Bob Dylan said it best when he sang about changing times, and now that songs is more prophetic than ever in the comic book industry. Hard to believe Marvel was once going out of business and having a fire sale, as their films are some of the biggest blockbusters of the summer season, and they’ve got more properties on TV and other media than ever before. Between facts like that and the fact that DC is panicking and rebooting their entire universe back to the basics, they feel like it may be time to join in the fun.

That’s where Marvel: Season One comes in. Rather than what DC is doing and mess with the ongoing continuity of their books, Season One is taking their most popular characters and giving old fans and new a chance to relive some of their early adventures with a separate series.

“With Marvel Season One we’ve assembled a group of great creators who’re delivering exciting, iconic, in-continuity stories of our most popular heroes,” said Tom Brevoort, Marvel SVP/Executive Editor. “If you’re a new fan, you can start your journey into comics with Season One and if you’re a seasoned fan you’ll find some thrilling new insight into your favorite characters.”

The complete first wave of Season One graphic novels includes:

• Fantastic Four: Season One by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Stephen King’s The Stand, Television’s Glee) and David Marquez (Secret Warriors), on-sale in February 2012

• X-Men: Season One by Dennis Hopeless (Legion Of Monsters, Lovestruck) and Jamie McKelvie (Generation Hope, Phonogram), on-sale in March 2012

• Daredevil: Season One by Antony Johnston (Daredevil) and Wellinton Alves (Nova), on-sale in April 2012

• Spider-Man: Season One by Cullen Bunn (Fear Itself: The Deep, Sixth Gun) and Neil Edwards (Fantastic Four), on-sale in May 2012

Not only will this be a way to introduce fans of the films to the original medium in which they started, but it’ll be great fodder for classic comic fans to see how modern artists re-imagine some of the great stories Lee and Kirby thought up decades ago. Expect to see these books hit shelves starting next year and check out the early covers from the first wave after the jump.

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Even though the big screen adaptation of Marvel’s Daredevil left, well, something to be desired, that doesn’t mean the comic book version isn’t worth a look and worth continuing. Obviously, Marvel must think so too as they’re about to debut a brand new series featuring the character.

Naturally, we’ve got previews for that comic’s first issue to bring you today. From writer Mark Waid and artists Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin comes the new journey of Daredevil.

“This journey begins as he retakes the alleys and rooftops of New York City with monumental life changes, new enemies, new friends and a new role in the Marvel Universe. Billy club in hand, Matt Murdock must tackle his greatest challenges yet, but will he be welcomed back to New York with open arms? Who will stand in his way and can Daredevil be trusted?”

Check out the preview pages where else, after the break. Daredevil #1 hits store shelves on July 7th.

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Just as news for the upcoming Avengers tie-ins is coming in today, Warner Bros. is making sure that they aren’t left in the wind. Rumors are now coming in from Latino Review that famously scary Daredevil star Michael Clarke Duncan will be lending his voice as the grumpy Corps drill instructor Kilowog in this year’s Green Lantern film.

This doesn’t come as much of a surprise to most fans of the character, as Duncan seems to be a pretty spot-on choice. He’ll be joining the ranks of Michael Madsen and Henry Rollins, who have both lent  their voice for the character in the past.

What we know about the film’s plot is still pretty stagnant. We’ll get Hal Jordan’s origin story, we know that both Dr. Hammond and Parallax will be this film’s main villain, with seeds being sewn for Mark Strong’s Sinestro to be the villain later in the franchise.

The one peculiar part of this story is that the normally infallible IMDb has 24‘s former President Palmer Dennis Haysbert listed as voicing the character. We’re hoping to get down to the truth of this one, seeing as how we only have 2 months until the film’s June 17th release date.

Stop playing with your shillelagh and take a second to reflect on St. Patrick’s Day and what it means to you. Well, unless you are Irish or Irish American, it probably just becomes a day of drinking… followed by more drinking.

But if you work here, you are sure to have a connection with at least one or two Marvel heroes of Irish descent. In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, we take a look at some of the better known inhabitants of the Marvel U who will be getting their green on today.

Matt Murdock a.k.a. Daredevil

Probably one of the best known Irish Americans to grace a Marvel comic, Matt Murdock fits the Irish stereotype with his red locks and being raised by a tough as nails father who made his money as a boxer in Hell’s Kitchen.

Though his ethnic background hasn’t played a part in much of his current storylines as he faces off against hordes of Japanese ninjas, there is something about the Man Without Fear that can be found in every drunken bar brawl during St. Patrick’s Day.

