News

Why Did Eva Mendes Step Back From Acting After 2014? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Eva Mendes was once everywhere on the big screen, but after her 2014 performance in Lost River, she quietly dipped out of Hollywood. Fans were scratching their heads—what’s up with the long hiatus? The answer: motherhood. It flipped her world completely.

In 2019, Mendes revealed why she pressed pause on her acting career. When an Instagram follower asked about a potential comeback, her response was refreshingly straightforward: “Hi! When there’s something worthwhile to be a part of.” She clarified that being a mom to daughters Esmeralda and Amada, whom she shares with Ryan Gosling, meant she had to be picky. “There are many roles I won’t do. There are many subject matters I don’t want to be involved with, so it limits my choices, and I’m fine with that.”

And it wasn’t some spur-of-the-moment decision.

Is Better Man About Robbie Williams’ Life? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

The music biopic genre is getting a new groove with Better Man, the bold and quirky take on the life of British pop legend Robbie Williams. This 2024 movie isn’t your typical rise-and-fall rockstar tale—it’s got Williams portrayed as a monkey through motion-capture technology. Yep, you read that right! Robbie himself is lending his voice to this unique depiction, promising a cinematic experience as unpredictable as his career.

When Can You Watch Better Man?

Mark your calendars! Better Man hits select US theaters on Christmas Day, December 25, 2024, before a nationwide release on January 17, 2025. Fans in the UK can catch it the day after Christmas, on December 26. This late-December drop isn’t just festive timing—it strategically positions the movie for a shot at year-end awards, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love an underdog Oscar story?...

Sandra Bullock’s Bizzare Beauty Regimen Is The Key To Her Youthful Look ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Sandra Bullock’s secret to looking like she’s frozen in time? It’s not your typical beauty routine! The Birdbox star is all about those p*nis facials. Yeah, you read that right! During an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Bullock spilled the beans on her surprisingly unconventional skincare regimen, and let’s just say it had everyone talking. It turns out that the 53-year-old Ocean’s 8 star has a facial routine involving epidermal growth factors (Egf), which come from Korean newborns’ foreskins. Yeah, let that sink in.

So, what exactly is this bizarre treatment? Bullock explained that the process uses cells from the foreskin that have been cloned in a lab. She described the method, which involves microneedling, as a little roller that “ruptures the collagen” in your skin, giving it a boost.

Did Leonardo DiCaprio Want To Play Marvel Legend Stan Lee Onscreen? ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Okay, get this—Leonardo DiCaprio, yes the Leo, always had his eye on playing none other than Stan Lee, the man who pretty much created the Marvel Universe. Crazy, right? At 94, Stan Lee spilled the tea at Hascon, revealing that he talked about doing a movie about his life with Leo. Oh, and did I mention DiCaprio is his neighbor? That’s right, two legends living next door to each other. It must be nice.

Stan remembered chatting with Leo a few months ago, where Leo was all like, “Man, it’d be fun to do your story on the big screen.” Stan, being his usual witty self, shot back, “Well, I’ll audition you. Gotta make sure you can pull it off.” Classic Stan, keeping things real. Guess Leo had to prove he could do...

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps”, is the upcoming live-action, superhero feature, directed by Matt Shakman, based on Marvel Comics’ “Fantastic Four” by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, releasing July 25, 2025 in theaters:

“…set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960’s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios' 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' introduces Marvel’s First Family…

“…Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn)…

“…and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach)…

“…as they face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond,

“…they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson)…

“…and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner)…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Take a look at more footage from the new Columbia Pictures/Marvel Studios live-action superhero crime thriller "Kraven The Hunter”, directed by J.C. Chandor, releasing December 13, 2024 in theaters:

'Sergei Kravinoff', aka 'Kraven The Hunter"…

…debuted in Marvel Comics' "The Amazing Spider-Man" #15 (August 1964)…

….followed by subsequent appearances throughout the years …

… created by writer Stan Lee and illustrator/co-plotter Steve Ditko.

"...born to Russian aristocrats…

‘“…and an abusive father (Russell Crowe)…

“… 'Sergei Kravinoff ' survives…

“…to become a maniacal big game hunter in Africa.

"Then his reflexes and physical powers were enhanced…

“…and he became …

“‘Kraven the Hunter'..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Hitting theaters on Friday, December 13 is Kraven The Hunter. In this this new featurette, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and director J.C. Chandor discuss the making of an old fashioned gangster story, as well as the choice to make an R-rated movie.

Official Synopsis:

Kraven the Hunter is the action-packed, R-rated, standalone story of how one of Marvel’s most iconic villains came to be. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Kraven, a man whose complex relationship with his ruthless gangster father, Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe), starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.

It will be interesting to see how Kraven’s half-brother is the Chameleon, whose real name is Dmitri Smerdyakov, fits into all of this.

Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Kraven first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #15 (1964).

Kraven was one...

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"X-Men" comic relaunch "From The Ashes" only started back in July, but the initiative already has 10 ongoing series (plus three mini-series). "X-Men" office editor Tom Brevoort has said that his goal is a new issue no. 1 be published every month. I'm not convinced this mutant saturation is the best move, nor that "From The Ashes" was worth Marvel editorial pulling the plug on the X-Men's new homeland Krakoa. Don't get me wrong, though, there have been some good "From The Ashes" titles — among them "Phoenix" by Stephanie Phillips and Alessandro Miracolo.

Unlike most of the ongoing "X-Men" titles, "Phoenix" is not set on Earth. Jean Grey, now in greater control of her Phoenix powers than ever, is traveling the galaxy in a starship helping those in need. She's been hanging out with other galactic heroes, like her father-in-law Corsair and Captain Marvel,...

Marvel had a rough year in 2023. Many of its properties underperformed, and they lost their big villain due to Jonathan Majors being fired. Looking forward to their upcoming slate, comic fans have been excited about some of the studio’s projects over the next few years. Will these films help Marvel regain control? The upcoming Thunderbolts film has been one that fanboys have been hoping to see since the MCU started. With some recent news about the property coming up, it seems like the right time to break down what we know about the production.

Who Are The Thunderbolts?

The team first appeared in Marvel Comics in 1997 in an issue of The Incredible Hulk. They seemed to be a new group of superheroes that had arrived on the scene and gained acclaim very quickly. The reader was informed that the group was actually a group of supervillains led by Baron Zemo.

Leonardo DiCaprio explained why he avoided superhero movies, choosing complex roles over action-driven franchises. (Photo Credit – Facebook)

So here’s the deal: Leo’s never done a superhero flick, and it’s wild. With his iconic roles, endless awards buzz, and Titanic-level fame, you’d think he’d be all about that superhero life. But no, DiCaprio’s stayed clear of capes and tights.

It’s not that he hasn’t had the chance, though. He was approached to play Robin in Batman Forever but wasn’t feeling it. “I didn’t feel ready to put on the suit,” he said. And then, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man came calling, but again, Leo passed. Tobey Maguire swooped in instead.

So, why the hard pass on the superhero world? It’s not like Leo hates comics. His dad was into underground comics, and Leo’s a vast Stan Lee fan. He...

With The Fantastic Four: First Steps set in an alternate reality, we only expect to spend one movie on their world before Marvel's First Family moves to Earth-616 (Marvel Studios has already confirmed the team will appear in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars). 

Before that happens, we expect to see the team cross paths with many familiar foes, likely in a montage showcasing their past adventures seeing as this movie is skipping their origin story. 

There's already chatter online about John Malkovich playing the villainous Ivan Kragoff/Red Ghost, and we may now have confirmation that Mole Man will make an appearance. 

The Cosmic Circus has spotted an update on IMDb revealing that MCU veteran Tony McCarthy is playing a "Moloid Person" in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. In the comics, the Moloids were created by the Deviants and reside deep beneath the Earth in Subterranea. When Mole Man discovered them,...

Norman Osborn is set to mentor Peter Parker in the upcoming animated show, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, but that is not the change that fans are oddly worried about. There is also the fact that Norman Osborn is now Black, which has caused a lot of fans to think about what exactly Marvel is trying to do by race-swapping its characters.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man | Credits: Disney+

Given that Norman Osborne has done some horrible, horrible things to Peter Parker, fans have been wondering what Marvel has in store for Osborn (now Black), given that he is going out of his way to take Peter Parker under his wing.

Fans Don’t Appreciate Marvel Race-Swapping Norman Osborne Green Goblin || Credit: Marvel Comics

Green Goblin as a character has not only been a pain in the side of Spider-Man but also the Avengers. Norman Osborne famously led the Dark Avengers, a...

Stephen King is not just a prolific writer, he's a ravenous reader. Those two qualities mean that he has a strong sense for, among other storytelling talents, what makes a great antagonist. (King's favorite villains include Count Dracula and Anton Chigurh.)

King's own books have plenty of memorable bad guys: Pennywise, Randall Flagg, Greg Stillson, Cujo, etc. One of his more obscure villains resides not in the "Kingverse," though, but the Marvel Comics universe.

Stephen King doesn't watch or like Marvel Studios movies, but he's been a comic book fan for a long time. Some of King's earliest stories, he's said, were ones he copied out of the comics he was reading as a kid. The love has endured since he became a professional writer. King's novel "Firestarter" feels like the superhero and horror genres converging, while "The Dark Tower" series features werewolves dressed like Doctor Doom ("the Wolves of...

