The Green Lantern is one step closer to becoming a motion picture. In Variety, the announcement was made that director Greg Berlanti (Dirty Sexy Money, Brothers & Sisters) would be helming the galactic cop.
I don’t know which version of the Green Lantern is going to be filmed (bog knows there’s enough of ‘em. Hal Jordan, Alan Scott, John Stewart, Kyle Raynor, hell, even Kilowog) or what the story is going to be.
Hopefully (hopefully) they play it straight, and ignore the much-rumored version that had Jack Black slated to star in it a few years ago…..
The Hero Initiative is a charity that helps older comic creators in need of financial or medical assistance. Before the days of royalties and creator’s rights, artists that created the characters we know and love today got little more than a pittance for the work they put forth.
The Initiative is auctioning off the ultimate comics library. One collector’s edition book every 52 weeks starting November 1 on eBay.
The first four auctions are:
- Tom Strong book 4 hardcover, with an original sketch by Jerry Ordway, with the auction starting November 1.
- X-Force: Famous, Mutant & Mortal hardcover, with an amazing sketch by Mike Allred, with the auction starting November 8.
- Sandman: Dreams & Nocturnes paperback, with an original sketch by Sam Keith, with the auction starting November 15.
- The Lobo’s Greatest Hits slipcover three-book set with over 30 original sketches from the likes of Simon Bisley, Tom Raney, J.G. Jones, Marc Silvestri, and many more, with the auction starting November 22.
This is a worthy cause, and if you’d like to own some comics history, check it out. For more information, visit www.HeroInitiative.org or call 310-909-7809
As a kid, I believed everything. Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, Headless Horseman, UFOs . . . everything. As I grew up and became acquainted with the scientific method and a little thing called logic, I stopped believing so much and the magic went out of my world. So to speak.
Here comes Image Comics’ Proof to bring some back. The story follows a simple premise: “What if Bigfoot worked for the CIA?” The first issue answers that question, introduces John Prufrock (Bigfoot) and his new partner Ginger, as well as some of the scenery they inhabit; namely The Lodge — a secret unit within the CIA (really, is there any other kind?) that investigates the paranormal.
Think X-Files, but with…well, with proof.
The first critter that Prufrock and Ginger are going up against is the Chupacabra, the “Mexican Bigfoot,” albeit in Minnesota of all places. The story moves along at a good clip; however, there is only 10 pages of it. Kind of. The book is divided into sections for this first issue: The first two pages serve as a prologue, giving some feel. 15 pages are then devoted to the Chupacabra, along with the briefing of Prufrock and Ginger. Then seven pages for Ginger, going back in time a bit. It works really well, and then the book is padded out with the author Alexander Grecian explaining where the idea came from, and what to expect in future issues.
Really, this book gives value for the $2.99 price tag. Well worth your time — as you walk up to the counter of your local comic store, keep an eye out for Proof.
Teresa Palmer has reportedly signed on as Wonder Woman, the long-in-production movie may have a star. Of sorts.
news.com.au has the story:
As word filtered through Hollywood that Jessica Biel had passed on the tights-tastic role yesterday, Confidential received word from Palmer’s friend that the blonde bombshell, now based in LA, had lassoed herself the part.
“Teresa rang me all excited to tell me at 2 am this morning,” Palmer’s pal said.
“Apparently they’re going to have her fitted out with a black wig rather than dye her hair.”
Director George Miller flew to Hollywood last week to begin casting for the big-budget film, which is likely to be shot at Fox Studios next year.
I haven’t seen too much of Palmer, so I remain a bit skeptical. However, I will say: Better than Biel.
I am ashamed of myself. I laughed when I saw Lone Ranger was back in print. I did. As a child, I would sit in front of the television and watch as the mysterious Masked Man with the Silver bullets, Tonto and of course Silver and Scout (those are the horses) would vanquish ne’er-do-wells in the old west.
And I saw the comic book, and I laughed. And then I picked it up and purchased it, as somewhat of an homage to the kid that sat in front of the tv those many moons ago.
And then I bought the next one, and the next.
Lone Ranger, published by Dynamite Entertainment, is a very good piece of work. It retells the origin of the Ranger, gives Tonto some more legs, and revisits the stories in a very good way. Brett Matthews is the scribe of this western, and you can tell there is some love for the subject matter present. Sergio Cariello puts the pencil to the paper in a very lush way — “lush” may not be the word you may think describes the vistas of the Old West, but take a good look at the art in the issue and I think you’ll agree.
