New ‘Dark Knight Rises’, ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ & ‘Mission Impossible 4′ Images

New ‘Dark Knight Rises’, ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ & ‘Mission Impossible 4′ Images:



Two big upcoming comic book movies and one big blockbuster sequel -- Or maybe its two big IMAX experience sequels and a 3D reboot. However you want to categorize them, today we have new images from The Dark Knight Rises, The Amazing Spider-Man and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol to share.


As three of the biggest movie release on the horizon, there is literally plenty to see here -- including one last POTENTIAL SPOILER from The Dark Knight Rises Pittsburgh set.

First, we’ll talk about The Amazing Spider-Man. We’ve seen many images from the film already, including promo images of the new Spidey costume, set images of the stunt action we’ll see in the film, and more recently, official images that have provided insight into the overall look and tone of director Marc Webb’s take on Spidey. This is all in addition to the Amazing Spider-Man teaser trailer, which gave us a definitive look at the movie’s modern-day approach to the character.
In the midst of all this promotional hoopla, however, there has been a complaint (one of many) that fans have raised: a lack of iconic “Spidey poses.” Well, if that gripe has beenyour gripe, you’ll need to find a new one: today’s Amazing Spider-Man images are nothing BUT Spider-Man poses seemingly lifted from the comic book.
Check out said images below, courtesy of Uruloki:

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The Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises is almost done shooting in Pittsburgh, PA and I for one think that’s a good thing. So many set videos and Spoiler images leaked out of the Pittsburgh shoot that this third (and presumably final) chapter in Chris Nolan’ s Batman trilogy is virtually an open book in terms of its major action sequences and plot developments. That is, unless Nolan has fooled us all…
Of course, The Dark Knight Rises couldn’t leave the fine city of Pittsburgh without dropping at least one more spoilerific image and/or video -- and like other spoilers leaked from the set, this latest image is all about the Batman vehicles.
Check out a tumbler caught in one hell of a pothole, courtesy of Superhero Hype:

Now, recent set photos have revealed that bad-boy Bane (Tom Hardy) and his cohorts will have their own arsenal of Tumbler vehicles to use in their assault on Gotham City (they’re the camouflaged-colored models). The Tumbler pictured above is obviously of the Camo variety, which suggests that this is NOT another hit being taken by The Dark Knight, but rather part of his “rise” to hero status.
Moreover, it seems that this image has something to do with the recent Batwing chase sequence we saw being filmed. Is Tumbler pic a sample of how Batman lays his ariel smackdown? Check out the video of the Batwing chasing camo Tumblers down the street (courtesy of Subaru WRX Fan). It certainly seems like the wreckage we see above follows soon after.

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Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol

The fourth installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise is also a semi-reboot, which sees Tom Cruise’s secret agent Ethan Hunt and his IMF team going rogue to clear their names, after they are implicated as terrorists in the bombing of the Russian Kremlin. The “reboot” part comes into play when Cruise’s character hooks up with other secret agents -- particularly Jeremy Renner’s character, Brandt -- who may take the reigns of the franchise off Cruise’s well-worn hands.
The Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol trailer suggested that Cruise and his co-stars -- Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Ving Rhames and Josh Holloway -- will have some witty banter and engaging chemistry as an ensemble, and this new image echoes that sentiment with a picture of some of the IMF crew together looking very tense and distrustful (never trust anyone in spyland).
Check out the image, courtesy of the Mission: Impossible Facebook Page:

CLICK FOR LARGER VERSION

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For the record, in the picture we have Cruise, Renner as the shady Brandt, Pegg as gadget-guy Benji Dunn, and Patton in the background as the “honeypot” agent, Jane Carter.

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Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol will be in theaters (and IMAX) on December 21st, 2011

The Amazing Spider-Man swings into theaters and 3D theaters on July 3, 2012.

The Dark Knight Rises in theaters on July 20, 2012.

