Xcavate: My SDCC 2011 Wrap-up blog post!

I'm guessing you guys have been reading all the X-news & updates from the SDCC 2011, if not then you can get 'em all here...This will be my final post on the SDCC- just wrapping up on all the X-news that was revealed in various other panels...

Marvel: The Next Big Thing Panel
The Marvel Ultimates comics were started back in 2000 but now, a decade later, a change is required. Enter: Ultimate Comics Universe Reborn- with Ultimate Comics Ultimates #1 & Ultimate Comics Hawkeye #1 on sale this month, Ultimate Comics X-Men releases in September along with Ultimate Comics Spiderman (which is already creating huge hype with the new half-black, half-Hispanic Spiderman, Miles Morales). The Ultimate Comics X-Men cover by Kaare Andrews >

This time around the UXM story mainly revolves around Wolverine, Rogue, Shadowcat, Iceman & the Human Torch trying to find their own way of living in the world, but the other X-characters play big roles too. Half of the UXM cast will also play a prominent part in Ultimate Comics Hawkeye! And while an Ultimate Fantastic Four series hasn't been announced yet, they'll show up in UXM a lot.
< UXM variant cover by Mark Bagley
^Some cool UXM #1 panels

There'll be a new "Evil Deadpool" comic storyline! Evil Deadpool is basically a collection of Deadpool's severed body parts! He can do anything Deadpool does- but with no conscience. Expect fireworks from this one! LOL Find the teaser covers to this series out here!

Marvel Television Presents Panel
Mostly non-X news on this panel, BUT then we do get some new updates on the Astonishing X-Men motion comic that Marvel's animation studio, Marvel Knights Animation, released back in November 2010!

For those unaware, the motion comic titled Astonishing X-Men: Gifted was a series of six episodes based on the Joss Whedon comic storyline (#1-6 Volume 3) of the same name. You can check the trailer for the Astonishing X-Men motion comic below.

As a comic series, Astonishing X-Men has been lauded as one of the best. It mainly focussed on Cyclops, Emma Frost, Shadowcat, Colossus, Beast & Wolverine. Volumes 1 & 2 were released in 1995 & '99 respectively but weren't as critically acclaimed as after Whedon took over as writer with artist John Cassaday in 2004's Volume 3. Their run introduced many new characters to the X-world such as Special Agent Brand, SWORD & Armor.

If you've seen the series or the trailer above, you may have guessed from which comics did X3 get some of it's inspiration from...Personally I loved the story of the motion comic (of course! It's Joss Whedon after all!) but visually I thought the "motion" was a bit too iffy for my taste.

Now the news: Marvel Knights Animation is currently adapting the remaining issues of Joss Whedon & John Cassaday's Astonishing X-Men run with Cassaday's help (most probably on the animation & art of the series). I do hope the animation is as awesome as it was for another Marvel motion comic, Iron Man: Extremis (if you haven't watched this, I suggest you do- soon!) If they are gonna be doing ALL the issues of the Whedon run then that would include issues #7-24! Viz. the following story arcs:
Dangerous (#7–12)
Torn (#13–18)
Unstoppable (#19–24 & Giant-Size Astonishing X-Men #1)
Definitely something to look forward to, if you ask me!

^The various covers of the Astonishing X-Men: Gifted comics

Cup O' Joe Panel
*Cyclops' offspring Nathan is back! Yup Cable returns in December 2012 in Cable: Reborn by Jeph Loeb & Ed McGuinness. Just hope the world doesn't end before then ;P For those unaware, Cable is the son of Scott Summers & (Jean Grey-lookalike) Madelyne Pryor. However, Nathan ends up getting raised in the future.
*Also in 2012- Season One will be a series of graphic novels detailing the origins for the X-Men , Fantastic 4, Spiderman & Daredevil (so far). They'll take place in regular Marvel continuity expanding on the Silver Age comic storylines. X-Men Season One will release in March 2012 with Dennis Hopeless writing & art by Jamie McKelvie. Season One concept art (left) & comic panels preview (below):







*X-23 will be having a larger presence in the Marvel Universe, interacting with the FF as you saw here.

Disney/Marvel Team-Up Panel
As much as we would've liked this panel to be about some new movie announcements- it wasn't. :) Instead Marvel's Senior VP, Ruwan Jayatilleke, Disney Publishing Worldwide's (DPW) Global Editorial Director, Rich Thomas & DPW's Senior Editor, Michael Siglain, were out there to discuss the new Marvel books that are:
*Mainly being aimed at kids & will help supplement the comics.
*Based on the original comics, while taking inspiration from the movies- just to help keep the 60-70s stories relevant for kids today.
*Having original art from cover to cover. The superhero is on the front cover while his civilian identity is on the back.
*The origins storybooks will be hardcover & the soft cover books will focus on famous battles.
*The Marvel Origin Storybooks for the X-Men are available now, along with those for Thor, Captain America & Spiderman.
*A Wolverine Origins book (not an adaptation of the movie, thank God!) is to be released next along with a Fantastic Four Origins storybook.
< The Origins cover for Uncanny X-Men!

And that's a wrap! Get all the non-X Marvel SDCC '11 news you need out here!