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Publisher: Secret IdentityDownload Location of the Week: Chester, NH ReviewsStar Wars FCBDAll-Star Western #19Batman and the Red Hood #20Batwing #20Battlestar Galactica #1 Summer Reading ProjectStar Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron #2 Send comments to sipodcast@comcast.net OR leave us a voicemail at 860-698-0468. Check out www.secretidentitypodcast.com for all things Secret Identity. And please go review us on iTunes!Price: $0.00

There’s a constant desire these days, it appears, to try to improve on existing works. That’s not a bad idea except when it is a bad idea. A good character, a good concept, that’s been around for a while needs to have the barnacles taken off every so often to make it fresh and work better. Movies adapted from comics have to take a good look at the source material and then tweak and change it to make it work for the big/small screen. For me, the problem comes when the concept is changed willy-nilly until you can no longer recognize it. When J.J. Abrams re-booted the Star Trek franchise a few years back, I was dubious but I genuinely enjoyed the result (as of this writing, I haven’t seen the sequel). I can understand many hardcore Trek fans not sharing my enthusiasm. For them, Abrams wandered too far from the zeitgeist of Star Trek. I think it was nephew Bill who said to me, “I love Star Wars. But if I wanted to watch Star Wars, I’d watch Star Wars. This is Star Trek.” (He’ll get his opportunity to see an Abrams Star Wars film in the future, if he’s so inclined.) We see it all the time in comics. Characters are re-imagined on a constant basis. The only constant is change, it would seem. Change for the sake of change, however, is not always a good plan. I’ve been as guilty of it as the next writer. Years ago, Marvel approached me with coming up with a new pitch for The Punisher. The fans had gotten burned out with the multitude of Punisher titles and the concept was moribund. I’ll be honest; I wasn’t much of a Punisher fan. I felt he was one-dimensional and Frank Castle had wiped out enough Mafiosi over the years to populate a small city. I told them I’d try to come up with something and what I came up with was – Castle joins a Mafia family. I thought they’d never go for it, but they did. Different? You bet. Wrong? Yup. Did the readers buy it? Nope. It wasn’t The Punisher. I had wandered off the essential concept. I wasn’t on the book all that long (18 issues) and, late in the run, the concept of Castle switching sides was dropped and we played a different game – Castle, as a result of an explosion, had lost his memory. He didn’t know he was the Punisher, he couldn’t remember his family being killed, but he still had the same skills, the same instincts. Frank Castle was still The Punisher although he didn’t know it. This worked better but the series was cancelled before we could get too far; in fact, we wound it up in Heroes For Hire that I was scripting at the time. Perhaps if we had gone with the amnesia angle from the start, it might have worked better. A revamp or a remake works if you can define what makes a given character to be that character. You want to get down to the basics, not ignore them. For example, we’ve seen in recent years three different versions of Sherlock Holmes, two set in modern times. They all work more or less because they all keep key elements of the concept. Sometimes a revamp can be quite radical. Late in my run on GrimJack, I booted the character down his own timeline and into a new body, a new persona and a whole new supporting cast. His soul was the same but it gave me, and the reader, a chance to look at the character with fresh eyes. To my mind, it stayed true to the concept of the character and the location. My rule of thumb: if you look at a character after a revamp and you could simply give the character another name, then you’ve wandered off the concept. So long as you remain true to the basic ideas that makes a given character unique until him/herself, then it doesn’t matter how radical their evolution. First, they have to be true to themselves. MONDAY MORNING: Mindy Newell TUESDAY MORNING: Emily S. Whitten

The future (or past?!?) fate of Shaun White: Great Caesar's Ghost, why hasn't someone made a movie of this 1958 cover?

Dan Adkins passed away a little more than two weeks ago. Dan was a top-notch inker and a talented penciler. He worked for Marvel, DC, and many other comic book publishers over the course of his career. Dan collaborated with Wally Wood and also produced illustrations for pulp magazines. A short obituary can be found here: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/readingeagle/obituary.aspx?n=danny-adkins&pid=164699512

Karen: Offer your SPOILER-FREE thoughts about the newest entry in the Star Trek film series, Star Trek Into Darkness. Should it live long and prosper? Or be swallowed whole by the Doomsday Machine?

