The Mix : What are people talking about today?

Mindy Newell: DEATH OF A SUPERGIRL?

cbs-supergirl-death-of-superman-theory-729118I don’t know what the hell goes on in the minds of the CBS suits, or why the hell they are dragging their heels about Supergirl’s future.

But it doesn’t look good.

Monday night at 8:00 I turned the television on to CBS, only to see that Big Bang Theory was on for the entire hour.  This isn’t the first time the network has done this; so have other networks for other shows, and it’s almost always a sign that the show is struggling for life, that its ratings are not satisfactory enough for the suits to keep the show on the air. 

CBS is not a network noted for niche or cult programming, or a network geared towards the “coveted” 18-34 slice of the Nielsen ratings.  Their programming has been dominated by police procedurals (NCIS and its many spin-offs) and soapy dramas masquerading as law procedurals (The Good Wife, Madame Secretary), and reality shows (The Amazing Race, Survivor) with sitcoms eating up the rest of the airtime.  And the sitcoms are pretty standard fare; Big Bang is—im-not-so-ho—an outlier on their schedule.  I really don’t know how that series ended up on CBS, it’s so out of the box for them. 

Buffy, The X-Files, Twin Peaks, Star Trek, The Walking Dead, The Sopranos were all the “little shows that could.”  All started out incredibly low in the ratings—Buffy lost out to Seventh Heaven initially, and only showed up as a truncated mid-season replacement its first year—but slowly became powerhouses through word-of-mouth.  But the networks to which they belonged all gave them a chance.  It may have been because there was nothing to replace them with; it may have been, like Star Trek, because of massive fan letter campaigns in that pre-internet dark age which in 2016 would equal or surpass the number of e-mails on Hillary’s private server.  Or, and I think this is the most important reason these shows stuck around to gain fan-atic followings, it may have been because there was at least one executive who championed it, who really believed in it.  I just haven’t read or seen that happening at CBS.  Rather, I think they simply wanted to jump on the bandwagon of the CW’s Arrow and Flash, and ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  There was no one who really loved Supergirl for herself and the show’s potential.

I admit, I was not all that happy with Supergirl when it first premiered.  (You can check out my initial complaints here.)  But followers of this column know that I have slowly been changing my mind, and I’m here to say—in-my-no-so-ho—that the second half of the series has really started to come into its own. 

For too long a time the supporting characters—Hank Henshaw/J’onn J’onzz, Alex Danvers, Cat Grant, even Max Lord, Winn Schott, Jimmy Olsen, and Lucy Lane—were developing and growing and becoming people we cared about.  Meanwhile Kara Zor-el/Kara Danvers/Supergirl was stuck in Barbie doll land—and then sometime around the

Episode 13, “For the Girl Who Has Everything,”—which I admit had some problems—the “doll” showed some cracks and wear and tear.  And with Episode 16, “Falling,” when her Freudian moral super-ego becoming subordinate to her darker and selfish id, Kara Zor-el was a Barbie no more; like Pinocchio, she was no longer moving to a puppet master’s strings, always dancing and singing and play-acting, but suddenly self-aware.  Was it ugly?  Sure, but it was human, and suddenly the audience could identify with her. 

As of April 4th, and with the success of the Supergirl/Flash crossover—which absolutely rocked!!!! (and which was a big flip of the bird to that other team-up currently gracing movie screens)—giving the show a much-needed ratings boost, the series is still in renewal limbo, although Les Moonves, CBS’s president, has said that “all freshman shows are likely to be renewed.”

Not much of an endorsement, is it?

Hey, Moonves, let the girl fly!

Martha Thomases: Black Panther Is Back And…

black-panther-1-covers-by-marvel-comics-9247796When I went to my local comic book shop on Wednesday morning, I did, as always, chat up my buddy on the other side of the counter. “Did you read Black Panther yet?” I asked him. “Is it any good?”

“Not yet,” he said.

“My editor wants me to write a review, and I’ve never read any other Black Panther comics,” I said.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “No one else has, either.”

Okay, I doubt that’s true. There have been comics with the Black Panther in them for five decades now. The character wouldn’t be used if he didn’t have a fan-base. That’s capitalism.

Speaking of, this new run of Black Panther has been getting tons of publicity. Marvel has done a terrific job, getting write-ups in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Wired, among others. That’s because the writer is Ta Nehisi Coates, the National Book Award winning author of Between the World and Me, a book that changed my life.

