Ed Smashed: Edward Norton Out as Hulk in Avengers Movie

The Avengers movie will have one last star as Edward Norton will not be reprising his role as the Incredible Hulk. In a scathing statement, Marvel Studios president of production Ken Feige said:

Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members. The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble, as evidenced by Robert, Chris H., Chris E., Sam, Scarlett, and all of our talented casts. We are looking to announce a name actor who fulfills these requirements, and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks.

Given Norton’s creative issues with the last Hulk movie, this is hardly surprising. For all of his amazing talent, Norton can be a giant pain in the ass to deal with. The good news is that Chris Evans has one less incredibly talented actor to upstage him.

How do you feel about Norton being booted as the Hulk? Any suggestions for a replacement?

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DC Comics Hit PlayStation Portable

Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced that a selection of DC Comics titles are now available on PlayStation Network for the PlayStation Portable handheld system. Here’s a snippet from the press release:

An initial selection of over 80 DC titles can be downloaded from PlayStation Store immediately priced from $0.99 to $2.99 per issue that include Batman: Hush, Green Lantern: Rebirth, Fables: Legends in Exiles and Planetary: All Over the World and Other Stories, as well as comics that are exclusive to PlayStation Network such as Free Realms, God of War, Resistance, and Superman/Batman. Lastly, DC Comics is offering users a free 10-page preview of the 700th issue of Superman available on the PlayStation Network digital comics.

While I don’t dig comics for the PSP or digital comics in general, I’m psyched to see DC Comics entering the fray. Don’t get me wrong — I love several Marvel books too, but my recent favorites have been DC titles. Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, The Flash, and Rise of Arsenal have been fantastic lately.

While I’m at it…Lobo vs. Silver Surfer. Who wins?!?

Are the Skrulls the Main Villains in The Avengers Movie?

RPadholic N8R sent me this tip while I was at Google I/O last week. There’s a chance that the Skrulls are going to be the main baddies in The Avengers movie. As any comic-book fanboy knows, the Asgardian god of mischief Loki was the first Avengers’ villain. The Skrulls, however, have starred in some of the most epic Avengers tales ever and would probably look cooler on the big screen. Here’s the scoop from ComicBookMovie.com:

The highlight of this insider scoop (DISCLAIMER: which has not been confirmed by the studio itself) is that the shape-changing alien race the Skrulls are being used as the main antagonists for The Avengers. Not only that, but the Skrulls will ‘brainwash’ and use the Hulk in a similar fashion Loki did in the comics. Don’t expect a full on alien invasion, though; that will have to wait for a sequel. The Skrulls’ role will be largely clandestine, similar to the way S.H.I.E.L.D. operates.

I’m terrified of Skrulls. They’re green (which is sexy if you’re She-Hulk) and have disgusting, wrinkly chins — they’re just horrifying! They can also take the shape of any person and advanced Skrulls can mimic super-abilities as well. Considering his vast intellect and incredible powers, I’m pretty sure my old G4tv.com coworker Brian Leahy was a Skrull.

Anyway, let me know what you think of the Skrulls possibly starring in The Avengers. Also keep in mind that where there are Skrulls, there are usually Kree waiting to beat the snot out of them.

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Today’s Poll: Batman vs. Captain America

Today’s poll features another mythical match-up: Batman vs. Captain America! Both men possess tactical minds and are extremely driven. Batman has a vast array of gadgets and unparalleled detective skills to give him an edge. Captain America has the super soldier serum coursing through his veins. Obviously, this fight will be the most important thing you think about all day. So I want to know who wins this bout in your mind and why. Kindly take the poll and elaborate in the comments section!

[poll id=”39″]

Coffee Talk #135: Do Villains Make the Hero?

My friend and I were having a nerd lunch yesterday, talking about Iron Man’s crappy rogues gallery. It was extra funny because we were eating at a restaurant made famous by Swingers and there were a few minor celebrities around. As Hollywood did its thing, we wondered if Iron Man’s popularity wasn’t as high as it could have been due to his extraordinarily bad villains. Crimson Dynamo?!? The Mandarin?!? Fin Fang Foom?!?

