Writer Dan Slott takes Spider-Man into the Big Time

(cover image by Marko Djurdjevic)

The Spider-Man brain trust was present at the 2010 San Diego International Comic Con to bring readers in the loop for the coming year. Since the announcement of Brand New Day back in 2007, the readers of Amazing Spider-Man have been bombarded with change as the series shifted from shipping once to three times a month with both a new cast of characters and a return of some faces that had not been seen in ages. As is the case with any experiment, it has had its supporters and detractors. Editor-in-chief Joe Quesada has often regarded Marvel as a passionate company and sees no reason why its readers should be any less passionate in their response. ‘We’re like the Sicilians of the comic book world,’ he had joked.

You either love what Marvel does with its comics or you hate them for it. As for myself, I have been on two minds on the status of Spider-Man over the last few years. The Brand New Day status quot shift has brought some fantastic creators to the book telling exciting and compelling stories as well as some tales that I could have done without. At three times a month, I’ve been willing to take the good with the bad. This October, all of that will change as the Amazing Spider-Man shifts to shipping twice monthly with one writer, the great Dan Slott.

When asked which writers at Marvel ‘get it,’ Slott’s name is usually on the tip of most Marvel readers’ tongues. The writer of the fan favorite Thing and She-Hulk series, Slott’s scripting is superb and combines humor, action and an impeccable sense of continuity into great books. Assigning Slott to the Spider-Man series after the upcoming ‘One Moment in Time’ and ‘Origin of the Species’ is huge news as it will no doubt increase the popularity of the title. Just like the recent announcement regarding Jeff Parker and Garbriel Hardman taking over the Hulk, Slott on Spider-Man makes my inner fan very very happy. The current bullpen is a remarkable pool of talent with Jonathan Hickman on the Fantastic Four, Andy Diggle on Daredevil, Jason Aaron on Wolverine, Ed Brubaker on Captain America, Matt Fraction on Thor and Fred Van Lente on Iron Man: Legacy.

ComicBookResources was on the spot to report on all of the excitement headed for the Amazing Spider-Man in the months to come:

“Spider-Man is on the run,” the writer elaborated. “He has something very important to the Osborn family and the entire world. There is not a moment where he’s not under attack and there’s not a moment he can rest. You’ll see why Spider-Man is the greatest hero in the universe.”

“Origin of the Species” marks the grand finale of the Brand New Day epic first launched in “The Amazing Spider-Man” #546. The panelists praised the work of BND contributors Slott, Bob Gale, Fred Van Lente, Joe Kelly, Mark Waid, Marc Guggenheim, Joe Caramagna, Zeb Wells and Steve Wacker. But where one chapter closes, a new one begins in the form of “Big Time,” the new October-launching “Spider-Man” status quo courtesy of Slott and a trio of rotating artists in Humberto Ramos, Marcos Martin and Stefano Caselli.

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In announcing “Big Time,” Slott and his colleagues showed off some new teaser art from the new era of “Spider-Man” books, including Spider-Man wearing a Fantastic Four uniform, a never-before-seen black and neon green Spider-suit, and Spidey battling it out with a newly designed Scorpion — and yes, Mac Gargan is back as Scorpion, leaving fans to wonder what’s going to happen to the Venom symbiote.

“As much as I’ve had a great time working with the Spider-Man team, at this point, I’m doing Spidey by myself,” Slott said of “Big Time,” which ships twice every month and features 30 pages of material with every issue. Issues will occasionally feature eight-page backup features as part of those 30 pages, though Slott will frequently use all 30 pages for the main story. In “Big Time,” Parker finds himself on a new, as-yet-revealed career path that promises to showcase “all of the wonderful gifts” he has to offer the world outside of his Spider-Man abilities.

(Read the entire article including news on the upcoming Osborn mini-series and the new Spider-Girl ongoing here.)

Seeing as how Parker’s journalist career is over, I am hoping that Slott will be exploring the web spinner’s scientific brilliance, a facet of the character that is often forgotten. The images that were previewed at Comic Con have my scratching my head wondering what they are all about. I’m looking forward to finding out the many answers in the months to come.

The Four Doctors

Doctor Who – adventures in time, space and sound

When Doctor Who was on its hiatus in 1985, Whovians were greeted with a somewhat unusual surprise, the Doctor on the radio.  To actually hear the current Doctor (Colin Baker) on the air in a brand new story was a special thrill. The benefits of radio are many for Doctor Who, including the lack of monetary restrictions and the leap in imagination of both the listener and creators.

When Doctor Who was canceled in 1989, it expanded into a range of novels from Virgin Publishing. Further developing many of the key ideas that producer Andrew Cartmel, writers Marc Platt and Ben Aaronovitch has sought to explore in the 1990 series with Sylvester McCoy, the New Adventures book series was wildly popular and allowed fans to continue to enjoy their favorite Timelord. The book series also had an off-shoot of several adventures featuring past Doctors in addition to the seventh Doctor (McCoy). Jon Pertwee, Doctor No. 3, had reprised his part in the Paradise of Death and the Ghosts of N Space in the late 1990′s shortly before his death, proving that the radio drama version of Doctor Who could be very successful.

In 1999, Doctor Who underwent yet another foray into new realms of media as Big Finish Productions released their first Doctor Who audio adventure, the Sirens of Time. Bringing back several actors from the Classic Doctor Who series and some new voices as well (such as David Tennant and Mark Gatiss), the audio range has exploded into a tidal wave of CD releases.

To date, 136 separate audio adventures have been released featuring Classic Doctor Who actors, and that is not counting the four series of Doctor No. 8 adventures, Dalek Empire, the Bernice Summerfield adventures, the Companion Chronicles or the many many other spin-off series. Honestly, it’s an overwhelming body of work!

In addition to Who, Big Finish Productions have also released audio releases of other programs such as Dark Shadows; The Tomorrow People; Sapphire & Steel; The Adventures of Luther Arkwright; Stargate; Robin Hood; Highlander and even Jago and Lightfoot from Doctor Who and the Talons of Weng Chiang.

