There are rumors swirling about that Marvel is going to bring back the New Warriors. I hope this turns out to be true. I liked the New Warriors. In an age before the Young Avengers or the Runaways, the New Warriors was the closest thing Marvel had to the Teen Titans (if you don’t count all of those X-books filled with teen mutants waiting to be killed in the next big X-Men crossover).
While most of the original members are still kicking around, I’d like to see a new roster of young heroes take the New Warriors name.
Nova is probably a given (especially since the rumors state the New Warriors’ return will happen in an issue of his series).
I’d like to see Eli Bradley (the former Young Avenger known as Patriot) back in action. He has the experience to act as field commander for this collection of young heroes.
Also no stranger to the world of superheroing, Anya Corazon, aka Spider-Girl, would add a certain amount of name recognition to the team.
The new White Tiger (Ava Ayala) and the new Power Man (Victor Alvarez) will add additional muscle–not to mention a bit of cross-media synergy.
And, to add a little bit of mystical might, former Runaway Nico Minoru.
Of course, the very first arc should be “The Search for Nomad.”
There it is. The first look at ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
My first reaction: COULSON LIVES!!! While I was pretty sure that Clark Gregg’s Agent Phil Coulson would be back in one form or another, it’s nice to see the Bob Newhart of the Marvel Movie Universe headlining the series.
I think the premise seems pretty solid, too. S.H.I.E.L.D. has the Avengers to deal with alien invasions and Asgardian war machines and gamma-powered engines of destruction. But, you don’t call out Captain America to deal with Stilt-Man, if you know what I mean. (If you don’t know what I mean, you’re probably better off.) Sure, Fury is going to want these smaller “incidents” investigated and he’s going to want his top man to head the investigations. I like that the titular agents are all new characters created specifically for the show, like Coulson was back in the day.
Now, about that one bit of speculation that has been floating around the internet. What speculation, you ask? The speculation that this–
–is Luke Cage. I’d be totally happy if this turns out to be Luke Cage for two reasons: (1) I really like Luke Cage and (2) I really like J. August Richards. I admit that the evidence in support of this theory is pretty flimsy: African-American dude, super strength, seemingly invulnerable. I’d also add that Cage has been known to sport a hoodie from time to time–most recently in the animated Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (I’m certain I’d seen him wearing a hoodie in one of his recent comic appearances, but I can’t find any images. Any assistance would be appreciated.)
The arguments against this theory are, in my opinion, equally flimsy. First, they say that Richards doesn’t have the right build to play Luke Cage. Yes, in the comics, Luke is freakin’ huge. But, you know what? So is Steve Rogers. So is Thor. Both Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth got in ridiculously amazing shape, but they’d still look puny compared to the unrealistic portrayal of human anatomy that is the “superhero physique.” My point? Mr. Richards can certainly play Luke Cage even without being built like a brick shithouse. I’d also note that the Luke Cage that appears in Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon is a significantly slimmer version of the character.
The other argument against this character being Luke Cage is that Luke Cage is “too important to be on a TV series.” That…kinda depends on your personal point of view. Yes, Cage is well-known to comic book fans, but a large portion of the potential viewers of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are probably coming in as fans of the movies, not the comics. And, Cage’s role as a prominent figure in the Marvel Universe is something of a new thing, coming after a decade and a half of relative obscurity. Furthermore, the synergy between Marvel’s cinematic universe and its television universe means that there’s no such thing as “too important to be on a TV series.” This isn’t like when DC prevented Bruce Wayne from appearing on Smallville because it would conflict with Batman Begins.
Anyways… I’m really excited for this show. The Marvel Movie Universe has made me happier than most other things, and I look forward to seeing it expand to television. In a perfect world, the success of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. would lead to Heroes for Hire, Daredevil, and maybe even Ghost Rider.
Random Final Thought: I’m not sure exactly how copyrights and such work, but could Marvel’s expansion to television be a way to circumvent outside studios holding the rights to certain characters? They might not be able to mention Spider-Man or the X-Men in their movies, but they might be able to incorporate them into a television series in preparation for the day the rights return to Marvel. Just a thought.
