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  • 10 Comics That Could Use The Film and TV Treatment

    10 Comics That Could Use The Film and TV Treatment

    With the release of the Invincible trailer reminding us that there are still many amazing comics out there that haven’t been picked up by major production companies, here is a list of ten non-Marvel and non-DC properties that would make for great projects either for the big or small screen. I tried to keep it a bit varied, both in terms of tone and genre, with books that left their mark when I first read them.

     

    BLACK SCIENCE (2013-2019, 43 issues)

    Both Marvel and DC seem to be diving headfirst into their own Multiverses in the coming years, with WandaVision, the Doctor Strange sequel, and The Flash. But it’ll be hard to top what Black Science achieved in that regard for six straight years.

    Here we follow Grant McKay, a member of the Anarchist League of Scientists, his family, and his team of scientists and military personnel as they try to maneuver through a seemingly infinite number of universes (the “Eververse”) tapped into following the creation of the device they call “the Pillar”. These “Dimensionauts” have then to deal with a malfunctioning Pillar, that much like we saw in Quantum Leap, throws them into random worlds challenging them every step of the way, as they try to make their way back home, and back to each other.

    Why it could work: I have a hard time trying to figure out if this project would lend itself to TV or cinema. Its visual spectacle deserves the biggest screen possible, but the storyline would make for an enthralling series through several seasons. What I do know is that the best stories, with the most fantastic premises, are only as good as the human elements presented to the audience. And Black Science is not only one of the best science-fiction stories I’ve ever read but also one of the most human, with all our dreams and flaws painstakingly presented, where family and friendships are the centers of one’s universe. And sometimes you just need to fight your way to get to them. What is more relatable than that?

    THE MASSIVE (2012-2014, 30 issues) 

    After an earth-shattering event, we follow the environmentalist crew of the ship The Kapital as they search the world for their missing sister ship, The Massive. With the world falling apart, we question what is there still to fight for, what is there to protect but the ability to rise above it all, as the tides did to dry ground.

    Why it could work: The biggest challenge we face as a species is for how long can we keep our planet our home. Earth won’t die, nature will adapt, we just have to make sure we are along for the ride. This book isn’t that optimistic as it shows us the worst-case scenario, where not only our home but our humanity is gone. At a time when every help in addressing global warming is a welcome one, that alone would make this a relevant show by making us look in the mirror at a time when everything we see is still avoidable.

     

    PAPER GIRLS (2015-2019, 30 issues)

    Stranger Things meets Back to the Future. A coming-of-age story about a group of four 12-year-old girls that due to unforeseen circumstances become involved in a war between two factions of time travelers. Unlike most other books and movies, here they have no problem in meeting up with their past and future selves, as they need any help they can get trying to get back home to 1988 while saving the world at the same time.

    Why it could work: Stranger Things was and still is, a phenomenon. But this show has the potential of going a step further in the cultural zeitgeist. Meshing 80s nostalgia with any other era’s they happen to choose (Time Travel!!) while keeping that Goonies vibe and throwing in Generation X and Y growing pains, it is something that can work on so many levels, on so many demographics, that in the world we live in of constant reboots and sequels it quite baffling that we haven’t yet gotten the chance to get this original project going. 

    THE PAYBACKS (2015-2016, 8 issues)

    A superhero comic with a twist. When heroes borrow money to finance their gadgets and genetic enhancements, there comes a time when that money must be paid back in full. When that doesn’t happen, it’s time to call The Paybacks, a team of bankrupt superheroes that work as repo men in order to pay their own debts. But this time, the hunters become the prey, and someone is coming to collect.

    Why it could work: Superhero stories rule the world. This isn’t necessarily a good thing, but from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the hottest streaming show right now (The Boys), it’s hard to say otherwise. So, right off the bat, this shows would seem like a safe bet. It would work as a sort of middle-ground between the more mainstream superhero movies and the TV-MA we sometimes get, a different take on the superhero gig where things aren’t as black and white as in other projects, but a lot lighter than being choked to death by a giant penis.