READ MORE - New ‘Dark Knight Rises’, ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ & ‘Mission Impossible 4′ Images

Sally Avril (Bluebird) to Appear in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

Sally Avril (Bluebird) to Appear in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN:


Here’s a bit of a left-fielder: Sally Avril, also known by her alias as the attempted crimefighter Bluebird, will be appearing in 2012′s The Amazing Spider-Man feature film. Kelsey Chow, from Disney XD’s sitcom Pair of Kings, will be playing Avril.

Bluebird would definitely be one of the more obscure characters from Spidey canon to appear in a movie. She was a background character that appeared as part of Flash Thompson’s entourage back in Amazing Fantasy #15, and was then fleshed out as a major supporting player in Kurt Busiek and Pat Oliffe’s acclaimed ’90s series Untold Tales of Spider-Man, where she misguidedly took on the superhero identity of Bluebird.

It doesn’t look like we’ll see that side of Avril in the movie, though. In an interview with Daemon’s TV, Chow calls the role a “very small, little thing” that only took a day to shoot. Still, it’s clear that the film, directed by Marc Webb, reached deep into the bench to round out it’s cast. Could Jason Ionello be far behind?

The Amazing Spider-Man is scheduled to be released on July 3, 2012.


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Off My Mind: Spider-Man Gets New Abilities to Survive Spider Island

Off My Mind: Spider-Man Gets New Abilities to Survive Spider Island:

The Spider-Island story arc has officially started and already things aren't looking good for Spider-Man. Over the past couple months, we seen snippets of residents of New York City gaining spider-powers. This was all part of a plan set in motion by the Jackal (and a mysterious woman). More and more, New Yorkers found themselves with great power and the results were mixed. Some have decided to use the power for good while others are using them to cause chaos.
Since Spider-Man has had his abilities for about half his life, you would think he has mastered them by now. Just because he'll find himself facing people with his same powers doesn't mean they'll be on even ground. Giving two people the same tools doesn't mean the novice will be able to accomplish what the expert can.
Although when fighting against Spider-Woman, who was under the influence of Mandrill's pheromones, Spider-Man was getting his butt kicked. Why? Spider-Woman has similar powers and Peter may have had his longer but she also has a different kind of experience. Being trained by both HYDRA and SHIELD, Jessica Drew knows how to fight and doesn't have to only rely on her powers.
With Spider-Man recently losing his spider-senses, what can he do? Learn Kung Fu!
There was a time when it felt like all characters knew karate or Kung Fu. Coming out of the success of Kung Fu movies in the 70s, it was a natural progression that the fighting style made its way into comics. We've seen characters in training sessions many times and hand-to-hand combat is essential. Heroes can't only rely on their superpowers. Knowing how to fight is essential as well.

Why on Earth should Spider-Man need to learn Kung Fu? Spider-Man's always faced incredible odds. I remember being impressed way back in Secret Wars #3 when he took on the entire X-Men and Professor X. Besides the super-strength and crazy agility, Spider-Man has had his spider-senses to assist him for years. He could be in a room full of opponents and his sense would warn him of any coming blows or attacks. With the loss of them, he's just a super-fast, strong and agile hero who could still get suckerpunched from behind.
Now finding himself faced against a horde of spider-strength foes, he's actually at a disadvantage. We've seen some of the infested actually possessing spider-powers that Spider-Man doesn't have, such as natural webbing. Spider-Man didn't have unique powers before and now all of New York is gaining spider-powers.

As Julia Carpenter, the new Madame Web, has pointed out, the trials that Spider-Man is going through and will have to face will only make him a stronger hero. He's taken his powers and abilities for granted for far too long. We saw some adjustment in trying to cope with the loss but there should have been more. Shooting webs and swinging around safely should require loads of care and precision. On top of having to fight against opponents with similar powers, when this is all over, Spider-Man will have evolved to an even more formidable hero.

