The End is Near with Avengers: Infinity War! See the official trailer, motion poster & screen shots!

The Avengers: Infinity War takes place two years after the Avengers were torn apart during the events of Captain America: Civil War, Thanos arrives on Earth to collect the Infinity Stones for a gauntlet that will allow him to bend reality to his will. The Avengers must join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy to stop him before his onslaught of destruction puts an end to the universe.

The Avengers: Infinity War takes place two years after the Avengers were torn apart during the events of Captain America: Civil War, Thanos arrives on Earth to collect the Infinity Stones for a gauntlet that will allow him to bend reality to his will. The Avengers must join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy to stop him before his onslaught of destruction puts an end to the universe.

Avengers: Infinity War is scheduled to have its world premiere on April 23, 2018 in Los Angeles, and is scheduled to be released in the United States on April 27, 2018, in IMAX and 3D. The sequel is set to be released on May 3, 2019.

Avengers Infinity War Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos

Avengers Infinity War Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos

Iron man dies in avengers infinity war

iron man dies in avengers infinity war

Avengers Infinity War Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos

is black panther in avengers infinity war?

Avengers Infinity War Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos

Avengers Infinity War Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos
Looks like Cap brought the whole crew to Wakanda!

Avengers Infinity War Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos

hulkbuster in avengers infinity war
Hulkbuster suit in Wakanda

Avengers Infinity War Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos

Avengers Infinity War Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos
Thanos and a very young Gamora
the black order in avengers infinity war
Thanos’ Black Order,  Proxima Midnight, Ebony Maw, Corvus Glaive, Black Dwarf and Supergiant (not pictured) surrounds Loki.

Avengers Infinity War Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos

thor dies in avengers infinity war

captain america dies in infinity war

Avengers Infinity War Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos

doctor strange dies in infinity war avengers

ebony maw in avengers infinity war

Avengers Infinity War Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos

avengers infinity war chris pratt talks to robert downey jr.
“Let’s talk about this plan of yours… I think it’s good, except it sucks.  So let me do the plan and that way, it might be really good.”

Avengers Infinity War Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos

captain america dies in avengers infinity war

Avengers Infinity War Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos

captain america dies in avengers infinity war

Avengers Infinity War has a release date. April 27th, 2018.

Avengers Infinity War has a release date. April 27th, 2018.

Black Panther vs. M’Baku the Man-Ape (The Mighty Avengers #62)

OLD SCHOOL BATTLE! Black Panther vs. M’Baku the Man-Ape (The Mighty Avengers #62)

Black Panther vs. Red Skull

I’m going to break your jaw.

From: Avengers #484 (Red Zone part 4 of 5)

The Red Skull has infiltrated the US Government and released a biological weapon in the form of a red mist at the base of Mount Rushmore. As the mist encroaches into nearby populated areas it kills everyone in its path and it’s up to the Avengers to stop him!

It’s a fairly basic story, bad guy intent on mass murder and the good guys have to stop him. It’s a good read with the highlight of Black Panther laying some serious smack down by brutally beating down the Skull and viciously breaking his jaw.

Black Panther Movie Review

It’s not just a movie, it’s a movement. #blackpanther #wakandaforever

Black Panther movie review

Black Panther is not your ordinary Marvel Comics film.  It has begun a cultural movement all its own.  As a black man, I can’t remember the last time a movie with a black director and a predominately all black cast has made such a splash in the mainstream cultural consciousness in such a positive way.  It’s so amazing to see all these young black kids (and adults) coming out and supporting this movie, its cast and director Ryan Coogler.  It’s an astonishing and humbling site to see.

Is it a good movie though?  I’m not going to let my blackness get in the way of looking at this film with a critical eye…. but the answer is yes.  So lets talk about it.

The general plot of the movie is that Wakanda is an isolationist nation that has never been conquered or colonized by an outsider.  This due to the mountain sized vibranium deposit that was left when a meteor crashed in Africa millions of years ago.  The vibranium powers all of their technology.  Everything from medicine and transportation to the weapons of war and self defense.  As a nation that is entirely self sufficient, they are also loathe to lend aid to others.  A similar analogy would be like feeding the birds at the park.  It starts with just one, but before you know it, you have a whole flock at your feet.

— Read More: Black Panther: Where is Wakanda?

This movie takes place after the events of Captain America 3: Civil War where King T’Chaka was killed by an explosion leaving young T’Challa in charge of a nation. Wakanda and its new king T’Challa, played exceptionally by Chadwick Boseman, want to protect their isolationist way of life from Erik Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan.

Killmonger feels like Wakanda is hoarding its technology and wants to use Wakandan advanced weapons and technology to wage war on the rest of the world.  Particularly those who he feels are currently oppressing peoples of color be it local police on up to governments.

— Read More: Black Panther: Who is the Black Panther?

The movie is beautifully shot with epic sweeping cinematography.  Wakanda is fleshed out with vibrant bustling streets, techno-organic skyscrapers, kids rushing off to school, young people jubilantly carousing about in cafes, waiting for sky car taxis, cooking street food and generally going about their business.  It’s definitely the most life like city in all of the Marvel Universe.

