Batman, Jor-El, Avengers & Noah

Now, that’s what I call a x-over! Here’s a look at some new movie (and one TV) pics.

The fun Batman: The Brave and the Bold is ending this year, but a new Batman is coming our way, as announced in France on the weekend. I’m kind of over Batman getting all the toon attention, but bigger plans are afoot, including Plastic Man, Doom Patrol and a claymation Batman from the guys behind Wallace and Gromit. Cool. Beware The Batman has Katana instead of Robin as Batman’s sidekick, Alfred becoming a gun toting butler (which he does when necessary in the comics BTW) and the first adaptation of Grant Morrison’s evil Professor Pyg. I wonder how they’ll make him kid friendly. Check out details here.

Russel Crowe is playing Superman’s Kryptonian father Jor-El (played by Marlon Brando in the ’70s film), while Kevin Costner plays his earthly dad. The costume seems to be going for the regal, fantasy look, complete with red cape and blue bodysuit, meaning Zack Snyder’s 2013 reboot will feature a Superman who uses his Kryptonian roots for his costume. I like the connection, but I doubt Crowe has the gravitas to play Jor-El. We’ll see.

Some very cool pics of Marvel’s The Avengers film have been released, showing Black Widow, Captain America, Nick Fury and director Joss Whedon. Check them all out here.

The director of The Fountain and Black Swan tackling Noah? Now that’s interesting.

Aronofsky says “Since I was a kid, I have been moved and inspired by the story of Noah and his family’s journey. The imaginations of countless generations have sparked to this epic story of faith. It’s my hope that I can present a window into Noah’s passion and perseverance for the silver screen.”

 

October 5, 2011
Categories: Cartoons, Movies, New To Comics?, News . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: 3 Comments

Image Comics Goes Digital

Image Comics has now joined the digital comics race. Awesome. Most of their comics will be released digitally the same day as print, and the first batch of new goodies starts on Wednesday. Details below.

GRAPHICLY TO PROVIDE DIGITAL COMICS ON ALL PLATFORMS INCLUDING FACEBOOK
Graphicly and Image Comics Announce Digital Publishing Partnership for Walking Dead, Invincible, Savage Dragon and more!
Graphicly, a social networking and digital distribution platform for the visual entertainment industry, announced today a partnership with Image Comics, the third largest comic book publisher in the US and the number one creator owned content publisher, to digitally supply and share their entire publishing catalog, including such hits as Walking Dead, Invincible, Savage Dragon, Chew and many more, to be released same day as print on Graphicly.
Working with Graphicly, Image Comics will be expanding their reach on all iOS and Android platforms including Barnes & Noble’s NOOKcolor and Amazon’s Kindle Fire. As the only comic book application on Facebook, Graphicly will be making the world of Image Comics available to this growing social audience. Image’s Facebook page will become a browseable comic store where potential readers can preview and purchase the wares while never having to leave the page. Fans can now like a new comic and share it on a friend’s wall!
“20 years ago, Image Comics changed the comic book industry and we’re excited that they’ve chosen Graphicly to help them innovate comics in the digital age.” said Micah Baldwin, CEO of Graphicly. “Image’s focus on creator owned content , making them THE cutting edge publisher for creator owned titles, is perfectly aligned with Graphicly’s philosophy of putting the creator first. We are excited to join them in becoming the leading cutting edge digital solution for creators.”
“For years, print comics have been dependent on a single distribution network, so it’s interesting to be a position to utilize a variety of different digital platforms,” said Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson. “As digital comics continue to become a greater concern, it’s important to embrace as many different options as possible.”
Graphicly is bringing the content to the communities rather forcing the people to come to them and is dedicated to providing visual entertainment for the communities that love stories. Image Comics is a venue where creators can publish their material while maintaining creative control and the rights to the stories and characters they create, as creator-owned properties. Together Graphicly and Image are spreading the idea of the importance of good stories by world class creators.

October 4, 2011
Categories: Comics, New To Comics?, News . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Who Is Jake Ellis? #5 Preview

At Broken Frontier is a preview of the next issue of this highly entertaining spy series from writer Nathan Edmondson and Tonci Zonjic. Keep your eyes peeled out for the issue on shelves next Wednesday.

Check out the Who Is Jake Ellis? #5 preview here.

