Click for source
by Sam Hurcom
We tried getting Trevor Mcdonald into a spandex Riddler costume to record a video of the Comic book news but unfortunately he declined… something about journalistic integrity and only doing it if Huw Edwards dressed up as Dr Doom. Bizarre! Instead, we’ve brought you a quick fire summary of all the latest machinations and new releases set for the coming weeks.
We tried getting Trevor Mcdonald into a spandex Riddler costume to record a video of the Comic book news but unfortunately he declined… something about journalistic integrity and only doing it if Huw Edwards dressed up as Dr Doom. Bizarre! Instead, we’ve brought you a quick fire summary of all the latest machinations and new releases set for the coming weeks.
Secret Wars (click for source)
MARVEL’S SECRET WARS RE-BOOT
The big story of 2015 so far is Marvel’s reboot of Secret Wars. Forget 12 issue mini-series and a few plot twists though, this is going to be a tad more extreme. The Marvel press release states ‘The Marvel Universe is on the verge of destruction!’ which seems something of an understatement when you consider what Axel Alonso and his team are actually cooking up. Think every Marvel universe, every parallel realm, alternate timeline and weird variation, converging on a newly imagined Battleworld for the fate of… well everything! That’s everything; it’s all up for grabs! Secret Wars will actually be an umbrella title of three interconnected ‘chapters’, Last Days, Battleworld and Warzones. Last Days will depict the demise of the Marvel Universe we know and love, Battleworld will cover the ‘patchwork’ planet that inhabits heroes, villains, monsters and everything in between and Warzones will focus specifically on individual areas of Battleworld and their occupants.
From a collector’s perspective, the thought of Secret Wars alone is making my eyes water. From a fan’s point of view, I’m actually a little pessimistic. Departing from the over excited tone in the previous paragraph, not everything in Secret Wars is actually ‘up for grabs’. Let’s be honest, whatever newly envisaged Marvel Universe comes out the other end of all this mess, it isn’t going to be without the likes of, oh I don’t know, all the Avengers, a good deal of the X-Men… you know, big fan favourites that sell.
I’m going to go on a bit of a strange tangent now and regale you with a story from my youth. Once upon a time, my mum let me paint my bedroom wall with whatever the hell I wanted. I ended up with a massive mural of a camper van on a beach at sunset – lots of red and purple, very garish, nothing like the Sistine Chapel ceiling but more like the men’s lavatories of a Walkabout club. I was dead proud of it and extremely surprised that my mum had let me indulge my creative desires in such a way. Turns out she’d had a reason to let me wile away many summer hours up a small step ladder; there was dry rot in the wall and the builders were coming around in a month or two to knock it all down.
I get the sense Secret Wars is going to be a bit like my awful VW camper painting being smashed to bits: anyone else noticed that Marvel have been flexing their creative muscles for the last six months or so? Exciting story lines and more importantly quite a few big character changes abound; Sam Wilson taking over as Cap, Thor changing gender, Wolverine dying. It seemed at first glance that many of these were going to be permanent changes – now it looks like we’ve all been duped. You see Secret Wars is going to be a big, BIG etch-a-sketch reset of the Marvel universe. There’s lots of exciting things set in store, but I think sadly in many cases, the old status quo will return. Steve Rogers will come back, spritely, fit and ready to hold his star spangled shield; burly man Thor will stroll on the scene (but don’t be surprised if lady Thor sticks around too) and old Wolverine, cigar in mouth and regenerative healing factor intact, will pounce back into our hearts and minds.
I get the sense deep in the pit of my stomach, that Marvel have made their big name changes with the knowledge it would all be quickly and cleanly resolved in Secret Wars. I hope not, I REALLY hope not – shaking up some big name titles has been a breath of fresh air that Marvel should be highly commended for. Who knows, some of these changes may indeed stick permanently. But I kind of doubt it – for all of Marvel’s hype and enthusiasm, I think normal service will sadly be resumed.
The big story of 2015 so far is Marvel’s reboot of Secret Wars. Forget 12 issue mini-series and a few plot twists though, this is going to be a tad more extreme. The Marvel press release states ‘The Marvel Universe is on the verge of destruction!’ which seems something of an understatement when you consider what Axel Alonso and his team are actually cooking up. Think every Marvel universe, every parallel realm, alternate timeline and weird variation, converging on a newly imagined Battleworld for the fate of… well everything! That’s everything; it’s all up for grabs! Secret Wars will actually be an umbrella title of three interconnected ‘chapters’, Last Days, Battleworld and Warzones. Last Days will depict the demise of the Marvel Universe we know and love, Battleworld will cover the ‘patchwork’ planet that inhabits heroes, villains, monsters and everything in between and Warzones will focus specifically on individual areas of Battleworld and their occupants.
From a collector’s perspective, the thought of Secret Wars alone is making my eyes water. From a fan’s point of view, I’m actually a little pessimistic. Departing from the over excited tone in the previous paragraph, not everything in Secret Wars is actually ‘up for grabs’. Let’s be honest, whatever newly envisaged Marvel Universe comes out the other end of all this mess, it isn’t going to be without the likes of, oh I don’t know, all the Avengers, a good deal of the X-Men… you know, big fan favourites that sell.
I’m going to go on a bit of a strange tangent now and regale you with a story from my youth. Once upon a time, my mum let me paint my bedroom wall with whatever the hell I wanted. I ended up with a massive mural of a camper van on a beach at sunset – lots of red and purple, very garish, nothing like the Sistine Chapel ceiling but more like the men’s lavatories of a Walkabout club. I was dead proud of it and extremely surprised that my mum had let me indulge my creative desires in such a way. Turns out she’d had a reason to let me wile away many summer hours up a small step ladder; there was dry rot in the wall and the builders were coming around in a month or two to knock it all down.
I get the sense Secret Wars is going to be a bit like my awful VW camper painting being smashed to bits: anyone else noticed that Marvel have been flexing their creative muscles for the last six months or so? Exciting story lines and more importantly quite a few big character changes abound; Sam Wilson taking over as Cap, Thor changing gender, Wolverine dying. It seemed at first glance that many of these were going to be permanent changes – now it looks like we’ve all been duped. You see Secret Wars is going to be a big, BIG etch-a-sketch reset of the Marvel universe. There’s lots of exciting things set in store, but I think sadly in many cases, the old status quo will return. Steve Rogers will come back, spritely, fit and ready to hold his star spangled shield; burly man Thor will stroll on the scene (but don’t be surprised if lady Thor sticks around too) and old Wolverine, cigar in mouth and regenerative healing factor intact, will pounce back into our hearts and minds.
I get the sense deep in the pit of my stomach, that Marvel have made their big name changes with the knowledge it would all be quickly and cleanly resolved in Secret Wars. I hope not, I REALLY hope not – shaking up some big name titles has been a breath of fresh air that Marvel should be highly commended for. Who knows, some of these changes may indeed stick permanently. But I kind of doubt it – for all of Marvel’s hype and enthusiasm, I think normal service will sadly be resumed.
Superman/Batman #18 (click for source)
BATMAN’S BEEN SHOT!
Superman has a Joker-esque villain at his heels - mad, deranged and out to kill all those Clark Kent holds dear. And who does Clark hold dearest in his heart??? I thought Lois Lane too! Turns out the bro-mance between Clark and Bruce may be deeper than we all realised when Batsy took a bullet to the chest in #18 of Superman/Batman last week. Which leaves us all asking – who the hell does this guy/gal think he/she is to take a pop shot at Batman. BATMAN! The nerve of some people…
ODDLY NORMAL TACKLING SOME VERY REAL ISSUES
Image’s latest foray into the world of children’s comics has seen the rather intriguing arrival of Otis Frampton’s Oddly Normal series, a tale of a young girl (Oddly), some adolescent angst resulting in disappearing parents and her arrival to the world of Fignation (witches magic and mystery all included). Image have announced that the March releases of Oddly Normal will focus on some of the very real problems faced in high school by children feeling outcast and bullied. It’s a very inviting prospect and one that promises to depict a young girl learning to stand up for who she really is.
NOTHING IS QUITE AS IT SEEMS
Dynamite have announced they’ll be releasing a series of one off alternate reality comics for many of their biggest titles. The Altered States collection will include cover art by Billy Tan and will include tales from Red Sonja, Doc Savage, The Shadow and Vampirella.
That’s your round up folks: tune in next time to see Jeremy Paxman reading the headlines as Aquaman – he’s got nothing better to do since he left Newsnight!
Superman has a Joker-esque villain at his heels - mad, deranged and out to kill all those Clark Kent holds dear. And who does Clark hold dearest in his heart??? I thought Lois Lane too! Turns out the bro-mance between Clark and Bruce may be deeper than we all realised when Batsy took a bullet to the chest in #18 of Superman/Batman last week. Which leaves us all asking – who the hell does this guy/gal think he/she is to take a pop shot at Batman. BATMAN! The nerve of some people…
ODDLY NORMAL TACKLING SOME VERY REAL ISSUES
Image’s latest foray into the world of children’s comics has seen the rather intriguing arrival of Otis Frampton’s Oddly Normal series, a tale of a young girl (Oddly), some adolescent angst resulting in disappearing parents and her arrival to the world of Fignation (witches magic and mystery all included). Image have announced that the March releases of Oddly Normal will focus on some of the very real problems faced in high school by children feeling outcast and bullied. It’s a very inviting prospect and one that promises to depict a young girl learning to stand up for who she really is.
NOTHING IS QUITE AS IT SEEMS
Dynamite have announced they’ll be releasing a series of one off alternate reality comics for many of their biggest titles. The Altered States collection will include cover art by Billy Tan and will include tales from Red Sonja, Doc Savage, The Shadow and Vampirella.
That’s your round up folks: tune in next time to see Jeremy Paxman reading the headlines as Aquaman – he’s got nothing better to do since he left Newsnight!
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