The Mix : What are people talking about today?

Marc Alan Fishman: People Can’t Change!

If you believe one Charles McGill, Esq., then you might just agree with my column title this week. Charles, or just Chuck to his brother James – err, Jimmy – is quite the cantankerous coot when he wants to be. And when he’s not being cranky, he’s stripping his brother’s soul away, through a cruel and twisted life-view. It’s enough to drive a guy to throw years of attempted redemption down the drain in lieu of cheap wins and morally ambiguous behavior. And it’s a damned beautiful shame.

I’m of course talking about the recently completed first season of Better Call Saul, the progenitor to Breaking Bad. To be totally fair, Saul isn’t what one might truly dub a prequel per se. Instead, it’s a same-universe flashback, fleshing out of an otherwise ancillary character into a fully developed lead, worthy of his own show. Suffice to say, I’ve been on board since the first episode. But unlike Breaking Bad – which I believe attempted to keep its audience at arms length from truly embracing Walter White – here we’re given Saul Goodman in the real flesh, and we’re welcome to call him our hero.

If Breaking Bad is Vince Gilligan’s (and Peter Gould’s) grand opus, then Better Call Saul is most certainly his encore. Liken it say, to Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven (but not definitely not Twelve, and not Thirteen). But, I digress. We have content to dissect!

As we knew him from Bad, Saul Goodman was the epitome of a made-for-the-late-night lawyer. The kind whose waiting room brimmed with the lowest of the lowlifes in the ABQ. His office, a mock Oval Office replete with faux-columns, and the finest pleather, was a testament to what a sleazy con man might surround himself with when he wants to appear above board. It took only seconds of screen time to define him as anything close to it. But, in true fashion to deliver more than meets the eye, Saul wasn’t an idiot. He was sharp, knowledgeable, and safe enough – a con man with a coherent (if often errant) conscience. Now, flashing back six years from when we’d first seen him, we get the details behind the facade. And all of it is built on a house of cards when we learn that Saul Goodman is actually ‘Slippin’ Jimmy McGill of Cicero, Illinois.

One of the biggest themes to be presented throughout the first season was change. Over the course of ten episodes, we found the soul of someone seeking redemption. Pinned for giving a Chicago Sunroof (look it up) to the man that would steal his wife, Slippin’ Jimmy – life-long loose-change con man – is given hard time. His clean-cut brother, high-powered Albuquerque lawyer is there for his brother’s release. And its there Jimmy vows to finally change for the good. His brother’s smile through the frown is enough to show us how much belief he had in the sentiment. As we’d later learn, Slippin’ Jimmy took his pledge in all seriousness. A move away from bad influences, a menial job mastered, and a night-course law degree earned over years begat a bar-passing honest-to-goodness lawyer out of a man who once slipped for money. Real change.

When Jimmy dropped his degree-bomb on his brother, he literally had to squeeze the phrase “I’m proud of you” out of Chuck’s bewildered lips. It was not a con (but it was a degree from University of America Samoa…). But in the eyes of the good brother, it wasn’t true penance for an otherwise wasted life. Jimmy, ever eager to prove his mettle, would start a home practice when the evil partner of Chuck (The Hamlin, of Hamlin, Hamlin, and McGill) let Jimmy go from his mailroom position, and opted to only reassess Jimmy’s desire to work within the firm in six months. It was all a lie. This was merely the first jab in an astounding one-two punch.

The haymaker came shortly after Jimmy managed to wrangle a million-dollar class action lawsuit by literally swimming in sh*t long enough to earn it. And in the face of this victory – now cementing our hero as an imperfect guy willing to roll up his sleeves and earn his stripes – he met with the crushing realization that he’d never earn that spot at the table. Charles McGill, Esq. had been the one to force Hamlin to fire Jimmy before. And he made Hamlin out to be the bad guy once again, in offering to take on Jimmy’s big case… just without him anywhere near it.

There have been few moments on TV that rendered me utterly speechless. When Jimmy confronted his brother over the betrayal, and Chuck snapped back immediately with “No one ever changes!” I couldn’t muster anything but warm breath. Slippin’ Jimmy would always be Slippin’ Jimmy to Chuck. No matter the journey. No matter the facts. And with that statement, Gilligan and Gould shot Bruce Wayne’s parents. They killed Uncle Ben and Gwen Stacy. They activated James McGill’s X-gene. Because now, fueled by the sentiment of the brother he still cares for, James – Jimmy – is no longer in the picture.

