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Marvel vs. Capcom 3's alternate costumes' comic book origins explored
Apparently, a little bit more thought went into the alternate costumes of Marvel vs. Capcom 3 than just "hey, this outfit would probably look cool in red and black." IGN recently explored the canonical comic book origins of a handful of Marvel fighters' extra duds, including Storm's crimson X-Treme X-Men get-up, Dormammu's Strange Tales green-and-yellow armor, and Captain America's Red Guardian costume, which, as you probably sussed out, is pretty red. It looks like Capcom (with a lot of help from Marvel, of course) is taking these character skins pretty seriously. We're happy to see that so much consideration went into these outfits -- but we can't wait to see how they explain all the different additional costumes for Capcom's fighters. "Oh, you don't remember that time that Haggar wore a bright purple chest-belt? That was a real thing that happened, we promise."
Rumor: Marvel vs. Capcom 3 comic art reveals Galactus and Taskmaster [update]
Neither Capcom nor Marvel has yet to announce an official comic tie-in for forthcoming fighting game collaboration Marvel vs. Capcom 3, but a posting on ComicArtFans.com indicates that just such a product is on the way. The images seemingly reveal both Galactus and Taskmaster (aka "that guy who looks like Skeletor") as appearing in the game -- we already had Taskmaster on our leaked list last month, and it's possible that Galactus (the planet eater) is a boss character. The image gallery has since been removed, but Shoryuken has all the pertinent images hosted on its website. Also, we know we're supposed to suspend disbelief with the whole superhero thing, but the idea of Chris Redfield challenging the Hulk with a shotgun seems even more comical than his tree-trunk biceps. Update: The post above has been altered to reflect the anonymity of the images origins. Though it has been reported that comic artist Kevin Sharpe created the images, it is not clear that he did any of the work referred to above. [Image credit: Unknown]
Environment and customization spotlighted in new DCUO images
As Sony Online Entertainment continues to reveal images from DC Universe Online, the game environment is emerging as one of the game's standout features. Players have admired the attention to detail in familiar locations, and that's not all. Some fans were a little concerned about available character customization -- particularly after the announcement regarding the ability to dress as your favorite hero -- but the last few rounds of screenshots have showed a wide range of available options and looks. The newest screenshots are no exception. Check out the gallery below for another snapshot tour of DCUO and its citizens, both good and bad. %Gallery-102654%
Rift: Planes of Telara introduces graphic novel and beta keys
As development continues on Rift: Planes of Telara, Trion is moving beyond the confines of the computer screen and into comic retailers. Telara Chronicles is the game's graphic novel, and issue #1 introduces a four-part miniseries set in the world of Telara. Even better, that first issue comes with an exciting bonus. When you buy it at your local comic store, you can also get issue #0 and a Rift: Planes of Telara beta card. You can find more details on the miniseries story on the Planes of Telara Facebook page. There are a limited number of cards, and the graphic novels will arrive on retail shelves tomorrow, so check out your nearest comic shop!
Driver comic series debuting at Comic-Con
With all of the comic book news lately, you'd think Comic-Con was right around the ... oh. Well, Ubisoft has another comic book based on one of its properties ready to roll out at this week's event, this one based on the upcoming Driver: San Francisco. Unlike its Assassin's Creed book, which will just be shown and discussed at a panel, issue 0 of Driver will be given away at the booths of Ubisoft and DC Comics (under whose WildStorm imprint it's being published). The series -- no word yet about its planned duration -- is being written by Stray Bullets scribe David Lapham and Illustrated by Greg Scott (Gotham Central). Its covers artist is Mark "Jock" Simpson, who's probably best known as co-creator of The Losers, a comic which was adapted into a motion picture released back in April. Jock will be signing copies of issue 0 tomorrow through Saturday. We've got the whens and wheres for you -- along with super-sized cover images, in case you can't make it -- just after the break.
