Apple.com has the first concrete look at Joss Whedon’s Marvel ensemble, The Avengers. Fans no longer have to grasp at 30 second preview snippets or shaky phone cam location footage. The trailer hits audiences with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and finally the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in action, being led by S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). The trailer also contains some serious scenes of destruction along with shots of Thor’s villainous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) wreaking havoc on New York City.

Nothing more to say about the reveal other than that I believe it justifies my anticipation. Whedon looks to have done a commendable job so far.

The Avengers hits theaters May 4, 2012.

If a man in a giant bat costume can be rationalized – intensely and dramatically – then so too can a man named Captain America. The name alone makes my skin crawl; it’s filled with so much camp and pomp. When I imagined what such a film would feel like I thought of Independence Day, a movie so USA-centric that it ends with the president declaring that American Independence Day is now a holiday the whole world celebrates. I guess you can do that when you’re the president and a jet fighter pilot. Swoon! With that as my prejudice, this movie had some challenges to overcome in the battle of authenticity versus believability. However, I am happy to report that Captain America nailed it.

You’ve probably heard a rumour that some part of the movie takes place in present day. Those are just bookends and are only there to position the Captain for next year’s super hero buffet The Avengers. The meat of the movie takes place in 1943 when we find a short, thin, sickly Steve Rogers attempting to enlist in the army for the fifth time. The justification for his passion is not found in the passing reference to his parents serving/dying in the Great War and is mostly attributed to his physical feebleness. In the first act, every character who is any character will made a snide remark about getting that boy a sandwich or telling a story about Rogers getting beat up. He is so picked on – yet so determined – that you can’t wait for him to become Captain America. And, of course, that’s the whole point; he was chosen to become a super soldier because he understands the value of power.

Once Steve Rogers is transformed, he kicks Red Skull’s ass and takes home the girl, right? No, he does not! What happens next is a brilliant sequence that makes the movie work. Immediately after becoming the most powerful man on Earth, Rogers is ordered to tour with a USO variety show, performing as cheesy, cartoonish hero named Captain America. His job is to make patriotic speeches, ask for donations to the army, and fake-punch fake-Hitler for cheering fans. This sequence is interesting because Rogers is physically powerful but not mentally powerful. We are reminded that Steve Rogers was fallible as a boy and continues to be as a man, still unable to take control of his life. This sequence is also a fantastic script choice because it recognizes the cheesiness of the character. From there, his image evolves but uses those origins as explanation for why Rogers maintains the suit and shield.

He eventually manages to wrangle his way back into the army and kick some ass. Oh yes, so much ass is kicked. He’s just badass! He’s a bit of a brawler, booting Nazis out of the way, and cracking skulls with his shield. He is eventually accompanied by a team of hand picked soldiers whose brief appearances are fun and well moustachioed. There are also some great supporting performances, such as Dominic Cooper’s Howard Stark, Iron Man’s father. An army technologist, Cooper’s Stark is perfectly Downey Jr. inspired. Of course, we can’t forget Chris Evans who does a really nice job. He’s subtle, he’s vulnerable, he’s powerful. He’s acting!

Technically, the movie is great. There are several great set pieces to enjoy which are well paced. The 3D doesn’t make too much of itself and the CGI somehow comes across as minimal except when necessary. The Red Skull costume is excellently monstrous, yet simple.

This is a comic movie done right. Screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely took the Batman Begins approach and took the time to construct a believable Steve Rogers before transforming him. Director Joe Johnston makes the whole thing shine, doing a nice job with the colours and action.

Overall, it’s one of the best comic book adaptations I’ve seen and makes me excited for The Avengers. Make sure you stay after the credits for a teaser. But if you don’t like intense giggling and slappy fights with your friends, you should probably skip it.

When I was younger, I remember receiving a back issue of Giant Sized X-Men #1. Originally printed in 1975, it was the first appearance of now longtime favourites Storm, Colossus, and Nightcrawler among others. More importantly, it brought Wolverine (who was mildly known for battling the Hulk) into the mainstream. The issue was a comic version of a reboot — a kick in the ass, if you will — to a franchise, that while only twelve years old, was battling stale stories and lukewarm reviews.

The jump start was a huge success, with the X-Men titles (and there were a shload of ‘em) hopping off the shelves. The franchise never looked back, eventually spawning multiple television shows, action figures, and four feature length films. It was a big rush when X-Men (2000) and X2: X-Men United (2003) finally hit the screen, all my most beloved characters expanding from the page to the screen. Then X-Men: The Last Stand came along and not only did the shit hit the fan, but it was set to high, and it splattered back in our faces many times over.