News is bubbling over on the production of one of the most eagerly awaited Big Finish productions to date, the Four Doctors. Uniting Doctors No. 5-8 (Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann) in an adventure against the malevolent Daleks, it could be every fan’s dream. While some may recall that these actors have teamed up in a previous adventure, Zagreus, it was as aspects of Doctor No. 8′s mind rather than their particular Doctors.

The catch? This story is only available to subscribers. In fact, there are no plans to release the audio adventure for non-subscribers… ever.

So if you are a fan of Classic Doctor Who and yearn for more of your favorite actors in the parts you remember them best in, subscribe today!

Also available:

Doctor Who: The New Audio Adventures: The Inside Story

The Eighth Doctor Collection (Doctor Who)

Masters of War (Doctor Who: Unbound)

Legend of the Cybermen (Doctor Who)

Zagreus (Doctor Who)

The Sirens of Time (Doctor Who)

Thor movie trailer leaked

Marvel Entertainment presented fans with a brief glimpse of their upcoming Thor film at last week’s San Diego Comic Con. As was the case last year, bootleg copies of eagerly anticipated trailers have made it onto youtube only to be removed a short time later.

That said, here’s the trailer while it lasts (note that there is no sound)…

Different full trailer with sound here.

Movie details:

Director: Kenneth Branagh
Thor: Chris Hemsworth
Odin : Anthony Hopkins
Jane Foster: Natalie Portman
Loki: Tim Hiddleston

Thor battles Loki in this feature film concept image

After nearly starting a war with the Frost Giants, the young and brash god of thunder, Thor (played by Chris Hemsworth), is exiled to Earth by his father the powerful Odin (played by Anthony Hopkins) to learn humility. While on Earth Thor meets the beautiful Jane Foster (played by Natalie Portman) and falls in love while in far away Asgard his evil half brother Loki (played by stage actor Tim Hiddleston ) plots a scheme that could threaten life on both worlds involving the most powerful Asgardian weapon ever made, the Destroyer (shown in the trailer as an armored giant attacking S.H.I.E.L.D. agents).

The film will act as a bridge between the Hulk movie, both Iron Man films, and the upcoming Captain America motion picture. In the trailer, agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. can be seen from the Iron Man movie, for instance. All four characters will unite in the 2012 Avengers movie.

Release date: May 6, 2011.

Shade the Changing Man returns to test John Constantine’s sanity

The Vertigo Jam may be old, but it is still worth a taste

Back in the early days of Vertigo, before Neil Gaiman was a pop icon, Peter Milligan wrote a monthly title centered on an obscure Steve Ditko creation, Shade the Changing Man. An alien who used madness as an energy source, the previous Shade comic from the 70′s was typical of Ditko’s work, equal parts brilliant and absurd wrapped within the idiom of a superhero. Milligan approached the character from a different angle altogether, that of a tortured novelist seeing his life portrayed in comic book form.

As it took shape, several oddball comics fell under the umbrella DC imprint Vertigo. Shade the Changing Man was a cult hit, not as popular as Sandman nor was it as long-lasting in appeal as Doom Patrol, but certainly more worthwhile than the Swamp Thing comics that were out at the time. The comic was very poetic and angst-ridden. Often it felt more like reading a friend’s diary than a monthly comic and then one day it was gone.

Recently, Milligan has taken the reigns of Hellblazer, easily the longest running Vertigo comic on the stands, not to be confused with the movie Constantine. Since his Vertigo days, Milligan has flowered and mutated into a different breed of creator, taking his hand to X-Men, the Punisher, even Elektra. A return to the realm of Vertigo must feel just as warmly awkward for him as it does for readers. More awkward still is the recent announcement that Shade the Changing Man has returned to comics, teaming up with John Constantine for a trip to Shade’s home planet to find his fiancee.

If all of this sounds insane, that’s because it is. Milligan spoke with ComicBookResources.com about getting married and losing your mind… as if they were two different things.

Why do you feel Constantine is ready to get married? Is it because, unlike most comic book characters, Constantine actually ages, or it a simple case of it just being time?

It’s not just age, but with age his attitude to life might have changed a little. I’m not sure if Constantine – or anyone else – is actually ever consciously “ready” to get married. A big part of him is amazed that he’s thinking of doing such a thing. Why he’s doing this, and why he’s doing this with this particular young woman is the subject of the next storyline. As usual with these things, there is no one easy, pat answer. The human heart is a complex organ. John Constantine’s heart is more complex – and dark – than most.

Shade, The Changing Man is a character you have a long history writing, and lately, he has played a major role in the series. Have you enjoyed returning to the character and what is it about him that works so well opposite Constantine?

I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve also enjoyed having to re-read some of the old Shade stories, most of which are being republished right now. The character is great because he’s flawed and over-sensitive. Sometimes you don’t know whether you want to slap him or kiss him. And his strange “powers of madness” allow you to do some really interesting and rich psychologically stuff, to really dig into his soul and turn it inside out.

He’s also a great foil for Constantine, who though possessing his own kind of madness magic is in most ways the polar opposite of Shade.

Do you have future plans for Shade, and/or will he continue playing a role in the series?

He’s appearing in the “Bloody Carnations” storyline but I don’t have concrete plans to give him an ongoing role.

Once this whole wedding thing is sorted, what’s ahead for Constantine, specifically after the conclusion of “Bloody Carnations?”

If he manages to get married – there are forces in Hell who don’t want him to – the first thing he needs to do is get his thumb sorted out. Or his lack of one thumb. How does a man like Constantine go about finding a new thumb?

How about waiting at an infamous accident black-spot so he can nip in and slice off a casualty’s digit before the emergency services arrive?

The good news is that the Shade series, a comic that is notoriously difficult to track down, is finally being released on trade paperback, allowing those not in the know (or like myself, those who sold their collection long ago) to find out why this comic is perhaps the most important modern sequential series that they never heard of. Imagine if Gaiman’s Sandman were a well-kept secret and you get the idea.

