Opening on May 7 is this hotly anticipated superhero sequel. The cast and crew have loaded up the film with even more fanboy treats than the original by the looks of things. Apart from War Machine, Whiplash, et al, there’s also what looks like a bunch of Crimson Dynamos and the classic armour-in-a-suitcase from the comics years ago. Awesomeness is only weeks away.
The Week In Pictures-March 7 2010
Peter Parker’s joining the ranks of the unemployed and something called Heralds launches in June. You can also check out a preview of the 3 ish mini Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton, which hits next week. Also, Stan Lee’s POW Entertainment is working with BOOM! Studios, there’s a bunch of great previews (25 in fact) from May 1’s Free Comic Book Day titles and below is a look at Alan Moore as a teenage girl (he also teams up with Neil Gaiman!). See it to believe it.
100 Very Cheap Marvel TPBs
Thanks to Rich Johnston’s Bleeding Cool for this awesome cost saving heads up. It seems now at Amazon you can get your hands on 100 Marvel TPBs for around $15 and some great art books, such as Joe Quesada’s and Marko Djurdjevic’s for the same price. Wow. Perhaps Marvel are doing a stocktake or something. Whatever, the reason – strike now! There’s Old Man Logan, War of Kings, a bunch of Omniboo (love that word) such as The Death of Captain America, The Ultimates, The Invincible Iron Man, and more. There’s also a stack of classic runs like Secret Wars, Punisher Max, and unique collections including Criminal, Halo, Dark Tower, and Powers. Go now!
Empire Picks Flash
My fave movie magazine, Empire has a quick rundown regarding fantasy casting for The Flash film, starring recently revived Barry Allen. They have some interesting choices from Neil Patrick Harris to Josh Lucas. Check out the other 6 candidates here.
Robot 13 #3 Review
Well, technically this issue isn’t out just yet but you can pre-order it, as I heartily recommend you do. The conclusion of Robot 13 (hopefully, only for now) is a great example of the talent found within the ranks of indie comics. Writer Tom Hall and artist Daniel Blackford, working as Blacklist Studios, know how to craft a decent tale. There have only been 3 issues of this series centred on the enigmatic monster fighter of the title, but each one has been getting great buzz. Apparently a TPB will be released at some point, and coupled with the issues, via Panelfly and Robot Comics, on mobile devices means R13 will get more respect.
The simplicity of R13 is what lends it its charm. Robot 13 is the name of a centuries old skull headed robot who is charged with battling mythical monstrosities (one in every issue) with a fearless attitude and gangly limbs. With his origin becoming slightly less mysterious with every issue (and thankfully explained beautifully here), and Hall’s sparse use of captions and dialogue, this is one of those comics that can be easily read within minutes, but will more than likely be read multiple times. In this conclusion, R13 struggles to recall his ancient past, and recuperates from last issue’s battle while in the hillside home of a blind man called Oliver, and his dog.
It’s not long before a huge crimson cyclops tracks him down on a mad quest for vengeance and the battle heats up. This is by far the best issue yet. Bradford’s Mike Mignola comparisons seem far less necessary by now. Every issue has been filled with pages designed with such gusto that they demand to be gazed at. With #3 Bradford pulls out all the stops and fills these 32 pages with many moments like that. He has an uncanny knack of just knowing what looks unashamedly cool on paper, and it’s all done with so few lines and such subtle colouring, that it makes it even more impressive. The hard-edged approach to every shape, use of silhouettes and great tension building arrangement of panels all work splendidly to make this an engaging, and easy to follow tale. I could easily see Hall and Bradford working on a Clash of the Titans comic with the same vigour they show here.
Hall breathes humanity onto these pages to work hand in battle ravaged hand with Bradford’s artistry. Just a few conversations here and a few hints there and the story falls into place like toppling dominoes. There’s no verbose speeches in the vein of Brian Michael Bendis or Kevin Smith needed. I’m glad this pair have received the recognition they deserve. Really, R13 is just the product of 2 hard working fellows who obviously care about their end product greatly and that streamlined approach to storytelling makes this series as likeable as its metallic hero.
