British-Nigerian Akinnuoye-Agbaje nabs key Thor villain role & other news

By Abdulkareem Baba Aminu


During summer of 2009, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje at the San Diego Comic-Con, made known his intentions to play Marvel superhero Black Panther. “We’re talking to Marvel about ‘Black Panther…hopefully they’ll look at ‘G.I. Joe’ and see the potential. But it’s about time we have a black superhero, isn’t it?” The Panther movie never happened, and probably won’t as he’s won a lead villain role in Thor: The Dark World.

Reports say Akinnuoye-Agbaje will be playing the dual roles of Algrim the Strong and Kurse, kind of like Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader.

Akinnuoye-Agbaje, perhaps best known for his roles on hit TV series ‘Lost’ and ‘Oz,’ will play the character created by Walter Simonson, introduced in 1984’s ‘Thor’ #347 as the most powerful of a race of Dark Elves. He joins returning stars Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgard and Rene Russo. Directed by Alan Taylor, ‘Thor: The Dark World’ opens Nov. 8, 2013.

Rob Liefeld Leaves DC Comics ‘to preserve sanity’

Rob Liefeld revealed last month that he too would be leaving DC Comics soon, announced his abrupt with a torrent of tweets criticizing his editors. “Officially got off the DC52 treadmill this morning,” he tweeted, adding, “I believe in what DC is doing, but had to preserve my sanity. I walked off all 3 books. Can’t wait to see any attempts to spin. I have every email.”

Liefeld was among the original creators when DC launched the New 52 a year ago, pencilling and later also writing Hawk & Dove before moving in May to Deathstroke, writing and pencilling as well. He tweeted from a movie theatre where he was watching the ‘Expendables 2’: “This is the 4th time I quit in the last 4 months. This time it will stick,” he wrote from a theater, where he was watching The Expendables 2. “I lasted a few months longer than I thought possible. Massive indecision, last minute and I mean LAST minute changes that alter everything.”

In related news, ‘Bloodstrike,’ Liefeld’s 1990s team of undead super-soldiers, are marching toward the big screen. Variety reports that Adi Shankar’s 1984 Private Defense Contractors has acquired the film rights, with Shankar, Liefeld and Liefeld’s manager Brooklyn Weaver producing.  “Bloodstrike will be R-rated,” Liefeld wrote last night on Twitter. “Adi Shankar the real deal.”

Superman/Wonder Woman hook-up confirmed by DC

U.S-based morning TV show Good Morning America has run the news that in next week’s Justice League #12 Superman and Wonder Woman are going to “get together”.
Entertainment Weekly has run the cover, and quote Geoff Johns as saying it’s not a one-issue stunt: “This is the new status quo,” Johns said. He also said the duo’s relationship “will have a seismic impact on all the heroes and villains in the DC universe.”
Entertainment Weekly has run the cover, and quote Geoff Johns as saying it’s not a one-issue stunt: “This is the new status quo,” Johns said. He also said the duo’s relationship “will have a seismic impact on all the heroes and villains in the DC universe.”

Johns hinted that an event, possibly tragic, will impact every member of the Justice League, and cause Superman and Wonder Woman to seek solace in each other and move from super-powered colleagues to power couple.