Big changes on the way for Spider-Man?

Spider-Man 4

In an interview with my home state newspaper, the Boston Globe, the usually reserved and private Toby Maguire talked about his portrayal of Ben Parker’s favorite nephew in the much bally-hooed-though-we-know-nothing-yet film Spider-Man 4. As a side-note, I’ve noticed that Maguire is now referred to as being in the 4th but not 5th film, making me wonder if a recasting is imminent or even possible. I’ve also seen the name of the other contender for Peter Parker/Spider-Man from back in the day, Jake Gyllenhall, tossed around in recent months.

Do I really want to think of the possibility of a Clone Saga in the Spider-Man films?

In any case, Maguire went into detail about why he had to think long and hard before committing to a fourth film: “For me, it’s a big process to decide whether or not to do a role. . . . I have to want to wake up in the morning and feel like I can’t wait to get to work. I’ve got to feel OK about leaving my kids for 12 or 13 hours a day for five months. It’s a big commitment.’’

He closed the interview with statement that I could not agree with more: “Hopefully I’ll be able to evolve the character in a new direction,’’ he says. “He’ll still be Peter Parker, but I hope I can move him forward a bit and take him to a place where there will be new challenges for me as an actor.’’

The Spider-Man movies have made the character more popular and in the public consciousness since 1976 when he started appearing on lunch boxes and frisbees, making it possible to market a fourth film after the abysmal third. And even though fans and critics were not happy with the third outing, it still raked in quite a hefty sum for Sony Pictures.

To read the entire interview click here. It’s a very compelling look at Toby Maguire as an actor at an unusual stage in his life where he can carefully consider not only what film he will act in next, but if he even wants to.

Amazing Spider-Man

In his weekly open dialog with fans column at CBR.com, Editor-In-Chief discussed what is called ‘event fatigue’ in monthly comic books. This is directly connected, of course, to Marvel’s next major event ‘Siege’ (the tag line reads seven years in the making) which promises to wrap up stories begun previous to Civil War. He had a lot to say about what he means by using the term, stating that it related to the fatigue felt by creators as well as fans and then moved on to talking about Amazing Spider-Man, where he dropped an atom bomb of a statement.

Kiel Phegley: Since “Brand New Day” kicked off, there have been a few stated goals for the thrice-monthly “Amazing Spider-Man.” First, it was to reestablish single Peter and inject some new life into the property. Lately, you guys have been exploring a “phase two” with the return of several classic villains through this new “Gauntlet” storyline. Is there a “phase three” for “Brand New Day” on the way, and what would that look like?

Well, I think it’s pretty obvious that MJ is going to be back, so that’s going to open a whole new can of worms with respect to relationships the characters will have or won’t have. Should I even say the word “baby”? Should I use that word? I’ll just put that out there: Baby. Mary Jane. Baby. Mary Jane with a… yes, baby. I’ll stop there.

This could be just a ruse to get fans all in a fuss or it could be a step in the direction of not only re-introducing MJ to the romantic world of Peter Parker but also stepping it up a notch. Personally I’d love to see a web-spun Ergi baby pack in the title.

Dash Shaw reveals ‘The Unclothed Man’

A brilliant cartoonist, I first encountered Dash Shaw’s work in Meathaus. I had the opportunity to meet him briefly at MoCCA in New York a few years back when I was promoting my own project Zebramag.com and found him to be very amiable… and far younger than I. Drat. A graduate of the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, Shaw has been turning heads in the comic book world ever since. From webcomics to shorts to animation, he is an artist of many talents.

Currently working on several animation projects with IFC, Shaw is releasing a new book collecting his latest journey entitled ‘The Unclothed Man.’

He met with CBR’s Robot6 to discuss the upcoming release amongst other things. Here’s an excerpt:

“It [The Unclothed Man]has 80 pages (about 3/4ths of the book) of short stories, most of which originally appeared in Mome in a slightly different form. For example, “Making the Abyss” is printed in Unclothed in the correct order, and “The Galactic Funnels” has been tweaked in a few different ways. It also has an older (2005) story called “Cartooning Symbolia” that appeared in a few different places (on the internet, in a mini, in “Blurred Vision #1” and “Inguine Mah!”) but it’s printed here in color for the first time. “Blind Date 1” is in it. A new 12-page comic called “The Uncanny Reproduction” is in it.

“The first 24 pages of the book has storyboards and preproduction work from the “Unclothed Man in the 35th Century A.D.,” a series of animations I did for ifc.com that will debut in December when the book comes out. It was originally going to come out in November but the acetate dust covers for the book took longer than expected, so both the book and animations were delayed to December. Anyway, the first 24 pages are basically an “animation art book,” so it has backgrounds, a flip book, etc.

“This sounds like a bunch of random things, but it’s structured in a way that I think makes sense. It draws parallels between the animation work and the comics work.”

