Marvel has released an extended version of the commercial they aired for The Avengers during Super Bowl XLVI.

Source: DC Universe: The Source

This summer, DC Entertainment will publish all-new stories expanding on the acclaimed Watchmen universe. As highly anticipated as they are controversial, the seven inter-connected prequel mini-series will build on the foundation of the original Watchmen, the bestselling graphic novel of all time. Before Watchmen will be the collective banner for all seven titles, from DC Comics.

“It’s our responsibility as publishers to find new ways to keep all of our characters relevant,” said DC Entertainment Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee. “After twenty five years, the Watchmen are classic characters whose time has come for new stories to be told. We sought out the best writers and artists in the industry to build on the complex mythology of the original.”

Stepping up to the challenge is a group of the comic book industry’s most iconoclastic writers and artists – including Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets), Lee Bermejo (Joker), Amanda Conner (Power Girl), Darwyn Cooke (Justice League: New Frontier), John Higgins (Watchmen), Adam Hughes (Catwoman), J.G. Jones (Final Crisis), Andy Kubert (Flashpoint), Joe Kubert (Sgt. Rock), Jae Lee (Batman: Jekyll and Hyde), J. Michael Straczynski (Superman: Earth One) and Len Wein (Swamp Thing).

Before Watchmen includes:

- Rorschach (4 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: Lee Bermejo

- Minutemen (6 issues) – Writer/Artist: Darwyn Cooke

- Comedian (6 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: J.G. Jones

- Dr. Manhattan (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artist: Adam Hughes

- Nite Owl (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artists: Andy and Joe Kubert

- Ozymandias (6 issues) – Writer: Len Wein. Artist: Jae Lee

- Silk Spectre (4 issues) – Writer: Darwyn Cooke. Artist: Amanda Conner

Each week, a new issue will be released, and will feature a two-page back-up story called Curse of the Crimson Corsair, written by original series editor Len Wein and with art by original series colorist John Higgins. There will also be a single issue, Before Watchmen: Epilogue, featuring the work of various writers and artists, and a Crimson Corsair story by Wein and Higgins.

“The original series of Watchmen is the complete story that Alan Moore and I wanted to tell. However, I appreciate DC’s reasons for this initiative and the wish of the artists and writers involved to pay tribute to our work. May these new additions have the success they desire,” said Dave Gibbons, Watchmen co-creator and original series artist.

“Comic books are perhaps the largest and longest running form of collaborative fiction,” said DiDio and Lee. “Collaborative storytelling is what keeps these fictional universes current and relevant.”

Justice League: Doom is coming to Blu-ray and DVD as a full-length animated film on February 28th. Featuring the voices of Kevin Conroy, Nathan Fillion, Tim Daly and Michael Rosenbaum, the movie has released two clips featuring the Royal Flush Gang in mid-heist.

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s “contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member.

Source: Deadline

The CW’s pilot Arrow, based on the DC Comics property Green Arrow, has found its lead in actor Stephen Amell.

The series will see Amell in the role of Oliver Queen, a Star City billionaire who doubles as a vigilante superhero using his skills in archery, martial arts, and technology to fight crime.

Amell has made recurring appearances on both 90210 and The Vampire Diaries, with other recent appearances on HBO’s Hung and ABC’s Private Practice.

From the official AMC site comes this midseason teaser trailer for The Walking Dead.

AMC has also recently released the first three minutes of the returning episode, titled “Nebraska.”

The Walking Dead returns on Sunday, February 12th at 9:00 PM EST on AMC.

With a hook that will keep old school, pulp horror fans interested and fans of classic 80′s licenses squealing with unbridled delight, this year’s Infestation event is shaping up to be another cross dimensional, rip-roaring event of escapism starring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers, G.I. Joe, Danger Girl, Dungeons and Dragons, and 30 Days of Night. A quick synopsis: The CVO (Covert Vampiric Operations) is back to combat the threat of H.P. Lovecraft’s Elder Gods who have escaped their prison. After issue one, it looks like Artillica (the fusion of magic and technology made manifest) is ripping open portals to other dimensions, causing some major headaches for our favorite characters! Will they each be able to stand against the cross dimensional threat? Duane Swierczynski scripts and David Messina provides some vibrant pencil work for the “book ends” of Infestation 2. Definitely recommended for fans of any of the franchises and for good, blockbuster, escapist entertainment! Stay tuned next week for Comic Bits on Transformers: Infestation #1.

One of the world’s most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in “The Amazing Spider-Man.” Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the film in association with Marvel Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, which will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012.

“The Amazing Spider-Man” is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

Source: Fans Share

The site Fans Share is reporting that a script for Doctor Strange has been completed by Thomas Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer (Conan The Barbarian, Sahara) and that Marvel Studios are now actively seeking a director to come in and helm the project.

The budget for Doctor Strange is not expected to be anywhere near as much as that of the bigger Marvel movies but it is still believed that, with the right script, the right director and the right cast, a good superhero movie could definitely come out of this. Production on Doctor Strange is expected to begin this year, with a release date likely to be sometime in 2013.

Sources: Deadline, the TV addict

The Green Arrow pilot has officially received the green light from The CW. The name of the series, however, has dropped the “Green”, simply going with the title Arrow.

Sidenote: Marvel was smart enough to preserve brand recognition by making sure Captain America: The First Avenger kept Cap’s name in as many international outlets as possible and it seems to have worked. Why wouldn’t DC be smart enough to maintain the Green Arrow brand??

In addition to the green light, a casting breakdown has made its way online that includes several characters including Oliver and Dinah Lance, better known to comic fans as Black Canary.

OLIVER QUEEN
A 27 year old reformed bad boy, who after having spent five years shipwrecked on a tiny, brutally dangerous island in the South China Sea returns to town a different man. Or to be more specific, a tortured, thoughtful master of the bow with a ferocious determination to make a difference.

DINAH “LAUREL” LANCE
28 years old, smart sexy, Laurel is a legal aid attorney determined to use her life as a one-woman war against the 1% following the death of her younger sister Sara. A sister, who as luck would have it, just so happened to have died aboard Oliver’s yacht.

TOMMY MERLYN
28 years old and devil-smooth, Tommy is a trustafarian like Oliver, a spectacularly rich young man whose life revolves around parties, clubs, liquor and lots of anonymous sex. Unlike Oliver, he can’t seem to understand his former best friend’s sudden change of lifestyle and direction.

MOIRA QUEEN
48 years old, a beautiful woman, Oliver’s mother Moira is a very wealthy woman who is not used to being shaken. Having remarried during the five years that former husband Robert and Oliver were both presumed dead, Moira has had free rein over the Queen billions. Not surprisingly, she’s deeply interested in learning whether or not Robert will also return unexpectedly, to ruin her present marriage and go over the books with a fine-tooth comb.

JOHN DIGGLE
35 years old, African-American, Diggle is really, really big, a former military man who served with the Army Rangers in Afghanistan, and has been a bodyguard for hire for the last four years. Hired by Moira to be Oliver’s chauffeur and protector, Diggle soon finds he is trapped in a battle of wits, as Oliver repeatedly eludes his protection. But in fact, Diggle’s primary conflict is one of loyalty — he has to show that he’s working for Oliver, not Moira, before Oliver will give him a smidgen of trust.

THEA QUEEN
17 years old (suggest 17-22 years), Oliver’s Lolita-esque sister, Thea was a 12 year old girl when he went on his infamous yachting voyage — but now she’s a celebutante who’s testing the boundaries of acceptable behavior. Thea loved her big brother with all her heart, and is delighted to have him back in her life — but she’s spreading her wings, and is unprepared for Oliver to become the Bad Cop in the family, restricting her access to boys and drugs.

Marvel’s Kevin Feige recently talked to Empire about the long-rumored villains in The Avengers movie. Feige had the following to say:

“Who said they were aliens?” he teases.

