Monthly Archive: July 2016

REVIEW: iZombie the Complete Second Season

iZombie_S2_BLUGiven that it was the first to wrap its season, it makes perfect sense that Warner Home Entertainment would unleash the complete second season of the CW’s iZombie on disc ahead of the superheroes coming in August. The 4-disc DVD set is coming on Tuesday while Warner Archive will be simultaneously releasing iZombie the Complete First Season and iZombie the Complete Second Season on Blu-ray.

The series is loosely based on the Chris Roberson and Michael Allred Vertigo series and is a quiet success, garnering solid ratings and reviews but without the sturm and drang of its fellow DC properties. In the hands of executive producers Rob Thomas (Veronica Mars) and Diane Ruggiero-Wright (The Ex List), they keep the mood light, the characters quirky, and the plots engaging.

While the short first season set everything up and explored what it means to be Olivia “Liv” Moore (Rose McIver), required to feast on the brains of the deceased to survive but in the eating, gains the dead’s memories and skills, heading off to tidy up unfinished business. The would-be doctor winds up working in the Seattle coroner’s office with Dr. Ravi Chakrabarti (Rahul Kohli), the only one fully aware of her condition and he’s working on a cure, but we don’t want him to hurry.

Rather than deal with the angst inherent in her plight, Liv decides she should embrace her situation and make the best of it, similar to Veronica Mars, providing us with another quirky, positive role model for its teen audience. She plays with a diverse set of supporting players including detective Clive Babineaux (Malcolm Goodwin), who may be the straight man in the ensemble.

As Season Two begins, Liv’s ex-fiancé and love, Major (Robert Buckley), is reeling from recent events and the knowledge that Liv is a zombie, and finds himself allied with Vaughn Du Clark (Steven Weber), ostensibly assassinating zombies but locking them away instead, with consequences for his actions.

1000575783DVDLEF_432b167Meanwhile, Blaine – now human – struggles to maintain his zombie world; Clive searches for Blaine and suspects Major’s involvement in the Meat Cute massacre; and Ravi remains devoted to finding an antidote to the zombie virus. On the other hand, Blaine (David Anders) is adjusting to life as a human again, but we know that isn’t going to last for long. All along, Thomas and Ruggiero-Wright are tightening the various storylines so by the season’s end, things all naturally brought together while the threat from Stacey Boss (Eddie Jemison) becomes increasingly evident.

Still, Olivia continues to embrace her new roles and this season she sampled being a coach, a stalker, a costumed vigilante (she’s on the CW, its required) or a tough stripper (the inevitable role). There’s plenty of humor to wring from each persona and the cast makes the most of the scenarios, regardless of how preposterous, spooky, or dangerous they appear to be.

Not every episode worked and it’s clear some plot threads were dropped because they weren’t working as planned so the season isn’t perfect. It’s a little ragged here and there, notably, the development of Blaine’s arc, much like a Zombie’s gait.

The second season brings things to a nice boil as Major is arrested, believed to the Chaos Killer. Liv’s only way to save him is to tell Clive of the Zombie threat and reveal her own secrets. This alters the status quo for the third season, due in early 2017, and gives us new ground to explore. That Du Clark becomes an increasing threat is nicely developed and Weber is having a ball in this over-the-top role.

The discs contain all 19 second season episodes, the 2015 Comic-Con Panel, and a handful of fun but non-essential deleted scenes. The high definition transfer to Blu-ray is just fine from an audio and video standpoint. They certainly stand up while being watched a second time. The first season also looks pretty spiffy on Blu-ray and the 2014 Comic-Con panel and deleted scenes are included as special features.

Mindy Newell: But Words Will Never Harm Me

I’ve been trying to get a hold on what’s happened in this country, just the same as everybody who lives in the United States of America who is the least bit sane. The only explanation I can come up with is complicated…or maybe it isn’t.

Charlie Chaplin TrumpSticks and stones

May break my bones,

But words will never harm me.

Remember that little ditty? Too bad it isn’t true… because words do matter. And that’s the epicenter of this particular quake.

Back in 2008 when President Barack Hussein Obama was elected to his first term, everybody was talking about a “post-racial” society because the guy who won the presidency was black. Only, of course, he isn’t, really; not black as in ebony or inky or onyx or jet. He’s café-au-lait or mocha or brown…

But definitely not white. And to be actually white is to be affected by albinism, a genetic abnormality or mutation that affects the production of melanin, which is what pigments our skin color, and is derived from the amino acid tyrosine. Approximately 18,000 people in America have albinism. And they are all voting for Trump.

But I digress.

Another word that is thrown around with alacrity is race. In this context race is used to differentiate and more importantly, alienate people. It seems that too many goddamn people think that alien is a synonym for race. I would talk about how taxonomy of humans makes no distinction of skin color; we are all members of the genus Homo – Latin for “wise,” not gay – and the species sapiens – Latin for “man.” But I’m afraid I’d be wasting my breath. Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist, medical doctor, and zoologist who invented “binomial nomenclature,” the system of classifying plant and animal life, coined the term in 1758. Um, “wise?” Carl? Maybe you should rethink that, because there are too many white people walking around thinking that a black person or a Jewish person or a Hispanic person or an Asian person or a Muslim person is a member of a different race.

