Monthly Archive: February 2008

Review: Locke & Key #1

You can understand why Joe Hill waited so long to publicly acknowledge that his father is famed writer Stephen King. For several years, Hill used that shortened version of his name (Joseph Hillstrom King in full) so that he could test himself in the fantasy/horror writing world without the spectre of his father lurking about.

Now jumping into comics for the first time with the new series Locke & Key ($3.99), Hill saw that experience affected by the elder King even before Locke & Key #1 hit shelves. While publisher IDW didn’t promote the famous father angle, it didn’t stop some such as Rich Johnston from playing up that lineage as a bit of comics speculating.

Those who actually read the book and didn’t just seal it away in plastic to put up on eBay at a later date were treated to a very good first issue that succeeds in areas a lot of novelists-cum-comics writers fail. That is, Hill clearly understands the medium. He knows when to rein in the verbiage and let artist Gabriel Rodriguez drive the story. 

The narrative is split in three parts: the teenaged protagonist Ty witnessing his father’s murder, sobbing through the funeral and relocating to a spooky house in the ominously named town of Lovecraft, Mass. Aside from a few awkward transitions, the story runs seamlessly.

First issues, of course, are incredibly difficult to do well, making it all the more surprising that in his first 32 pages of comics, Hill establishes a great deal of depth to his characters and lays out a handful of intriguing plotlines to follow. The last few pages are particularly effective, as Hill takes what was previously a down-to-earth story and shifts to a more supernatural paradigm.

It’s a series to watch, even if you aren’t just looking to make a buck.

The Super-Hero Car, by Dennis O’Neil

  • News
  • February 26, 2008

When we last looked in on our intrepid, tv-watching old guy – that’d be me – he was waiting to treat himself to the premiere of Knight Rider, a remake of an old series.

 
Okay, I watched it.
 
I can’t really compare it to the original, which aired at a time in my life when television had a very low priority. The episode I do remember seeing annoyed me, just a bit, I think, because he talking car seemed to be as much a – brace for a pun – deus ex machina as…oh, say, the shafts in Green Arrow’s quiver or the items in Batman’s tiny utility belt compartments; whatever the hero needs, that’s what’s there. But, as noted, I was never a real Knight Rider watcher.
 
Having made that confession: the show I saw last Sunday didn’t seem to be awfully innovative. The one blatant updating was that one of the good guys was a gay, black woman, a character who probably would not have appeared on network television during the original Knight Rider’s heyday.
 
And that talking car? Pretty nifty, I have to admit – similar to the original, but a bit improved. For example, it changed colors at the twiddle of a dashboard thingy, which brings us to the aforementioned Batman.
 

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ComicMix TV: Toy Fair ’08 – 30 Days of Night, Halo and Marvel Sub Casts

In this first full episode of ComicMix TV, we peek at some of the comics-related products on display at this year’s Toy Fair International event, including toys based on the 30 Days of Night film, Halo figures designed by Todd McFarlane and a line of cartoon-cool Marvel characters.

Missing all of the Toy Fair fun already? You can always look back through our archive of Toy Fair 2008 coverage and experience it all over again.

 

 

 And remember, you can always get more audio and video coverage of your favorite comics news by subscribing to ComicMix Radio podcasts via badgeitunes61x15dark-3213661 or RSS!

Corey Feldman Talks ‘Lost Boys 2’

  • News
  • February 25, 2008

Previously, I brought you the first image from the upcoming film The Lost Boys 2: The Tribe, the sequel to one of the seminal films of the ’80s: The Lost Boys. Now, thanks to ShockTilYouDrop, there’s a new, exclusive interview with the sequel’s star, and ’80s teen icon, Corey Feldman.

The site caught up to the actor this weekend at a post-Oscar party in Beverly Hils where, among other tidbits, Feldman reveals that the Lost Boys sequel has finished shooting and is now in post-production, some info about the sequel’s story, which picks up the action 20 years later, and why it may have taken so long for the sequel to finally be made.

Feldman also reveals his thoughts on the film’s script, why he thinks the sequel should have been made and that he and co-star Corey Haim won’t be spending much quality time together in the future. It’s an interesting, albiet short, interview that gives some decent insight into the film and one of its stars.

Review: Crossing Midnight, Vol. 2

The news of Mike Carey writing a fantasy/horror comic set in Japan sounded too good to be true, and when Crossing Midnight debuted more than a year ago it struggled to live up to that promise.

Carey created a deep and supernatural world to backdrop his story of mystery: Two twins, Toshi and Kai, were born on either side of midnight, leaving each with an otherworldly power and putting them at the mercy of dark forces. But Jim Fern’s stiff art and some uneven storytelling held the series back. When sales weren’t strong, the rumors of a looming cancellation kickstarted.

After the so-so showing of that first arc, I gave up on the series. But, when Vertigo sent over a copy of the second volume (the cover seen at right is from DC’s website, but isn’t the cover on the actual book), Crossing Midnight: A Map of Midnight ($14.99), I realized I just didn’t give the series enough of a chance.

The volume picks up with Toshi, the female twin, struggling as a slave under an apparently evil spirit. She must fly through Japan at night, cutting unpleasant memories from people’s dreams and collecting them for some unrevealed purpose.

