Though everyone seemed to be dragging today (except Stan Lee; where does he get that energy?), it was a great day at the con.  Hey, sure heading outside in the rain….  Here’s a taste of what you may have missed!

* Cool independent comics:
- The cool pulp-novel feel of Hard-Boiled Horror.  Horror with a noir feel, especially when it’s this beautifully illustrated, is a cool new twist I’m eager to see more of.
- Digital Pimp Online  (not just because of the cool name, but it don’t hurt) and their comic that resonated with me, “Joe Loves Crappy Movies”
- Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes (because I’m on a bit of monkey love after Rise, and the drawings in this comic are amazing)
- The God Machine, for it’s eerie, lovely graphics
- The Hero Business, because it’s hilarious.
- Imperium Comics, because “Trailer Park of Terror” is my favorite title of the day, and the pencil-work and colors are awesome.
- Black Label Comics, because anyone who does a Hunginn & Muninn comic (based on the two ravens of Odin,,,that transform into human form by night)?  I’m in.
- And the adorable Shilong Pang, a webcomic that makes me wish I’d found it sooner.

* Hometown Boys Make Good:  Comics you need to get your paws on to 1) support our Baltimore peeps, and 2) feed an obsession you didn’t know you had….
- i taste sound: these twisted little bastards have my heart.  Not just because they had the coolest stickers at the con, but because I love a good pun.  Especially if it’s dirty and/or twisted.  Win!
- Heritage Comics HSQ: Because I love superheroes, but I love superheroes with a positive message even more.  And they’re drawn very well, and the guys are from Baltimore.  Niiiiice.

Panel News: random quotes and thoughts rattling around in my tin-can brain….

* Comics Jukebox: All Ages Comics in the Digital Age: The speakers let loose on their thoughts about digital media and comics, along with the possibilities for publishers and creators.  The big question?  “How can the internet help to let people be seen when there’s so much thrown in people’s faces?”  Scott Gallagher echoed Kevin Maguire’s comment yesterday; “(illustrations) look better on the iPad!”
- Everyone seems to be wondering what “the” format will be.  Lord knows you don’t want to be stuck with Betamax.  But the panelists seemed to agree that ePub was a great format to try to get in on…IF there was a way to make it friendlier to illustrated materials (perhaps an update or three?)
- The margins are closing in terms of the money to be made by artists/writers on printed issues vs. digital media. It’s comic stores + publishers + printing, or Apple (or whomever sends out the app) + comiXology.  So it looks like it’s up to individual creators to take their pick, or do both.
- Archie comics has been doing this a lot longer than the rest of the folks, and has special app-only content.  So folks wanting to see Little Jinx?  There’s an app for that.
- Sites/apps to check out: comiXology, iVerse, Comics Jukebox  and the Archie Comic Lab (for fans) and Kickstarter for artists and writers.

* Going Digital: Day and Date, and What You Need To Know: A discussion about the decision Marvel and DC Comics made to make their content available to digital readers the same day it’s available to hard-copy readers.  The panel was led by John D. Roberts, a co-founder of comiXology, but that didn’t stop the panelists from giving their true opinions. (Though most were all for a new medium to play with….)
- The best part of going digital to creators was the idea that there would no longer be  “running out” problems.  You know, when you go to a shop and they’re sold out?  Not anymore; you can buy a copy anytime.  Which will also be good for fans trying to catch up, and readers who want to start at the beginning.
- Artists and writers were both interested to see how this new format would affect their creativity.  Though I worry about the disappearance of two-page “splash” pages, the idea that artists could create even more detailed work that could be zoomed in on is pretty damn cool.
- As far as comic book shops going out of business with this?  Not likely.  The good retailers who know what they’re doing will know how to push social aspects of their shops (always a big selling point in comic book stores), and people who read comics online will want a trade hardcover of something they’re truly in love with.  In fact, I’d bet this push will get more readers to try comics in general.  After all, no tell-tale signs of nerdom to be found…it’s all tastefully hidden away in your iPad.  (Unlike my office, which looks like Nerd Wonderland.)
- Though there’s a worry that print media may go the way of the dodo, I think it’s here to stay. I’d rather have someone sign my most cherished hard-cover issue than my eReader or Droid.

