BY MATT TUCK
Did the Russo Brothers actually film an unused Silver Surfer scene for Infinity War? Will Jimmy Woo find his missing person? When will we see Batman’s new villains? Here’s your recap of the top-five comic news stories of the week.
This does not confirm that the Silver Surfer’s MCU arrival is imminent, but it does leave much to the imagination.
Before Avengers: Infinity War was released in 2018, there were reports that the Silver Surfer was going to make a surprise cameo. In fact, some sources claimed that the Surfer was even listed in online cast lists and would be played by Curt Clendenin. As we know, there were no Silver Surfer Easter eggs or cameos, and it was forgotten as just another false rumor.
Three years later, the actor has resurfaced and leaves a tantalizing quote. On the topic of whether or not he filmed a Surfer scene for Infinity War, the actor was oddly coy, commenting that he was not allowed to say anything expressly and mentioning that the Russo Brothers enjoy their Easter eggs. Of course, this may have nothing to do with the Silver Surfer at all. Clendenin could be having fun with the interviewer and stirring the pot or maybe the actor is alluding to a different matter altogether, so take this with a grain of salt.
WANDAVISION HAS AN EASTER EGG THAT WILL ACTUALLY GO SOMEWHERE
After the series finale of WandaVision, it’s hard to believe that any of the hints and allusions will actually lead anywhere (besides another “Bohner” joke). One of the many lingering questions from the Disney+ show dealt with FBI Special Agent Jimmy Woo and his missing person. Fans wondered why he was in New Jersey to begin with, and all we were ever told was that Woo was investigating a missing person’s case. Nothing else was mentioned about it for the course of the series.
This week, WandaVision director Matt Shakman in an interview with ComicBook.com revealed that Woo’s mysterious “missing person” is not a deadend after all. When we’ll get the answer to that question is another matter, but apparently it is coming.
NEW BATMAN VILLAINS INCOMING
Batman is getting more foes to add to his rogues gallery.
First, Scarecrow got a horrifying makeover in Batman #106. Then there is the Gardener, who will be introduced in the following issue. The bigger news is from DC’s popular Black Label imprint, which focuses on mature storytelling. This particular series will feature Garth Ennis’ Batman: Reptilian. The series promises a new villain, and we can only expect a heavy dose of violence, gore, and a dash of humor from Ennis.
Kevin Feige has stirred things up in the Deadpool world. Last month, he announced that Deadpool would remain an R-rated franchise, and it appears Ryan Reynolds is in charge of the entire project. But what about X-Force, specifically Cable and Domino? After both were hits with audiences in Deadpool 2, fans are hoping the two will return for more X-Force fun, but Domino actress Zazie Beetz recently told Collider that no one has contacted her about Deadpool 3. The movie is still in the early phases of development, so that could change, but for now, Domino has not been added to the cast.
Yet another X-Men title has surfaced in the Jonathan Hickman era, but this one appears to be a bit more tongue-in-cheek. Children of the Atom features a team of super-teens who basically cosplay as their favorite X-Men. There is a bigger mystery unfolding here, but it has been a hot issue among collectors for the team’s first appearance. Will this issue become the next Strange Academy #1? Only time will tell, but speculators are buying up every copy they can find.
Matt Tuck is the author of the novel, Lost Bones of the Dead. He is also a teacher, freelance writer, comic collector, and an international man of mystery. You can follow him on his Facebook page, The Comic Blog.