Tagged: Marvel Comics

Marvel and Facebook Team-Up

Marvel and Facebook Team-Up

First, Marvel launched its online comics subscription service last November where you could read over 3000 comics online. Now, the company is dipping another virtual toe in the Internet’s waters and has joined with social networking site Facebook to launch a new digital comics application.

This new application, according to Marvel:

…immerses fans in the world of Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited, the home of the greatest collection of Marvel Comics ever assembled online. This new application page will serve as a hub to the Marvel Universe on Facebook.

Among the cool things this application will allow you to do is check out the entire collection of comics at Marvel’s Digital Comics site and read synopsies of the titles. You will also be able to pick and choose favorites, offer lists of "must reads" to other Facebook users and share comments.

John Dokes, VP of Online Operations and Marketing at Marvel, had this to say about the new venture:

“Facebook is an extraordinary outlet to communicate with and entertain Marvel fans,” said John Dokes, Vice President, Online Operations and Marketing, Marvel Entertainment, Inc. “This clearly extends our Internet reach and familiarizes a new fan base with all of the cool things happening with Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited and Marvel.com.”

The decision to go the Facebook route as opposed to MySpace, where several comic publishers such as Dark Horse Comics have already begun publishing content, is an interesting move. While MySpace is still the king of social networking sites, Facebook is quickly becoming the place where people go after they get tired of MySpace and its often painful to read custom homepages. So is this move by Marvel incredible foresight or a clever gamble?

Check out the new Marvel Facebook application right here.

 

ComicMix TV: ‘Dark Tower’ Midnight Release

ComicMix TV: ‘Dark Tower’ Midnight Release

 

ComicMix TV is back once again with another episode!

This time we’re in the heart of Manhattan at Midtown Comics for the midnight release of Marvel Comics’ Dark Tower 2: The Long Road Home. Not only do we have video from the event, but we also have exclusive interviews with Dark Tower: The Long Road Home creators Peter David and Jae Lee.

SPOILER ALERT: For those of you who haven’t read the first Dark Tower series, The Gunslinger Born, there are spoilery pieces of plot contained in the interview. So, consider yourself warned!

Enjoy!

 

 

Birthday Requests

Birthday Requests

If anybody’s stumped on what to get me for a birthday present, there’s a copy of Marvel Comics #1 up for auction. Only $25k or so.

C’mon. It’s not even in mint condition.

It’s not like I’m asking for uranium or a tank or anything.

[EDITOR’S NOTE: Please do not send gifts of uranium ore to ComicMix HQ. Thank you. -RM]

 

Interview: Fabian Nicieza Talks New ‘Captain Action’ Comic

Interview: Fabian Nicieza Talks New ‘Captain Action’ Comic

Writer Fabian Nicieza’s career spans over twenty years with stints at Marvel, DC and Darkhorse Comics. During that time he’s plotted, edited and written some of the most popular comic books around including Thunderbolts, Cable and Deadpool and Uncanny X-Men.

Recently, Nicieza competed against many other accomplished writers for the chance to bring one of the most beloved heroes from the ‘60s, Captain Action, back to the pages of a brand-new comic book series set to hit stores later this year. His pitch was selected and he’s now hard at work bringing Captain Action back to life.

ComicMix caught up with Nicieza to ask him a few questions about the Captain Action comic, his earlier work, his future and if a hero created and deeply-rooted in the ‘60s has a place in today’s comics culture.

COMICMIX:
For people who might not know, can you give us a bit of info on your background? How did you get started writing comics? What were your favorites growing up?

FABIAN NICIEZA: I grew up reading comics. Out of college, I interviewed at both Marvel and DC, eventually landing a job at Marvel in 1985. After a couple years of learning the ropes, I started selling some stories to editors. I kept writing and working on staff, eventually, reluctantly, becoming a full-time writer.

I grew up reading Batman and Superman, then gravitated towards Marvel — Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Avengers. Then "offbeat" series like Conan and Captain Marvel. Offbeat for an 11 year old, I guess.

I also got lots of Superman, Justice League, the Engelhart/Rogers Detective run. I bought both Marvel and DC through the early ’80s, until I got the job at Marvel, then I got everything for free for a while.

