In service of not burying the lede; Marvel Comics will not get another dime from me. That’s it. We’re done.
Let me explain.
On Friday, Marvel announced on Twitter that it would be hosting an event at New York Comic Con with defense contractor Northrop Grumman. The presentation was intended to promote a new crossover comic, Avengers, Featuring N.G.E.N. – Start Your N.G.E.N.S! The comicincluded big name Marvel heroes, as well as “Elite Nexus” suits designed by Northrop Grumman. The comic was aimed at all-ages.
Northrop Grumman is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. They did $23B in arms sales in 2015, including work on the F-35 fighter jet, drones, missiles, etc. However, their largest get was the $80 billion Pentagon contract for 100 B-21 long-range strike bombers. Which, to be crystal clear, makes them war profiteers.
At the very least this makes Marvel Comics extreme hypocrites. Tony Stark/Iron Man, one of their most popular characters, turned away from weapons manufacturing after realizing it was immoral in his origin story. More problematically, it means Marvel comics is using an arms manufacturers to sell comics to children.
After receiving backlash to their announcement, Marvel Comics cancelled their event.
The activation with Northrop Grumman at New York Comic Con was meant to focus on aerospace technology and exploration in a positive way. However, as the spirit of that intent has not come across, we will not be proceeding with this partnership including this weekend’s event programming. Marvel and Northrop Grumman continue to be committed to elevating, and introducing, STEM to a broad audience.
Given this apology/non-apology, it seems that Marvel Comics was intent on ignoring the promotion of the military industrial complex to children. Instead, they wanted to focus on Northrop Grumman’s non-weapons related ventures. Intent aside, the damage is done. This should have never occurred at any level, let alone in an all-ages comic.
But let’s be clear – this isn’t just about an incredibly tone-deaf corporate partnership. Marvel Comics has displayed a consistent track record of disregard for women and people of color.
At a retailers only breakfast on Friday, Marvel encountered resistance to their recent attempts at diversifying its character line, described here by Bleeding Cool:
Two older retailers started raising their voices arguing about diversity and how it does not work. The words “black”, “homo” and “freaking females” were used multiple times, at which point other retailers started to boo those retailers and the room started to turn on itself. Marvel editor Nick Lowe tried to get calm by saying that Marvel try and they tell stories for everyone, that the old heroes are not going anywhere, neither are the new ones, there is room for them both.
The panel ended sharply, with Marvel‘s Senior Vice President of Sales David Gabrielsaying that he would give out his e-mail address to any retailer who still had concerns. And with that everyone got kicked out of the area.
It’s good to hear that there were retailers who disagreed. And Nick Lowe’s clear message that new heroes aren’t going anywhere is heartening. But to think that this is Marvel Comics’ policy ignores all evidence to the contrary.
If Marvel Comics truly wanted to show their commitment to change, to reflecting a population of consumers outside of older white men, then they would stop cancelling series featuring characters of color within six issues. And they would stand up to retailers like these. As of this writing, the company has yet to issue a statement denouncing these retailers.
The fact is, retailers have an entire history of comics to recommend to fans who want to see white, male heroes. Marvel Comics should not be catering to retailers or customers who will not engage because there are women and people of color involved. It does nothing to grow new readership. To the contrary; they are being alienated.
The strongest voice speaking out agains this so far was Stan Lee, who talked about how Marvel stories are for everyone. While Stan Lee is certainly influential, he does not control their editorial policies or creative policies.
Perhaps their issue is on the creative side. In that department, Marvel Comics has also shown little growth. While fantastic new creatives like Gabby Rivera, G. Willow Wilson, and Roxane Gay have come on to write popular and well received books, the company continues to ignore non-white men at large. Look at Marvel Legacy, the cornerstone of their new relaunch. Of 18 creatives, all are men, and nearly all are white.
And this was all just in the last month. This ignores their recent brushes with Nazism. Check out this great Newsarama piece from another writer who broke up with Marvel for their only-slightly older transgressions.
