Articles for November, 2016

Felicity Jones Went On A Date With Daisy Ridley To Discuss Galaxies Far, Far Away
Felicity Jones and Daisy Ridley went on a real-life date to talk about all things "Star Wars," obviously.
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ResurrXion Files: Generation X

Almost 15 years after the final issue of the original series, GENERATION X returns next year by the team of writer Christina Strain and artist Amilcar Pinna! The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning reopens its door to welcome a new class of familiar teenaged mutants.

Created by Scott Lobdell and Chris Bachalo back in 1994, the original GENERATION X ran for 75 issues and featured a host of mutant students—Jubilee, Chamber, Husk, M, and Skin, among others—with their instructors, Banshee and Emma Frost. This time around, Jubilee finds herself in the mentor role for a group who might not quite measure up to the X-Men standard.

We spoke to the creators about what to expect from this new take on an old classic!

Marvel.com: The title Generation X conjures a lot of fond memories for fans of the original series. Were you a fan? What drew each of you to this project?

Christina Strain: I was! I lived in Korea until I was 18, so I had limited access to American comics, but I did pick up a few X-related books on base when I could. But I’ve been rereading the original Generation X, and holy crap, it’s still so good!

But really what drew me to the project was my editor, Daniel Ketchum. There are no words for how much I love him and how much I’ve missed working with him. When he first asked me if I was interested in working on a teen X book, I was like, “Yes!” But then I was like, “Wait. Are you sure you want me!?” Because Generation X was a landmark title, and relaunching it is kind of a big thing. But the more we talked, the more I realized that I was more than just excited about it, I had to write it.

Amilcar Pinna: I did remember seeing some imported issues with Chris Bachalo doing the art, but at that time, I didn’t understand English very well, and it was very hard to find those comics where I was living; no comic shops in my city back then, and no internet, too. But I remember that I did really like the art and the fact that those mutants were teenagers. I enjoy that kind of approach in super hero comic books, like that title NYX by Joe Quesada and Joshua Middleton—beautiful stuff!

Marvel.com: Christina, I know you’ve worked on a lot of Marvel’s younger characters, such as the Runaways, as a colorist in the past. What’s it been like for you working as a writer now for Marvel?

Christina Strain: Crazy—but in a good way. Because I decided I wanted to be a colorist when I was 19, so when I started coloring for Marvel at 22, I thought that was it for me. Like, that was as good as it got. So if you’d told 19-year-old me that I’d also become a writer for Marvel, I don’t know that I would’ve believed you. Because writing is hard! I worked my butt off to become a colorist, and I had to basically do it all over again to become a writer. I started writing back in 2010, while I was still coloring, but doing it just part time wasn’t enough. I had to retire, go back to school and start a career as a TV writer first to even feel like I deserved a chance to write for Marvel. But it’s great to be back. It’s different, but then it’s also familiar? Like, I’ve always been a storyteller for Marvel; it’s just that this time I’m doing it with words rather than color.

Marvel.com: Amilcar, I know this isn’t your first foray into the world of the X-Men. Are there any characters you’re looking forward to working on this time around?

Amilcar Pinna: Yes, I did some X-MEN: FIRST CLASS FINALS with my dear friend Roger Cruz. I did have lots of fun.

About the characters, let me see; the X-Men universe has lots and lots of cool characters. It would be real nice to work with X-23, Psylocke, [and] Storm. X-Men females rock.

Marvel.com: What’s the premise of the new GENERATION X comic?

Christina Strain: Traditionally, the Xavier Institute’s been the place for societally rejected young mutants to seek shelter. Once there, they’re taught how to properly harness their powers and sometimes, after graduating, some of them have gone on to become full-fledged X-Men. But let’s be real for a second: Not every young mutant is X-Men material. And it’s downright irresponsible to send those kids into battle. Like Cypher. Remember him? His mutant ability was that he spoke a bunch of languages. Of course he died.

