Marvel

Courtesy of Marvel, ComicsAlliance brings you an advance look at new periodical comic books, collected editions and graphic novels going on sale in June 2017 (and in some cases beyond) from the publisher’s mainline Marvel Universe titles, its licensed properties, and the creator-owned label Icon.

Marvel superheroes across the TV-movie spectrum may not join forces anytime soon, but that isn’t stopping a few team-ups behind the camera. Case in point. a notable Iron Fist star has Doctor Strange himself to thank for the gig, as Benedict Cumberbatch put in a good word.

Thanks to the Netflix television show, Iron Fist is a character that's on a lot of people's minds, but not quite for the reasons Marvel may want. The casting of Finn Jones is regarded by many as an ill-conceived choice that adheres too closely to the comics and leans on tropes of the white savior. Inspired by Kris Anka's 2015 redesign of the character as an Asian-American hero, some of comics' best artists have offered their own interpretations of this more badass, more culturally relevant, and --- let's be honest --- more downright sexy Danny Rand.

It remains an open question whether the Marvel movie and TV universes will ever reconcile, but Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will add a new wrinkle with its April 4 return. Catch a glimmer of the “What If” Hydra universe with first photos and a new synopsis for the final Season 4 “pod.”

Black Panther is one of Marvel’s most exciting upcoming projects — the first film in the MCU to have a majority Black cast, a Black protagonist, and a Black director at the helm, and set in an entirely new, mysterious location we’ve only gotten a 30-second look at in a post-credits stinger. And as if we didn’t have enough of a reason to be excited about Black Panther, here’s a little reminder that Get Out star Daniel Kaluuya is in it! He recently spoke about how excited he was for the movie, and compared its epic scope to that HBO show you might’ve heard of, Game of Thrones.

In honor of the caped crusaders of the convention scene, ComicsAlliance has created Best Cosplay Ever (This Week), an ongoing collection of some of the most impeccable, creative, and clever costumes that we’ve discovered and assembled into a super-showcase of pure fan-devoted talent. This week's selection of the best cosplay ever includes Aquaman and Aqualad, Moana, Howl's Moving Castle, Yuri Katsuke, and more.

Casting for Deadpool 2 is well underway, and with Atlanta star Zazie Beetz recently signing on to play Domino, one of two major roles has now been filled. And while Cable isn’t the only other new character joining the Merc With the Mouth for his upcoming sequel, he is arguably the most important piece of the casting puzzle given the larger role he’ll be playing in this corner of the mutant universe. According to the film’s writers, we’ll learn who’s playing Cable (as well as a few other “obscure” mutant characters) in Deadpool 2 “very soon.”

Even as Marvel’s Iron Fist finally completed the sequence of Netflix heroes that will bring us The Defenders team-up, certain fans will never give up hope that the four could join the larger collective of cinematic Avengers. Sadly, The Falcon is none-too-keen on such a crossover, as Anthony Mackie dismisses Marvel’s TV heroes as “different universes, different worlds.”

With the success of both Deadpool and Logan, 20th Century Fox has found a way to effectively differentiate itself from the other members of the superhero studio trifecta. Disney releases superhero films with broad appeal and a bright aesthetic; 20th Century Fox aims for more mature themes and isn’t afraid to incorporate both violence and profanity into its projects; Warner Bros…. well, they’re working on this, and when they figure out, it’s gonna be yuuuge. You’ll see.

Plenty of familiar Iron Fist names were floated throughout the casting process, though several seemed to fall by the wayside as production got underway. Now, not only has a major Iron Fist character been confirmed for a stealthy Season 1 appearance, but said star is already eying a Season 2 return.