Reuters reports that Marvel's latest film, The Incredible Hulk is unlikely to get a sequel.
"We're happy with the financial results, even if they [only] reach the first film's levels," a Marvel insider insisted. "Having a sequel is not the definition of success."
That being said, about one month after release, the Louis Leterrier-directed "The Incredible Hulk" has earned $125 million, the same as what "Hulk" raked in at the same time in its run. "Hulk" finished with $132 million [domestically], and its successor is unlikely to do much better.
"Hollywood is always about perception," he noted. "The first Hulk had such high expectations after the NBC-Universal merger, then with the new Hulk film, Marvel was able to underplay the importance of the success after the great success of Iron Man this summer. So the new one overdelivered, relative to its underpromise."
It's key to remember that "Hulk" has yet to be released in some markets and huge digital video market... either way, it's been a great year for comic bok movies, who knows what the future holds?
Along with Iron Man: The Animated Series, X-Men will be coming to Nicktoons network in the first quarter of 2009. The first three episodes, which will air as the pilot for the series, are being written by Greg Johnson, who has contributed to several other Marvel animated features.
From the publisher:
Iron Man™, one of Marvel's® most indestructible Super Heroes, is blasting onto video game platforms and the big screen next year. The epic, action-packed Marvel Studios production will be directed by John Favreau and stars Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Terrance Howard and Gwyneth Paltrow. This third-person action game will immerse players in explosive militaristic combat from the film with loads of additional content created exclusively for the game.
* A DEVASTATING WEAPON: Iron Man alone battles armies of fighter jets, military tanks, armored Super Villains and more.
* POWER CONTROL: Players will direct power to different parts of Iron Man's suit, creating a variety of unique attacks.
* CHAOTIC BATTLEFIELDS: Open-ended battlefields create adrenalinepacked combat filled with unpredictable challenges.
* BEYOND THE MOVIE: The game includes additional plotlines and characters from the Iron Man Comic Universe that are not featured in the movie.
* OPEN WORLD: Players have complete freedom to move anywhere in the environment and make seamless transitions between ground combat and open air flight.
Sega/Activision's Iron Man will be released in May. You can watch the 2nd trailer below.
Via MTV:
Robert Downey Jr. does a have a cameo as Tony Stark/Iron Man in the movie as part of Marvel Studios' effort to depict the same Marvel Universe on film. He will share a scene opposite General Ross.
William Hurt is a consummate actor and a closet (until now) comic book geek. Both of which explain his excitement in revealing a bit about one surprise scene he shot for this summer's "The Incredible Hulk."
"I have a scene with Iron Man, with Robert Downey Jr.," the Oscar-winning actor told MTV News Friday at the Sundance Film Festival. "It's a funky scene."
For those who haven't heard the news, superhero house Marvel Comics is aggressively cross-pollinating its superheroes, most likely in preparation for an eventual "Avengers" movie. That means Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury will make a cameo appearance in May 2's "Iron Man," and ol' metalhead himself will drop into "Hulk." Little has been said about the scene — until now.
"I don't know how it'll work," Hurt admitted, saying it was a thrill to appear as General Thaddeus Ross during Downey's scene. "I know it's weird [to work with a character from another movie], and to know it's a device. We did something; I don't know what that's going to be like [to watch]."
In town to unveil the cross-generational romantic drama "The Yellow Handkerchief" to a packed theater of weepy, applauding moviegoers, Hurt was happy to discuss the transition from making that independent film to one of the year's most anticipated blockbusters. "[Marvel] has a lot of guts," he said of the June 13 flick that recast all the characters of 2003's "Hulk." "I hope the film works. I have no idea, because it's so out of my hands now."
Still, Hurt has one particular scene — and several plot revelations — that he can't wait to watch on the big screen.
"Liv Tyler, I play her father, General Ross," he explained. "There's a scene, and during that scene there are a number of things happening. [Hulk] has beaten Abomination, and then there's a crowd that gathers around, and they realize that he's beaten Abomination. That Abomination was the one who was killing for just the joy of killing; Hulk is not the one.
