Tweeks: iZombie WonderCon 2016 Interviews Part 1
This is what happens when Maddy gets to interview the cast of one of her favorite shows and ask them about their fandoms! Part one of Maddy’s interview with the creators & cast of iZombie!
The Mix : What are people talking about today?
Dennis O’Neil: Words, Finest
What is wrong with you people? Yesterday, I heard that CBS might not renew Supergirl for a second year, which generally happens to a television show because not many people are watching it and so I ask again, what is wrong with you? Itâs not like youâve got anything better to do with your Monday evenings! I could tell you that as this is being typed, in a few hours, Supergirl will deliver to your screens a first. (Well, actually a second, but weâll get to that.) But you wonât read this until four days from now â unless youâre too busy to read it! â and by then what Iâm about to reveal will be history. The way you young people reckon time, ancient history.
Well, fudge. Iâll reveal it anyway. The current episode of CBSâs Maid of Might entertainment will feature a crossover! The Flash, hero of another show, will visit Supergirl and… theyâll do some pretty darn interesting stuff, I bet. Probably catch a villain or two, maybe more. Now, of course, such events arenât exactly boggling in tv these days. Just recently, the cops of Law and Order SVU, set in Manhattan, visited the
Chicago cops and… caught a bad guy. Both SVU and Chicago PD have the same producer, Dick Wolf, and appear on the same network, NBC, so although the crossover was a big deal it wasnât that big a deal. And it had happened before and may happen again.
But The Flash and Supergirl? Hereâs what makes this a socks-knocker: the shows appear on different networks! Those of you who read comics â there are still some people who read, arenât there? â may be aware that comics publishingâs two Giant Gorillas, Marvel and DC, have been staging print intercompany crossovers beginning, I think, with Superman vs Spider-Man in 1976. There have been others since â Iâm not sure how many, but some. Thatâs print, an ancient technology of which you may have heard. But television? Count the palling up of Supergirl and the Flash as revolutionary.
Or maybe not. Way back, characters from two lawyer shows, The Practice, broadcast on ABC, and Foxâs Ally McBeal, met on each otherâs turf. Both programs were created by David E. Kelley, so maybe the stunt wasnât earth-shaking, but it was unprecedented. And it set a precedent which I, at least, will witness at eight tonight. You? Well, you donât seem much interested in watching Supergirl. You certainly donât watch it enough to keep it on the air. Is whatâs on C-SPAN really all that enthralling?
Molly Jackson: Listen and Learn
So Batman vs. Superman happened. It was a thing. I saw it. But instead of talking about the movie, I’m going to talk about how Batman inadvertently introduced me to my latest obsession.
So last week, I felt bored and restless. Despite the TV episodes backing up on my Hulu account and the ever-growing stack of books and comics, I just wasn’t interested. Finally, after several minutes of staring at my wall, I remembered that I had activated a new skill for my Echo. The Amazon Echo (because I am assuming you don’t know) is a voice-activated speaker that comes with skills rather than apps and mostly wants to assist you with buying more things from Amazon. Still, some of the features are really great and it’s the closest I’ll get to the computer on the Enterprise. My only real wish was that the activation word changed from “Alexa” to “Computer” so I can really go full-on Trekkie.
Ok, the skill I decided to finally try was the voice-powered choose-your-own-adventure game called The Wayne Investigation. Yup, it is exactly like it sounds. You get to catch the killer of Thomas and Martha Wayne! That is, if you are one of the few people who owns an Amazon Echo. This was released as a promotion for BvS, but it was honestly more fun than the film itself. I relaxed on my bed and tried a number of the options. Even after catching the bad guy Joe Chill himself, I kept trying other scenarios. The writing was so well-done and intriguing.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed playing this story. It was a relaxing time but held my interest, despite being one of the most played out stories in comics. (It ties with Uncle Ben dying as totally overdone.) This is more amazing when I consider I have never liked audio books or listening to podcasts and news reports. I think that the difference is that this was created with the medium in mind.