If you love R13 as much as I (and many others) do, you can also vote for the title in the Best Horror Comic Book category at the Rondo Awards before April 3. Below are the details from the R13 site, and here’s a great interview with both gentlemen, which is necessary reading for any would be self publishers.
The 8th annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards Ballot has been released, and Robot 13 has been nominated for Best Horror Comic Book!
The Rondo awards are a yearly program to allow fans of Horror to vote for their favorites in Horror film, books, comics, music and general fandom and can be voted on by YOU the fan! If you go to Rondoaward.com, you can get the ballot information as well as info about the Rondos and lists of past winners. You can vote for as many or as few of the categories as you like- so if there are those that you just don’t know anything about, feel free to pass on those and vote for the categories you feel strongly about. All votes must be emailed to taraco@aol.com with your name (so they can adhere to the One Person=One Vote rule) by Midnight of April 3, 2010.
While we would LOVE for you to Vote for Robot 13 for Best Horror Comic Book, I want to also encourage you to check out the site and vote for as many of the categories as you feel knowledgeable about. It’s an awesome, grass roots type of thing and a HUGE honor to be nominated for everyone involved.
Gail Simone Leaves Wonder Woman
In a wonderfully touching farewell letter, writer Gail Simone says her goodbyes and thank yous to all the faithful readers, and new fans who have joined her in her adventures with Princess Diana since she began in 2007. Simone will work on July’s landmark Wonder Woman #600 and will then make way for a new, as-yet-unnamed writer, who Simone is very excited about. She’ll also continue working on her excellent Secret Six series, and the relaunching Birds of Prey, which debuts on May 19, as well as a Welcome to Tranquility mini for DC/Wildstorm. So, she’ll be busy then.
Simone has always been a classy writer and though I haven’t read a lot of her WW issues, I know her love for the character, and close relationships with the fans has helped to bring the title a credibility it hasn’t had in a long time. Her last issue as writer will be WW # 44 out on May 26.
Sam Kieth The Sketch Books Vol. 1 Review
I first became aware of Sam Kieth’s curious artistry when the animated series of his The Maxx comic was shown late at night on TV during my teens. I’ve followed him on and off ever since, most recently with his 2 issue Lobo: Highway to Hell series for DC. He’s also worked on The Sandman, as well as with Batman and Wolverine over the years. I guess he’s more known for the offbeat works that suit his unique sketchy style however, such as Epicurus the Sage and Zero Girl.
Unfortunately his website is inactive, so this attractive hard cover sampling of his work is a great place to start. IDW do have it in them to make well presented, stylish art books like this, as their Sparrow series of books (the latest one is centred on artist/designer Pushead) and their handsome tome covering the first decade of their own publishing history prove. Their quirky series such as ZVR Aventure (no, that’s not a spelling mistake) show that the decision makers behind IDW are indeed brave enough to produce non-standard comics. So, a book on Sam Kieth then seems like a logical step. Whether this is part of a series as the Vol. 1 subtitle indicates remains to be seen, but if so, it’s off to a good start.
Sure, it’s only 48 pages, but the oversized format and replications of Kieth’s sketchbook, (with dirt, scribbles, and all) works well. One look at Kieth’s artwork is all you’ll need to know if you’re a fan. There’s much diversity in these pages, and some minor comments from Kieth on the odd page. There’s a few pages dedicated to fashion, some to Japanese inspiration and several visual ideas on a film called Four Women he was once going to direct.
The different media used include paint, watercolours and pen and ink. Busy pages are sandwiched by superb examples of minimalist landscapes and flowing lines. This is $10, sure, but it’s a book you’ll certainly look at more than once.
United Moon Destination
Time for 3 quick movie reviews.
The Damned United tells the true (though embellished here) tale of manager Brian Clough’s disastrously short tenure leading hugely successful English football team, Leeds United. Taking over from much loved manager Don Revie, Blough’s non-nonsense, honest approach to playing made him no fans, or won his team any matches. Now, I’m certainly not a huge fan of soccer in the ’70s, but this is a riveting and dramatic film. Michael Sheen, after proving he has playing real life characters down pat in the excellent Frost/Nixon, does so again here. He’s confident, charismatic and unavoidably sympathetic. The closing credits and extras reveal what a great manager and showman Clough really was. This is what a sports film should be like – not the endless ‘uplifting’ gridiron fluff America trots out, but engrossing, surprising and real.
