Tag Archives: Marvel Comics

R.I.P. Dwayne McDuffie

Posted on by Arleigh

February 22, 2011 marks a sad date for the comic book and animation world. One of it’s brightest and most forward thinking talents has passed away.

Dwayne McDuffie has become one of the giants in the comic book world. He began his career in comics in the late 80’s and early 90’s with Marvel Comics where he wrote for the titles, Damage Control and Deathlok. He would also do freelance work for DC up until 1993 when he finally decided to create his own comic book studio, Milestone Media, as his way to respond to how minority characters were being handled in the two main comic book houses.

With Milestone Media he was able to create a studio which  had multi-diversity character that had been lacking within the more traditional Marvel and DC Comics. Titles such as Icon and Static became fan favorites. Even though the studio he created finally shutdown in 1997 he was still able to parlay one of his Milestone titles into a WB cartoon series, Static Shock. He would find his true calling as writer and soon story editor in some of DC Animations best work. A majority of the stories for the animated series Justice League and Justice League Unlimited were either written or supervised by him. He would also be on hand to revamp Cartoon Network’s Ben 10 into Ben 10: Alien Force.

His return to comics in 20o6 would include stints as writer for Fantastic Four and Justice League of America. But his best work continued to be in the animation side as he writes two of the best received animation films from DC Animation with Justice League: Crisis on Two-Earths and, the recently released, All-Star Superman. The latter has already gained such a positive response from critics and fans alike that they’ve called it the best thing to be released by DC Animation.

So, it is with a sad heart that on the release date of his greatest work one Dwayne McDuffie passed away leaving behind legions of fans and contemporaries. There is no better tribute for this giant of the comic book world than one of the greatest episodes of Justice League.

Thor (2nd Official Trailer)

Posted on by Arleigh

First we hear news that Marvel has tabbed Shane Black to be the director for the third Iron Man film. Now, Marvel has decided to unleash the second official full trailer upon the masses.

This second trailer expands on the first trailer and the Super Bowl TV Spot. There’s some new scenes added but I especially like how they’ve given a longer look at Thor fighting the Frost Giants of Jotunheim which is what will probably lead to him being banished by All-Father himself, Odin, to Earth to learn how to be a hero or some such.

There’s also more new stuff about Loki acting as the main villain of the film. I don’t consider the Destroyer as the villain but more of a tool of Loki’s. From what I could gather from this new trailer it looks like Kat Denning’s character will be the comic relief on the human side of things while Ray Stevenson’s Volstagg does it on the Asgardian side.

The film comes out in both 2D and 3D this May 6th. Let the Summer Blockbuster Wars begin!

Stephen King’s The Stand to Trip Up Onto the Big-Screen

Posted on by Arleigh

Stephen King properties sure has been heating up around Hollywood of late. For the past month or so we’ve had almost weekly news about Ron Howard’s plans for King’s massive book series, The Dark Tower. Today news that the role of Roland Deschain, the Gunslinger, has been offered to Spanish-actor Javier Bardem shows that the planned film adaptation of The Dark Tower is moving forward.

Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter blog Heat Vision, Warner Brothers and CBS Films are planning to co-produce the film adaptation of another Stephen King property and one many of his fans consider as their favorite. I consider myself one of those fans and I’m actually quite excited that these two studios are looking to adapt the epic, apocalyptic novel The Stand.

The novel already was adapted into a mini-series by Mick Garris in 1994, but that adaptation didn’t satisfy the book’s fans as its producers were hoping for. This planned film adaptation looks to give The Stand a grand stage to be shown to its old and new fans. While trying to adapt a novel that is over 1200 pages long might seem daunting the same was said about trying to adapt a novel that was three times it’s length and that one succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations. If Peter Jackson can take The Lord of the Rings and create an epic masterpiece out of such a dense piece of literature I think King’s The Stand should make just as good a transition.

Here’s to hoping that this particular apocalyptic project gets on the fast track and doesn’t get bogged down in development hell the way another apocalypse-themed film project has found itself in: Max Brook’s zombie epic novel, World War Z.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Darren Aronofsky to take on Wolverine

Posted on by Arleigh

A little over five years ago Warner Brothers made the decision to reboot the Batman film franchise. Several names of filmmakers were mentioned as candidates to helm this reboot. One of them was director Darren Aronofsky. He has made a name for himself helming very dark (and for some very depressing) films about very damaged personalities and their struggles. The Batman/Bruce Wayne duality was perfect for Aronofsky and he had begun to do early treatments to adapt Frank Miller’s classic Batman origin tale, Batman: Year One. In the end, this Aronofsky project fell through and the reboot ended up being handled by Christopher Nolan (not a slouch of a filmmaker himself).

