Scrapped Avengers movie tie-in game

This is footage from the canned Avengers video game that would tie-into next year's movie.

Judging by the first person perspective and the way that the hands move to perform tasks, I am presuming that this was being developed for the Xbox360's Kinect.

Perhaps this is why it was dropped as the studio wanted to launch multi-platform. Perhaps not. What I do know is it is a little odd that it be dropped when the game was so far into development.



Source: Bleeding Cool

Teen Titans' Bunker is out of the closet

The new Teen Titans character, Bunker, is the model of diversity. A gay teen from rural Mexico with super powers. This is exactly the right way to bring diversity to the DCU; new characters with interesting backgrounds.

Scott Lobdell on Bunker:

His real name is Miguel Jose Barragan.   He was raised in a very small Mexican village called El Chilar.  He was very loved by his family and the village as well -- and they were as accepting of his homosexuality as they were to his super powers when they first manifested.   To that end he grew up in an angst-free environment.   He was born out of the closet and so he has a very refreshing outlook on life.

Brett Booth explains the character in greater detail on his blog:

So Bunker has been out of both closets since the get go. Why the more flamboyant look? Well it's complicated. I've seen all the other gay superheroes out there, Ok maybe not all. They look just like regular heterosexuals, they act like regular heterosexuals, they just happen to have sex with people of their own gender, under the covers and in the dark. Sure you might get a kiss on a page, but that's all (an no we won't be doing any sex scenes in TT, get your minds OUT of the gutters;) 


We wanted to show an interesting character who's homosexuality is part of him, not something that's hidden. Sure they are gay people who you wouldn't know are gay right off the bat, but there are others who are a more flamboyant, and we thought it would be nice to actually see them portrayed in comics. Did we go over the top, I don't think so. I wanted you to know he might be gay as soon as you see him. Our TT is partly about diversity of ANY kind, its about all kinds of teens getting together to help each other. It is a very difficult line to walk, will he be as I've read in some of the comments 'fruity'? Not that I'm aware of. Will he be more effeminate than what we've seen before, the 'typical' gay male comic character, yes. Does it scare the shit out of me that I might inadvertently piss off the group I want to reflect in a positive way, you're damn straight (pun intended!)


The Pink shirt has been changed to blue, it's only pink because his costume is actually showing a bit, we didn't want too many different colors. But I think the blue works just as well. I would have used that image but I don't know if I got that change in my files... 


As for the children.. Most simply don't know or don't care. It's not like Migg's is going to be doing a one man gay pride parade. I don't t hink we even mention that he's gay, you see him, you know it, no need to harp on about it. He's just a happy fun loving guy! He won't be wearing anything that I haven't seen at Walmart. Well maybe Target;)

Source: Brett Booth's Demonpuppy's Wicked Awesome Art blog

Batman, Green Lantern and Superman titles solicited for December

Newsarama and CBR have revealed the first slew of DC Comic's December solicitations. I've handily collected thenm for you below.

SUPERMAN #4
Written by GEORGE PEREZ
Art by JESUS MERINO
Breakdowns and cover by GEORGE PEREZ
On sale DECEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Discover the origin of the new foes who have been making The Man of Steel’s life so painful and chaotic lately. What are their ties to the current ACTION COMICS epic? Plus, Lois Lane uncovers a tragic secret from Superman’s past!
** Not final cover. Previous interior art shown.





SUPERGIRL #4
Written by MICHAEL GREEN and MIKE JOHNSON
Art and cover by MAHMUD ASRAR
On sale DECEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Trapped and powerless aboard a space station, Supergirl is at the mercy of an ingenious new foe who wants to learn everything there is to know about her. But Supergirl is more than just her powers, and she’ll soon show this foe – and all of Earth – what’s she truly capable of! Plus, more on the Girl of Steel’s mysterious origin!





SUPERBOY #4
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art by R.B. SILVA and ROB LEAN
Cover by SHANE DAVIS and JONATHAN GLAPION
On sale DECEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Superboy has learned the truth about what he really is...and he’s not taking it well. Alone in New York and surrounded by holiday cheer, it’s a struggle to keep his emotions and his powers in check...and he’s on a crash course with a dangerous pair of murderous young metahumans who are more like him than he might want to admit!
** Not final cover




ACTION COMICS #4
Written by GRANT MORRISON and JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV
Art by RAGS MORALES, GENE HA, RICK BRYANT and MATT CAMP
Cover by RAGS MORALES
Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO
1:200 B&W Variant cover by RAGS MORALES
On sale DECEMBER 7 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Is your mind prepared for an encounter with the deadly Terminauts? What awful master do they serve? What horrible fate awaits Superman and the city of Metropolis? The true scope of Grant Morrison and Rags Morales’ ACTION COMICS run begins to come into view, so get those sunglasses ready, ‘cause it is gonna be blinding!
And in a backup story from writer Joshua Hale Fialkov and artist Matt Camp that spins out of ACTION COMICS #2, John Henry Irons takes his first steps toward becoming the hero known as Steel!






