Tagged: comics

Review: ‘I Sell the Dead’

Are you looking to round out your Summer with a campy “horror” movie? Look no further than [[[I Sell the Dead]]]. This amusing film, written and directed by Glenn McQuaid, follows the recollections of a young grave robber named Arthur Blake (Dominic Monaghan) on the eve of his execution.

Set in 18th century England (some of our group thought Ireland), the general campy tone of the movie is hinted to early on when Father Duffy (Ron Perlman) is on his way to hear Blake’s confessions and passes what appears to be the skeletal remains of a chihuahua in the dungeon. In recounting how he became a grave robber, we are treated to humorous flashbacks of how Blake became a grave robber and, later, a “ghoul” – one who acquired and sells the undead. We soon discover that Blake and his grave robbing partner, Willie Grimes (Larry Fessenden) are up against a rival gang of brutal ghouls who are happy to use any means necessary to get their hands on the undead.

The film is chock-full of vibrant (and often drunk) characters. It is also well-stocked with monsters and over-abundant artificial fog somewhat reminiscent of classic campy horror films. I Sell the Dead does not fail to deliver the laughs they seem to be aiming for. The film also uses a very stylized method for changing scenes, wherein the end of a scene goes still and is then inked over to have the look of a scene from an old pulp comic. If you are looking for a modern, action-packed horror movie with a lot of shock and gore, this is not the film for you. Fans of Dominic Monaghan will enjoy getting to see him on screen again, and his comic timing is excellent as always. Those who prefer classic horror films or who want a break from the ordinary will find I Sell the Dead clever and amusing. If you are planning to see a fun and different flick with a group of friends, check this one out!

Crazy Sexy Geeks Celebrates 70 Years of Marvel

crazysexygeeks2-8787467In the second episode of Crazy Sexy Geeks, our new weekly series meant for both die-hard fans and people new to comics, hosts Alan Kistler and Carrie Wright head to Barnes & Noble and then Midtown Comics for a two-pronged celebration.

It’s been 70 years since Marvel Mystery Comics #1 came out in 1939, featuring the Sub-Mariner and the original android Human Torch. Since then, hundreds of heroes and villains have been brought to the world through the pages of Marvel comic books.

At a Q&A panel at Barnes & Noble, fans got to speak with Joe Quesada, Klaus Janson, Fred Van Lente, Greg Pak and Chris Claremont. The gang gave some advice on artists and writers trying to make a career out of their hobbies and also spoke about recent projects such as Magneto: Testament, X-Men Forever and attempts to create a new Avengers ongoing cartoon series.

The party then continued at Midtown Comics (Times Square location) where Iron Man and Spider-Man mingled with fans as they looked over the newly-released The Marvels Project #1.

Enough talk. Now watch!

Alan Kistler has been recognized by major media outlets as a comic book historian. Along with writing freelance for ComicMix.com and MTV.com, he hopes to one day write for DC, Marvel and Doctor Who. He also intends to time travel. His web-site can be found at: http://KistlerUniverse.com

Crazy Sexy Geeks: A New Weekly Web-Series

amber-benson-alan-kistler-crazy-sexy-geeks-5022931So your parents loved Robert Downey, Jr. in Iron Man but don’t think comics themselves have anything to offer? Your friends loved V for Vendetta and The Dark Knight and are curious to read comics now but aren’t sure where to start? This is the show to help them all out.

Starring yours truly and New York actor Jose Ramos, “Crazy Sexy Geeks: The Series” is meant to help new people get into comics and other geeky entertainment while also being fun for those already initiated. Each week we will discuss topics such as openly gay super-heroes, why there don’t seem to be many women super-heroes outside of comics, whether remakes are better than sequels, the challenges of film adaptations, and other fun topics that anyone with a smidgeon of pop culture knowledge can enjoy.

This is not your typical comic book video blog where two or three guys sit in a basement or at a friend’s house and just review what came out this week. This is a show where we go out on the street, asking mainstream America what they think about super-heroes, sci-fi films, etc. Likewise, there are professional interviews with folks such as Rob Zombie, Edward James Olmos, novelist David Mack (Star Trek: Destiny, The Calling), and others still to come.