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Just when you thought Hell’s Kitchen was safe from the grasp of Hollywood after 2003′s embarrassment to the genre which was Mark Steven Johnson’s Daredevil, it looks like the property may still be lucrative enough to garner a reboot.

Fox is so keen on the idea of rebooting the Man Without Fear, they’ve even signed Twilight: Eclipse director David Slade to take on the film.

From Variety: Slade has been considering several comicbook properties, including Fox’s “Wolverine,” but that gig wound up going to Darren Aronofsky (“Black Swan”). Though the film wound up spinning off “Elektra” with Jennifer Garner, studio had hoped “Daredevil” would earn more than its $103 million domestic take and launch a series of sequels.

Fox has been looking to redevelop the character since, but people close to the project say it’s not a reboot per se — more a continuation of the “Daredevil” saga. Studio has yet to hire a scribe, but writer would work closely with Slade.

Sadly, because Fox has been keeping the film in “pre-production” for years, they managed to retain the rights to Daredevil when Marvel was purchased by Disney. The same thing goes for The Fantastic Four, which the studio is also hoping to reboot.

One can only hope that Slade and the writer yet-to-be-decided will do a better job than the Affleck/Garner vehicle from 2003, but the most we can hope for is that we won’t get an ancillary Kevin Smith cameo. Fingers crossed.

Now that Thanksgiving is over we can get back to the more important business like reading new comics. Fortunately, Marvel has us covered and is releasing a bunch of new ones this week for our reading pleasure.

Of the ones coming out this week, we’re most interested in Heroes for Hire #1, Iron Man/Thor #2, Shadowland #5, Captain America: Patriot #4 and Wolverine: The Best There Is #1. Remember, comics come out on Thursday this week so keep that in mind and don’t show up at the store on Wednesday. However, on Thursday So, head over to your nearest / favorite comic store early for best selection.

Don’t know where your nearest comic shop is? Use this handy guide to find one.

Check out the list of comics you can get below.

Comics On-Sale:
ANT-MAN & WASP #2
AVENGERS, THOR & CAPTAIN AMERICA: OFFICIAL INDEX TO THE MARVEL UNIVERSE #8
AVENGERS: EARTH’S MIGHTIEST HEROES #2
CAPTAIN AMERICA: PATRIOT #4
CHAOS WAR #2 2ND PRINTING VARIANT (CW)
CHAOS WAR: GOD SQUAD #1 (CW)
DAREDEVIL #512 (SHL)
DECEMBER 2010 SNEAK PEEKS
GENERATION HOPE #2
GENERATION HOPE #2 LAND VARIANT
GENERATION HOPE #2 WOMEN OF MARVEL VARIANT
HEROES FOR HIRE #1
HEROES FOR HIRE #1 TOLIBAO VARIANT
HEROES FOR HIRE #1 WALKER VARIANT
IRON MAN/THOR #2

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Marvel’s Moon Knight has never been a character I thought much of. Not that he’s terrible or in any way uninteresting, I just never got “into” him. I usually stuck to other comics from Marvel like Captain America, X-Men and the like and didn’t really branch out all that much. I know, I’m sure I should have.

Obviously, one person’s lack of interest hasn’t stopped Moon Knight from becoming quite popular. So popular, in fact, that he’s starring in a new comic and we’ve got a preview for the first issue for you today.

The new book, called Shadowland: Moon Knight #1, comes from author Gregg Hurwitz and artist Bong Dazo and tells the story of Daredevil, defender of Hell’s Kitchen and leader of the ninja death cult known as the Hand who enlists both the villainous Profile and a new avatar of Khonshu to permanently eliminate Moon Knight. What will Moon Knight do? Why kick ass, of course. Although, not if Daredevil has anything to say about it.

Check out previews for the new comic after the jump. Shadowland: Mood Knight #1 hits comic book stores on August 25th.

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After many years of happily reading John Romita Jr.’s work on Wolverine’s “Enemy of the State” Arc, Spider-Man and Kick-Ass, I was thrilled to be able to interview John Romita, Jr. (or JR. Jr.) for Marvel’s return to a bright, new day with the “Heroic Age.”

I caught up with the delightful John while he was working hard on the Avengers.  It seems this is one man who can draw and answer in-depth questions at the same time.

As always he was humorous, insightful, and well…in need of a nap.  Read on, true believers, and enjoy the latest from the desk of the modest legend himself.

The Flickcast: Marvel takes the entire Avengers line of titles into “The Heroic Age.” You’ve been paired up with Brian Michael Bendis on the core “Avengers” title; is your opening run contained to the first arc or two, or do you plan on being involved for the foreseeable future?

