Olivier Coipel's X-Cellent Covers

I love me some Olivier Coipel artwork, but I really hope we get more from him than just cover work. Coipel was responsible for the first Age of X: Alpha teaser and he is also responsible for one of the cover treatments for issue #1 (above). I've always loved Avalanche and sure hope that is him front and center.

The “Age of X” storyline that begins next year is a seven-issue arc that begins with Age of X: Alpha and carries on into X-Men: Legacy #245-247 and New Mutants #22-24. Like “Age of Apocalypse” before it, “Age of X involves a world in which Charles Xavier never started a school—and sanctuary—for mutants.

Coipel also drew the cover for the first issue of Wolverine and Jubilee (below). Coipel has taken pieces of Jubilee's classic look and reinterpreted it into something that actually looks cool. This title follows the aftermath of the “Curse of the Mutants” storyline which has had a depowered Jubilee transformed into a vampire. The book is written by Kathryn Immonen and drawn by Phil Noto.

Age of X: Alpha #1 is scheduled for release on January 26, 2011. Wolverine and Jubilee is scheduled for release on January 19, 2011.

Wednesday's Finest: 'Heroes for Hire' #1 (Marvel)

By Don M. Ventura

“Hello hero. This is Control. Are you for hire tonight?”

This opening request thrusts the heroes in Heroes for Hire into action. Writing team Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, most recently known for their fresh spin on the galactic Marvel properties Nova and the Guardians of the Galaxy, are onto something both gritty and sci-fi with this new title.

In the book, Misty Knight hires available heroes to jump into action immediately. From the looks of it, her payment either comes in the form of money or leads on cases of which the heroes are working.

Abnett and Lanning are masters of the art form. The book opens fast and goes and goes, with little stopping but plenty of exposition. It unfolds like a great action movie but with the dialogue and intrigue that usually takes a backseat to flashes and sounds. The story involves the heroes, Falcon, then Black Widow, then Moon Knight, and finally Elektra as they all take a part in thwarting a plot to synthesize an Atlantean drug called Hook that is especially addictive to humans.

Misty Knight works as an Oracle-type who hires and communicates with the heroes, providing intelligence as they provide their unique assistance in their brief war on drugs. The book ends with a nice shock ending in which we learn what classic villain is really pulling the strings behind the newly revived Heroes for Hire.

Walker’s pencils are especially nice on the book. The characters are flying, jumping, and running across the panels as they uncover more and more of the mystery behind Hook. The opening two page splash page with Falcon flying across Newark is gorgeous, as are all of his illustrations of the book’s four heroes in action.

I was excited for this book when it was first announced because it takes those characters who can’t seem to sustain a long run on an ongoing title and throws them together into one book where they work well. Like Secret Avengers, with the right writing team, these C-list characters are given the treatment they deserve. Because they are also under-the-radar characters, they are not sacrosanct and therefore their fates are not untouchable.

Heroes for Hire shows a lot of promise based on this series opener. The ending was an interesting surprise. It will be interesting to see how long the heroes run missions for their mystery benefactor and how they will proceed without him providing intel and calling the shots.

Finally, I love the series’ catchy catchphrase (“Hello hero…”) that is instantly reminiscent Mission: Impossible ’s iconic “Your mission, should you decide to accept it.” Where can I get a T-shirt?

'Superman XXX' to be Followed by More Hardcore Comic Book Interpretations

Disclaimer #1: it was difficult not to include some obvious puns in this post.

Watch out Vivid! The families of Siegel & Shuster and Warner Bros. do not have an aversion to courtrooms.

After the huge success of Batman XXX: A Porn Parody, it was only natural that Superman XXX: A Porn Parody would follow. The  Batman “parody” was based on the wacky 60’s television series and this new Superman “parody” is based on the original 1978 Superman film. Because these videos have been so successful, the adult studios continue to churn them out.

Bleeding Cool (Disclaimer #2: the pics could be considered ribald) was invited to the set of Justice League of America XXX, which is currently being filmed by up and coming studio Extreme ComiXXX. The new studio also has Avengers themed video in the pipeline. Did you look? You're probably thinking what I'm thinking... Robin was never in the JLA!

