Imagine Hannibal Lecter as a member of the family from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre? That’s just a starting point to describe how Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo have made the ultimate comic book villain even more sadistic and sinister.
In this week’s Batman #15 Snyder opens and closes with a monologue inside Bruce’s mind that makes the Joker creepier and sicker. Taking us inside Bruce’s mind is a perfect parallel with Bruce trying to get in the Joker’s twisted head. Snyder writes one word that gave me that same chilling ick when Hannibal Lecter touched Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs.
The Joker claims he knows the true identities of Batman and his costumed allies. He declares when Batman’s friends will be dead by Batman’s hand. Just when you think the madman will be caught he turns the tables and plunges Batman into a new nightmare leading a meeting of the family.
Batman is confronted by Dick, Damian, Jason, Tim and Barbara in the Batcave forcing him to share an old secret. We can only guess what Death of the Family really means but in these scenes we are witnessing the fragile family’s trust being torn apart.
In the backup story by Snyder, James Tynion IV and Jock we see that no one – not even Gotham’s other villains – are safe from the Joker’s endgame. The Joker recruits Riddler and even names his role on the twisted plan to salute the King Batman.
What is the Joker’s final punchline? I have my guesses. Is DC letting the creators go there? Snyder and Capullo are creating a terrifying psychological thriller like masters of horror filmmaking. Inside your head you’re preparing for the shock of what you’ll find but you can’t stop yourself.
I spy a brand new Secret Avengers series in February 2013. A top-secret team even the Avengers won’t know about! New writer Nick Spencer, Editors Tom Brevoort and Lauren Sankovitch opened up the files on the espionage themed series on Marvel.com.
“There’s a new S.H.I.E.L.D. in the Marvel Universe under the watch of Daisy Johnson and Maria Hill with Nick Fury Jr. and Phil Coulson as the top agents. One of the initiatives they’ve undertaken is building their own Avengers team. Maria Hill has direct supervision. They’re using tech first seen in Brian Bendis’ Secret War: memory implants so members of the team will not remember the missions. That’s how secret these missions are,” revealed Spencer.
“Hawkeye and Black Widow will be front and center in the first issue, Taskmaster shows up in issue #2, Hulk, Mockingbird and a new Iron Patriot are coming down the line, plus the Winter Soldier, who will be featured, but not a member of the team.”
Agent Phil Coulson on The Avengers movie will be part of the team. He’s just one of the many different voices Spencer will tackle.
“I love writing Coulson, trying to bring that amazing voice Clark Gregg established in the films over to comics. I found Taskmaster to be a lot of fun to write. Hawkeye and Black Widow have always been two of my favorite Avengers. Just being a part of introducing this new Nick Fury and new S.H.I.E.L.D. into the Marvel Universe is a big honor.”
“Part of the thrill of this new Nick Fury is that he’s on the field, he’s on the missions, he’s with the team. It’s a contrast from what we saw from the old Fury over the last couple decades, giving intel then fading into the shadows. It’s fun having a Fury who’s in the thick of things and also who this is all new to. He’s got a lot to learn. Getting to write that journey is a blast.”
Secret Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
“Nick Fury is the Captain America of the Secret Avengers. He’s the lead guy on the field. He’s different from Cap, he’s got a different approach, but he’s the first guy on the ground leading the charge,” Editor Brevoort
“One of the things I’m learning my way through is finding the balance between a good black ops spy book that’s also an Avengers book. I think you’ll like the mix. We’re trying to make it feel like Mission: Impossible, but at the same time it takes place in the Marvel Universe. The mix and match has been really cool for me to play with,” said Spencer.
“Every adventure these characters have is a caper, it’s a Bond movie, but it takes places within the Marvel Universe, and there’s no mission you can pull out of that context,” said Brevoort.
Norman Osborn wore the Iron Patriot armor in Dark Reign. The Iron Patriot will appear in Iron Man 3. Who wears the armor in this new series?
“I think we came up with a pretty cool way to introduce this new Iron Patriot. There have been a lot of questions about who is in the suit, but how they end up in the role is what I think will be really interesting.”
Secret Avengers #2 courtesy Marvel
SHIELD will use mindwiping techniques on the team – we saw what happened with that in Secret War.
“Every member of this team signed up for this of their own volition. They agreed this was the way to go. Of course then they forget that they agreed to it, and when they’re on missions, they don’t know about it. The S.H.I.E.L.D. I’m writing works in gray areas, but it’s important to me at the end of the day we understand why they do the things that they do, which is for a safer better world. That doesn’t start with forcibly brainwashing people if they can help it. Why these people signed up for this won’t always be known, and we’ll have fun with this.”
