James Franco has decided it’s time to turn back to superhero films. According to Deadline, Fox is developing a movie centered around the mutant Multiple Man. It will star James Franco with Wonder Woman writer Allan Heinberg set to pen the script. The film will see Franco team up with notorious X-Men producer Simon Kinberg.
The collaboration between Franco and Kinberg seems to have stemmed from a project that Franco and his brother Dave have been circling, The Hardy Men. Kinberg wrote the film and would star the Franco brothers as grown-up versions of The Hardy Boys.
Jamie Madrox, aka Multiple Man, is a lesser known X-Men character with the ability to duplicate himself. Madrox first appeared in Giant-Size Fantastic Four in 1975 and slowly grew more prominent. His live-action debut was in X-Men: The Last Stand, where he was played by Eric Dane.
This film will be James Franco’s re-debut if you will into the superhero genre following his role as Harry Osborn in the Spider-Man franchise. He has been fancasted over the years into many roles but he had yet to join the recent renaissance of the genre. Taking on a character like Multiple Man, who is known to be wisecracking and a bit of a jerk at times, seems like the perfect role for Franco to take on.
Multiple Man will join the large number of X-Men related projects that Fox is currently working on With Deadpool 2, New Mutants, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix all set to release next year, there is a lot on Fox’s plate. Not to mention both Gambit and X-Force that are still in various stages of development.
The mightiest team of superheroes are back! A throw-down with a prehistoric terror in the heart of Washington D.C. sets the stage for the dramatic return of a wayward hero! Meanwhile, half a world away, a sinister plan begins to awaken an ancient evil!
MIGHTY CRUSADERS #1 Written by: Ian Flynn Art: Kelsey Shannon Colors by: Matt Herms Lettered by: Jack Morelli
Writing
Right from the start, this comic’s pacing really stood out. Ian Flynn starts with a great action scene that also effectively introduces all the Crusaders and reveals their powers. We also get a sense of everyone’s personality and ‘voice’ through some really good dialogue and character interaction. It’s a classic superhero brawl that really brought a smile to my face.
The story also cuts to a building mystery in the desert that really works well too. Again we are given enough information without falling into exposition. This scene has enough menace and intrigue to keep us interested. It is also the part of the story that ends the comic on a cliffhanger; it makes you want to pick up the next issue.
One of my favorite sequences though was a straight up conversation between the original The Shield, Joe Higgins, and the new one, Victoria. The scene not only establishes a nice legacy feeling to this world but also showcases some great characterization and also seems to plant seeds for something larger that may be going on. A similar conversation between The Web and the new Shield is also really good. Flynn is nailing these characters and making them very readable.
Art
Kelsey Shannon and Matt Herms illustrated a very nice looking book here. There is a welcome cartoony vibe to the pencils that are heightened by the vibrant coloring. It gives the book an ‘animated’ feel while still also having a classic comic book style in its layouts and panel placement. The character designs are sleek, but also have a nice throwback look to them.
There is also some great lettering work done here, specifically with villain Dino Rex, who has a distinct voice due to his word balloons.
Conclusion
Mighty Crusaders might not be a household name like one of the team books from the Big Two, but if you want a superhero team book that will give you plenty of action, fun and great characters without being bogged down by massive crossover or years of reboot baggage, then this is perfect. It also seems right for readers of all ages, making it accessible to a wide variety of fandom. Pick this up when it hits comic shops on December 6th.!
Are You Afraid Of The Dark?, the popular childrens’ horror show from the 1990s, is getting a feature film adaptation.
Paramount Pictures is developing the movie, with It screenwriter Gary Douberman penning it. Additionally, Dauberman is a producer alongside Matt Kaplan.
If you were a child in the 1990s, you undoubtedly at least heard of Are You Afraid Of The Dark?. The show centered around the Midnight Society, a group of friend who would get together and tell scary stories.
Are more information about this upcoming movie is released, Monkeys Fighting Robots will have it covered.
Are you looking forward to the film? Start a conversation in the comments below.