And the costumes.  Oh my god, the costumes. Ruth E. Carter, costume designer completely nails the afro-futurism look by blending the history and traditions of tribes from all over Africa. With 30 years of movie experience and two Oscar nominations for her work (on Malcolm X and Amistad), Carter understood the role clothing would play in shaping the film’s world. “Wakandans are serious about fashion,” Carter via said  The Atlantic, of the inhabitants of Black Panther’s tech-forward, eco-conscious, never-before-colonized country. Her vision for Wakandan dress draws from traditional and contemporary African fashion. Sartorial cues help viewers understand the social geography of a fictional place—its political ideologies, cultural norms, etiquette. It’s easier to convey these unspoken elements when a film is set in a space and time the audience already has some reference for. For example, American viewers can read the message of a certain dress or hairstyle in, say, 1960s Alabama, which worked in Carter’s favor when she was designing the costumes for Selma.

(https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/02/why-fashion-is-key-to-understanding-the-world-of-black-panther/553157/)

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The impressive score is crafted by Ludwig Goransson.  The score is as textured and layered like the costumes as it blends and layers traditional African drums and vocalizations with a sweeping grandiosity usually reserved for epic films like Lawrence of Arabia, Out of Africa and dare I say it, Star Wars.

The cast rounds out the movie with powerhouse performances. Chadwick Boseman is a bit understated bringing a quiet maturity and presence to each scene, however I felt that the movie would have benefited from a bit more range from him.

The runaway star of the show, the scene-stealer is far and away is Shuri, the younger sister of T’Challa and played by Letitia Wright. She’s insanely smart, developing most if not all of the “Panther-tech”, plucky, irreverent and best of all: absolutely fearless.  If you are a fan and reader of the Black Panther comics, you already know that at some point Shuri dons the mantle of the Black Panther and becomes the protector of Wakanda. I’m hoping this is something we will seen in the inevitable sequel as word has it, Kevin Feige has already asked Ryan Coogler to return.

Black Panther Shuri Disney princess
Shuri steals the show! Do we have a new Disney princess in our midst?

This film does have some issues however.  So lets talk about those too.

First off, the fight choreography isn’t my favorite.  While Danai Gurira shines bright in her scenes as General Okoye, leader of the all female Dora Milaje, the same can’t really be said for most of the scenes involving hand to hand combat.  The shots are cut quickly and the camera is way too close to see any meaningful movements.  It’s tends to be a jumble of arms, legs and other flailing limbs. Aside from this action scenes (the car chase aside) end a few short minutes after they begin.

The CGI (especially during the final fight between Killmonger and T’Challa) is just plain bad. It looks unfinished is really the only way to describe it and  seeing how well everything else is in the movie it’s really unfortunate and distracting.

This shouldn’t deter you from seeing the movie however.  Not in the slightest. It’s a cultural milestone and I am anxiously looking forward to revisiting T’Challa, Shuri, Okoye and Wakanda in Avengers: Infinity War and Black Panther 2.

Go see it.  Now. This isn’t just a movie.  It’s a movement.

— Read More Black Panther Posts here:

  1. Black Panther
  2. Black Panther Categories
  3. Black Panther vs. Kraven the Hunter (Black Panther, The Man Without Fear #519)
  4. Black Panther & Wolverine vs. Sabertooth
  5. Emma Frost tries to read The mind of the Black Panther. 
  6. Black Panther: Klaw kills King T’Chaka
  7. Black Panther: T’Challa avenges his father. 
  8. War Machine, Captain Marvel, She-Hulk and Black Panther vs. Thanos (Civil War II)
  9. Black Panther 50th Anniversary – NYCC 2016 Panel Highlights
  10. Images from the Black Panther premiere!

Images from the Black Panther premiere!

Looks like it was an amazing night on the purple carpet!

In what order should you watch all the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies?

what order should you watch all the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies?

The best way would be to watch them in order of their release date. The films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have released in three phases. Which order did you watch the movies in?

Phase 1: Avengers Assembled

The Avengers Initiative (a.k.a Phase 1) was a secret project created by S.H.I.E.L.D. to create the Avengers, a collection of the most able individuals to defend Earth from imminent global threats; these individuals functioning as a response team to said threats which are too great for the forces of mankind to handle.

The Initiative was scrapped by the World Security Council after the alien incursion in New Mexico in favor of a weapons development program known as Phase 2. It was eventually reactivated in 2012 during the Chitauri Invasion.

  1. Iron Man (2008)
  2. The Incredible Hulk (2008)
  3. Iron Man 2 (2010)
  4. Thor (2011)
  5. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
  6. The Avengers (2012)

Phase 2: Age Of Ultron

Phase 2” was part of a plan initiated by S.H.I.E.L.D. after the alien incursion in New Mexico to create weapons of mass destruction using the Tesseract.

In response to the events in New Mexico and the revelation of alien worlds and powers beyond our own, the World Security Council scrapped the Avengers Initiative in favor of a more practical approach– the development of weapons powered by the alien Tesseract.

  1. Iron Man 3 (2013)
  2. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
  3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
  4. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
  5. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
  6. Ant-Man (2015)

Phase 3: Infinity War!

Phase Three is set during a time of discord generated from the aftermath of Ultron‘s attack against the Earth. With public opinion of superheroes becoming increasingly divided, the Avengers become fragmented. In the midst of the Avengers’ turmoils, a number of new characters are introduced, such as Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Mantis, Spider-Man, Valkyrie, and Captain Marvel. Thanos‘ plot to collect all of the Infinity Stones, which began late in Phase One, is drawn to a close in this saga.

  1. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
  2. Doctor Strange (2016)
  3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
  4. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
  5. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
  6. Black Panther (2018)
  7. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
  8. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
  9. Captain Marvel (2019)
  10. Avengers 4 (2019)

Phase 4:

Phase Four will be the fourth part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Phase Three. Phase Four consists of an unknown number of films planned between 2019 and 2028.

