The Dark World Of Television...

There seems to be a lot of collusion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe...

While DC Entertainment seems to be still struggling to make their plans solidify, Mighty Marvel marches on.  The newly started DC Cinematic Universe will extend only to films, while their television shows both animated and live-action are two other separate worlds. Marvel Studios on the other hand, seems to be including most of their live-action as one whole universe. While letting the animation department be its own world, it too though has influences with the MCU.

Many of you saw the announcement that an upcoming episode of "Agents of Shield" will tie in directly to the latest Marvel Studios film, "Thor: The Dark World".  This also stands to reason that the upcoming Marvel Studios film, "Captain America: Winter Soldier" will also play an important role in the series should AOS get a green light for a season two.  Even more so when "Avengers: Age of Ultron" rages across the screen.  It turns out it was a good thing making Marvel's first series a part of the MCU. Or maybe it was just unbelievable luck? Either way, there appears to be a lot more of it coming down the line.

With the monstrous deal signed with Netflix, Disney has placed on Marvel into an even broader playing field with even more platforms to distribute their brand.  And the shows appear to be connected to the main universe as well. Which means, we might see crossovers with other shows and possibly even additional movies.  It appears they've adapted a strategy for television similar to their successful film plan.  While Marvel Studios started out with Ironman and built up various characters until they had a group that could form the Avengers, these television heroes are each building until they become a group of their own, "The Defenders".  Television-sized of course.

Starting off first with Daredevil, then Luke Cage, Iron Fist and ultimately Jessica Jones, these grittier heroes will embark upon an area of the Marvel Universe not seen so far.  It will also be the introduction of Marvel's first superhero characters with secret identities. Something that the films avoided so far.  Unlike DC with their "Arrow" series, their "Flash" spin-off series, or their upcoming Hour Man show, these characters will be in the same universe as The Mighty Thor and The First Avenger.  There might even be a tie-in/crossover with Agents of Shield.  Although that could prove difficult since the AOS series is designed as a family show, and these four series (+miniseries) will be of at least a slightly more mature content than offerings on networks.  It's an exciting time right now for Marvel fans, comic book fans, and geeks in general.

It's hard for a DC Guy like myself to say, but Marvel really is doing a pounding on the former National Periodicals right now...

Mighty Marvel...

As a DC Guy I don't like to admit this...

Marvel is simply cleaning up.  They are Pixar in tights and a cape really.  With all the success they've had in film, they've started to move into television.  First they moved into animation a few years ago and now they've taken their first step into live-action with "Marvel's Agents of Shield".  Development is starting to gather steam on a possible adaptation of the Marvel One Shot short, "Agent Carter".  Now, according to the trades they're about to go for a BIG expansion.

Deadline Hollywood says that Marvel is in the early stages of putting together a package of four television series and a mini-series totaling 60 episodes (presumably four series with 13 episodes each, and an 8 episode mini-series = 52) that it plans to take out to several media outlets.  Netflix, Amazon and WGN America are the services being eyed for the pitch of the unnamed shows. Whoever does bite will be asked to carry the purchase of all four shows and the mini-series.  No meetings have been scheduled yet as Marvel Television is reportedly packaging the projects and talent has yet to be finalized.

We have no idea which characters will be the focus of each/any of these shows but Marvel has thousands of characters to choose from (look how WDAS chose the little known group Big Hero 6).  There are several characters that I believe would be great properties for small screen adaptation.

One group if characters that this type of project screams for is "The Runaways".  It would almost play like a teenage version of "Supernatural" via superheroes in the place of paranormal.  Another property that might make for an excellent transition to television is "Cloak & Dagger".  The drama surrounding these two characters could provide a dark representation similar to something like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".  Lastly, a cult classic like "Power Pack" could provide an alternative to most of the Marvel programming audiences are used to seeing.

Not that I have any knowledge as to what shows they are trying to develop.  This is just some friendly, unwanted I'm sure, advice.  Oh , and if they want to hire me as a consultant just e-mail me.

Developing (literally)...

A Hong Kong Marvel..

