The Panel Biter Podcasts 6/28/18

The Weekly Flip Vol. 2 #12

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1kDkoVjeBXThSMabU9-rCsmJi-NJUZuBj

The Comic Buffet/Force Feeding "The Brave & The Bold #86"

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1bosT6qlyI3ky6roRQ0T3cFJcG8G1nINA

The After Party #9

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Yrtb9NcBc8Xnw1EvE0dY3z3ZEQWjava2

The Force & The Factorous (My X-Men Sequel Spin-Off Pitch)

Following the events of my X-Men MCU sequel pitch, we have these new entrees and continuations of my previously establishes spin-off properties.

X-Factor Investigations

Slap this on a streaming service! Leaving their lives of mutant terrorism behind, Alex Summers and Lorna Dane hang up their costumes and try to live a normal life together. But their retirement is short-lived when a runaway mutant needs their help. Through this series we'd see our two main characters grow as a couple and as private investigators. They would recruit runaway teen Boom-Boom, dim-witted enforced Strong Guy, and a body-cloning mutant named Madrox. The overall plot would explore Madrox's various clones running about, one of them known as The Dupe is the first copy and he's trying to ruin Madrox's life by framing him for a murder. This show could easily crossover with "New Mutants" and Havok and Polaris would have shades of Cyclops and Magneto respectively. By the end of the first season we'd see a new street level X-Men team.

Wolverine III

Coming off of her debut in "New Mutants" season two, X-23 joins her genetic relative Wolverine on a rescue mission to The Savage Land, making it's own debut in the MCU. There they stand between warring tribes, battle an assortment of once-extinct jurassic creatures, and meet the heroes of The Savage Land: Ka-Zar (Marvel's Tarzan), Zabu (his faithful sabertooth tiger), Shanna (Ka-Zar's wife/female Tarzan), and Moon Boy and Devil Dinosaur (a monkey boy and a T-Rex). Garokk-leader of The Sun People-is revealed to have The Juggernaut in his employ. Despite the elements of The Savage Land, The Wolverine Duo take this war into their own hands with the goal of killing Garokk and stripping The Sun People of their God.

Psylocke Season Two

Psylocke travels to the crime-ridden island of Mandripoor to rescue an old M13 agent, only to find her murdered and The Hand ready to attack. The agent's kidnapping was all a ploy to lure Psylocke to the island so that a Hand ninja named Revanche can undergo a magic spell to switch bodies with Betsy. It's a race against the clock as Betsy-in this new body-has to reach the upper town of Madripoor and stop Madame Tiger from sending Revanche-in Psylocke's body-to America to assassinate several political figures under the guise of an X-Man. Psylocke will have to master her new abilities, avoid the mysterious ninja-killer known as Ronin, and escape Revanche's bad reputation.

The New Mutants Season Three

School, work, and social interactions are the least of The New Mutants problems now that they've been kidnapped and sent to Mojoverse, a planet that lives and breaths off of televised entertainment. Ever since season one, the overlord Mojo has had his eyes on these teens and is ready to put them on his channel for the universe to see. Here we'd see the first step into aliens crossing over into X-Men. This whole season would be shot like a reality show with shaky cams and private interviews, but also features several challenges for The New Mutants. By the way, Mojo only grabs the most interesting of young X-Men like Kitty, Jubilee, Armor, X-23, Gentle, Hellion, Sunfire II, and Magik. While participating in fights against the likes of Longshot and Spiral, races across planetoids, and menial chore-based tasks, the kids also make an escape plan just as there teachers of The Xavier School search for them. However, the teachers are busy fighting back The Danger Room's new murderous AI, "Danger". If you were bored of the teenage drama stuff, Mojo has the season for you!

X-Force Film

Weapon X may be destroyed, but their leftovers have killed Wolverine. Well, the wrong Wolverine. Logan's estranged son is killed in his place so Logan and Laura investigate a series of murders connected to former Weapon X subjects. To counter this new superpowered threat, Logan assembles a team of his own X-Men, but these ones are a little darker. Psylocke, Archangel, Domino, Warpath, and-making his MCU debut-Deadpool. Who mistakes this film for "Deadpool 3". With the killer revealed to be a healing-factor-poisoning super-soldier named Omega Red, the new X-Force has to snuff him out and find his handler. Not to save the world, or to save a life, but to make sure when Weapon X is killed it stays dead.

Gambit Season Three

Gambit's on the road again! This time he's running from Rogue's complicated mind-trauma from "X-Men: Utopia" and working a job in which he has to steal a severed hand from Worthington Pharmacies and return it to an underground group of mutants. After betraying the trust of Angel and breaking into his families business, Gambit returns the hand to-his surprise-The Morlocks. Gambit is taken prisoner and blamed for the massacre of these deformed mutants. He is scarred and forced to live as their servant, which is easy with the power-cancelling effect of Leech. Gambit plays the long-con by gaining the trust of the Morlocks and sending an SOS to Rogue. But could Remy get too close to the leader of the Morlocks? Perhaps too close to leave?
And that's that!
Thanks for reading and look forward to "X-Men: Decimation".

Wally Facts

Are you a fan of the Flash's successor? Because we got One Dozen Wally West Facts!

1. Wally was created in 1959 and was introduced as Iris West's nephew and Flash's biggest fan. After Barry Allen told Wally he was The Flash, Barry sent up his lab to have the same chemicals exposed as the night he was struck by lightning and given powers. What he could not predict was another lightning bolt striking at that moment and giving Wally access to The Speed Force too.

