DC Comics will mark the one year anniversary of launching The New 52 by going back to zero. This September all the DC titles will #0 and be stand-alone stories.
“Some issues will tell the origins of a character or a team, or in some case where an origin has already been told, they will fill in the blanks in terms of questions readers may have about the New 52 DC Universe,” said Bob Harras, DC Entertainment Editor-in-Chief. “Each of these issues promises to reveal something surprising.”
DC will launch 4 new books during the anniversary month:
(From the presser:)
TALON – Co-Writers: Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV. Artist: Guillem March.
Meet Calvin Rose, the only Talon to ever escape the grasp of the Court of Owls. This former assassin of the Court is trying to live a normal life … but that’s impossible when he’s being hunted by his former masters!
SWORD OF SORCERY – Writer: Christy Marx. Artist: Aaron Lopresti.
Featuring the return of Amethyst, Amy Winston leads a strange life on the road with her mother and resents it. She’s about to learn it’s all been necessary when she discovers she’s the lost princess of Gemworld—and she’s being hunted by her murderous aunt. With a back-up story written by Tony Bedard with art by Jesus Saiz, set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the monstrous warrior Beowulf is charged with finding and defeating the evil Grendel.
THE PHANTOM STRANGER – Writer: Dan DiDio. Artist: Brent Anderson.
Spinning out of his recent appearances in JUSTICE LEAGUE and DC’s Free Comic Book Day story, learn more about the true origin of The Phantom Stranger and his connection to the mysterious Pandora.
TEAM SEVEN – Writer: Justin Jordan. Artist: Jesus Merino.
Set in the early days of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52, threads of the entire DC Universe collide. As Superman emerges, so does the world’s counter measures against him and his kind. Team 7 is comprised of Dinah Lance, Amanda Waller, Steve Trevor, John Lynch, Alex Fairchild, Cole Cash and Slade Wilson — and their story will change everything you know about DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.
The new books follow with #1 issues in October and the other books will resume their numbering.
Enterprise command chair used on Star Trek, 1966-1969 Photo: Erik Skaar
As I descended down into a new exhibition underneath Seattle’s EMP Museum I was giddy with geek anticipation. Icons of Science Fiction features some of the most inspiring artifacts of the sci-fi genre. I felt like Neo. I was a “Chosen One” receiving a sneak peek and chance to meld with the mind who created this new exhibition.
You pass the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. I had to find the glass bearing the photo and name of Ray Bradbury to pay homage. Then prepare to be transported. The curator has designed an entry way that reminds you of an iconic experience in a sci-fi adventure. If you’re a Star Wars fans it would be going to light speed…if the hyper-drive is fixed! If you’re a Star Trek fan you’re going to warp. For the 2001: A Space Odyssey fans it’s going on a trip into void with Dave!
Icons of Science Fiction at EMP Museum, photo by ComicsBlend.com
Fans can marvel at artifacts that have never been shown publicly like Lt. Uhura’s uniform from Star Trek, Yoda’s walking cane from Star Wars, the Kryptonian spaceship from Superman starring Christopher Reeve. You can even see the Captain’s chair James T. Kirk sat in while commanding the Enterprise!
What If? This eternal question drives the exploration of ideas behind the genre’s greatest creations. Curator Brooks Peck explains why he built the exhibition based on questions as opposed to by chronological order or sub categories.
“One of the things science fiction does is ask these crazy strange questions. Any science fiction story can be framed as a question. Star Trek is framed as what if we could explore space and the stars. What would happen? What stories would come out of that? Or Men In Black – what if aliens came to this planet? Or Terminator – what if robots took over the world? So the exhibition asks six of these big questions and presents lots of stories, films, tv shows, novels, comics that answers those in different ways. So if you’re not like a hard-core science fiction person…you see the questions and it gets your thinking. Questions like what if we could design our children? It gets you thinking about it and I hope makes it accessible to everybody – science fiction fans and non fans alike.
