Kyle Roberts talks to Matt Price from the ComicsPRO meeting in Dallas. Expected topics of discussion include the Image Comics resurgence, including “Thief of Thieves”; the new Smallville comic book series; and the Marvel Comics Avengers vs. X-Men comics.

Marvel has released a preview of April’s “Avengers vs. X-Men,” written by an all-star cast of Marvel writers with art by John Romita Jr., Adam Kubert and Olivier Copiel.

Here’s how Marvel describes the series, which goes on sale April 3.

This April, prepare for the biggest super hero war in comics history as Marvel is pleased to present your first look at Avengers Vs. X-Men #1! From the powerhouse creative team of Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron, Matt Fraction, Jonathan Hickman, Ed Brubaker, John Romita Jr., Adam Kubert and Olivier Copiel comes a groundbreaking event pitting Earth’s Mightiest against the X-Men with the entire Marvel Universe at stake. Cyclops and his team believe the arrival of the Phoenix Force will save mutantkind, but Captain America is convinced it will destroy the world! But who is right? Don’t miss out on all the action in Avengers Vs. X-Men #1 in comic shops worldwide and on the Marvel Comics app this April!

This 12-issue series will feature many of Marvel’s most popular characters, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm and Magneto.

Click past the cut for the full 7-page preview!

- Matt Price

20th Century Fox has set a release date for the Hugh Jackman “Wolverine” sequel, titled “The Wolverine.”

The film is now set for a July 23, 2013 release date, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Jackman returns as the title character, based on the Marvel Comics mutant who first appeared in “Incredible Hulk” No. 181 in 1974.  Wolverine is considered the most popular of the X-Men, and now appears in the X-Men titles, his own solo series, and Marvel’s Avengers comic books.

Jackman has starred as Wolverine in three previous “X-Men” films and in “Wolverine: Origins.”  (And, SPOILER WARNING, perhaps, has a brief, but excellent, moment in “X-Men: First Class.”)

James Mangold is the director of the film, which is said to be loosely based on the Chris Claremont-Frank Miller “Wolverine” miniseries and will be set in Japan.

- Matt Price

Watchmen prequels, X-Men First Class sequel, and Avengers assemble this week on the comics podcast.

MORE ‘WATCHMEN’
DC Comics is returning to the world of its best-selling graphic novel, “Watchmen.”
The new prequels will fill out story elements occurring before the events of “Watchmen.”

“Before Watchmen” is an event with six mini-series — 35 total issues — that will serve as a prequel to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ story WATCHMEN.
Creators involved include original series editor Len Wein, as well as writer/artist Darwyn Cooke and writer J. Michael Straczynski.

QUESTION OF THE DAY
What do you think of the idea of the “Watchmen” prequels? Will you buy them? Are you excited?

X-MEN FIRST CLASS 2
Deadline reports that Fox has just closed a deal with Matthew Vaughn to come back and direct the sequel to X-Men: First Class; Bryan Singer will also be back as producer.

Most of the major characters are expected to return, including James MacAvoy as Professor X and Michael Fassbender as Magneto.

AVENGERS TEASER
Marvel will release a commercial for its “Avengers” film during the Super Bowl.
The film, starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson, is set for a May 4 release. It’s directed by Joss Whedon.

REVIEW FILE: Matt and Kyle review Winter Soldier #1, by Ed Brubaker, Butch Guice and Bettie Breitweiser; Fatale #2, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips; and Betrayal of the Planet of the Apes #4, by Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman.

Fans get to see more about The Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spider-Man, and Matt and Kyle reveal some of their favorite comics of 2011.

SPIDEY PICS
The Amazing Spider-Man, Marc Webb’s film reboot of the Spider-Man property, is set to release July 3, 2012. In the meantime, the official site has revealed more photos from the film, which will star Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man.
Theamazingspiderman.com is the film’s official site.

BATMAN TRAILER, PICS
The second “The Dark Knight Rises” trailer has been officially released online. The third film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, “The Dark Knight Rises” stars Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy, and is set to be released July 20, 2012. New pictures also reveal closer looks at Batman and Bane.

FAVORITE COMICS OF THE YEAR
Matt and Kyle talk about some of their favorite comics of the year, including X-Men Schism and Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine for Kyle, and Batman: The Black Mirror and Criminal: Last of the Innocents for Matt.

REVIEW FILE: Activity #1, Near Death #4, Justice League #4
Criminal: Last of the Innocent #1 reviewed here.
For 2011 count: Detective Comics 871-881; Criminal: Last of the Innocent 2-6.

Comics read in 2011: 2009 Still to go: 2.

