Marvel's Horror Universe

On numerous occasions, Marvel Comics has dipped their toes into the horror genre. Some of the publisher's most famous heroes and villains alike are even of the supernatural or just downright creepy persuasion. 

However, they are preparing to dive headfirst into the world of all things spooky and unsettling with Marvel's Midnight Universe. Finally, gorehounds and mavens of the macabre know exactly when they can experience these spine-tingling new takes on their favorite comic book characters. Marvel are offering comic book fans a perfect way to celebrate the Halloween season by debuting the Midnight line. 

Kicking things off is a trio of terrifying tales that reimagine some of history's most iconic superheroes as pure nightmare fuel. 

For instance, Midnight Spider-Man is not at all the inspiring story of a young man learning to accept great responsibility when he is gifted with great power. Instead, things take a David Cronenberg-esque turn when Peter Parker is unwillingly transformed into a grotesque hybrid of man and arachnid as part of Oscorp's inhumane experiments. 

A twisted adventure of science gone horribly wrong also describes the plot of Midnight Fantastic Four. According to the official synopsis, the comic depicts the horrifying effects that a scientist's obsessive attempts to answer the universe's greatest mysteries have on himself and three other people. 

Mutants are still very much a pivotal element of Midnight X-Men, but they pose an even more sinister threat to humanity in this continuity. The series invites readers into a world overrun with both vampires and the mutant beings called empyres as a blood-soaked war begins to take shape between them over who will wield the power of the sword of Damocles. 

The only people more jazzed with anticipation for Marvel's Midnight line than those eager to read it are the creators behind it. The writers and artists bringing these wicked stories to life have expressed just how important the new universe is to them. 

Midnight Spider-Man comes from Phillip Kennedy Johnson, who is already known for essentially making horror characters out of Marvel heroes with his acclaimed Infernal Hulk series, for instance. He cites Alien's Xenomorph designer HR Giger, the aforementioned The Fly helmer David Cronenberg, and horror manga artist Junji Ito as inspirations for his and artist ScieTronc's reinterpretation of the webslinger, which he aims to be "so upsetting it haunts me". 

Benjamin Percy works with Marvel Zombies illustrator Kev Walker on Midnight Fantastic Four. The author, known for bringing Marvel into some dark corners, such as with his Predator crossover comics, acknowledges that delving into the normally light-hearted world of the first superhero family is unusual for someone with his reputation.

Jonathan Hickman, who recently penned the popular Aliens vs. Avengers crossover series, says that it has been a long time since he has been as excited to write a comic as he is with Midnight X-Men. This new vampiric story is something of a departure for artist Matteo Della Fonte, outside of his experience designing cover art for stories set in the more mutant-ridden corners of the Marvel Universe.

Midnight Universe Executive Editor Dan Buckley also adds that, "The more we talked about Midnight, the more we realized it was far more than just the birth of another new universe – it was on an entirely different scale creatively, a doorway to something that was not only immediately exciting, but had immense long-term promise". He also promises "a bold new energy" will be unleashed in this highly anticipated new line. 

Midnight Fantastic Four #1, Midnight Spider-Man #1, and Midnight X-Men #1 start haunting the shelves on October 07, 2026.

A SAL Leave Your Speech Crutches Speech

Great to be back at Sunway Mentari for the Speakers and Leaders club meeting! And thrilled to have presented my CSL1(5) "Leave Your Speech Crutches" speech, titled "I Have A Lot of Rage in Me". 

I definitely relate to the iconic superhero and comic book character, the Hulk; my anger has a tendency to erupt without warning. But I don't rage outward like the Hulk; I swallow the blast. It permits me to deal with the quiet, inward fury rather than outward aggression! 

I'm the kind of person who channels that primal energy, making me incredibly intense and focused on whatever I'm doing. In my case, I was referring to public speaking – an activity that I'm actively involved in and passionate about.

And so, my rage makes me a more formidable speaker because it unlocks high adrenaline, sharpens my focus, and projects raw authenticity. This emotional intensity, when harnessed properly, commands attention and makes my message incredibly memorable. I become a better speaker.

Besides me, there were four other speakers. 

As for the "That's One Minute" session, where the theme was "My Biggest Failure", four speakers were called upon. [I wasn't one of them].

And the meeting wrapped up with the five project speakers sharing their reflections.

Photos from the said meeting:

Frank Frazetta's Nude Vampirella

Even if you're a comic book fan, you may or may not know about Vampirella. She is considered one of the first "bad girl" characters in comics and is a prominent figure in horror/fantasy comic lore. 

Frank Frazetta was the cover artist for the maiden issue, Vampirella #1, published by Warren Publishing and which introduced the character created by Forrest J Ackerman and Tom Sutton. 

The issue was cover-dated September 1969, though it appeared on newsstands in the summer of that year. And it launched a critically acclaimed series known for its high-quality horror stories and artwork. 