    PUNK ROCK JESUS (2012-2013, 6 issues)

    What if we could bring Jesus back to life through cloning? With the discovery of a sample of his DNA, that’s exactly what the entertainment company OPHIS did. But to make matters worse, they decided to raise him inside a Reality TV show with the entire world watching. Like many teenagers, most in far better circumstances, he rebels and turns to punk rock, with great religious and political consequences.

    Why it could work: Back in 2003 Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code took the world by storm as it tried to put into question centuries-old dogmas. Most people aren’t really big fans of reading, but that didn’t stop it from becoming a worldwide phenomenon that transcended reading habits and got everybody talking about the what-ifs Brown presented. A TV show that brought that same sort of discussions to an even more mainstream audience through an engaging storyline filled with modern cultural references would dominate our cultural climate, especially in the times we live in where everything can be a reason for outrage.

     

    SEVEN TO ETERNITY (2016-PRESENT, 13 issues, so far)

    A Lord of the Rings-style epic, set in a fantasy world filled with wonder, demons, witches, and Gods. We follow Adam Osidis, along with an order of magical warriors, on his quest to free the world of the God of Whispers’ enchantment that keeps everybody engulfed in despair and suspicion. He must then choose between doing what’s right, and following his own heart’s desires.

    Why it could work: This sort of fantasy epics have proven to have an audience, no matter the times we live in. The Lord of the Rings was as relevant at the beginning of the 20th century as it had been when JRR Tolkien first wrote the novel almost 50 years earlier. Game of Thrones became a cultural juggernaut for the entirety of its run and people are still clamoring for George RR Martin to finish the books. Seven to Eternity, unlike Thrones, has an ending within sight, and with a much less grounded setting, it would seem to be able to fill a thematic void The Witcher also managed to tap into.

     

    SHIRTLESS BEAR FIGHTER (2017, 5 issues)

    There’s really not much to say about this series that isn’t in its title. He’s a brawny bearded guy raised in the forest by bears. He’s shirtless (and sometimes naked). He likes to punch bears because they betrayed him. And he loves flapjacks. While not being innovating in any shape or form, this book has the potential to become the most entertaining 10-minute cartoon episode you’ll watch all day. Every day.

    Why it could work: In a world where short-form content gets all the views (unless you’re called Quibi), a cartoon with short episodes but with above-average laughs-per-second could go The Simpsons‘ way as they rose beyond The Tracey Ullman Show. Production costs should be low and being able to share it through social networks daily could help it grow beyond expectations. I mean, who wouldn’t like to see a (sometimes) naked lumberjack-type throw some bear-punches?

     

    THESE SAVAGE SHORES (2018-2019, 5 issues)

    Ever since it came out, if anyone asks me for a non-Marvel, non-DC comic to try out, this is my only answer. And with the right director, it would make for an amazing full-length motion picture.

    Set in the seventeen hundreds, as the British look into establishing themselves as an influential economic power in India, working behind the scenes to try and manipulate local rulers into wars only they would benefit from. This faraway territory also served as an escape for whoever needed to run away from western civilization, expecting never to be seen again. But when that someone is a monster that thinks of this as merely a new playground on which to feast, it’s hard to remain both unnoticed and unscathed. After all, there are monsters everywhere.

    Why it could work: Movies are supposed to transport us to different realities with a familiar starting point to help us identify with the events to come. This story, while not taking us to outer space or the far future, makes us connect with a period and location left mostly untapped in western film productions that still manages to keep you at the edge of your seat. Taking familiar horror elements and reshaping their food-chain status when faced with new foes can help audiences get away from the familiar tropes and dive into a new world of possibilities when it comes to fantastical beings.

     

    THE WAKE (2013-2014, 10 issues)

    This would make for an incredible couple of movies, as the story itself is already pretty much divided into two parts, one set in the present, the other in the far future. Think The Abyss meets Waterworld. We follow a team of scientists as they discover an aggressive new species locked away in the oceans below us since ancient times. This unstoppable alpha predator knows no rest and quickly conquers the planet, leaving little room for humanity to thrive.

    Why it could work: This is the blockbuster of the bunch. And there is always room for another one of those. The scope of the story and the incredible visuals lends themselves to an incredible cinematic experience and having the first movie end on such a sour note would make the anticipation for the sequel mimic what people felt in-between Infinity War and Endgame.

