Amidst a general sense of post-gym stank and a pile of funny books among my computer desk rubble, I bring to thee this week’s edition of Variant Covers. This week is a welcome respite to my wallet-rapery, the line looking a little thin, but I welcome it. After knuckling down and crushing most of my backlog since you’ve last been corrupted by my interwebs babbling, I’m finally caught up on the various titles I read. As always, these are the comics that caught my eyes, and as us fanboys are bound by various eccentricities and allegiances, I suspect your pull-list may be vastly different. I welcome it, and hope you drop your comic purchases in the comment box.

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Thor: The Mighty Avenger #3
Roger Langridge and Christopher Samnee are putting together something special on this rather unassuming title. I caught wind of it a couple of months ago, and was finally able to put the first two issues in my grimy paws last week. It’s legit, yo. As Marvel is understandably ramping up the amount of Thor titles on the market in lieu of his movie droppin’ next year, it’s awesome to see they’re filling these titles with writers and artists that are talented as funk.

Langridge is telling the origin story of our Strapping Young Lad of Thunder with an elegant simplicity. You walk through the still-new realm of Midgard with Thor, as he comes to grips with the notion that he has been banished by Poppa Odin. And god dammit, the way it is told is simply fun. Not enough comics can just grab you and take you on (what is thus far) a light-hearted romp. I don’t want to call it a simple tale, since it is written in a way that can convey some really deep mythology and strife in a way that’s accessible and enjoyable like woah. We have enough angst and existential brooding in our comics, and fuck if i don’t enjoy it. But this comic is a nice reprieve from the rain that drizzles on so many comic book characters’ miserable existences.

Not to be forgotten are Samnee’s pencils which echo the simple attractiveness of the plot. I haven’t been aquainted with Samnee before, but I’ve already fallen in love with his crisp, cartoony drawings, and his clean use of panels.

Langridge and Samnee are telling an extremely enjoyable tale with a clarity in plot and visuals that is far too exceptional in the shit I read.

Dig on it.

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James Stokoe is the internet hotness today, and with good reason. The artist and writer behind Orc Stain as well as Wonton Soup apparently was working on this son of a bitch as a warm-up exercise every day.

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Another week, another edition of Variant Covers. The weekly column dedicated to fawning over Wednesday’s new comic book releases. As an over-educated but under-developed fanboy, most titles I mention are of the superhero assortment. This results in me griping about the lack of character development in financially charged titles, while still giggling at laser beams, and staring at spandex-covered asses. Paradox! Let’s dance.

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S.H.I.E.L.D. #3
If you’re not reading SHIELD (I’m absconding from using the acronym every time, sorry), I don’t blame you. Outside of the buzz carried through the various comic book websites, it’s rather unassuming. Walking across it at the shop, you may not be lured by the gorgeous artwork. I mean, funny books ain’t cheap no more, and curiosity often meets short ends at the hands of a tight wallet.

So I’m beseeching you, read this comic book. If you haven’t yet, snag the first two issues, and pick this up tomorrow. Jonathan Hickman’s SHIELD ain’t Nick Fury and a helicarrier. It’s Leonardo Da Vinci, and an immortal city underneath Rome. It ain’t covert ops and espionage, it’s Galileo versus Galactus. From what the reader has been told throughout the first couple of issues, the premise is that SHIELD has been a centuries-old secret society fashioned to further the Human Machine. Unfortunately, as all good things, it has been spurned by the handiwork of some legit d-bags. Alas. Fuckers.

Thankfully, a resurrected Leonardo Da Vinci has returned to set shit straight. Yeah man, that Da Vinci.

It’s a surreal trek through time, space, and philosophy. Not content just blending the worlds of history and funny book, Hickman has continually pressed the issue on the power of ideas in shaping human history. SHIELD ascends being a literal shield, and instead becomes symbolic of humankind’s pursuit of the Heavens. Not only that, but the battle over definition extends to the very concept of definitions – if Da Vinci claims destiny means one thing and the Legions of Old Assholes claim otherwise, the battle seems to rage on not just an ideological battle, but also a physical one as well.

In other words, they be spittin’ both thoughts and spears at one another.

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There’s been talk for a while that Robert Rodriguez may be the dude to direct the Deadpool movie. And in the last day or so it seems to be more and more likely we could get this shit in our welcoming nerd mouths. Surely you jest! Naw son, it’s really happening. Apparently at this point Fox and Rodriguez are in active negotiations. I say? Give this dude what he fucking wants.

Deadpool is, at his best, an absolutely ridiculous, ultra-violent chap. Rodriguez, at his best, brings movies of absolutely ridiculous ultra-violence. In a perfect world this shit is a hard R, and we can see some gruesome hysteria. But now I’m gettin’ greedy. Seriously though, the fucked up mind behind Machete, Planet Terror, and the adaptation of Sin City? Win, win, win!

What do you guys think? Hit the comments box, let’s chat.

As I’ve mentioned probably too many times by now, Matt Fraction and Pasqual Ferry are taking over the Thor mothership this Fall on the titular comic. And I reckon there ain’t nobody round these parts that is as excited about it as I am. In fact, should they sell out of the issue before I get to the comic book store that week, there will be left only cinders and perhaps the Lara Croft stand-up where once laid a peddler of graphic novels and cheesy t-shirts.

In an effort to send me into absolute glee, Marvel has dropped some preview pages from Thor #615, which I found over at Comics Alliance. Hit the jump to check out the gorgeous artwork, and contemplate how far away September seems.

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I turn my god damn back on the internet for like nine hours and this slithers out while I sleep. And play video games. And not shower. Well, here it is: the Thor trailer from this SDCC last week has hit the nettwebz. Replete with Asgardian Thunder, Jacked Shirtless dudes, Righteous Pontificating, and Pretty Cool Action, I am officially stoked.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer. It’s gud. Gud like yummy gummy bears and caffeinated beverages.

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Source: Boing Boing

Shazam! And a thousand nerds orgasmed simultaneously across the internets. Behold them all! Including Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk. Boom.

io9:

It was a great way to end an exciting day at Comic-Con: The full cast of Avengers, on stage, with newly-anointed director Joss Whedon. So who is in this picture?

The full roll call (via Cinematical):

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury
Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark
Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson
Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow
Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Chris Evans as Captain America
Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye
Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Incredible Hulk

Robert Downey Jr. invited director Joss Whedon to the stage, saying, “We knew we had to find a director you’d love.” And being his usual self-depreciating self, Whedon said:

I have had a dream all my life and it was not this good . . . This cast is more than I could have ever hoped for. And I am going to blow it. So I need your love; I need your support.

When the crowd went nuts, he said, “Oh thank you.”

I’m beyond excited for this shit.

I love me some Thor. Who the fuck doesn’t? Sexy jacked dude with a giant (phallus) hammer named Mjolnir. I also love me some Jonathan Hickman. Hickman, who is currently making the Fantastic Four both cool and brilliant, and whose S.H.I.L.E.D somehow features Galactus, a resurrected Leonardo Da Vinci, and insight into the power of ideas in sculpting humankind, is fucking brilliant.

This October? We’re getting Jonathan Hickman writing Ultimate Thor. Fuck to the yes.

Comics Alliance:

“It’s patented Hickman madness,” said editor Mark Paniccia. “Nazis. Frost giants. World World II planes crashing into Asgard. It’s going to be amazing.”

A Thor arc involving Nazis and fucking frost giants? We’re not worthy, but god dammit I’ll take it.

Hit the jump for some sexy concept art.

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Thor is bringing Nordic Thunder to Marvel Vs Capcom 3, and Amaterasu from Okami is rollin’ up with him. It makes smart fuggin’ sense for Marvel. With the Thor movie dropping next year, they’ve upped his comic book titles to something like as seventyjillionteen. A video game presence is only going to help. And as far as Amaterasu? Gotta put in some genital-scrubbin’ cult favorites.

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I dig. Hit the jump for their character artwork.

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