Marvel And DC Comic Book Characters In All Forms Of Media

3D Man

2010-05-18T00:20:00.000-07:00

Brothers from Los Angeles,Charles and Hal Chandler have been both been known as the hero 3-D Man. During the 1950's,Nasa was just starting to put their first man into orbit. The key to the success of the program was the XF-13 rocket plane, an experimental aircraft capable of reaching the upper most atmosphere. When it was time to test this craft, one of the first men chosen was Charles "Chuck" Chandler. On Chandlers first test of the aircraft he was tailed and later abducted by the skrulls. The skrulls has had their eyes on earth for ages and hopes to use it's strategic position to gain the advantage in the war with the Kree. So with that in mind the skrulls became interested in earth's space exploration programs. The night before Chuck had taken off,the Skrulls had orchestrated a kidnapping in which Chuck's brother Hal helped him escape. The skrulls were obviously persistent in their conquest. The skrulls had been looking to abduct pilots so that they could gain vital information from the regarding the space program in which the operate.
Coming to the realization that Chandler would never willingly give up any information the skrulls prepared a mind probe ray. In that instant he broke free of the Skrulls grasp and escaped. During his escape he damaged several components of the ships warp drive which are absolutely necessary to the ship's maintenance. Just as he attempted to make his dramatic exit in the XF-13 back home, the skrulls ship exploded from an overload in the power source. Hal made his escape unharmed but he wasn't safe from the alien radiation that came from the ship's explosion. The XF-13 was badly damaged in the escape so Chuck decided to land the ship in the Mojave Desert where he knew his brother Hal would be watching the test flights. When he ejected himself from the craft his brother ran over to greet him and he vanished into a burst of light.

In the belief that his brother had perished, Hal returned to LA to inform their parents and the NASA authorities. That night Hal had become aware that there the image of a man had been imprinted into the lens of one of his glasses,and that one lens was red and the other green. Hal figured out that the image in one lens of the man was of his brother, which was imprinted their when he vanished in that burst of light. By putting on the glasses and concentrating on the two images on a flat surface Hal triggered a dimensional transfer that returned Chuck to this reality but left Hal in a trance-like state.

The radiation from the explosion altered Chuck. While still apparently a humanoid, the radiation had bonded his space suit to his body or more accurately...the suit was his body. His new body was colored and mismatched into shades of red and green on two halves of him. He also discovered that his physical ability had been tripled as a result of his new transformation. The last thing he discovered about his new found abilities was that he was very sensitive to the presence of skrulls or to put it simply he could detect them. When the skrulls attempted to invade the United States Chuck's powers came in handy detecting them while in a human or other recognizable forms. Which ultimately brought an end to their plot to take over the planet. Although he had foiled many attempts of the skrulls to take over, alot of his time was spent in another dimension because he could only remain on earth for 3 hours. While back in the 2-D world in the glasses, Hal could regain control of his body and out of his trance.

During Secret Invasion, Chuck and Hal were seen telling their story to the new 3-D Man Triathlon.They are apparently retired from super-heroism so it's fitting their legacy would be carried on by another.

Delroy Garrett Jr., formally know as Triathlon gained access to the 3-D Man goggles at his graduation from the Initiative, making him the new 3-D Man.

The CAPE!?

2010-05-16T22:12:00.000-07:00

NBC announced its 2010-11 primetime schedule on Sunday which includes "The Cape," a show that will premiere later in the season. Here's how the network describes the show:

"The Cape" is a one-hour drama series starring David Lyons ("ER") as Vince Faraday, an honest cop on a corrupt police force, who finds himself framed for a series of murders and presumed dead. He is forced into hiding, leaving behind his wife, Dana (Jennifer Ferrin, "Life on Mars") and son, Trip (Ryan Wynott, "Flash Forward"). Fueled by a desire to reunite with his family and to battle the criminal forces that have overtaken Palm City, Faraday becomes "The Cape" his son's favorite comic book superhero -- and takes the law into his own hands. Rounding out the cast are James Frain ("The Tudors") as billionaire Peter Fleming -- The Cape's nemesis -- who moonlights as the twisted killer: Chess; Keith David ("Death at a Funeral") as Max Malini, the ringleader of a circus gang of bank robbers who mentors Vince Faraday and trains him to be The Cape, Summer Glau ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") as Orwell, an investigative blogger who wages war on crime and corruption in Palm City; and Dorian Missick ("Six Degrees") as Marty Voyt, a former police detective and friend to Faraday. "The Cape" is a Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun production from executive producer/creator Thomas Wheeler ("Empire"), executive producer/director Simon West ("Con Air"), the executive producing team of Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun (NBC's "Mercy), and executive producer Gene Stein ("Accidentally on Purpose").

Sounds like The Spirit to me but I'll hope for the best. Preview doesn't look to bad, decide for yourself .

