The above two character posters for Magneto and Professor X were released today by Fox, and boy howdy do they look nice! Featuring Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy respectively, the two shows the glimmer of things to come while also staying true to the movies current prequel motif. The Magneto one in particular looks quite nice (if I do say so myself), helping to reflect the darker tones of the character based on his origin, while the Xavier poster is much brighter in contrast.

Suffice it to say, things are looking quite bright for this film.

It seems Marvel were pretty half hearted in their attempt to hide the four heroes and villains that will make up "The Worthy" in their next ploy to take all of our money event, Fear Itself. As the above cover by Steve McNiven reveals, the answer to "who are the worthy?" appears to be Juggernaut, Grey Gargoyle, Hulk and Thor. While the first three were definitely part of the set of teasers, Thor is suspiciously absent, which means I'm either wrong in my speculation or Marvel is playing it REALLY hot and loose with their teasers these days.

More on Fear Itself as it develops...

Fresh off their quill (so-to-speak), the creators of the acclaimed IDW Publishing title (here any otherwise) Kill Shakespeare are taking a darker turn with their already dramatic and tumultuous series. One of the leads will meet their fate in issue ten, to be released on April 20th, which is another clever use of the date, if you follow the book. The press release follows. Who do you think will kick the proverbial bucket?

Also, for any up and coming artists, there will be a contest for the art of an upcoming issue!

IDW Press Release

The creators of Kill Shakespeare will announce on March 15th that one of Shakespeare’s most iconic characters will share Julius Caesar’s fate and, “shuffle off this mortal coil” in the comic series’ next issue.

The critically-acclaimed comic published by IDW, which places some of the Bard’s greatest characters together in the same story, is releasing its 9th issue this week and its 10th – featuring the death of one of the bard’s greatest creations – will be published April 20 (to commemorate the anniversary of Shakespeare’s own death and birth).

For the full press release, please check behind the cut

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Well, we did tell you, didn't we? In today's Year of the X-Men Liveblog, the creative powerhouse of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning were confirmed as the new writers of Marvel's New Mutants. As noted on the liveblog, this will be the first time DnA have worked extensively on a mutant-centric book. Abnett and Lanning are taking the book in a new direction, with Cyclops sending the New Mutants to stem any loose ends that could cause mutantkind massive headaches in the future. Obviously, one of the most massive loose ends is Nate Gray, a.k.a. X-Man, who will be getting a good amount of attention in the first arc along with fan favorite "currently kinda evil" character Blink. Additionally — as with any team book — the relationships between the characters are extremely important, and we will be seeing a "curveball romantic relationship." Also as we told you earlier, Leandro Fernandez is the new artist, and his first page is so damn good that editor Nick Lowe "soiled himself when he saw [it.] He wears adult diapers now." Leandro will be the regular artist, but other artists will step in ever other arc or so. Be sure to come back tomorrow around the same time for a similar conference, this time regarding the Uncanny X-Force!

(via Marvel Liveblog)

Please welcome into the Multiversity fold our newest contributor Ryan Closs, who will be joining us for Multiversity 101!

Back in 2009 digital comics were primarily an illegal collection of scans you could read on your computers. 2010 brought us the iPad and a handful of apps to buy and read digital comics legitimately and now 2011 has kicked off with a flurry of activity and a bunch of digital related announcements. Archie Comics going entirely "Same-Day" (I refuse to say Day-and-Date), Diamond beginning to offer digital comics from your local comic shop and Graphic.ly pushing out press release after press release. I'm fairly well-versed in the digital comics landscape right now so I figured I'd give sort of a state of the union. I'm not going to be talking about webcomics (a topic for another day), this will focus on digital comic stores and applications for the most part.

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Since this is my first foray into the mystical world that is "This Month in Comics", I'm probably gonna indulge a bit. Clickity on down for the best/worst/other of the comics world in the incredibly packed month of February, featuring The Fantastic Four, The Sixth Gun, Filipe Andrade, The Li'l Depressed Boy, Jonathan Hickman, Batman & Robin and more!

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Oni Press Release

BOOM! Studios Press Release

This March, join Charlie Brown, Linus, Snoopy and all your favorite PEANUTS characters as Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown, the very first PEANUTS graphic novel ever published, is released by newly-launched all-ages imprint kaboom! Based on the work by PEANUTS creator Charles M. Schulz himself, this graphic novel is sure to delight a whole new generation of PEANUTS fans!

“We're honored to publish such a beloved property,” BOOM! Studios Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Ross Richie said. “I can think of no better way to kick-off our new all-ages imprint kaboom! than with the first PEANUTS graphic novel ever published!”

Adapted from the brand new animated special from Warner Home Video, Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown features Charlie Brown’s kite-flying woes, Linus’ insecurities, Lucy’s unrequited love for Schroeder and everyone’s favorite beagle, Snoopy, in a lively and colorful spin through Charles Schulz’s imagination. This 80 page, 7x10, hardcover graphic novel ships this March at the suggested retail price of $19.99 in conjunction with the all-new PEANUTS animated feature of the same name available on DVD from Warner Home Video March 29, 2011.

For the rest of the press release, as well as a 7 page preview, check behind the cut

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Is this a scoop? Possibly maybe? I have 0 confirmation of this news anywhere, so it's all just a possibility at the moment.

It appears that the creative team of New Mutants might have leaked. On the comic ordering site Heavy Ink, the reported creative team behind the upcoming New Mutants #25 is listed as none other than Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, with art by Leandro Fernandez. The issue will supposedly feature covers by Arthur Adams as well as Marko Djurdjevic for a $3.99 price point to come out May 11th. The solicit information? Classified.

