Yes you read that correctly Marvel has canceled Luke Cage…not the Netflix show, but the comic. You all can breathe now.
David F Walker has confirmed the February issue titled Luke Cage #170 will be its last due to poor sales.
“Sad but true…Luke Cage (the comic book, not the TV series) has been cancelled,” Walker tweeted. “Issue #170 is the last (and best) of the series. Oh well, on to other adventures. Thanks to everyone who supported the series.”
“Time to get real…Luke Cage was cancelled because it sold poorly he continued. “VERY poorly. There are various factors that contributed to those poor sales, but they all add up to the same conclusion.”
Luke Cage isn’t the first comic to get scrapped. Generation X, Hawkeye, Iceman, Jean Grey, and The Unbelievable Gwenpool will also wrap up early in 2018.
“The success of superheroes in film, television and video games ONLY carries over to comics when people actually buy the comics. Truth is not many people buy comics. Of the top 10 best selling comics in November, only four sold more than 100,000 units. That’s sad.”
Stay tuned to Panels To Films for the latest in entertainment news!
From Frankenhooker to Downsizing, editor and director Kevin Tent knows the industry from top to bottom. In a bit of serendipity one MFR writer said to the rest of us “Anyone want to interview the editor of Matt Damon’s new movie?” And I said, “Sure, why not! I’m interested enough in Downsizing (Watch The Trailer Here). And from that little moment came the usual due diligence as an interviewer and I researched my subject. As it turns out, Kevin Tent happens to be behind one of my favorite late 80s b-movie gems, Frankenhooker.
Our chat started at the beginning where Tent learned filmmaking by making movies. Tent used equipment provided by “LA City College (LACC), a great school with a very small film department. And basically, you could go there and make films. Not a lot of teachers and stuff. It was just, here’s a camera, come back in two weeks and show your movie.” Tent’s next level of schooling came as “an editor for educational films, the kind of stuff you see in high school. Sex ed videos, that kind of stuff.” From that work, Tent cut his teeth as a feature film editor with the likes of Roger Corman and films like Not of This Earth with Traci Lords.
Talking about low-budget filmmaking in the 80s, Tent says “You worked hard, you didn’t make much money, but you got a lot of experience. And for people embracing that concept, it was a good place to learn.”
From low-budget, b-movies, Tent moved into the “arty” indie world. Tent edited LACC alum Tamra Davis’ Guncrazy and “… that sort of got me into the independent film market.”
Downsizing is Tent’s eighth collaboration with director Alexander Payne. Tent met Payne through a friend and colleague “… Carol Kravitz who received a call from Payne saying ‘I can’t afford you, who would you suggest I meet?’ And she gave him my name. So I just went and interviewed with him. And we kind of just hit it off. And also, I showed him my reel at the time, and it had a scene from Guncrazy on it. He really liked that.” What’s it like to work so closely with someone for so long? Tent lovingly says “It’s like a marriage.”
The editing process is a mysterious one. Does Tent’s experience make it easy to critique films? “That’s hard. And I’ll tell ya, that question comes up. I think if I’m engaged in a movie I don’t even pay attention to the editing.” Tent adds this “It’s only when something’s not working that I wonder if the editor could have deleted a scene …” Tent continues “Most of the time when I watch a movie I just try to enjoy it.”
A fellow football fan, my analogy of editors being like an offensive lineman — the unsung heroes of a football team — lead Tent to add “I think making a movie is a lot like a football game. Like, a scene, is just like, ‘set, hut!’ everybody goes. And yeah, we carried the ball a few yards. Let’s do it again.”
Tent’s first big-budget film was Girl, Interrupted. And though borderline overwhelming, Tent says “When I cut my first big budget film … I remember looking at all the equipment and thinking ‘It’s just footage, like all the other times.’” Kevin jokes “It’s just much more expensive footage.”
Offering a bit of advice about life as an editor, Tent responds to getting stuck by “stepping away” and “Go on to other scenes. You say to yourself, ‘it’s good enough for now, I can come back to it.” But, in the non-stop film business, you also gotta “… keep moving forward. You gotta be like a shark. Keep moving forward.” Adding to his advice, “show the scene to an audience.”
Tent has worked with a variety of Hollywood heavyweights like Payne, Barry Sonnenfeld, and Ted Demme. “All directors are different. Some like being in the cutting room and some don’t. He [Payne] likes to be there. So we work very closely together.” In contrast, “I work with Barry Sonnenfeld a lot who doesn’t like to be in the cutting room. He sees cuts, gives notes.”