Admittedly, the game stayed with me over the next few days. So when I caught a 24-hour bug that came with a killer headache, I thought about how nice it was to listen to a story created for the auditory senses. That’s when I finally listened to a friend of mine and gave the podcast Welcome to Nightvale a shot.
It’s a radio show that provides community news and updates for the fictional town of Nightvale. Stylized like a serialized radio show on acid; the mix of sci-fi, horror, and sarcasm script a haunting and engrossing tale. And it is the only thing I’ve listened to in the past week. I kept putting off writing this column because I needed to hear what happened next.
It is an engrossing tale in the simplest of ways, with twists coming out of every turn almost because they can. It is almost all told from the perspective of the radio host Cecil, who provides his own commentary on the unusual and bizarre rules of this crazy town. I’ve almost come to care more about the political dealings of this fictional town than reality, but that could be that the fiction makes more sense at this point. Nightvale has been running since 2012, so I still have plenty of episodes to binge.
Ok, so writing about audio stories on a comics site is a little weird. Comics is most definitely a visual medium. I recognize that I’m preaching the exact opposite of what we usually write about. However, sometimes a change is a good thing. The comic-born (and killed) Waynes went audio, and joined the weird and bizarre stories of Nightvale, which might one day grace the pages of a comic floppy.
So if you ever feel the need for a change in medium, listen to that need. Literally.
Mike Gold Reboots Mike Gold
Our erstwhile editor-in-chief decided, at the last possible minute, to take the day off. Off of what, we don’t know. But we believe he’s at his laboratory coming up with a way to reboot himself. Why not? Everybody else is doing it!
Unfortunately, this is akin to how Bizarro got his start. Rebooting Mike into Bizarro 2016 seems… highly logical.
He’ll probably write another review or something in a couple of days. His ego can’t handle prolonged invisibility.
Beloved Iron Giant: Signature Edition Hits Home Video Sept. 6
Burbank, CA, March 29, 2016 â The classic beloved animated tale The Iron Giantàreturns to home screens when The Iron Giant: Signature Editionàis released for the first time on Blu-ray on September 6.àAlso available onàSeptember 6 will be an Ultimate Collectors Edition. àThe 1999 film directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Mission: Impossible â Ghost Protocol, Tomorrowland) has been fully remastered and enhanced with two all-new scenes.
When The Iron Giant arrived in theaters, it was hailed as an âÂÂinstant classicâ (Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal).àâÂÂImagine E.T.as a towering metal man, thatâÂÂs the appeal of this enchanting animated featureâ (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times).àAnd the world soon learned another âÂÂgiantâ had arrived as well: filmmaker Brad Bird, who made his stunning directorial debut with this film and has gone on to win two Oscarsî, as well as worldwide acclaim for his work on both animated and live-action features.
Winner of nine Annie Awards, The Iron GiantÃÂ is the tale of an unlikely friendship between a rebellious boy named Hogarth (voiced by Eli Marienthal) and a giant robot, voiced by a then little-known actor named Vin Diesel.ÃÂ The voice cast also included Jennifer Aniston and Harry Connick Jr.
The film was produced by Allison Abbate and Des McAnuff from a screen story by Brad Bird and screenplay written by Tim McCanlies and Brad Bird.àAdapted from poet Ted Hughesâ book, The Iron Man, The Iron Giantàwas first released in the summer of 1999 by Warner Bros.
âÂÂWe’re tremendously gratified by the ever-growing status of The Iron Giant,àwhich was a labor of love for those of us who made it,â said director Brad Bird.àâÂÂIt seems like a perfect time to give the filmâÂÂs large and expanding fan-base the deluxe Blu-ray they’ve long been asking for.”
The Iron Giant: Signature Edition will be available to own on Blu-ray for $14.97 SRP and contains both the Signature Edition of the film and the original theatrical version in high definition.àThe disc will also include the new documentary,The GiantâÂÂs Dream, a definitive look at the making of The Iron Giant.
