DC Digital, and Films

Lots of interesting DC Comics news lately. Here we go. First up is the new Batman digital exclusive comics which has now launched, and with Scott, templesmith, and Taylor, taht’s three Aussie creator involved! Official info, and Ethan van Sciver cover, below.

We announced back in April that an all-new Batman digital comic book would be coming soon.  Today, we’re excited to reveal that the first chapter from LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT will be released tomorrow, followed by new chapters out every Thursday. Taking place outside of DC COMICS – THE NEW 52 continuity, the new series features several stand-alone stories by various creators that chronicle different cases handled by The Dark Knight.

Kicking off the first chapter is the all-star line-up of LOST scribe Damon Lindelof with artwork by the critically acclaimed Jeff Lemire.  The line-up for the first six chapters of LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT is as follows:

June 7 – “The Butler Did It” written by Damon Lindelof with artwork by Jeff Lemire

June 14 – “All of the Above” written by Jonathan Larsen with artwork by JG Jones

June 21– “The Crime Never Committed” written by Tom Taylor with artwork by Nicola Scott and Wayne Faucher

June 28 – “Crisis of Identity” Part 1 written by B. Clay Moore with artwork by Ben Templesmith

July 5 – “Crisis of Identity” Part 2 written by B. Clay Moore with artwork by Ben Templesmith

July 12 – “Crisis of Identity” Part 3 written by B. Clay Moore with artwork by Ben Templesmith

Mark your calendars – Thursdays are officially all about The Dark Knight and you can get your weekly fill here for $.99 each.

If, unlike me, you’re fully into DC’s New 52, then these new #0 issues, and four new series will intrigue you. More info here.

Timed to the one year anniversary of the launch of the historic DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 initiative, DC Comics will introduce 0 month.

In September 2012, DC Comics will release 0 issues—and we don’t mean we aren’t publishing any titles—but what we will be doing is numbering every DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 title #0.

#0s will be stand-alone stories. “Some issues will tell the origins of a character or a team, or in some case where an origin has already been told, they will fill in the blanks in terms of questions readers may have about the New 52 DC Universe,” said Bob Harras, DC Entertainment Editor-in-Chief. “Each of these issues promises to reveal something surprising.”

And debuting at #0 are four new comic book series:

TALON – Co-Writers: Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV. Artist: Guillem March.

Meet Calvin Rose, the only Talon to ever escape the grasp of the Court of Owls. This former assassin of the Court is trying to live a normal life … but that’s impossible when he’s being hunted by his former masters!

SWORD OF SORCERY – Writer: Christy Marx. Artist: Aaron Lopresti.
Featuring the return of Amethyst, Amy Winston leads a strange life on the road with her mother and resents it. She’s about to learn it’s all been necessary when she discovers she’s the lost princess of Gemworld—and she’s being hunted by her murderous aunt. With a back-up story written by Tony Bedard with art by Jesus Saiz, set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the monstrous warrior Beowulf is charged with finding and defeating the evil Grendel.

THE PHANTOM STRANGER – Writer: Dan DiDio. Artist: Brent Anderson.

Spinning out of his recent appearances in JUSTICE LEAGUE and DC’s Free Comic Book Day story, learn more about the true origin of The Phantom Stranger and his connection to the mysterious Pandora.

TEAM SEVEN – Writer: Justin Jordan. Artist: Jesus Merino.
Set in the early days of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52, threads of the entire DC Universe collide. As Superman emerges, so does the world’s counter measures against him and his kind. Team 7 is comprised of Dinah Lance, Amanda Waller, Steve Trevor, John Lynch, Alex Fairchild, Cole Cash and Slade Wilson — and their story will change everything you know about DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.

The four new series will follow with issue #1s in October and other series will resume their numbering.

Finally, here you can find info on a host of (hopefully awesome) DC films including Justice League, Aquaman and Shazam in the next few years. Here’s a snippet.

This week, the studio revealed it tapped “Gangster Squad” scribe Will Beall to revive “Justice League,” which WB unplugged in 2008, and hired Michael Goldenberg (one of the many writers of “Green Lantern”) to pen “Wonder Woman.”