“They’re not starting over every mission. When they have the keyword, they remember that they’re on the team and what they need to from previous missions. They’re not strangers every time they meet up.”
“The Avengers don’t know about this. Nobody outside of S.H.I.E.L.D. knows about this initiative.”
Secret Avengers #2 courtesy Marvel
How does an Avengers villain like Taskmaster fit with this team?
“Taskmaster has a pretty unique role in the book. I’m having a lot of fun writing him. When we were coming up with the roster, he was the last addition. I kept feeling like something was missing. As soon as he came up, it was so perfect. He’s got some history already with Nick Fury, which is a big draw for me. The chemistry between the two of them has been fun for me to write. I like throwing the wrench in there, and Taskmaster does that. He’s there for the paycheck and that makes for some fun story turns.” “I’m a huge fan of Indestructible Hulk already. It all connects. It’s all part of Maria’s vision for what S.H.I.E.L.D. needs to become to adapt to new threats in the Marvel Universe. She’s such a huge part of this book. In Avengers, Cap and Iron Man are saying they need to become bigger, and here, S.H.I.E.L.D. is saying the same thing.”
Bruce Banner is working with Maria Hill and SHIELD in Mark Waid’s Indestructible Hulk. How does a weapon of mass destruction fit in an undercover spy book?
“The use of the Hulk here is judicious. He’s the bomb. How is he on a stealth team? He’s not deployed until it’s time to blow stuff up.”
“This S.H.I.E.L.D. is smaller and scrappier than they were back in the day, but the problems aren’t any smaller. It’s a big job for people just starting out. They know they need operatives who can function on the level the world and the universe is at now,” says Brevoort.
Secret Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
Luke Ross (The Ultimates) will be the artist on the series.
“Luke Ross has a realistic style with a lot of energy. His enthusiasm brings a lot to the book,” says Lauren Sankovitch.
Spies, dark heroes, mindwipes and Taskmaster! The new Secret Avengers declassified!
From teenage dream to nightmare! Avengers Arena debuts today. Members of Avengers Academy, Runaways and other young heroes are thrown into a Battle Royale fight to the death on an island run by X-Men villain Arcade. Writer Dennis Hopeless revealed his plans for the kids and the mastermind behind The Hunger Games style game on Marvel.com.
“Basically 16 of your favorite Marvel teen heroes–and Darkhawk, who is not a teenager–wake up on an island and are told by Arcade only one of them will come out alive. This time people will actually die in Murderworld. They can leave, but they have to kill everybody else. Issue #1 will show the kids and the readers he’s serious this time,” explains Hopeless.
The X-Men have survived Arcade’s Murderworld in the past stories. Hopeless says this time Arcade will finally live up to this reputation as an assassin.
“In a lot of ways, Arcade is a silly character. He comes from a different era where it was ok for a villain to set up elaborate traps that fail. It was important to keep that showman, likes to watch aspect, but change things up so people will respect Arcade,” he says, “”It was an interesting challenge. I love Arcade. When we first talked about the series, I thought of him, then dismissed him. Axel Alonso called me later and asked med to use him. I’m proud of how we kept his core but made him a little more scary, similar and respectable.”
The book will star a who’s who of Marvel’s youngest generation.
“I got to cherry pick, so all the characters I’m using, I like. I loved Avengers Academy and wanted to use them all, but had to cap it. Hazmat is the point of view character of issue #1 and I love writing her.”
Avengers Arena #5 courtesy Marvel
Hopeless revealed he’s created new teen characters aka victims for this series including a young female Deathlok and kids from an Academy run by Captain Britain.
The fact that Avengers Arena would be an ongoing series was a surprise.
“I’ve gotten a lot of questions about why this isn’t a limited series. It’s because we need space to explain why these kids would do this. These are heroes. We need to show what they’re going to and get them to a place where they fear or distrust each other enough,” Hopeless explains, “Once we get to a place where the game changes and we get away from the core concept, we’ll go somewhere else, but this is a long story.”
The writer takes on the fact that some fan favorites will be killed off as the story proceeds.
“I see all the reaction to this book already because I’m a crazy person and I look for it. I’m a comics fan too. I know it’s hard to think your favorite character might be pulled off the shelf. At the same time, I think death is a serious part of life, and it should not be a cheap storytelling device. It’s one of the most powerful things a person or character can go through. I’m really proud of the book. We’re telling a really good story here. Nobody who’s responding to the marketing has read it yet.”