Tell me a little more about this animation project. How did you hook up with IFC? Is animation something you’ve always had an interest in?

“I’d previously done an advertisement for IFC Films, and the IFC documentary division did a short interview with me about Bottomless. I was at their office and showed ifc.com the animations I’d done for Bottomless and BodyWorld and the short story that Unclothed Man is based on, which originally appeared in the “Meathaus SOS” anthology. Based on that, they gave the series the green light.

“Comics and animation have always been parallel interests for me. When I was in middle school and high school, there was a lot of energy around anime and comics. I’d go to Otakon, for example, which is an anime/manga festival, and I was obsessed with the Japanese comic/animation industries, which feed off of each other more than in the States. I’ve always collected animation art books. Bruce Timm’s Batman: The Animated Series (and the book by Kidd/Timm about it) and Peter Chung’s Aeon Flux were definitely influences on BodyWorld. Bottomless had a lot of animation-inspired sequences, of actions broken down into multiple panels, and repeating-angle stuff, like how all of the scenes in the same location were usually from the same angle. Also, before that, I was using acetate to color comics in a way that combined how books like Batman: Year One were colored (with the acetate over a background painted sheet) and animation-style use of acetate (where you paint on the back of the acetate itself.) Anyway, I could go on but basically my answer is: Yes.”

Read the entire interview here.

Doctor Who 2010 DVD release schedule

Each year the folks at 2 Entertain plan out the most confusing line-up of Doctor Who DVD releases. The choices are so apparently random that at one time fans wondered if a dart was thrown at a board bearing all of the possibilities and the crew just went with wherever the dart landed.

The exception to this rule could be the first year of releases that saw Spearhead from Space from the Pertwee era, Robots of Death starring Tom Baker, Caves of Androzani with Peter Davison and the 20th Anniversary Special the Five Doctors. After that point we have seen Timelash and Timeflight released within months of each other… I barely survived that one-two punch.

2010 looks to be an odd sampling with lots of box sets demanding an unusually high commitment to buy the costly DVDs from fans. There are some real corkers in there (I’m a fan of the Space Museum and cannot wait to see the extras on the Chase DVD), and some painful duds such as the three-in-one Myths & Legends. I’m also confused as to why 2 Entertain went with Time and the Rani for McCoy when there are other options such as Greatest Show in the Galaxy available. I mean we just got Delta and the Bannermen! Go easy on us!!

In any case, here is the provisional list of upcoming release. For up to date information on the Doctor Who DVDs as well as a stunning view behind the scenes in their making, I highly recommend the Doctor Who Restoration Team website.

Doctor Who – Peladon Tales
(Curse/Monster of Peladon)
Doctor No. 3 – Jon Pertwee
Release Date: 04 January 2010

Doctor Who – Myths & Legends
(The Horns of Nimon/Time Monster/Underworld)
Doctor No. 3 – Jon Pertwee and Doctor No. 4 – Tom Baker
Release Date: 01 February 2010

Underworld trailer

Doctor Who – Masque of Mandragora
Doctor No. 4 – Tom Baker
Release Date: 08 February 2010

Doctor Who – Space Museum / The Chase
Doctor No.1 – William Hartnell
Release Date: 01 March 2010
The Chase trailer

Doctor Who – Time and The Rani
Doctor No. 7 – Sylvester McCoy
Release Date: 01 March 2010

Doctor Who – Kamelion Box
(The King’s Demon/Planet of Fire)
Doctor No. 5 – Peter Davison
Release Date: 07 June 2010

Doctor Who and the Waters of Mars

Doctor Who
2009 Special 2, ‘The Waters of Mars’
By Phil Ford and Russell T Davies

With The Waters of Mars raking in 9.1 million viewers, 88% of the total viewing figures on a Sunday night it would seem that this episode was a roaring success. For those living in the US, the special will premiere on BBC America (hopefully unedited) on 18 December. As such, if you are American and wish to remain in the dark on this one (and have avoided any spoilers up until now), read no further.

SPOILERS AHOY…

This could be the first time that a Doctor Who script bears recognition of head series writer Russell T Davies (RTD) as a contributer to a script. As head writer RTD has treated authors of the new series badly, in my opinion, demanding that they meet his demands as you would treat a flatmate filling a shopping list such as ‘Queen Victoria, Werewolf, and kung-fu monks.’ If the script left out any of his odd ideas it was either scrapped or rewritten. I believe this may be why Stephen Fry (rumored to contribute a script from series 1) has been noticeably absent and despite news that star David Tennant refused to work with her, the real reason why Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has not submitted a script for consideration. If I were either Rowling or Fry and there was the possibility that my script would be rewritten by RTD… I’d rather not participate.