So New Mutants might be coming to you from DnA. If so, that might make them two of the busiest people on the planet, with work for IDW with their Infestation "event" thing, DC and a Flashpoint mini or two (maybe), BOOM! and the Soldier Zero ongoing, and a Marvel ongoing as well as a mini tied into an ongoing saga! Phew. I'm sure another ongoing is just what the doctor ordered.

You guys demanded it, and we listened! Spoiler Alert is back, and believe us - it is better than ever.

We hope you enjoyed last week's chat with Fred Van Lente, and today we continue our interview series with a chat with Joe Eisma, the illustrator from the hit series Morning Glories! Do you know what's going on? Want to hear a guy who might know a bit more than you talk about some of the secrets and mystery behind the series? Well you're in luck, because this week we try and get out every bit of clue we can from Joe, while also musing about the hilariousness of time zones and weather. Topical!

So take a little listen below and be sure to a) subscribe on iTunes for automatic updates to the show and b) tell all your friends, because this is going to be the best comic podcast on the entire internet!

Did you catch the first issue of the ongoing series of "Hack/Slash" from Image Comics? This book from Tim Seeley and Daniel Leister was a big hit with yours truly, and part of the reason why was the very, very solid back-up "Hoax Hunters" from Steve Seeley, Michael Moreci and JM Ringuet. It will be appearing in the back of "Hack/Slash" all year, and is recommended by myself. Check out the press release about this book after the jump.

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The news is fresh from Brian Michael Bendis' Twitter feed!

Powers pilot was just greenlit by FX! it's official! your window of reading Powers while it was still cool is running out :)

You heard it from here - the Powers pilot from FX is now going to happen. No news is known about it except that is going to be written by Kevin Falls ("Journeyman") and it is likely to be directed by Michael Dinner ("Karen Sisco"). No matter what though, this is a huge step for Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming's series, and exciting news for fans of the excellent detective series.

Wolverine Vs The Hand from Gary Shore on Vimeo.


The above video, made by Gary Shore, has been making it's way around the collective comic internets, and it's absolutely beautiful. Playing off as a trailer for the X-Men: Origins sequel, the stylistic video boasts a rather incredibly visual tour de force of Wolverine battling the Hand with an unnamed partner. The animated images, put to haunting musc by Vitaliy Z, is incredibly sleek, and has some definitely awesome moments (face kick off a sword? Hell yes!).

Take a peek above, and for more of Gary's work check out http://www.garyshore.com/

Sweet Tooth 19, out next week, features four artists in one one-shot. Yes, you read that absolutely right. Along with pages by Lemire, there will be additional stories by Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole), Emi Lenox (EmiTown), and Matt Kindt (Revolver). The story will reveal the past of some of the characters in the ongoing Sweet Tooth saga, as well as give Lemire a chance to work with some unsung heroes of talent in the comic industry whose names you should all know (seriously). And we have a page for each of them!

Take a look behind the cut for pages by Nate Powell, Emi Lenox, and Matt Kindt

(via source)

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Marvel has revealed the above image for the upcoming Year Of the X-Men storyline, this team featuring Colossus putting on the helmet of Juggernaut. Wait, what? Juggernaut's not dead or anything... he's in the Thunderbolts and supposedly involved in Fear Itself. And Colossus is busy with Kitty and Breakworld (again) according to Gillen's first solo arc. Sooo..... huh?

Well, whatever this is, it'll be written by Kieron Gillen, drawn by Greg Land, and starts in Uncanny X-Men #540.

When it comes to comic books, I feel like a lot of new fans often struggle to figure out where to come into stories. For example, people will go out to the cinema this summer to see the Thor movie, and upon seeing it they might be interested in checking out the Thor comic book. The only problem is that this summer also features the Marvel event Fear Itself, which appears to be deeply tied to norse mythology (i.e. Thor), which will in turn cause a company wide spill out of stories all tied to the main event series. Even with two Thor books to follow (Journey to Mystery and The Mighty Thor), now isn't exactly the best time to get into the regular Thor books for someone who has never read a Thor title (although Marvel press releases for the Mighty Thor would probably argue otherwise, and understandably so).

So what's a new fan to do? Is there a place where someone seeing X-Men:First Class, Thor, or Captain America: The First Avenger can find a good, stand alone series centering around the character they want to see more of? Why yes, Virgina, there is a series: Marvel's bourgeoning Astonishing line.

Check behind the cut for a few musings over Astonishing X-Men, Spider-Man/Wolverine, Thor, and the upcoming Captain America series.

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By now, most people have heard of the real life superhero Phoenix Jones. He's certainly been making his rounds on the internet, being the world's first guy to dress-up and actually fight crime. Like, you know, with his fists and stuff. Most real life superheroes are passive, trying to better their communities by trying to break up fights, calling the police, and giving food to the homeless, but Phoenix Jones is all about actually being a crime fighter, taking down drug dealers and being shot and stabbed several times now. To quote the man himself, "Handing out food to the homeless is an entirely worthy thing to do, but it’s not what superheroes do. If you’re going to drive a fire truck, people are going to expect you to put out fires. If you dress up like a superhero, people are going to expect you to fight crime… I don’t see the point in handing sandwiches to homeless people in areas in which the homeless are getting abused, attacked, harassed by drug dealers.”

It looks like the other real life superheroes aren't taking to this very much.

