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Plenty of graphic novels like "Watchmen" find their way to film. Lately, a handful of movies -- like Megan Fox's "Jennifer's Body" -- are finding their way to comics.

Now, Morgan Spurlock's comedic documentary "Super Size Me" will become the first of its genre to spawn a comics-format spin-off. The sharp-tongued director will partner with Dark Horse to publish a collection titled "Supersized: Strange Tales From a Fast Food Culture." These all-new stories were prompted by Spurlock's popular 2004 film.

"As great as they were on paper, I think they'll be better told in a graphic-novel form," Spurlock said to The Hollywood Reporter. "They're funny, they're gross and hopefully they'll be informative too." Read more...

Tags morgan spurlock, super size me, supersized strange tales from a fast food culture

Two years ago, Kevin Spacey was all geared up to shave his head, pull his face into a serenely creepy glare, and reprise the role of Lex Luthor -- the iconic villain with a taste for world domination -- in the sequel to 2006’s “Superman Returns.” But he never got the chance, and the film collapsed like the Man of Steel after a hefty dose of kryptonite.

Now, after the July settlement of a legal battle that pitted heirs of the Superman creators against DC Comics and Warner Bros, a U.S. District Court judge mandated that a new “Superman” film must essentially go into production by 2011, else a fresh legal battle will ensue. So, what would it take to get Spacey to lop off his hair and Luthor-ize himself once more? Turns out, he doesn’t have much choice in the matter.

Read more...

Tags kevin spacey, superman returns, superman returns 2

Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Mickey Rourke as Whiplash have been dominating the swarm of new "Iron Man 2" pictures percolating across the Internet recently, but in the lead-up to Comic-Con this week, some new images of stars Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow have made their way to the public eye. The fresh images show RDJ as Tony Stark amid the wreckage of a racetrack mishap and Paltrow as Pepper Potts doing what she does best, looking like the pinnacle of professionalism behind an office desk.

"I don't think anyone expected how big the first ['Iron Man'] was going to be," Paltrow told USA Today, where the pictures premiered. "Now we have kind of a family, a friendship, which is good because the pressure is on us to deliver again." Read more...

Tags gwyneth paltrow, iron man 2, robert downey jr

On the surface, it sounds like getting doused in liquid metal wouldn't be a particularly pleasurable experience. But in some cases, the results aren't so bad -- in some cases, you can make a movie out of it.

Such is the case with "Echo," a comic book series written and illustrated by acclaimed comic creator and occasional "Runaways" writer Terry Moore. Variety reports that "Echo" has been optioned for the big screen courtesy of Lloyd Levin, a producer on the Zack Snyder-directed "Watchmen."

In "Echo," Moore tells the story of a young photographer by the name of Julie Martin. During a photo shoot, Julie watches helplessly as a high-tech battle suit explodes before her eyes. The liquid metal remnants of the suit are soon bonded to Julie's flesh, turning her into a living weapon -- a weapon that the military wants back very, very badly. Read more...

Tags Echo, Strangers in Paradise, Terry Moore

With all the buzz surrounding the upcoming "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," musical, comic fans might be wondering if Broadway will follow in Hollywood's footsteps and develop a healthy appetite for sequential source material. It's too early to tell whether the trend will catch on with musical buffs, but that doesn't mean the possibility hasn't crossed our minds. After all, there are scores of properties ripe for the picking. Read on to examine four franchises with the potential to make fans' hearts sing. Read more...

Tags captain america, green lantern, iron man, scott pilgrim, spider-man: turn off the dark, The Walking Dead

When "Stargate Universe" premieres on SyFy this October, Dynamite Entertainment will already have three new comics series in the wings, aimed at both old and new viewers of the long-running franchise. Led by "G.I. Joe" writer Chuck Dixon, the new titles will launch with a "Universe" prequel tale featuring artist John Watson and cover artist Dave Dorman.

According to Dynamite President Nick Barrucci, the plan is for "three separate launches ... each designed to focus on the characters and attention coming the way of both the new show and 'Stargate SG-1' and 'Stargate Atlantis'!”

The two accompanying series, based on "SG-1" and "Atlantis" will be written by "Jungle Girl" scribe Doug Murray and "Battlestar Galactica" comics' Brandon Jerwa, respectively. Read more...

Tags brandon jerwa, chuck dixon, dave dorman, doug murray, john watson, stargate, stargate universe

Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada's creator-owned "Painkiller Jane" has seen two live-action incarnations -- once as a made-for-television movie, then again as a short-lived television series. The adaptations both premiered on the SyFy Channel to mixed reviews, begging the question: what will it take to successfully relaunch "Painkiller Jane"?

Palmiotti has the answer, as he exclusively revealed to MTV News that an all-new adaptation of the fast-healing vigilante is in the works. The creator said that not only is there a development deal that he's finalizing for a new "Painkiller Jane" film, but he himself will be directly involved in the latest live-action update. Read more...

Tags Jimmy Palmiotti, painkiller jane

Amid all of the celebrities making the jump to comics lately, Good Charlotte lead guitarist Billy Martin holds a particularly unique distinction: his primary contributions to the comics scene have come as an artist, not a writer. And with IDW Publishing's upcoming miniseries "Vitriol the Hunter," Martin will serve an even more infrequent role among celebrity creators -- that of co-writer, artist and colorist on the six-issue series.

How's that for comics boot camp, eh?

For "Vitriol" Martin shares writing duties with pal Brent Allen, and along with meeting fans at the IDW booth during this year's Comic-Con, they'll also be offering visitors the first look at the monster-hunting hero of their story. Don't worry if you can't make it to the show, though, as IDW has provided Splash Page readers with an early peek at Martin's design for the character. Read more...

Tags billy martin, photo, vitriol the hunter

Listen up, true believers! Stan Lee has announced a team-up with Walt Disney Studios today for a new "digital motion comic" debuting at Comic-Con (and online) this week.

"Time Jumper" will feature the voice of Lee himself, as well as "Species" star Natasha Henstridge, and will tell the tale of a reluctant, time-traveling hero pressed into service by a secret agency. The first 8-10 minute episode of the 10-part series will be released on iTunes this Friday, July 24, but Lee himself will host a screening of the episode and series trailer during Comic-Con. For those who can't make the show, we have an exclusive preview of "Time Jumper" for Splash Page readers:

After the jump, get the full lowdown on the "Time Jumper" motion comic. Pay special attention to the "Voice Talents" synopsis, folks -- there's some vintage Stan Lee in there. EXCELSIOR! Read more...

Tags comic-con 2009, stan lee, time jumper, Video

The last image of Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow in "Iron Man 2" set the 'Net on fire, so it's understandable that Marvel Studios would want to get another one out there of the red-hot actress -- even if it's just a picture of her being Stark's, well... secretary.

Okay, so I'm not sure if that's what she's actually doing in this new image that debuted on Yahoo Movies, but we're less than 24 hours away from the start of Comic-Con in San Diego, so you'll have to cut me some slack. With "Iron Man 2" likely to be one of the show's biggest buzz-generators, there's a lot to like about getting some juicy bits from the film well before the tidal wave of Comic-Con news.

Check out the full image after the jump, and be sure to keep it locked to Splash Page (and our official MTV Splash Page Twitter feed) throughout Comic-Con for all the news coming out of the big show. Read more...

Tags iron man 2, photo, scarlett johansson