If you are an avid comic reader, as myself, then you know the story of scrawny yet full of heart Steve Rogers.  A sickly man from Brooklyn who is transformed into Captain America to help the war effort. To revitalize this point The First Avenger delves deeper into the selection process of how Rogers was chosen for the Super Soldier project. Much emphasis is placed on the type of man Rogers’ is prior to receiving the serum, the fact that it’s his heart and determination that’s his true power. A little sappy I know but it comes across more inspiring than preachy.

Chris Evans gives a stellar performance as the good captain and I was only too happy, not to see a hint of Evans’ portrayal of the Human Torch show up. Evans played Captain America through and through and wasn’t anywhere near as one dimensional as some of the other actors portraying more than one type of comic character. Tommy Lee Jones’ Chester Phillips added a heavy dose of legitimacy to the war scenes to insure that the spandex wouldn’t overrun the movie. Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull came across as a little flat and nowhere near as terrifying as I thought the Skull should be. Of course what would a Marvel movie be if it wasn’t loaded with Easter eggs. Long time fans will recognize the Howling commandos, Uncle Stan and plenty more cameos and references.

With all comic properties a certain amount of changes can be expected when being translated to film, some good, some bad, and others just awful. The changes made to the First Avenger actually accentuate the story and the death (or lack there of) of two major players hint at the possibilities that we as fans can only hope for in future installments. Lastly Captain America satirized the country’s ability to hero worship in making him the pitchman for war bonds by the government where he knocked out a phony Hitler from city to city which lead to recruitment posters, movie rolls and even, dare I say it comics.

If you think you’ve had your fill of this superhero summer then you will miss out on an impressively solid film, that doesn’t fall into the cliché of other superhero films. Captain America: The First Avenger is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America. It is the fifth installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film was directed by Joe Johnston, written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. Captain America: The First Avenger premiered in Hollywood on July 19, 2011 and is scheduled for general release on July 22, 2011.

B+

LaTwan Holland was a writer for a local under ground newspaper, The Spinner Rack that covered comics, video games, anime and related movies and is currently the Producer of the DIRECT EDITION. To find out the latest that’s happening with LaTwan and the Direct Edition check them out at the DIRECT EDITION podcast, blog and you tube site.

That is just one of the many scenes of the “Batman Movie In My Head.” It’s not quite done and I’m not quite sure it ever will be. Here’s what I do know… it’ll probably be a movie presented in six, three-hour long parts and feature everything I love about Batman. I will keep adding scenes, firing directors, recasting actors and throwing imaginary money at it. F*** practical application, f*** a studio, f*** the actors I want being dead or too old to play the part.

F*** you, I have a movie in my head to make.

(ahem)

That said, I just realized I fired myself from the epic, six part, three-hour long each “Batman Movie In My Head” and been replaced with a studio wanting a return on their investment, a director who cares about these sorts of things, a casting director who knows nothing about CGI, actors interested in working with that puissant and a writer who knows story structure.

F*** them.

That said, this summer, I went to the movies knowing the movies-in-my-head wouldn’t ever be made and sent a mental mash note to a 12-year old Devon circa 1984. I told him over the course of the summer of 2011, in a dark movie theater and watching movies based on some your favorite things in the whole wide world will become movies. A Green Lantern movie! Yes, a Green Lantern movie! The technology finally caught up with the idea of a Green Lantern movie and yes, they do sort of botch it up with a horrible script and an actor you won’t like in twenty-seven years but kid, you’ll be sitting with friends watching this thing you’ve always wanted to see. Just try and be OK with it and enjoy.

You’ll see a Thor movie that won’t remind you in any way of the Walt Simonson Thor comics you’re reading right now but that’s OK. It’ll still be a fun movie. As a matter of fact, if you can look at it as the best Masters Of The Universe movie Hollywood will never make, you’ll love it even more. Oh, and it leads into an Avengers movie… but, first, you’ll have to watch the Captain America movie. Yeah, seriously…

Also, this summer, there will be a movie called X-Men: First Class starring this guy Kevin Bacon who’s in this movie coming out called “Footloose.” You won’t give a crap about “Footloose,” matter of fact, you still won’t have seen it but you’ll have met Kevin Bacon once and found him to be an alright guy so his casting will make you happy. He does a great job and you won’t believe who he’s playing. This movie’s sort of like a blend of “The X-Men meets James Bond.” Two of your favorite things, right? I KNOW!

Oh, and Captain America: The First Avenger? It hasn’t come out yet but man, it looks great. The guy who played The Human Torch is Captain America…

(sigh)

What is the big deal about a guy who played one comic book character not being able to playing another? There’s no rule against it. No, there isn’t. I know things. There won’t be in 2011 so, shut up. I’m from the future!