In a recent report in the Wall Street Journal (yeah, that one), a hero named Knight Owl was quoted as saying, "“For the first time, we have someone who agrees with our overall purpose but doesn’t agree with our methods. I suppose it was bound to happen, but it’s definitely a growing pain within the community. Whether intentionally or not, he’s representing the  community now, and that makes some people nervous." On top of that, hero Zetaman wrote on his blog, "all of us are afraid of one day someone is going to get killed and it’ll be all over… I don’t need this kind of macho crap in my life and I don’t need to prove myself to anyone, least of all to Phoenix Jones and his Rain City Superhero Movement.” No macho crap while being superhero? Ok.

All of this information, collected from Bleeding Cool, points out the divide between the two groups. We have the Real Life Superheroes, with their sandwiches, and the Rain City Superheroes, with their firsts and stitches. The two have apparently attempted to get along and go on patrol together, but it isn't really working out. So if push comes to shove, what's it going to be for our real life superheroes? Are fists going to prevail, or are the sandwiches? And which side is Cap's side and which is Iron Man's? Hypothetically speaking of course.

(via source)

It looks like a few of the upcoming Flashpoint tie-in minis have been revealed with their associated creative teams. The information comes through a source via another source with only a few concrete links to support most of these, so take it as you will.

As of now, here's what we have:

• Flashpoint main title, by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert with Sandra Hope (confirmation)
• Flashpoint: Citizen Cold, by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins (rumor)
• Flashpoint: Secret Seven (featuring Shade the Changing Man and Enchantress), by Peter Milligan and George Perez (confirmation)
• Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman, by Tony Bedard and Adrian Syaf (Supposed confirmation based on leaked information)
• Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies, by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and Scott Clark (Supposed confirmation based on leaked information)
• Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance, by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, and Harvey Tolibao (Supposed confirmation based on leaked information)

That's quite an interesting line-up so far. While we'll wait to see official confirmation from DC on these, it'd definitely be cool to see big names on these tie-ins.

(via source)

Written by Jonathan Hickman
Illustrated by Nick Dragotta and Mark Brooks

Following the death of XXXXXXXX, we spend a month
seeing how the remaining members of the Fantastic Four, the extended family, other heroes, and prominent villains react to the loss of this legendary hero. It's the epilogue to THREE: A Month of Mourning. PLUS: The Amazing Spider-Man consoles Franklin Richards in a second all-new tale!

So I'd say it's safe to say we all now know that - wait, huh? Maybe everyone doesn't know? Ok, fine. I won't say anything. But as a brief synopsis, someone died, everyone is upset, and we get to read about it in the last issue of Fantastic Four ever (i.e. for now).

Check behind the cut for my thoughts on the final issue. Oh, and for those who somehow may not know who died, spoiler alert.

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You know what "works" in comic books these days? Gritty re-dos of characters. The wholesome thing and the triumph is good just doesn't work for most audiences anymore, and the darker you make things, the more people want to actively see it. On some levels with this take you get smash blockbuster hits (see: The Dark Knight), and although you'll have a flop or two (The Spirit), the average audience still wants to add a wholesome helping of violence, noir, and drugs with a good side of sex and more drugs in their entertainment.

So now, take what you know of Archie, mix in the soundtrack from Requiem for a Dream and add a slice of Rules Of Attraction and Kids, and you have the Archie movie, Riverdale.

Take a view above, and prepare to have your all-American childhood dreams and memories ruined.

Written by Brendon Small, Jon Schnepp & Jeremy Barlow
Illustrated by Lucas Maragnon

Dethklok have constructed the ultimate concert venue, the DethTrain--three stories high and eight car lanes wide, requiring a small nation's worth of manpower and materials to build. But a deadly ghost haunts the iron leviathan, murdering its way toward the band and giving Dethklok's adversary, the Blues Devil, another shot at claiming their souls. Evil rides the rails, turning a killer live show into a one--way trip to hell!

The off screen adventures of everyone's favorite fictional Death Metal band finally reaches its conclusion. Click below to see if the final chapter delivers on its brutal promises!

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Written by Daniel Way
Illustrated by Jason Pearson

Not all monsters are easy to spot -- some of them live among us, undetected or long forgotten. Some of them live inside us, in the dark corners of our hearts, feeding on our secret fears of loss. But in the Marvel Universe, most of them live on Monster Island. Or, at least, they did. A mysterious exodus is underway; monsters spilling onto nearby shores – with catastrophic results – and it falls upon a small group of X-Men to both save the population from destruction and to solve an imposing riddle: What are monsters afraid of? New series writer Daniel Way (Deadpool) is joined by superstar artist Jason Pearson to bring you a widescreen, mega blockbuster story filled with classic Kirby monsters, heart-stopping revelations and over-the-top action!

Astonishing X-Men has long since been a beacon of light in the X-Universe, offering up easily accessible stories from two top notch creators in the business - Warren Ellis and Joss Whedon. As difficult a run as Whedon's was to follow up, Ellis certainly went out on a high note. Now it's Way's turn, coming in with Jason Pearson… but how does their first issue play out?

Check behind the cut for some thoughts.

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Image sent over the above teaser image, tying in with the one from yesterday that supposes that riding bears is cooler than riding horses (which is true). While we still don't know any creative team, we do now know that this will be a brand new all-ages title from Image, centering on a cowboy (assumedly named Reed). It looks like the more people whine about all ages titles from Marvel and DC, the more other companies (like Image and BOOM! with it's recent Kaboom announcement) are filling the void. Good!

Stay tuned for more info as we get it.

