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Erotic Comics: A Graphic History (Volume 2) Coming to America in March

  • News
  • November 15, 2008

Ilex Press  has announced a January release of Erotic Comics: A Graphic History (Volume 2) – From The 1970s to the Present Day. Former Vertigo editor Tim Pilcher returns for the second volume, with additional research by Gene Kannenberg, Jr, and the book sports a foreword by Alan Moore. Abrams ComicArts will release the book domestically on March 1, 2009, retailing for $29.95.

The book promises to explore European, American and Asian artists as they explored the possibility of the form in the years since the explosion of the Sixties’ underground comix.

The book will examine how the form has become an international publishing phenomenon by showcasing artwork that has inflamed desires, incensed censors, and caused controversy.

This provocative title covers everything: the erotic comics explosion in America in the mid-‘80s; the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender comics scene; UK and European erotic comic creators since the ‘70s; and the Japanese hentai phenomenon. The future of erotic comics online is also explored in this fascinating and surprising volume.

In the first survey of its kind in over 20 years, Erotic Comics completes this fascinating two-part chronicle with previously unpublished, rare and out-of-print material, featuring insights from key artists, editors, and publishers. Fully illustrated with stunning, rare, and seldom-seen art by Howard Cruse, Gengoroh Tagame, Melinda Gebbie, Hunt Emerson, Howard Chaykin, Giovanna Casotto (whose work graces the cover), Tom of Finland, Milo Manara, Junko Mizuno, and many other top erotic cartoonists. The informative text provides a sexy, intriguing, and entertaining tour through the origins of an often-overlooked art form and comic book genre.

Pilcher has previously co-authored of The Essential Guide to World Comics and The Complete Cartooning Course, and has contributed to numerous other publications including, Comix: The Underground Revolution, 500 Comic Book Action Heroes, The Slings and Arrows Comic Guide (1st Edition), 500 Essential Graphic Novels and the forthcoming War Comics: A Graphic History.

Will There or Will There not be a Sequel to ‘Cloverfield’?

  • News
  • November 15, 2008

JJ Abrams and Matthew Reeves have been dancing around the notion of making a sequel to Cloverfield.  At first, they made noises about it being a one-off project but noted they did add elements to the film that would lend itself to a sequel, such as the issue of where Clover came from.

Some potential sequel production art (see right) also seemed to be leaked six months back and now Reeves told Moviehole, “Wanting something to happen and coming up with the right idea are two very different things.

“At times it’s gone dormant and then it’s come back up again”.

He sounded fairly certain a sequel would not pick up on the surviving actors from the first feature, which opened to acclaim in January. Instead, they thought about moving it to other locales set during the same time frame.  “There are a couple ideas that have potential but we haven’t quite cracked it yet,” he says, adding, “When we were in Japan we thought, wouldn’t it be cool to do it here”.

Apparently Abrams and Reeves have discussed having others step in to make the film. “There was the thought that maybe we’d bring in some young exciting people and we’d produce their take.”

Reeves is at work on his new film, The Invisible Woman, while Abrams oversees post-production on next May’s Star Trek.

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Ben Burtt Sounds Off on ‘Wall-E’

  • Uncategorized
  • November 15, 2008

w-bts-003-4991922In ancticipation of Tuesday’s release of Wall-E on DVD, Disney Home VIdeo has provided us with an interview with Ben Burtt, the legendary sound effects maestro.

QUESTION: You had just finished a stint on Star Wars when you were offered Wall-E and I imagine the last thing you wanted to work on was robots?

BEN BURTT: That is absolutely true. Creating the illusion of voices is the hardest task. It is hard to fool voices. When Andrew pitched this idea and I realized it was all robot voices at first I thought I  am sure I have anything left in me – have I got a new idea, But  fortunately it was a very different set of characters. Nevertheless I   am sure I approached the same, as I always would have because of my past experience. The idea always is to create the sense of a soul with the character with sound. You are given sounds or a few words and the aim is to create the feeling that these are talking machines.  You could have imposed a human voice on to the robots and audiences would have accepted that. But with Wall-E it was important to give the sound an aspect of being a machine. So I went about that task, my assignment was to create voices for the characters and audition them to Andrew. He had about10 minutes of the opening of the movie with sketches and storyboards and said it was a little peek of what he was trying to get. I was there from the beginning, which is the best thing. I am sure that when I started that they did not know that they were going to make his film – they were still having trials and one  of the hurdles to jump was to get the voices.

(more…)

‘Pet Robot’s Gains Screenwriter

  • Uncategorized
  • November 15, 2008

pet-robots-4100507Disney has signed Colin Trevorrow (Stealing Time) to write the adaptation of Scott Christian Sava’s Pet Robots. The studio optioned the graphic novel in 2007.

Described by The Hollywood Reporter as “a high-tech comedy set in the present, Pet Robots revolves around futuristic robots that fall into the hands of the least likely group of people.”

