John Logan (Gladiator, Hugo) rewrote the script for Skyfall. Last week we learned Logan will be the sole writer of the next James Bond film but it could be the next two Daniel Craig 007 adventures. We know now more of Logan’s mission!
Logan is working on a two-part original James Bond story which are not based on the works of 007 creator Ian Fleming according to The Hollywood Reporter Heat Vision.
Quantum of Solace was a continuation of Casino Royale in which Bond pursued the organization responsible for killing Vesper (Eva Green.)
Could Logan be setting up a S.P.E.C.T.R.E. and Blofeld (frequent villains of the Sean Connery era) scenario for Daniel Craig’s James Bond? Connery’s Bond fought several agents of SPECTRE in Doctor No, From Russia, With Love, and Thunderball before finally coming face to face with Ernst Stavro Blofeld in You Only Live Twice.
Skyfall introduces Q, delves into the inner workings of MI6 and explores the tragedy of Bond’s parents. I really enjoyed Geoffrey Wright at CIA operative Felix Leiter and would love to have him back. Logan could rediscover many Bond elements (Moneypenny, May, his service in the Royal Navy) in future films.
The Star-Spangled Avenger embarks on a brand new chapter with a new creative team in the Marvel Now. Writer Rick Remender and Artist John Romita Jr. hurl Steve Rogers into Dimension Z in Captain America #1 on November 21.
“At the core of this book is Steve Rogers. Even though tonally you can expect a bit of a shift, the character still shines true. We’re taking a drift into science fiction. Visually it will be pretty crazy. John is plugging away on issue #3 and it looks gorgeous,” Remender said on Marvel.com.
Ed Brubaker’s final Cap issue came this week after an eight year run and a focus on the spy game. Remender is shifting Steve in the new series.
“It’s a large step away from the espionage spy stuff Ed Brubaker has been doing, but it’s the same core character dropped in a new situation,” he explained.
The Red Skull, HYDRA and AIM were big elements of the Brubaker era. Remender is making the bizarre scientist Arnim Zola (played in human form by Toby Jones in Captain America: The First Avenger) into a more formidable enemy.
“Rick asked for a scene with a human Arnim Zola walking into his lab and then it’s 1960’s horror movie gore. I had a moment of thinking I was drawing Kick-Ass and had gotten my books confused,” Romita revealed, “There are human heads on other things and so on. It gave me the willies. That doesn’t happen a lot.” –
“We’re establishing Zola and who he was in his early days in one page. You can do it visually with the right artist. John does it,” Remender said,””Arnim Zola is established as terrible in one scene.”
Captain America #1 courtesy Marvel
“Mainstream books can be the best ones to take a turn into horror or science fiction because it’s unexpected. It meets its rating, but it’s very inspired by EC Comics from the 50’s or Bernie Wrightson on Frankenstein,” added Remender
“It’s an action book. It’s high adventure. Cap throws some fists. The villain is villainous. A hero is only as good as his villain, and wait until you see what John and Dean (White) have done with Zola,” adds Remender.
“Arnim Zola is one of those characters who because he was such a bizarre design and because people who weren’t Jack Kirby drew him, he became almost a comical figure. That’s all going to go away,” said Editor Tom Brevoort.
“Zola doesn’t come out of this with anybody ever thinking he’s a joke again. He’s a high level madman, the top boss and the focus. But as always, there are henchmen. We’ve got Dough Boy, who is Jabba the Hutt as designed by Jack Kirby. When you see what John does with Zola’s mutates and their weapons, it’s wonderful, incredible big and exciting,” said Remender, “Zola is the villain for the long haul. We will get to know his plight.”
Captain America #1 courtesy Marvel
Brevoort revealed how the upcoming change to the Sentinel of Liberty was inspired by The Man Without Fear.
“When Rick and I first started talking about doing Cap stuff, for all the high adventure and sci fi, there was an element of what Frank Miller did to Daredevil in Born Again, tearing him down and taking everything away to build him back up. We’re throwing Cap down into a place where he’s completely out of his element, where the idea of America has no relevance. We’re stranding him on a metaphoric desert island and getting to the core of what drives this character. We’ll learn one new thing about him that really drives the first year.”
The new book will take Steve into Dimension Z but also dives into his past.
“Running parallel will be the story of Steve Rogers’ early days. We’ve always said he was Captain America without the physique before the super soldier serum, now we’ll see that. We’ll see the things that made him the guy he is today,” Brevoort continued.