Batman 3, aka “The Dark Knight Rises,” has wrapped, and Christian Bale is done. Also: Lunch with a Star Wars legend and Hulk TV news.

LUNCH WITH LUKE

Actor Mark Hammill, who brought Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker to life in the original Star Wars Trilogy, is offering to have lunch in Los Angeles with the highest bidder and a guest to raise funds for The RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights, which provides an ongoing base of support to human rights defenders around the world. Valued at $10,000, the exclusive experience is open for bidding from November 29th through December 15th at:

http://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/276455

BAT-FINISHED

The Philippine Daily Inquirer talked with Christian Bale, and he confirmed he was done with Batman.

“I wrapped a few days ago so that will be the last time I’m taking that cowl off,” he said. “I believe that the whole production wrapped yesterday, so it’s all done. Everything’s finished. It’s me and Chris – that will be the end of that Batman era.”

He also praised co-star Anne “Catwoman” Hathaway.

“I had plenty of scenes with Anne,” he said. “And I was there when we did the screen test for her. The thing that I said to Chris [Nolan] that day was that there were many very accomplished actresses who had read for the role. I’m terrible at auditions, so I’m very impressed when somebody really seems to acquire an ownership of a character without having worked on it or prepared for some amount of time.”

THE INCREDIBLE HULK NEARS

Guillermo del Toro tells io9 that the screenplay is in for the possible upcoming “Hulk” TV show, and the team is waiting for a green light. Del Toro, serving as producer, says he and his team know the essential stories, including “Hulk: Grey,” written by Jeph Loeb, who is involved with the show.
“We know all the iterations of the Hulk pretty good. We’ve read all the essential stories, and we’re then riffing on that. There are so many incarnations and ideas. Jeph Loeb — who did a good run [on Hulk: Grey] — is involved, and I love Peter David’s Hulk. But there’s really no part in that mythos that we don’t know, so we are trying put our own personal spin on it.”

REVIEW FILE: Green Lantern The Animated Series #0, Wolverine #19, Uncanny X-Men #2, X-Men Legacy #259, Archie #627, Flash Gordon Zeitgeist #1.
Comics read in 2011: 1,853. Still to go: 158

Marvel Comics has released a preview of “Uncanny X-Men” No. 3, which will go on sale Dec. 28.

Here’s how Marvel describes the issue: THE CELESTIALS HAVE ARRIVED! In your first look at Uncanny X-Men #3, from the team of Kieron Gillen, Carlos Pacheco, Paco Diaz, & Rodney Buchemi, Cyclops and his Extinction Team must protect mankind not only from Mr. Sinister…but the world ending space gods! Sinister’s quest for supremacy has doomed the entire world and it’s all crumbling down around the feet of the X-Men. Are the Children of the Atom finally spread too thin? Find out this December in Uncanny X-Men #3!

“Uncanny X-Men” #3 is written by Kieron Gillen with pencils by Carlos Pacheco, Paco Diaz and Rodney Buchemi.

Click past the cut for the full preview.

- Matt Price

James Bond news, Dark Knight Rises preview coming, and Lord of the Rings gets a new videogame in this week’s Planet 46 Comics Podcast

JAMES BOND – SKYFALL IS COMING
The 23rd James Bond adventure will be titled SKYFALL. The film is directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his third film as James Bond 007. In production now, the film will begin its worldwide roll-out in the UK and Ireland on October 26th 2012 and in North America on November 9th 2012.
Cast members include Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Dame Judi Dench, Naomie Harris and Bérénice Marlohe. The filmmakers also announced Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney and Ben Whishaw.

LORD OF THE RINGS: WAR IN THE NORTH RELEASED
War in the North follows three heroes on adventures hinted at, but never before seen in the books or films. The game features 3-player co-op and is based visually on Peter Jackson’s version of the Tolkien world. Trailer available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuzWUbOBXq0&feature=pyv

DARK KNIGHT TRAILER IN DECEMBER?
On December 16, a six minute prologue for “The Dark Knight Rises” is set to debut on some IMAX showings of “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.” Batman-on-Film and Batman-News report the first full trailer for “The Dark Knight Rises” could premiere on the same day, on Warner Bros. “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.”

REVIEW FILE: Hawk and Dove #3, Uncanny X-Men #1, Action Comics #3, New Mutants #33 and Fear Itself 7.1: Captain America.
Comics read in 2011: 1,661. Still to go: 350.

X-Men and Power Pack #1 (2005)

The 2005 miniseries “X-Men and Power Pack,” written by Marc Sumerak, started off with a Halloween-themed issue, as the Power kids are heading to a Halloween party, with young Jack dressed as one of his favorite heroes, Wolverine.

