The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision is reporting that Social Network actor Josh Pence, who portrayed one of the Wiklevoss twins (albeit with Armie Hammer’s face superimposed over his own) has been cast as a young Ra’s al-Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises.  Pence’s scenes will reportedly take place 30 years in the past, a rumor which lends credence to the theory of Marion Cotillard as Thalia al-Ghul.

What do you think?  He looks like a young Liam Neeson to me.  What clues could this provide about the film’s still murky plot?  Could Bane be connected to the League of Shadows?  If you start to piece it together in your head, it kinda makes sense…

Greetings ‘Rama Readers!  Recently, I was lucky enough to sit down with up and coming Marvel Comics writer Scott Reed, author of War of Kings: Son of Hulk, and Enigma Force: Dark Son Rising, as well as the indie hit The Overman.  This week, Marvel is releasing a trade including all of Scott’s work for the company so far.  We spoke about that, along with the possibility of a sequel to The Overman.

Incredible Hulks Dark Son: Enigma Force

George Marston: Hi Scott, today I wanted to talk a little bit with you about the TPB that Marvel’s doing of all your recent work for them. Which material are they planning to include?

Scott Reed: The TPB is INCREDIBLE HULKS DARK SON: ENIGMA FORCE and it collects the two mini-series I wrote last year.  SON OF HULK: Conquest of Jarella’s World and INCREDIBLE HULKS DARK SON: Enigma Force.

GM: Ok, great.  So it’ll include all the work you did with Miguel Munera on the  Hulk storyline.  Any idea when that’ll be released?

SR: It’ll be out on February 23rd.
GM:  I’m looking forward to the trade.  The stuff you did with Enigma Force throughout both mini-series really took me back to those classic Marvel stories from the 70′s that guys like Jim Starlin and Roy Thomas told.  Was this a story concept you’d been sitting on, or did it develop due to Marvel wanting to work with you?

SR: Thanks.  The idea of using the Microverse characters came from editorial, and we built the story around that.  Mark basically gave me the pieces to work with and I pitched several story ideas based on that.  I ended up doing a lot of homework for this, re-reading the entire original series and the second series as well.  So I probably channeled some of that classic vibe into the scripts, just because I was surrounded by so much of it.

GM: Yeah, the familiarity with the characters definitely came through.  One of the hallmarks of the Enigma Force characters has always been their family dynamic, in the grand Marvel tradtion.  I was glad to see your sense of humor come through the scripts.  Plus, it’s gotta be hard not to get excited when you’re following up on concepts like K’ai, and the Psyklop, which were developed with Harlan Ellison.

SR: Absolutely.  We needed new team members, and I wanted to use characters that I felt would organically fit the team, rather than being contrived.  The Psyklop was a mostly untapped character, and I started thinking more deeply about that and came up with what ended up being one of the key story points–having an invasion force of Psyklop attacking K’ai.  And then putting one of them in the team, again, was just an organic thing that happened through the events in the story.  It felt right and he shares that common Microverse history with the others, as well.

GM: Definitely.  Let’s talk for a minute about Miguel Munera, because he absolutely killed it on both of these mini-series.

SR: Yeah, he did.

GM: I’ve noticed that Marvel has been cultivating a lot of ongoing writer/artist teams, and I was very glad that he was able to stick with the characters through both books.  As an accomplished artist yourself, was it easy to work with Miguel?  How much direction was in the scripts?

GM: I’m a huge proponant of the ‘writer/artist teams’, so I was very happy to have Miguel back for the 2nd mini-series.  I had a great experience working with him, because he was always willing to indulge my various concept sketches and ideas, and would typically turn them into something far beyond what I could do. He understood the symbolism that I was going for in the scripts, as well.  He took things to a cinematic view, widening the camera lens and giving the space scenes and the K’ai scenes a big panoramic look, which I love.  Miguel also brings humanity to the characters.  He brought out their emotions visually, because the story deals with crazy action but also with the power of love, hate and redemption.  Some heavy concepts behind all the fighting and explosions, I think, and he was able to convey these things perfectly.