An indie sci-fi film directed by David Bowie’s son does not scream potential. However, ignore that doubtful voice. Moon is a revelation. First-time director Duncan Jones shows he can stretch a thrifty budget and expand upon concepts often visited in this genre. Sam Rockwell carries the film as its protagonist and solo performer, for the most part. He is brilliant and allows the film’s surprising narrative to hang on his shoulders with great skill. He acts besides himself, unravels a conspiracy and talks to his computer GERTY, as voiced by Kevin Spacey. This is the kind of film that science fiction can do so well, but rarely does.
The Final Destination is the last entry in this series that began in 2000. The 3 previous films are superior to this one, as they welcomed the dark comedy and grisly deaths. This film (in useless 3D) tries hard but doesn’t reach the same horror heights. The subtlety of death as an invisible character is gone here too. Objects move on their own, not seemingly affected by gravity and bad accidents. There’s the usual cookie cutter teens who get picked off one by one, but none of them are really worth caring about.
Purge + Audit Blog
My mate Mladen has finally started a blog. The long haired man with a stranger name than me certainly has some eclectic interests and his awareness of quirky sci-fi films, classic novels and music I’ve never heard of is most impressive. He unleashed his blog, The Drowning Machine last month. Check it out now. He’s always been a good writer and it’s encouraging to see him put it to good use. Right now, you’ll see a deleted scene from Terminator 3, a review of Crime and Punishment and some dazzling videos. Yep, eclectic. You can also check some of his own music out right here. Yes, he’s a musician and a writer. Thankfully, he can’t dance and this keeps him humble.
Top Shelf’s New Website
The title says it all, but here’s some random attractions to entice you to visit it right here. Top Shelf are one of my favourite indie publishers and unlike others, their site has always been just as interesting as their unique books. Now it’s even better!
Red 5’s Box 13
Press release below regarding Red 5’s latest project.
“BOX 13” ARRIVES AS GRAPHIC NOVEL THIS MAY FROM ZUDA AND HARVEY-WINNING TEAM OF GALLAHER AND ELLIS FEATURED IN RED 5 COMICS FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2010 ISSUE
The Harvey Award-winning creative team behind the smash hit “High Moon” are set to once again leap story-telling magic from pixels to print in their latest adventure, “Box 13”. The graphic novel trade paperback will be available this May from Red 5 Comics and ComiXology, the creators of Comics — the #1 iPhone application for downloading comics. Created by David Gallaher and Steve Ellis, the first Zuda.com contest winners, Box 13 is a reimagining of the popular radio serial of the same name. It follows investigative author Dan Holiday who has spent the last several years of his life researching the secrets behind the MKULTRA project.
His latest book has brought him a degree of notoriety, but a mysterious numbered box left on his book signing table is too much to resist. Once opened, the box sends him spinning on a harrowing journey of self-discovery and driving mystery… what is in Box 13?
While inspired by the noir-serial of the 1940s, the reimagining blends in the disorienting action mysteries of the 1960s like “The Manchurian Candidate”, “The Prisoner” and “Modesty Blaise” wrapped in a modern tale in a digital medium. “There is gunplay, conspiracy, romance, psychological drama, train chases, motorcycle chases, and danger!” author David Gallaher told CBR. “But, at its heart it’s a story about rediscovering your place in the world after everything in your life changes forever.”
Originally commissioned by ComiXology and released exclusively on the iPhone, the series was created from start-to-finish with print-ready layouts. “Who better than this beloved award-winning team to help demonstrate to the world the potential synergies of comics content in digital and print?”, posed ComiXology president David Steinberger. “Over a hundred thousand people have discovered the series on their screens, and are now clamoring for the printed graphic novel to complete the experience. At the end of the day, it’s all about telling a great story that people want to read.”
Not only will the generation of digital comic readers come looking for Box 13, but the title will be exposed to comic shop masses on May 1’s Free Comic Book Day. The entire 8-page first chapter of Box 13 is included in Red 5 Comics third-annual Atomic Robo FCBD issue — one of the most anticipated regular releases of the event.
