Monday, January 18, 2010

New Age News: Capullo to Haunt, Avengers Cancelled, Birds of Prey Returns and Video Games!

Since early last week there have been a few announcements I didn’t foresee being announced. Otherwise I wouldn’t be doing another New Age News so soon. Trust me. Now sadly for all you JLI fans I don’t have anything to say on the Generation Lost bi-weekly or really much else from DC with the exception of Birds of Prey. This will be a somewhat light edition but I haven’t been able to write much all weekend thanks to hurting my wrist so I’m just glad to be writing something at all! Now lets get to the news.

Video Game News

Greg Capullo is Haunt’s new Artist


This one blew me away when I read it this morning. I honestly didn’t believe it when I saw it, but I read it right, Greg Capullo is the official artist of Haunt as of issue #6. Awe damn. Seems Ottley was getting a little torn between both books and when he knew he had to choose one he chose Invincible, a smart choice I figure.

So then Capullo was given an alternative as well, return to Spawn or draw Haunt. To be honest I loved Capullo’s run on Spawn but I can totally support why he’s not drawing the comic that helped make him famous. He drew Spawn longer then anyone else has I believe, and he turned in amazing work, but even legends like Kirby an Romita Sr. moved on from the books that made them famous.

So Greg Capullo drawing Haunt is excellent news for me. Now mind you I’ve loved Ottley’s work as of recently, he’s really grown to the book and he fits it beautifully so seeing him leave is sad. Hopefully he’ll still do a random one-shot every once in a blue moon and turn in some covers because his art works well with the series.

Still he left on his own decision which I totally respect. Not to mention I’d hate to see him leave Invincible even though I’ve enjoyed his work so far on Haunt. So at least I’ll still be getting my Ottley greatness, even if not twice a month.

All that and Greg Capullo is drawing a monthly again! YES! Capullo has done a random comic here and there, covers for Spawn and now layouts for Haunt but as far as a monthly gig he hasn’t had that in years. Seeing him drawing the book he’s helped make popular with his strong lay out designs is excellent.

I love Capullo’s art so seeing him on a monthly basis is great. Exactly what I love and I’m more then certain he’ll excel on Haunt. He’s already done a couple of great covers so seeing him tackle the interiors and pencils will be excellent, I can’t wait to see him on a monthly basis again after all these years.

So yeah I’ve been loving Haunt and this announcement just furthers my excitement for the series. Kirkman’s excellent and fun writing along with Capullo’s great pencils are sure to make a great comic each month and while I’ll miss Ottley the sheer fact that I’ll be seeing Capullo every month just fills me with so much joy.

Birds of Prey Returns


Silly DC, thinking you could keep a good team down. Now in all honesty I never read the last series of BoP. I heard good and bad things about it. Most of the good I heard was from Gail Simone’s writing so I figure that’s a good sign for this series since she’s the announced writer.

Then there’s Ed Benes on art…I just…I don’t know to be honest. I equate him to the typical bland DC artist. The style DC so boringly sticks with and never tries to change with new and exciting artists. He’s everything I don’t like about DC art that was left over for the 90’s. But at the same time I cant’ deny that as far as artists are concerned he can turn in good work, even if it’s not to my tastes.

Still I think I may check this out. It’s written by one of DC’s best writers and it stars some of their best characters in Gotham. Also seeing Black Canary there on a regular basis is really cool as well as seeing Oracle and Huntress along with her should be a lot of fun.

Now as for the shaded in characters my guess is that the bat-shaped girl is either Cassandra Cain (would be nice if DC didn’t pretend she no longer exists) or maybe Stephanie, but I don’t know why the hell they’d black her out when everyone knows she’s Batgirl.

Still this is a really cool reboot and when this new volume debuts, if I can afford it, I’d love to check it out.

Avengers Cancelled


All Right Marvel, I concede that I did not see this one coming. I expected that the main Avengers title would return with either a new #1 or renumbering, and I knew that Dark Avengers was doomed by issue #1 but I concede that I did not see you canceling all 4 titles. Touché, you win this one.

