Fanboys Anonymous

Amazing X-Men 13 cover by Nick Bradshaw and Rachelle Rosenberg

"Charm School"

Amazing X-Men #13 focuses on the young mutant Anole along with Nightcrawler and Northstar. In a brilliant move, these characters become the focal point for a relevant and poignant examination of being different in general modern Western society. In particular, the issue examines homosexuality, physical appearance, and coping with being marginalized.

This is what is at the heart of X-Men stories, and it is retold here in a refreshing manner.

We get to witness a substitute creative team for this issue; James Tynion IV jumps on board, while Jorge Jimenez fills in on the art, and together they create a quality, slick piece of work together.

Simply put, Amazing X-Men #13 is an awesome issue. It delves into real-world issues that really connect an audience with the fictitious characters while still having some fun.

Anole straddles a difficult position in his world. There is a lot riding against him, and he feels apart from his society. As an openly gay young man with a physical mutation, he stands out, and he learns how these characteristics make him stronger as both an individual and a mutant. As a role model and teacher, Nightcrawler has gone through so much in his life that the lessons he can impart to Anole are straightforward and sensible. Northstar may not seem like much of an exemplar of heroic attributes on the level of Nightcrawler, but given the previous arc in Amazing X-Men, we know that his mettle is just. Tynion has chosen the right characters and uses them to great effect in telling this particular story.

Anole is feeling out of his depth.	Nightcrawler and Northstar need to work together to save Anole.

As a bridge between arcs, this issue was pleasure. The resonance of the story by Tynion is matched by the art from Jimenez.

Page by page the story has certainty and flow that make for a seamless reading experience. Jimenez utilizes a dynamic panel arrangement that is engaging; all the while the focus is squarely on the interior art itself. Jimenez and colorist Rachelle Rosenberg work hand-in-hand on the panels, with the latter highlighting important focal panels with an extra layer of color around them, making them stand out on the busy pages.

Jimenez has a sharp detail to his inking, with a clean line style that leaves texture to Rosenberg, who employs some very nice features for the landscape and mutations of characters, such as Rockslide and Anole. Rosenberg's colors are a standout feature of this issue. There are some spectacular shots set up by Jimenez that pop out of the page because of the fantastic color work involved.

Amazing X-Men #13 is a great follow-up to a very nice series so far. We are getting good stories, with consistent action, quality art, and an array of characters that aren't being explored elsewhere by Marvel. I am sure this will continue as we move into the next arc.

If you haven't already gotten your hands on this issue of Amazing X-Men, I suggest you get down to your local comic book shop and do so, or buy it online. As a stand-alone story in this ongoing series, it is well worth it. However, if you already have read it, make sure you let us know what you thought about it and leave a comment below.

In the aftermath of Warner Bros' announcement of its DC Comics film slate to shareholders, one film stood out and became the subject of much interest and development buzz: Suicide Squad. The film attracted top-level talent across the board and has become a curiously important movie for the fledgling DC Cinematic Universe. Let's take a look at the film that will serve as the third building-block of the DC Comics film franchise.

First, a breakdown: Suicide Squad has been a relative mainstay in the DC Comics lineup since its introduction in 1987. The premise is simple. Groups of incarcerated supervillains are given the chance to undertake highly secretive, highly dangerous missions in exchange for a lesser sentence. As director David Ayer accurately puts it, "It's The Dirty Dozen with superheroes." Some characters are considered key to the Squad's history, like Batman foe Deadshot, a can't-miss master assassin, Flash enemy Digger Harkness a.k.a Captain Boomerang, and Harley Quinn.

It's a great concept, one that's right in Ayer's wheelhouse. The writer of Training Day and director of End of Watch and Fury will do great things with a morally grey action-drama premise like this. It should have been no surprise, then, when the project attracted talent like Will Smith, Tom Hardy, and Margot Robbie. Soon enough additional names like Jai Courtney and Jared Leto were circling the project as well. As of this writing, Kerry Washington's name has been thrown into the mix as a choice to play Squad leader Amanda Waller, a key figure in the DCU.


There's a lot to think about here. Let's get the trivia out of the way to begin with. Will Smith is reportedly up to play Digger Harkness, Captain Boomerang in the comics (something tells me they'll avoid that name, except perhaps in jest). As the name implies, the character uses a variety of boomerangs in his escapades. Tom Hardy supposedly is set to play Rick Flag, the field leader of the Squad and an operative for the US government, one of the few "good guys" on the team. Margot Robbie and Jared Leto are said to be playing Harley Quinn and the Joker, and taking into consideration the possibility of Kerry Washington as Amanda Waller, that's where this gets really interesting.

Marvel, at present, hasn't explored much of the underbelly of their Cinematic Universe. The focus has been, naturally, on the heroes. DC has set up a different tone for themselves already, following in the somber footsteps of Christopher Nolan's example with his Dark Knight Trilogy. To have the third film in the franchise feature villains and antiheroes says a lot about the direction and tone this megaseries will take. Not only that, it serves as a kind of unique backdoor into subsequent entries in the DC slate, perhaps introducing villains who'll later antagonize their more famous and virtuous foes.

Amanda Waller, in particular, carries a lot of DC world-building weight on her shoulders, tied to numerous characters and organizations in the DCU. Not the least among them is Lex Luthor himself, and Waller was rumored to make an appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Similar rumors have swirled that Luthor makes an appearance in Suicide Squad.

"I'll just wait ominously in the shadows until then."

