There’s a lot to look forward to in the next few months. Let’s get right to it:
The Summer of Scott Pilgrim
Back when I was first talking to Bryan Lee O’Malley about his upcoming “Scott Pilgrim” book series in 2004, neither of us ever imagined what a huge sensation it would become. International best-seller, lauded by critics and media outlets, a cultural touchstone for an entire generation of slacker hipsters. Even with all that’s come before, though, summer 2010 will be remembered as the summer of Scott Pilgrim. It all starts next week with the release of the sixth and final volume in the series, Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour, wherein all questions will be answered, all plot threads tied up, and we’ll all have to move on to something else. A mere three weeks later sees the release of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game on the Playstation Network. The 16-bit River City Ransom homage sports squeal-worthy art direction by acclaimed animator Paul Robertson and an original soundtrack by Brooklyn’s own chiptune power group Anamanaguchi. Fandom is sure to reach an all time high, though, with the August 13th release of the major motion picture adaptation Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, directed by Shaun of the Dead‘s Edgar Wright and starring a cavalcade of hip young actors from everything cool in the past decade.
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2008′s Iron Man was a tremendous superhero movie, likely the most popular in recent history. It kicked off probably the biggest summer for blockbuster comic-book movies to date, followed by The Incredible Hulk, Wanted, Hellboy 2, and The Dark Knight. Tremendous summer of remarkable films all based on comic books. 2010 looks to be a record-breaking summer for comic book movies, though, with Kick-Ass and The Losers already upon us, Iron Man 2 days away, Jonah Hex and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World right around the corner, and gentle nods in the directions of Prince of Persia, Marmaduke and The Last Airbender. Odds are good you already know whether you want to see Iron Man 2, the shimmering shell-head’s sequel that adds star power in the form of Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke to the powerful leading couple or Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow. I’m not here to change your mind whether you liked the first film or not, but here are three things you may not have considered or even known about this week’s super-action-blockbuster that may pique your interest:
Far too often mainstream superhero comics are plagued by their own poorly developed vanity. Writers try and try to make the books more mature serialized adult literature, but in order to sell they feel the need to keep their covers in the realm of teenage boy porn, with glamor shots of the characters, loud logos and plenty of T&A&E (tits, ass and explosions). Where’s the sophistication? Where’s the elegance?
Peter Parker is living in a halfway home for teenage superheroes. He works the register at a mall food court burger joint. The police cheer him on as Spider-Man when six months ago they considered him one of the most wanted criminals in the city, a development that makes him uncomfortable. He’s had more girlfriends than any nerd in pop culture history outside of maybe Val Kilmer’s character in Real Genius. Everyone knows what high school Spider-Man goes to, yet he somehow still manages to keep his identity somewhat secret. Inexplicably, even with all the costume crimefighting, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man fills all the gaps that watching Glee leaves in feeling just like a teenager all over again.
Producing their own films internally was one of the wisest decisions Marvel Entertainment has made in a good long while. Before debuting their studio with Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, Marvel’s track record was hit-or miss. X-Men 2 was fantastic, the Spider-Man films were fun, and the first couple Blades were okay, but then there were the absolute atrocities of Daredevil, Elektra, Ghost Rider, the first Hulk and the third X-Men. The hopes were high for Marvel’s independently-produced direct-to-DVD animated features… until they were released.