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We don’t know a single thing about this new Doctor Who monster, set to appear in Series 9. Isn’t that EXCITING?
The Mix : What are people talking about today?
The Point Radio: Playing The IDIOTEST And ????
The highly rated series, IDIOTEST, is back for a second season on the Game Show Network. Host Ben Gleib let’s us prove just how bright we are by playing an (unedited) round here plus meet the man that put the first Nike shoe on a big name NBA plater and started a 13 billion dollar a year phenomenon. Meet Sonny Vaccaro, subject of a new ESPN documentary.
NBC is setting up another prime time cross over event and we talk to the shows that will tie it all together. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @ThePointRadio.
REVIEW: Batman vs. Robin
The notion of a hero having to deal with the son he never anticipated is certainly an interesting one especially with the added twist that the boy is already 10 and has been trained to be the ultimate assassin and future leader of a global terrorist organization. When Grant Morrison retconned Mike W/ Barr’s Son of the Demon graphic into the core DC Universe continuity, it had the virtue of freshness with a touch of audacity. He got far more interesting mileage out of the addition of Damian Wayne to the story than I anticipated. The core elements of that arc have been nicely replicated in the latest direct-to-video release Batman vs. Robin out now from Warner Home Entertainment.
This 80-minute feature is a much stronger outing than the last few, with credit going to the decision to change writers from Heath Corson, whose efforts have been weak, to the far superior J.M. DeMatteis. I’ll stipulate that Marc and I are old pals but the adaptation is deserving of the praise regardless of who wrote it. Director Tony Oliva, who has also been involved in the previous misfires, is back and frankly, rises to the occasion by making the character bits as visually interesting as the action sequences. That said, they remain overblown including the climactic fight which is wrongheaded on many levels.
Picking up where Son of Batman left off, Damian has come to live with Bruce (Jason O’Mara) in Wayne Manor and Batman is trying to instill a sense of morality in his latest Robin, lessons never quite taught by Damian’s grandfather, Ra’s al Ghul. Damian, for his part, is impatient at every turn and is increasingly annoyed that Bruce and Batman are holding him back. Complicating matters, Batman is now enmeshed in the latest schemes from the Court of Owls, the secret long-time hidden society of Gotham powerbrokers who unleash their fist of justice, (Jeremy Sisto), when they don’t get their way. To take down Batman, they decide to seduce Damian into siding with Talon.
DeMatteis’ script takes the broadest of strokes from Morrison’s stories and melds them nicely with Scott Snyder’s more interesting issues of Batman. As a result, the story’s best moments can be directly traced to his work such as the constant contrasts between Batman/Robin, Bruce/Damian, Damian/Dick, Batman/Talon, and so on.
Although the story frequently wants that Damian is only 10, he continues to display skills, knowledge, and attitude way beyond that of any 10 year old I know. On the other hand, emotionally, he is fragile, jealous of Dick Grayson, annoyed at Ra’s and Talia for abandoning him, and pissed at Bruce for not treating him as a peer despite clearly not being ready.
The film is not perfect. The film opens with Damian having stolen the Batmobile to take down Winslow Schott, called the Dollmaker here, and not the Toyman – which makes no sense. Gotham has enough oddball villains, one drag one in from the Superman books and then make him look like Jason from Friday the 13th? Then we get to the major battle in the Batcave, which is far too easily breached. Nightwing is literally pinned from shoulder to legs by the Talons but shakes off the multiple wounds without leaving behind a drop of blood or appearing weakened. Similarly, Batman takes a beating in a museum and then in the Batcave, including what might appear to be a mortal gut wound, but moves around without wincing, bleeding, or weakening. There seem to be an endless supply of resurrected Talons which beggars credulity. Oliva’s propensity for drawing out the action sequences needs to be reined in already.
The story avoids the death and resurrection of Damian (for now) with a far more satisfying conclusion where Damian wants to take control of his destiny, no longer a pawn between parents and their conflicting agendas.
