Category: Uncategorized

Mark Millar Will Consult on X-Men and Fantastic Four

The Cast of X-Men: First Class courtesy Marvel.com

Hoping you will see an Avengers team up with the X-Men or Fantastic Four on the big screen – think again. Looks like Twentieth Century Fox is looking to hold on to the film rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four franchise and they’ve hired a comic book powerhouse to guide those franchises forward.

Writer Mark Millar has been hired as a creative consultant on the studio’s upcoming projects: Director James Mangold is now shooting The Wolverine with Hugh Jackman in a story based on the classic Chris Claremont/Frank Miller story of Logan in Japan. Matthew Vaughn is directing the X:Men First Class sequel X-Men: Days of Future Past. Josh Trank (Chronicle) is attached to direct a reboot of Fantastic Four.

Mark Millar co-created Marvel’s Ultimate Universe. Millar’s The Ultimates were a modern take on the Avengers and he created that line’s version of Nick Fury based on Samuel L. Jackson. You could say Marvel’s The Avengers were more like Millar’s Ultimates than old school Avengers. Millar also created Ultimate X-Men and Ultimate Fantastic Four.

The Ultimates #1 courtesy Marvel

In main Marvel Universe Millar wrote the epic Civil War and Old Man Logan, Enemy of the State arcs of Wolverine.

Millar went on to create Millarworld titles Kick-Ass and Wanted – both went to become box office hits.

  “As someone who has spent his entire life obsessed with both comic books and movies, this is essentially my dream gig as it’s a unique combination of both,” said Millar. “I spent ten years working at Marvel and am really happy with the work I did on the comic side of things so the idea of working with these characters now in a brand new medium is enormously exciting for me. I really like the Fox team, love this bold new direction they have for their franchises and am proud to be working alongside some of modern cinema’s biggest talents. James Mangold is incredible, Matthew Vaughn’s one of my closest pals and Josh Trank gave us, in my opinion, one of the greatest superhero movies of the last decade with ‘Chronicle.’ The invitation to join this crew was maybe the coolest phone call I’ve ever had.”

Op/Ed: Before directing X-Men: First Class, Matthew Vaughn directed the big screen version of Kick-Ass so if Millar has that kind of creative relationship with Vaughn then I’m excited to see how they will develop the X-franchise. I think Millar will guide the Fantastic Four reboot into darker territory instead of the most comedic tone of the previous films.

Ultimate X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel

If you want to experience some of the work of the man who will help guide the future of Marvel’s biggest heroes at Fox? Here are some recommendations: Ultimates: Super Human, Ultimate Comics Avengers Omnibus, Ultimate X-Men: The Tomorrow People, Civil War, Old Man Logan  and Wolverine Enemy of the State. I highly recommend Millar and Frank Quitely’s arc on Wildstorm’s The Authority.

Thanks to Marvel.com for the story.

By Editor

Brian Wood On Leaving X-Men

X-Men #31 courtesy Marvel

  Brian Wood has completed his last X-Men script for now. Wood will continue writing Ultimate Comics X-Men for Marvel and The Massive for Dark Horse. I love those books but it’s hard to see Wood leave the X-Men. Wood and artist David Lopez crafted a beautiful and thrilling run starring Storm, Psylocke, Domino, Colossus and Pixie. The Wood/Lopez run reminded me of the Chris Claremont/Paul Smith era mixed with a Torchwood modern edge.

  I wanted to share some fan questions and Wood’s answers from today’s X-Position on Comic Book Resources. He was asked about a dream project and the artist he would work with.

  “I like writing the X-Men, and I’d love to do more of it with David Lopez. Second to that, I’d love to write a new Runaways book and a Thor MAX that’s heavy on the Viking stuff.”

 If you’re not familiar – Wood has an amazing series of Viking graphic novels  – Northlanders so the idea of a Thor MAX book is very exciting.

  Wood’s X-Men team dealt with the discovery of ancient mutant DNA and inspired a fan to ask what Psylocke meant when she was “being a mutant…it means something different now.”

 “All that means is they have a greater understanding of their shared history. The proto-mutants weren’t just ancestors, they were a whole different species, one that died out. It would be like if we, as humans, just now discovered that there were Neanderthals. It casts everything that came after it in a new light.”

 One of my favorite part of Wood’s run was how he portrayed Storm as team leader and how his script worked so beautifully with David Lopez’s pencils. Wood revealed the best part and biggest surprise of this run was Lopez and Storm.