This kind of back-and-forth, employed properly, will I think create strong and deep connective tissue to support the DC movies going forward. At the least, it establishes a definitive "other" for the heroes to combat. Think about it: in the very next DC outing, two of their biggest heroes, and perhaps more, will clash. It's likely orchestrated or helped along by characters who benefit from seeing the heroes fail or fall. Then, we find that there is in fact an entire subculture of villains—perhaps a society, if you will—some of whom wish to mitigate their sentences by helping to carry out shadowy missions for a shadowy employer.

The predominant superhero movie paradigm has been hero versus villain, good versus evil. Though we've seen this change somewhat over time, as with Captain America combating (and unwittingly, for a time, serving) an entire evil organization instead of a single Big Bad, man vs. man has remained the standard. DC is setting their films up to be much more ambiguous in their characterizations and conflicts, offering an alternative to Marvel's thus far bright and shining heroes.

Hold that thought.

It's worth noting that this will change for Marvel in the near future, as Avengers: Age of Ultron and the third Captain America film, Civil War, draw closer. Both of those films, and I'm certain others in the Marvel lineup, start to blur the lines between who's on whose side. Even Ant-Man, considered relatively lighter fare, stars a hero who originates as a criminal. Still, DC putting their darker side front and center in the first few installments of the franchise says a lot about how they're treating their stable of characters and could provide some clues as to the direction the overall series of films will take.

As a final note, I find it extremely interesting that DC is willing to debut the Joker so potentially early in their movies. Heath Ledger left an indelible mark on the role, and for many has proven the definitive version of the character. This isn't to argue against using the Joker—he was always going to come back. That's what he does. He's too good a character and too important to Batman, WB/DC's most important property, to keep down for long. For me, the interest lies in the apparent willingness to feature the character in a non-Batman film. It establishes that Joker has a life, and a story, outside of Gotham City and the Bat. Featuring Harley Quinn alone would hint at the Joker's presence in this new DC Cinematic Universe and still provide some wiggle room for the eventual filmmakers to introduce Joker as they liked. This approach, more than anything, sets up what might be DC's approach to their filmed villains—that they transcend boundaries and are not limited to "their" heroes.

Keeping hope alive for madness like this.

I should say that I don't believe the Joker will serve a main role in Suicide Squad. A) He'd be in Arkham, not a standard or even high-security prison, and thus be ineligible for the program. Anyone who tried to get Joker on that team doesn't know the Joker. He's too wild for the carefully monitored and controlled missions undertaken by the Squad. B) It's just not his style, even if Harley Quinn is on the team. He'd sooner kill everyone on the team and go get a milkshake. More likely, to me, is that Harley is struggling to separate herself from the Joker, who she maybe runs into during the course of the film, perhaps even setting up a side-plot for a later Batman film. It's entirely possible, of course, that Batman himself could feature (again, likely in a small role) in Suicide Squad. Several of the team members tend to be Gotham-centric, and it would be a good way to raise the profile of the movie.

That said, Will Smith, Tom Hardy, Margot Robbie and Jared Leto/the Joker in general will certainly provide some draw of their own, and David Ayer is all but sure to deliver something terrific with a property like this. It'll be interesting to see what the Suicide Squad does for the WB/DC machine going forward.

Are you looking forward to it? Or think it'll be a misfire? Take aim and fire away in the comments.

Magneto 11 cover by David Yardin

It's been some time since we looked at the Master of Magnetism, so a combined review of Magneto #11 and #12 seemed more appropriate. To catch us up to speed, let's recap some events from AXIS, as both issues tie in to this Marvel event.

Magneto has been busy since issue #10. While trying to kill the Red Skull and finally put a stop to his genocidal tendenciesc, Magneto unwittingly unleashed Red Onslaught and his worldwide reign of hate. The battle ensued on Genosha, the island formerly ruled by Magneto, that drew in so many Marvel heroes. It was dire, the heroes were outgunned, as a pair of Tony Stark–designed hero hunting sentinels quickly decimated their ranks. In a final act of despair, with the MGH effect wearing off, and desperate against such overwhelming failure to counter the Red Onslaught, Magneto fled the harrowing battle.

As the grisly scene is recounted in the first few pages of Magneto #11 we have some overlap with the events in AXIS, but this is necessary. At this point we continue to see why Cullen Bunn deserves so much praise for his work in Magneto. Bunn explores the deep sense of guilt and responsibility Magneto feels not only the Red Onslaught but also for the havoc he has wrought upon his fellow mutants. This psychological examination is superlative for the tone and edge to this series, which simply cannot be given page space in an event like AXIS.

Magneto's haunting past spurs him on...

The art in Magneto 11 by Garbriel Hernandez Walta is just as gripping and crucial to the dark toned narrative as Bunn's script. Walta encapsulates the dramatic nuances that cannot be drawn out from the dialogue, such as the cruel emotional tension of Briar Raleigh and Magneto as the latter is convinced why he needs to keep fighting on. The way that Walta draws the characters' facial expressions, with particular focus on their eyes, makes for some very fine art. This pivotal scene carries the whole of issue #11.

While the traumatic scares of the indiscretions and fatal mistake from the past will always haunt Magneto, Bunn delivers a great twist as he sets Raleigh to bringing Magneto out of his funk and back to the proactive master manipulator we know. Ultimately Magneto #11 shows us how the "villains/anti-heroes" come to arrive on Genosha at the pivotal moment to help stop the Red Onslaught.

Magneto #12 dives straight into a more action-packed issue. Having gathered his group of non-do-gooders, Magneto proceeds to lead them back to battle Red Onslaught. This issue of Magneto coincides with the events of AXIS 3.

