Tagged: Wizard World Chicago

Moonstone and Dynamite Both Publishing ‘The Phantom’

the-phantom-6078668While last weekend’s Wizard World Chicago convention didn’t feature much in the way of news, there were a few announcements that had people talking. Among them was Saturday’s announcement by Dynamite Entertainment that the publisher had acquired the rights to Lee Falk’s The Phantom comic strips. The announcement created quite a buzz, as publisher Moonstone Books was under the impression that they still had the license to The Phantom.

Well, according to ICv2, both parties are correct, as neither publisher owns the exclusive rights to the character, and both plan to publish Phantom stories down the road… which should be interesting.

When Dynamite Comics announced that it was publishing a Phantom comic book at Wizard World Chicago, a Moonstone representative contacted by ICv2 was unaware of the changes in the Phantom publishing program. But after the show, Moonstone contacted King Features and discovered that neither Moonstone or Dynamite had an exclusive license, so Moonstone could continue with its publishing program.

 

Take Your Picture With The Incredible Hulk

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  • June 30, 2008

I just found a website that I’m having a lot of fun with. HulkOutWithVault.com is promotional tie-in between The Incredible Hulk movie and green energy drink soda Vault. It’s the digital equivalent of boardwalk cutouts. Upload a photo with a face into one of four Hulk movie backgrounds, then send them to your friends for all to enjoy.

Since ComicMix Managing Editor Rick Marshall tirelessly works to make sure my posts are decipherable, and graciously contributed his image to one of the Wizard World Chicago 2008 photo galleries, I decided to use him as my demo.

The image posted here is Rick partying with the ol’ Jade Giant himself. More pictures are posted after the jump.

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Wizard World Chicago 2008: Photo Gallery Wrap-Up

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  • June 30, 2008

Sure, we already posted several sets of photos from the weekend (WWC Gallery 1, WWC Gallery 2, WWC Gallery 3), but after unpacking our gear and beginning to unwind from the show, we discovered a few more photos on the cameras of various members of the ComicMix crew. My favorite of the bunch (and the one that convinced me another gallery was necessary) is posted here, and the rest can be found after the jump.Oh, and please pardon the shakey, blurred photos — these are just the images we pulled off our various camera phones over the course of the weekend.

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Yes, that’s Blade reading a copy of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer omnibus. Seriously, we couldn’t have planned a better image than this one…

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Wizard World Chicago 2008: Day Three Report

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  • June 30, 2008

wwchicago007_00-9642588The booths are broken down and all that’s left of this year’s Wizard World Chicago convention are empty mylar bags blowing in the wind and streets littered with Marvel Comics promo cards.

Sunday was another slow one on the show floor, with many creators (and a few retailers) packing up and bailing out well before the 5 PM close of the show.

So what were the highlights of the last day?

First on the list would certainly be Guest of Honor Warren Ellis completing a grueling schedule of signings that seemed to have him in action for a significant chunk of each day — with far more signings than any other creator in attendance, as far as I could tell. As I mentioned in my Day One Report, this was Avatar’s show, and that was no less the case on Day Three than it was on Day One.

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WWC Interview: ‘World War Z’ Writer Max Brooks

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  • June 29, 2008

maxbrooks-3100333To some, it may seem unusual to find Max Brooks, the author of the very popular novels The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z at a convention devoted mostly to comic books. But really, it isn’t that hard to understand. Both of Brooks’ books deal with zombies, a very popular creature among comics and pop culture fans.

Recently, Brooks’ novel World War Z was optioned by Paramount Pictures for actor Brad Pitt’s company Plan B to produce. He’s also hard at work writing the graphic novel adaptation of the historical zombie attacks featured in The Zombie Survival Guide — which is being packaged by Avatar Press.

I sat down with Brooks on Saturday to talk about zombies, his love of history, his latest project and why translating his work into a graphic novel was one of the hardest things he’s ever done.

COMICMIX: So Max, you’re a writer of two successful novels. What are you doing at a comic book convention?

MAX BROOKS: I have my first comic book, a graphic novel based on the reported attacks in the Zombie Survival Guide, that I’m doing with Avatar. That’s what I’m doing here at this convention.

CMix: How did you hook up with Avatar Press?

MB: i was stalked by William Christensen, who heads Avatar Press. He cornered me at another show and said he really wanted to work with me and i said "i would really love to work with you, too. Who are you?" But then we talked and he gave me some samples of artists and i really liked what i saw and thought we could work together.

I ended up going with this one artist because i liked his work the most and i thought it looked the most realistic, which was important for me.

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Wizard World Chicago 2008: Photo Gallery – More Costumes

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  • June 29, 2008

c2008-chris-ullrich-14Previously on ComicMix, we featured galleries of photos from Wizard World showcasing the general "flavor" of the show and some cool costumes. And now, because even more fanboys and fangirls made their presence known on Saturday, we’ve got another gallery of costume photos for you.

From Frylock to Blade to C-3PO, these costumes prove that no matter what your favorite character is, if you’re determined to make a costume and show up at a convention as that character, you can. As always, be sure to check back for more photos and other coverage of the event.

