Finally, DC Entertainment is releasing action figures to celebrate the new designs for their iconic heroes. Jim Lee’s DC Superheroes will be gracing the desks and bookcases of many a comic book fan in the coming year.  Some of the designs are subtle while others are more elaborate (what is up with Aquaman’s weird chain/trident-thing?).

There’s something about the redesigned Superman in particular that doesn’t wash with me. It may be the high collar, the well coiffed hair or the lack of underwear that makes him seem somewhat strange. Maybe it’ll become more familiar as time passes… or maybe the ‘old look’ will be back sooner than anyone thinks.

It’s interesting that the 2012 offerings consist of several variations of these iconic heroes rather than a consistent representation of the ‘new look.’ Witness the old school DC Comics logo and you’ll see that not all of these ducks are in a row.

DC Comics The New 52 Collector Action Figures:
- Aquaman (June 2012)
– Green Lantern (June 2012)
– Wonder Woman (October 2012)
– Superman (January 2013)
– Batman (May 2012)
– Flash (August 2012)
– Cyborg (October 2012)

DC Mini-Busts
- Grifter  (August 2012)
– Wonder Woman (September 2012)
- Superman (October 2012) 

Strangely designed after the Batman Reborn/Batman Inc. version of the character comes this astounding ‘museum quality’ Batman posable figure.

Batman 1:4 Scale Museum Quality Statue (September 2012)

Batman Black & White Statues:
- Batman by Darwyn Cooke (July 2012)
- Batman by Jim Lee (May 2012)
- Batman by Jock (August 2012)
- Bane by Kelly Jones (October 2012)
- The Joker by Brian Bolland (September 2012)

Nightwing Year One cover by Ryan Sook

Sure, it may look silly today with a built in dickie and high lapels collar, but at the time this was a big step for fans and for Dick Grayson as a hero. No longer was he was the extension of Batman, he was his own man.

Given that, Grayson’s path has not been without pitfalls. A cult favorite, Nightwing has a devoted following, but there were times when he was very close to being killed off, especially when EIC Dan DiDio made it clear that Nightwing was intended to die in the pages of Infinite Crisis.

Dick Grayson as Batman

Not only did he not die, Grayson also graduated into his mentor’s role when Bruce Wayne was lost in time, courtesy of Darkseid’s Omega Sanction (it’s complicated). What could have been a dreadful idea resulted in some of the best Batman adventures in years. So popular was this run that the collection Black Mirror which contains the astounding stories penned by Scott Snyder, is very close to being out of print.

Back in his old namesake and with his own monthly book again, one has to ask what is next for Nightwing. Will he simply be defined by who he is not (neither Robin nor Batman) or will he show readers why he has earned a cult following all these years?

Nightwing #1

If you’ve been reading the Kyle Higgins/Eddy Barrows series, you know the answer to that question, but things are about to get more intense.

Higgins spoke to Newsarama about what’s to come for Dick Grayson and how Nightwng will play a role in the upcoming Night of Owls crossover.

(Read the entire interview over at Newsarama , excerpt below)

Newsarama: Kyle, as we’ve been talking about Nightwing, I can’t help feeling Dick should share the Book of Names with Bruce. Will they be working together once Dick gets back to Gotham?

Kyle Higgins: They will, if for no other reasons than Scott and I have a lot of fun working together. But yes– Dick and Bruce will be collaborating. Bruce obviously has his hands full right now, with everything going on with the Court of Owls. But Nightwing’s been racking up some frequent flyer miles going back and forth between Gotham (in Batman) and the traveling circus.

Of course, this mystery is very personal, so it’s something that Dick is currently trying to solve on his own. It’s something he wants to get to the bottom of, because he doesn’t even know how deep the rabbit hole goes.

Nrama: One of the things that is unique about Dick Grayson is he’s a rare example of a hero who has really evolved. We’ve seen him change from a child to a man, and while his core attitude has always been there, he’s evolved as a person. Is it difficult to portray a hero who has evolved like that? Has it challenged you? Or do you like the fact that you have to establish who he is — along with who he’s been — to these potential new readers?