Apparently superheroes are an incredibly attractive property to the adult industry because Thor, Hulk, Spider-Man, Wonder Woman and Green Hornet inspired videos (and many more) are in the works from different studios eager to cash in on the "parody" craze has been hugely successful to the industry.

This all begs the question: Do porn enthusiasts like the idea of their favorite superheroes in hardcore scenarios, or is it that comic book fans hungry for stories that are easier to follow?

A Less Venomous Venom Debuts in 'Amazing Spider-Man' #654.1

Marvel has released their first official look at the new Venom and he doesn’t appear to be chasing the wall crawler. In fact he looks like he’s on a case with Spidey on the Paulo Siqueira cover of issue 654.1 (this is the first issue under the Marvel Point One initiative) of The Amazing Spider-Man. If you have been reading the new AMS by Dan Slott you’ll recall that the Venom symbiote is in the process of being removed from its current host, Mac Gargan (the original Scorpion).

Marvel has had a history of this Todd McFarlane creation going from bad to good to bad again. It should be interesting to see what Slott has in mind for the character in his sprawling Spider-Man epic.

The Amazing Spider-Man #654.1 is scheduled for release on February 9, 2011.

Spider-Man Reboot Movie Casting and Educated Guesses at Plot Points

Beware of a few spoilers that may or may not be featured in the 2012 Spider-Man reboot.

As casting reports continue to be made about Marc Webb’s new Spider-Man film, you get the sense of departure from what has come before it. The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Campbell Scott (above, The Spanish Prisoner) has been signed to play Peter Parker’s father Richard, while Julianne Nicholson (Kinsey) is said to be in talks to play Peter’s mother Mary. While the two enjoyed a ridiculous storyline during the 90’s (we learned they we’re S.H.I.E.L.D. agents), I would guess their parts will remain fairly dramatic in the reboot.

Here’s my worthless guess at a plot point. Richard Parker was a scientist in the Ultimate Spider-Man universe and I suspect that he will be the inventor of the formula that Peter uses for his web-shooters. I have my doubts that Webb is going to re-use the idea of organic web-shooters (from the Sam Raimi films) and it’s a bit difficult to buy that a teenager (no matter how brilliant) is going to invent them on his own.

The Hollywood Reporter also announced that Irrfan Khan (left, Slumdog Millionaire) would be playing a villain whose proper name is Van Atter. Splash Page ran a story about a very rare character from the 90’s named Van Adder who was one of the initial test subjects for the serum that turns Norman Osborn into the Green Goblin. The serum turnes Van Adder into a monster.

A second worthless guess at a plot point, and this one is somewhere in the realm of implausible. What if there is no character named Van Atter in the film and Khan is actually going to play Norman Osborn. The basis of this unlikely ruse is that Norman turns into a more monstrous Green Goblin in the first arc of Ultimate Spider-Man and doesn’t strike until the second arc of the book. Webb has previously mentioned inspiration for his take on Spider-Man has come from the Brian Michael Bendis-penned series.

Lastly, Emma Stone (below) is looking quite a lot like her on-screen persona Gwen Stacy these days. MTV snapped a picture of her at The Trevor Project's "Trevor LIVE" show.

So You Won't Watch a Series with the Word 'Raven' in the Title, eh?

I think television is the perfect place for smaller, lesser known comic book properties. Warner Bros. struck out with their last semi-obscure property, Birds of Prey—but I think part of that was how close it tried to stay in the realm of Batman without having Batman.

Last week the Variety reported that the CW would be bringing a Raven series to the small screen  just in time to fill some red boots as they fly away after ten seasons. Diego Gutierrez (V and Buffy the Vampire Slayer) will produce and write the new series based on one of the more tragic heroines of the 80’s.

Raven was created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez as one of the founders of the new Teen Titans back in 1980. Raven is an empath who is forced to maintain control over her emotions in order to keep her demonic side at bay. Her father is an interdimensional demon name Trigon who impregnated her human mother and just started the ball rolling on bad parenting.

