Tagged: X-Men

Jennifer Lawrence Joins ‘X-Men: First Class’

  • News
  • July 16, 2010

While much attention has been given to Marvel Studios’ ramp up to production on Captain America: The First Avenger and the recasting of Spider-Man, 20th Century-Fox has been making great strides towards repopulating Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Students.

Production is slated to begin in early fall on X-Men: First Class, to be directed by Kick-Ass’ Matthew Vaughn. The latest casting caught our attention as the acclaimed Jennifer Lawrence has signed on to portray Mystique, the tortured shape-shifter. Lawrence is enjoying some of the notices of the year for her work in the independent film Winter’s Bone, currently in theaters. We first discovered her in The Burning Plain and suspect the model/actress will be a stand out in the new cast.

She joins a cast that already includes James MacAvoy as Xavier and Michael Fassbender as Erik Lensherr (Magneto). The story will focus on the philosophical split between the old friends as the issue of mutants around the world becomes more than a scientific curiosity and political talking point.

With Magneto not quite a villain at this point, who will they fight? A character to be portrayed by Kevin Bacon, although his exact nature has fans speculating on his being everything from Arcade to Mister Sinister.

The other mutants to play prominent roles include Emma Frost to be played by the British beauty Alice Eve, Banshee, portrayed by Caleb Landry Jones (No Country for Old Men), Nicholas Hoult (A Single Man) as Henry “Beast” McCoy; and Lucas Till as Cyclops’ brother Havoc. Cyclops, though, has yet to be formally cast.

X-Men: First Class is being sandwiched in for a June 3, 2011 release, a month after the May 6 debut of Thor and Captain America, coming July 22. And of course, two weeks after the mutants return, Ryan Reynolds arrives as Green Lantern. If you thought this summer was a little dull, just wait for next year.

Ten years ago today: ‘X-Men’ released

  • News
  • July 14, 2010

“Are you kidding? Who ever heard of Hugh Jackman? He’s a 6’2 Australian, not a 5’2 Canadian! And he does musicals! How can he play Wolverine? And he’s not even going to be in the costume!”

Yeah yeah yeah. Don’t fib about it, we have archives of you saying it on rec.arts.comics.

Nevertheless, about a half hour into the film that opened ten years ago today, those words were completely forgotten and Jackman was on his way to becoming an international star. And with the comparatively low-budget of only $75 million, X-Men went on to gross nearly double that in the US alone, and spawned a franchise that would gross over a billion dollars worldwide. And suddenly, people believed Marvel characters could actually be translated into successful films… and we’ve all seen the results of that.

So here’s to the scrappy band of mutants that could. Here’s hoping that X-Men: First Class, currently scheduled for June of next year, continues the tradition.

Here’s the trailer for the original film…

Vaughn Reunites with Goldman for ‘First Class’

Marvel properties continue to dominate the media news with word out that Jane Goldman has been added to the writing staff of the 20th-Century Fox’s X-Men reboot, First Class. Last week, Matthew Vaughn signed to follow the delightful Kick-Ass with this fourth film in the mutant franchise. Writers Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz, who wrote Thor, were confirmed as being at work on the film, which has a relatively short production schedule.

Goldman’s involvement was announced via a tweet from husband Jonathan Ross. He posted, “Also, for those who need to know, my wife IS currently writing X men First Class. It’s just referred to as X men 4 around the house…”

Goldman and Vaughn have collaborated on several films in the past so having her on board is a natural step.

No casting has occurred but shooting is expected later this year.

(more…)

Review: ‘X-Men Volume Five’

With [[[Iron Man 2]]] opening on Friday, everyone has decided to jump on the comics bandwagon and is flooding the shelves this week with Marvel-related fare. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment joins in the fun with the two-disc[[[ X-Men]]] Volume 5, completing the classic 1990s animated collection.

The 14 episodes presented here are in airdate order and span 1996-1997 and seasons four and five of the Fox series, which has remained the longest running Marvel animated title. The show was incredibly faithful to the source material, with former X-editor and then-Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras working as a story consultant. The show also had the unqiue aspect of having lengthy sub-plots allowing breadth and depth of subject matter most animated fare previously could not enjoy.

