Friday, January 31, 2014

Mutantkind’s New Dirty Tricks Crew – First Look at X-FORCE #1

 Marvel is pleased to present your first look at X-FORCE #1 – the exciting new series from innovative creative team Si Spurrier and Rock-He Kim! Every sovereign nation in the Marvel Universe makes use of superhumans to protect national interests and pursue a covert national agenda. The stakes are high, and the prizes are intelligence, security, resources and power. Now, Cable and his new black-ops squad are entering this endless shadow-game to ensure that Mutants have a hand in the future of the Marvel Universe – by any means necessary!
“They don’t want global domination nor mutant superiority; merely to protect and strengthen the interests of The Mutant Nation,” says writer Si Spurrier, in an interview with Marvel.com. “And they’ll rain thunder and flame on anyone who says different.”
“X-Force isn’t looking to keep its existence a secret,” says Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso. “They want to send a loud-and-clear message to the world that the Mutant Nation is not to be messed with.”
But when an international incident threatens the already fragile human/mutant relations, the Mutant Nation needs a dirty tricks department – and X-Force is it! Don’t miss the explosive action and political intrigue when Cable, Psylocke, Fantomex, and Marrow burst on to the scene in X-FORCE #1this February!






Thursday, January 30, 2014

Detroit Sports Rag editor turned in to police for tweet

Jeff Moss
ALLEN PARK — It took the Detroit Lions 11 days to decide a tweet was a credible threat, but Allen Park
Police wrapped up an investigation in a matter of hours via an email exchange.
The incident in question happened Jan. 16 when Jeff Moss, 41, replied to a tweet sent out by DetroitLions.com website editor Chrissie Wywrot. He asked her to Photoshop an image of Lions owner William Clay Ford Sr. and Tim Twentyman, a reporter for DetroitLions.com, in a casket.
Representatives from the team did not respond to multiple requests for comment regarding the incident with Moss, editor of the website, The Detroit Sports Rag.
The full tweet said, @Chrissie5213 Can you make me a PhotoShop of William Clay Ford, Sr. and Tim Twentyman in a casket? Thanks ahead of time.”
A few moments later, Moss sent another tweet asking Wywrot to Photoshop the Lions in the Super Bowl, “since that will never occur in real life.”
Wywrot runs social media accounts for the team. According to a police report, Wywrot told Bill Cory about the tweet. Eleven days after the tweet was posted, Cory called the police and asked them to come to the training facility.
“The week that the Seahawks and the Broncos are preparing for the Superbowl, they are turning their fans into the police for making tasteless jokes,” Moss said. “Then they made a cruiser come out instead of just driving over there. They asked a city that is under an emergency manager and is short staffed in their police department to send out a cruiser.
“Like it was so urgent that I was on my way to the training facility with a meat cleaver to come after an 89-year-old man.”
What makes matters even worse, Moss said, is that the Lions front office staff knows him and that he wouldn’t seriously threaten anyone. The tweets were in response to a Wywrot photo of new coach Jim Caldwell and a birthday cake inserted with Photo Shop.


The West Bloomfield resident believes that upper management like team president Tom Lewand was not involved in notifying the police.
"Lewand’s no dummy, I don’t like the way he runs the football team. But the guy is an attorney and went to the University of Michigan. I don’t think he knew anything about this. If they would have went to him and said should we awake this sleeping bear ... He would have said, ‘You’re going to report Moss? He’ll put it all over this website if you do this. He’s not going to be scared by this.
 He said that just two days before the tweet was made the team had changed the security process to get into press conferences because they knew he would try to get into the Caldwell press conference.
“I had just appeared a month earlier at a Comerica Park press conference when the Tigers signed Joe Nathan,” he said. “They found out that I was going to do the same thing and changed the process.
"I did ask as a joke (for credentials to the Caldwell press conference). I've been doing this for 11 years. For people who don't know the website, I would say it's like a Deadspin that's exclusively for Detroit. If you read Deadspin ... they have an adversarial relationship with ESPN and some of the people they cover.”
When the police first contacted him, Moss didn’t have a clue what they wanted to talk about. He said that the tweet had been a throwaway joke, and it didn’t cross his mind as potentially being anything that would launch an investigation.
“I asked the detective before I talked to him  if I needed my first amendment attorney present,” he said. “He only wanted to talk on the phone.”
An email exchange between Moss and Detective Jim Thorburn confirms that the department didn’t consider it a credible threat.
“There is no criminal element to this,” one of the Thorburn’s emails to Moss said.
The same letter said the department was only trying to advise Moss of the situation and the conversation would only take “all of two minutes.”