"It's the moment of turn," Hurt added, "when society's relationship with Hulk stops being so stupid."
Unlike Ang Lee, director Louis Leterrier (the "Transporter" films) is intent on laying off the "Hulk as misunderstood monster" angle, thereby making him more heroic. "I want to see the relationship between Hulk and a world that realizes he's not the villain," Hurt said. "Hulk and [Tyler's Betty Ross] have their moment, and the crowd realizes he's not the bad guy."
While Edward Norton has perfected his portrayal of such good-guy/bad-guy conflict in films from "Fight Club" to "American History X," Hurt can't comment on his co-star's performance. "I don't know. I only have two scenes with him," he sighed, sounding a bit disappointed. "That's not enough to get a whole taste of it."
He is convinced, however, that the reboot flick is fully unrelated to Lee's initial installment. "I saw that film. This is, stylistically, a completely different film. They just don't relate," Hurt insisted.
Hurt said Norton worked hard behind the camera to keep the new flick from either becoming too cerebral or falling back on a "Hulk! Smash!" mentality. "[Norton did] a lot of writing, and came up with a lot of ideas. I can't relate them now, because there's not enough time, but he had a lot of ideas."
The script, which was penned by Norton, along with writer Zak Penn, "has to do with the fact that [Banner's] conscience still exists in a body that is a manifestation of power and is greater than his own ability to control it — and how he's learning that relationship," said the veteran actor, who can currently be seen in the awards-season favorite "Into the Wild." "Because that's what's happening to us. That's the central metaphor for all of us, that we're learning these powers — technological powers, whatever — that we don't know if we have enough conscience to control in a wise way yet. And that's what he's doing.
"[Hulk] is managing to save his humanity inside that, while people like General Ross can't," he said of the tension between Bruce Banner and the man who wants to take him down. "That's a main theme throughout many of the comics, and in 'Hulk,' it seems to be [primary]. ... I love him."
And when Hurt makes a statement like that, he isn't just another Hollywood actor hopping on the superhero gravy train. "I believe in Hulk. Absolutely. That's why I did the movie," he revealed. "I'm a Hulk fan, and he was always my favorite. I keep asking my son why he's both of our favorites. I read the comic books, but he's a real fanatic. I didn't even know he was a fanatic for Hulk until after I agreed to do the film — and we're father and son."
Ultimately, with actors like Norton, Tyler, himself and Tim Roth (as Abomination) on set every day, Hurt said he was amazed at how small the massive film felt. "The interesting thing about making 'The Incredible Hulk' was how audacious they were in having such a hugely expensive movie, but at the same time creating this sense right at the core — for me, Liv and Ed — that we could experiment," he grinned. "You're on a hell of a budget, and you're on a hell of a time schedule, and you know this. But when you get inside the little tight circle of the hurricane, there's a very small space of great freedom.
"I was tremendously grateful to Marvel for letting that happen, because sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes a studio film is just pure anxiety; accountants and everybody saying, 'Oh God, oh God, I'm going to get fired,' but that wasn't the case here," said the star, looking forward to the cinematic return of the gamma-fueled antihero. "It was an immense production. But once you got into your scene, it was relatively free."
Iron Man director Jon Favreau said he would like to direct a film adaptation of The Avengers. This would be a crossover to fictional universes in other upcoming Marvel films such as The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America. He also explained that Marvel has told him that "they're pretty clear on wanting to do it with the actors who’ve established the roles or to not do it at all." He continued, "I think it’s a good idea if you use the characters established in the other franchises that then come together for an event. It was later stated that Zak Penn, writer of the scripts for X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Elektra was to write the movie's script.
ComingSoon.net will have a full write-up of the presentations made by the various studio's international distribution arms at ShoWest's International Day, but some potentially interesting information was leaked by Andrew Cripps, President of Paramount Pictures International, when he announced that Iron Man, the studio's summer kick-off and first movie in their partnership with Marvel Studios, will be released Day-and-Date worldwide on April 30.
