Extra Sequential Podcast #27

63 mins. Another rambling, yet informative episode. We discuss a bunch of comics and film stuff, plus tedious fantasy movies, interstate travelling, water pistols and what Batman’s up to these days.

LISTEN TO IT BELOW, DOWNLOAD IT HERE OR ON ITUNES

1:13 NEWS

The upcoming Red Sonja film starring Amber Heard, Comic-Con 2011 is all sold out, the new Thor, Captain America, Cowboys & Aliens, and X-Men: First Class trailers, Lois Lane and Ursa in the Superman reboot, the most popular comics website, and the Dreams Come True Disney exhibit in Melbourne.

25:35 WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING

Weird zines such as Modern Gentlemen #3, and the far cuter Summer Tears#1, the disappointing Dinner for Schmucks film, Brightest Day #19, Thorgal by Jean van Hamme and Grzegorz Rosiński, the supporting cast spotlighting Superman 80 Page Giant 2011, Raymond Briggs’ nuclear drama When The Wind Blows, Batman and Robin #20 with the new creative team of Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason and finally Deus Ex: Human Revolution #1.

February 12, 2011
Categories: Comics, Movies, New To Comics?, News, Podcast, Reviews . Tags: , , , , , , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

David Despau

Thanks to a post on Abduzeedo I became aware of this great Spanish artist. I’ve highlighted his work on DC’s Trinity below, which kind of looks like Ivan Reis via David Mack. Find more of David Despau’s work at his blog.

February 12, 2011
Categories: Art . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Comics Alliance Is #1

Good on Comics Alliance for being the most visited comics related site in the US. I’ve only recently gotten to know their charms, but amongst the heap of comics sites out there, it’s always an entertaining stand out, as they don’t focus on reviews and interviews like most others.

At CA right now is the obligatory just released X-Men: First Class trailer, Neil Gaiman’s surprising support of internet piracy, a birthday ode to Bruce Timm and more.

February 11, 2011
Categories: New To Comics?, News . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Superman Punches Silver Screen

The last time the Man of Steel actually got into fisticuffs on film was in 1987’s Superman IV, which apart from the nuclear disarmament story had Christopher Reeve’s Superman battling Nuclear Man. What a disappointment that was.

So far, the best superhero fight – ever – is in Superman II, with Supes up against 3 Kryptonians in the middle of Metropolis. It goes for something crazy like 14 minutes, has great moments all in an era of pre-CGI, including bus throwing and billboard exploding, and awesome lines such as Superman’s “Care to step outside, general?” and Ursa remarking that that Kal-El’s weakness is that he cares for humans, “like pets.”

Thankfully Zack Snyder, the director of 300 and Watchmen, and the man behind the reboot lets SFX magazine in on a secret of sorts – that his Superman will be an action man. It’s expected, because that’s the kind of director he is, but it’s a relief to hear it.

And just how will Snyder’s Superman differ from previous incarnations of the character? The filmmaker’s tight-lipped but hints at what we can expect from someone whose visions are, more often than not, visceral.

“I can’t really talk about that without being kind of specific,” says Snyder. “But I can say I think Superman needs to be physical.”

 

Take that, Brainiac!

February 10, 2011
Categories: Movies . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: 1 Comment

Janet Lee’s Emma Frost

The unique artist on Archaia’s Return of the Dapper Men (one of last year’s best OGNs) has created a variant cover starring Emma Frost. Neato.

Welcome To The X-Men Jane Austen, Hope You Survive The Experience!

Marvel is pleased to present your first look at the rising star artist of Jane Austen’s Emma, Janet K. Lee (Return of the Dapper Men), stunning variant cover to Uncanny X-Men #534 depicting the one and only Emma Frost!

“We’re so excited with the plans that we have for Jane Austen’s Emma, that we thought we’d have Janet cover one of our own Emmas!” exclaims SVP of Sales David Gabriel. “This variant is a fun way to draw attention to both books.”

No fan of Janet Lee’s dazzling artwork or the X-Men can miss out on incredible variant! Be sure to be the first one to your local comic shops this March to pick one up!

