Confessions of a Comic Book Guy is a weekly column by Steve Bennett of Super-Fly Comics and Games in Yellow Springs, Ohio. This week, Bennett lays out his favorite Comic-Con announcements.Comic-Con is finally over and it probably says all you really need to know about me is these are the announcements that came out of it I found most interesting:
Guardians of the Galaxy
Okay, as far as concepts for Marvel movie summer blockbusters go Guardians of the Galaxy is admittedly kind of "out there" (not Big Hero 6 out there but still plenty outre), but it does make a certain kind of sense as their choice for the next big Marvel movie. Even if all of DC/Time-Warner's proposed movies actually happen (which is a mighty big if) for the next five years Disney/Marvel basically owns the superhero film oeuvre. So even if the scorch marks from the spectacular crash and burn of John Carter are still fresh doing a big science fiction epic, well superheroes in outer space anyway, is definitely a way for Disney to start exploiting some of the other 8000 characters in the Marvel library,
Being an old guy it shouldn't come as any surprise that I prefer the original Arnold Drake/Gene Colan version of the team (particularly Charlie-27, the fat, I mean genetically engineered, guy from Jupiter who could really rock a yellow space suit). But I have to admit that I also like the new guys, especially the comedy team of Rocket Raccoon and Groot--that and I never thought I would be living in a world where a Lee/Kirby monster was about to star in a Disney movie.
If you needed further evidence Marvel is interested in exploiting every single one of those 8000+ characters in every way conceivable there's All Winners Squad, the new sub-brand conceived by the National Entertainment Collectibles Associations, Inc.and Marvel Consumer Products. You may have heard that the group includes Squirrel Girl, Doop, Hyno Hustler and Unicorn but other members include Batroc, Big Wheel, Boomerang, Demolition Man, Devil Dinosaur, Ego the Living Planet, Hell Cow, Hit Monkey, Man Bull, Phone Ranger, Rocket Racer, Ruby Thursday, and Stilt Man. It's a veritable who’s who of four-color nobodies gathered together for just one purpose: selling t-shirts and other assorted merchandise to the hipster crowd too cool to wear regular superhero gear but who will gladly adorn themselves with an image of Hell Cow if they think it's being done "ironically."
It's both surprising and disappointing that they're (at least for the moment) sticking Howard the Duck into that crowd of never-wases. Perhaps Disney feels they're already have enough Ducks of their own but personally I'd like to see a new Howard series set on Duckworld which would introduce all of the previous Timely/Atlas ducks (Wacky, Dopey, Buck and Dippy) into continuity. Then Howard could finally meet Donald.
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
I've been wondering for quite a while when exactly when we were going to see a My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic comic book (and I'm hardly the only one, see "Bob Schaefer of Dragon's Lair Comics & Fantasy on 'My Little Pony'"), so the Comic-Con announcement that there finally was going to be one in November from IDW Publishing came as no big surprise. And given both Strawberry Shortcake and Adventure Time have been strong sellers for Super-Fly Comics & Games and I have no doubt My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic #1 is going to break all sorts of records. Initial orders, reorders, number of printings, you name it
Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel
I've repeatedly confessed my love of the Disney cartoon Phineas and Ferb as well as wondered when we were going to see Phineas and Ferb comic books. The same way I wondered when Disney was finally going to get around to somehow integrating Marvel content (characters and actual Marvel comic books) into their current programming schedule. But that still didn’t prepare me for the Comic-Con announcement concerning Phineas and Ferb:Mission Marvel. As the piece in ICv2 suggested (see "'Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel'") this is the kind of project that can normalize comic books for an entire generation of kids. And it should be pointed out that retailers should definitely take advantage of this development by ordering copies of Phineas and Ferb Magazine which is (I believe) being offered for the first time in the July Marvel Previews.
The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff of ICv2.com.