In 2017, Tent was behind the scenes of two new films. First, is the big-budget, high concept Downsizing with Matt Damon and Kristin Wiig. Part comedy, part social commentary, Downsizing is “A studio film trying to do something different which is pretty great.”
Though typically an editor, Tent has stepped behind the camera for several features. One of his first, Ultra Warrior “was a movie I made using scenes from other movies to do what I could to make a mess of a movie better.”
However, experience is the best teacher and this year Tent made Crash Pad, a comedy that he describes as “… an ass-backward romantic comedy.” And how did that come about? “I wanted to direct something. It took a while but I found the script. A lot of pushing and shoving and it finally got off the ground.” About future directing projects “If I could find a script that I like. I think I’m recovered enough now that I’m ready to try again.”
As for the editors, he admires, Tent says “There are so many editors that I look up. Anne Coates for instance. Mark Goldblatt, Richie Marks, Dede Allen. I love the way her editing was done on Dog Day Afternoon. And so many of my contemporaries who do a great job.”
As a veteran of the industry, we ended on the past, present, and future. What do you think editing now versus 30 years ago and the new tools available? “I think it’s all a plus. I love working on digital. It’s so much easier. You can do so much more. I think technology has been our friend.”
Thanks to Kevin Tent for letting me suck up
an hour of his time for this interview.
Downsizing is in theaters December 22nd. Crash Pad is available now on iTunes and Amazon Prime.
After a decade-long run as the Amazing Spider-Man writer, Dan Slott’s tenure is coming to an end.
In the March 2018 Marvel solicitations, Amazing Spider-Man #797 begins an arc entitled “Go Down Swinging.” The solicitation states “Dan Slott has saved his most harrowing Spider-Man story for last.”
The story is centered around a return by Norman Osborn to his Green Goblin alter ego, and will introduce the mysterious new “Red Goblin.”
Slott joined the ASM creative team 2008, ultimately becoming the sole writer in 2010. Through this time, we’ve seen some major Spidey stories. Spider-Island, the death of Peter Parker, Superior Spider-Man, Spider-Verse, and the recent Parker Industries saga were all by Slott.
Amazing Spider-Man has consistently been a top-selling comic for Marvel, but that doesn’t mean everybody is a fan of Slott’s work. Fans have been divided for the most part of this era of Spidey comics. After having killed Peter in ASM #700, Slott received death threats.
Regardless of where you stand on the man’s take on our favorite web-slinger, we’re about to enter a new era. For the first time since 2010, we’ll be getting a new voice on Amazing Spider-Man.
This comes not long after the news that longtime Marvel juggernaut, Brian Michael Bendis, was leaving Marvel. Slott may not be leaving the publisher entirely, but with Bendis exiting and Slott moving on from Spidey, Marvel Comics is certainly changing.
With powerhouse writers like Donny Cates, Tom Taylor, Kelly Thompson, and Dennis Hopeless onboard at Marvel, filling Slott’s shoes shouldn’t be too much of a challenge. Marvel finds themselves with an opportunity to pass the torch to new voices and take these beloved characters to new places.
Regardless of how you feel about Dan Slott’s Spider-Man contributions, change is healthy. This is an exciting time for Marvel Comics (even though they probably just cancelled one of your favorite series).
The British rom-com Lovesick (originally titled Scrotal Recall) will return to Netflix for its third season on January 1st, 2018. According to PremiereDate.News, all eight episodes of the third season will release together, like other Netflix original series. (Lovesick originally aired in the UK on Channel 4, but is now produced by Netflix.)
If you haven’t been keeping up with Lovesick, now might be the time to hop on the bandwagon. Their premiere season is only 6 episodes long, and the second set the 8-episode bar for the series. Many British programs have a limited-run format. Personally I’m hoping Lovesick follows that pattern, with season three rounding out the stories and wrapping up the series as a whole.
Lovesick follows Dylan as he reflects on all his past relationships as he contacts all his exes to tell them he has chlamydia. Dylan and his best friends Evie, Luke, and Angus stumble through life and love in their 20s—but no matter how good or bad things get they all have each other at the end of the day. That is, until Dylan reconnects with ex-hook up Abigail, and the two begin a committed relationship together.
Angus, very drunk, and very excited about peeing in a pond.