Generation X by Terry Dodson

Generation X by Terry Dodson

So the Xavier Institute’s taking this opportunity to re-evaluate their program and their students, quietly dividing the student body into three classes: the next generation of X-Men, the next generation of ambassadors, and the next generation of…other. Basically, the lovable losers. These are young mutants with benign powers, who could be considered liabilities during missions, or even just make for the absolute worst mutant ambassadors. And they include Jubilee, Quentin Quire, Benjamin Deeds, Bling, Eye Boy, Nature Girl, and a new character we’ll call Hindsight. They just don’t seem to fit in anywhere—including the very school where they were promised they would fit in.

Marvel.com: What role will Jubilee play in the series?

Christina Strain: She’s the head of the team as well as their mentor. She’s literally and figuratively our crew’s teen mom. Because I knew I was writing about a team of “lovable losers,” and I knew I wanted at least one member of the original Gen X team, Jubilee was the first person I picked for the team. I mean, she’s a walking motivational poster; she’s basically the cat from those “Hang in there!” posters. She’s perfect.

Marvel.com: Besides Jubilee, can we expect to see other characters from the title’s previous run?

Christina Strain: Yes! You will see Chamber. I love him and his face furnace so hard. There are a few other characters I have a feeling will be making an appearance, but I’m still sorting out some of the details. I have a feeling Husk will make an appearance but that doesn’t mean that there’s going to be a Husk/Chamber reunion.

Marvel.com: Even though the book is focused on the school, we know that sometimes the students end up on field trips. What sorts of threats or villains can we expect to see?

Christina Strain: It’s going to depend on the story arc. Sometimes we go to the villains, and sometimes the villains come to us. The bigger question though, is how we’re going to handle the villains when the core concept of this book is that this Gen X team is ill equipped to fight. Even the school would rather that they hide under some tables in the library [rather] than get out there [and] probably die [or] get someone else killed in a fight. They’re basically Hufflepuffs, and we all know what happened to the most bad ass of the Hufflepuffs…

So what you’re going to see are a lot of character-defining, character-building fights. Coming from threats that force our Gen Xers to prove that they do have what it takes, not just to the rest of the school, but to themselves. Like, we all know Quentin Quire’s a loose [cannon], so what’s it going to take for him to finally admit to himself that no man’s an island? Or, when Benjamin Deeds [is] put in a leadership spot of a covert team mission, can he handle it? Is he strong enough to maintain his leadership status from stronger personalities like Quentin or Bling? Will anyone start listening to anything Eye Boy has to say? Only time can tell.

Marvel.com: Christina, what does Amilcar bring to GENERATION X?

Christina Strain: So when Daniel and I were talking about pencilers, the one thing I knew that I wanted was a distinct look. The original GENERATION X was such a refreshingly different book, in both the writing and art, that we wanted to capture that same feeling with this iteration of Generation X. We wanted someone with an interesting vibe and emotive style, and Amilcar fit that description. His art just feels like it has a lot to say; I’m super excited to be working with him!

Follow Marvel.com and our social channels for the latest on GENERATION X and the rest of ResurrXion!

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Monsters Unleashed: Meet Kid Kaiju

Remember the joys of sitting down with a notebook and doodling for hours? Maybe you copied some of your favorite comic panels from memory or turned a teacher into super villain without many changes. Well, what if your drawings conjured the subjects to life and threatened the world? That’s the problem facing Kid Kaiju in the pages of MONSTERS UNLEASHED.

The character actually first appeared in the pages of TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #3 in which he seemingly brought Fin Fang Foom to Hawaii after drawing the giant green dragon. Now, catch a glimpse of Kid Kaiju’s new look thanks to Terry Dodson.

The upcoming event features the return of many Marvel mega-creatures created by geniuses like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. The five-issue series will ship bi-weekly starting January 18 and feature a story by Cullen Bunn with the artistic talents of Adam Kubert, Steve McNiven, Salvador Larroca, Leinil Yu, and Greg Land.

We caught up with Bunn to discuss some of the finer points of this new character, the card designed by Dodson, and how all of this plays into Monsters Unleashed.

Marvel.com: What can you tell us about Kid Kaiju’s abilities and how they play into Monsters Unleashed?

