As always, the sad news seems to come all at once. It’s being reported that the highly-private legendary author J.D. Salinger has passed away at the age of 91. The cause of death was of natural causes, and indications are that Salinger was healthy until recently when illness took on.

The author was something of an enigma. His classic, The Catcher in the Rye is a book that’s so prominent that it feels like it has been around for hundreds of years, even though it was only published in 1951. Over the past few years, just discovering that Salinger was still alive somewhere on this planet felt like some sort of fictional mythology created in his legend, but it was all so true and fascinating to think about.

Salinger himself had a story worthy of books (and a film we’re all but guaranteed to see some day). He was born in Manhattan in 1919 to a Jewish cheese salesman father and a half-Scottish, half-Irish Catholic mother. His father wasn’t big on his talents as an actor and writer and pressed that he learn business, which saw Salinger head to Austria to work at a meat-importing company. This ended up being a close call as he eventually left Austria only a month before the Nazi forces invaded and took over. Not long after this he fell in love with a girl who eventually went on to marry Charlie Chaplin.

The Watchmen and Dark Knight films have ushered a darker, grittier super hero into our pop consciousness but it looks like Marvel is heading the opposite direction with their comics line.

For months now they’ve been hinting at a brighter, shinier future for their core superhero universe and with the solicitation of May’s Heroic Age branding Marvel has given us a first look at their plans for a post-Siege event

Currently Marvel produces four Avengers books (New Avengers, Dark Avengers, Mighty Avengers, and Avengers: The Initiative) which will all be canceled in lieu of a new core series — simply titled Avengers written by Brian Michael Bendis.

Bendis exclaimed in the story, “The ‘brand new day’ of the Heroic Age presents a tonal shift to optimism, a world filled with hope but quite hellish villains.”

Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada also noted that in the new branding for the Marvel line “heroes will be heroes again” featuring “a throwback to the early days of the Marvel Universe, with more of a swashbuckling feel.”

Last week, a sneak peek was posted online of a panel from the upcoming Twilight graphic novel [Read Sneak Peek: “˜Twilight: The Graphic Novel’ Vol. 1].

Now, more interior art for Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 1, which will be released by Yen Press on March 16, 2010 and is now available for pre-order, has popped up over at the Previews catalog site.

Check out the art, which consists of four character drawings, here at right (click the larger, full view).

I’m not sure where exactly in the graphic novel this art will appear, as it has some coloring to it, whereas the previously released interior panel was black and white.

Here’s the information about the graphic novel from the Previews listing…

Brian Michael Bendis is on “fire.”

He’s currently anchoring the Marvel universe, writing everything from big events like Secret Invasion and Siege to ongoing goodness like Ultimate Spider-Man and EVERY Avengers book known to man. He’s got a TV adaptation of Powers in the works at FX and he’s also working with Universal on a Jinx movie.

Bendis is again set to work with Universal on the film version of Fire, his 2001 graphic novel from Image. My favorite heartthrob Zac Efron is set to star and executive produce the film with his manager, Jason Barrett. Bendis is also on board to write the adaptation.

The product description from the Fire graphic novel reads…

Back in 2007, Universal Studios Orlando announced plans to add a Harry Potter-themed land to their Islands of Adventure theme park.

Since then, we’ve only seen a bunch of concept art for Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Now, finally, is the first glimpse of an actual structure at the park: the top of the Hogwarts Castle!

Check out the image here at right (click for larger, full view); or for a super hi-res version, visit The Leaky Caudron site.

Also, below, check out the update on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which is scheduled to open in Spring 2010.