Marvel Comics news stories on Newser

Marvel Designs Deaf Hero to Inspire Boy

Matt Cantor — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:12:42 CDT

A 4-year-old boy was sick of wearing his hearing aid because, he told his mother, superheroes don't wear them. So she sent Marvel Comics an email asking about deaf characters—and the company designed a hero just for young Anthony Smith. First, Marvel sent Anthony a picture of Hawkeye, an...

X-Men to Have Comics' First Gay Wedding

Kevin Spak — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:23:05 CDT

First the president embraced gay marriage, and now some perhaps even more powerful people are doing so: The X-Men. In next month's Astonishing X-Men #51 , Canadian X-Man Northstar will tie the knot with longtime boyfriend Kyle Jinadu, Marvel announced today, with a preview in Rolling Stone . Northstar, aka Jean-Paul Beaubier,...

Avengers Busts $1 Billion Mark

Mary Papenfuss — Mon, 14 May 2012 01:19:00 CDT

Marvel Comics' gang of mismatched superheroes are quite the draw. The Avengers crashed the billion-dollar mark just 19 days after hitting theaters, scooping up $103.2 million here and in Canada for Disney this weekend, and another in $95.4 million overseas, reports Bloomberg . Dark Shadows came in second with...

Critics Agree: Avengers a Blast

Matt Cantor — Fri, 04 May 2012 07:37:45 CDT

Sure, it's an effective moneymaking scheme: release movies about individual superheroes, then one about all of them. But with Joss Whedon at the helm, The Avengers really works. What critics are saying: "Even if you don't particularly like comic-book adaptations, this film just might make a believer of you," writes...

Avengers Scores Overseas Before US Debut

Mark Russell — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 06:27:00 CDT

The Avengers is still nearly a week away from its US debut, but the superhero blockbuster is already pulling in big numbers around the world, reports Variety . In just two days, Avengers has made $36 million around the world, notes the Hollywood Reporter , including $8.2 million in Australia (the...

Marvel Kills Spider-Man (Sort Of)

Kevin Spak — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:10:05 CDT

Spider-Man is going to die tomorrow, or at least a Spider-Man will. For those who haven’t been following comics lately, here’s the skinny: The Spider-Man that’s been around since 1962 is fine. The Peter Parker who’s biting the dust is “Ultimate Spider-Man,” an alternate version of the character introduced 11...

Thor Leaves Critics (Mostly) Thunderstruck

Kevin Spak — Fri, 06 May 2011 11:25:05 CDT

Critics are mostly quite pleased with Thor , the new Marvel superhero flick about a Norse god fallen to Earth, directed by Kenneth Branagh. The film currently sports an 81% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though its positive reviews seem to be more three-star than four-star. Here's a taste of what...

After 50 Years, Which Fantastic 4 Hero Gets Offed?

Mark Russell — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 09:04:33 CST

Sorry, Human Torch fans: The iconic Marvel Comics character is no more. The Torch, aka Johnny Storm, died in issue No. 587 of the Fantastic Four comic book, released today. The high-profile death comes 50 years after the Fantastic Four's debut, as part of an epic storyline that will see...

Kick-Ass Lives Up to Its Name

Rob Quinn — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 07:01:00 CDT

Teen superhero movie Kick-Ass is an over-the-top violent, funny, and subversive take on the genre that more than lives up to its name, say critics, many of whom make Tarantino comparisons. Director Matthew Vaughn's movie "soars on its central idea of matching a superhero's exploits with the grinding reality of...