Peter Willis writes for Bleeding Cool. Borgman arrived at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival this morning as the first Dutch contender for the Palme d’Or in 38 years. And, though unlikely to walk away with any of the top honours, it will no doubt be one of the most talked movies of the festival – if for no other reason than trying to unravel its mysteries. We follow Camiel Borgman (Jan Bijvoet) as he infiltrates a wealthy household and begins to untie the knots that keep the family together, his progress charted as something between a murderous thriller and outlandish black comedy. Knocking on the doors of a tree-lined avenue seeking a shower, Borgman soon finds his “victims”. Hadewych Minis is Marina, an artist who has a strained relationship with businessman husband Richard (Jeroen Perceval). He slowly works his way into the trust of the household through various guises, becoming an intimate part of their lives while changing them forever. With help from four malicious but ever-polite assailants, Borgman “takes care of” anyone that happens to get in the way of him reaching his ultimate goal – whatever that may have been. Drifting swiftly between the incredibly surreal and the boldly unsettling, Borgman is far from being an uproarious comedy, but the totally absurd nature of many scenes can’t help but leave you with a grin wider than a Cheshire cat. A sparingly used soundtrack manages to often instill a certain degree of seriousness to the proceedings; introduced at just the right moment when things could easily have got completely stuck in a comedic mire. Devilishly intriguing throughout the opening hour, Borgman tends to lose its self within its own mystery towards the conclusion. While it is clear that Van Warmerdam didn’t want to paint the whole picture for the audience, the sheer audacity and muddled nature of the final 20 minutes felt entirely out of place in what had, to that point, been a relatively slick and well-guided script. Although the narrative isn’t entirely obscure we are left scratching at the surface of something that feels much deeper that, if presented with a shade more reality, could have offered much more. It will doubtless leave many, myself included, feeling ever so slightly short changed. Primed for multiple sittings, Borgman is slated for release in Europe towards the end of the year. Cannes 2013: Borgman Is Devilishly Intriguing And Malicious

Doctor Strange #177 (Feb. 1969) via WikipediaAs usual, I've been scouring the internetz in my never-ending quest for more info on Marvel movies, and this week I found a treasure trove.Wanna know which Marvel characters will be joining Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, and Captain America on the big screen?Thanks to Anthony Breznican of Entertainment Weekly, we've got a much better sense of what to expect in the next five years. Anthony posted a fact-filled article on the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and I wanted to touch on a few highlights. As I'm sure you know, Phase One of Marvel's master plan for its big screen heroes culminated in The Avengers, and Iron Man 3 kicked off Phase Two with spectacular success.In addition to Iron Man 3, Marvel has already announced opening dates for all of its Phase Two movies -Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase TwoThor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1, 2014)The Avengers 2 (May 1, 2015)Now, the big question is - Which characters can we expect to see in the slate of movies after The Avengers 2?The EW article does a great job of outlining what's known as of today (5-19-13). Just keep in mind that nothing is written in stone in Hollywood, and sometimes the studios don't want to divulge info about movies in the works.Which Characters Will Appear In The Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Three?Ant-Man fan-made poster - via AndrewSS7Ant-Man - YES - An opening date of November 6, 2015 has already been set for Ant-Man's debut. According to Marvel boss Kevin Feige, the planning for the Ant-Man movie goes back to at least 2006. Director Edgar Wright will begin filming in early 2014.Doctor Strange - YES - A movie has been announced starring Marvel's Sorcerer Supreme, but it's still very early in the planning stage. At this point, there's not even so much as a rumor about who would star. FYI - Patrick Dempsey has stated he'd love to play Stephen Strange. Iron Man - MAYBE - You'd think with Iron Man 3 making a billion dollars Marvel would already be at work on number 4, right? Well, it's complicated. Robert Downey Jr. has fulfilled his contract with Marvel, as far as the Iron Man franchise goes, but he's not ruling out playing Tony Stark again in a solo movie. If there's an Iron Man 4, it would probably be at least five years away. A lot can happen in five years, and RDJ has already said he's looking to start a new movie franchise. We'll definitely see RDJ play Iron Man in The Avengers 2, but many factors might prevent an Iron Man 4 movie starring Downey from being made. Can you say "reboot"?Black Panther - MAYBE - There's still no definitive word on whether the African king, T'Challa, aka Black Panther, will get his own solo movie anytime in the near future. Anthony speculates that we'll see the character in a supporting role in one of the upcoming Marvel movies or maybe in the TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. NOTE: On May 17, 2013, a report surfaced that Marvel is interested in filming part of The Avengers 2 in South Africa, which fueled speculation that Black Panther would appear in the movie. Daredevil (Marvel Comics) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Daredevil - NO - Matt Murdock aka Daredevil, is one of those lower tier characters that Marvel Studios recently acquired the movie rights to - along with The Punisher, Blade, and Ghost Rider. While it's very cool that Marvel has creative control over these characters, don't look for a movie starring any of them anytime soon. When asked about these characters, Marvel boss Kevin Feige told EW -“So Punisher, Ghost Rider, … Blade, all those characters are back. They all have potential, but I think we need to find the right time.”The Punisher - NO - same as DaredevilBlade - NO - same as DaredevilGhost Rider - NO - same as DaredevilMark Ruffalo as Hulk in The Avengers - via Marvel Hulk - MAYBE - Mark Ruffalo has said that he's ready to play Bruce Banner / Hulk again in a solo movie, but Marve

