Hold on tight, we’ve got some Dark Reign updates for y’all. While we’re trying not to give away anything too major, keep in mind that there are some SPOILERS AHEAD!

And I thought New Avengers was good last month! We’ve got some great developments in this one. We get to see if Osborn is true to his word to help Luke Cage find his baby. We also find out what Luke is really made of.

Remember the last few pages of last week’s Dark Avengers? That comes into play in this issue. I think this one’s going places, people. Order your copy of New Avengers #49 today and get your pre-order in for other upcoming New Avengers Dark Reign issues.

Kudos to Bendis, Tan and the rest of the creative team on this issue.

Carol Danvers hates Norman Osborn so much, she’s given up her name, her costume, and her identity as Ms. Marvel! That’s right, it’s time for Ms. Marvel #35! After rejecting Osborn’s offer to be part of the Dark Avengers, Carol is living under an assumed name, trying to get to the bottom of “Ascension” and clashing with the new so-called Captain Marvel.

I’ve followed Ms. Marvel as a character casually through the years–I was actually introduced to her through Uncanny X-Men, when Rogue stole her powers and memories. Carol’s always had to struggle to find her place in the world, and I’m pleased to see her reverting to her secret agent ways. I’ve heard some rumors about where this is going, so I’m definitely eager to read Ms. Marvel over the next couple of months.

Next up is Avengers: The Initiative! I admit, I’m not much of an Avengers buff, so I got a little lost until I read the fine print. Apparently, The Initiative is boot camp for superheroes, where they can be trained and then placed in groups all over America. Um . . . snore, so far.

Avengers: Initiative #20 (which Josh and I unintentionally skipped a couple of weeks ago) focuses on Hank Pym, formerly known as Ant Man, coming to terms with the death of his wife, Janet Van Dyne–the Wasp! Throw in a possible alien pregnancy and a hero (Taskmaster) who looks suspiciously like Skeletor from He-Man and . . . yeah, still pretty boring.

Avengers: The Initiative #21 throws in a lot of new characters and features the return of the Thor clone! While there are some small, funny moments and the dialogue is sharp, overall, it seems like this book is still figuring out where it’s going, and I’ll have to read a couple more issues before I make my final decision on this title.

Thoughts? Opinions? Who else is reading the Dark Reign arc, and where do you think it’s going? Post your comments and questions below, and if we’ve missed anything, we’d appreciate your feedback.

Okay, I thought it was a little creepy when Bryan Singer brought Marlon Brando back from beyond the grave to guest-star as Jor-El, Superman’s father, in Superman Returns. However, Hot Toys has released a 12-inch Jor-El action figure that is a gorgeous piece for any collector of Superman or Brando items.

The sculpt is meticulous–a perfect rendering of Brando’s interpretation of Jor-El, from the curl over his forehead to his strong jaw. And, of course, he’s clad in the traditional Kryptonian garb of pristine, flowing white, with a striking black “S” on his chest.

This is a limited-run item, and you can save 20% if you pre-order before February 11. What, who says you can’t give your girlfriend a Marlon Brando-Jor-El statue for Valentine’s Day? It’ll certainly last longer than flowers and candy!

Comments? Questions? Post them below!

Just in time for the upcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie comes the origin stories for the two main characters, X-Men Origins: Sabretooth and X-Men Origins: Wolverine #1.

The perfect way to get you even more psyched for the movie, these one-shots will help satiate your hunger until May 1st. You can find hundreds of other Wolverine stuff at TFAW.com, including statues, graphic novels, action figures, and other collectibles. Take a trip to our Wolverine page to get the perfect addition to your collection.

Mixed feelings about the movie? Are you chomping at the bit to see this origin story? Let us know below.

If you missed out on one of Dark Reign’s most exciting titles, you can relax–Marvel is releasing a second printing of Dark Avengers #1, with a new version of Mike Deodato’s cover.

The first printing of Dark Avengers #1 sold out before it even hit our warehouse, so if you want to start this new title from the beginning, place your pre-order now!

Has anyone been following our “live blog” of Dark Reign? What’s your opinion of Dark Avengers? Post your comments below!

If you’re even half as excited for the upcoming G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra as I am, you’ll totally dig these new promotional posters that we saw earlier today. Click on the images below to see larger versions, and let us know what you think about Rise of Cobra and these images.

