Silver Surfer

The Silver Surfer (or Norrin Radd) is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966), the first of a three-issue arc fans and historians call "The Galactus Trilogy".

Originally a young astronomer of the planet Zenn-La, Norrin Radd made a bargain with a being, pledging himself to serve as his herald in order to save his home-world from destruction by the fearsome cosmic entity known as Galactus. Imbued in return with a tiny portion of Galactus' Power Cosmic, Radd acquired great powers and a new version of his original appearance. Galactus also created for Radd a surfboard-like craft — modeled after a childhood fantasy of his — on which he would travel at speeds beyond that of light. Known from then on as the Silver Surfer, Radd began to roam the cosmos searching for new planets for Galactus to consume. When his travels finally took him to Earth, the Surfer came face-to-face with the Fantastic Four, a team of powerful superheroes that helped him to rediscover his nobility of spirit. Betraying Galactus, the Surfer saved Earth but was punished in return by being exiled there.
A new ongoing Silver Surfer series began in 2003, focusing on the character's alien nature and messianic allegory. It lasted 14 issues. The Surfer later appeared in an issue of Cable & Deadpool and has twice been reunited with the superhero group the Defenders. In 2006-2007, he starred in the four-issue miniseries Annihilation: Silver Surfer and co-starred in the miniseries Heralds of Galactus, both part of the "Annihilation" fictional crossover.

In 2007, the Silver Surfer starred in a four-issue miniseries Silver Surfer: Requiem by writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Esad Ribic. The first issue was released May 30, 2007 to coincide with the character's first movie appearance. Published under the Marvel Knights imprint, Silver Surfer: Requiem portrays the character upon learning he has a terminal illness.

This was followed by the miniseries Silver Surfer: In Thy Name, by writer Simon Spurrier and artist Ten Eng Huat.

A Silver Surfer film had been long in development since the 1980s. The Silver Surfer made his film debut in 20th Century Fox's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, the sequel to the 2005 film Fantastic Four. Doug Jones played the Surfer on set, and a computer simulation enhanced the reflective look of his prosthetics. Laurence Fishburne provided the character's voice. Assured of the film's commercial success, 20th Century Fox hired J. Michael Straczynski to write the screenplay for a spin-off film. Straczynski said his script is a sequel, but will also delve into the Surfer's origins

Captain America

The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941), from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Over the years, an estimated 210 million copies of "Captain America" comic books have been sold in a total of 75 countries. Within the comics, the title "Captain America" applies to whomever is chosen by the U.S. government (which views itself as "owning" the persona) to wear the costume and bear the shield. For nearly all of the character's publication history, however, Captain America was the alter ego of Steve Rogers, a sickly young man who was enhanced to the peak of human perfection by an experimental serum in order to aid the United States war effort. Captain America wears a costume that utilizes an American flag motif, and is armed with an indestructible shield that can be thrown as a weapon.

An intentionally patriotic creation who was often depicted fighting the Axis powers of World War II, Captain America was Timely's most popular character during World War II. After the war ended, the character's popularity waned and he disappeared by the 1950s aside from an ill-fated revival in 1953. Captain America was reintroduced during the Silver Age of comics when he was revived from suspended animation by the superhero team the Avengers in The Avengers #4 (March 1964). Since then, Captain America has often led the team, as well as starring in his own series. Steve Rogers was killed in Captain America vol. 5, #25 (March 2007), although the Captain America series continues publication with Rogers' former sidekick, Bucky, having taken up the mantle.

Captain America was the first Marvel Comics character adapted into another medium with the release of the 1944 movie serial Captain America. The serial portrays the hero as a district attorney named Grant Gardner and removes many important elements of the character, such as his trademark shield and his sidekick Bucky Barnes.


Captain America appears in two 1970s live-action television movies.{see the Superhero Television section for more}

The 1990 direct-to-video film Captain America, starring Matt Salinger, co-produced with Yugoslavia. It depicts the hero's battle against the Red Skull, who in the film is an Italian fascist rather than a German Nazi.

A film entitled The First Avenger: Captain America, is being developed by Marvel Studios for a May 6, 2011 release. The film will be a period piece set entirely during World War II.

