The Dark Knight Rises Teaser Poster from thedarkknightrises.com. Courtesy: Warner Brothers Entertainment
Is a big mystery of Christopher Nolan’s final Batman film almost cracked? Liam Neeson tells ShowBizSpy he was on set for The Dark Knight Rises but that’s all he can say.
“I can tell you nothing about Dark Knight Rises, seriously,” says Neeson.
“I was on set for maybe an hour-and-a-half and the director didn’t tell me anything of what it’s about.
“So, I’m being very honest when I say I have no idea what’s going to happen.”
Batman will face Bane and Catwoman in the final film but fans have speculated that Ra’s Al Ghul aka Henri Ducard would reappear too. Liam Neeson played Bruce Wayne’s mentor turned enemy in Batman Begins. Neeson is credited in the cast and actor Josh Pence is credited a young Ra’s Al Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises.
Tales of the Demon cover courtesy Amazon
Let me be geeky here:
It’s assumed the roles would be flashbacks but as Batman comic books fans know- Ra’s can resurrect himself in his Lazarus pits. I still think that Marion Cotillard is really playing Ra’s daughter Talia and she’s the puppetmaster behind Bane.
Wolverine #305 cover by Jim Cheung courtesy Marvel.com
Jim Cheung is one of my favorite artists! I have a stunning sketch of Mystique he drew for me, an autographed The Heroic Age poster, an autographed Young Avengers promo poster and countless autographed issues.
I think I’ll have a new book for Cheung to sign if I’m lucky enough to meet him again.
Cheung is wrapping up the epic Avengers: The Children’s Crusade and is jumping to provide a cover for Wolverine. In Marvel’s April solicitations you can find his cover to Wolverine #305. Cullen Bunn and Paul Pelletier take over the creative team of Logan’s solo book.
Star Trek fans hope to give a new meaning to Dancing With the Stars! You can help the Marina Sirtis boldly go where no Star Trek actor has gone before?
The stunning Marina Sirtis played Counselor Deanna Troi on Star Trek: The Next Generation and in 3 motions pictures (Generations, First Contact, Insurrection, and Nemesis.)
If you want to use your geek for good, join the crusade to have producers cast Sirtis for Season 13. Here’s the Facebook link. And here’s DWTS on Twitter. For everything about Marina here’s her website.
It’s no superhero vacation! Captain America and Hawkeye aren’t checking out the Red Light Nation for the golf or beaches. The two Avengers invade the nation run by criminals for criminals. Expect new writer Rick Remender to turn up the action and violence as the covert team faces a new Masters of Evil.
I, Vampire #5
Gotham City has bats, cats, owls and now vamps! The Queen of Blood brings the vampire war to Bruce Wayne’s hometown. Before hero Andrew Bennett can take on the Queen he must first face the Batman!
X-Men Legacy #261
Rogue, Gambit and Frenzy just want to make a fresh start teaching at the new mutant school but an old X-Men villain wants to give them a lesson in revenge. And for the first time since Schism – members of Cyclops’ and Wolverine’s rival X-Men teams meet with chaotic results.
Catwoman Volume 1 courtesy DC Comics
Catwoman Volume #1
If the idea of Anne Hathaway as the feline femme fatale in The Dark Knight Rises is catnip to you check out this collection. It’s like Catwoman’s Greatest cuts – including the Selena’s Big Score one-shot, an infamous appearance in Detective Comics, and Catwoman #1-9. This volume features the work of Darwyn Cooke and Seattle’s own Ed Brubaker. A must for Selena fans!
Nancy in Hell on Earth #1
When I saw the title I knew I had to recommend this book! Nancy and Lucifer escape from Hell with a horde of demons in pursuit. Good thing Nancy wields a chainsaw! Nancy sounds like a hot female version of Ash from Evil Dead – sound tempting!
The tradition of French actresses portraying James Bond girls continues in Skyfall. Berenice Marlohe is playing Severine in the 23rd 007 adventure. You may remember Claudine Auger as Domino in Thunderball, Carole Bouquet as Melina Havelock in For Your Eyes Only, Sophie Marceau as Elektra King in The World Is Not Enough, Eva Green as Vesper in Casino Royale.
The latest French actress to join the 007 sorority talks about how she won the role and her expectations about being a Bond girl.
Marlohe tells Live magazine about tracking down the casting agent which led to director Sam Mendes which led to a meeting with Daniel Craig.
“At that stage I was so focused on my performance that there was no room for nerves. I also reminded myself that I was meeting Daniel Craig, not James Bond.”
AP Photo/Joel Ryan. Daniel Craig and the new Bond girls.
“My character is glamorous and enigmatic,” she said. “I get to see less action on-screen than Naomie Harris but I wanted to get the feel of guns in order to find my way into my character.”
“I definitely see myself more as a Bond Lady than a Bond Girl. The idea of a Bond Girl can be very confusing. As an actress, I know it can be a trap because you’re not sure what people expect. I think it’s quickly changing direction now. You’re more at liberty to develop a real character rather than something abstract.”
“There is more scope now within the Bond movies to create a strong, independent woman. Earlier Bond girls were very dependent women. But I loved what Famke Janssen did in GoldenEye, in the way she portrayed a funny psychopath. In my character I’ve tried to bring a different kind of complexity. If I get recognised more when this movie comes out, I’ll deal with it. If someone says, ‘Hey, there’s that Bond Girl’ I’ll correct them and say, “No, I’m that Bond Lady’.”