The character designs are still annoying with overly angular faces and impossible muscled necks. Bruce isn’t handsome and dashing and the various Owls, when out of the mask, are uninspired. What’s interesting about Andrea Romano’s vocal casting is that by using Sisto as the surrogate father Talon, she cast an actor who has previously been the Dark Knight in New Frontier. Intentional or not it brings a new layer of complexity to the relationships.
Overall, the Blu-ray experience is fine for most viewers. The colors are strong and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track quality is just swell.
Warner has released this in a variety of formats with the combo pack containing the Blu-ray, DVD, and Ultraviolet digital copy. There’s even a gift pack complete with Batman figure. The Blu-ray edition has the usual assortment of special features starting with commentary from Creative Director of Animation Mike Carlin, director Oliva, and producer James Tucker. The three have worked on enough features together they have some interesting comments here, comfortably riffing off one another, and providing context for this outing.
Gotham City’s Secret: The Mythic Court of Owls (31 minutes) is a somewhat belabored look at Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s layering of the Court of Owls over the history of the New 52 Gotham City. Additionally commentary comes from DC Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras (who I guess read the stories), Oliva, Tucker, and author Phil Cousineau, who has the least relevant things to say and could have been entirely excised.
The same gang of creators return for The Talons of the Owls 14 minutes) which specifically looks at the Court’s one man army. One interesting take away from these two features is that Capullo’s art, seen on the large screen, is remarkably detailed.
Coming later this year is something complete different and we get a Sneak Peek: Justice League: Gods & Monsters (11 minutes). Considering this is Bruce Timm’s return to the DC heroes after a break, it’s impressive to see how fresh his thinking is for what is essentially an Elseworlds take on the Big Three and I admit to being suitably enticed.
The disc also contain four onus episodes from the DC Comics Vault: “The Color of Revenge!” from Batman: The Brave and the Bold, “Old Wounds” from Batman: The Animated Series, “Obsession” from Superman: The Animated Series, and “Auld Acquaintance” from Young Justice. And then we close out with Merrie Melodies: Super-Rabbit (8 minutes).
Ed Catto: You’re Number One
I always thought that more you know about something, the better you are at evaluating it. For example, movie critics who understand films, filmmaking and film-history evaluate movies more effectively than the rest of us. But this isn’t always true. Whenever experts evaluate something, they are blind to that thrill of experiencing it without baggage. So often they can’t, by their very nature, genuinely relate to the experience of someone who’s less knowledgeable about it all. In the advertising and marketing business, professionals often try to put their own experiences aside and listen to what “real” people say. And that’s exactly what I tried to do for this mad little experiment.
As you may know, I’m a comic geek with entirely too much knowledge about comics and the industry. My new neighbor is just the opposite. He’s a Millennial with a wonderful wife and two young kids. In fact, every time I see him and his family it’s kind of like looking into a window of my own past. But this guy doesn’t have that life-long fanaticism of comics. He read a few comics as a kid, and now, sparked by the Arrow TV show and the Marvel movies, has wandered back into reading comics. He’s usually a digital reader. He finds that works best for his commute into the city and for late nights with his baby daughter, when the lights are off to encourage her trips into slumberland.
Lately I’ve been passing along some of the very best comics to him. Sometimes it’s new stuff that I think is outstanding (FadeOut, WinterWorld) and other times its older comics that he’s asked about (“Who is this guy, named Deadshot / Hawkeye / Mark Waid?”). And as part of the population who is used to binge watching TV shows and bundling episodes on the DVR, he usually prefers that I collect several issues in a row so he can read them all at once, trade-paperback style.
But this time I thought I’d try something a little different. Lately I’ve been so impressed by all the great new comics debuting. I’ve also been curious as to how someone with fresh eyes would evaluate and engage with these new comics. Even before I read the new Image comic Red One, I’m the type who runs through an elaborate mental checklist of all the stories I’ve read from the talented artists of this series – what I liked, what I didn’t like and what I expect in this new series. I wondered what the reaction would be of someone encountering the creators, characters and situations for the first time? So here’s what I did: I gave my neighbor, let’s call him Fan X for this experiment, a stack of recent debut issues. My only instruction was “tell me what you like and why.” His reactions were insightful, interesting and in many cases surprising. Here’s what he said:
Red One #1 by Xavier Dorison, Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson, Image
This was a big winner for Fan X. He explained how he loves spy thrillers, and that’s typically the genre of prose fiction he enjoys the most. He liked the bright red cover with the attractive girl, but the series wasn’t anything like he expected. He did say he wished that it wasn’t’ a period piece at first, but then found himself enjoying the backward glance at that 70’s elements like the Walkman.
