Welcome to your weekend edition of Comics Relief kids, where in this installment we’re starting off with news on tie-in comics to Marvel and DC’s big springtime blockbuster movies. Read on for the details…

Marvel Details Upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse War Crossover Event

It was announced at a comic convention in Brazil last week that Marvel was looking to “synergize” with the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse movie by launching the Apocalypse Wars crossover event in the three main X-books — Extraordinary X-Men, Uncanny X-Men and All-New X-Men. According to Marvel, the crossover will take the X-Men into the future, where the ancient mutant despot Apocalypse rules one and all. Marvel has released three of the covers, which are all homages to the very first appearance of Apocalypse from X-Factor #6, back in 1986. You can see all three covers below. [Comic Book]

March Brings DC’s Batman/Superman Variant Covers Month

Speaking of comics tying in with the huge movie franchises they inspired, in honor of Batman v Superman coming out in March 2016, DC Comics has announced that some of its March shipping titles will be have variant covers featuring both heroes together. Ten of DC’s Batman and Superman related titles will have what the publisher is calling Batman/Superman variants, with three versions for each cover. DC has provided two photo collaged images for the covers of Batman #50 and Superman #50, but the final ones will be drawn by artists Jim Lee and Kaare Andrews. You can click on the following link for the full list of books, and who the respective artist is for each one. [Newsarama]

Walking Dead Co-Creator Tony Moore Returns to Illustrate Cover for Issue #150

The Walking Dead is probably the most successful indie comic of all time, and it is now about to hit its milestone 150th issue. To celebrate, writer Robert Kirkman has announed that there will be three variant covers of the issue from artists Jason Latour and Ryan Ottley, as well as series co-creator Tony Moore. Moore drew the first six issues, before artist Charlie Adlard took over the art chores, which he still does to this day. The reason this is a bit surprising is that Moore filed a lawsuit against Kirman back in 2012, over unpaid profits. It was all settled out of court, but it didn’t seem like those two would ever work together again. Nice to see that the hatchet has been buried in something other than a walker’s skull. [Newsarama]

Valiant Comics Announces Spring 2016 Event 4001 A.D.

Valiant Comics has just announced its four-part spring 2016 crossover event, which they are calling 4001 A.D. The event will center on Rai, and explore his origins and the dark implications of his place in the far-flung future. Written by Matt Kindt and illustrated by Clayton Crain, 4001 A.D. is designed as an entry point for new readers, and will also feature well-known Valiant characters like Eternal Warrior, X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, and Geomancer.

Valiant Editor-in-Chief Warren Simons said of the upcoming crossover event, “From cosmic beings and sentient cities to post-apocalyptic warrior kings and cybernetic samurai, 4001 A.D. will see the Valiant heroes pushed beyond the threshold and into territory far beyond anything we have ever attempted before.”

4001 A.D. is set to begin in May. You can check out next year’s Free Comic Book Day cover from Valiant below. [Comics Alliance]

[Spoiler] Gets A Cosmic Character Makeover in Marvel’s Ultimates #2

If you don’t want to be spoiled on a big new direction for classic Marvel character, then I suggest skipping to the next item folks.

Okay, still with us? Here we go: For nearly fifty years, Marvel’s cosmic entity Galactus has been known as the “Devourer of Worlds”, sucking the life dry from poor, unsuspecting planets. Now a massive twist surrounding the big purple guy has been revealed in the new Ultimates series (NOT set in the Ultimate universe, because that world went bye-bye).

Ultimates #2 shows that Galactus has instead become…the creator of worlds? In the latest issue, the newly formed team — Black Panther, America Chavez, Blue Marvel, Monica Rambeau and Captain Marvel — use their abilities to change Galactus from someone who is always hungry, to someone who’s always cooking. Will this mean he’ll actually join the team? Any team with Galactus on it really does earn the name “Ultimates”  though, doesn’t it? [io9]

Dark Horse Expands its “Xenoverse” with new Predator mini-series

Dark Horse Comics has held the license for Fox’s Predator and Alien franchises for decades, and now the publisher has announced plans to expand what they refer to as their “xenoverse.” This all begins with writer Dan Abnett and artist Brian Thies’ new book Predator: Life and Death, a four-issue miniseries which will kick off the publisher’s initiative to expand this universe next year. Several new series written by Abnett and as-yet-unannounced artists will follow Predator, and focus on Prometheus, Aliens, and Alien vs. Predator. So wait…does that mean the AvP movies are in continuity? And here I thought Marvel and DC comics continuity was confusing. For more info, click on the following link: [Comic Book Resources]

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Trailer Gets the Super Friends Treatment

There’s been quite a bit of criticism on the tone of the DC Expanded Cinematic Universe ever since the release of Man of Steel, with some saying it’s far too dark and grim. Despite the somewhat lighter tone of the latest Batman v Superman trailer, artist Craig Rousseau (best known for his work on The Perhapanauts) decided it needed to go even lighter. He took the final shot of the DC Trinity squaring off against Doomsday in the trailer, and gave it the 1970’s Super Friends cartoon treatment. The image, which was made as a commission rather than anything official for DC, was posted onto Rousseau’s Facebook wall. You can check out the Super Friendly image below: [Comic Book Resources]

IMAGES: DC Comics / Tony Moore / Marvel Comics / Valiant / Dark Horse Comics / Craig Rousseau