RED LANTERNS #4
Written by PETER MILLIGAN
Art by ED BENES, DIEGO BERNARD and ROB HUNTER
Cover by ED BENES and ROB HUNTER
On sale DECEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
A Red Lantern’s tale never has a happy ending, so brace yourself for the tragic tales of Skallox, Zillius Zox and Ratchet. Their violent destinies set the stage for their
new life as seekers of bloody vengeance!

GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #4
Written by TONY BEDARD
Art and cover by TYLER KIRKHAM and BATT
On sale DECEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
The Green Lanterns’ homeworld is under attack! Members of each of the Lantern Corps have laid siege to the powerful Guardians of the Universe to reclaim their stolen power rings, but only now has the Orange Lantern Larfleeze entered the fray...and he’s not alone. The secret behind the stolen rings will be revealed and the status of Kyle Rayner within the Green Lantern Corps will be changed – forever!






GREEN LANTERN CORPS #4
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by FERNANDO PASARIN and SCOTT HANNA
Cover by ANDY KUBERT
On sale DECEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
John Stewart has gone from being a Green Lantern soldier to prisoner of war! And in the process, he learns who the Corps’ mysterious enemy truly is and what they really want. The truth will rock the Corps to its foundation!







GREEN LANTERN #4
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by DOUG MAHNKE and CHRISTIAN ALAMY
Cover by DOUG MAHNKE and KEITH CHAMPAGNE
Variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
1:200 B&W Variant cover by DOUG MAHNKE
On sale DECEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
They’ve pillaged and enslaved his homeworld. Now the fear-mongering Sinestro Corps must face newly reinstated Green Lantern Sinestro. Can the renegade GL liberate Korugar from the army he assembled?





BATMAN #4
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION
Cover by MIKE CHOI
Variant cover by ANDY KUBERT
1:200 B&W variant cover by GREG CAPULLO
On sale DECEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Shocking discoveries lead Batman deeper into the mystery of the Court of Owls and its secret and bloody ties to both Gotham City and the Wayne family. But an even deadlier threat awaits Batman: a trap set hundreds of years ago, far beneath his city. The war for Gotham’s soul begins here!






DETECTIVE COMICS #4
Written by TONY S. DANIEL
Art and cover by TONY S. DANIEL and SANDU FLOREA
On sale DECEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
As Batman uncovers a deranged plot with far-reaching tentacles that touch some of the city’s most elite citizens, he finds himself facing off against his newest and most fearsome foes: Dollmaker and his twisted family of killers!





BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #4
Written by PAUL JENKINS and DAVID FINCH
Art and cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
On sale DECEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Batman must race against time to save a friend’s life. But his mission may prove impossible as he reels under the weight of three hundred chemically enhanced super-criminals who stand against him. All clues point to one psychotic criminal, and all roads to a solution that will lead to one secret location... but will Batman arrive too late to stop the rage let loose on his city?







BATWING #4
Written by JUDD WINICK
Art by CHRISCROSS
Cover by BEN OLIVER
On sale DECEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
As Massacre’s bloody reign of murder continues and more heroes fall, Batwing closes in on this mad villain. But with his memories stirring, Batwing’s dark past begins to emerge... At last, the truth of his past will come to light.







BATMAN AND ROBIN #4
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
On sale DECEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Batman and Robin are at the mercy of NoBody as he forces them to embrace a new way to battle crime and injustice. But Batman has other ideas! Plus: Don’t miss the origin of NoBody!

BIRDS OF PREY #4
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by JESUS SAIZ
Cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
On sale DECEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
The only thing worse than a bomb on a speeding train is three bombs. Hidden inside the skulls of three different people. All on the same speeding train. And the Birds of Prey – Black Canary, Starling, Katana and Poison Ivy – know the names of only two of these walking bombs. Don’t miss the shocking revelation that will rewrite the rules of the team forever! Yes, we know it’s only issue #4! Guest starring Batgirl!







CATWOMAN #4
Written by JUDD WINICK
Art and cover by GUILLEM MARCH
On sale DECEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
Catwoman pays a call on Wayne Manor, but those who live there prefer that you call first. Then Selina Kyle says goodbye to an old friend, says hello to an older one, and resolves more firmly than ever to strike out on her own. Only one of those things almost gets her killed.

BATWOMAN #4
Written by J.H. WILLIAMS III and W. HADEN BLACKMAN
Art and cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III
On sale DECEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Blood drenches the back alleys of Gotham City in Part four of “Hydrology” – and Batwoman’s life begins to burn!







