I’ve made no secret of my disdain for Sony rebooting the Spider-Man franchise so quickly after Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire’ trilogy came to an (unplanned) end. But after watching the new trailer for Marc Webb’s Amazing Spider-Man, I’ve finally found a reason to get excited about a new Spidey. Click through to watch the trailer and check out some high-res screengrabs of its blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em key moments.

First of all, do yourself a favor and bump the trailer up to full 1080p resolution, and expanded it to full screen. Totally worth it.

There’s lots of cool VFX in this trailer. There’s some terrific character moments (the one that will most warm your geeky little heart is when Spidey smack-talks a car thief). There’s some dynamic, fast-paced, brutal action scenes (seriously, Peter escaping the cops: whoa). There’s some fun dialogue (Gwen noting under her breath, “I’m in trouble,” I’m guessing comes shortly after she learns Peter’s secret, and realizes that she’s in love with him). The lighting and cinematography are appropriately dark and glistening (Webb’s New York City looks like the real thing more than Raimi’s candy-colored NYC). And there’s a noteworthy absence of any hokey FPS sequences, like we saw in the teaser trailer.

These are all things that fill me with great hope. But they’re not what changed my mind about The Amazing Spider-Man.

What captured my imagination is that the trailer reminded me once again why we love Spider-Man in the first place. We love him because he’s one of us. He’s a dork. A geek, who gets superpowers and finds the nobility to use them for good instead of gain. A fanboy who learns the hard way that being a superhero is a lot more complicated than the comic books make it look. A regular Joe who accepts the responsibility fate has thrust on him, despite the hardships and pains that it brings, and simply tries to do the best he can with the hand he’s been dealt.

I watch this trailer… And I believe. Again.

Raimi’s first Spider-Man was good. 2 was excellent. Just a brilliant, brilliant movie. But 3 was a hot mess. It had so many good things going for it, including a lot of potentially great ideas. Its problem was in getting away from the core of who Peter Parker is, by awarding him with fame and adoration, and letting him get caught up in it. Peter Parker is not Superman. He’s the underdog. People love him, but they don’t throw parades in his honor or give him the key to the city. I don’t fault Raimi for trying new things and attempting to push the character in new directions. I fault Spider-Man 3 for being a bloated, busy exercise in excess that lost sight of who its hero is.

From this trailer, it’s plainly obvious that director Marc Webb and star Andrew Garfield know exactly who Peter Parker is. And I can’t wait to see their dark new take on everyone’s favorite web-slinger.

Oh, and the mechanical web shooters? Flippin’ awesome.

Concept art from 'The Amazing Spider-Man' video game

Next Summer brings the heavily debated Amazing Spider-Man movie, starring Andrew Garfield and directed by Marc Webb, which means that Summer will also see the release of its inevitable tie-in video game. But what technological monstrosity is depicted in this early concept art from the game?

Placeholder cover art (not final)

Quebec-based Beenox, developer behind the last two Spider-Man games (Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions and Spider-Man: Edge of Time), is working on The Amazing Spider-Man. Activision revealed today the first details about the game: it’s set in the aftermath of the film, and returns to the free-roaming nature of earlier Spider-Man games where the player is able to web-sling their way to anywhere in the city they want to go, at any time. There’s also a new game mechanic that’s being called “Web Rush,” which is supposed to let you execute a whole bunch of new moves.

The new Spidey will face “a variety of criminals” in this new game, according to Activision’s press release, but I can’t figure out what villainous goliath our hero is facing off against in this piece of concept art from Beenox. It certainly isn’t the Lizard — the movie’s villain — or anything related to him. It almost looks like a giant Scorpion, but that would be a significant departure from the comics.

Any guesses?

The Amazing Spider-Man video game is being written by Seamus Kevin Fahey, who’s worked as a staff writer on Syfy’s Battlestar Galactica and Starz’ Spartacus: Gods of the Arena. Below is a tiny teaser for the game’s first trailer, which will debut on Spike’s Video Game Awards this Saturday night.

Batman Triumphant

A fan poster for 'Batman Triumphant'

This was a proposed sequel to the godawful Batman & Robin, with George Cooney and Chris O’Donnell returning in the lead roles. The story pitted Bats against Scarecrow and Man-Bat in what director Joel Schumacher (who directed the prior two films) wanted to be a return to the darker portrayal of the title character, rather than the goofy, technicolor kiddie flicks that the series had fallen into. But when Batman & Robin failed to perform at the box office (not to mention with critics and fans), Batman Triumphant was scrapped in favor of a series reboot — a move that gave us the triumphant Christopher Nolan films. So it sort of lived up to its name.

Batman vs. Superman

Batman vs. Superman fan art

Director Wolfgang Petersen (Air Force One, The Perfect Storm) came very close to making this one. It introduced a retired, haunted Bruce Wayne and a divorced Clark Kent who start off as friends. There’s a wedding in the story, where Bruce ties the knot to one Elizabeth Miller, and Clark — who has rekindled his high school romance with Lana Lang — is his best man. Things go south when Elizabeth is murdered by the Joker while the happy couple are on their honeymoon, sending Bruce back into the Bat-tights. Lex Luthor is also involved in some way, perhaps in an alliance with the Joker. Presumably, as the title suggests, the two heroes would at some point in the movie come to blows against one another, though I’m sure it all turned to hugs and puppies by the end. [Image source.]

