Tagged: DC

Five Fistfuls of Justice, by Ric Meyers

  • News
  • February 24, 2008
 
justiceleague-3464763I hope you’ve already read Matt Raub’s advance review of Justice League: The New Frontier  — DC Universe’s Animated Original Movie — which was posted days ago. Naturally, since it’s coming out in stores this coming Tuesday, it’s time, keeping with the comic source material, for my variant review. Matt critiqued the film itself. I, of course, am reviewing the Two Disc Special Edition’s extras.
 
This baby more than makes up for what I felt last week’s He-Man Volume One DVDs lacked: right on the first disc they have a near-full-length (nearly 45 minutes) doc called “Super Heroes United!: The Complete Justice League Story.” It tracks the comic from its inception back in the 1940s ‘til today, using images, clips, and just the talking heads of most of the major comic creators of the era. The information from the likes of Roy Thomas, our own Denny O’Neil, and even Stan Lee was so comprehensive that the doc doesn’t even require a narrator or narration. It does benefit mightily, as do all the featurettes, from the soundtrack music of Kevin Manthei.
 
Then the first disc alone more than makes up for what I thought the Resident Evil: Extinction DVD lacked: their doc sneak-peek of the upcoming animated Animatrix-like Batman: Gotham Knights D2 (“direct to”) DVD shows the lame, cheat sneak peek of Resident Evil: Degeneration how it’s done. There’s plenty of making-of stuff, talking heads, and exciting glimpses of the finished product as opposed to Resident Evil’s peek-a-boo tease. The first disc of Justice League wraps with two audio commentaries – the first a gang approach, with six participants from the production and DC Comics (though not a single person from the pic’s impressive voice cast), and the second with the writer/artist of the source graphic novel, Darwyn Cooke.
 
The second disc kicks off with a slightly shorter but just as interesting history of “The Legion of Doom: Pathology of the Super Villain.” While it contains many of the same talking heads as the “Super Heroes United” doc (Michael Uslan, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, etc.), it also benefits from a Malcolm McDowell narration. Then, perhaps as compensation for the film’s inability to recreate the delightful style of the original graphic novel (understandably opting for the previously established designs of DC’s  recent Kids-WB Superman and Batman animated TV series), there’s the “Comic Book Commentary: Homage to The New Frontier” featurette, which goes into detail with and on Darwyn Cooke’s original. 
 

(more…)

The Sweet Smell of Rot, by Martha Thomases

  • News
  • February 23, 2008

 

This is my least favorite time of year.  It’s not that I mind the cold – in fact, this winter’s unnatural warmth has me creeped out – but the darkness.  The days are more dark than light since the middle of September, and it’s more than a month until that changes.  Every day is a bit brighter, but not enough.
 
The wait is excruciating.  
 
Every day, the buds on the trees are a little bit larger, a little bit more plump.  The first tentative shoots of crocus slip through the dirt in the tree pits.  The sparrows fight for twigs to build their nests, or maybe they fight because they’re in gangs, but they are noisy in a way that would be annoying if they were teenagers from the local high school, but charming when we can’t tell what it’s about.
 
It’s not enough.  
 
In just a few weeks, the calorie pear trees will be in bloom, and the chestnut trees, too.  They’ll be covered with white petals, like snow, and the first little leaves will be starting to burst.  The daffodils and tulips will splash color across the public gardens.  The soil will have the sweet smell of rot that comes with spring rain and spring thaw.
 

(more…)

Eight Comic Books to Read Before You Die

  • News
  • February 22, 2008

Just in time for the opening of WonderCon in San Francisco today, the online arm of the San Francisco Chronicle, SF Gate, has decided to put out its list, a comics "mix tape" as they call it,  of the "Eight Comic Books to Read Before You Die."

Posted by Peter Hartlaub, the list includes many notables in the comics world such as Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman and their works — which are probably considered classic must-reads by most comics fans already.

In addition, the list also features one or two other works traditional comics fans, those who usually confine themselves to one or more Marvel or DC titles featuring spandex-clad heroes, may be less familier with. Books such as Jeff Smith’s Bone and Y:The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan, although successful and well-known to many in the comics community, are perhaps not as well-known to the masses as the X-Men, Spider-Man or Batman.