Comparing this to the adaptations of the same stories by the more current [[[Wolverine and the X-Men]]] shows the greater freedoms taken by the new creative staff—and not always for the better.

Given a variety of technical production delays, episodes were prepared out of order and writer Steven Melching always directs fans to the script numbers to show the proper story evolution. Instead, the five volumes have presented the shows in airdate order, which could prove confusing.

The series had horrible vocal casting but at least had strong animation direction. However, when Fox belatedly ordered a handful of additional episodes, Saban farmed out the animation to the Philippine Animation Studio, and the inferior quality is marked as you will see upon rewatching.

Disc one opens with the two-part “Phalanx Covenant” featuring the goofy but loveable Warlock. We switch focus to Omega Red, a then popular foe, in the long-delayed “A Deal with the Devil” which nicely spotlights Wolverine, Storm, and Rogue. Also delayed and finally aired at this point are “No Mutant Is an Island” and “Longshot”. The former treats Jean Grey as still dead although the animated continuity at this point had resurrected her but nothing was done to accommodate this. And while Longshot himself was nicely handled, I never cottoned to Mojo, who is played far too broadly here.

Any real sense of episode to episode continuity is gone by the second disc and the inferior animation is truly sad to see. As highlighted on the box cover, “Old Soldiers” is a flashback to World War II and a Wolverine tale. He partners with Captain America to take down a traitorous American scientist and the Red Skull (of course). The dialogue is nicely handled by Len Wein although the story felt tired.

The additional order did allow for a finale, “Graduation Day”, which saw the anti-mutant prejudice take a decidedly deadly turn as Xavier is fatally shot. Mutants around the world seek a leader and flock to Genosha, looking to Magneto for guidance. The X-Men arrive to solicit his help and Xavier gets a happy ending. He also gets a chance to say farewell to the core X-Men and the viewers, with the series ending on a cautiously optimistic note.

There are no extras on the collection, but if you have the first four volumes, you can’t possibly miss out on this one. 

(more…)

Review: ‘Wolverine and the X-Men – Revelation’

We’re nearing the end of the line with [[[Wolverine and the X-Men]]] as Lionsgate releases the penultimate volume of the six volume DVD set comprising the first, and now only, season of the animated series.

Volume five, [[[Revelation]]], is on sale Tuesday and contains five more episodes adapting themes and storylines from across the comic franchise’s storied history. As with the previous volumes, the latest of which we reviewed back in January, the animation is lean and adequate with stronger vocal casting than the 1990s incarnation.

One of the series’ strengths was in the consistent vision and voice of the writing team anchored by Nick Filippi, Greg Johnson, Craig Kyle, and Christopher Yost. As a result, sub-plots run from episode to episode smoothly and characters are consistent throughout.

We open with “Guardian Angel”, focusing on Warren Worthington’s simmering battle with his father over his destiny, leading to the loss of his wings and seduction by Mr. Sinister. You genuinely feel for Warren’s loss and see his fall from the skies as a tragedy, understanding why he agreed to become Archangel. (I admit to always having had a fondness for the red-and-white uniform he sported until this moment.)

Next up is “Breakdown” which gives us one of the more significant departures from the comics as Jean has been missing and Emma Frost has been helping locate her. Her efforts lead to a largely flashback episode showing us Scott Summers’ origins and his introduction first to Professor Xavier, then the initial [[[X-Men]]], and finally Jean. We also see the manifestation of the Phoenix Force which set up Jean’s current dilemma.

We then skip to one of the mutants’ many possible futures in the amusing “Rover” which involves Bishop and other mutants trying to deal with the rogue Sentinels that have overrun the world. Bishop wants to us their pet robot, Rover, to perform a suicide mission against the Master Mold but Marrow has grown fond of Rover and refuses to give it up. Kind of fun, but also annoying since it remains largely disconnected from the present day tale. The notion that Prof. X is in a 20 year coma and can still communicate with Wolverine and Cyclops is odd. This aspect of the series rings false and contrived, once again showing people just don’t know what to do with the powerful telepath.

