Archives by Topic: Marvel Comics
Donald Soffritti Draws Retirement Home Superheroes
Too Much Free Time has posted a series of drawings by the Italian artist Donald Soffritti that depict the heroes and villains of the Marvel and DC universes as they might appear when they reach retirement age. Among his subjects are characters both popular and obscure, including both Wolverine and the Vulture. Check it out and let me know what your favorite is.
John Romita, Sr. Draws Variant Cover for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #600
John Romita, Sr., one of the most important Amazing Spider-Man artists of all time, is returning to draw a variant cover for #600. Newsarama has the full version, and it’s definitely a sweet piece. A commenter over there was trying to poop on it, saying “this cover looks str8 out of the 1970’s,” obviously not understanding that that’s the fucking point, but I ain’t letting that get me down. Romita, Sr. still has it, in my opinion. What about you?
Comic Comfort
I’ve been thinking, lately, about the unique way that geeks are set up to comfort themselves as a result of our tendency to collect things. It’s an idea, not surprisingly, born out of one of those difficult periods everyone goes through. Let me set the scene.
Preview of MARVEL DIVAS #1
My first great love in comics was New Warriors, and one of the leads in that book was a redheaded mutant called Firestar who had first appeared in Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends on TV. Firestar hasn’t been used much by Marvel Comics of late, owing mostly to her decision to retire during the Civil War crossover. But she’s back in the spotlight in a new Marvel book called Marvel Divas and I hope that one of you kind souls will donate some funds to the Five so that I can go pick it up. Newsarama has a first look at the first issue, which drops next week.
What do you think? This could be a really fun ride, right?
Cap Attack: The Return of Steve Rogers
If you’re a regular follower of Geek Force Five, and a follower of my writing, you know that the ink is still relatively wet on an article I penned about Captain America. In an incredible display of blandishments, I declared Captain America to be the best mainstream comic of 2008. Steve Rogers, the original Captain America, had died in an emotionally moving fashion, but writer Ed Brubaker masterfully guided the book into a must-read as Bucky Barnes, former sidekick to Cap, took up the mantle.
L.A. TIMES Has An Exclusive First Look at CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #1
The Hero Complex blog at the Los Angeles Times has an exclusive first look at the first five page of Captain America: Reborn #1. Part recap and part homage to the opening pages of The Ultimates #1, it’s a satisfying preamble (the word Hero Complex used), but it doesn’t give much away. The issue is due out on July 1, just in time for Independence Day (as Hero Complex points out).
And if that ain’t enough Cap teasing for you, check out the official Marvel trailer for the upcoming Reborn mini. I don’t really get the point of book or comic book trailers just yet, but it’s pretty spiffy for what it is (a series of Ken Burnsesque pans and zooms set to the sounds of a female narrator’s voice).
Captain America: Not Dead Yet, Feeling Better
News broke today that Steve Rogers, the original Captain America, who was presumed dead after the events of 2007’s Captain America #25, will be returning to the Marvel Universe. The story of Rogers’s return begins in Captain America #600 (the series went from #25 to #600 in just two years by adding the numbers of all previous Cap series to this most recent one), which is out today in comic shops everywhere.
For more on the storyline surrounding Cap’s death, check out Shawn Lampron’s article comparing the deaths of Batman and Cap. And for more from the horse’s mouth on what’s coming up in the pages of Cap, check out Newsarama’s interview with editor Tom Brevoort.
Mickey Rourke as Whiplash in IRON MAN 2
USA Today has our first look at Mickey Rourke in character as Whiplash from Iron Man 2. Featured alongside the photograph is a brief article with quotage from director Jon Favreau on the upcoming film.
Whiplash (Mickey Rourke) sports a power pack on his chest that looks similar to the one that Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) uses.
“The technologies are definitely related,” says director Jon Favreau. “That’s part of the core theme of the film.”
According to IMDB, Iron Man 2 is due for release on May 7, 2010.
Kingpin the Villain in SPIDER-MAN 4?
Ain’t It Cool News reports that Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of the Marvel Universe, may be the villain in Spider-Man 4. AICN’s Hercules and I are in agreement that bringing back Michael Clarke Duncan, who played the role in Daredevil, would be a nifty bit of universe-building. But, what say you Fivers? Did you loathe DD, as I know some did? Or were you fond of it, as I was? What do you think is the likelihood of there being trouble between Sony (producers of the Spidey films) and Fox (producers of Daredevil) about the use of Kingpin, assuming he is the choice for big bad in Spider-Man 4? And what do you think about the Kingpin as a villain, in general?
Captain America Hits 600
Many Marvel comic books are hitting big milestones this year, or so it seems, and Captain America is the latest. The series’s six-hundredth issue is due to hit newsstands in June, and Newsarama has a preview.
I haven’t read Cap in years, but after hearing GF5 contributor Shawn Lampron rave about it in person and here on the site back in February, I’m looking to picking up the trade paperback collections of the series at some point in the near future. What about you? Will you be picking up #600? How do you feel about all of these long-standing titles hitting these big milestones? And what happens when a comic book reaches #1,000? Action Comics from DC will do that first, right? When is it due to happen?
