Marvel is pleased to present your first look at Chaos War #1, from the red hot creative team of writers Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente along with artist Khoi Pham! The Chaos King has amassed an army of alien slave gods to destroy reality! It’s up to Hercules, newly infused with Godpower, and the greatest Marvel heroes to defend all of existence. Can the Chaos King be stopped or will the Marvel Universe be decimated irrevocably? Find out in Chaos War #1!

CHAOS WAR #1 (AUG100581)
CHAOS WAR #1 McGUINNESS SKETCH VARIANT (AUG100582)
Written by GREG PAK & FRED VAN LENTE
Penciled by KHOI PHAM
Backup Story Penciled by REILLY BROWN
Cover by ED McGUINNESS
Sketch Variant by ED McGUINNESS
Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC – 9/16/10, On-Sale – 10/6/10

To find a comic shop near you, call 1-888-comicbook or visit www.comicshoplocator.com
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit www.marvel.com

It’s a brand new horror anthology book by some of the coolest creators in comics giving you that old school horror vibe with an modern edge. Every bone chilling story is “hosted” by Bela Lugosi himself. The first issue features a story starring  the master of horror as well as several others. Tell your local comic shop to order you a copy the deadline is August 27th! Give them this code “AUG101080”

Creators Steve Niles, Bruce Timm, Martin Powell, Neil Vokes, and list goes on and on.

Check out this link to see and learn more. http://monsterverse.com/

HINT 1: Last week I had about a 90 minute conversation on the phone with one Charlie Adlard.

Martin Powell is a brilliant writer with the ability to channel the essence of Pulp Heroes from Detectives to Jungle Lords to even the legendary Phantom himself. I had a chance to talk with the uber scribe about his recent project The Phantom Unmasked.

Get your hands on issue one in comic shops now, and issue two will be out very soon.

Z: Have you always been a fan of the Phantom?

POWELL: Pretty much so. I think I must have first encountered him when I was about five years old, or perhaps even younger. My older brothers were voracious comic book readers. They always had piles of comics all around the house, which was wonderful.

Comics certainly helped me to learn to read very early, and I was fascinated with colorful characters like Superman, Batman, and, of course, the Phantom. He is actually my favorite comic book adventure hero.

Z: What is your take on the character?

POWELL: Well, I’ve always seen Lee Falk’s Phantom as existing in our world. I know that he seemed very real to Falk, he said this many times over the years.

I tried to approach the Phantom with the same direction. I was determined, for example, that nothing should happen in my story that couldn’t have occurred in our reality. Yet at the same time I wanted to focus on the mythic aspects of the character, building upon his legend, and adding to his mysterious nature.

Also, I knew I wanted to write the modern incarnation of the Phantom, and to exploit as much of his legendary trappings as possible—Devil the wolf, the Skull Cave, the Mark of the Skull, etc.

The basic plot of THE PHANTOM UNMASKED came to me very quickly, and I rapidly wrote up the pitch within just a couple hours of being offered the assignment. I wasn’t aware of it at the time, but now I suspect that I might have been subconsciously preparing for this tale for years.

Z: So you have a pretty clear vision of who and what the Phantom should be?

POWELL: Very clear. Lee Falk’s original material is over-flowing with abundantly rich detail. He actually wrote the newspaper strip for more than 60 years–an incredible feat! The only creative snag in writing for the Phantom is that King Features, who own the property, can be a bit suspicious of new ideas. That’s perfectly understandable as they were protecting the authenticity of the character. However, I found them very reasonable and it was relatively easy to comply with their rules. For the writer ambitious enough to dig through Falk’s meticulously detailed wonderland of the Phantom, there’s still much story-wealth waiting to be tapped.

Z: So Moonstone is losing The Phantom to Dynamite Entertainment. Is that why this great story you have going is just two issues?

POWELL: Moonstone license with King Features is going to expire. Lots of other comic book companies have published the Phantom over the years, including Dell, Gold Key (with those great pulpy cover paintings, and where I discovered him), Charlton, DC, and next up will be Dynamite with Alex Ross’s “re-imagined” Phantom.

My initial concept for THE PHANTOM UNMASKED was to be a three-issue series, but when I started to actually construct my story outline I discovered that this particular mystery/adventure seemed to be much more effective in a more concise pace. I didn’t want to provide needless padding and I wanted every panel to count. I genuine feel this story plays much better in forty-four pages than it would have in sixty-six. Most comics story today, I feel, are much too long.

The Pantom Unmaksed #1 cover

Z: You certainly aren’t alone there. I remember when I was a kid, a story would be wrapped up in 1 to 3 issues. Now everything is a yearlong event. I think THE PHANTOM UNMASKED is the perfect length for that particular story. It hits all the right beats. That being said, I would have loved to see more.

