On February 28th & March 1st, we attended the Long Beach Comic Expo in Southern California. It’s the spring sister event to the Long Beach Comic Con. In their 6th year, they have expanded the expo into a bigger hall and added more guests. Was it more fun? We think so. In this week’s video we’ll show you why.
We also chat with Marvel artist John Cheung about his A-Force cover and find some great age appropriate new comics.
Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice • Robert Frost
All you climate change doubters may now put on your dunce caps and leave. Don’t forget to shovel the walk on your way out.
…But where were we? Ah yes, where we often are, on opposite sides of a time gap. I’m writing here, you’re reading there. I suppose we can deal with it.
We’re looking ahead, you and I, to the forthcoming Daredevil television presentation, to be streamed on the increasingly diverse and interesting Netflix. Might be interesting. Might surpass the Ben Affleck movie Daredevil of a few years back, which may not have been everyone’s favorite entertainment. (I don’t have an opinion about it. Really, I don’t!) I see that Vincent D’Onofrio has gotten the job of being veteran DD baddie, The Kingpin, which seems to be good casting; let us not forget that Mr. D’Onofrio played a giant bug in the first Men in Black flick, so a corpulent gangster shouldn’t be a stretch for him.
What else am I looking forward to? (For you, it’s already past.)
Well, for one thin, the fate of poor Oliver Queen – other-named Arrow – last seen kneeling before the sinister Ras Al Ghul, a helpless captive. Ras stabbed him with a sword and kicked him off a mountain a while back, so is Ollie doomed to suffer a similar fate, perhaps again administered by a Ras who may have gotten a bit better at hero slaying? Nope. Ras is trying to recruit him into Ras’s criminal organization, The League of Assassins. (Good pay? Good benefits?)
This is not the first time Ras has gone hero-trolling. In the long ago when he was a mere comic book character, before being incarnated as a mega-movie star and a continuing presence in Arrow Ras made a similar move on Batman, sweetening the deal by suggesting that Bats and Ras’s daughter Talia might become an item and, yes indeedy, Talia would make a splendid trophy wife if she could just get past her daddy issues. Bats refused both job and lady and lived to fight another day but who knows what Ollie will do? (Well, actually, at this point, a lot of people. All those writers and actors and technicians…)
I like how our TV brethren are adapting some Batman tropes for Arrow. It’s a good match of characters: both the bat and the arrow are human-scaled, depending on skill and perseverance and motivation rather than some acquired superpower, and both are burdened with a tragic past. Since I prefer such characters I’ve always liked working on these two when I was a laboring scripter. Consider that an admission of bias.
Ras al Ghul, as some of you know, is a twisted idealist who wants to save the world – on his own terms, using his own methods, which are, to put it mildly, draconian. Pure fiction. But I look out at the snow and remember the savage winter which is not yet gone, and learn of the escalating barbarity in the middle east, and I wonder: Could there be a Ras?
But no, the reality is simpler and sadder, well expressed by Pogo the Possum: “We have met the enemy and he is us.”
I know it says “Dark Circle” on the cover. In the past the cover has said “Red Circle” and before that “Archie” and before that “MLJ.” But it’s all Archie Comics to me, and I mean that as a compliment.
I think their first “Dark Circle” comic book was The Fox, by Dean Haspiel and Mark Waid. I loved it. I say “I think” because comics publishers do reboots faster than elves make shoes. Maybe the next Fox by Haspiel and Waid will restart the series again. But, for conversation’s sake, let’s say last week’s Black Hood #1 by Duane Swierczynski and Michael Gaydos was the second Dark Circle title.
And that’s where I got confused.
First, for the record, I liked this latest Black Hood. Like most contemporary comics, there wasn’t enough story in the first issue for me to make a real commitment, but I enjoyed what I read, deployed some clever concepts, and I look forward to the next issue. I can’t say that about a lot of costumed superhero comics these days.
But… well… damn… it’s still an Archie Comic. It says so right there on the copyright notice. And it was Archie Comics (as opposed to “Archie comics”) that heralded “approved reading.” It was Archie’s cofounder John Goldwater who created the Comics Code. In fact, after all the other publishers dropped the Code, Archie was the last publisher at the table. Briefly. They drank the last survivor’s wine and dropped out. That was in 2011.
I started reading comics about the time the Code came along, so forgive me when I say I’m a bit taken aback when I read an Archie Comic and encounter the word “asshole” twice, “shit” three times, and “fuck” seven times.
Yes, I counted.