Vampirella came from publisher James Warren's desire to find a sexy horror lead for his comic line. He tapped Frazetta for the cover and worked with him on the concept. Cartoonist Trina Robbins helped shape the costume design. 

"When Frank portrays a woman he injects a certain mystique", Warren said. "I wanted my Vampirella to have that same mystique". 

If you're not at all familiar with Vampirella, she was an inhabitant of the planet Drakulon, where rivers of blood flowed. She traveled to Earth to fight evil, often portrayed as an anti-hero. 

Throughout her history, her origin has been retconned multiple times, shifting from an alien to being the daughter of Lilith, who's primarily known as the mother of Vampirella and the former queen of Drakulon. 

While not a mainstream superhero, Vampirella carved out a significant niche as a horror-themed, rebel archetype, remaining in print for over 50 years across different publishers.

And truth be told, Frazetta never cared for Vampirella's red costume. So more than 20 years later, he painted her nude. 

And the painting – oil on Masonite board, 21 by 15.25 inches – just sold at Heritage Auctions on February 27-March 01, 2026 to a private collector for $3.125 million! 😮😮😮

Who would ever imagine that a disrobed comic character could fetch such a handsome sum?! It's crazy!

Fan-made TMNT Test Footage is Epic Cowabunga

As a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I have to admit that by today's standards, their movies have been pretty lame. 

Live-action TMNT movies include the original 1990s trilogy (TMNT 1990, Secret of the Ooze 1991, TMNT III 1993) featuring Jim Henson puppet suits, and the Platinum Dunes-produced reboot films (TMNT 2014, Out of the Shadows 2016) with CGI turtles. 

TBH, I would love to see John Wick-style fight choreography. 

Indie animator John Likens has filled the gap. His two-minute test fight scene featuring Raphael and a whole lot of camera shake is the perfect treat for any adult TMNT fan (which I expect you are, if you're reading this).

💓💓💓

This is Raphael Unleashed. The version of the TMNT I’ve always wanted to see on the big screen. 

Let’s honor the iconic roots of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles while viewing it through a darker, cinematic lens. A grounded action thriller packed with chaos, conflict, and brutal martial arts, while carrying the emotional depth and high-stakes drama of a prestige series.

And since you can never tell nowadays, Likens specifies that AI was not involved at any point, which makes me root for him even more!

Please, please, Paramount Pictures, get off your butts and reach out to Likens! 

LEGO TMNT Returns

I was a big fan of TMNT. I reckon I still am. 

[If you don't know, it is an American media franchise created by comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It follows Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo, four anthropomorphic turtle brothers trained in ninjutsu who fight evil in New York City. The franchise encompasses printed media, television series, feature films, video games, and merchandise].

Cowabunga! A new LEGO BrickHeadz set has been revealed on February 01 with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures.

Releasing on April 01, the set has 567 pieces and will retail for $39.99. [Note: These BrickHeadz marks the return of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles after a 12 year hiatus with the last sets in 2014].

The set features Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello along with their accessories.

On Wednesday, I went to Cyberjaya together with Ahmad Fakhri and Jamilah Samian. We attended the Cyberjaya Community Toastmasters Club meeting which was held at the office of Sigma Retrix Sdn Bhd located in CBD Perdana 2.

I took up the role of Speech Evaluator for speaker no. 2.

 

And if you're interested to know, we sold 13 books, consisting of 7 TDIYS and 6 TPOYS at the said meeting.

Spider-Men At Stan Lee's Property

The Los Angeles estate in California, USA of Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee (1922-2018) is for sale. 

 

Sitting on a modest half-acre lot overlooking the Sunset Strip, the 5,200 square-foot home features 3 bedrooms and 6.5 baths. I won't describe its expansiveness and extravagance – at least by my humble standards – but what's really cool is when you walk inside. 

 

You'll be greeted by three Spider-Men in all their web-slinging glory.

 

The entire Hollywood Hills property can be yours for just $8,800,000!

 

The Chinese video gaming market reached record revenue in the third quarter, thanks in large part to the success of the country’s first AAA video game, Black Myth: Wukong. 

 

Sales in the world’s second-largest video gaming market by revenue rose to 91.8 billion yuan ($12.9 billion), according to a report by the Gaming Publishing Committee of the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association. The report, published on Wednesday, showed growth of 8.95 percent from the 84.2 billion yuan in the same period last year. 

 

The AAA title – an unofficial designation for premium games with large budgets and long development times – was released on August 20, 2024 by Hangzhou-based studio Game Science. It is currently available on Windows and Sony’s PlayStation 5 console. 

 

FYI, market regulator the National Press and Publication Administration approved licences for 850 domestic game titles in the first eight months of this year, compared with 609 in the same period in 2023.

 

Malaysia's top women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan ran out of steam, exiting the quarter-finals of the Denmark Open after a hard-fought 22-20, 21-19 defeat to Japan's Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi yesterday. 

