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Bleeding Cool is reporting that Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo has been hired to direct Mark Millar’s as yet unpublished supervillain crime caper Supercrooks.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.

Millar Announces Forthcoming Hit Girl Book Among Others

I’ve always enjoyed Mark Millar’s utter enthusiasm for his craft—I don’t recall ever thinking that the writer was just turning in a by-the-numbers story. I don’t know that everything is a success per se, but damn it—the guy is committed to taking readers on a wild ride.

At the Kapow! Comic Con this weekend, Millar announced that he’s currently hard at work on four new comic book ventures. He spoke with CBR to discuss said projects:

For my money, the most exciting announcement of the bunch is a massive, as yet untitled, 12-issue maxi-series with Frank Quitely. Of course, the two creators made magic together when they took the reins of the Authority over from Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch a decade ago. Millar said the book will be published by Image Comics and should be hitting comic shops in the first part of 2012.

If you enjoyed the original Kick-Ass book—or film for that matter—it may be due in large part to one of Millar’s most memorable creations: Hit Girl. Millar loves the character too. Millar says that he enjoys writing the character and will write a spin-off featuring the foul-mouthed killing machine. The Hit-Girl comic book will be released by Icon Comics this September with art by Leandro Fernandez.

Millar also discussed a super villain heist title called Super Crooks which he will work on towards the latter part of the year with frequent collaborator Leinil Francis Yu. Dave Gibbons and Millar also have a book which Millar is eager to discuss—but we will have to wait until some trademark issues relating to the book’s name are handled before a proper announcement can be made.

While I enjoy reading books in which Millar plays with familiar, time-honored characters, he has great strength in getting readers invested in creations which all his own.

Millar Launches Kapow! Comic-Con in London Next Year

Mark Millar wasn’t joking when he said he had a big announcement to make.

Next year Millar is bringing Kapow! Comic-Con to the other side of the pond. Kapow! Comic-Con will be held from April 9^th through the 10^th at the Business Design Centre in London.

“The idea of Kapow! is to bring the San Diego experience to London,” said Millar in the promotional video (below). “It’s comics based, and the movies, and t.v. shows, and video games that have been inspired by them. That’s the plan of the thing, to bring them all under one umbrella.”

Guests include some big names already: John Romita, Jr., Dave Gibbons, Leinil Yu, Frank Quitely, Bryan Hitch, Olivier Coipel, Paul Cornell, Andy Diggle, Jock and many more. Kapow! will also feature the first annual Stan Lee Awards for achievements in comic books and comic-book/sci-fi related films.

Movie-related panels and guests will be announced on February 14^th, 2011. Millar is excited to get a jump on San Diego in terms of movie previews and news since Kapow! precedes that other obscure little Comic-Con by three months.

For more information about Kapow! visit the official website.

Follow Kapow! on Twitter and Facebook.

Kapow! Comic Con Trailer from kapowcomiccon on Vimeo.

Millar and Quitely Together Again on Forthcoming Project?

Mark Millar and Frank Quitely are thisclose to what is sure to be exciting news according to Millar and Bleeding Cool. The two were planning a Thanksgiving announcement, but according to a Twitter post we should only have to wait until Monday morning sometime.

The two worked famously together on their brilliant run on The Authority beginning in 2000 (after the equally but differently brilliant run by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch). While we get a lot from Millar these days (Kick-Ass 2, Superior, and Nemesis), we do not get enough of Quitely due to the quality of his work.

This pairing excites me to no end. It’s a safe bet that we will be hearing about a creator-owned book on Monday because Millar has had home run after home run with his own creations.

More to come!

Leinil Yu's Completed 'Nemesis'/'Superior'/Kick-Ass' Crossover Artwork

Leinil Yu’s pencils featuring a crossover between Nemesis, Superior and Kick-Ass have been circulating for just over a month now and it looks as though it not as audacious a plan as first expected. According to Mark Millar, the creator of all three properties, there will be no crossing over of these books. This is a good thing as the writer himself admits “It wouldn't make sense as a story as they all exist in their own distinct universes.”