Long live Saul Goodman, manager of an Omaha Cinnabon.

 

Jen Ernst: Orphan Black at WonderCon 2015 Interviews Pt. 2

According to Orphan Black’s Evelyne Brochu Season 3 (premiering April 18 at 9:00pm on BBC America), if the show were a spiral, this season would be getting closer to the center, moving at a faster pace, and creating more danger for the characters. “When you are in danger,” Brochu says, “you rise up to the challenge.”  This explains why Brochu and her fellow castmates Kristian Bruun (Donnie) and Dylan Bruce (Paul) showed so much excitement for the new season at WonderCon last weekend.  Bruun went as far to call it “the most action-packed season so far.” There were promises of darker storylines and more raw emotional story telling.   So, basically yea!  I’m also intrigued by what Brochu calls a “heartbreaking season” for her character, Delphine.  Heartbreaking in what way she wouldn’t say, so basically I’m already worrying about Cosima.

Of course, I expect to hear all kinds of buzzwords and hype from actors as they are doing PR for a project, but I believed them this time.  With Paul’s involvement in a more militaristic world, there’s going to obviously be more violence and intensity.  And while I’m okay with that —- a little bloodshed’s cool if it moves the plot along in painfully interesting way – I’m more excited about Bruun’s admission that we’ll be seeing deeper into Team Hendrix.  Yes, I do totally relate to the most suburban of the clones, but my favorite part of Orphan Black is the comic relief — that’s where Donnie & Alison excel. Bruun teased that Issue 3 of the IDW comics will explore the couple’s early relationship in college and then in the show itself we’ll get a glimpse into what they were like as newlyweds.

The interview video has all the deets – and you get to look at Brochu’s amazing hair.

The Law Is A Ass

Bob Ingersoll: The Law Is A Ass #352: BATWOMAN: ADVICE ON CONSENT

Nocturna did not rape Batwoman.

The debate’s been going on for months now – ever since Batwoman v2 #34. Did Nocturna, the vampire super villain in the Bat books, and use her vampire hypnosis powers to rape Batwoman. I say no. But it’s not as simple as that.

Let me explain.

In Batwoman v 2 # 34, Nocturna saw Batwoman fighting and found her alluring. During the fight, Batwoman’s mask was displaced and Nocturna saw Batwoman’s face, which she recognized as that of Gotham City socialite Kate Kane.

That night, Batwoman – well, Kate Kane but I’m going to call her Batwoman – was going to bed when a shadowy figure appeared in her bedroom and this happened:

Screen-Shot-2014-11-30-at-10.57.48-PM

Panel One: Batwoman saw a figure in the shadows and asked, “Maggs, is that you?”

(For the record, Batwoman is a lesbian. Maggs is Maggie Sawyer, Kate’s ex-fiancée, with whom she broke up earlier the same issue.)

Panel Two: The figure caressed Batwoman’s cheek and said, “Who do you want me to be?”

Panel Three: Batwoman – her speech suddenly slurred with strange purple star-like squiggles in her word balloons – said, “Must’a had too much wine… Feelin’ a little light-headed.” Batwoman was clearly under the influence of something. This panel was from Batwoman’s POV and showed clearly Maggie reaching for her.

Panel Four: From the exact same POV the figure, now clearly Nocturna and not Maggie, reached toward Batwoman in exactly the same position as “Maggie” had been in the panel before and said “It isn’t the wine.”

Next Page: Nocturna bit Batwoman on the neck and said “And I’m not Maggie.”

Reaction to the story was strong. Many people said that Nocturna used her powers to make Batwoman believe she was Maggie Sawyer to trick Batwoman into having sex with her. These critics say that by doing this Nocturna raped Batwoman.

It’s not that simple.

Marc Andreyko, the writer of the story, responded in some Tweets that the story wasn’t just the usual “mindless slave trope,” and that no one had forced Batwoman to do anything. He asked the readers to hold off judgment until they had seen the entire story.

It’s not that simple, either.

The story didn’t actually show Batwoman and Nocturna having sex. However no one, including Mr. Andreyko, has ever disputed the interpretation that they had sex. Andreyko merely said that Batwoman wasn’t forced. So I think we can safely conclude both from the context of the story and the absence of any denial, that Nocturna and Batwoman did have sex.