One of the first casting posts that I ever wrote–waaaaay back in 2008–was for a Justice League movie. Now, while DC and Warner Brothers continue to spin their wheels, Marvel makes all of the movie money. Why? Why is it so hard for DC to get its cinematic act together? Sure, some of you might say that DC should focus on making good comics (and maybe not hiring vile bigots, while they’re at it), but that isn’t the world we live in. The 21st century is all about multimedia synergy. Let’s face it, comic book movies are here to stay, so we might as well make the best of them.
Now, I have been a proponent of thinking a bit outside of the box with a Justice League movie, quietly hoping that a League movie would feature Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Fire, Ice, and several other lesser-known DC heroes (even though Marvel recently poached my Guy Gardner). However, we all know that DC is going to want to highlight their top talent in a Justice League movie, which is why I’m here to reevaluate a movie starring the “Big Seven.”
The Plot: One word: Starro. Yes, everyone wants the villain in this movie to be Darkseid. But, let’s face it, Darkseid is a pretty big deal. Do you want to shoot your wad that early? No. Plus, Starro gives you a nice body-snatcher thing to work with.
The Cast:
Brandon Routh as Superman/Clark Kent
I know, I know. Superman Returns. Look, I did not love everything about that movie (Superman as a deadbeat dad, I’m lookin’ at you!), but Routh was pretty good. I’d give him a second shot at playing the big blue boy scout in a heartbeat.
Ian Somerhalder as Batman/Bruce Wayne
Time to wash the taste of those awful Nolan movies out of our mouths. Somerhalder appeared in an early season of Smallville as a bait-and-switch Bruce Wayne named Adam Knight. Now he’s in a show about vampires, which kinda works with the whole bat motiff.
Jaime Murray as Wonder Woman/Princess Diana
Watch Murray on Warehouse 13, then come back to me and tell me you don’t want her to play the Amazon warrior.
Lance Reddick as Martian Manhunter/J’onn J’onzz
This is what I wrote in 2008–
On The Wire, it almost seemed like Reddick was able to read everyone’s minds, so who better to play the telepathic Martian Manhunter? Can’t you just hear Reddick’s deep, authoritative voice rumbling through the theater’s speakers the first time J’onn’s voice is heard inside someone’s mind? Besides, he kind of looks like the revamped Manhunter.
–and I stand by that today.
Shawn Ashmore as The Flash/Wally West
The Ashmore brothers have had their way with superhero properties for quite some time. Shawn has played Iceman in three (soon to be four) X-Men movies and Aaron played Jimmy Olsen on several seasons of Smallville. (Shawn also appeared in two episodes of Smallville as meteor freak Eric Summers.) Anyway, I think Ashmore has what it takes to bring Wally West to life.
Aldis Hodge as Green Lantern/John Stewart
So many Lanterns to choose from . . . Using the Green Lantern who was one of the main characters of the popular Justice League cartoon seems like a safe bet. In addition to his military training, I’d love to see this portrayal also focus on Stewart’s architecture background. And, let’s face it, Aldis Hodge is just waiting for his shot at stardom.
Dan Stevens as Aquaman/Arthur Curry
Aquaman is a reluctant king. He’d much rather be out and about, punching supervillains and saving the day, then sitting in a room full of government ministers. On Downton Abbey, Stevens’ Matthew Crawley wanted nothing more than to practice law until circumstances handed him an estate to run. Replace “practice law” with “punching supervillains” and “estate” with “underwater kingdom” . . . and Aquaman and Matthew Crawley are practically the same dude.
Earlier today, the good folks at Marvel released a teaser image for a new book in its continuing Marvel NOW! initiative.
Speculation began immediately. The double helix and the X’s seem to be a good indication that this is probably going to be an X-book. Good theory, right? What about the fact that there are two X’s? Is that significant? Some people seem to think so. Could this be a book that focuses on an all-female squad of X-Men?
I, for one, hope so. Look, it’s no secret that there needs to be more books with female leads. (Not to mention the need for more women creators in the mainstream comic industry, but that’s another post entirely.) Where was I? Ah. Right. Books with strong female characters. Marvel already has Captain Marvel and Journey into Mystery (starring Asgardian badass Sif), and February will see the release of Fearless Defenders, which focuses on Valkyrie, Misty Knight, and Dani Moonstar. Continuing in this vein with characters from its popular X-Men franchise seems like a no-brainer.
