Christmas Countdown: Fantastic Four 564-565
The “Ultimates” team of Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch teamed up for a two-part tale set during Christmas as part of their “Fantastic Four” run, which ran for 16 issues in 2008-2009. In issues 564-565, the Fantastic Four visit Reed’s distant cousin in Scotland for their Christmas vacation.
In the highlands town of Iarmailt, there’s no crime and the town is hale and hearty. Millar and Hitch create a beautiful Scottish countryside — but of course, things are a bit too perfect, and the tale goes from fun vacation romp to Lovecraftian horror.
Franklin and Valeria, Reed and Sue’s kids, get some good moments in this issue, and the art is simply gorgeous. The story is a bit slight, but was probably intended as a change of pace between larger arcs. Unlike most Christmas-themed comics, these didn’t actually come out in December, but instead in February and April — but given the events of the issue, that may have been partially intentional. Further mixing up the seasons, the cover to #564 is an homage to Norman Rockwell’s painting “Thanksgiving.”
- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1980. Still to go: 31
Death of Spider-Man by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Millar announced by Marvel
Death of Spider-Man
Two of the architects of Marvel’s Ultimate Comics line team up for “Death of Spider-Man.” In February, “Ultimate Spider-Man” #153 and “Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates” #1 will kick off the story. The storyline continues in future issues of those series.
“As a group and as individuals we have made a conscious effort to create stories this year that no one has ever seen before,” said Bendis in a news release. “I am very, very proud to be a part of this storyline and very proud of Marvel for even attempting such a bold endeavor. Sit back and watch as we unveil a storyline unlike any other!!”
The release calls the story the most ambitious Ultimate story yet.
“This is the biggest, boldest thing we’ve attempted in the ten years since we kicked this line off,” Mark Millar said in the release. “This is the one thing that could be bigger than the CREATION of the Ultimate line and it’s great to be a part of it. Being part of something like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and soon you’ll all get to read the story we’ve written for you, This should be up there with the very small number of events that really mattered. This is going to be big.”
What do you think about Marvel’s announcement? Share your thoughts in the comments!
- Matt Price
Click past the cut for the full release.
Mark Millar to make movie; new Spider-Man excited; reviews of Brightest Day 10, Captain America: Patriot 1, Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine #3
Andrew Garfield pumped to play Spider-Man
Actor Andrew Garfield told MTV he’s a longtime fan of the character.
Captain America Patriot 1
“I’ve always been obsessed with that comic and that character and that symbol and everything he stands for.”
“I think he’s an important figure of mythology for every skinny young boy across the world, myself included,” he added. “Yeah, it’s a dream come true.”
Will Black Panther replace Daredevil?
Beginning this December, T’Challa of Wakanda prowls a new kind of jungle and New York City gains a very different kind of protector as The Black Panther comes to Hell’s Kitchen.
According to Marvel, With issue #513, DAREDEVIL morphs into BLACK PANTHER: THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR under the guidance of writer David Liss and artist Francesco Francavilla as the fallout of Shadowland causes a drastic shift in the landscape of the Marvel Universe.
Mark Millar to direct superhero movie
Mark Millar has plans to direct a superhero movie. As revealed on IGN UK, Millar is directing the independent superhero feature “Miracle Park.”
The movie is being filmed entirely on handheld cameras, and is described as sharing an aesthetic with films like “Paranormal Activity” and “The Last Exorcism.” It also promises lots of violence. A trailer is promised for January 2011.
Also included in this week’s Planet 46 Comics Podcast are reviews of Captain America: Patriot 1, Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine #3, Mystery Society #3 and Brightest Day #10.
- Matt Price
Tony Scott attached to Mark Millar’s Nemesis
Deadline Hollywood announced over the weekend that 20th Century Fox has acquired the movie rights to Mark Millar and Steve McNiven’s “Nemesis,” and that Tony Scott is attached to direct.
This certainly appears to be a big deal for Millar, though there’s often quite a path between a property getting optioned and being shown on theater screens. However, since both “Wanted” and “Kick-Ass,” based on Millar properties, have successfully made it to the silver screen and did reasonably well, I’m sure there’s some heat on anything Millar puts out at this point.
What do you think? Are you reading the “Nemesis” comic? Are you interested in a “Nemesis” film?
- Matt Price
John Romita Jr. brought gritty, New York style to “Kick-Ass”
John Romita Jr., left, with Mark Millar
Known for his gritty, street-level artistic characterizations of Marvel Comics characters such as Daredevil, John Romita Jr. brings the same touch — grounded in a real-world sensibility — to “Kick-Ass,” a comic book series featuring a teen with no superpowers who decides to put on a suit and combat crime.
The comic-book series was adapted to a film by Matthew Vaughn (“Stardust”), which is out on DVD this week. Romita drew the comic-book series, which was written by Mark Millar (“Civil War,” “Wanted”). The pair previously worked together on “Wolverine,” on a storyline called “Enemy of the State.” The way Romita tells a story is what led Millar to choose to create this particular story with him, Romita said in an interview with The Oklahoman.
John Romita Jr.
“(Millar) calls me ‘Martin Scorsese of comics,’” Romita said. “It’s a true compliment because he thinks I have a gritty nature to my storytelling. … He knew that this series was going to be based in New York, and immediately that’s where one of the connections came from.”