The Iron Giant: Signature Editionàwill also be available as an Ultimate Collectors Edition for $74.99 SRP.àThe Ultimate Collectors Edition will include the Signature Edition and the original theatrical version in both high definition and standard definition, âÂÂThe GiantâÂÂs Dreamâ documentary, a hardcover art book on The Iron Giant,àcollectible Mondo art cards, a 4-inch plastic articulated Iron Giant statue, and a letter from director Brad Bird.
Fans can also own The Iron Giant: Signature EditionÃÂ via purchase from digital retailers.
BLU-RAY and ULTIMATE COLLECTORS EDITION ELEMENTS
The Iron Giant: Signature Edition Blu-ray disc contains the following special features:
- The GiantâÂÂs Dream documentary NEW!
The GiantâÂÂs Dream is the dramatic story about a rare moment in movie history that allowed a first-time director to make one of the worldâÂÂs greatest animated films, âÂÂThe Iron Giant.â Using stylized animatics, archival footage, original concept art, and revealing interviews, The GiantâÂÂs Dream charts the incredible ups and downs, industry firsts, and amazing history behind this iconic film, and its rebel director, Brad Bird.
- A personal letter from director Brad Bird
- The Iron Giant: Signature EditionÃÂ trailer
- Theatrical version commentary by Brad Bird
- Additional scenes, including alternate opening
- Mini documentary segments
- Teddy Newton The X Factor
- Duck and Cover sequence
- The Voice of the Giant
- Motion Gallery
- Brad Bird trailer
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Joe Corallo: The Joker’s Name
This past weekend was WonderCon out in LA. DC made many announcements about itâÂÂs upcoming Rebirth, some of which we already had some idea about. Now we were given information on creative teams, like Scott Snyder heading up All-Star Batman with rotating artists including Sean Murphy and Paul Pope, and James Tynion IV taking the reigns on the soon to be back-numbered Detective Comics. One of the other Bat family announcements was that they will soon be revealing the JokerâÂÂs name.
Why?
The short answer is that Batman found out his name when he asked that question on the Möbius chair in Justice League #42 (42, the answer to the ultimate question of life. Coincidence?). The long answer is a combination of figuring out how to handle a decades old franchise coupled with changes in audience expectations.
Now, I know what you might be thinking. DonâÂÂt we already know the JokerâÂÂs name? Many comic historians will tell you that the Joker is Jerry Robinson. Some out there may still argue his name is Bill Finger or even Bob Kane. Or maybe it was Conrad Veidt?
His name has changed many times over the years. Dick Sprang, Carmine Infantino, Denny OâÂÂNeil (Hi Denny!), Neal Adams, and many others. Personally, I liked when the Joker was both Marshall Rogers and Steve Englehart. Maybe sharing two minds helped to fuel his insanity. In more recent years, he’s gone by Frank Miller, Alan Moore, Brian Bolland, Grant Morrison, Dave McKean, Tony Daniel, Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, and many other names.
There are some purists out there who will tell you that no, the Joker only has one name. TheyâÂÂll argue with you that his one true name is Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Mark Hamill, or Heath Ledger. Some new Joker worshippers are even claiming that his real name has been Jared Leto all along. Perhaps weâÂÂll find out soon enough.
Now that IâÂÂve had my fun, IâÂÂll address the long answer to that question (kind of the sort of thing the Joker does, isnâÂÂt it?) of why we are finding out the JokerâÂÂs name. The real answer is weâÂÂve changed a lot as a society. Part of that is entertainment is different. Oddly enough, in the disposable age where we create more garbage than ever, the one thing we wonâÂÂt discard is a story.
Way back in May of 1939 when Batman debuted, back when the United States was only comprised of the continental 48, comics were not intended to be reprinted the way they are today. Audiences were not expected to stick around either. No one imagined that a nine-year old reading Batman would still follow that character for decades to come. All of that came later. Television was the same way. People used to just pump out television programs and if an episode was rushed and turned out to be pretty bad, who cares! People will forget by next week. Who would ever see it again?
Now thatâÂÂs all changed. WeâÂÂve gone back and weâÂÂve read many of those stories. WeâÂÂve tried to make continuity out of stories that were never intended to have any originally because we demand that the world makes sense. We even demand that the Joker makes sense. Part of making the Joker make sense is giving him a name.