* CBLDF: The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund needs your money.  Plain and simple.  But they didn’t do a hard sell, they just laid out the history of censorship in America, along with a few of their current/recent cases.  Check out Diana v. Florida and judge for yourself.  And it’s not just happening to stores and creators; a guy just got busted for bringing Manga over the border to Canada.  CANADA.  With everyone carting some sort of tech around with ‘em every day, the next person the CBLDF helps could be you.  Yeah I bought the t-shirt.  “I Read Banned Comics” — like I could pass that up?  That it’s in the Watchmen colors of black-n-yellow?  Bonus.

As for Stan Lee?  Yeah, I saw him.  And he was AMAZING.  But all the photos I took ended up craptastic.  I blame my (cheap) horrible camera.  Trust me though, a good time was had by all.

Check out my Twitter feed if you’re feeling a need for more (or if you want more pictures….)  Monday Rewind will be on hiatus tomorrow, but for now?  Enjoy  the teaser for Frank Miller’s new graphic novel Holy Terror, which is slated for release on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.  As always, Miller delivers.

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Phew!  It was a long, fun day at Baltimore Comic-Con, but I’ll keep this quick so I can get to the best tidbits from the con.  Despite the big guns in comics (Marvel, DC, Indigo, Dark Horse) and movies (WB/CW, Universal, Fox, etc.) not having Dealer’s Room presence, there was plenty to see and do!

Comics I wanna see on the big screen (or just get my paws on Right Now):

* Sandshark Studios had a new offering with a name that’s totally cool: Adam And Eve Bizarre Love Triangle In The Zombie Apocalypse Volume 1: Post Armageddon Underground Bunker Blues.  Try saying that five times fast.  And after (pawing) looking at the dealer’s copy, it’s just as cool as it sounds.

* Kill Shakespeare.  No, it’s not the latest arthouse film or a sign I’ve lost my marbles, but a groovy new series.  Shakespeare’s characters exist, and they’re looking for a wizard…named Will.  Cool?  Absolutely.

* The Field on the Edge of the Woods.  Oooh, spooky.  But I can’t seem to be scared; I’m too busy staring at the gorgeous pencil work.  It has a bit of Song of Ice and Fire to it (a bad place beyond a great wall), but there’s a definite modern, funky twist to it.

* The hilarious Girls With Slingshots, the drop-dead gorgeousness of Vampire, PA,  and the very cool storyline (a suicidal immortal!) of The Last Mortal from ubercool Top Cow.

Panel Tidbits:

* Spotlight on Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis & Kevin Maguire: hilarious, informative and the first time these three have ever been in a panel together (who knew?)  They discussed their work on Justice League, Metal Men and anything else that popped into their heads.
- On their work on the 80’s Justice League: “Never a time when I didn’t think the book would be ripped away from us.”
- “‘Til Moving Day, it wasn’t a conscious decision to add humor.”
- DC “never let off the idea of taking the humor out of it”, and was afraid they’d “spoil” Wonder Woman, and thought “humor was off-genre”.
- Who came up with “Bwah-ha-ha”?  Although they could find out by tracking down notes and drawings from that time, Keith Giffen spoke for ‘em all; “I don’t give a damn!”
- Kevin Maguire is a fan of digital artistry, and thinks in some instances comics look better on the digital page than the printed one (depending on paper stock used in printing).

* Marvel Panel: How does Marvel take to artists changing around character personalities and such?  Apparently Marvel is pretty flexible with their artists, but expect them to “put the toys back where you found them.  Everybody knows that.”
- What should you read?  “Anything Jeff Parker writes”.  “Jonathan Hickman’s Ultimates and S.H.I.E.L.D”.  “FF, X Force, Daredevil” (don’t let Ben Affleck turn you away from it.  Trust me.)

* Legendary Panel: the comics, not the movies (though they will be getting more out to fans at New York Comic-Con).
- About Frank Miller’s (300, Sin City) Holy Terror, ten years in the making?  Could be good; Editor-in-Chief Bob Schreck calls it “Frank’s version of Inglorious Basterds”.  It’s due out the third week of Septmber, and already has people clamoring for it (as you’d expect from this massive talent).
- On comics vs. movies: “The main goal for Legendary is to make good books.”  So don’t think comics are a secondary to the movie division.  It ain’t.
- On embracing or passing on digital comics: “if you don’t accept change it runs you over and leaves you for dead.”

