OK, so they killed off Punisher in the recent Dark Reign:  The List - Punisher special.  Chopped him to bits.

And he gets brought back as a Frankenstein wannabe?

Really?  Like this will stick any longer than Superman’s “electricity” outfit?

Via Wired:  Marvel comics is making a push into the motion comics arena (think of them as a Flash-based version of comic books, with artwork that is semi-animated, voice-overs, music, and more), beginning with a new Spider-Woman series.  This is nothing new; in fact, the now-defunct Matrix Online game released a large number of cinematics using this medium, and a version of Watchmen was recently released in this manner.  What makes this intriguing is two things.  First, motion comics are, in my mind, the evolution of the audio drama:  with a good artist and someone adept at Flash animation, many people could create an original series such as this, fairly cheap.  This could lead to some interesting homegrown projects.  Second, if successful, this format could open up another venue for fledgling artists and writers to break into the field.  Wishful thinking?  Perhaps.

Any comic book fans looking forward to this new series?  Any thoughts on the subject of motion comics?  Do share them.

It’s all over the Internet tubes, but Steve Rogers, the original Captain America who was apparently murdered in Captain America #25 over two years ago, will be returning to the Marvel universe.  You know, alive and stuff.

Boo.

I’m not a fan of the idea, by any means.  Over the past two years, Captain America has become one of my favorite series, graduating from waiting for the trade paperbacks to purchasing it monthly.  The main reason for my interest?  The new Captain America, the original’s old sidekick Bucky Barnes who (miraculously) was back from the dead in one of the most interesting and twisted ideas in comics over the past four years, brought a lot of angst and baggage to the role that made the character of Captain America actually interesting.  A lot was made of his new costume (it’s pretty darn cool) and the fact that carries a gun and knife (which, if you actually read the series, you’d know was used to injure, not kill, and that these were tools he used since he did not have the advantage of enhanced strength / speed of the original Captain America), but those people can’t be helped.  And author Ed Brubaker actually did a great job of building up the new Captain America, fleshing him out, and making him credible.

Instead, with claims that this was in the cards all along (and really, who didn’t expect that?), I still say it is too early.  Here’s my Top Ten List of What’s Wrong With Bringing Steve Rogers Back as Captain America:

1. Steve Rogers, man out of time from the 1940’s, with his clean-cut look and old fashioned ideals, doesn’t translate in this day and age.  The Captain America’s character arc in the Ultimates series handled the character well and contrasted him against the mirror of today’s society.  But the regular old Captain America has been through all that decades ago.  Nothing new to see here, move along.


2. Sharon Carter, his lover and the woman brainwashed into murdering him, is now granted a Get Out of Jail Free card.  She suffered the guilt of murdering Rogers, she lost the fetus he fathered, and was trying to work through it.  It would have been a great arc to see where Carter would have wound up, the stronger and more determined from it; instead, it’s all hand-waved away.


3. Barnes and the weight of the Captain America legacy on his shoulders could have gotten years of mileage, story-wise.  His past as a brainwashed Communist agent set against the legacy of Captain America he had to take on?  That’s what made him so fascinating.  After only a few storylines, it seems a shame to pull the plug on it.


4. The new dynamic with the cast consisting of New Captain America / Black Widow / Falcon / Sharon Carter was just getting worked out.  I liked his relationship with the Black Widow, the Falcon made a good sidekick / mentor, and Carter was someone he could share a bond with due to the evils they done while brainwashed.  Again, a lot could have been done with this cast.


5. The New Captain America’s limitations made him more interesting to follow.  New Cap had to think a little quicker and be more careful since he did not have the strength or speed of the original since he was not subjected to the Super Solider serum.  There’s a little more of an element danger and frailty that works (as had been shown a few times during his run).


6. It had already been two  years; what was a few more?  Why the rush?  The new Cap, Marvel admits, was actually a hit.  Why not continue to explore the new status quo if the success was there?


7. Making the switch back for the upcoming movie is just silly.  There is little crossover from movie-goers picking up the comics of a franchise character.


8. After 42 issues of the Red Skull as the primary enemy, did we need him back so soon?


9. So Sharon was carefully brainwashed, given a weapon, and within proximity to actually kill Steve Rogers, only to deliver a Non Lethal KO?  That’s what we’re supposed to believe what a mortal enemy in a story would do?  Really?  I am curious how they resolve it, but the set up is already starting come off contrived.


10. Having a variant cover for the return of Captain America portraying him trying to take a massive dump is not a good idea.