Happy 95th birthday, Gene Kelly!
Just because… oh, all right, we’ll tie it into comics somehow. Here, enjoy one of the more interesting crossovers from the MGM days:
Author: Glenn Hauman
Hayden Panettiere turns legal
Yep, fandom’s favorite cheerleader (all right, I remember her as Princess Dot from A Bug’s Life, but I’m weird) turned eighteen on Tuesday. And what did she do to commemorate it? She registered to vote:
Exercising her civic right, star of NBC’s Heroes, Hayden Panettiere, celebrated her 18th birthday today by registering to vote utilizing the Declare Yourself campaign’s easy-to-use online registration process. Panettiere is an official spokesperson for the Declare Yourself, the national nonpartisan, nonprofit youth voter initiative aimed at empowering and encouraging America’s 18-year-olds to register and vote in the 2008 primaries and general election.
Like millions of other young people, Panettiere logged on to the campaign’s official site at http://www.DeclareYourself.com, completed the voter registration form online, printed it out and then mailed it off. She was also able to have any voting related questions answered through Declare Yourself’s FAQ section.
Now that’s a way to save the world.
Stan Lee and… Paris Hilton?
From Film School Rejects : Stan Lee told NY Post columnist Cindy Adams he’s planning to make an animated cartoon TV show with Paris Hilton. “A hip comedy in the superhero comedy-adventure genre. We get on very well. This is a charming, very likable person. Sophisticated. Great comedic sense. A fine voice. And seriously hard-working. Totally unlike whatever the public is led to believe. And she has input. She attends every meeting. What we plan to do is truly tasteful.”
It’s good that Paris is getting involved in comics — I was wondering who was going to write fill-in issues for Jenna Jameson.
Zuda, Zuda
One of the panels I was most looking forward to at Wizard World Chicago was the Zudacomics panel, where Richard Bruning and Kwanza Johnson were going to show off the reader and answer questions. Sadly, their demo wasn’t working at the time, so it just turned into a lot of questions and answers. Jason Fliegel was there and covered many of the thing I wanted to, but there are a few points to add and emphasize.
Jason points out the issue of the contracts: "First… DC didn’t brief the panelists on the legalities of the deal that is being offered to creators. Or DC hasn’t figured it out themselves yet. Or both. During the panel, Bruning noted that DC would own the trademarks in the characters. I asked whether the trademarks would be registered with the Patent and Trademark Office, and if so, in what categories. Bruning and Johnson looked flabbergasted, then bullshitted me for thirty seconds before moving on to the next question. Clearly they had no idea."
Let me add: DC/Zuda will let the creators keep the copyright to the work, but they will retain the trademark. If you think that’s not a problem, let me refer you to Chris Butcher: "Trademark is interesting, it’s why the KRAZY KAT collections that Fantagraphics are doing are called Krazy & Ignatz and why the GASOLINE ALLEY collections that D+Q are doing are called Walt & Skeezix. The copyright on those early works may have fallen into the public domain, but the titles (marks) used in business (trade) haven’t, and are still owned by the syndicates." Or think Captain Marvel instead of Shazam.
9 Superpowers You Might Actually Want
From The Best Article Every Day, 9 Superpowers You Might Actually Want:
Humor ESP. You’ve got a great joke involving St. Peter, a stripper, and a tricycle, but you’re not sure how it will go over with your friend’s new boyfriend, whom you’ve only met once but get the feeling doesn’t really like you. Your humor ESP will let you know whether the joke will end in laughs or a theological debate. This peculiar psychic ability also comes in handy when you want to come up with the exact line to scare off that guy at the bar who just won’t leave you alone.
I’ve got a few of my own:
Time Dilation & Compression: Make those slow movies fly by and meetings with the in-laws fly by, and stretch out that vacation time and get a few extra hours to finish art corrections.
Parking Spot Creation: The ability to magically have a parking spot appear wherever and whenever you need one.
Human Computer Antivirus: Nuff said.
What are yours? Leave them in comments.