Romita said having one of his creations turned into a film is a great testament to the hard work it took to bring the project to life. And while he finds it very gratifying on a personal level for his creator-owned project to have seen such success, he also still enjoys working on the classic Marvel Comics characters. Romita has worked primarily for Marvel since breaking into the industry in the late 1970s, and his father, John Romita Sr., was one of the architects of the Marvel Universe in the 1960s.
“I’m of a generation where I worked with Stan Lee, occasionally, and I did work while Jack Kirby’s work was being published, and my father’s work, and John Buscema,” Romita said. “So, to work on characters that Stan Lee did with my father and Jack Kirby, I still get a thrill out of doing characters that were created by those guys.”
Presently, Romita is the artist for Marvel Comics’ “The Avengers,” featuring Thor, Captain America and Iron Man. And he’s also working on “Kick-Ass 2.” Despite the success of the first series, Romita said he didn’t feel any particular pressure when beginning work on the sequel, which he said likely will be adapted into a sequel film, as well.
“The only scary part of this is to make it a better quality story,” Romita said.
“Whereas people would be intimidated by doing a second arc where people are going to be paying attention to you, I embrace the extra scrutiny; I really do. So, I’m looking forward to it.”
- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
Comic-book series Kick-Ass aims for more realistic superhero
Comic book writer Mark Millar sees the second film based on one of his comic-book series hit the big screen this weekend with “Kick-Ass,” a film partially inspired by the “real-life superheroes” trend, in which everyday people dress as superheroes and patrol the streets of their towns.
“Wanted,” the first film based on a Millar comic book, was released in 2008.
The new film stars Aaron Johnson as Dave Lizewski, an everyday high school student who decides to become a superhero without any powers or special abilities.
The comic book series on which the film is based was drawn by John Romita Jr. (“Daredevil”) and was published by Marvel’s Icon imprint, for creator-owned comics.
“This isn’t a fictional Gotham or Opal City or whatever. He isn’t up against any kind of animal-themed super-villain and there’s no robots or mutants or aliens,” Millar said in a 2007 interview with the Web site Newsarama. “This is a normal person in the real world putting on a mask and getting into trouble. As unbelievably simple as that sounds, I don’t think that’s ever been done before.”
The complete Icon series has been collected in a hardcover edition that retails for $24.99. The comic book series and collection are suggested for mature audiences.
Fans who want to dig further into the creation of the project can check out the Titan Books behind-the-scenes book “Kick-Ass: Creating the Comic, Making the Movie,” which features interviews with Millar, Romita Jr., film director Matthew Vaughn and others behind the comic book and movie.
“’Kick-Ass’ is my love letter to superhero comics,” Millar says in the behind-the-scenes book. “And I’ve taken little parts of my own life and the lives of friends and shoved it all in there to make the characters as real as possible.”
Screenplay writer Jane Goldman said in the book about the film that it was important to make Dave not a comedy nerd, but a normal, relatable kid.
“We wanted to take that more modern attitude that he’s not a loser, he’s just a normal kid,” Goldman said. “He loves comics, and, as I think we all do at that age, longs for adventure. But he doesn’t always think the consequences through.”
The film also stars Christopher Mintz-Plasse (“Superbad”), Nicolas Cage (“Leaving Las Vegas”) and Chloe Moretz (“[500] Days of Summer”).
- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
Kick-Ass goes digital
Marvel has made single issues of “Kick-Ass,” by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr., available for download on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch via the Comixology, Iverse and Panefly applications. PSP users can download directly to their device.
“I have an ancient cell phone given to me by a relative that’s so old it can’t take pictures so this tech is so far away from me it might as well be science fiction,” said Kick-Ass writer and co-creator Mark Millar in a news release. “But I read about it on Comic Book Resources and Marvel.com– the guys seemed excited so consider me excited by osmosis. More readers and new readers is always a good thing.”
John Romita Jr, artist and co-creator of Kick-Ass, said in a release: “I’m excited about these advances in technology that I have been hearing about for, what seems like ten years. Now it has arrived, and all I can think of is that it advances the state of ‘comic books’ in that it will direct people to the source material. I believe this will cement the tangible material, the comics themselves, into the hands and minds of future ‘young’ generations! It always comes down to the quality of writing and the sequential art. Holding a comic and turning the page for more will forever be a novelty, even with advanced technology as an option.”
The “Kick-Ass” film, based on the comics, will open in theaters on Friday.
- Matt Price
Nemesis #1 gets second printing
Marvel Comics has announced a second printing for Nemesis #1, a creator-owned title in Marvel’s “Icon” line. “Nemesis” is written by Mark Millar and drawn by Steve McNiven, the team behind “Civil War.” The second printing will be on final order cutoff on April 1, for an on-sale date of April 28.
- Matt Price
Former Witchblade star set to ‘Kick Ass’
RICHARDSON, Texas – Yancy Butler, who starred as NYPD detective Sara Pezzini on the TNT drama “Witchblade,” will take on another comic-book role, in an upcoming film based on a comic book by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.
Butler appeared at the Dallas Comic-Con in Richardson, Texas, last weekend, and appeared on a panel hosted by Devin Pike of redcarpetcrash.com. She talked about her career and current projects with the gathered fans.
