Marvel Entertainment and Disney are expanding their horizons with everyone’s favorite web-headed wall-crawler, Spider-Man. In a partnership with Reebok, shoe-maker extraordinaire, Spider-Man will be gracing sneakers later this year, with the footwear available at Finish Line stores nationwide starting in the next few weeks. Disney has made it’s way to the soul (ha!) of the issue before, with sneakers featuring Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and other Disney icons, just as Ben 10 has had his own sneaker involvement in the past. No word yet on whether or not these sneakers will give you the ability to walk up the sides of buildings, or if the laces could double as webbing to swing from rooftop to rooftop, but… we doubt it. (more… )

Fresh off the Oscars, and a night with drama between Cablevision, ABC and ABC.com tried to bring viewers back to happiness by showing the newest trailer to Iron Man 2 during the Jimmy Kimmel Live late night show. Getting ready for the May 7th theatrical launch, the sequel reveals that the world is aware that billionaire inventor Tony Stark is the armored super hero. Under pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military. However, Tony is unwilling to divulge the secrets because he fears the information will slip into the wrong hands. With Pepper Potts, and James Rhodey Rhodes at his side, Tony forges new alliances and confronts powerful new forces. The cast is filled out by Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, as Jon Favreau directs the Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment flick. Take a look at the new trailer right here: (more… )

Disney and their new partners Marvel are teaming together to bring us a brand new animated series, The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. The channel has ordered at least 52 episodes of the action adventure series, that will premiere later this yaer on Disney XD and DisneyXD.com. The stars will of course be the heroic icons you can easily recognize from other Marvel projects, including Iron Man, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, Giant Man, and Wasp, together forming the elite super team, the Avengers. The series will feature a 20-part “micro-series” exploring the back-story of each character, going along with Marvel’s concept for films in the theater. (more… )

Having Christian Bale as Batman and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine now seem like such wonderful, obvious choices. However, for a time, no one knew who would be the right fit for either of those two characters. Right now, Marvel is having a similar issue with their American Patriot Steve Rogers, aka Captain America. The upcoming superhero film, to be directed by Joe Johnston, will tell the story of a young man who becomes the symbol of Liberty during World War II, and eventually a leader of the Avengers. Right now, that could be John Krasinski (Jim from the Office), Michael Cassidy (from Smallville), Patrick Flueger, Scott Porter, Wilson Bethel, Mike Vogel, and several others. With Thor and Spider-Man going through their own growing pains with casting, Marvel has it’s work cut out. Who would be your choice? (more… )

As DC Comics brings it’s adventures to DVD via Warner Bros. and Warner Premiere, such as Justice League Crisis on Two Earths, the upcoming Marvel is trying to stake it’s own claim with direct-to-video animated films, such as the upcoming Planet Hulk. Betrayed by his fellow heroes (Iron Man, Dr. Strange, and Reed Richards) the Hulk is sent to a distant world where he will no longer be a threat. However he lands on planet Sakaar where he is forced to fight in gladiator-like battles. The people there believe the Hulk to be a savior who will stop the oppression of the Red King. But Hulk wants no part of their fights. Will he save their world…or destroy it? Taken directly from the comic-book storyline by Greg Pak and Carlo Pagulayan, the animated DVD hit shelves recently and is available everywhere. Check out the trailer (more… )

This might be the most perfect compilation we have ever seen. Mr. Potato Head, clad in metallic superhero armor, ready to do battle and fight evil as Tony Starch, the Iron Spud. Taking cues from Marvel’s upcoming Iron Man sequel, Iron Man 2, and Disney and Pixar’s upcoming Toy Story sequel, Toy Story 3, this latest Mr. Potato Head toy is the ultimate collaboration. We’ve been waiting to get some signs of the Marvel / Disney deal, and this could very well be the best, if not just the first. The item made its appearance at Toy Fair 2010, and will make another on our ToonBarn office shelf the very second it becomes available to the public. You want one, too? (more… )

Last night, Cartoon Network aired the season finale to Marvel’s The Super Hero Squad Show. While reports are still early, everything seems to indicate the episode pulled in fantastic ratings, as I’m sure a number of you reading this could attest to. With the success of the finale, it’d be easy to assume the show will be back for more (and more!) seasons on Cartoon Network, starring Disney’s superhero lineup of Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor, Captain America, Spider-Man, Hulk, Wolverine and more. What’d you think of this season? (more… )

Frigga, wife of Odin, mother to Thor, mother to Loki, and titled the Queen of Asgard herself is about to get her latest element: an actress. Rene Russo has signed on to the upcoming Marvel Entertainment movie project, Thor, to star in the matriarch’s role. The film already boasts a cast of celebrities including Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, and Natalie Portman as Thor’s female crush. The movie is still in the early stages, obviously still in casting mode, but Paramount is racing ahead towards the launch goal: getting this flick in theaters for May 20th, 2011.