BOOM! teases Mark Waid British 'Avengers' comic

BOOM! Studios has teased a Mark Waid-penned Avengers project.

The publisher has released a teaser image for a comic based on the classic Steed and Mrs Peel-starring show.

"The original Avengers," reads the caption. "The original Hellfire Club. Mark Waid."

BOOM! recently reprinted Grant Morrison and Ian Gibson's Avengers miniseries, which was first published by Eclipse Comics in 1990.

In comics, the Avengers name is more frequently connected to Marvel Comics' premiere superhero team, who starred in the recent, record-breaking Joss Whedon movie.

No more information has been released regarding BOOM!'s Avengers project, but it is assumed to be new material from Daredevil writer Waid.

Ratings: 'House' Finale Up; 'America's Got Talent' Down But Tops; NBC Wins Night

The series finale of Fox's "House" made big gains in ratings and total viewership as "America's Got Talent" dropped from last week's season premiere but still helped NBC win the night Monday, according to preliminary numbers.

NBC took first place in ratings with an average 2.6/7 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and third place in total viewership with an average 7.2 million. "America's Got Talent" at 8 p.m., which last week premiered with new host Howard Stern, dropped 16 percent in the demo but was still the top-rated show with a 3.1/9. It drew 9.5 million total viewers. "American Ninja Warrior" the following hour posted a 2.4/6 -- a 41 percent leap over last summer's special -- with 6.1 million total viewers.

ABC came in second in ratings with an average 2.5/7 and first in total viewers with an average 10.6 million. The "Dancing With the Stars" performance finale had a 2.8/8 and drew 16.5 million total viewers, making it the night's most-watched program. "The Bachelorette" the following hour took an 8 percent dip in the demo from last week's season premiere, scoring a 2.4/6. It received 6.6 million total viewers.

Fox came in third in the demo and second in total viewers with an average 2.4/7 and 7.4 million. Following a "House" retrospective at 8, which drew a 2.0/6 in the demo and 6.2 million total viewers, the series finale of "House" the following hour posted a 2.9/7 in the demo -- a 32 percent leap from last week's episode. It attracted 8.7 million total viewers, a 36 percent jump from last week.

CBS took fourth in the demo and in total viewers with an average 1.5/4 and 5.7 million. The network aired repeats except for the special "Clash of the Commercials: USA vs. The World" at 10, which posted a 1.4/4 in the demo and 6 million total viewers.

NAB Challenging Constitutionality of FCC's New Political-Ad Rules

The National Association of Broadcasters is challenging the constitutionality of new FCC rules requiring local TV stations to put information about political advertising online, it said on Tuesday.

The new rules are “arbitrary, capricious, in excess of the commission’s statutory authority, inconsistent with the First Amendment, and otherwise not in accordance with the law,” the NAB said in a May 21 petition at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

In the documents the NAB filed with the court, the association did not spell out in detail its specific problems with the regulations adopted by the FCC April 27.

But NAB officials have blasted the regulations publicly for only requiring broadcasters -- not cable TV systems or other broadcast station competitors -- to disclose political rate information online.

“By forcing broadcasters to be the only medium to disclose on the Internet our political rates, the FCC jeopardizes the competitive standing of stations,” Dennis Wharton, an NAB spokesman said in an April 27 statement.

“The public file rules are a common-sense update by the FCC to move from paper to online access to public information in the digital age,” said an FCC spokesman, in a statement of response to the court challenge. “The rules are consistent with Congress’s directive to ensure public availability while providing cost-savings for broadcasters."

“This is nothing more than an attempt by the NAB to stall an important and overdue transparency initiative,” said Corie Wright, senior policy counsel for the watchdog Free Press. “The decision to put the political files online will bring broadcasters into the 21st century, and will make already public information more easily accessible to everyone. The FCC made the right decision, and is on firm legal ground.”

Under the FCC’s new rules, TV stations affiliated with the four top TV networks in the nation’s 50 largest markets will be required to file political information online first. All other TV stations would be exempt from the new requirements until July 1, 2014, to give the FCC the opportunity to see how the changes work.

Though FCC rules already require broadcasters to document their political ad sales in publicly accessible files at their stations, interested parties have to visit stations in person to get the data. Under the new requirement, the data would be accessible at the click of a mouse.

'Sherlock' star Andrew Scott: 'It's very hard for Moriarty to return'

Sherlock star Andrew Scott has hinted that he is unlikely to return to the show.