Western comics? Alive and kicking. This doesn’t have the fantasy factor of Jonah Hex from DC, and that is a positive. This is one book that brings it strong.
Paul Dini and Kenneth Rocafort have teamed up to bring you the story of Dini’s wife. Ok, not exactly, but it’s not a well-kept secret at all that the character of Madame Mirage is based off of his magician wife, Misty Lee.
The comic is an interesting one — to be honest, I don’t know if I like it or if I don’t. I’ll keep reading it until I can decide one way or the other.
This issue, the third, is a confrontation between Mirage and the Brown Recluse, who is basically a superhitman for hire. This delves into the backstory of Mirage, and why exactly she is doing what she is doing. As such, it’s a decent step-stone to the series.
The art is full of cleavage and rear shots. Thinly disguised T&A don’t a best-seller make, guys. Fit the art around the story — let the art tell the story. Don’t use it as a peep show.
Zuda Comics has an instant winner! Jeremy Love’s Bayou is the instant winner, meaning that the comic will be published for a year by Zuda, with all the benefits that implies.
Bayou looks intriguing. Drawing from influences such as the Civil War, Blues, African Mythology, Southern Gothic and American folklore, Bayou follows Lee Wagstaff (a poor sharecropper) and Bayou (pictured above) as they venture through this world and the world of Dixie.
Bayou will be launched with the zudacomics.com site on October 30th.
If there are three origin stories that don’t need to be re-told, I’d say they’d be Superman (krypton. boom. orphan. Kents. ta-da) Spider-Man (spider bite. crawls walls. wrestler. arrogant. Bang to Ben. Angst. Power and responsibility. ta-da) and the Fantastic Four. (space ship. cosmic rays. mutate. Family. Poor Ben. ta-da).
I’m going to rescind the Fantastic Four part of that statement, because Newsarama has a look at something called Fantastic Four: Mythos, and the art is just blowing me away. Seriously. Updating origins…I understand why they need to be updated, what with sliding timelines and all — but usually the good ones stand alone. Reprint the origin issues every few years to introduce new readers to the concepts and let ‘em run with it.
But this, this is truly a work of art. Paolo Rivera is showing some major chops. I want more of this, like, yesterday. Click on the picture up top there to see what I’m nattering on about.
Ok, so 30 Days of Night is the #1 movie in America. That’s awesome — especially when you consider that the comic book is about nine shades of awesome rolled up in a bag of win and shot from a fun cannon.
I’ve been following 30 Days since I first heard about it. I’m not one of the “cool kids” who picked up the title from #1… Vampires just don’t pull my trigger like that. Zombies, sure. I’m a Romero fan from way back. Werewolves can be cool with the dichotomy between the human and the wolf, ghosts can be done well if not too emo, and so on. But Vampires are just…vampires to me. Little Varneys running around.
So I was a bit surprised when I picked up the original 30 Days of Night a while back. I was surprised at how .. well, how damn good it was.
The series has continued in fine fashion with Red Snow. Taking place in Russia during WWII, this book has everything that is fine and good about the 30 Days “franchise” (We call it a franchise now, right? The whole movie thing? Right.)
This is the third issue in the Red Snow mini, and really — get the back issues first. Otherwise the characters and situations will be lost to you. The Mike Mignola-esque art done by Ben
Templesmith (also the scribe of this fine story) is picture-perfect for the setting and characters.
Yes, 30 Days is a “name” now. Hopefully those of you that haven’t read the comics but saw the movie with rectify that mistake RIGHT NOW. Shoo. Go buy it.
King Kong.
There’s something about the big ape that’s captivated me since I was a wee lad. Watching Kong kick Godzilla in the yarbles helped matters along, I must admit.
AAM/Markosia is putting out a miniseries that deals with Kong returning to Skull Island, and a 0 issue was released this week. I picked it up because of my fondness for the plane-swatting primate, and was pleasantly surprised when I enjoyed it.
I’ve never read a book by Markosia that I can recall — Kong, King of Skull Island will remedy that situation. Chuck Satterlee writes the 0 content and from the preview of issue 1 that’s included, it looks like the job will be done well. Dan O’Conner is the artist, and does a good job of capturing the ambiance of a freighter coming up to Skull Island.
Check it out — the preview issue will barely dent the wallet at $1.99, and if you’re like me you’ll be happy with what’s in between the covers.