Kung Fu and Karate were always the answer when heroes needed to learn hand-to-hand combat. Imagine what those abilities can do when backed by Spider-Man's super-strength and agility. It might be unnecessary and unless he keeps up with it, he won't become a karate expert over night. Villains these days are becoming more and more deadly. Spider-Man needs all the help he can get. He has been creating more tech items at his dayjob in order to give him more of an edge. What it comes down to is Spider-Man with Kung Fu abilities is more interesting that Spider-Man with a bunch of gadgets. Using tech is too easy. It's cool once in a while to see what kind of technological toy he could whip up for himself but we all would rather see Spider-Man use his fists against his foes.
Spider-Man will most likely re-gain his spider-senses someday. They can't be gone forever. We also know that Spider-Island will be resolved and the New Yorkers will lose their new powers. If gaining a new fighting edge means he needs to endure this time of difficulty, it will all be worth it in the end when he's moping the floor with his enemies.


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READ MORE - Off My Mind: Spider-Man Gets New Abilities to Survive Spider Island

Changing Face: Diversity & Change in Comic Books and Superhero Movies

Changing Face: Diversity & Change in Comic Books and Superhero Movies: "


One would think that lovers of comic books and superheroes would be open to the idea of diversity. After all, if you’re open to the idea of mutants, super-powered aliens, genetically-altered humans, mythological figures, and intergalactic cops wielding power rings, one would think that race wouldn’t be all that big of a deal.

However, as times change, and the face of comic books and the superheroes chronicled therein change with these diverse times, it seems there is a still a serious debate raging between those who label themselves “traditionalists,” resistant to the idea of certain changes being made to superheroes, and those who stand ready to embrace the new opportunities of superheroes re-imagined for modern times. Of course, as always, there are also those standing patiently in the middle ground, holding off ...

Click to continue reading Changing Face: Diversity & Change in Comic Books and Superhero Movies

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Brothers on Spider-Man, Batwing And Race

Brothers on Spider-Man, Batwing And Race: "
Today’s Must-Read: David Brothers on Miles Morales being “Black Spider-Man”:

“Black Spider-Man” otherizes Miles Morales. (It also ignores that he’s half-Puerto Rican, but that’s another conversation entirely.) He’s not Spider-Man. He’s black Spider-Man. He isn’t the new Spider-Man first, or Ultimate Spider-Man first. He’s black Spider-Man. Which is funny, because Barry Allen and Wally West were just the new Flashes. Hal Jordan is a Green Lantern, but John Stewart is the black Green Lantern.

It foregrounds Miles’s race in a conversation where his race should be irrelevant. His race is probably going to end up being just as big a part of his character as it was for Peter Parker–which I do think was a fairly significant part of that character–but in terms of who the character is and how we refer to him, “black Spider-Man” is garbage.

It sets up the adjective-less Spider-Man as the default, and therefore superior, version. Black Spider-Man will always be second-best because he wasn’t first. Comics fans in particular like to prize the original flavor, or whichever flavor was dominant whenever they began reading, so you can’t tell me that isn’t true. Every time I read “black Spider-Man” I taste battery acid. It feels mean, like the most important part of Miles’s character is that he’s (whisper this with me) not white!

So much more in the link, including DC’s labeling of Batwing as “The Batman of Africa.” Seriously smart stuff that you should go and read right now.
"

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READ MORE - Brothers on Spider-Man, Batwing And Race

The Best and Worst Parts of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy

The Best and Worst Parts of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy: "
With the recent release of the new Spider-Man movie trailer, people are already comparing it to the web-slingers' previous forays to the silver screen, both favorably and unfavorably, but I wonder how many of these critics have seen those movies recently? Fellow Whiskiites Alex Navarro and Matthew Rorie mentioned, on Screened's podcast, not having seen the first Spider-Man movie in years and if two cinephiles like them can't keep up, who can? Me, that's who. Here's a look back at what Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy got wrong and what it got right.

Spider-Man

What Doesn't Work

Let's talk about the elephant in the room, and it was in the room on day 1 for even the most hardcore fans of the film: Spider-Man never looks real while web-slinging or wall-crawling. This can be chalked up to serious CGI characters still being in their infant stages of realism, but it's now striking and almost slaps you across the face just how weightless and unreal the effects in this movie look.