    WE STAND ON GUARD (2015, 6 issues)

    Independence Day meets Red Dawn. One hundred years in the future, Canada relies on a group of freedom fighters to protect its territory from a foreign threat. The United States of America. And so the USA becomes the faceless enemy, the technologically superior foe with the skewed ideals, looking to steal the natural resources it’s lacking (due to intentional oversight) from a more refined society.

    Why it could work: Growing up with mostly American-centered movies, there is always something refreshing when the USA (that like all other countries in the world, isn’t always on the right side of history) is shown as the antagonist. As in Dances with Wolves, we experience an invasion through a new perspective, making us question the authority behind military force, and how with great power comes great responsibility.

    (I can’t believe I just wrote that.)

     

     

    BONUS: DEADLY CLASS (2014-PRESENT, 44 issues, so far)

    I ended up wanting an extra stop on the list to get Deadly Class in here. Unlike the other series, this one has already been adapted to the small screen, having premiered in late 2018 on SyFy. It only lasted one season, being canceled after 10 episodes, but it was glorious and it deserved a second go. It’s set in the 80s and its plot revolves around Marcus, a disenfranchised orphan who enters a school for assassins, where the kids of the world’s most dangerous criminals look to live up to their families standards. But Marcus doesn’t care about any of that. All he wants is to try and kill the man he holds responsible for his parent’s death. President Ronald Reagan.

    From Hunter S. Thompson-style road trips to comic book stores, from severed heads to punk rock, it’s all there, as we explore the ethos and aspirations of the late 80s counterculture. It’s a shame we’ll never get to see what was to come in the following seasons on the small screen, but we’ll always have the unbelievable source material created by Rick Remender and Wes Craig to dive into, the way it was always meant to be experienced.

    Why it could work: Just go and watch the first season because.. it did work. If you like it, and since we won’t get more episodes out of it, go read the comics. Seriously.

  • First Look at ‘WandaVision’ Funko Pops Unveiled

    First Look at ‘WandaVision’ Funko Pops Unveiled

    UPDATE: GameStop is also releasing an exclusive 70s Vision Funko Pop.

     

    We now have our first look at the Funko Pop Vinyl line for the upcoming Marvel Studios Disney+ show WandaVision. The lineup of Funko Pops features Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch and Paul Bettany’s Vision across different eras.

     

     

     

    As we can see from the images, we can see some of Wanda and Vision’s looks for the upcoming show which were already teased in the official trailer back in September.

    Rewatch the trailer here:
    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj9J2ecsSpo&w=560&h=315]

    Official Plot Synopsis: Starring Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, “WandaVision” is a blend of classic television and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in which Wanda Maximoff and Vision—two super-powered beings living idealized suburban lives—begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems. The show features the return of Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis & Randall Park as Agent Jimmy Woo, as well as the introduction of new faces, such as Teyonah Parris as adult Monica Rambeau and Kathryn Hahn as the nosey neighbor, Agnes.

     

    The show is currently scheduled to premiere Late 2020, streaming exclusively on Disney+.

  • Black Panther May Have Been ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ First DLC Character

    Black Panther May Have Been ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ First DLC Character

    Marvel’s Avengers players are starving for content. So far, we only got the Mega Hive as post-launch addition with more on the way. Just recently, the community manager took to Reddit to share that they are taking current concerns seriously. It was a necessary touch to give players some reassurance. They did confirm we would receive a confirmation for the timings by next week. To build up to that moment, I’ve been rewatching old War Table videos. My goal was to get a feeling for what the plans may have been for the game. As such, I just felt like playing around with a theory as we wait for the official reveal of future content by the developer Crystal Dynamics.

    The game’s release kicked off with quite a few bugs, so a delay is part of the course in the Games-as-a-Service model. Yet, we wouldn’t get our first real addition until the end of October with Kate Bishop. The reveal trailer at the time included a brief tribute to Chadwick Boseman with the info that Black Panther would not be included as originally planned. I started wondering when they planned to reveal him, as we haven’t heard anything about the character in over a month. I was rewatching the War Table that gave us our first DLC reveal, and something caught my eye while going through the initial reveal for Hawkeye. His symbol was the second among the four.