Batman: Year One

Costume concept from 'Batman: Year One'

A collaboration between director Darren Aronofsky and writer Frank Miller, this was conceived as a complete reboot of the Batman film series after the disappointment that was Batman & Robin — but before Christopher Nolan was involved. Aronofsky and Miller’s script is described as a 70s period piece where they “threw out absolutely everything you know about Batman” and started over from scratch. Instead of a billionaire, Bruce Wayne is a street-dwelling orphan after his parents are killed, growing up into “a borderline psychotic who begins taking violent vengeance on street thugs.” And instead of using high-tech gadgets, this street-level Batman uses whatever junk he can get his hands on. His Batcave is an abandoned subway station, and his Batmobile is a Lincoln Continental with some added hardware. The idea of a “year one” take on Batman would carry on to the subsequent Batman Begins by Christopher Nolan, but no story elements from Aronofsky and Miller’s story would be used.

Justice League

Justice League fan art

George Miller wanted to make this film, which was the start of a proposed film trilogy, with a young cast of 20-somethings in the starring roles of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, and others. The script by Kieran and Michelle Mulroney has secret files belonging to Batman stolen by a supervillain team-up — files that describe the weaknesses of each member of the Justice League, in case of worst-case scenario where Bruce might be forced to take them down. OMACs and Brother Eye are involved, Barry Allen is murdered with Wally West taking up The Flash mantle, and there’s a big twist at the end revealing Darkseid as setup for a sequel. At first, the movie was going to be set in the same universe as Batman Begins and Superman Returns, but this was scrapped pretty early in favor of a separate continuity. [Image source.]

Spider-Man (James Cameron)

Storyboard from James Cameron's 'Spider-Man'

Cameron’s take on the web-head was similar to Sam Raimi’s first movie in broad strokes, but Cameron’s outline/script (which you can read for yourself online, or a version with storyboards here) was a darker, more nuanced origin story for Peter Parker. Peter is a repressed bully target who explodes with rage when given the opportunity, beating Flash to a bloody pulp and swinging across New York rooftops as a cathartic sort of therapy. His enemies include a new version of Sandman, who works as a sort of “mob enforcer” for Electro, a wealthy entrepreneur whose electrical powers could alter digital records, access databases, and more, and who tries to turn Peter into a fellow villain. J. Jonah Jameson owns a local TV station instead of a newspaper. Spidey’s web shooters are organic (which is where Raimi got the idea from), but manifest in a sticky wet dream one night in bed. Where Raimi’s film was candy-colored and maintained a plucky optimism, Cameron’s story is set in a world of moral greys, where doing the right thing often causes as many problems as it solves. Peter’s journey to becoming a hero is a longer one, with more mistakes along the way. He swears frequently and even has costumed sex with Mary Jane in a steamy scene atop the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s kind of hard to imagine this film in the wake of Sam Raimi’s successful trilogy, but don’t ever underestimate Cameron’s midas touch at the box office. It was an opportunity lost due to legal battles between various studios who believed they had the rights to make a Spider-Man movie. But in my opinion, despite a few odd choices, it’s ultimately a cool story, and James Cameron + Spider-Man would have made an unstoppable box office dynamic duo.

Spider-Man 4

A fan-made poster for 'Spider-Man 4'

Even though most fans were disappointed with Spider-Man 3, it was an enormous box office success, and Sony greenlit Spider-Man 4 not long after 3‘s release. Raimi wanted the villain this time out to be the Lizard, while the studio wanted John Malkovich as Vulture. Tobey Maguire and Kirstin Dunst were set to reprise their roles as well, and development was in full swing when Raimi backed out, citing creative differences with the studio. Marc Webb was brought in to restart the franchise anew, and he chose Andrew Garfield as his Spider-Man. We’ll see what they come up with next Summer.

Super Max

Green Arrow was the main character in 'Super Max'

A hot script by David Goyer & Justin Marks was the talk of Hollywood a few years ago. In it, Green Arrow has been incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit, in an extremely elaborate, high-tech prison made to de-power superpowered criminals and hold them indefinitely. It was described as a big, complex heist film with lots of supervillains from DC Comics — and a superhero or two as well (in addition to Green Arrow). No Black Canary, but roles were confirmed for Riddler, Joker, and Lex Luthor. There’s no reason this one might not one day see the light of day, but nobody’s in any hurry.

Superman: Flyby

Costume concept for JJ Abrams' 'Superman: Flyby'

J.J. Abrams’ wildly bold reimagining of the Superman story is — not unlike Zack Snyder’s upcoming Man of Steel — a total reboot that leaves behind all past continuity and takes some major steps away from the comic book mythology. This script suffered from a now legendary leak to Aint It Cool News, where Abrams’ reinvention of the mythos was dragged through the mud and generated an enormous negative reaction from readers. Abrams’ screenplay is an origin story with the usual familiar elements. It’s the differences that rankled fans’ sensibilities, such as Lex Luthor being a government agent obsessed with UFOs who’s later revealed to be a Kryptonian himself, and a lot of “kung fu” style mid-air fights between Supes and a quartet of criminal Kryptonians. The story’s epic battle scenes had these super-beings throwing each other into buildings and creating maximum destruction through Metropolis. It was an undeniably geeky script, filled with loads of eye candy, and despite those early knee-jerk reactions from fans worried about an “unknown” (which Abrams was at the time) retooling their beloved mythology, had Abrams’ script been used, and he been allowed to direct it himself… Frankly, that’s something I’d like to see. Abrams is a fantastic storyteller and always has his finger on the pulse of what makes for awesomely cool storytelling. This was was intended as Part One of a new trilogy of films, but it was thrown out when Bryan Singer came onboard to direct.