Now most people might remember that Iron Man has long staked a claim on the release date of May 2, 2008, almost since it was announced, and it seems odd that Paramount might release the movie two days earlier in other markets, although it's not unheard of. (Maybe this writer is misremembering but they might have done that with Mission: Impossible III a few years ago.) It's more likely that they realized how much anticipation there'll be for the movie and decided to try a similar strategy they did with Michael Bay's Transformers last year, where the release date kept being moved earlier and earlier until it had screenings on Monday night, building up word-of-mouth for its first weekend. If Paramount does plan to release the movie a few days earlier, possibly with preview screenings on Wednesday or Thursday, expect that announcement to be made very soon.
After showing the teaser trailer and talking about the marketing for George Lucas and Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Cripps also told the audience of mostly international exhibitors that there would be a new trailer for the movie sometime in April, presumably with Iron Man, as if anyone who went to see that superhero movie wouldn't know that Indy's back! Earlier that day, Cripps wouldn't comment when a moderator at a seminar tried getting him to confirm that the new Indy movie would premiere at this year's Cannes Film Festival in early May.
Look for future Comics Impulse posts for the video game adaption news.
A bold new adventure for the biggest hero of 2008! You know you love him! And as the summer’s most anticipated movie boot-jets its way into theaters, here’s the perfect jumping-on point for new readers and Iron Man fans alike, courtesy of Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca! Tony Stark – Iron Man, billionaire industrialist and director of S.H.I.E.L.D. – faces the most overwhelming challenge of his life. Ezekiel Stane, the son of Tony’s late business rival and arch¬enemy Obadiah, has set his sights, his genius and his considerable fortune on the task of destroying Tony Stark and Iron Man. What’s worse, he’s got Iron Man tech, and he’s every bit Iron Man’s equal and opposite…except younger, faster, smarter…and immeasurably evil!
Editor Tom Brevoort says this is “entry point Iron Man” to give people who are walking out of the film a place to jump on. “It’s a big story – it’s picking up on some of the seeds that Matt [Fraction] has planted in The Order…it’s Iron Man the way you want to see Iron Man – armored up, facing big, technological threats, big sweeping stories, cool exec, heart of steel, millionaire playboy inventor by day, armored avenger by later in the day. It should be pretty good.”
Press Release
Marvel is pleased to announce that Hulk #2 has sold out at Diamond (though copies may be available at the retail level) and will return with a new printing to meet the overwhelming demand for this issue! Hulk #2 Second Printing Variant, from the incredible dream team of Eisner-winning, Emmy-nominated scribe Jeph Loeb (Ultimates 3, television’s Heroes) and acclaimed artist Ed McGuinness, features the debut of the red (!) Hulk in an unforgettable clash with Iron Man! And just what role does Rick Jones play in all this? Most importantly, just who—or what—is this crimson skinned Hulk? This new printing features the stunning interior art of Ed McGuinness on a new wraparound cover!
“Hulk #2 was a blast!” exclaimed Senior Editor Mark Paniccia. “Red Hulk Vs. Iron Man! The destruction of the red and gold Hellicarrier! The New Abomination revealed! It’s a superhero sugar rush! Kudos to Jeph, Ed, Dex and Jason delivering another sold-out hit! Wait ‘till the fans see the next round of knuckle busting. In Hulk #3, New Abomination and Red Hulk go into the ring against each other!”
Marvel urges retailers to check their orders on all issues of Hulk, as the series continues to garner mainstream buzz from USA Today, Entertainment Weekly and more, along with quick sell outs of each issue! Just what’s next for the red Hulk? And what does this new Abomination have planned? Don’t miss a single issue of the smash-hit series that everyone can’t stop talking about—Hulk!