Now, with so many mutants to choose from, who should be tapped to appear in this potential series? I’m glad you asked.
I hear that Polaris is kicking major butt over in X-Factor. Now, you might say, if she’s already in one book, why does she need to be in another? All I have to say to that is: you’ve got a lot of nerve, mister. Polaris is awesome. And, with Havok leading a squad of Avengers, giving Polaris her own X-team seems…right, somehow.
Storm has led the X-Men numerous times in the past. She’s also a freaking queen. But, I’d like to see her in the role of strategist, helping to mentor a newer generation of mutant leaders.
No surprises here. I’ll admit it, I think Kitty Pryde should be in every Marvel comic. And a few DC books, too. Kitty has been stepping up lately, first as the head mistress of the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning and now as the leader of the time-shifted original X-Men. How can she be in three places at once? Hell, she was Wolverine’s first pupil.
I firmly believe that every group needs a telepath, and Rachel Grey (Summers/Grey-Summers/Summers-Grey/Whatever) would fill that role nicely.
If Kitty was the Dick Grayson to Wolverine’s Batman, then Armor is the Tim Drake. I find Armor an interesting character with a cool, visibly striking power.
Not only does every team need a telepath, but I also believe every team should have a character who’s good at beating the crap out of opponents. Wolverine has filled that role for years, so I see no reason why his female clone shouldn’t step in and do so for this team. X-23, come on down!
Usually, I write up a bunch of Top 10 lists to end the year. Unfortunately, as some of you may know, I had a bit of a meteorological problem a few months back and lost all of the notes I had been keeping regarding my year in entertainment. So, instead of four separate Top 10 lists, I’m just going to give you all one post where I info-dump everything I can recall about what I liked this year.
BOOKS:
The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern
There’s a reason the haunted/otherworldly traveling circus/carnival has been used as a setting for stories more times than I can remember. That reason is: It works! Morgenstern’s novel revolves around the doomed love between the apprentices of two feuding sorcerers; however, for me, the best parts were about the goings-on at the Night Circus itself, particularly the story of circus-born twins Poppet and Widget.
Cold Days, by Jim Butcher
Here’s the deal: Jim Butcher releases a Harry Dresden novel and it goes on the Best of list for that year. End of story. I feel about this series the way a lot of people feel about the Harry Potter series.
The Mark of Athena, by Rick Riordan
I really do love the kids from Camp Half-Blood. I’ve been amazed at Riordan’s ability to weave genuine Greek myth into a modern setting since The Lightning Thief, but the mythology geek in me was blown away by the way he’s decided to address the whole Greek god/Roman god quandary.
Phoenix Rising, by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris
Phoenix Rising is the first book in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series. The best way I can explain it is to compare it to that episode of Warehouse 13 where we got a glimpse of what it was like when H.G. worked as a Warehouse agent in Victorian England. Eliza Braun is a dynamite-loving, armored corset-wearing Ministry field agent who finds herself saddled with a new partner: the prim and proper archivist Wellington Books. Needless to say, there are steampunk-fueled shenanigans aplenty.
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline
I’m always wary of anything that’s held up as “OMG Like Totally The New Bible of Geek Culture!!!!!111!!!1!!” Nine times out of ten, I can see the oily, pandering fingerprints of someone’s marketing department all over them. This is not the case with Ready Player One. A joy from start to finish, RP1 never felt like it was just trying to cash in on “geek culture” with a few carefully placed references to Star Wars or video games–other than a rather obvious “OMG HE KNOWS WHAT THE INTERNET IS!!!!!” reference to Wil Wheaton.
TELEVISION:
Gravity Falls (Disney Channel)
I’m not really sure what to say about Gravity Falls. I will say that, as far as I’m concerned, it’s the best thing to come from the Disney Channel since Kim Possible. It’s also leagues better than anything I’ve been able to find on Cartoon Network in a long time.
The Legend of Korra (Nickelodeon)
The Legend of Korra is as different from The Last Airbender as a show could possibly be. Set in the generation following A:TLA, Korra focuses on the new Avatar, a waterbender named Korra. Aang’s world was a world of feudal states, kings, and farmers; Korra’s world is a world of industry, airships, and steam power. The animation has matured, becoming less stylized than the designs used in TLA, and the writing has matured, as well, presenting a darker storyline than that of the original series. Bring on the second season!