    Every Avenger has a unique symbol in the game, which is used in the character select menu. It seemed like initially, they were planning to reveal four characters at one point. Optimistically speaking, maybe they planned on four DLC characters for 2020. There is no confirmation for that, but it could’ve been a monthly release once the game was made available. Still, what we are focusing on is the placement of Hawkeye’s symbol.

    This visual would confirm he was always going to be the second addition. A month later, we learned Kate Bishop would be our first official post-launch character. As mentioned previously, Black Panther seemed to have a larger role in that War Table’s reveal until he was delayed. Both Bishop and Hawkeye’s operations are confirmed as a double feature so he may have been the third DLC character. Yet, something doesn’t quite add up once you take a closer look at later showcases of the video. If you rewatch the brief tease of Bishop’s operation, you’ll notice a similarity between hers and Clint Barton’s. The unique symbol is identical to the one we saw during Hawkeye’s reveal.

    The initial reveal video showed something more akin to the Fraction comic’s bullseye logo. Even early leaks seemed to reveal a unique logo for potential echo characters like War Machine. So, it would’ve made sense for her bullseye visual to be Kate Bishop’s unique design. Even if the Hawkeye stories are a double-feature, why give characters one-of-a-kind visuals if they aren’t the operations? In reality, we never actually saw her symbol transition into an in-game design. It was just a visual flair during the video to call back to the comics. It also opens up the question of how character selection would include both characters. Crystal Dynamics might be giving you the option to chose Hawkeye with an additional choice between the variations. If this is the case, why is Hawkeye’s symbol the second one if both characters share it in-game?

    It seemed that Black Panther was going to be an aspect of the first character reveal. At one point, he may have been the first DLC in the game. It may also explain why Kate’s DLC release is delayed until the end of October. There is also the addition of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Substation Zero operation will lead to Kate’s storyline. It will introduce us to the Tachyon Rifts that will play an important role in the Avengers Initiative campaign. So, if Black Panther was going to be the first released, his story may have built up towards these rifts. The delay also could mean that some parts of the story had to be rewritten or adapted, which added to the current content delays.

    Keep in mind, this is nothing more than a theory but it is an interesting one with the information that was originally given by the developers. In some way, maybe the lack of a release date for Kate Bishop may also be caused by the upcoming Disney+ show. Marvel Studios confirmed her inclusion in Hawkeye, so they were forced to wait for the official reveal of the actress to build upon that hype. The synergy between Marvel’s ventures is great for the shows but may have also added to the issues that plagued the game’s release. No matter what may have been the reason, it is interesting how these things come together.

    Source: Reddit, YouTube

  • Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Widow’: Who is Rick Mason?

    Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Widow’: Who is Rick Mason?

    As Marvel Studios has once again postponed Black Widow‘s release, it gives us some time to brush up on our comic history. The film will focus on Natasha Romanoff’s history with the Red Room. It is a top-secret Soviet institute that turned young women into elite assassins. Of course, Natasha was once a member before joining S.H.I.E.L.D. at an unknown point. The upcoming film will dive deep into the various characters from her past who all may have deep ties with the secret organization. So, let’s use this opportunity to dive deep into the various characters in 400 words or less.

    Rick Mason is a mercenary who specialized in non-lethal combat against superhumans. His father was the criminal inventor Phineas Mason, who is better known as the Tinkerer. He was briefly part of S.H.I.E.L.D., MI-6, and even the Russian intelligence. Mason’s freelance work is under the codename The Agent, where he works for the highest bidder. We first got introduced to the character in Marvel Graphic Novel #57 back in 1990. Since, he was hired to kill a CIA mole, take on renegade China agents, and even took out a quintet of powered mercenaries. Mason even took on The Corporation as his father was forced to work for them. This job led to him fighting alongside Luke Cage and another agent, Dakota North, who was sent by his own father to take down the organization. In reality, he sent them to save his son.

