A century ago today, December 26, 1908– ironically enough, Boxing Day in many countries– Jack Johnson beat Tommy Burns to become both the heavyweight champion of the world, and the most notorious black man on the planet.
We’ve been covering his story in The Original Johnson by Trevor Von Eeden. If you haven’t been reading it, you’re missing a treat. Start here to read it from the beginning.
Judge Gary Allen Feess handed Warner Bros. a legal lump of coal on Christmas Eve, as he issued a brief ruling indicating 20th-Century Fox has the distribution rights to Watchmen, according to Variety.
His five-page ruling said, “Fox owns a copyright interest consisting of, at the very least, the right to distribute the ‘Watchmen’ motion picture.”
Frees, over the fall, urged Warner Bros. and 20th to iron out their differences. He repeated the suggestion in the document, saying, “The parties may wish to turn their efforts from preparing for trial to negotiating a resolution of this dispute or positioning the case for review.” Warner is set to release the film on March 6, 2009.
Fox acquired the rights from DC Comics in the 1980s with producer Lawrence Gordon’s production company. When 20th lost interest, Gordon moved the project to Universal and Paramount Pictures before landing it with Warner, parent company to DC.
Fox contends that Gordon never obtained all rights from them and they have a controlling interest in the highly-anticipated feature based on the Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons comic.
Given the holidays, Freees promised a lengthier explanation prior to the January 20 trial date. Warner Bros. had no comment on Wednesday.
Beginning Monday, while everyone is home from school, kids can catch up on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. While new episodes return in 2009, the ten aired on Cartoon Network will be available at both StarWars.com and CartoonNetwork.com. Supervising director Dave Filoni provides commentary.
The online option lasts until January 2 and that evening, the next original episode, "Dooku Captured," will air at 9 p.m. 6
Eartha Kitt died today at the age of 81 from colon cancer.
Known worldwide as a self-proclaimed "sex kitten", famous for her catlike purr, Kitt was an incredibly versatile performer, winning two Emmys and nabbing a third nomination, as well as Tony and Grammy nominations, but probably best known for her role as Catwoman on the 1960’s Batman TV series, replacing Julie Newmar in 1967; and for singing the song "Santa Baby". She was once dubbed the "most exciting woman in the world" by Orson Welles– an assessment that’s hard to dispute.
She said in an interview for Harper’s Bazaar that "a gentleman who wrote [the late 1960s TV series] Batman said he wrote that character especially for me. He said, ‘You are a cat, you look like a cat, you act like a cat.’ "
If only she had eight more lives…
Clearly inspired by Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Marvel is releasing a hardcover graphic novel, Wolverine. The press note says, “That’s right Bub, Marvel is proud to unveil Todd Nauck’s cover to Wolverine, an all-new hardcover graphic novel presenting the history of Wolverine’s life from his days as wimpy kid to just how he became one of Marvel’s deadliest heroes. In stores this April, experience the most unique look ever inside the mind of everyone’s favorite Canadian in Wolverine!”
The question must be asked: is it right to release a kid-friendly Wolverine book just weeks before the not-kid-friendly Wolverine movie opens?
In today’s edition of The New York Times, the Sports section features an article on our Original Johnson strip. George Gustines does a nice job placing Johnson in American and boxing history. If you haven’t checked out the story from Trevor Von Eeden, it’s still running with new pages every week here at ComicMix.
Warner Premier provided us with four new images from March 3’s Wonder Woman animated feature. Wonder Woman will also be available OnDemand and Pay-Per-View as well as available for download day and date, March 3.
Wonder Woman will receive a big screen premiere at New York Comic Con on February 6, 2009 in the IGN Theater at the Javits Center. The 8:30 p.m. screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring members of the film’s cast and crew. Ticket information is forth-coming.
Here’s what you’re looking at:
Artemis (center, voiced by Rosario Dawson) takes the lead during a gathering of Amazonians. Princess Diana, later to be known as Wonder Woman, stands immediately to the right of Artemis.
Ares assumes an even more menacing figure in battle as the primary villain, voiced by Alfred Molina.
Wonder Woman gets the upper hand, er, lasso on Ares’ henchman Deimos during a thrilling action sequence.
Steve Trevor, voiced by Nathan Fillion, reacts angrily to Ares’ affront to an American icon.
May you all find what you’re looking for, be it peace, love, courage, funding, or that copy of Superman #74 in very fine or better.
We bring you a little bit of a New York holiday tradition as you open your presents:
Through next year we all will be together, if the fates allow. Even if we have to muddle through somehow.
Diablo Cody’s Jennifer’s Body, has been given a September 18, 2009 release date by Fox Atomic. The movie, directed by Jason Reitman (Juno), stars Megan Fox (Transformers), Amanda Seyfried (Mama Mia), Adam Brody (The OC), and J.K. Simmons (Spider-Man).
The official plot synopsis follows: “When small-town high school hottie Jennifer (Megan Fox) is possessed by a hungry demon, guys who never stood a chance with her, take on new luster in the light of Jennifer’s insatiable appetite.”
The thriller’s competition that weekend will include the Matt Damon/Melanie Lynskey crime thriller The Informant and Sony Pictures’ animated adaptation of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
Depending on which report you read, Stephen Chow is Kato but will not direct The Green Hornet. Maybe the Shaolin Soccer star will direct but not act in the Sony film, starring Seth Rogen. He may exit altogether, leaving the June 25, 2010 release without a director or co-star with production set to begin in the spring.
Moviehole was among the first to report that Chow is considering not playing Kato. “He’s blaming it on scheduling (saying he wants to film some Jack Black-Superhero film) – but that sounds like a tug,” they note.
An Associated Press story confirms that report, quoting Chow as saying, "If I direct The Green Hornet, the superhero comedy will have to be delayed for two years. The timing might not be right for a superhero comedy in two years. And I want to make a movie based on an original idea."
Stay tuned for post-holiday developments
Columns / Glenn Hauman / News
Stephen Colbert, we have your writer for “The Chronicles of Amber”!
January 20, 2023
The Law Is A Ass #460: Those “For Life” Sentences Are Nonsense
February 24, 2022
