Sunday 18 January 2015

In 11 Months Time... STAR WARS! STAR WARS! STAR WAAARRS!

In 11 months time Star Wars will be being played in cinema screens across the world. Are you looking forward to it? I am!! I'll be posting the most recent trailer every month it gets closer! So prepare to see this popping up every now and then until we get an extended trailer!

Thursday 15 January 2015

Image Expo 2015! Announcements and more Awesome comics.

I is for A and A is for Awesome! Awesome is a word I use to much. And Image Comics is a publisher producing too many Awesome comics. Now with that ramble over here are the titles that caught my eye during the Image Expo and the rest of the announcements for you to check out!

First of all two of my favourite creators are teaming up. Scott Snyder from Batman fame, and don't forget American Vampire. With his current independent series Wytches, co created with Jock, already being published by Image, we now see him team up with Jeff Lemire, writer and artist of brilliant Graphic Novels like 'Underwater Welder' and 'Essex County' along with his Vertigo series 'Sweet Tooth'. This series is the first time Jeff Lemire is illustrating a series not written by himself. The two are teaming up for 'A.D. After Death', just realised the pun with the name while typing this, set in a near future where Death has been cured. I can not wait to get a look at this, Jeff Lemire is one of my favourite artists and his creator owned works are some of my favourite Graphic Novels ever. Check out a teaser image for this below and click on the title name for more info at the Image site.


Next up is 'Black Road' created by Brian Wood and Garry Brown. This sees Brian Wood's first return to the Viking genre since his critically acclaimed run on Northlanders at Vertigo; a series which heavily influenced my final piece while studying art at Uni anyway I'm going off topic. Set in Viking age Norway and to be illustrated by Garry Brown the series will follow a character named Magnus the Black a fixer for the Christian Church. The series promises to be steeped in 'historical intrigue, mystery and suspense'. Basically its about Vikings so I would have taken a look at this when released anyway but Brian Wood has a good track record with the genre and Garry Brown is a talented artist so this series should have promise, if your interested to learn more about the series click the title above and check out the promotional image below;


Finally and by no means least, seeing as this is a title I am very excited for, and created by two British creators, the fan favourite creative team from Marvel NOW! Young Avengers, Kieren Gillen and Jamie McKelvie will finally be releasing the conclusion to 'Phonogram' titled 'The Immaterial Girl' beginning August this year, currently the creators have been focusing there time on another creator owned title at Image, The Wicked + The Divine. I must be honest it wasn't until I attended London Super Comic Con a couple of years back that I grabbed the trades for the first two volumes of Phonogram, but I read both volumes back to back one morning as I had to finish them both, the story and characters are intriguing and it is great to see how McKelvie's style has developed from the first volume to the second and now I look forward to the third. As with the other two click the title for more info at the Image site and check out the promo image below (sometimes I feel I repeat myself a little too much).

                        


These are just the titles I am most excited for. For the many other announcements made at the expo, and there are many more! Take a look at the link below. There are more titles being released from many popular creators out there from Skottie Young to Brian K Vaughan and many others! 


Wednesday 14 January 2015

Marvel Studios: Avengers Age of Ultron New Trailer!

So we have another trailer for Avengers Age of Ultron. Still no Vision, and not much more of Scarlet Witch or Quicksilver. But that could be a good thing, something to look forward to when the film is actually released. There are a few things to take note of during this trailer though, more Hulkbuster armour, more hints that Stark created Ultron, but most importantly, for me, what looks to be a female character in a cave, is this to do with the arrival of Black Panther? Certainly looks Wakandan like don't you think? If not who is this mysterious character who has appeared and what is their link to the film and wider Marvel Cinematic Universe? Well anyway now I can't get that creepy tune out my head... "there are no strings on meeee"... check out the new trailer below;


Thursday 8 January 2015

The Uncanny Inhumans a new series from Marvel Comics

During all the excitement of the Ant-Man trailer the Agent Carter premier and yesterday the Daredevil Netflix series getting its release date, Marvel Comics announced a new Inhumans series. With the reveal of the Inhumans in the mid-season finale of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the strong rumour that Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are Inhumans in the upcoming Avengers Age of Ultron film the push for this corner of the Marvel Comics Universe continues.

To be written by Charles Soule, the current writer on Inhumans whose lead character is Medusa and the NuHumans, he will be working alongside his Death of Wolverine collaborator, Steve McNiven. Killer team right? I love McNivens work, Civil War is what got me into comics. This new title, The Uncanny Inhumans, will be character led by Black Bolt, the long thought missing/dead, King of the Inhumans. 

This will begin in April with a #0 issue. Check out the link below for more info and also check out the cover below; 

Image Comics: Southern Cross #1 Preview from Cloonan, Belanger and Loughridge.