Magneto 12 cover by David Yardin

Once again it is the character exposition that is what makes Magneto #12 a good read. It has more depth than AXIS 3 and draws in the reader much more as a result. While the first half of the issue complements the story of AXIS, it is the second half of the book that is more interesting. Here Bunn examines the effects of the inversion spell on Magneto, who is confronted by a ghostly reminder of Charles Xavier. As the pair try to find renewed meaning for Magneto's role in all these events, a twist in the final two pages certainly is intriguing enough to want the next issue now.

Magneto #12 brings in artist Roland Boschi and colorist Lee Loughridge. Both are very capable and try to emulate the existing style and tone of the series. Given that Magneto has a very distinct approach, a change in artists is noticeable, yet it is not jarring here. Loughridge uses a suitable palette of colors but the doesn't have the same harsh quality Jordie Bellaire provided in issue #11. This could also be as a result of Boschi's pencils and inks, which aren't as gritty as Walta's. By no means does this bring down the art, it is simply a slightly different approach. A nice sense of continuity between the issues is provided by Cory Petit's lettering.

Magneto strikes back.

While the events of AXIS have probably thrown-out Bunn's plan for Magneto, there are great opportunities here to explore the titular character's role in the larger Marvel universe and how he has evolved since the death of Charles Xavier. We are seeing the next steps of Magneto as a leader in the mutant community, the actions of which are spilling over into other series such as Uncanny X-Men.

As an X-Men solo series, Magneto has a great sense of stick-ability about it. Bunn has provided a great run so far on this series and seems to have some long-reaching plans to build around Magneto, the top of which is uncovering the role of Raleigh.

Let us know what you have enjoyed so far from the series. What are the highs and lows? What do you hope to see next from Bunn? Make sure you leave your mark below, or follow us on Facebook and post a comment there.

Wow, it's been a long time coming, hasn't it? I haven't reviewed a Guardians of the Galaxy trade collection in 7 months, and for good reason: it wasn't until recently that Marvel finalized which comics were being collected for volume 3 (4, if you count the previous volume—Guardians of the Galaxy/All-New X-Men: The Trial of Jean Grey) and only released it just last week. If you've been following my reviews, you'll know that I collect the issues individually and not in trade collections, so I have to wait until the next trade collection's collected comics list is finalized before I can accurately review it. So now that my explanation for the 7-month delay is out of the way, how about we get on with the show?

Previously in Guardians of the Galaxy…

Shortly after Tony Stark's departure and Angela's arrival as a new member of the team during the galactic war of Infinity, the Guardians met up with the All-New X-Men—younger versions of the current timeline's X-Men brought into the present—and teamed up with the space buccaneers, the Starjammers, to save a young Jean Grey, who had been kidnapped by the Shi'ar Empire to face a trial for her future self's crimes of genocide as the Dark Phoenix. They successfully rescue her, and in the end Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord, hooks up with the X-Men's Kitty Pride.

Now, before we can get to what happened afterward, there are two non-Guardians comics that are included in the volume 3 trade that need to be addressed: Captain Marvel #1 (2012), written by Kelly Sue DeConnick with art by Dexter Soy; and Amazing Spider-Man #654's B-story, "Rebirth," written by Dan Slott with art by Paulo Siqueira, Ronan Cliquet, Roland Paris, Greg Adams, and Fabio D'Auria. Both of these issues are essentially "origin stories" of the Guardian's two new recruits. In Captain Marvel #1, readers are introduced to Carol Danvers, an Avenger formerly known as Ms. Marvel, and explores how she came to be called Captain Marvel—a title originally claimed by the late Mar-Vell, a Kree warrior and a friend of the Avengers. (On a side note, Carol Danvers will be getting her own solo Marvel Studios film, Captain Marvel, in theaters July 6, 2018.) "Rebirth" is a back-up story featuring the debut of Eugene "Flash" Thompson, Spider-Man's childhood bully-turned-disabled war hero, as Agent Venom, a super soldier imbued with the alien symbiote that was once bonded to Spider-Man.

Agent Venom joins the Guardians first in the Guardians of the Galaxy Free Comic Book Day 2014 issue—written by Guardians of the Galaxy's (main series) Brian Michael Bendis with art by Nick Bradshaw—as an ambassador and Avenger from Earth at the request of Tony Stark, who believes that Earth should have a representative on the team that guards the planet without compensation. This is inherently a strange match-up considering Agent Venom's expertise and team themes; Flash's element is rather terrestrial and urban in contrast to the galactic opera the Guardians operate in, and his former teams—the Circle of Four (almost as comparably strange of a match-up), the Secret Avengers, and the Thunderbolts—reflected his skills and theme much more accurately. I'm not one to complain too much, though, considering that this is the only monthly ongoing series he gets to guest star in right now. (We won't talk about the Original Sin tie-in's lack of Agent Venom until the next review.)

Not long after his arrival, though, the Guardians are separated and captured by their enemies as a part of a plan concocted by King J'son of Spartax, Peter's father, to end the Guardian nuisance. Peter is taken to Spartax to face his father's ultimatum—abandon the Guardians and take his place as Star-Lord, the prince of Spartax, or be executed as an enemy of the empire. Gamora is forcefully questioned by the Brotherhood of the Badoon about the whereabouts of her father, Thanos. Drax the Destroyer faces a tribunal lead by Gladiator of the Shi'ar for interfering with their Trial of Jean Grey. Rocket Raccoon is abducted for experimentation by the Kree. Groot is abandoned on a deserted planet by the Brood. Agent Venom's symbiote is taken for the Skrull's use, and Angela is nowhere to be found. All seems dire for the Guardians until the timely arrival of their second newest member, Captain Marvel, which sets into motion a revolution three volumes in the making.

