Baywatch Reboot Actor in Talks to play Black Manta

The Get Down actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is in talks to star in Aquaman as the villain, Black Manta, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actor recently finished filming a role in the upcoming Baywatch reboot, which co-stars DC's upcoming Black Adam, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Little is known about the role on film, however in comic books Black Manta is a man from the surface world who now lives under the ocean and has sworn revenge on his former home.

Abdul-Mateen would join Jason Momoa in the title role, alongside Amber Heard as Mera, Willem Dafoe as Vulko, and Patrick Wilson as Ocean Master.

Aquaman is due out in theaters October 5, 2018.

CLOAK AND DAGGER TV SERIES CAST THE LEADS

Freeform's Marvel TV series Cloak & Dagger has cast its leads, both former Disney Channel stars. Olivia Holt will play Tandy Bowen, A.K.A. Dagger, who has the power to throw bolts of light, while Aubrey Joseph will play Tyrone Johnson, who has the power to maipulate darkness.

Cloak & Dagger has been in the works for almost five years, according to the report, and will center on the romance between Tyrone and Tandy.

“The characters of Tandy and Tyrone have always stood out to me ever since I first met them in the pages of Marvel comics when I was a boy," explained showrunner Joe Pokaski. "When  Olivia and Aubrey read for the roles, these characters leapt off the page. We’re so excited to see what these talented young actors bring to the Marvel Universe."

Marvel also released official descriptions of the characters. It describes Tandy as follows: "Once a privileged little girl, Tandy Bowen watched as her family was destroyed by a disastrous storm that uprooted her life. Now in her late teens, an unexpected encounter with a boy named Tyrone sparks a life changing event."

Meanwhile, Tyrone is described as such: "Young Tyrone Johnson wanted nothing more than to prove he was fearless.  But when everything he held close was taken away, life taught Tyrone to be afraid.  Now older and more sheltered, Tyrone closes himself off. But when he meets a girl named Tandy his life changes Forever."

No projected premiere date has been announced for Cloak & Dagger.

Thanos Kills The Marvel Universe in ZERO DAY

Thanos may have been defeated like a chump in the recent Civil War II, but the Mad Titan looks to be getting his revenge by standing atop a mountain of fallen Marvel heroes in a first look at January 18's U.S.Avengers #2.

As teased in this week's U.S.Avengers #1, this appears to be "Zero Day" - a calamatous event that the future Danielle Cage warned heroes about over the course of recent New Avengers issues.

Here is the solicitation for that issue.

U.S.AVENGERS #2
AL EWING (W) • PACO MEDINA (A/C)
Variant Cover by DAVID NAKAYAMA
• Welcome to the $kullocracy! The Golden Skull launches his takeover bid — and it’s so crazy it just might work!
• How do the U.S.Avengers respond to the looming threat? Tuxedos. Really well-fitted tuxedos.
• Plus! Where were you on Zero Day — the day Captain America died?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

The Youngest Spider-Girl in Trouble: Amazing Spiderman Renew your vows

Annie May must save the day in this preview of next week's Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #3.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: RENEW YOUR VOWS #3
GERRY CONWAY (w) • RYAN STEGMAN (a/C)
VARIANT COVER BY JOE QUINONES
• The Mole Man has attacked New York, and Spider-Man and MJ are down for the count!
• There’s only one person who can save them… their daughter!!
• On a school night?!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

News: Woody Harrelson in Talks for a major Star Wars Role

Woody Harrelson is in talks to take play Han Solo's as-yet-unnamed mentor in the smuggler's upcoming Star Wars spin-off film, according to Variety. Little else is known about the role, including whether the character will be someone from previously established Star Wars lore, or an entirely new creation.

The as-yet untitled film stars Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, and Emilia Clarke in an unnamed role. The Han Solo film is scheduled for a May 25, 2018 theatrical release.