Marvel released the completed artwork and announced it is actually for the variant covers for each of the three individual books:

KICK ASS 2 #2
Release Date: 12/29/10

SUPERIOR #4 (of 6)
Release Date: 1/5/11

NEMESIS #4 (of 6)

Release Date: 12/29/10

Leinil Yu: 'Nemesis'/'Superior'/'Kick-Ass' Cross-Over (Finished Art)

Mark Millar offered up Leinil Yu's finished image for a possible Nemesis/Superior/Kick-Ass crossover on MillarWorld today. A draft of the image came out a few weeks ago, but there's still no official word on whether or not this event is an actual project of Millar's. Needless to say the art is again top notch from Yu.

Click on the image above to see the detail to Yu's awesome work.

Obama Reads Comic Books! No Authentic Proof As of Yet.

Word began to spread like wildfire of a picture of President Obama holding the first issue of Superior hit the net today. It turns out that the picture was actually photoshopped. He was actually holding an issue of Kick-Ass 2 #1. No wait... it was something about Lincoln. Boring!

I wonder what people would have thought if the picture had been real? I would guess that this would have garnered Superior creator Mark Millar a pretty spectacular amount of press (and a third printing of the book to boot) and a condemnation of the President for reading "funny books" as I am sure they would be described.

'Superior' #1 Sells Out, Leinil Yu's Cover for 2nd Printing Variant

The name Millar may one day become synonymous with “2^nd Printing.”  Issue #1 of Mark Millar and Leinil Yu’s Superior has gone back to the presses after the first issue has sold out.  Check out this exquisite variant cover by Yu, whose work on the first issue was nothing less than spectacular. The 2^nd printing of Superior will be released on November 24^th.  

Leinil Yu: 'Nemesis'/'Superior'/'Kick-Ass' Cross-Over

Mark Millar just tweeted this first picture from a possible cross-over between his creator-owned properties: Nemesis, Superior and Kick-Ass. When I first heard of this triad I thought he was joking. To be honest, I'm still not sure. Regardless, I'm going to just soak in the beauty that is Leinil Yu's artwork.

Wednesday’s Finest, 10/20/10 Releases

By Don M. Ventura

Kick-Ass 2 #1
Icon

Of the books listed in this post, there was not a bad one in the bunch. This caused a night of internal debate for me.

After much deciding, Kick Ass 2 was the finest Wednesday had to offer. For everything I feared Superior might be, I was already prepared for in the sequel to Kick-Ass. The shock of foul-mouthed Hit-Girl is gone. We are now allowed to just enjoy the progression of Dave Lizeski’s story. The question that should be asked with any sequel: Is there a story to be told?

The answer is yes. Kick Ass 2 does a little moving back and forth as a means of exposition. It’s just enough to show us where the story is heading, before moving back to the beginning of the tale midway through this first issue. As usual Millar understands pacing. He moves from scene to scene effortlessly, catching us up quickly with the characters.

John Romita, Jr. is perfectly suited for a story like this. His work can be dynamic and he draws movement incredibly well, but I’ve found his strength to be the somberness he brings to panels. For example, there is a scene where Mindy is telling her adopted father Marcus that’s she’ll quit the heroics and violence. Romita Jr. brings so much “acting” to both of the characters in this scene. I haven’t been a fan of Romita Jr.’s work on The Avengers, but I am reminded here why he remains one of my favorite artists. Dean White’s colors are exquisite and bring both grittiness and vibrance where it is required.

And where had the story progressed? Kick-Ass started a revolution at the end of the first series with other would-be vigilantes donning costumes and wild monikers. Kick-Ass 2 opens with Dave being trained in hand-to-hand by Mindy at the YMCA; Dave believes the next step is to form a super-team. Kick-Ass befriends another costumed avenger, Dr. Gravity, who has just the proposition that Dave is looking for. By the end of the issue, Dave brought face to face with the world he inspired.