“If I had to say just one thing, it would be finding a great partner in David Lopez. Sometimes you work with an artist and something about it just feels right it just click with your words in the perfect way. That’s how I felt about David’s work, and I keep coming up with new project ideas for him to draw.

“I wouldn’t say I wasn’t crazy about any of them, really. Some of them surprised me. Considering how well received my Storm was, I really had a strong vision for her as a character at the very beginning. But once I started writing the first script, it all clicked into place and I was like, “Oh yeah, this is working”. And so it went.”

X-Men #36 courtesy Marvel

Will Wood be back writing the X-Men?

“People at Marvel can answer that better than I can. I hope the chances are 100%.”

X-Men #36 is out this week.

Op/Ed

  I have no knowledge of the inner workings of the Marvel offices and don’t mean this in any disrespect to other writers that I enjoy but I can’t help but think this title is falling victim to the Marvel Now revamp.

   Every X-book has to be part of a biggest picture. This book was perfect and stood on its own. In fact – I recently was asked to recommend an X-book for a newbie at my local shop and this was the only one not tied to AvX. so it was perfect for a jumping on point. I’m proud to say I converted a new X-Men fan! I really hate to see this title go and hope both Wood and Lopez are back on an X-Men book.

By the way – The Massive is my favorite non-superhero book right now – pick it up!

By Editor

Origins of DC’s Biggest Heroes

Aquaman #0 courtesy DC Comics

DC Comics The New 52 one year anniversary of zero issues are stand-alone stories promising to reveal the origins of the greatest heroes in this new continunity.

DC is revealing the origins of its biggest icons in this week’s zero issues.

Geoff Johns made orange and green badass again! In Aquaman #0 we see Arthur Curry’s first meeting with the Atlanteans and how this moment propels his future. Aquaman and Justice League will soon crossover in the upcoming Throne of Atlantis epic.

In Batman: The Dark Knight #0 Gregg Hurwitz goes back to the detective case that started it all – Joe Chill and the murder of the Bruce Wayne’s parents.

  Flash #0 reveals the origin of the Scarlet Speedster. How Barry Allen’s tragedy put him on the path to becoming the fastest hero alive.

In Superman #0 new creative team Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort (Red Hood and the Outlaws) take over the series and take us back to Krypton when Jor-El learned his home world was doomed

Teen Titans #0 courtesy DC Comics

The young generation of DC heroes gets the zero treatment too and one of them has a big change to their origin in the New 52.

  Teen Titans #0 Lobdell reveals on the origin of its leader. See how young computer genius Tim Drake became Batman’s sidekick and Red Robin – leader of the teen heroes. Plus the origins of new characters Skitter and Bunker.

By Editor

Avengers vs X-Men Finale Preview!

Avengers vs. X-Men #12 courtesy Marvel

  Cyclops has become the most powerful force on Earth…possibly the universe. Avengers and X-Men are in mourning. Tony Stark has pushed every scientific mind to find a way to fight the Phoenix Force and come up empty.

  It all comes down to Scarlet Witch and Hope. These were the only heroes able to do some damage to the entity. The Phoenix was almost afraid of Wanda.

Avengers vs. X-Men #12 courtesy Marvel

  Jason Aaron and Adam Kubert are the creative team on the final showdown. I wanted to share Comic Book Resource’s first look inside Avengers vs. X-Men #12.

  The heroes look defeated. Hope and Scarlet Witch have their own issues to work out before taking on the Dark Phoenix Cyclops. Wanda will survive to join Uncanny Avengers. Scott will be part of All-New X-Men. Is this Hope’s fate?

courtesy Marvel

AvX #12 comes out Oct 3rd.

By Editor

Avengers Arena, A Villain’s Game-Changer

Avengers Arena #1 courtesy Marvel

  Avengers Arena is one of the biggest surprises to come out of the Marvel NOW relaunch. Dennis Hopeless and Kev Walker will take 16 young heroes (including members of Avengers Academy, Runaways and Darkhawk) and throw them into a Battle Royale scenario. The kids are trapped on an island by a classic X-Men villain. Arcade is back and he’s created a new Murderworld for Marvel’s young heroes. This concept sounds like a mini-series or one-shot but Hopeless and Editor Bill Rosemann tells Comics Newsarama this is definitely an ongoing series.