I keep expecting Rita Repulsa to throw her staff to Earth and make him giant-sized.

Another, more enduring, problem is that we don't really get to see Peter Parker the genius or Peter Parker the teenager. Toby Maguire was already staring down the barrel of 30 when he was chosen to play the role, so the film wasted absolutely no time in rushing Pete out of high school and into college.
We might as well have opened the movie on graduation day for how little we saw, but this speaks to a much greater problem of the movie: we don't get much of a feel for the kind of person Peter Parker is. His genius is never on display (sure, he gets good grades, but he doesn't actually invent anything), we see his awkwardness, but it's played-up so much that it comes across as comical more than pitiable or sympathetic. He also never really quips, which is integral to his character across every form of media.
The replacement of Gwen Stacy with Mary-Jane was also profoundly difficult to comprehend for a number of reasons: most notably they basically made her into Gwen. She was the girl next door, she was a low-maintenance, and she was his first love, all things that could be said of Gwen Stacy. MJ is also given next to nothing to do except be fawned over by Peter and abducted by Osborn to recreate the famous Bridge Death, only with a much happier ending. Less relevant but still very strange: Kirsten Dunst is naturally blonde, while Bryce Dallas Howard, who would later play Gwen, is a natural redhead.
Finally let's talk about the Green Goblin: Willem Dafoe is a great actor who brings a level of sinister menace to every villain he plays and possesses a face that could turn ancient warriors to stone...and he's hidden behind a Power Rangers villain-caliber costume. I understand that certain changes need to be made in movies (GG's original costume was just that: a Halloween costume), but covering up your leading antagonist's horrific face with a face that is hilariously over-the-top is an incredible mistake.

What Does Work

This is a small detail, but it bears mentioning: J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson was really, really great. He gave it a different turn than Ed Asner, who voiced JJ in the animated series, but he brought a weird amount of depth to a character who could've easily been glossed over. He's not only played for laughs but some surprisingly profound moments, such as when Green Goblin smashes into his office and demands to know who takes Spider-Man's picture. Despite Peter standing right there, Jonah immediately says he doesn't know and the pictures come in the mail. It was a small moment, but it let you know the guy wasn't evil, he was just sorta sleazy.
When Spider-Man came out it was an absolute revelation. The movie did action better than any superhero movie before it (with the exception of Blade) and took the source material seriously without being shackled to it. It showed us a world that a superhero (and supervillain) could actually inhabit semi-realistically and it showed that it could not only be a big-budget blockbuster, but that there was such an audience for these movies that it could SHATTER records.
X-Men may have introduced the world to the high-budget superhero movie considering the most expensive superhero before that was Blade and the most expensive one before THAT was probably the Punisher movie starring Dolph Lundgren in which Castle teams up with the mobsters who murdered his family. With X-Men, studios realized they could take risks but with Spider-Man, they realized they could make massive money.

In the End...

The movie's not bad, it's just dated. The CG doesn't hold up, the writing comes off as overly corny and the plot is all over the place. On the plus side, the movie's a lot of fun and it's a great jumping-off point to the series, establishing a series of relationships that carry over well into the next movies. The movie's more about potential than execution and it shows a lot of it.