Just enjoy your “Movie Summer Of Awesome.” The movies-in-your-head already has its own greatest audience and always will. The kid in you who won’t believe he’ll see a Thor, Captain America, X-Men and Green Lantern movie all in ONE SUMMER will thank you for letting him enjoy it in peace and quiet.

Players will become Captain America as he faces the Red Skull and his army in an epic third- person action adventure set in the darkest days of World War II. Wielding Captain America’s legendary shield, gamers will engage in free-flowing combat and acrobatic platforming to infiltrate Hydra’s mysterious castle and battle the infamous Iron Cross, the forces of Hydra, and a host of nefarious enemies serving the Red Skull. As the First Avenger himself, players must defeat the evil scientist Arnim Zola and his wartime experiments, combining powerful melee combos and shield attacks to devastating effect.

Captain America: Super Soldier combines a highly athletic combat system with fluid platforming and a highly tuned suite of shield attacks, as Cap explores a massive castle turned military installation. His shield can be employed in numerous ways: taking out multiple enemies at once, deflecting incoming fire back at enemies, solving puzzles, and scaling walls. Players will be able to launch shield-first into the fray with the superior force of the world’s first Super-Soldier at their fingertips—and they’ll need every bit of that strength to overcome a castle that’s both an acrobatic playground for the Captain’s physical prowess and a house of mystery with enemies and danger at every turn.

Sorry Jim, but according to Screenrant, Aint It Cool News, and, no doubt, a million other sources by now, Chris Evans has been offered–and has accepted–the role of Captain America in Marvel’s upcoming The First Avenger: Captain America.

Instant reaction: Boo–I was genuinely intrigued by the idea of John Krasinski in the role, or maybe a relatively unknown “handsome young arian” to weild the sheild.

Secondary reaction: Chris Evans WAS Johnny Storm in the two Fox-produced Fantastic Four movies. The guy nailed everything about that character except the hair color, but still, he was so perfect in the part that hair color was the only gripe.

But is this a GOOD thing for Captain America?

Johnny Storm is a cocky goofball hothead prankster who finds the will to man up when danger calls. Steve Rogers is–in the comics anyway–an earnest, noble runt who wants desperately to serve his country in World War 2, but he isn’t up to snuff. But he has such heart and a willingness to do ANYTHING to be a hero to his country that he signs up for the super soldier program. He is psysically limited, but a hero from the start. And the super soldier serum simply gives him the physical goods to back up his spirit.

I’m sure the movie’s story will be a little more nuanced than this, but will Evans’ performance?

I’m a big Captain America fan–original, Ultimate, Bucky-Cap, and everything in between–so I hope this works. And I’d even say I am a fan of Chris Evans’ work–Push was entertaining, he was great in the FF movies, and I even liked that silly cellphone thriller he was in a few years ago. Marvel has been aces so far, but they’ve also been casting A-list actors. Like him or not, Evans is B-list all the way…at least until he gets that big A on his forehead.

Fingers crossed that this will be good. Luckily, the bar for Cap on film has been set…low.

AVENGERS VS. ATLAS #1: Well, this kicks arse. Writer Jeff Parker is clearly in his element here, writing the Agents as the over-the-top science-fiction heroes they should be. The enemies they go up against are as creative as the best Atlas stories, and the twist at the end is a ton of fun. If you’ve never read an Atlas book before, this is a great place to start.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #602: Ahhhhhhhh. If you’re wondering what that means, that’s a big, happy sigh, a release from the clenched breath I’ve had while reading Captain America stories lately. Whatever you think about Reborn, whatever you think about the multiple appearances a certain Mr. Rogers (no, the other one) has made in various titles, and whatever you thought about the various one-shots, apologies, and spoilers: this is Captain America the way we like it, Ed Brubaker style. It’s a great cap story, tied into the intricate continuity Brubaker has set up, but eminently accessible. And, like all the good stories Bru has been telling, it’s reflective of the world around us. If you’ve been sitting out the capital letters Big Events happening in Cap, come on back for this issue.

DARK AVENGERS #13: Don’t let anyone tell you that Brian Michael Bendis doesn’t have balls. The beginning and ending of this issue are practically Bendis poking the collective fan community in the shoulder, daring them to complain about the plot in this issue. And as pissed off as it made me, I think that’s the point; and I kind of love him for that. The Sentry, since his creation, has been a way of playing with fan expectations of superheroes. Every mini-series he’s been in, from Paul Jenkins original, to the excellent Age of the Sentry, has posited an entirely new origin for the character, an entirely new set of rules for his powers.

The only constant is, there’s Robert Reynolds (The Sentry), and The Void (his exact opposite). From there, it’s really just how the author wants to use him. So reading this issue, and reading the new info Bendis “reveals” about Mr. Power-Of-A-Million-Exploding-Suns, as inflammatory as it may be, might be equally untrue. Or at least, easily overturned the next time someone else tries to explain away the character. Heck, Bendis has even gone over The Sentry’s origin himself once in an earlier Avengers issue. It’s the biggest joy, for me, of the character, and I think the thing that’s most infuriating to comics readers.

