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New 'Superman: Earth One' Vol. 2 Preview Packs Parasitism and Murder Aplenty

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-24T17:30:00+00:00

Filed under: DC

Celebrating its Superman Facebook page's 2,043,695 and counting "likes," DC Comics has released two new preview pages from Superman: Earth One Vol. 2 by J. Michael Straczynski and Shane Davis. Due out October 31, the OGN will explore a darker side to the young Superman, as demonstrated by a cover featuring the Man of Steel floating solemnly over a pile of burning human skulls. This brand of literal face-melting is repeated in one of the new preview pages, as Supes (presumably) fantasizes about murdering an evil dictator with his incendiary heat vision. Meanwhile, the other page is equally murder-y, this time on behalf of the evil Parasite, who sort of bears a passing resemblance to the X-Men character Maggot. You can scope out the two new Superman: Earth One Vol. 2 pages after the cut.

From DC's official solicitation info:

The highly anticipated sequel to the #1 New York Times best-selling graphic novel SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE by acclaimed writer J. Michael Straczynski and superstar artist Shane Davis is here! Young Clark Kent continues his journey toward becoming the World's Greatest Super Hero but finds dealing with humanity to be a bigger challenge than he ever imagined! From a ruthless dictator to a new love interest who's NOT Lois Lane, things are never easy for this emerging Man of Steel. And the worst is yet to come, in the form of a man-monster with an insatiable appetite, the Parasite! The only thing that might appease his hunger is The Last Son of Krypton! But that will also mean he will have Superman's powers without his conscience, and Kal-El learns to live without powers beyond those of mere mortals.

You can check out the Superman: Earth One Vol. 2 preview pages below:

[Click Images to Enlarge]

[Via Robot 6, FB]

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Andy MacDonald Fashions New Looks for the X-Men [Art]

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-24T12:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Art, Culture

As much self-proclaimed hipster-themed art as we see around these parts, it's sometimes easy to overlook when artists convey the team as simply hip. Artist Andy MacDonald delivers in this regard, with an art series that dons the X-Men in contemporary, costume-inspired fashions that don't overdo things and look unironically awesome. It's no surprise considering how impressed we've been with MacDonald's work in the past, and his skills certainly don't stop at fashion, though he's applied a similar sensibility to some very nicely-dressed robots as well. Take a look at MacDonald's take on Wolverine, Rogue, Storm, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Jubilee, Beast and Gambit after the cut.

[Via Whiskey Mech]

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'The Amazing Spider-Man' Figures Coming From Hot Toys, Medicom and Kaiyodo

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-24T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Marvel, Movies, Toys

If you thought you had plenty of The Amazing Spider-Man movie action figure options from Hasbro and Diamond Select Toys' Marvel Select and Minimates lines, prepare to further empty the contents of your wallet. Hot Toys, Medicom and Kaiyodo will be releasing their own respective takes on the Webslinger this year and they all seem to do most everything a plastic spider can.

While Hot Toys is only teasing its 1/6 scale figure thus far (don't worry, we'll have more photos as soon as they're available), Kaiyodo and Medicom are being less shy with images of their wares, which are both expected to arrive in Japan come August. Kaiyodo's figure is part of their Sci-Fi Revoltech line and will come with an urban landscape base and stand around 5-6" tall if the Revoltech Iron Man Mark VI is any indication. It'll also be the least expensive of the three figures at around $55, judging from toy preorder sites like BBTS. Medicom's Spider-Man will stand about 12" tall and be limited to just 1,500 pieces, meaning it could fetch a pretty hefty sum from collectors (around $250 initially).

You can check out images of all three upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man action figures below.

Medicom

Hot Toys

Kaiyodo

[Via Marvelousnews, Medicom, Hot Toys]

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Link Ink: 'G.I. Joe 2' Delayed, 'Building Stories' and Toonami's New Shows

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-24T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Link Ink, Culture

Movies: G.I. Joe: Retaliation won't be coming out on June 29 as originally planned. Paramount is moving its opening to March 29, 2013. You know, for the 3D that the kids like. Sing it with me, "G.I. Noooooooooo!" [Deadline]

Theme Parks: China's forthcoming One Piece theme park is totally unsanctioned, in true pirate form. [Crunchyroll]

Digital: DC Comics is giving away a downloadable issue of Superman/Batman #1 for free until the end of today. [The Source]

Art: Pantheon Books is showing off Chris Ware's upcoming Building Stories, which is due out in October. So far it seems like a print fan's dream. [Tumblr]