Moss has been the subject of a few other incidents, lately —  getting into the Tigers press conference to ask about the Doug Fister trade and, more recently, being removed from a Detroit Pistons game for heckling Joe Dumars for not drafting Michigan star Trey Burke.
“I'm critical — I don't sit there like a blogger,” he said, “like some of these guys who sit back and kiss the ass of the team and hope to get access. I don't really care about access. I want to tell the truth from my perspective as I see it. I don't think the mainstream media is doing it so I'm going to do it."
Moss, who has about 16,000 Twitter followers, receives between 5,000-10,000 unique views per day on his website which began in 2003.

ULTIMATE MARVEL NOW: In the Wake of “Cataclysm” – New Teams are Born

 The most popular characters! The most acclaimed creators! The most ambitious stories! This is the energized Ultimate Marvel NOW!.

This April, Marvel’s Ultimate universe undergoes a massive overhaul in an exciting and new direction as the industry’s top creators - Brian Michael Bendis, Michel Fiffe and Joshua Hal Fialkov take everyone’s favorite Ultimate universe characters - Spider-Man, Iron Man, Kitty Pryde, Sue Storm, Black Widow (formally Spider-Woman), Cloak & Dagger and more in an all-new and exciting direction after the devastating events of Cataclysm

“The Ultimate Universe is relatively young, which yields more opportunities for real change, real dangers, and dramatic avenues left unexplored in superhero comics,” says ALL-NEW ULTIMATES writer Michel Fiffe.

It all starts in April with ALL-NEW ULTIMATES, from the creative team of Michel Fiffe (Copra) and Amilcar Pinna (X-Men: First Class). Spider-Man, Black Widow (formally Spider-Woman), Kitty Pryde, Bombshell, Cloak & Dagger officially unite to tackle the vicious, rampant crime wave overtaking Hell’s Kitchen! But can this new team of Ultimates stand up to the murderous gang known only as the Serpent Skulls?

Ultimate Marvel NOW! continues through the spring of 2014 with the launch of ULTIMATE FF by Joshua Hale Fialkov (Cataclysm: Ultimate X-Men) and upcoming superstar artist, Mario Guevara. The FF - Future Foundation - is all that stands between the Ultimate universe and COMPLETE AND UTTER DOOM! Can Sue Storm, Tony Stark, Machine Man and Sam Wilson face the oncoming devastation directly after the events of Cataclysm?

And finally, Miles Morales is back in his own web-slinging solo-series, MILES MORALES: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN by creator Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man, All-New X-Men) and artist Dave Marquez (Cataclysm: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, All-New X-Men). In the wake of earth-shattering events, Miles is back in action with a new status quo and a new outlook on life! But there is no time to sit back and relax. A BIG villain from Peter Parker’s past is alive and well and about to turn New York upside down.



Wednesday, January 29, 2014

An All-New Legend Takes Flight in MS. MARVEL #1

 The international sensation is finally here! Marvel is pleased to present your first look at MS. MARVEL #1, the soon-to-be runaway hit from G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona! You’ve seen her in headlines around the world—now, prepare to experience the brand-new MS. MARVEL as she takes the Marvel Universe by storm. When Kamala Khan acquires incredible new abilities from the Inhuman Terrigen Mists, an extraordinary hero is born! But not even superpowers can prepare her for the pressures and pitfalls of being 16-years-old. Don’t miss Kamala’s first groundbreaking adventure as a timeless legend is reborn this February in MS. MARVEL #1


Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Marvel Universe Live tour dates announced by Feld Entertainment

Tony Stark's workshop for the stage show.
Ellenton, FL – After much anticipation, Feld Entertainment, Inc., the world’s leading producer of touring live family entertainment, today revealed details about the most ambitious live show in its history, with new information about the epic storyline and tour dates for Marvel Universe LIVE! Featuring the most Marvel characters ever assembled in one production, this high-caliber arena spectacular will put fans right in the middle of one of the most electrifying battles between good and evil ever conceived. Produced by Feld Entertainment, this first-ever live Marvel tour makes its 85-city debut in July in Tampa, FL, followed by the world premiere at New York City’s Barclays Center on Wednesday, August 13. The first leg of its North American tour will feature stops in Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Nashville, Miami and Atlanta, among many others.  Tickets for Marvel Universe LIVE! are on sale now.