The release of the Box 13 graphic novel on May 19 will complete the page-turning appetite for just $13. Pre-order your copy in March 2010 using Diamond Comics code MAR101130. (And ensure your copy of Red 5 Comics Free Comic Book Day 2010 edition featuring Atomic Robo, Box 13 and Neozoic using code JAN100030)
This Week’s Marvel Art
The latest round of teaser images began this week, with hints relating to X-Men, and the post-Siege Avengers team, which Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen will unleash in June. Also, here’s a few covers from this week’s Marvel releases. See the full list, (including the first entry in March’s $1 issues, The Invincible Iron Man #1) here.
Funky Shirts
Awesome design site Abduzeedo has featured some great t-shirt designs in the last few days (including from Threadless), and they’re simply too good to not spotlight here. So here we go.
Best Fictional Sports
With the Winter Olympics now over, here’s a quick look at some awesome sports from the halls of pop culture to distract us.
Jugger
Introduced in Salute of the Jugger by writer/director David Webb Peoples (screenwriter of Blade Runner and Unforgiven) this 1989 action pic starring Rutger Hauer is known as The Blood of Heroes in the U.S. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, people eat dogs and barter with whatever trinkets they discover just to survive. In this harsh realm Sallow (Hauer) is accompanied by his assorted team-mates (including characters played by Joan Chen, Delroy Lindo and Vincent D’Onofrio) who play the nation’s favourite past-time, simply known as The Game (no, not the Michael Douglas movie). The players, known as juggers, manage to meke out an existence by travelling to different settlements and challenging the locals. The premise of The Game is a simple, yet brutal one. Two teams of four armoured players attempt to place a fancy dog skull on the enemy’s goalpost. Every player is armed with an assortment of wild and whacky weapons, except the person playing the role of the Quick. It’s their job to live up to their name, and run as fast as possible, being protected by their 3 team-mates and attempting to dodge a fatal bludgeoning or impalement along the way, while holding the aformentioned canine brain case. In fact, this sport is so well loved it has now become a reality, originating in Germany. The first international tournament took place in 2007 in Hamburg. A latex dog skull was used.
Deathball
As seen in the second direct to DVD Futurama film, The Beast With A Billion Backs, this game involves bare legs, spandex suits and fleeing from a giant ball, in the best Indiana Jones tradition. Old-timer scientific rivals Professor Farnsworth and the pony-tailed Dr Wernstrom form teams and compete in Deathball for the right to launch an expedition to discover the cause of a recent space anomaly. Players of Super Monkey Ball or the Wii’s Kororinpa will be somewhat familiar with the mechanics of the game, which is a life-sized version of the classic Labyrinth. Players run around a huge maze-like course, avoiding falling into holes, and the rolling steel marble, while the opposing team controls both the horizontal and vertical axis from an elevated viewing area. Hilarity ensues. So do crushed vertebrae of the slow runners.
Car Soccer
Now I’m not a fan of cars, but I am a fan of Top Gear and sure, this sport isn’t fictional exactly, but it’s not appearing on the Sports Channel anytime soon either. The crazy British trio of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have so much fun every week with motor vehicle shenanigans that the BBC series never fails to induce giggles. Some of their amusing stunts such as using a Volvo to jump over a line of caravans, or turning average cars into boats, or even a space shuttle can’t be considered sports, but they’ve covered those too. Hammond and May once captained opposing sides, ably assisted by stunt car drivers in red and blue teams driving Toyota Aygos and the biggest football you’ll ever see. In their Winter Olympics Special, the duo revisited the concept, using Suzuki Swifts in an ice hockey match.
Rollerball
This is more than director John McTiernan’s worst film. It’s also a fast paced full contact sport, as seen in the 1975 original of the same name, starring James Caan, and based on a short story by William Harrison. Cann plays Jonathan E, the legendary Rollerball player for the Energy Corporation. The ruling conglomerates of this 2018 future want Jonathan to retire at the height of his fame, while simultaneously altering the rules of the sport to make it appeal to the public’s bloodlust while hiding their own agendas. The film has certainly influenced many other fictional sports, and movies based around them, while itself being influenced by the popular Roller Derby game which rose to prominence in the 1970s and has seen a recent revival thanks to athletic female players with a goth/punk fashion sense, as seen in the new film, Whip It. Similar to Derby, Rollerball also uses two teams on roller skates on a circular track, but Ball incorporates only one ball, a cannon, three motorcyclists (which can tow team-mates), two catchers per side, and a magnetic goal on the track’s outer rim. It also incorporates orange jump suits, but those aren’t mandatory.
Holochess
George Lucas has given the world many great treasures, but he well knows, that no future world is complete without a made up sport. Sure, holochess is more of a hobby than a sport but any excuse to mention Star Wars is a good one. As seen on the Millennium Falcon in A New Hope, this game is a hi-tech version of chess, complete with interactive holographic aliens as pieces and a round table, rather than a square one. Also known as dejarik, the pieces resemble real and imaginary species in the Star Wars universe and act accordingly during play, becoming aggressive when used, or acting bored during times of inactivity. There are variations including multi-tiered boards and armies of characters, and a gruesome version created by Yuzzhan Vong warmaster Tsavong Lah involving living creatures as pieces.
Perhaps the most valuable lesson we can learn comes from Han Solo. As he reminds C-3PO while playing against sore loser Chewbacca, Wookie’s can rip their opponents arms off so it’s always a good strategy to, “let the Wookie win.”
Quidditch
Time for a less violent game, and one which the whole family can enjoy, as long as they’re not afraid of heights. The high-flying game, was developed by author J.K. Rowling and has been featured in every Harry Potter novel except the final one. Like Rollerball, but with flying broomsticks replacing skates, the aim of Quidditch is to um…throw a ball into one of three hoops. Or something. With names like bludgers, keepers, chasers, beaters, keepers, quaffles and goldens snitches, it’s probably easier to just read Quidditch Through The Ages. Published in 2001 and written by Rowling (under the pseudonym of fictional Quidditch expert Kennilworthy Whisp) it tells you all you need to know about the game, which is probably the most realized fictional sport ever produced. But if you really want to get the authentic experience, or as close to it, you could play any of the video games, or find a local Muggle Quidditch league. Sadly, it’s played on the ground.
Thunderdome
Think of it as the steel cage match of the future – the post-apocalyptic future, naturally. In the last outing of Mad Max, 1985’s Beyond Thunderdome, we follow Max (Mel Gibson) across the desert landscape, where he eventually lands in Bartertown, becoming a pawn in a power play between Aunty Entity (Tina Turner) and the vicious double act known as Master Blaster. The pair derives their name from the midget Master who rules from atop the hulking shoulders of the masked mute Blaster. Max faces the lone Blaster in the spherical cage, as a swarm of grubby onlookers cling to it’s frame and begin to chant the only rule – “Two men enter, one man leaves.” Hoping to be that one man, Max combats Blaster in a swinging harness, and then finally on the ground, using weapons placed inside the dome, as well as those handed to him by the bloodthirsty patrons. After a hard earned victory, Max uncovers Blaster’s true face and is shocked (as are we) to discover that it’s a mentally disabled man staring back at him. Max swims against the harsh tide of Bartertown and lets his opponent live.
The Running Man
Similar to Rollerball and Death Race, The Running Man is a televised sport in which the competitors fight for their lives. Based on a 1982 novel by Stephen King, under his sometimes-pen name, Richard Bachman, it became a film 5 years later. In it, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Ben Richards, a military pilot who refuses to fire on unarmed civilians, and is then imprisoned for it. Managing to escape with two friends, he is recruited by the show’s sleazy producer. Richards is told that if he doesn’t participate his fellow escapees will compete in his place. Richards reluctantly agrees, but soon learns that he’s been lied to. Running for his life through an earthquake ravaged L.A, he attempts survival against gimmick-laden stalkers, such as the ice-skating Subzero, lightning wielding Dynamo, chainsaw revving Buzzsaw and Fireball, who uses a jetpack and flamethrower. With each grisly death caught live on TV, Richards becomes more popular than the men created by the network. The obligatory resistance fighters soon recruit Richards and a happy ending ensues, one that couldn’t be further from King’s original novel.
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