Moriarty (Scott) - the nemesis of Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) - appeared to commit suicide in series two finale 'The Reichenbach Fall'.

Asked if the villain could have somehow survived, Scott told Digital Spy: "That's an impossible question to answer! It's very hard to come back from shooting yourself in the mouth, we all know that."

The Irish actor also admitted at the recent Arqiva British Academy Television Awards Nominations party that he had been overwhelmed by the "crazy" success of Sherlock.

"I think the quality of the show is even higher than last year," he said. "I've had... a lot more screen-time this year [and] 'The Reichenbach Fall' was a big Moriarty / Sherlock storyline, so it's been brilliant.

"The reaction to Moriarty has been incredible. I couldn't be more happy and more proud to be in the show. It's very difficult to find a popular and clever show."

However, Scott appeared to rule out an appearance in Doctor Who, which is currently run by Sherlock co-creator Steven Moffat.

"It might be a bit weird for the Doctor Who fans to have Moriarty coming up," he suggested. "It's a great show, but I think that might be a bit too weird for people to accept."

A third series of Sherlock will begin filming in January 2013.

The BAFTA Television Awards 2012 take place at the Royal Festival Hall at London's South Bank Centre on Sunday, May 27.

Geri Halliwell for permanent 'X Factor' judging role?

Geri Halliwell could be named as the final X Factor judge on a permanent basis, it has been reported.

The former Spice Girls singer was linked yesterday to a guest judging role as the show's producers seek a permanent replacement for Kelly Rowland on the panel.

The Mirror reports that her stint has been branded a "dress rehearsal" for the job, claiming that she will be given a permanent contract if she has chemistry with the other judges and impresses audience members.

"Simon [Cowell] was impressed with the way Geri handled herself during auditions a couple of years ago, and thinks she has the gravitas and star presence to really shake up the panel," a source told the paper. "She has a great chemistry with Louis [Walsh] and bosses expect these two to join forces against Gary [Barlow], which will make for great viewing."

The insider described Halliwell as a "lovely girl" who was full of enthusiasm about the show.

Adding that she had "had her confidence knocked over the years", the source labelled Halliwell "an absolute dream to deal with", saying: "Assuming she passes her final dress rehearsal at the auditions in Liverpool, the job is hers."

Halliwell's salary if she is made a permanent judge has been quoted as between £400,000 and £1.1 million.

The Sun has additionally claimed that Halliwell's former Spice Girls colleague Mel B - who is a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor - will be a guest panellist at the Manchester auditions.

Walking Dead' Season 3 Preview: 'Darker, Harder, Faster, Deeper' (Video)

"Completely changed characters," an "ominous, dark and gloomy" vibe and, of course, the much-awaited arrival of The Governor are a few things we can look forward to in the third season of "The Walking Dead," the show's cast and crew promise in a new production video.

"There are samurai [sword]-wielding characters that are turning up," says Andrew Lincoln, the British actor who plays Southern cop Rick Grimes, the leader of the non-zombified "Walking Dead"-ers.

The third season finds the survivors holing up in a prison for safety.

"It's a journey into the unknown, and it's a huge, huge gamble, but it just shows how desperate they are," he said. "The pace of (season three) is darker, harder, faster, deeper."

Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl Dixon, calls the new season "ominous, dark and gloomy," and teases that "people start losing their minds, love blossoms and (there are) a whole lot of gross zombie kills."

The season premiere will be directed by Ernest Dickerson, who also directed the season two finale. Show runner Glen Mazzara says fans can also look forward to more of Michone (Danai Gurira), who saved Andrea (Laurie Holden) from some ravenous walkers in the season two ender.

"Just from the beginning of this, you see completely changed characters,"adds Lauren Cohan says, who plays Maggie Greene.

Lady GaGa debuts new song 'Little Monsters' on 'The Simpsons'

Lady GaGa debuts new song 'Little Monsters' on 'The Simpsons'

Lady GaGa performed a new song during her appearance on The Simpsons season finale.

The track - titled 'Little Monsters' - was written especially for the episode and is a parody of her relationship with her dedicated fanbase.

The star refers to a number of Simpsons characters in the track, including Disco Stu, Professor Frink and Grandpa Simpson.

Lyrics in the song include: "When they're young, all little monsters learn that they are scary, ugly, stupid, shunned by cupid, overweight, and hairy.

"But every monster needs to find that secret deep inside, that transforms Dr Jekyll into sexy Mr Hyde."

Lady GaGa previously confessed that appearing on The Simpsons was the most nervous she has ever been in her career.