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Doctor Who Season To End With The Kitchen Sink?

The two-part finale to the 31st season of Doctor Who will feature The Daleks, The Cybermen, The Sontarans, and the return of River Song, the woman who may or may not be the Doctor’s mother. Or ex-wife. Or bookie. Whatever.

According to Digital Spy UK, producer/overseer Steven Moffet is writing both episodes, entitled The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang. The Doctor and his assistant Amy Pond have been dealing with a large glowing crack in the space/time continuum all season, along with Amy’s neurotic betrothed. It is expected this two-parter will resolve the former storyline, if not the latter as well. With all those alien bad guys oozing around, there might not be time. Broadcast time, that is: Doctor Who is entirely about time.

The shows will air June 19 and 26th in the United Kingdom and June 26th and July 3 on BBC America. After that, the Doctor zots off to The Sarah Jane Adventures to meet his old friend and former assistant and recurring playmate…. for the first time.

Is Manga Dying in the U.S.?

  • Uncategorized
  • May 19, 2010

naruto-7769209In case you’re coming late to the party, it seems the American manga market is drying up faster than our mother’s brisket on Sunday nights. Our first hint came when Publishers Weekly recently reported that Viz Media, one of the largest publishers of manga in the U.S., laid off 40% of their staff. This included closing a small New York based office, and putting as many as 55 people packing up their desks. Following on their heels, DC Comics’ Dan DiDio and Jim Lee announced today that the doors of the DC Manga imprint, CMX, will be closed on July 1st. In addition to these two large announcements, Go! Comi, a smaller North American manga publisher let it’s website domain expire on May 8th, and has since ceased it’s activity.

What’s at the root of all of this decimation? While we wished it was some form of attack, perhaps from Sachiel, Shamshel, or Arael from Neon Genesis Evangelion, or perhaps a dastardly plot by Orochimaru… Sadly, in this case, it’s most likely due to the state of both the American and worldwide economy. As reported at The Beat, Gia Manry of Viz was asked if this was a time for panic:

“…this is probably closer to VIZ still at the dock, realizing that the boat won’t survive the trip at its current weight and therefore removing what it can before setting sail. VIZ is, after all, no stranger to the occasional unpopular move made to preserve the business. With no obvious “next Naruto” on the rise and big hit Fullmetal Alchemist about to end its run in Japan as well as general economic difficulties world-wide, it should come as no surprise that VIZ is tightening its belt for what may be a pretty lean year– or several.”

Speaking to CBR, Dan DiDio and Jim Lee released a joint statement:

“The shuttering of the CMX line does not affect the best-selling series Megatokyo which will continue publication, now as a DC Comics title with story and art by Megatokyo’s award-winning creator Fred Gallagher.

“We’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the efforts and dedication of the CMX staff and to thank our fans who have supported CMX.”

And all of this comes on the heels of a New York Times story that discussed the recent popularity of manga at the Quuens Library branch in Bayside, where children of all ages and ethnicities were drawn to the japanese comic books. Perhaps too little too late?

So, Comic Mix’ers… what does this news mean for you? Having watched the rise of Dragonball, Dragonball Z, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Bakugan, Naruto, One Piece, Full Metal Alchemist, Death Note, Bleach, and it’s brethren… does anyone feel that maybe the American marketplace finally reached it’s saturation point? Maybe the rise of popularity by American born licenses and subtle shift in programming on TV has pushed the zeitgeist back towards the western world? We leave it open to you to discuss below in the comments. We’ll be sure to follow any more developments as they arise.

Ghostbusters Bust Ghosts in New York Public Library

ghostbusters-8787806Folks sitting amongst the stacks in the New York Public Library were present for what we artist folks call a “happening”. Patrons using their laptops, searching the shelves, and researching rare facts for their reports in the Rose Reading Room were haunted by a trio of white sheeted ghosts! Who were they gonna call? Given that the NYC Library was haunted in a similar fashion back in 1984, officials were quick to call in the Ghostbusters.

Or they called Improv Everywhere, the virally-famous YouTube clan known for their No Pants Subway Rides, a Fake Ben Folds Concert, and my personal favorite, the Grocery Store Musical, amongst other ‘missions’. Improv Everywhere performed their homage to the Second City’s send-up of the paranormal to help raise awareness for the New York Public Library, which is facing a serious budget cut. A cut to the tune of 37 million dollars.  

We want to give some kudos to library’s marketing department for hooking up some some local talent to help create this viral buzz. Given what a budget cut of this size would do to the New York Public Library System, now’s the time to act. If you’d like to do your part to keep one of the countries coolest library systems in tact, you can visit their site and donate. Or if you live in the area, they are calling for a letter writing campaign as well. So, do your part, lest YOU be haunted by ghosts yourself.