Mr. Andreyko asked us to forbear passing judgment on the story until we saw the end. That end came several issues later. So for several more issues, we followed Batwoman and Nocturna through their sexual relationship. It was one where Nocturna was the dominant figure. Batwoman, in fact, seemed to be little more than manipulated and subservient. We finally got to the end of the story in Batwoman v2 #39.

In said comic, Batwoman’s sister, Beth Kane, freed Batwoman from Nocturna’s hypnotic spell. Batwoman confronted Nocturna. Nocturna didn’t deny hypnotizing Batwoman. After that the following exchange occurred.

499rofBatwoman: “You don’t… love me?” Nocturna: “I don’t even like you. You were just so easy to ensnare.” Batwoman: “You used your powers to make me sleep with you?” Nocturna: “I bet you wish that were true. No, Batwoman that was all you. “I’m no rapist. You wanted me so I figured, ‘I haven’t done this college so why not?’ … Hypnosis can’t make you do anything you don’t really want to do… All I did was find an open door in your head. All the interior decorating in that room? Yours.”

So now I’ve seen the end of the story. I need forbear no longer. Here’s what I think.

I think Nocturna was controlling Batwoman’s mind. According to DC Comics’ own on-line database, the victims of Nocturna’s hypnosis act are controlled by her as if possessed. Nocturna admitted that she used her powers to “ensnare” Batwoman. The question is, by “ensnar[ing]” Batwoman, did Nocturna rape her? To answer that, we must examine exactly what Nocturna did.

Nocturna came to Batwoman’s room and used her abilities to make Batwoman believe she was Batwoman’s ex-fiancée, Maggie Sawyer. If Nocturna did that to make Batwoman have sex with her, the answer seems clear. That online DC database I mentioned earlier actually has a page called “sexual assault” that talks about this kind of act. For example, “Nightwing has been raped on multiple occasions. Mirage posed as his girlfriend Starfire to deceive him into having sex with her.”

If Nocturna used her abilities to make Batwoman think she was Maggie Sawyer to trick Batwoman into having sex with her, well even the DC Comics database calls that rape. The problem is, the story’s a little ambiguous and I don’t think that’s what Nocturna did.

When Nocturna came into Batwoman’s room, Batwoman was clearly under the influence of something. Batwoman blamed some wine. Doubtful. Her speech went from perfectly fine in Panel One to slurred in Panel Three. “Too much wine” doesn’t happen that fast. It’s more likely the influencing agent was Nocturna’s powers. That it was Nocturna’s influence not the wine’s is even more likely as Panel Three shows Batwoman’s POV of Maggie Sawyer reaching down to her. Wine wouldn’t make Batwoman see Maggie. Nocturna’s hypnosis could. However, the story also clearly shows Nocturna had stopped looking like Maggie before she bit Batwoman and before they had sex.

I think what happened is Nocturna made Batwoman think she was Maggie, so she could get close enough to Batwoman to bite her. Then she used her hypnosis to “ensnare” Batwoman and lower Batwoman’s inhibitions so Batwoman would have sex with her.

This is, however, one of those differences that makes no difference. Whether Nocturna got Batwoman to have sex with her by making Batwoman believe she was Maggie or made Batwoman think she was Maggie so that she could get close enough to Batwoman to bite and hypnotize her, Nocturna used her hypnosis powers to make Batwoman more compliant.

Nocturna said she didn’t rape Batwoman, because she couldn’t make Batwoman do something that Batwoman didn’t really want to do. So she didn’t use her powers to “make” Batwoman sleep with her. As Batwoman wasn’t forced to do anything, it wasn’t rape.

The fallacy with this argument is that rape doesn’t have to be by force. Remember that DC Comics database page on sexual assault? It talks about another character, Windfall, who was drugged at a frat party and raped. In that instance, force wasn’t used, but Windfall’s ability to refuse was compromised by the drug. It also talks about how Damien Wayne was the product of Batman being raped by Talia after being drugged.

It’s possible deep down both Windfall and Batman would have wanted to have sex with the person who drugged them. But just because they might have wanted to have sex does not forgive the act of drugging them so that they would be compliant and not resist. The DC Comics database calls these acts rape.

The important question is does the law call such acts rape? More important, as Gotham City’s in New Jersey, what does the law in New Jersey say about Nocturna did?