Conventions: San Diego Comic-Con International has announced it will resell 5,000 single day passes to its 2012 show. Hit the SDCC site to see if you can qualify to be notified when the resell goes down. [SDCC]

Fanimation: NGSMOOV animates their take on a G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero/Transformers G1 crossover. [Topless Robot]

Anime: Cartoon Network's new Toonami block will include series Casshern Sins and Deadman Wonderland when the new block debuts on May 27. [ANN]

Design: Designer and CA contributor Dylan Todd takes a swing at designing new Marvel Essentials trade dress. [Guttersniper]

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New 'Lego Batman 2' Trailer and Stills Show Off The Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg and More [Video]

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-23T13:00:00+00:00

Filed under: DC, Gaming

The playable character promos for Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes keep on truck'n as the game's June 19 release date -- on every console and handheld, pretty much -- approaches. Though what seems like dozens of retailer-specific preorder exclusive playable characters will be available when the game arrives in stores (such as Bizarro, Gorilla Grodd, Black Manta, Captain Cold, Black Adam, Nightwing, Katana, Damian Wayne, Shazam and Zatanna), it looks like most of DC's current New 52 Justice Leaguers will be available/unlockable in the standard version of the game. Warner Bros. Interactive and TT Games' new trailer for Lego Batman 2 sees Lego Flash tear around the streets of Gotham, while new stills show Aquaman and Cyborg expressively scoping out the city. You can take in all the new Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes character goodness after the cut.

Images

[Via Joystiq/SHH]

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Captain Ameripug: The First Pugvenger

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-23T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Culture

This past weekend my wife and I, along with our pooch Pearl the pug, attended the 12th annual Oregon Humane Society Pug Crawl in Portland. This year's theme for the OHS fundraiser was "Pug Nation: A Better Pug for a Better America!" which came alive in a parade of costumed pugs and pug mixes wearing a variety of patriotic costumes. While the entire parade was a feast for my pug-loving senses, one marcher in particular caught my eye: A pug cosplaying as Captain America. Take a peek at full-size photos of a friendly pooch we'll call Captain Ameripug after the jump.

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Link Ink: Spider Sandwich, Rufio's Return and Bloody Brock

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-23T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Link Ink, Culture

Food: Hardee's/Carl's Jr. will serve a special "Grilled Cheese Bacon Burger" in honor of The Amazing Spider-Man movie. Sadly, it doesn't appear to feature a Spidey logo grilled into the toast. [Pitch Engine]

Movies: There's a Hook prequel movie called Rufio in the works and all the right people seem to be involved. [io9]

Creators: Greg Rucka shares his motivations for, and creative process behind, working to write the best female characters he can. [io9]

All-Ages: A new preview of Art Baltazar and Franco's The Superman Family Adventures sees Clark Kent change into his Super duds. [The Source]

Toys: Entertainment Earth has a special "bloody" 3 and 3/4" Brock Samson Venture Bros. action figure by Bif Bang Pow! on the way as a Comic-Con 2012 exclusive. [TNI]

Merch: The Spider-Man dartboard set seems perfect for J. Jonah Jameson (or fans who don't mind dimpling the face of the Webslinger). [Neatoshop]

Customs: Sekure D puts a Batman spin on Kidrobot Mascots. [Toycutter]

Cosplay: Nerdist profiles the cosplay of last year's New York City Comic Con and gets an insight into the culture behind the costumes. [Nerdist]

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First 'Marvel Heroes' MMO Gameplay Trailer Brings the Action [Video]

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-22T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Marvel, Gaming

The superhero character models teased by Gazillion Games over the past several months finally came alive today in a new gameplay trailer for the upcoming free-to-play Marvel Heroes MMO RPG by Diablo's David Brevik and written by Marvel's Brian Michael Bendis. Showcasing the combat of Captain America, Spider-Man, Deadpool, Black Widow, Colossus, Wolverine, Magneto and the Hulk, the gameplay trailer is framed by a menacing cinematic starring the game's main bad dude: A Cosmic Cube-toting Doctor Doom.

From the looks of things, Marvel Heroes gameplay will probably resonate with players who got into Activision's Marvel: Ultimate Alliance series. Despite characters rocking their most iconic looks in the trailer, Gazillion has also been hammering home how intense the game's customization options will be, stating in PR that "Fans will be able to completely customize their characters by constructing costumes taken from each hero's rich history, choosing from a huge array of super powers for each character, and finding thousands of other items."

Interestingly, IGN reports that switching up costume features doesn't have to literally alter a given character's appearance. Basically, players will be able to have the benefits of swapped stats without having to alter their character's look.