Gambit is sent to Genosha to steal Magneto’s helmet in “Aces and Eights”, where the Cajun woos the innocent Lorna in order to obtain his goal. The personalities of Lorna Dane and Scarlet Witch are quite different than their comic book counterparts but they play off one another nicely and offer some of the best dialogue in the show. While largely predictable, it has some fun moments. Counterpointing the lighter main story, we end with Magneto and Senator Kelly being shown the disastrous future their actions are steering humanity towards.

This brings us to “Shades of Grey” the final episode, when Jean is finally located and Emma turns on the team. The action-packed episode also offers up the debuts of : Apocalypse, Sebastian Shaw, Selene, Donald Pierce, and Harry Leland, setting up the final episodes of the season.

Unlike the previous volume, this one shows the writers working a little more subtly with the enormous cast. [[[Wolverine]]] himself is actually merely a participant in these five stories. Overall, these are a mixed bag, more entertaining than not and certainly for diehard mutant fans.

(more…)

Saturday Morning Cartoons: Ultraforce

It’s personal history time folks. This is 100% guilty pleasure from me to you. Ultraforce was the cartoon that led me to my love of comics. You see I saw this cartoon, and days later, my best friend (Unshaven Comics’ own Matt Wright) bought me issue 1 from the back issues at our local comic shop. Thinking that I’d been given a rare gem, I reveled in owning it; And soon thereafter purchased a good chunk of the Malibu comic backlog. All because of this little lost toon.

It only made it 10 or so episodes on syndicated stations. And yes, I know now that these “Original Heroes” (or “Ultras” as they were referred to) were simply allegories for far more popular characters. But hey, based on this opening sequence how could you not love it? From the “swiped directly from the X-Men Cartoon” montage of each character leaping mightily from his or her own nameplate, to the “burst from random building to show your evilness” villain rolecall… You could tell this was a masterpiece in the making. And bonus! This clip gives you a little taste of Prime, Hardcase, and Marvel’s Deathlok some evil mechanical guy!

‘Marvel VS Capcom 3’ A Reality

  • News
  • April 20, 2010

At Capcom’s CAPTIVATE media event in Hawaii last week, they announced what some fighting game and comic book fans have been dreaming of for the past decade: A return to the most successful 2D fighting franchise of all time.  Featuring fighters from Marvel comic in battle against the popular characters from video games published by Capcom, what started as “Street Fighter VS X-men” has gone on to be one of the largest and innovative fighting game franchises ever.  Now, after 10 long years of waiting, we finally get our wish.

Check out the press release after you whet your appetite on the trailer.

(more…)

2010 Eisner Award Nominations

  • News
  • April 8, 2010

The list is out. Pretty straightforward, with a few surprises (No Todd Klein or John Workman for lettering? And was Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader not eligible?)

Our congratulations to all the nominees. We’ll be starting the betting pools in 3… 2…

Best Short Story
•  “Because I Love You So Much,” by Nikoline Werdelin, in From
Wonderland with Love: Danish Comics in the 3rd Millennium
(Fantagraphics/Aben malen)
•  “Gentleman John,” by Nathan Greno, in What Is Torch Tiger? (Torch
Tiger)
• “How and Why to Bale Hay,” by Nick Bertozzi, in Syncopated (Villard)
• “Hurricane,” interpreted by Gradimir Smudja, in Bob Dylan Revisited
(Norton)
•  “Urgent Request,” by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim, in The
Eternal Smile (First Second) 

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)
•  Brave & the Bold #28: “Blackhawk and the Flash: Firing Line,” by
J. Michael Straczynski and Jesus Saiz (DC)
•  Captain America #601: “Red, White, and Blue-Blood,” by Ed Brubaker
and Gene Colan (Marvel)
•  Ganges #3, by Kevin Huizenga (Fantagraphics)
•  The Unwritten #5: “How the Whale Became,” by Mike Carey and Peter
Gross (Vertigo/DC)
•  Usagi Yojimbo #123: “The Death of Lord Hikiji” by Stan Sakai (Dark
Horse) 