Section 2C:14-2 of the New Jersey statutes says it’s a felony of the first degree if a person has sexual penetration – trust me, the definition of sexual penetration in NJS 2C:14-1 includes the types of sexual acts that occur between lesbians – when “The victim is one whom the actor knew… was … mentally incapacitated, or had a mental … defect which rendered the victim temporarily or permanently incapable of understanding the nature of his conduct, including, but not limited to, being incapable of providing consent.” The statute clearly applies to Windfall or Batman being drugged so that they could not give consent. Does it also apply to what Nocturna did?

Nocturna hypnotized Batwoman to make Batwoman willing to have sex with her. Yes, deep down Batwoman might have been attracted to Nocturna and wanted to have sex with her, but that doesn’t mean that her having sex with Nocturna was consensual.

Let’s look at a hypothetical. A married woman is attracted to one of her neighbors and wants to have sex with him. But, she doesn’t. It would betray her husband. It would violate her wedding vows. Then the neighbor roofies her and lowers her inhibitions, so that she gives in to the desires she had successfully suppressed and has sex with him. That act would fall squarely under the New Jersey statute, because the neighbor knew the woman was temporarily incapacitated by drugs and incapable of giving meaningful consent.

Batwoman’s situation is no different. Even if she was attracted to Nocturna and deep down might have wanted to have sex with Nocturna, the reason she did have sex was because Nocturna’s hypnosis nudged her into agreeing. Batwoman was under the influence of a roofie-like hypnosis which affected her ability to give Nocturna any meaningful consent.

Nocturna did violate that New Jersey statute.

But she didn’t rape Batwoman.

However, the only reason Nocturna didn’t rape Batwoman was because New Jersey calls that crime aggravated sexual assault, not rape. So Nocturna didn’t rape Batwoman, she aggravated sexual assaulted Batwoman.

But, other than that – a difference in nomenclature – she totally raped Batwoman.

Martha Thomases: We CAN Be Heroes

I’m pretty much out of the closet when it comes to my love of superhero comics. The appeal of the “super” part is pretty obvious (flying! telepathy! shrinking!) but I also enjoy the parts about heroes.

Recently I read two graphic novels that dealt primarily with that last, non-powered part, and it made me ponder the distinction between “someone I admire” and “someone who is a hero.” This is not going to be a tirade about how we idolize sports stars but what about the teacher at the school, buying food and pencils for her students who can’t afford them. That can be an interesting conversation to have, but it’s not what I mean.

NBM recently published an American edition of Girl in Dior, by Annie Goetzinger. Through the eyes of fictional character Clara, a journalist who becomes a Dior model, we see the life of Christian Dior, starting with his historic “New Look” collection in 1947. Clara introduces us to the man who designs the dresses, his middle class background and his commitment to beauty. We also meet the small army of (mostly) women who help him create the gorgeous gowns and run his business.

After the deprivations and rationing of World War II, the New Look was, in its way, revolutionary. The full skirts used yards and yards of fabric, and the small waistlines required (for most women) extensive undergarment technology, using a lot of materials (like rubber and metal) that had most recently been used for weapons.

What wasn’t exciting and new and different was the customer for these clothes. Haute couture has always been expensive, requiring hours and hours of human labor for each opulent outfit. The styles we see in this book – day dresses, cocktail dresses, evening gowns – are appropriate to the needs of a woman whose life is all about being seen, how she looks, not what she does.

This isn’t to say that Dior is not a genius, nor that his work is without meaning. Like a painter or a sculptor, he works with color and shape to express a vision of life and what it means. And, like so many artists of all kinds on our modern world, his success depends on how well he can sell his vision to the ruling class.

I very much admire his talent, and the work he created. I would love to be, just for one day, the kind of woman who wears those clothes and looks good in them. That would be a true fantasy adventure. But he’s not a hero, nor do I think Goetzinger presents him as such.

To see a real hero, check out the second volume of March, the autobiography of Representative John Lewis (with co-writer Andrew Aydin and artist Nate Powell). Like the first, this goes back and forth from modern day (the inauguration of Barack Obama) to the struggles for civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s. “Struggles” is too mild a word. In their attempt to be treated like humans, the African-Americans marching for their rights (along with their white allies) are attacked with hoses, fire, bombs, guns and cars.

Even more than the last volume, I was struck by Lewis’ great generosity of spirit. He takes great pains to include all sorts of people who fought the good fight, even if he, personally, did not always agree with them. He says respectful and admiring things about Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X, for example, two men who did not follow the non-violent principles so important to Lewis. No, he doesn’t ignore their disagreements, but he disagrees with their tactics and not their goals.

That’s a lesson too many of us need to learn.

This is a thrilling story. For every bit of progress made by the movement, there are more than a few pushes back, often with violence. The faces of the white crowds, so threatened at the thought that a black person might use the same door as a white person, are contorted with rage and hatred, truly frightening.

John Lewis was a college graduate who could have taken a job that paid better and didn’t require him to put his life on the line. Instead, he devoted himself and his abilities to making the world a better place, not just for himself but for all of us.

That is a super power.

 

Tweeks: Adventures at WonderCon Anaheim 2015

Last weekend, we totally geeked out at WonderCon Anaheim. So, in this week’s video we bring you the sights & sounds of our adventure.  Stay tuned because there will be more to come in the next coming weeks.  We kept busy over the three-days finding new comics, interviewing creators, shopping (lots of that), and people-watching.  Soak in the experience and then stay tuned for more WCA action.

First 6 Star Wars Films Come to Digital HD with Extras

starwarslogo-1385605BURBANK, Calif. – April 6, 2015 – As anticipation builds for the December release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the first new film in the Star Wars Saga in a decade, The Walt Disney Studios, Lucasfilm Ltd., and 20th Century Fox today announced the upcoming release of The Star Wars Digital Movie Collection. For the first time ever, all six epic films in the Saga, from The Phantom Menace to Return of the Jedi, will be available on Digital HD throughout the galaxy – or at least here on Earth – globally beginning Friday, April 10.

“Since the debut of the first film nearly 40 years ago, Star Wars has become a worldwide phenomenon with legions of fans from every generation,” said Alan Bergman, President, The Walt Disney Studios. “It’s only fitting that audiences enjoy this legendary Saga and its many fascinating behind-the-scenes stories on a wide variety of platforms, and we’re very excited to finally bring all six films to Digital HD for the first time.”

“We’re thrilled that fans will be able to enjoy the Star Wars Saga on their digital devices wherever they go,” commented Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. “These films broke new ground in technology, design, sound, and visual effects, and we’ve created some very special bonus material which delves into the Saga’s rich history, including new and never-before-released conversations between legendary Star Wars artists – the masters who helped George bring his iconic universe to life.”

With Star Wars: Episodes I-VI available for purchase as a complete digital movie collection and individually, viewers will have the Rebel forces at their beck and call across their favorite devices anywhere – sunbathing at the beach, relaxing in their living room with friends, or waiting to board a flight to Endor (or elsewhere).

Enhancing the movie collection are a host of never-before-seen special features including Star Wars: Discoveries from Inside and insightful Conversations between key contributors from across this celebrated film franchise, plus a curated collection of classic Star Wars extras from each film. These are the droids you’re looking for:

BONUS

*Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer

STAR WARS EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace

Conversations: Doug Chiang Looks Back

Discoveries From Inside: Models & Miniatures

Legacy content includes “The Beginning”; The Podrace: Theatrical Edit; plus eight deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE II:  Attack of the Clones

Conversations: Sounds In Space

Discoveries From Inside: Costumes Revealed

Legacy content includes “From Puppets To Pixels: Digital Characters In Episode II”; State Of The Art: The Previsualization Of Episode II; and “Films Are Not Released, They Escape”; plus Episode II Visual Effects Breakdown Montage and six deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE III: Revenge of the Sith

Conversations: The Star Wars That Almost Was

Discoveries From Inside: Hologram & Bloopers

Legacy content includes documentaries “Within A Minute: The Making Of Episode III”; The Journey Part 1; and The Journey Part 2; plus six deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A New Hope (20th Century Fox)

Conversations: Creating A Universe

Discoveries From Inside: Weapons & The First Lightsaber

Legacy content includes “Anatomy Of A Dewback”; Star Wars Launch Trailer; plus eight deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE V: The Empire Strikes Back

Conversations: The Lost Interviews

Discoveries From Inside: Matte Paintings Unveiled

Legacy content includes “A Conversation With The Masters” (2010); “Dennis Muren: How Walkers Walk”; “George Lucas On Editing The Empire Strikes Back 1979”; and “George Lucas On The Force: 2010”; plus six deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE VI: Return of the Jedi

Conversations: The Effects

Discoveries From Inside: The Sounds Of Ben Burtt

Legacy content includes “Classic Creatures: Return Of The Jedi”; “Revenge Of The Jedi Teaser Trailer”; Return Of The Jedi Launch Trailer; “It Began TV Spot”; “Climactic Chapter TV Spot”; plus five deleted scenes.

