Review: Martian Comics #1

Julian Darius' Martian Comics is one of the most interesting super-indie titles I've read in some time. The majority of the book's page count is devoted to telling the story of Izzy Montoya, a young woman whose dreams about Mars are soon revealed to be the result of her body being possessed by an alien. In an interesting twist, the Martian character who takes control of Izzy's body is no evil emperor plotting to kill or conquer, rather she is just a woman who has grown disillusioned with Martian society and makes the decision to leave her body out of a desperate desire for a break from it all.

 

In this sense she's a character we can all relate to at least to some extent. Most of us have dreamed of a break from the stresses and strains of daily living, and Izzy's possessor faces those same struggles only on the face of a different planet. With her narration guiding almost the entire issue, by the final page writer Julian Darius has built a likeable protagonist with the potential to tell great stories with. One scene in particular sticks out in my mind in which Izzy tries to understand Earth humour and impress people at a party with hilarious results. Unfortunately, in this issue a well-developed lead comes at the expense of any well-developed supporting characters. Indeed, Izzy is very much front and centre this entire issue, which doesn't give the book's other characters much chance to grow.

 

 

The most prominent supporting character would be Izzy's sister Rita, who in the second half of the book is introduced as a loyal and loving sibling to the lead character. Still, her time in the limelight is limited and dominated by Izzy who spends most of these scenes trying to convince Rita of her extraordinary predicament, while also shedding some light on the history of Martian's interactions with Earth. Ultimately, it would be nice to see Rita given something pivotal to do herself throughout the duration of this story, something which could better define her personality and extend her beyond the bewildered but supportive sister archetype.

 

The only other memorable character introduced in this issue is the villain, known only as the Devil at this point. His appearance is brief and clearly just a hint towards things to come, so it would be unfair to complain that he isn't better developed. Judging from the cover, the next issue will give us a greater insight into this sinister figure, something I await with anticipation as his entrance here made quite the impression.

 

Although I had some gripes with the absence of a supporting cast, I did very much enjoy Martian Comics #1 thanks in large part to the creative mythology Darius has built around the series even at this early stage. Glimpses into Martian culture and even the method in which these creatures take control of a human host, as well as the effects a possessed person can have on those around them are all ideas I haven't seen before. There were a few things about life on Mars that I feel weren't explained terrifically well and bordered on confusing, but the ambitious world-building on display here is still impressive to watch unfold.

 

 

Where this issue falters is in its back-up story which explores the idea of Jesus as a human who was possessed by one of the book's Martian characters. This was an idea referenced mid-way through the book, and worked in passing as a fun line emphasising the expansive secret history Mars has with our planet. However, when elaborated on in the form of this short story it doesn't work quite as well. The whole five-page story feels disjointed and fails to capture your attention in the same way as the main plot, which ultimately I would have preferred to see more of in this slot. I understand that Darius is trying to expand his universe in these back-ups, but I feel like more interesting things could have been presented than a rushed recap of Jesus' life from the Martian perspective.

 

The artwork is carried out by Sergio Tarquini with colours from R. L. Campos; together this team provide the book with an appealing style in which each character has their own very distinctive look. Tarquini's designs of Mars and the aliens which inhabit it are memorable, and he shows a good understanding of portraying character's emotions on the page, an important factor in selling any scene. There are a few backgrounds that feel a little bland, but mostly the artwork is strong and nicely finished by Campos whose colours breathe life into the high-concept and futuristic Martian society, just as they also bring a realism and familiarity to our less impressive planet.

 

While not without its flaws, this is a strong debut for Martian Comics that science-fiction fans should really enjoy. This story shows great potential, and if it can correct its flaws in subsequent issues could prove to be a real hidden gem.

 

Martian Comics #1 is out now on ComiXology, with a Kindle edition also available.

 

 

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Review: The Almighties #0

Indie comic creator Sam Johnson collaborates with fellow writer Mike Gagnon for this latest offering, The lmighties #0. The book is Actuality Press' deranged answer to super-team comics and contains numerous fun moments although isn't without its flaws. As most zero issues are, this book is mostly concerned with set-up and introduction; we get to meet each of the key team members, learn about their origins and get a hint as to where the plot of this book may go in future issues. Johnson and Gagnon hit all their plot threads with efficiency, although admittedly there's little new about this approach of introducing team members one by one. Its been done many times before and is somewhat formulaic.

That being said the issue is engaging, and although the characters are mostly obvious parodies of well-known super-heroes they show promise to come into their own as this series progresses. The most compelling is probably Ms. F who seems more grounded than her wackier team-mates making her easier to connect with, and her current situation which sees her struggling to find a place in the world after leaving a long, unhappy marriage is something I'm sure many people could relate to. The relationship between her and retired super-hero The Kruncher is genuinely believable, making these two characters quite possibly the standouts of this debut.

The Almighties is as you would expect a comedy book and indeed there is some fun quipping to be had here and a bizarre final page reveal which is very much reflective of this book's tongue-in-cheek nature. That being said not all the jokes hit the mark and some don't land quite as well as they were intended, particularly those in the Wayne Winston segment of the issue. Winston is The Almighties answer to Deadpool and so naturally has the strangest origin story and scenes in this book. I felt like Johnson and Gagnon were really working hard to sell this character to me, but by the issue's end I still feel apprehensive about accepting yet another Deadpool parody. The market for Deadpool-esque characters just feels saturated at the moment, and I'm not sure if there's much here to set Winston apart from other eccentric mercenaries currently trying to make names for themselves.

Although Actuality's comic-book universe is very young, it does have a lived-in feel to it which is nice. Events and characters are referenced which help build a history for this world without making it feel bogged down in continuity. While I felt the Wayne Winston segment of this book was one of the weaker parts, I did like the idea of Subterrannea: the underground world which he and his family call home. The nature of the environment and its creepy inhabitants were a fun addition to the Actuality world, one that I hope develops and comes into play again further down the line as there's a lot of potential for cool stories to take place there.

The issue is illustrated by five different artists - Pablo Zambrano, Eleonora Kortsarz, Ron Gravelle, Fran Jung and Graham Pearce - with each doing a solid job even if some were stronger than others. The panel layouts weren't the most original I've ever seen however I'm aware that only so much can be done on an indie comic budget. Generally I enjoyed the art, and felt that the different styles were well-suited to their respective characters e.g. a more realistic style for the grounded Ms. F, a more cartoonish style for the insanity of Wayne Winston. It was a nice touch which helped establish separate identities for each of Johnson and Gagnon's characters.

Overall, The Almighties #0 was a solid debut for Actuality Press' new team of heroes. It wasn't a flawless opening chapter with some flat punchlines here and there, and some characters that require more fleshing out. That being said this series does have a lot of potential, and I'm interested to see where it goes next. You can check out some preview pages below.

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The Almighties #0 Wayne Winston Variant Edition is out now - along with a chance for newcomers to catch up on the team's debut adventure in The Almighties #1 2nd Printing – both available at www.almightiesamass.com

Preview: The Almighties #0

(click to enlarge)

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Superman: American Alien #1 - What The Critics Are Saying

Superman: American Alien #1 is the first issue in a seven-part mini-series written by screenwriter Max Landis, which explores who Clark Kent is at seven different points in his life. The series is to have a new artist for each installment, with Nick Dragotta fulfilling art duties for issue one and the likes of Jock, Francis Manapul and Jae Lee stepping in for future issues. The series has been surrounded by a significant level of hype due mainly to Landis' passionate opinions about Superman which he has voiced online in several YouTube videos. The first issue finally saw release last Wednesday and this is what critics around the Internet had to say:

The Writing

The first issue of American Alien centers on Clark's attempts to master his flying abilities, while exploring the emotional consequences of being so wildly different from those you're surrounded by. Generally, most critics agreed that this issue was executed engagingly in spite of the fact it takes place during a time in Clark's life which has been featured heavily in previous stories. This is summed up in a review by IGN's Jesse Schedeen who believes that Landis has found "another novel approach" to telling stories about Superman's formative years. Most frequently praised was Landis' characterization of staple figures from the Superman mythos, with Jordan Richards of Adventures in Poor Taste saying in his review that "the characterization is on point for everyone, even Johnathan Kent (who I was a bit worried about early on), and it leads to a lot of tenderness throughout the book, which feels genuine and believable." Multiversity Comics' Keith Dooley agrees claiming Landis, "makes iconic and very familiar characters like Clark, Martha and Johnathan his own by exploring their thoughts through dialogue, action and a particularly powerful final two pages."

