54 mins. Some DC reviews and a discussion about Rombies #1 and the new Peanuts OGN. Also Joss Whedon’s apparent foot fetish, Snoopy’s cousins and Mladen plays Kris’ former sidekick. It’ll make sense once you listen to the ep.
Green Lantern’s toes (yes, you read that correctly).
Batman Live World Arena Tour has a press day with costumes and video. And confetti.
Michael Shannon cast as General Zod.
Tokyopop closes.
14: 44 WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING
Brightest Day #23. Swamp Thing returns to the DC Universe and a few characters get turned into elementals.
Fear Itself #7. The Red Skull’s daughter Sin picks up a Norse hammer and brings madness upon the earth!
Batman: Arkham City game.
Tron Legacy: Reconfigured soundtrack.
28:05 The return of Panel Plays (because we demanded it!)
30: 40 FEATURE REVIEWS
Happiness Is A Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown. A Peanuts OGN from BOOM! Studios. We both liked it and found it rather funny, with a consistent visual style. Peanuts purists and newbies will enjoy its charms.
Rombies #1, an awesome new series from Tom Taylor, Skye Ogden and Gestalt Publishing. Zombies in Old Testament times. A father’s love brings death. This promising start to the new series is a great looking and highly entertaining comic.
67 mins. Joined by our buddy Gianni we discuss the how, why and when of the coolness of comics and their popular acceptance. Also, the correct pronunciation of Ben Affleck, replacing beer with soda pop and the differing meanings of the word jocks. Plus, as an added bonus after the end song, hear some Skype shenanigans.
Mladen’s been reading Metabarons and likens it to Dune. It has nuns that fly in whales. So there.
Kris has been reading Superman/Batman #81. It has an armoured Superman, a bad future and Detective Chimp, who is a character who is exactly that. He also read Venom #1 starring a legless former Spider-Man bully.
Gianni saw Matt Damon and Emily Blunt run around in The Adjustment Bureau.
35:00 THEME-COMICS ARE NOW COOL. DISCUSS.
Which we do, despite me dropping off Skype occasionally.
Last year’s first teaser for this highly anticipated sequel dropped a few hints, such as Joker’s sickness and the fact that the Arkham inmates are now running the asylum, or rather, Gotham City. This new trailer shows the first gameplay footage of the world that looks even bigger than the first one, and reveals Hugo Strange and Catwoman.
The awesome looking game is out on October 18 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
It’s a good week for comics inspired games, with the release of Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. I’ve never been a huge fighting game fan, but the roster of characters is impressive, as are the special moves. Deadpool, for example, uses his own health bar as a weapon in his typical, fourth wall breaking style. On March 1 you can also download alternate costumes, including classic Thor, Iron Patriot (Norman Osborn in stolen Iron Man armour) and Steve Rogers.
Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters has its first trailer, although curiously it shows a cinematic, not any actual gameplay. Hmmm. It’ set to be released on June 1, the same day as its movie counterpart. It’s also the first time any Green Lantern has had their own game.
Much more promising is the sequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum, the best game the Dark Knight has ever had. Arkham City is made by Warner Bros. Interactive and Rocksteady Games and features Batman (obviously) as well as Joker (who doesn’t look too well), Harley Quinn, Hugo Strange and more. Check out 3 more pics of the upcoming game here.
Finally, Captain America’s movie tie-in game is set in WWII and is made by Sega. The pics (more here) look great although the footage shown at New York Comic Con last year shows the classic winged ear costume, but that could be an alternate costume, or perhaps it’s only used early in the game. Actor Chris Evans has only just signed on to voice Cap for the game, so it’s not his voice you hear in the video below.
Bleeding Cool managed to get a draft of the back-on-again live action Wonder Woman TV show by David E. Kelley, creator of Ally McBeal. The more I read of it, the queasier I got. Please let this be a really early April Fool’s joke. See their major spoiler free analysis here and a snippet below.
