Marvel’s #1!
By Razeth Kota
DCD, or Diamond Comics Distributors, announced that Marvel Comics holds the #1 slot in all catagories. Among the catagories: Initial Dollar Share, Initial Orders Unit Share, Final Sales Dollar Share and Final Sales Unit Share.
Marvel seemingly owns the Top 100 Best-Selling Comic Book list for October 2002, with a startling 47.5% of all comic books and graphic novels shipped to retailers belonging to Marvel.
The Top 100 Best-Sellers list looks like a Marvel shipping list, with Eight of the Top Ten going to Marvel. Along with Sixteen of the Top Twenty-Five, Twenty-Nine of the Top Fifty and Forty-Seven of the Top One Hundred.
Think that’s impressive? How about this little fact: Every single ongoing Marvel title, from Avengers to X-Men Unlimited, hit somewhere in the Top 100. Looks like no tricks are necessary, kids. It’s all Treats for Marvel this Halloween season.
Source: Marvel.Com
Jenkins/Ramos Spiderman Epic Collected
By Razeth Kota
“Return of the Goblin”, the acclaimed Peter Parker: Spider-Man story arc by Paul Jenkins and Humberto Ramos, hits stores this month in the form of a 96-Page softcover trade.
Collecing the groundbreaking story arc from Peter Parker: Spider-man (vol. 2) #44 - #47, in which Jenkins brings Norman Osborn’s insane alter-ego crashing back into Peter Parker’s life. And this time, he’s on a quest of vengance.
“Return of the Goblin” wowed fans and surprised critics, this 96-page softcover graphic novel gives those of us who missed out the first time, a chance to see what all the fuss was about.
Pick up yours today!
Source: Marvel.Com
By Razeth Kota
Spider-Man will get a new animated series in coming years. Reportedly debuting early 2003, it’s set to air on MTV. The production staff includes such Marvelites as:
Brian Michael Bendis, who writes the acclaimed “Ultimate Spider-Man” book for Marvel, and will write as well as hold a place as Executive Producer.
Avi Arad, who has been called “Marvel’s Man at the Movies”, having had his touch added to the film adaptations of X-Men, Blade, it’s mega-hit sequel, Blade II and most recently, Spider-Man, as well as the upcoming films, Daredevil, the Hulk and the sequels to both X-Men and Spider-Man. Arad holds Executive Prodcer credits.
And Rick Ungar, known for his work on X-Men: Evolution, also holds Exectuive Producer credits with Arad and Bendis.
Rumored to have been added to this crew, Executive Producer Morgan Grendel, former producer of shows like “V.I.P” and “Nash Bridges”, will also add his writing talents to the show, having written for Law and Order and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
The cast will reportedly feature Neil Patrick Harris (yes, of Doogie Howser fame) as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, with the voices of his villains going to the like of rocker Rob Zombie (who’s rumored to be voicing the Lizard) and rap diva, Eve (voicing the Black Cat). Ethan Embry, of Fox’s short-lived sci-fi show, FreakyLinks, and the current #1 movie in North America, “Sweet Home Alabama”, has just signed on to voice Electro.
“Since it's on MTV, they're doing the music crossovers as best they can.” Said Harris of the addition of music personalities to the cast. Harris has also said that the producers of the series are attempting to take our favorite wall-crawler in a direction away from Sam Raimi’s vision portrayed in the blockbuster film.
“They want Spider-Man himself to be more of a street-talking, sh-t-talking basketball kind of guy, and for Peter Parker to be much more stammery and a different pitch. They have specific inflections that they want, and it really doesn't have much to do with the film. It's a cartoon, so it's chock full of one-liners. It's fun that during the battles with the villains, he gets to comment on their wardrobe and their lack of skills."
While new villains will be making appearences durring the series, fear not true believers, your favorite Spidey villains will get their time to shine. “They're bringing back Dr. Octopus and some regular characters, but we have to do 22 [episodes], so we have to keep adding new people.” said Harris.
Look out for the new series to hit early next year on MTV!
Source: ComicsContinuum.Com, Comics2Film.Com, Marvel.Com
Marvel Movie Update!
By Razeth Kota
First up, Daredevil!
The next trailer for DD will debut in theaters Friday November 1st.
“We’re still refining the trailer.” Daredevil Producer, Gary Foster said, “Even in it’s ‘in-progress’ state, it’s very exciting.”
Rumored to hit Apple.Com shortly after it’s theatrical release, the trailer marks the second viewing of scenes from Daredevil. The first trailer being released alongside “Minority Report”, the Tom Cruise sci-fi epic.
In other DD news, actor Joe Pantoliano, who’ll portrat Ben Ulrich in the film, will be appearing on the Late, Late Show with Craig Kilborn on Friday October 4th.
And now, X-Men 2!
Filming on “X2” has officially passed the 75th day of filming.
“We should finish in early November.” X-Men 2 Producer, Ralph Winter says, “Footage looks great and we are feeling good about what we are getting.” A new trailer for the film is in the works, though Winter doesn’t know it’s release date.
Winter was able to confirm that the photo of actor Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, making it’s debut on Ain’t It Cool News.Com, is indeed authentic. Saying, “We saw a picture of Nightcrawler on AICN yesterday, with a pretty good reaction. Clearly we wanted and still want to do our own release for the character. We are making some really cool stuff and we will present it in the best possibly way that should make everyone really happy.”
This is to be taken as saying Marvel is planning plenty of merchandise around Nightcrawler and we can expect a much more deserving debut for the blue elf.
Speaking briefly of his role as Nightcrawler, Alan Cumming appeared on E! News Daily last Friday. Saying of his origin,
“He becomes an X-Men, but the film starts out with him doing a bad thing, but then kind of get better. I don’t know, you’re so sworn to secrecy.”
Promoting his writing effort, “Tommy’s Tale”, he revealed he now gets comic books handed to him at recent book signings. Describing his character, Cumming said “He’s blue. He’s got pointy ears. He’s got yellow eyes. He’s got hooves. And a tail. The only thing that is different is that he doesn’t have the same pecs or he doesn’t have the washboard stomach like he has in the comic. He has my stomach.”
To see Cumming as Nightcrawler, taken from ComicsContinuum.Com, click here.
Set to hit theaters in May of 2003, X-Men 2 proves to be quite a film.
Sources: Marvel.Com, ComicsContinuum.Com, Comics2Film.Com