Hot on the heels of EW’s cover featuring Jamie Foxx as Electro, very sick looking. They have also released another new still featuring Dane DeHaan as Harry Osborn! Its just another shot of some school pals hanging out, talking about all the important things in life, but its our first real peek at DeHaan’s Osborn from a movie still. There have been some pretty heavy rumors and speculation on his inclusion for the movie, including some HUGE spoilers if they turn out to be true. We won’t be covering those here unless theres an overwhelming response to post them, but lets just say if they are true…then we are in for a wild ride come next summer. Take a peek below at the shot and catch up on all the latest Amazing Spider-Man 2 news here at ComicUI.
Holy fudge. This looks sick. Entertainment Weekly or Magazine or whatever (EW) has debuted one of their Comic-Con covers for this coming month and it shows us our first look at Jamie Foxx as Electro from the upcoming film. First off, the light effects on his face, the blue hue, and disfigured ear give me super chills. I hope it looks this good in action as it does in this still. That effect is just entirely too wicked. Secondly, Spider-Man finally went with the large, white eyes. I’m sure they’ll explain it as something for protection, possibly against Electro himself, but I for sure know that look is taken from Ultimate Spider-Man (the comic, not TV show; and no, NOT Miles Morales), my favorite kind of Spider-Man. Lastly, does that look like a hard metal nipple to anyone else? Electro has the visual looks which I can’t stop staring at, but the outfit with the lightning bolt and metal collar seem a bit forced? Time will tell on that too as we at ComicUI anxiously await our first teaser footage from the movie. Check out the image below and let us know what you think of these new looks.
Vin Diesel is what I like to refer to as a one-note actor. He doesn’t bring a lot of range to roles and has been sticking to franchises that tend to work for his talents (even if it is just one trick pony). However, as of late, Vinny has been touting some meetings with Marvel and leaving the rest up to our active imaginations. Today, he posted an image to his Facebook page maybe hinting at where he could be headed.
“Marvel meeting today, only the people in the room can tell you what was discussed…P.s. Thanks to Our page, for pushing to make it happen… you know I get tunnel vision with my work… and after that meeting today… wow!”
This statement was accompanied with this image. Click for a larger version.
First thing we all think about is what Marvel film would Diesel be trying to get his foot in? Maybe they reached out to him first. Only they know, but instantly the list of heroes/villains he could play go through our head. Although never one to be an antagonist, Diesel has always played the anti-hero. Someone who isn’t good, but we’re rooting for him anyways. The biggest story is that he could be the Vision, an android created by Ultron who was created by Hank Pym. He has been a big part of the Avengers since the 60’s and creating this character on screen wouldn’t be a stretch. It is worth noting that in his statement, Diesel specifically says the word ‘vision’ albeit in a very passive way.
The image posted above presents another interesting theory, that he could in fact be Giant Man/Ant Man/Hank Pym, a brilliant man with a troubled personal life who has been in the Avengers since the comics were started. We know for a fact Ant-Man is the first Phase 3 film after Avengers 2 in 2015. Written by Edgar Wright, there has been test footage from it all over the internet. Although no casting or true production has begun on the film, I think it will need some star power to pull the premise of the film into the wider audiences. My personal theory on the film is that it will follow the Irredeemable Ant-Man books, about Eric O’Grady, a thief who steals the Ant-Man suit and uses it for personal gain but obtains a conscience along the way and disavows his evil ways. This storyline was covered in an episode of Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes from Season 2 now on Netflix.
Secondly, it may not be movie related at all. Diesel is known for the Riddick and Fast & Furious series film, which leads me to speculate they may want to incorporate those into a comic series as well. Telling more stories of Riddick as he ventures from planet to planet running from space bounty hunters would lead to some great stories for the comic medium. They wouldn’t be confined by the practicality of film making and mini-series based on films are big right now. The movie rumors could always be a decoy for these talks as well.
Lastly, it may be nothing at all. Just sweet nothings and could end up going nowhere. It all depends on the factors involved to see if anything comes out of this relationship Marvel and Vin Diesel seem to be striking up. Social media is the hype machine that creates talk and keeps people in the forefront of everyone’s minds. This could be a clever ploy by both studios to see what people are talking about and track the popular topics coming from the surrounding buzz. Only time will tell on this one guys, lets hope we hear more at SDCC at the end of the month!
If Vin were to be a Marvel character, who do you most envision him playing? Let us know in the comments.