Former Coronation Street and Bad Girls scribe Phil Ford also acted as head writer for the Sarah Jane Smith Adventures during its second season, so he and RTD have a bit of a history. The reason that I bring any of this up is that it’s unclear to me what parts of the script were submitted by Ford and what was written or rewritten by RTD… not that it really matters in the end.

What Ford brought to the screen I’m not sure as so many of RTD’s old ideas rear their ugly heads from the Doctor as a miraculous figure, a supporting cast of models and monsters without a backstory.

The story is in many ways an homage to the classic series as it involves a base under siege (something that the classic program presented ad nauseum) and an adventure set on another planet. It is very unclear to me what RTD’s relationship is to the classic series as he has openly attacked fans in interviews as being thick and unable to appreciate his stories yet he has also forced several classic monsters (such as the obscure Macra) and ideas (including U.N.I.T.) into the new program that it would seem he is struggling to attract an audience that he has already shunned. In any case, the special effects are passable but noticeably cheap.

The opening shot of the Mars base (named Bowie Base One) looked like a process shot right out of the 1960′s… and not in a good way. The monsters were a noble attempt in some ways to present what I have often applauded the new series for, introducing new ideas, but they are very goofy and make very little sense. Many classic monsters are also goofy and nonsensical, but their shortcomings are usually not stressed by the script that they first appear in. Much like emotional Cybermen in Earthshock, we are presented with ‘patient’ monsters who are presented as eager runners in one scene and casual strollers in another. Their main threat also seems to be their ability to spray water everywhere and overcome the atmospheric integrity of the base. Was this a thinly veiled message to the space program that ‘air tight does not equal water tight’? And does it? I’m still not sure.

A monster that multiplies its threat via infection is already a very dated concept and will most likely be viewed in the future as we view the ‘red menace’ plot ideas from the 1950′s are today. Additionally, the script is full of flowery prose that attempts to make something as pedestrian as water terrifying, with Tennant delivering the icey line ‘water can wait’ as if I should shudder the next time I visit the tap. The monsters themselves seem to be able to sprint quite well when we first see them yet the script reminds us moodily that ‘water is patient.’ Presumably water is also inconsistent and far from patient, it just cooperates with the demands of the script.

The name-drop of the Ice Warriors was intended, I am sure, to sate viewers of the classic series who had heard rumblings of the Martians returning for over two years now, but it was a hollow reference. The fact that the classic villains had unearthed something that they didn’t understand is only worth presenting if the writer understands what it was. The monster ends up being yet another mysterious threat that the Doctor dispatches (see Impossible Planet/Satan Pit, The Idiot’s Lantern, Midnight and more) and that is a sign of very bad writing. It transforms imaginative and intelligent science fiction into sub-standard children’s fantasy.

The super soaker... of death!

RTD and Ford present the viewer with a moral dilemma in that the Doctor has arrived at what he defines as a ‘fixed point’ in time, meaning that whatever happens has cemented in place as a necessary event. It also seems to imply lots of death. The fact that the previous ‘fixed point’ was the destruction of Pompeii (name-dropped in this story) and that the Doctor openly interfered with that event is very puzzling. I’m guessing that the rules are clear to the Doctor but not to the writers. Again, this is a very interesting idea and cements into a place a kind of ‘prime directive’ that the Doctor must abide by… in addition to a very compelling turn of events… but I’ll get to that in a moment.

The cast is made up of the usual bizarre mix of skilled TV actors and plank-like pretty faces. Honestly, what is the deal with the robot controller guy and renowned model-who-thinks-she-can-act Gemma Chan? However we do have Peter O’Brien and Lindsay Duncan who attempt (along with Tennant’s help) to do the ‘heavy lifting’ of the episode. They are so good that it almost works. However, the familiar gremlins of poor writing and an atrocious score team up with the aforementioned lousy supporting cast to undo what could be a stand -out episode.

Guys, it's just a light rain.

One of the other major culprits to this episode’s success is the insistence on presenting online news feeds to convey events. Not only does this show zero belief in Tennant’s acting ability and the audience’s intelligence but it also breaks up any kind of suspense that the story is attempting to present. After the Doctor’s face whitens as he realizes when and where he is I can figure out that something bads is going to happen. The inclusion of the first ‘news flash’ moment is unwanted… several additional such moments are positively obnoxious and belabor the point. Director Grahame Harper has given Whovians several stand-out episodes both in the new and classic series but faced with an inferior script and an apparent lack of budget (we saw lots of black empty hallways and the same gasworks from Voyage of the Damned), the end result is very uneven. The inclusion of ‘funny robot’ Gadget was not only stupid but entirely unnecessary as it added nothing to the plot. I have nothing against quirky characters but they need to be given space to develop. Gadget was a one-off joke, and a poor one at that.