Higgins: Well, if you look at issue #1 and the sheer amount of voiceover in that issue, I think you’ll see that it’s a definite challenge. Nightwing is trickier to establish than a character like Deathstroke, for example, which we got to—almost—completely start fresh with.

Nightwing is one of those few characters that is actually defined and built on a core of change, which is very weird in an industry and a medium that relies on the illusion of change. Dick Grayson is one of the few characters that are built around the idea of growing up.

Cover to Nightwing #7

While it’s something I don’t want to shy away from, you can only go to that well of “I’m trying to get out of my father’s shadow” so many times. With Nightwing, I think it’s stale at this point. So that’s something I wanted to stay away from, and hopefully, by keeping him in Gotham City going forward, it will be a way of doing something new with Nightwing and Dick Grayson in the way that he’s not looking for Bruce’s approval. He’s just doing what he thinks is best and what he wants to do. If that puts him in unison with Bruce, then great. If it puts him in conflict with Bruce, then he’s fine with that too.

Cover to upcoming Nightwing #8

Nrama: Yet you established in the first issue that he has been Batman. Will we see more of what he learned from Batman Inc. show up in this series?

Higgins: We will. There are some things that come up during the Night of the Owls storyline that raise questions for him as to the way that he operates, and the way that he and Batman operate in the city. Nightwing is in the unique position of having been both Robin and Nightwing, and also Batman. So he has a lot of experience to draw from, as well as a lot of ideas about what he thinks works and what he thinks doesn’t.

——————-

Nrama: I heard you say on a podcast that, “in some ways, Nightwing is a better hero and a better fit for Gotham City than Batman is.” Can you explain that?

Higgins: I think that a lot of what’s happening in “The Night of the Owls” story and in Scott’s Court of Owls storyline — and I don’t want to speak too much for him — but a lot of it up to this point has been the Court saying to Bruce, “you don’t matter in Gotham City.” And in a lot of ways, they’re right. Batman has been in Gotham for several years now, and the city is still terrible. You can make the argument that it would be much worse without Batman, but the other side of the argument is… would it be better with someone else? Would it be better with different tactics and a different approach?”

I don’t know the answer to that, or if there even is an answer, but I do think that in some ways, Nightwing might be a better fit. He’s more accessible than Batman, he’s someone who is more empathetic than Batman, and while Batman is more of an urban myth and symbol of fear to criminals, Nightwing can be a little bit brighter symbol to the city. If you’re going forward and trying to save a city that’s as corrupt and down-beaten as Gotham, sometimes hope and optimism are powerful tools.

(Recommended adventures of Dick Grayson as Batman below)

Batman: The Black Mirror

Batman Eye of the Beholder

Batman: Life After Death

Both Robert Downey Jr. and Shane Black have states that Iron Man 3 will be a step away from the second film and will instead feature Stark on his own traveling with his suitcase armor, relying on himself rather than a large cast of characters. A welcome change given the crowded affair that IM2 was.

Thor’s sequel could concern almost anything but with director Kenneth Branagh no longer involved, I doubt that Natalie Portman would be back. I may be wrong, but my instinct is that she agreed to the film because Branagh was involved. The story could involve an adventure on Earth or in the Nine Realms, which I would prefer as the visually stunning sequences in Asgard and Jotunheim are the best moments of that movie.

The only returning actress confirmed aside from Chris Evan for Captain America 2 is Haley Atwell who will likely bleach her hair and appear as Sharon Carter, related to Peggy Carter as a daughter or grand-daughter. It’s still unclear what the story will be for Captain America 2, but the potential is there for Arnim Zola to come back in a new form and for the introduction of the Falcon, one of Cap’s long-standing associates.