Now, my review of this volume is more than slightly influenced by my love for all things symbiotes and Agent Venom as a character—it comes with the territory, I guess. As an introduction arc for Agent Venom's inclusion into the series (and his subsequent absence during the Original Sin tie-in), this did not make a great first impression. Sure, he got a cool new look for the team that appeals to the avid original Venom fans, and seeds of the just-begun "Planet of the Symbiotes" storyline were planted in a couple of issues, but new readers arguably didn't get a good feel for the character for how little page space he was given overall.

That said, this story arc in general was a bit slow and really only paid off for avid readers in the end. I'm one of a very rare breed of comic geeks (it seems) to give praise to Bendis for his work on Guardians; I absolutely loved the last three volumes, and will continue following the series as long as Agent Venom is on the team, if not longer afterward so long as the book keeps me happy. This volume, though? It was pretty weak, to be honest. Perhaps it was the fragmentation of the story as the Guardians were disassembled, but in any case this volume didn't appease me like the last ones did, and Bendis' rocky track record and dubious respect for symbiotes and symbiote fans will play against him in the coming months with "Planet of the Symbiotes." (Not to jump ahead, but the first issue definitely made an impression with me.)

An Angela and Gamora team-up always brightens any situation.

On the art side of things, Guardians was quite enjoyable up until the mid-issue change-up from Nick Bradshaw to Michael Avon Oeming in the final issue jarred my reading experience. Oeming's art was passable enough, but the transition from one style to a completely different one didn't win the volume any more points to make up for its flaws. If anything, the art overall in this volume won me over more than the main Guardians story.

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3: "Guardians Disassembled" gets 3 stars out of 5 for the writing with most of the credit due to Kelly Sue DeConnick and Dan Slott, and 4 stars out of 5 for the art. This volume was a bit of a disappointment for myself as a symbiote fan, and possibly for Captain Marvel fans as well, since she didn't show up until the third of four issues.

What were your thoughts on this volume? Let us know in the comments section below, and follow Fanboys Anonymous for more Guardians of the Galaxy comic book reviews. Also, check out The Venom Site if you're a symbiote fan, and its blog, A Dose of Venom, especially for their Symbiotic Holiday Giveaway, in which you can test your symbiote trivia knowledge for a chance to win a Marvel Legends Agent Venom action figure!

On a special podcast for Fanboys Anonymous, the panel breaks down their initial reaction and their overall thoughts about the first trailer for Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens released earlier today.

Do we have a bad feeling about this or has it pumped us up and made us believe that they've restored balance to the franchise?

Hosted by Tony Mango, the panel includes Chris Dace, Eddie Siqueira and Larry Deuber

Some topics we address:

• Who is this new Sith lord and what's up with his cool new lightsaber design?
• Is John Boyega a real Stormtrooper or a double agent?
• That's totally Benedict Cumberbatch doing the voice over, right?
• Daisy Ridley just has to be the daughter of Han Solo and Leia Organa
• The beauty of the visual effects
• and more!

You can watch the podcast below. Make sure to subscribe!

Our first look at Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens has been released today with teaser trailer #1!

You can check it out right now on iTunes or watching the embedded YouTube video below:

My initial reaction: the visuals are BEAUTIFUL. I'm still really worried that we're going to get a film that's going to play too much to the Original Trilogy fan base and won't have any of the positives of the Prequel Trilogy (ie, the Jedi Order). My least favorite aspect of the Star Wars franchise is when the fun depends on you being a fan or astounded by the concept of alien cultures and spaceships and blasters, so if this focuses on Storm Troopers and the Millennium Falcon and we don't see a reformed Jedi Order, I'll be disappointed. That being said, we do get to see a brand new form of lightsaber that resembles a normal sword, so that's very interesting. I'm also still hoping that Domhnall Gleeson is playing Ben Skywalker.

We recorded a special podcast where a few of us elaborated on our thoughts. You can listen to it on iTunes, Stitcher or watch the YouTube video embedded below:


What do you think? Are you pumped?! Does this look awesome or are you starting to get even more anxious? Tell us what your thoughts are in the comments below!

Want to know what happened the past few days in nerd culture? WEEK IN GEEK is your quick fix to catch up with the rest of the fanboys out there.

MOVIES

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer to Hit Theatres.

My take: This weekend, the teaser trailer for next December's movie that will break the internet will hit theatres. Even as a fanboy, I'm trying to avoid spoilers for this film but this might be unavoidable due to temptation levels being off the charts. However, I recall the trailer for The Phantom Menace giving me goosebumps, only to punch me in the gut several months later. I'll have to play this one very carefully.

Jurassic World Dino Revealed.

My take: Speaking of spoilers, if you don't want any, skip this paragraph. An image from LEGO has revealed a white dinosaur that is featured in the film. It's clearly intended for evil purposes, considering it's name is the Diabolus Rex.

Interstellar "Unlimited Ticket" Offered Through AMC.

My take: All AMC stubs can be upgraded to see the movie as many times as you want. The justification being that people love it so much that they want to see it over and over again. I saw this movie a couple weeks ago and I have to call bullcrap on that.

TELEVISION

Brace Yourself. Winter Break is Coming.