* DC’s New 52 Panel : this was the panel that tore folks from the costume contest (though there were definitely enough fans in there so that the cheering and applause definitely carried through the walls….) But that’s no surprise; re-numbering 52 DC titles so they’e back at Issue #1?  After this panel, this is one fangirl who had her reservations (Swamp Thing!), but will head out to grab up the new Swampy #1
- “DC…is taking action to make sure comics still exist.”
- “We are not here to see you stories we don’t believe in….DC is just now allowing us to take these characters where we’ve always wanted to.”
- As far as dropping it all on us in September?  Not so fast, there’s “so much more going on outside of September!”  Unfortunately, they couldn’t give more specifics.  Guess we’ll have to wait for the New York Comic-Con to get those details, since the reveal will be in “2 to 3 months”.

* Top Cow Panel: Yeah, there will be changes in Witchblade, but not anything crazy.  But Velocity will appear in Artifacts.  Yes, you fans can squee now.

* Costume Contest: yeah, I missed most of it so I could snag some quality info on the New 52.  But pictures?  Pictures I’ve got, from beginning of the day to end.  Enjoy!

Today at Comic-Con saw less news, but much more high-profile announcements. Most of the action took place in Hall H, which was bogged down with some serious line management problems, but we’ve got it all summed up right here for you.

The first big presentation of the day was from Warner Bros. First, the first footage from Green Lantern was screened. Although nothing spectacular, the fans enjoyed it overall, but were disappointed with the lack of Reynolds in the suit. This only confirms the fact that the suit is a work-in-progress. Still, I am looking forward to this film and hope that it can be a simple, fun superhero origin story, which we haven’t seen a lot of recently. Also, I’m looking forward to the more fantastical elements of the hero. Producer Donald DeLine said that many other Green Lanterns are featured and that the movie is part space opera, which is a good sign that they’re not ignoring that area of the Green Lantern mythos. And although the Green Lantern announcements are cool, DC has really not stepped up their game to challenge Marvel’s cinematic dominance. Geoff Johns is now in charge of their creative decisions moving forward, which is a great move, but the company has not centralized their film properties as Marvel has to such enormous success. Also, there was no word on Batman, which was a huge missed opportunity. Still, I’m hoping that after Green Lantern DC gets their act together and makes something great, maybe a Justice League movie? (Although I’m torn on whether or not Chris Nolan’s Batman should be a part of anything like that.) After a short Harry Potter trailer and panel, Zack Snyder came onstage for Sucker Punch. This new movie is based on his idea and stars an ensemble cast of women who are breaking out of a mental institution and includes Carla Gugino, Jamie Chung, Vanessa Hudgens, Jena Malone and Emily Browning. I’m not sure what to think about this movie, but the footage got a fantastic reception and it sounds truly unique. Hopefully the trailer gets released online soon so we all can see it.

Let Me In, the American remake of the Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In, has had an enormous 360 when it comes to the public’s view. After a period of resenting the fact that such a movie was being remade, it seems like every detractor has been shut up by footage from the upcoming movie. I know I wasn’t too excited for this, but now its definitely on my radar. Matt Reeves (Cloverfield), from what I can tell, is doing a fantastic job helming the movie. He talked about how Steven Spielberg gave him tips for interacting with young actors, and that is what has me most excited for this film. Both Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Road) and Chloe Grace Moretz ((500) Days of Summer, Kick-Ass) have a lot of potential to give amazing performances and I hope they both pull it off. Check out this trailer for the film:

At this point, Hall H screeched to a halt after a fight broke out. It’s still unclear what actually happened, but the prevailing rumor is that someone asked another guy to move and when he didn’t, he stabbed him in the face with a pen. That’s speculation, but the scene was pretty grisly with blood everywhere and the victim being taken out on a stretcher, all with 8 or 9 cops in the vicinity.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost then introduced their new film, Paul. In the movie, the duo travel to Comic-Con and then embark on a road trip to Roswell, New Mexico. On the way they meet an alien named Paul, who is voiced by Seth Rogen. Paul is directed by Greg Mottola (Superbad) and the supporting cast includes Sigourney Weaver, Jason Bateman, and Jeffrey Tambor. I am really looking forward to this movie as Pegg and Frost are consistently hilarious and the story is pretty original. Paul is not your typical alien – he basically thinks of himself as an everyday Joe. Road trips are always pretty fun so having one with this trio of comedians and an alien should be awesome.

