Funky indie publisher Poseur Ink is having a liquidation sale. They have a huge range of discounted buttons, shirts and OGNs such as their Side A and Side B music anthologies. Check out all the goodies right here.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold Season One Part One Review
Thanks to this show, Saturday mornings have become fun again. I fondly recall my youth in which I’d spend hours in front of the TV on weekend morns, watching He-Man, Thundercats and all the assorted goodness the box had to offer. The last 2 decades have seen my obsession move to comics as I’ve matured, but thankfully both artforms have often collided.
I, and I’m sure many other fanboys around the globe, originally had doubts about this show though. Taking its title from an ongoing series in the ’70s and ’80s in which Batman would team up with a different DC Comics character each issue, this toon was off to a good start, but when I saw the designs (Golden Age Green Arrow, but Modern Age Blue Beetle?!) and kiddie approach, I was disheartened. Then I saw the show and happy memories of colourful weekend distractions came flooding back. With some of the same writers and directors that have worked on previous DC animated films and series, such as Teen Titans and Justice League, the awareness of DC history flows lovingly onto these episodes.
With a more faithful approach than the last Batman show before this one, simply called The Batman, which ran for 5 seasons until 2008, Brave and the Bold is a daring interpretation to be sure, but never an irreverent one. Long-time DC readers, as well as newbies, will feel right at home, and that’s what makes this a wise move on the part of DC and Warner Bros, as this is the perfect gateway for curious comic readers.
Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show) as Batman, Tom Kenny (Spongebob Squarepants) as Plastic Man and John Dimaggio (Futurama’s Bender) as Aquaman are all great voice actors, with the latter bringing a great bravado and amusing derring do to the Atlantean king. The first episode sees Batman fighting a German with a clock for a face (Clock King), while others show Aquaman riding a platelet in Batman’s body and Gorilla Grodd and his hairy soldiers riding pterodactyls. It’s all zany and unapologetic, with a tongue in cheek attitude that even the most cynical fanboy can’t help but be entertained by. The beauty of Batman is that he’s such a versatile character and can fit into all these genres with ease without diluting who he is. As much as we serious fans like to dismiss the ridiculous Batman stories of the ’50s and ’60s, the fact is they do exist and Brave and the Bold isn’t frightened of taking that same approach. It’s evident from the jazz inspired score to the light hearted episodes and colourful visuals that this has family fun stamped on every frame, and I must say, I was suprised at how often I laughed.
There are 13 episodes on 2 discs, from the this initial season from 2008, with hopefully more complete collections to come. Season 2 has finished and a 3rd is on the way. Within these 13 eps, there’s a bunch of guest stars. Each show begins with a short pre-credits team-up, while the bulk of the show that follows features a different crime fighting partner. We’re spoilt with choice from The Atom (the new Ryan Choi version), to Red Tornado, Deadman, Wildcat, the current Blue Beetle, the Green Lantern Corps and The Outsiders (yay!). Those names may not mean a lot to the non-comic aficionado, but thankfully we are often treated to quick origin stories, which never seem awkward. There’s also an eclectic cast of villains of course, including Gentleman Ghost, Ocean Master, Despero, Felix Faust and more. The last episodes on this collection are the boldest in terms of storytelling, with a two-parter incorporating the alternate universe approach from Grant Morrison’s Earth 2 OGN, as well as the Tower of Babel arc from the JLA comics.
With surprisingly effective character designs that pick and choose from DC’s rich past, we’re given great new looks, such as a Batmobile inspired from the ’60s live action TV series and The Joker, as well as an evil Batman, who closely resemble their original Bob Kane designs from 1939.
Any new Batman cartoon will always have a lot to live up to, after the fondly recalled animated series from the ’90s, but The Brave and The Bold is a refreshing and daring approach that works and reminds us of the magic of comics, and cartoons.
This Week’s Winners
Star Wars: Blood Ties #1. Aussie writer Tom Taylor (The Authority) is working his way through as many Star Wars characters as possible, with the last few months spent on his The Will of Darth Vader one-shot and second Invasion mini-series. Now he takes on the Fetts, and thankfully gives the father/son pair the air of menace that was missing from the second prequel film. With the debut of a new series called Blood Ties which will, “explore the familial links between some of Star War’s most famous, and infamous, characters,” Jango and son Boba are a good place to start.
