September 2026 is Moving Along with Some News and Links

We are in the swing of September, and a variety of interesting things have already occurred as of late. Let's discuss some...

Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo yesterday. It seems cool and is a potentially big metaphorical swing for the company. There is an outer screen that looks like a more standard iPhone, but then it folds open like a little book to reveal a bigger screen--it has been compared to popping open a passport. Other (new) folding phones have been around for a bit in the Android sphere of tech, but this is Apple's first foray into a folding phone. This seems to be a bit of a bridge between an iPhone and an iPad Mini. I'm intrigued, but upon hearing that it will cost a dollar less than 2 grand, I'll pass for now. The first generation of Apple products tends to be quite pricey, and later versions that eventually come out are a bit less exorbitant.

Also in tech news, Hideo Kojima is a game developer who has worked closely with Sony for decades, but now he's jumping over to Microsoft--their Xbox console, specifically. A tweet from Sony made it appear as if everyone is on good terms, while Kojima discussed on social media how Sony pulled the plug on his studio's game, "Physint," back in June. He described how everyone had scrambled to find a new partner up until now. Sony says any parting of ways was mutual; Kojima's version sounds more like a bitter breakup where Sony did him wrong. Between this, Sony dropping physical discs from their new console, and just recently arguing in court that gamers don't, "Own," digital purchases, I'd say Sony is having a rough 2026 in terms of optics.

The upcoming, "Avengers: Doomsday," has a lot riding on it for Marvel (and owner Disney). It simultaneously looks kind of cool and as if everything but the kitchen sink is being thrown out there in the hopes of a big hit flick. One encouraging sign of success is that it has already made about 50 million dollars in pre-sale tickets, with three-ish months still to go until the premiere on December 18th. Considering how much was spent making the movie (and will continue to be spent to promote it), that's probably a drop in the bucket, but a promising one.

"The Fury of Firestorm," was solicited as a six-issue mini-series by Jeff Lemire and Rafael de Latorre. It was really good and a hit. Hence, it grew to eight, nine, and now 15 total planned issues! It is interesting, in a time when Marvel seems to cancel stuff before it can really get going, that DC chooses to expand certain series.

In WTF-styled political news, Donald Trump recently claimed that if Republicans can take the House and the Senate in November, he'll make sure every American gets $5,000. Putting aside how it sounds like a weird bribe, the question of where this money would come from, and how we're all still waiting on our DOGE checks and Tariff refunds...what? I mean, if someone were a Republican or Democrat and made the statement that if I vote for their party and the candidates they like, I'll be given money, I'd be incredibly disturbed by the implication that someone thinks they can outright buy my vote--whether the way they're going about it is legal or not.

Finally, I continue to miss The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which was canceled for purely financial reasons--right? I kind of recall fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel said he felt concerned when The Late Show went off the air--alluding to it feeling like the first domino of many falling, or such. Well, now there are ample rumors swirling that, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" could be canceled and end in May of 2027. ABC released a statement that carefully avoided actually stating that the reports were incorrect. At this rate, anyone who dares to question the Trump administration via jokes that point out how much of a buffon he is seems to be in danger of losing their platform--lest the big companies who broadcast the shows suffer any financial strain from a vengeful and idiotic White House. It makes me worry Seth Meyers' show could be in trouble as well, sooner rather than later. Jimmy Fallon will probably be fine, as over the years he's become increasingly spineless and boring to watch.

I'm Glad Daniel Way is Happy. That Said, I Wouldn't Mind if He Wrote Comics Again

Daniel Way wrote a lot of comics in a short-ish period of time. From 2000 through 2013 or so, he did a ton of writing, especially for Marvel. Some of the bigger books included but were not limited to, 'Wolverine: Origins," "Deadpool," "Venom," "Ghost Rider," and one of my favorite works of his, "Supreme Power: Nighthawk." Toward the end of his tenure with Marvel, he did a chunk of a, "Thunderbolts," run and then shifted into works for other publishers at a much slower rate. He wrote for, "Crossed," from Avatar Press and some other stuff in 2014, scripted a, "Hit-Girl," mini-series in 2019, and did a little Deadpool yarn in a 30th anniversary special comic in 2021. That was it. He basically disappeared from comics in terms of writing any after that. He was practically everywhere for a decade and some change, then once we hit 2015...little to nothing (zero comics after 2021). I was curious if he was alright, and thankfully he is, and seems pretty happy!

In 2024, Bleeding Cool's Rich Johnston was also wondering, "Whatever happened to...Daniel Way?" It turns out in 2016 he cofounded Geekcraft Expo, a comic-con-styled take on craft fairs. He is also the frontman for the band, "Gamma Gamma Ray," which plays at many of the Geekcraft Expos. He seems to (intentionally) have almost zero social media presence outside of a semi-official Facebook fan page that hasn't been updated since 2018, except for now linking to Geekcraft Expo.

To Way's credit, the Geekcraft Expo events remain popular,  happening in a mix of cities in varying months, with one having occurred in Saint Louis this past July, of all places! I actually was aware we had a geek-centric craft show held in our city on occasion, but had zero idea it was the one that Way founded! From the little I can find specifically about him on the internet, he's grown a family that he lives with in Hawaii when not doing the Geekcraft Expos. I wonder if a comic writing opportunity came along that was just right, if he'd be interested in scripting something? For now, he seems semi-retired from that particular part of, "Geekdom," even if he's quite active in other aspects.