I’m not sure most American comic readers noticed or cared when Alpha Flight was wiped out during one of the early volumes of New Avengers, but they have recently returned to the land of the living, and the true north strong and free. That said, I’m not sure most Canadian readers noticed their national super-teams change in fates either time. The fact is, Alpha Flight, while enjoying a high-mark of storytelling and sales in the late 80’s, has never recovered from the comics crash of the 1990s.

After their destruction at the hands of the Collective, the few surviving members have cropped up in other Marvel titles. There was Omega Flight mini-series during Tony Stark’s Initiative program, which while a decent enough read, didn’t really have any meaningful impact on the Marvel Universe. Otherwise, the best use of the surviving team members has been with Aurora in the X-title books during Dark Reign. Or with Snowbird in during the Secret Invasion.

The best and hardest part of a great Alpha Flight storyline is trying to balance the Canadian-referencing content while still being interesting and engaging for all readers. This is to say, the Canadian market is too small for a series to pander to it alone. Good thing then that Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, and Dale Eaglesham make Alpha Flight #0.1 a great comic read first and a fun Canadian-set series second. Hopefully this means the seven part mini-series will be the launching pad for even more Alpha Flight storylines to follow!

To help new readers get up to speed quickly, the inside cover features a concise recap of the team’s past and recent rebirth. Having missed out on the Chaos War event myself, I too had only heard of the team’s return, and found this material to be helpful.

On another level though, this issue works without knowing or referencing any of that material. Rather, you can just pick it up and enjoy, as the storyline subtly starts weaving the rich backstory of these characters, promising a wealth of subplots to come. A good start to what I hope will be a title that returns Alpha Flight to greater prominence in the Marvel Universe.

Prior to the X-Men movie of 2000, Marvel had been battling with bankruptcy, and their once flagship X-Men series was struggling to capture fans’ interest. The debut and success of the film changed that, but the premier mutant super-team still felt out-dated and plodding when it came to their original format – the comic book. In stepped Grant Morrison and, now big name artists, Leinil Francis Yu, Frank Quitely, and Ethan Van Sciver.

Starting with modernizing the costumes, Morrison also shook up the X-Men legacy by tarnishing the once pristine ‘reputation’ of Professor X. Mix in a new generation of characters, secondary mutations, Emma Frost joining the team, and New X-Men was soon one of the best reads on the market. While developed further in later volumes, Morrison’s run also introduced the romantic relationship between Cyclops and Emma Frost, making both characters vastly more interesting than they had ever been before.

Only encountering his acclaimed run years later, this new printing breaks apart the Ultimate Collection (UC) editions, returning to the less expensive, but more “books-required” volume numbering. And while the first two volumes of the UC were phenomenal reads, the last one was just too wild and Morrison-bizarre even for me. Still, the first six books of this latest printing stand as some of the best X-series writing and art; their plot lines are still being developed and shaping current story arcs.

This is Grant Morrison at his best. Wacky and wild, fresh from his acclaimed Vertigo titles, and given carte blanche to reignite the X-Men series, he pulls out all the stops, and delivers an epic read that has few rivals. Morrison is definitely writing for a more adult audience, and refuses to spoon feed even the simplest plot beats. This just makes New X-Men Vol. 1 that much more rewarding to read.

I should preface this review with one caveat: I’ve never read or watched — or heard of Thor at all, really — before seeing the film. As you can probably guess from the preceding sentence, I don’t even know what format of text or media from which its story originates. Was Thor a comic book? Was it a television show? Cartoon? Movie from the 1980s? Colour me uneducated and largely incurious. Instead of attempting to hide this gaping hole in my nerd credentials, I’m sure that highlighting my lack of Thor knowledge will make for a pretty interesting review.

Spoilers ahead.

After watching Shakespearean-stalwart Kenneth Branagh’s film adaptation, I have come to understand that the character of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is a “God of Thunder” who lives in the “Realm Eternal”, otherwise known as Asgard. The people who live there — Asgardians? — are unimportant in the long-run, assuming importance correlates with the amount of screen-time the average Asgardian citizen is provided. There are maybe three or four scenes with larger groups or crowds and almost all of them are scenes of war. I’m sure these scenes were filmed during those short moments when Branagh remembered he wasn’t directing a play and could have more people in a scene than just the essential cast.

