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Shenanigans!

Sheer unadulterated silliness!

This week, we don’t do ANY of that…

except break the internet into two-hundred-and-fifty-sixths!

It’s time for Marvel News and Views! The greatest thing on the internet… ever! A lighter column this week because well.. I’ll be honest.. not much has happened. I’ll find a way somewhere midway through to stretch this out to twice as long. I don’t know how, but I know I have the ability to. I might possibly discuss how because of oral surgery I’ve been on 5mg of Hydrocodone, which is generic Vicodin for the last three days. I might go on about how wonderful it feels to wake up with a jaw two sizes too large, and a mouth two sizes too small.

I don’t know HOW I could, in fact, bulk up this column to make it seem as if it is worth all of the time and effort you have already dedicated to just these two paragraphs. Lord knows where I will find the information to fill up an entire columnm, much less my standard introduction. Do you have any idea what I’ll do?

…me neither.. let’s roll…

THE TEN TERRIFIC… REVEALED AGAIN!?
(Provided by Newsarama)

“As evidenced by the success of the Young Guns campaign, it’s a great way to market our new talent and it’s a very visible way for Marvel to tell fans and retailers, we believe these cats have the goods,” Quesada said when explaining who made the cut.

Was the ‘Young Guns’ campaign a success!? I remember hearing it touted all last year at San Diego. I remember a cute little Wizard write-up. I remember seeing the white horse as Chavez y Chavez was shot down outside Old Mexico. I have a vague recollection of seeing a cute little ‘Young Guns’ icon in some book at some time. I don’t know if I qualify that as a success. It was, which leaves me a shrug.

Now we have.. the Ten Terrific!

The group of writers is made up of: Allan Heinberg, David Hine, Reggie Hudlin, Robert Kirkman, Sean McKeever, Greg Pak, Roberto Sacasa, Dan Slott, Daniel Way and Joss Whedon.

Which, while leaving out Bendis, JMS, Millar, and Vaughan, we can see that Quesada will next year be revealing them as the ‘Deific Four’ of guys who choose exactly what goes in Marvel at the drop of a hat. Now the name list is quite respectable, with a few minor exceptions *coughReggieHudlin*, but I don’t really understand why they’ve put Allan Heinberg (Young Avengers) and Joss Whedon (Astonishing X-Men) on this list. These two guys, first off, are Hollywood turn comic guys. Not to shoot down what they’ve done, but I can’t imagine them doing much more than their current book.

Guys like McKeever, Kirkman, and Pak definately could use that rub, but Whedon & Heinberg?! Fine fine.. I’m nitpicking. Think how much space I took up though.

Oh, and Reggie Hudlin!? Revamper of Black Panther and writer of House Party 3 – with a pedigree like that, there are a lot of other words I can find than terrific.

It’s Preview Time!
(Courtesy of Newsarama)

At the link above, you can find a great set of previews for two great books, and one grin worthy throwback.

Young Avengers #8 – Right away, Eli gets caught with the mutant growth serum… I’m not going to read too far ahead, as this book is too good to ruin the first batch of pages without seeing the rest.

Amazing Spider-Man #525 – We start with a chilling Peter David dream sequence about what May and Ben Parker did when May’s own mother was sick. If this is where this story is going, I might need a binky and juicebox before I go to bed.

Monster Prowl – Thing, Giant Man, Beast, and Hulk – the most unlikely group of goody-two-shoes put together because they all are monsterous in their own way. Expect this to be the ‘What If Marvel Invented The Game Rampage’, which should be fun for a quick read.

KIRKMAN ON KIRKMAN ON KIRKMAN ON ULTIMATE-X
(Provided by Newsarama)

WAIT WAIT WAIT! What about Brian Singer!?

KIRKMAN: What I’ve been told is that the esteemed Mister Singer’s arc has been pushed back a bit and I’m filling in until he’s ready, same as [Brian] Vaughan was when he started his run. I’m currently signed on for nine issues, and I’d happily do more if they’ll allow it. I’m really excited to be working on The X-Men.

Well that explains that.

The rest of the interview is really standard cookie-cutter stuff. Kirkman gives praise towards the Ultimate Line, and his love of continuity. He explains that he is going to work more on the pre-existing characters instead of introducing a lot of new characters. Expect one new character, and one pre-existing character, but for the most part to be a story about the relationships within the team.