Marvel Universe LIVE! will captivate audiences with an authentic and original story that brings more than 25 Marvel characters together on one epic quest.  The story is framed around the battle over the Cosmic Cube, the source of ultimate power and one of the most feared and coveted treasures in the Marvel Universe, that has been shattered into pieces by the Mighty Thor in order to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. With the pieces scattered across the globe, Thor’s villainous brother Loki devises a scheme to clone its powers, inciting a threat that could not only decimate Earth but also obliterate the Universe. 

To defeat Loki, Marvel’s biggest Super Heroes must band together, including The Avengers - Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk and Thor along with Spider-Man and Wolverine, must trek across the globe to retrieve the Cosmic Cube fragments and unite them. As the Super Heroes track the Cube, they will encounter some of their biggest adversaries including Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Red Skull, Madame Hydra, Aldrich Killian, Electro and more, in the quest for the very same fragments. These foes have no problem teaming up if it gets them closer to their ultimate goal of world domination.

Marvel Universe LIVE! will be the most remarkable live event that the world has ever seen with an absolutely epic story line and jaw dropping technological advances. Fans will feel like they’ve stepped into a Marvel blockbuster film come to life with nonstop movie style action and stunts,” said Feld Entertainment Executive Vice President and Marvel Universe LIVE! Producer Juliette Feld. “We are working hand in hand with Marvel to give fans a revolutionary live show experience that introduces an original story that is faithful to the Marvel canon and utterly captivating from beginning to end!”

“To see all the elements of this spectacular live show come together has been truly incredible,” said Marvel’s Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada. “The technology utilized in the show is not only going to blow your mind, it is going to take you to a whole new Marvel world like nothing fans have ever seen before. What Feld Entertainment has done is going to astonish and amaze fans.”

Marvel Universe LIVE! launches new innovations in set design, aerial stunts, pyrotechnics and state-of-the-art show elements that bring movie style special effects to the live entertainment arena.  Audiences will see the awe-inspiring world of Super Heroes come to life before their eyes with a dynamic cast comprised of some of the industry’s most talented stunt performers. Utilizing their talents and aided by a unique combination of never before seen arena mechanics some of Marvel’s mightiest will come to life with profound results. These true-to-comic creations will be supported by innovative lighting design and transformative 3D projection that will take the audience on a journey around the globe with these timeless characters. To support this massive undertaking, Marvel Universe LIVE! will not only utilize the entire arena floor, but also perform within a multilevel aerial space creating a unique experience that puts audiences right in the middle of the action in ways they could only dream about prior.

“This is the most ambitious undertaking in the more than 40 year history of Feld Entertainment. It’s the kind of show you always strive to produce but with so many advances in technology only now can you truly deliver it to fans,” said Feld Entertainment Chairman and CEO andMarvel Universe LIVE! Producer Kenneth Feld. “We know this is going to be game-changing for the live entertainment industry as a whole and are making a tremendous investment to surpass the audience’s expectations at every performance. We are elated to feature Marvel Universe LIVE! as part of our portfolio of memorable live touring productions.”

For a complete list of tour dates, visit the Marvel Universe LIVE!  website (http://www.marveluniverselive.com) and stay current on the latest developments through social media, including:

·         Facebook  (www.facebook.com/MarvelOnTour)
·         Twitter  (@MarvelOnTour/@Juliette Feld (show’s producer twitter feed))
·         YouTube  (www.youtube.com/MarvelOnTour)
·         Instagram (@MarvelOnTour)
·         Google+ (http://gplus.to/MarvelOnTour)

HFCC debuts ‘Demented Detroit’ exhibit at Sisson gallery

Art from Sean Bieri on display.
DEARBORN -- With six different displays each year, the Sisson Art Gallery has had many displays throughout the years. However, never before has there been a display of comic book art.

That all changed Friday when "Demented Detroit” opened at the gallery.

