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Argument for casting Ronda Rousey in a Super Hero role

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Update 11-29-2016
Ronda did not get the part of Captain Marvel and after losing to Holly Holm has lost some of her aura of invincibility.  That said Ronda is still a superstar personality.

Rousey has not fought after being knocked in November of 2015 by Holly Holm.  In that fight her jaw was broken.  She has since recovered but many fighters are openly questioning if Ronda still has enough will to re enter the fighting ring.   Rousey has the potential for many lucrative deals from Hollywood that do not require the training or physical punishment of fighting.  Ronda is currently scheduled to fight Amanda Nunes for a title fight in December of 2016 in UFC 207 for the UFC woman's bantam weight title.  During her retirement ceremony former rival fighter Miesha Tate was questioned about Rousey and responded that she does not know what to expect.

"I guess what's really difficult for me to decide is what we're going to get out of Rousey. Is she doing it because she wants to or is she doing it before she feels obligated? Is that knockout going to be in the back of her mind? Is she going to be punch shy? It's kind of like – I remember when I went skiing for the first time, I was like 5 years old and I just blitzed down the hill. I had no fear. The first time that I wrecked really, really hard is when I realized this is actually dangerous ... so you kind of wonder what has that put in the back of her mind?" 
Tate said, as quoted by Townsville Bulletin


Rousey has done about as much as she can in MMA.  The next fight perhaps proves that she is capable of coming back after a bad loss.  After this fight though one must question what she has left to prove?  A new batch of young fighters will emerge like Nunes the current Bantam Weight Title Holder and she can attempt to maintain the title for a few years but eventually all fighters lose.  Rousey herself though has openly talked about not want to be fighting past her prime and would like to retire gracefully on top.  If she wins against Nunes it would allow the venerable fighter to do just that.  From this point on she would be open to pursue acting projects.

Rousey has had roles in action films like the Exenpables but its an open question of what she might accomplish once she fully focuses on acting as profession as opposed to fighting.




Update 10-2-2015:
Kevin Feige says that he loves the campaign to get Rousey the role of Captain Marvel.   He does not outright turn down the notion either.  He points out Bautista was chosen because he was an athlete and a great performer.

Also a sensational video featuring the life of Ronda debutes before UFC 193.




Argument for casting Ronda Rousey in a Super Hero role
Should Ronda Rousey be offered a Super Hero role:

Some people ignore fighting sports or even all sports.  I get it.  Its violent and watching real people pulverize each other in an enclosed space as a sea of gawkers look on sipping champagne has a barbarous gladiatorial feel to it.   I could talk about how the participants are doing so out of their free will, are paid, and yada yada....but lets just move past that to what I tell my kids.

Greatness is rare, you know when you see it, enjoy it while it lasts.

When I was young man I marveled at the football /baseball playing phenom named Bo Jackson.  Bo Jackson was.....GREAT.  He broke no records, he holds no titles, but he was for a few years flat out amazing to watch, he was GREAT.  Then a few years in to the Bo years, he was injured and it was over.  Boom done.  Hope you didn't blink.

Greatness is rare, you know when you see it, enjoy it while it lasts.

Well Ronda Rousey is GREAT

When I talk about Ronda Rousey other great athletes come to mind.  Mike Tyson, Michael Jordan, Dan Gable, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Usain Bolt, Aleksandr Karelin, Bo Jackson, Wayne Gretzsky these were athletes that were so insanely dominating that even when up against the best in their sports they were unstoppable.  Ronda fits into that group very well.

https://usatftw.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/usp-mma_-ufc-170-rousey-vs-mcmann-e1404662475958.jpg?w=1000&h=508

These are people who can break others wills with a stare.  They are so dominating, so much better that the competition spends half the time eating their dust.  The competition doesn't know what to do they are so insanely outgunned.

The weird thing with Rousey is that she finishes off her competition so freaking fast, that we don't get many weird looks, of what am I supposed to do.  Or how did she just do that.  She just takes them out one way or another in seconds........That is right SECONDS.  A lot of Ronda's fights can be seen in a GIF because they take about that long.



Ronda is also a Role Model:
The other cool thing about Ronda is that she has an aggressive take no prisoners attitude.  That attitude is pretty unique amongst the pantheon of female role models out there.  She stands out with a unique message.  She doesn't care what you think of her body.  She is
She says things that other females just won't say.



But should she be cast as a Super Hero?
Ronda can fight, she can lead, she has a dynamic personality that pulls people in.  She has also done some acting she has been in Expendables 3, Furious 7, The Athena Project,  and Entourage.  Most of these roles have been limited to cameos.  She is not a highly trained actress and shouldn't be thought of as such.   However, she does have some experience.

I think given who Ronda is that she would make an awesome fit for a Super-Hero team film.  In these features not all of the acting burden would be on her.  She could still shine in limited roles.

However, Ronda has stated she is out for the Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) role.  This role is big, and one entire film will depend on the actress cast for the role of Carol.  Carol will then undoubtedly appear in other films after that.  My initial reaction to the thought of Rousey being cast in that kind of demanding role is no way.  First, its a ton of time for her to be away from her sport and training.  Second, there are other professional actresses who can likely do it better.

BUT....

Greatness is rare, you know when you see it, enjoy it while it lasts.

In a way a movie with Rousey is worth watching just to see Rousey.  Also seeing Ronda with super powers taking down some super villains like Dr. Minerva or Ronan has kind of its own appeal.  She could mix together real fighting skills (Which few have higher), her real athletes body, with super powers in a way that has never before been done.

What do you think?  What role would you cast Rousey in?  Or do you think she should stick to cameos and fighting?

Related:
Captain Marvel casting choices in pictures
Who is Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel

Marvel - News, Characters, Reviews, Movies, and Comics 

Prince of Orphans - Marvel Martial Artist

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Who is the Prince of Orphans





The Prince of Orphans is a Marvel character known for being an experienced, moral and powerful member of the Immortal Weapons.  As an Immortal Weapon he is on of the greatest martial artists in the world with added on powers.  He has lived for a long but unknown amount of time and over that long history he has been both an ally and enemy to multiple Iron Fists.


Name: John Amman

Alias: Prince of Orphans, Green Mist of Death

Home: Z'Gambo (Jungle mystical city that appears in Africa)

First Appearance: Immortal Iron Fist #8 (2007)



Quote:
Easy boy.  I've got you. Now listen.  I'm going to teach you something about having a code. (Prince of Orphans as said to Davos in the tournament)

Toylab Kung Fu Store:




Bio:


Origins
John Amman also known as the Prince of Orphans is one of seven Immortal Weapons who represents the city of Z'Gambo.  His true origins are shrouded in mystery.  Like the other Immortal Weapons he is a fierce martial artist and has the added ability to alter his form into a green mist.

Earliest known mentions of John Amman come from WW2.  It is known that he fought alongside both Captain America and John Steele.  John Steele is the super soldier predecessor of Captain America and its possible that the Prince of Orphans fought alongside him in WW1.  This is never made clear and John Steele also fought in WW2 so either war represents a potential meeting place for the two warriors.

Orson Randall and the Seven Stolen Coins
Orson Randall was an Iron Fist who refused to battle in the Tournament of Heavenly Cities.  Instead, he stole 7 coins belonging to the 7 Heavenly Cities.  Orson had his reasons for believing that something was sinister was going on.  He suspected that the coins were evidence of someone traveling between Earth and the 7 cities outside of the ordered times where the cities appear on Earth.  John Amman / Prince of Orphans was ordered to pursue Orson Randall and retrieve the coins with extreme prejudice.  Unaware of the potential corruption that Orson had discovered he pursued him for many years.  The Prince of Orphans was more powerful than the young Iron Fist so when ever he caught up to Orson, Orson fled.

Along the way Orson creates a group of adventurers called the Confederates of Curiosity.  These adventurers help Orson unwind the conspiracy in the cities of heaven but also come into conflict with the other Immortal Weapons that are hunting for Orson.  The Confederates manage to elude the Prince of Orphans when they first meet which greatly frustrates the Prince of Orphans.  On the 2nd meeting the Prince of Orphans baddly wounds one of the group, Chores MacGillicuddy.  The Prince allows Orson to heal Chores stating that he has no desire hurt any of the Confederates.  However, he warns that from that moment on any who stand with Orson will be treated as enemies.  Only a young Wendell Rand who wishes to become the Iron Fist himself follows Orson.

The Prince of Orphans then tracked down Orson at Castle Frankenstein where he interupted a bizarre scene.  Apparently, Wendell had been shot and Orson had brought the boy to Frankenstein for surgury.  However, Frankenstein had turned on the pair and sought to take over Orson's body for himself.  The Prince of Orphans then killed Doctor Frankenstein.

The Prince then took Wendell from Orson saying that Orson deserved to be alone for punishment of his crimes.  He promised to heal Wendell.  The Prince of Orphans also took back the coins but is taken aback some by Orson's warning.  Orson chastises the Prince of Orphans for blindly following orders and to begin asking questions.  Notably, how the coins left the 7 Cities of Heaven in the first place.  Later this leads the Prince to discover he was taking orders from far darker forces than that of Orson Randall.


Tournament
The Prince of Orphans is summoned to the tournament of the Seven Cities where he represents Z'Gambo against the other Immortal Weapons.  The winner of the tournament's city is allowed to appear every decade as opposed to every 5 decades.

Initially the Prince of Orphans is set to battle Fat Cobra in the tournament.  However, the Prince asks if he can battle Davos instead after witnessing the bout between Davos and Tiger's Beautiful Daughter.

In the tournament Tiger's Beautiful Daughter faces Davos the Steel Phoenix in the first round.  She cuts off Davos's hand in the battle and appears to have defeated him.  Somehow though Davos regrows his hand, and unleashes a violent storm of blows upon brutal blows on Tiger's Beautiful Daughter he does not stop dropping blows even after she was clearly beaten.  He is eventually pulled off of Tiger's Beautiful Daughter by his own father the Thunderer.  His actions of nearly killing competitor are against the rules of tournament where the warriors are not meant to turn into murderers.  The Prince of Orphans another Immortal Weapon takes Davos's actions as a grave insult and challenges him in the next round.  Making a point The Prince of Orphans decimates Davos never giving him a chance to land a single blow.  After thoroughly beating Davos the Prince of Orphans tells him that he is going to teach him a lesson about having a code.