To follow-up on some of her points – Naomie Harris is plays a MI6 field agent named Eve. Famke Janssen is my all time favorite 007 villainess and also played Jean Grey in the X-Men movies.
A big question still to ponder: Is Severine a bad girl? Perhaps the companion of the villain played by Javier Bardem? Is Severine the heroine?
By Editor
SPOILER about previous BOND films:
If you haven’t seen Daniel Craig’s previous 007 films and don’t want to know the fates of some characters then stop reading.
OK you’ve been warned.
Daniel Craig’s James Bond has been very unlucky in love with 3 of his 4 leading ladies ending up dead. The one that lived didn’t even have sex with 007. Here’s hoping Severine and Eve have better luck with Bond in the next film.
If you want even more James Bond coverage you should check out MI6.com for very thorough details about everything Skyfall.
The Avengers are featured on 4 covers of the latest issue of Empire Magazine, which includes an interview writer/director Joss Whedon.
The fan favorite creator demonstrated how to take an existing story, make it accessible for new viewers and showcase a variety of favorite characters when he turned Firefly into Serenity. Whedon talks about the challenge of penning a story servicing each characters’ existing storylines and future solo ventures:
courtesy Empire Online
“It was an up-all-month job. Finding the characters’ voices was not only easy, but glorious fun – it doesn’t suck to write Tony Stark – yet finding the structure was just brutal. I haven’t had that much trouble making a screenplay work since Serenity, and embarrassingly, for the exact same reason: there’s just too many characters.”
Whedon is now in the critical post-production stage to meet his May deadline. Here’s his mental state:
courtesy Empire Online
“It’s like a sea. I can’t see either shore. I’m pretty sure I will drown. Don’t even call me Ishamael. The experience doesn’t feel any different from when I was running three TV shows and my son was born. Really the same. Not so huge. As far as the press goes, they don’t put it on me,” reflects Whedon. He pauses. “And I don’t feel it. It ain’t my money. I don’t care!”
I love comic books. I love non comic art just as much. In fact you’ll find a framed print of Henri Rousseau’s The Snake Charmer across from a framed print of Uncanny X-Men #500 (the X-Women cover) autographed by Terry and Rachel Dodson and Christina Strain. I blog on a workspace in between these two inspiring works of art!
I can lose myself in a museum or art gallery. Now Marvel is giving Earth’s Mightiest Heroes a fine art spin in April.
Today the Avengers Art appreciation variant covers were unveiled. It’s a chance to see your favorite Avengers crafted in styles inspired by some of the world’s most famous artists and periods.
courtesy Marvel.com
You could call this Sunday in the Park with the Avengers – inspired by George Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island La Grande Jatte. You may remember Ferris Bueller’s friend Cameron becoming obsessed with it in the movie.
I’ve posted by 3 favorites but you can see all of them on this Comic Book Resources link. These are beautiful clever covers. Just think how many more of you would have signed up for Art Appreciation if you could study super hero inspired art. I just hope I can collect them all.
If you love these covers and want to have real life comic art experience then head to the San Francisco – you might even see a mutant!
courtesy Marvel.com
In San Francisco’s SOMA neighborhood you should check out the Cartoon Art Museum. More comic book art should be on display for all to see.
Asgardia by from The Mighty Thor #11 courtesy Marvel.com
Tony Stark vowed to rebuild the city of the Norse Gods in the aftermath of Norman Osborn’s Siege of Asgard. Fear Itself (another Marvel event) put Stark Resilient’s reconstruction plan on hold.
Iron Man will reveal Asgardia in The Mighty Thor #11 on sale February 22nd. Matt Fraction gave fans a preview today on Marvel.com. Asgardia may be built by Stark but it’s female power that runs it.
The Mighty Thor #11 preview art courtesy Marvel.com
“[It came] straight from the fevered brain of madman Matt Fraction and the fantastic stylings of artist extraordinaire Pasqual Ferry,” says MIGHTY THOR editor Lauren Sankovitch. “When Matt dreamed up his scheme to bring Tony Stark’s Resilient in to rebuild Asgard, he had a vision of fantasy meets high-tech, where repulsors and rock trolls could coexist and thrive. An Asgard for the future if you will. And with Pasqual’s penchant for cutting edge environments and dreamscapes complemented by the stunning palette of [colorist] Frank D’Armata, he couldn’t have had a better set of partners to bring this new cityscape to life.”
Writer Matt Fraction said Asgardia will be ruled by the All-Mother and it’s not just a home for the Gods.
“Since we’ve fixed the World Tree on Earth, we’ve created a capitol city where denizens of all nine realms may reside,” Fraction explains. “Everyone’s in it together now, and the cast and flavor of the book is all the more diverse and varied for it.
“With the people of the Nine Realms only just familiarizing themselves with the new rule of the All-Mother, Asgardia is tangible proof that their new leaders can put their mythological money where their mouths are,” says Sankovitch. “Having a rebuilt Asgard is a powerful symbol to the world that the All-Mother are a force to be reckoned with and one that looks out for its own.”
One of my favorite moments of Fear Itself was Tony – Earth’s ultimate creative genius – in the Odin’s workshop. Now that Tony has built a city for Gods – makes you wonder what he might do next in the Marvel Universe? A high-tech surprise for AVX?
