What’s in my Library Bag?
I practically live at my local library, I mean it is perfect for people who possess insatiable media-based appetites. I can find that book I have been wanting to read, listen to the new album by <insert band name here>, flip through magazines that I don’t want cluttering up my coffee table, and even rent a movie to take home.
This week my haul is pretty amazing. Here is my week of figurative consumption:
BOOKS
I have been on a quest to understand the comic book world and since Batman is such a big part of 2012 I thought I would start from the beginning. First page and I feel so comfortable because an old friend from my Archie Comics days is there. Commissioner Gordon is a dead ringer for Hiram Lodge (Veronica’s father) in my humble opinion. Sorry, I am partial to tangents. The dialogue in this volume is amazingly bad! I mean he sees a light in a window and says, “A light! I should go there!” don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t take much away from “The Batman”. It is fun to see where this character we all grew up with came from and appreciate the evolution in art and writing.
What stuck out?:
The violence in this book is different than what I see in modern day heroes. Batman has no qualms about killing in the early issues and he is injured quite a few times. He gets shot and because he is human, he needs to make tactical retreats and lick his wounds. Oh and of course the Joker! He is not some lame mobster like the other villains in this volume. He is smart and has a game in place while also being insane. I immediately thought of The Dark Knight when i read it because this Joker calls his plays. Another touch I loved was the use of nerve chemicals to leave his victims with a gruesome smile. Very dark, I enjoyed it.
Please Click to see my advanced review of the new Bloc Party album and the rest of what’s in my library bag.
Joss Whedon: Editor of Marvel Studios Universe?
Joss Whedon has been confirmed to have signed a three-year deal with Marvel Studios, which includes writing/directing Avengers 2 as well as develop an unnamed TV show that will air on ABC.
What does all this mean? Read on to find out plus some speculation…
Ka-Pow 101: X-Men Days of Future Past
Today we learned that Bryan Singer’s sequel to highly popular X-Men: First Class would be called X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Wait a minute, is that not the same title for the legendary story that Chris Claremont and John Byrne worked on in Uncanny X-Men?
Yes, it is. Singer says that the new movie will take some elements of that story arc but will have new story as well. For those of us who are unfamiliar with the arc, let’s recap one of the most iconic story arcs in X-Men history.
Cheap Date: August 1st
I’m sorry about the lack of a Cheap Date last week, but there was seriously nothing to get excited for (well, maybe a few comics but that was it). Plus I am sure most of you are trying to rewatch The Dark Knight Rises. Either way, this week we actually have a few items that you should consider spending your money on. Remember for Cheap Date, we will keep everything to under $30.
Hit the jump for all the lovely details.
Ka-Pow 101 – Bane: Behind the Mask
Bane by Ariel Olivetti
The countdown for The Dark Knight Rises is nearing its end. Some of you may still be asking who is Bane and why is he the villain of this film? What happened to the Riddler? Mr. Freeze? The Penguin? Or even the Ventriloquist? Why is Bane the choice for Nolan’s final Batman movie? To understand that, you have to understand who Bane is. Keep in mind as this is the source material for the film, there may be spoilers to what happens in the film. You have been warned.
Before the Bat
Serving a life sentence in place of his father, most of Bane’s life was spent in a prison called Peña Duro. From childhood, Bane learned from the various inmates and a Jesuit priest, honing himself physically and mentally. Versed in strategy and violence, Bane styled himself the king of Peña Duro. The warden became wary of Bane’s power and volunteered him as a subject in an experimental drug called Venom. Where most test subjects died, Bane gained enhanced strength, but he needed to re-administer the drug every 24-hours or else suffer debilitating withdrawals. After freeing some of his prison compatriots, Bane set his sights on Gotham City and the monster known as the Batman.
Breaking the Bat
Upon reaching Gotham, Bane did not directly seek out Batman. Instead, he decided to wear down the Dark Knight systematically. Bane destroyed Arkham Asylum, allowing the escape of many of Batman’s foes. While Batman exhaustively hunted down Gotham’s criminals, Bane consolidated power in the criminal underground. During this time, Bane also discerned Batman’s alter ego, Bruce Wayne. In a final assault, Bane sent his three lieutenants to fight Batman and further wear him down. Then following the assault, he confronted Batman at Wayne Manor where the fight was brutally one-sided. To end the fight, Bane took Batman and broke his back over his knee. Wayne is left defeated and paraplegic.
The Aftermath
Bane remained victorious until the successor to Batman’s mantle, Jean-Paul Valley, defeated him. In the fight, Valley, also known as Azrael, severed the tubes that delivered Venom to Bane’s brain, thus giving him the advantage to defeat Bane. Bane would rehabilitate himself while serving time in Blackgate prison and begin a hunt to discover the identity of his father. This search would lead to a confrontation with the infamous, Ra’s al Ghul. He is appointed as Ra’s’ right hand, and together with Talia al Ghul, they seek to destroy Gotham. During this time, Bane is defeated by Batman in single combat.
Bane – Rising from the Ashes
From THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
Since Ra’s and Bane’s attempt at unleashing a plague on Gotham, Bane has most commonly been portrayed as a thug and hired muscle. In other media, he is also lacking his tactical mind and simply represented as a Venom-powered behemoth, as such was the case in the abysmal Batman & Robin. In the upcoming Dark Knight Rises, Nolan has returned Bane to the tactical and brutal opponent. Nolan has exchanged Venom for a gas-based anesthetic which dulls the pain of a previous injury. Rumor has it that Bane also will have a previous tie to the League of Shadows from Batman Begins.