For our first episode, watch us chat with Amber Benson (Tara from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) about female super-heroes, her new novel Death’s Daughter, and what she thinks about the Twilight series.

Ready? Great! <a href=”

title=”CRAZY SEXY GEEKS: THE SERIES – Episode 1″>WATCH OUR FIRST EPISODE!

ComicMix.com and Midtown Comics are not responsible nor necessarily share the views expressed on Crazy Sexy Geeks. If you love Twilight, get mad at Jose and Alan, not anyone else.

Alan Kistler is a freelance online journalist who has been recognized by media outlets as a comic book historian. His additional works can be found at http://KistlerUniverse.com.

Review: ‘Al Williamson’s Flash Gordon’

Al Williamsons Flash Gordon: A Lifelong Vision of the Heroic

Flesk Publications, July 2009, $29.95

While Al Williamson did not create the legendary science fiction character, in many ways he inherited Alex Raymond’s artistic legacy. The artist was born in 1931, three years before [[[Flash Gordon]]]memorably hit the Sunday newspapers.

Raymond is considered one of the finest illustrators to work in syndicated comics, along with Hal Foster, with a photorealistic style that brought his world of Mongo and its varied denizens to life. While Buck Rogers was the first SF strip, Flash Gordon was the best as the stories were epic in scope. The landscape of Mongo was unlike any realm seen in comics before and through the years that special feeling evaporated in the hands of others. Until Williamson.

In 256 pages, we are treated to the three stories produced for King Comics in the 1960s, the short-lived imprint from King Features Syndicate in addition to the his adaptation of the unfortunate 1980 film that looked better than it played. There’s also Williamson’s last major series work, the miniseries produced for Marvel in 1994. The King material is exceptional because it was the first time original material had been produced for comics with the characters actually resembling their strip origins . It’s lush and fast-paced with Williamson actually writing the first story. His long-time collaborator, Archie Goodwin, one of the most respected people in the field…ever, wrote several stories and Larry Ivie also contributed a tale.

Williamson’s style was very much like Raymond’s and his settings and characters felt just right. The deering-do is quick-paced and while the stories tread familiar ground, they are still head and shoulders above much other science fiction in comics. The three stories, brief as they were, earned him the National Cartoonist Society’s Best Comic Book Cartoonist award. His movie adaptation didn’t win awards but earned him a new generation of fans who may have only known his name in association with the legendary EC Comics.

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#SDCC: Is McLovin ready to ‘Kick-Ass’?

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Who kicks more ass? McLovin’, or the Red Mist?

“There’s a reason why [Nicolas] Cage ain’t here…” So said Christopher Mintz-Plasse, co-star of Mark Millar’s comic-to-screen adaptation of Kick-Ass, brought to us at the San Diego Comic-Con in that room of rooms… Hall D! Director Matthew Vaughn presented alongside special guest Mark Millar, the aforementioned Mr. Mintz-Plasse (formerly McLovin’ of Superbad Fame…), as well as John Romita Jr., the comic book artist who brings Kick-Ass to life every month(ish) via Marvel’s ICON line.

Showing off Avid-fresh clips to a rabid audience, Vaughn was ensuring a final product that would bring a genuine adaptation that followed the comic to the letter, or in this case… the panels. “We are a genuine comic book adaptation with comic book authors involved
in the production of the movie… It’s really important to me that fans
of the comic like the film. I’ll be more upset if fans of the comic
hate the movie than anybody else.” Vaughn told MTV’s Splash Page blog prior to the screening.

And what a screening it was. Scenes including Nicholas Cage’s Big Daddy shooting his little girl, Chloe Moretz, begarbed in a bulletproof vest. A Paris Hilton joke warmed the crowd. And what of the titular hero? Aaron Johnson plays ‘Dave’, who in clips presented at the con, showed off the straight from panel to screen costume (no leather upgrades ala X-men here.), as well as comic-worthy violence. Tasers to a thug’s forehead? Check. Hit-Girl slicing and dicing bad guys enough to shame Beatrix Kiddo? Check. And McLovin’ as the hot-rodding Red Mist? Double check. The fans in attendance ate it up? How much? They demanded a reshowing of the trailer, and they got it.