 

The world No. 7 put up a brave fight, but their resistance came to an end against the world No. 6 pair. Despite the loss, Pearly-Thinaah deserve credit for their never-say-die attitude, battling valiantly in what was a rematch of last week's epic Arctic Open semi-final in Finland, which lasted one hour and 46 minutes. 

 

In the second game, Pearly-Thinaah staged a series of comebacks, recovering from 6-1, 9-4, and 15-10 deficits to push their opponents to the brink at 20-19, before Iwanaga-Nakanishi finally sealed the victory. [It marked only Pearly-Thinaah's second defeat in six meetings against the Japanese pair].

 

It's okay to lose because they've given their all! Battles are lost in the same spirit in which they are won! 

"Superhero" Trademarks Get Axed

I know it sounds silly but DC and Marvel have jointly held a set of trademarks on the words "super hero" and "super heroes" since 1980! I only know this today – but the good news is, that these trademarks are no longer in force.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office, in response to a petition from London, UK-based SJ Richold’s Superbabies Limited, have axed, on September 26, 2024, the said trademarks. Anyone can now produce works using "superhero" without fear of a lawsuit from either of the entertainment behemoths.

Superbabies filed a petition in May to invalidate the trademarks after DC opposed their application to trademark "superbabies". In their petition, the former's arguments include:

• We live in a world of super heroes. For the better part of a century, super heroes and the superhero genre have ruled the imagination and inspired millions to achieve greatness. 
• Super heroes are ubiquitous. They are on products of all shapes and sizes, appear in countless stories, and have a presence in every major storytelling medium. 
• This case is about two companies – DC and Marvel – who claim the exclusive right to use the term SUPER HERO. 
• Marvel and DC did not invent the concept of super heroes, superheroes, or the superhero genre. The term in its varied spellings has origins dating back to at least 1909 – decades before DC or Marvel even existed. The first comic book characters to receive the super hero label were not affiliated with DC or Marvel. 
• In 1980 – decades after the birth of super heroes – DC and Marvel jointly registered SUPER HEROES as a trademark. 
• DC and Marvel claim that no one can use the term SUPER HERO (or superhero, super-hero, or any other version of the term) without their permission. DC and Marvel are wrong. Trademark law does not permit companies to claim ownership over an entire genre. SUPER HERO is a generic term that should not be protected as a trademark.
• Trademark law also does not allow competitors to claim joint ownership over a single mark. The purpose of a trademark is to identify a single source of goods and services.
• Over the years, DC and Marvel have used their SUPER HERO registrations not to prevent confusion, but to stifle competition and exclude others from the marketplace.
• DC and Marvel’s strategy is ripped straight from their own supervillains’ playbook. In Fantastic Four #7 (2023), Dr. Doom defeats the Fantastic Four by stealing key words from their vocabulary – including SUPER HERO:

• In Ultimate Spider-Man #109 (2007), villain Wilson Fisk (Kingpin) used a more direct approach: he registered Spider-Man as a trademark, and used threats of litigation and financial ruin to pressure Spider-Man into letting Kingpin operate without SUPER HERO:
  

• Virtually every comic, book, toy, or t-shirt relating to super heroes refers to itself as a super hero product, sometimes even including the term in the product name:

Petitioner Superbabies Limited create super hero stories featuring a team of super-powered super hero babies called THE SUPER BABIES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marvel and DC failed to answer the petition, resulting in a default judgment for Superbabies. Congratulations to the real heroes!

 

Based on their online presence, Superbabies are not a very big organization. I applaud their audacity in taking on DC and Marvel in the first place, let alone in such a magnificent fashion.

DC Comic's Queer Couple Are The New Barbies

Batman Day 2024 officially kicks off today and the Barbie X Batman collaboration celebrates the World's Greatest Detective's 85th Anniversary. It features the next Barbie Signature dolls, the villain Poison Ivy and the love of her life, (sometimes) villain Harley Quinn. 

 

The former comes with a tiny crossbow and a baby Frank the plant; the latter carries her signature mallet. I must admit they look fabulous!

 

Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), the producer of the home-made C919 aircraft, said on Thursday that the aircraft will carry out research and development (R&D) test flights of key systems for ultra high-altitude operations, a further step for the plane's future. 

 

The C919 took off from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province and landed at Gonggar Airport in Lhasa, Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region (i.e., Tibet) after a flight of two hours and eight minutes on September 19, 2024. It was the first time for the C919 to land in Lhasa.

 

[Note: The Gonggar Airport is located in the Yarlung Zangbo River Valley at an altitude of 3,569 meters. There are many mountains around it, and the meteorological environment is complex and changeable, which places high demands on the aircraft's plateau operation performance].

Funny Situations Superheroes Face When No One’s Watching

Brazilian artist Lucas Nascimento, better known as Dragonarte on social media, illustrates iconic superheroes and other pop culture characters in quirky scenarios we are not used to seeing them in. 

 

The artist comes up with crazy ideas to portray what the daily lives of these characters look like when they are off duty.