Insane Speculation about Marvel Legacy

So, did you hear about this new Marvel thing: Marvel Legacy?  

You can read about it here, but it's basically a return to form for Marvel. Classic characters back in their status quo (yay?), a return to legacy numbering (thank fucking God), corner boxes on covers, fan reach out stuff (like FOOM and hopefully bullpen bits); basically it's Marvel's version of DC Rebirth.  Which, hey, I'm all about.

Don't get me wrong, I hate to see the House of Ideas become a recycling center, but I love the basic intent: energize the base, tell good stories, and expand from there.  No joke, DC Rebirth was one of the best comics I read in 2016 and had one of my favorite moments ever in all of comics (I'm a sucker for big, heartfelt returns).  And that's coming from a life-long Marvel zombie!  To think that Marvel might actually pull something off half as good fills me with all kinds of optimism I haven't felt since…  Well, at least a decade.

And just to head you off at the pass, while I'm excited for things like legacy numbering and fan reach out stuff, I'm less excited for the return of the classic status quo.  While I don't read a lot of books right now, I like the idea of JaneThor, Miles, and SamNova and most definitely don't want to see those rolled back.  However, if we could see Sam and Miles develop a strong rogues gallery all their own so they could become their own heroes not living in the shadows of their predecessors, well that'd be just peachy.

Anyway, I'm not here to give you unsolicited opinions about Marvel Legacy.  I'm here to mindlessly speculate about Marvel Legacy.  And everything begins with these quotes:

"Let's just say there's a last-page reveal that's probably gonna break the Internet." - Axel 

Alonzo

"[It's] the return of a central piece of Marvel mythos that readers have been mourning in recent months" - Tom Brevoort

So yeah, at the end of the big relaunch book will be a huge reveal of a Marvel Mythos that will break the internet.  People are already speculating that it's the return of the Fantastic Four (which is the easy money right now) or the first 616 appearance of Miracleman (or Marvelman, if you're a traditionalist), but they're both wrong.

The reveal is totally going to be about Mephisto and the Spider-marriage.

I know, I know, it's totally insane, but hear me out and you'll realize just how sane it sounds.

1- "Readers mourning" = Readers loving Renew your vows

Undoing the Spider-Marriage by way of demonic intervention was always a bitter pill to swallow and it made me (a staunch supporter of the marriage) vow to never buy another Spider-book until it was undone.  And then they launched Renew Your Vows which was the exact book I (and presumably many others) was looking for.  Reading it has reminded me just how great that Peter MJ relationship is and why it was such a shitty idea to get rid of it in the first place.  Which is probably why…

2- Mary Jane is returning to the Spider-books

After being sidelined for years and most recently getting shipped off to Iron Man, MJ makes her triumphant return to the world of webs in Chip Zdarsky's new 'back to basics' Spectacular Spider-Man book.  However, it also said that he's modeling Peter and MJ's relationship after his with his ex-wife, so they could just end up being weirdo pals.  However… 

3- Mephisto has been a plot point in Spider-Man/Deadpool

This, well, let me show you two excerpts from Spider-Man/Deadpool #5 from Joe Kelly and Ed Mcguiness:

Click to embiggen so you can read it!

Sounds like a man (er…  demon) with a plan.  Maybe someone who has the power, ability, and motive to bend reality around a person (or people because it's both him and Mary Jane) to make them experience a vast emptiness and therefore unhappiness with their life.  Which almost sounds like what DC is doing with Dr. Manhattan in Rebirth.  I mean, after all, if you're going to copy something, why not go all out:

4- Mephisto will be the Dr. Manhattan of Marvel Legacy

In Rebirth, the big reveal was that some God-like creature stole time from the universe, rejected happiness, and generally put the heroes onto the path of despair.  In a meta sense, it was a great way to explain away some terrible story decisions and gently reset the world as if they never happened.  Who's to say Mephisto couldn't be the same kind of force for Marvel?  Maybe his deal with Peter and MJ was less "I'll take your marriage for your Aunt's life" and more "I'll take everyone's happiness for your Aunt's life".  Which would explain why fs all of the big company wide crossovers have been increasingly about heroes fighting other heroes as opposed to, you know, bad guys.

I guess we'll find out this Fall what the reveal is.  Oh, which reminds me, there is one big anniversary coming up this November:

5- November is the 10th Anniversary of One More Day

Huh.  Can you believe that.  Ten years since they shoved the Spider-Marriage 'genie' back into the bottle.  It was such a big deal that then-EiC Joe Quesada took time out of his busy schedule to pencil the whole thing and give us that one iconic cover:

Crazy.  And who's doing the big, four-page foldout cover for Marvel Legacy?

Right.  I'm sure that doesn't mean anything.

So…  do you still think I'm totally insane?

What's This About Marvel Now?

Didja hear the news? Marvel is doing a reboot!

What? Old News? Are you implying that because I've been noticeably absent the past few months that I missed out on my chance to talk about the craziness that is Marvel NOW? Maybe you're right, but indulge me.

