Supermodel Miranda Kerr dressed up as Wonder Woman for a recent photo shoot for Australia’s Grazia magazine.

She posed with the Australian flag in a Wonder Woman suit designed by fashion designer Alex Perry.

Check out the video below; at a certain point she loses the costume and appears to be nude except for the Australian flag:

Grazia fashion director Thelma McQuillan defended the magazine taking the risk of filming a near-naked Miranda Kerr in an Australian flag, and wearing the costume of an American icon.

“We’re a fashion magazine – and this is art,” says Thelma. “We’re taking a risk – because Wonder Woman is a globally recognised icon and not just anyone could pull it off. But Miranda is an Australian icon herself. She’s the star who, time and time again, our readers say they most admire; a businesswoman, a wife, a mum. She is our wonder woman. And she has the presence to pull this recreation off.”

Click past the cut for more images of Miranda Kerr, at a recent Golden Globes after-party and at a 2008 Victoria’s Secret fitting.

- Matt Price

DC Comics regained the public’s attention — and the lead in market share — with a publicized revamp of its superhero line, but not all of the year’s best comics involved capes and tights.

The following are 2011′s best 10 periodical comic books.

1. “Detective Comics 871-881,” Scott Snyder, Jock and Franco Francavilla.

The new Batman, Dick Grayson, is put to the test as a series of brutal murders puts him up against one of Gotham City’s oldest evils.

In the second story, “Hungry City,” the corpse of a killer whale is found in an upscale Gotham City bank, sparking a deadly new mystery.

Snyder’s opus, which includes the mystery of Commissioner Gordon’s son, is a candidate for best Batman tale of the current decade. DC was suitably impressed with Snyder, tabbing him as the writer of its relaunched “Batman” title.

2. “Criminal: The Last of the Innocent,” Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips.

Brubaker (“Captain America”) is one of comics’ finest writers, and this is among his best books, a mixture of noir and nostalgia that’s part twisted take on “Archie”-style characters, part dark secrets and murder. Artist Phillips creates compelling stories in two completely different styles for “Innocent.” Riley Richards seems as if he had it all, marrying the hottest girl in town and moving on to the big city. But now, he can’t forget his simpler life in Brookview. He’s willing to do anything to roll back the clock — including murder.

3. “The Red Wing,” Jonathan Hickman, Nick Pitarra.

Hickman (“Fantastic Four”) writes a story of fighter pilots in the future who fight their battles not only in the air, but also through time. Art by Pitarra.

4. “Action Comics,” Grant Morrison, Rags Morales

In Morrison’s much-hyped revamp of “Action Comics,” a young, brash Superman goes about his business in work boots and blue jeans, rustling up corporate criminals and raising the ire of everyone from the police and military to Lex Luthor, a brash industrialist who doesn’t much cotton to the idea of a superhuman.

Superman’s a bit arrogant, but very much easy to root for, as he attempts to stand up to bullies of all stripes.

5. “Daredevil,” Mark Waid, Pablo Rivera, Marcos Martin.

Writer Waid and artists Rivera and Martin brought Daredevil back to his swashbuckling past in the 2011 relaunch of “Daredevil.” Waid also shows the keen legal mind of Matt Murdock, the blind lawyer who is Daredevil. Murdock tries to keep his legal and vigilante worlds separate, despite his secret identity being somewhat known.

6. “Who Is Jake Ellis?,” Nathan Edmondson, Tonci Zonjic.

The collection of this 5-issue miniseries features former spy Jon Moore, now a mercenary. He’s able to escape capture in part because of the voice in his head — the voice of Jake Ellis. But who is Jake Ellis? He’s a man only Jon can see, providing information on safe escapes and possible threats. The mystery of Ellis, and Jon’s quest to discover the secrets behind it, are what writer Edmondson and artist Zonjic have laid out in this fast-paced espionage thriller from Image Comics.

7. “The Rocketeer Adventures,” various creators.

Dave Stevens created the Rocketeer in the early 1980s, a tribute to the serials of the 1930s and 1940s as pilot Cliff Secord finds a jet pack that allows him to race through the air. He, his mentor Peavy and girlfriend Betty (modeled after Bettie Page) starred in several adventures by Stevens and a 1991 motion picture. Stevens died in 2008, but IDW brought back his character The Rocketeer in 2011, with an anthology series that in part benefits hairy cell leukemia research.

That would be reason enough to buy “The Rocketeer Adventures,” but the all-star lineup of creators has made a book that’s one of the year’s best. Kurt Busiek, Mark Waid, Jonathon Ross, Mike Allred, John Cassaday, Darwyn Cooke, Bruce Timm, Kyle Baker, Gene Ha, Michael Wm. Kaluta and Chris Weston contribute to this lovely taste of 1930s-style adventures.

8. “Animal Man,” Jeff Lemire, Travel Foreman, Dan Green.

Writer Lemire joins artists Foreman and Green for DC’s revamp of “Animal Man,” which became one of the breakout hits of the New 52. Lemire is channeling Morrison’s take on the character, so readers of the 1980s Buddy Baker will find much to enjoy. The art’s a little different from the DC norm, but conveys the story’s mix of domesticity and dread.

9. “The Sixth Gun,” Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt.

An Oni Press Western with supernatural horror elements, “The Sixth Gun” follows the path of six cursed guns during the darkest days of the Civil War. Bunn and Hurtt are the creative team.

10. “American Vampire,” Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque

Also written by Snyder, “American Vampire” follows the exploits of a new breed of “American Vampire” that has the ability to feed in the sun. The 1880s outlaw Skinner Sweet and 1920s actress Pearl Jones make their way to Las Vegas circa 1935; later the series follows Pearl and her husband into the World War II era.

- Matt Price
WORD BALLOONS
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
Click here for the best graphic novels of 2011.