The majority of comics (in continuity ones, at least), is explanation and rectification of prior continuity. The fact that writers of The Sentry not only purposely ignore anything that’s previously happened to him, but also seek to contradict it must drive continuity lovers* mad. So why not, if you’re going to go for it, go as insanely over the top as Bendis does in this issue? And why not have Mike Deodato draw insane two panel spreads filled with intense violence and gorgeously rendered action?

Point is, it might make you angry, but at least its getting a reaction out of you. That’s what, whether you like it or not, good art does.

DARK WOLVERINE #82: I have no idea of what Daken’s status quo will be post Siege, or what the future prospects for this title are, but Way and Liu are riding it out for all its worth, letting Daken play all allegiances against each other, and bringing to a head relationships and plot lines that have played out since this title changed, er, titles. There’s a huge moment towards the end of this issue that I’m shocked didn’t play out in Siege itself, and some god related craziness thrown into the mix that I’m not quite sold on; but I’m definitely on board to see how this all turns out.

DEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH #7: The Gisch is really starting to get into a groove with this title… While Daniel Way’s Deadpool is more grounded (if that’s possible), Merc With a Mouth works best the more insane it gets. And this issue is pretty insane, as Wade jumps from dimension to dimension, encountering alternate versions of himself along the way. I’m always a sucker for parallel universes drawn by different artists, and its a kick to see Rob Liefeld and Kyle Baker (among others) taking their own stabs at other Deadpools. This issue isn’t going to change the world, but its a fun almost one-shot, with some good art and silly jokes.

HULK #19: Okay, that’s now five issues in a row that Jeph Loeb has consistently delivered a fun story mixed with actual character development. It’s probably a little too early to declare that Mr. Loeb has gotten his groove back, but he’s certainly bringing a clarity and focus to the character of Red Hulk that hasn’t existed for the first twelve or so issues. Like the character himself, Loeb has stoped puffing up his chest and trying to show us how awesome he is, punching out Watchers and breaking cool s**t just to see what happens. Loeb, and by extension Rulk, have stopped being the high school bully, and instead are growing up into what that bully usually becomes: a businessman. Well, or the town drunk. Lucky for us, Loeb is setting Rulk up as a master strategist, and its paying off with a lot of fun. My big caveat here: Loeb is great at the set-up, and only about 50/50 on delivering. Here’s hoping with Greg Pak et al on board for this Fall of the Hulks event, the whole thing’ll pay off.

INCREDIBLE HERCULES #140: My guess is, this is the awesome, fun, actiony issue, before next issues heart-breaker. Regardless, I’ll keep saying it, until you start buying it: every issue of this series is great. If you like good stories, fun characters, and comics that you’ll enjoy reading (again), pick up Incredible Hercules.

INCREDIBLE HULK #606: Greg Pak and Paul Pelletier are the perfect team on Hulk. Never, ever let them stop doing this title. That little bit out of the way, once again, Pak turns in a near perfect issue of the Hulk, mixing all the drama and pathos we expect from a Banner-centric title, with plenty of humor and big, bold set pieces. The question of whether Bruce Banner is a hero or a villain continues, and perfectly parallels with Skaar’s similar journey. This is quickly becoming my favorite title at Marvel after Incredible Herc. Oh, and a little note about the Fall of the Hulks storyline: I wasn’t totally sold on the idea in advance, but this issue, and Hulk #19 have amped up the danger and intrigue enough that I’m dying to know what happens next. Here’s hoping the later chapters pay off on that promise.

MIGHTY AVENGERS #33: With comic book in-jokes a-plenty, strong ties to continuity, and big Avengery moments, I’m hoping this title – and team – come back after the Avengers “cancellation” in April. Tying up the Cosmic Cube two-parter with panache, the team of Dan Slott and Khoi Pham prove that even with Dark Avengers, your comic doesn’t need to be dark. Fingers crossed, the Heroic Age looks a lot like this issue.

SPIDER-WOMAN #5: Bendis and Maleev writing a female super-hero in Noir-ish style? You kind of can’t go wrong there. There’s a bit of a continuity hiccup at the end of the issue, but getting past that, and the slight lack of skrull fightin’ going on, you have another solid issue that plays better in comic form than motion comic form. Hopefully, this gets to be an ongoing.

THUNDERBOLTS #140: Jeff Parker’s first arc ends with a bang, quite literally, as we get one of the more shocking moments in this title in a while. There’s also some good creative solutions to problems going on (but, you know, more fun than that phrase makes ‘em sound), and solid character moments throughout. But it still feels a little like we’re treading water until we get to the next, post-Siege status quo. On another note, anyone else feel like Ghost is the next break-through character at Marvel, that he’s really stepping it up as a uniquely creepy villain? I’m hoping he doesn’t get TOO popular though, or we’ll just get another anti-hero title. Additionally: I realize Ghost is not a real person, though the last two sentences may not convey that.