Indeed, this story appears to be a character driven tale - something not wholly surprising when considered Landis made it clear in one of his Superman YouTube videos 'Regarding Clark' that, "plot has never really fascinated me, character does." However, this focus on character over story hasn't pleased everyone and there were some critics who felt dissatisfied by Landis' latest comic-book offering. Oz Longworth over at Black Nerd Problems claimed the story carried through this issue boils down to, "Clark is scared of flight and then he's not." Newsarama's Pierce Lydon also felt this issue left something to be desired describing the character moments as "cutesy fluff", and claiming the book suffered as so much has already been said about this part of Clark's life that there's little else new to bring to the table. Lydon goes on to say that, "There's no way for Landis to surprise us. We know he'll learn to fly, and Landis is only able to give us a poorly conceived conflict at a drive-in movie to inject some kind of stakes into the book." This point is countered by Comic Book Resources who claim that the book is "not about believing a boy can fly; it's about why he doesn't want to."


The Art

The artwork in this issue has been provided by Nick Dragotta and Alex Guimaraes, to a mixed response from critics. Many praised this art team for their work here with Dragotta singled out for packing his characters with emotion which made them easy to connect with. IGN explain in their review that he "perfectly captures Clark's early attempts at flying and the raw emotion at play as Johnathan and Martha struggle to keep their son safe and deal with his unusual condition." Multiversity Comics echoes this opinion, saying that "Dragotta wrings emotions from the characters that are visceral and oftentimes heartbreaking in their execution." In the same review Guimaraes' colors received acclaim, with writer Keith Dooley praising him for his decision not to "intrude on the art with gaudy colors," and instead highlight "the emotional symbolism and beats of the story." Comic Book Resources were also a fan of Guimaraes work, singling him out for immersing Smallville in "lush pastels for a timeless sense of idyllic Americana." Black Nerd Problems also praised the work of this art team as "unquestionably gorgeous."

However, the art was not to everyone's liking with Dragotta's style taking criticism from some review sites. Adventures in Poor Taste said in their review that, "his characters can look a bit too cartoonish and exaggerated for their own good," with Newsarama agreeing that the stylized nature of Dragotta's characters meant that when Clark has an emotional outburst it's, "that much harder to take him seriously."

General Consensus:
Superman: American Alien #1 is definitely worth trying for those interested in getting inside Clark Kent's head and attempting to understand the mind of a young Man of Steel. However, those who prefer a grand in scope story as opposed to a more intimate character study may find themselves disappointed by Max Landis' latest comic-book offering. The artwork by Nick Dragotta and Alex Guimaraes also proved to be divisive, with some fans taking issue with the stylized design choices made by this creative team. Although, it is worth noting that others were quite enamored with these changes and so ultimately your opinion on the look of this book may come down simply to personal preference.

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All-New All-Different Avengers #1: What The Critics Are Saying

Perhaps the most high profile book of the post-Secret Wars Marvel relaunch, All-New All-Different Avengers #1 teams superstar writer Mark Waid with artists Adam Kubert and Mahmud Asrar. The book revolves around a newly formed Avengers team that includes Thor, Captain America and Iron Man, alongside the younger more inexperienced heroes Nova, Ms Marvel and Miles Morales aka Spider-Man. With a strong creative team at the helm and a cast of popular characters, this book has a lot of potential to be a hit with readers: but what was the verdict when it hit shelves on Wednesday?

The Writing

All-New All-Different Avengers #1 is comprised of two stories, a main and a back-up. The main storyline centres on the new Avengers team as it begins to form, coming together in the wake of an attack by a Chitauri warlord. The main story drew some criticism for feeling somewhat formulaic especially for a book with the words "all-new" in the title. Indeed, Adventures in Poor Taste writer Jordan Richards said that the "only real problem with this story is that the entirety of the issue is pretty much just set up with little excitement." This was a verdict shared by some critics, with Newsarama's Justin Partridge agreeing that it was unfortunate that the book "adheres to the team-building trope of not bringing the team together just yet." Other critics expressed disappointment that some of the characters on Alex Ross' stunning cover don't end up making an appearance in this issue. The most volatile reaction to this decision may have come from Comic Book Revolution where the book received its most negative review, with writer Rokk showing dissatisfaction at the possibility of "one of those dull four to eight issue story arcs where we have to sit through the hackneyed opening story arc approach of assembling the team."

However, while some people did find the execution of this opening issue to be less than original, it should be stressed that this book received much praise in other areas - for example, its characterisation. Comicosity's Allen Thomas commended Mark Waid for understanding his characters "in a very deep, introspective way," and for "bringing out the unique aspects," of each member of his cast. Comic Book Resources' Jim Johnson agreed that "the consistency of characterization is a refreshing effort on Waid's part, as he respects the events of the characters' main titles while still bringing his own skill and style to the issue." This dedication to respecting plot threads from titles across the Marvel relaunch was brought up in a few reviews in a mostly positive context, however IGN writer Jeff Lake did raise the issue that as, "we're still in the infancy of this post Secret Wars world, not all of these plot threads line up quite as easily as others."

The light-hearted back-up story featuring Nova and Ms. Marvel titled "You're A Jerk," received a warm reception from many critics - in some cases, warmer than that which the main story received. Indeed, Multiversity Comics writer Stephenson Ardern-Sodje wrote in his review that the back-up story, "definitely interested me more, even though the story seems largely detached from the main narrative." Waid was widely praised for making the awkward first meeting of Sam Alexander and Kamala Khan feel genuine, and filling it with humorous and relatable moments. Comic Book Resources explained that this "hilariously painful dynamic" made the story a "wonderful" read, while IGN declared that it was "social awkwardness at its finest." That being said, as has already been mentioned the story has relatively little to do with the main plot of this book, and this led some to wonder whether it was the best decision to include it here. Multiversity Comics said "its inclusion feels as though it's stealing pages from the 'main' narrative," an opinion shared by IGN who claimed that the addition of this back-up left the main story "feeling surprisingly brisk for such a marquee launch."

The Art

The art in this book is completed by two separate creative teams, with the main story by Adam Kubert and Sonia Obak and the back-up by Mahmud Asrar and Dave McCaig. Both teams were given much praise in reviews for this opening issue. Adventures in Poor Taste said in their review that Kubert's "layouts are easy to read and flow well," with the artist being called out most for his work on an opening sequence in which Captain America saves a family whose vehicle was plummeting off the Queensboro Bridge. Comicosity described these panels as "incredibly dynamic" while Comic Book Resources thought Kubert's work gave the "opening sequence a cinematic quality." But Kubert seemingly kept a high level of quality even when the action died down, as Multiversity Comics explain that "his panelling is inventive enough to flit between conversations in cars and high-impact laser assaults and switch gears accordingly."

Asrar also garnered much acclaim for his work in the back-up story, with Adventures in Poor Taste going as far to say that Asrar's art was "even better" than Kubert's. Critics were most fond of Asrar's portrayal of Nova and Ms Marvel's more subtle expressions and body language, with IGN saying that his "pitch perfect facial cues align wonderfully with Waid's increasingly awkward introspection." Meanwhile, Multiversity Comics also praised this aspect of Asrar's art, pointing out that "the deftness of his micro-expressions makes for a truly awkward exchange between Sam and Kamala that is funny and tense in equal measure."

General Consensus:

While anchored by some strong character moments, the story in All-New All-Different Avengers #1 feels somewhat by-the numbers and could perhaps have used more space to develop - space taken up in this issue by a fun if inconsequential back-up story featuring Nova and Ms. Marvel. However, most critics saw potential for this series to come into its own in future issues, and the artwork by Adam Kubert and Mahmud Asrar was met with universal acclaim.

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Review: Supergirl - S1E01 (Pilot)

Comic-book fans have been crying out for a female-led super-hero franchise for some time with Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, and Black Widow among the names being thrown around for promotion to a starring role. While each and every one of those potential films have faced struggles and delays during their journey to the screen, CBS's new TV series Supergirl has come together relatively quickly. Beginning development in September of 2014, the show is now airing on screens around the world just over a year later: but is it worth your time? Having made it's debut with a trailer reminiscent to an SNL sketch about the misinterpretation of female super heroes, many assumed the show would be terrible - perhaps only marginally better than the much maligned 1984 film starring Faye Dunaway. With that in mind it's quite a pleasant surprise that Supergirl has started off relatively strong, with a pilot episode arguably better than recent episodes of the CW's Arrow in terms of entertainment value.

This episode sets up what this series is going to be very efficiently setting up both a likeable main cast and an overarching antagonist. Perhaps the most disappointing thing about this pilot was that it was a little formulaic and didn't really break any new ground in terms of what these DC super-hero shows are doing. Sure, the protagonist is a woman instead of a man but outside of that the same procedural 'monster of the week' structure that's been the norm since Smallville began in 2001 is still in use here, while the CW-esque melodrama also remains a prominent device. I don't criticize Supergirl too heavily for using these familiar practices as this is network television after all, so to expect anything too edgy would be foolish. However, it does have me wondering just how many more shows can be launched adopting this same formula which audiences will surely grow tired of at some point.

Fortunately, Melissa Benoist brings a lot of fun to the titular role and her charismatic performance immediately had me on the side of Kara Danvers and her mission to help the people of National City (side note: is National City the most generic name for a city in the history of fiction? Yes. Yes, it is.) Jeremy Jordan's character Winslow "Winn" Schott is probably the most loveable member of the supporting cast at this point, although admittedly he seems to be doing little more than filling the role taken by Felicity Smoak on Arrow and Cisco Ramone on The Flash. Chyler Leigh's Alex Danvers comes a close second as her relationship with Kara is well-defined in this opening chapter, while her admission that she felt jealous of Kara's abilities felt like a very understandable human response to your parents adopting a super-powered alien.

Less memorable were the characters of James Olsen, Cat Grant and Hank Henshaw who by this episode's end still feel little more developed than the basic archetypes of helpful friend, bitchy boss and stern government man - although it will be interesting to see if this show draws at all on the latter's troubled comic-book history. That could be a cool arc to watch unfold in live-action. I don't judge Supergirl too harshly for having a few undeveloped characters as it is tough to fit everything in to one pilot, and it's likely this series will have twenty or so episodes to add some interesting elements to those characters currently lacking depth.

One thing I must praise Supergirl for is its action sequences. It's immediately clear that CBS have invested a sizeable amount of money into this show. The airplane rescue looked surprisingly convincing as did Kara's numerous leaps into flight - thank goodness special effects have progressed since the days of Smallville, or we may have had ten years of Kara running in front of a green screen instead. Additionally, the fight with Owain Yeoman's Vartox was also well choreographed even if the villain himself was rather one dimensional. Sadly, that's the case with most of the villains on these shows. The fact of the matter is that the writers on these series' have less than forty minutes to give a villain their powers, establish there goals and chronicle their demise and it simply isn't enough time to do anything truly compelling.

Still, in spite of its flaws Supergirl has already gone above and beyond my expectations. This pilot undoubtedly has problems - some of them it shares with fellow DC shows Arrow and The Flash - but there is real promise here for this series to improve over time. The supporting cast has potential although admittedly could use some development, but Benoist is a genuinely impressive lead whose fun performance will draw me back for a few weeks at least to see if this show's weaker elements can be righted. Could it be that the first successful live-action female super-hero franchise could originate from the small screen as opposed to a bigger budget film franchise? This solid pilot ensures that it's far from out of the question.

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Indie Comic Spotlight: Our Friend Satan

When I first heard about Our Friend Satan I was a little sceptical. The upcoming graphic novel, which follows a downtrodden Satan as he attempts to turn his life around by suing the Pope for defamation, seemed like a hard sell at first. After all, many creators have tried to put a new spin on the Devil and many have fallen short; however, this project currently being put together by a group of comic creators led by Dominik L. Marzec looks like it may well end up succeeding where so many others have failed. While the subject matter is potentially inflammatory - exploring a world where the Pope is something of an evil mastermind who has been spreading negative propaganda about Satan for many years - a quick glance at the seventeen page preview currently available on the book's website makes it abundantly clear that this story is being told in a wholly tongue-in-cheek manner. Indeed, Our Friend Satan looks like it could be a lot of fun, successfully adopting the same comedic techniques as recent mainstream comics such as Superior Foes of Spider-Man and Howard the Duck to great effect.

Additionally, judging from the aforementioned preview Marzec and co. could well succeed in making Satan - dare I say it - likeable?!  Reading the first few pages of this graphic novel left me fondly recalling a TV show I used to watch made by the CW, titled Reaper. For those unaware, the show followed the adventures of young slacker Sam Oliver who finds out on his 21st birthday that his parents sold his soul to the devil. Sam then is forced to become a reaper, tracking down escaped souls and taking them back to hell. What does all this have to do with Our Friend Satan? Well, in Reaper the Devil is played by Twin Peaks star Ray Wise in what is quite possibly the best performance of his career. As wrong as it seems to say this, Wise really does bring a certain charisma and humour to Satan which does make him strangely likeable. Reaper was sadly cancelled quite prematurely after just two short seasons, but I see remnants of that fantastic show in projects such as this one which makes me optimistic that this book could well end up being a gem.

It's clear that a great amount of effort and passion has been channelled into the creation of this graphic novel, which is evident in the fascinatingly distorted world that has been created wherein a sinister pope lives on a Vatican-themed space station, and the Anti-Christ simply wants to eat spaghetti and watch the Germany game in his slippers. The artwork is also very impressive; the detailed pages put together by Marzec and artists Lukas Lalko and Michael Murawski are a treat to look at, effectively creating comedic scenes whilst also being able to take a more sinister direction when the narrative requires it.

Our Friend Satan is at the time of writing reaching the end of it's Kickstarter campaign, and has fortunately reached its goal. However, with four days left to contribute you may still want to show your support for this project if it sounds like something you'd be interested in. The folks behind this book have a number of stretch goals that I'm sure they'd love to reach, including producing a hardcover edition and even starting work on a second and third instalment in Satan's story. There are also a number of awesome rewards for contributors such as T-Shirts, some (hilarious) posters, and even the chance to be drawn into the comic! The indie comics scene continues to grow from strength to strength, and it's thanks to original ideas such as Our Friend Satan that more and more people are choosing to take a chance on smaller books. We'll be watching this title very closely in the coming months, and if you like fun (if slightly insane) comics, then you should do too!

My favourite poster by the folks at Our Friend Satan

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Chris Pine Officially Joins Wonder Woman

After being in negotiations for some time, the news broke earlier today that Chris Pine has officially joined the upcoming Wonder Woman solo movie in the role of Steve Trevor. Trevor has been a big part of many Wonder Woman stories since the Amazonian character debuted back in 1941, however recently the character was given a new lease of life in DC's rebooted New 52 comic-book universe.

In the New 52, Trevor was given a much more integral role than he'd seen in some time and the movie interpretation of the character will likely be based on this incarnation. This casting is fantastic news for Chris Pine, who is coming off a string of box office disappointments that includes Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, Horrible Bosses 2 and even Star Trek Into Darkness to some extent. A role in this high profile property should help Pine get his career back on track, while also acting as a safety net for him as the role of Steve Trevor will likely land him parts in multiple DC movies.

Wonder Woman is being directed by Patty Jenkins, who also directed the Oscar-winning film Monster starring Charlize Theron, and will be released in 2017.

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Rumour: Channing Tatum to Leave Gambit?!

A shocking rumour surfaced earlier today as a report published on TheWrap suggested that Channing Tatum was planning to leave the upcoming Gambit movie that he has been attached to for many months now. While it should be stressed that this is a rumour and has not been confirmed by any credible source at the time of writing, if this is true it could be a damning loss for the upcoming spin-off film.

Gambit was planning to start shooting this October and so Tatum's potential drop-out is coming very late in the game. Additionally, if this rumour is to be believed it's a rather surprising decision for the actor to make after he has publicly displayed much enthusiasm for playing the character since being confirmed for the role. At the time of writing, neither 20th Century Fox, nor Tatum's representatives have given comment.

Tatum's casting received a mixed reaction from fans, with this reporter being undecided as to whether or not he's a good fit for the role. TEN will update this story as it develops.

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Rosario Dawson Isn't Night Nurse, Character May Debut in Doctor Strange

At this year's Television Critics Association, Daredevil showrunner Steven DeKnight revealed some arguably quite disappointing news about Rosario Dawson's character in the popular Netflix series. While it had been assumed by many fans that Dawson was playing the Marvel Cinematic Universe interpretation of comic-book character Night Nurse, this appears not to be the case.

Indeed, DeKnight revealed that while Dawson's character Claire Temple was originally intended to be Night Nurse, this decision was blocked by Marvel's feature film branch who DeKnight explains, "had plans for her down the road." This has led many to speculate that the character may appear in the upcoming Doctor Strange film starring Benedict Cumberbatch, as Strange and Night Nurse have crossed paths on numerous occasions in the comics.

Meanwhile, it is no secret that Marvel Studios have been in talks with Rachel McAdams in recent weeks as they wish for her to take the female lead in Strange's cinematic debut. Could it be that McAdams will be playing the Night Nurse role originally intended for Rosario Dawson?

Personally, I find this news a little disappointing. In my opinion, Rosario Dawson is a superior actor to McAdams, and I would have loved to see her crossover into the Marvel movies. Not only would this lead to her character getting more exposure, but also it would be a clear sign of Marvel trying to integrate their Netflix series' into the wider universe they have created. With this reveal, it seems like quite the opposite has happened and that Dawson has effectively been sidelined.

Still, it is important to remember that this is all rumour and speculation at the moment, and there's still a good chance that Night Nurse won't appear in the upcoming Doctor Strange film. Plus, there is some good news for Daredevil fans as Rosario Dawson has been confirmed to be returning for Daredevil: Season 2, which will première sometime next year. Meanwhile, Doctor Strange will hit theatres on November 4th 2016; the film will be directed by Sinister's Scott Derrickson and stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Tilda Swinton.

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Review: Ant-Man

After years in development hell, Ant-Man finally hit cinema screens across the world last week. Not without its fair share of behind-the-scenes dramas, expectations were relatively low across the board for the film that is arguably Marvel Studios' biggest gamble to date. With that in mind, I think things turned out remarkably well; while Ant-Man is by no means perfect, it is a very enjoyable blockbuster flick and one that I'd love to see a sequel to before Avengers: Infinity War Part I hits in 2018.

Ant-Man follows the story of the (kind of) reformed criminal Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), who is attempting to rebuild his life after being released from prison. This proves to be harder than first thought after he is dragged into an astonishing conflict by genius inventor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and his estranged daughter Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly). Together they must stop the villainous Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) from putting the dangerous Ant-Man technology into the hands of the evil organisation, Hydra!

The plot is by no means complex but it is very entertaining to watch play out. This is in part due to a fun script that was re-written by Rudd and his long-time writing partner Adam McKay, and is unsurprisingly full of funny moments as a result. Of course some of the jokes do fall a bit flat, but the majority of them land well - particularly the punchlines delivered by Michael Pena who puts in a charming and energetic performance.

In the run-up to the film's release, those involved in making Ant-Man had said that father-daughter relationships play a large role in the film, and I'm relieved to say they are handled relatively well. There are occasional moments of awkwardness, seemingly due to the fact that this film is only truly comfortable when focusing on comedy, and as a result doesn't let things get serious for very long. This isn't a terrible trait to have, but it does lead to some jarring transitions from drama back to comedy, and prevents the emotional stakes from getting too high.

On the upside, one of my biggest concerns about this film - the ageing-down of Scott Lang's daughter Cassie - who in the comics is a teenager and super-hero in her own right - was fortunately unfounded; the seven year-old Abby Ryder Fortson puts in a surprisingly strong performance. During a time when genuinely good child actors seem to be in short supply, it's always a nice surprise when a talented and charismatic young actor comes along.

That charisma also extends to the adult cast with Rudd, Lilly and Douglas all putting in memorable performances and the aforementioned Michael Pena very nearly stealing the show as Luis, the crook with a heart of gold. Corey Stoll puts in a solid performance as Darren Cross; while the character does seem a little two-dimensional, he is far more memorable than other recent Marvel villains Ronan the Accuser and Thor: the Dark World's Malekith.


Peyton Reed had some big shoes to fill after fan-favourite director Edgar Wright left the Ant-Man project in one of Marvel's biggest controversies to date. Fortunately, I feel Reed has succeeded in pulling Ant-Man back from the brink of disaster. While Reed lacks the distinctive style of Edgar Wright, he still constructs a memorable film in Ant Man, with the several Wright-esque moments paying tribute to the man who spent so many years developing this film.

Ultimately, I found Ant-Man to be a very enjoyable palate cleanser between the action-heavy Avengers: Age of Ultron and the upcoming all-star Captain America: Civil War. The smaller scale of the story helps make things more character driven, with the script finding time to establish both the main cast and supporting players, while leaving doors open for future movies in classic Marvel Studios style. Upon leaving the cinema after seeing Ant-Man, all I could think about was how I wanted to see these characters in action again - a sign that in spite of its flaws, Ant-Man has successfully established one of Marvel's stranger characters in their ever-growing cinematic universe.

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Ant Man Post-Credits Scenes: Explanation and Speculation (Spoilers)

After many years in development, Ant-Man finally hit cinema screens last week, and with it came not one but two after credits scenes. Both scenes are exciting glimpses into the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and definitely worth sticking around for...

The Mid-Credits Scene

The mid-credits scene was essentially spoiled by Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige in the lead-up to the release of Ant-Man, and so as a result it may have lost some of the impact it could have had. That being said, it's still a very exciting first look at one of Marvel's most important characters finally getting her big screen debut: the Wasp. We saw a brief look at the original Wasp, Janet van Dyne about mid-way through the movie. But the Wasp costume revealed in this scene seems to be the one Marvel will be running with going forward.

The scene sees Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) explaining to daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly), that the suit is a yet-to-be perfected prototype that was originally made with her mother in mind. When considered that Hope had been pleading to be let loose in the Ant-suit for almost the entire movie, it only makes sense that the Wasp mantle should be passed to her. The new and improved Wasp suit looked very faithful to the comic-book character, and upon seeing it Hope smiles and says, "It's about damn time." I share her sentiment exactly, and I'm sure many other Marvel fans do as well. It would have been awesome to see Hope in the Wasp suit in this film, and it's a great shame that we likely won't see the Wasp in action now for quite some time - Feige recently explained that the character doesn't appear in the upcoming Captain America: Civil War.

When we will see Lilly as the Wasp is hard to guess, but Evangeline Lilly has signed a multi-picture deal (as is standard for all stars of a Marvel movie), and so you can assume that we'll see her by the time Infinity War Part I rolls round at the very latest.

The Post-Credits Scene

The post-credits scene was actually taken directly from Captain America: Civil War, rather than being made specifically for Ant-Man. The scene sees Captain America and Falcon in an abandoned warehouse, where they have found Bucky Barnes aka the Winter Soldier stuck in some kind of vice. They discuss what to do with him, at which point "the accords" are brought up but left suitably ambiguous. Finally, in the last seconds of the scene Falcon says: "I know a guy." The guy being referenced is presumably Paul Rudd's Ant-Man as we know the character has a role in Civil War, not to mention that Ant-Man and Falcon had a pretty awesome first encounter during the Ant-Man film.

From this scene we can assume that Ant-Man will probably be taking Cap's side during the Civil War conflict. Hank Pym shows disdain for Tony Stark multiple times during Ant-Man, and so may well advise Scott to side with Steve Rogers instead. Additionally, Cap and Falcon mention in the post-credits scene that they "can't go to Tony," suggesting that by this point in the film the team has already split in two.

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Let us know what your thoughts were on these after credits scenes, as well as the Ant-Man movie as a whole in the comments section below!

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Suicide Squad Trailer Officially Released

For a while there it seemed like Warner Bros. weren't going to release their SDCC Suicide Squad trailer to the general public, especially when considered that at last year's convention they didn't give us a look at the Batman v Superman trailer they showed until many months later. This year however, the company seems to be using a different strategy and have officially released the trailer on their YouTube page.

I put this down to two reasons; the first is the almost universally positive response to the new Batman v Superman trailer may have spurred DC to strike while the iron's hot. Additionally, there were so many low-quality leaks of the Suicide Squad trailer flying around the Internet, that Warner Bros. probably thought if people are going to watch this trailer, it may as well be in HD.

The trailer - embedded below - is in my opinion not quite as exciting as the Batman v Superman trailer, but the film does look solid nonetheless. Featuring our first glimpse of Jared Leto's Joker, and the rest of the squad in action this trailer is sure to get people talking. Having already hit nine million views in less than 24 hours, the fan interest in this property seems undeniably strong, and has led to many claiming that Warner Bros have 'won' this year's convention.


Now I'm left hoping that the Deadpool trailer will also be released because I hear that was meant to be pretty darn impressive as well.
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Let us know your thoughts on the Suicide Squad trailer in the comments section below!

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Watch: Batman v Superman - San Diego Comic-Con Trailer

It's quite likely that you've already seen this trailer multiple times, but I wanted to post it here on The Entertainment Network anyway as I find myself genuinely impressed by it. When it comes to the Marvel vs DC debate I tend not to pick a side, preferring to enjoy the fruits of both publisher. That being said, I have to say I have enjoyed the Marvel movies of the past few years much more so than I have any of DC's offerings. Judging from this trailer though, that could very well change.

While I though Man of Steel was a solid if unremarkable movie, my faith in Zack Snyder is somewhat minimal due to his past disappointments (most notable among them for me being Watchmen). This trailer doesn't necessarily change that. After all, the reason Man of Steel became so divisive is because hype levels became unreasonably high after seeing the trailers. But, this trailer does make me optimistic that this could well be Snyder's best film to date.

Featuring our first glimpse of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, as well as looks at the new Batmobile and Jesse Eisenberg in action as Lex Luthor, this trailer has satisfied comic-book fans the world over - something reflected in the way it's passed 20 million YouTube hits in just two days. My only concern is that we may well have seen everything from the movie by the time it's actually released. Keep in mind, Batman v Superman is still over eight months away and yet already we've seen two trailers from the upcoming flick. By March, I worry we'll have seen perhaps too many trailers (although I'm sure some would argue there is no such thing).

Be sure to check out the trailer that everyone is talking about (embedded below for your viewing pleasure), and let us know your thoughts on the upcoming movie in the comments section below:

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Daredevil Season 2: Elodie Yung Cast as Elektra

Yesterday, marvel.com made the announcement that actor Elodie Yung had been cast as Elektra in the upcoming second season of Netflix original series Daredevil. Yung's previous work includes 2013's G.I Joe: Retaliation and David Fincher's American remake of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. The character, who was briefly referenced in the first season of the show, has a huge role in the Daredevil mythos and is an iconic Marvel character in her own right. Her previous live-action appearance was in the 2005 film Elektra where she was portrayed by Jennifer Garner; the film was a critical and commercial failure, which isn't surprising considering it was a spin-off of the widely-panned 2003 Daredevil movie.

Yung joins Jon Bernthal who was recently cast as fan-favourite Marvel character The Punisher in season two of the much-acclaimed series. The question now is can the show handle the addition of these characters, especially as neither have had a successful live-action adaptation before (much to the disappointment of many Marvel fans). I'm optimistic that the people behind this excellent show can do justice to these characters; that being said I'm not familiar with Yung's previous work leaving me unqualified to speculate whether she's right for the high-profile role.

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Let us know your thoughts on this casting announcement in the comments section below!

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TEN Comic Book Awards 2014: The Winners

Later than they should have been, the winners of our comic-book awards have finally been decided. Thanks to all of the creators who helped spread the word about our little awards show, you're the reason this medium is so great! All those creators who totally ignored us, we understand and we still like you too! Now without further ado, here are the winners of the TEN Comic Book Awards 2014:

Reader's Choice Award: Best Series

Winner: Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
2nd Place: Grayson by Tim Seeley, Tom King and Mikel Janin
3rd Place: Batman by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo

Best Writer:

Winner: Greg Rucka (Lazarus)

This is a very smart comic-book, featuring interesting social commentary and tons of back-material that leaves you getting plenty of bang for your buck. A must read!

Ales Kot (Secret Avengers)
Tom King & Tim Seeley (Grayson)
Nick Spencer (Superior Foes of Spider-Man)
Rick Remender (Deadly Class)
Robert Venditti (X-O Manowar, Armor Hunters)

Best Artist:

Winner: Steve Lieber (Superior Foes of Spider-Man)

Superior Foes of Spider-Man was an excellent, criminally overlooked book. Steve Lieber's art was one of the reasons it was so great, with many awesome panels and some fantastic comedic skill on show!

Clayton Crain (Rai)
James Stokoe (100th Anniversary: Avengers)
Michael Walsh (Secret Avengers)
Phil Noto (Black Widow)
Wes Craig (Deadly Class)

Best Cover Artist:

Winner: Darwyn Cooke (Various 'New 52' Variants)

With these variant covers, Darwyn Cooke showed us a side of the New 52 we haven't seen much recently; the fun side! They looked phenomenal and we'd happily frame each one and hang them on our wall! Excellent work.

Andrea Sorrentino (Green Arrow)
J.H Williams III (Sandman: Overture)
Kevin Wada (She-Hulk)
Marco Rudy (Bucky Barnes: The Winter Soldier)
Mike Del Mundo (Elektra)

Best Colourist:

Winner: Lee Loughridge (Deadly Class)

Lee Loughridge's colours have given Deadly Class a distinctive and very stylish look since it began, and his work on the title deserves more recognition. Deadly Class is a fantastic book all-round, but Loughridge's colours remain one of the most impressive aspects of the series.

Jeromy Cox (Grayson)
Matthew Wilson (Secret Avengers, The Wicked + The Divine)
Muntsa Vicente (She-Hulk)
Rachelle Rosenberg (Superior Foes of Spider-Man)
Santi Arcas (Lazarus)

Best Break-Out Creator:

Winner: Genevieve Valentine (Catwoman)

Valentine has brought DC's Catwoman series back from the brink of utter terribleness, and has turned it into something that we are once again excited to read. Her plot is complex, dark and utterly enthralling. Read it!

Benjamin Dewey (The Autumnlands: Tooth and Claw)
Brian Ruckley (Rogue Trooper)
G. Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel)
Joe Infurnari (The Bunker)
Karl Kershchl (Gotham Academy)

Best Series:

Winner: Superior Foes of Spider-Man
Deadly Class
Grayson
Lazarus
Secret Avengers
X-O Manowar

Most Anticipated New Series of 2015:

Winner: Hit 1957 (Boom Studios)

The first Hit series, Hit: 1955 as it's known now was truly excellent and left us wanting more! Late last year we found out that's exactly what we'd be getting, and now we can't wait to see where the team of Bryce Carlson and Vanesa R. Del Ray take these characters next!

Bloodshot: Reborn (Valiant)
Howard the Duck (Marvel)
Ivar, Timewalker (Valiant)
The Fix (Image)
Star Wars (Marvel)

Best Publisher:

Winner: Marvel
DC
Image
IDW Publishing
ONI Press
Valiant

Best Comic-Book Website:

Winner: Comic Book Round-Up

While Comic Book Round-Up doesn't post editorial, it's still one of the most useful comic-book websites on the Internet. Serving as a review aggregator for comic-books from all publishers, it's a great tool to decide what comics to pick up each and every week. Check it out if you haven't already!

Bleeding Cool
Comic Book Resources
IGN
Multiversity Comics
Newsarama

Best Comic-Book Adaptation:

Winner: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D
Arrow
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The Flash
Guardians of the Galaxy
X-Men: Days of Future Past

Best Performance in a Comic-Book Property:

Winner: Scarlett Johannson (Black Widow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
Bradley Cooper (Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy)
Chloe Bennett (Skye in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D)
Emily Bett Rickards (Felicity Smoak in Arrow/The Flash)
Ming Na-Wen (Melinda May in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D)
Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury in Captain America: The Winter Soldier)

Most Anticipated Adaptation of 2015:

Winner: Avengers: Age of Ultron
Agent Carter
A.K.A Jessica Jones
Ant Man
Daredevil
Fantastic Four

TEN Special Award for Outstanding Contribution to Comics:

Winner: Steve Gerber
Alan Moore
Jim Shooter
Mark Waid
Stan Lee
Terry Moore

Thanks again to everyone who supported this year's awards, and all the awesome people who voted in our reader's choice award! Hope you'll all be back for the next awards!

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TEN Comic-Book Awards 2014: The Nominees

It's the end of the year and you know what that means; it's a time to reflect, and after the reflection is over decide to give out some awards! That's exactly what I've been doing these past couple of days and this is the result.

2014 was a phenomenal year for comics. They gained more mainstream attention thanks to the smash-hit Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America, and X-Men movies, and made headlines with some surprising reveals such as a woman taking on the title of Thor. Meanwhile, DC revived their ailing New 52 universe with such quality titles as Grayson, Gotham Academy, and The Multiversity. I haven't even mentioned the continuing rise of independent titles, most notably those from Image Comics!

With this in mind I thought now is as good a time as any to launch the TEN Comic Book Awards! Here we'll be spotlighting the best writers, artists, and series' to come out of the comic-book world in the last year, with our 2014 nominees listed below! But YOU can get involved as well! Just under this paragraph you'll find the reader's choice award for 'Best Series', where you can choose to vote for any series from the past twelve months! There is a good chance that no one will vote, but I'm optimistic nonetheless. The winners to all these awards will be announced in a video to be uploaded to the TEN YouTube channel in January 2015.

Reader's Choice: Best Series

The readers choice award is now closed! We're sorry if you didn't get a chance to vote, but stay tuned to TEN as they'll be more cool stuff to come! You can also check out the winners on our YouTube channel and on this site (probably, if we haven't procrastinated and not updated them yet). Thanks again!

Best Writer

Ales Kot (Secret Avengers)

Greg Rucka (Lazarus)
Tom King/Tim Seeley (Grayson)

Nick Spencer (Superior Foes of Spider-Man)

Rick Remender (Deadly Class)
Robert Venditti (X-O Manowar, Armor Hunters)

Best Artist

Clayton Crain (Rai)
James Stokoe (100th Anniversary: Avengers)
Michael Walsh (Secret Avengers)
Phil Noto (Black Widow)
Steve Lieber (Superior Foes of Spider-Man)
Wes Craig (Deadly Class)

Best Cover Artist

Andrea Sorrentino (Green Arrow)
Darwyn Cooke (Various)
J.H Williams III (Sandman: Overture)
Kevin Wada (She-Hulk)
Marco Rudy (Bucky Barnes: The Winter Soldier)
Mike Del Mundo (Elektra)

Best Colourist

Jeromy Cox (Grayson)
Lee Loughridge (Deadly Class)
Matthew Wilson (Secret Avengers, The Wicked + The Divine)
Muntsa Vicente (She-Hulk)
Rachelle Rosenberg (Superior Foes of Spider-Man)
Santi Arcas (Lazarus)

Best Break-Out Creator

Benjamin Dewey (The Autumnlands: Tooth and Claw)
Brian Ruckley (Rogue Trooper)
Genevieve Valentine (Catwoman)
G. Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel)
Joe Infurnari (The Bunker)
Karl Kerschl (Gotham Academy)

Best Series

Deadly Class
Grayson
Lazarus
Secret Avengers
Superior Foes of Spider-Man
X-O Manowar

Most Anticipated New Series of 2015

Bloodshot: Reborn (Valiant)
Hit: 1957 (Boom Studios)
Howard the Duck (Marvel)
Ivar, Timewalker (Valiant)
The Fix (Image)
Star Wars (Marvel)

Best Publisher

DC
Image
IDW Publishing
Marvel
ONI Press
Valiant

Best Comic-Book Website

Bleeding Cool
Comic Book Resources
Comic Book Round-Up
IGN
Multiversity Comics
Newsarama

Best Comic-Book Adaptation

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D
Arrow
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The Flash
Guardians of the Galaxy
X-Men: Days of Future Past

Best Performance in a Comic-Book Property

Bradley Cooper (Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy)
Chloe Bennet (Skye in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D)
Emily Bett Rickards (Felicity Smoak in Arrow/The Flash)
Ming Na-Wen (Melinda May in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D)
Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury in Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
Scarlett Johannson (Black Widow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier)

Most Anticipated Adaptation of 2015:

Agent Carter
A.K.A Jessica Jones
Ant-Man
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Daredevil
Fantastic Four

TEN Special Award for Outstanding Contribution to Comics

Alan Moore
Jim Shooter
Mark Waid
Stan Lee
Steve Gerber
Terry Moore

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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Cast As Black Adam, But Will Shazam Fail?

After years of teasing and hinting, today it was finally announced what role Dwayne Johnson is to have in the developing DC cinematic universe. The actor has talked openly many times about his interest in a Shazam movie, recently telling fans he was struggling to decide which role he would rather play: Shazam or Black Adam. However it seems a decision was made as today Johnson announced from his Twitter account the news that he will be portraying Black Adam in the upcoming Shazam movie, one of many DC projects in the works at the moment.

After all these years of seeing Johnson flirt with the idea of playing this character on-screen, I was sceptical when I first saw Johnson's tweet thinking it may be yet another playful tease and nothing else. But after the news was confirmed by the respectable entertainment news site Variety, I allowed myself to believe that this period of mystery was now finally over. The script to the Shazam movie is being written by screenwriter Darren Lemke, whose resume isn't exactly flawless with his most recent films - Turbo, Jack the Giant Slayer, and Shrek Forever After - all receiving a relatively mixed response. However, the films mentioned do have their fans and are far from terrible so I don't intend on dismissing Lemke just yet.

Black Adam was a DC comics villain who essentially displayed the complete opposite traits of the hero Shazam. Although recently in the comics the character has taken on more of an anti-hero stance, as those kinds of characters continue to be fashionable. No release date has been set for the movie, probably as Warner Bros. try to figure out how Johnson is going to have the time to film Shazam. What with the Fast and Furious and G.I Joe franchises, as well as upcoming disaster flick San Andreas, and HBO TV series Ballers, Johnson is a very busy man. But at least Warner don't have to worry about Hercules becoming a franchise for the star, as the movie disappointed financially this Summer.

This raises the question, is casting the Rock a good decision? While he certainly has a few hits, some of his recent movies including Pain & Gain, Snitch and the aforementioned Hercules have struggled to pull in audiences at the box office. The actor seems more at home in roles where he's surrounded by a group of other actors a la the G.I. Joe and Fast and Furious franchises. If San Andreas, Johnson's next starring vehicle, is another bomb then Warner might just regret their decision to put him in their fragile new universe.

Let us know how you feel about this casting news in the comments section below, on our Facebook page or on Twitter! Also, do you think screenwriter Darren Lemke will be able to turn out a good script for this movie? Or will a rewrite be necessary?

To get a look at how cool Black Adam is in action, check out the cinematic trailer for the videogame DC Universe Online below. It is badass.

For more movie news be sure to keep visiting The Entertainment Network.

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Superior Foes of Spider-Man, New Warriors Cancelled

As another month brings with it a new batch of solicitations, it also brings with it some sad news. This November, two Marvel titles which have been struggling for some time will be laid to rest. Those titles are Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber's Superior Foes of Spider-Man, and Chris Yost and Marcus To's New Warriors. While it isn't as if the news was unexpected - the two books have been lingering at the bottom of sales charts for a few months now - it is a great shame.

While I admit I hadn't been reading Yost's New Warriors, it is a title that I was interested in jumping onto at some point. Additionally, it was one of the books due to be featured in our upcoming, "Marvel NOW!: What Could Be Cancelled Next?" article, and so I can't help but feel partly responsible for not finishing the article sooner.

Check out our article, DC Comics' The New 52: What Could Be Cancelled Next?

However, the loss that stings the most is without a doubt Spencer and Lieber's Superior Foes. This was a book that I'd been reading since issue one, and had been consistently impressed by - it told a story that was equal parts exciting and hilarious and will go down in Marvel history as one of the publisher's most under-rated books.

How do you feel about this news? Were you reading either of these titles? Let us know in the comments below, on our Facebook page or by tweeting us!

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Taskmaster: Udon Series Review

This review is spoiler-free.

Taskmaster is, I believe, one of the most under-rated characters in the Marvel Universe. A mercenary, frequent enemy of Deadpool and The Avengers alike, the character has taken on a very interesting role in recent years. Taskmaster is no longer a villain, but whatever he needs to be. Most recently this has been seen in his role as a teacher in Avengers: The Initiative, a potential father-figure in Avengers Academy, and even an Avenger himself in Nick Spencer's recent Secret Avengers series.

My interest for the character spiked upon reading Fred Van Lente's excellent mini-series Taskmaster: Unthinkable in 2011, leading me to splash out on eBay and pick-up the four-issue series printed back in 2002 simply titled, Taskmaster. This series was the result of a collaboration between Marvel and Asian-influenced studio Udon, and tells a relatively simple story of Taskmaster being hired, Taskmaster being betrayed, and Taskmaster seeking revenge. It's safe to say that those of you looking for some real development of Taskmaster as a character would be better served in the 2011 series. But while Van Lente's mini-series is far superior to this one, both in terms of writing and information about the character, there is fun to be had in this series too - just so long as you can make it through the first issue.

Why do I say that? Well, the first issue of this series really doesn't deliver a fantastic first impression, mainly due to the abundance of exposition which is really quite tedious to read through. In fact, I would go as far to say that most of issue one is very flawed. Not only is the dialogue shamelessly expository, but the story is very by the numbers and the action feels lifeless. The big finale of the first issue is a fight between Taskmaster and Iron Man - a fight which has potential to be amazing, but in the end is just quite boring. The problem is mainly due to the fact that there's never any sense of struggle. Taskmaster puts Tony Stark in his place very easily, which may have been done as a way to show Taskmaster's skill as a fighter, but ultimately relieves the fight of any sense of tension. Meanwhile, Taskmaster's narration throughout the fight also removes it of any real fluidity.

However, what issue one does manage to do is set up the premise of the rest of the series and I'm happy to say that after issue one ends, things definitely start looking up for the book. Come issue two, the action is far superior to what is found in the first installment, the exposition is much less frequent and the whole book ends up with a more quality feel. While I don't want to delve into any further story details so not to ruin the book for anyone reading, I can say that there is a real rivalry built between Taskmaster and his antagonist, which certainly got me on Taskmaster's side rooting for the character to get his revenge.

Never has a series turned around so quickly for me in terms of quality. While the final three issues are still far from perfect they are a huge improvement on what came before, offering many fun and exciting moments with the series closing out with a real bang. Perhaps another contributing factor to this series improving as it progresses is the artwork which could take a while to grow on you. As I mentioned above, this series is a joint effort between Marvel and Udon, and as Udon are an Asian-influenced group the artwork on display here is very reminiscent of Manga. Reminiscent, but not totally the same. Indeed while the art here is very obviously influenced by Japanese artwork, it is more a fusion of Japanese and American styles than outright Manga art. Still, it is very different to what you see in most Marvel comics and did take a little while for me to get used to. If you're one of those people who loathes the Manga art style - and there are people like that out there - then perhaps you should be warned that elements of that style are on display here.

Taskmaster's classic costume

But however you feel about Manga, there's no denying that the costume design here is to be applauded. The suit incorporates Taskmaster's classic skull mask, sword and shield, but modernizes it into something futuristic and very stylish indeed. Although, personally I did feel that the Udon costume removes his humanity somewhat - as his actual face is never shown, instead the suit produces holograms of other people for him to pretend to be. While this high-tech suit is far better for Taskmaster in terms of stealthily breaking in to places that he shouldn't be, at times it seemed a little too futuristic when you think how Taskmaster's traditional costume is quite a charming medieval suit. Nonetheless, the Udon gear does look cool and has some great features - but I'm just glad Taskmaster was reverted to his old costume once the series finished.

So should you buy this series? The decision is one you should think on before going ahead, especially if you're on a budget as some eBay sellers put the complete series up for much more than you would pay for a standard Marvel trade paperback. Ultimately I think you would be wise to pick up Taskmaster: Unthinkable, the other Taskmaster series, before this one as it is the superior series of the two and also more affordable as it is still in print. After you've read that series, if you're craving some more Taskmaster action, then the 2002 Udon series is a solid second choice. While it does have a rocky start, the series goes on to blossom into something exciting, fun and wholly entertaining which is well worth a look if you can get your hands on an affordable copy.

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Comic Book Sales: June 2014

Welcome to TEN's coverage of comic-book sales. Every month - starting with this one - TEN will post one lengthy editorial on the month's comic sales figures - followed by smaller, more bitesized analysis straight after. This week's editorial is on cracking the reason why All-New Marvel Now! titles aren't selling. Also, just below the editorial you'll find coverage on DC, the independent publishers, and this month's top ten. Thanks for reading.

All-New Marvel Now: Why it isn't Working

The latest comic book sales figures have been released, and it paints a rather dim picture for All-New Marvel Now. Marvel launched the initiative - a follow up to their original Marvel NOW! line - at the beginning of year, and since then they have seen title after title fall straight to the bottom of the sales charts just a few months after debuting. The new titles that fall foul to this unfortunate fate are numerous: New Warriors, All-New Ultimates, Secret Avengers, Elektra, All-New Invaders, All-New X-Factor and Captain Marvel are the titles suffering most, with other titles like X-Force, She-Hulk and Loki: Agent of Asgard on the brink of following the trend as well. The question is: Why is this happening?

Cast you're mind back to May 2012 and we see a similar trend that may help us answer that question. The New 52 had been launched nine months prior and had succeeded in putting DC Comics back on the map in terms of comic-book sales. With the exception of smaller titles like Men of War, Blackhawks, and OMAC - which had been expected to struggle, and definitely were - business was booming. However, when DC tried to replicate that success, eliminating some of the aforementioned slow-starters in favour of some new titles, they found it more difficult than it had been the first time. Of the six new titles that started that May, three failed miserably (G.I Combat anyone?), and the other three were only moderate successes not capturing the kind of sales numbers that DC must have hoped for considering their strong start.

Things got worse, and by the following year almost every new title DC launched was hitting the bottom of the sales chart just a few months into its run: Vibe, Katana, Green Team, The Movement, The Phantom Stranger, and even Pandora - the mysterious figure that was the centre of so much interest at the beginning of the New 52 - failed to carry a series of her own. As DC has now stopped releasing as many new titles, the haemorrhaging of their sales numbers has slowed somewhat (although a look at the sales of Aquaman and the Others suggests they are still struggling to launch new books).

Nonetheless, it seems that it's mainly now Marvel who is suffering from Wave 2-failure syndrome, as a large amount of All-New Marvel Now titles struggle to find even the smallest of audiences. With books like Ultimate FF and Iron Patriot already cancelled after just five and six issues respectively, and the titles listed at the beginning of this article seemingly not far behind, what could possibly be causing this?

1. Marvel's Prices and Shipping

"Things that DC do better than Marvel" hasn't been a hugely popular list in recent years, however one thing that I always like to credit DC on is their continual support of the $2.99 price point. The publisher still places many of its top-selling titles such as Harley Quinn, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Batgirl and The Flash at the competitive price of just $2.99, while Marvel have been aggressively bumping titles up to a price of $3.99 and recently a ludicrous $4.99 in recent months. If you're reading this, you probably like comics, but I think we can all agree that $5 is too much to pay for a comic that has sometimes less than 30 pages of quality content (damn you, adverts!).

And as if this price point wasn't expensive enough already, Marvel have also started the unsavoury habit of double-shipping with many of their titles too. I find double-shipping frustrating personally as while a story may move along faster, the price of this added pacing is a far more expensive monthly pull-list. As a comic reader on a low salary, I have began making an effort to check which Marvel titles are double-shipped so that I may avoid them. If I'm the only one doing this I'd be extremely surprised. These are not good economic times for many people and the rising expense of comic-books is going to be harmful for the medium as a whole if not capped soon.

The immediate effect double-shipping and a higher price point has on new titles, is it makes people more cautious about trying them. Speaking personally, I have wanted to read Avengers World, All-New Ghost Rider, All-New X-Factor and Elektra since they launched but have had to steer clear due to the books either having a high price point, being double-shipped or both. Were just a couple of these titles released at $2.99 and at a manageable rate of one issue per month I would be reading a lot more of them, and this would also free up some cash to perhaps afford one double-shipped title too. Ultimately, that's the strategy I would recommend to Marvel. If they must double ship some titles at a high price point, then it should only be a couple of books. By making their entire line more expensive they're doing damage to themselves, as in these fragile times people simply can't afford an unlimited number of expensive comics.

Looks awesome but I can't afford it!

I think this is a big part of why there are so many struggling Marvel Now! titles at the moment, and a price drop for many of them would do a world of good.

2. Relaunches Produce Too Many Titles!

While DC's New 52 technique of cancelling frequently in "waves" could be seen as aggressive, recently Marvel's technique of fixing low-selling titles - a relaunch - has been seen as just plain annoying, especially when these books come back at a higher price (see All-New X-Factor and Daredevil among others). Recently it has been speculated that comic readers may be becoming apathetic towards relaunches with many of them seeming unnecessary and just a cheap way for Marvel to grab headlines. What the publisher needs to remember is that relaunches are a great opportunity for readers to jump on, but also a great opportunity for readers to jump off (see Secret Avengers). By relaunching so many titles, Marvel may end up reducing their audience - the opposite of what they're aiming for.

Also, by relaunching many titles that really don't need it Marvel end up taking coverage away from their brand new books that do need help finding readers. A book such as Mark Waid's Daredevil did not need to be relaunched - it has a strong fanbase and more critical acclaim than you can shake a stick at. But by bringing more attention to already established books such as this one, new series' like All-New Ghost Rider and Elektra lost opportunities for coverage. All-New Marvel NOW!'s release schedule has been chaotic for this reason with an abundance of relaunched titles trampling over a large amount of new titles with the winner being no one. Instead, we're left with all of the books being damaged in the mayhem.

I worry that many of these titles are now beyond hope, however if any of the struggling books mentioned in this editorial interest you, I implore you to pick them up now. Before it's too late.

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DC Comics

As I mentioned in the editorial above, there was a time shortly after the launch of the New 52 where DC really struggled with launching new books. However, to some extent it seems that difficult period may be finishing for the publisher. Don't get me wrong - DC still have struggling books, and you can read our article here on the DC books on "cancellation watch." Additionally, some of the books DC has recently debuted such as Justice League 3000 and Aquaman and the Others have not been any definition of a hit, with those books now selling just over 24,000 and 23,000 respectively. But, the disaster period of Summer 2013 where books such as Vibe, Katana, Green Team and more died on impact with store shelves seems to be over, with DC's current new books at least putting up more of a fight with their competition.

DC's biggest success continues to be Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman which takes the number one spot once again this week selling 130,000 copies. If you weren't already convinced that Gotham City is the most profitable area in the DC Universe, the publisher's second best-selling title was (surprisingly) Harley Quinn with 93,000 copies sold! This was a book that I expected to die shortly after release, as Larfleeze did before it, but I admit I was wrong on this one. Harley Quinn seems to be DC's big success story of 2014. It not only helps their line-up of female-led titles, but it also keeps the bat-presence high in the New 52, something DC will want to do in the run-up to Batman vs. Superman in 2016. Speaking of Superman, his ongoing series sits comfortably behind Quinn at number five with 89,000 copies sold, receiving a solid boost with the all-star team of Geoff Johns and John Romita Jr. now attached.

As for DC's recent endeavour into weekly series' with both Batman: Eternal and New 52: Future's End, it has been a moderate success for the publisher, however sales are continuing to drop. Who will be around to witness the end of these very costly titles? Only time will tell, but for the time-being the books look healthy, with Batman: Eternal the best-selling of the two pretty unsurprisingly. The damage for that title was bearable this month - in May, it's best-selling issue peaked at around 67,000 copies, while this month the best-selling issue of Eternal had sold around 62,000 copies. A drop of 5,000 isn't awful for a weekly book, and the drops should stop soon as it establishes a core readership of die-hard Bat-fans.

The less acclaimed Future's End however may struggle more, with last month's peak of 70,000 falling to a peak of just 48,000 this month. A drop of 22,000 copies in one month is going to be a problem for the weekly book if not stopped soon, and with less popular characters and less favourable reviews than Eternal, Future's End may be on low numbers by the end of its run.

Independents

June was a great month for Image Comics, with one title in the top ten and one just outside - and both of which written by Robert Kirkman, securing him as the most important writer at the publisher. The Walking Dead #128 was their best-selling book ranking at number nine with around 74,000 copies sold. Meanwhile, Kirkman's other title - his new book Outcast - was just outside the top ten at number eleven with 71,000 copies sold.

The Walking Dead continues to thrive! Will the craze ever end?

However, Image isn't just a publisher reliant on Kirkman. Another Image hit in June was Brian K Vaughan's Saga which continues to make waves in the industry selling a healthy 56,000 copies. Other stand-outs include the return of the Phonogram and Young Avengers partnership Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie. Their Image Comics title, The Wicked and the Divine debuted in June and sold an impressive 41,000 copies. In this writer's opinion, if you haven't yet bought it, you definitely should as it's one of the most promising debuts of the year so far. Matt Fraction's Sex Criminals and Warren Ellis' Trees also perform well managing to stay in the Top 100.

As for the smaller publishers, Boom Studios biggest title was Big Trouble in Little China. The series - a spin-off from the 1986 movie of the same name - sold over 24,000 copies, a fantastic number for Boom who are yet to reach the heights of their fellow independent publisher Image. However, a movie deal over Boom properties with 20th Century Fox may change that one day soon.

Dark Horse's top two books are also licensed properties, suggesting these kinds of books may play an increasingly important role in the survival of smaller publishers. Dark Horse's top two books were their continuation of Joss Whedon's cult-hit TV show Firefly in Serenity: Leaves on the Wind and Brian Wood's Star Wars series, which continues to perform well - even if it's days have been numbered since the Disney buy-out of Lucasfilm.

Thanks for checking out this month's comic book sales! Be sure to let us know what comics you're reading on our Facebook page, on Twitter or in the comments below!

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