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Is 3-D For Me – Or Are You Thor?

  • News
  • July 21, 2010

Watch out. That’s The Mighty Thor’s hammer coming straight for your mightily bespectacled head.

The march of the 3-D movies continues trampling the
Multiplexes. Movies are being retrofitted left and right so they can have 3-D scenes. Movies that were shot in 2-D, that were meant to be seen in 2-D, will be released in 3-D and up-priced to 12 or 15 bucks; more, if you’re going to
IMAX. And they’re building a lot of IMAX theaters. A whole lot.

So we’ve got the Thor movie, already filmed, being retrofitted. And the Captain America movie will be in 3-D. Yeah, that’s just what they’re going to need to make The Red Skull look dangerous.

I understand we’re just a couple years away from an
amazing new teevee set that will make today’s 3-D tubes look like wallpaper.
We’ll see, but until then I can’t tell you how pleased I am to hear that
director Christopher Nolan is shooting the next Batman movie in 2-D… unless, the producer tells me, the studio demands it. Humph. We’ll see.

If time is the fourth dimension, then I want a 4-D movie
to take me back in time when movies were entertainment and art and not simply “me-too” gimmicks. As Roger Ebert brilliantly states, “3-D is a waste of a perfectly good dimension… It is suicidal. It adds nothing essential to the
movie-going experience.”

Okay. My position on the future of 3-D, like Roger’s, is spelled out.

What do you think?

Oprah Winfrey To Be Replaced By Howard Beale

  • Uncategorized
  • July 20, 2010

 howard-beale-4878348Next year, life as we know it will end. Oprah Winfrey will be ending her successful show.

Oprah’s program grew out of her stint as host of A.M. Chicago. The local program was so successful that after two and one-half years it went national to the other ABC-owned stations, and to general syndication. Now that Oprah’s sailing off
into the fog, her host station WLS-DT has decided what to do with the valuable time slot between Good Morning America and The View. They’re going to do a live, local morning news show.

No big deal, right? Lots of teevee stations have news shows following the endless network morning “news” show. But this one has a difference. This one has a live audience.

Just like Howard Beale, central character of the movie Network.

Like all of the better news shows, this new thing will be “local and fun,” according to WLS president and general manager Emily Barr.
“This will be another opportunity for us to do something terrific.”

Well, good luck with that. Personally, I loved Network and, with guys like Glenn Beck and Bill O’Reilly dominating the airwaves, the expansion of “unreality teevee” appears to be unstoppable.

DC Releases Yet Another ‘Poster d’Indications’

  • News
  • July 20, 2010

So Dan “Big Daddy” DiDio and company have once again dropped a cryptic poster on our geeky arses… to pick apart, faun over, and otherwise wax poetic about. So, Comicmixers, I present to you:

Here’s this author’s take on what we’re seeing here:

  • In the foreground Deadman is carving “Rise” into a tombstone. This is indicative of his desire for Tombstone Pizza to finally deliver a self rising crust pizza in the DCU.
  • Behind him the new Blacqualad is using his water powers to make a sword, which in turn has destroyed Blue Devil’s Black Manta’s Bi-Dent. Speculation here dictates that Blacqualad is actually the son of Black Manta, and he’s punishing daddy for missing all those birthdays.
  • Behind him, we see the Martian Manhunter finally getting over his fear of fire. No one told him that “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires” though… so, he’s practicing by igniting that weird tree in Star City’s forest. Oh well, no one likes Ollie these days anyways.
  • In the clouds above we see The Anti-Monitor doing his best impression of Mufasa… gently telling the DCU to avenge his death. His suggestion? Bring back H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E.
  • Front and center, Hal “We knew he was gonna be the White Lantern all along” takes a nap in his new designer day-bed.
  • Behind Unky Hal flies DC’s newest comedy duo, Guy Gardner and Atrocitus with their pal Ganthet, constructing some crazy structure. Look out, as Guy, Ganthet, and Atrocitus launch their ongoing series, “2 Lanterns, a Monster, and a Pizza Place“, this Fall!
  • Rounding our way down we see a mystical purple stargate with some Hawkpeople flying out. This of course denotes Tim Truman’s return to the world he started, as DC launches the first great winter crossover: Final Hawkworld Crisis on Infinite Brightest Night!
  • Hawk and Dove carry a lifeless Jade. Why? Well, it turns out no one cared about her being resurrected. Or killed for that matter. Where’s Kyle Rayner when you need him?
  • Continuing in our counter-clockwise circle around this happy little poster, we join Ebony and Ivory, err, Jason and Ronnie as they try to bury Black Lantern Firestorm… who they accidentally killed at a frat party the night before. Here’s a tip boys… don’t dare the Black Lantern to do Irish Car Bombs after he’s turned the Baily’s into arsenic.
  • And finally we end on that lovable married couple, Mera and Dead Aquaman. Get ready for all the love, laughter, and a few hair-brained schemes, as the DC’s first couple of the sea prepare for their upcoming mini-series: “So I Sleep With the Fishes!“. Written by Neil Gaiman, with art by Art Baltazar and Franco.

