AvX #1 and the launch parties are history. War is declared with Cyclops blasting Cap off Utopia. MTV Geek is following the series giving fans the ultimate access inside the famed Marvel Summits and with the writers and editors of the epic showdown. I especially love how the series gives a voice to the passionate fans (I really love the Mystique and She-Hulk in this video!)
As learned in the panels at Emerald City Comicon (when the Marvel asked the crowd which side they were on) the Avengers may have more fans in sheer numbers it’s the X-Men fans that are more impassioned and truly believe their side is right. Cyke Is Right!
Take a look at the latest episode courtesy MTV Geek.
Uncanny X-Force #25 preview art courtesy Marvel.com
Uncanny X-Force #25 kicks off a new adventure for Wolverine’s covert team. In Final Execution the mutants will once again face the consequences of their actions. Veteran artist Mike McKone joins Rick Remender for the arc. Marvel.com shared preview art and a new interview revealing the new enemies for Logan’s crew.
Uncanny X-Force #25 preview art courtesy Marvel.com
McKone draws the Omega Clan based on Omega Red and makes Remender’s new concept come alive on the page.
Uncanny X-Force #25 courtesy Marvel.com
“The main location in the issue is a really fun idea of Rick’s,” he says. “It’s a huge, floating mall, hidden in a cloud, where assassins can be bought and traded. It’s a great example, I think, of why this series has struck such a chord with readers: huge playful ideas, writ on a giant canvas with truly wonderful characterization. I hope I can do it again.”
For the entire interview here’s the Marvel.com link.
Omega Red was created by Jim Lee and John Byrne in 1992. The mutant has super strength, healing factor and a power to unleash pheromones that could kill. Red had surgically implanted metal tentacles and was allegedly the KGB’s attempt to create a Russian super soldier like Captain America. The villain became a major Wolverine foe through the 90’s.
Ghost Rider takes a break at Sakura Con 2012 Seattle, courtesy Seattle Pulp, photo by Josh Lewis
On the heels on Emerald City Comicon, Sakura Con invaded Seattle. The three-day anime celebration brought outrageous cosplay and thousands of fans to Seattle. I love this shot of Ghost Rider. He must have been so exhausted from ECCC the previous weekend that he just stuck around!
My friends at SeattlePulp.com (who publish my weekly Top 5 and other stories) and photographer Josh Lewis captured all the fun. Here’s the link to day 1 and day 2.
Seattle, we still have Crypticon, Zombcon, Geek Girl Con and Jet City Comic Show, I LOVE this geek filled city!
Marvel revealed that Matt Fraction and David Aja will reunite on a new series to be revealed April 14th at the Cup of C.B. Panel at C2E2. The duo (along with Ed Brubaker) worked on the Immortal Iron Fist.
Could this new project be a new Iron Fist series in the aftermath of Avengers Vs. X-Men? During this epic Danny Rand’s connection to the Phoenix Force will be explored.
I’d love to see the team create a new Doctor Strange solo series. Fraction’s The Defenders featuring Strange and Iron Fist is a blast.
The Night of the Owls is set to begin this month as the Court of Owls unleash an army of Talons on Batman, his allies and Gotham City. DC Comics is already teasing the final chapter with the July solicits for the the Batman family of titles.
Batman #11 courtesy DC Comics
This is cover of Batman #11 which DC calls the “stunning conclusion to the Court of Owls epic.”
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo have created a modern classic. It’s unlike any Batman story I’ve ever experienced. Issue #5 alone was a breakthrough in comic book storytelling. I can’t wait for this crossover.
Meeting Capullo at Emerald City Comicon recently was one of my top highlights. I got to ask him about the process of creating looks for so many Talons from different eras. Every Capullo cover is a haunting pop art masterpiece and this latest cover is a perfect addition to his gallery.
Grant Morrison continues to excite the Superman mythos with Action Comics. DC Comics revealed the cover to issue #11 by Rags Morales that reflects the solicitation for the story:
“Superman’s new secret identity revealed! Lois Lane continues her investigation into the mystery of Earth’s first Superman! Plus, in the backup story: We know where Superman got his armor costume, but where did he get all those “S” T-shirts?”