“Beings from the Nine Realms, then?” ventures Empire.

“Closer…It’s not Skrulls, I’ve been clear about that. Beyond that, we want to hide it. The identity of the alien race is not impactful. It exists in the comic books, but we’re not setting up the Kree-Skrull war or anything like that.”

He also addressed the rumor that Red Skull would be making an appearance:

“Was Skull vaporized at the end of the movie, or thrust into another realm?” asks Feige. “That remains to be seen. It would be fun to see Skull in the future, but he’s not in this one.”

Source: DC Universe: The Source

DC Entertainment, home of the world’s greatest super heroes, has unveiled an unprecedented giving campaign to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa. This multi-million-dollar commitment over the next two years will be supported across all Warner Bros. Entertainment’s and Time Warner’s businesses and feature DC Entertainment’s iconic Justice League characters, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg, issuing the call to action, “We Can Be Heroes.”

We Can Be Heroes will support the efforts of three humanitarian aid organizations working in Africa—Save the Children, International Rescue Committee and Mercy Corps—as part of the global effort to fight the current hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa. The region is suffering its worst drought and famine in over 60 years, with 13 million in need of critical assistance and 250,000 facing starvation in Somalia alone. Each partner organization was chosen for its track record of effective and expeditious humanitarian aid efforts in Africa.

We Can Be Heroes will be supported via promotional exposure across all of Time Warner’s divisional advertising platforms (Warner Bros., Turner Broadcasting, Time Inc., HBO), generating millions of consumer impressions and creating crucially needed awareness of this crisis worldwide. Save the Children, International Rescue Committee and Mercy Corps will equally share a corporate donation of at least $2 million over the next two years comprised of cash donations, employee matching funds and consumer matching funds.

“Warner Bros. has a long history of corporate philanthropy and outreach, and this campaign proudly continues that tradition,” said Meyer. “We are a global company, and this is a global issue. By marshalling our expertise in consumer and fan engagement and creating global awareness, we hope we’re able to inspire others to join us in becoming ‘heroes’ and make a difference in the Horn of Africa.”

The Justice League characters were chosen by DC Entertainment both for their global recognition as well as their demonstration of strength in unity and numbers. The campaign’s graphic identifier features the iconic Justice League characters—Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg—outlined in silhouette against the African continent. Each of these characters is a super hero in his or her own right, but when they band together as the Justice League, they become an unstoppable force for good and right in the universe—a key message of the We Can Be Heroes campaign. While many individuals may feel powerless to effect change on their own, as part of a global campaign such as this, their efforts, combined with those of other donors, can create a world of change.

A key launch element of We Can Be Heroes is the campaign’s website, www.WeCanBeHeroes.org. Here, consumers can make donations which DC Entertainment will match 100 percent (up to $1 million in donations), purchase specially branded merchandise, with 50 percent of the purchase price going to fight the hunger crisis via We Can Be Heroes, sign up for newsletters and updates, and join the We Can Be Heroes online community. The site will also feature information on each of the partner organizations and updates on current conditions in the Horn of Africa.

“This campaign goes straight to the heart of our core competency, as Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment both have a rich legacy of telling socially relevant, compelling stories with characters embraced by global audiences,” said Robinov. “The fact that we’re able to take what we do and use it to raise awareness—and inspire action—around a cause as important as this is gratifying. With the support of the entire Studio and our Time Warner sister companies, this campaign, like the DC Comics super heroes, will make a great impact on an important issue.”

“The members of the Justice League are an international team of super heroes beloved by a broad range of fans, including men and women, young and old. This makes them the perfect ‘spokescharacters’ for this campaign,” said Nelson. “Their dedication to social justice and commitment to band together to defend the helpless brilliantly supports the ideals of the We Can Be Heroes campaign. The hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa is something we can reverse if we all work together. I’m proud and grateful we’re able to harness the power and standing of the DC Comics brand and iconic characters as well as for the support from both Warner Bros. and Time Warner that has allowed us to pursue this unprecedented initiative.”

“This is a tragic situation affecting millions and millions of people. Everyone has the ability to be a part of the solution and efforts such as We Can Be Heroes help bring us closer to that goal,” said Dr. Jill Biden, who visited refugees in Kenya in August and has worked to raise awareness of the crisis. “I commend the efforts of DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. and other organizations who are using their global reach to help raise awareness of the crisis.”

For more information on We Can Be Heroes, visit www.WeCanBeHeroes.org. For more information on the campaign’s partner organizations, visit their websites: www.savethechildren.org (Save the Children); www.rescue.org (International Rescue Committee) and www.mercycorps.org (Mercy Corps).

Even though Bradley Cooper and director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo have left the project, the reboot of The Crow refuses to die. Relativity Media and Dimension Film’s have announced that they’ve closed a deal with F. Javier Gutiérrez to direct the film. Writer Jesse Wigutow has signed on to pen a new script.

Even with a changing of the guard, the plan remains to retell the story of Eric Draven, who returns from the grave as The Crow on a mission to avenge his wife’s murder so that his soul can finally rest.

Source: DC Universe: The Source

Recently, DC Comics announced that they are canceling 6 of the  ‘New 52′ titles launched in September 2011, to be replaced with 6 all new titles.

Canceled with issue #8 in April are Men of War, Static Shock, Mister Terrific, OMAC, Hawk and Dove, and Blackhawks.

Starting in May are their replacements:

BATMAN INCORPORATED – Writer: Grant Morrison. Artist: Chris Burnham. The acclaimed ongoing writer of Action Comics, Grant Morrison, presents a fresh take on Batman Incorporated, in which the Batman brand is franchised globally in preparation for a major international threat.

EARTH 2 – Writer: James Robinson. Artist: Nicola Scott. The greatest heroes on a parallel Earth, the Justice Society combats threats that will set them on a collision course with other worlds.

WORLDS’ FINEST – Writer: Paul Levitz. Artists: George Perez and Kevin Maguire. Stranded on our world from a parallel reality, Huntress and Power Girl struggle to find their way back to Earth 2. Perez and Maguire will be the artists on alternating story arcs.

DIAL H – Writer: China Miéville. Artist: Mateus Santoluoco. The first ongoing series from acclaimed novelist China Miéville, this is a bold new take on a cult classic concept about the psychological effects on an everyman who accidentally gains powers to become a hero.

G.I. COMBAT – Writer: J.T. Krul. Artist: Ariel Olivetti. Featuring the return of a classic DC Comics series, The War That Time Forgot, along with rotating back-up stories and creative teams – including The Unknown Soldier, with writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti and artist Dan Panosian; and The Haunted Tank, with writer John Arcudi and artist Scott Kolins.

THE RAVAGERS – Writer: Howard Mackie. Artist: Ian Churchill. Spinning off from Teen Titans and Superboy, this series finds four superpowered teens on the run and fighting against the organization that wants to turn them into supervillains.

If you thought you knew all about the Voltron legacy, think again. Writer Brandon Thomas and artist Ariel Padilla take the characters and the “lion knight” in a whole new direction that blends both past and present seamlessly. A must for fans of the 80′s cartoon and the toys of any generation, Dynamite’s Voltron is pull list worthy and will have your megathrusters going. Recommended.

Source: DC Universe: The Source

DC Entertainment, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company and home to iconic brands DC Comics, Vertigo and MAD, has revealed a new brand identity. The new identity is reflective of the company’s mission to fully realize the value of a rich portfolio of brands, stories and characters, distinguished by incredible breadth and depth across publishing, media and merchandise. A new logo for DC Comics was also introduced, closely aligning with DC Entertainment’s new mark.