Sava founded Blue Dream Studios to produce animation and graphic novels before selling it to IDW which continues to publish the graphic novel. Trevorrow sold the screenplay to Tester to DreamWorks, in addition to Time which is currently with Walt Becker at Sony.

Chris Bender and JC Spink of Benderspink will produce.
 

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‘Xombie’ Gains DVD, Theatrical Release

  • Uncategorized
  • November 15, 2008

xombiespray-5710597You have to give James Farr credit.  Entirely on his own, he has turned his dream project, Xombie, into a mini-franchise. The series about Dirge, a conscious zombie and his faithful dog originally appeared as ten webisodes entirely written, drawn and animated by Farr.  As it gained attention, he expanded, penning a novel adaptation (complete with foreword by the legendary Forrest J. Ackerman) and signed a deal with Devil’s Due in 2006 for comic books as Xombie:  Reanimated.

Now, Farr reports that Halo-8 Entertainment has planned a limited theatrical release of the animated series prior to releasing the episodes on DVD. Already there have been over thirteen million downloads of the webisodes so the release comes with some level of audience recognition but clearly this will extend the brand’s reach.

"Xombie is a blast!" said Matt Pizzolo, President of Halo-8. "James Farr has a fresh and engaging storytelling voice that’s amplified by his inventive production style. It’s a rare mix that breathes life (and undeath) into his fun and compelling characters. We’ve been fans of his work for a while now, and we’re really excited to work with him and the great team at Xombie, Inc."

"As the first sentient zombie in an animated series, Xombie provides a completely new twist to the horror genre, which is why it has resonated so well with the fans," said John Frank Rosenblum, Xombie ‘s Executive Producer. "Halo-8, a distributor with a true love for horror, is the perfect partner for expanding this unique property into a whole new market."

"Xombie is my attempt to inject something new and fun into an often over-mined genre," said Farr. "I am thrilled it has gotten such a huge response and that the characters have endured so long. Dirge and his friends are very close to my heart, and thanks to Halo-8, I get to share them with a brand new audience."

Producer Epic Level Entertainment is currently developing a live-action Xombie adaptation.

‘Warhammer’ Collection to Contain Game Premium

  • Uncategorized
  • November 15, 2008

_00-templateBOOM! Studios have announced that their upcoming trade paperback, Warhammer: Crown of Destruction, includes an exclusive in-game item for Mythic Entertainment’s critically acclaimed MMORPG, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Each copy of Warhammer: Crown of Destruction, written by Kieron Gillen (Phonogram), and drawn by newcomer Dwayne Harris, contains a unique code to unlock the Book of BOOM!, a special item said to have an explosive effect on a player’s character.

"I’m so happy to bring together the fans of Warhammer gaming and Warhammer comics," said BOOM! Studios’ Games Workshop editor Ian Brill in a release.  "BOOM! is all about telling stories with visual art, conveying our tales of adventure and human drama as comics.  Video games are interactive stories, and while their interfaces may differ from ours, the goal of escapism and fun is still present.  This promotion is meant to expose readers of comics and video games to see what the other side has to offer."

Warhammer: Crown of Destruction is BOOM! Studios’ third series from the blood-soaked Warhammer battlefield.  Greatsword Frohlich, last seen in Forge of War, leads his men into a clash with the bloodthirsty Skaven.  What seemed like just another test of Sigmar’s power reveals itself to be more.

DreamWorks To Do List Heavy on SF

  • News
  • November 15, 2008

DreamWorks outlined for The Hollywood Reporter which of the properties it retained after its divorce from Paramount are now on their “high-priority list”. Among them are a few genre properties including:

Cowboys and Aliens: The adaptation of the Platinum Studios comic is still being written by  now executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci. Ron Howard’s Imagine is producing with Robert Downey, Jr. still attached to star.

Real Steel: A futuristic boxing movie written by Les Bohem (Dante’s Peak).

Button Man: The John Wagner and Arthur Ransom graphic novel is being adapted by screenwriter Hillary Seitz (Eagle Eye).

Hereafter: A supernatural-themed original screenplay by Peter Morgan with Clint Eastwood said to be interested in directing the story.

‘Hero by Night’ Optioned for Television

  • Uncategorized
  • November 14, 2008

hero-by-night1-7107491D.J. Coffman’s Hero by Night has been optioned by IM Global for adaptation into a live-action television series. The book, released by Platinum Studios, won their 2006 Comic Book Challenge competition.

The Hollywood Reporter says the project is about “young landlord Jack King, who uncovers the lair of the title character. Determined to make some extra cash, Jack auctions the Hero’s journal on eBay, raising the ire of a dormant madman.”

