Tagged: ComicMix

Review: ‘Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front’

a-life-up-frontarticle-3552379In many ways, Bill Mauldin lived out the American Dream, starting out as a physically unimposing ‘desert rat’ in the southwest, then joining the army and becoming a star soldier-cartoonist, and retiring as one of the best known editorial cartoonists in the country. He died in 2003.

In his new biography, Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front, author Todd DePastino takes that famous life and digs out all the strange truths, the contradictions, the unknown motivations. Mauldin was a deeply conflicted man, DePastino finds, alternatively successful and unhappy because of his deep drive for acceptance.

Born in 1921 to a rough and tumble family, Mauldin had little going for him as a child besides an aptitude for art. In his teens, he went to Chicago to study, but despite a prodigious output he had little success landing his cartoons.

With no other options (like many other enlistees), Mauldin signed up for the army and started cartooning for a service newsletter. From the start, his work focused on the lives of the grunts, who trudged through mud and faced the disrespect of superiors.

Using Mauldin’s writings, interviews and those cartoons, DePastino follows the young, driven man as he developed as a person and illustrator. And, soon enough, followed him over the Atlantic into the hell of World War II.

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The Flash Returns… in the Pages of NY Daily News?

  • News
  • April 30, 2008

New York City’s Daily News played spoiler to comics fans today, announcing the return of a familiar face behind a red-and-gold mask in this week’s DC Universe #0. Which of the scarlet speedsters is returning, you ask? Well, we’re posting that bit of info after the jump, lest we find ourselves forcibly evicted from ComicMix HQ by torch-wielding, spoiler-phobic crowds of angry fanboys and fangirls.

However, there’s something else about the Daily News article that has us smiling. In addition to seeking comment about the latest superhero resurrection from noted writers Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns, noted comics historian and regular ComicMix contributor Alan Kistler was also tapped for some perspective on the character’s grand return to the DCU.

Now, for the big reveal… and some big questions: (more…)

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10 Must-Read Stories Before You Watch ‘Iron Man’ in Theaters

  • News
  • April 30, 2008

iron-man-movie-poster-1294169Even people who’ve never picked up a comic book are looking forward to seeing the new Iron Man movie debuting tomorrow, starring Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark, "the cool exec with a heart of steel!"

When Stan Lee and Don Heck introduced Anthony Stark, he was a modern-day Howard Hughes, a weaponsmaker who was investigating his interests in a war zone when he was injured by shrapnel and captured by guerilla soldiers. Desperately needing a life-support system to keep his heart beating, as well as a weapon to fight off his captors, he used materials around him created a make-shift suit of high-tech armor that  earned him the name "Iron Man."

Returning to the states, the world welcomed its new superhero, believing him to be the rich playboy’s bodyguard, and he soon became a founding member of the famous Avengers. Over the years that followed, "Ol’ Shellhead" has been through many armors, as well as many personal changes. He had his heart repaired and battled alcoholism. He had his heart injured again and replaced it with a mechanical one that needed  constant recharging. Recently, his body was finally healed and  his resources greatly enhanced after merging with an experimental form of nano-technology.

Much like The Dark Knight reading list we provided you as prep for Batman’s upcoming return to the big screen, ComicMix has assembled ten recommended reads that showcase how clever and resourceful our hero is while also displaying the forces and passions that drive him in his double-life. They have been assembled in chronological order, so you can follow Iron Man’s evolution.

Enjoy!

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A Tale of Two Trailers: ‘Batman’ and ‘The Dark Knight’ Compared?

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  • April 29, 2008

In case you haven’t seen the most recent Dark Knight Internet meme to hit Instant Message clients, blogs, Twitter, humor sites and just about every user-generated link farm around (I know it crossed my computer screen at least 20 times today), let ComicMix be the latest site to post the "Dark Knight/Batman Trailer Split-Screen" video — but with a twist. For those who haven’t heard about it yet, the video was passed around by many InterWebs users who claimed it was a split-screen comparison of the eerie similarities between the trailers for the 1989 Tim Burton Batman film and the upcoming Christopher Nolan film, The Dark Knight.

