It’s the week of the Witch..the Scarlet Witch! Wanda graces the cover of two variants for upcoming issues of Uncanny Avengers this October. Wanda will join Captain America, Thor, Wolverine, Rogue and Havok on a new team of Avengers and X-Men united against the threat of the Red Skull reborn.
Marvel revealed this variant by Adi Granov (Iron Man Extremis.) I have this on the beautiful illustration on the cover of Granov’s sketchbook that I got at Emerald City Comicon earlier this year. Earlier this week Marvel shared this cover by Milo Manara.
I’m loving the Scarlet Witch comeback but I suspect we’ll see some Rogue variants soon.
A big day for comic book fans as DC unleashes a wave of New 52 Annuals! I always loved those as a kid – a bigger size issue with a huge story. Three of DC’s biggest icons star in 3 big annuals out today.
The first New 52 Detective Comics Annual features a showdown between Batman and the Black Mask. Artist Roman Molenaar joins writer Tony Daniel on Detective Comics Annual #1. The artist talked with The Source about joining the Batman family.
“He knows exactly how to write for an artist which makes it a delight setting up the pages,” says Molenaar of Daniel, “Fans can expect fast-paced action and details all over the place as far as the art goes. Batman will need all of his physical and mental strength for this Annual and be ready for the return of one of his most diabolical villains!”
“The first DETECTIVE COMICS ANNUAL features the return of one of Batman’s most dangerous adversaries – the Black Mask!” adds editor Mike Marts. “Picking up from where readers last saw him in the ‘Night of the Owls’ storyline, gangster Roman Sionis has once again donned the maddening mask and formed his False Face Society. How will the Dark Knight combat this unique threat? And is there an even greater villain lurking in the shadows?”
Superman Annual #1 courtesy DC Comics
The Man of Steel takes on the most evil alien of the Wildstorm Universe in Superman Annual #1. Helspont is a Daemonite warlord and galactic menace born in the pages of Jim Lee’s WildC.A.T.S.
“We’ve heard a lot about Helspont and his intergalactic conquests – I thought it was time to see him in action! Unfortunately for Superman, the Last Son of the House of Daemon has a bite that is much worse than his bite!” new writer Scott Lobdell tells The Source.
“There is an old life rule that says you shouldn’t move in with your best friend. You would think a guy as smart as Clark would know that hosting Jimmy would strain even his super human levels of endurance.”
“I love that the Annual touches base with other aliens living on Earth. We get to see Starfire, Martian Manhunter, Hawkman — and the cameos don’t stop there! I think it was only fitting that we should touch base with these characters considering how much Superman’s actions in the coming months are going to effect the perception of all aliens currently visiting our planet. This is one of those Annuals that is a total game-changer!”
“In the Man of Steel’s first Annual we deal with an alien threat that has targeted the Last Son of Krypton, and we get the truth’s behind invaders that have been here for some time and are about to be eradicated by their own kind,” adds series editor Eddie Berganza. “There’s also close encounter cameos by Starfire, Hawkman and Martian Manhunter. Why should they be loyal to their adopted planet is the question raised.”
The Flash Annual #1 courtesy DC Comics
“THE FLASH ANNUAL #1 is the culmination of the past six issues, as we finally get to see the DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 Rogues team up against the Flash,” co-writer Brian Buccellato tells THE SOURCE. “[Co-writer and artist] Francis Manapul and I are bridging the gap between the old ‘gun-toting’ Rogues that everyone remembers from previous continuity, and the new meta-powered incarnations. In the Annual, we finally reveal HOW the Rogues got their super powers and at what cost.”
“While the Annual does answer a lot of questions and give context to Flash and his relationship with the DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 Rogues, it also propels the book into the next major story arc,” Buccellato continued. “We got the biggest thrill out of having Flash team up with someone unexpected in his fight versus the Rogues. I don’t want to spoil anything, but his uneasy partnership is with a former Rogue that was recently left out in the cold.”
Detective Comics, Superman and The Flash Annuals arrive today.
What if Marvel’s The Avengers had opened this way? SHIELD Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) reports to The Council in this alternate opening to the big screen version of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes courtesy Marvel.com.
Marvel’s The Avengers is on Blu-ray September 25th. Joss Whedon is signed on for a sequel and a television series (starring SHIELD? Maria Hill? Cobie?)
Get ready for Phantom Lady #1. The female member of the Freedom Fighters stars in her own miniseries by writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti and artist Amanda Conner with her partner in crime Doll Man.
I just discovered the amazing history of Phantom Lady in The Supergirls: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy and the History of Comic Book Heroines. Mike Madrid kicks off his book with the origin of Sandra Knight in the 1947. Knight was a bored rich girl who donned a yellow bikini and cape to seek thrills and fight crime as Phantom Lady.
Phantom Lady bust courtesy DC Comics
I met Madrid recently at GeekGirlCon 2012 in Seattle where he delivered an insightful and hilarious look at female superheroes through the decades starting with Phantom Lady.