“It was important to show Steve earning the tenacity and heart, because you’re not born with that. What you learn from your parents and the people around you informs your decisions and choices that define who you become,” Remender said.
“Back then, you had to be a lot tougher than the average human being. I think Steve Rogers would have become a cop, gone into the military–somehow been more than the guy on the street even without the super soldier serum. He would never have been just the average joe,” said Romita.
“The scene in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ where he jumps on the grenade nails it,” added Remender.
Captain America #2 courtesy Marvel
A fan asked about Cap’s popular cast of supporting characters.
“I don’t want to give away too much of our hand, but Sharon Carter is involved. Hank Pym will give Steve his gadgets. I do think the important thing here is for the new characters to define this era of Cap. When we get into the second year…nothing you see is as it seems,” Remender answered, “When I pick up a book, I always try to take the relationships and move them to the next stage. There will be a big Steve-Sharon progression in issue #1.”
One of the fan favorite elements of the Brubaker run was the return and redemption of Bucky Barnes.
“Bucky is a conversation for the third or fourth arc. Once we get a better idea of the landscape of Marvel NOW! and Winter Soldier’s role in it, I’m excited to have these two in each others’ lives,” said Remender.
Remender said not to expect Falcon in the series because Sam Wilson is a “full-fledged in Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers.”
The Cast of X-Men: First Class courtesy Marvel.com
Brace yourself X-fans!
Matthew Vaughn has decided to not direct the sequel to X-Men: First Class.
His possible replacement: Bryan Singer.
All this behind the scenes drama is according to Deadline. The story calls X-Men: Days of FuturePast a spinoff instead of a sequel. Hmmmm.
Singer launched the film franchise and directed X-Men and X2: X-Men United. Singer has been heavily involved with the sequel as a writer/producer. Vaughn and Singer could eventually swap roles on the film with Vaughn producing the script treatment he worked on with Simon Kinberg.
Mark Millar was recently hired as Creative Consultant for the Marvel superheroes franchises controlled by Fox. Vaughn directed the film version of Millar’s Kick-Ass but bowed out of the sequel. Could Millar be moving Vaughn into a film based on one of his other creations: Secret Service, Superior?
Fox controls the movie futue of the Fantastic Four. Josh Trank is directing but could Vaughn give his writing or producing expertise to the reboot of Marvel’s First Family on the big screen?
I loved the first two X-Men films by Singer and feel like this is a “coming home” for the creator. I still hope Days of Future Past (with it’s time travel elements) could reboot the X-Men films set in the present.
The End of an Era phrase doesn’t even begin to describe this week’s Captain America #19. Artist Steve Epting returns to the title for Ed Brubaker’s grand finale issue. This is definitely the end of a major creative era for Steve Rogers. I starting buying and loving Cap again because of Brubaker.
It was an era of dark espionage and redeemed heroes that redefined Steve and his supporting cast. Steve Rogers became an agent of SHIELD, discovered Bucky was alive and serving as a brainwashed assassin for the Russians and fought with his oldest friends over the Superhero Registration Act in Civil War. I loved the rise, fall and comeback of Steve Rogers during this run but what I loved most was the surprising return and redemption of Bucky Barnes.
Brubaker even killed Cap and replaced him with Bucky – and the series got even better.
Brubaker’s epic run ends with a heartfelt issue that reflects back on all the great moments that defined Steve Rogers. Steve Epting helped define this era of Rogers and Barnes in the dark spy game underworld. It’s fitting to have Epting return for this flashback filled issue.
Ed Brubaker’s Captain America will be remembered as a perfect connection between creator and character in comic history. Thanks for eight glorious years and for making me love Cap again.
Bruce Wayne in a death grip. Merlyn and some of DC’s greatest assassins assembled. Leviathan’s grip on Batman’s home is getting tighter. Good thing there’s a new dynamic duo in Gotham City!
In this week’s Batman Incorporated #4 Bruce Wayne’s global crime fighting franchise goes to work against the forces of Talia Al Ghul’s League of Assassins. Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham give members of Bruce’s army great screen time and moments. This issue features the debut of Wingman and Redbird – this twist is a great example of how the creative team deliver crazy comic fun mixed with drama, violence and sharp humor.