Thor, the aforementioned God of Thunder, has a father named Odin (Anthony Hopkins) who appears to be dying, despite the Asgardian’s apparent claim to immortality. Because of this — never quite explained — confusion about supposed immortality, Thor’s father decides to abdicate the throne of Asgard, naturally choosing to give his crown to his smug first-born, Thor. Thor’s younger brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), is rebuffed by this decision but appears to accept being overlooked by his father well enough. However, Thor has blonde hair and wears red; Loki has dark hair and wears green. Any costume designer (or reader of any fantasy novel series) could tell you that, yeah, Loki is probably the villain of this piece.

Rounding off the Asgardians that you actually get to see in the movie are the all-seeing, all-hearing sentry Heimdall, Thor’s mother and his gang of ruffian warriors. These warriors include “the female one”, “the Asian one”, “the one who looks like Thor but isn’t Thor — wait, no, he’s just blonde” and “the fat one” (Ray Stevenson, in a role that made me weep for this wasted Rome talent). They fight and are loyal to their friend Thor. That’s basically it.

Because Thor isn’t content with the universal admiration of his people, his chiseled abs, (questionable) immortality, upcoming coronation and overall blondness, he decides to confront Asgard’s greatest enemies, the Frost Giants, defying both his father and logic in the process. Unsurprisingly, these Frost Giants are very large people who wield ice powers. They are a very literal people, apparently, and they live their lives on a planet of ice, spending most of their time being blue — both in colour and temperament — while hating on Asgard and its king.

The aftermath of Thor’s decision doesn’t go so well and, after some hammer-throwing and war-provoking, Thor’s father banishes him from Asgard. Thor is then teleported from their planet — and ends up on ours. Branagh, much to the audience’s probable content, decided to spend as little screen-time as possible on Earth. The film’s greatest moments — from its fantastical origins to its inevitable fight to the death — are set on Asgard. While on Earth, the banished Thor meets astrophysicist Jane (Natalie Portman) and the members of her research team, played by the horrifically underused Stellan Skarsgard and Kat Dennings. With the exception of some “stanger in a strange land” physical humour, most of the Earth scenes are largely forgettable. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy some of the Earth scenes, but after a battle with insanely-blue, gigantic aliens, immortal gods and rainbow bridges, it’s more than a little funny to see see Thor incapacitated by an undergraduate with a taser. There is also a very memorable barbecue featuring a cameo appearance from the father of Marvel comics, Stan Lee.

Halfway through the film, Thor’s brother Loki discovers something about himself that reshapes his worldview, adding numerous layers to a character already overshadowing everyone else in regard to development and personality. This new development should have been the lynchpin of the entire narrative arc of the film, but the screenwriters pass on this opportunity. Instead, they revert the character of Loki into a caricature of the jealous usurper, depriving the audience of more screen-time with the stellar Tom Hiddleston in order to add more Natalie Portman. Sad to say it, but Hemsworth and Portman have absolutely no chemistry and share only a handful of scenes together. Thus, it appears that Thor and Jane fell in love after a trip to the hospital, a cup of coffee and a rooftop conversation about constellations. If you’re sensitive to this underdeveloped relationship, you’ll be questioning Thor’s behaviour at the end of the film much like I did.

Overall, I felt that Thor was an enjoyable and much better film than expected. It benefited from an ambitious depiction of Asgard, both in terms of scope and visuals. Unfortunately, Natalie Portman’s character and the use of 3D are largely superfluous. The film also suffers from a bland, unforgettable protagonist, Thor; as well as a deformed development of its antagonist, Loki.

For those unfamiliar with the Thor universe — like me — there will be a few moments which will pull you out of the film, as the script does a poor job establishing the rules of the universe. Examples of this include:

• How can you be immortal and potentially die?
• How can Loki duplicate himself?
• How can Loki teleport to Earth and appear suddenly invisible?
• Wait, Thor can fly?

Despite these flaws and questions, Thor is an admirable installment in the Marvel universe of films, and I would be ecstatic to see Tom Hiddleston return as Loki. Also, the bonus scene at the end of Thor with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is worth the excruciating wait through the very, very poor end-credit song choice.