My take: With many shows going on hiatus, expect some action packed cliffhangers in the next few weeks. The Flash and Arrow are set to cross over ands should give booths shows a huge boost.

Constantine in Danger?

My take: If you're watching Gotham but not Constantine, you may want to make the jump. It's lacking in the ratings and a second season is debatable. In my opinion, it's a far superior show and deserves some love! You can also support online. use #SaveConstantine, tweet to @NBCConstantine.

COMIC BOOKS

Spider-Verse a Blood Bath.

My take: A fun idea is slowly turning into a gruesome experiment both for writer Dan Slott and his fans and haters alike. Seeing Peter Parker murdered multiple times is unsettling on a number of levels. I thought I'd ride this out stress-free but my anxiety and blood pressure rise with every issue. I guess something's working…?

I Finished Batman: Zero Year Finally.

My take: A little late but it's new to me. I heard this was an epic story that cemented several things in Batman, Jim Gordon and The Riddler's backstory. I didn't really get that impression at all and found this story, yes this comic book story, completely unrealistic.

Howard The Duck New Ongoing.

My take: Howard feels like the character people miss when he isn't around but don't care when he is. If this book is fun and quirky and well written, I would look forward to picking it up. If it's just offbeat and nonsensical, I don't see his aging fan base sticking around for long. Best case scenario, this leads to a new movie that's actually awesome (even though I did like the first one a lot when I was a kid).

It looks as though Oscar Isaac's name is going to be huge in the next two years. Not only does he have a leading role in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, but he has just been cast as En Sabah Nur in the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse film.

For those who are unfamiliar with the character, the titular character is perhaps the biggest villain in the X-Men universe. Although Namor is the first mutant for publication history and Selene is classified as the first recorded mutant, the concept of "the first mutant" in general is oftentimes associated with En Sabah Nur. He was an Egyptian with gray skin and blue lines around his lips—but besides having an ugly mug, he also developed enormous powers. After being exposed to the Celestials (those big robot guys from Guardians of the Galaxy that were responsible for the fashioning of the Infinity Stones in the Marvel Cinematic Universe continuity, which will not have any influence over this film at all), Apocalypse's powers over the years have included super strength, flight, teleportation, energy manipulation/absorption/blasts, super speed, telepathy, telekinesis, technopathy, bio-molecular manipulation which allows him to change his body's size and shape, add extra mass to it to become nearly invulnerable, and of course a badass suit of armor that makes him look like a cross between a blueberry processing machine and a ventilator that the Batman villain Bane would kill for.

In a previous edition of Fanboys Cast, some of us gave our opinions on who should be cast as Apocalypse. None of us had Oscar Isaac pegged for the role. I'm rather unfamiliar with his work, so I have no opinion in terms of his talent. He does have the look to convince me that he was Egyptian, so that's a big plus. Considering the amount of buzz around him as an actor combined with some great casting in the franchise's past, I'd have to assume he'll do the role justice and that I've got nothing to worry about.

But what do you think of this decision? Is Oscar Isaac the best man to bring the big guy to life or is there someone else better suited for the role?

Every time a new James Bond film is in the works, speculation runs rampant for four aspects more than anything else: the title, the song, the girls, and the villains.

Currently, we're still in the dark about pretty much everything for the next installment in the 007 franchise. Bond 24 (working title, as it always is) has not announced a single official bit of news. However, if you are to believe the latest rumors, the title theme may be done by singer Sam Smith, French actress Léa Seydoux may be one of the Bond girls, and we may know who our villains are.

The story going around right now is that Dave Bautista (of WWE and Guardians of the Galaxy fame) may play the muscular henchman role, "Hinx", and Christoph Waltz (known best for his roles in Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained) could be the lead villain.

Just who is that villain? Franz Oberhauser—the son of the late Hans Oberhauser, who was a ski instructor and a father figure to 007. Or, as alternatively reported...ERNST STAVRO BLOFELD.

*Head explodes*

Blofeld is Bond's archenemy. He's the Joker to 007's Batman. Blofeld is the head (or "number one") of S.P.E.C.T.R.E. organization. For those that think Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division) is a mouthful, try "SPecial Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion" on for size. In the original Ian Fleming novels, Blofeld is one of the very few villains to live past one book and pop up multiple times. In fact, if you rule out Bond himself, Moneypenny, Q, M, Felix Leiter and a couple others, Blofeld is one of the few characters in general to appear several times in the series. As far as the movies go, he was seen (kind of—you didn't get to see more than his hand in some movies) in Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Diamonds are Forever and For Your Eyes Only, where he was finally killed off for good.

Now that the series has been rebooted, Bond fans have been wondering when the top terrorist cell would return. It seemed as though this is what we were building up to in Casino Royale, but we were derailed with the half-assed Quantum group in Quantum of Solace. [Side note: Why try to justify the title by naming the organization that, when you had a perfectly good scene to explain it already in the film with Mathis talking to Bond about getting over Vesper? He could have said the whole "quantum of solace" speech from the books there and you'd have a beautiful title with a lot more symbolism behind it instead of the shitty alternative that we got.]

When we last left the series, it was getting closer to its roots than it has been in years. We have Q and Moneypenny back in the mix and M's office is even restored to the pre-Brosnan era look. Could the trend continue with Blofeld and S.P.E.C.T.R.E. returning as well?