Best Continuing Series
• Fables, by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Andrew
Pepoy et al. (Vertigo/DC)
• Irredeemable, by Mark Waid and Peter Krause (BOOM!)
• Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)
• The Unwritten, by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (Vertigo/DC)
• The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard (Image) 

Best Limited Series or Story Arc
• Blackest Night, by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Oclair Albert (DC)
• Incognito, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Marvel Icon)
• Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka, by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki (VIZ
Media)
• Wolverine #66–72 and Wolverine Giant-Size Special: “Old Man Logan,”
by Mark Millar, Steve McNiven, and Dexter Vines (Marvel)
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young
(Marvel) 

Best New Series
• Chew, by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Image)
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick, art by Tony
Parker (BOOM!)
• Ireedeemable, by Mark Waid and Peter Krause (BOOM!)
• Sweet Tooth, by Jeff Lemire (Vertigo/DC)
• The Unwritten, by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (Vertigo/DC) 

Best Publication for Kids
• Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute, by Jarrett J. Krosoczeka
(Knopf)
• The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook, by Eleanor Davis
(Bloomsbury)
• Tiny Tyrant vol. 1: The Ethelbertosaurus, by Lewis Trondheim and
Fabrice Parme (First Second)
• The TOON Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics, edited by Art
Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly (Abrams ComicArts/Toon)
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz hc, by L. Frank Baum, Eric Shanower, and
Skottie Young (Marvel) 

Best Publication for Teens
• Angora Napkin, by Troy Little (IDW)
• Beasts of Burden, by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson (Dark Horse)
• A Family Secret, by Eric Heuvel (Farrar Straus Giroux/Anne Frank
House)
• Far Arden, by Kevin Cannon (Top Shelf)
• I Kill Giants tpb, by Joe Kelly and JM Ken Niimura (Image) 

Best Humor Publication
•  Drinky Crow’s Maakies Treasury, by Tony Millionaire (Fantagraphics)
•  Everybody Is Stupid Except for Me, And Other Astute Observations, by
Peter Bagge (Fantagraphics)
• Little Lulu, vols. 19–21, by John Stanley and Irving Tripp (Dark
Horse Books)
•  The Muppet Show Comic Book: Meet the Muppets, by Roger Langridge
(BOOM Kids!)
•  Scott Pilgrim vol. 5: Scott Pilgrm vs. the Universe, by Brian Lee
O’Malley (Oni) 

Best Anthology
•  Abstract Comics, edited by Andrei Molotiu (Fantagraphics)
•  Bob Dylan Revisited, edited by Bob Weill (Norton)
•  Flight 6, edited by Kazu Kibuishi (Villard)
•  Popgun vol. 3, edited by Mark Andrew Smith, D. J. Kirkbride, and Joe
Keatinge (Image)
•  Syncopated: An Anthology of Nonfiction Picto-Essays, edited by
Brendan Burford (Villard)
•  What Is Torch Tiger? edited by Paul Briggs (Torch Tiger) 

Best Digital Comic
• The Abominable Charles Christopher, by Karl Kerschl, www.abominable.cc
• Bayou, by Jeremy Love, http://zudacomics.com/bayou
• The Guns of Shadow Valley, by David Wachter and James Andrew Clark,
www.gunsofshadowvalley.com
•  Power Out, by Nathan Schreiber, www.act-i-vate.com/67.comic
•  Sin Titulo, by Cameron Stewart, www.sintitulocomic.com/ 

Best Reality-Based Work
• A Drifting Life, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Footnotes in Gaza, by Joe Sacco (Metropolitan/Holt)
• The Imposter’s Daughter, by Laurie Sandell (Little, Brown)
• Monsters, by Ken Dahl (Secret Acres)
• The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric
Lemerier (First Second)
• Stitches, by David Small (Norton) 