Here, then, is the list of what the folks at SFGate think you should read, and in the order you should read them, before you die. Hopefully, you’ve already had the pleasure of discovering some of these works. Maybe after reading this list, you can discover a few more.

Y: The Last Man: Unmanned by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra

Daredevil: Born Again by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli

Swamp Thing by Alan Moore

Marvels by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross

Bone Volume 1: Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith

Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman

The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller

I’m pleased to say that, besides Bone, I’ve read all the books on this list and am a particular fan of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and Brian K. Vaughan’s Y: The Last man. Of course, now that I’ve read this list, I can never, ever read Bone. That is, unless I’m ready to die. 

What comics would be on your list?

ComicMix at Toy Fair: Coverage Round-Up and Extra Photos

  • News
  • February 21, 2008

Well, Toy Fair is officially over, folks. All that’s left is to sweep up the wayward Legos, find a place for all of the free promotional swag, and calmly reflect on the passing of yet another convention.

Oh, and there’s always the "Clip Reel" — or, as we call it in the InterWebs News, the "Round-Up" article. So, just in case you missed any of our Toy Fair 2008 coverage, here are some of the announcements, audio, video and photos from Toy Fair ’08 we collected thus far.

We still have some audio and video wrap-up coverage, including today’s edition of ComicMix Radio, so keep an eye on the site over the rest of the week. As a special "bonus feature" of sorts, I’ve included a few photos after the round-up below of some sights, scenes, and, of course, toys that  were favorites of the ComicMix crew but didn’t quite fit into the rest of our coverage.

 

(more…)

ComicMix Radio: World Of Warcraft Wave Two Revealed

There’s more from Toy Fair 2008 as we jump into the newest Star Trek & Seinfeld DVD games and a talk with DC Direct on the next phase for the World Of Warcraft Action Figures — they are going to stun you, plus:

— DC plugs the holes between Final Crisis and Countdown

— Millar and Hitch score a sellout on Fantastic Four

— Dora The Explorer hits live-action, prime-time TV

— Another brand new trivia question and a chance to grab an exclusive Graham Crackers Comics variant by e-mailing us (podcast [at] comicmix.com)

—  And finally, a new winner of our ComicMix Radio contest

So drop-kick an Orc and Press The Button!

 

 

And remember, you can always subscribe to ComicMix Radio podcasts via badgeitunes61x15dark-6840657 or RSS!

 

Darwyn Cooke on ‘Justice League: New Frontier’

  • News
  • February 21, 2008

With the Justice League: The New Frontier DVD hitting shelves next week, a New Frontier Special comic scheduled for March 5 release, and DC re-releasing Darwyn Cooke’s miniseries that inspired the film, the award-winning creator is in the midst of a good kind of perfect storm these days.

In a recent interview with CBR, Cooke explains the genesis of the original New Frontier miniseries, his work with the creators of the animated film, and his plans for a potential sequel to the New Frontier story.

“I have a story in mind. And it would take us up to the year 1972. That’s when [Jack] Kirby comes to DC, basically. And so I would probably say, if there was a sequel, it would span that time period from when Kennedy is elected until then. Right now, at this point, it’s pure vapor and rumor.”

Cooke also hints at what readers can expect from the upcoming Justice League: The New Frontier Special, which will feature three stories from the New Frontier era written and drawn by Cooke.

“In ‘The New Frontier,’ there is an article that appears about superheroes being hunted down and Hourman dying and Batman and Superman having a big duel where Batman actually defeats Superman. It’s the story behind all of that,” revealed Cooke. “What it does is give me a chance to have those two beat the crap out each other, which some people say, ‘Oh no, not again.’ But well, heh, you know, sorry, you only live once and here we go.

”But it’s all 1950s style. The technology for this type of a fight for Batman, he’s got to be incredibly ingenious because technology-wise, it’s different world.

Cooke also shares some thoughts about his critically praised work on DC’s The Spirit series, based on the Will Eisner character, and hints that he’ll be returning to an ongoing title at some point in the near future.

[EDITOR’S NOTE: Make sure to check out the ComicMix review of Justice League: The New Frontier animated film.]

