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Tag Archive for 'Avengers'

Listen to Collider's recap of the 2011 Hero Complex film fest

Published

on June 13, 2011

. 0 Comments

I'm putting together today's HyperComboCast #3 as I type this, and while I'm getting that posted, I'm listening to the various audio clips from Collider.com's recap of this year's Hero Complex film festival.

Collider is sort of podcasting without realizing they're podcasting. They've got an intense set of live audio, featuring speakers such as Mike Mignola, Robert Downey Jr., and the Captain America screenwriters. Oh, and Jim Lee and Geoff Johns talk about the DC relaunch. Not too shabby.

Here's some of the audio (everything links directly to the mp3s):

I haven't listened to everything yet, but what I can tell you (based on Collider's descriptions) is that Downey Jr. and Fav talk about the Iron Man movies AND The Avengers movie, Mignola talks briefly about the Hellboy movies and comics, and Lee and Johns are joined by Grant Morrison.

There's also more audio on in the blog post I didn't link to, like Warren Beatty and Richard Donner. So if that's your thing, you should probably pop over to Collider.com and check it out.

Also, I'm eating Crunchy Nut. You'll learn more about that on tomorrow's AudioShocker Podcast #182.

The Top 9 Guesses at What the Fuck Is Going on with Captain America

Published

nick marino

on June 5, 2009

in The Top 9

. 1 Comment

Some of you AudioShockerlings may not be familiar with the premise behind this Top 9, so I'll explain it quick: Captain America #600 is receiving an unprecedented Monday (instead of Wednesday) release on June 15th, 2009. Then, only weeks later, Marvel Comics is putting out the Reborn miniseries by the current writer of Captain America (and the first issue features a cover with Cap's star on it and nothing else). Marvel Comics loves the limelight, so they obviously have something big going on.

A few things to know: Captain America is dead. Well, erm, actually, Steve Rogers is dead. He got shot a few years ago. He's almost always been Cap, but now his former WWII protege is wearing the red, white, and blues. Also, the "solicitation" copy (a.k.a. the description) of Reborn #1 will be revealed on June 16th, the day after Cap #600 hits. And there's a Captain America movie slated for the summer of 2011. So it's all interconnected and there's some secretive shit going down.

So what the fuck is really going on with Captain America? Here are my most educated and asinine guesses:

9. Captain America was raped by Doctor Light. To start some sort of 21st century Marvel Comics / DC Comics crossover, the companies have decided to show us that sexual abuse isn't just for the ladies anymore. One day, Doctor Light snuck into the Avengers Mansion and took Steve Rogers from behind when he wasn't looking. Hilarity ensues.

8. Captain America raped Doctor Light. Seems a little more shocking than the alternative, doesn't it?

7. Steve Rogers never died, he was just a Skrull the whole damn time. Since Steve's corpse received a secret burial at sea by Iron Man, Hank Pym, Namor, and the Wasp, not too many folks actually saw the body of Captain America for the last time. Wasp kicked the bucket in Secret Invasion, Tony Stark is currently erasing his entire brain while on the run from the US government, and Namor is busy ogling Emma Frost's boobies all day long. Conveniently, Hank Pym was actually a Skrull at that time (and thus will be referred to as Skank Pym from here on out). After the four of them dumped Steve's "corpse" into the Arctic Ocean, Skank Pym went down there and picked up the Steve Rogers impersonator (who was just feigning death). As Reborn #1 opens, Skank Pym and fake Steve are headed back to their Skrull spaceship where the crew is currently in the process of anally probing the real Steve Rogers just for kicks.

