Best. News. Ever.

It's been a long week, and an even longer day it feels like, but my world lit up when I found this little tidbit waiting on me at cinescape.com:

TV Shows on DVD has the news straight from Universal Home Video that the first season of QUANTUM LEAP is coming to DVD this spring. The studio will release a two-disc set on June 8 that will retail for $59.98 containing the two-hour pilot and all eight episodes from the first season.

We're told by a Universal rep that an announcement detailing the set's features should be released in the next week and if it will have any commentary tracks by stars Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell

Now, for most folks, things like this just don't make their day. However, this has made my year. This is, without a doubt the best television show, ever. The price does seem a little steep, but I'm sure it'll be on sale somewhere. I'd be willing to shell out $35-$40, which will likely end up being the actual price. Here's hoping they come up with some killer extras to include, and that they keep the sets coming. I don't think I've been this excited in fifteen years.

Other interesting notes on the site were Kevin Smiths involvement with a Green Hornet flick, and Morgan Freeman getting cast in the new Batman movie. Today just turned out to be good all around.

-L

Still writing about Swamp Thing...


Yeah, I'm still slowly making my way through the book. Last night I finished two of the chapters, ending with Swanpy's battle with Arcane. Now, I'm only halfway through, I know, but the battle seemed very anti-climactic to me. Yes, there were things that left you hanging at the end, but we basically only get a few panels of Thing beating the crap out of the guy. Given what he's put our green monster thru in the last few stories, you'd think a bigger ass whooping was in store...

That's probably the super hero fan in me showing thru. I will say I loved it, no matter how short the battle was.

-L

DVD-Day

It's another light week for DVD fans, which is good because after some major shafu with my car, I'm dead friggin' broke. Here's what's headed your way:

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

Having already seen this I can say witha little distance that it's not really a bad movie. By no means is it a great one, but Spade fans should like it, and old TV buffs will get a brief kicki out of seeing former child stars on the silver screen.

Full Metal Panic: Mission 7

The final episodes of this fantastic series, unfortunately I haven't made it past disc three yet. All you anime fans should check this out, it's a must buy.

Masked & Anonymous

Bob Dylan's somewhat acclaimed movie, with a very agreeable cast, but I have my doubts about Dylan's ability to write anything comprehensible. I'll eventually get around to seeing it, but not in the near future.

Roswell: The Complete First Season

Fans of the show have been clamoring for this for awhile now, and they finally get their wish. I've never watched it, so I can't really comment on it.

Runaway Jury

A brilliant cast, and a somewhat interesting plot make this a movie I definitely want to see.

See, a light week. Go forth and purchase!

-L

In awe

This is probably boring to everyone but me, but...

My new favorite television show, Unwrapped (on the Food Network) just had a small "report" on a new product (new to me at least) called Sinfully Delicious. They're dessert pills, designed to give you the full flavor of a variety of desserts, but with only a few calories per pill. I say pill, because that's exactly what they look like. Tiny, flavorful aspirin. Now, for a food (and especially dessert) lover like myself, this is science at it's finest.

I have no idea where you can buy them, but I'm going to assume a web search will turn something up. Supposedly they retail for about $10 a box and contain 12 varieties of dessert. Likely the best personal discovery since Jelly Bellies, years ago. Hmmm...maybe I don't have to do all that exercising anymore. (Hi Cory!)

-L

Out of my blogging mind...

Be back soon.

Seriously, apologies for the lack of blogging recently. My writing attentions have been focused elsewhere, and work has kept me busy, as it always seems to do the first two week of the month. I've been reading alot, but other than Moore's Swamp Thing, nothing has interested me enough to warrant discussing it. Speaking of, finished the second chapter in the trade, and I must say it's truly horrific. It's disgusting, creepy, perverse, and yet it keeps me coming back for more. Or is that for Moore?

Puns aside, tomorrow is DVD-Day, so definitely check back to see what's headed to your local Wal-Mart. Aside from that, the blog will probably end up being me talking Swamp Thing for the next week or so. That is, unless something else interesting happens. So, if you like my opinions on the subject, stick around, I'll be sure to shovel some more on the heap.