Stan Lee Reportedly Didn’t Like Tom Holland’s Casting As Spider-Man Casting In The Beginning (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Stan Lee, the comic book godfather who created Spider-Man, wasn’t exactly on board with Tom Holland swinging into the role of Peter Parker. Yup, you read that right. The man who birthed Spidey wasn’t sold on the youngest and arguably most charming version of the web-slinger. Let’s just say Stan wasn’t shy about throwing a little shade, either.

James Gunn, director of the Guardians of the Galaxy films, casually dropped this gem during an Instagram Q&a. When he introduced Stan to Tom Holland shortly after the latter’s casting, Stan did the thing Stan did best—he cracked a joke. According to Gunn, Stan looked at Tom and said, “Yes, of course! I have heard that you are amazing! Personally, I don’t see it that way!

Let’s talk about Tom Cruise, shall we? You know, that guy who’s been running on our screens since forever. From his breakout role in Taps (1981) to becoming Hollywood’s go-to action superstar, Cruise has pretty much nailed the whole “movie star” thing. With mega-hits like Top Gun (1986), Mission: Impossible (1996), and Jerry Maguire (1996) he’s basically become a one-man box office machine, casually raking in billions of dollars worldwide.

Tom Cruise in a still from Knight and Day (2010) | 20th Century Studios

But here’s the thing, you’d think someone with his track record would have a perfect batting average when it comes to picking scripts, but nope! Even The Tom Cruise has let some pretty decent roles slip through his fingers. Ready for a fun dive into the parallel universe of Tom Cruise’s career? Here are ten times he probably kicked himself for saying “Thanks, but no thanks.

The superhero movie boom has produced some comic calamities (from "Fant4stic" to "Madame Web"), but none more so than 2022's "Black Adam." Star Dwayne Johnson/The Rock had been attached to star as Black Adam since 2007. Once the picture finally got rolling, he spent years hyping up that "the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe is about to change," suggesting Black Adam would become the new star around which other DC films would orbit.

Then the movie arrived to pretty bad reviews (read /Film's 3.5/10 "Black Adam" review here) and middling box office returns. Not even a post-credits scene cameo of Henry Cavill as Superman generated much excitement, even though Johnson had also been banking on a sequel where his Mighty Adam would face the Man of Steel. Johnson began his performing career as a wrestler, so naturally he wanted to center his superhero passion project around a fight between two heavyweights.

George R.R. Martin was a big fan of the Marvel Cimeatic Universe. (Photo Credit – Facebook)

Before Game of Thrones catapulted George R.R. Martin into fantasy fame, he was a die-hard comic book geek with a severe love for Marvel. The man behind A Song of Ice and Fire once proudly declared himself an “old — Very old — Marvel fanboy.” And it wasn’t just casual admiration. Martin was an official Merry Marvel Marching Society member, the Marvel Comics fan club. But did you know that his love for superheroes significantly shaped the writer we know today?

It all started in 1963 when a 15-year-old Martin penned a fan letter to Marvel, praising Fantastic Four No. 17. He found the issue “absolutely stupendous” — a sentiment he couldn’t hold back. The letter caught the attention of none other than Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Marvel’s legendary creators, who responded by humorously writing,...

Have you ever wondered what America’s sweetheart Marilyn Monroe might have looked like when she was cranky and hungry? Well, maybe not pretty. But who knew a hangry Monroe would transition into the legendary actor Willem Dafoe?

Willem Dafoe in Snickers ad | image: YouTube

A digital Snickers billboard set up on a street in New York City showed the famous scene from the 1955 film Seven Year Itch with Marilyn Monroe standing over a blowing subway grate in a white dress. But upon closer inspection, the actress suddenly looked very different.

Well, it was apparently Willem Dafoe wearing the white dress and recreating the scene for Snickers’ clever new ad for Super Bowl 50.

Willem Dafoe Appeared as Hungry Marilyn Monroe in Snickers’ Super Bowl 50 Ad

Back in 2016, in a bold move, Snickers put a hilarious twist on a beloved classic by imagining the legendary Willem Dafoe as a hangry Marilyn Monroe.

Marvel Studios next “Doctor Strange" sequel may include 'Jericho Drumm', aka ‘Brother Voodoo’/'Doctor Voodoo', who will spin off into his own Disney+ live-action TV series:

"... debuting in Marvel's "Strange Tales #169 (1973), created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Len Wein and illustrator John Romita Sr., 'Jericho Drumm' returned to his native Port-au-Prince, Haiti, after 12 years of education and practice as an accredited psychologist in the US, where he discovers his twin brother, 'Daniel Drumm', the local 'houngan', is dying, a victim of a voodoo sorcerer who claims to be possessed by the spirit of the serpent-god 'Damballah'.