Written by Scott Snyder
Illustrated by Francesco Francavilla

"There are some cases that come screaming back at you...like phone calls in the night..." For years, Jim Gordon has been haunted by the unsolved case of Gotham's notorious "Peter Pan Killer." Now, armed with new evidence, Gordon is determined to put the case to rest. But as he digs deeper, he'll unearth a shocking discovery about his own past – a revelation that will shake him to the core. Skeletons will be exposed and secrets revealed in this special issue featuring art by Francesco Francavilla!

The whimsically dark writing style of Scott Snyder has made Detective Comics the Bat book to beat according to many. However, with his first arc in the can and regular fill in artist Francesco Francavilla taking over for this mini-arc, is the standard set by the initial story met by this one? Click on down to find out!

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The above teaser was just released from Marvel, and boy, does this bring up some issues! Not only does it sort of give credence to the rumor that Wolverine will be leaving the X-Men and making his own solo team to go against Cyclops, but look at the group of people apparently opposing the team. Archangel is missing, and apparently despite Fantomex killing Apocalypse, it looks like the X-Force are going to have to go up against several characters from the Age Of Apocalypse. What? Confused? Well, that's definitely AoA Sabretooth and Nightcrawler, and considering their 616-counterparts are both dead as Dillinger, your guess is as good as mine as to how they're coming to our world. Out goes the Age Of X and here comes the return of the Age Of Apocalypse?

We'll have more information as we get it, but for now look forward to the all new mission for the X-Force, starting at issue #11 from Rick Remender and Mark Brooks.

Written by Dan Slott
Illustrated by Marcos Martin

This February may be the shortest month of the year, but this time it's the BIGGEST month for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN! "Awakening" We can't tell you what's in this issue without spoiling the end of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #654. But we can say this: Marcos Martin returns to AMAZING SPIDER-MAN in a full-length 30 page story that will haunt you. As the fallout of recent events continues to rock Peter Parker's world, he makes a choice-- a promise-- that even he might not be able to fulfill...

For the past couple months, I've been incredibly excited over Amazing Spider-Man #655 even though I had absolutely no clue as to what the issue was about. I'd seen Stephen Wacker hyping it on Twitter, and then I started seeing more and more touting it as one of the best Amazing Spider-Man issues ever. It couldn't be, could it?

Find out what I thought after the jump.

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Written by Fred Van Lente
Illustrated by Wellington Alves & Pere Perez

When Danny Rand transformed his multinational corporation into a non-profit foundation, he thought he had left fighting behind – but with so many innocents wrongly convicted, the battle never ends! Their first case is Luke Cage and Danny Rand's former secretary Jennie Royce, imprisoned for a murder she didn't commit…or did she? And Iron Fist isn’t fighting alone -- he's got a new partner with him: Victor Alvarez, the all-new Power Man, he of the exploding punches – and exploding temper! Can Danny train his new charge well enough to face returning foil El Aguila as well as new threats Don Pagliacci, the Commedia Dell’Morte, and the beautiful, deadly Noir? That’s right, Marvel’s original mismatched action duo begins a new era of greatness right here!

The first issue of this mini-series was a pleasant surprise chock full of action, comedy and nuance that Fred Van Lente specializes in oh so well. Does #2 continue that trend? Click on down to find out!

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Just in time for it's big screen companion, Marvel's animated Thor: Tales Of Asgard will be coming out on DVD and Blu-ray on May 17th, 2011.

According to the press release, "The story will go back to Thor's earlier years, before he ever lifted his mighty hammer. It follows the upstart god's quest for the legendary Lost Sword of Surtur. To help in the search, Thor teams up with his loyal brother Loki, a budding sorcerer with a knack for conjuring up trouble, and the fabled Warriors Three, a band of boastful travelers. But what starts out as a harmless treasure hunt quickly turns deadly, and Thor must now prove himself worthy of his destiny by saving Asgard itself."

The DVD/Blu-ray will also come with features from producer Craig Kyle, screenwriter Greg Johnson, and more, as well as an episode of Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. In addition to that nice Alex Ross cover, it looks like you're getting quite the pretty package with this. It's being obviously timed for release with the live action film, so hopefully new fans and old will be able to get their Thor fix as they inevitably wait to see the live action film again, albeit in theaters or later on DVD/Blu-ray.

Either way, it's hammer lost Asgardian sword time!

(via source)

Written by Nathan Edmondson
Illustrated by Tonci Zonjic

CHAPTER TWO
To every action, a reaction. The botched op in Barcelona has exposed Jon, and he is on the run—but from whom, he can't exactly say. As the game of cat and mouse plays out, Jon discovers something about Jake that threatens all of Jon's assumptions about the only man who can protect him from what's coming.

The first part of Jake Ellis offered an incredibly unsuspected by outwardly stylistic action comic that just oozed creativity. Seriously - if you picked up the comic, it was actually dripping. So as the story moves forward into it's next chapter, along with a few new notes and "revelations", how does the story continue to play out?

Check behind the cut for some thoughts.

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According to a report from Bleeding Cool, it looks like DC is cancelling their First Wave line in totem. The report claims that all First Wave books will be gone, including books already finished which will no longer come out. DC has been taking a book-by-book approach with their series without hoping that better selling books can prop up the lower tier titles, and that there is just not enough justification to keep these books around.

And who can really blame them? Sales are low, you don't hear anyone talking about them, and the last time we reviewed First Wave #4, it netted a 3.4 (pass) and made Worst Book Of The Month (for September '10). With the last issue of First Wave supposedly coming out March 2, 2011 with a trade in June, that's almost a year to the date of when the first issue came out (March 3, 2010). While a lot of things can hurt a title, let alone a line, I'd say that creator delays is certainly a large one, no? Besides, the other two titles - Doc Savage and the Spirit - have to deal with being characters a lot of modern people don't recognize, and the Spirit had it rough from the start by a) being a follow up to an unbeatable Darwyn Cooke run and b) being associated with a Grade-A flop of a film.