Best Adaptation from Another Work
•  The Book of Genesis Illustrated, by R. Crumb (Norton)
• Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species: A Graphic Adaptation,
adapted by Michael Keller and Nicolle Rager Fuller (Rodale)
•  Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, adapted by Tim Hamilton (Hill &
Wang)
•  Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter, adapted by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)
• West Coast Blues, by Jean-Patrick Manchette, adapted by Jacques Tardi
(Fantagraphics) 

Best Graphic Album—New
• Asterios Polyp, by David Mazzuccheilli (Pantheon)
• A Distant Neighborhood (2 vols.), by Jiro Taniguchi (Fanfare/Ponent
Mon)
• The Book of Genesis Illustrated, by R. Crumb (Norton)
• My mommy is in America and she met Buffalo Bill, by Jean Regnaud and
Émile Bravo (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
• The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric
Lemerier (First Second)
• Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter, adapted by Darwyn Cooke (IDW) 

Best Graphic Album—Reprint
•  Absolute Justice, by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, and Doug Braithewaite
(DC)
•  A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge, by Josh Neufeld (Pantheon)
•  Alec: The Years Have Pants, by Eddie Campbell (Top Shelf)
• Essex County Collected, by Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)
•  Map of My Heart: The Best of King-Cat Comics & Stories,
1996–2002, by John Porcellino (Drawn & Quarterly) 

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips
• Bloom County: The Complete Library, vol. 1, by Berkeley Breathed,
edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
• Bringing Up Father, vol. 1: From Sea to Shining Sea, by George
McManus and Zeke Zekley, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW)
• The Brinkley Girls: The Best of Nell Brinkley’s Cartoons 1913–1940,
edited by Trina Robbins (Fantagraphics)
• Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons, by Gahan Wilson, edited
by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)
• Prince Valiant, vol. 1: 1937–1938, by Hal Foster, edited by Kim
Thompson (Fantagraphics)
• Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz, by L. Frank Baum, Walt
McDougall, and W. W. Denslow (Sunday Press) 

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books
• The Best of Simon & Kirby, by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, edited by
Steve Saffel (Titan Books)
• Blazing Combat, by Archie Goodwin et al., edited by Gary Groth
(Fantagraphics)
• Humbug, by Harvey Kurtzman et al., edited by Gary Groth
(Fantagraphics)
• The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures deluxe edition, by Dave
Stevens, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
• The TOON Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics, edited by Art
Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly (Abrams ComicArts/Toon) 

Best U.S. Edition of International Material
• My mommy is in America and she met Buffalo Bill, by Jean Regnaud and
Émile Bravo (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
• The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric
Lemerier (First Second)
• Tiny Tyrant vol. 1: The Ethelbertosaurus, by Lewis Trondheim and
Fabrice Parme (First Second)
• West Coast Blues, by Jean-Patrick Manchette, adapted by Jacques Tardi
(Fantagraphics)
• Years of the Elephant, by Willy Linthout (Fanfare/Ponent Mon) 

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia
• The Color Trilogy, by Kim Dong Haw (First Second) 
• A Distant Neighborhood (2 vols.), by Jiro Taniguchi (Fanfare/Ponent
Mon)
• A Drifting Life, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Oishinbo a la Carte, written by Tetsu Kariya and illustrated by Akira
Hanasaki (VIZ Media)
• Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka, by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki (VIZ
Media)
• Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media) 

Best Writer
• Ed Brubaker, Captain America, Daredevil, Marvels Project (Marvel)
Criminal, Incognito (Marvel Icon)
• Geoff Johns, Adventure Comics, Blackest Night, The Flash: Rebirth,
Superman: Secret Origin (DC)
• James Robinson, Justice League: Cry for Justice (DC)
• Mark Waid, Irredeemable, The Incredibles (BOOM!)
• Bill Willingham, Fables (Vertigo/DC) 

Best Writer/Artist
• Darwyn Cooke, Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter (IDW)
• R. Crumb, The Book of Genesis Illustrated (Norton)
• David Mazzuccheilli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)
• Terry Moore, Echo (Abstract Books)
• Naoki Urasawa, Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, Pluto: Urasawa X
Tezuka (VIZ Media) 

