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Have you ever wondered what America’s sweetheart Marilyn Monroe might have looked like when she was cranky and hungry? Well, maybe not pretty. But who knew a hangry Monroe would transition into the legendary actor Willem Dafoe?

Willem Dafoe in Snickers ad | image: YouTube

A digital Snickers billboard set up on a street in New York City showed the famous scene from the 1955 film Seven Year Itch with Marilyn Monroe standing over a blowing subway grate in a white dress. But upon closer inspection, the actress suddenly looked very different.

Well, it was apparently Willem Dafoe wearing the white dress and recreating the scene for Snickers’ clever new ad for Super Bowl 50.

Willem Dafoe Appeared as Hungry Marilyn Monroe in Snickers’ Super Bowl 50 Ad

Back in 2016, in a bold move, Snickers put a hilarious twist on a beloved classic by imagining the legendary Willem Dafoe as a hangry Marilyn Monroe.

Marvel Studios next “Doctor Strange" sequel may include 'Jericho Drumm', aka ‘Brother Voodoo’/'Doctor Voodoo', who will spin off into his own Disney+ live-action TV series:

"... debuting in Marvel's "Strange Tales #169 (1973), created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Len Wein and illustrator John Romita Sr., 'Jericho Drumm' returned to his native Port-au-Prince, Haiti, after 12 years of education and practice as an accredited psychologist in the US, where he discovers his twin brother, 'Daniel Drumm', the local 'houngan', is dying, a victim of a voodoo sorcerer who claims to be possessed by the spirit of the serpent-god 'Damballah'.

"Just before he dies, Daniel makes his brother vow to visit Daniel's mentor, 'Papa Jambo'. Jericho does, and becomes Jambo's student. After studying under the aged houngan for several weeks, Jericho gains a greater mastery of voodoo practices than his own brother, becoming a houngan in his own right.

The first episode of Marvel’s Agatha All Along starts from an unexpected place. Picking up her broom and flying into another freewheelin’ genre parody that made WandaVision an early delight, Agatha navigates an episode of Mindhunter as creator-director Jac Schaeffer wades into a genre Marvel has successfully dipped its toe in before: horror.

If you think “Stone Cold” Steve Austin is the greatest wrestler ever, gimme a “Hell Yeah!” Or maybe you’d rather smell what The Rock is cookin’ or love seeing Hulkamania run wild. But let’s face it: was there really anyone who worked the ring and the mic better the stylin’, profilin’, limousine-ridin’, jet-flying, kiss-stealin’, wheelin’-n-dealin’ son of a gun that is Ric Flair? According to Sports Illustrated, yes, there are a lot that were better.

Sports Illustrated recently released their list of the 20 Greatest WWE Wrestlers Of All Time, and while there are some strong choices overall, they made a huge mistake in omitting “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair. For reference, Stone Cold Steve Austin took the top spot, while Hulk Hogan, The Rock, John Cena, Roman Reigns cracked the top five. The Undertaker, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, and Bruno Sammartino – who held the WWF...

Sony Pictures have brought the unlikely duo of Eddie Brock and Venom back for one more ride. Venom: The Last Dance reunites the pair for a mission of escape, as they attempt to outrun all of the threats that are on their trail. That includes the FBI, who are still after them due to the events of 2021's Venom: Let There Be Carnage. But the biggest threat comes in the form of these new monstrous creatures from Venom's home world that seek to capture the symbiote. And at the heart of that new threat is the evil, prolific Marvel Comics villain known as Knull.

The Sony Marvel movie employs all of the elements that the Venom franchise is known for and it's sure to entertain the movie's devoted fanbase. It also features another two returnees to the franchise as Stephen Graham returns as Detective Patrick Mulligan, while Peggy Lu also features as Mrs.

Wolverine is one of the most popular Marvel characters and one of the most popular mutants. His origin story and powers are well known and it’s quite clear that he exhibits some animalistic traits which obviously translated to his name, overall look, and skillset.

While his status as a mutant these days is uncontested, it wasn’t always so as originally Wolverine was supposed to be something entirely different.

Originally, Wolverine was not intended to be a mutant. When he first appeared in ‘Incredible Hulk’ #181 (1974), co-created by Len Wein, Roy Thomas, and John Romita Sr., he was introduced as a character without a defined mutant identity.

In this debut issue, the Canadian government referred to him as “Weapon X,” which was merely a codename for him at the time.

When Wein was tasked with creating a new international team of X-Men, he brought Wolverine into the fold. However, after...