RED HULK

The Red Hulk was introduced in Hulk #1, written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Ed McGuiness, a monthly ongoing series started following the World War Hulk crossover. Marvel also released a one-shot King Size Hulk (June 2008) in which Frank Cho, Arthur Adams, and Herb Trimpe supplied the artwork.
Crossing the Canadian wilderness, the Red Hulk encounters, and kills, a Wendigo before reaching Russia, where he murders Abomination. Red Hulk is next seen in New York, where he attacks S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Tony Stark, She Hulk and others investigating Abomination's death and erases all files on the Hulk, using a sophisticated computer virus before destroying Stark's newly commissioned Helicarrier. After this, Red Hulk travels to Gamma Base in Death Valley, squaring off against Rick Jones, and his A-Bomb persona, before facing android Harpies and the original Hulk. Thor interrupts the confrontation between the two Hulks.
Red Hulk's identity has yet to be revealed within the comic series, but in an interview Marvel Editor in Chief Joe Quesada suggested it was Ares.

Marvel editor Mark Paniccia has described Red Hulk as "absolutely uninhibited, tactically intelligent", while writer Jeph Loeb states "The Red Hulk is the kind of Hulk we haven't seen before - a thinking, calculating, brutal weapon-toting kind of Hulk." To further distance the character away from the original. "Everything the Green Hulk isn't, the Red Hulk is."

HELLBOY

Hellboy is a fictional Dark Horse Comics character created by writer-artist Mike Mignola, who first appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 in 1993. He has since appeared in a number of miniseries and one-shots, as well as a spin-off series focusing on the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense team of which he is a member, and some intercompany crossover.

Hellboy is a demon who finds himself fighting for the U.S. government and himself against dark forces, in a series of tales that have their roots in both folklore and pulp fiction, battling a range of enemies from Nazis to Baba Yaga.
His adventures have also been captured in various media, including live-action films, animated films, novels, and a range of merchandise.

A demon whose true name is Anung un Rama, Hellboy was brought to Earth as an infant by Nazi occultists. He was rescued by the Allied Forces, and raised by the U.S.A.'s Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD). Hellboy grew up to be a large, red-skinned demon with a tail, horns (which he filed off, leaving behind the signature circular stumps on his forehead), and an oversized right hand made of stone. In the introduction to Odd Jobs he is described as smelling of dry-roasted peanuts. Although a bit gruff, he shows none of the malevolence thought to be intrinsic to demons, and works with other strange creatures in the BPRD. Hellboy has been dubbed as the "World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator".

The character has been featured in a sequence of comic book mini-series published by Dark Horse Comics, influenced by vintage adventure and horror fiction.

The comics were adapted into a 2004 film starring Ron Perlman as Hellboy with a sequel, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army released on July 11, 2008. There were two 75-minute animated movies, Sword of Storms and Blood and Iron, were aired on the Cartoon Network before being released on DVD. The first one aired October 28, 2006, and the second aired March 17, 2007. A third animated Hellboy film has just been announced called The Phantom Claw. Tad Stones, director and Writer of the DTV movies, says the film will star Lobster Johnson and will have some familiar characters, but Abe and Liz will not be in the film.

According to Mignola's commentary on the Hellboy film DVD, various aspects of the character's looks and personality were inspired by his own father, a cabinet maker who often returned home from work with tales of horrific on-the-job accidents, told in the nonchalant, unflappable manner that would eventually become characteristic of Hellboy.

Superman Returns Again?

Back in October of 2007, Mark Millar (Wanted) said he was going to pitch Warner Bros. Pictures his vision of the "Superman" franchise. Now, just a few days ago, he told the Daily Record he is taking it a step further:

But Mark's big dream is making a Superman movie.

He said: "Since I was a kid I've always wanted to reinvent Superman for the 21st century.

"I've been planning this my entire life. I've got my director and producer set up, and it'll be 2011. This is how far ahead you have to think.

"The Superman brand is toxic after that last movie lost $200 million, but in 2011 we're hoping to restart it.

"Sadly I can't say who the director is, but we may make it official by Christmas.

"But fingers crossed it could work out, that would be my lifetime's dream."

Millar later clarified on his message boards:

That Superman news is interesting, isn't it? In the interests of clarity (because I'm sure this will be picked up somewhere) a very well known American action director heard about my love of Superman, approached my and asked me to team up with he and his producer to make a pitch for this. We've been talking for several weeks now and, if this is going to happen, we'll know by Christmas. He has huge pull at WB so fingers crossed. But this is nothing more than a huge US name pulling me into his fold and making me part of a package."

Back in March, Bryan Singer said he was still developing the sequel and in April, Legendary Pictures' Thomas Tull described a sequel in which we'd see "Superman as more of an angry god." We'll have to wait and see how this all turns out.

Deathlok the Demolisher

Deathlok (also referred to as Deathlok the Demolisher) is a fictional cyborg published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in Astonishing Tales #25 (Aug. 1974), and was created by Rich Buckler and Doug Moench. At least three subsequent Marvel characters have used the "Deathlok" identity since then.

The first Deathlok series ran in the Astonishing Tales #25-36 (Aug. 1974 - July 1976). This initial version of the character, Luther Manning, later guest-starred with Spider-Man in Marvel Team-Up #46 (June 1976). Deathlok subsequently appeared with the Thing, a member of the superhero team the Fantastic Four in Marvel Two-In-One #27 & #54 (May 1977 & Aug. 1979), although one appearance was actually a robot and not the genuine Deathlok. The Luther Manning Deathlok then appeared in Captain America #286-288 (Oct.-Dec. 1983).

A new Deathlok, Michael Collins, debuted in the mini-series Deathlok #1-4 (July-Oct. 1990, reprinted as Deathlok Special #1-4 the following year). He was the second Deathlok to be created in the modern era and also the second to be created for the traditional Marvel Universe. This second Deathlok went on to a 34-issue series cover-dated July 1991 to April 1994, plus two summer annuals in 1992 and 1993.

The third Deathlok, S.H.I.E.L.D. espionage agent Jack Truman, debuted in an 11-issue limited series cover-dated Sept. 1999 to June 2000.

Deathlok has also appeared in four issues of the miniseries Beyond!, and Michael Collins, in human form and not as Deathlok, appeared in Fantastic Four #544-545 (May-June 2007). Multiple unnamed Deathlok units appear in Black Panther vol. 4, #1-6. Possessing no human sentience, they were automatons created from corpses of soldiers killed in Iraq.

In 2007, a Deathlok feature film was at the script stage at Paramount Pictures, with screenwriter David Self.

MOON KNIGHT

The character debuted in the title Werewolf by Night #32 (August 1975), written by Doug Moench with art by Don Perlin, as an enemy of the title character in a two part story continuing in issue #33. The character proved popular with readers, and was granted a solo spot in Marvel Spotlight #28-29 (1976), written by Doug Moench with art by Don Perlin.

He then had appearances in Spectacular Spider-Man issues #22 and #23, both written by Bill Mantlo with art by Mike Zeck on #22 and Jim Mooney on #23, Marvel Two-In-One #52, written by Steven Grant with art by Jim Craig, and Defenders #48-50. Moon Knight then gained a backup strip in the Hulk! Magazine in issues #11-15, #17-18 and #20-21, all written by Doug Moench. Art was done by Gene Colan in #11, Keith Pollard in #12, and Bill Sienkiewicz on the rest. These were reprinted in Moon Knight Special Edition #1-3.

A new ongoing series was then launched, titled Moon Knight, which also had writing by Doug Moench and art by Bill Sienkiewicz. During the early 1980s Moon Knight was one of the three "direct distribution only" Marvel titles, starting with issue #15. This series ended with issue #38. In 1985 there was a six-issue series called Moon Knight - Fist Of Khonshu. Then in 1989 Marc Spector: Moon Knight debuted. This ended in issue #60 (March 1994), written by Terry Kavanagh with art by Stephen Platt depicting his death. In 1992 Marc Spector: Moon Knight Special Edition #1 and Moon Knight: Divided We Fall were published, followed in January 1998 and January 1999 by two further four-issue limited series. A new Moon Knight ongoing series was launched in April 2006, written by Charlie Huston with art by David Finch.

* A Moon Knight TV series was announced but little to nothing has been mentioned since late 2006. Even thoughwriter Jon Cooksey (Rugrats, The Collector, ReBoot) confirmed that he was currently in development of the Moon Knight television series.

* Marc Spector's name was briefly mentioned in the pilot episode of Blade: The Series (starring Kirk Jones). Spector is described as an expert in werewolves. Marc is also said to be a colleague of Professor Melvin Caylo, a specialist in vampires. The character of Spector did not appear in the series before it was cancelled.