Cyclops stood rigidly. He stared down an army of A.I.M. soldiers through the red haze in which he saw all things. The A.I.M. beam gunners and lumbering crushbots advanced slowly on the mutant leader. A group of students cowered behind Scott Summers, headmaster of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, as he alone faced down the intruders.
Moments earlier, the A.I.M. force had been teleported directly into the school grounds by their twisted leader, M.O.D.O.K., a man mutated by the Advanced Idea Mechanics think tank to be more head then body. His grotesque figure hovered over the grass in his rocket chair. The evil scientist had infiltrated the peaceful school for reasons unknown and had brought along two other big bads: The Living Laser and the Rhino.
Seconds after the malcontents arrived, a motley collection of heroes followed. They were led by the space-faring, cosmically-powerful Silver Surfer, who charged ahead on his chrome surfboard. Loki, the untrustworthy Asgardian god of mischief, dashed in next surrounded by a half-dozen mirror images of himself. Two incarnations of Ghost Rider, the demon-hunter with a flaming skull, came last on roaring motorcycles which were also on fire. The group of unlikely defenders assisted Cyclops in dispatching Laser and Rhino in a quick and orderly fashion. Read more…
For some time now I have wanted to write a series of articles based around the Disney Animated Canon. These articles were intended to take a look at how those movie characters were portrayed in other mediums, including their respective source material which influenced the films. It was also intended to be a good reason to rewatch some classic movies and write about Disney’s modern take on these fairy tale characters in ABC’s Once Upon A Time. But even before all of that, back when Disney acquired Marvel in 2009, I wanted to do a mash-up of the Disney and Marvel Universes. So now I am just going to combine it all into one series of articles. Naturally, we will start at the beginning with the first ladies of the Disney princesses and X-Men, Snow White and Jean Grey, respectively.
Snow White and Jean Grey have a lot more in common than one may think at first, at least in their early days. Once Upon a Time, as well as movies like Snow White and the Huntsman, have been attempting to turn Snow White into an older, warrior princess who can track in the wilderness and shoot a bow as if trained by Robin Hood himself. I did not think it worked in either of those versions. One reason for that could be Snow White’s eternal image as that lost, little girl who was gentle and kind to the small creatures of the forest.
Still, it’s those early years that tie these two characters together. When Jean Grey first moved into the X-Mansion she was meek and shy; trying to learn and control these powers she possessed. She was in a new home, surrounded by unfamiliar companions. Jean eventually grew into that fiery, tragic hero for which she is now more commonly known, but Snow White still awkwardly struggles with the fiercer and older characterization.
I think this will be the last year that I use the number as part of the title, as I’m not sure what “14” would translate to in the alphabet. “IA,” maybe? Bah, who knows, the point being, I didn’t just use zombies because it was convenient for the year 2013. The living dead maintained their shambling dominance over the public’s major forms of entertainment this past year. The Walking Dead continued to walk tall over comic sales, video games and television ratings. I personally don’t follow the comics and I call the quality of the television show into question at times, but this current season’s midseason finale was a nice shot in the arm for the show. My favorite Walking Dead product in the past year would have to be Telltale Game’s episodic, choose-your-own-adventure-like video game. That came out in 2012 though, but I didn’t get around to playing it until this previous year.
Also In the game world, zombies remained a big focus with games like DayZ and Dead Rising 3. World War Z’s popularity as a book and big screen promise was finally achieved with the Brad Pitt vehicle of the same name. I found the movie enjoyable, but only finished half of the book back in 2010 so the overall differences were not as big a problem for me as they were for some of the book’s fans. A zombie movie also made a good date night movie in the past year thanks to Warm Bodies, which Wikipedia calls a “paranormal romantic zombie comedy,” because you know, that’s a movie genre now. Read more…
The MMA Podcast gang takes you to infinity and beyond in this cosmic-heavy episode! Brian, Nate, and Shaun get together to discuss the latest events that have been happening in Marvel NOW! as well as the latest rumors in the cinematic universe. At the start of the episode, the crew discusses what they’ve been watching on television, such as the Walking Dead and Girls, and they look forward to the return of Game of Thrones. Then they briefly discuss Valentine’s Day and Nate’s 20th birthday!
In the news (19:07), Shaun rattles off the latest casting rumors for Marvel’s biggest Phase 2 gamble: Guardians of the Galaxy. They also discuss the numerous casting announcements for Bryan Singer’s return to the X-Men franchise, Day’s of Future Past. In the extra large Pullbox Soapbox (47:45), the trio splits up the Marvel Universe between the three of them. Nate discusses the relaunch of the cosmic universe with Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova, Brian expounds on the X-Men universe, and Shaun talks about the interlocking stories throughout the Avengers universe.