From the man who brought you Batman fighting a shark with a lightsaber…

  • Uncategorized
  • May 18, 2010

betty-white-flaming-chainsaw-john-ritter-500x691-large-9339299…we now have Betty White in medieval garb wielding a flaming chainsaw, riding a centaur with the body of John Ritter.

All this from the warped warped warped mind of Andrew Zubko, and yes, prints and postcards are available.

And yes, Andrew’s doing some mindblowing work for us as well– take a look.

Review: ‘Avatar’

There’s something to be said for immersing yourself in a new world, letting yourself discover new life forms and new civilizations. Going where no man has gone before is one reason we pay out bucks and attend big screen presentation. James Cameron delivers on that expectation with [[[Avatar]]], the lushly-produced science fiction film that recently was released on Blu-ray by 20th Century Home Entertainment.

Pandora is a colorful world, looking nothing like Earth and yet has a vibrant ecosystem with intelligent life that has found harmony with the flora and fauna. The worst thing that ever happened to them was being discovered by mankind.

By the 2040s, we’re told Earth has ruined its ecology and was a dying world so people needed to spread out, find new resources to let the billions live until solutions could be found. A new mineral discovered in abundance on Pandora brings ship after ship as man invades a new frontier, threatening a way of life.

While this has been an engaging theme in fiction for decades, Avatar offers us nothing new on the subject. The story has been reviled and ridiculed because it evokes memories of better versions of this same story, most notably Dances With Wolves, but even that Kevin Costner epic was retelling an old tale.

Cameron put all the money on the screen. Even on home video, Pandora is a rich world that moves and breathes with grace. The logical extrapolation of technology looks great down to the tiniest of details.

And again, this is why the story fails us so completely. On the one hand we enter an alien world and see compelling imagery and then on the other, we watch every stock cliché and story point telegraphed because of its utter familiarity. While sitting at home seeing the film for the first time, my wife and I were calling out what was coming next because it was so obvious. James Horner seemed equally uninspired, repeating elements of his Glory soundtrack.

There’s a reason Jake, our hero, was only a corporal: he sucks as a strategist.  The final assault to protect Pandora from the humans wasted so much life because he didn’t use the geography and geology to his benefit.

When Colonel Kilgore, I mean Colonel Quaritch, suits up to take on Jake, I uttered, “We have gone from a Cameron film to a Bruckheimer film” and the utterly unnecessary final battle was saved from being too much on-the-nose by Neytiri delivering the killing blow on behalf of her world.

By being given nothing real to play, the performers went through the motions and did the best they could but no one performance stands out as being particularly good or memorable.

Similarly, the Blu-ray had one of the sharpest transfers I’ve ever seen and it made me miss seeing Pandora projected large and in 3-D. The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack lacks a single extra (not even the trailers) so no doubt some collector’s set is in the offing.

On the other hand, the thin and flat story made me equally happy I didn’t shell out extra bucks for what is ultimately a disappointing experience because the finished product came nowhere close to its potential.

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Review: ‘Valentine’s Day’

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  • May 17, 2010

As a storyteller, Garry Marshall’s credentials include some of the finest character-driver television of the 1960s. This success with [[[The Dick Van Dyke Show]]] and [[[I Spy]]], among others, led to his chance to produce and direct sitcoms and then feature films. Along the way, he built a reputation as a great person to work for, earning him endless loyalty. His films grew in sophistication without losing the heart and soul, as seen when he turned $3000 into [[[Pretty Woman]]].

With the passage of time, though, it has become clear that while a beloved figure, he has lost sight of the strong and individualistic characters he used to surround himself with. As a result, his more recent offerings have been softer, less interesting, and far less commercially relevant.

When viewers saw the marquee ensemble he assembled for [[[Valentine’s Day]]], it was a guarantee that people would come and see their favorites. There were big names for every demographic from Emma Roberts and Taylor Launter for the tween set to Shirley MacLaine for the seniors. Unfortunately, when we bought our tickets and popcorn and sat down, we were treated to a watered down, predicable story.

The film’s biggest problem is that it poorly compares with 2003’s [[[Love Actually]]], which has become a cable, DVD and sleepover staple. That film focused on a far small cast with much stronger storylines for everyone.

Watching Valentine’s Day on DVD, out tomorrow from Warner Home Video, you are just a tad surprised by how some of the characters intersect but not by what they do. Every storyline is telegraphed and every character is a stock type, yanked from Central Casting.

Katherine Fugate’s story may feel sprawling and at the same time intimate, it also fails to surprise. More, it fails to show us anything but a narrow demographic which was upper middle class to the wealthy. George Lopez, playing the lowest paid character in the film also had the strongest romance and shortest amount of screen time to demonstrate it.

Her story also has logic-defying plot holes such as Jennifer Garner’s 5:30 flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco and yet was able to get humiliated, return to the airport and manage to crash the early dinner seating at a posh LA restaurant.