Upper Deck ePack, Trading Card, “Breaks,” and the Question of Just What the Future Holds for Sport and Nonsport Cards

It started in early 2024, or so. I didn’t follow any sports besides Hockey, and figured I would dabble in hockey sports cards. I’d mainly collected some nonsport cards at other times in my life, such as superheroes (I’ve always loved comics) or things that were funny, such as the Garbage Pail Kids. I saw on some internet forum/Reddit/Twitter/whatever that because Upper Deck was the sole company with a hockey license, you could buy the physical boxes and packs in stores or do this thing called, “ePack.” It was a way to buy the cards online–but not some weird digital card/currency. You couldn’t do much with, “Base,” cards, but could always mail any inserts home. Plus, you could easily trade with anyone on the site–no more waiting for mail or worrying someone will flake and rip you off! Plus, besides the hockey, there was nonsport from X-Files to James Bond, Marvel (then, when Topps got Marvel, Upper Deck started doing DC-themed stuff), and more. Almost any boxes in stores (that were Upper Deck-branded) could also have packs, boxes, or a whole case bought online; how great! Right?

A great infographic from a Nova Scotia organization.

Let’s take a step back and talk about slot machines. They are designed to make you want to keep playing. You get a bad spin and mumble to yourself, “One more try.” You get a big win and say, “Well, now I’m on a hot streak!” It is gambling, and the lights, sounds, and so forth make you want to keep playing as well. Trading cards are gambling-adjacent to a degree, no matter what some claim. People buy a pack or box, rip it open, and hope they get something good. Perhaps to trade, sell, or keep. Unless you only buy singles or sets online, if you ever buy a pack or box with nothing more than the hope some odds are in your favor, you’re engaging in a gamble. Once you open up your cards, however, you’re done. Now, what happens when you combine the thrilling sights and sounds of the slot machine with trading cards? A perfectly addictive and patented process (Topps can't do it) cocktail known as ePack.

If you pull a card most would subjectively consider, “Good,” on ePack, it will glow red and make a sound effect. With hockey, it is the horn of a goal; with nonsport cards,  it is a bit like a triumphant symphony. It is easy for some to buy a pack or back, digitally, “Rip,” it and be done. However, what if you rip a pack or two and get nothing? All you have to do is charge your credit card the price of another pack (which can vary immensely depending on the set) and see what happens. Then again. Maybe once more, because at this point you’re chasing something, anything. Perhaps you do get a, “Flasher,” and a sound effect, but it is not that great of a card. You could keep going, and before you know it, about an hour has passed where you just dropped a few hundred dollars on thirty bucks worth of cards–that you’d have to ship home to then list! That, or you can transfer the cards to a digital storefront also associated with ePack, who takes a cut of your profits as well, of course.

It adds up quickly.

If you’re not big on using the internet for much more than checking in on family or reading the news, this all sounds complicated and unwieldy to have these digital-but-physical cards, and it is! When you sit and think about it logically, the only benefit to ePack is that you’re saving space with thousands of cards in some warehouse instead of your house, and trading stuff is a bit easier with its little trading marketplace. Otherwise, it is a hassle to get the cards in your actual hands. That’s logic, however. Once you get that first amazing, “Grail,” card, sensibility melts away. You put another twenty in the trading card slot machine and hope luck is on your side. As with all gambling, however, the, “House,” eventually wins.

Spend even more money and get extra bonus cards as thanks for the debt!

You don’t end up totally empty-handed when you do ePack. You always get some trading cards, and you can get cool ones! Autographed cards, sketch cards, and so forth. The thing is, outside of a small number of ePack-exclusive sets and pricey, “Achievements,” for acquiring certain cards…you generally can buy a physical pack/box/whatever of the thing you like for cheaper. It is the ease of access where you just hop on your computer and smartphone that is the, “Blessing,” that is more of a curse for those with an addictive personality. You don’t have to find a liquor store like with booze. You don’t need to be 21 and go to a casino, or be in a state with legal online gambling, because this is totally not gambling, right? I mean, never mind the sounds and flashing when you, “Win.”

Bye bye money.

From 2024 through 2025, I spent more than I should have on ePack. I didn’t drive my family to bankruptcy, but I was irresponsible. I had to talk with my wife and other loved ones about how it was becoming an issue. I quit at the start of 2026 for a good six months, and tried to dabble in it just a little this Summer, but saw there was no way for myself to just barely engage in it when there was always some sale, promotion, or cool new metaphorically shiny thing to pursue. I am not opposed to ePack for those who find it easier to do or like the social aspect of it. I met some really nice and cool folks I am still friends with whilst doing ePack–and some of them quit it as well eventually or still enjoy it with healthy moderation of their spending. For me, however, ePack doesn’t make sense. I don’t have the funds for it, it takes up a ton of my time, and the fact that it is so easy (too easy) to open a browser and rack up a big ol’ credit card bill in less than an hour is worrisome too–for me at least. 

"Breaks," are getting to be a big thing.

One thing that nags at me about ePack, though, is whether it's a niche of the trading card industry or a sign of what is to come with the gamification of sports cards, especially, but nonsport to a degree as well? For those of you who seek out the newer releases of stuff and aren’t just buying the older sets, you’ve probably seen, “Breaks,” on Facebook, the Whatnot app, eBay Live, or other spots online. People buy dibs/a reservation of sorts on a specific character/insert/whatever, and when the, “Breaker,” opens a box or case, should that person/character get pulled, the person who purchased the mere chance of such a card gets it. Yes, someone could spend a bunch of money to guarantee they get any cards with, say, Wolverine in a new Topps Marvel set, only to find nothing gets pulled they put up all that cash towards. I, personally, think breaking is inane, even more equivalent to gambling (it is currently a legal gray area), and even worse than ePack. You may as well simply throw your money down a sewer drain. Some card companies, the aforementioned Topps especially, have really embraced this, “Trend,” however. 

