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Jamie.. we need to talk..

You see kiddo, we’re starting to notice a pattern here where you only do a week of Marvel News and then disappear for a week. Do a week, skip a week. You’ve done this to us before and now we really want answers. How the hell are we supposed to get up on a Tuesday morning, and expect to see the greatest column ever put out?

How?

Tell us Jamie how, when it’s not there.

DEAR READERS

Over the last two weeks I have moved. Moved not more than 15 miles away from the place I’ve lived for the last three years. In that three years, I’ve gotten engaged, and the girl and I have collected more statues, comics, books, and random bullshit than no two humans ever before. Ever. Seriously.. ever.

So I’ve been a tired tired Hatton. I’m back though, sitting in my new digs, at my dear sweet Poseidon (That’s the name of my computer) and am ready to give you the biggest Marvel News & Views column I’ve ever done.

Ever.

Seriously… EVER!

Ready? Here it comes.

WHERE’D THE THING GO?
(We start off where? At Comixfan – HA! Fooled you, it’s not Newsarama!)

Tom Brevoort posted this in response to a question about Thing’s cancellation a couple of weeks ago.

We don’t tend to make announcements about cancellations.

THING ends with #8.

Guess that’s about as final as you can get. The Slott written book ends with more of a whimper than a roar, no matter how much the man pushed for it to be saved. The Thing, where a hard character to invision in his own ongoing had a lot going for him with his newly found riches.

Ah well, it’s not altogether sudden… they need room for another Civil War title.

Top Cow & Marvel – Joining Again!
(Ok.. this one is from Newsarama)

We have Darkness & Wolverine teaming up – as seen to the left there.
We have Witchblade & Punisher – which you can’t see due to it’s invisibility.

The rest will supposedly have been revealed at Wiz World Philly (which is, by the time you read this over, but still going strong when I wrote this). Although in the press release there is a mention of a relaunch of CyberForce which is an amazing thing to consider… …no it’s not.

Darkness/Wolvie will be getting Frank Tieri on the writing, which is a boon since he’s been on both projects in the past, and does dark and gritty well. Tyler Kirkham doing art. The Witchypoo/Punisher will be handled by the Witchblade team of Marz & Choi. I guarantee you, whether or not you are into the books they will be fun. I’m not a big Top Cow fan, and probably won’t get involved in this either… but, hey, I am a fan of companies working together and getting along.

…And Talking About Together…
(Conjoined from Newsarama)

Remember over in Marvel Team-Up #14 – Spidey met up with Invicible? Well now Kirkman’s doing himself the favor of making sure that it wasn’t just something as paltry and useless as say… I don’t know… a Top Cow / Marvel crossover might be.

In Invincible #33 – all of the hints dropped in Team-Up will be revealed to give him the archnemesis he always wanted. How fun is that?

High fives to Kirkman for making sure that it wasn’t just a fun publicity stunt, but actually had ramifications in his own book. Albeit, given that both books are his, it seems a bit easy… cheater.

HULK… SMASH FLASH!!!!
(Weaved from Newsarama)

Greg Pak has taken Planet Hulk: Exiles.
He’s taken FLASH… which is a wacky strange sort of web thing you might have heard about.

he’s joined them together.

What you get is the greatest thing ever!!!!!!

That’s a lie – it’s actually pretty neat though.

Check it out for yourself: RIGHT HERE!

ED MCGUINNESS — YOU DOG!
(Another artist presents themselves at Newsarama!)

Ed McGuinness – whom you might know from a little book known as DEADPOOL! or.. something combining a blue and red dude in tights and a guy who looks like a Bat.. (Like THOSE concepts will ever hold water) – he’s signed with Marvel exclusively.

Go Marvel! Stopping that stupid Bat/Superthing combo…

GOOD-BYE ARAD.. WE BARELY KNEW YE
(Invested by Newsarama!)

So Avi Arad – the guy who has been the CEO of Marvel Studios – has stepped down so he can independently produce Marvel comic movies using his own production company.