So far just a few gameplay locations have been revealed, including the Savage Land, Hell's Kitchen and Mutant Town.

Like Gazillion's kid-friendly Super Hero Squad Online, Marvel Heroes will come with social areas, including Midtown Manhattan and the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning where "players can meet up with other players, discover missions, and buy items from legendary Marvel characters." Hopefully that monetization aspect won't hamper the otherwise F2P title with oppressive reminders that, yes, players can spend their money ala that other free online game, Marvel: Avenger's Alliance. Jeff Lind of Secret Identity told IGN, "You will be able to play the entire game, everything we have, without ever paying us a dime," so maybe things are looking up for fans sans tons of cash.

Check out the first gameplay trailer for the Marvel Heroes MMO below:

[Via Marvelheroes]

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Dave Ault Takes a Tour of the DCU With Art Deco Travel Posters [Art]

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-22T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Art, Culture

Dave Ault got our attention last summer with a collection of stylish prints relevant to all manner of comic book and sci-fi interests. What we didn't see at the time, however, was the illustrator's series of art deco style travel posters spotlighting some of the DC Universe's most famous heroes and their residences. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow and the Flash all bid tourists visit their respective cities (and in Wonder Woman's case -- island) of choice, while striking a noble, statuesque pose. The travel posters are currently available as 5x7" prints or 2x3" magnets at Ault's online store for $5 a pop in either format. Now, if only Ault would illustrate one of these travel posters featuring Justice League Detroit so I could get another quick Vibe fix. You can peep larger versions of Ault's DCU travel posters after the cut.

[Via Geekytyrant, Monkey Minion Press]

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Link Ink: Spidey and Gwen Sing, a 'One Piece' Theme Park and Digital Shawarma

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-22T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Link Ink, Culture

Movies: Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone bring the music for a wonderfully goofy German promo. [Vulture]

Gaming: Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes will include playable versions of Bizarro, Gorilla Grodd, Black Manta, Captain Cold, Black Adam, Nightwing, Katana, Damian Wayne, Shazam and Zatanna... depending on who you preorder from. [Kotaku]

Theme Parks: It appears that an official huge/expensive One Piece theme park is in the works in China. [ANN]

Fresh Ink! Online: Blair Butler and Attack of the Show Segment Producer Brian Compton talk AvX, Batwoman, The Manhattan Projects, Daredevil, Danger Club, Locke & Key and Saga on this week's ep of Fresh Ink! Online. [G4]

Gaming: NECA's first 2012 San Diego Comic-Con HeroClix exclusive is a $40 Giant-Man Super Booster, which will come with an invisible/not really there Ant-Man. [Marvelousnews]

Toys: Diamond Select Toys has revealed its first wave of Mad Monster Party figures. So far they seem Rankin/Bass-riffic/animagical. [Toy Ark]

Gaming: Avengers movie fans can now indulge in shawarma (and blast with Agent Coulson's awesome gun) in Marvel: Avengers Alliance. [Marvel]

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New 'The Amazing Spider-Man' Game Clip Demonstrates Web Rush Mechanics [Video]

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-21T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Marvel, Movies, Gaming

Activision and Beenox's The Amazing Spider-Man video game may be acting as a sequel to this summer's Spidey film, story-wise, but it seems to have plenty in common with its source material on the visual side of things. The latest promo for the game spotlights its "Web Rush" mechanic, which gives players the chance to alternate between first-person and third-person views to slow down time and make a variety of strategic gameplay decisions on-the-fly. In a video narrated by the game's executive producer, Brent Nicholas, Spidey can be seen responding to his environment with stealth (sneaking up on a gun-toting bad guy and webbing him to the ceiling) or a distinctly more direct approach in combat situations (leaping on the hood of a getaway car and punching dudes).

So far the mechanic seems a bit reminiscent of how the Webslinger's spider-sense has been visually represented in past films and games, so it should be interesting to see more of it in action (and if Stan Lee will have it) when the game arrives on current-gen consoles on July 3.

You can see The Amazing Spider-Man Web Rush mechanic in action below:

[Via HeroHQ]

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Link Ink: Digital Avengers Books, New 'Love and Capes' and the Santa Claus Pirate Ship

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-21T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Link Ink, Culture

Digital: Marvel has released two new interactive storybooks for the iPad, Avengers Origins: Assemble and Avengers Origins: The Hulk. [Marvel]

Events: ShiftyLook will hold a free event on May 26 as part of the MCM Expo in the UK featuring stand-up comedy, the music of Area 11 and special guests including designer JamFactory. [ShiftyLook]

Gaming: Namco Bandai is currently working on Dragon Ball Z Sparking! Omega, which will be the final title in the series (known as Budokai Tenkaichi in the US). The game will supposedly feature more characters than any previous DBZ release. [Crunchyroll]

Upcoming: Thom Zahler's "heroically super situation comedy comic book" will return this August with Love and Capes: What to Expect. Fans at Comic-Con can score the first issue early in July with a "Baby Name" variant, though. [IDW]

Toys: Christmas has come early with Art Asylum's Santa Claus Pirate Ship, mateys. [BBTS]

Food: Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins are now serving Men in Black 3-themed foods, which include chocolatey and cheese cake-y items like the Undercover Black Cocoa Donut, Chocolate Lunarmax Donut, Pink Surprise Cake, Lunar Cheesecake, Spacey Sundaes. [DD/BR]

Toys: Marvel Select's new Rhino figure isn't due out until 2013, but you can admire its detailed sculpt today! [Marvelousnews]

Gaming: Death rides a pale horse (and a giant golem monster guy) in the latest Darksiders II trailer. [Joystiq]

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Parting Shot: 'The Legend of Zelda,' 'Mega Man' and 'Metroid' as Japanese Woodblock Prints

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-18T17:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Gaming, Art, Parting Shot

The influence of Japanese culture on classic 1980s Nintendo games isn't always overt -- especially considering how localized box art and other modifications colored consumer's earliest experiences with many titles. The fact remains, however, that the games that defined (and continue to define) generations of gamers have a unique heritage influenced by their Japanese origins. Paying homage to this truth is artist Jed Henry, who has dialed back the clock on the heroes of The Legend of Zelda, Mega Man and Metroid to display their dopeness in the style of Ukiyo-e, or Japanese woodblock art. Feast your eyes on Henry's samuraized Samus, Link and Mega Man after the cut and be sure to hit up Henry's Tumblr next week for his take on Mario Kart.

[Via Boing Boing, Jed Henry]

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'The Avengers' Loki Figure by Hot Toys is Some Kind of Sorcery

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-18T15:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Marvel, Movies, Toys

Hot Toys has been generous with images of its The Avengers movie figure heroes Nick Fury, Hawkeye, Captain America and Thor (with Hulk, Iron Man Mark VII and Black Widow still on the way), but now it's time for the film's villain to shine. Due out around December is a 1/6 scale Loki figure bearing the mischievously accurate likeness of actor Tom Hiddleston. The roughly $220 toy will come packed with all the trimmings befitting an evil step brother exiled from Asgard, such as two versions of his crazy magic scepter, two knives, his big ol' helmet and hands aplenty. Should Loki's plastic trickery prove too much, the figure will come with a muzzle and shackles for restraining action. If you buy the Hot Toys Nick Fury, maybe have him patronizingly offer him a 1/6 scale magazine or something while he's locked up. Check out all the Loki goodness after the cut.

[Via Hot Toys]

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'Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes' Teases Characters 'Arkham City' Style

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-18T13:00:00+00:00

Filed under: DC, Gaming

There've been plenty of Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes promos released over the past few months on the lead up to the game's June 19 release date, but the latest batch are a fun surprise for fans who enjoyed Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham City. Taking a page from the decidedly grittier Batman game's preview images and box art, a new series of Lego Batman 2 CG renders desaturates the kid-friendly game's heroes and villains and hones in on each character via a sole colored icon. A few of the renders were made available around the web, but VG247 hit the mother load with their batch of images, which include Green Lantern, Superman and Lex Luthor. Despite the more serious design approach, it still looks like the game will pack the all-ages charm of its predecessor when it arrives on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS and 3DS later this summer. You can see the full-sized Lego Batman 2 renders after the cut.

[Via VG247]

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Link Ink: Hot Toys' New Iron Man, 'The Walking Dead' Game Sells Big and a Futuristic Etch-A-Sketch

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-18T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Link Ink, Culture

Toys: Hot Toys is finally teasing its upcoming 1/6 scale Iron Man Mark VII figure from its line of The Avengers movie toys. [HT]

Hollywood: Actress Angie Harmon of Rizzoli & Isles really, really wants to play She-Hulk. [EW]

Gaming: Telltale has officially sold one million (and counting) The Walking Dead game episodes. [Joystiq]

Video: Matt's Macintosh imagines Tony Stark using Mac Paint to design his Iron Man armor circa 1984. [Gizmodo]

Infographics: Lemon.ly breaks down The Avengers team member stats in a "Choose Your Favorite Avenger" infographic. [Robot 6]

Gaming: The MMMSociety has revealed yet another Marvel Heroes MMO character design, this time for Ms. Marvel. With any luck, there will be an updated Captain Marvel look for Carol Danvers by the time the game drops. [MMMSociety]

Customs: Rotobox's latest Celsius custom is none other than my personal favorite Super Sentai hero, Akaranger of Himitsu Sentai Gorenger. All he's missing is an awesome whip. [Tomopop]

Technology: The Etch-aSketch 3.0 seems like serious business, although comic creators might not have the patience to use it to complete a full work. [Engadget]

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Parting Shot: Vibe Busts a Move on DC Nation This Weekend [Video]

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-17T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Television, Animation, Parting Shot

Despite the fact that comics continuity wasn't especially kind to Justice League Detroit's famed break dancing/shock wave shooting hero in the past, things are looking up for Paco Ramone a.k.a. Vibe. Not only is the hero slated for a return in the New 52 Justice League book, he's also the star of his own DC Nation short, "Enter Extremo," this weekend on Cartoon Network. From what's seen in the shorts, fans of Breakin' and Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo are in for a treat. See Vibe kick it superheroically after the jump.

[Click Images to Enlarge]

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Boom! Reveals Rockin' 'Marceline and the Scream Queens' #2 Covers

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-17T17:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Television, Previews, Animation, Art

Meredith Gran will be joined by a quartet of killer cover artists next month as the new Adventure Time spinoff comic from Boom! Studios, Marceline and the Scream Queens, rocks on across the Land of Ooo and into comic shops. Today The Boom!Pen let loose cover art from June's Marceline and the Scream Queens #2, featuring the work of JAB, regular AT series artist Shelli Paroline, Erica Henderson and Jen Wang. Right at home with the series' rock theme is JAB's "A" cover tribute to Sleater-Kinney's self-titled 1995 album cover, showcasing Marceline, Princess Bubblegum and Beemo jamming on their respective instruments of choice. You can take a look at full-sized images of all four covers after the cut.

[Click Images to Enlarge]

JAB

Shelli Paroline

Erica Henderson

Jen Wang

[Via The Boom!Pen]

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'Gotham City Impostors' Goes Steampunk in Upcoming DLC [Video]

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-17T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: DC, Gaming

Though Gotham City Impostors has already delivered a series of themed costumes (including cowboy and ninja wear), the game's upcoming "Steamy Punk" paid DLC will likely be the one that most resonates with the cosplay crowd. In addition to adorning the games Bats and Jokers gangs with gear like top hats, goggles, handlebar mustaches and leather straps aplenty, the DLC will give players access to new a accessory, weapon and mascot. A steam-powered jetpack and a Tesla Gun-like "Witch Doctor" weapon will grant players short bursts of flight and electric blasts, respectively. On the mascot side, players will score access to a Scarecrow-themed mascot called "Stitches." Rounding out the experience are new voice and paint job add-ons, which will probably totally annoy opponents who aren't as enthusiastic about Victorian-era sensibilities. You can check out the full trailer teasing Gotham City Impostor's upcoming Steamy Punk paid DLC after the cut.

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Link Ink: Pikachu Toast, 'Iron Man 3' Gets a Villain and Angie Wang's 'Girl Apocalypse'

Caleb Goellner — 2012-05-17T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Link Ink, Culture

Art: A Japanese toast artist by the moniker of Kummy burns a mean slice of Pikachu for breakfast. [Kotaku]

Movies: Variety reports that James Badge Dale has been cast as the Iron Man 3 as Eric Savin/Coldblood. [Collider]

Digital: In an interview with ICv2, Image Publisher Eric Stephenson revealed that, though it varies from title to title, "digital is a double digit percentage of sales," overall for the company. [ICv2]

New: Angie Wang's latest, Girl Apocalypse, is now available in both print and digital formats. [Angie Wang]

Webcomics: Didyouseethis imagines a version of Street Fighter that I want to buy 17 of. Right now. [Tumblr]

Gaming: The latest promo vid for Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition digs into how the game's scores of sound effects were brought to life. [Machinima]

Lego: Flickr user Calin shares their sweet Lego take on the Batmobile as a hot rod. [The Brothers Brick]

Upcoming: Top Shelf promotes Ed Piskor's upcoming Wizzywig OGN about hacker Kevin "Boingthump" Phenicle with a special track by Adam WarRock and Mikal kHill. [Top Shelf]

Webcomics: Grant Snider boils down the life of a novelist -- a great one, anyway. [Incidental Comics]

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