HULK #2 SECOND PRINTING VARIANT (JAN088141)
Written by JEPH LOEB
Pencils & Cover by ED MCGUINNESS
Inked by DEXTER VINES
Colored by JASON KEITH
Rated A…$2.99
FOC—3/6/08, On-Sale—3/26/08
HULK #3 (JAN082148)
HULK #3 FINCH VARIANT COVER (JAN082149)
Pencils & Cover by ED MCGUINNESS
Inked by DEXTER VINES
Colored by JASON KEITH
Variant Cover by DAVID FINCH & JASON KEITH
FOC—4/3/08, On-Sale—4/23/08
It took them a week to finally make it happen, but tonight (or I guess last night by the time I run this) the long-promised new Iron Man trailer finally debuted in front of Lost. If you liked it, then hold on to your butts because there’s an even better version of the trailer here.
Paramount has released an extended version of the Iron Man trailer which played in the middle of Lost. It’s the same thing, but with thirty seconds or so of extra footage mixed in. And, like every single thing we’ve seen from Iron Man… it rocks.
The movie opens May 2nd. Watch the extended Lost trailer:
Iron Man Exclusive Trailer
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Marvel Studios has released this new photo from the Jon Favreau-directed Iron Man, coming to theaters on May 2. The comic book adaptation stars Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges.
The movie tells the story of Tony Stark (Downey Jr.), a billionaire industrialist and genius inventor who is kidnapped and forced to build a devastating weapon. Instead, using his intelligence and ingenuity, Tony builds a high-tech suit of armor and escapes captivity. Upon his return to America, Tony must come to terms with his past. When he uncovers a nefarious plot with global implications, he dons his powerful armor and vows to protect the world as Iron Man. Watch the trailer after the break!
For more check out the official Iron Man website at IronManmovie.com.
I'm not sure if you folks have heard about this but Marvel.com has branched off a For Kids Only version of their site. It's not really anything great to speak of.. BUT they have contracted the CGI animation team from the Marvel Ultimate Alliance game to produce shorts just for that site. So you get a 3-part mini-movie every month featuring one particular character and a few guest stars...
January featured "The Adventures Of Iron Man" which guest starred Spider-Man and The Hulk... you can watch the trailers below.
In anticipation for the 2008 Iron Man movie, check out this footage I came across this morning. Also, Spider-Man 3 has sold over a record $382 million worldwide, including $151.1 million in the U.S., easily becoming the highest grossing movie ever over the weekend. Expect Spider-Man 4,5 & 6 in the future... lets just see how the sales compare when Shrek The Third & Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End debut in the coming weeks.
news:
Yesterday Marvel Comics held a Press Conference to discuss some of its upcoming plans concerning the mega-crossover event, House of M. The series is set to shake up the status quo in the Marvel U. On hand to talk about the saga was were Brian Michael Bendis, Joe Quesada, Tom Brevoort, Mike Marts, John Dokes, and David Gabriel.
The panel began with writer Brian Michael Bendis giving a summary of what the House of M is supposed to be and where Marvel is with the initiative so far.
"Just to start off, the House of M miniseries is technically an Astonishing X-Men and New Avengers crossover that birthed itself into a legitimately giant Marvel Universe miniseries that affects more than just the two books it was initially set to affect," Bendis began. "We're gathering here to talk about the long-term ramifications the miniseries will set the stage for. What we're the most happy about is the new kinds of stories we'll be able to tell after this miniseries. We're setting the stage to make a change that allows a lot of writers to tell a great many new kinds of stories."
"House of M involves all the mutants, all of the Avengers - past and present, and is NOT a What If ...? story," Bendis continued. "There have been a lot of rumors on the internet, that think this story is not actually happening in the mainstream Marvel universe, but it is and we are NOT putting the world back the way we found it!"
HOUSE OF M #1 COVER
Then the floor was opened up to a series of questions and answers.
QUESTION: One concern we've been hearing is the amount of comics involved in this whole House of M event. It's huge - the checklists seem to have tons of comics involved. Is it going to be necessary to buy every book that has something to do with HoM or can you just get the main House of M miniseries and leave?
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS ANSWER: The plan is basically that you'll hopefully be picking up the main title, and that there are so many ideas put forth in that title, you'll be interested in seeing what happens to the key characters next after this story. Like if you like what just happened to Spider-Man or dig the Iron Man armor and want to see what's next, you'll get the next part or their miniseries.
If you're so inclined to buy them all, you will get this massive epic - like a giant miniseries you might see on TV. In fact it reminded me a lot like TAKEN, the recent miniseries from the SCI FI channel. Of course you can just read the main House of M and the pieces that interest you most. I guess all you really have to read though is the main miniseries which is important and necessary to understand the rest.
JOE QUESADA: The event is designed like the larger Marvel events of the past three or four years. We don't want to force our readership to buy every title to get the whole story. It's the law of diminishing returns once you ask this of readers too many times, they gravitate against it. But to get the full experience you want to get the crossover issues. Our advice is, we'd love you to buy them all, but, at the end of the day, you should buy what you like and what you can afford!
This event is really something we planned and it's also a lot of fun. Plus there will be huge ramifications to be carried on through the entire Marvel Universe and felt through all the titles across the board. The way it's laid out, it's almost impossible not to buy the next part.
QUESTION: You're promising ramifications and big endings, what can you tell us of those?
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS: You truly haven't seen it before - that's for sure! It's the kind of thing -
MARVEL: It's Daredevil! He's responsible!
[laughter]
BENDIS: There were a great many writers involved with the birth of this kind of idea. We showed it to a lot of writers and said, 'Does this excite you as much as it does us?' What you'll get is new kinds of Marvel stories, we're always looking for ideas to birth these new stories and ideas, instead of just repeating the same stories a million times. We are looking for new stories not just for the summer, but beyond - for the chance to really do things that haven't been done before.
QUESTION: What do you learn from writing a big event like Avengers Disassembled that helped your creative process for House of M.?
BENDIS: Don't kill Hawkeye.
[laughs]
QUESTION: Would you do that again if you had the chance? Kill Hawkeye?
BENDIS: If I had to do it all over again, I'd do it. You never go out to purposely piss people off or shock people, but when it's telling itself, you can't shy away from the story. It always looks worse than you imagine. You can't shy away from stuff. You have to let the story happen. There were things I thought people would get pissed off about, but didn't; and things that did piss off, that I have no clue why.
The cool thing about this job is that we're constantly learning. Everything you do, you learn from writing. It is such an organic process that it has a constant fear that comes with it, but it's also like an excitement because you're always doing something you haven't done before. This is true definitely not only from books I've written, but events that have come before. You learn the lessons of history and what worked about one event or another. What I'm most happy about in HoM is the aftermath. You see things that happen in any company where the event IS spectacular, but the aftermath is disastrous. I'm very proud of what Tom, Mark, Joe and Dan have put together as stories to be told afterwards. It made the whole process worthwhile. That's what I've enjoyed the most about HoM - as we've looked at what has gone on in the past and in history and we try to improve upon it.
QUESTION: You mentioned event will allow Marvel to tell different types of stories. We've seen espionage recently, what other types are you talking about?
BENDIS: It would spoil things a little to give it away. Let's just say we're putting the main Marvel characters in a position they've never in before and watching them deal with it emotionally and physically. Plus there are some new types of villains to pull out of the story. Something like this can't help but be interesting to new readers or the more classic readers.
QUESTION: Is it revamping genres or similar to DC's recent Countdown miniseries?
BENDIS: It's completely different from the DC ones. Different animals with different goals for what they want. Nothing feels like it needs to be fixed at Marvel and this isn't anything like that. This is more along the lines of here's a story that birthed itself out of Marvel continuity of years past an Av Dis; from there the wheels turned and a question like 'What if a Villain like Magneto put the screws to things and the world didn't get put back the way it was?' was formed.
QUESADA: People are speculating that we're fixing things or setting the clocks back. We're in no way doing that. Everything after this is a new take and spin.
TOM BREVOORT: We're making entirely new mistakes.
MARVEL: This gives us the chance to Kill Hawkeye all over again.
[laughs]
QUESTION: Is this actually happening to the mainstream characters? Like we saw Age of Apocalypse and Heroes Reborn but things were kind of the same afterwards ...
BENDIS: We aren't those stories.
One of the things I'm most proud of and that surprised some people is how emotional the story is. I can't speak for the other events and what they tried, but I'm very happy with how emotional the story turned out and the quality of the artwork and such. We can't be compared to anything that has come before. I haven't really seen this before you get excited and nervous.
QUESADA: With the other crossovers, things were normal afterwards. With this, things will definitely be quite different afterwards.
QUESTION: You said that this event will change the Marvel of the future, so if I hate the House of M, am I screwed reading Marvel Comics for the next ten years?
BENDIS: When we say "change" there are certain mega and micro events to change. It doesn't mean all of the comics will be radically different, but it is a world where now some things may be. It's not like Wolverine will now be blue and that's what his story will be about. There are things going on in the Marvel Universe, but something has happened now and characters are dealing with it in these new kinds of stories. We LOVE the Marvel Universe, and we're not turning it on its head because we think we know better. This is a love letter to every single Avengers and Magneto story.
QUESTION: How many issues is this?
BENDIS: 8 issues biweekly; the is opposite of the feeling you've been getting from Secret War. It's almost like a machine gun - every two weeks, *boom, boom, boom,* it's big.
QUESTION: In light of recent issues how many issues is this again?
ANSWER: laughs
QUESTION: The order cut off date is next week. Is this looking like Ultimate numbers or Avengers Disassembled numbers or something like that? Is it meeting expects?
BENDIS: The only thing we can say is its surpassing all expectations so far. Everyone here has a really big smile. Olivier Copiel killed on this. It will really put him on the map. I am so happy with him! I can't even tell you how great it is, and he doesn't even speak English!
[laughs]
QUESADA: Yes, he does!
BENDIS: Have you talked to him lately?
QUESTION: Where's the writing aspect coming from?
BENDIS: I'll tell you how it all started. After AV Dis, I kind of muttered to Joe, 'Hey you know Magneto is here and Wanda is here and Peitro is here, and this could really screw the X-Men and Avengers at the same time.' From there, the idea was put forth to a lot of the writers saying, 'hey if we did something like this, would it excite you or annoy you?' A lot of guys said, 'I'm in. I have something I can do with this!' From there, it built.
For the aftermath of House of M, we did the same thing where we all got together and plotted out what would be a very tight and profound aftermath to this and asked again, 'If we do this are you excited or upset?' And a lot of really talented guys jumped in to carry the torch. That's the most fun part of it for me, because writing such a solitary endeavor. I'm usually alone in my basement, like I am now, and to have others jump in and be a part of this and see the value of it dramatically is the best part of House of M.
QUESTION: Why does IRON MAN look like a Gundam?
ANSWER: People like Iron Man's new armor, some think he looks like a Transformer, but there's a lot of effort to make Iron Man the Shining Knight of the future that he's supposed to be. I said it before, my cell phone can take a picture, but Iron Man still has to use these roller skates.
QUESTION: With this conflict the characters are thrown in will they be aware of it and trying to fight against it or immersed in it against their wills. Are the characters involved completely subjected to it?
BENDIS: That's one of the mysteries of the story. Issue three has some answers. We have a very tight first act. Issue #2 has 21 scenes in it, which for me is a miracle.
QUESTION: If this affects what happens from this point on, what about the past events and lives of these characters? How does that come into play? Does it still matter?
BENDIS: It's a very emotional book.
QUESTION: Who is Layla Miller?
BREVOORT: She's an all new characters. She is crucially important and crucially important to plans afterward for the House of M. It's early for us to talk about and speak about. You will want to watch her as things go forward. We have clear plans for her as the first in another of new characters.
