One of the highlights of the recent Flinch anthology by West Aussie publisher Gestalt was Bobby N’s short, subtle and scary tale of a man set loose from prison. Now the creator has a new book out, entitled Digested.02. It’s available from Gestalt’s site with the first volume also available soon. For more of Bobby’s work, check out his site which includes lots of nifty previews.
This week a new series launches, focusing on a new Batman-related character (there’s a lot of them running around Gotham these days). Azrael is written by Fabian Nicieza and is pencilled by Ramon Bachs and focuses on the character of the same name. However, this isn’t the Jean Paul Valley creation, that replaced Bruce Wayne way before Dick Grayson did, in those heady days of the 1990s. This is a new Azrael, with a new costume, and secret Order. Up at Broken Frontier now is my best attempt to explain the past of this interesting DC character, just in time for the new guy under the mask.
Indie publisher Com.x made a splash with their series Cla$$war in 2003 but haven’t done much since. However, their new project, entitled 45 looks set to be another winner. In the current Previews catalogue, and set for a December release the book seems like one of those, “why has no-one thought of this before?” ideas. Com.x can describe it better than me, so here goes…
What makes “45” unique is that each page of art has been illustrated by a different artist, with no predetermined brief given; just the written page as guidance. It truly is an original attempt at redefining what people expect from a comic book format. Featuring the art of Liam Sharp, Jock, Sean Philips, Randy Green, Charlie Adlard and Dan Brereton, to name but a few of the 45 contributors. The story is a series of interconnected interviews documented by the fictional James Stanley. As a soon-to-be father, James wants to find out what lies in store for his family if his unborn child turns out to have a Superpower.
The dedicated blog has more info on the 132 pager. It seems like a fresh spin on the spandex genre and a great entry point for the superhero-curious.
Terminator Salvation: The Machinima Series is available on November 3. The unique game/film mash-up features Moon Bloodgood from the film in her role as Blair Williams in a new story set in the world of Salvation. Press release and trailer below.
On November 3rd Warner Home Video will release Terminator Salvation The Machinima Series. Using real-time 3-D graphics from video game graphic engines and featuring the voice of Moon Bloodgood, Terminator Salvation The Machinima Series follows resistance pilot Blair Williams in her search for a mysterious disturbance known as Ghost across a post-nuclear Los Angeles, 2 years before the events in Terminator Salvation. The 6 episodes of the series, previously available as digital downloads, are now available on DVD for the first time with 20 minutes of special features for $12.97 SRP.
TERMINATOR SALVATION THE MACHINIMA SERIES DVD ELEMENTS
SD Content:
All 6 episodes
The Making of Terminator Salvation The Machinima Series – Learn how game assets evolve into movies. Features interviews with developers, producers and Moon Bloodgood at work voicing Blair Williams
Character Profile: Blair Williams – Explore the character of resistance fighter Blair Williams in depth and learn why the creators used Machinima as the storytelling vehicle
SYNOPSIS: “My name is Blair Williams. I fight for the Resistance.” It is the year 2016, and Resistance fighter Blair Williams embarks on a deadly mission to search for a threat that is weakening humanity’s defense against the self-aware artificial intelligence called Skynet and its lethal Terminators. Moon Bloodgood reprises her Terminator Salvation role in this original machinima series, providing the voice of Williams as she takes on T-600s, MotoTerminators, Aerostats and Hunter Killers. Machinima delivers action and style in a big way, through its unique form of animation that is created using video-game engines and graphics.
Awesome. Just awesome. The beauty of these DC animated films is that each one is so unique in what it reveals about the DC Universe. Superman/Batman: Public Enemies is a quintessential blockbuster. If Jerry Bruckheimer teamed up with Dan DiDio, this would be the result.
Of course, the pedigree of this film is much loved, as well it should be. The Superman/Batman comic series was launched by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Ed McGuiness in 2003 and is a favourite of mine, and may others. Those first 6 issues showed the great heights to which comics can attain, and highlighted the different centres between the 2 lead characters, thanks to Loeb’s specific inner monologues for both.
This film adaptation may only be just over an hour long, but it’s thankfully very similar to the plot of those 6 issues. After James Bond-like intro credits, it begins with a brief montage showing the current state of the U.S (ie, an economic disaster zone) which leads to Superman baddie Lex Luthor becoming President . This was an all too short plot device in the comics, but it did deliver gold, like in this story. Luthor uses his newfound power to frame Superman for the murder of Metallo and the paranoia from an oncoming kryptonite meteor to offer a $1 billion bounty for Superman and Batman, as enemies of the state.