UNCANNY X-MEN #520: Is X-Men coming out every week now or something? I feel like I just read the last two issues… Regardless (and I kind of hope that’s true), Matt Fraction continues to write his X-Men in broad strokes, with action movie flourishes. Three fan-fave X-Men head to New York to trail down the last Predator X (mutant eating beastie), while back on Utopia, Magneto just wants to help out the only way he knows how: by taking charge. I know a lot of people aren’t fans of Fraction’s run on this, but I’m really enjoying this cinema-esque approach to the team, especially with (and here is where I loose all credibility) with Greg Land on board. Fraction’s script perfectly compliments Land’s glossy art. It’s big, and loud, and fun, and I’m enjoying the heck out of it. Is it Claremont’s sad, soap opera X-Men, mixing angst with action? Heck no. But every writer has to forge his own take on the group, and Fraction’s X-Men are slick, modern, and fun, all catch-phrases and quips. I like it.

WOLVERINE WEAPON X #9: See, now that’s how you make a new villain. There’s not as much explanation, or story, as I might like in the last chapter of “Insane in the Brain,” but there’s more than enough, well, insanity, to keep Jason Aaron fans satisfied. Plus, Dr. Rot is a great new adversary for Wolverine to deal with, and honestly, I’d rather have less “my claws are bigger than your claws” enemies for Mr. Howlett, and more intelligent maniacs like this.

*Someone please get me one of those Continuity Lovers pizzas from Dominos, stat.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #615: Javier Pulido’s gorgeous art and Javier Rodriguez’s muted colors perfectly match Fred “Javier” Van Lente’s haunting lullaby of a story. The events of the previous issue are poignantly followed up on, as Spidey’s cast of characters try to move on in the wake of the destruction of the Daily Bugle. We get new status quos, some great character moments, and a deadly new Sandman. The best part of this issue is the amount of invention Van Lente and Pulido bring to Sandman’s moves (hey, he’s not just making hammers with his fists!), and more importantly, they explain how Spidey swings from the city to the center of the East River. That’s been a long time coming. Possibly my favorite issue of this title since Dan Slott and Marcos Martin’s Paper Doll arc.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN PRESENTS: ANTI-VENOM – NEW WAYS TO LIVE #3: I’m not 100% sure we needed a return of “Venom: Lethal Protector,” but it’s also not like Zeb Wells did a bad job with this series. There’s a nice underscoring of the theme on the last page, and the art is solid enough, I’m just still suffering from a bad case of the Venom over-exposure I caught during the ’90s.

ASTONISHING X-MEN #33: I’m not saying this isn’t fun. The splash pages and giant panels in particular are totally insane and poster worthy, and Warren Ellis has his usual “I read a science article this morning and now it is a comic book” ethic going on. But it’s also like Ellis spent the day watching a bunch of sitcoms, and then aped the speech rhythms of said sitcoms. There’s a lot of banter in here, and pacing that almost demands a laugh track. We’re not really getting anything except broad character strokes, so if you’re thinking about picking this up, do so knowing you’re in for a silly, big budget ride of a comic.

CABLE #21: I swear to god, if Hope ISN’T Jean Grey, I will eat my hat. I don’t own or wear hats, but I will go out, buy a hat, and put it on my head until the X-Men Second Coming event starts next year, just to prove a point. However, that hat will be made out of cheeseburgers. FYI. Anyway, this issue is great, as usual. Bishop and Cable are the super serious, time-traveling versions of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner I never knew I wanted to read about on a monthly basis, until I did. If this series ends when Cable and Hope get back to “our” time, I’m going to be very sad; though, I don’t know how the mission statement of the book couldn’t completely change. Ah well.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #5: Well, that just went crazy-pants. And in my book, there’s nothing necessarily wrong with that. Bryan Hitch and Butch Guice get to draw some insane, over the top battle sequences, including the intro of one character that, if it doesn’t fill you with abject glee, you’re not a Marvel fan. Unfortunately, given all the build-up (I’m including the entirety of Brubaker’s run on cap, because let’s be honest, this is what it’s all been building up to), the Red Skull’s plan comes off a little half baked. And generic. Which is too bad, because otherwise it has the action fans have been craving for most of the series. This is going to collect very well, and I think there the pacing will feel a little more classically three-act, but as is, it hasn’t quite been working in the issue format.