“It’s the first display of its kind that I’ve ever heard of,” said Steve Glazer, a professor and the director of exhibitions at Henry Ford Community College. “I try to do some stuff that is community involved. We played with the idea of comic sequential art for several years. (Dan Merritt) from Green Brain Comics got me thinking a little bit wider.”

The display, which will be in the gallery through March 20, features several artists from the metro Detroit area including James Anderson, Suzanne Baumann, Sean Bieri, Matt Feazell, Victor Green, Kelly Guillory, Jane Irwin, Kelly Larson, Demetrius Marble, Crystal Mielcarek, Blaer Ransburg, Vicki Shepherd and Ted Woods.

Slideshow: Artists and some of their art from the display.

Art from Ted Woods on display.
The display, subtitled, “Contemporary Comics and Cartoons from the Motor City,” is described as an eclectic sampler of cartoon artwork including humor, horror, whimsy, adventure, social commentary and more.

Eclectic is the perfect word to describe the art adorning the walls at the gallery. Art ranges from pencil sketches to completed artwork, in every medium from ink to markers and paintings, from the printed image to web comic graphics and just about anything else a person could imagine.

Glazer said that because he isn’t “that involved” in the comic art industry, guest curator Sean Bieri picked all of the artists for the display — with the exception of Shepherd, who was added by Glazer himself. Shepherd is also a professor at the college.

Bieri, a cartoonist and graphic designer, is very tuned in to the local independent comic scene. He is an original member of the Hamtramck Arts Collective Hatch and the former coordinator of the Dr. Sketchy drawing program in Detroit. His art routinely appears in the “Metro Times,” and on the science fiction website, Tor.com.

According to Bieri, most of the artists were picked through his own contacts, with the help of Merritt providing a few new faces to him. While Bieri selected the artists, each artist was allowed to select their own work.

“I rounded them up and said ‘give me whatever you think is good,’” he said. “A lot of us have been in shows before and already had pieces framed up.”

Bieri started working in comics in his pre-teen years.

“I’ve always been drawing comics since I was a kid,” he said “In college (at Wayne State University) I got back into it. I had a roommate that was involved in the independent comic scene. I got sucked back in from there.”

Victor Green, who recently self-published a graphic novel, was introduced to Bieri through Merritt. He has five pieces on display at the show, and also serves as a mentor to Ransburg and Marble. That relationship started when he was teaching in Detroit and they were his students.

His book “Ace of P.A.I.N.,” is an acronym for augmented clinically enhanced officers facilitating personnel assassination, interrogation and nullification. He said that it’s a typical revenge story about a young man who grows up in inner-city Detroit and is picked up and “weaponized” by a company. The book is available exclusively at Green Brain until his website is finished later this year.

Marble also has a self-published comic book that was recently released, “Black Platinum Galaxy,” set in the future during a galactic war. According to Marble, the story is based on the people trying to save the world. Two volumes of the book have been released to date.

“The idea came from ‘Star Trek’ and ‘The Green Lantern,” he said. “That’s where the inspiration to do a sci-fi story came from.”

Bieri described Feazell as the “most famous stick figure artist” on the planet. Feazell, a Hamtramck resident, said that that wasn’t always the case. Feazell’s comic “The Amazing Cynicalman” runs weekly in the “Hamtramck Review,” in the monthly “Flint Comics Entertainment” and on Cynicalman.com. He was also a regular contributor to “Disney Adventures.”

“Growing up reading lots of comics,” he said, ”I read the newspaper comics. ‘Peanuts’ was the first comic strip I noticed that had actual characters with their own personality. I was a big superhero fan in high school and college.”

He headed off to college to learn how to draw comics “the Marvel way” — which never panned out for him.
“I was teaching myself anatomy and perspective,” he said. “Did that for most of my college career. Then about three years out of college I wasn’t getting any work that way, and most importantly I was wasn’t having any fun.”

That’s when he drew his first superhero stick figure.

“It was two dots and a line as a face in my sketchbook,” he said. “I made an eight-page mini comic out of it, printed out 20 copies of it and put them on the counter at a used record store I was working at. Eventually someone came up and asked how much for one. He gave me a quarter, the lights came up, the band played the theme to ‘2001: A Space Odyssey,’ and I decided that I was going to make superhero comics until the day I die.”