First Wave had a rough beginning, and it didn't pan out well for the line. If you were a fan of the titles, you're probably pretty bummed. But given the low sales that have led to this cancellation a year after the line started, I would imagine that there are quite a few of you.

(via source)

Written by Cullen Bunn
Illustrated by Brian Hurtt

Nature itself revolts as a fiendish new enemy makes a play against Becky, Drake, and Gord... and the goal is to leave no man or woman alive! Plus, the budding romance between Becky and the charming gunslinger Kirby Hale heats up... but is Becky setting herself up for disaster?

The best book on the stands that you probably aren't reading continues its march on the road to awesome. The action heats up for our motley crew of gun slingers this chapter, so clickity click for all the juicy bits of commentary!

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Written by Nick Spencer
Illustrated by Barry Kitson, Kano, and Carmine Di Giandomedico

Spinning directly out of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN! New mission! New armor! New Iron Man! Lt. Col. James Rhodes is War Machine…the single most advanced one-man weapon of conventional combat. But wars aren’t fought the way they used to be – and when Rhodey has to face a mysterious enemy he can’t shoot, can’t bomb, can’t even see, he’s going to be forced to evolve…or die. Find out why War Machine becomes Iron Man 2.0 in the 3-part launch arc of this all-new ongoing series! By breakout sensation Nick Spencer (Morning Glories, Action Comics) and the legendary Barry Kitson (INCREDIBLE HULKS, THE ORDER)!

The comic world's latest golden boy Nick Spencer (does it ever get daunting having people start reviews like that?) is back with his first Marvel ongoing! Yeesh. That makes three ongoings for the guy (this, THUNDER Agents, Morning Glories), as well as an additional fourth (Secret Avengers) coming from the Marvel court in a few months. So - with the latest issue of Morning Glories bagging a 9.4 from us, our last THUNDER Agents review bagging a 9.8 as well as the first issue of the Infinite Vacation, and his previous creator owned work getting a mega-recommendation last week, does the hot streak continue?!

Find out after the cut.

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Warner Home Video and DC Entertainment have released the above trailer for Emerald Knights, the new animated Green Lantern film to come out in conjunction with the film. Not connecting with the previous animated film, this one tells six interlocking stories that reveal the origin of the corps, as well as feature fan favorite Nathan Fillion as Hal Jordan! Aw yeah! The film also features the voice talents of Elisabeth Moss, Henry Rollins, Jason Isaacs and Roddy Piper, and will be in stores June 7, 2011, about a week and a half before the film.

Sit back and take a viewing above!

Marvel Press Release

Marvel is proud to announce that this May, rising star writer Rob Williams takes the reins of Daken: Dark Wolverine with an all new, POINT ONE issue great for new readers wanting to get into the mind of Marvel’s newest crime boss. In one fell swoop, Daken single-handedly executed a ruthless takeover of Madripoor’s criminal underworld and now he’s in pursuit of a new prize – the City of Angels! Too bad that Wolverine and his fellow Avengers are ready to stand in his way!

“I’m so excited to have Rob Williams coming on board Dark Wolverine. His sharp ear and sardonic wit, combined with his knack for twisty, noir-inspired plots are the perfect combo for Daken to take full advantage of,” explains editor Jeanine Schafer. “We’re ramping up for a blow-out year – Daken has his sights set on a new status as a true kingpin, pulling all the strings, and stopping at nothing to get what he wants. Lots of gorgeous men and women, double-crosses and the constant threat of going over the edge. What more could you ask for in a great noir?”

With Williams onboard as new ongoing writer with this introductory POINT ONE issue, a new era for West Coast crime begins as Daken sets out make his own kind of killing in Hollywood! Discover the makings of Marvel’s next great super-villain and his grand plans for the future this May in Daken: Dark Wolverine #9.1!

For the rest of the press release, please check behind the cut

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We received the above teaser image in our inbox last night, featuring two possible modes of transportation and only one obvious choice. While we have no idea what this is a teaser for, the only additional information we can provide you is that the title of the jpeg was "Reed Promo." Whatever that means. Looks like Image is about to unload a brand new crazy teaser campaign again!

We'll keep you updated as we get more.

Dark Horse Press Release

As Abe Sapien, Johann Kraus, Liz Sherman and the rest of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense find themselves dealing with dreadful events across the globe in the pages of B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth that they—and their fans—could not have foreseen only a year ago, a rare and surprising event is set to occur in Seattle at this year’s Emerald City Comicon. An opportunity second to none, fans will have the chance to hear all about the book Comics Alliance called “one of the best books on the stands” from Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Guy Davis, Dave Stewart and editor Scott Allie—the entire B.P.R.D. team—as well as have a chance to receive an exclusive, black and white B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth comic.

Featuring a full-color cover by Guy Davis with color art from Dave Stewart with the B.P.R.D. fighting a monster terrorizing the Seattle skyline, this unique comic will contain a brand new B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth story that’s a must-have for fans and collectors alike. Available for free at the Dark Horse booth (#702) while supplies last, attendees can swing by to grab their copy and check-in at the B.P.R.D. Recruiting Station to sign up for the B.P.R.D. newsletter, enter a raffle for B.P.R.D. prizes and more!

