Friday means many things to many people. For some, Friday means it’s the last work day before a well deserved weekend. For others, Friday is the day you try to tie Mark Spitz’s Olympic record.
At iFanboy, Friday means it’s letter column time.
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Still catching up on old podcasts. Just listened to the “Cast the Avengers” competition. I was wondering if after seeing The Dark Knight does Conor still think Aaron Eckhart would be a terrible Captain America and “exudes sleaze”? I thought his Harvey Dent portrayal might get him some new respect. Sure he went batshit crazy and exuded sleaze by the end, but he was a great, honorable in the beginning.
Jamie
I have to admit that Aaron Eckhart showed me a lot in The Dark Knight. He played good and noble and true very well. He was very impressive as Harvey Dent (and on the other side of the coin, as Two-Face). Really a fantastic performance.
Now if I’m casting Captain America, I’m still not casting Aaron Eckhart. Mostly because at 40 years old he’s way too old to be Steve Rogers. Now that’s if I’m the casting director, which, last I checked, I was not. I don’t know. I could have missed an e-mail.
If, for some reason, Aaron Eckhart was cast as Captain America I would probably be okay with it. I’d deal with the age thing because he’s a strong actor. He’s not my choice but there are certainly way worse choices. I still say that Steve Rogers should be played by an unknown.
Conor Kilpatrick
My brother texted me tonight from Star Clipper, one of the best shops in our fine state of Missouri (ask Jimski), wanting to know what to pick up. I called him back and asked him what he was interested in and he, the biophysics graduate student, said anything sci-fi. After explaining to him that damn near all superhero stuff — and, thusly, a majority of comics — is more or less sci-fi, I tried to think of a few recommendations.
I know his chief concern of visiting the store tonight was to pick up Scott Pilgrim Numero Dos — I got him Vol. 1 for his birthday a while back because he turned 23 and played bass in a rock band and is into crazy whacky science concepts and has slayed four of seven evil ex-boyfriends — so I tried to stick with stuff that I knew is just as good in the story/narrative department as it is in the sci-fi.
Here’s what I recommended: All-Star Superman, Fear Agent, Fantastic Four (the original series), The Fourth World, The Eternals, Planetary, Green Lantern (recent stuff a la “Sinestro Corps War”), DC: The New Frontier, The Five Fists of Science, Madman/Atomic Comics, and Animal Man. I know there’s gotta be more, especially stuff with big, heady sci-fi concepts. I also tried thinking of books outside of the mainstream superhero vein because I know he’d be interested in independent stuff as well. Can you guys think of anything else?
Aaron S. from Springfield, MO
So your brother needs science fiction books, eh! Hmmm… here’s a few:
Transhuman – Jonathan Hickman’s latest mini-series from Image about genetic engineering, done in documentary style.
Pax Romana – Jonathan Hickman’s other Image mini-series about a group of soldiers who time travel back to ancient Rome to shape the future.
Transmetropolitan – Righteous journalism in a science fiction future.
The Adventures of Barry Ween, Boy Genius – Judd Winick’s hilarious book about the smartest boy in the world.
Hellboy/B.P.R.D. – More horror than science, but it straddles the line, I think.
Dan Dare – Fantastic pure science fiction war story from Garth Ennis.
Y: The Last Man – All the men die… yadda yadda yadda… you know this one.
Maintenance – Comedy book from Oni Press about hapless maintenance workers at a super secret facility that makes gadgets and doomsday machines for super-villains.
And I’m sure that people will chime in in the comments section with stuff I’ve missed.
Conor Kilpatrick
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Captain America should be an unknown, that way we see Cap not somebody dressed like Cap. Besides what big name actor would wear that costume, it would look ridiculous in real life.
@Aaron- I suggest anything related to Aquaman. That’s right, I said it. But seriously check out Booster Gold, it has time travel. Maybe Legion of Super Heroes for futuristic tales. Or there is Captain Britain which deals with magic. And lastly try anything Adam Strange.
My pick for captain america would be Jon Hamm. He just exudes honor, intelligence and old school manliness. If you haven’t seen that show, watch it just for Jon Hamm.
@NealAppeal – "That show" being MAD MEN.
oops. I left that out. It’s a damn good show, by the way. It being MAD MEN.
Jon Hamm is 37 and, in my opinion, also too old to play Steve Rogers. As great as he is. Which he is great.
What about Simon Baker? He’s pushing 40, but he’s got the look and the acting chops. Brad Pitt is 45 and wan’t he being considered for the role at one point.
Also, Shia LeBouf would be a great Bucky (WWII).
O man, I had never heard of Maintenance before, that sounds right up my alley. Thanks Conor.
I don’t like Shiah LeBouf. Why does he have to be in all my movies?