    The character will have a role in the upcoming Black Widow film, who seems to have a romantic interest in her. He will be played by O-T Fagbenle and is currently the frontrunner to be Taskmaster’s secret identity. Mason might be the furthest departure from the comics. We saw the Tinkerer in Spider-Man: Homecoming, so he won’t be his son in this incarnation. He was mentioned as an agent, who has some history as part of S.H.I.E.L.D., which would fit the depiction of Taskmaster in various media. He was a member of the spy organization in the Ultimate Spider-Man animated series and the recently released Marvel’s Avengers. There is also a good chance that these loose connections are a red herring to keep us guessing on who the iconic villain may turn out to be. He hasn’t been featured in trailers so far, so anything is possible.

  • Disney to Reorganize Around Disney+, Sets Date of Virtual Investor Day

    Disney to Reorganize Around Disney+, Sets Date of Virtual Investor Day

    The House of Mouse has been keeping itself busy these past few days. Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced today some major structural changes, putting their main focus “on developing and producing original content for the Company’s streaming services.” Under this new structure, “the Studios Content, which will focus on creating branded theatrical and episodic content based on the Company’s powerhouse franchises for theatrical exhibition, Disney+ and the Company’s other streaming services; featuring content from “Disney Live-action & Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight Pictures.”

    Chapek: “Given the incredible success of Disney+ and our plans to accelerate our direct-to-consumer business, we are strategically positioning our Company to more effectively support our growth strategy and increase shareholder value. Managing content creation distinct from distribution will allow us to be more effective and nimble in making the content consumers want most, delivered in the way they prefer to consume it. Our creative teams will concentrate on what they do best–making world-class, franchise-based content–while our newly centralized global distribution team will focus on delivering and monetizing that content in the most optimal way across all platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and the coming Star international streaming service.”

    These sort of statements leave people to wonder how Disney might operate within the next couple of months leading into 2021, since they sound to be trying to go for the “direct to consumer” approach based on Chapek’s statements.

    Currently, Disney is set to discuss their “fiscal full year and fourth quarter 2020 financial results via a live audio webcast” on November 12th.

    Not only that, but it’s been confirmed that Disney will hold its Investor’s Day on December 10th virtually.

    This sort of news can certainly lead to lots and lots of speculation, some of which we’ve already discussed before in a previous article earlier this year:

    How much profit did Mulan make on Disney+ Premier Access?

    If a theatrical film like Soul is being released exclusively on Disney+ on December 25th, what is the possibility that other films in Disney’s slate of releases could be released via Disney+?

    updates, developments, or casting news regarding the marvel studios d+ shows

    updates, developments, or casting news regarding the Star wars d+ shows

  • Murphy’s Law Podcast: Episode 67

    Murphy’s Law Podcast: Episode 67

    Charles and Charles are back with a review of the season finale of The Boys and to chat about what Doctor Strange might be up to in Spidey 3, the Green Lantern series and more!

  • REVIEW: X of Swords #1-5 is Hickman at his Most Hickman-est

    REVIEW: X of Swords #1-5 is Hickman at his Most Hickman-est

    I’m an unabashed fan of Jonathan Hickman’s work in comics. His work, both at Marvel Comics and as an indie creator, has always left me entertained, confused and made me walk away thinking deeply and often coming back to reread issues on multiple occasions. I was thrilled to find out that not only would Hickman be writing X-Men books but also that he was going to be “Head of X”, meaning that he’d be overseeing the entire X-line and that we were about to go on a long journey with one of the best longform narrators in comics.

    One of the things Hickman has proven very adept at doing during his tenure with Marvel Comics is subtly reworking and expanding the mythology around some of the publisher’s most popular and well-established characters and he certainly didn’t hold back in doing that when he launched this X-line with dual titles House of X and Powers of X, establishing an incredible series of events and placing Moira McTaggert right in the middle of the very convoluted history (and future) of the X-Men. HoX and PoX launched the first two waves of X-books, all of which have landed more punches than they’ve missed for me, which have been building up to the Hickman’s first big X-event: X of Swords. The line-wide event has just kicked off and I’ve caught up on the first 5 issues of the 22-issue event. Is X of Swords off to a strong start? I have some thoughts!