But this begs to be asked… obviously Vaughn knew what to say and show the rabid comic fans in attendance, but Millar isn’t squeaky clean when it comes to his adaptations on film… lest we forget the curved bullets of amazing aptitude in Wanted: Not Quite the Comic circa 2008.

Look for ‘Kick-Ass’ at the tail end (sorry) of this year.

Google goes comic crazy too for #SDCC

As part of iGoogle sponsoring the wi-fi at San Diego this year, they’ve also introduced a wide variety of comics themes that you can use to customize your iGoogle page– everything from Superman to Daniel Clowes (although, suprisingly, no Silver Surfer or Iron Man, and the web-slinger is Spider-Woman).

And they’ve noted the occasion by putting a Jim Lee logo on the Google home page today. Jim noted, “It will be the single most viewed image I have ever drawn!”

UPDATE: A full size version of the image. Thanks, Jim!

Chicago Comic-Con To Host John Ostrander Benefit

comix4sight-small1-6989470An auction will be held at the Chicago Comic-Con (nee Wizard World Chicago) the evening of Saturday, August 8, 2009 to raise funds for comics veteran John Ostrander, who is undergoing a series of operations and medical treatments to fight off blindness.

A 27-year veteran of the comics field, Ostrander, has long
been suffering from glaucoma. Recently, John underwent a series of operations that might have saved his remaining eyesight. Progress has been made but he faces considerably more treatment in the months ahead.

To help Ostrander cover his costs, a committee has been
organized called Comix4Sight. Solicitations for the benefit auction have gone out, and the response from the comics community has been overwhelming.

“The cost of these John’s procedures has been astronomical, and are only partially covered by insurance. And by ‘partially,’ I’m being polite,” committee co-chairperson Mike Gold disclosed. “John has to
go up to Boston repeatedly for treatment, and on two occasions thus far he had to spend a week there for the actual surgery.

“Like so many other Americans John is without sufficient
medical coverage to cover these types of expenses; sadly, his insurance will
expire in about a year,” Gold noted. “With the assistance of Peter Katz and
Wizard Entertainment, Adriane Nash, Mike Raub and I have organized a benefit auction to raise funds for John’s medical expenses. We will be having this auction Saturday night at the Chicago Comic-Con to be held at the Rosemont Convention Center near O’Hare Field on August 6th through 9th.”

Original art, signed scripts, comics memorabilia,
autographed books and similar items are being donated to the auction. “Within the first 24 hours we’ve received pledges of contributions including original art and signed books by Howard Chaykin, David Lloyd, Dave Sim, Norm Breyfogle, Dick Giordano, Dennis O’Neil, Hilary Barta, Kevin Van Hook, Mark Badger, Michael Davis, Rick Stasi, Paul Gulacy, Joe Landsdale, and, of course, John’s GrimJack collaborator Timothy Truman. We’re getting commitments every day,” committee co-chairperson Adriane Nash stated.

“We’ve set up a website – www.comix4sight.com
– that will be carrying updated information about both the benefit and the
auction items,” Nash continued. “We’ll also be posting the results of the
auction, and any items that came in too late for the benefit will be auctioned off at the site. We will donate any excess revenue to other comics
professionals suffering from major vision issues or to The Hero Initiative.”

Monetary contributions would also be gratefully accepted by check or through PayPal at www.comix4sight.com.
Individuals and corporations interested in making contributions should send them to:

Mike Gold and Adriane Nash
arrogantMGMS
304 Main Avenue,
#194
Norwalk, CT 06851

One more tragic connection between Michael Jackson and comics

The one Michael Jackson comics reference I haven’t seen mentioned yet is from Wasteland #16 from DC Comics, in a story entitled “Heartshadow” written by John Ostrander and drawn by Rick Magyar. It’s a story where a young fan of “a dark prince named Michael” commits suicide.