Mad ideas, fantastic characters and the unbelievably mad artwork of Chris Bachalo and Jamie Hewlett… what more could one ask for?

Recommended:

Buy Shade the Changing Man: The American Scream

Buy Shade, The Changing Man Vol. 2: Edge of Vision

Buy Shade the Changing Man Vol. 3: Scream Time

Buy John Constantine Hellblazer: Scab

Batman: Under the Red Hood DVD review

In a change of pace, I am co-reviewing the Batman: Under the Red Hood DVD with Gary Miller (make sure to bookmark his blog, http://delusionalhonesty.blogspot.com, by the way).
Please note that while Gary and I tried our best to keep our comments spoiler-free there may be some surprises, so be warned.

Daily P.O.P.: In 1983, Jason Todd was introduced as the new Robin. Nearly a carbon copy of the first Robin, Dick Grayson, Todd was very unpopular with fans. Presented with the opportunity to recreate the character in the wake of the timeline-changing event Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC recast Todd as a wild, rebellious teen who charged head first into danger. In 1988, Jason Todd was brutally murdered and blown to pieces by the Joker and the reading public of Batman, who paid for each vote needed to kill him. In 2005, “Under the Hood” continued the story of Batman’s loss in a very unique way.

Judd Winick’s “Under The Hood” was equal parts brilliant and unreadable. The marks against it came about from crossovers that broke the narrative flow, and an overpriced special issue that explained the mystery that was raised in nearly every issue of the story in the Batman title.

Gary: That’s right. I remember the Superboy reality-altering punch that allowed Jason to be brought back. (Say what?) Jason’s whole return stemmed from an issue of Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee’s “Hush” storyline in which Clayface disguised himself as an older Jason Todd and fought Batman before being found out. He was never, ever intended to really be Jason, but they retconned it so it was. (Don’t ask.)

DP: “Under the Hood” sought to connect the many story beats that lay between 1983 and 2005, a daunting task that sadly resulted in a character that DC Editorial has no real purpose for. Winick’s story has always troubled me because it took up a nearly impossible task and it never got a fair deal. When he pitched the idea to Bruce Timm as an animated feature, it was another chance to tell his story as he wanted to.

Yesterday, the finished product, an animated feature film called Under the Red Hood, written by Winick, was released. It fixes many of the problems that I had with the comic and retains the emotional impact and thrilling action from the printed version. Neither a direct adaptation of the comic nor a continuation of the award-winning animated series universe, it is quite jarring to connect emotionally and logically to the continuity of the story. I knew going into this film that was going to be a problem. A similar challenge faced the animation team with the adaptation of Superman/Doomsday and that proved to be a near disaster. In this case, however, the project was an astounding success… That said, the challenges were many.

Gary: First, I have to say, this definitely wasn’t Batman: TAS.

DP: No, the level of violence was striking in this overall. Something that may startle fans of the cartoon world. From the Black Mask to the Joker and the duffle bag full of severed heads.

Gary: I liked the leaner, meaner version of the story that showed up in this film. It was stripped down to its essence, and at the same time, there was a surprising amount of nuance to the plot. I don’t think the history was hard to follow at all. You had the Joker, Ra’s Al Ghul, and even the Riddler as part of the backstory, which included quick and dirty flashbacks to the sagas that influenced the storyline. The flashbacks weren’t so long they took you out of the story, which was a definite plus. The only clunky bit of the story I could see was the bit involving Dick Grayson, the original Robin who’d since taken up the mantle of Nightwing. To have him involved in the story from the beginning gave the illusion that he was still Batman’s partner, that somehow after Jason’s death, he’d taken on this other costumed identity and returned to Batman’s side to fight crime. As anyone reading the comics knows, they may help each other on occasion, but they are definitely their own people.

DP: I agree on the Nightwing bit. Not only that, but the character was superfluous. Even the script recognized this! All those scenes where Nightwing realizes there s no reason for him to be there except to act as an audience to Batman.

Gary: That point echoes the DVD’s documentary on Dick Grayson, which suggested the original impetus for the creation of Robin was to have someone to whom Batman could explain his detective work.

DP: True. It really bugged me (nerd horns showing) that much of the artwork in that doc was of Tim Drake. But it was very revealing to show how so many creators (from Bill Finger to Len Wein, Denny O’Neil and even Winick) had vastly different opinions on what function Robin served. The story of Jason Todd, the second Robin, is different in many ways to the training of Dick Grayson, the first Robin. Todd is full of anger and hatred, making him nearly untrainable in the ways of Batman’s ethics. We are presented with several sequences that show Todd crossing the line while Batman watches powerless to intercede. This is used so well to explore just what Batman is doing in his fight against crime as the Red Hood, a vigilante who has no qualms about crossing the line that separates hero and villain.

Gary: Conceivably I can see the point of including Nightwing–you have to have him in the narrative to show the good soldier Batman helped create and shape, to contrast the bad soldier, where Batman had erred. But the Ra’s Al Ghul flashback muddies the waters in suggesting that, when Jason was brought back, he wasn’t all there. Hence, he may not have made the same choice to be the Red Hood or a similar villainous character had he not died.

DP: It basically excuses his actions. Just like Johns provided an out for Hal Jordan by saying he was possessed by Parallax. In this case, Todd was overcome by the Lazarus Pit’s influence. I like the idea (primarily because it is so much more logical than the comic), but it gets a little muddled toward the end of the film when Red Hood points out he may have ended up the same way if he hadn’t died at all.

Gary: I like the Jason Todd character. I remember reading “A Death in the Family” back in the late 1980s around the time of the first “Batman” movie. I thought that, thematically, the story of Jason’s return was solid. In the comics, it broke down in the details because of DC’s overbearing continuity. Here, in Batman: Under the Red Hood, the lack of continuity restraints and the direction of one writer fulfill the story’s original promise.

