Category: Books

Scarlet Witch Casting – A Geek’s Dream

 

Avengers Children's Crusade #7 by Jim Cheung courtesy Marvel.com

The actresses who played The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo have cast a spell on this comic book geek. I keep picturing both stars as Marvel’s tragic mutant heroine – Scarlet Witch aka Wanda Maximoff.

  Noomi Rapace starred in the Swedish films based on the Millenium Trilogy. Rooney Mara is playing Lisabeth Salander is the American version directed by David Fincher opposite Daniel Craig.

  Both actresses are stunning on-screen in appearance and their riveting performances.

  An actress who can portray Lisabeth Salander could certainly play Magneto’s tragic daughter who became an Avenger. A fragile woman with such destructive power looming under the surface.

 

Rapace would be perfect as an adult Scarlet Witch in an Avengers sequel. The idea first came to me after seeing Rapace play a gypsy in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Wanda and Pietro Maximoff were raised by a European gypsy family.

  With news that Director Matthew Vaughn and the cast have signed on for a sequel to X-Men: First Class my thoughts turn to a younger Wanda – when she was in Magneto’s Brotherhood of Mutants. I can’t get the idea of Mara as a younger Wanda in an X-Men: First Class sequel. Producers would have to make Michael Fassbender appear older since he would be playing her father.

AvX #0 art by Frank Cho courtesy Marvel.com

  Fans’ feelings about the Scarlet Witch may change after the outcome of Avengers Versus X-Men. Wanda’s sons are trying to redeem her in Avengers: The Children’s Crusade but she could give in to her dark side and dark chaos magic again in AVX.

 By Editor

TV’s New Green Arrow

 

Stephen Amell courtesy IMDB

 

  Has the CW Network hit a bullseye with actor Stephen Amell? The actor will play DC’s playboy/vigilante Oliver Queen in the pilot Arrow according to Deadline. The actor was recently on The Vampire Diaries, New Girl, Private Practice and has appeared on 90210, Blue Mountain State, Dante’s Cove, and the television movie Justice for Natalee Holloway.

  On HBO’s Hung Amell played a rival prostitute and was a finalist to replace the late Andy Whitfield on Starz Spartacus: Vengeance. 

 

  According to Comic Book Resources Dinah Laurel Lance will appear in the pilot as a crusading lawyer. No word on if the character will have the same DC Comics alter ego, Black Canary.

And a reminder for fans of the comic book – the legendary Ann Nocenti is taking over the Green Arrow series in March.

 

 

 

Wolverine’s New Writer

Wolverine #305 cover by Jim Cheung courtesy Marvel.com

  Cullen Bunn is taking over Wolverine’s solo book after Jason Aaron’s 3 year run. I’m a huge fan of his work starring Valkyrie in Fear Itself: The Fearless. The latest issue of that series featured a bloody brawl between Logan and Crossbones.

  “Of all the Marvel characters I’ve worked with, Wolverine’s definitely the most ‘down and dirty,’” Bunn said today on Marvel.com. “His physical confrontations are up close, personal, and bloody. He’s more visceral. I think Wolverine’s a character most of us want to be like. His ‘code’ is pretty appealing. He stands up for what he believes in. He owns up to his mistakes and he tries to make amends. His friends can count on him when the chips are down.

Fear Itself: The Fearless #7 courtesy Marvel.com

   “He doesn’t start trouble unless there’s no other choice. He doesn’t flinch—and he doesn’t take crap from anyone.”

 In his first arc Bunn said he’s bringing a nasty villain from Jason Aaron’s run back to plague Logan. 

 Cullen Bunn and Paul Pelletier take over with Wolverine #305 For the complete interview here’s the Marvel.com link.

 

AVX Zero Preview: Losing Hope?

 

AvX #0 courtesy Marvel on Comics Newsarama

  The mutant messiah and the fallen Avenger have crucial roles in upcoming Avengers Versus X-Men event. AVX #0 by Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron and Frank Cho will focus on Hope Summers and Scarlet Witch.

  Today Marvel gave Comics Newsarama a look at the first five lettered pages of AVX #0 and wow!

  Hope asks Cyclops about the Phoenix. A conversation between leader and messiah explodes on Utopia.

  The Phoenix Force is speeding to Earth to find a human host. Hope was born when all the severed parts of the entity regrouped in space. Maybe the entity is reuniting with the mutant is was born to bond with? Could the Scarlet Witch’s mutant power or dark magic have set all this in motion?

AVX #0 arrives in March.

For the entire album click here.

DC Comics Writer Shake-Ups for Justice League Dark and Stormwatch

 

Stormwatch #3 courtesy DC Comics

  Writer changes for two of edgier DC’s New 52 titles. Peter Milligan is taking over Stormwatch from Paul Cornell with issue 9. Jeff Lemire is taking the reigns of Justice League Dark with issue 9 – after the Justice League Dark, I Vampire crossover. Milligan is staying on Red Lanterns and Hellblazer.

