DC BEGINS: Green Lantern

I know that currently Green Lantern is the book at DC Comics, but if the idea is that DC is going to start with a fresh take I only have one small suggestion.

I think the other heroes need to take Hal Jordan and the other Green Lanterns more seriously.

Editorially I understand DC Comics position in making the big three Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman.

They are the first…and they are still around. That is truly awesome and DC Comics should do everything they can to make those characters the best they can be.

But within the borders of the DC U the big three should be Superman, Batman and Green Lantern.

Batman protects Gotham, Superman Metropolis…ok the whole planet, but….

Green Lantern protects a whole sector of space.

Tom Hardy as Bane in 'Dark Knight Rises'

Now that is a formidable looking villain!

Only a few days into the official production of The Dark Knight Rises and we already have our first official picture of Bane (Tom Hardy). As expected, this is a pretty fearsome looking adaptation—true to the real world approach that director Christopher Nolan has brought to these films.

The Dark Knight Rises is scheduled for a July 20, 2012 release date.

'Fantastic Four' #1 Yields $300K

And I thought $3.99 was excessive.

According to Bleeding Cool, Metropolis Collectibles sold the first issue of Fantastic Four for a whopping $300,000 price point. While this is certainly a classic issue, which kicked off a legendary string of Marvel books co-created by Stan Lee, the high-price tag can be attributed to its unthinkably high 9.4 CGC-grading.

Somebody’s comic collection just got a little more fantastic. Every time I hear about a sale like this, I wonder what other comics the guy who made this purchase has in his collection. Does he have Action Comics #1, Amazing Fantasy #15 or Detective Comics #27? And more importantly, does he comingle all of his comic books—or are they even in the same room? I’d have no problem putting Fantastic Four #1 alongside my favorite issues of Captain Carrot and the Amazing Zoo Crew and Rom.

After the jump, I’ve included some favorite homages to Jack Kirby’s iconic cover.

Director Vigalondo Rumored to Helm Millar's 'Supercrooks' Film

Wait—but Supercrooks doesn’t come out until the end of the year!

Bleeding Cool is reporting that Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo has been hired to direct Mark Millar’s as yet unpublished supervillain crime caper Supercrooks. Announced at Millar’s Kapow Comic Con this April, Supercrooks is the story of a group of supervillains who have had it with trying to live a life of crime in the States. With all the superheroes flying around it must be hard to lead an opulent lifestyle made up of other people’s hard earned dough.

“So [the villains] leave America and head over to Europe, where there are no superheroes,” said Millar to Comic Book Resources, “and it's like 'Ocean's Eleven' meets the 'X-Men' where seven supervillains head to Europe to pull the biggest job of their career where there are no supervillains to stop them. So it's a fun heist story."

There’s no word yet on a start date for the Supercrooks film or when the film is scheduled for release.

New 'X-Men: First Class' Clip and a Ton of New Pics

We’re only a few weeks away from X-Men: First Class and I think Fox is done releasing new posters and trailers!

Instead we’re beginning to see clips of the different characters and a whole bunch of new photos featuring the entire cast. The clip released this week featuring Hank McCoy (Nicholas Hoult ) and Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) leads me to believe that this film will stay truer to what Bryan Singer had accomplished on his first two X-Men films—that being a focus on the human element of these characters.

After the jump you’ll find a butt-load (perhaps my favorite unit of measurement) of new pics from the film.

X-Men: First Class opens nationwide on June 3^rd. The film stars James McAvoy (Charles Xavier), Michael Fassbender (Magneto), Kevin Bacon (Sebastian Shaw), January Jones (Emma Frost), Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique), Rose Byrne (Moira MacTaggert), Nicholas Hoult (Hank McCoy), Jason Flemyng (Azazel), Zoe Kravitz (Angel Salvadore), Lucas Till (Alex Summers), Caleb Landry Jones (Sean Cassidy), and Oliver Platt (Man in Black). The film is directed by Matthew Vaughn.