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Vigilante is a South Korean action crime thriller drama series created by Moon Yoo-seok. Based on the Naver webtoon of the same name by Kim Gyu-sam, the Disney+ series follows Kim Ji-yong, a student at the police academy whose mother was killed by a criminal in his childhood. Now he secretly goes out at night as a vigilante to kill criminals. Vigilante stars Nam Joo-hyuk, Yoo Ji-tae, Lee Joon-hyuk, and Kim So-jin. So, if you loved the bloody action, intensely thrilling story, and compelling characters in Vigilante here are some similar shows you should check out next.

The Killing Vote (Prime Video) Credit – Sbs

The Killing Vote is a South Korean legal crime drama series directed by Park Shin-woo from a screenplay by Jo Yoon-young. Based on Kakao Webtoon National Death Penalty Vote by Uhm Se-yoon and Jung Yi-pum,...

Kelly Marcel and Tom Hardy are fitting dance partners for Eddie Brock and Venom’s final go-round in Venom: The Last Dance. The longtime screenwriter turned director has been friends with Hardy since the early 2000s, as they both worked across the street from one another in Southwest London. Marcel was employed at a video rental store, and after hitting it off one day, she soon started writing scenes for Hardy’s theater company that was run out of the first floor of Battersea’s The Latchmere pub. Eventually, Hardy brought Marcel in to do uncredited rewrites on Nicolas Winding Refn’s Bronson (2008), something she’d again do years later on George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).

In the intervening years, she launched her career by selling Terra Nova to Amblin and Fox. It would go on to become TV’s most expensive series at the time, and despite creating the concept,...

Stan Lee’s “The Excelsiors” is set to be developed for TV and film by Kartoon Studios, the studio announced Monday. The company, also the controlling partner of Stan Lee Universe, plans to launch the project with a graphic novel published by indie comic publishing label Legible Comics.

The project is being produced by “Batman” film series executive producer Michael Uslan, on board with the DC franchise since bringing the 1989 film to the big screen.

The studio describes the project as “one of the largest initial superhero ensemble creations by the legendary Stan Lee,” featuring a 10-superhero team working for near future corporation “Amaz-Ing Tech LLC.” The team’s name is inspired by Lee’s famed “excelsior” catchphrase. The story is set in a world with global corporations running the world rather than governments (perhaps not too unlike what some see as happening in our own world).

“Stan always told...

Take a look at leaked footage plus set images from Marvel Television’s new live-action "Daredevil: Born Again" TV series, renewed for Season 2 before the debut of Season 1, featuring blind lawyer 'Matt Murdock’ (Charlie Cox) and his crimefighting alter ego, the red-suited vigilante ‘'Daredevil', streaming March 4. 2025 on Disney+:

"...'Daredevil: Born Again' is a 'Season1'.

“It is not 'Season 4', so it is a whole new thing”,

…star Cox said referring to the three seasons he played the character in the previous Marvel/Netflix series.

"And I don't know where it's going, I don't know how much (story) involvement I'm going to have…

“… I don't know what it's leading to, but it feels like we're born again.

"And so I feel like I'm getting a second chance at the dream job…”

"Daredevil" was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and illustrators Bill Everett and Jack Kirby…...

Sneak Peek an international trailer supporting Columbia Pictures/Marvel Studios live-action R-rated, superhero crime thriller "Kraven The Hunter”, directed by J.C. Chandor, releasing December 13, 2024 in theaters:

'Sergei Kravinoff', aka 'Kraven The Hunter"…

…debuted in Marvel Comics' "The Amazing Spider-Man" #15 (August 1964)…

….followed by subsequent appearances throughout the years …

… created by writer Stan Lee and illustrator/co-plotter Steve Ditko.

"...born to Russian aristocrats…

‘“…and an abusive father (Russell Crowe)…

“… 'Sergei Kravinoff ' survives…

“…to become a maniacal big game hunter in Africa.

"Then his reflexes and physical powers were enhanced…

“…and he became …

“‘Kraven the Hunter'..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Real-life comic book magnate Stan Lee, much like fictional newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane, is a jigsaw puzzle who was many things to many different people, depending on the piece of the puzzle they had. For non-comic book reading folks, he was that funny old guy who kept popping up in Marvel movies and had, apparently, even written a few comics himself. For comic aficionados, on the other hand, he was an undeniably important figure in the history of the medium, but also one who had excelled at mythologizing his personal contributions to Marvel Comics at the expense of others.

Lee was certainly an expert in the art of building an individual brand, which, in that respect, makes Kevin Smith his heir apparent. In point of fact, the filmmaker, actor, comic book writer, podcaster, and surprise transmasculine style icon is a lot like Lee in that he's arguably as famous...

When it comes to street-level heroes in the Marvel universe, few come close to Spider-Man. Moreover, his accomplishments aren’t just confined to being the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, as his recent adventures have taken him across universes and dimensions.