Michael Trucco (Sam Anders on Battlestar Galactica). I’ve posted it before on this site, but since the topic’s come up again…
um, Michael Trucco for Captain America, that is.
James Badge Dale as Cap maybe? I mean, he was Jack Bauer’s sidekick that one season!
@Aaron – Be careful about recommending so many books or series at once. They’re all great but it may seem overwhelming to a new reader to get a list that long. I speak from personal experience and as a former LCS employee.
and the Surrogates, go read that. (http://www.goingtrain.com/comics/february08/surrogates.php)
sloth from goonies as captain america. That guy was diving off pirate ships like I envision captain america would.
@conor Even if he’s too old, he’s gotta be some superhero. He’s such a great actor and has such class and gravitas and such a super hero build. I’d cast him as Batman, Superman, Tom Strong, Wild Cat, Hal Jordan, Tony Stark, Thor, anyone.
Nova! Great cosmic sci-fi book in my opinion, just a great book in general.
You know who Aaron Eckhart should play next? Two-Face. If he somehow resurfaces in the third Batman film, then that’s who he should play. Like conor, if it comes down to it I have no problem with him being Cap. But age is a huge factor and considering this film is coming out later rather then soon….Eckhart might be even too old (more so) if he gets cast.
It’s most likely gonna be a newbie to play as Cap. Unless we’re forgetting a great young actor (which we usually do) then Marvel will pick an young star. Hey it’s gotta balance out the academy award winning actors if they keep Downey and Norton for Avengers.
Captain America and Thor won’t be played by big names for this reason. When it comes time to do an Avengers movie if all the heroes are big name stars then most of the budget will go to the stars and not special effects which a movie like that needs.
I love Maintenance. That book is righteously funny.
Robert Downey Jr’s over 40 and people seemed to dig him as Tony Stark. Also, Tim Roth’s ‘supersoldier serum sequences’ in Incredible Hulk seemed to be one of the points people really liked, and he’s 47. Although, to be fair, the fact that his character (Roth, that is) was too old to do certain things without the serum was kind of the point. But Norton’s also nearly 40.
John Barrowman (also over 40) was making some noises at this year’s comic-con about talking to people about playing Cap, but that was obviously just for media attention. I don’t know the character as well as others, so I’m just speculating on who might be a good visual fit.
If Marvel’s going to try and continue the trend of getting really good actors for these parts, I think it’d be interesting to see them go for someone like Ben Foster or Ryan Gosling for this sort of part. And if Nolan ever wants a Robin, look no further than Ellen Page 🙂
This is fun!
Nolan has said no Robin while he’s directing.
@ Eyun– Typically, yeah, 40 isn’t too old to be a superhero, but with Cap, whose a soldier that enlisted during World War II to fight Nazis, his origin specifically puts him in the 18-to-early/mid-20’s age grouping. With Iron Man, you could place him at 23, 36, or 42 and it’s okay, but with Cap if it’s a 40-year old guy going in to enlist, it looks a little wonky.
And if John Barrowman becomes cap, I’d flip. I hate Torchwood.
Does anyone think Justin Hartley might be good? I’m not a big smallville fan but I did see the pilot for that cancelled Aquaman series and he was pretty awesome in it.
Eh. He seemed kind of stiff and wooden to me as Green Arrow back when I was watching Smallville. Maybe he’d do better in something not by the CW, I don’t know.
Samuel L Jackson as captain america. If he wants the part, you know he’ll get it.
But he’s Nick Fury.
I was only kidding about Robin, and I’m glad Nolan doesn’t want Robin in these films.
@Tork – Cheers for clearing the age thing up, makes a lot more sense now. 🙂
I’ve been wanting to check out Maintenance for sometime. It sounds pretty good!
SciFi comics:
The Metabarons books, Humanoids publishing. Can be tricky to track down but Star Clipper will know what to do.
Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog, and anything that came from 2000AD. Like, say, a big stack of 2000AD weeklies!
Anything from J. Hickman. @Connor is right to suggest Pax Romana and Transhuman. The Core is his new book from Top Cow, part of the annual Pilot Season promotion. Well worth checking out. And if you like it, vote for it on the site (topcow.com that is).
And a blast from the past: The graphic novel adaptation of Alien. You can find it in many good comic stores or good ol eBay. Walt Simonson and Archie Goodwin. It’s fucking awesome.
How about a one man avengers movie. Sam Jackson plays every role…even iron man. It can later get remade into a broadway play. Marvel starts up a theatre company?
@purdueboiler- Sam Jackson better be in the Avengers movie. It would be worth it to see him yell "Avengers Assemble, Motherfucker"!
Hurray for Hickman and Maintenance love. Good work, Conor.