2. When Wally first became Kid Flash, he wore a costume identical to Barry's. He later changed into a yellow and red Kid Flash costume that would become more iconic. Ironically, Wally would don a Flash costume again years later when he took the Flash mantle.

3. Wally is originally from Blue Valley, Nebraska. He moved to Central City to work with Barry, but later moved to Keystone City-the hometown of the original Flash Jay Garrick-after he became The Flash.

4. Wally was a founding member of The Teen Titans, first appearing in "The Brave & The Bold #54" with Robin and Aqualad, and later inviting Wonder Girl and Speedy onto the team. As The Flash, he became a member of The Justice League in the 90's and a member of The Titans.

5. In the 80's Wally became diagnosed with a Speed Force side-effect that caused him to age faster the more he used his super speed. This was because he got Speed Force powers as an adolescent and so his body's development was still in progress, whereas Barry Allen was already an adult. Wally was cured of his aging during "Crisis on Infinite Earths" and was stuck in his early 20's. After Barry sacrificed himself to save the Multiverse, Wally took up the mantle.

6. As The Flash, Wally gained the ability to steal and share speed with other people and objects (such as stealing the speed from a bullet or giving someone's natural healing process a boost in speed), and he could vibrate at a speed that allowed him to phase through solid objects, but those objects would combust afterwards. He can also time travel, create tornados, and manipulate electricity. He can also seemingly teleport by running so fast.

7. Wally once won the lottery and bought a mansion.

8. Wally West was the first Flash who had to eat large amounts of food to balance all the carbs he burnt running.

9. Wally eventually married reporter Linda Park and had twins Iris and Jai, who in the future would become known as The Tornado Twins. Iris West II became Kid Flash in the "Kingdom Come" universe, sporting a costume similar to her father's. He reappeared as a member of The Teen Titans in the late 2000's. After the events of DC Rebirth, Wally's marriage was undone and his kids were unmade, this led to a conflict where Wally wanted to use The Speed Force to brings his children back, but Barry couldn't risk him using time control.

10. When The New 52 reboot began, Wally West was nowhere to be seen in the DCU and barely ever mentioned. When Wally West showed up in "The Flash" series he was African-American. The characters's racial and personal changes didn't gel well, so when "DC Rebirth" happened the red-headed adult Wally returned to the DCU and reminded The Flash and The Titans what the world used to be before The New 52. Wally also warned Barry and Batman of a God-like entity who changed their universe (Doctor Manhattan). It was also established that both Wallys were cousins named after the same grandfather. Wally joined The Titans as The Flash II, and Wally II joined The Teen Titans as Kid Flash.

11. During a crossover between The Titans and Teen Titans, Wally West's past self was punched in the heart by Damian Wayne/Robin. This cut off Wally's connection to The Speed Force long enough to turn off Deathstroke's stolen connection. As a result, Wally-in the present-had a pacemaker installed to his heart, but if he used his powers too much his heart would give out. And in fact it did, but his heart was given a jumpstart by his cousin and his condition was cured.

12. Wally West was faster Barry Allen, but rejected the truth because he was afraid entirely replacing his mentor. But after the return of The Reverse Flash, Wally outran Barry's speed and is credited as the Fastest Man Alive by Max Mercury-a Flash from the future-and the first Flash to outrun Death itself.

Thanks for reading!

Is there such thing as going too fast?

The Panel Biter Podcasts 6/22/18

The Weekly Flip Vol. 2 #11

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1UcLEvOUiGIK9wj5_pWgBXhz_x-CA5TER

The Comic Buffet "Ant-Man 2015"

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1qWurbj6bydnBx-UJpHmdCRbJ0heOSaT7

The Comic Buffet Girlfriend Special #2 "Super Mario Adventures"

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Zvmg_Hw3sG6UnE6ql4yhQolwT9xMc4DD

Hulk Satisfied! (We Don't Need Another Hulk Solo Film)

You what really grinds my gears? When people tell me they want a new Hulk movie. Like, why? So you can watch Mark Ruffalo squeeze a stress ball for two hours, see The Hulk twice, and then have him fight a villain who is just Hulk, but bad on purpose?

Of all the supporting characters in the MCU, I have enjoyed The Hulk more than any. And that statement might bother you if you put Hulk on the same pedestal as Thor, Cap, or Tony, but the truth is Hulk isn't that big. Metaphorically. He may be in the comics, but in the MCU Hulk is the gray line between A-List hero and supporting character. Don't believe me? How many of you forgot "The Incredible Hulk" was in the MCU? Or that the film even existed? Or the love interest from that movie? You may remember General Ross, but only because he is literally the only character from that film to be in other MCU movies. And that includes Bruce Banner because he was played by Edward Norton in that film. "The Incredible Hulk" is like the black sheep of the MCU and honestly not a bad film, but also not something I wanted to see repeated.

 Ever since "Avengers" we have seen the best portrayal of both Bruce and The Hulk on screen. Bruce has some handle on his anger, he's able to socialize and joke and be afraid without being a liability. And Hulk can smile and have fun and have friends and beat up Thor. Every time I see Bruce and Hulk in a film I can't find myself liking one more than the other, there's a great balance to both identities. Between "Age of Ultron", "Thor: Ragnarok" and "Infinity War" we see an arc to this version of The Hulk, an arc you couldn't get in a trilogy, an arc better paced throughout his appearances in other films. Hulk works as a supporting character because it gives him less focus, but more space to develop.

