A serious look at King Tut

RIDDLE COMICS GUY this: How is it possible that one of the

Batman

villains best-known to the general public for the past four decades just concluded his first comic-book battle with the Dark Knight this past month?

The answer is simple, if somewhat surprising.

King Tut was an adversary created specifically for the 1960s "Batman" TV show and immediately made an indelible impression.

Unfortunately, that's because the character was so over-the-top, so ridiculous in both his appearance and actions that he made all the other actors and situations in the camp-fest that was the TV phenomenon look serious enough to be in a Martin Scorsese film.

The character was considered a punchline, an embarrassment and fodder for comedians.

Still, given that the "Batman" TV show is credited with reviving - and possibly saving - the "Batman" comic, it is surprising that no one took a shot at putting Tut in a comic back then. Then, when one considers all the Bat-books over the past four decades, it's amazing that no one updated the character and made him a worthy Dark Knight foe.

Writers Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir, however, felt they were up to the challenge. As seen in their just-completed arc in "Batman Confidential" Nos. 26-28, they have transformed King Tut into a deadly, mysterious villain who speaks in riddles.

That last bit gets the Riddler involved. Though he claims it's only because he feels King Tut is stealing his m.o., Batman can't shake his suspicion that his longtime foe is somehow involved - or even doubling as Tut himself.

With the comic-book introduction of King Tut, readers are treated to elements not seen in the Bat-books in some time: A sense of fun and adventure; a serious but not overly grim Batman; a fresh villain; an engrossing story that is coherent and not overly complicated and a satisfying ending with a neat twist.

Chaos is gripping the Bat-universe these days and "Batman Confidential" is the only title where you will get to see Bruce Wayne as Batman for a while. Though that is a plus and the book has been solid, the talent of DeFilipis and Weir and the introduction of Tut raises the quality of the arc up a notch from the story that proceeded it and the one that began last week in issue No. 29.

In short, King Tut has not been this cool since Steve Martin was singing his praises - and that rubs off on Batman.

With "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" continuing the tradition of a Marvel character-based film successfully launching the summer box-office season, it is worth noting the company has confirmed it will continue to do so for the next three years.

"Iron Man 2" is the only long-announced major Marvel film that has not has its date changed. It will hit cineplexes May 7, 2010.

"Spider-Man 4" will debut on May 6, 2011.

The debut date of "Thor" has been pushed back a year, from July 16, 2010 to June 17, 2011. It will now be followed a month later by "The First Avenger: Captain America," which was bumped from May 6, 2011 to July 22, 2011.

Additionally, Marvel has moved "The Avengers" back a year, from July 15, 2011 to May 4, 2012

The moves maximize "the visibility of our single character-focused films, leading to the highly anticipated release of the multi-character 'The Avengers' film in 2012," said David Maisel, Chairman, Marvel Studios.

Marvel sees "The Avengers" as culmination of a years-long plan, a film that will have no less than four stars who, by then, will have proven they can carry a film on their own - plus Samuel L. Jackson - and a ginormous budget.

"Dateline Hollywood Daily" has reported that Chris Hemsworth, hot off his role as Captain George Kirk in "Star Trek" has been cast to play Thor, the God of Thunder, in the 2011 film from Marvel Studios and director Kenneth Branagh.

Though still widely unknown in America, Hemsworth has performed in more than 170 episodes of the Australian soap opera "Home and Away." He also recently won the lead role in the upcoming remake of "Red Dawn." *

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