Xcavate: SDCC 2011's Marvel vs Capcom Panel

As promised here's your look at the latest happenings with the Marvel vs Capcom (MVC) game franchise! Since I havent discussed about this series before an intro is in order...

MVC3 is the fifth game in the series, preceded by X-Men vs Street Fighter, Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter, MVC: Clash of the Super Heroes & MVC2: New Age of Heroes. The first two games, however, released only in Japan. :( :P For the storylines & a handy X-roster table for ALL the MVC games including MVC3: Fate of Two Worlds/ Ultimate MVC3 go here & here!

^Download this & other MVC3 wallpapers & posters in this post! :P

Now onto the latest! It may contain some video game jargon & I'm not getting into their details out here. :P All the info is from the Marvel vs Capcom SDCC '11 Panels:
*It has 50 playable characters in total & 8 new levels.

*Gameplay enhancements include:
-Balanced gameplay
-Spectator mode & an improved X-Factor mode (both thanks to fan feedback)
-MT Framework technology that was last used in Capcom's Resident Evil 5
*This doesn't imply that old players need to learn a whole new gameplay. As Producer/Director Ryota Niitsuma puts it, it'll be like "putting on an old pair of shoes". However expect some changing fight strategies...

Wolverine & Deadpool in MVC3! >
*Deadpool, Wolverine, Weapon X & X-Men: Dracula vs Apocalypse scribe Frank Tieri was brought onboard to pen the script & ensure the characters look & sound authentic. Known for his violence, he was (in his own words) "the Marvel cop (for the game). I gotta make sure the stuff is authentic for Marvel. The dialogue, the characters have to act like they normally act." And it's not "Marvel vs Marvel", so Tieri played all the games as Capcom characters for research .

*Characters like Ghost Rider, Hawkeye & Capcom's Strider have been introduced on fan demand! Check out the BADASS Ghost Rider trailer below!!


*Ryan Penagos (Marvel.com Editorial Director) noticed "really solid voice work, special endings, in-game events & fan-service for all fans of Capcom, fighting games & comic books." Yup, expect multiple exciting game endings especially for the new characters.

*There'll be two new costumes for each character! The close-to-comics costumes this time around are due to Marvel's increased involvement in the game dev as compared to the OG games.
< Phoenix in her X-Men: Phoenix Force & New X-Men inspired costumes.

*The music (veering mostly towards the techno-dance genre) includes new songs while updating old favorites. Soundtracks can be customized for the X-Box 360.

*The game movies are supposedly AWESOME & get extended as new characters are introduced. Niitsuma worked hard on translating the comics to the movies, making you feel like you're entering the panels. The game also has a seriously cool comic book feel to it. Get ready for loads of MVC3 screenshots & gameplay vids like how I posted for X-Men Destiny (once HQ vids get released online), soon out here!

*It's been 10 years in the making, trying to get the best playable roster for the game. Check out Magneto, X-23 & the Sentinel striking a pose! >


*Galactus continues to be the final boss, but with some new attacks.

*Original MVC purchased downloadable content (DLC) characters can be transfered to the game! However, DLC plans are still being finalized.

Get more MVC3 details from the awesome SDCC coverage via the live blogs out here! And wait! Witness the trailer released during the SDCC 2011 Panel!


Wanna order your copy of MVC3? Do it out here! Also available is the Ultimate MVC3 edition:

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Xcavate: SDCC 2011's Marvel TV Presents: Anime on G4 Panel

Okay, so I think this is THE post all you guys were waiting for eh?! Well here it is- your updates on the Marvel Anime projects! I ain't gonna be recapping on any info so I suggest you read this first! :P Of course my main focus is gonna be on the Wolverine & X-Men anime shows, but I'll certainly talk a bit about the Iron Man & Blade ones too (we Marvelites gotta help each other!).
^Wolverine unsheathes his claws & the X-Men anime cast (not including Emma Frost). Hisako Ichiki is a student of Frost in the series.

As the title suggests, all the info is courtesy the San Diego Comic Con 2011! (If you just came on my blog & are like "Huh? Say what?!" read this & this!) Don't forget to download the various videos that are sprinkled all over this post! Like this first one- the G4 trailer for all the four anime shows!