Young Justice Season One, Vol. 2 DVD

Superheroic proteges get top billing in “Young Justice,” the Cartoon Network animated series featuring Robin, Superboy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Miss Martian and Artemis.

The second volume contains episodes 5-8 of season one. “Young Justice” focuses on teen superheroes who are trying to establish themselves to their mentors while at the same time dealing with some typical teen issues. They’re helped by the Justice League heroes, including Batman, Superman, Green Arrow, Red Tornado and Black Canary, who often provide insight or training to the young heroes.

In “Schooled,” Superman’s misunderstanding of Superboy (voiced by Nolan North) causes the Boy of Steel to try to take on a powerful villain alone.

Artemis (Stephanie Lemelin), whom Green Arrow introduces as his niece, makes her first appearance in “Infiltrator.”

Green Arrow’s former partner Red Arrow rescues a scientist building a high-tech hacking weapon for a group called the Shadows. He asks Young Justice to protect her so she can develop a virus to defeat her weapon.

Crispin Freeman brings a cool but serious vibe to Red Arrow, who has his suspicions about Artemis.

This episode provides some clever banter when the team is telepathically linked by Miss Martian (Danica McKellar), and each team member can overhear the others’ thoughts.

In “Denial,” the team is sent to rescue Kent Nelson, who in the past was mystic superhero Doctor Fate.

In the Aqualad-heavy episode “Downtime,” Batman (voiced by Bruce Greenwood) senses that Aqualad (Khary Payton) is distracted, and he fears his distraction could harm the team. He asks Aqualad to return to Atlantis, and determine whether he wants to stay there or to remain as the leader of Young Justice. Fans get information about Aqualad’s origins and find out about his reasons for wishing he had remained in Atlantis. Yuri Lowenthal voices Garth, who some will recognize as the original Aqualad in the comics.

The action is well-done, and the characters are developed well. Jason Spisak voices Wally West, aka Kid Flash, and Jesse McCartney provides the voice of Dick Grayson, aka Robin.

The release is bare bones, with the only extras being two trailers for other Warner products.

While you can argue with the release strategy of putting out the episodes on DVD four at a time, the content in “Season One, Vol. 2” is definitely worth watching for superhero fans.

— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

The superhero anthology series “Wild Cards,” edited by author George R.R. Martin, may soon have a film adaptation, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Syfy Films, aa joint venture of Syfy and Universal Pictures, has acquired the screen rights to “Wild Cards.”   Several authors created the world of the “Wild Cards,” in which an alien virus killed most it came in contact with, but mutated a few into sometimes powerful but always deformed or damaged “jokers.”  An even smaller percentage became superpowered “Aces.”

Melinda Snodgrass, a co-creator and co-writer on the series, will write the screenplay, and will executive produce with Martin.

The series has a wide cast of characters and a decades-spanning story, and was among the first (along with comics like “Watchmen”) to deal with what the real-world implications of superpowers might be.

- Matt Price

Bob Moore: No Hero

A private investigator in a world of superheroes is asked to help the man who destroyed his marriage. “Bob Moore: No Hero” by Australia-based author and journalist Tom Andry.

The e-book is available now, with a paperback to follow in February. The sequel to “No Hero,” “Desperate Times,” is set for release this month, and a third book is in the works. You can download “No Hero” for free at tomandry.com.

“He’s a guy who deals with supers on a regular basis, but doesn’t have any powers himself,” Andry said in an email interview. “He gets by with a few gadgets and access to information that gives him a leg up on the supers. In “Bob Moore: No Hero”, Bob confronts a super from his past. Bob blames this super for the dissolution of his marriage. But when superheroes start to disappear, Bob reluctantly agrees to help him.

Andry says “No Hero” is an introduction to Bob’s world and its history.

“There are hints about the effect supers have had on the development of society, but not the full story,” he said. “More, of course, will be revealed in future books.”

Andry says writers like Frank Miller (“Hard Boiled”), Alan Moore (“Watchmen”) and Grant Morrison (“Animal Man”) are among his favorites. He cites Matt Wagner comics as his biggest comics influence.

“I loved Matt Wagner’s work on ‘Grendel,’” Andry said. “That comic (and Wagner in general) had the most impact on me. Stuff like X-Men, Batman, and the rest were fun and I enjoyed them, but ‘Grendel’ … really felt like literature.”

Some of the characters’ powers in “No Hero” were inspired by Andry’s youth playing the “Champions” superhero role-playing game, but he said his true inspiration for Bob Moore was from life.

“Most of the characters are taken from parts of my friends and me,” Andry said. “I love damaged characters. Bob is nothing if not damaged. He is world-weary and tired. He’s beaten and bruised. He’s sad and angry.”

Andry said he started his story with the character of Bob Moore and worked backward.

“I wanted a nonpowered protagonist who dealt with supers,” Moore said. “In most comics, our world is basically unchanged. … But that doesn’t make sense to me. So I imagined what the world would be like if superpowered people started showing up in the ’70s.”

Andry said he finished the “Bob Moore” e-book based on a dare he gave himself.

“I had tried to complete novels in the past, but I’d fallen short of that goal,” he said. “So I said to myself, ‘Hey, just write something. It doesn’t have to be long. Just write it, finish it and see what happens!’”

Around the same time, Andry’s wife got a job transfer to Australia.

“That put everything we owned in storage and gave me a lot of free time at night that I would have filled with Netflix or video games,” Andry said. “Putting it all together, it was a perfect storm of motivation, tools, and time.”

“Bob Moore: No Hero” is nearing 50,000 downloads, Andry said. In addition to working on the “Bob Moore” novels, Andry, father of three boys, is the Associate Editor of Audioholics.com and host of the AV Rant podcast.

Webcomics creator James Riot created the cover for “No Hero,” which gave readers their first visual look at Bob Moore.