Spielberg's First 'Tintin' Trailer Amazes

Stephen Spielberg has been trying to bring the adventures of the little mystery solver/explorer/adventurer Tintin to the big screen for years and it’s finally happening. This Christmas The Adventures of Tintin will finally be brought to the big screen as an animated film, Spielberg’s first as a director.

Spielberg originally intended to create a live-action film, but was talked into an animated film by Peter Jackson who Spielberg originally went to for special effects work. Thus was born Tintin’s motion-capture beginnings, which Spielberg feels will help maintain the look and feel of Hergé’s (the pen name of Belgian artist Georges Rémi) original art.

DC BEGINS: Wonder Woman



How many times can a character be reinvented?


One of the most iconic characters in comics is also one whose book continues to receive one facelift after the next. While I have enjoyed the current “Odyssey” storyline in Wonder Woman, I don’t know that the J. Michael Straczynski/Phil Hester-penned tale has done enough for the character to create positive long-lasting effects.

As far as I’m concerned, this is the same stoic character that has inhabited the book for years. She only has a new suit.

DC BEGINS: The Justice League of America

A big world deserves a big team.

Okay, so let’s say DC is really going to start everything over come September. How would I update the Justice League of America?

I would follow the Avengers and X-Men models and create a franchise!

And why not? The DC Universe could use a lot of protecting and there’s room for a handful of Leagues, all with their own strategic focus. I would start with an event that takes down the current League, forcing Earth’s mightiest heroes (the ones from DC comics) to rethink their role as the planet’s sworn guardians. I’d call it Flashpoint or something like that.

DC BEGINS: Superman

If DC Comics is going to start new or fresh it all has to begin with Superman.

There is a lot of ways to go and telling Superman’s origin is something fans love to read.

However there have been so many published over the last few years I really don’t think it needs to be retold again in great detail.

I think the first few pages of All Star Superman is really all any reader needs.

Superman is the perfect character, (no really he is) he’s the kind of superhero that allows for stories in either epic space operas settings or simple stories that take place in the streets of Metropolis.

He can be in the future with the Legion of Superheroes or helping his Pa out in the fields on his family’s farm.

But the Man of Steel has a lot of problems. Often, reading his stories it feels like he’s trapped in a BOX with no way out.

Here are some ideas that may allow Superman to fly free to tell some great stories.

Give Superman some mystery to him. Sure the readers know Superman’s history in and out but that doesn’t mean Superman has to or the WHOLE world for that matter.

DC BEGINS

There is a good solid rumor going around, that when Flashpoint ends DC Comics will be starting fresh with their books.

It’s only a rumor and I can see how fans would be stung by this if it is true.

However, I welcome this with open arms.

DC has a lot of history, more so than any other publisher out there. They also have the most recognizable heroes out there.

I love Marvel and it’s very clear they are top dog but if you show your mother a picture of Supergirl and Ms. Marvel I am willing to bet momma is going to know Supergirl and not have a clue who Ms. Marvel is.

So having the most recognizable heroes on the planet is both a blessing and a curse.

Because every time a new writer comes in, they have their vision of the character….after a few decades of different writers coming in and changing the status quo no matter how small or big will eventually pile up.

Before you know it….you’ve got too many Robins, too many Supergirls, how many different incarnations of the Justice League and so forth.

I know it’s going to hurt but DC should really start over.

Use Flashpoint as an opportunity to introduce or re introduce a definitive world of the best and most iconic characters.

We here at Cape Town Community will share our thoughts on what could and might be the best way to go with their world and the characters that started it all.   It's just for fun...so please no nasty emails (hehe). Look for our posts over the next few days with the heading "DC Begins" for our new takes on the biggest and best of the DCU.

Stay tuned.

Nolan - Part Two

Last Wednesday, I shared a sketch I got for one of my favorite characters in comic books, Nolan (aka Omni-Man) from the Invincible title.  

Nolan from Invinicble

I have a few of these and I am posting them for all to see.

Here is another Nolan sketch from artist/writer Sean Kasper.

Nolan by artist Sean Kasper

Sean is an artist and self published writer. You can find links to his work here.

Check back next week for another sketch.