Personally, I have less than no interest in the JokerâÂÂs name. Just tell me a good story with the character. ThatâÂÂs not the point of the Joker. Audiences want it though. Or we think they do. In the age of the Internet, people want to know everything about the things they like. Many people âÂÂkeep upâ with comics by reading wiki entries of storylines at this point. Maybe itâÂÂll sell a few comics too.
In defense of the decision to reveal the JokerâÂÂs name, audiences do appreciate an immersive world and I do appreciate that and I even enjoy that myself. Escapism is easier in a fully fleshed out world that we can imagine. When imaginary worlds leave out pieces of information like that, it can be harder to be immersed in that world. Plus, selling a few comics isnâÂÂt and shouldnâÂÂt be a bad thing. Having issues of comics sell big in this market helps to allow the wiggle room to try more experimental comics or to keep a critically acclaimed comic that might not be selling as well afloat for a few more months.
Either way, weâÂÂre finding out his name whether we like it or not. I could have sworn Tim Burton already told us his name was Jack. I donâÂÂt see why Burton would lie to us.
Box Office Democracy: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
ItâÂÂs easy to kick a studio while theyâÂÂre down, and a little of that seems to be happening with the reactions to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Warner Bros. has struggled mightily in bringing their heroes to the screen in recent years (recent decades if we donâÂÂt count Christopher NolanâÂÂs work) and thereâÂÂs an attempt to pile on. If Batman v Superman were a Marvel Studios film I suspect it would be getting more positive coverage as people dug to find the good things and used them to redeem the things that donâÂÂt work; instead people are endlessly picking at the numerous mistakes. DonâÂÂt get confused, Batman v Superman is an awful movie and Zack Snyder should be stopped at all costs but in the hands of literally any other director I could believe there was a salvageable property here and thereâÂÂs time to right this ship.
Superman as depicted in Batman v Superman isnâÂÂt fun to watch, nor does he feel faithful to the character. IâÂÂll be honest: I stopped reading comics on a weekly basis in the winter of 2012 and I havenâÂÂt been keeping up since then, so maybe Superman has become an extremely violent, petulant baby in that timeâ but I sort of doubt it. The Superman in this film is terrifying to consider. HeâÂÂs quick to anger and never particularly nice to anyone that isnâÂÂt Lois Lane; more like Miracleman than Superman. The only never ending battle on display in this film is the one Warner Bros. fights for Superman to appear cool, but theyâÂÂve succeeded in creating a character that would only seem cool to an edgy teenager or the 90s comics industry. I donâÂÂt know if IâÂÂm supposed to be rooting for Batman or Superman when they come to blows, but IâÂÂm almost certainly not supposed to be thinking Lex Luthor is right about everythingâ and yet thatâÂÂs just where I was for 80% of this movie.
The non-Superman characters were mostly pretty good. Ben Affleck should release a video where he makes it very clear heâÂÂs addressing all the people who doubted he could be a credible Batman, drop the mic, and then walk away. HeâÂÂs a great Batman; IâÂÂm ready to put him in the upper echelon with Bale and Keaton (and Kilmer but letâÂÂs not get sidetracked) after seeing this movie. HeâÂÂs believable physically, and he captures that kind of arrogant paranoia that I think Batman should embody. The scenes with Wonder Woman in costume are a giddy rush, and they represent her so well in the fight scenes without any clunky exposition or holding anybodyâÂÂs hand. We all know who Wonder Woman is, weâÂÂve been alive in the world. The scenes before she puts on the costume are less good; they kind of play her like an off-brand Selina Kyle, but they might have been going for an air of mystery and were betrayed by the PR team. Jesse Eisenberg has the most off-beat take of any established character, and while there isnâÂÂt a strong comic book foundation to what heâÂÂs doing, it does feel like what a billionaire megalomaniacal industrialist would look like in the modern start-up culture and heâÂÂs so unsettlingly creepy that IâÂÂm going to give him a pass.