The world now has an announcement for the Mouse's first marvel...

I mean Marvel.  There have been many things proposed, many thing cancelled, and many things reworked.  The first thing that could have been announced posssibly earlier this year was a Stark Expo type of experience where Innoventions now resides.  But the late purchase last year of Lucasfilm scuttled those plans in favor of something else (I bet you can guess what with).

Now, via the Wall Street Journal, we find out that China will get the first Marvel attraction: "The Iron Man Experience".  Hong Kong Disneyland precisely/specifically, that is.  The attraction seems to share parts of what was to go in Anaheim, but not all.  There have been rumors of an entire land, but budgetary issues and the economy seem to dictate that's not in the cards near term.

The ride will be built in Tomorrowland with an opening set for 2016.  It'll be a simulator thrill ride akin to Star Tours, but with newer technology.  But in less than three years the Chinese will get to enjoy Iron Man saving the Hong Kong skyline from evil foes bent on conquering the world - Asia first.  Too bad they didn't go with the Baxter Building Experience.

Well that could come later, or elsewhere...

Agent Carter Of Pre-S.H.I.E.L.D...

Or maybe that should be Agent Carter of the super-secret agency that becomes Shield...

If you haven't seen the Marvel One Shot: "Agent Carter" (a jewel of an extra on the "Iron Man 3" Blu-Ray/DVD, even the snazzy credits are cool.) then you've missed a fun little slice of female butt kicking.  It tells the story of what happened to Peggy Carter after the war ended.  At least thirteen minutes of it.  And it left me wanting more.

And it did the same to Marvel's Suits as the news comes that Marvel Studios is wanting to take the character and build a period series around her.  Forties espionage show?  Count me in.  Watching the beginnings of the spy agency could be a great idea for a show depending on how good the story is.

And that is where we are now with Marvel looking for writers to help them develope the pilot.  No confirmation that Hayley Atwell will return to play the character.  I hope that the beautiful and talented actress does play the role, unless they plan on making the show not part of the MCU.  But if they don't make it part of it, Marvel television would get very confusing quickly.  Can you imagine trying to figure out which shows are connected to the films?

Developing...

Agents Of Zeppo...

The most highly anticipated show this season has to be the "Agents of Shield" series...

Debuting on the Alphabet Network next month, the show based on the human exploits in a world filled with superheroes is the most high profile live-action series announced by any network this year.  At least any broadcast network.  Not to mention that it's from Whedon and takes place in the MCU.

Whedon did an extensive interview with Entertainment Weekly and discussed a laundry list of opinions, not all based on Marvel.  When describing the show, the director tonally said AOS is the series version of a famous "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" episode:

The Zeppo.

If you're a fan of the cult series then you get a visage of what to expect.  In a world where these heroes take all the oxygen, others have to breath.  The world goes on,  people's lives continue.  Humanity is left to pick up the pieces and the show is about how normal people (that look remarkably pretty) deal with the repercussions a society after we come to terms with the existence of super powered underweared people.  Both good and bad versions of these beings.

Plus, being discribed as an "X-Files like model" by Jeb Whedon is a good thing also.  No shame in that kind of comparison.  Normal people investigating the abnormal parts of the life around us.  Watching this season develope will be interesting.  Joss Whedon's shows tend to get better as the seasons go on, like aged wine or cheese.  Here's hoping the show has a long, long run.

No more "Firefly" fates please...

Big Six...

 

So after "Frozen" comes out the Mouse moves in a very different direction...

And today at the D23 Expo guest got a tease of how different that would be with the news about "Big Hero 6".  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to be there this year. I have the real world pressing me so I had to make other plans. But luckily, I've seen what everyone else saw today.  And if you look around the web, you've noticed a reaction from people that have seen the clips and the concept art.  It is definitely Disney, but it is also different.

