DC Entertainment: We Can Be Heroes – teaming up with indiegogo.com to raise money for good cause

DC Entertainment has a campaign called “We Can Be Heroes” which focuses on hunger in the Horn of Africa. Late last year the campaign offered a “We Can Be Heroes” Justice League 7 pack action figure box set that I scooped up. Then I learned that the“We Can Be Heroes” campaign had teamed up with indigogo.com to raise money.

The campaign’s perks seems to focus on Batman. In fact, on the standard “We Can Be Heroes” Justice League logo, Batman is highlighted while the rest of the team is faded. This says to me that DC Entertainment will have upcoming campaigns featuring each member. I contributed $25 for the Batman/Superman #1“We Can Be Heroes” variant cover by Jim Lee.

If I’m right, I’m looking forward to more campaigns featuring each character. Ever since their relaunch, DC has been my favorite comic book company and I really enjoy the stories and this commitment to a worthy cause. It’s like the entire company has been reinvigorated and re-inspired since the relaunch - it’s like they are a brand-new company.

PS: I know this doesn’t have anything to do with the title of this article, but I’m a huge 3.75” action figure fan and can’t wait for the Injustice figures coming out this year.

Star Wars & Dark Horse Comics: going out on top

Ever since the acquisition of Lucasfilm by Disney, I knew that the Star Wars license would go to Marvel Comics eventually. It makes sense; Disney also owns Marvel Comics. Back in, I think, December it was announced that the license would revert to Marvel either in 2014 or 2015 (I’m still not clear on that).

Then Dark Horse Comics went back to basics for their new Star Wars title by Brian Wood was announced – then I read it – and I couldn’t imagine a better book at another company. The new Star Wars series is fantastic and I can’t wait to get two years into it and reread them.

Dark Horse Comics announced this week, on April Fools’ Day no less, that they were publishing a book based on Lucas’ original screenplay for Star Wars. The series will be titled, “The Star Wars” because that was the title of the original screenplay and the first issue is scheduled to come out this September. As someone who’s seen those concept action figures that Hasbro put out a few years ago, I know the original script and the final script were very different and I’m excited to see what could have been.

According to NBC New York: “Written in 1974, the original draft of what ultimately became the epic franchise's first screenplay is quite a different adventure than the one from the galaxy far, far away that was immortalized on screen. Luke Skywalker is an older Jedi general, while charismatic smuggler Han Solo is a lizard-type alien. The story’s main protagonist is named Annikin Starkiller.”

I know that it makes good business sense to not license your property out and to create new stories in-house, but I’m good to miss Star Wars being done by Dark Horse Comics. There was a time when there was nothing new that was Star Wars – no action figures, no novels, nothing. Then came that first great Timothy Zahn novel, then a line of re-sculpted action figures (that were unrealistically buff but the fans were super excited because they hadn’t seen anything Star Wars in a long time), and then Star Wars re-exploded into pop culture. And Dark Horse Comics was in the mix publishing new stories and giving the fans something to look forward to every month.

As a fan, I just need to sit back and really enjoy the last few years of Dart Horse Comics’ books. And I have to keep in mind that Marvel Comics has access to a lot of great writers and artists who are probably chomping at the bit to get a hold of Star Wars and put their mark on it. Now that Episode 7 will be made and released in a few years, there’s a great opportunity to dig into the story of those characters and to keep creating new characters.

Neil Gaiman’s “Angela” Joins the Marvel Universe

A few days ago Marvel announced that Neil Gaiman’s character “Angela” would join the Marvel universe starting with an epilogue in Age of Ultron #10 before appearing in Guardians of the Galaxy #5.

I haven’t read Spawn in over a decade but I remember Angela fondly. She was a popular character. Hopefully Marvel has purchased Angela and isn’t just using her to generate short-term excitement. Don’t get me wrong, I love things like when Invincible appeared in a Marvel Team-Up issue, but if you’re going to do something significant with a character in continuity you want to have the ability to refer back to it.