Hugh Jackman Might change his mind about retiring from Wolverine

Hugh Jackman has been outspoken for years saying that the third Wolverine film Logan would be his final time playing the titular role, but now the Australian actor is reconsidering his stance. In an interview with Variety, the 48-year-old actor said that following Ryan Reynolds public overtures for a Deadpool/Wolverine team-up movie, he's "hesitating" about his impending retirement.

“I’m hesitating,” said Jackman, “because I could totally see how that’s the perfect fit. But the timing may ?be wrong.”

Since his debut in 2000's X-Men, Jackman has worked under one-picture deals with 20th Century Fox to play the mutant anti-hero - renegotiating and renewing following every film, even with cameos such as in X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Apocalypse. According to Logan director James Mangold, Jackman negotiated a lower salary for that upcoming film in order to get approval by the studio to do it as an R-rated film.

Logan is scheduled for release March 3. A second Deadpool film is expected to debut in 2018.

New Mutants Movie Release Date

Writer/director Josh Boone is working hard on the long-talked-about New Mutants film, and in an interview with Creative Screenwriting the filmmaker revealed that its intended to be not just one film - but three.

"After I made The Fault in Our Stars, we made Fox a comic book," Boone said, referring to him and co-writer Knate Gwaltney. "It walked them through a trilogy of New Mutant [sic] films that would build on each other. We used this program called Comic Life, and took all the images we had loved from the series and strung them together to show them the movie we wanted to do. We brought it to [Simon Kinberg] and he really liked it. We’ve been going for the past year and a half to get it ready, and I’m about to go location scout and we have a release date now."

Boone went on, specifically referencing the "Demon Bear Saga" arc of New Mutants by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz as a favorite, but didn't disclose what he had pitched for his intended New Mutants trilogy.

Earlier in December, an unconfirmed report circulated that a new X-Men-related film was scheduled to begin shooting in May 2017. Boone tweeted about it, asking "Hmmmm, what movie could that be?"

source: Newsarama

Deadpool The Duck #1

PRESS RELEASE

What do you get when you take one cynical anthropomorphic duck (named Howard) and cross it with the smelliest (and most annoying) mercenary in the Marvel Universe? DEADPOOL THE DUCK #1! Coming to comic shops and digital devices everywhere on Janurary 4th, its high-stakes avian antics as two of Marvel’s most beloved, and crass, heroes merge for an all-new series brought to you by Stuart Moore (CLOAK & DAGGER, THANOS: DEATH SENTENCE Novel) and Jacopo Camagni (DEADPOOL’s SECRET SECRET WARS).

When Deadpool is sent on a mission from S.H.I.E.L.D. to capture a high-profile E.T. that is rampaging across the high plains, the snatch-and-grab turns out to be much more complicated than the Merc with a Mouth anticipated. One unfortunate wrong place at the wrong time accident later leaves Deadpool and Howard fighting for control as the newest mercenary of the Marvel Universe!

So strap in, break out your chimichangas and crusty bread scraps and hang on! Because you’re in for: rabid raccoons, secret laboratories, cramped spaceships, evil corporations, gastric distress, and S.H.I.E.L.D. Did we mention that’s only issue one?! Flap your wings over to your local comic shop on January 4th to get your hands on DEADPOOL THE DUCK #1!

Valliant teases its upcoming XO Manowar movie

Despite the story of the Valiant Universe’s cornerstone character coming to a true conclusion with the final issue of his self-titled comic in September of 2016, the armored hero known as X-O Manowar is poised to return in as the lead in an all-new series early next year.

Today, Valiant Entertainment teases the next chapter in the saga of X-O Manowar with a new piece of art. But will Aric of Dacia once again don the iconic armor, or is there a new hero waiting to take up the mantle? After all, when it comes to superhero comics, a character’s story is never truly over, but heroic legacies can be the stuff legends — and franchises — are made of.

Whatever the answer, readers will learn more when “X-O Manowar” #1 arrives in March 2017, just in time to celebrate the character’s 25th Anniversary. The creative team has not yet been announced, but the teaser art (below) announcing the upcoming series is by Monika Palosz.