I've known about this for a while (I mean, what did you think Blue Sky meant when we said Don Hall was directing a marvelous film?), but they finally revealed the list of characters that are going to be in the film. And they're mostly from the second volume of the comic book, not the original comic. Keep in mind that these are adaptations of those characters, and they aren't exactly the same as the ones in the comics.  Don Hall wanted characters that weren't as well formed in the minds of comic book fans so that he could play with the characters more. He didn't want fans screaming at him that you didn't include this or you changed that.  So if you've read the comic, you'll enjoy the movie, but it will not exactly be the same.

Here are the list of characters in the film.  For those that know, and don't know:



Hiro Hamada  - Based on the comic character Hiro Takachiho, a brilliant teen with computer skills far beyond his age.

Baymax - The character is basically the same as the comic, he's almost like a robotic best friend, and is largely like the character in the comic, slightly Disneyfied.

Go Go - Known in the comic as GoGo Tomago, she is the bad girl of the group; the one with attitude and reflecting as an outsider in the group.  In the film she's a bike messenger.

Wasabi No Ginger - An assassin chef that is an expert knife thrower, think Bullseye if he were a cook.

Honey Lemon - She is the possible love interest for Hiro in the film, a chemist that he has a slight crush on.

Fred - Known in the comic as Fredzilla, he has the ability to transform into monstrous creature, thus explaining the name.  In the film he is a comic book geek.



A little note, if you watched the atmosphere teaser that came out a while ago, if you look inside the trolley going down the streets you can see Hiro's inside.  Just a little detail that you didn't know and might like.

And just wait until you see the first trailer…

Timelines & Deadlines...

Well, it looks like Sony is trying to stake a claim on the gold they've been mining...

The Studio has just announced two more sequels to the current film that is shooting.  Here's the press release with commentary to follow:

CULVER CITY, Calif., June 17, 2013 – With Sony Pictures Entertainment now in production in New York on The Amazing Spider-Man™ 2, slated for release on May 2, 2014, the studio is planting its flag on two future release dates for one of the most successful franchises in studio history, it was announced today by Jeff Blake, Chairman, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution for Sony Pictures. The next two films in the story of Peter Parker will be released on June 10, 2016, and on May 4, 2018, respectively.

Commenting on the announcement, Blake said, “Spider-Man is our most important, most successful, and most beloved franchise, so we’re thrilled that we are in a position to lock in these prime release dates over the next five years.”

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci & Jeff Pinkner, with a previous draft by James Vanderbilt, and based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach are the producers. The executive producers are E. Bennett Walsh, Stan Lee, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci.
The Amazing Spider-Man took in over $750 million at the worldwide box office last year.

You think this is a huge finger in the eye to Kevin Feige and the Suits of Marvel/Disney?  Yes.  Yes it is.  It's knowing the cash cow they have has an expiration date and trying to keep it as far away as possible.  Marvel has been of late been keeping an eye on all the productions that are not under its own in-house production.  The lawyers for the Mouse are making sure each contract is kept to the letter of the agreement.  There will be no deviation.  Any such chance to get out of the deal will result in a swarm of legal activity.

It's less likely that we'll see director Marc Webb finish out these films as the production schedule is going to be insane.   He'd have to spend the better part of the next decade doing nothing but comic book films, which I'm sure he enjoys, but doesn't want to be known for it for the rest of the next decade.  I'm sure he has other stories to tell.  So expect other directors to be lined up for the fourth film, maybe even the third.  And those productions will be hard pressed to meet their dates.  Disney will be counting down the minutes until the agreement expires.  And there won't be a renewal. 

Sony knows this and that's why they planted the flag so early...

Made. In Japan...

The special issue of Empire magazine is out...

It's got a swanky cool picture of Hugh Jackman in character from the film "The Wolverine" for the cover.  Pretty nice pose.  I really want this film to be good, but the trailers so far haven't given a great vibe.  Despite the fact that it has a great screenwriter in Christopher MacQuarrie, terrific source material in the Frank Miller/Chris Claremont mini-series, and a top level director in James Mangold, the trailer so far don't convey the classic tale of Logan in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Maybe Fox hired the people that marketed "John Carter" for Disney...

A Spider's Web...

About that possibility of Marvel getting the film rights to "Spider-Man" back...