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, being jealous of RPadholic smartguy’s HTC Incredible, the chances of Mark Cuban holding an NBA championship tropy, or why you think Shane Mosley will beat Floyd Mayweather, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

My friend and I were having a nerd lunch yesterday, talking about Iron Man’s crappy rogues gallery. It was extra funny because we were eating at a restaurant made famous by Swingers and there were a few minor celebrities around. As Hollywood did its thing, we wondered if Iron Man’s popularity wasn’t as high as it could have been due to his extraordinarily bad villains. Crimson Dynamo?!? The Mandarin?!? Fin Fang Foom?!?

Every hero needs a good villain to fight. Batman probably has the best assortment of baddies, which is one reason he’s globally popular. The X-Men have to deal with Magneto’s brand of mutant justice and a large portion of the world hating/fearing them. Heroes like The Flash and Daredevil have been elevated in popularity thanks to their villains. Heck, Flash’s adversaries call themselves “The Rogues”, while DD has edgy opponents like Bullseye, Elektra, and Kingpin.

Do you think villains make the hero? Does a comic-book protagonist need top-shelf baddies? Or can the hero win the hearts and minds of the public regardless of who he/she is fighting?

TMNT Reboot Proof?

The following image might be part of a costume from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie due on 2011. Latino Review received the image and did some (intelligent) speculating. The movie is supposed to be a dark and gritty reboot that’s much close to the original Eastman and Laird comics.

I love the look of the costume (if that’s what it really is), but I’m hoping that this reboot really is dark. I loved the Eastman and Laird comics; they were edgy, fun, and ridiculous. I was appalled by the kiddie cartoons and mildly offended by the movies. While it would be tough to go with an R-rated TMNT, it would be much closer to the original vision. I’m (cautiously) hoping that’s what will come in 2011.

Are any of you excited for a TMNT reboot? Have any of you read the original comics? Or are the Turtles synonymous with the term “cowabunga!” to you?

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Meet Archie’s Openly Gay Character: Kevin Keller

Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead have a new friend in Riverdale — openly gay character Kevin Keller. New to Archie Comics, Keller is an aspiring journalist that loves his comic books. Here’s the scoop from Comics Alliance:

In a story titled “Isn’t it Bromantic?” Keller makes waves as the new kid in town by besting Jughead in an eating contest. From there he gains the attention of boy-crazy Veronica, who is crushing so hard that she’s ready to leave Archie to Betty. When Jughead points out her interest, Kevin’s up front about the fact that he’s gay and spends the rest of the issue introducing himself to the rest of the gang while trying to let a clueless Veronica down easy, much to Jughead’s amusement.

Man, Jughead is kind of a dick in this storyline. He totally wants to mess with Veronica over her affections for Kevin. I always thought Reggie was supposed to be the dick in the Archie books.

Anyway, I think it’s fantastic that there’s a gay character in Archie. It’s real and current and tells children that there isn’t anything wrong with homosexuality. That said, I’m not a parent and I know that a few of you are. How do you feel about the Kevin Keller character?

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Poll: Avengers vs. JLA — Fight!!!

A few of you guys started this debate in today’s Coffee Talk. Now here’s the poll! In my mind, this is a blowout. I’m with the Justice League all the way. Who’s the most powerful Avenger? Thor? The JLA has Superman, Wonder Woman, and Martian Manhunter to mop the floor with him.

Anyway, kindly make your vote and state your case.

[poll id=”36″]

Random Thoughts (Not a Review!) on Blackest Night #8

I just finished reading Blackest Night #8 and it wasn’t what I was expecting. I super enjoyed it, but I didn’t get the sense of closure I was looking for. What really got me excited was the storyline possibilities for the entire DC Universe — not just the Green Lantern books. While the finale did an okay job at ending Blackest Night, it excelled at teasing future storylines across multiple books. Random thoughts and spoilers ahead!

– I was disappointed in Sinestro’s “ending”. I really thought he was going to die in issue #8. In my head I pictured a fallen hero finding redemption and closure on the death of his best friend (Abin Sur, Hal Jordan’s predecessor) by dying to save the universe. Perhaps that was too obvious. Instead, he kind of just goes with the flow. The good news is that he has plenty to do in the Green Lantern books and he’s such a great character.

