Pop Culture Safari!

Kryptonian villains planned for Superman movie reboot

The upcoming "Superman: Man of Steel" film, directed by Zach Snyder and starring Henry Cavill ("The Tudors") as Superman and Amy Adams as Lois Lane, will feature Kryptonian/Phantom Zone denizens General Zod and Faora among its villains.

German actress Antje Traue will play Faore ("Pandorium") and Michael Shannon ("Boardwalk Empire") will play Zod.

New Kate Bush video: Deeper Understanding

New Green Lantern movie posters: Sinestro and Kilowog

Production begins on Marvel's Avengers movie

From the press release (April 26):

Production has commenced today in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Marvel Studios’ highly anticipated movie “Marvel’s The Avengers,” directed by Joss Whedon (“Serenity”) from a screenplay by Whedon. The film will continue principal photography in Cleveland, Ohio and New York City. Robert Downey Jr. (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2”) returns as the iconic Tony Stark/Iron Man along with Chris Hemsworth (“Thor”) as Thor, Chris Evans (“Captain America: The First Avenger”) as Captain America, Jeremy Renner (“Thor,” “The Hurt Locker”) as Hawkeye, Mark Ruffalo (“The Kids Are Alright”) as Hulk, Scarlett Johansson (“Iron Man 2”) as Black Widow, Clark Gregg (“Iron Man,” “Thor”) as Agent Phil Coulson, and Samuel L. Jackson (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2”) as Nick Fury. Set for release in the US on May 4, 2012, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is the first feature to be fully owned, marketed and distributed by Disney, which acquired Marvel in 2009.

Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” and “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Marvel’s The Avengers” is the Super Hero team up of a lifetime. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as SHIELD, finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster.

Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1963, “Marvel’s The Avengers” brings together the mightiest Super Hero characters as they all assemble together on screen for the first time. The star studded cast of Super Heroes will be joined by Cobie Smulders (“How I Met Your Mother) as Agent Maria Hill of SHIELD, as well as Tom Hiddleston (“Wallander”) and Stellan Skarsgård (“Angels & Demons,” “Mamma Mia!”) who will both reprise their respective roles as Loki and Professor Erik Selvig from the upcoming MarvelStudios’ feature “Thor.”

“Marvel’s The Avengers” is being produced by Marvel Studios’ President, Kevin Feige, and executive produced by Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Louis D’Esposito, Patty Whitcher, and Jon Favreau. Marvel Studios’ Jeremy Latcham and Victoria Alonso will co-produce.

New comics April 27, 2011

Items I'll buy:

DC COMICS PRESENTS NIGHT FORCE #1 I have fond memories of this Marv Wolfman/Gene Colan horror/suspense title.

DETECTIVE COMICS #876 Great art and a chilling storyline in the only Bat-book I've followed in several years.

Showcase Presents: Green Lantern, Vol. 5 Into the Adams/O'Neil years, looks like.

DOCTOR WHO ONGOING VOL 2 #4 Not terribly impressed by art or story in this arc, but I think this is the end. If the next storyline isn't better...

Genius, Isolated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth Interested to take a peek at this one.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #659

AVENGERS #12 POINT ONE

MIGHTY THOR #1 Curious about maybe hopping on, as I've heard good stuff about the creative team.

WALT DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES #718

Other items of note:

Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom Volume 1 TP

Eerie Archives Volume 7

Turok, Son of Stone Archives Volume 8

ACTION COMICS #900

Marvel Masterworks - The Fantastic Four - Volume 6

Sensational She-Hulk, Vol. 1

X-Men - Volume 2 Omnibus

X-ray Specs singer Polly Styrene dies

Via NME:

Poly Styrene, former singer with X-Ray Spex, has died of cancer aged 53.

The punk icon, real name Marian Joan Elliott-Said, revealed that she was suffering from the illness in February this year.

X-Ray Spex formed in 1976 in London and released one studio album, 1978's 'Germ Free Adolescents'. Poly went on to have a solo career and her latest solo album, 'Generation Indigo', was released on March 28 this year.