Once again Jon Favreau showed his skill at captivating the geek demographic by creating huge anticipation for Cowboys & Aliens, his new movie starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, and Sam Rockwell. Although the idea is great, it takes skill to blend such two very different genres, but Favreau is going for a very Western feel. After explaining that he is trying to emulate the Sergio Leone/John Ford films of the 40s and 50s, while using practical effects from the 80s as well as CGI for the aliens, he decided to just screen some early footage. Although the crew has only been shooting for three weeks, attendees were very impressed by the scene. In a surprise appearance, Harrison Ford was brought on stage in handcuffs by two security guards. It was his first appearance at the convention and the crowd went nuts. This a natural reaction, of course, to the man who played Han Solo and Indiana Jones, as well as many other awesome characters. I hope Favreau can really nail the Western feel and deliver a really fun, interesting film due out next summer, July 29th.

Now the presentation you’ve all been waiting for: Marvel. What Marvel is doing with their properties on film is incredible. By going independent and forming Marvel Studios where writers can collaborate and come up with great, interlocking stories for all of their superheroes, the company shows that it knows what its doing. Hopefully the result will be incredible, but there are a lot of moving parts, and all of them must come together perfectly. Captain America was first, as a short teaser showed Chris Evans in full costume throwing the iconic shield at the camera. After some discussion, the filmmakers actually had some footage to show which involved Hugo Weaving as Red Skull searching for an artifact that has something to do with Odin. I really like the Indiana Jones/World War II period piece vibe I’m getting for this movie. I hope Joe Johnston can create a very good atmosphere and seeing Cap killing Nazis is going to be sweet. Next up was Thor, which is much farther into production. A lot of footage was shown, and I can’t wait to see the trailer. Apparently the costumes are not nearly as cheesy as they looked in the first images we were shown. Reactions were very positive, which is a relief. Finally, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige brought on The Avengers. After years of rumors, this movie is finally actually happening. The final lineup was announced: Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson, Scarlett Johansson as Natalie Rushman/Black Widow, Chris Hemsworth as Donald Blake/Thor, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye, and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk (see the full cast in the photo from the event). It’s going to be insane seeing so many heroes on screen at the same time. I hope Joss Whedon can bring together all of this madness and deliver an amazing film.

Behold the cast of "The Avengers"

Well that was a very big day at Comic-Con, and while we knew most of this going in, it was still awesome to see all of these projects materializing before our eyes. Its going to hard, but we can’t fuel the hype too much. I’m looking forward to all of these films as much as anyone, but I’m not going to let the anticipation ruin my enjoyment of the movies as movies.

Welcome back to AP’s Comic-Con coverage. Here’s the highlights from Day Two of the San Diego Comic-Con.

Nicholas Cage made an appearance for his new film Drive Angry 3D. Patrick Lussier directed the movie, which looks to be a classic, violent revenge tale. Cage is one of my favorite actors and always looks for slightly different roles and this looks no different. Check out this short trailer:

Firstshowing.net has a great write-up of the awesome Tron: Legacy viral that took place over the past couple days in San Diego.

Robert Rodriguez’s Machete has had a big presence at this year’s Comic-Con. A new red-band trailer debuted, but even better was the Taco Truck. Stars Danny Trejo and Michelle Rodriguez were on the streets of San Diego handing out taco’s from a branded trailer. Now that’s a good marketing ploy.

Jackass 3D premiered some footage that apparently was ridiculously disgusting. If you are a fan of the series, you should stay tuned for more information, but this doesn’t interest me at all.

Another interesting film also debuted a trailer yesterday. Goon, produced by David Fincher and starring Clancy Brown and Paul Giamatti, looks like a pretty awesome animated film. Based on a comic series by Eric Powell, the story follows The Goon and his sidekick Franky as they battle the supernatural. I had never heard of this before, but check out this great clip/trailer:

During the Burn Notice panel, USA Network head Jeff Watchel announced that they were moving forward with a prequel movie starring Bruce Campbell. The film will focus on Sam Axe’s last mission as a Navy SEAL and is a very interesting move for the series. I didn’t expect such great news from this panel. In response Campbell said, “USA finally got their shit together.”

Frank Darabont showed off a first glimpse at his television series The Walking Dead. Produced for AMC, the series reportedly has an extremely high production value and should look amazing. I don’t know about you, but I think a zombie TV show should be one of the coolest things on TV. Make sure you watch this coming fall when the series debuts in October.

In contrast to the great reaction to The Walking Dead, Steven Spielberg’s new TV series, Falling Skies, was not as well-received. The series follows Noah Wyle and Moon Bloodgood as everyday people who are affected by an alien invasion. There are always high expectations for any project Spielberg is involved with, but the reaction has been lukewarm. Devindra Hardawar from /Film was not impressed. The footage isn’t available online so I can’t judge that, but this show looks to me like same-old, same-old. There’s nothing really new about it and I’m not looking forward to it.