And then there are the words that come out of politicians and Fox News and neo-Nazi groups and white supremacy groups that, since Barack Hussein Obama was first elected, have consistently and diligently given covert and overt permission to restrict, ghettoize, pummel, stab, and gun down. These words are Second Amendment Rights and Voting Rights and Confederacy and States’ Rights and Stand Your Ground.

Here’s a theory: Is it possible that on some deep psychological level, somewhere between the Superego and the Id (“Monsters, John. Monsters from the Id.”) Homo sapiens obsessed with words like “black” know that they could never get close enough to Barack Hussein Obama to kill him, so they bubble and boil and steam and cook until, in a horrible moment of transference and projection and all that psychobabble – words, again – they kill the next black individual they meet instead? Just to rub it in your face: they really want to kill that “nigger – yeah, I just typed that word for the first time in my life – in the White House,” but they can’t, so they kill the next best thing.

Hey, I’m just trying to make sense of it, to look for an explanation. Like historians trying to explain Adolf Hitler and his insane anti-Semitism. And speaking of “The Little Tramp”…

…There’s Donald Trump. A perpetual machine of words designed to inflame and incite who got a real chance to be standing on the Capitol steps on January 20, 2017, and with one hand on the Bible, swearing to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Nobody understands it, everybody’s trying to explain it, and ultimately, no one can.

Because there aren’t enough words in the dictionary to explain it.

 

Ed Catto: Culture & Commerce – Bob Chapman’s Graphitti Designs

trio of Graphitti Tshirts

Bob ChapmanOver the past 47 years the SDCC has grown to become a pop culture behemoth. More than just a grand celebration of fan passion, it’s a driver of serious commerce. SDCC’s impact now makes waves on a national and international economic scale, far beyond the initial fan-centric puddles of the early days.

Bob “Chappy” Chapman is a fan and business owner who was part of the early days and is still actively involved today. He’s an energetic entrepreneur who’s built his business Graphitti Designs, catering to Geek Culture. Graphitti Designs has been creates fan focused merchandise like T-shirts, statues, action figures, prints, books and more. And Bob has found a way to survive – and thrive – throughout the many iterations of SDCC over the years.

Bob is likeable, charming, infectiously enthusiastic, and effortlessly employs an extensive vocabulary. You just know he’s a big reader! He’s nostalgic, but always looking forward. As we prepare for the annual nerd prom that world calls SDCC, I was eager to learn how the convention got his business started and how it’s changed over the years.

Graphitti Bettie Page Wow StatueThe Secret Origin

All great superheroes have a great origin story, and Bob Chapman is no exception.

Bob and his brother were rabid Silver Age comic fans and had accumulated an impressive comic collection. By the late 70s they had become disillusioned with collecting and decided to sell their comics. They dutifully trotted their overflowing comic boxes to a myriad of dealers, but were shocked at how little money was offered.

In what would become a life changing decision, they decided that they could do better selling the comics directly to fans directly. They signed up for dealer’s table at SDCC.

Hard to believe it was once that easy to secure exhibition space at SDCC.

“We didn’t know what we were doing,” confessed Bob. But despite that, the brothers managed to walk away with several thousand dollars. And they made this profit by selling off only 10% of their collection.

More important, they loved the comic convention culture. And they were in the thick of it with all their peers and favorite creators. For example, their dealer’s table was situated right next to comics legend Wally Wood.

bobsculpThis would be the initial catalyst that led to the creation Graphitti Designs.

“In the early days, there was a lot of camaraderie,” said Bob. He explained that they were all on a learning curve and there were no official guidelines. “We all helped each other, learned from each other. It wasn’t contrived and was never articulated.”

When he started in 1982, there was no merchandise or specialty marketing. There wasn’t even a place for distributors. The direct sales market was evolving, but the marketplace was, at that time, still focused on the monthly sales cycle of periodicals. Evergreen products and licensed merchandised was rare and usually dismissed.

But in 1981, Bob developed a straightforward idea. He knew the screen-printing process and he knew comics. He approached SDCC’s management team with an idea that was radical at the time, although it has become startlingly commonplace now: to make and sell official comic convention T-Shirts!

Graphitti Team BettyOn the Frontier

In planning for this first T-shirt project, Bob told me how he was hopeful to work with one of his favorite artists, like Jack Kirby, or to use an iconic hero, like Batman or Spider-Man, in order to design a powerful shirt and logo.

Instead, he was disappointed when the convention management team asked him to work with an up-coming-artist he hadn’t heard of an old comics character that hadn’t been published in years.

Crestfallen, he was determined to make it work.

The character was Sheena, an iconic super heroine (pre-dating Wonder Woman) and the artist was Dave Stevens.

1984 Rocketeer SDCC SHIRT GraphittiBob soon met Dave and they hit it off. And Bob, like the rest of world, would soon find out that Dave Stevens was a phenomenal artist. Together, they would create many gorgeous items for Bob’s fledgling company.

In fact many of Graphitti’s “firsts” involved Dave Stevens. The first book Graphitti published was a Dave Stevens Book. The first cloisonné pin featured Dave Stevens’ Rocketeer character. The first statue Graphitti created was based on Dave Stevens’ artwork.