I will say that having the Doctor suddenly realize that he need not obey the laws of time as he is the only surviving Timelord was a very provocative idea. I had often explained to friends that the ‘laws of time’ are more like laws of traffic than observed laws of science… but apparently I was wrong. Despite the Doctor’s burst of egotism and downright hubris he cannot change what has occurred in the timeline. Unfortunately, the Doctor’s ‘realization’ is accompanied by an embarrassing performance from Tennant and over the top music, even by Murray Gold’s usual obnoxious standard. It was a valiant attempt at introducing something new to the program as well as furthering Doctor No. 10′s journey but in the end it got lost in translation due to the low expectations that the program has on the audience’s ability to comprehend basic ideas.

The plot-thread of preserving Adelaide Brooke’s influence over space travel could have been an interesting one if the script did not hammer it home every chance that it got. In itself it’s a great idea but the execution treats the viewer as if s/he has some kind of short-term memory disorder. To prove my point, the program re-enacts a flash-back rather than relying on the acting ability of Tennant and Duncan. The short sequence of the child actress seeing a Dalek is completely unnecessary unless it used the murderous pepper pots in some way. Having the Doctor not only cite her as significant to the whole if creation including a chance encounter with a Dalek, but profess love to Adelaide Brooke was entirely over-the-top. The only real pay-off to this plot is that Adelaide kills herself in the end to ‘preserve the timeline’ however that makes no sense as she was regaled as a hero for making a noble sacrifice in space. Putting a ray gun to her head in her home on Earth is not exactly going to inspire anyone to do much of anything useful… and exactly how did the populace react to three people spontaneously travelling from Mars to Earth?

Instead of Adelaide, why not instead have space exploration start due to Ed Gold’s noble sacrifice made while exploding the escape craft while he was still on board? That would also fit in with Adelaide’s argument that the Doctor doesn’t get to decide who ‘the little people’ are. It would also justify Gold’s begrudging statements of envy during the episode, giving a reason behind his statement that his boss never let him live up to his full potential.

So in the end, this was an improvement on the previous special ‘Planet of the Dead’ but that doesn’t make it a stunner. There are several great ideas in this one but they fail to live up to their potential, making this yet another adventure that misses the mark..

Is Hawkeye the bowman headed for the big screen?

The rumor mill on these Marvel Entertainment projects keeps on-a-turning. The latest is that the wise-cracking archer Hawkeye may be seen in the Mighty Thor film. This is especially strange as the rumor that Hawkeye would appear in Iron Man 2 has already surfaced, alongside the Black Widow.

Actor Jeremy Renner and Hawkeye drawn by Oliver Copiel

The Playlist is reporting that in the latest issue of Empire (the article isn’t online), actor Jeremy Renner (last seen in The Hurt Locker) says he has been talking with Marvel about playing the character of Hawkeye in Kenneth Branagh’s Thor.

He simply says: “Hawkeye could be interesting. They’re going to send me some stuff on it, see what it is. But I think they’re pretty awesome, trying to make superhero movies almost plausible and not just some fantasy thing.”

Read more

Like many Marvel comic book characters, Hawkeye began his adventuring career as a villain. Starting off as a marksman at a carnival, Clint Barton grew annoyed that the crowds were more impressed with the exploits of the masked men popping up all over. Not to be out-done, Barton constructed a quiver of customized arrows allowing him to perform nearly any feat imaginable. Donning a costume that even he described as ‘cornball,’ Barton took the name Hawkeye and took to the streets looking for crimes to stop. On his first case he was caught with the loot that he had rescued from a pair of jewel thieves and labeled a criminal. His second outing was no better as the seductive and manipulative Black Widow conned him into attacking Iron Man.

In time, Hawkeye sought to clear his name by becoming an Avenger alongside Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch as well as team leader Captain America. Often called ‘Cap’s Kooky Quartet,’ the misfit team is a testament to teamwork that the Avengers became known for. It also challenged the writers to come up with more interesting plots and villains to challenge the bizarre team.

Regardless of which movie Hawkeye turns up in, I am hoping that he ranks high on the priority of the Avengers flick. If anyone epitomizes that Avengers at all (after Captain America), it’s Hawkeye.

(Click here for more on Hawkeye)

Thor movie plot leaked

WorstPreviews.com just announced today that there is a massive leak of the upcoming Thor movie from Marvel Entertainment. This will be the third of Marvel’s motion picture deals to be controlled exclusively by ME without studio interference (the other two being Iron Man 1 and the unreleased Iron Man 2). To be honest, this spoiler leak reads like fan fiction as it is more or less identical to the basis of Avengers #1… aside from one key plot point.

If true, the Thor movie could be an almost direct adaptation from comic book page to screen… but we’ll have to wait and see. The leak below is for the plot only, but still contains spoilers that could hamper your enjoyment of the film.

So you have been warned…

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD:

In “Thor,” Loki – Odin’s (Anthony Hopkins) adopted son and Thor’s adopted brother – kills Odin to take over the throne. He then casts out Thor to Earth.