“These are super heroes, so that’s what makes it different from Battle Royale, which is human kids adapting. Hunger Games, we’re in the head of one girl raised in a post-apocalyptic world; these are teens who all grew up in the Marvel Universe. We’re doing a point of view shift where you see the situation from the perspectives of each character. You see what each is getting from this and where they’re coming from. I think that makes it unique. It’s like if Hunger Games switched the perspective between every character, which would make it very different. It’s obviously influences by those and by stuff like The Running Man, but these characters change it and make it its own thing.”
Avengers Arena #4 courtesy Marvel
We’ll have to read the book to see why some heroes decide to turn on each other (besides obvious survival) but Hopeless explains how the matchups will work.
“Darkhawk has cosmic level powers and X-23 is very difficult to kill. We deal with the fact that power sets are varied and how some would normally wipe the floor with all the others.”
Will your favorite young hero survive Murder Island? Avengers Arena #1 is out today.
For the complete transcript here’s the Marvel.com link.
Arrogant, brilliant, blunt. He’s the hero you want on your side – if you stand him! I loved Dr. Nemesis during Matt Fraction’s Uncanny X-Men run. The Golden Age character is mutant with an evolved intellect (and massive ego!) The gun packing brainiac is now part of Cable and X-Force. Writer Dennis Hopeless told Marvel.com how he sees the Doctor:
“I see him as a sort of pure scientist, if that makes any sense. He comes into the story for a very specific purpose, and as soon as it’s said that Cable needs this kind of brain doctor, he’s like “alright, I’m in.” At that point I think the mad science of the whole thing is what compels him to stick around. After the first arc, they’re all kind of stuck. You can either go to jail, or you can keep doing this with us. Initially I think it’s a pure scientific interest that has him jumping along with all the crazy pre-cog, criminal, saving-the-world stuff.
How will Nemesis see brilliant mutant inventor Forge?
“They’re different versions of the same sci-fi character. Forge is sort of the Mad Max, post-apocalyptic “I can make anything out of junkyard parts” kind of a tech guy, and Doctor Nemesis is more of the genetic tinkerer from a more utopian science fiction story. Plus, their personalities couldn’t be any more different. I think having those two characters that obviously aren’t going to get along, and are going to bicker back and forth, but whenever they put their minds together are really something powerful, that’s why I chose Doctor Nemesis. The rest of the team was set and I needed another character. I kept looking around, and I thought “Forge would hate this guy, and Cable would shake his head constantly at everything this guy says.” There’s actually a scene—I think it’s in issue #3—where he says something and Cable just walks away shaking his head like “God, why did I start that conversation?”
Cable and X-Force #3 courtesy Marvel
X-Men, X-Club and now X-Force – Will this aloof loner connect with this new team?
“I think he fits in well with this team because it’s almost not a team. It’s just a bunch of people that Cable convinced to help with something that get pulled together. I try to make it clear in issue #3 that to Cable this isn’t X-Force. He’s not putting together a super hero team. First, he’s got a brain problem, and then he has another problem. He’s trying to solve it in the best way he knows how and that is to get experts to help him do something. The outside world kind of brands them “Cable’s X-Force” because that’s how we think of any team that Cable has. Doctor Nemesis, because he isn’t a super prototypical super hero, fits well on a team where you just have to be good at something to be involved.”
For the entire interview here’s the Marvel.com link.
Producers of The CW hit Arrow are adding another DC comics icon to the hit series! TV Guide reports Colton Haynes of MTV’s Teen Wolf will join the series as Roy Harper. Green Arrow fans know Harper is Ollie’s sidekick Speedy. The young marksmen was created in 1941 and in the 1970’s became a drug addict and source of frustration for his mentor. Harper grew up to become Arsenal of the Titans and went by the code name Red Arrow as a member of the Justice League.
In the DC Comics New 52 Harper is using the code name Arsenal again as a member of Red Hood and the Outlaws.
On Arrow Harper will be a love interest for Thea (Willa Holland) who goes by Speedy on the series.
Did producers hit the bullseye on this casting? Should be go by Speedy or skip to Arsenal?
Uncanny X-Men is back in February 2013. The revolution is on as Cyclops, Magneto, Emma Frost and Magik are recruiting new mutants in All-New X-Men. The mission continues in Uncanny. The former Phoenix Five hosts will star in their own series in 2013 by Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Bachalo. Bendis and Editor Nick Lowe previewed the new volume of Uncanny X-Men on Marvel.com.
“In All-New X-Men, we’ve been able to lay out what the X-Men universe looks like now. We’ve shown in a way what Uncanny X-Men will look like. After the first arc of All-New X-Men concludes with issue #6, Uncanny kicks off with Cyclops, Magneto, Emma Frost and Magik trying to save new mutants across the world.”