DP: The film seemed to understand the narrative path of the character moreso than the comic (something that the interviews with the creators made very evident as they could not agree why Robin existed at all). It was very satisfying.

Gary: I was eating the dialogue up, especially in the climactic Jason/Batman scene. “I’m talking about him, just him. And doing it because….because he took me away from you.”

DP: Yeah, all the pieces of that emotional story were in Winick’s comic more or less but it just gels better in the film. One thing I walked away from in regards to the comic that I didn’t find in the film was that Batman sees himself mainly as a warden, looking after the crazies of Gotham. Jason Todd sees the crooks as a problem that needs to be solved. Batman’s approach is nearly infantile in comparison. But of course Todd is deeply deeply scarred and full of righteous rage at the criminal element. Batman seems to think that he can afford to be more intellectual.

Gary: In the film, Jason’s twisted logic is interesting to watch–becoming a crimelord to solve the crime problem. “Someone will always be in charge of crime in Gotham, so it might as well be me.”

DP: Right, it puts Batman in his place too. Bruce is shown as being conflicted and tormented in that last scene. By contrast, Todd is directed and sure. Even the Joker seems to have a better grasp on the situation. The bit where he is overjoyed that all three of them are due to get blown up is brilliant.

Gary: This film revels in the moral grays, and that’s a good thing.

Given our accolades about the story, I’m still not sure how wise it was to have Judd Winick, the original writer of the “Under the Hood” storyline that resurrected Jason, write the animated version of the storyline. While it affords a certain similarity to the comics version to have the comics writer convert his own tale, it may have ultimately served the story better to have someone unaffiliated with the original work penning the script.

DP: Or at least heavily edit the story, remove the Amazo and Nightwing sequences entirely.

Gary: Right. Now, I’m not saying the script was bad–quite the opposite, since I really did find the film enjoyable–but there were obviously pieces of the narrative the original writer was too close to. Yes, the Amazo and Nightwing sequences were largely superfluous. (There’s that word again.)

DP: At the same time, streamlining “A Death in the Family” into “Under the Hood” by making it a collaboration between Ra’s Al Ghul and the Joker worked wonders for the story. Todd was trained by the League of Assassins in the comic, wasn’t he? Didn’t he just get up out of his grave and wander over to Ra’s’ place?

Gary: Something like that. Winick had to take a lot of liberties with “A Death in the Family,” but I think all of them were to the benefit of the story. Even as nonsensical as Ra’s Al Ghul allying himself with the psychopathic Joker is, it still clears the clutter and is presented well.

DP: It’s incredibly odd that two characters ally themselves with the Joker and both get burned, isn’t it? Doesn’t anyone check his references??

Gary: Heh, really!

DP: How about the voice cast? The voice acting cast is brand new to the Batman mythology, something that I am forced to concede does take the viewer out of the experience. I agree with Warner Bros. that different voices can be used for these classic heroes but we have to face the fact that Kevin Conroy IS the voice of Batman.

The Joker pushes Batman to the brink of unrestrained violence in “Batman: Under the Red Hood”

Gary: Bruce Greenwood was a serviceable Batman, smart and savvy, having to play the part of the father figure, pleased at his “son” Nightwing, unsettled by his perceived failures of his other “son,” Jason.

DP: Yeah, I like Greenwood a lot, but it took a while to get used to his voice.

GM: I really liked Jensen Ackles as the Red Hood. He has a natural attitude that I’ve seen in his TV roles that translates well to the angst of Jason Todd.

DP: Yes, it wasn’t an easy character to convey. I think he did very well. He was both chilling and charismatic, and his voice blended into the film effortlessly.

Gary: DiMaggio’s Joker seemed to have been inspired by Heath Ledger’s Joker to a substantial degree, but there was enough of the comics’ Joker in there to make it different.

The Joker in “Batman: Under the Red Hood”

DP: DiMaggio as the Joker really stole the show for me. DiMaggio (of “Futurama” fame) brought so much life to a character that in his animated form had (for me) become boring and predictable. I have to admit that most of the time I had no idea what he was going to say next! Personally, and i may get pelted by online tomatoes for saying this, I am tired of Mark Hamill’s Joker. DiMaggio brought the character back for me.

Gary: Oh, I’m right there with you about Hamill. The Joker’s theatrics in the comics had faded by the mid-1980s as result of Moore’s “The Killing Joke.” No reason to keep them around here. (An interesting continuity note: Judd Winick did include an homage to “The Killing Joke” with the reference to multiple criminals assuming the Red Hood’s identity over the years. Great!)

DP: Yes, that was a clever nod to the comic.

Gary: Perhaps the biggest name in the voice cast, Neil Patrick Harris (of “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” and TV’s “How I Met Your Mother”) seemed to be the weakest link as Nightwing. He didn’t do badly, but I don’t think he did anything to especially distinguish himself in the role. It may have been the limitations of the script, but maybe not.

DP: I agree that Neil Patrick Harris was unimpressive. Poor dialog, little reason for the character to be there and his tone was very distracting too. His sense of humor eventually won me over, but it was a hard road. That said, I really enjoyed Neil Patrick Harris as the Flash in New Frontier.

As I have noted in other releases, especially Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, the animation is superb. Never have the fight sequences and chase scenes through Gotham City’s towering edifices been so well portrayed. These are images that have been drawn and animated many times over, making them very difficult to appear new and interesting but Under the Red Hood accomplishes this easily.

I have to admit that when I learned of yet another Batman animated movie scheduled for release, I inwardly groaned. The character has saturated the market for decades, what more could said? Batman: Under The Red Hood proved me wrong (happily). This has to be the finest animated Batman story I have seen in a very long time, perhaps ever and that is high accolades from this reviewer. I think that this release will go over quite well with fans of the cartoon and comics, as well as anyone who remembers liking the 90′s animated series and gets wrapped up in the impulse buy.

Gary: I’m inclined to agree. I’ve already watched it twice, and it just improves. Absolutely terrific work all around by WB Animation this time out.