QUESTION: About continuity ... titles go back and forth on how tight continuity is. Will this draw continuity together or break them apart by this ability to tell new stories? It sounds like each title and subject are separate universe with different relationships and world views. How does it work in the future?
BENDIS: It works the way it has worked in the recent past. If you look at last year in the case of New Avengers, which has Spider-Man and Wolverine; and characters turning up elsewhere - all the characters share the Marvel universe. This is the opportunity for a connection and crossover and to see the effects of one book on another. This is and will continue to be an element going forward. No one in his own little boxes after this - everyone plays with everyone else. That's one of the beautiful things about House of M and New Avengers and what we're doing. We are seeing what new elements can come out of this interaction.
What some people have the feeling of when we say we're going to try something new is that we will destroy something old, but this is the opposite of that. When we announced the Ultimates, the reaction was 'you'll destroy the main Marvel universe!' And now, here we are a few years later, and that's not the case. New doesn't mean destroying anything old. It's kind of a valentine to what Marvel was in the early '70s. We wanted to push forward and not retell old stories over and over again - all that can still be accomplished and all that can still be done; this is a love letter to what has come before us.
BENDIS: I actually would like to say THE PULSE newspaper is a fun little bit that I think people will really enjoy. We actually put out a newspaper together with all the writers writing articles containing bits and pieces about the series you will only find in this edition.
QUESTION: Is Layla Miller only new character?
BENDIS: Nope.
QUESTION: Why bring in new characters when there are so many existing characters who could be used?
BENDIS: We'll be using the old too. I have no qualms about using classic characters, remember I'm the guy who shoved Jessica Drew down your throats in New Avengers. You'll see both new and old characters all share the same spotlight. We'll see what the public likes.
QUESTION: Will Hawkeye in series?
BENDIS: [solemnly] He passed away - very suddenly.
[laughter]
QUESTION: Will there be lots of deaths?
BENDIS: I won't say no, because everyone yells at you; but I will tell you it's weird that in three months there was an inordinate amount of killing in all my titles, which of course most I'd written ahead of time. So even though it seemed I was being all Hannibal Lector-ish, it wasn't my intention. I did make a promise this year to be all about the creation and birth and the new, so you're seeing things like the reintroduction of Sentry to new villains from the House of M and New Avengers. I made a promise to create and not destroy.
QUESTION: How are you going to make sure the House of M does not have all eggs in one basket?
BREVOORT: We tend to go forward with stories and with ideas that we have confidence in; so it's not a questions of all our eggs in one basket. We have confidence in it as a story to excite readers and fans, but they are not the only books we're putting out that month. It's not that we feel less excited - the basket is no different than before House of M - this is just shiniest thing in basket this month.
QUESTION: Does THE PULSE Special have any word about the cover image that has been bandied about that looks like a photo of the King of Spain?
ANSWER: The King of Spain not the biggest villain in the marvel universe
[laughter]
QUESTION: Are there any new permanent books launch as a result?
ANSWER: Yes. All have letter "M" Somewhere in the title.
Tomorrow I'll include all the upcoming House of M tie-ins & mini-series as the start of the event nears.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Elektra movie sold about 1 million combined DVD and VHS units Tuesday, its first day in release on home video.
Fox has announced its will rebroadcast the first Spider-Man and X-Men films as part of its spring Friday night movie schedule. Spider-Man, which debuted on the network last Thanksgiving, will air on Friday, April 29 at 8PM EST & X-Men will air on Friday, May 13 at 8PM EST.
In other news:
Iron Man, the third direct-to-DVD animated Marvel film will be coming out down the horizon. HBO/Cinemax will be airing Spider-Man 2 this summer. Can't wait for that! For more movie previews and new check out the Comics Universe Blog.
Mad! Fan has the new Darkstalkers #4 cover, as does the Joe Madureira! Fansite.
The forum is still down and I'm working on getting a new host. Its been a slow day but until later, check out this pic from the upcoming Ultimate Iron Man. Ultimate Iron Man #1 ships in January. Also, click here for the cover to January's Ultimates 2 #2.