Black Panther 1v1Between the World and Me was not written for me. It was written for the author’s son and, more broadly, for other African-Americans. That was one element that I found so refreshing when I read it. I don’t think this new Black Panther series is written for me, either. The only white faces I saw were in ads for other Marvel comics.

The story opens as T’Challa, the Black Panther, returns to the country of Wakanda, where he is king. In his absence, the country has been attacked, invaded, upended. His sister, who ruled in his absence, has been killed. His own people attack him, no longer trusting him to take care of them.

I found this opening to be confusing, perhaps because I’m a new reader. In the letter page, Marvel offers a link to their website with more information but the link wouldn’t open for me, and I had to rely on the Wiki.

This issue sets up the elements for a complex story of family relationships, warring political factions, the burdens of leadership and the quest for freedom. So far, I’m not too sure who T’Challa is or why he can’t speak directly to his people. I don’t like his mother. I don’t like this guy named Tetu, who tells a woman that what she feels “… was the agony of labor, Zenzi. It had to be done. It was the agony of birthing a new nation.” Because really, we needed him to mansplain childbirth to us.

Black Panther 1v2I liked the two women who defy the law to be together and help people. I hope they have more to do in future issues, and that we see T’Challa interact with more characters who have names.

Brian Stelfreeze has done a glorious job with the artwork. He manages to create scenes that are moody and exuberant at the same time. Laura Martin’s color work amplifies and expands the atmosphere. Wakanda feels like its on another continent, maybe even another planet, a mix of ancient tribes and technological wonder.

Coates’ first script is remarkably solid. He doesn’t rely too much on captions or exposition, letting the artwork carry the story.

He might just have a future in this writing business.

Gods of Egypt Makes Quick Trip to Home Video

GOE_4K_3D_RGB_Skew[1]SANTA MONICA, CA (April 5, 2016) – The ultimate struggle to rule the world begins when Gods of Egypt arrives on Digital HD on May 17 and on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital HD), 3D Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD), Blu-ray™ (plus Digital HD), DVD (plus Digital) and On Demand May 31 from Summit Entertainment, a LIONSGATE Company. Directed by Alex Proyas (I, Robot), written by Matt Sazama (The Last Witch Hunter) & Burk Sharpless (The Last Witch Hunter), and featuring stunning visual effects and production design, Gods of Egypt stars Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (TV’s “Game of Thrones”) with Gerard Butler (London Has Fallen) and Academy Award® winner Geoffrey Rush (Best Actor, Shine, 1996).

The ultimate battle between good and evil threatens to destroy all creation in this epic fantasy-adventure bursting with spectacular action and amazing special effects. Gerard Butler and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau star as rival gods Set and Horus, who are locked in a war to rule the universe. To defeat the merciless Set, Horus joins forces with a brave mortal for a journey that will take them across Egypt, through the heavens, and into the afterlife in an unforgettable quest to save mankind.

The Blu-ray and Digital HD releases feature an in-depth look behind-the-scenes with six featurettes, plus storyboards of deleted scenes. The Blu-ray release also includes next-generation DTS:X immersive audio, which replicates and conveys the fluid movement of sound to create a richer soundscape by moving sound to precisely where the audio mixer placed it.

Gods of Egypt will be available in the following physical formats on May 31:

  • 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack – $42.99 SRP
  • 3D Combo Pack – $39.99 SRP
  • Blu-ray – $35.99 SRP
  • DVD – $29.95 SRP

BLU-RAY/ DIGITAL HD SPECIAL FEATURES*

  • Deleted Storyboards
  • “A Divine Vision: Creating a Cinematic Action Fantasy” Featurette
  • “Of Gods and Mortals: The Cast” Featurette
  • “Transformation: Costume, Make-up & Hair” Featurette
  • “On Location: Shooting in Australia” Featurette
  • “The Battle for Eternity: Stunts” Featurette
  • “A Window into Another World: Visual Effects” Featurette

*Subject to change

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES*

  • “The Battle for Eternity: Stunts” Featurette
  • “A Window into Another World: Visual Effects” Featurette