3D Thor and Hulk Comic Book Collectibles

2010-05-14T23:36:00.000-07:00

Shown here in eye-popping detail and blazing color, this amazing 3-D comic book replica shows the Hulk in both of his incarnations, as David Banner and as the mighty monster. An absolute "must have" for any serious collector! Marvel Comics Replica Certificate of Authenticity included. Decorative purposes only; not a toy. Resin. 20" x 12" x 14" high.

With crimson cape streaming and mighty muscles straining, the heroic Thor swings his legendary hammer; in the background, a fresh crop of villains prepares to challenge him in battle. An explosive scene direct from the cover of your favorite comic! Marvel Comics Replica Certificate of Authenticity included. Decorative purposes only; not a toy. Resin. 18" x 9" x 10" high.

Don't miss out! Save 15% for the month of May! Just enter coupon code-1655 at the check out. Quantities are limited so act fast!

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Conan the Barbarian

2010-01-22T06:48:00.000-08:00

Deadline Hollywood reports that Lionsgate and Millenium Films have picked the actor to play the lead role in Marcus Nispel's reinvention of Robert E. Howard's Conan and it's 30-year-old Jason Momoa, who may best be known for his run on "Stargate Atlantis" and who also appears in HBO's upcoming mini-series "Game of Thrones."
Latino Review says that an offer has been put out to Mickey Rourke to play Conan's father Corin.

Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian, from the name of his homeland, Cimmeria) is a fictional character in books, comics and movies. He is a hero, a well known and iconic figure in American fantasy, and the most famous barbarian in fiction.

Conan is often associated with the fantasy subgenre of sword-and-sorcery and heroic fantasy. He was created by Texan writer Robert E. Howard in 1932 via a series of fantasy stories sold to Weird Tales magazine. The character has since appeared in licensed books, comics, films, television programs, video games, roleplaying games, and even a boardgame, all of which contribute to the hero's long-standing popularity.

Conan the Barbarian is also the title of a Gnome Press collection of stories published in 1954, a comic published by Marvel Comics beginning in 1970,

Spider-Man REBOOT!

2010-01-19T19:44:00.000-08:00

Marc Webb, the director of the Golden Globe-nominated Best Picture (500) Days of Summer, will direct the next chapter in the Spider-Man franchise, set to hit theaters summer 2012, it was jointly announced today by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios.
Written by James Vanderbilt, Webb will work closely with producers Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin in developing the project, which will begin production later this year.

Commenting on the announcement, Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures, said, "At its core, Spider-Man is a small, intimate human story about an everyday teenager that takes place in an epic super-human world. The key for us as we sought a new director was to identify filmmakers who could give sharp focus to Peter Parker's life. We wanted someone who could capture the awe of being in Peter's shoes so the audience could experience his sense of discovery while giving real heart to the emotion, anxiety, and recklessness of that age and coupling all of that with the adrenaline of Spider-Man's adventure. We believe Marc Webb is the perfect choice to bring us on that journey."

Arad and Ziskin added jointly, "Over the years, the Spider-Man comics have been told with bold and creative new writers and artists who have re-calibrated the way audiences see Peter Parker. Marc Webb will do for the new direction of the films what so many visionary storytellers have done with the comic books. He is an incredibly talented filmmaker and we look forward to working closely with him on this new adventure."

Webb said, "This is a dream come true and I couldn't be more aware of the challenge, responsibility, or opportunity. Sam Raimi's virtuoso rendering of Spider-Man is a humbling precedent to follow and build upon. The first three films are beloved for good reason. But I think the Spider-Man mythology transcends not only generations but directors as well. I am signing on not to 'take over' from Sam. That would be impossible. Not to mention arrogant. I'm here because there's an opportunity for ideas, stories, and histories that will add a new dimension, canvas, and creative voice to Spider-Man."

Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man, added, "I'm excited that Sony has chosen a director with a real penchant and understanding for the character. This is a brave, bold direction for the franchise, and I can't wait to see what Marc comes up with next."

Added Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, "The idea of re-imagining the on-screen story for one of the world's most iconic superheros is sure to deliver an exciting new dimension to Spider-Man fans everywhere. There are volumes of comics and material available to inspire fresh and compelling takes on Peter Parker and his journey as Spidey and we look forward to seeing this come alive onscreen."

Marc Webb has won acclaim with his film debut (500) Days of Summer. He has several MTV VMAs™ including 2009's Best Director award for Green Day's "21 Guns," 2006 Best Rock Video for AFI's "Miss Murder," and Best Group Video for The All-American Rejects' "Move Along." The Music Video Production Association honored him in 2006 as the Director of the Year for his work with Weezer, AAR, and My Chemical Romance.

In addition to two Golden Globe nominations including Best Picture (musical or comedy), his first feature film, (500) Days of Summer, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, has been nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Feature. Webb was also awarded the Spotlight Award, which honors outstanding directorial debuts, by the National Board of Review.

