Tagged: Batman

Eliza Dushku is a purr-fect fit for Catwoman in Batman: Year One and animated short

  • News
  • October 14, 2011

byo-70-300x168-9675349Eliza Dushku has taken command of Catwoman and she’s not about to give her back.

The star of Dollhouse and Tru Calling, and a vital part of the amazing Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast, provided the voice of Selina Kyle/Catwoman for Batman: Year One, the next entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies. A few short months later, Dushku was quick to accept a return to the role as the title character of the DC Showcase animated short Catwoman.

From the moment she accepted the role, Dushku was keen on making this character her own – and coming back to play the character as often as possible. Given her performance, it’s doubtful casting director Adnrea Romano and executive producer Bruce Timm would look elsewhere the next time the sometimes vigilante, sometimes villain appears in a script. (more…)

Nathan Fillion & Tim Daly join heroic cast of Justice League: Doom

Primetime television stars Nathan Fillion and Tim Daly, the reigning voices of Green Lantern and Superman, respectively, join an exciting group of actors reprising their famed cartoon roles in Justice League: Doom, an all-new entry in the popular series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies due in early 2012 from Warner Home Video.

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s “contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The story is inspired by Mark Waid’s much-heralded JLA: Tower of Babel.

Fillion, the star of ABC’s hit TV drama Castle, made his debut as Green Lantern/Hal Jordan in the recent Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. Fillion made his initial DCU bow as the voice of Steve Trevor in the 2008 hit Wonder Woman.

Currently headlining the cast of ABC’s popular Private Practice, Daly originated the title character’s voice in the landmark cartoon, Superman: The Animated Series. He has reprised the role in two DCU films: the 2009 extravaganza Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and the 2010 thriller Superman/Batman: Apocalypse.

In addition to current primetime stars Fillion and Daly, the cast is a grand reunion of the original group of actors who provided the voices of the Justice League for the cartoon of the same name and its follow-up, Justice League Unlimited. Reprising their roles are Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) as Batman, Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville, Breaking In) as Flash, Susan Eisenberg (Superman/Batman: Apocalypse) as Wonder Woman and Carl Lumbly (Alias) as J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter. Bumper Robinson (A Different World, Transformers: Animated) joins the cast as Cyborg.

The Justice League faces two sets of villainous teams in the film – The Royal Flush Gang and a sextet of notable evildoers. The latter group includes three voice acting alumni of the Justice League animated series: Phil Morris (Smallville, Seinfeld) as Vandal Savage, Olivia d’Abo (The Wonder Years) as Star Sapphire, and Alexis Denisof (Angel) as Mirror Master. Also opposing our heroes are Carlos Alazraqui (Reno 911) as Bane, Paul Blackthorne (The Dresden Files) as Metallo, and Claudia Black (Farscape, Stargate SG-1) as Cheetah.

David Kaufman (Danny Phantom) also reprises his Justice League role of Jimmy Olsen.

The film is executive produced by Bruce Timm (Batman: Year One), and directed by Lauren Montgomery (Batman: Year One), who is also credited as producer alongside Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series). Justice League: Doom is the final script from the late Dwayne McDuffie (All-Star Superman, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths). Casting and dialogue direction is once again in the capable hands of Andrea Romano (Batman: Year One, SpongeBob SquarePants).

Warner Home Video will premiere the Justice League: Doom trailer during its presentation at New York Comic Con on Friday, October 14 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. in the IGN Theater. Also premiering during that session will be the Catwoman animated short that is attached to Batman: Year One, the next DC Universe Animated Movie (streeting October 18).

Warner Home Video to unveil Catwoman animated short, first ‘Justice League: Doom’ footage at NYCC

Warner Home Video, Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation proudly present an action-packed hour of first looks at DC Universe Animated Original Movies properties on Friday, October 14 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. at New York Comic Con.

Central to the panel will be the premiere of the animated short Catwoman, starring Eliza Dushku (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dollhouse) as the voice of title character. The 15-minute short will be included on the release of Batman: Year One, which streets October 18 on Blu-ray, DVD, for Download and On Demand.

The panel will also include the very first footage to be seen from Justice League: Doom, the highly-anticipated next entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies.

The panelists, which include the ultimate voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, DCU executive producer Bruce Timm and casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano, will offer a glimpse into the 2012 DC Universe Animated Original Movies slate, give away some exclusive prizes to inquisitive audience members, and quite possibly welcome a few surprise guests to the stage.