It opens with some unusual bonding involving Jango sending his clone/son to retrieve a tooth as big as himself from a hulking monster to teach Boba to fear nothing, before the pair are recruited by Count Dooku for a secret mission, which involves a twist at this issue’s conclusion. The relationship between the pair wasn’t explored as it could’ve been in Episode II, but Taylor and artist Chris Scalf redeem the bounty hunters here. Jango has a fierce reputation, as a rookie traffic controller learns the hard way.
Scalf’s work is something you might expect to see in the pages of a lush Radical book. He nails the looks of the Jango, Boba and Dooku actors from the prequel films with a painterly look more common in the fantasy genre, but one that works splendidly in these pages.
The Darkness: Four Horsemen is written by David Hine (Detective Comics) with art by Jeff Wamester and is a past-set tale about Mob hitman Jackie Estacado. One of Top Cow’s best characters, Jackie received supernatural powers on his 21st birthday, giving him control over impish demons from another dimension, as well as tendrils and a mean costume/suit of armour. Here he’s recruited by an elderly head of a mob family to seek revenge on 4 bikers that killed his brothers 35 years ago. Now they’re back and causing epic chaos in a small town. The four toughs haven’t aged and now seem to embody the four horsemen of the apocalypse. It’s a dark, bloody story, so don’t be fooled by the slightly exaggerated artwork.
Superman: Secret Origin #6. Finally this last issue has arrived. Geoff Johns and Gary Frank make for a formidable duo and their love of the Man of Steel’s history is written and drawn on every page. With Supes himself looking just like Christopher Reeve and a firm grasp of storytelling with a hint of nostalgia that never overpowers the tale’s structure (something Superman Returns never managed), it’s a treat to read. Superman didn’t really need yet another origin recap/retcon/whatever, but my jaded cynicism has been swept away with each issue of this great series. A battle with Metallo (in which Superman cleverly melts a drain cover over his kryptonite heart), the revelation to Lois and co. that he’s an alien and not human and the pitch perfect characterisation of the jealous Lex Luthor all help this issue fall in the winner category. Nice touches like pigeons flying off the freshly spinning Daily Planet globe and the fact that Metropolis’ citizens don’t look where they’re going because their eyes are skyward looking for the Man of Steel reveal Johns’ creativity as a writer.
Black Widow #6 Preview
Secret Avenger and beautiful Russian soldier, Black Widow has a new series, and now she also has a new creative team. Text-free preview of her 6th issue below. Thanks Marvel!
Your First Look At Black Widow #6!
Marvel is pleased to present you first look at Black Widow #6, featuring the all-new red hot creative team of Duane Swiercynski and Manuel Garcia. Trouble is brewing for Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. the Black Widow! Things are not as they seem when Nick Crane, a resourceful journalist, believes he has discovered his senator father’s assassin. When all clues point to the Black Widow, the Secret Avenger will either have to come clean or clear her name. With international intrigue, insane espionage action and a whole new creative team, Black Widow #6 is the perfect jumping on point for readers!
BLACK WIDOW #6 (JUL100559)
BLACK WIDOW #6 CAMPBELL VARIANT (JUL100560)
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Penciled by MANUEL GARCIA
Cover by TRAVEL FOREMAN
Variant Cover by J. SCOTT CAMPBELL
Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC – 9/2/10, On-Sale -9/22/10
Frank Miller’s Gucci Ad
As we mentioned in the second episode of the new Extra Sequential podcast, comic book legend (300, Sin City, The Dark Knight Returns) and film director (The Spirit) Frank Miller is behind a new TV ad for Gucci. See it below. It stars Evan Rachel Wood and Chris Evans.
Yeah, not mind blowing and similar to the cinematography seen in 300 and Sin City, but hopefully he can learn and then give us an awesome film sometime to make up for The Spirit.