But I’ll see how I feel about it more when Guardians of the Galaxy #5 comes out.

But wow, tough break for Todd McFarlane. It seems like ever since he started Spawn it’s been a tough road of lawsuits. That’s why am hoping that Marvel has purchased the rights to Angela and isn’t just borrowing them or licensing them from Neil Gaiman. McFarlane made that mistake once by making Rob Liefeld’s character, Chapel integral to Spawn’s origin. When Liefeld made an angry exit from Image Comics and a clean break from his friendship with McFarlane, McFarlane lost the ability to include Chapel in future stories.

I don’t want to rehash old history I just think it’s a poor idea to co-mingle characters in important events. If you want to have a crossover that’s fine but if Angela’s going to have any lasting impact in the Marvel Universe, Marvel needs access to the character beyond the event. As for the title, Spawn itself, I was a huge fan at one time and it might be time to revisit it. I did enjoy the first few issues of his new title, Haunt.

So for now, I welcome Angela to the Marvel Universe and hope that she stays for good.

Cool Site: ThePennyFloor.com

Every so often there's a story that makes you do a double-take. I saw an article on MSN about a couple who glued about 60,000 pennies to their bedroom floor. I thought that was an awesome idea until I saw the result. Now I think it's a super awesome idea. The couple, Ryan and Emily, own the home and did the work together. Once done the sanded them down and put a clear coat on top to seal them in.

I imagine there are a lot of couples out there bonding on house projects together and this isn't any different. I used to enjoy getting together with the men in the family and building a fence or deck. I think that doing a project with someone I'm in a relationship with would be richly rewarding. The two of them not only covered the floor in pennies but they blog about it on ThePennyfloor.com. They've even come up with a dictionary of terms related to their penny-gluing adventures.

For example:

Hot Damn Mess - the term used to describe when a section of freshly laid pennies are not lining up with previously glued pennies.

I know there are other people who have done this (a quick google search even has an entry on ehow.com) but go and visit their blog. Maybe it'll inspire a little out of the box thinking and, even if it doesn't, it's still inspiring on its own.

Casting JJ Abrams's “Star Wars 7”

Ever since JJ Abrams was announced as the director of Star Wars 7, the internet has been on fire. It's burning higher and hotter than the wave of excitement that existed when Episode 1 was announced. I understand the excitement. JJ Abrams is an amazing writer and director and has a great sense of what makes a great story. He is surrounded by talented writers and producers who he frequently collaborates. I hear Michael Arndt is writing the story which is great because it will be a different flavor from the stories written by his team on Star Trek.

Back in October, before the official cast for SHIELD was introduced, I submitted my choices for the actors who should portray the available parts. The roles went to Chloe Bennet, Brett Dalton, Ming-Na, Elizabeth Henstridge, and Iain De Caestecker.

With the actors I chose still being awesome and all, I thought I would give them a second chance and cast the new Star Wars film with them. Of course I have no idea what the characters names are, the time period it's happening in, or...anything else. I'm just going to create the characters and say who should play that character. I'll leave it up to smarter (much, much smarter) people like JJ Abrams to come up with the particulars.

If JJ Abrams is reading this: Thank you for coming to Comic Con and signing my Alias photo - you rock! Oh...and you're welcome for the inspiration.

Hantii (pronounced HAN-tee): Genevieve Padalecki plays Hantii, a young girl running from a network of organized crime. Her nascent ability to use the Force - to know if someone is lying - is perceived as invaluable to an organization that deals with the scum of the universe every day. Hantii just wants to lead a moral life away from the influence of cruel men and strikes a deal with Nitrun, a bounty hunter, to smuggle her off-world. The bad guys figure out what has happened and put a contract out on both of them. Fortunately Nitrun knows a Jedi elder who loves a good challenge.