And if you’ve missed our previous coverage of the event, here’s a list of our reports thus far:

Wizard World Chicago 2008: Mondo Marvel Panel Report

ComicMix Radio: Direct From Chicago – Marvel Exclusives and Sneak Peeks

Wizard World Chicago 2008: Marvel Ultimates Panel

Wizard World Chicago 2008: Photo Gallery – Part 1

Wizard World Chicago 2008: Day One Report

Wizard World Chicago 2008: Photo Gallery Pt. 2 – Costumes

ComicMix Radio: Wizard World Chicago Day Two – Sadness and Confusion

WWC Interview: Josh Blaylock on ‘Vampire Hunter D’

Wizard World Chicago 2008: Day Two Report

 

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Wizard World Chicago 2008: Photo Gallery – Part 1

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  • June 28, 2008

c2008-chris-ullrichAs ComicMix online managing editor Rick Marshall pointed out earlier today, the team is currently in Chicago at Wizard World, neck deep in panels, festivities and events.

So far, the show has been chock-full of photo opportunities. From comic book artists and writers to the Joker, harem girls, Imperial Stormtroopers and professional wrestlers, the show has got a little something for everyone — as long as you happen to be a fan of the Joker, harem girls, Imperial Stormtroopers and professional wrestlers.

Be sure to check back throughout the weekend for more galleries featuring costumes, celebrities and creators.

 

 

 

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Viral Marketing and ‘Futurama: Beast With a Billion Backs’

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  • June 25, 2008

The Earth is being invaded!… sort of. While Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs hit DVD shelves this week, the giant titular beast, Yivo, (pictured here) has been making his way across America all this week with "invasions" in various cities.

From ilovebender.com:

CENTURY CITY, CA – The Yivo invasion has arrived! Crash landing in key markets nationwide, Yivo has a tentacle span of 20 feet, and will be in constant tentacle motion! In Boston, Detroit, San Diego, Minneapolis and Chicago, each Yivo inflatable will be accompanied by “Space Babes” who will be distributing out-of-this-world promotional items, including T-shirts, tattoos and signed DVDs.

A “Mega-Invasion” is approaching Philadelphia when a 30-foot-tall Yivo takes over Love Park. In addition to “Space Babes” and giveaways, visitors will have a chance to meet Bender himself and get “Yivo-ized” via green screen!

According to various reports, Yivo’s next big invasion is planned for Wizard World Chicago this weekend. You can find out more about Yivo, shlis or shler lovers, check out shlis or shler (trust me, I’m typing that correctly) on MySpace and Facebook. You can also check out my ComicMix review of Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs.

 

Sure You Can Go Home Again, by Mike Gold

  • News
  • June 23, 2008

13341-1147056I always thought Thomas Wolfe was full of shit. Of course you can go home again. Heck, with the Internets you can bring home with you wherever you go.

As I commence to pack for Wizard World Chicago this coming Thursday through Sunday, I am planning out my schedule to the tunes from WXRT Radio, one of the last of the commercial progressive radio stations, still a comparatively cool experience even though it’s now owned by CBS, or whatever they’re calling themselves this week. I just had a light lunch consisting of imported Vienna Hot Dogs – the awesome ones in the natural casing that even my most chauvinistic New York buddies gobble up – while eating a bag of Jay’s potato chips , the original potato chip created by Leonard Japp at the very specific “request” of Al Capone. No kidding.

I’m playing with my schedule so that we might be able to attend a performance of Bloody Bess, the play written by John Ostrander and William J. Norris (as told on ComicMix). I only saw it about a million times during Stuart Gordon’s original run. I’m also playing around with post-convention amusements for my fellow ComicMixers as we go about our business in the Midwest. The far-famed Taste of Chicago will be occupying the downtown lakefront, and there’re the usual architectural thrills and gangland haunts. There’s also at least a dozen brilliant comic book shops out there the likes of which I rarely see anyplace else. And, of course, there are a lot of people we work with who either live in the vicinity or will be there for the show – Hilary Barta, Andrew Pepoy, George Hagenauer, Len Strazewski, Chris Burnham, Doug Rice, Peter B. Gillis, Jim Engel, Peter David… to name but a very few. I wonder if Dan DiDio will be there?

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John Ostrander’s ‘Bloody Bess’ Retakes The Stage

bloody20bess20website20art-2634988Way back in the dark ages, Stuart Gordon directed a play for his Organic Theater written by ComicMix’s own John Ostrander and our pal William J. Norris called Bloody Bess. It starred Dennis Franz, Joe Mantegna and Meshach Taylor along with writer Norris – writer Ostrander was pressed into service once when he wasn’t performing at the Goodman Theater with Del Close. The play was about this lady pirate’s revenge on her kidnappers and had lots of swashbuckling and mystery and terror. I saw it only about nine times.

It toured all over the world, but eventually, like all stage plays, it faded. And like all good stage plays, Bloody Bess is making its triumphant return.

Between June 13 and July 20, Chicago’s BackStage Theater Company will be presenting Bloody Bess at The Storefront Theatre Gallery 37, 66 East Randolph Street, downtown near Lake Mighigan. It stars Eva Swan, Ron Kuzava and Scott Graham. They work on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and on Sundays at 3 pm.

Hmmm… This will be going on during Wizard World Chicago. If you’re around, check it out. 

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