Bunheads (ABC Family)
Let’s face it, you are never going to recreate the adorable charm and whimsy of Gilmore Girls. Not gonna happen. But, with Bunheads, Amy Sherman-Palladino returns to what made GG so good, a town full of maniacs. Riding a Northern Exposure-like wave, Bunheads replaces a New York doctor with a Vegas showgirl, and small-town Alaska with small-town California. Yes, Sutton Foster’s Michelle is a cynical, slightly edgier version of Lorelai Gilmore, but you fall in love with her just the same. And, if your heart doesn’t melt when shy, awkward Boo finally dances with Carl–to “Rainbow Connection”, at that!–then you have no soul.
***
Finally, I’d like to take this time to thank the creators, cast, and crew of Leverage for five seasons of pulp goodness. This was a show that pushed every single button I have, sometimes at the same time. Never has it felt like a group of people sat down and decided to make something solely for my enjoyment. Thank you. All of you. Thank you.
MOVIES:
Avengers
I paid to see this movie in the theater three times. I have never done that before and probably won’t do it again. (Okay, maybe I’ll do it for Avengers 2…only time will tell.) The point is: this is the movie I have been waiting for since the night I saw X-Men.
Skyfall
I’ve not been a big fan of the Daniel Craig Era of James Bond; I miss the camp-fueled insanity of Classic Bond. Skyfall did a good job of taking a lot of the tropes from the older Bond movies and either incorporating them wholesale (could Javier Bardem’s villain be any more like Christopher Walken in A View to a Kill?) or, at least, tipping its hat to them. I’m a tad annoyed that the new Q looks like a background character from Portlandia or Flight of the Conchords…but, the new Moneypenny? Yes. More of the new Moneypenny, please.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
A lot of people are all cranky about making one book into three movies. As someone who can read, I realize that so much shit happens between the lines in that book that you could probably turn The Hobbit into a six-season series HBO. Also, and this is the heart of the matter, Peter Jackson can make a Middle-earth movie every year until he dies and I will pay money to see that shit. Why? Because they are just so damned pretty.
Moonrise Kingdom
Moonrise Kingdom manages to be like every other Wes Anderson movie ever made and unlike every other Wes Anderson movie ever made. Visually, musically, verbally, Moonrise Kingdom uses all of the standard Anderson tropes. But, where it differs from–and, I’d argue, surpasses–Anderson’s other movies is innocence. Moonrise Kingdom is his most innocent film to date. It’s utterly charming, without resorting to the usual undercurrent of snark, dysfunction, and melancholia that you usually find in a Wes Anderson movie.
The Cabin in the Woods
The Cabin in the Woods is what it must have been like to be inside Joss Whedon’s brain while he was creating Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Brave
Brave was the most fun that I’ve had in a Pixar movie since The Incredibles. I’m glad that the good folks at Pixar are still able to make a movie that doesn’t reduce grown men to blubbering, emotionally-destroyed shells of their former selves (I’m lookin’ at you, Up). Bows! Gingers! Scots! This movie had it all.
COMICS:
Daredevil
I’ve always liked Daredevil. I’ve also always been confused as to why the only kind of Daredevil books that sell are ones that follow Frank Miller’s Watchmen-ization of the character. Daredevil is a guy who jumped from rooftop to rooftop in bright red and yellow tights. Grim and broody he is not. And that is why I want to thank Mark Waid. Yes, Matt Murdock’s life has been absolute shit for the last few years, but he realizes if he doesn’t lighten up, he’s gonna wake up one day and swallow a bullet. Mark Waid is responsible for making Daredevil a swashbuckler again and we should all send him a muffin basket.
Captain Marvel
I can’t gush enough about this book. I love Carol Danvers. I loved her when she was Ms. Marvel and, if it’s possible, I love her even more since she was “promoted” to Captain Marvel. Kelly Sue DeConnick can do no wrong (as far as I’m concerned, Marvel Comics is just KSD and Mark Waid in a tiny room with some artists, cranking out comics).