Thanks for listening, and please continue to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all updates and news regarding future recordings! For additional information, questions or general comments, be sure to reach out to the hosts at MixedMarvelArts@gmail.com or follow the MMA Podcast on twitter @mixedmarvelarts. Please be sure to like us on facebook here. You can also subscribe to the Podcast via iTunes here. And don’t forget to leave a comment!
[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/mixedmarvelarts/130308_19-Cosmic_Badonkadonk.mp3]
The MMA Podcast gang returns with their first episode of 2013. Brian, Nate, and Shaun reconnect after a short hiatus and discuss the latest news from their personal lives as well as the latest happenings in the Marvel Universe. In the beginning of the show the crew reflects on their Christmas and New Year’s celebrations as well as what games they played over the break. Brian challenges Nate and Shaun to test their Marvel trivia knowledge by taking Sporcle’s Marvel Secret Identity quiz.
In the news (28:31), Shaun and the rest of the gang send their well wishes to Peter David and discuss Hawkeye’s efforts to aid the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Also covered are casting calls for the movies Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy. In lieu of a Pullbox Soapbox, the crew covers Marvel’s latest relaunched titles under their Marvel NOW! intiative (46:07). Avengers, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man and X-Men are all covered. In the end (1:19:07), the guys hand out their personal favorites from the year 2012 including writer, artist, comic, movie, and video game.
Thanks for listening, and please continue to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all updates and news regarding future recordings! For additional information, questions or general comments, be sure to reach out to the hosts at MixedMarvelArts@gmail.com or follow the MMA Podcast on twitter @mixedmarvelarts. Please be sure to like us on facebook here. You can also subscribe to the Podcast via iTunes here. And don’t forget to leave a comment!
[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/mixedmarvelarts/130108_18-Marvel_Then_Marvel_Now.mp3]
Both Disney and I had a big year in 2012. Disney’s year may have been slightly bigger depending on whom you ask, but nevertheless the two of us continued to grow in our own ways. I turned thirty; Disney watched as their purchase of Marvel Comics turned into a massive box office smash in the Avengers. I acquired a girlfriend towards the end of the year; Disney acquired the rights to the Star Wars franchise. The parallels are staggering.
In November of 2012, Disney and I even celebrated our big years together when I visited Disney World for the first time in about fifteen years. I gave them lots of money; they gave me lots of positive memories. I plan on writing a bit more about my trip to Disney and its theme parks since my New Year’s Resolution is to once again try to write more, but for now I’m just going to focus on the year that was.
To accommodate my resolution to write more, the year 2012 also brought an end to my stint as a comic reviewer for the Spider-Man Crawlspace, an enjoyable exercise in writing for the past two years. Now with more time to focus on my own site, I hope to produce more content focused on topics such as my trip to Disney, awkward anecdotes from my life, a comparison between the dating game and the game of chess, and of course more articles about the mutant leader Cyclops.
One of the bigger projects that I’d like to undertake in the year 2013 is also Disney-related. I haven’t made any effort to hide the fact that Disney is one of my favorite things in the world; I think it’s fantastic that they own Marvel Comics, and now also Lucasfilm. I grew up on the Disney Animation Canon and was very proud of myself when I was able to identify 42 of their 52 movies in the Sporcle test (I’m sorry, but I still have a hard time considering movies such as Saludos Amigos and Melody Time real films. And don’t get me started on movies like Brother Bear and Home on the Range). So my goal is to explore that love for Disney as much as possible. Read more…
The MMA Podcast tackles Marvel’s summer mega-event: Avengers vs. X-Men. Join Brian, Nate, and Shaun as they break down the plot, characters, and creative team behind the story that has landed Cyclops in jail, created new Avengers teams, and resuscitated the mutant race. In the beginning of the episode, the guys also discuss the return of the Walking Dead television show, Nate’s experience with the video game Dishonored, and Brian’s acceptance into the Marvel Heroes Beta. In the end, the gang reflects on a year’s worth of recording, so make sure to listen the whole way through and then share your favorite moments with us as well!
In the news (17:10), Shaun provides a plot summary of Thor: The Dark World, the return of Agent Coulson, and the controversy surrounding the new Superior Spider-Man title. In lieu of a Pullbox Soapbox, Brian and Shaun briefly talk about the latest Daredevil and Hawkeye comics to hit the shelves. The remainder of the episode is spent on the Storyline Spotlight (37:20) focusing on all things Avengers vs. X-Men and just how right Cyclops was.