And here's the other thing, The Hulk isn't entirely Marvel Studio's property. Hulk's movie rights have been in the possession of Universal Studios since 2000, so every time Marvel Studios/Disney uses Hulk it cannot be in a solo movie. Otherwise Universal gets some of the profit. So Marvel owns the right to use Hulk in movies that aren't named after him. And since none of these films can be solely about Hulk we don't have much of a reason to use Betty Ross or Abomination or The Leader. And yeah, the whole thing is pretty damn stupid. Disney could buy up the rest of the Hulk rights any day now, but they haven't. And maybe they don't have to because despite this limitation, Hulk has worked out fine in the MCU. Not everyone is asking for a movie with him, most people are too excited for the next Black Panther or an X-Men film to care if Hulk gets a new film. And hey, Hulk has fought The Thing so who says he can't appear in a Fantastic Four film? And Wolverine's first appearance was in a Hulk comic, so who says Wolverine won't have a film where he fights The Hulk? Hulk is such a flexible character he can appear anywhere! 

Personally? I don't need a new Hulk film. Maybe twenty years from now when everything is rebooted and different and we can afford to make a Hulk horror movie I'll be down, but right now in the upcoming era of the MCU I don't need The Hulk to get a new movie. That being said, Bruce seems to have trouble bringing The Hulk out after his battle with Thanos. Who says that problem can't last, maybe until he's back to Earth civilization? Where a community of people who fear and hate the Hulk want Bruce put on trial for all the damage he's caused? Led by Samuel Sterns, the victim of Hulk blood touching his brain at the end of "Incredible Hulk", AKA The Leader. And Bruce needs a good lawyer, like his cousin Jennifer Walters. Jen-who is obviously bitter with Bruce for being so distant from her-could get shot by a Hulk-hater, need a blood transfusion from Bruce, and become She-Hulk for a new film trilogy. There's an idea for you Marvel.

Thanks for reading!

I'll be waiting for Taika Waititi to call me.

Panel Biter Podcasts 6/20/18

Weekly Flip Vol. 2 #10

https://drive.google.com/open?id=198Fc0PkdwxDt2rejz_M9Muoz6AhZgl4p

Panel Pitch: Doctor Strange & The Sorcerer's Apprentice

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1cgmT4O8fWZmeD5at2VFwq7Hujurh1qM4

Comic Buffet Father's Day Special "Spawn #9"

https://drive.google.com/open?id=195fbMf0a5W6ZnxZyBn_EPZ5xP5fHfafk

After Party #8 "Ridley & Friends"

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SZJf9iSBCGZNuExwtKJ4zTwYsqIq_jft

Avengers vs X-Men: Raffi Edition (My X-Men Sequel)

Everybody out there doing their X-Men MCU pitch. And here I am on the sequel. This is "X-Men: Utopia".

So this would be loosely based on "Avengers/X-Men: Bloodties". Very loosely. Just all the stuff relating to Genosha, an island nation that has been using mutants for slave labor. Genosha is essentially fictional Australia, the same way Wakanda is fictional Africa and Sokovia is fictional Europe. The plot would begin with a Genoshan mutant coming to The Xavier School seeking refuge. This mutant is Nezhno (who's mutant name is Gentle) would later become part of the "New Mutants" TV show. The X-Men learn from him that the Genoshan government has been using mutants for farming and mining without any pay or rights. Nezhno was brought to the X-Men by NSA agent Everett Ross and his agents who specifically instruct the X-Men not to get involved with Genosha. Ross claims he will go to Genosha and scope it out, but unregistered vigilantes like The X-Men cannot invade another nation, in fact the only reason the government hasn't shut down the school is because Professor X is the only person who can monitor mutants. Charles asks to join Ross to be the U.S.'s "mutant professional" and Ross allows him and Beast to tag along since its a mutant matter. What Ross doesn't know is that Charles telepathically instructs his X-Men to follow them and investigate Genosha's secrets.
With Jean busy trying to psychically repair Angel/Archangel (stuff from Gambit Season Two), Cyclops brings Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Storm, and their three new members Gambit, Rogue, and Psylocke. Eventually, the Genoshan government would learn of The X-Men's presence. They bring Ross and his men into another room and straight up torture Professor X and Beast for information. Ross calls the only people strong enough to arrest The X-Men, The New Avengers. Now, this is a rough estimation of what The Avengers will look like at this point considering the movies Marvel will have out by then. Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Ant-Man, The Wasp, and Sersi of The Eternals are called in. From their fight we'd see Black Panther and Storm meet again (I'd have Storm cameo in the Black Panther sequel), Doctor Strange battle three X-Men at once, and we'd witness Rogue absorbing Captain Marvel's powers. She drains Carol to the point where Carol is powerless and memory-damaged. When Psylocke uses her powers to make everyone sense Professor X's pain, the two teams of heroes search the council building and save their allies. It is then they learn Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants (Mystique, Sabretooth, Toad, The Blob, Pyro, Havok, and Polaris) have secretly taken over Genosha.
Magneto reveals he's been strong-arming the country's leaders and released their mutant slaves on purpose, knowing one of them would reach the X-Men. Magneto demands the USA ship all their mutants to Genosha in a matter of days or he'll kill the US officials and every other human in the capital city. However, Magneto didn't account on The Avengers being involved. It takes both teams to defeat the evil mutants and Magneto. During all this, Cyclops and Havok realize they’re brothers and Havok joins The X-Men, as does Magneto's daughter Polaris. After the whole ordeal, the Genoshan government asks Professor X to stay and help them fix their mutant relations. Black Panther stays to lend a ruler's hand, as does Storm to help Charles and spend some time with T'Challa. Things get tense with Rogue and Gambit because of her recent memory absorption from Carol, not to mention learning Mystique is her mother. Magneto and his allies are imprisoned in Genosha. Havok and Polaris decide to start their own little hero team called X-Factor Investigations.
My X-Men movies would focus on realistic issues applied to the X-Men. The first one was about the public response to mutants, so the sequel is about mutants being used as slaves by another country. Foreign relations are really dicey and complicated and for The X-Men to barge in and deal with it would cause a real uproar, it would put the heroes in hot water. But in the pursuit of mutant rights it makes sense The X-Men would involve themselves just as Magneto would assume control of a country that misused his people.
Stay tuned for the next couple of X-Men MCU projects!
Thanks for reading!