Jack is sure he’s going to win the costume contest – but when that doesn’t look likely, he takes his frustration out on little sister Katie.  Katie gets upset and runs into the woods.   Older siblings Julie and Alex make Jack come with them to look for her.  (The four siblings together are “Power Pack,” who were granted superpowers during an alien encounter.)

Meanwhile, in the woods, Katie meets the real Wolverine – who she initially thinks is Jack, causing a brief skirmish.   Wolverine is there tracking one of his enemies, and eventually it’ll take Wolverine and Power Pack working together to save the day.

Manga-style art by the Japanese illustration team of GuriHiru is well-done throughout.    This issue kicked off a series of all-ages miniseries featuring Power Pack teamed up with various Marvel heroes.   As a Halloween tale, it’s good – there’s no direct spooky or supernatural threat, but there are costumes and scary things in the woods.  And as an all-ages comic and the beginning of the modern all-ages Power Pack, it’s a charming read.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1,656.  Still to go: 355.

Sorry for the delay in getting this one up! Matt and Kyle discuss the Avengers trailer, DC Comics hitting No. 1 on the sales charts, and the X-Men Destiny video game.

Review File: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #3, DuckTales #5, Shade #1.
Comics read in 2011: 1,543. Still to go: 468.

Batman Year One trailer shown in advance of Oct. 18 release; X-Men Destiny hits shelves; and DC Comics’ sexy superheroines cross the border in the Planet 46 Comics Podcast.

BATGIRL, WONDER WOMAN, CATWOMAN IN COMMERCIAL

Comics Alliance has found a commercial featuring Batgirl, Wonder Woman and Catwoman, unfortunately it’s not airing in the U.S.
The commercial is a TV spot for El Palacio de Hierro, a Mexico City clothing store. Apparently her new comic-book series isn’t the only place where Catwoman is acting sexy.
Read More: http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/09/21/mexican-superhero-commercial/#ixzz1YcjZlrUH

BATMAN YEAR ONE CLIP

Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. unveiled a clip of their upcoming adaptation of Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s Batman: Year One as shown at THR.

The movie features Bryan Cranston, Ben McKenzie, Eliza Dushku and Katee Sackhoff in an adaptation of the Frank Miller four-issue story from 1987.

The movie will be released Oct. 18.

X-MEN DESTINY VIDEO GAME

X-Men: Destiny” is a third-person action/role-playing game where the gamer takes the role of one of three mutants and develops powers as the game progresses. It’s out in stores today.

REVIEW FILE: Near Death #1, Batman #1, X-Men Schism #4
Comics read in 2011: 1,453. Still to go: 558.

Hugh Jackman (AP)

Splash Page reports that “The Wolverine” filming has been delayed until next year.

While promoting “Real Steel,” Jackman confirmed he’ll be shooting “Les Miserables” next, which will push the filming of “The Wolverine” into 2012.

The film has had a bumpy road, already losing director Darren Aronofsky.   James Mangold (“3:10 to Yuma”) is the director scheduled to helm the project.

- Matt Price

Strictly speaking, it’s non-canonical, but if you want to see how the man who created Wolverine’s “Origin” envisioned his “End,” you could check out the six-issue miniseries “Wolverine: The End,” written by Paul Jenkins and drawn by Claudio Castellini, released in 2003.

Wolverine, more than 200 years old, lives alone in the Canadian wilderness with limited human contact.  His main friend is a man named George, who’s been delivering groceries and the like to Logan for decades.

After the death of his former nemesis Sabretooth, Logan finds himself under attack from an enemy who appears to know all of his secrets.  With ties back to “Origin,” this “End” does tie together some pieces, though it doesn’t necessarily hold with current continuity.

The comic isn’t bad, but I felt like the main thrust of the story was finished after 4 issues, with not much resolved in the final two.  It’s an interesting look into a possible future for the Canadian mutant, but not essential.  There’s obviously an appeal to an older, Eastwoodesque Logan — see “Old Man Logan” for one that did quite well — so some fans may enjoy this take.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1,362. Still to go: 649.

Captain America 2 could feature MODOK; Jennifer Lawrence’s arduous nude makeup process for Mystique; and Justice League a hit in the Planet 46/NewsOK Comics Podcast.

CAP SCREENWRITER WANTS MODOK

“Captain America” film co-writer Christopher Markus tells Hero Complex he’d like to see MODOK in the sequel to the Marvel film, though that doesn’t mean it’s a done deal.

“I love MODOK and I think you could make a terrifying movie with MODOK but nobody seems to be on my side at the momentum,” Markus said.  MODOK, which stands for Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing, was created by Jack Kirby, and is a giant head in a floating chair.

