Month: July 2012

Amazing Spider-Man Trilogy and Future Villains

The Amazing Spider-Man courtesy Columbia Pictures

  Red, black and blue! The Amazing Spider-Man is swinging high over this extended 4th of July holiday week. The new film is the first of a trilogy as revealed on the film’s official Facebook page.

 “It’s finally here! The Amazing Spider-Man is the first installment in a movie trilogy that will explore how our fave hero’s journey was shaped by the disappearance of his parents.”

Who will Spidey face in the sequel?

  “I think you have to be pretty protective of the canon when it comes to villains,” he observes. “And Spider-Man has a great rogues gallery, so there’s a lot to choose from,” Director Marc Webb tells the Hollywood Reporter Heat Vision.

  “Movies like this tend to have sequels, [though] ultimately the audience will tell us if they want one. But I kind of thought it was an interesting thing to anticipate those storylines and think about the backstories and how we can parlay those into an ongoing story,” he adds.

  The truth about Peter’s parents and top-secret genetic research inside Oscorp could drive the storylines of future films.

  The Chameleon was the first supervillain Spidey faced. This master of diguise and spy who executed a cruel hoax involving Peter’s parents. He was also the half-brother of…

 

Marvel.com. Art by Mike Zeck

Kraven the Hunter was a big game hunter who became obsessed with killing the most elusive prey – Spidey-Man. Kraven’s Last Hunt is a masterpiece and one of my favorite Spidey epics.

Amazing Spider-Man #689 courtesy Marvel

  Michael Morbius was a scientist with a rare blood disease who used vampire bats in his experimental treatments that turned him into…a living vampire. Morbius and the Lizard are both featured in the current Amazing Spider-Man comic book storyline out now.

By Editor

 

 

 

 

Before Watchmen Ozymandias

Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1 cover by Phil Jiminez courtesy DC Comics

  Before Watchmen Ozymandias #1 is a beautifully written and drawn work of art. Adrian Veidt reveals his life story from a child isolated due to his superior intellect to a journey in the steps of his namesake Alexander the Great to methodically forging a modern-day empire.

  Len Wein (editor of the original Watchmen series) creates an interesting portrait of the man who will save the world. Wein made me feel for a man that’s more machine as he acts with precision to create himself as humanity’s savior. What motivates Adrian to become a vigilante “hero” is the result of the one rare personal relationship he allows himself to have. Wein nails the tone and voice. 

Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1 cover by Jae Lee courtesy DC Comics

  Jae Lee’s art is stunning as the story of Veidt’s journey of what led him to save the world. Squid images are cleverly placed in the timeline. Lee beautifully displays the flawed imagery of Alexander the Great. This issue is the work of an artist at the top of their game.

  Adrian is a man on higher plane above the rest of humanity. Wein and Lee create a portrait of a God-like man driving towards his endgame. Again, just a beautifully crafted book.

By Editor

Here’s the link to my interview with legendary Len Wein.

Alan Scott Becomes Green Lantern, Earth 2’s Villains Revealed

Earth 2 #3 courtesy DC Comics

  It feels appropriate that Earth 2 #3 comes out the same week Anderson Cooper officially came out. Alan Scott is gay. Let’s move on. The creative moves on in a big way with this third chapter.

  James Robinson picks up right after last issue’s cliffhanger with Alan Scott becoming the Green Lantern and learning that an evil greater that Darkseid is coming. This Green Lantern is Earth’s champion but not in a cosmic way like Hal Jordan. Alan’s mission is directed from the planet itself.

 Gay and organic? This hero would be perfect for my progressive and earth conscious home of Seattle.

  Jay Garrick is still not called the Flash yet. Garrick is confronted and tested by Hawkgirl who says fate led her to him. The two soon witness how the planet is under attack.

WARNING

 

SPOILERS

 

IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW KEY EVENTS OF THIS ISSUE STOP READING

 

SERIOUSLY

 

HERE IT COMES

 

  Earth is under attack from The Grey of Swamp Thing.  Alan Scott is Nature’s champion. The Grey unleashes it’s champion in the final pages.

  I’m still not sure how I feel about the death of Sam. We just met him last issue so how could a reader get that invested? I felt Alan didn’t grieve enough for the loss of the man he just proposed to but was that to prove why he was chosen as champion? Sam will always be part of the story as the engagement ring becomes the symbol of Alan’s power.

  I loved Nicola Scott’s art. I was surprised that Alan Scott’s costume didn’t play at least little homage to his Silver Age counterpart. I still really love Jay Garrick’s uniform and she draws him using his power. There are two scenes of death of rebirth. Early in the book Scott becomes an Emerald Warrior among the ashes of the disaster. In the final pages the Grey’s champion claws out of the ground. Scott captures both brilliantly.

By Editor  

 

Marvel NOW! All-New X-Men

Marvel NOW! image by Joe Quesada courtesy Marvel and EW

  One of the most controversial elements of the Marvel NOW! relaunch is the return of Jean Grey and a new X-Men book by Brian Michael Bendis. Regenesis was just a year ago in which Uncanny X-Men was relaunched with a new #1 and Wolverine and the X-Men debuted. Now the man who reshaped and guided the Avengers franchise for 8 years is taking on the Children of the Atom. This is the original five X-Men (Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Angel, Iceman)from the 60’s transported to the present day. These teens do not like what they say.

“The X-Men is a tough nut to crack,” Brian Michael Bendis tells Entertainment Weekly. “It’s the Robert Altman movie of comics. There’s thousands of characters, all of which have a website dedicated just to them. I wanted to make sure I had a take that was unique.” So when it came time to plan for Marvel NOW!, Bendis — who’s been Marvel’s go-to Avengers guy for close to eight years — remembered an idea that had been floating around the Marvel writers’ retreats for a long time. “It was about the original X-Men. If they saw what the Marvel universe was now…well, it’s so much worse than the Days of Future Past that they’re always worried about. This would scare the crap out of them.”

