Month: May 2012

Richard Castle’s Derrick Storm Is Back

courtesy Marvel.com

  Private Detective and Secret Agent Derrick Storm may be dead on the ABC series Castle but the creation of writer Richard Castle (played by Nathan Fillion) lives on in Marvel comics. Richard Castle’s Deadly Storm was an original graphic novel and adaptation of the first Derrick Storm adventure by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Brian Michael Bendis.

DeConnick and Bendis bring Derrick back this October with Richard Castle’s Storm Season an original graphic novel. I asked DeConnick about this project at Emerald City Comicon last March and she told me she was just working on it before coming down to the booth.

  Comic Book Resources posted a new interview with DeConnick about reteaming with Bendis and what Castle fans can expect from the new story.

  “I learn so much from Brian professionally, it’s a real privilege for me. Also, he gets really, really uncomfortable when people say nice things about him — like toe-fist uncomfortable — so as his dear friend, I feel obliged to go on at some length not only about his talent and generosity, but also about what an incredible father and family man he is and how his lovely bald head is shaped just so that it reflects the light and shines like the work of a intern who just found the lens flare button in Photoshop.

Also, I wish he would he would wear a bike helmet. That part is real.

  As for how it feels to return to do “Storm Season” — it’s awesome. I am super-proud of this book and this team and incredibly grateful to both Brian and to Andrew Marlowe [creator and show runner of “Castle“] for the opportunity.

  This new project is reader friendly for Castle television fans or anyone to jump in.

“Entirely. If you read “Deadly Storm,” I expect you’ll have more fun as you’ll catch a few Easter Eggs and you’ll have more context for a few of the references, but if you didn’t read “Deadly Storm” — even if for some insane reason you don’t watch “Castle” (Why? Why would you not watch “Castle?” You know it stars Nathan Fillion, don’t you?) you won’t be at sea. No prior knowledge is required.”

 Emanuela Lupacchino (X-Factor) is the artist on this new graphic novel.

  Back to costumed heroics – DeConnick’s new Captain Marvel series debuts in June.

  By Editor

Sexiest James Bond Girls Are X-Men Too

Courtesy MI6-HQ.com

  The new James Bond girl of Skyfall has not even hit the big screen yet but she’s already in the top 10 of sexiest Bond girls. Berenice Marlohe continues the legacy of French actresses on 007 movies as a mysterious character named Severine. She was number 7.

  FHM has been ranking sexiest women in the world and MI6.com compiled the top 100 lists for Bond girls, crunched the points and have unveiled this rundown of sexiest Bond girl rankings:

  My favorite villainess Xenia Onnatop of Goldeneye Famke Janssen was 13. Janssen is also famous as Jean Grey in the X-Men movies.

  Halle Berry (Jinx from Die Another Day and Storm from the X-Men movies) was number one with 1,499 points.

A huge thanks to the number crunchers  at MI6.com who compiled this master list.

 

Who Will Play Finnick in Catching Fire

 

Taylor Kitsch as John Carter photo by Frank Connor courtesy Disney Enterprises

 The race to play a key character in the next The Hunger Games movie is heating up with a Marvel super hero in the running. Taylor Kitsch (Gambit, John Carter) Armie Hammer (The Lone Ranger, The Social Network) and Garrett Hedlund (Tron Legacy) are in the running for the role of Finnick Odair in Catching Fire according to E Online.

  In the novels Odair is a champion from District 4 (I think is the Pacific Northwest) who won the Hunger Games when he was 14. The 24-year-old is famous for fighting with his trident and net – a symbol of his district and wearing very little in the arena. Odair has many lovers in the Capitol.

  An earlier rumor surfaced that Robert Pattison (Twilight) was up for the role but it was denied.

  Kitsch would be a great fit for the role but I’m going for my earlier pick: Ryan Kwanten of True Blood.

By Editor

 

Thanks to Dark Horizons.

Star Trek and Doctor Who Make It So!

Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 courtesy IDW Publishing

  It’s a stellar week to be a geek! Doctor Who, Star Trek: The Next Generation. Two sci-fi great franchises that will taste great together in a brand new 8 part comic book series.

  The Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) makes it so with Captain Picard and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise when the their most feared enemies form an unholy alliance.  Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 beams into comic book shops this week courtesy IDW Publishing. 

  Fan-favorite villains the Borg and the Cybermen team up so Doctor Who, Amy Pond and Rory join forces with Jean-Luc Picard and crew to save humanity. Scot and David Tipton (Star Trek: Infestation) and Doctor Who writer Tony Lee collaborate to bring these two universes together.