Clen (pronounced kl-EHN): Michael Kenneth Williams plays Clen, a Jedi elder sent out into the universe to recruit others strong in the force. A happy, gentle man, Clen has a way of seeing everything in a positive light. He doesn't believe in failure - he believes every hardships is an opportunity. When he meets Hantii, Clen realizes that he has an opportunity to protect her, teach her, and end the constant threat of reprisal from those she escaped from. And Hantii is strong with the Force. Clen will teach Hantii survival, combat skills, and, most importantly, how to build and use a lightsaber.

Nitrun (pronounced NITE-run): Paula Garces plays Nitrun, a fearsome bounty hunter. Because she uses her beauty to get in closer to her subjects (behind her Maldalorian armor, no one knows what she looks like) to capture or kill them. Despite what she does, she doesn't take contracts on people she feels have integrity. When she runs across our heroes, she's rough around the edges but willing to help...for a price. A wealthy woman, Nitrun doesn't do the job for money but to mete out her own form of justice after the death of her parents at the hands of a corrupt politician's security forces.

Amun (pronounced A-moon): Gina Carano plays Amun, a bar owner who also trains the small city's elite guards in combat. A survivor of many battles including the one that wrested her city away from the same corrupt politicians who engineered the deaths of Nitrun's parents, she's ready to fight at any moment. And, while she employs bouncers, Amun doesn't mind throwing the odd customer out personally. One of Clen's dearest friends, she allows him access to the city's training facilities when he needs them for training and allows him, Hantii, and Nitrun to hide in the bar's basement.

Lance Skywalker: Craig Horner plays Lance Skywalker, a descendent of (yup, you guessed it) Anakin Skywalker (you thought I was going to say Luke, didn't you?). As a Skywalker, he's inherited three things, R2-D2 & C-3PO and the Force. While hunting down the source of illegal slave trading in another system, he's contacted by Clen to let him know he has a source, Hantii, who can give Lance the ins and outs of the entire operation because she was a slave. While, Clen, Nitrun, and Amun keep Hantii safe, Lance works to dismantle the operation - lightsaber battles ensue!

Review: Star Wars #1

Star Wars #1 by Brian Wood, Carlos D’anda, and Gabe Eltaeb

The Rebel Alliance has scored a victory against the Empire but they’re still outnumbered and on the run. Desperate for a new place to put a base, the Rebels scour the system for any place that will be hospitable or inhabitable which isn’t easy with the Empire’s superior numbers combing the galaxy for them. When Leia, Luke, and Wedge are ambushed while searching for a place to put a base, Mon Mothma senses a spy and gives Leia a black ops command whose mission is simple: Find a new home for a base or find the spy.

GOOD: This story is set right after the destruction of the first Death Star. The characters are pretty well written (some moments feel wrong or a little manufactured but in the actual movies the characters acted a bit off from film to film). Still, the interactions between the characters makes me imagine that it really happened and setting it after the first film makes it feel like cannon. When Princess Leia blasts a Tie Fighter pilot then blasts him two more times when he’s down it shows a different side of her. She was always tough in the movies and willing to shoot back but she assassinated the pilot without saying a word – no asking for surrender, no words of anger – it’s a ruthlessness that makes sense for the character but is shocking to see on the page.

And D’anda’s rendering of Darth Vader is about the most badass rendering everywhere. There’s a panel where he’s striding toward the reader and his head is down a bit so it looks like the eyes are glaring more than usual. You can see the bulk in his arms and legs that tell you that even if he didn’t have a lightsaber, he’d choke you out MMA-style.

The yellow narration boxes serve to remind you (as if you’ve forgotten) what the Rebels are up against and what the characters are feeling. Long gone is the day of thought bubbles so the narration is a great way to add context to what’s going on and information on what the current mission is.

I don’t know if anyone caught it, but on the first page Luke holds up three fingers and Leia, understanding what he’s asking, switches to communication channel 3 letting the reader know that they’re involved in a private conversation. It’s an excellent little detail and one that Wood uses brilliantly.

