The mid-to-late summer is a glorious time for geeks.
Few days go by without something of note happening in the nerd world.
The season's popcorn flicks aren't even the half of it though. Sure, Hollywood's many blockbusters continue to roll out weekly in August and September, but fanatics are a forward-looking lot. These are the days of teaser posters and advance trailers, of leaked set pics and casting news.
Nothing is as interesting or hotly anticipated as a forthcoming release which is still years away.
Marvel's "Captain America" came out last month and, from all accounts I've read, it's a pretty decent comic book movie. I haven't heard much about it in the weeks since it arrived in theaters though, and that's really my point here. The mid-to-late summer is a glorious time for geeks because the hype machine is in overdrive. Maybe we've got Comic-Con to thank for that. Or maybe we've got the culture and coverage which accompanies Comic-Con to thank for that. Regardless, in the weeks which preceded and the days that followed the annual San Diego event, fans into this type of stuff got an eyeful of things like the following:
The first trailer for Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises." The first poster for Joss Whedon's "Avengers" movie. The first trailer starring Andrew Parker as Peter Parker in "The Amazing Spider-Man." A trailer for season two of "The Walking Dead." The list goes on.
Naysayers will point out that so much of the hype I'm blathering on about here is purposefully structured and manufactured by the studios, publishers and their overarching conglomerates. And that's true! But even that doesn't devalue the fanboy excitement one feels when finding out things like that HBO is committed to several seasons of Neil Gaiman's "American Gods."
None of this should be taken as criticism or condemnation though. Even for all the eccentricities which accompany the overly obsessed, I admire our endless ability to gush and get excited. Sure, more often than not, there's equal parts snark and speculation which accompany that excitement, but it's all to the same end - anticipating those far off books, movies and other geeky releases.
COMIC-CON MILESTONE
As I mentioned in the intro, the San Diego Comic-Con happened late last month.
Mentioning another Comic-Con here in this column always gives me opportunity to pause and reflect. The first installment of "Nerding Out" was published two years ago here in The Post-Journal. It's been printing in The Observer for a shorter while, as I didn't get the idea to syndicate until after a few months had already gone by. But today's column is technically number 25 and I wanted to share that milestone with you, my faithful readers.
Twenty-five columns today. I think that calls for a cake.
SPIDER-MAN REBORN
Marvel has killed Peter Parker.
I mentioned the news in last month's column.
But when one Spider-Man dies, another is born. Just this past week, Marvel released a new issue of a comic in which a teen named Miles Morales takes up Parker's costume and public identity. The new Spider-Man is a half-black, half-Hispanic teen and the change has been met with mixed reactions from comic readers and the general public.
The events happened in Marvel's "Ultimate Universe," not its main continuity. Peter Parker is still very much alive in the pages of "Amazing Spider-Man."
Because of that, I don't see why so many people have gotten so worked up about the change. I think it's great, like when Dick Grayson took over the mantle of the bat from Bruce. Having a new character in the costume, especially in this instance, gives writers a chance to author some interesting new storylines. Plus, this happens in the Ultimate Universe, so everyone can still have their cake and eat it too. Peter Parker is still a character in Marvel Comics, just not this one, self-contained little fantasy world. For that reason, it's almost a cop-out on Marvel's part, but something interesting nonetheless. Peter Parker has been getting all the ink as Spider-Man for decades now. It will be interesting to read how another character from a different background handles life in the costume.
The "Ultimate" version of Spider-Man kicked off in 2000, taking the character back to his teenage roots. The continuity is its own, taking place alongside other "Ultimate Marvel" titles like "Ultimate X-Men" and "Ultimate Fantastic Four."
The storyline was announced back in November of last year, with the prelude leading up to the "Death of Spider-Man" starting this past February. The new character debuted this past Wednesday in "Ultimate Comics: Fallout" #4. With a new character in the costume, Marvel will be relaunching the "Ultimate Spider-Man" title with a new #1.