I generally find Zack SnyderâÂÂs work to be unappealing visually, and Batman v Superman is no exception. Things are too slick, slow motion is used too much, only a handful of scenes take place in daylight. Gotham City and Metropolis look the same because thereâÂÂs no room for points of contrast. I suppose GothamâÂÂs abandoned docks are supposed to feel seedy and give the city a dilapidated edge but Metropolis has a crashed alien ship taking up a huge part of their downtown so thereâÂÂs no contrast there. The contrast between Superman and Batman should be reflected in every part of their environment and instead everything takes place on the same dreary streets and rooftops.
The common refrain after seeing a movie like this is that it âÂÂdestroys their childhoodâ of the viewer, and thatâÂÂs always nonsense. No one from Warner is going to break down my door and set any of my trade paperbacks on fire or draw a bunch of bloodstains in the margins or anything like that. However, superhero movies are trading on nostalgia. If they canâÂÂt get a dyed in the wool DC Comics person like me to feel a connection to this film (and if you go back and read paragraph three of this review I desperately want to feel this connection) then I canâÂÂt imagine who does. TheyâÂÂve made a misanthropic film, an ugly film, and worst of all they made a Zack Snyder film.
Mix March Madness 2016 Webcomics Tournament Round 1! Vote Now!
The people have spoken, and the brackets are ready for the Mix March Madness 2016 Webcomics Tournament!
Thanks to the thousands of people who voted in the seeding process, as well as all of you who added your favorite webcomics to the list. WeâÂÂre adding all of the webcomics you suggested to our directory.
But now, the challenges start! Let’s go!
REVIEW: The Hateful Eight
A new film from Quentin Tarantino is never anything short of an event. For his eighth film, The Hateful Eight, he insisted on it being shot in 65mm using Ultra Panavision then arranged with the Weinstein Company to go back in time and release a roadshow version of the film. That is, the 70mm version would play in select theaters and become a Must See film.
The movie is wonderfully cast and beautifully shot with award-winning music from Ennio Morricone. But this is the first time I can say with genuine feeling that I was bored to tears.
Eight people find themselves waiting out a blizzard in an out of the way location, Minnie’s Haberdashery, and no one is as they appear which we learn over the course of two and a half tedious hours. While in some ways this is a thematic sequel to the far superior Django Unchained, this offering lacks the verve of its dialogue and the outrageousness of its characters.
Part of the problem is that fate and a sloppy script bring these eight together and they all seem to know one another in one way or another. Since they all arrive in various ways, it cannot be said to be by design but once they are in the building, its front door repeatedly nailed shut to fight the wind, they talk.
And they talk and they shout and they reminisce and they taunt one another but really, there’s very little said.
The standard release is 20 minutes shorter and probably a tighter story which may have been prudent. Watching the wide screen version at home, you see the gorgeous exteriors which probably benefitted from lenses but once we’re inside, the feeling of closeness is absent, robbing the film of some of its intended tension.
The thread holding things together, is ostensibly that bounty hunter John Ruth (Kurt Russell) is bringing Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to Red Rock to be hung. By chance, the Haberdashery also hosts The Hangman Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), the Sheriff Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), Sanford Smithers (Bruce Dern), a seemingly addlepated former Confederate General; and Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), a laconic cowboy. Their host is Bob (Demián Bichir) and one is left to wonder where Minnie is. But central to the story is bounty hunter Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), who forces the issue of race to be discussed in the post-Civil War portion of the 19th Century. Warren has a personal letter from President Lincoln, which makes him a minor celebrity and cause for suspicion.
Told in five chapters, with odd narrative interludes, the story does have a major surprise towards the second half and explains a lot but by then I was beyond caring since things just poked along without being quirky, fun, or engaging. This was a supreme let down from a far better storyteller.
Thankfully, the 1080p transfer in 2.75:1 is gorgeous, one of the bets high definition experiences I’ve had in a while. The immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is just lovely.
Ironically, the extras here are uncharacteristically brief, a sign of the film’s box office disappointment. No expense was invested in tricking this out with special features we get a Combo Pack with Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD and just the electronic press kit release Beyond the Eight: A Behind the Scenes Look (4:58) and the slightly more interesting Sam Jackson’s Guide to Glorious 70mm (7:49).