What keeps Lovesick from disappearing in a sea of rom-com television shows? First of all, the show messes with timelines. Each episode tells a story in flashback, bookended by Dylan reflecting on what went wrong in the “current” timeline. All characters have flaws, sure, but none are overplayed for comedy. Most lend themselves to major character development at some point in the series. And as Dylan’s history with women continues, it never feels like a parade of one-night stands, or a history of hook-ups half-remembered—something that might have ruined the show if that is how it turned out.
Playboy Luke has a deep, dark secret that subverts expectations without excusing his occasionally misogynistic behavior. And sweet, passive Angus goes on a journey you’ll never see coming. The characters truly love each other—a refreshing change from some American shows where half the humor relies on insults or unrealistic overreactions. The acting is nuanced and heartbreaking and soul-warming all at the right times.
Sick For More
Season two ended on a dramatically depressing note. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I won’t say much—but once you catch up you’ll understand why fans sighed from collective relief upon the announcement of season three.
Lovesick stars Johnny Flynn (Dylan), Daniel Ings (Luke), Antonia Thomas (Evie) and Joshua McGuire (Angus). Hannah Britland co-stars as Abigail. Lovesick is produced by Clerkenwell Films, and written by creator Tom Edge.
Season three of Lovesick will be available on Netflix beginning at 12:00AM, January 1st, 2018 (EST).
Redlands, from Image Comics, sees brilliant colorist Jordie Bellaire take a turn at writing, while still providing colors. Artist Vanesa R. Del Rey and lettered Clayton Cowles make up the rest of this phenomenal creative team.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
In a world where every obsessive comic book reader has way too many books to read each week, Redlands is a book that manages to stick with you. Sometimes it’s tough, when you have so many comics to keep track of, for a newer series to keep you invested in a story and remember all the players.
This is why a lot of readers move to trades after they fall behind, even a little bit, on an independent series. Redlands doesn’t over-complicate the landscape and narrative. It moves at a pace that you can follow on a monthly basis without forgetting major details. Whether this is on purpose or not, it certainly helps keeping this series at the forefront of a reader’s mind.
It also helps that Jordie Bellaire’s characters are so infectious that we want more as soon as possible. Each issue has introduced somebody new, each one as immediately interesting as the last. The opening scene in issue five is a perfect example. Jordie wastes no time in making this character an imposing force oozing with charisma and charm.
We later learn this character approaching the Redlands is the grandfather of our witches. In the meantime, we explore more of the seedy world of prostitution and get more of Bridget’s history of witchcraft.
Nothing is fully spelled out for the reader, we don’t have a complete picture of anything. Bellaire gives the reader little bits and peaks to hold us over each issue. I can’t explain in full detail what is happening as a whole yet, but I can tell you that I can’t get enough of it.
There are plenty of supernatural elements that contribute to the horror element of this title, but the most horrifying scenes come from the most-human characters. This book doesn’t rely on gore and shock to make readers feel uncomfortable.
Redlands looks at sexuality and desire from an interesting angle. It wields it as a weapon against weaker minds, but not exclusively. There are still sexier moments that happen, like the Gator Man sex scene a few issues ago, that are intimate and passionate. Bellaire mines a healthy dose of both pain and pleasure when utilizing sex.
The balance between sexy and scary down in the swamp is astronomical. Jordie and Vanesa Del Rey don’t shy away from nudity and sex scenes. It never becomes a book just about sex either, it’s very much about the supernatural horror. The book’s sexuality isn’t a crutch, it’s another strong factor that makes each issue refuse to leave your head after closing the back cover.
These are strong female characters that quietly rule this southern hellhole. It’s masterful craftsmanship that allows this comic to be extremely effective without dipping too heavily into any of the elements that altogether make this a unique experience.
Vanesa Del Rey draws people in a beautifully realistic, untraditional comic book way. This cast is appealing and unique, some of the best looking body models currently in any book. Del Rey makes these characters, both male and female, sexy and strong without using the standard superhero template.
The dark, heavy pencils this book features allows Del Rey and Bellaire to play with darkness and shadows in major ways. There’s a ton of mystery and suspense lurking. Only little bits of evil are revealed, the rest are left in the dark and left to the imagination of the reader.
The handwritten letter at the end of the issue is absolutely devastating. A young girl abandoned at a brothel by her own father. As she slowly starts to figure her situation out and adapt to her new life, it paints the preceding pages in a completely different light.
The conversations had earlier in the issue have an entirely different weight to them. Including this letter, and its execution, was a fantastic choice. Don’t ignore this creative team, they’re a storytelling force to be reckoned with.
