The Fleeting Joy Of Finding USPS Spider-Man Packages

Thwippin' in the sunlight, thwippin' in the moonlight, having a wonderful time.

While grabbing some shipping material the other day, I was greeted by a variety I had never seen before: USPS Priority Flat-Rate boxes emblazoned with Spider-Man's beautiful visage. Given my lifelong love of the old Webhead, running into him unexpectedly is generally cause for celebration. I didn't go as far as breaking into dance, but the "I need to grab these, photograph them, and talk about them on the internet!" urge was definitely sparked. Here are just a few examples of the onslaught of pictures that ensued:

Variety 1, in all its slightly misshapen glory.

Greg Capullo's Batman #36 Cover Is Pure Nightmare Fuel

'Sup. I'm about to eat your soul.

I don't know about you, but I find the cover of the upcoming Batman #36 quite disturbing.

Naturally, illustrator Greg Capullo has a wealth of experience in the realm of the hellish and horrific given his many years of work on the Spawn franchise. When your story calls for casting one of the most heroic of all superheros in a creepy light, I can think of no one better to make that happen. Just look at those eyes, man. Yeesh.

Marvel vs. Capcom's Attack Names Would Be Pretty Weird In Comics

Can't we all just get along?

With Marvel vs. Capcom: Origins on sale for just over $3, it was clear that there was no better time to finally make the purchase. This compilation of the original Marvel vs. Capcom and Marvel Super Heroes is a wonderful journey through mid to late 1990s arcade nostalgia. Of course, the anime style attack names shouted by the characters throughout each match comprise one of the first quirks you're reacquainted with as you begin battling your way to either Thanos or Onslaught. Just as Street Fighter gameplay is riddled with cries of "Hadoken" and "Shoryuken," Capcom's Marvel based fighters assault your ears with the likes of "Berseker Barrage," "Charging Star," and "Spider Sting!"

Hearing all of this again made me imagine how bizarre (and cluttered) mid-battle dialogue would become if comic books followed the same convention. I took to Photoshop to see what it might look like. Behold:

I Want Rocket Raccoon and Groot Children's Books. Come At Me.

^_^

Legendary poster warlords Mondo released a handful of Guardians of the Galaxy prints for San Diego Comic Con 2014, and my favorite of the bunch is undoubtedly Mike Mitchell's "Tree Hugger" featuring Rocket Raccoon and Groot. While I'm sure there are comic fans that would cringe at the idea, this incredibly cute aesthetic makes me clamor for a series of slightly tongue-in-cheek children's books featuring all sorts of adventure and awesome bro moments.

Jeffrey Brown's Star Wars books (such as Darth Vader and Son) prove that you can take iconic characters initially meant for slightly older audiences and portray them in a friendlier context that can be enjoyed on different levels by both children and adults. I'd love to see Marvel join in on something similar. They have more than enough strong characters to work with, and I say Rocket Raccoon and Groot would be the perfect pair to help kick things off. Who's with me?!

Don't tell me I'm all alone here. Feel free to jump on my Twitter & Facebook profiles to discuss your feelings on the matter!

New Captain America and Thor FanArt Frenzy!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes!

Despite the recent nature of Marvel's major character shakeups (with Falcon replacing Steve Rogers as Captain America and an undetermined female character taking over the mantle of Thor), the announcements have already captured the imaginations of comic fans all over. It might not be on the level of the recent Batgirl fanart just yet, but plenty of artwork featuring the new Cap and Thor designs is beginning to pour in. That means it's FanArt Frenzy time!

This striking Thor piece is from DeviantArt user TheRedKid.

Ultron's Avengers: Age of Ultron Design Looks Solid

Yep, that's Ultron alright.

For the two of you that somehow missed it: Entertainment Weekly's upcoming issue is a San Diego Comic-Con Preview that features a striking Avengers: Age of Ultron cover, complete with our first official look at the film's Ultron design. You can check out the full cover image via EW's Twitter.