Would he buy issue #2? Yes, he can’t wait.
Ah-hah Moment: He also explained how he’s really enjoying another female-protagonist spy series, Velvet, by Brubaker and Epting. In fact, that’s the series that has spurred to him on to reading the floppy issues – he just can’t wait until it’s collected as a trade paperback anymore.
Ei8ht by Raphael Albuquerque and Mike Johnson, Dark Horse
Fan X was drawn to the art and the simplified color scheme, but wasn’t a big fan of the time travel elements or the two interlocking storylines. He explained he’s not a fan of those types of stories and gets impatient waiting for parallel plotlines to converge.
Would he buy issue #2? Probably not.
Ah-hah Moment: Despite the guide in the inside front cover, he didn’t get that the color-coding denoted different times and places 
in the storyline.
Divinity #1 by Matt Kindt and Trevor Hairsine, Valiant
Like his complaints about Ei8ht, Fan X was not thrilled with the time travel aspects and two parallel storylines. He explained that he was muddling through this, mildly entertained, until page X, when it’s revealed that the straight-laced protagonist has a secret girlfriend. That’s when the story grabbed him in.
Would he buy issue #2? He most likely wouldn’t follow this one.
Ah-hah Moment: He loved the heavy cardstock cover!
Dream Thief: Escape #1 by Jai Nitz and Greg Smallwood, Dark Horse
It took FanX a moment to remember Dream Thief, but when he did he said, “This one I liked.” He liked the rough lead characters and enjoyed Smallwood’s art, although his interviewer (ahem) may have prompted that observation.
Would he buy issue #2? Yes!
Ah-hah Moment: The fact that it was a four-issue mini-series, i.e. short with an end in sight, was something he liked.
Spider-Woman #5 by Dennis Hopeless and Javier Rodriguez, Marvel
(While this isn’t technically a #1, it’s a first issue as the previous issue were part of a crossover).
Fan X likes female spies and thus was pre-disposed to like Spider-Woman. He enjoyed the fact that she used energy blasts, but most enjoyed the non-superhero moments.
Would he buy issue #2? He would.
Ah-hah Moment: Surprisingly, he didn’t enjoy the simplified art of Rodriguez. He much prefers his superheroes comics to look more “superhero-y”.
The Valiant #1 by Jeff Lemier, Matt Kindt and Paolo Rivera, Valiant
Here the switching up of timelines didn’t bother him at all. He liked Paolo’s art. He enjoyed Bloodshot, as a Punisher-type hero, and found the new character, Kay McHenry to be intriguing and relatable. He especially was drawn into the two-page spread where Kay speaks directly to the camera. (I did too!)
Would he buy issue #2? Probably, and he knows nothing of the Valiant Universe.
Ah-hah Moment: Again, he loved the heavy cover stock of the cover. And this is coming from a ‘digital guy’.
Bitch Planet #1 by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Valentine De Landro, Image
He didn’t think he’d like this one. The cover wasn’t appealing to him. In particular, Fan X was put off by the logo and the pink color scheme. But when he read it, he found that he was hooked. He thought the character layers were fascinating and thought provoking.
Would he buy issue #2? Definitely, he would.
Ah-hah Moment: He said he also likes the TV Women-in-prison drama, Orange is the New Black.
Invisible Republic by Gabriel Hardman, Corinna Bechko and Jordan Boyd, Image
Fan X procrastinated about reading this as he assumed he wouldn’t like it. But in fact- he loved it. He enjoyed the sketchy, loose artwork of Gabriel Hardman, and in this case, he wasn’t bothered by the parallel plotlines. In fact, he was fascinated by the characters and the hints of what they would become.
Would he buy issue #2? He’s looking forward to it.
Ah-hah Moment: I found it fascinating how he expected to like this one the least, and it ended up being his #1 or #2 favorite.