Duke

Scarlett

Snake Eyes

Baroness

Ripcord

We’ve also got some G.I. Joe Movie Prequel Comics up for grabs. Make sure you pre-order your copy soon! Buzz on this movie is getting pretty hot, and you don’t want to get left out, do you?

This February, we’re having an unprecedented event–our huge 28 Days of Comics sale! You’ll save 28% on a new group of comics and graphic novels every day.

How does it work? We’ve created a handy calendar for the entire month. For example, on February 1st, you’ll save 28% on all comics and graphic novels that start with numbers (300, 100 Bullets), on the 2nd, you’ll save 28% on all titles that start with “A” (Amazing Spider-Man, Angel), and on the 3rd, you’ll save on those that start with “B” (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Batman), etc.

If you love comics or have a wishlist of books to buy, it will be worth your while to bookmark our 28 Days of Comics page and check back every day to see what’s on sale!

Two things to keep in mind: one, this sale is for comics and graphic novels that were released in 2008 and earlier, and two, you’ll want to search for the exact title, not just the character! Here’s an example:

If you’re a Spider-Man fan:

• Amazing Spider-Man: on sale February 2
• Civil War TPB - Amazing Spider-Man: on sale February 4
• Essential Amazing Spider-Man: on sale February 6
• Marvel Masterworks Amazing Spider-Man: on sale February 14
• Peter Parker: Spider-Man: on sale February 17
• Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane: on sale February 20
• Ultimate Spider-Man: on sale February 22

In that vein, remember that Conan appears in Conan (C) and Savage Sword of Conan (S), and Batman can be found in Batman (B) and Detective Comics (D).

We’ve stocked up on some really cool trade paperbacks and comic books in anticipation of this event, so get ready to expand your collection this month. In addition, Josh, Andrew, and I will be blogging every day on a cool title (or group of titles) related to that day’s sale, so if you need inspiration (or just like reading about comics), make visiting our blog a part of your daily routine!

Any comments, questions, or suggestions? Post them below!

This February, we’re having an unprecedented event–our huge 28 Days of Comics sale! You’ll save 28% on a new group of comics and graphic novels every day.

How does it work? We’ve created a handy calendar for the entire month. For example, on February 1st, you’ll save 28% on all comics and graphic novels that start with numbers (300, 100 Bullets), on the 2nd, you’ll save 28% on all titles that start with “A” (Amazing Spider-Man, Angel), and on the 3rd, you’ll save on those that start with “B” (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Batman), etc.

If you love comics or have a wishlist of books to buy, it will be worth your while to bookmark our 28 Days of Comics page and check back every day to see what’s on sale!

Two things to keep in mind: one, this sale is for comics and graphic novels that were released in 2008 and earlier, and two, you’ll want to search for the exact title, not just the character! Here’s an example:

If you’re a Spider-Man fan:

• Amazing Spider-Man: on sale February 2
• Civil War TPB - Amazing Spider-Man: on sale February 4
• Essential Amazing Spider-Man: on sale February 6
• Marvel Masterworks Amazing Spider-Man: on sale February 14
• Peter Parker: Spider-Man: on sale February 17
• Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane: on sale February 20
• Ultimate Spider-Man: on sale February 22

In that vein, remember that Conan appears in Conan (C) and Savage Sword of Conan (S), and Batman can be found in Batman (B) and Detective Comics (D).

We’ve stocked up on some really cool trade paperbacks and comic books in anticipation of this event, so get ready to expand your collection this month. In addition, Josh, Andrew, and I will be blogging every day on a cool title (or group of titles) related to that day’s sale, so if you need inspiration (or just like reading about comics), make visiting our blog a part of your daily routine!

Any comments, questions, or suggestions? Post them below!

Amazing Spider-Man #583 with President Barack Obama keeps going and going! After selling out for the third time, Marvel has commissioned a fourth printing of this incredibly popular comic book! If you missed out before the inauguration–or you’re a completist–make sure to pre-order this comic now. At this rate, there may well be a fifth printing down the pike!

Featuring a flipped version of the third printing’s flag-accented cover, the other difference is the word balloon coming from Spider-Man himself. Instead of, “Hey, if you get to be on my cover, can I be on the dollar bill?” Spidey says, “Can we go inside now, Mr. President? It’s freezing out here!”

Okay, so who wants to start the wagering? How many printings of Amazing Spider-Man #583 will there be? Can we look forward to a spring- or summer-themed cover, or what? Post your comments below!