6. Sharon Carter is going to give birth to an elderly Steve Rogers who will de-age to be Captain America again. The title of the upcoming miniseries is reborn... so what if that title was literal? Inspired by the success of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Marvel Comics has decided to literally have Steve Rogers reemerge from the womb. How? Time travel, of course! Sharon Carter, Cap's secret agent girlfriend, thinks that she was impregnated by Steve Rogers shortly before he died. She's wrong. She was actually impregnated by an android from the future. First, the android traveled back in time to secure a sample of semen from Steve Rogers' father. Then it headed back to the future where the semen was genetically engineered to include a preexisting dosage of the Super Solider Serum. Then the android traveled to the exact point in time where Steve and Sharon were getting ready to have hot and heavy sex. The android drugged Steve and took his place. After doing the deed, the android returned home to the future. Back in our present, despite being "de-pregnated" by the Red Skull, Sharon Carter gives birth to an elderly Steve Rogers. She cares for him until Cap can get the shield swinging again. And then, in a shocking twist.. they become lovers! That's right - Sharon starts getting it on with the superhero who emerged from her own vagina as a 90-year-old man. Now that's entertainment.

5. Captain America was raped by Sharon Carter. Though not nearly as shocking as other scenarios, it provides an interesting backdrop for an exploration of female-on-male sexual abuse. The collected edition of this story will be in bookstores just in time for the Captain America movie.

4. The new Captain America is Batman. Over at DC Comics, everyone thinks Batman is dead. Actually, Bruce Wayne is just lost in reality. Reborn opens as the Caped Crusader is shifting across multiple different alternate realities, trying to find his way home. Bats ends up in the Marvel Universe, where he decides to have some fun and suit up as the Star Spangled Avenger. Image the merchandising and cross-promotion possibilities for Marvel and DC. We're talking big bucks, baby! Big bucks!!!

3. Steve Rogers was actually Barack Obama the whole time. Nothing sells comic books nowadays like a guest appearance by Barack Obama. Not to be outdone by the competition, Marvel Comics has decided to secretly make our 44th American president the Sentinel of Liberty. The reason Cap was "shot" in the first place? So Obama could have more time to run for president. Now that he's president, Obama wants to get back to kicking ass... Captain America style! Also, this would coordinate well with the rumor that Marvel Studios wants to cast Will Smith as Captain America. This way, Smith gets to play both Barack Obama AND Captain America in the same time movie.

2. Captain America raped Barack Obama. Seems eve more shocking than the other alternatives, doesn't it?

1. Captain America was actually Hitler the entire time. At some point during WWII, Hitler managed to kill Steve Rogers. But instead of bragging about it, Hitler decided to put on Cap's costume and impersonate him (sans creepy moustache, of course). Fast forward a year or so, and Adolf is tired of fighting the war. He fakes BOTH of his own deaths and goes underground. Years later, after extensive genetic modification, he reemerges as the "unfrozen" Captain America and joins the Avengers. He proceeds to pretend to be Steve Rogers for far longer than anyone could ever imagine. Sick of the endless charade, Adolf fakes his own death AGAIN and goes underground to plot his rebirth. In Reborn, Hitler reveals his master plan and shocks everyone by proving that he was Captain America the whole time. Then he rapes Barack Obama. The end.

More: The Top 9 Currently Dead Superheroes and Supervillains

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = Awesome. Now that’s what I call math.

AudioShocker Podcast #75 - Paul Tobin and the Golden Chamber Pot

Published

nick marino

on April 7, 2009

in Interviews and Podcast Episodes

. 1 Comment

AudioShocker Podcast #75 [ 37:45 ] Play Now | Download

Note: Paul Tobin has never endorsed, nor does he intend to endorse, nor has he... to the best of our knowledge... ever even used a golden chamber pot.

With that said, comic book creator Paul Tobin talks about his scriptwriting method, working with artists including Matteo Lolli and Jacopo Camagni and (his wife) Colleen Coover and Patrick Scherberger, editors including Nate Cosby, Doctor Doom and the Masters of Evil #3, writing Spider-Man vs. writing Hulk, and Marvel Adventures Avengers and Marvel Adventures Super Heroes comics. This is part 1 of 3 of our Paul Tobin interview series!