John Romita, Jr: In the first year I’m doing it [Avengers] for a minimum of 2 arcs and I’m enjoying myself.  If the book is still doing well, I’ll do it for a second year.  It’s so difficult, though, that I may not survive the first year— it’s intense work.

I have to finish 25 pages in the next 17 days.  So, after doing Avengers, I may want to sleep for a year.  But doing the Avengers with Bendis is an amazing experience.  If I get through the year and I’m still healthy enough, I will do another one.

TF: What are the benefits and challenges of drawing iconic characters like Thor, Spidey, Iron Man, Wolverine, and Captain America vs. drawing characters you create?

JR: Oh, that’s on a strictly selfish scale, it’s much more fun to do a character you create because you create them and there’s a lot of gratification for that, but working on iconic characters is like driving your father’s classic car, it’s spectacular and fantastic, but it’s better off when it’s your own.

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According to the Little Big Planet website,  the worlds of Marvel and Little Big Planet will be colliding on July 7th. Starting on that day and continuing each week, there will be four costume packs for a total of 20 of Marvel’s greatest heroes and most despised villains.

It hasn’t been revealed which characters will be getting paired up for the packs as of yet. It is possible that they may be grouped by team such as an Avengers or X-Men pack or it may be a complete free for all where players can get Captain America, The Punisher and the Human Torch all in one oddball purchase.

In addition, there will be a Marvel Level Kit which contains four missions pitting the Sackboys and Sackgirls against Magneto. Beating these four stages will unlock Marvel music, objects stickers and a “Rooftop” background for your own level creations.

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Here you are Marvel fans, all the great comics, trades and whatnot coming out from your favorite publisher this week. Of course, there’s lots of Iron Man related comics such as Black Widow #2 and a host of actual Iron Man Titles. We’re also interested in the new Astonishing X-Men: Xenogenesis, Siege #4, Hulk #22 and the latest The Marvels Project.

Remember, comics go on sale this Wednesday so get to your nearest comics store early for best selection. Don’t know where your nearest comic store is? Use this handy guide to find one.

Comics On-Sale:
AGENTS OF ATLAS MGC #1
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #631
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #631 HEROIC AGE VARIANT
ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS #1
ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS #1 FOILOGRAM VARIANT
AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #35 (S)
BLACK WIDOW #2 (HA)
BLACK WIDOW #2 HANS VARIANT (HA)
BLACK WIDOW #2 HEROIC AGE VARIANT (HA)
DAREDEVIL: CAGE MATCH #1
DARK AVENGERS #16 (S)
DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #893
DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #893 HEROIC AGE VARIANT

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This week finds Marvel out with another bunch of new comics and other goodies. Of the ones dropping this week we’re particularly interested in Iron Man Noir #1, Powers #4, Punishermax # 6 and the debut of Black Widow #1.

Remember, comics go on sale this Wednesday so get to your favorite comics store early for best selection. Don’t know where your nearest comic store is? Use this handy guide to find one.

Comics On-Sale:

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN PRESENTS: JACKPOT #3
BLACK WIDOW #1 (HA)
BLACK WIDOW #1 FOREMAN VARIANT (HA)
BLACK WIDOW #1 MOVIE VARIANT (HA)
BLACK WIDOW #1 WOMEN OF MARVEL VARIANT (HA)
DAREDEVIL #506
DAREDEVIL #506 IRON MAN BY DESIGN VARIANT
DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #894
DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #894 IRON MAN BY DESIGN VARIANT
ENDER’S GAME: THE LEAGUE WAR #1
HULK MGC #1
IRON MAN LEGACY #1 LARROCA COVER
IRON MAN LEGACY #1 MEINERDING VARIANT
IRON MAN LEGACY #1 MOVIE VARIANT WRAPAROUND COVER
IRON MAN NOIR #1

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In an effort to keep things out of the hands of those who made the characters popular, major studios such as Sony, and now Regency and Fox, are rebooting their recent Marvel films in order to retain the rights so they don’t default back to Disney owned Marvel. Sony is doing so with the reboot of Spider-Man, while Regency and Fox have recently announced that they’re doing the same with Daredevil.

Originally made in 2003, and starring Ben Affleck and Colin Farrell, the film isn’t even a decade old and it’s getting a complete revamp. This time, the writer behind 2008′s The Day The Earth Stood Still, David Scarpa, will be penning a script, and the story will more than likely scrub the previous films’ continuity.

It’s unfortunate that studios resort to these childish ways. If the franchise eventually ends up in the hands of Marvel and Marvel Studios, this could mean great film cameos from some of our favorite heroes. A perfect example is what Favreau, Brannagh, and Joe Johnston are doing with the Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America films, and it’s all like a fanboy’s greatest dream.

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