Superman Lives

Concept art from Tim Burton's 'Superman Lives'

This one went through such a sordid series of drafts and directors, it’s hard to say how it may have turned out. The consensus seems to be that Tim Burton’s new take on the mythos (starring, of all people, Nicolas Cage) was largely based on a written-by-committee script that passed through the hands of Kevin Smith, Wesley Strick (Cape Fear, The Glass House), Dan Gilroy (The Fall, Real Steel), William Wisher Jr., and more. The story evolved through all these iterations but the common elements seemed to be Superman’s fight against Doomsday from the comic books’ “Death of Superman” storyline, which would be followed by Superman’s resurrection in a de-powered form. He would be fitted with ridiculous Kryptonian armor that could mimic his usual powers, until those powers eventually came back on their own. The movie spent a lot of pre-production money on ultimately nothing, and left several Hollywood careers in its wake, but we’re all better off with it never having gone before cameras. Crisis averted.

Wonder Woman

Costume concepts from Joss Whedon's 'Wonder Woman'

Joss Whedon, at one time seen as the perfect choice for building a female superhero (because he’d already done it several times) was going to make this movie, but Warner Bros. had no idea what angle they wanted to take with the character. Whedon tried more than one approach, script-wise, but they refused to approve anything he came up with despite providing him with zero direction. It ultimately fell apart, costing Whedon a two-year “waste of time.”

X-Men Origins: Magneto

A poster from 'X-Men: First Class' highlighting Magneto's tragic past

A Sheldon Turner script was planned for David Goyer to direct. The script was set from 1939 to 1955, and it follows Erik Lehnsherr trying to survive in Auschwitz where he meets young Charles Xavier, an American soldier who helps liberate the camp. While Xavier tries to befriend him, Erik has vengeance in his heart for the Nazis who tortured him, a difference in worldview which ultimately comes between the two young men. The film was delayed by the Writers Guild strike, and eventually replaced with X-Men: First Class, which retained some elements of the Xavier/Magneto friendship-cum-rivalry story.

Williams-Sonoma's Marvel Kitchen Collection

Marvel’s Disney-fied empire just keeps on growing. The latest frontier in their quest for global domination? The kitchen, courtesy of high-end cookware maker Williams-Sonoma.

Williams-Sonoma’s new line of Marvel-inspired products include cookie cutters, pancake molds, aprons, spatulas, and iced cookie kits — all themed around classic incarnations of Marvel’s most popular superheroes. The products are primarily based on Spider-Man, the Hulk, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and Wolverine, and range in price between $12.95 and $39.95.

You can view the entire cookware catalog online here. Marvel has even produced a special 12-page Spider-Man and the Avengers comic book for kids just for the occasion, written by C.B. Cebulski with art by Todd Nauck. You can view the comic book online here. It stars Avengers butler Jarvis cooking a special meal for the superheroes and a bunch of kids. Seriously. Oh, and the Avengers also fend off an attack by the Frightful Four.

Williams-Sonoma's Marvel Kitchen Collection

Entertainment Weekly's Spider-Man cover

The new edition of Entertainment Weekly, arriving on newsstands today, has Andrew Garfield on the cover, dressed in his Amazing Spider-Man superhero costume. And I still don’t know what to think of this reboot.

The EW issue, incidentally, is the annual Comic-Con issue, in which the magazine shows off loads of exclusives just prior to the mega-convention’s kick off in San Diego. The issue also includes exclusive peeks at the new Total Recall, Season 2 of The Walking Dead, and Fox’s highly anticipated Terra Nova.

It’s not that I don’t want The Amazing Spider-Man to succeed. I hope director Marc Webb and his cast and crew knock it out of the park. But the reboot is happening so soon after the Sam Raimi/Tobey Maguire series; Spider-Man 3 was released in 2007, meaning there was just five years between one series and another. And aside from the overstuffed finale, I adored the Raimi films. With the first of those releasing in 2002 and Webb’s coming next year, that means we’ll have two versions of the same origin story appearing on film, separated by only ten years.

Any fool can see that this new series is a film studio attempt at cashing in on a recent hit series by starting the whole thing over. This doesn’t mean it can’t be good. But it’s a huge risk. If it crashes and burns, then it’ll be a very long time before we see the wall-crawler on the silver screen again. And some of Webb’s choices feel a little… off.

For starters, there’s the Spider-Man costume. I get the need for interesting textures in this age of HD, but the thing looks like a bunch of basketballs were deflated and sewn together. And did we really need all those vertical stripes on the front? We get it: Andrew Garfield is incredibly slender.

Speaking of Garfield, the guy’s got acting chops, no doubt. But when those first images of him in the costume surfaced, I was convinced he hadn’t done any physical prep for the role at all. He wasn’t just skinny, he was downright wimpy. The picture in this set of him with his shirt off at least confirms that he did work out enough to get — well, if not ripped, at least he’s toned. Which is appropriate for the character.

There are also differences in the new movie that feel like they’re there just for the sake of being different from the Raimi film. Gwen Stacy as the love interest, for example, or the mechanical web-shooters instead of Raimi’s organic shooters. These are plot elements much closer to Peter’s origin story in the comic book, yet other aspects of the production make it clear that faithfulness to the source material is not at the forefront of Webb’s priority list. (Hello again, costume.) And The Lizard as the villain? Does that character really create a powerful enough screen presence to justify being the main villain?

Then again, maybe Gwen’s presence as the love interest means we’ll finally get a properly-done big screen version of Gwen’s death atop the George Washington Bridge. If not in this film, then maybe in the second one.