October 4, 2011
Categories: Comic Art, News . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Incredible Hulk #1 Preview

Hulk is coming back with 2 impressive creators. Preview pages below.

Silvestri & Aaron Break New Ground In INCREDIBLE HULK #1!

Hold on to your seats for the biggest, baddest, most Incredible Hulk ever! Join Legendary Artist Marc Silverstri as he teams with Jason Aaron for a Hulk story unlike anything you’ve ever seen in the all-new Incredible Hulk #1! It’s the buildup to the greatest showdown fans have been demanding – Banner versus Hulk. Who is the beast and who is the man? Find out in Incredible Hulk #1and check out these jaw-dropping pages for a sneak peek at this groundbreaking new series!

*Retailers should check the Diamond Daily today for special ordering incentives including variants!

INCREDIBLE HULK #1 (AUG110584)

Written by JASON AARON

Pencils and Cover by MARC SILVESTRI

FOC – 10/3/11, ON SALE – 10/26/11

October 2, 2011
Categories: Comic Art, Comics, New To Comics?, News . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

This is What Catwoman Should Look Like on Film

Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman costume for The Dark Knight Rises film is pretty bland and impractical. Thanks to Coolvibe though, I spotted a great alternative from artist Sven Juhlin’s blog, which you can see below, along with his interpretations of Captain America and Juggernaut.

October 1, 2011
Categories: Art, Comics, Movies . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: 2 Comments

Atomic Robo For Everyone

Red 5’s flagship character Atomic Robo is currently in it’s sixth volume, the second issue of which is due out this month. On the official Robo blog, writer Brian Clevinger shares an encouraging letter from a mother about her son. Here it is:

My 6 year old son, Bobby Jr., just got done readingAtomic Robo: Ghost of Station X (part 1). Tomorrow he is taking it to school to read it to his first grade class.

He is the most advanced reader the school has ever had (he is reading at a 5th grade level now). I started reading comics to him since he was 3, and now we both can’t get enough. Every year he goes as a comic book superhero for Halloween. And everyday he builds robots with LEGO.

It is because of the hard work of his teachers and I, and his extreme love of comic books that he has excelled. It is because of writers and artists like yourselves that we both want to read. The wanting makes all the difference.

Thank you Red 5 for making reading fun for my son. I am really grateful that we saw your booth at the Dallas Comic-Con earlier this year. Now we make sure to pick up any Red 5 issues we can find. Thank you again.

-A very proud mom.

Great stuff. Check out Brian’s response, and pics of Bobby reading the issue to class at the blog here, and grab any issue of Atomic Robo for some good, funny, all-ages entertainment.

        

October 1, 2011
Categories: Comic Art . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Extra Sequential Podcast #60-Sex Scenes

75 mins. Put on the jazz and light some candles. It’s time for a look at sex scenes in comics. It’s our raunchiest episode ever! Actually, it’s more funny than raunchy as we realise how disturbing, hilarious and just plain strange sequential art sex can get. Also duck rude bits, cooking chicken and Andrew Ridgley from WHAM!.

LISTEN TO IT BELOW, DOWNLOAD IT HERE OR ON iTUNES

You can email us at kris (at)extrasequential(dot)com and befriend us on the NEW ES Facebook page.

4:18 NEWS

Mladen’s writing for the digital Find Magazine! Woo hoo!

Catwoman’s unimpressive new film costume

Justice League: Doom animated film premieres next year

Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts doco

The hugely negative response to DC’s new version of the sexed up Starfire

Uderzo’s Asterix successors

14:06 SEX SCENES

Catwoman #1

Green Goblin and Spider-Man’s first girlfriend, Gwen Stacy

Superman and Wonder Woman having sex while flying through volcanoes. The earth literally moves.