-L

More Swamp Thing

Last night I dove into the second trade of Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run, Love and Death. The intro by Neil Gaiman was a surprise, and pretty entertaining in its own right. I only managed to get through the first story, but seeing as how this was my first reading of it (yes, I know, a bit late, aren't I?) I wanted to take my time. "The Burial" proved to be one hell of a read, and will likely go down as one of my favorite stories ever. Moore, in one issue, manages to not only retell the origin of Swamp Thing as it was originally written, but to successfully put the past to rest. The art is as horrifically brilliant as it was in the previous volume, merging with Moore's words to create something truly unique. Watching Swamp Thing confront both the ghost of Alec Holland and the mistake, the fatal mistake, of his past is "haunting" to say the least. Moore manages to give this thing more humanity and emotion than most writers can with actual human characters. Top notch work from a top notch creative team. I'm greatly looking forward to finishing this book.

-L

Old new review

Something like that. I've just finished rereading all of Alan Moores Saga of the Swamp Thing trade, and enjoyed it even more the second time around. For those who haven't read it (why?) it contains two stories or "arcs", both unique and excellent in their own right, and it's almost impossible to actually pick the better of the two. The first is somewhat a "retelling" of Swamp Things origins, with Moore adding his own spin on it, which shocked the hell out of me the first time I actually read it. As old as it is it still remains one of the best, most original ideas I've ever seen in a comic book, at least as far as "super heroes" go. The ensuing battle with the Floronic Man isn't exactly spectacular, but I don't think it was meant to be. Yes there are punches, but in the end the enemy isn't beaten by might, he's beaten by reasoning and his own overzealousness. At least, that's my take on it. Moore's involvement of the Justice League in the story was minimal, and yet his take on the characters is excellent, especially Superman. Now, the second story is just as great, but is more along the lines of a traditional horror book, and that's not a bad thing at all. What shines in the second arc is Moores writing of the Demon, Etrigan. I've never been a big fan, but Moore writes him better in this appearance than probably anyone has since. Like the Justice League, his appearance is played down a bit (tho he has more screen time than they did) so that the true stars of the book actually seem like just that. The story itself is wonderful, a demon that feeds on fear was released accidentally by a boys parents when the were playing with a ouija board. Their child is put in an institution when the demon kills them, and somehow the demon follows, feeding off the other children's fears. It's much better than I make it sound, trust me. While I'll probably read through it again, it may not be for quite sometime. If it's been awhile since anyone out there has picked it up, I suggest you do so, and remember just how great some of those old comics are. This is and will forever be one of the best trades ever published, and contains some of the best work by a true master of the medium. The one thing I didn't touch on was the artwork, but anyone who reads the first fifteen or so pages will quickly realize that Bissette is just amazing, capturing the essence of Moore's tales brilliantly. I could talk about this book for hours...but I won't.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

-L

Second Opinion

Chris Allen had this to say about Ennis' new Punisher title under Marvel's MAX imprint.

I’m not really clear why this title needed to be relaunched under the MAX imprint, as it was plenty violent enough as a Marvel Knights title, but Ennis sure takes advantage of the increased creative freedom. Fittingly, it reprises his origin for new readers, moving quickly to what comprises the largest portion of the first issue, a huge Mafia gala-turned-bloodbath, with La Rosa drawing some of the most graphic and realistic images of bloodshed ever seen in a Marvel book. Dean White’s coloring is a big part of the effect as well, sticking mainly to a realistic palette intercut with panels with a kind of a gold patina to make them stand out more. Issue #2 gives more of the Mafia’s perspective, as the remaining soldiers are scrambling to find new leadership and a plan to take the Punisher out. It’s good, cinematic storytelling, though it’s not yet in service of much of a story. Right now, it’s a reintroduction of Frank Castle and what he does best, which is killing criminals, though long-time fans will be delighted or infuriated at the return of a character not seen in many years. It seems that perhaps the awful final arc by Ennis of the previous volume was perhaps a thumbed nose at Marvel for having to put superheroes into the book, but at any rate, this is the kind of Punisher he’s best at, played straight.

Glad to see I'm not the only one enjoying it. For more by Allen, check out his Breakdowns column, the link has just been added to the right of the page.

-L

New link


I've added a new link to the right, it says My comic strip. Basically it's just a way to kill time or fight boredom. Feel free to check it out, and start one of your own.

I'll be back later with a few comic reviews hopefully.

-L

Another Tuesday

One that isn't going to see very many noteworthy DVD's at that. No matter, I have a few other things to touch on as well, so let's get to it.