In all honesty, I should’ve known better. I only lasted this long because I wanted to help support excellent books like America, Ms. Marvel, and Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. But the dollars I was spending were going towards Marvel Chairman Ike Perlmutter, a donor and friend of President Donald Trump. And therein lies the key.
Marvel Comics cannot fix their problems by adding more diverse characters, or hiring folks that aren’t white men. Because the problem, like many others, is systemic. It comes from the very top. It doesn’t matter how much you shine the apple if the core is rotten.
So, Marvel Comics, we are done. I encourage any and all who read this to end their relationship with them as well. Choosing to be silent in the face of toxic retailers, continuing to disregard non-white/men/hetero/binary creators, characters, and consumers, and being run by a supporter of the current administration were all more than reasons enough.
Thinking that selling a book aimed at kids that would promote and benefit war profiteers is a good idea? That’s just a terrible cherry on an incredibly disappointing cake.
Do you remember as a kid having to save your allowance to get your favorite toy? The toy had extra meaning as you had earned it, and your dad looked on proudly as you paid the cashier. The opposite can be said when you spend your hard earned money on a toy, and it breaks five minutes after you get home, because it’s a piece of shit. That’s how I feel after watching Taran Killam’s ‘Killing Gunther.’
Killam gave himself a handy and then left you with the bill. The whole reason I wanted to watch this film was for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s comedy, and Killam just kicks me in the nuts for the first hour. The film is only 92 minutes long, but you don’t see Schwarzenegger until 68 minutes into the film. You lied to me, Taran!
‘Killing Gunther’ is a mockumentary about a group of hitmen and woman attempting to kill the best hitman in the business.
Killam wrote, directed, and produced the film, and you can tell this is his first time directing. It felt as if he just let the camera roll for multiple takes and then spliced together randomly. Killam filmmaking skills are amateur at best, and insulting at their worst. The concept has potential, and with another director might have worked.
Hey! Can we stop using CGI fire in films?
It doesn’t look real and it never will!
The film gets very meta for me at the end when Schwarzenegger’s character Gunther gives a speech to Killam’s Blake about having to earn his victories and that it takes time and hard work. ‘Killing Gunther’ feels rushed, and insults the craft of comedy.
Again, this film had potential. The cast is excellent and some laughs were had. Allison Tolman of ‘Fargo’ and Ryan Gaul are brilliant as the brother and sister assassins from Russia. Bobby Moynihan’s Donnie with his drunk karaoke is probably the closest we’ll get to his ‘Drunk Uncle’ character from SNL.
Overall, ‘Killing Gunther’ should have only been 30 minutes long. The final act of the film is decent with Schwarzenegger’s comedy as his presence buried the rest of the cast. Even Cobie Smulders looks depressed during the film.
You can see how Killam sold this film studios, but the execution is so off. ‘Killing Gunther’ was a skit that should have never been a film.
P.S. This concept was done before, and done extremely well. It was called ‘What We Do in the Shadows.’
Even after the negative critical reception of Batman v Superman, fans continue to discuss and argue over Ben Affleck‘s interpretation of Batman, and it seems like many fans agree that the actor delivered a great performance as the caped crusader. That discussion will likely jump into fifth gear in November, when Justice League finally lands in theatres, and fans are given a new look at Affleck as the iconic character.
Ahead of Justice League, and Affleck‘s second (not counting Suicide Squad) outing as Batman, the actor spoke to Geek Magazine and stated that playing the character in Justice League is a “dream come true.” The actor also says that standing next to the other Justice League cast members in costume mad him realise how important the role is.
See what Ben Affleck said below:
Playing Batman was a boyhood dream come true for me, so playing Batman alongside the Justice League? I mean, what can you say? The first time we all stood on set in costume, we just looked around at each other and you could tell it was a big moment for each one of us.
Since the release of Batman v Superman fans have wondered if Ben Affleck is still interested in playing the character in the solo Batman movie. After his comments at comic-con and what he’s now saying to Geek Magazine, it sure looks like the actor is excited about the character and his future in the DC Film Universe.