DAREDEVIL #503: I’m not a big fan of characters telling me, “things are going to get real bad…” or “There’s a storm coming…” or just generally letting me know things are getting bad, without actually showing me that. And, as is, it’s not like Daredevil doesn’t know he’s in over his head, we don’t need to keep telling him that. Still, Andy Diggle does a solid job solidifying the status quo in this issue, thoough I wonder how long it can hold for. We shall see…

DARK AVENGERS #12: Last issue I said I’m a sucker for a good Molecule Man story, loved what Bendis, Deodato, and Horn did with the look and pacing of the issue, and was curious to find out more about Victoria Hand. I wouldn’t abjectly say those fizzled out with this issue, but it definitely feels like, to use a television metaphor, the last five minutes after the last commercial break. The issue looks fantastic, and there’s at least two big plot points here (one I’m not crazy about, the other, at the end, is blindingly obvious once you think about it, but also incredibly satisfying), but as an issue, it’s a light one.

DARK WOLVERINE #81: When Daniel Way and Marjorie Liu completely avoid action, and instead focus on making Daken a diabolical mastermind, this series soars. Reason it works is, most monologuing bad guys don’t have frickin’ bone claws and assassin skills to back up their smarts, just a few bombs and some henchmen. Daken, in case you haven’t guessed, has bone claws. And, in this issue, is completely terrifying. A quiet character piece using Ms. Marvel (Sofen-style) as a window, this is a great one-shot to get on board the title, and another illuminating piece of the puzzle for Daken, who is quickly coming out of the shadow of his father.

DEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH #6: Last issue, I felt like Victor Gischler was really finding his stride with this title, making Deadpool his own; and I think that’s solidified with this issue, especially in light of Daniel Way’s take on DP in the… Main, I guess? Title, which is far more anti-hero-ish, than goofy. This is goofy. Almost shticky. It’s weird to say, but this is the comedy counterpart to Deadpool. Where there’s almost zero character development, and everything is to set up far more ridiculous situations for Deadpool and his talking zombie head to get into. Far be it from me to criticize someone else for being shticky, so I’ll just stop there.

DOCTOR VOODOO: AVENGER OF THE SUPERNATURAL #3: I’ve really enjoyed the first two issues of this, but this third one just devolves into the supernatural mumbo-jumbo speak people pick on when they talk about not liking magic comics. Arts still good, though.

HULK #18: Jeph Loeb continues his streak of solid character pieces about Hulk characters with this issue’s smartly written focus on Leonard Samson. Seriously? Did I just write that sentence? And it’s true? Everything I know and love is wrong.

MIGHTY AVENGERS #32: After the last, excellent arc, this title is finally firing on all cylinders, giving us the old school Avengers action we (well, I) wanted. Dan Slott takes solo scripting duties this issue, and as usual, he gives nicely textured character moments, big action, and at the end, a threat so big it needs two Avengers teams to take it on. For now, at least, this title has replaced Avengers: The Initiative as the best title to get a sense of what’s going on in the Marvel Universe right now.

MS. MARVEL #48: If Brian Reed is going to wrap up his run on Ms. Marvel in two issues, he’s definitely going in style. Great second page, great last page, a fun romp throughout that plays on elements seen throughout Reed’s run on the series. I’ll miss it when it’s gone.

REALM OF KINGS INHUMANS #2: As usual, a solid and enjoyable effort from Abnett and Lanning, but I’m going to repeat my slight, unfair dismay from the previous issue. In my mind, the Inhumans work best when you can radically change their status quo in a mini-series, allowing them to completely change over the course of four or five issues. As, you know, their whole thing is change. Previous Inhumans mini and maxi series have been some of my favorites put out by Marvel in the past two decades. Here, though, for the first time, DnA have given them a solid, interesting status quo. And I like it. However, I don’t think it really lends itself to a series, so much as having them now be supporting character in the back-drop. Also, I don’t think matters are helped by strangely crossing over the second issue of a mini-series with an ongoing series (Mighty Avengers). Again, I like both titles, Inhumans fans should definitely pick this up, but the whole endeavor is striking me as a little off.

THE MARVELOUS LAND OF OZ #2: Easily the must absurd issue of this series (as well as the previous one), it’s far more dialogue based than the previous issue, so more on writer Eric Shanower’s shoulders than Skottie Young’s. But… It’s still great. Every issue of this is great, and like I say pretty much every time, if you want to get a kid you know hooked on comics, give them one of the Marvel Oz books.

THUNDERBOLTS #139: It’ll probably take a few issues before Jeff Parker finds his footing and makes his mark with this title… Right now, it feels like it’s skimming on the surface of the water set up by Warren Ellis, then Andy Diggle. It helps, though, with this issue that Parker lands himself in comfortable waters by having the T-Bolts go up against his pet project, Agents of Atlas. And it’s a fun, creative fight in this issue, well worth picking up; though at this point, I’d love to skip forward five months and see where this title will be after Dark Reign finishes.

