I think we can all agree that both Fantastic Four movies were, shall we say, lacking somewhat, and would not have been much improved even with a POC cast. Plus I’ve always loved the FF, so I’ll start there. I’ll take Idris Elba as Reed. I’ve never seen The Wire (shocking, I know), but everyone insists he’s a really good actor and he looks about the right age, so yeah. Nia Long is my Sue because I’ve liked her ever since Love Jones and she didn’t end up playing Uhura in Star Trek like I wanted. I think Columbus Short is a bit too young to play Pooch in The Losers (he’s 28), but he’s just right as Johnny. And Ben… well, Bernie Mac would’ve been perfect, but I’ll give Tracy Morgan a try instead. We can keep Kerry Washington as Alicia, obviously. And I’ll take Djimon Hounsou as an African Doctor Doom. Just don’t ask me how that’ll work. The Mole Man in the first movie as the villain; Doom is in a parallel storyline where he joins the Tibetan monks and trains with them, while we learn about his relationship with Reed in flashbacks. The FF beat the Mole Man and become a team. The last scene in the movie is Doom putting on the armor for the first time. Second movie is the Negative Zone and Annihilus; the Silver Surfer comes to Earth and Doom tricks him out of his power. Cliffhanger ending where the FF return and Reed detects a huge spherical ship heading towards Earth… leading into the third movie: FF vs. cosmic-powered Doom vs. Silver Surfer vs. Galactus.

Let’s pretend that Halle Berry’s Catwoman actually bore some resemblance to the comics version. And let’s pretend further that the Ed Brubaker/Darwyn Cooke/Cameron Stewart run is the basis for this movie (don’t I wish!). First let’s get rid of Halle and bring in Rosario Dawson. (Where’s she been lately, anyway?) For Slam Bradley I’ll go with Delroy Lindo. Underrated actor, very classy in everything he’s been in. He’d bring the right level of world-weariness mixed with tough-guy-with-a-heart-of-gold. Ruby Dee would make an awesome Leslie Thompkins. Jurnee Smollett was soooooo good in Eve’s Bayou as a kid, and she’s grown up pretty nicely since then, so I can totally see her as Holly. And I’d want Taye Diggs more as Bruce Wayne than as Batman, but I suppose it couldn’t hurt either way. The movie would be a condensed version of the first dozen issues or so of the Brubaker run, with perhaps a little bit of Cooke’s graphic novel Selina’s Big Score used in flashbacks. Big emphasis on the supporting cast; this would be less of a superhero tale and more of a neo-noir crime story.

That’s all I can think of right now.

Make yourself into a Na’vi!

NOW NOW NOW!!!!!!

Also: How Obama led to getting Independence Day 2 off the ground.

Supergirl #33. Pencils by Igle.

Youngblood #9. Guest-starring the First Fan.

Black Panther #6. Story and pencils by Hudlin & Lashley.

Gold Digger #109. By Perry.

Return to Wonderland TP. Written by Gregory.

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Also notable:

Green Lantern #44. Blackest Night tie-in.

Amazing Spider-Man #600

Incredible Hulk #600

Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter HC. Adapted by Darwyn Cooke.

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I’m moving back to New York next week. As much as the Midwest was fun and enlightening in many ways, I can no longer stay where I’m living and I’m out of money. This won’t affect my presence here, although I might not be able to provide updates from Comic-Con as quickly I’d like to. And I have cancelled my comic strip. What can I say? Things didn’t work out like I had hoped. Life continues…

Morgan Freeman is lined up to appear in a film based on a Warren Ellis comic.

Here’s a collection of Mandela cartoons by Zapiro.

Comics Should Be Good posts a dynamite scene from Tony Isabella’s Black Lightning.

More Obama tomfoolery courtesy of The Onion.

This video review of the movie Steel is HILARIOUS.

War Machine

Plus: Check out this strip that sums up Dwayne McDuffie’s tenure on the Justice League book.

Barack Obama: The Road to the White House

interview with writer Jeff Marriotte from WonderCon

link to buy Presidential Material: Barack Obama

IDW’s second Obama comic chronicles his presidential run.

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Also this week:

Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance #2 (of 6). Art by Chriscross and Stull.

War Machine #7

Gold Digger #107, GD Color Remix Mangazine Special, GD Tech Manual #4. By Perry.

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Also notable:

Captain America #600. ON SALE NOW!

Interviews with Joe Quesada and Tom Brevoort about CA#600 and Rebirth (and no, it won’t involve Isaiah Bradley)

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Legendary cartoonist Jules Feiffer talks about an Obama-related graphic novel he’s just completed.

Spike draws Bully.

Variant cover for issue 7, part of a “80s and 90s” theme being shared with a few other titles. Normally I don’t go for variants much, but this is too funny to not share.

Also: Obama comics mania has finally jumped the shark.

The focus of this article is on the practice of satire in general in South Africa, with an emphasis on newly-elected president Jacob Zuma, and cartoonist Zapiro is prominently interviewed.

Plus: High-five to Bully at Comics Oughta Be Fun for acknowledging the proper hierarchy of Star Trek women.

“‘The president seems to be someplace else lately,’ said one high-level official, speaking on condition of anonymity. ‘Yesterday we were all being briefed on the encroachment of Iranian drone planes into Iraq, when he just looked up from the table and blurted out, “What am I supposed to watch on Fridays at 10 p.m. now? Numb3rs?”‘”

It’s from The Onion. Therefore it’s not real. (And neither was yesterday’s April Fool post about Quantum & Woody – but you probably knew that by now.)

In other news: Zoe Saldana joins Idris Elba on board The Losers.

“…But that whole notion is not what I, or the caricaturists and cartoonists I know, are about.”

Related: The legal ramifications of Obama’s likeness appearing across so many comics.

Plus: Funny Obama-as-comics-geek story from The Onion (thanks to Max for the link).

Big thanks to Claudia for the link.

Kevin Grevioux website

Amazon link to buy Underworld Widescreen Special Edition on DVD

Underworld co-creator and co-star Kevin Grevioux writes the latest installment in the series.

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Also this week:

Buffy TVS: Wolves at the Gate TP. Art by Georges Jeanty.

Push #1 (of 6). A movie tie-in, co-written by Marc Bernardin.

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Also notable:

Batman: Cacaphony #1 (of 3). Written by Kevin Smith. It’s only three issues; maybe he’ll be able to complete that much at least…

JSA: Kingdom Come Special – Superman. They’re really milking KC for all it’s worth, aren’t they?

Sir Apropos of Nothing #1 (of 5). Peter David’s adaptation of his best-selling novel.

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Another college paper gets uptight about Keith Knight’s Obama toon.

Beyonce as Wonder Woman???

Georges Jeanty interview.

Is the world ready for a black James Bond?

Play the latest video game sensation – Super Obama World!

Mr. Billy Dee Williams!