So.. there you have it. His reactions were certainly different from mine. But they really got me thinking. I was especially surprised how Valliant’s cardstock covers appealed to him, especially as he’s ‘mostly’ a digital comics reader. I’m not sure what lessons we learn from this sampling of one reader other than one I’m always learning – people like the stuff they like for the reasons they like. Simple, but true. But now the question is – what do you think?
Mindy Newell: Of Corsets And Kilts
Jamie Frasier (Sam Heughan): This will go faster if ye just yield, woman!
Claire Randall Frasier (Caitriona Balfe): I’m going to make you suffer!
Jamie: Ye already have!
Jamie: I am your master and you’re mine. It seems I canna possess your soul without losing my own.
Jamie: Sassenach…
Claire: Yes, master?
Jamie: What does fucking mean?
Outlander • Ronald D. Moore, Producer. Based on the novel by Diana Gabaldon
Question 1: Has there ever been a show on television, network or cable – not counting the porn channels – in which the camera stays focused on the action as the man sucks on his lover’s nipple?
Question 2: Have you been watching the second half of the first season of Outlander on the Starz network?
And you thought the sex scenes in the first half were hot? Whoa!
Well, just in case you’re thinking that this old bag is only watching this genre-mixing series (part historical, part adventure, and part romance, and based on Diana Gabaldon’s best-selling novel) only to get her rocks off, I want you to know that, im-not-so-ho, the intimate scenes between the “time-crossed” lovers Claire Randall and Jamie Frasier aren’t in the least bit gratuitous.
Claire and Jamie, two strangers divided by 200 years of societal, political and technological upheavals, were married last season not for love, but for political circumstance and to protect Claire from the British captain who believes she is a spy; there has been some very ugly words between them, as well as some 21st century “politically incorrect” physical abuse that lit up Outlander message boards across the web. And so their relationship seesaws between love and hate, need and independence, conflict and harmony, competition and accord.
None of this should be surprising; Outlander is produced – with some episodes directed and written – by Ronald D. Moore, who has never shied away from the realities of relationships and the forces that work upon them, making those relationships a basic element of all his work, most famously in his reboot of Battlestar: Galactica.
Aside: Mr. Moore has stated that he left Star Trek: The Next Generation because he became frustrated with Gene Roddenberry’s dictum that everyone on the U.S. S. Enterprise NCC 1701-C got along like stoned-out-of-their-minds hippies at Woodstock or a conclave of Scientologists slobbering at the foot of Tom Cruise. A few minor skirmishes were allowed, hints of romance every so often, but no any real character growth and development between crewmembers. “Conflict is the heart of drama,” Moore has said. “No conflict, no drama.”
But Outlander is also richly detailed in its historical facts – the Jacobite movement to restore “Bonnie Prince Charlie” Stuart to the throne of England – and 18th century Scottish creeds, customs and mores, including its costume design. Speaking of which, today’s New York Times includes a piece on Mr. Moore and his wife, Terry Dresbach, who is Outlander’s costume designer. According to the New York Times, “The couple share a similar philosophy when it comes to period costumes: Make them as authentic as possible. ‘I want them to look lived-in, beaten-up and home-repaired,’ Mr. Moore said. To that end, his wife assembled a 15-person aging and dyeing department, whose primary objective is to weather the costumes and ‘make them look real,’ he explained.
“Occasionally they clash when the needs of the story and the reality of costumes collide,” the NYT continued. “For instance, when the villainous redcoat Capt. Black Jack Randall rips Claire’s bodice, Mr. Moore said, ‘Terry tells me in excruciating detail how impossible it is to rip open these dresses unless you’re the Hulk, because there are many layers of thick fabric’…[they] settled on having Black Jack slice open Claire’s dress with a knife.”