Knight’s costume has definitely changed over the years and this is Jennifer Knight. This Phantom Lady’s parents were killed when she was a child by Gotham City gangsters, The Benders. Jennifer will infiltrate the mob family as part of her plan for revenge.
Phantom Lady #1 is out this week from DC Comics.
For Mike Madrid’s book and more about his extensive research here’s the link – Heaven4Heroes.com.
Marvel revealed a third variant by Stuart Immonen for the upcoming All-New X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis. The third cover image revealed at Fan Expo Canada shows Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magneto, Magik and a young man in glasses (no idea here).
All-New X-Men will see the original five X-Men from the past suddenly in our present day. A second cover revealed Storm, Wolverine, Kitty Pryde, Beast, Iceman and a mystery woman Bendis say is not Rachel Summers.
All-New X-Men courtesy Marvel
This new cover makes us assume Scott, Emma, Erik and Illyana will survive Avengers vs. X-Men and be part of the new Marvel NOW! X-Men relaunch. AvX#11 has teases a death: there can be only one. Scott and Emma are currently the only host of the Phoenix Force.
One of Spider-Man’s most tragic and frightening foes will get his own series this January. Marvel announced a new Morbius series at Fan Expo Canada. Writer Joe Keatinge and artist Rich Elson are the creative team on the new ongoing starring The Living Vampire.
“AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #699.1 (coming in December) is essentially MORBIUS #0,” asserts Keatinge. “If you’ve never read a Morbius comic book before, ASM #699.1 gets you up to date on absolutely everything there is to know about him. It takes him from where Dan Slott and company took him to and sets him on the course of everything Rich and I have in store.”
“He’s not over the guilt, that’s for sure,” the writer says. “He’s a guy very much crippled by it. How he gets through that is a major thrust of our initial arc.
“Every goal [Morbius] has is ultimately focused on redemption and atonement. Curing himself is definitely part of that. We’re giving him an opportunity to do just that, but given his history you can bet it’s not going to go well.”
Amazing Spider-Man #689 courtesy Marvel
Morbius and the Lizard were villains in Dan Slott’s Amazing Spider-Man arc this summer while Dr. Connors was stalking Spidey on the big screen. I think Morbius would be a perfectly creepy new villain for an Amazing Spider-Man sequel.
For more from writer and Rich Elson here’s the Marvel.com link.
Doctor Who (along with Amy and Rory) are on board the U.S.S. Enterprise! The Time Lord and Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s crew have teamed up in an out of this world sci-fi crossover.
Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 #4 courtesy IDW Publishing
The Borg and Cybermen have formed a frightening alliance. CyberBorg are attacking the Federation. The Doctor’s mind is way off. Last issue the Doctor remembered an encounter with Kirk and Spock back in a previous life (the fourth Doctor – Tom Baker) to be precise.
In Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 #4 the Time Lord meets the timeless Guinan (played in the series by Whoopi Goldberg.) IDW Publishing gave Comic Book Resources an exclusive peek at next week’s chapter. They have more images of the meeting.
Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 #4 courtesy IDW Publishing
This series has been great fun. The creative team has definitely captured the spirit of both series, each character and made a thrilling crossover that works.
My favorite new book of 2012 will get a new writer in 2013. At the AvX panel at Fan Expo Canada Marvel announced that Jason Latour will take over Winter Soldier.
Ed Brubaker brought Bucky Barnes back as the brainwashed assassin and set him on a path of redemption during his acclaimed Captain America run that continued with the Winter Soldier series.
Comic Book Resources talked with the writer turned artist (his creator owned title Loose Ends and Untold Tales of the Punisher MAX) about taking over.
“I was surprised to get the chance, simply because I didn’t think this character would ever be in play. Brubaker’s work on this character has been great. He’s really built such a strong and compelling foundation– that when the possibility was introduced my mind went off like a nuclear test site.
As for how it came about — I’d drawn a few stories for my editor, Lauren Sankovitch, in the past and I’d made it clear I was interested in writing for hire, too. Fortunately she seemed to like my creator-owned work and when the time came to cast the book she asked me if I would be interested.”
Brubaker has several issues left. Latour takes over with January’s issue #15 with Bucky in a dark place.
“A darkness has washed over The Dude — Like I said, it’s the pain that sticks. He’s done some awful things — things that he’d like to believe were independent of his control. But when Cap fixed his mind with the Cosmic Cube, it’s telling that he used the phrase “Remember who you are.” That didn’t just return him to “Gee wilikers, Cap, I sure like pinball” Bucky — it kept intact a lot of memories he’d rather have seen erased.
Recently his past has come home to roost — and each time he found himself asking what his role in creating the situation was. It’s made him feel very powerless. People he loves keep getting thrown into harm’s way, and he’s trying to look in the mirror and see how much of it is his old habits. Who he works for is just where he starts.”
Latour says he’ll create a new villain.
“Two people who were once caught in the Winter Soldier’s swath. Our big antagonist is a new take on Bucky’s rogues’ gallery in the sense that she’s the first indirect casualty of his actions. She’s got plans much larger than revenge, but their personal connection is going to make things very complicated for Bucky.”