Then there is the question of what lies beyond the Avengers stable and how real is the multi-picture deal that Sam Jackson signed with Marvel Entertainment? Appearing in Iron Man, Captain America and Thor films as well as the Avengers, would a solo Nick Fury film even be necessary?

Apparently, plans are in the making. Neal McDonough, the bowler hat-wearing ‘Dum Dum’ Dugan in Captain America: The First Avenger, let it slide that there’s not much mystery to Marvel’s next mystery movies.

Via Blastr.com:

We’ve known for a while that Marvel has scheduled two yet-to-be-revealed movies for 2014. Now, thanks to one of the stars of Captain America, we may know what they are.

With Iron Man 3 and Thor 2 already booked for 2013, Marvel is also holding two dates the following year—May 16, 2014, and June 27, 2014—for its next two movies, which have yet to be officially announced.

But now, thanks to Neal McDonough, who played Dum Dum Dugan in last year’s Captain America: The First Avenger, we might have discovered Marvel’s plans. McDonough told Empire:

“They’re planning (to go into production for) Captain America 2 for the end of this year, because Marvel does one film at a time. So they’re going to do Thor 2 and as soon as Thor 2 has wrapped, they’ll do Cap 2.”

So that’s one. But McDonough kept talking:

“Hopefully right after that, we’ll jump into Nick Fury because that’s the one I’m looking forward to more than anything … it’ll be me and Sam Jackson. In the real Marvel universe, Dum Dum Dugan is Nick Fury’s right hand man.”

Certainly Captain America 2 is a given, but a Nick Fury or S.H.I.E.L.D. movie has only been a rumor up until now. Then again, Samuel L. Jackson signed a nine-picture contract with Marvel, and by our count, he’s got five to go. So it makes sense that somewhere in there he might finally get his own adventure.

McDonough is getting excited about it already and knows what he wants to see:

“I just pray that they have a 1970s setting, because I want to see Sam Jackson with lambchops kicking people’s asses for (the) Marvel universe. It would just be awesome. And to work with Sam would be a treat.”

Now, we should say that McDonough’s comments should all be taken with a fairly hefty grain of salt, because, as people in the movie industry know, actors—especially supporting actors—usually don’t know the exact details of what’s going on until they show up on set. McDonough may have been asked to keep his schedule open at the end of the year, and could be speculating on his own from there.

Or … he may have really just told us which movies to expect from Marvel in 2014. If so, how will they fit into the post-Avengers timelime and continuity? And are we ever going to see the Doctor Strange and Ant-Man movies? Only the Marvel brain trust knows.

What would you like to see come next from Marvel Entertainment? Keeping in mind that 20th Century Fox still owns the Fantastic Four (and possibly the Sub Mariner) as well as the X-Men franchise, the possibilities are limited, but here are a few:

The Krynoid monster - a face only a mother could love

Directed by Douglas Camfield and written by Robert Banks Stewart, Seeds of Doom is a classic of the Hinchcliff era, combining tropes from popular horror films and featuring memorably evil characters such as the devious Gabriel Chase. In addition to an excellent cast, superb script and dynamic direction, Seeds of Doom also has an astounding score courtesy of Geoffrey Burgon (who also contributed the spine-tingling music in Terror of the Zygons).

Character Options is apparently releasing an action figure set based on this story with a re-release of the 11 Doctors set version of the Fourth Doctor and a re-painted Axon. That particular figure will have come full circle as it was initially intended to be a Krynoid figure and was instead painted in red hues and released as an Axon in true form.

The previously released Axon action figure

Accessories will include a cutlass and a pair of Krynoid seed pods.

Images have circulated from Australia, but there has been no official word as of yet.

Now confirmed for March 2012 release.

More as it comes.

In fact, issues 5 and 6 of I, Vampire will spin off into the pages of Justice League Dark where a full-blown event “Rise of the Vampires” will launch in March. I know that crossovers are often frowned upon, but I am enjoying the more organic nature of these stories such as the blending of Swamp Thing and Animal Man. It just feels right. In direct opposition was the inexplicable appearance of the Flash in Batman: The Dark Knight. But, you can’t win them all.