*Subject to change 

PROGRAM INFORMATION

Year of Production: 2016
Title Copyright: Gods of Egypt, Artwork & Supplementary Materials © 2016 Summit Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Type: Theatrical Release
Rating: PG-13 for Fantasy Violence and Action, and Some Sexuality
Genre: Action/Fantasy
Closed Captioned:  NA
Subtitles: English and Spanish, English SDH
Feature Run Time: 126 minutes
4K UHD Format: 2160p Ultra High Definition 16×9 Widescreen (2.40:1)
BD Format: 1080p High Definition 16×9 Widescreen (2.40:1)
DVD Format: 16×9 Widescreen (2.40:1)
4K UHD Audio: English DTS:XTM Audio, Spanish 5.1 DTS Digital SurroundTM Audio, English 2.0 DTS Audio Optimized for Late-Night Listening, English Descriptive Audio
BD Audio: English DTS:XTM Audio, Spanish 5.1 DTS Digital SurroundTM Audio, English 2.0 DTS Audio Optimized for Late-Night Listening, English Descriptive Audio
DVD Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio, English Descriptive Audio

Force for Change Campaign Unites the World

Force for Change logoLucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and Star Wars veteran Mark Hamill announced a new campaign sponsored by CrowdRise in support of Star Wars: Force for Change, an initiative that inspires people to make a positive impact on the world. Starting Monday, Star Wars: Force for Change began matching the donations of Star Wars fans to four select charities up to $1,000,000!

To date, Star Wars: Force for Change has raised over $10,000,000 with the help of the amazing Star Wars community. This month-long campaign will lead up to “Star Wars Day” on May the 4th. The four select charities include the U.S. Fund for UNICEF in support of UNICEF Kid Power, American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and Make-A-Wish®.

“Star Wars fans are some of the most generous, thoughtful, and sympathetic people I have ever met,” says Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. “I am so proud of the charitable work they have done over the years and hope this month-long donation-matching campaign will go some way to express our sincere thanks for their tireless efforts.”

Over the course of the four-week period, which culminates at 11:59pm (PST) on May 4th, fans will be able to donate through CrowdRise.com/ForceForChange to these four charities and have their donations matched dollar for dollar up to $1,000,000.During the first week, the first 20 fans to raise or donate at least $500 will win a Blu-ray of The Force Awakens signed by the cast[i], with more incentives to come. All participants who enter will also have a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to Ireland, including Skellig Michael along the Wild Atlantic Way, the location of the dramatic final scene from The Force Awakens[ii].

Show your Force and visit CrowdRise.com/ForceForChange now for more details.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is available now on Digital HD and Blu-ray Combo Pack
[i]  Must be at least at least age eighteen (18) years of age or the age of majority in your jurisdiction, whichever is greater, at the time of entry and an individual legal resident of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia. Starts on April 5, 2016 at 4:00am PST and ends as soon as there are twenty (20) individuals that have donated and/or fundraised at least $500 online on the Website here:  https://www.crowdrise.com/ForceForChange or on April 11, 2016 at 11:59:59pm PST, whichever comes first. To enter, follow the on-screen instructions to donate or fundraise. ARV: $500. For complete rules and eligibility requirements, Click Here CrowdRise.com/ForceForChange. Sponsor: CrowdRise. Prize Provider: Lucasfilm Ltd. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

 

[ii]  No Purchase or Donation Necessary. Must be at least at least age eighteen (18) years of age or the age of majority in your jurisdiction, whichever is greater, at the time of entry and an individual legal resident of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia. Starts on April 5, 2016 at 4:00am PST and ends on May 4, 2016 at 11:59:59pm PST. To enter, either (1) follow the on-screen instructions to donate or fundraise or (2) email Kennedy@crowdrise.com with the subject line: “Please enter me in the Win A Trip to Ireland and Skellig Michael Sweepstakes”, and your full name, birthday, address, email and “I agree to these Official Rules and CrowdRise Terms and Conditions.” Limit 200 entries per person. ARV: $4,999. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. For complete rules and eligibility requirements, Click Here CrowdRise.com/ForceForChange. Sponsor: CrowdRise. Prize Provider: Tourism Ireland. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Tweeks: iZombie Cast Interview WonderCon 2016 Part Deux

Welcome to Part 2 of Maddy’s interview with Rob Thomas, Diane Ruggario, Rose McIver, Robert Buckley, Malcom Goodwin, David Anders, & Aly Michalka from iZombie. It’s in this episode where we find out what they would do if zombies came to their town.

