Mighty Cast 7 – Where New Comic Readers Should Start

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Mighty Cast Episode 7 – New Comic Readers

Mighty Cast Episode 7 presents Where new Comic Readers Should Start

With several new comic based movies and TV shows coming out every year, and dozens more in the works, lots of fans are at a loss as to where to start reading comics.  Do they need to read everything from issue #1 and up of Iron Man in order to go enjoy the movies?  Or is there a jumping on point where new readers can easily pick up a series, get the gist of a character, and not feel like the only person in the theater who isn’t getting certain jokes or references?

In this episode, Bill and Paul take a look at some upcoming movies and let you know what you need to pick up and read to be able to hang with the fan boys in the theater lobby.  So if you’re wondering where to start reading comics that deal with your favorite big screen heroes, sit right back and take a listen!

X-Men are first up, with Days of the Future past filming currently and a slew of X-Men movies already out.  The recommended reading list?  Bill recommends starting off with God Loves, Man Kills, while Paul tosses out X-Men (vol. 2) 1-3, the Mutant Genesis story line with it’s amazing Jim Lee art.  Paul then tosses out the Joss Whedon Astonishing X-Men run (Astonishing X-Men 1 through 24 plus Giant Size #1) and X-Cutioners Song, which was a crossover event that was covered in several different X books.

There’s a new Wolverine movie coming out soon of course, so the next recommendation list comes from Paul and include Wolverine: Origin, Wolverine 1-4 (also called the Frank Miller mini series), Wolverine: Weapon X (from Marvel Comics Presents) and Old Man Logan.  Bill also tosses in Spiderman vs. Wolverine, a 1 shot that he praises for it’s look at the Wolverine character.

Avengers is the main focus of the Marvel cinematic universe, so where can new comic readers start reading them? Paul tosses out the Bendis run of New Avengers, World War Hulk which shows more of the explosive danger that exists within this team, and the new Marvel Now Indestructible Hulk.

Captain America 2 is filming right now, so of course they start off recommending the Winter Solider story line which is what the new movie is based on. Bill urges new comic readers to check out Fallen Son, the story of what happens after the death of Captain America and how the Marvel universe reacts. Paul also mentions Operation Rebirth, the classic Mark Waid story line.

Iron Man 3 is out in theaters now, so the first and foremost story is Demon in a Bottle. Extremis is next, with this story giving new comic readers the background on the influence for the new movie.

Fantastic Four has some movies in the work, and Paul recommends Ultimate Fantastic Four 1-6 and the original FF 48-51, while Bill recommends the Mark Waid run starting with issue 500.

Daredevil gets a nod, with recommendations on Born Again and Redemption, two stories that give you a look at Matt Murdock and what his life is like with and without Daredevil.

With Ghost Rider coming back to the Marvel cinematic universe, new comic readers should check out Heaven’s On Fire by Garth Ennis and Last Stand Of The Spirits Of Vengeance.

Punisher is also heading back, so why not grab Welcome Back Frank to see what we hope Marvel does with his next movie.

Guardians of the Galaxy is being filmed right now, and for a look at what this team really means we recommend the popular Thanos Imperative.

Amazing Spiderman 2 is in the works, but where should new comic readers start with such a long standing popular character?  Ultimate Spiderman is a convenient solution, and Marvel Tales provides an inexpensive alternative to buying the expensive original Spidey issues.

Thor 2 is coming out this fall, so check out Marvel Now’s Thor: God Of Thunder and the story line Ragnarok.

With Thanos coming to light in the Marvel movieverse, snag Thanos Quest and Infinity Gauntlet to see what this villain is really about.

Batman has been a juggernaut at the box office, so to narrow down the thousands of comics of his to a few, check out Year One, Killing Joke, and Dark Knight Returns, all excellent stories that give you a deep picture of the Dark Knight.

Superman is hitting the big screen this summer in Man of Steel, and much like Captain America you can see a great deal of importance in the characters death with the story Death of Superman.