  “Dennis and Kev have thought long and hard about how and why these characters will react to the scenario and the ripple effects their actions will create. Each month — and, yes, this is an ongoing monthly series — they’ll use the creative space to dig deep into the emotions of each character. As to what our cast will look like a year from now, well…”

  “Yeah, this is definitely a long game sort of story. We need the space to explore all the different ways a worst-case scenario like Murder World affects this massive cast. I’m not sure we could have done them justice in a miniseries,” adds Hopeless.

 

Uncanny X-Men #123 featuring Arcade courtesy Marvel.com

I love the villain at the center of this new book. Arcade may not have a great track record for assassinating his targets but he’s definitely a twisted character to enjoy. Rosemann and Hopeless discuss the plan to make Arcade a potent enemy.

“When at his best, Arcade’s creepy façade of a cheery carnival barker is a calculated play that both distracts his targets and also leads his unsuspecting foes to underestimate him. And never forget he began his career by murdering his own father before embarking on a successful run as a freelance assassin. Dennis and Kev both completely understand his potential and knew instantly how to peel off the cheese to reveal his untapped terrifying core. Previously, Arcade always left a way out of his deathtraps, giving his prey a sporting chance, but now… soon everyone will learn that to underestimate Arcade is a deadly mistake,” declares Rosemann.

“Arcade doesn’t get a lot of respect and we all kind of understand why. For the longest time, nobody ever died in Murder World. But despite all of his failures over the years, Arcade is a brilliant guy. Deranged and bizarre, but brilliant. He designed and built all of those crazy death traps,” says Hopeless.

“The scenario Arcade has cooked up in Avengers Arena is a game changer for him. It’s his way of saying, “You don’t respect my reindeer games? Fine. Respect this!”

You could call Arcade the Seneca Crane (from The Hunger Games) of Marvel. The question is who will survive to become the Katniss or Peeta?

 For the entire interview here’s the Comics Newsarama link.

By Editor

New SKYFALL International Spot

courtesy 007.com

  Sony revealed a new international spot for the James Bond film Skyfall that focuses on the villain played by Javier Bardem. This new adventure looks like it will finally give a memorable enemy to enter the classic villains hall of fame – make room Auric Goldfinger, Red Grant and Doctor No! Here’s comes Silva.

Thanks to SuperheroHype. 007 returns November 8, 2012.

By Editor

Chris Evans on Captain America Sequel Update

 

Chris Evans as Captain America in Marvel’s The Avengers courtesy Marvel Films

Chris Evans will play the First Avenger again in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Fans of the comic book know this sequel will be based on the story by Ed Brubaker in which Steve’s best friend is back from the dead as a brainwashed assassin.

  “Oh, I am fully up to date with my comics.  I know all about it.  Kevin Feige was talking about [Winter Soldier] when we were filming the first Captain America and well before The Avengers.  During the first Captain America we were talking about potential futures and, you know, I don’t want to give too much way,” Evans tells Collider.

  Some of the scenes Evans shot for The Avengers showing Cap adjusting to the modern world was cut but may turn up in the Captain America sequel.

Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes in Captain America: The First Avenger courtesy Marvel.com

  “A lot of that stuff [that was cut] is for Captain America 2.  That is his story.  It is him trying to on a personal level adjust to the fact that everyone he knows is gone and the whole Peggy Carter of it all.  There are a lot of things that he kind of has to come to terms with.  So I don’t know.  I am excited to kind of see flashes of the first Captain, if you know what I mean, and to see his memory of what we now know as an audience of who he was.”

  Evans adds that he’d like for Steve to appear in Thor: The Dark World.

  “[Chris] Hemsworth and I even talked about that.  I would love to do a little thing in Thor 2.  It is obviously going to be tricky trying to work out the plot, the reason why I am not there to help him, and why he is not there to help me.  But the best thing about Marvel is that, like I said, the movies were so good and we had such a good time making them.”

Captain America: The First Avenger opens April 4, 2014. Sebastian Stan returns as Bucky Barnes, Anthony Mackie plays the Falcon and no word on a love interest for Cap. Here’s hoping Sharon Carter aka Agent 13 will appear in the film.

Thanks to Collider.

By Editor

Birds of Prey Shakeup: Who’s the New Girl?

Birds of Prey #15 courtesy DC Comics

  A shakeup for the team in Birds of Prey #15. A member flies off. A new member lands. The Source revealed the cover and hints at a strange, dark turn for Black Canary. But the big question: Who the new girl flying with the Birds of Prey?

 Looks like Batgirl, Starling and Katana are sticking around. This issue features art by Romano Molenaar who delivered a knockout Detective Comics Annual last month.

By Editor