ULTIMATE COMICS ARMOR WARS #3: Okay, so after three and a half issues of Tony Stark boozing it up, havin’ da sex, and kicking arse without a care, we finally get a challenge worthy of the name Armor Wars. But again, he just kind of kicks arse, and I imagine the next issue he’ll again, easily solve his problems. Warren Ellis always knows how to make cool, fun tech, and write big battle scenes with quippy dialogue, but this, like most of his Marvel work, is characterized by far less interest and care than his creator owned work. Which is too bad, because he could make an insane Ultimate Armor Wars, if he put his mind to it.

VENGEANCE OF THE MOON KNIGHT #4: I’m just going to keep reiterating the same thing every issue: Jerome Opena’s art is spectacular and cinematic; I still don’t know why I should be caring about Moon Knight.

WHAT IF? DAREDEVIL VS. ELEKTRA: Of these new batch of What Ifs, this comes the closest to telling an actual story. There’s a review for you!

X-FACTOR #200: Ah… That’s more like it. After a cramped last issue, X-Factor is back with a super-sized spectacular, and as good as ever. This is a great jumping on point for new readers, as Peter David expertly introduces each character, as well as the new, central mystery. In a certain way, after the massive amounts of continuity and crossover-itis in the past few arcs, it’s bringing the title back to basics. And I like it. Plus, a killer last page, as usual.

X-FORCE #22: This is very much a middle chapter of the Necrosha cross-over, and while there are some big moments involving Rahne’s condition, and a great little moment with Blink and Eli Bard, for the most part, not too much changes; we’ve got far too many parts of this cross-over to go. If you’re picking this title up, keep picking it up, but this may not be the best time to jump right in.

X-MEN LEGACY #230: More like, “X-men leg you see,” because they all have legs, and you can see them, am I right? No, I’m not. Anywho, another solid issue by Mike Carey, wrapping up his Emplate arc in a big way. But again, broken record time… What’s this series about, really? what’s the mission statement? Because I don’t think we’re going to find out for another few issues, until the Necrosha cross-over is done, and I’m missing a compelling reason to pick up this title.

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Sinestro’s got a point. Halloween is a busy time for geeks and parents alike, so I’ll keep this week’s dose brief.

With a double dose of DC Undead (Green Lantern and Blackest Night shipped–both were solid), I didn’t expect my favorite read this week to be so far removed from the Halloween spirit–yet somehow, amidst all the ghouls and gore, my favorite comic moment would be a simple superhero beatdown. But when the Dark Avengers came a-sniffing for Bucky-Cap in New Avengers #58, the star-spangled substitute showed them why he is more than qualified to weild the sheild:

I agree with Ares.

Ultimate Cap didn’t have such a bad week either, as he tussled with Nick Fury’s new team of black-ops ”heroes” in Ultimate Avengers #3. And what a team? The new Wasp plays human bullet to assassinate a roomful of baddies, the new Black Widow is Snake Eyes with lady parts, a new “smart” Hulk has been grown in a lab, a creepy new Hannibal Lecter-like Spider-Man fills the quickly-becoming-cliched role of mysterious team member with the unknown alias,  and Ultimate War Machine is a transformers with attitude!

I was surprised to see the epic Fantastic Four debut of Jonathan Hickman and Dale Eaglesham wrap up so abruptly. Those two creators are still on the book, but they seem to have closed the door (at least for the time being) on the League of Infinite Reeds, infinity gauntlets from around the multiverse, and foot-racing Celestials…all so our Mister Fantastic can spend some more time with his family. Noble…but Sunday brunch with the kids won’t make for the same kind of excitement we’ve grown accustomed to from this book.

The last book in my pull this week actually does fit this spooky season–FVZA: Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency is a 3-issue horror book from Radical Comics and (according to Radical) based on a website, http://www.fvza.org/. Written by David Hine and illustrated by Roy Allan Martinez, FVZA is creepy, violent, sexy, and gross–and it manages to put just enough of a spin on vampires and zombies that it is complementary to, rather than derivative of, True Blood and Zombieland. Check out this preview and decide for yourself.

And now I’m left trying to figure out who I’d want to see cast as The First Avenger: Captain America.

The word on the street is that the movie is going to be Cap’s origin as a runt kid volunteering to become a World War II super soldier, so it will be a period piece or, if it is set in modern times, it will be heavy on the WWII flashbacks. It’s speculation at this point whether the movie will touch on plot points such as the U.S. military testing the super soldier serum on guinea pig black soldiers (from Marvel’s Truth: Red, White, and Black mini), which could create an interesting context for all those rumors about Will Smith being considered for the role of Cap (he just wouldn’t be Steve Rogers). There’s also no official word on how much if any of the plot will involve SHIELD or Iron Man or, as it happened in the comics, Namor the Sub-Mariner fishing a frozen-in-ice Captain America out of the ocean and thawing him out to become a modern-day Avenger (though it’s probably a safe bet the movie will at least get us up to the moment, even if the whole reawakening bit doesn’t play out until the actual Avengers movie).