Green Lantern deserves some justice for his movie, so see why people love him with the comic stories Secret Origin and pick up the introduction to Kyle Rayner as well.

And what about Hellblazer, who Guillermo Del Toro has mentioned as wanting to come back to the big screen?  Check our Original Sins and Dangerous Habbits for some great Constantine tales.

Listen in for the full break downs, and if you have any special requests feel free to message us and we’ll give you the tip on where to start!

Joseph Gordon Levitt to Play New Sin City Movie Character

The new Sin City Movie has just scored a major coupe! Joseph Gordon Levitt, or JGL to those who are either really hip or really lazy, was heavily rumored over the last week to be up for the role of Star Lord in the new Guardians of the Galaxy movie.  But, go ahead and file those rumors under “debunked”, as the Weinstein company has officially announced that Gordon Levitt will be playing a new character in the Sin City universe, Johnny.

Deadline first reported this news, and the role of Johnny was apparently first offered to Johnny Depp.  JGL sounds enthused about the project, and we certainly look forward to seeing what he can do in the dark Sin City universe with Robert Rodriguez at the helm.

You can also chalk this up as a big win for DC and Warner Brothers, as Joseph Gordon Levitt not playing Star Lord means keeping the super hot young star away from an iron clad Disney contract.  The Dark Knight Rises famously ended with JGL’s character being called Robin and being given the keys to the Batcave.  While DC hasn’t officially announced anything along the lines of a new Batman movie with JGL or a Nightwing movie or anything of the sort, the huge fan reaction certainly didn’t go un-noticed by them.  Disney, however, isn’t exactly known for playing well with others or with letting hot stars get away with just a quick cameo.  Take a look at Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who was about to explode as the next big action star but instead got hooked into the Disney universe, becoming a family movie star with films like The Tooth Fairy.  We’re certainly not saying that JGL signing on for the Guardians Of The Galaxy movie would have locked him into a long line of family friendly kid films, but if the seven hundred picture deal that Sam Jackson signed is any sort of measurement, it’s a good bet that his entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe would have been a strong goodbye to the DC counterpart.

But that’s all conjecture and hearsay, and all we know for now is that Robert Rodriguez is working hard on making a sequel to the outstanding original Sin City movie, and he just landed a huge acting talent to help flesh out the dark dreary world that was given to us by Frank Miller.  So stay tuned for more on this movie as it develops!

For More On The New Sin City Movie:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Leaving Gotham For Sin City MTV.com

Movies TV’s 3R’s 01.08.13 Justice League Twin Peaks Sin City 2 Texas 411mania.com

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Joins Sin City A Dame To Kill For Won’t Be In Guardians Cinema Blend

Mighty Cast Episode 5: Death of the Family & More

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Mighty Cast Episode 5: Death Of The Family & More

Death in the Family is over, but what’s going to be the lasting effects?  Paul and Bill are back with a quit hits Mighty Cast, talking about Death of the Family, along with comic book movies and comic book news.
They start off with comic book news, running down the latest on the Death of the Family fallout and some more upcoming DC news, including the dropping of the controversial and questionable WTF Certified stamp on DC covers.

Death of the Family was hailed as being the next big, great Batman story arc, something that was supposed to rest along side Killing Joke as one of the greatest Joker stories.  It started off promising, with Joker going to new (and somewhat brutal) heights by cutting off his own face.  But how did the ending stand up against more classic Batman storylines?  Will this be a trade paperback that’s still in high demand 20 years later like Killing Joke?  Or is it just another Batman story arc that’ll get lost in the shuffle among countless others?

They then get into the new teasers coming out from Marvel NOW, including the odd looking 52 slash mark teaser released last week. With Marvel NOW rolling out more and more stories, what’s left that hasn’t been told and what are you looking forward to the most?
Comic book movies news and rumors are up next. Chris Cooper has been signed on to the cast of Amazing Spiderman 2 as the villain Norman Osbourne, who may actually appear in this film as Green Goblin. They also tackle whether or not the Rhino will be popping up and who could be playing him, as rumors have been swirling for quite some time now about Paul Giamattis interest in playing the role.  With this many villains appearing, could a movie version of the Sinister Six be in the works?  Only time will tell!

