Hulk Smash… Straight To Your Heart

Following the success of Iron Man, Incredible Hulk ushers in a new era for comic movies. Unlike Marvel’s previous rush to sell of comic properties just to get movies out their, this time Marvel uses level heads and its own entertainment department to monitor and create a new series of movies. Iron Man and Hulk are only the beginning, as plans for Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America, and the Avengers movie wrap the films into a cohesive storyline.

Incredible Hulk had a lot to offer, not just as a remake/sequel of the previous Hulk movie, but also in terms of this new Avengers 3-year movie plan. The problem, as many have discussed, with previous Marvel films was the untrained in movies Marvel giving their comics to movie people, who then hijacked the projects for their own agendas (see X3). Hulk was the biggest such mistake as film director Ang Lee turned Hulk into a psychological sob story with crazy comic panel shots, when all we needed was a typical popcorn flick. Read the rest of this entry »

What’s Happening??

After seeing the trailer, you knew this movie was going to suck. The premise that “something happens” was a weak hook. But this movie sucked far more than my wildest expectations.

M. Night Shyamalan usually has twists in his movies - unique Twilight Zone “what if” moments that can call into question our expectations and how we perceive the world. But, unlike Twilight Zone, Shyamalan can’t just present a twist and let us figure it out. No, he has to explain what he means to the audience and then beat them over the head with his message.

Sixth Sense being the exception, Shyamalan’s other films prove this point. Mel Gibson explains faith in Signs, the people in the village explain why they had to leave society in The Village, and the critic analyzes the plot of the movie in Lady in the Water. Other characters pad this dialog with explications of the message, as well. Read the rest of this entry »

It Could’ve Been A Contender

Before I begin complaining, I want to point out that the initial premise of Salvation Run - the U.S. dumping all the super villains like Joker and Lex Luthor on a planet, forcing them to live together - is one of the most unique ideas for a super hero comic any publisher has put out in the last few years. There is limitless potential for an on-going series here, and written by Bill Willingham (Fables), Salvation Run could have been great. Read the rest of this entry »

© New Line Cinema

Ryan Reynolds (Van Wilder, Blade: Trinity) has signed onto the new Wolverine spin-off movie, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, starring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. The movie on the birth of Logan as Wolverine, focusing on the Weapon X program, the secret testing program that also resulted in Sabretooth and the character Reynolds will play, Deadpool.

courtesy Marvel

Deadpool is known as the “Merc with a Mouth” for his witty, pop culture influenced banter. Armed with guns, martial arts training, and a healing factor; Deadpool aka Wade Wilson is a foil character usually on no one’s side but his own.

Originally Reynolds had declined this role, stating that the character he played in Blade: Trinity, Hannibal King, is essentially the same character as Deadpool - that he already played that character. Reynolds was forgetting, of course, that he 1) always plays the same character and 2) Hannibal King wasn’t supposed to be portrayed the way Reynolds did.

Really, Reynold’s humor and type of acting is perfect for Deadpool. All of Reynold’s roles have been humorous, combative, and slightly jerkish, which is the type of person Deadpool should be. There are some other weird castings for the film, which may screw the movie up - like the inclusion Gambit and Beak, a new X-man from the past few years. Too many characters means less time spent on Wolverine and Deadpool, and more forced cameos meant to shove as many properties into the audience’s eyes as possible.

They better tone it down or we’ll have another Van Helsing on our hands!

Through The Eyes Of A Child

I approached this book not through the lens of a comic book, rather, I approached this book through the lens of a children’s book - an escapist fantasy where the child protagonist is the only person that can comprehend the fantasy elements around them. In Toby’s case, these fantasy elements are Marvel heroes and villains. Taking place in 1985, Marvel characters have somehow crossed from their reality to ours. Read the rest of this entry »

Before the New York Comic Con, I was oblivious to many parts of geek culture. At NYCC, there were a lot of booths not devoted to comics, but to small collectible toys made predominantly of plastic. Many of them were of Japanese influence and I was largely ignorant of this hobby, though I didn’t feel I needed to understand it.

Then I saw Kissaki. Designed by Erick Scarecrow, founder of ESC-Toy Ltd., Kissaki was the first designer toy I have purchased. For me, it was a work of art - a delicate fantasy creation who is simultaneously peaceful and angry at the same time. For me, Kissaki is all about how you choose to perceive her. Her arms are at her side, or clenched, raised, in fists.

I wanted to know more about this scene, and spoke to Erick Scarecrow about Kissaki and his work in the field. Read the rest of this entry »

Marvel comics have a unique philosophy when it comes to their super hero universe - everything that has ever been published is considered to have “happened” in the comics. But, while Spider-man’s actions in the 90s crossover event Inferno are part of the character’s history, the subsequent issues have absorbed that storyline and its implications fade away. While everything has happened, not everything is important. This way, new readers can easily jump into the current issues.

Secret Invasion presents a problem - the premise is that Skrulls have been invading Earth for years and almost everything in the Marvel Universe, mostly the works of Brian Michael Bendis (which are the flagship titles like New Avengers and crossovers), hold clues to who is a Skrull and what is going on. Read the rest of this entry »

Jam-Packed With Venture!

courtesy Jackson Publick

Last night the long awaited Third Season, the one guaranteed to put out, debuted on Adult Swim (the late night version of Cartoon Network).

For those unfamiliar with the show, these 22 minute episodes follow the misadventures of the Venture family - Dr. Venture, a failed scientist living in his brilliant super scientist father’s shadow, bada$$ bodyguard Brock Samson, and Jonny Quest parody children Hank and Dean. They fight all sorts of bizarre creatures, from the butterfly themed villain The Monarch to el Chupacabra.

Last night’s episode, “Shadowman 9: In the Cradle of Destiny”, was about The Monarch and new wife, Dr. Girlfriend, and the consequences of the Season 2 finale, which involved the revelation that David Bowie is in charge of the world’s super villain society. The show maintained it’s unusual brand of humor mixing super hero cliché and Seinfeld-esque common sayings and situations.

There will be 13 episodes this season that will air Sunday nights at 10:30 CST and be available online for download or sponsored viewing.