Category: News

Andrew Koenig, star of Growing Pains and son of Star Trek actor Walter Koenig, committed suicide. His boy was found in Vancouver, Canada on Thursday afternoon after being missing for almost two weeks.

Vancouver authorities held a press conference on Thursday just
hours after the discovery, during which a police spokesperson revealed
they had no reason to believe foul play was involved in Koenig’s death.

Walter fears his son’s battle with depression led him to take his own life. He and his wife Judy want to use the tragic news to warn
other parents to seek help if they believe their child is struggling
with their personal demons.

From 1985 to 1989, Koenig played a recurring role as Richard “Boner” Stabone, best friend to Kirk Cameron‘s character Mike Seaver in the first four seasons of the sitcom Growing Pains. During the same period, he guest starred on episodes of the sitcoms My Sister Sam and My Two Dads as well as the drama 21 Jump Street. In the early 1990s he provided a voice for the animated series G.I. Joe as Ambush and Night Creeper Leader, and had a minor role as Tumak in the 1993 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “Sanctuary“.

For comic book fans, he may be best known for playing The Joker in the incredibly popular fan film Batman: Dead End.

Our condolences go out to the Koenig family and Andrew’s friends.

Didn’t take long now, did it?

A whopping three days after Action Comics #1 took in a cool $1,000,000, the Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas reported to Comic Riffs that a copy of Detective Comics #27 sold for $1,075,500 last night. #27 you say? Why not #1? Well folks, don’t we all know that issue features the debut of a pointy eared vigilante who’s made a career out of being cooler than ole’ Big Blue. Just like it’s Action Comics counterpart, the issue was an 8.0 graded book by the CGC scale. With only 100-200 copies left in the world, this again marks a major sale in the aftermarket for comic books.

Richard Donner makes a great couple movies about you, Superman? Batman Begins and The Dark Knight was better. People thought you were so cool in Kingdom Come, oh Man of Steel? Face it, old Bruce kicked your keester in Dark Knight Returns. And you thought you had him there for a second, didn’t you, Clarky-poo. A million dollar comic sale! Well, this was a million-plus. Suck on that green kryptonite.

As for us here at ComicMix, we’re gonna go check on our aforementioned copies of Ultraforce #1 and the “Darkchylde Summer Swimsuit Spectacular”. Cause, well, you never know.

We’ve all had that argument with our mothers, haven’t we? “Why do you keep all those old comics in your bedroom?” …“Duh, mom, cause they’ll be worth tons of money one day, geez!”. And your mother, frugal as she is, looks at her collection of porcelain cat figurines, and laments. “They better be!”

Well, sleep well tonight. As it’s been widely reported across the inter-webs, a CGC graded 8.0 (Very Fine) copy of Action Comics #1, whih we all know contained the debut of Superman, was sold for (pinkies to your mouth, gentlemen…) one million dollars!

The sale was brokered by Stephen Fishler and Vincent Zurzolo of ComicConnect.com. As covered well here, the copy of Action Comics is only 1 of an estimated 100 left in existence. Of those out in the world, the CGC Census lists only 42 copies, including one unrestored copy sitting at 8.5 VF+, and three restored copies at 8.0 or higher.

So, what does all this mean? Consider that amidst a nation in recession, with high numbers of unemployed citizens, and general financial malaise rampant throughout the nation, one more feather can be placed in the ‘Recession-Proof’ aftermarket for printed comic books.  Sorry Apple enthusiasts; No iPad copy of Uncanny X-men will mint you one shiny nickel whilst there are printed copies and collectors out there. Now, obviously don’t expect all your copies of slabbed “Ultraforce” and “Darkchylde Summer Swimsuit Spectacular” are gonna mint you a cool Milly’… but hey, you never know. And your mother won’t know either.

On Monday, I identified Gina Torres as giving the best vocal performance in this week’s Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. Courtesy of Warner Home Video, here’s an interview with the women we know for her work on Alias, Angel, Firefly and countless other films and television series.

Torres had an unanticipated assist in bringing about the powerful, yet sultry voice of Superwoman, coming into the booth in the final days of a bad flu that slightly lowered her vocal range and added a smoky sexiness to the outstanding performance. Even more impressive is her perfect match with the voice of Owlman, James Woods – considering the two actors recorded on opposite coasts, weeks apart, and have never met each other.

Torres has also spent some time in the animated world, working with Warner Bros. Animation as Vixen on Justice League.

QUESTION: As you stepped into the sound booth to voice Superwoman, were you actually feeling wickedly sexy, delightfully cruel and ultimately powerful … or was that all just acting?

GINA TORRES: I’m so glad they called me to do Superwoman, (she laughs) because I was in the mood to get back in there and be a badass. Superwoman is one of those super heroes that knows her power, and is very comfortable in her power. And it’s all cat – it’s no mouse with her. She likes to bat around her prey and she really enjoys what she’s doing.

In the booth, you sort of have to become this person. When you’re not on stage with other actors and you’re not on camera, you really get to free up your body and do all kinds of things that maybe aren’t as pretty on camera. You get to have a good time getting your whole body involved in the interpretation. (more…)