I was not as enamored with the original Kick-Ass book as I was with the film, but I enjoyed what Millar and Romita, Jr. put together. Kick-Ass 2 feels like the evolution of the characters and the “real” world they inhabit. Both Mindy and Dave, besides the costumed-adventuring, have the weight of the world on their shoulders in this issue. They are both lost without the costumed alter-egos.

As expected Millar brings his strong (in every sense) comic dialogue. Whether it’s Doctor Gravity explaining the origins or his gravity pole, Dave and Mindy practicing at fighting skills in the ring, or when Dave’s friend argues the sexiness of May Parker in her night dress in the first Spider-Man film.

This is a great beginning to a story that asks “What happens next?” At the end of the last page I wondered the same thing.

That’s the sign of a good comic book.

Hulk #26
Marvel

Jeff Parker and Gabriel Hardman charged out of the gate last month on their inaugural issue of Hulk and they continue to charge this week.

Man oh man, Hardman draws an incredible Hulk. Actually, he draws an incredible everything. Thor appears midway through and a battle of testosterone ensues—and you don’t want it to stop. Hardman’s action sequences are nothing short of sensational. First we get Hulk with a Mjolnir to the stomach and then Thor ends things with a spectacular lightning bolt. The colors by Bettie Breitweiser are nothing short of exceptional. The blue-green background during the Thor and Hulk face-off was vibrant and striking.

Parker has brought great passion to this book. This could have become a throw away title after Jeph Loeb left, but Parker is writing Hulk exactly as he should. This is a tough a nails Hulk who’d die before he backed down. Not because he’s necessarily a hero, but because he’s a soldier.

If you’re thinking, “Wait, didn’t Iron Man and Hulk just go at it last month as a result of a misunderstanding?” Just wait. There’s an excellent payoff.

Parker, Hardman and Breitweiser continue to soar on this book. Let’s hope for a long run.

Superman/Batman #77
DC

Last month Supergirl teamed up with Batgirl in Batgirl #14 and the pairing was great. I wrote then that I was a sucker for just about any Batman-family and Superman-family characters joining forces and I got exactly what I wanted from Superman/Batman #77.

Supergirl enlists the help of Robin to solve a mass murder in Metroplois and, even with this dire backdrop, there is no shortage of comedy. Josh Williamson has written an exciting and fun one-shot that has Supergirl continuing to deal with the guilt over the fate of New Krypton, which brings a strong sense of continuity to the character. Williamson does equally well with his interpretation of Damian Wayne; the character is as full of hubris and as snarky as he is in Grant Morrison’s Batman and Robin.

Ale Garza has drawn a dynamic book, starting from the opening page as Supergirl floats over the horrific crime scene being pelted by raindrops. There is a lot to love on the pages of this issue.

Morning Glories #3
Image

Nick Spencer is amazing me with each succeeding issue of Morning Glories, and issue #3 is no different. It is exceptionally well paced; I was flipping through the last pages so quickly because Spencer and artist Joe Eisma created an amazingly suspenseful third act to this book.

The book opens with opens 500 years in the past with an eerie scene in a dungeon as two presumably innocent prisoners attempt to figure out why they have been taken captive. Another mystery is presented to the readers of Morning Glories in the form of the cryptic messages written on the walls of the dungeon: “The hour of our release draws near.” The message is revisited inexplicably at the end of the issue.

Morning Glories is shaping up to being the Lost of comic books. Like last month, I tossed this book on top of my large pile of comics, read it immediately, and was immersed in the growing mystery. Spencer continues to drop small hints at what is happening at the school and with the kids, not enough to figure anything out, but enough to keep speculation blooming.

Power Girl #17
DC

I picked up Power Girl on a lark when Judd Winick was took over the reigns. I wanted to read something with a good jumping on point and I’ve always enjoyed Winick’s writing. Power Girl is always solid and this issue may have been my favorite.

The first half of the story co-stars Batman as he helps Power Girl resolve the mystery of the creature she fought in the last issue. After reading Winick’s take on Dick Grayson Batman I wondered why the writer couldn’t get a crack at one of the many Bat-titles coming in the next few months. I fully endorsed Power Girl’s sentiment of the new Dark Knight in this issue: “I digs me some Dick Grayson scooting around in the Kevlar pajamas.”

