We know Amazing Spider-Man is going to be darker than the previous franchise. We know the comic element of Peter’s parents having a secret history is going to come into play somehow (in the comics, they were actually SHIELD Spies; unlikely to be the case in this film given the SHIELD heavy Avengers is in a film owned by a different company). And we know that Spidey is facing off against The Lizard this time after seeking the truth about his parent’s disappearance.

But the new trailer brings up some more questions: like just who the hell is Connors talking to, and why is he in a holding cell? We’ve already seen that Connors and Peter’s dad worked for Oscorp, has the film already secretly cast it’s Norman Osborn in preparation for the sequel (already in the writing stages)?

Regardless, I’ve got high hopes for the film. I think Andrew Garfield is going to be a damn awesome Spider-Man, the fight sequences look really great and look to utilize Spider-Man’s unique powers in ways that the Raimi films kind of skirted around and I’m really looking forward to seeing how this one shakes out. The Amazing Spider-Man, starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Sally Field and Martin Sheen, lands in theaters July 3.

The Dark Knight Rises lands in theaters July 20, and the trailer above will be playing in front of The Avengers. Enjoy this one while you can; with Rises concluding the trilogy, Warner Bros. has already mentioned it plans to reboot the Batman franchise a third time, this time bringing it in line with the upcoming Man of Steel (which may be getting it’s first trailer in front of Rises, but that’s unconfirmed at this point), aiming to do their own Justice League movie in the near future.

Well, they’ve just sent out a preview copy of it, and let me tell you it holds up to expectations. The samples included are completely original pieces that serve as excellent intros for new readers, as well as fleshing out the back story for fans. This is going to be the top book for Free Comic Book Day, hands down, and definitely one you should get when you show up this Saturday.

MOUSE GUARD, LABYRINTH, AND OTHER STORIES (2012 Free Comic Book Day)
Original Anthology Hardcover
Retail Price: Free
Page Count: 48 pages
Format: Hardcover with no dust jacket (paper over board), 6” x 9”, full color
Rating: All ages
Written by Jeremy Bastian, Nate Cosby, Royden Lepp, Jim McCann, Ted Naifeh and David Petersen
Illustrated by Jeremy Bastian, Chris Eliopoulos, Cory Godbey, Janet Lee, Royden Lepp and David Petersen
Cover by David Petersen

This Free Comic Book Day, Archaia offers readers the chance to experience history in the making with a FREE, gorgeous, 48-page, 6” x 9” full color hardcover anthology featuring all-new material! David Petersen returns with an all-new Mouse Guard tale that’s guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings! Lose yourself once again in Jim Henson’s amazing world of Labyrinth, featuring a fantastical story from Eisner Award nominee Ted Naifeh (Courtney Crumrin), Adrianne Ambroise (Fraggle Rock), and Cory Godbey (Fraggle Rock). Get a new perspective on Jet Jones in Royden Lepp’s critically acclaimed Rust, with a short story seen through the eyes of younger brother Oswald Taylor. Jeremy Bastian’s acclaimed Cursed Pirate Girl hits the high seas in this whimsical, swashbuckling tale of wonderland journeys and unimaginable dangers. Nate Cosby (Pigs) and Chris Eliopoulos (Franklin Richards) present Cow Boy, a comedy/western that tells the tale of a young bounty hunter determined to send his entire outlaw family to jail. And Jim McCann and Janet Lee follow up their Eisner Award-winning Return of the Dapper Men with an all-new short story that leads into the upcoming sequel, Time of the Dapper Men. Witness the origin of a new, major character! And…the return of 41?!

We’ve gotten a few preview pages that we’re approved to run; you can check those out below.

Bad Photoshop Is Bad

From the recent WWE “Extreme Divas” photoshoot (which you can see in it’s entirety here), Maxine would like to help you hold a few items. Seriously, check out her hand.

No official word from the WWE, but all signs point to this poster (found on the Figure 4 Wrestling forum) being legit. If so, it’s pretty fucking amazing! If it is a fake, WWE definitely needs to lock down the Photoshop artist behind this, because it’s better than any WWE poster I’ve seen in at least the past five years.