The end of the (Spider) world as we know it?

Well, I'm not ready to call it, but I just heard that co-star of Disney's high-rated series, High School Musical, Zac Efron, has been tapped to step into Tobey Maguire's Spider booties...

Actor Zac Efron is set for a 9-million-pound payday for his role as Spider Man. The High School Musical star will step into Tobey Maguire’s shoes for the fourth blockbuster movie, slated to start shooting later this year and hit theatres in 2012.

Tobey, 34, shocked bosses at Universal Pictures last year when he announced he was quitting the megabucks franchise. “After dumping Spidey, Tobey then came to the rescue by recommending that Zac should take over his role,” the Daily Star quoted a studio insider as saying.

This could make the next installment even bigger as it taps into Efron's already-established fan base. Apparently, The film's producers are also believed to be considering reuniting Efron with his High School Musical co-star Vanessa Hudgens, 21. She is hotly tipped to replace Kirsten Dunst, 27, as Spider-Man’s love interest. “It would be a great coup to land her as well,” a source said.

Well, let's see if the Disney/Marvel connection will pay off for us after all. We can only hope.

Fanboy Arrogance

So, last week I was invited by my good buddy Chris Torres (yeah, the one who did a killer job illustrating my Agent Unknown Story in CAG #7). Chris asked me to come down and hang with him and the group at Magnum Comics (3723 Riverdale Avenue,
Bronx, NY 10463-1807). I had never been to this shop, so I figured that it would be fun. I trekked in on a Wednesday, so that the whole crew of regulars would be there.

Well, it was a load of fun and I got to meet some very interesting folks (hey, funnybook folks are always interesting), and got to talk comics with a new group of people. While there I managed to acquire some very cool stuff (a couple of comics, including an issue of Amazing Spider-Man (#16)that I’m missing, bring to eight the total number of ASM issues I still need). I also scored a really nifty lead statuette of The Creeper that came with a reference comic on the character. I’ve always been a big fan of Ditko’s Creeper, and am looking forward to the hard cover collection that is due out next month.

Still, what I enjoyed most about my time at Magnum was the conversation with the fans about Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson. All of these guys insisted that Kirsten wasn’t all that hot, and while that all agreed that none of them would “kick her out of bed” (as the saying goes), thy just didn’t think that she was all that hot (especially as MJ). Personally I was astounded, as I think she is not only killer hot, but a very competent actress (although I’ve heard her unscripted speaking and feel that she is dumber than a bag of rocks).

Further, not only would she never been speaking to anyone in the shop (except to say “Stop looking at me loser, or my bodyguard will kick you ass!”), but if she ever did show up on the arm of one of us (yes, myself included) it would because she was in a dogfight, and we were the grand prize.

Seriously, I was actually impressed by a room full of balding, bearded, overweight, funnybook Geeks who could — in all honesty — call a woman way more attractive than anyone they have ever seen in person “not so hot.” It was a fun moment for me, and I now want to go back and visit the shop again.

Anyways, Magnum Comics & Cards in the Bronx is a cool shop, they have a load of back issues, more toys than you can shake a stick at, and walls full of funnybook costumes for men, women and youngsters. Plus, the seemed to like me, and put up with my nonesence, so they can’t be all that bad.

Sing a song of Spider-Pence, a pocket full of rhyme...

So, word is now out that Sam Raimi, along with stars Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst have all taken a pass on Spider-Man 4. According to reports, the director was unhappy with the direction of the script and Columbia announced that the film was on indefinite hold.

...Columbia Pictures announced plans for a replacement movie focusing on the High School years of Spidey's alter-ego, Peter Parker. It will be released in summer 2012 with an as-yet-unnamed actor in the starring role and a script by James Vanderbilt.

Well, as depressing as all this may sound, from Heidi MacDonald, we learn that new Marvel owner, Disney, has come to the rescue of the previously announced-and-canceled Spider-Man Broadway musical.

Disney...has stepped in to get Spider-Man the Musical back on track, Michael Riedel at The New York Post reports.

Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark...has had a rocky road. With superstar director Julie Taymor, and superstar composers Bono and The Edge on board it seemed like a surefire hit, but monetary mismanagement, and Taymor’s divided attention with her movie career forced the planned February launch to be scuttled as the show became a financial black hole, blowing through some $52 million and needed four years of full houses just to break even.

One can only wonder if Avi Arad &/or Joe Quesada traded Sam Rami’s Spidey 4 to Mephisto to get Spidey the Musical, or he will try to trade the musical for the film