For those that fondly recall the initial series, you’ll be pleased as punch to know that all the good stuff has been pulled from the page to the screen. The kryptonite bullet, Luthor injecting himself with liquid kryptonite, the clash with Captain Marvel and Hawkman, Hiro the new Japanese Toyman and his giant robot. It’s all here. However, new fans will be lost. With all the supervillain and hero cameos, there are no expository speeches detailing their origins, powers or even names. A nice touch would’ve been a bonus feature with such info, but the curious can always read the TPB collecting the comic series, and go from there. There are also hints at Superman’s death and his romance with Lois, but again, these are for fanboys joy only. However, who can deny the joy of seeing so many cameos minute after minute? Mongul, Black Lightning, Gorilla Grodd, Nightshade, Power Girl (voiced by Smallville’s Alison Mack) and many more make any fanboy heart gleeful.
Public Enemies is a lavish film, filled with Ed McGuiness-styled looks and action packed direction by Sam Liu. Tim Daly, Kevin Conroy and Clancy Brown are back from their respective Superman: The Animated Series and Batman: TAS. It’s great to hear, and see these characters on-screen again, as Supes, Bats and Luthor.
The 2 disc version comes with some great features that are a delight to any veteran DC reader like me. Disc 1 has a look at the current dead-risng epic Blackest Night, with interviews with writer Geoff Johns and DC head honcho Dan DiDio. There are also looks at the four previous DC animated films (Batman: Gotham Knight, Wonder Woman, Justice League: The New Frontier and Green Lantern: First Flight) though these are not new. Trailers for Fringe, GL: First Flight and the stand-out Batman: Arkham Asylum game are there too.
Disc 2 has an interesting feature looking at the different mindsets of the two caped heroes, a casual Dinner With DCU feature, in which casting director Andrea Romano, Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy, producer Bruce Timm and DC Exec. Gregory Noveck drink coffee and discuss their long running animated ventures. Also included is an exciting look at the next DC animated feature, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, which looks to be even better than this one. Two episodes from Superman: TAS, hand-picked by Timm are thrown in for good measure. They are Knight Time and The Demon Reborn and each episode feature the two heroes teaming up, with The Demon also including a Ra’s Al Ghul cameo and the sometimes humorous Knight featuring Clark impersonating Batman, with a little help from Robin and a little trouble from The Penguin, Riddler and Bane.
Really, DC are proving they’re on to something with these films and each one feels like a grateful nod to DC fans. Hopefully they serve to entertain the DC-curious too. If any of Warner Bros. live action attempts comes even close to this, then the man on the street will proudly become more familiar with DC characters rather than Spider-Man and Wolverine.
Could this low-budget film, made in 2007 and finally being released now be this decade’s Blair Witch Project? Ooh yeah. Read all about it here, and watch the trailer below. The film’s writer/director Oren Peli has a new film, called Area 51 being released next year. Unsurprisingly Area 51 is up 566% in popularity this week at imdb.
RADICAL PUBLISHING AND EERIETUBE.COM ASK,
“ARE YOU INFECTED?”
Are you infected? Radical Publishing in conjunction with Eerietube.com is pleased to announce an exciting new opportunity for fans to win some amazing prizes, including a copy of FVZA: Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency #1.
FVZA: Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency, written by David Hine (Spider-Man Noir, Strange Embrace) and based on the website www.FVZA.org, takes place in a world where a deadly virus known as HVV is turning normal humans into undead zombies. The only force standing in the way of a global takeover by the infected are the expert government agents of the FVZA. Throughout history, from the Civil War to World War II, the FVZA protected humanity from the blood-sucking, flesh-eating hordes — until a cure was discovered that sent the undead to their graves. The once-contained virus has resurfaced and now the FVZA has been called back into action.
Radical Publishing and Eerietube.com are giving fans the chance to put their best dead face forward by submitting an image of their best infected zombie or vampire caused by the horrific HVV virus.
One first prize winner will receive one copy of the City of Dust: A Philip Khrome Story trade paperback by Steve Niles, one Radical t-shirt in their size and one copy of FVZA: Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency #1.
One second prize winner will receive one Radical t-shirt in their size and one copy of FVZA: Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency #1.
One third prize winner will receive one copy of FVZA: Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency #1.
For a complete set of rules, go here and enter to win. Entries must be submitted by October 31st, 2009. Winners will be announced on November 3rd, 2009.
One of the many items I picked up at Comic-Con was this little gem. Creator Nate Powell recently won the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Artist and his awesome Swallow Me Whole (which I reviewed for Extra Sequential #3) deservedly won the Eisner at the Con in July. With this self-released 32 page zine, you’ll find two tales, in a flip book format, adressing similar youth uncertainty as seen in Swallow.
Powell, who expands his cool factor by being in a band called Universe, has such a distinctive style that colour seems just unnecessary. The wonderfully fluid lines, the slightly sketchy textures and the abandonment of typical panel borders that show in his work add to the meandering narrative that blurs fiction and fantasy.