Foster Facts

Are you a fan of the many Goliaths? Well, we got One Dozen Goliath Facts for you!

1. Goliath was originally the third identity of Hank Pym during the early days of The Avengers. After developing the giant-sizing Pym Particles needed to become Giant-Man, Pym's long-time exposure left him stuck in his giant form.

2. After Pym became Yellowjacket, Clint Barton retired the Hawkeye identity and used Pym Particles to become Goliath as he felt his bow and arrows were not enough to keep up with his teammates. Following The Kree-Skrull War he returned to being Hawkeye.

3. The third Goliath was Bill Foster, a biochemist and assistant to Hank Pym who helped cure Pym of his giantism. Following that he moved to The West Coast and used Pym Particles to fight crime as Black Goliath.

4. Bill was heavily promoted as an urban superhero akin to Luke Cage. He was born and raised in the ghettos of Los Angeles, but pulled himself out by becoming a brilliant chemist. He had even teamed up with Luke Cage to battle The Circus of Crime.

5. Bill was once a technical advisor for the original Champions in LA (Black Widow, Ghost Rider, Hercules, Iceman, and Angel). He has also been on The Defenders, and Project: Pegasus. During his retirement he worked for The Center of Disease Control and Prevention, based off the real-life organization.

6. Bill briefly went by Giant-Man by the request of Ben Grimm/The Thing, but later changed it simply to Goliath.

7. During his time on Project: Pegasus, Bill Foster contracted radiation poisoning and was slowly dying. He was cured by a blood transfusion with Spider-Woman, but the radiation also gave him cancer. Bill used the growth serum to bury the cancer until he could afford better treatment.

8. Foster and Pym briefly worked on using Pym Particles to cure world hunger, but this was left unresolved.

9. During "Civil War", Bill Foster fought on the anti-registration side and was killed by a clone of Thor created by Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, and Hank Pym, himself. Bill's body remained giant and Tony bought thirty-eight burial plots to bury him. During "World War Hulk" when Hulk threw Reed, Tony, and members of The Illuminati into a colosseum to kill each other, citizens of New York who wanted these heroes to suffer as well included Tom Foster, Bill's nephew who wanted Tony Stark to pay for the death of his uncle. He later stole Pym Particles to become giant and fight Tony himself.

10. Tom-as Goliath-was an employee of Damage Control, a company that is contracted to repair after superhero/supervillain battles. He was also a member of an ant-hero team called The Revengers assembled by a psychologically unhinged Wonder Man. Other members of the team included Captain Ultra, Century, Demolition Man, Atlas, and Anti-Venom. After fighting The Avengers, Tom was imprisoned and later put on parole after defeating runaway villains.

11. The aforementioned Atlas was another character briefly used the title Goliath during his supervillain career. He also used the name Power Man which brought him to blows with Luke Cage. Atlas is a constant member of The Thunderbolts and The Masters of Evil.

12. In the universe of "Old Man Logan", Atlas and other members of The Thunderbolts betrayed Hawkeye which led to the downfall of The Avengers and the corruption of America. When old Logan and old, blind Clint run into Atlas during their cross-country mission, Clint challenges Atlas to a one-on-one fight and kills him.
Thanks for reading.
What's better? Growing or shrinking?

A Lobo No-Go (Why The F$%k Isn't Momoa Playing Lobo?)

Why the hell is Jason Momoa playing Aquaman and not Lobo!? I don't understand how anyone could look at these two characters and say "Yeah, make him the blonde one". Hi, I'm Raffi and I like complain about things out of my control. Like Jason Momoa being Aquaman and not Lobo.

Lobo is the perfect character for Momoa to play. Just ask anyone who knows who Lobo is and they'll tell you the same. Lobo is masculine, vulgar, self-absorbed, and yet committed to his code. He is a man's man, he is The Main Man, and his ego won't let you forget it. He's all about sex, violence, money, and all the vices the world has to offer. But at his core he is a gentle creature who loved Space Dolphins. Lobo has a healing factor that would make Deadpool blush. You ever look up Wolverine facts and see the bit about Logan regenerating from a single cell? Lobo does that all the time! And unlike Wolverine and Deadpool, Lobo has never died! His healing factor isn't a mutation or alien power, it is a result of both Heaven and Hell rejecting him and giving him a healing factor that would keep him from dying so that he could never enter either afterlife. Translation: Lobo is too badass to go to Heaven or Hell. He got to be this badass by slaughtering his whole alien race-The Czarnians-just for kicks. Lobo not only breaks the fourth wall, but antagonizes readers and writers alike. Lobo is a master tactician, proficient in all firearms and explosives, has access to alien technology, has knives and a gnarly hook-chain, and he rides a hellish space motorcycle called The Space Hog. And he has an alien dog that can talk, smoke, and fire guns too. And before you think Lobo is all crust and no filling, Lobo has an interesting relationship with the heroes of the DCU. He's buddies with Green Lantern Guy Gardner, he has a deep respect for Batman and has been a member of his Justice League of America, and Lobo has clashed with characters like Superman, Deathstroke, Hawkman, and Hal Jordan. And get this-Lobo killed Santa Claus.

