My favourite comic publisher is also the coolest pensioner since Sean Connery. Now they’re celebrating their 75th anniversary with digital downloads of some of their best films, TV shows and animated series. You can see DC/Warner Bros’ best at the new DC iTunes Experience page or the Warner Bros online shop.
Behind the awesome Mike Kunkel cover of September’s Scratch9 #2 lies the tale of Scratch’s secret life as a Pharoah’s cat. Good all-ages fun from Ape Entertainment’s new KiZoic imprint, which is also putting new DreamWorks comics on the shelves. Here’s the official skinny, as seen in the current July Previews catalogue:
W) Rob M. Worley
(A) Jason T. Kruse
Scratch has escaped Dr. Schrodinger but his friends are still in the clutches of the C.R.U.E.L. Corporation. Can even his past incarnations as Bektah (the Pharaoh’s cat) and Ichirou (the Shaolin cat) save them? And what’s this? Not all his other lives are from the past! New paw-sibilities this issue!
And for an added bonus, here’s a cheeky homage to Wonder Woman’s controversial new costume.
The fourth and final book from writer/artist Robert Luedke’s biblical adaptations is now available. His Eye Witness series has received some impressive mainstream exposure, and awards, and it’s awesome to see something that’s only biblically accurate but also entertaining. You can see more of Unknown God right here.
Here’s the official description:
Just when it appeared forensic Archeologist, Dr. Terry Harper, had safely made it back to U.S. soil, he’s assassinated by a sniper’s bullet. Meanwhile, back in the first century, the Apostle Paul has been stoned to death in the village of Lystra. It appears the tale of the eyewitness has finally come to an end…if not for the power and mystery of The Unknown God.
In this fourth and final book of the Award-Winning Eye Witness graphic novel series, Harper’s allies make one final attempt to reveal to the world the existence of the Gospel of Joseph of Arimathea, while Harper himself become an unwitting witness to the first century trial of the Apostle Paul by the Roman Senate.
Unknown God takes the reader through a full color, fully illustrated roller-coaster ride that features the intertwining of a modern day action-thriller with an unprecedented adaptation of the Book of Acts. In this final volume of the Eye Witness series, both Dr. Harper and the reader will finally learn the reason why he’s been chosen to become a modern day eyewitness to events that occurred 2,000 years in the past.
This is one of those books that I read when it first came out (in this case, December) and then meant to immediately tell the world how awesome it is, before I became distracted, which is a common occurrence these days, happily thanks to Broken Frontier and Extra Sequential. Seeing as this little gem, and the rest of Gestalt’s catalogue is now becoming available internationally through Diamond, now’s the time to give it a rotting thumbs up.
Rombies is a black and white one-shot from local (to me in Perth, Western Australia anyway) publisher Gestalt. The last year has since the company put out some impressive books, including not only this one, but also the Digested series and Justin Randall’s Changing Ways.
It’s written by Tom Taylor, who’s on a roll at the moment writing various Star Wars titles for Dark Horse including the excellent Invasion, and The Authority for DC/Wildstorm. Handsome/gruesome art is supplied by Skye Ogden (Gestalt’s silent Vowels book). Effectively a 24 page #0 issue, Rombies starts the barbaric tale contained within, but also the series (more issues are on the way. Yay!) with a bang, or rather, a slice to the abdomen. Opening on a gladiatorial arena (hence the title, from Roman zombies) filled with bloodthirsty spectators, and desperate men we see the victor standing over his fallen opponent. One glance up at the Emperor, who gives the thumbs down, and it’s a quick finish to the fighter at his feet. Or is it? Um…no. The rules of life and death are quickly rattled in the next few moments as the dead loser gets up ready for round two. He’s soon joined by all the other “corpses” scattered on the dusty floor, with the fact that they’re missing limbs or have an axe in their face existing as a mere nuisance.
This is a great intro to the book, and Taylor does a firm job of skirting expectations from readers who’ve had their fair barrage of both zombies and gladiators in recent years. Combing the two is the best thing since Mr. Mocha put chocolate and coffee in the same cup.
There’s then a wise chase involving a determined undead horde, big cats and an understandably overwhelmed boy. Skye Ogden’s art reminds me somewhat of Kyle Hotz, with his flowing lines and organic approach. He paces things very well, and knows how to make the page have a real impact, with an early double page spread and large panels being used superbly. The ending is, for lack of a better word, a hoot. It made me laugh with its bold, yet dark, approach.
