Carney Talks Spider-Man Musical

Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Marvel Comics,

In a much-too-long YouTube video, musician Reeve Carney talks about donning the red and blue bodysuit for Broadway.

“We just wanted to get up here on YouTube today to tell you something important to us, and to maybe some people who are fans of certain comic books. Okay, basically, let’s cut to the chase—we wanted to confirm the rumors going around the internet today that I, Reeve Carney, will in fact be playing Peter Parker, the amazing Spider-Man, in the Broadway production of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.”

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Marvel Comics Review: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #4

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, Marvel Comics,

Rating: ****

Another great issue by Brian Michael Bendis. The artwork is good too with artist David LaFuente. I complained before about how I thought Peter Parker looked like he was 12 years old instead of 16, but that doesn’t really bother me all that much. The way he tells the story panel-to-panel is reminiscent of Mark Bagley’s work on the original Ultimate Spider-Man title. I think LaFuente is becoming more the true air to the title than Stuart Immonen. No disrespect to Immonen, but I think both Bagley and LaFuente’s styles are better fit for the characters than Immonen. I hope LaFuente stays around for a while.

Bendis continues his masterful run on the Spider-Man character, which began almost 10 years ago. It’s always fascinating to see a writer stay with a character for that long and see the amount of different stories they can tell.

In typical Bendis fashion, the plot is moving along slowly, but you’re not bored. It’s like having a fine meal and you’re slowly enjoying yourself. So far Peter is still dealing with his new house guest the Human Torch and the drama of dealing with his past and current girlfriends Mary Jane and Gwen. The villain is still Mysterio and this new hooded superhero that first appeared in issue one makes another appearance. Is this new character an Ultimate version of the Hood - the villain Bendis is using over in Avengers? Maybe the Hood is a hero in the Ultimate universe.

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Marvel Comics Review: Amazing Spider-Man #603

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, Marvel Comics,

Rating: ***

The return of the Chameleon continues. In the last issue of Amazing Spider-Man, the Chameleon captured Peter Parker and stole his identity—it appears as if Peter has also been killed. This issue follows the Chameleon as he impersonates Peter Parker. The Chameleon goes about Peter’s life discovering all of things that make Peter tick, from his new job working for J Jonah Jameson to his relationship with Mary Jane. He also decides to take advantage of the situation as he ends up sleeping with Peter’s roommate Michelle Gonzales. How that will all play out when the real Peter Parker returns should be interesting.

Although this isn’t the real Peter sleeping with Michelle, it still bothers me to see Peter hooking up with another woman—it’s like he’s cheating on MJ. I hope that they eventually put them back together; there’s too much history there for them not to be together.

“Peter’s” first Jameson assignment is to take pictures of Jonah with the returning war hero Flash Thompson. Since I haven’t been reading Spider-Man until recently, this was all new to me as far as Flash goes. I like that they’ve made him into a veteran and have him disabled—this adds something new to the character that can bring about some great drama.

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Marvel Comics Review: Amazing Spider-Man #602

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, Marvel Comics,

Rating: ***

Another okay issue of Amazing Spider-Man.  After getting back into reading Spider-Man with Amazing Spider-Man Annual #36, I was looking forward to a lot of good Spider-Man stories again.  However, since Amazing Spider-Man comes out three times a month, there are numerous writers who work on the book to keep this thing going.  So far Mark Waid didn’t thrill me last week and this week Fred Van Lente doesn’t wow me either - although I thought it was better than last week.

This issue is part one of the return of the Chameleon storyline.  In a very dark turn for the character, the Chameleon is preying on innocent nobodies in the city, creating a mask of their face to steal their identity and then lowering them down strapped to a chair into pit of acid where their flesh burns off their body.  Sick and cool at the same time.  I don’t remember the Chameleon being this evil.

Click to continue reading Marvel Comics Review: Amazing Spider-Man #602

Marvel Comics Review: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, Marvel Comics,

Rating: ****

Marvel’s Ultimate line of comic books began in the year 2000.  It was an attempt to get new and young readers on board without them having to jump in and figure out the years of confusing continuity that’s existed before.  I wasn’t collecting comics at the time when issue one of Ultimate Spider-Man came out, but I decided to pick up the first few issues.  I thought it was okay.  In my opinion, I think Ultimate Spider-Man really took off after the first story arc.  The comic lasted for over one hundred issues and there were some moments where I lost interest in the book.  I think I stopped collecting around the time Ultimate Moon Knight showed up.  However, I got back into the title when writer Brian Michael Bendis introduced his own take on the Clone Saga for the title.  I don’t know what it is about clones and Spider-Man that makes me go crazy.  The Clone Saga got me to pick up Ultimate Spider-Man again and now it’s done it again with the regular Spider-Man book.