BATGIRL #4
Written by GAIL SIMONE
Art by ARDIAN SYAF and VICENTE CIFUENTES
Cover by ADAM HUGHES
On sale DECEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Batgirl’s secret past finally catches up to her as she races to a final confrontation with the deadly sociopath Mirror! All the answers start right here in this thrilling issue!







RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #4
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art and cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
On sale DECEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
The man who has pursued Starfire all the way to the wilds of Colorado has only one thing on his mind: her slow and painful death. His name is Crux – and he’s done some dark and dangerous work on his DNA to reach his goal of ridding the Earth of every alien on the planet! And Kori’s about to learn that Red Hood and Roy Harper have their hands full with the ancient evil known as The Untitled!







NIGHTWING #4
Written by KYLE HIGGINS
Art by TREVOR McCARTHY
Cover by EDDY BARROWS
On sale DECEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
As Haly’s continues to travel the east coast, Dick’s search for answers take him – and the circus – to Miami! But when a case from Gotham City brings Barbara Gordon to Florida, Nightwing and Batgirl must work together to bring a thief to justice. Be here as Nightwing and Batgirl tackle South Beach – and discover the true nature of the circus! The answers start this issue!

Green Lantern #4 cover

Review - Green Lantern #1

GREEN LANTERN #1

Written by GEOFF JOHNS; Art by DOUG MAHNKE and CHRISTIAN ALAMY; Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO; Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO

Picking right up from where War of the Green Lanterns left off, Green Lantern #1 deals with uncertainty. As a result the book occasionally feels less grand than we have come to expect, but that doesn't mean that the book suffers for it. There isn't a lot of action, but the excellent character work means that you probably won't notice too much.

We follow Hal Jordan as he struggles to pick up his life on Earth after being cast out of the Green Lantern Corps. We learn that he hasn't been home for three months and as such has lost his job at the air force and is facing eviction from his apartment. Hal is struggling. So much of his identity has been 'Green lantern' that he doesn't know how to exist as just 'Hal Jordan' and this comes across brilliantly. Carol Ferris comes to his rescue and he even manages to bumble that up.

Sinestro reluctantly accepts the Green Lantern ring and travels to his native Korugar to find that his Sinestro Corps have enslaved the planet. It is made very clear that they have no loyality to him now that he wears a green ring rather than yellow. We see something from Sinestro that we don't see very often; a resignation that he will need help to oust them and liberate his planet.

Without spoiling anything, there is something up between Ganthet and the other Guardians of the Universe. This has been coming for a while (since Ganthet left them to found the Blue Lanterns and tension grew when he forged his own Green Lantern ring and became a Green Lantern). This doesn't take up a lot of page space, but the repercussions could be huge.

I had a tough time when deciding what score to give Green Lantern #1. I was very close to giving it 8/10, but felt that I needed to remove a star to reflect that the book isn't that easy for new readers to pick up. As a long time Green Lantern reader I understand who these characters are and their relationships, so when their dynamics are changed I can understand why and see that it is  a natural progression. However, I feel that someone completely new to the franchise would have had too much to digest without enough explanation. The score that I ultimately gave GL is still a good one (remember I take 5 as average, not 7 like some reviewers) and I do recommend it. However, new readers may want to do some background reading first.

My rating:

A solid start to Green lantern v5. Spot on characterisation, new dynamics and loads of potential being set up. Johns' handle on the Green Lantern universe is nothing sort of astounding; add this to your pull list.

Catwoman #4 cover

Who's getting a visit from Selina Kyle?*

*Rhetorical. It's fairly obvious.

Star Wars: A quick look at the Expanded Universe

This month my Starburst column has taken a bit of a departure from my usual format and has looked at a phenomenon that just bloody well damned refuses to live by the cross-medium rules.

Star Wars has been pretty much everything. Movie, TV, comic, video game, Monopoly, LEGO, toothbrush. You name it, Star Wars has been it.

The mind boggling thing is that it has nearly always been successful.

So this is where my departure comes in; this month I won't be telling you how it was a film first, so the film must be better. This month I'll be telling you why Star Wars is so successful across many media.

Star Wars itself went through many changes and difficulties on it's journey to the silver screen. Greenlit as part of a two-picture deal (the first being American Graffiti) in 1971, what would become Star Wars was dropped in early pre-production. The treatment went through several drafts, each adding in aspects such as the 'force' and 'death star' as Lucas took influence from Kurosawa, Buddist shaolin monks, spaghetti westerns and Flash Gordon-style Pulp science fiction movie reels. The title going into principle photography reflected these disparate influences; Adventures of Luke Starkiller, as taken from the Journal of the Whills, Saga I: The Star War. Through the production of the early movies one person guided George Lucas to many of the saga's defining moments; his wife Marcia. Most notably she helped George come to the decision to kill Ben Kenobi.