An autograph session with the panelists will immediately follow the panel.

DC Comics December Solicitations

  • News
  • September 19, 2011

We hold in our hands the covers for DC Comics this December. As a child of four can plainly see, these envelopes have been hermetically sealed. They’ve been kept in a #2 mayonnaise jar under Wikipedia’s porch since noon today.

Shall we? Surely!

As usual, spoilers may lurk beyond this point.

(more…)

Upcoming Comics To Video Game Releases

  • News
  • September 7, 2011

This year has seen a ton of comics-to-feature-film releases, and the video game market is not different.  However, the trend to games doesn’t always yield positive results, as many are done as quick cash-ins to support the film releases (“[[[Thor]]]”, “[[[Green Lantern: Rise Of The Manhunters]]]”).  However, every so often, a tie-in turns into a gem (the latest “[[[Captain America: Super Solider]]]” game was a pleasant surprise), but when they work best is when they are using original material to tell the story.  There are three titles coming out later this year that gamers and comic fans alike should be looking forward to.  Below, you’ll find the most recent trailers for “[[[Batman: Arkham City]]]”, “[[[Spider-Man: Edge of Time]]]” and “[[[X-Men: Destiny]]]”, all due out in the next coming months.

[[[Batman: Arkham City]]]

(more…)

Dear DC, Please Keep Captain Marvel Black!

  • News
  • September 6, 2011

Dear DC,

You’re rebooting your universe, and I approve. Comic books should be rebooted every decade to keep them vital. Having a younger Superman who was never married makes sense. I only have one plea: please, keep Captain Marvel black.

I’m old enough to remember the early ‘70s when DC had the best female superheroes, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, and Batgirl, and Marvel had the best black superheroes, the Black Panther, the Falcon, and Luke Cage.

But everything changed in 1973 when DC expanded its universe with characters that had been published by other companies. Justice League #107 introduced the Quality Comics superheroes. Here’s that groundbreaking cover:

                               

With one stroke, DC accomplished two things. One was obvious: it leapt ahead of Marvel on diversity, creating four African-American heroes, a Mexican-American Black Condor and a Japanese-American Human Bomb (which seems simplistic now, but was a daring commentary on nuclear weapons then).

(more…)

jl_cv1-298x4502-2432106

Review: “Justice League” #1

jl_cv1-298x4502-2432106Finally, DC’s new 52 launches (or is that relaunches?) today in stores and online with Justice League #1, written by Geoff Johns and pencilled by Jim Lee, with inks by Scott Williams, colors by Alex Sinclair, and letters by Patrick Brosseau. I’m here with my tag-team partner in the caption box, Marc Alan Fishman, and we’re going to review this in real time. I’m writing the introductory information while Marc finishes up a different project and then reads–

OK. I couldn’t help myself. Read it.

Me too. Wasn’t that quick?

Yeah, and not in a good way. That was… terrible.

Wait, wait, wait. There’s a lot to like here, except the portion size.

I’m gonna take a hard stance on this. If I knew nothing of these characters? I didn’t find this appealing.

But seriously, how many people know nothing of Batman and Green Lantern?

That’s kind of my point. There was a lack of substance to the issue that reeks of everything I hate about comics from the 90s. The art is all flash, bangs, pops, pows, and gloriously meticulous fire / lasers / constructs … But seriously? If this were an animated episode? We just got the first 5 minutes.

10 minutes. But yes, it feels like too little, and that’s a problem.

And what exactly did we learn? Batman’s a cocky SOB, and GL is even cockier. And Superman? Even more? It was like the issue was on autopilot. It’s all establishing shots. Fine, I get that. But this issue is supposed to herald this huge coming together of heroes for the superlative team of all comicdom. If I am a new reader? I’m coming back, or more likely? I’m feeling short changed.

(more…)

Captain America (the 1990 version)

In the wake of Batman’s success in 1989, it appeared to renew interest in movies based on comic books. One of the first, and one of the worst, was the 1990 version of Captain America. The film had actually been announced in the early 1980s from Cannon Films but in the intervening years, the studio folded and the right shifted a bit before Menahem Golan mounted it under his 21st Century banner.

The movie languished in development until the rights were about to expire so director Albert Pyun urged Golan to let him take a crack at getting the film made for about $6 million. Marvel actually approved the script that was shot and Pyun loved its take on America’s fascination with heroism. If only some of that love found its way onto the screen.