“He was our unofficial art director for all those years,” said Bob.

The Spirit of Entrepreneurship

As Bob talked about the business, he reiterated that he owes much of his success to all the kind people who wanted to see him succeed.

One particularly influential person was Will Eisner. The legendary storyteller and creator of The Spirit approached Graphitti to make Spirit T-shirts. “He allowed us to make Spirit T-shirts,” recalls Bob. “It had never been done before.”

Looking back, this was especially important, as Eisner was also known as a very focused businessman.

Batman Kelly Jones Book GraphittiBusiness Grows as Comic Cons Grow

Graphitti was, in many ways, the first specialty company to create statues and comics-focused hard cover books for the collector’s market. The entire collectible statue market can easily trace its parentage back to Bob Chapman’s efforts at Graphitti.

As a merchandising company, Graphitti blazed new trails and usually enjoyed first mover advantages.

“Now there’s a plethora of merchandise. I spawned some of that,” said Bob.

He’s practically a founding father of merchandising in the comic book industry.

“Not so sure how proud I am of that…it’s so saturated <now>,’ he muses.

Bob explains that they were “…a product of the times. On one hand… the timing was extremely fortunate. But at the same time, the timing was bad – as there was no guideline or framework. In hindsight, ignorance persevered.”

Graphitti was focused on being a champion for artists and comic artwork. “Being a facilitator to the vision is other is part of what gave us this look,” reasoned Bob.

“And now, we’re fortunate to be evolving back into creating books,” said Bob. He’s very pleased about that.

And Graphitti was purposefully small and was able to be malleable. They weren’t shackled to preconceived ideas.

Dream Girl Graphitti Bombshell T ShirtIn the beginning, Graphitti was the only game in the geek merchandise town. But things changed quickly. Bob had to learn how to juggle his money and still produce items.

“I had numerous opportunities to go out of business, and had to learn how to juggle air financially,” said Bob.

The Romantic Entrepreneur

Bob is a unique mix of the classic nuts-and-bolts businessman and the idealist romantic entrepreneur.

That’s evident in his love for the medium, and comics in general. But’s also evident in his staffing.

You see, Bob’s lovely wife Gina often works with him at the Graphitti Convention Booth. So much so, in fact, that she too has become a staple of the SDCC.

“I work more than I should,” lamented Bob. And to that end, he’s grateful that his wife often joins him on the convention circuit and at SDCC in particular.

Graphitti Booth“Sometimes it’s an asset to have such fresh eyes,” said Bob. “She’s not star struck and she’s a good sounding board. She makes the shows more enjoyable. It’s nice that she’s there with me.”

Standing Tall at San Diego Comic Con 2016

Bob makes it very clear about his relationship with SDCC. “I wouldn’t be here without it,” he said.

And he’s contemplative about the state of the industry. “We got what we wanted,” concludes Chappy. “The stink of comics from the fifties has dissipated.” But with the growth comes issues, and it’s a “double-edged sword.”

“I built Graphitti, but I didn’t do it property,” Bob admitted. “I don’t want to be the poster child for doing it properly.”

As an entrepreneur myself, I just scratch my head and think that Graphitti’s amazing success, innovation and longevity all seem pretty proper to me!

The TRANSFORMERS 30th Anniversary Steelbook Arrives Sept. 13

Transformers 30thAs announced early June, Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Hasbro Studios, will release The TRANSFORMERS – THE MOVIE 30th Anniversary Edition this fall 2016. This beloved animated feature is being remastered, and a full-range of bonus content and collectible packaging are currently in production. Now, Shout! Factory further celebrates the 30th Anniversary of this iconic movie with The TRANSFORMERS – THE MOVIE Limited Edition, 30th Anniversary Steelbook (2-disc Blu-ray™ set + Digital Copy), available at Amazon and in stores at select retail locations on September 13, 2016. Featuring the heroic AUTOBOTS, as they defend their native planet CYBERTRON from the evil DECEPTICONS and UNICRON, The TRANSFORMERS – THE MOVIE boasts the voice talent of Orson Welles in his final role and an all-star voice cast that includes Peter Cullen, Eric Idle, Casey Kasem, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Stack and Frank Welker.

For the ultimate fans and collectors, The TRANSFORMERS – THE MOVIE Limited Edition, 30th Anniversary Steelbook comes with highly collectible Steelbook packaging, 2-Blu-ray set of the newly remastered movie, immersive bonus content including brand-new featurettes, a digital copy of the movie and more. This is a must-own collection to every fan’s library!

*Shout! Factory will announce in-depth details on bonus content and even more exciting details at the Shout Factory’s SDCC panel.

 

Emily S. Whitten: Awesome Con Round-Up & A Look Ahead

Con season has well and truly slid into gear now; with Awesome Con kicking things off a few weeks ago and SDCC and NerdHQ fast approaching. Of course, con season is really year-round these days; but for me, it starts with Awesome Con and ends with New York Comic Con.