Extra Sequential Podcast Episode Three
While people were escaping their suburban existence and voting for the future of our country (Australia), my mate Mladen and I were recording the latest episode of our Extra Sequential podcast. In episode three, we talk about The Phantom (both old and new), everything Scott Pilgrim, our Top Ten political moments in comics, recent Eisner Award winners and more outlandish geeky indulgences.
Listen to it below, or download it right here.
2:17 NEWS
Batman Beyond DVD boxset, Mark Millar’s new magazine.
5:30 WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING/WATCHING
Cop Out, “Aquaman’s” appearance in Clash of the Titans, Alan Moore’s underground mag Dodgem Logic, Lucky Luke: The Dashing White Cowboy, sci-fi novel Eifelheim, Image’s The Light. Also – a Nicolas Cage impersonation.
20:11 The Phantom
Reminiscing about Lee Falk’s classic character during our youth and its brand new series from Dynamite Entertainment. Billy Zane, the origin of The Ghost Who Walks, Larry Walker: The Almost Phantom, Seth Rogen and more.
28:23 SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD
The film, the Oni Press series, the game and even the soundtrack. Full of Pilgrim-y goodness. The great TV series Spaced, including slow-mo gun fights, Princess Peach from the Mario games, Seinfeld, and yes, lots of Canadian hero Scott Pilgrim.
46:48 THEME OF THE WEEK – POLITICS
Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jack Black, voting and our Top Ten Comics/Politics X-Overs.
10. Lex Luthor as U.S President
9. Cerebus: Church and State
8. Transmetropolitan: Year of the Bastard
7. Fables: March of the Wooden Soldiers
6. J. Jonah Jameson as New York Mayor
5. Everyman: Be The People
4. Asterix and the Caesar’s Gift
3. Ex Machina
2. DMZ: Blood in the Game
1. Voting for the death of Robin!
69:30 EISNER AWARDS AND HARVEY NOMINEES
See the full list of Eisner winners here and Harvey nods here.The comic book equivalent of the Oscars. We talk about David Mazzuchelli’s Asterios Polyp, the black, white and blue of Darwyn Cooke’s The Hunter (based on the crime novel by Donald Westlake aka Richard Stark), and David Small’s Stitches.
84:45 WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
www.thecurfewgame.com an on-line game set in a future London.
Walter Koenig At Bluewater
Joining Star Trek veteran William Shatner as a comic creator at Bluewater is Walter Koenig. Lowdown below.
BLUEWATER SIGNS CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP DEAL WITH STAR TREK, B5 VET WALTER KOENIG
Known to Star Trek fans everywhere as Ensign Pavel Chekov, Walter Koenig has chosen his next frontier to be captured in the pages of a comic book.
The noted actor, writer and director recently completed a deal with independent comic publisher Bluewater Productions to pen a new, limited mini-series as well as redistribute an earlier comic book project into a graphic novel.
“I’m very pleased to be on board with Bluewater. I anticipate an exciting professional relationship and the opportunity to tell stories with style and artistry,” Koenig said.
According to Koenig, the mini-series will present a fresh perspective on a post-apocalyptic world in which vampires are the dominant species. Cover by GMB Chomichuk and interiors by Nathan Ooten.
“It’s quite epic,” Darren G. Davis, Bluewater Publisher said. “Fans of the genre might think they have seen this premise before, but Koenig’s vision for this is unique, creative and impactful. I am very excited to be a part of this project.”
In addition to the four-issue release, tentatively scheduled to debut next spring, Bluewater will be repackaging Koenig’s first foray into comics; a three-issue series called Raver. The comic books, originally published in the early 1990’s at Malibu Comics, should hit comic book stores and online outlets in 2011 with new material. A new cover was done by Gregg Paulsen.
Raver follows the trials of a reality-bending hero whose psychotic episodes create a nightmare world with real villains and victims. And Norman Walters (Raver) moves from one twisted reality to the next trying to return to his original safe and stable existence.
Koenig’s entertainment career has spanned more than five decades. Gaining fame as the aforementioned Chekov in the original Star Trek series, Koenig has appeared in more than 100 roles in television and movies including the recurring villain Alfred Bester on sci-fi favorite Babylon 5. He is also a respected screenwriter and stage director.
