Category: News

The Point Radio: NBC Going GRIMM Again


Banking off the momentum of The Olympics, NBC has already kicked off the second season of GRIMM. Wr jump right in with a look at what lies ahead for this cult favorite, straight from show runners David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf. Plus more with Travel Channel TOY HUNTER Jordan Hembrough and news on just why the DARK TOWER film may have tanked.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our new YouTube Channel!

Don’t miss a minute of pop culture news – The Point Radio  – 24 hours a day of pop culture fun for FREE. GO HERE and LISTEN FREE on any computer or on any mobile device with the Tune In Radio app – and follow us on Twitter @ThePointRadio.

WEIRD TALES PULLS NOVEL ENDORSEMENT IN MIDST OF CONTROVERSY

  • News
  • August 20, 2012

Weird Tales, a Magazine known for featuring the odd and strange and being the home of such classic Pulp Authors as Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft, has found itself in a position to retract an endorsement by Weird Tales Editor Marvin Kaye of a novel by author Victoria Hoyt.

In a post entitled, ‘A Message from the Publisher’, said Publisher John Harlacher details that editor Kaye had endorsed a novel written by Hoyt.  Upon further investigation and learning more about the content of the book, The Publisher consulted with Kaye and the decision was made to rescind the endorsement.  For the full contents of the letter from Weird Tales’ Publisher, go here- http://weirdtalesmagazine.com/2012/08/20/a-message-from-the-publisher/

Although it is not stated in the above cited message, it is believed by All Pulp staff that the title of this novel is “Save the Pearls”.  This novel and Hoyt herself have been criticized on the internet for what is being cited as obvious racist themes in the book as well as in promotional material.  All Pulp has not contacted any of the parties involved, but is willing to discuss this with both sides and report on it accordingly.

Flying Henry, the littlest Superhero

  • News
  • August 19, 2012

Rachel Hulin is a photographer whose son Henry loves to fly, or at least loves to pretend he is.  So she chose to do a couple of series of photos of him doing so.

Naturally, some well-meaning busybodies worried the child was in some danger during these exploits.  “I never throw him, and I never move him into a place in the frame that he wasn’t in to begin with,” Hulin shares with My Modern Met.

They’re very well done, both the composition of the initial shot and the…post-production work.

She’s doing a book next spring featuring her flying child.  It’s already up on Amazon.

The Point Radio: Where Does He Get Those Wonderful Toys?

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We cover BOTH sides of the collecting coin with first a look at a new Travel Channel show, TOY HUNTER. Meet Jordan Hembrough whop spends his life digging for rare & cool old toys, then we have more with Elyse Luray and COLLECTION INTERVENTION, on just what to do when the “stuff” takes over your life!

Don’t forget to subscribe to our new YouTube Channel!

Don’t miss a minute of pop culture news – The Point Radio  – 24 hours a day of pop culture fun for FREE. GO HERE and LISTEN FREE on any computer or on any mobile device with the Tune In Radio app – and follow us on Twitter @ThePointRadio.

All Four Indiana Jones Movies to Receive a 1-Day Marathon

indiana-jones-300x450-5989768Yesterday, it was all about Raiders of the Lost Ark being screen in IMAX. Now we get word that AMC theaters will run all four feature films starring Harrison Ford as a one-day marathon. Read on…

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and KANSAS CITY, Mo. (August 16, 2012) – Director Steven Spielberg and executive producer George Lucas’ legendary film series is returning exclusively to AMC Theatres® for an unforgettable cinematic event: a one-day-only marathon presentation of all four Indiana Jones films on the big screen. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM, INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE, and INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL will be presented in order on 69 AMC screens across the country on Sept. 15.

“For film fans of all ages, this is an extraordinary opportunity to see every exhilarating moment of Indiana Jones’ adventures on the big screen,” said Robert J. Lenihan, president of Programming at AMC.  “We are thrilled to present this exciting one-day event as fans gear up for the arrival of all four Indiana Jones films on Blu-ray.”

The marathon begins at 10:30 a.m. Participating AMC locations and advance tickets are available now at amctheatres.com/indianajones. AMC Stubs members who purchase a ticket to the marathon prior to Sept. 15 will receive $5 Bonus Bucks on their AMC Stubs account, valid the day of the event.