Assassin's Creed comic confirmed, likely set in Russia
As we deduced early last month, Assassin's Creed is getting the comic book treatment -- but based on the teaser video found after the break, the time period and setting will be pretty far removed from 15th-century Italy. Set to be fully revealed at next week's San Diego Comic-Con, the three-part mini-series by artists Cameron Stewart (Batman & Robin) and Karl Kerschl (The Flash) coming this fall will apparently take place in Imperial Russia and somehow involve the Tunguska Event of 1908, an explosion that is the source of some supernatural theories. The series is coming from Ubisoft Montreal's UbiWorkshop, which the publisher describes as being charged with "leveraging Ubisoft intellectual properties in entertainment mediums outside of video games, such as comic books." It's interesting to note that the first piece of Assassin's Creed related comic book artwork to emerge from UbiWorkshop (which has been replaced with this one, depicting a "steampunk samurai" Assassin) actually teased an Egyptian setting -- maybe we're due for mini-series, plural. If you're going to be attending SDCC, the "Assassin's Creed: Behind and Beyond the Brotherhood" panel (which will also feature Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood writer Jefferey Johalem) is on July 22 at 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. PDT, in room 7AB. No Templars allowed.
Boutique publishing house les éditions volumiques shows us that print is far, far from dead
Say what you will about traditional media and the continually shrinking size of print magazines, but we've got some proof right here that good 'ol pulp still has a lot of life left. French publishing house les éditions volumiques has been doing research into new and... interesting ways to use the print medium and to combine it with mobile devices. The company's site is like a playground for bookistas, with short videos showing off all sorts of wondrous things. One project is The book that disappears, a volume printed on reactive paper that turns black after 20 minutes. Another is The Night of the Living Dead Pixels, a graphic novel (shown above) that allows you to choose your path, with terminal pages featuring QR codes that trigger videos on your smartphone. There's a board game that uses iPhones for pawns, and even a book that turns its own pages. All are demonstrated at the company's site (in Flash, so watch out for Steve), and most are destined to actually see print by the end of the year. We've already made room on our bookshelves.
Kane & Lynch comics to terrorize newsstands this August
Are the Kane & Lynch video games simply not enough to satiate your homicidal duo needs? Then draw pleasure in a new partnership between IO Interactive and DC Comics, which will spawn a limited comic run telling the origin stories of this reluctant duo produced by DC Wildstorm. The series will be written by Ian Edginton, who has been in the biz for over two decades, working on comics for Marvel, Dark Horse, Heavy Metal, Top Cow and, of course, DC. Chris Mitten will handle illustration duties, while Ben Templesmith will do the covers. The first issue releases this August, just in time for the game's August 24 launch. Why, isn't that quite the coincidence?
EA teases Command & Conquer motion comic
Those of you who guessed "comic book" along with us when the Command & Conquer team hinted that their universe was headed to a "new medium" were still stuck in the past of 2009 -- here in 2010, comics move like video, and they're called "motion comics." Geez, get with the decade! EA's posted a teaser trailer for the C&C "motion comic," created in conjunction with Ape Entertainment, and almost literally, all it says is that Episode 1 is coming soon. There's also a guy in a truck who wants to know the same thing we do: What he's doing here. Oh yeah, and can we know where "here," is, too, and what this has to do with the game? You can head after the break to watch the entire teaser for yourself. Just be sure not to blink. [via Big Download]
Ihnatko says Apple tablet could play hero to comic books
Speculation based on rumor can be frustrating. But when the rumor is of Apple's fabled tablet, and the speculation is of a new golden age for comics, the 13-year-old kid in me comes alive. Writing for the Chicago Sun-Times, Andy Ihnatko says there are hints that Apple is getting into the digital comic book market, a statement he likens to saying "Apple is helping to create the digital comic book market." Digital comics today, he argues, are where digital music was in 2002. Legitimate businesses are so fractured, clumsy, and behind the times that pirated comics (online illegally one day after hitting store shelves) provide the best user experience. Enter LongBox, a company that has made the rounds at comic book conventions this year pitching an iTunes-like store for buying and selling digital comic books. Ihnatko talked with LongBox CEO Rantz Hoseley, peppering him with questions and looking for reasons that LongBox was doomed to failure. What he found instead was a company that respects the comic book as a medium, that has made publishing to the LongBox format (.LBX) as simple as adding a plug-in to the software publishers already use, and that has plans for outfits as big as Marvel or DC all the way down to the lone artists publishing on their own.