The story so far can be gleaned from this single issue, thanks to some deft characterization from Fialkov. Andrew is a ‘good vampire’ who is fighting the many plots of Mary, an ‘evil vampire.’ Along for the ride are aged vampire hunter John Troughton and the feisty Tig (covered in day-glow band aids for some reason). The trio have landed in Gotham City where a train arriving from Boston is the scene of a brutal slaughter. No one can seem to explain what has happened but when Andrew starts flitting about in the form of mist, he encounter Batman and is reminded that he is in someone else’s town.

With a train depot full of bloody carnage and a creature appearing to exhibit the characteristics of a vampire, Batman is skeptical at best of Andrew’s motives. However, Batman is forced to accept that Andrew and his friends are not the cause of the grisly murders and are actually hunting the true cause, the mysterious Mary.

I quite like the interplay between Andrew and Batman. Neither is willing to lose face and seem to be in a contest to show who can be more mysterious and grim. Bats wins the moment Andrew admits to liking the hero’s cape. Looking for the most likely spot where Mary would house her cargo leads the group to the local courthouse. The newly turned vampires apparently have a period of uncontrollable rage on first awakening, so the cells built into the court house’s basement will serve to contain their rages.

It’s only when the elevator arrives in the basement that it suddenly dawns on the adventurers that they have delivered themselves into a den of blood-thirsty monsters, with no escape.

There are some weird moments where logic seems to go out the window (why would Batman suspect and accept Andrew with equal swiftness? and why deliver themselves into Mary’s hands?), but the character interactions are strong, the mood is sharp and the artwork interesting enough to have me coming back for more. I have been reading plenty of praise for I, Vampire and it’s nice that I finally have an excuse to check it out.

If you are a Batman fan worried that you’ll miss out on something important, don’t. This story seems as pertinent as the Batman Dark Knight series. However, I recommend at least giving it a glance at the comic shop as it is quite good and it may cause you to hunt down back issues of I, Vampire (collected in a recent bumper volume with Justice League Dark).

As Joshua Hale Fialkov had told Comicvine in a recent interview, he is an old hand at the vampiric genre and it shows. Many (myself included) feel that the concept has become over-sold of late, but this series could reverse that trend and return the vampire mystique to its noble status again.

I’ve written an inordinate amount of vampire fiction for a guy that writes non-monster horror. I predominantly write noir-horror, I write a lot of true-crimey stuff. But, Vampirella was my first work for hire, I did a series of vampire romance novels called the DARK-HUNTER books that adapted into manga and I did a manga series called PRINCESS RESURRECTION. My first paid writing job ever was writing a short story for Steve Niles’ 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, actually.

Vampires have sort of run through my career. It’s funny that my big first work for hire gig at DC is a vampire book. I was a fan of the original stories with the characters, and especially the book’s creator, J.M. DeMatteis. In fact J.M. DeMatteis’ BROOKLYN DREAMS was one of the books that inspired me to become a comic book writer.

Writing I, VAMPIRE has been a lot of fun. I haven’t had to compromise a lot of stuff. It’s an extremely rare thing to be able to tell the stories you want to tell the way you want to tell them.

He also spoke to Newsarama about the implications of setting the latest issue in Gotham City:

Nrama: Andrew’s off to Gotham now. What was it like writing those issues, and how does that setting in particular work with the story?

Fialkov:Well, writing a giant gothic romance in what is essentially the gothic capital of the fictional universe is a helluva lot of fun. The stuff [artist] Andrea [Sorrentino] brings out of the environments is just amazing, and he presents a Gotham like you’ve never seen before.

Nrama: How was it writing Batman in issue #5 and #6, and what’s his role in this story?

Fialkov:Writing Batman is always a treat. He’s that rare character in comics where his purpose is so clearly defined, that he almost writes himself.