Spider-Man 2

The Flaws

Spider-Man 2: Spider-Man 1 But Better

Evil Dead 2 was essentially a remake of The Evil Dead, both also directed by Sam Raimi, with a much bigger budget. It had the same plot, the same lead actor, and very similar monsters, but it also had a much more intentional tone and was an objectively better made movie. Spider-Man 2 comes off in much the same way: Spidey pines for MJ, someone comes between them, a scientist accidentally turns himself into a monster, Mary-Jane is kidnapped, Spidey rescues her, someone finds out Peter Parker is Spider-Man, the villain kills himself, MJ falls for Peter.
Seriously, it's true that there are only a few plots out there, but even the fine details of this movie are essentially the same as the last. Even going so far as to have Spider-Man rescue a baby from a burning building in both movies and in both movies you're left to answer why a baby was left alone in the apartment in the first place.
The central romantic conflict is also weirdly mean-spirited. I get that it's more interesting, and probably more realistic, to have a rival love interest who isn't a titanic jerk, but Mary-Jane breaks the heart of a man who's perfectly fine and in fact might be more stable and better for her. John Jameson is essentially an innocent victim in Peter and MJ's troubled love life and the movie makes no effort at painting him as anything but a perfect match for MJ. We never see them have so much as an argument let alone anything that would make her pick the Wall-Crawler over the Astronaut other than the fact that it's their 'destiny' to be together.
Finally, we get to see more of Peter Parker but this comes at a cost since we're also treated to Spidey losing his mask on a crowded subway who swear not to tell anyone who Peter is. The issue is that nobody actually knows. What are they going to tell anyone? 'Spider-Man is actually this 5'9' guy between 19 and 26 with brown hair and brown eyes! In this city of millions!' Another logic leap is in the creation of Doctor Octopus which hinges on his mechanized arms having a built-in Artificial Intelligence that causes them to not only go berserk, but convince him to commit crimes to keep his project going. But since he controls the arms with his spinal column, there's really no need for an AI other than to advance the plot.

The Merits

Speaking of the villain of this movie, instead of getting a strange, foam-rubber monster you'd expect to see destroying a model of Japan, you get someone who's face you can actually see emote, he's got a great look and in the right circumstances actually looks like someone you'd run away from rather than gawking which turns into laughing. Doctor Octopus also comes off as legitimately remorseful and motivated for his actions beyond trying to make money or being a sociopath. He projects a truly villainous, powerful aura due in no small part to his mechanized tentacles looking legitimately powerful and realistic.

What's that over there? A credible-looking villain?

Which leads us back to the CG, which is vastly improved from the last movie. Spider-Man has a weight and gravitas to his moves, especially when he swings across the city and even more especially when he tangles with Doc Ock. The fights have impact and weight, and even though Spidey doesn't quip like he usually does, we get to see a bit more of his personality shine through when the mask is on. The audience begins to look forward to the clashes, even if the good Doctor gets a little monomaniacal near the end of the movie.
Side-characters also have emotional depth well beyond the first movie. Harry Osborn vacillates between trying to be a nice guy and a good friend to Peter while seething over his hatred of Spider-Man for supposedly killing his father, Mary-Jane does seem conflicted between the two men in her life, and Peter and Aunt May have some legitimate angst because of Uncle Ben's death.

The Verdict

Spider-Man 2 still holds up as a remarkably good superhero movie even in the wake of better movies like Iron Man or Christopher Nolan's Batman movies. The characters resonate more, the action scenes are more fluid, and there's nothing glaringly wrong with the film itself. The characters, while better developed, still don't quite feel like Spider-Man characters, but they do feel like GOOD characters.

Spider-Man 3

What Went Wrong?

Auuuugh! My meal tickeeeeet!

I'm going to be painting in broad strokes here because, let's face it, if I have to go into every single thing this movie did wrong, we will be here all day AND all night. First: this is where it became incredibly obvious that Gwen Stacy had been swapped for Mary-Jane as the Gwen Stacy in this movie was a sexy, high-maintenance, fashion model. Pretty much three adjectives you can describe Comic Book Mary-Jane with.
The symbiote is shoe-horned in so clumsily that it's basically forgotten for the entire first act, the act in which its introduced, and remains hidden until the middle of the second act, Sandman is so ham-fistedly developed as the 'sympathetic' villain that he comes across as completely one-dimensional, Harry Osborn gets stuck in what I think is the first honest-to-God 'Amnesia Storyline' in a movie since 1977 and Peter gets a 'My Chemical Romance' haircut and dances a Saturday Night Fever dance down a New York street. The movie plays like it was written by twenty people with twenty objectives and it STILL has the SAME EXACT PLOT AS THE LAST TWO MOVIES, only this time it's a Mary-Jane is jealous of the perfectly innocuous and innocent Gwen Stacy instead of Peter being jealous of the innocuous and innocent John Jameson.
This movie is beyond schizophrenic, possessing three primary villains all vying for the spotlight and none of them ever managing to actually get it. The protagonists behave in such a way that it's clear they're characters in a movie following a script that tells them what to do and where to go. They're unmotivated, they're mechanical, and most of them appear to just be going through the motions, even as characters. There is no over-arching narrative nor is there any room for development because so many characters are just shoved into the movie, no one of them gets any real screentime. This is a perfect example of what listening to your most vocal fans can do since most of the additions (Gwen Stacy, Venom) were ultimate requests from them. And the final nail in the coffin is that the entire story hinges on a pair of plot twists so absurd that they completely undermine the motivation of two of the film's leads.