INDIANA JONES: The Complete Adventures will make its highly-anticipated Blu-ray debut on Sept. 18from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Media Distribution.  In addition to all of Indy’s thrilling adventures, the set features seven hours of fascinating bonus material, including a brand new two-part documentary entitled “On Set with Raiders of the Lost Ark.”  Featuring nearly an hour of rarely seen footage from the set of the film and archival interviews with Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford, this captivating piece transports fans back to where the legend began.

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It’s Writing, Captain, But Not As We Know It

  • News
  • August 17, 2012

darkandstormy_5013-5625430The annual running of the bad prose has come again, with the winners of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest announced Monday. (Yes, that page is apparently official, even though it looks like something that crawled out of 1996, and not before dying, either.)

In honor of the “dark and stormy night” feller, the judges of the Bulwer-Lytton contest every year choose the most lousy opening sentence they can from among a myriad entrants. This year’s winner was:

As he told her that he loved her she gazed into his eyes, wondering, as she noted the infestation of eyelash mites, the tiny deodicids burrowing into his follicles to eat the greasy sebum therein, each female laying up to 25 eggs in a single follicle, causing inflammation, whether the eyes are truly the windows of the soul; and, if so, his soul needed regrouting.

And it was extruded by one Cathy Bryant of Manchester, England.

Since there are always more bad sentences, there are also category winners. Those of genre interest are:

  • Fantasy: “The brazen walls of the ancient city of Khoresand, situated where the mighty desert of Sind meets the endless Hyrkanean steppe, are guarded by day by the four valiant knights Sir Malin the Mighty, Sir Welkin the Wake, Sir Darien the Doughty, and Sir Yrien the Yare, all clad in armor of beaten gold, and at night the walls are guarded by Sir Arden the Ardent, Sir Fier the Fearless, Sir Cyril the Courageous, and Sir Damien the Dauntless, all clad in armor of burnished argent, but nothing much ever happens.” from David Lippmann of Austin, TX
  • Science Fiction: “As I gardened, gazing towards the autumnal sky, I longed to run my finger through the trail of mucus left by a single speckled slug – innocuously thrusting past my rhododendrons – and in feeling that warm slime, be swept back to planet Alderon, back into the tentacles of the alien who loved me.” from Mary E. Patrick of Lake City, SC

(via Publishers Weekly)

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Reminder: Today’s the last day to vote in the 2012 Harvey Awards, hosted this year by Phil LaMarr

  • News
  • August 17, 2012

new-harvey-logo-web-2012-2-5553637We want to remind you that voting for the Harvey Awards closes tonight at midnight, so get your votes in now if you haven’t already. Please remember that only comic book professionals – those who write, draw, ink, letter, color, design, and edit comic books and graphic novels – are eligible to vote. All you have to do is go to the Harvey Awards website and vote, quick and easy. Voting turnout seems healthy this year, thanks to the new online voting.

The 2012 awards will be handed out at the Baltimore Comic-Con on September 8th, in a ceremony hosted by Phil LaMarr. We hope to see you there!

Named in honor of the late Harvey Kurtzman, one of the industry’s most innovative talents, the Harvey Awards recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art. Nominations for the Harvey Awards are selected exclusively by creators – those who write, draw, ink, letter, color, design, edit, or are otherwise involved in a creative capacity in the comics field.  They are the only industry awards both nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. The awards have been presented annually since 1988.

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Phil LaMarr (Photo credit: Gage Skidmore)

Phil LaMarr is best known as a cast member of Fox’s MADtv, a sketch comedy show based on characters and situations from MAD magazine, which was founded in 1952 by Editor Harvey Kurtzman (namesake of the Harvey Awards) and Publisher William Gaines. The show first aired in 1995 and ran for 14 seasons, of which LaMarr was a cast member for 5 seasons (1995-2000).

In addition to his comedic acting, LaMarr is also an accomplished voice actor for such renowned shows as Futurama, Kaijudo, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, Static Shock, Evil con Carne, Samurai Jack and Justice League Unlimited, as well as recurring roles on King of the Hill, Family Guy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Young Justice and The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron.

LaMarr says: “I’m excited and honored to be a part of the Harvey Awards this year, and I am looking forward to meeting many of the people I spend every Wednesday afternoon with.”

The change in host this year from Harvey Award mainstay Scott Kurtz was due to a family conflict. Kurtz, a friend of both the Baltimore Comic-Con and the Harvey Awards, will return in the future.  “Scott worked really hard to make the show this year, and we all understand and respect that family commitments must take priority,” said Marc Nathan, Baltimore Comic-Con promoter.  “Scott is always welcome here in Baltimore!”