When the story starts, a train that should be filled with people shows up completely empty, save for the pools of blood all over. Batman’s in “red ball” mode, racing to find out which of his villains could’ve done it, when he meets Andrew for the first time, and then Mary “introduces” her vampires to one of the cornerstone heroes of the DCU.

The idea for me was that once Mary and her crew face Batman, the heroes of the world know that this menace is out there, and suddenly are forced into becoming proactive against them. Plus, if she can face down Batman and win, that doesn’t bode well for the rest of the world.

Of course thanks to the zaniness of old comic books, Batman is no stranger to fighting creatures of the night as the panel below attests. Will the new modern Batman rise to the challenge? Find out next month.

Are you ready to become one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? Today, eFX Inc. announced a new line-up of collectible prop replicas based on assorted Marvel Comics properties — beginning with weapons and costume items from “The Avengers” film. From March 16 – 18, eFX Inc. will display the first collectable prop replicas from Marvel’s “The Avengers” at WonderCon in Anaheim, CA with even more to be revealed. In anticipation of the May 4 release of “The Avengers,” the first line-up of limited-edition replicas based on Joss Whedon’s epic film are expected to include Thor’s mighty Mjolnir, Iron Man’s Mark V Armor helmet and Captain America’s vibranium shield.

“The Marvel universe is extraordinary, diverse and exciting — just like Marvel’s fans around the world, and we are really eager for them to see what we are creating with guidance and input from the Marvel team,” said Bryan Ono, president of eFX Inc via press release. “Marvel’s comics and movies offer virtually endless possibilities for absolutely incredible prop replicas.”

eFX, responsible for high-quality replicas for properties including “Star Trek,” “Star Wars,” “The Muppets” and “Battlestar Galactica,” recently acquired worldwide rights to create collectables based on Marvel’s heroes and will further reveal its new line during the first quarter of 2012. The company expects to offer a number of items — ranging in price from $49 to $1500 — inspired by Marvel’s characters and films through its website and select retail locations.
Via: CBR.com

Bookmark this page for pre-orders.
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A pair of frustrated interns at a local magazine spot an unusual ad asking for time travel companions. It is specified that they must bring their own arms and supplies and that their safety cannot be guaranteed.

Searching for the true story behind the classifieds ad leads to some unexpected events and opportunities to right wrongs and change history… or not.

The mystery man, Mark Duplass’s Kenneth, is easy to find, but hard to interview: A paranoid whose hermetic tendencies and iffy fashion sense peg him as a possible Unabomber, Kenneth figures Jeff is “one of them” and refuses to talk. Taking this as his cue to go hunting for his ex, Jeff sends in Darius — not as a journalist, but as a candidate to join Kenneth’s mysterious mission back to 2001.
Plaza plays the start of Darius’s infiltration as she might a storyline on Parks and Rec — she’s patronizing Kenneth in a way we find hilarious but that he can’t see, adopting his hard-ass “when things go down” lingo and convincing him she’s right for the job. But as they get to know each other, Plaza warms to an extent we haven’t seen. She’s convincingly fond of the guy who’s teaching her to use firearms and decipher coded messages.

For his part, Duplass keeps his oft-employed Everydude charisma in check: Kenneth is a wounded, mockably serious man, and the actor doesn’t start making him warm and fuzzy when it’s time for us to like him. Though the script shows us what’s underneath his facade — in a gorgeous scene, Kenneth plays zither and sings a sweet song by Guster’s Ryan Miller — we come around to Kenneth on his terms.

(Via Hollywood Reporter)

Director Colin Trevorrow talks about the back story of the film

Here is a fan-made trailer for a fictional film based on the erstwhile time traveler… which looks to be made from Jean Claude Van Damme’s rejected material.

By Mark Waid, Emma Rios and Kano
The superhero team-up is something that you either love or hate. Often used to boost the sales of a monthly series, guest appearances are usually obligatorily involving Wolverine. In this case, Daredevil and Spider-Man team up in order to clear the Black Cat’s name. The fact that the Black Cat is a celebrated thief doesn’t make her case look any better, but Peter Parker is convinced that she is innocent.