When Paul is done, the golden chamber pot arrives. Neal has outgrown Del tha Funkee Homosapien, the 80s synth funk group D Train is the one for Nick, Justique is feeling the electronica of Glitch Mob and their side projects including Nasty Ways (makers of the Lil Wayne Lollipop remix), Nick was let down by MPLSoUND and Lotusflow3r by Prince, and Neal has weird feelings about SuChin Pak.

AudioShocker Podcast #59 - Chocolate Rain Body Doubles

Published

nick marino

on December 9, 2008

in Podcast Episodes

. 0 Comments

AudioShocker #59 [ 37:54 ] Play Now | Download

Dark Reign is at Marvel Comics as Secret Invasion ends, Nick wonders if Bucky is the emo Captain America, Neal is creeped out by the cover to Wolverine: First Class #12, Punisher: War Zone is a great date movie, Elisha Cuthbert uses a body double in He Was a Quiet Man, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is awesome, and GrandCentral sucks for turning off invites.

Marvel Comics Declassifies Avengers and More as Dark Reign Arrives

Published

nick marino

on December 5, 2008

in Comics

. 0 Comments

So Secret Invasion ended Thursday and introduced some big changes to Marvel's heroes over the next few months. Something of note is that Marvel Comics "declassified" their preview covers and solicitation copy for a bunch of Avengers books thru February.

On our next show - Podcast Episode 059 on Tuesday, December 9th - I'll be talking about these recently released covers and descriptions. Way I see it, the AudioShocker will be one of the first podcasts to share our opinions on these changes.

Below is a huge list of links in chronological order of release date. The biggest thing you need to know is that Norman Osborn a.k.a. the Green Goblin is now legally in charge of the government sanctioned Avengers and Tony Stark has become the scapegoat for the entire Skrull invasion of Earth. (Here's more info on the fallout of SI)

Marvel's declassified previews:

IN STORES: December 17, 2008 SECRET INVASION: DARK REIGN #1

DARK REIGN: NEW NATION #1

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #8

WAR MACHINE #1

AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #20

IN STORES: December 24, 2008 NEW AVENGERS #48

SECRET INVASION: REQUIEM #1

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #9

MIGHTY AVENGERS #21

DARK AVENGERS #1

IN STORES: February 4, 2009 WAR MACHINE #2

AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #21

NEW AVENGERS #49

AGENTS OF ATLAS #1

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #10

IN STORES: February 18, 2009 SECRET WARRIORS #1

DARK AVENGERS #2

MIGHTY AVENGERS #22

WAR MACHINE #3

AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #22

IN STORES: February 25, 2009 DARK REIGN FILES #1

NEW AVENGERS #50

I might have missed a few comics here and there, but these titles are most of the biggies that will be affected by the end of Secret Invasion and the start of Dark Reign.

No End In Sight For Comic Inspired Movies

Published

neal

on November 17, 2008

in Comics and Movies

. 0 Comments

Watchmen, Red Sonja, Avengers, X-men Origins, blah blah blah I hope you aren't sick of comic book movies yet - because the hits just keep on coming. Martin Anderson over at Den of Geek just served up a list of 75 comic inspired movies that are in the works. Some of these are sequels, i.e. Sin City 2/3 and Iron Man 2, but I haven't heard of at least half of these books.

I'm curious to see if Y The Last Man ever really gets made and does anyone really care about Green Lantern? Of course, there are some stinkers on this list and I never did like Akira. Still, cruise on over and see if your favorite comic has sold out for a slice of that big money pie.

Personally, I won't be satisfied until the long awaited Cerebus vs. Judge Death comes out.