The movie was shot in 1989 but wasn’t released theatrically and was finally dumped on video in 1992, where it was met with derisive laughter from comic book fans. Now, MGM’s Limited Edition collection has released the film as part of its print on demand operation. The print used is pretty crappy and dark and the film is at best a curiosity for collectors and fans alike.

The horrific script from Stephen Tolkin (from a story by Tolkin and Lawrence J. Block) pays lip service to the source material and leaves you scratching your head at the shoddy story construction and utter lack of characterization. Significant changes were made, none of the better starting with giving Steve Rogers polio as an excuse to keep him from enlisting. Then there’s the Red Skull (Scott Paulin) now an Italian fascist, which never made sense. On the other hand, both this film and the current blockbuster made the unnecessary dramatic change in linking Cap and the Skull by having them both be products of the Super Solider formula.

There’s Matt Salinger as Cap/Rogers who is anything but the American ideal and fairly wooden in performance, perhaps because they give him nothing to work with. His first mission leads to the rocket that sent him to an icy sleep in Alaska. He’s found and inexplicably breaks free and rather than ask his rescuers anything, he runs all the way to Canada. There’s little time spent on his cultural isolation and his interactions with others is laughably minimal. (more…)

DC Comics November Solicitations

  • News
  • August 15, 2011

gl_animated_1-146x225-5528111Once again, a look into the future, with some very interesting looks at the past, including the reprinting of a comic that was never released in America in the first place, the infamous Elseworlds 80 Page Giant that was pulped because of concerns about Superman’s babysitter.

And of course, a whole lot of #3 issues, which is traditionally the issue where Spider-Man guest stars.

Shall we? Surely!

As usual, spoilers may lurk beyond this point.

(more…)

  • News
  • July 25, 2011


July 22, 2011

The Latest News from RadioArchives.com!
* New in Classic Radio: Claudia, Volume 5
* New in Digital Downloads
* New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 49 and The Shadow Volume 51
* Rave Reviews for “Python Isle” and “The Adventures of Doc Savage”
* Coming Soon: The Exciting Audio Adventure “White Eyes”
New in Classic Radio: Claudia, Volume 5ra215-250-5008466If you were a stay-at-home housewife in the 1930s and 1940s, you were most likely a fan of the soap operas. Ever-present on radio, and later on television, these daytime dramas of romance, heartbreak, mother love, sacrifice, and somewhat overdramatized family life became a staple in the lives of millions of avid listeners – many of whom planned their daytime chores around the five-times-a-week adventures of “Our Gal Sunday”, “Ma Perkins”, “Stella Dallas”, and the other dramas that dominated the airwaves between 10 AM and 5 PM.

But, in 1947, a new soap opera debuted that was far more quiet and gentle and down-to-earth than its strife-ridden neighbors on the radio dial. “Claudia”, based on the best-selling novel and play by author Rose Franken, told the tale of Claudia and David Naughton, two newlyweds just beginning their married life. Young, enthusiastic, and very much in love, they weren’t suffering from any of the crises or tragedies that were the common plot points of most daytime dramas. Instead, they were two people simply facing the many challenges of marriage and learning to live together as husband and wife. Thanks to insightful scripting, as well as charming performances by Kathryn Bard and Paul Crabtree in the leading roles, “Claudia” remains one of the unsung classics of radio’s golden age – as well as one of the most entertaining soap operas ever aired.

One of the sad things about radio show preservation is the fact that so many long-running series exist today only in fragments – a broadcast here and a broadcast there, rather than long continuous runs of a particular program. Happily, that’s not the case with “Claudia”; RadioArchives.com has been able to locate and preserve the entire eighteen-month run of the series – 390 episodes in all – allowing you to enjoy the complete series just as it was originally aired.

In “Claudia, Volume 5”, you’ll enjoy 24 more consecutive broadcasts that were first heard in April and May of 1948. Priced at Just $17.98 for the six audio CD set and Just $11.98 for the six hour digital download, this charming series is one you’ll want to share at home with your family – or keep it in the car and play one episode a day as you drive to or from work. Either way, we know you’ll be delighted by the endearing adventures of “Claudia”, now available from RadioArchives.com!

New in Digital Downloads ra067-200-2742848For well over a decade, RadioArchives.com has been known for the amazing audio quality of our classic radio compact disc collections – and it’s no wonder. We insist upon finding the absolute best quality masters, and then carefully restoring them so that they retain all of the audio luster of the original recordings with none of the crackle, pops, hiss, or muffling so often heard in radio shows from other sources.