The casting of Steve Rogers may need to cover two roles: the scrawny kid with a big red, white, and blue heart and no chance of passing his army physical, and the genetically-enhanced super man that he is tranformed into–the ultimate blond-haired, blue-eyed Nazi ideal ironically engineered to kick those Ratzis up and down Europe, while en route to popping Hitler one on the jaw. Cap will need to look like he was injected with super soldier serum–big, muscular, imposing. Before that, he’ll need to look like a sunken-chested twerp. I suppose it is possible that technology can make it so we’re always looking at the same actor’s face, even if a stand-in needs to play the body of pre-serum Steve.

I believe in the comics Steve Rogers is from Brooklyn, but one change they should make for the movie is to make him more of an all-America boy from the heartland. He can always move to New York when he’s older (and discover his inner cartoonist, just like in the comics), so such a change shouldn’t be a problem to anyone. This consideration has more to do with an actor’s ability to play country mouse over city mouse, more than it has to do with the actor’s look.

And even though we tend to think of Cap as older–mainly because he’s got the midset of all the other Marvel heroes grandfather–he’d be a kid in this origin story. Thirty-plus-year-old men don’t generally enlist in the military. Steve is going to be 18, 19, maybe 20, to start things off. Even if the story has him in the military for years, he won’t be more than 20-something by the time he winds up in ice. Casting that is going to be tricky. The best bet will be to cast someone young enough to pull off a clean-shaven, bright-eyed 20, but who can then man up convincingly enough to ultimately wind up as the man barking orders at Tony Stark and the God of Thunder in the Avengers. But you can’t just cast Jon Hamm or Matthew McConaughy or any other actor pushing 40 who have been suggested.

So who can be our Star-Spangled Avenger? Here are a few possibilities:

Blond hair, blue eyes, strong chin, all-American looks–it makes sense that Paul Walker’s name has been floated for the part for a while now. He’s young enough–but not too young–to play the age range necessary for Cap, from young roughneck recruit to eventual leader of the World’s Mightiest Heroes.

Channing Tatum has already played one super soldier in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, so maybe he could slip on the wing-eared mask as well. I’d worry that he’s a little too young, and pretty green as an actor. But then again, if he’s surrounded by the kind of A-list actors Marvel has been putting into it’s recent crop of movies, maybe there will be some impressive castmates around to help elevate the kid’s game:

And then there’s The Marine–John Cena. He’s a genetic freak, but he’s still relatively young. And I’m a pro wrestling fan who knows what the guy has to do every night in front of live arena crowds for WWE, so I don’t doubt his acting ability or his capacity for physicality. Like the other two, his name has already come up in the rumor mill, but wrestlers are always mentioned and quickly dismissed when it comes to super hero movies. But if you want to get across the idea that the pipsqueak Steve Rogers is transformed into the ultimate prototype super soldier, it wouldn’t hurt to have the beanpole end up looking like this:

Who would you cast as Captain America?

Intro
Captain America #600 (BUY IT)
Power Girl #2 (SPLIT VERDICT)
Batman: Streets of Gotham #1 (BUY IT)
Ultimate Spider-Man: Requiem #1 (BUY IT)
Brave and Bold #24 (DON’T BOTHER)
Invincible #63 (BUY IT)

Agree? Disagree? Think we don’t know what the heck we’re talking about? Leave your comments below!

Special thanks to Comic Smash for providing Diana & Shola’s books for review and Midtown Comics for providing Jon’s.

Joe Johnston named Film’s Director

· Joe Johnston has signed on to direct Marvel Studios’ THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA based on characters developed by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. The film will be produced by Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige. Executive Producers on the project are Louis D’Esposito, Stan Lee and Marvel Studios’ Chairman David Maisel. Paramount Pictures will distribute THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA worldwide. The film will come to theatres domestically on May 6, 2011.

· LOGLINE: In the early days of the Marvel Universe, Steve Rogers volunteers to participate in an experimental program that turns him into the Super Soldier known as Captain America.

· Johnston is currently directing THE WOLF MAN, which comes to theatres early next year. He is developing THE DEATH AND LIFE OF CHARLIE ST. CLOUD. Johnston previously directed OCTOBER SKY, JUMANJI, JURASSIC PARK III, THE ROCKETEER, and HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS. Johnston won an Academy Award® in 1982 for Best Visual Effects for RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.

· Marvel Studios most recently announced an agreement with Raleigh Studios to film each of its next four films at Raleigh’s facility in Manhattan Beach, CA which will include THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA.

· Johnston is repped by CAA and attorney Lawrence Rose.

About Marvel
Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics). Marvel’s strategy is to leverage its franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world, including feature films, consumer products, toys, video games, animated television, direct-to-DVD and online. For more information visit www.marvel.com.