Well, this Wonder Woman:
Identifies with ET the Extra Terrestrial when his movie comes on TV.
Really loves planes. Like really.
Pines for Steve like Carrie for Big.
Wants to belong and be “among” people, not just “with” them.
Sings along to the radio in multiple scenes – but nothing with a hairbrush in front of the mirror just yet.
Doesn’t like being “marketed, commercialized, merchandised”, though she is – there’s a joke about Wonder Woman tie-in dolls having their costumes redesigned that seems to reference the recent makeover for the comics.
When she’s Diana Prince she’s a mousey Miley Stewart, when she’s Diana Themiscyra she’s the Hanna Montana of businesswomen, and when she’s Wonder Woman she’s Wonder Woman – which is precisely twice in the whole episode.
Is a capitalist.
Puts on her PJs for an ice-cream filled sleepover with best friend Myndi.
CBR has an interview with Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti, the producers of the new Young Justice cartoon, that I really want to be shown here in Oz. I like the choice of characters and the Teen Titans as a black ops team working for the JLA approach.
Here’s a just released video, that’s supposed to be a trailer but looks like an in-game cinematic. Not that it matters, it’s awesome, with a future Batman and Lex teaming up. Sort of. Titled In Lex We Trust it’s from the new DC Universe Online game from Sony.
Finally in DC news, the publisher is teaming up with the Hero Initiative , a great company that all us fanboys should support. Details and snazzy art of the project below.
The Hero Initiative, a charity dedicated to helping comic creators in medical or financial need, most proudly announces their new partnership in the Justice League Of America #50 project with DC Comics. This is the first collaboration with DC comics ever and Hero is chomping at the bit to pull the collection together. The call has gone out and dozens of artists are putting pen to paper. DC has generously donated 100 blank-covered cardstock copies of Justice League Of America #50 to Hero, and work is being created by well-known stars such as Jim Lee, Alex Ross, George Perez, Jason Bone, Jim Valentino, and many many more.
“It’s an honor to participate, not only because this is the first time DC Comics is collaborating with Hero Initiative, but because Hero Initiative is such an important organization to our community” said Jim Lee, artist and Co-Publisher of DC Comics.
“We’re thrilled to be working in new ways with DC Comics, and showcasing some of the greatest artists and greatest characters in the world,” said Hero Initiative President Jim McLauchlin. “And of course, sales of the covers and the collected book will go toward helping many other comic creators in need.”
All 100 original Justice League Of America covers will be published in a book slated for release in 2011, and a public viewing of all covers will be scheduled as well.
DC Comics have rejigged their website somewhat and their blog, The Source has has a generous few days focused on Superman.
The final season of Smallville premieres on Jan 29. This teaser image shows the Superman Returns (ugh) symbol and yay, look at that reflection at Tom Welling’s feet!
Action Comics #896 has just been released, which means Action Comics #900 is just 4 months away, and it’s bringing Superman back to the title in which he belongs, as this David Finch cover shows. Here’s what The Source say:
Superman versus (I’ll argue) his greatest villain. How much more apropos can you get for a landmark cover to Action Comics?
But wait – there’s more! In addition to a 50-page lead story by the team that’s been punching this book out of the park for for the last ten issues, Paul Cornell and Pete Woods, the oversized 900th issue will also feature short stories by some very exciting names to be announced soon.
The long awaited DC Universe Online game is so close and next month a tie-in comic will be launched. Here’s a comic preview and here’s that awesome trailer again.
And heads up, PlayStation 3 fans: we’ve been giving away PS3 beta codes from the DC_Nation twitter feed and our Facebook fan pages all week, and will be giving away more today. So if you haven’t already, friend us, follow us, fan us and what have you and keep a sharp eye out for those codes to get an early peek at the game.
DC Universe Online will be available for the PC and PlayStation 3 next Tuesday, 1/11/11.
The first issue of DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS hits comic shops in February, and will be available digitally day-and-date for the PSP and at the DC Digital Comics Store.