    REVIEW: X of Swords - Creation #1 Is an Ambitious Start to Marvel's X-Men First Crossover

    The first title, X of Swords: Creation, came out swinging and set up perhaps Hickman’s most ambitious and far-reaching work at Marvel to this point. Hickman has spent a good deal of time in Dawn of X rewriting the history of Krakoa, reestablishing the importance of Otherworld and continuing to add to the already impressive personal history of one of Marvel’s most fascinating characters, Apocalypse. Hickman has always been a master world builder and his efforts during Dawn of X might well top any of his work at Marvel to this point. As usual for me, I’ve had to work through multiple rereads of multiple issues to try to get a handle on the disparate threads that are now weaving together in X of Swords but after finishing the first 5 issues of the event, I feel it is safe to say it was time well spent and that we might be in the opening act not only of one of Hickman’s best but also one of Marvel Comics best event-style arcs ever.

    Obviously this isn’t just Hickman at work here, though the narrative is certainly his concoction, and the group of writers who have been working to set up the chess board for this event have done a great job of telling their own stories while staying aligned with Hickman’s vision. Specific to this review, the works of Gerry Duggan (Cable and Maruauders), Benjamin Percy (X-Force and Wolverine), Leah Williams (X-Factor) and though her book wasn’t one of the first five issues of the event, Tini Howard (Excalibur). Of the group, Howard’s exquisite Excalibur book has laid much of the foundation for the first 5 parts of the event, bringing Otherworld to the forefront of not just the line of X-books but potentially the entire Marvel Universe. The amount of planning that had to have gone into this is staggering and, I imagine, on par with the 2007-08 Messiah Complex event under the direction of Christopher Yost, yet the team has made it work incredibly well.

    What Worked Well:

    Pretty much everything. The biggest payoff comes in the form of the latest chapter of the history of Apocalypse. We’ve seen bits and pieces of his past brought to light over the past several months, but the opening salvo of X of Swords clarifies what has to be one of the most shocking retcons in recent memory and something that has been a looming mystery since we were teased with this Sinister Secret all the way back in Powers of X #2:

    “For years, this fittest-of-all mutant has routinely surrounded himself with a particular-numbered entourage. These hangers-on stick around for a while until they are eventually replaced with newer, more exciting members. What most people don’t know is that if the original members returned, these pretenders would be dropped so fast their heads would spin.”

    As we learned from Krakoa itself (via Cypher), Krokoa is half of a whole with its other half, Arrako, having been separated in an ancient war when the Twilight Sword opened a rift in reality allowing an army of demons to pour through. Here Apocalypse and his original horsemen made a stand against the horde, saving Earth but at the cost of Arrako and the Horsemen being lost in another dimension that Apocalypse was unable to access until now. All of Apocalype’s machinations to this point have been about him finding a way to access Otherworld and then finding his way back to Arrako and now we know why: the original Four Horsemen are the children of Apocalypse, his true heirs and his actions cost him the life of their mother and doomed them to an eternal battle. Once reunited, it isn’t long before Apocalypse is betrayed by his children and the Summoner of Arrako forcing the X-Men to rush to his side and setting in motion the ambitious “contest of champions” that will pit 10 X-Men against 10 Swordbearers of Arrako with the fate of not just mutantkind but mankind at stake! For the first time in a long time, Apocalypse isn’t the one in charge of the game board, finding himself and his nation bending to the will of Saturnyne, the ruler of Otherworld. It’s here where it hit me that this event seems to truly be written for hardcore fans of the X-Men  who have poured not only through the Dawn of X books but also the 6 decades worth of stories that came before. Seeing a character like Saturnyne become a major power player by establishing a tournament, the repercussions of which will almost certainly be felt throughout the larger Marvel universe, seems incredibly satisfying as someone who has been a fan of X-books since the early 80s.