He makes some good points.

We’ve got Upper Deck with ePack, Topps with breakers, and the whole idea of trading cards has become less about, “Trading,” to make a fun little set and more about, “Winning,” some notable card that you can sell for a big payday. It all starts to sound more like buying a lottery ticket and praying for the best than it does a hobby about actually, you know, collecting! Is this how sport and nonsport card collecting changes with the times, or does it create a new bubble reminiscent of the, “Junk Wax,” era of the 90’s–for all cards, not just sports? Some may say, “Card collecting needs to evolve, sports and nonsport.” Sure, but is this an evolution, or does it put the hobby on a path to extinction?

Shoutout to Jesus for getting me a pack!
I'm not making a silly joke either; it is his name.

I still enjoy buying a pack or box of nonsport cards when they’re inexpensive (getting rarer and rare these days) and something that interests me. I was excited when a friend picked up a promotional pack of, “DC Absolute Universe,” cards at the latest Comic-Con International/SDCC and sold them to me for retail plus shipping. It was something I liked, for a good price, with little worry about it having any kind of big resale value or such. Is buying a card/some cards for cheap simply because you enjoy them an outdated idea now, however? Will sports cards manage to, “Flourish,” in this new gaming-styled ecosystem, but us nonsport folks will see our hobby fade away except for the handful of fandoms (superheroes)  that lend themselves to gambling-style methods of breaks or ePack? 

Is a market like this sustainable?

As for me, I quit ePack and refuse to ever, “Invest,” in a break. I know that I would love to see more people in their teens or twenties getting into nonsport cards (besides Pokémon) and picking up a publication like, “The Wrapper,” as I've discussed before, to learn fun facts about nonsport cards, do physical trades, and build relationships with other collectors. There has to be a happy medium in all this where everybody enjoys the hobby in their own way; I just have no clue how that happens. Do you? 

Film Friday: Superhero Movie Actors Who Did a Good Job With Weak Material

On occasion, I will think of an actor who nailed their role as a superhero or villain but just didn't have the best material to work with. They're great, but everything else around them is just not at the same level. From past to more recent...

Michael Clarke Duncan as the Kingpin in, "Daredevil."

"Daredevil," is a mediocre movie. You are forgiven for forgetting it came out back in 2003. Even the R-rated Director's Cut edition is merely an improvement upon an already, "Meh," foundation. That said, Duncan was always an incredible actor whether being comedic, serious, or coming across as one of the most imposing and intimidating Marvel villains around. A number of amazing actors have shown their skill with the Kingpin, and I'd argue Vincent D'Onofrio deserves his accolades for what he did with great material and Duncan should be applauded for all he did with so little to work with. If we'd gotten a sequel and Duncan were still with us perhaps they could've built on how great he was and had less of Ben Affleck's so-so Mattt Murdock. More on Affleck in a minute, however.

William Hurt as, Thaddeus, "Thunderbolt," Ross in Various Marvel Productions

This one isn't exactly Marvel's fault so much as it is our own human mortality. William Hurt was fantastic as Thunderbolt Ross in one of the decent-but-weaker early Marvel films, "The Incredible Hulk," in 2008. When Edward Norton's Bruce Banner was recast with Mark Ruffalo, a lot of that movie seemed to be disregarded for years. However, eventually Hurt did reappear as Ross in a new role working with the UN during Marvel's, "Captain America: Civil War," and had a small presence in, "Infnity War," "Endgame," and all the way up to the 2021 prequel, "Black Widow." Clearly, Marvel had further plans for Ross, but in 2022, William Hurt passed due to complications from cancer. Hence, when Ross popped back up again with a major role (President of the United States) in, "Captain America: Brave New World," he was now portrayed by Harrison Ford. Ford is an amazing actor, but I wish the slow-burn that had been Hurt as Ross could have truly paid off with him still as Ross all those years later.

Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman in, "Batman V. Superman," "Justice League," and so forth

I did not hate Zack Snyder's take on the DC Universe; I enjoyed it to a solid degree. I also see it had immense flaws, and I look at the so-called Snyderbros who hate anything done with the DC Universe since Snyder left (or was fired, depending on whom you ask) and wonder what they see in these flicks to consider them masterpieces. That said, Ben Affleck did a remarkably solid job with a shaky interpretation of Bruce Wayne AKA Batman. He had a good mix of pathos, snark, and calculated rage. He just lacked much to do with it.

Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel in Various Marvel Productions

Marvel and the general fandom really did Brie Larson dirty. This woman had won an Academy Award for the superb (but terribly depressing) movie, "Room," and was scooped up by Marvel to star in the first female-starring solo production in the franchise. The movie was fine. Then, besides having a remarkably small role in, "Infinity War," and, "Endgame," plus being relegated to serving as part of a trio with the first MCU box-office bomb, "The Marvels," she hasn't been given much to do. She tried, ya'll. I think between not being given that great of material and the astounding amount of hate and harassment she received from, "Fans," that Larson could very well be ready to wash her hands of any Marvel movie business. I wouldn't be surprised if she requested to be quickly killed off in, "Avengers: Doomsday," so she can go perform where her talents are appreciated.