“It’s a new era at DC Entertainment and the new look reflects a dynamic, bold approach while at the same time celebrates the company’s rich heritage and robust portfolio of characters,” stated John Rood, EVP of Sales, Marketing and Business Development for DC Entertainment. “It was just a few months ago that Superman, Batman and many of our other Super Heroes were updated when we launched DC Comics – The New 52 and now it’s time to do the same for the company’s identity while remaining true to the power of storytelling which is still at the heart of DC Entertainment.”

DC Entertainment worked with Landor Associates, one of the world’s leading brand consulting and design firms, to develop an identity that creates a visual connection among the company, its three brands DC Comics, Vertigo and MAD and its vast array of properties as well as celebrates the power of the company’s stories and characters. The design of the new DC Entertainment identity uses a “peel” effect – the D is strategically placed over the C with the upper right-hand portion of the D peeling back to unveil the hidden C – symbolizing the duality of the iconic characters that are present within DC Entertainment’s portfolio.

“It was our goal to capture DC Entertainment in a dynamic and provocative identity. Our solution is a living expression which changes and adapts to the characters, story lines and the ways fans are consuming content,” explains Nicolas Aparicio, Executive Creative Director at Landor’s San Francisco office. “The new identity is built for the digital age, and can easily be animated and customized to take full advantage of the interactivity offered across all media platforms.”

The new brand identity will come to life across all consumer touch points in order to create a clear and consistent message in support of DC Entertainment. The new identity will begin to appear on comic books and graphic novels as well as new websites in March. Consumers will also see the new identity rolled out over time on other DC Entertainment products from Warner Bros. including film, television, interactive games and merchandise.

“We believe our new brand identity will strongly resonate with our loyal fans who will want to proudly express their affinity for DC Entertainment and their passion for their favorite stories and characters, this new look allows them to easily do this. In addition we were excited to update our identity, it’s not often a company gets to revisit something as important as its brand and we took the opportunity to make sure it represented the multi-media business we set out to build with the formation of DC Entertainment,” said Amit Desai, SVP of Franchise Management for DC Entertainment.

Joss Whedon, director of Marvel’s upcoming movie The Avengers, recently spoke with Entertainment Weekly about the film. During the interview, Whedon mentioned that a lot of it will take place from Captain America’s perspective:

“I set out with a very simple problem: There is no reason for these people to be in the same movie. So that’s what my movie has to be about,” Whedon said. “So much of [The Avengers] story takes place from Steve Rogers’ perspective, since he’s the guy who just woke up and sees this weird-ass world. Everyone else has been living in it. He’s the guy that feels that sense of loss.”

“[The Avengers] is very much about people who are alone – because I’m writing it,” he joked, adding, “[Captain America] is kind of the ultimate loner in that way. There is an anachronism to him, and Chris and I have always tried to make it, without making it goofy or too obvious, always tried to make him that same grounded ’40s Steve Rogers he was in the other movie.”

The Avengers is set to hit theaters on May 4, 2012.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

It looks like The CW is getting some of its superhero action back, as news has surfaced saying the network is heading toward a pilot order for a Green Arrow series.

Like Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark, Oliver Queen is a billionaire with an alternate persona. The “Emerald Archer” gets the job done with an assortment of trick arrows which he fires with the precision of Robin Hood.

Fans of The CW’s last superhero venture Smallville may remember the character as played by Justin Hartley on the series, who became a regular cast member in later seasons. Unfortunately, it would seem that fan favorite Hartley is not involved in this project at all.

Executive producing and writing duties belong to Greg Berlanti (Brothers & Sisters), Marc Guggenheim (FlashForward), and Andrew Kreisberg (Vampire Diaries, Fringe). Kreisberg has some previous experience with the character, having written on the comic book.

Justin Hartley as Smallville's Green Arrow

Marvel Studios has revealed three new photos from The Avengers featuring Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and Iron Man flying through the city.

Disney XD has announced that the somewhat-delayed Ultimate Spider-Man animated series will premiere April 1, forming the centerpiece of a Marvel programming block that seems similar to Cartoon Network’s DC Nation.

Called Marvel Universe, the block will also include new short-form animated series, live-action interstitials and the return of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Iron Man, Hulk, Thor and Captain America will be among the characters featured.

“Iconic Marvel heroes and villains and stories with core values of accomplishment, discovery and growth make Marvel Universe a perfect complement to Disney XD and a destination for parents and kids to experience together,” said Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer of Disney Channels Worldwide.

Announced in April 2010, Ultimate Spider-Man is inspired by the acclaimed Marvel comic by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley, and boasts a creative team that includes Joe Quesada, Paul Dini, Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, Duncan Rouleau, Steven T. Seagle and Bendis himself.

The voice cast includes Drake Bell (Drake & Josh) as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Chi McBride (Boston Public, Pushing Daisies) as Nick Fury, JK Simmons (Spider-Man) as J. Jonah Jameson, Stan Lee as Stan the Janitor, Clark Gregg (Iron Man, Thor, The Avengers) as Agent Coulson and Steven Weber (Wings) as Norman Osborn.

Marvel Comics has announced during a press call that the legendary Walter Simonson (The Mighty Thor) will be the artist on Avengers written by Brian Michael Bendis starting with Issue #25. This will start a six issue tie-in story arc to Avengers vs. X-Men.

Here are some highlights from the press call (Executive Editor Tom Brevoort is also on the call, with Marvel Junior Sales Administrator James Viscardi moderating):

“This is truly one of the things that’s excited me most in my time at Marvel,” Bendis began. Bendis said that, long ago at a convention, he showed Simonson “my childish sketches, and he treated me like a peer.” Simonson would later write Bendis “letters of encouragement,” though Bendis noted that his own path in comics turned toward writing rather than art. Once Bendis himself became one of comics’ big names, he said that he’d offered an open invitation to write a story for Simonson, and he eventually chose Avengers.

Simonson, in turn, said, “I’m in comics myself because of Stan and Jack, and the stuff they were doing in the sixties,” meaning it was “a real treat” for him to eventually work at Marvel on Mighty Thor. “The thing about the ‘Avengers’ that was fun for me, is I got to write it for about a year with John Buscema and Tom Palmer, which was cool for me for the reasons it’s cool for Brian now.” Simonson said he’s now looking forward to drawing the characters together for essentially the first time.

“I’m doing this now to work with Brian,” he said, but said Bendis cautioned, “‘You know, there are a lot of characters.’ But I didn’t know he meant, there are a lot of characters,” he joked.

Simonson said that some characters are familiar, some are new, and “I’m really looking forward to going back and drawing Captain America.”

With Bendis’ long run on Avengers ending this year, Viscardi asked about highlights from his run. Simonson joked that, “when you look back, it better be this six issues!” Bendis said there are always reasons to look back, but interacting with fans was a treat.

“What I’m looking forward to drawing most is, there are some guys from AIM with those big protective helmets,” Simonson said, “and it’s right in my wheelhouse.” Simonson added, “when I saw that, I just cracked up. And you wanted him to have a facial expression inside that mask! I’ll do my best.”

Simonson asked all on the call about whether Storm was wearing her “classic” costume, with Brevoort saying it’s a modified version.

Asked why the story was perfect for Simonson, Bendis said he’s using Simonson’s Teen Titans/X-Men as a guidepost and wants to bring that level of action.

Simonson was then asked about new characters since his last tenure at Marvel. He said he’d just got reference material, but “I just want to draw really cool stuff.” Simonson said, because of his own research and reference, whatever he draws “will end up looking like my stuff” and “I’m interested in the challenge of having all these different pieces and trying to put them together in a coherent visual world.”

He added he’s interested in drawing Thor again in “his new threads,” as he has already done for some covers. “Brian’s given me a really nice splash page when Thor shows up,” Simonson said, “and I haven’t drawn it yet, but it is my full intention that it will kick ass.”

Asked how closely Avengers will tie in with AvX and other Avengers titles during the crossover, Bendis said he has “carved out” different storylines for each. “This storyline is specifically about Avengers vs. X-Men, it is from the Avengers’ point of view, and is about where they will be going as a team.” He added that it would also wrap up a lot of character story arcs.

