Best of 2010. A BIG Year for the Announcement of Film and Television Projects

Clockwise from left: Hulk, Alias, Raven and Wonder Woman television projects
were only a few of those announced in 2010.

There has been a lot of big comic book news in 2010: another year of sagging sales, the leap by all the major publishers into digital comic books, and the price point changes to $2.99 (for some Marvel books and at a cost of two pages for DC titles).

However, the biggest news has continued through the course of the year: the increase in the production of comic book properties for film and television. Just consider the slate of films that are scheduled for release over the next two years:



Thor kicks off the 2011 comic book summer movie
season and paves the way for an even more
explosive 2012!



2011: The Green Hornet, Priest, Thor, Green Lantern, X-Men: First Class, Captain America: The First Avenger, and Cowboys and Aliens.

2012: Dredd, Ghost Rider: The Spirit of Vengeance, The Wolverine, The Dark Knight Rises, The Avengers, Men in Black 3, and untitled Spider-Man and Superman films.

In the pipeline: films based on Deadpool, the Crow, the Flash, Runaways, and Ant-Man (don’t laugh), plus a sequel to Green Lantern, and a third Iron Man.

These are the biggest properties in comic books—some of them are hitting the screen for the first time for a few reasons. The special effects have enabled filmmakers to fully-realize the fantastic adventures derived from the source material. More significantly, there’s money to be had with these properties. When handled properly the financial rewards have been there over the past decade: Spider-Man (Domestic: $403,706,375/Foreign: $418,002,176), The Dark Knight (Domestic: $533,345,358/Foreign: $468,576,467), Iron Man (Domestic: $318,412,101/ Foreign: $266,762,121), and Iron Man 2 (Domestic: $312,128,345/Foreign: $309,623,643).

This year Marvel Entertainment began looking beyond movies. By appointing Jeph Loeb to its head of television, the company is aiming to make a splash with episodic series as well. In October it was announced that a new Hulk series is being developed for ABC; nothing has been solidified but Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth) and David Eick (Battlestar Galactica) have had discussions to produce the series. AKA Jessica Jones, based on the Brian Michael Bendis comic book Alias, has been greenlit and will be executive-produced and written by Melissa Rosenberg (the Twilight films). A Cloak and Dagger series is also in the very early stages for ABC Family. 

Television audiences may be ready for Powers,
Bendis' post modern look at superheroes.

Of course The Walking Dead was a mini-phenomenon for AMC when it premiered in October and the ratings remained strong over the course of its brief six episodes; a second season premieres in October of 2011. Bendis has announced that his popular series Powers is also beginning to come together with plans to air on FX; former Walking Dead writer Charles H. "Chic" Eglee is negotiating to be a writer and executive producer on the new series.

The CW will bring a Raven series to the small screen under the guidance of producer Diego Gutierrez (V and Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Raven is a longtime member of the Teen Titans and one of the more tragic heroines of the 80’s.

It was also announced that David E. Kelly would be working to bring a Wonder Woman series to television. Admittedly the writer is not sure if he is right for the project, but he is continuing his attempt to develop the idea into something feasible. A rumor also circulated in mid November that Warner Bros. might be interested in bringing a Batman series to television once Christopher Nolan finishes his Dark Knight trilogy in 2012.

Both Marvel Entertainment and DC Entertainment seem eager to mine their vast library of properties for the proper medium. I would expect that we’ll be seeing less original series with a superhero bent such as Heroes, No Ordinary Family, and The Cape; in their place will be adaptations and reinterpretations of actual comic book properties. This is a good thing unless you love Hydrox cookies, Shasta soda, Granny Goose chips, or any other pale imitations.

In 2011 it will be interesting to see how many of the rumored projects, and the ones in the earliest of stages, actually turn into ongoing television series. Right now it’s looking like were a year or so away from some programming with some seriously cool potential.

How many of these projects will come to fruition? Stay tuned.

McGuiness and McNiven Cover 'Ultimate Comics Spider-Man'

Marvel premiered the covers for the Ultimate Comics Spider-Man issues that are leading up to next year’s “Death of Spider-Man” storyline. This one is as confounding as those double rainbows. I stopped reading this book a long time ago, but will probably be picking this up out of interest.

Ed McGuiness handled the cover for Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #153 (above) and Steve McNiven’s handiwork can be found on the cover of Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #154 (below).

I think that if Brian Michael Bendis were to say “I think I’m done here” then this would be the perfect time to close shop on the book because it is so uniquely his voice.  Could you imagine another writer on Powers or Alias? Call it what you want, Ultimate Spider-Man or Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, they wouldn’t enjoy the same longevity without Bendis.