UNCANNY X-MEN #534 (JAN110779)

UNCANNY X-MEN #534 LEE VARIANT (DEC108200)

Written by MATT FRACTION & KIERON GILLEN

Pencils & Cover by GREG LAND

Variant Cover by JANET K LEE

Rated T+ …$3.99

FOC – 2/28/11, On Sale – 3/23/11

EMMA #1 (JAN110685)

Written by NANCY BUTLER

Art and Cover by JANET K LEE

Rated A …$3.99

On Sale – 3/2/11

February 10, 2011
Categories: Comic Art, New To Comics?, News . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Fantastic Four Becomes Future Foundation

Well this is an intriguing surprise. Below are the first covers and info heralding the new direction of the Fantastic Four, after the well publicised death of the Human Torch. I kinda like the new black and white costumes, though I don’t know how long they’ll last, and it does make sense for Spidey to join, as he’s a smarty like Reed and was one of Johnny Storm’s best friends.
MARVEL’S FIRST FAMILY SPINS NEW WEB – SPIDER-MAN JOINS THE FF!
March’s FF #1 Launches Star Studded New Super Hero Team

There is no more Fantastic Four, so just what is the FF? This March, the superstar creative team of Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting present the over-sized FF #1, introducing the biggest new super hero team of the century! After the death of the Human Torch, the surviving members of the Fantastic Four—Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman & Thing—join with Spider-Man and some top secret members to form an unstoppable force: The Future Foundation. Their mission is simple: save the Marvel Universe from its greatest threats and prevent future dangers from arising. But even with knowledge of what’s to come and one of the most powerful teams ever assembled, just what villainous force could stand in their way?
“FF will alter the very fabric of the Marvel Universe,” explained Tom Brevoort, Senior Vice President of Publishing. “Jonathan and Steve have crafted a unique, powerful new series that’s going to surprise a lot of fans with its combination of mind-blowing ideas and visuals.”
The perfect jumping on point for new readers, FF #1 begins a battle for the future of the Marvel Universe unlike anything you’ve ever seen before and no fan can afford to miss it!
FF #1 (JAN110748)
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Pencils and Cover by STEVE EPTING
Variant Cover by DANIEL ACUNA
Variant Cover by STAN GOLDBERG
Character Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Fantastic Four 50th Anniversary Variant by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Blank Cover Also Available
Rated A…$3.99
FOC – 2/28/11, On Sale 3/23/11

February 10, 2011
Categories: Comic Art, New To Comics?, News . Tags: , , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights Info

I’m assuming this isn’t a sequel to the animated Green Lantern: First Flight film from 2009, as the voice cast is different, but the look is pretty similar. Perhaps Warner Bros. couldn’t get one of they key cast members from First Flight back, so they started anew. It makes sense, as this will undoubtedly be fairly newbie friendly anyway, seeing as it’s being released a few days before the live action GL film starring Ryan Reynolds.

NATHAN FILLION, ELISABETH MOSS LEAD STELLAR VOICECAST FOR
GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD KNIGHTS

ALL-NEW DC UNIVERSE ANIMATED ORIGINAL MOVIE COMING JUNE 7, 2011 FROM WARNER HOME VIDEO

Primetime television stars Nathan Fillion (Castle) and Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) lead a diverse array of performers as the voices behind Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, the
next entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies. Building up to the release of the highly anticipated live action film, Green Lantern, in theatres June 17, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights arrives on Blu-Ray™, DVD, On Demand and for Download June 7 from Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation.

Fillion provides the voice of the animated film’s central character Hal Jordan, the human Green Lantern assigned to Sector 2814 (which includes Earth). Fillion has starred in several primetime television series including Desperate Housewives, Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He has also developed a popular cult following as a pair of Joss Whedon’s heroic captains: Capt. Mal Reynolds in the space-western series Firefly and follow-up film, Serenity; and Captain Hammer in Whedon’s internet sensation Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.  Fillion returns to the DC Universe after his successful turn as Steve Trevor in the animated film Wonder Woman,
and has performed voice work on Justice League, Robot Chicken, The Venture Bros., and several Halo video games.

Moss gives voice to Arisia, a young recruit forced into her first mission on just her third day as a Green Lantern. Prior to starring as the ever-evolving Peggy Olson in AMC’s ground-breaking series Mad Men, Moss was featured on The West Wing, Invasion and Picket Fences. Moss has been active in voiceovers for animation with previous roles in
Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs, Freakazoid! and It’s Spring Training, Charlie Brown!.

The voice cast for the animated Green Lantern: Emerald Knights also features actor/spoken word artist Henry Rollins (Sons of Anarchy, The Henry Rollins Show) as Kilowog, Jason Isaacs (the Harry Potter films) as Sinestro, legendary professional wrestler “Rowdy” Roddy Piper (They Live) as Bolphunga, Arnold Vosloo (The Mummy) as Abin Sur, Kelly Hu (The Vampire Diaries) as Laira and Wade Williams (Prison Break) as Deegan. Radio Hall of Fame commentator/talk show host Michael Jackson
voices the esteemed Guardian, Ganthet.

Bruce Timm is executive producer of Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. Directors are Lauren Montgomery, Jay Oliva and Christopher Berkeley.