Star Wars and Marvel's Heroes Are (Officially) Meeting for the First Time

There have been times in history when Marvel published, "Star Wars," comics, but there was never any crossover with the Marvel Universe. Decades ago, they did so before Dark Horse acquired the license for a good long while. Eventually, Disney absorbed Marvel and Lucasfilm, and it made sense to put Star Wars stuff under the Marvel label again, even if the comics remained fully removed from any Marvel superheroics. However, in January 2027 we will see the first ever official crossover between the Star Wars and Marvel Universes, with Kevin Smith writing, "Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles," over a five-issue mini-series. David Marquez will be on art duties.

Apparently, this will be taking place in the main 616 continuity of Marvel (the, "Offiical," canon) and will not be some kind of, "What If?"-themed mini-series. Never mind that, "Star Wars," technically takes place in the distant past and galaxies (far, far) away because a, "Reality shattering," spell is going to bring a bunch of Star Wars characters right into the Marvel heroes' orbit. This sounds a bit fun, but I swear, if this is all an excuse to make the Scarlet Witch some kind of villainous Deus Ex Machina again thanks to her vaguely-unexplainable powers (like, "House of M," and, "Decimation,") I'll be perturbed. Seriously though, this could be a hoot, and I was just saying the other day we need more quirky crossovers. Kevin Smith can be extremely hit-or-miss in his film work as well as his comics, but the dude (generally) knows how to tell a good story, and David Marquez is a stellar artist. Just give a zany scene where Darth Vader and Doctor Doom argue about who is more villainous-yet-tragic with their backstory, and I'll be content. It's going to be an interesting start to 2027 in comic-books, that's for sure.

Rob Liefeld Has Been Making an Ass of Himself, As Per Usual

The other day I was talking with someone about the OG Image series and which ones were still around. The subject came up in regard to, "The Savage Dragon," and, "Spawn." We mentioned how there was also Rob Liefeld with his, "Youngblood," comic which had given us a bunch of mini-series and random reprints. I said, "Well, would we expect less from Liefeld?" and my friend said in a joking manner, "Yes, please, he should do less!" Liefeld is known by many for being a jerk. He loves to take credit for anything he had major or minor involvement in and feuds with anyone who denies his immense genius. It seems every ten years or so a new generation of comic-book readers discovers that Rob Liefeld is an asshole, as illustrated by a story about him being a total egotistical dick on a Whatnot stream the other day.

Liefeld was on the popular platform that focuses on live shows for various collectibles. He was selling the latest relaunch of, "Youngblood," and became positively infuriated when a fan suggested he draw an, "Absolute Batman," cover sometime. Liefeld said he would only do such a thing for an astronomical sum of money because he'd rather do creator-owned work than stuff for Marvel or DC. Liefeld then proceeded to ban the fan from the stream when they informed him, "Just wanted to see your art on it dude," with Liefeld enraged at being called, "Dude." As with many things involving Liefeld, there is a nugget of truth/wisdom amongst all the self-aggrandizement. DC and Marvel often are pretty terrible towards the people who make their comics; that is accurate! However, going off on somebody simply because they're a fan who told you how they'd love your take on another character is...quite a choice. There are creators where I like their work but they are apparently awful in real-life. There are creators whose work I just don't vibe with, but I hear they are genuinely wonderful folks. Then, you get a comic creator who has art many struggle to vibe with and a personality that sounds abhorrent. Well, Liefeld being self-centered and unpleasant for all these years at least shows he's consistent about some things, if not getting many of his promised projects out on time--"Brigade," anyone?

That New Spidey Movie Made Bank!

We all know the routine. A superhero movie comes out and struggles so people ask, "Are superhero movies done for? Do people have superhero fatigue?" or, if the lead is female, "Why don't lady heroes sell?" even though flicks with dudes have done worse than some women-led films. Then, however, another superhero hits the silver screen, makes a truckload (Hell, multiple truckloads) of money, and the media declares, "Superheroes are bigger than ever, and any fatigue has been crushed!" Yes, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," debuted Friday and raked in all the dough. $355 million in America and $927 million Worldwide. It helps that there are three other Tom Holland-led movies, it has been a bit since the last one (building anticipation), the reviews were good, and we shouldn't forget that Spider-Man as a character generally gets butts in seats. 

The only thing that seems to have fallen flat on its face was the supposed mystery of who actress Sadie Sink was playing being guessed/leaked long ago and becoming one of the worst-kept secrets about a movie for some time. If, somehow, you've avoided learning who she plays, I won't say anything beyond stating she apparently does a great job, along with everyone else involved, from Jon Bernthal as the Punisher to Zendaya's return as MJ, and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk. Oh, and Tom Holland apparently continues to seem designed in a lab to be the perfect Peter Parker version of Spider-Man, so good on him.

That ol' Parker Luck actually was profitable this time!

Sony owns the movie rights to Spidey and characters directly related to him. They play nice with Marvel/Disney but attempted their own stuff, too, for a bit. Now, Sony seems to have realized that making movies about Spidey-adjacent characters almost always falls flat on its face (although I'll defend the first two, "Venom," movies as fun), so they need to either do live-action Spider-Man or the animated Spiderverse films. Any other Marvel heroes will fall squarely with Marvel/Disney, and we'll see just how things go this Winter with, "Avengers: Doomsday." Whether that is a letdown in some fashion or sets off trumpeting of, "Marvel's back and better than ever!" will remain to be seen.