“Chris Claremont made X-Men a revolutionary piece about the differences between us. Times have changed and we’re going to see where that fits now.”
“We have existing characters at their darkest points mixing with fresh new characters looking at the Marvel Universe in a new way.”
“When I was doing two Avengers titles, they succeeded because they existed in the same world but were so different. That’s what we’re getting with All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men.”
“I’m a big believer that when people go through large changes in life they alter their appearance, whether they realize it or not. Super hero uniforms are a great way to explore that. This is a great way to express that Cyclops, Emma and Magneto are in a very different place with a very different perspective. Cyclops is the face of what he calls the mutant revolution, taking a harder stance than ever before.”
Uncanny X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel
The former White Queen has evolved from villainess to hero. Bendis says Frost’s signature look will evolve.
“Emma Frost has evolved immensely over the last 10-15 years. Once she was just this outfit and this look, now there’s so much going on with her. She’s taking a leap into a different direction, and I think her costume design will be the most controversial. It’s no longer just how guys wanted to see her. It’s who she sees herself as. I teach. If I showed up wearing Emma’s outfit, people would be startled. But I could pull it off.”
Bendis teased a major villain for the new series:
“This book will have a Doctor Doom level villain who I think is a surprise. I don’t think they’ve ever been a villain in an X-Men book, but there’s a connection that makes sense.”
Magneto, Emma Frost, Magik and now Cyclops have been heroes and been branded as villains. The theme of who is seen as a good or bad guy will be explored in the new characters for the series.
“Among the new mutants that show up, there will be villains. New powers cause a lot of chaos in the Marvel Universe. Not everybody is ready to have these powers and some want to get back at the world.”
“Many people reading Uncanny X-Men will think Cyclops is the villain.”
Many fans assumed All-New X-Men would be the only new X-book and the flagship.
“The last page of Uncanny X-Men #1 is one of my favorite things I’ve laid out at Marvel. It reveals the reason for the book and completely shifts the X-Men universe.”
For every Gambit there is a Maggot. Remember him? One of the biggest challenges of writing the X-book is creating new mutants.
“You’re very aware as a writer debuting new characters, especially mutants, that the first images of them is being judged next to years of another character. People immediately want to know why this character is better than that one. You need to show a lot right away about why they are different and why you should care.”
“When Peter Parker got bit by a spider, he was excited. When Miles Morales got bit, he was scared. Different people react differently to being given power. Do you really want it or not?”
“Coming up with unique powers is the hardest thing.”
“I’ve been collecting ideas for powers and characters for years, waiting for a place to put them. When I found out I was writing X-Men, I pulled out my file.”
“With training, one power can become something else. Look at Iceman. What are the limits of power?”
Bendis’s two books are about the opposing sides of how to best protect the future of the mutant race. He teases how they teams and book will crossover:
“Uncanny and All-New will intersect once in awhile. Where the two teams are physically and emotionally could not be further away, but there are some places where they have to connect. In issue #9 of All-New and issue #3 of Uncanny, Cyclops and his team show up at the Jean Grey School unexpected. You see it from both perspectives. Something huge will happen that affects both book.”
“The Avengers will show up in Uncanny X-Men with a lot to say about what’s going on and their responsibility for it.”
“Uncanny X-Men is darker than All-New X-Men, but it’s not Dark Avengers. Everybody in that book was nuts. Some people reading it may feel that way, others will see Cyclops and his goal and be rooting for him, because that goal is full redemption. There’s nothing more noble than that.”
Uncanny X-Men #1 courtesy Marvel
In All-New X-Men #3 we saw Erik giving Cyclops some hard lessons about his new role and for his actions during AvX:
“Magneto is an interesting character. He’s made every mistake and given into every villainous desire. He’s done wrong. There are people in this would who get to a certain age and realize they’re the villain of the story and run around trying to make up for it. There’s some of that going on with Magneto. He didn’t do right by his kids and is trying to make up for it in a way with Scott and Emma.”
“Magneto is the one who could fall the farthest without realizing he’s fallen. He’s also a constant reminder to Cyclops of what happens if he makes the wrong decision one more time.”
I believed Cyclops would be on a road to redemption after AvX but Scott is becoming more and more like Magneto.
“He’s making a lot of noise that’s making him very popular with some people and rubbing others the wrong way. There’s always somebody who talks about peace and somebody who takes a more radical stance. Neither is right, neither is wrong, each has their day. I think it’s fascinating to have the lead of the book being equally terrifying and empowering to those around him.”
Logan rebuilt Xavier’s. Scott is using a haunt of Wolverine’s past as his new base.