Will the Arachnid be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe anytime soon?  If you'd have asked me that this morning, I'd have said "No".  But now comes a report that Sony has been in a bit of a financial bind of late and is looking to an investor group to help shore up its balance sheet.  The group led by investor David Loeb (no relation to Jeph Loeb) has proposed selling off particular entertainment franchises (in music and studio divisions) to make it more attractive to investment.  Two of the entertainment franchises listed are "Resident Evil" and "Spider-Man".  As for RS, I have no opinion on the sale because the films are so utterly lifeless and devoid of anything that makes the games fun and interesting. Spidey on the other hand is a whole other ballgame.

Would the Mouse be interested in purchasing the rights back?  Yes, they would were this to be true.  Would the price be right is the more appropriate question.  The Walt Disney Company paid a sizable amount versus a projected box office take to buy out the remaining rights to Paramount Pictures deal with Marvel a couple years ago.  That deal included the "Avengers" film and "Iron Man 3".  Paramount made a nice little fee for the release, but Web Head is clearly worth a great deal more than Shell Head, and Sony, if they decide to sell them will be asking for a much better deal than Paramount got.  But don't hold your breath.

If this does happen, the last hold out would be Fox.  And they're clearly moving ahead with their reboot of the "Fantastic Four" property and the expansion of the mutant franchises.  They have no desire or inclination to give up such money making machines, but Disney will be watchful and holding them to the letter of the contracts.  It's doubtful they'll give 20th Century Fox any wiggle room in any adaptation of Marvel characters.  Over time, the characters will find their way back into the company fold, but unless some extremely pricey deal is made, it'll have to wait until they lose interesting in the properties.  That will likely not happen until the box office for the films becomes at least a disappointment, or an outright financial dud.

But in the meantime, the Mouse's lawyers are ready to pounce...

Hat Tip to Comic Book Movie via Comic Book Therapy.

UPDATE:  Harry over at Ain't It Cool News has been in touch with Sony Pictures Entertainment Co-Chair Amy Pascal.  And this is something that isn't going to happen.  So, until the films become unprofitable, or they miss a deadline for making one of the films, Marvel fans will have to wait for Spider-Man to debut in the MCU.

No Assembly Required...

Everybody loves free stuff...

I was a big fan of the Marvel animated series: "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes" before they cancelled it.  I still feel that it was ill conceived to end it just to connect the animated series closer to the "Avengers" film.  That show was on its way to becoming the Marvel version of what DC's "Batman: The Animated Series" has become.  But then they ended it to create another animated series.

Well, if you'd like to see what the new "Avengers Assemble" is going to look like before the May 26 broadcast on Disney XD, here's your chance.  The Mouse has released the first half of the pilot (22 minutes) on iTunes for free.  Take a look and see if it measures up to what came before it.

You'll have to wait a week to see the conclusion though...

A Broadening S.H.I.E.L.D...

We now have an extended trailer for Marvel's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." series...

It certainly does flesh out the series to give us a better representation of what Joss Whedon has in store for us.  We get to see the mysterious figure that saves someone from a burning building, expanded take on the agents who we'll see every week, and a little more depth on why Agent Coulson returns (hint: Level 7).

So will this series make it beyond "Firefly" or "Dollhouse" into a second or third season?  Who knows, but in the world we live, having the exposure of being connected to "The Avengers" should give it a better chance of attracting and keeping an audience.  Maybe it'll make it to seven season's like Whedon's pinnacle: "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" did.

Time will tell...

A Rising Tide Lifts All Ratings...

It's not very often a trailer for a television show generates this much hype...

But this is no ordinary television show/series.  It's got connective tissue to the biggest blockbuster film of last year.  That alone means that the S.H.I.E.L.D. trailer would get a lot of buzz.  The fact that it also comes from the director/writer of that show, and he directed and co-wrote the pilot is another major reason eyeballs will not only be on this tease for the series, but the show as well.

Joss Whedon has moved from talented writer, to cult creator, to frustrated genius, to blockbuster film maker over the past decade+.  It's about time that people outside Whedonesque got note of the amazing work this storyteller can do.  Avengers let him burst forth onto the silver screen with a vengeance  and now he'll have an opportunity to blend the D.N.A. of that film into the television world.