  1. Spider-Man 2 (2019)
  2. Guardians of the Galaxy (2020)
  3. Other TBA Films (2020-2028)

Source: Marvel Cinematic Universe

Avengers Infinity War Trailer #1

Black Panther -Official Trailer #2 & Poster 🤴🏿


LONG LIVE THE KING 🤴🏿 

Black Panther teaser trailer and poster reveal!

Ok who’s hype?  This looks awesome and great music choice as well! Here’s the poster:

Black Panther 50th Anniversary – NYCC 2016 Panel Highlights

 

In July 1966, Marvel Comics published Fantastic Four #54: a landmark issue featuring the first major super hero of color, the Black Panther. Born into the tumult of the 1960’s Civil Rights movement, Marvel’s Black Panther became an immediate inspirational and aspirational symbol to millions. Fifty years later, he has risen into a major pop culture icon, prominently featured in Marvel comic books, animation, games, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe and known across the globe! Join Macarthur Genius, National Book Award Winner, and current Black Panther writer Ta-Nehisi Coates along with artist Brian Stelfreeze, writer Christopher Priest, and other Mighty Marvel Guests on this momentous panel from New York Comic Con 2016, as they pay tribute to the character while discussing his tremendous impact on comics and pop culture.

War Machine, Captain Marvel, She-Hulk and Black Panther vs. Thanos (Civil War II)

Civil War II Civil War II Civil War II Civil War II Civil War II Civil War II Civil War II

 

From: Civil War II (Free Comic Book Day, May 2007)

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: Jim Cheung

Colorist:  Justin Ponsor

 

Civil War II

Civil War II # 0
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis; Artist: Olivier Coipel; Colorist: Justin Ponsor

Civil War II is an upcoming comic book crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics that is scheduled to debut in June 2016. It is the sequel to 2006’s “Civil War” and consists of an eight issue eponymous core limited series, by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artists Olivier Coipel, David Marquez and Justin Ponsor, and a number of tie-in books.

Functioning as an allegory about the nature of determinism versus free will,  the story sees opposing factions of superheroes led by Captain Marvel and Iron Man come into conflict when a new super powered person emerges with the ability to predict the future.

Civil War II Ulysses sees the future inhumans

Plot: In New York City, defense attorney She-Hulk loses an entrapment case against Jonathan Powers. Elsewhere, War 

Machine is offered the position of Secretary of Defense by the President of the United States, and Captain Marvel, struggling with the pressures of her duties, is analyzed by Doc Samson. Meanwhile, Ulysses and Michelle, students at Ohio State University, are exposed to the Terrigen Mist. When Ulysses emerges he has a vision of a dystopian future

At the Triskelion, Medusa and Crystal introduce Ulysses to Captain Marvel, War Machine, and Black Panther. There, Ulysses has a premonition that the villain Thanos is coming. The heroes take Thanos down by surprise when he arrives at his destination, but She-Hulk and War Machine are severely injured during the fight.

 

Key Players:

Civil War IICaptain Marvel (Carol Danvers):  Cosmically powered super hero.  Leader of Alpha Flight.  Earth’s first line of defense against extraterrestrial attack. 

War Machine:  James “Rhodey” Rhodes:  Decorated U.S. Marine in flying weaponized armor made by his best friend, Tony Stark.

She-Hulk: Attorney Jennifer Walters.  Imbued with the same gamma-powered super strength as her cousin, Bruce Banner.

Inhumans:  People who develop extraordinary abilities when exposed to the Terrigen Mists — gases which activate latent DNA from long ago alien experiments. 

 

Civil War II Posts

  1. War Machine is offered the position of Secretary of Defense. (Civil War II)
  2. The Terrigen Mists cover The Ohio State University. (Civil War II)
  3. Kamala Khan, Spider-Man and Nova save their classmates from a miniature fusion reactor. (Civil War II: Tie In)
  4. War Machine, Captain Marvel, She-Hulk and Black Panther vs. Thanos (Civil War II)

Captain America: Civil War TV Spot #30- More Spider-Man!


 

Captain America Civil War Spider-Man
Spidey effortlessly stops Bucky’s Punch
Captain America Civil War Spider-Man
“You have a metal arm? That is awesome dude!”
Captain America Civil War Spider-man Winter Soldier
Note the web-shooters worn on the outside of the costume.

We are just 10 days away from the worldwide premier of Captain America Civil War and it looks like Marvel is pulling out all the stops.  In this latest trailer we are treated to more Spider-Man and from what it sounds like, he will be the wise-cracking, quick-witted web slinger we know from the comics. From what I hear his appearance in the film is not very long 10-20 minutes or so, but what is there is glorious. Makes me really excited to see Spider-Man:Homecoming.

Cant wait!  What do you think of this trailer? Or are you on media blackout until the movie comes out?

Synopsis

One year after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, another international incident involving the Avengers resulting in collateral damage occurs, prompting politicians to form a system of accountability and a governing body to determine when to call in the team. When Steve Rogers attempts to protect his friend Bucky Barnes from this act, he is brought into conflict with Tony Stark. This results in the fracturing of the Avengers into two opposing factions—one led by Rogers, who wishes to operate without regulation, and the other by Stark, who supports government oversight—while the world is threatened by a new enemy.

