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ASSEMBLING AVENGERS #15: Hercules

Posted 11/12/12 9:59 am EST by in Commentary, Marvel

Hercules

by Ryan Rigley

Since 2008, there have been rumors of a "Hercules" movie (based on the Radical Studios-published graphic novel) with Peter Berg initially attached to helm the project. Last week, it was finally announced that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has been confirmed to play the character in the upcoming film "Hercules: The Thracian Wars" with Brett Ratner directing in Peter Berg's stead.

Speaking of Hercules, the demigod (of the same name) that exists within the Marvel universe has been an on-again, off-again member of the Avengers since 1967. Not that The Rock's Hercules has anything to do with the latter, but can you just imagine what "The Avengers 2" would be like with the wrestler-turned-actor playing Herc? We sure can! Click past the jump for more!

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'Lincoln' Special: Best Comic Book Presidents

Posted 11/9/12 12:20 pm EST by in Commentary

Lincoln

by Ryan Rigley

Election coverage is finally dying down, but this week is staying political with the release of Steven Spielberg's newest film "Lincoln." Starring Daniel Day-Lewis as Honest Abe, "Lincoln" takes place over the course of the last few month's of the 16th president's life as he struggles to overcome the prejudice of an entire nation. Colliding with members of his own cabinet, President Lincoln must do everything within his power to abolish slavery and end the Civil War.

In honor of Spielberg's "Lincoln," we thought it a good idea to come up with our own list of presidents. Comic book presidents, that is! These commanders in chief have all been either presidents in real life or well-known comic book characters before being elected, yet the one thing that they all have in common is the responsibility of leading an entire nation.

Click past the jump for our list of the five greatest comic book presidents!

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THIS MUTANT LIFE #15: The Return Of Bryan Singer

Posted 11/8/12 3:12 pm EST by in Commentary, Marvel

Bryan Singer

Last week, the X-Men universe got a big surprise: Rather than returning to reprise his directorial role for "X-Men: Days of Future Past," Matthew Vaughn elected to jump ship to direct Mark Millar’s "The Secret Service," instead. (Though rumors persist that he left in order to become a frontrunner for "Star Wars: Episode VII," a nifty bit of heresy that nevertheless remains a blast to speculate over.) Replacing him would be the prodigal son come home, Bryan Singer, who famously left the franchise after directing "X2" in order to helm a not-entirely successful take on Superman. (A column for another day.)

Given the somewhat unexpected news, I wanted to talk about was how Singer’s return impacts the franchise in terms of vision and in tone. Doing that requires taking a look at his personal filmography, which is surprisingly short outside of the three comic book movies he’s done. While "The Usual Suspects" might be the best movie-movie Singer’s ever directed, it doesn’t feel entirely relevant toward what "Days of Future Past" is probably going to be about. (My guess: Not a whodunit mystery regarding the identity of a murderous psychopath, and certainly nothing to do with a Baldwin brother.)

But there’s certainly enough to chew on in those three films, enough to inform what Singer might do for his fourth.

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ASSEMBLING AVENGERS #14: Wonder Man

Posted 11/5/12 2:20 pm EST by in Commentary, Marvel

Wonder Man

by Ryan Rigley

If you're like us, then you simply cannot wait for Joss Whedon's "Avengers" sequel. After all, 2015 is just so far away. We've been biding the time with Assembling Avengers, our weekly rundown of Marvel superheroes we'd like to see make an appearance in Whedon's upcoming sequel. And this week, we'll be discussing one of the Avengers' longest standing on-again, off-again members: Simon Williams a.k.a. Wonder Man!

Created in 1964 by Stan Lee and artists Jack Kirby and Don Heck, Simon Williams is one the most prominent powerhouses in the entire Marvel universe. He's been on both the Avengers and the West Coast Avengers, with his brain patterns even providing the blueprint for fellow Avenger the Vision's entire personality.

So what are the chances that we'll be seeing Wonder Man in Earth's Mightiest Sequel? Click past the jump to find out!

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Five Electro Stories Fit For 'Amazing Spider-Man 2'

Posted 11/5/12 11:35 am EST by in Commentary, Marvel

Electro

by Ryan Rigley

Jamie Foxx is reportedly in talks to play Max Dillon (a.k.a. Electro) in Marc Webb's "Amazing Spider-Man" sequel. This, of course, comes just weeks after it was announced that prominent Spider-Man characters Mary Jane Watson and Harry Osborn will also be making their debut in the upcoming "Spider-Man" film, which is now shaping up to be one hell of a summer blockbuster.