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #153 is scheduled for release on February 2, 2011.

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #154 is scheduled for release on February 23, 2011.

Cape Town Capsule Reviews, 12/29/10 Releases

By Don M. Ventura

Captain America #613

Marvel Comics

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Ed Brubaker does what he does best with his characters and puts Captain America over a barrel in Captain America #613. Bucky goes to trial in this issue and Sin, the Red Skull’s daughter, has gone to great lengths to make certain he stays in prison.

Steve Rogers plays a perfect game of hardball with Dr. Faustus to ensure the doctor provides adequate testimony that Bucky was not in control of his faculties while working as the Winter Soldier. Brubaker knows how to build drama and does so as Sin’s plotting begins to reveal itself during the course of the trial.

Butch Guice’s artwork is excellent, fitting the tone of the book nicely. My only problem is that the inking duties during the courtroom scene almost make Guice’s art look like it’s been drawn by two separate artists. Bettie Breitweiser’s colors are as brilliant as always.

27 #2

Image Comics

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Unfortunately 27 #2 has slipped further from what I was expecting from this title. So much so that I went back to read the original solicitation.

“Hendrix, Cobain, Joplin, Morrison. All belong to the '27 Club,' which admits only the most brilliant musicians and artists…and kills them dead in their 27th year. Will Garland is a famous rock guitarist, secretly unable to play for months due to a neurological disorder afflicting his left hand. He’s also 27! With mad scientists, long dead rock legends and cosmic entities in his way, can he make it to 28?”

I was hoping for more about a musician and less about the supernatural stuff, which has not captured my interest me here. However, there’s a scene in a bar where Will and his manager discuss his playing abilities when a fan comes up and asks if Will if he’d be willing to jam with him. Will screws with the guy and agrees. This was a funny scene and seemed to be the only genuine part of the issue; other than this I haven’t gotten enough of a read on Will’s character.

Renzo Podesta’s art is fantastic and meshes well with the subject matter and the type of story Soule is telling. Podesta has an incredibly indie-look and W. Scott Forbes cover for this issue is really stunning.

Flash #8

DC Comics

«««½

Flash #7 was Geoff Johns’ retelling of Captain Boomerang’s back story and it was good. In Flash #8 the writer goes to town to make sure readers—who may not have been convinced after reading Flash: Rebirth—understand that Professor Zoom is one seriously twisted villain.

We begin with Eobard Thawne as a child in a dystopian culture that is managed by time, rather than the other way around. Thawne, a disappointment to his parents and brother, spends his precious time trying to unlock the mysteries of the Speed Force. And he does.

Soon Thawne wields the power of his past freely and without caution, tinkering with the lives around him in awful ways if he isn’t treated right. Thankfully for us, nobody treats him right and we see what lengths Thawne will go to for retribution. Johns is a master of creating formidable villains. He turned Sinestro into one of the more forceful villains in the DCU, and now it seems to be Professor Zoom’s turn.

Former Flash artist Scott Kolins rejoins Johns for this issue as he did last month and the art on the whole is fine, but there are a couple of awkward panels; at points Hawne’s face seemed a bit inconsistent.

Superman/Batman #79

DC Comics

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I didn’t read any of the “DC One Million” stories, but I was interested in picking up Chris Roberson’s take on Superman and Batman. Superma/Batman #79 was a cool fast-paced issue featuring the time traveling villain Epoch as he goes back through time to claim his rightful place (all the best villains have a clear vision of their rightful place) as leader of a past society. Epoch lands in the past and comes face to face with Superman and Batman… and Robin. Specifically the Bronze-Age versions of the characters, so yes, Robin is wearing his little green tights.

Most of the action focuses on Epoch and his ability to stay a step ahead of the World’s Finest. The story is simple and feels like a throwback to classic Bronze-Age stories where there was little fuzziness between good guys and bad.

The last panel is fantastic with a spunky young Dick Grayson exclaiming “…or my name isn’t Robin, the Teen Wonder!” Gold. Jesus Merino has drawn a sharp looking book. Both his One Million Superman and Batman characters look fantastic and the actions sequences are snappy. I like Fiona Staples artwork on the cover, but I find Superman to be posturing a bit too much to love this piece.

Teen Titans #90

DC Comics

«««½

J.T. Krul and Nicola Scott have brought Teen Titans back to the prominence they have deserved. This book was feeling aimless even before Geoff Johns departed the book shortly after the “One Year Later” event.