– The Indigo Tribe was never really explained. I still don’t get them. I’m probably not supposed to. However, it would have been nice to understand their motivations. I’m sure they’ll be popping up again and they will be developed, but there should have been more details given in Blackest Night. For now, they’re just these tribal people with power rings and no shoes.

– Larfleeze cracks me up.

– The white lantern battery is exciting. I’m sure Geoff Johns will do something interesting with it.

– The resurrections were mostly awesome. Let’s go through some of them.

  • J’onn J’onzz – He’s the Justice League’s glue. The DC Universe feels better and safer when he’s around. Plus, the dude’s addicted to Oreos. He’s not the flashiest character around, but everything feels more stable when he’s a big player. I’m thrilled that mean green machine is back.
  • Jade – Jennie-Lynn Hayden’s return will make things really interesting for Kyle Rayner. Upon returning to life, she greeted Kyle with a big kiss. This did not go over well with Kyle’s current lady, green lantern Soranik Natu. The love triangle will be fun. Sinestro kicking Kyle’s ass for snubbing his daughter would be awesome. I’m a Guy and Hal guy, not a Kyle guy (though he’s growing on me), so any time Kyle gets his ass kicked is okay by me.
  • Maxwell Lord – He really screwed up the DCU in Infinite Crisis. He almost wiped out all of Earth’s metahumans and succeeded in tarnishing Wonder Woman’s reputation forever. He’s cunning, devious, and dangerous. I’m sure he’ll pop up in big way soon. That said, a small part of me wishes DC would retcon his story and make him used-car salesman that ran the Justice League and Super Buddies (*snicker*) again.
  • Hawkman and Hawkgirl – I’m glad they’re back and I’m super glad that Hawkgirl isn’t Kendra Saunders anymore. Carter Hall was getting too ornery and Kendra was getting too flighty in the JSA books. I’m glad the Hawks are back to normal.
  • Deadman – Fans of DCU’s magical characters will get a kick out of Deadman being…uh…not dead. This was a fun curveball and I think the writers can do something cool with Boston Brand being alive. I suppose he should change his name though. It no longer applies.
  • Eobard Thawne – Well, Barry Allen is back so you might as well bring back his greatest villain, right? Professor Zoom is cool and all, but he just seems like a guy with funky powers and a lot of brain damage. The Reverse Flash is just a vicious son of a bitch. He adds an ever-present sense of danger to Barry Allen’s life as The Flash.
  • Digger Harkness – Not only did Captain Boomerang come back from the dead, he lost weight and gained hair color too! While he won’t have the impact of Thawne, but it’s good to bring him back to the Flash’s rogues gallery. Between Barry Allen, Wally West, and Bart Allen, there are a lot of super speedsters in DC. They need more rogues. Plus, I’m looking forward to seeing how he interacts with his son. I’m also looking forward to seeing any fallout for his role in Identity Crisis.
  • Aquaman – He’s okay. I just wish they brought him back looking like Vincent Chase. That would have been cool.

So yeah! Blackest Night has been wrapped up and Brightest Day has been set up; those elements of issue #8 were fine, but not great. The resurrections and implications really got me excited. Of course I’m going to read the whole series 12 times over and probably have a different opinion on Sunday. These are just my initial thoughts. If you happen to read Blackest Night #8, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!

Chris Evans (Human Torch) to Play Captain America

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chris Evans has signed to play Captain America in the upcoming Captain America and Avengers movies. Moviegoers will remember Evans as the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four movies. Evans is will have to ditch the “Flame on!” catchphrase for the “Avengers assemble!” battle cry.

I’m not sold on Evans’ casting just yet. He’s 27, which is slightly too young to play the patriarch of the Marvel Universe. Yes, he has the Super Soldier Serum maintaining his youth, but Cap is a man out of time from World War II. Evans was great as the Human Torch, bringing out the character’s cockiness and recklessness. Can he play someone that’s supposed to be a little grizzled, naive to the modern world, a father figure to other Marvel heroes, and totally kick-ass? I’m not so sure.

Let me know what you think of Chris Evans as Captain America (please)!

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