Eight City of Heaven
The Prince of Orphans leads the Immortal Weapons against an invading force sent by Hydra.  The Immortal Weapons united together easily defeat the Hydra Mercenaries.  The Weapons discover a map that tells of an Eighth City of Heaven.  They leave to investigate it.  There they are overwhelmed and captured by a force of demons and an Eighth Immortal Weapon.  Tiger's Beautiful Daughter manages to free herself and rescues her comrades. Together they escape the Eighth City.

Ghost Army and Secret Avengers:
The Prince of Orphans stops an ancient army of ghost warriors from entering the world.  He also helps Captain America and the Secret Avengers and Shang Chi defeat Zheng Zu whose followers were attempting to bring him back from the dead using an artifact called the Eyes of the Dragon.

 Powers and Skills:


The Prince of Orphans full power set is partially a mystery.  In general he is depicted as the powerful and experienced member of the 7 Immortal Weapons.  He can transform himself into a green mist.  In the green mist form he can move and strike targets but is difficult to attack.  The mist abilities of the Prince of Orphans may also make him immortal he has lived a long life where he has never been depicted aging.

Mist Powers
-Can move through small cracks, or under doors
-Can allow strikes or bullets to pass through him without any apparent damage
-Can strike quickly from a nearly infinite array of places, and angles.  Any where his mist can go he can attack from.
-Can enter people's body and strike from within them.
-Can enter the land of the dead
-Healing - He has been shown to be able to heal others.  It is unclear if this is related to his mist form or a separate power.
-Immortality- He seems ageless but the extent of this ability is unknown.

The Prince is also very wise and patient.  He is thoughtful and not prone to making knee jerk decisions.  He has little issue with meditating for large amounts of time (In one story 2 weeks on end).

Weaknesses: 
The prince of orphans has shown to strongly avoid killing.


MCU:
There has not yet been any sign of Tiger's Beautiful Daughter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.



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Marvel - News, Characters, Reviews, Movies, and Comics 


Kid Kaiju - Marvel Hero

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Who is Kid Kaiju
Kid Kaiju is a Marvel hero with a bizarre power that allows him to summon any monster by drawing them.  Kid Kaiju will be a major character in the Marvel event Monsters Unleashed where many huge monsters return and threaten Earth.


Real Name: Kei Kawade

Alias:  Kid Kaiju

Final Appearance: Totally Awesome Hulk #3



Kid Kaiju - News:


Kid Kaiju - Multimedia:





Bio:


Kei Kawade is a 11 year old boy living in Hawaii who is obsessed with monsters.  Kei's family has moved many times due to the appearance of a large monster.  The family does not understand why the giant monsters seem to keep appearing.  They have growing suspicion that somehow their son is behind the appearances.


One day, Kei draws a picture of Fin Fang Foom while in Hawaii.  He is startled when Fin Fang Foom actually appears in the location.  The Totally Awesome Hulk shows up to help push Fin Fang Foom away.  Kei begins to wonder if Fin Fang Foom was actually drawn to his location due to his drawing.  He quickly learns that any monster he draws is summoned to that location.

During the events of Monsters Unleashed many monsters are drawn to Earth for an unknown reason.  Heroes begin to wonder about the powers of Kid Kaiju and if they could be either causing the problem or could potentially offer a solution.


Powers:

The full extent of Kid Kaiju's powers are not known.  When he draws a monster that monster is summoned to that location.  The monsters do not seem to be able to resist this summons.  Once there though Kid Kaiju can not control the monster they have complete freedom of will.

It is unclear what happens with Kid Kaiju's power when he:

  • Draws something dead or incapicitated
  • Draws a hero or something other than a monster






    MAKE MINE MARVEL!

    Monsters Unleashed - 2017 


    Marvel - News, Characters, Reviews, Movies, and Comics 





    Who is the Trickster?

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    http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/01/28/2521320C00000578-2929362-image-a-90_1422422760467.jpg
    Who is the Trickster?

    The Trickster is a DC villain known for Battling the speedster superhero the Flash.  A new younger Trickster took over the role of the Trickster when the original began working for the FBI.

    First Trickster
    Real Name:  James Jesse  - Giovanni Guiseppe (Originally)
    First Appearance: The Flash #113 (V1 1960)

    2nd Trickster:
    Real Name: Axel Walker
    First Appearance: The Flash #183 (V2 2002)

    The Trickster in Multimedia: Pictures, Cosplay, Video etc:
    Video of Mark Hamill as the Trickster in the 1990s Flash series
    Promo pictures of the Trickster on Flash
    Toylab Cool Pix: The Trickster in comics

    Bio:

     The Trickster is a conman who began using a variety of comedic gag themed weapons to cause mayhem and terror.  He comes from a circus family and is trained acrobat.  Some of his gadgets were actually designed for the circus, like his flying shoes.

     He begins using the name Trickster and committing crimes and hating a variety of plots.
    His plots have typically been foiled by the hero, the Flash.

    After Barry Allen's apparent death the Trickster reforms and begins using his skills to track down other criminals.  At one point he faces and defeats a new Trickster (Axel Walker) that had stolen some of his old gadgets.

    Powers: 
    The Trickster uses a variety of gadgets to cause chaos and these include:
    Itching Powder
    Exploding rubber chickens
    Flying Shoes
    Potato head bombs

    He is also a highly trained acrobat.


    TV:
    The Trickster was played by actor Mark Hamill in the 1990s Flash series.  He will reprise the role in the new Flash series as an older imprisoned Trickster who must track down a new upstart Trickster.  The younger Trickster (Axel Walker version) will be played by Devon Graye.

    A version James Jesse from a different dimension is featured in Season 3 Episode 9 of the Flash.  This version is once again played by Mark Hamill but differs from Trickster in the main dimension.  This Trickster has some elements that look like the Joker.  This is purely speculation on my part based off of the teaser photos but this James Jesse may be his world's Joker.   Elements of the joker here include a bomb attached to his chest and purple hair.  Hamill has long done the voice work for the Joker in Batman the Animated Series, in the Batman Arkham Video Games and even in Anime.  Hamill voice portrayal of the Joker is often considered to be one of the most popular versions of the character.  This however would be the first time that Hamill has played the Joker in live action.  This would be a unique portrayal of both the Joker and the Trickster.


    THE FLASH


    THE FLASH

    THE FLASH

    Related:
    All Flash TV news and bios
    Toylab Cool Pix: Mirror Master
    Who is the Flash? 
    Who is Eobard Thawne - Reverse Flash / Professor Zoom? 

    Marvel Monsters Unleashed 2017

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    Monsters Unleashed is a Marvel Comic event in 2017 that will focus on massive monsters battling the heroes of the Marvel Universe in one giant free for all that may leave NO ONE standing.


    Promotion:
    Marvel is preparing some massive promotional items to gin up excitement of Monsters Unleashed.  The first item to hit will be on January 4th when Marvel will be giving out free copies of the  Monsters Unleashed Sampler that includes 40 pages of content including preview pages for the main Monsters Unleashed series, as well character profiles.  I will post pictures of this when it comes up.  This is a free promotion that will be at participating retailers.

    Marvel has released some new information on how Monster Unleashed will be promoted.  Monsters Unleashed #1 is due out on January 18, 2017.  Marvel is offering retailers incentives to launch the series with a full on Monster Bash.  They are providing promotional post cards, a variant cover from Art Adams and a Monsters Unleashed Sketch Pad that is part coloring book and part sketch pad.  I don't think I have ever seen a release of a sketch pad with an event so that is very cool.  I have seen cool flyers and posters which I think is what the postcards will fall into.



    News and Info:
    Monsters Unleashed live chat with the creators of the series


    Heroes:
    The Series will feature almost all heroes in various ways with multiple super teams like the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy help fight the monsters.  Creator of the series Cullen Bunn has described the  Monsters Unleashed event as an all hands on deck for the heroes.  Many of the heroes will be forced to put old beefs aside and join forces with those they may not like to help defeat the massive and immediate threat of the monsters.  While almost all heroes will be featured here and there, the series will be seen through a few important POV characters.


    Kid Kaiju- It is possible that the entire event relates in some way to the mysterious powers of Kid Kaiju.

    Elsa Bloodstone - Monster Hunting Elsa will be on deck as a main character

    Riri Williams / Iron Heart - Riri is said to be heavily featured in the series.


    Lunella / Moongirl - Moongirl is now tied to the big Monster Devil Dinosaur.  Could her powers also be useful against the monsters coming in Monsters Unleashed?
    Monsters:
    Marvel has many monsters some with origins that go back prior to publisher having Super Hero stories.


    Marvel is also going to introduce some new giant monsters for the event.  Here are some who have been promoted by the company and the creator who designed them.  The promotional images where done in a trading card like format that highlights each monsters powers.

    1. SLIZZIK by Steve McNiven
    slizzik_by_steve_mcniven

    2. SCRAAG by Greg Land

    scragg_by_greg_land

    3. MEKRA by Leinil Francis Yu

    mekra_by_leinil_yu

    4. AEGIS by Salvador Larroca

    aegis_by_salvador_larroca

    5. HI-VO by Adam Kubert


    hi-vo_by_adam_kubert

    6. FIRECLAW by Art Adams
    fireclaw_by_art_adams



    Why Monsters Unleashed will be Awesome:

    What has caught my eye is that in 2017 Marvel is going to have a massive event called MONSTERS UNLEASHED.  What is immediately cool about the name is that I have not heard it before.  It is not the 2nd, 3rd of 4th Secret Wars but something new, something HUGE!!!!!!!! 

    Alright I'm excited again :) la la la la lolly pops and doves, water falls of chocolate and girls running on beaches.......etc etc Happy Days Ahead.


    The Monster Unleashed team assembled by Marvel is pretty awesome.  The writing will be done by Cullen Bunn and will star artists including Adam Kubert, Greg Land, Salvador Larroca, Steve McNiven, and Leinil Yu.  I really like Cullen Bunn he is a writer you may know from Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe which was amazing.  I am excited to see what he does here and hope he can inject new life into the Marvel comic universe.

    The idea of Monsters unleashed is pretty simple.  Its Marvel's version of Pacific Rim or of Godzilla.  What will make it fresh though is that Marvel has created many great Monsters over the years but most of them have sat for years in the dust bins of history.  This is a chance for many of these great monsters to get their day in the sun again.