It feels like Webb is trying to make this film Spider-Man’s version of Batman Begins. That movie retold Batman’s origins with greater insight and depth and character motivations than any other film, TV series, or comic book ever had. So if that’s Webb’s blueprint… maybe he’s a lot smarter than anybody knows. All of this, after all, is just speculation based on a handful of pictures. Perceptions and opinions will hinge entirely on seeing the movie itself.

Anyway, enjoy the EW pics below, and then let us know your thoughts about the new film!

Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy and Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker, aka the Amazing Spider-Man

The Amazing Spider-Man

Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Connors, aka The Lizard - The Amazing Spider-Man

Who HASN'T wanted to ride the subway this way? - The Amazing Spider-Man

Andrew Garfield shows Emma Stone how much time he's spent at the gym - The Amazing Spider-Man

Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben and Sally Field as Aunt May - The Amazing Spider-Man

Check out the leather web-shooters -- Steampunk much? - The Amazing Spider-Man

Spidey looks appropriate spiderish, but I can't stop staring at those weird boots - The Amazing Spider-Man

Behold: the gratuitous butt shot! - The Amazing Spider-Man

Peter wails on Flash on the b-ball court - The Amazing Spider-Man

Spider-Man makes his first public appearance, as a costumed wrestler. Again. - The Amazing Spider-Man

Peter teaches bully Flash Thompson a thing or two - The Amazing Spider-Man

Dennis Leary as Captain Stacy - The Amazing Spider-Man

Aunt May and Uncle Ben are concerned over Peter's suddenly extreme metabolism - The Amazing Spider-Man

In this list, you’ll find entries from the likes of genre mainstays Star Wars, Star Trek, Spider-Man, and even Transformers. There are some homages to space travel, as well as a favorite cartoon or two. And you’ll find that those obsessive Twilight fans even extend into farming. (Who knew?)

Family Guy

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Iron Man

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Moon Landing

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Prince Caspian

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Sesame Street

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Spider-Man

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Spongebob Squarepants

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Star Trek

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Star Wars: Anakin Skywalker

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Star Wars: Darth Vader

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Transformers

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Twilight: New Moon

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Twilight: Eclipse

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UFO #1

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UFO #2

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Angry Birds

There are plenty of Angry Birds eggs being made this year; this one gets my vote for the best due to its perfect detailing. [Source]

Auto (WALL-E)

Very well-made version of the villain Auto (aka Auto-Pilot) from WALL-E. [Source]

Bender (Futurama)

The egg-maker really nailed Bender’s look, but I can’t help wondering why Futurama‘s robot is so angry. [Source]

Binary Code

Binary code is always big among geeks, but you’ll have to decide for yourself if it’s clever or just plain nerdy. [Source]

Bumblebee (Transformers)

It can’t be easy translating the proportions of a Transformer like Bumblebee into an egg, but this one manages to pull it off. [Source]

Chewbacca (Star Wars)

As you’d imagine, there are a ton of homemade Star Wars eggs, but this one grabbed my attention with that realistic fur. Wow. [Source]

Dalek (Doctor Who)

No matter how you slice it, that is just darn impressive. How in the world did they get the eye stalk and arm things to stay on? [Source]

Death Star (Star Wars)

Never have I seen an Easter Egg perfectly convey so much with so little. [Source]

EVE (WALL-E)

Turning an egg into EVE is a total no-brainer; the character is shaped like an egg, after all. This one perfectly captures the lighter side of her personality. [Source]

The Federation (Star Trek)

The United Federation of Planets design is raised and even has a metallic sheen to it. I have no idea how they did it, but it’s awesome. [Source]

iPhone

The Apple “iEgg” is shown here front and back. And yes, if it were real I’d totally use it. [Source]

Iron Man

Absolutely perfect lighting shows off the steel/glowy goodness of this impressive Iron Man mask. [Source]

Joker

Awful photo. (So blurry!) But staggeringly good work on the egg. It captures Joker’s unpredictable malice so well, it scares the crap out of me. [Source]

Naruto

Another one that manages to translate the proportions of a human figure into an egg remarkably well. [Source]

The One Ring

If Easter was celebrated in Middle Earth… well, they wouldn’t use the inscription from Sauron’s evil ring, would they. But I still love the idea. [Source]

Pac-Man

So many Pac-Man eggs, so little time. I picked this one for its instantly-recognizable depiction of Pac-Man. The ghost doesn’t come across quite as well. [Source]

Rorschach

Watchmen‘s signature crime-fighter. [Source]

Jack Skellington (The Nightmare Before Christmas)

The anti-hero from Tim Burton’s stop-motion classic is depicted in one of his most memorable moments. [Source]

Spider-Man

Great version of Marvel’s wall-crawler. [Source]

Superman

Looks like clay was added to give this one a raised “S” emblem. Very cool. [Source]

Terminator

It’ll be back. Next Easter. [Source]

Xbox 360

Another one that left me wondering how they pulled it off. I’m sure the silver is some kind of enamel paint, but the green part all but glows. Very impressive. [Source]

Zombie

The visible brains part is brilliantly executed. Love the creativity! [Source]

The new Spider-Man game, Edge of Time, from the makers of last year’s Shattered Dimensions, has got a trailer and some early screenshots that show what it’s going to be like to play the game. I’ve got to say that although the game’s design and superpowers appear awfully similar to what was featured in Shattered Dimensions, there’s some very provocative new stuff in there, particularly in the screenshots.

One shot shows a boss facing down against multiple copies of Amazing Spider-Man, in what one assumes must be some kind of power centered around control of time. A few other shots feature Amazing Spidey interacting directly with his successor — Spider-Man 2099, the game’s other playable character — through some kind of window through time. It actually looks as though while Spider-Man 2099 is facing off against a giant robot, that Amazing Spider-Man, some ninety years prior is interacting with that same robot to impact the fight happening all those years later.

