Category: Books

Comics, Cosmetics and SpyGal

Spygal #1 courtesy Marvel.com

 Get ready for a new action heroine! Marvel and Benefit Cosmetic intoduce the first ever beauty inspired hero, SpyGal.

 “The superpowers of our bestselling pore minimizer, the POREfessional, created such an international sensation, we knew it was destined for greatness!,” said Julie Bell, EVP Global Marketing at Benefit Cosmetics. “Marvel, the world’s top storytellers, helped us bring our action hero SpyGal to life in the first ever beauty-inspired comic book.”

  Writer James Asmus (Captain America & Bucky, Generation Hope, Gambit) and artist Phil Noto will chronicle SpyGal’s adventures to inspire women.

“Marvel and Benefit both know that humor and intelligence can be a heroes’ greatest strength, especially when faced with life’s modern problems,” said Marvel Custom Solutions Editor Bill Rosemann. “SpyGal dispenses justice, beauty tips and witty life advice with an effortless grace, while also grappling with work and dating worries. Can SpyGal ever find Mr. Right…or must she sacrifice romance to the demands of her job helping powerful women spread their influence around the world? Writer James Asmus and artist Phil Noto reveal all in SPYGAL #1!”

For the entire story here’s the Marvel.com link.

This is definitely a unique merging of comics, marketing and makeup and will maybe lead more females into the comic shops. Asmus and Noto are a dynamite team for this character.

By Editor

Warbird’s Reveal to Wolverine

 

Astonishing X-Men #50 by Mike Perkins, courtesy Marvel

Warbird is not a mutant but she’s a welcome addition to the X-Men family. Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo introduced the Shiar warrior women in Wolverine and the X-Men #1. Warbird is the bodyguard to Kid Gladiator, a student at Logan’s school.

 This “Kid” is the arrogant son of the Shiar Emperor. You know him as Gladiator, former leader of the Imperial Guard under Lilandra.

Warbird’s real name is Ava’Dara Naganandini. She’s an elite warrior sworn to protect the ruling family of the Shiar Empire. Warbird was assigned to protect Kid Gladiator and she’s fought with Wolverine and the teachers of the Jean Grey School of Higher Learning.

 Marjorie Liu is using Warbird on her team in Astonishing X-Men too. The first time Liu and Mike Perkins showed in that series she was holding a severed head and the last issue she announced she wanted to engage in “mating rituals” with Iceman after a battle with the Marauders.

 Warbird has super strength and exceptional fighting abilities. A fan asked Liu about the warrior woman’s other abilities in the latest X-Position on Comic Book Resources.

“She reveals a startling ability to Wolverine in issue #50” Liu responded and get my mind swirling.  Wolverine knows how to pick ’em. Will Logan engage in “rituals” with the Shiar?

  Liu transformed a ruthless killer into a character you could sympathize with during her X-23 run. I’m excited to see what Liu will do with this new character that’s already made a killer impression.

By Editor

Night of the Owls Strikes Batman, Robin and Batgirl

  The Night of the Owls crossover claws into two more Bat-titles this week. The Council of Owls have unleashed a wave of assassins on Gotham City’s most prominent leaders in a bid to seize control. Nightwing #8 featured a battle to save the Mayor. Batwing #8 saw David the only between a Talon and Lucius Fox.

  This week Batman #9 takes us back into Batcave for showdown between Batman and the invading Talons. The back up story delves into the past. What secret did Alfred’s family keep from the Waynes? The tie between Bruce and one of his closest allies has been twisted. Will Bruce loose Alfred too? 

Batgirl #9 courtesy DC Comics

 Batman’s allies are answering his call to protect the Council’s targets but for Batgirl it’s personal in Batgirl #9 as a Talon goes after her father, Commissioner Gordon.

Batman and Robin #9 Robin alone against a Talon. Can Damian survive a fight with this ultimate, unstoppable killer?

Greg Capullo deserves huge credit. After creating the Talon in the first Batman arc he created various versions of the Council of Owls’ assassin from Gotham’s past. 

By Editor

 

A Fan’s Avengers Sequel Dreams

Avengers Origins: Ant-Man & The Wasp courtesy Marvel.com

  Marvel’s The Avengers exceeded all expectations! The ending left us with the promise of cosmic level villain and storyline. More on that ending here – careful there be spoilers!

  I would love to see Earth’s Mightiest Heroes take on Ultron because that would also mean the introduction of Henry Pym and Janet Van Dyne (aka Ant-Man & the Wasp!) (I can’t be root for Firefly reunion with Nathan Fillion and Summer Glau in those roles)

  Ultron is a criminally insane sentient robot obsessed with the eradication of humanity. Dr. Henry Pym used his own brain patterns in experiments to create a sentient artificial intelligence. The robot gained Pym’s intelligence and his mental instability but without any human conscience.

Avengers #22 courtesy Marvel.com

  Ultron created the Vision to infiltrate and destroy the Avengers but he betrayed his maker and became an Avenger (and husband of the Scarlet Witch.) Janet was Henry’s girlfriend and eventually became known as the Wasp. Ultron created a robot bride Jocasta modeled after Jan. Jocasta turned on her maker too.

Maybe that’s too many new Avengers and too many robots but what a villain! This cover is from the excellent Kurt Busiek and George Perez Avengers era.