    X of Swords: Wolverine Blames Krakoa for Marvel's Mutant War

    I loved the verses recited by Polaris that hint at who the X-Men’s Swordbearers will be and much of what we saw in the first 5 issues (and will see for the next several more, I assume) is the individual journeys of those Swordbearers as they work to acquire their blades and find their way to the circle of Santo (I made that up). While some of the X-Men Swordbearers were predictable before the start (Magik and Wolverine were in the “oh yeah for sure” category for me) and another became obvious in his solo book (Cable), others were more of a surprise and, of course, we get to meet some new and memorable characters on the other side of the contest, such as Solem who has already become an incredibly intriguing character. Through the first five issues, Marauders #13 and the connected narrative of Wolverine #6 and X-Force #13 detail the events of two characters, Storm and Wolverine, in pursuit of the blades they’ll need to join the contest. Both characters are forced to confront their pasts (Strom must infiltrate Wakanda and Wolverine must go back to Hell) in order to acquire their blades. Storm’s tale was especially enjoyable as it allowed readers to revisit her past both as Queen of Wakanda and as a master thief while finding a way to add to the already well-developed history of Wakanda by introducing the Skybreaker blade. If these two stories are the template for what we can expect over the next several weeks as the other key figures gather their swords, we’re in for a treat. These stories are a great reminder of a constant theme in this review: it’s not JUST the mutant nation of Krakoa at risk here.

    And finally it’s the emergence of a true threat to the mutants that gives this event the promise of true stakes which then makes it worth reading. Since Hickman established the mutant resurrection protocols with the HoX/PoX relaunch, death has simply become an obstacle to mutantkind and one that is easily overcome. The death of Santo in Otherworld, however, changed the rules of the game as it was revealed that dying in Otherworld, the Nexus of all Realities, means that resurrection is a crap shoot as the “new” Santo was an amalgamation of all Santos (that’s some serious Hickman-ness). So while these brave heroes prepare this tournament, their lives are now truly on the line as they fight for everything they just established.

    The first 5 issues are truly Hickman at his most Hickman-est: weaving together multiple threads of complex world building, revealing secret histories of characters and places we thought we knew and quickly establishing that pretty much everything we thought we knew was wrong. It also goes ties back to one of his constant Marvel mantra: everything dies.

    What Didn’t Work Well:

    It’s hard to give something a fair review when you don’t have anything negative to say. To me this is the type of event story telling I love. It’s complex, layered, requires a lot of prior knowledge and sets up many potential new arcs even as it deals with ones that have been ongoing for some time. By nature then it includes a lot of moving parts and a ton of characters and could, for those reasons, be really off-putting to someone who hasn’t been keeping up. So it probably isn’t the ideal jumping on point if you’re looking to dig into X-books but more of a gift to the hardcore X-fans.

     

    Takeaway:

    A well-crafted start to an event that promises big things, X of Swords #1-5 are worth the money and effort you’ve invested so far but might not be for everyone, especially if you’re not up to date on Dawn of X.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Robert Pattinson’s Returns to ‘The Batman’ Set in BTS Photos

    Robert Pattinson’s Returns to ‘The Batman’ Set in BTS Photos

    The Batman was one of the first series to enter production after the pandemic has calmed down. It took some time but it seemed we were slowly returning to normalcy. We all knew there would always be the risk that the production set could be hit at any time. Suddenly, the news dropped that Robert Pattinson had been tested positive and the production shut down. Now, a month later we heard rumblings of the production slowly returning to normal. Now, we got our first look at the set that also includes the confirmation that Pattinson has returned to the set. The Daily Mail shared some photos from Liverpool’s George’s Hall. They confirmed that it will be used as Gotham’s City Hall, as a sign was sighted outside of the building.

    It is great to see that he is healthy again. It seems like they are filming a sequence we’ve already seen a part of from the first trailer that was released during DC FanDome. Pattison‘s suit seems to closely match what we’ve seen in that scene, especially the black tie. The scene they are filming seems to take place during the funeral scene where a man drives a car into the building. Gotham P.D. is on stand-by outside to keep the place safe. So, this could take place after the bomb threat, so that they can hold a public funeral. It could also be before the events from the trailer, as they might be making sure whoever killed him won’t strike again. If that is the case, they did not do a good job going by what follows in the film’s first trailer.

