News from War Of The Realms

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After much anticipation, Marvel’s epic universe-wide story has finally arrived. The gist of War Of The Realms is the ongoing war throughout all the Asgardian realms finally comes to Midgard, aka Earth. I would be surprised if this doesn’t get made into a film within the next decade or so, as the concept is just too cool to not do on a blockbuster big screen.

Here are six noteworthy things concerning War Of The Realms. Spoiler alerts of course.

1) Laufey Is Back

Unless you’re an old school Marvel fan, or remember the first Thor movie very well, you may not know the name Laufey. Well, as depicted in said first Thor movie, Odin adopts Loki. Laufey is Loki’s biological father. It’s not mentioned a ton in the MCU, but Loki does have the last name of Laufeyson. After being deader than dead to the point of being a skeleton, Laufey is brought back from the dead by Malekith. Plus, he is a true Frost Giant and stands probably a good 50 feet tall.

2) Loki is Dead… Again

Speaking of The God Of Mischief and Evil, Loki is literally eaten alive by Laufey. Yep, munched down like a potato chip by his own dad. This is probably the 173rd time Loki has died, but who’s counting? We’ve seen him die time and time again, and he always has some plan for coming back. This time will likely be no different. Plus, just like Infinity War, he dies in the opening act of the story. Not a usual trope to kill a character out of the gate, if he’s going to stay dead. Or stay dead by the comics standards of a few months at least.

3) Valkyrie Is Dead

It was Malekith himself that did the deed in the final page of issue #2. Now, some Marvel fans know that Jason Aaron is penning the new Valkyrie title. And now that the “real” Valkyrie is dead (or at least dead by the comics standards of a few months), it explains why Jane Foster is stepping into the role.

4) Thor Wields Dual Hammers

Of course, with Mjolnir’s destruction last year, Thor has been using different hammers. Now, he openly wields two. One has a very similar shape to Mjiolnir, while the other one has a flat end, while the other has a ball end similar to Stormbearker. Perhaps it was inspired by the hammer Thor made during Infinity War.

5) Luke Cage Is (Apparently) Worthy Of Asgard Weapons

In a teaser cover image for the War Of The Realms tie-in Strikeforce (which sadly does not feature Tito Santana or Rick Martel), Luke Cage is carrying a hammer that looks very similar to Mjolnir. It’s possible it may be in cosmetics only, and not a true mystic hammer, but I think most fans would have no problem seeing Luke as being worthy of picking up an Asgardian Enchanted Hammer.

6) Bog Tigers Are Cool

Malekith has been seen on and around a white tiger that has wings similar to a bat or dragon. The proper name of this creature is Svartalfheim Bog Tiger. If War Of The Realms is ever turned into a movie, the bog tiger will be a new hit sensation with fans. Many stuffed animals would be sold. As big as BB-8 or porgs were to Star Wars? Only time will tell.

That’s only 1/4th of the way through the main story, so there is probably more to come. You can pick up War Of The Realms #1 and #2 now, along with the other tie in issues throughout the Marvel brand.

Anything you liked about War Of The Realms? Sound off below!

Russo Brothers Developing Stan Lee Documentary

With Avengers: Engame looming over the summer movie season, directors Anthony and Joe Russo have revealed they are developing a documentary on none other than Stan “The Man” Lee.

Superhero Hype reports that a project is in the works that will pay tribute to Lee’s time with Marvel.

“We are fascinated by the life of Stan Lee and we are actually developing a little something that has to do with his work in the history of Marvel.”

-Anthony Russo via Superhero Hype

Lee of course passed away late last year at the age of 95, and had over two dozen of his signature cameos in Marvel TV and film projects. He served as an Executive Producer for many Marvel films, most of which were based on his creations. The Russo brothers have confirmed Endgame will be the legendary creator’s final cameo.

The Mandalorian Panel With GeekDig’s Vengeful Jedi

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Geekville Radio is back with a look at The Mandalorian panel from Star Wars Celebration. We are joined by Vengeful Jedi, aka Clint, from GeekDig Podcast.

The Mandalorian Panel from Star Wars Celebration Chicago

Seth and Clint talk the panel, and the news coming out of it. Plus, Clint comments on the sneak peek footage that was only shown to people in attendance.