Like most actors and actresses the cast of Outlander says that wearing appropriate to the era costumes only increases their ability to “step inside” their characters’ minds and lives. However, the wearing corsets can be, well, inhibiting. Caitrona Balfe, who plays Claire, said, “Once you’re sucked into these corsets, you realize just how repressed women were.” And her co-star, Lotte Verbeek, who also starred in HBO’s The Borgias, says, “The costumes help, but they also kind of hurt.” As for the men, well, they have fewer complaints in their kilts. “There’s something very freeing about wearing [it],” said Graham McTavish, who plays Dougal MacKenzie, the war chief of Clan MacKenzie, and Jamie’s uncle. “It represents something from the past that has style and elegance – you’re not going out dressed in sweatpants, sneakers, and a baseball cap.” Though Tobias Menzies, who plays the aforementioned British Royal Army Captain Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall, doesn’t like them. “Put some trousers on,” he says. Well, he does, for Menzies also plays Frank Randall, Claire’s 20th century husband and a descendant of Black Jack.
I don’t know if the men wear underwear under the kilts, though that is truly the way kilts are worn. I know, because my ex-husband wore a kilt to our wedding….
Um, ‘nuff said!
Bruce Timm Returns for Justice League: Gods & Monsters in July
BURBANK, CA (April 16, 2015) – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Warner Bros Animation and DC Entertainment present an all-new animated feature film from the innovative vision of renowned producer and animator Bruce Timm, Justice League: Gods & Monsters, on July 28, 2015. The DC Universe Original Movie, which will include never-before-seen bonus content, will be available on Blu-Ray™ Deluxe Edition, Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD.
Witness a divergent reality where the Justice League protects the planet – but answers to no one but themselves. Employing methods of intimidation and fear, this Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman deal brute force in the name of justice. From the creative genius of executive producer Bruce Timm and co-producer Alan Burnett comes an original story where the world’s greatest triumvirate of super heroes has distinctly different origins. Superman was not raised by the Kents in Smallville, the Caped Crusader is not Bruce Wayne, and Wonder Woman is not an Amazon warrior of Themyscira. They are as likely the world’s saviors as Earth’s despotic rulers. When a group of famed scientists experience untimely “accidents,” a government task force follows the trail of clues to the Justice League – but is there a more powerful player operating from the shadows? It’s a high stakes game of intrigue, mystery and action that asks the question: How do you serve justice to those above the law?
With a twist on your favorite Justice League characters, this film is full of thrilling new adventures and jam-packed with a celebrity voice cast which includes Michael C. Hall (Dexter) as Batman, Benjamin Bratt (Law & Order, 24) as Superman, Tamara Taylor (Bones) as Wonder Woman, Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds) as Lois Lane, Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter films, Dig) as Lex Luthor and C. Thomas Howell (E.T., Southland) as Dr. Will Magnus.
Sam Liu (Batman: Year One) directed Justice League: Gods & Monsters from an original story by Bruce Timm (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns) and Co-Producer Alan Burnett (The Batman), who also wrote the screenplay. Executive Producers are Sam Register and Bruce Timm. Benjamin Melniker and Michael Uslan are Co-Executive Producers.
Justice League: Gods & Monsters will be available on Blu-rayTM Deluxe Edition for $29.96 SRP, Blu-rayTM Combo Pack for $24.98 SRP and on DVD for $19.98 SRP. The Blu-rayTM Combo Pack includes a digital version of the movie on Digital HD with UltraViolet. The Blu-ray™ Deluxe Edition will include the Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack, along with an exclusive Wonder Woman figurine in a numbered limited edition gift set. Fans can also own Justice League: Gods & Monsters in Digital HD on July 28 via purchase from digital retailers.
“We are thrilled to announce this new and totally unique DC Universe Original Movie,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Vice President, Family & Animation Marketing. “With Bruce Timm presenting his distinctive take on the alternate universe of Justice League: Gods & Monsters, we know fans will be gripped by the plot twists and the question of whether we are dealing with heroes or villains.”
BLU-RAY AND DVD BONUS CONTENT
Justice League: Gods & Monsters Blu-rayTM and Blu-rayTM Deluxe Edition contain the following special features:
- ALTERNATE REALITIES: Infinite Possibilities – Justice League: Gods & Monsters falls into a category of storytelling where our well-known characters and the worlds they inhabit are re-imagined. This documentary explores the various attempts by writers to have a little fun and tinker with the characters, resulting in exceptional storytelling that posed thought-provoking questions to audiences.