The release arrives tomorrow from Anchor Bay Entertainment.
Mindy Newell: Being Different
Part I: Wow!
“Two years ago writer G. Willow Wilson, artist Adrian Alphona and I created a story about a young woman with dreams of being ‘normal.’” Her name is Kamala Khan and she’s a Muslim American girl from Jersey City. We comic folks call her Ms. Marvel.” Kamala’s story shows how “being ‘normal’ isn’t one race, one gender, one point of view. Being ‘normal’ is being different. And being different is being American.”
Sana Amanat, Director of Content & Character Development, Marvel Entertainment, Co-Creator of Marvel Comics’ Ms. Marvel • From her introduction of President Obama at the White House Reception for Women’s History Month, March 16, 2016
I just finished reading Martha’s latest column – Wow, girlfriend! You knocked it out of the park! – and, pursuant to that, I clicked on the link in Martha’s column, which for some reason didn’t work for me, so I did some searching and found <a href=”
.
Watching and listening to President Obama as he spoke to the women gathered at the Women’s History Month reception about women, and their daughters, and their sons, of how we have been, and always will be, part and parcel and participants in this country’s history, its future, and the world’s future, I was struck, yet again, by how absolutely everything about the current occupant of the Oval Office is so absolutely different from the Repugnantican men who want to take over the Presidency.
Just now, as I wrote “take over the Presidency,” I was also struck by what I can only call my Freudian slip; I could have used “inherit the office” or “win the election” or “succeed him as President,” but what automatically came out of me was those two words – take over. Because every time I see Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, and, yes, even the so-called “moderate” John Kasich, every time I hear or read their latest statements, that’s exactly how I interpret their words – as a take over of this country. I have more than once lately pulled out my copy of William L. Shirer’s The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich to read about its financial backing by German corporations; I have pulled out my copy of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale to reread how the United States of America becomes the Republic of Gilead, a country organized into a fanatical, patriarchal, martial, and rigidly “Christian” society in women are either Madonna or whores.
Of course I am sounding extremely paranoid, but I’m not really. The Repugnantican party and its candidates are so obtuse, so parochial, so busy attacking each other about the size of their penises that they don’t realize they’re on the Titanic. Really, I’m not worried. The Repugnanticans are done as a functioning political party in this country.
So I’m sleeping very soundly.
Except…
Before turning to a different subject, here’s a little something from <a href=”
Sana’s visit to Late Night with Seth Meyer.
Part II: Sucker Punched
On a somewhat lighter note – I haven’t seen The Caped Crusader Beats Up on the Last Son of Krypton (and Vice-Versa), and I really don’t want to; well, except for seeing Gal Godot as my favorite Amazon Princess/Warrior and Jeremy Irons as the butler. But I can wait for the movie to hit the streaming sites and cable and for a rainy day when I’m sitting at home bored out of my mind. Editor Mike Gold and I were talking the other night; he was being the “good cop,” waiting to see it before he formed an opinion, and I played “bad cop,” convicting the movie without benefit of trial.
“Having experienced other Zak Snyder films,” I said, “whatever Zak Snyder touches turns to destructive garbage that has nothing to do with storytelling or character development or emotional satisfaction.” And though I didn’t say this to Mike, I’ll tell you: I think Snyder’s fans are a different kind of audience, one with which I definitely don’t want to be identified. Maybe it’s my crazy writer’s mind making crazy connections again, but I think there’s a direct correlation between the audience that loves Snyder’s movies and video games and the rampaging thugs audience that go to Donald Trump stump speeches, i.e., Zak Snyder :: Sucker Punch as Grizzled Ignorant Cracker :: Protestor.
Now that I think of it, what I said to Mike about The Last Son of Krypton Beats The Crap Out Of The Caped Crusader (Or Vice-Versa) was: “It’s gonna suck.”
I told you so, didn’t I?
Have an Oxycontin. You’ll feel better.
Maybe.