Another shot shows off a new power of Amazing Spidey’s, where he shoots out a pair of huge, horizontal, tornado-like web attacks. (Wouldn’t that use up all of his web fluid?) You’ll see Spider-Man 2099 on another of his free-fall attacks through some kind of futuristic factory, and more. I’m intrigued by what I’m seeing, and eager to see more. How about you?

When time goes all wonky and Peter Parker ends up dead, who you gonna call?

As it turns out, it’s Spider-Man to the rescue. Of… himself. Hm.

Well, two different Spider-Men come to his aid, actually: “classic” Amazing Spider-Man and futuristic Spider-Man 2099. Spider-Man: Edge of Time is Activision’s next Spidey game, and it puts you in the shoes of these two different superheroes in two different times, both trying to save Peter Parker’s life and prevent a catastrophic future (which is somehow connected to Peter’s death). Confused yet?

Don’t be. Activision‘s last game, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, put you in the spider-booties of not two, but four different Spider-Men — including these two. The studio that created that title, Beenox, is responsible for Edge of Time. By those standards, Edge of Time is actually a simpler affair. Fan-favorite writer Peter David is crafting the story, which is said to be packed with suspense and an always counting-down clock.

You’ll go back and forth between Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099, and observe how the changes you make in the modern day affect the world of 2099. Edge of Time is scheduled for release this Fall.

Shattered Dimensions was good fun, if uneven, so here’s hoping Edge of Time improves on the formula. Hey, it’s got to be better than the musical, right?

So today sees the Fantastic Four finally accept Spider-Man as a member outside of the confines of a What-If story, while his Ultimate doppelganger risks facing his death. Considering the casualties in the Ultimate universe recently, I can well believe Brian Michael Bendis would kill him off.

After all, far be it from BMB to attempt to do anything shocking, and I suppose it is one way to deal with Spider-Man’s current over-exposure. I’m just waiting for him to become an X-Men reservist, now that he is on as many teams as Wolverine himself. Maybe they both had a blood transfusion from Jamie Maddrox?

The final issue of Ultimate Doom comes out today, which has been a thoroughly entertaining story. I adore these event driven stories, even though when such minis are resorted to, it is usually sounding the death knell of that universe. One only has to look at the fates of the New Universe and the Ultraverse for an example; both of which are sorely missed on my part. I want to see what has transpired in those universes as well since we left them. Not just the (admittedly excellent) revamp of the New Universe, but the original timelines.

Speaking of What-Ifs and event driven stories, I revisited one story over the weekend in multiple forms. Now I think that everyone would agree that the JLA/Avengers mini-series was everything that the first three DC vs. Marvel minis should have been, and I would hazard that the only thing missing would have been the presence of the Access, just for continuity’s sake.

Yet it left me for one wanting so much more, so I dug into my memories of fanfic where there are no shortage of attempts at this, and recalled one high class telling of such a tale. Over at JLU2001, a couple of years ago it engaged in a crossover with the similar Marvel2000 fanfic site, in another JLA/Avengers team up. Not pressured by the limitation of four chapters, and having to bear their own continuities in mind, writers Curt Ferdland and Chris Munn took their time getting the two teams together, adding such additional flavours as the Squadron Supreme. After all, who among comics fans has not contemplated a confrontation between them and the Justice League.  (It went less than well for both teams.)

If you have a few hours to kill, and have always hankered after more DC vs Marvel content, but of a higher standard that the so-named series itself, then you could a lot worse than invest the time in this series. The tale comes in thirteen parts, not all essential for enjoyment, but they certainly add to the flavour.

Oh, and I mentioned they had to have regard for their own continuities? Don’t be put off by that. If I were to tell you that the JLA had just fought the Time Trapper, that’s all you need to know. The characterisations are spot on, and one can easily tell which era the two teams hail from. So for a change, the only thing you need spend on my recommendation of the week is time. You won’t regret it.

I think the producers of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark have figured out why no one’s ever attempted a superhero musical before. Geeky myths and high theatre just don’t mix very well. (I mean, seriously — when was the last time your favorite hero-in-tights suddenly stopped fighting his or her archnemesis so they could burst forth in song?) The story of Spider-Man‘s ascent to the Broadway stage is turning out to be even more epic than the play itself.

The latest twist: a new writer has been hired to take a pass at the play’s script, to address its weaknesses. Those who’ve seen preview showings of the musical have described it as having an “incoherent” plot that doesn’t service its legendary characters as well as they deserve. One famous review described the play as having a “fundamental disconnect” from its source material.

To fix this, writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa will put his hand to the production’s “book” (the script). Aguirre-Sacasa is a well known comic book writer who’s worked on a number of prominent Marvel titles, including The Sensational Spider-Man. He’s also a respected playwright and a staff writer on HBO’s Big Love. Sounds like just the right person to bring the play in line with its pulpy roots.

In addition, back in mid-January, Bono and The Edge brought in high-profile British music producer Steve Lillywhite, to hone the show’s songs with the musicians and cast members. Since the songs have largely been panned as one of the show’s weakest links, Lillywhite’s involvement can only be a good thing.

But the big question remains: at this late point in the game (opening night is scheduled for March 15th, just a few weeks away), can Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark be saved? And perhaps more to the point: does it deserve to be?

At least one positive outcome has come out of all the drama: the show has been selling out all of its preview showings.

Here it is: your first official look at actor Andrew Garfield wearing the brand new Spider-Man suit from director Marc Webb’s reboot of the film franchise. The Spidey-suit has clearly been completely redesigned with an even more textured look than Tobey Maguire’s. (Click the image to zoom in to a super-high-res version, where you can scrutinize every last detail.)

