Friday, Dec. 1, 2000

SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED CHARACTERS

Fox Kids has provided The Continuum with character descriptions for Spider-Man Unlimited, which re-launches on the network on Saturday at 11 a.m. (ET).

Here's a rundown:

SPIDER-MAN (PETER PARKER)

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In his early 20s and a successful crime photographer, Peter Parker longs to return to his own world and leave Counter-Earth. In this alternate world, Spider-Man still has his four basic powers - Spider-Strength, Spider-Speed, Spider-Grip and Spider-Sense - but he has an all-new costume based on nano-technology. The new costume can cover him in a matter of seconds and he has new eye-shields and provide him with infrared, augmented and magnified vision. Peter makes money on Counter-Earth much the same way he did on Earth, by selling crime pictures and photos of the mysterious new super-hero

Spider-Man to various publications.

JOHN JAMESON

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John is the leader of the underground human resistance movement against The Machine Men and Knights of Wundagore. Jameson is a man with a mission - he's totally focused on seeing the humans' revolution come to pass. The only

other passion he has besides the revolution is Karen O'Malley, a redhead who's Jameson's second in command. Karen wants to keep things on a comrades-in-arms level, at least until the revolution has been successful. What makes all this awkward is that Karen is attracted to the mysterious Spider-Man.

NAOKO YAMADA-JONES

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Peter Parker needs a place to stay on this new world, and so he rents a room from Naoko Yamada-Jones, a feisty, attractive divorcee with a precocious 7-year-old son, Shayne. Naoko makes her money as a doctor, but, despite her obvious skill, being a full-fledged human has limited her practice. Naoko's practice brings a mix of the city to her doorstep, giving her more knowledge of what goes on in the lower levels of society than anyone else, which can often be a help to Peter and Spider-Man.

SHAYNE YAMADA-JONES

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Peter Parker rescues 7-year-old Shayne Yamada-Jones from a Machine Man. Shayne's mom, Naoko, witness the rescue, which is how Peter gets his

apartment. Much to his mother's (and occasionally Peter's) dismay, Shayne is all-too-happy to unquestionably embrace the mysterious Peter Parker as his new father figure.

KAREN O'MALLEY

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Fiery Karen O'Malley is John Jameson's second-in-command. O'Malley gives men a run for their money and battles with the best of 'em. Prior to Spidey's arrival on Counter-Earth, Jameson and O'Malley were looking like an item, but now she's showing interest in Spider-Man.

MACHINE MAN X-51

Machine Man X-51 is one of the High Evolutionary's robot troopers that broke rank and is now able to have independent thought and acts of free will. Aided by his new friend Shayne, as well as Spider-Man and a reluctant John Jameson, X-51 is now a member of the freedom fighters. X-51 can fly for short distances, is super-humanly strong and fast, and can telescope his limbs to a distance of 50 feet. He can also process information and calculations with super-human speed and accuracy.

THE VULTURE

The Vulture of Counter-Earth is not a human like his Earthly namesake, but a Beastial who believe passionately in the rights of humans. He's a freedom fighter who has allied with the human underground in order to overthrow the High Evolutionary. At first, he thinks Spider-Man is a pawn of the High Evolutionary, and even after the two realize they're on the same side, they continue to rub each other the wrong way.

THE GOBLIN

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On Counter-Earth, the Goblin is a hero who has sworn vengeance on the High Evolutionary and to protect humans from Beastial oppression. He's just wacky enough that Spidey wonders sometimes if he's better off without this loose cannon. Spidey is initially suspicious of the Goblin's motives, but eventually they become almost a team.

HIGH EVOLUTIONARY

The High Evolutionary was frustrated with human behavior on his own world and believed that genetic diversity heightens survival traits. He escaped to Counter-Earth and created an elite corps of human/animal creatures loyal only to him, called The Knights of Wundagore. Now the city is divided vertically with humans living on the bottom and the more affluent Beastials living miles above the street. The High Evolutionary's goal is simple, to turn his planet into an earthly paradise - no matter what it takes.

VENOM

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Venom is one of Spider-Man's worst enemies. Venom was created from an alien symbiote (a creature from a world outside our solar system) that bonded to Eddie Brock, a former photojournalist with a grudge against both Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Both Venom and Carnage came to Counter-Earth in hopes of a new world to plunder. Currently, they're working for the High

Evolutionary. Neither Venom nor Carnage trigger Spidey's Spider-Sense, allowing them to pounce on the web-slinger without warning.

CARNAGE

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On Earth, Cletus Kasady was possessed by an alien symbiote similar to Venom's. The result was Carnage. As the symbiote infiltrated Kasady's mind, it gave him a mission - that all humans and Beastials should be bonded with symbiotes. This is the symbiotes' ultimate plan (and, by extension, the ultimate plan of Venom and Carnage) - to bring all intelligent life on Counter-Earth under its control.

In other Spider-Man Unlimited news, producer Will Meugniot is introducing a hybrid entertainment concept: an Easter Egg hunt in December. Starting on Friday, Meugniot promises that every morning until Christmas, he'll post at least one hidden link, or Easter Egg as they're called in the computer trade, to rare development artwork, obscure photos or fun animation facts on the contents page of www.willmeugniot.com.