Yeah, Ryan Gosling as Ghost Rider and David Jonsson as Black Panther Sounds Cool

Yesterday I was discussing how Marvel's comics are struggling and I don't see much of note with their cinematic slate besides the immense hope that, "Avengers: Doomsday," is a hit. Well, Marvel did hold an event today in the fabled Hall H of Comic-Con International/San Diego Comic-Con and whilst it occurred, Ryan Reynolds appeared in a gray Deadpool suit (like from, "Uncanny X-Force,") and that was fun, but two other announcements really perked my ears up. Ryan Gosling will be the new Ghost Rider in the MCU and David Jonsson is set to be the grown-up son of T'Challa (who was portrayed by the sadly deceased Chadwick Boseman) and become Black Panther. 

Gosling is fantastic in a variety of productions, having excelled as an operator of motor vehicles before in the surrealist, "Drive." Jonsson was spectacular as a synthetic human named Andy in, "Alien: Romulus," where he pretty much played multiple roles due to a computer chip drastically altering his character's personality mid-film. Shawn Levy (who directed, "Deadpool and Wolverine,") will be directing the Ghost Rider flick and Ryan Coogler will return as Director yet again for, "Black Panther 3." Both movies are set to arrive in 2028. So yes, fine, Marvel has me feeling a twinge of excitement for their movies again. Still no update on a new, "X-Men," film, though.

DC Announced a Bunch of Cool Comic-Book Stuff Today! As for Marvel...

DC announced all kinds of things today at Comic-Con International/San Diego Comic-Con, with a lot of it involving their comic-books. The comic line of DC is on fire right now compared to a struggling Marvel, so I was curious what might be coming down the pipeline from the company. We've got a new Static (Shock) series on the way, and Vixen is getting an ongoing solo book as well, with DC challenging, "...the long-standing stigma that 'Black comics don’t sell,'" with two fan-favorites. Plus, Michael Walsh writing and drawing Jonah Hex as a horror-filled Western sounds like it'll be rad. Speaking of horror, James Harren doing a book on Etrigan The Demon, has my attention. One big crowd-pleaser was the announcement of, "Batman of Two Worlds," which will have Matt Fraction's Batman of the standard DC going through a parallel story with the Batman from the Absolute Universe that Scott Snyder will be writing (I have no idea if they'll meet and chat/fight, but we'll see). It'll feature, "Two stories, one crime." It'll come out on Saturday, September 19th, for Batman Day. This all looks quite exciting!

We get a new, "Venom," #1 every few years or so.

As for Marvel and their comic announcements as of today, um, well...let's see here. Eddie Brock is going to be Venom again after other people have been wearing the suit--Mary Jane most recently, because why not? Also, the evil/"Infernal," Hulk is going to have a bunch of one-shot fights with various heroes. Plus, Deadpool and the Punisher are going to have a crossover, as they do every now and again. Uhhhh, plus Mary Jane is getting another ongoing comic with J. Scott Campbell doing a cover for it, as he always seems to enjoy drawing her. Look, I was a huge Marvel fan for years, and some of my favorite stuff came out from them 2000-2015 or so, but this is all pretty uninspiring. I'm sorry; don't shoot the messenger. Let's just hope that, "Avengers: Doomsday," is a hit and injects some form of life into one division of the company because the Marvel Universe of comics is a bit dull. We're getting an, "Indiana Jones," comic in a different continuity than the superheroes and the, "Marvel Midnight," stuff looks a little interesting, but the Main/616 Universe has a handful of writers doing stories I like and little else popping off. Unless you're chomping at the bit for the Punisher to randomly join the Avengers or Iron Man to be in trouble with the law for the umpteenth time, shit's bleak. Again, let's just be cautiously optimistic about, "Avengers: Doomsday," and see how that (in December) and the Spidey movie coming out (in a week or two) go. As it stands, DC is bringing a lot more fire this year to the show while Marvel seems to be mostly hints of a spark and a lot of fumes.

The First Full Trailer for, "Avengers: Doomsday," Appears Nifty

I watched the first (of probably a couple) full trailer for, "Avengers Doomsday." Besides a bit of a teaser here and there, little has been shown/revealed. In the trailer, released yesterday, we hear what sounds like Robert Downey Junior with an accent speaking as Doctor Doom about a major threat. Then, we get a bunch of scenes of much of the MCU gathering together whilst a voice-over from Thor (Chris Hemsworth) discusses how the current threat facing everyone scares him more than anything he'd ever faced--and back then he had other friends by his side too...who died (one would assume this references Iron Man and Captain America, not so much the MCU's Pietro/Quicksilver). Have a look:

The footage gives us a good look at some Multiversal iteration of the Avengers fighting an X-Men team where Channing Tatum's Gambit is present (odd, but I'm not complaining) and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn) wears more clothing (which does have some of the internet that favors a nothing-but-blue-paint-style complaining). I mean, we get more James Marsden as Cyclops, and he's in a comic-style suit, so I'm happy about that and am fine with the other tweaks too--Magneto's got some long locks! I would imagine much of the movie is centered on the Avengers taking on this X-Men-verse as we saw with, "Incursions," when Jonathan Hickman wrote, "Avengers," and, "New Avengers." That eventually ended with Doctor Doom kind of saving the day and creating a new Universe in the 2015 version of, "Secret Wars," which also happens to be the second part of this filmic duology with, "Avengers: Secret Wars." 

The trailer got me curious enough about the movie I'd maybe check it out in theaters, even if the Chris Evans' Captain America return had already been spoiled before the trailer's reveal. I haven't really been able to say that about a Marvel production since the horror stylings of the Sam Raimi-directed, "Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness," got me to buy a movie ticket. If I'm considering seeing this in theaters, I guess mission accomplished? Plus, it gives Marvel plenty to talk about this week at Comic-Con International/San Diego Comic-Con!

