There are still quite a few characters that fans are chomping at the bit to see debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but probably none more important than Nova.
As the MCU continues to expand across the cosmic divide, more galactic heroes are starting to pop up, thanks in part to James Gunn and his Guardians of the Galaxy.
That said, we might be getting Nova sooner than we thought, per Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, who recently revealed the ‘powers that be’ have a list of characters it is hoping to introduce into the MCU soon.
“Nova is, if we have a big board with a bunch of characters that have more immediate potential, he is on that board,” Said Feige. “Because of the connection to the Guardians universe and because there are more than one examples to pull from in the comics that are interesting.”
Nova was actually part of the original early drafts for the Guardians of the Galaxy, but had yet to make the cut. Will we see the space speedster make an appearance in the Infinity War films? Will he be in the third GoTG installment or will the character land his own solo film? Whichever will come first, we will just have to wait and see.
Viz Media has announced the release of the FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: FULLMETAL EDITIONS, new hardcover, deluxe collections of the fan-favorite manga series. Book one will hit stores May 8th.
In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Their journey to restore their bodies through the power of the Philosopher’s Stone begins here. Fully remastered with an updated translation and completely fresh lettering, the FULLMETAL EDITION is presented with color pages on large-trim archival-quality paper.
The new collections will include brand-new cover art, new color inserts, color versions of select pages previously printed in black and white, and behind-the-scenes character sketches from series creator Hiromu Arakawa.
Each Fullmetal Edition will collect one and a half volumes of the original series, and will be released on a quarterly basis. Book one, out May 8th, will be released exclusively in print with a retail price of $19.99 U.S. / $26.99 CAN and is rated ‘T’ for Teens.
“With brand-new cover art, character sketches, and updated translations, the FULLMETAL EDITIONS are worthy additions to any FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST fan’s collection,” says Hope Donovan, VIZ Media’s Managing Editor. “These new releases provide an exceptional entry point for any newcomers and a chance for fans to rediscover the Elric brother’s timeless adventures the way they were meant to be seen.”
Fullmetal Alchemist has been adapted multiple times into a variety of media, including two hit anime series and a recent live-action film, all of which are currently available to stream on Netflix.
Are you a fan of Fullmetal Alchemist? Sound off in the comments below!
For additional information on FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST and other anime and manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, please visit viz.com.
Shadowman #2 from Valiant continues the story of Jack Boniface and Alyssa Myles as they battle supernatural forces in New Orleans while trying to unravel a mystery that may threaten their hometown of New Orleans.
When last we left Valiant’s otherworldly hero, he’d returned from the “Deadside” after five years. His friend and powerful magic user, Alyssa Myles helped Shadowman escape the Deadside, but now the pair must uncover a plot that threatens Louisiana and possibly the world at large. However, the clues are scarce and, more importantly, Shadowman is without his “Shadow Scythe,” a weapon that helps him control his darkest impulses.
Writing: Andy Diggle
Art: Stephen Segovia
Colors: Ulises Arreloa
Letters: Simon Bowland
Editor: Warren Simons
“I’m not the enemy.!“ – Alyssa Myles
WRITING
Andy Diggle knows his occult stories, and he shows it off in page after page here. Shadowman #2 picks up right where #1 left off, with the hero in a rage influenced by his dark powers. The focus of his rage is on Alyssa, his friend and an “Abettor” charged with helping Shadowman. Alyssa’s magic does the work to stave off the attack and then the story settles into an investigation about the mysterious rise of darkness, including the creature seen in issue one called a Ziwanda which Alyssa reminds Shadowman means “He who stops the waters.”
Shadowman is an action comic, and it doesn’t pretend to be otherwise. That’s not a slam; stories need to understand themselves to be effective. If Shadowman tried to relate to some more profound human struggle or real-world issue, especially this early in its new run, things would get convoluted fast. Diggle, a veteran, knows this, and he’s carefully adding pieces to the supernatural mystery puzzle.