So I think we've established my love for Lobo. In fact, I love Lobo as much as fake Deadpool fans love Deadpool. Bite me, fanboys. So what's my beef with Momoa? Is his Aquaman that bad? Well, see, that's the thing: he isn't even playing Aquaman. The closest thing to his Aquaman is the 1990's Aquaman and even he didn't act like Momoa's Aquaman. Like, between the beer, the tough-guy routine, the solitude and hesitance to express his feelings, Momoa is just playing a diet Lobo. Aquaman is righteous, moral, he struggles with the balance of being human and Atlantean, he secludes himself at first but he doesn't drink himself silly or get a bunch of sick tats. Like, Momoa's Aquaman is just what Zack Snyder's Aquaman would be like. He'd ignore all that societal struggle stuff and emotional distancing stuff because that's boring and gay and he needs to be rugged and muscled and not into all that sissy stuff. Blonde, orange scales? He's supposed to be a badass not some kind of nancy boy. And I know Momoa can't be blamed for playing Snyder's character, but with Momoa playing Aquaman that just means we're even further away from getting a loyal version of Aquaman and a perfect version of Lobo. Besides, with how many big Hollywood actors WB could scoop up and make Aquaman, I can't help but be bitter about them playing the Momoa card too early. In fact, Momoa ASSUMED he'd be playing Lobo in "Justice League" because he looked similar to the character!

Look, I have no way of knowing where the DCEU is going to go. If "Flashpoint" is still happening, if Momoa will be role-swapped, if a new Aquaman will be cast, if we'll even get a Lobo movie. But I know this: for as much as I dislike Momoa's Aquaman and as much as I wish he never got cast as him I still think Momoa is a great actor and entertaining personality. And while he brings 100% of that to Arthur Curry, I know that it is a loss not having him as Lobo and that no other actor could come close to bringing The Main Man to life.

Well, maybe Roman Reigns. Or Danny Trejo.

Thanks for reading, bastitch.

The Next Generation...X (My X-Men Spin-Off Pitches)

Following up on my pitch for an X-Men film, here are the other projects that would follow that film and lead to my next MCU X-Men film!

Marvel's Wolverine

Essentially a prequel to my X-Men film. The reason Wolverine doesn't do much in said X-Men Pitch is because he's headlining his own trilogy. This takes place in 2005, we see Logan as an agent of Canada on a mission involving Weapon X, Sabretooth, and The Hulk. By the end he leaves to join The Xavier School. For the full film here's the podcast we did on it: https://panelbiter.podbean.com/e/the-panel-pitch-marvels-wolverine/

The New Mutants Season One

If my X-Men films are all about the heroes, this show is all about the students. Essentially a drama/action TV show to replace "Agents of SHIELD", this show would follow a handful of young mutants as they struggle with not only their powers and evil villains, but also with family, social life, and their pasts. Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat, Jubilee, Anole, Hellion, and Prodigy would be the troubled young mutants we'd focus on, along with some X-Men who play more of a teacher role like Banshee, Iceman, and Angel. This show would have a lot of hints to other films and future events, but would put the next generation of X-Men in the forefront. By the way, the school is more of a Training Institution. So the kids would go to their local High School and then come to the mansion for three hours to learn and socialize. 

Gambit Season One

This series would be on Netflix, Hulu, or that Disney Streaming App they're working on. "Gambit" follows the Ragin' Cajun himself as he is hired to steal a young woman named Rogue. He's hunted by the likes of The Mob, a familiar furry foe, and a certain blue shapeshifter. For the full story here's a podcast link: https://panelbiter.podbean.com/e/the-panel-pitch-gambit/

Wolverine II

Wolverine's sequel sees him and his X-Men-in-Training Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat traveling to Japan in search of his long-forgotten wife. However, they only come to find Yakuza, a stranger with Wolverine's powers, and a tragic memory Logan must be ready to face. This personal journey between student and master can be fully experienced through this link: https://panelbiter.podbean.com/e/the-panel-pitch-wolverine-ii/

Gambit Season Two

This time around Gambit is hired by the rich and scandalous Hellfire Club to rescue their former associate-who is turn out to be Angel of The X-Men-who has been kidnapped. His mission will have him face off against fellow thief-foir-hire Fantomex, and rub elbows with a psychic ninja named Psylocke. With experimentation being commenced on the poor winged mutant, Gambit and his new friends don't have much time.

Psylocke Season One

Spinning off of her appearance in "Gambit", Psylocke would be another streamed series following Betty Braddock during her early days as a psychic spy for M-13 in England. We see her go from a run-of-the-mill desk jockey to a specially-trained, psychic assassin. We see hunt down the assassin known as Slaymaster, we see how she met Angel, and we meet her secretive brother Brian and his multiversal organization. What lies ahead for Psylocke can't be predicted. But it can be fought.