I Appreciate Joe Casey Discussing Some Companies Generally Paying Less Royalties Than They Should

Marvel seems to do this thing where if you create a character under their work-for-hire system and they use it in a movie/show, they'll give you a check...but are very careful about it. They aren't giving you a royalty; it is $5,000 and an invite to the premiere of the thing with your character...as long as you signed some contracts too, where they're protected from you suing for more money or speaking out about things too much in a critical manner. I mean, Ed Brubaker got more money for filming a cameo in, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," than what he made on the character being in the flicks (yes, yes, there is some argument about how he took an established character such as Bucky and did Winter Soldier, I know). Joe Casey has done quite well with a number of projects and didn't feel like he needed to sign any paperwork for Marvel using America Chavez in, "Doctor Strange and Multiverse of Madness," or now for William Metzger (being played by Tramell Tillman) in, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day." Metzger was created by Casey and Steve Rude back in the 1999-ish mini-series, "X-Men: Children of the Atom." He just feels that if a character is being used a good deal in a production, perhaps the millions being spent (and made) can have a decent check go to the person who actually invented this (hopefully) profitable property.

Casey isn't outright enraged at Marvel; he still works with them on occasion. Still, Casey feels, "For me, it’s not about money. It’s not even about the respect. I would never expect to be respected by a corporation...If I’m in a position where I can afford not to take their insult of an offer, and be able to talk about it, maybe the next guy — where that kind of money could change their life — would get a fair shot of receiving that money.” An honorable sentiment from a creator who can turn down a smaller check and talk about thanks to other successful projects (he and Joe Kelly did well with, "Ben 10," for sure, to name one thing). It goes to show that when you're doing work-for-hire in the comic industry, you could make something insanely popular and barely see much extra scratch for it. At least if something creator-owned fails to strike a chord in the market, you still have ownership.

Marvel's Comic Division to Relocate to California; Steve Wacker to be New EIC

A big chunk of, "Marvel," as we know it, is currently in California. The movie stuff (Marvel Studios), the owner of the company (Disney), and so forth. Marvel Comics has been in New York City (in some form before it was even Marvel as well) for over 100 years. Just as DC found itself consolidated in California, Marvel plans to relocate everyone in NYC to Burbank over the next year (whoever is willing and won't otherwise quit), having it all switched over by July 2027. It makes sense from certain financial and logistical standpoints, but it definitely marks the end of a long and storied era. Marvel had some shakeups earlier this year, and it was clear something was going to be shifting at Marvel. We're now seeing the first big changes.

In addition to the relocation, Steve Wacker will be returning to Marvel, having worked there in various capacities before, now serving as the new Editor in Chief. He'll be replacing CB Cebulski, who has served in the position since late 2017. Cebulski will be moving into a position as Marvel's new Asia Originals Editor--a job located in Tokyo with an emphasis on manga and other projects with Marvel characters. I haven't seen anyone particularly mad or happy about Cebulski leaving, outside of those who remember the, "Akira Yoshida," controversy. It seems he did a solid job as EIC and will be relatively missed, although Wacker has a lot of fans pumped for him to take over at Marvel--with some who have long memories warning to just keep him away from social media (I wrote about that PR mess in 2012). It is going to be an interesting next 12 months for Marvel between this for the comic division, "Avengers: Doomsday," having a lot riding on it for the cinematic aspect, and so forth!

Television Tuesday: Are We Even Supposed to Root for the Couples on, "90 Day Fiancé," Anymore?

"90 Day Fiancé," is a franchise that rivals the Marvel Cinematic Universe in its size and scope. The first season of the original series launched in January of 2014. The idea was to follow a couple where one lived in America and the other in a foreign country. Through the K-1 Visa process, the (potentially) future spouse was coming to the U.S., and they had 90 days (per the Visa) to either get married or leave the country voluntarily if the planned marriage did not happen. The show was a hit and spawned so, so many spin-offs. Over twelve years later, and you've got folks who are basically celebrities thanks to the show. Some couples appeared, and everyone forgot them, but other folks became fan favorites and famous (or infamous) for their behavior. We've got couples meeting before the 90-day process, those going, "The Other Way," people from the show who are currently without a spouse and living, "The Single Life," and the list goes on. Some couples are being followed on, "Happy Ever After?" and others are about ready to break up and at, "The Last Resort." Certain individuals got their own show, such as Darcy and Stacy or, "The Family Chantel." There was a short-lived cooking show, for goodness sake! It enjoy much of the franchise, but one little thing has been bugging me. I feel like there is this nagging question of whether, somewhere along the way, we weren't supposed to actually root for the couples anymore?

The earlier years of the 90 Day behemoth had some real characters, yes, but there were plenty of couples who seemed to deeply love each other and be relatively well-adjusted adults. Plenty of those, "Early," cast members are still together. Some couples have had children and are living their best lives. Even people who appeared on the show some years later often seem dedicated to trying to make their love work through patience, conversations, empathy, and otherwise being decent human beings--Kenny and Armondo are one of the first LGBTQ couples who first appeared on, "The Other Way," show (in 2020) and care about each other so much. Yet, as time has gone on, I would say that if we put it bluntly, shit's gone crazy. Yes, we've always had people like Angela Deem or good ol' Colt Johnson popping up in the 90-day Universe, but there were stable or at least stable-ish people too. Now, whenever a new couple enters the franchise on their own K-1 Visa journey, at least one person seems extremely problematic in some way, if not both individuals. 