Thanks for listening, and please continue to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all updates and news regarding future recordings! For additional information, questions or general comments, be sure to reach out to the hosts at MixedMarvelArts@gmail.com or follow the MMA Podcast on twitter @mixedmarvelarts. Please be sure to like us on facebook here. You can also subscribe to the Podcast via iTunes here. And don’t forget to leave a comment!
[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/mixedmarvelarts/121018_17-No_More_AvX.mp3]
The MMA Podcast gang is back with their latest episode, and this time we’re talking about the Guardians of the Galaxy, a topic which Nate is particularly passionate about. Shaun gets a bit passionate as well, taking advantage of his new living arrangement while away at school. The triumvirate catch up on video games they’ve been playing, such as Borderlands 2; and movies they’ve recently seen, such as Cabin in the Woods.
In the news (18:40), Shaun covers the recently announced second wave of Marvel NOW! titles. The crew also discusses Iron Man 3 movie updates and wonders what a George R. R. Martin Dr. Strange miniseries would be like? The Pullbox Soapbox (45:05) gets a makeover by turning Nate into a gameshow host who judges that comic summaries. Shaun’s choices of Avengers Academy and Hawkeye trump Brian’s frantic coverage of X-Men Legacy and Avenging Spider-Man.
In the Storyline Spotlight (1:12:42), the guys review the Spider-Men miniseries which brought Ultimate Spider-Man’s Miles Morales mask-to-mask with the classic 616 Peter Parker. See what these Spider-fans thought of the merger of the two universes.
Thanks for listening, and please continue to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all updates and news regarding future recordings! For additional information, questions or general comments, be sure to reach out to the hosts at MixedMarvelArts@gmail.com or follow the MMA Podcast on twitter @mixedmarvelarts. Please be sure to like us on facebook here. You can also subscribe to the Podcast via iTunes here. And don’t forget to leave a comment!
[audio http://traffic.libsyn.com/mixedmarvelarts/120921_16-Yeah_Guardians.mp3]
Plot: Jubilee is a typical, teenage mallrat; the one exception being that she is a mutant. Her foster parents contact the government-backed Mutant Registration Program (MRP), which leads to giant mutant-hunting robots known as Sentinels searching for her. While at the local mall, Jubilee is saved by the X-Men. She learns about the team of mutants and their mission for peaceful coexistence with humans – a peace that can only be obtained if the MRP is shut down.
Despite a trap which reveals the Sentinels’ connection to the MRP, a team of X-Men raid the MRP headquarters and destroy the program’s files on registered mutants. Cyclops is forced to leave two members behind as the mutants flee the scene. Later, Jubilee is kidnapped by a Sentinel. Cyclops meets with Jubilee’s foster parents about her whereabouts, but after Cyclops leaves, the father calls Henry Gyrich, leader of the MRP. A Sentinel is dispatched, but Cyclops damages the robot, forcing it to return to its home base for repairs.
The X-Men track the Sentinel back to the factory where they proceed to dismantle every hostile machine. The X-Men are successful in shutting down the facilities and save Jubilee as well. In the end, Jubilee decides to live with the X-Men, Gyrich’s program is shut down by the President of the United States, and Cyclops expresses his concern for the future of the mutant race. Read more…
It makes me feel old and sad to realize that X-Men: The Animated Series debuted on Fox almost twenty years ago. In fact, Fox planned to debut the show over this very holiday weekend in 1992, but had to push the series back to the end of October due to production delays. As a young, easily-influenced child in 1992, my pliable brain was overwhelmed by all the X-Men pop culture that year. The mutants’ classic side-scrolling arcade game hit the malls earlier in 1992 and X-Men comics had been flooding the market since the beginning of the decade. With the barrage of mutant media, it’s not hard to see how Marvel managed to attract so many fans to their flagship title of the nineties.
I am one of those fans who bought into the great mutant hype when Marvel tried for a second time to bring the X-Men to television; this time with great success. It’s because of X-Men: TAS that I became interested in comics and why characters like Cyclops, Gambit, Rogue, Beast… and yes, even Wolverine, are essential X-Men team members to me. Because of the series’ influence, I’m going to celebrate its twentieth anniversary by launching the next phase of the Mixed Marvel Arts Podcast – The Saturday Morning Marvels. Read more…
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