Those projects now join in development films based on the Flash, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Lobo, the Suicide Squad and Shazam. DC and WB are also facing a decision on how to reboot Batman once “The Dark Knight Rises” completes Christopher Nolan’s take on the caped crusader, featuring Christian Bale in the cowl.

Superman vs The Elite Pictures

Arriving on June 12 is Superman vs The Elite from Warner Bros, the next animated film based on classic DC Comics’ characters and comics. Here’s some new screenshots featuring Superman, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, baddies Atomic Skull, Manchester Black and Coldcast, and here’s an interview with actor Pauley Perrette, who voices Lois, and below is a clip. I’m not as excited about this film as I have been with the last few films, particularly Justice League: Doom, and Batman: Year One. This is based on one of my fave comics ever, but the character models seem too…kiddy. It should be more Akira and less SuperFriends. We’ll see.

In SUPERMAN VS. THE ELITE, Superman’s effectiveness as a super hero comes into question when a new group of super powerful crusaders, known as “The Elite,” appear on the scene.  As super heroes, the Elite know no bounds, and are more than willing to kill, even on a massive
scale, to stop villainy — putting them on a collision course with the ever-ethical, yet preferably non-lethal Man of Steel.

The all-new, PG-13 rated film is scripted by award-winning comics writer Joe Kelly and the story is adapted from his original 2001 DC Comics release, “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice and the American Way?” The single-issue comic, Action Comics #775, was lauded by Wizard Magazine as the “Greatest Superman Story of All Time,” and ranked the epic tale at No. 21 on its list of the “Top 100 Comics of the last 30 years.”

George Newbern (Father of the Bride) reprises his Justice League animated television role as Superman, and primetime television star Pauley Perrette (NCIS) provides the voice of Lois Lane. Downes steps in as Manchester Black, leader of The Elite. David Kaufman (Justice League: Doom) also reprises his Justice League TV series role as Jimmy Olsen.

The film is directed by Michael Chang (Batman: Brave and the Bold). Bruce Timm (Batman: Year One) is executive producer, and Alan Burnett (Green Lantern: Emerald Knights) is producer.

DC’s For Kids

Two new all-ages comics arrived this week from DC Comics.

Superman Family Adventures is for those who loved the awesome and entertaining Tiny Titans comic, by Art Baltazar and Franco. Sadly, that series has ended, but happily, the same creative team are now giving us this monthly series focused on The Last Son of Krypton and his various S shield wearing heroes. Like Tiny Titans, it features in-jokes for the grown up fanboy but is also accessible enough for the young fanboy-to-be. The simple, cartoony and colourful visual style is a treat, as is the crude yet appealing lettering. Superman and Supergirl are sporting their  New 52 costumes, and Superboy and Krypto show up too when Lex Luthor sends three robots to destroy Metropolis. Perry, Jimmy and Lois (and Clark) show up as well. It’s a simple, yet great story, with Lex’s pride being his undoing as he accidentally gets the powers of Krypto rather than Superman. There’s also a fan art page, a maze and a few pages advertising the characters of Young Justice, including new members Beast Boy, and Blue Beetle! It’s great to see comics like this and it’s great to see that there’s an audience for it.

DC Nation Super Spectacular is a 64 page, full colour magazine that’s based on the new block of programming that features short animated features, claymation and behind the scenes segments all about DC Comics. Like the series above, it’s another good idea to familiarise, and hopefully hook, new readers. The three comics in these pages are all reprints, but at least they’re new ones, showing Young Justice fighting Psycho Pirate, a Green Lantern story by Baltazar and Franco in a style that more closely resembles the new GL cartoon, and a Teen Titans story in which Beast Boy reveals his origin around a campfire. They’re all fine stories and introductions to the characters though.

Also included is a GL poster, a 2 pager on the Aardman Animation claymation DC Nation shorts, a find the words puzzle, a few pages on the goodies and baddies of the GL toon, plus one on Plastic Man and his villains, another 2 pager on the Super Best Friends Forever (Batgirl, Supergirl and Wonder Girl), and that’s about it. It’s not exactly filled with enough content to keep the kids busy all afternoon, but it does get me curious about DC Nation, and I hope it gets shown here in Australia, as there’s enough fun shorts for everyone, and a focus on minor characters like Plastic Man, and Animal Man. I hope future issues of this mag will see original comics though, but overall this is a good entry point into the wider DC pantheon.