- CALCULATED RISKS: The Making of Gods and Monsters – Justice League: Gods & Monsters was an idea that pushed the boundaries. It began with that challenging question writers face: “What haven’t we seen before?” Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett audaciously answered that challenge, resulting in a fresh and exciting film that forces us to think differently about the DC Universe.
- The New Gods – Encore presentation of 2010 documentary about Jack Kirby’s New Gods.
- A Sneak Peak at DC Universe’s Next Animated Movie – An advance look at the next DC Universe Original Movie.
- Bonus cartoons from the DC Comics Vault
Justice League: Gods & Monsters DVD contains the following special features:
- A Sneak Peak at DC Universe’s Next Animated Movie – An advance look at the next DC Universe Original Movie.
Sequart goes Ape in a Galaxy Far, Far Away with 5 New Books
With the success of last year’s analysis of Star Trek’s entire comics history, Sequart is proud to announce that work has commenced on three Star Wars books and two POTA books.
Over the next three years, Sequart will release essay anthologies analyzing all aspects of the Star Wars mythos:
- First up will be 2015’s A Long Time Ago: Exploring the Star Wars Cinematic Universe: Edited by Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato, this book will examine the entire big- / small-screen saga that is Star Wars. From theatrical films to TV movies, from cartoons and commercials to variety shows and video-based amusement-park rides, the mythos continues to keep audiences glued to their seats. This anthology features insightful, analytic essays about the franchise’s long history from popular film historians, novelists, bloggers, and subject-matter experts, exploring why the films proved so immediately popular, where the movies and TV shows have succeeded and faltered, and why we all keep going back for more.
- Next will be 2016’s A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Exploring Star Wars Comics: Editors Joseph F. Berenato and Rich Handley pick up where their previous volume left off. Over a thousand comics have been produced from a variety of publishers, including Blackthorne Publishing, the L.A. Times Syndicate, Dark Horse Comics, Scholastic, Tokyopop, and more. They’ve spanned the history of the franchise, from millennia before Anakin Skywalker’s birth to beyond Luke Skywalker’s death, and they’ve focused on every aspect of the Star Wars This anthology features insightful, analytic essays examining the Star Wars comics, written by popular comic historians, novelists, bloggers, and subject-matter experts — plus, a foreword by fan-favorite Star Wars comics writer John Ostrander. From Jaxxon to Cody Sunn-Childe, from Ulic Quel-Droma to Lady Lumiya, find out how comics helped to keep the Star Wars Universe alive, and why you’re missing out if you’re not reading them.
- Finally there’ll be 2017’s A More Civilized Age: Exploring the Star Wars Expanded Universe: More than 250 Star Wars novels have been published by Del Rey, Bantam Books, Ballantine Books, and others, aimed at both young and adult readers. Spanning the decades before, during, and after the films’ events, the books have spawned new galactic governments, explored the nature of the Jedi and the Sith, and developed the Star Wars mythos well beyond merely a series of films and television shows. Editors Rich Handley and Joseph F. Berenato complete their trilogy with a look back at not only the Star Wars novels but also video games, radio shows, role-playing games, and more. This volume offers insightful, analytic essays examining the Star Wars U., written by popular film historians, novelists, bloggers, and subject-matter experts — including fan-favorite Star Wars novelists Timothy Zahn and Ryder Windham. The films were just the beginning; find out how the universe expanded.
And the sci-fi fun continues! Over the next 18 months, Sequart and the editing dynamic duo of Handley and Berenato will deliver two Planet of the Apes essay anthologies:
- Coming out in just a few months will be The Sacred Scrolls: Comics on the Planet of the Apes: More than 150 POTA comics have been published during the past four decades, from Gold Key, Marvel Comics, Power Records, Brown Watson Books, Editorial Pa.Sa., Malibu Graphics, Dark Horse, Mr. Comics, and BOOM! Studios. Writers have explored the settings, concepts, and characters from the films (and occasionally the TV series), while introducing an array of new characters and scenarios. Back stories have been revealed, plot holes filled in, and histories extrapolated upon. The comics have employed multiple genres and styles, taking readers to distant villages, ruined cities, and oceanic civilizations — and have even seen the apes battle alien invaders from War of the Worlds and Alien Nation. It’s been quite the madhouse, to be sure. But by and large, the Apes comics have remained true to novelist Pierre Boulle’s simian spirit. This anthology will feature insightful, analytic essays about the franchise’s four-color continuation, from popular comic historians, novelists, bloggers and subject-matter experts.
- And 2016 will see Bright Eyes, Ape City: Examining the Planet of the Apes Mythos: The Planet of the Apes franchise has spawned eight films, with a ninth currently in the works, as well as two television series and several novels. It’s one of the most respected franchises in film history. This anthology will examine every Apes film, TV show, and novel, from 1968 to present. Like the first volume, this anthology will feature insightful, analytic essays about the franchise’s long history, from popular film historians, novelists, bloggers, and subject-matter experts. If you’re eager to learn more about Apes lore, then you’ll need to get your stinkin’ paws on this book.
John Ostrander: Get Out of My Head (Over You)!
“Earworm – A catchy song or tune that runs continually through a person’s mind.” – Oxford Dictionaries
I am a child of pop culture. Phrases, jingles, songs, names and much much more pass through my brain and, on occasion, get stuck there. Sometimes it’s only for a few moments and sometimes it is for hours. I don’t mind it so much when it’s a song I like but often it’s one of which I’m not fond or actively hate. It’s like on vinyl LPs when the needle would get stuck on a record and you have to jar the needle to get it to move on (young’uns, have the oldsters explain that reference for you). Unfortunately, slapping myself upside the head doesn’t help with earworms. They’re there until they’re not.
Warning: I’m going to be listing some of these and they could get caught inside your skull. You may want to bail out now.
Sometimes it’s not musical. Sometimes it’s a phrase that catches my attention and settles in such as:
Ndamukong Suh Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh Ndamukong Suh
or
Atorvastatin Atorvastatin Atorvastatin
The first is a football player; the latter is a medication.
Sometimes it only repeats a few times and sometimes it repeats in an endless loop. Such as:
Come Saturday morning,
I’m going away with my friends.
We’ll Saturday spend
‘til the end
of the daaaaay.
I hate that song to begin with, and repeating it doesn’t make it better.
The theme to The Avengers movie. Or maybe The Guardians of the Galaxy movie. I get the two confused. Or one morphs into the other in a sort of mash up.
Speaking of mash-ups, this here is a recent one: “I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover” but with the start of Blue Swedes “”Hooked on a Feeling.” So I get
Ooga chukka
Ooga Ooga
Ooga chukka
Ooga Ooga
I’m Looking Over
A Four Leaf Clover
That I Overlooked Before!
Ooga chukka
Ooga Ooga
(On a loop)
Hey kids, I just have them; I can’t explain them. Sometimes I think my brain has a mind of its own.
Some songs aren’t always the best known version. For example, I’ve had it “I Did It My Way” (one the most overblown songs I’ve ever heard) but not in the best known Frank Sinatra version. Oh no. My mind uses the John Cleese version from the end of the movie George of the Jungle which actually is more amusing and I don’t mind it as much.
Or how about Madeline Kahn singing “Battle Hymn of the Republic” from Young Frankenstein? That one was also on an endless loop. Amusing the first three or four times it ran through my head. Less so the fiftieth or so repetition. The more you hear something, the less funny it gets. Much like my jokes, I’ve been told.
I also was treated to an endless looped version “Going Out of My Head (Over You)” (hence the title of this column). That one runs from the Little Anthony and the Imperials version (which is great) to The Lettermen version (the sonic equivalent of Velveeta) that also includes “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” which morphs into the Frankie Valli version of the latter, with and without the Four Seasons.
And, yes, my brain does hurt sometimes.
I was told at one point that doing games or puzzles somehow stops earworms and usually writing does that for me as well. However, they always come back or a new one takes up residence.
Note that none of these earworms includes classical music even for a few bars or Shakespeare or anything like that. Nope. Pop culture all the way. You are what you consume.
