The official WOLVERINE Facebook page has revealed the latest image of Golden Globe winner Hugh Jackman. Looks like there’s no taming Logan – or his claws – as he prepares for battle in this shot.

Based on the celebrated comic book arc, THE WOLVERINE finds Logan, the eternal warrior and outsider, in Japan. There, samurai steel will clash with adamantium claw as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past in an epic battle that will leave him forever changed.

The movie is directed by James Mangold (WALK THE LINE, 3:10 TO YUMA) with a screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie (JACK REACHER) and Mark Bomback (UNSTOPPABLE, TOTAL RECALL 2012).

THE WOLVERINE will be in theaters this summer July 26, 2013.

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Dane DeHaan will join the cast of the next installment of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN along side Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx and Shailene Woodley as Columbia Pictures prepares to begin production on the next chapter of the blockbuster franchise, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures, and Hannah Minghella, president of production for the studio.

The screenplay is by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinkner based on a previous draft by James Vanderbilt. The film will be directed by Marc Webb and produced by Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach.

Courtesy of CTMG./ImageMagick. © 2012 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved

The casting of DeHaan as Harry Osborn was confirmed this morning in a tweet by Webb (@MarcW) who wrote “Meet Harry Osborn. So excited to have him on board. @danedehaan.” The new film in the Spider-Man saga is set for release in 3D on May 2, 2014. Production will begin in early 2013. Webb, Garfield and Stone previously teamed on this summer’s blockbuster THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, which has taken in more than $751 million worldwide.

DeHaan caught moviegoers’ attention with his performances in four 2012 releases: Steven Spielberg’s LINCOLN, opposite Daniel Day-Lewis and Lukas Haas; John Hillcoat’s LAWLESS, alongside Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, and Jason Clarke; Bradley Rust Gray’s JACK & DIANE, with Juno Temple and Riley Keough; and one of the year’s biggest sleeper hits, the adventure thriller CHRONICLE, directed by Josh Trank. He began his film career with director John Sayles and actor Chris Cooper in AMIGO.

DeHaan next stars in PLACE BEYOND THE PINES alongside Bradley Cooper and Ryan Gosling. In addition he will star in Atom Egoyan’s DEVIL’S KNOT, with Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth, about the fate of the West Memphis Three; and John Krokidas’ KILL YOUR DARLINGS, with Jack Huston, Daniel Radcliffe, Ben Foster, and Kyra Sedgwick, set in 1944 amidst the Beat Generation.

Mr. DeHaan first came to industry attention with his portrayal of Jesse in the third season of the critically applauded drama series In Treatment, starring alongside Gabriel Byrne. This was followed by a guest arc in the fourth season of the popular horror series True Blood.

In 2010, he received an Obie Award for his performance in Annie Baker’s The Aliens, directed by Sam Gold. The Rattlestick Theater production was cited as “Play of the Year” by The New York Times. Mr. DeHaan made his Broadway debut in with American Buffalo, Robert Falls’ 2008 staging of the classic David Mamet play.

Heads up merry Marvel mutant maniacs! The fine folks at the Shout Factory in conjunction with Marvel Knights Animation have just released The Astonishing X-Men Collection Motion Comic on Blu-Ray. This two disc set includes the Eisner award-winning four story arcs from writer Joss Whedon (MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS) and artist John Cassaday (who has drawn up some great new cover box art for this set). All just in time for Black Friday shopping, or to include on your very own list to Santa.

So, what’s a motion comic (you may ask)? Well, this is unlike the many straight to home video, comics-inspired animated features that have been produced. It’s not something loosely based on the comics story with teams of artists and animators reworking the characters and action. A motion comic takes the original artwork and makes the images move using state of the art computer technology. And everything on screen comes from the art of the talented Mr.Cassaday. Speaking of talent, a group of expert veteran animation voice artists perform the dialogue exactly as written by Mr. Whedon in the original comics series. An original music score along with expect sound effects make for an incredible audio experience. Perhaps this taste of the pulse-pounding action will better illustrate…

So, that’s motion comics! The primary X team consists of Beast, Emma Frost, Shadowcat, Wolverine led by Cyclops. Here’s a run down on the four stories. Each runs roughly an hour ( Unstoppable’s close to 90 minutes) and divided into six to seven chapters…

GIFTED

Seems that a scientist has come up with a serum that will make mutants into normal citizens. These news has divided everyone at the gifted school. But behind this wonder drug is an alien warrior named Ord from Breakworld. SHIELD director Nick Fury guests stars as does SWORD agent Abigal Brand. Joining them is an X teammate thought to be deceased. This story is co-directed by legendary Batman artist Neal Adams (“Green Lantern/Green Arrow”,”Deadman”, and a reamarkable 1960′s run on “The Uncanny X-Men”).

DANGEROUS

The mutant students along with the X-Men are attacked by a synthetic being inside the school. In order to stop it, the team will have to travel to the decimated island country of Genosha and find Professor Xavier! This story opens with a guest appearance from the Fantastic Four nearly recreating their iconic first issue cover along with the X team!

TORN

Emma Frost is tempted to return to her evil ways when the school is invaded by her old pals, Sebastian Shaw and the Hellfire Club (as seen in last year’s hit feature film X-MEN: FIRST CLASS)!

UNSTOPPABLE

Here’s the extra length conclusion to Whedon and Cassaday’s epic run! The X-Men and the agents of SWORD battle on far-off Breakworld. Its inhabitants believe that one of the mutants will cause the destruction of the planet. One X-man must make the ultimate sacrifice to stop a weapon directed at Earth. Back in NYC a quartet of four classic X-Men members team up with several Marvel heroes (including a friendly neighborhood wall-crawler) to defend our home world.

And, of course, there are…

EXTRAS

There’s a trailer for The Astonishing X-Men: Gifted along with the music video “Rise Up”. We get a behind the scenes “making of” featurette that includes interviews with Marvel Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada and comics legend Neal Adams. Another featurette gives a more indepth look (along with a tour) at Marvel Kights animation as they produce motion comics based on the X-Men and Spider-Woman. There’s also trailers and sneak peeks of future motion comics featuring the Black Panther, Thor, Iron Man, and, as mentioned, Spider-Woman.

QUALITY

The stories are presented in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio. Sound and picture quality are top-notch (the colors really pop!). Speaking of colors, the blood is vivid red (Logan’s healing powers are frequently put to the test), so heads up parents. These stories were produced and published under the Marvel Knights, which used a more adult approach than the Comics Code-approved all-ages tales. It’s definately PG-13 material. There’s no nudity, but a couple of X-teammates do hook up (and Emma’s outfits are low, looow cut). Oh, and all the extreme profantiy is bleeped (in a comic, the word balloon would say,”#%**#!”).

All in all, this is an excellant set that should thrill comics and film fans of these misunderstood mutant heroes. To paraphrase creator Stan”the Man”Lee, “Who says this this isn’t the Marvel age of magnificent Motion Comics?”

4 Out of 5 Stars

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures announced today that director Zack Snyder’s upcoming action adventure MAN OF STEEL will be presented in 3D in select theaters, as well as in 2D and IMAX, so fans of the iconic superhero will be able to experience the much-anticipated movie in their format of choice.

Snyder stated, “The film is going to be a visually exciting experience in all formats: 2D, 3D and IMAX. Anticipating how audiences today embrace 3D, we designed and photographed the movie in a way that would allow ‘Man of Steel’ to captivate those movie goers, while respecting fans who prefer a more traditional cinematic experience. We’ve taken great measures to ensure the film and the story come first, and 3D is meant as an enhancement.”

The film stars Henry Cavill in the role of Superman/Clark Kent, alongside three-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams (“The Fighter”), Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (“Revolutionary Road”), Academy Award winner Kevin Costner (“Dances with Wolves”), Oscar nominee Diane Lane (“Unfaithful”), Oscar nominee Laurence Fishburne (“What’s Love Got to Do with It”), Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, Christopher Meloni, Harry Lennix, Michael Kelly, Richard Shiff, and Academy Award winner Russell Crowe (“Gladiator”).

MAN OF STEEL is produced by Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Deborah Snyder. The screenplay was written by David S. Goyer, from a story by Goyer & Nolan, based upon Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster and published by DC Entertainment. Thomas Tull, Lloyd Phillips and Jon Peters are the film’s executive producers.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Zack Snyder Film, MAN OF STEEL. The film is slated for release on June 14, 2013 and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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Hugh Jackman is Logan in THE WOLVERINE. The story is set in a distant and unfamiliar land, where Logan must finally embrace who he is, and always will be. THE WOLVERINE finds Logan, the eternal warrior and outsider, in Japan. There, samurai steel will clash with adamantium claw as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past in an epic battle that will leave him forever changed.

Based on the celebrated comic book arc, THE WOLVERINE will be in theaters July 26, 2013.

In this pic he’s sporting the natural bone claws. Could this be a flashback sequence before he got his adamantium skeleton as shown in the X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE film? And since the film is set in Japan, could this be an adaptation of the 1980′s Chris Claremont/Franks Miller mini-series? Hopefully all will be answered next Summer!

Check out the highlights from the online chat with Hugh Jackman and director James Mangold from the set.

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Variety has reported that Frank Grillo (END OF WATCH, THE GREY) will take on he villainous role of Crossbones in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER.

You can catch Grillo in the upcoming films ZERO DARK THIRTY from director Kathryn Bigelow and Warner Bros. Pictures’ GANGSTER SQUAD.

Marvel’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER will be here to save the day on April 4, 2014. From directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, the second installment will pick-up where The Avengers leaves off, as Steve Rogers continues his affiliation with Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. and struggles to embrace his role in the modern world. Chris Evans returns as the star-spangled hero in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER., along with Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes (who becomes assassin the Winter Soldier), Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders and Scarlett Johansson. Anthony Mackie will play Cap ally Sam Wilson AKA The Falcon.

Crossbones , the Red Skull’s number 1 henchman/assassin, was created by writer Ed Brubaker during his stint on the Marvel comic a few years ago. The next major character to be cast is Sharon Carter, SHIELD agent and Cap’s modern-day romantic interest. And yes, she is related to Rogers’s World War II paramour. In the new flick will she be a niece? Granddaughter? IMDB says that Mary Elizabeth Winstead (SMASHED) may have the role. Recently Aintitcoolnews.com listed 5 other possible actresses. A good possibility may be Alison Brie (THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT) since she is one the stars of the TV show that the directors, the Russo brothers, co-0created: “Community”. We shall see.

For more on Captain America, read my History 101 lesson HERE.

Here’s a little Tony Stark to start your day. In the brand new trailer for Marvel’s IRON MAN 3, Tony Stark/Iron Man finds his world reduced to rubble by a malevolent enemy and must use his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him as he seeks to destroy the enemy and his cohorts. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley. IRON MAN 3 is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce and Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968.

Check out the latest preview – it looks like a lot of fun.

Marvel’s IRON MAN 3 pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Visit the website:  http://marvel.com/ironman3
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IRON MAN 3 releases in theaters on May 3, 2013!

