Earth Hour, Spider-Man Join Forces to Save the Planet

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH, 2014: In a first of its kind partnership, Spider-Man will be the first Super Hero ambassador for Earth Hour, the global movement organized by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), with a message to inspire individuals to use their power to become Super Heroes for the planet.

Andy Ridley, CEO and Co-Founder of Earth Hour, and Jeff Blake, Chairman, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Sony Pictures Entertainment, made the announcement in conjunction with the launch of Earth Hour Blue – a radical new digital crowdfunding and crowdsourcing platform for the planet, launched to engage people around the world and participants in the famous lights out event, which this year will be held on Saturday March 29, at 8:30pm.

This year, Earth Hour and the hero of the highly anticipated motion picture The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – along with the film’s stars, Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx and director Marc Webb – are throwing their support behind Earth Hour Blue, which aims to harness the power of the crowd to raise funds for on-the-ground environmental projects from across the world.

“I’m proud Spider-Man is the first Super Hero ambassador for Earth Hour because he shows we can all be Super Heroes when we realize the power we all have,” says Andrew Garfield, who plays Spider-Man in the upcoming film. “Earth Hour is a movement that has created massive impact around the world, so imagine what we can do this year with Spider-Man by our side.”

The crowdfunding section of the new platform will allow participants to help deliver energy efficient stoves to families in Madagascar, help communities in the Philippines build fiberglass boats to withstand climate impacts like Typhoon Haiyan and raise funds to expand and conserve the iconic Table Mountain National Park in South Africa, with many more projects to come.

“Earth Hour gives you the power to inspire anyone, even if you’re just one person, and Earth Hour is much more than an hour. There are great projects from the crowd, for the planet, happening all over the world,” said Emma Stone.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 director Marc Webb is the first celebrity ambassador to announce the Earth Hour Blue project he is backing, which aims to provide better equipment for WWF Rangers protecting Indonesia’s endangered wildlife such as the Sumatran Tiger, Elephant, Rhino and Orangutan and their forest habitat.

“Earth Hour is a movement full of Super Heroes – people harnessing the power of the crowd to inspire change for the good of the planet, imagine the possibilities when we come together and do more,” said Marc Webb.

Earth Hour has grown to involve hundreds of millions of people from all walks of life across 7000 cities and towns and 154 countries and territories. Jamie Foxx who plays the villain Electro in the film said, “Earth Hour isn’t just about lights off; it’s about people across the world coming together throughout the year to join forces to improve the planet. Never underestimate your power, never underestimate what you can do.”

Individuals can also use Earth Hour’s crowdsourcing platform for Earth Hour Blue, which will call for people to add their voice to some of the biggest environmental campaigns across the world; including an Instagram campaign for people to share their love of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, as part of WWF-Australia’s “Lights Out For The Reef” theme for Earth Hour 2014.

Global participants in the movement will also be able to sign the Shark Saver’s “I’m FINished With FINS” pledge, which engages celebrities and public figures throughout Asia to help end shark finning in marine waters for the consumption of shark-fin soup.

“The idea of Earth Hour has grown beyond anything we could have dreamed. This year with the help of Spider-Man by our side, we are taking the movement to the next stage. We hope that Spider-Man will empower individuals to be Super Heroes for the planet, and use their voice or their dollar to support projects or campaigns around the world. It’s about harnessing the power of the crowd. That’s what Earth Hour Blue is all about,” said Ridley.

Sony Pictures Entertainment will join by contributing to a WWF-China and Earth Hour Blue project that provides efficient cookstoves to prevent deforestation in the habitat of the Giant Panda. Through its efforts, the studio will receive Gold Standard carbon offsets that render the entire physical production of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as well as its publicity tour, carbon-neutral.

Expanding on many sustainability efforts over the years, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 became the most eco-friendly tentpole production in the history of Columbia Pictures. These environmental efforts, on set and off, were supported at every level – from producers, studio executives, and cast and crew and began as soon as the film went into pre-production.

“Spider-Man’s always been a very relatable Super Hero. Peter Parker is a hero to all people, and an inspiration, so it seems very fitting that he should join forces with Earth Hour to empower every single individual to help save the planet,” Blake added. “I’m also very proud of the fact that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is entirely carbon-neutral. We made a commitment to be as eco-conscious as possible during production itself, when we took a special effort to think green and avoid waste; now, completing that process with Earth Hour Blue is a wonderful testament to what we can achieve when we all work together.”