We Live in Time | Credit: A24

But despite his abilities, Florence Pugh believes her MCU counterpart can take down the webhead. Although The Amazing Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield didn’t exactly see eye to eye with Pugh’s assessment, in the comics, the webhead did once yield to Yelena’s sister.

Black Widow Did Once Get the Best of Spider-Man Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow | Credit: Marvel Studios

During an interview with LADbible TV, Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh engaged in a friendly banter over who’d win a potential fight between Yelena and Spider-Man. While Pugh claimed that Yelena could get the upper hand in a fight with Spider-Man, given Peter’s kindness,...

Take a look at more footage from the new Columbia Pictures/Marvel Studios live-action superhero crime thriller "Kraven The Hunter”, directed by J.C. Chandor, releasing December 13, 2024 in theaters:

'Sergei Kravinoff', aka 'Kraven The Hunter"…

…debuted in Marvel Comics' "The Amazing Spider-Man" #15 (August 1964)…

….followed by subsequent appearances throughout the years …

… created by writer Stan Lee and illustrator/co-plotter Steve Ditko.

"...born to Russian aristocrats…

‘“…and an abusive father (Russell Crowe)…

“… 'Sergei Kravinoff ' survives…

“…to become a maniacal big game hunter in Africa.

"Then his reflexes and physical powers were enhanced…

“…and he became …

“‘Kraven the Hunter'..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Welcome to the latest instalment of our Dissected feature here on Nerdly, where one of our comic gurus, Ian Wells, delves into comics history and looks back at Comics Interview, the long-running journal of interviews and criticism from David Anthony Kraft (Dak).

Hembeck Out! Shooter In!

Dak’s Up Front column leads directly into the Spotlight article. Originally Fred Hembeck had been slated to talk about his project ‘Fred Hembeck Destroys The Marvel Universe.’ He has however been replaced with a look at Marvel’s Secret Wars. Dak goes as far as to call this Ci’s most up-to-the-minute interview. Mike Zeck’s cover of the issue would back this claim up. Zeck is an artist of high standards, and I am myself sampling as I track down for the issues of Master of Kung Fu. The cover to this feels rushed and the fact inks and colours are credited...

"A Song of Ice and Fire" author George R. R. Martin is most often compared to Middle-earth creator J. R. R. Tolkien, and he accepts the comparison. A lifetime fan of "The Lord of the Rings," Martin has often repeated some specific writing lessons the story taught him. Gandalf's death by Balrog made him realize readers should fear for characters' lives and the way to make them do so is with an unexpected death or two. Thus, Martin admittedly isn't a fan of the resurrected Gandalf the White. (Lady Stoneheart who?) The Scouring of the Shire, when the Hobbits find their home invaded by orcs after their main quest is over, similarly taught Martin that life — and evil — still go on after fairy tale happy endings.

Reducing Martin to just "The American Tolkien" is off-base though. His writing pulls from many other influences, from Shakespeare to Jack Vance to...

Marvel Studios' WandaVision was a triumph in every way imaginable. The first ever Disney Plus show set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it launched Phase Four on a high, earning the franchise critical acclaim, fan adoration, and its first ever Emmy nominations (and wins!). It was thrilling, spectacular, and full of surprises along the way - surprises that just never stopped coming, and kept us guessing the whole way throughout.

Yes, WandaVision was full of Easter Eggs, nods, and references - both to events that took place within the MCU, and to wider television in general. There were nods to I Love Lucy, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, and more, all while making subtle hints and references to iconic aspects of the MCU and the wider Marvel Universe (including the Quicksilver red herring).

However, there is one Easter Egg so buried within the subtleties of the show that you might be forgiven for missing it.

If you're even a little bit familiar with "The Big Bang Theory," you know that it's always been sold as a "show about nerds" — so it makes sense that it featured a whole bunch of actors who also appeared in the "Star Trek" franchise.

Chuck Lorre's hit sitcom, which ran for 12 seasons and stars Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Kaley Cuoco, Melissa Rauch, and Mayim Bialik — who play Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter, Howard Wolowitz, Raj Koothrappali, Penny Hofstadter, Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz, and Amy Farrah Fowler, respectively — featured many, many cameos from pop culture icons, including the late James Earl Jones, Stephen Hawking, and even Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee. Throughout those 12 seasons, a lot of "Star Trek" veterans also showed up in cameo roles. So, who were they, and what did these "Star Trek" actors do during their appearances on "The Big Bang Theory?"

Read more: The...

As we’ve discussed in several of our articles, Robert Downey Jr.’s confirmed return to the MCU has reignited excitement for the franchise’s future. Fans are eager to see how the stories, characters, and movies will evolve.

With the MCU diving deep into the multiverse, it’s unclear how Marvel plans to tie everything together and maintain a compelling narrative, but the anticipation is undeniable.