“He’s drawn covers for his own work that really caught my eye. When I was ready for a cover, I emailed him and said, ‘Give me something like that.’” Andry said. “The cover has been universally praised and I couldn’t be happier with it.”

- By Matthew Price
WORD BALLOONS
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Tom Andry

Tom Andry, father of three boys, is the Associate Editor of Audioholics.com and host of the AV Rant podcast.   He’s now also an author, and his superhero novel “Bob Moore: No Hero” is nearing 50,000 downloads. A paperback version is to follow in February. The sequel to “No Hero,” “Desperate Times,” is set for release this month, and a third book is in the works. You can download “No Hero” for free at tomandry.com.  He answered some questions for Nerdage about the book.

NERDAGE:  What led to the writing of “Bob Moore: No Hero”?

Andry: “Bob Moore: No Hero” is the result of a dare I made to myself. I had tried to complete novels in the past, but I’d fallen short of that goal. So I said to myself, “Hey, just write something. It doesn’t have to be long. Just write it, finish it and see what happens!” I knew that finishing a shorter work would give me the confidence to go back and complete a full-length novel. The first story that came to me was based on a conversation I had with a friend about webcomics. He was working on one and asked me what sort of webcomic I might like to write. I came up with the basic idea of Bob Moore on the spot.

Around that time, I had bought an iPad and discovered free ebooks. Some of those ebooks were pretty good and that motivated me to complete a work. A little research allowed me to figure out that I could self-publish. Also at the same time, my wife got a job transfer to Australia. That put everything we owned in storage and gave me a lot of free time at night that I would have filled with Netflix or video games. Putting it all together, it was a perfect storm of motivation, tools, and time.

NERDAGE: How would you describe the book to those unfamiliar?

Andry: Bob Moore is a Private Investigator in a world of superheroes. He’s a guy who deals with supers on a regular basis, but doesn’t have any powers himself. He gets by with a few gadgets and access to information that gives him a leg up on the supers. In “Bob Moore: No Hero”, Bob confronts a super from his past. Bob blames this super for the dissolution of his marriage. But when superheroes start to disappear, Bob reluctantly agrees to help him.

“Bob Moore: No Hero” introduces the reader to the world Bob inhabits. Readers discover the history, how supers interact with non-supers, and how the world works. There are hints about the effect supers have had on the development of society, but not the full story. More, of course, will be revealed in future books.

NERDAGE:  What are some of your favorite comic-book superheroes?

Andry: It has been years since I’ve collected comics (unfortunately). Like many, at some point I moved and didn’t find a local comic store fast enough to pull my favorites. Now, I’m mostly limited to graphic novels and compilations. Back when I collected, I loved Matt Wagner’s work on Grendel. That comic (and Wagner in general) had the most impact on me. Stuff like X-men, Batman, and the rest were fun and I enjoyed them, but Grendel, Sin City, Watchmen, Sandman, V for Vendetta, etc. really felt like literature.

Of course, I’m a huge Frank Miller/Alan Moore/Grant Morrison/Neil Gaiman fan but that’s like saying you like bacon. So does everyone else. Some of my favorite “fun” comics that come to mind include Hard Boiled (Miller/Darrow), Haywire (Fleisher/Giarrano), Animal Man (Morrison/Truog/Hazlewood), and Green Arrow (Grell). There have been so many that I missed, even when I was collecting, that I really feel like I’ve missed out. I’d love to read Y: the Last Man, Miller on Daredevil, Invincible, Hellboy, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Moore’s Swamp Thing…an endless list.

NERDAGE:  Did you have any particular inspirations in creating “No Hero”?

My real inspiration was just life. Of course, comics and movies were an influence. And I played Champions (a superhero-themed roleplaying game) for years as a youth (a lot of the character’s powers come from my characters in Champions). But most of the characters are taken from parts of my friends and me. I love damaged characters. Bob is nothing if not damaged. He is world-weary and tired. He’s beaten and bruised. He’s sad and angry.

After finishing “Bob Moore: No Hero”, my inspiration now is Bob himself. I want to see how he reacts to the situations I present him with.

NERDAGE: What do you think makes a superhero story work in prose?

Andry: There isn’t all that distracting art! In seriousness though, I think it is a real shame that superheroes have been relegated to comics. While I love comics and graphic novels, especially some of the more mature stuff that has been coming out over the last few decades, there is no reason that superhero stories have to have pictures. Superheroes have dominated comics and they’ve pretty much conquered the movie theaters, so there is no reason (other than prejudice) that they wouldn’t have a place in long-form prose.

For me, comics can be a little daunting. With prose, you can be sure you are getting a full story without having to search for back issues or waiting for compilation graphic novels to come out. Prose certainly appeals to a different demographic in theory, but I feel there is no reason why lovers of comics shouldn’t love superhero themed books and lovers of books shouldn’t love comics. I certainly love both.

NERDAGE: Tell me about building the history of the world that Bob inhabits.

Andry: I basically started with the character of Bob Moore and worked backwards. I wanted a non-powered protagonist who dealt with supers. In most comics, our world is basically unchanged. Countries are the same and supers just side with wherever they are born. But that doesn’t make sense to me. So I imagined what the world would be like if superpowered people started showing up in the 70′s.

How would an event like supers being born en masse affect the world? It would be like an invasion. At first, they might be accepted when there were only a few. But eventually, as more and more supers start appearing, people would get nervous. And scared. In the end, there would be a war. Bob’s world is set after that war, and the supers have established their own country. This is the only way that I could realistically see supers and non-supers (called ‘tippys’ in the book) coexisting. The supers police themselves, the other countries “trade” with them, and everyone gets to live.

NERDAGE: How has the book done so far? Are you surprised at the response?