This months is the start the Batman family crossover Night of the Owls. I hope DC may be plotting a crossover with the Superman family of books – maybe a way to introduce some Kryptonian foes into the New 52?
Kate Bishop aka Hawkeye, art by Jim Cheung, image courtesy Marvel.com
Katniss Everdeen is the amazing heroine of the epic and emotional The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins and the smash hit movie. If you like Katniss I think you will enjoy the adventures of Marvel’s Kate Bishop of the Young Avengers. Katniss and Kate’s backgrounds are very different but they young heroines share a lot of similarities besides their archery skills.
Kate is tough, independent, blunt and an excellent archer. Kate was born rich but dedicated herself to charity like her late mother. The Young Avengers were an all boys team until a rescue attempt lead them to meet the level-headed and tough under pressure rich girl. Donning parts of the costumes once worn by Hawkeye and Mockingbird, Kate became part of the team of found a secret place for the team to train.
Avengers The Children's Crusade #8 cover courtesy Marvel
In Young Avengers Special Kate confides a dark painful secret to reporter Jessica Jones. We learn Kate was brutally attacked in what appears to be Central Park. Kate was traumatized and inspired undergo intense martial arts and weapons training like fencing, archery, and swordsmanship.
I don’t want to give too much away but Kate’s best friend becomes Cassie Lang, the daughter of Ant-Man who goes by the code name Stature. Kate’s testy and sexy relationship with Eli Walker aka Patriot is part of the ongoing appeal of the series. The two teens are stubborn, independent and it’s a joy to watch their “will they or won’t they” relationship evolve.
Kate wasn’t born with super powers but holds her own as the team confronts villains, gets caught up in Marvel’s biggest epics. She takes on the code name Hawkeye, stands up to Captain America when he orders the team to shut down and eventually meets the real Hawkeye (Clint Barton, played by Jeremy Renner in Marvel’s The Avengers.)
Allan Heinberg (a writer on Sex & the City, Grey’s Anatomy, Gilmore Girls, Party of Five, The O.C.) and artist Jim Cheung created Kate and the Young Avengers. I’m a huge fan of the Young Avengers. The Children’s Crusade is one of the most beautifully drawn and written stories in modern Marvel history. Here’s the Marvel.com link to learn more about Kate’s team, The Young Avengers.
Here are Amazon links to the big Young Avengers story collections. Hope you enjoy!
Javier Barden on the set of Skyfall courtesy MI6HQ.Com
The new 007 movie is packed with Oscar power including director Sam Mendes and Judi Dench as M. Javier Bardem plays the villain in Skyfall. The Oscar-winning actor talked with Spanish network TVE about his character and experience on the new 007 movie.
“It’s a very beautiful and fun adventure,” says the lead Skyfall villain. “yesterday I was on set with Albert Finney, with Judi Dench, with Daniel Craig.”
“It’s cool, and the coolest thing and what’s most important is the material. When I got it and saw the character, immediately you forget a little that it is a James Bond film and you realise that it is a great film and that’s what attracted me. I said, “man this gives you a lot of possibilities”. Obviously it’s a James Bond film and it has everything you expect from a Bond film.”
Bardem explained his approach to the character and he connects to Daniel Craig’s 007.
“I’m completely decided to give him a hard time and the truth is that I get to do it. Doing it in the set is a different thing [to reading it in a script]. The character puts Bond into some curious and interesting difficulties and one has to do it [for real], to give the idea that you are the villain. Otherwise there is no point in doing it. You have to put the actor in a difficult situation, that’s the objective. In that sense Sam is helping a lot, he’s an amazing director. And I’m delighted to be working with Daniel, he’s a guy with balls, he’s a really hard-working guy, super-compromised with what he’s doing. For him it’s strenuous, six months of shooting everyday, in addition with a lot of physical demand and the guy holds on super-committed.”
Thanks to MI6 for the story. There’s more of Bardem’s interview to enjoy at that link provided.