With Fox as Dillon all but official, now's as good a time as any to compile a list of the five Electro stories best suited for the silver screen. Check 'em out after the jump!

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'Man With The Iron Fists' Special: Five Iron Fist Comics Fit For The Movies

Posted 11/2/12 1:11 pm EST by in Commentary, Marvel

Iron Fists

by Ryan Rigley

Today marks the release of "The Man With the Iron Fists," written and directed by RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan. Produced by Eli Roth, the film stars a number of big name actors including the likes of Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, and even RZA himself. Taking place in nineteenth century China, a group of warriors and assassins must band together in order to protect their community.

For Marvel fans, however, the words "Iron Fist" trigger thoughts of a different man: Daniel Rand, one of the greatest martial artists in the entire Marvel universe. Drawing his power from a dragon named Shou-Lao the undying, Iron Fist has since forged himself into a living weapon. Kind of like RZA in "The Man With the Iron Fists," in fact!

Click past the jump for our list of the five Iron Fist stories fit for the big screen!

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'Firefly' Special Exclusive Clip: How Nathan Fillion Joined Serenity Crew

Posted 11/2/12 12:15 pm EST by in Commentary, Hot Stuff, Video

Firefly

by Tami Katzoff (@tvtamijo)

After triumphant appearances at both San Diego and New York Comic-Con, the tenth anniversary celebrations for "Firefly" continue: On November 11, Science Channel will premiere “Firefly: Browncoats Unite,” a 60-minute special which will feature new interviews with the show’s cast and producers.

And here’s a post-Halloween treat: The Weekly Whedon has obtained an exclusive clip from the special! Watch Nathan Fillion and Summer Glau reminisce about auditioning for the roles of Captain Malcolm Reynolds and River Tam.

See it below!

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'Wreck-It Ralph' Special: Five Comic Book Villains Turned Heroes

Posted 11/2/12 10:13 am EST by in Commentary

Wreck-It Ralph

by Ryan Rigley

Once a villain, always a villain — or at least that's what they say.

However, Disney's newest film, "Wreck-It Ralph," aims to prove that particular saying wrong. Starring John C. Reilly (as Wreck-It Ralph), the film revolves around a down and out video game villain who aims to go against his programming and starts game hopping with the hopes of becoming a hero beloved by all.

In honor of "Wreck-It Ralph," we've taken the liberty of compiling our own list of villains turned heroes. Comic book villains turned heroes, to be precise! These Marvel and DC characters all started off on the wrong side of the law, but are now either paying their dues or functioning as full-blown superheroes.

Click past the jump for our list of the five greatest comic book villains turned heroes!

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'Amazing Spider-Man 2' Villain: Who Is Electro?

Posted 11/2/12 9:53 am EST by in Commentary, Marvel

Electro

by Ryan Rigley

Shocking news in the "Spider-Man" world this week: it looks like Max Dillon (a.k.a. Electro) is set to be one of the main villains in Marc Webb's "Amazing" sequel. Not only that, but the casting rumor of Jamie Foxx playing Electro was made all too real as the actor teased in a tweet: "Dressed up as Electro for Halloween last night. Costume fits well."

With that said, you're probably wondering who Electro even is. After all, the character isn't nearly as popular as Spider-Man villains such as the Green Goblin and Venom. Max Dillon is, in fact, one of Spider-Man's deadliest and most consistent adversaries. With the ability to wield and manipulate all forms of electricity, Dillon has the power to kill anyone or anything with a single touch.

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THIS MUTANT LIFE #14: Sentinels? Yes Please!

Posted 11/1/12 10:00 am EST by in Commentary, Marvel

Sentinels

Now that Bryan Singer is locked in as "X-Men: Days of Future Past" director, let's focus on one of the other biggest news items surrounding the upcoming sequel: it's likely to feature Sentinels, as teased by Mark Millar.

"You've got robots, you've got time travel, you've got superheroes - it's got everything in one film," Millar said when discussing the movie recently. As the Sentinels were a big component of the original "Days of Future Past" storyline, this would seem to be a hint regarding their inclusion — if not, then the appearance of some other robotic-type villain for the X-Men to deal with. But I really hope it’s not that, because the Sentinels have been a sorely missing presence from the X-movies ever since the series’ inception, and because CGI technology should be good enough to do them cinematic justice.

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Cover Artist

Splash Page welcomes Ed Tadem to our cover artist family (our custom-designed theme up top). Currently working on the forthcoming "Avengers" animated series, Tadem's work can also be seen in the "Jackie Karma" issues of Image's "'76," and in "Pop Gun, Volume 1." Ed Tadem can be found online at EdTadem.com.
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