The first teaser poster for has been released for Marvel Studios’ IRON MAN 3.  The third film pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Get your first look at the trailer for IRON MAN 3, coming Tuesday to Apple Trailers.

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, IRON MAN 3is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce and Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968.

IRON MAN 3 is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures and DMG Entertainment. Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige is producing and Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Stephen Broussard, Victoria Alonso, Alan Fine, Charles Newirth, Stan Lee and Dan Mintz are executive producers. The film releases May 3, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

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Iron Man 3, Tony Stark suffers his most devastating attack, and must rely on his greatest assets, his ingenuity and instincts..Artist: Ryan Meinerding..TM & © 2012 Marvel & Subs. All rights reserved.

Marvel and Disney have sent us the first official storylines for THOR: THE DARK WORLD and IRON MAN 3.

Marvel’s THOR: THE DARK WORLD continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself. Plus in Marvel’s IRON MAN 3, Tony Stark/Iron Man finds his world reduced to rubble by a malevolent enemy and must use his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him as he seeks to destroy the enemy and his cohorts. While you can see the superheroes in their own film next year, both of them will come together when Joss Whedon returns to write and direct the untitled “Marvel’s The Avengers” sequel set for release May 1, 2015.

THOR: THE DARK WORLD (in Digital 3D and RealD)

Marvel’s THOR: THE DARK WORLD continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself.  In the aftermath of Marvel’s “Thor” and “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos…but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Zachary Levi, Tadanobu Asano, and Jaimie Alexander with Rene Russo and Anthony Hopkins as Odin, THOR: THE DARK WORLD is directed by Alan Taylor, produced by Kevin Feige, from a story by Don Payne (credit not final) and screenplay by Christopher Yost and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely (credit not final) and is based on Marvel’s classic Super Hero Thor, who first appeared in the comic book “Journey into Mystery “ #83 in August, 1962.

THOR: THE DARK WORLD is presented by Marvel Studios. The executive producers are Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Victoria Alonso, Craig Kyle and Nigel Gostelow. The film releases November 8, 2013 (in Digital 3D and RealD), and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Website:  http://thor.marvel.com/  
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IRON MAN 3 (in Digital 3D and RealD)
MARVEL STUDIOS presents in association with PARAMOUNT PICTURES and DMG ENTERTAINMENT

Marvel Studios’ IRON MAN 3  pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, IRON MAN 3is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce and Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968.

IRON MAN 3 is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures and DMG Entertainment. Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige is producing and Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Stephen Broussard, Victoria Alonso, Alan Fine, Charles Newirth, Stan Lee and Dan Mintz are executive producers. The film releases May 3, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Website and Mobile site: IronManMovie3.com
Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/ironmanmovie
Follow us on Twitter: Twitter.com/Iron_Man

The marketing for the new IRON MAN 3 has begun. When you like the film’s Official Facebook page and re-power Tony Stark’s armor, new video will be unveiled to the fans. Once Tony’s reactor reaches maximum capacity, you’ll be the first to see a special sneak preview of Marvel’s IRON MAN 3.

Whenever a fan-favorite franchise as popular, and with such history is undertaken by Hollywood, the primary question is always “Will it succeed, or will it get butchered?” The Batman property first took theatrical form in the capable, yet recently more volatile hands of Tim Burton, who delivered us two very stylized but still enjoyable versions of the Batman lore. I’ll refrain from commenting on the 3rd and 4th entries into the Batman filmography, which then brings us to the relatively young, but extraordinarily talented — perhaps even genius — vision of director Christopher Nolan. Now seven feature films into the DC Comics based franchise, the question must still remain on the fans’ tongues… “Does it work?”

In short, the answer is an emphatic, ecstatic yes, Yes, YES! Christopher Nolan has for some time now led us to believe this third installment of his Batman interpretation will be his last. Following BATMAN BEGINS and THE DARK KNIGHT, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES serves as a superbly well-rounded grand finale to the trilogy. Co-written with his brother Jonathan Nolan and the writer who really gets around, David S. Goyer, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is highly effective at utilizing every last second of the 164 minute running time. The film picks up some time after the previous film. Harvey Dent is dead, but his legacy lives on through the Blackgate Prison, housing some 1000 of Gotham’s most dangerous and violent criminals, essentially rendering Gotham City nearly crime free. As we discover what the post-Joker Gotham City has become, we also discover that Batman has seemingly retired as Bruce Wayne is now a reclusive hermit with health problems.

On the surface, one would think Gotham City is turning around and all is safe, but we know better than this, do we not? Commissioner Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) is the only man in Gotham still uneasy about the fate of his city, as the mayor and the rest of the police force have bought into the new peace, mocking Gordon in his skepticism. However, there is one cop who shares Gordon’s uneasiness and his name is John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Gordon’s paranoia is not without reason, as THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is a slow burn mystery as the master plan in progress by this film’s villain gradually develops and unfolds like a fiendishly intricate piece of paper origami with a deadly surprise waiting at the center.

Enter Bane, to whom we are introduced at a very early stage in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. We witness the transport of a mysterious criminal/terrorist by the CIA, a large man bound and blinded with a black hood loaded onto a plane. From the very beginning, something feels unavoidably tragic about this transaction. This scene spares no time in showcasing Bane (Tom Hardy) as a powerful, strong and intelligent enemy. Bane is a hulking, bald man who wears an ominous mask housing what appears to be a breathing apparatus of some sort. For those who are not familiar with the storyline from the comic books, this plays a significant role in the film, one which I will not spoil. You’re welcome.

Tom Hardy (WARRIOR) truly captures the essence of Bane, the comic book villain that has become known as Batman’s greatest foe, even over his age-old arch-nemesis The Joker. What truly stands out about Hardy, aside from the shear bulk he developed for the role, is that he portrays the character so well with a performance that is solely physical in nature. As Bane must wear the mask at all times, Hardy is unable to use his voice, and is limited with his facial gestures, forcing him to convey every nuance and emotion through his body. It’s quite remarkable to watch, but I feel a second viewing is necessary to truly appreciate this, as the film is so fully engrossing that it’s quite difficult to focus on any one single element during the initial viewing.

Months ago, a talking point hit the Internet about Bane’s voice. The issue revolved around the audience’s ability to easily understand Bane’s dialogue given that Hardy was forced to speak through the mask apparatus the entire film. This was arguably an issue, and in the end, the film does prove to have employed ADR — Automated Dialogue Replacement, or looping — which allows the filmmaker to go back after filming has completed and replace the existing dialogue with that of a different or better quality. This was a smart decision, as many viewers would have likely found themselves distracted by a struggle to hear the character and understand the story. On the other hand, I do have one… let’s call this a curious observation, as it’s not really a complain, but, I found that Bane sounds surprisingly like Sean Connery. There is no evidence that he provided the new dialogue, but it sure sounds similar and I found myself minimally distracted, but curiously entertained by this notion.

There are those who had their doubts about Anne Hathaway being cast in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, but I was not amongst their ranks. I’ve held an appreciation bordering on respect for her talent for some time, so finding her cast as Selena Kyle — known in the DC Comics Universe as Catwoman — has my interest peaked. As it turns out, Hathaway (LOVE & OTHER DRUGS) delivers a low-key performance with the appropriate sarcastic humor and sharp wit without over-reaching in her role. With the help of a very well written character, Hathaway captures the physicality, sexiness and personality of Selena Kyle with astonishing accuracy, ranking her above Michelle Pfeiffer, in my book.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES does an exceptional job at staying relatively true to the source material, an area in which I could spend endless and lengthy words, going into great detail elaborating and analyzing, but that wouldn’t do you — the reader — any justice whatsoever. IF you’re a reader of the comic books, little of the story itself will be of much surprise, but the film itself will be a highly rewarding experience to accompany your existing knowledge. For those unfamiliar with the comic books, SEE THE MOVIE FIRST! Why? This film is so well done, and serves as such a solid introduction, it will be best to delve into the comic books after seeing the film to fill in all the details and texture of the monumental Batman story arc.

Director Christopher Nolan continues to prove he is a force to be aware of in Hollywood, rapidly becoming the most powerful filmmaker in Tinsletown. To our great benefit, he has developed a strong, ongoing relationship with cinematographer Wally Pfister and composer Hans Zimmer. Thank God, because this has led to a trilogy of films that look and sound absolutely breathtaking. Batman demands the criminal’s attention, so it’s fitting that this trio of creative artists render the Batman lore as equally demanding of the viewer’s attention. Christian Bale continues to deliver as Bruce Wayne/Batman, still growling at the bad guys, but slightly less so as to water down the excess and becoming less of a distraction.

Viewers prepare yourselves. Get ready to rumble and relish in Batman’s action-packed swan song, or is it? I’ll say no more, but I will merely point out that this film has plenty of surprises, suspense, incredibly choreographed fights between Batman and Bane, and even some bad-ass, long-legged butt-kicking by Anne Hathaway. As usual, there are plenty of cool toys featured in the film, a couple of distinctly hilarious tongue-in-cheek moments, one of which is a humorous epiphany delivered by Batman himself. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES also delivers on the heart strings, featuring one specifically tear-inducing moment between Alfred (Michael Caine) and Bruce Wayne. Marion Cotillard rounds out the cast, playing fellow philanthropist Miranda Tate, along with return performances from Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox and a cameo appearance from a previously featured villain.

While THE DARK KNIGHT RISES serves as the perfect finale for an incredible three chapter story, it also raises many questions for the audience, especially fans, while not leaving any significant loose ends. If your cinematic experience with THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is anything like mine, you’ll leave the theater energized, excited and fulfilled, while also desperately desiring more from the new master of “the caped crusader.” Personally, I feel privileged to have been exposed to Batman in such light, but also feel like the cinematic legacy of The Dark Knight has only just begun to tap it’s true potential.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Here’s a big Summer release that’s generated a surprising amount of controversy. Usually the hot button films are released in the Fall or Winter to grab some buzz and capture a couple Oscar noms. But this popcorn flick has ignited heated debates among movie and comic book fans. The main question instigating message board dust-ups: Is it too soon to reboot the Spider-Man movie franchise? Well, it was eight years between BATMAN & ROBIN and BATMAN BEGINS. Four years passed between Brosnan’s last Bond, DIE ANOTHER DAY, and Craig’s first 007, CASINO ROYALE. Some fans think five years is way to soon for Spidey, but that’s the amount of time from Eric Bana as THE HULK to Edward Norton as THE INCREDIBLE HULK ( which is the version of the green guy that’s stealing scenes in MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS ). Director of the Spider-Man trilogy, Sam Raimi, took a pass on doing a fourth ( he, like most fans, found SPIDER-MAN 3 more than a bit lacking , so he didn’t want to rush a script ). With Raimi out, stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst took a pass. So for Sony Pictures it was ” Spider-Man Begin Again” ( almost the title of this new film ). Now the debate is moot. Director Marc Webb’s ( no kiddin’ with the last name! He also made 500 DAYS OF SUMMER ) THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN swings into theatres just in time for the big July Fourth holiday. Yup, the flick’s a done deal. The only thing to discuss now is this particular film’s merits. Does it stand ( or wall-crawl ) on its own?

