-Aaron M

Image by Leinil Yu

(Cover by Al Milgrom, Marvel Comics)

The Hulk could be making his way to a TV screen near you! The Hollywood Reporter is, well, reporting that Jeph Joeb is making headway in calling forth an Incredible Hulk series from the limitless depths of the Disney pocketbooks. Partnering with Disney’s ABC television channel is a no-brainer for Marvel. With a Wonder Woman series working its way to us, as well as a Blue Beetle teen drama being kicked around, I’m glad to see Marvel stepping in the ring.

A Cloak & Dagger series is slated as second in line for an ABC time slot but would they be the right property for the channel? I’d be more happy to see them on the screen than Hulk, to be perfectly honest, but they seem more like a Shotime duo to me!

Anyways, Marvel’s comin’ at you with their mouse ears in ramming position! Where one of the Big Two goes, the other one follows, right?

(Art by No-Sign-of-Sanity on DeviantArt)

-windiebird

Image from Marvel.com

In Smallville news both Blue Beetle and Booster Gold will be appearing in episodes, according to Geoff Johns.  Also Smallville’s Chloe Sullivan will be making her debut comic book appearance in Action Comics #893. 

 In animation news, Young Justice comic book writer Peter David will be writing some episodes of the Young Justice animated series.  It also has been revealed that Superman and Wonder Woman will be appearing on upcoming episodes of Batman The Brave and the Bold.  If that wasn’t cool enough there is also going to be a new animated Batman series. 

In video game news more characters have been revealed that will appear in Marvel Vs Capcom 3.  Among several returning characters it has been revealed Thor, Okami, Super Skrull, and Trish from Devil May Cry are among some of the playable characters.

In comic news Wildstorm will be releasing a God of War comic book.  Also Grant Morrison revealed in Batman Inc. the silver age Kathy Kane will make an appearance.  Finally my favorite news, the Runaways will be making more appearances in the Marvel universe, which will ultimately lead to something big.  Hopefully this will lead to another series.

-Aaron M

Image by Joe Jusko

Feige says that “our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead  is rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members”.  (Ouch)  It’s interesting because Norton had met with Joss Whedon and both seemed to be on board with him returning as the Hulk.  Norton was said to be excited about reprising his role until Marvel informed him the role will be recast.  So now the question is who will be the new Hulk. 

-Aaron M   

Image from Marvel.com

Little Big Planet gets the Marvel treatment starting July 7th.  Every other week 5 costumes will be released of your favorite Marvel villains and Heroes.  A level kit will also be offered with four levels where you will face Magneto.  There is a total of  20 costumes to choose for your Sackpeople.  The characters that will be available are Captain America, Daredevil, Doctor Octopus, Elektra, Ghost Rider, Green Goblin, Hulk, Invisible Woman, Iron Man, The Human Torch, Magneto, Mystique, The Punisher, Rogue, Spider-Man, Storm, The Thing, Thor, Venom and Wolverine.   

-Aaron M

-windiebird

You have to love reading comics from that era, it’s a sociological wet dream and I know a thing or two about wet dreams. So anyways, you know the drill. Bruce Banner is a top U.S. physicist. A tragic accident transforms his being to where he (with varying methods and effects) becomes the green-skinned giant himself, the Hulk! Hulk’s strength is almost unlimited and tied directly to his rage. The more angry he becomes the stronger he gets. He gets into some wacky hijinks, kills some communists & generally manages to be a perfect paragon of American anti-heroes.

In the early 60′s (Hulk’s first appearance was in 1962), the world was one mixed up, crazy place. America hated Russia, people were dealing with the aftershocks of war & the culture was becoming obsessed with science and the future. The young were imaginative, eager & ready to rebel which is something that never really changes.

The pop culture from the time reflects this perfectly and boy-howdy do we see it in comics! The angst of Dr. Banner’s hidden secret, the sexist/sexualizing treatment of Betty Ross, the racist demonization of the Russians and Communist countries. At the center of all the cultural trappings lies the character that truly drives the story and has kept us coming back for more for all this time.

The Hulk and Bruce Banner are mirrors of one another. The one has limitless strength while the other has limitless intellect and their self-destructive symbiosis provides endless soap opera drama & potential for character growth which is really all a comic is. He is so easily related to by young people due to the pain and frustration he feels for being hounded and forced into places and people he didn’t want to be. We all can see a bit of ourselves in his struggle for balance and inner peace. Yin & yang, good & evil, humans have always found a dichotomous binary in their core being.

You want to sell a book? Slap some relevant culture, deep-seated emotional anguish & some bitchin’ superpowers and you might just have yourself a money-maker. A money-maker that actually means something to boot!

And that’s the Hulk. Hounded, powerful but ultimately good. Also, Stan Lee’s writing is worth the read alone. It is like corn, stuffed in a corn dog, smothered in corn syrup. This is some corny stuff.

It is completely worth the read and I recommend going back to these Marvel and DC collections to really understand the beginnings of these characters and the culture that they sprang from.

-windiebird

THE BACKLOG COLLECTION!

I am not omniscient. THERE, I’ve said it! I admit my faults and I have faith that we can all grow from here.

But seriously, I don’t eat, sleep & breathe comics. I love the art-form but I’ve never even read many characters and books.

So things like Marvel’s comic collection offering is sold under the name Essentials and has introduced me to the corniness of old-school Incredible Hulk (written by Stan Lee, of course). Which is fantastic!

I haven’t personally checked out DC’s offering which they call Archive Editions yet but I look forward to that as well.

I mean, it’s about the perfect way to catch up on stories you might have missed, right?

Always wondered how the new X-Men started? Go check out Volume One of the X-Men Essentials! Want to see just how cheesy the Metal Men were back in their heyday? GO CHECK IT! There’s no color in the Essentials collections but the line-art and text is exactly the same and the price is lower than the Archive Editions which update and preserve the original coloring and full effect of the artwork.

A classic DC/Marvel conundrum, I tells ya.

Just be sure to give these lovely gems a once-over the next time you’re in your local shop, you never know what arcs you’ll be able to re-read or enjoy for the very first time…like a virgin.

-windiebird SMASH!