Most Anticipated of 2014

Counting down my most anticipated superhero and comic book shows of 2014. I should note, there are also a number of TV shows in the works like DC's Hourman and a slew of Marvel characters (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage ) for Netflix leading up to a Defenders miniseries. I have not included them on the list because they are still in pre-production mode, though surely I hope they see the light of day. I am also really looking forward to the Batman Beyond and Batman: Black and White DC shorts but have no idea if they will really be out this year or not. Anyways, away we go.

Onscreen History of Quicksilver

Pietro Maximoff AKA Quicksilver is about to get his big chance. The mutant child of Magneto and Marvel's arguably most famous speedster has made headlines recently after it was revealed he would be included in the highly anticipated Avengers 2. Just days later, it was revealed that plans were in the works for Quicksilver to also appear in Fox's X-Men: Days of Future Past. The dude is quick, but will he be able to handle two franchises at the once? He did it in the comics debuting in 1964's X-Men #4 and joining the Avengers in issue #16 just a year later. Lets take a sprint down memory lane and look at Quicksilver's previous forays into TV and  movies.

Superest Superhero Sequels

Its that time of year again. If there is one sure thing in life its that the summer will bring at least one superhero sequel - this year we can look forward to Iron Man 3, The Wolverine, and later in the year Thor: The Dark World. Will they be any good? Chances are yes, but here is the competition of the best superhero sequels ever made.

Onscreen History of Jean Grey (Phoenix)

The telepathic and telekinetic Marvel Girl Jean Grey made her debut in the pages of 1963's X-Men #1 as one of the original 5 X-Men, but she is possibly best known for becoming the villainous Dark Phoenix in the 1970s.

State of the Upcoming Marvel Movie Slate - 2013 and Beyond

Hoping to build on the success of Marvel's The Avengers which has eclipsed $600 million domestic (nearly $1.5 billion worldwide), movie production of properties based on Marvel characters are moving full steam ahead. Along with Marvel Studio's own post-Avengers Phase 2 plan, there are more movies in development for the X-Men franchise, Spider-Man, and a couple of other new kids on the block. With fresh Comic Con scoop, lets take a look at the current slate of Marvel movie's currently being churned out of the machine.

Bits of Tid from Avengers Season 2

Readers of the blog are probably aware of my DC bias, but there is still a soft spot in my heart for Marvel, particularly when it comes to the X-Men. So what do the X-Men have to do with The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes? Everything! And here is a sneak peak at Storm, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and a couple other upcoming guests.

Onscreen History of Storm

In 1975, the second wave of mutants were introduced in Giant-Size X-Men #1. Among the new characters being added to the team line-up were the previously introduced Wolverine and new characters Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Storm.The weather wielder Storm has gone on to become one of the most popular members of the X-Men.

Ranking Superhero Movie Theme Songs

The time has come to rank the top superhero movie themes of all time... well at least of the last 40 years. In order to make the cut, there were a few basic rules. 

1) The theme had to come from a movie. Sorry Wonder Woman, Justice League Unlimited, and Greatest American Hero, you will have to duke it out another day.

2) The original song couldn't just be in a superhero movie, but needed to be the actual theme music. Sorry Star Spangled Man.

3) The theme needed to be memorable, recognizable, and enjoyable. You may say "D'uh" but 2003's Hulk theme for example fit the character and can be easily recalled, but I don't ever desire to listen to it.   

And off we go...

Retrospective 2011 - Part 3

While May ushered in the summer season, things really got out of control in June and July with the release of two more Marvel movies, one from DC, the third Transformers, a direct to video movie tie in and a new live action series. 

X-Men: First Class

After X2, the X-Men franchise had been on the downward slide until X-Men: First Class attempted to reinvigorate the franchise. Even though some of the most popular mutants could not fit into the movie while maintaining series continuity, First Class still delivered an excellent story by adding depth to the characters of Magneto and Xavier. Perhaps due to ill will against previous X-Men films or because of the absence of Wolverine, the film failed to crack $150 million in the US. Still, good reviews and home video sales may be enough to ensure X-Men's second class get their deserved screen time in a sequel.

See X-Men's Deleted "Dragneto"

Entertainment Weekly has released a deleted scene from X-Men: First Class which had the Master of Magnetism, Magneto in drag. The full clip reveals that Dragneto was really just a mental projection by Professor X. Its a fun enough sequence, but I don't think it would have added too much to the film. Still, it wasn't any more over the top than Wolverine's cameo. You can also watch a snippet below:

No Disguising Transformers Weekend Victory

And just like that, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is on the board. After Independence Day, the domestic total sits at $181 million, already ahead of the Mighty Thor. The Trany's worldwide total still lags the thunder god's for the time being sitting at a pretty $391 million with lots of gas yet in the tank. Perhaps I should remove Transformers from this superhero race, since its going to rally skew the comparison of the other heroes.

I am having a hard time spinning Green Lantern's performance which has really tanked. At least it passed the $100 million mark and at least it passed The Green Hornet. Not a huge accomplishment granted, but at this point you have to take the small victories. I am not sure what is going on with the worldwide market, but hopefully some progress is made on that front to lessen the disaster.

The X-Men and Thor both continue to plod forward hoping to catch a few extra bucks before the First Avenger arrives in 2 more weeks.

Cars Nabs the Weekend Checkered Flag

Cars 2 raced into theaters this weekend easily coming int first with a $68 million take. What did that mean for the superhero films? Well, Green Lantern took a steep tumble, accruing just $18 million toward a $89 million cumulative take. X-Men mustered another $6.6 million and is still headed toward a sub $150 million finish. Thor continues its slow march toward $180 million. This upcoming week should be interesting with the Transformers launching a full on assault on the box office and the other films hopefully getting a 4th of July boost.

Green Lantern's Mildly Bright Box Office Take

Its pretty obvious to anyone reading this site that I have been pulling for Green Lantern to be a huge hit. Well, I will just cut to the chase and say that once again DC has failed to win over the mainstream in a way that Marvel has consistently done. And I was majorly off in my prediction.

I will concede that Green Lantern is a bit of a tough sell. Its full of odd creatures and zaniness that can easily seem goofy to the uninitiated. In addition, "Green Lantern" isn't really a guy but a title. This distinction fueled some people's confusion over why the movie Lantern, Hal Jordan, wasn't black like in the Justice League cartoon which focused on John Stewart. On the other hand, the Green Lantern comic as of late has consistently been DC's biggest seller. There are dozens of rich characters from which to draw and thousands of Green Lanterns. I had such high hopes that the movie would tap into the Green Lantern's potential. It kinda didn't. Additionally, it was massacred by the critics when it was really more along the lines of an X-Men 1 or Fantastic Four than a Catwoman or Jonah Hex. And despite what audiences heard, the movie looked amazing.

Anyway, GL opened to $52.6 million, less than Thor or X-Men: First Classes openings. Its still possible the movie could have an amazing run if it were to catch on with the family crowd, but even then $150 million is looking like a challenge at this point. The problem is that of the 3, Green Lantern was the most expensive. So, while calling this a flop is ridiculous, we have yet to see how this will affect DC's grand schemes to develop its own movie universe... I am sure there will be plenty to report on over the next weeks.

X-Men continues its pace in accord with X-Men (2000) looking at a $150 million finish. Thor continues to slowly lose its thunder maintaining a trajectory of $180+ million. How will Captain America fair in this super saturated summer? Stay tuned.

In Its Second Week, X-Men Out-Supered

In not terribly surprising news, X-Men: First Class dropped to second place for the weekend behind opener Super 8. The second weekend total of $25 million elevated the mutants to a $99 million domestic total to date, officially surpassing the total of The Green Hornet. The X-Men still has some gas in the tank, having kept nearly an even pace with the original X-Men film. Look for a finish close to $150 million. Thor continues to chug along. At nearly $174 million, Thor looks to peter out at about $180 million.

Next weekend, Green Lantern opens as a bit of a wild card. Images of the movie have been plastered everywhere, but some negative buzz has fed skeptics. Remember DC has a lot riding on this movie's success including plans for a Lantern Trilogy and a Flash franchise. My gut tells me it will do fair to good since it does look like it has potential for a broader audience than X-Men or Thor. It definitely looks more family friendly than X-Men, but whether or not that translates into camp is yet to be seen. I am keeping my fingers crossed for an opening around $65 million and a near $200 million finish.

Wolverine-less X-Men: First Class Declawed at the Box Office

Owing to the poor reputation of X-Men Origins: Wolverine along with the absence (almost) of Wolverine in this film, X-Men: First Class opened to a relatively soft $56 million. For comparison the original X-Men opened to $54 million 11 years ago. X-Men: The Last Stand, the series biggest earner, opened to $102 million in 2006. What this means is that X:Men: First Class may struggle to keep the X- Franchise alive in its current form in spite of favorable reviews. Perhaps producers should offer up a true reboot rather than trying to have their cake and eat it too with an in-continuity (kind of) pseudo reboot/prequel without most of the fan favorite mutants.

The opening positions X-Men behind Thor for opening weekend take and places the mutants on a trajectory to finish behind Thor, just like I predicted. Thor scooped up another $4 million lifting its domestic total to $169 million.

See the X-Men First Class Mutant Cameo

A little birdie told me Wolverine was in X-Men: First Class after all, or at least James Howlett was. It may be pre-Weapon X and pre-amnesia but he was still a cigar chomping, f-bomb dropping, liquor drinking, no nonsense mutie.

Introducing Miss and Mrs. Mystique

Be on the look-out for a surprise cameo by the original older, original Mystique in X-Men: First Class.

Spotlight on Sebastian Shaw

Sebastian Shaw, leader of the Hellfire Club in which he is known as the Black King, first appeared in 1980's Uncanny X-Men #129. Not to be confused with Ariel the Mermaid's crustacean friend, this Sebastian has the ability to convert kinetic energy into strength.