Guillermo Del Toro is a very busy man nowadays. After day one’s surprise announcement that he would be writing and producing Disney’s The Haunted Mansion, the filmmaker debuted footage from another one of his horror projects, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark. Based on the 1973 TV movie, the film follows a young girl as she encounters various creatures after moving into a haunted house with her family. The footage screened at the panel got a great reaction, and we should be able to see the trailer in the next few weeks. And for those of you worried about the film being watered down, Del Toro had this to say, “We are not taking anything away from the original, and we are not fucking chickening out… we wrote and originally shot the movie for PG-13, and could do that without compromising the scares…But we were given a badge of honor. The MPAA came back and gave it a non-negotiable R for ‘pervasive scariness’.” So there you go, horror fans.

MTV Movies Blog was able to talk to Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman who are now writing the sequel to J.J. Abrams’ fantastic Star Trek reboot. While they were very quiet about plot details, they stated that each and every crewmember would get more screentime in the sequel, saying, “Now the whole family is there and you want to focus on them first. Before you worry too much about new characters, make sure you have them taken care of.”

Last but definitely not least is James Gunn’s Super. The movie stars Rainn Wilson as a man who dons a superhero costume in order to avenge his wife’s (Liv Tyler) murder. Ellen Page and Nathan Fillon co-star. I can’t wait to see this movie, which sounds like a low-budget, rawer version of Kick Ass with Dwight from The Office.

So that’s it for Day Two. The Marvel panel is starting in just a few minutes, so stay tuned for some big news.

On Friday, Hitflix reported that Marvel would not be calling Ed Norton to play Bruce Banner/The Hulk in The Avengers. After giving it a few days, this news is definitely confirmed. Unfortunately, Norton is definitely out.

Let’s start at the beginning. Friday, Hitflix broke the story that Marvel would not be asking Edward Norton to return as The Hulk. On the surface it sounded as if the much-publicized disagreements between Norton and Marvel over The Incredible Hulk had continued, and that creative differences had led to the split. However, this was definitely not the case. Norton was very interested in returning for The Avengers, had been approached by Marvel, and was in the process of civil negotiations. He had even met with Joss Whedon, and everything was going smoothly until seemingly out-of-the-blue Marvel decided to “go in another direction.”

The next day, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige confirmed the news with this statement:

“We have made the decision to not bring Ed Norton back to portray the title role of Bruce Banner in The Avengers. Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members. The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble, as evidenced by Robert, Chris H, Chris E, Sam, Scarlett, and all of our talented casts. We are looking to announce a name actor who fulfills these requirements, and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks.”

Norton’s agent Brian Swardstrom, responded with:

“This offensive statement from Kevin Feige at Marvel is a purposefully misleading, inappropriate attempt to paint our client in a negative light. Here are the facts: two months ago, Kevin called me and said he wanted Edward to reprise the role of Bruce Banner in The Avengers. He told me it would be his fantasy to bring Edward on stage with the rest of the cast at ComiCon and make it the event of the convention. When I said that Edward was definitely open to this idea, Kevin was very excited and we agreed that Edward should meet with Joss Whedon to discuss the project. Edward and Joss had a very good meeting (confirmed by Feige to me) at which Edward said he was enthusiastic at the prospect of being a part of the ensemble cast. Marvel subsequently made him a financial offer to be in the film and both sides started negotiating in good faith. This past Wednesday, after several weeks of civil, uncontentious discussions, but before we had come to terms on a deal, a representative from Marvel called to say they had decided to go in another direction with the part. This seemed to us to be a financial decision but, whatever the case, it is completely their prerogative, and we accepted their decision with no hard feelings.”

This led to a very vocal backlash at Marvel. Passing over Norton, a great actor who obviously loves the character, was bad enough. But the way they did it was even worse. I mean, Marvel has the opportunity to make the biggest geek movie ever and they’re dropping the ball. They already know that this movie is guaranteed to make a killing at the box office, but that doesn’t give them an excuse to forget their fanbase.

This whole ordeal just goes to show that Marvel isn’t as concerned with making a seamless bridge from their individual superheroes to The Avengers as we were led to believe. I’m sure that the movie will still be amazing to watch, but that break in continuity will hurt a little.

