The Mix : What are people talking about today?

Sneal Peeks: ‘Black Terror’ #1, ‘Lone Ranger’ #15

  • News
  • November 12, 2008

Here are sneak peeks at Dynamite Comics’ The Lone Ranger #15 and Black Terror #1, both hitting shops tomorrow.

The Lone Ranger presents "Scorched Earth" Part Four, from writer Brett Matthews and artist Sergio Cariello cover artist John Cassaday. The Lone Ranger and Tonto are hot on the heels of a serial killer. Plus: Cavendish continues to fall back into old habits as his quest for The Lone Ranger and his revenge continues.

The Black Terror continues Alex Ross and Jim Kreuger’s reimagining of the Golden Age heroes.  They cowrote the story with art from Mike Lilly and Vinicius Andrade. Spinning out of Project SUPERPOWERS, this will be the first new ongoing series -opening with this four-part story.

Each issue will feature a cardstock cover and the first issue also features a 50/50 cover split — one by Alex Ross and the other by Greg Land (Uncanny X-Men).  This new series is the foundation to the storylines spinning out of Project SUPERPOWERS 0-7 (the opening chapter), and will lead directly in to Project SUPERPOWERS Chapter Two.
  (more…)

Latest Manga Releases

  • News
  • November 12, 2008

VIZ Media has announced the upcoming release of a special Bleach Posterzine, which features 11 massive full-color posters inspired by the smash hit Manga and animated series created by Tite Kubo. The title will be released December 2, retailing for $9.99 with two original creations made especially for this unique release. Each poster in the collection folds out to 16” x 22” and depicts the heroic Soul Reaper Ichigo and his friends as well as villains rendered in beautiful detail. This special publication will also include 2 free Bleach sticker sheets and an iTunes gift card valid for a free download of episode 59 of the popular Bleach animated series and access to an interview with the creator of Bleach Tite Kubo.

Bleach follows the story of Ichigo Kurosaki, a fifteen-year old student with the ability to see ghosts. His fate takes an extraordinary turn when he meets Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper who shows up at Ichigo’s house on the trail of a Hollow, a malevolent lost soul.  Drawn to Ichigo’s high level of spiritual energy, the Hollow attacks Ichigo and his family, and Rukia steps in to help but is injured and unable to fight.  As a last resort, Rukia decides to transfer part of her Soul Reaper powers to Ichigo. Ichigo, now a full-fledged Soul Reaper, and Rukia join together to face the challenges that lie ahead.

Christopher Boily, VIZ Media Sr. Director, Magazine Sales, Brand & Product Marketing, said in a release, “Building upon the incredible momentum and excitement which surrounded the first ever North American appearance of creator Tite Kubo at San Diego Comic-Con, we’re ecstatic to release this special collectable Bleach Posterzine, which features two amazing images created exclusively for this publication by Studio Pierrot, which animates and produces the massively popular animated series. We look forward to fans visiting their local newsstand to pick up this special release!”

Aurora Publishing has announced two new josei/shojo fantasy Manga to debut during the first quarter of 2009.  Tengu-jin ($10.95, 160-pages) by Sumomo Yumeka, will be a one-volume Manga released in February containing two fantasy stories, one set in a future Japan that has split apart into two warring factions, and the other in a feudal kingdom.

Then in March will be the first book in the two-volume series of Chika Shioma’s Queen of Ragtonia ($10.95, 160-pages). Princess Faruna is the last hope of her kingdom when it is attacked by evil sorcerers in this action-packed fantasy series.
 
Both Tengu-jin and Queen of Ragtonia were published in Japan by Shodensha (Paradise Kiss, Happy Mania, Suppli).

 

ComicMix Radio: Kevin Smith and Deadlines

  • News
  • November 11, 2008

With tongue in cheek, Kevin Smith pokes fun at when we can expect the next two issues of this week’s Batman mini series, plus:

  • Guillermo DelToro fills us in on the Hellboy DVD extras
  • Get your checkbook – BSG props for sale
  • A Beatles Rock Band?

All that and more – but only when you Press the Button!
 

 

And remember, you can always subscribe to ComicMix Radio podcasts via badgeitunes61x15dark-8350414 or RSS!

 

New ‘Star Trek’ Character Posters and Book Cover

  • News
  • November 11, 2008

As fans anxiously await the release of the first full Star Trek trailer on Friday, Paramount Pictures has released two new character posters featuring Chris Pine as Captain Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock.

Meantime, Pocket Boosk today released the cover to June 2009’s Star Trek: Troublesome Mind, written by Dave Galanter.  The artwork was created by Cliff Nielsen.

Colan: Visions of a Man without Fear Opens in San Francisco

  • News
  • November 11, 2008

Gene Colan’s artistic career will receive the retrospective treatment as San Francisco’s Cartoon Art Museum presents Colan: Visions of a Man without Fear, opening November 15 and running through March 15, 2009.

On December 4, there will be a special opening reception with Gene and Adrienne Colan in attendance.

The exhibition will include over 40 examples from Colan’s long creative career, from his one and only story illustrated for legendary publisher EC Comics in 1952, through his career-defining work for Marvel Comics from the 1960s and 1970s on titles as diverse as Iron Man, Tomb of Dracula and Howard The Duck, to his notable run on DC Comics’ Batman in the 1980s, to his more recent efforts, including illustrations commissioned by his fans and his beautiful pencil artwork on titles such as Michael Chabon’s The Escapist, published by Dark Horse Comics.

Guest Curator Glen David Gold, author of the novel, Carter Beats the Devil, put the museum show together.  An exhibition catalog featuring high-quality reproductions of Colan’s artwork and essays from many of his most notable collaborators, including writers Stan Lee, Marv Wolfman, Roy Thomas and Steve Englehart, will be available at the Cartoon Art Museum prior to the exhibition’s opening reception on December 4.