Don’t get me wrong. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using such language. It’s been commonplace for a long time, and using the real words is much better than using stupid euphemisms that simply implant the censored word into the reader’s mind anyway. Fuck hypocrisy!
But… damn… it’s an Archie Comic! Does this mean they’re going to hire S. Clay Wilson for their Fly-Girl title? Hey, that would be great!
But it does make me wonder. Archie Comics is about to reboot Archie comics with the melodious words of Mark Waid. How many cans of Tree Frog Beer can Reggie Mantle chug? And what’s the real reason why they call Forsythe Pendleton Jones III… Jughead?
Maybe they’ll give a new answer to the time-old question “Are you a Betty, or a Veronica?”
Season three of THE FOLLOWING has kicked off and everyone wants to know just what’s ahead for Ryan Hardy. The man who can answer that best is Kevin Bacon, and he talks about why this season is so unique for him and the show. Plus former WWE Superstar Alberto DelRio is now Alberto El Patron and heading up the crew of LUCHA UNDERGROUND on ElRey. He talks about the rich history off wrestling in his native land and just why thing went south at The WWE.
The new USA Event Series DIG is about to begin and we take you to the set for an exclusive you’ll only here with us in just a few days.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @ThePointRadio.
I spent time a few weeks ago at Toy Fair. For those not in the know, Toy Fair is one of the industry’s largest trade shows and gives us all a look at what’s coming in the toy world. This is an entire convention center filled with toys and games, and I was one of the first people to see them! It is an amazing show to attend.
There is a whole section of the floor dedicated to collectibles. Not surprisingly, it is where I spent most of my time. In this section, you see the target market turned on its head. I’m the average consumer, not an eight year old. It’s a weird feeling to know I’m targeted by toy companies. These companies know that I’m interested in nice packaging and numbered limited edition sets. That I want it display worthy right out of the box, or be able to modify it to my own worthy standards.
The whole time I’m checking out statues and figures, all I can think is “Where are the toys I can play with?” I can’t be the only adult that still wants to play with action figures. In fact, I know I’m not. But adults are not targeted for playtime; they are only targeted for high price display pieces. This is a trend I saw throughout presentations at Toy Fair. When companies presented their upcoming lines, they had their kid-friendly and their collector lines. They specifically mentioned what they thought would be good for adults.
I want to sit down and play with toys. And that’s not to say companies aren’t making action figures for adults. In particular, Diamond Select Toys definitely targeted me with a Star Trek: TNG Worf action figure. In the past, they’ve had even more superhero figures to tempt me. Another company is Thinkgeek, who has products that showcase hands on creativity, like the upcoming Brick Boy. Still, it is rare for a company out there to encourage an adult to play.
Admittedly, I still love display pieces. I have some statues that I cherish and some toys I absolutely won’t take out of the packaging. And to have companies recognizing adults like to reclaim lost pieces of their youth through toys is a nice thing. Still, playing is not a bad thing. And as a supposed-adult, which I still don’t believe that I am (even in my 30s), I think that it would be great to see more companies appeal to my playfulness. Hopefully next year, I see companies targeting more than just my wallet.
With five million downloads in Japan already, mobile game developer DeNA and Square Enix announced a US release for FINAL FANTASY: Record Keeper this spring. It’s touted as “the only game to let players relive favorite moments across all past FINAL FANTASY installments and build a team of classic characters. ”
16-bit style art is So Hot Right Now.
Featuring an all-star cast of characters including Tidus, Lightning, and Cloud, players recruit their favorite heroes from across the entire FINAL FANTASY franchise to form the most dynamic team of all time. With a massive roster of characters, the possibilities are endless! Characters can each be completely customized and equipped to the fullest with iconic gear, powerful spells, summons, and hundreds of weapons to choose from.
This game joins a number of mobile games that have attempted to bring the franchise to the mobile medium. Unlike games like FF: All The Bravest , the game appears to more closely mimic the classic “Active Time Battle” interface of the early games of the series.
“FINAL FANTASY: Record Keeper delivers the ultimate FINAL FANTASY experience for the dedicated and passionate fans of this franchise and we are excited to work with SQUARE ENIX to bring it to players worldwide this spring,” said Shintaro Asako, CEO of DeNA West.
Square Enix has also released many of their original games for mobile platforms, including several of the FF and Dragon Quest series, as well as classics like Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana.
FINAL FANTASY: Record Keeper will be available in spring 2015 as a free download in the AppStore and Google Play. Fans can pre-register at FinalFantasyRecordKeeper.com for updates, and unlock powerful in-game content at launch.