Cakewalk is written by Rachel Bormann and is certainly the highlight. Young Sara puts charcoal on her face and dresses up like Aunt Jemima, an African-American stereotype from America’s less tolerant roots. Now, being an Aussie I’m only vaguely familar with the association of the name (and my countrymen’s recent Hey, Hey It’s Saturday black-face sketch isn’t helping to educate us), so perhaps Americans may bring more emotional content upon reading this short tale. Apparently the term Cakewalk refers to a dance done by slaves in plantations in the 1800s. However, there’s no prior info necessary to enjoy this tale. Powell uses so few lines to such great effect that you can’t help but feel sorry for Sara and the rude awakening she receives from her students and teachers. She only wanted to be unique and daring like the character she’s dressed as, but amongst the vampires and Ninja Turtles she just comes off as an accidental racist. Bormann scripts it perfectly, chronicling the tragic steps of a young girl’s descent from naivete to adult truth.
On the flipside is Bets Are Off, all by Powell. Whereas he uses a lot of white in the Cakewalk pages, Bets is filled with black. The 9 page tale follows a young couple leaving home and is based on a song entitled The Get-Away by Pretty Girls Make Graves. It’s not as powerful as Cakewalk, but the lyrical dialogue gives it a certain emotional resonance.
If you’re a fan of Jeff Lemire’s work (The Essex County Trilogy, Sweet Tooth) you’ll find anything by Powell hard to resist. Both men show an uncanny ability to make only a few pages land with a thud. For more of Powell’s work, check out his awesomely-named website.
You can grab the Cakewalk/Bets Are off flipbook for only $2.50 from Microcosm Publishing.
ComiXology continues pushing forward digital comics revolution with their first original comic, Box 13, created by Harvey Award and zuda.com winning team of David Gallaher and Steve Ellis.
Available for free exclusively on Comics by comiXology, Box 13 is a re-imagining of the popular radio serial of the same name.
It follows the harrowing adventures of author Dan Holiday as he unlocks clues to his past and his very identity. Holliday has spent the last several years of his life researching the secrets behind the MKULTRA project. His latest book has brought him a degree of notoriety around the country and around the world. And, during his recent book tour – Dan discovers something that will change his life forever. Join him as he leans what lurks inside Box 13.
The series will run in seven-page installments weekly for 13 weeks, with the first installment released October 13th. The following twelve chapters will be released on Thursdays, when comiXology traditionally releases all the new releases to the Comics app.
“David and Steve created an innovative and exciting comic at zuda.com with High Moon,” said David Steinberger, CEO of comiXology. “They are a perfect choice to explore the possibilities of great storytelling on our platform, too. The first chapter starts with a bang, and we fully expect it to be a reason for people to check in with the app every Thursday, at least for the next thirteen weeks!”
Comics by comiXology is the top selling comics app on the iPhone and iPod Touch, with over 350 comics from nearly 30 publishers, including over 60 free to download after the initial $0.99 purchase. Wired.com wrote that “comiXology may have solved the problem of reading comics on the small screen.”
Opening this weeks is the latest sumptious film from director Terry Gilliam (Brazil, 12 Monkeys). It’s also Heath Ledger’s last. Looks grand.
Below is the official trailer for Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3. It opens on June 18 next year. The original innovative film opened 14 years ago. Yes, it’s OK to feel old.
So, at the start of this year, a friend of mine and I created a free on-line magazine, called Extra Sequential. We produced three issues that we’re quite proud of. You can see them here or here. They got a pretty good response, and we were picked up by a Canadian publisher. For the last 4 months we’ve been working on the first issue of that project – Arcana Magazine, which lands in January. It’s a lot of work, but all very exciting. I’ve just created a simple blog for Arcana, which you can find here. Keep your eyes peeled for the next issue of the Previews catalogue that gets shipped to comic shops worldwide and you should spot us, but of course, I’ll shout it from the rooftops once I catch a glimpse. Stay tuned.
Who would yours be? Over at CBR there’s a poll asking that very question. After all, there have been 6 different Robins over the years, but the three main ones are :
The original – Dick Grayson
The bad boy – Jason Todd
The whizz kid – Tim Drake
All 3 have had different identities over the years, but at one point they’ve all been Batman’s partner in crime fighting. Dick is now the new Batman, after Bruce Wayne’s death, with Damian Wayne as the new Robin, Jason is the Red Hood and Tim is Red Robin. My fave is definitely Tim, as he was the Robin I grew up reading about. The poll is still open and you can make your preference known here.
The next Marvel animated film is Planet Hulk, based on the Greg Pak-penned series in which Hulk is shuttled off Earth, lands on a different planet and becomes a gladiator/king. Below is the trailer for the film, which hits in February, and the newly revealed box art from Alex Ross.
comicbookjesus 