Mighty Cast Episode 6: Wizard World St. Louis & More

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Mighty Cast Episode 6: Wizard World St. Louis

Well folks, Wizard World St. Louis just went down, find out how the show went, who was there, and what kind of deals were had.  Set up began on Friday, March 22^nd and the first day was a terrific success for the show.  Over 40,000 people ended up attending, and they were treated to amazing guests like Jason Frank, the green ranger, Draco Malfoy, and even The Man, Stan Lee, Friday.

The biggest surprise of the show had to be the low number of comic book dealers.  For an initial show, the high cost of setting up seemed to keep many dealers away, and most of the dealers that were there focused mainly on high end items. A few good deals were found though, and the crowd stayed steady through Saturday.

Sunday however brought a freak blizzard, which not only killed the show atmosphere but made getting home for out of towners downright dangerous.

The Mighty Con Freek’n Weekend is just around the corner, with over 80 tables featuring dozens upon dozens of comic and toy vendors, artists, publishers, and more.  All for free, free admission, free parking, free everything.  Don’t miss this show, April 13^th and 14^th in Palatine, IL.

A multitude of trailers have premiered recently, including The Wolverine, Kick Ass 2, and World War Z, so get the Mighty Casts take on those.

Finally for media is a quick plug for Best Ink Season 2, Wednesdays on Oxygen, and the good friend of Mighty Con’s Tyler Schwarz.  Tune in to root for Tyler every week.

In comic news, we have a few big new releases, including Age of Ultron, which is Marvel’s next big company wide crossover.  The big news about this series involves the person who’s drawing the end of it and a new character that will be introduced to the Marvel universe, even though she (yes, she) has been around the comic world for years.

So sit back and listen to the latest Mighty Cast, as Bill and Paul run down the latest and greatest in the world of comic and comic culture.

Mighty Cast Episode 4: Comic Convention Season Is Here!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Mighty Cast Episode 4: Comic Convention Season Is Here

Hello fans and welcome back to another episode of Mighty Cast!  Today, Paul and Bill talk about comic conventions.  Big comic conventions, small comic conventions, the shows that draw 50,000 people and the shows that draw 50.

They start of with a quick mention of the Kenosha Comic Show, a smaller show which recently had it’s 6th occurance and is running strong.  The view then turns to the big guys in Chicago, Wizard World and C2E2.  Two shows of comparable size with some very different setups.

The first point to look at with the big shows is guests.  Paul and Bill run down the lists of guests and both C2E2 and Wizard World, looking at who’s going to draw the biggest crowds and who’s going to be the most fun to see.

But what about the overall setup of the shows?  The general consensus from last year is that C2E2 simply had a better setup.  Add that to the fact that there was a greater selection of comics to buy, lower admission costs, and a very comparable guest lineup and fans just seemed to prefer C2E2.

Costs a big portion of the show too.  Bill talks about the costs from a vendors point of view, pointing out that the higher the cost of a booth, the less room dealers have to give good deals and also the less room they have in their booth to bring low cost items, which makes for slimmer pickings.  Paul also reflects on this from the guest point of view, having seen at Wizard World what the higher booth costs do to the selection at a show.

The duo then finish off by talking about the importance of having a want list if you’re going to be looking to fill in some holes in your collection.  With thousands of comics to dig through at any given booth, you can waste hours looking for certain issues if you don’t know for sure which ones you need.

So check out Mighty Cast Episode 4 for some great insight into the comic convention world, and as always, thanks for listening!

Keeping An Eye On The Market: Why Overstreet Means Less

Overstreet Price Guide’s relevance is starting to slide.

