Category: Books

Johnny Depp Should Be Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange: The Oath cover courtesy Marvel.com

  Dark Shadows starring Johnny Depp as lovelorn, time lost vampire Barnabas Collins didn’t dethrone The Avengers from the top of the box-office. Depp’s latest collaboration with director Tim Burton is the actor’s latest journey into the dark goth side. I think Depp would be the prescription for a big screen version Doctor Strange. Dark Shadows makes Depp top of mind but his performances in The Ninth Gate and From Hell are what really seal the casting deal for me.

 

Stephen Strange was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. The Doctor was a brilliant surgeon with a troubled family past. An accident damaged the nerves in his hands ending his career. Searching the world for an alternative cure Strange encountered a mysterious being in Tibet called the Ancient One. This meeting led to his study of sorcery and eventually becoming Master of the Mystic Arts and sorcerer Supreme of Earth.

 

I can picture an adventure with Strange and Baron Mordo, both students of the Ancient One, until Mordo betrays them to become a disciple of Dormannu. Clea was the Doctor’s student and eventual love interest. Doctor Strange could easily fit into Marvel’s cinematic universe.

 

Doctor Strange is currently serving with the Avengers during Avengers vs X-Men and The Defenders by Matt Fraction and Terry Dodson.

 

By Editor

Avengers vs X-Men Infinite Comic

 

Avengers vs X-Men Infinite courtesy Marvel.com

Marvel revealed the next Marvel Infinite Comic will come with Avengers vs X-Men #6 this June. Mark Waid, Yves ‘Balak’ Bigerel and Carlos Barberi will bring a story featuring Cyclops and how he sees the world.

Here’s how you can find the next Avengers Vs. X-Men Infinite Comic in one of three ways:

1. Free with the redemption of a code found in print copies of AVENGERS VS X-MEN #6

2. Free with a purchase of the digital copy of AVENGERS VS X-MEN #6 on the Marvel Comics app and the Marvel Digital Comics Shop

3. Available for $1.99, also on the Marvel Comics app and the Marvel Digital Comics Shop

For more of the story and more preview images here’s the Marvel.com link.

Since this story is apparently focusing on Cyclops we may learn what led up to the “No More Avengers” event?

By Editor.

New Mutants Fight The Future

  The New Mutants and Kid Loki (in Journey Into Mystery)are currently magically mixed up in the Exiled crossover. Writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning will follow up with Fear the Future guest starring Doctor Strange and the Defenders in issue #44.

“Something’s up, and the Defenders intend to defend against it, like they do,” previews Abnett. “The New Mutants are right at the heart of it all. There are some pretty big surprises and reveals coming along.

“The Defenders are all serious and grown up; there’s some amusement to be had when they all hang out in the New Mutants’ house.

New Mutants #47 courtesy Marvel.com

Fear will be followed by Fight the Future. Marvel.com revealed these covers for  New Mutants #47 and #48 by John Tyler Christopher coming in August.

New Mutants #48 courtesy Marvel.com

  The writing duo confirm Cannonball, Karma and Blink will be making appearances in the upcoming story. Looking the cover – it looks like the Hellions are back (looking all techno zombie resurrected like they did in the Necrosha event!) For more of the Abnett and Lanning interview here’s the Marvel.com link.

Here’s an earlier post talking about the possibility of a New Mutants movie, my hope some of the characters appear in the next X-Men: First Class film and The Hunger Games star who’d be perfect for one of the kids. 

By Editor

“Avengers” Billion Dollar Damage

 

Marvel's The Avengers courtesy Marvel

  The Avengers vs the Chitauri & Loki (if it really happened) would cost New York City $160 billion. This price tag is based on a report by Kinetic Analysis Corp – a leading disaster-cost prediction and assessment firms. The story is a Hollywood Reporter exclusive.

 

WWH Aftersmash Damage Control #2 interior art courtesy Marvel.com

  It would time to call in Damage Control. This Marvel series is about a company that cleans up after super hero vs villain battles. The series debuted following the Acts of Vengeance crossover. With an office in Manhattan and warehouse in New Jersey – their clean up teams are ready to mop up after massive throwdowns. Damage Control has done contract work to repair the Avengers mansion, Four Freedoms Plaza (formerly the Baxter building, home of the Fantastic Four) and Stark Enterprises. The company’s last big job was cleaning up New York City after the events of World War Hulk.

  Crews wear uniforms bearing the company’s bulldog emblem. I doubt we’ll see a Damage Control movie but maybe they could have a cameo in the next Avengersmovie? Or maybe the company’s mascot – see below.