Redlands heads into 2018 as one of the most interesting and intoxicating new series. This sexy, mysterious, and beautiful looking horror comic is a major accomplishment for everyone involved.
Ron Howard, director of the upcoming Solo: A Star Wars Story, took some time away from post-production on the spinoff to check out the latest installment in the series, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. He praised Rian Johnson and said his screening was full of cheers and applause.
“Took a break from editing #Solo to see #LastJedi Great job @rianjohnson cast & crew. The paying crowd our family saw it with cheered & applauded”
Production on Solo wrapped back in October, but news surrounding the project has been interesting since. Howard nearly doubled the project’s original budget for reshoots – apparently, he reshot 80 percent of the film. Along with that, a rumor surfaced back in September that stated Darth Vader will be appearing in the movie, but no other details on that have been released.
Are you looking forward to Solo: A Star Wars Story? Sound off in the comments below.
The film flies into theaters nationwide on May 25, 2018.
Gringo is an adult comedy about an all-star cast getting in deep selling new weed pills in Mexico. It’s timely, it’s crude, and this trailer is full tilt.
This has the air of late 80s, early 90s comedy in that it’s directly aimed at adults. Plus, this cast is impressive. Check out the trailer, and be careful because it is most certainly NSFW:
Combining dark comedy with dramatic intrigue, Gringo joyrides across the border into Mexico, where all is not as it seems for mild-mannered American businessman Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo). Crossing the line from citizen to criminal, Harold tangles with duplicitous business partners, Mexican drug lords, international mercenaries, and the DEA. As he attempts to survive in one of the most dangerous places on earth, the question lingers: is this ordinary man in way over his head, or is he two steps ahead?
David Oyelowo looks to be having a blast, as does Charlize Theron and Joel Edgerton. Also in the mix is Sharlto Copley, Amanda Seyfried, and Thandie Newton. It’s directed by Nash Edgerton, Joel’s brother.
Gringo hits theaters March 9. We’ll see if this is able to find an audience. It is definitely a niche that doesn’t fill theaters anymore.
If you have never experienced a ‘Free Comic Book Day’ (FCBD) then you are missing out. It is a joyous day in which you swing over to your local comic shop and grab a stack of free comics.
The complete list of titles being released on Saturday, May 5, 2018, was unveiled today as the Selection Committee chose a short box of comics deemed worthy for retailers to carry. In all, 50 titles were selected, including 12 ‘Gold Sponsors’ comics.
DC is the lone wolf in keeping its title under wraps, promising ‘a special and top-secret project too big to announce!’, while Marvel is planning to release two titles per sponsors in ‘Avengers and Captain America’ (Gold) and ‘Infinity Watch and Amazing Spider-Man’ (Silver).
Most titles also provide a great starting point to jump in on already ongoing series as well as shed light on what’s to come. So, whether you are a new comic book fan or a seasoned veteran, make sure you get out to enjoy FCBD 2018!
GOLD TITLES
Archie Comics | RIVERDALE
BOOM! Studios | MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS SPECIAL
Dark Horse Comics | OVERWATCH & BLACK HAMMER
DC Comics | DC COMICS TOP SECRET GOLD BOOK
:01 Second Books| COMICS FRIENDS FOREVER
IDW Publishing | TRANSFORMERS UNICRON #0
Image Comics | BARRIER #1
Joe Books | DISNEY PRINCESS ARIEL SPOTLIGHT
Marvel Comics | AVENGERS & CAPTAIN AMERICA
Oni Press | INVADER ZIM: FLOOPSY BLOOPS SHMOOPSY
Titan Comics | DOCTOR WHO 2018 #0
VIZ Media | POKEMON SUN & MOON & POKEMON HORIZON
SILVER TITLES
Abstract Studios | STRANGERS IN PARADISE XXV #1
Action Lab Entertainment | MIRACULOUS ADVENTURES
AfterShock Comics | RELAY #0
Arcana Studio | HOWARD LOVECRAFT’S BIG BOOK OF SUMMER FUN
Aspen Comics | WORLDS OF ASPEN ANNIVERSARY EDITION
Benitez Productions | LADY MECHANIKA
Bongo Comics | BONGO COMICS: FREE-FOR-ALL 2018
BOOM! Studios | ADVENTURE TIME: FIONNA & CAKE SPECIAL
Chapterhouse Publishing | DIE KITTY DIE I LOVE YOU TO DEATH
Chapterhouse Publishing | INVASION PROLOGUE
Dark Horse Comics | LEGEND OF KORRA & NINTENDO ARMS
Dark Planet | SILVER #1
Dynamite Entertainment | BOBS BURGERS #1
Dynamite Entertainment | JAMES BOND VARGR #1
Drawn & Quarterly | BERLIN #1
Fantagraphics Books | WORLDS GREATEST CARTOONISTS
Graphix | GRAPHIX SPOTLIGHT: SPARKS
Humanoids | METABARON BOOK 3: META GUARDIANESS AND TECHNO BARON
IDW Publishing | STAR WARS ADVENTURES
Image Comics | STREET ANGEL’S DOG ONE-SHOT
Kodansha Comics| GHOST IN THE SHELL: GLOBAL NEURAL NETWORK
Lion Forge Comics | WORM WORLD SAGA: THE JOURNEY BEGINS
Colbert is without a doubt one of Trump’s most-outspoken critics. Count on this show not being very kind to the leader of the free world and his constituents.