Trigon has haunted his daughter for years and is sure to be a constant in Raven’s life during the course of the series. He’s big, red, has horns and four eyes (no, not glasses) and he is as evil as they come. While I wouldn’t expect an exact adaptation of Trigon on television, I’ll cross my fingers that he won’t be an over the top veteran actor who sports a red tie and smokes a cigar—if the phrase “What, no hug for daddy?” followed by a sinister laugh makes it into the show, I’m out.

It will be interesting to see what is kept and what remains with this adaptation of Raven. She has the ability to teleport and heal people (but she feels the pain that she drains from them). I always thought she was a bit on the humorless side though, so I can’t imagine too literal a translation for her character either.

A Raven series is only in the earliest of developmental stages now, so it remains to be seen if this will make it to 2011 Fall season in time to ensure that the CW is not without a DC property in its lineup.

Gene Ha's Chilling 'Batman and Robin' #18 Cover

I used to go nuts for variant covers, trying to buy as many as I could so that I could start my own little nest egg for a little place in the Florida Keys. Okay, perhaps I wasn't so speculative that I imagined a small fortune derived by an eye for alternate covers, but I did used to be something of a collecting completist. Today I only enjoy the artwork from afar. Top Ten artist Gene Ha has drawn the cover for Batman and Robin #19 (the last issue in Paul Cornell's mini arc) and that is some really chilling stuff!

SNL has Fun with 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark'

This weekend Saturday Night Live had some fun with the technical problems Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark had in last week's first preview. Theatergoers were treated to a memorably long and problematic first night as stunts and glitches forced the show to stop several times during the course of the production. In the clip Andy Samberg plays Brian Christopher, the fourth actor to play Spider-Man due to injuries incurred by the first three (the third one apparently exploded).

Enjoy the video. I really think you're going to flip for it!

Just in Time for the Holidays: 'Smallville' Spoilers

We know she eventually says "yes", but we're going to have to wait and see in a week before we hear Lois' response to the question Clark is popping in the December 10th episode of Smallville.  She had better answer quickly because Clark is going to be thrust immediately into action with Green Arrow, Hawkman, and Stargirl as they go up against Slade Wilson (the man who would be Deathstroke).

If you caught Friday's episode, you would have seen the inclusion of the alternate reality Lionel Luthor into the series as he followed Clark back to the Blur's reality (see below). What an ending!

Aquaman is Deserving of Some Big Screen Love

If you are wondering why Warner Bros. would green light an Aquaman movie, then perhaps you aren’t wondering hard enough.

Without a doubt he seems silly and it’s hard to get past that name, but there are indeed plans to bring the Atlantean to the big screen. Interestingly enough, Warners has more confidence in their Flash and Wonder Woman properties than Aquaman; according to Screen Rant, studio insiders claimed this week that an Aquaman film would not hit theaters until the Scarlet Speedster and the Amazonian Princess received their own successful big screen treatments.

Now this is interesting because, while Aquaman does not have the steam to carry an ongoing, he seems perfectly fit for a big screen adaptation; his story is no less far-fetched than that of Flash, Wonder Woman or Green Lantern. In fact, of the DC’s properties that seem like it will take a genius to guide them, it’s going to be Wonder Woman who may have the most difficult time making the transition to the big screen because of it’s fantasy elements and the costume. Aquaman may dress in orange chain mail, but his costume is not as iconic as Diana’s and its alterations may be more readily accepted by fanboys.

While Aquaman has never had an ongoing that has lasted more than 75 issues, in the right hands his character and world seems ripe for an epical big screen adaptation. Aquaman has Atlantean parents who abandon him to be raised by humans. When he eventually learns of his powers he returns to Atlantis where he is made king and falls in love with Mera, the future queen. He has an evil half-brother and an even more evil arch nemesis in Black Manta, who might go down in history as committing the most evil attacks on a nemesis in the annals of comic books—Black Manta kills the infant son of Aquaman and Mera.

Because he is raised as a human, he doesn’t have to be the stone-faced posturing hero just because he is the King of Atlantis. This enables the writers to create a character whose transformation from human to eventual king can be seen through the eyes of a very human character.

