Tarzan Returns to the Big Screen
Tarzan is returning to the Big Screen but not as an animated musical sequel from Disney but a played-for-straight adventure from Warner Bros, and director Stephen Sommers (The Mummy). Variety reports this morning that Sommers and Stuart Beattie will be co-writing the screenplay. The duo last worked together on 2009’s G.I. Joe film for Paramount, which recently completed lensing.
Producer Jerry Weintraub has been trying to mount a new live-action version of Tarzan since 2003, working from a screenplay by John August (Shazam!) and at one point Guillermo del Toro was in talks to direct the film.
Ever since Edgar Rice Burroughs first wrote about his man raised by the apes in 1912, it has been repeatedly interpreted for serials, movies, radio, television and comic books. Burroughs penned some 23 books featuring his character in addition to creating other fantastic realms and characters including John carter, Warlord of Mars and Pellucidar. While Johnny Weismuller’s performance informed the image in the minds of a generation or two of moviegoers, today more people probably know him from the 1999 Disney animated feature.
This will be Warner’s second go-round with the Lord of the Jungle after 1984’s underrated Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes from Hugh Hudson. The film introduced us to actor Christopher Lambert later known for Highlander. Warner’s television network, the CW, had a disastrous version of Tarzan in 2003.
We just received word that The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art is opening a retrospective in honor of Kim Deitch’s distinguished career. The exhibition will run from September 9 through December 5 at MoCCA in Manhattan.
Humans have been fascinated by felines both big and small since the beginnings of recorded history. At times we’ve both worshipped them (as did the ancient Egyptians) and reviled them (as did medieval Europeans, thus opening themselves up to the spread of the Black Plague when the witchcraft-associated kitties weren’t around in sufficient numbers to keep the rats at bay). And they’ve probably always been a big part of our 
Small press efforts are being recognized in 2009 at Canada’s SPACE show. Previously, there had been the Day Awayrd, selected and presented by Dave Sim in recognition of the work done by the late artist Gene Day. Sim withdrew the Award for 2009 and it has been replaced with the 
One of the surprise hits for Marvel this year was Kick-Ass, the series from Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr. In addition to sell outs and multiple printings, it was optioned for a film prior to the first issue hitting the stands this past winter.
"Next week I’ll be in Toronto. I’m still trying to get my head around it. I just came back from New York actually where I was doing an independent film. I’ve gone from one side of the world to the other. My head is going crazy. I woke up this morning and said ‘Where am I?’ I looked out the window and saw the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge and I’m like ‘Wow! How did I end up in Australia?’. Have you ever seen that film Jumper? It’s like I’m in Jumper."
Meantime, also in Australia, Heroes star Milo Ventimiglia was quoted by Showbiz Spy indicating his desire to play a decided adult Boy Wonder. "I always thought I would make a great Robin. I would love to be Christian Bale’s sidekick in Batman," he told the reporter. "Even when I was younger I never wanted to be Batman." Of course, director Christopher Nolan has already said for years now that his film version of the Caped Crusader will never feature a Wonder – boy, teen or adult.
As reported across the web and in today’s New York Times, Brad Meltzer has launched a campaign to raise funds to renovate and preserve the boyhood home of Jerome Siegel, co-creator of Superman. Starting today, a four week auction of items will begin with winners gaining original artwork, VIP seats to the Colbert Report, walk ons in comic books, novels and even an episode of NBC’s Heroes.
September roars in with a new TV season on the way, one of the year’s last big conventions just around the corner and our usual load of new comics and DVDS, plus:
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Today, Google will be launching their version of a web browser. Dubbed Chrome, it is said to be an open Source construct which began with the needs of today’s web users being taken into consideration. To make certain we understand why this is different than IE, Opera, Safari and Firefox, they hired Scott McCloud to produce a 35-page 