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s (Henry Cavill) selfless act, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) enlists newfound ally Diana Prince to face an even greater threat. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to recruit a team to stand against this newly awakened enemy. Despite the formation of an unprecedented league of heroes — Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and the Flash — it may be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
DC Comics held its annual ‘DC Spotlight on Batman’ panel Saturday afternoon at New York Comic Con. Follow our live blog below.
About the panel: The family of Batman comics couldn’t be any hotter! Join the best talent behind your favorite Dark Knight tales for an exclusive look at what’s in store for the World’s Greatest Detective! With Marguerite Bennett (Batwoman), Cully Hamner (Batman: The Signal), Tom King (Batman), Sean Gordon Murphy (Batman: White Knight), Tony Patrick (Batman: The Signal), Scott Snyder (All-Star Batman), James Tynion IV (Detective Comics) and others, this is the best time to explore Gotham City!
Live Blog
Batman panel underway
The panel features Sean Murphy, Marguerite Bennett, Tony Patrick, James Tynion IV, Tom King, Scott Snyder, and Cully Hamner.
Hamner talks about the new design for Duke as “The Signal” in Batman and the Signal #1 by Snyder and Patrick. He wanted to “slick up” Duke’s look and make it look young and play with the idea of daytime Gotham. “I’ve done a lot of these costume designs, and this one excited me.”
They have a cosplayer in a Duke costume run up and do some poses onstage.
They ask Patrick if writing the book with Snyder is intimidating. He says he came out of the talent workshop and compared months of training with Snyder to months of training with Batman. “Lots and lots of notes. That’s still happening today.” (People laugh)
Snyder is asked how much the book will tie back into the Dark Days one-shots.
Snyder starts out thanking the fans.
Says that with Duke, they didn’t want to give him a mantle of Nightwing or Robin because it’s been done.
They wanted to do something organic and give him a personality.
So they gave him Gotham by day, which felt like what he did with We Are Robin.
Basically, Batman wants him to be “his guy” in Gotham by day because there are parts of Gotham that Duke knows better than he does.
Snyder says it was “so much fun” to create a whole new neighborhood in Gotham with Bruce’s project to extend buildings up and give people places to live, and to also have a cop character who works with Duke who quit the night shift to work by day.
Snyder again thanks, everyone and says the support for these new characters says to DC and says to retailers that people want that fertile creative ground and new ideas.
Hamner talks about how much he loves working on the book with Snyder and Patrick.
By a show of hands, all members on panel respond to whether they’ve been called by Scott Snyder about a Batman story.
Murphy says he stopped telling Snyder his plans because every time he suggested something, Snyder had done it already. He also said that his wife told him not to answer calls from Snyder after 11 anymore.
Next, they ask Tom King about War of Jokes and Riddles and the Catwoman proposal.
They ask if King knew from Day 1 what Catwoman’s answer would be. He says “Hell Yes.”
He wants to do 100 issues, and that relationship will be central to his story.
Jokes that it’s all pleasant from here on out. “77 issues of flowers and roses.” We’ll see Batman wearing a Superman apron. “It’s really degrading.”
Talks about how many pitches he had made over the years that annoyed editors for Batman that were rejected. War of Jokes and Riddles started as one of those.
Talks about upcoming “Rules of Engagement” arc.
Art and cover by Joëlle Jones
King apologizes for fake preview story titled “The Way We Were”
He says it’s an exploration of a new status quo with Batman engaged.
Says he envisioned Catwoman and Talia al Ghul in a sword fight in the desert. We’re getting that.
He says Jones “draws violence like a dance.”
Batman goes into the desert in this arc to solve a mystery about 237 murders, finds Talia, and “it gets awkward.”
King is asked about Damian’s reaction.
Jokes that Damian is cool and collected and everything’s fine, obviously.
“I’m finally in a functional family. My stepmom’s a known criminal, and my mom cloned me to kill me.”