JUSTICE LEAGUE STARTS STRONG

DC Comics relaunched its entire line of superhero comics on Wednesday, with the release of “Justice League” No. 1, by writer Geoff Johns and artist Jim Lee.

The issue has already gone through two printings, with a third scheduled, within the first week of release.   More than 200,000 copies were ordered.

MYSTIQUE FEELING BLUE

The “X-Men First Class” DVD will be released Sept. 9.  A sneak peek at the special features of the film shows how Jennifer Lawrence was painted blue for her Mystique role.

Jennifer Lawrence had to stand, near-naked, for seven hours while six makeup artists applied the Mystique makeup.

The DVD for X-Men: First Class will be out on Blu-ray and DVD on Friday, September 9th.

REVIEW FILE: Flashpoint 5, Justice League 1, Angel And Faith 1, Amazing Spider-Man 668, Incredible Hulks #635.

Comics read in 2011: 1,341 Still to go: 670.

Matt Price and Kyle Roberts discuss Wolverine 2 filming news, the release of the New 52 DC Comics relaunch trailer, and the new Conan the Barbarian film in this week’s Planet 46 Comics Podcast.

WOLVERINE HEADS TO CANADA

The Vancouver Sun reports Hugh Jackman and the cast of Wolverine 2 will be heading to Vancouver in November to film the sequel.

Filming is set to take place Nov. 11 to March 1, 2012 at Canadian Motion Picture Park in Burnaby, where scenes from Twilight, Supernatural and Fantastic Four were filmed. The director of the film — which may still be called “The Wolverine” — is James Mangold (“Walk the Line,” “Knight and Day,” “3:10 to Yuma”).

Another superhero is set to be in Vancouver shortly: The new Superman movie Man of Steel, starring Henry Cavill, will be in Vancouver from Sept. 21 to Jan. 21. Man of Steel will be directed by Zack Snyder.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Hugh+Jackman+heads+Vancouver+film+Wolverine/5269632/story.html#ixzz1VOehNlko

NEW 52 TRAILER HITS NET
The “New 52″ initiative from DC Comics nears release. The first issue of the New 52, Justice League 1 by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee, will be released on Aug. 31. The first trailer for the relaunch of DC’s superhero properties has been released at Hero Complex.
The trailer/commercial includes art from Justice League No. 1, written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Jim Lee; Action Comics No. 1, written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Rags Morales; Batman No. 1 written by Scott Snyder and drawn by Greg Capullo; Wonder Woman No. 1 written by Brian Azzarello and drawn by Cliff Chiang; and Aquaman No. 1, written by Johns with art by Ivan Reis.

CONAN HITS THEATERS
Lionsgate, Nu Image and Paradox Entertainment are behind the latest “Conan the Barbarian” film, reviving the pulp character created by Robert E. Howard in the early 1930′s in Cross Plains, Texas. The $90-million, 3-D movie stars Jason Momoa as the title character.
Read all about Conan’s history in the pulp magazines and comics in Weekend Look and at the Nerdage blog.

REVIEW FILE: Venom 6, Batman Retroactive: The 1990s, X-Men Schism 3
Comics read in 2011: 1,195. Still to go: 816.

That’s certainly an eye-catching cover to Astonishing X-Men #44, which welcomes the new creative team of Greg Pak (“Planet Hulk”) and Mike McKone (“Exiles”).

Here’s what Pak says about that surprising kiss depicted on the cover between Cyclops and Storm:

After Xavier, the X-Men’s two greatest leaders are Scott and Ororo. They’ve borne responsibilities few others can conceive. And just those experiences alone should provide them [with] reasons to bond. But maybe they’ve just never had a moment to consider it; each has always seemed to be wrapped up in a wild romance with someone else. The current Scott/Emma and Storm/T’Challa relationships are amongst the most passionate in the Marvel Universe. So yes, what the heck is going on? I’ll just say that everything that’s happening is utterly inconceivable, but completely real, completely in character, and completely in continuity.

As seen at EW, six minutes of Bryan Singer’s “Superman Returns” have been made available, online and in the Blu-ray set.

This scene features Brandon Routh’s Superman making a return trip to the remains of Krypton in the opening of the film.

CAPTAIN AMERICA LEAD VEHICLE DESIGNER DANIEL SIMON TALKS THE RED SKULL CAR

The car driven by the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) is very prominent in “Captain America: The First Avenger.”

“We really gave the car a special treatment, because it’s so iconic in the film,” Simon said. The car was fully built out at 25 feet long.

“We didn’t want to go very futuristic on the car. It belongs to the villain, and we thought a personal object for the villain should be more elegant and artsy,” Simon said.