The full-length animated Green Lantern: Emerald Knights complements the Warner Bros. theatrical release of the highly anticipated live-action major motion picture, Green Lantern. Green Lantern: Emerald Knights will be distributed by Warner Home Video as a Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and 2-Disc Special Edition DVD, as well as single disc DVD. The film will also be available On Demand and for Download.

February 9, 2011
Categories: Cartoons, Movies, New To Comics?, News . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Superman Classic Fan Film

My niece and nephew have been loving the old Flesicher Superman cartoons on DVD. They may be decades old, but they look great, and now animator Rob Pratt has been inspired by them to do his own take. It’s only a minute long, but it’s brimming with that old time adventure vibe. At the end of the film, Pratt gives some brief background info on the project.

February 8, 2011
Categories: Cartoons . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Comics Films Super Bowl Trailers

Below are trailers form today’s Super Bowl telecast in the States. The Thor one has some previously unseen footage, the Captain America is the first official non-photos we’ve seen and is the most exciting, even though Chris Evans’ head on a scrawny body looks a tad weird. Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford together in Cowboys & Aliens is an intriguing partnership, although, like the Thor trailer, it doesn’t show heaps of new footage.

If you want to see screenshots in these fast paced trailers go here for Thor and here for Cap.

February 7, 2011
Categories: Movies . Tags: , , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Hotwire: Deep Cut #3 Review

Since Steve Pugh’s first Hotwire series from Radical in 2009, I’ve been hooked on this adventurous sci-fi/horror blend. It’s one of those rare titles that manages to capture and hold the attention of anyone who reads it. Believe me, I have a wealth of #1 issues that I grab out of curiosity and then drop after being unfulfilled. This isn’t the case here, thanks to its charming protagonist. Alice Hotwire is a no-nonsense action gal with a confidence and subtle sexuality that belies her tiny frame, and puts the pale heroine somewhere in the ballpark of Lt. Ellen Ripley and Lisbeth Salander.

Set in a future Britain in which ghosts cause havoc, and the titular detective exorcist rescues the city and her fellow, suspicious cops from danger, it’s a setting that fans of 200AD will be somewhat familiar with. It’s a glowing world yet one in which there are hidden dangers and rebellious elements.

This final issue of the second series wraps things up nicely, though it still makes sense if you haven’t read the previous doses. However, you won’t regret picking up any previous issues.

Hotwire has assistance in keeping the so-called blue-lights at bay with her partner Mobey and fancy gadgets such as ceramic tombs and suppressor towers that are scattered around the country. In this finale, a dead soldier, with a pregnant woman in his arms, who sees Alice as her angel, has let his fellow deceased soldiers out of the confines of the forrest in which they were contained (and bored) for decades. Now their blue tendrils and scary forms are making their way to the city and their first stop is a passenger train.

Alice also has to deal with the far less careful efforts of a team from Bear Claw Security (of which there is an ad for in these pages) and in one of this issue’s best sequences, she jumps out of a hi-tech helicopter to get to the ghosts first. With technical hitches, and a possession of one of the soldiers, it means it’s all up to the small, feisty exorcist to save the day.

Pugh makes each page a dazzling ocular spectacle. The last issue came out in October and it’s obvious why it takes the artist so long. The digital paintwork is extraordinary and he never skimps on the details. His design work for vehicles, costumes and weapons is worthy of a grand sci-fi blockbuster and the page layouts and even sound effects and speech are diverse.

Granted, the story isn’t full of surprises, though I do like the addition of an upgraded teddy bear as a new friend for Alice, as shown at the end.

The tale ends in an intriguing fashion, with Alice in charge of the Bear Claw crew. Hopefully Pugh will give us a third series in which this plucky solo operator must learn to lead a team.

February 6, 2011
Categories: Comic Art, Reviews . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Dr. Professor’s Thesis of Evil

Now if that title doesn’t grab you, check this out.

That great trailer is for a film, or rather a “motion novel” project that looks like a labour of love. This is how the film makers describe the concept, plus its unique technological approach.

Thesis of Evil is a story of Dr. Professor, the most successful super villain of his time. In a time where super villains are more celebrated than heroes, doing evil has become a huge business. And where there is money, there are always the men in suits pushing paperwork and schedules. Dr Professor finds himself not to be the one in control of his own evildoing.

A dark comedy set in the world of superheroes, gigantic mutant koalas and death rays.

The movie will set a corner stone in the new world of original motion novels, a fascinating combination of photography, 3D graphics and animation.

If we had to compare motion novel to another technique, the closest would probably be motion comics. Example: Marvel’s Astonishing X-Men . It’s been mostly used by larger comic publishers to bring animated versions of their previously released comics to the internet generation. Many of the motion comics have been tie-ins to film, comic or game franchises.

The difference between motion comics and the motion novel is that the motion novel is a completely original piece of work based on a new concept. Motion novel has a strong emphasis on story and very distinctive visuals.