Yesterday, Norton released a statement of his own on his official Facebook page:

“As most of you know, I don’t like to talk much about the business of making movies because it means a lot to me to protect the audience’s fullest enjoyment of the ‘magic’ that films can have. But I am so appreciative of the outpouring of support from the fans of the Hulk and the Avengers that I feel it would be rude not to respond. So here goes: It seems it won’t work out for me to continue playing Bruce Banner for Marvel in The Avengers. I sincerely hoped it could happen and be great for everyone, but it hasn’t turned out as we all hoped. I know this is disappointing to many people and that makes me sad. But I am very sincerely grateful to Marvel for extending the offer and even more so for giving me the chance to be a part of the Hulk’s long and excellent history. And I really can’t thank the fans enough for how much enthusiasm you’ve sent my way about what Louis and I tried to do in our turn with the legend. It means a lot to me. I grew up with Banner and Hulk and have been a fan of every incarnation. I’m really proud, and very blessed, to have been one of them and will be thrilled to see him live on through other actors. Hulk is bigger than all of us, that’s why we love him, right?

So, Norton bows out with class. Still, this whole story is very disappointing. I’m curious to see who will be chosen to replace him. CHUD posted a rumor that Joaquin Phoenix was approached for the role but that has not been confirmed. Presumably, we will have an announcement at Comic-Con next weekend.

Hugo Weaving, best known for his work in the Lord of the Rings and Matrix trilogies, not to mention V for Vendetta, will play the villainous Red Skull in Captain America:  The First Avenger, according to a press release from Marvel Studios.

Weaving had been in talks to play Red Skull, aka Johann Schmidt, since March. Schmidt is a Nazi military genius whose preferred weapon is his “Dust of Death,” which kills in seconds and leaves victims with a shriveled red skull. Schmidt kills to the music of Chopin’s funeral march. However, the character will be updated for this version of the tale.

Chris Evans is slated to play titular Captain America, and Hayley Atwell will play Peggy Carter, Captain America’s wartime love interest.

Captain America:  The First Avenger will be directed by Joe Johnson with a script by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. Kevin Feige (Marvel Studios) will produce, and comic-book genius Stan Lee is on board as one of the executive producers.

The story will focus on the early days of the Marvel Universe when Steve Rogers volunteers to participate in an experimental program that turns him into the Super Soldier known as Captain America. The First Avenger is scheduled for release on July 22, 2011 and will be distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Chris Evans will reprise his role as Captain America in Marvel Studios’ The Avengers, set to be released on May 4, 2012.

Although production has been underway for quite a while now, we were finally treated to a first look at Thor as he appears in the upcoming film today, courtesy of Yahoo.

To get straight to the point, view the picture below:

This is the first official image from the film, and shows how close this movie is aiming to be to the comics. Although it’s not much (no hammer or helmet yet), it should whet your appetite for another addition to Marvel’s ever-expanding cinematic universe.

As I’ve said before, I absolutely cannot wait for this movie! I don’t even know the comics that well but I think this film has potential to be one of the greatest superhero flicks ever.

Thor is directed by Kenneth Branagh, stars Chris Hemsworth as the hammer-wielding god/superhero, and smashes into theaters May 6, 2011.

Earlier this month, IESB reported that the geek legend was the front-runner for the job (and that was later confirmed), but now, according to Deadline, Marvel Studios is in final negotiations for Joss Whedon to direct The Avengers.

This is very surprising, considering Whedon’s previous work. While he’s proven to be a very talented writer and become extremely popular in the geek realm, let’s just say Mr. Whedon has never been a commercially viable filmmaker. However, his credits are extensive and consistently solid. His work has included Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Toy Story (for which he won an Oscar), Alien Resurrection, Titan A.E., and Speed, as well as a very successful run penning The Astonishing X-Men comic book. Clearly, he is a great writer, but his directorial talents have yet to be thoroughly tested. The only feature film he has directed was Serenity, based on his own show.

Marvel is proving to be very ahead of the game when it comes to movies. First they go independent, so they can make their films the way they, and the fans, want. Then they hire a team of writers to brainstorm full-time on their properties. Now, the company has enough faith to give Whedon their most important upcoming movie. The studio is putting everything they have into this franchise, and a success could have huge consequences for the comic-book movie genre.

Personally, I can’t wait to see what he does with the film. The Avengers is shaping up to be the ultimate geek event of the decade. I mean, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and The Hulk in the same movie! Amazing. Cinematical’s Erik Davis sums it up quite nicely:

“If you’re 16 and read a lot of comics, then this film could be the equivalent of losing your virginity to a Playboy model on top of a champagne waterfall.”

Discuss: Does Whedon directing make you more nervous for the movie, or more excited?