At Detroit Fanfare a few weeks ago, I had a sadly typical interaction with a potential customer.  They were looking at a copy of Marvel Super Heroes #18, the first Guardians of the Galaxy appearance.  Well, after looking it over, he reached into his bag and pulled out his Overstreet Price Guide.  I rolled my eyes, knowing what was coming next, but waited it out as there were other customers to help.  Sure enough, after a minute, he said that the price was far too high and he’d maybe pay the sticker price if it was a 9.2, but that copy was closer to a 4.5.

Now, I casually pointed out that a 9.2 had just sold on EBay for $1,100 (the issue he was looking at was $100).  I tried explaining what had so drastically changed about the market since his price guide came out, but to no avail.  The price guide said it should be price X, and so that’s what it should be.

Yesterday, I had someone put in a low ball offer on an Iron Man 55, saying that the guide price was way lower than my price and that he didn’t want to pay more than $40 for a copy.  I pointed out that an incomplete copy with a detached cover had sold for more than $40 on EBay, and that the guide had come out before Thanos popped up in the end credit to Avengers, but he wasn’t to be swayed.

I understand.  Sometimes, if we’re told by someone with authority something that doesn’t seem quite right, we just want to follow along.  If the price guide says something should be a certain price, then that’s what it should be, right?  But the problem is that’s not how a market works.  The oldest, most rock solid law of a free market is supply and demand.  When it comes to comics, supply is a constant.  There are, right now, as many issues in the world of any given old collectible issue as there ever will be.  And in fact, as issues get damaged in a flood or lost or stepped on or whatnot, that number can even go down.  So it’s demand that matters.  And when demand can change in a heartbeat, printed price guides tend to lose much of their meaning.

When Did Overstreet Go Under?

Back in the pre-movie, pre-internet days of collecting, a price guide was perfect. Once a year, you could grab a thick volume of every comic you could think of, with prices printed out for every one collected by professionals from a variety of sources.  There wasn’t too much to augment demand, so things stayed pretty steady.

But now, things are different.  All it takes is a casting rumor, or a corporate buy out, or a bit of leaked test footage and the demand for certain issues sky rockets.  I understand that you may have liked Thanos before he was announced as the big Phase 2 villain, and you may have been procrastinating on getting an Iron Man 55 till now, but guess what.  You’re too late.  Because now everyone is interested in him, and everyone wants that issue, and if you still want to have one then you’ll have to pony up the dough.

The moment Kevin Feige got an IMDB page to show upcoming projects, all bets were off.  You may have noticed that I mentioned EBay twice already in this article, and there’s a reason.  When it comes to knowing the market, that’s one of the best places you can start.  Take a look at completed auctions and see what something’s been selling for.  Learn where demand is at.  Know before you talk to someone what you can reasonably get a certain issue for, and also know how much you’re really willing to pay.  At the end of the day, that’s the best way to get a good deal and show that you know what you’re talking about.

Mighty Cast Episode 3: Comic Creators Vs. Comic Characters

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Mighty Cast Episode 3: Creators Vs. Characters

Comic characters have been the main selling point of comics for years.  But lately, a new trend of focusing on the creative teams has been taking over.  Who’s your favorite comic book artist? How about your favorite comic book writer? Bill and Paul are back with the latest Mighty Cast, the official podcast of Mighty Con! And in this episode they discuss the importance placed on creative teams in comics.

The main advertising focus of many major titles now a days from both Marvel and DC (and yes, even Image too) is on the creative teams behind a character.  Story lines are still important, but often take a backseat to the fact that a particular writer and a particular artist are teaming up to bring new life to a fan favorite character.