Simonson said the “fan access” of modern comics—including this call—was a somewhat new experience for him. “It’s kind of fun to do. But I don’t know very much [about the event], so I don’t have to be cautious like Brian.”

When the creators were asked what they’d learned from each other, Bendis said, “He’s learned nothing from me, I’ve learned everything from him.” Bendis also joked, “People still want him to be a writer and an artist.”

Asked about characters “duking it out,” Simonson recalled that he was asked in the early ’00s to draw Orion fighting Thor for Wizard Magazine. “I’ve drawn and written Thor, I am now drawing and writing Orion—I’m not going to have the guy I’m writing now lose,” he said. “The young man thanked me politely… and I never heard back from Wizard,” Simonson said, to laughter.

Simonson added that “what’s interesting is context and story,” noting that, in sports, a team can defeat an opponent one week, but lose their next match.

The next question, of course, was, “Who would win in a fight, Thor or Orion?” again to general laughter.

Asked how this arc ties into the Ultron story with Brian Hitch, Bendis said, “Ultron is another topic for another call.”

Talking about sound effects, Bendis joked that Simonson’s were “big and bombastic, whereas mine are like Jewish whining—so you need a different font for that.” He then clarified that, yes, there will be SFX appropriate to the arts, and that he is Jewish.

Bendis said that, though he wrote a full script for the issues, he told Simonson, “do it however you want.” Simonson said that, from his perspective, he wants to effectively “realize the writer’s vision”—which does sometimes involve changing scenes. But as yet, he could not cite examples.

Simonson noted that this is his first monthly comic in about ten years (the last was Orion), and returning to an earlier topic, said he’s looking forward to drawing Iron Man.

The final question was whether Simonson would draw Beta Ray Bill. “Not unless he’s in the script,” Simonson said. Bendis joked, “He is the reason the Avengers are fighting the X-Men.” Bendis suggested Simonson speak about The Mighty Thor: Artist’s Edition, out now from IDW in partnership with Marvel. “They printed 10 copies with trade dress and a piece of drawing paper on the cover. For a not-inconsiderable price, you can name your character and I will draw that character,” he said of the super-limited edition. Pencils and pencil-and-ink versions are on his Facebook page. “Almost all of the requests were for Beta Ray Bill. One was for Hela.”

Closing out the call, Viscardi prompted Bendis to discuss Avengers Assemble, his series with Mark Bagley that is in continuity but focuses on the movie characters. The villain will be Zodiac, but “we came up with a pretty bold reinvention of the idea.”

“A lot of people have been asking me what I’m working on after ‘Avengers,’” Bendis said. “‘Avengers Assembled’ is a bridge book to at least one of those projects.”

Marvel smashes its way onto Facebook with the announcement of Marvel: Avengers Alliance, a unique combat role playing game experience with dozens of Marvel’s most iconic heroes and villains. Marvel: Avengers Alliance will be live on Facebook Q1 2012 from Disney Interactive Media Group’s Playdom studios.

Marvel: Avengers Alliance takes place in the wake of a galaxy-wide disaster, known as “the Pulse,” exposing Manhattan to attack from Marvel’s most formidable villains. This is a new storyline for the Marvel Universe created specifically for the game.

Players are recruited as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and tasked with assembling and leading teams of superheroes to keep New York City safe from the clutches of villains like Doctor Doom, Loki, the Red Skull and Magneto, as well as holding off the forces of the organizations AIM and Hydra. Marvel: Avengers Alliance will give players the chance to build an unstoppable Marvel team from iconic Marvel characters, including Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow and many more.

Once a hero is added to the Avengers team, players can begin training them to unlock unique abilities and attacks, as well as using “ISO-8″ to further customize each character’s stats. Players will also be able to face-off against each other, challenging their social graph in super-powered asynchronous PvP battles.

More details and additional character reveals to come, so be sure to stay tuned!

The Facebook fan page can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/avengersalliance

Erica Durance is making use of the Wonder Woman costume originally worn by Adrianne Palicki in David E. Kelley’s TV pilot when she makes a guest appearance on this week’s episode of Harry’s Law.

In the episode, Durance plays a woman on trial for vigilantism that dons the Wonder Woman costume when prowling the streets. For those wondering where the connection comes in, Harry’s Law was also created by David E. Kelley, which apparently made borrowing the costume a bit easier.

Durance is most famous for appearing as Lois Lane in six seasons of Smallville. The episode airs on NBC this Wednesday, January 11th at 9:00 pm.

Host: Rob Valois
Co-hosts: Bryan Lipsitz, Mike Boyd

The Geek Generation – #066 – Top Comic Moments of 2011
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Show notes:

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  • Send it to podcast@thegeekgeneration.com OR @GeekGeneration OR call 508-316-9787
• Geek Outs:
  • Brock Lesnar
  • Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
  • Warlord of Mars
  • Avengers vs. X-Men
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot micro-series
  • Flickchart
  • Kids aren’t as dumb as people might think
  • David Tennant on The Nerdist Podcast
• Freak Outs:
• New Year’s Eve gone bad
• Bronchial pneumonia
• Randy Orton injury
• Lack of new video games
• WWE Tribute to the Troops 2011
• Limited Edition foods
• WWE ’12
• Listener Mailbag
• A few more guilty pleasures
• Top Comic Moments of 2011

Additional links:

• Rob’s Amazon wishlist – Happy birthday to me!!

Source: DC Universe: The Source

Batman: Earth One is an original graphic novel which reinterprets the story of The Dark Knight into a modern day setting. Bestselling author Geoff Johns and acclaimed artist Gary Frank haved teamed up to present this new vision of Batman.

“Gary and I are tackling Batman from the beginning, before he knows what he’s doing and with a very different ultimate goal in mind,” said Johns. “He’s never left Gotham. And our Gotham and the people in it are very gray. Our heroes unlikely. Our villains hidden. Our story is only beginning with volume one.”

“It’s essentially the first piece of the jigsaw,” said Frank. “He’s not the Batman people know, but he might be one day. He’s certainly not yet a superhero. The fun is to watch him piece the persona together drawing on his experiences and the influences of those around him and, at this stage, the idea of becoming a ‘superhero’ hasn’t even entered his head.”

Batman is back to save Gotham City and the action will only build from here! Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games and The LEGO Group are teaming up once again to announce that LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes will be available beginning Summer 2012 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, and Windows PC, as well as the Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, and PlayStation Vita. The game is the sequel to the best-selling LEGO Batman: The Videogame, which to date has sold more than 11 million units worldwide.

LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes complements the brand new, recently released LEGO Super Heroes: DC Universe toy collection. The line includes five construction sets, such as The Batcave and three buildable, detailed action figures.

In LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, the Dynamic Duo of Batman and Robin join other famous super heroes from the DC Universe including Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern to save Gotham City from destruction at the hands of the notorious villains Lex Luthor and the Joker. Batman fans of all ages will enjoy a new and original story filled with classic LEGO videogame action and humor as players fight to put the villains back behind bars.

“LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes builds upon the action and cooperative gameplay experience established in our best-selling LEGO video game to date, LEGO Batman: The Videogame,” said Tom Stone, Managing Director, TT Games. “We’re offering fans a rich and expansive Gotham City environment filled with cool characters, great customization options and plenty of surprises that families, young gamers and DC Universe fans can enjoy together.”

LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes allows players to explore all new areas of Gotham City utilizing a variety of vehicles including the Batmobile and Batwing. In addition, they’ll be able to fight for justice by mastering new gadgets and suits, such as Batman’s Power Suit and Robins’ Hazard Cannon, and using all-new abilities including flight, super-breath and heat vision.