Coffman went on to serve as a judge for the 2007 competition before a highly public falling out between the creator and Platinum over rights and payments.  The conflict largely stemmed from Hero being used on Drunk Duck and Wowio, the digital portals Platinum owns, and payments coming erratically, if at all. The series, as a result, was suspended after three issues.

At his blog, Coffman admitted, "No, I was not informed. I can’t say that I’m surprised because Platinum Studios probably were afraid I’d blab about it on my blog, which has been known to kill deals and stuff I’m told. And I can’t say I’m surprised at all as how things have gone down this year, which is probably no secret at all to anyone who knows anything about this stuff in the slightest.

"I’m going to bite my tongue a little here, but only for the sake of having OTHER things going on that NOBODY in the outside world knows about, so having my name and creation in the Hollywood Reporter and out in the BUZZ isn’t a bad thing. (although sometimes I feel like I do need to shower afterward)

"I can say this about Hero By Night. It is without a doubt the BEST thing Platinum Studios has in it’s entire library. The best universe for sure. And that’s not meant to slam anything else, and it’s not meant as just cocky-creator speak… it’s truth culled from a thousand destinations.

"How do I feel about the news? Well, it’s a press release, and that doesn’t mean a whole lot about actually getting something made, as you can learn from the plethora of press releases that fire out of Hollywood daily. It’s buzz, I guess. I’ve never heard of IM Global before. You’d hope they would consult the creator, and I’d be happy to talk to them. Hero By Night could be a big success for anyone who goes about it properly.

"As for Platinum… well, I’ll bite my tongue and see if they even contact me at all about this now after the fact. I know they don’t HAVE to but…. (I’ve been down that road before) –  Ironically, just yesterday I was thinking about sending them communication about what they owe me from my other contract regarding the so far 12 installments of the animated comic online and I noticed that Hero By Night is the #4 downloaded thing on Wowio, so I’m owed something from the downloads there too. Yeah, I keep tabs, I kinda have to. I just figured there was “no money” there. Maybe that’s changed? Hurm. Maybe IM Global or the new advisory board at Platinum will tell em ‘Hey, just let this guy go and make the comics!’”

IM Global is a sales and distribution company founded in March 2007 by Chief Executive Officer Stuart Ford. Their best known theatrical release is Religulous and their home video division is handling Bruce Campbell’s My Name is Bruce. Their television efforts to date have included reality and animated series although they are developing the live-action Hidden Crimes to star Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica).
 

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‘Pushing Daisies’ May Conclude as a Comic Book

  • News
  • November 14, 2008

pushing-daisies-9828111TV Week is reporting what everyone has expected: ABC will not be ordering additional episodes of Pushing Daisies which looks to be buried after December. “Under one scenario making the rounds, ABC might find a way to extend the options on the Daisies cast and crew for several months so that the show could be revived next season. But such a plan would be costly,” the site wrote.

Production on the thirteenth and likely final episode for the second season wrapped Thursday. "If it’s our last episode," Fuller said, "it’s something we can all be proud of."

As a result, there will be just 22 episodes between the strike-shortened first season and the sophomore year.

Creator Bryan Fuller though, told the SRO crowd at the Paley Center for Media on Tuesday that he envisions continuing the story in comic books.

"The idea would be to finish out the season’s story arcs in comic books to satisfy the fans and ourselves, to finish up the stories we’d love to tell," he said. Given that the series is produced by Warner Bros. Television, WildStorm is the most likely home for the show.. The DC Comics imprint already has comics based on the CW’s Supernatural, NBC’s Chuck and Fox’s Fringe.

"That would clear the slate for a movie," Fuller also said. He added that a series soundtrack CD will be out on December 9. Kristin Chenoweth’s duet with Ellen Greene on "Birdhouse in Your Soul" is likely to be included.

Fuller has been heavily rumored as returning to the troubled Heroes should Daisies be trimmed. Nothing further has been announced.

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Marvel Animation Announces Thor Series

  • News
  • November 14, 2008

thor-kirby-1263191Following the established pattern of creating an animated series in the wake of its live-action counterpart, Marvel has announced the arrival of Thor. The series has a 26-episode order, according to The Hollywood Reporter, and will debut in the fall of 2010, after the Kenneth Branagh-directed feature opens in July 2010.

The series appears to be faithful to the comic book’s use of Norse legend and high fantasy to tell its stories. Described by the trade as, “the Norse god of thunder, as he defends his mythical home of Asgard against fantastical villains, fiendish hordes, winged creatures and angry giants. The show will take place in various worlds — from mountainous landscapes to places of icy mists and fiery voids — and will include many of the comic’s supporting cast, including Balder the Brave, the Warriors Three and Thor’s evil adopted brother, Loki.”

Already in the pipeline are Iron Man and Wolverine for 2009 and The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, for fall 2011.

Thor first had his comic book adventures animated in the original 1966 Marvel Super-Heroes show, airing Thursday evenings. He has appeared in other animated series ever since.

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