Seth McFarlane’s new shorts
According to Valleywag, Seth McFarlane, creator of "Family Guy" has just hooked up with Google, using its AdSense network to distribute original video shorts. The show, which McFarlane and Google hope will be paid for by embedded ads, will appear in banners Google serves on both its own and independent sites. The concept is that as ads, the videos will reach a larger audience than a single website would. Says VW: "For Google, it’s a way to fill unsold ad inventory and prove the notion of AdSense as a distribution vehicle, after a similar deal with Viacom‘s MTV Networks collapsed. And it could also have a long-run benefit for Google. By inserting content into ad banners, Google could be, in essence, retraining users to pay attention to the Web commercials they’ve long learned to ignore."
Leave it to Stewie to find a new and different way to attempt world domination.
Happy 25th birthday, compact discs!
One hundred and thirty years ago this past Wednesday, Thomas Edison made the first ever audio recording, which consisted of him reciting "Mary Had A Little Lamb". It entered the charts at #1.
But twenty-five years ago today, the world’s first compact disc was produced at a Philips factory in Germany, ushering in a new world of audio and laying the groundwork for digital copying, MP3s, Napster… well, at least we got rid of all the hisses and pops, right?
Sigh. Edison hate future.
Jim Shooter returning to Legion of Super-Heroes?
There are those who thought this wouldn’t happen until we actually reached the 30th century, yet a pretty strong case is made for it actually happening at the Legion Omnicom, starting with #37.
Marvel movies made messy by mortgage meltdown?
My spidey-cents are tingling, and I don’t know that I like what I’m thinking.
First we have a piece from the Financial Times (via Salon) that says MGM may have delays in raising funding for a number of upcoming blockbuster movies, including the next installments in the James Bond and Terminator franchises due to the global credit crunch that is causing chaos in financial markets. Then we have a piece in Variety that shows that the bill for Endemol, the European production giant famous for "Big Brother" and "Deal or No Deal," has become a bit pricier thanks to the same credit crunch, and that it’s also put a hold on the planned sales of Virgin Media, the U.K. cable outfit.
So now I’m thinking about the $525 million in financing that Merrill Lynch has lined up for Marvel to produce its slate of films, which is really little more than a credit line — and I’m wondering how stable it really is. Does anybody how secure Marvel’s financing really is at this moment?
Mike Wieringo update
To begin, the funeral arrangements from Mike’s brother Matt, reprinted in its entirety:
First, let me thank everyone who has expressed their condolences online and over the phone. We have been, frankly, overwhelmed by all the good will from all over the world. I don’t think our parents fully understood (nor did Mike) just how much he was loved and admired. To get us through this, my wife and I have spent a couple of sleepless nights reading the postings here and at Newsarama (thank you, Matt Brady) and the John Byrne Forum and it’s helped a great deal. Most touching of all was Cully Hamner’s heartfelt eulogy at Newsarama. Thank you so much, Cully. You are a beautiful man.
Now to the hard part. Mike will have two funeral services.
First, there will be a public viewing this Friday (August 17th) from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Hall-Wynne Funeral Service at 1113 West Main Street in Durham, NC, followed by a chapel service at 2:00. This will be open to any of Mike’s friends and colleagues who’d like to attend. Please come prepared to share a Mike story. I plan on putting you on the spot. It would really help our Mom and Dad through this.
Second, at a time to be determined, there will be a private service for Mike’s family in Lynchburg, where we grew up.
As mentioned before, in lieu of flowers, if you’d like please send donations to the A.S.P.C.A. (aspca.org) or to the Hero Initiative (heroinitiative.org). I had previously mentioned the CBLDF but, having time to think about it, I realized that the Hero Initiative was more Mike’s style. Those wishing to contribute to the CBLDF anyway, please feel free as it’s a worthwhile cause as well.
Finally, some of you have expressed concern over what would become of Mike’s little buddy and constant companion, his cat Charlie. Well, breathe easy. Charlie is coming to live with us in Richmond with our other cat Toonces. I’m not sure how Toonces is going to take to living with the little dynamo that is Charlie, but family is family. Charlie is doing well but obviously misses Mike. He’s been sleeping on Mike’s bed and under his drawing table but he’s active and friendly.
Take care, everyone and, on behalf of our parents, my wife and me, thanks for everything. –Matt (more…)