Sami Basri has illustrated one gorgeous issue after another. I am shocked that he is able to do a monthly series because his work looks terribly time-consuming. The coloring by Sunny Gho and Jessica Kholinne is equally superb; I love the depth they bring to the flesh tones and costumes.

Winick closes the issue with a WTF scene and an excellent final panel. Power Girl says: “What the Hell is going on here?” and the caption for the next issue reads: “Next: What the hell is going on here!”

Skull Kickers #2
Image

While I was not completely won over by the first issue of Skull Kickers, I found the title to grow on me with this second issue; Jim Zubkavich’s script demonstrates again a knack for both broad humor and subtle humor.

There are priceless sound effects incorporated in this book. The dwarf jumps towards a giant with the words “powerful leap” above him (instead of “Whoooosh!” perhaps). The giant brushes him away violently: “powerful smack.” Later the dwarf is trying to keep up with his tall accomplice. The sound effect for the dwarf: “run, run, run, run.” For the giant: “stride, stride” It is so ridiculous and charmingly clever.

We still don’t learn much about the two anti-hero protagonists in this book other than they live for violence and earn a living in a less than respectable manner. Zubkavich offers a couple of pages of FAQ’s at the end of the issue to explain a little more about the book (very little).

I think I’m now well invested in Skull Kickers.

Wednesday's Finest: Superior vs. Superman, 10/13/10 Releases (Part 2 of 2)

By Don M. Ventura

Two books about supermen came out this week. One features the original Last Son of Krypton and the other is an original creation from the (sometimes warped) mind of Mark Millar.

Superman #703
DC

For three months J. Michael Straczynski has taken Superman down an unfamiliar road with little success in the character’s self-titled book. The basic premise is that Superman was away with the whole New Krypton thing for over a year and now he’s back and trying to relate to the “real” people of his adopted planet.

I guess this may go down as one of the more polarizing books in recent memory because there are fans who really love what Straczynski is doing on Superman. I hate it. I’m sorry if that seems like too simple a response, and I’ll share some thoughts, but I find this to be just terrible.

I don’t feel as though Straczynski has found the character’s voice; in fact, from the beginning, Superman has done and said too many things that have been out of character for him. I just do not buy that Earth’s most powerful being would be so irresponsible as to take a walk across the country and not tell people why he’s doing it. Add to this, forced humor, heavy handed moralizing, and great leaps of logic in terms of plot points (e.g. the press stopped following him in the first issue).

This last issue in particular has a very Bruce-sounding Dick as Batman comes to town to advise Superman that trouble may follow him as he crosses the country and that would be bad. Okay. So it’s bad for Main Street, U.S.A., but it’s okay when Mongul or Brainiac rain holy hell on Metropolis?

Of course, three pages later a whole lotta bad hits Cincinnati in the form of a piece of New Krypton that landed on Earth and can make people evil and/or super powered (it affects two characters differently). Okay, so Superman gets into some fisticuffs with some brute whose secondhand exposure to the rock gave him great strength. Supes and the guy wreck up the small town.

One woman is interviewed on the news and claims that the fight wasn’t good for her heart. Another guy’s house is destroyed and, although Superman fixed everything, he lost his wedding photos. Is this a joke? I’m surprised someone didn’t say, “I was working on a presentation for tomorrow—really sweet PowerPoint—well, I was just about to hit ‘save’ before the power went out. Thanks Superjerk! Guess I’ll work over the weekend!”

If there is a bright side to this run, it’s Eddy Barrows artwork. He draws a fantastic Superman and all of his characters have distinctive characterization to their faces. In this issue and last, Barrows has been able to do some action sequences and they are phenomenal. Unfortunately the scripts condemn him more to multiple sad-faced Superman expressions and people standing around on the street.

Superior #1
Icon

Then came the big event of the week: Superior. Which it was when compared to Superman.