Teen Titans is fun, Krul gives time to all of the characters, Scott’s pencils are some of the finest the series has seen, and Damian Wayne (Robin) is a welcome addition to the team. In this issue, the Titans track down Barney Venton (perhaps not the most realistic name for a teenager in 2010), the newly-powered teen that defeated the team in the last issue. Aided by a pair of students with grudges and new powers, the Titans find themselves at a stalemate with Barney and co.

Krul seems to really have an affinity for Damian and Ravager, as he saves some of the best moments in the book for them. Krul writes them both as a couple of thrill-seeking heroes, motivated more by their love for a good fight than fighting for good. Scott has a clean and dynamic style that has a feel of George Perez’s own original vibrant New Teen Titans work.

Batman: the Dark Knight #1

DC Comics

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Batman: the Dark Knight may be the book that needs to be cut from the just-large-enough line of Bat-books. There was nothing significantly wrong with David Finch’s story except that it didn’t feel as though we were being presented with anything we haven’t seen before. This is a challenge to be sure, but one that Grant Morrison has Scott Snyder have been able to achieve on their Batman books.

Finch’s artwork is certainly above average and the book’s prestige format is always welcome; the artist draws an excellent Batman, Batcave, and the gadgetry and vehicles all look sharp. Finch isn’t a bad storyteller either. His pacing is good (no scenes linger) and his dialogue is fine. Ultimately, the book just doesn’t feel necessary.

Wednesday's Finest: 'Detective Comics' #872

By Don M. Ventura

Detective Comics #872

DC Comics

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I have never read Batman comic books as regularly as I have this year. There have been some missteps along the way (most of the Bruce Wayne: The Road Home one-shots were pretty mediocre), but on the whole there have been some damn fine Batman reading to be had in 2010.

And here comes Scott Snyder (American Vampire) with artists Jock and Francesco Francavilla to add another book to your pull list: Detective Comics. Snyder began his run on last month’s well-received Detective #871 and his second issue proves the writer is on a serious roll on this book.

Detective Comics #872 continues the mystery behind an organization called Mirror House that is selling famous criminal artifacts to Gotham’s blue bloods, who apparently have plenty of money to burn on ghastly trinkets. I won’t spoil it here, but the item displayed for sale in this issue (and the way it is described) was a particularly morbid piece of Batman memorabilia. Dick reaches out to Oracle and Tim Drake for assistance in this issue.

While we have known some of these characters for decades it’s always refreshing to have more human characterization and Snyder uses this issue to establish Dick. I liked the idea of Barbara Gordon telling Dick something about himself that he might not otherwise have realized anyone understood about him; specifically that he doesn’t like to be tied down. Snyder does this with smart, natural, dry dialogue.

“You think I like the idea of being ‘mobile’?” asks Dick readying to leave her new headquarters.

“Are you really asking me that with one leg out my window?” says Barbara.

We all love our heroes fighting crimes, solving mysteries, and doing superheroics, but, if properly handled, it’s nice to have these characters talk to one another like human beings. This is not easily accomplished, but Snyder has effortlessly combined sincere characterization with his derring-do. There are also strong scenes with Tim and Lieutenant Bullock; I appreciate the use of the Bat-family of characters that Snyder has employed in this series.

With Snyder’s polished script comes an equally talented artist: Jock. The artist is perfectly suited for a crime drama and this book plays to his strengths incredibly well. There’s an iconic shot of Batman soaring down to Earth face first from Oracle’s tower that deserves to be added to a DC Comics coffee-table book. There is a scene in which a disguised Batman infiltrates a Mirror House auction conducted by a villain referred to as the Dealer. Jock used shadow and eerie imagery to evoke the dread the Mirror House proceedings. This is some really great stuff that is tied together by colorist David Baron.

The book concludes the way more superhero comics should (and again, I won’t really spoil it). Batman realizes he’s been caught, the villain cackles, and our hero ultimately realizes he is in an impossible bind. I was reminded of an old (and this is going back) issue of DC Challenge, a 12-issue series where different writers took on a single issue of the book and left the heroes in seemingly zero-solution scenarios. One writer had Batman falling into a volcano. This ending feels as similarly hopeless.

I eagerly await the resolution!

Marvel Teases 'X-Men: First to Last'

The “Age of X” Crossover will kick off 2011 beginning in January and crossover through some of the X-books (X-Men: Legacy and New Mutants). “Onslaught Unleashed” is coming to stir up trouble for the Secret Avengers and Young Allies in February. April will see the beginning of Marvel’s line-wide crossover event Fear Itself by Matt Fraction and Stuart Immonen. After a fairly peaceful 2010, Marvel looks like they are going to amp up the events next year.