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Raiders of the Lost Ark gets IMAX Theatrical Run

raidersofthelostark1981-300x199-1524271SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (August 15, 2012) – The cinematic classic that introduced the world to Indiana Jones is ready to embark on a new adventure when director Steven Spielberg and executive producer George Lucas’ unforgettable Raiders of the Lost Ark is released for an exclusive one-week engagement in select IMAX® theatres beginning September 7, 2012.  The film has undergone a complete restoration for the IMAX exclusive one-week release and subsequent debut on Blu-ray. Tickets and a list of participating theatres are available starting today at www.imax.com.

“When I saw the stunning quality of the picture and heard the enhanced sound in an IMAX theatre, I was quite literally blown away and hope that audiences will enjoy the experience as much as I did,” said Spielberg.

“We are honored to present all the excitement of Indiana Jones in a way it’s never been experienced before – IMAX,” said Greg Foster, Chairman & President, IMAX Filmed Entertainment.  “We look forward to celebrating this iconic film with longtime fans as well as a new generation of moviegoers.”

The IMAX release of Raiders of the Lost Ark will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

Under the supervision of Spielberg and renowned sound designer Ben Burtt, Raiders of the Lost Ark has been meticulously restored with careful attention to preserving the original look, sound and feel of the iconic film for its highly-anticipated release on Blu-ray as part of INDIANA JONES: The Complete Adventures.  Every extraordinary exploit of world-renowned, globetrotting hero Indiana Jones finally comes home in sparkling high definition on September 18, 2012 from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Media Distribution.  In addition to all of the thrilling adventures, the set features seven hours of fascinating bonus material, including a brand new two-part documentary entitled “On Set with Raiders of the Lost Ark – From Jungle to Desert and From Adventure to Legend.”  Featuring nearly an hour of rarely seen footage from the set of the film and archival interviews with Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford, this captivating piece transports fans back to where the legend began.

Lucasfilm, Indiana Jones™ and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd.  All rights reserved.  All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

iVerse Adds Contraband Comics for Digital Distribtion

jbs01_launch_ad-292x450-4937903(August 15, 2012—Waco, TX) – iVerse Media, creators of some of the world’s most popular and widely used technologies for reading and distributing digital comics, announced today that the company’s Comics Plus platform has been selected as the exclusive digital distribution platform for Contraband Comics, a new independent, creator-owned comics publishing initiative.

“We’re extremely happy and excited that Contraband Comics has decided to launch with us exclusively,” said Michael Murphey, iVerse CEO. “Their creative team is outstanding and, from the work we’ve seen so far, we know that our readers are really going to enjoy their lineup.”

“iVerse’s dedication to creator-owned projects is what we were looking for in a distribution partner,” said writer/artist and Contraband founder, Jon Goff. “Their ability to deliver content on a level that meets the high standards everyone at Contraband strives for made this a very easy choice for us. We plan to utilize the Comics Plus app’s many features to their fullest, as Contraband continues to roll out titles that push the envelope of storytelling and innovation.”

The first wave of Contraband titles that will be available exclusively on Comics Plus include:

  • BLINDSIDE by Marat Mychaels (creator/illustrator) and Jon Goff (writer) – The worlds of superheroics and espionage merge head-on in an all-out, bullet-riddled, adrenaline rush blockbuster! Debuts August 22nd exclusively on Comics Plus.
  • BIG HITTERS by Travis Sengaus (co-creator/illustrator) and Jon Goff (co-creator/writer) – This science-fiction action/adventure follows the exploits of a pair of sanctioned hitmen – called “Hitters” – as they navigate the seedy underbelly of an advanced post-war universe. Debuts September 5th exclusively on Comics Plus.
  • JACK RABBIT by Jim Hanna (co-creator/illustrator) and Jon Goff (co-creator/writer) – A supernatural crime-noir thriller that follows an ex-boxer-turned-private detective as he investigates the darker corners of 1930’s Los Angeles, where truth and myth merge in a surreal mixture of violence and hope. Debuts September 19th exclusively on Comics Plus.