So far, fantastic. While I don’t know the exact number of downloads, I estimate that I’m nearing 50,000. I’ve used modest marketing efforts, but most of it comes from word of mouth. When I started reading free ebooks, I noticed one overriding complaint – editing. People constantly commented, even on books they loved, that there were obvious editing mistakes. I vowed that readers would not have that problem with my book. If they hated it, it wouldn’t be because of the editing. So far, based on the reviews, I seem to have succeeded (though I’m sure a misplaced comma or two slipped through).

I honestly don’t know how to answer the second part of your question. Surprised? I’m both surprised when people like “Bob Moore: No Hero” and surprised when they don’t.

NERDAGE: How is the sequel to the book coming along?

Andry: Very well. It’s called “Bob Moore: Desperate Times” and it is set about six months after the events in “Bob Moore: No Hero”. As of this writing [ed: in late July], I’m on version 3 (meaning I’ve been through 2 full editing passes with my beta readers) with probably 3 or 4 more versions before the final draft. If things continue at this pace, my anticipated August release should happen. In the meantime, I’ve started a Facebook page for Bob. Basically, it is sort of like a cross between a normal Facebook account and a diary, but from the perspective of the character. It will give hints to the sequel (and after the sequel, to the next book), but no spoilers. Reading it won’t be necessary for understanding any of the books or stories as they are meant to stand alone. It will, however, add color and give fans a chance to interact with the character.

NERDAGE: Tell me about the cover to the ebook – it has an interesting logo, and also gets across that this story is a mix of the PI and superhero genres.

Andry: I can’t take much credit for that. James Riot is a webcomic creator I’ve followed for years. He’s drawn covers for his own work that really caught my eye. When I was ready for a cover, I emailed him and said, “Give me something like that.” The covers I liked most had a lot of black with a stripe of color in the background. I sent him an early draft of the novel and he worked from it. He sent me a few drafts with different fonts. I agree that the font that we ended up with is very nice. In the end, I had very few corrections or suggestions. The cover has been universally praised and I couldn’t be happier with it.

- Matt Price

“Superheroes,” a documentary focusing on the phenomenon of “real life superheroes,” airs on HBO on Monday night.

It’s directed by Michael Barnett and produced by Theodore James.   Filmed over the course of a year in 15 cities, the documentary looks at these everyday men and women who have decided to don costumes and “fight crime” in a variety of ways.

- Matt Price

Christopher Reeve in "Superman II"

As part of AskMen’s 2011 Great Male Survey, men were asked which superhero they’d most want to be.

Superman took the top spot, with 32 percent of the vote.  Rich guys Batman and Iron Man came in next, with 24 and 21 percent respectively.

“X-Men” (I guess presented as a group) received 17 percent of the vote, and Captain America finished with just 5 percent.

Get more survey results at AskMen.com.

- Matt Price

Action Comics #1 (2011)

DC Comics is relaunching the book that introduced Superman back in 1938.

Grant Morrison and Rags Morales create the renumbered “Action Comics” #1, a new issue that, according to DC, “will set in motion the history of the DC Universe as Superman defends a world that doesn’t trust their first Super Hero.”

Superman #1 (2011)

George Perez writes the relaunched “Superman” #1, which will be illustrated by Jesus Merinao.

“What is Superman’s startling new status quo? How does it affect his friends, loved ones and his job at The Daily Planet?”  DC asks in describing the series.

Two other characters with Superman ties will also be relaunched: Supergirl and Superboy.

“Supergirl” #1 is by writers Michael Green and Mike Johnson (“Smallville”) with art by Mahmud Asrar.

“Supergirl’s got the unpredictable behavior of a teenager, the same powers as Superman and none of his affection for the people of Earth,” is how DC describes its “new take on the teenager from Krypton.”

“Superboy” #1  will be written by Scott Lobdell with art by R.B. Silva and Rob Lean.  DC’s description:  “They thought he was just a failed experiment, grown from a combination of Kryptonian and human DNA. But when the scope of his stunning powers was revealed, he became a deadly weapon.”

- Matt Price

It’s been more than 20 years since the eco-friendly superhero Captain Planet debuted. The first season of the animated adventurer’s exploits are now available on DVD for the first time, just in time for Earth Day.

The show “Captain Planet and the Planeteers,” which aired in more than 100 countries, was created with an eye toward cultural awareness. Executive Producer Barbara Pyle, who was born in Pauls Valley, was involved with the creation of the situation and characters, she said in a recent telephone interview.

Adam West joins Marvel’s “Super Hero Squad Show” as the voice of Nighthawk, leader of the Squadron Supreme, in Saturday’s episode of the show.

West, star of the 1960s “Batman” show, will voice the alternate-universe dark avenger on the Cartoon

Adam West (AP)

Network show.

West has recently voiced both Proto and Thomas Wayne on the animated series “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” and Mayor West on “Family Guy.”   The Hub is currently airing the 1960s “Batman” TV show, which starred West as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Burt Ward as Dick Grayson/Robin.   The pair appeared last weekend at the Austin Comic-Con.

In the new episode of “Super Hero Squad,” Thanos seeks the Mind Stone, and to get it, he’ll send superpowered heroes from another universe against the Squad.  The Squadron Supreme, led by Nighthawk, also features Power Princess and Hyperion.

The new episode airs at 6:30 a.m. Saturday.

- Matt Price

Superman races Flash

I’m running as fast as I can again today, which often inspires me to post a cover of the Flash.  Here, he’s racing Superman in this Treasury edition that reprinted the two Superman-Flash races that had been printed up to that time. Find out more about the issue, and other super-cool Treasury editions, at TreasuryComics.com.

- Matt Price

The Great Darkness Saga

The 10th season of “Smallville,” based on a young Clark Kent learning to become Superman, begins tonight on CW.