Today Marvel teased something scheduled for May 2011 called “X-Men: First to Last” with not explanation of what it is. The art looks like Paco Medina’s so it might be a storyline akin to “Curse of the Mutants” that stays within Victor Gischler’s X-Men book with some expository one-shots and minis. Stay tuned.

'Thor' and 'Avengers' Rumors, To Debunk or Not To Debunk?

We’re five months away from the release of Thor and two months away before The Avengers begins filming, so naturally there are plenty of rumors going around.

The Wrap announced today that Hawkeye, as played by Jeremy Renner, would make an appearance at some point in Thor. While Renner has previously attempted to scuttle this rumor, a source who has seen an early cut of the film confirmed that Renner does indeed make an appearance. I believe it, but it would be nice if the scene were longer than the Nick Fury cameo from the first Iron Man film; this would indicate that 2012’s Avengers film does not spend half its time getting the team together (my worst fear for that movie).

As for The Avengers, the film is set to begin filming in New Mexico in February for an expected six-month shoot. Last week the Albuquerque Journal announced that filming would take place near the city and that the story involved the infamous, to comic fans at least, Kree-Skrull War. Marvel immediately debunked the story and the Journal indicated that it was a research error.

From the Albaqurque Journal:

"The Avengers' script will blend Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger story lines as the Avengers battle with two alien races, the Skrulls and the Kree."

Allow me to become a bit of a nerd conspiracy theorist for a moment, but how would your average reporter come up with anything having to do with the Kree-Skrull War? There may actually be something to the rumor, but warring alien races seems like an awfully ambitious plot for the team’s first outing. Though with Hulk and Thor on the team, Whedon is going to have to throw a formidable baddie at Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to capture our interest.

Also debunked: rumors that Alan Tudyk (Firefly) and Demi Lovato (Camp Rock) will be appearing in The Avengers as Hank Pym (Ant-Man) and Janet Van Dyne (Wasp) respectively. This week Heat Vision confirmed Lovato was not up for the role of Wasp and Moviefone confirmed that Tudyk will not playing the troubled Dr. Pym. What has not been debunked, which greatly excites me, is that these characters may just be appearing in The Avengers in some capacity. Not only are these characters founding members, they’ve been a part of the comic books for five decades.

Thor is scheduled for release on May 6, 2011. The Avengers is scheduled for release on May 4, 2012.

Marvel Releases the Cover for 'Fantastic Four' 588, the Final Issue

Here we are. One month before a member of Marvel’s First Family is laid to rest, and two before the 50-year old comic book comes to an end. Today Marvel released the heart-breaking cover of next February’s Fantastic Four #588 (above), the final issue of the series.

There has been plenty of speculation and polls around the web as to which character might not make it to the end of issue #587, the final chapter of Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting’s buzz-worthy “3” storyline. Last week Marvel released a teaser (below) for March’s launch of—it’s hard to say—a book that probably focuses on the remaining members. Titled “FF”, this looks to be a book that will present the next chapter for the famous heroes.

Considering the book is being morphed into something new, this appears to be a creative change that will last for the long haul. Of course comic book fans are used to their deceased characters eventual returns, but in the case of the Fantastic Four, this seems like a plot device that may need to occur out of necessity rather than to kickoff an event. Fantastic Four is one of those little-read classic titles, like Wonder Woman, that regularly receives a new creative team responsible for bringing a bold fresh take on the book. I get the impression that the death and the name change is only the beginning of what Hickman has planned for the title.

So who will the team lose? I guessed at first that it would be Sue Storm, but now I’m leaning towards the Human Torch for a couple of reasons. The cover of Amazing Spider-Man #657 (which is likely a red herring, left) has Spider-Man hanging out on a water tower with Torch’s famous “4” logo in the sky. Also, I seem to remember reading that Spidey was going to be going to the Baxter building to visit with Franklin and Valeria to discuss their loss.

Though, for the Fantastic Four to be really turned on its head, the death of Reed Richards would have the greatest impact on their status quo. Without Reed, you take away the team’s leadership and all of the galaxy/reality spanning adventures that the characters so often find themselves.

So here we are. I have guessed three of the four main characters. Consider this a reminder why I should not accompany you to Vegas. I am simply confident that the ever-lovin’ blue-eyed Thing is going to make it to the end of the series and has plenty more times to clobber in the annals of Marvel Comics.