Thor lands in a desert, and is immediately ran over by a PhD cosmology student (Natalie Portman) and her Norwegian professor (Stellan Skarsgard), who were on their way to study a strange cloud in the cosmos. When they realize that Thor is who he says he is, Skarsgard’s character, who has grown up with Norse mythology, can’t quite deal with it and goes out on a drinking binge.

And even though we see Thor on Earth, AICN has confirmed that his alter-ego Donald Blake will not make an appearance.

The script closes with a 5-page battle, showing off Thor’s and Loki’s different fighting styles. Thor being very much about raw strength, while Loki being much more about motion, grace and intelligence. The closing battle will be the first thing that director Kenneth Branagh will film.

Apparently Thor will handle Loki, but will not kill him, since Loki goes on to be one of, if not the key bad guy in “The Avengers” movie.

In the first 20 minutes of the new film, Loki brainwashes Bruce Banner to gain control of the Hulk for his own evil deeds. When the green monster goes on a rampage, Thor, Iron Man and Captain America are forced to assemble.

Source: AICN, ComicBookResources

Read more.

This is all very interesting but greatly contradicts the story that has been told all along that almost the entire film would take place on Asgard with only the conclusion set on Earth. Additionally, the casting announcement from Variety this week of Thor’s human vessel/alter ego Donald Blake begs the question… what’s going on? If there is no Donald Blake, why is there a Jane Foster?

Check out this reality check from Screenrant.com:

From what we’ve been told all along about the Thor movie, it would entirely take place in the mystical Asgardian realm, with only a tiny part of the movie (likely at the end of the film) taking place on Earth.

This has seemingly been the obvious scenario, especially with the plethora of casting decisions made for Asgardian characters in recent weeks including Odin, The Warriors Three and Heimdall.

Strangely enough however, Variety’s article on Tuesday about a recent cast addition (more on that below) contained a sentence reporting that the story of the Thor movie “centers on a partly disabled med student who discovers his Norse god alter ego, the hammer-swinging Thor.”

For those unfamiliar with the comics, this med student goes by the name of Donald Blake who’s Thor’s other identity. Why or how? Well, Thor’s farther Odin wanted to have his son, the God of Thunder, to learn humility and thereby puts Thor into the body of Donald Blake as an act of punishment for his reckless behavior. Odin places Thor in the body of Blake who suffers from a lame leg and Thor acquires his memories while losing his own of being a god prior to this event.

So while it may be obvious that Donald Blake will be included, or at least introduced, in the Thor movie – especially with the fact that Natalie Portman is playing a nurse of Blake’s and his love interest – It may not be the case. Hercules at Ain’t It Cool News may have found otherwise. From Hercules’s post:

“Variety’s assertion contradicted some of what we’ve heard, so we contacted a 100% tested and solid source, someone intimately familiar with the movie Kenneth Branagh is making, and he or she tells AICN Donald Blake is definitely NOT in the movie.”

That’s strange. Does that mean when Thor reaches or enters our realm, he is only Thor? Then what are Natalie Portman and Kat Dennings’ roles for and how will they interact with the title character? I’m not sure I buy that Blake isn’t in the movie at all but if he isn’t, I’m curious in how the character will be handled when he’s banished to Earth and meets our human characters.

More here

Don’t yield, back S.H.I.E.L.D.

Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

In 1965, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced an unusual take on an espionage agency led by former WWII soldier Nick Fury. Named S.H.I.E.L.D. (Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division), the organization debuted as co-star of Strange Tales with Doctor Strange the Sorcerer Supreme. S.H.I.E.L.D. was made up of gun-toting daredevils willing to lay down their lives in defense of world peace. From jetpacks to flying roadsters and massive doomsday devices, S.H.I.E.L.D. fought the forces of Hydra on a monthly basis… until their dissolution last year. S.H.I.E.L.D. was often presented as having extensive intelligence resources in addition to cutting edge weapons design. As such, they were the presiding global police force as spectacular and stunning as the superhuman community… until their dissolution by Norman Osborn.

Rising bullpen writer Jonathan Hickman (of Secret Warriors fame) and Dustin Weaver, artist of X-Men: Legacy have recently announced a new monthly title focused on S.H.I.E.L.D. and its importance to the structure and development of the Marvel Universe. Hickman had already developed a name for himself in the independent comic book scene with the critically acclaimed Nightly News. A brilliant writer, Hickman is unique in the modern comic book scene as he has not only a seemingly limitless supply of ideas but also a magnificent grasp of character. His take on Marvel’s Fantastic Four has been gathering support as bringing the series to the level of greatness that it deserves. A third monthly from Hickman may be stretching the author a bit thin, but I have to confess after hearing his pitch that it sounds like a great comic.

For readers of Hickman’s Secret Warriors, the influence of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been hinted to stretch back to ancient history. The struggle for supremacy over the free world has been waged by Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. for generations on end, and now it will be revealed.