This was in my most anticipated of 2015. I am a huge fan of Becky Cloonan's and although unfortunately I have never read a book illustrated by Andy Bellanger I look forward to seeing his art style and what the two can work together to create.

In anticipation of its release in March this year a preview has been released! Check it out below! And let your local comic store know you want to grab a copy!




Wednesday 7 January 2015

Daredevil series gets release date for Netflix!

I think I missed this on my list of things I am looking forward to in 2015, don't know how I managed to though. I have been really excited for this since its announcement. I'm even contemplating taking a day off so that I can watch all 13 episodes back to back! The great thing is it seems that the series will be released internationally wherever you can get Netflix, which is great as this means it will be released in the UK, there have been certain Netflix series that didn't make it to the UK like the Star Wars Clone Wars: Lost Missions. Anyway 10/04/2015 will be the release date, check out the trailer below;




Ant-Man's first trailer has arrived! And it's human sized!

So after a long wait the Ant-Man trailer is finally here and human sized for that matter. I'm still not sure what to make of it yet. I am looking forward to seeing how Marvel take on one of their original but unconventional character's. So far the trailer only gives us a better look at Hank Pym, Michael Douglas, and Scott Lang (Ant-Man), Paul Rudd. What do you make of the trailer and what has been revealed so far? Check out the trailer below and some posters also;






Sunday 4 January 2015

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here's what I'm looking forward to in 2015 so far...

After a great New Years eve, a few to many drinks, and a days recovery. Another year has flown by, and now its time to look ahead. Here's what I'm looking forward to in 2015 from the world of comics, movies, tv and more...

So to begin with...

STAR WARS! STAR WARS! STAR WARS!

The comics are back at Marvel with Star Wars #1 coming out this month and their not holding back with their creative teams. Star Wars #1 has the superstar creative team of Jason Aaron and John Cassaday. Princess Leia is being written by none other than Mark Waid and illustrated by Terry Dodson. Darth Vader is written by Kieron Gillen and drawn by Salvador Larroca and Adi Granov. There is also a comic coming out involving Kanan from Star Wars Rebels. Its important to remember that this is all considered canon.




Obviously there is the new film Star Wars Epidose VII: The Force Awakens coming out at the end of the year, hoping for more trailers not to spoil it but to get a better idea of things, and hopefully plenty more inbetween. We'll be getting more Star Wars Rebels, more books and hopefully some cool memorabilia, statues and actions figures. I already have my eye on the statues coming out for Star Wars Rebels.





COMICS! COMICS! COMICS!

There's plenty to look forward to in the world of comics in 2015 but here a just a few I can't wait for;

Marvel's new titles;



















































Marvel continue to release exciting titles with exciting creative teams. New artists, new writers. The one issue I am really looking forward to from the 2015 solicitations so far is the Thor Annual #1 released in February, with stories from various creators, including Noelle Stephenson and drawn by Marguerite Sauvage, so more of a anthology if you will.



Image Comics are continuing there fine form of publishing comics by great independent teams. 2015 will finally see the release of Southern Cross by Beckly Cloonan and Andy Belanger! Also lets not forget Injection should soon get a release date for its first issue coming from the fantastic, already tried and tested, team of Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire. With Image Con coming soon in the new year there will probably be plenty more to be excited about in no time.


























MOVIES! MOVIES! MOVIES!

There are plenty of decent films to look forward to this year. First one I'll be heading to a cinema to see this year is Big Hero 6 from Disney Animation, the first Disney animated film inspired by a Marvel comic, although there have bee several creative changes. Already out in America this will be in UK cinemas the earll part of 2015 and I am really looking forward to it. There's even an animated Stan Lee cameo I understand.




Marvel Studios Avengers Age of Ultron hits our screens at the end of April. I don't think I need to say much more. We will get another trailer in a couple of weeks time. Hopefully we will see a few more of the new characters. Mainly just a short glimpse of the Vision played by Paul Bettany would be nice. The Vision is one of my favourite characters, and if you like what you see I strongly recommend you check out the Avengers A.I. comic by Sam Humphries and Andre Lima Araujo!! Anyway this is my second most anticipated film of the year!!



Another Marvel Studios film to hit the screen this year is Ant-Man, which will finally be released. Long has it been in development and hitting a sticky patch when fan favourite director Edgar Wright withdrew from the film, the mastermind who had put together the film. Creative differences may have been the reason for the split, but Marvel found a new director and during this Tuesday's two hour premier of Marvel's Agent Carter we will finally get a teaser for the film released, but there are a couple of teasers of the teasers below.