Marvel Comics: SIEGE

2010-01-08T23:46:00.000-08:00

"Siege" is a storyline that begins in January 2010. Published by Marvel Comics, it deals with the aftermath of the Dark Reign, which led to a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward Norman Osborn.

Siege is the culmination of all Marvel events since Avengers: Disassembled.Currently it is scheduled to run as a limited 4 issue series, with multiple tie-ins.

In December a lead-in issue entitled Siege: The Cabal is written by Bendis and drawn by Michael Lark, followed by a free prologue called Origins of Siege that will be released with a preview of issue one.Also Avengers: The Initiative #31 will also serve as a lead-in to the storyline.

Marvel has announced that following the events of Siege will be the beginning of a new "Heroic Age".

Blackest Night

2010-01-08T15:42:00.000-08:00

Blackest Night is a limited series published by DC Comics in 2009 and 2010, forming the basis of a crossover event between several DC publications. Written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Ivan Reis, Blackest Night involves a personified force of death resurrecting deceased superheroes and seeking to eliminate all life and emotion from the universe. Geoff Johns has identified the series' central theme as emotion. The crossover will be published for eight months via a limited series, as well as in both the Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps comic title as well as various other limited series and tie-ins.
The storyline was first mentioned at the conclusion of the "Sinestro Corps War" in Green Lantern vol. 4, #25. As the war between the Green Lantern and Sinestro Corps reaches its climax, the four Green Lanterns of Earth (Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart and Kyle Rayner) are told by the Guardians Ganthet and Sayd of the "Blackest Night" prophecy. According to the prophecy, the three existing Corps would be joined by four new ones, each driven by a specific emotion and empowered by a specific color of the emotional spectrum, leading to a "War of Light" that would subsequently destroy the universe.

Silver Surfer

2008-11-29T22:13:00.000-08:00

The Silver Surfer (or Norrin Radd) is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966), the first of a three-issue arc fans and historians call "The Galactus Trilogy".

Originally a young astronomer of the planet Zenn-La, Norrin Radd made a bargain with a being, pledging himself to serve as his herald in order to save his home-world from destruction by the fearsome cosmic entity known as Galactus. Imbued in return with a tiny portion of Galactus' Power Cosmic, Radd acquired great powers and a new version of his original appearance. Galactus also created for Radd a surfboard-like craft — modeled after a childhood fantasy of his — on which he would travel at speeds beyond that of light. Known from then on as the Silver Surfer, Radd began to roam the cosmos searching for new planets for Galactus to consume. When his travels finally took him to Earth, the Surfer came face-to-face with the Fantastic Four, a team of powerful superheroes that helped him to rediscover his nobility of spirit. Betraying Galactus, the Surfer saved Earth but was punished in return by being exiled there.
A new ongoing Silver Surfer series began in 2003, focusing on the character's alien nature and messianic allegory. It lasted 14 issues. The Surfer later appeared in an issue of Cable & Deadpool and has twice been reunited with the superhero group the Defenders. In 2006-2007, he starred in the four-issue miniseries Annihilation: Silver Surfer and co-starred in the miniseries Heralds of Galactus, both part of the "Annihilation" fictional crossover.

In 2007, the Silver Surfer starred in a four-issue miniseries Silver Surfer: Requiem by writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Esad Ribic. The first issue was released May 30, 2007 to coincide with the character's first movie appearance. Published under the Marvel Knights imprint, Silver Surfer: Requiem portrays the character upon learning he has a terminal illness.

This was followed by the miniseries Silver Surfer: In Thy Name, by writer Simon Spurrier and artist Ten Eng Huat.

A Silver Surfer film had been long in development since the 1980s. The Silver Surfer made his film debut in 20th Century Fox's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, the sequel to the 2005 film Fantastic Four. Doug Jones played the Surfer on set, and a computer simulation enhanced the reflective look of his prosthetics. Laurence Fishburne provided the character's voice. Assured of the film's commercial success, 20th Century Fox hired J. Michael Straczynski to write the screenplay for a spin-off film. Straczynski said his script is a sequel, but will also delve into the Surfer's origins

Captain America

2008-10-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941), from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Over the years, an estimated 210 million copies of "Captain America" comic books have been sold in a total of 75 countries. Within the comics, the title "Captain America" applies to whomever is chosen by the U.S. government (which views itself as "owning" the persona) to wear the costume and bear the shield. For nearly all of the character's publication history, however, Captain America was the alter ego of Steve Rogers, a sickly young man who was enhanced to the peak of human perfection by an experimental serum in order to aid the United States war effort. Captain America wears a costume that utilizes an American flag motif, and is armed with an indestructible shield that can be thrown as a weapon.

