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Adventure Time coming to KaBOOM! comics line in 2012

Adventure Time with Finn and Jake, one of Cartoon Network’s best new cartoons, has finally infiltrated the comics sphere. Ryan North of Dinosaur Comics will be penning the ongoing series for BOOM! Studios’ all-ages imprint, KaBOOM!. Various indie writers and artists are scheduled to contribute with covers and secondary stories, including Jeffery Brown, Emily Carroll, Scott C., Lucy Knisley, and Aaron Renier.

As a recent interview with North suggests, an Adventure Time comic could be a great platform for filling in the gaps of the show and giving more attention to underdeveloped characters.

“In addition to the on-model, issue-to-issue story that Shelli and Braden and I are working on (on-model means it’ll look like the show does), there will be a 5-8 page artist-driven story (done in their own style!) in each issue that focuses on a different supporting character, along with 1-2 special artist covers per issue,” said North. “It’s going to be awesome! We’re cramming in as much awesome per page as legally allowed.”

You can read more about what to expect from the upcoming series over at Newsarama. Now all we need is an Adventure Time video game, which honestly I’d rather choose over the in-the-works South Park RPG.

Tags: Adventure Time, KaBOOM!, Ryan North
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A note about Harry Potter 7 Part 2

So Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (or HP 7.2) succeeded not only in emptying my wallet to movie executives but also searing my eyes with action, action, ACTION.

I guess forking over ten bucks to see the Wizard Battle of All Wizard Battles is a worthwhile purchase. It certainly made good use of its 2-hour-plus running time, proving that the “Part 2″ label I had been worried about was more than a rouse to get my money and drag out the action for half a year. Most of the movie was indeed action upon action, with few of those lighthearted moments that made all the other HP movies so captivating, but I guess that’s the price you pay when the world’s about to end.

Even though everyone was busy despairing, the characters did crack some  jokes, though most of them missed the pan and spilled all over the floor, which was already covered in bloodied goblins and dead wizards. So the mood was spoiled, and even more so by the lack of tension going into a lengthy battle sequence. If the Big Battle had been tacked on to the first part of Deathly Hallows, we would be raring for a good brawl. Instead, I felt like I had taken a half-year nap and oh, okay, an apocalyptic battle, you say? I’ll just put on my shoes and be out in a minute.

I think the reason HP 7.2 wasn’t a waste of my money, since I liked it the least of any Harry Potter film before it, is because it gave us a good battle, full of heroic feats and scavenger-hunting and final glimpses of important characters before they kicked the sorting hat. My favorites were Snape and Neville, who truly shone. Dumbledore—or the “new” Dumbledore, as I call him, since no one can ever replace the charming old actor who originally played Dumbledore before passing away—was a boring schmuck, as usual, and not at all engaging.

One other note about the film: what’s with the they’re-kind-of-aged ending? Harry was the only one who looked believably aged; Ron just had a gut; and all they did to Hermione was put up her hair.

In all, the movie was okay, but I would have gladly rented it. No wonder the internet has nothing else to say about it except, “It was a good end to a great series.”

Tags: David Yates, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, Warner Bros.
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Chris Nolan might pull a Bruce Wayne

I’ve been thinking about The Dark Knight Rises a lot lately. On Monday, I walked through a Pittsburgh cemetery, where areas are sectioned off for extras parking and probably some filming, and wondered what Christopher Nolan has planned for the expansive grave site.

Today’s news does not ease my worried mind.

Reportedly, Adam West will make a cameo in the third movie. As Josh Wigler of MTV Splash Page smartly observes, “Bringing West in for a small role might be fun, but it also runs the risk of ripping the committed viewer right out of an otherwise dramatic picture.”

I completely agree. In fact, many of Nolan’s decisions for his last (most likely) Batman film have me wringing my hands in concern. Bane as the choice bad guy? I used to have respect for the villain who broke Batman’s back, until contemporary writers started dismissing him as a joke (and not a deadly one, unlike the Joker’s knack for humor). He’s been reduced to a steroid-raging wrestler-type who’s all talk and no crippled Batman. Maybe Nolan wants to restore him to his old glory. Or maybe Nolan isn’t going for realism this time around, as Wigler suggested—”It just doesn’t seem like Nolan’s style.”

And the Lazarus Pit? Explain that one to me.

I’m not the biggest proponent of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, either, but perhaps she’ll surprise me. I just hope she doesn’t turn out to be another Rachel Dawes.

Nolan has never steered me wrong before, and I have no concrete reason to doubt his genius now. But I’m still worried. Nolan could be pulling a Bruce Wayne here: either he’s setting us up to blow our minds, just like every time Bruce steps into the Batsuit, or he’s going to embarrass us horribly at some dinner party. I’m not sure which.

Tags: Adam West, Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight Rises
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Watch lots of X-Men this weekend

This Fourth of July, let Jubilee provide all your fireworks entertainment. It’s time to gear up Netflix for a weekend or two because X-Men: The Animated Series (1992-7) and X-Men: Evolution (2000-3) are now available on instant streaming. The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Season 1 (2010) is also newly added.

Marvel Action Hour: Iron Man (1994-6) and the three summer-slated Spider-Man cartoons are still unavailable: Spider-Man (1994-8), Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981), and Spider-Man (1981-2).

More Marvel cartoons are coming this summer and fall. The Marvel website has a full breakdown of the shows you’ll be able to watch immediately upon release (or “immedjately,” as Scarlet Witch pronounces it).

Tags: Marvel Comics, Netflix, X-Men
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The Wolverine to shoot in October, Japan unexcited

Everybody loves Wolverine. Even the people who are sick of him.

Wolverine is one of my favorite comic book characters. Hugh Jackman seems like a pretty chill guy. The two worked well for a while, but now every time I picture them together I can’t help but envision a show-stopping Broadway number.

Comic book readers have the same problem (minus the jazz hands) with Wolverine’s character in the Marvel Universe. He’s just everywhere, infiltrating everything, like the damn good government weapon he is.

When X-Men Origins: Wolverine embarrassed itself in theaters, I had hoped the mutant would hang his head and go have a beer to recuperate. I did not expect, or want, him to return in another me-me-me film.

But now his next solo venture is back on track, after the departure of director Darren Aronofsky and the earthquakes in Japan.

I’m wondering how the hell they arrived at a name like “The Wolverine.” We all know there’s only one Wolverine, best at what he does, which isn’t very nice, etc. So is he distinguishing himself from other wolverines? The kind that scurry around in the wild? Is Hugh Jackman now a wrestler?

According to MTV Splash Page, “Based on a story by Frank Miller and Chris Claremont, this movie will take Logan to Japan where he has to deal with the Japanese mafia and the problems that arise due to his own bestial nature.”

Given how goofy X-Men Origins: Wolverine was, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some bad dubbing and ridiculous stunts. It might even be better that way.

Tags: Hugh Jackman, Marvel Comics, The Wolverine
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