One new piece of the mystery is Monsieur Sabatine, a villain who thought Shadowman was a thing of the past. Sabatine uses technology to siphon the life out of people and keep himself strong. Sabatine’s introduction in issue two is brief but hyper-effective. It cleanly establishes the villain and makes him instantly despicable in a gruesome scene that doesn’t have a drop of blood or gore.
If there is one critique of the series thus far, it’s that Alyssa Myles is far more interesting a character than Shadowman. Alyssa seems more effective than our hero. However, that is, in part, because the story is building up to Shadowman’s full return. Without his Shadow Scythe, our hero is struggling to control himself. Meanwhile, Alyssa is fully-formed and empowered.
ART
If you think of comics as a movie, then the cover of an issue is the poster or billboard. Potential readers are drawn in by that image before ever touching the book. Shadowman #2 features a gorgeously macabre cover that is certainly going to pull some new fans into the book. On the inside, artist Stephen Segovia continues the work he started in issue one. It’s sharp from panel to panel and the subdued colors of the bayou provided by Ulises Arreloa take it all to the next level. I will nitpick one panel though, which looks like Shadowman’s arm is made of rubber and bending bizarrely. Letterers don’t get enough love, and Simon Bowland adds his skillset to the whole with precision. The switch between John Boniface’s dialogue and that of his alter ego is a simple inversion from black-on-white to white-on-black adds a touch of an ethereal, supernatural vibe our hero.
CONCLUSION
Shadowman is an action comic, and it relishes in the story it’s telling. Shadowman #1 and now #2 have rebuilt the world around its characters in such a way as to bring new readers in without slowing down the continuing saga for long-time fans. There are threats a-plenty and, perhaps most importantly, the book features a great rhythm that flows between character and world-building and action. The Ziwanda is a hulking, menacing monster, but the more significant threats are smaller humanoids with more nefarious agendas. Shadowman #2 ends on another perfectly placed cliffhanger and #3 can’t come soon enough.
This series will be a brief, semi-comedic review of the CW superhero shows. You can check out last week’s review post here. The only shows discussed will be ‘Arrow’, ‘Flash’, and ‘Supergirl’. There WILL be some spoilers discussed, so only look at the reviews you’re up to date on!
The latest episode of ARROW has… next to no Arrow in it. Instead, the episode focuses on Ricardo Diaz, the post-Cayden James big bad. Diaz has yet to hit the fearsome highs that James hit in his short reign. It is interesting to get a deeper look into the character, as he builds his crime empire. Diaz tackling a childhood bully isn’t interesting, but taking down a pastel-wearing crime son is a solid plot. The weakest part of this episode is Black Siren feeling uncomfortable with Diaz’s methods. It seems ARROW is turning her into a hero once again, but her character isn’t even consistent in this episode. Hopefully these villains will get better in later episodes.
SCORE: 6.5/10 Seats
WEEKLY WIN TALLY:
The Flash: 8 Weeks
Arrow: 5 Weeks
Supergirl: 4.5 Weeks
What show did you think won the week? Does Legends of Tomorrow or Black Lightning take your vote? Let us know in the comments below!
CinemaCon aka. The Official Convention of The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) opened in Las Vegas today and we’re already starting to see some exciting promo material appear online, which includes a new set of character posters for Deadpool 2.
The posters, which were spotted at CinemaCon, feature a new look at Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), Domino (Zazie Beetz) and Thanos Cable (Josh Brolin).
Check out the posters below:
“After surviving a near-fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfil his dream of becoming Mayberry’s hottest bartender while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the yakuza, and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavor – finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug title of World’s Best Lover.”
Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm just dropped a bunch of character posters for SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY, giving us an excellent new look at Han Solo and his impressive team of outlaws.
The posters, which were released on Star Wars UK’s Twitter page, include an awesome look at Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) and his furry friend Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo). We also get posters for Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover), Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke) and Beckett (Woody Harrelson).
Check out the posters below:
Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in Solo: A Star Wars Story, an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes.