What They Got Right

I'm sad this movie didn't give me more to do.

This isn't a terribly popular opinion, but I actually like the choice of Topher Grace as Eddie Brock. He was given next to nothing to work with, but his potential as a more cocky, brash villain than one who's a cackling mad scientist. We had an anti-Spider-Man who used his powers of cleverness and witticism for evil and actually seemed like he could be a credible threat to our Friendly Neighborhood Wall-Crawler. Beyond that, the CG still looks great, but it's not used to terribly good ends as the fights are few and far between and come off as more excuses for Spidey's mask to rip.

At the End of It All

This movie was the Batman and Robin of the Spider-Man franchise. I'm not saying it was as bad as that movie, I'm saying it was the movie that, despite being profitable, forced the studio to cool down on a popular franchise because it had become absolutely venomous, no pun intended. Studio over-involvement coupled with overblown expectations. It's star had become too big, necessitating his face being seen as often as possible...and two of the three villains constantly losing them as well. The movie came off more as a cash-in than a medium with a story to tell.
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READ MORE - The Best and Worst Parts of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy

Spider-Man: Edge of Time - Stan Lee Trailer

Spider-Man: Edge of Time - Stan Lee Trailer: "

Spider Man! Spider Man! Does whatever a spider can, spin a web from his____! Slaps fools on top.

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More New Concept Art For The New Spider-Man, Miles Morales

More New Concept Art For The New Spider-Man, Miles Morales: "“The haircut wasn't approved yet, but I tried to do some expressions, just to see if the face structure was working. I added the key color to see how the skin tone would have fit on that face.”


“Here's some versions of the new costume. I did a ton of versions, but this is just a sample of the evolution of the suit. Oh! And there is the new USM logo in the background that [we] designed for this new series.”"

COMICS: More New Concept Art For The New Spider-Man, Miles Morales

A new look at the development of the new UltimateSpider-Man, Miles Morales. Straight from the talented, Sara Pichelli's sketchbook!

“The haircut wasn't approved yet, but I tried to do some expressions, just to see if the face structure was working. I added the key color to see how the skin tone would have fit on that face.”

READ MORE - More New Concept Art For The New Spider-Man, Miles Morales

Off My Mind: Does the New Ultimate Spider-Man's Race Matter?

Off My Mind: Does the New Ultimate Spider-Man's Race Matter?: "

By now the word should have reached everyone that there's a new Ultimate Spider-Man coming. After Peter Parker's heroic portrayal and death in The Death of Spider-Man, the time has come for his replacement. We know that deaths in comic book don't mean a lot these days but they have more relevance in the Ultimate Universe compared to other comics. In a universe where Wolverine, Professor X, Cyclops and Magneto can die, why not Spider-Man?
When it was first announced that a new person would be taking on the identity of Spider-Man, speculation soon arose. With the recent Clone Saga in issues 97-105, many felt the easy solution would be for a clone to step in and take over. Despite the mishandling of the original Clone Saga, many (including myself) still have a fondness for Peter Parker's clone, Ben Reilly. But Ultimate Ben Reilly was a completely different character.
Other possibilities included Peter's female clone, Jessica Drew as well as Kitty Pryde (who developed her own new crimefighting identity and powers). Fans that have been reading Ultimate Spider-Man didn't want him to die. Because it did happen, it wouldn't be surprising if the general consensus was for someone close to Peter to take over the mantle of Spider-Man.
Only that isn't what is happening here.
We have been introduced to the new Spider-Man, Miles Morales, in the pages of Ultimate Comics Fallout #4. As soon as it was announced, everyone was asking, 'Miles who?' We have a completely new character. Someone not related to Spider-Man. Someone that has nothing to do with him...and that's okay.

Spider-Man is an iconic character and with all the different series he's had over the years, it feels as if there have been so many different stories told about the character. Now we have the opportunity to see completely new adventures with someone that isn't Peter Parker. That may be hard for Spider-Man fans but because Brian Michael Bendis has brilliantly spearheaded the direction of Ultimate Spider-Man for over 160 issues (including annuals), I have no problem accepting a new person as Spidey.
People are used to Peter Parker as Spider-Man. But we did have Miguel O'Hara as Spider-Man 2099. There's also been other characters that have successfully stepped into the superhero boots (or booties) of others such as Bucky Barnes as Captain America, Dick Grayson as Batman, Cassandra Cain as Batgirl, Tim Drake as Robin and so on. We've even seen, in the Ultimate Universe, future Wolverine as Cable. That's part of what the Ultimate Universe is about, things are similar but can get extremely different.

Of course the bigger issue with the new Spider-Man may lie in his ethnicity. We no longer have a white Spider-Man. Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso stated they 'knew it had to be a character that represents the diversity—in background and experience—of the twenty-first century...' Diversity in comics has recently become a hot topic. The reality is comic readers come from different ethnic backgrounds. Why shouldn't comic book superheroes follow the same suit?
Often the argument has been that those in the minority have a hard time relating to characters outside of their ethnicity. That wasn't the case for myself but I can understand how this could be the case for many. New York City has always been the ultimate melting pot of races and it is about time that today's comics reflect that. As long as it isn't a forced issue.
For this new kid to truly be worthy of the Spider-Man mantle, it has to come down to him believing 'with great power comes great responsibility.' As long as Bendis stays true to what what Spider-Man is about, the person under the mask should not be an issue. It will be great that others will be able to relate to him but the last thing we need is a character full of racial stereotypes, something that Bendis would not do. When I first started reading Iron Man in the 80s, Rhodey had replaced Tony Stark. It didn't make a bit of difference. We still had great Iron Man stories.
Bendis took the concept of Spider-Man and gave it a modern twist in Ultimate Spider-Man. This is just the next step. What is Miles' connection to Peter Parker? How did he get his powers and why does it seem he's unaware of his powers' full extent? That's part of the fun and mystery readers will get to discover in the new series. Death may be a semi-permanent thing in the Ultimate Universe but there have been a couple characters that have managed to cheat death. Marvel may be firm that Peter Parker truly is dead but we all know there's still the possibility he could return. For all we know Nick Fury has taken Peter's remains and a way to bring him back is being looked into. There are so many ways Peter could return someday.

As much as I enjoyed Bendis' take on Peter, I'm okay with this next chapter of Spider-Man. Let's find out what Miles is all about and capable of. If he's a success, that means we get the joy of reading another great new character. If he flops, maybe we'll see the return of Peter sooner than anyone planned. Spider-Man is no longer a white kid, so what. Let's see how this new Spidey handles the dangers and adventures coming his way. It shouldn't make an ounce of difference what race this new Spider-Man is. As long as he doesn't start shooting villains with a gun or develops the ability to breathe underwater, I believe that Bendis will write his as Spider-Man and Miles will step up and accept the mantle.
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READ MORE - Off My Mind: Does the New Ultimate Spider-Man's Race Matter?