Next up, Murphy’s Batman: White Knight is discussed.
Where did the idea of making Joker a good guy come from?
Murphy says he was a big Batman Animated Series fan and his basis in Batman came from that cartoon and Tim Burton’s movies.
Says he always thought Joker would be less of a villain if cured of his insanity. He’d be a smooth, Don Draper type and would go after Batman in legal ways.
Wanted to dissect what it would mean for society, and teases there will be a lot of Batmobiles in the story. But no Jokermobile!
An “amazing design” of Nightwing and Batgirl is teased.
Murphy says his Nightwing is angry and young and Batman is trying to ground him.
Does White Knight have a definite conclusion?
Murphy says he does have an idea for a sequel and is already talking to DC about it.
And the sales and support have been good.
Tynion is asked about Batman/TMNT II series.
He says he still can’t believe this is a real thing.
“I grew up with the Turtles and with Batman…but being able in the first volume to bring the Turtles into Gotham City and unleashing them and the Shredder and the Foot Clan was a lot of fun.”
The second volume will bring Gotham City to the Turtles.
Batman, Robin, and Bane arrive in the Turtles’ NYC amid a civil war in the Foot Clan.
Bane is aiming to take them over and inject them all with venom chemicals and take over the city.
He also said Bebop and Rocksteady will be in this, and they’ll also get venom.
“It’s a story about family and the real meaning of strength” because all stories in both sets of characters are ultimately really about family.
Says they’re both silly, but they have incredible, emotionally driven stories.
“Gotham City is ludicrous and it’s amazing, but so is the Turtles’ New York City.”
Murphy asks if there’s a face-off between Raphael and Batman.
There is.
He’s also asked if the Turtle Blimp is in the series. “Now they’re much higher!”
Next, Tynion is asked about Detective Comics.
Tim Drake escapes from Mr. Oz’s death prison. What is it like working knee-deep in DC Rebirth’s mystery?
Tynion says it’s been an honor.
Geoff came to him and said Tim Drake was going to be taken off the table and tied to the Rebirth mystery.
Says Detective usually sits off in its own corner and tells smaller stories, but it needed to be something different. They did a team book that was “basically X-Men starring the Bat Family.” He says this has been his dream book, and he said to Geoff that he was so happy to do it, but he wanted to be the one who wrote the story where Drake comes back — “A Lonely Place of Living.”
It ties into why Drake is Tynion’s favorite character and that he wanted to start by reaffirming his classic origin from “A Lonely Place of Dying.”
He says people have been asking him where Connor Kent is, and that question will be raised in coming issues. Check out 966.
Bennett is asked about Batwoman next.
She’s asked what makes Batwoman distinct. She jokes “Because she’s a screw-up.”
She says with the animated series; she liked Catwoman and Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy because they felt like they got to be flawed and human. That’s what attracted her to Batwoman, too.
She says she chose Scarecrow in the recent arc because he’s a villain who, by virtue of the fear toxin, there’s nothing you can hold back or secret you can keep that won’t be dredged to the top. It cuts to the core of that idea of Batwoman being flawed and human.
“The places she’s built her armor were not places that were built for people like him.”
She says the core concept is you have to own your damage and what you’ve done to others, and if you don’t, it’ll rot and eat you alive.
She says she can’t say who else she is trying to bring in as villains.
Next up, Snyder talks about All-Star Batman.
He says it was a series he wanted to do to take a break from the mainstream Batman.
Says the health of the line is often judged by the performance of the main book and it’s a lot of pressure to keep topping yourself.
King jokes that he’s incredibly stressed now after hearing that.
But Snyder says he wanted to do so many villains across the whole mythos from different directions with different artists who would challenge him in new ways.
“I never expected it to be anything that sold the way it did.”
Thanks fans again for buying it and keeping it up there.
Says he loved the last arc and that it’s gonna keep going, with him working on a new book with Murphy called “Last Knight.”
Says it’ll be his last Batman story for a long time.