Feazell recently released his second book, “The Amazing Cynicalman Vol. 2,” which was printed in Saline.

During exhibition weeks, the gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday.

For more information on the show, or on future displays, contact the gallery at 1-313-845-6485

The Strangest Mutant of All Takes Center Stage in ALL-NEW DOOP #1

 This April, the strangest mutant of them all is thrust into the spotlight in ALL-NEW DOOP #1 – a new series from Doop co-creator and legendary X-scribe Peter Milligan and blockbuster artist David Lafuente! 

Who is Doop? Actually…what is Doop? Living in the margins of the X-Men, Doop’s origins have always remained shrouded in mystery as he hovered around with his video camera – freaking out readers and fellow X-Men alike. But his time has finally come! Where did Doop come from? What is he? The Doop shall inherit the Earth! And this adventure will prove once and for all that Doop is, in fact, the most powerful X-Man!

“Doop has been a favorite character of mine ever since his first appearance in X-FORCE,” says Senior Editor Nick Lowe. “But fans have really taken notice since he’s been showing up in WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN and his popularity has surpassed that of even Gambit and Cable! And with Doop co-creators Peter Milligan  (writing) and Mike Allred (covers) involved, along with David Lafuente on interior art, this is going to be amazing.”

From the pages of the blockbuster X-Men crossover Battle of the Atom comes the story you didn’t see! Did you know Doop was an integral part of stopping the evil X-Men from the future? Don’t believe us? You will! Plus, don’t miss Doop finally express his feelings for Kitty Pryde – in a way only Doop can!


Monday, January 27, 2014

'Toy Hunter' show visits local comic book store, Metro Detroit area

Taping at Wonderworld Comics in Taylor.
Jordan Hembrough has been buying and selling toys for decades, but it’s only been the last few years that a camera crew and a slew of producers have been following him around as he scours the country for the “holy grail” of toys.

The third season of Hembrough’s Travel Channel show, “Toy Hunter,” debuts at 9 p.m. Wednesday. This season promises to be the biggest yet, according to the star.

SLIDESHOW: Behind the scenes of "Toy Hunter" taping.

“We’re going to have more celebrities and more high dollar toys this season.” Hembrough said. “We’re having people from the wrestling world, football players, rock stars. We’re going to be looking for the ‘hero toys,’ things that are worth $10,000 and $20,000.”

But the high dollar toys won’t necessarily be the rarest toys featured on the show this season.

“I can’t pay retail,” he said. “As a dealer, I have to make some money. When talking about how rare something is the excitement is genuine, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worth a lot. Rarity doesn’t necessarily equate into high dollar amounts.”

One of the celebrity clients that Hembrough will be shopping for this season includes Detroit Lions defensive tackle Israel Idonije. Other stars lined up for season three include Gary Busey, Vanilla Ice, Hulk Hogan and Stan Lee, among others.

One of the stops that Hembrough made while shopping for Idonije in December was at Wonderworld Comics in Taylor. Hembrough and companion Dave Gaule were searching for “classic” action figures that Idonije could use to inspire a toy line for his own comic book characters.

Self-published by Idonije, the comic “The Protectors” is printed through Athleta Comics.

Idonije said that he came up with the idea for the book during training camp in 2007 while he was a member of the Chicago Bears. The story combines sports action and superhero action to tell the tale of football’s Isaac Chike, baseball’s Miguel Montiero, basketball’s Douglass Larter, soccer’s Danielle Peters and hockey’s Gerard Rioux. The group, all stars in their respective sports, come together to form “The Protectors,” a group of genetically gifted individuals with abilities beyond normal humans.

“I’ve known Dennis (Barger, store owner) for a couple of years,” Hembrough said. “I was going to be in the area, so I went out and saw him. While I was there we decided to poke around and see what we could find. It was a great time.”

Barger had nothing but praise for Hembrough and the entire crew of the show.

“It’s great to get a national show like the ‘Toy Hunter’ to cast a positive spotlight on Downriver,” he said. “Jordan and his whole crew were amazing. (They) were so un-Hollywood it was refreshing to see.”
For the third season, the show is going more regional rather than basing each episode solely on a single hunt like in the past.

“We look through all of the requests we’re getting from people,” he said, “and try to pick three or four people by region. That helps us figure out where we’re going to go.”

“You’ll see us in Michigan for three or four days. It really brings the travel aspect to the show. We’ll be able to focus (landmarks) to highlight specific areas for Travel Channel.”

While in town, Hembrough shot at Wonderworld, Ford Field and at a large closeout toy store on the northwest side of Detroit. The name of the closeout store will be revealed on the show.

The show will feature less collector’s basements and more wide ranging venues this season. More conventions and toy shows, and a trip overseas are also in store.

When not on the road for the show, Hembrough, a self professed comic-book geek and film buff, spends his time in New Jersey at his store, Hollywood Heroes. The store serves as a boutique for high-end toy collectors.

“It’s appointment only,” he said. “We do that so we can give the attention to the customer and give them one-on-one service.”

For Hembrough, the next find is always his favorite, though he has had many big finds over the years.

“Don’t get upset that I can’t tell you yet,” he said about his favorite find while on the road with the show. “It’s coming up in season three.”

He said everyone was very helpful at all of his Michigan stops, and that he’d love to come back if the opportunity comes up.

“I love Detroit,” he said. “It truly is a beautiful city.”

As for the specifics of what he found while shopping at Wonderworld, Hembrough remained vague — as will The News-Herald Newspapers, which was invited to attend the taping — so as to not spoil the show for viewers.

“(Dennis) has a toy that he bought from me at C2E2 in Chicago that he’s reselling,” Hembrough said. “That’s fine, I say that with love.”

Both Hembrough and Gaule were able to find things to purchase while sifting through the merchandise both in the store and in the warehouse that stores much of the rest of the store’s inventory.

It won’t be the first time that Barger and items from Wonderworld have been on a reality TV show, last year Barger sold a life-sized Silver Surfer statue on the TruTV show “Hardcore Pawn,” which films in Detroit.

An air date hasn’t been confirmed for when the episode featuring Wonderworld Comics and Idonije. Hembrough said that it’s a mid-season episode that will likely air in March or April.

“(I’m) proud that I get the chance to introduce Taylor to over a million viewers when it airs,” Barger said.

The Undead Take Manhattan in George Romero's Empire of the Dead #2

 Zombie Godfather George Romero’s next undead epic continues in EMPIRE OF THE DEAD #2 – written by George Romero and drawn by critically acclaimed artist Alex Maleev! 

Something is rotten in the big apple. And it’s not just the rotten flesh of the Zombies overrunning Manhattan! 

Deep in the pit of the bloody Circus Maximus – the undead battle for the amusement of the living. But not all here is as it seems. Amid the fury of the arena, vampires roam New York City, hiding in plain sight! 

What menacing secrets lie in the dark corners of the once bustling metropolis? And when the zombies and vampires prowl – where does that leave the humans?

 Find out in GEORGE ROMERO’S EMPIRE OF THE DEAD #2!



Trust No One, Trick Everyone – First Look at LOKI: AGENT OF ASGARD #1

 Old God—New Trickster! Marvel is pleased to present your first look at LOKI: AGENT OF ASGARD #1 from the spellbinding creative team of Al Ewing (Mighty Avengers) and Lee Garbett (X-O Manowar, Batgirl). LOKI is back and craftier than ever as the All-Mother’s secret weapon against Asgardia’s strangest threats. With his serpent’s tongue, debonair charm, and taste for the uncanny, there’s no assignment Loki won’t take—including the untimely stabbing of THOR! The surprises only start here for the Prince of Lies, as the most conniving corners of the Marvel Universe are blown open this February in LOKI: AGENT OF ASGARD #1!





Sunday, January 26, 2014

Frank Castle Returns – First Look at THE PUNISHER #1

 This February, Frank Castle’s one-man-war on crime continues in an all-new THE PUNISHER #1 – from the explosive creative team of Nathan Edmondson and Mitch Gerads! For years, the Punisher has called New York City his home – keeping a watchful eye on the city through the sight of a gun. But when a lead on a major source of drugs, weapons, and more leads Frank out west – he sets his sights on Los Angeles. And the City of Angels isn’t ready for a devil like the Punisher! But not everything is as it appears, and Frank will soon find himself toe-to-toe with a highly trained military strike force known only as the 131! Who are the mysterious 131? And why are they out for the Punisher’s head? Find out when the high-octane new series kicks off this February in THE PUNISHER #1!






