Guardians of the Galaxy Infinite #1
Published by Marvel Comics for the Digital App
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Michael Avon Oeming
Release date: March 6, 2013
Price: FREE

Marvel announced a new type of digital comic called Infinite last year with a few books that didn’t release on a regular basis. They were sold separately in the Marvel Comics App or came packaged with other digital books. They were promoted as the future of digital comics and in execution the format truly took advantage of reading a comic book on a tablet or similar device. The feel was cinematic but the core experience was still that of a comic book. Also, when reading these books you weren’t constantly flipping the tablet or phone from portrait to horizontal depending on the panel. Those original stories were just teasers to regular comics, but they did show a glimmer of something that could be cool. Then, there was nothing.

Finally now we get a new Infinite book featuring The Guardians of the Galaxy called Guardians of the Galaxy Infinite.

Sam Raimi‘s Oz The Great and Powerful is hitting theaters this weekend, but long before the film’s production, the director was attached to direct Spider-Man 4 – which eventually got the reboot treatment directed by Marc Webb – and World of Warcraft – which eventually went to Duncan Jones.

During the press rounds for Oz The Great and Powerful, Raimi addressed those projects that got passed on or rebooted.

On the subject of Spider-Man 4, Raimi said that he just couldn’t hand in a proper script on time and that he wanted to end his Spider-Man franchise on a high note, especially after the way Spider-Man 3 ended. By the way that the relationship between him and Sony wasn’t as heated as some make it out to be, according to Raimi.

Ever since Disney bought the rights to Lucasfilm, the Star Wars franchise has been heading in the right direction. Toy Story 3 and Hunger Games: Catching Fire scribe Michael Arndt was hired to write the script for Star Wars: Episode VII, J.J. Abrams (Star Trek) was brought in to direct it, and it was announced that Disney would release more Star Wars films beyond the Episode saga.

While we know the solo films would most likely focus on Han Solo, Boba Fett, and Yoda, we now know who will be starring in Episode VII. Carrie Fisher has confirmed that she will return to reprise her role as Princess Leia. Hit the jump to see the vision for her character.

Palm Beach Illustrated asked whether or not she would be back and she responded with a very simple “yes,” but she gave a more descriptive answer when it came to how she would envision her in Episode VII.

Last year Skyfall brought the James Bond franchise roaring back to life after a four-year-long hiatus due primarily to the financial difficulties of the once mighty studio MGM. Under the direction of Academy Award-winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition), Skyfall became the definitive Bond film for many, earned critical raves, and was the first movie in the series to gross over $1 billion worldwide. Mendes’ intelligent handling of the material and the performances he elicited from series leads Daniel Craig and Dame Judi Dench were credited rightfully for a major part of the film’s creative and commercial success and it had been assumed that the director would return to helm the next outing for Ian Fleming‘s iconic superspy.

Sadly that does not look to be so. Mendes said in a recent interview with Empire that he’s turned down an offer from the producers to direct the next Bond film.

Frank Cho: Women, Book Two
Foreword by Geof Darrow
Artwork by Frank Cho
Image Comics
Release Date: January 16, 2013
Cover Price: $24.99

The second volume of Frank Cho‘s Women is, like the first, an art compilation of the talented illustrator’s work specifically focusing on his studies of the female physical form. Comprised of finished comic book cover artwork, the original penciled and inked versions, as well as outlines and other BOOBS ballpoint studies, the collection is fairly pleasing to the eyes (correction: MORE THAN pleasing to the eye), and will be a must-have for any aspiring comic book artists.

There is very little text in Women, Book Two. Aside from the descriptive captions and the book’s foreword, Image Comics has genuinely allowed Cho’s artwork to speak for itself and remain open to the interpretation of the audience viewing the work. This is great, because I can’t stand art books with far too much text. Just give me the description and more breathing space for your art – I don’t need your fucking history, just give me the art. Save the text for your biography. This book avoids all those traps and focuses on BOOBS Cho’s work.