The viral campaign for the show has also kicked into high gear with the launch of the We Are The Rising website.  Not much is there yet, but as we move closer to the launch of the series you can expect more content to be added.  The network has a lot riding on this show.  And so does Marvel.  It's their first big jump into live action series.

But it won't be their last...

A Badge Required To Enter S.H.I.E.L.D...

During tonight's episode finale of "Once Upon A Time", the Mouse is going to tease us...

But until then we have this peek at what the show might be from the app Vine. The ABC Suits are going all out with hyping this show.  I'm sure that Joss Whedon must be happy to have the support for his fledgling, new show.  The Fox Suits just never gave the support for "Dollhouse" when it was on the network.  I've never understood why a broadcaster will invest millions of dollars in a show and not properly try to promote/expose it to the public.  But Hollywood is filled with stories such as these.

Watching that makes you have to wonder who will show up on this show....

Agents Access Granted...

Your authorization has been activated...

As if they'd want to feel the repercussions of the newly uber-powerful Joss Whedon, the programming heads of ABC have green lit his new television show, it just hasn't been made official to the public yet.  I know, shocking news.  But now fans can look forward to Marvel's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." on the network schedule.  Mid season or fall slot?  The announcements have been planned for today, with a major publicity event for Sunday.  Whether it happens exactly then or not, it the series will go forward.

A large marketing campaign will commence shorty afterward, leading up to the broadcast.  Expect a big roll out when the series debuts, and something that Whedon has always had trouble with: support and a prominent  time slot (sorry "Dollhouse").  Having the success of that little film last summer has given him a lot of wiggle room to have his way.  And with the exposure of the series of very popular superhero films, it'll have a great chance for people to see the show about a top secret organization officially set in the MCU.

Will there be more series that he watches over?  Doubtful with his busy schedule.  There's only so much time the man has between sleep.  It's not like he's Guillermo del Toro.  Jeph Loeb will be the guiding hand behind Marvel's ventures on the small screen.  Whedon has a lot of plates twirling in the air right now with the biggest coming out in 2015.  But we'll go inside the secret organization before then.

How deep we go, only Joss knows...

UPDATE:  The Hollywood Reporter is saying that it's official.  And as we mentioned, you'll get your first look at the show on Sunday night at 8pm.  The official presser:

Clark Gregg reprises his role of Agent Phil Coulson from Marvel’s feature films as he assembles a small, highly select group of Agents from the worldwide law-enforcement organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Together they investigate the new, the strange, and the unknown across the globe, protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary. Coulson’s team consists of Agent Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), highly trained in combat and espionage, Agent Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen) expert pilot and martial artist, Agent Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker); brilliant engineer and Agent Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) genius bio-chemist. 

Joining them on their journey into mystery is new recruit and computer hacker Skye (Chloe Bennet). From Executive Producers Joss Whedon (“Marvel’s The Avengers,” ”Buffy the Vampire Slayer”); Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen, “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” pilot co-writers (“Dollhouse,” “Dr.Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”); Jeffrey Bell (“Angel,” “Alias”); and Jeph Loeb (“Smallville”) comes Marvel’s first TV series. “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is produced by ABC Studios and Marvel Television.

They haven't announced if it's for fall or a mid-season on the schedule.  We won't have to wait long though.  ABC will announce their fall schedule on Tuesday.

Big Hero Secret...

Well the Mouse has finally announced the first animated Marvel film's release date...

If you've read our reports on Walt Disney Animation Studios, we were teasing that the studio was working on a "Marvelous" film.  The Bothans asked us not to reveal which one and we kept a lid on it till the Grid released the info about the project later in the year.  So now you all know about "Big Hero 6" for 2014.  And here is the first scene of what it will look like (this is one of a few test shots done for the film.) from the official site.