Earth Hour and its Super Hero ambassador Spider-Man remind us that “with great power comes great responsibility,” so get involved and use your power at earthhour.org.



About Earth Hour
Earth Hour is a global environmental movement of WWF. As one of the first opensourced environmental campaigns, Earth Hour has grown from a symbolic event in one city into a global movement, crowdsourcing actions from individuals, businesses, organizations and governments to generate environmental outcomes. In 2014, Earth Hour Blue sees the movement enter the most exciting stage of its evolution, to be at the forefront of crowdfunding and crowdsourcing for causes, innovation and creativity for the planet.

About WWF
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

About The Amazing Spider-Man 2
We’ve always known that Spider-Man’s most important battle has been within himself: the struggle between the ordinary obligations of Peter Parker and the extraordinary responsibilities of Spider-Man. But in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker finds that a greater conflict lies ahead.

It’s great to be Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield). For Peter Parker, there’s no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone). But being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: OsCorp. Directed by Marc Webb. Produced by Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach. Screen Story and Screenplay by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci & Jeff Pinkner. Based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. The film will be released in Philippine theaters April 30, 2014, and in the U.S. on May 2, 2014. #SpiderMan

About Sony Pictures
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.

About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit marvel.com. ©MARVEL

Amazing Spider-Man 2" Releases Part 2 of Super Bowl Ad, "Enemies Unite" Sizzle Reel

The good folks at Sony Pictures and Columbia Pictures Philippines sent the two part trailer for "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" which was released during this year's Super Bowl.

Immediately following its broadcast, the second part of the Super Bowl ad for “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” has just been widely released by Columbia Pictures and can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwDmOUM078o.



To further please fans' clamor, the studio has also made available the almost four-minute sizzle video called “Enemies Unite” which can be watched here at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW5u_y27LmQ.



We've always known that Spider-Man's most important battle has been within himself: the struggle between the ordinary obligations of Peter Parker and the extraordinary responsibilities of Spider-Man. But in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” Peter Parker finds that a greater conflict lies ahead.

It's great to be Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield). For Peter Parker, there's no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone). But being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: OsCorp.

(Opening across the Philippines on April 30, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.)

Major Spoiler for Superior Spider-Man # 25

While the Carlie Cooper post wasn't much other than show you what's become of Peter Parker's ex, this post will give you an inkling of how Parker finally gets his body back.

Turns out the Venom symbiote mixed with SpOck is a volatile combination which is partly the reason why The Avengers are battling their teammate. In the thick of the battle Doc Ock spazzes out and thinks that he might not have thought his plan through, all the while trying to fight the symbiote who wants to devour Parker's body and take over for good.

Just when things start to go wrong, Peter Parker's force ghost makes an appearance (last we saw him was back in issue # 9 where Otto thought he had completely erased traces of Peter Parker from his psyche.)

It's got this near Dragonball Z vibe where Son Gokou's ghost appears out of nowhere and helps his friends

And boom! We have Peter Parker back (in one form or another)...

Before Doc Ock even notices, Pete slips back into the subconsciousness while SpOck claims innocence over his actions by telling that he's been a host of a sliver of symbiote for months now.

Superior Spider-Man # 25 Spoilers - Carlie Cooper's Fate

What's happening to Spider-Man's ex girlfriend in Superior Spider-Man # 25 - here's the deal.

Last we saw Carlie, Menace douses Carlie with some Goblin serum. 

Somewhere in the issue, we actually get to see what Carlie looks like now post-dousing...

... and she's also called Monster now, which is a perfect partner for her 'sister' Menace.

Later the Goblin trio are deployed to intercept a bank heist done by Hobgoblin's fake villain goons.

This is where we get to see Monster/ Carlie in action...

Uh oh Pete! Better watch out, you break her heart again, she breaks your bones. Although there's something that's telling me that Carlie's just playing things out to find confirm if the Goblin is Norman Osborn.

Superior Spider-Man # 25 is now out and it's by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos.

Peter Parker Officially Returns with Amazing Spider-Man # 1 Teaser

Otto Octavius will soon bid adieu from Peter Parker's body as Marvel has begun showing off new materials for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN # 1. 

And yes, just like every fan expected, Marvel is bringing back the real Peter Parker in 2014 in line with the release of Marc Webb's Amazing Spider-Man 2. The new book will retain it's creative team so again it's with Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos. 

Cannot wait for this book to drop and au revoir Superior Spider-Man. 

Superior Spider-Man # 23 Spoiler

Quick spoilers for Superior Spider-Man # 23 by Dan Slott, Christos Gage. Humberto Ramos, Vic Olazaba, Ed Delgado and more.