The new, untitled Spider-Man film is said to share no continuity with the Sam Raimi films, instead hewing closer to the comics with an origin story that depicts Peter Parker as a teenage high schooler who pines after a very much still-alive Gwen Stacy. Some reports indicate that the super-secret plot is taking a lot of inspiration for its look and tone from Marvel’s modernized Ultimate Spider-Man comics.

The scene shown in this first photo obviously shows us a dark moment in the wall-crawler’s early career, perhaps after a nasty tussle against the Lizard (heavily rumored to be the film’s main villain).

What do you think of the new suit? How about that new spider symbol, and all the heavy texturing? And what about Garfield? Does he look the part? He looks pretty lean, and that suit is skin-tight; do you think he should have buffed up a bit more like Maguire did? Do you suppose the web shooters this time are mechanical instead of biological? And what do you make of Sony’s no-doubt strategized decision to show us this new Spider-Man from a particularly dark moment? Is this a portent of the tone of the new film? Does Marvel finally have some good publicity on its hands for Spider-Man to take our minds off of that accursed musical?

The new Spider-Man makes his theatrical debut on July 3, 2012.

I wrote last week that I wanted to see the Batman Live Arena Tour more than Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark. One of my big complaints was rumors that the character concepts for the Spidey Musical were said to gravitate too far away from the originals, a big concern for myself and comic book fans around the world. Now we have pics from the musical taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz for Vogue Magazine and if they are in fact real photoshop touched up pictures….ouch.

First up is that horrendous looking Green Goblin (pictured above). That simply is not the Green Goblin, perhaps it is in director Julie Taymor’s mind, but no one elses. Check out the various comments left around the web in respect to this photo and people are using such kind words to describe the outfit as “vomit” and “crap.”

Here’s the second, just as awfully designed villian, Swiss Miss (pictured below) which looks like something out of a futuristic fashion show more so than a Spider-Man nemesis.

If your eyes aren’t burning in pain at this point, take a look at yet a third villain, Carnage. While he may be the best concept of the bunch (more closely matching the original, but still off) he still doesn’t fit the bill.

I keep hearing how technically challenging Spider Man: Turn Off The Dark is to create and how “songs sound better when Bono sings them.” Which may be valid points, but the truth of the matter is, I can see a Cirque Du Soleil show, which I guarantee you will wow me more with their high flying acts and it isn’t Bono who will be singing as Spider-Man on the stage.

I will give my props in one respect, the Spidey Musical is ambitious, just like Julie Taymor’s effort with The Lion King, but fans of the Lion King unlike Spider-Man fans probably weren’t so concerned with her “conceptual designs” of characters. If I’ve learned anything in my comic book reading years, it’s that you don’t mess drastically with character designs, fans just don’t like it.

One positive note, at least Spider-Man wasn’t turned into some weird version of himself.

It’s true that Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark hasn’t be released yet (delayed again until at least January) and Batman Live: World Arena Tour has yet to even launch in the UK/Europe (July release date), but based on an early understanding of Batman Live and some of the stupid rumors about Spider-Man, including a viewable horrible first song, I’m already leaning towards the Arena Show.

Let’s take a look at the differences, first Julie Taymor went all ridiculous with Spider-Man character designs, a sore subject from leaked and actual reports which have put the characters designs in an uproar with many traditional comic book fans. While Batman Live uses a 100-foot stage with a 130-foot-wide video screen to project real Gotham City locations such as Wayne Manor, the Batcave and Arkham Asylum. Realism = Batman 1 – Spider Man 0.

Second, there’s no stupid songs being written by Bono and The Edge for the Batman Live Arena Tour . Let’s face it, while U2 has taken the Rock Arena tour by storm, they’re no The Who when it comes to creating songs that translate well into a theater type performance. When I first heard “Boy Falls From The Sky” from the Spider-Man musical I wanted to gouge at my ears with a q-tip and thousands of Spider-Man fan comments left all over the web agree with my stance on the song.

Take a listen for yourself:

I once jumped off a shed barefoot onto a nail when I was a child and it was less painful than whatever the hell that song was suppose to be. A joke perhaps? Also, sure Spider-Man was recorded by U2, but Batman Live uses a sweeping soundtrack that was recorded at Abbey Studios. Spider-Man: 0 vs. Batman: 2.

Finally, while Batman and Robin do take on a slew of characters, such as Catwoman, the Riddler, Penguin, Two-Face and Harley Quinn, the show is about having an explosive good time, focusing on trapeze artists, free runners, a 26-foot giant Joker head and the story of Dick Grayson as he turns from an orphan to Boy Wonder, as well as how Batman relates to him. Whereas Spider-Man relies on some flying around to pretentious U2 arena rock that I just don’t see translating very well to the theater. I like the Batman show because it doesn’t seem to be taking itself too seriously and therefore doesn’t seem pretentious in design.

It’s still left to be seen if Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark will in fact not live up to the U2 hype, but with various delays in the production and bloated songs that won’t translate well to the comic books core audience, I’m going to take Batman over Spider-Man with a 3-0 win.

What would you rather see, U2 songs with weird characters or an Arena Style show with locations you’re familiar with and a story that at least appears to follow along with the traditional Batman storyline?

Now we’ve learned that the issue wasn’t whether or not it would be good, but when the $60 million dollar production would actually make it’s debut after numerous delays.

Apparently the show is so far behind it’s been delayed by another 3 weeks, missing the big Thanksgiving weekend box office.