For those living under a rock, Superior is Millar’s somewhat unique take on a super powered man with a cape who can fly, bend steel, and all that good stuff. The spin is that Simon Pooni, a kid afflicted with Multiple Sclerosis is granted a wish from a talking monkey named Ormon in an astronaut suit. Perhaps the wish is one buried deep down as Simon never verbalizes it. He is instantly transformed into the hero Superior.

Now I mentioned that it is somewhat unique for a reason. The rest of the book plays out like Big, the Tom Hanks movie where a kid becomes and adult because he’s tired of being a undersized boy. He’s stuck in the house, his mother thinks he’s been kidnapped, he has to escape, then he goes to see his best friend. I’m interested to see where the rest of the book goes—but I couldn’t shake that it took too familiar a path in the third act.

My preconceived notions were forgotten about five or six pages in as I became totally absorbed in Millar’s story. I was worried that I would be treated to some over the top shocks, but they weren’t there (except perhaps in some crudely realistic language from teenage bullies). Millar presents an extremely touching scene in which he narrates the onset of Simon’s M.S.; these pages ring with sincerity and reminded me of the writer’s strength as a storyteller.

Previously I have had a love/meh affair with some of Franci Leinil Yu’s artwork, but his work on Superior is magnificent. He continues to improve with each project. The scene with Ormon talking to Simon is just beautiful. The guy knows how to draw a monkey.

If you’re keeping score, Millar has written the superior man-with-super-powers tale.

Hulk Smashes His Way Back to the Small Screen

The Hulk
People tend to remember the original Hulk series from the 70’s fondly—the show was customized for television with a Fugitive-esque setting and was a big hit for CBS. Our hero, Dr. David Banner (not Bruce), moved from town to town while being followed by Jack McGee, an investigative reporter who worked for a news agency that must have had a lot of disposable money on their hands.

According to Heat Vision, ABC Television and Marvel Television (the latter led by former Hulk scribe Jeph Loeb) are eager to bring the mean green monster back to the small screen where he once thrived. Loeb’s television credits are none too shabby; he’s worked on Lost, Smallville and Heroes. ABC Family is also interested in bringing a series based on the original comic book runaways: Cloak and Dagger.

Marvel Television execs are currently soliciting ideas for the following possible properties: Heroes for Hire, The Eternals, Moon Knight, Ka-Zar, and the The Punisher among others. It will be interesting to see how Marvel affects to television landscape over the next few seasons.

Superior
Mark Millar appears to already be in talks to bring Superior to the big screen. Gosh it seems like just yesterday that Superior hit the comic shelves—oh wait. Well, Nemesis was greenlit after only three issues so I’m not surprised that Superman meets Big is also a hot property. Stay tuned for more developments!

Batman 3
Tom Hardy is the first fresh face to be added to what is sure to be another epic (and I don’t mean that as slang) Batman adventure. It has not yet been announced who the actor is playing, but there has been a good deal of speculation that he will be cast as one of the Caped Crusader’s rogues. My money says he will probably play a gangster (ala Eric Roberts or Tom Wilkinson). Hardy proved himself a scene stealer in Nolan’s Inception; I’m sure he’ll bring more of the same to the final installment in this series.

Green Lantern
When Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows soars into theaters next month in glorious 2-D, the opening act will be none other than Green Lantern (in the form of the first trailer for the 2011 summer blockbuster). Cross your fingers that this will be more than a one-minute snippet that’s free of glimpses of Sinestro, members of the Green Lantern Corps, or anything else that might make us wet our pants.

Green Lantern: The Animated Series
Bruce Timm, DC Animation’s guiding force, is hard at work on Green Lantern: The Animated Series. A one-hour special is set to air in the fall of 2011 on the Cartoon Network, with the regular series premiering in Spring 2012.

Kick Ass 2 Comic Preview

Pretty cool. Kick-Ass 2 is going to be released next week—that’s three Mark Millar books being published at the same time (watch out Bendis!). Kick-Ass 2 is the (not too) long-awaited sequel to the hit mini-series (and modest) film in which teenage high schooler Dave Lizeskie decides to don a costume and do some super heroing. Before he knows it, he’s an internet sensation and finds himself fighting alongside A-List vigilantes Big Daddy and Hit-Girl, a father/daughter duo who play against all the rules. Artist John Romita Jr. reteams with Millar, which should bring a cohesiveness for fans of the first series.

