San Diego Comic Con 2010: Day One

Okay, so I'm a bit late with these. My apologies.

- First interesting news hit rather early with the announcement of an Astro City movie. Actually? I'm floored. Astro City is one of my favorite superhero comics and universes, and news of a movie is exciting. Kurt owns Astro City, so I'm certain the project will be adapted faithfully--or at least, we'll see it as Kurt wants us to. He's even doing the script. Still, I feel Busiek's stories are best told on the small screen...they just don't have the budget for Busiek's huge ideas. Either way, we'll see how it turns out.

- Activision's Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions shows off the last world. Take a look:



Expected, AND unexpected. Ultimate Symbiote Spider-Man? Huh. Of the few dozen video games coming out I want, Shattered Dimensions is inching towards being an A-List game for me. Four worlds, each of them distinct and different from the last, with differently powered Spider-Men, and apparently a LOT of bosses to battle (Hammerhead, Kraven, Morbius, Juggernaut, Deadpool, and more). Dan Slott designed the story, the gameplay looks solid, and I'm thinking of pre-ordering this so I can get some alternate costumes. (Speaking of...I'd love to see a collection of Spider-Man's other costumes, with special abilities for each one. PS1 Spider-Man did this and added a lot of replay value to things.)

- DC Nation Kickoff Panel (CBR and Newsarama):

• Fables 100? I feel old.
  
• Who's the girl that asked if Superboy could get a real costume. I want to give her a (innocent) hug. Seriously. I'll take the leather jacket and sunglasses again! Just no T-shirt! FUCK NEWGROUNDS.
• Wonder Woman's new costume looks like it came from the nineties. Ditch the gauntlets, go back to the bracelets, hand the jacket to Superboy, and it's decent though.
• Speaking of. I can't imagine a more boring Superboy than one stuck in Smallville. As a result, a writer excited to do that saddens me. Can Kon go back to Hawaii?
• Biggest deal on this panel is the announcement of more Batman Beyond. More Terry McGinnis cannot be a bad idea.

- DC Focus: Geoff Johns (CBR and Newsarama):

• Slightly concerned about this panel. Geoff releases too much awesome.
• Can I just say that Geoff being in charge of how the DCU appears to the rest of the world was the smartest business decision ever? Who has a clearer, more accurate vision of these characters?
• The Blue Beetle test footage looks great. Is he confirming the existence of a television show? I'm no Smallville fan, but Blue Beetle is on the watch list from day one.
• Geoff being off Superboy is no big loss. I love his work, but he never got that one right, in my opinion. He's been changing the guy into something he wasn't from day one. Now, Geoff off Legion? That I'm crying over.
• The Red Lanterns are a surrogate family? ...That's so screwed up and twisted. And it makes so much sense.
• A Suicide Squad video game?!?! ....THAT'S what DC Entertainment was formed for! Great move, guys.
  
• Green Lantern: Secret Origin II by Geoff and Ivan Reis? So long as it's a mini-series this time? I'm up. He writes an amazing Sinestro.
• Geoff seems to be hinting that the recent Green Lantern movie costume we saw...isn't actually the final costume, but some sort of proto-costume. Perhaps it's the suit the ring gives him to start, and he changes it to the true uniform later? The trailer Saturday may tell us something.
• Batman: Earth One's still without a release date. Meanwhile JMS' Superman: Earth One is due in September. Still, Waid, Morrison and Johns are the busiest men in comics, so it's understandable.
  
• Also, I love the idea of seeing him be terrible at his job at first. No one's ever focused on that.
• Peter Tomasi wants to write Martian Manhunter? I could get with that. A new ongoing for J'onn would be fantastic! Who do I e-mail?
• Geoff Johns is doing the new Green Lantern Corps cartoon? Ohh...I dislike CGI, but I HAVE to see it now. Awesome!
• Seeing Cassandra Cain (Batgirl II) outside of comics? Hmm...Young Justice guest-appearance?
• A Flash movie would actually be sweet. The inevitable Flash video game though...*sighs*
• ....What? The Indigoes...? Aqua War? Aquaman-themed event? What have I missed out on not reading Brightest Day?
• Is anyone surprised he's got a follow-up for Brightest Day? Really?
• A creator-owned book from him would be...well...insane. And I'd SO read it.

Mondo Marvel Panel (CBR and Newsarama):

• Captain America: Fighting Avenger sounds interesting. An all-ages flashback ongoing, though? Wow. Almost none of that matches up.
• Captain America: Man Out of Time is by Mark Waid. YES. Why isn't DC getting some work from Waid? Spider-Man is amazing (ha), and Waid's Cap run is highly respected, so bringing him back? No brainer. Waid does excellent character stories, too, so this may be one of the better minis we see this year.
• Iron Man/Thor by DnA? Who thought THAT one up? Screw it. These two work on both technology and magic stuff in space, they can do it on Earth. Also? I'm enjoying the love the Big Three are getting. Blame the movies for it all you want, but Marvel's putting A-List writers on these books, and the art looks great, too. I refuse to bitch.
• Nova is the new Man Without Fear? Okay, sure. Guy's put in the work for the position, but I have no idea what it means for the character.
• Rocket Raccoon and Groot?! DnA goes for the weird stories, but I love 'em for it.
• In addition to the screening of the first Iron Man anime episode Friday, we'll be getting a "huge announcement" concerning Marvel and anime. Loeb's given to hyperbole (like all writers), but I am very hopeful.
• THUNDERBOLT ROSS IS THE RED HULK??!?! ...Get...I...f....who HIRED that dude?! *speechless*
• A live-action drama from Marvel on ABC or ABC Family? I'll watch, depending on the character and the story.
• Marvel vs. DC? I Don't Need It. Now, more Amalgam Comics? Please?
• Cosmic Avengers? Please. Dan and Andy on scripts, Brad Walker for art.
• I'm buying Age of Heroes #3, just for Blue Marvel. I loved the first mini-series.

- Comic Con: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World panel. Mae Whitman, of Avatar fame (Katara), is the evil ex-girlfriend? SNAP! The panel as a whole sounds interesting, and I'm growing more and more sure I HAVE to see that movie this summer.

- Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunter has been confirmed for some time, but this is the first we've seen any information about it. The game is confirmed a part of the movie universe, so this is one of the only times you'll hear me talk about it.

- Joss Whedon is confirmed as the Director of the Avengers. Yay. *deadpan*

Other Links of Interest:

- The Vertigo Panel (Newsarama)

- BOOM! Studios and Stan Lee Partner Up (CBR)

- Mark Waid on Stan Lee's The Traveler (CBR)