So, when we decided to start offering digital downloads of these same collections, we knew that you’d accept nothing but the absolute best quality. That’s why every classic radio collection you download from RadioArchives.com comes to you as a zip file containing each individual show encoded as a mono 128 kpbs MP3 file with a sampling rate of 44,100.

ra102-200-4681737If you often enjoy audio entertainment on your computer, your cell phone, or a portable device, you’ll be glad to hear that we’re continuing to add selections to the Digital Downloads page at RadioArchives.com. The latest additions include such long-time customer favorites as “Amos ‘n’ Andy”, the star-studded variety series “The Big Show”, the understated police dramas of “Dragnet”, and the hilarious comedy series “Father Knows Best”.

Digital downloads from RadioArchives.com give you the best of everything. Top quality shows in sparkling audio fidelity, available to you for instant delivery around the clock – and, with digital downloads, you’ll pay no postage or delivery charges! No matter what continent or time zone you may live in, just place your order and, within minutes, you’ll be enjoying some great entertainment.

Stop by RadioArchives.com often and see what’s new in our digital downloads section. Great shows, great sound, and at great prices, too!
New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 49 and The Shadow Volume 51Anyone living in the world today knows that true heroes are very hard to come by. But, in the pulp fiction world of the 1930s and 1940s, heroes were always on watch to fight the criminals and evildoers that threatened our way of life. You’ll find proof of this in the two new double-novel pulp reprints now available from RadioArchives.com, featuring the top heroes from this Golden Age of literary entertainment:

First, in “Doc Savage Volume 49”, you’ll thrill as the Man of Bronze and his daredevil cousin Patricia Savage battle deadly menaces in two classic pulp novels by Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson. First, a fatal force is destroying America’s Naval fleet. Can Doc Savage end “The Terror in the Navy” before a weakened America falls victim to a foreign power? This novel has been restored with the addition of 3,500 never-before-published words from the author’s original manuscript. Then, Doc and Pat Savage investigate the mystery of bizarre fifteen-foot “Waves of Death” on Lake Michigan. This classic pulp reprint features the original color pulp covers by Robert G. Harris and Emery Clarke, Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations, and historical commentary by Will Murray.

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? In “The Shadow Volume 51”, the Knight of Darkness battles strange supercrime in two pulp thrillers by Walter Gibson that foreshadowed classic Batman stories. First, The Shadow goes undercover in Chinatown to battle a legendary oriental demi-god in “The Living Joss”. Then, what can prevent “Judge Lawless” from making a mockery of the law? Only The Shadow knows! BONUS: “Djaruti, Goddess of Death”, a lost Orson Welles thriller from the Golden Age of Radio! This instant collectors’ item features both classic cover paintings by George Rozen, the original interior pulp illustrations by Tom Lovell and Paul Orban, and historical commentary by Anthony Tollin.

Also available: “The Spider Volume 19”, featuring two stories of pulp fiction’s Master of Men: “Slaves of the Dragon” and “The Spider and his Hobo Army”.

Escape the worries and troubles of today with the exciting adventures featured in these pulp fiction classics. Each beautifully formatted issue features impressive cover art, full-length stories reformatted for relaxed reading, and many special features to add to your enjoyment. Each of these issues is priced at Just $14.95 – a true bargain for such engrossing entertainment. Make RadioArchives.com your source for the best in pulp fiction classics!

Rave Reviews for “Python Isle” and “The Adventures of Doc Savage”“Python Isle”, the new Doc Savage audiobook from RadioArchives.com, has been generating a lot of buzz lately, with an impressive number of excited reviewers weighing in with their opinions. They’ve got us blushing…but that’s not going to stop us from sharing their thoughts with you!

On the Retroist website, Vic Sage writes:
“I began listening to Python Isle at my computer. It just didn’t feel right so I popped out the CD and placed it in my Emerson “old time radio” replica, laid back on the floor, and thrilled to the exploits of Doc Savage and his compatriots! I’m hard pressed to think of a better way to spend an evening as the sun starts to set, the room illuminated by the soft yellow glow of the radio dial as Michael McConnohie’s soothing voice reads Will Murray’s prose, both mingling flawlessly together to transport me to a pulp world that I sometimes wish I could do more than just visit. This is what all radio plays and audiobooks should strive to sound like!”