    There are also set photos from Twitter user @yassinfinite that may give us our first look at Riddler’s goons in the film. The dead giveaawy is the big question mark on their back.

    https://twitter.com/yassinfinite/status/1315602476570157056

    The set photos also give us a first look at Bruce’s vintage ride. The Daily Mail calls it a Batmobile, but it just seems like the car he uses for his day persona. In the past, we’ve seen Batman drive a lot of fancy modern vehicles, so this car highlights the gothic nature of this incarnation. Moreover, it may also be a tribute to the 60s vehicle as a nice Easter Egg for the film. I love the visual approach they are taking with this film. The film sadly was delayed, but it gives them enough time to shoot the footage they need without the worries of constant delays. We hope that everyone on set remains healthy and safe in these troubling times.

     

    Source: Daily Mail, Twitter

  • ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ Ramping up Production in Prague

    ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ Ramping up Production in Prague

    Over the past few days, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” (2021) production moved to Prague for some more shoots and takes for the upcoming Disney+ limited series. We know that as of now, they’re still trying to complete production and we don’t know exactly how far along the team is production-wise. But a local site has been keeping us to date on all of the things the team shoot and film for the show. And most recently, it seems that they started filming some action sequences involving Sebastian’s Stan double for the show, some wires, and a sequence involving a bridge.

     

     

    Now in these videos above, we can see Sebastian Stan’s double performing a sort of stunt sequence involving some wirework, along with a drone camera capturing another angle to the scene. According to the page and their sources, the production team was shooting “a chase scene close to National Theater – one of the main historic sites of Prague.” Neither Sebastian Stan nor Daniel Brühl (who plays Baron Zemo) are in Prague but sources say they will be arriving at a later date. Currently, Anthony Mackie & Wyatt Russell are already there in Prague for production. Another very important thing to note is that Adepero Oduye was seen on the premises of production. We’ve already discussed her joining the cast back in November. Her role still remains unknown, however, we’ve caught wind that the Oduye’s character will be “someone close to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson.”

     

    Another interesting tidbit from the set photos is that they were able to confirm that a part of the plot in Prague will be set in Riga, the capital city of Latvia, based on the street signs and the Latvian police cars.

     

    Now apart from that chase sequence, there was also another production unit stationed at the Troja Bridge and “a road in the countryside where production shot a scene with armed vehicles.”

     

     

     

    Stay tuned for more updates.

     

    Source: Fandíme Filmu, Instagram

  • ‘WandaVision’ BTS Images Could Tease a Musical Number

    ‘WandaVision’ BTS Images Could Tease a Musical Number

    The first Disney+ show to finally be released will be WandaVision. There sadly is still no official release date. A recent datamine may have revealed that it is heading towards a Thanksgiving release, or at least in December. The show is still in production, as they still have some episodes to shoot after production was halted during the pandemic. Now, some pictures were released by @eobrmidias that give us a good look at the cast getting ready for an upcoming shot. The first set of pictures features Elizabeth Olsen in a rather interesting outfit.

    https://twitter.com/eobrmidias/status/1314962819448741889

    There are also pictures featuring the rest of the cast Paul Bettany, Teyonah Parris, Kathryn Hahn, and Paul Bettany.

    https://twitter.com/eobrmidias/status/1314971754792660992

    Paul Bettany seems to be wearing a suit of some kind. This is just a theory, but it looks like Wanda may be part of some show or dance number. At first, her outfit seemed like a colorful swimsuit but her stockings would hint at this being an outfit for a show. The only confusion would be Parris and Hahn‘s outfits. If this is from the same day on set, their costumes are very varied that wouldn’t make sense in the same scene. It could be that while they are talking, Wanda and Vision break out into a musical number. Many shows have included musical episodes like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, How I Met Your Mother, Community, and many more. The sitcom inspiration opens up so many possibilities so it wouldn’t be unlikely. It would be very interesting if they break out in song while the warped reality breaks apart around them.

    There might be one more picture from the set back in February that could give it away. In the backlots for both Loki and WandaVision, a huge tent was seen before they had to shut down. It looked like a circus tent, which could mean that Wanda is wearing an outfit for a trapeze artist. Bettany‘s smoking could mean he is the circus director. It only opens up the question why they are in these roles to begin with.

    It will be interesting to see how this comes together. They may be wrapping up production so they can get the effects to work done before the show launches. Aa they are still filming, this could be the reason that no specific date has been set so they don’t run into an early deadline. Here’s hoping we get some kind of reveal soon.

    Source: Twitter, Instagram