The New Mutants Season Two

X-23 is introduced as a runaway Weapon X project being chased by cybernetic kidnappers named Nanny and Orphan Maker. Emma Frost-former member of The Hellfire Club appears as a new teacher, and the kids discover their favorite pop-star Dazzler is a mutant herself! With new additions like Sunfire's sister Leyu, the healing mutant Elixir, and we see Colossus' sister finally gain her mutant powers. Can The New Mutants keep X-23 out of harms way and from causing harm?
More to come after my next X-Men film pitch!
Thanks for reading!

Saint Dumas Facts

Are you a fan of the other Dark Knight? Well, we got One Dozen Azrael Facts!

1. Jean Paul Valley was a brainwashed soldier of The Order of Saint Dumas, a successor group to The Knights Templar. He was psychologically and physically designed to take up the mantle of The Order's warrior known as "Azrael", a mantle once used by his father. While his mind has been freed from The Order, Valley remains a devout Christian.

2. After Batman freed him from The Order, Azrael became an apprentice of Batman and Robin and helped them fight crime. He received a job at WayneTech as well. In the story "Knightfall" and it's sequels, Valley takes up the mantle of Batman after Bane breaks Bruce's back. However, Valley takes his role as Batman further by using lethal force, weaponized battle armor, and merciless fighting tactics Batman would deem wrong. Valley even murdered a criminal which forced Bruce to confront him. It is revealed Valley's violent spiral was a side-effect from his past conditioning from The Order and that taking on Batman's mantle only reverted him.

3. Valley is a test tube baby with unspecified animal DNA spliced into him by The Order.

4. Valley once lived among the homeless people of Gotham City. He has also worked at soup kitchens and community outreach centers.

5. After being killed by the woman who killed his father, Azrael briefly returned during "Blackest Night" as a Black Lantern Zombie.

6. There was a second Azrael created by Grant Morrison in 2008 named Michael Washington Lane. Lane was a former cop who learned another of The Order's Azrael knights killed a police officer. He underwent experimentation from Doctor Hurt to become the new Azrael and track this new Order down. In issue #2 of The New 52's "Batwoman" series, Lane can be seen in the background of a panel. However, when the issue was released he was edited out of the panel.

7. The Order of Saint Dumas also owned a robot called The Ascalon. This robot was programmed with the same ethical beliefs and combat experience as Azrael battled the Batman Family by overriding Batwing's various armors. In order to defeat him, Azrael donned an updated version of his Batman armor, programmed with Batman's martial arts and personality.

8. When Batman stopped using the drug Venom, he had to lock himself away in the Batcave for a month with only water and a little food. When Bane stopped using Venom he suffered from exhaustion, hysteria, and a desire to use Venom again in fear of not being strong enough. Jean Paul Valley has broken an addiction to Venom in one night. This was a potent, concentrated dose of Venom as well.

9. Valley's flaming sword has remained a mystery since his conception, however in The New 52 it was revealed the sword's name is Murasame. Murasame is also a sword in many forms of Japanese fiction. The word translates to "village rain" or "autumn rain" and refers to a type of rain that falls hard, then gently, and hard again. In the Justice League/Power Ranger crossover, when The Rangers are without their powers, The JL let them borrow the weapons and costumes of other DC heroes. Jason-The Red Ranger-carries Azrael's fire sword into battle. He has also used "The Sword of Sin" and "The Sword of Salvation", the former forces the sword's target to remember every sin they've ever committed, and the later forces it's target to relive every tragedy they've ever experienced at once. His gauntlet blades were stolen by another vigilante named Manhunter. His armor is called "The Suit of Sorrows" and is programmed with The Order's data which Valley can tap into.

10. Azrael had a self-titled series in 1995 that was retitled "Azrael: Agent of The Bat" and started featuring Robin and Batgirl in an attempt to boost sales.

11. Azrael has worked alongside Batman, Batwoman, and the rest of "The Knights" up until Batwoman's murder of Clayface. This split the team and put Azrael with Batwoman and Batwing on General Kane's Colony. Following the corruption and downfall of The Colony and the event "Justice League: No Justice", Azrael will be added to a new team called Justice League Odyssey led by Cyborg.

12. There have been two crossovers between Batman and Marvel Comic's The Punisher. The first crossover "Batman/Punisher: Lake of Fire" took place during Valley's stint as Batman. During that crossover Valley was defeated by The Punisher. Punisher was defeated by Bruce Wayne/Batman in the following crossover.

Thanks for reading.

Which sword of Azrael is your favorite sword?

Panel Biter Podcasts 6/8/18

The Weekly Flip Vol. 2 #9

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1T81mf-zKdu04S5K32jX9iBAvfm-dGfeY

The After Party #7

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zjFYgMqMYdFRosnK9siJzyebYmqCILYl

The Comic Buffet "Titans of Tomorrow"

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1LDKjeTMXUAg3by04L7XvK4i8yjBD4Y4S

The Digital Age (Why Reading Comics Is Easy Now)

So I've been reading comic books constantly for about five years now and when I started reading I'd walk down to my local comic shop Double Midnight Comics here in Manchester, New Hampshire. I liked having a routine and having a list of series ready to pick up and read later when I got home. But last September when I moved into my apartment I instantly realized the fallacy in my routine. I had a lot of books. So I made the switch to digital.