Recommended Reading:
Batman: Knightfall
Secret Six
Neil Gaiman To Write More Original Sandman
25 years ago, the first issue of Sandman was released on to shelves. Written by Neil Gaiman, it became one of the most beloved series of all time. It is one of the defining comics in my own personal life.
Since the series end, Gaiman has occasionally come back to the creative well that he used to redefine comics. Only one of these stories actually focused on the main protagonist of Sandman.
Gaiman is now teaming will an artist who has been described as someone who has redefined how comic are drawn. J.H. Williams III has been literally turning the comic work on its side with his art work. He continues to have one of the most complex and interesting styles in the market.
Together Gaiman and Williams will tell a new Sandman story.
I can not be more excited.
Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto cover and concept
As we wrote earlier this week Coldplay and Mark Osborne are teaming up for a six part comic book series based on the same character as their album: Mylo Xyloto. The panel at comic con will take place today ( at 1pm PST) and since the cat is basically out of the bag already they are able to tell us more. Read More…
Coldplay Comic Book Series: Mylo Xyloto
Though not unheard of, the collaboration between the music world and comic world is still rare. I am not any sort of comic book aficionado, but when Umbrella Academy (written by Gerard Way front man of My Chemical Romance and illustrated by the oh so talented Gabriel Ba), was released I was well aware and even requested copies for myself. Today when reading Rolling Stone I came across this announcement of another comic series from the minds of Coldplay and decided to share.
During Comic-Con this week you may catch some news about a six part comic series, being published by Matt Groening‘s Bongo Comics Group, about the character Mylo Xyloto. The band Coldplay along with Mark Osborne an academy-award winning director and writer created this character a few years back with the storyline that inspired their latest album by the same name:
“It is the story of Mylo Xyloto, a young Silencer on the front lines of a war against sound and color in the world of Silencia. Mylo discovers that the enemy he’s been trained to hate his whole life might not be the enemy after all. There will hopefully be many, many connections for people who have heard the album.”
If this is something you fancy and you happen to be wading in the pool of nerdy bodies that is comic con this week there will be a panel to celebrate the first issue’s release on July 13th.
Marvel NOW! Presents Uncanny Avengers
Last week we heard about a slew of launches and creative shuffles coming from Marvel under the banner Marvel NOW. Today, Marvel released the cover of the first issue to Uncanny Avengers on Entertainment Weekly’s site.
Uncanny Avengers will be penned by Rick Remender with art by John Cassaday. The creative team certainly looks interesting (I am a big fan of Remender but worried Cassaday will get his work in on time). With a title like Uncanny Avengers, we think it would be a mash-up of Avengers and X-Men. The cover shows the team with Thor, Havok, Scarlet Witch, Rogue, Captain America and of course Wolverine. Definitely an interesting mash-up of a team, half Avengers with half X-Men. There will be interactions that we would not normally see.
Hopefully next week’s reveals during San Diego Comic Con will be just as interesting.
Ka-Pow 101: Intro to Galactic Defense
You’ve heard us talk about them on the podcast, and according to Kevin Feige, they are integral to introducing Thanos as the villain of a future Avengers movie. Variety has confirmed it is one of Marvel’s 2014 releases, so you have to ask yourself: just who are the Guardians of the Galaxy?
The Original Team
Clockwise from top: Starhawk, Martinex, Major Victory, Yondu, Charlie-27
Artist: Pasqual Ferry
In1969, the team was created by writer Arnold Drake and penciled by Gene Colan. As a group of freedom fighters in thirty-first century, Vance Astro (Earth), Martinex (Pluto), Charlie-27 (Jupiter), and Yondu (Beta Centauri IV) faced off against the Badoon, an alien race bent on conquering Earth’s solar system. Traveling back and forth in time, the Guardians would eventually defeat the Badoon and face the galactic threat known as Korvac alongside the Avengers. Members of the Guardians who fought in the twentieth century against Korvac even gained honorary Avengers membership. Team membership would also grow to include characters such as Firelord (a herald of Galactus) and Starhawk. Vance Astro would also recover Captain America’s shield and begin operating under the title, Major Victory.
The Modern Team
Clockwise from top: Groot, Star-Lord, Rocket Racoon, Moondragon
Artist: Alex Garner
In 2008, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning followed the success of two major cosmic events with a new series featuring several characters from the events. Following an invasion from the Negative Zone (an anti-matter universe) and a failed conquest of the Kree by Ultron, Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, bands a group together to proactively stop galactic threats. This group consists of:
Adam Warlock – Artificial human with the ability to manipulate cosmic energy
Drax the Destroyer – The spirit of human Arthur Douglas in a new body with the sole purpose of killing Thanos
Gamora – Deadly assassin trained and raised by Thanos; Last survivor of her species
Phyla-Vell – Artificial daughter of Captain Mar-Vell; possessor of the Quantum Bands
Rocket Racoon – Genetically anthropomorphized racoon; space cop
Groot – Alien floral colossus (or Giant Tree Monster); Monarch of Planet X
Later additions include Major Victory (see above) and Moondragon (psionic human daughter of Drax/Arthur Douglas).
What Does This All Mean?
A Guardians of the Galaxy movie featuring this cast of characters allows for both a thorough introduction of Thanos and possibly the items of his desire the Infinity Gems. Drax, Gamora, Moondragon, Adam Warlock, and Thanos have all been possessors of various Infinity Gems as members of the Infinity Watch. Star-Lord, Rocket Racoon, and Groot are simply fan-favorite characters, but Drax, Gamora, Moondragon and Warlock all have pasts linked to Thanos. Phyla-Vell may be a tough transition especially if Marvel ever plans to introduce the Kree and Captain Marvel.
Call Yourself A Nerd 