Aronofsky has made a couple of original and very personal films since then (The Fountain, The Wrestler, Black Swan), but with 20th Century Fox scrambling to put another one of their Marvel-licensed properties into production in order to keep the rights to them, they’ve decided to give the reins of the next Wolverine film to Aronofsky. Rumors of Aronofsky close to signing the deal to helm this Logan sequel was finally confirmed by none other than Hugh Jackman himself aka Wolverine in an interview for Vulture.

The first film in this character’s franchise was lackluster at best and horrible to most. The fact that a sequel has been greenlit even after the less-than-stellar box office returns of the first film was headscratching to many. Will Aronofsky’s involvement in this sequel actually erase the bad taste that Wolverine: Origins left in fans’ mouths. If there was anyone who can actually get a handle in the troubled and damaged psyche of one of Marvel’s most iconic characters it would be Darren Aronofsky.

There’s still little details as to what sort of storyline this Aronofsky sequel will take or will he just decide to reboot the franchise and start fresh. The reaction I’ve been reading has been mostly tepid with some guarded excitement from those who thinks Aronofsky will end up working his dark magic on this character on the big-screen. We’ll learn more once filming starts in early 2011.

Here’s to hoping that Aronofsky can do for Wolverine what Nolan was able to do for Batman.

Source: Vulture

Will the Human Torch become Captain America?

Posted on by Arleigh

The news which hit the blogosphere and geekdom like a thrown vibranium shield has Chris Evans (formerly known as Johnny Storm (Human Torch) of the last two Fantastic Four films) being offered the role of Steve Rogers aka Captain America.

The titular role for Marvel Picture’s The First Avenger: Captain America has been talked off non-stop for the last month or so with many names from John Krasinski to Mike Vogel being mentioned as possible choices to play Steve Rogers. Even Ryan Phillipe got his name in the ring just in the last week or so. Now, it looks like Marvel and Joe Johnstone (picked to direct the film) have decided upon Chris Evans as their Captain America.

News broke with The Hollywood Reporter one of the first to break the story late Friday afternoon on March 19, 2010. While neither Marvel or Chris Evans’ CAA reps have confirmed anything about the purported offer sources who have been following the process have said that Chris Evans is indeed the choice and offered the role. The question now is whether Evans will done the red, white and blue and The Shield.

Chris Evans is not new to the superhero film genre as mentioned earlier being the one to bring the definitive Human Torch of the Fantastic Four on the silver screen. While my geek pick was Ryan McPartlin from Chuck or Jensen Ackles from Supernatural I am not against Evans being chosen to take the role (if he deigns to accept the offer). He’s got cred with the geekdom of comicdom and he has the look.

Here’s to hoping he does accept just so the production can start principal photography. If he does the unthinkable and declines one of the top roles of the 2011-2012 blockbuster season then hopefully Ackles still has an outside chance.

Source: THR

Iron Man 2: Second Official Trailer

Posted on by Arleigh

May 7, 2010 is still two months away but it sure is a long wait after seeing the second official trailer for this summer’s most anticipated blockbuster. I am talking about Marvel’s Iron Man 2. The trailer premiered on the post-Oscar Jimmy Kimmel Show episode and I will say that it was the highlight of the night.

There’s been some concern about Iron Man 2 after the release of the first official trailer. Some said that trailer gave them feelings that the sequel was going to be way over-the-top and almost crossing the line into ridiculous. Others thought there may have been too many bad guys involved. Then there are those who are still bitching about the look of the main villain, Mickey Rourke as Whiplash.

I’d like to say that the second trailer went a long way in dispelling some of the concerns. There were more scenes about Tony Stark and the Iron Man suit (in its many variations). There seemed to be more explained about Whiplash and his role as the main villain. Even Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer character comes to the forefront. The clincher was the sequence when the Hammer Iron Men showed up to battle not just Iron Man but the War Machine. This sequel may not be all about the Iron Man story-arc called “Armor Wars” but it sure seems to borrow a lot from that arc and, for that, this self-confessed comic book geek is giddy. GIDDY I SAY!

Oh yeah, one last thing: On-The-Go Mk. V Iron Man suit!