An intentionally patriotic creation who was often depicted fighting the Axis powers of World War II, Captain America was Timely's most popular character during World War II. After the war ended, the character's popularity waned and he disappeared by the 1950s aside from an ill-fated revival in 1953. Captain America was reintroduced during the Silver Age of comics when he was revived from suspended animation by the superhero team the Avengers in The Avengers #4 (March 1964). Since then, Captain America has often led the team, as well as starring in his own series. Steve Rogers was killed in Captain America vol. 5, #25 (March 2007), although the Captain America series continues publication with Rogers' former sidekick, Bucky, having taken up the mantle.

Captain America was the first Marvel Comics character adapted into another medium with the release of the 1944 movie serial Captain America. The serial portrays the hero as a district attorney named Grant Gardner and removes many important elements of the character, such as his trademark shield and his sidekick Bucky Barnes.

Captain America appears in two 1970s live-action television movies.{see the Superhero Television section for more}

The 1990 direct-to-video film Captain America, starring Matt Salinger, co-produced with Yugoslavia. It depicts the hero's battle against the Red Skull, who in the film is an Italian fascist rather than a German Nazi.

A film entitled The First Avenger: Captain America, is being developed by Marvel Studios for a May 6, 2011 release. The film will be a period piece set entirely during World War II.

RED HULK

2008-07-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

The Red Hulk was introduced in Hulk #1, written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Ed McGuiness, a monthly ongoing series started following the World War Hulk crossover. Marvel also released a one-shot King Size Hulk (June 2008) in which Frank Cho, Arthur Adams, and Herb Trimpe supplied the artwork.
Crossing the Canadian wilderness, the Red Hulk encounters, and kills, a Wendigo before reaching Russia, where he murders Abomination. Red Hulk is next seen in New York, where he attacks S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Tony Stark, She Hulk and others investigating Abomination's death and erases all files on the Hulk, using a sophisticated computer virus before destroying Stark's newly commissioned Helicarrier. After this, Red Hulk travels to Gamma Base in Death Valley, squaring off against Rick Jones, and his A-Bomb persona, before facing android Harpies and the original Hulk. Thor interrupts the confrontation between the two Hulks.
Red Hulk's identity has yet to be revealed within the comic series, but in an interview Marvel Editor in Chief Joe Quesada suggested it was Ares.

Marvel editor Mark Paniccia has described Red Hulk as "absolutely uninhibited, tactically intelligent", while writer Jeph Loeb states "The Red Hulk is the kind of Hulk we haven't seen before - a thinking, calculating, brutal weapon-toting kind of Hulk." To further distance the character away from the original. "Everything the Green Hulk isn't, the Red Hulk is."

HELLBOY

2008-07-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

Hellboy is a fictional Dark Horse Comics character created by writer-artist Mike Mignola, who first appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 in 1993. He has since appeared in a number of miniseries and one-shots, as well as a spin-off series focusing on the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense team of which he is a member, and some intercompany crossover.

Hellboy is a demon who finds himself fighting for the U.S. government and himself against dark forces, in a series of tales that have their roots in both folklore and pulp fiction, battling a range of enemies from Nazis to Baba Yaga.
His adventures have also been captured in various media, including live-action films, animated films, novels, and a range of merchandise.

A demon whose true name is Anung un Rama, Hellboy was brought to Earth as an infant by Nazi occultists. He was rescued by the Allied Forces, and raised by the U.S.A.'s Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD). Hellboy grew up to be a large, red-skinned demon with a tail, horns (which he filed off, leaving behind the signature circular stumps on his forehead), and an oversized right hand made of stone. In the introduction to Odd Jobs he is described as smelling of dry-roasted peanuts. Although a bit gruff, he shows none of the malevolence thought to be intrinsic to demons, and works with other strange creatures in the BPRD. Hellboy has been dubbed as the "World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator".

The character has been featured in a sequence of comic book mini-series published by Dark Horse Comics, influenced by vintage adventure and horror fiction.

The comics were adapted into a 2004 film starring Ron Perlman as Hellboy with a sequel, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army released on July 11, 2008. There were two 75-minute animated movies, Sword of Storms and Blood and Iron, were aired on the Cartoon Network before being released on DVD. The first one aired October 28, 2006, and the second aired March 17, 2007. A third animated Hellboy film has just been announced called The Phantom Claw. Tad Stones, director and Writer of the DTV movies, says the film will star Lobster Johnson and will have some familiar characters, but Abe and Liz will not be in the film.

According to Mignola's commentary on the Hellboy film DVD, various aspects of the character's looks and personality were inspired by his own father, a cabinet maker who often returned home from work with tales of horrific on-the-job accidents, told in the nonchalant, unflappable manner that would eventually become characteristic of Hellboy.

Superman Returns Again?

2008-07-06T20:22:00.001-07:00

Back in October of 2007, Mark Millar (Wanted) said he was going to pitch Warner Bros. Pictures his vision of the "Superman" franchise. Now, just a few days ago, he told the Daily Record he is taking it a step further:

But Mark's big dream is making a Superman movie.

