NewsOK Comics Podcast: Reviews of Supergirl 47, Adventure Comics 4, Flash Rebirth 5 and Amazing Spider-Man 612
Like Pete Sampras in the 1996 U.S. Open against Alex Corretja, I fought off illness and exhaustion to bring you this week’s NewsOK Comics Podcast with Kyle Roberts. We talk about the excellent week DC Comics had, with new issues of Supergirl, Adventure Comics and Flash Rebirth, and about Spider-Man’s trip into the Gauntlet with Amazing Spider-Man 612. Check it out.
- Matt Price
Venom writer named
The Hollywood Reporter indicates Gary Ross will write “Venom,” a Spider-Man spinoff for Columbia, and that he may also direct the film. Ross last directed 2003’s “Seabiscuit.” Ross wrote “Pleasantville” and the upcoming “Spider-Man 4.”
As fans of the comics know, Venom was Eddie Brock, a photographer for the Daily Bugle, who bonded with an alien parasite that used to be Spider-Man’s costume. (In the comics currently, that symbiote has bonded with the former villain the Scorpion, Mac Gargan, who is the new Venom.)
Topher Grace played Eddie Brock/Venom in Spider-Man 3. It’s not known at this time whether Grace would return to the role.
My take? Venom is OK in small doses, but do I want to watch a 2-hour movie focusing on him, without Spider-Man? I don’t, anyway, though some may. The best way to seemingly do a Venom movie is as some kind of crazy serial killer thing, and if you don’t have Spider-Man to stop him, what’s the point of that? But I’ve always found Venom (and Carnage for that matter) best in moderation, brought out every few years to jolt the Spider-Man titles. Still, his visual is pretty sweet.
Venom’s co-creator, Todd McFarlane, said something similar in an August interview with Newsarama’s Vaneta Rogers.
“I don’t know if you can have a movie about a guy who goes out there and maims everybody and wins all the time,” McFarlane said. “I don’t know what their mindset is and how they can get there other than adding too much niceness to him, but we’ll see.”
- Matt Price
Do you like Spider-Man?
Testing out a new feature at Nerdage, where you can share your thoughts on the pressing issues of the day, like: do you like Spider-Man? Let us know!
NewsOK Comics Podcast: Die Hard Year One 1, Spider-Man Clone Saga 1, Superman 692 and Wolverine Weapon X 5
Die Hard goes back to the 1970s in “Year One,” while Spider-Man revisits the 1990s in “Clone Saga.” The Guardian stars in Superman 692, and Wolverine Weapon X closes out its first story arc. Kyle Roberts and Matt Price discuss this week’s comics in the NewsOK Comics Podcast.
NewsOK Comics Podcast: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man 2, Supergirl Annual 1, Torch 1
Things light up with Torch #1, and it’s the end of the world as we know it in Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #2. In Supergirl Annual 1, find out the origin of Superwoman and visit a day in the life of Linda Lang.
- Matt Price
Writer hired for Spider-Man 5 and 6
James Vanderbilt, who wrote the screenplay for “Zodiac,” has been signed to write the sequels Spider-Man 5 and 6, Variety reports. Vanderbilt also wrote the first draft of the script for “Spider-Man 4.”
Variety indicates getting the Spider-Man 5 and 6 scripts off the ground is an attempt to shorten the windown between Spider-Man movies. The films could be shot back to back with an interconnected storyline, and could work as a franchise reboot if the current “Spider-Man” cast or director, Sam Raimi, do not return.
Spectacular Spider-Man to weave his web on Disney XD
Longtime Spider-Man fan Josh Keaton got the role of a lifetime when the actor was selected to voice Peter Parker and his alter ego in “Spectacular Spider-Man.” The series returns for a second season at 6 p.m. Monday on Disney XD.
After playing Spider-Man’s friend Harry Osborn in “Spider-Man” video games, Keaton was excited to get the nod to play Spidey himself.
“I actually auditioned for Harry Osborn, and for Eddie Brock and Venom,” Keaton said in a phone interview. “I’m quite happy I got picked as Spider-Man. I love the other characters, but I mean, it’s Spider-Man!”
As a fan, Keaton appreciates the feel of “Spectacular Spider-Man,” which often harks back to the earliest 
stories by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, who created the character.
“Those are the stories that pretty much defined who Spider-Man was going to be,” Keaton said. “Granted, there’s some great stories that came later on, but they were all taken from that source material. They were all a twist that were given to the original story.”
“Spectacular Spider-Man” has been credited for developing the humorous side of the Spider-Man mythos. In the original stories, Spider-Man often taunted his villains with wisecracks as he was defeating them.
“That’s what I really wanted to do my best to bring back to Spidey, was the
wisecracks and the humor,” Keaton said. “I know there’s a trend to get really dark and brooding, and there’s a time and place for that; however, it can’t be forgotten that one of the big things that defines Spidey is his sense of humor.”
Keaton also likes some of Spider-Man’s serious story lines, including the “Master Planner” plot that will be part of Season 2. Could something such as “Kraven’s Last Hunt,” which featured a despondent supervillain capturing Spider-Man, eventually become part of “Spectacular Spider-Man” lore?
“I’m really hopeful that we’ll get five seasons, and after that start doing some direct-to-DVD movies where we’ll explore some of the more mature-themed Spidey stories,” Keaton said.
Another bonus of becoming Spider-Man is to have action figures based on your performances.
“I have all of the toys. I’m actually looking at them right now,” Keaton said. “I have all of the Spider-Man toys from McDonalds, and they’re sitting next to my 12-inch wisecracking Spider-Man talking doll that does this,” Keaton said, and then a doll with his voice said: “Oh, what’s a poor Web-head to do?”
Laughing, Keaton said, “I’m a huge geek. I love this stuff.”
- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
NewsOK Comics Podcast: Wolverine 74, X-Men Forever 1, Toy Story 1, Unwritten 2
Kyle Roberts and Matt Price discuss Wolverine 74, X-Men Forever 1, Toy Story 1 and Unwritten 2 in this week’s comics podcast.
Morbius in Spidey 4 rumor shot down
According to producer Todd Black, Morbius WON’T be seen in Spider-Man 4, despite some hinting by Sam Raimi earlier. Black also told the New York Post that Kirsten Dunst will return, but won’t marry Peter Parker in this film. He also said the villain will have ties to New York. Check out all the info in the link.
- Matt Price
Comics Q&A: Kevin Maguire
Kyle Roberts and Matt Price discuss the career of artist Kevin Maguire in this week’s Comics Q&A. With “Spider-Man: The Short Halloween” on the stands and a new “Metal Men” in the works, Kevin Maguire is on the mind of comic-book fans. Comics Q&A discusses his beginnings on “Justice League” and some of his career highlights.