"When the opportunity arose to create a new Spider-Man, we knew it had to be a character that represents the diversity-in background and experience-of the twenty-first century," said Axel Alonso, Marvel Editor in Chief. "Miles is a character who not only follows in the tradition of relatable characters like Peter Parker, but also shows why he's a new, unique kind of Spider-Man-and worthy of that name."
From the press release: With its inception in 2000, the Ultimate Comics Universe reimagined the world's most popular super heroes for a new generation and has been critically lauded for its bold, resonant stories. In particular, Ultimate Spider-Man #1 is widely considered one of the most important comics of the century, setting records for trade paperback sales and introducing one of the most popular versions of Spider-Man ever. With the death of Peter Parker in June of 2011, all eyes were once again on the Ultimate Comics Universe, as mainstream media and fans alike speculated just who Marvel would put under the mask of this beloved hero. Now, the chart-topping team of Bendis and Pichelli begin the next major chapter of the Ultimate Comics Universe with September's historic Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1, giving readers a chance to learn the origin of the most important new character of the century.
"The chance for the world to join a new Spider-Man as he discovers what that means in this modern world is one of the most challenging and crazy fun opportunities I've had as a writer," explained author Brian Michael Bendis. "The Ultimate Comics Universe according to Miles is completely unique. I can't wait to write every issue and I can't wait for people to start reading them."
THE SMITHS
As last month's column made clear, I'm a fan of more than just superhero comics.
Actually, I think most of my 25 columns have mentioned that fact. I'm a graphic novel geek, a longtime DC Vertigo fan and a sucker for neat premises and tie-ins (like the "True Blood" book I reviewed last month).
Now comes news from a friend that there's to be a comic book coming out this fall based on songs by The Smiths. Fellow Morrissey fan Julia Ciesla Hanley clued me in to the fact just as I was finishing this month's column.
According to the music magazine NME, the book is to be titled "Unite And Take Over: Comic Stories Inspired By The Smiths." The book is a project spearheaded by Shawn Demumbrum, who has collated 13 artist and writer pairings, with each team taking on a different song by the band.
The NME goes on to report that some of the songs to be included will be "Girlfriend In A Coma" and "How Soon Is Now?"
The book will be unveiled at the Tucson Comic Con in November "and rather than literal re-tellings of the stories in the songs, sees the tracks used as an inspiration, a jumping-off point, a theme or a mood," both NME and The Guardian reported.
ASSORTED ETCETERAS
It's going to be a short one this month for assorted etceteras.
I got most of my gushing out in the, about Batman and "The Walking Dead."
Not yet seen the set pics of "The Dark Knight Rises" from their filming in Pittsburgh? Hit Google if you haven't. It's only a small tidbit, but it succeeds at whetting the appetite for more. Oh, to be walking the streets of Pittsburgh with Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard. I'm really kicking myself for not having taken some vacation time to try to get on screen as an extra.
All Borders locations are closing, which includes our local WaldenBooks - which is sad. I've picked up some good graphic novels there throughout the years. And I'll probably pick up a few more this weekend due to the closing sale they're having. Hopefully something will be left today from all the Friday and Saturday shoppers picking through the shelves.
In terms of comics, "Flashpoint" is rolling along - ushering in the new status quo for the DCU. The books been a good read so far, and is proving more consistently compelling than its predecessor, "Brightest Day," which I liked, it just dragged on so slowly. Other than those and my other regular DC reads ("Detective Comics," "Zatanna"), I've spent most my time lately reading books like "The Walking Dead" and "American Vampire," as well as re-reading Jeff Lemire's "Sweet Tooth" series for Vertigo.
More from me in a month's time.
Nerding Out With Nick Dean is a monthly column about comic books, movies and more. It runs the first Sunday of each month. Comments, criticisms and/or items for submission can be sent via email to ndean@post-journal.com or by calling the newsroom at 487-1111, ext. 251.
