ComicMix Radio: Hollywood Comes Calling

This past weekend Hollywood made a raid for new properties to take to the big screen. We’ve got the story — and here’s a hint on one of them, plus:

— The Incredible Hulk trailer arrives at last, so get your TiVo set! — Heroes‘ Adrian Pasdar tells us how he COULD survive for Season Three —  Our usual shopping list of this week’s comic and DVD releases —  Did our last trivia question stump you? Here’s a new one and another chance to grab an exclusive Graham Crackers Comics variant by e-mailing us at: podcast [at] comicmix.com Let’s get on it! Just Press The Button…     

Transcript

Broadcast 174. ComicMix.com. ComicMix Radio. Green and White. Extreme and Ruth Lewis's Elements.

It was a busy weekend in pop culture. Hi, it's Mike Raub, ComicMix Radio. While tens of thousands of fans traveled south to hit Mega Con, nobody was looking and Hollywood made a hit on comics. Got that story coming up on March 9th, 2008.

ComicMix News. Over the weekend, I guess when nobody was looking, Hollywood made a big raid on the comic book industry. Starting out when Warner Brothers came calling and acquired the film rights to Jeff Smith's acclaimed all-ages fantasy comic,

Bone. Now there's been no decision yet on whether the feature will be animated or live action, but it is going to be picked up by Warner Brothers. Now you might remember that there was an animated version in development with Nickelodeon a while ago, but that fell through.

Bone, of course, was published between 1991 and 2004, and then in 2005, Scholastic began releasing color versions of the original collections and those alone have sold more than one billion copies. Meanwhile, on the heels of 30 Days of Night IDW Publishing has announced that another one of their properties is headed to films.

This one is Snake, the one co-created by author Clifford Meth. Originally, by the way, one of the first issues was drawn by the late Dave Cochram. Snake has also featured cover art by Ashley Wood and some beautiful illustrations by a lot of other artists. It began as a series in December 2007.

Third issue just released about a month ago from IDW and more information on the production of film should be coming between now and the San Diego Comic Con. And finally, Harbinger. Remember that great value property has been acquired by Paramount

for a live action feature. This is according to Variety, who also said that Brad Rander, who you know from X-Men The Last Stand, has been attached as the director and the producer. You might also remember that for a while,

this and a lot of other valued properties were tied up in a big legal dispute. Now they're owned completely by Valued Entertainment, who will soon be releasing some of the earlier Harbinger material. Look for that in comic stores between now and the late Spring. Ready, set, TiVo.

The first trailer for Marvel's upcoming Hulk movie is going to be shown this Wednesday. You have seven different places to get it. Your choices include MTV, MTVU, MTV2, FH1, Spike TV, Nick at Night, and even Country Music Television. Now the trailer airs at 9.56 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Add a couple of minutes either way, do the math depending on what time zone you live in, and then we'll be back here on Thursday, and together we'll talk about what we saw. Last weekend in Orlando, well over 30,000 fans were treated to guests from comics, anime, and action TV, all at Mega Con.

And you know when it comes to action TV, you had to be sure that somebody represented heroes. That person was Nathan Fittrelli, better known as actor Adrian Pastor. He entertained a sold-out crowd with stories of his career, his plans for the future, and a few theories on how his character

might survive to fight on during season three. Well I can't tell you what happened. I can tell you that the clues were all laid out for what really happened. Now, you know, I'll give you a couple of scenarios with marathon hatred. Was he wearing a vest?

Did he set up his own vest to make it look like he was shot? Was it pre-staged? And if it was, who would have been in on it? Or was it one of those Kennedy-like scenarios where, you know, somebody was thinking they were going to assassinate him,

but he was already one step ahead of him, knew that they were going to try and shoot him, so he wore a vest to make it look like somebody thinks they actually did kill him, but he was ready for it. Now the new season of Heroes is going to be a while off.

It premieres in the fall from NBC. Meanwhile, you can share Adrian's Megacon panel with a story on ComicMix right now. Just head to the news page and scroll down. Hi, this is Rosario Dawson, and you're listening to ComicMix. ComicMix radio.

What's coming out this is this week. More than enough good things to enjoy between now and hopefully when spring lands in your area this week, starting in the stores with something from Dark Horse. That gets us in the mood for the Hellboy 2 movie.

There's Abe Sabian the Drowning, second issue of that five-issue miniseries. Along the same lines, BPRD 1946, number three. That's a five-issue series. Also from Dark Horse, Empower the Trade Paperback, volume three. Evil Dead, number three.

Great series there. It'll run four issues when it's done. When you get Goon, number 22, the Hanami International Love Story, Trade Paperback, volume four, as well as the Orion. Fourth edition Trade Paperback, also from the Anime Department at Dark Horse.