Keep in mind that at one point, Kevin Spacey was rumored to bring the role back to the big screen. When Ralph Fiennes was announced for Skyfall, fans jumped the gun and thought he would be playing Blofeld instead of the new M. So while the end of the last film has put the franchise back on the old track in a lot of ways, that doesn't necessarily mean that S.P.E.C.T.R.E. will be in this at all, let alone that Blofeld will make an appearance and be played by Christoph Waltz, who has not even been 100% confirmed to be in the film period.

But wouldn't it kick so much ass if this were true? Waltz has the gravitas to pull off this role in his sleep. He's amazing at portraying villains on screen, but Django Unchained proved that he has a likable charisma for a heroic role as well. If Blofeld is adapted in a way where he feels as though he's not necessarily the villain the first time we meet him, this could be a great origin story.

What do you think? Would you like to see Blofeld as the main villain of the next film? If so, is Christoph Waltz the man to cast or is there someone else better out there?

On episode 9 of the Fanboys Anonymous FanTracks podcast, the panel provides commentary for the Thanksgiving season by watching several turkey day-themed episodes of television shows. The latest edition in this series is:

After a short introduction, you will be told when to sync up your copy of the episode so you can follow along with our commentary. Follow the links below to listen to the podcast on either YouTube, iTunes, or Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe!

The 1999 collected edition.

Just a few days ago, the FX network has confirmed to be developing a new drama series based on Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell's groundbreaking graphic novel From Hell.

Considered to be one of the top ten graphic novels of all time, From Hell, which was originally published in serial form from 1989 to 1996 and finally turned into a 572-page collected edition in 1999, is based on the now debunked theory the Jack the Ripper murders were committed to cover up the birth of an illegitimate child by Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence. In order to silence possible witnesses and gossipers, Queen Victoria enlists the help of the royal physician, Sir William Gull, a high-ranking Freemason who murders them and becomes the infamous serial killer.

With a plot-line involving multiple characters and over 40 pages of actual historic documents and references,  the novel is a guttural study of Gull's genius mind slowly descending into madness:

While he justifies the murders by claiming they are a Masonic warning to an apparent Illuminati threat to the throne, the killings are, in Gull's mind, part of an elaborate mystical ritual to ensure male societal dominance over women. As the killings progress, Gull becomes more and more psychologically unhinged, culminating in a full psychic vision of the future during his murder of Mary Kelly.

Gull's mind starts to break.

Though is it yet to be seen how faithful to the graphic novel the FX adaptation will be, executive producer Don Murphy, who produced the From Hell movie (don't watch it. It is really bad), believes a TV series "would be a great way to handle the material properly, giving the story time to play out and doing it justice."

David Arata (Children Of Men) will write the adaptation.

There is still no word on casting or even if the show will be as a one-and-done event series or if it will tell the book’s story over the course of multiple seasons. However, there is no doubt Alan Moore will not be involved in any way and will probably bash the show with all his might, as he hates any movie or TV adaptation of his work.

Alan Moore is not impressed.

Let's cross our fingers, pray to the moon, squeeze our stress balls, and send some creative vibes to the folks at FX. If done right, the show can be as intense and gritty as Cinemax's period drama The Knick.

One can only hope.

Do you think the TV series From Hell has potential?

Is it going to be a hit or miss? 

Storm 5 cover art by Stephanie Hans.

Death of Wolverine: Aftermath

Storm #5 is the concluding issue of the fallout from the death of Wolverine, as the cover demonstrates.

Stephanie Hans continues to provide the covers with electrifying homages to Wolverine. Storm is resplendent, standing over a pile of knocked-out bad guys, with lightening shooting from her hands in the fashion of claws.

The imagery is fierce and strong, an extreme contrast to the cover for Storm #4. The emotional weight that Hans brings to the cover art is fantastic and seems to show the various stages of grief Storm is experiencing, from depressive crying to burning anger, all of which can be found in the emotions of the weather.

The eye of a storm is the center of calmness among the destructive forces of nature. It is a period of respite to gather one's wits and prepare to battle again as the eye passes by. Consider this a strategic time when a person caught in a terrible storm could yet survive, depending on how they use this time to plan. As we move through Storm #5 it is uncanny how we see Storm act when she has a moment to gather her thoughts and approach the next course of action: facing off in battle against a champion of an opposing organized crime clan.

The gauntlet is thrown down.

As Storm soon finds out, the precarious balance that Wolverine held in place with Yukio is difficult to maintain. Storm #5 shows just how much of a master strategist Storm is, as she tries to maintain this balance of power. While reluctant to fight in the place of her former lover, Storm realizes that Wolverine's aggressive approach hid a more calculated understanding of such clan politics.

Yukio explains the balance Wolverine helped build.

Greg Pak delivers one of the best issues in the series thus far. As an ongoing series, Storm has been held together by Pak showing the audience what a complex character Storm is. This has taken place in a variety of locations and among diverse situations. This issue is the first carryover story that spans sequential issues. By achieving this, Pak builds a better narrative, which feels less interrupted by the next issue.

As the story races to its climax and Storm sets up her plan to balance the clan's infighting, her strategy is undermined  by an interesting twist from Yukio. The overall story is a fine tribute to the relationship of Wolverine and Storm; it is fitting that Storm is attending to Wolverine's unfinished business in a manner that would please him. It echoes the gentler and more thoughtful man encased in an adamantium shell that we saw, not the berserker Wolverine was once known as.