“Oh, my. The simplest would be to say, ‘Languh yoren osta lebn.’ It’s a typical Yiddish expression. Parents say it to their kids. It means, ‘You should live many years’.” • On the Jewish roots of “live long and prosper”
“There was a very small crowd – miniscule compared to the crowd that he gathered later – at a private home in Los Angeles. And we were standing on the back patio, waiting for him. And he came through the house, saw me and immediately put his hand up in the Vulcan gesture. He said, ‘They told me you were here.’ We had a wonderful, brief conversation and I said, ‘It would be logical if you would become president.’“ • On meeting Senator Barak Obama during his first Presidential campaign
“I have been, and shall always be, your friend.” Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan
On the wall to the right of the corner in my bedroom where my computer is set up is a plaque given to me for my birthday by daughter Alixandra when she was in high school. It reads, in emboldened and etched script:
STAR TREK: TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE
It’s a picture of Commander Spock of the U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701.
It’s a totally fangirl-geek-nerd piece of cheap convention claptrap, for which she probably overpaid and with no monetary value whatsoever in the collectibles market…
And I love it.
I love it because it’s from my daughter.
I love it because it tells me every day that my daughter gets me, that she got me then and always will.
And I love it because it’s a marker that some things do cross-generational barriers, that, to paraphrase John Ostrander’s eloquent words from his column here yesterday, it helps me to remember the past, to appreciate the present, and anticipate the future.
Languh yoren osta lebn, Mr. Spock.
And may your katra be with God, Mr. Nimoy.
*Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations
Select online fans of A&E’s Psycho prequel Bates Motel received an interesting package in the mail today. As a thank you to the fans of the show, followers of the shows tumblr page were sent a reproduction of the Bates Motel guest book.
Lionsgate had an opportunity to take advantage of the crass commercial stunt of splitting Mockingjay into two films and enrich the world and characters. Somehow, though, they squandered the opportunity and turned out a leaden adventure that did little more than spin its wheels as we are forced to wait for the final chapter. Given the content of Suzanne Collins’ final installment in her Hunger Games trilogy, this could have been a done-in-one, albeit lengthy, final film. However, it was decided to split it into two and here, we should have gotten to know everyone a little better.
After being available for online viewing, Mockingjay – Part 1 arrives on disc Tuesday in the standard combo pack, giving you Blu-ray, DVD, and a digital copy.
Katniss Everdeen’s journey from Tribute to Icon showed us a petulant, reluctant hero in the making and with Jennifer Lawrence wonderfully assaying the part, her growth should have been stronger on screen then the print version. She remains resistant and reluctant, finally willing to trade being used as a stalking horse in exchange for help freeing Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson and the other Tributes held by the Capitol. She clearly sucks at being anything than what she is as seen in the amusing public service ad filming scene but finally reveals her inner fire when District 8 is bombed.
The game being played against President Snow (Donald Sutherland, the second best bit of casting in the series) is a tricky one, especially considering his decades of advantage. His moves are cold and calculating, yet his clearly is over-confident and misfires when he bans the Mockingjay symbol from being displayed. As he tightens his grip on the districts, more and more rebellion is sparked. That he and Katniss exchange moves for as long as they have shows he has underestimated her. But not before outfoxing her on more than one occasion, including the brainwashing of Peeta, surreptitiously releasing him so he would become his secret weapon, which is more or less where this half ends.
The first set of missed opportunities are close to home. Mom and Prim have survived the devastation of District 12 and they are seen here and there and yet neither one is given much to say or do and their relationship with Katniss is at arm’s length, which goes against everything established in the first book. Then we have the introduction of President Coin (Julianne Moore). In the BTS material, she is said to have had a strong take on the character but it doesn’t come through on screen. Her growing relationship with Katniss would have been nice to see much as more could have been done with Plutarch (the dearly missed Philip Seymour Hoffman) and even Hamish (Woody Harrelson).
Instead, we go from District 13 to visit District 12, rescue a cat; visit District 8 and narrowly avoid being blown up, and back to District 13 as others try to free the Tributes. Katniss broods a lot and seems so obsessed with Peeta’s freedom she barely has time for Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth), whose love for her has forged him into a hero, not that you can really tell given how little he’s given to do.