I won't lie, the first time I saw this picture my heart sank a little bit. I was already preparing rants about what a huge mistake Marvel was making and how after twenty years I'd be finally walking away from this hobby I love so much. So imagine my excitement when it was announced that this wasn't a reboot in the DCnU kind of way, but instead a line wide refresh without doing away with any of the old continuity. And that friends, is how it should be.

Continuity is something that should be cherished, loved, and discovered. It should be something that adds to your enjoyment, but doesn't detract if you don't know it. Further, I think the more caveats you have to add, the less new reader friendly comics become.

The way DC did their refresh (because no commentary on Marvel NOW would be complete without a full comparison to the DCnU) in the end, only adds more headaches and creates a larger wall for the uninitiated fan to get over before they can enjoy the books. I find it problematic that when someone asks me a simple question about Superman, I have to qualify my statements with eras and relations to reboots to make sure I'm answering their question correctly. Try it. Try answering: "I thought Superman was married to Lois Lane, what happened?" Headaches.

Meanwhile, the Marvel method to refreshing the line becomes much easier to explain things. Sure, as with any long running fiction story you'll have bits of "they died but got better" or "they just kind of ignored [fill-in-the-blank]", but at least all the stories 'matter'. It's that respect for the overall long-running narrative that gives the Marvel method more merit in the eyes of a new reader.

The more I read about the new creative teams, storyline teases, and character combinations I find myself more and more excited about Marvel come November. There's a crazy freshness and new found energy in all the interviews that's hard to ignore. It reminds me a lot of the NuMarvel stuff from the turn of the century, when titles like Allred's X-Force, Morrison's New X-Men, and Tangled Web were challenging the limits of what you could do in a Marvel Comic. Except this time, it seems they're diving head first into big time super heroics, instead of focusing on the small interpersonal stuff.

I'm getting all revved up just thinking about it! What about you?

The Obligatory Flashpoint Reaction

So... apparently the DCU is doing a semi hard reboot of their universe come September as a result of the Flash-centric, alternate reality shenanigans that is Flashpoint. Honestly, I don't know what to think about this one.

On the one hand, good for them for trying something drastic to get readers. For too long, the DCU has been hip deep in a strange, labyrinthine continuity (says the guy who loves the Marvel U) with an unclear focus. Perhaps doing this crazy reset will help them get over the hump, clear everything up like they've been trying to do since Infinite Crisis and put them in a great position for the massive readership that may result from the Green Lantern movie. Kudos to them for that.

However...

On the other, this doesn't seem like a very good idea. I may be a simple blogger, but giving your readers an opportunity to jump ship is never a smart thing to do. It's one thing to restart a few books here and there, or to focus on some undeveloped heroes for a bit, but a whole-sale restart in this day and age might result in more readers leaving, then would jump back in the fray. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out, to say the least.

And then there's the other huge bomb in that announcement: Digital day-and-date sales. It seems whatever sales DC were to pick up wouldn't be shared with the retailers, and that's a real game changer. They've been talking about the death of the direct market for as long as I've been reading comics, and honestly today is the day that I think I can see the sky falling.

The next six months are going to be fun to watch...

What The Black Panther Fears

The rough times for Wakanda's favorite son continue, apparently, in Fear Itself. I don't know what's going on in his book (except that moving from the Royal Palace to Hell's Kitchen is a hell of a downgrade), but it seems things are going to get worse for him. I'm guessing that this new getup of his represents his biggest fear, which is either: Going native (as in turning American) or joining a traveling stunt show.

I just hope if he joins Team America he'll get a cool motorcycle to go with that outfit.

Pic via CBR

The Three Best Things At Toy Fair 2011

As any geek worth their salt knows, this past weekend was the annual event that makes all our bank accounts shudder in anticipation: The US Toy Fair. And really, what kind of geek blog would I be running here if I didn't at least mention my favorite reveals this year. So, without further ado, my top three...

3- A Zero Minimate.


As part of their upcoming, and newly announced, Marvel v. Capcom line, Art Asylum kind of sorta accidentally let this cat out of the bag a little early. You know how it goes. You get excited about something and write the blog post to get it out of you, but then end up accidentally posting it now as opposed to after the official announcement. Sucks for them, fantastic for us.

More to the point, of all the Capcom figures coming this one is the one that I can't wait for. As a huge Mega Man X fan, I never thought I'd own this iconic character in the toyline that I like. I mean, sure, it would have been nice to have a Mega Man as well, but I'll take a sweet looking Zero any day of the week.

Maybe next they can do a Proto Man...

2- Knight Rider Minimates!


Yes, more on the minimate front. What? I love'em.

Following up movie licenses like Back to the Future and Ghostbusters, it seems that Art Asylum got a hold of the classic Knight Rider license. Now, I know that this unpainted prototype doesn't look like much - and more than a bit deformed - but it's a means to an end that will get us quite possibly the most exciting minimate figure ever: David Hasslehoff.