In The Cut

I know nothing about this except it stars Meg Ryan looking very unappealing. It has something to do with murder, so it may be a mystery.

Intolerable Cruelty

One of the most disappointing movies of last year comes to DVD in time for Valentine's Day. It's a Coehn Bros. film, and probably worth a look for fans, but be warned, it's not half as clever as any of their other work.

The Lion King 1 1/2

Watch the events from the first film through the eyes of Timon & Pumba. Looks promising, but may end up being a dud. I'll let you know.

Sitting Ducks: Season 1 Quack Pack

Quite the entertaining cartoon, it used to air afternoons on Cartoon Network. I recommend this to anyone with young children, it's very amusing.

Wonderland

Based on the 1981 Wonderland Ave murders, this film features an all star cast, and a promising storyline. It's one I'm really interested in, so expect a review sometime soon.

X-Men Evolution: Powers Revealed

Finally, we get more episodes of this excellent toon on DVD. Sadly, it's been cancelled, but at least they're putting them out to buy.

As for the rest of the news...

Cinescape.com, along with a few other sites, have reported that Bryan Singer and X2 writers Dan Harris and Michael Doughtery have signed on to write Marvel's Ultimate X-Men. This is indeed good news for fans of the series.

Cinescape also reported that we will see the original Star Wars Trilogy on DVD by the end of the year, which is great, except that they will be the remastered versions, which just sucked. Here's hoping the include both cuts of each film.

They also report that the Simpson's movie may finally get made, and that Liam Neeson's name is now attached to the new Batman film, though it's not known who he will be playing.

So, it looks like fairly good news all around.

-L

And where...is THE BATMAN?

Cinescape.com has just posted a couple of images on the new Batman cartoon that is currently in production. According to their reports it will be a "Year Three" atmosphere, showing his first run-ins with some of the better known members of his rogue's gallery. It looks promising, and I love the titile: The Batman. Check it out for yourself over at www.cinescape.com.

-L

Being lazy

I can't decide if I hate it when someone else writes something before me, and better than I can, or if I love it because that means I can be a slacker. ADD just posted this review of Fused #1 on his blog (look to the right, click, then read) and I couldn't agree more. I haven't read the previous entries in the series, and found it fairly easy to jump into. I might pick up #2 this week, if I have some extra cash. So, yeah, here's what Alan said:

Fused #1 -- After four artistically -- uh, diverse issues at Image, Steve Niles relaunches at Dark Horse with new artist Josh Medors. The good news is that the plight of scientist Mark Haggerty -- trapped inside a powerful cyberetic suit that he can't escape and that may have consumed his body -- is as compelling as ever. Niles moves the story along with some interesting revelations about how his body and the suit seem to be evolving in their interaction with each other, and the cliffhanger ending is a shock and a horror. The bad news, in my opinion, is that Medors isn't really suited to the story. Original artist Paul Lee seemed perfectly in synch with Niles and his story, but none of the other artists associated with the series have managed to win me over. The writing is strong enough to bring me back for future installments, but the synergy of the earliest issues of the original series definitely seems to have gone missing. Grade: 3.5/5

It's not a bad book, and if you've got three bucks to spare, it's worth the time.

-L

Speaking of Mr. Moore

Rereading his Saga of the Swamp Thing I discovered these nice little words in his introduction:

"The very first thing that anyone reading a modern horror comic should understand is that there are great econimic advantages in being able to prop up an ailing, poor-selling comic book with an appearance by a successful star. Consequently, all the comic book stories produced by any given publisher are likely to take place in the same imaginary universe. This includes the brightly colored costume adventurers populating their super-hero titles, the shambling monstrosities that dominate their horror titles, and the grizzled cowpoke who's wandered in from a western title through a convenient time warp. For those more familiar with conventional literature, try to imagine Dr. Frankenstein kidnapping one of the protagonists of Little Women for his medical experiments, only to find himself subject to the scrutiny of a team-up between Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. I'm sure that both the charms and the overwhelming absurdities of this approach will become immediately apparent, and so it is in comic books: Swamp Thing exists in the same universe as Superman, the same world as Batman and Wonder Woman and all the other denizens of the cosmos delineated within the pages of DC Comics various publications.