Colbert Report: Shares his thoughts on the New Spider Man

Colbert Report: Shares his thoughts on the New Spider Man: "

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

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New ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN Gets Taiwanese Animation Treatment

New ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN Gets Taiwanese Animation Treatment: "
If you’ve paid attention to the Internet or the wackier side of pop culture in the past year, you would know that a story isn’t truly news until Taiwanese company Next Media Animation makes a bizarre recreation of it. And the new Ultimate Spider-Man, Miles Morales (find out much more about him here), is the latest to receive such treatment.
While they’re at it, they also ask the question “why couldn’t Spider-Man be Asian?” Please notice that not only do the Marvel executive have Marvel logos affixed to their suits, they’re apparently interrupting Miles while he’s balancing his checkbook. Video below:


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Glenn Beck as J Jonah Jameson Finds out that Spider-Man is BLACK!

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Donald Glover, the New "Ultimate Spidey" & Racism

Donald Glover, the New "Ultimate Spidey" & Racism: "ROBOT 6's Kevin Melrose examines how 'Community' star Donald Glover led Brian Michael Bendis to create Miles Morales, the new multi-racial Ultimate Spider-Man and the racial fallout it's caused."

Troy (Donald Glover) in the opening scene from the season premiere of "Community"

A little more than a year ago, journalist and comics writer Marc Bernardin penned an editorial wondering why the Spider-Man in Sony’s movie-franchise reboot had to be played by a white actor, inspiring actor/comedian Donald Glover to spearhead an online campaign to secure an audition. The role eventually went to Andrew Garfield, of course, but Glover’s lobbying effort inadvertently ignited a disturbing Internet firestorm that Community creator Dan Harmon later characterized as a “curious eruption of a previously unknown demographic of racist comic-book readers.”

It wasn’t one of fandom’s shining moments. But fast forward 14 months, to the 49th anniversary of Spider-Man’s first appearance — that’s right, Amazing Fantasy #15 hit newsstands this week in 1962 — and the introduction of the new Spider-Man of Marvel’s Ultimate Universe. Caution: Spoilers follow for those who haven’t seen the countless newspaper and website articles on the subject.

Overnight, USA Today revealed what many have suspected for the past few days, if not since the death of (Ultimate) Peter Parker last month in Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #160: that the new Spider-Man isn’t another white guy. Instead, a half-black, half-Hispanic teen named Miles Morales will star in the title role when Ultimate Spider-Man relaunches in September.

Miles Morales in Ultimate Comics Fallout #4

It’s a move by Marvel, writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli that doesn’t “make” Peter Parker black, or gay, or whatever other complaint is usually lobbed whenever superhero comics test the waters of diversity. It’s taking a character from a different background, putting him in the iconic costume and using that as an opportunity to explore different facets of age-old motifs. “The theme is the same: With great power comes great responsibility,” Bendis told the newspaper. “He’s going to learn that. Then he has to figure out what that means.”

Browsing the reactions at USA Today and elsewhere is disheartening, as they’re littered with accusations of PC-ism — a term so overused, and misused, that it loses its meaning — opportunism, and worse. Even Pichelli’s sole quote, an innocuous statement that, “Maybe sooner or later a black or gay — or both — hero will be considered something absolutely normal,” drew criticism. And then there are the patently offensive commentsmade even before the official announcement by a frequently criticized comics retailer who, when faced with the negative response declared the remarks a “good natured joke” before pulling a Steve Urkel (“Did I do that?”). That may be irony, but I can’t say for certain anymore.

However, my spirits were lifted by a second article in USA Today in which Bendis credits the inspiration for Miles Morales to the opening scene of the season two premiere of NBC’s Community that featured Glover clad in Spider-Man pajamas. It was, in Harmon’s words “a cutesy inside wink to the Donald Glover for Spider-Man campaign” and the ensuing controversy, bringing our story full circle.

“He looked fantastic!” Bendis recalled. “I saw him in the costume and thought, ‘I would like to read that book.’ So I was glad I was writing that book.”

Glover has reacted humbly to his part in the creation of a new Spider-Man, tweeting overnight “So fly,” beforeadding this morning to Bendis: “Just wanted to say ‘wow; and thank you for doing something really cool and interesting! You’re tops.”

READ MORE - Donald Glover, the New "Ultimate Spidey" & Racism