Jen Ernst: Orphan Black at WonderCon Interview Pt.1

Orphan Black, BBC America’s addictive science and morals showdown series is back on April 18 at 9:00 ET.   Season Three throws Tatiana Maslany, in her gazillion (give or take) clone roles, into unexpected territory as they deal with the revelation of  a new line of militaristic male clones played by Ari Millen.  It also hopefully brings more sass and wit from more sassy Felix (the British-accented artist/rent boy foster brother we all wish we had.) And fingers crossed it will answer the questions plaguing me since last season ended. Now that Project Leda know they are not alone, what’s next?

There are a bunch of questions that need to be answered! Who survived? Where did they take Helena? Is she preggers?  Will Rachel will be rocking an eye patch? I can’t wait to see those play out.  But, what’s been plaguing me in the hiatus has been Mrs. S.  What’s her deal?  Who’s side is she on?  How pissed is Sarah going to be?  There’s something about Maria Doyle Kennedy’s portrayal of Mrs. S with her brand of harsh compassion that is so compelling.  Maybe I just have huge girl crush on MDK ever since The Commitments, IDK.

So, of course I was totally beside myself at Wondercon last Saturday when members of Orphan Black’s cast were on hand before their panel to give some insight on what’s to come.  And yes…Maria Kennedy Doyle was there.  And no, I didn’t fangirl out.

In this first video, Jordan Gavaris (Felix) and the lovely Maria Kennedy Doyle talk about their characters’ relationship, if we should trust them, and skillfully answer questions without getting spoiler-y.   Oh and yes, there is a Mr. S!

Metal Hurlant Chronicles hits Blu-ray Tuesday

metal-hurlant-chronicles-e1428439959383-4851677This spring, let your imagination run free. Sci-fi fantasy and comic book fans will have the chance to embark on a unique journey beyond space, time and known worlds that await us when the highly celebrated live-action, sci-fi anthology METAL HURLANT CHRONICLES: THE COMPLETE SERIES debuts for the first time on Blu-ray™ and DVD on April 14, 2015 from Shout! Factory.  This highly anticipated home entertainment collection will be available at Walmart stores nationwide and at Amazon.com

Visionary writer-director Guillaume Lubrano brings his faithful, well-crafted adaption of the world renowned comics anthology Métal Hurlant (also known internationally as Heavy Metal Magazine) to live-action with a star-studded cast including Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner), Scott Adkins (Expendables 2) Michael Biehn (Aliens), Kelly Brook (Piranha 3D), David Belle (Prince of Persia), John Rhys-Davies (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Joe Flanigan (Stargate: Atlantis), James Marsters (Buffy The Vampire Slayer), Dominique Pinon (Alien: Resurrection), Michelle Ryan (Doctor Who) and Michael Jai White (Spawn).

The last fragment of a living planet, reduced to dust by the destructive madness of its habitants, is condemned to roam the universe for eternity, bringing suffering and deception to those who cross her path. That damned messenger is called: The Metal Hurlant.  From 1960s cold war drama to distant future, fantasy to medieval, the live action sci-fi series METAL HURLANT CHRONICLES spans a wide range of self-contained stories linked together by an asteroid, called the METAL HURLANT, which passes close to the planet where each story is taking place, thereby changing the outcome.

METAL HURLANT CHRONICLES: THE COMPLETE SERIES Three-Disc Blu-ray Set Bonus Features:

  • Featurettes
  • Cast Interviews
  • San Diego Comic-Con Panel
  • Alternate French-Language Episodes
  • Motion Comics

METAL HURLANT CHRONICLES: THE COMPLETE SERIES 2-DVD Set Bonus Features:

  • Featurettes
  • Cast Interviews

Mike Gold: Alfred, Master of the Butlerverse!

alfred-the-butler-1943-7418440When it comes to the world of heroic fantasy, there have been a hell of a lot of really great butlers. We’ve got such luminaries as Ram Singh (The Spider), Bernardo (Zorro), Cadbury (Richie Rich), Ianto Jones (Torchwood), Lurch (The Addams Family), Max von Mayerling (Sunset Boulevard), two different Smitherses (Veronica Lodge and the Simpsons), Fritz Brenner (Nero Wolfe), Birmingham Brown (Charlie Chan) and of course Edwin Jarvis (The Avengers or Agent Carter – take your pick). There were the Green Hornet’s Kato, but that dude was more of a partner/sidekick than a butler, and Jack Benny’s pal Rochester was only technically a butler. He was actually Benny’s arch-enemy.