POWELL: I appreciate that compliment very much. Thank you. This is one of my very favorite stories I’ve ever written. I feel so lucky that I got to write for the Phantom. I’d already contributed Phantom short stories for two of Moonstone’s prose anthologies, but getting the chance to write for the Ghost Who Walks in his original comics medium was incredibly satisfying.

Z: What are your favorite Phantom stories?

POWELL: The trailblazing comic strips of the 1930s, by Lee Falk and Ray Moore are my absolute favorites. They are sort of a mix of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Lester Dent–fabulous adventure stories, and Falk was very much inventing the comic book costumed hero at this point. Certainly the creators of Batman borrowed rather liberally from elements first developed in the Phantom, and others, as well.

I love the Avon paperback series, too, published in the 1970s. Those are great. Many of those novels were written by veteran adventure authors like Ron Goulart, and a couple were even written by Lee Falk himself.

I’m also a big fan of Jim Aparo and Don Newton’s respective series, and Mike Bullock’s long Phantom run for Moonstone which has not only been great fun, but was often very poignant, too . In fact, I believe Mike holds the current record for writing the most Phantom stories published in America, aside from Falk, of course. Something like seventy issues over the past six or seven years. That’s quite an accomplishment. It’ll be interesting to see if Dynamite’s upcoming re-boot lasts that long.

Z: Looks like my reading list just got a lot larger. So I have to mention how beautifully rendered the book is. How did Hannibal King, the artist on the book, get involved with the project?

POWELL: One of the coolest perks in writing for Moonstone is that they’ve often given me a choice for artists on my various projects. My editor, Joe Gentile, sent me a number of art samples from a half dozen artists, and they were all of professional quality, but when I saw Hannibal’s illustrations I knew this was the guy. His work had such a realistic and distinctive style, so vigorously dynamic, that I was confident he would depict a Phantom that the fans would never forget.

When I started receiving the actual illustrated pages of my script from him, I was genuinely stunned by their beauty, the clarity of story-telling, and their wealth of detail. As a writer who’s been around for quite a while, almost twenty-five years, I’ve become increasingly disturbed by many of the new comic book artists who refuse to attempt more than two or three panels per page. They seem to think comics are merely composed of a series of pin-ups, without attempting to add to the story-telling. With only twenty-two pages an issue, it’s almost impossible to tell a story with much depth in such an infinite space.

However, Hannibal was exactly the opposite and a joy to work with. I’d sometimes write a page with five panels, and he’d expand it into seven or eight—without losing any important detail—and improving my pacing and even adding more suspense. He’s amazing. Hannibal and I will be teaming up again on a very different project very soon. I’m very lucky to have found him.

Phantom Unmasked #2 pg1

Z: Yes, I noticed there were a high number of panels on a few pages, which is pretty amazing, because it fits. Nothing looks out of place or crammed into the frame. What is the basic premise of this particular Phantom story?

POWELL: Well, it’s modern mystery-adventure, with a bit of Hitchcockian suspense thrown in. The Phantom is pursued by a brilliant, and beautiful, icy blonde protagonist with a rather seedy past. Her name is Laughton Brice, one of my favorite original creations, a freelance investigator in the dubious employ of a dying billionaire, seeking proof of Life After Death.

Brice rapidly comes to realize that the Ghost Who Walks is no mere urban legend and she cleverly begins to close in on his secrets, which no one has done before. Her notorious billionaire benefactor also has a secret, vicious vendetta of his own.

It’s a very emotionally charged adventure, full of twists and turns, insidious betrayal, and the meaning of heroism. Ultimately, THE PHANTOM UNMASKED is about the mystery and power of myth, revenge, guilt, and retribution.

Z: I think my favorite panel in the entire story is when the villain’s face is fully revealed. What can you tell us about the billionaire Desmond Melchizedek?

POWELL: Old Desmond is one of my very favorite villains and, like Laughton Brice, is an original creation that I’ve added to the Phantom’s mythos. He’s the fifth richest man in the world, with an unscrupulous reputation, one hundred-four years old and is—finally—dying.

He’s very intelligent and ruthless, possessing a certain disarming charm. He’s a man who has everything, but he’s not a happy man, and probably has never been. Clearly, early in the story, we see that he is profoundly haunted by a secret deep in his past—which was a very long time ago. The memory still has teeth, though, and it is his major motivating force. It is the engine that drives him. I see Desmond Melchizedek as the embodiment of the “Loneliness of Evil”, as actor Sir Christopher Lee used to say, describing many of his villainous roles.

That revealing shot of Desmond, that you mentioned, was actually in my mind when I was first planning the story. Every scene preceding it really leads to that big moment. Without it, there really wouldn’t be a story at all.