Cullen Bunn: Kid Kaiju—or Kei Kawade, if you prefer—is something an enigma in Monsters Unleashed. He has a unique and potentially very dangerous ability. He is a talented artist who happens to be obsessed with monsters. So far so good. Nothing out of the ordinary there. The trick is that any monster he draws manifests physically. He draws Fin Fang Foom, for example, and Fin Fang Foom is summoned from the depths of space. Kei has no control over these monsters. Once they get here, they are free to do as they please. As you can guess, that could lead to some fairly sizable problems for the world as a whole.

Once Kei’s abilities are discovered, the heroes of the Marvel Universe scramble to better understand these fantastic [powers]. What are the limits? Can Kei summon heroes as easily as he summons monsters? Can he banish monsters as easily as he summons them? What happens if he draws Fin Fang Foom as a dead creature? A new power set has now appeared, and figuring out its intricacies will be a key to solving the crisis the world is facing.

But Kid Kaiju’s powers have deeper roots than anyone could possibly imagine. He’s only 11 years old, but he has a connection to an interstellar force of destruction that has destroyed countless planets.

Kid Kaiju by Terry Dodson

Kid Kaiju by Terry Dodson

Marvel.com: Even though Kei’s abilities sound like the stuff of childhood daydreams, it also seems like a lot for a kid to handle. How does he stand up to that pressure?

Cullen Bunn: Kei is just now coming to understand that this is how his artistic ability impacts the world. His abilities both terrify and excite him. That can be a dangerous combination. He doesn’t quite grasp just how much influence he has on the world. It seems at first that it’s all fun and games. As he comes to terms with just how much is riding on his shoulders, he begins to feel a little more pressure and fear, especially when he realizes that his own life is in the gravest of danger. By then, though, there will be no turning back.

Kei’s parents are a little more frightened by his abilities. When we first meet the Kawade family, we discover that Mom and Dad have some inkling that all is not right with the world. They’ve moved several times, always not long after the appearance of some giant monster. They are coming to the realization that their son might be responsible for the arrival of these monsters.

Marvel.com: What was the design process like for putting Kid Kaiju together with Terry?

Cullen Bunn: We’ve glimpsed an early incarnation of Kei before in the pages of TOTALLY AWESOME HULK. But that was just a couple of panels, and we really didn’t delve into the character. I wanted this to be a complete overhaul and reintroduction of the character. Terry really just took the few descriptive lines we gave him and ran with it. This is a character I think readers are really going to fall in love with and, considering where we’re heading with Kid Kaiju, I can’t imagine a better design.

The catastrophic chaos of Monsters Unleashed kicks off on January 18, 2017 with MONSTERS UNLEASHED #1!

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Travel Foreman Goes Cosmic with Ultimates Squared

THE ULTIMATES may be gone, but long live ULTIMATES SQUARED!

Al Ewing continues to script the adventures of the high-aiming team revolving around Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Miss America, Blue Marvel, and Spectrum with the new series. With new artist Travel Foreman aboard, the group gains situation-specific Herald status thanks to their teammate Galactus, The Lifebringer. The power boost will come in handy as they face The Cosmic Jailer, the entity powerful enough to shackle Eternity in the previous volume!

We talked with Foreman about working with Ewing, Heralding the gang, and how the most recent event wreaked havoc on the group.

Marvel.com: Civil War II caused plenty of rifts in the super hero community. How is that reflected in ULTIMATES SQUARED?

Travel Foreman: Civil War II was a storm cloud that passed over the team but now things are drying off under the heat of this new unprecedented problem. Black Panther and Carol Danvers are the core of the team and were split apart by Civil War but are forced back together. I get the sense from Al’s story that maybe Black Panther regrets causing the split but he’s a king and maybe is too prideful to admit it. Carol doesn’t trust him anymore and we’ll have to see whether any dire situations spin out of that distrust.

Marvel.com: Al has said that this series ups the ante from the previous volume as far as problems and threats being tackled. Does that translate into more complex and challenging elements for you to draw on the page?

Travel Foreman: Personally, the more complex and challenging the better. I’m terrible at drawing anything set in actual reality. A dining room or an office I cannot, for the life of me, wrap my brain around how to draw it. So a book like ULTIMATES that’s rooted heavily in sci-fi where I can create and design with my own laws of physics is wonderful.