Source: DC Comics: The Source

In a simple one-line statement on DC Comics: The Source blog, the name of the mysterious hooded lady has been revealed: “Her name is Pandora.”

Aside from appearing in every #1 issue of the 52-title reboot, no other information has been confirmed about the character.

Source: LA Times Hero Complex

Christopher Nolan recently opened up to the LA Times about why he chose Bane as the newest villain in his Dark Knight trilogy.

“I didn’t know him very well,” Nolan said. “David Goyer got me a bunch of stuff on him and we looked into him. I only knew him by name, I wasn’t familiar with his back story. He’s a very cool character. And getting an actor like Tom to take it on, you know you’re going to get something very special. Tom is somebody who really knows how to put character into every gesture, every aspect of his physicality in the way that great actors can. He’s a very, very physical actor. He transforms himself and it’s there in every movement. He’s not afraid to look at a character from the outside as well as the inside so there’s a deep psychological branch to the character but also a very, very specific awareness of how he’s going to use his body and his appearance to express that character too. Christian is like that too, very much.”

“With Bane, the physicality is the thing,” he continued. “With a good villain you need an archetype, you know, you need the extreme of some type of villainy. The Joker is obviously a particular archetype of diabolical, chaotic anarchy and has a devilish sense of humor. Bane, to me, is something we haven’t dealt with in the films. We wanted to do something very different in this film. He’s a primarily physical villain, he’s a classic movie monster in a way — but with a terrific brain. I think he’s a fascinating character.  I think people are going to get a kick out of what we’ve done with him.”

2011 was certainly a monumental year in the comic book industry. It will undoubtedly be talked about for years to come. Lots of big stuff from both Marvel and DC Comics this year. I have chosen to only cover Marvel and DC here, so if you feel angry I included no indies, don’t. I had to scratch Buffy Season 9 from my list!

Anyways, here are the top ten moments I feel shaped 2011 in the world of comic books:

#10 - Mark Waid on Daredevil; Relaunched with a new #1

Oh Matt Murdock, the last couple of years have not been kind. From having your identity almost revealed, your wife getting driven insane and institutionalized, being put in prison and finally going nutzo and declaring yourself the new Kingpin of the underworld. After that where do you go? Enter Mark Waid, one of the most respected and best writers in comics history. He decided enough is enough, Matt had been through enough and famously said at a convention “I want to make it so you don’t feel like you need a stiff drink after you read an issue of Daredevil.” Waid’s idea was to bring Matt through to the other side, bring out the swashbuckling, more colorful Daredevil. After a decade of Bendis, Brubaker and Diggle putting Matt through high hell, its refreshing to see this side of Matt, but the undertones are still there. This book is a joy to read every month, with the amazing throwback art of Marcos Martin and others. It really is just a fun, well written super-hero book and in this industry right now what more can you ask for? Issue #7 is out now and the hardcover for the first six issues comes out on Feb 8, 2012. [Get the hardcover here]

#9 - Scott Snyder on Batman 

Scott Snyder IS the next Geoff Johns. That’s what many people are saying and I am inclined to agree. With the launch of DC’s New 52, Scott Snyder got to take the reigns of the main Batman title and start it with a new #1 (which hasn’t been done since 1940). Batman #1-4 (what’s been released so far) are far and away the best Batman stories written in years. It washed the horrible taste of Grant Morrison out of my mouth. Yes, he acknowledges Morrison’s stuff, but Batman goes back to being a ‘Dark Detective’ instead of a multi-colored leader of an army of Batmen. Each issue is better than the last. Snyder, who got his start on American Vampire and Detective Comics for Vertigo and DC respectively, is an AMAZING writer. Add to that the gorgeous art from Greg Capullo (Spawn) and you have THE best Batman book on the stands and one of the best in a long time. Bottom line… check out Batman #1-4 at your nearest comic retailer. Trust me.

#8 - X-Force: The Dark Angel Saga

First of all, if you are not reading Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender than do yourself a favor… kick yourself and go buy every issue! Seriously. It’s probably, if not the best X-book published, but one of the very best comics period. Every issue will kick your ass! One of the big storylines from 2011 which just finished was the The Dark Angel Saga. Basically Archangel has now taken over where Apocalypse left off and feels the need to cleanse the world of the weak. In order to help their teammate, X-Force must travel to the Age of Apocalypse (a famous alternate reality where Professor X died and instead Apocalypse took over) to find the dark entity that has his soul. While they are there, they encounter familiar friends who may no longer be alive in their own reality, and at the end of it a team member is killed and lost for good. A fantastic thrill ride. You can pick up the storyline split into 2 hardcovers. Book 1 is out now and Book 2 will be released on March 14th.

#7 -  War of the Green Lanterns

War of the Green Lanterns was DC’s big attempt to cash in on the excitement for the Green Lantern movie in June. (We all know how that movie turned out.) It was a ten-issue storyline that crossed over between Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, and Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors. It was spearheaded by keeper of the GL lore, Geoff Johns, and a multitude of talented artists. The story is how the Green Lanterns become mind controlled by the rogue guardian Krona and leaves Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner and John Stewart left to deal with this. The cool twist is since they can’t use their Green Lanterns anymore, they have to choose one of the other Corps to join (Red Lanterns, Blue Lanterns, Indigo Lanterns, Sinestro Corps, Star Stapphires) and some of the choices are SHOCKING. At the end, the main Green Lantern of Earth (Sector 2814) is NO longer Hal Jordan. It’s a huge event with obvious long lasting effects to the mythos. You can pick up the collected hardcover right now!

#6 - X-Men: Schism/X-Men: Regenesis 

2011 was a huge year for the X-Men universe, with X-Men: First Class rejuvenating the franchise in film and with Schism and then Regenesis retooling the X-Men in time for next year’s HUGE “Avengers vs. X-Men” event. Before X-Men: Schism began this past summer, Cyclops had united all the X-Men in San Francisco under a new island to live on called Utopia which was basically a safe-haven for all mutants. At the beginning of Schism #1 a major anti-mutant attack is unleashed on Utopia and it tears the X-Men right down the middle on what to do. It ends up with Cyclops and Wolverine facing off and having a huge parting of the ways. With X-Men: Regenesis, the X-Men are split in half. Half of the team decides to stay in Utopia with Cyclops and continue to try to live in peace, while the other half follow Wolverine off Utopia to New York where he’s had the X-Mansion rebuilt in tribute to Jean Grey and decides to reopen the school for young mutants with him as headmaster. X-Men: Schism has been collected into a hardcover that will be released on Jan 11th, 2012 and X-Men: Regenesis has two main titles: Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen and Carlos Pacheco and Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaaron and Chris Bachelo, both of which are up to issue #3.

#5 - The New Ultimate Spider-Man

In one of the most controversial stories of 2011, Marvel Comics decided to kill off Peter Parker. Wait… not THAT Peter Parker. The Peter Parker of the Ultimate Universe (think of it as an alternate Marvel Universe, cause it is). Nonetheless, this character had been around since 2000 and was written by Brian Michael Bendis every step of the way. But, finally, Bendis decided to end Parker’s story and start a new one with a new Spider-Man. A Spider-Man who is multicultural. Enter Miles Morales, who is African American/Hispanic. Then enter the internet cracking in half with controversy. To me, Spider-Man is all of us and I can see the point Bendis was making. The way Parker dies and becomes the Uncle Ben in Miles’ case to influence him to become the new Spider-Man is an absolutely seamless and beautifully told story. Bendis masterfully pulls a full circle story. I won’t get into the specifics, but it’s a definite must read. To read the demise of Peter Parker, check out the Ultimate Spider-Man: Death of Spider-Man hardcover that came out on November 2nd. To start and keep up with the new adventures of Miles Morales as Spider-Man, check out the monthly Ultimate Spider-Man comic, of which issue #5 just came out. Or, if you are trade-waiter… the hardcover of the first 6 issues comes out in February.