Move over Michael J. Fox, I got a new celebrity to lord over like a god. Here's hoping the retailers bite on this, otherwise they'll have one sad Panda on their hands.

1- FUCKING DARKHAWK!!!


Out of nowhere, from a line that I have no real interest to collect, comes my newest obsession: DARKHAWK! I don't know how it happened, or why, but I don't care. THIS IS AWESOME! Do you realize that this is the first time this classic 90s character has ever been immortalized in plastic? That right there is a crime against culture that I'm so elated to see rectified.

Between this, a Scarlet Spider that looks like the one we should have gotten years ago, and an OG Power Man/Iron Fist pack, I might have to start getting these figures. Well, some of them at least. All bets are off if they end up making an 8-Ball or a Sleepwalker though...

__________________________________________________________________

Finally, I'd like to end things with a spot of disappointment I had at the reveals. Namely, the character selection of the newest Marvel Minimate wave:



I really don't want to be 'that guy', but... ugh. Really? To date there have been two versions of the Silver Iron Man armor (and two more gold repaints!), two goblins that look exactly the same (but without a glider, so there is that), and don't even get me started on the Spider-Man.

I get the idea the need to have a heavy rotation of the big name characters (and honestly, the character selection for minimates has been pretty solid overall), but why these non-variants. How cool would it be to have a modern Ramos-inspired Goblin? Or even a hooded Clone Saga one? Or an Iron Man 2020, a Thorbuster (to go with the big Thor push), or any of a number of interesting Iron Man suits that aren't the boring ass original costume? Or... well, I'm sure you get the point, I'm just a little upset with this collection.

Here's hoping though, that after it's all said and done with the movie waves, that DST and Art Asylum get back to making great, unique characters again. Maybe a comic Captain America wave with Baron Zemo, Crossbones, Rikki Barnes, and Nomad. Or a Thor wave with Thunderstrike, Bloodaxe, and... uh... someone else involved with Thor.

Regardless of the minor disappointments I had, this wasn't such a bad Toy Fair. I can't wait to see more at San Diego this year.

Marvel Movie Roundup

Typically, I don't like to comment on the goings-on of comic current events. Especially when they pertain to things that in six months time will be totally irrelevant. Regardless, I'm very excited today about the Marvel Movie news that's been surfacing.

1- Edgar Wright on Ant Man.
After taking two years off to make, the admittedly totally worth it, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, Mr. Wright is back working on this mini epic. Here's hoping he gets Simon Pegg to play the titular hero, regardless of which version of the character they go with. Secretly, though, I'm hoping they go with Eric O'Grady.

2- Chris Evans as Captain America.



I'm ridiculously excited for this movie. Let's hope 'The Rocketeer' Joe Johnston, and not 'Jurassic Park 3' Joe Johnston.

3- Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man.


Click here to embiggen

Honestly, everything I see from this movie looks perfect. Those pictures of Emma Stone as a dead-ringer for Gwen Stacey, the head shots of Andrew Garfield, and now this. Somehow they took the perfection that was the previous costume and turned it up to 11. I'm digging the colors, the profile, the non-raised webbing...

Dammit.

I don't want to be as excited for this movie as I am, but I can't help myself. If the movie is half as good as these preview pics make it out to be, I'll be a very happy man.

Looks Like There's a New Sheriff In Town

I'm out of it for a week or so and suddenly the whole world goes crazy. Thousands of dead birds and fish in Arkansas, DC bringing back two-page letter pages, freezing cold temperatures in Florida, and on and on. It's crazy times. And apparently Marvel isn't immune to this strain of Crazy 2011.

In case you haven't heard, Joe Quesada, one of the longest running E-i-Cs and the guy responsible for getting me back into comics, stepped down from his position today to focus on his COO duties. In his place, Alex Alonso takes over and will hopefully not rock the boat too much.

Honestly, I'm kinda surprised that Tom Breevroot didn't get the bump. Nothing against Alonso, but Breevroot's put in the time at the company (20 plus years), paid his dues (he wrote Fantastic Force, the terrible 90s edition one, not the new one), and has been the editor on all the really big events in the recent years. He did get a promotion of his own, it's just not quite the same. I'm sure everything will work out fine in the end.

Right?

Also: Hi, I'm back from the break and ready to get back into the business of comics. How about you?

Meet Your New Spider-Man

In 2012, you will believe that Spider-Man is British.

Today Sony revealed who was taking over the role as our favorite wall-crawler: 26 (or 27, depending on your source) year old British actor Andrew Garfield. Check it out:



Not a bad likeness, I must say. Honestly, he wasn't my first choice (actually, I didn't know he was in the running) but he's totally a better fit than Jamie Bell. I do think it's pretty funny though that in this younger Spidey reboot, they cast a guy who was as old as Tobey McGuire was in the first one. That's just silly.

Anyway, I did some searching for y'all and I found this great clip of the guy taking e and dancing. After watching this, I think he'll be great as Peter.



Now here's hoping that this new movie is better than the last.