“We jump back through time and see the first alien invasion that happens on the planet. I’m not talking about the Celestials or any of that stuff. This is more along the lines of a straight up, ‘humans repel alien invaders’ event that happens. We see what gets born out of that, how it transforms society, and how that evolves through the history of man,” Hickman revealed. “We start our flashbacks in the third dynasty of ancient Egypt with a man called Imhotep. He’s considered the world’s first polymath, which is another word for what’s commonly referred to as a ‘Renaissance man’. We never state this in ‘Shield,’ but that kind of becomes the requirement for somebody to be part of the organization. That’s the type of men and women that the Shield is looking for. It’s only natural that Renaissance men big guns, like da Vinci and Galileo, feature and feature prominently”

“I would say our main cast is around eight to ten characters. Very early on, we’re introduced to Nathaniel Richards, the father of Mr. Fantastic, Reed Richards, and Howard Stark, the father of Iron Man, Tony Stark. The young man I talked about above is named Leonid. He’s the Eternal Dynamo… the great engine of the human machine. He represents progress, the advance of society and all that other cool stuff,” Hickman said. “There’s also a guy called The Night Machine who is the opposite of Golden Age Renaissance heroes like da Vinci, Michaelangelo, and Galileo. We’ll see the dark dreams of Nostradamus and we’ll unflinchingly answer the long-standing question of whether Isaac Newton was the first man of the age of reason or the last of the magicians. And, hey, why be boring… let’s stick a Celestial, Galactus, and the Brood in the first issue and see what happens.”

“This series is operating on what is roughly a 7,000 year time line, and that’s exactly how I like things. In fact, this book is probably the perfect synthesis of all my indy and Marvel work to date. I think it’s easily the best thing I’ve ever done. It just feels right,” Hickman said. “Everyone at Marvel, and all my friends that have gotten early looks, really seem to dig the book. And honestly, even if you think I’m an idiot and can’t write worth a damn, you should check out this book just for Dustin Weaver. He makes murdering trees for print a holy and righteous thing.”

Shield premieres April 2010.

Recommended:
MARVEL MASTERWORKS NICK FURY Vol 1
Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Classic Marvel Figurine Collection Magazine #51 Nick Fury (51)

Hiro Kala – Son of Hulk’s adventure comes to an end?

Hiro Kala, Son of Hulk

A character first introduced by Planet Hulk scribe Greg Pak, Hiro Kala has reigned over the Son of Hulk series after the previous lead Skaar departed for the renumbered Incredible Hulk series. Debuting in a series of back-up stories, Hiro Kala is as tormented and tortured as Banner or Skaar.

A slave liberated by Axeman Bone as a kind of protege, Hiro Kala had become obsessed with finding the Old Power as a way to escape the weaknesses that made him a whipping boy since his youth. After the destruction of Sakaar at the hands of Galactus (thanks, Skaar), Hiro Kala lays claim to the legacy of the Hulk. Leading the shattered remains of his people, he swears to Galactus’ face that he will avenge the destruction of his homeworld… to the face of the ‘eater of worlds.’

The Planet Hulk story line introduced not just new ideas but a new lease on life for the ailing Hulk comic book. While hardly anyone in comics could be bothered to talk about the character before Planet Hulk, after its run there have been one-shots and spin-offs in addition to three monthly Hulk comics… all of which are top sellers. While some may cry foul that Marvel is egging the pudding by introducing so much Hulk so quickly, you have to admit that old green jeans has not had this level of press since the Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno TV program.

Creator of the Wolverine: Origin story and the Sentry, writer Paul Jenkins has written the Son of Hulk series with Hiro Kala as the lead character since issue 13. As of today, the series will close. Since the solicitation for a ‘Seige’ one-shot shows Hiro Kala as still kicking around, I am betting that the cancellation of the Son of Hulk series is merely a formality to make room for the ‘Fall of Hulks’ and ‘War of the Hulks’ crossovers starting very shortly and that next year we will see more of this character. Jenkins met with CBR.com to discuss his approach to the series and his thoughts on its closure on issue 17.

“I wasn’t sure if it was my kind of material at first, to be quite honest,” the writer explained of his initial reaction to the idea of writing a Skaar-less “Son of Hulk.” “I like to call my own shots about the stories I write. And then [editor Mark Panniccia] tells me this idea that it could be the other son [who the series follows], and I was a bit more intrigued. Then we had this discussion about whether there could be this thing we did with Hiro-Kala that really turned the character around and turned people’s perception of Galactus around and that whole mythology. And then I was really sold. Within this ten-minute conversation with Mark, I was really enthusiastic about it. At that point, I said, ‘Now I can write a story I really want to write.’”