Best of 2010. The Artists

There’s no such thing as a best artist in comic books, in my humblest of opinions, so I’ll use this space to write about some of the artists that caught my attention in 2010, whether they were on new projects or a part of new creative teams. Let's get started:

From Hulk #27.

Gabriel Hardman on Hulk. Talk about a thankless task—having to follow fan-favorite Ed McGuiness after his popular run with series creator Jeph Loeb ended this year. But I’ll be honest, I prefer Hardman’s work on the character. Hardman has a wonderfully 60’s retro style to his artwork that feels modern nonetheless. His Hulk is a muscle-bound monster who is more than formidable, but Hardman draws his face as the confident, courageous soldier he is. This is important because we have to believe the guy is a hero. Add Bettie Breitweiser’s astounding palette to the mix and Hulk is one of the most stunning books of the year.

Hardman draws fantastic action and series writer Jeff Parker has given the artist plenty of fisticuffs to fit into the pages of Hulk. Iron Man, Thor, and Namor have all guest-starred in the title and Hardman has gotten to create some fantastically splashy fight scenes.



From Batman and Robin #13.

Frazer Irving on Batman and Robin and Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne. If someone had shown me something Irving had drawn outside of superhero comics, I would have never thought his style appropriate for mainstream work. This is why I don’t edit comic books. Irving’s work on Batman and Robin (issues #13 through #16) and The Return of Bruce Wayne #2 has been a wonderful departure from more standard comic book art. His Joker is as creepy a version of the character that I have ever seen.

How do you describe Frazer’s haunting work? It almost looks as though you are looking into a person’s nightmare. Apropos for a Batman book for certain. Everything in the foreground is clear while the details of the background are scarce or often washed out. Irving handles the inks and colors on his own work which might seem obvious since the finishing perfectly compliments the pencils.




From New Avengers #2.

Stuart Immonen on New Avengers. If pressed to choose an artist who can draw any character in the Marvel or DC Universes, I would be surprised if many comic book enthusiasts would select a name other than Immonen. This year came one of the artist’s biggest gigs—the relaunch of New Avengers with writer Brian Michael Bendis. While I have not always been a fan of Bendis’ storytelling on the title, Immonen has killed, killed, killed on every page of this book.

Immonen can do talking heads, he can do characters sitting around a table, but most important, Immonen can do world-in-knee-deep-danger-style action. And Bendis has thrown a lot of end-of-the-world scripting at Immonen and the artist never fails to deliver (and the book is always on time). Look out in 2011 when Immonen gets what may be his biggest project to date: Fear Itself.

From Thor: The Mighty Avenger #7.

Chris Samnee on Thor: The Mighty Avenger. Samnee deservedly got a lot of buzz for his work on 2010’s new all-ages (until issue 7 at least) Thor title. The art may appear deceivingly simple, but look closer and see how much life and character Samnee brings to his character-work. Samnee makes sure to use the right body language and expressions to ensure the reader understands what Thor and Jane Foster, his Earthly lady love, are thinking.

Samnee’s version of Thor was also an intentional departure from what readers have been accustomed to for over 40 years. He’s a big guy, but not the steroid-induced hulk that he has become in the in-continuity comics. Thor: TMA was my introduction to Samnee and I’m eager to see what he moves onto after the book ends with issue #8. The first Thor: TMA trade is currently available with a second scheduled to be released in 2011.

From Superior #1.

Leinil Yu on Superior. Yu’s work has never been more… superior (I had to). Yu’s panels are filled with wonderful detail. In the past issue alone Yu drew some amazingly cinematic moments: a satellite landing in Time Square, a submarine pulled off of the coast of Long Island, and a reactor meltdown. Yu brings series-creator Mark Millar’s imagination to life, giving the book a big-screen feel the entire time.

Yu is also adept at creating the quieter more touching moments of the series in which Young Simon Pooni’s challenges with multiple sclerosis are explored. Yu has grown and grown as an artist over the last decade, but I’ve found his work on Superior to be his best.

From The Flash #4.

Francis Manapul on The Flash. Where do you begin with a guy who was born to draw splash pages? Manapul’s work on Geoff Johns’ Flash relaunch has been beyond spectacular. While the book tends to run late—if it’s going to look like this—then fine with me.