Following the archetype of most stories featuring children, Toshi’s impudence puts her and others into danger as she squares off against one of death’s faces. Perhaps because of the more fantastical nature of the content in this volume, Fern’s art loosens and adeptly adapts an ethereal tone. Later, Eric Nguyen takes over on art and, if anything, is an improvement.

Meanwhile, Kai stumbles onto a group of “telephone club” girls — early teens working essentially as prostitutes — and must help save them from an evil spirit that’s on the prowl. While this storyline feels a bit tangential to the larger theme, it is easily the high point for the series. Carey clearly has strong opinions of such clubs (he denounces them in a postscript) and how deplorable it is that they operate uncensored.

It is only then that the book goes farther than dipping a toe into Japanese culture, and Carey unleashes his horror-writing instincts. Sadly, the series seemed to be finding its footing just as the rug was being pulled out from under it. As Carey wrote on his Web site, [[[Crossing Midnight]]] will be wrapped up at issue #19.

Carey wrote that he knew a cancellation might happen, and all the plot threads will be wrapped up in that final issue.

Hercules Goes Green

  • News
  • February 25, 2008

All but admitting that replacing the Hulk in his own book with Hercules was a mistake, Marvel is trying to rectify the problem by spray-painting Herc green. It’s clearly a rushed and uneven job, as paint seems to be collecting in big drips under his chi–

–beg pardon? This is something about a Skrull invasion?

Geez, they’re just going to say every mistake Marvel made in the last few years was a Skrull, aren’t they?

Coming soon: It wasn’t really a clone of Spider-Man, it was a Skrull pretending to be a clone of Spider-Man. And Harry Osborn? Skrull. Rhodey? Skrull. Crusader? Skrull. All the members of the Skrull Kill Krew? Skrulls.

[EDITOR’S NOTE: The copy editor for these promo posters? Also a Skrull. -RM]

 

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First ‘X-Files 2’ Trailer Hits the Net

  • Uncategorized
  • February 25, 2008

mulderandscullysmall-7959022If you’re like me, you’re pretty psyched to see the new X-Files movie. I was a big fan of the original TV series and enjoyed the first feature film very much. So, its been with great anticipation that I’ve waited for the new movie, still "officially" known as The Untitled X-Files Sequel (they really need to pick an actual name soon).

There’s been a few bits and pieces surfacing about the film so far. But now, thanks to the folks over at IESB, there’s video of the brand-new trailer shown at this weekends WonderCon. The snow-covered trailer features many of the original X-Files cast including, of course, Mulder and Scully as played by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson.

It also reveals a couple of new additions to the X-Files world, including a long-haired Billy Connolly, who screams "It’s here!" several times during the trailer, and new FBI agent Amanda Peet who tells people to "give him room." Looks cool to me.

One bit of advice about videos like this: if you want to see it, you better hurry. Things of this nature tend to disappear from the Internets as quickly as they appear. Although, this trailer will most-likely pop up on TV soon anyway, so if you miss it now, don’t worry too much. Enjoy.

X-Files 2 hits theaters July 25th.

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New ‘Iron Man’ Trailer to Surface During This Week’s ‘Lost’

  • News
  • February 25, 2008

ironmanheadshot-4307991If you’re a fan of Iron Man and excited for the upcoming film — and let’s face it, you probably are if you’re reading ComicMix — then here’s some more good news for you besides the other stuff we’ve already mentioned previously.

According to Marvel, during ABC’s episode of Lost this week, they’re going to debut a brand-new, 90-second trailer for Iron Man.

This new trailer is the one director Jon Favreau couldn’t show at WonderCon this past weekend so you have to know it contains some pretty cool stuff. So, fire up your Tivos and get ready for some pulse-pounding, armor-clad action. Mine’s already set.

Lost airs Thursdays at 9 PM Eastern/Pacific and 8 PM Central. Iron Man opens May 2nd.

‘Demons of Sherwood’ Goes Into the Woods

  • News
  • February 25, 2008

In today’s brand-new episode of Demons of Sherwood by Bo Hampton and Robert Tinnell, the scouting party finds the ruins of memory in Sherwood Forest.  

Are those days of heroism gone forever?

 

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Nebula Nominations Announced, Plus A Comment

  • News
  • February 25, 2008

The Science Fiction Writers of America have announced the final ballot for the 2007 Nebula Awards. As a paid-up SFWA member, I’d like to point out two items:

â–º The movie adaptation of V For Vendetta has been nominated as one of best science-fiction scripts of the year.

â–º The original comic book on which it’s based is not considered a sufficient work to qualify the authors for membership in SFWA.

In fact, you could combine all of Alan Moore’s comics work — including Watchmen, one of Time‘s 100 Books of the 20th Century — and it wouldn’t be deemed worthwhile. Yet the movie script adapting the work is considered sufficient work to join SFWA.

Nor is this the first time this has happened. Last year, Batman Begins was up for the same award. X-Men was nominated for 2002. The comics on which they were based? Not worthy as membership credentials.

My written response to this logic would trigger a lot of web-filtering software. My preferred response would be seen as deriviative of the movie.

And folks wonder why SFWA is considered a laughing stock by so many people. Let’s not even get started on the candicacy of Andrew Burt…

(Artwork by John C. Worsley. Take a look at his site, there are some very neat illustrations there.)

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