Thursday, July 24

*** UPDATE: Due to airline delays, Greg Pak will NOT be able to attend the Thursday signing at 3 pm. He should, however, still be arriving in time for the 4:45 Mondo Marvel Panel. ***

WHAT: Signing
WHEN: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
WHERE: The Marvel Booth

WHAT: Mondo Marvel Panel
WHEN: 4:45 pm – 5:45 pm
WHERE: Room 6A
THE 411: 2008 has already been a huge success for Marvel in all corners of the Universe. Now, join the industry's top editors and creators like Greg Pak (SKAAR, SON OF HULK), Matt Fraction (INVINCIBLE IRON MAN), Ed Brubaker (CAPTAIN AMERICA), Jeff Parker (AGENTS OF ATLAS), C.B. Cebulski (LONERS), Warren Simons (Editor), Mark Paniccia (Editor), Jim McCann (Publishing) and special guests to find out what's to come for Iron Man, Hulk, Daredevil, cosmic, the FF, and all things Marvel!

Friday, July 25

WHAT: Signing
WHEN: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
WHERE: The Marvel Booth

Saturday, July 26

WHAT: Signing
WHEN: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
WHERE: The Marvel Booth

WHAT: Secret Invasion Panel
WHEN: 4:30pm – 5:30pm
WHERE: Room 6A
THE 411: The best-selling event of 2008 is at its midpoint. Come get your first look at what's in store and what's to come in the Marvel U when the dust settles…assuming there is a Marvel Universe when it's all done! Guests include Joe Quesada (Editor-In-Chief), writers Greg Pak (INCREDIBLE HERCULES), Chris Gage (AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE), Chris Yost (SECRET INVASION: RUNAWAYS/YOUNG AVENGERS), Daniel Way (DEADPOOLl) and more!

Sunday, July 27

WHAT: Signing
WHEN: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
WHERE: The Hero Initiative Booth

Pak and Van Lente keep the plot moving at light speed and pepper the ish with plenty of light-hearted moments, which make the action even splashier when the danger quotient rises. Marvel might want to consider a new adjective for this series; 'Incredible' doesn't quite do Herc justice anymore.

THE PULSE: Solicits called the first issue a "epic fever dream," so does that mean this story is "imaginary" or does that just mean you were very sick when you wrote the first arc?

PAK: Sick? No, just cra-a-a-azy-y-y!

So the story's imaginary in that it came out of my head. But it's as real as anything in comics and, eventually, may just have a massive impact on the Marvel Universe proper.

THE PULSE: Got it. So aside from insanity, what did inspire you to take Skaar in this direction?

PAK: I'm perpetually compelled by the central themes of the Hulk, by exploring the price of anger and that sometimes vanishing line between a hero and a monster. "Planet Hulk" and "World War Hulk" gave us an epic field on which to run with these ideas. But Skaar gives us the chance to raise the stakes. Deep down inside, the Hulk is Bruce Banner. Which means he's a fundamentally decent human being from Dayton, Ohio. But deep down inside, who's Skaar? A savage manchild born in fire and raised by monsters. The character will let us explore -- and challenge -- this fantasy of heroic savagery in the most hardcore way possible.

Very easily one of the most solid performers in the Marvel catalogue.

"Incredible Hercules" #119 was written by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente with pencils by Rafa Sandoval. Ask your local store to hold a copy for you today!

Award-winning filmmaker Greg Pak (ROBOT STORIES, AAIFF05) leads our annual WORK IN PROGRESS program guiding filmmakers through the process of molding an unfinished work into the final cut. This year, Pak will be leading a workshop featuring GIVE UP TOMORROW by directing team Marty Syjuco and Michael Collins.