Serenity Better Days begins. It'll be a three-issue series reviving and hopefully keeping alive the characters from the Firefly universe. From Star Wars, there's Star Wars Legacy number 21 from Dark Horse, and Star Wars Rebellion number 12.

At DC, we get Bat Lash number four. We have two more to go. That'll be six issues when it's done. We get Batman Confidential number 14. For the all-ages crowd, Batman Strikes number 43.

There's Booster Gold number seven. Countdown to Final Crisis, winding down to an end. We're at issue number seven here, and later in the week, we'll talk to Keith Kiffin about just what it's going to be like to wind this one down at last.

Countdown to Mystery this week comes from DC. It's number six. There are two more to go in that one. We get DMZ number 29 and the DMZ Trade Paperback Friendly Fire, which is the fourth volume in that series.

We also get Emma volume seven from DC and from erotica with Love volume 12. Also, Gen 13 number 18 from DC Wildstorm. We get Gotham Underground number six. There'll be another three of those for a nine-issue miniseries when it's done. We get Green Arrow Black Canary number six and Green Lantern Corps number 22.

Also, JLA Classified number 54 and Justice League International, the hardcover version this week from DC. That should be kind of interesting. As well as Legion of the Superheroes in the 31st century number 12. That's for the all-ages crowd.

There's the Lobo Trade Paperback, some early stories in there for you, as well as Robin the Big League Trade Paperback. Salvation Run hits number five. There's two more to go in that one. We get a showcase volume presenting the Phantom Strangers stories.

Second volume in that run, by the way. There's Simon Dark number six, Suicide Squad Wraith, the flag number seven in an eight-issue miniseries. Superman number 674, as well as Superman Confidential number 12. For all ages, the Tiny Titans issue number two.

There's also the Unman number eight from Vertigo, Wildstorm Revelations number five. That'll be six issues when it's done. And finally from DC, Wonder Woman number 18. Devil's Dew hits the shelves with another issue of G.I. Joe America's Elite. This is number 33.

Toronto Quarterly, a great independent publisher, has a Paul Lucaville number 19. From Dynamic Forces, a very interesting one-shot you're not going to want to miss. It's Lone Ranger and Tonto number one. From Image, Robert Kirkman's Astounding Wolfman number five. There's Cemetery Blues number two.

Third issue of Gutsville in that six-issue miniseries. Also from Image, Madman Atomic Comics number seven. Screamland number one. That'll be five issues. And Walking Dead number 47.

From Marvel, nice handful of goodies, including Amazing Spider-Girl number 18. Avengers Fairy Tales begins its four-issue run with issue number one this week. There's Avengers Initiative number 10. The Director's Cut of Captain America number 34. Don't miss that one.

Check with your reach, because it might be hard to find. There's the Civil War Chronicles number nine. Dead of Night featuring the Man thing number two. That'll be four issues when it's done. The fourth issue of the Ghost Rider Trade Paperback Collection.

This is Revelations this week. There's also Iron Man Enter the Mandarin number six, which winds that one up. For the All Ages group, Marvel Adventures Hulk number nine. The very interesting sometimes Marvel Comics presents as issue number seven this week. There's New Exiles number three, Punisher number 55.

The Spider-Man family winds up in a trade paperback with the untold team-up's digest. There's also Thunderbolts number 119. Ultimates three number two. The second printing variant of that one this week. It's a wraparound cover.

Again, talk to your retailer. X-Men Die by the Sword collected in a trade paperback from Marvel this week. And then from Zeniscope, we get Grimm's Fairy Tales number 24. And from Virgin Comics Gamekeeper series two number one, which comes with a couple of different variants.

The Oscars are behind us. And now everything is on its way to DVD, starting with the leader of the group, No Country for Old Men out this week, as well as Jerry Seinfeld's B-movie and a couple of different editions. Steve Carell's Not Seen Too Much Dan in Real Life is on DVD this week,

as well as another underappreciated movie, August Rush. If you want to check that one out. Two different editions of Hitman this week, as well as a repackaged version of the Michael Gaine classic, Sleuth. Nancy Drew with that girl that's somehow related to Julia Roberts,

and that hits DVD this week, as well as the Sci-Fi Channel's Ten Man miniseries, as well as more fantasy with a repackaged version of Gattaca. Speaking of the Sci-Fi Channel, Stargate has another DVD collection this week. This is called The Ark of Truth. For the manga fans, there's Apple Seed X Machina, and for the South Park fans,

the entire Imagination Land story arc contained on the DVD set this week. A couple of other interesting repackaged notes that you may want to add to your collection. There's a new version of Dogmouth this week, as well. And also one of Bobby Deerfield, and if you're a Joan Crawford fan, there's a repackaged classic version of Daisy Kenyon.