The Guild episode 6 of season 3, Jim Rugg drawing the comic
It's Tuesday, which means the new episode of The Guild is out, and this week the guildies deal with being down a member by reaching out -- Clara tries to get her husband into the game, Vork makes a new friend, and Codex spends some getting-to-know-you time with Riley. Yup, they get to know each other well. Real well. What an episode. And look out at the end, as the guild rivalry gets knocked up a notch. You can watch the episode in the usual places: below the break on this post, over on MSN, or in HD on Xbox Live.And here's some more Guild news: Felicia Day reveals in this interview that the upcoming comic will be drawn by artist Jim Rugg. He's the artists behind the young adult Plain Janes series, and his work has been described as Daniel Clowes-esque -- perfect for the quirky folks of The Guild. No word yet on a release date (as far as we know Felicia is still working on it, and it sounds like she's busy lately, what with the Fallon appearance and all), but we're looking forward to it. Like The Guild? We do, too! We chatted with all of the folks at BlizzCon, including Felicia Day, Sandeep Parikh, and Jeff Lewis and Michele Boyd. We also saw their panel, and the guys were nice enough to stop by our meetup as well. Stay tuned here every Tuesday for a brand new episode of season 3!
Wildstorm publishing Modern Warfare 2 comic mini-series (update)
DC Comics subsidiary Wildstorm is about to add another notch to its "video game-to-comic book adaptation" belt, if such a thing weren't too preposterous to exist. The etching can be attributed to its upcoming illustrated stab at Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2 in a six-part comic mini-arc, which will be aptly titled Modern Warfare 2: Ghost. David Lapham, writer and illustrator of the fantastic Stray Bullets series, will reprise these roles for the Ghost-ly comics. Robert Bowling revealed the first piece of Lapham's art on his Twitter yesterday (posted above), but has yet to announce a street date for the comic. Our prediction? Around the same time as the game. Our other prediction? All other comics that were supposed to come out in November will be delayed until Q1 2010.Update: Bowling just sent over a friendly message expounding upon a few Modern Warfare 2: Ghost details. The cover art was actually done by Federico Dallocchio, who worked on WildStorm's Gears of War and StarCraft comic adaptations. The rest of the art is being handled by former Guardians of the Galaxy artist Kevin West. Lapham has been tasked with writing the actual story of the mini-series. Thanks for the details, Robert!
Free Realms comic coming July 29, includes in-game bonuses
Looking for some supplementary materials for Sony Online Entertainment's utterly adorable, free-to-play MMO Free Realms? You're in luck. DC Comics brand WildStorm and SOE are teaming up to publish a comic book series based on the popular online game. J.S. Lewis, the author of the Grey Griffins children's book series, will be penning the story, but let's be honest -- you won't be picking up the comics for the story.No, we wager you'll purchase the comics because of the unlockable in-game items they'll contain. The first issue, which drops July 29, includes the "Spider Bite Sword." We imagine the following 11 issues will include equally enticing armaments. If you are interested in the story, you can check out a brief preview of Issue no. 1 right here.[Via Massively]
Iron Man 2's story will go beyond the plot of the movie
We'll be seeing more of Sega's follow-up to the poorly received 2008 super hero title Iron Man during the company's Comic-Con 2009 presentation -- but a press release just dropped some early details for the metal-suited sequel. Most intriguingly, the presser reveals that Iron Man 2 won't just follow the plot of the upcoming film, but will include a bit of inspiration from the comics as well. (We call this "getting the Spider-Man treatment.")Other interesting tidbits: The game's story will be penned by Invincible Iron Man and Uncanny X-Men writer Matt Fraction (and his loyal sidekick, Dave Percentile!), and will feature completely revamped controls. Hopefully this time around, Tony Stark's movement controls won't make it feel like he's drunk all the time. Oh! Ooooh. This is awkward.
Adafruit's Citizen Engineer comic book / SIM card reader kit
The gang at Adafruit Industries are on a mission -- and they won't rest until every man, woman, and child on this planet has access to the DIY and open source electronics they crave. The most recent project of theirs, Citizen Engineer: SIM Card Hacking, is a comic book that both serves as a primer on GSM and SIM cards and tells you how to build a SIM card reader. And if that weren't awesome enough, if you purchase the title for $35 they'll throw in the reader kit -- either enabling your thirst for knowledge or jump-starting you on your path towards a new life as a hacker / fixer for the Russian Mafia. Video after the break.