Kobe and Emily, a rare later-series couple (debuted season 9) who are still happy.
Plus, BOTH seem like cool folks.

This latest season of the OG show (we're now in the middle of season 12) we have someone blaming OCD for a clear case of alcoholism (Catie), a business exec (Marrisa) who can't stop belittling the supposed new love of her life, a serial cheater (Shea), an amateur actor (Mido) who seems to be conning his future wife, someone whose dedication to Christinaity seems to give them their own God complex (Ashia), a couple who like to just constantly be petty at each other (Thomas & Paula), and Mallorie and Rașit who argue a ton about a guy friend she has as well as some money she's got in a trust. In previous seasons, that last couple would be considered rocky, but now, they seem the most stable and reasonable out of all the madness. If I'm watching a show about international love but screaming at the screen that almost everyone needs to break up, that's a problem. 

To the show's credit, sometimes the American is awful, and sometimes the foreign love is a monster...so hooray for proving terrible guys and gals can be found anywhere in the World? Seriously, though, the message of this show has morphed from, "Love knows no borders," to, "Look at these jerks from all around the World!" All of that said, I'm still watching a number of the shows and do enjoy both the happy couples and the messy ones. We just seem to get a lot more disasters of relationships to rubberneck than ones to support and cheer about. I mean, drama is going to get more attention than stability, so there ya go.

The Ultimate Universe, "Ends," Tomorrow

 

The current Ultimate Universe, as we know it, ends tomorrow. We will get, "Ultimate Endgame," #5 and a, "Finale," special. I've seen some spoilers that make it abundantly clear how, even if Marvel is concluding the current run of, "Ultimate," books, there are ways it will, "Return," in some fashion. Plus, the latest Ultimate Universe has had an impact on the regular Marvel 616 Universe already, with those little boxes of powers ending up jumping around the multiverse. That said, Marvel is essentially ending the latest iteration of the Ultimate Universe tomorrow (for now), and it does surprise me to a degree they actually went through with it--especially considering that, "Ultimate Spider-Man," was a license to print money for a hot minute. 

The original Ultimate Universe remains a fascinating piece of history (I'd highly recommend Ted Adams book, "The Ultimates (Marvel Age of Comics)," for an in-depth examination) and the success of its pseudo-return/reinvention will go down as pretty intriguing, as well. Between DC's Absolute Universe (and its continued massive success) and this most recent Ultimate Universe, unique takes on seemingly-familiar concepts worked out quite well. I really enjoyed a lot of this Ultimate Universe and while I'll miss a number of the series from it, at least this publishing cycle of an, "Ultimate," Marvel World did not wear out its welcome.

Clever Marketing: USA Today and Spider-Man Team Up For a New Comic

"USA Today Play," is an aspect of the newspaper you can find online. It is free (with ads) or has a subscription option that makes those advertisements go away. There are games, quizzes, puzzles, and now comics (although you can only get so many for free). Yes, thanks to a deal with Marvel, USA Today has some slightly older Marvel stories folks can read along with a brand-new Spider-Man series titled, "Spider-Man TODAY," which will run for 47 weeks. Written by Al Ewing and illustrated by Todd Nauck, that is a pretty great creative team. Marvel has been struggling a lot lately, but this is a clever marketing idea as now those who frequent USA Today Play can read a new Marvel comic and sample highlights of other ones--with the idea being they will then seek out more Marvel, I imagine.

I am all for anything that helps expand the readership of comics. Without new readers (young or old) the format could very well find itself dying out. By getting some, "Younger blood," injected into comic-book fandom we can keep comics around for years to come, hopefully.  Many people have been giving Marvel grief (myself included) for seeming to struggle in regard to new, good ideas. This is cool and I applaud Marvel for trying something different.

Marvel's Mangaverse Rises From the Grave for it's 25th Anniversary

Marvel has done a variety of interesting things in its publishing history. Some things were interesting ideas but misfires (New Universe). Others were generally cool, like their, "MAX," line with mature-leaning stories (plus, uncensored swearing). Then there is the Mangaverse, which was relatively popular at the time, but is vaguely remembered these days. Marvel didn't totally forget it, however, as in honor of this year apparently being the 25th anniversary of the line's debut, they're doing five one-shots that link thematically. Kicking off at the start of September with, "Web of Blood," it will be followed by, "Iron Knight," "Arcane Avengers," "Ghostlocke," and wrap at the end of the month with, "Web of Destiny."

I, honestly, never really read much of the Mangaverse. Frankly, I didn't read any manga until a bit later in my life when I discovered a number of great stories in that storytelling medium. I am curious about this revisitation of the Mangaverse. Plus, considering how the popularity of manga in America has only grown over the years, it will be interesting to see if the Marvel Mangaverse's return is a hit or lands with a thud.

The, “Avengers,” Comic Has a Relaunch Incoming

When it was recently announced that a relaunch of the, "Avengers," comic was happening with Chip Zdarsky writing, my first reaction was, “Wasn’t this declared months ago?” You see, in my apparent ignorance, I thought the new, “Avengers: Armageddon,” comic which Chip Zdarsky is doing with artists Delio Diaz and Frank Allier, was the latest ongoing book about the Avengers, hence, you know, the book’s name. Apparently, it is merely a five-issue miniseries that will lead into the actual relaunch of, “Avengers,” this Fall. It will continue to have Zdarsky writing it but will feature Marco Checchetto on art. Why they did not make the Armageddon mini-series simply the first arc of this new series, I am unsure; comics, they never make sense, and that’s so fun!