BRUUUUUUUUUUU-BAKER.. I MEAN… DOOOOOOOOM!
(Courtesy of Comic Book Resources)

Brubaker on BOOKS OF DOOM #1:

“If you’re familiar with the origin of Dr. Doom, issue one isn’t going to be like ‘Oh, I never heard of any of this stuff before.’ But it’s all in one place for one thing, and it’s got this cohesive idea that hangs it all together. I think the way that we brought this story together with these themes and motifs and narration makes it feel like, even though you might know this story, you don’t know it the way he knows it. The things that he did have different meanings for him than they did for other people.

It sounds like what Brubaker wants to do is give us not only the definitive Doom, but give us the Essential essence of Doom. Brubaker has come in and he, in my predictions is going to take Marvel by storm. Every book he does is going to turn to gold, and next year he will be a part of the ‘Thinking Man’s Thirty’ where everyone in Marvel is listed as important. I have a hope that this will be like a Batman: Year One in scope and power… we’ll see.

I’m leaving out a lot of this column, so I recommend going and reading it. It gives a great look in to how Brubaker does those old school villains like Doom or Red Skull. Now on Deadly Genesis…

Brubaker explained, “It’s kind of complicated– part of it is told back in the time period of ‘Giant Sized X-Men’ #1, but most of it’s modern. Most of it is stuff happening over the course of a couple of weeks now, but has ties back to this thing that happened that most of the X-Men didn’t know about (and the few that did kept their mouths shut about it all these years).”

There is a great breadth of story that could be told around the time period of Giant Size #1. What they gave Brubaker to do is beyond me, but as Nexus’ X-Zombie, I can truly say that if there is one book that I am looking forward to over the course of the next year, this one is tied with Generation M.

REELING OVER COMICS!
(Courtesy of Comic Book Resources)

/// Elektra

cutting shots on [the theatrical version] it was so short and so fast that we basically just sort of put it together and then shipped it. There was no time for chewing over things, cogitating, letting them soak in. Hopefully [the director’s cut] will be a bit more compelling and intriguing.”

This really makes me smirk. Not laugh. Not giggle. Just smirk. Only because it infers that he didn’t think the original release was as compelling and intriguing. I just don’t like the idea that we have to wait for these Directoral Cuts before we see a decent movie, when in the theatres we’re given a bite size version.

/// X-3

…Nuff said.

Maybe not. Here’s a trailer breakdown too.

Oh, and just to ice the cake.. here’s a spoilery-rumory bit about Angel!

/// Spider-Man 3

Hey, go learn about Spidey Villains right here!

It seems that Sony has put up an entire website dedicated to figuring out who the villains of Spidey are going to be. Is this what they were planning on doing all along? Is this a quick fix to the Kirstin Dunst leak of last week? Good work on Sony’s part for keeping up the swerve.

/// Fantastic Four: Animated

Just so all you DVD collector types know, the Fantastic Four Animated Series, which ran from 94 to 95 during Marvel’s Action Hour with the Spidey cartoon. It wasn’t the greatest cartoon that Marvel has ever put out, but it was fun for what I remember of it.

A NOTE ABOUT MINI-REVIEWS THIS WEEK
A funny thing happened on the way to the comic shop this week. Absolutely nothing came out. I mean, yeah.. Powers came out, and I’m reviewing that. Uncanny X-Men came out, and I’m reviewing that. Nighthawk came out, and I’m waiting til I have all of the issues before I enjoy the Hyperion/Nighthawk mini’s because I have to absorb all of that JMS goodness at once.

So that leaves me with X-Men Unlimited which was light and fun, but sadly a little short from what I expect from Unlimited. The rest of my Marvel purchases was that of the Age of Apocalypse Trade and Daredevil: Redemption. Sooooo…. sorry for the lack of mini-reviews, but if you bought anything this week, send me a mini-review of it, and I’ll read it as if I wrote it!

Oh and no feedback either… heathens.

So that’s that this week. Like I said, a lighter column, but that’s because it’s been reaaaal quiet on the news front this week.

So, until next week, this is Jamie saying.. errr.. bye.