The first teaser poster for Captain America: The Winter Soldier has hit the internet and it really doesn’t cover up anything. Thats because the paint is obviously worn. This picture actually matches some set photos we posted back HERE and I can’t say I’m complaining. The adamantium/vibranium mixed shield that is probably the primary weapon (not defense) of Captain America looks way different when worn down to the sheer metal. I think this sets a tone for the film being a harder experience on the man out of time. The duller tone, the loss of the colors that represent his American ideals, and battle scars in the metal really grab my attention and make me actually worried for the character, and no actual footage has been seen! Its ‘deep’ man.
Also, since it is July, San Diego Comic Con will be coming up at the end of the month. We have a man on the inside at ComicUI, so expect deep secrets and updates as they happen live. The Winter Soldier is expected to be seen, so expect either the first trailer or some awesome production stills (not these amateur pictures that have been ALL over the place). The title is derived from the main villain, the Winter Soldier, which I can confirm got his name from being a cold-ass honky. It is also another ploy to not use the name “Captain America” when marketing the movie over seas. The first film was titled The First Avenger and this has The Winter Soldier to increase international draw.
Click for a larger version.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier Poster
[alert variation=”alert-info”]Captain America: The Winter Soldier is directed by Joe and Anthony Russo (Community) starring Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Frank Grillo, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Scarlett Johansson, Toby Jones, Emily VanCamp, Hayley Atwell, Maximiliano Hernández, Robert Redford and Georges St-Pierre. Expected release date is April 4, 2014 and will be the third movie in Marvel’s Phase 2 lineup.[/alert]
After much speculation and confusion and rumor, Den of Geek has a source that ‘confirms’ the roles of Benicio Del Toro, Lee Pace and Karen Gillen in the upcoming Marvel film, Guardians of the Galaxy. The site lays states that Benicio Del Tero will in fact be playing The Collector, a character we speculated that Lee Pace would be playing. Pace however, will be playing Ronan the Accuser, a member of the Kree species, something we have not seen in any Marvel film to date. Lastly, Karen Gillan of Doctor Who fame will be playing Nebula, a space pirate who claims to be the granddaughter of Thanos. That could be fun, considering that Zoe Saldana will be playing Gamora, adopted daughter of Thanos. Family Feud indeed.
Now that we have some ‘confirmation’ on these roles for Guardians of the Galaxy, only the two most obscure characters hang in the balance – Rocket Raccoon and Groot. Who are your suggestions for Marvel to hire for their voices?
Today Marvel Comics released their first issue, in a five issue mini-series focusing on Dexter Morgan, “Miami’s friendly neighborhood crime-fighting serial killer!”. Dexter, originally brought to us in 2004 from the stylishly twisted mind of Jeff Lindsay, has taken on many mediums over the years, novels, TV episodes, even his own motion comic. However, now Dexter dons the arena of Marvel Comics.
Cheers Dexter!
Marvel’s decision to publish a Dexter mini-series was very interesting to me, as I don’t personally think of Dexter as possessing a Marvel-esque storyline. To me Dexter would probably feel more at home at Darkhorse or Image Comics. Either of these publishers seem more adept at exploring dark, gritty, horror stories. That being said, this series is a Marvel MAX series, which is Marvel’s more mature audience line of comics, and seeing the Marvel logo on the cover in no way dilutes my interest in reading this mini-series. 6Marvel’s mastery of cliffhanger endings, and their ability to take inherently flawed characters and show them as still capable of becoming heroes, is something I think will really make the Dexter mini-series shine. Finally, Marvel has Jeff Lindsay writing the mini-series, which lends the series credibility, and a feeling of authenticity.
What I found most interesting about this issue was the lack exposition. I think most comic book fans have gotten used to drudging through the backstory of their favorite heroes over, and over again, from issue to issue, but Dexter #1 contains almost no backstory regarding who Dexter is. While the first season of “Dexter” was heavily based on Jeff Lindsay’s novel entitled “Darkly Dreaming Dexter”, the novel and television series began to diverge drastically as they each progressed. This made the lack of backstory very noticeable, as it quickly became hard to tell which, if either, of the two universes Marvel was dropping us in. Initially I felt like Lindsay was following the timeline from his novels. However, once we begin to see Dexter at a crime scene, it appears that several of his co-workers bare a striking resemblances to the actors that portray them in the Showtime series. This may be coincidence, however, only one of these characters is introduced, so I guess we’ll have to wait until Dexter #2 to find out.