#4 -  Fear Itself

Fear Itself was Marvel’s “event” for 2011, and the first line-wide crossover they have done since 2008′s Secret Invasion. Written by Matt Fraction with art by Stuart Immonen, the story deals with the rise of an Asgardian fear deity named “The Serpent” who causes global panic on Earth. The twist is the Serpent, we find out, is attempting to reclaim the throne to Asgard he lost by his brother Odin. The entire Marvel Universe is faced with fear and doubt including the Super-heroes themselves. Obviously, like past Marvel events like Civil War, this is Marvel’s way to touch on the real fear going on in the world right now. The series goes through many twists and turns in its seven issues and there was also multiple tie-ins and miniseries that deal with pretty much every Marvel character. Some heroes don’t make it out unscathed, and it does have lasting impact on the Marvel Universe. The event itself is being collected in a hardcover available on Jan 18, 2012, with the minis and tie-ins to follow shortly after.

#3 -  Spider-Island

Spider-Island was the Spider-Man mega event of 2011 that ran through Amazing Spider-Man, Venom and numerous one-shots and minis. It is a basic story of what happens when… all the people in Manhattan gain Spider-Man’s abilities. The core bit to the story is that not all have been taught “with great power comes great responsibility.” Can Spider-Man keep the peace or will havoc ensue? As you read that I’m sure you are thinking what everyone thought: “This is going to be silly and terrible.” In fact, it was quite the opposite, as it was a really strong character piece about what makes Peter Parker special and why not just anyone with spider-powers can be Spider-Man. It is written by Dan Slott, who has been hitting it out of the park on Amazing Spider-Man for the past couple years and is without a doubt one of the BEST writers of all time on Spidey. It features some great moments such as seeing what J. Jonah Jameson and more importantly Mary Jane would be like with the powers of Spider-Man. This comes highly recommended and is without a doubt my favorite “event” of 2011. It’s currently being collected in hardcover for release on Jan 25, 2012.

#2 - Flashpoint

Flashpoint was supposed to be just DC’s big summer event for 2011. It turned out to be much, much more. Flashpoint was a mini-series that ran from May-Aug 2011 with a 5-issue main series and tons of tie-in minis and one-shots. The basic plot is that Barry Allen wakes up in an altered reality where the Flash never existed, Captain Cold is Central City’s protector, Wonder Woman and Aquaman have been married, Batman exists but kills and is it even Bruce Wayne?, Superman and the Justice League don’t exist and Cyborg is the world’s greatest hero. Everyone believed it would be a standard alternate reality thing where Barry has to find his way back to his own world. It was then revealed that this IS the world now. Everything has changed. Half the fun is finding out what changed, how it did and WHY. Finally, even when things end… the world isn’t restored to how it was before. Highly recommended. Geoff Johns is the best Flash writer and Andy Kuburt kills on the art duties. You can pick up the Flashpoint hardcover now.

#1 -  DC Comics 52 Reboot

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about this… even the non-comic book readers have. In the biggest move in more than a decade, DC Comics decided in August to reboot their entire comic book universe (for the most part) and start 52 comics at issue #1. While much speculation and guessing was thrown around, it turned out to be a MASSIVE success, the likes of which the comic industry hasn’t seen in some time. It got people reading comics again, people talking about comics again, and an influx of new readers as a result. For the first time since sales estimates have been recorded, DC Comics won the market share over competitor Marvel Comics. Marvel has since laid off many employees and is underway in cancelling a number of their lower selling titles due to this. The dominance of Marvel Comics in the comic industry was over. In September, the first full month of the new 52, they had an outlandish 20 out of 25 of the top selling comics for that month. It was unheard of. The reboot itself brought with it many changes to the DC characters, some major and some minor. The biggest announcement was the all-star creative team on Justice League of Geoff Johns and Jim Lee. The most effected was DC’s flagship character Superman. Wiped away was the marriage of Clark Kent and Lois Lane that had existed since 1996. Gone was Jonathan and Martha Kent being alive. Gone was the familiar costume. Reestablished was the love triangle of Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and Superman, with Lois’ knowledge of his secret gone. Other heroes were majorly changed as well. Barry Allen, The Flash, was no longer married to Iris Allen (is there any comic marriages intact now besides Reed and Sue Richards?). Probably the most controversial change to a character was that of Barbara Gordon no longer being the wheelchair-bound Oracle and instead walking and re-donning the cowl of Batgirl. The two characters least effected by the reboot were Batman and Green Lantern. Pretty much it was seen as if it ain’t broke, so don’t fix it. Geoff Johns would continue the story of Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps from where he left off. Batman was given a new creative team but all previous continuity had still happened. DC Comics dominated the comic industry from September 2011 to the very end of 2011. The question now is… will their reboot still bring them the market share in 2012 or will Marvel have a major league comeback in store for them? To check the reboot out (they are on issue #4 of all 52 titles) go to your local comic store or check out the AMAZING New 52 Hardcover that contains all 52 #1s in one ginormous 1000 page hardcover.

Last we heard, director Joss Whedon had promised there would be no 3D release of The Avengers. Things have apparently changed. It’s now being reported that The Avengers will in fact have a 3D release as well as its 2D release.

Whedon says that the 3D aspect will not be obnoxious. “There definitely are movies that shouldn’t be in 3D. The Avengers isn’t obnoxiously 3D. There’s no, ‘Oh look, we’re going to spend 20 minutes going through this tunnel because it’s in 3D!’ And no one is pointing at the screen the entire time. But it’s an action movie. Things tend to hurtle toward the screen anyway.”

The Avengers is on tap for a May 4th, 2012 release.

Brian Michael Bendis, who is without a doubt Marvel’s top writer and has been a staple of the Avengers franchise since 2004 has announced he is leaving the books at the end of 2012. Obviously 2012 is vastly important to Marvel Comics with the release of the Avengers movie. Bendis claims, “It’s time to move on and you’ll never guess what I’m working on next.” It will be the end of an era as Bendis, since 2004, ended the original Avengers title to launch New Avengers in early 2005, which featured Spider-Man and Wolverine on the team for the first time. Multiple spin-offs such as Mighty Avengers and relaunching Avengers in 2008 followed. He currently writes Avengers and New Avengers and is launching a third Avengers title that centers on the movie cast in March 2012. The obvious question is… who will replace him?

Alan Taylor, best known for directing episodes of HBO’s Game of Thrones, is now on tap to direct Thor 2, replacing Patty Jenkins who was originally announced.  Taylor directed the acclaimed episode “Baelor” as well as the Season 1 finale “Fire and Blood”. His resume also includes Homicide: Life on the Street and The Sopranos. Earlier this month, Jenkins left after what was labeled as “creative differences.” Thor 2 is still on schedule to be released on November 15th, 2013.

The folks over at Screen Rant put together this fantastic infographic depicting all the significant Batsuits over the years from TV, movies, theater, videos games, and of course the comics. [view enlarged version]

Time to step on the geek soapbox. I have a topic that so fully stirs my nerdy passions that I will not only discuss it with anyone willing to listen, but I will flat out rant about it with melodramatic fervor. It’s a topic that bares no true impact on my existence, but nonetheless riles me, and if one breathes a word that could justify me bringing it up they best believe I will stand on that soapbox and holler for all the world to hear.

I loathe unfaithful film adaptations of graphic novels.

Before I launch into this, I should probably explain where I’m coming from. Although I am a late-in-life fan of comics who didn’t start reading them until my freshman year of college, I am an avid one. I could tell you all about how Robert Crumb’s work with comix in the 1960s served as cultural catharsis for a generation of young males lost in a rapidly changing culture. I can break down how Neil Gaiman has utilized classic story telling and brilliant artists to broaden the popular reach of the comic art form. And naturally, I can tell you all about the difference between a comic and a graphic novel.

Over the years I’ve come to see a comic as a story that is one author’s take on a basic character concept. Generally these books have an open-ended nature to their conclusion; the events of this particular tale may have been resolved, but they are far from forgotten. Adherence to the continuity of the character’s world and the events that affect the characters therein is of vital importance. Although authors can play around wildly with the ins and outs of their narrative, they ultimately have their creative hands tied by the restrictions of working in a constantly evolving world. Essentially, a comic book author can send Spider-Man into the heart of a complicated battle with Green Goblin, but at the end of the day he will triumph over but not ultimately defeat his foe, and he will still be going home to Mary Jane.

A graphic novel on the other hand is a fully fleshed-out, stand-alone story with a closed, definitive ending. Graphic novel authors may choose to write about characters that are extremely well-known, but because their stories are stand-alone in nature they tend to involve outrageous or even shocking takes on the mythos of their protagonist. Several editions may be required to complete the story, but at the conclusion they have definitively ended with a finality that rarely exists in the comic realm. Finally, the graphic novel author’s creation stands either outside or alongside a character’s general canon. For example, The Long Halloween is a piece that follows the Batman universe faithfully in terms of both the traditions and characterizations, but the actions within and conclusion to the story are not considered part of what readers think of as Batman’s constantly evolving back-story.

While both of these comic forms have amazing, highly respected works associated with them, one seems to be much harder to nail as an on-screen adaptation. I can count on one hand the number of truly successful graphic novel adaptations when judged on box office gross, critical acclaim, and lack of fanboy flack. In comparison, there are countless good, if not great, comic book inspired movies. This is because the Hollywood teams that tackle these adaptations rarely appreciate the difference between a comic book and a graphic novel, and generally approach them the same way.

Take Batman, for instance. This comic book character has been re-imagined several times on screen. Batman (1966) had a completely different feel than Tim Burton’s Batman, and the Nolan “Dark Knight” trilogy is far darker than its predecessors. Each of these comic book movies are valid interpretations of their source material as they all follow the Batman origin story faithfully. They play by the same rules that a comic book author most follow, and because of that find success.

This generally is not the case with graphic novels. The essential problem that arises when a team attempts a graphic novel adaptation lies in this: they fight the source material rather than embrace it.

Now I’m not saying that a graphic novel film adaptation needs to be a straight panel-to-frame translation a’ la Sin City. This is both creatively stifling for the film makers and unrealistic due to time constraints. However, unlike a comic book movie that allows the screenwriters, directors, and visual effects artists to fully play so that they can create a brand new tale, the adaptors of graphic novel films are attempting to translate a complex and fully realized story to a new medium. I would say an apt comparison would be when a film adaptation of a novel is attempted, but that wouldn’t be acknowledging the existence of meticulously conceived, gorgeous images that accompany the words of a graphic novel.

The graphic novel author is not just writing a story; this talented individual is also plotting out panel-by-panel break downs of the dialogue, action, scenery, and environments that the artists will later be creating. When Alan Moore initially composed Watchmen, he did so with such vividness that made it easy for artist Dave Gibbons to understand exactly what was desired in every panel. Naturally, artistic revisions were made to create the fully realized masterpiece, but the fact remains that Moore was the initial force behind every element you experience when reading the classic work.

While a standard author is also able to create a stunning mental image through the sheer power of their words, those images ultimately float inside the head of each individual reader. How I picture the island from The Lord of the Flies will likely be nothing like how you will, and my mental image of Holden Caulfield that resembles Jake Gyllenhaal circa Donnie Darko probably doesn’t mirror yours either.

This isn’t the case with a graphic novel. When adapting one of these texts to film, every member of the team needs to know that any person who picks up the source material will have a very strict idea of how each scene of the story was meant to look. I know the look Dr. Manhattan gives before he vanishes to Mars, I know how quickly the camera is meant to pan while we watch cars drive around Sin City, and I know exactly how ripped Leonidas’ chest is meant to be. This is why the sense of expectation when viewing a graphic novel movie is so heightened; we know what to expect so thoroughly that you have to labor twice as hard just to avoid disappointing us.

Jonah Hex, V for Vendetta, 300, and Watchmen are each examples of films that left comic geeks wanting (and I’m not even referring to the fact that each of these movies to varying extents changed key elements of the plot lines from the source material that essentially nullified the very point the book’s author was trying to make). By over thinking the reimaging and neglecting the powerful road map they literally had at their fingertips, each of the filmmaking teams lost the magic of the original in a wholly disappointing way.

When Robert Rodriguez was filming Sin City he famously worked hand-in-hand with Frank Miller himself. Miller has stated that amid his eagerness to play in the new medium of film he wanted to rethink some of his classic images from his books. It was Rodriguez who told him that his book had it right in the first place, and told him that they were going to use it as their ultimate guideline. This is the simple, respectful mentality that future graphic novel adaptors need to grasp. Rodriguez gets it. Now the rest of Hollywood needs to catch up.

FX house Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc. has released test footage showcasing a very different, but more comic accurate, Green Goblin mask from Sam Raimi’s original 2002 Spider-Man movie. Why they didn’t choose to go with this version baffles me, as not only does it express more emotion, but it’s far scarier.

Available now are two new DLC packs for Batman: Arkham City, as well as a free Batman Inc. Batsuit Skin.

The Arkham Bundle brings together the Nightwing Bundle Pack, Robin Bundle Pack and the Arkham City Skins Pack for 1,200 Microsoft Points, or $15 on PSN.

Also available for download now is the Challenge Map Pack, which includes The Joker’s Carnival Challenge Map, the Iceberg Lounge Challenge Map, and a brand new invisible predator challenge map, The Batcave. The Challenge Map Pack is available for 240 Microsoft Points, or $3 on PSN.

Fans of the game will also be treated to the new Batman Inc. Batsuit Skin at no cost. This skin can be worn in the story campaign upon completion of the main story and in the challenge maps.

But let’s say you don’t want to wait. You want to wear your new Batman skins now.  Game director Sefton Hill has your solution, as he posted a thank you note on the game’s blog including a code which allows you to use any alternative Batman skin in the main game, without having to complete the full game.

To unlock this, simply press the following combination on the Main Menu screen (after you have selected your save slot):

Left, Left, Down, Down, Left, Left, Right, Up, Up, Down

You will get an audio confirmation and when you continue your game, you will get the option to select your favorite skin.

A new German trailer for Marvel’s The Avengers has made its way online and features some footage not yet seen before.

Coming to theaters on May 4, the Joss Whedon film stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson.

Warner Bros. Pictures has now posted the new trailer for Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises online.

Opening in theaters on July 20, 2012, Nolan’s highly-anticipated third Batman movie stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Juno Temple, Josh Pence, Daniel Sunjata, Nestor Carbonell, Matthew Modine, Tom Conti, Joey King, Brett Cullen, Chris Ellis, Josh Stewart, Christopher Judge, Adam Rodriguez and Rob Brown.

Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, the terrorist leader Bane arrives in Gotham City, pushing it and its police force to their limits, forcing its former hero Batman to resurface after taking the fall for Harvey Dent’s crimes.

Two new international banners for Marvel’s The Avengers have come online. Opening in theaters on May 4, the Joss Whedon action adventure stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson.

The theatrical trailer for Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance has debuted online. Starring Nicolas Cage, Fergus Riordan, Ciaran Hinds, Violante Placido, Idris Elba and Johnny Whitworth, the February 17 release is directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor.

Columbia Pictures has released the new poster for directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, coming to 3D and 2D theaters on February 17. Nicolas Cage, Fergus Riordan, Ciaran Hinds, Violante Placido, Idris Elba and Johnny Whitworth star.

In the successor to the worldwide hit Ghost Rider, Johnny – still struggling with his curse as the devil’s bounty hunter – is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy (Fergus Riordan) from the devil (Hinds). At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy – and possibly rid himself of his curse forever.