Dennis O’Neil: Technology Always Precedes Art

 

archie-jughead-550x288-7768786

Let’s hop on back 40,000 years into the past and watch a fellow named Urg make marks on a cave wall with a piece of flint. We happen to know that Urg has only recently learned that he can make these marks and he is now in the process of finding a use for them. Hey, listen… he’s now making sounds. Could they be words? Can they give us a clue as what he thinks he’s doing?

URG: Ar-chee! Jug-heed! Ann-tee-loop!

And now we fire up our time traveling whatsis and behold! – we find ourselves in the pages of a comic book. The panel we’re in shows those Riverdale High funsters Archie and Jughead strolling down a sunny street. Nearby, enjoying a snack of grass, is an antelope.

ARCHIE: Hey Jug! Isn’t that an antelope?

JUGHEAD: Sure looks like one. Wonder why the artist put that in!

Okay, half turn to the left or right, depending on your political preference, and we find ourselves in the real world – that is, the world we happen to inhabit. We’ve just snuck through a back door into this week’s topic (and yes, maybe I’m being generous in calling what follows a “topic.”) In one sentence, here we go:

Technology always precedes art.

That’s really all I have to say, but I’ll expend a bit more band width anyway.

Remember Urg? He found that he could put scratches on the cave wall and then discovered that these scratches could be pictures and suddenly he was an artist! Time rushed forward and Urg’s descendants put Urg-like scratches into clay tablets and then people had both pictures and writing and then later descendants of Urg invented paint and canvas and various kinds of printing inclluding high speed presses driven by steam and photography and radio and television and silicon chips and the bank width I’m expending…

Urg sure had a lot of descendants and a number of them, maybe without realizing exactly what they were doing, put gadgetry devised by someone else to expressing themselves and amusing their neighbors and pretty soon, there stood Disneyland. And much, much more.

That “much, much more” might be a problem, unless it isn’t. Cinematic technology can put spectacular images on the screen and if we have a toy, we humans will play with it. (I saw a planet explode just the other day.) And all those explosions and chases can serve the story that contains them, but on another level, they’re spectacle. What I fear is that the spectacle is overwhelming drama and theme and the other stuff that can be put on screens and so we’re collectively losing valuable gifts the ancients knew about, things like catharsis and empathy. Am I tilting at windmills? Maybe. Probably.

The exploding planet happened in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and I’ll certainly see the next episode in the Star Wars franchise.

First Look: Guillermo del Toro’s Trollhunters

ths_night_final-1-e1459972535422-4857134DreamWorks  and Guillermo del Toro have released the first image from their forthcoming Netflix series TROLLHUNTERS. The show will unleash a new, fantastical world wrapped around the residents of the fictional suburb of Arcadia who make a startling discovery that the world beneath their hometown is as vast and mind-blowing as anything on the surface. A global must-see viewing event for the entire family, DreamWorks TROLLHUNTERS will bring viewers of all ages around the world into the rich and creative mind of Guillermo del Toro.
No release date has been announced.

Star Trek Seeks out new Sales with 4K Ultra HD Releases

startrek_uhd_3docard-e1459971342972-6269405HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – Paramount Home Media Distribution announced today that director J.J. Abrams’ global blockbusters STAR TREK and STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS will be the studio’s first two titles released on the new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format.  The releases coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Star Trek franchise in 2016.  4K UHD represents the next evolution in home entertainment, offering four times the resolution and more than double the number of colors available with full HD.  In addition, these spectacular 4K UHD releases deliver exceptional vibrancy and contrast through High Dynamic Range technology, which reveals hidden details and shades of color that more closely mimic real life.
Both STAR TREK and STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS have been digitally remastered with new 4K UHD transfers for exceptionally brilliant picture quality and feature Dolby Atmos® soundtracks* remixed specifically for the home theater environment.  Dolby Atmos delivers captivating sound that places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead, to bring entertainment alive all around the audience.
Each film will be presented in a three-disc UHD/Blu-ray/Digital HD Combo Pack.  STAR TREK features a bonus Blu-ray Disc™ loaded with over three hours of behind-the-scenes content.  The STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS UHD and Blu-ray Discs include the spectacular IMAX® version of the film and the package also includes a bonus Blu-ray Disc with more than two hours of special features.
STAR TREK UHD/Blu-ray/Digital HD Combo Pack
The UHD Disc is presented in 4K high definition with English Dolby Atmos, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The Blu-ray containing the feature film is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The Blu-ray containing the bonus content is presented in 1080p high definition with English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The Combo Pack includes access to a Digital HD copy of the film as well as the following:
UHD
• Feature film in 4K UHD
• Commentary by J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof and Roberto Orci
Blu-ray Disc #1
• Feature film in high definition
• Commentary by J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof and Roberto Orci
Blu-ray Disc #2
• To Boldly Go — Taking on the world’s most beloved science fiction franchise was no small mission. Director J.J. Abrams, writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, producer Damon Lindelof, and executive producer Bryan Burk talk about the many challenges they faced and their strategy for success.
• Casting — The producers knew their greatest task was finding the right cast to reprise these epic roles. The cast, for their part, talk about the experience of trying to capture the essence of these mythic characters. The piece concludes with a moving tribute to Leonard Nimoy.
• A New Vision — J.J. Abrams’ vision was not only to create a Star Trek that was a bigger, more action-packed spectacle, but also to make the spectacle feel real.  Every aspect of production—from unique locations to the use of classic Hollywood camera tricks—was guided by this overall objective.
• Starships — Abrams and production designer Scott Chambliss were careful to pay tribute to the design of the original Enterprise, but they also wanted to make it futuristic and cool for a modern audience. This chapter focuses on the unique stories behind the creation of the film’s starships.
• Aliens — Designers Neville Page and Joel Harlow talk about the hurdles they faced creating new alien species, recreating the Romulans and Vulcans, and designing the terrifying creatures on Delta Vega for the new Star Trek.
• Planets — From the frozen landscape of Delta Vega to the desert plains of Vulcan, Scott Chambliss and the art department had a number of radically different planets to create. Abrams’ desire to shoot on real locations whenever possible led the production team to a number of strange and surprising locations.
• Props and Costumes — Property master Russell Bobbitt had the unique challenge of designing props that were both true to the original series and pertinent to today’s technology.  Likewise, costume designer Michael Kaplan talks about how he designed costumes that paid homage to what came before yet were relevant and timeless.
• Ben Burtt and the Sounds of Star Trek — When famed sound designer Ben Burtt was hired to create sounds for the first Star Wars film, he took his inspiration from the original “Star Trek” series. Burtt jumped at the opportunity to pay tribute to the sounds that sparked his career with the sounds he created for the new Star Trek.
• Score — As a fan of the original series, composer Michael Giacchino embraced the challenge of creating new music for Star Trek while preserving the spirit of Alexander Courage’s celebrated theme.
•Gene Roddenberry’s Vision — J.J. Abrams, Leonard Nimoy, previous Star Trek writers and producers, and scientific consultant Carolyn Porco describe and commend the optimistic and enduring vision of Gene Roddenberry.
• Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary
• Starfleet Vessel Simulator — Explore extensive data on the U.S.S. Enterprise and the Romulan ship, the Narada. Submerse yourself in breathtaking 360° views and close-ups and review detailed tech information.
• Gag Reel
• Trailers
startrek_intodarkness_uhd_3docard-e1459971386386-2702528STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS UHD/Blu-ray/Digital HD Combo Pack
The UHD Disc is presented in 4K high definition with English Dolby Atmos, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The Blu-ray containing the feature film is presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The Blu-ray containing the bonus content is presented in 1080p high definition with English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The Combo Pack includes access to a Digital HD copy of the film as well as the following:
UHD
• Feature film in 4K UHD – IMAX Version
Blu-ray Disc #1
• Feature film in high definition – IMAX Version
• Enhanced commentary
• The Mission Continues PSA
Blu-ray Disc #2
• The Voyage Begins…Again – Go behind-the-scenes as filming begins on the next Star Trek adventure.
• Creating the Red Planet – Experience the creation of a never-before-seen alien world, as featured in the action-packed opening sequence of the film.
• Introducing the Villain
• Rebuilding the Enterprise – See the design and construction of a bigger, interconnected Enterprise set.
• National Ignition Facility: Home of the Core – Location shooting at the National Ignition Facility.
• Attack on Starfleet – Go behind the scenes with the cast and filmmakers and witness the creation of the shocking attack on Starfleet Headquarters.
• Aliens Encountered – The design and application of alien makeup.
• The Klingon Home World – Discover the stunning world of Kronos, and see how the filmmakers reinvented the Klingons for a new generation.
• The Enemy of My Enemy – Find out how, and why, the identity of the film’s true villain was kept a mystery to the very end.
• Vengeance is Coming – A comprehensive look at the design and production surrounding the black ship.
• Ship to Ship – An in-depth and thrilling look at the filming of the iconic space jump sequence, which both defied the laws of physics and pushed the limits of visual effects.
• Mr. Spock and Mr. Spock – Leonard Nimoy makes a cameo appearance and reflects on his history with Trek.
• Down with the Ship – Discover the stunt & VFX work involved to make the Enterprise roll over.
• Kirk and Spock – Explore the dynamic relationship between the film’s heroes.
• Brawl by the Bay – Sit in with Zachary Quinto and Benedict Cumberbatch as they revisit their intense preparation for the film’s breathtaking climax.
• Fitting the Future – A look at the film’s out-of-this-world costumes.
• Property of Starfleet – Sourcing and tracking the film’s myriad props.
• Unlocking the Cut – A discussion with the film editors about their monumental task.
• Visual Affection – A comprehensive look at the creation and implementation of visual effects.
• The Sounds of Music (and FX) – A discussion with film composer Michael Giacchino and sound designer Ben Burtt.
• Safety First – A prank pulled on the cast.
• Continuing the Mission – An inspiring look at the partnership between the film’s crew and the organization that assists returning veterans to find meaningful ways to contribute on the home front.
• Gag Reel
• Deleted Scenes
• Theatrical Trailers
The Combo Packs available for purchase include a Digital HD Version of the film that can be accessed through UltraViolet™, a way to collect, access and enjoy movies.  With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them—reliably and securely—to a variety of devices.  Alternatively, the Digital HD Version of the film can be redeemed through iTunes.

Molly Jackson: Invading Reality

invading-reality-550x305-5842414

Valiant announced that Vladmir Putin, also known as the real life leader of Russia, would be the villainous mastermind in Divinity II, their next series event. It was announced only a few days ago in an exclusive interview in the New York Daily News with the comics’ writer, Matt Kindt. In the story, our villain manipulates a ’60s-era cosmonaut who has returned to Earth from deep space with super powers and a desire to build a new Soviet empire.

We all know that this isn’t the first time a real life figure has popped up in a superhero story. Obama’s appearance in Spider-Man may have been the biggest one in my lifetime, but hundreds of politicians and celebrities have shown up as guest stars in comics or had comics done about them. However, the vast majority of the time, the real life person isn’t cast as a villain, and especially not without their permission.

The grand exception to this is of course the Nazi Reich and its leader, Adolf Hitler. The difference being those original Captain America comics were used as propaganda to help encourage and keep the American people invested in the war. While I won’t be the first to point it out, Putin has done some pretty mean stuff lately. The U.S. hasn’t been on the best of terms with Russia. But this comic does not sound like it brings the spirit of Captain America with it. Kindt did go on to say that he used Putin sparingly to not diminish his impact. He also pointed out that he never thought about if this was a good idea to piss Putin off in any way.

The thing that bothers me most of all is Kindt’s insistence that because the story is taking place in Russia, it must paint the leader of Russia as the villain. In an industry of constant make believe, this single fact cannot be changed! No matter how much of the story is complete fiction, it would undermine it to change the single fact of who is the Prime Minister of Russia. Stories based in reality can make that small shift from absolute reality. It’s not like we have superheroes with amazing powers in real life. Or do we and no one told me?! Sci-fi has laid the groundwork for a country leader swap in a story or having it be a never-before-heard-of higher up politician in the government. Stories have always had thinly veiled parodies of real world characters without calling them out by name.

I know, in the other hand is artistic license and freedom of expression. I support those freedoms. And yes, public figures are putting themselves in the limelight to be used by the creative element. If it is the only way Kindt could write the story, then I can accept that. But at the same time, people tend to forget that this is a global community and we need to act like it. Americans come off bratty in a lot of ways in the world.

So my question right now: is this one element crucial to the story? Or is this just the main element to Valiant’s marketing plan?

Mike Gold: Imitation Is The Sincerest Form of Thievery

brave-and-bold-109-ss-8549869The 1950s were a time of great experimentation for comic book publishers. Retail outlets were disappearing and post-war military scale-backs undermined PX sales. Superman was kept alive by its massive television exposure, but virtually all other superhero comics were either gone or in deep trouble.

