Extra Sequential Podcast #87-Long Lost Characters

64 mins. We dedicate this show to supporting cast members who had their day in the sun, but haven’t been seen for some time.  It’s time for misty eyed fondness as we remember some of our favourite characters who never had their own series, but fulfilled a special role.  Also Dr Marvin Monroe as Batman, the importance of butlers, and crotch sniffing.

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You can email us at kris (at)extrasequential(dot)com and befriend us on the NEW ES Facebook page.

WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING

The Shadow. Alec Baldwin as a superhero.

Robert Crumb’s respectful adaptation, The Book of Genesis.

5:07 NEWS

Kevin Eastman’s original TMNT art auction

Marvel’s meeting of their two Spider-Men

Jeffrey Brown’s Darth Vader and Son

National Comics revival for DC Comics

Alan Moore on TV

Painter Alex Ross does Star Trek and Jimmy Corrigan

15:44 LONG LOST CHARACTERS

Or characters who have vanished. Whatever happened to such and such, and why? Why?!

Peanuts’ Shermy, Violet, and Patty (not of the Peppermint variety)

Mickey Mouse’s pal Horace Horsecollar

Green Arrow’s grizzled buddy Eddie Fyers

Lex Luthor’s bodyguard Mercy Graves

Superman’s science advisor Emil Hamilton

Dubbilex, Rex and Roxy Leach from Superboy’s Hawaiian days

The troubled lives of Clark Kent’s old friends, Lucy Lane’s, Lana Lang, Pete Ross and Chloe Sullivan

Betty Brant and Robbie Robertson from The Daily Bugle

Batman characters such as Harold, Leslie Thompkins, Matches Malone, Sasha Bordeaux and Orpheus

April 13, 2012
Categories: DC Comics, New To Comics?, News, Podcast . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Com.x’s Monster Myths

UK publisher Com.x (45, BlueSpear, Seeds) next project is Monster Myths. It’s in the current Previews catalogue (catalogue code APR120985) for release in June and is by John Lupo Avanti who has done work in the diverse fields of animation, tattooing and fine art. Here’s the official description. Monster Myths is a 120 page OGN, with black and white interior pages and a full colour gallery section. As a first time comics work with an intriguing plot and distinct visuals, this could be another winner for Com.x.

 

Alfredo, a recovering felon turned working stiff, resides in Lower Scabo where working-class people live under the tyranny of the evil Cannibals Motorcycle Gang. After being beaten and left for dead by the gang, Alfredo decides to recruit a group of graffiti writers to instigate a war between the riff-raff of Lower Scabo and their neighbors in the well-to-do community of Northview. In doing so, Alfredo transforms from a two-bit perp into an iconic rebel, determined to free Lower Scabo from the control of those seeking power. An over-the-top, dark comedy pitching biker gangs against clean-cut, real estate developers and, in the middle, an unlikely hero stirring the pot in the hope of saving his neighborhood.

April 12, 2012
Categories: Comic Art, Comics, New To Comics? . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Conan #3 and Star Wars #5 Reviews

Amongst the bevy of great features during Broken Frontier’s Image Month are two Dark Horse reviews of mine.

That’d be Conan the Barbarian #3 by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan, and the grand finale of Star Wars: Agent of the Empire-Iron Eclipse.

April 11, 2012
Categories: Comics, Reviews . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

First Five Minutes of Lock Out

Aussie actor Guy Pearce will appear in one of this year’s most hyped sci-fi films, Prometheus. Don’t look past another sci-fi treat though, as the French production company Europacorp brings us Lock Out. Luc Besson’s company knows how to do action as it showed with Taken, District 13 and Transporter.

Lock Out is set in the future, on a space prison, with the President’s daughter who needs to be rescued by a lone wolf. The only thing that’d make this cooler would be if there was a dragon in it.

Here’s the first 5 minutes. Lock Out is released on April 20, but July 12 in Australia. No fair.

April 10, 2012
Categories: Movies . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century

The League: Century trilogy by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill finishes in June from Top Shelf. Oh yeah. Here’s the official lowdown.

In this third and final chapter, our narrative draws to its cataclysmic close in London 2009. The magical child whose ominous coming has been foretold for the past hundred years has now been born and has grown up to claim his dreadful heritage. His promised aeon of unending terror can commence, the world can now be ended starting with North London, and there is no League, extraordinary or otherwise, that now stands in his way. The bitter, intractable war of attrition in Q’umar crawls bloodily to its fifth year, away in Kashmir a Sikh terrorist with a now-nuclear-armed submarine wages a holy war against Islam that might push the whole world into atomic holocaust, and in a London mental institution there’s a patient who insists that she has all the answers.