As announced at Comic-Con International in San Diego, the DC Comics villain Darkseid will be the villain for the show’s final season, although like previous villains, he’ll be tweaked somewhat to fit in the “Smallville” continuity.

DC Comics’ Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns will write an episode of this season’s “Smallville,” which will feature DC Comics characters Blue Beetle and Booster Gold. Laura Vandervoort’s Supergirl is also set to make a return appearance this season.

To catch up on the background of these characters, here’s some recommended reading for this season of “Smallville.”

“Superman/Batman: Supergirl” by Jeph Loeb and Michael Turner. Darkseid attempts to brainwash a powerful teenage girl in this reintroduction of Supergirl to the DC Comics mythos. This story, adapted into animated form, will be released Tuesday as “Superman/Batman: Apocalypse” on DVD. Tim Daly will voice Superman; Kevin Conroy will voice Batman. The cast also includes Andre Braugher as Darkseid and Summer Glau as Supergirl.

Superman/Batman Vol. 2: Supergirl

“The Great Darkness Saga” by Paul Levitz and Keith Giffen. In the far future, the heroes of the 30th century must battle a grave evil. Darkseid emerges in the 30th century with plans to acquire mystic artifacts and control a race of 3 billion superpowered beings. The Legion of Super-Heroes call on all members, past and present, to face off against Darkseid, who has yet another plan behind the scenes. A new hardcover edition of this classic story is set for release in November, though the individual issues and earlier softcover printings are findable.

“Cosmic Odyssey” by Jim Starlin and Mike Mignola. Starlin, known for his cosmic tales like “Warlock” and “Infinity Gauntlet,” teams with “Hellboy” creator Mike Mignola for this story of a threat so great, that some of Earth’s greatest heroes are forced to work with Darkseid. Superman, Batman, Green Lantern John Stewart, Martian Manhunter, Starfire, the Demon, plus Orion, Lightray and Forager of the New Gods are called on to halt a being who can destroy galaxies.

“Showcase: Booster Gold” by Dan Jurgens et al. Booster Gold’s original series, primarily written and drawn by Dan Jurgens, is collected in this volume as a time-traveling former football star from the future comes to 20th-century Earth aiming for fame and fortune.

Blue Beetle: Shellshocked

“Blue Beetle: Shellshocked” by Keith Giffen, John Rogers, Cully Hamner et al. The mystical Blue Beetle scarab chooses a new guardian: teenager Jaime Reyes. The El Paso teen becomes a reluctant hero after the alien technology of the scarab bonds with him, allowing him to create a superpowered blue armor.

Also recommended: For the full story on Booster Gold’s return to heroism, check out the four volumes of “52.” For the original “New Gods” saga, including the first appearance of Darkseid, check out “Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus” Vols. 1-4. And for the origin of the Booster Gold-Blue Beetle team-ups, featuring Jaime Reyes’ predecessor, Ted Kord, read “Justice League International” Vols. 1-4.

- By Matthew Price
WORD BALLOONS
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Smallville Season 9 DVD

The Kryptonian military leader Zod (Callum Blue) is Clark Kent’s opponent in the ninth season of “Smallville,” which brings in more characters from the DC comic books.

At this point, Tom Welling has played Clark Kent longer than Christopher Reeve or George Reeves, though he hasn’t donned the famous red-and-blue suit of Superman. His journey toward becoming the Man of Steel continues in Season 9, as a younger version of Zod (who previously appeared in seasons 5 and 6 of “Smallville”) seeks to regain his powers and take over Earth.

The cyborg Metallo, played by Brian Austin Green (“Beverly Hills 90210), kicks off the season with an appropriate sense of menace. Toyman also gets the spotlight early in the season, as he continues a feud with Green Arrow (Justin Hartley). Surprisingly, the Wonder Twins from the old “Super Friends” cartoons are translated to “Smallville” style reasonably well in the episode “Idol.”

The season highlight is the two-parter “Absolute Justice,” which introduces Hawkman and the Justice Society of America to the “Smallville” mythos.

Erica Durance, who plays Lois Lane, has great chemistry with Welling; the developing romance between Lois and Clark is compelling.

Despite a few clunky episodes (notably “Warrior”), Season 9 finds “Smallville” regaining its footing as it heads toward what’s been announced as its 10th and final season.

DVD extras: deleted scenes; a “Kneel Before Zod” featurette looking at Zod’s appearances in comics, film, animation and live-action TV; a “Justice for All” featurette exploring the adaptation of the Justice Society of America to television; and commentaries on episodes “Idol” and “Kandor.”

— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

" Electron Boy", played by 13-year-old liver cancer patient Erik Martin, stands in front of members of the Seattle Sounders soccer team as he listens to a video message from arch villains Dr. Dark and Blackout Boy on the Qwest Field screen in Bellevue, Wash.

Really beautiful story about Make A Wish helping 13-year-old Erik Martin, who is living with liver cancer, become Electron Boy as part of his wish to be a superhero for a day. The Seattle Times has a full writeup, which you should definitely read.  The AP reports that the regional chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation made Martin’s dream of becoming a superhero come true, organizing hundreds of volunteers in Bellevue and Seattle into a simulated comic-book caper.

Video from CNN about Electron Boy below.

The 1988 “Superman” animated series was the first version of the character to come to television since comic-book writer/artist John Byrne’s noted revamp of the character in the 1986 “Man of Steel” miniseries. In the new “Superman” comic-book line, Byrne and writer Marv Wolfman introduced the idea of Lex Luthor as a corrupt industrialist instead of mad scientist. That characterization is followed up here, as Wolfman was the animated series’ head story editor.