Neo's coat worn by Keanu Reeves from The Matrix Reloaded, 2003 Photo: Brady Harvey
What If You Were the Chosen One? This section highlights the idea of the savior who inspires change. Paul Muad’Dib was the prophesied messiah of Frank Herbert’s Dune series. You can see the jacket worn by Neo (Keanu Reeves) of The Matrix. I was fascinated and little freaked to see the Anakin Skywalker lifecast from Star Wars: Return of The Jedi. It takes you back to that moment when Luke lifts the Vader mask so Anakin can look on his son with his own eyes. You can see a costume Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) wore on a key Battlestar Galactica episode that reinforced her role as a messiah for the human race.
Krypton spaceship filming miniature used in Superman: The Movie, 1978 Photo: Erik Skaar
What If I Had Superpowers? This section features Alan Moore’s classic Watchmen, Christopher Reeve’s costume from Superman IV and the miniature starship from his first Superman film that carried the young alien from Krypton to Smallville.
Curator Brooks Peck with a weapon from "Men in Black" at Icons of Science Fiction at EMP Museum, photo by ComicsBlend.com
What If We Fought A War With Aliens? From Will Smith’s impossibly huge gun in Men in Black, to the warrior headgear from the original Stargate film to the saucer from Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space – this section is filled with weapons and gear to make you feel “absolute bad asses” like the Colonial Marines in Aliens. In fact you can see the helmet worn by Michael Biehn in the James Cameron sequel!
T-800 skull used in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, 1991 Photo: Brady Harvey
What If We Were Enslaved By Our Machines? Who can forget the Terminator skull once the Ar-NULD visage from burned off? A robot skull from T2: Judgement Day is part of this section. What might be THE artifact of the exhibition is the centerpiece of this section: a Dalek from Doctor Who.
“I think the Dalek is fantastic because…it’s a Dalek, right? And since Doctor Who is created in England it’s rare that objects make it make it over to the United States for us to see much less something this big and heavy and crazy like a Dalek. This Dalek in particular is special because it’s an Imperial Dalek which were the first Daleks we actually saw on camera climbing stairs and levitating,” declares Peck.
Imperial Dalek from the Doctor Who episode "Remembrance of the Daleks" in 1998 Photo: Erik Skaar
This rare artifact is from the Remembrance of the Daleks episode from 1988 and Peck adds they call it “the glam-rock Dalek.”
What If We Could Design Our Own Children? The teddy bear from the Steven Spielberg directed AI, Commander Data’s uniform Star Trek: The Next Generation, the work of local author Octavia Butler highlight this section that asks a question that may be answered in a future that’s closer that we may think.
Icons of Science Fiction at EMP Museum, photo by ComicsBlend.com
EMP Museum always deliver more than just inspiring visuals. This exhibition makes you a Ridley Scott, George Lucas or Steven Spielberg! The Create Your Own Special Effects Shot puts your friend on a green screen while you choose the fantasy backdrop and which iconic characters you want to interact with on-screen. You can fly like a superhero in the sky or run from Imperial Stormtroopers on an alien moon.
There is a space age looking control board that gives you an interactive exploration of sci-fi sources and influences on design and modern art. You can touch your way across the genres.
Brooks Peck and his team have collected from across genres and scored some amazing artifacts. I was curious to know what was the hardest artifact in the exhibit to procure?
“There was one on my wish list that I couldn’t secure so that would probably be the hardest. We have on display one of Darth Vader’s light sabres from Episodes Five and Six. We wanted to compliment that with an Anakin Skywalker light sabre from the prequel. They’re very rare to find out and about…but we found a collector in England who had one and we had a plan. One of our curators was going to England anyway and was going to bring it back. Turns out though it was a fighting sabre used to film a combat scenes so it had this long carbon fiber plate so we thought we’d just transport this little handle but actually it was this four-foot long thing that couldn’t come apart so we couldn’t bring it from England. So we wanted to show that. Maybe someday but not now.”
“Maybe someday” is what we often think after seeing a sci-fi film or reading a novel. The search the search for what’s possible, what’s in our future drives science fiction and fantasy fans. Like machine gaining sentience or an alien life form this exhibition is designed to evolve and grow. I am thrilled to be here for the birth of Icons of Science Fiction. Geek Tested…and approved for all.
Stay tuned for more posts: What does a Sci Fi Museum curator think of Prometheus, Doctor Who and why did certain comic books make the cut while others didn’t?