As far as story goes, the issue follows Dexter, and Rita (his wife), as they go to Dexter’s highschool reunion and Dexter begins to suspect a high school bully from his past may have a dark passenger of their own. I found this premise to be a little stale, as it was done in the Showtime series already, but, the comic does tell a very different story then the Showtime series take on Dexter’s high school reunion. For a 24 page comic this issue does a surprisingly thorough job giving readers a taste of the important aspects of Dexter’s life, from his lessons with Harry, his work for the Miami Metro Homicide Department, right down to his trademark needle and plastic wrap.
Dexter and his foster family discuss Dexter’s problem with a bully; presumably onboard the ‘Slice of Life’
Talajic’s artwork beautifully leads us between Dexter’s memories, and the current events of the comic. The comics use of color also does an incredible job showing the range of emotions the panels portray as we’re taken from dimly lit alleys, to the bright stucco wall buildings, lush greeneries, and blue skies of Miami. There are also some spine tingling images of Dexter and his Dark Passenger drawn as a black wispy figure.
Dexter’s latest victim meets his ‘Dark Passenger’
The timing of Marvel’s Dexter series is interesting planned, as Showtime’s hit series, “Dexter”, began it’s 8th, and final season, last Sunday. So with Dexter on everyone’s radar for the next 11 weeks, it will be interesting to see how much attention a comic series gains and if Marvel’s adaptation picks up as the main fix for Dexter fans post season 8.
I give Dexter #1 3.5 stars out of 5. Dexter #2 is scheduled to hit shelves late August, so if you’re a fan of Dexter, I would highly recommend picking up a copy of Dexter #1 in the next two months at your local Comic Book Shop or online via Comixology.
One year ago I was getting excited for the reboot of one of my favorite pre-Marvel Studios franchises. Before I truly understood comic books and the vast array of characters that exist in Marvel’s stable, Spider-Man was my favorite super hero. He was witty, agile in both actions and words, had an easy to understand power set and background, and ultimately had a 90’s cartoon that was a staple of my daily television watching. All of these features meant that Peter Parker and Spider-Man were going to be my favorite. On top of all that, I saw the original Spider-Man film at a theater in Hawaii on vacation, my first memorable stadium seating theater. Something you don’t forget either as a young teenager.
Let me preface this with my rundown of Spider-Man films. Spider-Man 2 is probably one of my all time favorite superhero movies. It took the first film and ran with it, creating a sequel that was better than the first, and number one is not bad at all. I could watch it for days and never wear out. Spider-Man 3, before you all groan, is the first movie I saw with ComicUI cofounder, Brian. We went open day to the theater at our campus and had a good time. The experience of the movie going affects how I feel about that movie more positively than the end result, which really isn’t a title film, just not great compared to the awesomeness that came prior.
5 years later we get to see the wall crawling, web slinger back on the big screen with a new director, new Peter Parker, and a villain we haven’t seen come to life before. This movie was to reset Peter’s story and tell it fresh. Not to forsake the prior films, but to start again and tell a different version of Spider-Man and his troubles as a teenager/superhero. As I left the theater, people kept asking how I felt about the movie. My immediate response was to let it sink in, which is never a sign a movie truly moved me. A few days later, I readjusted my Spider-Man film rankings to go from 2, 1, Amazing, then 3. The movie was not bad, by any means, but it didn’t really give me a lot of ‘new’ things as it had promised. Everyone knows the origin of Spider-Man, be radioactive spider bite, the loss of Uncle Ben, and growing up being s photographer/geek. This is almost universal knowledge, but the film insisted on telling it to us again, which took away from the potential story telling the film could have presented.
What the film did do well, was create the world Spider-Man exists in, with Oscorp and human/animal cross species engineering. I believed the lizard could exist here, humans could obtain spider abilities, and ultimately lead the way to other villains who exhibit similar qualities later. Also, ASM was able to let Peter Parker be a high school student with a big brain. He created the web slingers (despite my favoritism towards the ‘mutant’ explanation) and could solve the climax of the film with science, not luck. The new Peter we get to see falls more in line with how he should be portrayed.
The actors were well chosen as well. Andrew Garfield is a bit too good looking for Peter Parker, but maybe that’s just personal preference, but his wit and humor didn’t miss a beat. He was also more capable of playing the emotional character we needed to see. His actions caused most of problems presented in the film and Garfield handled it better than Tobey Maguire who came before. Emma Stone as Gwen Stacey was another on the mark casting choice. Despite her naturally red hair which is more fitting for Mary Jane, Gwen Stacey is a more integral part of Spider-Man’s backstory. Their love story felt a bit rushed, but they’re high school students and into similar things, so I bought it easier than I should have. However, Stone brought confidence and attractiveness to the role, a stark comparison to Kirsten Dunst’s MJ performance.