It’s mid-November, and we still haven’t seen the first trailer for Avengers: Infinity War. Though there’s no official date as to when fans can expect the footage, a slew of images from the film have leaked online. Check them out below.
Some assume the first trailer will be dropping with Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but if these images say anything, it’s that fans won’t have to wait too long for the teaser. Although that’s purely speculation, one does wonder where a source even found these images.
“As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.”
The cast includes Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Holland, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff, and Josh Brolin as Thanos.
This weekend, DC Comics fired editor Eddie Berganza after former employees shared their allegations against him with Buzzfeed News.
Janelle Asselin and Liz Gehrlein Marsham told their story publicly for the first time, although their experiences are now almost a decade old. In fact, no one has formally accused Berganza since 2012. Asselin and Marsham went to HR seven years ago with several others when Berganza was up for a promotion. They wanted to prevent further harassment, but nothing was done at the time. However, this weekend, DC cited their commitment to “eradicating harassment” as a reason behind Berganza’s termination.
Correction: DC Comics fires longtime editor Eddie Berganza following years of already knowing about sexual harassment claims and they would’ve gotten away with it too if it weren’t for ya meddlin’ kids https://t.co/i62kH8zwJc
In 2010, Berganza’s potential promotion to executive editor inspired women to come forward with their stories. “A total of five people — four then-current employees, including Marsham and Asselin, and one ex-employee, Hilty — confirmed to BuzzFeed News that they shared their Berganza stories, observations, or concerns with HR that summer.” He was unaffected until 2012 when another woman accused him of kissing her without consent at a convention. Instead of firing him, DC demoted Berganza to group editor.
The full story from Asselin and Marsham, including the fact that they had already filed against Berganza, forced DC to take action. After 25 years with the company, accusations against him ranged from “making offensive jokes or line-crossing comments in the presence of or at the expense of women…” to “…hav[ing] forcibly kissed and attempted to grope female coworkers.” An anonymous employee told Buzzfeed that Berganza’s reputation was “…’something that I didn’t like, but I stomached it. Everybody did. It was a gross open secret.'”
Eddie Berganza Vs. Ron Richards
As DC takes one (delayed) step forward, however, Marvel takes one back by hiring Ron Richards as Vice President/Managing Editor of New Media. Personal and professional contacts began to accuse Richards of a variety of misconduct and harassment charges almost immediately after the news went public. Men and women told personal stories or relayed that they knew someone with a story, using social media. Others expressed their displeasure with Marvel.
I swear to God. This isn’t “Take a Penny, Leave a Penny,” @Marvel.
Why would you hire Ron Richards, a known sexual harasser, NOW of all times?
The allegations against Richards took a few iFanboy fans by surprise.
I’m an ifanboy listener from the 1st episode forward. I don’t know Ron Richards but he’s been a staple in my weekly life for a decade. I don’t want this to be true but there is genuine proof out there and enough women with similar stories that it’s hard to deny. But you do you.
Richards worked previously as Image Comics’ Director of Business Development and co-founded the comics podcast/website iFanboy. As of this article’s publication, iFanboy has over 10k Followers on Facebook and more than twice that on Twitter.
“How Did This Happen?” Isn’t Good Enough Anymore
When someone popular is accused of being less than perfect, we have a knee-jerk reaction. We are more connected than ever to our content creators. By following them on social media and meeting them at conventions, we feel involved in their personal lives. Of course, that is impossibly untrue.
As more men are under fire for sexual misconduct, it should be easier for victims to speak up. Women, men, and children in Hollywood are taking a stand against sexual harassment. Gal Gadot, for instance, has promised to leave Wonder Woman unless Brett Ratner is removed from the project. Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things), dropped his agent after abuse allegations. However, the comic book industry is still relatively small. Which means if a victim speaks out against someone in power, there could be dire consequences for the victim’s career.
Unlike cases in other industries, the people who spoke to BuzzFeed News did not know of settlements, payouts, or nondisclosure agreements with women who say Berganza harassed them. Instead, what has kept many of these stories confined to gossip, blogs, and occasional social media posts is the small size of the comics industry, and fear of being blacklisted by the biggest publishers in comics.