The Psyklop attacks Enigma Force

GM: Yeah, absolutely.  One of my favorite sequences was from the Psyklop fight in issue one of the ENIGMA FORCE: DARK SON mini, when the team is affected by the Psyklop’s mental blast.  The tilted angle, with the panels separated by the energy blasts, and the flashback sequences really captured the power of the Psyklop to harvest the team’s painful emotions.  There was a real chemistry between the pacing of the script, and the storytelling of the pages throughout both series.  Any chance we’ll get to see more of the Reed/Munera team in the near future?

SR: I’d love the chance to work with Miguel again, and I have no doubt we could take it to the next level if given the opportunity.

GM: Another thing I wanted to discuss was the possibility of a sequel to your creator-owned series “Overman,” which you created with artist Shane White.  You’ve been tweeting recently about some broad strokes for part two.  Are there any details you can spare?

SR: Well, it’s very, very early to talk details yet.  But this is what I get for tweeting, right?  Now I have to explain myself.

GM: Haha, definitely.

SR: There are a few things I can talk about, though.  The sequel will be a novel, not a graphic novel or comic book.  It’s planned as a ‘stand-alone’ science fiction story, although it connects with the events in The Overman.

GM: Oh, neat.  So it’ll actually be prose fiction.  That’ll be new ground for you, yes?

SR: I wrote The Overman as a novel, originally, but it went unpublished and I later adapted it into a comic book script.  I’ve been writing prose for years, but I’ve never had the nerve to talk about it I guess until now.  So this will be a new experience for me in many ways, but I’m pretty excited to see where it might lead.

GM: “The Overman” seemed like a pretty well concluded story.  It ended in a pretty bleak place for Nathan Fischer, and well, for everyone, really.  In a way though, it was oddly hopeful.  Are you planning to pick up the same threads thematically, or is there more of that hesitant hope in this story?

SR: You nailed it pretty well there, yes. One thing I’m doing with the sequel is to make sure I’m not answering any lingering questions

The Overman

from The Overman.  My favorite stories are the ones in which some things are left unresolved, some questions are best left unanswered, and we don’t get to know what happens after the hero rides off into the sunset.  These are the things that keep us coming back to a book and re-reading it, because it allows us to wonder. So, keeping that in mind, I’m approaching the sequel as the 2nd Act in The Overman.  But it’s a different animal than the comic, and that’s one of the reasons I want to tell the story in a different format.

GM: I’m definitely excited to read what you’ve got in store.  I realize that it’ll probably be a while before anything solid comes out- any ideas on your timeframe right now?

SR: I’m hoping to have a manuscript finished by spring.  It’s just so early to talk about anything after that.  But there is a plan.

GM: Excellent.  Well, to wrap things up, the big question is, what’s next for Scott Reed?

SR: I’m thinking about growing a beard, moving to the mountains and writing a long, illegible manifesto.

GM: Well, may your shack be heated, and your bucket made of stainless steel.

SR: Perfect.

There you have it, folks!  Look for Scott Reed and Miguel Munera’s Incredible Hulks Dark Son: Enigma Force TPB in stores today!  You can also visit Scott’s website, Web’s Best Comics to find out more information regarding his current and upcoming projects, and even take a look at some of his comic art!

Are you the world’s biggest FF fan? If you’ve got a fanatic dedication to Marvel’s first family, Newsarama wants to talk to you! Just leave a comment telling us why you love the Fantastic Four, or send a message to me, George Marston, with the same information any time in the next two weeks!

Thanks everyone!

That's not funny; he's an alcoholic.

Living in a college town (Athens, GA to be precise), I deal with my fair share of hipsters. Not a day goes by that I don’t see someone walking a duck on a leash or some dude with a rat tail wearing a shirt that says “World’s Best Grandma,” you know, for irony. Maybe that’s why this article from the intrepid purveyors of comedy jokes at College Humor struck me… See for yourself.

If you happen to live in a fly-over state, I can assure you that these are very accurate.

Here’s the latest image from the Kenneth Branagh’s Thor, courtesy of the Los Angeles Times print edition. The LA Times doesn’t have the image hosted online, but it’s being hosted by about a million other sites, including Bleeding Cool and SuperHeroHype.

The image shows Thor, Odin, Loki, Frigga, Fandral, and Hogun.  Loki and Odin are wearing their much anticipated chapeaus, and from the look of things, this may be the rumored scene where Thor receives his own winged lid before bouncing down to Midgard.  Also of note, the awesome Twilight Sword standing only about a million feet tall behind Odin. If you ask me, the costumes look much nicer in context with this amazing set.

Majesty abounds!

In even more “X-Men: First Class” casting news, it looks like Kevin Bacon may be joining the cast as an unnamed villain, along with Lucas Till as Havok.

According to Deadline, Kevin Bacon is in final talks to play an unidentified villain in the film, who, according to rumor, will pose a threat to the X-Men and their nemesis Magneto.  This news is hot on the heels of the casting of Caleb Landry Jones and Nicholas Hoult as Banshee and Beast, respectively.

Also coming down the pike are reports from Entertainment Weekly that Hannah Montana: The Movie star Lucas Till will be playing Havok in the film.

Interestingly, the EW report also seems to debunk the casting of Aaron Johnson as Cyclops, stating that while the actor was seen with director Matthew Vaughn, the two were not in discussions relating to any part in the film.  The article also states, “Still, my sources tell me to keep in mind that these parts may not be the actual characters in the movie. Instead, this could be part of a misdirection campaign to keep some surprises from X-Men fans.”

So what do you think?  What does it all mean? Will Havok, Banshee, and Emma Frost be in the film at all?

"Hulk sad."

Film rumor website HitFix has confirmed, in a statement from Marvel Studios President of Production Kevin Feige that Ed Norton will not be taking part in the upcoming “Avengers” film, due for release in 2012.  According to the statement, the decision was not based on Norton’s salary, but rather “rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members.”

Norton, who portrayed the jade giant as well as his human alter-ego Bruce Banner  in 2008′s “Incredible Hulk” was involved in an infamous spat with Marvel Studios and director Louis Leterrier over the final cut and direction of the film that nearly caused the production to be scrapped.  It is little surprise that Marvel chose to move in this direction due to their artistic differences, and Feige also assures that they will “announce a name actor who embodies these requirements, and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks.”

In more positive news, Feige’s statement confirms that all other principle cast members, including Robert Downey, Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth are all still on board with the production. Black Widow was not yet confirmed as appearing in the film, though rumored, and the same can be said about The Hulk.

So, who should take Norton’s place?  Feige’s announcement specifically states that they will be hiring a “name actor,” so unknowns are off the table.  Speculators, start your engines!

Read Feige’s full statement, as well as a response released by Norton’s agent which seemingly confirms Joss Whedon as The Avengers Director, after the break.

(more…)

Film industry rag Variety is reporting that further classmates for the upcoming Matthew Vaughn helmed “X-Men: First Class” film have been cast, namely Caleb Landry Jones as Banshee, and Nicholas Hoult as Beast.

Both announcements are very interesting, as the casting of Nicholas Hoult as Beast basically puts the final nail in the coffin on previous cast member Benjamin Walker taking the role, as reported by Newsarama here.  Further, the inclusion of Banshee is an interesting choice, as most X-Men fans undoubtedly know that he was not a member of the original team, though he did appear as a villain in an early story.  This will also mark Banshee’s first appearance on film.  Will it be as a villain, or a hero?  Only time will tell.

Nicholas Hoult and Caleb Landry Jones join a cast that already includes Michael Fassbender as Magneto, James McAvoy as Professor X, and possibly Aaron Johnson as Cyclops.

Beloved author (or, more accurately, rabidly followed and immortal author) Harlan Ellison is, according to his own website, selling off a large chunk of his collection of rare, exceedingly rare, and “Holy Grail” rare books and comics. Included are items such as issues of “X-Men” and “The Avengers” based on Ellison’s work, as well as several personalized copies of rare Sandman books, personalized to Ellison from Neil Gaiman. Items range in price from just a few dollars, to several hundred dollars a pop. Ellison’s own wife will be fielding calls for two hours a day from July 6-8 regarding the purchase of these books. A catalogue of the items he’s offering can be found here. No time to waste!