Happy Wednesday.

Review: 'Flashpoint' #1

By Don M. Ventura

Flashpoint #1

DC Comics

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There were three important acts in Flashpoint #1, DC Comics’ summer event that is expected to be a big game-changer for the DCU come this Fall.

The first act, which establishes the plight of our hero—Barry Allen—works on every note. The final act, which reveals how drastically the world has changed is also an enormous success in its jaw-droppingness. It’s the middle act where the story falters. But I’ll come to the second act chronologically.

The story opens with Barry Allen waking up in the crime lab of Central City Police Department. Immediately he realizes things aren’t right. Captain Cold, it would seem, is now the city’s protector. Barry races into action—or so he attempts. Barry no longer has his famous Flash ring. Barry is no longer the Flash.

Wednesday's Finest: 'Undying Love’ #2

By Don M. Ventura

Undying Love #2

Image Comics

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Undying Love could not be more of an unexpected pleasure. It seems that when I discuss my enjoyment of anything having to do with vampires I quantify it by informing the listener or reader that I do not typically enjoy vampire stories. I’ll stop here and now.

Storytellers and artists Tomm Coker and Daniel Freedman have constructed a confidant and compelling action yarn that amps up the excitement in this second outing. Undying Love is the story of John Sargent, an American ex-Soldier on the bloody trail of Shang Ji—one of the oldest and most powerful vampires in China. Shang-Ji is responsible for turning John’s love Mei into a vampire and John must kill the villain, in a fairly grisly ritual no less, to return Mei to her former human self.

John Byrne's 'Fantastic Four' Run to Get the Omnibus Treatment in August

When I was a boy—a long time ago—there was always one title that went straight to the top of my reading pile. And when I was done I’d read the book again and again.

The Fantastic Four was written and drawn brilliantly by John Byrne. He shot to superstardom on Uncanny X-Men with Chris Claremont and didn’t miss a beat when he reintroduced Superman to the world in the character’s spectacular reboot The Man of Steel. However, for my taste, nothing came close to the writer/artist’s stunning and captivating work on Marvel’s First Family.

Byrne was clearly a fan of what Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had accomplished on the book two decades prior. Byrne’s stories were contemporary takes on the FF while steeped knee-deep in nostalgia. His stories included the Inhumans, Galactus, the Skrulls, Annihillus, the Mole Man, the Puppet Master, and trips through the Negative Zone. He also splintered the team with the exit of the Thing and the inclusion of She-Hulk (it has to be four folks), he introduced cool new costumes, and tore apart Ben and Johnny when a relationship between Mr. Storm and Alicia Masters blossomed.

I have two favorite FF stories. The first (issues #249 and #250) sees a strange visitor from another planet called the Gladiator who comes to Earth to track down the Skrulls. Of course the hunter is certain that Reed and team are all shape-shifters and a battle royale ensues in Manhattan (featuring guest appearances by Spider-Man, Captain America and the X-Men). Perhaps my favorite single issue is Fantastic Four Annual #17 in which Byrne follows up on a story from issue #2 from the long-running series. It would seem that Reed’s decision to hypnotize a group of Skrulls that they were common cows on a farm yielded disastrous consequences after the creatures were milked. The poor townsfolk.

So why the reminiscing? Marvel is releasing a super-sized Fantastic Four Omnibus that features much of Byrne’s run and includes 44-whopping books. The mammoth book clocks in at over a thousand pages of Fantastic Four goodness.

Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus Vol. 1 is scheduled for release this August (details after the jump).

Marvel Solicits its August 'Fear Itself' Line-Up

Marvel appears to have drawn the line (sort of). They are shipping one less Fear Itself title in August as compared to July. So we’re down to 26 books (including the main title and two shippings each of Avengers Academy, New Mutants and Thunderbolts).

At this point in the story—August marks the fifth month of the event—every character who is going to be involved in Marvel’s sweeping blockbuster will have probably gotten themselves into the thick of the action. Will August see readers claiming event fatigue? As long as the quality of the supporting books remains high, I suspect that fans will continue to embrace the storyline.