He said: "Since I was a kid I've always wanted to reinvent Superman for the 21st century.

"I've been planning this my entire life. I've got my director and producer set up, and it'll be 2011. This is how far ahead you have to think.

"The Superman brand is toxic after that last movie lost $200 million, but in 2011 we're hoping to restart it.

"Sadly I can't say who the director is, but we may make it official by Christmas.

"But fingers crossed it could work out, that would be my lifetime's dream."

Millar later clarified on his message boards:

That Superman news is interesting, isn't it? In the interests of clarity (because I'm sure this will be picked up somewhere) a very well known American action director heard about my love of Superman, approached my and asked me to team up with he and his producer to make a pitch for this. We've been talking for several weeks now and, if this is going to happen, we'll know by Christmas. He has huge pull at WB so fingers crossed. But this is nothing more than a huge US name pulling me into his fold and making me part of a package."

Back in March, Bryan Singer said he was still developing the sequel and in April, Legendary Pictures' Thomas Tull described a sequel in which we'd see "Superman as more of an angry god." We'll have to wait and see how this all turns out.

Deathlok the Demolisher

2008-07-04T22:38:00.000-07:00

Deathlok (also referred to as Deathlok the Demolisher) is a fictional cyborg published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in Astonishing Tales #25 (Aug. 1974), and was created by Rich Buckler and Doug Moench. At least three subsequent Marvel characters have used the "Deathlok" identity since then.

The first Deathlok series ran in the Astonishing Tales #25-36 (Aug. 1974 - July 1976). This initial version of the character, Luther Manning, later guest-starred with Spider-Man in Marvel Team-Up #46 (June 1976). Deathlok subsequently appeared with the Thing, a member of the superhero team the Fantastic Four in Marvel Two-In-One #27 & #54 (May 1977 & Aug. 1979), although one appearance was actually a robot and not the genuine Deathlok. The Luther Manning Deathlok then appeared in Captain America #286-288 (Oct.-Dec. 1983).

A new Deathlok, Michael Collins, debuted in the mini-series Deathlok #1-4 (July-Oct. 1990, reprinted as Deathlok Special #1-4 the following year). He was the second Deathlok to be created in the modern era and also the second to be created for the traditional Marvel Universe. This second Deathlok went on to a 34-issue series cover-dated July 1991 to April 1994, plus two summer annuals in 1992 and 1993.

The third Deathlok, S.H.I.E.L.D. espionage agent Jack Truman, debuted in an 11-issue limited series cover-dated Sept. 1999 to June 2000.

Deathlok has also appeared in four issues of the miniseries Beyond!, and Michael Collins, in human form and not as Deathlok, appeared in Fantastic Four #544-545 (May-June 2007). Multiple unnamed Deathlok units appear in Black Panther vol. 4, #1-6. Possessing no human sentience, they were automatons created from corpses of soldiers killed in Iraq.

In 2007, a Deathlok feature film was at the script stage at Paramount Pictures, with screenwriter David Self.

MOON KNIGHT

2008-06-26T00:28:00.000-07:00

The character debuted in the title Werewolf by Night #32 (August 1975), written by Doug Moench with art by Don Perlin, as an enemy of the title character in a two part story continuing in issue #33. The character proved popular with readers, and was granted a solo spot in Marvel Spotlight #28-29 (1976), written by Doug Moench with art by Don Perlin.

He then had appearances in Spectacular Spider-Man issues #22 and #23, both written by Bill Mantlo with art by Mike Zeck on #22 and Jim Mooney on #23, Marvel Two-In-One #52, written by Steven Grant with art by Jim Craig, and Defenders #48-50. Moon Knight then gained a backup strip in the Hulk! Magazine in issues #11-15, #17-18 and #20-21, all written by Doug Moench. Art was done by Gene Colan in #11, Keith Pollard in #12, and Bill Sienkiewicz on the rest. These were reprinted in Moon Knight Special Edition #1-3.

A new ongoing series was then launched, titled Moon Knight, which also had writing by Doug Moench and art by Bill Sienkiewicz. During the early 1980s Moon Knight was one of the three "direct distribution only" Marvel titles, starting with issue #15. This series ended with issue #38. In 1985 there was a six-issue series called Moon Knight - Fist Of Khonshu. Then in 1989 Marc Spector: Moon Knight debuted. This ended in issue #60 (March 1994), written by Terry Kavanagh with art by Stephen Platt depicting his death. In 1992 Marc Spector: Moon Knight Special Edition #1 and Moon Knight: Divided We Fall were published, followed in January 1998 and January 1999 by two further four-issue limited series. A new Moon Knight ongoing series was launched in April 2006, written by Charlie Huston with art by David Finch.

* A Moon Knight TV series was announced but little to nothing has been mentioned since late 2006. Even thoughwriter Jon Cooksey (Rugrats, The Collector, ReBoot) confirmed that he was currently in development of the Moon Knight television series.

