Yesterday’s storm was all anyone could talk about in the usually dry city of Perth today, it seems. It certainly was spectacular. Beyond the pics of hail damage to windows and cars was a great little article on local writer Shane McCarthy. Here’s the article about the All Hail Megatron writer and his new addition to the Transformers mythos – Drift, a Japanese racing car with a sword. Oh yeah. See pics of the toy and more at McCarthy’s blog.
I love the nonsensical approach of this. It reminds me of the Star Trek fragrances I saw at Comic Con last year. Well, BOOM! Studios (of which Mark Waid is the EIC) is celebrating the 1 year anniversary of their hit title (written by Waid) of hero turned villain, Irredeemable. If you’re near Challenger’s Comics, drop by, drink, sniff and converse with the BOOM! crew and your fellow fans. Details below, and here’s an awesome summary of Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs and the good work they do for nerd nostrils:
About Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com) is a cult perfume house that crafts hand-blended body and household scents. They have over two decades of experience in the field, and specialize in eliciting emotional responses through perfume while creating unique scent environments that capture legends and folklore, poetry, and the stuff of dreams and nightmares Black Phoenix has several literature-based fragrance lines, including Alice in Wonderland, and the works of Neil Gaiman, and H.P. Lovecraft. With the success of scent lines created to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the Hero Initiative, they have found themselves in demand as a creator of fragrances based on comic properties.
BOOM! STUDIOS, BLACK PHOENIX ALCHEMY LABS AND CHALLENGER COMICS + CONVERSATION HOST THE IRREDEEMABLE 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY W/MARK WAID
@ C2E2 FRIDAY APRIL 16TH, 2010
BOOM! Studios, Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs and Challenger Comics + Conversation bring you the IRREDEEMABLE 1st Birthday Party happening Friday, April 16th during C2E2.
The IRREDEEMABLE 1ST Birthday party will also see the launch of the IRREDEEMABLE Fragrance line from Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs.
The IRREDEEMABLE Fragrance line features 5ml perfume oil blends based on the people and places of IRREDEEMABLE, including the Plutonian, Bette Noir and Mr. Qubit.
What: THE IRREDEEMABLE 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY W/MARK WAID
Why: IRREDEEMABLE’s record first year and the launch of Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab’s IRREDEEMABLE Fragrance line
Where: Challengers Comics + Conversation located at 1845 N. Western Ave. 2R Chicago, IL 60647 (PH: 773.278.0155 / http://www.challengerscomics.com)
When: April 16th, 2010 8pm
I was going to put these pics in the last This Week In Pictures post, but they really do deserve their own focus. Basically, Iron Man 2 is landing on cinema screens on May 7 and Marvel have given free rein to some very talented folks to create unique covers over a variety of Marvel titles for the month of April. They had a similar approach with their Wolverine Art Appreciation covers from last year, and these samples below look to do even more for Ol’ Shellhead. Mmmm…luscious. Just a reminder that these are variant covers, so you’ll have to ask your friendly neighbourhood comic shop specifically for them, or get there early on new comics day and grab them yourself. Oh, and don’t expect Iron Man to actually be in the comic – he’s just used to the Hollywood treatment now. Below the pics you’ll find more info including release dates on these specific issues.
The legendary writer is now 48. Waid is one of the few writers who cemented my love for comics almost 2 decades ago. His run on Flash and the excellent Kingdom Come mini with artist Alex Ross made me want to follow him anywhere and I pretty much have since discovering him. He’s doing great work as the Editor In Chief of BOOM! Studios, and as the writer behind their flagship series, Irredeemable. Here’s a list I totally agree with of Waid’s Top 10 books for those unfamiliar with the legendary world creator.
Here’s to 48 more Mr. Waid!
I actually heard AC/DC during their sound check at my office a few weeks ago. It was…loud. Anyway, the Aussie rockers are hooking up with Ol’ Shellhead’s cinematic adventures once more for May 7’s sequel, Iron Man 2. If you’re a fan of the band or Tony Stark check out the official soundtrack Twitter page or become a friend on Facebook. There’s also a great competition running in which you can get your mits on some sweet goodies. Go here to fill out a quick form and register for the comp, and you may just win some of the goodies shown below!
The first prize in the competition is the full AC/DC back catalogue, a working Backtracks amplifier box set and the Iron Man 2 collector’s edition as well as tickets to an Iron Man 2 screening.