 That’s just a geek dream. After Joss Whedon’s direction and Marvel Films production of The Avengers I’d even be excited about Egghead as the villain in the sequel!

By Editor

What do you hope to see in a sequel? Leave a comment or join us on Facebook.

Top 5 Picks for 5/9/11

Batman #9 courtesy DC Comics

Batman #9 The Night of the Owls crossover continues with a battle in the Batcave. Bruce’s last safe haven is invaded by the Talons. How will he save Alfred from a strike force of the undead assassins. What has Alfred’s family kept from the Waynes. Gotham City’s darkest family secrets are revealed in a back story.

Fatale #5 This mystery noir series with twists of supernatural horror has creeped with a slow burn until last issue’s violent shocker. Josephine may be immortal but her latest lover may not survive. Are they being chase by mobsters or monsters? Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips latest collaboration will deliver a bloody showdown as the first arc races to the finish.

New Avengers #26 Answers to one of the biggest and mind tingling mysteries begins here. How is Danny Rand connected to the Phoenix Force? Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato reveal the secret history of the firebird in a book of the dead Iron Fists. This is a crucial tie-in to Avengers vs. X-Men.

Trio #1 The legendary John Byrne is back with a brand new superhero series. The world calls them Rock, Paper, Scissors. I’m hoping this will capture the spirit of Byrne’s classic Fantastic Four run.

Uncanny X-Force #25 The Final Execution begins here with new villains after Wolverine’s covert team. Rick Remender has teased a team of enemies born from Omega Red and shopping mall for assassins in the sky. I suspect this will be another violent, game changing epic like The Dark Angel Saga – definitely watch this series.

Avengers MVP: Black Widow

courtesy Marvel.com

  This Geek’s Opinion: The Avengers exceeded all my expectations! Joss Whedon delivered an action packed epic with drama, humor and big surprises. The entire cast delivered pitch perfect performances but if I had to pick an MVP, I keep thinking how much I loved Black Widow.

  I knew Natasha would kick ass in the action scenes I loved getting more of her back story. Joss Whedon and Scarlett Johansson crafted a multi-faceted, fractured and fascinating Natasha Romanoff. They gave us enough of her haunted past to make us connect with the Widow. The two ‘interrogation” scenes were the skillful marriage of script and acting. I never expected Natasha to take on Loki one on one.

Hawkeye & Black Widow in Marvel's The Avengers courtesy Marvel

  I’m not sure a Black Widow solo movie will happen but I’m still hoping for SHIELD movie with the Widow, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and I definitely hope Scarlett will be in Captain America 2.

 If you want to see Black Widow at her sexy super spy best then you should definitely read The Winter Soldier series.

 By Editor

 

Free Comic Book Day

courtesy DC Comics

Saturday is Free Comic Book Day! Here’s a link to find a participating store near you. Check with your local store for guidelines and rules. Don’t think you’re getting some leftovers!

  The big publishers are going all out with brand new stories by big name creators. DC Comics The New 52 will feature a story starring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the new mystery villainess, Pandora.

 Marvel presents Avengers The Age of Ultron Point One by Brian Michael Bendis and Bryan Hitch.

  Dark Horse Comics is giving double doses of sci-fi goodness with a Star Wars/Serenity flipbook. One story of Han Solo and Chewbacca and one Mal Reynolds story in one free book! And there’s a Buffy, The Vampire Slayer/The Guild flipbook.

  Here are more FREE COMIC BOOK DAY highlights. Since you’re getting a freebie, why not support your local comic book shop and buy a book or two while you’re there? See you Saturday!

Avengers SHIELD Agents on Respecting Comics Mythology

  

Cobie Smulders in The Avengers courtesy Marvel Films

 Cobie Smulders brings SHIELD operative Maria Hill to the big screen in Marvel’s The Avengers. Hill was created during the Brian Michael Bendis Avengers run and went up against Nick Fury and Tony Stark. Smulders joins Clark Gregg who’s played Agent Phil Coulson in Iron Man and Thor. The Marvel comic book version of Coulson made his debut in Shattered Heroes – along with an African-American Nick Fury (Jr.)

Scarlet Spider #5 courtesy Marvel.com

  Gregg tells The Hollywood Reporter Heat Vision the Marvel movies make a strong effort to be respectful of the comic book source and that resource was on set as he built his character.

 “The fanboys and girls are very interested in [mythology] like, ‘that goes directly against what goes in the comic’,” Gregg said. “And they can’t do that with me. I feel like these movies are designed to respect those comics, so I always made a point of checking out what there was about S.H.I.E.L.D.”

 “The great thing is that the Marvel guys are there and you say, ‘I need a little more background on Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.,’ and the next day they hand you this thing that any fanboy would die for, kind of an encyclopedia illustrated about the history of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

 

courtesy Marvel.com

Smulders says Joss Whedon helped her translate an iconic character.

 “Joss Whedon, he is really hands-on and he wants every character to have a life on and off-screen,” Smulders said. “He is really involved in making sure that every person has their moments. And I really felt like a part of a team – I really felt linked to Coulson and to Fury and especially our role in the film.”

 For the entire interview and a video here’s the Heat Vision link.

By Editor

Here’s hoping we might see a SHIELD/Nick Fury movie – here are my thoughts on Marvel stories that would translate to the big screen.