For those unfamiliar with Gene “The Dean”, he was born in New York in 1926 and studied at the Art Students League of New York under illustrator Frank Riley and surrealistic Japanese painter Kuniashi. After a stint in the army, Colan’s official career in comics began in 1944 at Fiction House and Timely.

  (more…)

Review: ‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army’

This is a first.  I’ve been living with the story for [[[Hellboy II: The Golden Army]]] since last Thanksgiving, when I accepted the assignment to write the novelization. However, given personal circumstances, I missed its release and am only now finally seeing it, nearly a year later, on DVD.   As a result, I’m looking at the film from some fairly unique angles.

That the entire production team and cast has returned is asset to film, out on standard disc and Blu-ray today. It looks good and clearly, there’s an ease and comfort between the principal players and their director, Guillermo del Toro.

Del Toro’s [[[Hellboy]]] is somewhat different in tone and certainly in story direction from what Mike Mignola has been chronicling in his Dark Horse comics.  And that’s fine, that’s part of the adaptation process.  That Mignola remains involved and is credited as a producer and for helping del Toro craft the story shows his willingness to see others play with his characters.

Since the first film, del Toro captured the world’s attention with Pan’s Labyrinth, and this follow-up film seemed to indicate a willingness to show he was not a one-trick pony. The film is therefore a visual treat. In terms of the story, we’re some months after the first film so Hellboy and Liz Sherman are now romantically involved and living together at BPRD HQ.  Beyond that, the other characters are somewhat static.

The story of an exiled elfin prince returning from exile to break an ages-old truce with Man is a strong one, especially given a world Hellboy knows is filled with freaks of all kinds.  We follow Prince Nuada’s efforts to assemble the crown that would given him command over the Golden Army, 70 times 70 mechanical soldiers built by the goblin forges. With them at his command, all humanity would be wiped out and the elves can regain control of the planet.

Mixed in with that is the stresses between Liz and Hellboy living together, Abe Sapien falling in love with the Princess Nuala, who opposes her brother’s jihad, and the exposure of the [[[BPRD]]] to the general public.  This necessitates Washington sending a new field leader, Dr. Johann Krauss, who happens to be an ectoplasmic being living in a containment suit.

There’s plenty of story and threads and everyone has something to do and people to play off one another.  Add in deadly Tooth Fairies, the last Elemental, a Troll Market, an Angel of Death, and the revived Army, and you have plenty to deal with.

(more…)

L. Frank Baum’s Santa Claus Coming to the Screen

  • News
  • November 11, 2008

It’s nice to see people remember that L. Frank Baum wrote stories featuring characters other than the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.  In fact, he also tackled someone even more impressive: Santa Claus.

Variety reports that Hyde Park Entertainment will team with Toonz Entertainment to adapt The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus as a CGI-animated film, similar to the just-announced John Boorman-directed interpretation of Oz. And like the oft-adapted Oz, this one will be coming for Christmas 2010.

Tom Tataranowicz, president of Gang of 7 Animation, will direct alongside Rich Arons, and Dick Sebast. Tataranowicz co-wrote the script with animation veteran Mark Edward Edens (Hot Wheels, Sonic, Young Hercules). The film is being produced at the Toonz Animation Studio in India.

The trade describes the story as following “Santa’s formative years, including a battle against the heart of evil that establishes the Santa mythology.” There’s a lot more to it and was a personal favorite to read the kids in days gone by.

The 1902 novel has previously been adapted less often than Oz, beginning with the 1985 Rankin-Bass production. Japan, in 1994, tried their hand with Shounen Santa no Daibôken (Young Santa’s Adventures). America folded it into The Oz Kids’"Who Stole Santa?"  In 1996. Gen Hill also did an animated version in 2000.  Michael Ploog also turned it into a graphic novel, published by Tundra in 1992.
 

Sony Plans ‘Ghostbusters’ 25th Anniversary Celebration

  • News
  • November 11, 2008

While awaiting some real news about a potential third Ghostbusters movie, Sony is already beating the drums for the franchise’s 25th anniversary in 2009.  First, Atari has announced that Ghostbusters: The Video Game will be featuring the voices and likenesses of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, William Atherton, Annie Potts and Brian Doyle-Murray. The story is set two years after the events of the second film and was written by Aykroyd and Ramis. Atari and Terminal Reality anticipate the game to be available on multiple platforms.

Expect a complete array of anniversary toys, t-shirts, comic books, prop replicas and a theme park attraction.  Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will also release Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II on Blu-ray for the first time.
 

‘Buffy’ Back on Track

  • News
  • November 11, 2008

Editor Scott Allie provided frustrated Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans with an update on the oft-delayed series.

“Good news, gang — Andy Owens has just turned in the final inks for long-overdue Buffy #19,” he wrote at Dark Horse’s website. “So while Michelle wraps up the colors on Buffy #19, I want to thank you for your patience, apologize for the delay, and promise to do my best to keep it from happening again.” The issue will be on sale November 26.

He went on to assure all that Buffy #20-22 are completed so the schedule should stabilize in the coming months.

“You’ve probably read the news that Jane Espenson has joined the staff of Dollhouse, which means she’ll be seeing Joss daily while writing her much-anticipated arc, which will feature Oz,” Allie teased. “Jane makes her Season Eight debut in the issue #21 one-shot, kick-starting the next arc. We’re doing some unusual promotions for that issue, and you’ll want to keep your eye on MySpace Dark Horse Presents and other places come the first of the year.”

Categories

Archives

Everything you need to make great comics!

comicmix-pro-300x69-2

Nucleus X

Bookshop Zaks