WWH Aftersmash Damage Control #2 courtesy Marvel.com

By Editor

 

Batman Night of the Owls “I Think We Just Lost Gotham”

 

Batman #9 courtesy DC Comics

The Batcave is infested with Talons. Alfred is trapped. Batman is surrounded. Scott Snyder weaves the first part of Batman #9 with a violent game of war and wits as Bruce faces a relentless squadron of assassins in his inner sanctum. This a Batman pushed to his limits and ready to roar back at the Court of Owls with a vengeance. Greg Capullo pulls off another stunning chapter with eerie style and a cover that captures the hell inside Wayne Manor. The back story begins unveiling a secret Alfred’s family has been keeping from the Waynes. It feels like a hybrid of Charles Dickens and noir. I’m intrigued to see how this untold story plays out.

 

Batgirl #9 courtesy DC Comics

  The Night of the Owls crossover hits home for Barbara Gordon in Batgirl #9. Jim Gordon is a target and a pawn of the Court of Owls at the same time. The issue begins with the female Talon’s tragic origin story. Gail Simone and Ardian Syaf deliver a fast paced chapter with great fights scenes and daring attack on Gotham Central. Batgirl and her dad learn too late their roles in the Council of Owls’ plot to seize the city.

  It’s an awesome time to be a Batfan!

  By Editor

AvX Thor Burns in Space

Avengers Versus X-Men #4 variant courtesy Marvel.com

  Avengers vs X-Men #4 may be more battles between heroes across the globe but in space no one can hear an Asgardian God of Thunder die.

  Thor is among a squad of Avengers on a suicide mission to stop the Phoenix from reaching Earth. We’ve already seen a variant cover with Thor looking down right small against the oncoming Phoenix Force.

  Marvel provided Comic Book Resources with interior pages showing Thor’s struggle against the entity…and it doesn’t look good for him. When you see Thor’s face, it’s hard to imagine what can amaze this Asgardian after all he’s seen.

  I wonder if this confrontation is what leads to “No More Avengers?”

  By Editor

Avengers vs X-Men #4 courtesy Marvel, a Comic Book Resources exclusive
 

“Avengers: Battle for Earth” Game Announced

courtesy Marvel and Ubisoft

  Avengers: Battle for Earth game has been declared by Marvel and Ubisoft. The game for Kinect for Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii U is based on the popular series Secret Invasion. That epic storyline featured the shapeshifting Skrulls. The aliens had infiltrated nearly every super hero team, government agency and even criminal organizations for years setting up their takeover of Earth.

  The game will feature 20 different characters. For more information you can visit AvengersBattleforEarth.com.

The Avengers Mystery Villain – SPOILER ALERT

WARNING!

 

SPOILER AHEAD!

 

IF HAVE NOT SEEN MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS MOVIE OR READ THE COMIC BOOK AVENGER ASSEMBLE #3 YOU MAY NOT WANT TO READ ANY FURTHER!

 

SERIOUSLY!

 

FOR REAL!

 

OK HERE IT COMES!

  The clues were there – even in Thor – but Marvel’s The Avengers delivered a cosmic shock finale revealing that Thanos was the master of the Chitauri in the movie. But the Mad God of Titan was the mystery villain behind the new Zodiac as revealed in Avengers Assemble #3.

Thanos returns in Avengers Assemble #3 courtesy Marvel

 It’s a one, two punch and major comeback for the big purple bad ass that once wiped out half the universe.  Today Avengers Editor Tom Brevoort said these appearances are just the beginning for the Death-worshipping alien.

“Since we designed AVENGERS ASSEMBLE to be a nice, easy entry point for people coming out of the film, for all that it still exists within our current Marvel Universe, it was a bit of a no-brainer to have Thanos be the villains behind our first storyline,” shares Marvel Senior VP – Executive Editor Tom Brevoort on Marvel.com. “More than simply bringing him back, this storyline will be setting him up for bigger things that are just off on the horizon—it’s the first step towards something we’ve been working on behind the scenes for a while now.”

“He’s a villain of such power and stature that he can give the Avengers a fight all by himself,” he notes. “There’s no such thing as a small Thanos story—he operates on an intergalactic scale. And he’s a fascinating, nuanced character, with passions and neuroses all his own that make him stand apart as an individual, and not just a cookie-cutter moustache-twirler.”

In case you missed it here’s my take on the return of Thanos and what it means for the future of Marvel movies including Avengers 2.

Avengers Assemble #4 is out June 13th.

By Editor