DP: Grab a copy today.

Buy Batman Under the Hood on DVD today!

Animated Shorts of the DC Universe

Back in the day, when Bruce Timm and company were riding high on the success of the critically acclaimed Batman the Animated Series, they were planning to develop a new weekly animated series that would closely resemble the Showcase Presents anthology comics from their childhood. Teaming up an established hero with a relatively unknown or obscure character, the series would see the Question and other heroes debut in animated form. This concept was shelved as the Justice League cartoon went into production, but crept back in through the Justice League Unlimited model years later as the more popular members of the team made way for adventures that focused on Vigilante, the Question, Green Arrow and the Huntress. These episodes served to break up the over-arching storyline that was written through the entire series and involved the big seven heroes; Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash, Martian Manhunter and Hawkgirl. Everyone got what they wanted, it would seem.

More recently, the straight to DVD market has proven successful enough to include additional material, short 10-minute featurettes centering the action on relatively obscure heroes.

To be released on November 9th is an eagerly awaited collection of animated short films:

Green Arrow and Black Canary

“Green Arrow” by Greg Weisman; “The Spectre,” by Steve Niles; “Jonah Hex” by Joe Lansdale and a 22 minute-long special length short “Superman/Shazam! The Return of Black Adam.” While the first three shorts have already been released on Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths and Batman: Under the Red Hood and the Green Arrow short will be an extra on the upcoming Superman/Batman: Apocalypse DVD, the last short is unique for this collection.
Comic book fans love Batman and Superman, but there is a unique thrill at seeing third-tier creations such as Blue Beetle or the Creeper in animated form. At the recent San Diego Comic Con, it was revealed that the animation arm of DC Entertainment is interested in further developing these shorts and this collection is a surefire way to test the market to see if they can stand on their own.

Aquaman

Responding the relative lack of animated representation of Aquaman, the SDCC2010 panel could only confirm that the Aquaman family would be very present in the Young Justice animated series to debut this Fall on the Cartoon Network. Young Justice boasts a Justice League of America team 16 members strong, so chances are fan favorites will be in there somewhere!

Personally, I am waiting on an animated Aquaman film that shows similar dedication to the source material as the Green Lantern: First Flight and Wonder Woman animated projects. Apparently, such a film is not in production yet, but after the very vocal support at the San Diego Comic Con, that situation may have changed!

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse

Batman: Under the Red Hood on DVD today

Official press release:

The Red Hood

“Batman: Under the Red Hood” is available everywhere today, July 27.

The eighth entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movies is being distributed by Warner Home Video. The film screened to a packed house of 4,250 fans at the recently concluded Comic-Con International in San Diego.

Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, “Batman: Under the Red Hood” is available as a Special Edition version on Blu-Ray™ and 2-disc DVD, as well as being available on single disc DVD, On Demand and for Download.

In the film, Batman faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. And when The Joker falls in the balance between the two forces of justice, hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened.

For more information, images and updates, please visit the film’s official website at www.BatmanRedHood.com.

Buy Batman Under the Hood on DVD today!

Green Lantern shines brightly at SDCC10

In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan.

Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. But Hal is clearly the missing piece to the puzzle, and along with his determination and willpower, he has one thing no member of the Corps has ever had: humanity.

With the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), if Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Parallax … he will become the greatest Green Lantern of all.

____________________________________________________________________________

At the 2010 San Diego International Comic Con, Chief Creative Office and comic book writer extraordinaire Geoff Johns confirmed that the upcoming Green Lantern will decide the fate of the DC Universe motion picture franchise. This no doubt surprised many who hoped for revelations on the Wonder Woman, Flash and Justice League of America films, but it is understandable. DC Entertainment is not looking to run before it can walk and the emerald gladiator’s feature film debut is a large enough  gamble as it is.  With half of the world outside of the Comic Con itself only just learning who Green Lantern is, the other half is in deep meditation hoping that their iconic hero is not ruined by the Martin Campbell film.

(click here for previous posts on the Green Lantern film)

Attendees were treated to a short trailer showing several CGI green constructs and moments of discovery as Hal Jordan makes the journey from a test pilot out of his depths to superhero. Additionally, Peter Sarsgaard was briefly seen in his monstrous Hector Hammond (one of two main villains in the film) makeup.- click here to read who Hector Hammond is.

At the 2010 San Diego Comic Con, posters were revealed featuring Ryan Reynolds (Hal Jordan/Green Lantern), Blake Lively (Jordan’s love interest Carol Ferris and future supervillain Star Sapphire), Mark Strong (Sinestro, Jordan’s mentor who becomes his main opponent) and Peter Sarsgaard (the mutated evil super genius Hector Hammond). Currently, it is theorized that Reynolds, Lively and Strong will further develop their characters in future films and that Peter Sarsgaard’s Hammond will be influenced by the evil Parallax, a force that will return in greater power in subsequent films.

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As a heroic lead, Ryan Reynolds cited Han Solo and Chuck Yeager as his influences, both of which fit the bill for test pilot Hal Jordan, the man who knows no fear.  The notion of courage and fear will play heavily into the movie as Jordan mourns the loss of his father, also a test pilot who is seen dying in a fiery plane crash at the film’s opening. Jordan will have to not only acknowledge his fear but also overcome it as he makes his heroic journey. This fits very closely into the character as written by Johns, perhaps showing that the comic scribe was so closely involved in the GL Movie. The demonic creature Parallax (click here to read all about Parallax) that is imprisoned in the Green Lantern central power battery and thrives on fear will also feature in the movie.

His recently revealed costume turned many heads, impressing some and upsetting others, Campbell assured fans that the costume as seen on the Entertainment Weekly cover is a ‘work in progress.’  In general, I am very happy with the appointment of Campbell (director of the recent Bond reboot, Casino Royale), but one statement rubs me the wrong way:  ”The tone is light. It has a lot of humor, but I think the relationships between all the characters are very real. We try to keep the action very real. … It’s my first superhero movie — unless you count James Bond.” I understand that this will not be Dark Knight… but I live in fear of light-hearted comedic moments in comic book movies.

The Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic police force of various creatures from across space is intended to wow audiences and cause several GL fans to happily check off empty slots in their notebooks of Corpsmen from the comics. Kilowog, Tomar-Re, Salaak, Boodikka, Bzzt, and Green Man have all been confirmed to appear at one point or another.

The plan to further develop the Green Lantern film into possibly two sequels was firmly established as Blake Lively spoke gladly that Carol Ferris saves the cocksure Jordan on several occasions and would love to ‘kick his butt,’ leading up to her Ferris becoming the villain-ess Star Sapphire. Mark Strong (Sinestro) was also told that his character would grown in importance later on but chose to play the red-skinned mentor to his utmost. Fans of the comic acknowledge Sinestro as GL’s chief antagonist, a villain that was rewritten to be Hal Jordan’s confident and teacher when he first joined the Corps.

Angela Basset has also been cast as Amanda Waller, the head of the Suicide Squad (a group now familiar to fans of Smallville). DC Entertainment has had its share of difficulty in developing a JLA film and as a compromise has shown great interest in developing the Suicide Squad (a group of supervillains working as a black ops team for the US government) for the big screen. A Suicide Squad video game has also been announced.

All of these little touches and homages to the comic book’s continuity could work to the film’s benefit or to its detriment, depending on how they are played out. If the first film is a flop, however, it will spell certain doom not only for Green Lantern’s planned trilogy but also future motion pictures that would flesh out the DC Universe with movies adapting the scarlet speedster the Flash and the amazon princess Wonder Woman.

Green Lantern currently has a release date of June 17, 2011.

Recommended:

Buy 'Green Lantern Book 1: No Fear'

Buy 'Green Lantern Vol. 2: Revenge of the Green Lanterns'

Buy 'Absolute Green Lantern: Rebirth'

Buy Green Lantern: First Flight

New releases 7/27/10

For the complete list of this week’s comics, click here.

Not sure where your local comic shop is? Try comicshoplocator.com!

(note: all information including ad copy is from the publisher)

If you can’t make it to the shop, just click on any of the images below to be taken to an online retailer. I don’t get any referrals for these sales, I’m just doing my bit to spread the word on some neat products.

The Marvels Project

Marvels Project Birth Of Super Heroes

By: Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting
The centerpiece of Marvel’s 70th Anniversary celebration! Who is the mysterious old man who lies on his deathbed in a hospital in 1939, and how does his passing mark the beginning of the first heroic age of the Marvel Universe – and signal the rise of the superhumans?Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting unveil the defining story of the origin of the Marvel Universe, revealing the hidden connections that unite the earliest costumed champions, and whose reverberations are felt dramatically into the present day! It’s a world on the brink of war, and the race is on to create the world’s first super-soldier! Witness the first days of the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner and many more – how they shaped the world to come, and how the future they would create in turn shaped them!

The must-read event of the season for any Marvel fan from the Award-Winning creators who redefined Captain America for the modern audience!

This title collects
THE MARVELS PROJECT #1-8
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Nick Fury Shield ID Set Prop Replica

Nick Fury Shield ID Set Prop Replica
Now you can flash the badge that gives Nick Fury access to everywhere on the planet in the hit Marvel Studios movies! Packaged in a display box with custom S.H.I.E.L.D. logo on the top, this genuine leather wallet features metal reinforcing to help it keep its shape, and two authentic, plastic S.H.I.E.L.D. I.D. cards – one Nick Fury’s I.D., the other blank so you too can be an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.! The permanently fixed S.H.I.E.L.D. badge is cast of solid metal like you’d expect to find from and official secret government agency! You deserve to control the Avengers don’t you?
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Flash #4

Flash #4
By: Geoff Johns, Francis Manapul
The original Captain Boomerang returns as BRIGHTEST DAY continues. Meanwhile, Barry must prove his innocence to the Renegades, cops from the 25th century. Discover what connection they have to the Rogues and what travesties have occurred in the future.
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Call of Cthulhu Lcg: Murmurs of Evil Asylum Pack

FFGCT35 Murmurs of Evil Asylum Pack Call of Cthulhu LCG by Fantasy Flight Games

Erin Morai, a troubled but dedicated biology student, found herself strangely attracted to Tyler Scindere… which is why she agreed to follow him in the first place. Now, lured into darkness, will she retain her composure, and her very sanity, long enough to save herself?

Murmurs of Evil, the second Asylum Pack in The Yuggoth Contract cycle, is a fixed 60 card Asylum Pack that contains 20 different never-before-seen cards based on the dark mythos of master horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, designed to augment existing decks and add variety to the Call of Cthulhu metagame.

This is not a stand-alone deck; you must have additional Call of Cthulhu LCG cards to play.
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Uncanny X-Men #526

Uncanny X-Men #526
‘THE FIVE LIGHTS’ After the events of SECOND COMING, the X-Men’s world has changed. We can’t tell you much without spoiling the crossover, but here are some words to whet your appetite: Hope, Emma, Namor, Sebastian Shaw.