Publishers Jonathan Cape and the London-based comic event Comica have got together with The Observer newspaper to offer you the chance to see your work in print and win £1,000. Take this opportunity to get your work read by industry experts. The judges are Joe Dunthorne (author of Submarine and Wild Abandon), Stephen Collins (author of The Gigantic Beard that Was Evil), Rachel Cooke (The Observer), Dan Franklin (Publisher, Jonathan Cape), Paul Gravett (Director, Comica Festival) and Suzanne Dean (Random House Creative Director). The first prize is £1,000 and the publication of your four page story in The Observer New Review. The runner-up will receive £250 and your work will appear on The Guardian. Deadline for entries: 27th September 2013. • For entry forms and terms and conditions click here (PDF link) • For a plan of how your story will appear in The Observer and for layout dimensions, click here (PDF link)

Whoooo are you? Okay, yes, there are spoilers for The Name Of The Doctor. We’re going to be talking about the episode. Probably best not to watch it before you have, whether on TV, iPlayer or on DVD a week ago. Most-Read Comic Stories Saturday: James Robinson Walks From DC Comics. Along The Beach.  A few days ago I was told that a DC A-list writer was leaving DC Comics and that the company were in a bit of a mad panic to replace them quickly. Inquiries brought no results and indeed while everyone seemed to know that something was happening, no one seemed to know quite what. Supergirl In The Man Of Steel Prequel? And it seems starring a certain Kara… anyone read the whole thing who could tell us? The Return Of Jim Lee’s Divine Right: The Adventures Of Max Faraday? In the mid nineties, Jim Lee wrote and drew a comic book called Divine Right: The Adventures Of Max Faraday, about a computer science student who manages to download an equation of mystical power, giving him access to ancient knowledge and placing him in all sorts of danger. Published by Image/Wildstorm before the studio and publisher was bought out by DC comics, twelve issues were published over two years. Most-Read TV/Film Stories Saturday: Ten Thoughts About Doctor Who: The Name Of The Doctor Okay, yes, there are spoilers for The Name Of The Doctor. We’re going to be talking about the episode. Probably best not to watch it before you have, whether on TV, iPlayer or on DVD a week ago. Matt Smith And David Tennant Talk About Being The Doctor, And A Certain Someone’s Bemusement Steven Moffat tells us; What If The Eleventh Doctor… Is Not The Eleventh Doctor? – Speculative Potential Spoilers So, at one point, Christopher Eccleston was to have been in the Fiftieth Anniversary episode of Doctor Who. But then, it seems, changed his mind. But add that to the clothing choice of a certain John Hurt on the set has led to some entertaining speculation. Doctor Who: The Name Of The Doctor – Saturday Trending Topics