Angel Moves To Dark Horse
This is quite a surprise, but a welcome one. Angel will be moving from IDW to Dark Horse, who are also the publishers of Buffy. Details and covers below.
ANGEL RETURNS TO DARK HORSE COMICS
Joss Whedon’s vampire detective to continue his adventures in new title running alongside Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine
Dark Horse Comics is thrilled to announce that Joss Whedon’s Angel will return to the Dark Horse stable in 2011. Dark Horse’s Angel will bring the beloved characters from Whedon’s longest-running shows under one roof, allowing for new and exciting explorations of the Buffyverse featuring favorites from the casts of both series.
“I’ve always regretted letting Angel go in the first place,” Dark Horse senior managing editor Scott Allie said. “So we’re really excited about getting him back, as well as all his supporting cast. It’s necessary for how Joss wants to handle season nine, details of which will start spilling out in the months to come. Right now, we’ve got to wrap up season eight, and IDW still has a good long run of books before season nine starts.”
IDW Publishing confirmed today that it will launch the company’s final Angel story arc in November. This closing six-issue arc will serve as a bridge to Dark Horse Comics, which will pick up the series in late 2011. Under the direction of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel creator Joss Whedon, all parties are working together for as seamless a transition as possible. The companies have been coordinating story lines in both Dark Horse’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight and IDW’s Angel, creating a greater sense of cohesion and cooperation to ensure that this transition is true to both ongoing story lines and to the faithful fans of both series.
Gestalt In Today’s West
My local newspaper The West Australian had an article today on local Perth comics publisher Gestalt about their success at July’s San Diego Comic Con and their new books Rombies and Changing Ways. You can read the whole article right here.
Now while I freely admit any news is good news when it comes to putting a well deserved spotlight on comics, my skin starts to turn a pale shade of Hulk-green when I count numerous errors in the coverage, as I did today. Using “editions” instead of issues is the first warning sign, though certainly a minor one. Making publisher Dark Horse into “Darkhorse” is another fault. However the real errors can be found in one of the last paragraphs.
He said WA had already produced major comic artists, including Ben Templeman, who co-created 30 Days of Night, Ashley Wood, of Spawn fame, Shane McCarthy, who draws for Batman and Transformers, and Justin Randall, who created Changing Ways.
Thankfully The West’s website made the correction to Ben Templesmith’s name (the printed version calls him “Ben Templeman.”) They also mention Shane McCarthy draws Batman and Transformers. Wrong again West. He has written for both series, and they only interviewed McCarthy in March! So that’s an error for almost every paragraph. Wow. Don’t reporters take notes anymore? A 2 minute Google search would’ve made sure none of these happened, at least.
OK, rant over, but please writers for The West. I, and my fellow comic readers, really do appreciate the coverage. Just give me a call next time and I’ll gladly offer my fact checking services for free!
CLiNT Magazine Trailer
From writer Mark Millar (Civil War, Nemesis, Kick-Ass) comes his next project, a magazine featuring a bunch of comics including Kick-Ass 2, and more, from some talented British creators. Trailer below. The mag goes on sale on September 2.
Iron Man: Extremis On DVD In November
The ground breaking Iron Man storyline Extremis recently received the motion comic treatment and now those episodes are being released on one handy DVD. Official info below.
This Fall, fans can experience the non-stop action and thrilling adventures of IRON MAN in a whole new way! On November 30, 2010, Shout! Factory, in association with Marvel Knights Animation, will debut IRON MAN – EXTREMIS on DVD for the first time. This is the latest release from the enormously successful IRON MAN series created by Marvel Knights Animation and distributed by Shout! Factory for home entertainment.
Adapting the critically acclaimed storyline by superstars Warren Ellis and Adi Granov, Tony Stark (AKA Iron Man) faces his greatest threat ever – a terrorist transformed into an unstoppable force with the powerful bio-engineered Extremis super-soldier serum! Now Tony Stark redefines Iron Man’s mission for the 21st century, setting the Armored Avenger in a new direction that will alter his life forever…if he can find a way to defeat a modern day nightmare!