There are mainly two reasons people don't buy comics regularly: money and time. And the high learning curve of what's in continuity and where to start and what runs are still going, but never mind that now. Reading books online has been the greatest decision I've made in the realm of comic books. I'm not a collector, not one focused on rare issues or anything like that. Like, I have a decent hardcover and floppy collection, but as a person who is following current series, buying them digitally has been way easier. Going back to the moving thing, I couldn't bring all my comics because I just has too many, but digitally I carry all of my current series in my iPad.

But let's no plug any app just yet, let's talk money. Cash. Dough. Moolah. Comics week-to-week can get pretty pricey depending on how many books you buy. Your standard single issue can run around three or four bucks. That's why it's wise to only read the stuff that interests you. Don't get into Captain Marvel just because she has a movie coming, buy a Spider-Man book if you've always loved Spider-Man. If you don't like Marvel or DC than just buy the other company's titles. So, example, you want to read some DC Comics titles. So you pick up Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Justice League. Some of these books are current 2.99 an issue, but I'm going to bump the price up to 3.99 for evenness. So you spend about twelve bucks a week, and forty-eight a month. And if you stick to four titles all year, that's five-hundred and seventy-six dollars a year. And again, that's considering you're reading four titles all year, those books are all 3.99, and you haven't switched to another cheaper title. You can legit just read one title. You're favorite character, and you'd be spending twelve dollars a month, one-hundred and forty-four dollars a year. Just for one series. And in era of comic books you'll be lucky if one series lasts a whole year without a renumbering, a cancellation, or a writer switch.

Like I said, having my books on my iPad gives me the ability to bring my books anywhere. On a bus, a plane, waiting at an office, at the beach, at home and anywhere else you can stop and read. Once you buy them they're yours to download and remove at your leisure. And even if you don't have an iPad you probably have an iPhone or iPod or some type of smart phone or laptop or desktop. If you can download Facebook you can download a comic book app. Personally I use the Marvel Comics App and DC Comics App. I don't use Marvel Infinity or Comixology just out of experience with the the two apps I use. And yeah, sometimes that means I can't pick up books like "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" because it's not published by either of them or "Mister Miracle" because it's not on digital for some reason, but that just means I can binge buy those books at a comic shop and show them support. It's become so easy to buy comics now, especially when DC and Marvel have FREE books to download on their apps. And I'm pretty sure Marvel Infinity and Comixology work like Netflix. You pay a monthly subscription and you can browse and download their entire library of books.

Now all this talk of digital downloads can be harmful to the comic book stores around the country. And I don't mean Newbury Comics or Barns & Nobles and other stores that "also sell comics". I mean Double Midnight Comics and other little franchises. Stores that have been forced to change with the times by selling trading cards and video games and collectables. But if those businesses die off in a couple decades, it only means franchise stores will become stronger before they too are wiped out by the digital age. I'd feel bad if comic shops closed down like that, but all I want to so is read comic books. And right now doing that on a tablet screen is the best option for me right now.

Plus, if you double tap the page you get Guided Reading which shows you the next appropriate panel to read when you swipe the screen. So that's cool.

Thanks for reading and go buy a comic book!

Raf Loves, Fox Kills (My X-Men Pitch)

So what do I want The X-Men to be like in the MCU. Well, the short version is...not so short.

This is "X-Men: Mankind".

So first and foremost: Russo Bros directing and Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese (both Deadpool movies) writing it. Your story basis is "X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills" with some alterations. Do the costumes from the comics in a sensible modern style. And don't make mutants this new thing. Mutants have been around in the MCU for a few decades, but because all these films focus on superheroes and space and magic and stuff we've never heard of the mutant dilemma until now. The Xavier School for The Gifted is a training institution children can go to every day after school or live there to help hone their mutant powers. Their teachers are The X-Men, a covert-ops team of trained mutants who only get involved when it's mutant-related. Some mutants like Jean wish they could have helped during Loki or Ultron, but Scott understands their limits and acknowledges the world wasn't ready for something as personal as mutants being heroes. And play up the mutants being like homosexuals or minorities thing. Have racist background characters. This is the MCU we can handle that by this point.

Oh, and the the team. You essentially get two types of characters: Main characters and background characters. The main characters move the plot and the background characters only come into play during the end. Cyclops, Marvel Girl (gotta call Jean something), Beast (already furry), Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Professor X are main characters. Background characters are Wolverine (lazy gym teacher throughout the film until the end when he suits up like a badass), Iceman, Banshee, Angel, and Forge. Forge is there because someone has to build the Blackbird. Thunderbird is the team's only dead member and Sunfire quit early on. Magneto is in the film of course and his Brotherhood of Mutants consists of Mystique, The Blob, Toad, Pyro, Havok (who doesn't remember Scott Summers is his brother because he was very young when they were separated) and Polaris (Magneto's daughter, don't care if Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are retconned to be his kids). Magneto acts like Malcolm X to Xavier's MLK Jr., Magneto's way of asserting mutants as the dominant race is terrorizing anti-mutant rallies and pushing a senator around after a press conference. Magneto wants to scare people and that gives mutants a bad name. A parallel to someone from a nationality, sex, or gender doing something awful having a negative effect on everyone who shares that nationality, sex, or gender.