This year’s Awesome Con was, as usual, a great start to the season for me. What I like about the con is that despite only being four years old, it’s managed to integrate various fun aspects of different flavors of cons into a fairly seamless whole – meaning that if you aren’t there for one particular facet of the offerings, there are plenty of others to experience. Here were some of the highlights for me:

The media guests:

Awesome Con has consistently done well in getting big names to a young con. This year’s lineup included everyone from screen actors Robin Lord Taylor, Morena Baccarin, Summer Glau, Karl Urban, Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman, Matthew Lewis, Jon Barrowman, Brett Dalton, Adam West, and Burt Ward to popular voice actors like Phil LaMarr, Grey DeLisle, Billy West, John DiMaggio, Will Friedle, and Charles Martinet; and also brought folks like professor and writer Carole Barrowman, popular scientist Bill Nye, animator/voice actor C. Martin Croker, and writer/director Kevin Smith to round out the collection.

I had a great time seeing old friends, meeting new amazing, talented folks, and interviewing the fantastic Robin Lord Taylor for ComicMix (and what a delight that man is in person. Seriously. So nice!). I also got a huge kick out of the dichotomy of the two autographs I picked up– Zoidberg (Billy West) was “sooo into” me, but Azula (Grey DeLisle) banished me. Hah! I kind of want to hang them up together.

Panels:

For the last couple of years I’ve been a panel moderator at Awesome Con (a job that can mean anything from being prepared with questions and conversation to excitedly listing off a few guest names and then sitting back and watching the show), which means those are generally the panels I get a chance to see. This year started out with Saturday’s Futurama panel, featuring voice actors Billy West, Phil LaMarr, and John DiMaggio. The room was packed, the crowd was excited, and the panelists were on fire, making the hour fly by with tons of laughter (and reinforcing my firm belief that you cannot possibly be bored at a voice actor panel). Man, I wish they’d bring Futurama back (again) (another time) (Zombie Futurama, Hi-yoooo!).

The next panel I moderated was for the Discovery Channel’s Destination America: A Haunting, a show that examines real people’s paranormal experiences. The panel featured actor and narrator Tony Call, ghost hunter John Drenner, Jr., show runner Cecile Weiland, and executive producer Cathy Garland, along with clips from the show and new season, and a cool Q&A with the audience, most of whom were True Believers. That made for a pretty cool Q&A with the panelists, who are passionate about their show and creating the best experience for viewers. I learned more than I even expected about the process of making the show, aaaand got a little creeped out while watching the clips. *shiver*

On Sunday, I got to moderate writer and English professor Carole Barrowman’s second panel. That panel was pretty much like attending an interactive workshop on writing techniques and tips, and was a great learning experience. Carole shared stories about her life and working with her brother John Barrowman as well as guidance on writing and her own creative process, and was a blast to listen to (and a super-cool, nice person, too!).

Although moderating kept me busy, one panel I didn’t want to miss was Bill Nye’s Star Talk Live! with Bill Nye, Eugene Mirman, Hari Kondabolu, Dr. Dava Newman, Dr. David Grinspoon, and Jo Firestone. It was the headliner for Awesome Con’s Science Fair, which was another great facet of the con.  I got to hear most of the talk before I had to rush off, and it was epic. The panelists discussed the possibility of getting “boots on Mars” in the relatively near future; and made me want to join The Planetary Society and also go read The Martian Chronicles again. Dava Newman, the Deputy Administrator of NASA and a Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Engineering Systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Dr. David Grinspoon, astrobiologist and Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, were particularly interesting. And the addition of comedians to the mix of scientists made it an amusing as well as exciting talk. I’m so glad I didn’t miss that one!

Artist Alley:

I always love Artist Alley; and this year, I felt Awesome Con’s had gotten more robust, with a good collection of big-name and major company creators along with newer talents and independent creators. Among other things I was finally able to meet Skottie Young, albeit briefly as he was only in town for the day (but I always seem to miss him at cons, so was glad to catch him). I also picked up his I Hate Fairyland, which is about a snarky gal with a battle axe (!) who’s trapped in Fairyland. I got to chat with Fred Van Lente, who had, among other things at his table, a stack of Assassin’s Creed issues with a little sign that said, “Ask me why this comic is weird;” and because I can never resist such things, I ended up asking and then buying an issue that has no page 1 and two page 18s! I visited with Joe Harris and Matthew Dow Smith, and picked up the X-Files Christmas Special, as recommended by Matt. I also got to say a quick hi to Franco Aureliani and Marc Hempel (although I somehow missed getting to Mark Waid and Mark Wheatley, thus utterly failing in my goal to See All The Mar(c)ks).

Another fun thing I did while in Artist Alley was walk around with my coworker, and her daughter who is getting interested in creating comics. I had so much fun taking them around and introducing her daughter to the likes of Jim Calafiore (from whom I also picked up Leaving Megalopolis, his project with Gail Simone, which I’ve been wanting to read), Mike McKone, Daniel Govar, and Andrew Aydin so that she could ask them about how they got into comics and what tips they might have for an aspiring creator. It was great to watch these professionals take the time to encourage her and give her advice.