He was teasing King last night that it’s like your ex-girlfriend is dating your friend (with the ex-gf being Batman) but he’s treating her well, and so on.
Snyder’s story with Murphy imagines a future 25 years from now where Batman suddenly wakes up and he’s young, and he sees a destroyed Gotham with
Joker’s still-living head chained to his belt and Deathstroke birds and old warrior Wonder Woman and baby Superman and so on.
It’s his “Lone Wolf and Cub” of Batman.
Snyder says he’s doing some stuff with Morrison that he can’t announce.
He says he was really scared when he started Batman. It was terrifying. But Grant told him he had to make him a birth and a death, and once he did that, he’d own his run with the character.
So he did his version of the origin in New 52, and his story with Murphy is his death — his closing story for now.
There’s a joke about him making Superman a baby. He says making Darkseid a baby was his favorite. (Though I think technically Geoff Johns made
Darkseid the baby in Darkseid War? Maybe he’s referring to using Baby Darkseid in Metal.)
Metal is about showing there’s so much about the DC Universe beyond what fans know, just like the real universe is to people. You don’t really know what’s ultimately out there. But that’s the approach to storytelling for them overall, beyond just Metal.
Fan question time.
Before that, Tynion talks about how he was initially taught in college by Snyder and still gets advice on stories from him.
The first Batman?TMNT had some of Snyder’s influence as far as where things were escalated and the Arkham inmates getting mutagen, etc.
The panel is also asked if they can share some tiny spoilers.
King talks about Batman/Elmer Fudd one-shot. He’s getting back together with the artist for Batman Annual #1 with the story of Batman and Catwoman’s first kiss and last kiss.
Fan question: Bennett is asked about how every Detective Comics character is damaged and troubled. Would she like to do a book for any of them in the future? Or a Sirens book?
She says absolutely.
Fan question: Will we see Cassandra Kane become part of Bat Family again?
Tynion says she’s one of his favorite characters and that’s why he fought to bring her back in Batman & Robin Eternal.
He wants to rebuild those classic bonds with new twists and turns, and he wants her to feel as important to the universe as she does to many fans.
Fan question: Are there plans for more characters beyond Azrael, etc who Tynion wants to bring into Detective.
He says “Yes.” From the beginning, he wanted to focus on characters not appearing in multiple comics at the time so he could really own what was going on with them.
The core Robins and Batgirl are cores to the Batman mythos, and they’ll be in a more significant role in the next few Detective arcs.
Patrick is asked what trait will set Duke apart from the Robins, and King is asked about a nerd fight he started in the summer.
Patrick says there’s a real opportunity to explore Duke’s angst with finding his own place in the Bat Family. But he’s also a potential metahuman, so there’s an opportunity to explore what it’s like for Batman to get in on the ground floor and train a potential metahuman.
Says Duke isn’t a Robin and doesn’t think he ever will be. He’s on his own trajectory and has more of a mentorship relationship with Bruce than the father-son relationship the Robins have.
King says the origin of his “Who would win” Batman nerd fight was during a Batman retreat.
Ultimately, Snyder said everyone who would win at the top of the pyramid would be Batman peeling off his mask and revealing himself.
Fan asks if there’s been any discussion about a benefit book or a commentary on gun control in the wake of Vegas massacre.
Snyder says that kind of stuff is ultimately really up to DC. “It gets politicized in ways that become uncomfortable” because Batman hates guns and doesn’t use guns.
He says the creators’ personal passions are things they express in social media, and that can be done in stories sometimes, but it’s an awkward spot. Says the Colorado theater shooting happened while he was writing the Joker and you have to be sure not to give characters elasticity where they can be co-opted by (in the case of the Joker) negative things.
Tynion answers a question about whether there are aspects of villains’ personalities that can still be explored.
He says yes, and notes how Clayface became Detective’s, emotional heart.
The annual coming up will take the best pieces of Clayface’s many origins from many eras and make a new origin.
The Justice League Twitter account has revealed the exact time for tomorrow’s trailer drop. Get ready to set your alarm clocks, because the video is getting published online pretty early.