BRIAN K VAUGHAN RETURNING TO COMICS
Brian K. Vaughan (“Y: The Last Man,” “Ex Machina”) will return to monthly comics with “Saga” from Image Comics. The series was co-created by and will be illustrated by Fiona Staples. CBR reports “Saga” is a sci-fi series about “the life and times of a family fighting to survive a never-ending war.”

REVIEW FILE: The Vault #1, X-Men Schism #2, Captain America and Bucky #620.
Comics read in 2011: 1,129 Still to go: 882.

Kyle and Matt take a look at the poster for “The Dark Knight Rises” and discuss the box office potential of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” Part 2. We also discuss the upcoming “Amazing Spider-Man” and what’s to come at Comic-Con International.
Review File: Captain America 1, X-Men Schism 1, The Red Wing 1
Comics read in 2011: 979 Still to go: 1,032.

As somewhat anticipated, Marvel has announced its plan to reboot the “Uncanny X-Men” series with a new No. 1 issue in November.   The series’ final issue before the relaunch will be October’s No. 544.

Following the X-storyline “Schism,” the X-Men will split into two teams.    The relaunch is being called “ReGenesis.”  (The Chris Claremont-Jim Lee “X-Men” No. 1 in the 199os was part of a storyline called “Mutant Genesis,” so this may be a reflection of that title in some way.)

According to Marvel: Never before have there been TWO teams calling themselves the X-Men and never has anyone had to choose a side. Guided by their different ideologies, each leader has their own mission for saving their species, but is only one of them right?

October will bring “Wolverine and The X-Men” No. 1, with a team lead by Wolverine.   It’s written by Jason Aaron with art by Chris Bachalo.

In November, “Uncanny X-Men” No. 1 will be released, from writer Kieron Gillen and artists Carlos Pacheco and Greg Land.

“Years of X-Men history have been leading to this. X-Men: ReGenesis will affect our entire line leading up to a major conflict coming up in 2012!” said Marvel Editor in Chief, Axel Alonso in a news release. “This is just the start of what we have planned for the X-Men. Next summer all eyes will be on mutantkind – we guarantee it!”

- Matt Price

JAMES MARSDEN WOULD LIKE TO RETURN FOR X-MEN 4

Oklahoma-born James Marsden, who played Cyclops in X-Men 1-3, said he’d love to return for a fourth film with the original cast, in an interview with Movieline.

‘It would be great to get Hugh [Jackman] and Famke [Janssen] and Patrick [Stewart] and Ian [McKellan] and Halle [Berry] and everybody back together again to do another installment, our next chapter,” Marsden told Movieline.

OKLAHOMA’S GATES GETS NEW PROJECT

University of Oklahoma graduate and former “Supergirl” writer Sterling Gates is joined by Rob Liefeld, one of the most popular artists of the 1990s, for the “Hawk and Dove” relaunch from DC Comics in September.

Liefeld worked on the late 1980s “Hawk and Dove” miniseries written by Barbara and Karl Kesel.

He was a popular Marvel artist on “New Mutants” and “X-Force” before co-founding Image Comics, where he created “Youngblood” and dozens of other characters and titles.

TOY MUSEUM CELEBRATES GREEN LANTERN

The Toy & Action Figure Museum, 111 S Chickasaw St. in Pauls Valley, is celebrating the release with a weekend-long event starting Saturday, June 11.

And DC Comics announced a brand-new “Green Lantern” No. 1 comic for September, written by Geoff Johns, the company’s chief creative officer, who has been involved in the film adaptation.

Fans who dress as any Green Lantern will receive free admission to the Toy & Action Figure Museum from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. If you can’t swing an entire costume, wearing green will get you $1 off museum admission.

The museum has a new Green Lantern display and will have giveaways of items related to the upcoming film.

REVIEW FILE: Echo 30, Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager 1, Ghost Rider 0.1
Comics read in 2011: 772. Still to go: 1239.

Jennifer Lawrence (AP)

Kentucky-born Jennifer Lawrence was nominated for an Oscar for her role in “Winter’s Bone,” and, at 20, had a leading role in a No. 1 movie this summer — she starred as the shape-shifting mutant Mystique in “X-Men: First Class.”    She also co-starred in Jodie Foster’s “The Beaver.”  The actress comes in at No. 5 on Nerdage’s actresses with geek appeal.

She recently talked to the Syndey Morning Herald about her “Mystique” role.

”She’s a young insecure woman trying to cope with being a mutant,” Lawrence said. ”Mystique is discovering her sexuality and how she fits into the world. It’s very much a coming-of-age story.”

She said the few times in the film that her full body had to be painted blue, it was an eight-hour process involving seven people.