Classic X-Men artist Whilce Portacio is back again for this story-arc of epic proportions!
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Lees Toy Review #212 Jul 2010

Lees Toy Review #212 Jul 2010
New products for summer 2010 will be reviewed, plus market reports to keep you updated on the newest toy trends. Also, in the ‘Lee’s Guide to Collecting’ installment, Vintage Star Wars ’77-’85 variation guide. Plus, vintage toy reviews, McFarlane’s sports picks, G.I. Joe, Transformers, Teen Titans, and much, much more.
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Showcase Presents Sgt Rock Vol. 03

Showcase Presents Sgt Rock Vol. 03
By: Robert Kanigher, Joe Kubert
War is hell – and no one knows that better than Sgt. Rock and Easy Company. Collecting stories from OUR ARMY AT WAR #149-163, 165-172 and 174-180.
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Superman: Whatever Happened To Man Of Tomorrow

Superman: Whatever Happened To Man Of Tomorrow
By: Alan Moore, Curt Swan, Dave Gibbons, George Perez, Kurt Schaffenberger, Murphy Anderson, Rick Vetch, Al Williamson, Brian Bolland
Legendary writer Alan Moore’s seminal Superman issues are collected in this title featuring beautiful art from Curt Swan (ACTION COMICS), Dave Gibbons (WATCHMEN), and Rick Veitch (SWAMP THING)! Collects the two-part ‘Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?’ from SUPERMAN #423 and ACTION COMICS #583 as Superman faces his greatest foes and his final battle! Also featuring the classic story ‘For the Man Who Has Everything’ from ACTION COMICS ANNUAL #11, in which Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman fight the evil warlord Mongul for the fate of The Man of Steel, and DC COMICS PRESENTS #85, in which Superman meets Swamp Thing.
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X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga

X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga
By: Chris Claremont, John Byrne
When the Dark Phoenix rises, suns grow cold and universes die!

Gathered by Charles Xavier, the X-Men have dedicated their wondrous abilities to protect mankind – even those who hate and fear them. Now, these incredible individuals embark on an adventure that will span the expanse of the cosmos. One of their own, Jean Grey, has unwittingly attained power beyond conception – and been corrupted, absolutely. The X-Men must decide: Is the life of the woman they cherish worth the existence of an entire universe?

This title collects
X-MEN #129-138, CLASSIC X-MEN #43, BIZARRE ADVENTURES #27, PHOENIX: THE UNTOLD STORY and WHAT IF? (1977) #27
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Green Lantern #56

Green Lantern #56
By: Geoff Johns, Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy
BRIGHTEST DAY shines on as the mystery of the White Lantern piques the curiosity of Hector Hammond.

The bizarre telekinetic escapes his prison cell and sets his sights on one being – Larfleeze! Plus, Hal Jordan begins unlocking the secret behind who took Parallax during BLACKEST NIGHT!
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Green Lantern Corps #50

Green Lantern Corps #50
By: Tony Bedard, Adrian Syaf, Vincente Cifuentes
BRIGHTEST DAY burns on as Cyborg-Superman returns!

You won’t believe how far he’ll go to secure his sinister new secret agenda. Plus, Green Lantern Ganthet has made a clandestine deal with Atrocitus.

What is it and why might it spell doom for the Green Lantern Corps? The Emerald Warriors might have survived the BLACKEST NIGHT just in time for a great evil to rise!
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Buck Rogers Vintage Men's T-shirt

Buck Rogers Vintage Men’s T-shirt
Dark Horse is proud to introduce a stunning line of officially licensed Buck Rogers accessories, produced by our friends at Retro-a-go-go for the modern space traveler! We bring you four stylish Buck Rogers T-shirts, in both men’s and women’s sizes, to be worn by distinguished and brave fashion explorers!
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Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep: Dust To Dust #3 (of 8)

Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep: Dust To Dust #3 of 8
By: Chris Roberson, Robert Adler, Trevor Hairsine, Benjamin Carre
Who hunted androids before Rick Deckard? Two men: Malcolm Reed, a ‘special’ human with the power to feel others’ emotions, and Charlie Victor who’s the perfect man for the job – or is he?

Don’t miss this third issue of the science fiction milestone that fleshes out Philip K. Dick’s world and Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?’s mythology!
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Secret Avengers #3

Secret Avengers #3
By: Ed Brubaker, Mike Deodato, Marko Djurdjevic
What hides in the depths of the red planet? How does it link to the Shadow Empire lurking behind the scenes in America for nearly 150 years? And will our heroes be able to save one of their own? The Secret Avengers duo Ed Brubaker and Mike Deodato bring the action.
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Secret Warriors Vol. 03: Wake Beast

Secret Warriors Vol. 03: Wake Beast
By: Johnathan Hickman, Stefano Caselli, Jim Cheung
One month later Nick Fury’s got an army. Hydra goes to war. Leviathan reveals itself. Things heat up and Young Gun Stefano Caselli returns to knock it out of the park!Also, the long-awaited origin of the mysterious HIVE, and we finally find out who the father of STONEWALL is.

This title collects
SECRET WARRIORS #11-16
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Doc Savage Double Novel Vol. 39

Doc Savage Double Novel Vol. 39
By: Lester Dent
Thrill to the legendary pulp exploits of DC Comics’ newest superstar as the Man of Bronze returns in two thrill-packed novels by Lester Dent writing as ‘Kenneth Robeson.’First, Patricia Savage’s disappearance in the Bermuda Triangle leads the Man of Bronze to ‘Poison Island’ to rescue his beautiful cousin and recover stolen gold. Then, Doc Savage returns to Hidalgo’s Valley of the Vanished, the locale of his first adventure, to help Princess Monja defeat a criminal cabal attempting to loot Mayan treasure.

This classic pulp reprint showcases the original color pulp covers by Emery Clarke, Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations, and historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of seven Doc Savage novels.
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Shadow Double Novel Vol. 40

Shadow Double Novel Vol. 40
By: Walter Gibson, Maxwell Grant
‘Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!’The 80th anniversary of The Shadow’s radio debut is celebrated with two special novels by Walter Gibson writing as ‘Maxwell Grant,’ plus a lost radio thriller. First, a locked room murder and the theft of a priceless diamond set the Knight of Darkness on the trail of the infamous supercrook known as The Jackdaw in ‘The Crime Clinic,’ a rare 1933 pulp thriller that was adapted to The Shadow radio series! Then, The Shadow hunts an infamous master criminal who leaves mystical ‘Cards of Death’ at his murder sites.

Plus, ‘The Red Macaw,’ a radio script by Edward Hale Bierstadt from Orson Welles’ second outing as The Shadow! This instant collector’s item features both classic pulp covers by George Rozen, the original interior illustrations by Tom Lovell and Edd Cartier, and commentary by popular-culture historians Anthony Tollin and Will Murray.