The director of "Winnie the Pooh", Don Hall is working on making a film that fits the mold of Disney, but falls within the world of comics.  But he wanted a project that didn't come with such a large built in fan base.  One where the animators could take the project and work it into a film that is classic Disney.  Don says:

“I was looking for something on the obscure side, something that would mesh well with what we do. The idea of a kid and a robot story with a strong brother element, it’s very Disney….Marvel properties take place in the real world. We were looking for something to do where we could make our own world — bring in the Japanese influences,  have recognizable landmarks mashed up with a Japanese aesthetic.”

If there was a film based on "Daredevil" or another established character, the fans would pick it apart for what it wasn't.  That's why they went with comic characters that had a lighter footprint in the Marvel universe.  Marvel's Joe Quesada is very involved in the story sessions and has been working on providing ideas for the story.  Here is the studios press release:

From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Big Hero 6,” an action comedy adventure about brilliant robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who finds himself in the grips of a criminal plot that threatens to destroy the fast-paced, high-tech city of San Fransokyo. With the help of his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—Hiro joins forces with a reluctant team of first-time crime fighters on a mission to save their city. Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring comic-book style action and all the heart and humor audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, the CG-animated “Big Hero 6” hits theaters in 3D on November 7, 2014.

The film has gone through a couple screenings and Lasseter is very happy with the direction of the film, although several Bothans I talked to weren't as warm to the story.  But, animated films change monthly, as Lasseter's notes and the Story Trust work to refine the elements of the picture.  The first screenings of "Tangled" were very different from the final product.  And if you'd seen the original "Finding Nemo" it would be almost unrecognizable to the finished film.

But now Disney animation fans will get their first chance to step into the Marvel world...

Iron Man 300,000,000...

So today is the day Phase Two starts...

At least for America.  So begins Shell Head's third outing.  It's already a huge hit overseas with over $300 million so far, and an expected $450 million by the end of the weekend.  That's not included what it's expected to make here.  That's an estimated $177 million more for a total of over $600+ million by Sunday.  I think it's safe to say that this film may make its money back.

Will it make more than "The Avengers" though?

Doubtful, but it'll likely wind up being the second most profitable Marvel film.  It may nip at the heels of the team up film, but there would have to be an extra push to get it over the threshold that Joss Whedon's film set.  Now the question for you is: "Is it worth it?"

Now, I don't do reviews anymore.  I don't consider myself a reviewer, but simply a film fan, a movie lover and Disney obsessor.  My favorite Marvel film is "The Avengers" film, but "Captain America: The First Avenger" is a very close second.  Iron Man 3 is right behind Cap.  It's a very good film.  It's a smart, intelligent detective film, disguised as a popcorn film that succeeds on almost every level.  It's my favorite Iron Man film.  It has the best display of characters of all three films, and it sets a bar for the films to follow.  In other words, it starts off Phase Two with a big, loud bang.

Too bad the Creatives and Suits decided against that Stark Expo for Innoventions...

Doctored Adventures...

Where there's a whip, there a way, make mine Marvel...

So we broke the news about the Star Wars comic the other day, but we didn't address the elephant in the room...

That is, if Darth Vader is packing his bags, then the Man in the Hat will likely go with him.  While the confirmation I was given was only about Star Wars, it's simple math that determines Indiana Jones will also follow Han Solo over to Marvel.  So, then the question is what do they do with him?

Dark Horse has had a good run with Lucasfilm, being as they have had a better understanding of the properties than those that handled them in the past, and yes Marvel was one of those handlers.  The Indiana Jones adventures under their licence has consisted of some pretty good adventures for Doctor Jones.  From "Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis," "Thunder in the Orient," "Indiana Jones and the Arms of Gold" to "Indiana Jones and the Curse of the Invincible Ruby," there have been some grand adventures.  Dark Horse is a comic company that "gets" the pop-culture properties that it licenses.  So we have to wonder if Marvel will "get" them since their last tales were a bit uninspiring.