I didn’t know it until I saw it, but I have been waiting for a summer movie like Thor for a long time. It is fun, far more fun than any comic adaptation I have seen in years. Admittedly, I say that as someone who does not read a lot of comics and is not familiar with the source material. And to me, that is the beauty of this film. This movie knows its material is not as invested in a legion of fans such as follow Batman or Superman, and its British director brings to it a distantiation that allows for investment in the fun of it all: the outrageous narration, exaggerated and impossible action sequences, and actors who can just let go and enjoy the ride without any pressure while still maintaining their integrity and talent. This, my friends, is what a summer movie should be: exciting, clever, comedic, and a joyride.

Kenneth Branagh has been much maligned in the press in recent years, to my mind unfairly. Yes, he has had some duds (Frankenstein comes immediately to mind), but his good films (Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, Dead Again, Sleuth) far outweigh the bad, And even with their faults, Branagh is willing to take risks where very few other (i.e. Hollywood) directors are not; sometimes it doesn’t work, but more often than not it does. At first he might have seemed like an odd choice for this film, but actually he is perfect. Thor is not Batman; he does not have the following or the pressure. So it takes a director from outside the genre to make this kind of film, who can look at the source material with a less interested eye and find the key, transferable elements.

Thor is the son of Odin, King of Asgard, central of the nine worlds (of which Earth is one.) Odin has managed to maintain peace with the Frost Giants after a great battle many years ago, but Thor feels the kingdom is threatened. In a fit of youthful egoism, he and his band of followers, including his brother Loki, go to the Frost Giant’s kingdom and almost start a war. As punishment, Odin casts Thor down to earth until he can prove he is worthy of being King. And as write this, it sounds laugh-out-loud absurd, but you have to get into the rhythm of the film.

There are two worlds the film inhabits: Earth and Asgard. Asgard is gorgeously rendered in golds and reds, exactly what one would expect of such a kingdom in the sky, where everything is taller, brighter, and more formal. Earth (in the setting of New Mexico) is dirty, dusty, and laid-back. In the opening scenes of the film, the two worlds and their characters are separated. The collision that takes place once Thor falls to earth is nothing short of brilliant; classic fish-out-of-water comedy that borders slightly on predictability and yet is just clever enough to elicit great laughter. The action sequences, through both real acting and CGI, are exciting and not drawn out as too many film try to do these days.

Branagh’s directorial strengths lie in two areas: text and actors. The man knows words. And it is through the dialogue that Asgard and Earth are differentiated. Asgard is the Shakespearean side: everyone speaks in rather lofty tones, which a first seems a little strange, but again, just get into the rhythm and it seems perfectly natural. Earth is, well, Earth, and colloquial. The trailer gives away some of the jokes in Thor’s first encounters with earthly communication, and yet this did not stop me from laughing when I saw the film. The Asgardian characters never seem untrue in their dialogue, nor do they waver in its delivery. I have a feeling that this dialogue, in script form, might be a little less than impressive, but the actors pull it off. They know this is not actual Shakespeare, nor is it meant to be delivered as such; but they do understand how to say the words without making them seem trivial or incomprehensible or silly.

Of course, if you’re going to have a king of Asgard, you’d do no better than Anthony Hopkins. I was also surprised to discover that Canadian actor Colm Feore was the King of the Frost Giants (though his performance is vocal, as it is a computer generated character; not that that is a problem with Feore.) The film needs strong older actors such as these, as well as Stellan Skarsgård as an Earth scientist, to helm the film for the younger actors. Chris Hemsworth is perfect as Thor (and he certainly isn’t hard on the eyes either.) I never once failed to take him seriously or believe anything coming out of his mouth. His transformation from arrogant boy to wise adult doesn’t happen in one fell swoop, it happens with every smashed cup and every kick of a bodyguard. Tom Hiddleston is the perfect foil as Loki, and it is a credit to him that, although one knows that in Norse mythology he is the trickster, I was still surprised by each further trick he pulled. And will someone please give Kat Dennings more films roles! She is horribly underused in this one, providing most of the earthly comic relief, and I wonder why she wasn’t cast as the lead female, Jane Foster. I continue to be baffled by the popularity of Natalie Portman. I’m sorry to be harsh, but she is as dull as dishwater, and I could see no reason why Thor would have any interest in Jane. And for those very few racists out there who insisted that a black man shouldn’t play Heimdall, all I can say is just watch the damn movie. Idris Elba is a force of gravity, and in his scenes he draws everyone into him.

