Top 5 for March 7, 2012

 

Avengers: The Children's Crusade #9 courtesy Marvel

Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #9 The final fate of the Scarlet Witch. Which young heroes will survive the showdown with Doctor Doom.

Age of Apocalypse #1 Wolverine is the madman Weapon X. The X-Terminated are the only hope for humanity. A new series set in the bizarre dimension spinning out of Uncanny X-Force.

Fairest #1 Horror, humor and adventure in a new series exploring the secret history of Cinderella, Show White, Rapunzel, Thumbelina, The Snow Queen, Sleeping Beauty and more of   

Honey Badger Adventures #1 The internet sensation inspires a new comic book starring the world’s most fearless animal.

Green Arrow #7 Three deadly blondes give new meaning to drop dead gorgeous and they after Green Arrow. The legendary Ann Nocenti returns to comics and her reputation for creating femme fatales continues

X-Men: First Class Sequel Will Be Magneto Focused

 

Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy from X-Men: First Class courtesy Marvel.com

  I’m thrilled Fox is moving forward with a sequel to X-Men: First Class. Matthew Vaughn is directing. Michael Fassbender and the entire cast are locked in. 

  I’ve been posting how much I hope we might see Magneto’s fractured family (Polaris, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver) in the next film. No word on if those characters will appear but Magneto will be the focus of the sequel according to the screenwriter.  Simon Kinberg spoke with MTV News about his love of the X-Men and how he will continue exploring Magneto’s evolution.

 “That’s what was so cool about the first one and what we want to continue,” Kinberg said of exploring the villain’s tortured origin. “Magneto becomes the villain ultimately of the franchise but he’s a much more complicated character as a young man. He’s someone you sympathize with, you care about you root for even though might not necessarily agree with his methods, you understand his philosophy.” 

 Fans may be wondering if Magneto will be a total villain or still in between good guy and bad guy roles.

 “We’re still figuring that out. I think the truth is ultimately that because Michael is such an interesting actor, he’ll never be full-on anything. He’ll have a villainous side and he’ll have a sympathetic human side you’ll be able to relate but you’ll also be afraid of him. He becomes Magneto, he says ‘Call me Magneto’ at the end of the first movie.”

 You can watch the entire interview here.

 

Magneto: Not a Hero #2 courtesy Marvel

  I would love to see Michael Fassbender play Erik when he was married to Magda and the tragic events surrounding their children. That could be a flashback leading to a present day (as in the 60’s or 70’s since it’s set in the past) reunion with Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.

Astra is good possibility for due to her love/hate relationship with Magneto. The legendary Alan Davis created this mutant teleporter when he on Uncanny X-Men. Astra was Erik’s first recruit to the Brotherhood. You can read more about Astra in the current Magneto: Not a Hero limited series out now.

Avengers: The Children’s Crusade, AVX and Scarlet Witch’s Fate

Avengers The Children's Crusade #9 preview art by Jim Cheung courtesy Marvel, Comic Book Resources

  When the GLAAD Best Comic Book Series Nominee Avengers: The Children’s Crusade began it marked the return of the excellent Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung on the team they created. Wiccan and Speed hoped to find, save and redeem their mother, Scarlet Witch. Their devoted teammates joined them on an adventure into Latveria through time. The heroes faces the Avengers, X-Men, X-Factor and Doctor Doom. Avengers: The Children’s Crusade is one of the most perfectly written and drawn series Marvel is publishing.

  I had no idea how pivotal this story would be to the entire fate and future of the Marvel Universe. When the series ends the Scarlet Witch will be set up for her role in Avengers Versus X-Men, the return of the Phoenix Force and her possible connection to the mutant messiah, Hope Summers will be revealed.

  X-Editor Nick Lowe answered fan questions on Comic Book Resources. The question I found interesting was if the Avengers Editors or X-Editors determined Wanda’s fate after Avengers: The Children’s Crusade?

  “It was Allan Heinberg (with input from Tom Brevoort) mapping out Wanda’s trajectory. Allan had some great ideas on the subject and somehow Tom B. didn’t ruin them all,” Lowe responded. Brevoort is the Avengers Editor.

  Will Wanda be redeemed for Avengers Disassembled and M-Day/The Decimation? Wiccan and Speed may save their mother only to see her fall in AVX. Time will tell but Heinberg and Cheung have created a real Marvel classic with Avengers: The Children’s Crusade.

 

Scarlet Witch Casting – A Geek’s Dream

 

Avengers Children's Crusade #7 by Jim Cheung courtesy Marvel.com

The actresses who played The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo have cast a spell on this comic book geek. I keep picturing both stars as Marvel’s tragic mutant heroine – Scarlet Witch aka Wanda Maximoff.

  Noomi Rapace starred in the Swedish films based on the Millenium Trilogy. Rooney Mara is playing Lisabeth Salander is the American version directed by David Fincher opposite Daniel Craig.