    There are also new Monsters to use and also a lot of influence from stuff like Godzilla in Japan.  One of my requests for the series is that Tokyo needs to get some action!  Come on that just seems necessary in the huge Monster Genre.





    It should also be fun to see heroes take on these massive monsters.  Instead of battling super villains, evil organizations or each other we get to see our heroes test their might against an army of epic Monsters.  Artistically i see that series will open up great opportunities for huge slash pages featuring huge amounts of heroes, monsters and carnage.

    Which Monsters will show up?  Well let me be clear Marvel has a TON and I do mean a TON of Monsters.  Prior to Marvel getting into the super heroes gig in the 1960s with Fantastic Four it was focus on horror books and many of those books had monsters.  Some characters like Groot debuted in this time period and were revamped.  However, many many monsters from that time have only made brief appearances.since then.  There are a ton of these guys and a lot of them are different than things we see today.


    The Toylab Blogging Family is excited about this event!As preparation for the Monsters Unleashed event Toylab is going to have its own MARVEL MONSTERS week in October that will feature profiles of many of Marvel's best monsters.  I hope you continue to stop by this page as we update it with more Monsters Unleashed News and Marvel Monster Profiles.

    Blogger: Marvel Matt




    Shop Marvel






    Pictures of Covers
    Fun task Monster Unleashed is going to feature huge splash pages full of heroes and monsters.  How many Monsters can you spot and name from the pictures below?








    For more FUN!!!

    Marvel - News, Characters, Reviews, Movies, and Comics 
      

    Power Rangers (Film 2017) -Trailer, Facts, Art, Interview and More

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    Power Rangers is a film coming out in 2017 based off the TV show Power Rangers.

    Marvel Matt and the Power Rangers a Toylab Mighty Morphin tale
    A long time ago a little boy watched a group of teenagers from the town of Angel Grove turn into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and beat the snot out of monsters big and small.  The show was cheesy as it was fun and he watched its highs and lows.  He was giddy when they added the awesome Green Ranger and even watched as their Zords changed themes.   Slowly over time the boy grew up and forgot about the show, and the Rangers.

    Then in Denver Comic Con there was a Power Ranger reunion and the boy now a man walked around the actors that were in the show he dearly loved as a child.  He still was not too excited.  There had been a lot of awesome stuff that had come out since then.  Of course though something was about to happen.....Other wise this would be a really lame story.

    Jason David Frank the actor who plays Tommy Oliver the Green Power Ranger jumped up on a table and yelled "GO, GO, POWER RANGERS".  A large crowd in front of his autograph booth went Bananas.  He began tossing out t-shirt to the crowd.  The crowd grew larger and even went more Bananas it was like I was watching a Van Halen concert with a bunch of geeky people.  Then it all came back just out how much fun this silly show was, and how much joy it made for me and others.  Frankly,I was pumped, yes really pumped when I heard Power Rangers were coming back.  Since that day Ive been waiting for this film.  I've been eagerly waiting to see what it would like.

    Do I expect this new film to be cheesy? It sure as hell better be.  The Power Rangers are primarily about light hearted escapism, Karate, Big Robots, Giant Monsters, with a bit of teen drama mixed in.  It is fun formula and I can't wait to see it play out on the big screen.

    Here is an awesome video review of the Trailer:
    I love this review Andre aka "BlackNerd" is hilarious and has some great observations on the trailer.





    Toylab Synopsis Summary Description
    coming soon...

    Release Date: March 2017

    Cast and Crew
    coming soon...



    Official Trailer:
    The Power Rangers Official Trailer was released on October 14, 2016.






    Deals on Power Rangers on Amazon
    Toylab is an Amazon Affiliate website lets look and see what Amazon has for the Power Rangers.





    Concept Art:

    Alpha One






    Pictures of from Power Rangers Film:




    Still from "Power Rangers"













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    Riri Williams - Marvel hero

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    Who is Riri Williams?
    Riri Williams is a hero in the Marvel universe.  A young genius at the age of 15 she was able to design her own version of the Iron Man suit and began her heroic career.

    Real Name: Riri Williams

    Alias:  Ironheart

    First Appearance: Invincible Iron Man #7 (Vol 2 May 2016)


    Riri Williams News:


    Riri Williams Multi-Media:


    Bios


    Riri Williams grew up with her mother and sister.  Her father died prior to her birth.  A certified genius at the age of 15 she accepted a full ride scholarship to MIT.  There Riri began a project to engineer her own version of the Iron Man suit.   She began to create her own version of the
    Iron Man Model 44 armor.  While not the latest suit it was still very advanced.  Riri fashioned the suit from parts she scrounged / stole from MIT's campus.  Campus security began pursing Riri for the stolen materials, and to escape Riri donned her Iron Man suit prototype and flew away.

    While practicing flying maneuvers Riri saw a truck piloted by escaping convicts.  She out flew the truck and flipped it over.  Allowing for the convicts to be recaptured.  However the stress on the suit was enough for it to cause a debilitating fracture.

    Riri returned home rather than go back to college which caused her mother great consternation.  She works at repairing and improving the suit.  Seeing his technology in action Stark became curious and tracked down Riri.  She tells him of her desire to become a hero and he agrees to support her.

    Riri Willaims begins to fight as a hero using the name of Ironheart.

    Riri Williams is said to play a major role In the 2017 mega Marvel event of Monsters Unleashed.  The event is said to feature many heroes but will have certain special POV characters and Riri Williams is expected to be one of these.


    Cover Controversy:
    A variant cover of Riri Williams for the new Invincible Iron Man was done by popular cover artist J. Scott Campbell.  Campbell's cover drew controversy due to its sexualization of the character that is only 15 years old.  Campbell responded that he drew the character based off a similar look on a different cover.  While not officially doing a new cover Campbell did a new cover that seemed to meet what the critics had wanted.




    Villains:




    Powers:
    Like Tony Stark Riri WIlliams is a mechanical genius but does not possess any true super powers beyond her intelligence.  However, Riri does where a suit similar to the Iron Man suit that gives her numerous abilities.  Riri is said to have more mechanical intelligence than even Tony Stark.

    With Iron Heart suit:
    • Super Strength
    • Super Durability
    • Super Speed - via jet propulsion
    • Flight
    • Energy Blasts


    MCU:
    So far there are no hints of Riri Williams in the MCU.  She is a very new character.






    Shop Marvel:






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    Star Wars Battlefront gameplay

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    Check out this just released video of 5 minutes of actual multiplayer from the Star Wars Battlefront game.  This footage was shot from the view of a Playstation 4 and looks fantastic.

    Update: 12/1/2016 - Rogue One: DLC Scarif

    There is a new video for the DLC for the Rogue One: Scarif scenario in Star Wars Battlefront.  It looks pretty cool.  Though I don't think the playable characters are nearly as cool as in the Original series at least the ones shown. Orso looks cool but I'd love some of the other rag tag members of her unit like Chirrut Imwe the blind force monk played by Donnie Yen, Baze Malbus, Cassian Andor or the Forest Whittaker character named called Saw Gerrera.  Just a thought but I think those characters could be a lot of fun.  On the empire side the coolest characters from playability stand point have to be the new black Storm Troopers and of course Darth freaking Vader.




    For More Video Game News:
    Toylab - Toys and Videogames

    Related:
    See the Star Wars Battlefront Trailer HERE! 
    Star Wars - Alpha 1 Hub of all things Star Wars related!
    Pictures of Star Wars Armada ships and games

    Video:
    The game play trailers for Star Wars Battlefont are out and they all look amazing.  A variety of different planets and battles are depicted all pulled from Star Wars lore.  Additionally, there are many different playable major characters that all look uniquely depicted.







    Pictures:


    http://cdn.movieweb.com/img.news.tops/NEwOwlQ6OKT9AA_2_b.jpg

    http://www.gamesviatorrent.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Star-Wars-Battlefront-2-4.jpg

    Related:
    See the Star Wars Battlefront Trailer HERE! 
    Star Wars - Alpha 1 Hub of all things Star Wars related!
    Pictures of Star Wars Armada ships and games

    For More Video Game News:
    Toylab - Toys and Videogames

    AIDA - Marvel character

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    Who is AIDA?
    AIDA or A.I.D.A. is a Marvel character from the stories of Squadron Supreme.  She will be played by actress Mallory Jansen in the Marvel based TV show Agents of SHIELD.

    First Appearance:  Squadron Supreme #1

    Real Name: Artificial Intelligence Digital Analyzer

    Bio:
    AIDA is an Artificial Intelligence created by Squadron Supreme genuis Tom Thumb.  Tom imbues AIDA with a female personality and overtime develops a close relationship with her.  In the end Tom believes AIDA to be his only true friend.  When Tom develops terminal cancer he tells no one except for AIDA.  While AIDA urges Tom to tell the other members of Squadron Supreme he refuses and ultimately dies without having told anyone.

    AIDA did go behind Tom's back and told Ape X about Tom's cancer.  Ape X though had his own issues without confronting Tom about his cancer.

    After Tom's death AIDA and Ape X joined forces to try to move Tom's brain patterns into an LMD.  The project however was left unfinished.


    Powers:
    AIDA is an artificial intelligence and possesses all of the data analyzing capabilities of a computer and the emotions of a human.


    MCU:

    MCU in the finale of Agents of SHIELD Season 3 Doctor Holden Radcliffe was seen talking with what appeared to be computer A.I. named AIDA that Holden had just finished downloading into a phsycial body.  This seems to mark the beginning of both AIDA as character in the MCU as well as the beginning of LMDs (Life Model Decoys).

    Actress Mallory Jansen will play AIDA in Season 4 of Agents of SHIELD.  Jansen is previousily well known for playing the evil queen on the show Galavant.  It seems that Holden Radcliffe's character may act as a version of Tom Thumb on the show.




    Video of AIDA in Agents of SHIELD Season 3 Finale





    Pictures of AIDA on Agents of SHIELD Season 4:


    AIDA makes a startling appearance in Episode 1 of Season 4.  Fitz goes to meet Dr Radcliff only to encounter a beautiful and very nude woman. Very embarrassed Fitz apologizes for barging in. Radcliff then begins to explain what AIDA is and how she mimics humans behaviors. AIDA he explains is different than the AI like Ultron in that she is limited to mimicry. Fitz is seemingly still worried about what Dr Radcliff is doing as he is later shown sleeping uncomfortably. It is possible that the existence of AIDA could cause wedge between Fitz and Simmons. Simmons is currently a trusted adviser of the new Director. Meanwhile Fitz does not want to turn in Radcliff for creating AIDA as he believes the technology has merit.





