One of the founders of First Fandom, Forrest J Ackerman died Thursday of heart failure at his Los Angeles home, said Kevin Burns, head of Prometheus Entertainment and a trustee of Ackerman’s estate. He was 92.

Born November 24, 1916, Ackerman is best known today as godfather to a generation of filmmakers who were raised on his Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine but he had an extensive career as an author, agent, and most of all, a fan. He also co-created Vampirella, writing for her first adventure for publisher Jim Warren.

His influence to the science fiction, fantasy, horror, and comic book fields cannot be overstated. He was the living embodiment of fandom and a tireless ambassador for close to seventy years. Hundreds of working professionals owe some debt of gratitude to Ackerman’s efforts.

The Early Years

Ackerman grew up on the early days of science fiction as the category grew in pulp magazines. His diet of reading included Amazing Stories and other titles, leading him to write letters to the editor, which were published.  As a result, he struck up correspondence with other fans leading to the formation of his The Boys’ Scientifiction Club in 1930.  The young man also contributed articles and reviews to the earliest fanzines including Julie Schwartz and Mort Weisinger’s Time Traveller and Jerry Siegel’s Science Fiction Magazine.

On the west coast, Ackerman is known to have invited would-be writer Ray Bradbury to Clifton’s Cafeteria Science Fiction Club, where the newsboy was introduced to met the writers Robert A. Heinlein, Emil Petaja, Fredric Brown, Henry Kuttner, Leigh Brackett, and Jack Williamson. He’s also credited with founding the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society and the National Fantasy Fan Federation.
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Brian Michael Bendis came to attention through his crime comics including Torso, which he illustrated and cowrote with Marc Andreyko for Image in 1998.  The project was optioned for film on January 12, 2006 and now, on December 15, Paramount Pictures’ option will expire.

Since then, David Fincher (Seven) has signed on to direct the project, now entitled Ness, and assembled an impressive cast including Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, and Rachel McAdams. Ehren Kruger (The Ring) delivered a final draft screenplay and all principals are ready to start shooting in 2009.  Paramount tells Entertainment Weekly they will make a decision by the deadline although it seems pretty much like a no-brainer considering the team and subject matter: crimebuster Elliot Ness, the untouchable federal agent who helped stop the gang crimes in Chicago during Prohibition (which ended 75 years ago this week). The story, though focuses on Ness’ later years when he took on the Cleveland Torso Murderer.

This week, in a desperate attempt to disguise the fact that he doesn’t have any coherent way to tie the reviewed books together, Andrew Wheeler will adopt a “countdown” format to write about three brand-new Manga volumes.

Adding to the difficulty level: he will also write about himself in the third person, for no good reason.

Kaze no Hana, Vol. 3
By Ushio Mizta and Akiyoshi Ohta
Yen Press, December 2008, $10.99

This is the end of “Book One” of Kaze no Hana, in which not nearly enough is wrapped up and hardly any indication is given that the series will continue on to a “Book Two” sometime, somewhere. (For those who are lost: reviews of Volume One and Volume Two.)

To recap briefly: Momoka Futami is yet another typical cute Japanese teenage girl, who just wants to live a normal life. But she’s actually part of a family that has spent the past few hundred years defending the world against the minions of an evil god that was trapped under a mountain, using eight “spiritual swords.” There’s also an opposed group that wants to free the evil god – they don’t seem to consider him evil, actually – and they use “sacred swords,” which are totally different in a way that’s never been clear.

Kaze no Hana has a fairly large cast of people with vestigial (at best) noses, and it’s difficult to tell them apart much of the time. This book also has a lot of talking and emoting rather than fighting monsters, though one character does turn out, unexpectedly, to be a werewolf. There’s also a huge plot problem that gets resolved exceptionally quickly, leading this reader to wonder if perhaps the original serialization of this story was hurried to a conclusion quicker than the creators had planned. (more…)

Warner Bros. has announced that The Dark Knight will return to both regular theaters and IMAX screens on January 23 as it reminds Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences voters the movie is worthy of Oscar consideration. The studio is also hoping it will earn the $70 million it needs to break the $600 domestic mark, second only to Titanic’s $600,788,188. Adjusted for inflation, The Dark Knight would rank 26th in domestic revenues.

As of December 3, Box Office Mojo reports the film has earned $530,327,889 in America and an additional  $465,929,447 globally, totaling $996,257,336, just shy of the $1 billion mark. 

Warner has already begun its Oscar campaign, hoping to nab a Best Picture slot in addition to a posthumous supporting actor nomination for Heath Ledger’s memorable Joker.

Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution said in a release, “The Dark Knight is a crowning achievement in every sense of the word. We wanted to provide one more opportunity for moviegoers to experience it on the big screen as it was meant to be seen.” (more…)

Say “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and everyone immediately imagines robed Mickey Mouse accidentally unleashing magical powers he cannot control and chaos erupts.  It was a delightful segment from Fantasia, but was based on Goethe’s 1797 poem Der Zauberlehrling.  The basic story has been the inspiration for novels, a kids’ television series and even a BBC radio drama.

But, for the first time, it will be the basis for a live action film with Nicolas Cage portraying the sorcerer and Jay Baruchel (Tropic Thunder) to play the apprentice according to Variety.  The film will be directed by Jon Turtletaub and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal (Star Trek V) wrote the initial script which has been rewritten by Matt Lopez (Bedtime Stories).

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice brings the action to modern day New York and starts with Cage seeking an apprentice until he finds Baruchel.
 

Hammer Films has announced that Hilary Swank has been signed to star in The Resident, shooting next May. The film will mark Antti J. Jokinen’s directorial debut from a script he co-wrote with Robert Orr. Erin Cressida Wilson (Secretary) recently turned in a rewrite according to Variety.

Swank will play “a doctor who moves into a Brooklyn loft. Becoming suspicious that she’s not alone in her new home, she discovers her landlord is a stalker.”

The Finnish director has previously directed videos for Will Smith, Beyonce, Eminem, Korn and Celine Dion.

The reconstituted Hammer previously announced three films and just wrapped production on The Wake Wood. The Quiet One is the other film and is “based on the supposedly true story of a group of Canadian hippie scientists in the 1970s who attempt to create a ghost.” No director has been announced for the film.

Vertigo Films has signed on to distribute the film in the United Kingdom in 2009 with a domestic release to likely follow.