I hadn’t read the first Kick-Ass until the after the film was released—I was really jonesing for another Hit-Girl experience. After putting the book down, I thought, “That’s a first… the movie was better than the book.” Not exceptionally, but Director Matthew Vaughn, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jane Goldman, took the source material and toned it down in small but important ways. It will be interesting to pick up this book from the beginning to see if Millar pushes the envelope more than the last. I’m not sure how he could, but he tends to find a way.

I’m reserving my copy today (and suggest you do too) because this book is reportedly already sold out. Thank goodness for second-printings.

Read the exclusive preview of Kick Ass 2: Balls to the Wall at Comic Book Resources:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=preview&id=6670&disp=table

Mr. Lizard's World: Will Rhys Ifans Be Playing Dr. Curt Connors?

I woke up this morning and read the following tweet by Mark Millar:

“Aranofsky talking Wolverine, Ifans as The Lizard and Superior #1 out today with Leinil Yu. What a great week to be a geek.”

“No way!,” I think. “Great idea! Great casting!” Then he tweets the following retraction shortly thereafter:

“Oops. My bad. Just checked online and Ifans as The Lizard is just speculation. My bad."

Tonight the online community is abuzz with rumors that Rhys Ifans, recently cast as the next Spider-Man movie villain, is going to play one of the web-head’s oldest foes: the Lizard. While on the surface, a guy that turns into a big reptile might not be enough to carry a film, but the character’s story is akin to Frankenstein and has enough emotional heft to work cinematically.

Dr. Curt Connors is a scientist and amputee who has worked for years to restore his missing limb. Eventually he concocts a serum made from lizard DNA and his arm grows back—tragically it turns Dr. Connors into the monstrous and criminally insane Lizard, half man/half reptile. Add to the mix a grieving wife and son, and you’ve got the emotional center that makes the Lizard one of Spidey’s most tragic rogues.

Stay tuned for more casting developments!

Thank You Sir, May I Have Another: Is Kick-Ass 2 Happening?

If you’re waiting to enjoy Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall (the tentative title) in a movie theater, you may have to bring a copy of the comic book with you to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, because it doesn’t sound like a movie is coming out any time soon.

While nothing is official about the fate of the sequel, Director Matthew Vaughn definitely has his hands full helming X-Men: First Class. In the past few weeks the cast has been interviewed and asked about the status of a follow-up to the much loved (somewhat critically maligned) Mark Millar/John Romita, Jr. adaptation.

On September 30th, Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass) told the following to CinemaBlend:
"Mark Millar and John Romita are just writing, possibly writing, the comic book. It’s kind of in Mathew wall court really, and he’s doing X-Men. I think it’s something we might come back to later."

Johnson’s thoughts on the project didn’t seem too dire. However, on October 4th, Chloe Moretz (Hit-Girl) spoke with Collider:
“Yeah, I’d totally love to be Hit Girl again, but I don’t know about Kick-Ass 2. Everyone’s like, ‘It’s just been announced!,’ but I’m like, ‘No, it hasn’t. That’s all rumor.’ I honestly don’t even know anymore. I don’t know anything about a second one. All I know is that there’s a second comic called Balls to the Wall. Hopefully, that will happen.”

Then Lyndsy Fonseca (Katie) expressed the following to Splash Page this weekend at the New York Comic-Con:
"It's going to be a while if it does happen. Everyone's kind of working on other things, and there needs to be more issues of the comic before there's material to do another movie. So wait and see."

Millar seems more optimistic about another big-screen sequel.  He told the following to Splash Page on August 31st:
“We’re probably about nine months away from production starting, at the earliest, because Matthew’s got to do X-Men: First Class."

Let’s hope it does, because Kick-Ass was easily the best comic book movie of the year (sorry Iron Man 2).