Even though the Christopher Reeve film series was over by the time this series aired, after the dismal failure of 1987′s “Superman IV,” the 1988 animated series still paid homage to those films. Luthor’s assistant, Jessica Morganberry, is a version of the film’s Miss Tessmacher, and Luthor, though an industrialist, speaks in a manner consistent with Gene Hackman’s Luthor from the films. Furthermore, the theme song for the Ruby-Spears “Superman” uses a bit of the famous John Williams “Superman” score. The series calls back to Superman’s past in another way, too: The opening narration was the same as the 1950s “Adventures of Superman” television show.

Superman/Clark Kent was voiced by Tulsa-born Beau Weaver, who later voiced Mr. Fantastic in the 1990s “Fantastic Four” animated series.

Each episode of “Superman” featured an 18-minute Superman adventure followed by a 4-minute segment called “Superman’s Family Album,” which touched on his days as a youngster in Smallville.

While “Superman,” produced by Ruby-Spears, only lasted one season, it provided an intermediate step between the silliness of the “Super Friends” of the 1970s and the more modern take of the 1990s series.

— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and friends are back in “Super Friends: The Lost Episodes,” a group of episodes produced by Hanna-Barbera when the “Super Friends” show was temporarily canceled by ABC in the early 1980s. Most of the episodes weren’t aired in the U.S. until a decade later.

What’s lost is not always treasured. The 7-minute episodes that make up “The Lost Episodes” feature some of the wackiest, most out-there Super Friends storylines. Superman alters his own timeline in a pretty unexplainable – and actually cruel – way in “The Krypton Syndrome.” While that’s the most egregious of the episodes, many of them are odd or downright silly.

Earth is nearly taken over by alien toys in “Invasion of the Space Dolls,” and the Titanic is raised, and then turned into a sea monster, in “Terror on the Titanic.” Bizarro captures the Super Friends inside a 1980s-style video game world in “Video Victims.”

Still, the episodes can be nostalgic fun, if you can ignore occasional lapses of superhero judgment. The set contains all 24 of the 7-minute episodes. The special features are downloadable issues of the “Super Friends” comic. One comic, perhaps ironically, features Wendy and Marvin, the teen sidekicks who were brushed away to make room for the Wonder Twins Zan and Jayna. The Wendy and Marvin “Super Friends” episodes have yet to be released on DVD.

- Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Check out this excellent fan-made trailer of a “Green Lantern” movie that would star Nathan Fillion (“Firefly”). My opinion? They should hire this guy and Fillion both to work on the movie. (I’m sure they’ll go younger, and someone not currently in a TV series for Hal Jordan, but wouldn’t Fillion be great at it?)

– Matt Price

So superhero cakes came up as a topic again after Marvel’s Tom Brevoort appeared on Last Cake Standing on the Food Network.  I noticed more traffic to this page, where I showed off some superheroic cake designs from my wife, Annette.

Since I’m all about giving the people what they want here at Nerdage, I asked Annette if she had more cakes she’d be willing to show off at the blog.  She obliged.   The Booster Gold cake shown above is one of my all-time favorite superhero cakes.   The following gallery showcases superhero cakes including Aquaman, Rorschach from Watchmen, the Wonder Twins and more.  For the non-superhero fan, there’s a Spock from Star Trek and a Tom and Jerry.  Enjoy!  Feel free to share your own superhero cake pictures of you’ve got ‘em.

– Matt Price

THE NEXT LEVEL

In the City of Heroes, the line between hero and villain will blur.

This week, NCsoft and Paragon Studios announced the development of “City of Heroes Going Rogue.” This is the first major expansion of the “City of Heroes” game franchise since “City of Villains” in 2005.

“City of Heroes” is a long-running massively multiplayer online game featuring comic-book style superheroes. In “Going Rogue,” hero characters can become villains, and villain characters will be able to redeem themselves and become heroes.

This is a long-standing tradition in comic books, which inspired “City of Heroes.” The archer Hawkeye in Marvel Comics, for example, began his career as a villain, before becoming a member of the Avengers and a hero. DC Comics’ Sinestro was a member of the Green Lantern Corps before becoming the most dangerous enemy of the intergalactic peacekeeping force.

In “Going Rogue,” hero and villain characters will enter a parallel universe called Praetoria. Praetoria is governed by Tyrant, who is an evil version of Statesman, the protagonist of “City of Heroes.”

As gamers search for Tyrant, resistance will arise to face them from all sides, causing heroes and villains alike to question their loyalties, the company announced in a release.

The “Going Rogue” game will introduce a new alignment system allowing players to explore shades of gray. Hero archetypes will be able to cross over to the villainous Rogue Isles, and villain archetypes will be able to visit virtuous Paragon City.

Missions, behaviors and decisions will affect the character’s moral compass, which could lead to a change in the character’s alignment.

Going Rogue will also introduce two new fictional characters into the game’s storyline that exemplify the possible changes. Maelstrom is a pistol-wielding hero gone rogue, and a Desdemona is a demon-summoning villain who has been redeemed.

“City of Heroes has brought a fresh new perspective to the MMO stage with its foray into the super-powered hero comic book genre, and we are excited to present gamers with even more innovative content in Going Rogue,” Brian Clayton, general manager and executive producer at Paragon Studios, said in a release. “For years, players could choose between playing as a hero or a villain. Now we will present a third, malleable path where players can be affected by the results of their actions, enabling them to further develop, unveil new perspectives, and overcome new challenges.”

– By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Three super-powered kindergarteners are turning 10. The Powerpuff Girls will celebrate their 10^th anniversary with a Cartoon Network marathon and special on Monday, and the release of all 78 episodes on DVD on Tuesday.

Creator Craig McCracken said those working on the show were trying to entertain themselves as well, and he thinks that added to the show’s appeal.

“Even though ‘Powerpuff’ kind of gets labeled a kids’ show or a girls’ show, it was always made for all audiences, just like ‘Bugs Bunny,’” McCracken said in a recent phone interview. “We were just making ourselves laugh and trying to come up with entertaining things. I think people pick up on that sincere creative expression of just making fun cartoons.”