Watchmen’s 2 scenes, including Dr Manhattan’s multitasking

Dave McKean’s artful “Celluloid”

The amazing hallucination/sex scenes in “Swamp Thing”

“The Boys”, and whether Garth Ennis’ has issues with women in authority

Last Gasp Publishing’s yearly anthologies: “Best Erotic Comics”

Milo Manara’s “Bolero”

Ignacio Noe’s “The Piano Tuner” and “The Convent from Hell”

Caza and Paul Lamontellerie’s “Planet Terror”

Serpieri’s “Druuna”

Vittorio Giardino’s Little Nemo sex romp, “Little Ego”

Hentai, and the troubling subculture of Lolicon

The gratuitous sex in “Gantz”

The mature sex and violence in “Crying Freeman”

The mechanics of mutant sex and superhero kids

The numerous, and disturbing scenes in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series


October 1, 2011
Categories: Cartoons, Comics, Movies, News, Podcast . Tags: , , , , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Perth 4 Jesus This Weekend

For the second year running, the Perth 4 Jesus rally is being held in Perth. The speakers are Pastor Kong Hee from City Harvest, Singapore’s largest church, and Pastor Robert Kayanja from Uganda. Both men are funny and anointed. I just came from the Friday night service and it was awesome. It’s open air, at NIB Stadium in Perth and is free and on Saturday from 12noon and Sunday from 2pm. There’s also bookshops, stalls for Bible schools and stuff too.

More info here.

September 30, 2011
Categories: News . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Warren Ellis Doco at NYCC

Last year’s doco on Scottish comics scribe Grant Morrison was an entertaining insight into the mind of the man. That same team is behind Captured Ghosts, a similar doco about writer Warren Ellis. Here’s the skinny.

Halo-8 Entertainment and the Napa Valley Film Festival are co-hosting a special NYC sneak preview screening of “WARREN ELLIS: CAPTURED GHOSTS” at the downtown theater CINEMA VILLAGE (22 E 12th St NYC 10003) during New York Comic Con on Friday October 14th at 11:15pm.

CAPTURED GHOSTS will have its official World Premiere November 11th at the Napa Valley Film Festival (alongside the premiere of Martin Scorsese’s HUGO and gala screenings of Alexander Payne’s THE DESCENDANTS & Clint Eastwoods J EDGAR), but the NVFF organizers made a special exception to co-present this sneak preview screening for fans attending New York Comic Con.

This is the second year in a row Halo-8 will debut a film by Respect Films partners Patrick Meaney and Jordan Rennert during New York Comic Con, following the packed-house that greeted last year’s GRANT MORRISON: TALKING WITH GODS.

WARREN ELLIS: CAPTURED GHOSTS

NYC Special Advanced Screening

Friday October 14, 2011

11:15pm

CINEMA VILLAGE

22 E 12th Street, NYC 10003

212.924.3363

Advanced tix available from www.halo8store.com or direct at these links:

$11 adult / $8 student / $20 bundle with DVD pre-order

CAPTURED GHOSTS features the most extensive interview ever given by Ellis, whose groundbreaking body of work includes comic books Planetary, Transmetropolitan, Iron Man: Extremis, FreakAngels, The Authority and novel Crooked Little Vein. Spanning from his first memory watching the moon landing as a child to the recent boffo success of RED, Ellis’ acerbic wit and core belief in humanity come across like never before… revealing the unique point of view that has made him such a pivotal and influential figure to his massive audience of artists, journalists, scientists, and fans.

The film features Academy Award-winner Dame Helen Mirren (THE QUEEN), Ben Templesmith (illustrator 30 Days of Night), Matt Fraction (writer Casanova, Invincible Iron Man), Darick Robertson (illustrator Transmetropolitan), Joss Whedon (director upcoming THE AVENGERS), Will Wheaton (STAR TREK), Brea Grant (HEROES, DEXTER, writer Suicide Girls comic), Claudio Sanchez (Coheed & Cambria), Joe Quesada (Chief Creative Officer, Marvel Entertainment), Stoya (adult film star), Andy Hurley (Fall Out Boy), Patton Oswalt (RATATOUILLE), and a Warren Ellis Muppet (!).

“Patrick Meaney and Jordan Rennert have an uncanny ability to tell the stories of cultural visionaries like Warren Ellis and Grant Morrison whose work serves as an epicenter of influence that expands to higher-profile mainstream innovators and subtly changes the world,” said Halo-8 president Matt Pizzolo, who also served as co-producer on the film.

Produced by Patrick Meaney and Jordan Rennert through their Respect Films banner in association with Halo-8 Entertainment and SequArt Publishing, WARREN ELLIS: CAPTURED GHOSTS is the follow-up to Meaney’s 2010 GRANT MORRISON: TALKING WITH GODS docu which Variety said “will intrigue the previously unconverted” and Wired called “an instant classic.”