(Don't worry the anime show wallpapers will be arriving soon out here too!) :D

But before I get into the specifics of two those shows, a few points to note about the four shows in general:
*All the shows are gonna be independent of each other. So expect NO storyline tie-ins between them. However DO expect character-crossovers, cos Wolverine IS there in the X-Men anime (duh!) albeit in a much older look, & he also appears in the Iron Man anime! Get your first peek of the voices of Heroes' stars Adrian Pasdar & Milo Ventimiglia as Stark & Logan in this video snippet! Yup Wolverine in the Iron Man anime show! AND I'm changing my stance- Milo is GREAT as a younger version of Wolverine in the series!!


*All were written by Warren Ellis along with Madhouse.
*Jeph Loeb stated that the four shows are "not anime versions of Marvel characters, but our characters with an anime look & feel."
*Iron Man & Wolverine have already debuted in Japan (in fact, subbed versions of both shows have come online too) & they are putting together the English versions which will air on G4.

Marvel Anime: Wolverine

*The Wolverine (& Iron Man) debut which was scheduled for July 29 (at 11pm on G4) has ALREADY reached your TV & computer screens (in the US) last Saturday (check right>>)! Yup, if you missed it, the first episodes of Iron Man & Wolverine aired on July 23!

*The show can get a weee bit R-rated! (Which is ALWAYS a good thing!) Loeb cautioned parents to get the kids outta the room as this "skews more adult" & has some "kickass violence"!!!
*Fun fact: Jeph Loeb stated that "Milo, when he's in the recording booth actually puts pencils in between his fingers to 'become' Wolverine." LOL Not surprising! We Heroes fans know he's a funny ol' chap! Haha
*From the dubbed episode that was screened by the panel, the following conclusions can also be made:
-The music for the show's theme is great! Check it's (Jap) opening credits below:

-Omega Red was the villain featured in that particular episode! AND he looks badass!
-The action is great (well that IS one of the fortes of anime after all!)
-Backstories of characters get revealed through flashbacks (even in-between the fight-scenes)!
-Classic Wolverine villain Lord Shingen makes a small appearance in that episode too...
-In one flashback, Yukio comes on the scene! Yukio, a Japanese female ninja, was a supporting X-men character ever since first appearing in Wolverine #2. In the anime, she is Logan's ally & has got a cool array of weapons!

Marvel Anime: X-Men
*It will be the next in line to be released on G4!

*The look & feel is inspired by Joss Whedon (who also happens to be The Avengers director!) & John Cassaday's Astonishing X-Men (<< check left). Trust me, this is DEFINITELY a good thing!

*Cyclops will be the center of the story & is voiced by (self-proclaimed Marvel fan) Scott Porter. If you recall me telling you guys, he's the same guy who's voicing Adrian Luca in the X-Men Destiny game. Seems like he's now joining Milo as another staple on Marvel's Fave Voice-over Actors list!
*From the footage that was aired (by the Panel) of the first episode the following was noticed:
-Phoenix DOES play a part in the series. The X-Men were seen battling Jean Grey as Phoenix! :D
-The Hellfire Club is also involved & this only means it will contain elements of the classic Dark Phoenix saga! X-movie fans should now have a (somewhat) fair idea about the Club now... :)

Now a bit on the Blade anime show...The music is also on par with Wolverine's. And the footage aired featured vampire rats!! Now that's gotta be cool! :P Expect Blade casting news to be announced in the near future! Check the (Jap) trailer below- bearing that Japanese narration is the price to pay to get your first look at Deacon Frost in the show LOL!


My main source for the updates you read above was the nifty live-blog at CosmicBookNews! Check it to get an almost blow-by-blow account of the Wolverine ep that was aired!

Lastly, the Iron Man anime! This review for the first ep gives it a B+! Looks very promising...Didn't read the review cos it's full of spoilers :P And personally I am REALLY digging the music for this show EVEN MORE than the Wolverine one! Check it's (Jap) opening creds below, compare & tell me if you agree!


Next Stop? The Marvel-Activision games!!! :D

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Xcavate: SDCC 2011's Marvel: Year of the X-Men (Comics news!)

So as I said out here, the Year of the X-Men panel held by Marvel at the SDCC 2011 discussed future X-Men title issues that will be coming your way this 2011-12! Check out the exciting cover artworks below:
^(l-r) X-Men Legacy #257 (prominently featuring Havok), X-Men #19, X-23 #15, Deadpool

^(l-r) Daken #16 (Daken is Wolverine's offspring btw), Deadpool Max #13, Uncanny X-Force #16, Astonishing X-Men #43 (And...yes, I know ;P)
< Loads of artwork has been released for X-Factor too! Just a sampling of it out here. The sketch is of Jamie Madrox (aka Multiple Man) I'm finding the (Bishop) "M" markings very intriguing indeed!