Indestructible Hulk
Just like he did with Daredevil, Mark Waid offers up a Hulk concept that’s so simple it should have occurred to someone ages ago. Bruce Banner, annoyed that Tony Stark and Reed Richards get all the credit for using their big brains to make the world a better place, agrees to work for SHIELD. He will invent amazing shit for them every day and, if he ever needs to blow off some steam, SHIELD tells him where to aim the Hulk. Simple. Amazing.
Avengers Assemble
Avengers Assemble is a no strings attached title for folks who just want to see the Avengers being superheroes. It started as an obvious tie-in to the Avengers movie (the team consisted of Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye), but has since found a nice balance between being in and out of continuity at the same time–the characters behave like their standard Marvel Universe counterparts, but the stories seem to take place without regard to what is happening in the other Avengers titles. As far as I’m concerned, this is the only Avengers title Marvel needs. While I’m sending Waid that muffin basket, I should order a second one for Kelly Sue DeConnick.
Dungeons & Dragons
John Rogers, the co-creator of TV’s Leverage, shows that a group of competent, bickering characters can work in any genre.
The Sixth Gun
The other day, it occurred to me that The Sixth Gun is, basically, the western equivalent of Hellboy. The mythology that Cullen Bunn is creating around the six eldritch revolvers and the various characters hellbent on acquiring them is as layered and complex as anything that Mike Mignola has come up with. Gunslingers. Zombies. Wendigos. Voodoo spirits. Secret Societies. Golems. Mummies. If you want it, it’s probably in an issue of The Sixth Gun.
Look, it was inevitable. As soon as Marvel’s Avengers made ALL THE MONEY, it was only a matter of time before DC announced that they, too, would be bringing their premiere super team to the big screen. At one point (say, about a decade ago, when DC had first started working on a Justice League movie), I would have entertained the notion of a JLA movie with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the other big guns of the DC Universe. Frankly, by now, I’m sort of sick of Hollywood’s interpretation of these characters.
No. I say go another way. I say draw on the characters from Justice League International.
Picture it: Ted Kord has given up heroics, planning on spending the rest of his days making Kord Industries the leader in advanced technology. One night, a shipment of prototypes from KI is intercepted while passing through a lonely section of Texas. Teenager Jaime Reyes, seeing the accident, stops to help, only to inadvertently become the new Blue Beetle. Kord calls his old friends (Booster Gold, Guy Gardner, and Vixen), as well as younger heroes Fire, Ice, and the Atom, to help track down those responsible for the theft and to help mentor Reyes. Using his vast resources, Kord decides to fund this collection of heroes. This…Justice League.
Starring:
Joe Morton as Ted Kord/Blue Beetle II
Every week on Eureka, Joe Morton brings the right mix of humor, warmth, and intelligence that I’d want to see in Ted Kord.
Chris Pine as Michael Jon Carter/Booster Gold
You need a certain charm, a certain swagger to play the disgraced athlete from the future who traveled back in time to make a name for himself as a hero. I think Pine has that in spades. I’d cast Will Arnett as the voice of Booster’s robot sidekick, Skeets. Just because.
Freema Agyeman as Mari Jiwe McCabe/Vixen
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to include Vixen…but, then I thought: Freema! And, if you don’t need more Freema in your life, then you’re doing something wrong.
Chris Pratt as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern
Guy Gardner is a lug. He’s kind of a jerk, but he’s not really a bad guy. Pratt has that kinda jerky and immature thing down, but you know he’ll have your back when you need him. He’s our “Guy.”
Alexa Vega as Beatriz Bonilla da Costa/Fire
I remember Vega from the Spy Kids movies. It would be nice to see her in something again.
Evanna Lynch as Tora Olafsdotter/Ice
There’s something otherworldly about Lynch. I could totally see her as a Norwegian tinker who occasionally cuddles with seals.
Archie Kao as Ryan Choi/The Atom
Kao has kicked butt as a Power Ranger and gotten his science on as a member of CSI Classic’s merry band of lab monkeys. That’s good enough for me.
Tyler Posey as Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle III
From what I’ve seen of Posey in Teen Wolf, he’s pretty believable as a shy teenager dealing with a secret identity. I’d happily let him suit up as the new Blue Beetle.