Anyways, the latest true run of, “Avengers,” hits stands this November. Zdarsky is among a relatively small number of writers over at Marvel who are putting out stuff I dig (much of Marvel’s output lately is weak), so I am a bit excited to check this out along with its lead-in, “Avengers: Armageddon." I’ll put up with nonsensical series orders if the talent is solid, I suppose.

Bringing, "Back," Stan Lee or Anyone Else With a Creepy AI Raises Many Concerns

Stan Lee is dead. Unlike comic-book characters, he died and is not coming back. Many articles painted his last years before his passing in 2018 as pretty dismal in terms of his quality of life and everyone around him, from family to employees, bleeding him dry--at times literally. Once you're dead I imagine you don't care what happens with your name or likeness (unless there is some way to check in from whatever afterlife might/might not exist), but your estate can protest and profit. Those who own your likeness might be okay with the idea of you dancing with a vacuum cleaner (to be fair, some of Fred Astaire's family was displeased) via doctoring old movie footage. They may even hear that AI can create the illusion that you're alive to think, talk, and tell jokes. ElevenLabs sold Stan Lee Universe, the joint venture between Genius Brands International and POW! Entertainment on this idea as now they can, "...add the late Marvel Comics writer’s voice and likeness to the ElevenLabs Iconic Marketplace, its collection of celebrity personality voices and likenesses that companies can license for commercial use."

This is the tech equivalent of taking a celebrity and attaching a bunch of strings to their corpse so you can make them dance around like a puppet. Stan Lee was a complicated and controversial figure, but I doubt anyone would argue against him being a master showman. That is, "Showman," as in, "Human," however. An AI does not truly have Stan's charisma, personality, or anything beyond people believing it was, "Trained," to mimic him and then be programmed to sell us a Marvel-branded juicer or some other junk. While Lee was alive, he did basically attach his name/likeness to anything, and everything from a cartoon about a stripper superhero to a reality show focused on being a real-life superhero. Lee was, in fact, alive and able to agree to these things, however. 

No. Nope. Absolutely Not.

An, "AI Stan Lee," can't ink a business agreement. It can't truly be okay with spouting off an endorsement for, "Marvel brand condoms, keep your genitals more secure than Iron Man's armor!" Even if the real Stan Lee would've been cool with this in some fashion, the whole thing is just ghoulish. What's next? We bring back AI versions of loved ones so we pretend they never really died? That's a whole mess of psychological trauma right there that I worry a lot of psychiatrists/psychologists will be dealing with soon. We're not just approaching Uncanny Valley anymore, we're living in it. Our virtual graverobbing will probably just be the tip of a scary iceberg.

Marvel Comics Shakeup!

Afternoon Update:

Apparently, a lot of people are being let go/shoved out at Marvel. No one is sure what the heck is going on, but it seems like an executive cleanout, so to speak. This is getting pretty wild.

Original Post:

There are various aspects of Marvel overseen by different folks (with Disney as the big-boss nowadays). Sometimes there is a lot of turnover, and on other occasions it is hard to imagine a position filled by someone else. Dan Buckley has been the main publisher/president of Marvel for nearly 30 years, but he has announced that he is departing Marvel--although he'll be around in some capacity through 2027 in more of an advisory role. As for who is replacing him, "Marvel Studios executive Brad Winderbaum will join as Head of Marvel Television, Animation, Comics & Franchise. He will oversee the creative direction of Marvel’s expansive publishing portfolio, as well as Marvel’s global brand and franchise efforts, in addition to his current role overseeing television and animation. Joining Marvel from Disney, David Abdo will serve as General Manager, Comics & Franchise, reporting to Winderbaum."

Is this good, bad, or something in between? I can't predict the future, but this is definitely a big shift and signals something is going to change at Marvel. I would hope things go in a better direction for Marvel's comics, as I've been writing a lot more lately about being disappointed in the company's output than excited by it (and plenty of people out there seem to agree with me based on a Googling recent criticisms of Marvel's comics). I am very curious what the next couple of years will hold for Marvel's comics and what kind of new initiatives/plans we can expect to see. Time will tell.

This Doctor Doom Cover from the Latest, "Captain America," Run is Simply Rad

I've been reading the latest run of, "Captain America," and quite enjoying it. Marvel seems to be struggling, in general, to have much of note comic-wise lately, but I do continue to enjoy Jed MacKay's work on, "Moon Knight," and Chip Zdarsky has been giving us some stellar stories about Steve Rogers. The latest relaunch overcame how it annoyingly, "Reset," the continuity a bit, yet again, having Steve Rogers being found in the ice and brought back in 2001 shortly after 9/11. The initial arc involved Captain America's first meeting with Doctor Doom being retold/told or such, and some of the variant covers were done by Zdarsky as he is an artist as well (he's illustrated various series before gaining further renown as a writer). This brings me to my point of how I did not even know Zdarsky made a really cool variant cover with Doctor Doom and the American flag, but he did--and I stumbled upon it the other day and found it amazing. It is featured above.

This wasn't a ratio cover or anything, just one of the variants for the third issue. It is imposing, full of interesting subtext, and just looks cool. The minimalism is perfection, with Doom's usual green finding itself replaced by red, white, and blue, just working so well visually and as a commentary on Doom's style of imperialism versus...well, America's version. I rarely buy a comic just for the cover, but even though I have these comics with the main, "A," iteration, I bought this variant at the comic shop. "Captain America," is currently up past ten issues and remains a stellar read--perhaps I should check for any other cool covers I might have unwillingly missed!