Saturday, January 25, 2014

Peter Parker returns in new Amazing Spider-Man #1

 Marvel Entertainment is excited to announce the triumphant return of Peter Parker as everyone’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man this April in an all-new AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1. In 2012, the comic book world was shocked to find that Doctor Otto Octavius, aka Doctor Octopus, had switched bodies with Peter Parker and, in the process, left Peter Parker to die in Octavius’ cancer-ridden shell. Since then, Octavius has been fighting crime by his own dark methods in the pages of The Superior Spider-Man.
Teased throughout the entire run of The Superior Spider-Manwritten by Dan Slott (The Mighty Avengers, She-Hulk), Peter’s presence never quite left his body and is now set to regain control and show the world who Spider-Man is - and no one could be more excited than Dan Slott himself. “I've been a Spider-Man fan since I was eight years old. Of COURSE I want to see Peter back! He is the one, true Spider-Man,” says Slott.
With Peter Parker swinging back into action in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1, Slott, including fan-favorite artist Humberto Ramos (TheSpectacular Spider-Man, Pete Parker: Spider-Man), are returning readers to intense and highly kinetic web-slinging action. Senior Editor, Stephen Wacker says, “The entire creative team is incredibly excited to bring readers the next stage in Spider-Man’s life. And I can promise you that the plans for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, over the next year, will be the biggest Spidey epic yet!”
However, the question on everyone’s mind has not been the “when”, but the “how” Peter Parker returns from the dead and Slott is quick to tease just that. “In a strange and terrifying way. And... possibly... at a very great cost. Remember, nothing is ever easy for Peter Parker. It's one of the reasons he's a true hero,” says Slott.

Every FIRST ISSUE bearing the All-New Marvel NOW! branding includes a code for a free digital copy of that same comic on the Marvel Comics app for iOS and Android devices.

Once again, the biggest creators bring you the biggest characters in the biggest stories…and it’s happening NOW!

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 lands on comic book shelves this April! For more on Spider-Man & All-New Marvel NOW!, please visitnow.marvel.com and join in the conversation on Twitter with hashtag #AmazingSpiderMan.



Secrets of the Marvel Universe Revealed – This is ORIGINAL SIN

 Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone. Today, Marvel is proud to announce ORIGINAL SIN, the eight-part blockbuster comic event of the summer, from critically acclaimed writer Jason Aaron (Amazing X-Men, Thor: God of Thunder) and red-hot artist, Mike Deodato Jr. (Amazing Spider-Man, New Avengers)!

On the moon, the dead body of Uatu, the Watcher is discovered. His home destroyed. Looted of its valuable alien technology. Now, the manhunt is on. And the biggest heroes of the Marvel Universe – Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine, Black Widow, and more are on the hunt for his murderer.

But no one is ready for the secret knowledge the Watcher held. Secrets that will shake the Marvel Universe and its heroes to their very core!
 
“This is basically a crime story. A murder mystery. A manhunt. But with the entirety of the Marvel Universe as its backdrop,” said Jason Aaron. We’re taking all the toys out of their packaging for this one. Everyone and everything is in play. For some characters, life will never be the same again. And it’s only a matter of time before more bodies are popping up.”
                                         
What did the Watcher see? And who wanted him dead because of it? With the greatest secrets of the Marvel Universe in the hands of his killer, it’s won’t be long before the shocking truth comes out! And even the greatest heroes of the Marvel Universe are not safe from the skeletons in their closets. All sins come with a price, and this summer – the truth can cost your life! This is…ORIGINAL SIN

Friday, January 24, 2014

Detroit Derby Girls February 8th Double Header Will Have Fans Going Red

Detroit Derby Girls, Michigan’s premier female roller derby organization, will be hosting a double header bout on February 8th, 2014 between the Detroit Pistoffs and the Pistolwhippers, and the D-Funk Allstars and the Devil’s Night Dames where fans will be encouraged to wear red in support of the American Heart Association’s Go Red Campaign.