Right off the bat ( no, his flick comes out July 20! ) we see Peter Parker in a new light. Actually he’s a young lad of eight when the film starts and he’s whisked away by his parents, Richard and Mary ( Campbell Scott and Embeth Davidtz ) to the home of his Uncle Ben ( Martin Sheen ) and Aunt May ( Sally Field ). Cut to Midtown high schooler Peter ( Andrew Garfield ), a science prodigy raised by Ben and May. Cleaning out the basement, he finds Richard’s old briefcase. Seems that Dad worked as a research scientist as the megalithic Oscorp company alongside Dr. Curt Conners ( Rhys Ifans ). Pete bluffs himself into an intern group at he company, but he’s almost given away by the group’s intern tour guide, Midtown’s other whiz-kid Gwen Stacy ( Emma Stone ). He wanders away from the group, speaks with Conners, and suffers an injury in one of the research rooms. Said injury has a profound effect on Peter who discovers that he has amazing powers. When tragedy strikes he uses these enhanced abilities ( along with a home-made suit and mask to hide his identity ) to fight evil as Spider-Man. Visiting the home of Conners, Peter innocently helps him unlock the key to accessing animal DNA ( the doc hopes to regenerate his lost arm like a reptile ). When the Oscorp higher-ups threaten to try his formula at a veteran’s hospital ( they’ve gotta’ make sure it works before the serum is givento their dying boss, the mysterious Norman Osborn ), Conners decides to be the test subject. Meanwhile major stuff’s happening to Pete aside from his crime-fighting gig. He begins a tentative romance with Gwen that’s complicated when he learns that her father is a police captain ( Denis Leary ) determined to arrest a certain wall-crawling vigilante. Soon all their lives converge when NYC is threatened with annihilation.

Another bit of controversy swirling about the film is the origin story and, yes, as I hinted previously, we get the origin story once more. Sure it’s been 10 years since the first Raimi film told it masterfully, I believe it was needed for the start of this new franchise ( we’ll have to see if audiences respond positively to this flick,or it’ll be rebooted once more ), and it’s not a note for note rehash. Comic book purists may cry foul at the liberties taken with that classic tale from Amazing Fantasy #15, but it makes harder connections to the events portrayed in this new film. Peter’s destiny has a tighter link to his parents and to the shady deals at Oscorp. Hopefully this chain of events will provide an interesting conspiracy in follow-ups. This also keys into the darker aspect of the new film. Spidey is almost always operating during the night hours ( like that guy from Gotham City ). Danger lurks at every shadow, not only from criminals but from the law. While in the original trilogy the police gave the web-head a wink and a pass, here all officers are determined to bring him down by any means. This Big Apple isn’t the bright shiny place we’ve seen our hero bouncing from place to place before.

Another big beef is the film’s villain. Frankly I was pleased that the producers went with a single bad guy, even though Spidey has perhaps the best rouges gallery in comicdom ( sure the Joker’s the greatest comic book criminal ever, but after Catwoman, Clayface,  and Two-Face the other Gothamites are kinda’ silly ). This was one of the main problems with the dismal SPIDER-NAN 3 which paired the Sandman and Venom ( this may harken back to the paired bad guys in BATMAN RETURNS ). Several comic fans don’t like the look of the Lizard. They may be more accustomed to the large snout that artist Todd MacFarlane drew, but this design is closer to that original Steve Ditko look. Also the film version is bulked up…considerably, almost to the point of being a scaly Hulk. Several times he grabs Spidey and flings him about like a rag doll. The Lizard’s a formidable foe, but the human element is what makes him tick. Like screen villains the Green Goblin and Dr. Octopus, Conners wishes to benefit humanity, and he’s got a personal connection to Peter ( the connection to the Sandman seemed incredibly forced in 3 ). After their first couple of encounters Peter and Connors respect each other, so Peter struggles to stop the monster without killing the man inside. Ifans does a great variation of the classic Jekyll and Hyde character as a decent man forced to make a very bad decision. Although his face is surrounded by CGI scales ( I’ll bet a motion-capture suit was used ), Ifans brings a great deal of humanity to this ‘ beastie’.

Ifans is not the lone stand-out in this terrific supporting cast. Leary treads a fine line between being a committed law-enforcement officer and a sentimental father. His comic timing is put to great use in the Captain’s run-in with Pete ( particularly at a tense family dinner ). This blustery demeanor provides many welcome laughs and makes the character’s change of heart more poignant. Speaking of heart, Sheen and Fields have tons to spare as Peter’s adoptive parents. They’re a bit younger than Robertson and Harris from the Raimi films ( this helps with the opening sequence ), but have just as much warmth as the previous actors. Sheen even gives Pete a big ole’ dose of tough love that’s tempered with his considerable screen charm. Fields’s role is not as showy, but she really conveys the caring mother role when stunned by all the cuts and bruises adorning Pete’s face when he returns home after his night patrols. Now this is a couple that would raise a hero, super-powers or not.

Speaking of heroes, the movie soars or plummets based on the fella’ in the title. And his love interest, to a great extent. Garfield’s Parker is very different from the previous screen incarnation. Before the bite, this Pete’s a bit of a rebel ( skateboarding in the school hallways! ) and pro-active. He even steps in to stop a bully ( and gets his skinny posterior handed to him ). This is a darker, conflicted Parker ( we can still see that sad-eyed child watching his folks dash into that rainy night ). After getting on the radar with terrific work in THE SOCIAL NETWORK, this is the film that will establish Garfield as a great movie star. While Maguire was a terrific nerdy Peter Parker from those early comics, Garfield is that wiseacre with a mask ( quick with a quip and an uppercut ) that we’ve loved all these years. And when he’s on the ground, there’s a very special lady ( played by a very special actress ) that makes his spirit soar. Stone can now add super-hero action flick to the list of film genres that she’s conquered. Her Gwen is smart ( pretty much Pete’s intellectual equal ), fiesty, funny, and so adorable in those outfits inspired by John Romita’s comic art designs. While Dunst’s Mary Jane wasn’t much interested in the pre-powers Pete, Gwen falls for that photo-takin’, science geek almost immediately ( or at least soon after that bullying incident ). Bryce Dallas Howard was brought into that murky SPIDER-MAN 3 as a younger threat to MJ, but in the comics Gwen was Pete’s first, pure true love. Garfield and Stone truly sizzle on screen ( Stone reallyinspire her co-stars to bring their A game), so it’s no big shock that they’re dating off set. The gamble to put the director of  500 DAYS OF SUMMER really paid off. Turns out Webb can do the big action stuff, but he truly excels at presenting the exhilaration of first love. The battles are great ( still can’t top the fights with Doc Ock in SPIDER-MAN 2 though ), but the romance is what makes this a superior Summer cinema spectacle ( pardon the Stan Lee-isms! )

So, is it worth seeing in 3D? Well it was shot in the format, so the swinging stuff works well along with the over-the-skyscapers shots. A big complaint from the first Spidey flick was that he bounced around like a video game character. Instead of relying too much on CGI, Webb tried to work more with stunt people to do the web-swinging live whenever possible. I’ve only a few problems with this re-telling. It seems the writers really went out of their way to present scenes where Spidey takes his mask off ( this was a sore point in Raimi’s trio ). I know it helps the audience connect with the actor ( his expressions aren’t hidden ), but it’s strange to see the character so exposed. This does work well for a scene when a child his rescued by our hero. Now, about that outfit, the film-makers have taken that great Ditko design ( which Raimi adhered to pretty closely ) and made it way-too busy and intricate. Guess I’m too much of a purist, but I hate seeing blue on the fingers of the gloves! AArgrrr ( as they say in the funny books )! Do like how the mechanical wrist web-shooters ( no organic spinnerets! ) work with the suit. Oh, and the film could use a good 5 minute trim ( but wait for the mid-end credit bonus scene ). Aww, no more nit-pickin’! Like last Summer’s X MEN : FIRST CLASS, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN takes a comic book property that we all thought had exhausted its movie possibilities and returned it to cinematic glory. It doesn’t surpass MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS for super-hero movie glory, but it’s miles above SPIDER-MAN 3. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN proves that  there’s still plenty of life ( and love ) left in that 50-year-old web-slingin’ wise guy. Really amazing, indeed!

Overall Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

Hardee’s ® in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment, is hosting “The Amazing Spider-Man Web-tacular” fan event in St. Louis on Tuesday, June 12. Swing by from 2 – 4 pm at the Hardee’s on 2110 Hampton Ave., St. Louis, MO 63139.

The stop on the six-city Web-tacular tour will feature spectacular, giant spiderwebs encasing the Hardee’s location, complimentary “photo booth” opportunities of fans “caught” in the webs and spins on the Wheel of Awesome prize wheel, featuring Amazing Spider-Man advance movie tickets, t-shirts, hats, posters and other prizes.

All guests will receive coupons for Hardee’s’ newest menu item, the Amazing Grilled Cheese Bacon Burger, which will also be available for free sampling at the event. The Spider-Man-themed burger features a charbroiled beef patty, bacon strips, American cheese, Swiss cheese and mayonnaise, all on a toasted bun.

Fans will also have the chance to be among the first to experience the Amazing Spider-Man video game at exclusive Sony PlayStation® game kiosks before its release this summer, courtesy of Activision. In-restaurant markers will also allow fans to unlock exclusive 3D Spider-Man interactive experiences via their smart phones with The Amazing Spider-Man Augmented Reality app.

One of the world’s most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN™. Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt and Alvin Sargent and Steve Kloves from a story by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the film in association with Marvel Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, which will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012.

This film has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for SEQUENCES OF ACTION AND VIOLENCE.

Swing by the official site here: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

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” I’d like to speak with you about the Avengers Initiative ”. Can it really be four years ago that SHIELD director Nicholas Fury ( Samuel L Jackson ) spoke those fateful words to a surprised Tony Stark ( Robert Downey, Jr. ) at the end ( the very tail end, after the final credits ) of IRON MAN ? Marvel fans around the globe were ecstatic. The fabled comic book company was now in the film business ( other characters were licensed to other studios )  and Jon Favreau’s rollicking action hit was the first in their partnership with Paramount. With this bit of dialogue, were they announcing their intentions to team up some of their greatest heroes in one massive movie event? Fans were teased again later that Summer when Stark strode into the bar where General ” Thunderbolt ” Ross was drowning his sorrows at the end of THE INCREDIBLE HULK. Expectations rose two years later with IRON MAN 2 which ended with SHIELD agents in the desert surrounding a huge hammer protruding from the earth. The next Summer saw more Marvel superstars headline their own feature films: THOR and two months later, CAPTAIN AMERICA : THE FIRST AVENGER. The principals are all introduced, and now, finally, it’s time for Earth’s mightiest heroes to gather with a hearty ” Avengers assemble! ” Hold on to your popcorn!