We do know Downey is set to play Doctor Doom, the main villain in the next two Avengers movies, though many other details remain under wraps. Of course, that’s where rumors come into play.

According to a recent rumor from Twitter user MyTimeToShineHello, who is known for sharing leaks and speculation, a popular yet divisive character from ‘Loki’ is set to appear in both upcoming ‘Avengers’ films. Fans believe this could lead to an intriguing team-up in the future.

As mentioned earlier,...

As we’ve already noted in several of our articles, with Robert Downey Jr.’s confirmed return to the MCU, the franchise’s future is now exciting once more. The fans are eager to see what will happen to these stories, characters, and movies in the future.

Although it is unclear how Marvel will connect all the dots now that the MCU has taken a significant multiverse turn and whether they will be able to create an engaging story, the fans are undoubtedly anticipating it.

We know that Downey is going to portray Doctor Doom, who is going to be the main villain of the two upcoming Avengers movies, but it remains to be seen how the story will be handled as other details are scarce. But, that is why we have rumors, isn’t it?

A recent rumor by Twitter user MyTimeToShineHello, known for publishing rumors and personal opinions,...

The new Columbia Pictures/Marvel Studios live-action superhero crime thriller "Kraven The Hunter”, directed by J.C. Chandor, releases December 13, 2024 in theaters:

'Sergei Kravinoff', aka 'Kraven The Hunter"…

…debuted in Marvel Comics' "The Amazing Spider-Man" #15 (August 1964)…

….followed by subsequent appearances throughout the years …

… created by writer Stan Lee and illustrator/co-plotter Steve Ditko.

"...born to Russian aristocrats…

‘“…and an abusive father (Russell Crowe)…

“… 'Sergei Kravinoff ' survives…

“…to become a maniacal big game hunter in Africa.

"Then his reflexes and physical powers were enhanced…

“…and he became …

“‘Kraven the Hunter'..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Lakota Nation vs. United States was named best documentary on night two of the 2024 News & Documentary Emmy Awards.

The film counts Mark Ruffalo and Marisa Tomei among its executive producers. It was directed by Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli and produced by Benjamin Hedin and Phil Pinto, with all four serving as writers.

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences handed out the awards, which were presented at the Palladium Times Square in New York City, on Thursday night. W. Kamau Bell hosted the ceremony.

Also during the ceremony, documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented by fellow documentarian Sheila Nevins. 

The News & Documentary Emmys are handed out at two individual ceremonies: Categories honoring TV news programming were presented Wednesday, while awards in the documentary categories were presented Thursday. On night one, CNN, ABC and National Geographic were among the top winners.

AMC+’s “Lakota Nation vs. the United States,” executive produced by Mark Ruffalo, won Best Documentary on the second and final night of the 45th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards, which took place Thursday at the Palladium Times Square in New York City and focused on the documentary categories. “ABC World News Tonight With David Muir,” CNN’s “The Whole Story With Anderson Cooper” and Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda were among the winners in the news categories, which were the focus during Wednesday’s ceremony.

During the event, which was hosted by W. Kamau Bell, “Lakota Nation vs. the United States,” which details the 1876 seizure of Black Hills and the indigenous Lakota people’s fight to reclaim the land, and Netflix’s “World War II: From the Front Lines,” narrated by John Boyega, each took home two trophies apiece. All other docs won one.

Netflix was the top winner among...

Marvel had a rough year in 2023. Many of its properties underperformed, and they lost their big villain due to Jonathan Majors being fired. Looking forward to their upcoming slate, comic fans have been excited about some of the studio’s projects over the next few years. Will these films help Marvel regain control? The upcoming Thunderbolts film has been one that fanboys have been hoping to see since the MCU started. With some recent news about the property coming up, it seems like the right time to break down what we know about the production.

Who Are The Thunderbolts?

The team first appeared in Marvel Comics in 1997 in an issue of The Incredible Hulk. They seemed to be a new group of superheroes that had arrived on the scene and gained acclaim very quickly. The reader was informed that the group was actually a group of supervillains led by Baron Zemo.

Al Ewing's "Immortal Thor" is one of Marvel Comics' best ongoing series. A spiritual sequel to Ewing's earlier "Immortal Hulk," the book has a satirical bent; this Thor will even swing his hammer at Marvel's own worst habits.

The upcoming 16th issue looks to reintroduce one of Thor's oldest villains: Radioactive Man. Not the comic book hero from "The Simpsons," but Chen Lu, whose skin glows green. Debuting in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's "Journey into Mystery" #93, Lu was a Chinese scientist who incrementally exposed himself to radiation. Instead of poisoning him, however, the experiment gave him the ability to absorb, emit, and manipulate forms of radiation.

Radioactive Man combines two repeating motifs of early Marvel superhero comics: radioactivity as the key to gaining superpowers and communist villains. Marvel's superheroes are products of the Cold War and, according to Stan Lee, even the Norse Gods would be...