Perhaps it'll be different the second time around.  Perspective is everything.  With all those out there in the business knowing how well received the Dark Horse stories of Indy have been, it'll give the editors over at Marvel's bull pin a little more reason to stay frosty.  Hopefully, if the rights revert back to this in a couple of years they'll have a game plan ready.  This is just my advice, no secret info that has been given to me by a Bothan or Nazi double agent.  Take it for what it is: my opinion, nothing more, nothing less.

First thing they should do is something that they actually should NOT do.  Don't make it a monthly.

That was one of the smart things that Dark Horse did.  I mean, the books came out monthly, but it wasn't a monthly comic.  These adventures had a beginning, middle, and end.  There was no dragging out the story over a long period of months just to sell books.  Each story they create should be self contained.  With a certain number of issues, be it 6, 8, or maybe even a 12 issue maxi-series.  Next, there has to be talent brought together, like one puts together a director, producer and writer on a film.  Have different teams that can tackle adventures from every angle, every location, and have them have fun with the characters.

I personally would love to see John Byrne take another crack at Indiana Jones.  He may not of course, since his dealing with a Lucasfilm Suit resulted in it being one of the worst comic book experiences of his professional career.  But to imagine Denny O'Neil, Byrne and even Terry Austin together would be something I would gladly look forward to.  And if Austin couldn't do it, how about Karl Kessel, they're two of the best inkers to ever handle Byrne's pencils.

Then someone like Chris Claremont would seem to make a great writers to stick his hand at Doctor Jones' adventures.  How about you team him up with J. Scott Campbell, who's toyed around with the character for fun and is a fantastic artist.  His Danger Girl series is already heavily inspired by Raiders-type adventures; how about letting him draw the actual thing?

Speaking of Raiders-type things, there have been a few "Tomb Raider" comics over the years and some of the artist/writers that have worked on these books would fit the mold perfectly for an Indy comic.  I would love to see Andy Park illustrate a book by Marvel dealing with Jones globe traveling.  He's such a talented artist, not only in comics, but as a conceptual artist (he worked on "The Avengers" and created some fantastic pieces) too.  Maybe team him with Dan Jurgens, whom he worked with on Top Cow's Tomb Raider comic (the #1 comic of 1999, btw) and have them focus on some serial adventures?

Or take a iconic artist like Alex Ross and let him have his way with the fedora and whip?  Imagine a fully painted issue of fortune and glory done by this talented artist.  Team him up with a hot new talent like Sam Humphries or Rick Remender and you could have a very facinating adventure.

Or perhaps reach into the cinematic world?  Why should Joss Whedon be the only one that can write for both film and comics?  Someone who I think would be terrific for a Indiana Jones comic is Michael France (Cliffhanger, Fantastic Four - not the horrible Tim Story film, but the script which should have been made.), with the right artist, say someone like Ed Benes or Ivan Reis, they would make a fantastic comic book.  That would be a mini-series I'd want to see.

Then there's Mark Protosevich (Thor and I Am Legend, both of which have amazing screenplays better than the actual films that were released.), who would be great to see do an adaptation of Indy's mcguffin hunts, perhaps pairing him with Travis Charest, and having his amazing art translate Protosevich's prose?  I'm.  So.  There.

And these are just the ideas off the top of my head.  Imagine what the Marvel editors could come up with if they sat in a room with a bunch of writers and artists pitching tales of the famed explorer?  The mind truly boggles at that thought.  To keep Indiana Jones relevant and in the public's eye, these would be rather quick and easy steps to continue to mine this property until that day when Kathleen Kennedy approves Paul Dini's animated series.

Yes, I dream, but if you're going to dream, do it big I say...

Excelcior's Birth...

Ninety years, true believers...

There are five pillars of the comic book industry...

Three are at DC Comics and two belong to Marvel Comics.  DC, or as it was called way back in the beginning of comic book creation, National Periodical Publications, had Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster and Bob Kane.  Marvel had Jack Kirby and Stan Lee.

Today, Stan "The Man" Lee celebrates his 90th year on this planet.  Now, I don't how old he is on another planet.  You might have to ask Reed Richards since he knows the Marvel galaxies better than me.  But Stan would go on to co-create most of the Marvel heroes we know and love today.  From "Fantastic Four," "Spider-Man," "The Avengers," to countless others, the world of young boys and girls would change forever after the early 60's.  He has handled the celebrity and success over the years with grace, flair and dignity.  Stan Lee has become an icon of pop-culture, a living monument to American myth.