Tickets available now at brownpapertickets.com. Tickets are $15 for adults before February 3, $18 between February 3 and the day of the event. Kids 12 and under are free, limit two with each adult ticket. Doors open at 4:45 p.m. on February 8th with a game time of 6 p.m. in the Drill Hall at the Detroit Masonic Temple at 500 Temple St. Detroit, MI. Afterparty is at McShane’s Irish Pub in Corktown and will feature a free shuttle to and from the bout so fans can park for free at the bar.

Slideshow: Star Wars night at Masonic Temple with Detroit Derby Girls.


In honor of American Heart Association’s Go Red Campaign to promote Heart Health during the month of February, fans are asked to wear red in support of the cause. American Heart Association representatives will be on site to answer questions about the campaign as well as hand out literature.

The first bout of the evening will pit the Detroit Pistoffs, hot off a close loss to the Grand Prix Madonnas, against the Pistolwhippers, now 0-1 going into this bout. This storied match-up is sure to have its share of hard hits from large squads of veteran travel team players on both teams in addition to debuts from several skaters picked up fresh during the mid-season Draft.

The second bout of the evening will square away the D-Funk Allstars versus the Devil’s Night Dames for another tight match-up, sure to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Some may remember derby from when it was popular in the 70’s. As it has emerged in its current comeback, there is still plenty of entertainment, but it is much more competitive athletic sport than the theatrical version of the past. The Detroit Derby Girls league is comprised of five intra-league “home teams” and three inter league travel teams that compete at international, regional, and local levels; their international level team is presently the highest ranked team in Michigan at 28th in the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association rankings.

For more information about the Detroit Derby Girls, please visit www.DetroitDerbyGirls.com.

History is Re-Written This April in WHAT IF: AGE OF ULTRON

 If you thought the Age of Ultron turned the Marvel Universe on its head, you won’t believe what will happen in WHAT IF: AGE OF ULTRON, a mind-bending  five-part series from Marvel Comics! They say one person can truly make a difference, and that statement couldn’t ring truer for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. So what if another founding Avenger had died in the Golden Age of Heroes instead of Hank Pym? Could the reality we know endure without one of its strongest pillars? The short answer is—NO!

Each issue of WHAT IF: AGE OF ULTRON explores a Marvel Universe without one of it’s greatest champions. Imagine—an Armor Wars without IRON MAN! A RAGNAROK without THOR! A country without CAPTAIN AMERICA! Written by rising star Joe Keatinge (Marvel Knights: Hulk, Morbius: The Living Vampire) and an assembly of tomorrow’s hottest artists, WHAT IF: AGE OF ULTRON hits hard with its twisted takes on the Marvel Universe!

Was the Age of Ultron truly the darkest reality that the Avengers could endure? Find out this April, as Marvel burns the rulebook in WHAT IF: AGE OF ULTRON!


Smash Into Your First Look at the All-New SHE-HULK #1

 Lawyer. Avenger. Hero. Friend. Jennifer Walters has been called many things – but to most, she’s known only as the She-Hulk! Today, Marvel is proud to present your first look at SHE-HULK #1 – the all-new ongoing series written by rising star Charles Soule and drawn by fan-favorite artist Javier Pulido!  Savior of the world on more than one occasion, Jennifer Walters is embarking on a brand new, and no less dangerous mission – opening a new law practice!
“One of the big themes I'm going to play with is how in the world Jennifer is supposed to do everything she's supposed to do,” said Charles Soule, in an interview with Marvel.com. “We don't want things to be easy for our heroes—we want to see them overcome great difficulties. She-Hulk will battle one of the greatest villains of all: scheduling.
“But She-Hulk will fight her share of giant robots and irradiated monsters, I promise,” he continued.
“Charles gets the humanity of this character – this book doesn’t just have superhero action, it has an emotional core that makes that action all the more meaningful,” says Associate Editor Tom Brennan. “And with Javier Pulido, we have a master storyteller who brings so much to the story and gives this series a texture and a pop of energy that defines All New Marvel NOW!”
But juggling her caseload and kicking bad guy butt might be a bit more complicated than she imagines. Not to mention the growing number of supervillains she’s making personal enemies of. Sure she can knock The Thing out in one punch, but this time she may have bit off more than she can chew! And that’s just the start of it. Don’t miss a new beginning for the jade champion of justice when SHE-HULK #1 smashes into comic shops this February!