 

Characters

Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America:

captain america civil war

The leader of a faction of Avengers against regulation and a World War II veteran who was enhanced to the peak of human physicality by an experimental serum and frozen in suspended animation before waking up in the modern world Evans costume in the film received “subtle changes to all the details and cut” as well as its color, becoming a combination of the stealth suit from Winter Soldier and the Avengers: Age of Ultron suit. According to Joe Russo, Rogers does not become a disillusioned antihero stating, “his morality is part of his superpower,” and adding, “…there’s an inspirational quality to his character. So it’s nice to have characters around him that he can inspire. Leadership is also a key component of his, and you can’t lead unless you have other characters around. But he’s also got an expanding universe—Winter Soldier, Agent 13, the Falcon—so there’s already a universe that’s expanding around him.” Describing his role in the plot, Evans said, “Tony [Stark] actually thinks we should be signing these accords and reporting to somebody and Cap, who’s always been a company man and has always been a soldier, actually doesn’t trust anymore. Given what happened in Cap 2, I think he kind of feels the safest hands are his own.” Anthony Russo said Captain America’s character arc in the film is taking “him from the most ra-ra company man” to someone who is “a somewhat willing propagandist, and by the end of the third film he’s an insurgent.” Evans added, “It’s exciting to see a guy who’s as optimistic and as selfless as Steve be met with letdown, betrayal, frustration, and selfishness. There are events and people in his life that test him — that challenge him and force him to reevaluate who he is and what he wants out of life.” On Rogers’ romantic life, Joe Russo said, “we can only keep Cap romantically uninvolved for so long. At some point, something has to happen with that character, so we are very aware of his lack of romantic life. We want to keep dimensionalizing his character so maybe something interesting will happen.”

Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man:

Iron Man Captain America Civil War

The leader of a faction of Avengers in support of regulation, and self-described genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist with electromechanical suits of armor of his own invention. On how the character evolves in the film over previous portrayals of the character, Downey said, “[I]t’s natural to change your views. The main thing to me is… what sort of incident could occur and what sort of framework could we find Tony in? The clues are in [Avengers: Age of Ultron] about where we might find him next.” Anthony Russo added that Stark’s egomania allowed the writers “to bring him to a point in his life where he was willing to submit to an authority, where he felt it was the right thing to do.” Joe Russo added that because of the visions Stark saw in Age of Ultron, he now has a “guilty complex” which “drives him to make very specific decisions,” calling his emotional arc “very complicated”. Marvel initially wanted Downey’s part to be smaller; however “Downey wanted Stark to have a more substantial role in the film’s plot.” Variety noted that Downey would receive $40 million plus backend for his participation, as well as an additional payout if the film outperforms The Winter Soldier, as Marvel would feel the success of this film would be attributed to Downey. Downey’s personal trainer Eric Oram stated that the trick to pitting Rogers against Stark “is to show Iron Man using the ‘minimum force’ necessary to win the fight, and not to look like he’s trying to go wild and kill somebody.”

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow:

captain america civil war black widow

An Avenger allied with Stark who formerly worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. as a highly trained spy. Anthony Russo noted her torn allegiances in the film, saying “her head is with Tony’s side of things, but her heart is with Cap in a lot of ways. It’s a really awesome spot for her as a character in the film.” Johansson added in the film, Romanoff is “looking to strategize her position, putting herself in a place where she is able to let the powers that be fight it out or whatever amongst themselves” in order for her to “have a better perspective of what’s really going on.” Describing her character’s situation after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Johansson said, “I think that the Widow’s past will always haunt her. She’s trying to move forward, she’s trying to pick up the pieces of her life. I think we’ll see parts of that in Cap 3 when we find her. And certainly she has a greater purpose, and I think that greater purpose is charged by this need to escape her past. So, it’s always kind of right there, kind of looming over her shoulders.” She also said that Romanoff is at a point in her life where she can make choices herself, without having others have a hand in the decision process. On the continuation of the relationship between Romanoff and Rogers from The Winter Soldier, Joe Russo said that they wanted to “test it” by having Romanoff point out to Rogers the mistakes the team have made and convince him “that it might not be as black and white as he sees it” and that the Avengers must “find a way to work within the system so that [they] aren’t disbanded.”

Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier:

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier"
In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Nick Fury is apparently killed by the Winter Soldier, who is later revealed to be Bucky Barnes. Rogers, Black Widow, and new ally Sam Wilson (Falcon) discover and thwart a Hydra plot to kill thousands of potential threats. Rogers and Wilson leave to search for Barnes, whom Rogers believes may still be good.

An enhanced brainwashed assassin allied with Rogers, and his best friend who reemerged after being thought killed in action during World War II. Stan stated that his character in Civil War is an amalgam of his experiences as Barnes and the Winter Soldier, saying, “You know, here’s the guy when you merge the two. This is what came out. To me, he’s never really going to be Bucky Barnes again. There’s going to be recognizable things about him, but his path through the [experiences of] Winter Soldier is always going to be there, haunting him. He recognizes his past, but at the same time he’s sort of a new character, too.” Stan stated he had more lines in the film over his appearance in Winter Soldier, and how that applied to the development of the character, he said, “The look of the Winter Soldier is a very specific look. There was something very specific in how the guy looked and behaved and I felt like the more I stepped back and I just kind of let that do the work, the better it was gonna be. In a situation like that, you’re trying to guess where the guy’s at in his mind, and that certainly continues in the Civil War movie. You’re always trying to guess what side is he on or … because he can go both ways.”

Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Falcon:

captain america civil war falcon

An Avenger allied with Rogers, and a former para-rescueman trained by the military in aerial combat using a specially designed wing pack. Wilson is aided by a robotic drone named Redwing. Discussing the relationship between Wilson and Rogers, Mackie said, “With Falcon and Cap, what’s so great is there’s a mutual respect. There’s a soldier respect. What’s great about… [Captain America: Civil War] is you get to see their relationship grow,” adding, “He respects and admires Cap because Cap earned his rank as opposed to sitting in an office and just delegating orders.” Joe Russo stated that the inclusion of Barnes to Rogers’ side forces Wilson to question the dynamic and relationship he has with Rogers going forward.

Don Cheadle as James “Rhodey” Rhodes / War Machine:

captain america civil war iron man war machine

An Avenger allied with Stark, and an officer in the U.S. Air Force who operates the War Machine armor. Cheadle called Rhodes’ appearance in the film a “bit more intense and pivotal” compared to his previous appearances.

Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye:

Captain America Civil War Hawkeye

A master archer allied with Rogers, who previously worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. On Barton’s reasons for joining Rogers’ side, Renner said, “Cap was the first guy who called. Let’s just get the job done so I can get home to the family.” On how he and Barton fit into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Renner said, “I’m happy to be the ensemble. I’m not scratching or clawing to do a solo movie by any means…I think [Barton’s] a utility guy that can bounce around into other people’s universes a little bit, especially like Cap 3.”

Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa / Black Panther:

captain america civil war black panther

The prince of the African nation of Wakanda allied with Stark. On including the character in the film, Feige said, “The reason we introduced him in Civil War is because we needed a third party. We needed fresh eyes who weren’t embedded with the Avengers and who has a very different point of view than either Tony or Steve. We said, ‘We need somebody like Black Panther… why don’t we just use Black Panther?’” Feige also said that T’Challa would be in the “beginning phases of taking on” the Black Panther mantle. He also added that his appearance in Civil War is more than a cameo, giving him a full arc and character journey with “his own conflict and his own people that he’s looking out for.” Joe Russo said that T’Challa is “there for a very different reason which brings him into conflict with Cap and his team.” Executive producer Nate Moore added that T’Challa is “the undecided voter”, whose agenda does not exactly align with either Rogers’ or Stark’s. The Black Panther costume is a combination of a practical costume and visual effects, featuring a vibranium mesh weave similar to chainmail. On landing the role, Boseman said, “It wasn’t really an audition process. It was more of a discussion about what they wanted to do and how I saw it and what I wanted to do. It was more of a feeling out process”. Describing T’Challa, Boseman said, “You never quite know where he stands. There’s always a bit of concealing and mystery.”[41] He added that T’Challa is torn between needing to live up to traditions, his father and nation of Wakanda’s legacy and the way things were done in the past and how things need to happen in the present. Boseman has a five picture deal with Marvel.

Paul Bettany as Vision:

Captain America Civil War Vision

An android and Avenger allied with Stark, that was created using the artificial intelligence J.A.R.V.I.S. and the Mind Stone. As the Vision has the ability to create a projected disguise, he chooses to dress similarly to Howard Stark’s attaché, Edwin Jarvis. Describing his preparation for the role, Bettany said, “I was given comics. I also was looking to think about what could be edifying for me to learn. I took the opportunity – you see my character get born… He must be both omnipotent and yet totally naive at the same time. And experiencing the world in real time and his place in it. Is he going to be a force of good or a force of evil? It was really interesting, fun to play with, because he’s dangerous, you don’t know if he’s going to go one way or another. I’m continuing that theme in Captain America 3.” Bettany also said he was interested in exploring “what it means to be human and what love is” with the character, as “The only way one can guarantee one’s loyalty is love.”

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch:

Captain America Civil War Scarlet Witch

An Avenger allied with Rogers, who can harness magic and engage in hypnosis and telekinesis. Describing Maximoff’s role in the film, Olsen said, “She’s doing alright. She’s confused, she’s conflicted. She’s found some people she thinks she connects with, but she’s doing alright. They released images of Team Cap and Team Iron Man. She wasn’t there. She’s always the wild card. I like being the wild card.” According to Olsen, the character is “coming into her own and starting to understand and have conflict with how she wants to use her abilities. It’s a dramatic conflict within her and obviously there’s conflict within the [Avengers] as well.” When asked about the relationship between her character and the Vision compared to the comics, Olsen said, “You learn a little bit more about what connects [Scarlet and Vision] in this film. And I think there are some really sweet moments between Paul and I, and it’s more about how they relate to one another and their similarities just based on their superpowers.”

Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man / Giant-Man:

Captain America Civil War Ant Man

A former petty criminal allied with Rogers, who acquired a suit that allows him to shrink or grow in scale, while also increasing in strength. Rudd’s suit “is streamlined and more high-tech” from the one seen in Ant-Man. Ant-Man director Peyton Reed revealed that he had discussed the character and the way that the Ant-Man production had shot certain sequences with the Russo brothers, saying, “As we were doing the movie and we were in post and they were getting ready to head out to Atlanta to do Civil War, we had a lot of conversations. And I actually wanted those guys to come in and look at our stuff, because there’s gotta be a lot of sort of crossover. I found myself getting extremely protective over the character of Scott Lang and talking to the guys, the writers, the Russo’s about, ‘He wouldn’t do that.’ It’s important because there’s this continuity that has to happen in this universe.”

Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter / Agent 13:

Captain America Civil War Agent 13

A former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., who now works for the CIA, allied with Rogers. VanCamp stated that her character sides with Rogers because they both have “similar moral compasses”. On a potential relationship between Rogers and Carter as in the comics, Evans said, “he’s certainly open to it. Sharon is obviously relevant, but … we don’t have to tie it up in one movie. So they have time.” VanCamp added, “We get to explore… I can’t say we are going to that extent of it, but they are certainly getting to know each other.”

Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man:

Tom Holland Spider-Man

A teenager allied with Stark, who received spider-like abilities after being bitten by a genetically altered spider. Feige said that Parker would be torn between superhero ideologies, saying, “Does he want to be like these other characters? Does he want nothing to do with these other characters? How does that impact his experience, being this grounded but super powerful hero? Those are all the things that Stan Lee and Steve Ditko played with in the first 10 years of his comics, and that now we can play with for the first time in a movie.” On aligning with Stark, Anthony Russo said that, despite entering the conflict after the two factions have formed and not having much political investment, Parker’s choice comes from “a very personal relationship” he develops with Stark. The Russo’s hoped “to take a very logical and realistic and naturalistic approach to the character” compared to the previous film portrayals. Anthony Russo added that the character’s introduction had to fit “that specific tonal stylistic world” of the MCU, as well as the tone established by the directors in Winter Soldier, saying, “It’s a little more grounded and a little more hard-core contemporary.” That was “coloring our choices a lot” with Parker. On the Spider-Man suit, Joe Russo described it as “a slightly more traditional, Steve Ditko influenced suit,” and that the film would explore the way the suit operates, particularly the mechanical eyes. Holland chose not to read the whole Civil War script in order to avoid potentially leaking plot information publicly. He is signed on for at least three films, not including his Civil War appearance.

Frank Grillo as Brock Rumlow / Crossbones:

Captain America Civil War Crossbones

Former commander of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s counter-terrorism S.T.R.I.K.E. team, who was revealed to be an agent of Hydra. On returning to the character, Grillo said “He’s a badass. He is just vicious. I like the idea that it’s no holds barred. I was 15 pounds bigger when I did Cap 2, and I’ll put another 15 pounds on to do Cap 3. I love the physicality. It changes the way you look; it changes the way you feel.” However, he cautioned that “This movie is such a big movie with a lot of people in it, so you don’t get as much of the time that you’d like to have. But, it’s all good. We’ll see what happens.” On if Rumlow would kill Captain America in the film, as he does in the comic “Civil War” storyline, Grillo said, “The thing with Marvel is they don’t always follow to the tee what the character did in the comic books… we’re probably not gonna see that happen. I’m not gonna kill him yet.” Grillo also stated that Rumlow’s main objective in the film is to seek revenge adding, “Whatever Rumlow was feeling as far as being torn between which side he should be on, which I think he was, is gone now.”

William Hurt as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross:

The United States Secretary of State and former U.S. Army general dedicated to capturing the Hulk. Hurt, on returning to the MCU, said, “I don’t think it’s a reprise, I think it’s a new iteration completely,” adding, “what [the writers have] done is they’ve taken a character who was the Ross from [The Incredible Hulk] and made a new version… a more modernized style.” Joe Russo added that Ross was the perfect character to use because he has “a fanatical anti-superhero point of view” and has “become much savvier and more political and has put himself in a position of power, not unlike a Colin Powell. He’s cornering the Avengers politically now, he’s out-maneuvering them.” Joe also added that Ross was included because the Russo’s felt it was important to make The Incredible Hulk “relevant again within the [MCU]” since it “may have been forgotten about a little bit”.

Daniel Brühl as Helmut Zemo:

Zemo, who goes by multiple names in the film, does not wear his signature mask from the comics. Brühl said the version appearing in the film is “loosely connected” to the character from the comics and that was a reason he liked Marvel, as “some of the characters and things they’re dealing with always reference to current events so my character is from a different area than you would think.” Joe Russo added that the character in the film would be a “fresh and exciting” take on the character not tied to the mythology from the comic books. Feige described the character as “very much a product of the [Marvel] Cinematic Universe and all that has occurred within that universe up to this point.” Brühl, who was cast due to his German accent, did not feel the role was a stereotype, saying, “It’s not a guy who’s mean and sinister, but he’s actually very clever – a very smart guy who does everything out of a very understandable reason and motivation.” Brühl also stated that Zemo may also appear in future MCU films with Moore adding that, while Zemo has a purpose in this film, it is more to set up a future film.

Additionally, John Slattery reprises his role as Howard Stark, from previous MCU films. Martin Freeman is introduced as Everett Ross, a member of the Joint Counter Terrorism Center, and a character associated with Black Panther in the comics. Freeman described Ross as someone who “works for the American government…[and] works in conjunction with the superheroes, and certain agencies that help to tame the superheroes’ power”. In terms of whether Ross would side with Stark or Rogers in the film, Freeman said that Ross is “ambiguous” and “you don’t know whether he’s good or bad” so “you’re not quite sure which side he’s on. It looks a little bit like he’s playing one game when actually he’s playing another.” Feige added that Ross would appear briefly in the film, with the intent being to expand on the character’s role in future films. Alfre Woodard, who portrays Mariah Dillard in the MCU TV series Luke Cage, appears in the film as Miriam Sharpe, the mother of an American citizen killed in the battle of Sokovia. Woodard was suggested for the role by Downey, before Marvel Studios learned of her casting in Luke Cage. Marisa Tomei appears as May Parker, Peter Parker’s aunt; while Hope Davis and Jim Rash are cast in undisclosed roles. Stan Lee makes a cameo appearance. John Kani appears as T’Chaka, father of T’Challa.