Super-powered sisters Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup will return for an all-new animated special, “The Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!,” at 7 p.m. Monday. This will follow the marathon, which includes McCracken’s favorite episodes, airing from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The DVD will include all 78 episodes, and lots of extras, including the Christmas special, the special that airs Monday, and a new documentary.

After “Powerpuff Girls,” McCracken was the executive producer of another show, “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends,” which recently wrapped production. McCracken said he’s glad to be out from the grueling deadlines for a while. He’s working with Cartoon Network on the Cartoonstitute, a program to search out new potential animation projects. He also plans to work on a graphic novel.

“There’s something about doing your own comics or graphic novels or things like that, where it’s your drawings, your words,” McCracken said. “There isn’t the whole big crew and committee and getting stuff approved by everybody. It’s more like an intimate, direct approach to cartooning. I’ve been talking to some publishers and I’ve got some ideas that I want to explore in that medium.”

- by Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Who’s your favorite motion-picture portrayal of a superhero?  Christopher Reeve as Superman (shown)?  Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man? Michael Keaton as Batman? Matt Salinger as Captain America? (OK, probably not that one.)
What are your thoughts?

– Matt Price

Got an e-mail recently saying the superhero shoes at www.limitedsoles.com should be available for the holidays.   There’s an option of Batman, Superman or the Joker.  There are fewer than 2,000 of each pair available, though. Full release and images after the break. 

ACI International releases DC Super Heroes shoes 

ACI International is pleased to announce the creation of its first-ever DC Super Heroes shoes for adults through a partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, on behalf of DC Comics.  This revolutionary line of limited edition shoes is available in three different styles, each featuring one of three DC Comics characters – Superman, Batman and The Joker. The shoes are now available and retail for $110 per pair on the website www.LimitedSoles.com. The Superman shoe is limited to only 1,938 pairs.  This shoe will surely be the centerpiece of any Superman memorabilia collector or sneakerhead’s collection.  Incorporating details from the life of Superman’s alter ego as a mild mannered reporter, the shoe features Daily Planet newspaper print so detailed you can read the words. Rich, full-grain leather is used throughout and the incredible detail on this shoe truly sets it apart.   Each shoe is individually numbered for authenticity and comes with custom packaging and extra sockbed.  On the heels of Warner Bros. Pictures’ release of The Dark Knight, Batman is back with this exclusive shoe from Limited Soles.  Batman has been a fan favorite ever since his first appearance in the pages of Detective Comics.  Limited to only 1,939 pairs, this shoe is a true collector’s item.  Rich, full-grain leather and soft suede are used throughout the shoe.  In addition, incredible detail brings this shoe out of the shadows and into the light; paying homage to the World’s Greatest Detective.  Much like the Superman shoes, each of the Batman shoes is individually numbered for authenticity and comes with custom packaging and extra sockbed. Nobody is safe with The Joker on the loose.  Jealous that Batman was stealing the limelight, The Joker took matters into his own hands and turned the tables on Limited Soles!  With only 1,940 pairs available, this shoe is a must-have if you like the villain more than the hero.  Only rich, full-grain leather is used with The Joker’s personal color accents throughout.  Of course, it also makes a perfect companion to the Batman shoe! As with the other two, each pair is individually numbered for authenticity and comes with custom packaging and extra sockbed.

Good news for Mac owners — City of Heroes, the popular superher massively multiplayer online game, will come to Apple Macintosh this year.   The Mac version will be available for public beta testing with the release of the game’s thirteenth expansion, Issue 13: Power and Responsibility later this fall.

Full release and artwork after the break.

SEATTLE and TORONTO, Ontario, October 30, 2008 – NCsoft®, the world’s premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs), today announced a partnership with TransGaming, Inc. (TSX-V: TNG) to bring their award-winning City of Heroes® franchise to the Apple® Macintosh®. The game has been enabled for the Mac by TransGaming, a leading developer of portability technologies for the electronic entertainment industry. City of Heroes for Mac will be available for public beta testing with the release of the game’s thirteenth expansion, Issue 13: Power and Responsibility later this fall. The official launch will occur pre-holiday this year with a special digital-only Mac edition of City of Heroes, available across all NCsoft West consumer territories.

“Players will soon be able to join the battle of good versus evil in the most popular comic book MMO on both the PC and Mac platforms…and in the same game world,” commented Brian Clayton, executive producer of City of Heroes for NCsoft West. “Given Mac’s fame as a platform for creative people and City of Heroes’ unprecedented character customization options, I think City of Heroes is a perfect fit for the Mac gaming community.”

In City of Heroes, the most popular comic book inspired MMO on the market, players craft their hero or villain identities and join millions of other player created characters in a constantly expanding universe. Unparalleled character customization is a hallmark of the City of Heroes franchise. Players can choose from hundreds of different powers and thousands of costume options, resulting in near limitless personalization. Players may go it alone or band together with others in super groups.

City of Heroes for Mac was made possible using TransGaming’s CiderTM Portability Engine, which acts as a “wrapper” around the game software, enabling it to run seamlessly on Intel-based Macs. The partnership with NCsoft to develop and publish City of Heroes for Mac offers the Mac gaming community its first opportunity to do battle in the streets of Paragon City^TM and the Rogue Isles^TM in a persistent universe with no differentiation between the PC and Mac. “NCsoft’s City of Heroes MMO is an incredible franchise and TransGaming is thrilled to provide Mac gamers the ability to demonstrate their creativity by building their own heroes and villains and immersing themselves in the battle between good and evil,” commented Vikas Gupta, CEO & president of TransGaming. “Through Cider, the Mac version will parallel the developments of the PC version, providing all game updates, new features, and storylines simultaneously on both platforms.”