The problem runs much deeper than one man here and another there. Heidi MacDonald explains, in her history of comics, how ingrained sexual harassment has been since the industry’s birth. She describes the behavior of Jules Schwartz, a “goodwill ambassador” for DC Comics. “…[he]was known to be incredibly “handsy” with any woman or girl who got near him. A man who regularly greeted me whenever I was near him with a big wet kiss on the mouth no matter how much I squirmed away. And I’m sure I’m not the only one.” This behavior is displayed by the old guard. The industry hails them as “goodwill ambassadors.” The message to women is clear: your discomfort does not matter.
Enter The Social Justice League
I’m speaking up now because people are listening, and because I have the added protection of not being in the industry. I’m speaking up for the women who can’t.
Unluckily for Richards, people outside of the industry are unafraid to speak up. An ex-girlfriend, Buffy Serrano, posted to Twitter about her relationship with him. Most succinctly, she stated, “Go f*ck yourself, Ron.” Serrano does not claim mistreatment. The closest she gets to an accusation is the following: “It’s so strange to find out that your crappy ex is, in fact, a serial harasser/abuser. Makes you rethink all your experiences. Like, maybe all those feelings you had were based on actual facts and behaviors rather than you just being crazy.”
She does share details about Richards’ feelings on women in comics. “He said that women in comics only get ahead because they flaunt their bodies and take sexy pics and that by doing so they take away opportunities for men. He was resentful.” Other women who dated him claim threatening voicemails, stolen property, and other harassment or abuse. Some have locked their Twitter accounts after taking part in the initial conversation. Others have put out a call for more information.
I’ve been told by multiple people over the years that Ron Richards is an abuser and has a history of making women in the industry deeply uncomfortable. Anyone who wants to talk to me about him in more depth, please reach out. https://t.co/XpHYZXR0eT
As of publication, no official response has come from Marvel. Pros are already questioning how long it will take–if ever–to see ramifications. So where does this leave the comics industry? Eddie Berganza is out, but so many others are still in. Is it really about “eradicating harassment,” or just eradicating lousy press?
After months of speculation, Warner Bros. has just revealed the official title of the second Fantastic Beasts movie in a first look at the impressive cast. The second film in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potterspin-off is officially titled Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald.
While the first look at the film is very brief, there are a lot of elements to inspect and discuss, starting with the first look at Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore. While a large coat mostly covers his clothing, we can get an idea of what Dumbledore will look like the film, and it’s also worth noting that the character isn’t wielding the infamous Elder Wand, which is instead in the possession of Johnny Depp’s villainous Grindelwald. Of course, Fantastic Beastswouldn’t be complete without Eddie Redmayne’s Newt Scamander, who is standing tall in the center of the image.
Watch the reveal below:
“J.K. Rowling wrote the screenplay for the film, which opens in 1927, a few months after Newt helped to unveil and capture the infamous Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. However, as he promised he would, Grindelwald has made a dramatic escape and has been gathering more followers to his cause—elevating wizards above all non-magical beings. The only one who might be able to stop him is the wizard he once called his dearest friend, Albus Dumbledore. But Dumbledore will need help from the wizard who had thwarted Grindelwald once before, his former student Newt Scamander. The adventure reunites Newt with Tina, Queenie and Jacob, but his mission will also test their loyalties as they face new perils in an increasingly dangerous and divided wizarding world.”
The film is directed by David Yates and stars Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Jude Law and Johnny Depp.
The Shannara Chronicles delivers another stellar second season episode that leaves viewers with plenty of feels, even if some of it is a little predictable. It’s not the fault of Shannara Chronicles that the genre demands certain things. It’s hard to break free and, in some cases, it goes beyond the type of story and to the nature of storytelling. We love twists. We love when bad guys get what they deserve. But we also like a surprise. Shannara does its best to fulfill both those spaces. Shannara is also a confident show, trusting its narrative despite everything else is on TV. The producers are telling their story. And while some things succumb to the formulae that comes with a show like this, other things become a pleasant surprise. And episode eight is an hour of proof of this point.