 


 

Despite the video’s sudden popularity today (with quite a few people linking to the video via the College Humor website — which also seemed to frame it as a comparison of the two trailers), this video has been around since late 2007, and was created by YouTube user VaportrailFilms after the Dark Knight trailer was released. As many Digg.com users have pointed out, this is also not a magical moment of synchronicity in the vein of Dark Side of the Moon and Wizard of Oz, either. In fact, it’s actually a "mash-up" of the Tim Burton film and the Dark Knight trailer — made up of bits and pieces sampled from the 1989 film and arranged for the best possible match.

So, while I hate to burst a good online conspiracy bubble, that’s not the original Batman trailer in the video, folks. It is, however, the product of some very nice video editing skills.

But I have to admit, <a href=”

version that used the 1966 Batman film is more my cup of tea.

 

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe: Super or Silly?

  • News
  • April 29, 2008

It’s been over a week since Midway announced that the rumored Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe game was in fact real. The reaction from both comic and gaming communities has been a collective, "Huh?"

At first it seems like an odd couple, but it isn’t without precedent. In the past, Capcom combined their 2D Marvel fighting games with their Street Fighter franchise to create X-Men vs. Street Fighter, the first of many successful Marvel vs. Capcom games. Look at it this way: people know Mortal Kombat and they also know the Justice League. So, from a sales point of view, this looks like a mainstream winner.

But from a fanboy perspective, does this work? Sure, we hear the cries of "Superman would just rip the head off of Sub-Zero," but it just might be more interesting than you think. If this Superman is reigned in to a reasonable level, he could be a boss-level character — but not invincible. Think less Silver Age or post-Infinite Crisis and more Superman: The Animated Series or John Byrne’s Man of Steel. And remember, Superman’s as vulnerable to magic as anyone else, so the Mortal Kombat warriors’ special abilities could be a hassle for Mr. Faster Than A Speeding Bullet. And when you think about it like that, Sub-Zero’s freezing power doesn’t seem so, well… powerless.


  (more…)

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Battlestar Galactica Interview: Mark Verheiden on Tyrol’s Guilt and Baltar the Traitor

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  • April 28, 2008

Welcome to the latest installment of Battlestar Galactica Weekly, our recurring Q&A with Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of the hit Sci-Fi Channel series Battlestar Galactica. Each week, we’ll interview Verheiden about the events of the week’s episode, what those events might mean for both the season and the series, and hopefully unearth some clues about what to expect as the final season of Battlestar Galactica nears its conclusion.

Along with posing our own questions to Verheiden, we’re also taking questions from fans — so be sure to send your questions to me, your official BSG Weekly interviewer, after each episode airs at chris [at] comicmix [dot] com. New episodes of Battlestar Galactica can be seen every Friday at 10 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel. You can view previous interviews via the links at the end of this article.

This week, Verheiden answers questions about the fourth episode of Season Four, “Escape Velocity,” which aired April 25, 2008. Note: These questions may contain spoilers, so read at your own risk.

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COMICMIX (from reader John): What did Tyrol do at Cally’s funeral that Tigh felt might have given them away?

MARK VERHEIDEN: When the Chief grabbed Tigh and Tory in the receiving line, I think they could sense the intensity of his desperation and confusion.

Their concern was less about what he did during the ceremony than his precarious mental state in the wake of Cally’s death.  Given Tyrol’s explosive comments to Adama, it’s not that far-fetched.

CMix (from reader John): Wouldn’t the final four put themselves at less risk if they stopped getting together and chatting about what they are all the time? Or, are they just programmed to do that?

MV: Short answer is yes. But on the other hand, they do have ongoing Cylon business to discuss in private. But programmed to do it? I don’t think so.

CMix (from reader Leah): How can the Six in Baltar’s head lift him up and turn him around?

MV: I would argue that Baltar’s gyrations were still him contorting himself, as if Number Six were hoisting him from the floor. I am reminded of Church services where people, in the throes of religious fervor, can evidence remarkable physical contortions, ”speaking in tongues,” etc. 