An introduction and explanation of the INFINITY STONES – (infographic)

Avengers Infinity War Infinity Stones infographic

*note– These are the Infinity Gems as they are represented within the comics, not within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  The way the stones look and  function has since been updated by Marvel; keep reading for details.

Thanos and the Infinity Stones
Adam Warlock tells the Avengers how Thanos created a synthetic Infinity Gem. – Avengers Annual #7 (1977)

The Infinity Stones, originally referred to as Soul Stones, are six immensely powerful fictional gems appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Whoever holds all six Gems and uses them in concert gains omnipotence and omniscience. The six primary Gems are the Mind stone, the Soul stone, the Space stone, the Power stone, the Time stone and the Reality stone, and in later storylines, crossovers and other media, a seventh Infinity stone (Ego or Rhythm) is sometimes added. The Soul Gems first appear in The Power of Warlock. All six appear together for the first time in the second “Thanos War” storyline in Avengers and Marvel Two-In-One annuals. Thanos harnesses their latent energies to power a giant gem to extinguish every star in the universe.

In the third volume of the Silver Surfer title, the Surfer refers to the gems as “Soul Gems” for the first time. They are gathered by the Elders of the Universe, who intend to use their combined power to drain Galactus of his life force and then recreate the universe with themselves as the oldest beings in it (Galactus was the last survivor of the Universe that existed prior to the birth of the current Marvel Universe). This plot is thwarted by the Silver Surfer, and several Elders and the gems are lost in a black hole; Galactus consumes some of the other Elders.

Where is the Soul Gem?
The Soul “Jewel” is firmly planted in the forehead of Adam Warlock – The Power of Warlock #2 (August, 1972)

In a follow-up story, Galactus is poisoned by the Elders he consumed. Silver Surfer, Mr. Fantastic, and the Invisible Woman journey through the black hole to recover the gems. Invisible Woman becomes possessed by the sentient Soul Gem, awakening her evil Malice persona. She is later subdued, and the gems are used to remove the Elders from Galactus’ body. The Elders later reclaim the gems.

Each Gem is a small, smooth oval, and known by their respective powers. Each of the Gems represents a different characteristic of Existence and possessing any single Gem grants the possessor the ability to potentially command whatever aspect of Existence the Gem represents. The Gems are indestructible but not immutable. On two occasions one or more of the Gems have appeared in the form of deep pink spheres that were several feet in diameter.

infinity gems in the infinity gauntlet avengers infinity war
The Mind, Reality, Power, Space, Time, Soul Gems housed in the Infinity Gauntlet.

On other occasions the gems have appeared in their normal shape but with different coloring (i.e. when the Soul Gem appeared to be red when worn by the Gardener).  In the Ultraverse, the merged Gems, Nemesis, were once again separated after a climactic battle with Ultraforce and the Avengers. The Space, Power, Soul, and Mind gems morph into humanoid beings.  The nature of these beings is not known, nor how these beings returned to their original forms.

Read More: 

  1. Thanos Steals the Soul Gem from the In-Betweener.
  2. Thanos Takes the Power Gem from The Champion of the Universe.
  3. Thanos Takes the Time Gem from The Gardener.
  4. Thanos Takes the Space Gem from The Runner.
  5. Thanos Takes the Reality Gem from The Grandmaster.

Continue reading “An introduction and explanation of the INFINITY STONES – (infographic)”

Iron Man vs. The Amazing Spider-Man (Civil War)

   
    
 

Captain America vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. (Civil War)

   
    
    
    
 

The Road to Civil War: Captain America vs Iron Man  Power Comparison Infographic. 

In preparation for Captain America: Civil War, I started working on this special little project. I’ve been working on this for a few days and this is my first attempt at making an infographic.  Let me know what you think in the comments below!  Was it informative? A jumbled mess? Perfect? I’d love to hear your comments.

In preparation for Captain America: Civil War, I started working on this special little project. I’ve been working on this for a few days and this is my first attempt at making an infographic.  It’s intention is to highlight Captain America’s and Iron Man’s individual strengths and weaknesses and overlay them to see what advantages they have over each other.

Let me know what you think in the comments below!  Was it informative? A jumbled mess? Perfect? Would you like to see other match-ups?  I’d love to hear your comments and I could use the practice.  Besides, it was pretty fun to make this and i’ll probably make more anyway.

Data was compiled from The Official Marvel Wiki and created with Piktochart, a free infographic creating website.

marvel comics civil war infographic

Captain America: Civil War is an upcoming American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Captain America, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is intended to be the sequel to 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger and 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the thirteenth film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, with a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, and features an ensemble cast that includes Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, Tom Holland, Frank Grillo, William Hurt, and Daniel Brühl. In Captain America: Civil War, an act regulating superhuman activity fractures the Avengers into opposing factions, one led by Steve Rogers and another by Tony Stark.

T’Challa uses the Time Stone to save the world…(Secret Wars)

   
    
 

The Hulk can survive inside a fusion reactor. 

   
    
 

Stills from the Captain America Civil War trailer

Captain America: Civil War – Trailer World Premier

 

Holy S#!t!!!! This looks awesome!  Don’t blink or you’ll miss Black Panther!

What if? Crazy Questions from the 80’s!

From: What If? Vol. 1 #34 (1982)

What If... What If... What If... What If... What If... What If... What If... What If... What If... What If... What If...

Captain America uses the Infinity Gauntlet at the end of the world.