The appropriately black haired Shaw first appeared in X-Men the animated series' epic telling of the Dark Phoenix saga in which the Hellfire Club was known as the more kid friendly Inner Circle. Along with Emma Frost the White Queen, Selene Gallio the Black Queen, Harry Leland the Black Bishop, and Donald Pierce the White King, Shaw unwisely attempted to tap the Phoenix force buried within Jean Grey.

Once again not knowing when to leave well enough alone, Shaw and the Hellfire Club were next seen in 2008's Wolverine and the X-Men where once again they attempted to harness the Phoenix force.


Finally, in 2011 Shaw (played by Kevin Bacon) and his Hellfire Club will be front and center in X-Men: First Class. In the film, the club consisting of Shaw, Emma Frost, Azazel, and Riptide find themselves at odds with Magneto and Chuck's young X-Men.

Onscreen History of Magneto

Magneto, the Master of Magnetism first appeared in 1963's X-Men #1 squaring off against Professor X's first class of X-Men.

"Magneto" made his onscreen debut a few year later in the 1967 Spider-Man series... or did he? Although a magnetic villain named Magnet-o did seek revenge on the Web-Head in "The Revenge of Dr. Magneto," he bore a closer resemblance to Albert Einstein than the helmet wearing baddie we all love to hate.

In 1978, Magneto (now with helmet) took on the H.E.R.B.I.E. incarnation of the Fantastic Four. He was foiled by a wooden gun.

In 1981, Magneto paid a pair of visits to the amazing Spider-Man, first horning in on Spidey's solo series.

Magneto crashed Spidey's party for a third time later in 1981 on the Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends series.

In 19889's Pryde of the X-Men pilot, Magneto finally faced off against the X-Men along with new recruit Kitty Pryde.

Magneto played an on-again off-again adversarial role against the X-Men in the 1992 animated series, though Magneto tended more often than not to team up with Professor X's team against common enemies.

Beginning in 2000, Magneto of the X-Men live action trilogy was similarly portrayed as an enemy to the X-Men only as much as they got in his way. Not believing that humans and mutants could peacefully coexist, Magneto sought to eradicate homo sapiens, but he was more than willing to enlist the aid of the X-Men to preserve the lives of mutants.

Although Magneto started off as a major adversary to the X-Men in 2000's X-Men Evolution, as the series progressed they settled some differences to prevent the rise of Apocalypse.

In 2008's Wolverine and the X-Men, Magneto was the leader of the mutant country Genosha.

2009's Super Hero Squad Show gave Magneto and his kids Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver the spotlight in Hexed, Vexed, and Perplexed.

The 2011 prequel X-Men: First Class will return to the roots of the schism between Professor X and Magneto explaining the events that drove Magneto off of the X-Men team.

Onscreen History of Beast

Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy better known simply as Beast first appeared in 1963's X-Men #1 along side other founding X-Men Marvel Girl Jean Grey, Cyclops, Angel, and Iceman. Although he was originally just acrobatic and strong, Beast later developed a much more beastly appearance.


Beast's onscreen debut occurred in 1966 during an episode of The Sub-Mariner that ran as part of The Marvel Super Heroes animated series. Although the series primarily adapted stories directly from the page to screen, the X-Men filled in for the Fantastic Four during this particular adaptation.

A still hairless Beast next appeared briefly during a flashback of The Origin of Iceman, a second season episode of the 1981 Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends series.

Finally blue and ready for business, Beast was a main player in the 1992 X-Men animated series. Unfortunately, Hank spent most of the first season locked away in prison.

In 1995, the Beast from the X-Men series made a crossover appearance along with his fellow X-Men on a two-part tale during the Spider-Man animated series.

Although Beast did not appear during the disastrous 1999 Avengers: United They Stand series, a portrait of the furry fellow could be spotted by eagle eyed viewers in the Remnants episode.

Dr. McCoy's transformation into the perma-Beast was one of the plot elements of the animated X-Men Evolution series in 2000.

While originally the intention was for Beast to be included in the first live-action X-Men movie, his character was cut out. When X2: X-Men United premiered in 2003, even though Beast was still not included in the cast, fans were treated to a Easter Egg in which the mutant scientist was briefly seen on television advocating for mutants.

Oh my stars and garters! Finally, in 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand, Beast got an official onscreen treatment fighting along side his former X-Men teammates.

Beast was once again spotted in the 2008 Wolverine and the X-Men series. In this series, Beast took a leading role, second only to Wolverine as the leader of the reformed X-Men team.

The X-Men Anime series which is set to debut in the US later in 2011 also features Beast, notably combining a more feline take on the character seen in more recent comics with the traditional simian form.

2011's X-Men: First Class will present the transformation of Beast from simple nerd to full blue form for the first time in live action.

By movie's end, Beast will have transformed into the lovable and refined hairball that we all know and love - set to steal the show in potential Wolverineless sequels.