Now, in the wake of Jackson’s death, reports are coming in of Michael Jackson fans committing suicide:

Fans of MICHAEL JACKSON have
been hit hard by the star’s death – 12 devotees have allegedly killed
themselves following the tragic news.

The King Of Pop passed away on Thursday (25Jun09) from a cardiac arrest and millions of his fans worldwide went into mourning.

But several of them found it too hard to cope and subsequently
ended their own lives, according to the founder of an online Jackson
fanclub.

Gary Taylor, president and owner of MJJcommunity.com, says, “I
know there has been an increase (in deaths), I now believe the figure
is 12. It is a serious situation that these people are going through
but Michael Jackson would never want this. He would want them to live.

“They (fans) can’t accept it, they feel in some sort of different
reality. I’m stunned that he’s dead. One minute he is coming here for
concerts and the next he is gone. I think the funeral will be where the
reality kicks in that he is gone and won’t be coming back, there will
be a huge depression in the fan community when that happens.”

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2009 Harvey Awards nominees announced

harvey-logo01fullcol1nom-8226752The 2009 Harvey Awards Nominees have been announced with the release of the final ballot, presented by the Executive Committees of the Harvey Awards and the Baltimore Comic-Con. Named in honor of the late Harvey Kurtzman, one of the industry’s most innovative talents, the Harvey Awards recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art. They will be presented October 10, 2009 in Baltimore, MD, in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con.

Nominations for the Harvey Awards are selected exclusively by creators – those who write, draw, ink, letter, color, design, edit or are otherwise involved in a creative capacity in the comics field. They are the only industry awards both nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. Professionals who participate will be joining nearly 2,000 other comics professionals in honoring the outstanding comics achievements of 2008. Thank you to all that have already participated by submitting a nomination ballot.

Final ballots are due to the Harvey Awards by Friday, August 28, 2009. Full details for submission of completed ballots can be found on the final ballot. Voting is open to anyone professionally involved in a creative capacity within the comics field. Final ballots are available for download at www.harveyawards.org. Those without Internet access may request that paper ballots be sent to them via mail or fax by calling the Baltimore Comic-Con (410-526-7410) or e-mailing baltimorecomicccon@yahoo.com.

This will be the fourth year for the Harvey Awards in Baltimore, MD. Our Master of Ceremonies this year will be Scott Kurtz. Look for more details soon on how you can attend the Harvey Awards dinner.

This year’s Baltimore Comic-Con will be held October 10-11, 2009. The ceremony and banquet for the 2008 Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, October 10.

The full ballot is listed below. (more…)

Michael Jackson tribute comic from Bluewater

The company that made all those quick political comics is at it again:

‘TRIBUTE: MICHAEL JACKSON, KING OF POP COMIC BOOK OFFERS LASTING REMEMBRANCE FOR FANS FROM BLUEWATER

To millions he was the King of Pop; one of the world’s most
cherished entertainers and a celebrated international icon. With his
untimely passing, Michael Jackson left an extraordinary and tragic
legacy. Bluewater Productions is paying tribute in October to his
memory and legacy with a special collectors edition biography comic.

The newest addition to the publisher’s critically acclaimed
biography library will trace Jackson’s rise as a musical prodigy with
the “Jackson 5” through last Thursdays sad end. The book will feature
highlights from his storied career and cover his enigmatic private life.

“Michael Jackson’s music served as the soundtrack to countless lives…including mine,” said Bluewater president Darren G. Davis, “His influence on our culture has been profound.”

“TRIBUTE: Michael Jackson, King of Pop,” features a wraparound cover
and foreword by “The Official Michael Jackson Fan Club’s” Giuseppe
Mazzola. Mazzola was also Jackson’s personal friend. The issue is being
written by Wey-Yuih Loh, (Political Power: Colin Powell” and “Political
Power: Joe Biden) and illustrated by Giovanni Timpano (Vincent Price Presents). Noted cover artist Vinnie Tartamella will also provide an alternate wraparound cover.

On the bright side, there won’t be a comic three years down the line where Michael returns because he was in a cave at the beginning of time. Probably.