Best Writer/Artist–Nonfiction
• Reinhard Kleist, Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness (Abrams ComicArts)
• Willy Linthout, Years of the Elephant (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
• Joe Sacco, Footnotes in Gaza (Metropolitan/Holt)
• David Small, Stitches (Norton)
• Carol Tyler, You’ll Never Know: A Good and Decent Man
(Fantagraphics) 

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
• Michael Kaluta, Madame Xanadu #11–15: “Exodus Noir” (Vertigo/DC)
• Steve McNiven/Dexter Vines, Wolverine: Old Man Logan (Marvel)
• Fiona Staples, North 40 (WildStorm)
• J. H. Williams III, Detective Comics (DC)
• Danijel Zezelj, Luna Park (Vertigo/DC) 

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)
• Émile Bravo, My mommy is in America and she met Buffalo Bill
(Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
• Mauro Cascioli, Justice League: Cry for Justice (DC)
• Nicolle Rager Fuller, Charles Darwin on the Origin of Species: A
Graphic Adaptation (Rodale Books)
• Jill Thompson, Beasts of Burden (Dark Horse); Magic Trixie and the
Dragon (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
• Carol Tyler, You’ll Never Know: A Good and Decent Man
(Fantagraphics) 

Best Cover Artist
• John Cassaday, Irredeemable (BOOM!); Lone Ranger (Dynamite)
• Salvador Larocca, Invincible Iron Man (Marvel)
• Sean Phillips, Criminal, Incognito (Marvel Icon); 28 Days Later
(BOOM!)
• Alex Ross, Astro City: The Dark Age (WildStorm/DC); Project
Superpowers  (Dynamite)
• J. H. Williams III, Detective Comics (DC) 

Best Coloring
• Steve Hamaker, Bone: Crown of Thorns (Scholastic); Little Mouse Gets
Ready (Toon)
• Laura Martin, The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures (IDW); Thor, The
Stand: American Nightmares (Marvel)
• David Mazzuccheilli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)
• Alex Sinclair, Blackest Night, Batman and Robin (DC)
• Dave Stewart, Abe Sapien, BPRD, The Goon, Hellboy, Solomon Kane,
Umbrella Academy, Zero Killer (Dark Horse); Detective Comics (DC);
Northlanders, Luna Park (Vertigo) 

Best Lettering
• Brian Fies, Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow? (Abrams
ComicArts)
• David Mazzuccheilli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)
• Tom Orzechowski, Savage Dragon (Image); X-Men Forever (Marvel)
• Richard Sala, Cat Burglar Black (First Second); Delphine
(Fantagraphics)
• Adrian Tomine, A Drifting Life (Drawn & Quarterly) 

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism
• Alter Ego, edited by Roy Thomas (TwoMorrows)
• ComicsAlliance, www.comicsalliance.com
• Comics Comics, edited by Timothy Hodler and Dan Nadel
(www.comicscomicsmag.com) (PictureBox)
• The Comics Journal, edited by Gary Groth, Michael Dean, and Kristy
Valenti (Fantagraphics)
• The Comics Reporter, produced by Tom Spurgeon
(www.comicsreporter.com) 

Best Comics-Related Book
• Alan Moore: Comics as Performance, Fiction as Scalpel, by Annalisa Di
Liddo (University Press of Mississippi)
• The Art of Harvey Kurtzman: The Mad Genius of Comics, by Denis
Kitchen and Paul Buhle (Abrams ComicArts)
• The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga, by Helen McCarthy (Abrams
ComicArts)
• Manga Kamishibai: The Art of Japanese Paper Theater, by Eric P. Nash
(Abrams ComicArts)
• Will Eisner and PS Magazine, by Paul E. Fitzgerald (Fitzworld.US) 

Best Publication Design
• Absolute Justice, designed by Curtis King and Josh Beatman (DC)
• The Brinkley Girls, designed by Adam Grano (Fantagraphics)
• Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons, designed by Jacob Covey
(Fantagraphics)
• Life and Times of Martha Washington, designed by David Nestelle (Dark
Horse Books)
• Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz, designed by Philippe
Ghielmetti (Sunday Press)
• Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow? designed by Neil Egan and
Brian Fies (Abrams ComicArts) (more…)