But head and shoulders above all other butlers, the king of the mountain of butlers is Bruce Wayne’s own Alfred Pennyworth. You can tell from the actors who played him on film and television – Michael Caine, Jeremy Irons, Michael Gough, Sean Pertwee, David McCallum, Alan Napier, to name but a few.

However, the actor who most looked like the Alfred Pennyworth of comic book and newspaper strip fame was a gentleman named William Austin, and he didn’t even receive screen credit.

Austin played Bruce Wayne’s gentleman’s gentleman in the 1943 serial, aptly named Batman. If you’re curious, you can check him out on TCM Saturday mornings at 10 AM Eastern. In fact, Alfred plays a major role in this coming Saturday’s episode, “Poison Peril.”

If you’ve never seen a movie serial, well, for most these days that’s an acquired taste. Imagine a movie with the budget of Doctor Who. The original 1963 version of Doctor Who. Now imagine spreading that budget out over 260 minutes carved into 15 spine-tinglingish parts. Worse still, Batman was made by Columbia Pictures, which at the time was Hollywood’s bargain basement so we’d better cut that budget in half. If you enjoy wonderful cheapness – and I do – then movie serials should be right up your alley.

This 1943 production starred Lewis Wilson as the title character, and when not in costume he truly looked like the Bruce Wayne of the comics. In costume, he truly looked like an idiot. But he came off a lot better than Douglas Croft’s Robin, who, according to IMDB, was 17 at the time. In costume, he looked like a 40 playing the lead in Eraserhead.

The remarkable J. Carrol Naish played the ominous villain Dr. Daka, the yellow peril of the week as mitigated by World War II. Naish was a world-class character actor with a list of performances as long as your arm. Longer.

The 1943 Batman serial was pretty damn close to its comic book origins, perhaps closer than any other filmed incarnation. But for today’s comic book fan, it is William Austin’s performance as Alfred that is most arresting. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear that Jerry Robinson drew him.

The interesting part to this is that it is quite possible that Alfred was redrawn to look like Austin. Introduced in comics shortly before the serial as a short, kind of goofy unmustachioed fat guy, Wikipedia   reports “when the 1943 Batman serial was released, William Austin, the actor who played Alfred, was trim and sported a thin moustache. DC editors wanted the comic Alfred to resemble his cinematic counterpart, so in Detective Comics #83 (January 1944), Alfred vacationed at a health resort, where he slimmed down and grew a mustache.” Wiki isn’t always accurate – they’re doing better – but I’d like to see more in the way of evidence.

There are two reasons why you might want to check this out. The first is that it is fun – slightly goofy fun, but far less goofy than the mid-60s teevee series.

The second is that this Saturday’s episode only runs 17 minutes. It’s worth that much of your life if the only thing you like is the logo.

 

Lost in Space Celebrates 50th With Blu-ray Release

lost-in-space-season-one-e1428439668282-8072999With all the attention on Star Trek‘s 50th anniversary in 2016, we overlooked its predecessor is hitting its Golden Anniversary this fall. 20th Century Home Entertainment reminded us today with the following exciting announcement.

LOS ANGELES, CA (April 7, 2015) – Danger, Will Robinson! Danger! Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment pays tribute to one of the most iconic television series of all-time as “Lost in Space” – The Complete Series arrives on Blu-ray for the first time ever on September 15. Running from 1965-1968, this collection allows fans to bring home Irwin Allen’s intergalactic family saga that earned an enormous following of devoted fans over the years. Set in the space age future of 1997, follow the heart-racing, cliff-hanging adventures of John Robinson™ and his family aboard the Jupiter 2™, along with Robot B-9™ and the delightfully devious Dr. Zachary Smith™.