Several actors were criticized for walking through their parts but then again, when they were given nothing to work with, it’s clear they were there out of love for Marshall. Garner and Anne Hathaway give two of the most honest performances while Taylor Swift shows us what a good singer she is. Even Marshall’s go-to actor, the great Hector Elizondo, gives a fairly rote performance.

This disappointing film comes in the standard combo pack with Blu-ray, Standard DVD and digital copy in a nice package. The Blu-ray video and sound were top-notch, which let us enjoy the excellent sound track. Blu-ray extras include an extensive number of deleted scenes, none of which make the story any deeper or more satisfying, while The Garry Factor clearly demonstrates why people signed on to make this sad effort. The Blooper Reel, a Jewel music video, and The Stars Confess Their Valentine’s Day Stories round out the nice assortment of extras. 

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Monday Mix-Up: Super Mega Zelda Contra-Vania Brothers!

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The fine folks at Exploding Rabbit should be given an award. What award? Heck, ANY award. Oscar? Sure. Tony? Why not? Grammy? Give em’ two. Why you ask? Because they mashed-up Super Mario Brothers with some of our favorite classic 8-bit heroes. The Rabbits took the Super Mario Brothers game, and through sheer magic (or programming, we’re not entirely sure yet) allow players to choose from Mario (meh.), Link from the Zelda series, Bill from the Contra series, Simon Belmont from the Castlevania series, Mega Man, or Samus from the Metroid series… and rip through the classic game. And folks? They got it all down pat. Each character runs and jumps like they did in their own game, come with special abilities (Samus turns into a ball, Mega Man can charge shot, Bill can shoot in 8 directions, etc.). They even balanced the game play as well, by ensuring that characters with weaponry don’t dispatch goombas and turtles without a few shots a piece. What you end up with is an amazing experience that will make you forget about 3D rendering engines and new-fangled polgyons. 

We’ve already said too much. Just visit mariocrossover.com and enjoy your misspent youth.

2010 Glyph Comics Awards

The 2010 Glyph Comics Awards were handed out Friday night at this weekend’s East Coast Black Age of Comics Con. The awards honor “the best in comics made by, for, and about people of color.”

Jay Potts and his blaxploitation webcomic World of Hurt took three of the ten awards. Aya: The Secrets Come Out and Luke Cage Noir each took two awards, while The K Chronicles by Keith Knight won for best comic strip for the fourth time in five years. Last year’s big winner, Jeremy Love’s Bayou, and our own The Original Johnson by Trevor Von Eeden were nominated for several awards but were shut out. (And yes, it was a honor just to be nominated, particularly against a field like this.)

The complete list of winners includes:

  • Story of the Year: Unknown Soldier #13-14; Joshua Dysart, writer, Pat Masioni, artist
  • Best Writer: Alex Simmons, Archie & Friends
  • Best Artist: Jay Potts, World of Hurt
  • Best Male Character: Isaiah Pastor, World of Hurt; created by Jay Potts, writer and artist
  • Best Female Character: Aya, Aya: The Secrets Come Out; created by Marguerite Abouet, writer, Clement Oubrerie, artist
  • Rising Star Award: Jay Potts, World of Hurt
  • Best Reprint Publication: Aya: The Secrets Come Out; Drawn & Quarterly
  • Best Cover: Luke Cage Noir #1; Tim Bradstreet, illustrator
  • Best Comic Strip: The K Chronicles; Keith Knight, writer and artist
  • Fan Award for Best Comic: Luke Cage Noir; Mike Benson & Adam Glass, writers, Shawn Martinbrough, artist

Can’t make it to the Nebula Awards in Florida? Teleconference from New York! UPDATED

For those in the New York City area who can’t attend tomorrow’s Nebula Awards Dinner in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America has arranged NYC Nebula Night which will include a large-screen simulcast of the ceremony, along with a full-scale reception and dinner including an open wine bar, rib-eye steak and paella. NYC Nebula Night will be held at The SoHo Gallery for Digital Art at 138 Sullivan St. in New York, NY. Catering will be provided by Sagaponack of Chelsea. (The SGDA is owned by John Ordover, who has spent over 20 years in the science fiction field.)

The New York evening begins with a reception at the gallery from 6pm to 7pm, followed by an upscale banquet. The Simulcast is scheduled to begin between 7:00 and 7:30 as attendees in Florida and New York are being seated for dinner; from then the New York banquet will run in concert with the Florida gathering until the Nebula Awards Ceremony has concluded. Nebula Award Nominee N. K. Jemisin will be attending, her Nebula nominated story “Non-Zero Probabilities” can be read here.

The cost of the evening is $25 for SFWA members, $30 for all others; 30% of the proceeds will be donated to the SFWA Emergency Medical Fund. There are less than fifty seats left. Tickets can be purchased at http://tinyurl.com/nycnebs.

Yes, we really are living in the future now…

UPDATE: Originally had wrong prices. Fixed now. Go order.

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