The new Columbia Pictures/Marvel Studios live-action superhero crime thriller "Kraven The Hunter”, directed by J.C. Chandor, releases December 13, 2024 in theaters:

'Sergei Kravinoff', aka 'Kraven The Hunter"…

…debuted in Marvel Comics' "The Amazing Spider-Man" #15 (August 1964)…

….followed by subsequent appearances throughout the years …

… created by writer Stan Lee and illustrator/co-plotter Steve Ditko.

"...born to Russian aristocrats…

‘“…and an abusive father (Russell Crowe)…

“… 'Sergei Kravinoff ' survives…

“…to become a maniacal big game hunter in Africa.

"Then his reflexes and physical powers were enhanced…

“…and he became ‘Kraven the Hunter'..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Thanks to the billion dollar success of the restricted feature “Deadpool & Wolverine”, the new Columbia Pictures/Marvel Studios live-action superhero crime thriller "Kraven The Hunter”, directed by J.C. Chandor, has also been slapped with a now coveted ‘R-rating’ for “…strong bloody violence and language…”, releasing December 13, 2024 in theaters:

'Sergei Kravinoff', aka 'Kraven The Hunter"…

…debuted in Marvel Comics' "The Amazing Spider-Man" #15 (August 1964)…

….followed by subsequent appearances throughout the years …

… created by writer Stan Lee and illustrator/co-plotter Steve Ditko.

"...born to Russian aristocrats…

‘“…and an abusive father (Russell Crowe)…

“… 'Sergei Kravinoff ' survives…

“…to become a maniacal big game hunter in Africa.

"Then after being infected by animal blood…

“…his reflexes and physical powers were enhanced…

“…and he became ‘Kraven the Hunter'..."

Click the images to enlarge...

With Deadpool & Wolverine clawing away at box office records and X-men ‘97 gaining huge streaming numbers, Awfully Good Movies is heading back in time with the Tva to discuss 20th Century Fox’s fourth and final X-Men prequel before their MCU merger… Dark Phoenix! (Or as it was retitled on home video… X-men: Dark Phoenix!)

That title change was just one of many problems that Fox had before and after filming the last of its mutant saga, with Bryan Singer getting #MeToo-ed out of the director’s chair and longtime franchise writer/producer Simon Kinberg taking his place to have another go at adapting Chris Claremont’s “Dark Phoenix” Saga, after his disappointment at poorly adapting it for Brett Ratner’s infamously disappointing X-Men: The Last Stand. But with its release delayed to fix the ending’s similarities to Captain Marvel, only to end up releasing one month after Avengers: Endgame...

The history of Thor Odinson predates the MCU or even the invention of comic book storytelling. Chris Hemsworth’s Asgardian Avenger is a fictional derivative of the figure from Norse mythology who has existed for thousands of years before Stan Lee and Jack Kirby willed him into existence. However, Thor’s second career path as a comic book superhero proved way more successful than his prospects as a Germanic god. Or so it seemed until the arrival of the Scarlet Witch.

Chris Hemsworth as Thor Odinson in Avengers: Infinity War [Credit: Marvel Studios]

Elizabeth Olsen’s MCU character is easily one of the most powerful beings in the entire universe. The Marvel superhero has not only proven herself against Ultron and Thanos — two of the most fearsome and worthy opponents — but has pulled herself through unimaginable loss and tragedy time and again while still willing to stand up for what’s right in the end.

Over the past year, the Marvel mythos has been infused with Disney magic in new What If...? one-shots that put Mickey Mouse and the gang into classic Marvel Comics storytelling.

It took Disney longer to start releasing comics like this than we expected; when Disney first acquired Marvel, we expected that to become the norm, though outside of Big Hero 6, Disney Animation and Pixar have, unfortunately, never been mashed up with the Marvel Universe.

Regardless, following Donald Duck's remarkable adventures as Wolverine and Thor, and Minnie's flight as Captain Marvel, the whole gang gets in on the action next January in Marvel & Disney: What If...? Mickey & Friends Became The Fantastic Four #1.

Written by Steve Behling and Riccardo Secchi and illustrated by artist Lorenzo Pastrovicchio, Marvel & Disney: What If...? Mickey & Friends Became The Fantastic Four #1 will take things back to very foundation of the Marvel Universe! In 1961, Stan Lee...

Marvel Comics feature an incredible array of characters, making it difficult to rank them by popularity or any other measure. To get meaningful results, you’d need a large sample of fans to weigh in.

One of the best sources for this is Ranker, a site that consistently collects fan votes on topics related to comics and fiction. With over a million votes on their list of superheroes, Ranker offers a strong insight into which Marvel heroes truly stand out. Let’s take a look at the results.