Near the end of the shoot, she tired of the three-hour process to remove the blue paint, and did it at home.

”I actually lost the safety deposit when I moved out of my apartment because the bath had turned blue,” she said.

Upcoming for Lawrence are the films “House at the End of the Street” and “Hunger Games.”

- Matt Price
Click past the cut for more Jennifer Lawrence images.

Marvel has released the above teaser for “Schism,” the X-Men event that leads to the conclusion of the “Uncanny X-Men” series.

Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso says about “Schism”:

“‘Schism’ is the X-Men’s ‘Civil War.’  The biggest X-event in a decade divides the mutant universe across distinct battle-lines and asks readers the question: Whose side are you on?  And there’s a reason ‘Schism’ ends at exactly the same time as ‘Fear Itself.’ Next summer, the entire Marvel Universe will have its eyes on the X-Men.”

- Matt Price

Marvel’s longest-running title, “Uncanny X-Men,” will come to an end in October, according to a news release from Marvel.

A schism between Wolverine and Cyclops will tear the team apart, ending the Marvel Universe’s longest-running title.

“Uncanny X-Men” is Marvel’s longest-running title without a relaunch, going back to 1963.  (The title has undergone some temporary changes throughout its history, however, including a stint as a reprint title, and four months of being replaced by “alternate universe” X-Men.)

“Well, as anyone who’s watched the movies will know, the traditional axis of the X-Men has been the polarity of Magneto and Xavier. Xavier basically believes in peaceful integration. Magneto doesn’t,” writer Kieron Gillen told the Associated Press.

“In the last five years or so, the X-Men have been exploring a different angle. A catastrophe reduced the population to a couple of hundred mutants, and no new ones are being born,” he said. “This fledgling species was looking at extinction – and the militarized forces of prejudice moved in for the kill.”

The remaining mutants have been working under Cyclops since that time, but now differences of opinion among the team are leading to a “Schism.”

“The X-Men are getting torn apart from within. The events of ‘Schism’ do more damage to the X-Men than any villain has ever done,” Nick Lowe told the AP.  Lowe has been editing X-Men books for Marvel for six years and “Uncanny X-Men” since 2006.

Jason Aaron (“Wolverine”) is the writer of “X-Men: Schism,” the first two issues of which ship to comic shops next month.

Gillen said ending the “Uncanny X-Men” series is necessary based on the story beats of “Schism.”

“The X-Men has always been a book with ideology and ideas at its heart, and to be fair to them – to best present them – you have to be entirely true,” Gillen said to the AP. “And if the story we’re telling demands that you end the `Uncanny X-Men,’ you end the ‘Uncanny X-Men.’ No, it’s not taken lightly – but it’s taken if it’s necessary to do it.”

Eric Neal, of Second Chance Books in Warr Acres, wonders if this relaunch could be partially in reaction to DC Comics’ announced relaunch of its entire line.

“If I were cynical, I’d say they were trying to get some press after DC’s big announcement,” he said.

He said the X-Men universe of books remain very popular at his shop, and fans will likely be excited about the upcoming story.

“Any big change is always exciting, as long as the stories are done well,” he said.

He said he could see a Wolverine-Cyclops split eventually leading to two books, perhaps with a team led by each man.

“A lot of X-Men fans like both characters,” he said.  “I think Wolverine is a favorite character.  But Cyclops … may have a more noble cause.  It may tear fans up a bit, not being sure which one to root for.”

He said he does hear complaints from fans and collectors when long-running series restart or renumber.

“That’s a point of contention for collectors,” he said.

But, he said, story will ultimately win out fans more than a number.

“Any time they make major changes, it all boils down to the story,” he said. “If it’s an awesome story, you can get away with murder.”

- Matt Price

Minus the notable stars and characters of the other “X-Men” films, “X-Men First Class” opened with $56 million, according to Box Office Mojo. That was enough for first place this weekend, ahead of “The Hangover II,” which made $32.4 million in its second weekend.

The “First Class” first weekend total is below all the other X-Men films but the first, which opened to $54.5 million in 2000.

With new, younger stars and different characters, I actually think this isn’t a bad number for the movie.  And given the positive reviews, word of mouth may help the film have smaller second-week dropoff.

- Matt Price

X-Factor 25-50
plus: Quick and the Dead one-shot; She-Hulk 31

As part of my 2,011 in 2011 comic-book reading challenge, I’ve read a lot of Peter David’s “X-Factor” from the last part of the last decade, and the series is, for the most part, both consistent and consistently underrated. There is an artistic misstep in the middle of this two-year run, however.
As part of the X-Men crossover event “Messiah Complex,” Madrox and Layla Miller visit the future. And while this is necessary for the events of the crossover, Peter David takes pieces developed here and uses them throughout the next two years of storylines.