Grab DC’s FCBD Issues

If you missed DC Comics Free Comic Book Day offerings two weeks ago, now you can grab them both right here. There’s the New 52 comic, and the all-ages sampler. Go for it!

Whether in print or digital, these are two books you want in your collection. The New 52 FCBD Special Edition boasts an unbelievable creative team and a storyline that leads directly into next year’s major event, “The Trinity Wars.”

It also includes:

    • A cover by legendary artist Jim Lee, who also illustrated five interior pages—including a gorgeous, four-page gatefold.
    • An all-new story written by New York Times bestselling author Geoff Johns and illustrated by Jim Lee, Ivan Reis, Gene Ha and Kenneth Rocafort.
    • Exclusive preview material from DC COMICS–THE NEW 52 “Second Wave” titles, including BATMAN INCORPORATED, DIAL H, EARTH 2, G.I. COMBAT, THE RAVAGERS and WORLDS’ FINEST.

You can download the New 52 FCBD Special Edition right here.

Meanwhile, the all-ages DC Nation/Superman Family Adventures flipbook includes new kid-friendly stories from GREEN LANTERN: THE ANIMATED SERIES and YOUNG JUSTICE and a preview of the highly anticipated SUPERMAN FAMILY ADVENTURES, from the Eisner-winning creative team behind TINY TITANS.

You can download the DC Nation/Superman Family Adventures flipbook here.

Extra Sequential Podcast #90-Grand Finale!

57 mins. Yes, it’s the big finish, our fond farewell, our last hurrah. In our most rambling episode yet, we talk about a bunch of comics, Turok, the master of sit-com theme songs, an awkward Italian song contest, David Bowie’s wife, Michael Jackson as Spider-Man, alternate cinematic realities, and much more! Fare thee well and thanks so much for listening!

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.

2:10 NEWS

Joss Whedon’s film Cabin in the Woods will actually get a limited theatrical run in Sydney and Melbourne

The Dark Knight Rises, and The Amazing Spider-Man trailers

Mark Waid’s comics website, Thrillbent launches

Charles Burns’ upcoming The Hive

Free Comic Book Day thoughts

14:33 WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING

Buffy Season 8 motion comic. A must for fans of the TV series.

Perfect Strangers: The Video Game. “Nothing’s gonna stop me now!”

Road to Perdition. Featuring a baddie Daniel Craig.

Archaia’s great Hard Cover freebie.

The Strange Talent of Luther Strode. Blood, and stuff.

Daredevil Volume 1. Mark Waid, Marcos Martin and Paolo Rivera bring the fun back to superhero stories.

The Cartoon Crier. Depressing, but free!

Showcase Presents The Spectre. 620 pages of righteous vengeance and criminals getting their gruesome comeuppance!

New The Dark Knight Rises Trailer

Opening on July 20, and set 8 years after TDK is the final instalment in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Exploding bridges, Bane, Catwoman, and a flying car – it’s all here.

You can catch the 2:19 long trailer right here or below. At The Avengers premiere I saw a trailer that looked different than this, so I guess that was just a teaser.

Extra Sequential Podcast #88-Are Superheroes Relevant?

58 mins. We examine the role superheroes play, what stories they can tell, and how far they’ve come since their roots from the pulp era. Also, multiple Boba Fetts, and Jean-Claude Van Damme vs a pinata.

LISTEN TO IT BELOW

DOWNLOAD IT HERE

GET IT ON iTUNES

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 #1

Alabaster: Wolves #1

America’s Got Powers #1

Marathon OGN

Supanova haul, and Milk Shadow Books

The end of this very podcast as of episode 90 : (

10:12 NEWS

Comiczone moving

Free Comic Book Day

Chris Roberson quits/get fired from DC Comics

16:13 THEME-THE RELEVANCE OF SUPERHEROES

We look at how superheroes have changed from their pulp roots and talk about how superheroes are viewed, and the kinds of stories that can be told with the genre.