But feel free to interpret the scene in other ways if you’d like…

CMix (from reader Avery): The reading scenes between Adama and Roslin have been lovely. Will we be seeing more of that – or potentially more than that – as their relationship, and her cancer, progresses? (more…)

Doctor Who in Review: Season Four, Episode #1 – New Companions, Old Feelings

The hit BBC series Doctor Who kicked off its fourth season on the Sci-Fi Channel this weekend, so there’s no better time than the present to kick off an episode-by-episode analysis of the reinvigorated science-fiction classic here on ComicMix.

Every week, we’ll have our best Who-philes go through the most recent episode with a fine-tooth comb (or whatever the "sonic screwdriver" equivalent might be) and call out all of the continuity checks, names dropped and storyline hints we can find to keep in mind for future episodes. We’ll post our analysis the following Monday, so you have ample time to check out the episode when it airs each Saturday at 9 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel.

Keep in mind, we’re going to assume readers have already watched the episode when we put fingers to keyboard and come up with our roundup of important plot points. In other words, SPOILER ALERT!

Let’s begin now, shall we?

Season Four, Episode #1: "Partners in Crime" (more…)

Del Close Close Up, by Mike Gold

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  • April 28, 2008

Well, it’s about time.

Author Kim Howard Johnson, former comics newsman (the late, lamented Comics Scene), occasional comic book writer (Superman: True Brit, with John Cleese and John Byrne), and frequent ComicMix commenter, has written the definitive biography of his mentor, collaborator and friend, comedy legend Del Close.

It’s called The Funniest One In The Room: The Lives and Legends of Del Close (Chicago Review Press, $24.95), and I’ll admit right off it’s impossible for me to not absolutely love a book in which I am mentioned in the second paragraph. I could have titled this column “Me and My Ego” but, no, this one’s about Del’s ego.

Comics fans may be familiar with Del’s work in collaboration with John Ostrander on Munden’s Bar during its original First Comics run, and/or their work together on the even-more-over-the-top Wasteland, the one we did at DC Comics. In fact, it was Del who suggested the title.

Students of American cultural history know Del as a Shakespearean actor who also performed on television and in movies and plays by Steve Martin, Jules Feiffer, William Saroyan, Judge Julius Hoffman, and Kaufman and Hart. But he is best known for his work as a director, teacher and mentor to – to name but a very, very few – John and Jim Belushi; Brian Doyle, Joel, and Bill Murray; Howard Hessman; Rob Reiner; Joe Flaherty; Harold Ramis; Betty Thomas; George Wendt; Tim Kazurinsky; John Candy; Chris Farley. Tim Meadows; Andy Richter; Stephen Colbert; Steve Carell; Kim Yale… and literally hundreds more. Oh, yeah… he was also rehearsal director of Saturday Night Live for a couple years and he created the format for SCTV. (more…)

ComicMix Columns for the Week Ending April 28, 2008

  • News
  • April 27, 2008

Last weekend’s New York Comic Con affected ComicMix columnists in different ways, with Michael, Martha and myself all musing about the con experience (and Dennis and John discussing other events of note from that same weekend).  Here’s what we’ve written for you this past week:

Michael’s column totally wins for "best byline" this week..  He probably wins for  "best comment thread," too.

Convention Queen for a Day, by Martha Thomases

  • News
  • April 26, 2008

With New York Comic-Con receding into the fogs of memory, I’m girding my loins to face another season of conventions. Last year, as part of the ComicMix Inaugural World Tour, I went to more shows than I had ever attended before. However, with the long lull between Mid-Ohio and New York, I managed to block out some of the more disturbing experiences that typify what it means to go to a comics convention.

NYCC is not a typical show. It’s huge, it’s crowded, it’s noisy, and it has attitude. That’s because it’s in Manhattan, but it’s also because it wants desperately to be San Diego. People come to see movies and television previews at least as much as they come to see comics. And that’s cool. Maybe some of these people will also buy a few comics.

Still, it does make for long lines and the attendant short tempers. If you want to enjoy a comics convention, go to Heroes World or Mid-Ohio, or Baltimore. The size is manageable, you can meet a few of your favorite pros, and you can hear yourself think over the noise of the crowd.

However, any show would be more fun if everyone followed these simple rules, which I will enforce when I’m named Queen: (more…)

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