Meanwhile, at Audiobook Heaven, critic Steven Brandt writes:
“Radio Archives has taken the well-traveled hero, and brought him to life in this amazingly high-quality production. Michael McConnohie lends his voice talent to this adventure. His narration comes through the center channel as usual, but his character voices come from the left or right, putting the listener right in the middle of the action. I’ve heard this production method once before, and I like it a lot. McConnohie’s melodramatic voices are perfect for this recording as well, giving it kind of an old-time radio feel. Doc Savage is one more pulp fiction hero revived with modern technology. I’m liking this trend in audiobooks, and I hope Radio Archives will bring us many more Doc Savage stories.”

5000-200-7061684But it isn’t just “Python Isle” that’s drawing rave reviews. At Mystery Scene Magazine, Dick Lochte has written a review of “The Adventures of Doc Savage”:
“About 25 years ago, two tales featuring pulp-master Lester Dent’s 1930s adventure hero Doc Savage were adapted by producer Roger Rittner and author Will Murray for a rip-snorting 13-part series that aired on National Public Radio. The result, commercially unavailable until now, is an entertaining replication of radio’s golden age, when a muscled renaissance Man of Bronze and his gifted but eccentric crew could do battle with seemingly unconquerable foes, wind up in trouble at the end of each episode and just as easily escape in the next. In the seven-part adaptation of the 1934 adventure “Fear Cay” Doc and his gang fly to a dangerous Caribbean Isle where they fight a wily old bird who claims to be the 130-year-old discoverer of the Fountain of Youth. The other story, presented in six chapters, finds our heroes in Indo-China battling baddies and deadly serpents in the city of “The Thousand-Headed Man”. The stories and the performances by Daniel Chodos as Doc and the other cast members are properly a bit over the top. It’s good clean fun.”

“Python Isle”, written by Will Murray and directed and produced by Roger Rittner, is now available from RadioArchives.com as an 8 audio CD set priced at Just $25.98 and as an 8-hour digital download priced at Just $17.98. “The Adventures of Doc Savage”, featuring all thirteen episodes of the original series plus many special features, is available as an 8 audio CD set for Just $24.98 and as an 8-hour digital download priced at Just $17.98. Join the thousands of excited listeners who are thrilling to the audio exploits of the Man of Bronze. Order your copies of these two exciting sets right away!
Coming Soon: The Exciting Audio Adventure “White Eyes”
The place: New York City. During the depths of the Great Depression, in the shadow of streamlined skyscrapers, reporters scramble for clues about an insidious wave of bizarre deaths – everyday citizens struck dead, the eyes in their lifeless bodies turned a sightless and ghastly white. The Blind Death has the teeming city paralyzed with fear; in desperation, civic leaders turn to the one man who can discover who or what is behind this gruesome series of murders: Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze.

From his offices high above the city, Doc and his band of trusted colleagues soon uncover a terrifying scheme to gather together all of the city’s criminal elements as a single and seemingly undefeatable force. Their intent: to seize the wealth of the Man of Bronze and destroy him once and for all!

“White Eyes”, the second in a new line of audiobook adventures from RadioArchives.com, is an epic tale of crime from the pen of Will Murray, heir apparent to Lester Dent, creator of Doc Savage. Featuring dramatic narration by Richard Epcar, “White Eyes” is a roller coaster ride of action and excitement that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Produced and directed by Roger Rittner, who joined with Will Murray to bring you both “The Adventures of Doc Savage” radio series and the thrilling audiobook “Python Isle”, “White Eyes” will bring you ten hours of engrossing entertainment. Soon to be available as both a ten audio compact disc collection and a ten hour digital download, this new release from RadioArchives.com will also feature evocative cover art by Joe DeVito and two fascinating and exclusive audio interviews with the author.

Join the Man of Bronze for a suspenseful tale of action and adventure in “White Eyes”, the new Doc Savage audiobook coming soon from RadioArchives.com!

radioannouncer-5528866Listen to this Newsletter!

Sit back, relax, and enjoy this newsletter as an Audio Podcast! Click anywhere in the colorful banner at the top and you’ll automatically hear the Radio Archives Newsletter, enhanced with narration, music, and clips from our latest collections! This audio version of our regular newsletter is a pleasant and convenient way to hear all about our latest products, as well as the newest pulp fiction reprints, special offers, and much, much more!

The releases we’ve described in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s pulp fiction classics, our new line of audiobooks, colorful and exciting items from Moonstone, timeless movies and television shows on DVD, or the over 150 compact disc collections and digital downloads containing thousands of sparkling and fully restored classic radio shows, we hope you’ll make RadioArchives.com your source for the best in timeless entertainment.

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