Storm #5 continues a strong art run by Victor Ibanez and Ruth Redmond. This issue also sees Craig Yeung pick up some work on the inking process with Ibanez. The inks have a heavy set feature against Redmond's colors. The earthy tone and feel is carried over from earlier issues, as the backdrop of a desert setting plays host to many of the scenes. Redmond plays with a lot of brown and red as the setting turns from a brazen twilight through to the dark of night. As we have seen, Ibanez shows a lot of emotion, with careful attention to facial depiction and anatomical structure. It is the nuances of a character's face and the intentional but fleeting gesture of an arm or shoulder that carries a lot in the art of Storm.

Storm prepares for battle.

As a combined package, the creators on Storm impress each issue. This is a monthly book I look forward to picking up and savoring the reading experience. Some Marvel solicitations are seeing the end of some fine runs of both art and storytelling, but I certainly hope Storm bucks that trend and can go on strongly.

Make sure if you aren't already, you stick this one on your pull list and your local comic book shop and then as always come and let us know what you think, by leaving a comment below.

Every once in a while I'll take a chance on a comic book that catches my attention even if I've heard nothing about it before. I did this with Image Comics' Revival once; I'd never heard anything about that amazing supernatural crime thriller before seeing the cover to issue #1 at my local comic book shop, and I decided, "What the heck? It's only five issues in, so let's give it a shot." I've since been following the series (and you should, too). Another series I did the same with is from an even smaller and largely unknown publisher: Unlikely Heroes Studios, whose sole comic book series, Super!, really impressed me in an unlikely fashion.

Just recently, the publisher released the very first five-issue volume of their digital-only series (available only on comiXology) by creators Zack Dolan, Justin Piatt, Everado Orozco, and a handful of inkers including mainstay Laurie Foster as a printed hardcover trade collection. Fans of superheroes, I urge you to pick this book up. You won't be disappointed.

The series follows a ragtag team of amateur superheroes and their struggle to make a name for themselves in Cosmopolis, a city filled to the brim with superheroes and villains, against the immense popularity of the legacy supergroup, the People's Champions. Each issue explores a different member of the underdog group, which includes the no-shit-taken power woman, Blitz; the quip-tacular and hot-headed Furious Fire Ant; the mysterious and short-tempered Silhouette; the megalomaniacal and genius Professor Max Archer; the über-patriotic and gun-toting Blood Death; the Hulk-like, lightweight Unquenchable Lush; the nude speedster Streak; and the size-changing Super Sentai lovechild, Adventure Man Zero.

Ah, this reminds me of taking on Nemesis in City of Heroes…everything is a Nemesis plot!

The team, though they all have the best (and sometimes selfish) intentions, always ends up fleeing the scene of a big battle whenever the law comes around or an angry casino owner demands repayment for the damage they cause. Whenever things seem to be finally going their way, though, their thunder is unavoidably undermined by the People's Champions. On top of all of that, they make themselves their own archenemies out of the supervillain cabal, the Fearsome Fivesome—another group of underdogs trying to make a name for themselves and lead by the Black Atom, who secretly has a close connection with Blitz.

What really turned me onto this series from issue #1 was something that took me a few moments to put my finger on. At first glance, the series looks like just another ambitious superhero comedy book that would just drown in the sea of other greater titles like The Amazing Spider-Man or Batman. However, there is a very special kind of love woven into every word and panel that turns Super! into a superhero genre love letter. It also reminds me a lot of the late and great City of Heroes, the superhero MMORPG from Paragon Studios and NCSOFT. Much in the way of the fan-created video game projects City of Titans (formerly The Phoenix Project), Valiance Online, and others, this comic was created in part by a CoH veteran (Dolan, who even once played as Blitz and Fire Ant and was a huge fan of the game's character creator) and possesses many similar themes to the game's canon, including a Paragon City in the form of Cosmopolis and a legacy group like the Freedom Phalanx.


I can't say enough how much I enjoy Super!, and I get the feeling that the series and its creators can go very far with enough support. The studio originally launched two Kickstarters—the first for producing the series' first issue and the second to fund their merchandising department and for creating the volume one hardcover—and will be starting up a Patreon campaign in the near future to continue funding more issues beyond their first volume. Follow Unlikely Heroes Studios at their website, on Twitter, on Facebook, or on their YouTube channel for updates and to learn how to contribute to the success of this truly deserving comic book series. Visit their website to order your copy of volume one or read the first five issues digitally on comiXology, which you can find here.

Now I can't properly close out one of my infamous comic book reviews without a rating, right? Super! Volume 1 gets 5 stars out of 5 for both the writing and art and a big "Good luck and Godspeed!" from me. What are you waiting for? Read more comics and discover new stories and creators! If you've read Super! before, what were your thoughts? Are you a CoH refugee such as myself, and did you get the same Paragon City vibe I did? Let us know in the comments section below!

Phew, what an issue! Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself here. Welcome back to my review series of the increasingly superb Marvel comic book series, Moon Knight. What started out as seemingly disconnected microecosystems made into comic book issues has—as you can now tell if you've been following the series or my reviews—started to show their integrated skeletal system of a larger plot. The biggest lure for fans of the series when it started out was Warren Ellis and company's masterful weaving of the one-shot story, but after his and Declan Shalvey's departure from the book, writer Brian Wood and artists Greg Smallwood and Jordie Bellaire have kicked it into high gear as they steer the series into a different, albeit equally satisfying mode of storytelling.