So in essence – Avi is going to be creating with Marvel, but in more of a sense where he can look at the movies that have come before and do what has worked well, and not do what hasn’t. He has been the constant since the Marvel Comics Movies began – whether it was Spider-Man or Blade 3, Avi was there.

I can only expect this means that we are going to see more projects with Avi’s hand deep within. Whether or not that is a good thing or not has yet to be seen.

THE HARVEY’S NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED
(Awarded by Newsarama)

Marvel has racked in the nominations for this year’s Harvey’s. Let’s take a glance:
BEST WRITER:
Brian Michael Bendis – NEW AVENGERS
Ed Brubaker – CAPTAIN AMERICA

Joshua Hale Fialkov – ELK’S RUN
Mike Mignola – BPRD
Alex Robinson – TRICKED

Both New Avengers and Cap are both lauded as the strongest that Marvel puts out on a month. Now having never read Elk’s or BPRD, I can’t really talk about them – but I do know that TRICKED is a pretty fantastic book. We shall see, but I predict Brubaker walking with it.

BEST ARTIST
Frank Cho – SHANNA, THE SHE-DEVIL
David Finch – NEW AVENGERS

Eduardo Risso – 100 BULLETS
Noel Tuazon – ELK’S RUN
J.H. Williams III – PROMETHEA

Another two Nom’s for Marvel here – Cho is an industry loved superstar, and Finch’s run on Avengers again has been pretty damned fantastic. I am going to say though, that Williams’ Promethea layout work is too pretty to not winning every time.

BEST CARTOONIST
Frank Cho – SHANNA, THE SHE-DEVIL
Chris Eliopoulos – FRANKLIN RICHARDS, SON OF A GENIUS

John Kovalic – DORK TOWER
Seth – WIMBLEDON GREEN
Chris Ware – ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY # 16

See what did I tell you about Frank Cho… he’s industry loved. Eliopoulos’ book is pretty fun, but I don’t know whether I’d qualify it as huge. Chris Ware though is easily one of the most fantastic guys in the industry – at least that’s what Danielle tells me.

BEST LETTERER
Chris Eliopoulos – FRANKLIN RICHARDS, SON OF A GENIUS
Jason Hanley – ELK’S RUN
Todd Klein – MARVEL 1602: NEW WORLD
Richard Starkings – SHANNA, THE SHE-DEVIL

Chris Ware – ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY # 16

Another great showing by Marvel. Eliopoulus is a standard for Marvel lettering, as is Richard Starkings. So I am going to assume that if Marvel walks away with this – it will be to Todd Klein, as the 1602 work was so different from the everyday Marvel writing.

BEST INKER
Charles Burns – BLACK HOLE # 12
Scott Hanna – ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN
Steve Leialoha – FABLES
Paul Neary – ULTIMATES 2
Tim Townsend – HOUSE OF M

Marvel walks with another three nom’s here – but given that Black Hole is reaching it’s end, I can only assume this might be their throw out to him. Either way, there are too many great workers in here for me to pick personally…

BEST COLORIST
Frank D’Armata – NEW AVENGERS
Jason Keith – SHANNA, THE SHE-DEVIL
Laura Martin – ASTONISHING X-MEN

Patricia Mulvihill – 100 BULLETS
Jennifer Rodgers – THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS

3 More! Again, all fantastic choices here. I might give this one to Laura Martin… but who the hell am I?

BEST COVER ARTIST
Frank Cho – SHANNA, THE SHE-DEVIL
Steve Epting – CAPTAIN AMERICA

James Jean – FABLES
Mike Mignola – HELLBOY: THE ISLAND
Datsun Tran – ELK’S RUN

Fables covers beat the hell out of Captain’s covers.. and without knowing anything about Hellboy or Elk… that’s who this fight is about. If either of these have great covers, you make the call.

