I have this sudden urge to go swimming.
Michael Turner’s Fathom volume 3 #0
Aspen Comics (digital copy–February, 2011)
WRITER: J.T. Krul
PENCILER: Alé Garza
INKER: Sal Regla
COLORIST: John Starr
LETTERER: Josh Reed
EDITORS: Frank Mastromauro & Vince Hernandez
So while I was mining one online rumor for a creative challenge, another was taking center stage. On the off chance you haven’t heard, Comic Book Movie was releasing what it says (potential spoilers, then, for most of this article) is a leak to the plot for Avengers: Doomsday, the first of two, possibly three, movies that sees the return of the Infinity Gauntlet duology’s directors and using a plotline that is not exactly celebrated by comic fans. That’s not a surprise given the only time they get anything from the comics it’s something comic fans weren’t happy about. Apparently the only time you’re allowed to take something from the comics is when you can screw it up and annoy the actual fanbase you should be courting. After all, they’re the ones who are most likely to go to the theaters and buy the merchandise unless you do something stupid like everything Marvel Studios does these days. Why wouldn’t you want to chase them off…if tanking the company and ending superhero movies as popular genre was your goal. I’m not putting it past them, mind you.
More popular reviewers than myself have already dissected the leak, which we can neither confirm nor deny even though it lines up with previous alleged leaks, so being a day late I’m not going to bother. We’ll still go over parts of it, but there’s something that every reviewer I follow has been missing out on. Maybe it’s because of things I’ve noticed about the entertainment industry lately. Maybe I’m going into some conspiracy theorist mode. Either way, and I’m trying to pad out the homepage as best I can, I see more than altering the landscape of the Marvel Cinematic Universe by using Secret Wars to pull a New 52. In their continuing self-important hubris I think the current creators of Marvel Studios are trying to be the only game in town, at least in fans’ eyes, which will backfire if I’m right. I don’t think this is just about altering the MCU. I think they’re going after all of Marvel media going as far back as the Captain America serials.
One example may be a coincidence born of willful ignorance, as there’s a producer whose name I keep forgetting that insists nobody who understands comics should be making their movies. The rest? It’s a result of everything wrong with Hollywood in general and Marvel Studios at current specifically. Right from the opening scene it’s clear what their real goal is, or I’m losing it. Frankly either or both is possible at this point. I did take time to geek out on multiverse numbers again, but I do so for good reason. First, let’s see how this begins.
Chasing off the readers might not be the best option.
Sonic Universe #9
Archie Comics (December 2009)
“Echos Of The Past” part 1
WRITER: Ian Flynn
PENCILER: Tracy Yardley
INKER: Jim Amash
COLORIST: Jason Jensen
LETTERER: Teresa Davidson
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Paul Kaminski
EDITOR: Mike Pellerito
I should start by saying that I have not played the God Of War games. It’s not my kind of playing genre. However, I have enjoyed PlayFrame’s full story playthroughs of the 2018 God Of War and the sequel God Of War: Ragnarok. I am aware enough of the original games set in Greece and the story of the franchise to some degree, and I did some research prior so I have some idea what I’m talking about. At some point I would like to watch a playthrough of the Greek adventures, but we’re talking just the Norse period of Kratos’ life, so I know what I need to for this article unless there’s another game in this period I’m not aware of. I know enough that when Kratos takes his weapons from the old games to use again, I get the significance of the event to his character arc beyond nostalgia and gameplay mechanics.
Also, I am incredibly behind in his videos, but not this series.
Geeks & Gamers has reported on a rumor concerning a new entry from Sony’s Santa Monica game studio of a new game in the series, currently unconfirmed by Sony. The rumor, and both G&G and I stress it’s ONLY a rumor and thus means little on the internet without official confirmation, is that the game will focus on Kratos’ second wife, the Viking warrior Faye, aka Laufey The Just. This could be a trial balloon or just someone starting trouble. Either way, it got a reaction from the game’s fanbase…and it was not a positive one. In just the tweets chosen by Geeks & Gamers fans were complaining that Kratos was being replaced in the franchise, one commenter saying that not being able to play as Kratos in segments of the Norse games was bad enough. I don’t really agree, but I was a story watcher, not a gamer.
Atreus goes through his own story arc in the game, and getting to play as him allows the story to focus on him when needed, but not at the expense of Kratos’ only storyline. Kratos had to find peace with his past and Atreus with his future, as well as them bonding as father and son. The games took liberties with the Norse gods to match their story to the Greek gods so that Kratos has a reason to off them like he did the Greek pantheon. Note that there will be spoilers of significant reveals in this article if you’re waiting on the games or upcoming Amazon Prime live-action series (because Zeus/Odin forbid there be an animated series in the game’s art style with the original voice cast). I was drawn to the story, Dan of PlayFrame was enjoying the gameplay switch-up, and it all seemed to work well to me.
But what about following Faye’s story? Is there a story to tell? Can it be told without coming off as another gender swap, replacing Kratos with his “clearly superior girlboss” wife? I actually think it can, but not as a full game, or maybe not a game at all. The truth is there is something to tell…but not much.
“One of these days I need to teach you how to walk.”
Uncle Sam Quarterly #1
Comic Magazines, Inc (Autumn, 1941)
Well, at least we can still follow Uncle Sam’s pre-DC progression in his own comic, since I’m saving National Comics for the Golden Age reviews, even I even stick with that. Of course, it won’t be often, as the title suggests this only came out once a season and it’s the only solo title with him on Comic Book Plus at this time, but it’s something. I stuck through Thunderbolt once a week on it’s own, so doing this every now and then should be fine.
Note that comic legend Will(iam) Eisner is credited for most stories in this one, set in chapters with other stories breaking the count…so I need to apologize in advance for something that’s about to happen.
The Clutter Reports (my other site) Atop The Fourth Wall Crisis On Earth Prime Lean Into Artcast Bully Says “Comics Oughta Be Fun” Siskoid’s Blog of Geekery
Cartoon Hero’s Lair SF Debris Four Million Years Later
BW Media Spotlight 
BW’s Daily Video> Hollywood Used Up All Our Good Faith
An older video but it makes a good point at the end.
Catch more from Shady Doorags on YouTube
Tell others about the Spotlight:
Posted by ShadowWing Tronix on March 4, 2026 in Movie Spotlight and tagged commentary.
Leave a comment