The City of Heroes Mac Special Edition digital product will be sold at the PlayNC store and at GameTree Online. City of Heroes is rated “T” for Teen. For more information about City of Heroes go to http://www.cityofheroes.com.

 According to Superherohype, Stephen Chow, the star and director of “Kung Fu Hustle” and “Shaolin Soccer” will direct and star in “Green Hornet” alongside Seth Rogen.

Green Hornet is set for relase June 25, 2010, and was written by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg.

Chow said: “I’m excited to be taking on ‘The Green Hornet’ — obviously, I’ve been a huge fan of the show since I was a kid. The idea of stepping into Bruce Lee’s shoes as Kato is both humbling and thrilling, and to get the chance to direct the project as my American movie debut is simply a dream come true. I’m grateful to my friends at Sony, who have shown so much faith in me for so many years. I’m looking forward to working with Seth, Evan, Neal, and the team at Sony, and I’m eager to get started.”
 

– Matt Price

If you’re interested in superhero shoes for a Man of Steel, a Caped Crusader or even a Clown Prince of Crime, Limited Soles has a new product line you might want to check out.

These shoes from ACI International are available in three different styles, each featuring one of three DC Comics characters – Superman, Batman and The Joker. The shoes retail for $110 per pair and are available exclusively at www.LimitedSoles.com.The Superman shoe is limited to only 1,938 pairs, to celebrate Superman’s 1938 debut. Batman’s exclusive shoe is limited to 1,939 pairs, for his 1939 debut. If you’re more interested in the bad guys, The Joker’s shoe is limited to 1,940 pairs (also his debut year).

Each pair is individually numbered for authenticity and comes with custom packaging.

– Matt Price

From Friday’s The Oklahoman: 

By Matthew Price
Assistant Features Editor

WORD BALLOONS

Unusual superheroes populate “Who Can Save Us Now?,” a superhero prose anthology from 22 writers, including Will Clarke, Jennifer Weiner and Sam Weller.

The anthology was edited by Owen King (“We’re All in This Together”) and John McNally (“America’s Report Card”).

Heroes include the creepy Silverfish, the cuddly-but-deadly Meerkat and dozens more.

“The idea was that superheroes mean really different things to different people,” King said. “And what we hoped, and we’re very happy with the way it turned out, is that would be reflected in the narratives.”

King’s character in the anthology is the Meerkat, a television producer who gains the powers and abilities of a meerkat.

“I was on the treadmill one day, trying to think about anything other than running,” King said. The show ‘Meerkat Manor,’ which he had been watching regularly, popped into his head.

“All of a sudden I had this idea that it would be funny, and it would also present an interesting conflict, to give a character the powers of a meerkat,” he said. “Because they’re cute and cuddly looking, but if you watch the show, they’re really brutal cold-blooded killers.”

He imagined a character with meerkat abilities who would be associated with a cute animal, and wondered what that would do to the hero’s self-esteem.

“I thought it would be interesting to put a character with self-esteem issues into a city that I thought had some self-esteem issues, which was Cleveland,” he said.

King’s co-editor John McNally created the creepy hero Silverfish for the anthology.

“My interest in superheroes was limited mostly to TV as opposed to comic books, so it wasn’t a genre I felt like I knew intimately,” McNally said, adding that he read “The Dark Knight Returns” and “a few other things in the Frank Miller mode” in college.

“Place is always really important to me in my own fiction, and the first thing I thought was I write a lot about the southwest side of Chicago, which is a very blue-collar place,” McNally said. “And I thought, what if we have a superhero who’s living in kind of a small bungalow on the southwest side of Chicago?”

McNally tells the story of the Silverfish — a hero who takes his namesake seriously, going so far as to survive on hair, glue and other silverfish food. McNally’s tale is told from the point of view of the Silverfish’s butler.

“I have this butler who’s living in small quarters on the southwest side of Chicago with the Silverfish, who’s been called the ‘creepiest superhero,” McNally said. “The title, ‘The Remains of the Night,’ is a play on ‘The Remains of the Day,’ the novel by (Kazuo) Ishiguro from the point of view of the butler.”

Other stories take different points of view, as well: “Girl Reporter” by Stephanie Harrell features the point of view of the “Lois Lane” type character, while other stories feature a sidekick or fan of the superhero of the story.

Both McNally and King (son of writer Stephen King) would like for “Who Can Save Us Now?” to lead to more superhero stories.

“It’s piqued my interest in terms of wanting to do something more,” McNally said. “I felt like there was a certain freedom to that story, that I found myself just having a lot more fun with it.”

King agreed.

“My fondest dream is that this will make enough of an impression that we could do it again,” he said. “I can easily think of another set of writers that I’d love to ask, ‘What’s your superhero?’”

However, there’s an Oklahoman who I think is the best superhero cake maker on the planet.  (Several of you will already know I’m talking about my wife, Annette, so you could say I was biased… but seriously, I think these are the coolest superhero cakes ever.)

Legion of Super-Heroes cake.

Spider-Man bust cake.

Superhero poker hand, starring Golden Age DC Comics heroes.

 Wolverine’s fist breaking through the birthday cake.

A couple non-superhero cakes, after the cut.

The Borg Cube as a birthday cake.

A protest to the missed fumble call in the 2006 Oklahoma-Oregon game, in cake.

 SAN DIEGO — Ran into Matthew “Feedback” Atherton, the winner of the first season of Sci-Fi Channel’s “Who Wants to Be a Superhero?” while walking the hallways of Comic-Con International.  He was about to shoot an online Webisode in full “Feedback” gear, and told me to keep an eye out for it. When I have a link, I’ll post it here.

He’s a gracious and fun guy, and I look forward to continued success for him.  It’s great that the “Superhero” winners so far have been guys who understand and love the comics medium and the superhero genre.

– Matt Price