Cover for a new series (curiously called Wolverine & the X-Men) has also been released.>
Does this mean we just might be getting a second Season for the Wolverine & the X-Men animated series?? I do hope so!


And as I said before, in X-Men: Schism (look out for an article on this Marvel X-comics-event soon), the X-Men are currently divided into 2 camps: Team Wolverine & Team Cyclops. Have a look at some new Schism comic panels that were revealed at the SDCC:
^Now isn't that first panel just bloody AWESOME?!?

Schism will be followed by X-Men: Regenisis. What will happen to the X-Men after this great divide? Only reading the issues will reveal all the answers!
< New artwork for Regensis #1. For the cover art, head to this post

I haven't included all the images released (especially sketches)- check all the X-artwork that was released at the source- CosmicBookNews!

Next Stop?? The Marvel Anime Panel at the SDCC 2011!

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Xstatic! The Wolverine Movie Villain Revealed!

Didn't I tell ya to brace yerselves for some major movie updates now via the SDCC 2011?!? Here's the first (of hopefully many more to come!) tidbit of info for all you Wolverine fans out there!

SILVER SAMURAI has been confirmed as the villain for The Wolverine!!! Great to know that writer Chris McQuarrie decided to go the traditional route with the whole Japanese storyline! In those comics, Logan goes to Japan to learn the ways of the Samurai. The Silver Samurai (aka Kenuichio Harada) & Wolverine's rivalry is one of the most well-known ones in the Marvel Comics Universe. Harada is the step brother of Logan’s lover Mariko Yashida & he has a MAJOR problem with their relationship! Wolverine trains under Kenuichio & Mariko’s father Shingen and eventually joins Shingen’s Clan Yashida. Expect some MAJOR drama LOL!

The main question now is who will be playing Kenuichio Harada in the movie! However, with SDCC carrying on till Sunday, it's a good chance that may be revealed too...Another issue will be about how they will make the Silver Samurai look in the movie. You guys know how they change the look of comics characters, to fit well into a movie without looking tacky, but I do hope they manage to do so without making any drastic changes! That silver costume on the silver screen would be sweet! Check out the covers below that feature Wolverine dueling the Silver Samurai!





Cover 1- Wolverine Vol. 2 #2
Cover 2- Wolverine: Origins #43

I hope you guys remember, I was just hoping that this would happen! So far this movie seems to be going on the right track- but let's not get our hopes too high, we all know how X-Men Origins: Wolverine made all our dreams come crashing down LOL! Thanks to ScreenRant for the villainous update! :)

Now check out this cool video of Hugh Jackman at the SDCC 2011 spilling the beans on The Wolverine movie! It conveniently starts off after Hugh has finished his Real Steel movie (for which he was actually at the Con in the first place LOL) talk...Thanks to ComicBookMovie's Mark Julian for posting it!


These are the main points discussed in the video:
*Production IS gonna start in October.
*Hugh had read the Japan storyline comics while he was doing X1 & thought at the time "Why can't we do this one?!"
*Outdoor shooting will be done in Japan with studio filming done in North America.
*(Hesitatingly :P) confirmed that even though the X-Men do feature in the Japanese storyline, "not a lot of" the X-characters in the original X-Men trilogy will feature...I wonder if that means that some will or it's just Hugh being scared of disappointing the fans of the OG X-trilogy! :P
^Hugh Jackman makes his surprise visit at the San Diego Comic Con 2011

Also rumors are that the name of the movie may not continue to be The Wolverine. This is the general thought due to the fact that this particular name hasn't been mentioned by any of that movie's cast/crew (if you notice, Jackman hasn't either) ever since Darren's departure...So from now on this blog shall address The Wolverine movie as Wolverine 2! :P

Another (sad) rumor is that Kelly Hu has reportedly said that she WON'T be appearing in Wolverine 2 as Lady Deathstrike! T_T However, take this with a HUGE pinch of salt though, cos I've tried to find the article online where she does "declare" this but haven't been able to get it yet! Keep yer hopes up Deathstrike fans!

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Wanna watch Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in HD? Order your Blu-ray/DVD right here!












And brush up on your Wolverine history! Get these 2 classic comics today!

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Xcursus: So what IS the SDCC exactly?