  Both actresses are stunning on-screen in appearance and their riveting performances.

  An actress who can portray Lisabeth Salander could certainly play Magneto’s tragic daughter who became an Avenger. A fragile woman with such destructive power looming under the surface.

 

Rapace would be perfect as an adult Scarlet Witch in an Avengers sequel. The idea first came to me after seeing Rapace play a gypsy in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Wanda and Pietro Maximoff were raised by a European gypsy family.

  With news that Director Matthew Vaughn and the cast have signed on for a sequel to X-Men: First Class my thoughts turn to a younger Wanda – when she was in Magneto’s Brotherhood of Mutants. I can’t get the idea of Mara as a younger Wanda in an X-Men: First Class sequel. Producers would have to make Michael Fassbender appear older since he would be playing her father.

AvX #0 art by Frank Cho courtesy Marvel.com

  Fans’ feelings about the Scarlet Witch may change after the outcome of Avengers Versus X-Men. Wanda’s sons are trying to redeem her in Avengers: The Children’s Crusade but she could give in to her dark side and dark chaos magic again in AVX.

 By Editor

AVX Zero Preview: Losing Hope?

 

AvX #0 courtesy Marvel on Comics Newsarama

  The mutant messiah and the fallen Avenger have crucial roles in upcoming Avengers Versus X-Men event. AVX #0 by Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron and Frank Cho will focus on Hope Summers and Scarlet Witch.

  Today Marvel gave Comics Newsarama a look at the first five lettered pages of AVX #0 and wow!

  Hope asks Cyclops about the Phoenix. A conversation between leader and messiah explodes on Utopia.

  The Phoenix Force is speeding to Earth to find a human host. Hope was born when all the severed parts of the entity regrouped in space. Maybe the entity is reuniting with the mutant is was born to bond with? Could the Scarlet Witch’s mutant power or dark magic have set all this in motion?

AVX #0 arrives in March.

For the entire album click here.

AVX Zero Art Preview: Scarlet Witch in Action

 

Avengers Versus X-Men preview art by Frank Cho courtesy Marvel.com

  The biggest superhero war in comic book history is declared this April. The Phoenix Force is racing to Earth in search of a human host. Will it be mutants Scarlet Witch or Hope Summers?

Avengers Versus X-Men #0 preview art by Frank Cho

  Marvel revealed preview art by Frank Cho from Avengers Versus X-Men #0 showing the Scarlet Witch in action against Modok in front of The White House.

 AVX #0 is written by Brian Michael Bendis and Jason Aaron and hits stores March 28th.

  Don’t forget to see how Magneto’s daughter makes her return – Avengers: The Children’s Crusade has two more issues as Wanda’s sons fight Doctor Doom to redeem the Scarlet Witch.

  For today’s official presser here’s the Marvel.com link.

GLAAD Best Comic Nominees Part 2

    I hope Avengers: The Children’s Crusade wins the GLADD Best Comic Awards. Hulkling and Wiccan fell in love in Young Avengers. As the heroes try to save the Scarlet Witch (Wiccan’s mother) they are in the center of a huge storyline featuring Doctor Doom, Avengers and X-Men. The book is filled with action but the heart of story is the strong relationships between the boys and their devoted teammates.  This is one of the most beautifully written and drawn stories Marvel is publishing.

Northstar to the rescue. Courtesy Marvel.com

 

  I’m hoping that Marjorie Liu’s upcoming Astonishing X-Men (featuring the return of Northstar and his partner Kyle) will be nominated next year. Northstar (when he was in Alpha Flight) was the first superhero to come out. The Canadian mutant has been a teacher and mentor to younger gay mutants, Anole and Graymalkin.

  If you want to learn more about Northstar you can read my post about why he should rejoin the X-Men – which he will later this year.

  Teen Titans (part of the DC New 52) welcomed Bunker, an openly gay Mexican teen hero. Scott Lobdell co-created Bunker with the plan to make him flamboyantly out. It will be interesting to see Bunker’s story develop in Teen Titans and if the book will be nominated next year.

Teen Titans #3 from DC Comics. Art by Brett Booth.

  You may want to read my post about gay heroes in comics.
  Thanks to Comics Alliance for the story about this year’s GLAAD nominees.

Phoenix Versus Scarlet Witch!

New X-Men #154 courtesy Marvel
New X-Men #154 courtesy Marvel

I almost posted this last night but couldn’t wrap my head around it but after today’s Avengers Versus X-Men announcement – my brain is spinning!

Jean Grey/Dark Phoenix versus Scarlet Witch (during the Avengers Disassembled period.)

Who would win?

Both formidable females are beautiful, all powerful, consumed by their power and out of control because of their emotion.

Two beloved women on two of the most important teams in comic history. What would happen if these two women at their most powerful…went to war? Continue reading Phoenix Versus Scarlet Witch!