Dealing with post-crossover syndrome, David deals with the ramifications of Jamie’s trip to the future. Wolfsbane leaves, to join X-Force. Quicksilver gets some closure in the “Quick and the Dead” one shot. The team fights Arcade, because as the last mutant team standing at this point in the public eye, they are “the only game in town,” which is also the name of the trade paperback collection of issues 28-32.

Larry Stroman, who worked on the first volume of “X-Factor” with Peter David in the 1990s joins with issue #33, a Secret Invasion crossover. Unfortunately, Stroman isn’t a good fit with the book, making the next several issues a chore. If you enjoyed Darwin in “X-Men First Class,” you’ll also see him here, teamed up with Longshot.

Penciller Valentine De Landro comes on with issue #37 and then takes over with #39, the beginning of the next arc, which helps out the artistic chores.

David’s story about Madrox and Siryn’s baby, which I’ll try not to spoil here, is excellent use of the serial format by David to leave shocking cliffhangers and surprise endings.

The events lead to an arc which basically continues through issue #50, as the mysterious Cortex battles the team in the present, and Jamie Madrox in the future attempts to fight on the side of the Summers Rebellion, which is trying to save mutantkind from being hunted to extinction.

While I can see fans being turned off by some of the art in the middle of the run, and perhaps even by some of the adjustments made immediately following Messiah Complex, Peter David is doing a good job of maintaining what a monthly comic book should do here – react to crossovers with the effect on particular characters, and continue to develop those characters.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 769.  Still to go: 1242.

Kyle Roberts and Matt Price have a giveaway of “Thor: Tales of Asgard” with this week’s Planet 46 Comics podcast. Just leave a comment below with your favorite Thor character.

Also this week:
Matt and Kyle discuss the DC Comics relaunch (we say “reboot” a few times because we filmed this before the “this is not a reboot” e-mail). We look at the Marvel Comics death in Fear Itself #3 and its possible impact. We discuss the planned 2012 return of Valiant Comics with former Marvel Comics CEO Peter Cuneo. And we discuss X-Men: First Class.

REVIEW FILE: Flashpoint #2, Amazing Spider-Man #663, Criminal: Last of the Innocent #1

Comics read in 2011: 741. Still to go: 1270

Like the X-Men? So does rocker Ray Wall.  He’s created the The X-Men Song: A Super-Hero Rock Opera.  To celebrate the X-Men First Class movie opening, he’s giving away the 4-minute “Radio Edit” of the song as a free download during the X-Men: First Class movie opening days for people who “Like” the Ray Wall Band on Facebook.

Go here: http://www.facebook.com/raywallband to like the Ray Wall Band and the Sounds of Superheroes!

The Ray Wall Band has also created songs inspired by the Joker, Watchmen, Fantastic Four and Iron Man.

- Matt Price

Click past the cut to hear the radio edit of the X-Men Song, via Geek to Me.

The X-Men Song – A Super-Hero Rock Opera (Radio Edit) – Ray Wall Band by GeekToMe

Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique in "X-Men First Class."

The X-Men go back to the 1960s — the decade they were invented — with “X-Men: First Class,” the latest film from director Matthew Vaughn (“Stardust.”)

“The best way of describing it is X-Men meets Bond, with a little bit of Thirteen Days thrown in for good measure,” Vaughn told Entertainment Weekly. “It’s set in the ’60s, and I basically molded a young Magneto on a young Sean Connery. He’s the ultimate spy — imagine Bond, but with superpowers.”

To follow up on the theme of mutants as spies, and get deeper into one of the film’s characters, Marvel is releasing two collections of its popular “Mystique” character this summer. Played by Jennifer Lawrence in the film, Mystique is a beautiful blue mutant who can shape-shift, making her a near-perfect spy.

Brian K. Vaughan (“Y: The Last Man,” “Lost”) explored the concept of Mystique working as a secret agent for Charles Xavier in 13 issues of the “Mystique” series.

Vaughan approached Mystique not as a villain, but as a conflicted potential hero, pursuing what she sees as civil rights for the mutant race. With fast-paced espionage, “Mystique” should appeal to viewers who like the James Bond elements of “X-Men: First Class.”

All of Vaughn’s 13 issues have been collected in Marvel’s “Mystique by Brian K. Vaughan Ultimate Collection.” Jorge Lucas and Michael Ryan were among the pencilers; Joseph Linsner (“Cry for Dawn”) provides the cover for the collection.

Writer Sean McKeever (“Onslaught Unleashed”) followed Vaughan on “Mystique.” In his storyline, Mystique heads to Europe to investigate a biotech company rumored to be using mutants as guinea pigs.