I mentioned the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) in this post last & thought it would be only fitting to now enlighten those who may not know about it, while it's currently underway (July 21-24)! So yes, this is an "excursus"/digression from our usual X-topics! :P What is the SDCC? Read on to find out...

^The SDCC- Keeping their best brow upward! :P

Started in 1970 by Shel Dorf & a group of San Diegans, it's a 4 day event (Thursday-Sunday) held during the summer in San Diego, CA, at the San Diego Convention Center. Originally it was meant to showcase only comic books, sci-fi/fantasy & film/TV & related arts, but now it encompasses the entire gamut of pop culture elements: horror, animation, anime, manga, toys, collectible cards, video games, web comics & fantasy novels! It's the largest convention in the Americas & 4th largest in the world! Last year's SDCC saw the San Diego Convention Center pack over 130,000 attendees!

So why's all this so exciting?? Here's why!
*Movie studios, TV networks, comic book companies, toy manufacturers, collectibles merchants, etc., all descend with their booths on the 615,701 square feet of floor space that the SD Convention Center provides to the exhibitors.
*Panels, seminars & workshops are held by comic book pros
*Previews (read: trailers & posters!!) of upcoming movies, video games & toys
*Awards ceremonies
*The Masquerade- a costume contest that boasts of some great & not so great cosplayers (costume players)
*The Artists' Alley- where comic artists (may include writers & models) sign autographs & giveaway/sell their artwork.

Yes, all comic conventions are known for their cosplay, & the SDCC is no different! Check out various cosplayers from 2010 (not necessarily from SDCC)...

You get some brilliant ones like these...
^(l-r) Renowned cosplayer Yaya Han as Psylocke at SDCC '10, Brieanna Brock as Emma Frost, Deadpool cosplayer (yeah, the shoes are funny with the costume- but then again with Deadpool, ANYTHING is expected! LOL)

And then some, well, not-so-brilliant ones... :P
^pic 1- Scarlet Witch & The Avengers' Vision
pic 2- (l-r) Gambit, Phoenix, Wolverine, Rogue
pic 3- Uhhh...Cyclops?!?

Of course you also get cosplayers dressing up as their fave anime & movie (especially Star Wars!) characters but this blog ain't called All Things X for nothing, eh? ;P

Bottomline: Just expect a whole barrage of news on all your favorite upcoming movies, comics, TV shows, games & toys! Get a taste of what the SDCC 2011 will offer on IGN...Read this to find out all the X-happenings at the SDCC 2011!

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Xcursus: X-happenings at the SDCC 2011!

So now I'm guessing you know what the SDCC is all about, & you're aware of all the main SDCC happenings that are gonna be taking place this year...For starters, the SDCC 2011 Marvel booth is looking nothing short of EPIC!! The pics aren't X-related, but are TOO amazing to not be posted!
Now let's see what are all the X-events that are gonna be storming the Con in CA! (Click on the panel titles to get to its related post!)

July 21
Marvel: The Next Big Thing Panel
Learn where all your favorite heroes will be heading in the coming year! Panelists Nick Spencer (ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN), Greg Pak (Incredible Hulks), Jonathan Hickman (FF), Jim McCann (Marvel Zombies Christmas Carol), Editor in Chief Axel Alonso & others will be answering questions & giving a sneak peek at what's to come from Marvel!

July 22

Year of the X-Men Panel
Currently in X-Men: Schism, the X-Men have been broken between Team Cyclops & Team Wolverine- threatening to tear the X-Men apart. So what next? X-Men Regenesis! And this panel- consisting of writers Marjorie Liu (X-23), Rick Remender (Uncanny X-Force), Chris Yost (X-Men: First To Last) and Editor in Chief Axel Alonso- are out there to discuss just that!

Marvel Television Presents: Anime on G4 Panel

You know EXACTLY what this means dontchya?! Yup, Marvel’s Head of TV, Jeph Loeb & some "surprise guests" will be giving you the low-down on the Wolverine & X-Men anime TV shows! Plus they'll be screening a sneak peek of the X-Men anime's first episode!

July 23
Activision Panel Featuring (Spider-Man: Edge of Time &) X-Men Destiny
Comic book legend Stan Lee will talk about the fate of his creations in these games with Marvel writer Peter David (creator of Spiderman 2099) & Marvel VP of Games, TQ Jefferson. Jullian Spillane, project director of Silicon Knights will give an inside look into X-Men Destiny. Expect the cast of both these games to drop in! Get an exclusive preview of never-before-seen footage for the upcoming games! Moderated by Editorial Director of Marvel.com, Ryan Penagos (aka Agent M).