As I said above, this approach has both its charms and absurdities. the absurdities are obvious: to work properly, horror needs a delicate and carefull sustained atmosphere-one capable of being utterly ruined by the sudden entrance of a man in green tights and an orange cloak, especially if as a chracter, he's fond of ouns. The charms are much harder to find, but once revealed, can actually be rewarding. The continuity-expert's nightmare of a thousand different super-powered characters coexisting in the same continuum can, with the application of a sensitive and sympathetic eye, become a rich and fertile mythic background with fascinating archetypal characters hanging around, waiting to be picked like grapes on the vine. Yes, of course, the whole idea is utterly inane, but to let its predictable inanities blind you to its truly fabulous and breathtaking aspects is to do oneself and the genre an injustice"

Quite the words of wisdom there Alan. In a comic book community where fanboys bicker about things fitting where they think they should fit, and how they think they should fit, statements like this may be considered a form of mutiny. I won't dissect the words, I'll only say that they should be read more than once to be fully grasped.

I do want to say that I found this: "For those more familiar with conventional literature, try to imagine Dr. Frankenstein kidnapping one of the protagonists of Little Women for his medical experiments, only to find himself subject to the scrutiny of a team-up between Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot." to be quite interesting, seeing as how Moore went on to write The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. One could wonder which came first...

-L

Now I find something!

Cinescape has just leaked what is quite the big rumor regarding the developing Watchmen movie. If you don't know what Watchmen is, just stop reading now.

"SCOOP 11: 'And, in the WATCHMEN, Sigourney Weaver as the Silk Spectre. Daniel Craig as Rorschach.'

Some months back there were rumors that casting ideas for the WATCHMEN movie were being tossed around, including the intriguing idea of casting John Cusack as The Nite Owl. This is the first rumor we've heard mentioning either Weaver or Craig specifically.

Our scooper added that the role Weaver would play would be the older version of Silk Spectre (the younger Spectre is her daughter and wife of Dr. Manhattan.) Craig played Alex West in the first TOMB RAIDER film and also had roles in ROAD TO PERDITION, ELIZABETH and THE ICE HOUSE. "

Now, keep in mind this is all rumor, nothing has been announced as of yet. This brings up the nightmare that was the League of Extaordinary Gentlmen.

Both were written by the extremely talented Alan Moore, as was From Hell, which was also adapted into a film (and I'll say was much better than The League). Now, with his fans disgruntled by the last two adaptations of his work, one would hope that they won't screw this up.

Ah, will Hollywood never learn?

Want more? Hop on over to www.cinescape.com

-L

Stalking at its Finest

With nothing else to talk about, I direct you once more to ADD's blog where he's just posted a brief interview with Larry Young, writer and publisher extraordinare. This is by far my favorite of Alan's recent "5 Questions" postings. Keep up the great work Mr. Doane.

-L

No witty titles

ADD posted an interview with Dirk Deppey on his own blog recently. They discussed various things coimc book related, and all in all it was a great read. Now we have Neilalien responding to some of those comments on his own site, which I've added to my link on the right. Both should be read right now, especially if you have any interest in the business side of comics. As for my stance, I think both men have some good points, but Neilalien almost echoes my own views on the subject.

www.addblog.com

For the original interview with Dirk.

www.neilalien.com

For the response.

-L

Tuesday I'm in Love

They were wrong, screw Friday's, Tuesday is the love of my life.

Allan Quatermain And Lost City Of Gold
King Solomon's Mines

Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone star in a pair of Indiana Jones-esque movies. Based on the H. Rider Haggard novels, neither movie is particularly bad, but they are very low budget, even for the time period. If action-adventure is your thing, give these a look.

American Splendor

A look at the life of Harvey Pekar, who's autobiographical indy comic book, American Splendor, became a huge success. Sadly, I don't know much about it, but it has been recommended to me by everyone who's seen it. I live in a podunk backwards city that refuses to show stuff like this in their movie theatres, fearful it may actually intice people into leaving I suppose. I will be buying it, and as soon as I watch it I'll let you know what I think.

Gilligan's Island: The Complete First Season

This classic finally gets the season treatment. I'm not really a fan, but this show does have a ton of followers. My only question? Where the Hell is The Andy Griffith Show at?

Lost In Translation

Sophia Coppola's Award winning film arrives on DVD, and I can't wait to see it.

Planet Of The Apes

One of the greatest science fiction movies ever made gets the red carpet treatment in this release.

Secondhand Lions

This one's on my "to see" list as well.