Before we settled into our cushy theatre seats let’s take a look back at the comic book roots of this team. Legend has it that, in the early 1960′s,  Atlas ( Marvel’s precursor ) publisher Martin Goodman was on the golf green with the head of his publishing competitor National Periodicals ( now DC Comics ). Martin supposedly overheard the man bragging about the big sales on his new book ” The Justice League of America”, about the adventures of a team of their biggest heroes including The Flash and Green Lantern. He made a mental note and instructed his comics editor Stan Lee to come up with a group of super-heroes. Ah, but it was not the start of the Avengers yet! Stan came up with the Fantastic Four along with artist extraordinaire Jack Kirby and so began Marvel Comics. Over the next few years several more characters were added to Marvel’s roster and Stan was finally ready to do his take on the Justice League. In the first issue of the Avengers back in 1963, Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, Ant Man, and the Wasp joined forces to stop a plot by Thor’s treacherous sibling Loki. Gathering at Tony Stark’s NYC mansion, the group announced their ‘tentative” partnership ( that Hulk was a wild card! ). Sure enough, two issues later, ole’ Greenskin has joined forces with Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner to take on his former team mates. Traveling back home via submarine after the battle, the heroes spot a frozen figure of a man floating at sea in the landmark fourth issue adventure “  Captain America Joins the Avengers ”. Cap became an important Avenger and with issue 16 he was the group’s leader. In ” The Old Order Changeth”, Stan had decided to replace the other members because it was too difficult to co-ordinate their solo stories with the group’s exploits ( Cap’s solo stories in Tales of Suspense were set in World War II ). Bucking tradition, the new Avengers were former villains : Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch from the X-Men stories along with Iron Man nemesis Hawkeye. Since then heroes have joined and taken leave as the book continues to be one of Marvel’s best sellers. So much so, that when the company decided to create the Ultimate line with younger versions of their established titles, The Avengers were revamped for this alternative universe. Here the team was formed by the head of the secret hi-tech spy agency SHIELD, Nick Fury to battle an alien invasion.

For the new film, elements of both versions of the team are combined. Several theatres are holding Marvel marathons prior to the premiere in order to get fans up to speed. Without revealing too much I’ll try to do the same without 12 hours straight at the multiplex. as the epic begins, Thor’s evil half-brother Loki ( Tom Hiddleston ), who survived the collapse of the Rainbow Bridge at the conclusion of THOR, is conspiring with the inhabitants of a dark, desolate planet ( and, as the film makers have strongly stated previously, these are not the Kree and Skrull races from the Marvel Comics universe ). Loki believes he’s found a way to transport to Earth and open a portal for the aliens’ invading army. Back on planet Earth, Nicholas Fury, aided by Agents Maria Hill ( Cobie Smulders ) ,vet of three Marvel movies Phil Coulson ( Clark Gregg ), and Clint Barton AKA Hawkeye ( Jeremy Renner, who had a brief cameo in THOR ), is overseeing research headed by Professor Selvig ( Stellan Skarsgard, also from THOR ) on the mysterious white-glowering cube called the Tesseract ( a powerful Asgardian power source retrieved from the ocean’s floor by Tony Stark’s father in CAPTAIN AMERICA : THE FIRST AVENGER ). Chaos erupts at the SHIELD facility as the cube opens a window that unleashes Loki. As the demigod escapes with the cube, the professor, and several entranced agents, Fury decides to enact the Avengers Initiative. Assembling the team is not an easy task. Coulson calls on Tony Stark as he’s setting up house with Pepper Potts ( Gwyneth Paltrow ) at the brand spanking new NYC headquarters of Stark Industries. Natasha Romanoff AKA the Black Widow ( Scarlett Johannson ) is pulled off her current mission in order to track down and retrieve Dr. Bruce Banner ( Mark Ruffalo ). Seems the Tesseract gives off a Gamma radiation signature and , uh…SHIELD may have need for Banner’s furious green alter-ego. Fury himself reaches out to Steve Rogers AKA Captain America, who’s not been eager to enter the modern world after nearly 70 years in icy suspended animation. Together the heroes, soon joined by the mighty Thor ( Chris Hemsworth ), have to overcome their differences ( and strong personalities ) and work as a team in order to track down the cube and prevent Loki and his alien forces from enslaving humanity. No time for a group orientation reception with these super-folks!

For a film so stock full of big characters ( and some who’ve starred in solo flicks ), it’s astounding that the actors still get individual moments to shine. The biggest gun ( with two features under his metal belt ) is Downey who’s still full of surprises as Stark. Of course we get the snarky attitude and tossed-off one-liners ( he’s got great nick names for his team mates ), but we get some more of his romantic side that we saw in the first Iron Man flick. He’s got a terrific rapport with Paltrow ( almost like a Tracy and Hepburn or Loy and Powell from the Thin Man movie series). Their playful banter is always a welcome bonus in this action extravaganzas; We also see Stark’s bravery and determination when they suffer a personal loss. Hemsworth acts the role of the thunder-god with great energy and bravado. He’s happy to get to know these Earth dwellers once more. Evans as Cap is not the morose warrior still battling WWII that the comics portrayed in many of those early stories. Cap embraces these new wonders and quickly takes command on the battlefield just as he did int he 1940′s. He even gets to crack a few jokes! New to the role of Bruce Banner after Eric Bana in Ang Leee’s HULK ( not officially part of the Marvel movie-verse ) and Ed Norton in THE INCREDIBLE HULK , Ruffalo combines elements of the two actors along with Bill Bixby’s David Banner from the TV series. He’s strong, quiet, sensitive, and intelligent while keeping a tight lid on his emotions. I like that the Hulk is a separate person in his mind ( ” the other guy ‘ ). As for that guy, the effects people have done a terrific job on him. He’s a good cross of the Bana ” Shrek on steroids ” and the ” vein-y”, tiny- torsoed Norton Hulk. When ole’ ” Jade-Jaws ” finally enters the film at midway point, he almost steals every scene.  Back at HQ, the team’s guided by Jackson’s Fury. He’s a strong fighter with a lot of weight on his shoulders. Not only must he unite the team and kept track of Loki, he must answer to his mysterious bosses ( the real powers behind SHIELD ). The wiley Fury’s not above massaging the truth in order to placate his superiors and inspire his forces. As for his main agents, Gregg is once again a delight as the efficient Coulson. In a very funny bit of business, he’s almost sidetracked by his ” man-crush ” on Rogers ( he’s got a mint set of Captain America trading cards! ). Renner’s Hawkeye is more of an enigma. He’s SHIELD’s expert sniper and exhibits that loner mentality as he observes the cube experiments from a distance, hidden in the shadows. Until he joins the Avengers, the only other agent he connects with is the Black Widow. Johansson was first introduced in the role in IRON MAN 2 and this is her best screen work in quite a while. Thanks to the film’s talented screenwriter/ director we get some insight as to how she got her deadly code name. She’s no damsel in distress, but an expert interrogator along with her considerable fighting skills. Skills needed in bringing down Loki. Hiddleston expands on the deceitful, cunning villain from THOR. He relishes the idea of being worshipped by conquered earth people and will not hesitate snuffing out dessenters. Loki’s unabashedly, gleefully evil. As far as comic book movie bad guys he doesn’t reach the stellar heights of Heath Ledger’s amazing Joker, but he’s a more than worthy adversary for this movie ” dream team “.

When talking earlier about the Black Widow I alluded to the film’s talented co-screenwriter/ director. The greatest triumph of the film may be the emergence of a new, film power player: Joss Whedon. Of course we fans of the Whedonverse ( referring to his TV shows ” Buffy the Vampire Slayer “, its spinoff ” Angel “, ” Dollhouse”, ” Firefly” and the feature film sequel SERENITY, the internet sensation ” Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-Long Blog “, many comic books and a co-writing credit on the recent CABIN IN THE WOODS ) have been singing his praises for years, since he was a major ” script doctor ” on films like TWISTER and an Oscar nominee for co-writer on the original TOY STORY. He’s done an amazing job juggling all these characters and never letting the big action set pieces overwhelm the actors. So, of course, Buffy’s Dad would help us really get inside the Widow’s head. As for those set pieces…they’re pretty fantastic. Unlike many big action-fests, you can always understand what’s going on.  The editing flows. This really helps when Cap’s taking on the alien army on ground level. Whedon also upholds a a great tradition from the comic source material that really spotlights the contrast between Marvel and DC comics. When two DC heroes meet it’s, ” What brings you to Central City, Green Lantern? ” ” Why, I’m trying to track down Sinestro, Flash! ” followed by a hearty handshake. Over at Marvel, it’s immediately throw-down time! With Whedon involved, it goes without saying that there’s lots of laughs  packed in with the mayhem.

The movie is being presented in 3D, but I don’t think it’s essential to view it in that format. It’s a good upconvert ( like the Cap solo movie ), but aside from some big gun barrels, Loki’s power staff ( get yer’ minds outta’ the gutter! ), and hovering spacecraft the extra D doesn’t add much to the big battles. The movie slows a bit when the principals bicker in a meeting room ( what is this? Super-reality TV ? ), but it soon picks up speed and never lets up till the end credits roll ( that’s a fast 140 minutes! ). Speaking of end credits, the Marvel movies have a tradition of taking on a final bonus scene after the final credit. This time they’ve placed it at the midway point ( as did last Summer’s THE GREEN LANTERN ). Your enjoyment of it may depend on how big a Marvel comics fan you are. But you should stay and see all the folks that worked on it! They did a spectacular job ( Kudos again on the Hulk. It’s the green giant we fans have been wanting to see in the movies )! The meeting of the Marvel movie universe and the Whedonverse has produced a superior screen entertainment that is a high water mark for future comics based films. Hey Nolan-Batman and rebooted Spidey! You’ve got a very tough act to follow! Avengers ( and movie-lovers ) assemble!!

UPDATE : I’ve gotten reports that there is a bonus scene after the final end credit ( in additon to the mid-credit scene I mentioned above ) !

Overall Rating : Five Star-spangled Shields, Five Uru Hammers, Five.. aww, Face Front, True Believers! 5 Out of 5 Stars

Amid a flurry of superhero buzz at the worldwide preview yesterday in Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Mexico City, Moscow, New York City, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Seoul, Sydney, and Toyko, here’s the trailer for THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN! The untold story begins July 3rd.

One of the world’s most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in The Amazing Spider-Man™. Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the film in association with Marvel Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, which will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012.

The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

Swing by the official site here: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

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PHOTOS BY: Jaimie Trueblood

COPYRIGHT: © 2011 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved

The Summer of 2011 has seen more movie adaptations of comic book superheroes than most. It started with THOR in May. June saw the the first class of X-men and the arrival of the GREEN LANTERN. Now for the last superhero of this season we’re seeing the oldest of the bunch get his cinematic ” props ” ( although Thor’s been a hero of mythology for centuries he didn’t become a comic book hero until 1962. The Green Lantern debuted in 1940, but the movie lantern, Hal Jordan, didn’t arrive till 1960 ). From 1941 comes CAPTAIN AMERICA : THE FIRST AVENGER. And it looks like they may have the saved the best for last.