While in Artist Alley I also began a “project” I meant to start ages ago, when I bought a little Canson spiral sketchbook; which is to collect sketches from favorite artists. I started the collection with Tony Moy (from whom I also finally acquired this Vitruvian Totoro on a wood block, which I’ve been coveting for several conventions) and Daniel Govar. Such great pieces to start off my book!

Shopping & the Exhibit Floor:

The exhibition floor, with its booths and shopping, was crowded but great fun. In terms of merchandise it offered everything from comics and big-ticket collectibles to toys and handmade crafts. I, of course, can never resist a bit of shopping no matter how I try (really, I tried!!) which is how I ended going home with  a stuffed and mounted narwhal head for my bathroom (what? It’s perfectly normal to have fictional creature heads mounted in your bathroom!); a tiny happy pancakes magnet (it’s so happyyyyy! And the magnet is strong); a cuddly crocheted Companion Cube (so squishable!!); and a little green keychain Kirby (for luck! Green Kirbys are lucky, right? I feel that they must be).

While wandering the floor, I also happened upon just a couple of the many fun display or educational exhibits set up. One was the Department of Energy’s booth (which apparently Awesome Con provides for free because it’s a government agency – good for Awesome Con!) at which a gal from Aftershock Comix was demonstrating DOE’s super-cool interactive energy display; and the Geppi Museum’s immensely fun traveling museum, which was literally awesome; as in, I was awestruck by some of the great pieces they had on view in this very well-set up, professional and attractive display – all the more impressive because it was the very first time they’ve displayed this traveling exhibit, despite having had the idea to do it for some time. If you’ve been to Geppi’s Entertainment Museum in Baltimore, you will know that Steve Geppi’s collection of comics and pop-culture memorabilia is overwhelming and awe-inspiring, and that it’s a lot of fun to wander through the myriad rooms in the building, reminiscing about things you recognize, and coveting pieces you might never think you’d see in person. And even though obviously they couldn’t bring the whole collection to Awesome Con, the pieces in the mini-museum had been carefully selected to represent a broad variety of really, really cool stuff – from extremely early Mickey Mouse art to rare Spider-Man comics, and more. The mini-museum also featured several video screen displays, one of which showed parts of the full museum and another of which was interactive and allowed you to read some of the comics on display. The display also featured a very old working television playing early films, and other nifty pieces. The plan is for the traveling museum to go to cons all over the country; and if it’s at one you’re going to, I highly recommend you check it out.

And of course, while walking around the floor and con, I encountered some fun cosplay, which is always neat. One particularly fun photo I got was of Aquawoman with the voice of Aquaman (Phil LaMarr); but I also enjoyed this extremely good Winter Soldier who posed with my friend Tom as Captain America; this Squirtle that my friend Rachel was delighted to see; these genderbent Captain America: The First Avenger gals; and the most adorable (and age appropriate, thank goodness!) Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy you’ve ever seen.

And that pretty much wrapped up the con for me. Except, of course, for the “afterparty,” which for me means finding a chill bar nearby for a drink and dessert (the best way to round out your convention experience!). This year, the bar wind-down also included two guys arting (finishing up some commissions before going on their way) which made it way, way cooler than it would otherwise have been. You’re good peoples, Dan Govar and Tony Moy. Also, I want all of your art.

But the fun isn’t over, you guys. Because in just three weeks, I’ll be heading off to San Diego Comic Con and Nerd HQ, two concurrent and fantastic events that I can’t wait to attend. The exclusives, guest news, and other things to look forward to have already started appearing all over the internets, and I’m hearing great things about this year’s NerdHQ. So stay tuned, and hopefully I’ll have more fun con news, interviews, and round-ups for you soon.

Until next time, Servo Lectio!

Bruce Willis & David Bautista’s Marauders Comes Home Sept. 13

MARAUDERS final posterSANTA MONICA, CA (July 7, 2016) – Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) and Bruce Willis (Die Hard franchise) star in the action-thriller Marauders, arriving on Blu-ray (plus Digital HD), DVD (plus Digital), and Digital HD September 13 from Lionsgate. Currently available On Demand, Marauders begins with a string of bank robberies leading one man to uncover a conspiracy that could bring an entire city to its knees. The action-packed thrill-ride also stars Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy) alongside Adrian Grenier (HBO’s Entourage), Johnathan Schaech (Vice), Lydia Hull (Escape Plan), Tyler Jon Olson (Precious Cargo), and Texas Battle (Final Destination 3).

When an untraceable group of elite bank robbers executes the perfect heist, making off with millions in cash and leaving a dead bank manager in their wake, the FBI agents investigating the robbery/homicide (Christopher Meloni, Dave Bautista, and Adrian Grenier) begin to uncover signs of corruption involving the bank’s owner (Bruce Willis) and his high-power clients.  As they dig deeper into the case, the Feds realize that things are not what they seem, and in order to untangle a complicated web of deception and corruption they must push themselves to the brink – where the lines between right and wrong are often blurred.

The Marauders home entertainment release special features include audio commentary with the director and cinematographer, deleted/extended scenes, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and interviews with the cast and crew. Marauders will be available on Blu-ray and DVD for the suggested retail price of $24.99 and $19.98, respectively.

BLU-RAY / DVD/ DIGITAL HD SPECIAL FEATURES*

  • Audio Commentary with Director Steven C. Miller and Cinematographer Brandon Cox
  • Deleted/Extended Scenes
  • “The Making of Marauders” Featurette
  • Cast/Crew Interviews

*Subject to change

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 2016
Title Copyright: Marauders © 2016 Georgia Film Fund 44, LLC.  All Rights Reserved. Artwork & Supplementary Materials © 2016 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Type: Theatrical Release
Rating: R for Strong Violence, Language,Brief Drug Use and Nudity
Genre: Action
Blu-ray Closed-Captioned: NA
DVD Closed-Captioned: English
Blu-ray Subtitles: English, Spanish, English SDH
DVD Subtitles: English and Spanish
Feature Run Time: 107 Minutes
Blu-ray Format: 1080P High Definition 16×9 Widescreen (2.40:1)
DVD Format: 16×9 Widescreen (2.40:1)
Blu-ray Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master AudioTM
DVD Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital

Did the UK Mirror just post the most ridiculous Doctor Who rumor ever?

  • News
  • July 10, 2016

Let me tell you about how you generate clickbait. You start off by making the story about either a celebrity, TV show, or popular topic that will attract people’s attention. Then you string together enough facts and quotes vaguely connected to the idea that you can make the article more than three paragraphs long. THEN, (and this one is key) you make the headline a question.  So you’re not saying “This is a fact”, or even the increasingly popular “Sources report this as a fact”, but merely “Could this possibly be a fact?” Because then in the story, you can say that it’s probably just flummery.

To summarize: if a news report, especially one on the electric type Internet, has a question as the headline, the answer to said question is almost certainly…

OfCourseNot

I’m going to get a lot of use of this graphic, I can tell you. (Thanks to Frinkiac)

So when I tell you that the Mirror Online posted an article titled “ Can Matt Smith be the first Doctor Who to regenerate as himself?“, can you guess where I stand on the question?

In the article, they reference several quotes from Matt Smith where he says he’s sometimes sorry he left the show, and hopes to come back to it some day, and one from Moffat where he says he misses his collaborator.

Add in the rumor that Capaldi is touted to leave at the end of the next season (ANOTHER story with no basis in fact, mind) and somehow, that means Matt is coming back.

This is another example of nobody being willing to say “No” to a story, because that ends the buzz.  As soon as someone denies something categorically, that’s the end of them being on everyone’s lips.  So when Joe Thespian gets rumored for a role in a Marvel film, he doesn’t say “that’s not true, there’s been to talks at all”, he says “Well, I can’t say anything more definitive about it, but it’d certainly be nice.”

OK, yes, they dropped the idea in the 50th anniversary episode, with the appearance of “The Curator” that the Doctor might someday “re-visit” his past incarnations in the future.

Yes, we’ve seen past Doctors return to the show, but as “themselves”, not somehow returning to their past forms in the current timeline. And yes, the idea of a regeneration into a past form is a tantalizing idea for a story.

But there is one, VERY important thing to remember.

If there is one thing that is nearly universally named as the show’s perfect idea, it is the idea that Regeneration is the most innovative concept ever. It allows the show to renew itself every few years, more than simply a change in producers or show-runners ever could.  By putting a new lead actor (yes, or actress, let’s not get distracted here) in the title role (look at me, I’m so incensed I’ve even passed up a chance to use the word “titular”) it give the show a chance to become something utterly new. Don’t care for the current guy? No worries, there’ll be another one along in a few years, come back and check him out.

Circling back to a past actor, in any permanent fashion, would be the ultimate admission that the show has run out of ideas. People get upset when the Daleks or Cybermen come back again, imagine the reaction if they rolled the clock back to an old Doctor.

It’s why the Big Finish audio plays are such a hit.  Want more Peter Davison as the Doctor? Here’s dozens of them.  We’ve seen Paul McGann, David Tennant, and even Tom Baker return.  Matt will almost certain do some. There’s your “more Matt” stories.

But on the TV show? In any permanent way? No.

Right?

Please tell me I’m right.

Dammit, you you’ve got me thinking about it…

(Writer’s note – the headline of this article was originally submitted as “UK Mirror floats Doctor Who rumor so stupid I’m not even putting it in the headline, clicks-through or no”)

Captain America: Civil War Hits Digital in September

CaptainAmericaCivilWarBlurayBURBANK, Calif., July 1, 2016 — Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War has conquered both audiences and critics, debuting to $179.1 million—the fifth-biggest domestic opening of all time—and earning a 90% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes.  “Captain America: Civil War” is the highest-grossing film of 2016 domestically, internationally and globally, earning more than $1.14 billion at the worldwide box office. It also continues Marvel Studios’ winning streak as the 13th consecutive film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to debut at #1 at the domestic box office.

When Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War arrives early on Digital HD, Digital 3D and Disney Movies Anywhere on Sept. 2 and on Blu-ray™ 3D, Blu-ray, DVD and On-Demand on Sept. 13, viewers can join the nonstop action and pick their side—Team Cap, commanded by Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), or Team Iron Man, led by Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.).

Rogers and Stark are joined by a star-studded lineup of beloved Marvel Super Heroes, including Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Bucky Barnes aka Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Sam Wilson aka Falcon (Anthony Mackie) Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes aka War Machine (Don Cheadle), Clint Barton aka Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Vision (Paul Bettany) and Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), along with new recruit Scott Lang aka Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and joined by two new additions to the MCU: T’Challa aka Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Peter Parker aka Spider-Man (Tom Holland).

More than 60-minutes of thrilling, exclusive bonus material includes: an inside look at the evolution of lead characters Steve Rogers and Tony Stark, a behind-the-scenes exclusive on the making of Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War, never-before-seen deleted scenes and hilarious outtakes. Plus, home audiences can learn more about the latest additions to the MCU and get an exclusive, first look at Marvel’s “Doctor Strange,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch, coming to theaters Nov. 4, 2016.

Bonus features include*:

DIGITAL HD/3D & BLU-RAY:

  • United We Stand, Divided We Fall – The Making of Captain America: Civil War Part 1 & Part 2 – As the tension mounts, sides are chosen and lines drawn. Learn more about the characters on each side—from Captain America and Iron Man to the latest recruits. In this complete behind-the-scenes look at a landmark in the Marvel saga, we’ll examine their stories through exclusive footage and interviews and discover just what went into selecting the Super Hero teams, filming the epic action sequences and introducing Black Panther and Spider-Man to the MCU.
  • Captain America: The Road to Civil War – Explore the First Avenger’s fascinating evolution from loyal soldier to seasoned, conflicted hero who questions authority.
  • Iron Man: The Road to Civil War – From Gulmira to Sokovia, delve into the development and evolution of one of the most iconic characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
  • Gag Reel – Break the tension of this high-stakes conflict with some hilarious outtakes featuring the lighter side of your favorite Super Heroes.
  • Deleted & Extended Scenes – Check out never-before-seen footage that didn’t make the final cut of “Captain America: Civil War.”
  • Audio Commentary – Directors Anthony and Joe Russo and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely deliver scene-by-scene insight and explain the storytelling challenges they faced creating the third installment of the Captain America franchise.
  • Open Your Mind: Marvel’s Doctor Strange – Exclusive Sneak Peek – Go behind and beyond the scenes as Doctor Strange makes his journey to the big screen.

*Bonus features may vary by retailer. The DVD does not include any bonus materials.

The most explosive clash to ever rock the Marvel Cinematic Universe ignites a firestorm of conflict in the game-changing epic, Captain America: Civil War.  In the wake of collateral damage, government pressure to rein in the Avengers drives a deep wedge between Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), causing a catastrophic rift that escalates into an all-out feud.  Against a backdrop of divided loyalties, their fellow Avengers must deal with the fallout. Pick a side in this spectacular adventure, packed with mind-blowing action, suspense and exclusive bonus content!

Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War is directed by Emmy® Award-winning directors Anthony and Joe Russo from a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely. Kevin Feige, p.g.a. is the producer of the film, with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Patricia Whitcher, Nate Moore and Stan Lee serving as executive producers.

DISC SPECIFICATIONS (applies to film content only):

Product SKUs: Disney Movies Anywhere, Digital HD/3D/SD, Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray 3D+Blu-ray+Digital HD), Blu-ray, DVD (no bonus) and On-Demand

Feature Run Time: Approximately 147 minutes

Rating: PG in U.S.; PG in CE; G in CF

Aspect Ratio: Blu-ray & Blu-ray 3D = 1080p High Definition Widescreen (2.39:1)

DVD = 2.39:1

Audio: Blu-ray = English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Language Tracks

DVD = English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Language Tracks, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio

Languages/Subtitles: English SDH, French & Spanish

Heroes use Mechs to Fight in Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants

Mechs vs Mutants 2DBURBANK, CA (July 6, 2016) — Batman will need the help from several of his Super Hero pals — Green Arrow, Nightwing, The Flash and Robin – to take down a crew of Super-Villains on a scale he’s never seen before in Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants. Produced by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, this thrilling new addition to the Batman Unlimited animated film trilogy comes to DVD ($19.98 SRP) via Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on September 13, 2016 and on Digital HD on August 30, 2016 via purchase from digital retailers.

The Dark Knight is back doing what he does best – protecting the citizens of Gotham City – in the third installment of the Batman Unlimited series, Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants.  When evil scientist Mr. Freeze activates his latest invention on two of Gotham City’s most formidable criminals – Killer Croc and Bane – things go from bad to worse.  Turning them into super-sized mutant monsters, the Super-Villains start bashing through the streets of Gotham City  with no end in sight.  It’s up to the Caped Crusader and his Super Hero team to save the day by putting the giant robot mechs in their place – but it will be an uphill battle as they face off against enormous foes.

The heroic voice cast features Roger Craig Smith (Batman: Arkham Origins, Assassin’s Creed games) as Batman, Chris Diamantopoulos (Episodes, Silicon Valley) as Green Arrow, Will Friedle (Batman Beyond, Boy Meets World) as Nightwing, Charlie Schlatter (Diagnosis Murder, Kick Buttkowski) as The Flash, and Lucien Dodge (Pokemon, Bleach) as Robin.