There was of course a live action Star Wars series in development before Disney bought LucasFilm. The now defunct 1313 game was supposed to be a tie in to it. Like that show, then rumored to be called Star Wars Underworld, The Mandalorian will focus on the grittier side of the Star Wars galaxy where characters are morally ambiguous and of questionable loyalty.

On top of that, Seth and Clint speculate on what The Rise Of Skywalker might mean when it comes to Episode IX.

GeekDig Podcast can be found all over the web, and especially on Apple Podcasts.

Pedro Pascal plays the character known at this time as only The Mandalorian
The vibe is very much that of a Western in space
Former MMA superstar Gina Carano portrays Cara Dune, a former Rebel Shocktrooper
Carl Weathers plays Greef, the leader of The Bounty Hunters Guild
As discussed on the podcast, Pre Vizsla was the character voiced by Jon Favreau in The Clone Wars. He carried a black lightsaber called a darksaber.

What do YOU think of The Mandalorian? Sound off below!

Tom Welling Allegedly Turned Down Being The Arrowverse Superman

Actor Tom Welling recently appeared at New Zealand’s Armageddon Expo, where he confirmed rumors that he will be appearing in Arrow’s upcoming eighth season. He also implied he turned down being Superman in previous seasons of Supergirl.

CBR published the story the other day:

According to worldofmera on Twitter, Welling confirmed the news at Armageddon Expo in New Zealand. During a panel, he reportedly said, “I will be on Arrow next season.” The poster then noted that Welling didn’t indicate the extent of his role or even who he would be playing. However, he did reportedly reveal he turned down the chance to play Superman on CW’s Supergirl.

-via CBR.com

Welling of course played Clark Kent for ten years on Smallville, and only wore the Superman suit in the series finale.

Arrow was given an early renewal for an eighth season, but lead actor Stephen Amell revealed that it will be the final season. The series finale for Arrow will likely be around the time the Crisis On Infinite Earths crossover special airs.

So what role will Welling have come this fall? The actor didn’t say, but we likely won’t have to wait too long to find out.

Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker Trailer Analysis

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At long last, LucasFilm has released the first trailer for Star Wars Episode IX, which is said to be the final episode of The Skywalker Saga. The title was also revealed to be The Rise Of Skywalker.

Some time ago, there was a heavily circulated rumor that Episode IX would be called Balance of The Force. We commented on that in a previous podcast, and what that might mean. We even used information published in 1997 as proof. And we’re here to do it again with the real title.

So what did we do upon seeing the new trailer? Why we did what every other Star Wars geek would do and over-analyze practically every frame so we can speculate on what we think is to come.

Director JJ Abrams said that The Rise of Skywalker will tie up all three trilogies, making it an end to the saga.

For more in-depth commentary, you can follow along with the accompanying podcast. All the images below are of course copyright LucasFilm/Disney and are presented for informational purposes.

Without further ado, on with the analysis so we can yell at everybody else how wrong they are (just kidding…)

You can watch the trailer, or go by the screencaps below
The familiar LucasFilm logo appears, with only the sound of heavy breathing accompanying it.
We see Rey, the source of the heavy breathing on a desert planet. Tatooine? Jakku?
Rey grabs the Skywalker lightsaber. Is danger afoot?
Rey stands alone in the desert. Looking at a sky, it does not appear to be Tatooine
Like something out of the Old West, Rey holds the saber at her side
Rey stands her ground
Again, judging by what appears to be a single sun, this does not look to be Tatooine
GASP! It’s Kylo Ren’s TIE Interceptor! Or is it?
Rey ignites the Skywalker saber
Rey, looking defiant, readies for the attack
Those gloves look like Kylo Ren’s, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s him wearing them. More on that later
Rey begins to run, but in the same direction as the TIE
The TIE is almost caught up
Rey leaps into the air, probably with a Force Jump
This is obviously another planet, but which one?
Kylo Ren gutting an enemy with his trademark crossguard saber. Stormtroopers are also seen
Someone is repairing Kylo Ren’s mask
Is that Rey’s staff? Or did Finn and Poe just stumble onto the set of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade?
BB-8 and his new friend D-0, who presumably does not sing “Holy Diver”
Billy Dee looking as only he can look. Great to see Lando is finally back
Flying stormtroopers in hot pursuit of a speeder
Poe, Finn, and 3PO on board the speeder
One of the medals given at The Battle Of Yavin
Rey and Leia embrace
The band is back together! It’s not often we get to see Rey and Poe in the same shot
Arguably the most interesting shot of the whole trailer. Why are those waves moving so slowly?