"Just before he dies, Daniel makes his brother vow to visit Daniel's mentor, 'Papa Jambo'. Jericho does, and becomes Jambo's student. After studying under the aged houngan for several weeks, Jericho gains a greater mastery of voodoo practices than his own brother, becoming a houngan in his own right.

The first episode of Marvel’s Agatha All Along starts from an unexpected place. Picking up her broom and flying into another freewheelin’ genre parody that made WandaVision an early delight, Agatha navigates an episode of Mindhunter as creator-director Jac Schaeffer wades into a genre Marvel has successfully dipped its toe in before: horror.

If you think “Stone Cold” Steve Austin is the greatest wrestler ever, gimme a “Hell Yeah!” Or maybe you’d rather smell what The Rock is cookin’ or love seeing Hulkamania run wild. But let’s face it: was there really anyone who worked the ring and the mic better the stylin’, profilin’, limousine-ridin’, jet-flying, kiss-stealin’, wheelin’-n-dealin’ son of a gun that is Ric Flair? According to Sports Illustrated, yes, there are a lot that were better.

Sports Illustrated recently released their list of the 20 Greatest WWE Wrestlers Of All Time, and while there are some strong choices overall, they made a huge mistake in omitting “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair. For reference, Stone Cold Steve Austin took the top spot, while Hulk Hogan, The Rock, John Cena, Roman Reigns cracked the top five. The Undertaker, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, and Bruno Sammartino – who held the WWF...

Sony Pictures have brought the unlikely duo of Eddie Brock and Venom back for one more ride. Venom: The Last Dance reunites the pair for a mission of escape, as they attempt to outrun all of the threats that are on their trail. That includes the FBI, who are still after them due to the events of 2021's Venom: Let There Be Carnage. But the biggest threat comes in the form of these new monstrous creatures from Venom's home world that seek to capture the symbiote. And at the heart of that new threat is the evil, prolific Marvel Comics villain known as Knull.

The Sony Marvel movie employs all of the elements that the Venom franchise is known for and it's sure to entertain the movie's devoted fanbase. It also features another two returnees to the franchise as Stephen Graham returns as Detective Patrick Mulligan, while Peggy Lu also features as Mrs.

Wolverine is one of the most popular Marvel characters and one of the most popular mutants. His origin story and powers are well known and it’s quite clear that he exhibits some animalistic traits which obviously translated to his name, overall look, and skillset.

While his status as a mutant these days is uncontested, it wasn’t always so as originally Wolverine was supposed to be something entirely different.

Originally, Wolverine was not intended to be a mutant. When he first appeared in ‘Incredible Hulk’ #181 (1974), co-created by Len Wein, Roy Thomas, and John Romita Sr., he was introduced as a character without a defined mutant identity.

In this debut issue, the Canadian government referred to him as “Weapon X,” which was merely a codename for him at the time.

When Wein was tasked with creating a new international team of X-Men, he brought Wolverine into the fold. However, after...

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Vigilante is a South Korean action crime thriller drama series created by Moon Yoo-seok. Based on the Naver webtoon of the same name by Kim Gyu-sam, the Disney+ series follows Kim Ji-yong, a student at the police academy whose mother was killed by a criminal in his childhood. Now he secretly goes out at night as a vigilante to kill criminals. Vigilante stars Nam Joo-hyuk, Yoo Ji-tae, Lee Joon-hyuk, and Kim So-jin. So, if you loved the bloody action, intensely thrilling story, and compelling characters in Vigilante here are some similar shows you should check out next.

The Killing Vote (Prime Video) Credit – Sbs

The Killing Vote is a South Korean legal crime drama series directed by Park Shin-woo from a screenplay by Jo Yoon-young. Based on Kakao Webtoon National Death Penalty Vote by Uhm Se-yoon and Jung Yi-pum,...

Kelly Marcel and Tom Hardy are fitting dance partners for Eddie Brock and Venom’s final go-round in Venom: The Last Dance. The longtime screenwriter turned director has been friends with Hardy since the early 2000s, as they both worked across the street from one another in Southwest London. Marcel was employed at a video rental store, and after hitting it off one day, she soon started writing scenes for Hardy’s theater company that was run out of the first floor of Battersea’s The Latchmere pub. Eventually, Hardy brought Marcel in to do uncredited rewrites on Nicolas Winding Refn’s Bronson (2008), something she’d again do years later on George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).

In the intervening years, she launched her career by selling Terra Nova to Amblin and Fox. It would go on to become TV’s most expensive series at the time, and despite creating the concept,...

Stan Lee’s “The Excelsiors” is set to be developed for TV and film by Kartoon Studios, the studio announced Monday. The company, also the controlling partner of Stan Lee Universe, plans to launch the project with a graphic novel published by indie comic publishing label Legible Comics.

The project is being produced by “Batman” film series executive producer Michael Uslan, on board with the DC franchise since bringing the 1989 film to the big screen.

