DC has posted a 3-page preview (4 if you count the two pages of the double-page splash) of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1, including art of the team’s resident speedster, Lightning, in action.
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1 by NIck Spencer and CAFU arrives in stores November 10.
Tomorrow night is the series premiere of No Ordinary Family, a TV drama about a family on the brink of collapse that suddenly finds itself with super powers.
Helpless-feeling Jim Powell (Michael Chiklis) suddenly finds himself super-strong, near-invulnerable, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Always on-the-go Stephanie Powell (Julie Benz) gains super-speed. Their self-involved daughter Daphne becomes telepathic, and their learning-disabled son JJ becomes a super-genius.
I got to see the pilot episode at Comic-Con, and it was really promising. There’s an Incredibles-meets-season-one-Heroes vibe to it. The special effects are great, particularly Stephanie’s first super-speed run. (Later scenes rely a lot on the standard vanishing/reappearing act plus wind.) Here are my thoughts on the episode as screened at the convention. They’ve reportedly added a scene or two to set up one of the ongoing storylines.
The Flash movie writing team is heavily involved in this series as well. Greg Berlanti co-created the show with Jon Harmon Feldman, and Marc Guggenheim is involved as a consulting producer.
No Ordinary Family premieres Tuesday on ABC at 8:00pm / 7:00 central. Update: Hulu has an extended trailer.
Next weekend (September 25-26), actress Joyce Hyser will be signing autographs at the Hollywood Celebrities & Memorabilia Show at the Hilton Rosemont / Chicago O’Hare Airport Hotel.
On the 1990 Flash TV series, Hyser played the recurring character Megan Lockhart, a private detective who figured out Barry Allen’s identity. She returned to Central City twice in later episodes, pursuing the fugitive James Jesse, only to find herself the object of his obsession when he became the Trickster.
After a long wait, Velocity #2 comes out next Wednesday. The first issue of this four-part miniseries was quite good and new reader–friendly. You can read my review here.
CBR has a 5-page preview of issue #2.
As the members of Cyberforce lay dying from a fatal techno-virus, their only hope for survival is their teammate Velocity. Carin Taylor has never been more in need of her super-speed as the races around the globe, trying to find and cure her teammates before the same virus kills her. The issue continues the inaugural creative union of writer Ron Marz (Witchblade, Angelus) and artist Kenneth Rocafort (Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer).
ABC ran the entire pilot episode for No Ordinary Family today at Comic-Con, followed by a brief Q&A session with Greg Berlanti, John Harman Felman, and stars Michael Chiklis and Julie Benz. It looks promising.
It’s a little hard to pin down, genre-wise. It’s not a super-hero show, but it has super-powers (and lots of references that comic book readers will catch). It’s not really an action show, though there is some action involved. I’d say it’s primarily a family drama with comedic and action highlights.
On one hand, there is a bit of an Incredibles vibe to it: It’s about a family with super-powers, the father is trying to reclaim his glory days by going out and secretly fighting crime, etc. But it’s different enough not to feel like a retread. For one thing, the powers are new, and it’s set (like Heroes) in a real-world setting that hasn’t seen super-powers before.
The pilot is structured as an interview with flashbacks, first with Jim Powell speaking, then with Stephanie Powell taking over, then switching back and forth. The episode shows the characters and how they relate, then shows each of them discovering their powers, then delves into how those powers affect them. Edit: You do eventually find out who they’re talking to.
Sort of like Freshmen, they all gain powers related to their self-perceived shortcomings.
Just a quick note to highlight some upcoming Flash (and other speedster) releases…
July 28 – The Flash #4 is on schedule for release next week, confirmed on Diamond’s upcoming releases list.
August 11 – Team-Ups of the Brave and the Bold Vol.1 hardcover featuring JMS’ Flash/Blackhawks story from last October, hits comic stores on this date. (Amazon gets it August 17.)
August 20 – “Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster,” the Flash Family episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, may be airing in the US on this date, according to Wikipedia. I can’t find another source to confirm it, though.
August 25 – Flash #5 and Velocity #2 according to DC’s website and Top Cow’s calendar. Image’s website shows Guardians of the Globe #1 (introducing the speedster Outrun to the Invincible-verse) on this date as well.