Marvel Television Presents Panel
Jeph Loeb will give your first look at The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes Season 2, a sneak peek at the Ultimate Spiderman show & expect "a few other surprises from Marvel Television"...Will these surprises include more X-stuff on the tube? We'll have to wait & see!

Marvel vs. Capcom Panel

Yet another game series featuring X-characters I have to discuss about here- get a behind-the-scenes look at Marvel vs. Capcom 3 from producer Ryota Niitsuma, followed by Q&A.

Marvel Video Games Panel
Besides several other Marvel games set for release this year learn more about X-Men Destiny, Super Hero Squad Online, Super Hero Squad 3DS/uDraw, Marvel Pinball, Marvel Universe MMO as well as the future of Marvel vs Capcom 3, with exclusive trailers (like the XMD Choice trailer below), surprise reveals and a Q&A with the games' creators!


Hasbro: Marvel Panel

Along with that of the Thor, Captain-America: The First Avenger & Spider-Man toy lines, the marketing and design teams of the Marvel Universe figures (that including toys of several X-characters- check the pic below) present all their latest! Get a sneak peek into the 2012 lines!

Cup O' Joe Panel

The highlight of Marvel's program at all the major Cons! Why? Cos it's a no-holds-barred Q&A with Marvel's Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada. And with surprise guests always dropping in- guaranteed fun for any Marvelite!

July 24
Disney/Marvel Team-Up Panel
Marvel wraps up the SDCC with editors of Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) & Marvel unveiling their new Marvel Origin Storybooks for kids, that retell the stories of Marvel's icons, including, you guessed it- the X-Men. Check out the artwork, film adaptations & beginner books with Marvel's Senior VP, Ruwan Jayatilleke, DPW's Global Editorial Director, Rich Thomas & DPW's Senior Editor, Michael Siglain.

And of course besides all these X-updates we'll be getting new details on The Avengers, Amazing Spider-Man & Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance movies besides the toons too! I for one, am looking forward to see what news lies ahead!

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Xcite! X-Men Destiny Game Voice Talent Revealed!

Before I continue, I do hope you guys have read this post. Now onto the news at hand!

The voice talent for the X-Men Destiny game has been announced & it boasts of some pretty familiar names, but these are just for the 3 main playable characters:
Heroes' Milo Ventimiglia as Grant Alexander. Now this seems to be a more suitable fit than him voicing Wolverine for the Wolverine anime show! It seems like he's on Marvel's Fave Voice-over Actors list now!

Sucker Punch's Jamie Chung as Aimi Yoshida.

Friday Night Lights' Scott Porter as Adrian Luca.

(Thanks to WorthPlaying for the casting news!)

None of the voiceover artists for the mainstream X-characters featuring in the game include any well-known names (save Tom Kane & Fred Tatasciore as Magneto & Beast/Juggernaut respectively). This comes as no surprise really, as they aren't the main characters in the game. Also set to make an appearance (besides the last 3 famous mentions) are Cyclops, Wolverine, Colossus, Gambit, Iceman, Emma Frost, Nightcrawler & Quicksilver (who happens to be voiced by an Indian! YAY!).

(Just fyi, voices for the Spiderman: Edge of Time game have also been revealed: Val Kilmer(!) as Dr. Walker Sloan (the game's main villain), Smallville's Supergirl Laura Vandervoot as Mary Jane & Battlestar Galactica's Katee Sackhoff as Felicia Hardy aka Black Cat.)

But don't get distracted with THAT news! Below are TWO videos to keep you pumped for the X-Men Destiny game! The first is another trailer for the game:


Now the video below is an extremely cool E3 2011 Gamespot stage demo for the game- GREAT if you want an in-depth look at the graphics, gameplay & overall dynamics of the game with an interview of Activision Producer Doug Heder! After seeing it I was convinced that this is a refreshing change for those of us who were getting a bit too used to the way Beenox used to make their games with Activision- everything so predictable! ENJOY the vid!


Excited?? Why don't you pre-order X-Men Destiny from right here? If you pre-order the game for PS3/Xbox 360, you'll get an early unlock of Emma Frost Suits for your 3 main characters:

^Snazzy eh? These will grant aditional abilities to your characters! Click the suitable link below to learn more:

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