 

Stranger Bedfellows, by John Ostrander

  • News
  • February 21, 2008

 

ann_coulter_origin-6149618Forget whether or not Barack Obama is “black enough.” The newest wrinkle in the Presidential Campaign That Never Ended is whether or not John McCain is “conservative enough.” Evidently, according to two of the biggest conservative blowhards on the air – Rush “Dr. Feelgood” Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, She-Wolf of the Neo-Cons – the answer is “no.”
 
Limbaugh has been on a rampage about McCain, tearing the presumed Republican nominee a new asshole almost daily over issues like immigration and McCain’s voting against tax-cuts. Rush jokingly says he would endorse Barack Obama over McCain as Obama was “a blank canvas upon which anyone can project their fantasies and desires.” (Why am I not amazed that Limbaugh finds a black man to be a “blank canvas?” And you’re going to project your “fantasies and desires” on him? Oh, Rush – how Mandingo of you! Heavens, I feel all flushed! I swear I may have to swoon!)
 
Coulter has gone so far as to declare, on Fox’s Hannity and Colmes, she would campaign for Hilary Clinton rather than support McCain. That, if it came down to Hilary Clinton or John McCain, she would vote for Hilary Clinton as being more truly conservative. And on her site, she continues to champion “her Hilary.”
 

(more…)

ComicMix at Toy Fair: DC Showroom Tour

  • News
  • February 20, 2008

Here at ComicMix, we’ve already shown you Mattel’s "Infinite Heroes" and other DC Universe products, but there were even more comics-inspired collectibles on display just a block away at DC’s showroom in New York City’s "Toy District".

From upcoming lines of Minimates, action figures inspired by classic stories and box sets to statues, busts and "trophy room" replicas, there was, well… a lot to absorb. Heck, they even had Superman’s Cape.

After the jump, check out our complete photo tour of DC’s showroom, including several characters receiving their first action-figure treatment in comics history!

  (more…)

Review: ‘Confessions of a Blabbermouth’

Mike Carey is a noted writer of both comics and prose – Lucifer, The X-Men, the “[[[Felix Castor]]]” novels – but, one might ask, what does he know about being a teenage girl? Probably not a lot…but he does have a secret weapon on his side: his daughter Louise is a teenage girl, and she’s the co-writer of this particular project.

Confessions of a Blabbermouth is the most recent publication of DC Comics’ Minx arm, which aims squarely at teenage and tween girls. (You remember: the audience that never, ever would read comics, so it was no use ever trying to get them interested – no, really, it’s just not worth it…until Sailor Moon ignited the manga boom and suddenly American comics companies were sitting on the sidelines watching those girls buy billions of dollars of Japanese comics? That audience.)

I’ve reviewed Minx comics twice before for ComicMix – Re-Gifters and Clubbing last August, and The Plain Janes and Good As Lilly in September. And the book that was most successful out of those four was Re-Gifters, written by one Mike Carey (without any assistance from anyone in the target audience), so I had high hopes for [[[Blabbermouth]]].

 

(more…)

ComicMix at Toy Fair: Mattel’s ‘Infinite Heroes’ and ‘Dark Knight’ Showroom!

  • News
  • February 19, 2008

As promised in our earlier announcement, we have a ton of photos from the ComicMix tour of Mattel’s showroom.

You might have already heard about "Infinite Heroes", Mattel’s new line of 3.75-inch figures based on a wide assortment of characters from the DC Universe, but have you actually heard about it? Check out today’s installment of ComicMix Radio for an interview with Mattel’s "Infinite Heroes" guru, P.J. Lewis.

We’ve also included photos of Mattel’s upcoming line of toys based on The Dark Knight, including figures based on Heath Ledger’s character, Joker, as well as Christian Bale’s Batman. Oh, and for those of you who’ve always wanted a Bat-suit of your own, we’ve got something for you, too.

Finally, we have some photos of Mattel’s line of superhero-incpired toys for their youngest demographic — but we won’t make funof you if you buy a couple for yourself.

So enough with the introduction, check out the full gallery of photos after the jump…

  (more…)

Categories

Archives

Everything you need to make great comics!

comicmix-pro-300x69-2

Nucleus X

Bookshop Zaks