It’s a quick read sure, but one that will make most hunger for more. Thankfully, that’s exactly what we’re getting, and the teaser image below makes me salivate at the prospect of Taylor and Ogden telling their zombie epic through the ages. Really the possibilities are endless. Zombies in Napoleon’s army? An undead Hitler? Elvis rising from Graceland, hungry for impersonator flesh in Las Vegas? They could go anywhere.
Pick this book up now, or in August if you’re not in Oz. It’s daring, entertaining, and cheap! You could also see your own face as a Rombies extra if you’re keen to view how others see you before your morning coffee. Or mocha.
Up now at Broken Frontier is my interview with writer Andrew C.E. Gaska. His new series from Archaia, Critical Millennium launches this week, and it looks epic in the kind of way only sci-fi tales can achieve. Read about his inspiration, his new Planet of the Apes novels, his creative partnership with artist Daniel Dussault and more right here. Check out a nifty preview of the first issue while you’re there too.
Also up at BF is the latest issue of the free weekly mag The Frontiersman. This issue has a chat with legendary Batman artist Neal Adams on his new mini-series that puts Bats through the wringer, plus a feature about the hit Image series Chew, a chat with the creators of Radical’s Time Bomb and an insightful article from guest contributor A. David Lewis aptly titled Sexless Superman.
From Red 5 on July 14 comes the Trade Paper Back of the excellent mini-series We Kill Monsters. It’s wonderfully created by writers Christopher Leone and Laura Harkcom (The Lost Room TV series) with artist Brian Churilla (The Engineer, The Avengers and the Infinity Gauntlet). The original 6 issue mini-series was one of the great recent surprises for me in the last few months and will be even better in collected form. It follows two mechanic brothers in a small town who are forced to do exactly what the title says, and is a fun and surprisingly emotional throwback to classic action/horror stories. Most importantly, it’s accessible and very entertaining. Look for the TPB on shelves next week. Discover more of WKM right here.
Top Cow’s expanding universe continues with this 13 part maxi-series from writer Ron Marz and artist Michael Broussard. Official details and preview pages below. The first issue goes on sale on July 21.
Artifacts #1 (of 13)
Ron Marz (A) Michael Broussard (Cov) Top Cow’s Finest, John Tyler Christopher, Dale Keown
The Event FIVE Years in the Making!
Thirteen mystical Artifacts, including the Witchblade, the Darkness and others, guide the fate of the Top Cow Universe. For centuries, it’s been whispered that bringing together all 13 Artifacts would herald mankind’s destruction. But a mysterious figure has been manipulating events, laying plans to put Armageddon into motion. The final phase begins here, with the abduction of Hope, the daughter of Sara Pezzini and Jackie Estacado. What ensues will remake the entirety of the Top Cow Universe, from the Witchblade and the Darkness, to the Angelus, Magdalena, and countless others. Artifacts #1 is the perfect place for faithful readers to see their loyalty pay off, and for new readers to experience the Top Cow Universe.
From Top Cow Universe architect Ron Marz (Witchblade, Angelus) and Top Cow superstar artist Michael Broussard (The Darkness) comes an event series, which will literally shake the Top Cow Universe to its foundation. Featuring a jam piece cover by Broussard, Marc Silvestri, Stjepan Sejic, Sheldon Mitchell, and Nelson Blake II, as well as a variant cover series featuring each of the 13 Artifact bearers by John Tyler Christopher (Witchblade), and a special first-issue cover by Dale Keown (The Darkness/Pitt).
Cover A – Top Cow Jam Cover
Cover B – John Tyler Christopher
Cover C – Dale Keown
Full Color 32 pages $3.99 limited series
Oh, happy day. It’s now official that the 9th release in DC’s series of awesome animated films is another Superman/Batman entry. Last year’s Public Enemies was based on the first story arc of the classic title, and now September 28 sees the release of the much loved Jeph Loeb/Michael Turner arc which saw the debut of the new Supergirl. All the details you need to know are below, including the fact that the original actors behind the cartoon versions of Superman and Batman are once more teaming up. Woo hoo!
THE END IS NEAR
WORLD’S FINEST WAGE WAR WITH DARKSEID IN ALL-NEW DC UNIVERSE ANIMATED ORIGNAL MOVIE
SUPERMAN/BATMAN: APOCALYPSE AVAILABLE FROM WARNER HOME VIDEO
SEPTEMBER 28, 2010!
