From a zombie Batman rising from the grave to Guy Pearce as The Riddler, this collection of 31 diverse fan made film posters for the third, and final, Christopher Nolan Batman film is certainly impressive. Check them all out at Buzzfeed right here. The film opens in July next year.
The wall crawler’s reboot now has an official title, in The Amazing Spider-Man. Makes sense to name it after Spidey’s longest running comic series. I suppose the sequels will be Spectacular and Sensational, or maybe even Web Of.
The photo below is apparently of actor Andrew Garfield in costume. The film opens in 3D on July 3 2012.
On to superheroes of the small screen now and Superboy will be making his debut on Smallville’s last season. That’s a surprising character to have appear on the show, considering the character, known as Conn0r Kent (a clone of Superman and Lex Luthor) didn’t appear in the comics until after Superman’s 1992 death.
On a more light hearted note, though not for Marvel and DC’s lawyers, here’s a video from the Indonesian made TV movie, Supergirl, starring an actress in a Spider-Woman costume. They could’ve just given the heroine a new name and costume, but I admire their boldness, if not their flying SFX.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.”
Time for some perty pics.
Geoff Johns made Green Lantern the centre of the DC Universe for a while, and now it’s time for another superhero he resurrected to take the spotlight in May’s Flashpoint series, which launches 15 mini-series set in an alternate future, or something. The cover by Andy Kubert for Flashpoint #1 is below. DC have also released 5 new cryptic teaser images for the series.
Marvel’s next big event is similarly secretive. Here’s the Steve McNiven cover for Fear Itself #1, the first of the 7 ish mini which launches in April.
Finally, the Captain America film opens in July, but the first teaser trailer (as well as Thor’s) is being launched this Sunday during the Super Bowl, as well as a free digital tie-in comic. The grungy official poster for the film is below.
This photo is set to be plastered all over the geekosphere, as Brit actor Henry Cavill has just officially been cast as Superman in the latest reboot. Non-American actors are doing well in superhero roles these days. Brit Andrew Garfield is Spider-Man, Brit Christian Bale is Batman and Aussie Chris Hemsworth is Thor.
Cavill is known primarily for his role in TV’s The Tudors, and the 6’1″ actor certainly looks like he could portray the Man of Steel on screen and as he’s only 27 he could play the part for a sequel or two (and maybe even the Justice League film!).
Director Zack Snyder’s (300, Watchmen) film is set for a December 2012 release.
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.
LISTEN TO IT BELOW, DOWNLOAD IT HERE, ON ITUNES OR MIXCLOUD
1:32 NEWS
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.
It’s been a while since some good fan films have surfaced online. These two new films aren’t bad. What they lack in editing they make up for in production design. Below is Fight the Foot, a darker, more street level approach to the Ninja Turtles, although only a silent Raphael, and April O’Neil are in it, and some kinda Foot looking soldiers.
Entitled The Rat, this 6 minute film is set in Christopher Nolan’s Batfilm world and has two cops talking, before The Riddler (briefly) shows up, and Batman doesn’t. Like the one above, it sure looks good though.
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.
Check the trailer out below and the film out now.
MTV’s Spashpage site has a revealing look at next year’s Spidey film costume in action right here. Sleek, as it should be, it also has web-shooters and an air of acrobatic ability. The mask and feet may not be the final deal and could be used for stunt work though. It looks okay, but it does also make him look like an Olympic ice skater.
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