Author: Stephen Schleicher

We’ve discussed the relative ages of superheroes a couple of times on the Major Spoilers Podcast, and while we’d all like to think truly evolved heroes are in their mid 30’s, it turns out Thor is still twenty-something.  Or at least that is the age range Marvel is looking for in the upcoming Thor movie as revealed in this casting call notice. Male MUST BE MID-LATE 20’S and SIX FEET OR TALLER. LEAD. Physically powerful, very handsome, occasionally egotistical, petulant, and wild. A natural warrior with a quick charming wit who must be genuinely and severely humbled before becoming the…

With my recent thoughts on electronic books and digital comic distribution, I really tend to focus on the large page format, where artists can continue to create in the style they are most accustomed to.  But with small being the big thing, what happens to those comics that need to be reduced to a single panel? Balak01 (Yves Bigerel) at the Deviant Art page, has been listening to Scott McCloud and thinks there is definitely a market for the single page digital comic as it provides another unique way to tell a story. Check it out. about DIGITAL COMICS by…

We wrote about the upcoming Marvel Superhero Squad animated series a few days ago, and now we’ve dug up the official press release that gives more information about the 26 episode season. Is it any surprise Wolverine is in it?

Ever since he took up drawing Catwoman covers for DC Comics, I can’t think about Selina Kyle without thinking about Adam Hughes.  One of my favorite artists of all time, Hughes finds Ms. Kyle one of his favorites too. I miss drawing Selina. It sure was fun with her; lots of different moods. She’s the quintessential femme fatale. And YES, I’m aware the she resembles Audrey Hepburn, LOL. My personal inspiration for Selina Kyle is Ms. Hepburn, circa 1954-57. My favorite face ever. My personal inspirational cocktail for Catwoman is: 70% young Audrey Hepburn 20% Liz Taylor from CAT ON…

Yup, we’re trying to make sure your Friday Sing-a-Longs return as a regular feature. This week we’re continuing the Batman song, with this original piece by  Rockin Jamboree. This is a song I wrote a around 1992. It pre-dates Heath Ledger’s “Dark Knight” by many years. I was hosting a show at Stevie Ray’s Comedy Club in Minneapolis. As part of the show, I had a bit where I took suggestions for song titles from the audience, promising to write a song with that title for the next weeks show. An audience member suggested “Batman’s Song” and I wrote this.

The Stand: Captain Trips is over, and it’s time for the survivors begin to adapt to the changes in the world. Marvel is ready to kick off the second chapter of the series with The Stand: American Nightmares #1, that arrives March 11, 2009. The superstar creative team of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Mike Perkins and Laura Martin, who brought you one of the most critically acclaimed series of last year, The Stand: Captain Trips, reunites to deliver a shocking tale of despair and destruction unlike any other before! The few, brave survivors must adapt to a reality they never thought possible.…

Image Comics wraps up the week with a look at the cover images and solicitations for titles arriving in May 2009.

No, I’m not talking about that long line already waiting to get into the next Harry Potter movie, but the comic book adaptation being worked up between Warner Bros. and Silver Pictures. Sylvain White is directing the adaptation of the Vertigo book, which follows a special forces team betrayed by their handler and left for dead. The Losers regroup in the interest of revenge and the opportunity to remove their names from a secret CIA death list and to conduct covert operations against the CIA and its interests. Watchmen star Jeffrey Dean Morgan is negotiations to star as Clay, the…

The end of yet another era This month sees the end of three Batman family titles, with Nightwing being the first to go dark.  It seems fitting that of the three (Nightwing, Robin, Oracle), that Dick Grayson takes the bow, as he was the first side-kick.  With Batman “dead” (snicker-snicker, foolish citizens of the DCU), it appears the Dick is up for the task of protecting the city, but is the city ready for Dick?

Aspiring and current webcomic artists should probably check out this panel from Katsucon 2009, where the panelists talk everything from sketch to screen. Katuscon 15: How To Make Webcomics: From Sketch to Posting and All Points in Between. from kaiki on Vimeo.

Here’s the latest Watchmen clip to filter through the Intar-webs.  From MSN, it’s an actual conversation scene instead of the blow-em up real good stuff we’ve seen previously.

Another roundup of sneak peeks of titles arriving next week comes from Image Comics.  The company dropped off previews of  Dynamo 5 #20, Proof #17, The Astounding Wolf-man #13, and The Sword #15.

IDW Publishing is another in the line of comic book publishers that have decided to take their wares to the web, by announcing a deal with Eagle One Media.  Instead of a proprietary format, Eagle One Media and IDW are releasing titles in PDF format for a mimimum of $1.99. Eagle One Media’s President, Eric Reichert, is excited about this new relationship. “Being able to work in partnership with IDW to make a significant number of their comics available for download to fans worldwide is a great opportunity for us. We’ve simplified the process so that comic fans can easily…

For those of you who can’t get enough Mark Waid, check out the newly launched MarkWaid.com where very week, you’ll be able to hear the docile tones of the Boom! Studios EIC as he waxes poetic about the industry he’s worked in for longer than most of us can remember. via Boom! Studios