So kids, got any theories yourselves? Lay em’ on us in the comments below!

Waid, Cebulski Promoted

  • News
  • July 20, 2010

Yesterday, BOOM! Studios joined the growing number of companies to add the rank of Chief Creative Officer to their mastheads. Mark Waid, the publisher’s Editor-in-Chief was named CCO with Matt Gagnon promoted to Editor-in-Chief. Marvel also formalized C.B. Cebulski’s talent scout role by naming him Senior Vice President, Creator & Content Development of Marvel
Entertainment.

In both cases, the emphasis has been placed on creative and talent issues, which acknowledges the shifting playing field for the top publishers. To fuel the growing number of titles released in America, talent from all corners of the world and the creative community has to be scouted, groomed, and put to work.

Recently, DC Entertainment named Geoff Johns its first CCO followed by Marvel upping Joe Quesada to the same title. IDW most recently named Chris Ryall their own CCO.

At San Diego’s Comic-Con International, opening tomorrow, the expectation is that more talent exclusives will be signed, another acknowledgment of the increased competition.

ComicMix congratulates all three men on their new assignments. (more…)

“Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour” was Midnight last night

  • News
  • July 20, 2010

Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour was released last night at midnight in select locations and is already at #16 on Amazon’s best seller lists. According to Oni Press, over 150 comic shops all over the United States and Canada participated in early release parties. Oni said fans had “midnight releases to all day shindigs, costume contest, door
prizes, give-aways, rock concerts, and street parties” to enjoy. Creator Bryan Lee O’Malley joined the fun at Toronto’s block party, the center for everything Scott Pilgrim. O’Malley had a signing while bands Hurry Hard, Chang-A-Lang, Sister, and Soft & Wet rocked out in the spirit of the Scott Pilgrim universe.

This is the sixth and final volume in O’Malley’s graphic novel series. The story revolves around Scott Pilgrim, a slacker who plays bass guitar in the indie rock band Sex Bob-Omb. Pilgrim falls for Ramona Flowers, but he must defeat her seven evil exes before he can date her. The fun, entertaining series gained a huge fan following, making way for more media donning the Scott Pilgrim title. Ubisoft is currently developing the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World video game, which has a retro gaming aesthetic and a musical sound track by Anamanagichi, a popular 8-bit punk band. The highly anticipated Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
movie will arrive in theaters August 13 this summer. 

Mr. Pilgrim will also make an appearance at the San Diego Comic Con on Thursday, July 22, where a panel with the Scott Pilgrim movie cast, director Edgar Wright, and creator O’Malley will talk about the upcoming film and show a sneak peek of the “epic of epicness.”

Although the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series has come to an end, fans still have a movie and video game to anticipate. If you missed the early release parties, pick up a copy of Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour today.

Xeric Grant Winners Announced

  • Uncategorized
  • July 19, 2010

li-lotusrootchildren-6247247The Spring 2010 Xeric Grant
winners have been announced. They are…

  • Margaret Ashford-Trotter (Thunder in the Building #2)
  • Jason Brubaker (reMIND)
  • Jonathon Dalton (Lords of Life and Death)
  • Wei Li (Lotus Root Children)
  • Jed McGowan (Lone Pine)
  • Ansis Purins (Zombre #2: The Magic Forest)
  • Brittney Sabo and Anna Bratton (Francis Sharp in the Grip of the Uncanny! Book 1)

A total of $32,761 was awarded to these seven projects.

The Xeric Grant was established in September 1992 by Peter Laird, co-creator of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. Over $2,400,000 have been awarded since then to committed, self-publishing comic book creators from the US and Canada and to qualified charities and non-profit organizations in western Massachusetts. Laird believed the Xeric Foundation’s grants were an appropriate way to give something extra to the world of comics. Over the past eighteen years, hundreds of projects have been honored with a Xeric Grant, including Adrian Tomine’s “Optic Nerve,” Dawn Brown’s “Little Red Hot,” Santiago Cohen’s “The Fifth Name,” and Toc Fetch’s “Kids of Lower Utopia.”

The grant is offered twice a year, and the next deadlines for upcoming grants are September 30, 2010 and November 1, 2010. After the Foundation’s panel, made of established members in the comics
industry, selects the finalists, Laird personally picks the winners.

Congratulations to the talented winners of the 2010 Spring Xeric Grants!

‘Sunday Funnies’ postage stamps issued

  • News
  • July 19, 2010

On July 16, 2010, in Columbus, Ohio, the Postal
Service™ issued a 44-cent, Sunday Funnies commemorative stamps honoring five of our most beloved comic strips:
Beetle Bailey, Calvin and Hobbes, Archie, Garfield, and Dennis the
Menace, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20
stamps, designed by Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, Maryland.

Presumably, the logic is that if you collect comics, you can probably be lured into becoming a stamp collector too… and I’ve heard worse ideas to balance the federal budget.

peter-fernandez-speed-racer-voice-actor-5157844

Peter Fernandez, voice of Speed Racer: 1927-2010

  • Uncategorized
  • July 19, 2010

peter-fernandez-speed-racer-voice-actor-5157844Cynopsis reports that Peter Fernandez, best known as the American voice of the title character in the Speed Racer television series from the 1960s, died last Thursday from lung cancer. He was 83.

