Marvel's 'Secret Wars' Officially Announced

Every part of the present Marvel business model will be on display this May with the release of Secret Wars. It's another event-driven plot that basically issues a relaunch of titles where hints of resurrected heroes come in to play. That covers the big three things, right? At a live announcement today, Editor-in-Chief, Axel Alonso, and Senior VP and Executive Editor, Tom Brevoort, officially unveiled plans for the MU-changing Secret Wars it has been teasing for months now.

Did you think all those teaser covers of past Marvel events were just gratuitous, tongue-in-cheek ways of paying homage to Marvel history? Well, they were, but they also served the purpose of giving fans a preview of each world that will be inhabiting Battleworld, even if they didn't realize it. Battleworld looks a lot like Earth. In fact, it is Earth, but after the conclusion of the Time Runs Out thread that's been playing out through Avengers and New Avengers for the past couple of years. Jonathan Hickman will continue the meta-plot he's been guiding in Avengers and New Avengers since their respective relaunches and help create an entirely new world for Marvel with Esad Ribic manning the pencils.

Peter Parker is Back with a New Villain

You may have heard that Peter Parker is coming back with the next volume of Amazing Spider-man as part of the All-New Marvel NOW. In fact, you may have read about it right here on this very website!

More news is coming out of the Marvel camp regarding Peter's return and it involves a new villain. Beginning with issue #1.1 (to be released May 7, so don't confuse this with the real #1 which is due to be released on April 30), Spidey writer, Dan Slott, has written a five issue series dealing with some of the historical and character development aspects of Peter Parker in an arc being called "Learning to Crawl."

"Learning to Crawl" is being given a treatment similar to Season One that Marvel has used for other titles such as X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Spider-man where a piece of the past is explored. In this case, it's specifically the first sixty days for Peter as Spider-man. You have to imagine that it can be difficult for a writer and an artist to try and incorporate the older feel of that vintage time in writing and art.

In fact, artist Ramon Perez went back to the original work done by the legendary Steve Ditko to evoke the feel of the original days of Peter Parker's journey. This was especially challenging when coming up with a new villain, dubbed Clash. Perez states that he wanted that iconic, old school feeling in costume design and so kept things simple and refrained from adding too many tiny and/or unnecessary details.

Check out Clash, Spidey, and other classic characters in Amazing Spider-man #1.1 to #1.5 starting May 7.

-David Berck

Marvel Does A Re-Relaunch

True believers, you may have heard about this thing going on with Marvel relaunching a ton of titles. What was that? Marvel NOW? Oh, no no no, I'm talking about another slew of relaunches Marvel has dubbed the All-New Marvel NOW (seriously, though, when did "all-new" become a thing?) and this one is as big as the other relaunch about a year ago. There are a ton of new titles, some that are just renumbering from #1, and others that are labeled as part of the All-New Marvel NOW that are carrying #1 status on the cover, but remain numbered in continuity with the existing title (e.g. Avengers 24.NOW also having #1 printed on the cover so you know where the ANMN series begins).

'Amazing Spider-Man 2' Trailer Reveals New Spidey Suit, Electro, Rhino - Vulture? Doc Ock?

You already knew that "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" trailer was hitting today, but after watching it, you now know a lot more about the villains in this film. Based on what we're seeing, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is still trying to have a "normal" relationship with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), but the more he webslings for justice, the more he attracts the attention of baddies.

But those baddies aren't just limited to Jamie Foxx's Electro. While he has been the main selling point, Paul Giamatti has been rising as the Rhino and a new movie poster that surfaced the other day suggested Dane DeHaan's Harry Osborn might go Goblin in the film. That seems pretty confirmed now, unless the man in the Goblin suit is actually Chris Cooper's Harry Osborn -- though he is only seen in the trailer occupying a hospital bed, not a goblin glider. 

The plot suggested by the trailer is that Osborn is behind all sorts of bad stuff, and more than just the death of Pete's parents. In fact, it looks like OsCorp is building a supervillain team. Perhaps, for me at least, the most crucial scene in the trailer is when we see a mysterious figure walking through the halls of (presumably) an OsCorp facility. What are those in the cases against the wall if not a pair of Vulture wings and Doctor Octopus arms. We actually get a longer peek at those than at Rhino.

All signs are that this movie is a primer to a pretty friggin' big Sinister Six third installment of the rebooted Spidey franchise. Still, why show so much in the first trailer? This unloads a lot with about six months (Six!) before the movie's May 2014 release.

Check it out and let us know what you think. 

-Aaron Sagers

Mary Jane cut from 'Amazing Spider-Man 2'

Woodley will not be caught in Spidey's web

Recently, we talked about the likely demise of Gwen Stacy in the upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man 2 after some behind the scenes photos were put on the web that showed Emma Stone in an outfit identical to the one worn in the comic when Gwen dies. The introduction of character Mary Jane Watson (portrayed by Shailene Woodley) was also an indicator that we wouldn’t be seeing Gwen Stacy in the third installment.

Well, Spidey fans, it looks like a pumpkin-bomb has been thrown into our web, because director Marc Webb and Sony Pictures have decided that Mary Jane Watson will not be appearing in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, but will be making her first appearance in the third installment (which has already been greenlit for 2016, along with a fourth for 2018).

"I made a creative decision to streamline the story and focus on Peter and Gwen and their relationship," Webb said of his choice to put off introducing another love interest at this time.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, actress Shailene Woodley was only on set for a few days and had only filmed a limited number of scenes -- none of which will appear on the big screen. It is also believed that the role will be recast for the next installments of the franchise.

-Nowal Massari