Here are a few spotlight issues coming out today! #NewComicWednesday

MARVEL COMICS

SHATTERSTAR #1
Official Description: A gladiator, a warrior, a hero…the man called Shatterstar has been many things, but one thing he’s always been is deadly. He’s not a man you want to cross or you’ll learn that fact all too well. Walk back into the darkness with Shatterstar!
Writer: Tim Seeley | Artists: Gerardo Sandoval, Carlos Villa

X-MEN BLACK: MAGNETO #1
Official Description: MAGNETO IS BACK…and so is Chris Claremont! For years, Magneto has done everything he can to achieve his goals for mutant domination. But now Magneto has declared that enough is enough. So what revolutionary plan does Magneto have that will change the face of mutantkind? And will anyone be able to stop him? Will anyone want to? PLUS: Includes Part 1 of X-MEN BLACK: APOCALYPSE the back up story by Zac Thompson, Lonnie Nadler, and Geraldo Borge!
Writers: Lonnie Nadler, Zac Thompson | Artists: Geraldo Borges, Dalibor Talajic

DC COMICS

BATMAN #56
Official Description: The Dark Knight’s looking to drop both the hammer and sickle on the KGBeast, whose rampage across Gotham City takes a toll on Nightwing when he’s injured in the fray. Blaming himself for his ward’s fate, Batman gets grimmer than usual—and vows to take the Russian assassin down like the Berlin Wall. Is even Gotham City ready for that much violence? The streets will run red like borscht if the Dark Knight gets his way against this Soviet scourge.
Writer: Tom King | Artist: Tony S. Daniel

THE CURSE OF BRIMSTONE #7
Official Description: Early-warning sign you’re about to get murdered: a mysterious, cursed ledger directs you to a small, eerie town filled with an unusual amount of amputees who all take a keen interest in you. That’s what the cursed Joe and his sister Annie are up against when their ledger leads them to a town where strangers check in, but they don’t check out.
Writer: Justin Jordan | Artist: Eduardo Pansica

BOOM STUDIOS

SPARROWHAWK #1
Official Description: Teen Victorian fairy fight club! As the illegitimate daughter of a Naval Captain, Artemesia has never fit in with her father’s family, nor the high class world to which they belong. However, when she is targeted by the Faerie Queen and pulled into another realm, she has no choice but to try and save the world that has always hated her. 
Writer: Delilah Dawson | Artist: Matias Basla

JIM HENSON BENEATH DARK CRYSTAL #3
Official Description: The challenge for the throne between Thurma and Nita begins in Mithra! Meanwhile, Kensho and his new companions visit a village with hopes of helping the locals… but things are not as they appear.
Writer: Adam Smith | Artist: Alexandria Huntington

What will you be picking up today?

I want a really good Superman movie. After Justice League, Warner Brothers and DC Comics have a uniquely clean slate to move forward, correct past wrongs, and really make a great sequel to Man of Steel. The main cast and world have been established. You don’t need to introduce things or retell the origin. Just make a really good damn movie. One thing that would help with that is to add some of Superman’s wonderful supporting characters from the comics and animated shows beyond the main players that have been established. Lois Lane, Perry White, Martha Kent, are all stables that you need, but there are so many more rich characters to add.

Lets look at a few of these characters and potential actors that could bring them to life.

 

Mariska Hargitay as Maggie Sawyer. Captain Maggie Sawyer, one of the toughest members of the Metropolis’ Special Crimes Unit. As Lieutenant Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Hargitay already plays one of the toughest cops ever put on the screen, now picture her going against the Parasite instead of sex offenders and murderers. Hair color aside, she is also the spitting image of the character.

 

D.B. Woodside as John Henry Irons, aka Steel. Sure, Superman now has Batman, the Flash, Wonder Woman, and the Justice League as allies, but he needs to expand his family. Supergirl or Superboy are obvious choices, but my favorite member of Superman’s extended hero family is Steel. In Post-Crisis, he originally stepped up to fill in Superman’s shoes after his death and he could do the same here. Maybe while Superman was gone and then teaming with the league, John Henry Irons stepped up to protect the Suicide Slum in the Man of Steel’s absence as Steel. D.B. Woodside looks spot on as Irons. He is as big as him muscle wise and has the perfect presence and intelligence to pull off the engineer turned superhero.

 

Steve Austin as Bibbo Bibbowski. While speaking about Suicide Slum, how can I not mention (and cast) Bibbo. The big goofy guy who owns and tends bar at the Ace o’ Clubs, happens to be Superman’s biggest fan and could bring much (much!) needed comedic relief to Man of Steel 2. Steve Austin is tough as nails, like Bibbo, and brings a likability and charisma to the character that could be the perfect balance for someone who could too easily turn too cartoony and annoying.

 

Robert Patrick as Sam Lane. Lois’ father is a war hero and (depending on the version) a sometimes foe of Superman. He needs to be a military man through and through. He also needs to be believable as coming up against Superman, but not having the audience hate him as he is Lois’ father. Will he press on against Superman or flip and end up helping? Robert Patrick is a badass who can be the hero or the villain (changing in an instinct if needed). He is tough enough to look Superman in the eye and tell him to backdown.

 

John Shea as Frank Berkowitz. This is a smaller character that a lot of modern readers might not know. He was the Mayor of Metropolis introduced Post-Crisis in John Byrne’s “Man of Steel” mini-series. He stood up against Lex Luthor and in return was gunned down by a sniper hired by Luthor. John Shea, who portrayed Lex Luthor in Lois & Clack: The New Adventures of Superman, would be the perfect legacy actor to fill this role. There is something poetic with having a former Luthor be the Mayor who stands up to the new Luthor. He has the look and it would be sad to see him get killed. Bonus: They could use this as a potential cameo for Will Smith’s Deadshot as the sniper.

 

Adam Hicks as Jimmy Olsen. Jimmy is Superman’s best friend and one of the most important characters in his universe. It is also one of the hardest characters to cast. He needs to be young, but not too young, energetic but not annoying, and needs a full head of red hair. Before you comment, NO that photographer in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was not Jimmy Olsen. I don’t care what deleted scenes or extended versions say. Bring him in Man of Steel 2 as the spunky younger brother of Rebecca Buller’s Jenny Olsen. Have him become an intern at the Daily Planet with dreams of being a photographer. He gets a lucky break with a picture of Superman saving the day and the rest is history. I honestly don’t know Adam Hicks (I’ve never seen Freakish, Pair of Kings, or Zeke and Luther), but he is spot on the spitting image of Jimmy Olsen.

Who would you like to see in Man of Steel 2? Agree or disagree with my suggestions? Let me know in the comments! 

Scareycrows was one of our featured Halloween indie flicks (SEE: 8 Indie Horror Flicks for Halloween) and if you have not had the time to check out the horror/comedy yet, we are pleased to present the trailer.

In the movie, Amy’s “perfect” life is falling apart and to make matters even worse, the “scareycrows” at a local festival have come to life and are killing everyone in the town. Will she survive? The movie stars Jimmy ‘The Bee’ Bennett, Sam Burns, James Bush, Emily Carding, Martin Challinor, Tom Child, and James Cotter. There are a ton of additional videos about the movie over on YouTube.