San Diego Comic-Con is less than three weeks away…
…are you ready? (Hat tip: DarkStitch)
Author: Glenn Hauman
Garfield as Spider-Man?
The new Spider-Man has been cast… and yes, it’s Garfield.
Andrew Garfield.
Never heard of him? Us neither. But apparently he’s up and coming very fast, as can be imagined by a casting decision this high-profile for what will be Sony’s big tentpole movie of 2012.
And apparently, he’s willing to work cheap. Deadline Hollywood says that his pay scale on the film is around $500,000 salary on the first film,
$1 million for the second one, and $2 million for the third film. Considering Tobey Maguire was making at least ten times those numbers, that takes a huge weight off the cost of the film. If we assume other actors are similarly priced, this thing could actually come in under budget.
Press release follows…
Donald Duck Arrested for DWI
Police in Massillon, OH say Donald
Duck repeatedly backed-up and struck the car in front of him
while waiting at a drive-through pizza line.
Officers say when they arrived on the scene, Duck, 51, reeked
of alcohol and when he opened the car door a bag of pot fell out of the
front seat. Duck was booked into the Stark County Jail on a felony charge of
operating a vehicle while impaired, and misdemeanor counts of both drug
possession and the possession of drug paraphernalia.
On the other hand, at least he was wearing pants. So he’s one up on the other guy.
No word if a rich uncle posted bail for him.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Daleks
In advance of the season finale of Doctor Who in the UK, we felt you should get this refresher lesson.
I gotta admit, when I saw this, I thought it was a leftover promo bit from when the original H2G2 series was done. I think Douglas Adams would approve.
‘Red’ Teaser Trailer with Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Karl Urban, and Helen Mirren
The trailer doesn’t quite feel like the book, but I can see where they’re going with it…
Red, based on the graphic novel by Warren Ellis and Cully Hammer, hits theaters October 15th. Here’s the details:
Frank (Bruce Willis), Joe (Morgan Freeman), Marvin (John Malkovich) and Victoria (Helen Mirren) used to be the CIA’s top agents – but the secrets they know just made them the Agency’s top targets. Now framed for assassination, they must use all of their collective cunning, experience and teamwork to stay one step ahead of their deadly pursuers and stay alive. To stop the operation, the team embarks on an impossible, cross-country mission to break into the top-secret CIA headquarters, where they will uncover one of the biggest conspiracies and cover-ups in government history.
My Spider-Man ‘One More Day’ and ‘One Moment In Time’ Rant
All right, I’m finally sick and tired of this.
With the previews beginning to leak out from Spider-Man’s “One Moment In Time” story, which they claim will be the magic bullet that retconned Spider-Man’s marriage, I can stay silent no longer.
Everybody says “Oh, they’ll never put Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson back together.” And every time somebody says so, I can’t help but think of Latka and Simka.
In the two part Taxi episode, “Scenskees From A Marriage”, Latka (Andy Kaufman) strays from his marriage to Simka (Carol Kane) and due to their cultural restrictions, they must break up. To explain where I see all of this heading, we now must show the climactic scene of the divorce (jump ahead to about 2:55, if you must):
Now, there’s another thing to consider. The comics industry, for all of its maturing and stabilization, still remembers the scare of censors and the like. Does Disney really want to deal with the backlash from the religious right when they finally notice that this leading hero cut a deal with the devil to destroy the sanctity of his marriage? Personally, I’m amazed that James Dobson, who’s always looking for a new thing to beat up Disney over, hasn’t already gone after this one.
But the lingering resentment is still there from fans, who look at that and say that it came out of left field, that it ruined the character of Peter Parker, because of the way this change was made.
Luckily, there is a solution to all of this.
DC Comics Goes Digital; Apps Announced for iPad, iPhone, and PlayStation
It’s official. The last big holdout has made it to Apple products.
DC Comics is partnering with comiXology and PlayStation®Network for two separate digital comics distribution deals launching today. In addition, a DC Comics App for the iPhone®, iPad® and iPod® Touch is available allowing consumers an easy way to access DC Comics’ content.
Most interestingly, DC’s
partnership with comiXology also includes a first-of-its-kind Retailer
Affiliate Program, which will collect a portion of digital revenues to
be invested back to and on behalf of comic book retailers in a variety
of initiatives.
“At DC Comics, it has been a top priority that DC forges a meaningful, forward-looking digital strategy,” said Jim Lee, Co-Publisher, DC Comics. “As both a comic book creator and Co-Publisher, it was incredibly important that our plan includes not only creator incentive payments, but also an innovative component that supports comic shop owners. We see digital as an opportunity to grow our entire business.”
Both the comiXology and the PlayStation Network Digital Comics launch offerings will include classic titles from DC Comics, Vertigo and WildStorm, such as Batman: Hush, Green Lantern: Rebirth, Fables: Legends in Exiles and Planetary: All Over the World and Other Stories. Both programs will share a tiered pricing format, with digital comics priced from $.99 to $2.99 per issue. The Justice League: Generation Lost mini-series will be available through both platforms day and date with each issue’s print edition on-sale date, with both the digital and print editions priced at $2.99. Several comics will be available for free at launch, including the first installment of the ZUDA series Bayou and select stories from Batman: Black & White, and one issue of Neil Gaiman’s critically acclaimed
Sandman will be available digitally exclusively through comiXology each
week.
To further promote today’s announcement, DC Comics is offering a free 10-page preview of the 700th issue of Superman available through both platforms, day and date with the issue going on sale in comic book stores. The 10 page story is a prelude to writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Eddy Barrows’ highly anticipated “Grounded” storyline that will be published in Superman which will examine how Superman sees America, and how America sees Superman.
Happy 80th Birthday, Frank Thorne!
Congratulations to Frank Thorne (seated), world famous for his work drawing sexy women like Red Sonja, Ghita of Alizarr, Moonshine McJuggs, and Danger Rangerette, on officially becoming a dirty old man.
Win a Peanuts DVD set!
Our good friends at Warner Home Video have provided us with copies of the new Peanuts: 1970’s Collection, Vol. 2 (which includes Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown; You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown; It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown; What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown; It’s Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown; and You’re the Greatest, Charlie Brown), and we’re sharing them with you.
We’re offering you five different ways to win. Here’s how you can win one:
- Follow @comicmix on Twitter. That enters you to win one copy of the DVD.
- Simply tweet “Just entered to win a Peanuts DVD. Just follow @comicmix and
retweet. http://comicmix.com” That enters you to win another copy of the DVD. - Become a fan of ComicMix on FaceBook. That enters you to win yet another copy of the DVD.
- Link to ComicMix on your website (or use the ComicMix widgetbox from the sidebar) and let us know where in the comments (not anonymously, please). That en– aw, you know this by now.
- Come up with a title for your own Peanuts special (for example: “It’s The Great Old Ones, Charlie Brown!”) and put it in the comments. The opinion of the judges for the most amusing title wins. Note: The title must be broadcast and kid safe.
We’ll close the contest to entries on this Sunday, June 13th, 2010 at Midnight, Pacific Daylight Time. We’ll choose the winners at random, except for the title naming category.
Good luck!