CMix:
Free is nice. How much did you know about Captain Action before you started 
writing the comic? Did you ever read the original?

FN:
I read the original DC comic, but only because the toy was my favorite as a kid. I had the figures and lots of the costumes.

(more…)

ComicMix Broadcast Blog: Dark Tower, Hulk and Hawaii Five-O!

ComicMix Broadcast Blog: Dark Tower, Hulk and Hawaii Five-O!

Another sure sign of spring – the second big convention of the year, plus another Marvel Midnight Release. Let’s lay out the links:

In case this blew past you, the second story arc of the comic book series adapted from Stephen King’s magnum opus, The Dark Tower, begins now from Marvel Comics. Just like last year, they  will offer a midnight release of Dark Tower: The Long Road Home #1 on the early morning of Wednesday, March 5, 2008. Participating retailers across the country will open at midnight on Tuesday (effectively 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, March 5, 2008) so Stephen King fans can get their hands on the next issue of this historic comic. Watch for a special ComicMix TV report on Wednesday, and to find out if there is a store near you, go here.

Work has begun on the 100 original Hulk covers created for The Hero Initiative and the very first covers received will be on display publicly for the first time at the Orlando MegaCon, taking place March 7-9 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. For more information on that even, visit www.MegaConvention.com or watch for coverage all weekend on ComicMix.

CBS Interactive is dusting off a selection of its own classics from the CBS Library for distribution across the CBS Audience Network. Full-length episodes of Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, Hawaii Five-O, MacGyver and Melrose Place will be available for free on an ad-supported basis through more than 300 member sites. Got some time to kill? Catch an episode here: www.cbs.com

 

Johnny Knoxville and MTV are bringing Jackass to the digital age with JackAssworld.com. The site, which you can see at www.jackassworld.com, has 24-straight hours of continuously updated video of the latest stupid stunts. Users can view and comment on the video via message board, email or text message.

And how about if we toss in a little hint for the answer to our latest Trivia Question, which could win you a limited edition, Graham Crackers Comics variant?  For full details, catch yesterday’s ComicMix Radio, get your answer to us at podcast [at] comicmix.com, and be back here on Tuesday for the winner, a new question and much more.

Marko Djurdjevic Joins Marvel’s ‘Thor’ as Guest Artist

Marko Djurdjevic Joins Marvel’s ‘Thor’ as Guest Artist

According to Marvel Comics, acclaimed cover artist Marko Djurdjevic is joining the hit-comic series Thor as a "special guest artist’ for a two-issue arc that promises to, as Marvel puts it: "turn the God of Thunder’s world on its head!"

And as if that were’t enough, Djurdjevic and regular series artist Olivier Coipel have also teamed-up to create a special variant cover for the issue which, according to Marvel, "you need to see the results of this superstar jam to believe it!" The team-up cover is also available as a poster.

Here’s some more info on the Thor comic, and Djurdjevic’s involvement, from the official press release:

Thor’s world has been rocked by the machinations of others, but will the return of his father set him on a path of no return? And what of Loki’s machinations with the deadly Dr. Doom? If you haven’t checked out one of 2007’s most critically-acclaimed new series, then don’t miss Thor #7, kicking off a series of events that promise to shatter the status quo!

 

THOR #7 (DEC072216)

Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

Art and Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC

50/50 Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL & MARKO DJURDJEVIC

Rated T+…$2.99

FOC—2/28/08, On-Sale—3/19/08

 

THOR BY COIPEL & DJURDJEVIC POSTER (DEC072283)

24×36 Color Poster…$7.99

IN STORES NOW!

Hercules Goes Green

Hercules Goes Green

All but admitting that replacing the Hulk in his own book with Hercules was a mistake, Marvel is trying to rectify the problem by spray-painting Herc green. It’s clearly a rushed and uneven job, as paint seems to be collecting in big drips under his chi–

–beg pardon? This is something about a Skrull invasion?

Geez, they’re just going to say every mistake Marvel made in the last few years was a Skrull, aren’t they?

Coming soon: It wasn’t really a clone of Spider-Man, it was a Skrull pretending to be a clone of Spider-Man. And Harry Osborn? Skrull. Rhodey? Skrull. Crusader? Skrull. All the members of the Skrull Kill Krew? Skrulls.