Look for never-before-seen art from Exosquad, Jem, G.I. Joe, Bucky O'Hare, Conan, DNAgents, and many other TV series and comic books in the days to come.

Meugniot cautioned, "I'm making the first few easy to find with big buttons, roll overs or obvious animation, but starting with Monday's batch, you're going to have to hunt a little harder."

MARVEL'S MILK COMMERCIAL

For the past week, a live-action milk commercial featuring several Marvel Comics characters has been airing nationally on networks like ABC and Cartoon Network.

The 30-second spot features characters Captain America, Spider-Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Hulk, Scarlet Witch and Iron Man.

It opens with a milkman falling through a trap door to appear a panel of heroes. Captain America asks him "Who are you? Do you have a sidekick? A nemesis? A bad guy? Have you been fighting crime long?"

When asked what he does fight, the milkman replies, "Weak bones."

The Hulk growls in approval, and the milkman is adopted into the group.

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BONGO COMICS FOR MARCH

Following are Bongo Comics' solicitations for March, with information coming from the company:

SIMPSONS COMICS #56

By Tuber, Maile, Luchsinger, Costanza and Morrison.

The throne of Sweden is empty, left without a king. The search for a new monarch needs look no further than Springfield, for the heir apparent is apparently ... Smithers. But will Mr. Burns' loyal lackey turn royal ruler, and is he indeed the real successor to the throne?

32 pages, $2.50.

FUTURAMA COMICS #3

By Rogers, Lloyd, Steers and Morrison.

Leela gets caught up in the newest collectible craze of the future, the Needy Newbie. However, when Amy's mom, Inez Wong, turns her newfound hobby into a competition for the ultimate collection - Leela, Fry and Zoidberg uncover an insidious plot that threatens all humanity as well as the top market value of their most precious possessions - their lives.

32 pages, $2.50.

RADIOACTIVE MAN #222

By Lash, Laxamana, Smith and Morrison.

It's 1973 and Radioactive Man goes underground to battle student activists and civil unrest as Rod Runtledge (aka Fallout Boy) is taken hostage at a nearby university. But has Fallout Bay dropped out, tuned in, grown a social conscience and joined the cause? Find on in this trippy tribute to the alternative comics of yesteryear.

32 pages, $2.50.

FIRST LOOK: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #4

Ultimate Spider-Man #4 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Brian Michael Bendis, with art by Mark Bagley and Art Thibert and cover by Joe Quesada.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"Tragedy strikes during the pivotal moment in the life of Peter Parker! Will Peter's thoughtlessness bring death knocking on the Parkers' door?"

Ultimate Spider-Man #4 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.50.

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FIRST LOOK: X-MEN: THE HIDDEN YEARS #15

X-Men: The Hidden Years #15 will arrive in storys on Wednesday from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by John Byrne, with art by Byrne and Tom Palmer and a cover by Byrne.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"The X-Men finally return home -- but are immediately faced with new conflicts... and tragedies."

X-Men: The Hidden Years #15 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.50.

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FIRST LOOK: THE AUTHORITY #21

The Authority #21 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from DC Comics and WildStorm Productions. The issue is written by Doselle Young, with art by

John McCrea and Garry Leach and a cover by Frank Quitely.

Here's how DC describes the issue:

"In the single-issue interlude 'All Tomorrow's Parties,' taking place during the events that were shown in #13, Jackson King, former Weatherman and supreme commander of the now-defunct Stormwatch, makes plans that will signal mammoth changes in the coming months for The Authority. Changes that might spell the birth of a powerful new adversary setting the stage for the

upcoming spin-off series The Monarchy -- in a tale by The Monarchy creative team."

The Authority #21 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.50.

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FIRST LOOK: BATGIRL #11

Batgirl #11 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from DC Comics. The issue is written by by Kelley Puckett, with art by Damion Scott, Coy Turnbull and Dan Davis and a cover by Scott McDaniel and Aaron Sowd.

Here's how DC describes the issue, which is part of the "This Issue: Batman Dies!" event:

"Cain, the assassin who trained Batgirl, attempts to do the impossible -- kill Batman. Unfortunately, it looks like he's going to be successful."

Batgirl #11 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.50.

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FIRST LOOK: GREEN LANTERN #133

Green Lantern #133 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from DC Comics. The issue is written by Judd Winick, with art by Darryl Banks, Mark Bright and Rich Faber and a cover by Matt Wagner.

Here's how DC describes the issue, which is part two of the "While Rome Burned" story arc:

"Former Green Lantern John Stewart lies in a hospital room tending to injuries suffered at the hands of the psychotic Fatality. Sentinel Alan Scott fights for his life against a mysterious demonic horde of yellow hellions. Meanwhile, could things be heating up between Kyle and Jen? Ring-slinging action and romance take center stage in 'Enters the Emperor.'"

Green Lantern #133 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.25.

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BRIEFLY