In fact, many of these creative teams are used as ways to sell completely new characters or books, banking on the idea that if you enjoyed Brian Michael Bendis writing one book, for example, that you’ll enjoy him writing this one as well.  This follows a more mainstream media method, such as seeing trailers for movies that start off by telling you “from the producers that brought you…”, but is it really the way things should be?  Are we setting ourselves up for a let down by assuming that every creator can make any character they take on shine?
Sure, growing up, you had favorite characters and teams that you followed. And you probably still do. But what about the creative teams behind the comics? Comic companies have been placing greater and greater importance on the creative teams that are making the comics, particularly Marvel with their Marvel NOW series. Each teaser Marvel releases hints lightly at the characters or teams in the series they’re teasing, but always show prominently the artist and writer for the series.
The duo then get into creators that they think are worth following and ones that got them into comics in the first place. So come along and give some thought to the people that give you the comics you love so much!

Mighty Cast Episode 2: Mighty Con Comic Show Review

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Mighty Cast Episode 2: Mighty Con March Review

Mighty Cast Episode 2: The March Mighty Con Comic Show In Review

Paul and Bill are back with the latest installment of Mighty Cast! They begin by covering the big Mighty Con show that was held at the Dupage Fairgrounds in Wheaton, IL on Saturday, March 3rd.
This show was the biggest yet, with hundreds of people coming out to browse through thousands of comics, play video games, take part in the costume contest, and most of all, talk about comics! The show ran from 10-5 for a full day of comic based fun.  Blackheart Comics ran the official Mighty Con Cosplay contest, with some great entries making for a festive atmosphere.  The free video game demos kept guests enthralled, and Artist Alley was a huge hit with some great new talent making itself known.

Deals were to be had left and right, with everything from great 3 for $1 back issues to high end comics for sale like a Stan Lee autographed Amazing Spiderman #1 that was spotted at one booth.  Overall the show was a rousing success, and we encourage to make sure you get out to the next show (see our schedule on www.MightyCon.com for information about shows in your area).
They then take a look at some other upcoming comic book shows and comic conventions coming up, and run down some great finds for the day.
Comic book movies are next, with the latest casting rumors and news. The X-Men Days of the Future Past movie has added to it’s returning cast with Halle Berry coming back, but is that necessarily a good thing?
Then rumors are flying still about what DC plans to do with a Justice League movie, with Christopher Nolan coming on board and plans to make this DC’s biggest effort yet.
Next, Bill and Paul get into it over the somewhat questionable casting of WWE wrestler Batista as Drax the Destroyer.
And finally the two run down the list of upcoming releases for the week and discuss a few bigger issues that are coming out.
As always, thank you for listening, and if you have any topics you want covered in an upcoming Mighty Cast please let us know!

Mighty Cast Episode 1: Drax The Destroyer, Peter Dinklage, & More!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Mighty Cast Premier Podcast

Who will play Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy?  What mystery villain will be popping up in Days of the Future past?  Find out now on Mighty Cast!

Mighty Con presents MightyCast, and this is the very first episode! Mighty Con’s founder Bill Ahart talks with Northfield Production’s Paul Sauer about the latest movie casting rumors and news.

Jason Momoa to play Drax the Destroyer in Guardians?

Our first piece of news for the night Guardians of the Galaxy has added Jason Momoa to star as Drax the Destroyer! Jason has previously stared in Conan the Barbarian, Stargate SG-1, and Game of Thrones. What kind of Drax will he portray, and what are some other terrific options for the rest of the cast?  They bring up the potential voice actors to give life to Rocket Raccoon, strong female actresses to portray Gamora, and who is going to make the movie one that we’ll all want to see.

Peter Dinklage Added To Days of the Future Past
Additionally, Peter Dinklage from Game of Thrones has been added to the cast of X-Men, Days Of The Future Past. However, his character remains a complete mystery except for one strong rumor that he will be the main antagonist. Bill and Paul cover the options Fox has with who Dinklage could play as a villain, looking at the cast of characters who could have some potential tie in to the Days of the Future Past story line.  This makes for a very unusual choice for Fox, as there is no clear cut character that Dinklage fits up with whom he would be an obvious choice to play.  With the cast of this movie blowing up, rumors are flying left and right over who else may be showing up in the movie and what exactly the story line is going to be.
Bill and Paul then round out the rest of the days movie rumors and news, and finish up with a look at the weeks releases in comics.  Mighty Cast will return on a regular basis to bring you more of the latest in comic book and movie rumors, news, and reviews!