Produced with Space Productions, Inc. and Synthesis Entertainment, this massive 18-disc set contains all 83 episodes remastered in high definition, and over seven hours of exciting extras with recently discovered content you won’t find anywhere else in the galaxy. It’s out-of-this-world fun for everyone! Highlights include new commentaries on classic episodes with the original cast, 50th anniversary interviews with the original series cast and hours of archive footage offering incredible and unprecedented access into Irwin Allen’s personal archives. In addition, the Blu-ray includes an exclusive cast performance of Bill Mumy’s unproduced 1980 epilogue script, featuring Mumy, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen, Mark Goddard and more!

Blu-ray Special Features

All-New Extras – Produced with Will Robinson Himself, Bill Mumy!
● New On-Camera Original Cast Interviews Featuring Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen, Guy Williams Jr. & Toni Williams
● Original Cast Audio Commentaries
○ “No Place to Hide” (Un-Aired Pilot/Long Version) w/ Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and Mike Clark
○ “My Friend, Mr. Nobody” w/ Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and Mike Clark
○ “Attack of the Monster Plants” w/ Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and Mike Clark
○ “Return From Outer Space” w/ Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen, Kevin Burns and Mike Clark
○ “The Phantom Family” w/ Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and Mike Clark
○ “The Anti-Matter Man” w/ Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and Mike Clark
○ “The Promised Planet” w/ Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and Mike Clark
○ “The Great Vegetable Rebellion” w/ Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and Mike Clark
● “Lost in Space: The Epilogue” – Special Cast Reunion Performance of Bill Mumy’s 1980 Un-Produced Script w/ Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard, Marta Kristen, Angela Cartwright, Veronica Cartwright, Guy Williams Jr., Toni Williams, Kevin Burns and Robot B9)
Archive Material
● “No Place to Hide” – Original Un-Aired Pilot (Version #1/Long Version)
● “No Place to Hide” – Original Un-Aired Pilot (Version #2/Short Version)
● Guy Williams Screen Test for “Lost in Space” (1964)
● Bob May’s Home Movies (1965)
● “Lost in Space” 1965 CBS Advertisers and Affiliates Presentation
● “Seven Wonderful Nights” Lost In Space Excerpt (1965/66 CBS Promo w/ Dick Van Dyke)
● CBS Network Season One Television Spots (1965)
● CBS Network Season Two Television Spots (1966)
● CBS Network Preemption Bumpers w/ Jonathan Harris and the Robot (Season Two)
● “Lost in Space” Season Two / Main Title (with alternate/unused theme music by Warren Barker)
● “Lost in Space” Special FX Outtakes (1965-68) (w/ “Lost in Space” Rare Music Outtakes)
● Original Dick Strout Fox Promotional Interview with June Lockhart and Guy Williams (1966)
● Original Dick Strout Fox Promotional Interview with Jonathan Harris (1966)
● “Lost in Space” Animated Special (1973)
● Syndication TV Spots (1970s)
● Syndication TV Spots (1983)
● “Studs in Space” Promo #1 (Radio Promo for STUDS) (“Classic TV”)(1992)
● “Studs in Space” Promo #2 (Radio Promo for STUDS) (“I’m Thinking”)(1992)
● Never-before-released 20th Anniversary Interview with Irwin Allen (1985)
● “The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen” (1996)
● “Lost in Space Memories” (Program Interstitials for “The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen”) (1996)
● “Lost in Space Forever” (Segment with Dr. Smith, Robot and Will Robinson Only) (1998)
● “Never Fear, Smith is Here” (Jonathan Harris A&E Biography) (2002)
● “Lost in Space” Animated Series Pitch (2005) (by Scott O’Brien)
● “The Ballad of William Robinson” (Music Video by Bill Mumy)
● Jonathan Harris and Al Lewis on MANCOW (Chicago Radio Show)
Original CBS Network Versions of Original Episodes:
● “The Reluctant Stowaway”
● “The Derelict”
● “The Magic Mirror”
● “Follow the Leader”
● “Blast off into Space”
● “Target Earth”
Photo Galleries
● Publicity Stills
● Episode Stills
● Behind-the-Scenes Stills
● Vintage Merchandise
● Props
● Artwork
“Lost in Space” – The Complete Series Blu-ray
Street Date: September 15, 2015
Prebook Date: August 19, 2015
Screen Format: Full Screen (1.33:1)
Audio: English 1.0 Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
U.S. Rating: NR
Closed Captioned: Yes

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