Comics Continuum by Rob Allstetter: Tuesday, October 5, 2010

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2010

EMMA STONE TO PLAY GWEN STACY IN SPIDER-MAN

Emma Stone has been cast as Gwen Stacy -- the female lead -- in the upcoming Spider-Man film from Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios, it was announced today by Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures.

Stone will star opposite Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker. The film, to be directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt and produced by Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin, will begin production in December and will be released in theaters nationwide in 3D on July 3, 2012.

The casting continues an association between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Stone, who previously starred in Superbad, The House Bunny and Zombieland, all for Columbia Pictures. She can currently be seen in Screen Gems' comedy Easy A, and takes a cameo role in Screen Gems' upcoming Friends with Benefits.

"It's been an incredible journey for us to watch Emma's star rise as an actress," Tolmach said. "She is extraordinarily talented and has a very special on-screen spark that is perfect for this role. Given her history with the studio, casting her in one of our most important franchises is a real thrill."

Webb said, "The chemistry between Andrew and Emma was stunning and made Emma the clear choice. At the heart of the story of Peter Parker is not only the amazing Spider-Man, but also an ordinary teenager who is wondering what he has to do to get the girl. Andrew and Emma will bring everything audiences expect to these roles, but also make them their own. Much to my surprise, it was fun to find out that our choice for Gwen (Emma) is also a natural blonde."

Stone can currently be seen starring in Screen Gems' hit comedy Easy A. Next year, she will star in Warner Bros.' Crazy, Stupid, Love opposite Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling and in The Help, the adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's bestselling novel. She also has a cameo role in Screen Gems' Friends with Benefits and will voice a role in DreamWorks Animation's comedy The Croods. Stone's recent credits include Paperman, Zombieland, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, The House Bunny, The Rocker and Superbad.

CAPTAIN AMERICA VIDEO GAME

Sega has announced Captain America: Super Soldier for release in in 2011 on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation3 computer entertainment system, PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, Wii and Nintendo DS.

The original World War II story for Captain America: Super Soldier is being written by Christos Gage.

"Videogame players the world over can now become Marvel's iconic Super Hero Captain America," said Gary Knight, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Sega Europe and Sega America. "Captain America: Super Soldier puts players in the boots of the ultimate Super-Soldier, wielding Captain America's legendary shield. Working closely with Marvel ensures we're delivering the calibre product that gamers and comic fans deserve and it's a partnership we're proud of here at Sega."

Here's how the game is described:

"Players will become Captain America as he faces the Red Skull and his army in an epic third- person action adventure set in the darkest days of World War II. Wielding Captain America's legendary shield, gamers will engage in free-flowing combat and acrobatic platforming to infiltrate Hydra's mysterious castle and battle the infamous Iron Cross, the forces of Hydra, and a host of nefarious enemies serving the Red Skull. As the First Avenger himself, players must defeat the evil scientist Arnim Zola and his wartime experiments, combining powerful melee combos and shield attacks to devastating effect.

"Captain America: Super Soldier combines a highly athletic combat system with fluid platforming and a highly tuned suite of shield attacks, as Cap explores a massive castle turned military installation. His shield can be employed in numerous ways: taking out multiple enemies at once, deflecting incoming fire back at enemies, solving puzzles, and scaling walls. Players will be able to launch shield-first into the fray with the superior force of the world's first Super-Soldier at their fingertips -- and they'll need every bit of that strength to overcome a castle that's both an acrobatic playground for the Captain's physical prowess and a house of mystery with enemies and danger at every turn."

Gage wrote the story for Captain America: Super Soldier so that the setting exists within the same world as the upcoming movie, but he infused the game with immersive twists designed to enhance gameplay with all-new cinematic action sequences.

Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD EPISODES

Cartoon Network has released descriptions for the next four new episodes of Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Friday, Oct. 8: "The Last Patrol!" -- The outsider heroes The Doom Patrol are pulled out of a hasty retirement when supervillains begin trying to assassinate them Ð or perhaps re-unite them?

Written by J.M. DeMatteis, directed by Ben Jones.

Friday, Oct. 15: "The Mask of Matches Malone!" -- Batman, Huntress and Black Canary are after Two-Face -- and so is Catwoman. While incognito, Batman gets amnesia and believes himself to be a real gangster -- now the girls must stop him and Two-Face!

Written by Gail Simone, directed by Michael Chang.

For the Birds of Prey musical number from "The Mask of Matches Malone!", CLICK HERE.

Friday, Oct. 22: "Menace of the Madniks!" -- Booster Gold misses his late best bud, Blue Beetle (Ted Kord), but when he travels back in time to hang with him, he throws the present into chaos and Batman must travel back with him to fix the mistakes and get one last adventure in with the super hero before he passes on.

Written by Jim Krieg, directed by Michael Goguen.

Friday, Oct. 29: "Emperor Joker!" -- The fifth-dimensional fanboy Bat-Mite wants to see a showdown between his idol and his arch-nemesis - the Joker! In an attempt to save Batman, Bat-Mite inadvertently gives Joker his limitless power allowing Joker to warp reality to his most twisted fantasies.

Written by Steve Melching, directed by Ben Jones.

RED: JOHN MALKOVICH

John Malkovich is appearing in his second DC Comics movie this year, following up his role in Jonah Hex by starring as Marvin Boggs in Red, which opens Oct. 15.

During a video interview, Malkovich talked his character and the story, as well as working with director Robert Schwentke and co-star Mary-Louise Parker.

To view the interview, CLICK HERE.

Look for more on Red every day through the film's Oct. 15 release here in The Continuum.

For 10 preview clips from Red, CLICK HERE.

TOP COW PRODUCTIONS FIRST LOOKS

For covers and five- to 38-page previews of Top Cow Productions titles arriving in store on Oct. 6, CLICK HERE.

Titles include Top Cow First Look Volume 1 Trade Paperback and Pilot Season: Crosshair #1.

MARVEL COMICS FIRST LOOKS

For covers and four-page previews of Marvel Comics titles arriving in stores in November, CLICK HERE.

Titles include Iron Man: The Rapture #1 and Ozma from Oz #1.

For previously posted previews of Marvel Comics titles arriving in stores in November, CLICK HERE.

DC COMICS FIRST LOOKS

For covers and four- to five-page previews of DC Comics titles arriving in stores on Oct. 6, CLICK HERE.

Titles include IZombie #6, Freedom Fighters #2, Batman Confidential #49, American Vampire #7, Brightest Day #11, The Authority #27, Tom Strong and the Robots of Doom #5, Red - New Edition and Secret Six #26.

SMALLVILLE -- "SUPERGIRL"

The CW has released a second video preview of "Supergirl," this Friday's epsiode of Smallville.

To watch the video, CLICK HERE.

BRIEFLY

* Marvel Comics has announced a March launch for Wolverine/Hercules: Myths, Monsters and Mutants, a four-issue mini-series.

The story is written by Frank Tieri, with art by Juan Santacruz and covers by Joe Jusko.

* Top Cow Production has promoted Atom! Freeman from his current position as direct market liaison to a staff position as director of sales and marketing.