  Are you excited? If you’re like me you might be already dreaming up sequels: The Master and renegade Klingons, Davros and the Gorn, The Silence and Sela the Romulan or how about the time traveling Devidians from the Time’s Arrow two-parter? I’d suggest The Weeping Angels but those stone cold aliens ain’t teaming up with anyone!

Batman Incorporated #2 Variant Reveals Talia Al Ghul

Batman Incorporated #2 courtesy DC Comics

  I’m still reeling from Batman Incorporated #1 by Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham. The New 52 Second Wave relaunch stars Bruce and Damian Wayne and the global franchising of Batman. This series a family dynamic from hell. Leviathan is a sinister cabal ready to strike at the New Bat World Order. And the head of the evil organization is Damian’s murderous mama, Talia Al Ghul.

DC Comics revealed this stunning variant for #2 by Cameron Stewart featuring the daughter of Ra’s Al Ghul.

  Fans have speculated Marion Cotillard will be revealed as Talia in The Dark Knight Rises. If so, it’s the best kept secret so far. We know Liam Neeson is reprising his role as Ra’s Al Ghul – at least in flashback – in Christopher Nolan’s final Batman film.

 But Talia is definitely back in this comic book!

  By Editor

Brian Wood Takes Over Two X-Men Books

X-Men preview art by David Lopez courtesy Marvel, a Comic Book Resources exclusive

  Brian Wood is taking over two X-Men titles in June. Wood kicked off 2012 with his Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha and Omega limited series. If that series is an indicator of what he has planned for X-Men and Ultimate Comics: X-Men then prepare your mind to be mutated.

  My big question for Wood when I met him at Emerald City Comicon was is his plan was to keep Storm as team of X-Men. He responded with a cool “yes, you kind of have to keep her.”

  Fans asked Wood plenty of questions on X-Position on Comic Book Resources, which featured new art from his two X series.

 When asked about Storm’s team’s mission:

“The mission statement is to really play up the fact they are a “security team” — really take that to an elevated level they aren’t really at now.  I made them mobile, global, and with a mission mandate that will see them doing less of what Victor was doing and more along the lines of something like “The Authority” or “Planetary” — investigating weird stuff that has a tendency to go epic and cause a lot of property damage.  And it involves a lot of gray area morality, Storm and the rest of them out in the field having to make decisions on the spot without the benefit of consulting with Scott first.  Well, perhaps it’s a blessing to not have to consult with Scott?”

Wood went to confirm Warpath is out, Pixie is in, and he’s created new bad guys.

Ultimate Comics: X-Men preview art by Paco Medina courtesy Marvel, a Comic Book Resources exclusive

 Over to the Ultimate-verse:

  Personally, I love Kitty Pryde/The Shroud in Ultimate Comics X-Men and Wood promised the addition the Ultimate Jean Grey aka Karen Grant.

  “Absolutely, and in a major, major way.  But not for a while.  This trajectory I’ve put Kitty and her team on needs to play out a bit, and once we’re past the “Divided We Fall” event and are into the next phase of the story, Jean’ll be back.  And she’ll be coming back to a very different America and a very different Kitty Pryde.”

For the entire Q & A plus more images here’s the link.

By Editor

Sasquatch Music Festival

Sasquatch Music Festival 2012 courtesy KOMONEWS.COM photo by Joshua Lewis

 

  This is not exactly related to comic books or sci-fi but I wanted to share the amazing photos from the Sasquatch Music Festival in a spectacular venue called The Gorge.  Thousands of fans came to eastern Washington for a Memorial Day Weekend of modern rock featuring some of the biggest and up and coming acts in music.

  Yet even in the deep remote Gorge we see comic book, anime and video game influences among the rock and roll fans! Every music fan must experience a concert at The Gorge (I’ve seen Coldplay and Kings of Leon there.)

Sasquatch Music Festival 2012 courtesy KOMONEWS.COM, photo by Joshua Lewis

  Joshua Lewis (my frequent collaborator from KOMONews.com, Seattle Pulp – we survived Emerald City Comicon and The Hunger Games Tour Seattle together) and Kai Hayashi of KATUNews.com captured the rock and roll excitement.

Here’s the KOMONEWS.COM link to the gallery of day two and day three. Enjoy the rock and roll craziness.

By Editor

THOR 2 Major Villain

Tom Hiddleston as Loki & Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Thor courtesy Marvel

  Expect a heavy hitter to hammer down on Chris Hemsworth in THOR 2 but it will not be the big purple bad at the end of The Avengers. I won’t reveal the ending just in case you’re not among the billions that have seen Earth’s Mightiest Movie.

  Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige tells Empire “But there will be a major new villain. A major, major new antagonist.”

  Who will it be? Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale)is (rumored, in talks, final negotiations – all depending on which site you read) up for a role in Thor 2. Here are my thoughts on which villain he might play.

By Editor