In the first issue, there’s a two-page splash of Barry pulling apart the Trickster car that is astounding. In the third issue, there’s a fantastic sequence in which Barry saves the inhabitants of a burning building then proceeds to put the entire thing back together. But Manapul may long be remembered for a breathtaking scene that has Barry rescuing two helicopter pilots in issue #4 of the series (above). Barry runs up the side of a building, runs across the propeller, into the helicopter to pull out the pilots, and onto the building beside it in a split second. Month in and out, Manapul always brings his best to Johns’ pages.

There are plenty of others to mention: Sami Basri on Power Girl, Kenneth Rocafort on Velocity, Eddy Barrows on Superman, Carlos Pacheco on Ultimate Thor, Adam Kubert on Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine, most everyone involved with Strange Tales II, and so many more. There was no lack of great artwork in 2010.

Best of 2010. Best Character: Batgirl

From Bruce Wayne: The Road Home: Batgirl (One-Shot). Art by Pere Perez.

Comic books tend to get very dark. Even more so if the backdrop for the series is Gotham City where the citizens seem fine with the glumness of their surroundings.

But there is one bright corner of Gotham that is explored by Bryan Q. Miller each month in the pages of Batgirl. I came a little bit late to this series, but it’s title character grew on me so infectiously that I’d have to say Batgirl is my favorite character of 2010.

Stephanie Brown’s dry wit and self-deprecating humor keep the book light and make her the most relatable character in the Bat-family. Everyone would love to be as slick and intelligent as the Caped Crusader, but most of us (given the right amount of gadgets and gymnastics know-how) would probably handle ourselves more like Stephanie.

Boy oh boy does Miller have a precise voice for Batgirl. Some recent highlights:

• In the Bruce Wayne: The Road Home: Batgirl one-shot, Stephanie is confronted with a recently revived Bruce Wayne. Her reaction? She slaps him hard across the face and instantly realizes the gravity of her actions and belts off (above).

• In my favorite issue so far, Batgirl #14 (below), Stephanie has a night out with Kara (Supergirl) and things lead, as they always do, to a team-up. It’s Batgirl and Supergirl against a cavalcade of Draculas (don’t ask, just read it). At one point Supergirl hears screams with her super-ears and asks Batgirl “Can you hear that?” Her response: “You’re sweet.”

• In Batgirl #16, when Batgirl’s Batarang fails her, she tumbles to the ground and thinks “And it was only then that young Stephanie truly realized that gravity would forever be her enemy.”

Miller takes great care in writing Stephanie’s dialogue and letting the humor come out naturally when the story calls for it. There is nothing forced and reader never thinks “Why is she making a joke now?”—something that can happen when writing a character known for quips (e.g. Spider-Man, Lobo, Deadpool, etc.).

It has been a pleasure to read Batgirl month after month because the writing is fantastic and, every now and again, it’s nice to have a bit of reprieve from the dark stuff.

From Batgirl #14. Art by Lee Garbett.



Best of 2010. The Bat that Grant Built

From Batman and Robin #16. Art by Frazer Irving.

As far as my 2010 reading pleasure goes, much can be attributed to Grant Morrison and his masterful handling and closure of his epic Batman tale.

From Batman and Robin #13. Art by Frazer Irving.

Since 2006, Morrison began a grand scale Batman storyline and the editors at DC Comics seemed to say “Have at it.” Morrison began with some bold moves and just kept on going. Bruce’s deadly offspring Damian was introduced.  As was the villainous Dr. Hurt, a man who has claimed to be Bruce’s long dead father Thomas Wayne. Both of these additions to the bat-lore had the hardcores screaming heresy.

Hurt succeeded in driving Batman mad temporarily (in the “Batman R.I.P” storyline) and the villain escaped before being brought to justice. In fact, before the story could be resolved, Darkseid used his omega beams to transport Bruce far back in time at the conclusion of Morrison’s polarizing Final Crisis. In the summer of 2009, Morrison introduced the world to Batman & Robin, Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne had claimed the roles of Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder respectively.

This could be the point where one might say that Morrison had completely disassembled the Batman universe. Not that it needed a complete overhaul, but these drastic punches were good for the brand.



From Batman: The Return of Bruce
Wayne #1. Art by Chris Sprouse.



By mid-2010, Morrison began Bruce’s trip back to present day Gotham City, where he belongs, via his six-part Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne. Along the way, readers learn that Dr. Hurt is not really Thomas Wayne (gasp!) and Morrison had not sullied the Wayne family’s philanthropic legacy.  Bruce returns and jumps immediately into action is issue #16 of Batman and Robin, an issue that serves as Morrison’s final on the series and acts as a precursor to the next chapter of Batman’s story: Batman Incorporated.