"This is something really unique in that the story takes place during the current B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth storyline and fits seamlessly in between issues, yet is totally centered around Seattle,” Emerald City Comicon Director, Jim Demonakos said. "I'm thrilled to be able to collaborate with Scott Allie and Dark Horse to bring this comic to reality. With Scott, Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Guy Davis and Dave Stewart all being guests, it was amazing to have the entire B.P.R.D. crew create a story that was both Seattle-centric and in-continuity, and I think the fans at ECCC are going to love it."

Fans should also make an effort to be at Saturday’s B.P.R.D. panel in Room 4C3-4, where they’ll be no shortage of exciting news about the series. The panel will also be a singular opportunity to hear the full creative force behind B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth discuss the book, chat with each other and field questions from fans.

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Dark Horse recently revealed the covers for the upcoming Dark Horse Presents #2, out June 22, 2011, but what they didn't reveal was what was going to be inside. Wouldn't you like to know? You would?? Ok!

Well, in addition to the covers (one above by Neal Adams, one after the cut by Sanford Greene), you'll get the following stories by the following creators:

Sanford Greene and Chuck Brown: "Rotten Apple" Part 1 (NEW)
Robert Love and David Walker: "Number 13" Chapter 1 (NEW)
Neal Adams: "Blood" Part 2
Howard Chaykin: "Marked Man" Part 2
Paul Chadwick: "Concrete: In a Wound in the Earth"
Carla Speed McNeil: "Finder: Third World" Part 2
David Chelsea: "Snow Angel" Part 2
Richard Corben: "Murky World" Part 2
Michael T. Gilbert: "Mr. Monster vs. Oooak!" Part 2
Patrick Alexander: "The Wraith" (NEW)

That's quite a powerhouse of talent. New Chaykin and Concrete? What's not to love? The first issue features the new 300 prequel Xerxes by Frank Miller, and while that isn't contained in the list of content for the second issue, I'd imagine that story can't be contained to just one issue!

Dark Horse also adds,

As Dark Horse’s 25th year rolls on in grand fashion, so does Dark Horse Presents! Issue number 2 of Dark Horse’s landmark anthology features not only the continuation of stories by the likes of Howard Chaykin, Richard Corben, Paul Chadwick, and Carla Speed McNeil, but the premieres of all new stories by Patrick Alexander, Sanford Greene and Robert Love! Don’t miss this milestone showcase of the comics industry’s hottest talents and most esteemed legends!

The issue is out June 22nd of this year at 80 pages for $7.99 (which is still less than 4 22 page issues at $2.99). Check behind the cut for the cover by Sanford Greene.

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UPDATE #1: BOOM! has sent over a new teaser image for an upcoming series called Space Warped, featuring a Star Wars parody cover (image available after the cut).

UPDATE #2: BOOM! has sent over a new teaser image featuring Word Girl, a popular PBS Kids character, who is now getting her own comic series on Kaboom (image available after the cut).

The above image was released by BOOM! Studios yesterday, announcing that their previously named Boom 2.0 is now their new kids division, Kaboom. In addition to the name change (and the various all ages/kids comics we've reported on them getting in the past couple days, with Classic Mickey and Scrooge titles in the mix), it looks like they're also going to be printing Peanuts cartoons (although if they're new or old is unknown as of now) as well as new stuff by fan-favorite all-ages writer Roger Langridge (from Thor: The Mighty Avenger!). For those who are actively looking for all-ages comics within the medium, might we direct your attention here?

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Hot off the digital presses is yet another teaser related to the MMXI - Year of the X-Men event Marvel is cooking up in may. Up this time is a peak at the cast of the post-Age of X X-Men Legacy cast, featuring Frenzy as she appears in said Age of X. It sure makes you wonder how the events of that alternate reality tale will dovetail back into the main Marvel U, doesn't it?

More on MMXI as it develops...

(source)

This week, your usual Fund It! host is a bit unable to maintain his duties to you in this article. It's not because he doesn't love you, but rather that he is an incredibly important man who needs to do a week off to save the multiverse. Yes, you read that absolutely correctly. So in the meantime while we wait for him to return to our universe, I present to you a Fund It! of my own, pulled from the creative recesses of my mind and transcribed into a more readable form.

If you have ever gone to a convention before and have attended a Marvel panel, you'll notice that there are some things that always get brought up, specifically in regards to the return of specific characters. Everyone has their personal fan favorite characters and teams, but it seems like you can't get through any given panel or questionairre without someone asking when the Runaways will come back. Originally introduced by Brian K Vaughan, this group of youngsters quickly found a place in many readers hearts as they rebelled against their evil supervillain planets and set themselves up as LA's new supergroup. Of course, the road to superhero-dom was a long and rocky one, mixed with new friends and the loss of old ones as they did their best to integrate into the Marvel Universe. However, despite a cult following of fans who were both longtime Marvelites and newbies to the Marvel realm, sales of the book never ended up sustaining it beyond Vaughan's initial run, with the third volume itself featuring shifts between writers and artists before eventually dying just as it got amazing. And if there was ever a reason to resurrect a book, it would be simply to finish a story, wouldn't it?

Check behind the cut as I regal you into the reasons why Runaways should return, who should write it, and who should illustrate it. As a note, spoilers for Runaways are discussed, if only to illustrate the epic cliffhanger left off with the final issue of the third volume. If you've never read Runaways before and planned to, you might want to avert your eyes.