I have been a Pixar fan since I was 5 and my dad took me to see Toy Story in the cinema, the first film I ever saw on the big screen. For the first time Pixar did not release a film in back to back years. That means this year will see the release of Inside Out, which I had my apprehensions about at first but after seeing the below trailer I can not wait for! The other film by Pixar that should be seeing a release this year, but currently doesn't have a trailer is The Good Dinosaur, which I am also really looking forward to.



STAR WARS! STAR WARS! STAR WARS! I reckon we will find out more in April during the Star Wars celebration and coming out a week before Christmas this film will be like an early Christmas present. I am excited to see how JJ Abrams rejuvenates this franchise, the cast is exciting and the first teaser has left me asking more questions than giving me answers. MILLENIUM FALCON!!




VIDEO GAMES! VIDEO GAMES! VIDEO GAMES!

Batman Arkham Knight (02/06/2015)

A game that has been delayed from 2014, a fan favourite and one that genuinely looks stunning and to really take advantage of the next gen consoles power! One of the reasons I wanted a PS4 and I can not wait to get this when it is finally released. Here's to hoping there are no more delays.



Star Wars Battlefront (2015)

The game I have been waiting for since Battlefront 3 was cancelled. The game I was hoping would be put into production when Disney brought Lucasarts. Battlefront 3 in production by EA DICE the studio behind the popular Battlefield series. We won't see a firm release date for this until later in the year but at the moment it has been announced we are looking at a Holiday 2015 release.



Final Fantasy XV (2015)

The game I have been waiting for since the release of Final Fantasy 13. Originally named Final Fantasy Versus 13. I really am excited for this game, no firm release date yet, a Demo will be available for those who buy Finaly Fantasy Type-0. Check out the trailer below for the stunning gameplay footage!



Witcher 3 (19/05/2015)

I'm very much a fan of a good RPG. Having found the start of Dragon Age Origins a little tedious, although I have been told it gets good after about the first 5 hours. I have been looking out for a new franchise. I had heard a little about the Witcher series. Unfortunately it has had an odd release the first game on PC the second on PC and Xbox and finally the third to come out on all next gen consoles. I've decided to grab the Witcher 2 to play on my Xbox and also grabbed the first novel featuring the Witcher by a Polish author, I've been looking for a new series of books to read and the fact these inspired a game that I am really looking forward too is even better. Witcher 3 is another game that has been delayed a couple of times but hopefully this means we will have a problem free launch unlike some games that have been released recently.



SUBSCRIPTIONS! SUBSCRIPTIONS! SUBSCRIPTIONS!

I have this thing where I sign up to subscriptions in the new year. A couple of these I have been looking to subscribe to for quite some time. One of these is Loot Crate, the other is Marvel Unlimited. I got my first Loot Crate at the end of last year and I look forward to getting January's and starting of a new years worth of these! Marvel Unlimited is something I have been looking to get for a while as well to be able to catch up on those critically acclaimed arcs that I couldn't afford to buy or miss. Also for the extensive back catalog other than recent modern titles.

Finally the other subscription I have signed up to is Beer Bods. I have recently got into drinking Ale. My dad is an Ale drinker, and for several years I have passed on going to the local Beer Festival with him. We have a new tradition before Football on a Saturday that sees us heading to a local Micro-Pub close to me before a game. Surprisingly I have really got into this and Beer Bods is an exciting subscription service that sends you 12 beers for 12 weeks and on a Thursday you try one of these. I look forward to receiving my first box of beers and what I'll be looking to enjoy.



TELEVISION! TELEVISION! TELEVISION!

I don't get much time to watch Television programmes but there are a certain few that I make sure I take the time to watch. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is one of the programmes I make sure I watch, the Season 2 mid-season/ winter finale was brilliant, and the series is going from strength to strength since the shake up of Captain America Winter Soldier. I don't want to give away to many spoilers but I strongly recommend if you are a fan of the cinematic universe you take time to watch this series.

A newer series to come out and fill the mid-season gap of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is Marvel's Agent Carter, this hits screens in America on Tuesday the 6th with a 2 hour premier, staring Hayley Atwell returning to her roll of Peggy Carter in Captain America The First Avenger. I'll be looking forward to checking this one out!

Like many I am waiting for Star Wars Episode VII to come out and also one of those that was sad to see the end of Star Wars Clone Wars series. But in Clone Wars place and to fill the gap while we wait for Star Wars Episode VII we have Star Wars Rebels! Rebels is several episodes in and returns to screens on Monday 5th. Set between Episode III and Episode IV we follow a screw of rag tag rebels and their stories! I look forward to there return tomorrow.

Game of Thrones! Game of Thrones! Game of Thrones!! I can't wait for Season 5. I don't think I need to say much more.