For me, this is another case of not expecting to see so much so soon, but I suppose it makes sense. SDCC 2014 is next week, and the movie itself is only 10 months away at this point. Where does the time go?

As far as reveals go, this feels like a big one. The cover manages to give the basic gist of the design, and I think it captures Ultron well. A big part of the character's comic history has been a constant string of upgrades, so landing on one defining look can be tricky. The following example doesn't even scratch the surface:

From Kurt Busiek and George Perez's Ultron Unlimited arc, as collected in Avengers Assemble Vol. 2

Magneto #7 Cover Has the Greatest "Come at Me Bro" Pose Ever

Welcome to die!

This is an excerpt of David Yardin's cover for the upcoming Magneto #7. It's an incredibly striking piece of art, but I couldn't help myself from subjecting it to the "Come at me, bro" meme:

Visions of Batman Dancing in My Head

:O

Of the many "Bad Batman Drawings" I produced last year for the blog/website project of the same name, this was one of my favorites. While going through files on my computer today, I rediscovered its original inspiration:

Star-Spangled Superhero FanArt Frenzy!

The United States' Independence Day has fallen upon us once again, and of course, I've been seeing Captain America this and Captain America that all day long. I like Cap just fine, but I haven't seen a single mention of any of the myriad of other superheroes that don the stars and stripes. It'd be great if there was a little more love going around for the rest. With that in mind, the latest edition of FanArt Frenzy was born:

Irene Flores of beanclam.tumblr.com brings us this incredibly striking image of America Chavez, the most recent character to don the "Miss America" name in Marvel Comics. Those unfamiliar with her should check out the 2013 Young Avengers series.

My Worries about the Batmobile in Arkham Knight are Gone (E3 2014)

My, what a friendly looking vehicle.

As far back as Arkham Asylum, one of the biggest fan requests has been a drivable Batmobile. I can certainly understand the desire; the Batmobile is one of the most iconic fictional vehicles out there. However, I never really missed it. Batman is plenty mobile on his own, and if I'm being honest, I actually felt a bit hesitant when I heard it would finally be included in the upcoming Arkham Knight.

While I trust that Rocksteady knows what they're doing with Batman after Asylum and City, I suppose I worried about this being a case of something being shoehorned in just because they felt they had to. After seeing the new Batmobile gameplay trailer from E3 2014 however, it looks like the famous vehicle has been incorporated quite nicely:

Twitter Reminds Me Of Oldschool Myspace in the Best Way

How could I possibly say no?

When Myspace was still huge back in 1812 (ooh, such original and scathing commentary!) my favorite aspect of it was not in listening to low quality music uploads or keeping up with anyone I actually knew. I had much more fun filling my friend list with endless parody accounts.

There were many wonderfully bored individuals spending their time creating entire Myspace profiles under the guise of characters like Batman, Leon Kennedy, and even freakin' David Lo Pan. It was actually pretty amusing. Even better? More and more began to send me friend requests over time. Aww, shucks. It was a blast while it lasted.

It's not something I ever thought I'd say, but Twitter is actually reminding of Myspace these days. Rest assured, if there's a character or personality you like, you'll often find someone essentially roleplaying as them for all to see. Let's check out a few of my recent finds!

Hero Buddies Batman Killed Me With Cuteness

Oh my goodness.

During my most recent trip to Target, I came across the wonderful Hero Buddies Batman, a 16 inch plush complete with several Kevin Conroy impersonator sound clips. When I first spotted him, I'm pretty sure cartoon hearts shot from my eyes. I'm sure it could be easily dismissed as "just another Batman toy," but it really won me over. Just look at him, so wonderfully chubby and reaching outward as if gesturing for a hug. I can't take it.

10 Weird Things From "Pryde of the X-Men"

Pryde of the X-Men's VHS release.