“Get ready for the all new #JusticeLeague trailer this Sunday at 9AM ET / 6AM PT.”
To me, this trailer is a massive moment for the Justice League marketing campaign. The decision to show, or not show, Superman presents a pivotal question that I’m excited to see Warner Bros. tackle.
What do you think will be in the trailer? Make your predictions in the comments below, or talk with us on social media!
DC Comics released the first 6-pages of Doomsday Clock at New York Comic Con Friday afternoon. The publisher went one step further giving NYCC fans Ashcan editions of the preview.
“Everything you read in this first six pages, you’re going to have a hundred questions, but they will all be answered. There will even be answers to questions you didn’t know you had,” said Geoff Johns, the writer of Doomsday Clock, according to SYFY Wire.
This 12-issue mini-series will bring the DC Universe into the Watchmen universe.
Check the first 6-pages below:
“In 2016, November the election happened in the U.S. and a lot of other things happened in the world, I was looking at everything, and I reread Watchmen, and suddenly one day the story was in my head,” said Johns.
The twelve issue series is written by Geoff Johns with art by Gary Frank, with colors by Brad Anderson. DOOMSDAY CLOCK #1 costs $4.99 and will hits shelves November 22, 2017.
Are you excited for the Watchmen entering the DC Multiverse? Comment below.
Reviewer’s Note: This issue of Wonder Woman was first released September 27th, 2017.
In the months before the DC Rebirth relaunch, Wonder Woman and the Justice League were in The Darkseid War. During that war, she learned a truth from a dying Amazon, who coincidentally was there the day Diana was born.
Diana learned she wasn’t the only child born of Queen Hippolyta, but that she had a twin brother who was exiled from Paradise Island due to his gender. Since the conclusion of The Darkseid War storyline, that revelation has been pushed aside to allow the Rebirth relaunch to thrive… Until now. With a new creative team on the Wonder Woman book, we will finally learn of her brother…and the dark forces hunting him down.
**SOME SPOILERS BELOW**
Story:
Despite the title of the book being called Wonder Woman, the titular character isn’t in the issue for long. This issue is meant more to set up the antagonist, her goals, and the action that brings our heroine into the picture.
For this opening chapter, we have Grail, the daughter of Darkseid, hunting down the children of Zeus. Her most recent prey comes in the form of the legendary Hercules who isn’t going down without a fight. This leads to an amazing battle between the two demigods. And, without giving too much away, that’s basically what happens in this issue.
In terms of story, this doesn’t provide much in the terms of explanation. Only a person who has read Darkseid War is going to understand who this villain is. Even then, some might be confused as the character’s motivation has made so many changes that it’s a complete reversal of where she started.
The only actual part with Wonder Woman can be summed up with her punching out a bad guy then talking to a lawyer. This isn’t exaggeration either. Granted, this lawyer is a bridging device that will bring Wonder Woman into the plot, but in a book titled Wonder Woman, one would expect to her to be the focus of the story. She could have stumbled upon the battle and tried to help Hercules, only to swear to avenge him when Grail gets away. Anything would have been better than the story we were told.
Art:
Frankly, the art saved the issue even if it also had some flaws.
The pencils make the characters look fantastic, especially Hercules. I can tell Carlo Paguluyan did his homework when he drew the look of Hercules. His look is a recreation of the Hercules Unbound series of the 70’s. Grail also benefits from this art, making her look as terrifying and beautiful as ever. The colors of the issue are extremely effective in showing off the characters and their powers. It truly makes them pop off the page.
Left: Hercules of 2017 Right: Hercules of 1975
The real downside to the art is that there were some inconsistencies from panel to panel. It’s nothing that breaks the art as a whole, but small hiccups that build up over time. For example, Grail getting her ears pierced between panels. Another is Steve Trevor growing a five o’clock shadow, losing it, then grows it back in the span of three panels. This isn’t in separate pages either, its all on the same page.
Conclusion:
While I am still excited for this storyline, this was not the best first step. The chapter was set up with barely any Wonder Woman. The art, while decent overall, has a bunch of hiccups that stop it from being truly fantastic. If you’re looking forward to this storyline, you could push your way through it to the next chapter. If you aren’t, I suggest skipping this one.
Issue Description: “Children of the Gods” part one! Spinning out of the pages of DC UNIVERSE REBIRTH and JUSTICE LEAGUE: DARKSEID WAR, legendary writer James Robinson (JSA: THE GOLDEN AGE, STARMAN) comes on board to answer one of the biggest questions of the year: Who is Wonder Woman’s brother? Taken away from Themyscira in the dead of night, the mysterious Jason has been hidden somewhere far from the sight of gods and men…but his life and Wonder Woman’s are about to intersect in a terrifying way, bringing them face to face with a cosmic threat they never imagined! Don’t miss the start of the next great Wonder Woman epic!
DC Comic held its Dark Nights: Metal/New Age of Heroes panel at New York Comic Con Friday afternoon and the publisher changed the status quo with a very quick speedster announcement.
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Joshua Williamson and Howard Porter will handle the project.
“Let’s see who’s the best Flash: is it Barry, or is it, Wally? In January, we have an annual coming out that’s a prelude to ‘Flash War,’ but starting in Flash 46, we go into ‘Flash War.'” said Williamson at the panel.
Williamson did an amazing job with Batman: The Red Death, as we here at Monkeys Fighting Robots consider the book one of the best tie-in titles ever.
Created by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino, Barry Allen was introduced in Showcase #4 from 1956. In 1985, Barry is killed off during the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. In 2008, Barry returns in Final Crisis. In 2011, Barry causes Flashpoint and retcons the DC Universe.
Kanigher and Infantino also created Wally West, Kid Flash’s first appearance was in Flash #110 from 1959. Wally became the Flash after Barry died in Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985). In 2011, after Flashpoint and New 52, Wally is written out of continuity as if he never existed. In 2016, Wally breaks out of the speed force that has had him imprisoned for the past ten years.
The Flash character whether it has been Barry or Wally never leads a boring existence.
Geoff Johns loves his Barry Allen. Do you think Wally West stands a chance? Comment below.
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Idris Elba discusses his desire to play a more important character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Elba was introduced as Heimdall in Thor (2011) and has since appeared in several Marvel projects, including Joss Whedon’s Avengers: Age of Ultron.
The actor also states that he didn’t enjoy his time filming the first two Thor movies, but working with Taika Waititi on Thor: Ragnarok made him want a larger role in the MCU.
I like that I have a little part in Thor. I’m neither movie star or day player. It allows me to do other things I love. The last one [Ragnarok] was fun. The others weren’t fun. They’re work. But on this one, Taika [Waititi, the director] was great. I wish I was more present in the Marvel family. I like what I have, but I also wish that I had a bigger character in the Marvel universe… It’s been great, but I kinda think I need a bit more. I want to be a superhero. I like the idea of that.
EW has also released a new look at Heimdall in Thor: Ragnarok. We’ve only briefly seen the character in trailers and posters, but it’s clear that this is a very different version of the character, who may or may not hold the final Infinity Stone, according to fan speculation.
Check out the image below:
Marvel Studios via EW
Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against the Hulk, his former ally and fellow Avenger. Thor’s quest for survival leads him in a race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela from destroying his home world and the Asgardian civilization.
The first official teaser for Runaways, the first collaboration between Marvel and Hulu, has been released. Check it out below!
Based on the comic created by Brian K. Vaughn and Adrian Alphona, the official TV synopsis reads:
After discovering their parents are super-villains in disguise, a group of teenagers band together to run away from their homes in order to atone for their parents’ actions and to discover the secrets of their origins
What do you guys think? The comic book was great and it’s actually a perfect property for a TV show. Comment and discuss below! And keep coming back to Monkeys Fighting Robots for all your NYCC news!