AC/DC Backtracks – The Ultimate AC/DC Box Set
Contents: Five discs of rare AC/DC in one brand new, never-before-released collection:
1CD of Studio rarities
2 CDs of Live rarities
2DVDs: Family Jewels Disc 3 + bonus videos & Live at Circus Krone in Munich,
180g LP of Studio rarities
164 page 12”x12” hard-back scrapbook-style book
Loads of collector’s items
and all contained in a working guitar amp !
AC/DC Iron Man 2: Collector’s Edition
Contents: CD/DVD inc 15 classic AC/DC songs plus over an hour of videos including the brand new video for ‘Shoot to Thrill’. Also includes an exclusive, limited edition Iron Man comic book reprint with a custom, variant cover by Adi Granov, AC/DC stickers, poster and 32 page booklet.
BOOM! again prove their diversity and desire to bring comics into markets they haven’t been before. July’s 4 ish mini focuses on America’s famed CBGB club and is created by a host of talented individuals. Here’s the official blurb, plus the cover and a preview page, written by Jesse Blaze Snider.
The four issue mini-series hitting store shelves this July, features the finest veteran and rookie talents in comics, portraying the tales of music, discovery, heartbreak, confusion, rebellion and greatness.
The first issue’s cover is by superstar LOVE & ROCKETS cartoonist Jaime Hernandez. Also confirmed for the anthology are Ana Matronic (songstress for Grammy-nominated band SCISSOR SISTERS), Kieron Gillen (PHONOGRAM, THOR), Kim Krizan (Academy Award-nominated writer of BEFORE SUNSET and BEFORE SUNRISE) Chuck BB (Eisner wining artist of BLACK METAL), Kelly Sue DeConnick (30 DAYS OF NIGHT: EBEN & STELLA), Rob G. (TEENAGERS FROM MARS, COURIERS), Sam Humphries (the architect behind MySpace Comics) Marc Ellerby (LOVE THE WAY YOU LOVE) and many more!
The final and much anticipated volume of the Scott Pilgrim series by Bryan Lee O’Malley also lands in July. This fun and simply awesome series from Oni Press is one I’ve been getting into purely because it’s been so highly regarded, and I wasn’t disappointed. Scott Pilgrim is one of those rare series with high cross-over potential, and with the film (directed by Shaun of the Dead‘s Edgar Wright) coming up in August (the rather generic poster below has just been released) will surely help that.
Six years, five volumes, and 1,000 pages. Now the long anticipated finale to Bryan Lee O’Malley’s hit Oni Press graphic novel series has finally arrived. On Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 comic shops and bookstores across North America will celebrate the release of SCOTT PILGRIM VOL. 6: SCOTT PILGRIM’S FINEST HOUR.
“It’s been quite a ride, and I couldn’t have gotten here without the support of the fans and the retailers,” said O’Malley. “It feels great to be in the home stretch, and I think this is going to be the best Scott Pilgrim book ever!”
Now, a bunch of Batman related news. June sees a 6 ish mini begin, based on the Batman Beyond TV series. It’s written by Adam Beechen with art by Ryan Benjamin. Here’s the cover for the first issue by Dustin Nguyen.
Another 6 ish mini-series out in June is Red Hood: The Lost Days. Writer Judd Winick and artist Pablo Raimondi present the tale that focuses on the second Robin, Jason Todd and the time between his resurrection and transformation into the villain Red Hood. Don’t forget, there’s also a DVD animated film on the way focused on the character too.
June’s Detective Comics #866 is written by Bat-legend Dennis O’Neill with art by Dustin Nguyen. The cover for this standalone story is below, and is described by DC as, “a tale of the Dick Grayson Batman intertwined with those classic days when Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder, patrolled the mean streets of Gotham City!”
The original Predator film was the first “horror” I saw as a kid and I was rather taken aback by its brutality and machismo. The sequel, and bland AvP films never stacked up to that 1987 beauty. Now Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) is producing Predators, with a diverse cast and brutal action reminiscent of the film that kicked off the franchise. The new trailer is below, and although you don’t see much of the titular ugly aliens, you can see plenty of concept art here. It’s directed by Nimrod Antal (Vacancy, Armored) and drops on to cinema screens on July 9.