“Galactus is addicted to the Old Power. So he’s basically a crackhead. He’s eaten a planet with Old Power cocaine in it, and it flips him out. He goes out into the universe as this real destructive force of nature, devouring everything ahead of him because he wants as many Old Power planets as he can have. He does it to Hiro-Kala’s planet first, and Hiro-Kala looks him in the eye and says, ‘I’m going to take you out.’

“We always get into this overly big story – who’s the biggest? Who’s the strongest? Who can beat up Galactus this time? Like, we get Spider-Man beating up Galactus. But this story turns [Hulk's son] into a force of nature and sees if a tiny dude like Hiro-Kala could literally make him pay.”

“The very thing we set up is supposed to tie right back into the event. When I started writing it, it wasn’t intended to, but once we wrote the scripts up and everybody could see it, they said, ‘We’ve got to bring this right back in.’ I never really planned for this thing. I just wanted to set Hiro-Kala up so people could see who he becomes. But he’s also useful to the event and the future of the Hulk universe.”

So it looks like what we have seen so far is just a prelude to a much larger story to come in 2010. In case you missed them, a collection of the Hiro Kala stories is hitting the shelves in January. Issue 17 arrives at comic book shops today.

The Champions (1968-69)

A popular series from ITC (who also brought us the Prisoner, the Saint, Man in a Suitcase and Randall and Hopkirk Deceased) starred the stalwart actors Stuart Damon, Alexandra Bastedo and William Gaunt as agents of an intelligence and espionage organization called Nemesis. Monty Berman and Dennis Spooner (the creators of Department S and Jason King) brought their remarkable creative skills to this series making it as thrilling as it is accessible.

Dennis Spooner’s name may also  look familiar to Doctor Who viewers as he penned the memorable Hartnell-era stories The Romans ands The Myth Makers.

It is also worth noting that the Champions is one of the first mainstream television productions that presented super-powered individuals without the use of tights. The ‘super abilities’ moments were achieved with minimal direction and camera work, retaining a believable amount of dignity to the program.

During a mission to Tibet, ace pilot Craig Stirling (Stuart Damon), expert code breaker Richard Barrett (William Gaunt), and gifted scientist Sharron Macready (Alexandra Bastedo) run into some trouble. After obtaining a biological weapon from a Red Chinese laboratory, the trio attempt to make their escape via passenger plane. Things go from bad to worse as the plane crashes but not before establishing that this is the first operation uniting all three specialists. While Stirling is bold yet distant Barret is softer and more amiable in addition to concerned over why Sharron has joined them on this mission. This allows Sharron a brief opportunity to explain that while she is a brilliant biochemist she is also a recently widowed one and seems lost in the world. Working as an agent of Nemesis gives her purpose, it seems.

Alexandra Bastedo, Stuart Damon and William Gaunt: The Champions

Stirling attempts to land the doomed craft as carefully as possible yet a crash into the Himalayan mountain range seems quite fatal… or so it would be if not for the timely arrival of a strange old man. Stirling has an odd experience that seems to imply some kind of experimental and super-science surgery knitting his wounds with golden thread. He awakens in the wreck not only whole but refreshed and vibrant. Both Barret and Sharron are similarly whole and lively. As the three individuals discuss their next move, Barret decides to cut out and try his luck on his own. With no hard feelings, Sharron and Stirling go their own way. In time they are reunited and discover that they have a very strong kind of telepathy that bonds them together. In addition to psychic ability and regenerative capacity to quickly heal all wounds, Barret finds that they also possess exemplary strength and agility.

The trio return to their employer vowing to never speak of their change (partly as Sterling reminds them that it sounds far too unbelievable to be understood) and also to use their abilities to keep the world safe from international criminals. Plots are very similar to those seen in Department S and other ITC productions, with guest stars appearing to be very similar as well, including the impeccable Peter Wyndgarde in the episode called ‘The Invisible Man.’

The concept of an advanced yet secret society in the Himalayas can be found in everything from the Shadow to the pulp comics of Atlas from the 1930′s. It is so abstract and dated an idea that it comes across as mystical and somehow innocent in its power. In one sequence the old man can be seen watching Barret attempt a dangerous climb and he seems genuinely concerned for the young man’s safety. What secret society does the old man represent and what purpose does granting the three agents serve? The Champions have little to no understanding as to why they have been granted a second chance at life, let alone their superb abilities. Yet much like characters in classic comic books, they feel compelled to use their powers to help protect others.

The series lasted only thirty episodes screened over two years but had a major impact on the viewing public, quickly becoming a cult hit. Much of the success can be laid at the feet of the performers, all three of whom are incredibly charismatic (and in the case of Alexandra Bastedo, stunning to look at). Stuart Damon in particular plays the part of hard as nails Craig Sterling so well that he overwhelms the viewer with macho-attitude.