10. Scarlet Witch

Even before the MCU, Scarlet Witch was already one of the most popular superheroes, though her role in comic history hasn’t always been on the right side. She has it all: a complex backstory, immense power, emotional depth, and a key role in iconic storylines like House of M. It’s no surprise Wanda ranks so highly.

9. Black Panther...

Marvel Comics have an incredible number of characters, and due to that, it’s tough to rank them both when it comes to popularity, or any other factor really. You need a huge sample of people to draw any kind of significant conclusion.

The best place to search for such conclusions is Ranker, a site that regularly gathers votes from fans on all things related to comics and fiction in general. Ranker’s list of superheroes boasts over a million votes so it’s the best place to check out who truly is the best superhero in Marvel Comics. Let’s see.

10. Scarlet Witch

Even before MCU Scarlet Witch was one of the most popular superheroes, although she wasn’t always on the right side of comic history. The character has everything complex backstory, she is powerful, she has emotional depth, and has been a part of some of the...

The other week, author George R.R. Martin did something surprising: writing on his Not a Blog, he publicly criticized HBO's Game of Thrones prequel show House of the Dragon, which is based on his book Fire & Blood. He dinged the show for changing things from the source material in a way that weakened the story, and warned that there were bigger, "more toxic" changes being contemplated for future seasons of the show.

Martin never did anything like this during the nine years that Game of Thrones (which is based on his book series A Song of Ice and Fire) was running on HBO, so the changes that House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal made from his book obviously upset him. We the fans had inklings that something was bothering Martin before he went public, but I certainly wasn't expecting him to be so up front about it.

Before this drama takes another turn,...

Stan Lee is arguably the most influential figure in the world of comics and related media. He began his long and storied career at Marvel Comics in 1939, when the company was still known as Timely Publications. Over the decades, Lee played a pivotal role in shaping the company, serving as a writer, editor, and publisher.

Lee’s involvement with Marvel continued until he officially stepped down from his executive position in the early 1990s. Even after leaving his day-to-day roles, he remained a cherished ambassador for Marvel until his passing in 2018. His remarkable association with Marvel spanned nearly 80 years.

Unfortunately, toward the end of his life, Stan Lee’s closest relatives and business associates reportedly exploited him, seeking to profit from his fame and legacy.

In April 2018, a troubling video emerged of the 95-year-old Lee struggling to sign autographs at the Silicon Valley Comic Con. Despite his evident struggle, he...

Stan Lee is one of the, if not the most influential figure in the world of comics and related media. Stan Lee spent a remarkable portion of his life at Marvel Comics. He began working at the company in 1939 when it was known as Timely Publications. Over the decades, he became a central figure in its development, including his roles as writer, editor, and publisher.

Lee’s tenure at Marvel continued until he officially left his executive position in the early 1990s. Despite stepping down from his day-to-day roles, he remained a beloved ambassador for Marvel until his death in 2018. In total, Stan Lee’s association with Marvel spanned nearly 80 years.

But, apparently toward the end of his light, his closest relatives and business associates used and abused him, trying to cash in on his fame and legacy.

In April 2018, a disturbing video surfaced showing the 95-year-old Stan Lee struggling...

The weirdest comic book sub-franchise of them all is, somehow, about to get even weirder. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has stood at the top of the mountain for well over a decade at this point, while its main competitor in DC Studios has struggled to keep pace and is now enacting a full-scale reboot under James Gunn and Peter Safran. Meanwhile, Sony's standalone "Spider-Man" franchise took the "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach when it folded both Sam Raimi's movies and Marc Webb's duology into the MCU proper with "Spider-Man: No Way Home." And then there's "Venom," which has complicated the multiverse beyond all logic and reason and had a grand time doing so. However, even all that nonsense featuring tons of decapitations and silly accents pales in comparison to what the impending threequel just revealed.

Today brought fans the final trailer for "Venom: The Last Dance" where,...

Chicago – Excelsior! Comic book legend Stan Lee’s famous exclamation puts a fine point on the third and final play of Mark Pracht’s Four Color Trilogy, “The House of Ideas,” presented by and staged at City Lit Theater in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. For tickets/details, click House Of Ideas.

Play Rating: 5.0/5.0

The story’s centerpiece is iconic comic book creator Stan Lee (Brian Breau) and his journey within the burgeoning industry, which began when he was a 17-year-old in 1939 at Marvel’s root company, Timely Comics. At Timely he meets artist Jack Kirby (Brian Plocharczyk), a street wise post-Depression hustler who has to admit the skinny teenager has enthusiasm. They are published by owner Martin Goodman (Brian Parry) who develops Timely through the World War II years – with Captain America as an anchor – and hands the creative keys of the newly named Marvel Comics to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the 1960s,...