Now if there isn’t going to be a Mighty Avengers reboot, then I’ll be pissed. It seems Dan Slott has just really started hitting his stride with it. It’s taken some time but Slott really has engrossed me in Mighty Avengers and for Marvel just to cancel it and with the possibility of them not giving Slott his Avengers still really bugs the hell out of me.

I can understand why they made Dark Avengers an ongoing just for the Dark Reign Status Quo, but Mighty Avengers is the Avengers book fans have been clamoring for as it’s fun super heroic so to see it end and get no reboot would really be a jackass move on Marvel’s part.

I do sort of wish Initiative wasn’t getting canceled. Even though I stopped reading it long ago I still have a place in my heart for that series so seeing it get canceled is sad.

New Avengers getting canceled honestly shocked me. I never thought Marvel would even consider canceling New Avengers, easily their most popular of all the Avengers titles. Hopefully Marvel doesn’t shoot themselves in the foot with this one.

Now there’s also the idea of who could write the latest Avengers ongoing that everyone speculates will happen. My best guess is that it will just be more Bendis only with the core 3 heroes, Cap, Thor and Iron Man in an Avengers ongoing and hopefully leaving Slott to do his own thing with his original team still. That’s what I hope for.

Kevin brought up Ed Brubaker and I think that one could work but at the same time Brubaker’s been a pretty busy guy and I don’t think he’s ever handled the full roster of Avengers yet. Still he’s a great writer so maybe he could do it.

Speaking of Avengers, I hope that once Heinberg and Cheung wrap up their run of the Young Avengers that we’ll finally get a damn ongoing. My writer choice is Paul Cornell with art by none other then Mark Brooks. That to me is my Young Avengers dream team, make it happen Marvel!

In the end this is a pretty big move from Marvel and I’m interested to see where it all goes in 2010.

Zero Collection, Sonic, Megaman 10

Just some random Video Game News I wanted to quickly mention my glee over. Sorry for no links, but with multiple announcements it’s better just to mention the news this time around.


First my most anticipated announcement being a Megaman Zero Collection coming in April to Japan on the DS. I absolutely loved the Megaman Zero series, easily some of the best games out there on the GBA so seeing them all together in one DS cartridge has me super excited.

It’s also funny since just the other day I was figuring I should track down 1 and 3. I have 2 and 4 and I’ve played 1 and 3 but never owned them. Now Capcom is giving us a real treat with this collection. Anyone who missed this and has a DS owes it to themselves to get 4 of the best GBA games of all time in one place…assuming it comes to America that is. Makes it happen, Capcom! Or you’ll crush my heart…


Then there’s the announcement that Sonic is the only character in his upcoming 2D side scrolling HD adventure, Project Needlemouse (Mr. Needlemouse being Sonic’s original name from creator Yuji Naka…but I’m a nerd so I remember that crap) which is easily another highly anticipated game of 2010 for me.

Now I’ve come to like a lot of the characters in the Sonic cast, Tails, Shadow, hell even Big the Cat has a place in my heart. So seeing them all get ignored like this is a little sad but at the same time I’m just excited for a console 2D sonic game so as long as it’s the blue dude with ‘tude and no one else that’s just fine with me. Can’t wait to hear more on this game.


Then finally there was the reveal of the Robot Masters from Megaman 10. Now most of them turned out pretty good, even Pumpman (the name irks me but whatever) and especially Sheepman. The only one I don’t like is Strike Man. I expected something odd, but…a baseball? I had a hard time accepting Dustman as it is, but a baseball, that’s just stupid.

Still I’m excited as all hell for this game especially in the Robot Masters department, they all look really cool and it’s going to be exciting seeing them and what they do. Can’t wait to see more for this game.

So ends the latest New Age News. It’s been nice writing again but my wrist is still acting up so I’m not sure if I’ll be writing my usual long reviews for a little while. Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day, everyone!

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