And with great power, comes great responsibility...

Year Zero...

Crazy like a fox, or just trying to pull the wool over our heads...

Fox's hired geek guru has been giving updates about the adaptations the studio are doing...

Mark Millar, 20th Century Fox's adviser on how not to screw up superheros has been letting the fan base know what is going on with the upcoming slate of films.  He had some interesting things to say about the recent and soon to be released films:

"Looking forward to: In 2013? Kick-Ass 2. There can be only one. Also buzzed about Superman and - the big surprise, I think - The Wolverine. The script is amazing and Mangold is such a brilliant director. Seen the first 10 mins and it looks like David Lean doing a superhero movie."

I certainly hope so.  A lot of the time it appears that suits don't really know how to handle these characters properly, and with the exception of Marvel Studios, they still don't.  Warner Bros. has had success dealing with only the Last Son of Krypton and the Guardian of Gotham.  All the other characters in their stable have eluded them.  Mainly, I believe, because they simply don't have an understanding of the characters, or how to translate them.

I certainly hope that Warner doesn't screw up Batman and try to reboot the project through a Bruce Wayne-less character.  It would show they've learned nothing in their quest to move these nuggets of gold forward into the hole filled by Harry Potter.

While I have some sympathy for the Fox Suits, I kind of wish that the rights to all the characters would just expire and revert back to Marvel and the Mouse.  They've shown that they know how to handle them properly; plus it allows for crossovers that don't get caught up in legalistic quicksand that prevents them from being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Seeing as how that isn't going to happen anytime soon, Millar offers a glimmer of hope that the next decade at Fox could be an exciting one:

"This the one that's going to surprise people. This and First Class were Year Zero for the Fox Marvel movies as far as I'm concerned."

Year Zero?  That's a bold statement to make.  Hopefully he's right, and not just towing the company line.  Being as it's Millar, I think he'll stay true to himself and not say things for the check, especially since he doesn't need the Benjamins.

I get what he's trying to say, with "X-Men: First Class" being a great reboot of the original trilogy of films (especially with the weak third film).  It was a film that showed great care with the property, while still moving it forward in the cinematic realm.  If "The Wolverine" turns out to be that good it could be a great thing for Marvel/Disney and even Fox.

Now, if they can get the "Fantastic Four" reboot working on the same level.  Here's a hint, Mark.  Have them go back to the original script by Michael France and Chris Columbus.  It was very well written, faithful adaptation to the comic that didn't come off like a bad family drama.  Use that as your inspiration, but don't redo the origin, unless you want to have it told in flashback using the opening credits.  There is no need to keep telling us the beginning again.

The future is far more exciting...

A Dark World, A Bit Brighter...

God of Asgard, and rock and roll...

With each passing week, more and more information comes out about the God of Thunder's return...

Marvel Studios has finally released a more comprehensive description of Thor 2, aka: "Thor: The Dark World."  Read it below:

Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself. In the aftermath of Marvel’s “Thor” and “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos…but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Zachary Levi, Tadanobu Asano and Jaimie Alexander with Rene Russo and Anthony Hopkins as Odin, “Thor: The Dark World” is directed by Alan Taylor, produced by Kevin Feige, from a story by Don Payne (credit not final) and screenplay by Christopher Yost and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely (credit not final) and is based on Marvel’s classic Super Hero Thor, who first appeared in the comic book “Journey into Mystery” #83 in August, 1962.

“Thor: The Dark World” is presented by Marvel Studios. The executive producers are Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Victoria Alonso, Craig Kyle and Nigel Gostelow. The film releases November 8, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Ok, so it's not a great deal of news, but it does flesh out the story somewhat.   It does give us a peek outside the curtain toward the direction that the screenwriters and Marvel plan on taking the character in this, and future films.

Looking forward to climbing further up the branches of Yggdrasil...