Lastly, I think the fun of Spider-Man was taken out of it. Sam Raimi created an exhilarating Spider-Man series that was more fun and light hearted than this darker, dramatic tale. My previous statements about the science of the world being a benefit, almost removes the fantasy part of the tale that super hero films still need to have. Marc Webb created a film at I often liken to Batman Begins of this new Spider-man series, a darker, grittier world that may or may not culminate in an even darker sequel. We haven’t gotten to see the titular villain of Spider-man yet, the fate of Gwen Stacey hangs in the balance, and we don’t know how Sony will handle the franchise from here.
The Amazing Spider-Man is a film that decides not to break any new ground for the web slinging hero, but is able to showcase a more emotionally conflicted Peter Parker who deals with loss and destruction, often indirectly due to his own actions. Now that this new world is created and the origin story is behind us, I hope that we get to see more tales that follow this tone, but can implement some of the happier, silly moments that make children and adults everywhere adore Spider-Man.
Bryan Singer loves his twitter. Loves it and uses it weekly to showcase a little more of X-men: Days of Future Past. Despite any official promotional pieces or teaser trailer, this is all we have to go on until Fox decides to get itself in gear and push this movie, which will now be out next May. But I have to admire the guy, even on the 4th of July, he’s out there pushing his movie and working on sets.
Today we get to see the Maximoff residence. Those familiar with the name will know that Pietro and Wanda Maximoff are in fact Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, respectively. As of right now, we only know of Quicksilver’s existence in the film (and the actor), but no word has ever been made of the Scarlet Witch joining the film’s expansive (and possibly cluttered) cast. This is definitely a mystery we will have to wait and solve upon the film’s release.
Take a peek at the photo below and let us know which mutant you’re most excited to see in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Click image for a larger version.
[signoff icon=”icon-video”]Directed by Bryan Singer on the X-men story Days of Future Past, the Fox film’s cast includes Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Michael Fassbender, Anna Paquin, Ellen Page, Shawn Ashmore, Peter Dinklage, Daniel Cudmore, Adan Canto, Evan Peters, and Fan Bingbing.[/signoff]
Disney owns Marvel. This has been true since 2009 and not one person would know the difference, despite public outcry at first. However, Disney did not get to distribute a Marvel Studios film until The Avengers in 2012, followed by Iron Man 3 this year. That is due to the prior agreement Paramount had with Marvel to distribute the Phase 1 films for Marvel, until Disney bought the rights away from them for Avengers and Iron Man 3 (despite Paramount’s logo on the films). However, Disney has announced today that they have acquired distribution right of 4 of the Phase 1 films, including Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America. The deal is described in a single sentence, that Paramount “was paid for the transfer of the distribution rights.” Disney paid up, and they’re going to cash that in sooner than later I suspect. This will more than likely lead to Disney selling the DVD/BD’s in their stores and rereleasing them to the public under their Disney banner, for double dipping purposes.
You may notice The Incredible Hulk with Edward Norton is missing from this list, but that film was distributed through Universal so they probably have more insight than we do. Lets hope Disney gets all their rights under the house of mouse and we can see some great collections, like the Phase 1 collector set (minus the 3D, that’s just BS).
Neil Gaiman is no stranger to the art of comic books or fantasy lore. I’ve come across his work when Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes was given to me by Brian of ComicUI. It was from him I learned many comic series and turned me into the guru I am today, but Sandman was unlike anything I’ve ever gotten my hands on. It wasn’t your typical comic book full of super heroes, struggles, and damsels in distress. The artwork was pure black on white, scribbles almost, of Morpheus and his return to power from being away. Morpheus in turn is known as the Sandman, a being who gets his powers from the dreams of others.
As the series continued, I came to realize that Gaiman and Morpheus were a pair that could only exist with one another and that this series really turned the concept of comic books into graphic novels. It was a storytelling masterpiece if you let it become one. Finishing up his run on the series in 1986, years before I had come across the books, I once again encountered Gaiman in Doctor Who, a television show known for it’s extremely long ‘run’ of 50 years this year. He penned two episodes, The Doctor’s Wife and more recently Nightmare in Silver, the former being a favorite of many people in recent years. Others may know his work in Stardust, Coraline, or American Gods, all wonderful pieces of literature and heralded as musts to most literary enthusiasts.
This October 30, Gaiman returns to Morpheus in The Sandman Overture, a bi monthly miniseries published by DC imprint Vertigo. We may not publish too much on DC comics, but The Sandman is not one series to be trifled with. Check out the cover below and let us know how excited you are for the return of the Dream King.