Grand though Damon and Batedo are, I have to say that my favorite actor in the series is Gaunt as the soft-spoken Barret. He is so outstanding an actor that he ends up supporting his co-stars with an almost invisible level of aplomb. Unable to recall what BBC program I knew him from, I was stunned to realize that he was in fact the fallen knight turned mercenary Orcini from the Doctor Who adventure ‘Revelation of the Daleks.’

William Gaunt as Orcini in Dr Who

After the series wrapped up only Stuart Damon achieved an even larger cult icon status thanks to a role in the US soap opera General Hospital. So great was his popularity that it caused reruns of the Champions to appear in syndication. Later, an omnibus-style videotape adventure was released combining two episodes into a film.

Rumors have circulated for some time of a feature film revival of the Champions with everyone from Brad Pitt to Tom Cruise mentioned as stars. Most recently, Hellboy director Guillermo del Toro was rumored to produce with Usual Suspects screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie as writer. Since last year, no word has surfaced. If any pairing could breath some respectable life into this project, they certainly have a shot.

Yet even if the revival never surfaces, there remains an exciting and uniquely intelligent action-adventure series that we can all enjoy.

Happy Birthday, Doctor Who (46 years old today)

November 23, 1963 saw what was to be the beginning of a national treasure for the BBC, Doctor Who. The premiere episode was repeated November 30th due to the assassination of American President John F. Kennedy, yet many viewers saw the first story entitled ‘An Unearthly Child’ regardless. A family program that was intended to educate as well as entertain, Sydney Newman, David Whittaker and Verity Lambert created something very new that cold autumn night.

Cast in the starring role was the somewhat unlikely character actor William Hartnell, up until then known for playing military roles. Hartnell was said to have embodied the role and often treated co-star Carol Anne Ford as if she were the young child she portrayed on television. An irascible type of man, Hartnell was also quite warm and caring toward those close to him. Devoted to the role of the Doctor and the success of Doctor Who, he acted as ambassador for the series during his run on the program and even returned ten years later for the Three Doctors.

The supporting cast consisted of the Doctor’s ‘granddaughter’ Susan played by newcomer Carol Ann Ford and her two nosey teacher who followed her home only to discover that she lived in what appeared to be a box in the middle of a junkyard. Playing the part of my personal favorite companion Ian Chesterton was heroic leading man William Russell. Already a household name from the Adventures of Sir Lancelot, playing the part of a school teacher must have seemed odd until the adventures arrived demanding that the unassuming Ian rise to the challenge and play the role of champion. The third yet certainly not least supporting actress was Jacqueline Hill who lent her talents to the dynamic and determined Barbara Wright. A strikingly attractive woman and actress of some caliber, the addition of Hill to the series was a major boon and created a kind of triumvirate of heavyweight actors presiding over the first two years of the series. Carol Ann Ford certainly made an impact with the strange and alienesque Susan who seemed to have a deeper understanding than she let on. Sadly the part changed mid-series and she was granted screaming parts as the writers possibly realized that her character was perhaps too challenging for the audience.

The opening episode remains one of the most unusual artifacts of television that I have seen. The sequence where the Doctor encounters Ian and Barbara in the junkyard is chilling and unsettling as the teachers begin to worry that perhaps this strange man has trapped Susan somehow. Since the Doctor is obviously hiding something from the two teachers, the mystery combined with Hartnell’s portrayal of the Doctor as tetchy and annoyed lends a positively sinister air to the moment. What follows is the intrusion into the TARDIS as Susan attempts to protect her well-meaning mentors from her grandfather’s anger. Frustrated by the invasion of his privacy, the Doctor reveals nearly all of his secrets to the duo, telling them of his alien origins and how insignificant humans are in his view. Vowing to never release them, the Doctor watches with glee as the teachers attempt to control the TARDIS to no avail. Finally, the ship takes flight and the rest is history.

The initial moment of the TARDIS interior is so stupefying that it needs to be seen to be believed. Viewers are used to it now, but back in the day the idea that the Doctor’s craft is somehow bigger on the inside than out was a shocker.

What followed is of course known to all, 26 years of programming. Not all of the 155 stories transmitted were corkers but the program attempted so much and excelled so well that it holds the rank of the most ambitious science fiction program on television. The sheer variety of stories has always attracted me to Doctor Who. What other program could present a story involving the Daleks playing the part of servants on a moon base in Earth’s future one week and an adventure set in 18th Century Scotland the following week? Given the wide variety of stories and characters, it is also unique for having a fanbase that can be so polarized from each other. With eleven actors now playing the lead role, there as many supporters of one era as there are detractors to another.

Matt Smith, Doctor #11

A constantly changing program that often reflects the times it is filmed in, Doctor Who will embark on its latest experimental season next Spring when Matt Smith arrives as Doctor #11. The youngest actor to play the part, Smith is a far cry from the crotchety Hartnell who introduced the character of the mysterious time traveler 46 years ago.

And why not?