Many of us have fond memories of Fox Kids' X-Men cartoon from the early 1990s, but interestingly enough, that wasn't Marvel's first attempt at getting the beloved mutant superheroes onto the airwaves. In 1989, Marvel Productions (the studio behind shows like Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends, Muppet Babies, G.I. Joe, and Transformers) created a X-Men pilot known as Pryde of the X-Men.

While the show never made it past the first episode, it managed to inspire Konami's memorable beat 'em up arcade game and has remained a notable little piece of Marvel media history. It's quirky nature makes it well worth watching. Anyway, the proof is in the pudding; here are 10 weird things from Pryde of the X-Men!

X-Men FanArt Frenzy!

The strangest super-heroes of all!

Y'all need to hide your kids and hide your wife; it's time for the return of FanArt Frenzy! This installment features 10 X-Men sketches and scribblings to celebrate the impending box office reign of the new X-Men: Days of Future Past movie film. You came here for the art, so let's jump right in:

Even Without Edgar Wright, Ant-Man Might Be Worth Supporting

Ant-Man #47

The internet has been abuzz this evening over Edgar Wright's decision to step down from directing the upcoming live action Ant-Man. Wright (most famous for directing Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World's End) cited "creative differences" as the inspiration for his departure. I'm a massive fan of his work and he has made nothing but a great impression on me throughout his numerous commentaries, interviews, and other press appearances. When I heard he would be at the helm of Ant-Man, I was absolutely stoked. As you might expect, I was not alone.

DC Collectibles Batman: The Animated Series Figure Wishlist

So many choices.

I've been talking about the upcoming DC Collectibles Batman: The Animated Series and New Batman Adventures action figures left and right. I can't help it, they just look too freaking good! I've even considered shirking all responsibility just to Pre-Order them, and now I'm even imagining how the assortment might expand. To keep my expectations realistic, here's a small 5 character wishlist for future B:TAS and TNBA toys:

I Actually Miss Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Slap Happy Individuals Excitedly Learning Dance.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. got a fairly slow start that left a lot of people cold. The initial reactions were positive to mixed, with a bit more "meh" as the pilot's followup episodes rolled on. After such a warm reaction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies that preceded it, the show had a lot to live up to. However, it's a bit of a "backup story" by nature. It was never going to have the juiciest of juicy fan-pleasing Marvel spectacles, but some viewers might have expected a bit more. I've seen it put it this way: the show we got is less "marvel at Marvel" and more "NCIS: Marvel." I suppose it's understandable if people were a bit let down.

10 of the Best "Sad Batman" Meme Images

Don't be cry.

While the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Batsuit reveal inspired just as much fan discussion as you'd expect, it also gave us fuel for plenty of ridiculous Photoshop imagery. That is definitely something I can get behind! I've had quite a bit of fun seeing new versions of the "Sad Batman" meme pop-up with "Batfleck" center stage. Let's look through 10 of the best Sad Batman images, shall we?

"Batman V Superman" Batsuit Reveal Shows More Than I Expected

I'm Batman or whatever.

On May 12th, 2014, Zack Snyder (director of movie films such as 300, Watchmen, Man of Steel, etc) tweeted a picture showing the back end of the new Batmobile from the upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. As far as teasers go, it's what you'd expect. You could pretty much only make out some tires and the hint of a spoiler. However, the tweet ended with a promise to show more the next day. Surprisingly, what followed was actually a major reveal: the film's new Batsuit! Ooh. For the two of you who haven't seen it, behold:

Spider-Man FanArt Frenzy

Look out, here comes the Spider-Man!

Ohhhh snip snap, it's time for another edition of FanArt Frenzy! In case you didn't hear, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was unsurprisingly the top earning movie in North America on its opening weekend. Ever the opportunist, I figured now was as good a time as any to feature some fanart of the old webhead. While I mentioned being glad to showcase a character from DC Comics last week with Cyborg, I'm more than happy to make Spider-Man my third Marvel feature after Captain America and Moon Knight. Enough babble, let's go ahead and thwip our way into some Spidey art: