Marvel News & Views 12.8.03
Posted by Jim Trabold on 12.08.2003
Daredevil movie news, Jim goes Broadyway & more!
AGUIRE-SACASA TO WRITE SPIDER-MAN 2 COMIC ADAPTATION
In a feature on playwright and upcoming FANTASTIC FOUR writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, it was revealed in The Washington Post that in addition to the new FF series (illustrated by Steve McNiven), he will also write the comic adaptation to SPIDER-MAN 2 which will presumably ship in late May or June of 2004.
Aguirre-Sacasa's newest play, "Dark Matters", a science-fiction/family drama, opens Friday at the Source Theater Company in Washington, D.C.
Interesting choice for the job. Now this I like more then him replacing Waid on FANTASTIC FOUR new from a month or so ago. Thankfully that isn't happening. I like this more than him doing the MK FANTASTIC FOUR also. It's not that he can't write, I am not sure about that, just the fact that is movie related makes sense. He's a playwright. He's a good person for this job. Movie adaptations are different and maybe I may like his MK FF when it comes out to but just the fact he's doing this I have to say good idea. Good move by Marvel. SCOTT McKOWEN
From Broadway to the funny pages. That's the trip Scott McKowen took when Marvel Comics offered him work on the latest Neil Gaiman project, 1602. "The project came out of the blue," he said. "Most of my work is in theatre." He still wonders how people at Marvel knew his name. Blame theater buff and 1602's assistant editor Nick Lowe for pulling McKowen into comics
You know 1602 is one book the fans are buying up like candy. It's damn good and very popular already because the man behind it is none other then Neil Gaiman. The artist McKowen is no one to laugh at either. He does some great art. I have to say he's perfect for this series and Marvel would be smart to have him work with Gaiman again. I know Marvel is going to have him do something else as well so put McKowen with him. MARVEL NEWS & NOTES
-According to trade paper Variety, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment's release of X2: X-MEN UNITED has earned an estimated $107 million, approximately half of the sequel's entire theatrical gross, in just its first five days. X2 has already sold 6 million units in its first week of release and is on pace to sell more than 10 million copies and approach the title's $215 million theatrical gross earlier this year. Fox also projects an estimated $170 million from overseas home video sales of X2 that will be added to about $125 million from overseas customers on the first one, bringing global revenues from theatrical and video on the franchise to nearly $1.4 billion.
That's a lot of money. True it's not a ton for a movie but a movie release on DVD or video in the first weeks. X-2 though should make a ton more for Christmas to. Think of all the parents and more buying X-2 for their relatives and more. I have my copy from the day it came out so no one needs to get me it. Hey it's best to get it first.
-Marvel's EMMA FROST #7 will now ship on January 28.
This is never good. I really hate late titles. Have I told you that before? It's always the fans who pay for late books. Sometimes they never give a reason either. Let's hope it doesn't happen again.
-Two Marvel collections - the MARVEL MASTERWORKS: DAREDEVIL VOL. 1 2ND ED. HC and the WOLVERINE VOL. 1: THE BROTHERS TP - that were originally scheduled for a December 17 release will now ship one week early on December 10.
This is interesting. As many times as a book is pushed back it's rare to see one come out a week early. Two of them in fact. Trades are different of course but still it's rare to happen. Good news though for Trade fans.
-The mystery project by UDON artist Mark Brooks that delayed the launch of CABLE & DEADPOOL appears to have been revealed by online e-tailer Amazon.com. Current speculation has it that Brooks is drawing the 144-page MANGA: MARVEL TALES FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN digest-sized trade paperback of original stories by none other than Stan Lee, due for release in March - the same month that CABLE & DEADPOOL has been pushed back to.
Interesting news. See this I like. An explanation on why a book is late. Also if it's another book like this one that's good reason. If you find out a reason though that will help fans not get so angry.
-The first art from LIBERTY MEADOWS creator Frank Cho's upcoming SHANNA THE SHE-DEVIL mini-series for Marvel's MAX mature imprint has surfaced over at the Collecting Fool Web site. The first issue will see a team of scientists discovering a hidden Nazi laboratory where they rescue a naked Shanna who then proceeds to fight dinosaurs in the buff.
Hmm naked Shanna. Why do I think I'll be seeing a bunch of 13 year old boys in the comic shop looking at this one. Alright I'm half kidding but you get the point. It's not too shocking though since it will be a MAX title so I don't see a big deal.
-Bryan Singer is in talks to direct a third X-MEN movie, Daily Variety reported on Friday.
Good news. What I've heard he will be doing two more films. X-3 and Wolverine. I think as of X-4 there will be a good amount of changes made. Most of the actors and actresses will be pretty old by that time. The younger group could take over.
-According to NewsAskew, this week's MPAA ratings announcement noted that the upcoming release of DAREDEVIL 1.5 - a.k.a. the Director's Cut of the film - on DVD will be rated R. The theatrical version of the film was rated PG-13.
Interesting. I guess there may be more of a graphic love scene in there or some other stuff that was not in the movie that would make it R. I don't know what they added but I think they should've had it with the first film. Deleted scenes and more where not included with DD on DVD. So they have to make up for that as well.
-Want to help develop the next X-MEN and IRON MAN video games? Z-Axis is currently looking for top development talent to work on these two major projects, including animators, character modelers, level/environment artists, 2-D artists, game programmers, visual effects programmers, and more. Head on over to Z-Axis.com for more information.
I'd do it myself but I'm not that great with games. I'm not the best with programs either. Kidding around of course but this is pretty cool for all of those guys who would like to get in on the computer field. If they need voice actors I could possibly do something. Little do many know but I can change my voice and more so I could do that for cartoons and more. It would be fun to get hired to do it.
-IGN recently featured details on THQ's upcoming PUNISHER video game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles in the fall of 2004. The game is being developed by Volition, creators of the RED FACTION and SUMMONER game series', who plan to take elements from both the Artisan movie and from the classic comic book series to create an intense action third-person shooting game that will offer players a large arsenal of weapons and ammunition. Other Marvel characters may also appear in the game, with speculation pointing towards the Kingpin and possibly even Agent X.
Interesting that they may add Kingpin and maybe even Agent X. I wonder who else could be included. There's a few Punisher foes that I would like to see like Bushwacker, Shotgun, and Jigsaw. Those guys all could make fans happy.
Special thanks to ComiX-Fan for most of the news. SCOTT LOBDELL & CLAYTON HENRY ON ALPHA FLIGHT
Marvel Comics has confirmed creative team behind the upcoming ALPHA FLIGHT series. The writer is none other than Scott Lobdell, who had worked on the first ALPHA FLIGHT line. Joining him is penciler Clayton Henry, inker Mark Morales, letterer Richard Starkings, with Avalon Studios on the coloring. Edited by Mike Marts, the March debuting series begins with Sasquatch's search for new ALPHA FLIGHT.
Lobdell teased, "SASQUATCH goes about trying to form a new team in an effort to save ALPHA FLIGHT from certain death. It turns out to be a more complicated 'membership drive' than Walter anticipated...but here is a scientist who experimented on himself (!?!?)...and is not someone who settles for a no at first blush."
Interesting choice for the title. I have to admit it will be a good thing to have ALPHA FLIGHT back. The fans have wanted it back for some time. I can see some new and some old members in this line up. I would like to see a little of both like the last run to. Have old and new together. Scott will do his best with the team I think. He's a great writer and knows the FLIGHT. I just hope the fans will love this series and keep it going longer then the last one. JOHNS' LAST AVENGERS ISSUE
AVENGERS #76 is the final issue for Geoff Johns. He began his run with issue #57. Marvel Comics has provided THE PULSE with a preview of Johns final issue. Although neither PREVIEWS nor the publisher were revealing many details about this story, Wizard has reported, "In this issue an Avenger will die."
An AVENGER will die? How many writers are killing characters for their last issues. NEW X-MEN will kill a member off. AVENGERS will kill one off. Shesh come up with something new you guys. I mean every guy moving to DC seems to be doing it. I think Marvel should counter and have guys leave DC and kill a bunch or bring back all the dead characters these guys kill. It's stupid and I don't think it's smart to let them do it either. If I were editor this would stop right now. DAREDEVIL
The DAREDEVIL live-action movie will debut on HBO on Saturday, Feb. 7, nearly one year after it bowed in theaters.
Air dates and times include:
Saturday, Feb. 7 at 8 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 8 at 4:45 a.m.; Tuesday, Feb. 10 at noon and 9 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 15 at 11:45 a.m. and 11:40 p.m.; Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 4 p.m. and 11:50 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 20 at 12:45 p.m. and 9 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m.; Thursday, Feb. 26 at 8:45 a.m. and 9 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 28 at 8:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.
HBO's MAKING OF DAREDEVIL special will be shown Thursday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 22 at 3:45 p.m.; and Saturday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m.
Of course I give you this information if you don't have the DVD or video or just want to watch it again without having to put it in. Hey we all can be lazy at times or just flip on a movie and watch it no matter how many times we've seen it. I think it's good to se HBO will reshow the Making of special as well. Although that's on the DVD as well. Hey I should know I got that too. Now have fun watching it again. OTHER MOVIE NEWS
-MovieTome has what appears to be a complete cast list for next summer's Spider-sequel.