Marvel is teasing the next chapter of the AvX epic with new art and more from Avengers vs. X-Men #6! Avengers vs. X-Men #5 just hit comic shops so in case you haven’t read the finale of Act One….
WARNING
SPOILERS AHEAD
IF YOU HAVE NOT READ AVX #5 STOP READING THIS
SERIOUSLY
HERE IT COMES
OK – I DID WARN YOU!
Introducing the Phoenix Five: Cyclops, Emma Frost, Namor, Colossus and Magik are the hosts of the Phoenix Force. According to Marvel.com the mission is “to remake the Marvel Universe in their image.”
Avengers vs X-Men #6 courtesy Marvel
Jonathan Hickman and Olivier Coipel give us Pax Utopia through the eyes of the Phoenix Five in Avengers vs. X-Men #6 out in two weeks.
So what does this mean? Here are some burning questions:
Did the Phoenix burn the Cyttorak power out of Colossus?
Does this No More Avengers mean this new world is similar to House of M?
Will the other X-Men side with (if they even exist anymore) Wolverine and the Avengers?
Avengers vs X-Men #6 courtesy Marvel
Given the Phoenix/Jean history with Emma Frost – will the White Queen survive?
What about the Generation Hope kids? Were the Five Lights destined to host the Phoenix or will these kids play a role?
There’s a good reason we saw Professor X and Legion? Time for Charles to get back in the game and possibly reclaim leadership of the mutant race.
Scarlet Witch has been on the sidelines – Will the mutant who can warp reality and command chaos magic take on the Phoenix Force?
Warning – you may not want to read this poist if you haven’t read Earth 2 #1 and #2. You may consider some of my points spoilers.
James Robinson and Nicola Scott destroy and give birth to a new world of heroes in Earth 2. This is part of DC Comics The New 52 Second Wave. I admit – I bought #2 because of the reintroduction of a gay Alan Scott/Green Lantern got my curiosity and now I’m hooked on the future of this parallel world.
The debut issue immediately dropped us on an Earth under siege. Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman valiantly struggle against overwhelming odds from Apokolips. These battle scenes are a perfect example of why I believe Warner Brothers should make an epic film about DC’s Holy Trinity against Darkseid instead of full on Justice League movie.
Back to Earth 2 – A world without heroes is rebuilding. Alan Scott is a successful jet setting CEO and Jay Garrick is young guy who just got dumped by his girlfriend reevaluating his life when fate crashes into his pity party.
Earth 2 art courtesy DC Comics
The mainstream media is talking about the introduction of an openly gay Alan Scott in issue 2 this week. Robinson and Scott show us Alan and his boyfriend and their glamorous life but next issue promises to be where the relationship takes back burner and the action kicks in. Is Scott already the Green Lantern or has this happened yet?
You might be buying issue 2 for the curiosity about Scott but I really enjoyed seeing how Jay Garrick becomes this world’s Flash, test runs his new power to save lives, learns a threat scarier than Darkseid is heading for this world and becomes the prey for a character I’m really excited to see – Hawkgirl!
Mister Terrific blasts from his cancelled solo series into Earth 2 this issue and immediately encounters an enemy who is out to cancel Michael forever.
I’m really impressed with Nicola Scott’s art – especially the war ravaged Trinity and world against a legion of parademons in issue one. The revamped world and new soon to be heroes are clean and crisp and I particularly loved how Scott portrays Jay’s Flash effect and the new costume!
Earth 2 #2 courtesy DC Comics
This is a new origin for what I think will be this world’s Justice Society. I praise Robinson and DC Comics for including Alan Scott and the upcoming debut of another GLBT character. Come for the curiosity factor but you’ll stay for the great art and storytelling.
Chris Evans in Marvel's the Avengers courtesy Marvel
The Russo Brothers (Joe and Anthony) are in final negotiations to direct Captain America 2 according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Russos are known for their television comedy work (Community, Happy Endings.)
Chris Evans returns as the Star Spangled Avenger April 14, 2014. No word on story but I’m hoping for a big screen version of The Winter Soldier by Ed Brubaker.
Marvel teased that the final chapter of the AvX first act would be a game changer. After reading Avengers vs. X-Men #5 I was left stunned and surprised.
