Friday, April 13, 2012

Marvel Cinematic Universe Expanding

Following the next round of 'Marvel Cinematic Universe' motion picture comic book adaptations, including "The Avengers", "Iron Man 3", "The Amazing Spider-Man", "Captain America 2" and "Thor 2", Marvel Studios is also planning adaptations of "Ant-Man", "Guardians Of The Galaxy" and "The Inhumans" for the big screen.

'Ant-Man' was created in 1962 by writer Stan Lee and illustrator Jack Kirby for Marvel's "Tales to Astonish" #35.

Scientist 'Dr. Henry Pym' invented methods for an individual to be reduced in size, as well as a 'cybernetic' helmet to control insects with feelers, specifically ants.

The second Ant-Man was 'Scott Lang', a thief who reformed with the aid of Pym and 'Iron Man', becoming an affiliate of the Fantastic Four and full-time member of the 'Avengers'.

'Eric O'Grady', the third Ant-Man was a low-level agent of counter-terrorism organization 'S.H.I.E.L.D.', before he stole the Ant-Man armor "...to get chicks."

Director Wright, who researched 'nanotechnology' for his gestating "Ant-Man" feature, plans to deliver "a full-on action adventure sci-fi film but with a comedic element", working from his own screenplay adaptation, co-written by Joe Cornish ("Attack The Block").

Both Pym and Lang will appear in Wright's film, with Pym as Ant-Man in his 1960's guise and a flashforward to the present with Lang as Ant-Man's successor.

Another adaptation in development at the studio is Marvel Comics' "Guardians Of The Galaxy", debuting in "Marvel Super-Heroes" #18 (Jan. 1969).

Set in the 31st century, the 'Guardians' are 'Major Vance Astro', an astronaut from 20th century Earth who was in suspended animation, 'Martinex T'Naga', a 'crystalline' creature from Pluto, 'Captain Charlie-27', a soldier from Jupiter and 'Yondu Udonta', a blue-skinned savage from 'Beta Centauri IV'.

Each Guardian is the last of their kind, forced to unite as a team against the 'Badoon' aliens who attack Earth's solar system.

The Guardians defeat the Badoon, then face 'Korvac', a creation of the Badoon. After teaming with 'Thor' to defeat Korvac in the 31st century, the Guardians chase Korvac to 20th century Earth, where together with the 'Avengers' they fight a final battle.

"The Inhumans" also created by Lee and Kirby, debuted in Marvel's "Fantastic Four" #45 (December 1965). Their home, the city of 'Attilan' is credited to Kirby from a "Tuk the Caveboy" story in "Captain America Comics" #1 (March 1941), described as the home of volutionarily advanced beings, when humans were still in the caveman era.

In their "Fantastic Four" debut, "The Inhumans" origins were established millions of years ago, at the beginning of the alien 'Kree'-'Skrull' war, when the Kree set up a station on the planet Uranus, observing that sentient life on Earth had genetic potential, invested in it by the alien 'Celestials'.

The Kree then began to experiment on primitive homo sapiens by splicing 'Eternals' DNA into 'Cro-Magnons'. Their goal was to investigate ways of circumventing their own evolutionary stagnation, while creating a powerful mutant strain of soldiers for protection against the Skrulls.

The test subjects, the Inhumans, formed their own society, thriving in seclusion from the rest of humanity, developing their own advanced technology, including the mutagenic 'Terrigen Mist' which gave them superpowers, as well as unforseen genetic damage.

Their once-secret existence is now known to the general public as the Inhumans interacted with the Fantastic Four, Avengers, and 'X-Men', against 'Galactus', 'Ultron-7', 'Magneto' and 'Apocalypse'.

Once led by the dethroned 'Unspoken'. the Inhumans king is the mute noble 'Black Bolt'.

His royal family includes 'Medusa', 'Karnak', 'Gorgon', 'Triton', 'Crystal', 'Maximus the Mad' and the canine 'Lockjaw'.

Click the images to enlarge...