Here’s what the NY Times had to say about the problems:

• It’s the most expensive show of the Broadway Season
• There’s a new three week delay for the show’s launch
• It will miss Thanksgiving and Christmas audiences, instead opening in January
• Two-Dozen Flying Sequences still haven’t been worked out or approved by the state’s Department of Labor
• The music for the show still isn’t synchronized to special effects, the plot or dialogue.
• Scene-to-Scene transitions which are used for transitioning and safety reasons aren’t complete (two actors have already been hurt during acrobatic practice scenes.
• They don’t even know if the show will run the promised 2 and a half hours since run through rehearsals aren’t happening in their full order.

Wow, no stunts choreographed, or at least not many, music and effects not synced up, dialogue points still missing and they are attempting to open just three weeks late?

Here’s the kicker, the three week delay, mixed with traditional release times means the show won’t open until January 2011 at the earliest, yet famed show director Julie Taymor is now claiming that it’s the “perfect” time to open.

Marvel has just released a brand new trailer for the next big story arc of Amazing Spider-Man, which presents the next major change in status quo for Peter Parker. It seems Peter has gotten himself a new girlfriend (who’s name is not Mary Jane) and a nifty new job working for Horizon Labs. And as the trailer shows, he’s also going to be trying out some new costumes, and enjoying some free time thanks to a fellow wall-crawler helping him out.

Personally, I lost interest in Amazing when “One More Day” retconned pretty much everything from J. Michael Straczynski’s run on the title. But this is a very nifty trailer.

This morning on ABC’s Good Morning America, director Julie Taymor appeared along with a satellite uplink with U2′s Bono and The Edge to show off some of the work they’ve been doing on Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, the long-in-the-works Spider-Man musical that’s coming to Broadway.

Click through to see the video for yourself, along with a few screengrabs…

With a production budget higher than anything stage productions have ever seen before, and the very first time a comic book character is getting his own musical, expectations are all over the map for this one. Can the stage theater capture the essence of Peter Parker? What will the music sound like? Can rock frontman Reeve Carney pull off the wall crawler as both a hero and a singer? And perhaps most pertinent of all: are there any geeks among the Broadway set?

From what you can see in the video, the sets are being designed to pop-up like a pop-up book, but it’s the villains that look genuinely bizarre, with lots of Japanese/samurai influences in their costume designs. And speaking of those villains, they’re incorporating a number of major ones from the comic, but they’ve also invented a new villain called “Swiss Miss,” who’s made up of Swiss Army Knife parts.

Mm-hm.

I think geeks everywhere have serious reservations about Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, but no one can deny that it’s going to be fascinating to see what the audience reaction is.

So enraptured of Spider-Man was 13-year-old Kono that he constructed a device that allows him to scale walls by crawling up them. Entirely on his own, he spent five months working on a gadget that connects two vacuum cleaners to a pair of “giant suckerpads,” which uses tremendous suction power to allow him to cling to walls. It appears to work on walls of all kinds, even brick.

The only caveat for the machine’s use is that it’s powered by a regular electrical cord plugged into a wall outlet, so it can only go as high as the cord will allow. But Kono used his machine to climb a wall at his school’s assembly, as a proof of concept, and it was a big hit, impressing his teachers and headmaster. But his mother won’t let him climb the walls at home, out of fear that his powerful gadget might “pull down the ceiling.”

Kid can crawl up walls at 13. Maybe by 20 he can find a way to make a man fly.

Hulk #21

Busy week this week. Green Arrow has gone rogue, New Krypton is falling under the assault of Brainiac, Namorita is alive again (sort of) and Spider Man is given a taste of godhood even greater than when he wore the mantle of Captain Universe. Oh, and Namorita is not the only one, Thanos is back.

Let me take this point-by-point. Although the slaying of Prometheus by Green Arrow in the wake of Justice League: Cry For Justice is a logical progression of the story, haven’t we been here before? Green Arrow considered dangerous and on the run from his comrades?

It’s not new to have a hero on the run, pursued by former allies and the forces of the law (although the law has yet to get involved in Oliver’s pursuit, maybe the League want to police themselves). It is a little newer for said hero to actually be guilty of whatever they have been accused of I suppose, but not tremendously so. What a disappointing consequence to what was actually an excellent series. Now we also have Red Arrow/ Speedy I (erm, II if you add in the pre Crisis On Infinite Earths continuity) crippled, and obviously going to receive some form of cyborg arm in the near future. (It would be nice to see Roy gain some form of mystical healing instead, and send him into the weird area of the DCU. After all, with his chequered past, his interaction with Checkmate and other agencies and a new hook for readers, I can see the potential for a hit series with the right writer).

Meanwhile, the second (or third) Speedy is poised to take a moral descent herself, with an arrow pointing at the Electrocutioner’s head.

I still think we have been here before. This is not what I pay my bucks for people!

In contrast, the Last Stand Of New Krypton is wrapping up many of the plotlines hovering in the background of the DCU for the past few years, from the machinations to war by both General Zod and General Sam Lane, to just what the Legion Espionage Squad is doing embedded in the beginning of the twenty-first century, to just what Luthor has been doing since his escape. This is sheer spandex drama at it’s finest.

The most comparable event to this is the Fall Of The Hulks, which we are seeing unfold before our eyes in a most chaotic fashion. I highly recommend that, but don’t expect it to make sense just yet, every reveal just causes more questions, never mind figuring out where this crossover sits in relation to the other big events like Siege.