SOLO: A STAR WARS STORYis directed by Ron Howard and stars Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Joonas Suotamo, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Thandie Newton, Jon Favreau, Paul Bettany, Warwick Davis and Clint Howard. The film is slated for release on May 25, 2018!
A little while ago it was rumoured that Joe and Anthony Russo would say goodbye to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Avengers: Infinity War and the untitled Avengers 4, however, it sounds like the directors are excited about their future with the studio.
Speaking to Screen Rant at the press junket for Avengers: Infinity War, the Russo’s revealed that they would love to keep working with Marvel Studios and are excited about the possibility of working with characters that Fox currently owns, such as the X-Men or Fantastic Four.
“We love Marvel, that amazing experience with them and Disney. We love comic books. We love telling these stories. Obviously, the Fox / Disney merger is incredibly exciting to us as comic book fans. We’re just trying to get Avengers 4 done and then, you know, we’d love to work with those guys again.”
It’s important to note that this is far from an official confirmation and we don’t know for sure that the Russo Brothers will direct another film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With that said, it’s exciting to think about possible projects that these incredible filmmakers could tackle, and it’s great to know that they’re as excited about the Fox/Disney merger as we are. For now, all we can do is continue to discuss and speculate about Avengers: Infinity Warand the impact it will have on the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Do you want the Russo’s to stick around after Avengers 4? What project would you like to see them tackle? Let us know in the comments section.
If you have seen The Dark Knight Rises then you have, at some point in your life, talked like Tom Hardy’s Bane. Admit it. He portrayed the villain perfectly as a hulking figure with incredible intelligence. However, it wasn’t the DC Comics character’s first appearance on the silver screen, as some of us shutter to remember Batman & Robin from 1997, which featured Bane as merely an absolute monster, but also as essentially just a throw-in for the film. Comic book movies have come a long way since, but can sometimes wreck a character. However, when it comes to flipping pages, these heroes and villains are constant for the fans.
We were lucky enough to catch up with him at the Daytona Beach Comic Con this past weekend and he filled us in on the process of creating Bane and touched on some exciting new projects he has coming up.
MFR: What went into the process of bringing Bane to life?
GN: “He was one of those characters that was designed specifically for a story. Batman wasn’t really that punishing, vicious type of character that fans had been asking for, so we decided that we would create someone that would allow him to become that. So we decided to give fans the Batman they wanted, but we had to first break him down and Bane was the right one to do it.”
How did Bane get his signature look?
“Chuck (Dixon) decided the character of Bane had to not only be super strong, but really smart, kind of like a Doc Savage. We came up with the backstory that he was going to be raised in a prison in Santa Prisca, so I wanted to give him a look based on what he might have seen while there. That’s how I came up with the mask, like a Mexican luchador. I also threw in the wrestling singlet and gave him Cuban-inspired paramilitary pants and boots, to kind of continue that evil and militant-type motif.”
When did the decision come to do away with his Luchador mask?
“My original design was heavily inspired by the Luchador mask where, obviously, the eyes, mouth and nose were all exposed. The editors just decided that they wanted him to be a little more mysterious, so we blocked it all up and reddened the eyes.”
Was Bane initially supposed to be the end-all character for Batman?
“Yes. He was designed specifically to be the ‘guy who broke the Batman’.”
Care to tease your fans with any upcoming projects?
“Yeah, I’ve paired with Ominous Press and we’re going to be doing a hardcover, 20th-anniversary edition of my Monster Island book. It’s comprised of all the original artwork, so that when you’re looking through the book, you will see the whiteout and blue lines from crafted board and other materials that I used. Essentially, you will be able to read it as original artwork, as if you were in my studio. The follow-up project to that will be a prologue book, Return to Monster Island. It will be a full-color hardcover book as well. I’m super excited about it because it’s been like 20 years in the making. Fans are always asking me when I’ll do another Monster Island project and I finally got someone to pair up with and do it.”
