Fascinating article at the Consumerist detailing how Best Buy profiles its customers. Be sure to check out the gallery of images at the bottom of the article all of the Best Buy profiles. Which profile describes you?
We already know how Best Buy thinks of customers as either “angels” or “demons,” and most Diggers are “Buzzes” or “Rays,” but now meet the newest additions to their internal sales stereotyping system.
Finally, is the first thing that comes to mind.
In February of 2008, Marvel will release the first volume (of 12) collecting all of the entries from the 2004-2007 All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. Details are still sparse and I’m only going on what the advanced solicitation copy says.
The most exciting and comprehensive Marvel handbook is finally here! Beginning a twelve-volume guide to the Marvel Universe with more than 100 huge entries in each tome! This issue – from 1602 to Blackwulf! Spotlighting people (Angel, Annihilus, Ant-Man, Apocalypse, Arachne, Ares, Aurora, Banshee, Baron Zemo, Beast, Beta Ray Bill, Bishop, Black Bolt, Black Knight, Black Panther, Black Widow), places (Atlantis), teams (AIM, Acolytes, Agents of Atlas, Alpha Flight, Avengers), species (Badoon), alternate realities (2020, 2099, the Age of Apocalypse) and more!
The big question I have for this hardcover collection is…does it contain the other “guide books” that use the Marvel Handbook format, but were not branded as such.
For example, will it include the Spider-Man: Back in Black Handbook (April 2007), Mystic Arcana: The Book of Marvel Magic (May 2007), The Mighty Avengers: Most Wanted Files (June 2007), World War Hulk: Gamma Files (August 2007), Marvel Zombies: The Book of Angels, Demons, & Various Monstrosities and the X-Men: Messiah Complex – Mutant Files (December 2007). I would surely hope so. Some of those (Spider-Man and Mighty Avengers) look exactly like an All New OHotMU book, except for the logo.
With the mention of “places (Atlantis)” in the solicitation text, I’m hopeful that the hardcover will also include the data from the late 2007-2008 Marvel Atlas releases.
Best of all, the entries will be in alphabetical order. Since the original releases in 2004 started with spotlights on teams and characters (Avengers, X-Men, Spider-Man), the entries for those books were in alphabetical order for those issues only. It wasn’t until the 2006 update that an entire 12-issue run was alphabetized. Still, many characters and information from the 2004 and 2005 one-shots were omitted from the 2007 release.
All of this means many collectors and readers will likely be buying this content again, but it will be well worth it. Collectors and readers that like the Marvel Handbook will be lining up to buy these versions.
Michael may believe that the Octosquid is the beginning of the end for human civilization, but writer Robert Kirkman predicted it fist in his comic book series Invincible.
Octoboss is a super-villain who has repeatedly attempted to steal radioactive material with the aid of his henchmen, the Squidmen. Knowing Kirkman, Octoboss will eventually pop up again and reveal his master plan, but I couldn’t help but think of the character after reading the other two linked articles. Kirkman has a great knack for creating out-of-this-world characters that could be hokey if done by any other writer, but somehow seem fun and cool in the “Invincible” universe. Read more about Octoboss.
I would imagine reading Invincible now was much like reading the first 130 issues of Amazing Spider-Man, where the readers were hit with so many new and cool ideas that they just kept reading and enjoyed every minute of it.
Mister Fantastic is an inherently cool character (I think). He may be the least powerful member of the Fantastic Four, but he can do so many things with his power, that he’s a fun character to read (or watch). I hope that in the upcoming Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer movie, that the character is played much more like he was at the end of the first film.
His power doesn’t work on film in slow shots. for example, the scene in the first film where he stretched his hand under the door just doesn’t look good. It looks fake. However, in the final battle with Dr. Doom, his stretches and turns into several shapes quickly an rapidly. It was the first time in the film I smiled while watching the character. Hopefully, the new film will feature lots of shapes, bouncing and stretching for Mister Fantastic (read more about the character).
What’s wrong with this picture: you’re a super-villain and you possess the strength and agility of the “rare Wakandan white gorilla,” which means you’ve got enhanced human strength and durability, as well as superhuman stamina and agility. You outweigh Captain America by 100lbs. and have almost a foot height advantage, yet you still manage to get “overpowered” by him in Avengers #78 and #79. Way to go, Man-Ape and Cap., I still miss you.
Intelligence: Normal
Strength: Enhanced human
Speed: Athlete
Stamina: Superhuman
Durability: Enhanced human
Agility: Superhuman
Reflexes:
Fighting skills: Wakandan Royal Militia training
Special skills and abilities: None
Superhuman physical powers: Superhuman strength, agility, stamina, and durability equal to that of the rare Wakandan white gorilla
Superhuman mental powers: None
Special limitations: None
Source of superhuman powers: Mystical transference of the abilities of the rare Wakandan white gorilla
Costume specifications: The Man-Ape wears the pelt of Wakandan white gorilla.
Personal weaponry: None
Special weaponry: None
Other accessories: None
Transportation: Various
Design and manufacture of paraphernalia: Inapplicable
First appearance: AVENGERS #62
Origin issues: AVENGERS #62
Significant issues: AVENGERS #62 (battled the Black Panther in attempt to usurp the throne of Wakanda and return Wakanda to primitive state);
AVENGERS #78-79 (traveled to America, joined Lethal Legion, captured Black Panther, fought Avengers, overpowered by Captain America);
WEST COAST AVENGERS #1-2 (rejoined Lethal Legion, battled Tigra);
VISION AND SCARLET WITCH Vol.2 #2 (abandoned Grim Reaper, accompanied by Black Talon)