Ultimates Squared #2 preview inks by Travel Foreman
Ultimates Squared #2 preview inks by Travel Foreman
Ultimates Squared #2 preview inks by Travel Foreman
Ultimates Squared #2 preview inks by Travel Foreman
Ultimates Squared #2 preview inks by Travel Foreman
Ultimates Squared #2 preview inks by Travel Foreman

Marvel.com: The team consists of Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Blue Marvel, Ms. America, Spectrum, and Galactus with the latter granting the others Herald abilities. Did that offer you the chance to alter some of their designs?

Travel Foreman: The opportunity for redesigning characters hasn’t arisen yet. I am slightly tweaking characters a little here and there. I grew up reading the X-Men almost exclusively and one of the things I loved most was seeing characters slightly off model. It adds such flavor and life to characters, I feel, to suddenly see them a little different than you’ve been seeing them for months on end.

Monica Rambeau will probably be getting the most changes during the course of the series. I feel that she’s been looking too matronly, which would be okay if she was a matron, but I want to move her into something more stylish and unencumbered. If Marvel permits maybe even a completely new costume—or more—down the line.

Marvel.com: When it comes to Galactus, this is a rare occasion where he’s fighting the good fight as The Lifebringer. How does that change how you handle him?

Travel Foreman: With Galactus I’m doing the same thing, just tweaking tiny things. I think the big change in look is for Anti-Man who is now a full-blown Herald. He’s gotten a full-blown overhaul in design and I tried to make his new design mirror Galactus in certain ways.

Ultimates Squared #2 preview art by Travel Foreman
Ultimates Squared #2 preview art by Travel Foreman
Ultimates Squared #2 preview art by Travel Foreman
Ultimates Squared #2 preview art by Travel Foreman
Ultimates Squared #2 preview art by Travel Foreman
Ultimates Squared #2 preview art by Travel Foreman

Marvel.com: This first arc will deal with the Cosmic Jailer as well. What was the process like for coming up with that look?

Travel Foreman: Marvel has, historically, given abstract cosmic concepts human characteristics. Almost like ancient Greek theater where you’d have an actor in a mask portraying a god or universal force. I’m going in the opposite direction, so cosmic entities will look appropriately cosmic and abstract. Not so abstract that you can’t tell what you’re looking at but strange and awe-striking.

Marvel.com: Overall, how has it been working with Al so far?

Travel Foreman: Al and I are on the same page as far as trying to uphold the pedigree of a book that carries the name “Ultimates.” We both have reverence for the original ULTIMATES series and want to give the book the same large scale story and imagery that is synonymous with the title.

Al Ewing and Travel Foreman present the next installment of their epic saga with ULTIMATES SQUARED #2 on December 7!

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The Walking Dead’s Alanna Masterson Fires Back at Body Shaming Trolls: “Your Mother Should Be Ashamed “
Tara doesn't take crap from anyone on The Walking Dead and neither the actress who plays her. After watching Sunday's episode of the AMC series, which focused primarily on the...
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Sadness By The Sea
Casey Affleck gives an awards-worthy performance in the bleak, naturalistic 'Manchester By The Sea'
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Paul Walker’s Fast & Furious Co-Stars Pay Tribute To Him On Anniversary Of His Death
Paul Walker's "Fast and Furious" co-stars pay tribute to the late actor on the third anniversary of his death.
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Unbox Action Figures, Statues and More with DC Collectibles
Unbox Action Figures, Statues and More with DC Collectibles

With so many great action figures, statues, replicas and other geeky great products available, there’s no shortage of opportunities to expand your DC collections.

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Why Arrow’s Part of the DC Crossover Is Also the Perfect 100th Episode
Hope you're ready for one emotional ride through Arrow's past! While it's really less of a ride through the past and more of a peek into a present that could have been,...
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#HotToys #RogueOne – 1/6th scale Chirrut Îmwe Collectible Figure
“I fear nothing. All is as the Force wills it.” Fans around the world are all anticipating the new adventure in a galaxy far, far away….as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is getting closer to release! One of the most exciting new characters introduced in this epic film is Chirrut Îmwe, a blind warrior...
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