  Jean Grey in all her incarnations is one of the most beloved characters. It was a question of when she would come back from the dead (again.)

Jean Grey image by Joe Quesada courtesy Entertainment Weekly

  “It’s the one thing X-Men fans have always asked for is: They want Jean Grey back. But they want Jean Grey. Not reincarnated Jean, or the ghost of Jean. Well, you’re getting Jean back. And Jean is gonna be looking at a world that rattles her.”

  Stuart Immonen (New Avengers, Fear Itself) is the artist on the title debuting in November. For more of the Bendis interview here’s the EW link.

 By Editor

Marvel NOW!

Marvel NOW! image by Joe Quesada courtesy Marvel and EW

  Marvel’s post Avengers vs X-Men plans appear to be a relaunching the universe under the initiative Marvel NOW!

  Expect new creative teams, new series launches and relaunches starting in October 2012 through February 2013. Details and this image by Joe Quesada are in the Comic-Con issue of Entertainment Weekly.

 These are the 3 titles to be announced in EW:

Uncanny Avengers: A blended Avengers/X-Men book written by Rick Remender (Uncanny X-Force) and illustrated by John Cassaday (Astonishing X-Men), with a cast including Captain America, Thor, Rogue and Havok. Remender is quoted by EW as calling the series a “bridge book” “that can delve into both worlds,” though post-AvX tension will be apparent. Starts in October.

All-New X-Men: As long-rumored, Brian Michael Bendis is writing the X-Men, specifically the original five. Still teenagers, they time travel to the present-day Marvel Universe, and aren’t pleased with what they find. “It’s not a time-travel story like Back to the Future,” Bendis is quoted. “It’s a time-travel story like Pleasantville,” with “character-based drama more important than the sci-fi aspect. Art from Stuart Immonen; starts in November.

Avengers: Now a biweekly series written by Jonathan Hickman and illustrated by Jerome Opeña, the book will include “18 or more” Avengers team members, and “feature a combination of one-off stories and longer, galaxy-spanning multi-issue arcs.” Starts in December.

Thanks to Comics Newsarama.

The biggest mystery solved is the “return of Jean Grey?” tease. This will be a pre-Phoenix Jean along with the original five X-Men in the Bendis book.

By Editor

What do you think?

Top 5 Comic Picks for 7/4/12

Avengers vs. X-Men #7 courtesy Marvel

Avengers Vs. X-Men #7 Cyclops declares “No More Avengers!” What does this mean for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? If the Phoenix Five can destroy and remake entire planets how can Captain America and his allies hope to escape?

Earth 2 #3 DC Comics reintroduced Silver Age favorite Alan Scott as an openly gay man. This issue shows us how he becomes the Green Lantern. Plus, the Flash hunted by Hawkgirl?

Knights of the Living Dead Volume 1 Full disclosure – I’m picking this just on the title alone. I  have not read a single issue but come on – a mashup of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and zombies!

Peanuts Volume 1 Snoopy, Charlie Brown and whole gang are back in brand new stories and classic Sunday strips from Charles M. Schulz. This volume collects the first four issues of the series.

Wolverine #310 courtesy Marvel.com

Wolverine #310 No head, no problem. Logan decapitated his archenemy. How is Sabretooth back? The creative dream team of Jeph Loeb and Simone Bianchi return with sequel of one of Wolverine’s most epic stories.

The Joker Returns in “Death of the Family”

 

courtesy DC Comics

  The Joker, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. You could call it a dream team. Call it Batman’s nightmare. The most infamous villain in comic book history is back.

  DC Comics revealed the Joker is back this October. When The New 52 launched last September the Joker met a horrific fate at the end of Tony Daniel’s Detective Comics #1. The Joker’s face was carved off and he hasn’t been seen since.

  October’s Batman #13 by Snyder and Capullo kicks off the “Death of the Family” storyline. DC teases the classic villain will be used in “dark, horrifying, unnerving” way and the return will affect Batman, the Bat-family and Gotham City.

  “Joker is my favorite villain of all time,” Snyder revealed today on The Source. “Not just in comics. In everything – film, books, TV. He’s the greatest, hands down. So this story is something extremely important and personal to me – something I’ve been building in my head ever since I started working in Gotham.”

  “When Scott told me that he’d written a Joker story for our next arc, I couldn’t contain my excitement,” added Capullo. “Talk about a dream come true! For me, the Joker is the ultimate rogue and the villain I most wanted to draw. I gotta tell you, after hearing what the story is about, this isn’t a dream come true. It’s a nightmare! A macabre and bloody, flesh crawling nightmare. We hope you’ll have the nerve to face what’s coming. Warning: It ain’t for the faint of heart!”

  Given the cliffhanger of Detective Comics #1 could the classic villain be sporting a new face?

  “Wait ’til you see him,” Snyder said. “Greg’s sketches literally gave me chills. Point blank: This is Joker like you’ve never seen him before. He has a mission. He has a secret. And he has a serious axe to grind with Batman. It isn’t going to be pretty, but it’s going to be a wild ride.”

  This will be the first major story with the Joker in the relaunched DC continuity. The story title makes you think of  the classic “Death in the Family” story in which the Joker killed Jason Todd. There’s no official word on if the Joker’s return will mean a crossover with other Bat-family titles like Night of the Owls. With a title like “Death of the Family” could the Joker’s new plot be to destroy Batman’s alliances with the other heroes of Gotham City? Could the Joker have been masquerading as another character this past year in the New 52?

By Editor