Z: I hear you have some exciting things you are working on with some exciting artists. Can you talk about any projects you have in the works?

POWELL: I’m really lucky; it’s been a very busy time. First off, I should mention than my graphic novel THE SEVEN VOYAGES OF SINBAD was just published by Stone Arch Books. It was a sort of dream-project, certainly inspired by my childhood love of the fantastic films of Ray Harryhausen, although my version is much closer to the original Arabian Nights source material. The fully painted art by Daniel Perez makes this one of the most beautiful books I’ve written so far. It’s looks spectacular.

Of course, I’m busily writing THE SPIDER, both comics and prose, for Moonstone, with interior art by the legendary Pablo Marcos, and magnificently malevolent painted covers by Dan Brereton. Also, I’m working on KI-GOR THE JUNGLE LORD, drawn by my pal Tom Floyd, for Moonstone’s big RETURN OF THE ORIGINALS pulp hero revival coming this Fall. There’s a semi-secret, and very fun, enormous pulp hero cross-over I’m writing, too, with exciting art by Oscar Yañez, that will unite nine of Moonstone’s most popular pulp heroes. Sort of a pulp version of the Justice League. My take on WW2’s BLACK ANGEL will also be returning in the AIRFIGHTERS comic anthology very soon.

In addition to all that, I have a couple properties I’ve created myself that are slowly coming into realization, with the first one being published, I hope, around Halloween. I’m not ready to say more about those yet, though.

Then, of course, there’s the horror story that my friend Terry Beatty and I recently contributed for Monsterverse’s debut comic book anthology, BELA LUGOSI’s TALES FROM THE GRAVE.

Fantastic! I can’t wait to see what you do next. Thank you for your time.

Marvel is proud to announce Uncanny X-Force Day and wants to celebrate with YOU, the fans, on Wednesday, October 6th! After Cyclops disbands Wolverine’s black-ops group, Logan assembles a brand new team to face a deadly new threat, courtesy of fan favorite creators Rick Remender and Jerome Opena! Mark your calendars and be the first person on your block to score great Uncanny X-Force Day commemorative items like an exclusive Uncanny X-Force print featuring the team’s first appearance in the hit series Second Coming, exclusive variants, mini-posters and more! Plus, fans can’t miss the chance to add their own heroes to the Uncanny X-Force lineup by sketching on the Uncanny X-Force #1 Blank Variant!

Plus, Marvel would like to thank participating retailers with a special advance screening edition of Uncanny X-Force #1 Premiere Variant! This limited-edition comic, won’t be made available to the general public or retailers not participating in this exciting event!

Retailers, check the Marvel Mailer for information about how to acquire festive party invitations, and all the other special edition party favors and be sure to sign up by 9/9. Additionally, the Marvel Retailer Resource Center and Diamond Retailer Site will feature special marketing items—such as customizable press releases, shelf talkers, cake toppers and flyers—exclusive to Uncanny X-Force Day.

On October 6th, the get ready for an all-new, all-deadly Uncanny X-Force!

UNCANNY X-FORCE #1 (AUG100524)
UNCANNY X-FORCE #1 BLANK VARIANT (AUG100525)
UNCANNY X-FORCE #1 DJURDJEVIC VARIANT (AUG100526)
UNCANNY X-FORCE #1 CRAIN VARIANT (AUG100527)
UNCANNY X-FORCE #1 LIEFELD VARIANT (AUG100528)
UNCANNY X-FORCE #1 CAMPBELL VARIANT (JUL108025)

Written by RICK REMENDER
Pencils by JEROME OPEÑA
Cover by ESAD RIBIC
Blank Cover also available
Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Variant Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
Variant Cover by ROB LIEFELD
Variant Cover by J. SCOTT CAMPBELL

Explicit Content …$3.99
FOC – 9/16/10, On Sale – 10/6/10

UNCANNY X-FORCE #1 LAND LTD ED PRINT (JUL108099)

Print by GREG LAND
FOC – 9/9/10, On Sale 10/6/10

To find a comic shop near you, call 1-888-comicbook or visit www.comicshoplocator.com

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit www.marvel.com.

- Molly Enright

So, take it from someone who is often disappointed going to movies because they are predictable, too long, too short, or just plain boring… This movie is a MUST see. Go see it twice to make up for missing it opening weekend.

Single guy movie ~ check

Single gal movie ~ check

Date movie ~ check

High brow humor ~ check

Low brow humor ~ negligible

Amazing SFX ~ check

Amazing Soundtrack ~ check ~ We are Sex BOB-OMB! <– THANKS BECK FOR A BRILLIANT JOB WITH THIS, TOO!