AudioShocker Podcast #55 - Honey, I Shrunk My Schizoid Embolism

Published

nick marino

on November 11, 2008

in Podcast Episodes

. 0 Comments

AudioShocker #55 [ 33:42 ] Play Now | Download

Joe Johnson is the director of The First Avenger: Captain America, Austin Powers rips off Cap's story, RocknRolla is evidence that Guy Ritchie hates old people, redbox teaches Nick that Secrets of the Furious Five sucks, Djimon Hounsou will be the voice of the Black Panther, Beyonce wants to play Wonder Woman, President Obama, NealShyam.com, Internet Explorer sucks at displaying .png files, Terra #1 is awesome, Neal knows more about the Teen Titans than Nick, and Vixen: Return of the Lion is all about going to Africa to hunt down Lindsay Lohan (who is now officially bisexual).

The Top 9 Things That May Have Gone Wrong with Last Defenders - Part Two

Published

nick marino

on October 24, 2008

in The Top 9

. 0 Comments

Last week, I was a big jerk and I only gave you reasons nine thru five of why Marvel Comics' Last Defenders miniseries didn't get the proper comic book love. Now, here are the top four reasons... which I will still title "The Top 9" even though it's only the top four. Why? Because I'm a lazy bastard and writing these lists can be a bitch so I have to stretch things out.

4. What's the deal with Mark Millar's New Defenders? Here's part of where Marvel went wrong with Last Defenders. Mark Millar's Fantastic Four has, directly after the completion of Last Defenders, introduced a team of New Defenders. Think about that. Casey writes a book called Last Defenders, detailing the ULTIMATE fated destiny of the team, only to have Millar spin out his time-traveling future Defenders in a book featuring another cast of elemental characters. Plus, Millar's gearing up for the Lady Liberators, featuring She-Hulk (a member of the fated Last Defenders), and Valkyrie (a classic Defender).

How did that go down? Was FF editorial too scared to say no to Mark Millar? He is, after all, the new golden boy of the intersection between comic books and movies. Meanwhile, Joe Casey has been Marvel's resident Avengers continuity custodian for the past few years. If Millar is Marvel's rock star renegade writer, Joe Casey is Marvel's team book librarian who makes sure that you don't run down the halls.

3. Did Last Defenders get shorted on promotion from Marvel Comics? Despite his longing to play in the sandbox of continuity nostalgia all day, I saw Joe Casey take a break and go to bat for Last Defenders all over the Internet. And that was nearly all I saw from Marvel regarding this book. There were very few ads for Last Defenders, none of which utilized Jim Muniz's captivating art. And the book's promotion was highly obtuse. No one announced Last Defenders as the end-all love note to Defenders history. That angle may have actually attracted more readers.

2. Was Last Defenders unfairly overlooked by reviewers? Despite Casey's passion for the content and his fairly sophisticated method of storytelling, I saw little-to-no hype on this miniseries from reviewers. I thought it was positively fantastic for most of its issues. And while I concede that the story gets awfully confusing, the final issue wrapped it up nice and neat for me. It created an intriguing blueprint for future Defenders stories.

1. Where are the Last Defenders follow-up stories? Millar obviously had no trouble getting his Defenders approved despite the fact that it blows right past everything that Casey, Giffen, Muniz, Smith, and Fabela just did. The lack of internal Marvel promotion leads me to believe that this book either underwhelmed with sales or simply didn't lineup with the company's future plans. I haven't seen anything suggesting that the Last Defenders lineup will appear anywhere else.

It's a shame that this is all we'll get out of Casey's elegant Last Defenders concept. This story is a smart piece of fallout from Civil War -- but it got released too long after the end of the Civil War event to make a splash. So just like Christopher Priest's The Crew, Dwayne McDuffie's Fantastic Four, and Scott Lobdell's Alpha Flight vol. 3, it looks like Last Defenders now sits on Marvel's list of "to be ignored" superhero stories that took bold steps but never received the recognition they deserved.

Next: The Top 9 Star Wars Characters to Dress Up as for Halloween

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = Awesome. Now that’s what I call math.