* Marc Spector's name was briefly mentioned in the pilot episode of Blade: The Series (starring Kirk Jones). Spector is described as an expert in werewolves. Marc is also said to be a colleague of Professor Melvin Caylo, a specialist in vampires. The character of Spector did not appear in the series before it was cancelled.

MAN-THING

2008-06-25T00:47:00.000-07:00

The Man-Thing is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe, created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow in Savage Tales #1 (May 1971). He went on to be featured in various titles and in his own series, including Adventure into Fear, which introduced the popular character Howard the Duck. In 2005 Man-Thing was produced as a TV movie(worst movie adaption ever)for the SciFi Channel.

Ted Sallis, a native of Omaha, Nebraska, is a biochemist working in the Everglades who develops a "miracle drug" later defined as an attempt at recreating the "super-soldier serum" that created Captain America. Betrayed by his lover, Ellen Brandt, Sallis flees from agents from Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM), who covet his formula and research. He injects himself with the serum, but after crashing in a swamp and apparently drowning, he is transformed into a swamp creature through a combination of his formula and, as later explained, magical forces extant in the area. Sallis' mind was apparently extinguished, although on rare occasions he could briefly return to consciousness within his monstrous form, and even to his human form.
He became a nearly mindless mass of slime with no particular affinity to any living thing, but who nevertheless often becomes an accidental hero as it stumbles upon various crime and horror scenarios. It is able to sense human emotions, and is enraged by fear and automatically secretes a strong chemical corrosive; anyone feeling fear and clutched by the Man-Thing is prone to be burned (either chemically or mystically), hence the series' tag-line, "Whatever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing's touch." Though fear is understandably most people's response to the creature, typically only villains end up meeting an immolating death at its hands.

SWAMP THING

2008-06-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

The Swamp Thing is a fictional character created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson for DC Comics and featured in a long-running horror-fantasy comic book series of the same name. The character is a humanoid mass of vegetable matter who fights to protect his swamp home, the environment in general, and humanity from various supernatural or terrorist threats. The series has been continued by a number of writers, including Alan Moore, whose reinvention of the character was particularly influential.
The Swamp Thing character first appeared in House of Secrets #92 (June-July 1971), with the name Alex Olsen. The comic is set in the early 20th Century, when scientist Alex Olsen is caught in a lab explosion caused by his co-worker, Damian Ridge, who intended to kill him to gain the hand of Olsen's wife Linda. Olsen is physically altered by chemicals and the forces within the swamp. He morphs into a monstrous creature who kills Ridge before the latter can murder Linda. Unable to make Linda realize his true identity, the Swamp Thing sadly ambles to his boggy home.

After the success of the short story in the House of Secrets comic, the original creators were asked to write an ongoing series, depicting a more heroic, more contemporary creature. Swamp Thing #1 (1st series, October-November 1972, by Wein and Wrightson) was created, changing the time frame to the 1970s, featuring a completely new version of the frightfully foliaged character. Wein named this version's human alter-ego Alec Holland, a scientist working on a secret bio-restorative formula ("that can make forests out of deserts") in the Louisiana swamps. Holland is killed by a bomb planted by agents of the mysterious Mr. E (Nathan Ellery), who wants the formula. Splashed with burning chemicals in the massive fire, Holland runs from the lab and falls into the muck-filled swamp, after which a creature resembling a humanoid plant appears some time later. The creature, called Swamp Thing, was originally conceived as Alec Holland mutating into a vegetable-like creature, a "muck-encrusted mockery of a man". However, under writer Alan Moore, Swamp Thing was reinvented as an elemental entity created upon the death of Alec Holland, with Holland's memory and personality intact. He is described as "a plant that thought it was Alec Holland, a plant that was trying its level best to be Alec Holland." This was Alan Moore's second "re-invention" of a comic book character, the first being Miracleman. Moore's re-inventions are particularly unique, in that instead of doing a complete reset for the retcon, he invents a background which explains why the earlier stories were simply a different, less knowing perception of the events the earlier stories told about.
The major difference between the first and second Swamp Thing is that the latter appears more muscular than shambling, and possesses the power of speech. Being able to speak only with great difficulty, Alex Olsen's speech impediment is a major reason why his wife could not recognize him. In Swamp Thing #33, Alan Moore attempted to reconcile the two versions of Swamp Thing with the revelation that there have been many previous incarnations of Swamp Thing prior to the death and "rebirth" of the Alec Holland incarnation.

Swamp Thing has appeared in two films, a live-action television series, and a short-lived animated series. The first Swamp Thing film, made in 1982, was directed by Wes Craven. A sequel, The Return of Swamp Thing, was produced in 1989.