Over Celebration weekend, we saw several images that may give further hints as to what is going on.

Lando Calrissian, sporting a yellow outfit similar to his younger self in Solo
Poe possibly gathering local citizens
The Poe/Finn shippers will have a field day with this image
Rey reunited with her staff. But what planet is this?
Here we definitely see Kylo piloting his TIE Interceptor
Klad! Undoubtedly the breakout star of Episode IX
Is it possible that Poe Dameron is piloting that TIE Silencer?

So let’s review

  • Rey spends some time on a desert planet that does not appear to be Tatooine
  • The other heroes either arrive with her, or follow her there
  • She may or may not have an encounter with Kylo Ren in his sip. It still could be somebody else piloting. Poe?
  • Lando reunites with Chewie and The Millennium Falcon
  • Kylo and stormtroopers attack people in a forest that looks like it could be Yavin or Takodana
  • At some point, Kylo rebuilds his mask from The Force Awakens
  • Death Star wreckage plays an important part in the film
  • Not only do we hear his laugh, but Palpatine has been confirmed by JJ himself to be in the film in some capacity.
  • If “no one is every truly gone” could we see old friends? Old enemies?

What do you think? Sound off below!!

Disney Star Wars Saga Boxed Set?

Rumors have been flying since 2012, when Disney announced the purchase of LucasFilm, that an encompassing release of classic and current Star Wars films will be released.

Today, that rumor has gained some traction.

Digital Fix reports that Disney will be releasing a 4k (Ultra-HD) collection of the Star Wars Skywalker Saga. This collection would be the first time all nine episodes would be available in one package.

According to a UK-based Disney employee who has spoken to us on the condition of anonymity and who claims to have been involved in the collection of material for an upcoming release of the entire Star Wars Saga in a box set, Disney are planning to release a complete 4K Blu-ray edition of the entire Skywalker saga in 2020.

-The Digital Fix

Ardent fans may remember the “Original Unaltered Trilogy” rumors, and how such a release would have needed cooperation with 20th Century Fox due to distribution rights. Now that Disney owns Fox, that barrier is no longer there.

The original trilogy was shot on film, as was the first prequel The Phantom Menace. The other prequels were both shot digitally, meaning that any footage would have to be converted to a 4K format. LucasFilm was in the process of converting all the films into 3D releases at the time of the sale to Disney. No information is yet available about whether any 3D releases are in store.

Of course, Star Wars Celebration kicks off this weekend, and a ton of news will likely break during the convention. Not the least of which is a trailer for the yet-untitled Episode IX. We’ll try our darnedest to keep up with it all

Geekville Radio #227

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Geekville Radio #227

Seth “Zandrax” Zillmann and “Crazy Train” Jonathan Bolick return to the airwaves to discuss some of the news topics of the week

Mark Hamill to be in Guardians Of The Galaxy? (1:15)

Since the return of James Gunn to Guardians Of The Galaxy 3, rumors have resurfaced that Mark Hamill may be playing a character in the film. Could he be a hero? Villain? Mercenary?

Emily Bett Rickards leaving Arrow (9:30)

The actress recently announced her departure from Arrow. Shortly afterwards, it was revealed that Felicity will not be appearing in Season 8. Could this mean a return to the comic-based pairing of Green Arrow and Black Canary?

Disney recasting X-Men except Deadpool (16:00)

It had been speculated for years, but Marvel all but confirmed during C2E2 that The X-Men and Fantastic Four will be recast and rebooted for The MCU. The only exception is Ryan Reynolds will continue as Deadpool.

We did predict on Episode 225 that this would happen, because it’s common sense. Though it will likely be several years before we get the MCU Proper X-Men film.

There is the new rumor that Stan Lee cameos may be replaced by Deadpool cameos. Which may be the best option to go with.

It is also worth noting that X-Men material is already available on Disney’s site.

Here is the list of channels and studios that Disney now owns after the merger with Fox.

  • Twentieth Century Fox
  • Twentieth Century Fox Television
  • Fox Searchlight Pictures
  • Fox 2000 Pictures
  • Fox Family
  • Fox Animation
  • FX Productions
  • FX Networks
  • Fox21
  • National Geographic Partners
  • Fox Networks Group International
  • Star India
  • Fox’s part of Hulu

Batman retrospective 80th Anniversary (29:30)

At C2E2, DC Comics held a Batman 80th Anniversary Panel, in which some fun questions were asked.