On a stormy night in July 1997, two young girls waiting for a ride at a shopping mall disappear without a trace... Simultaneously a murder-mystery and an exposé of endemic corruption in the post-Marcos Philippines, GIVE UP TOMORROW centers on the trial of Paco Larrañaga, a young Mestizo (of Spanish descent) accused of killing two Chinese-Filipino sisters on the island of Cebu. Capturing how a rapacious media circus stoked ethnic and class hatred to prejudice public perception, the film reveals the extraordinary judicial violations that resulted in Paco's death sentence. Secret filming from Paco’s cell exposes the appalling conditions of Filipino prisons, where thousands like him languish without fair trial. This story is intensely personal with far-reaching global implications: Paco's case was eventually championed by international human rights groups, including the UN; their efforts eventually led to the abolishment of capital punishment in the Philippines, saving hundreds of inmates whose possible innocence may have been disregarded by flawed judicial and social systems.

A reception sponsored by Tribeca All Access will follow the screening.

*FREE and open to the public. For tickets, please RSVP to hospitality[at]asiancinevision[dot]org.

At Tribeca Cinemas, 54 Varick Street @ Laight Street.

WED JUL 16 630PM

"Skaar: Son of Hulk" #2 hits comic book stores on July 30.

I was only lucky enough to spend a few hours in person with Mike. But he dazzled me with his great intelligence, curiosity, and enthusiasm; by the absolute joy he took in the creative process; and by the easy, beautiful warmth and openness he radiated.

My deepest condolences to his family and his many, many, many friends.

-- Greg Pak

For those who wish to send notes or make donations in Michael's name, Vince provided this information:

Anyone wishing to send their condolences to Michael Turner's family is encouraged to send to:

Aspen MLT, Inc.
C/O Michael Turner
5855 Green Valley Circle, Suite 111
Culver City, CA, 90230

Aspen also encourages anyone wishing to make a charitable donation to please send to Michael Turner's requested charities:

The American Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.asp

Or

The Make-A-Wish Foundation
http://www.wish.org/help?s_kwcid=make%20a%20wish|917760391

Pak and Van Lente continue to do excellent work here, utilizing Hercules' mythic past to draw parallels to the current story.... I couldn't be happier with both the art and the story. They work hand in hand to create one of the best current Marvel runs I can remember. It's consistent, too. This is a title that everyone should be reading.

And click here to read Joe's whole column -- and read a four page preview of next week's "Incredible Hercules" #118!

I was worried about this book. ... However, given that it's Greg Pak and Rom Garney I suppose I should have known better. Both men are consummate professionals and are adept at straddling the line between old school action and great character pieces.

We really do feel for both Hulk and Skaar in this book. They've been lied to and attacked from all sides for their entire time on Sakar and all they wanted was to be left alone (well, before Hulk became king anyway). But seeing Skaar grow up by himself and try to simply survive, we see glimpses of a Hulk we've not seen for some time. He is savage and raw and just anger personified.

I've been looking forward to Skaar: Son of Hulk #1 ever since World War Hulk concluded, and the premiere issue does not disappoint! Ron Garney is the perfect choice to draw this character and the world he lives in [and the] story by Greg Pak really recaptures the sword and sorcery atmosphere as well.

This is possibly the most violently impressive Marvel comic I’ve read in ages… since Planet Hulk to be exact. Greg Pak brings all the danger of Sakaar back to readers in such a brilliant way that I wish Planet Hulk never ended. And Ron Graney steps up to bat as artist with such a ferocious energy that is unheard of in modern comics.

Marvel has also released the image at the right, just in time for Father's Day.

Click here to read the full press release.

"Skaar: Son of Hulk" #1 was written by Greg Pak with art by Ron Garney and colors by Paul Mounts.

I'm a big sucker for Bill Mantlo's "Crossroads" epic, in which Dr. Strange exiled the Green Goliath to an extra-dimensional nexus of portals in hopes that the Hulk might find a place where he could finally be happy. What ensued was a series of almost "Twilight Zone"-ish fables, eerie little stories in which the Hulk found himself in a variety of dangerous new worlds in which his rage and power played out in surprising new ways. Fred Van Lente and I had a great writing a brand new Crossroads story with our HULK VS HERCULES one-shot, which is part of the INCREDIBLE HERCULES: AGAINST THE WORLD hardcover that just hit comic book stores Wednesday.