The studio describes the project as “one of the largest initial superhero ensemble creations by the legendary Stan Lee,” featuring a 10-superhero team working for near future corporation “Amaz-Ing Tech LLC.” The team’s name is inspired by Lee’s famed “excelsior” catchphrase. The story is set in a world with global corporations running the world rather than governments (perhaps not too unlike what some see as happening in our own world).

“Stan always told...

Take a look at leaked footage plus set images from Marvel Television’s new live-action "Daredevil: Born Again" TV series, renewed for Season 2 before the debut of Season 1, featuring blind lawyer 'Matt Murdock’ (Charlie Cox) and his crimefighting alter ego, the red-suited vigilante ‘'Daredevil', streaming March 4. 2025 on Disney+:

"...'Daredevil: Born Again' is a 'Season1'.

“It is not 'Season 4', so it is a whole new thing”,

…star Cox said referring to the three seasons he played the character in the previous Marvel/Netflix series.

"And I don't know where it's going, I don't know how much (story) involvement I'm going to have…

“… I don't know what it's leading to, but it feels like we're born again.

"And so I feel like I'm getting a second chance at the dream job…”

"Daredevil" was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and illustrators Bill Everett and Jack Kirby…...

Sneak Peek an international trailer supporting Columbia Pictures/Marvel Studios live-action R-rated, superhero crime thriller "Kraven The Hunter”, directed by J.C. Chandor, releasing December 13, 2024 in theaters:

'Sergei Kravinoff', aka 'Kraven The Hunter"…

…debuted in Marvel Comics' "The Amazing Spider-Man" #15 (August 1964)…

….followed by subsequent appearances throughout the years …

… created by writer Stan Lee and illustrator/co-plotter Steve Ditko.

"...born to Russian aristocrats…

‘“…and an abusive father (Russell Crowe)…

“… 'Sergei Kravinoff ' survives…

“…to become a maniacal big game hunter in Africa.

"Then his reflexes and physical powers were enhanced…

“…and he became …

“‘Kraven the Hunter'..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Real-life comic book magnate Stan Lee, much like fictional newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane, is a jigsaw puzzle who was many things to many different people, depending on the piece of the puzzle they had. For non-comic book reading folks, he was that funny old guy who kept popping up in Marvel movies and had, apparently, even written a few comics himself. For comic aficionados, on the other hand, he was an undeniably important figure in the history of the medium, but also one who had excelled at mythologizing his personal contributions to Marvel Comics at the expense of others.

Lee was certainly an expert in the art of building an individual brand, which, in that respect, makes Kevin Smith his heir apparent. In point of fact, the filmmaker, actor, comic book writer, podcaster, and surprise transmasculine style icon is a lot like Lee in that he's arguably as famous...

When it comes to street-level heroes in the Marvel universe, few come close to Spider-Man. Moreover, his accomplishments aren’t just confined to being the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, as his recent adventures have taken him across universes and dimensions.

We Live in Time | Credit: A24

But despite his abilities, Florence Pugh believes her MCU counterpart can take down the webhead. Although The Amazing Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield didn’t exactly see eye to eye with Pugh’s assessment, in the comics, the webhead did once yield to Yelena’s sister.

Black Widow Did Once Get the Best of Spider-Man Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow | Credit: Marvel Studios

During an interview with LADbible TV, Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh engaged in a friendly banter over who’d win a potential fight between Yelena and Spider-Man. While Pugh claimed that Yelena could get the upper hand in a fight with Spider-Man, given Peter’s kindness,...

Take a look at more footage from the new Columbia Pictures/Marvel Studios live-action superhero crime thriller "Kraven The Hunter”, directed by J.C. Chandor, releasing December 13, 2024 in theaters:

'Sergei Kravinoff', aka 'Kraven The Hunter"…

…debuted in Marvel Comics' "The Amazing Spider-Man" #15 (August 1964)…

….followed by subsequent appearances throughout the years …

… created by writer Stan Lee and illustrator/co-plotter Steve Ditko.

"...born to Russian aristocrats…

‘“…and an abusive father (Russell Crowe)…

“… 'Sergei Kravinoff ' survives…

“…to become a maniacal big game hunter in Africa.

"Then his reflexes and physical powers were enhanced…

“…and he became …

“‘Kraven the Hunter'..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Welcome to the latest instalment of our Dissected feature here on Nerdly, where one of our comic gurus, Ian Wells, delves into comics history and looks back at Comics Interview, the long-running journal of interviews and criticism from David Anthony Kraft (Dak).

Hembeck Out! Shooter In!