After a brief prologue we’re taken back to 1942 where the power mad leader of Hitler’s technology forces, HYDRA, is at work in Norway. Johann Schmidt ( Hugo Weaving ) almost radiates evil as the group’s mastermind. Back in New York City, USA, skinny, frail Steve Rogers ( Chris Evans ) is once again prevented from enlisting in the military. After a visit to the Stark industries World of Tomorrow exhibition-an earlier version of the big show from IRON MAN 2 complete with young Howard Stark ( Dominic Cooper as Tony’s dad ), destiny calls on Steve in the form of  scientific genius Dr. Abraham Erskine ( Stanley Tucci ). Quick aside- sharp-eyed comic fans may spot another comic book icon on display in the exhibit hall. Erskine enlists Steve in his special program and the ecstatic new recruit  is whisked to Camp Leigh where he meets  British forces special agent Peggy Carter ( Hayley Atwell ) and Army Colonel Chester Phillips ( Tommy Lee Jones ), who’s apprehensive of the Steve. Tragedy occurs on the day of the big experiment and Steve becomes the only ” super soldier “. Colonel Phillips will not permit Steve to go into battle. Before Steve is shipped to a research lab an ambitious senator recruits him for a different kind of mission. Steve dons the red, white, and blue tights of Captain America and, as part of a traveling show, makes the sale of war bonds his new mission. When a scaled down version of the show plays for the troops in Italy, Steve gets a stunning wake up call. The soldiers on the front line think that he’s a joke. When Steve gets word that a childhood buddy’s been captures by HYDRA forces, he decides to put an end to the joke.Steve decides to use his enhanced abilities and join the battle in Europe. But can the only ” super soldier ” stand a chance against the massive hordes of HYDRA led by Schmidt AKA The Red Skull?

It’s hard to believe that it’s been twenty years since this film’s director Joe Johnson made on of the greatest comic book-based movies ever- THE ROCKETEER. Once again Johnson’s in his element. Cliff Secord and his pals flew through the 30′s while cap and company seamlessly inhabit the early 40′s. Johnson makes great use of montage sequences especially in the marketing of Cap to sell war bonds and in Erskine’s retelling of the origin of the Red Skull. He also puts together great action scenes ( Cap’s shield is an impressive weapon ) and keeps our interest during the quiet character moments particularly the slow, budding romance between Steve and Peggy.

The superb art direction and cinematography ably support Johnson in creating  this believable world of nearly 70 years ago. The retro-futuristic look of HYDRA’s weapons and vehicles ( love the Skull’s convertable ) is outstanding. The New York scenes have a nostalgic warm glow, while the shots of Cap and his team on a snowy mountain almost make you shiver. Special kudos to the make-up effects team for devising an impressive frightening villain.  The costume design is equally impressive with everything from civilian fashions to the chorus girl outfits and the shiny black leather uniforms of the Skull and his minions. Speaking of chorus girls, Oscar winning composer Alan Menken , along with lyricist David Zippel creates a bouncy tune, “The Star Spangled Man “  for the ladies to sing behind Cap. The rest of the film is abetted by Alan ( BACK TO THE FUTURE ) Silvestri’s rousing soundtrack score.

As they used to say at the end of many classic older films, ” A great cast is worth repeating” and that’s the case here. Chris Evans is the film’s solid anchor. There’s none of the smirks and winking asides here that he used as Johnny Storm in the Fantastic Four films. Evans projects sincerity and compassion. No matter what the size of Steve Rogers, we’re rooting for him. I’m still amazed at the pre-experiment short, frail Steve ( great job effects team). Hayley Atwell’s Peggy Carter enters the film as a no-nonsense, all business woman whose tough exterior begins to soften after spending time with Steve. She admires his spirit long before his physical transformation. Toby Jones makes for a terrific toady as the Skull’s right hand man, Dr. Armin Zola. I could imagine Peter Lorre as the character in a film from the 40′s. A hero’s only as good as his villain and Hugo Weaving’s Red Skull is a very good bad guy. Even while wearing a human mask he has a constant sneer. In a major shift from comic book continuity Sebastian Stan plays James ” Bucky ” Barnes not as a teen camp mascot, but as an old childhood pal of Steve’s. An early scene of Bucky protecting Steve is very effective. Dominic Cooper is very funny as the cocky , on-the-make young genius Howard Stark. We see where Tony gets his brains and attitude.  I enjoyed Neal McDonough, Derek Luke, and the other members of Cap’s assault team ( based on the comic book ” howling commandos “, but are never called that in the film ). Perhaps we’ll get to know them better in a future film.

And now I’ve got to single out the two acting vets who are true scene stealers. Stanley Tucci makes the genius behind the experiments, Erskine, into a warm, fatherly figure with a dry, subtle wit. His initial interview with Steve and their talk the night before the big day are wonderful quiet scenes before the big action set pieces. He’s also very amusing when clashing with Army brass in the form of the other scene stealer Tommy Lee Jones as the gruff, tough Col. Phillips who tries his best  to hide his respect for Erskine’s intellect in their few scenes together. Phillips becomes another father figure to Steve, one that challenges him. His one line dismissal of Steve’s show biz past is funny and brutal. Getting past the zingers you can see the sadness in the eyes of this old warrior. Indeed he’s spent too many hours writing condolence letters. These are two terrific supporting performances.

Well I guess the best compliment I can give the film is that I felt like I was a youngster encountering the world of Captain America for the first time. Speaking of youngsters I should warn parents that the body count is quite high and the Red Skull could inspire some nightmares in the under six set. Still I hope kids will get to know Cap through this film. Before he grabs that shield, Steve Rogers is a good person who just wants to help. The gift he is given does come with a heavy price and the look in his eyes in the final scenes is haunting. Captain America shows that anyone of us can stand tall and do the right thing. It’s a refreshing attitude for a big Hollywood blockbuster in this cynical world.

Overall Rating : Five Out of Five Stars

The very first appearance of the sentinel of liberty.

Okay fellow movie geeks! Ready for a bit of pop culture history? Before you head out to the multiplex this weekend to see Paramount’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, let’s get better acquainted with the story of this star-spangled superhero. Pencils ready! This may be on the finals!

Let’s go back a few years to Cap’s original glory days. He literally exploded on the comic scene in 1941 with Captain America Comics #1 from Timely Comics. That company had been trying to carve out a slice of the big super hero comics market pie since National Periodicals had caused a sensation with Superman in 1938 and Batman the following year. In 1939 they had a big seller with Marvel Mystery Comics #1 and introduced their two breakaway stars: The Human Torch and The Sub-Mariner. Who would come up with the next great super hero? Luckily for Timely the had the services of one of the greatest creative teams in comic book history – Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

Simon and Kirby had given Timely several new heroes, including The Vision, but nothing close to The Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner in popularity. The war was heating up and it was only a matter of time before the United States would be involved. Simon thought a patriotic hero might break through. MLJ(later known as Archie Comics) had come out with a red, white, and blue hero called The Shield which was a modest success. “Perhaps a character with America in his name?”, thought Simon. Maybe Super American? Nope, too many ‘supers’ out there. A military title-Captain! He sketched up the uniform and got the approval from publisher Martin Goodman. Kirby quickly got to work on the pencils. This new creation would not be introduced in one of the anthology books, but would debut in his own self titled book. Issue #1 stirred up quite a bit of controversy as it featured Cap planting a sock on Adolf Hitler’s jaw-a year before the US entered the war! It was cover dated March 1941, but hit the street in December 1940. It was a big hit and soon other comic companies had to have their own flag-wearing heroes (Commando Yank, The Patriot, Major Liberty).

Captain America’s origin was the first story in that very first issue. In response to act of sabotage, the president himself sends two high ranking military officers to witness an experiment. They are in the observation gallery when Professor Reinstein injects a scrawny volunteer with a chemical that transforms him into a muscled ’ super-soldier’. The professor proudly announces that he will be the first of many. Unfortunately one of the gallery audience attendees is an undercover Gestapo agent who opens fire on the scientist. He had never written down the formula, so the program dies with the professor. The only ’super-solider’ grabs the still firing spy and delivers a mighty blow. In trying to escape the spy gets tangled in some machinery and is electrocuted. The volunteer becomes Captain America and begins smashing up saboteur rings. At Camp Leigh, camp mascot Bucky Barnes walks into Private Steve Rogers’s tent as he dons the red, white, and blue uniform. Rogers swears Bucky to secrecy and enlists him as his spy smashing sidekick Bucky. A few pages later they would meet Cap’s arch enemy, the Red Skull. And so the legend begins.

Up to this point super hero comics were an extension of the popular newspaper adventure comic strips. Simon and Kirby turned this staid format on it’s ear. They had title splash pages filled to the edges with action. Panel layouts varied in size on a page as opposed to the standard grid format of most comics. Speaking of panels, the heroes and villains could not be contained in the panels. Their highly contorted, muscular bodies burst out of the borders. It was almost 3-D comics without the special glasses.

At the end of that first story, readers were invited to join the first comic book hero fan club-Captain America’s Sentinels of Liberty. For one thin dime you would receive an official membership card and a bright red, white, and blue metal pin. The club was discontinued a couple years later supposedly because of the scarcity of metal during the height of the war.

A poster for the 1943 Republic serial.

And starring as our hero, Dick Purcell!

Two years later Cap was on movie screens across the country. In 1943 Republic Studios released a fifteen chapter movie serial titled Captain America. It was a high quality production, although fans of the comic book were no doubt disheartened by the film interpretation. Gone were the wings on his mask, the shield, and Bucky. Gone also was Cap’s Steve Rogers identity. Instead of being a soldier he was now crusading district attorney Grant Gardner. And instead of hunting Nazi agents Cap was on the trail of the master criminal called The Scarab who’s murdering the members of an expedition. Horror film veteran Lionel Atwill made a great hiss-able villain as the Scarab and Dick Purcell ( THE BANK DICK ) was a good square-jawed hero, but it just wasn’t our Cap. A recent story about the serial gives an explanation for the many changes. Republic had done well with serials based on two characters from Fawcett Comics-Captain Marvel and Spy Smasher. Rumor has it that they had a script written based on another Fawcett super hero Mr. Scarlet, who was a district attorney in his secret identity. Supposedly the studio had a falling out with the comic publisher and instead of discarding the script, Republic got the rights to Timely’s Captain America and changed him to fit the completed script. Many years later film maker Don Glut borrowed the original serial costume from memorabilia collector Bob Burns and shot a Captain America short film. You can see it on the recent DVD release ” I Was a Teenage Movie Maker”.

After ten great issues Simon and Kirby were let go from Timely after a dispute and other artists ( Syd Shores, Al Avison ) continued Cap’s adventures in his own book along with appearances in USA Comics, Marvel Mystery Comics, and All-Select Comics ( artist Alex Schomberg contributed wild, action packed covers for these books ). Simon and Kirby went over to National ( DC Comics), revamped their Sandman and Manhunter characters and created the Newsboy Legion along with the smash hit Boy Commandos. A few years later they would invent romance comics and do a Captain America parody called Fighting American. Back at Timely, after World War II ended Steve Rogers put away his khakis and pulled on a tweed jacket as a high school teacher. His new occupation would not last long. With the Axis defeated, the superheroes lost their great enemy and the comic reading public lost interest in them. Not even having Cap and Bucky team up with other Timely heroes The Human Torch and Toro, The Sub-Mariner, The Whizzer, and Miss America in the All-Winners’ Squad could heat up comic sales. Funny animals and true crime tales were the new big trend on the comic racks. In an attempt to boost sales Bucky ( badly wounded and in the hospital ) was replaced as Cap’s fighting partner by the glamorous Golden Girl. Finally his book was renamed Captain America’s Weird Tales with issue # 74 to capitalize on another trend: horror. With #75 Cap was not in his book any longer. By the end of 1950, Captain America was gone, but far from forgotten.