Ooo, Siege. I’m not saying a word, except I really enjoyed #3, and #4 looks incredibly promising. Not the ending I was expected, but that is good. It’s too early to issue a spoiler on that one. Or on Green Lantern Corps #47, but that also had a nice twist I was not expecting (although in retrospect that was more my bad memory than a dramatic twist).

Now the lead up to Realm Of Kings continued in Nova #35 and Guardians of the Galaxy #24. The conclusion of the Sphinx storyline in Nova was okay I suppose, but then I am often disappointed with Sphinx stories in the last decade or so. Anath Na-Mut is a character that has so much potential, but he is frequently reduced to a two-dimensional villain, as he is eventually here. The resurrection of Namorita we could see a mile off, I only hope that this is some nasty effect of the Fault, and she is actually some soul eating beastie. I used to like Namorita, but this rebirth simply feels cheap.

The Guardians issue is far more promising, as the cocoon on Sacrosanct is opened to reveal Thanos as the newest Avatar of Death. One question here, what is Oblivion doing, selecting the Avatar of Death? Isn’t that Death’s job? Doesn’t Oblivion have avatars of his own?

My final recommendation is Spider-Man and the Secret Wars #4, a fascinating if disjointed tale, set just as Doom claimed the power of the Beyonder. It doesn’t really add a great deal to the continuity, it’s simply a fun romp.

You know, I’ve been saying to all my friends for years now, “Why don’t they make a hi-def TV with my favorite Marvel comic book characters on it?” Guess what? They’ve finally done it.It’s like the peanut butter and chocolate combination of this century.

That’s right, Marvel Comics has teamed up with RTC23, to release a new line of LED and LCD televisions with your favorite Marvel character emblazoned across the bottom. Like Wolverine? Pick out the 22″ LCD model, perfect for your computer or home television viewing. Maybe you want a big screen? They have a full line of 40″ LED TVs too, including an OG Silver Surfer, or old-school Captain America, as pictured above. LCDs go as big as 55″ as well, plus some models have color-coded bezels and bases, so you can have a green screen for your Hulk monitor or classic black with Ghost Rider.

So what’s the point? I mean, I’m a comic book fan, but even I wonder if this would look alright in my living room. But after thinking about it for a bit, I realized that this is perfect for a few different situations. Got a game room? Toss one of these bad boys in there and it will look perfect next to your life-size cutout of Spider-Man, and the Iron Man helmet you bought at Comic Con last year. Or, you could use one of these for your home computer setup. Pair two monitors with different characters next to each other and have them fight it out while you’re messing around online.

The cherry on top though is the pricing. The smaller monitors aren’t priced that well when compared to a Dell unit, but the bigger LEDs aren’t priced too badly considering. You can even get into a 55″ LED for under $2gs, which isn’t great, but not price gouging either.

It’s not for everybody, but for the ultimate fanboy who’s got to have it all, this is the one thing you could lord over your friends and show off with pride.

Dark X-Men TheBeginning 2 cover

When Cloak and Dagger were revealed as members of the (Dark) X-Men, my initial reaction was ‘Huh?’

They are favourite characters of mine, and have been ever since their first appearance all those years ago in the Spider Man titles. In fact, they soon became my main reason for reading the Spider-Man titles, I never had much time for Peter at that age, not that I have a great deal now. (A story has to be highly recommended for me to dig it out of the back issue bins.)

However, despite one encounter with four of the New Mutants back in an old Marvel team-Up annual, and maybe the big face off with the Beyonder at the culmination of the second Secret Wars where both they and the X-Men were present, our duo have never had a great deal to do with the Marvel mutant community.

And working for Osbourne? I had assumed that the talents of Emma Frost would be required to reel them into his clutches in the first place. It didn’t gel with me, despite being visually striking. Like his recruiting of Psionex and the Force Of Nature into the Initiative program, it just seemed like a random decision, played out mainly to give the story some background colour.

Boy was I wrong.

Dark X-Men – The Beginning #2 started off with the story of exactly how Tandy and Tyrone ended up in Norman’s latest team. It is believable, very realistic (well, as realistic as one can get in a world of mutants, thunder gods and aliens), and true to their character. The pair, led as ever by Dagger walk reluctantly into an offer that is too good for them to refuse, mainly government support in their own war against drugs. Cloak as ever is appalled and rebellious, but even he cannot deny what Osbourne dangles before them.

Of course now they are in Emma Frost’s tender care, but I wonder at just how much she would be able to dominate Cloak, as even his mind seems to exist within the Dark Dimension. But it would be great to see them enter into the X-Universe full time, the pair have been skirting comic book limbo for far too long.

There are a few questions that still need answering however. Unless I have missed a major storyline somewhere, how is it that the pair are back together again. The last I remember was that they had had a fall out and parted ways. Still, I suppose Cloak will always be drawn back to Dagger, as she remains the only one that can assuage the hunger of the darkness within his cloak. A true symbol of addiction, as caused by the drugs they make war upon.

Now if you are unfamiliar with the pair, then I have a recommendation for you from your local back issue bins. The second series of Strange Tales (1987-88) was 18 issues split between Doctor Strange and our duo, both very good stories in my eyes and well worth digging out.

So, here’s hoping we get to see a lot more of Cloak and Dagger in the future.

(One word of apology, this looks to have been uploaded late as it floated in the system and should have come out last week.  I must have had a brain lapse.  Oops.)

The Time of Revenge Has Come! Beat Down Iron Cross Group!” The first episode of the TOEI-produced Japanese “Spider-Man” TV series sees motorcycle racer Takuya Yamashiro gain the powers of Spider-Man! With his new powers and the help of Marveller, he transforms into Leopardon in order to defeat Professor Monster and his evil Iron Cross Army.

Marvel.