And so here we are. A brand new era for the (not so) Dark Knight as he takes his fight global under the guise of Bruce Wayne’s altruistic efforts. Bruce is a globe trotting Batman while Dick and Damian are protecting Gotham as the local Batman and Robin.

The culmination of Morrison’s Batman stories in 2010 and the introduction of Batman Incorporated have seemed to bring about a renaissance for Batman and the comic book franchise. I cannot recall ever having enjoyed Batman titles as thoroughly as I have this year. In the first arc of Batman Incorporated, Batman and Catwoman travel to Japan to find their first international Batman. There are giant robot mice, an monster octopus, a Batman TV series-inspired cliffhanger, a great villain, and a sexy international take on the Caped Crusader.

From Batman: The Return (One-Shot).
Art by David Finch.

In Detective Comics Annual #12 and Batman Annual #28, Bruce and Dick solve a mystery in Paris where they sign up the new Parisian Batman. I was glad to see that Morrison had not claimed sole ownership of the Bat-franchising idea. Additionally, Detective Comics has found a new creative team with Scott Snyder and artists Jock and Francesco Francavilla; their inaugural issue sold out and DC has gone back to press with a second printing.

Morrison has taken Bruce Wayne and broken the character down in ways that I’ve never read. In 2010 Bruce was returned to the DCU to triumphantly resolve Morrison’s years-long epic. The writer illustrated the resilience of this classic character more definitively than many of his predecessors.

If you’ve never bothered to pick up any of Batman’s books, 2011 is the perfect time to resolve to do so.

The Marvel U's Greatest Fears Will be Revealed in 2011's 'Fear Itself'

After a week of teasers, Marvel Entertainment held a press conference last week to announce next year’s line-wide crossover event: Fear Itself.

“Look, times are tough,” said Marvel Entertainment’s Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada opening the press conference. “All you need to do is turn on the TV, computer, radio and you’re sure to find a pundit or politician or prophet who’s out there ready to tell you what you should be afraid of, who’s responsible, and why you should be afraid of them.”

“Today more than ever,” Quesada continued, “fear above all else seems to be the great motivator. And there’s no shortage of charlatans, tyrants, or despots ready to stoke the flames. All they need is the spark.

“Now here’s the good news: we’re talking about the Marvel Universe.”

With that, Quesada introduced the trailer for Fear Itself (below). The fantastic teasers have been appearing daily on all of the comic book websites over the course of the week prior to last Wednesday’s press conference.

Written by Matt Fraction and drawn by Stuart Immonen, Fear Itself will be the first major crossover event since 2009’s Secret Invasion. If that doesn’t seem like so long ago, just remember that Marvel had been putting fans through the mega-crossover events on a near-yearly basis with House of M, Civil War, and Secret Invasion. The reprieve has been  nice.

“We took last year off of doing any big huge events because most of you guys told us that you needed a break to catch your breath and settle things down,” said Tom Brevoort, Executive Editor. “It’s not as if we haven’t done exciting stories since then, but nothing quite to the scale of Fear Itself in quite some time.”

Fear Itself will begin in April 2011 and will run for seven issues. The book will feature all of the Marvel heavy hitters: Spider-Man, the Avengers, Steve Rogers, the X-Men, Hulk, the Fantastic Four (or the FF to be more precise), as well as Dracula, Deadpool, and many others who have yet to be identified.

“There are some fan favorite characters who will be using [Fear Itself] as a springboard,” said Axel Alonso, Executive Editor. “They’ll answer the call of duty and get involved.” Ed Brubaker will write a Fear Itself prologue, with artwork by Scott Eaton, featuring the original Captain America and the Invaders on a mission set in World War II which sets the stage for the mini-series.

Brevoort showed the audience a picture of the God of Fear. “There is a secret—a concealed act at the heart of the Marvel Universe—that happened years ago. Once it is uncovered it will change everything. It will change the way our characters look at each other, the way they look at their place in the world, and will unleash something unspeakable that’s been passed down for decades and for hundreds of years and now will be free to flourish and cast its shadow across the world. That in essence is what Fear Itself is all about.”

The editors promised that this, as with their big events of the past will have reverberations that are felt for some time to come. If there is anything Marvel knows how to do, it’s to present a logical aftermath to the conclusions of their big events. The X-Men continue to deal with the near extinction of all mutants in the pages of House of M, the status quo for Spider-Man, the Avengers, and Captain America were dramatically altered after Civil War, and Norman Osborn’s Dark Reign lasted about a year after Secret Invasion concluded. When Marvel promises that their events will change things, they have the record to prove it.

“It’s an extinction level event that will involve the entire Marvel Universe,” promised Alonso.  “Just like Civil War there’ll be a core story that you can read in one full sitting and get the full story. Expect to see interesting developments—pacts between characters, alliances you wouldn’t have expected, instances where heroes and villains find themselves on opposite sides of the battle lines in ways you wouldn’t expect.”

One audience member asked if Marvel was worried about a darker thematic tone considering the Heroic Age seemed to promise stories with lighter themes.

“Our characters have always battled the darkness around us,” said Brevoort. “The villainy and the threats that they’ve faced, at any given point, have not been a game of tiddlywinks. While over the course of the last year there’s been a renewed vigor and a renewed heroism, [Fear Itself] is just a major challenge that these characters have to face. Ultimately I think that is more interesting. Putting our characters into situations where it’s easy to triumph is not terribly fulfilling. It doesn’t get the best out of them and it doesn’t give you the best reading experience.”

One of the more important subjects to come out of the press conference: does the reader need to buy every tie-in?

“Fear Itself will function as most of our event stories have tended to function, said Brevoort. “If you’re just buying the central core title, you’ll be able to get a full and complete story and it will be wonderful. But the outgrowth of that story will feed throughout the Marvel Universe. It’s going to involve characters as diverse as the line itself.”

As has been rumored, Marvel has been dropping subtle Fear Itself-related hints, clues, and Easter Eggs for at least a year in some of their major titles that will come to fruition in the pages of the mini.

“We’ve been setting up dominoes sort of covertly for awhile now,” said Brevoort. “Some that you know and recognize and have chatted about on the internet, and some that you may have glossed right over and may not have realized their significance. The tapestry and the pattern of all of this will become apparent as we get into April.”

The editors admitted that Brian Michael Bendis included some Fear Itself references in the Time Map from the first arc of his recently relaunched Avengers book (specifically issue #5, above).

“If you go back to that map you will see,” said Brevoort, “certainly a couple of references and portents; once you get through the Fear Itself story a few more that will make more sense. There is a little bit of a Rosetta Stone there if you want to try and decipher it. It won’t be easy but it might be rewarding.”

As the teasers have hinted at, especially the Spider-Man teaser, Fear Itself has one foot steeped in reality.

“As any die hard Marvel fan can tell you,” said Quesada, “Marvel Comics has always used the real world as the canvas in which we write and draw our stories and in which our characters live. From World War II, to Apollo 11, to September 11^th, the events that shaped our world have shaped the Marvel Universe. When we were at our best is when we’ve taken stock of the world we live in—in the era in which we are a part of—and said something about it.”

Official Trailer:


Announcement from Matt Fraction:

FCBD: 'Captain America and Thor'

While Thor: The Mighty Avenger completes it's brief but entertaining run next month, fans will be served up one final adventure by series writer Roger Langridge and artist Chris Samnee with Captain America and Thor (cover above) in celebration of Free Comic Book Day. The issue is due for release on Saturday May 7th, the day after Thor officially premieres in movie theaters; the timing couldn't be more appropos.

Check out Chris Samnee's blog for some thumbnails of his other cover drafts for the issue.

If Bucky Goes to Prison, Will Steve Rogers Go Back to Being Captain America?

Captain America turns 75 next year and Marvel is celebrating by including several Cap-inspired variant covers in the month of March. The same month there will also be a whopping nine titles with the name Captain America in the title to prove what a resilient character he remains. But the question on everyone’s lips is: Will Steve Rogers reclaim the role of Captain America?

The recent solicit for issue #615.1 (a Point One issue) leads one to believe that there is someone new in line to wear the star-spangled gear. I would guess if someone new does take on the Captain America role it won’t be Steve Rogers (even though it should be since Ed Brubaker has written the character better than… well anybody). The only basis for my opinion is the Fear Itself artwork that shows Steve Rogers in his Super Soldier gear standing near (what appears to be Bucky Cap).  I’m also well aware that Marvel is not above throwing phony artwork out there to throw spoiler-loving fans off a scent.

From the official solicit:

Steve Rogers emerged from the super soldier program to become the first Captain America, the Sentinel of Liberty. When he died, Bucky Barnes took up the shield to become a new kind of Captain America. With Barnes on trial, who will wield the legendary weapon—who will become the new Captain of America? This is the start of a new era for the famed Avenger!

While I enjoy Steve Rogers’ role in the Marvel Universe right now, I would like to see him back in his classic costume, leading the Avengers into action.