Luke Hemsworth recently sat down with Monkeys Fighting Robots and other members of the press for a round-table intervew promoting HBO’s Westworld, which returns tonight. Hemsworth plays Ashley Stubbs, Westworld’s head of security, and talked to us about Stubbs’ role in the coming season, working with Jonathan Nolan, and a roomful of naked extras. Here are the highlights from the interview:
On his castmates:
I’m excited to see the performances as well. I’m a big fan of all of this, all of this cast. Just incredible, there’s not a bad note there. They’re all incredible human beings, not just actors, um, as beautiful to watch them when you stand next to them and then it’s, you know, it’s another, it’s another facet again, when you, when you see it on tv, you know, when you get to watch it back.
On-screen, the inactive hosts in the background scenes of labs, they look so real. What do they look like up close and what was it like when you first saw one?
Most of them are real. There’s a few like prosthetics, the ones that are a bit mangled, but the ones that are whole are usually, yeah, extras lying on the ground and you know, on the cold floor covered in blood and flies. One of the first days, I think was in cold storage. There was about a hundred extras all completely nude. We had to worm our way through it, pun intended. Eyes up, you know and I’m thinking “What have I gotten myself into?” (laughs)
On Westworld‘s story:
It’s so, it’s so rich and complex. Every script I get I have to read three times.
Regarding Stubb’s role in season two:
There’s definitely a cool journey that, yeah, you will find out things.
On working with Jonathan Nolan:
He’s the most generous giving, knowledgable person I’ve ever met, I think. He’s so, he’s a joy to be around like the days when Jonah’s there it’s like “Aw, fuck yeah. Thank god.” because he always, he has every answer.
If you and the rest of the cast found out tomorrow that you were hosts, who would lead the revolution?
Jeffrey Wright for sure or nah, probably Evan (Rachel Wood). I think she’s just, she’s a crusader. Yeah. Yeah. She’s definitely a crusader. Not me, I just follow. Nah, I’d be there just so long as I could, if I could wear a sword, then I’d be up there.
Can’t get enough Westworld? Check out our interview with Angela Sarafyan here.
The second season of HBO’s philosophical, sci-fi, western series Westworld debuts tonight and we recently spoke with some of the cast members in a series of engaging round-table interviews in Beverly Hills. Angela Sarafyan, who plays Clementine Pennyfeather on the hit show, talked about what to expect from Clementine in the show’s second season, her theories on how the hosts operate, and the part she played in the show’s unconventional marketing campaign, which so far has included an old-timey Rickroll and an android questioning folks at a pub. Highlights from the interview follow.
On that pivotal scene from season one, where she shows us that the hosts aren’t as harmless as expected:
Really fun. It was really fun. I mean it was incredibly emotional too because I think it was a representative of women and men who’ve been bullied, ya know? Even the fight itself was very specific. It wasn’t like a superhero fight. It was like, it was brutal. It was awful and he beat her and then when she like, that’s I think the first time you see their strengths in the hosts and season one is when you see her, like someone that seems appears delicate to basically break someone’s skull. Which was really fun for me. I love it.
On the Rickroll video:
We were going to do press that particular day and Evan (Rachel Woods) and I were both there and he (Jonathan Nolan, one of the show’s co-creators) and asked her to sing and me to play the piano piece. So I learned it that night and then played it the next day. That’s why I’m so focused. I just learned the piece. I’m like, all right, is that the right note?
On the awareness of the hosts:
I always believe that the hosts are constantly taking in information, kind of like your phones. Like this, that’s taking in the information that you will use, but your phone also has it. It contains it and I think that they’re always feeding off things, so even when they’re asleep I’d made the decision that she is still awake, like she’s asleep, she’s in sleep mode, but then she’s still hearing and receiving like you would in a dream.
On that much-anticipated trip to Shogun World:
That is confirmed. And I think that is going to be a really special story that, that happens there.
Looking for more Westworld? Check out our interview with Luke Hemsworth here.