Moon Knight #9 unveils a little bit more of the new creative team's master plan by revisiting the mystery of Marc Spector's psychiatrist—now given a name: Dr. Wahalla. In issue #7, the Silver Avenger discovered an assassination plot against foreign General Aliman Lor—a former despot of the small African nation of Akima—headed by none other than Dr. Wahalla. Then in issue #8, Dr. Wahalla knowingly sabotaged Moon Knight's heroism during the Freedom Tower hostage situation by informing the police of Marc's psychological imbalance, which subsequently landed Moon Knight on the police's most wanted list. In this issue, Marc confronts Dr. Walhalla during a hypnotherapy session by exploring her past history with General Lor and her motivations with betraying Moon Knight. The good doctor is not what she seems, though, and Marc's own tactics quickly backfire on him, leading to a shocking twist in Moon Knight history.

Wood played an interesting game with this issue as it mostly took part during the hypnotherapy session, which opened up a fun dynamic between Marc and Dr. Walhalla. Marc begins the dialogue in the issue by turning the tables on his psychiatrist so that throughout the entire issue both Marc and Dr. Walhalla are psychoanalyzing each other. It turns into a real cat-and-cat game (much like the intellectual games Light and L play with one another in Death Note, if I may make the comparison) that intrigues until the very end when Wood throws a curve ball into the mix that leaves the reader's mouth agape in awe.

On the art side, this issue feels very much like what we got when Shalvey and Bellaire were tangoing across the pages. I feel as if Smallwood's style for this series has evolved since his series debut in issue #7, and it seems as though he is quickly finding his groove with Bellaire as they begin to dish out a thematically similar style to the previous team's. When comparing the artworks of issue #1, #7, and #9 side-by-side-by-side, you can definitely tell that Smallwood is starting to shape up into the next Shalvey in this series. This is great news, since Shalvey and Bellaire's synchronicity helped to sell the book just as much as Ellis' writing and stardom did. This may be the closest thing Marvel has ever done to catching lightning in a bottle twice, and hopefully we'll get another six—or even more, ideally—issues to this ceaselessly impressive series.

This was one of the most important and powerful panels in the issue.

Moon Knight #9 receives five stars out of five for both the writing and art. What more can I say? I was not disappointed with this issue or any other beforehand. How would you rate this issue, and how would you compare the new team's run to the old one's? Do you think Wood, Smallwood, and Bellaire have a chance at securing this series' staying power? Let us know in the comments section below, and continue following Fanboys Anonymous for more Moon Knight reviews!

It's Carnage Hour once more, featuring the bloody, the macabre, the Carnage-Man! Ah, you gotta love the dark humor of this series. Welcome back to my review series on Marvel AXIS tie-in miniseries, AXIS: Carnage. Today I'll be reviewing the second of three issues, so sit back in your desk chair, turn off the world, and turn on the chaos!

In the last issue, Carnage began his solo career as a hero by saving a hooker from her abusive pimp and opportunistic news anchor Alice Gleeson from the new and supernatural serial killer, the Sin Eater. It's been a tough road for the former symbiotic serial killer known as Cletus Kasady since Doctor Doom and Scarlet Witch's inversion spell changed his morality; he's had to learn restraint and cull his bloodlust in an insane effort to become a superhero to make amends for his multitude of past sins. To help him learn to become the hero he's driven to be, Carnage kidnapped Alice in the last issue, convinced that a reputable news anchor such as herself could help him become good.

In this issue, writer Rick Spears and artists Germán Peralta and Rain Beredo give us a glimpse of an altered version of Cletus' past which shaped him into the serial killer he became while trying to give it a heroic spin to explain Cletus' new motivation. What's interesting to note is that Carnage has subconsciously inserted Alice into his memories as a sort of muse that inspires key moments in his history. The way the creative team works her into his history leads me to believe that Cletus' impression of Alice is beyond inspirational—perhaps he's harboring deeper feelings for his kidnappee? This would be an intriguing development especially when considering that the only other person Carnage has ever been extremely close with was Shriek, his frequent partner-in-crime.

Now, now, Carnage. We don't need a relapse of your Superior days.

Another interesting development that is revealed in this issue is the Sin Eater's connection to Emil Gregg, the serial confessor who was linked to the first Sin Eater and Venom's origin. We find out what Emil has been doing during the Sin Eater's recent inquisition, which creates even more questions regarding the new Sin Eater's identity. As for the rest of the issue, we're given yet another joyride of Carnage attempting and partially failing at being a hero as Alice uses her kidnapping as an opportunity to advance her career.

Spears' writing is just downright fantastic for Carnage and this series. Not many can pull of a true Carnage comic, but he's definitely one of my favorite Carnage writers now—and that's saying something coming from an avid symbiote fan! Both Peralta and Beredo's art synergy is very reminiscent of one of my favorite artistic pairs, Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire (Moon Knight), which gains them bonus points for appealing to my own taste in modern superhero comic art. There isn't much more that can be said that I've already covered in my last review.

That's not how it works! That's not how any of this works!

AXIS: Carnage #2 gets 5 stars out of 5 for the writing and 4.5 stars out of 5 for the art (a half point down because of the same gripes I had with the last issue). What did you think of this issue? Who do you think the new Sin Eater is? Can Carnage really pull off being a hero? Let us know in the comments section below, and continue following Fanboys Anonymous for more comic reviews by yours truly. Also, check out The Venom Site for all of your symbiote news, reviews, and point-of-views, plus its blog, A Dose of Venom, for a chance to win a Marvel Legends Agent Venom action figure during its Symbiotic Holiday Giveaway!

On episode 7 of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast, the panel reviews the latest installment of the Katniss Everdeen story by discussing The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1.

The panel breaks down what worked in the film (Hit) as well as what didn't (Miss).

You can check out the podcast below on YouTube, iTunes, and Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe!