Author: ComicMix Staff

With the success of last year’s analysis of Star Trek’s entire comics history, Sequart is proud to announce that work has commenced on three Star Wars books and two POTA books.

Over the next three years, Sequart will release essay anthologies analyzing all aspects of the Star Wars mythos:

• First up will be 2015’s A Long Time Ago: Exploring the Star Wars Cinematic Universe: Edited by Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato, this book will examine the entire big- / small-screen saga that is Star Wars. From theatrical films to TV movies, from cartoons and commercials to variety shows and video-based amusement-park rides, the mythos continues to keep audiences glued to their seats. This anthology features insightful, analytic essays about the franchise’s long history from popular film historians, novelists, bloggers, and subject-matter experts, exploring why the films proved so immediately popular, where the movies and TV shows have succeeded and faltered, and why we all keep going back for more.
• Next will be 2016’s A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Exploring Star Wars Comics: Editors Joseph F. Berenato and Rich Handley pick up where their previous volume left off. Over a thousand comics have been produced from a variety of publishers, including Blackthorne Publishing, the L.A. Times Syndicate, Dark Horse Comics, Scholastic, Tokyopop, and more. They’ve spanned the history of the franchise, from millennia before Anakin Skywalker’s birth to beyond Luke Skywalker’s death, and they’ve focused on every aspect of the Star Wars This anthology features insightful, analytic essays examining the Star Wars comics, written by popular comic historians, novelists, bloggers, and subject-matter experts — plus, a foreword by fan-favorite Star Wars comics writer John Ostrander. From Jaxxon to Cody Sunn-Childe, from Ulic Quel-Droma to Lady Lumiya, find out how comics helped to keep the Star Wars Universe alive, and why you’re missing out if you’re not reading them.
• Finally there’ll be 2017’s A More Civilized Age: Exploring the Star Wars Expanded Universe: More than 250 Star Wars novels have been published by Del Rey, Bantam Books, Ballantine Books, and others, aimed at both young and adult readers. Spanning the decades before, during, and after the films’ events, the books have spawned new galactic governments, explored the nature of the Jedi and the Sith, and developed the Star Wars mythos well beyond merely a series of films and television shows. Editors Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato complete their trilogy with a look back at not only the Star Wars novels but also video games, radio shows, role-playing games, and more.  This volume offers insightful, analytic essays examining the Star Wars U., written by popular film historians, novelists, bloggers, and subject-matter experts — including fan-favorite Star Wars novelists Timothy Zahn and Ryder Windham. The films were just the beginning; find out how the universe expanded.

And the sci-fi fun continues! Over the next 18 months, Sequart and the editing dynamic duo of Handley and Berenato will deliver two Planet of the Apes essay anthologies:

• Coming out in just a few months will be The Sacred Scrolls: Comics on the Planet of the Apes: More than 150 POTA comics have been published during the past four decades, from Gold Key, Marvel Comics, Power Records, Brown Watson Books, Editorial Pa.Sa., Malibu Graphics, Dark Horse, Mr. Comics, and BOOM! Studios. Writers have explored the settings, concepts, and characters from the films (and occasionally the TV series), while introducing an array of new characters and scenarios. Back stories have been revealed, plot holes filled in, and histories extrapolated upon. The comics have employed multiple genres and styles, taking readers to distant villages, ruined cities, and oceanic civilizations — and have even seen the apes battle alien invaders from War of the Worlds and Alien Nation. It’s been quite the madhouse, to be sure. But by and large, the Apes comics have remained true to novelist Pierre Boulle’s simian spirit. This anthology will feature insightful, analytic essays about the franchise’s four-color continuation, from popular comic historians, novelists, bloggers and subject-matter experts.
• And 2016 will see Bright Eyes, Ape City: Examining the Planet of the Apes Mythos: The Planet of the Apes franchise has spawned eight films, with a ninth currently in the works, as well as two television series and several novels. It’s one of the most respected franchises in film history. This anthology will examine every Apes film, TV show, and novel, from 1968 to present. Like the first volume, this anthology will feature insightful, analytic essays about the franchise’s long history, from popular film historians, novelists, bloggers, and subject-matter experts. If you’re eager to learn more about Apes lore, then you’ll need to get your stinkin’ paws on this book.

BURBANK, Calif. – April 6, 2015 – As anticipation builds for the December release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the first new film in the Star Wars Saga in a decade, The Walt Disney Studios, Lucasfilm Ltd., and 20^th Century Fox today announced the upcoming release of The Star Wars Digital Movie Collection. For the first time ever, all six epic films in the Saga, from The Phantom Menace to Return of the Jedi, will be available on Digital HD throughout the galaxy – or at least here on Earth – globally beginning Friday, April 10.

“Since the debut of the first film nearly 40 years ago, Star Wars has become a worldwide phenomenon with legions of fans from every generation,” said Alan Bergman, President, The Walt Disney Studios. “It’s only fitting that audiences enjoy this legendary Saga and its many fascinating behind-the-scenes stories on a wide variety of platforms, and we’re very excited to finally bring all six films to Digital HD for the first time.”

“We’re thrilled that fans will be able to enjoy the Star Wars Saga on their digital devices wherever they go,” commented Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. “These films broke new ground in technology, design, sound, and visual effects, and we’ve created some very special bonus material which delves into the Saga’s rich history, including new and never-before-released conversations between legendary Star Wars artists – the masters who helped George bring his iconic universe to life.”

With Star Wars: Episodes I-VI available for purchase as a complete digital movie collection and individually, viewers will have the Rebel forces at their beck and call across their favorite devices anywhere – sunbathing at the beach, relaxing in their living room with friends, or waiting to board a flight to Endor (or elsewhere).

Enhancing the movie collection are a host of never-before-seen special features including Star Wars: Discoveries from Inside and insightful Conversations between key contributors from across this celebrated film franchise, plus a curated collection of classic Star Wars extras from each film. These are the droids you’re looking for:

BONUS

*Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer

STAR WARS EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace

Conversations: Doug Chiang Looks Back

Discoveries From Inside: Models & Miniatures

Legacy content includes “The Beginning”; The Podrace: Theatrical Edit; plus eight deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE II:  Attack of the Clones

Conversations: Sounds In Space

Discoveries From Inside: Costumes Revealed

Legacy content includes “From Puppets To Pixels: Digital Characters In Episode II”; State Of The Art: The Previsualization Of Episode II; and “Films Are Not Released, They Escape”; plus Episode II Visual Effects Breakdown Montage and six deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE III: Revenge of the Sith

Conversations: The Star Wars That Almost Was

Discoveries From Inside: Hologram & Bloopers

Legacy content includes documentaries “Within A Minute: The Making Of Episode III”; The Journey Part 1; and The Journey Part 2; plus six deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A New Hope (20^th Century Fox)

Conversations: Creating A Universe

Discoveries From Inside: Weapons & The First Lightsaber

Legacy content includes “Anatomy Of A Dewback”; Star Wars Launch Trailer; plus eight deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE V: The Empire Strikes Back

Conversations: The Lost Interviews

Discoveries From Inside: Matte Paintings Unveiled

Legacy content includes “A Conversation With The Masters” (2010); “Dennis Muren: How Walkers Walk”; “George Lucas On Editing The Empire Strikes Back 1979”; and “George Lucas On The Force: 2010”; plus six deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE VI: Return of the Jedi

Conversations: The Effects

Discoveries From Inside: The Sounds Of Ben Burtt

Legacy content includes “Classic Creatures: Return Of The Jedi”; “Revenge Of The Jedi Teaser Trailer”; Return Of The Jedi Launch Trailer; “It Began TV Spot”; “Climactic Chapter TV Spot”; plus five deleted scenes.

With all the attention on Star Trek‘s 50th anniversary in 2016, we overlooked its predecessor is hitting its Golden Anniversary this fall. 20th Century Home Entertainment reminded us today with the following exciting announcement.

LOS ANGELES, CA (April 7, 2015) – Danger, Will Robinson! Danger! Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment pays tribute to one of the most iconic television series of all-time as “Lost in Space” – The Complete Series arrives on Blu-ray for the first time ever on September 15. Running from 1965-1968, this collection allows fans to bring home Irwin Allen’s intergalactic family saga that earned an enormous following of devoted fans over the years. Set in the space age future of 1997, follow the heart-racing, cliff-hanging adventures of John Robinson™ and his family aboard the Jupiter 2™, along with Robot B-9™ and the delightfully devious Dr. Zachary Smith™.

Produced with Space Productions, Inc. and Synthesis Entertainment, this massive 18-disc set contains all 83 episodes remastered in high definition, and over seven hours of exciting extras with recently discovered content you won’t find anywhere else in the galaxy. It’s out-of-this-world fun for everyone! Highlights include new commentaries on classic episodes with the original cast, 50th anniversary interviews with the original series cast and hours of archive footage offering incredible and unprecedented access into Irwin Allen’s personal archives. In addition, the Blu-ray includes an exclusive cast performance of Bill Mumy’s unproduced 1980 epilogue script, featuring Mumy, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen, Mark Goddard and more!

Blu-ray Special Features

Paramount Pictures has just released the first look at July 31’s Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation, starring Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin and Rebecca Ferguson in the fifth installment of the film series based on the classic CBS television series. Christopher McQuarrie directs the big budget film, which was initially scheduled for later in the year but now goes head to head with the summer super-heroes sandwiched between Ant-Man and Fantastic Four.

Ethan and team take on their most impossible mission yet, eradicating the Syndicate – an International rogue organization as highly skilled as they are, committed to destroying the IMF.

The superstar team of writer and Executive Producer Jeph Loeb (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and Artist Simone Bianchi (Astonishing X-Men) team up to deliver the highly anticipated sequel to the gripping comic book action adventure WOLVERINE VS. SABRETOOTH.  This brutal, action-packed story deftly captures the epic finale to the biggest rivalry of the Marvel Universe in Marvel Knights Animation’s WOLVERINE VS. SABRETOOTH: REBORN DVD, available on home entertainment shelves nationwide on March 24, 2015 from Shout! Factory.

This thrilling Marvel Knights Animation adventure boasts unparalleled storytelling combined with rich visual animation and insightful bonus content. This deluxe DVD is collected in a unique comic book style packaging that bridges the comic book to DVD concept. Marvel Knights Animation’s WOLVERINE VS. SABRETOOTH: REBORN DVD is priced to own at $14.98 SRP.

Wolverine and Sabretooth have been locked in an endless grudge match that goes back longer than either can remember – or even imagine. The key to victory is eons old, and it’s certain to rock their world. It’s the epic finale to the duo’s greatest battle!

Total Feature Running Time: +/- 44 minutes

LOS ANGELES, CA – Director Shinji Aramaki (Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, Halo Legends, Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina) unleashes an interstellar thrill ride with Harlock: Space Pirate on Digital HD, On Demand and DVD from Ketchup Entertainment! Based on the classic comic book and TV series, this live action family adventure stars David Matranga (Appleseed, Journey to Agatha), Emily Neves (Starship Troopers: Invasion, Journey to Agatha), and Rob Mungle (Blue Seed, Lady Death).

A mysterious space pirate of the future, Captain Harlock, is determined to return his death ship and loyal crew to a battered Earth, which has been declared off-limits by the intergalactic Gaia Coalition. The rogue captain comes up with an incredible plan to go back in time to rescue Earth, but that includes the destruction of everything, as it exists. A young soldier of the Gaia Coalition volunteers to go undercover on the infamous skull ship and assassinate Harlock, but he soon discovers things are not as they seem. As dark secrets of the past are uncovered, the fate of the entire universe teeters on a very thin edge.

Rating: Not Rated
Total Runtime: 111 minutes
S.R.P: $20.99
Video: 2:39: 1 aspect ratio
Audio: English 5.1 and 2.0 audio/Japanese 5.1 audio

Special Features:

• Includes the Original Japanese version

This summer, Vince and the boys are back in the hotly anticipated Entourage movie. Fans of the hit HBO series quickly learned that in the world of Hollywood, it’s all about exclusivity and being in-the-know. Fortunately, HBO is making it easier than ever to catch up on the series and gain exclusive access to a movie certificate for the film through a partnership with Fandango. Starting May 12, 2015, all eight original seasons of Entourage, as well as the  Entourage: The Complete Series box set, will include an exclusive certificate offer granting fans money to spend toward their ticket to see Entourage, in theaters June 5, 2015. It’s the perfect way to get caught up on the series in anticipation of the big screen release this summer.

• Individual box sets for seasons 1-8 will include an offer for up to $8 off one movie ticket to see Entourage. The offer will be valid across all participating retailers on both Blu-rayTM (SRP $29.97) and DVD (SRP $24.98).

• Entourage: The Complete Series on DVD ($199) will include an offer for up to $25 off three movie tickets to see Entourage, giving fans a chance to bring their whole entourage to the movie with them. The offer will also be valid across all participating retailers.

• Exclusively at Best Buy, Entourage: The Complete Series on Blu-ray ($289.92) will also include an offer for up to $25 off three movie tickets to see Entourage.

• The offer is valid at participating theaters in the US only and expires August 5, 2015*.

*Movie certificate is good towards either 1 admission (up to $8.00 total value) or towards 3 admissions (up to $25.00 total value) to see Entourage at participating theaters in the U.S. Reward code void if not activated by 8/5/2015 and certificate void if not used by 8/5/2015. Not for resale; void if sold or exchanged. Movie certificate is powered by Fandango Loyalty Solutions, LLC. ©2015 Fandango Loyalty Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. See www.activaterewards.com/entourage for full details.

About  Entourage:

Created and executive produced by Doug Ellin and loosely based on the experiences of his good friend, Academy Award^® nominee Mark Wahlberg (who’s among the series’ executive producers), Entourage takes a none-too-serious look at the day-to-day life of Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier), a hot young Hollywood actor, and the inner circle of friends he’s brought from his hometown in Queens, NY: manager Eric (Kevin Connolly), half-brother/actor Drama (Kevin Dillon) and enterprising pal Turtle (Jerry Ferrara).  The series also stars Jeremy Piven who garnered three Emmy^®Awards and a Golden Globe^®for his portrayal as Vince’s agent Ari Gold, Rex Lee as Lloyd and Perry Reeves as the long-suffering Mrs. Ari. Returning guest stars include Scott Caan as Scott Lavin, Emmanuelle Chriqui as Sloan, Beverly D’Angelo as Ari’s business partner Babs and Debi Mazar as Vince’s publicist Shauna.  Along with Ellin and Wahlberg, the series is executive produced by Stephen Levinson, Denis Biggs, Ally Musika and Rob Weiss.

The much-anticipated big-screen version of the award-winning hit HBO series reunites the show’s original cast, led by Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara and Jeremy Piven. Movie star Vincent Chase (Grenier), together with his boys, Eric (Connolly), Turtle (Ferrara) and Johnny (Dillon), are back…and back in business with super agent-turned-studio head Ari Gold (Piven).  Some of their ambitions have changed, but the bond between them remains strong as they navigate the capricious and often cutthroat world of Hollywood.

Entourage creator Doug Ellin is directing the feature film from his own screenplay, story by Ellin & Rob Weiss, based on characters created by Ellin.  Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson and Ellin are producing, with Wayne Carmona serving as executive producer.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Home Box Office, a Closest to the Hole Production, a Leverage Entertainment Production, a Doug Ellin Film, Entourage.  The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.  The film is set to open in theaters on June 5, 2015.

Entourage has been rated R by the MPAA for pervasive language, strong sexual content, nudity and some drug use.

The wonderfully underrated Longmire completed its third season last year and was then canceled by A&E for reasons beyond understanding. After some protracted negotiations amidst a fury of wronged fans taking to social media to save the series, Netflix announced they have picked up the series for a fourth season to air later this year.

BURBANK, CA (February 23, 2015) – The stunning skies of Wyoming, and the mysteries beneath them, have never been more enthralling than in the unfolding episodes of Longmire, the popular A&E-turned-Netflix television series.  Those cinematic visuals and intense situations have also never looked better than in the full 1080p HD presentation of Warner Archive Collection’s Blu-ray™ release of Longmire, Season 3, available now via your favorite online retailers.

Warner Archive Collection’s release of Longmire, Season 3 on Blu-ray™ includes all 10 episodes in a three-disc set, as well a documentary entitled “The Ghost in the Storm,” which focuses on the obsessions many of the Longmire characters encounter during the series’ captivating third season.

In this riveting third season, Sheriff Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) is reeling from a series of devastating traumas. Best friend Henry (Lou Diamond Phillips) is going to prison on murder charges. His deputy, Branch (Bailey Chase), has been shot by a mysterious “white warrior.” And Walt‘s right-hand deputy, Vic (Katee Sackhoff), may not have shaken off a stalker from her past. While Walt shoulders these burdens, his daughter Cady (Cassidy Freeman) fights in court to clear Henry’s name, and The Ferg (Adam Bartley) holds down the fort behind the scenes as threats to the lawmen come from all directions. Absaroka County’s dark secrets run deeper than Walt imagined, and the closer he gets to uncovering the true bloody hand behind his wife’s murder, the more he realizes that connections and corruptions may ensnare them all.

In addition to the cast regulars, Longmire, Season 3 has featured guest performances from such notable actors as Peter Weller (Robocop), Gerald McRaney (House of Cards, Simon & Simon), A Martinez (L.A. Law, One Life To Live, Santa Barbara), Charles Dutton (Roc, Alien3), Graham Greene, (Dances With Wolves, Die Hard with a Vengeance), Irene Bedard (Pocahontas), Michael Mosley (Sirens), Derek Phillips (42, Friday Night Lights), Lee Tergesen (Oz), Madchen Amick (Twin Peaks), Parker Stevenson (The Hardy Boys, Baywatch) and Peter Stormare (Fargo, The Big Lebowski). Weller also directed the episode, “Wanted Man,” in which he guest stars.

Shout! Factory TV, now in its second month, has added three more properties to their growing library of streaming content. These include Gerry Anderson’s Stingray, the Supermarionation series from the mid-1960s, the animated Goode Family, and the 1970s comedy Kentucky Fried Movie.

Shout! Factory TV is a premiere digital entertainment streaming service that brings timeless and contemporary cult favorites to pop culture fans. With a uniquely curated entertainment library, the channel offers an unrivaled blend of cult TV shows, movies, comedy, original specials and more – presenting an exciting entertainment alternative to other services.

Shout! Factory TV is available through any browser and has a Roku app.

THE GOODE FAMILY (All 13 episodes)

The Goode Family, from executive producers Mike Judge (King of the Hill, Beavis and Butt-head, Office Space) and John Altschuler & Dave Krinsky (King of the Hill, Blades of Glory), comes to Shout! Factory TV this March.

A hilarious skewering of our better natures, The Goode Family stars Mike Judge, Nancy Carell (The Office), Linda Cardellini (Freaks And Geeks) and Brian Doyle-Murray (Get A Life) with special guest stars Kevin Nealon, Bob Odenkirk, Andy Richter, Johnny Knoxville, Laraine Newman, Julia Sweeney, Elvis Costello, Alyson Hannigan, Dax Shepard and more!

Meet Gerald and Helen Goode, a couple who live by the motto WWAGD (“What Would Al Gore Do?”). Gerald, a college administrator, and Helen, a community activist, are determined to obliterate their carbon footprint on the planet: They’re zealous vegans, they drive a hybrid, and they recycle everything possible. Even the family dog, Che, is vegan. In the words of Helen, all the Goodes want to do is buy organic apples and call minorities by their politically correct names. But despite their best efforts, something always goes haywire with their plans. With standards always changing, no matter how hard you try to be good, it’s virtually impossible these days . . . especially for the Goode family.

Throughout the 13 episodes, the family adopts a bizarre animal named Gutterball, tags a clean park to experience the joy of cleaning up graffiti, take embarrassing pictures of at-risk kids that get them beat up by their gang-banger friends, get in a turf war with an Aryan prison work-gang while doing a highway cleanup, and much, much more.

GERRY ANDERSON’S STINGRAY (featuring 6 hand-picked episodes)

Battle stations! Join the World Aquanaut Security Patrol in a riptide of retro TV when the sci-fi adventure series Stingray is released on Shout! Factory TV.  Created by the television pioneers Gerry and Sylvia Anderson (Thunderbirds, Space: 1999), six hand-picked episodes of the Supermarionation classic are coming to the streaming service only for the month of March. Stingray’s appearance on Shout! Factory TV marks the start of a lineup of exciting limited engagements for Gerry Anderson Supermarionation series.

The flagship of the World Aquanaut Security Patrol (W.A.S.P.), Stingray is the world’s most highly sophisticated submarine, capable of speeds of over 600 knots and the ability to submerge anywhere on the Earth’s ocean floor. Under the command of the square-jawed and heroic Captain Troy Tempest, Stingray explores the most treacherous depths of our waters and protects the world from the perils that lurk undersea.

KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE (Evan C. Kim, Bong Soo Han, Bill Bixby)

Directed by the legendary John Landis (Animal House, The Blues Brothers), The Kentucky Fried Movie features a lewd, loosely connected collection of skits that spoof blaxploitation films, news shows, TV commercials, kung fu flicks and more!

The original take-off cult classic from the highly successful team of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker (Airplane, The Naked Gun), this “uproariously funny [film]” (TV Guide) launched a thousand laughs and serves as a precursor to the raunch-fests of the ‘80s and the blockbuster success of the Farrelly Brothers films.

Including well-known stars such as Bill Bixby, Donald Sutherland, Tony Dow, George Lazenby and Henry Gibson, this one-of-a-kind film features over 22 hilarious segments including “Cleopatra Schwartz,” “Catholic High School Girls In Trouble,” “A Fistful Of Yen” and more!

Whether reliving childhood memories or discovering television series, movies and comedy specials for the first time, SHOUT! FACTORY TV will provide an immersive, high-quality viewing experience across a wide variety of screens and platforms, online at ShoutFactoryTV.com and on smartphone devices, tablets and connected TV, with an initial rollout on Roku.

SHOUT! FACTORY TV’s programming leverages a distinctive library of pop culture-defining entertainment curated from Shout! Factory, Westchester Films, Timeless Media Group, Scream Factory, major studios, independent producers and other sources from around the world.