, Guardians of Order, and Alternative Comics.

Hector Diaz of Jumpgate in Portsmouth, New Hampshire was prompted by Marvel's reduction in the amount of advance info it provides to say 'their loss'.

Tim Schulte of Granite City Comics in St. Cloud, Minnesota was prompted by Marvel's change in the advance information it provides to send us this comment.