Featuring heart-pumping animation and special effects, the collectible IRON MAN – EXTREMIS DVD features six can’t miss episodes from the multi-part series and a spectacular array of exciting bonus content – all collected in a unique replica of comic book-style packaging that bridges the comic book to DVD concept. A must have for fans of comic books, IRON MAN – EXTREMIS DVD is priced to own at $14.97.
Special DVD Bonus Features include:
· A Conversation With Adi Granov
· Behind-The-Scenes Look At Marvel Knights Animation
· Marvel Super Heroes™: What The —? Starring Iron Man
· Visual History Of Iron Man
· Exclusive Music Video
· Trailers
…and More!
Direct from the pages of the critically acclaimed comic books, Marvel Knights Animation remains true to the legendary Marvel experience of sophisticated storytelling and dynamic artwork. Behind every image and every word lies the genius of Marvel’s celebrated creators like Joss Whedon, Brian Michael Bendis, Warren Ellis, John Cassaday and Adi Granov. Boasting groundbreaking graphics, sensational soundscapes and, of course, the explosiveness of the Marvel Universe, Marvel Knights Animation merges iconic Marvel comic book graphics and dynamic animation, utilizing some of the latest technology to provide incredible, cutting-edge, in-your-face storytelling. A wonderful hybrid that incorporates all of Marvel’s greatest talents, viewers can experience their favorite comics, as the spectacular visions of these authors and artists come alive in Marvel Knights Animation.
Extra Sequential Podcast Episode Two
Just to prove that we’re not a one hit, or one podcast, wonder, myself and my good friend Mladen are back for round two of our comic book/pop culture podcast! Now with improved audio and funnier jokes! Chapter times below.
Listen to the episode below, or download it here.
1:23 NEWS
The much delayed Spider-Man Broadway musical, how Star Wars could’ve ended, Neil Gaiman vs Todd McFarlane about Spawn characters, record breaking One Piece sales and the Reel Anime festival in Australia.
13:15
Manga sales compared to comic sales in the West
15:55 WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING/WATCHING
Inception, KING! #1, Batman: Under The Red Hood, Battlestar Galactica, Hellblazer: Hooked and Black Hole and detours into the multitude of Robins, Batman Beyond, dead superheroines and the unfunny Bubba Ho-tep film.
39:22 Trade Swap
Asterix! The hugely popular French series is new to myself, but is very familiar to my cohort Mladen. We discuss its origins, success and the animated and live action films. Also – suede pants, theme parks, French puns and dogs in catapults.
50:43 Theme – Vanity Projects
Sometimes creators get so successful that their name alone can be a selling point, regardless of the quality of the content. Not all such projects are bad though. We yak about the recent work of Alan Moore, Dave Sim, Frank Miller, Neal Adams and a few more.
77:25 WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Comic Twart – a different character each week, drawn by a variety of artists. Check it out here. We also meander to Antarctic Press’ Time Lincoln: Fists of Fuhrer, Sandman, different types of triangles and next week’s topics, which will be the Scott Pilgrim comics and film, Eisner Award winners and Harvey nominees including our looks at Darwyn Cooke’s Hunter and Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli.
New Oni Press Website
Publisher Oni Press have wisely made the most out of the attention they’ve been getting with the Scott Pilgrim film and Bryan Lee O’Malley’s last volume in the excellent series, both of which I’m hoping to enjoy tomorrow.
I just noticed that they’ve also relaunched their site, with a bunch of features, including a Twitter feed from its talented creators and a host of classy previews. Check it out here and an interview with Oni publisher Joe Nozemack about translating their comics for the cinema screen here.
As a bonus, here’s a short trailer for the nostalgic side-scrolling Scott Pilgrim game, now with a code for zombie fun!
The Frontiersman #9 Now Out
The 9th issue of the free, digital mag from Broken Frontier has now been released. In its pages you’ll find a review of Scott Pilgrim’s cinematic adventure, a look at Ex Machina, a history of the Young Avengers and much more, including my interview with Chandra Free, creator of October’s OGN The God Machine from Archaia.
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