Earlier this week, the news broke that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton will helm Spider-Man 4 for Marvel Studios.

The movie is expected to begin production early next year and will likely arrive in theaters in the summer of 2026 (placing it right between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars). Much has been said about what the Spider-Man: No Way Home follow-up will ultimately look like but a new rumour points to it being a big movie.

According to supposed insider @MyTimeToShineH, "Spider-Man 4 is going to be an Avengers-level event." That's all we have for now, but this certainly lends some weight to the belief that Tom Holland will reunite with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield.

The scooper has also said Armor Wars is "on hold" and claims we won't get a Hulk movie until after Avengers: Secret Wars, a pretty solid indication...

While appearing on "The Big Bang Theory," the late James Earl Jones met one of his "Star Wars" castmates ... for the first time. How did that happen, and who was it?

I know it sounds wild, but the truth is that Jones and Carrie Fisher didn't actually perform together during the original "Star Wars" movies, because Jones only voiced the trilogy's main villain Darth Vader; the antagonist was physically portrayed by David Prowse, a British actor and bodybuilder who passed away in 2020. Prowse also said Darth Vader's lines on set, and ultimately, Fisher's lead character Princess Leia Organa only had a handful of scenes with the big bad — plus, as it turns out, the two never ended up meeting while doing press for the films. (Fisher tragically and quite unexpectedly passed away back in 2016 at the age of 60.)

This all changed in 2014 when both Fisher and Jones appeared on "The Big Bang Theory...

Marvel Comics recently celebrated its 85th anniversary, and to mark the occasion, Marvel Studios has now released a compilation video highlighting the 85 most iconic moments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far.

The video runs almost a full hour (you can always skip through it if you're short on time), and features scenes from pretty much every MCU movie and Disney+ series that's been released, from Iron Man right up to Echo.

A lot of these moments truly are iconic - Captain America picking up Mjölnir in Avengers: Endgame, Tony Stark's "I am Iron Man" (both of 'em), etc - but we can see others - such as Peter Quill's "dance off" with Ronan the Accuser in the first Guardians of the Galaxy and pretty much anything from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania - being a little more contentious!

This follows a recent video spotlighting some upcoming projects,...

Stan Lee, with the help of collaborators such as Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, co-created many of Marvel’s most iconic characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and the Avengers. Many of these characters are now central to the MCU and have achieved cultural icon status.

Given his pivotal role in shaping Marvel’s legacy, Stan Lee’s opinions have always been highly influential. However, even this legendary figure may have been mistaken about one of Marvel’s most popular heroes—Daredevil.

“Daredevil” was one of the early Marvel superheroes to be adapted into a live-action film. Released in 2003, it starred Ben Affleck as the Man Without Fear, with Jennifer Garner as Elektra and Colin Farrell as Bullseye.

Despite generating solid box office revenue, the film was widely regarded as a flop. Many fans were disappointed, with criticism aimed at Ben Affleck’s portrayal of Matt Murdock/Daredevil as underwhelming.

Stan Lee, alongside collaborators like Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and others, co-created many of Marvel’s most beloved characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and the Avengers. Some of these characters are central to the MCU and have become cultural icons.

This is why Stan Lee’s opinion was always important, and his statements carried great weight, historically, but even the great Stan was perhaps wrong in one aspect, related to one of the most popular Marvel heroes – Daredevil.

‘Daredevil’ was among the “early” Marvel superheroes to get a live-action project. ‘Daredevil’ was released in 2003 and the Man Without Fear was played by Ben Affleck alongside Jennifer Garner as Elektra and Colin Farrell as Bullseye.

The movie was a notable flop despite bringing in solid box office money, with fans reeling at the thought of it. Ben Affleck’s portrayal of Matt Murdock/Daredevil was often criticized for being lackluster.

The villains of "Deadpool & Wolverine" include the psychic Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin). The movie gets nowhere close to the gonzo stories told about Cassandra in Marvel Comics, but it maintains her origin as the evil twin sister of the X-Men's leader, Professor Charles Xavier. Banished to the wasteland dimension of the Void, Nova has made herself queen of Hell with a band of followers.

The inside joke of "Deadpool & Wolverine" is how the Marvel movies produced by the erstwhile 20th Century Fox risk being forgotten thanks to the Disney merger that put all these characters under the McU's umbrella. So, Nova's army is made up of the most forgotten villains of those films: Lady Deathstrike, Azazel, Toad, Bullseye, Juggernaut, etc. (All these minor villains were recast from their original appearances.)

"Deadpool & Wolverine" concept artist David Masson San Gabriel has been sharing much of the work he did...

The Tick ran for two seasons on Amazon Prime Video between 2016 and 2019. The series was funny, well written, and bold. The great action scenes and the genuine characters made it one of the greatest - and most underrated - superhero streaming shows of all time.