I watched the 1981 Clash of the Titans recently and really – it’s a fairly average film compared to the other films that rocked the early 80s, such as Blade Runner, The Empire Strikes Back – and the underrated fantasy, Krull. However, I do recall the Medusa scene from my youth and nostalgia often makes details hazy, but the film is surprisingly dull. There’s long periods of silence, the characters are uninspiring and most of the time Ray Harryhausen’s stop motion special effects are unnecessary. It’s also a lot raunchier than what I remember. However it’s also filled with grand concepts and great potential. There are so many trivial remakes these days, but Clash of the Titans deserves one as today’s effects and audiences are ready for a tale of this epic nature. Now, below is a press release regarding the original’s release on iTunes, as well as the awesome The Neverending Story, as well as the latest action packed trailer for the remake.
See an exclusive behind the scenes sneak peek of the new Clash Of The Titans now when you buy the original film on iTunes. Coupled with the original Clash Of The Titans film from creative genius Ray Harryhausen, the sneak peek offers an insider’s look at the making of the new movie with interviews of the cast and director.
To the delight of fantasy films lovers The NeverEnding Story and Clash of the Titans are now available on iTunes and for download at Amazon Video On Demand, PlayStation 3, XBOX and more.
Clash of the Titans is an exciting, epic fantasy, filled with drama, passion and colorful stop motion animated creatures that will look more eye-popping than ever. The last feature film from creative genius and special effects wizard, Ray Harryhausen, Clash of the Titans is the original motion picture adaptation of the myth of Perseus and his struggles to save the Princess Andromeda. This edition is also releasing on Blu-ray just before the new Clash of the Titans due in theaters April 2, 2010, which stars Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Sam Worthington (Avatar and Terminator Salvation), to be directed by Incredible Hulk’s Louis Leterrier.
Relive the flight of pure fantasy that’s The NeverEnding Story now on iTunes and for download at Amazon Video On Demand, PlayStation 3, XBOX and more. Based on the best-selling novel by Michael Ende and directed by Wolfgang Peterson (Troy, The Perfect Storm), The NeverEnding Storyis as enjoyable for adults as it is for children with its tale of a young daydreamer who, drawn into a timeless and wondrous world of fantastic beings through the pages of a mysterious book, discovers how his imagination and belief can save it from destruction. Director Wolfgang Peterson’s first English language film, Roger Ebert called The NeverEnding Story “a real delight!”
Anime fans – here’s an exciting announcement from Viz just for you. Free episodes of some great series, (with 400 already up, and more to come!).
VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES VIZ ANIME
A NEW OFFICAL WEB DESTINATION FOR SOME OF THE HOTTEST ANIME CONTENT
Optimized Technology Allows Fans To Connect And Interact And Spend Less Time Looking For The Latest Anime Episodes And More Time Enjoying Them
In a significant news announcement, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has detailed the launch of VIZ Anime – a brand new, free-to-use interactive web destination that will become a permanent home to some of the company’s best-loved animated series as well as new content which will be added on a weekly basis. VIZ Anime is accessible at:www.VIZAnime.com.
VIZ Anime kicks off with more than 400 episodes from hit series such as BLEACH, BUSO RENKIN, DEATH NOTE (complete series), HIKARU NO GO, HONEY & CLOVER, INUYASHA (complete series) and INUYASHA: THE FINAL ACT, NANA, NARUTO (complete series) and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN as well as THE PRINCE OF TENNIS. The site will also be the future web home for many other eagerly anticipated anime series set to launch later this year!
Episodes can be streamed for free with new ones being added weekly. A variety of interactive social networking tools and features also help foster an official online home and community for VIZ Media anime fans allowing them to connect on and discuss favorite shows, and offer ratings and opinions of various episodes. New functionalities will be added regularly.
“We’re committed to developing VIZ Anime as a premiere online destination, and hope to offer a real community for VIZ Media fans to interact with each other and share their love of anime,” says Ken Sasaki, Senior Vice President & General Manager of VIZ Media. “We will also utilize the site as a means of two-way communication to better understand what our fans enjoy most and want, and how they engage with anime and manga online. With a lot of content to select from, VIZ Anime will become a favorite site to visit again and again!”
Creator of The Cemetarians from Slave Labor Graphics, and more recently the Ferrymen OGN from Transfuzion Publishing, Aleister Gilgrim and I had a virtual conversation about his new book and a bunch of other stuff. Check it out at Broken Frontier here.
I also have an interview with Art A. Ayris, the man behind Kingstone Media, at Sight Magazine. Ayris pastors a church and guides Kingstone in creating some fine quality comics.