The movie is incredibly faithful to the book but screenwriters Peter Craig and Danny Strong made one significant change: Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) has survived and has been brought to District 13 where she bonds with Katniss in a nice way. Given their skills, it’s sad that this was a brief highlight and so much of the film is a series of action set pieces and missed opportunities. Director Francis Lawrence did a far stronger job with Catching Fire and while he handles the scope and action nicely, the human touches feel thin. One hopes the final act redeems all concerned and ends the series on a high note.
The film’s transfer to High Definition is splendid with sharp colors and little lost to the shadows. The audio is just fine, too.
The Blu-ray comes with an assortment of special features built around the eight-part, two and a quarter hour “The Mockingjay Lives: The Making of Mockingjay – Part 1“: 8-part feature-length documentary which covers everything from the story to the special effects, costuming, and casting. The BTS footage demonstrates just how much fun they had shooting the film, which is good considering how dour the story is. What’s frustrating is that the director, producers, and cast all have strong ideas about the characters and story but so little of it made it on screen. There is also a commentary from Lawrence and Producer Nina Jacobson. “Straight From the Heart: A Tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman” is a nice ten minute tribute specific to his involvement in the last three films in the set. Songs of Rebellion: Lorde on Curating the Soundtrack” features Lorde detailing all the choices she made in assembling the soundtrack album and we have her “Yellow Flicker Beat” music video. There are also a handful of deleted scenes, only one of which I think should have been restored to the film.
Overall, it was entertaining but disappointing but I will be there for the finale to see if they can trump the great wreck of a second half the novel itself was.
Writing a weekly column can be a funny thing at times, especially when you wait until the last moment to do it. Not only does it irritate your editor but the blamed thing can morph from its original topic. Such as this week. I started with one topic and then found two others that I wanted to comment on as well. I think I’ve found a connection within all three; let’s see if I can make it without stretching too much. Wish me luck.
We’ll start with the death of Leonard Nimoy, a.k.a. the original Mr. Spock in Star Trek. He was 83 and died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Spock was an iconic character not only on Trek or in science fiction but around the world. “Live long and prosper” was his signature phrase and his cool, logical, and scientific manner created an army of fans, me included.
My friend Lise Lee Morgan and I met Mr. Nimoy in person many years ago in a guest suite at a Star Trek convention. My friend Stuart Gordon had got us the opportunity and Mr. Nimoy was charming, engaging, and enthusiastic about Stuart. I liked him even more than I liked Spock.
How significant was Nimoy’s passing? He got a eulogy from Buzz Aldrin, the second man to step foot on the Moon. President Obama released a statement saying “Long before nerdy was cool, there was Leonard Nimoy, the center of Star Trek’s optimistic, inclusive vision of humanity’s future … I loved Spock.” Come on. How cool is that? Any of us should wish to have a life with as much impact on the world.
On the other side of the coin there’s the report of author and blogger Avijit Roy being hacked to death with machetes by Islamic extremists. Roy was a native of Bangladesh although he lived in Atlanta and he was attacked as he left a book fair in the Bangladesh city of Dahka. He was there to promote his book The Virus of Faith. A fan of Bill Maher’s harsh view of Islam, he was critical of all religions and especially Islam and that made him the target of death threats by Moslem extremists. Ansar Bangla-7, an extremist group, has claimed responsibility for the death.
The third item catching my eye was the destruction of ancient artifacts in a Mosul museum by members of ISIS. The items dated back thousands of years, from the Assyrian and Akkadian empires. The vandals’ justification was that the statues were by polytheists and therefore an affront to their skewed notion of Allah. This ignores the fact that the art was part of the heritage of us all and they were only the current custodians. They did not have the right to destroy them. Sadly, such iconoclasm has a long and pernicious history.
So … what unites these three events? They underscore the importance of art, of literature and – yes – of pop culture. A writer is killed because of ideas that he espouses, artifacts are destroyed because of what they once represented, Nimoy’s death is remembered because of a part he played on TV and in films. All this underscores the importance of art, its power, and the threat it poses to the close-minded.
It makes us remember the past, question the present, and bring hope for the future. Pop culture, which we celebrate here, is a huge part of all that. It helps define who we are and tells us who we were and points to what we could be. It reflects our passions and our interests. It questions what we are told and that’s why extremists of all stripes want it destroyed or controlled or obliterated or killed. The violence, the extreme nature, of their actions tell us how real the threat is to them. That tells us how powerful it is. Art is dangerous. Pop culture is or can be or should be dangerous.
Leonard Nimoy, as Spock, exemplified all that. That’s part of the reason his passing affects so many. He made an indelible mark on the world. We should strive to do the same.
Live long and prosper, y’all.
Columns / Glenn Hauman / News
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