Shannara Chronicles Episode 8: Amberle Wil must confront his past. The bond between Allanon and Mareth continues to grow.
It begins with Wil reaching the Ellcrys where he will learn something about how to save the world. He’s joined by Eretria on this quest, and the pair gets to share a moment together before, once again, they are forced apart. Eretria takes on one side quest while Wil continues with his mission to see Amberlee at the Ellcrys.
The Warlock Lord is back, and his appearance was a big shocker last week. Here’s Exhibit A of the repetitive and the familiar. Raising the great evil is the norm. It happens in countless stories. Bandon as the mortal minion of this dark master is part of that. However, Bandon’s journey is fresh, full of dastardly deeds and character moments that reveal the weakness inside. However, upon bringing the Warlock Lord back, neither Bandon nor viewers expected the great evil to take the form of Allanon. Albeit it with piercings, a modulated voice, and heavy dark makeup.
But as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for.
Allanon has embraced Mareth as his daughter. But in episode seven, he learns something even more critical about her. Mareth is the next Druid, meant to replace Allanon. So now, the father must train the daughter to master the vast powers of magic and combat. The dynamic between the pair is like a planet and moon, never able to truly come together. Allanon’s ignorance of Mareth’s existence kept them apart. Then it was his arrogance. Now, though together for training, they are separated emotionally. Allanon with his mind firmly focused on the fate of the Four Lands. Meanwhile, Mareth is young and impatient and just wants to know her father. But the pair seems likely to forever orbit around each other at a distance. Presumably, it’ll won’t happen until it’s too late because, frankly, that’s good drama.
Bandon’s wish was to raise the Warlock Lord and get his love back. But as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for. The Warlock Lord isn’t interested in matchmaking but global domination. A girlfriend will cloud Bandon’s mind, but another solution will give the Warlock Lord a powerful ally.
There’s a lot to unpack in episode eight.
Wil spends most of the episode talking to Amberlee in an Ellcrys-induced fever dream. As per usual for a dream character, Amberley says the precise and vaguely cryptic things she needs to say. Just enough to get Wil’s ears twitching as the brain churns. Wil must “face his truth” which is again another trope for these stories, but the result is a beautiful moment for the character and a turn of fate that is destined to bring this epic conflict between good and evil to a head.
There’s a lot to unpack in episode eight. Shannara tells a very concise story. It doesn’t convolute things with added subplots that don’t need to be there. On other networks, this show would be riddled with love triangles, long bouts of exposition and worse. Here, love is a force of inspiration or weakness, depending on who you are and who or what you love.
Find more reviews about Shannara Chronicles season two right here!
The Shannara Chronicles ended it’s sixth episode of season two in dramatic fashion, and episode seven continues the downward spiral, and things are not looking good for the Four Lands. Last week, our review said that Shannara dropped the mic. Episode six ended with a big bang that exemplifies why this show is not your average genre series.
Shannara Chronicles Episode Seven: Warlock Bandon and his followers race to resurrect the Warlock Lord while Mareth must risk everything before it’s too late.
Starting right where episode six left off, Riga and the Crimson seized control of Leah, taking the Queen, Jax and Salter as prisoners. The mighty Crimson are now in control, at least politically, of the Four Lands.
Allanon is dying and in a sort of dream state; seemingly caught between life and death. Wil and Mareth feel helpless as there is little medicine can do to help now. Mareth starts a trope-y speech that would be downright cringe-worthy if it had gone according to the formula.
In the meantime, Lyria and Eretria escaped Riga’s assault on the Palace of Leah. But now they must figure out what to do. It’s an especially important decision now that the previous episode revealed Lyria’s vital role in the fate of the Four Lands. Again, the former lovers must go their separate ways.
Waa-waa Wil, like all genre protagonists before him, is a little whiney at this point. Everything sucks. He’s speeding down towards rock bottom. But Mareth is proving to be the counterbalance, keeping Wil from the brink even while she deals with the reality of Allanon, her mother, and where her destiny will lead.
Shannara episode seven continues to ramp up the season, adding more depth and despair to the story.
Amberle (Poppy Drayton) makes a cameo here, her last from the feel of the story. She appears in a dream that provides a much-needed guidance for our heroes. It’s trope-y as all hell but done effectively without overwrought exposition.
Mareth uses her fledgling knowledge of magic to walk into Allanon’s dream. The hope is to find him and bring him back. But the reality is that the dream realm is a strange place and dangerous too. If she doesn’t make it out with Allanon, she’ll die with him.
Riga’s agenda isn’t only about being the leader of the world. The Crimson’s commander wants to end magic for good. And his next mission is focused solely on that.
And then there’s Bandon, the bad boy of Shannara Chronicles who takes another step towards achieving his goal of resurrecting the Warlock Lord and reuniting with his lost love. Bandon puts on a dazzling display of his powers by dispatching a squad of Crimson with dramatic ease. And if that seems a little too spoiler-y, it’s what happens after Bandon delivers his beatdown that genuinely matters and must be seen, not read about in a blog post.
Shannara episode seven continues to ramp up the season, adding more depth and despair to the story. The brutal fashion in which some characters are disposed of, is again, reminiscent of Game of Thrones. If Shannara were on the CW, it would be radically different. And maybe the CW formula would help with the ratings but not with the dramatic impact of the show.
Read more spoiler-free reviews for season two of the Shannara Chronicles here.
Dwayne Johnson has unveiled the first epic poster for Rampage, check it out below.
Additionally, the actor revealed, via Twitter, that the first trailer will drop tomorrow.
“This is my best friend, George. A rare gigantic albino Silverback. I love animals because they’re honest. If they like you, they lick you. If they don’t, they eat you. Our #RAMPAGEMovie trailer drops TOMORROW at 5PM EST/2PM PST.”
What are your thoughts on the poster? To some, this is just another action movie starring The Rock, but to me, it’s the first video game movie I’ve been excited about in a very long time. I’m expecting a great time filled with explosions and action; asking for anything else defeats the purpose of what Rampage is.
Rampage is directed by Brad Peyton and stars, along with Johnson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman, Joe Manganiello, Naomie Harris, Marley Shelton, Jake Lacy, Breanne Hill, annd Jack Quaid.
The film will be released in theaters on April 20, 2018.
Stanford and his team are the only ones standing between the Sharg and Earth!
Writing/Story
This was originally supposed to be the Mech Cadet Yu finale. but thanks to its popularity, the book will now be an ongoing series. The story does feel like it was suppose to move towards an ending here, which is understandable given the series was supposed to be a mini series. Still this is a minor complaint as writer Greg Pak easily makes the save and keeps the action going.
The issue helps to finally deliver on what everyone was hoping would come from a series of this caliber. It features an intense battle between the cadets in their giant robots against the colossal crab like aliens known as the Sharg, mid-air repairs, and making sure the citizens are protected in the process. All the important factors which go into showcasing an action scene involving large combatants is addressed in the best way possible. If this had been the last issue, it would have gone out on top.
Artwork
As someone who has read a lot of giant robot based comics and manga, it’s important to point out how hard it is to convey great action. Luckily, Takeshi Miyazawa knows what he is doing. The detail work on the aliens is imposing and the stuff of nightmares which makes it satisfying as the robots fight them.
The mechs suffer real damage which is very noticeable thanks to Triona Farrell’s color work. The energy effects coming from the robots is striking due the right choice of color
Finally, the lettering work by Simon Bowland helps to cement the perfect special effect sounds in the moment and great dialogue between characters. As General Park is giving a disciplinary speech great detail was made to bold certain words to help sell the harshness of each of his words. The entire art team came together to create a very visually pleasing issue.
Conclusion
Congratulations to the staff. You earned it. It seems like it’s primed to open up and show there is more to the world than the academy. This is a logical step as if the series wants to continue the worldview needs to be expanded. It’s an alien invasion being stopped by humans piloting giant robots. It cannot be limited to one location.