Before the big ending, let's zip through the various developments in this book, which I'm starting to read once again, mostly because they should be planting the seeds for Parker's return pretty soon and I want to see Slotto's downfall. Last issue ended with Slotto successfully taking down Venom/ Flash Thompson.

This issue, he escapes!

Carlie Cooper has been kidnapped by the Green Goblin and his Goblin crew including Menace and Hobgoblin.

But that's just before Mary Jane Watson and Captain Watanabe (secretly The Wraith) receive critical information, a warning actually from the missing Carlie.

Aunt May has also recovered properly thanks to Peter Parker.

J. Jonah Jameson on the otherhand is working hand in hand with Alchemax together with Tiberius Stone AND Miguel O'Hara (aka Spider-Man 2099).

After a heated debate between Aunt May and Parker, the latter informs Flash Thompson who reached out to Peter that he can give him artificial legs. In the process of adding in the legs, Spider-Man separates the symbiote from Thompson.

The confusion inside the laboratory leads the symbiote to bond once again with the Superior Spider-Man...

... creating the SUPERIOR VENOM. 

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Marvel Should Start Calling Spider-Man the Sadistic Spider-Man

I'm still hatin' on "Superior Spider-Man" for the sole reason that it's Slotto and not Peter Parker doing the driving. Credit where it's due Superior Spider-Man Annual # 1 with Christos Gage was fun as hell till somebody gets hurt. And that somebody happens to be the villain Blackout.

So what happens in this issue is that Blackout gets a hold of Aunt May and plans to bargain with Peter Parker who has apparently outed himself as Spider-Man's tech support. Blackout wants Parker to sabotage Spidey's tech to make sure that he wins.

The Superior Spider-Man catches on with this plot and beats Blackout and manages to save May Parker. Then this happens.

The torture of Blackout serves as a chilling reminder that Parker and his friends and family are off-limits.

While the story was good in fact it's satisfying, I have to put my foot down and say that the depiction of torture here was too much. It kinda left a bad taste in my mouth seeing how the once friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man has been depicted as a grey character.

Really this makes me cry. So sad.

Marvel Teams Up Ultimate Spider-Man with the Howling Commandos for Halloween

The animated series Ultimate Spider-Man will see a surprise visit from the new generation "Howling Commandos" come Halloween.

I still have apprehensions with this series but once you get to sit down and watch a couple of episodes, it kinda grows on you. The operative word being KINDA. There's still a lot of things that's wrong about this series but the humor and the themes are kinda up there with other classic Spidey animated series of yesteryear.

Still I'm a bit annoyed by Marvel not 'honoring' the real Howling Commandos and instead supplanting said Commandos with the Monster Squad (which I last saw back when Frank Castle aka The Punisher was still Frankencastle).

Oh and they didn't have Blade the Vampire Hunter back then.

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN # 17 Spoilers

It's a match we've all been waiting for SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN (Otto Octavius) squares off against SPIDER-MAN 2099 in Superior Spider-Man # 17 by Dan Slott and Ryan Stegman.

So what basically happens is that Miguel O'Hara (Spider-Man 2099) saves the day in Alchemax airspace after some topsy turvy time displacement occurs.



He traces the source of all the trouble from inside the Alchemax tower where his 'father' Tyler Stone is slowly vanishing from the timestream. Once Miguel's 'dad' disappears so does he.



In the present, Peter Parker is playing with the rest of the Horizon Labs for the annual Softball match. Max Modell is arrested for a dozen or so crimes he's apparently linked to including harboring fugitives like Morbius and the Lizard. We also get to meet the new major stockholders for Horizon. A familiar face in Spider-Man lore... Harry Osborn's former wife Liz Allen.



Oh and remember when I said "Tiberius Stone was insignificant"? Well I was so wrong... The guy weaseled his way into getting Modell's job AND is revealed to be Miguel O' Hara's grandfather.



So Slotto decides to give Stone a piece of his mind and follows them as the Superior Spider-Man. Back in the lab, the gang tries to use Grady's time machine to go back in time and get sufficient evidence to prove that Stone was behind some of the biggest disasters for the company. While operating the time machine, this occurs:





Back in the outside world, Spider-Man catches up with the AlChem(ax) team and is about to lay down the hurt to Stone when the future Spider-Man bursts into the scene.



Somethings I noticed. Normie knows something is wrong with Spider-Man...