The Green Lantern cast is expanding. According to Empire Online, New Zealander Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett from the Star Wars prequels) is playing Abin Sur, the alien who crashes on Earth and passes his ring to test pilot Hal Jordan (played by Ryan Reynolds). Taika Waititi (apparently also known as Taika Cohen) who starred in and directed comedy fave Eagle vs Shark is playing Jordan’s best pal (assumedly that’d be mechanic Thomas Kalmaku, from the comics).
Filling out the main cast is Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes) as Sinestro, Blake Lively (Gossip Girl) as Carol Ferris and Peter Sarsgaard as Hector Hammond. It started filming today, in New Orleans and is directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale).
Green Lantern opens June 17 next year. With Marc Guggenheim (Flash) and Michael Green (Superman/Batman) as co-writers lending the film some solid comic book credibility, this could be the film to prove that Warner Bros. know how to make a good film based on a DC Comics character who doesn’t have pointy ears and an annoyingly gruff voice.
From TV show Jimmy Kimmel Live and featuring a bunch of Hollywood hunks mocking themselves. Must be seen.
Marvel’s Girl Comics is a 3 issue mini-series created by a team of talented ladies. It’s also a good idea. Now I know every now and then a comic company will scratch their head over just how to get girls to buy comics, and from what I understand, the number is growing, particularly in manga. DC tried a noble attempt a few years ago with their Minx line, which unfortunately never took off the ground. However, there are a lot more female characters in the spotlight in the pages of both companies superhero books. In May alone Spider-Girl returns again, Dazzler gets a one-shot, as do the many loves of the Amazing Spider-Man in a book of the same name, Galacta: Daughter of Galactus hits, Black Widow’s new series continues, Emma Frost gets an origin spotlight special, and Marvel Her-oes continues with its focus on teen female Avengers. Plus let’s not forget all the female spandex wearers in the various X-Men and Avengers titles. Of course, giving more female characters series doesn’t mean more female readers, as I’m sure there’s a fair amount of appeal to both sexes with superhero stuff, but it’s a good step in the right direction.
Now, about Girl Comics. I’m a sucker for anthology books, and this appealed. Not all of the 7 short tales contained within are good, but they represent a great diversity. Most don’t feature females as leads, but are just slices of superheroes from different perspectives. Willow G. Wilson (Vertigo’s excellent Air) and Ming Doyle present a simple tale of Nightcrawler saving a perfromer in what looks like a WWII cabaret bar, Valerie D’Orazio and Nicki Cook show Punisher in a subtle, yet creepy tale of child protection and by far my favouritre – Head Space by Devin Grayson and Emma Rios (whose art I’ve loved since BOOM!’s Hexed). The other tales fall kinda flat for me, but that’s the lottery of an anthology. I’ll certainly pick up the remaining two issues, just to see what talent lies on offer. The creator biographies and and spotlights on Marvel employees Flo Steinberg and Marie Severin are a superb touch too.
Street Fighter Legends: Ibuki from Udon Comics is another new series with a female focus, though a different endeavour from the book above. Like any Gen Xer I paved my way through high school via button mashing on Capcom’s classic game, but I haven’t followed the franchise in the years since. Udon produce lovely, kinetic comics though, so this was a purchase on a whim. Written by Jim Zubkavich with art by Omar Dogan, who worked on the Chun-Li Legends series, this premiere ish mixes light high school drama with face kicking action. I’m unexposed to the newer Street Fighter characters, but this explains Ibuki in a very likeable fashion.
She’s a Japanese teen in a ninja school who also goes to a regular school and uses a mobile phone and has too many clothes for a stealthy fighter and this issue balances both of her lives well. There’s also a new arrogant girl at school who challenges Ibuki to a fight, a secret cabal of ninjas called Geki and a conclusion that reveals next issue’s addition of another SF character. The whole tale bounces along well, with a great touch in pacing from Zubkavich and suitably light yet frantic action scenes from Dogan.
Since we’re talking about girls – Whiteout. I saw the Kate Becksinale starring film recently and it wasn’t as bad as the critics led me to believe. Based on the 1998 Oni Press OGN from Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber, it tells of a U.S Marshall trying to solve the first murder in Antarctica before a deadly storm crashes on their doorstep. It’s a bit long and not full of surprises, and there a few changes from the book, but it was entertaining enough. Kinda like 30 Days of Night without the bloodsuckers.
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