The Swamp Thing television series would then air on USA Network from 1990 to 1993. The series was filmed in the brand-new Universal Studios Florida facilities and soundstages. Actor/stuntman Dick Durock played Swamp Thing in both films as well as the TV series.

Check out the rest of the site for more SWAMP THING!

Marvel Movies 08

2008-06-23T16:38:00.000-07:00

The green machine has pulled in a domestic total of nearly $96.5 million after a better than $21.5 million weekend! Additionally, the green Goliath has added another $63.3 million globally for a whopping $159.8 million haul!
Well, you know ol' Shellhead's starring in a little movie himself right now and it just cleared the magic $300 million mark in sales!

Werewolf by Night

2008-06-23T00:27:00.000-07:00

Werewolf by Night (birth name Jacob Russoff, legal name Jack Russell) is a fictional character, an anti-heroic werewolf in the Marvel Comics universe. The Werewolf by Night (usually referred to by other characters simply as the Werewolf) first appeared in Marvel Spotlight vol. 1 #2.
Werewolf by Night, Volume 1 ran for 43 issues during the 1970s. Issue #32 is notable for containing the first appearance of Moon Knight. Five 'Giant-Size' editions were also published during this time. Jack Russell also co-starred with Tigra in Giant Size Creatures #1, which was the first appearance of Greer Grant as Tigra instead of the Cat.
Jack Russell was dormant for most of the 1980s. The character's appearance was radically revamped in Moon Knight, Volume 1 #29. He guest-starred in various issues of Spider-Woman, Volume 1, West Coast Avengers, and Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme.
Werewolf by Night was later revived in the pages of Marvel Comics Presents, where he appeared irregularly from 1991-1993. He also made regular appearances as a supporting cast member in the pages of Morbius, the Living Vampire from 1993-1995. A letters page in an issue of Morbius mentioned that a Werewolf by Night mini-series by Len Kaminski and James Fry was in the works, but the mini-series was never published.
Werewolf by Night, Volume 2 ran for 6 issues in the late 1990s. The series was written by Paul Jenkins and penciled by Leonardo Manco. After the book's cancellation, the story was continued in the pages of Strange Tales, which also featured the Man-Thing. That volume of Strange Tales was canceled after only two issues due to poor sales.
In early 2007, Marvel published a one-shot entitled Legion of Monsters: Werewolf by Night, with art by Greg Land.
Various Marvel comics throughout the month of May 2008 include a sneak peek of Moon Knight #20, which will feature Werewolf-By-Night. The three preview pages show Moon Knight fighting an enormous werewolf, while the written preview explains, "Something awful is happening out there in the back alleys that have become [Moon Knight's] new home. Blood-smeared walls raked with claws tell half the story. But to know the whole truth, Moon Knight will have to step into the arena and stare down a creature fueled by instinct and fury. To survive, he must become what he faces."

Jonah Hex

2008-06-18T22:02:00.000-07:00

Jonah Hex is a fictional character, a Western comic book anti-hero created by writer John Albano and artist Tony DeZuniga and published by DC Comics. The right side of his face is horribly scarred. He was an officer for the Confederacy during the American Civil War, fought at Gettysburg and is normally shown wearing a tattered Confederate States Army jacket. Hex is in many ways similar to Clint Eastwood's The Outlaw Josey Wales.
Hex's facial injuries can be traced back to being sold into slavery by his father to the Apache for safe passage. Jonah eventually saved the chief from being killed by a mountain lion and was made an honorary member of the tribe. He was soon betrayed by the envious son of the chief while on a raid. He returned years later to challenge him in a sacred tomahawk battle. But the chief's son sabotaged Jonah's tomahawk and Jonah used his knife in self defense when the tomahawk broke. The tribe saw this as breaking the rules of the sacred battle and sentenced Jonah to wear the mark of the demon by pressing a searing hot tomahawk to his face. They said his honorary relationship to the chief was the only thing that saved him from death.
A live action movie has been announced for release in 2010. This movie appears to be based on the Vertigo series and will have Jonah fighting zombies and other such creatures.

GHOST RIDER

2008-06-15T19:53:00.001-07:00

Ghost Rider is the name of several fictional supernatural anti-heroes in the Marvel Comics universe. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Night Rider and subsequently to Phantom Rider.

The first supernatural Ghost Rider is stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze, who, in order to save the life of his mentor, agreed to give his soul to "Satan" (later revealed to be an arch-demon named Mephisto). Instead, his soul bonded with the entity called Zarathos. When utilizing Zarathos' powers Blaze's flesh is consumed by hellfire, causing his head to become a flaming skull. He rides a fiery motorcycle and wields trademark blasts of hellfire from his skeletal hands. He starred in the series from 1973-1983.