September 28, 2011
Categories: Comics, Movies, New To Comics?, News . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: 2 Comments

Justice League: Doom

Based on one of the definitive Justice League stories, the next entry in DC’s animated films is out next year. Here’s the lowdown.

Primetime Television Stars

Nathan Fillion & Tim Daly

join heroic cast of

Justice League: Doom

Warner Home Video to distribute

DC Universe Animated Original Movie in early 2012;

Eight Justice League TV series alums featured in voice cast

Primetime television stars Nathan Fillion and Tim Daly, the reigning voices of Green Lantern and Superman, respectively, join an exciting group of actors reprising their famed cartoon roles in Justice League: Doom, an all-new entry in the popular series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies due in early 2012 from Warner Home Video.

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s “contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The story is inspired by Mark Waid’s much-heralded “JLA: Tower of Babel.”

Fillion, the star of ABC’s hit TV drama Castle, made his debut as Green Lantern/Hal Jordan in the recent Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. Fillion made his initial DCU bow as the voice of Steve Trevor in the 2008 hit Wonder Woman.

Currently headlining the cast of ABC’s popular Private Practice, Daly originated the title character’s voice in the landmark cartoon, Superman: The Animated Series. He has reprised the role in two DCU films: the 2009 extravaganza Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and the 2010 thriller Superman/Batman: Apocalypse.

In addition to current primetime stars Fillion and Daly, the cast is a grand reunion of the original group of actors who provided the voices of the Justice League for the cartoon of the same name and its follow-up, Justice League Unlimited. Reprising their roles are Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) as Batman, Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville, Breaking In) as Flash, Susan Eisenberg (Superman/Batman: Apocalypse) as Wonder Woman and Carl Lumbly (Alias) as J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter. Bumper Robinson (A Different World, Transformers: Animated) joins the cast as Cyborg.

The Justice League faces two sets of villainous teams in the film – The Royal Flush Gang and a sextet of notable evildoers. The latter group includes three voice acting alumni of the Justice League animated series: Phil Morris (Smallville, Seinfeld) as Vandal Savage, Olivia d’Abo (The Wonder Years) as Star Sapphire, and Alexis Denisof (Angel) as Mirror Master. Also opposing our heroes are Carlos Alazraqui (Reno 911) as Bane, Paul Blackthorne (The Dresden Files) as Metallo, and Claudia Black (Farscape, Stargate SG-1) as Cheetah.

David Kaufman (Danny Phantom) also reprises his Justice League role of Jimmy Olsen.

The film is executive produced by Bruce Timm (Batman: Year One), and directed by Lauren Montgomery (Batman: Year One), who is also credited as producer alongside Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series). Justice League: Doom is the final script from the late Dwayne McDuffie (All-Star Superman, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths). Casting and dialogue direction is once again in the capable hands of Andrea Romano (Batman: Year One, SpongeBob SquarePants).

Warner Home Video will premiere the Justice League: Doom trailer during its presentation at New York Comic Con on Friday, October 14 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. in the IGN Theater. Also premiering during that session will be the Catwoman animated short that is attached to Batman: Year One, the next DC Universe Animated Movie (streeting October 18).

 

September 28, 2011
Categories: Cartoons, Comics . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: 2 Comments

The Deep in The West Australian

This was a happy accident. We get the newspapers delivered everyday at work, so during brekkie I was reading the arts pages, as I’m a highly cultured and sophisticated individual, and found something of a rarity – a review of a comic in The West Australian newspaper.

Perth publisher Gestalt has been increasing their diversity and output this year and The Deep by Tom Taylor and James Brouwer is one of their best works.

You can read the whole review at The West’s site (although they give it the wrong name), but do give it deserved praise.

To have captured the feel of a slick animated adventure so successfully in a graphic novel is not just impressive but a delight.

The Deep: Here Be Dragons introduces the Nekton family – cool mum, smart dad, crazy brother, canny sister (and Jeffrey the fish) – who explore the deep sea in their futuristic submarine.

Their adventure is absorbing and intriguing but what we really follow is this multiracial family and the bonds that keep them together and alive. They are involving and charming, subtle but quick-witted and all captured equally well in Tom Taylor’s tight writing and James Brouwer’s superb draftsmanship.