Death Knight Manga to be released December 2009
Via Blizzplanet, we have news of yet another Warcraft graphic novel coming to us from Tokyopop in December 2009. This time, the story will focus on Thassarian, a Human Death Knight NPC in World of Warcraft. If you've played a Death Knight or an Alliance character in Northrend, chances are you know of Thassarian. He first shows up in game as a thrall of the Lich King, but even as he assists in the slaughter of the Scarlet Crusade, he shows a noble spirit that even the Lich King's control can't completely suppress.
No Bone about it: new Bone game NOT coming (curses!)
Despite the fact that we wrote about it, and our hearts yearned for it, Jeff Smith has dashed our hopes to pieces on the sharp rocks below by confirming that a new Bone game is not indeed coming out anytime soon:"You know, I don't know what the video game thing is all about. There is no new Bone video game in the works. I think it may be refering to something Scholastic is planing for its website - - a little flash game, maybe, or it could just be an internet rumor that made it onto the list!"It's too bad, because if you've read this magnum opus comic book, you'll know how cool another Bone game would be. Or rather, a good Bone game. We'll cross our fingers in the hopes that someone will start work on something that brings Bone to life in a video game setting, preferably in the original black and white. With all the indie game action at SXSW, it seems ripe for the developing.[Via VGTribune]
Buy Bionic Commando, get a comic book with original Dave Gibbons art
Make that three copies of Bionic Commando you'll have to preorder: one at GameCrazy for the lunchbox, one at GameStop for the patches, and now one from Capcom's online store for this Bionic Commando: Chain of Command comic book.The book fills in the story gap between the NES Bionic Commando game and the new one. Chain of Command was serialized in digital form on the Bionic Commando website, but if you want the printed version with exclusive cover art from Dave "Watchmen" Gibbons, you'll have to buy the game.Oh, he's got a chain for an arm, and he's a command-o. We just got that.
The Daily Grind: Will you watch the Watchmen?
Okay, so we know we're nowhere nearly the only folks in the MMO universe who also happen to be enormous comic book geeks. (If we were, City of Heroes and Champions Online would have a wee teeny population.) So you can imagine what the general level of Watchmen nerditry is like today in the virtual Massively offices as we all wait for the opening tonight at midnight. This morning, we thought we'd see how many fellow Watchmen geeks are out there, so we wanted to ask - how many of you are headed to catch the movie? Will you be checking it out at midnight, or later this weekend? Are you as excited as we are? Also, to make this a somewhat MMO related question - will you be checking out the Watchmen iPhone MMO or snagging the Watchmen goodies on PlayStation Home when they come out? Or are you sticking to blowing your extra cash on seeing the movie again?
All the World's a Stage: So you want to be a Horde Rogue
This installment of All the World's a Stage is the twenty-third in a series of roleplaying guides in which we find out all the background information you need to roleplay a particular race or class well, without embarrassing yourself. Any class needs its role models. Rogues don't have all that many great heroes from lore, but the ones they do have stand out, especially for the prominence of women in this class. Garona Halforcen is probably the most famous of rogue protagonists, one of the main characters of the original Warcraft I storyline that launched the whole Warcraft series. She's been strangely missing ever since the end of the First War, actually, but it seems that she is finally making her comeback to the story in the World of Warcraft Comic Book. Her full story is best left for others to tell (such as the immensely talented Elizabeth Wachowski, or the mysterious collective mind known as WoWWiki), but for now, suffice it to say that she represents a lot of what makes rogues who and what they are. Here's a few reasons why: She's incredibly cool. She doesn't talk about how incredibly cool she is. She has conflicted loyalties, neither all good nor all bad. There's so much we don't know about her, and so much we want to discover. She's something of a lone wolf, extremely independent and active. Her skill with words was just as important as her skill with weapons. She has a great wealth of complicated emotions and ideas that drive her deeper into the story.