Morrison and Burnham have been building to a huge showdown between Bruce’s Batman Inc versus Talia’s Leviathan for the soul of their son.Just as the war is coming to a head Bruce makes a decision in the final panel that may seal Damian’s fate. It’s another entertaining chapter that ends with a “WTF?!” moment.
Indestructible Hulk #1 smashes into the Marvel Now on November 14th. Mark Waid and Leinil Yu take the Green Goliath in a new direction – as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D?
“The reasons why he is–and exactly the deal he cut to become–an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a mystery that will build out as the story goes,” Waid teased on Marvel.com.
How do you bring a freshness to an iconic character for new readers while paying homage to the rich past?
“On the surface of it, its hard. It’s a less human, street-level book, so all the things that worked in Daredevil were harder to duplicate in Hulk. The commonality in the two books is that Bruce Banner, much like Matt Murdock, reaches a point in his life where he realizes the things he’s been doing have not been working. ”
“What Stan Lee and Jack Kirby did back in the day was they created the world’s first persecuted super hero in the Hulk. Bruce Banner was the seminal morose, tortured super hero. 50 years later, you can go to a comic shop, pick up a random stack of super hero comics, and most of them will probably feature tortured super heroes,” Waid explained.
Indestructible Hulk #3 courtesy Marvel
Bruce Banner will take command in an effort become known as a man of science instead of the “Hulk Smash” guy.
“Banner realized that the Hulk is not something he can stop. It’s something he can control to a degree, but “Hulk happens,” as he puts it. So when he comes out, S.H.I.E.L.D. points him where they want him to go. Think of him as a cannon, not a bomb.”
Maria Hill will be Banner’s handler.
“S.H.I.E.L.D. has what they believe is a fairly tight leash on the Hulk, but they’re mistaken. That’s part of the fun of writing Maria Hill and Bruce Banner, they both have different perspectives on the situation.”
What about those shots of the Hulk in armor? Waid says that’s really intended for Bruce. And as for that floating robot head – who looks like Widget of Excalibur? He’s part of the leash S.H.I.E.L.D. thinks they have on the Hulk.
Maid said to expect Hulk to fight Attuma, Frost Giants, a new version of Quintronic Man and a big bad secretly behind the upcoming year’s mystery.
In case you missed an earlier interview – I loved what Waid said about Hulk being his favorite character in The Avengers movie.
“I can watch the Hulk ragdoll Loki all day.”
Indestructible Hulk hits November 14th. Here’s the entire liveblog on Marvel.com.
Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin in Iron Man 3 courtey Marvel
One of Iron Man’s greatest enemies finally appears on the big screen and shreds Tony Stark’s world. The first trailer for Iron Man 3 is online and the tone is definitely darker. Ben Kingsley portrays the Mandarin. Tony’s seaside mansion is blown up. Tony’s suits of armor blow up. Tony may even lose Pepper Potts (Gwynneth Paltrow.)
In the comic books the Mandarin was an child who discovered an alien spaceship, learned to master the science and tech on board, and kept the ten rings of various powers as his weapons. In the first Iron Man film Tony was kidnapped by a terrorist organizaton called the Ten Rings. There is a clear shot of the ten rings worn by Kingsley.
Iron Man Annual #1 courtesy Marvel.com
I love Kingsley’s line “some people call me a terrorist. I consider myself a teacher. Lesson number one. Heroes. There is no such thing.”
The trailer also features a smirking Guy Pearce as scientist Aldrich Killian who develops the Extremis and sells it to terrorists and the Iron Patriot armor.
What part of the trailer has you most excited for Iron Man 3?
You may call it a variant cover. I call it a love letter to an epic run.
Marvel gave Comics Newsarama a first look at a ton of gorgeous variants to Marvel Now titles coming in November.
This one is my favorite. David Yardin (X-Factor covers) created this beautiful variant for New Avengers #34. Brian Michael Bendis is wrapping up his 8 year run with End Times.
This cover represents – to borrow a famous line – the best of times, the worst of times for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes: The evil Dark Reign of Norman Osborn, The Secret Invasion of the Skrulls, The Tragedy of Robert Reynolds aka The Sentry and the infusion of new blood. Bendis brought in Luke Cage, Spider-Woman, Iron Fist, Wolverine and Daredevil to make the Avengers franchise new and exciting. The only person missing is the beautiful Jessica Jones aka Mrs. Cage.