    LMD loading of AIDA -





    Pictures from Episode one of AIDA




    Warning: Classified SHIELD Files below:


    Marvels Agent of Shield speculation HUB

    Who is Luke Cage / Powerman

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     http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130821021623/marveldatabase/images/3/39/Luke_Cage_(Earth-616)_Mighty-Avengers_1.jpg

    Luke Cage is a Marvel superhero who sometimes goes by the name of Powerman.  Luke Cage is featured in multiple Netflix series and played by actor Mike Colter.  Luke Cage has been featured in Jessica Jones (Season 1), Luke Cage (Season 1), The Defenders and will also be in Luke Cage (Season 2).

    First Appearance:  Luke Cage: Hero For Hire #1

    Luke Cage News:
     
    Luke Cage Multi-Media:
    This is one of my favorite clips from the Luke Cage Series.  "You Want Some?"


    Tweet Video:
    This Tweet Video Announces the coming of Luke Cage Season 2.



    Bio:
     http://www.blastr.com/sites/blastr/files/styles/content_panes_media/public/images/Luke_Cage_Comic.jpg?itok=Sm9oaNIi

    Carl Lucas is a gang member in a gang called the Rivals.  He does petty crimes and fights the Rivals competing gang the "Diablos."  Initially, he dreams of becoming a crime lord but he sees his lifestyle is hurting his family.  He hangs up his criminal aspirations and tries to go legit.

    Things are going well until Willis Styker a longtime friend of Lucas and a fellow member of the Rivals becomes incensed at Lucas.  Styker believes that Lucas is the cause of the break up with his girl friend, Reva Connors.  To get revenge he  plants heroine in Lucas's apartment and calls the police.  Lucas is set up and sent off to prison. 

    Luke is pissed, acts out, and is eventually is sent to Seagate Prison.  In prison he is the target of a sadistic,  racist guard by the name of Billy Bob Rackham.  Rackham is eventually demoted for beating Lucas.   Then everything changes, Lucas is selected for an experiment on prisoners.  During the experiment Rackham tries to get revenge by sabotaging the experiment. Rackham cranks the power up to full but instead of killing Lucas it increases the powers beyond its initial intentions.  Lucas now has bullet proof, impermeable skin and super strength he breaks out of prison.

    Once free Lucas changes his name to Luke Cage and opens an office in times square for a hero for hire.  If you pay Luke's fee you get Luke.   While this business seems sensible for a guy with bullet proof skin, issues always seem to arrive interfering with him getting paid.

    Later Luke Cage meets the Fantastic 4 while trying to collect a debt from Doctor Doom.  He forms a partnership with the Kung Fu master Iron Fist.


    Luke Cage and Iron Fist History:
    Luke Cage was initially a character designed to take advantage of the popularity of Blaxploitation films in the 1970s.
    When the wave of Blaxploitation films waned, so too did the popularity of Luke Cage but he managed to live on.  Luke Cage's comic was made into a team book called Heroes for Hire and Iron Fist became his partner.
    While very different the two characters were in a similar situation.



    Iron Fist came from Kung Fu movies that had dropped in popularity similar to the Blaxploitation films.  The two combined in the titles Powerman and Ironfist and later Heroes for Hire.  The two friends became one of the most popular and long running partnerships in comics.
    It is hard to say why the Iron Fist and Luke Cage team up has worked so well.  While both are in the same genre of street fighting heroes they are on the surface polar opposites.  Iron Fist is a rich, white male, with mystical powers out to get vengeance.  Luke Cage is a poor, ex gang member, street fighter, who wants to make money.  Often times the two have quarreled, usually over money but they have always managed to work out their issues.

    Relationship with Jessica Jones:
    Luke first hooks up with Jessica Jones on a drunken one night stand.  Cage wanted to make more of the relationship than Jones did and the two have a dramatic falling out.  They make peace while working a job as Matt Murdock's body guards.  The relationship grows deeper as Cage helps Jessica deal with the abuse she suffered at the hands of the Purpleman.  They begin dating and move in together.  The two have a daughter together named  Danielle after Danny Rand.  Following the birth of their daughter the two are married.


    Villains:



    Powers:
    Luke Cage has bullet proof and nearly indestructible skin.  He also has super strength, durability and healing.  He is a strong hand to hand combatant with a street fighter like style.


    http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/1/11352/1568828-thunderbolts__150_024.jpg



    Luke Cage Cosplay:


     https://worldofblackheroes.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/cagecosplay-6.jpg

    http://wetalkpodcasts.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Luke-Cage-Cosplay.jpg

     
    Marvel Cinematic Universe:
    Mike Colter as Luke Cage in Jessica Jones


    Luke Cage will be in the upcoming Marvel Netflix project called the Defenders Saga.  The Defender's Saga includes the characters Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and Daredevil.  Luke Cage will be played by Mike Colter.

    Show Synopsis:
    Luke Cage is a former gang member who is framed for a crime. In prison, he volunteers for a medical experiment that goes awry, giving him super strength and bulletproof skin. Using his newfound powers, Cage escapes and becomes a hero for hire. His archenemy is Willy Stryker, a former childhood friend from Harlem. The two committed petty crimes together, and both fell for the same woman, Reva Connors, which led to their eventual falling out. It was Stryker who framed Cage for a drug deal that sent him to prison.
     Synopsis 2:
    After a sabotaged experiment leaves him with super strength and unbreakable skin, Luke Cage (Mike Colter) becomes a fugitive trying to rebuild his life in modern day Harlem, New York City. But he is soon pulled out of the shadows and must fight a battle for the heart of his city--forcing him to confront a past he had tried to bury.

    Season 2:
    Season 1 of Luke Cage was very successful so it should come as no surprise that a 2nd season of the bullet proof is in the works.  Marvel revealed that a 2nd Season was coming by tweeting out a video that showed the Pop's Barbershop location with a Neo Sign saying Season 2 is coming.



    Shop Marvel





    Related Posts:
    Top 10 Villains of Luke Cage 
    First pictures from AKA Jessica Jones
    Who is Iron Fist?

    Luke Cage casting announcement! 
    Defenders Saga News and Casting HUB 
     
     Who is the Purpleman?

    Guardians of the Galaxy - Trailers and Pictures

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    The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Trailer is finally HERE Rejoice!  This may be the most hottly anticipated trailer this year......Yes more than Star Wars!

    Official Synopsis from Marvel:
    Set to the backdrop of 'Awesome Mixtape #2,' Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team's adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill's true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes' aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand. Written by Marvel Studios



    Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 trailers

    Trailer #1:




    Trailer 2:




    Marvel Matt's thoughts on Trailer

    Trailer #1 highlights:

    First things first this movie looks just as fun as the original and that is saying something.  The characters are intriguing, the sets are otherworldly, there is action and obviously some humor.

    Ooga chaka Ooga Chaka the familiar tune subtly plays in the background as the camera gently glides down a hall of the Milano.  A cheeky scrawl is written on the walls no doubt by a certain intergalatic outlaw turned hero, Starlord.  The message is clear the team is back.

    Then begins to snap quickly in a variety of  intriguing scenes that show that while our favorite characters are back, they are in a very different place than where we saw them last.  The team is shown walking through a weird alien planet. Star Lord standing before a glowing biomass like abyss. Gamora drawing her sword. Rocket and Yondu strutting past helplessly floating warriors, a giant explosion.  Then finally a joke because this is the Guardians and they don't take themselves too, too seriously.

    I am very curious where the locations are in the Marvel Universe.  I am a massive Marvel universe geek and love to chart out the planets.  They certainly do not appear to be the planets visited in Gotg 1 (Xandar and Morag)  One thought is that some scenes make actually take place on Ego the Living planet.  Ego will play a major role in the film and will have a human form played by Kurt Russell but also will presumably still be a planet.  In particular the scene of Starlord peering out into filmy blue biomass feels like could be on Ego.

    Who is Ego the Living Planet


    There is also another interesting scene where Yondu and Rocket are walking together where a huge group of warriors presumably members of the pirate like Ravagers.  Rocket used a similar gravity shut off strategy to escape from the prison the Klynn in Guardians 1.  Where is this location at?  My guess is that it is aboard a Ravager vessel.


    Trailer #2 highlights

    Trailer 2 showed some more of what one expects from Guardians of the Galaxy, more humor, more action and more insane special effects.

    Rocket Raccoon explaining to Baby Groot not to press a red button is both funny and shows how different this Groot may be from his predecessor.

    We see all of the heroes in battle against a huge army of hive like space ships and then with a large space monster.  There are still few details on who the antagonist of the film is.

    The trailer also gives us the first glimpse of the character Mantis.   It also shows her power hilariously in action.

    Who is Mantis?


    I think Mantis looks really awesome.  She is a pretty weird character and has been shown looking a few different ways in the comics.  She could have been depicted with green skin, with or with out antennas.  This particular look takes ques from all of these.  I think what is cool about it is that she does look alien while maintaining a lot of human facial features that connects her closer to the audience.



    Pictures from Vol 2










    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Store
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    Trailers from Guardians of the Galaxy 1

    Here is the 2nd trailer




    Here is the first trailer


















     

     

    Related:
    Watch out for these Guardians of the Galaxy Easter Eggs

    Who are the characters appearing in GotG movie 


    Marvel Cosmic Map and Aliens


    Gigantus/ Goliath - Marvel Monster

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    Who is Gigantus / Goliath?

    Gigantus / Goliath is a monster that appeared in early Marvel comics in the early 1960s. . This post is part of the Toylab Marvel Monster series that focuses on old Marvel Monsters in preparation for the 2017 Marvel Comic event Monsters Unleashed.

    Name/Alias: Goliath, Gargantus see continuity error section in bottom half of post:

    Place of Origin:  Mu (Ancient city on Earth) this may have been altered to Subterranea at some point see continuity error section at bottom of page.

    Race:  Deviant

    First Appearance: Journey into Mystery #63

    Other Appearances: Sensational Spider-Man #11, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #7 and #42, Journey into Mystery #648, Fantastic Four #347 and #349, Marvel Universe #7, Where Monsters Dwell #10 (reprint of Journey into Mystery #63)

    Fun Facts: 
    In his initial appearance Gigantus is outsmarted by a Mr Baxter.  Mr. Baxter saved the world from being ruled Gigantus.  Not many Baxters are mentioned in Marvel comics its possible that this Mr. Baxter gave the Baxter Building long used as the HQ of the Fantastic Four its name.  I can validate this but I have been unable to find any other references to a Baxter in Marvel comics.


    Gigantus - News:




    Bio:

    Ulyssess Bloodstone the monster hunter and adventurer encountered Gigantus on an expedition to Monster Island.  His group was attempting to rescue their friend and companion Mokkari who had been taken to the Isle.  As the expedition approached Monster Island, Gigantus rose up from the sea to block their path.  Bloodstone used the craft's flaming engines to scorch Gigantus causing the large monster to retreat back beneath the sea.  Gigantus's quick movements to submerge himself cause a small tidal wave that wreck the expedition's cruiser on the shore of Monster Island.

    Gigantus is a huge monster from an aquatic civilization called Mu.  He is sent by a King of his people out to conquer the world.  The giant monster seems to be unstoppable.  He goes into a harbor and unleashes havok where he goes.  However a clever scientist by the name of Baxter creates a fake giant monster that is even larger than Gigantus.  Gigantus fleas back into the sea believing he has met his match.

    Gigantus appears among an assortment of monsters in one of Peter Parker's nightmares.

    At some point Gigantus joins forces with the Mole Man and living in the kingdom of Subterranea.  He is order by the Mole Man to retrieve the Skrull named Inoganic Techno Troid.  In doing so he was forced to battle two teams of Fantastic Four and was being beaten.  The Mole Man and Gigantus retreated seeing that the odds were against them.

    Gigantus encounters Adam Warlock when Warlock comes to Monster Island.  The Mole Man sends Gigantus toward the Infinity Watch members as a welcome party.

    Gigantus also appears to be banished by Asgardians in one story.  He returns and is beaten back by Namor.

    It is not clear if Goliath will appear as part of the Marvel 2017 event Monsters Unleashed.

    Powers:
    • Super Strong - Not sure how strong relative to other monsters or heroes but was shown to have strength far surpassing a normal human.
    • Super Durable - 
    • Aquatic Amphibian - Can breath underwater, and above water.

    Marvel Shop:
    Toylab is a member of the Amazon Affiliate network and so we can offer you great deals like the ones recommend for you below:



    Potential Continuity Errors-
    Gigantus is a fairly obscure character but has managed to show up a few times in the Marvel universe.  Bizarrely these appearances sometimes present facts that appear to be at odds with his previous appearances.  This is definitely some back corner Marvel universe stuff but for those who are geeks about this kind of thing here is what I have managed to unravel.  Its pretty funny for a character who has only appeared a few times to have this many glaring questions.  This is what happens though when a character randomly appears again decades after he was first created and information on his original appearance is forgotten.  This is especially true in the age prior to the internet where people went off of paper notes, old comics and memory.  I label these as "Potential" Continuity Errors because I think if someone wanted to they could explain many of these errors away with some clever writing.

    When Gigantus first appears in Journey into Mystery #63 he is referred to as Golaith the Monster that walks like a Man.  He is never referred to by this name again.  The story is later reprinted in Where Monsters Dwell but in this appearance his name is changed to Gigantus the Demon from the Depths.  I have not found an explanation for the change my guess is that they thought Gigantus sounded more cool.  I have not noticed many other changes between the Where Monsters Dwell version and the original.  One funny change is there is an added word balloon on the cover of the Monsters Dwell where a man shouts "Run for your life, it's the monster that walks like a man".  This line plays homage to the original description of the character back in Journey into Mystery.

    Where Monsters Dwell series is basically made up of later reprints of older monster tales so many of these monsters made their 2nd appearance in that series (Including popular Monsters like Groot).

    Same cover but different name

    This period of time is revisited in the late 1990s in the series Marvel Universe #7 that focuses on the exploits of Monster Hunter Ulysses Bloodstone.  Tom Brevort in the notes of Marvel Universe #7 states that Gigantus was previously named Gargantus and appeared in Strange Tales #80.  A character named Gargantus does appear in Strange Tales #80 but this is a different character than the Gigantus/ Goliath character.

    His first appearance Gargantus in Strange Tales #80 does look a lot like Gigantus with the biggest difference being that he is gray blue and not orange.  However, Gargantus appears again in a story called The Return of Gargantus in Strange Tales #85 and this time he looks very different.  With the 2nd story I think its clear that Gargantus is a separate aquatic monster and Brevort was mistaken in the notes of Marvel Universe #7.

    Covers of Gargantus Covers in Strange Tales 80 and 85 below for comparisons sake.




    Mu King or Mole Man?
    In his first appearance Gigantus relates a story of being sent to conquer the world by a King of the Muvians.  This King is never mentioned again and later stories Gigantus works directly for the Mole Man.  Its possible that the Mole Man replaced the Mu King in later printings and reimaginings of the character.

    From MU or Subterranea?
    Mu has generally been depicted with humanoids not Orange skinned monsters like Gigantus.  Mu appears in Namor comics 1 and 2.  It also appears in Marvel Tales #44 where the beautiful but abandoned city of Para Diss is discovered.  In both comics Mu is the Continent that the ancient Lemuria civilization rested upon.  This continent was destroy by the Celestials and sunk into the ocean.  In Namor some of the Muvians survive in a underwater city.  It is possible that Gigantus was part of a separate species that survived species from Mu that survived the cataclysm.  However, this is never explained.

    In later appearances Gigantus is a part of Mole Man's deviant monsters.  These other monsters all come from Subterranea and I have seen numerous sources list Subterranea as Gigantus's place of origin.  Its possible like the Mu King that Subterranea has replaced Mu.

    Changing Colors?
    Gigantus appears in different colors Orange, Green and Brown. He is green in Fantastic Four #349, brown in Warlock and the Infinity Watch #7. In all other appearances Gigantus appears to be Orange. Once again if Marvel wanted to this could be explained way with a quick blurb about how Gigantus can change colors but on its face it appears to be an error.

    MAKE MINE MARVEL!

    Monsters Unleashed - 2017 


    Marvel - News, Characters, Reviews, Movies, and Comics 





    Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy

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    What is Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy?

    Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy is a Spider-Man story written by Dan Slott that is set to be released in the fall of 2016.  It features the return of Spider-Man's infamous villain Miles Warren aka the Jackal. The Jackal is infamous for being the primary villain in what is often regarded as the worst Spider-Man story ever, Maximum Clonage.

    In the Clone Conspiracy the Jackal will have learned how to bring people back to life. Apparently, this goes beyond creating clones and actually fully bringing back the actual person.   He will then use this ability to coerce super villains who have lost loved ones to work for him. Many supervillains have lost loved ones, many super villains themselves have also been killed. The Jackal thus has the ability to create a super villain army that is entirely loyal to him.

    It also seems that the Jackal does not necessarily intend to battle Peter Parker but instead to make a deal with him. There are after all a multitude of dead characters that Parker would want returned to life.

    Series Checklist:
    Here is the official The Clone Conspiracy Checklist


    • AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #16 *BEFORE DEAD NO MORE CHAPTER 1* – 8/10/16
    • AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #17 *BEFORE DEAD NO MORE CHAPTER 2* – 8/31/16
    • AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #18 *BEFORE DEAD NO MORE CHAPTER 3* – 9/21/16
    • AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #19 *BEFORE DEAD NO MORE CHAPTER 4* – 10/5/16
    • THE CLONE CONSPIRACY #1 – 10/12/16
    • AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #20 *CLONE CONSPIRACY 1.5* – 10/19/16
    Toylab Editorial:

    Ny immediate thought when hearing about this story was,  "Oh this is going to be rad!" but my 2nd reaction was one of worry..  First I am really looking forward to this it and I think its going to be excellent.  However, as soon as you mention Clones and Spider-Man in the same sentence a billion pound Elephant walks into the room.  Lets get this elephant out of the way.












    Meet THE ELEPHANT in the ROOM CLONES CLONES CLONES
    Before we go into the Clone Conspiracy lets discuss why Clones are a such loaded word for Spider-Man fans.



    The Jackal has appeared prominently in two Spider-Man stories both involving clones. The first story was received fairly positively and does not have any of the negative baggage of the first. In this story the Jackal making a clone of Gwen Stacey and later of Spider-Man himself. This was used as a means of torturing Spider-Man. The Jackal blames Spider-Man for Gwen Stacey's death. The Jackal made a few successful clones of Spider-Man but only one was perfect. The very first clone had degenerative issues and went off on his own and was later known by the name Kaine. Spider-Man and the perfect clone battled each other in a stadium. The battle was stopped when the clone of Gwen Stacey unmasked the Jackal as Professor Miles Warren and took him to task for his crimes. In the fray a bomb explodes and the perfect clone, Gwen Stacey clone and the Jackal are all apparently killed.  In true comic book fashion almost none of them died.

    The 2nd story is the much maligned Clone Saga. This story was met with a huge fan backlash when it attempted to say that Spider-Man was actually the clone.  Meanwhile, the real Spider-Man had believed he was the clone and went off to start a new live as Ben Reilly. This had some very dramatic underpinnings it meant that Mary Jane had married the clone, and also was pregnant with its baby. It also meant that the character that everyone had been reading since the original Clone story had been an impostor. Effectively 20 years of Spider-Man comics had starred the clone impostor and not the real Spider-Man. Fans were seriously enraged at the thought of this and rebelled against the story. The story's creative team underwent a variety of changes but generally they remained defiant and pushed back against the fans. The Clone Saga would go on in various forms for nearly 3 YEARS!!! On top of fans hating the idea of Parker being a clone, the story is also a big discombobulated mess. I have many of the issues and have tried to make sense of it for years. I may be the only idiot on the planet who has read it multiple times and knows useless facts that for instance Miles Warren's Jackal is not the true villain of the series, its actually......Norman Osborn. By the point this was revealed no one cared or even understood it.  It sort of hits the floor like a lead balloon.