That thumping sound you may be hearing is probably me banging my head on the desk trying to escape the earworms. Of course, another good way of losing them, or so I’m told, is to pass them on to someone else.
This has been a (mis)guided tour of my mind. Thank you and good afternoon.
Marc Alan Fishman: Silly Consumers… Comics Are For Kids!
The evening on which I am writing this article (Tuesday, the 14th), marks the third year I’ve been an “Artist In Action” for a small program run by a local elementary school. The day finds me giving a presentation (alongside two other fine artists) on how I make art via the computer, in 20-minute blocks, for every class in the school. The kids themselves range from kindergarten through 5th grade. Their teachers range from fully interested in what I’m presenting, to completely happy they don’t have to do much more than tell Billy to stay seated for an hour. It’s a long day, all things considered. But suffice to say: it’s a soul-satisfying experience that I hope will continue for years to come.
As in years past, I’ve actually felt a bit embarrassed. Next to oil painters, and collage artists… my work has often felt sub-par or perhaps juvenile. And my techniques – which include lightboxing (“Your mother’s a tracer!”), flatting (“Because good boys and girls know how to stay in between the lines!”) and other tricks of the Comic Book trade (“What? That’s not a filter!”) – leave the real artists often scoffing under huffy breath over my end-product. Yet today, my two adjoining artists were technophiles in their own right. A sculptor with work experience in Auto-CAD, and a collage / multi-media artist who squeed at the very mention of a GoPro. It was a breath of fresh air knowing that only three years into the program, the message to the children was not of the Luddite bible. But I digress.
The largest lesson I took away from the day hit me early in one of my presentations. Ever the eager-beaver, and teacher-pleaser, this year I came prepared with a take-home lesson for all the kids. I included an assignment sheet asking children to make their own six-panel strip, and included the simple steps Unshaven Comics takes in producing our own work. I also included the page with the panels (just-in-case), as well as a sheet for coloring (just-in-case the assignment wasn’t their speed). The unmitigated glee hit me after this exchange:
Me: Kids! Since you’ve been so attentive and awesome here today, I have a gift for you.
Kids: *Gasp!*
Me: Homework!
Kids: Boo! Noooo! Why! Awwwww!
Me: The homework is to draw your own comic!
Kids: *Undecipherable cheers, hoops, hollers, and genuine joy*
Watching the kids throw their arms up in cheers over the idea that they could make a comic was something that at first my snarky brain could not process. Certainly these video-game addicted ne’er-do-wells could give two poops about making a hand-drawn comic! But nay, in fact there they sat – Indian style, of course – all buzzing and humming over who would collaborate with who on this story or that. Shortly after, their questions came at lightning pace.
How do we start? Where do we start? Can it be about Pokemon? And with my cheeks literally in pain over the unyielding smile, I told them the truth: Start anywhere you want, just write out what you think is exciting, scary, funny, or cool. And yes, it absolutely can be about Pokemon. It took several minutes to calm them down. And with that, the presentation ended, and the next group sat down ready to figure out why their friends were high-fiving and jumping off the walls.
It’s here of course I have to take a step back. In the eyes and minds of children, comics represent infinite possibilities. Long before printer quotas, direct market subsidized pricing models, future IP copyright options, online distribution platforms, or dreaded convention travel and table costs amortization ledgers, there truly is imagination at the heart of our industry. There, amongst two-dozen ten-year olds, comics were an opportunity to collaborate, and entertain. And to their teachers, comics were an opportunity to converge lessons on writing, observation, comprehension, and visual communication into a single assignment.
As I left the school for the day, I saw several teachers lining up at the copy machine; it was all I could do not to fist pump the air like Judd Nelson in The Breakfast Club.
The Point Radio: Farewell To LOST GIRL
It’s the fifth and final season for the SyFy supernatural show, LOST GIRL. Series star Anna Silk talks about her favorite moments (and the things she grabbed from the set on the last day) plus BITTEN’s Laura Vandervoort talks more about her show’s new season and what it was like to be TV’s first Supergirl.
We are back in just a few days and so is the hit Game Show Network series, THE IDIOTEST. We take the test – here – no holds barred! Be sure to follow us on Twitter @ThePointRadio.