“Using the Weapon X base as a school is taking something horrible and turning it into something positive. Mutants will never go looking for Cyclops in the Weapon X base.”
A fan asked if Scott picked the Weapon X location because he’s angry at Logan for naming the new school after Jean.
“I think the opposite. Wolverine is angrier at Cyclops than Cyclops is at Wolverine. You’ll be seeing Wolverine/Cyclops interaction in the crossover I mentioned. I think Cyclops knows Weapon X haunts Wolverine so he wants to make it something better. If Wolverine ever does see it, he might be quite touched, though Cyclops doesn’t ever want him to see it.”
“Although if Cyclops threw out Wolverine’s diary that would have solved all his problems this whole time…”
I was afraid Cyclops and Emma were going to be killed off in AvX.
“In early talks with Brian, I was very pleased when he showed interest in having a book with Cyclops, Magneto and Emma as leads. I was glad he felt these ideas warranted further exploration,” explained Lowe, “When we were planning Schism, we didn’t have the plans for All-New X-Men, but seeing how it has come together is very gratifying.”
“It’s good to have a plan and there a lot of readers who like to know there is one. Then other things start happening and you go ‘Does my plan fit?’ It’s like your day: You have a plan for your day and then life happens. Sometimes your day goes well, sometimes it completely gets ruined. As a writer you want to be open to either, because both can make for good stories.”
“Due to the drama with the Phoenix Force, all of these characters’ powers have been broken or shifted. Magik actually finds herself more empowered. She has more control over Limbo and other elements of her powers. The cost of that power will be a big story point moving forward. Also, one of the students immediately falls in love with her.”
Chris Bachalo has been a frequent X-Men artist and key to co-creating new mutants. Bachalo worked with Scott Lobdell on the creation of Generation X and new looks for the X-Men in the Age of Apocalypse.
Uncanny X-Men #1 by Bendis and Bachalo arrives in February.
Burt Ward as Robin in Batman – photo courtesy Emerald City Comicon
Burt Ward is coming to Seattle’s Emerald City Comicon 2013 for the first time! The actor played Robin on the 1960’s Batman series will join his castmate Adam West at next year’s big convention. Ward is the author of Boy Wonder: My Life in Tights. Ward will appear all three days: March 1-3, 2013 at the Washington State Convention Center.
In the late 70’s my dad took this young geek to see Burt Ward (in Robin costume) and get his autograph!
Avengers Arena may be one of the biggest surprises to come out of the Marvel NOW relaunch. Dennis Hopeless and Kev Walker will take 16 young heroes (including members of Avengers Academy, Runaways and Darkhawk) and throw them into a Battle Royale scenario. The kids are trapped on an island by a classic X-Men villain. Arcade is back and he’s created a new Murderworld for Marvel’s young heroes. This concept sounds like a mini-series or one-shot but Hopeless and Editor Bill Rosemann tells Comics Newsarama this is definitely an ongoing series.
“Dennis and Kev have thought long and hard about how and why these characters will react to the scenario and the ripple effects their actions will create. Each month — and, yes, this is an ongoing monthly series — they’ll use the creative space to dig deep into the emotions of each character. As to what our cast will look like a year from now, well…”
“Yeah, this is definitely a long game sort of story. We need the space to explore all the different ways a worst-case scenario like Murder World affects this massive cast. I’m not sure we could have done them justice in a miniseries,” adds Hopeless.
I love the villain at the center of this new book. Arcade may not have a great track record for assassinating his targets but he’s definitely a twisted character to enjoy. Rosemann and Hopeless discuss the plan to make Arcade a potent enemy.
“When at his best, Arcade’s creepy façade of a cheery carnival barker is a calculated play that both distracts his targets and also leads his unsuspecting foes to underestimate him. And never forget he began his career by murdering his own father before embarking on a successful run as a freelance assassin. Dennis and Kev both completely understand his potential and knew instantly how to peel off the cheese to reveal his untapped terrifying core. Previously, Arcade always left a way out of his deathtraps, giving his prey a sporting chance, but now… soon everyone will learn that to underestimate Arcade is a deadly mistake,” declares Rosemann.
“Arcade doesn’t get a lot of respect and we all kind of understand why. For the longest time, nobody ever died in Murder World. But despite all of his failures over the years, Arcade is a brilliant guy. Deranged and bizarre, but brilliant. He designed and built all of those crazy death traps,” says Hopeless.
“The scenario Arcade has cooked up in Avengers Arena is a game changer for him. It’s his way of saying, “You don’t respect my reindeer games? Fine. Respect this!”
You could call Arcade the Seneca Crane (from The Hunger Games) of Marvel. The question is who will survive to become the Katniss or Peeta?