Andre Braugher, Summer Glau, Ed Asner join popular voices Kevin Conroy & Tim Daly;
New DC Showcase GREEN ARROW on Special Edition Blu-ray & 2-Disc Special Edition DVD
To save an earthbound Kryptonian, the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight unite once again – this time to battle the powerful forces of Darkseid – in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, the ninth entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movies coming September 28, 2010 from Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation. The highly anticipated, full-length film will be distributed by Warner Home Video as a Special Edition Blu-Ray™ and 2-Disc Special Edition DVD as well as single disc DVD. The film will also be available On Demand and for Download.
Fan favorites Tim Daly (Private Practice) and Kevin Conroy (China Beach) return to their seminal roles as Superman and Batman, respectively. The celebrity-laden guest cast is headed by Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age) as the daunting Darkseid. Sci-Fi heroine Summer Glau (Serenity/Firefly, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) provides the voice of Supergirl, and seven-time Emmy Award winner Ed Asner (Up) reprises his Superman: The Animated Series/Justice League role as Granny Goodness.
Based on the DC Comics series/graphic novel “Superman/Batman: Supergirl” by Jeph Loeb, Michael Turner & Peter Steigerwald, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is produced by animation legend Bruce Timm and directed by Lauren Montgomery (Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths) from a script by Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Tab Murphy (Gorillas in the Mist).
After a spaceship splashes down in Gotham City Harbor, Batman and Superman encounter a mysterious Kryptonian with powers as great as those of the Man of Steel. The Kryptonian is soon revealed to be Kara, cousin of Superman, who takes her under his wing to educate her about the ways of Earth. However, the villainous Darkseid has other plans. Seeing an opportunity to finally defeat Superman, Darkseid abducts and gains control of Kara, utilizing the powerful Kryptonian to do his bidding. It’s up to Batman and Superman to save Kara, but they’ll have to take the fight to Darkseid within his hostile world – where unknown, deadly threats lurk around every corner, including a brainwashed Kryptonian able to match Superman blow-for-blow.
In addition to the feature film, the Superman/Batman: Apocalypse Special Edition Blu-Ray™ and 2-Disc Special Edition DVD include the third DC Showcase animated short, Green Arrow. Screenwriter Greg Weisman’s story finds Oliver Queen at the Star City International Airport to pick up his girlfriend, only to be forced into action as Green Arrow to protect the 10-year-old Princess of Vlatava from his old nemesis Merlyn the Magnificent and the League of Assassins. The short features the voices of Neal McDonough (Desperate Housewives) and Malcolm McDowell (Entourage). Bruce Timm is executive producer.
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse 2-Disc Special Edition DVD features more than 1 1/2 hours of exciting extra content, including:
• Feature film (est. 75 min)
• DC Showcase: Green Arrow (10 min)
• Sneak Peak at the Next DC Universe Animated Original Movie (10 min)
• Featurette: Supergirl: The Last Daughter of Krypton – A comprehensive look at The Maiden of Might from her introduction in the classic age of comics to her death in the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event to her appearance on Smallville and beyond.
• 2 bonus episodes from animated television series handpicked by Bruce Timm
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse Special Edition Blu-Ray™ will include more than 2 1/2 hours of intriguing bonus features, starting with all of the content available on the 2-Disc Special Edition DVD and adding:
• All-New Featurette: The New Gods – This documentary covers Darkseid’s story, particularly in reference to the adaptation of Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. A primer on the wealth of material and stories contained in the New Gods series, along with a deeper understanding of why these characters – and especially Darkseid – are so memorable and important to the DC pantheon.
• All-New Featurette Pods
• Orion – The mightiest warrior on either New Genesis or Apokolips, Orion follows an almost Shakespearean arc culminating in the slaying of his father, Darkseid. This mini-featurette shines a light on this classically tragic character.
Mister Miracle – This mini-featurette focuses on the greatest escape artist the universe has ever known and how he was traded in a peace effort to be raised by Darkseid, the enemy of all New Genesis.
• 2 additional bonus TV series episodes handpicked by Bruce Timm
• Digital copy on disc of the feature film
“Great things happen when powerful entities come together, and the partnership of Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation is proud to continue this popular film series by once again uniting the two most popular characters in the DC Universe in a story that truly tests their strength, trust, loyalty, ingenuity and heroism,” said Matt Bierman, Senior Vice President Production, Warner Premiere.
“It is a testament to the larger-than-life nature of Jeph Loeb’s blockbuster storylines that two of the first nine DC Universe movies are based on his work,” said Geoff Johns, Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment. “Superman/Batman: Apocalypse lets us see Superman and Batman in action side-by-side again, but this time along with Supergirl and one of DC’s greatest villains, Darkseid.”