Necessity being the mother of invention, comics publishers back then had no choice but to try new ideas and concepts. Western comics were hit-or-miss; those that featured top-line movie stars or characters were doing okay, the others were sort of meh. Romance comics, teevee tie-ins and some funny animal books were selling. The horror and crime comics that had been keeping publishers such as EC, Harvey and Gleason in the money were being condemned by the media, camera-hungry politicians and sanctimonious self-appointed “experts.”

So until DC and Marvel finally succeeded in rejuvenating the superhero genre, experimentation was the watchword of that decade. And that brings me to the subject of Robert Kanigher.

brtave-and-bold-314-ss-7003194This man was a legend. A writer and editor, Bob was best known for creating or co-creating Sgt. Rock, the Metal Men (over a weekend, no less), the silver age versions of The Flash and Wonder Woman, Poison Ivy, Rose and Thorn, Ragman, the Viking Prince, Sea Devils, and Enemy Ace. On the other hand, Kanigher was also… well… according to Wikipedia: “Kanigher was as well known for his unstable personality and violent temper as he was for his brilliance as a writer.”

I can attest to this personally, even though we got along quite well. When he died in 2002, I phoned a major comics writer/artist, a decent, considerate and polite man with a fine sense of humor who was a student of Bob’s at the Joe Kubert School. He immediately let out a joyous rebel yell that could halt a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert.

Kanigher also had a fantastic memory.

When DC Comics was searching for new ideas and formats, he came up with quite a few – and most of them were quite good. Some were brilliant. He started up a title called The Brave and the Bold which initially featured legendary white knight types such as The Silent Knight, the Golden Gladiator and the Viking Prince. In issue #25, he dumped the swordplay in favor of a new series, Task Force X – The Suicide Squad.

ace-g-man-1832775This Suicide Squad ran six issues before being retired to the Old Comic Book Characters’ Home. The name was resurrected by John Ostrander in the mid-1980s in the Legends mini-series, and that’s the concept that was in the Arrow teevee series and will be in the movie theaters in August.

But The Brave and the Bold was not where the Suicide Squad first met the public. In fact, The Brave and the Bold was not where the The Brave and the Bold first met the public.

Shortly after the turn of the last century, Street and Smith started up a weekly prose magazine on pulpwood paper featuring rip-roaring adventures. It was called Brave and Bold, and it ran for 429 issues. Not a bad run at all. Publisher of Nick Carter Weekly, Street and Smith went on to create The Shadow, Doc Savage, The Avenger and many others.

The Suicide Squad is another matter. There was no such magazine under that name before Kanigher’s creation. However, The Suicide Squad was the very popular lead feature in Ace G-Man Stories. The G-Men (government men; the movies’ version of a highly idealized FBI) genre was very popular in our media and as far as the pulp era was concerned, The Suicide Squad was the leader of the pack. Created by Emile C. Tepperman (Operator 5, The Spider, Secret Agent X) the series ran from 1939 to 1943, when the host title was cancelled due to wartime paper shortages. All or almost all of these stories remain in print in anthologies and in electronic books.

sky-devils-pulp-2712599So… did Bob Kanigher “borrow” these names? Let’s be fair: they were not under trademark, and publishers recycled titles all the time. If you don’t believe me, riddle me this: if Fawcett sold its characters to DC Comics, why does Marvel publish Captain Marvel? Hint: it’s not because of the word “marvel.”

One more thing. In 1960 Bob Kanigher and artist Russ Heath created a series for DC called “Sea Devils,” debuting in Showcase #27. Some think that, perhaps, Bob was inspired by the 1953 movie of the same name, starring Yvonne De Carlo and Rock Hudson. Or, perhaps, Bob was inspired by the 1937 movie of the same name, starring Victor McLaglen and Ida Lupino. Or the 1931 movie of the same name, starring Molly O’Day and Edmund Burns.

Or maybe, just maybe, Bob’s encyclopedic memory stored the details of Sky Devils, a pulp series that ran from 1938 to 1940. That one was published by Martin Goodman, the man who, at that very time, was preparing to launch something called “Marvel Comics.”

Of course, that Sun Devils is not to be confused with DC’s Sun Devils, created by Gerry Conway and Dan Jurgens.

What goes around…

Categories

Archives

Everything you need to make great comics!

comicmix-pro-300x69-2

Nucleus X

Bookshop Zaks