Interesting list. Some names that are very familiar to the fans of the first. Also some new and interesting names as well. Some new characters also fans should know. So fans should be excited.
-A new website has been launched for the soundtrack to the Thomas Jane-starring blockbuster PUNISHER, featuring a lead track by Edgewater. Check it out.
Just like the DAREDEVIL the movie soundtrack. A few others movies as well. It's rather cool to hear some of the music before hand. Take a listen and keep track for when other songs are added. APOLOGY TIME
I should be careful with who I make cracks at I guess. I actually made a crack at Howard the Duck this week in my Handbook and two 411 staff members had to correct me. I personally was not a big fan of the duck. Although a lot of others sort of hate him because of the movie. Now that sucked. I think both of them will admit that much. Allow me to help point out some stuff on Howard to Duck they sent to me.
Steve Gerber created Howard way back in 1973 in Fear #19. He sued Marvel over the rights of the character when he started having problems with the company. Gerber had complained his contract did not give him full ownership of the character or others he created for the stories. The suit was settled with Marvel owning the character.
Marvel was also sued by Disney for the fact they had believed Howard was too close to Donald Duck. Marvel changed the look to include pants after that. Later the character also had his own newspaper strip in 79 by Gerber and Colan. Also the comics had turned more adult around that time. The series ended and he would guest star in other series after that for some time.
Howard the Duck was a critically-acclaimed and hugely-selling series under the direction of Steve Gerber, that was totally directed at the adult audience. Read any of the series' original run (recently collected in an Essential volume), and you won't find a bit of kiddie-funny-animal humor. Howard was a satire on modern culture and society arising from the pages of Man-Thing and Fear. It was one of Marvel's biggest hits of the 70's, at a time when their super-hero books were at a low.
So my apologies, guys. 411 COMICS NETWORK
You know I really don't want to post this idea almost. I'm afraid someone will steal it. Hell I should copy right it or take it around to people that could do this first. Someone wants to contact me to do this, I'll meet with them. Now I really wish I had money enough to own a cable channel. It's just an idea. Allow me to explain.
I was flipping through the channels the other day on Cable and saw all the different types of channels out there. A game show channel, A food channel, a video game channel, a few other channels All of these channels dedicated to just those things. I've seen shows on comics but I have not seen a comic book channel. So I want to make one. We'll use the 411 comics staff for the shows. Think about it. You turn on your TV and you can watch interviews with the top creators and artist, you can watch shows with news on Marvel, DC and others, you have a few shows on answering viewer mail, plus other options for shows as well. Well we all write our own stuff anyway so we can write it and Daron and Ben can be our producers. I will be executive producer (I'm taking some charge of some of the channel though since this is my idea but these guys are our editors so let them run the show for the most part).
Alright we can also use some other shows, movies and cartoons to fill up air time. Hell we'll be like ESPN news in which we have the press conferences for new writers and more on tv. I can see Marvel and DC wanting to help us out to. Hey we'll be reviewing books and stuff as well. It would work. The television schedule would be like our current news schedule for 411. I'd be on Wednesdays and Mondays with shows. The others would be on the days their articles would be involved. We can let everyone do a little bit more also to fill up 24 hours a day. We'd have cartoons like X-Men Evolution, Justice League, Teen Titans, Spider-Man and more. Whoever wanted to allow us to show them. Of course we'll pick them up. Movies like Spider-Man, Blade, Superman and all other comic movies can be used as well for weekends and more. We've got a lot we can use. Plus shows. Imagine we pick up something like producing Generation X the show or Night Thrasher like they where supposed to air. We'd fill time.
We just need someone to help us out. Marvel, DC and other companies as well. Hell our reviewers might like it a ton more to since we'd have show for them and they may get books free from the companies just to get air time. I just would like to see us do it since I think we can. Contact me someone out there. I will willingly talk about it. Contact Ben and Daron too. We'll have a big meeting. I think it will work.
Just an idea folks but I bet we'd have fun doing it for all you fans reading this site. I've gotten emails all saying they love the site and we get a ton of traffic as well for an internet site. So imagine the viewers we would get. We'd have high ratings. Just think about it.
That's it for today. It's been fun today actually. Not much news but some of the stuff broke already this week so I didn't expect much. I'll break something this week if I'm needed though. Although I can report that Chris Claremount has said on the ComiX-Fan boards that he will be doing both X-Treme and Uncanny X-Men. I can't confirm or deny this rumor. Marvel may be holding it's press conference on the big X-Changes this week or next. Stay tuned to 411 comics. Reporting from the Marvel Universe this is Jim Trabold. Have a great week.
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