“Just as Superman and Batman stand atop the DC canon of characters, so do the respective seminal voices of Tim Daly and Kevin Conroy in the hearts and minds of fans. Superman/Batman: Apocalypse will no doubt please comic-centric and mainstream audiences alike – particularly in the performances of Daly and Conroy opposite dynamic actors like Andre Braugher and Ed Asner, and fanboy favorite Summer Glau,” said Amit Desai, WHV Vice President of Family, Animation & Partner Brands.
Let’s face it, comics publishers are behind the game when it comes to blogs, leaving fans to pick up the slack. DC only got a blog a few months ago, but now Dark Horse is coming to the party. It launched on May 26 with little fanfare and this humble message.
Welcome to the Dark Horse Blog!
Swing on by every week for comics news, creator interviews, and exclusive content available no where else online! See something you like? Tell us about it in our comment section! Or is you’re feeling particularly ambitious, link to us on Twitter and Facebook. Check back every week and see what’s new at Darkhorse.com!
–Max Sato, Blog Guy
In the days since, though it’s been worth visiting, with previews of upcoming releases such as Hellboy and Star Wars and news such as Dark Horse’s recent exciting partnership with Toshiba and USA Today. Check out the Dark Horse blog here.
Brad Pitt as a superhero! Finally. Well, a DreamWorks “parody” anyway. Looking at the trailer, the Superman and Lex Luthor influence is strong. It could be hilarious, but will probably appeal to kids more than adults, or at least fanboys with kids perhaps. It opens November 5 and also stars Will Ferrell, Tina Fey and Jonah Hill. The official description sounds like something from a new Mark Millar series.
From the studio that brought you “Shrek,” “Madagascar” and “Kung Fu Panda.” “Megamind” is the most brilliant supervillain the world has ever known. And the least successful. Over the years, he has tried to conquer Metro City in every imaginable way. Each attempt, a colossal failure thanks to the caped superhero known as “Metro Man,” an invincible hero until the day Megamind actually kills him in the throes of one of his botched evil plans. Suddenly, Megamind has no purpose. A supervillain without a superhero. He realizes that achieving his life’s ambition is the worst thing that ever happened to him.
On sale this Wednesday June 23 is a bunch of BOOM! goodies, including the latest issues of 7 Psycopaths and 28 Days Later, as well as more kid friendly material such as Disney’s Hero Squad: Ultraheroes and The Incredibles. Also available will be the Dingo TPB from the always reliable writer Michael Alan Nelson. Preview and official description below.
Written by Michael Alan Nelson
Drawn by Francesco Biagini
TPB, 120 pgs, FC, SRP: $16.99
Diamond Code: FEB100746
ISBN13: 9781608860197
The writer of HEXED and FALL OF CTHULHU brings you an all-new, all-nasty graphic novel! Dingo is man trying to get back something that was taken from him. A box. The contents of which will make Dingo stop at nothing to get it back. It’s a mystery that starts in Los Angeles and takes him to Vegas and beyond. Add in a very dangerous ex-wife, the biggest dog on the planet, and dark magic and you’ve got a recipe for disaster that’s a mix of pulp and urban fantasy. Don’t miss writer Michael Alan Nelson’s critical hit!
Traditionally the second issue of a new series drops dramatically in sales. I can testify to that. I have countless #1s sitting in boxes, and that’s because I always like to give a new series a chance. Occasionally a new series will tick the right boxes and I’ll follow it through. Lately, I’ve discovered 3 such series.
The Light, simply put is awesome. Nathan Edmondson (Olympus) and Brett Weldele (The Surrogates) are creating the best work of their careers. This 5 part mini-series from Image is just magnificent in its storytelling simplicity. The elevator pitch would be something along the lines of, “troubled father and daughter try to survive a mysterious virus within light sources that is brutally killing anyone who looks directly into…the light.” Each issue has been better than the last, and that’s a rarity within any new mini. Edmondson knows just how to throw the right story morsels at the reader, leaving them wanting more. In this 3rd ish (of 5) Coyle and his daughter Avery run into 2 armed brothers, who are filled with confidence and a cavalier attitude to the madness surrounding them, ie, people dropping dead and the safety of darkness. My first reaction was to expect some sort of disturbing backstabbing behaviour from the pair, but Edmondson presents them as a helpful duo (though that may change next issue). That and the startling transformation of some victims into walking torches, and the effect of the virus on local birdlife proves that The Light is far more than just a cool concept without any surprises. See a preview here and you can also grab the first 2 issues in one new, handy book.