The creation of Batman has its roots in the pulp crime magazines of the 30s. Several of the panelists mentioned the characters of The Shadow, The Phantom, and Green Hornet as pre-Batman inspirations.

Well, who are three out of the first four entrants in our Lesser Known Geek Hall Of Fame? The Shadow, The Phantom, and Green Hornet

Is there a favorite incarnation of Batman?

All this and more in another fun-filled edition of Geekville Radio!

Marvel Comics Upcoming Stories

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Geekville Radio #226: Upcoming Marvel Stories

At C2E2, Marvel unveiled their upcoming major storylines that will take place in 2019.

War Of The Realms (1:55)

The major universe-wide crossover is called War Of The Realms. As the name implies, it is all 10 Asgardian Realms. The last one left is Midgard, aka Earth. This may be an attempt to put Malekith on the level of a Dr. Doom or Kang, as he will be the central villain.

Marvel’s teaser for War Of The Realms

House Of X (7:55)

Every few years, Marvel does something to refresh the X-Men franchise. This summer brings two new X-Men titles, House Of X, and Powers Of X. Both set to be written by Jonathan Hickman.

As usual, Marvel was tight lipped over what will happen, but the presentation did have an interesting piece of art showing many characters from, as they put it “Past, Present, and Future”.

Official artwork for House Of X and Powers Of X hint characters from the Past, Present, and Future

Absolute Carnage (14:30)

Yes, Cletus Kassidy is back from the dead… again!

This time around, Carnage is hunting down everybody who has EVER used a symbiote suit. This means not just Peter Parker, Eddie Brock, or the other usual suspects. Even The Guardians Of The Galaxy, Deadpool, and dinosaurs are potential targets.

Admittedly, I could only think of about 20 off the bat, but there were others who fit the bill of using a symbiote

  1. Peter Parker (obviously)
  2. Eddie Brock
  3. John Jameson (He brought symbiotes to Earth in the first place)
  4. Ben Reilly (Spider-Carnage)
  5. Scorpion
  6. Scream
  7. Flash Thompson (dead, but dead characters always come back in comics)
  8. Norman Osborn
  9. Dr. Octopus
  10. Maniac
  11. Toxin
  12. Scream
  13. Punisher
  14. Deadpool
  15. Captain Marvel/Ms. Marvel
  16. Hybrid
  17. Silver Surfer
  18. Knull

I’m curious how Carnage would last against those last two, wince their cosmic level characters

The others that I forgot were (and this is by no means a complete list)

  1. Wolverine
  2. Rocket Raccoon
  3. Groot
  4. Drax
  5. Gwen Stacy
  6. Thunderbolt Ross
  7. Tony Stark (if artificial symbiotes count)

Not only that, the special variant covers seem to imply other Marvel heroes may bond with symbiotes. Including Captain America, Black Panther, and Thor.

As discussed, I attended C2E2 with Clint from Geek Dig Podcast, and Joe from Beside The Point.

And Norko from The Wrestling Brethren Podcast did have this unintentionally hilarious post due to Autocorrect.

Can’t wait for that Ryan Rembrandt Deadpool

Mark Hamill is Chucky in the Child’s Play Reboot

Star Wars icon Mark Hamill has added another high profile voice role to his resume. The actor made the announcement via a prerecorded appearance for WonderCon that he will be voicing Chucky in the theatrical Child’s Play reboot.

The announcement appeared on Hamill’s official Twitter shortly afterward.

Mark Hamill announced his new role to the fans at WonderCon

It is important to note that this theatrical reboot is not to be confused with the Syfy TV show Chucky. That series is run by the franchise’s original creator Don Mancini, and will remain in the continuity of the previous films. Veteran Chucky voice Brad Dourif will reprise the role for the series.

The reboot opens June 21st in theaters, and will be directed by Lars Klevberg from a story by Kung Fury‘s Tyler Burton Smith. The series will bow this fall on Syfy.

Initial trailer for the Child’s Play theatrical reboot

Hamill is currently appearing in season 2 of Knightfall on The History Channel, and is rumored to have a role in the next Guardians Of The Galaxy film for Disney.