The network’s teaser shows Trump struggling to make the podium for a press conference, while his entourage of animated versions of Melania Trump, Donald Jr. and Jeff Sessions, look on.
“’Our Cartoon President’ examines the quintessentially Trumpian details of the presidency and his most important relationships,” The network stated. “No one is safe, from his close family and confidants, to key political figures from both parties and members of the media.”
Cartoons have always been relatable to politics and vice-versa, but one can only hope, considering that this will be Trump’s third show, along with his Alec Baldwin skits on SNL and ‘The President Show’, that this kickstarter campaign to turn animated versions of both Barack Obama and Joe Biden into a heroic, time-traveling duo, comes through.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is out this weekend and – let’s be honest – expectations were low. It’s a comedy sequel that nobody asked for, out 22 years after the original. The precedence is not good. But in a crazy twist of Shyamalan-like proportions, this flick actually turned out extremely enjoyable.
Welcome to the Jungle is the story of four high school students who get sucked into Jumanji, now a video game instead of a board game. Once inside, they must play as their respective avatars (Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, & Karen Gillen) to beat the game and return home. Simple, right?
With a plot this simple, Jumanji becomes much more character-driven. Luckily, the performances from the main cast really bolster this movie and make it worth watching. Individually, Johnson, Hart, Black, & Gillen all bring the thunder and display stellar comedy chops. But collectively, their chemistry is off the charts and they manage to elevate each other’s performances. And that all goes for the younger actors that play the “real” high schoolers as well. In a movie that’s about teamwork, good chemistry goes a long way.
This is a truly funny flick, with a lot of the humor coming from the acting, and specifically from the actors playing against their usual type. Remember, they’re all supposed to be high school students in avatar bodies. So big, buff Dwayne Johnson is playing a nebbish nerd; Jack Black is playing a popular girl who’s obsessed with her phone. At first, it seems like it will get old fast, but it’s played really well as the story progresses and makes for the film’s best moments.
Once you venture outside of the main cast though, the characters and performances don’t stand out quite so much. Bobby Canavale’s villain is bland and forgettable; the same goes for Rhys Darby’s guide character. However, the huge caveat here is that these guys are playing actual video game characters. They’re supposed to be one-note; it’s actually played for a joke in the script. So although it’s unfortunate from a critical perspective, it’s not really something to hold against the movie. It’s just committing to the video game element.
And that’s something else that the new Jumanji does very well, commit to the video game element and establish the rules of the world. This movie could have easily gone badly, as many other have before, where characters just lay out a bunch of exposition establishing the rules of Jumanji. It’d be a boring waste of potential. But instead, the screenwriters show us the rules; we learn them along with the characters through action. And sometimes it’s beautifully subtle too. Minor things happen and the script doesn’t call that much attention to them, but they’re actually establishing rules that play a major role later on. The writers place a lot of trust in the audience to catch on to these things, which isn’t something I expected from a Jumanji sequel. Just another pleasant surprise.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is a lot better than I think anyone expected it to be. It could have been a cookie-cutter flick that cases in on nostalgia, but instead the performances are solid and the laughs are well-earned. If you’re looking for a movie that’s just pure fun this holiday season, this here’s your ticket.
Playboy Luke has a deep, dark secret that subverts expectations without excusing his occasionally misogynistic behavior. And sweet, passive Angus goes on a journey you’ll never see coming. The characters truly love each other—a refreshing change from some American shows where half the humor relies on insults or unrealistic overreactions. The acting is nuanced and heartbreaking and soul-warming all at the right times.