The Illuminati assembled after Black Panther discovered that another Earth was colliding with Earth-616. Reluctantly he called the Illuminati together to stop the collision. After long debate they decided that the only way to do so was to destroy the other Earth with the Infinity Gems, but had to find the Mind Gem that was in the possession of Charles Xavier before he died. Beast eventually recovered a memory implant put in his mind by Xavier, which asked him to take his place in the Illuminati, and where the gem was. As soon as Hank retrieved it, Namor, Black Bolt, and Captain America showed up and recruited him into their team.

Captain America uses the infinity guantlet
Captain America uses the infinity guantlet  Captain America uses the infinity guantlet
Captain America uses the infinity guantlet  Captain America uses the infinity guantlet
Captain America uses the infinity guantlet  Captain America uses the infinity guantlet
Captain America uses the infinity guantlet From New Avengers vol. 3  # 3

Prior to the events of Secret Wars:

The Illuminati assembled after Black Panther discovered that another Earth was colliding with Earth-616. Reluctantly he called the Illuminati together to stop the collision.  After long debate they decided that the only way to do so was to destroy the other Earth with the Infinity Gems, but had to find the Mind Gem that was in the possession of Charles Xavier before he died. Beast eventually recovered a memory implant put in his mind by Xavier, which asked him to take his place in the Illuminati, and where the gem was. As soon as Hank retrieved it, Namor, Black Bolt, and Captain America showed up and recruited him into their team.

They went to the location where the other Earth would hit and formed the Infinity Gauntlet, which got the attention of Uatu the Watcher, Galactus, and Thanos. The group decided Captain America should wield it. Cap fired the power at the other Earth, but something went wrong and caused all the Infinity Gems to shatter except the Time Gem, which suddenly vanished.

Black Bolt vs. Apocalypse 

Apocalypse is on a rampage in Wakanda. Black Panther calls in a favor to Blackagar Boltagon to help with the situation.

black bolt
Apocalypse is on a rampage in Wakanda. Black Panther calls in a favor to Blackagar Boltagon to help with the situation.

From: Black Panther #7

Black Panther: T’Challa avenges his father. 

Black Panther: T’Challa avenges his father. 

black panther vs. klaw

Black Panther posts:

  1. Where is Wakanda?
  2. Who is the Black Panther?
  3. Klaw kills King T’Chaka.
  4. T’Challa avenges his father.

Black Panther: Klaw kills King T’Chaka

   Continue reading “Black Panther: Klaw kills King T’Chaka”

Black Panther: Who is the Black Panther?

Who is the Black Panther? His name is T’Challa. Son of T’Chaka. The Black Panther is the ruler of Wakanda. It’s a spiritually based warrior cult. Sort of like being Pope, President and Head of Joint Chiefs of Staff all at once. The Panther’s title is a hereditary title, but you still have to earn it.

black panther explained   Continue reading “Black Panther: Who is the Black Panther?”

Black Panther: Where is Wakanda?

Wakanda is a fictional nation in the Marvel Universe. It is the most prominent of several fictional African nations in the Marvel Universe, and it is home to the superhero Black Panther. Wakanda is located in Northeastern Africa, although its exact location has varied throughout the nation’s publication history.

wakanda location #wakandaforever #blackpanther #wakanda  wakanda location wakanda location #wakandaforever #blackpanther #wakanda  wakanda location   black panther vs captain america wakanda location #wakandaforever #blackpanther #wakanda

Wakanda is a fictional nation in the Marvel Universe. It is the most prominent of several fictional African nations in the Marvel Universe, and it is home to the superhero Black Panther. Wakanda is located in Northeastern Africa, although its exact location has varied throughout the nation’s publication history: some sources place Wakanda in East Africa, just north of Tanzania, while others – such as Marvel Atlas #2 – show it bordering Lake Turkana, near Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia (and surrounded by fictional countries like Azania, Canaan and Narobia). Wakanda first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966), and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The name is evocative of the Wakamba tribe of Kenya.

wakanda locationThe Wakandan royal line began with Bashenga, an ancient Wakandan. Bashenga was supposedly the first king of unified Wakanda, and the first Black Panther some 10,000 years ago.

In the distant past, a massive meteorite comprised of the sound-absorbing mineral vibranium crashed in Wakanda, and was unearthed a generation before the events of the present-day.

Black Panther Posts:

  1. Where is Wakanda?
  2. Who is the Black Panther?
  3. Klaw kills King T’Chaka.
  4. T’Challa avenges his father.

Shuri “hires” The Avengers 

The new Black Panther needs to hire the Avengers to take on her arch-enemy, Klaw.

   Continue reading “Shuri “hires” The Avengers “

Ernie Hudson Rumored To Play Black Panther’s Father

Legion of Leia

Comicbook.com has published a rumor that Ghostbuster veteran Ernie Hudson could possibly be playing King T’Chaka, T’Challa’s father in the Marvel universe with a possible debut in Captain America: Civil War.

What we do know is that we will see ChadwickBoseman debut as Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War, with a stand alone Black Panther film coming in 2018.

According to Latino Review, Hudson has been seen hitting the gym and catching up on BlackPanther back issues.

It was previously rumored that DenzelWashington would take the role, however it is said that Washington is too expensive for a Marvel.

This news on Hudson is speculation at this point.  Hudson is currently playing King Poseidon on Once Upon a Time.

We will keep you updated on this as we attain more information.

Captain America: Civil War hit theaters on May 6, 2016.

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