The subsequent Ghost Rider series (1990-98) featured Daniel Ketch as a new Ghost Rider. After his sister was injured by ninja gangsters, Ketch came in contact with a motorcycle which had somehow been mystically enchanted to contain the essence of a "Spirit of Vengeance." This spirit had originally been a Puritan man named Noble Kale, an ancestor of both Blaze and Ketch. Johnny Blaze reappeared in this series as a supporting character and was revealed to be Ketch's brother

Hulk Movie

2008-06-14T20:50:00.001-07:00

Check out the review for this INCREDIBLE movie on Comic Spotlight.

WARMACHINE vs SKRULLS

2008-06-04T23:03:00.000-07:00

The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D has a new director.

Announced Saturday at Wizard World Philadelphia, veteran television and comic writer Christos Gage ("Avengers: The Initiative" and "Man with No Name") will pen a three-issue "Secret Invasion" arc on "Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D" beginning with #33.

Marvel Editor Bill Rosemann confirmed that a new regular creative team will be named shortly for #36 and beyond that will replace the outgoing writing tandem of Daniel and Charles Knauf.

Gage shared some major plot points from his arc with CBR News with a warning for the Skrulls to watch out for War Machine.

"As we've seen in 'Secret Invasion' #1, Iron Man has fallen to a Skrull virus that has crippled all StarkTech worldwide. When he goes down, it activates a failsafe, and his best friend, James Rhodes, a.k.a. War Machine, gets a message asking him to carry on the fight," explained Gage. "Unbeknownst even to Rhodey himself, Tony designed the new War Machine armor not to use any StarkTech in case of just such a situation. Now Rhodey is left alone to take the battle to the Skrulls. And he does!"

And Gage said War Machine isn't fooling around.

"You're going to see War Machine taking on the Skrull armada and really cutting loose," said Gage, who also noted James Rhodes is now a cyborg, as seen in the pages of "Avengers: The Initiative" #11.

Gage considers Tony Stark one of the most fascinating characters currently active in the Marvel Universe, especially since the events surrounding "Civil War."

"Tony's very purposefully put himself in a position where he has to make very difficult decisions, often with no absolutely good outcome," said Gage. "That's really admirable and impressive; I wouldn't want to be in his shoes."

Smallville Season 8

2008-06-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

Laura Vandervoort (Kara) will not be a series regular in Season 8. However, she may return for a few episodes. It is likely that Lex will simply be "missing" as the new season begins. In his place the new character "Tess" will be looking over his assets. Producers hope to get Michael Rosenbaum back for guest shots; whether or not they will be successful at getting him remains to be seen.
- If Laura Vandervoort does not return as a series regular, it is likely that Kara will remain in the Phantom Zone until she can be rescued.
- Phil Morris may be returning as the Martian Manhunter in Season 8, and James Marsters has expressed interest in more appearances as Brainiac.
- TV Guide is reporting that, since his new pilot Austin Golden Hour did not go to series, Justin Hartley could be returning in Season 8 as Green Arrow.

In season eight, Clark will face his ultimate challenge with the appearance of the legendary, unstoppable destroyer Doomsday, who appears on “Smallville” for the first time. As comic book fans know, Doomsday is notorious for being the only character in the DC Comics universe to have killed Superman.

Doomsday won’t be Clark’s only nemesis in the upcoming season. The executive producers are tight-lipped about a new female villain they will be introducing, but they can say she will be familiar to many fans and will set her sights on Clark in ways Lex never could. Intelligent, brilliantly manipulative, and dangerously sinister, our gorgeous new villain has one more weapon in her arsenal: Her mutual attraction with Clark may prove to be as deadly as kryptonite for him.

This post is dedicated to ALEX...Love Ya Kiddo

Joker The New Frontier

2008-06-03T20:28:00.001-07:00

With "The Dark Knight" approaching soon, the Joker is running rampant around here. Make sure to check out all of the links, you never know where he will be hiding.
"Why So Serious?"

The Nightstalker

2008-06-01T19:02:00.000-07:00

Before X-Files, there was only one major paranormal investigator, reporter Carl Kolchak.

Kolchak was originally two made-for-TV movies (starring Darren McGavin..RIP) that aired in the early 70's, and featured the adventures of Carl Kolchak, a reporter who ran up against a vampire in Las Vegas and an alchemist in Seattle. These movies proved popular enough that they were spun off into a series, which placed Kolchak in Chicago with the Independent News Service. Each week for 20 weeks he investigated various supernatural creatures, ranging from aliens to vampires.

Although it only lasted one season on ABC, Kolchak has remained a cult favorite and been kept alive through the efforts of creator Jeffrey Grant Rice, and the folks at Moonstone Comics, who have two ongoing Kolchak comics.

As a fan of the tv series, it's good to see Carl back in action. The stories are very well done and do justice to the character that Mr. McGavin brought to life. You can almost hear Kolchak's narrative as you read. Anyone familiar with the original tv series will appreciate that.

Another short lived Nightstalker television series was introduced in 2005 on ABC and can be seen occasionally on the Sci-Fi channel. But there is no comparison to the original.