Under The Tuscan Sun

A "chick flick" that may be bearable, I'll let you know.

Avoid like the plague:

My Boss's Daughter

Typical teen crapfest.

Janet Jackson's Jugs

Half the world got to see one of them. There, I've addressed the issue.

Now, on to something else...

I went to Wal-Mart today and was pleasantly surprised to find both the X-Men Legends and Hulk Legends figures on the shelf. I only picked up two, Archangel and Mr. Fixit. The Archangel figure isn't anything special, but Hulk fans should love the Mr. Fixit. He comes with a gun, a removable trenchcoat, and a a removable hat, and is detailed beyond belief. Very cool for fanboys like myself. Anyone with an itch to buy an action figure, this is the best one I've purchased in quite some time. If you've got a kid, just pretend you're buying it for them.

I've also discovered a great show on the Food Network. I don't think I've mentioned it before, and I'm too lazy to look. It's called Unwrapped, and it's basically the history of food, with each episode showcasing different products. It's hosted by Mark summers (you may remember him from Double Dare) and is on almost every night I believe. It's informative for food buffs like myself, and I recommend it to anyone who has time to kill.

-L

The Error of Your Ways

Mr. Doane posted this on his own blog just recently:

Caper #1-4 -- Judd Winick mostly leaves me cold as a writer, and I have given his work multiple choices to impress me. Based on the recommendation of someone I trust (Jim Crocker of Modern Myths in Northampton, Massachusetts), though, and also because of the strengths of artist Farel Dalrymple, I decided to give Caper a look. I'm glad I did, and even more glad that I picked up #1-4 all together, as they comprise the first story-arc of this 12-issue limited series. Winick's story concerns two brothers who end up working for a Jewish mobster in San Francisco in the early 1900s. The surprisingly affecting script involves love, jealousy and betrayal, enveloped in an extraordinarily convincing sense of place and circumstance. Dalrymple -- who you may know from Pop Gun War as a gifted and unique artist -- is well-chosen to depict the clothing, architecture and character of the era. These four issues contain a tight and involving story that moves quickly with no false notes or missed beats. Future issues will move forward in time to reveal the consequences and legacies of the characters in the first four chapters, and I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the saga of Caper. Grade: 4/5

I'd just like to say, I'm glad to see you've come around. Now, for all those that haven't, go read this friggin' book! Unlike Alan, I do tend to like Judd Winick's writing, but this series has been above and beyond everything I've seen from him. This is sure to go down as one of the years best in my book, and if you liked this, I suggest Blood+Water if you haven't already picked it up.

-L

Happy Birthday Alan

I'm sure I'm not the first person, but here's hoping I'm the first blogger to say it. Here's a little present for you on this special day:

The Battle of Shaker Heights

War is hell. Especially if you're a teenager. Shia Laboeuf plays Kelly, a teen with an odd hobby; he reenacts wars. Of course, that's just the window dressing. The movie tells the story of a kid coming to terms with life, his life. Realizing that people make mistakes, and that it's what you do after that that really counts. (I stole that line directly from the movie...) This is the second film from HBO's Project Greenlight, and it's a damn good one. Shia is an up-an-coming name in Hollywood, and very much reminds me of a young Tom Hanks (without the looks). It's also got Amy Smart (The Butterfly Effect) and Elden Henson(The Mighty, and oddly enough, The Butterfly Effect too) along with a few other familiar faces. The acting is great, but the script is what really impressed me. Erica Beeney captures life as a misguided teen perfectly, and deals with all of those problems (bullies, crushes, friends, parents, and virginity, which sadly got taken out of the movie) the "unpopular" and popular alike had in high school. No, it's not the best movie I've ever seen, but as far as teen dramas go, it's one of the best made in quite some time. The coming-of-age elements seem toned down (like the virginity factor getting removed) but all in all I think it's a fine movie, and a valiant effort by all involved. Sadly the DVD had nothing in the way of special features. The inclusion of some commentary by the filmmakers would definitely enhance the film and shine some light onto why some of the harder elements were toned down, and insight by the actors on their roles would've been great. Hell, even a documentary that chronicled the making of the film (since one already exists) would've been great. However, it's quite worth the rental fee.

Yeah, it wasn't really a present, I just didn't want to have to write out another post. I'm lazy.

Anyway, have a great birthday Alan, here's wishing you 38 more.