TV’s new Wonder Woman, Akira film cast, the Spider-Man reboot has a title, Marvel vs Capcom 3, Shane Black to direct Iron Man 3, The Golden Age film adaptation, Darren Aronofsky’s Noah comic, Michel Gondry to adapt Philip K. Dick’s Ubik novel, a new venture from the stars of King of Kong.
14:05 WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING
The Lethal Weapon films, Art Spiegelman’s Breakdowns, hip hop magazine Find.
22:00 ROMANCE COMICS
Superhero lovers, Love The Way You Love, Blankets, Shortcomings, and Moving Pictures.
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.
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.
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.
74 mins. We dissect how action is portrayed in comics, and also talk about the questionable manliness of Jude Law, and the cost efficiency of choking vs lightsabers.
69 mins. It’s our 25th podcast and we celebrate the occasion by looking at the 25th anniversary of the year 1986, and what a year it was. We talk about the comics of the time plus power ballads, being born, multiple Sheens, the popularity of the high-five, and the shock of seeing Transformers dying.
Death of the Comics Code and the upcoming doco about it, death of the powerful comics magazine Wizard and Shaun Tan’s Oscar nomination.
11:22 WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING
Arrested Development, and the whacky shenanigans of Axe Cop Vol. 1 TPB.
21:30 1986-THE YEAR THAT WAS
We kick off with the year’s Top Ten grossing films, talk about dying Transformers, Steve Guttenberg, and then get to comics of the time.
John Byrne’s Superman: Man of Steel that revamped and streamlined Clark and co.
Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, that showed an aged Bruce Wayne putting on the cowl once more in a mad future that put Batman back into the darkness, where he belongs.
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.
The British Invasion that saw English creators (such as Grant Morrison and Neil Gaiman) getting huge success in America, particularly DC Comics.
The rise of the independent publisher such as Dark Horse Comics and Slave Labor Graphics.
Art Spiegelman’s Pulitzer Prize winning Maus.
The formation of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.
A few long running characters debuted including Booster Gold, Kilowog, Sodam Yat, Apocalypse and Eddie Brock (Venom).
For non-superheroes, 1986 saw the debut of Dylan Dog, Tintin and Alph-Art, Golgo 13, Area 88, Lone Wolf and Cub, Crying Freeman and Spirit of Wonder.
Just a quick one to say that this film is great and you should see it. There’s been far too many bad thriller/horror films out in the last few years, but occasionally a stripped down, surprising one will stand out, such as Open Water, Descent and this little beauty. Apart from Shawn Ashmore (Iceman from the X-Men trilogy), there are’t any recognisable actors, though all 3 of the main cast, which includes Emma Bell and Kevin Zegers do a great job. It almost veers towards laughable territory thanks to the frequent hysterics, but the characters (two lovers, and his best mate) are well rounded and sympathetic.
Having the 3 stuck on an abandoned ski lift for the majority of a film sounds like a boring premise, but writer/director Adam Green (Hatchet) does a superb job of keeping the plot diverse, throwing in enough elements such as humorous pop culture references, almost rescues and some hungry wolves that you won’t know what to expect, and I was certainly surprised by Green’s harsh treatment of his characters, considering there’s only 3 of them. Frozen is suspenseful and very entertaining and goes to show how a well crafted film can be made from such a basic concept.
75 mins. Our anthropomorphic special. That’s talking animals and we talk about a wide variety of comics containing them. Also – Spock, corporate branding, bell bottoms and annoying movie scores.
Pics of the Spider-Man, and Captain America films. X-Men: First Class and Priest too. Also, the WAI-CON anime convention in Perth.
12:45 WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING
Viking collection from Ivan Brandon and Nic Klein. Large format old timey action.
Casanova Vol. 1. Spies, multiple dimensions and hip zaniness from Matt Fraction and Gabriel Ba.
The Infinite Vacation #1 from Nick Spencer and Christian Ward. Handy, though dangerous iPhone application that allows you to buy and sell alternate universe lives of yourself.
Star Trek New Frontier Book One. A novel by prolific scribe Peter David.
There’s a few things up at Broken Frontier now with my name on them, including my review of an Aussie anthology, my interview with Lions, Tigers and Bears and The Phantom writer Mike Bullock and finally the latest issue of The Frontiersman.
Image Comics is on a roll lately, with some stand out new series that have flown off shelves and garnered much interest even before their release. Of their recent string of successes, I’ve only read Chew #1 but liked it, it did take me a while to warm up to the charms of Skullkickers, 27 was an interesting idea but not enough of one to keep me coming back, and Who Is Jake Ellis? was a clear fave. Infinite Vacation from Nick Spencer (writer of another popular Image series Morning Glories) and artist Christian Ward (Olympus) is the latest title to generate buzz.
It’s apparent why that would be the case, with its central concept being so attractive. The notion of alternate universes has been a popular one in sci-fi and comics for a long time, and to take that idea and put it in the hands of today’s techno loving populace is a grand one. For the most part, it works here.
Basically, red headed Mark makes the most of this possibility, like 97% of the population, to buy and sell alternate versions of their own lives. After recounting a few horror stories where his other lives didn’t end up like he’d hoped, Mark remarks that whatever life he chooses, it always ends the same, with a dead-end job, failed relationship and boredom. As an everyman hoping for more from life and craving it like an obsessive, Mark’s a good central character, though in this first issue he primarily serves as the personification of exposition. It’s understandable that Spencer would want to make the protagonist’s life relatable, but so far he seems more like an alt-universe junkie than a well rounded, sympathetic figure.
Early in this issue there’s a 4 page sequence using photographs that shows a sleazy salesman pitching the Infinite Vacation application. It looks good and is a novel visual idea, but it’s in a comic that is already filled with such, thanks to Ward’s dazzling art, which renders this photo explanation unnecessary.
Those who’ve read Olympus, or checked out Ward’s site know what he’s capable of and his work stands out in a welcome way. This is the kind of trippy story filled with potential that allows an artist of Ward’s loose layouts and experimentation with design to take this comic and make it even better, in much the same way J.H Williams III and Jonathan Hickman (the artist) do.
The concept of all the alternate Marks slowly dying and “our” Mark’s investigation into why makes what could’ve been a flat, easily throw-away idea into something well rounded and filled with intrigue. Ideas such as other Marks being his own therapist and technical support consultant are just awesome, as is one scene where Mark is bidding on a world in which a lovely lady at a cafe stays a little longer for a chat. It’s a shame the script and the lettering is out of synch on the exact price though, but that’s a minor detail.
In what could well be the deserved next big thing, Infinite Vacation is off to a pretty good start, but to keep the momentum, deeper issues about the interaction between technology, fate and responsibility will have to be addressed.
59 mins. Our most rambling episode yet in which we hardly yak about comics, but do talk about all the different versions of Star Wars, and the good years of The Simpsons, plus wearing scarves, Johnny Mnemonic, Cheers, crying at Spock’s death, Liz Hurley and more ramblonic nonsense.
Star Wars on Blu-Ray in September, writer Neil Gaiman as himself on The Simpsons, the Batman teen toon that could’ve been in Gotham High, casting truth for Judge Dredd and casting rumours for Dark Knight Rises.
23:15 WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING
Steel #1, zombies in the Wild West series Rotten, and the classic run on Swamp Thing from Alan Moore and Stephen Bissette.
41:50 FEATURE DISCUSSION
It’s the battle of the beards as writer Alan Moore vs writer Jason Aaron. Actually they don’t fight as such, but Aaron talks about a recent Moore interview and then we dissect it as only geeks can.
We finish by talking about Star Wars games and podcaster vanity.
The immediate comparison with Unstoppable may be 2009’s Taking of Pelham 123, also starring Denzel Washington and directed by Tony Scott. However, Pelham is more like Under Siege than Unstoppable. Starring Washington as a veteran engineer and Chris Pine as a new conductor, who some believe only has the job because of his familial connections, there’s some tension between the pair initially, but of course throughout the course of the film they become buddies.
As can happen in any job, people became too casual about their responsibilities, but when there’s massive trains involved things obviously became a lot scarier. When Dewey, played by Ethan Suplee from TV’s My Name is Earl doesn’t apply the air brakes when he jumps off a train to switch the tracks, he can’t catch up to it again. From then on it’s a perfect storm of events involving the unmanned train heading to populated areas, its highly combustible cargo, etc. There’s also convenient things dumped into the plot such as the fact that both Washington and Pine, who are trying to catch up to the train have strained family relationships, to help us become emotionally invested in these working class heroes, and an expert in…everything who just happens to be visiting the control office so he can give useful advice. Oh, and an evil corporate boss who Rosario Dawson can shout at on our behalf.
The film, like the train, does move at a steady pace though, so all these expected developments can be forgiven and as it’s a Tony Scott film, it has a great earthy grain and palette to it all. I actually found it more exciting than I expected it to be.
Salt has gained a fair bit of attention, because the original lead character was written for Tom Cruise, but here Angelina Jolie proves that anything he can do, she can do better, and really it’s the kind of role we’ve seen him in may times before. The plot about covert Russian spies has more twists than a pretzel. In fact it has so many in the second half it could easily have become a laughable mess, but Aussie director Phillip Noyce never lets it get unwieldy and the woman on the run and the search for the truth ploys serve the film well. At certain points it does become ridiculous though, especially early on, when an elderly Russian man takes out a bunch of surly dudes in a lift, and later when Jolie does the same. Her bony girl arms are supposed to take out guys twice the size of her with one punch? I don’t think so. For the most part the action scenes are exciting enough though.
The Expendables is great and I hope they bring Van Damme into the sequel. And Mr.T. And Seagal.
Sylvester Stallone set out to make a film that was a throwback to those so prominent in the ’80s, filled with machismo, and he’s achieved that indeed. There is a lack of chemistry early in the film between him and his manly co-stars (Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren,etc) but it works better in the latter half. The action is deliberately over the top and impressive and it’s not as bloody as I would’ve expected, which is a nice change of pace in today’s market. Stallone, Arnie and Bruce Willis do indeed have a great, though short, scene together and with ageing tough guys like Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts thrown in for good measure, it’s definitely an entertaining film for the fellas.
68 mins. We have returned, with our best comics of 2010. Now before you groan about yet another list like this, you may be surprised by some of our choices. Also, George Clooney’s beard, Christmas presents and correct work attire.
Stan Lee’s Hollywood star, Neil Gaiman’s wedding, Carl Barks’ work finally collected, trouble at Borders bookstores, even more trouble in the land of the Spider-Man musical.
12: 15 WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING
Viz Media’s Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind manga, unique spy caper Who is Jake Ellis? #1, 27 #1 from Image Comics, and Deadpool Team Up #886 written by local (to Perth anyway) Shane McCarthy.
My review of the first issue of Who Is Jake Ellis? is up now at Broken Frontier. Simply put – it’s awesome and you should buy it. From writer Nathan Edmondson, whose The Light mini was one of the highlights for me last year, it has great art by Tonci Zonjic, and it’s out now. So…get it!
Up now at Broken Frontier is my review of a new Zorro comic. It’s Australian, which I’m always happy to see. A double sized debut issue with two tales, one of which has a surprisingly effective supernatural bent, it’s pretty entertaining. Here’s the site for publisher Silver Fox Comics, where you can see previews of the issue.
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