The other threat is Reverend William Stryker. He's a Religious Fundamentalist, a TV televangelist, and he hates mutants. He appears to just be a bad influence on people, telling them to hate and fear mutants. This brings about a group of mutant-haters called The Purifiers, and makes Stryker an allegory for politic and social figures who's own personal beliefs corrupt people. Stryker's followers abduct Professor X and use technology to manipulate his psychic powers, effectively giving Stryker a map of all mutants in the country. Pulling his strings with the government, Stryker gets his hands on a Sentinel prototype and programs the mutant GPS into it. And yes, it's big and purple.

So while the initial threat is Magneto and his group attacking people and The X-Men have to defend people who may not approve of them, the true threat is this giant robot The X-Men have to battle while some other X-Men save The Professor. The climax is a few X-Men confronting Stryker on stage of one of his televised sermons. You get the "you dare call that human" line from Stryker against Nightcrawler. Jean says "he's more human than you" and Strkyer goes to shoot her and a human cop kills him instead, thus portraying the life of a human is more important than the classification of a human.

Cyclops makes some big speech about not hiding anymore (make Cyclops as good as Cap and you'll do everyone a favor) and The X-Men are more publicly recognized. Mutant racism isn't solved and Magneto still gets away, but it's a step in the right direction. This leads to Wolverine movies and a New Mutants TV show and more.

Hope you enjoyed my first X-Men Pitch. I'm going to be approaching these a little differently. Thanks for reading!

Ty & Tandy Facts

Are you a fan of Light and Darkness? Because we got One Dozen Cloak & Dagger Facts!

1. Tyrone Johnson and Tandy Bowen were given their powers by an experimental drug they were forcibly subjected to by an evil scientist. When their superhero career began they're goal was to end the drug trade completely and successfully killed the man who experimented on them.

2. Ty's body became connected to something called The Darkforce Dimension and he gained the ability to become intangible and store objects/people in the Darkforce Dimension, acting as a pocket. He can also use it as a means of teleportation, sending himself and others somewhere else through The Darkforce.

3. Other characters connected to The Darkforce include Ghost Rider's villain Blackout, Darkhawk, Doorman of The Great Lakes Avengers, Mister Negative (who gained his powers through the same experimental drugs), Shroud, Silhouette of The New Warriors, and the Spider-Man villain The Spot. In the MCU, The Darkforce is mentioned in "Agents of Shield" and is the main focus of "Agent Carter" Season Two renamed "Zero Matter".

4. Dagger's powers are mainly projecting bladed objects out of pure light, which can be thrown or slashed with. These blades can also be altered to heal people's wounds and/or addictions.

5. Cloak and Dagger are one of the few double teams in comics and are rarely seen apart. Together they have been members of The X-Men, The Secret Avengers, The Secret Defenders, and associates of The Runaways. Dagger has been a sole member of The New Warriors and The Marvel Knights.

6. Cloak and Dagger were originally considered "latent mutants" leading to appearances in "X-Men" and "The New Mutants". However, when the term "Mutate" was created, they were redefined as Mutates. Mutates are people who did not gain mutant powers naturally and were scientifically altered to have a mutant forced out of them. Cloak and Dagger share this distinction with Deadpool. Another retcon was established when the duo fought D'Spayre, a Darkforce demon. He revealed their Dark and Light Forms to be pieces of himself that interfered with their natural mutations.

7. During the event "Spider-Island", Cloak and Dagger's powers were swapped. This resulted in Cloak using pure light as transportation and Dagger created daggers out of Darkforce energy.

8. In 2006, Cloak and Dagger were part of a set of characters Paramount Pictures were planning on making films about. This also included Black Panther, Shang-Chi, Doctor Strange, and Power Pack to name a few.

9. In the "Age of Apocalypse" universe Cloak and Dagger were brainwashed minions of Mister Sinister, in "House of M" Cloak is part of Luke Cage's human resistance group, in the Spider-Ham universe Cloak and Dagger are Croak and Badger, because they are a frog and badger respectively. In  Universe X, Cloak is dead and Dagger carries his cloak. In the Battleworld "Runaways" universe Ty is Dagger and Tandy is Cloak, and they are siblings. In "The Ultimate Universe" Tandy was a high school student and class president who was anti-mutant to the point of calling a Mutant Task Force on Kitty Pryde. She and her high school sweetheart Tyrone were in car accident, declared legally dead, and experimented on by Roxxon Brain Trust. As Cloak and Dagger they joined Miles Morales/Spider-Man on The Young Ultimates.

10. Cloak and Dagger successfully murdered Spider-Man's villain and Silver Sable's father mob boss Silvermane. He later came back as a cyborg, however.

11. Tyrone's dark powers take a psychological toll on him, if they aren't quelled he will become manic and seek to absorb evil people into his cloak, even being absorbed into the cape itself. Dagger can use her light powers to drive the "hunger" away, but doing so makes Ty feel like a burden on Tandy.

12. Dagger once refused The Kingpin's request of using her healing powers on his dying wife Venessa.

Thanks for reading.

Would you rather have Cloak's powers or Dagger's powers?

Panel Biter Podcasts 6/1/18

The Comic Buffet Girlfriend Special #1 "Groot 2015"

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1mHTV_p3u940zXiTfR-k_2Mriv_KCBXYq

Comic Buffet/Force Feeding "Secret Avengers #13"

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eOiBDYAQS9pC1nvEX9dN0BNpVyzo3LCP

The Panel Pitch: Gambit

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eEC322Vqnfvt4oWvzIBFpgRi0AjgP3mP

The After Party #6 "A New Hope"

https://drive.google.com/open?id=11g3KNjJpMKN-7QUovbThtnP0l8cUJwyF