If the source material is treated with respect and properly mined of its stronger fantasy elements, an Aquaman film has the potential to inspire a little wonder.

'Walking Dead' Marathon Culminates in Season Ender

The Walking Dead ends it’s brief but successful first season tonight. If you have missed any episodes (or you just want to watch them all again) AMC is running all of them today beginning at 4:30 p.m./3:30 p.m. CST.  The marathon ends with the final new episode of the season before the series takes its 10-month hiatus. The Walking Dead has departed from the original comic book’s first story arc pretty significantly as of last week’s ending. It will be interesting to see what other veering the show will do in terms of plotting, tonight and once it comes back for an elongated (thirteen episodes) second season.

Hans Zimmer to Score Superman Reboot

If there is any music that inspires you to stretch your arms out in front of you to simulate flight, it’s John Williams’ Superman theme. It was this theme that promised Superman’s triumphant return to film after a near twenty year absence when Bryan Singer brought Big Blue back in 2006.

However, Zack Snyder will not be using the familiar theme for his 2012 reboot of the franchise.  This week Hans Zimmer was hired to score Snyder’s film, which the producers promise to also be a thematic departure from what has come before it. While Williams’s score is one of cinema’s most memorable, this new movie stand in its own big red boots. Singer’s film was, really to a fault, an homage to the original two Superman films and Snyder is going to have to bring something different to the screen to properly relaunch the property.

Zimmer has scored countless films that may not have the presence of Williams’ music, but his scores are powerful nonetheless. Zimmer’s blockbuster credits include: Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, the Pirates of the Caribbean films, Sherlock Holmes, and he collaborated on Batman Returns and The Dark Knight.

Here’s a sampling of his more popular work:

UPDATE: Hans Zimmer has told the Hollywood Reporter that he is not scoring the new Superman movie.

Ultraman Runs Amok in This Week's 'Smallville'

Since 1938 Superman has been inspiring hope and goodwill to the people of his adopted planet.

In 1964 comic book readers were introduced to his evil doppelganger from Earth-3, Ultraman. He inspired fear and malevolence. Earth 3 is inhabited by amoral versions of DC’s classic superheroes; the nastiest and vilest belong to a team called the Crime Syndicate. It’s leader, Ultra-Man, is a human whose powers are increased by exposure either by kryptonite (Golden Age version) or Anti-Kryptonite (the current version).

Earth-3 is one the many infinite realities that perished in the 80’s classic maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths. However, Ultraman and the Syndicate were granted a new lease on life thanks to Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s fantastic graphic novel JLA: Earth-2. Ultraman and the rest of the team were not only evil, they were completely depraved.

This week Ultraman makes his first appearance on Smallville in an episode featuring the return of John Glover as Lionel Luthor. In the episode, the good and bad Clark inadvertently switch realities. In the new reality we learn that evil Clark was raised by an equally evil Lionel Luthor (shouldn’t he be good?) instead of the Kents. I am especially excited that Bryan Q. Miller (Batgirl) has written the episode; Miller has an ear for witty dialogue.

The episode titled “Luthor” airs this Friday on the CW at 8 p.m./ 7 p.m. CST. See the previews below.

Good Clark

Bad Clark

Holy Alter Ego! Discover Your Batman Name!

Have you ever wanted to know what you crime-fighting moniker would be if you ever decided to thwart evil in the deepest darkest bowels of Gotham City? With Batman Inc. and all of the revitalized Bat-books flying off the shelves, this is the perfect opportunity to discover your Batman name using this eerily accurate Batman name identifier.

Follow the simple instructions and within seconds you'll have uncovered your own personal Batman name. It's pretty sweet! I've already tried it using my name, my mother's maiden name, and my dog's name. Try it out Gothamites!

Francesco Francavilla Takes on Superman

I usually check in with Comic Twart a few times a week. First to see what subject the contributing artists are going to tackle and then, periodically, to see what they come up with. This week see interpretations of the Man of Steel and it is going to be difficult to top Francesco Francavilla's homage to one of Superman's most well known catchphrases.

Look! Up in the sky...

A thing of pure beauty.