BEST NEW TALENT
Joshua Hale Fialkov | ELK’S RUN
David Hine | DAREDEVIL: REDEMPTION
R. Kikuo Johnson | NIGHT FISHER
A. David Lewis | THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa | MARVEL KNIGHTS FOUR

For those who know me – you know that I am a HUGE David Hine mark – although I wouldn’t use his work on Daredevil is what I’d use as the watermark. I’d use District X or Mutant X, but who am I.. really?

BEST NEW SERIES
BAOBAB – Fantagraphics Books
DRAMACON | Tokyopop
MARVEL ADVENTURES: FANTASTIC FOUR | Marvel Comics
THE SURROGATES | Top Shelf
YOUNG AVENGERS | Marvel Comics
X-FACTOR | Marvel Comics

I know very little of what’s on this list – but if I have to watch Peter David and Allan Heinberg fight it out? I’m probably going to throw the win to Heinberg. Young Avengers is such a departing type of book from the standard Marvel fare.

BEST CONTINUING OR LIMITED SERIES
ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY | ACME Novelty Library
CAPTAIN AMERICA | Marvel Comics
ELK’S RUN | Hoarse and Buggy Productions/Speakeasy Comics
RUNAWAYS | Marvel Comics
Y: THE LAST MAN | DC/Vertigo

I’m a huge Runaways fan, but I might toss it to Y.. either way.. Vaughan wins.

BEST SYNDICATED STRIP OR PANEL
THE BOONDOCKS | Aaron McGruder
THE K CHRONICLES | Keith Knight
MAAKIES | Tony Millionaire
MUTTS | Patrick McDonnell
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN | Stan Lee and Larry Leiber

Even in the syndications you get some Marvel.. it won’t go to Lee, but it’s nice to see it up there – isn’t it?

BEST ANTHOLOGY
FLIGHT, VOL. 2 | Image Comics
MARVEL HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2005 | Marvel Comics
MARVEL MONSTERS: WHERE MONSTERS DWELL | Marvel Comics

MOME | Fantagraphics Books
PROJECT SUPERIOR | AdHouse
SOLO | DC Comics

I have no idea here. Flight was interesting, and Solo was fun. I have no idea otherwise… even the Marvel stuff.

From there we get into some other weird topics like ‘Best book with a monkey in it’ and ‘Hugest robot’… but do you see Marvel is kicking almost every header? How great is that. I don’t care what people say about how Marvel isn’t that great as of late. There is such a glut of amazing writers in there, how could you deny that we are in a nice heyday of good storytelling.

Note: No Chris Claremont winning awards.

Also as a last bit – I’d like to congratulate NICHOLAS GUREWITCH for his nomination for his amazingly fantastic PERRY BIBLE FELLOWSHIP. I wish him luck.

STAN LEE VERSUS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE
(Meeting up at Newsarama)

So it’s Stan lee’s 65th anniversary at Marvel – and they decided to give him the roast of a lifetime… by his own characters.

That’s the premise of the STAN MEETS… stories which will be coming out in a few months. Where Stan Lee writes what happens when HE meets up with: Spidey, The Thing, Dr. Strange, Dr. Doom, and Silver Surfer. With extra stories in each issue, amazing artists lined up – this could be one of the most fun stories told this year.

WIZARD WORLD – THE REPORT!
(Courtesy of Duh)

See, another powerful thing about doing a column this weay – is that when I started this entire shebang – none of the internet had known what had happened at Philly… now that I’m nearing the end of the column everyone does.. so let’s get to reporting in Bullet Point style!

** ASTONISHING X-MEN #16

Suppsedly this is going to ‘redefine Kitty Pryde’. What that means, we have no idea – but I wouldn’t be surprised if she either dies, or she gets some power that she has to go and kill vampires. Either way, fine, whatever, Joss writes Kitty pretty damn decently – as long as Emma goes back to status quo, because I kinda DON’T like the way he does Emma.

** X-MEN PHOENIX: WARSONG

Apparently the Phoenix wants to hang with the Stepford Cukoos – and with writer Greg Pak picking up where ‘ENDSONG’ left off – and Tyler Kirkham taking over the spot of Greg Land – I think we are still looking at a fun book. Endsong was actually pretty damned good for being one of those ‘status quo unchanged’ mini-series.

** NEW X-MEN

Yost & Kyle – as many might know – are doing an awesome job on ‘New X-Men’ and it seems it is realized by the big M as they will be there for awhile. They have been doing a bang up job on this book, slowly morphing it into my sleeper X-Hit of the day (I don’t count X-Factor.. there is nothing Sleeper about that title).

** ULTIMATE X-MEN

Cable. Nuff Said.

** WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?

I have no idea where that picture on the right came from. It’s in the middle of their column, but it shows Emma being gutted.

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?

** WOLVERINE

“Does Wolverine have a brother?”
-“Excellent question.. next.”

What does this mean? It means that not only is Kid Vulcan of ‘Deadly Genesis’ the Summers Brother we’ve longed to see – he also is the brother of Wolverine, thusly making Cyclops and Wolvie half brothers based on the fact that Vulcan has alien DNA and at this point in time I’m just prattling on and making things up to see how long you’ll read.

A -MAX- WIZARD WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT
(Invoked from Newsarama)

Max is getting some action – you know – the comic brand where they can say the word ‘Fuck’. Yeah – it’s getting some SON OF SATAN action with writer Alexander Irvine and artist Russel Braun.

It’s going to take place in N’awleans and it’s going to be all about demons and stuff – what else do you need to know?

Another reason to look forward to this book? ‘ESSENTIAL SON OF SATAN‘ – guaranteed.

*** MORE BULLET POINTS FOR THE MONDO MARVEL PANEL!
(You know where Newsarama is by now.. ok?)

** ULTIMATE ANNUAL #2

The cover to the left there is the one to Annual 2 – which as you can assume given the state of Ultimate covers, has NOTHING to do with Crawler and Dazzler, but will be the tail… ha, get it, tail? of Xavier’s cat Mystique. Oh, now you would get the tail joke, wouldn’t you?

** YOUNG AVENGERS

We know it’s going to be coming back for a Season 2. This time there is no question like there was with ‘Runaways’. The book is lauded and it has the numbers to prove it. They just have to wait for Heinberg to get some free time away from GREY’S ANATOMY… whatever.. television .. do people even watch that anymore?

** THE GL-X

Do you love the Great Lake Avengers X-Men? Of course – we ALL do. They’re going to be appearing in the last issue of THE THING and then they are going to be getting a new name over in Cable/Deadpool. I love the idea that these horrible characters are just making their way through the entire Marvel U. How awesome is that?

X-MEN IS THE BIGGEST MOVIE THAT EVER LIVED
(Courtesy of IMDB)

So X-3 took in $120 million dollars last weekend.

Bigger than Shrek’s $96 mil for an opening Memorial Day film.

What does this mean?

Nothing else was coming out.

I know some people LOVED it… but I found it silly and plothole ridden.

Spider-Man 3 is quoted as saying, “HA! SUCKER! WE STILL GOT RAIMI!”

..and now finally on a somber note…

ALEX TOTH PASSES ON
(Reported everywhere – Newsarama)

Hello.
I am Alex’s oldest son Eric. I meant to be the one to let everyone know that my father did pass away this morning drawing/writing at his table. I do not have any further details other than I will forward an address for those interested in sending cards. We will arrange something appropriate at or around the convention this summer in San Diego. As John shared, all of your cards and letters of the recent past were very much appreciated by my father. Only in these last years did he begin to understand and accept the fact that his work had touched so many people’s lives. In time, more information will follow.

Thank you.
Eric and family.

It’s been stated in other places on the board – Just wanted to say that once again, the industry and the world loses another fantastic dreamer.

TOLDJA IT WAS LONG!

Given the manhours I put into creating this damn thing – you better read it and love it.. because it was a passion of love.

And I felt crazy bad about not having anything up for you people to read.

So yall continue on and make yours Marvel while you make yours at Inside Pulse.. MINE!