It’s a spectacular finish that must be seen to be believed.

Pre-order your copy now in the current April DIAMOND PREVIEWS!

THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN (VOL III): CENTURY (#3 of 3) “2009”
by Alan Moore & Kevin O’Neill
— 80-page softcover
— 6.625″ x 10.125″, full-color graphic novel
— For mature readers (16+)
— ISBN 978-1-60309-007-0
— Diamond DM code: APR12-1232
— $9.95 (US)
— Shipping to stores in June!
— Co-published by Top Shelf Productions (US) and Knockabout Comics (UK)

ALSO AVAILABLE:

• THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN (VOL III): CENTURY (#1 of 3) “1910”
• THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN (VOL III): CENTURY (#2 of 3) “1969”

April 9, 2012
Categories: Comic Art, Comics, News . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Cute Image

Tying in to our latest podcast all about Image Comics is this adorable news nugget.
THE IMAGE REVOLUTION IS… CUTE?
G-MAN creator gives classic Image characters a make-over

On April first at Emerald City Comicon, Robert Kirkman and Chris Giarusso revealed a new project: THE WALKING DEAD for Kids. A panel-by-panel recreation of the original issues using Kirkman’s scripts, THE WALKING DEAD for Kids would be drawn in an art style with kid appeal by G-MAN creator Giarusso.

The project, of course, was yet another April Fool’s Day prank on a day that saw a few “announcements” come out of the convention. But the image is part of a series of special limited edition variant covers that Image Comics will be releasing in the upcoming year.

In commemoration of Image’s 20th anniversary, Giarusso will re-create twelve classic first issue covers. First to get the too-cute treatment is YOUNGBLOOD, the very first Image title. The cover will ship in limited quantity as a variant for YOUNGBLOOD #71 (FEB128256), the relaunch of the Rob Liefeld Extreme Studios title written by screenwriter John McLaughlin (The Black Swan, Parker) and drawn by John Malin (AVENGELYNE) and Liefeld. YOUNGBLOOD #71 will be in stores on May 23.

The covers are Giarosso’s tribute to his youthful love of Image Comics. “Twenty years ago, I was eagerly anticipating the launch of Image Comics,” said the artist. “Maybe it was partially due to my upcoming high school graduation, but it felt like the whole world was changing. I vividly recall the excitement of seeing the Image books on the shelf for the first time.  It was a new era, and these cover images were instantly iconic. The opportunity to pay tribute to these classic Image covers is an honor and a privilege, and I couldn’t be more excited about my role and participation in Image’s 20th anniversary celebration.”

Look for more Giarusso tribute covers in the coming months!

April 9, 2012
Categories: Comic Art, Comics, New To Comics?, News . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Happy Easter

I wrote this for this week’s church bulletin, and thought I’d share it here. Good Friday has passed, but it’s fitting  that I post it on Easter Sunday, to celebrate Jesus’ awesome resurrection.

Good Friday. How can we celebrate a man’s death and call it ‘good?’ Because the death of Jesus, and his resurrection three days later, is a celebration of more than just a man. What other life, and death, has had such a profound impact on this planet? When celebrities die, we remember them for a few days and loving tributes flow across the world, and then they are soon forgotten, but Jesus’ words and deeds have continued to inspire, comfort and heal people all across the world.

In fact, many countries acknowledge Good Friday as a public holiday, even those which may not be considered Christian countries. The buying and selling of alcohol is prohibited in South Africa on the day itself, in Bermuda handmade kites in the shape of the cross are flown, and 2012 is the first year in which communist Cuba will celebrate Good Friday as a holiday. No other life has made such an impact across all manmade boundaries, and no other life continues to transform hearts and open minds. You and I, and all believers continue to prove that Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, and our only Saviour, is all that we need and more that we could hope for.

Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins, and our salvation means life now and forevermore for those who turn to Him. We celebrate that the holiest blood that ever walked the Earth was spilled for our eternal freedom, and that’s ‘good’ indeed.

April 8, 2012
Categories: News . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Extra Sequential Podcast #86-Image Comics

62 mins. It’s the 20th anniversary of Image Comics this year, so in honour of the young upstart publishing company, we look at our fave Image tales covering drama, comedy, adventure and more. Also, the wonder of ’90s fashion, and Aussie TV actresses.

LISTEN TO IT BELOW

DOWNLOAD IT HERE

GET IT ON iTUNES HERE

You can email us at kris (at)extrasequential(dot)com and befriend us on the NEW ES Facebook page.

2:06 NEWS

Eisner Award nominations

April Fools’ Day shenanigans including Stephanie Brown, Mars Attacks!, and George Takei

Triplets (the Twins sequel), and He-Man at DC Comics

11:10 THEME – IMAGE COMICS

A brief history of the Marvel walkout that led to one of the most successful indie publishers and the giant steps they’ve made in the last two decades.

Broken Frontier’s Image Month

Sequart’s upcoming Image doco

San Francisco’s Cartoon Art Museum’s Image exhibition

Casanova

Underground

Flight anthologies

Chew

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 3

Girls

Orc Stain

Ratfist

The Nightly News

Term Life

April 8, 2012
Categories: Comics, New To Comics?, News, Podcast, Reviews . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: 1 Comment

He-Man, Pac-Man and Mega Man

I spoke yesterday at Perth’s Swancon about the DC relaunch of last year. The general consensus of my fellow panellists and the audience was that it has yet to work. However DC may be getting in my good books if July’s He-Man series from James Robinson and Phillip Tan is any good. This is a nice surprise and there haven’t been any Masters of the Universe comics for years. I’m looking forward to this.

Go to MTV Geek for an interview with Robinson.

Staying with nostalgia, here are two interesting live action fan films based on classic video game characters. Here’s a creatively reinvented Pac-Man, and Mega Man X which was made for only $700.

 

April 7, 2012
Categories: Comics, DC Comics, Games . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Image Month at Broken Frontier

To celebrate Image Comics’ 20th anniversary comics site Broken Frontier has launched Image Month, which is exactly as it sounds. There will be reviews of classic issues, interviews with creators and more. Check it out here and you can also read two of my reviews of recent Image releases, Whispers #2, which is awesome, and Hell Yeah #2.

While you’re there, check out my review of the new one-shot from Dak Horse Comics starring monster hunter Cal McDonald, and see a preview of the ish here.

April 5, 2012
Categories: Comics, Reviews . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Eisners, Archaia and Total Recall

This year’s nominations for the prestigious Eisner Awards are now up, right here. Voted by industry professionals, the winners will be announced at July’s San Diego Comic-Con. It’s an impressive and diverse list including a few faves of mine like Who Is Jake Ellis? and Atomic Robo. Daredevil, Jim Henson’s A Tale of Sand and many more have also been given nods, from creators to overseas works.

There’s a great interview at CBR here with Archaia’s Stephen Christy and P.J Bickett about the publisher’s plans and upcoming releases. The pair discuss their Eisner wins last year, forthcoming film adaptations and their generous Free Comic Book day offering on May 5.

Bickett: Some of the other high profile books we have are the second volume of “Rust” and “Cursed Pirate Girl” by Jeremy Bastian, a lifelong friend of David Petersen. “I’m Not A Plastic Bag” with Rachel Hope Allison who is an amazing talent. It’s just all pictures telling a story, it’s amazing and coming out on Earth Day. We have “The Grand Duke” which is a Father’s Day tale coming out around the same time. We have a lot of great stories and books that people this year will hopefully get into even more than they did in years past. At the end of the year, we have — at high anticipation from many fans — “Labyrinth” and the second volume of “The Dark Crystal.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, directed by Underworld’s Len Wiseman and starring Colin Farell is the Total Recall film based on the Arnie actioner from 1990, and the Philip K. Dick short story, We Can Remember It For you Wholesale. It opens in August. Here’s the sleek trailer.

April 5, 2012
Categories: Comics, Movies, News . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

I’m Speaking At Swancon

Swancon, or Doomcon as it’s known this year in keeping with the apocalyptic theme, is an annual sci-fi/fantasy convention here in Perth, Western Australia. Here’s how they describe it:

If you’re thinking anything from Douglas Adams to Dr Who, or Accelerando to Atlantis, you’re on the right page!

This Easter join amazing authors, pop-culture experts and fellow lovers of fantastic tales at the longest-running speculative fiction convention in the southern hemisphere.

Our amazing guest authors are Brandon Sanderson (Wheel of Time conclusion,Mistborn series) and Marianne de Pierres (Parrish Plessis series, Burn Bright series) and they’ll be on hand for presentations, discussion and a little mingling. Joining them as our fan guest of honour is the inimical Chris Creagh.

From April 5th to 9th, five days of literature, laughter, games and dance. Come with friends, meet new ones and enjoy it all in the luxury of the pre-apocalyptic Pan Pacific Hotel.

It’s mainly a novels and gaming weekend, but the comics focus is getting bigger, and this year, it includes little old me! I’ll be a panellist at two panels on Friday, which will cover comics for beginners, and the DC relaunch, and then on Sunday night I’ll be taking part in a live podcast event. I’m looking forward to it.

Here’s the programme and it’s only a gold coin donation to come on Friday, so come on by and say hello if you’re in the area!

April 3, 2012
Categories: DC Comics, New To Comics?, News . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

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