“A big goal for us at iVerse is to help talented creators like Jon get their creations out to millions and millions of people,” said Steve May, iVerse Director of Business Development.  “There are many amazing creator-owned books out there just needing the right distribution partner to take them to the next level.  With talent like Jon, Marat, Travis and Jim on board, I have no doubt that Contraband Comics will quickly reach that level and grow beyond it.”

About iVerse Media. LLC

iVerse Media (http://www.iversemedia.com) is a digital content distributor focused on the world of comics and popular culture. Founded in 2008, the company was one of the first to launch digital comics on Apple’s iOS platform. As of April 2012, over 12 million products in the iOS App Store have been downloaded that are powered by iVerse, making the “iVerse Engine” one of the most popular and widely used platforms for reading digital comics in the world. The company is principally located in Waco, TX. For more information, visit www.comicsplusapp.com.

About Contraband Comics

Launched in 2012, Contraband Comics is a creator-owned, independent comic book publisher with a focus on providing quality titles across multiple genres. Founded by writer/artist, Jon Goff, and featuring a talented line-up of comic book creators, including Travis Sengaus, Marat Mychaels, Jim Hanna, Fco Plascencia, Comicraft and more, Contraband’s only goal is to entertain. Contrabrand Comics are available exclusively on iVerse Media’s ComicsPlus digital platform. Learn more about Contraband Comics on their Website: http://www.contracomics.com

About Jon Goff

Jon Goff has developed content for comic books, action figures and video games while working with many of the top companies across the entertainment industry, including The McFarlane Companies, 343 Industries, Microsoft Game Studios, Marvel Comics, MEGA Brands, Gentle Giant Studios, WETA Workshop, ABC Studios, Tor Books, DK Publishing, Prima Games and more. Jon’s credits include Tor Books’ Halo-themed anthology, Halo Evolutions, the monthly Spawn comic book title and The Adventures of SPAWN online comic. Follow Jon on Twitter: @Jonathan_Goff

About Marat Mychaels

Marat Mychaels (Grifter, Deadpool Corps) is a veteran of the comic book industry, having provided artwork for Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Image Comics and more. Marat’s current focus is the launch of his creator-owned title, Blindside, as part of Contraband Comics, along with steady work on DC Comics New 52 titles, including Hawk and Dove and Grifter.  Follow Marat on Twitter: @MaratMychaels

About Travis Sengaus

Travis Sengaus is an illustrator and animator from Calgary, Alberta, who has provided artwork for various comic, video game and animation projects. His credits include The Adventures of SPAWN online comic book and production work for Table Taffy Studios. Follow Travis on Twitter: @TravisSengaus

About Jim Hanna

Jim Hanna is an artist/writer based in Mesa, Arizona. He has provided art for Arcana Studio, Upper Deck, Red 5 Comics, Cryptozoic Entertainment and Marvel/The Hero Initiative. Jim’s newest project is the creator-owned title, Jack Rabbit, part of Contraband Comics’ initial wave of titles. Follow Jim on Twitter: @jimhanna

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Harry Harrison: 1925-2012

stainless-steel-rat-1-1192910Harry Harrison, best known for his character Jim DiGriz, the Stainless Steel Rat, and the novel Make Room! Make Room! (adapted into film as Soylent Green) died yesterday at the age of 87.

Harrison started as a comics illustrator in 1947, notably with EC Comics’ two science fiction comic books, Weird Fantasy and Weird Science, as well as a short stint on Blackhawk for Quality, and various war, western, and romance comics– even western romance comics. Harrison was one of Wally Wood’s early employers and the man who brought Woody to EC.

He also edited comics in the 50s for very small publishers. He used house names such as Wade Kaempfert and Philip St. John to edit magazines, and has published other fiction under the names Felix Boyd, Hank Dempsey, and even as Leslie Charteris on the novel Vendetta For The Saint. Harrison also wrote for syndicated comic strips, creating the Rick Random character and writing the Flash Gordon comic strip during the 50s and 60s.

Harrison is now much better known for his writing, particularly his humorous and satirical science fiction, such as the Stainless Steel Ratseries (which was adapted into a comics series by Kelvin Gosnell and Carlos Ezquerra) and the novel Bill, the Galactic Hero (which satirizes Robert A. Heinlein’s Starship Troopers). But he may be best known for Make Room! Make Room! which was adapted into film under the title Soylent Green— which (spoiler alert) is delicious.

He is survived by two children, Todd and Moira. Our condolences to his family, friends, and fans.

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