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Marvel shows footage from Thunderbolts*, the MCU Suicide Squad, at SDCC

Posted on by faz_business


When Marvel Studios first announced Thunderbolts* at 2022’s San Diego Comic-Con as part of its ambitious lineup for Phase 5 and 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, the movie didn’t yet have that odd asterisk in the title. It didn’t come with many details, either, apart from a July 26, 2024 release date that shifted along with many other MCU projects in the wake of the 2023 WGA strike.

In the wake of the Thunderbolts* segment of 2024’s San Diego Comic-Con, we don’t know much more! The asterisk is still a mystery: Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said at a CinemaCon appearance, “we won’t talk more about that until after the movie comes out,” and confirmed it again at Comic-Con.

But as the core cast of Thunderbolts* took the stage, the Hall H audience was treated to a teaser in which all their characters came under fire from a mysterious foe who, according to Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, wants them all dead.

Traditionally in Marvel Comics, the Thunderbolts are a team-up of second-string villains or anti-heroes, though their membership and motives vary significantly depending which iteration you’re talking about. The MCU team is built of not-exactly-always-good characters introduced in previous films in the franchise: Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen, of Ant-Man and the Wasp), Red Guardian (David Harbour, Black Widow), the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan, the Captain America movies), U.S. Agent, aka John Walker (Wyatt Russell, Falcon and the Winter Soldier), and Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko, Black Widow). Pugh’s Yelena, from Black Widow and Hawkeye, leads the team, with slimy mastermind Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Falcon and the Winter Soldier) behind the scenes.

Who might want all those folks dead? What might those folks do to stay alive? And what the heck is that asterisk about after all? We’ll have to wait for the theatrical debut of Thunderbolts* on May 2, 2025, as the final movie in the MCU’s Phase 5.

You can find all Polygon’s coverage of SDCC 2024 news, trailers, and more here.

Dungeons & Dragons books discounted at Amazon

Posted on by faz_business


Amazon is currently discounting a handsome collection of core curriculum and supplementary adventures for Dungeons & Dragons. Whether you’re trying to rope your friends into your next tabletop session or need an ample supply of one-shot adventures to kill time while we all wait for D&D’s revised fifth edition, you’ll want to check out this modest selection of discounted tomes.

For instance, if you or a small band of adventurers are looking to test the waters of Dungeons & Dragons, the D&D Essentials Kit is currently discounted to $20.31 (was $24.99). However, if you need a more substantial introduction to the world of D&D, you can also find the Player’s Handbook on sale for $37.21, and the Monster Manual discounted to $28.86.

Cover art for the Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit shows a player-character and their sidekick going up against a dragon on a snowy hilltop.



Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit

Prices taken at time of publishing.

An abridged rulebook, modestly-sized one-shot adventure, six character sheets, 11 dice, and a wealth of supplementary material round out the D&D Essentials Kit.



Dungeons & Dragons: Player’s Handbook

Prices taken at time of publishing.

The essential rulebook for playing Dungeons & Dragons 5e. Includes rules and errata for players to create their own characters and also features references for spells, equipment, and other items.



Dungeons & Dragons: Monster Manual

Prices taken at time of publishing.

A guide detailing D&D monsters from Aarakocra to Zombie. The essential Monster Manual for D&D 5e includes over 150 creatures, complete with lore, illustrations, and stat blocks to populate your next campaign.

Amazon also has discounts on an impressive selection of one-shot adventures and campaign settings to spice up your next tabletop session. Become a space pirate with the Spelljammer: Adventures in Space bundle for just $34.99 (was $69.99). Or, perhaps you’d like to mull over a collection of 17 mystery-themed adventures in one of our personal favorites, Candlekeep Mysteries, which is on sale for $26.10 (was $49.95).

Regardless of your level of experience with the legendary tabletop franchise, you’re bound to find at least one tome that would make a fine addition to your armory of D&D texts.



Spelljammer: Adventures in Space Bundle

Prices taken at time of publishing.

This bundle includes the Astral Adventurer’s Guide, Light of Xaryxis adventure, and Boo’s Astral Menagerie monster manual. The box set also includes a DM screen and a double-sided map of the Rock of Bral campaign setting.



Candlekeep Mysteries

Prices taken at time of publishing.

This anthology of 17 different one-shot adventures only requires Dungeon Masters to place a library somewhere in their world. Well, that and 3-5 hardy adventurers to find it.

Cover art, including text, for Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden.



Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Prices taken at time of publishing.

This new campaign for the original role-playing game takes fans to the coldest reaches of the Forgotten Realms, as well as taking them from level one through level 12.



Strixhaven: Curriculum of Chaos

Prices taken at time of publishing.

A collection of four one-shot adventures that bind the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering together.



Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Odysseys of Theros introduces the Satyr and Leonin races from Magic: The Gathering to Dungeons & Dragons.