WARNING
SPOILERS AHEAD
IF YOU HAVE NOT READ AVX #5 STOP READING NOW
SERIOUSLY
HERE IT COMES
OK – I DID WARN YA!
Iron Man made have showed off why he’s a genius badass but he made a serious miscalculation. The Phoenix Force was meant to bond with Hope but it’s now bonded with five of the most powerful X-Men: Cyclops, Emma Frost, Namor, Colossus and Magik. The Avengers now have to deal with five cosmic powered mutants who were already pretty ticked off at them – guess we know why Marvel has been teasing No More Avengers.
Avengers vs X-Men #6 courtesy Marvel
“The mutants are now the Earth’s mightiest heroes, capable of doing all this cosmic-scale, epic (stuff). And the Avengers are scrambling to keep up and keep things in perspective,” writer Matt Fraction told USA Today. “They’re wildly evolving the world overnight. They’re doing the work of a Phoenix, only instead of one there’s five and each one has their own personality and thoughts, and things are great at first. But they’re the X-Men. They’re going to stop getting along at some point, and batten down the hatches.”
“There’s a specific reason it resonates that it would be these five,” Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso added. “It has to do with what our master plan for these characters has been for some time.”
Avengers vs X-Men #6 interior art courtesy Marvel
Thanks to Comic Book Resources for the quotes and preview images – you can read and see even more there.
I feel like you really have to read Uncanny X-Men #13 this week too. I have to wonder if the Five Lights (the mutants of Generation Hope) were intended to be the Phoenix Five instead of the adult members of Cyke’s Extinction Team. Maybe Kieron Gillen’s use of the extinction team moniker was appropriate because Cyclops and company certainly have the power to destroy and reshape the human race.
As I read this week’s AvX issues I could help think back to Greg Pak’s Warsong and Endsong epics. I hated them – hear me out – because the stories were so gut wrenching the watch because I loved these characters – which is the sign of great writing. I sense we’re going to that kind of storytelling with act two.
John Romita Jr deserves huge accolades for his final chapter in the epic. The smaller cast in the moon battle allow the artist to show his best work of the story so far. The determination of a scorched Wolverine, the fear in Hope’s eyes, Tony Stark’s sense of awe as he tries to kill a God like force are standout moments.
The act one twist takes us into new territory (maybe darker shades of House of M?) The writers have shown us anything can happen next.
Love or loathe the idea Before Watchmen begins this week with Before Watchmen: Minutemen #1. DC Comics has definitely gathered an amazing team of talented artists and writers to explore the back story of the Watchmen universe.
DC Comics shared this cover by one of my favorite artist. Phil Jiminez created this variant cover to Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1. The world’s most brilliant man is surrounded by myths and legends. The legendary Len Wein will write the story. Meeting Phil Jiminez at Emerald City Comicon in 2008 was one of my favorite con moments – I got a sketch of Storm by Jiminez!
Black Panther returns in Fantastic Four #606 courtesy Marvel.com
The next Marvel hero to get a solo movie…Black Panther? Latino Review is reporting based on what they call several sources that T’Challa will get his own movie. The cinematic Captain America’s shield is made from vibranium, a metal found only in Wakanda, home of the Black Panther.
T’Challa was introduced in Fantastic Four, became a member of the Avengers, has his own solo series and married Storm of the X-Men. T’Challa was King of Wakanda a fictional nation in Africa that’s the only source of a metal called vibranium. T’Challa was dethroned and became the star of Daredevil’s title and briefly held his role as protector of Hell’s Kitchen in New York City.
The Black Panther recently appeared in Fantastic Four #606. Writer Jonathan Hickman discussed the status of the fan favorite hero. Black Panther and Storm’s romance has turned rocky since they are on opposing sides of Avengers vs X-Men so I expect T’Challa to be a single King again and ready for a solo comic book series.
My dream cast is Idris Elba as Black Panther, Mads Mikkelsen as Klaw and Paula Patton as Monica Lynne. The storyline could follow T’Challa as the Prince sent by his father as an Ambassador to the United Nations and have urban adventures in New York City then have him brought home when Ulysses Klaw and ROXXON invade Wakanda to exploit the vibranium.