Cap's 1940's comic book swan song.

Surprisingly he was back three years later. Buoyed by the success of the TV show ” The Adventures of Superman ” starring George Reeves, Timely ( now Atlas )decided to bring back the superheroes- specifically The Human Torch, The Sub-Mariner, and Captain America. They returned in Young Men #24. Steve Rogers was back teaching school, Bucky had healed, and Steve’s alter ego was now “Captain America-Commie Smasher” , reflecting the cold war concerns. Cap’s old Nazi foe The Red Skull was naturally now a ‘red’ agent. The principal artist was now John Romita, future Marvel art director ( and second Spider-Man penciller). But the new stories didn’t take off. After four more issues of Young Men, two issues of Men’s Adventures, and three more issues of his revived self titled book, Captain America was back in comic book limbo.

About ten years later, Cap was back in action thanks in part to rival DC Comics, strangely enough. In 1956 DC had decided to test the waters by featuring a new, revamped version of one of their 1940′s heroes, The Flash, in Showcase #4. New versions of Green Lantern, Atom, Hawkman, and a superhero team book, Justice League of America, soon followed. Legend has it that Atlas publisher Martin Goodman was golfing with one of the DC big-wigs, when the man started boasting about the sales figures on the Justice League book. Returning to the office, Goodman instructed editor Stan Lee to come up with a team of superheroes. He presented him with the Fantastic Four and soon Atlas became Marvel Comics. One member of the group, Johnny Storm, appropriated the name and powers of the old Timely hero, The Human Torch. In Fantastic Four issue #4, Lee brought back the Sub-Mariner as a villain. Several fans wrote in suggesting a revival of Captain America , although Lee wasn’t quite sure yet. He did have a soft spot for Cap as his first published piece with the Stan Lee by-line was a text story, “Captain America Foils the Traitor’s Revenge” back in 1941′s Captain America Comics #3. Still being cautious, he decided to feature Captain America on the cover of Strange Tales #114 in a solo story of the new Human Torch. By the end of the tale, Johnny Storm learned that this Cap was an imposter-it was an old enemy, the Acrobat! In the final panel, Lee asked readers if they’d like to see Captain America return. His office was hit by an avalanche of mail. Cap would return, but how would he become a part of this new Marvel age of comics in 1964?

Marvel tests the waters for Cap's return.

The real Cap came back in The Avengers issue #4 ” Captain America Joins the Avengers”. Stan Lee had decided that the Cap stories after the end of World War II did not exist. In the story the Avengers ( Iron Man, Thor, Giant-Man, and the Wasp ) are returning to New York in their underwater transport craft after doing battle with the Incredible Hulk and the Sub-Mariner in the previous issue. Peering through a glass portal, they spot a man floating in the icy waters of the North Atlantic. Giant-Man opens the escape hatch, reaches up, and pulls the nearly lifeless body into the craft. The Wasp is the first to recognize him as the legendary hero. Cap suddenly bolts upright, screaming, “Bucky! Bucky! Look Out!”. Seems that in the last days of the war, Cap and Bucky leaped onto to a flying drone plane full of explosives. Realizing that the plane is seconds from blowing up, Cap drops from the craft and calls for Bucky to do the same. But he is too late. As Cap plunges down into the icy water he sees the drone plane explode. Since that incident he’s been frozen , floating in suspended animation. He’s not aged a day in the past twenty years. After a brief dust up with the other heroes ( a typical Marvel misunderstanding ), Cap saves them from an alien threat and is invited to join the Avengers. He would become a mainstay of the book during the 60′s , and after the departure of the first heroes in issue #16 Cap would be the leader of the new members (  former villains Hawkeye, the Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver ).

The real deal is back!

The response to Captain America’s return had Marvel thinking about giving him his own book. At that time the distributor Independent News  limited the number of titles Marvel could produce. Many of the heroes shared books that used it’s  titles from the sci-fi/ mystery books of the Atlas era. Tales to Astonish features the Incredible Hulk and Ant-Man/Giant-Man with the Wasp ( Sub-Mariner would later share the book with the Hulk). Strange Tales had Dr. Strange ( of course ) and the Human Torch ( soon replaced by Nick Fury, Agent  of SHIELD ). It was decided that Cap would share Tales of Suspense ( starting with issue #59 ) with his Avengers team mate Iron Man. Luckily  Cap’s co-creator Jack Kirby was on hand to draw up most of these ten page stories. Kirby had ended up back with  Timely ( now Marvel ) after ending his partnership with Joe Simon. When he returned he became one of the prime artists on the many books featuring giant creatures on the loose. After Stan Lee came up with the Fantastic Four, Kirby was the one who helped visualize them. He designed the look for most of the growing stable of stars ( although Steve Ditko would be that art force behind Spider-Man and Dr. Strange ). The Captain America stories were a showcase for Kirby’s incredible battle sequences. It’s amazing how much action he could pack in those ten pages. With issue #63 the series focused on Cap and Bucky’s wartime adventures. Cap was back in his glory days alongside the man who drew him in those early stories. The Red Skull was also brought into the Marvel age. Later it was revealed that the Skull had also been in suspended animation for the past two decades thanks to an experimental gas. Several other artist contributed to these short stories including George Tuska, John Romita, Dick Ayers, and Gil Kane.

Captain America returned to comic books just in time for the superhero explosion of 1966 ( thanks to the Batman TV show ). His smiling image appeared on countless toys. Cap got his own board game from Milton Bradley. Aurora, the company behind the classic movie monster models , produced a Captain America plastic model kit along with his Marvel co-stars Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk. And of course, Cap was a popular  Ben Cooper Halloween costume, One of the best remembered toys of this era was an action figure ( not a doll ) called  Captain Action from Ideal. Similar in size to Hasbro’s GI Joe, Captain Action could be dressed up as different comic book and comic strip heroes (as opposed to Joe who could be dressed in different military outfits). Captain America was in the first wave of outfits produced along with another Marvel star Sgt. Fury ( Spider-Man would soon join them). Cap was also on a View Master reel and a coloring book featuring art from a John Romita story.  Cap , along with Spider-Man, seemed to be the most merchandized of the Marvel heroes.

For a brief time Captain America entered the world of paperback novels. In 1967 Bantam Books released “The Avengers Battle the Earth Wrecker”  by Otto Binder featuring Cap on the cover alongside Goliath, Hawkeye, Quicksiver, and the Scarlet Witch. Inside they fought, with some help from Iron Man, the outer space menace known as Karzz. The next year Bantam released a solo book, “Captain America: The Great Gold Steal “ by Ted White. This paperback sports a gorgeous, full- color, painting of our hero( with shield in one hand and toting some sort of blaster gun in the other). Both books featured introductions by Stan Lee. Eleven years later Marvel would team up with pocket books for a series of paperbacks based on their heroes.  Marvel Novel Series #4 features Cap in “Holocaust For Hire” by Joseph Silva.  Marvel Novel series #10 has Cap along with the Avengers in “The Man Who Stole Tomorrow” by David Michelinie. Both books had great painted covers by Dave Cockrum. Almost twenty years later another Cap novel was released: “Captain America: Liberty’s Torch” by Tony Isabella and Bob Ingersoll. This had interior black and white illustrations by Mike Zeck and Bob McLeod and a shiny color cover by James Steranko.

The first Cap paperback novel.

Superheroes dominated children’s TV in 1966, so it was no surprise when Marvel entered animation. The Grantray-Lawrence Productions syndicated ” The Marvel Superheroes” cartoon shows to local TV stations across the country. Each half hour episode featured one of five heroes: Iron Man, The Mighty Thor, Sub-Mariner, The Incredible Hulk, or Captain America. To call them animated is a bit of a stretch. The animators Xeroxed the proof art from the books and would eliminate a limb that needed to move, say an arm or leg and then just animate that part. The mouths moved to the recorded dialogue and the eyes blinked. Besides an occasional sound effect word ( POW! ZONK! ), that’s all the movement there would be. Because some of the other characters had been at Marvel a bit longer, several Avengers stories were adapted for the Captain America episodes. These cartoons were a fixture on “Corky’s Colorama” that aired On KSDK channel 5 in the St. Louis area. In the early eighties Cap made some appearances on “Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends” on NBC Saturday mornings. Later he made guest spots on the Fox Kids show “The Avengers” and on Kids WB’s “X-Men Evolution”. Currently Cap is featured on Cartoon Network’s “The Super Hero Squad” and ” The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” on the DisneyXD cable network.

Back at the comic book rack, in 1968 Marvel reached an agreement with their distributor Independent News and was able to expand their line. The first two characters to get their solo books were The Incredible Hulk and Cap. With issue #100 Tales of Suspense became Captain America. The first few issues became a showcase for Jack Kirby’s talents. James Steranko (the wonder behind Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD) took over the penciling duties in issues #110, 111, and #113 and created an epic adventure where Cap and Rick Jones (garbed as Bucky) battled the evil organization HYDRA. At the end, Cap had faked his death and walked off into the night alone. The series then began to really explore Stan Lee’s take on Cap as a man out of his time, still wracked with guilt over Bucky’s death. He began to question his ideals and his faith in the government. Kirby did not return to the book so several artists took over such as John Buscema, John Romita, Gil Kane, and Gene Colan ( who stayed for several issues). Cap got an new partner, Sam Wilson AKA The Falcon in issue #118. The Falcon was one of the first black heroes that Marvel introduced in the 70′s. Cap tackled a Watergate-style conspiracy and discovered the truth about his 1953 incarnation in stories drawn by Sal Buscema. Jack Kirby returned to write and draw the book in the late 70′s followed by comic strip artist Frank Robbins. In the mid 70′s Roy Thomas created a new book, “The Invaders” which had Cap teaming up with The Sub-Mariner and the original Human Torch during World War II. In the 1980′s writer Roger Stern and artist John Bryne had Cap become a working artist, get a new girlfriend (Bernie Rosenthal), and ponder a run for the White House. They also revealed a great new villain- Baron Blood, a Nazi vampire! Cap would soon be part of the Secret Wars and then be revamped by Rob Liefeld in 1996′s “Heroes Reborn” universe. This occurred a couple years after Cap’s appearances in the epic mini-series “Marvels” written by Kurt Busiek and beautifully painted by Alex Ross. A version of Cap appears in the Ultimate Universe line in a more military uniform without his mask wings.

Cap finally gets his own book in the late 1960's!