Avengers, X-Men and Nightwing

Yay! Pretty pictures. First up, here’s a text-free look at next month Avengers vs X-Men extravaganza from Marvel.

Your First Look At AVX: VS #2– An AVENGERS VS. X-MEN Tie-In!

Marvel is proud to present your first look at, AVX: VS #2, the explosive, no holds barred, action packed tie-in to the smash-hit blockbuster event of the year – Avengers VS. X-Men! From acclaimed creators, Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larroca & Steve McNiven; catch the cover to cover battles – featuring unimaginable chaos as Spider-Man takes on Colossus & Captain America faces off against the ragin’ Cajun, Gambit! Don’t miss out on all the pulse-pounding action in AVX: VS #2, available in comic shops worldwide and on the Marvel Comics app this May!

Which team will reign supreme? Join the conversation on Twitter with #AvX!

For more on Avengers VS X-Men, please visit http://avx.marvel.com

AVX: VS #2 (MAR120528)

Written by KIERON GILLEN & STEVE MCNIVEN

Art by STEVE MCNIVEN & SALVADOR LARROCA

Cover by SALVADOR LARROCA

Variant Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN

Rated T+…$3.99

FOC –4/23/2012, ON SALE – 5/16/2012

Sticking with Marvel, there’s a bunch of new pics from the film, which we in Australia get on April 25! Woo hoo! It’s also the Anzac Day public holiday so he opening day will do gangbusters. Many more pics (43 actually) right here.

Finally, here’s a preview of this week’s Nightwing #8 by Kyle Higgins and Eddy Barrows. I’m not a fan of DC’s New 52, but I do like Dick Grayson, AKA the original Robin, AKA Nightwing, although his new red costume does remind me of Chris O’Donnell in Batman and Robin. See what I mean?

Here’s the official lowdown of the ish.

The “Night of the Owls” has begun! Following the shocking revelation (SPOILER ALERT!) that Dick Grayson was originally intended to be a Talon, Nightwing must work to save both his name and Mayor Hady from The Court of Owls’ assassin targeting him. But when Grayson arrives to City Hall only to find innocent blood has already been shed, will he have failed his mission before it’s even truly begun? And how does turn-of-the-century era Gotham factor into all of this?

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.

LISTEN TO IT BELOW

DOWNLOAD IT HERE

GET IT ON iTUNES

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

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.

 

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!

Extra Sequential Podcast #85-Race Relations

65 mins. We finally get to this topic! The history of minority characters within comics, superheroes who are replaced by minority characters, or changed when adapted to other media. We also throw a few gnarly questions at one another.

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.

1:05 NEWS

Marsupilami film

Katsuhiro Otomo returns to long form manga

Ralp McQuarrie’s He-Man film sketches

Warner Bros. vs the Superman creators’ heirs. Again.

Perth’s Swancon, featuring Extra Sequential’s own Kris Bather speaking at 2 panels!

WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING/ WATCHING

Hilarious Little League webcomic

Atomic Robo’s new series

2 foreign films – Cell 211, and Tais Toi

Hobbes and Bacon webcomic

IDW’s Locke and Key

David Boring

15:16 THEME – RACE RELATIONS

Replacement characters including:

War Machine

Steel

Ryan Choi as Atom

Miles Morales as Ultimate Spider-Man

History of minority superheroes including:

Black Panther and his wife Storm

Luke Cage

Falcon

Static Shock

The use of Black in character names, such as:

Black Manta, Black Lightning, Black Racer (he’s on skis!), and Black Vulcan

Asian characters like Amadeus Cho, James Woo, Green Arrow Connor Hawke, Batgirl Cassandra Cain, Katana, Lady Shiva and Nico Minoru from Marvel’s Runaways.

and many more characters.

As an added bonus, here’s the “Bruce Lee” film from 1977 that Mladen mentions.

Wolvie, Hulk and Supes

Here’s some great digital art. I can’t track down the artists of the first two, but I found them here. Hulk is in his World War Hulk gladiatorial duds by the way, and the new Superman costume I found here.

Justice League: Doom Review

I was very impressed with DC/Warner Bros’ latest animated film, based on the classic Tower of Babel story from the comics, in which Batman inadvertently betrays his fellow Leaguers.

Check out my review here.

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