Just getting over a nasty break up, Peter Parker is down on his luck, so it should come as no surprise that he comes into contact with Felicia Hardy (AKA The Black Cat). Ordinarily the pair have a smoldering intensity, but Spider-Man is giving off ‘break up vibes,’ which turn her off. When she returns to her penthouse apartment, she finds a spider-tracer pinned to her costume just before the police bust her.

Spidey suspicious to learn that Hardy is blamed for the theft of new phone technology developed at Parker’s new employer, Horizon Labs. He seeks out Daredevil who is still attempting to live down his secret ID expose. Unfortunately, Parker’s luck holds up and he nearly outs Matt Murdock in front of the DA. Nevertheless, DD agrees to help out and the rooftop running and swinging begins.

Emma Rio's spine-tingling artwork

Emma Rios (artist of Strange, Osborn, and Cloak and Dagger) brings her A-game to this comic. The figures of Daredevil and Spidey are incredibly fluid and possess a dynamic ability that fits their acrobatic skill perfectly. It has hints of Paul Pope in places, but it’s also entirely her own.

Waid’s script is loose and fun, with just enough intrigue to pull the reader along while allowing space for humor and action. Part of the appeal of Marvel Comics characters is their humanistic relationships. Everyone is annoyed by Spider-Man after spending just a few moments with him, and Daredevil is so hauntingly tragic that he gives other heroes the creeps. Pairing them up is somewhat therapeutic in a way. Aside from that, they play off of each other like a road movie with tights.

When Black Cat traps Spider-Man under a cave-in and electrocutes him, it starts to look like Spidey may have been mistaken by his assessment of her character. But then, looking at her low-cut, form-fitting costume who couldn’t give her the benefit of a doubt?

A great action shot from Kano

Convinced that Spidey framed her for the theft of the h-phone, Black Cat is out for blood. Of course, Daredevil can see a double trap a mile away and recognizes that they have both been set up. Daredevil is very suspicious of the criminal underworld after obtaining a Omega-drive using Fantastic Four unstable molecule technology for data storage. The drive contains data on Hydra, AIM and Black Spectre, all big players in the business of world domination. The theft of the h-phone could be related, causing him to play his cards very close to his chest.

The criminal plot is very convoluted with Black Cat far from innocent in the situation. She was implicated as a thief of the h-phone simply to draw her out and hire her services. Some people have weird ways of doing business.

Speaking of which… DD spends a lot of time flirting with Black Cat, finally locking lips and becomes happily snared in her curvaceous form. Normally I’d be suspicious of this kind of thing, but Murdock seems more than happy with the situation, even as Spider-Man catches a glimpse of them from afar, brewing with moody disdain. Poor guy.

Daredevil gets all the ladies, Spidey... just accept it

Dollars to donuts, Black Cat snared the Omega-drive from Matt’s apartment when he was ‘looking’ the other way… and serves him right. But damn if it wasn’t worth it.

Devil and the Details is obviously a lead-in to the upcoming Spider-Man/Punisher/Daredevil crossover so there’s plenty of dangling plot-threads that may leave casual readers scratching their heads. But for all that, it’s a lot of fun and heartily recommended, if only because it encourages others not reading Spider-Man and Daredevil to give both or either a shot.

If you listen closely you’ll hear McCoy delivering the speech from the Pandorica Opens… which is a real treat.

Please be sure to look at Babelcolour’s other videos as they are very good.

But he also gives great hugs… apparently.

Via ComicsAlliance:

The caped crusader will liven up his lounge space in this soft bedrest pillow featuring the invincible Batman(TM) on the front. Batman(TM) is armed and ready with squeezable fits that rest on the arm-chair sides. Great for reading, watching t.v. or just for chilling out. Ages 3 and up. Measures 22″ x 15″. 100% Polyester. Spot clean.

Pre-order from Sears.