After the Ultimate Clone Saga ended, I dropped the book and haven’t read it since.  With Ultimatum wrecking havoc in the Ultimate Universe, Marvel decided to cancel all of their Ultimate books and relaunch two of them with new number one issues.  So Ultimate Spider-Man is now Ultimate Comics Spider-Man and The Ultimates is now the Ultimate Comics Avengers.  So does Bendis deliver the goods once again with this new Ultimate Spidey title?  You betcha!

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Marvel Comics Review: Amazing Spider-Man #601

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, Marvel Comics,

Rating: ** 1/2*

As readers know from my postings here at Comix 411, I just recently began reading Amazing Spider-Man after a long absence.  I was turned off by the “Brand New Day” storyline and refused to collect Spider-Man.  Well, the latest Amazing Spider-Man annual got me interested in Spidey again after a great story revolving around Ben Reilly.  I also really enjoyed issue #600 of Amazing and was looking forward to this issue after we saw the return of Mary Jane at the end of #600.  Since Amazing Spider-Man began being published three times a month, we’ve had a revolving team of writers and artists.  In this issue we see Mark Waid take over the writing chores and, unfortunately, I was disappointed. 

Mark Waid has done some great comic book work in the past.  He’s the reason I love the characters of Captain America and the Flash (Wally West).  His stories and the development of these characters was amazing and textbook for what I consider good comic book writing.  Over the past few years, Mark Waid’s work hasn’t really interested me all that much.

The story opens up with Peter Parker in bed with a hangover from Aunt May’s wedding.  He notices that he’s not alone and instead of Mary Jane being in bed with him, he discovers that he slept with his roommate Michelle Gonzales.  Peter has no memory of their night together, which upsets her and results in her storming out.  Thinking that he no longer has a roommate or a place to live Peter spends half the time this issue trying to find a new place to live.  The other half is spent trying to remember when and where he was going to meet up with Mary Jane.  While at the wedding reception, Peter got up the courage to talk with her and they made a date to talk.

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Marvel Comics Review: Amazing Spider-man #600

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, Marvel Comics,

Rating: ****

After last week’s excellent Amazing Spider-Man Annual #36, I decided it was time to get back into Spider-Man.  For all of us fanboys who rant and rave about never collecting a title again because of something that is done to our favorite comic book character, I think very few of us are ever able to hold onto that promise.  Let’s face it, if it’s a good story and great artwork, we always come back and I’m sure that’s why Marvel had no problem making the “Brand New Day” decision a few years back because they knew we always come back. 

This issue of Amazing Spider-Man is of course a huge milestone as it’s the 600th issue of the title.  I know that the original title was canceled and this is part of the renumbering that was done a few years ago, but still it’s amazing (no pun intended) to see that Spider-Man continues to wow us after so many issues of Amazing and various other Spidey titles.

This issue marks the wedding of Peter Parker’s Aunt May and J. Jonah Jameson Sr.  The issue opens up with long-time Spider-villain Doctor Octopus talking with a doctor about all of the blunt force trauma he’s suffered over the years in fighting Spider-Man and various other heroes and villains in the Marvel Universe.  The prognosis?  He’s got about a year or so left to live.  With this news, Doc Ock decides that he must do something worthwhile before he dies.  Doc Ock decides to use his “brilliant” mind to benefit mankind.  He will use the technology that he has to enable him to control the city of NY.  He wants to make the trains run on time like Mussolini.  Gee thanks, Ock!

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Wood is Broadway’s Mary Jane

Posted by Todd Matthy Categories: Editorials, Reviews, Television, Marvel Comics,

It looks like Mary Jane’s dream to light up Broadway is about to come true.  Newsarama reports that Evan Rachel Wood (Thirteen) has been cast as the titular redhead in the upcoming “Spider-Man: The Musical”.

Yes, Virginia you read that right, a Spider-Man musical is coming with rehearsals set to begin in the summer of 2009.

Not much is known about the musical other than Julie Taymor who did “The Lion King” with music being composed by Bono and the Edge will produce the show.  Playbill reports that the musical will revolve around a female character called Arachne who is described as a “beautiful, boastful, young woman turned into a spider for her hubris and lack of respect for the gods” who will try to woo Peter Parker (and give Bond yet another forum to preach). The play will also feature Norman Osborn and J. Jonah Jameson as further thorns in the webhead’s side.
I really don’t know what to make of this. There hasn’t been a superhero musical since “It’s a Bird. It’s a Plane. It’s Superman” and if anyone doesn’t remember that play there’s a good reason - the two genres don’t mesh. Is Spidey going to sing zingers to J. Jonah Jameson? Will the final battle with the Green Goblin be a dance off? Most importantly, how are they going to do the web swinging?  Questions aside, I think Evan Rachel Wood would make a good Mary Jane. From what I’ve seen of “Across the Universe,” she has an okay voice. She could play Mary Jane in the movies if Kristen Dunst decides not to return. No one has been chosen for Peter at this time. Either way I’ll be in the cheap seats for this.

Read More | Newsarama