Whilst it appears, when one looks back at the ever-changing back story and troubled pre-production, that Star Wars was cobbled together as a series of compromises, it is actually these rewrites, compromises and on-set changes that make Star Wars work so well. The on set change of one line at the end of Empire Strikes Back made the film crackle that bit more. Instead of responding "I love you too", Han Solo's "I know." as he is lowered to his doom creates a much more powerful scene.

From the mysterious shaolin concept of chi, Lucas extrapolated a warrior religion that would become known as the Jedi. From spaghetti westerns we would get the heroic mercenary pair, Han Solo and Chewbacca, followed by Boba Fett and his ilk. The movie serials of Flash Gordon brought the epic space opera scale. War movies inspired the dog-fight Death Star run. Kurosawa brought the master-apprentice relationship, as well as many of the classic 'Star Wars' shots and transitions. Rather than make Star Wars feel disjointed, these influences act as an adhesive, gluing them into the sum of their parts; something distinctly 'Star Wars'. There is something for everyone in these movies, they appeal to children and adults alike. Some like the cocky and dangerous word of Han Solo, some like the mysticism of the Jedi Knights, some enjoy the classic battle between rebel and tyrant.

Read the rest of this article at Starburst Magazine.

Tony Bedard talks Green Lantern New Guardians

I had the opportunity to interview Green Lantern writer Tony Bedard for Starburst magazine. Here is an excerpt, but you can read the whole thing at Starburst.

STARBURST: Can you explain the New 52 Green Lantern status quo for fans that saw the movie, but haven't read any comics yet?

TONY: The movie established a lot of the basics: that ancient blue aliens called the Guardians of the Universe empowered the Green Lantern Corps to act as an interstellar army of peacekeepers. Hal Jordan became the first Green Lantern from Earth, eventually outshining even the great Green Lantern Sinestro, who goes on to become Hal's greatest foe. In September, the New 52 comics will be a great jumping-on point for anyone who hasn't been reading DC Comics, and each issue will re-establish everything you need to know to enjoy that particular series. But in GREEN LANTERN the big twist is that Hal Jordan has been kicked out of the Corps and Sinestro has taken his place! Over in GREEN LANTERN CORPS we'll follow two more of Earth's Green Lanterns, Guy Gardner and John Stewart, as they take on an all-new menace that is immune to green power rings. And in the all-new GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS series that I will be writing, we follow Earth's newest Lantern, Kyle Rayner, and he must pull together a new team with representatives from all the different Corps. Somehow, Kyle has to get Red Lanterns, Blue Lanterns, Indigo Lanterns, etc to work together -- something that the Guardians of the Universe see as a threat to their authority. So while Kyle will be wearing the badge and ring of a Green Lantern, he is very much off the reservation, so to speak. Not only will we discover new things about all the other Corps, but we'll see that the only thing the Guardians of the Universe fear...are New Guardians.


STARBURST: Are there any essential storylines that new readers should pick up or will the past be recapped as the new stories go on?

TONY: One of the guiding principles in the "New 52" relaunch of the DC Universe is that every one of these new books will be completely accessible to new readers. It's the best intro to this pantheon of characters since they first appeared so many years ago. Pick up any book from Superman #1 to GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #1 to BLUE BEETLE #1 and you're going to have everything you need. We have the greatest heroes, the most memorable villains, and a whole universe full of cool concepts and places. Of course, once you check out some of these new books, you may want to go read some of their previous adventures, but in September all DC Comics will be "come as you are, no experience necessary." It's the ground floor, and you're invited.

STARBURST: You've written both Green Lantern Corps and now New Guardians starring Kyle Rayner. What is it about Kyle that is appealing to you as a writer and a fan?

TONY: Kyle is the most accessible, most normal, most empathetic Lantern in the Corps. He's not some fearless hero or badass warrior when he gets his ring, he's just a normal twenty-something struggling to make ends meet, and even though he proves himself worthy of the honor, he's still just a regular dude. Being a commercial artist and cartoonist, he finds that his visual sense and boundless imagination make him a natural at ring-slinging and coming up with cool energy-constructs. He's also sensitive, as artists often are, but this emotional core will prove crucial as he seeks to master the whole emotional spectrum, from Red Rage to Violet Love. Kyle also has an origin unlike any other Green Lantern, which you'll see in GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #1. He is unique in the Corps, and he's the only Lantern in any Corps with a prayer of pulling together a team like the New Guardians.

Cover reveal: Batgirl rejoins the Birds of Prey in issue #4

I think that this is likely a colouring error rather than a new costume.

IGN share Batman: Arkham City interviews with Dax Ginn