Meta4 is another 5 ish mini from Image. From creator Ted McKeever it is enjoyably weird, like a David Lynch film. Trying to explain it after just one issue in easy to grasp terms is somewhat difficult, but I’m hooked already. His sketchy art style should appeal to fans of Sam Kieth and he uses black and white with the same skill that Frank Miller does in Sin City. McKeever also worked on 3 books for DC’s Elseworlds line that re-imagined Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman through the lens of classic German Expressionist films. Man, I gotta get my hands on those. Well, Meta4 (assumedly a reference to “metaphor” which descriptions of future issues indicates) centres on an amnesiac dressed as an astronaut who wanders in to a petrol station, gets accosted by a grotesque hillbilly and then saved by a manly woman dressed as Santa, whose name is Gasolina. So weird, yes but strangely mesmerising too. McKeever could go anywhere from here, and his experiments with captions, and symbols as speech works a treat.
Daytripper from Vertigo is a 10 issue mini-series. If you like Demo, then this is for you. Created by Brazilian brothers Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba (who worked with Matt Fraction on Casanova), the series follows former obituary writer and novelist Bras de Oliva Domingos throughout his life at different ages. This issue he attempts to track down an old college friend who mysteriously vanished years ago. Like every issue in this series, it looks like a vibrant dream and is filled with unexpected emotion.
Two different approaches, for two very different DC characters.
First up is the 30 minute short film made by Bat in the Sun Productions,who also made the Joker-centric Patient J film in 2004. Their latest endeavour, City of Scars was made on a budget of $27, 000 and looks very impressive. It’s all suitably dark, with noir overtones. Batman looks great, as do Joker, Mr. Zsasz, Harley Quinn and Ventriloquist and Scarface. The plot is appropriately low key (Joker escapes Arkham Asylum and takes a boy hostage) befitting its fan made status. The Alex Ross inspiration seems obvious too, evidenced by Bruce’s imposing yet scarred body, the all black and grey costume, and the pose below. See the whole film right here.
Another fan driven project is this first episode of this twelve part Superman web series, utilising live action, CGI and animation. It may not be as polished as City of Scars, but it’s a lot harder to make a good Superman film on a small budget. It features the expected supporting cast, plus Metallo, Toyman and Lex Luthor in future episodes by the looks of things. For the most part, the blend of different visual imagery works rather well. Follow the rest of the series at the team’s website.
The long talked about animated series based on the recent series that brought the classic character to the front of the Marvel U once more is out next week. Full details below and more screen shots including Captain America, Black Knight and Juggernaut fighting a rhino (yep) right here.
Marvel Announces Release of BLACK PANTHER: WHO IS THE BLACK PANTHER?
Marvel Knights Animation is proud to announce Black Panther: Who Is The Black Panther?, a twelve-episode, weekly, all-new series debuting on iTunes, Xbox LIVE, Microsoft Zune and PlayStation®Network on June 23rd.
Inspired by the acclaimed graphic novel from respected filmmaker/producer Reginald Hudlin and legendary comic book artist John Romita Jr, Black Panther: Who Is The Black Panther? introduces viewers to the Black Panther, the warrior king of Wakanda, a technologically advanced nation in the heart of Africa . As outside forces conspire to plunder this proud nation, the Black Panther will face his greatest threats as he meets Klaw, the man who murdered his father.
“The positive responses to news of the show have been so overwhelming, it’s great to finally make the Black Panther series available to everyone,” said Hudlin. “Audiences get caught up on many levels – seeing John Romita Jr’s art come to life; the quality of the voice work by an award winning cast; the boldness of the politics, the music and humor. But see it for yourself!”
Romita Jr added, “The reaction by any person, upon viewing footage of a black panther, is universal: Awe. There is no more elegant a creature on the face of the planet. The creation of the character by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, in a turbulent political time, maintained that quality. Reggie Hudlin’s updated version follows that and adds an amazing, cinematic flair to it. In my opinion, reading, and now viewing, the Black Panther series is much akin to witnessing a panther in person. Enjoy the elegance of the story, the elegance of the actors, their voices, their words, and….the imagery.”
This exciting series also features the voices of major celebrities including Academy Award-nominee Djimon Hounsou as Black Panther; Jill Scott as Storm, Kerry Washington as Princess Shuri; Alfre Woodard as both Dondi Reese and Queen Mother; Carl Lumbly as Uncle S’Yan; and comics legend Stan Lee in a special role.
Learn more about Black Panther: Who Is The Black Panther? right now at www.marvel.com/blackpanther
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