Through this time Cap was brought to small screens in two made for TV live action movies produced by Universal and airing on CBS. In the late 70′s Universal Studios optioned several Marvel characters for potential TV movies and series. The first one was “The Incredible Hulk” which birthed a very successful TV series starring Bill Bixby. A Dr. Strange movie starring Peter Hooten aired in 1978. The next year” Captain America” aired on CBS starring Reb Brown ( UNCOMMON VALOR ) as Steve Rogers, the son of the original Cap. He’s recruited by a secret government agency to take the serum dubbed FLAG that had given his dad enhanced abilities. By the end of the film he gets a special suped-up motorcycle, a bulletproof shield ( that has red and clear stripes ), and a star spangled uniform. But not the one from the comics! His suit looks more like the Fighting American uniform that the comic book threads! The following year the suit in “Captain America II: Death Too Soon” was closer to the comic classic, but this did not help it get picked up as a series despite having the lovely Connie Sellica and horror movie icon Christopher Lee as the villain.

Reb Brown in the first Cap CBS TV movie!

Cap continued to be merchandised through the years. He was part of Mego’s action figure superhero line in the 70′s. Mattel put out a Secret Wars Cap figure. For the last few years Toy Biz has issued many different versions of Cap. He’s also been a star in video games with the Captain America and The Avengers arcade game from the 90′s. Cap has also been a part of several Marvel themed games for home video gaming systems.

In the late 1980′s Cap finally was poised to hit the movie screens again. For many years Cannon Films had taken out trade ads announcing their intention to star Cap in a live action feature film. In 1989 Menachem Golan split from the studio and began work ( perhaps prompted by the blockbuster 1989 Batman film )on making a Cap film for his new company 21^stCentury Film Corporation. The 12 million dollar production would be directed by Albert Pyun and shoot in Yugoslavia, LA, and Alaska. The cast included Ronny Cox ( as the US president ), Ned Beatty, Melinda Dillon, and Michael Nouri. Starring as Steve Rogers would be screen newcomer Matt Salinger ( son of author J.D. ). The Italian mastermind The Red Skull is played by Scott Paulin ( THE RIGHT STUFF, TEEN WOLF ). Yes, that’s right! Italian! It’s been speculated that the film’s German investors might have prompted that change. At least the movie gets a few things right. It begins in World War II. The shield and the suit look right- it’s rubber latex with fake ears attached to the mask. Oh, the doctor behind the  “super soldier program” is Italian, too. And a woman. Cap is strapped to a missile after being defeated by the Skull as Mussolini (!) looks on. The missile crashes into the arctic where Cap is discovered decades later, frozen in ice. He thaws and spends the rest of the film being pursued by US agents and the Skull’s henchmen. The movie could not get an American distributor and sat on the shelf for two years till it was released directly to the US home video market in 1992. It often pops up on cable TV. There was talk of a Captain America Broadway musical, but for now it seemed like there would never be another big screen film based on the character.

Matt Salinger in the 1990 straight to home video Cap movie.

In the last few years Captain America is still a big seller at comic shops ( no news stands and candy shops anymore ). Cap was a major player in the Civil Wars mini-series and made some news reports a few years back when he was assassinated by a sniper. There were attempts to fill the uniform with Hawkeye and a resurrected Bucky ( now known as Winter Solider-seems he was in suspended animation too). Of course most comics characters don’t stay dead too long and soon Steve Rogers was back in uniform, perhaps just in time for some major event.

Oh yes, just in time for July 22. That’s the date that CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER opens at movie theatres all across the country. A few years back Marvel decided to produce movies on their own based on several of their own characters not licensed out to other film studios. They entered into an agreement with Paramount Pictures and the first of the Marvel Studios films, IRON MAN was released to great accolades and big box office in 2008. IRON MAN 2 followed in 2010 and THOR hit theatres this past May. In this new Cap film Chris Evans ( Johnny Storm in the two Fantastic Four films) stars as Steve Rogers and Hugo Weaving ( of the Matrix trilogy) is Johann Scmidt AKA The Red Skull. Stanley Tucci is Dr. Erskine, the mind behind the “supersoldier” formula and is assisted by Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark ( Tony’s dad). Hayley Atwell is soldier and love interest Peggy Carter and Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones is Col. Chester Phillips. From the previews it appears that Cap leads the Howling Commandos headed by Neal McDonough as ‘Dum Dum’ Dugan and Sebastian Stan as James ‘Bucky’ Barnes, so we know it’s primarily set in the 40′s. The film is written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely and directed by Joe Johnson -no stranger to comic book based films as he also directed 1991′s THE ROCKETEER. It looks as though The Red Skull discovers the Cosmic Cube (introduced at the end of THOR ) and leads the forces of HYDRA going by the photos and previews. No other details of the plot have been released, but we do know that Captain America will be part of THE AVENGERS when the film is released through Disney to theatres next Summer.

So maybe a whole new generation will be introduced to the exploits of the good Captain in the multiplexes over the next few months. Perhaps will see some tykes grabbing a garbage can lid and leaping into battle against the forces of evil. We may even hear a few bars of that great cartoon theme song with lyrics by Stan ‘the man’ Lee:

When Captain America throws his mighty shield,

All those who chose to oppose his shield must yield,

When he’s lead to a fight

And a duel is due

Then the red and the white and the blue will come through,

When Captain America throws his mighty shield!

Alright you Marvel movie maniacs! I hope these new pics and videos will help you endure the next few days till we can hit the multiplexes and enjoy the big screen treatment our favorite shield-slingin’ hero has deserved since he was introduced seventy years ago! First up it looks like the bad guys have the upper hand on Cap. Enjoy it while you can, Hydra!

Photos Credit: CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, from Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment. Paramount Pictures/Marvel Studios (c) 2011 MVLFFLLC. ™ & (c) 2011 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

Nice shot of the uniform. No doubt Cap’s infiltrated Hydra’s HQ.

Cap behind the wheel of his motorcycle. First time I’ve seen the small star on his upper arm. Very similar to the Ultimate Universe suit.

Looks like we’re on one of the snow covered mountains seen in the trailers.

Lovely shot of Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter.

And an even lovelier shot of Ms Atwell. First time I’ve seen here in her out of her brown military uniform. As they said back in the forties, ” Hubba! Hubba!”. Note the poster behind her showing Cap in the suit based on Timely’s Captain America Comics #1.

I wonder if this is the first time that Cap meets James ‘Bucky’ Barnes, played by Sebastian Shaw.

This looks to be shortly after Cap’s first public appearance, judging by the bright red boots and blue theatrical tights. Is he keeping a journal?

Lovely shot of Cap on a night mission. Is that a Hydra convoy?

Steve Rodgers ( Chris Evans ) looks just as sharp in military browns as he does in red,white, and blue.

Howard Stark ( Dominic Cooper )presents Steve with the circular unpainted shield fashioned from a new indestructible metal. Notice the first triangle-style shield in the foreground.

Here’s Steve enduring another of the many injections that are part of the Super Soldier project.

Perhaps Steve is watching newsreel war footage that inspires him to enlist.

I’m guessing that Steve’s run into an old acquaintance at a recruiting center.

And finally here’s Steve in training mode prior to the work at the lab.

Check out these new clips and featurette from the film:

“Grenade”

“Rebirth”

“Shield Intro”

“Shield Fight”

“Meet Captain America Featurette”

See you at the movies this Friday. To paraphrase the rallying  cry from The Invaders comic book series, ” Look out Axis, here he comes!”. Keep em’ flying!

Synopsis:

Captain America: The First Avenger will focus on the early days of the Marvel Universe when Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) volunteers to participate in an experimental program that turns him into the Super Soldier known as Captain America. As Captain America, Rogers joins forces with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) to wage war on the evil HYDRA organization, led by the villainous Red Skull (Hugo Weaving.)

Directed by Joe Johnston and starring Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Dominic Cooper, Toby Jones, Neal McDonough, Derek Luke, and Stanley Tucci, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER will be in theaters July 22, 2011.

One of a continuing slate of films being produced by Marvel Studios based on the Marvel characters, Captain America: The First Avenger joined Thor on May 6, 2011 and The Avengers on May 4, 2012. Visit the film’s official site here and on Facebook

The other day I was thinking the concept of a movie prequel was a fairly new notion. I suppose it was George Lucas who really promoted that idea with his first trilogy in 1999 with STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE. But as I thought about it, movie prequels have been around for a while. Back in the 30′s and 40′s they were made to delve into the backgrounds of historical figures as in YOUNG TOM EDISON and YOUNG MR. LINCOLN. In the early 70′s we had BUTCH AND SUNDANCE : THE EARLY YEARS. The 80′s saw YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES, and INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM ( which technically is a prequel to RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK as it is set a couple of years earlier ). The post Star Wars first trilogy prequels have been used as a way to restart or reboot an aging franchise. In that way CASINO ROYAL was a Bond restart. Sometimes this re-inveigorates the series with fresh blood as J.J. Abrams did with STAR TREK  in 2009. This has been done again with Matthew Vaughn’s X- MEN: FIRST CLASS.   A film series that limped through two lackluster sequels and a spin-off (  X- MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE ) now seems fresh and exciting once again.

The first X- Men movie was set in 2000, so to see how the group was first formed we’ve got to go back to the swingin’ 60′s.  That is after a brief stop in the 1940′s and World War II. The memory of young Erik Lehnsherr being separated from his parents at a Nazi concentration camp in occupied Poland is replayed. This time his gifts are observed by a Nazi scientist. Back in upstate New York young Charles Xavier comes upon his mother making a midnight snack. He sees through the ruse and meets a kindred spirit: the shape shifting Raven ( later Mystique ). Back at the camp the Nazi scientist ( Sebastian Shaw played by Kevin Bacon ) murders Erik’s mother to pressure the young boy into using his talents. The boy’s fury unleashes his mutant magnetism much to Shaw’s delight. Now we leap to the 60′s -1962 to be exact. Charles Xavier ( James McAvoy ) and his adopted sister Raven ( Jennifer Lawrence ) are two star students at Oxford while Erik ( Michael Fassbender ) explores Switzerland and Argentina in his quest for revenge on Shaw. In Las Vegas, CIA agent Moira MacTaggert observes a high ranking US general entering the Hellfire Club ( along with several barely clad female escorts ). Thinking on her feet, Moiria sheds her dress and enters the club as one of the escorts. Inside, the general is taken to a private booth by Emma Frost ( January Jones ). Through a secret entrance they are sent to a private room where Shaw and his two aides Riptide and Azazel greet them. Shaw is paying the general to use his influence to get a missile base in Turkey. Later Moira enlists Charles and Raven in an assault on Shaw’s yacht. There they meet Erik, who is thwarted in his attempt to kill Shaw. Reluctantly Erik agrees to join them in their quest to stop Shaw and his crew. Since Shaw, Frost, Riptide, and Azazel all have mutant abilities, Charles uses a device called Cerebro created by the CIA’sresident genius Hank McCoy ( Nicholas Hoult )  to seek other gifted individuals. Can this young team stop Shaw in his quest for a nuclear nightmare?