The Top 9 Reasons Why Comics Don't Need to Be Saved - Part Two

Published

nick marino

on October 10, 2008

in The Top 9

. 0 Comments

Yeah, so last week I ran The Top 9 Reasons Why Comics Don't Need to Be Saved - Part One, which consisted solely of reasons nine thru six. Why? Because I'm a dick.

And now, for your consideration, are the decidedly more irreverent Top 9 Reasons Why Comics Don't Need to Be Saved reasons five thru one:

5. Newspaper comic strips are dying because fewer and fewer people want to read newspapers, not because they don't want to read comics. Now they go and read this stuff on the Internet. They're called "webcomics" and those are doing just fine.

4. Seriously, Hollywood wants to give comic books fellatio right now. In fact, they may have already finished the fellatio and moved onto the hardcore doggiestyle section of "Filmstriptease presents Cramming Comics vol 1." Soon they're going to be finishing off vol 1 with a spectacular facial (which could be as soon as Watchmen or as far away as the Avengers movie). It all depends on how long Hollywood can keep it up.

3. Single issues are really a niche product at this point and I don't think there's anything that's going to change that. I'm part of that niche audience and I love the singles, but most people want a bigger chunk of story. If that's the case, let the singles slowly fade away and bring on the graphic novels because...

2. Graphic novel sales continue to look hopeful. Bookstores are carrying graphic novels by the hoard and putting them up in huge floor displays all the time. I don't think that would happen if there wasn't some serious coin to be made. Guys whose names have been on the tip of my tongue for the majority of my natural life are slowly becoming adored literary idols for a new generation of readers. Fuck, I just saw Watchmen sitting on a shelf in Borders in their "Bestsellers" section when I went to buy the Iron Man DVD.

1. Comic book storytelling continues to improve. I see it every week when I read my Wednesday haul of new comics. And at the end of the day, it's all about good content.

Next: The Top 9 Things That May Have Gone Wrong with Last Defenders - Part One

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = Awesome. Now that’s what I call math.

The Top 9 Superhero Vehicles

Published

nick marino

on August 29, 2008

in The Top 9

. 4 Comments

9. Fantomex's E.V.A.. From Grant Morrison's run on New X-Men comes Fantomex and his mutant gift, which acts as both his external nervous system AND his kickass transportation.

8. Captain America's Motorcycle. Kind of a boring inclusion, but you gotta admit that Cap looks sweet when he's tearing it up on his bike. Bonus points for the use of Cap's motorcycle in the 80s made-for-TV movies.

7. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Turtle Van. Well, in the comics, if I'm not mistaken... it's just a van. But in the cartoon, it was a tricked out mobile fortress! And the toy was pretty excellent as well. TURTLE POWER!

6. Avengers' Quinjet. I feel like I had to include this one not because it's that great but because it's a memorable superhero vehicle.

5. X-Men's Blackbird. I love the Blackbird. Some of the most intense X-Men drama has happened aboard this vessel. If this list were based strictly on good memories, this would be #1.

4. Batman's Batmobile. Yeah, it's the Batmobile. It's classic. It's iconic. Me, I prefer the old school hot rod style Batmobile. The modern ones lack a certain flashy charisma.

3. Fantastic Four's Fantasticar. Look, it splits apart. Isn't that enough for you? Plus, this damn thing has been to how many different dimensions? It's awesome.

2. Wonder Woman's Invisible Plane. It's a plane. It's invisible. It's an invisible plane. How does it work? WHO KNOWS??? What I do know: it rules.

1. Silver Surfer's Board. You really can't top the combination of the Power Cosmic and surfing. I mean, hell, the Silver Surfer is the ultimate mobile superhero! To this day I still pretend I'm the philosophic chromed-out guy-formerly-known-as-Norrin-Radd whenever I use my skateboard to go to the grocery store.

Next: The Top 9 Comic Book Superpowers!

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = Awesome. Now that’s what I call math.