Parker and Hardman take over Hulk monthly series

Jeff Parker and Gabriel Hardman, the men behind the critically acclaimed cult hit series Agents of Atlas,  have officially confirmed as the new Hulk creative team. Starting with issue #26, Parker and Hardman will be taking the comic to new heights of greatness the character so richly deserves.

Cover to Hulk #26

In the past three years, the team of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness have attracted the attention of new and dedicated readers with their Red Hulk story line that further developed into World War Hulks. This was of course a continuation of the popularity that the previous writer Greg Pak had with his own Planet Hulk and World War Hulk series. I had written a ways back about how Parker was the ideal choice for a successor to Pak and Loeb and that given his creative skills and established knack for writing the Hulk, he would make the ideal choice.

(click here to read ‘Who should replace Jeph Loeb on the Hulk?’)

My voice has certainly not been the only one supporting the demand that Parker take over writing duties. Our own King Hulk Marco has been very vocal in his claim that Parker was the man for the job. Regular poster to this blog Zeno has also been a staunch supporter of this view and both are decidedly devoted Hulk fans. Parker has already won over a very dedicated Hulk fanbase, so it can only be onwards and upwards from here!

Jeff Parker recently talked to Newsarama about his plans for the upcoming run and the revelation that General Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross/Red Hulk would be joining the Avengers:

Newsarama: Much of Jeph Loeb’s run was about the Red Hulk’s origin, the mystery of his identity, and establishing him as a character. It looks like your run is going to be about what’s next for the Red Hulk now that he’s out there in the world. What’s your “take” on this Hulk? Is he a villain or a hero? (Thus far, he’s been pretty hard to pin down on any type of traditional moral spectrum.)

Jeff Parker: Jeph left Red with the same kind of feel Banner’s Hulk had in the 1960′s — an air of unpredictability. He could be a horrible menace, he could be trying to help, no one can see, it’s a case by case situation. And I think that’s what you want, a Hulk makes a fantastic wildcard.

Nrama: What can you tell us about some of the conflicts he’ll be facing? It sounds like readers might see him against some Marvel heroes soon.

Parker: His first trials are all fallout from the Intelligencia’s recent actions. The Leader and M.O.D.O.K. left a contingency plan to start up in a month if they hadn’t checked in on their networks at the regularly appointed time. The program is called “Scorched Earth,” and it implements all the plans they had amassed over the years and deemed too dangerous to use. But with the scenario of both of them falling, then no one could have the world.

A lot of this is the chickens coming home to roost. Red took a lot of liberties and crossed a lot of lines, and it’s coming back to him in a big way. And there are heroes who are ready to dish out some payback.

Nrama: There are a lot of Hulk or Hulk-esque characters roaming around Marvel Comics right now, though it isn’t publicly known at this point how many will be left by the end of Hulk #24. Will we see someone like Bruce Banner early on in your run, or are you going to keep things separate for a while, to kind of let the Red Hulk stand on his own for a bit?

Parker: Bruce is still involved, but Big Red gets his own stage too. In many ways, the Hulk books still focus on the small core group they did at the beginning, like we also have A-Bomb backups (that’s who Rick Jones was transformed into) and he’ll give us the kind of Hulk we never see, one who actually enjoys what he is. Over the decades, a theme has emerged, that of becoming the thing you hate/love/fear- these characters who were at ground zero when Bruce Banner became the walking atom bomb have all gradually walked in his footsteps, but have become different kinds of monsters.

Nrama: How much of a positive is it to work on this new assignment with you’re already familiar with — your Atlas collaborator, Gabriel Hardman?

Parker: It’s incalculable. We’ve gotten our process worked out so thoroughly during Atlas that we can tackle big agendas without fear. I can describe the most preposterous visual you could think of, and Hardman can make it not just believable but a joy to look at. You can get caught up in his dynamism and not realize the subtle things he’s pulling off on every page. It all contributes to a very convincing, immersive whole. We go back and forth a lot to make sure a scene works, or a character comes to life. Maybe we’ll try to add in some process stuff to show how we work on something, because I think readers would find it interesting.

And thank goodness we also have Bettie Breitweiser joining again to color him. She adds a whole other level and a real energy to the books. It’s going to be beautiful.

There was a flurry of speculation just last month when solicitation text revealed that Parker and Hardman were taking over as the new creative team after Loeb left on issue 25 to no doubt take up his Marvel TV production duties. No sooner had it appeared the information disappeared. It was thought to be a database error and far too good to be true. Given that Parker and Hardman would have their hands full with the monthly Atlas book, it would also be very unlikely. The unfortunate cancellation of Atlas has apparently opened up that possibility and made it into an actuality.

Parker has shown himself to be an accomplished writer with a penchant for humor, a mastery of drama and a deep love for big action. Anyone who has picked up any of his collaborations with Gabriel Hardman can see that these scripts could not have been placed in better hands as the Atlas series was the most attractive major market monthly comic book on the shelf (if you don’t believe me, add the recommended tomes at the bottom of this post to your collection).

While I had been riding the wave of excitement that was the World War Hulks/Fall of the Hulks story I was also very aware that it was coming to a close, making this reader curious about what is coming next. I never thought I’d be so lucky. The Hulk book is officially a must buy series again and one that I will be actively suggesting to the very same friends who turned me onto Atlas and mourned its loss.

Congrats, Jeff and Gabriel! I expect great things from you!

Please visit Parkerspace to pass on your own accolades.

Recommended:

Buy 'Hulk: Green Hulk/Red Hulk HC'

Buy 'Incredible Hulk Vol. 1: Son of Banner'

Buy 'Agents of Atlas'

Buy 'Agents Of Atlas: Dark Reign'

Buy 'Agents Of Atlas: Turf Wars'

Buy 'Agents Of Atlas Vs. Avengers'