It’s that time of the week again–time to review this week’s Dark Reign comics! Josh and I are reading each issue as it comes out and “live blogging” as we go. This week includes some special issues, including Uncanny X-Men Annual #2 and Dark Avengers #1.

Let’s kick things off with the ultra-popular Thunderbolts #128. Norman Osborn’s team of baddies is on the move, attacking Air Force One and framing Doc Samson! Watch your back, Samson–that’s what happens when you tell President Obama that Norman Osborn is a sociopathic psychopath who should be locked away. What’s that? Oh yeah, Obama is pulling double-duty this month, with appearances in Thunderbolts and Amazing Spider-Man this month.

There’s still time to pre-order Thunderbolts #128 for next month–frankly, I can’t wait to see if Black Widow II accepted Osborn’s offer of field leader . . .

Dark Avengers Assemble! Ummm . . . it is a scary time to be in the Marvel Universe. Too bad Peter Parker never had a conversation with the Gobby about great power coming with responsibility. I doubt he would have listened anyway.

Dark Avengers #1 hit the stands this week, and it’ll be gone by the weekend. The issue is super popular, and deservedly so. Osborn is replacing our heroes with his own agents, and things are gonna get ugly. You’ll want to jump on board to see who’s joining the team. You’ll get no such satisfaction from me. No spoilers today. Does Osborn resemble a young Tommy Lee Jones to anybody else? Make sure to pre-order Dark Avengers #2 if you want to get in on the action!

Uncanny X-Men Annual #2 focuses on Emma Frost, the White Queen, delving into her history with some of the major Dark Reign players–including Namor, Prince of Atlantis, and Tony Stark!

I’ve never been a fan of Emma Frost as a major player in the X-Men universe, and this reads more like a romance novel in places, but it does showcase the White Queen at her most calculating, and there are two distinct artists being showcased: Mitch Breitweiser for the present-day story, and Daniel Acuna for the flashbacks. This definitely gave the feeling of two different time periods, and I am a sucker for the old-school Hellfire Club!

Rhodey is back for the War Machine #2, and Greg Pak bumps it up to the next level. Glenda is hurt, and it’s time for some good ol’ fashioned retribution!

The plot gets deeper and deeper as we’re introduced to the arc’s villain, and boy is he bad. Not bad as in weird costume kinda bad. Just a normal-looking guy who relishes the terror and pain he’s causing. Meanwhile, our hero continues to prove that he’s just that, a man who will throw himself in front of a missile before he inflicts harm on innocent people. War Machine has been selling out, so make sure to pre-order War Machine #3 before it’s too late!

The Mighty Avengers have been decimated by both outside forces and one of their own–the Scarlet Witch! So it seems only fitting that the Witch comes back and assembles them once more. But is Doctor Pym, formerly known as Ant-Man, up to leading the new team? And does his new codename, the Wasp, mean he’s going to start cross-dressing?

The new team has its work cut out for them: disasters of biblical proportions are consuming the world–including floods of blood and the disappearance of the state of Oklahoma, to name just two! Again, all of our Dark Reign titles have been extremely popular, so make sure to pre-order Mighty Avengers #22.

So what’s your take on the Dark Reign story arc? Which series are you following? Any ideas on where the heck this is going? Post your comments and opinions below!

Heath Ledger has been nominated for an Academy Award® in the Best Supporting Actor category. It’s great to see that his performance was not overlooked simply because he appeared in a comic book movie. I thought his interpretation of the Joker was nothing short of fantastic and his performance was understated and powerful.

The Dark Knight was also nominated for several technical awards, including Visual Effects, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Makeup, Film Editing, Cinematography, and Art Direction.

Is it too much to ask for a Best Picture nod? This is undoubtedly the most triumphant comic book movie ever. The adjusted box office grosses are pretty clear. Outperforming Spider-Man and the original Batman is a HUGE task, and they did it.

How did Nolan not get a nod? What the hell? It stands to reason that the best films also have the best directors, but 5 for 5 this year, seriously? Did they even see the first five minutes of The Dark Knight? What about the scene in the bar with Two Face, or Rachel being dropped off the side of the building, the Joker Nurse scene, or the construction site scene? Wow. This one really feels like an oversight guys and gals.

What do you think? Should the commercial success of The Dark Knight have any bearing on nominations for more prestigious categories? Am I way off base here? Why is it always the smaller grossing movies that get the top nods? Let us know below.