Director Vaughn is no stranger to this material ( after helming the comic book-based  KICK-ASS ) and keeps the plot moving at a great clip. The film could use a few minutes trimmed from it’s 2 and a 1/4 hour running time, but it  never seems to slow for too long-unlike some other Summer actioners ( I’m looking at you, Capt. Jack! ). The film makers do a fairly good job of re-creating the look of the 60′s in the sets, fashions, and autos. I have to nit-pick over some of the hairstyles. A Russian general would never have hair over his back collar. Speaking of 60′s fashion, January Jones is no stranger to them as part of TV’s Mad Men. Her Emma Frost is almost Betty Draper with super powers. Scary thought! McAvoy exudes intelligence and even has a bit of fun with the later stodgy Professor X. Love his groovy mutant pick-up line! Michael Fassbender brings a sinister, sexy energy to his future super villain,Magneto. Jennifer Lawrence shows that her WINTER’S BONE performance was the start of a great screen career with her conflicted Raven. My favorite of the original X-Men was the Beast and Hoult really nails his portrait of the clumsy braniac who desperately wants to fit in. I was a bit conflicted over Kevin Bacon. I wasn’t sure if he was right for this ruthless, evil mutant, but he uses his charm to great advantage when wheeling and dealing. I’ll give you a heads up-there’s no post end credits bonus scene on this superhero flick. Oh, and I’ve got to give special kudos to the producers for not giving in to greed and releasing this in 3D. Excelsior! Now I don’t want to spoil any surprises, so I’ll just tell you to hold off on a rest room or snack run when the Cerebro sequence begins. After THOR and this movie, it’s turning out to be a great superhero Summer. I’d say Marvel is two for two, but this film is not produced by Marvel Studios as was THOR, the Iron Man movies, and the upcoming CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER. This a great popcorn picture with a bit of a social message snuck in between the fantastic stunts and effects.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Face front, True Believers! According to our calenders, officially  the first day of Summer is June 21, but movie Summer really starts with the first weekend in May ( sorry FAST FIVE ) especially with the release of a big comic book superhero movie. For the last few years this has featured a hero from the fabled House of Ideas-Marvel. With 2008′s IRON MAN the comic company has been producing their film properties through Marvel Studios ( along with Paramount ). After two Iron Man movie adventures the studio is now tackling another Marvel hero. While Tony Stark was thought of as a second tier character, this big guy has been one of their comic superstars since his introduction in 1962′s Journey Into Mystery number 83-the mighty Thor. The Norse god had primarily been adapted in animation. First in the ( very ) limited animation TV series The Marvel Superheroes by Gantry Lawrence in 1966. He later made appearances on Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends and most recently on the Superhero Squad and Marvel Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. The only live action attempt was in the 1988 made-for TV movie The Incredible Hulk Returns. In that a former student of David Banner, Donald Blake, was able to channel and materialize an ancient warrior through a battle hammer. This Thor was a viking party animal interested in carousing with very little in common with the comic book character. Growing up, reading of his exploits I didn’t think this updated Norse mythology could be translated to a big live action big screen epic. Like Jon Favreau with Iron Man, an actor has stepped behind the camera to guide him to the muti-plexes : Kenneth Branagh. Would he be able to go from Shakespeare to Stan”the man’ Lee and Jack ‘king’ Kirby. After viewing the end result, THOR, I can only say, “Excelsior!”

This Norse mythology saga starts, oddly enough, in the deserts of New Mexico, USA. A van containing researchers Jane Foster ( Natalie Portman ), Darcy Lewis ( Kat Dennings ), and Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard ) races through the night in order to take readings of the strange atmospheric disturbances. Suddenly the dark skies open and a weird light shines on the desert floor. Driving to the spot, they bump against something-a man. The film then goes back many hundreds of years to a primitive Norwegian village suddenly under attack by the fearsome Frost Giants. Soon a bursting bright light sets forth hundreds of viking warriors to the rescue. They are Asgardians lead by their king, Odin ( Anthony Hopkins ). After a brutal battle ( Odin loses his right eye ), Asgard prevails and Odin takes the Frost Giants’ power source the Casket of Ancient Winters. The years pass. Odin and his beautiful wife Frigga ( Rene Russo ) raise two sons: Thor and Loki. Reaching adulthood, Thor ( Chris Hemsworth ) is chosen by Odin to secede him as king/ ruler of Asgard. The ceremony is interrupted by Frost Giants who attempt to retrieve the casket, until they are thwarted by an enchanted walking armored weapon, the Destroyer. Going against his father’s wishes, Thor along with his brother Loki ( Tom Hiddleston ) and friends the Lady Sif ( Jamie Alexander ) and the Warriors Three: Hogun  ( Tadanobu Asano ), Fandral ( Joshua Dallas ), and Volstagg ( Ray Stevenson ) get the Rainbow Bridge’s guardian Heimdall ( Idris Elba ) to open the portal/ wormhole to the Front Giants’ world of Jotunheim. The fight is stopped when Odin and his guards arrive to take the Asgardians back home. After a heated argument Odin strips Thor of his powers and send him to Earth. Casting a spell on his hammer, Odin sends it to Earth as well. And so we’re caught up as Thor is taken to a hospital by the research team. After he’s released the scientists take him in, although Selvig believes him to be delusional. Meanwhile the hammer’s arrival has attracted many locals who attempt to free it from a rock that where it is embedded. But it can only be retrieved and used by someone worthy of the power of Thor. The hammer has also attracted Agent Phil Coulson ( Clark Gregg reprising his role from the Iron Man films ) and the forces of S.H.IE.L.D., who set up operations around it. Back in Asgard, Odin collapses after an altercation with Loki. The aged ruler is taken to the healing room where he enters the Odin-sleep ( an almost comatose state). Loki assumes the throne. Can he make Thor’s banishment permanent? Will Thor be able to retrieve his hammer and regain his powers? And what will happen to his friends back in Asgard? And what of his new friends on Earth- especially the lovely Ms. Foster?

This all makes for a whole lot of fun at the movies. It turns out that Branagh’s an excellent match for this material. The royal family intrigue is very similar to much of Shakespeare’s work. He also handles the many action scenes with skill as we see this magical hammer in action. Bo Welch does an admirable job of emulating Jack Kirby’s spiralling, shining castles and towers in Asgard. While Krypton has been portrayed in the recent Superman films as jutting, icy stalagmite towers, Thor’s home has a warm golden glow. Relative newcomer Hemsworth does a great job of anchoring the film. He makes Thor’s journey from arrogant brawler to humble, compassionate hero very compelling. If Lawrence Oliver could be the Greek god Zeus in the original CLASH OF THE TITANS, then who better to play his Norse counterpart Odin than Hopkins ( now that Sean Connery’s retired ). And a big welcome back to Ms. Russo in her first movie in over five years.You’ve been missed . I look forward to seeing  you fighting side by side with Hopkins in future adventures. Hiddleston’s a great conniving plotter as the duplicitous Loki. Kudos to the rest of Thor’s Asgardian friends particularly Alexander and Dallas who look like they stepped right out of the comics along with Stevenson ( PUNISHER: WAR ZONE ) as ( the not so-voluminous ) Vostagg and Elba as the imposing Heimdall. On Earth, Denning provides great comic relief as Darcy while Skarsgard brings scholarly gravitas and humor to Dr. Selvig. Portman’s believable as the compassionate scientist, but stumbles a bit while almost swooning over the hunky heroin several scenes. As in previous films, Gregg is a treat as the all-business ( but very funny ) government agent. As mentioned on this sight, another Marvel character makes an appearance here.  And of course like the Iron Man films, be sure to stick around through the end credits for a bonus scene that sets the wheels in place for a future film. I’ve only a couple problems with the film. The switch between Earth and Asgard can be abrupt. The scenes of Loki’s treachery sometimes stop the momentum of Thor’s New Mexico saga. Also the ending does evoke the conclusions of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and the first Spider-Man film. And of course there’s the old 3D situation. Thor was not shot in 3D ( there’s not even a shot of the hammer zooming toward the camera ), so the scene set on the Frost Giant world is very dark and murky. I hope to catch it again in good ole 2D. So, how does this stack up against the other Marvel movies? Well, with SPIDER-MAN 2 being the sublime and ELEKTRA on the other end of the spectrum , I’d place this in the top third, right between the first Iron Man and the Ed Norton Incredible Hulk. Just think only a few weeks till we re-visit those X-Men and a few weeks after that we’ll cheer on that  shield slingin’ first Avenger. This bodes well for a great movie Summer. For Asgard!

Overall Rating: Four and a Half Out of Five Stars

Director Joss Whedon announced yesterday on the blog Whedonesque.com that shooting on the long awaited AVENGERS film will begin today! (hat-tip Collider)

Hi Pumpkins, joss here.

Tomorrow we start shooting (I THINK I’m legally permitted to say that). Day one. That’s right. We’ll be shooting the pivotal death/betrayal/product placement/setting up the sequel/coming out scene, at the following address:

[Marvel Lawyers rush in, take Joss's keyboard, blowtorch a picture of his family like in "Stormy Monday", drink his milkshake, leave the seat up, fluff his pillows, violently unfluff his pillows, leave]

Went too far. My bad. Anyhoo, it should be a fun day, followed by the eighty thousand other fun days it will take to finish this. I’ll be checking in from time to time, if there’s news or I crave attention (i.e. am awake). None of it will be Avengers news — I have some very denty pillows to remind of that — but I may have tidbits. (They’re not about Firefly. I should say that up front, if only to protect Sis Mo from the HATORZ.)

Some of you may be saying, Joss! Why this link, here, now, why, huh, howcum? My friend Allyx turned me on to these guys, and I’ll tell you, they’ve gotten me through this intensely pressurized, preply time. I strongly recommend checking out their other vids — I’ve watched them many many times, and I have a very special place for “Teamwork” in my heart. These guys are the guys. And IS there a better movie title than “Eagles Are Turning People Into Horses”? I thought not.

So wish me luck. DO IT! LUCK! NOW! I’m off to finish some Buffy pages, and then figure out what the movie is about already. I’m pretty sure it’s about the Justice League [Marvel Lawyers re-enter, unspeakability occurs] or possibly something else. I’ll get it. I’ve been looking forward to this. For about 46 years.

Catchphrase!

-j.

In case you missed it, here’s another look at the teaser, complete with Samuel L. Jackson voiceover, for THE AVENGERS.

THE AVENGERS. Earth’s mightiest heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and the Hulk unite in this motion picture adventure from Marvel Studios. Directed by Joss Whedon and starring Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner and Clark Gregg!

Starring:
Robert Downey Jr. – Tony Stark/ Iron Man
Chris Evans – Steve Rogers/ Captain America
Chris Hemsworth – Thor
Mark Ruffalo – Dr. Bruce Banner/ The Incredible Hulk
Jeremy Renner – Clint Barton/ Hawkeye
Scarlett Johansson- Black Widow
Clark Gregg – Agent Phil Coulson
Samuel L Jackson – Nick Fury

From Marvel Studios and Disney, look for THE AVENGERS in theaters on May 4, 2012.