This adventure ends with the promise of more – making the ending even better.

September 27, 2011
Categories: Comics, Reviews . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Zorro #2 Review

New Australian publisher Silver Fox Comics is quickly getting noticed with their radical interpretation of the classic, blade swinging avenger Zorro. Read my review of the second ish here at Broken Frontier, and keep an eye out for it your LCS, or a newsagent near you if you’re in Australia.

While you’re at Broken Frontier, you must check out this great list in Joe Keatinge’s latest One You Want column which gives shoutouts to a diverse array of 52 different comics. It’s not that long and is definitely worth a read if you’re stuck for something new to check out.

Also have a read of this examination of DC Comics’ 1997 experiment called Tangent, which saw familiar characters such as Green Lantern and Superman reinterpreted in bold ways, long before DC’w New 52 did.

September 27, 2011
Categories: Comics, Reviews . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Marvel’s Point One 2012

Comic book newbies, and Marvel zombies take note. There’s a new one-shot launching in November that’ll show what in store next year for Marvel’s titles. I don’t know who that is on the cover. Perhaps Nova with a rad new getup?

The Foundation Of 2012 Is Here – POINT ONE!

“Point One is a massive one-shot of 64 all-new pages of story by the top creators in the business, setting the stage for the biggest stories coming in 2012. It is the starting point to what’s in store for the world’s most iconic characters and startling events. Point One serves as the launch pad for dynamic new series, the return of fan-demanded characters, and a shocking teaser that will have everyone talking. See how all it comes together in one gigantic epic!” – Tom Brevoort, Senior Vice President, Executive Editor.

POINT ONE #1 (SEP110496)

Written by JEPH LOEB, BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, MATT FRACTION, ED BRUBAKER, FRED VAN LENTE, CHRIS YOST, DAVID LAPHAM & MORE

Art by ED MCGUINNESS, BRIAN HITCH, TERRY DODSON, SALVADOR LARROCA, RYAN STEGMAN, JAVIER PULIDO, ROBERTO DE LA TORRE & MORE

FOC – 10/17/11, ON SALE – 11/2/11

September 27, 2011
Categories: Comic Art, New To Comics?, News . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

My Monologue

A few months ago I wrote a monologue for a competition. I was one of the finalists which meant my monologue was performed every night for a week at His Majesty’s Theatre, here in Perth. It was a great opportunity and a real encouragement to see my words bring laughter to a crowded theatre.

The actor who performed my monologue  was Nick Candy, who can currently be seen on the TV ad for Blueprint Homes did a great job, and we both received a glowing review.

Below is the complete script. The performance on the night had to be less than 12 minutes, so a few paragraphs were cut. The theme was Treachery and Lechery in the 21st Century, which meant my story, inspired by my own experiences from a few years ago, was slightly ruder than my usual stuff.

A huge thanks must go to the Maj Monologues, presented by the Brainbox Project, and I’ll be sure to enter again next year.

Hit the Read More link for the whole shebang, and I hope you enjoy the dark humour.

 

 

 

The best thing about having one testicle is the jokes.

“What did the teste cancer patient say at the party?” “I’m having a ball!”

“What do Lance Armstrong and the Tower of Pisa have in common?” “ They both lean to the left.”

Ah, classic.

My own story to becoming a Uniballer is filled with laughs, greed and more needle marks than a Keith Richards weekend at home.

Four years ago, I was studying creative arts at Uni. It was my attempt to avoid working for a living. You see, many years ago, my grand parents won the second ever lottery in Australia. They were already wealthy and were shrewd investors, so they were able to retire in their fifties. As part of their will they left a hefty payment to my parents as long as they had children, and had the same deal for myself. So when I was born my parents’ bank account instantly became filled with more zeroes than my school report. My granddad was a rather paranoid Polish immigrant and was determined to keep the family name alive. He thought that if there was a generous financial reward encouraging children then his name would live on. Not a bad idea really, although it didn’t spur me on to pump out any kids. It just made me veer dangerously close to becoming Hugh Grant’s character in About A Boy – a selfish, bored waster of time and money. Landing at Uni was at least a pleasant distraction from any potential cubicle dwelling existence.

Continue reading →

September 26, 2011
Categories: My Funny Stories . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: 3 Comments

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