The Tick is a classic comic book character, and has been since the '80s, he has been delightfully funny and action packed. Of course, he has had a great cast of characters along with him, so many of which would have been perfect for a season 3 of Amazon's series.

The Chainsaw Vigilante

Ben Edlund created The Tick, and ran the original comic book for 12 issues. Within these issues, The Tick met The Chainsaw Vigilante. The Chainsaw Vigilante is a vigilante set on destroying superheroes. He believes that superheroes only result in people getting hurt, and so he defeats and scares heroes out of their heroic endeavors.

Marvel comic nerds and MCU fans have always had their eagle eyes peeled for Stan Lee’s cameos, and even though he’s no longer with us, the hunt for his surprise appearances continues. But guess what? Stan Lee wasn’t just the godfather of cameos for Marvel only, he took a tinsy little detour into DC territory as well! Well, sort of…

Stan Lee. Image by Gage Skidmore, licensed under Cc By-sa 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Funky Flashman is basically Stan Lee’s DC doppelganger, dreamed up with a little extra sass by Jack Kirby as a dig at his former co-worker Stan Lee himself. But oh, there’s a whole lot more to this Mr. Funky fella than meets the eye! Here is everything you need to know about him!

Why and How Funky Flashman Was Born?

Funky Flashman is a child of divorce! This character is widely seen...

Doctor Doom has long been one of the most famous characters of the Marvel universe, and rightly so: The unique way he has been curated surpasses pretty much all the other villains. If anything, even the writer-editor of the character, Stan Lee couldn’t help but express how he loves this particular malefactor because of all his traits that set him apart from everyone else.

Doctor Doom in the comics. | Credits: Marvel Comics.

Out of all these out-of-the-box abilities he has been imbued with, there is one feature in particular that made even Lee like Doom as much as he did: His diplomatic immunity. But as special as this power is – which is notably one that even Jonathan Majors could have never copied as Kang – this sets up a worrying factor for Robert Downey Jr.’s version of the multiversal threat.

Stan Lee Liked Doctor Doom Because of His Diplomatic...

When it comes to Fox’s X-Men movies, Halle Berry’s Sue Storm is amongst the most powerful mutants in the franchise. In the MCU, Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch easily takes the take when it comes to the most powerful Avenger, even though by the end of Doctor Strange 2, she is far from her roots as one of Earth’s mightiest heroes.

Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch | Credit: Marvel Studios

However, in terms of power, the latter easily blows out Storm out of the water, even though the mutant has proven to be a force of nature in both the comics and the X-Men movies.

Sue Storm Is No Match for Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch on Paper Halle Berry as Storm in X-Men | Credit: 20th Century Studios

It’s safe to say the X-Men movies under the Fox banner left a lot to be desired when it comes to Ororo’s true potential.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe wouldn’t have been standing today if it weren’t for legendary comic book writer Stan Lee. The writer had a cameo in almost all of the Marvel movies and the world loved him dearly.

Stan Lee in Deadpool | Credits: 20th Century Studios

However, Stan Lee did believe in one particular thing that the MCU should have done. Thankfully, the executives took their time with this particular project or we would have ended up with Daredevil 2!

Stan Lee Wanted A Daredevil Movie (Again)

It was the day of February 14 2003 when the world was introduced to Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock in the film Daredevil. The film, directed by Mark Steven Johnson, also starred Jennifer Garner as Elektra.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner in a still from Daredevil (2003) | Credits: Marvel Enterprises

The film fell short of a number of things and the world considered the movie a...

Stars: Cynthia Rothrock, Caitlin Dechelle, Sofia O’Brien, Jose Manuel, Jeff Fahey | Written by Bruce Del Castillo, Stephen Carolan | Directed by Bruce Del Castillo

The good news is that Cynthia Rothrock has a new film, Lady Scorpions. The bad news is that it’s from Tiger Style Media, the same production company that gave us the underwhelming Art of Eight Limbs and The Lockdown. The good news for you is that I’m willing to risk taking a bullet, or a kick to the head, to tell you if the third time is a charm for them.

On her way to her car, Lacy gets jumped by a pair of attackers whom she makes quick work of. Not that she was in any danger, it was a demonstration for her self-defence class. She’s less successful at getting her mother Alena (Cynthia Rothrock) to pick up the phone when she calls...

Unlike television and film, black superheroes became major comic characters in the 1960s. In 1966, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced Black Panther in an issue of Fantastic Four, and DC soon followed with Jon Stewart. Both were not just filler characters introduced for the sake of diversity. They went on to become iconic characters. […]

The 17 Greatest Black Superheroes Of All Time Written by Jarrod Saunders for Fortress of Solitude...