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Written by Jonathan Ross
Illustrated by Tommy Lee Edwards

New York in February is never great, but back in 1929 it was unbearable. The weather sucked, of course, and prohibition meant it was hard to get a stiff drink in a hurry. But the Dragonmirs, a vampire clan from Romania really made life tough. Once they finished wiping out New York's gangs, they turned their attention to the Police. Their plan: to take over the city, keep humans like livestock and wake up the oldest vampire in existence to seal the deal. Mankind’s feeble hopes lie with a young female newspaper reporter, a weak and dying member of the Dragonmir family, and a one-eared, one-eyed former gang boss named Eddie Falco, who hopes to persuade Samuel Kane and his gang of Harlem racketeers to join them. Oh, add in a giant alien with unbelievable weapons called Squeed. Sounds about even, then...

After a lengthy delay, Jonathan Ross' warped period piece continues. As the story enters its final act, does this latest chapter build on the solid foundation built by the first three? Click below to find out.

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The video above is of a piece created by a Pixiv user named Ag+, and it is of an absolutely incredible Zelda painting created entirely digitally to celebrate the games 25th anniversary. I found the entire video rather intoxicating, and for those interested in the creative process for artists, I highly recommend checking out this excellent video.

For an HD picture of the piece, go here.

Written by Nick Spencer
Illustrated by Joe Eisma

Zoe has everything—looks, popularity, and a perfect GPA. But if you think you know all there is to know about her, think again. The secret she keeps sheds new light on the mysteries of Morning Glory Academy!

The trade is out, new fans are in the door, and the price is dropped - what a time for Morning Glories! Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma's terrific ongoing continues with it's latest issue, cooling things down to tell a story focused on heroine Zoe, aka the girl most likely to cheat on you. But not all is well, as the issue promises a brand new mystery to add to the pot - and after the one that came out with #6, what else could possibly go wrong??

Check behind the cut for my thoughts on the issue.

Also, be on the lookout in the future for an upcoming column discussing each Morning Glories issue, starring yours truly and former Multiversity writer/current TV Overmind writer/FuckYeahLost head honcho Crit Obara! 

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It's a good week to be a fan of the medium. Lots of great series by lots of great creators are on this week's shipping list, including multiple ever-enticing debut issues. If it was difficult to choose only $20 worth of comics last week, it was damn hard this week.

Follow the cut for our staff's picks, and be sure to let us know what you're planning on getting.

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Marvel has released the above teaser for the post-Age of X New Mutants book, the first of its teasers for "MMXI - The Year of the X-Men" event beginning in May (yes, apparently there ARE going to be X-Books in May.) While the creative team has yet to be announced, the inclusion of X-Man and Blink (both not seen since Cornell's Dark X-Men mini and Necrosha, respectively) is sure to excite some avid fans (including this writer.) Whoever the team happens to be, they'll have some pretty hefty shoes to fill following the much beloved Zeb Wells run on the book.

We'll have more on Year of the X-Men as it develops...

(source)

IDW Press Release

IDW Publishing’s popular ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS comic series is headed to Hollywood. The series, which was created by writer and IDW Chief Creative Officer Chris Ryall and artist/painter Ashley Wood and launched in 2006, has been acquired by Sony Pictures.

The film will be a co-production between IDW, Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes, and Circle of Confusion. IDW CEO and co-founder Ted Adams will produce, alongside Bay, Brad Fuller, Andrew Form, Dave Alpert, and Rick Jacobs.

In the ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS comic series, the last remaining human in the world is protected by an assortment of robots against overwhelming zombie hordes. When the robots mistakenly expose the human infant’s presence to the zombies, it leads to an all-out battle for the survival of mankind. The series takes a playful look at a far-fetched concept, resulting in something that transcends the usual “vs” approach. Subsequent series include Zombies vs Robots vs Amazons, also illustrated by Wood, as well as Zombies vs Robots: Aventure, a series that presented three separate prequel stories. The ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS world also played a major role in IDW’s first-ever event series, INFESTATION, and an all-new ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS series subtitled “UnderCity,” with art by Mark Torres, launches in April.

For the full press release, check behind the cut

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Image Press Release

Image Comics presents another new title as well as some exciting new talent with MORIARTY, a collaboration from the up and coming creative team of writer Daniel Corey and artist Anthony Diecidue. This new series, set to debut in May, will follow the world’s greatest criminal mastermind as he adjusts to life without a foil.



Although the venerable series created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle covered a great deal of ground, it left one question unanswered: What would happen if Professor Moriarty finally achieved mortal victory over his ages old nemesis? With Diecidue's art evoking the dark and foreboding atmosphere of  London after dark, Corey will show readers how he imagines the story without a Sherlock Holmes.


“Would Moriarty revel in victory, spend the rest of his life smoking cigars and sleeping on stacks of money?”  Daniel Corey wondered. “Probably not.  I think he’d fall on hard times, and it would take one heck of an event - say, a World War - to jolt him back to life.”

Corey continued, "Moriarty's not an evil person - not in his own mind. In working with Anthony Diecidue to create this series, I thought we’d take a look at things from Moriarty’s perspective, get to know his thoughts. Along the way, we could see him delve into some mind-blowing deductive reasoning, get into a few sword fights, decipher riddles and discover technology 50 years ahead of its time. Would we expect any less from the original super-villain?"

MORIARTY #1, a 32 page full-color science fiction noir comic book, is in stores in May 2011 for $2.99.

Dark Horse Press Release


As excitement about the relaunch of the legendary anthology comic Dark Horse Presents builds, Dark Horse president and publisher Mike Richardson—who’s also personally editing DHP’s anticipated return—is adding another thrilling creator to the premiere issue’s roster. In addition to the main cover by Paul Chadwick and Frank Miller’s variant cover, an ultra-rare variant by Paul Pope (cover artist for The Escapists, the original and historic run of Dark Horse Presents, Marvel’s Strange Tales, DC’s Wednesday Comics) will also adorn Dark Horse Presents #1.

