What Is Department Six?

A new Doctor Who viral site (Cybus Industries, etc.) by Cube Interactive has just gone up called Department Six.

In the past, these sites have played off of the events on the screen. With Doctor Who not currently on the air, what can this site mean?

As a retro British TV guy, the first thing that came to mind was Jason Wyngarde in Department S… but it might not be connected at all.

Double Doctor Who in Season 4?

As the Fourth Season of BBC Wales‘ hit series Doctor Who looms over the heads of fans world wide, it looks like many might be getting their wish as a new rumor, straight from Sylvester McCoy during an event in New Zealand this past weekend, has been let loose.

Apparently, Doctor #5 Peter Davison (pictured left 2005/1980) is returning to the series next year.

It is still unclear if Davison will be reprising his role as the Doctor in a multiple Doctor story or if he will be guest-starring in some other capacity.

Either way, fans have been wanting to see the previous actors return to the New Series in some way since 2005.

I even heard a rumor in 2006 that Paul McGann or Sylvester McCoy (the source wasn’t a fan so he just kept saying, ‘Nah, the last TV guy’) was set to return in a CGI-enhanced flashback at one point. The manner in which Doctor Who new and old is thrown together, anything is possible.

Actor Peter Davison was a mere 30 years old when he took over from Tom Baker back in 1980, making him the youngest actor to ever play the part. Embraced by fandom, Peter Davison was incredibly successful in the part and his adventures on DVD continue to fly off the rack (even lackluster adventures such as the recently released box set of Timeflight/Arc of Infinity).

Often frustrated in talking about his time on Doctor Who, Davison has been quoted as saying that he wishes he had been ten years older when he took on the part so that he had more skill and ability as an actor.

Maybe he’ll get his wish too!

Marvel Zombie Attack!

I just realized that I’ve been giving lots of attention to the Distinguished Competition lately and have decided to fix that.

A lifelong Marvel Zombie (that’s what the editors called us, so that’s what I call me too), at one time in the late 80’s I collected roughly 11-13 titles (including the odd never seen since titles such as Strange Tales, Strikeforce Morituri, and Stalkers) , all published by Marvel. I’m still not sure how I could afford this and how I avoided all the Spider-Man titles.

Since that time, I’ve explored the other side of the street and now my weekly pull is mainly DC titles. Still, a large part of me will always be a card-carrying member of the Mighty Marvel Marching Society and in this post I will let you know about some very nice additions to your collection that you might not have.

Marvel Animated Features have been releasing straight to DVD cartoon films for a few years now with a roaring success. Their first attempt, the Ultimate Avengers – The Movie, practically flew off the shelves on release day and was quickly followed by a sequel featuring Black Panther, Ultimate Avengers 2 and the Invincible Iron Man film.

Marvel continues their foray into the DVD line with Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme. Like the other cartoon films, this one chronicles the decline of surgeon Stephen Strange, his search for himself in Tibet and the rise of the Sorcerer Supreme.

It’s a fun and innovative way to grab new readers in ways that the X-Men cartoon did in the 90’s and perhaps the 60’s cartoons back in the day.

The only problem here is that there are no Doctor Strange books to meet the need, should it arise, of Doctor Strange fans. If the viewer is unfortunate enough to enjoy the film and wants to read about this character, they can join the long line of disgruntled Doctor Strange fans who have been waiting for decades for a decent series.

I suppose in a pinch there are reprints, such as Essential Doctor Strange, Vol. 1 By Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

Why not an animated Defenders movie?

Oh… right… no comic series.

Captain America recently made the papers by being brutally murdered in a crossfire plot that is still being untangled in his monthly comic.

But the story that writer Ed Brubaker has been working on goes beyond just Captain America #25 and according to Brubaker has been planned all along.

I’ve written about my love for Captain America on a previous post, but Ed Brubaker and artists Steve Epting and Mike Perkins took the ailing comic series that had been revamped and handled by so many creators that many were bored simply by seeing another issue 1 on the stands.

It was their loss because the fifth turn at the bat hit a home run. A vibrant, relevant and beautifully drawn series, the stories collected in the Captain America by Ed Brubaker Omnibus, Vol. 1 take the character for such a wild ride that you’d think that Cap had only just been defrosted from WWII.

Using the premise that Captain America is working with SHIELD to fight the Global War on Terror, the series takes a distinct turn for the dark as Captain America’s most dangerous villain the Red Skull is assassinated and returns more powerful than ever. Captain America has to grapple with his past, hos love for Sharon Carter and even the strange and unexpected return of a friend thought long dead… never knowing who is secretly pulling the strings of a deadly trap that springs on both Captain America and the reader.

If you buy just one of the Ginormous Marvel Omnibus books this year, let it be this one.

Captain America by Ed Brubaker Omnibus, Vol. 1 collects Captain America #1-25, The Captain America 65th Anniversary Special and Winter Soldier: Winter Kills.

Or this one.

When I was just getting started in this comic book thing, I snuck into my brother’s room and read his Frank Miller Daredevil comics. The most masterfully crafted comics in the business, Marvel has packaged the issues that made the Mayor of Sin City who he is today a number of times.

Finally, those Frank Miller issues I read are collected in the gigantic Daredevil by Frank Miller & Klaus Janson Omnibus.

If you have heard of Daredevil (not the movie) or Frank Miller himself, but never read the issues… you are missing out. It was in these issues (not X-Men) that the angst and agony of the 90’s was born. As a wee teenager I read the issue where Matt Murdock’s enhanced senses told him that his Elektra was still very much alive, leading him to crawl through the snow-covered cemetery and embrace her cold headstone.

The incredibly drawn pages were so moving and emotive that many a fan sighed, ‘this would make a great movie.’

Oh well… it’s still a great comic.

Frank Miller and Klaus Janson took a comic book no one cared about and made it into the most talked about comic series of the early 80’s. Now is your chance to buy a brick of brilliance for that nice Pier One coffee table.

Recommended Reading/Viewing:

Ultimate Avengers – The Movie
Ultimate Avengers 2
Daredevil by Frank Miller & Klaus Janson Omnibus
Captain America by Ed Brubaker Omnibus, Vol. 1
Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme