eFX' Avengers prop replicas sneak peek

You know The Avengers movie must be getting closer when licensee companies are making announcements. In my inbox today was a press release from eFX announcing their line of Avengers movie replicas, and showing off a first peek at what they have in store.

eFX Inc. has acquired the worldwide rights to create Marvel collectibles, and they’re not stopping at The Avengers movie. They’re launching a full line of products based on Marvel characters from both the films and the comic books. Prices are expected to range between $49 and $1,500, or possibly even more depending on the size and artistry of the collectible. All products will be available to buy at eFX’s website, and at select retail locations and conventions.

Included in their first batch of products are replicas of Captain America’s shield, Thor’s Mjolnir hammer, and a full-scale Iron Man Mark V mask. Based on the preview image they sent, it would appear that Cap’s helmet cowl will also be among the available products, as well as Thor’s silver headpiece. The first replicas will be on display at WonderCon in Anaheim, California from March 16-18.

Past replicas manufactured and sold by eFX include items from Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Disney, and more. Not bad for a company that’s only four years old.

Marvel Point One, and the Watcher has a home invasion

Having only finished my pile of comics from last week over breakfast this morning, I thought I would spend a moment with Marvel, or more specifically, Marvel Point One.

Today we see the shipment of Avengers #19, one of the issues that Marvel Point One claims heralds the return of Ultron. Now I fail to see the connection between an Avengers membership drive (which seem to be occurring with an ever increasing regularity), and the return of Norman Osbourne and Ultron, although I would be the first to admit that the Green Goblin is crazy enough to utilise the genocidal bot. Or maybe it’s Tony Stark’s reparation of the Vision that leads to the adamantium killer’s return?

Except, isn’t there already a version of the Vision already wandering around? A combination of the original Vision’s OS, (what I wouldn’t give to have that installed on my laptop!) and Iron Lad’s armour? I know that Marvel is not one to shy away from duplicate characters; after all, we now have a new Scarlet Spider. And we all know how well that ended the first time around. But still! Does that mean that the Young Avengers Vision should be Vision Lad? No, that’s taken, or at least it was. Maybe Vision-Baby? Or Kid-Vision? (Ughh!)

Yes, I am convinced there is still a place for Sixties kitsch, however much the publishers want to ‘update’ their creations for the ‘new’ generation.

Anyway, I digress. Marvel Point One gave us an excellent foreshadowing of things to come, without promising anything concrete. Is this the future? Or simply a What If? And such high plot points not withstanding, just how can one ‘pay off’ Ultron in the first place? What would you use as currency? Your fertility? Your first born?

What I really look forward to is the new Defenders title that, if the Doctor Strange sequence is anything to go by, will be the Marvel spandex answer to the classic Invisibles by Grant Morrison. It’s a shame that that the She-Hulk starring in this is the Red, not the green, because I’m sure that reference to Jennifer’s ‘Fourth Wall awareness’ would have been able to complicate what already appears to be a promising storyline with a huge degree of hilarity.

The new Uncanny X-Force arc seems promising, with all our favourite anti-mutant bigots joining together to become something they hate, all under the shadow of the Age Of Apocalypse. If you missed that titles recent revisit to the alternate timeline of mutant hell, I highly recommend it. Oh, and they now have a Deathlok as a member as well, how can that be bad?

Something Marvel is doing currently, it’s doing right. Although the titles have all the hot new styles we’ve come to expect nowadays, this is the same universe that I saw in the Seventies and Eighties but that vanished for a while in the Nineties. Additionally, the fact that there are less dragged out ‘deconstructed’ storylines in most titles again makes me believe my few bucks have been well spent. And it’s about time, but congratulations to the ‘House Of Ideas’. It’s been a long slog, but things make sense again.

Hearing Joss Whedon’s witty dialogue coming out of Robert Downey Jr.’s mouth is a match made in Heaven. Writer/director Whedon does get lots of accolades for his written words, but the average viewer might not realize that he’s got an incredible eye as a director, always creating killer action scenes. Go back and watch some of the episodes of Buffy that Whedon directed, and you’ll see the most original, dynamic action scenes from the entire series. I noticed several of his visual trademarks in these quick-cut scenes: iconic/heroic poses (some of these shots look like they could be comic book covers), lens flares (hi there, Firefly fans!), and lots of moving cameras (which made it hard to get clear screengrabs).

He just gets “cool” (check out that wave of destruction rolling through an NYC street early in the trailer — that’s not CGI!), while never losing sight of the emotional heart of a story. And his instincts as a storyteller are always spot-on. So seeing him get to play in a playground this big is something his fans (yes I’m a Whedon fanboy and proud of it) have been waiting a long time to see. Based on this trailer, I’m ready to get in line now.

Enjoy the screens! Click on any image for a high-resolution (1440×790) version.

So where do you go, when a Watch Tower on the Moon, or a swamp that touches every possible reality (and then some) just are not enough?

The Fortress of Solitude

Classic Silver Age Fortress, Action #241

We all know of the Silver Age version, of an ice cavern with a gigantic metal door, unlockable only by an equally massive golden key. Or a blowtorch I imagine. Yet it was home to an Interplanetary Zoo, Superman robots and science labs more advanced than anything on Earth; technology that Superman chose not to share even with his colleagues of the Justice League.

Post-COIE Fortress, AOS #461

Yet after the Crisis, the creation of the base was entirely organic, at least in terms of the story, as the Eradicator Artifact turned itself into a little piece of Krypton, this time at the South Pole. This didn’t last, it got wrapped into a pocket dimension, a portal to which was placed in the Daily Planet Globe.

The Peru Fortress

Then more reboots. In an effort to find himself, Superman relocated to an Amazon Jungle fortress, and of course, there was a Kryptonian Sunstone creation in the post-Infinite Crisis reboot, to mirror the Fortress of the classic movies and the Smallville series.

The birth of the crystal fortress, Action #480

The most outlandish has to be the Fortress in the C853rd, based inside the very sun itself. Which makes sense really.

The Pyramid of the Aztec Ace

The Twin Pyramids of Aztec Ace

Jungle properties are obviously hot. You kinow what they say, it’s all about ‘Location, Location, Location’.

The Anachrony Den

Based in the Gardens of Tenochtitlan circa 1518 sit twin step-pyramids. In one sits an egg shaped time capsule better known as the Azure Crosstime Express; while the other contains Ace’s living space, better known as the Anachrony Den, where cool limestone conceals technology from multiple eras. From here, Caza monitors the entire timestream, working to undo paradoxes created by his enemy Nine Crocodiles who wishes to destroy history, and frequently saving the existence from himself.

Housekeeping does not seem to be Caza's forte

Originally native to the Twenty-Third Century, he picks up a girlfriend from the Nineteen Forties. One would hope coming from such an advanced era, he has installed air-conditioning and central heating.

The Fortress of Solidarity

Superman #708 The Fortress Of Solidarity

A base operating outside the regions of Space and time, the Fortress Of Solidarity is home to yet another incarnation of the Superman Squad, that we will no doubt never see again after the events of Flashpoint.

The Fortress is ‘a tesseract housed in a pentagonal icositetrahedron’ within the Still Zone, which is not quite the Phantom Zone, but related. This zone touches all times, yet has sometimes been used as a prison! Go figure!

Within the Fortress itself, there are portals/windows into spacetime, through which certain events or moments can be observed. No doubt this is related to it’s shape, which basically means a solid with twenty four pentagonal faces. Or for the less mathematically inclined of us, a twenty-sided die.

Has to be the oddest D20 I've ever seen

I’m not sure what Aztec Ace would make of this. How would this team ensure the stability of history if they are taking a proactive, interventionist role? Or is this more of a glorified social club? They claim they banded together to protect the timestream. Hmm, how’d that work out?

Vanishing Point

The original Vanishing Point in Zero Hour

Speaking of maintaining the integrity of the timeline, whatever happened to the good old Linear Men? They briefly blossomed into the Linear Authority, then appeared to collapse under their own weight. After all, when we see their later schism in Time Masters: Vanishing Point, Rip Hunter had locked the rest of his comrades away, and upon their escape, Liri Lee departs in a snit after refusing to agree with Rip’s rules of time travel. Of course then the Flashpoint happened, so it doesn’t look like she was very successful in keeping to her own ideals.

Home to the Linear Authority

The Heartland

Now, it may be okay for the Sandman to live within a conceptual realm when is the very embodiment of Dream, but for a team of government operatives, you would think it is a little more difficult.

The Heartland from Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters #2

Not so for Uncle Sam and his Freedom Fighters. It seems that being the living embodiment of the Constitution allows him to create his own living space as well. Now here is a concept I would like to see again.

The Soul-Society and the Seireitei

Now, how many heroes can claim their base in deep inside of the after-realms? Even Deadman hovers around the land of the living.

The Seireitei of the Soul Society

Not so in the anime Bleach. Ichigo Kurasaki may be based in the living Karakura town, but his powers and authority (and lack of respect for authority) derive from the Soul Society, better translated as ‘dead spirit world’. The Thirteen Court Guard Squads are based in the capital city, known as the Seireitei, or Court of Pure Souls.

If this is Heaven, it certainly seems far from paradise; controlled by social order and etiquette and leaving little room for the individualism we in the West so treasure.

One would think that a city in the after-realms would have the decency to stay dead, but no, it seems happily able to transport itself into the living world, swapping places with Karakura Town in order to protect it from a former Shinigami who wants to destroy the very natural order itself. (Seems like a popular pass-time!)

The Ant-Farm

The Ant Farm, the new base of S.H.A.D.E.

Seen in the pages of Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E, and earlier being the object of the Atom’s short lived series last year, the Ant Farm is a 3-inch mobile sphere that agents can access via Ray Palmer’s shrinking technology. The Farm seems to fly randomly (and quickly) around the world undetected.

What better base could one ask for covert operations, especially since it is also provided with its own teleportation network? This is the type of ingenuity we need to see more of, if the real estate war is to continue!

The H-Dial

Now you may wonder why I would include the origin of the super-powered identities seen in Dial H For H.E.R.O.

The fabled H-Dial

Yet in Superboy And The Ravers, it was implied not only that each super-powered identity adopted by the Dial bearer had its own personal thought patterns and style of reactions, but that each identity was a personality in and of itself, that merged with the bearer. That must make the H-Dial one of the most crowded super-hero bases, even more so than a fully staffed Legion Of Super-Heroes Clubhouse.

No wonder Vicki Grant went so schizophrenic in the pages of The New Titans.

The Infinite Mansion (Avengers)

The Infinite Avengers Mansion was created to be the headquarters of Hank Pym’s Mighty Avengers. It was created by Pym from the ever-expanding body of his ex-wife Janet Van Dyne and is located in a pocket dimension.

Infinite Mansion, Mighty Avengers #27

Though it has suffered recently in the events of Fear Itself, I rather hope this one will stick around. Plus one has to admire the cheek of a man to create a base out of the corpse of his dead ex-wife. It seems there is no limit to the abuse that he will subject Janet to, yet this fails to raise an eyebrow from anyone?

With millions of floors, and a potentially infinite amount of doors leading to everything the team will need and anywhere on Earth. Jocasta is the resident counterpart to the ever-faithful Jarvis, being both the mainframe and guide of the base, with an infinite number of bodies throughout the mansion available for duty at the flick of a digital switch.

The TARDIS

Of course, with all these bases floating outside of time, whizzing around the planet or dependant purely on conceptual ideals, I would be remiss if I failed to mention the not quite first but greatest of them all, the TARDIS.

The original TARDIS console room. Ah, memories!

The Fortress of Solitude first appeared in 1958, which predates the first voyage of the time-travelling Doctor and his granddaughter, but this is surely the creation with the greatest scope. Able to traverse both space and time, the TARDIS is sentient, and contains an entire universe within itself. Indeed, if it were not a universe, it would be unable to function.

Though the gothic or steam-punk looks are cool, I cannot but help feel nostalgic about the clean white lines of the very original console room, presented her for your pleasure.

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Jumping out first at this viewer from the (slightly blurry) image: a modern update to Captain America’s costume from what he’ll be wearing in his solo Marvel film later this summer. The new costume maintains the not-skin-tight aesthetic of the first Chris Evans costume while bringing the overall look more in line with what Cap looks like in comic books. (I think I like the 40s-era version better.) The image also gives us our first glimpse of Jeremy Renner in costume as Hawkeye. Hulk is in the mix, though this time his alter ego will be portrayed by Mark Ruffalo, so you might detect a few hints of Ruffalo’s visage in Hulk’s face. Chris Hemworth’s Thor looks basically the same as we remember him from last month’s blockbuster. And Iron Man still looks more or less as he did in Iron Man 2, though I think there might be a few slight cosmetic changes to his suit. Last but not least, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow appears much as she did in Iron Man 2, with some additional detailing added to the lower half of her uniform.

What’s the verdict? It’s a kick finally seeing all six characters together, don’t you think?

Next summer is truly the summer of the superhero. DC is launching its Green Lantern franchise with Ryan Reynolds, while Marvel ups the ante with not one but two big-budget hero movies: Captain America and Thor.

The first trailer for Thor is here, and it’s pretty darn amazing looking. Chris Hemsworth looks the part, and the cast is wisely filled out with seasoned actors like Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgard, and Renee Russo. Kenneth Brannagh is an inspired choice as director, because the film has a terrific look and feel that’s faithful to the comics while making the character and his world accessible to mainstream audiences. I’m impressed. And even more so after checking out these high-res screens I captured from the trailer, over which you can ogle every last detail.

What do you think?

One thing troubles me however, is the blatant stylistic plagiarism seen in the timeline map. As much as these tasters are enticing, and demonstrating the editorial plan for the next couple of years, with such highlights as ‘Nova Antiquus’, ‘Return of the King’ (whatever that means – Arthur? Black Bolt? Vulcan?), ‘Night Falls’ and ‘Iron Lad returns’ (about time, excuse the pun), it smacks rather too much of Rip Hunters map featured in ’52′.

Now I don’t mind the simultaneous arrival of similar concepts across the companies, that is unavoidable in our media culture where the same meme pops up everywhere. But it has been at least what, three years since 52? Hopefully this list has many red herrings as it is only one alternate future, but then what would we miss?

As fun as this story is, it lacks the gravity of the Destiny War in Avengers Forever, and I rather like my Avengers stories to have consequence. I hope I am wrong here.

We have seen the spirit of it in the very-definitely epic JLA vs Avengers, and it would be nice to see a sequel to that. (Lawyers take note here.) One could of course say that Kurt Busieks Trinity was indeed that sequel, but that only looked at one side of the dimensional/commercial divide. Personally, I think Access (or more to the point Dark Access) has a lot of potential in the hands of the correct writers, especially if the space is given for a good story to develop.

Take for instance the aforementioned sequel Trinity, a timeline in and of itself (briefly), and one as deserving of longevity as that of The Kingdom. Mirroring that is the House Of M, how indeed was the battle between to two great Brothers fought in those timelines? Darkseid is returning (it appears) in the current issues of the Legion Of Super-Heroes, despite his very final, never coming back, he is definitely dead this time death in Final Crisis. Who better to resurrect him than his corrupted future self of Axel Asher?

Infinite Crisis resurrected the multiverse, where did that leave Kismet of the Superman/Dominus stories? M-Day that wiped the vast majority of mutants from the mainstream timeline and according to Forge and the Beast, all neighbouring realities as well (even if it did not seem to affect the Exiles all that much), was an event that could have been felt by the Red Brother himself. Plus we saw that interdimensional tsunami (what a concept) in the Uncanny X-Men House Of M crossover, a plot thread that could be used to kick off events. A total excuse for a series of relaunches, the Ultraverse, the New Universe, another Squadron Supreme, the list goes on. (You just knew I had to get the relaunch concept in somewhere, eh?)

The two companies could really make a meal out of this. I mean, if they can overcome the licensing issues for the various four-issue mini-series, then they could do a year long series. And I don’t just mean a twelve issue run, because this would definitely be a biweekly series I would invest in.  Hell, make it another weekly, with lasting ramifications for both continuities. Surely they could write something into the agreement where they can be allowed to refer to these events later? Possibly in a less clumsy form than DC have in the case of JLA/Avengers. (Still, you have to give DC credit, they at least didn’t ignore it unlike Marvel).

Researching this gave me hope, as I found the following quote online:

While at Comic-Con, recently promoted C.B. Cebulski was asked at the Marvel Mondo Panel on Thursday if we can expect a Marvel vs. DC Crossover in the future. Cebulski’s answered for the panel by stating that Marvel would be more than willing to do it again, and that the ball is in DC’s court. He then tasked the room to extend that challenge back out to DC in Marvel’s name. DC has yet to respond.

I would ask the two companies to seriously consider this, and really go to town on the idea. In fact, we should all start badgering them at every possible opportunity. (Your mission, should you choose to accept it……………)

Having already addressed the pressing issue of defunct comics I’d like to bring back earlier this week, I’m now turning my greedy eyes towards the individual characters I’d like to see receive their own titles, for each to enjoy at least 15 minutes of geek fame.

In no special order, I’d grant the following their share of the spotlight.

Nite Owl & Rorschach: The adventures of this potentially dynamic duo were alluded to in The Watchmen, but never materialized in the form of a separate book. And since Alan Moore turned down DC’s offer of the rights to The Watchmen in return for prequel and sequel work, we’re not likely to see their prior lives without divine intervention. Still, there are bound to be tales in their complicated pasts that I’d enjoy reading, and for that reason alone, I’m willing Alan Moore to work it out.

Jeffrey Garrett: AKA the dead kid from Academy X. Although he was present as early as X-Treme X-Men #20, he played his most memorable role in X-Men history as a student killed when Magneto destroyed the school. As a result his ghost haunted the rebuilt academy. Discovered and tamed by the New Mutants, Jeffrey went on to be a spectral student until Scarlet Witch’s reversal of mutant powers basically erased him from print. I feel there’s a lot that can be done with a ghost whose ability to affect reality is still so strong that he could, as we see in David’s dream, destroy an entire continent. And a ghost who remains a child with childlike impulses, as well. Jeffrey’s tale is really one of melancholy, and a limited run series exploring his time at Professor Xavier’s school would be one I’d surely collect.

Edwin Jarvis: AKA the consummate butler, originally in Tony Stark’s employment but now an important member of the supporting cast for the Avengers. The stories of the unsung always interest me, particularly when it comes to those who’ve put up with years of back story we can only imagine (even on top of decades of stories we already know). What kinds of beans does Jarvis have to spill? Inquiring minds want to know. Even if it’s only a one-shot, Jarvis has more than earned the spotlight for his years of faithful service to an often unmanageable cast of characters. (And let’s face it. Doesn’t being torn apart and eaten by your employers [Marvel Zombies] earn you a big break?)

Michonne: This unpredictable heroine of The Walking Dead is at times so twisted I look forward to seeing her part in the tale unfold from month to month just about more than any other character. While she’s not the main protagonist in the series, she’s become a massive force to be reckoned with, and I’d like to see how she got that way. Like, from the very beginning. A Michonne origins title would be exceptionally well received not just by me, but by the countless other geeks who hang on Robert Kirkman’s every word. We get a glimpse of Michonne’s past in the series, but a glimpse simply isn’t enough. This katana-wielding ass-kicking lawyer has far more to tell.

Evey Hammond: Let’s face it. Judging not only from my previous mention of V for Vendetta as a title I’d like to bring back from the dead, but also from the fact that the creators left the door wide open for any such spin-off material, Evey Hammond as V simply had to make this list. She emerged a pretty tough cookie in the end. Would she hold under pressure? Could she get away with the role? Does the world even need a V anymore, with the wheels of anarchy already in motion? There are plenty of questions. It’s high time we discovered the answers.

Stay tuned for part 3, wherein I deftly arrange superheroes into dream teams with more panache than a world-class interior decorator with Donald Trump’s budget!

Are you a bona fide comics geek, like me? You should check out Why I gave up comic books and its rebuttal Why I haven’t given up on comics here on ForeverGeek, too!

The boards are already abuzz with talk of Cosmic/Galactic/Space Avengers, the teaser images of the return of the Black Lanterns (waaaaaaaaaay too soon if you ask me, if that’s even real and not just a Halloween cover) and in the process missing some really cool news. No, not that Mark Waid has been announced as Chief Creative Officer at Boom!, (although that is pretty cool in and of itself), but that the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents are finally making their return, and this time as part of the DCU!

It’s really great to see the Crusaders and the Agents become part of the DCU, along side (sort of) Doc Savage and the Spirit, characters with great legacies that deserve to remain around, and the DCU is the perfect place to keep that going. One can only hope it is not a flash in the pan however.

Speaking of legacies, IDW remains a strong bet. Having recently caught up on the episodes of Farscape that I missed the first time around, I decided to give Farscape:Scorpius a try, and I have to say, I love it. The sheer duplicity and calculated manipulation shines through, as well as setting up what has the potential to be a big storyline for the Farscapeverse. A hunger has set in me to collect all the back-issues I have missed so far. It should only take so many arns, surely?

Even as new characters come onto the market, these legacies either set the standard, or demand preservation. It is good to see Farscape in good hands and new life breathed into it.

On that note though, is there anything left to relaunch? The Go-Bots maybe?

The recent success of the Atlas team of Jimmy Woo, Venus, M-11 the Killer Robot, Namora and the Uranian, allegedly the original incarnation of Marvel Boy (I have my doubts) has been masterful marketing,  Yet it is only now, with the addition  (and hopeful redemption) of Triathlon Daniel Garrett, former Avenger and successor to the original 3D Man that the entire topic of the so-called 50′s Avengers has risen its head. Not a whisper of this has been mentioned in the relaunch of these characters over the past few years.

The 50s Avengers were introduced in the ninth issue of the original series of What If, back in 1978. Locked in combat with minions of the Yellow Claw in an effort to prevent the kidnapping of President Dwight Eisenhower. These Avengers were successful is saving the President but that never prevented him from asking them to disband.

seemingly ret-conned out of existence. However, in a personal communication with Kurt Busiek (on the Avengers Message Board), he specifically stated that he did not wipe the Avengers of the 1950s from existence. One alternate timeline containing them was wiped out. The group may well have existed in the mainstream past, but they just weren’t called the Avengers. He suggested the name: “The G-Men”. (Thanks to the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe for that little tidbit of information).

This was still not the end however, Immortus did not erase all such timelines as seen in Paradise X Heralds #3, and as such the 50s Avengers occurred as one of the many repeated memes throughout the multiverse.

Now Triathlon is having dreams of this hidden or alternate history, while the Agents of Atlas face once again the badly named villain Skull Face, the skeleton of an alleged demon burnt at the stake centuries ago and restored to life in this century (well, last century) by fifty million volts of  electricity (sic) in Mystic #6.

Talk about a bygone era, but even today such simplicity has it’s appeal.  I rather think that the story being unvieled however will be far from simple, but I eagerly await more.

Doomwar #3

This last weekend saw C2E2 in Chicago, and the boards are afire with many of the teasers and trailers released, especially by Marvel.

“A new series, simply titled X-Men, will be launching this fall, and it will put mutants vs. vampires in an epic showdown.” With guest-stars such as Spider-Man, Blade and She-Hulk, this places the X-Men back into interacting with the rest of the Marvel universe, and their first threat being that of the vampires.

This has received mixed reactions. Over at IGN, one poster Kung-Fu Blunt commented “guh, vampires? c’mon marvel why have you got to chase the trends. if i see one more vampire movie releasing i might shoot myself. enough with the vampires. why dont we obsess over mummies for a change. they wear bandages, im sure that will fit in with some peoples sense of fashion.” (sic)

Well, mummies are around again, N’Kantu has been seen in the Punisher (who has also been reborn as a creation of Frankenstein, which you have to admit is a dramatic change of direction and pretty cool, not that it will last), and another mummified character returned to the heroic ideal in recent issues of Project Super-Powers.

Still, mummies neither have the trendy ‘tween-appeal of vampires or the mass-media saturation of zombies. I have to say, if I do not see another zombie for a year, I won’t mind.  The conclusion of Deadpool Merc With A Mouth and the phenomenal Walking Dead not-withstanding of course. (Did you hear the latter will be a TV series soon? Thank god it’s not the former even if he might be getting a movie.)

Dracula made a reappearance just after the Secret Invasion as he attempted to invade the United Kingdom in the pages of Captain Britain and M.I.13, a brilliant title that disappeared into Limbo way to soon.  Still, as a title character, can Captain Britain really carry a title in an predominantly American market? Obviously not. (Thanks guys, I’m tempted here to echo the cries of ‘We want our country back!’ but maybe not in the more fashionable use of the phrase.)

Vampires have returned to the Marvel Universe several years ago now since the destruction of the Montesi formula, but have been quite underused. In story-telling terms, by now they will have established quite the power base, so it is about time. With Dracula having political relationships with Doom, it’s a wonder he never made a move on Osbourne.

Still, it would be nice to see Marvel set trends again instead of follow them.

Back to my original point though, the X-Men have been separatists since the Civil War, even operating alone during the Secret Invasion. If the Heroic Age is upon us, then it is only right they get a little more involved.  The last time such a thing occurred (other than major events like House Of M or even as far back as the Bloodties crossover with the Avengers) was the original Secret Wars.  They sure could use the good PR.

And how cool would vampire-hunting Sentinels be?

One announcement I welcome is the Avengers Children’s Crusade.  And I quote ‘Avengers: Children’s Crusade will see the teenage team uniting with their older mentors and friends, as well as X-Men, to seek out the missing Scarlet Witch. Children’s Crusade is a nine-issue project and is scheduled to ship bi-monthly. ‘The critically acclaimed Young Avengers team of Allan Heinberg and Jimmy Cheung reunite for the Avengers story you demanded! The one, true Scarlet Witch is back and it’s a race between the Avengers, Young Avengers, Magneto and Doctor Doom (!) to find her.’

Somewhere I read that Avengers of all eras will be involved.  In the present day? Or could she be in the hands of Immortus?  He always did have a thing for her, and he has not been seen since the Destiny War. (Although I read this an hour or so ago, I can’t find it now. I hope it’s not just wishful thinking on my part.)

So either this is a time-travelling Doom or he survives the Doomwar.  Then again, of course he will survive the Doomwar. Doom is eternal and will not be bested by lesser beings.

Oops, slipped into the propaganda there.  But today sees the shipping of Doomwar #3 and I am psyched.  The story had a big build up (though where to place in relation to Siege on the timeline, I’m not quite sure), and this is what Doom stories should be.  Big, and political, with ramifications dripping off every page. I only hope this mini lives up to what it should be.  Maybe Doom will have to flee into time to avoid T’Challa and Namor, always a delightful ménage-a-trois.

All Hail Doom!

This might be the greatest news to ever come out of geekdom. Joss Whedon, one of the most celebrated and respected (and geeky) wordsmiths of our time, is going to be directing Marvel Studios’ big-budget superhero mashup, The Avengers. As you probably know, The Avengers is combining the stars of Marvel’s various superhero pics — Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, and Nick Fury — into star-studded blockbuster film. Whedon landing this gig is on the same level as JJ Abrams being handed the keys to the Enterprise, and everybody knows how amazing that turned out.

Whedon is best known as the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, and writer of Astonishing X-Men, though he also served as a bigshot Hollywood script doctor before hitting it big with his own properties, doing uncredited rewrites on films like Speed, and helping to give voices to Woody and Buzz Lightyear in the first Toy Story. His singular talent for writing original, clever dialogue has helped give his work its distinct flair, and he’ll be doing a rewrite on the existing Avengers script. As a director, he handled many episodes of his own TV shows, as well as the big screen filmSerenity. Anyone who saw Whedon’s directorial efforts on his TV shows knows that he has a profound talent for using the camera as another communication tool, as well as a strong eye for wicked cool action sequences.

Just imagine hearing Whedon’s dialogue coming out of the mouths of Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Evans (Captain America), and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury)! Also joining the cast will be Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Edward Norton reprising his role as the Incredible Hulk. It almost seems too good to be true that Marvel would entrust its most important property and biggest stars to someone like Joss Whedon; he has infinite amounts of geek cred, but no established box office bankability.

But you can take this to the bank: Whedon doesn’t know how to tell a bad story, so assuming there’s not too much studio interference or bloated actor egos on the set, The Avengers is going to be something special when it arrives summer 2012.

Once Siege ends in a few months, Marvel is promising a new “Heroic Age,” a new time of optimism, when superheroes come out of the darkness and into the light. Nowhere are these changes more present than in the just-revealed details of the Avengers line of titles, which are undergoing some major overhauls across the board, with new #1s and entirely new series. Writer Brian Michael Bendis continues to lead the charge with Marvel’s flagship team, so it ought to be interesting to see what he writes in a brighter, more idealistic era.

Click through for a look at the extensive changes coming to the Avengers…

Among the changes are a new leading series titled simply Avengers, written by Bendis with pencils by John Romita Jr., and debuting in May. This prime Avengers team is being referred to by Marvel as “the most blockbuster Avengers team ever,” and based on the just-released cover of Avengers #2, it looks like the all-star team includes Captain America (Bucky Barnes), Thor, Iron Man (in his new armor), Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hawkeye, and Spider-Woman. Don’t expect that line-up to be final; Bendis loves to switch up rosters, so there could be more changes before the team is finalized. The first story arc features Kang the Conqueror alerting the team that they need to travel to the future “to save their own children from destroying the universe.”

Also in May, Marvel is unveiling Secret Avengers, a new ongoing title featuring a team with a roster as mysterious as its premise. No artwork or story details have been revealed about this one. All we know is that Ed Brubaker is writing and Mike Deodato is drawing.

New Avengers restarts with a new #1 in June, with a team that assembles “to take on the threats too dark, too dangerous, and too bizarre for any other team of heroes.” The cover for the first issue shows Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Ms. Marvel, and Thing as part of the team, but the first story arc is set to reveal a member of the team that was formerly one of the Dark Avengers and now seeks redemption (my money’s on the Sentry). Bendis writes, Stuart Immonen draws.

Avengers Academy, a new ongoing debuting in June, looks set to take the place of Avengers: The Initiative, which ends in May with issue #35. Initiative writer Christos Gage is helming this new series, with art by Mike McKone. The premise finds Hank Pym building a new school where the next generation of heroes can be trained. The twist this time is that the faculty is a rotating roster made up of anyone who’s ever been an Avenger. The first class features six brand new young heroes that have never been seen before.

Both Secret Warriors and Thunderbolts will have shake-ups following the events of Siege, though little is known about how far these changes will go.

Though not directly related to any Avengers titles, two more new series starting in June are spinning out of the Heroic Age. The first is Hawkeye & Mockingbird, written by Jim McCann and penciled by David Lopez, who previously teamed on New Avengers: The Reunion, which starred this husband/wife duo. The ongoing series similarly casts them as superhero/superspies.

Young Allies is an entirely new concept, grouping together five youthful heroes who have gotten lost in all the shake-ups of the last few years. Written by Sean McKeever and drawn by David Baldeon, Young Allies finds these five displaced heroes teaming up to find their place in a crowded world of superheroes. The roster: Araña, Firestar, Gravity, Nomad, and Toro.

The Heroic Age is also spawning a handful of miniseries exploring various facets of Avengers history and future. Avengers: The Origin, a five-parter starting in April, “reveals previously untold details of the historic first meeting of Thor, Iron Man, the hulk, Ant-Man, and the Wasp.” Written by Joe Casey and drawn by Phil Noto.

Avengers Prime, by Bendis and artist Alan Davis, rekindles the friendship between founding Avengers Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, and Thor, as the world is presented with a threat that only the big three can handle. This five-part epic starts in June.

Lastly, May brings Age of Heroes, a four-part series of preludes that set the stage for much of what’s to come in the Marvel Universe with all of the new titles being launched.

The long hunt is finally over. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the next person to play Captain America in Marvel’s latest project is Chris Evans. How do you know him? Well, he’s “that guy” from Not Another Teen Movie, the lead character in Push, and of course, the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four Series. From the article:

Sources tell us the actor has not only accepted Marvel’s offer, first detailed on Friday, but that the dealmaking moved so fast it’s now all about dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s.

Marvel would not comment on the development, and CAA, which reps the actor, declined comment.

Evans was offered the role in Marvel Studios’ production last week, but there was some question of whether he would accept. Factoring in to the choice was the fact that Evans played Johnny Storm, the flame-covered superhero known as the Human Torch in Fox’s “Fantastic Four” movies. Was he ready to play another superhero and take on the trappings that come with such a high-profile part?

This is a big casting, because the good ol’ Cap is going to be the lead in Captain America and the Avengers movie, so we’ll be seeing a lot of this guy. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if he made a cameo at the end of the credits for Iron Man 2.

So how do they handle the Human Torch/Cap America situation? Personally, I hate when people cross over comic books, a la Ryan Reynolds in Wolverine and the upcoming Green Lantern flick, because it takes us out of the universe. It makes it much less real, when ultimately, that’s what Marvel is trying to do – create a movie universe in parallel with the comic multiverse. On the other end, the Fantastic Four movies sucked pretty hard, and there’s little hope that they’ll be coming back to do a third flick. If they do, they’re going to have to recast Johnny Storm, but I’d be willing to bet that Jessica Alba wasn’t coming back either.

What’re your thoughts? Think this is a good casting or should they have gone with someone else like Ryan Phillippe?

I never read Iron Man as a kid. I was more into Batman, the X-Men and related teams, as well as Spider-Man to read about an alcoholic rich guy with a suit. As a result, I went into Iron Man the movie with just a few basic expectations, and came out ecstatic about the series and the direction it was going. Robert Downey Jr. did a spectacular job as Tony Stark, and everyone else involved did great, too. With the ending, I saw what Marvel was really trying to put together, and saw just how cohesively it was going to happen. Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk, Thor … The Avengers movie was going to be awesome.

Here we are, 2010, and the next few years are looking good for Marvel’s franchise. Thor is 2011, as is Captain America, and the following year, The Avengers. First though, we have Iron Man 2, which is going to lay some more of the groundwork for the Avengers movie. And of course, there’s a new trailer online. Two words: Suitcase. Armor. Download it in 1080P for full HD viewing, or just check out the smaller iPod versions. Either way, take a peek, because it’s awesome.

Mighty Avengers #30 - Finally they are starting to regroup

I’ve really enjoyed the issues of Mighty Avengers recently, and this weeks #30 is no different, although I do have a few reservations about it. The road to redemption for Henry Pym is a long one, and one he should have started a long time ago. The fact that he was replaced by a Skrull at some indeterminate point not withstanding, how many times has he broken down and tried to kill his team-mates? Beaten his wife? Created a machine dedicated to the eradication of all organic life?

So, nice to see the Macroverse after its scant attention in the pages of Fantastic Four, although it’s remarkably like the Dimension Of Manifestations as seen in Quasar and home to the beings that became the Magus Dopplegangers in the Infinity War.

Still, Scientist Supreme? Eternity trusts Pym? Avengers Forever intimated that Immortus may have been behind Pym’s breakdowns, and Eternity sees that as a qualifying factor?

Mind you, it was well worth seeing Eternity punching Pym out. I don’t want to spoil the issue if you haven’t read it, but what a scene.

The threat of the Unspoken is still gaining in importance, but what I didn’t like was that there was barely a tacit mention of Loki posing as the Scarlet Witch. Are all the Young Avengers under the same spell as Cassie now?

One other taster was the full page advert for the Realm Of Kings! Now that I am looking forward to.

Based on Marvel Entertainment’s schedule for the next few years, there seems to be a conscious effort to come out with Marvel superheroes that play a significant role in the Avengers. Following a 2009 without a movie being released, the company will release a slew of movies in the following three years.

Here’s a breakdown of the releases:

* Iron Man 2 – April 30, 2010

* Thor – June 4, 2010

* The First Avenger: Captain America -  May 6, 2011

After these movies, the Avengers movie is expected to be released July 2011. But this one still has no firm plans. Anticipation is really going to build as these future dates get nearer.