    Is Clone Sage better on a reread?  Answer - Yes and No. When you reread the Clone Saga you realize that there are good parts that have been overlooked. First there are some good individual issues. There are some cool new characters like Kaine and Ben Reilly that are introduced. The cover art for the series is really cool and unlike anything that is coming out now.
    The biggest reason to reread the Clone Saga though is the themes of the story itself. When you look back this was also one of the most mature Spider-Man stories ever written. This is Parker facing marriage and fatherhood at the same time he learns that he may be a clone. At the time fans hated it because it felt like Peter's entire evolution as a person was being unraveled. When you read it now this is Peter Parker as a man, not as a boy going through something very traumatic. After the events of Brand New Day its clear that Parker is going to be kept at a stage of lower maturity than this. He will likely never be married, never have kids, he will forever be bouncing around sjuggling girl friends, work with his alter ego as Spider-Man. Reading this old story and seeing how different and how adult Parker is very unique.  It makes you feel like you are reading a tale of What If, or a great fan fiction. The Maximum Clonage story remains one of the few places where you can get this adult Peter Parker and that for me will always make the story stand out as something important.

    Once the burns of Parker being clone went away and eventually were rewritten out of existence. The last big problem with Maximum Clonage is its organization. This story is a hot mess. There are parts of the story that seem contradict themselves  There are subplots that never seem to go anywhere. Its really hard to untangle where something begins and ends. The sheer volume of material in the story and its sub-stories also drag on and on making it a total bear to try to read through appropriately. This problem will never go away.  It remains an organizational cluster bomb.

    That said you can find some of these same organizational issues with the previous Spider-Man story  Maximum Carnage that is looked at far more positively. I think though that Maximum Carnage gets away with it because on its face its so much simpler. Its mostly about a group of good guys fighting a group of bad guys in a city in chaos. All the drama and mystery underpinnings of Maximum Clonage are not there and thus it is less important to read all of the issues or to read them in a specific order.  I have not read the attempt to put Maximum Clonage together as a Trade Paperback as a kind of master cut.  Its actually hard for me to imagine how that is done with how many issues are being dealt with. I do however know that it does exist.  Maybe someday I will read it and compare it to all of the comics.  Who knows maybe this new Clone story will inspire me.


    Looking at the Clone Conspiracy



    Am I worried about the legacy of Maximum Clonage affecting the Clone Conspiracy? No, because Brand New Day pretty much fully unraveled the Spider-Man continuity. Spider-Verse also showed that continuity in terms of Spider-Man is almost pointless because there are a billion different dimensions and somewhere the Spider-Man that is married and has kids exists. He is just not that much fun so Marvel won't focus on him. All of the baggage Maximum Clonage carried is thus kind of passed by most Spider-Man fans at this point and what remains is purely a focus on the story and characters.

    The other enduring problem of Maximum Clonage being its utter lack of organization I highly doubt will infect this new series. The reason I am confident that organization will not be a problem is Dan Slott. Slott has proven himself as a master weaver of Spider-Man events. He has successfully navigated webhead through Spider-Verse, Spider-Island, Secret Wars (The 2nd One), and of course Superior Spider-Man. All of those stories were well written and set up to be easy followed. They did not contract themselves but all followed the same thought issue to issue. Everything tells me that this story will be like that.

    My expectations for this story are very high. I think its going to take Spider-Man to new places and do things that no one expects. While many including myself used to think that Spider-Verse was Slott's Magnum Opus we may have been wrong. This could very well be it. Be excited TRUE BELIEVERS this is going to be good.



      Spider-Man Store:








      Preview Amazing Spider-Man The Clone Conspiracy #3 
      This issue really hits some powerful notes as the new Jackal is revealed along with his plan.

      The Jackal has previously shown an array of former dead Spider-Man baddies to be resurrected and to be working for him.  This include old bad guys like the spider slayer scientists Alistair and Spencer Smythe, Mysterio, Bart Hamilton's Green Goblin, The Rose, Stilt Man, Jean DeWolff, The Enforcers, and Ashley Kafka as well as many more.   However, the big reveal as Spider-Man confronts the Jackal's new underworld is the identity of the jackal himself and his true plans to seduce Spider-Man.

      Spoilers...

      The new Jackal appears like Peter Parker and most astute readers have likely already caught onto this.  His face has not been very hidden by the Jackal mask and he looks nothing like Miles Warren.  Many like myself initially thought that this Miles had bought himself back into a clone body of Peter Parker.  Well not quite it seems the truth is even more interesting here.

      The Jackal claims to be Ben Reilly the clone of Peter Parker but brought back using the New U technology that allows to have complete memories.  He has then gone about assembling a gang of former Spider-Man baddies to do his bidding.  All resurrected persons need to take a pill that New U creates or else they will fall apart and die.  In this way the Jackal is able to keep iron fist grip on resurrected people and their families.

      Rather than use his gang to battle Spider-Man, he offers him something that Peter has always wanted.  A world where nobody dies.  To add a massive cherry on top of the offer, the Jackal says he can bring back Uncle Ben.

      What will Spider-Man say?  Will he fall for this seductive offer?  Likely not and he will very likely end up in a massive battle with Jackal's assembled army of goons.











      Cover Pictures 
      I love some of the art coming out for this event.  Amazing covers featuring the new Jackal and other classic villains.

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      Slingshot - Digital Spin off series of Agents of SHIELD

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      Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot

      Slingshot is coming! This is another new idea from Marvel that is aimed at Agents of SHIELD fans.  Slingshot will be a show that will air digitally from ABC online to viewers.  It features the character Slingshot aka Yoyo Rodriguez who is played by actress Natalia Cordova-Buckley.

      Details on who Slingshot might face as an adversary are unclear.  This however is meant to detail both with her past and with the super registration act depicted in the film Captain America: Civil War.  The time period of series is said to be set between Season 3 and Season 4 of Agents of SHIELD.  There was a fairly big time jump between the seasons with many significant events occurring so its possible that this series will shed new light on those events.

      The show is slated to have 6 episodes.
      Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot is scheduled to premiere online December 13.

      Official ABC Synoposis:

      Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot takes place shortly before the beginning of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 4. The digital series features Elena "Yo-Yo" Rodriguez, an Inhuman with the ability to move at super-speed. As a person with powers, she must sign the Sokovia Accords. However, the restrictions of the Accords are in direct conflict with a personal mission she's desperate to fulfill, one that will test her abilities and will include tense encounters with S.H.I.E.L.D. team members.

      Review:

      Pictures from Slingshot



      News and Speculation:
      THE HUB: Home to latest SHIELD news and speculation   
         






      From The Vault - Quasar #32 - First Appearance of Korath

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      FROM THE VAULT 

      The Toylab Vault holds a large collection of comic books and every once in a whileone is pulled out, and dusted off.  Lets see what secrets it holds...


      Today we are going to look at the comic Quasar #32 it is mostly an overlooked book.  I actually bought it years after it came out for a  measly $1.40.  Which is nothing considering a few of the interesting things that happen in the book.

      Quasar #32 from some reason mine has a #1
      The numbering #1 or #32:
      One bizarre thing on this book is that it was sold on stands with a #1 on it.  This was to represent the #1 of Galactic Storm an event it was leading into.  However people who were getting Quasars received a copy with #32.  Just for giggles I own both a #1 and a #32 I do not know which is more rare.  I personally had more trouble finding a copy with #32 on it.

      Related Posts:
      Tevan Corp's Infiniy Gem Tracker
      Who is Korath Pursuer?
      Nova Corps Criminal Database
      Why Korath Isn't Blue

      Historical Significance:
      First appearance of Korath the Pursuer
      First Kree and Shi'Ar war
      Also one of the first appearances of the Shi'Aar imperial guard.

      Story Summary:
      The bulk of the story concerns Quasar palling around with StarFox going to the tomb of Mar Vel.  There they run into a couple of trouble makers from the Kree empire Captain Atlas and Dr Minerva.  They inform Quasar that the Kree and the Shiar are now at war.  This is the beginning of the first  Kree Shi'Ar war.  The two are at Mar Vel's tomb to retrieve Mar Vel's Nega Bands.  Which will be used later to create the massive Negabomb.

      Quasar quickly subdues the two interlopers however he is then immediately attacked.by what seems to be the entire Shi'Ar Imperial Guard.  These end up being illusions.

      The real interesting thing in this comic happens in two pages in middle of the book. We leave the action at Mar Vel's tomb and enter a factory on the edge of the Kree empire.  An angry cyber geneticist named Korath-Thak is disgruntled.  He is has been placed as a lowly foreman in a factory on the fringe of the massive Kree empire.    Apparently, the new leaders of the Kree empire who took over for the Supreme Intelligence did not see the value of Korath's Pursuer Project.  Not one to take things lying down Korath uses his technology on himself turning himself into the super human Korath the Pursuer.
      First Appearance of Korath the Pursuer

      Tullk - Marvel

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      Who is Tullk?
      Tullk is a Marvel character who is hired for by Ronan.  Tullk will appear in the film Guardians of the Galaxy volume 2 and be played by actor Tommy Flanagan.

      First Appearance: Ronan Annihilation #1

      Real name: Tullk Ul-Zlyn

      Bio:
      Tullk has a very limited history in Marvel comics I could only find him in two issues Ronan Annihilation #1 and #2.

      Tullk is a mercenary and information broker during the time of the Annihilation Wave.
      Ronan hires Tullk to locate Tana Nile whom Ronan believes framed him.  Ronan pays Tullk with information on the Kree sentry patrols.  Tullk is rightfully incredulous that Ronan would so willingly betray the Kree Empire.  After Ronan leaves Tullk he sends a message to the Kree authorities that they have been compromised.  This effectively rendered his payment to Tullk worthless.

      Tullk contacts Ronan again to give Tana Nile's exact location.  It is quickly revealed that this information came from Tana Nile herself.   Nile warns him not to play both sides again.



      After this Tullk's ship runs directly into the Annihilation Wave where he is apparently killed.

      It is possible that Tullk could have survived the Annihilation Wave or that he was brought back after Secret Wars.

      Powers:
      Unknown
      Information Broker
      Space ship

      MCU:


      Tommy Flanagan will play Tullk in the MCU film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2.  It could be that he is a member of the Ravagers or that he is an independent dealer.

      Tommy Flanagan is well known for his part in the film Braveheart and his role on the television series Sons of Anarchy.

      I have been looking for Tommy Flanagan's Tullk in the trailer and have had a hard time seeing anything that resembled him.

      One picture I keep looking at is the picture of an explosion with seemingly blue people.  At first I thought these were Ravangers but as I look closer I wondered if this could be another group.  Maybe a group ran by Tullk.  The main guy in particular I have wondered if it could be Tommy Flanagan. You can not see Flanagan's prominent scar across his cheek.  The face of the guy looks a bit different but its hard to judge because he is making a weird face and is covered in make up and prosthetic.
      A little added evidence that this theory has something to it is that I don't recognize the girl in the background either.  At this point it is hard to say and I will let you, the astute readers of Toylab judge for yourselves.





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      Taserface - Marvel

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      Who is Taserface?
      Taserface is a villain of the Guardians of the Galaxy.  Taserface will in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 and played by actor Chris Sullivan.

      First Appearance: Guardians of the Galaxy #1 (1990)

      Home World:  Stark

      Universe: Earth-691

      Taser Face News:


      Taserface Multi-Media:


      Bio:
      In an alternate future (31st century) reality of the Marvel universe a whole planet of aliens have based their entire race and culture off of Iron Technology.  The race calls themselves the Stark after their spiritual founder.  Their greatest warrior / scout is known as Taserface.

      Many years before this a group called the Martian Masters was preparing to conquer Earth.  Tony Stark launched all of his technology out into space on a rocket where it landed on a primitive world.  A primitive race finds the rockets and slowly overtime comes to understand its technology.  The gift of Stark technology allows them to blast forward.  They begin to create cybernetic suits like the Iron Man suit and call themselves the Stark.   The aliens erect a massive statue and worship Tony Stark.  The world is heavily polluted by their industry and eventually it is unable to support life.  The Stark then leave to find new worlds to conquer.

      Taserface is the best scout for the Stark he searches for new planets to take take over.  While scouting a planet named Courg he runs into the Guardians of the Galaxy while scouting the planet.  He battles the group and is beaten badly.  Vance Astro manages to break open Taserface's suit revealing his old body to the outside world for the time in a millennium.  For a time Taserface is renamed the "Nameless" for his disgraceful performance in battle.  The Guardians then slay another Stark named Lt Darkeyes.  Taserface is enhanced and sent out to defeat the Guardians and destroy their ship, the Freedom Lady.

      This time an upgraded Taserface fairs better but Starhawk calls for reinforcements and he is still defeated when Firelord rejoins the Guardians of the Galaxy.

      Powers:
      Taserface has an advanced cyborg body that is based off the Iron Man suit and includes genetic alteration enhancements.
      • Super Strength
      • Super Durability
      • Slowed Aging
      • Flight/Space Travel
      • Ability to survive in space
      • Lasers and other weapons

      MCU:


      In the run up to Guardians of the Galaxy 1 James Gunn tweeted out:

      “Rereading old Guardians books, I came upon this villain,..Although I’m not discussing anything having to do with the Guardians movie, I will say the odds of Taserface making an appearance are quite low.”

      Well for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 James Gunn must have decided there was a fun way to bring Taserface into film because he has been announced to appear in the 2nd film.  He will be played by Chris Sullivan.

      Chris Sullivan is most well known for his burly portrayal of ambulance driver Tom Cleary on the Nick.  One thing I really like about Chris is his old school gruff voice he uses on the Nick so look for Taserface to get a few interesting lines.

      Speculation:
      My guess is that Taserface will not be the 31st century version of the character that is based off of Iron Man technology.  I think he will either be a ravager or a bounty hunter like Boba Fett.

      Taser Face played by Chris Sullivan on the right
      Chris Sullivan as Taser Face in center picture



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      Who is Spider-Man?

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      Peter Parker (Tom Holland) juggles school life and
      Who is Spider-Man?

      Spider-Man is the most popular Marvel super hero.  He has long been considered Marvel's flagship character and is even featured on their logo.  Peter Parker is an ordinary teenager when he is bit by a radioactive spider that leads to him developing super powers.  Using his super powers to fight crime at night, Spider-Man must also juggle his real life responsibilities during the day.

      There have been two sets of Spider-Man films.  In the first set of 3 films he was played by Tobey Maguire.  In the 2nd set of films called the Amazing Spider-Man series, Spider-Man is played by Andrew Garfield.  Tom Holland will play Spider-Man for his upcoming appearances in the MCU which will include joint and solo movies.

      Spider- Man News:
      Spider-Man Versus:


      Spider-Man Multimedia:
      Sneak Peak  of Spider-Man Homecoming Official Trailer 1:
      Marvel released this quick teaser of a snip it of the upcoming Trailer for Spider-Man Homecoming.  This is right Marvel is now teasing the teaser which is kind of amazing in and of itself.  You know fans are going crazy for something when they want to see a preview of an upcoming preview.

      Quick highlights a familiar face from the beginning of the MCU.  Tony Stark mention and oh yeah an awesome new Spider-Man suit.  





      Spider-Man Store:





      Spider-Man's Origin Story:
      http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140227203101/marveldatabase/images/e/e9/Amazing_Spider-Man_Vol_3_1_Mhan_Variant_Textless.jpg

      Peter Parker is your average American teenager.  He is bookish, and likes photography.  Initially, he is not shown as a complete nerd but more of an average, insecure teenager.  At high school he is picked on by the popular jock, Flash Thompson.
      He lives in a modest home with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May.  He is an orphan, with his parents having died in a car accident when he was younger.

      Visiting a science exhibit Peter is bit by a radioactive spider. The spider's bite gives Peter the super powers based on a spider.  He can climb on walls, has super strength and speed, perfect balance, greatly enhanced agility, some heightened durability.  He also has precognitive like ability called the spider sense that provides him with a warning of danger.  The danger sense can at times tell Spider-Man the location of the threat, the type of threat, and the degree of the threat.  Some of Spider-Man's villains like Venom do not trip the spider sense.  The Spider-Sense also acts to increase his reflex time as he can feel where an attack is coming from and react appropriately.

      Initially, Peter creates the Spider-Man suit as a way to make money as an attraction.  However, his destiny is quickly altered.  Peter fails to stop a thief saying that it is not his problem.  Later, his Uncle Ben is killed by a mugger.  When Peter tracks down the mugger in his Spider-Man guise he learns that the mugger that killed his Uncle Ben was the same thief he let get away.   This helps drive home what would become the golden rule of Spider-Man's ethos "With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility".  The phrase is later attached to have come from his Uncle Ben himself.

      Seeking to repent for his mistake, Peter uses his scientific skills to build a webbing material that could be fired from his wrists.  He uses these webs to swing around the city to save and protect people.

      Spider-Man is almost immediately labeled as a villain and neer-do-well by the local Newpaper the Daily Bugle head honcho Jonah Jameson.  While disagreeing with how his Spider-Man persona is being portrayed in the news by Jonah, the Bugle is one of the only places where Parker can find work.  He takes pictures of himself in his Spider-Man guise and sells them to the paper as a freelance photographer.  Ironically, this bizarre relationship of working for his enemy lasts from the 1960s through the 2000s.

      Powers:
      Super Strength
      Super Speed
      Spider Sense - Precognitive sense of danger
      Super Balance/Agility/Flexibility
      Can cling to walls and climb them like a spider.

      Using Webs - Can swing quickly great distances particularly when around very high structures like Skyscrapers.  The webs can also be used as an offensive weapon that tie up villains, or blind them.  They are generally non lethal as they dissolve over time.

      Additionally, Peter is a scientific genius who creates his own form of webbing.   He also often uses a Spider Tracer a tracking device tuned into his Spider Sense ability. At different times he also created paralysis darts and web bombs.


      Important characters:
      Spider-Man has a long list of friends, family love interests, and enemies.

      Rogues Gallery:
      http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/spider-man-characters-slice.jpg

      Spider-Man has large a highly developed rogues gallery considered one of the best in all of comics.  Many Spider-Man villains have an animal based theme like the Vulture, Dr Octopus, Beetle, Rhino, and Puma.

      Depending on the time period his arch nemesis would be the Green Goblin, Kingpin, Venom, Carnage, Dr. Octopus, or Morlun.



      List of Villains:

      Spider-Man Comic News:


      Current ongoing story is the Clone Conspiracy



      Popularity:
      Spider-Man was ranked by IGN as the #3 greatest comic book hero of all time.  He was behind DC's Superman and Batman.  Personally, I think it could be argued he is the #1 character.
      While Superman was a top selling character for decades prior to the creation of Spider-Man, he has in many ways been eclipsed by the webslinger.  Comic and Movie sales for the past 2 decades have heavily favored Spider-Man over Superman.  That said Spider-Man currently seems to be on something of a decline.  The fact that Spider-Man's film rights are owned by SONY has prevented him from having a connected film universe to the rest of the Marvel characters.  As the Marvel Cinema Universe has done very, very well, he has been somewhat hamstrung by being at SONY.

      Batman arguably has the strongest film, and tv-animated shows over the past 2 decades of any character.  The Dark Knight Trilogy is considered by critics to be among the best CBM trilogies of all time.  That said the popularity of Spider-Man is likely bigger, especially on an international level.  This popularity shows up in licensed product sales.

      Despite having softer movie numbers than expected Spider-Man is still crushing all other heroes when it comes to selling licensed products and this battle is not even close.
      The Hollywood Reporter did a study on licensing revenue from merchandise at Marvel and DC.  The Hollywood reporter found that Marvel made $1.3 Billion off of Spider-Man related license sales.  Marvel made $325 million off of Avengers sales.  Spider-Man made nearly 4 times what the Avengers did.  On the DC side Batman brought in $494 million and Superman $277 million.  The Batman and Superman numbers are not bad, but obviously they are dwarfed by the huge Spider-Man numbers.

      For more on this check out the original report from Hollywood reporter:
      Hollywood Reporter Superhero Licensing Revenues
      From Graph from Hollywood Reporter


      Historical Importance:
      Spider-Man has a few characteristics that make him unique.  He was perhaps the first teenage superhero that was not a side kick or protege of an older hero.  As a teenager of humble means he faced a variety of everyday problems like girls, popularity, family issues and perhaps most notably money.  Unlike, other super heroes Spider-Man was faced with basic constant worries that normal people (especially young people) think about everyday.  While most super heroes focused on the bad guy of the month, Spider-Man also focused on these every day dilemmas.  You could almost describe Spider-Man as neurotic with his constant focus on his worries.
      Spider-Man was one of the hallmark characters that led to the Marvel way of storytelling.  Marvel focused on broken and flawed Super Heroes, with more issues, personal drama, and real life problems.  At the time this was something of an evolution in the way these stories were told.


      MCU:

      Tom Holland is set to appear as Spider-Man in the film Captain America: Civil War.  This will introduce the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

      Spider-Man first appearance will be in Captain America Civil War.  Uncle Ben will already be dead.  He will have been active for around a year as a super hero.  He said to be around 15 years old.



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      Spider-Man Homecoming - News, Spoilers, Reviews, Pictures

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      Spider-Man Homecoming - News, Spoilers, Reviews, Pictures

      Spider-Man Homecoming is set to be the first solo Spider-Man film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Spider-Man made his first appearance in the MCU in Captain America: Civil War.  Kevin Feige has described his overall plan with Spider-Man to make him like the Marvel's version of Harry Potter.  Spider-Man will start out young and grow into an adult super-hero over the course of multiple films.

      Release Date: July 7, 2017

      Trailer:


      Sneak Peak  of Spider-Man Homecoming Official Trailer 1:
      Marvel released this quick teaser of a snip it of the upcoming Trailer for Spider-Man Homecoming.  This is right Marvel is now teasing the teaser which is kind of amazing in and of itself.  You know fans are going crazy for something when they want to see a preview of an upcoming preview.

      Quick highlights a familiar face from the beginning of the MCU.  Tony Stark mention and oh yeah an awesome new Spider-Man suit.  

       


      News:
      Coming soon


      Cast:
      • Tom Holland - Peter Parker / Spider-Man
      • Robert Downey Jr - Iron Man
      • Marisa Tomei - Aunt May
      • Donald Glober - Unknown
      • Michael Keaton - Unknown - (Rumored to be Adrian Tomes aka the Vulture)
      • Zendaya - Michelle
      • Logan Marshall-Green
      • Kenneth Choi - Principal
      • Tony Revolori - Manuel
      • Hannibal Buress
      • Michael Barbieri
      • Laura Harrier
      • Abraham Attah
      • J.J. Totah
      • Martin Star



      Bloggers thoughts on the Spider-Man Homecoming film:




      Sir Kent Said!




      @ToylabHQ got me to thinking about what would be a kick-ass way to start off the 
      SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING reboot. Is it me or are using the same old villains starting to get a little...stale? I mean, if you do it right, it could work but, I want to new direction. I want a newer villain or maybe, villains that truly represent the new direction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

      Villains that, with a little creativity, can tie the universe together AND introduce a few new hero's from parallel Earth's. I would like to see MORLUN introduced into the next reboot and onto the big screen. Not just because his character would be easy to do but, he is f'BEEP'in bad ass! Don't know who he is? Well let me put some knowledge in yo’ head, muthuf'BEEP'a. 

      Morlun is a vampiric being who has walked the earth for centuries. He feeds on the totems-- the core power sources of the universe. While he can feed on lesser sources such as humans and super humans, he requires a pure source to fully satiate his hunger. He and his family, The Inheritors, hailing from Earth's 3145 have traveled time and space hunting down, killing and absorbing the “Totemistic” life force of beings. Particularly Spider like totems but it can be animal, bird or insect.

      They have killed nearly all the Spider-Man like hero's across all the known Earth's (Let's face it, f'Beep'in Spider-Pig needed to go anyway!). Morlun and his clan have focused on Earth 000 because of the many Spider and other animal totems to be had. 

      Morlun has returned to life more than once and he has set his sights on the proud African warrior nation of Wakanda. His objective was to claim the Panther totem that was protected by the Black Panther, T’Challa. In his quest to obtain the Panther totem, Morlun swept through the kingdom of the great Man-Ape, M'Baku. He tore through their defenses like a lion through a spider’s web and then the vicious devourer consumed the mighty Man Ape, by sucking the life straight out of his body. Remember, at one point, The Black Panther had Morlun captured in am adamantium net and he tore right through that crap and kept coming!

      That's impressive as f'BEEP! Now, this is what I would like to see. I would definitely like to see the first contact between Morlun and Spider-Man. Remember, if Morlun makes physical contact with you, he can find you essence WHEREVER you go! So that means he's a threat to not only you but, whoever happens to be near you when he attacks. 

      I would also like to see BORA (Morlun’s sister) battle Spider-Woman and 
      Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers. It would be a great introduction for Spider-Woman and a villain that 
      Captain Marvel would struggle with (Since the entire family has been known to lift 20 tons BEFORE they feed! Combine that with the ability to regenerate, superhuman durability and sometimes coming back from the f'BEEP'n dead, that's a long day!). Then there are VERNA and DAMEOS. Verna just looks f BEEPin creepy and Dameos has always been considered the powerhouse of the clan.

      They would be a great way to introduce a new 
      Fantastic Four/Dr. Strange/ Avengers tie-in because, they are just that bad ass! Plus, since FOX has (Thankfully) pulled the plug on the next Fantastic Four movie, what else you gonna do with them? Anyway, this is just me thinking out loud but, since your such a big deal now, @ToylabHQ, you need to make this happen. After your interview with Wesley Snipes, just get on the phone with Marvel and represent!!!


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      Who is Spider-Man?



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      Vulture - Spider-Man villains

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      Who is the Vulture?


      The Vulture is one of Spider-Man's most evil and cold blooded foes.  The Vulture was the 2nd super villain encountered by Spider-Man after the Chameleon. The Vulture has been featured in many comics, and cartoons.  The Vulture is rumored to be the main villain in the film Spider-Man Homecoming played by Michael Keaton.

      First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #2

      Real Name: Adrian Toomes

      Vulture News:


      Vulture Multi-Media:

      Vulture Toys:




      Marvel Legends Action Figure

      There will be a Marvel Legends Vulture action figure based off the new look of the Vulture used in the film Spider-Man: Homecoming.
      This version of the Vulture is a little darker and mechanical in appearance than his classic look.  I think he looks more formidable and sinister than his previous incarnations.  This version of the character will be played by Michael Keaton in the film.  One thing that did strike me when I look at the figure is that it does contain more green than I thought it would.  I think this was meant to be a nod to the classic look of the Vulture which was almost all green.

      The new Marvel Legends figure of the Vulture is 6"s tall.

      The Marvel Legends figure is packed with detail and looks fantastic.  You can see the wings and jet engines used by the Vulture to fly.   On the back of the jump pack you see a light blue glow from what I assume is a kind of jet engine.   His torso has the bomber jacket, with the nuanced details of zippers, pockets and the fluffy collar.

      The figure also comes with a stand so it can be set up in case or on a shelf.  You can see ornate pouches along his belt.  The wings and figure caste a large shadow and look really imposing.

      I really love the look of the figure it may actually be my favorite Spider-Man villain action figure of all time.  How much I like this figure really caught me off guard.  If more Vulture toys look like this I may have to cut this out and make it its own post.











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      Bio:


      Adrian Toomes is initially a legitimate businessman and engineer.  As part of business he creates a super flight suit / harness that grants its user super strength.  Excited about his new invention he goes to show it to his business partner.  In the empty office of his business partner Toomes learns that his partner has extorted money from the business and the business has failed.  Angry Toomes uses the suit to wreck the office.   He leaves with the suit to use in a new career as a super villain.

      The Vulture is the first villain that Spider-Man attempts to take pictures of to sell to the Daily Bugle.  In his first battle with the Vulture he is beaten due to being distracted over the camera.  The Vulture dropped Spider-Man into a water tower where he thought the sides would be too slippery for him to climb.  Spider-Man however not only escapes but creates a device that shuts off the Vulture suit.  He uses this device in the next confrontation as the two are airborne and they crash into a roof.  After the crash the Vulture is unconscious and arrested by the police.

      In the first iteration of the Sinister Six the Vulture is one of the main members.  As Spider-Man battles through the Six the Vulture is the last villain before Doctor Octopus.  The Vulture slightly forces Spider-Man to take off his webshooters but is still defeated when Spider-Man uses his own weapon a lasso against him.  He then tells Spider-Man where the lair of Doctor Octopus was.

      The Vulture has many schemes to increase his longevity, gain wealth and take vengeance on those who steal his technology.  He later is diagnosed with cancer that is thought to be caused from his use of the Vulture suit.  Fearing mortality he rushed to Aunt May begging her forgiveness for the killing of Nathan her former boyfriend.  May refused to forgive the Vulture and he was returned to prison.

      The Superior Spider-Man attempted to use the Vulture and other members of the Sinister Six as brain washed heroes called the Superior Six.  However, the Vulture and the others eventually freed themselves and began to wreak havoc before eventually being stopped.

      Powers:
      Super Strength
      Flight
      Super Durability
      Increased Longevity


      MCU:


      The Vulture is rumored to be the main villain in the film Spider-Man Homecoming played by Michael Keaton.

      At San Diego Comic Con a few new pieces of information came out.  First there will likely be three villains in the film.  The current thinking is that the villains will be Vulture, Tinkerer and the Shocker.

      Jon Watts and Tom Holland provided more details on the Vulture as depicted in Spider-Man: Homecoming:
      “The first time we see the Vulture is terrifying,” Holland teases. “It’s like a horror movie: really scary, very intense and shocking.” The Spidey foe is different than other Marvel baddies such as Thanos and Ultron, Watts says. “It’s fun to think that if Spider-Man is a regular kid who becomes a superhero, there’s got to be a bunch of regular guys who become supervillains, too.”

      Jon Watts did a panel that revealed some of the Vulture concept art.




      The Vulture will be technologically based.  This is similar to his comic origin as the Vulture is kind of a technological based mutant.  His suit will be more mechanical looking and feature a helmet and mechanical legs that have talons on his feet.  He also seems to have green glowing eyes that might be some form of night vision.

      Hall H - Spider-Man Homecoming Panel
      The panel for Spider-Man Homecoming at San Diego Comic Con 2016 featured Director Jon Watts and Peter Parker actor Tom Holland.  They appeared even though they had only been filming for 10 days.  They revealed that the film is going to have a John Hughes like vibe mixed with a super hero film.






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