I really hope it gets a DVD release here in Oz and it looks stupendous so far. Find out more about the project here.

February 6, 2011
Categories: Movies . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Diagram for Delinquents Documentary

Sequart, the makers of great books offering critical analysis in comics, and the recent Talking With Gods documentary on writer Grant Morrison, have lined up their next project, and it’s a beauty.

Diagram for Delinquents is a doco focused on the recently abolished and controversial Comics Code and really is a fascinating period in history of America’s arts. To make this film a reality, Sequart are seeking donations through Kickstarter to reach their $6000 goal. They’re over halfway there and you have until April 24 to join in.

Beginning in the late 1940s, Wertham began publishing articles linking comic books to juvenile delinquency. This work culminated in his now-infamous 1954 book, Seduction of the Innocent. Burnings of comics were reported across the United States, and Congress held hearings into the matter, which helped spur the creation of the self-censoring body the Comics Code Authority (only just recently dropped by DC and Archie Comics).

Wertham was himself a contradiction. Although forever linked with artistic repression, he was a social crusader whose writings on the damaging effects of segregation were used as evidence in the landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling. Although forever linked to the Comics Code, he claimed to be against censorship. Wertham developed his theories about comics while caring for juvenile delinquents, which biased his analysis by ignoring healthy juveniles who read comics — a fact that has caused his case to be often used as a negative example in statistical analysis. But his theories about comics, highlighting Wonder Woman’s themes of lesbianism and bondage, claims of Batman and Robin’s homosexuality, and the excesses of the era’s crime comics, had a lasting impact on the medium.

Wertham’s last book, in 1974, defended the culture of comics fanzines, as if a belated and lackluster apology for his involvement in the by-then infamous Congressional hearings. This led to him being invited to speak at the New York Comic Art Convention, where the audience heckled him. He died in 1981.

Featuring interviews from comics scholars and professionals, this documentary film will not defend Wertham. Instead, it seeks to place the wider story of Wertham and his effects on comics into a historical context, one in which comics subsequently evolved into more sophisticated material that is no longer primarily children’s fare. To illustrate this story, the documentary will use recreations and Wertham’s own files, which were only made public in late 2010 and have mostly never been seen before.

The film’s title comes from Wertham’s own notes, in which he claimed comics provide a “detailed diagram for delinquents.”

February 5, 2011
Categories: Movies, News . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Malignant Man from BOOM! Studios

This new series from BOOM! sounds interesting. It’s co-written by James Wan, but I can’t seem to confirm anywhere that it’s the same James Wan of the Saw franchise fame. Strange.

WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER!

ENTER THE STRANGE TWISTED SCI-FI WORLD OF MALIGNANT MAN

A BRAND NEW ORIGINAL SERIES BY BOOM! STUDIOS COMING THIS APRIL!

This April enter the twisted sci-fi action epic MALIGNANT MAN, where a doomed cancer patient discovers the sickness thought to kill him will transform him into something more powerful than he could ever imagine! Written by James Wan, fan-favorite author Michael Alan Nelson (28 DAYS LATER, DINGO) and art by international sensation Piotr Kowalski, MALIGNANT MAN is sure to be the most exciting original sci-fi series on comic book stands this April!

“MALIGNANT MAN will shock and awe!” says BOOM! Studios Marketing Director Chip Mosher. “If you’re looking for an epic adventure that’s action packed, pulse-pounding sci-fi at its very best, you can do no better than BOOM! Studios’ newest series MALIGNANT MAN!”

MALIGNANT MAN tells the story of Alan Gates, a cancer patient with a terminal diagnosis, who’s resigned to his fate…until he discovers that his tumor is actually a mysterious parasite! Granted a second lease on life and incredible, otherworldly powers, Alan must fight against an evil army buried beneath society’s skin, all the while unlocking the secrets of his forgotten past. Dark, twisted, and unlike anything else on the stands, MALIGNANT MAN is a sci-fi thriller that can’t be missed!

MALIGNANT MAN is written by James Wan and Michael Alan Nelson (28 DAYS LATER, DINGO) with art by Piotr Kowalski. This title ships in April with A and B covers in a 50/50 split by Trevor Hairsine and Rael Lyra respectively and carries a Diamond Code of FEB110851.

February 5, 2011
Categories: Comic Art, New To Comics?, News . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Every January DC Comic Reviewed

Not by me, but I wish I could. CBR’s Greg Burgas has achieved such a feat though, and has reviewed all of last month’s DC’s mainstream superhero books. As Darth Vader would say, “Impressive. Most impressive.”

Check them all out here along with some great random panel selections with snappy captions. Funny stuff.

February 5, 2011
Categories: Comics . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

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