In other hands, this film would have been terrible. With Branagh at the helm, I have no doubt it’s going to be one of my top films this summer, and likely the year. He picked the right actors (well, mostly), he directed them well, and he paced the movie perfectly, weaving together its strange and frenetic generic, geographical, and linguistic distinctions seamlessly. My only regret is that due to the few locations where 2D viewing was available, I had to watch it in 3D. It is not necessary, and in fact I would have enjoyed it more in 2D. It looks glorious, it sounds glorious, and I haven’t had so much fun at a film in a long, long time. Bravo, Branagh.

Nick Spencer – super hot writer of indie titles Morning Glories, Infinite Vacation, and DC’s T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents – takes over from Ed Brubaker with this issue. As a huge Brubaker fan, whose Captain America run is responsible for me exploring the crime-noir genre for the first time, I was worried about the change-up. I have always liked Nick Spencer’s work, but Brubaker is one of my Top 5 favourites. My concerns were unjustified as Nick Spencer hits it out of the park with this stand-alone storyline that had me cheering for its willingness to tackle of ‘shady’ morality of a “Secret” Avengers team, while still delivering fast paced action befitting a fun superhero read.

Scott Eaton produces a fantastically illustrated comic, and while an artist can easily make or break a series (why I am so glad to see John Romita Jr. leaving Avengers…sorry, but his style leaves me cold), I tend to follow writers. Spencer’s career has been stellar so far, but I had a few hesitations with him coming on board such a key issue of a high-profile title (also read: personal fave). The Point One issue is meant to succinctly sum up the character’s past, and also forge the title’s coming plot-trajectory. Spencer’s use of a terrorist donning the old Captain/U.S. Agent costume, all in the name of protecting the country, is brilliant. It brings to light Steve Rogers’ long road to the Secret Avengers and his “Top Cop” role. It also gives the character (writer) a chance to explain a logic and morality that is exists within a system of contradictions. It is the recognition of this constant tension and always struggling to find the right answers in our “not-simply-comic-book-black-and-white-world” that make this title such a great read!

This comic has consistently been my favourite Avengers title, and after this defining Point One issue, which is perfect for new readers to start with and also very rewarding for long time fans, I am excited for what the future has in store for Steve Rogers and his deniable, black op, Secret Avengers!

Uncanny X-Men

New writer Kieron Gillen has been working on the Uncanny title for awhile now; teaming up with Fraction, much like Matt did with Brubaker before taking on solo scripting duties. Gillen became the sole writer last issue – Uncanny X-Men #535 Point One – but its stand alone plot didn’t allay my concerns that the Uncanny X-Men series would drop in quality because of this creative change up. After issue #535 though, I can confidently say that all is good with the best X-Men title on the comic shelves.

The new story arc begins with the return of the Breakworld characters that were introduced during Joss Whedon’s run on Astonishing X-Men. A lot of this issue points to a return to threads introduced by Whedon, which were expertly followed through on by Fraction. I am very excited to see what Kieron Gillen will do with these plots.

Terry Dodson, who is one of my top five favourite artists, keeps on producing some of the best sequential pages in the industry today. Dodson’s style of illustration is so rich and beautiful that looking at these pages is akin to an all-you-can-eat of your favourite deserts. His comics are always worth reading a second and third time, if only because his curvaceous women (and squared jawed men) keep you from fully appreciating the great dialogue and character development occurring. Not the worst problem to have though.

Uncanny X-Men #535 is definitely worth reading, and if you aren’t already following the series, this issue as a total must have, as it is the perfect jumping on point for new readers.

The first full length trailer for Captain America: The First Avenger has hit the web. The Marvel Comics adaptation is being directed by Joe Johnston (The Rocketeer, The Wolfman) and stars Chris Evans as the titular super soldier.

For those unfamiliar with the Captain America character, here is a basic run down of what you need to know: Evans plays Steve Rogers, a 90 pound weakling desperate to serve his country during the Second World War. Rejected for military service due to his small stature, Rogers gets a chance to serve when he is selected to take part in a top secret project that is attempting to create the ultimate soldier. Transformed into Captain America, he becomes the pinnacle of human strength and perfection; the greatest weapon in the allies’ arsenal.

Something, something, cosmic cube and the Red Skull, something, something, punching Hitler in the face – the details aren’t what’s important here, all you really need to know is that Captain America and his cohorts will be kicking Nazi ass and taking names. The film looks to have that same pulpy action adventure feel that the director honed on such films as The Rocketeer. They could have easily gone the gritty Band of Brothers route with this film, but Johnston seems to be keeping things light and action packed, which is fine by me.