[EDITOR’S NOTE: The copy editor for these promo posters? Also a Skrull. -RM]

 

Marvel Releases New Hawkeye Skrull Promo

Building up to the summer’s Skrull-a-palooza, Marvel has been sending out a variety of variant covers and promo images featuring heroes depicted as Skrulls. As part of its "Who do you trust?" marketing blitz, Marvel has tried to raise suspicion on most major characters, including the Fantastic Four, the Avengers and, most recently, Wolverine.

Today came the image at right, and for once we have a candidate who actually makes sense as a Skrull: Hawkeye.

While most heroes have good alibis for the looming Secret Invasion, the purple-wearing, bow-and-arrow toting Clint Barton was killed off in House of M by Brian Michael Bendis, who also is writing Secret Invasion and has said he’s been laying the groundwork for this event for years. And since Hawkeye’s return from the dead was never fully explained, he’s a prime suspect.

Of course, this could just be more misdirection, which adds a whole metatextual layer to the slogan "Who do you trust?"

Top Cow and Myspace Comics Announce ‘Pilot Season’ Winners

Recently, Top Cow Productions and MySpace Comic Books announced the winners of their Pilot Season contest, the first annual event which encouraged established comic book writers to create a pilot for a potential series using characters already well-known by comic fans. During the contest, five potential winners were submitted and the MySpace Comic Book community was told to "Take Control" and vote to determine which two charactes would get their own series in 2008.

The winning titles chosen by over four million voting fans were Velocity and Cyblade, two of the dynamic female characters from Marc Silvestri’s Cyberforce. Both new series are slated to debut in the fall of 2008, just in time for Cyberforce’s 17th anniversary.
 
The new Velocity series will be written by Joe Casey, whose previous credits include The Last Defenders and Youngblood, with art by an as-yet undetermined artist. When told of his new gig, Casey was, as you might expect, excited.
 
"I couldn’t believe the voting topped four million votes," said Casey. "Better than a New Hampshire primary! If only that many folks would buy the comics…! In any case, the Pilot issue was only the beginning of what we’re going to make sure is a wild ride when the new series hits in the fall."
 
The other winning series featuring the character Cyblade will be written by Joshua Hale Fialkov of Marvel Comics Presents and Punks The Comic Book and Rick Mays, writer of Kabuki and Gen 13. Flalkov was also very excited about his latest project and eager to get started.
 
"I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who voted for the book, and I’m positive they won’t be disappointed with where the series goes," said Fialkov. "It’s going to be balls-to-the-wall explodo, and I’m psyched to be along for the ride."
 
For more on the contest and the winning series, head on over to the Pilot Season official site.
 
Marvel Earnings Report Reveals Upcoming Project Details

Marvel Earnings Report Reveals Upcoming Project Details

Marvel has released its quarterly company earnings report and according to Comics2Film, many interesting things were revealed in the report, besides how much money Marvel made or didn’t make. According to the site, the report also gives clues about Marvel’s slate of live-action films as well as several new animated titles including a World War Hulk direct-to-video feature and Super Hero Squad TV series.

The Planet Hulk film, planned for a February 2010 release, is being produced by Marvel’s animation partner Lionsgate and joins a roster of upcoming films which already includes Hulk Vs., Next Avengers and Thor: Son of Asgard. However, according to the report, Marvel isn’t just working on direct-to-video animated films, they are also planing several animated TV projects as well.
 
The company is developing a large roster of animated TV series such as Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes, Spectacular Spider-Man, Wolverine and the X-Men, Iron Man: The Animated Series, Hulk: The Animated Series. They are also working on a show called Super Hero Squad, which is a version of the well-known heroes geared towards a much younger audience. 
 
Finally, the report may also reveal that Matthew Vaughn, who was attached as writer and director of the live-action Thor feature, may have left the project because now its listed as "writer engaged" instead of "writer and director engaged." So, some interesting bits of into there. Who knew you could get so much great stuff from an earnings report? I’ll have to pay attention to those more often I guess.
 
Of course, if the Vaughn info turns out to be true, we’ll bring you all the details right here at ComicMix.