Peter also was the voice for Speed’s brother Racer X and other characters for the Japanese anime series that was dubbed in English. He voiced other characters for Lupin III, Astro Boy, Gigantor and Marine Boy. Additionally, Peter made a cameo appearance in the Warner Bros.’ 2008 live-action Speed Racer film.

Born in New York City, Fernandez started as a child model for the John Robert
Power Agency. He then appeared on both radio and Broadway until he was drafted into
the Army at age 18, late in
World War II. His radio appearances included roles on “Superman”, “Mr. District
Attorney”, “Let’s Pretend”, “Gangbusters”, “My Best Girls”,
and “Suspense”, as well as on many soap operas. After his discharge from
the Army in 1946, he became a prolific writer for both radio and pulp
fiction.

In later years, he was the voice director for numerous animated series, including Adventures
of the Galaxy Rangers and Courage the Cowardly Dog, which he
has said was his favorite. He made cameos credited as “additional
characters” in several episodes, including his role as the voice of Robot
Randy.

We hope that his eulogy will be delivered in a very rapid yet perfectly understandable style.

Review: ‘Super Friends! Season One Volume Two’

At least one generation of super-hero fans grew up knowing the DC Comics heroes through their appearances on ABC’s [[[Super Friends]]]. Loosely based on the [[[Justice League of America]]],[[[Superman]]], [[[Batman]]], [[[Robin]]], [[[Wonder Woman]]], and [[[Aquaman]]] teamed up in the Hall of Justice and fought all manner of menace. Accompanying them for no rational explanation were Wendy Harris and Marvin White, along with Wonderdog.

The first iteration debuted in fall 1973 and was an hour-long adventure with 16 episodes comprising thefirst season. The series survived in various incarnations well into the 1980s when it finally faded away, ringing down one era of animated heroics. The biggest problem confronting these early missions was the network demand that there be no violence. Threats yes; actually hitting the bad guy, no.

Additionally, the stories were designed to deliver messages such as ecological awareness so the youngsters watching at home could learn something.

What they also learned was that story logic was not required on weekend mornings. The first half-season was collected earlier this year and now Warner Home Video releases Super Friends! Season One Volume Two on Tuesday. Maybe it’s telling that the packaging uses Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez & Dick Giordano style guide artwork than imagery from the series. Despite the fabulous Alex Toth doing design work for the series, the limited, budget conscious animation is pretty atrocious.

The wonderful Ted Knight narrates each episode as if he were reading from a Mort Weisinger script. We’re told what we’re seeing, we see it, and then the characters repeat much of the same thing. His voice, though, is pitch perfect to provide each adventure with a serious tone regardless of how ludicrous the stories are.

And they’re pretty terrible. Scientists with idiot henchmen are repeated a lot. Aliens arrive on Earth, telling us it looks pretty clean for settlement then it becomes a story of how humans are polluting the land, air, and sea. Well, which is it?

The heroes apparently hang out in the Hall of Justice, not having a life beyond the heroic personas, and wait for the TroubAlert to selectively tell them of a problem. One episode shows the computer summoning the heroes only after the third identical crime has been committed. Interestingly, Clark Kent is described not as a reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, but is instead a new commentator on television station WGBS, a nod to the then-status quo.
(more…)

The Point Radio: Scoop On Super Troopers 2

  • Uncategorized
  • July 16, 2010

Performing live for scores of college audiences helped the guys at Broken Lizard put together their plan for the long awaited SUPER TROOPERS 2. So who’s coming back for the sequel? KEVIN HEFFERNAN shares the news, plus Brett Ratner on Hercules? And yes, there IS that ComicCon thing happening….

Follow our reports DIRECT from the floor of the world’s biggest entertainment event, starting all next week on THE POINT RADIO. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE FOR FREE or go to GetThePointRadio
for more including a connection for mobile phones including iPhone
& Blackberrys.

Our Podcasts return around July 28th with a full report on the show right here – watch for updates!

And be sure to stay on The Point via iTunes - ComicMix, RSS, MyPodcast.Comor Podbean!

Follow us now on and !

Don’t forget that you can now enjoy THE POINT 24 hours a Day – 7 Days a week!. Updates on all parts of pop culture, special programming by some of your favorite personalities and the biggest variety of contemporary music on the net – plus there is a great round of new programs on the air including classic radio each night at 12mid (Eastern) on RETRO RADIO, COMICMIX’s Mark Wheatley hitting the FREQUENCY every Saturday at 9pm and even the Editor-In-Chief of COMICMIX, Mike Gold, with his daily WEIRD SCENES and two full hours of insanity every Sunday (7pm ET) with WEIRD SOUNDS!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE FOR FREE or go to GetThePointRadio for more including a connection for mobile phones including iPhone & Blackberrys.

 

 

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