Cinebook Ltd: Franco-Belgian Graphic Novels in English Attention Indian fans! In two weeks, Cinebook will be present at Comic Con Express, Bengaluru, Koramangala Stadium. It’ll be the first time we travel to this part of the world, and we’re looking forward to meeting all our local fans! Distance and logistics are dictating some of our possibilities, especially regarding inventory and price. To avoid unpleasant surprises, here’s some information: - we’ll be selling books at sticker prices: 580, 660 and 750 rupees (for 6.99, 7.99 and 8.99 sterling respectively). However, we’ll aslo be offering a blanket 20% discount on all titles, making the actual prices 460, 530 and 600! - we can’t, unfortunately, rent a plane and fill it with books like we would have wanted! So we’re bringing a limited number of many of our titles, to offer as much choice as possible to any con-goers who may not know us yet. If there are specific titles you’re looking for, check out our list and plan your attendance accordingly – we can’t hold titles for anyone! • Aldebaran Vol. 1 X 3 • Aldebaran Vol. 2 X 3 • Aldebaran Vol. 3 X 3 • Betelgeuse Vol. 1 X 3 • Betelgeuse Vol. 2 X 3 • Betelgeuse Vol. 3 X 3 • Antares Vol. 1 X 3 • Antares Vol. 2 X 3 • Alpha Vol. 1 x 3 • Alpha Vol. 2 X 3 • Alpha Vol. 3 X 3 • Berlin – The Seven Dwarves X 3 • Billy & Buddy (Vols. 1 to 3) X 1 each • Blake & Mortimer – The Yellow ‘M’ X 3 • Blake & Mortimer – The Mystery of the Great Pyramid (1 & 2) X 3 each • Blake & Mortimer – The Francis Blake Affair X 3 • Blake & Mortimer – The Strange Encounter X 3 • Blake & Mortimer – S.O.S Meteors X 3 • Blake & Mortimer – The Affair of the Necklace X 3 • Blake & Mortimer – The Voronov Plot X 3 • Blake & Mortimer – The Sarcophagi of the Sixth Continent (Part 1& 2) X 3 each • Blake & Mortimer – The Gondwana Shrine X 3 • Blake & Mortimer – The Curse of the 30 Pieces of Silver (Part 1&2) X 3 each • The Bluecoats – Robertsonville Prison X 3 • The Bluecoats – The Navy Blues X 3 • Cedric (Vols. 1 to 3) X 1 each • Clifton – 7 Days to Die X 2 • Clifton – The Black Moon X 2 • Darwin Diaries – The Eye of the Celts X 3 • Darwin Diaries – Death of a Beast X 3 • Darwin Diaries – Dual Nature X 3 • Green Manor 1 X 5 • Green Manor 2 X 5 • Iznogoud – The Wicked Wiles of Iznogoud X 3 • Iznogoud – The Caliph’s Vacation X 3 • Iznogoud – Iznogoud and the Day of Misrule X 3 • Iznogoud & the Magic Computer X 3 • Iznogoud (Vols. 5 to 9) X 3 each • Lady S. Vol. 1 X 2 • Lady S. (Vols. 2 and 3) X 1 each • Largo Winch (Vols. 1 to 3) X 3 each • Largo Winch (Vols. 4 to 11) X 1 each • Long John Silver Vol. 1 X 2 • Long John Silver (Vols. 2 and 3) X 1 each • Lucky Luke (Vols. 1 to 14) X 3 each • Lucky Luke (Vols. 16 to 39) X 1 each • Melusine (Vols. 1 to 4) X 1 each • Orbital – Scars X 2 • Orbital – Ruptures X 2 • Orbital – Nomads X 2 • Orbital – Ravages X 2 • Papyrus (Vols. 1 to 5) X 1 each • The Rugger Boys Vol. 1 X 3 • The Rugger Boys Vol. 2 X 3 • The Scorpion Vol. 1 X 2 • The Scorpion (Vols. 2 to 5) X 1 each • Spirou (Vols. 1 to 3) X 1 each • Spooks Vol. 1 X 3 • Spooks Vol. 2 X 3 • Thorgal Vol. 1 X 3 • Thorgal Vol. 2 X 3 • Thorgal Vol. 3 X 3 • Thorgal (Vols. 4 to 13) X 1 each • Valerian (Vols. 1 to 4) X 1 each • Western X 2 • XIII Vol. 1 X 3 • XIII Vol. 2 X 3 • XIII Vol. 3 X 3 • XIII (Vols. 4 to 18) X 1 each • Yakari (Vols. 1 to 10) X 1 each • Yoko (Vols. 1 to 7) X 1 each Hope to see you there!!