Dave Cockrum estate donates comics to Newark Beth Israel Children’s Hospital

  • News
  • February 22, 2010

dave-cockrum-9145621Kars4Kids, the national
car-donation program that benefits children, and Newark Beth Israel
Children’s Hospital in Newark, NJ, distributed a generous,
unique donation from the estate of Dave Cockrum, co-creator of Marvel
Comics’ popular X-Men series. The donated comics were part of Cockrum’s
personal collection.

“My husband loved to help people—he was
generous to a fault,” said Paty Cockrum, widow of the popular artist
and creator who died in 2006 from complications resulting from
diabetes. “Dave was extremely happy that the characters he created—such
as Storm, Colossus and Nightcrawler—became a part of the childhood
memories of millions of children. He knew that was his legacy. Dave was
also an avid comic book collector. I’m delighted that kids in need will
benefit from his personal collection.”

The comics were given
out on February 19 to children who
are hospitalized.

Kars4Kids
is a national organization providing for the spiritual, emotional and
practical needs of children from impoverished or dysfunctional
families. The national, 501(c)3, non-profit organization was
established in 2000.

Hat tip (and happy birthday!) to Clifford Meth.

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths gets big-screen Premieres on Two Coasts

  • News
  • February 5, 2010

jl-crisis-bd-3dskew-4-5478269Warner Home Video, Newsarama.com and The Paley Center for Media proudly present the bi-coastal World Premieres of Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, the highly anticipated next entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe animated original PG-13 movies, in New York on February 16 and in Beverly Hills on February 18. Filmmakers and members of the voice cast are expected to attend both events.

On February 16, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths will screen at The Paley Center in New York City (25 West 52nd Street) with a media interviews starting at 5:30 p.m. and screening commencing at 6:30 p.m. A panel discussion with filmmakers and voice cast will follow the screening.

On February 18, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths will screen at The Paley Center in Beverly Hills (465 North Beverly Drive) with media interviews starting at 6:00 p.m. and screening commencing at 7:00 p.m. A panel discussion with filmmakers and voice cast will follow the screening.

Media wishing to attend the premieres must RSVP via email to WHVRSVP@gmail.com.

A limited number of free tickets are available for the general public. Fans in New York City wishing to receive free tickets to the NY event on Feb. 16 must RSVP via email to justiceleagueNY@newsarama.com. Fans in the Los Angeles area wishing to receive free tickets to the Beverly Hills event on Feb. 18 must RSVP via email to justiceleagueLA@newsarama.com. Tickets to both events will be distributed on a “first come, first served” basis. 

In Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, a “good” Lex Luthor arrives from an alternate universe to recruit the Justice League to help save his Earth from the Crime Syndicate, a gang of villainous characters with virtually identical super powers to the Justice League. What ensues is the ultimate battle of good versus evil in a war that threatens both planets and, through a diabolical plan launched by Owlman, puts the balance of all existence in peril.

A star-studded cast provides the voices behind the super heroes and villains, led by Mark Harmon (NCIS) as Superman, James Woods (Mississippi Burning) as Owlman, Chris Noth  (Law & Order, Sex and the City) as Lex Luthor, William Baldwin (Dirty Sexy Money) as Batman, Gina Torres (Firefly/Serenity) as Superwoman and Bruce Davison (X-Men) as President Wilson. Other cast members include Josh Keaton (The Spectacular Spider-Man) as The Flash, Vanessa Marshall (Grim & Evil) as Wonder Woman and Jonathan Adams (Bones) as Martian Manhunter.

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is an original story from award-winning animation/comics writer Dwayne McDuffie (Justice League). Animation legend Bruce Timm (Superman Doomsday) is executive producer, and Lauren Montgomery (Wonder Woman, Green Lantern: First Flight) and Sam Liu (Superman/Batman: Public Enemies) are co-directors.

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