Maybe the first piece of Peter's return will start when the Osborn's make their appearance on SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN. Anyway here's to hoping that there's some good pay off at the end of this arc as opposed to simply doing fanservice.



SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN # 17 is out now.

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN # 16 Review

Thoughts for SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN # 16 by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos.

"Run, Goblin, Run!" Part 2 of 2 How has the Hobgoblin evaded the Superior Spider-Man for so long? And does that hold the key to the Superior Spider-Man's greatest success -- or greatest failure? It's the end of the line for Hobgoblin, and possibly an end for a big chapter in the history of Spider-Man."

In this issue, it's all about the fall of Hobgoblin, Phil Urich and what comes after seems to prove the theory that there will be another Spider-Man-centric event in the near future. Anyway this issue is packed with talk and it's really the meat of the story which is good. It's supposed to be good. The only problem here is that the issue lost what got me liking it. Those WOW and INSANE moments are absent in this issue which for means a lot.

On the upside you're reading something that's focusing on two bad guys on opposite ends of the spectrum. Here's Slotto on one side, a villain masquerading as a hero and using more-than-dubious methods to ensure that people will like the Superior Spider-Man AND at the same time forwarding his goal (whatever the hell that is).  On the other end there's Phil Urich aka Hobgoblin who's motivations are just as shady and who's barely scraping by much like how the real Parker did before he started with Horizon Labs. Two weirdos clashing over pride and duty. Interesting but not THAT interesting.

Again the issue follows the classic "The Cover Lies" trope. Nuff said

The real thrill for me here in this issue happens in the form of the fallout, the reactions of the supporting cast and the start of the investigation on just who is this SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN. Seriously, that's what got me more here. Carlie Cooper (Peter's ex) teams up with the Wraith here and starts going for the Spider; Nora Roberts and Ben Urich of the Daily Bugle are in the outs and without spoiling the end, there's something brewing underneath.

VERDICT: B-

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A SINISTER SIX Reference Spotted in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 Set

Is Mark Webb really pulling all the stops by bringing together the classic SINISTER SIX?

If we're going to believe the markings on the wall on the set of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 it looks like this is actually coming true.

I sincerely think that Webb will do it plus I'm really quite interested with the characters of choice. Obviously, they will go back and get Rhys Ifans' Lizard/ Curt Connors. They also have Jamie Foxx's Electro which will be the main antagonist for Peter Parker's alter-ego in ASM 2. We also have Paul Giamatti's THE RHINO, although we really haven't seen him yet. And the brains of the operation goes to Chris Cooper's Norman Osborn aka Green Goblin. 

That's two shy of six I know, and there's a lot of ground to cover between ASM 2 and ASM 3 so all we have to do is play the waiting game. One thing that you have to consider though is where the supposed 'VENOM' movie and spinoff falls under. Maybe that will evolve and come out of the events of ASM 3 and that Venom could be part of the Sinister Six. 

Let's just wait and see. 

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN # 15 Thoughts

Some thoughts on this week's SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN # 15. Warning might contain spoilers.

I think I like this issue. There were somethings that IMHO was unnecessary or contrived but it's otherwise astounding. Long have I seen Superior as a book detailing the downfall of Spider-Man and the subsequent rise of Parker and with the recent issues I'm reading, can't help but chuckle knowing that I was partly right.

The issue revolves not so much on Slotto but more on Phil Urich who also happens to be Hobgoblin. We find out that (a) He's broke (b) he gets money from selling videos of himself and Spider-Man fighting (c) He's on Slotto's hit list for the mere fact that he survived the fall of Shadowland.

This is kind of a miss for me because Slott had a chance to tell us a really great story of Hobgoblin after the many changes in his life and instead everything's crammed tightly. Can't blame him though, this book is on a really tight schedule lately. Plus the fact that nobody really cares about Urich, the one-time "Good" Green Goblin.

To some extent this cover lied. Slotto never revealed those eight legged things on his back. We do find out who's been working on Hobbie's gear in this issue and that's something that falls under the category of 'meh'. Who cares whats happened to him. Although I need to track back to learn if this guy was also partly responsible for the Horizon Lab accident that created Alpha (blergh).

The issue's ending was pretty nifty. It's a mix between showing how low Otto Octavius has sunk ever since he inhabited the body of Peter Parker and it's also partly showing us the change in status quo for Urich who I can see will become a more permanent part of Spider-Man if he ever pulls through. The Spider-Man's murderous intent is also coming into a more public light which definitely will have bigger ramifications in the future.

RATING: B+

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