Lastly, here’s a pic of the Feb 22 releasing animated All Star Superman film, based on the Grant Morriosn and Frank Quitely series.
Details of the first of the upcoming figures tying into June’s Green Lantern film are now out. There’s 2814 of these made (because that’s the number of the sector Hal patrols), showing actor Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan, with a wearable ring, from Mattel. Also at the same site you can discover more details of the tie-in game, called Rise of the Manhunters, which goes on sale on June 1.
The costume on the figure looks the best we’ve seen so far and I’d imagine it’d be pretty close to the final version in the film, and the game intrigues me as it’s Hal teaming up with his mentor Sinestro to fight the Manhunters, who were basically the Guardians of the Universe’s first attempt at galactic justice before they realised aliens with rings are better than robots.
Udon have released a few great tribute books recently, dedicated to different artistic interpretations of classic video game characters such as those from Street Fighter and Darkstalkers and now it’s Mega Man’s turn, and your trun to get your own artwork featured in its pages. Check out all the official details below.
UDON is sending out a call to comic artists, video game artists, freelance illustrators, and fan artists all around the world to show us your artistic tribute to Mega Man! Give us your best artwork featuring the cast of Mega Man®, Mega Man® X, Mega Man® Zero, Mega Man® ZX,and Mega Man® Legends. All styles are welcome – anime, western comic style, cartoon, pixel-based, sculptures – whatever you can come up with as your tribute to the blue bomber!
The best pieces submitted will be included in Mega Man Tribute, which will premiere as a special 300-page limited-edition hardcover book at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con. UDON’s past tribute books have had a huge artist turnout, with Street Fighter™ Tribute andDarkstalkers™ Tribute each receiving thousands of entries. As one of the most beloved characters in video game history, and with hundreds of characters to work with from across the Mega Man franchise, Mega Man Tribute is poised to be UDON’s most diverse and exciting art book yet!
Help make Capcom® history as part of the Mega Man Tribute art book and have your artwork showcased alongside top names in the industry! It’s time to show UDON and Capcom your unique vision of Mega Man!
Just shown at the Video Game Awards were a bunch of new trailers including Uncharted 3 and Resistance 3, but of most interest to us comics readers are brand new ones for two cool looking games that are both due out next year.
61 mins. It’s Christmas time! Well, almost. Mladen and I throw out a few suggestions for present buying. Let’s call it our Generous Geek Goodies Giving Guidelines. Or something. We also yak about the manga 2001 Nights, two titles from GG studio and a lesser known character from the creator of Conan.
No Two-Face or Joker in The Dark Knight Rises, Tron: Legacy soundtrack is now available, the trailer for Transformers 3, Anthrax’s Scott Ian is writing The Demon for DC Comics, superheroes become samurai in Marvel’s 5 Ronin mini-series due in March.
17:20 WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING
Twilight: Eclipse, Hard Candy, the original Spartacus film, Kull: The Hate Witch #1 from Robert E. Howard, manga 2001 Nights from Viz Media, A Skeleton Story and The One from Italian publisher GG Studio.
42:34 GEEK CHRISTMAS GIFTS
Mladen and I give you some guidelines for Christmas purchases. If you want to buy something for the fanboy/fangirl in your life, or if you’re a fanboy/girl who wants to get something for the comics curious person in your life, then have we got some great tips for you?! Yes, yes we do.
The 2:30 long teaser for the third (and now Megan Fox-less) Transformers film has just been released. Apparently Soundwave is in it. Yay! The trailer doesn’t show much, apart from the 1969 moon landing and a probably ancient Transformer. I recall they used a similar NASA approach to the teaser for the first film.
Also, just been released is this teaser for the follow-up to the best comic video game ever, Batman: Arkham Asylum. Again, it doesn’t reveal a lot, apart from some brief Jason Bourne styled beatings. Both the TF film and Batman: Arkham City are out next year.
Want something to distract you in between bouts of reading comics? How about games based on comics, then? Three different comic publishers have all made launches within days of each other.
First up is Papercutz with their first of many games based on The Smurfs.
Smurftastic news! Papercutz, the premier publisher of such popular graphic novel series as BIONICLE, DISNEY FAIRIES, GERONIMO STILTON, NANCY DREW, TALES FROM THE CRYPT, and THE SMURFS has posted the first of three all-new Smurfs games on its website. “Brainy’s Bad Day” is now available to play at www.papercutz.com/smurfs. Papercutz will post more free games in the following months. These games can be played online and on any Flash-enabled phone with a web browser.
Recently, Capcom launched its iPhone game “Smurf Village” which quickly became the most popular game on the Apple iPhone App store. “Brainy’s Bad Day” lets you take on the role of a mischievous Smurf attempting to bean Brainy with a tennis ball. You have 30 seconds to score 10 points and move on to the next round. For extra points, try to bop Brainy as he walks through the woods. Highly addictive and great for all ages, “Brainy’s Bad Day” is easy, free, and more fun than a barrel of smurfberries!
Radical Publishing’s game based on their sci-fi Shrapnel series has the most potential to please serious gamers.
Gamers take on the role of Vijaya “Sam” Narayan, a former military hero, who is fighting to save the galaxy from the Solar Alliance. Gamers navigate Sam and the Alliance across multiple planetary terrains, battling enemies, all while unlocking secret missions and compiling money to purchase weapons and upgrades. During game play, players also accrue points to stay atop of the leader board in hopes of winning cash prizes.
Unlike other games, this dual stick shooter is based on an intelligent engine that modifies game difficulty based on the player’s ability – perfect for the novice or expert player. The 3-D graphics and sound effects make game play realistic and engaging.
“Once you start battling enemies, it is hard to stop playing … the game play is very addicting.” stated Barry Levine, President of Radical Studios. “Our partner, Moyo Studios, has created a fun and challenging game that immerses casual gamers inside Sam’s world”.
Specific Game Play Features Include:
16 mission types + 5 secret missions
9 weapons and upgrades to help Sam defeat her enemies
Unlock codes to increase points on the leader board
For a limited time, Shrapnel is available for $.99 at the Apple App Store.
Lastly, BOOM! Studios have released a new game based on their new Stan Lee’s The Traveler comic.
Alongside the much anticipated release of the time-bending superhero saga STAN LEE’S THE TRAVELER #1, comes the debut of STAN LEE’S THE TRAVELER in SPLIT-SECOND MAYHEM available now in the iTunes store for the iPhone & iPod Touch and brought to you by Stan Lee, BOOM! Studios, GameSalad, and D7!
In this fast-paced puzzle game, you play as The Traveler battling against the Split-Second Men to defeat evil and save the future! Speed up or slow down time to navigate citizens through perilous traps and dangerous encounters with the Split-Second Men. Straight from the pages of STAN LEE’S THE TRAVELER, SPLIT-SECOND MAYHEM makes you the hero and puts you in control of the adventure!
Because WE demanded it! Two podcast episodes in one week! Actually, we’re just changing the day on which we record our show, so we can have more time to properly digest new comics.
49 mins. After our sweet sixteenth episode, comes our sour seventeenth episode. It’s not that sour really, but we do run the gamut of topics as usual. Apart from comics, films and manga news and reviews, we also discuss Mladen’s dodgy pronunciation of “news,” the Back to the Future game and unfunny Ricky Gervais films.
Pretty boy actor Matthew Goode as a possible Clark Kent/CGI Superman, the Locke and Key TV series based on the hugely popular horror comic, San Diego Comic-Con online registration crashes again and the film based on Daniel Clowes’ Wilson.
11:40 WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING
Manga Ooku by Viz Media set in feudal Japan, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Star Trek II and III, El Borbah by Charles Burns, the fun, time travelling Rift Raiders OGN, Dynamite’s relaunch of Vampirella and Firebreather Vol.3 #1 from Image Comics.
comicbookjesus 