From TV this week, a couple of different things you may find interesting. Love American Style, Season 1, Volume 2. Fantastic Four, The World's Greatest Heroes on Animation, that's Volume 3. There's also Witchblade, Volume 5. Tom and Jerry's collection of these are the more recent cartoons in the older ones,

but it's the fourth volume in that series. You get Little Bush, Resident of the United States, Season 1 from of course Comedy Central. And, best of all to me, there's Mod Squad. Season 1, Volume 2, been waiting to put that on the shelf. That comes to DVD this week.

It's the biggest winner! ComicMix Radio! Feels great to start another week with another winner. Here's how it goes. We give you a trivia question.

You give us an answer, hopefully a correct one. And providing we picked your email, you get a limited edition, variant-issue comic from Graham Crackers Comics. Nine stores, of course, in Chicagoland and available to be your comic store anywhere on the planet at GrahamCrackers.com.

The rules are simple. As soon as you get us your answer by the deadline we set in every broadcast, we choose one winner randomly from all the correct emails we get. And duplicate emails do not count. Graham Crackers variants are exclusive editions,

very limited print runs of big hot titles like Doctor Who, Captain America, Transformers, GI Joe and so much more. And you get a near-man copy meal direct to you if you're the winner. How do you do that? Well, first let's give one away.

The question we asked was, Jack Kirby's contribution to Marvel and even DC is certainly endless. But can you name any hero or character he created for another company beyond the big two? Congratulations to Phil Proctor.

He happened to answer one of my favorite Kirby characters. Co-created, of course, with Joe Simon, the western hero, Bullseye. Congratulations, Phil. Now, how about you? You ready to try your luck?

Here's our next question. With so many indie-based comics ending up on the big screen, can you name the one property that so far has made the most box office money to date? It's easy. Get us your correct answer right now at podcast.ComicMix.com. Don't forget, we need to buy Thursday, the 13th of March, at 9 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Once again, podcast.ComicMix.com. Type carefully and good luck. ComicMix 3-0. ComicMix Timeline. March 11th.

1961. As we get to the drugstore, comics were desperately trying to hang on to that 10-cent price tag. I mean, who would pay more money for comic books? Well, we got Flash number 120. That was still a dime.

Green Lantern number six this week with the first appearance of some of the Green Lantern Corps we've come to appreciate. We also got House of Mystery number 110 from DC, Lois Lane 25, and Mystery in Space number 67, as well as a couple of nice war books, Our Army at War number 106 and Our Fighting Forces number 61. Marvel Comics was lying in wait.

They had big plans for later in the year, but right now they just had one book out this week. That was Amazing Adventures number one, which had some nice Jack Kirby artwork. And from Archie, we got Adventures of the Fly number 12. 1961. In the news, a U.S. soldier of fortune, Major William Morgan, was sentenced to death in Cuba despite his efforts to help protect the Castro regime.

The Senate okayed funding to help the children of jobless Americans, and an unemployed L.A. janitor found $240,000 in cash in the street and returned it to the FBI. This week, your movie ticket could buy you a Black Sunday, 48 hours to live or take you to the world of Susie Wong. You got to learn the facts of life and then say goodbye to Clark and Marilyn in The Misfits. TV Tonight had episodes of Checkmate, Leave it to Beaver, Gunsmoke, Sea Hunt, and the show that actually had two songs in the top 20 chart this week, as well as a weekly TV show. Mom and Dad loved the Lawrence Wolk program.

On the radio, a young man named Charles Westover, who grew up in a small farm near Grand Rapids, Michigan. Early in life, he was heavily influenced by Hank Williams, Hank Snow, and the greats of country music. And then he began working his way through different bands in the Midwest. In 1959, he met keyboardist Max Crook, who had invented something called the Musitron. Today, we would call it a synthesizer, but at that time, it was unique.

Charles changed his name to Del Shannon, and the Musitron helped him get his number one hit. Here's Runaway. Take a minute and tell us what you think. Drop us a comment now at ComicMix.com. It will be an orgy beginning in room 340 in exactly four minutes.

Orgy in 340, four minutes. Countdown is coming to a close, and we sure know what's next, but how about the real damage? I mean, producing weekly comics can be a grind. We talked to one veteran who's still shell-shocked. Plus, another Graham Crackers Comics winner, and that could be you if you give us an email right now at podcast at ComicMix.com.

Don't miss anything. Grab us immediately on iTunes, and keep in mind there's lots of free comics every day on ComicMix, including a brand-new episode of Easy Street coming up even as we speak, and a great new installment of Demons of Sherwood just a day or so ago. Talk to you in a couple of days.

Bye!