Dak’s Up Front column leads directly into the Spotlight article. Originally Fred Hembeck had been slated to talk about his project ‘Fred Hembeck Destroys The Marvel Universe.’ He has however been replaced with a look at Marvel’s Secret Wars. Dak goes as far as to call this Ci’s most up-to-the-minute interview. Mike Zeck’s cover of the issue would back this claim up. Zeck is an artist of high standards, and I am myself sampling as I track down for the issues of Master of Kung Fu. The cover to this feels rushed and the fact inks and colours are credited...

"A Song of Ice and Fire" author George R. R. Martin is most often compared to Middle-earth creator J. R. R. Tolkien, and he accepts the comparison. A lifetime fan of "The Lord of the Rings," Martin has often repeated some specific writing lessons the story taught him. Gandalf's death by Balrog made him realize readers should fear for characters' lives and the way to make them do so is with an unexpected death or two. Thus, Martin admittedly isn't a fan of the resurrected Gandalf the White. (Lady Stoneheart who?) The Scouring of the Shire, when the Hobbits find their home invaded by orcs after their main quest is over, similarly taught Martin that life — and evil — still go on after fairy tale happy endings.

Reducing Martin to just "The American Tolkien" is off-base though. His writing pulls from many other influences, from Shakespeare to Jack Vance to...

Marvel Studios' WandaVision was a triumph in every way imaginable. The first ever Disney Plus show set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it launched Phase Four on a high, earning the franchise critical acclaim, fan adoration, and its first ever Emmy nominations (and wins!). It was thrilling, spectacular, and full of surprises along the way - surprises that just never stopped coming, and kept us guessing the whole way throughout.

Yes, WandaVision was full of Easter Eggs, nods, and references - both to events that took place within the MCU, and to wider television in general. There were nods to I Love Lucy, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, and more, all while making subtle hints and references to iconic aspects of the MCU and the wider Marvel Universe (including the Quicksilver red herring).

However, there is one Easter Egg so buried within the subtleties of the show that you might be forgiven for missing it.

If you're even a little bit familiar with "The Big Bang Theory," you know that it's always been sold as a "show about nerds" — so it makes sense that it featured a whole bunch of actors who also appeared in the "Star Trek" franchise.

Chuck Lorre's hit sitcom, which ran for 12 seasons and stars Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Kaley Cuoco, Melissa Rauch, and Mayim Bialik — who play Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter, Howard Wolowitz, Raj Koothrappali, Penny Hofstadter, Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz, and Amy Farrah Fowler, respectively — featured many, many cameos from pop culture icons, including the late James Earl Jones, Stephen Hawking, and even Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee. Throughout those 12 seasons, a lot of "Star Trek" veterans also showed up in cameo roles. So, who were they, and what did these "Star Trek" actors do during their appearances on "The Big Bang Theory?"

Read more: The...

As we’ve discussed in several of our articles, Robert Downey Jr.’s confirmed return to the MCU has reignited excitement for the franchise’s future. Fans are eager to see how the stories, characters, and movies will evolve.

With the MCU diving deep into the multiverse, it’s unclear how Marvel plans to tie everything together and maintain a compelling narrative, but the anticipation is undeniable.

We do know Downey is set to play Doctor Doom, the main villain in the next two Avengers movies, though many other details remain under wraps. Of course, that’s where rumors come into play.

According to a recent rumor from Twitter user MyTimeToShineHello, who is known for sharing leaks and speculation, a popular yet divisive character from ‘Loki’ is set to appear in both upcoming ‘Avengers’ films. Fans believe this could lead to an intriguing team-up in the future.

As mentioned earlier,...

As we’ve already noted in several of our articles, with Robert Downey Jr.’s confirmed return to the MCU, the franchise’s future is now exciting once more. The fans are eager to see what will happen to these stories, characters, and movies in the future.

Although it is unclear how Marvel will connect all the dots now that the MCU has taken a significant multiverse turn and whether they will be able to create an engaging story, the fans are undoubtedly anticipating it.

We know that Downey is going to portray Doctor Doom, who is going to be the main villain of the two upcoming Avengers movies, but it remains to be seen how the story will be handled as other details are scarce. But, that is why we have rumors, isn’t it?

A recent rumor by Twitter user MyTimeToShineHello, known for publishing rumors and personal opinions,...

The new Columbia Pictures/Marvel Studios live-action superhero crime thriller "Kraven The Hunter”, directed by J.C. Chandor, releases December 13, 2024 in theaters:

'Sergei Kravinoff', aka 'Kraven The Hunter"…

…debuted in Marvel Comics' "The Amazing Spider-Man" #15 (August 1964)…

….followed by subsequent appearances throughout the years …

… created by writer Stan Lee and illustrator/co-plotter Steve Ditko.

"...born to Russian aristocrats…

‘“…and an abusive father (Russell Crowe)…

“… 'Sergei Kravinoff ' survives…

“…to become a maniacal big game hunter in Africa.