Top Ten Next Big Comic Movie Characters & Stars

The Top Ten Next Big Comic Book Movies

Comic book movies are bigger than ever, but who will be the next big characters to get a film, and who will be the stars to play them? Rumors have been swirling around lately about Marvel/Disney’s plans for Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. My favorite so far is that at some point in Avengers 2, the Hulk gets sent into space, setting up a Hulk sequel based on the “Planet Hulk” storyline, which would in turn set up Avengers 3 to be based on “World War Hulk”.

However, the big question lately has been; Which characters will show up in the movies leading up to Avengers 2? There have been some clear frontrunners lately, especially considering the fact that we know Thanos to be the villain for the sequel. The fact that the iconic Infinity Gauntlet can be seen in Asgard’s weapons vault (yes, its there. Blink and you’ll miss it) makes all us fanboys think back to the galactic story of the same name and the fact that almost every Marvel hero was a part of that classic battle against “The Mad Titan”.

So with all these rumors in mind, here are ten possibilities for characters to show up in the movies, whether they carry their own, or they’re one of the many Easter Eggs we’ll surely be treated to in the coming years.

I’ve given an actor and a director for each character. Keep in mind, its not just about who I think is best. Its also who is logical. Do you really expect to see someone like Scorsese or Eastwood or even Spielberg directing a Marvel movie? If you do, you should let go of that thought right about now.

On to the list:

Adam Warlock
How could they possibly use the Infinity Gauntlet as inspiration for a story without including the man who brought all the heroes together? Whether Adam Warlock shows up in Guardians of the Galaxy(he was a member of the team for a time) or they surprise us with his own movie, I can’t think of anyone better to play him than Sons of Anarchy’s Charlie Hunnam. He’s not a stranger to the sci-fi realms, with a small part in “Children of Men” and the lead in Guilermo Del Toro’s summer blockbuster, “Pacific Rim”. He can pull off the quiet, stoic presence you would expect from a man who was able to expel all good and evil from his soul.
-Director: Alex Proyas (“The Crow”, “Dark City”, “I, Robot”)

Black Bolt
The Inhumans have become a mainstay of the galactic stories of the Marvel U, but really, do we care a whole ton about them aside from their king? Here’s the tricky part here. Most of the acting would all be in action and expression. Black Bolt only speaks when he wants to fight. A single whisper from his lips can level a building. But keep in mind, he’s the ruler of an alien society, so he needs presence. How about “Mad Men” vet, Jon Hamm? He’s got the presence to be intimidating just by looking at you and the acting chops to do it all without saying a word.
-Director: Joseph Kosinski – (“TRON: Legacy”, “Oblivion”)

Black Panther
I think this is the one I’ve heard people clamoring for the most. And I have to admit, I would love to see this. I became a fan of the Black Panther during Civil War and Secret Invasion, thanks to tremendous writing. The first face that came to mind (and I say face because I don’t think anyone, anywhere can pronounce his name) was Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje(The Bourne Identity, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra).
Yes, I am aware that he’s in Thor: The Dark World, but he’ll probably be in a lot of make up and will probably die. So, there’s that. Look at him and tell me you don’t see T’Challa! Plus, he’s fluent in Swahili and Yoruba.
-Director: Edward Zwick (“The Last Samurai”, “Blood Diamond”, “Glory”)

Captain Marvel(Mar-Vell)
Yet another character who comes up because of his history battling Thanos. Thanos even greeted him in the afterlife after he succumbed to cancer in one of the most memorable stories of super hero death ever. Like all heroes, he comes back. Unlike all those other heroes, it’s never permanent. Originally sent to spy on Earth, but quickly makes the decision to fight for us. Which of course puts him at odds with his homeworld. Patrick Wilson (“Watchmen”, “The A-Team”, “Prometheus”) has the charisma and presence to portray the alien warrior who becomes Earth’s protector, but also the range to show the conflict within himself.
-Director: Marc Forster – (“World War Z”, “Quantum of Solace”, “Monster’s Ball”)

Dr. Strange
Ok, true, this one has all but been confirmed. Patrick Dempsey has been saying for years now that he’d love to play Marvel’s Master of the Mystic Arts, but in the past couple months, Marvel movie head honcho, Kevin Feige (and by the way, its pronounced FYE-GEE) has made the announcement that it will happen. Its kind of hard to argue nowadays with putting Liam Neeson in anything. The man could star in My Little Pony and it would be a hit at the box office. But here, he’d simply be perfect. He MAY just be a little on the older side, but its not like Stephen Strange was a spring chicken. He was a world renowned surgeon before the mystic defender of Earth. And how awesome would it be to hear Liam Neeson say “By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth”?
-Director: Francis Lawrence (“Constantine”, “I Am Legend”)

Heroes For Hire
Luke Cage and Iron Fist
Yet, another movie with no official announcement, but a lot of chatter. I actually had a lot of trouble coming up with Luke Cage. It should be someone with the acting chops to pull off the role, the physicality to make you believe he can kick ass with his bare hands, but not someone so well known that you see the actor instead of Luke Cage. I think Billy Brown (“Lights Out”, “Dexter”, “Sons of Anarchy”) is a wonderful fit. As far as Iron Fist goes, rumors have been going around about it for over a decade now. Do you know why? Because EVERYONE knows Ray Park (“Star Wars Episode I”, “X-Men”, “G.I. Joe”) is the only choice for it!
-Director: Shane Black (“Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang”, “Iron Man 3”. He also wrote the original “Lethal Weapon”)

Ms. Marvel
She’s been a mainstay of the Avengers in the comics for a while now, but with her latest ongoing series Carol Danvers has been the beneficiary of some of the best writing in comics. And lets face it, there is a severe deficiency of female characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far. And no, that is not a knock on ScarJo or Black Widow. Just a fact. We need more. Bryce Dallas Howard is easily one of the best young actresses going these days (“The Help”, “50/50”) and she has also already hit the sci-fi and the comic book scene (“Spider-Man 3”, “Terminator: Salvation).
-Director: Joss Whedon (“The Avengers”, “Serenity”, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) – I know this one would be a long shot, but I can’t think of any director better at handling female heroes in a lead role.

Namor: The Sub-Mariner
I was hesitant to put this one on here. But lets face it, he’s Marvel’s very first hero (he appeared in Marvel Comics #1, way back when). He’s been an Avenger, an X-Man, he’s the king of Atlantis and a world class asshole. You never know if he’s going to help the other heroes of the Marvel U, or if he’s going to wage war against the surface world. But one thing’s for sure, he’s going to try to make every person he meets feel like absolute crap. It was hard figuring out a good actor for him, until I came across Karl Urban (“The Lord of the Rings: TT and ROTK”, “Dredd”, “Star Trek”). He can play the hero, but he’s also got the attitude to piss you off while he’s doing it.
-Director: Joseph Kosinski – (“TRON: Legacy”, “Oblivion”)
I really wanted to stay away from using the same director for any of these, but I truly think he’d do best with this one as well.

The Sentry
He’s relatively new to Marvel comics (1st appearing in 2000) and he’s already dead, but he made an impact. He’s one of the most powerful characters, but also one of the most complicated. His dual personality, self-doubt and agoraphobia will all be hard for an actor to convey while he’s also supposed to possess “power of one million exploding suns”. That’s why I had such a hard time deciding on this one. I’m going for the acting chops here. Yes, he’ll have to bulk up a bit, but who’s going to argue that Ryan Gosling could pull this off?
-Director: Matthew Vaughn – (“Kick-Ass”, “X-Men: First Class”)