Lenni Reviews: "Octavia Butler's Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation" by Damian Duffy and John Jennings

(Image Source)

In this adaptation of Octavia Butler's groundbreaking story of a young Black woman thrust back in time to see her slave ancestors, you get a gripping and harrowing view of this tale.

Having not read the original, I can say that this is a hard story to get through. Butler's depiction of the life of slaves on a plantation in antebellum South is raw, unfiltered, and heartbreaking. And as our main character grapples with being treated like garbage by the same man who is intrinsic to her existence so she has to protect him? Yikes...

The art style is sketchy and raw; it really is perfect for this story. You feel every punch, every whip crack, every pejorative word. By the end you're almost relieved because it's so hard to deal with so much raw evil but it's part of our history and it's more important now than ever to be reminded so as not to head down the same path. I think Octavia Butler would be proud of this adaptation. 4.5 out of 5.

Wolverine 3 Trailer Titled LOGAN

Credit: James Mangold

Hey O&G Fans, today the trailer for Logan the 3rd Wolverine movie was released. The trailer shows an older Logan, Professor X, and a young girl who could be (and this is what I'm hoping for) X-23. Check out the trailer below:

Logan In Theaters - March 3, 2017 Cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Richard E. Grant, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant, Dafne Keen Directed by James Mangold SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/FOXSubscribe Connect with Logan Online: Visit Logan on our WEBSITE: http://fox.co/Logan Like Logan on FACEBOOK: http://fox.co/LoganFB Follow Logan on TWITTER: http://fox.co/LoganTW Follow Logan on INSTAGRAM: http://fox.co/wponx About 20th Century FOX: Official YouTube Channel for 20th Century Fox Movies.

Logan is scheduled for a March 3, 2017 theatrical release

Valiant's Faith named as Official Comics Ambassador for Breast Cancer Prenvention Non-Profit

Image Credit: Valiant Comics

Press Release

Valiant Entertainment – the award-winning publisher of the largest independent superhero library in comics – and The Keep A Breast Foundation – the leading global youth-based breast cancer prevention organization – are proud to announce a new ongoing partnership dedicated to furthering the California-based non-profit’s ongoing mission with new initiatives in educational publishing, fundraising merchandise, convention and exhibitions outreach around the world, and much more.

As detailed today at Fast Company, the new face of this first-of-its-kind collaborative partnership will be Valiant’s own leading super-heroine, Faith, who will make her debut as Keep A Breast’s official “comics ambassador” at New York Comic Con 2016. Faith will then subsequently be utilized throughout a number of Keep A Breast promotional endeavors globally in 2016 and beyond.

“The foundation of everything Keep A Breast does is art, and it absolutely thrills us to team up with people, like Valiant Comics, that are breaking the norm in their own industries,” said Keep A Breast Founder & CCO Shaney jo Darden. “When we read Faith, we were so excited to see a hero that was so funny, real, and full of self-love. Art has the power to heal and impact people in the best way, and this partnership will further prove how art can put a spotlight on real issues and start important conversations that can save lives.”

“Creativity can be the catalyst for great change, and it is often said there is no medium more creative than comic books,” said Valiant Chief Operating Officer & CFO Gavin Cuneo. “With Faith at the forefront of a wide variety of upcoming Keep A Breast programs, we look forward to aiding them in their vitally important and all-too-needed cause of combating breast cancer through art, education, and the creative spirit. As one of the most optimistic heroes in comics today, Faith is already an inspiration to many. Now, in her new role as an ambassador on Keep A Breast’s behalf, it is our sincere hope that her unbeatable spirit will inspire a new contingent of fans and enthusiasts to join their campaign against this tragically common condition.”

Additionally, Valiant and Keep A Breast’s joint mission to promote breast health and cancer prevention across all facets of comics fandom and culture will continue with special fundraising endeavors throughout New York Comic Con 2016. From Thursday, October 6th through Sunday, October 9th, Valiant’s Faith will appear on two limited-edition collectibles, specially produced to benefit Keep A Breast and available exclusively at the publisher’s NYCC booth #1635.