"Then his reflexes and physical powers were enhanced…

“…and he became …

“‘Kraven the Hunter'..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Lakota Nation vs. United States was named best documentary on night two of the 2024 News & Documentary Emmy Awards.

The film counts Mark Ruffalo and Marisa Tomei among its executive producers. It was directed by Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli and produced by Benjamin Hedin and Phil Pinto, with all four serving as writers.

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences handed out the awards, which were presented at the Palladium Times Square in New York City, on Thursday night. W. Kamau Bell hosted the ceremony.

Also during the ceremony, documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented by fellow documentarian Sheila Nevins. 

The News & Documentary Emmys are handed out at two individual ceremonies: Categories honoring TV news programming were presented Wednesday, while awards in the documentary categories were presented Thursday. On night one, CNN, ABC and National Geographic were among the top winners.

AMC+’s “Lakota Nation vs. the United States,” executive produced by Mark Ruffalo, won Best Documentary on the second and final night of the 45th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards, which took place Thursday at the Palladium Times Square in New York City and focused on the documentary categories. “ABC World News Tonight With David Muir,” CNN’s “The Whole Story With Anderson Cooper” and Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda were among the winners in the news categories, which were the focus during Wednesday’s ceremony.

During the event, which was hosted by W. Kamau Bell, “Lakota Nation vs. the United States,” which details the 1876 seizure of Black Hills and the indigenous Lakota people’s fight to reclaim the land, and Netflix’s “World War II: From the Front Lines,” narrated by John Boyega, each took home two trophies apiece. All other docs won one.

Netflix was the top winner among...

Al Ewing's "Immortal Thor" is one of Marvel Comics' best ongoing series. A spiritual sequel to Ewing's earlier "Immortal Hulk," the book has a satirical bent; this Thor will even swing his hammer at Marvel's own worst habits.

The upcoming 16th issue looks to reintroduce one of Thor's oldest villains: Radioactive Man. Not the comic book hero from "The Simpsons," but Chen Lu, whose skin glows green. Debuting in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's "Journey into Mystery" #93, Lu was a Chinese scientist who incrementally exposed himself to radiation. Instead of poisoning him, however, the experiment gave him the ability to absorb, emit, and manipulate forms of radiation.

Radioactive Man combines two repeating motifs of early Marvel superhero comics: radioactivity as the key to gaining superpowers and communist villains. Marvel's superheroes are products of the Cold War and, according to Stan Lee, even the Norse Gods would be...

The new Columbia Pictures/Marvel Studios live-action superhero crime thriller "Kraven The Hunter”, directed by J.C. Chandor, releases December 13, 2024 in theaters:

'Sergei Kravinoff', aka 'Kraven The Hunter"…

…debuted in Marvel Comics' "The Amazing Spider-Man" #15 (August 1964)…

….followed by subsequent appearances throughout the years …

… created by writer Stan Lee and illustrator/co-plotter Steve Ditko.

"...born to Russian aristocrats…

‘“…and an abusive father (Russell Crowe)…

“… 'Sergei Kravinoff ' survives…

“…to become a maniacal big game hunter in Africa.

"Then his reflexes and physical powers were enhanced…

“…and he became ‘Kraven the Hunter'..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Thanks to the billion dollar success of the restricted feature “Deadpool & Wolverine”, the new Columbia Pictures/Marvel Studios live-action superhero crime thriller "Kraven The Hunter”, directed by J.C. Chandor, has also been slapped with a now coveted ‘R-rating’ for “…strong bloody violence and language…”, releasing December 13, 2024 in theaters:

'Sergei Kravinoff', aka 'Kraven The Hunter"…

…debuted in Marvel Comics' "The Amazing Spider-Man" #15 (August 1964)…

….followed by subsequent appearances throughout the years …

… created by writer Stan Lee and illustrator/co-plotter Steve Ditko.

"...born to Russian aristocrats…

‘“…and an abusive father (Russell Crowe)…

“… 'Sergei Kravinoff ' survives…

“…to become a maniacal big game hunter in Africa.

"Then after being infected by animal blood…

“…his reflexes and physical powers were enhanced…

“…and he became ‘Kraven the Hunter'..."

Click the images to enlarge...

With Deadpool & Wolverine clawing away at box office records and X-men ‘97 gaining huge streaming numbers, Awfully Good Movies is heading back in time with the Tva to discuss 20th Century Fox’s fourth and final X-Men prequel before their MCU merger… Dark Phoenix! (Or as it was retitled on home video… X-men: Dark Phoenix!)

That title change was just one of many problems that Fox had before and after filming the last of its mutant saga, with Bryan Singer getting #MeToo-ed out of the director’s chair and longtime franchise writer/producer Simon Kinberg taking his place to have another go at adapting Chris Claremont’s “Dark Phoenix” Saga, after his disappointment at poorly adapting it for Brett Ratner’s infamously disappointing X-Men: The Last Stand. But with its release delayed to fix the ending’s similarities to Captain Marvel, only to end up releasing one month after Avengers: Endgame...