Honestly, I can’t necessarily think of a better guy to direct The First Avenger: Captain America than the guy who directed The Rocketeer, can you? From the Hollywood Reporter:

“This is a guy who designed the vehicles for ‘Star Wars,’ who storyboarded the convoy action sequence for ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark,’ ” Feige said. “From ‘Rocketeer’ to ‘October Sky’ to ‘The Wolfman,’ you can look at pieces of his movies and see how they lead to this one.”

…and also directed Jurassic Park III, the only one in that series that’s any good. No, I’m not joking.

In any case, seems like Marvel has the director thing pretty locked down, huh? To wit:

Iron Man II – Jon Favreau
Thor – Kenneth Branagh
The First Avenger: Captain America – Joe Johnston

That’s a certain level of director who is very, very good at their craft, but not so big that they can push around the producers or cause problems. Plus, all three are reliably going to do a job, not throw tantrums (see: Punisher War Zone).

Oh, and one more thing you guys might have not heard over the weekend: J. Michael Straczynski is doing the rewrite on Thor. How cool is that?

Writers: Daniel & Charles Knauf
Artist: Mitch Breitwieser

Art: 6/10
Story: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

The Knaufs serve up an entertaining issue that hooks the reader early with an explosive beginning and keeps the reader’s attention until the very end thanks to plenty of adrenaline-pumping action scenes and one bad-ass Captain America.

What impressed me is that the Knaufs actually pulled off some nice research before writing this issue. And that is surprising considering it seems that many writers simply go through the motions and put in little effort when writing a one-shot “special” issue.

The version of Steve Rogers that we get in this issue is different from the modern day version that Brubaker was giving us prior to Steve’s death. The Knaufs present the reader with a Captain America who is still young and raw, similar to the Daniel Craig version of James Bond. This younger version of Steve Rogers is a bit more cocky and sarcastic.

I also liked the fact that the Knaufs write Captain America as real soldier rather than a super hero. This version of Captain America is more militaristic in attitude. It is clear that this young version of Captain America is a soldier and a national symbol and not a crime-fighting super hero. And the Knaufs let Captain America fight like a soldier as Steve has no problems putting away his shield and relying on machine guns to blast his way through the Nazis.

Of course, what has always been present with Captain America has been the way he keeps calm, cool and collected no matter how intense the fighting may get. I like how the Knaufs appear to have read Brubaker’s run on Captain America. Way back in Captain America #17, Brubaker made a point of having Steve mention that he is able to dodge bullets because he can see things faster than a normal person.

The Knaufs play with this concept by having Steve mention that he sees everything happen in battle slower than it really seems. And how the scientists think it is a side effect of the Super Soldier serum. I always appreciate it when one writer pays attention to what another writer has previously done with a certain character and then builds on it.

Of course, it is the kick-ass action scenes that make Captain America: Theater of War: Operation Zero Point #1 such an enjoyable read. The Knaufs make Captain America look like a total bad-ass as he lays waste to the Nazis in his path. All of the fight scenes are impressively well choreographed.

Personally, I am not a fan of Mitch Breitwieser’s style of artwork. It is a bit too drab and dull looking. Having said that, Breitwieser’s old school style of artwork does match the story in that this is a Golden Age Captain America tale. So, while I might not be overly impressed with Breitwieser’s artwork in general, it worked fine with the mood and tone of the story in this issue.

For more in-depth reviews, story recaps, scans and news visit Comic Book Revolution!

And there you have it. My question is: Is this awesome? Is this a great nod to the fanboys?

At first I thought Marvel’s strategy of linking all of their films together and creating a movie version of comic book continuity was a bold and risky move. Would Marvel really risk alienating mainstream audiences by creating a tight little Marvel world. But I think this blurry image points to how it will be done across the board: they fanboy nods will be slight and subtle, the non-comic reader won’t even register the difference.

But that strategy leaves me hoping for more. How cool would it be to have the Hulk confront a man frozen in ice in Antarctica: Doesn’t that idea speak to Bruce Banner’s imprisonment inside the body of the Hulk? The connections are there and if Marvel can make them in the right way then the movie continuity could be a great boon, a thread that binds them all together and makes them stronger rather than a much talked about, blurry, throw-away image.

What is even more interesting about the news is that it confirmed some upcoming film projects that fans have been speculating on for quite some time. Even better than that, we even know the anticipated release dates for the films as well.

The five movie deal includes:

‘Iron Man 2′ Anticipated Release Date: May 7, 2010
‘Thor’ Anticipated Release Date: July 16, 2010
‘The First Avenger: Captain America’ Anticipated Release Date: May 6, 2011
‘The Avengers’ Anticipated Release Date: July 15, 2011
‘Iron Man 3′ Anticipated Release Date: TBD

We’ll have more information on these projects as they break. In the meantime, you can read PopCultureShock’s review of the Blu-Ray release of ‘Iron Man’ right here.