The film also stars Hugo Weaving, Stanley Tucci, Tommy Lee Jones, Dominic Cooper and Haley Atwell.

Captain America: The First Avenger blasts into theatres on July 22, 2011.

Mark Millar is back in perfect writing form with this latest issue of Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates. Returning to the Marvel Universe he was instrumental in shaping, Millar had the daunting task of trying to salvage the wreck that his once-great masterpiece had become under Jeph Loeb’s direction. And while the first two Ultimate Avenger titles were a good start, the third one left me cold. Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates #2 though, is Millar at his best.

The first issue of this mini-series had the Ultimate team discovering Nick Fury was stealing and selling US super-human secrets to foreign countries and terrorist organizations. The second issue is told from Nick Fury’s perspective, as he puts together an Ultimate Avenger team of Punisher, Hawkeye, War Machine, and Blade to destroy a smuggling ring. The end reveal though, from a dying Tyrone Cash (the first Hulk), is that Carol Danvers – the current head of SHIELD – is the one stealing state secrets. The plot line is clearly building towards a furious clash between the two teams, I can’t wait to see these two groups going head to head, especially with the creative team of Mark Millar/Leinil Yu/ Stephen Segovia at the helm.

The Ultimates series really hooked me back into comics several years ago. With fast paced storytelling, gritty realistic art, and a sub-textual discussion of politics and foreign policies, I ached at the wait between issues during Ultimates 2. Loeb, who has written some incredible stories, came very close to destroying all that for me. This series carries the heavy burden of all my fanboy hopes and expectations. That said, Mark Millar is off to a great start, and Leinil Yu/ Stephen Segovia artwork is the perfect fit for this clash of the titans!

Last week two DLC characters for Marvel vs Capcom 3 were released. From the Capcom side was Resident Evil’s Jill Valentine, who’s been having trouble with mind-controlling parasites lately. On the Marvel side is Shuma-Gorath, a sassy one-eyed tentacled monster who few people who work at Marvel Comics, let alone read them, have ever heard of. Except for a handful of encounters with Dr. Strange and the Fantastic Four in the 1970s and 80s, he barely exists at all.

At Toronto’s Comic-Con last weekend I managed to find one of the few comics in which the squid-dude appeared, an issue of Marvel Premiere featuring Dr. Strange: Master of the Mystic Arts from September 1973. It’s the final part of an arc where Shuma-Gorath, a mystical creature of godlike power who hopes to enslave the Earth and eventually the rest of the cosmos has tried to enter the physical realm through the consciousness of The Ancient One, Dr. Strange’s mentor. After thwarting several of Shuma’s heralds and breaking its illusions – including a negative version of The Ancient One just to mess with him even more – Strange dives into his dying master’s consciousness to confront the inhuman god who threatens all creation.

After confronting Shuma-Gorath’s tentacled form, Strange kills the ego of The Ancient One. It’s the only way to stop Shuma, who has inextricably attached himself to the old man’s mind. Shuma is banished back to The Chaos Dimension (probably), and Strange is wracked with guilt at the murder of his teacher and best friend. That is, until The Ancient One reveals that killing his ego allowed him to become one with the universe in a frankly ridiculous series of panels featuring his face talking from, among other items, the trunk of a tree and the head of a spider.

It’s an old-school tale in every way, with all-powerful threats, inscrutable magical trump cards and Strange narrating the tale with a Hoary Host of Hoggoth or two. Dormammu, Strange’s arch nemesis and another star of Marvel vs Capcom 3, makes an insubstantial (literally) cameo as well. But the real star is artist Frank Brunner’s depiction of Ol’ One-Eye. Present only in The Ancient One’s mind, Shuma-Gorath’s form changes from panel to panel.  Often he forms the bulbous purple backdrops, illustrating both his corruption of The Ancient One and augmenting Dr. Strange’s confusion and horror. It’s fantastic scene-setting and does well to portray the mystic threat he represents.

Marvel Premiere #10 is a lot of fun to thumb through for any Marvel vs Capcom fans who have never heard of Shuma-Gorath (just like the vast majority of everyone else on this planet). But now, when you’re whipping opponents with his Hyper Mystic Stare, you can rub some salt on the wound with your rare knowledge of his vintage comic book roots.