The history of Thor Odinson predates the MCU or even the invention of comic book storytelling. Chris Hemsworth’s Asgardian Avenger is a fictional derivative of the figure from Norse mythology who has existed for thousands of years before Stan Lee and Jack Kirby willed him into existence. However, Thor’s second career path as a comic book superhero proved way more successful than his prospects as a Germanic god. Or so it seemed until the arrival of the Scarlet Witch.

Chris Hemsworth as Thor Odinson in Avengers: Infinity War [Credit: Marvel Studios]

Elizabeth Olsen’s MCU character is easily one of the most powerful beings in the entire universe. The Marvel superhero has not only proven herself against Ultron and Thanos — two of the most fearsome and worthy opponents — but has pulled herself through unimaginable loss and tragedy time and again while still willing to stand up for what’s right in the end.

Over the past year, the Marvel mythos has been infused with Disney magic in new What If...? one-shots that put Mickey Mouse and the gang into classic Marvel Comics storytelling.

It took Disney longer to start releasing comics like this than we expected; when Disney first acquired Marvel, we expected that to become the norm, though outside of Big Hero 6, Disney Animation and Pixar have, unfortunately, never been mashed up with the Marvel Universe.

Regardless, following Donald Duck's remarkable adventures as Wolverine and Thor, and Minnie's flight as Captain Marvel, the whole gang gets in on the action next January in Marvel & Disney: What If...? Mickey & Friends Became The Fantastic Four #1.

Written by Steve Behling and Riccardo Secchi and illustrated by artist Lorenzo Pastrovicchio, Marvel & Disney: What If...? Mickey & Friends Became The Fantastic Four #1 will take things back to very foundation of the Marvel Universe! In 1961, Stan Lee...

Marvel Comics feature an incredible array of characters, making it difficult to rank them by popularity or any other measure. To get meaningful results, you’d need a large sample of fans to weigh in.

One of the best sources for this is Ranker, a site that consistently collects fan votes on topics related to comics and fiction. With over a million votes on their list of superheroes, Ranker offers a strong insight into which Marvel heroes truly stand out. Let’s take a look at the results.

10. Scarlet Witch

Even before the MCU, Scarlet Witch was already one of the most popular superheroes, though her role in comic history hasn’t always been on the right side. She has it all: a complex backstory, immense power, emotional depth, and a key role in iconic storylines like House of M. It’s no surprise Wanda ranks so highly.

9. Black Panther...

Marvel Comics have an incredible number of characters, and due to that, it’s tough to rank them both when it comes to popularity, or any other factor really. You need a huge sample of people to draw any kind of significant conclusion.

The best place to search for such conclusions is Ranker, a site that regularly gathers votes from fans on all things related to comics and fiction in general. Ranker’s list of superheroes boasts over a million votes so it’s the best place to check out who truly is the best superhero in Marvel Comics. Let’s see.

10. Scarlet Witch

Even before MCU Scarlet Witch was one of the most popular superheroes, although she wasn’t always on the right side of comic history. The character has everything complex backstory, she is powerful, she has emotional depth, and has been a part of some of the...

The other week, author George R.R. Martin did something surprising: writing on his Not a Blog, he publicly criticized HBO's Game of Thrones prequel show House of the Dragon, which is based on his book Fire & Blood. He dinged the show for changing things from the source material in a way that weakened the story, and warned that there were bigger, "more toxic" changes being contemplated for future seasons of the show.

Martin never did anything like this during the nine years that Game of Thrones (which is based on his book series A Song of Ice and Fire) was running on HBO, so the changes that House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal made from his book obviously upset him. We the fans had inklings that something was bothering Martin before he went public, but I certainly wasn't expecting him to be so up front about it.

Before this drama takes another turn,...

Stan Lee is arguably the most influential figure in the world of comics and related media. He began his long and storied career at Marvel Comics in 1939, when the company was still known as Timely Publications. Over the decades, Lee played a pivotal role in shaping the company, serving as a writer, editor, and publisher.

Lee’s involvement with Marvel continued until he officially stepped down from his executive position in the early 1990s. Even after leaving his day-to-day roles, he remained a cherished ambassador for Marvel until his passing in 2018. His remarkable association with Marvel spanned nearly 80 years.

Unfortunately, toward the end of his life, Stan Lee’s closest relatives and business associates reportedly exploited him, seeking to profit from his fame and legacy.

In April 2018, a troubling video emerged of the 95-year-old Lee struggling to sign autographs at the Silicon Valley Comic Con. Despite his evident struggle, he...