Warner Bros. has revealed the latest teaser poster for The Dark Knight Rises featuring Bane and an implied “broken” Batman.

DC Universe Online‘s second DLC Pack is out now! Devastate enemies or heal allies with new Electricity Powers, take on new solo and group combat encounters in the new Central City map, and travel back in time to save The Flash.

This April, The Avengers and the X-Men—the two most popular franchises in comics history—go to war! Marvel is proud to announce Avengers vs X-Men, a landmark 12-issue pop culture event bringing together the world’s greatest super heroes—Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, Magneto and more—for an unforgettable battle beginning in April 2012.

Avengers vs X-Men is written by a team of the top-selling authors in the comic book industry today: Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron, Jonathan Hickman, Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction. This unprecedented assembly of acclaimed writers is joined by a trio of the industry’s superstar artists: John Romita Jr., Olivier Coipel and Adam Kubert. The Avengers and X-Men have learned that the all-powerful embodiment of both death and rebirth known as the Phoenix Force is on a crash course for Earth…and it needs a new host to unleash its immeasurable power. But what is the shocking decision tied to the Phoenix’s return that will pit the Avengers against the X-Men? And when good friends become bitter enemies, what does this mean for the future of the Marvel Universe?

Shipping twice monthly, this epic 12-issue limited series will be available in comic stores and on the Marvel Comics app on the same day—additionally, each print issue of Avengers vs X-Men includes a code for a free digital copy of the issue on the Marvel Comics app at no additional cost to fans or retailers.

“Avengers vs X-Men brings together the most powerful forces in comics for a super hero war like you’ve never seen before and will never see again. We all want to see the best of the best go against each other—Lakers & Celtics; Ali & Frazier; Yankees & Red Sox; and in comics it’s the Avengers fighting the X-Men, ” said Axel Alonso, Editor in Chief, Marvel Entertainment. “We’ve brought together the biggest writers, biggest artists and biggest characters for the biggest story we’ve ever told. This is the kind of high-octane action-packed story that fans demand while also having a profound effect on every character involved—and reshaping the Marvel Universe in its wake.”

You’ve heard It’s Coming—and this April the War Is Here in Avengers vs X-Men #1! All your favorite super heroes enter—and only one team will emerge victorious!

About as fun as a headbutt from the Juggernaut (bitch), Destiny is about as paper thin as the graphics applied to the characters.

Marvel has one of the strongest licensing machines in video games, with a myriad list of classic characters and storylines that are perfectly adaptable to the arena of interactive games. We have been privy to some of the finer applications of these licenses, such as the fantastic X-Men Legends I and II, as well as the movie tie-in for Wolverine: Origins (all published by Activision). So why is it when I saw that X-Men: Destiny was slated for release in 2012 I was elated that we, the gamers, might be in for another fun romp through the Marvel universe… only to check back a few weeks later and see the release date pushed forward roughly 8 months (4 or 5 months earlier than the games originally planned release). So I entered the game cautiously, with the same trepidation the bachelor has on a first date.

Story: When the game began, I had a hard time trying to figure out where in the X-Men canon this game fit. Professor X is dead, as is Magneto (or so we are led to believe) at the hands of Bastion. In the current universe of the X-teams, their home base is San Francisco for the most part. They have, in the game at least, negotiated a peace with the Mutant Response Division and the game begins at a peace rally. Shortly thereafter, a terrorist attack hits the rally, at which point you are prompted to select a character and begin an adventure (I use this term loosely, mind you) to save the world or destroy it.

Gameplay: Once again, comic fans and gamers are given the promise of an action RPG by the developers. Destiny is really not an RPG at any length. The game is a bizarre mix of a third person brawler with trace elements of the Marvel Ultimate Alliance formula throw in with such elements as a minimap, collectible powers, and “buffs” that can be picked throughout, giving your character the same powers as some of the X-Men. This is one of the few cool things, swapping powers in and out. Offensive, Defensive, and Utility powers, as well as the costumed looks of  the X-Men and Brotherhood leave a good degree of open ended customization, albeit poor in terms of execution. There is just not enough meat in the game to utilize all the power sets, and multiple playthroughs seem unlikely (we’ll get to that soon).

Unfortunately, the whole game involves not much substance at all. The familiar beat up the Purifiers (the games main antagonist), go to the next area, fight alongside the X-Men or Brotherhood, complete a challenge map, then have a boss brawl. The only real choices players have is participating in either Brotherhood or X-Men missions, and changing the alignment of your character meter from either X-Man or Brotherhood.

Combat is button mashing and a lousy combo system, a dodge button, and a poor jump button. Four basic combos round out standard combat, with a powered up, selectable move set becoming available as the game progresses, based on the choice of power selected at the beginning of the game. X-Mode super powers your character when you complete a suit set of X-genes. For example, a Juggernaut suit has 3 X-genes available to be equipped , unlocking a super powered X-Mode. All in all it sounds cool, but the execution is not. Most battles rely on mere button mashing, with some atrocious simple AI.

Boss battles range from simplistic, pattern based combat to infuriating. I can reference one Purifier boss that had the simplest pattern, but due to GOD AWFUL platforming, made it an ordeal by fire. You would think Silicon Knights/Activision would have learned something about platforming and jumping, considering they did it well in the SPIDER-MAN games Activision published. Sadly, the bosses in this game, while beatable,  leave a lot to be desired.

Graphics and Sound: Graphics are about as paper thin as they get. That about sums it up. From a distance, I swore my PS3 had turned into a PS2 (I played Shadow of the Colossus Remastered concurrently with X-Men, and I swear a remastered PS2 game had better visuals). The typical background character animations are awful, and the X-Men/Brotherhood character models mediocre at best, in no way comparing to current generation, big budget game technology. The soundtrack was piss poor, with a mix of techno/house beats and thumping bass. One of the most irritating levels was the Chinatown level, with a low, droning sound and strings that made me have to turn down my digital sound to a low level. Add in the fact that the voices cut out quite a bit, due to shoddy programming or loading. (Which was which I couldn’t say). The 6 GB install on the PS3 didn’t help the game any either, as clearly it could have been run on a PS2.

Overall: X-Men: Destiny is yet another rushed superhero game from the Marvel license, and probably a game that is much worse than this summer’s offerings of both Green Lantern and Captain America. If you must play an X-Men game, RENT it please. Or, buy on sale for less than $30 like I did. C’mon Activision… you know better than this, as much as Silicon Knights (developer) should, since you made Eternal Darkness, the finest Gamecube gamer ever! An abysmal first playthrough wants me to teleport to the nearest frat party and kick a wannabe frat boy. It might be more fun.

Rating: 5/10  

Positive:

+ Customization of X-suits is about it

Negative:

- Um…

- Button mashing

- Graphics are subpar or worse

- Lacking story

- Hollow characters (although Milo Ventimiglia is pretty good in his role)

- Infuriating boss battles for the most part

- The worst platforming I have see since 8-bit days

Source: Deadline

Previously announced by Marvel Studios as taking the director’s seat for Thor 2, Patty Jenkins has decided to step away from the project as a result of “creative differences.” The split was reportedly amicable, with the feeling that Jenkins will end up working on a future superhero film, just not a sequel. The search for a new director has begun and a decision must be made soon as the film has to meet a release date of November 15, 2013.

Available now, the Arkham City Batman Skins Pack contains seven bonus Batman skins: 1970s Batman, Year One Batman, The Dark Knight Returns, Earth One, Batman Beyond, Animated Batman and Sinestro Corps Batman. The seven Batman skins can be used in all challenge maps and upon completion of the main story.

Empire has revealed two different covers to their upcoming issue, featuring brand-new shots of Batman (Christian Bale) and Bane (Tom Hardy) from The Dark Knight Rises.