“Stormwatch has the craziness, the paranoia and the occasional bursts of odd humor that really grab me. This is my kind of book. In other words, when I re-read Paul Cornell’s excellent first series with a view to taking over the writing duties I was really excited. And I’m excited too by what I have planned, from Stormwatch facing a ferocious character from the Red Lantern Corps, to hidden secrets being revealed about the origin of Stormwatch, and some shocking revelations about the mysterious Shadow Lords. It’s going to be a very intense ride,” Milligan told The Source.

“It’s a bit of a wrench leaving Justice League Dark, of course, and not working with the increasingly outstanding Mikel Janin. But the fact that Jeff Lemire is taking over makes me very sanguine. I think Jeff is great. And I think he’ll be great for this book. It’ll be intriguing to see how he handles the great conman mage, John Constantine, whose twisted life I’m continuing to chronicle over in Vertigo’s Hellblazer.”

Lemire is leaving Frankenstein Agent of SHADE. Matt Kindt is taking over the series.

The Authority Relentless cover by Bryan Hitch

  This Geek’s Take: I wonder if Stormwatch will evolve into The Authority like it did under the Wildstorm banner? I highly recommend The Authority trades by Warren Ellis and Mark Miller. I loved Jenny Sparks – can we reincarnate her into the New 52?

Generation Hope Preview Art – Countdown to the End

Generation Hope #16 courtesy Marvel.com

  Writer James Asmus revealed that Generation Hope is coming to an end. Sigh. The final issue is #17 but today Marvel revealed preview art by Takeshi Miyazawa from the penultimate issue #16.

  We know that Hope Summers will likely play a critical role in the upcoming Avengers Versus X-Men event but first she must survive the insane traitor on her team.

  The final showdown between Hope and Kenji is coming and Asmus teased that the insane Kenji won’t be alone in his stand against his team leader.

Generation Hope #16 courtesy Marvel.com

 

  Will the Lights join Idie at the Jean Grey School and become part of Wolverine and the X-Men? How will Hope and Cyclops resolve their conflict over the newly recovered Sebastian Shaw? How will the Laurie, Martha, Kenji triangle be resolved? Will Pixie find love with Gabriel?

  Will any of these kids survive AVX and the return of the Phoenix Force? I’ve often thought that the Five Lights could have been a creation of the Scarlet Witch’s power.

 

Generation Hope #16 courtesy Marvel.com

  For more preview art here’s the Marvel link. Generation Hope #16 hits stores February 15th.

  I know Cable is back in Avengers: X-Sanction. I hope he gets to see his daughter again. The Nathan, Scott, Hope family dynamic is strange logistically but still very moving.

Top 5 Picks for 2-1-12

Winter Soldier #1 cover from Marvel.com

Winter Soldier #1

Bucky Barnes gave the Captain America mantle back to Steve Rogers and becomes the Winter Soldier again. Partnered with the Black Widow, they are the “Mr. and Mrs. Smith of the Marvel Universe” according to writer Ed Brubaker. The Seattle writer spins new adventures of Marvel’s hottest spies as they team up to take out awakened ex-Russian sleeper agents.

Fatale #2

  This is a potent brew of crime noir and supernatural horror. Two men in two time periods chasing down the same woman. Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips create dueling time crossed mysteries with the impeding dread that a poor bastard is inching closer to a demonic end. 

Batman: The Gates of Gotham trade paperback

Batman assembles some of greatest detectives in the DC Universe when a mystery as old as Gotham City challenges the Dark Knight. Batman soon learns the dark history of Gotham’s past and sins of its most famous families – including the Waynes. Scott Snyder and Kyle Higgins

Assassins Creed: After the Fall trade paperback

Based on the killer video game this story follows the Russian assassin in a race against the Templars to claim a powerful artifact.

Avengers X-Sanction #3 courtesy Marvel.com

Avengers X-Sanction #3

Cable Versus Red Hulk! The mutant from the future has taken on Captain America and Iron Man – now it’s smash time with RULK! Why does Nathan have to take out the Avengers to save Hope of the X-Men? 

 

Casting the The Governor on The Walking Dead

  The Governor ruthlessly rose into the pantheon of the most sinister villains in graphic novel history. The sadistic survival group leader appear may in the third season of the AMC series. Movieweb reports John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone, Deadwood) is being eyed for the role but a zombie legend wants his shot at the Governor.

  Tom Savini is campaigning for the role. Savini is the make-up master who created the zombie carnage in George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead. Savini’s acting credits include From Dusk Till Dawn, Planet Terror and Land of the Dead.

  “I have been campaigning to be the Governor on that damn thing with Greg Nicotero for over a year. Everytime I see the graphic novel, and I see a picture of the Governor, who looks just like me, I send Greg a picture. I just won’t give up. Last time I talked to him about it, when I was in Los Angeles, he said they were going after a name for that part. I said, “Who?” He said John Hawkes. Well, I never heard of John Hawkes. But then he reminds me that we were in From Dusk Till Dawn together. He is the guy at the beginning in the store that fires on them. Apparently he was up for an Academy Award. He was up for something called Winter’s Bone. That’s whom they are going after for The Governor. But everyone I talk to, the people that read the graphic novels…They’ve all said that I would be the perfect Governor. Because he is tough and brutal. And…I look just like the graphic depiction of him!”

  For more of the interview click here. What do you think of those two for the role? Anybody else you think producers should consider?