Retailers who buy twenty copies of DHP #1 featuring the Chadwick cover, the Miller cover, or a combination of both will receive a copy of DHP #1 featuring the ultra-rare variant cover (available only while supplies last), signed by one of the book’s iconic creators. For each additional twenty copies ordered, another ultra-rare variant edition will be received, and each will feature a new signature.

Fans and comic collectors, ask your local retailer about how to get a copy of this exclusive variant-cover issue!

The thrilling lead-in to DHP’s relaunch continues on the Dark Horse blog, when we’ll reveal the two covers to issue #2. Be there!

We figure it might help to let you guys know what's coming out this week in comics, so welcome to our weekly feature! Our reviews come out tomorrow, so be sure to look over this list to get a preview of what we may or may not be reviewing tomorrow. We've added all of our own personal recommendations into this list as well, so be on the look out for bolded titles. Whenever you see one of those, it means we think you should be reading it. So keep your eyes open!

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In an incredibly sad bit of news, it looks like reports are coming in that Dwayne McDuffie has passed. McDuffie has always stood as a voice of diversity in comics, helping to really bridge some of the gaps between character race relations in modern comics. In fact, some might know him best as Editor In Chief for Milestone Comics, an imprint with DC responsible for fan favorite characters like Static Shock and the soon-to-be-relaunched Xombi. Dwayne McDuffie was also a large part of the DC Animated line, recently writing animated films like the adaptation of All Star Superman as well as the launching of shows like Teen Titans and Static Shock.

While we are still unsure what the cause of death is, the loss is certainly felt already. Suffice it to say, he is a talent that will be sorely missed within comics. As Matt Fraction tweeted in a way that sums up our thoughts very well, "too soon, too young, too goddamn talented." Our thoughts go out to the family.

This morning, Marvel's Agent M released the above image (with art by Paco Medina) on the Marvel blog, teasing this as having something to do with the upcoming X-Men Giant Size Special, "From First To Last", which was teased in May's solicits for Marvel. For those needing a refresher course on what the title is, never fear:

Written by CHRISTOPHER YOST
Penciled by PACO MEDINA & DALIBOR TALAJIC
Cover by ED McGUINESS
Variant Cover by PACO MEDINA
Fantastic Four Anniversary Variant by Simone Bianchi
“FROM FIRST TO LAST”
Think you know everything there is to know about the original X-Men? Think again! Something happened to Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Angel, Iceman and Professor X years ago, a secret so horrible that it has been locked away in the dark corner of Cyclops' mind until today. What crisis strikes in the present that calls upon memories of the past? Witness the astonishing debut of the Evolutionaries! Taking the lead for a few issues is famed X-Men writer CHRIS YOST (X-FORCE) and with all this danger, he’s lucky to have regular X-MEN artist PACO MEDINA and DALIBOR TALAJIC (PUNISHER) along for the ride.
40 PGS./Rated T+ ...$4.99

Ryan promises more revelations to come in comics on sale this week, but it's certainly an interesting picture. Based on the solicit information, it looks like Emma Frost is doing something telekenetic to Marvel Girl... but... well, how is that possible? And could this have something to do with all those missing X-solicits?

Look for more info in this week's comic books, and we'll update you with any additional information we find.

DC has released a whole slew of animated films now, ranging from the particularly great (Justice League: A New Frontier) to the particularly awful (Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths). They've actually sort of cornered the market on adaptations, definitively putting out some pretty darn entertaining animated films based on some of their graphic novels, including two now from Jeph Loeb's run of Superman/Batman (which - no matter where you stand on Loeb's work - are entertaining reads/watches). Of course, the upcoming difficulty now is that DC is putting out an animated adaptation of one of their most celebrated stories - All Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. And just like with the film adaptation of Watchmen, story telling purists are nervous as all hell about how much of the story is going to make it through - one of those purists being yours truly.

Take a look behind the cut as I take a look at the film adaptation of one of my all-time favorite stories (of all time). As a note, spoilers are discussed in comparison of what the film did different from the comic. If you've read the comic but not seen the film yet, or vice versa, you might want to be wary of this.

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On the third part of 4 Color News and Brews, Brandon and David throw down more reviews. This episode has four reviews, including Jason Aaron and Daniel Acuna's Wolverine #6, Kathryn Immonen and Phil Noto's Wolverine and Jubilee #2, Thunderbolts #153 by Jeff Parker and Kev Walker, Green Lantern #62 by Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke, and Silver Surfer #1 from Greg Pak and Stephen Segovia.

It's a huge week, and one that deserves a ton of reviews.

Don't forget to throw down comments and to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

In lieu of putting up a slew of different images this week, I wanted to guide readers attention to one specific art blog that started today - SkottieScott.

This art blog comes from two Multiversity favorites - Skottie Young and Scott Morse - and is all about art and enjoying the process. As they say on their mission statement:

Yes, people, it's true! Here at SkottieScott you'll get a daily(?!) punch in the face consisting of character sketches by everyone's favorite comics makers: Skottie Young and Scott Morse! Each day a new character theme will be chosen and then, WHAH-LAH! These drawings will be posted here for your eyes...and even maybe YOUR walls at home! Yes! You might be able to BUY THE ORIGINALS! Just shoot us a note and call dibs. $100 plus shipping, world-wide. It's like getting a convention sketch without the convention! Now's your chance...don't let it pass you by!

Awesome, right? Don't miss out on SkottieScott, as this is assuredly one of the best art blogs to look at day in and day out. Plus, you can buy the sketches. It's a win win for everyone.