Nick Fury is Sam Jackson is Nick Fury

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Aint It Cool News is telling me that Samuel L. Jackson is shooting today on the upcoming independant Marvel film, Iron Man, as… wait for it… Colonel Nick Fury!

There are two reason I find this news particularly interesting. First, and least significantly, is that Nick Fury originally is a white dude. It looks like they’ve chosen to represent the more recently conceived “Ultimate Nick Fury”, a character from a new Marvel alternate-universe sort of dealy that is obviously very much based on Sam Jackson. Secondly, Nick Fury’s name is being tossed around in conjunction with other Marvel film rumors rolling around. An Avengers movie is supposedly in the works, and there’s even been talk of Nick Fury having a film all to himself. Is Sam Jackson’s appearance in this role indicative of future casting decisions, or will they just change actors on us mid-stream? Guess we’ll see!

Scarecrow’s back in Batman?

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Rumor has it that Cillian Murphy is returning as the mind-bending Scarecrow in the upcoming Batman sequel, Dark Knight, despite his suggestions to the contrary. According to Super Hero Hype, one of their scoopers has spotted Murphy on set and in character as Dr. Jonathan Crane on the Chicago set of Dark Knight and filming a rooftop action scene.

“The scenes were gunfire and gang members running for cover,” SHH’s spy report begins. “Around 2:30-3ish they returned to the set and started filming 2 gangs fighting with each other. Then I spotted Cillian and they filmed him yelling at the gang. The sound of gunfire blasted and everyone ran for cover. They repeated this over and over again…So after a few takes of that… they moved to the side of the van. I saw a Batman… It had to be a stunt double. And him and Scarecrow had a struggle and ended with the crow gassing Batman. Batman fell to the ground holding his face screaming.

They were still doing takes of that when I left…about 4am.”

Likely this appearance will be little more than a cameo, but who knows? I hope that’s all it is. While I wouldn’t mind seeing the good ol’ Scarecrow one more time, it’s been proven time and time again that too many villains can (and will) ruin a superhero flick. We’ve already got the Joker, and, I suspect, at least an appearance from Two-Face. Let’s hope we don’t have 3 of my favorite villains in Comicdom ever ruined as they jostle for screen time in a drawn out shitstorm of a movie (I’m looking at you Batman & Robin, Spiderman 3!).

[Thanks Feldman!]

Wayside School the TV show

[Update 8/21/08: Click here for our review of Wayside School Season 1]

For those of you who read and have a good memory, I’ve got some interesting news! Remember the Wayside series? Neither do I, but the only book that I vaguely remember is the one about the school falling down… Anyway it’s being turned into a TV series on Nickelodeon.

Before:

Wayside Book

After:

Wayside

Welcome to Wayside, a wacky 30-story grade school where off-the-wall events are an everyday occurrence. The new half-hour animated series that takes school to new heights debuts on Nickelodeon on Monday, June 25 at 12:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The 26-episode series will air regularly on weekdays at 12:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

Based on the best-selling Wayside School book series by Louis Sachar (“Sideways Stories from Wayside School,” “Holes”) and produced by Nelvana, Wayside chronicles the adventures of Mrs. Jewls’ class on the 30th floor as they navigate their way through the ups, ups and ups of grade school. The series is seen through the eyes of Todd, an average “Joe” who is new to Wayside, as he befriends Maurecia, the tough girl who finds it easier to express herself with physical actions rather than words, Dana, the over-emotional over-achiever and Myron, the ineptly ambitious politician in a school that, due to a “slight” miscalculation, was built 30 classrooms on top one another rather than the one floor planned. Their peers include the boy who wears his Halloween elf costume every day, a boy who spends his days upside down and a girl who’s always asleep, in addition to the eccentric faculty and the cows that randomly roam the school.

“Generations of readers have enjoyed Wayside tales from Louis Sachar, and now fans can watch their favorite stories come to life as its first-ever TV series joins Nickelodeon’s hit animation line-up,” said Tom Ascheim, Executive Vice President & General Manager, Nickelodeon Television. “The stories are absurdly funny interpretations of how kids perceive the world around them and the issues they face in their daily lives.”

In the first part of the premiere episode, “Oh, Great Leader,” the students try to throw Wayside’s principal a surprise birthday party. But when Principal Kidswatter mistakenly assumes they are attempting to “overthrow” him, he recruits “new kid” Todd (a.k.a. Agent 344) to spy for him. Todd, feeling a little insecure about his place in Mrs. Jewls’ class, questions his new friends and their wacky ways.

In “Meet the Pets,” the second half of the premiere episode, everyone brings their pet to class and leaves Todd, the only kid in class who doesn’t have one, to watch their animals while they go out for recess. Chaos ensues when the pets escape, but Todd is able to learn a lesson in responsibility – and about himself – when a visit from the past encourages him to take control.

Louis Sachar’s first book, “Sideways Stories >From Wayside School,” was written in 1976. He has since written more than twenty books for young people, including four more in the Wayside School Series, as well as the Newbery award-winning book “Holes.” His books have sold more than 15 million copies world-wide and have been translated into more than 30 languages. He also wrote the screenplay for the movie, Holes. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, Carla.

Ash Gets Groovy in the Marvel Universe

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Hey everybody. It’s me, Todd. I am writing what will hopefully be the first of many articles on this Mecca of a website. Something occurred to me recently: Geeks and Nerds like comics. Why isn’t there comic coverage on the site? Is it because David doesn’t like Superman, Batman or The Legend of Zelda? No. It is merely that I have not yet been born. But I have.

So, what’s a good read these days? Well, a recent personal favorite of mine has been the combination of three of the sweetest things on Earth: Bruce Campbell, Marvel Superheroes and Zombies. “Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness” pits Ash and his trusty chainsaw against classic heroes like Spider-Man and Wolverine. Of course the heroes are in zombie form, and hungry for flesh, so there’s no reason to get upset over them being killed. That was a crappy sentence. I wish I could word it better but who has time? Anyways, Ash goes around trying to save the world from the diseased heroes with the help of non infected super vixens, Dazzler and Scarlet Witch. The first 3 issues have been a good read, with such shocking events as, Donald Duck being blown away by a shotgun and Ash walking down a sidewalk. So if you get the chance pick one up today. It may be the single best comic ever created. By humans.

And remember:
Always cut away from yourself.