The villainous voices are led by Oded Fehr (The Mummy, Resident Evil: Apocalypse) as Mr. Freeze, Dana Snyder (Aqua Teen Hunger Force) as The Penguin, Carlos Alazraqui (Reno 911, Handy Manny, The Fairly Oddparents) as Bane, John DiMaggio (Futurama, Batman: Under the Red Hood) as Killer Croc, Dave B. Mitchell (World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor) as Clayface and Troy Baker (Batman: Assault on Arkham) as Joker. Phil LaMarr (MAD TV, Futurama) joins the Batman Unlimited series as Dr. Langstrom.

Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants is produced and directed by Curt Ceda from a script written by Kevin Burke & Chris “Doc” Wyatt. Executive Producer is Sam Register. Benjamin Melniker and Michael Uslan are Executive Producers.

Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants follows Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts and Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem as the third release in a series of films rooted in Mattel’s popular Batman Unlimited merchandise line. The films feature characters, vehicles, designs and color schemes brought to life within this enthralling toy collection.

DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION ELEMENTS

Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants will be available to viewers for streaming and download to watch anywhere in high definition and standard definition on their favorite devices from select digital retailers including Amazon, CinemaNow, Flixster, iTunes, PlayStation, Vudu, Xbox and others. Starting August 30, 2016, Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants will also be available digitally on Video On Demand services from cable and satellite providers, and on select gaming consoles.

BASICS

Street Date: September 13, 2016
Run Time:  72 minutes (approx.)

Marc Alan Fishman: The Marc Cave

IMG_3263

While the world outside continues to get disgustingly scarier, this week I’m choosing to look inward for peace. Piece of mind. Peace of soul. Reese’s Pieces.

Not long after my wife and I purchased our home (and I guess for the sake of being optimistic, I’ll dub this our first home) I also purchased a new iMac desktop computer. Given the amount of freelance design work I was picking up, having a home system ready to earn me money sure made a lot of sense. And it also helped that the horsepower allowed Unshaven Comics to complete issue after issue, and even record and post 169 episodes of our award-losing podcast. The iMarc, as I’d dubbed it, has been the centerpiece of my digital life now for over five years. It’s been an amazing companion, muse, and canvas to me. But it’s started to show its age. Which means – like all red-blooded chauvinist males – it was time to trade up to something newer and sexier. Sorry honey!

So with a few freelance checks burning a hole in my pocket, and an iMac facing overload on its 2TB hard drive, I sought the advice of my computing community. And as a sign of my pending age, rationale, and utter unhipness… I’ve succumbed to the Dark Side. I aligned myself with an amazingly talented hobby system admin, and together we built a Windows PC. It’s a monstrosity of a machine. The tower is a hulking metal cadaver easily twice as tall as my current Mac. Inside, it boasts the latest and greatest i7 processor, enough Ram to choke a Dodge dealership, 2 hard drives (because if you’re not running your OS on an SSD you’re just pathetic), and the side panel is glass so I can see the onboard fully-customizable LED lights inside.

If Tim Allen were here, he’d give us a signature grunt.

But beyond the listing of specs, and additional toys – what, I didn’t mention my dual 27” LED monitors, and new Cherry MX Brown mechanical keyboard yet? – comes a renewed sense of purpose. As I’ve taken to slowly pull apart my iMac’s repository, I look back on the last five years in this man cave of mine. I’m a little lighter on the scale (thanks crippling diseases and your delicious medicinal counterparts!), a little thicker in the beard, and a lot heavier on the love for my family. Amongst the gigabytes of project work is hope, desperation, blood, sweat, tears, and embittered compromise. It’s bittersweet to turn in my official Apple Card™ when I move iMarc to my parents’ home – to become my mother’s testing ground for Photoshop. But, as with so many things… I’d grown up without paying attention.

This leads me around to my point this week: our secret spaces where we create. You see, for many of us here at ComicMix, our workaday worlds revolve around the digital word and pixel. Be it a script from John or Denny, or a patented rant by Michael Davis or EIC Mike “Hubba Bubba BBQ” Gold… the screen is our canvas from which we communicate to fans abroad. I’m always curious to see the spaces then of my friends-in-arms.

For me, it’s an old clunker of an Executive pleather chair that rolls up to my IKEA desk where my new beast rests. I’ve upgraded my desktop landscape to accommodate the new digs accordingly. But in essence… my space to create is cold and clean. Behind me, I’m flanked with a cadre of Nerf weaponry, and I’m surrounded by action figures and keepsakes from a life of nerding abroad. To my right, a dinged up and dented acoustic guitar (played when I need to procrastinate). To my far left? My son’s entertainment center. Now, let’s be clear: I own the TV, the Xbox, the Nintendo, the games, the controllers, et al; but Bennett plays it enough to ensure that he’d assume liability when I finally get struck by lightning after snarking too hard at Dan DiDi– HEY! Watch it Lightning Lad! But I digress.

So, I ask of you, my loyal readers: if you are an artist of any sort, what space do you call home? What makes it yours? Is it the tech, the toys, or the trash on the floor that helps you make the work you’re most proud of?

Categories

Archives

Everything you need to make great comics!

comicmix-pro-300x69-2

Nucleus X

Bookshop Zaks