BAD: This is a case of good news / bad news. The good news is that Dark Horse Comics has done it again with a fantastic new title. The bad news is that since Disney owns Star Wars and Marvel Comics, they can hand the property back over to Marvel Comics.

CONCLUSION: Like I said, Dark Horse Comics has done it again. Welcome back, Original Cast! You have been missed. Now if we can get new action figures…

Quick Reviews: The Superior Spider-Man #1, Avenging Spider-Man #16, and Daredevil #22

The Superior Spider-Man #1 by Dan Slott, Ryan Stegman, and Edgar Delgado

Dan Slott is the most hated comic book creator on the Internet. Amazing Spider-Man #700 marked the death of Peter Parker as Doctor Octopus took over his life. And while this change isn’t permanent, it is interesting. And as we learn by the end of the first issue, a part Peter Parker lives on, tempering the actions of this new Superior Spider-Man.

The title is Superior Spider-Man because Otto’s convinced he can be a better hero then Peter Parker ever was. As far as Otto was concerned, he’s the perfect amalgamation of brilliance with all of Peter Parker’s abilities, resources, and youth. But Otto is still Otto, an arrogant, selfish, and self-involved maniac. The few things he does that are out of character for him in this issue turn out to be Peter Parker’s influence.

Maybe Otto’s journey will be a little more subtle, a little more slow getting there. It’s not unreasonable as Dan Slott has already spent a few years on the Spider-Man title. Chances are if Marvel took this kind of chancing killing off Peter Parker that there are some long-term benefit in the form of a big story arc pay off. Dan Slott and Marvel probably already know how they’re going to bring Peter Parker back. And chances are Peter Parker will be back right around the time the next Amazing Spider-Man movie is released.

The courting of Mary Jane really creeps me out. If they sleep together thinking that he’s Peter Parker would net be some form of rape? Otto is a jerk who is treating everyone in Peter Parker circle badly – which will be part of the fun of Peter Parker coming back seeing him repair these relationships. But the Mary Jane thing really creeps me out. And I find it hard to believe that she doesn’t feel the personality shift – she’s been with Peter when he’s been replaced taken over or under the influence of something. For that matter it seems like his entire supporting cast thinks his new attitude is okay. But that bothered me back in Amazing Spider-Man #698 when he was surrounded by the Avengers and seem glib about Otto dying.

Avenging Spider-Man #16 by Christopher Yost, Paco Medina, and Juan Vlasco

Despite my misgivings about the Superior title, I thought this story was pretty good. I love a good team up and Christopher Yost doesn’t disappoint. For that matter, neither does the art team. When a rampaging giant spider threatens New York City, it’s Spider-Man to the rescue. But when the X-Men get involved, Wolverine smells of body switch (and Wolverine has plenty of experience in being mind controlled).

Wolverine’s always been a jerk to Peter so when Otto decides to hand him his ass, it’s hilarious. But when Wolverine seems to get the upper hand and tells Rachel Grey, a skilled telepath, to scan him, Otto explains his actions: “you can’t tell me you’ve never thought about beating up Wolverine.” The team agrees and Otto is spared a brain scan and is able to maintain his cover.

 

Daredevil #22 by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee

Daredevil (who is very familiar with being possessed) encounters the new Superior Spider-Man. And while Spider-Man’s behavior seems odd to him, especially because he’s forcing a fight between the two of them, his heartbeat, sent, and footfall all read normal. So the pair team up to take on an improved Stilt-Man who is using Otto’s tentacles for his arms.

Mark Waid puts the new Spider-Man through some paces but I don’t know why he was sent to catch Daredevil - that part wasn’t really clear and I’ve read all the recent titles. I also don’t know about the fight with Foggy so the pair of them making up didn’t have any impact on me. For a title is critically acclaimed as Daredevil, they should have a better artist on the title – Samnee’s artwork is better suited to an independent title than a mainstream one.