McKeever’s run — issues 14-24 — will be collected in the “Mystique by Sean McKeever Ultimate Collection,” set for release in comic shops on June 22.

In the movies, Mystique first appeared in the 2000 film “X-Men,” played by Rebecca Romijn. The character was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Dave Cockrum, known for their X-Men contributions. The character first appeared in 1978′s “Ms. Marvel” No. 16.

For more about the early days of Marvel’s mutants, “X-Men First Class” vol. 1, written by Jeff Parker, focuses on the original five mutants from the X-Men comics: Cyclops, Iceman, Beast, Angel and Marvel Girl, as taught by Professor X. And Marvel’s Uncanny X-Men “Masterworks” and “Essential” series have reprinted the original 1960s comics, first written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby, that were among the inspiration for “First Class.”

- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
WORD BALLOONS
Comics read: Mystique 1-24
Comics read in 2011: 737 Still to go: 1274

War, Politics and Superheroes by Marc DiPaolo

What’s Superman’s stance on the death penalty? Who might Spider-Man vote for? Marc DiPaolo, assistant professor of English and film at Oklahoma City University, has examined the political leanings, often subtextual, of comic-book superheroes.

“War, Politics, and Superheroes: Ethics and Propaganda in Comics and Film” was released by McFarland and Co. last month.

“I’ve been collecting comics since 1984, and as I would read them, an outrageous story would come up,” DiPaolo said. “And I’d make a mental note, and I’d put it in my closet. And over time, I’d notice this series of provocative stories that I happened to own.”

DiPaolo wrote chapters on superheroes for other books, and he’s now combined those essays with several new ones for this volume.

DiPaolo, 34, grew up in Staten Island, where the adventures of Peter Parker appealed to him.

“Growing up in New York, I think I liked comics because they were in New York,” he said. “And I really related directly to Spider-Man, because I was in high school, he was in high school. We were both in New York — he was Queens, I was Staten Island. I liked literature, he liked science. But I felt like he was me.”

DiPaolo’s book is about how superheroes in comics and film can be a mirror to the politics of their time.

In his chapter on Superman, DiPaolo writes how the Superman radio show used leaks from a human-rights activist to

National (DC) Comics Publisher Harry Donenfeld, left, with Bud Collyer and Joan Alexander of "The Adventures of Superman" radio program. Mutual Broadcasting System photo.

inform a story about Superman battling the Ku Klux Klan.

In the 1940s radio serial, “Clan of the Fiery Cross,” the radio show revealed tactics and secrets of the Ku Klux Klan, discovered by activist Stetson Kennedy in his undercover investigation.

“While ‘The Adventures of Superman’ radio serial has significance for fans of the character for introducing both boy photographer Jimmy Olsen and the radioactive rock Kryptonite — the only thing that can harm the invincible Superman — the ‘Clan of the Fiery Cross’ is definitely that radio show’s finest hour,” DiPaolo writes in his book.

With chapters on Wonder Woman as a feminist icon, the X-Men and civil rights, and President Barack Obama as a comic book character in his own right, DiPaolo covers multiple characters and companies.

“A lot of times comics are their most dynamic when there’s a war going on or there’s a very divisive president,” DiPaolo said. “Any time there’s a big cultural fear — a big recession, a big war — comics get very interesting. And they don’t want to be too preachy … but on some level, they have to react.”

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

See an interview with Marc DiPaolo about the book.

Director Famke Janssen talks about filmimg the movie "Bringing Up Bobby" during a cast party in Nichols Hills, Okla., Saturday, August 14, 2010. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

“X-Men” star Famke Janssen, who portrayed Jean Grey, put herself behind the camera in 2010, directing “Bringing Up Bobby,” a movie filmed largely in the state of Oklahoma.

Janssen told The Oklahoman’s Gene Triplett that the state fascinated her.

“I was introduced to Oklahoma through my boyfriend Cole Frates and, being a foreigner, even though I’ve lived in the United States for about 20 years in New York, I thought it was a unique and different place, very American in a way that I think New York is sort of its own little country.

“I was fascinated by it, it intrigued me and Cole and I just sort of started developing this idea … which became ‘Bringing Up Bobby.’ And Oklahoma just seemed the right setting.

“I kind of felt like my space ship had landed because it was so different from what I have experienced growing up in Holland and living in New York. It really just inspired me.”

The film was recently shown at the film market in conjunction with the Cannes Film Festival.

Janssen plays an FBI agent in “The Chameleon,” set to open in limited release on June 10.   She’ll co-star in “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters” with Jeremy Renner in 2012.

- Matt Price