More Kordey
Newsarama has just posted an interview with Igor Kordey in response to his recent firing. Now, it's somewhat difficult to understand, but as a whole, Kordey is very outspoken about his time at Marvel. Here's hoping he catches on somewhere, or maybe we can get something original out of this, that would be interesting. Check it out at www.newsarama.com
-L
Thursday, February 26, 2004
Kordey
Yesterday I commented on Igor Kordey'd dismissal from Marvel, today ADD weighed in on the subject.
Oh, and Igor Kordey, I am sorry Marvel screwed you, but that's what they do. Don't be so shocked.
Short and to the point. Unfortunately it's also very true. I could stand here and say that we as consumers should not support things like this. That we should boycott Marvel for screwing their employees, but honestly it would get us nowhere. Things like this aren't going to stop until the artists and writers themselves just refuse to work for the company. Now, while I'm no fan of mediocre 90's comics, the guys over at Image had the right idea when they left. "We get treated bad as freelancers, lets start our own company." Maybe that's not exactly the way to go, but it's a step better than continuing to be someones whipping boy. I'm rambling...the point is, until the cretors themselves refuse to be a Bitch to the Big Two, the treatment won't stop. You know what they say, screw me once shame on you, screw me twice, shame on me.
-L
Yesterday I commented on Igor Kordey'd dismissal from Marvel, today ADD weighed in on the subject.
Oh, and Igor Kordey, I am sorry Marvel screwed you, but that's what they do. Don't be so shocked.
Short and to the point. Unfortunately it's also very true. I could stand here and say that we as consumers should not support things like this. That we should boycott Marvel for screwing their employees, but honestly it would get us nowhere. Things like this aren't going to stop until the artists and writers themselves just refuse to work for the company. Now, while I'm no fan of mediocre 90's comics, the guys over at Image had the right idea when they left. "We get treated bad as freelancers, lets start our own company." Maybe that's not exactly the way to go, but it's a step better than continuing to be someones whipping boy. I'm rambling...the point is, until the cretors themselves refuse to be a Bitch to the Big Two, the treatment won't stop. You know what they say, screw me once shame on you, screw me twice, shame on me.
-L
More Movie News
Cinescape.com seems to be on a roll lately. This morning they're reporting that Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and unfortunately Spy Kids) has ALREADY started filming the Sin City movie. (Did anyone even know there was a movie being made?) Based on Frank Miller's comics of the same name, it's not known which book the film is based on, or if it's an amalgamation of a few, or all of them. What is known is that Josh Hartnett has been cast, and the opening sequence has been filmed. Also, creator Frank Miller is getting a co-directing credit on the film. That has to be a first. You can check it out at www.cinescape.com!
Cinescape.com seems to be on a roll lately. This morning they're reporting that Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and unfortunately Spy Kids) has ALREADY started filming the Sin City movie. (Did anyone even know there was a movie being made?) Based on Frank Miller's comics of the same name, it's not known which book the film is based on, or if it's an amalgamation of a few, or all of them. What is known is that Josh Hartnett has been cast, and the opening sequence has been filmed. Also, creator Frank Miller is getting a co-directing credit on the film. That has to be a first. You can check it out at www.cinescape.com!
A movie review!
The Believer
Wow. Based on the true story of a young Jewish man who became a Neo Nazi, The Believer is quite a powerful film. Director Henry Bean (screenwriter for Enemy of the State) serves up this controversial film, and it stars Ryan Gosling (Murder by Numbers) who's performance has been likened to De Niro in Taxi Driver. Can't say I agree with that, but Gosling's portrayal of Danny is very moving. My only beef with the film is that it seemed to only give you Danny's side of the argument, as he rarely interacted with any Jewish intellectuals. However, in his attempts to be both a Jew and a Nazi, one could say that he provides both sides of the story. Where the film really shines for me is the writing, Danny's arguments against Judaism are well thought out, and can be seen as valid. He hates the fact that the religion as a whole is pacifistic, the fact that the Jews as a people have no home to claim, and have always been nomadic, and the fact that the faith contradicts itself in every way. (What religion doesn't?) So, he becomes a Nazi, only to discover that everything he thought he could get away from is present in all social groups, no matter what their cause. Very rarely can you find someone who actually believes in what they are doing, be it praying to God, or killing Jews. Some do it for personal gain, some do it out of habit, while others do it because it is expected of them, or they do it to fit in. When there's nowhere left to turn, Danny realizes that his peace lies in being both a Nazi and a Jew, and it destroys him from the inside out. A great film, deserving of at least a rental. I for one plan on buying it, I'd love to hear the commentary by the director.
-L
The Believer
Wow. Based on the true story of a young Jewish man who became a Neo Nazi, The Believer is quite a powerful film. Director Henry Bean (screenwriter for Enemy of the State) serves up this controversial film, and it stars Ryan Gosling (Murder by Numbers) who's performance has been likened to De Niro in Taxi Driver. Can't say I agree with that, but Gosling's portrayal of Danny is very moving. My only beef with the film is that it seemed to only give you Danny's side of the argument, as he rarely interacted with any Jewish intellectuals. However, in his attempts to be both a Jew and a Nazi, one could say that he provides both sides of the story. Where the film really shines for me is the writing, Danny's arguments against Judaism are well thought out, and can be seen as valid. He hates the fact that the religion as a whole is pacifistic, the fact that the Jews as a people have no home to claim, and have always been nomadic, and the fact that the faith contradicts itself in every way. (What religion doesn't?) So, he becomes a Nazi, only to discover that everything he thought he could get away from is present in all social groups, no matter what their cause. Very rarely can you find someone who actually believes in what they are doing, be it praying to God, or killing Jews. Some do it for personal gain, some do it out of habit, while others do it because it is expected of them, or they do it to fit in. When there's nowhere left to turn, Danny realizes that his peace lies in being both a Nazi and a Jew, and it destroys him from the inside out. A great film, deserving of at least a rental. I for one plan on buying it, I'd love to hear the commentary by the director.
-L
Movie News
Cinescape.com published a couple of interesting tidbits today.
First up:
"Now a new report over at FilmForce turns up the heat another notch. According to the site, their sources report that New Line Cinema is the studio looking at the DEADPOOL movie project, with Millar to write the script, BLADE: TRINITY helmer David Goyer to direct and TRINITY co-star Ryan Reynolds to star as the title character. "
The Millar their talking about would be Mark Millar, comic book scribe extraordinare. For fans of the character such as myself, this is excellent news.
Second was the fact that Underworld 2 will begin later this year. For those that haven't seen the first, go do so, it's one of the most inventive takes on the vampire mythos in quite sometime. Now, like most movies, it has its faults, but overall it's quite excellent, and is definitely one of my favorite films from last year. So much so that I paid to see it six times.
Also of note to comic fans is that artist Igor Kordey has been fired from his current X-Men work, and may have been fired from Marvel as well. Sad news indeed. I enjoyed his run on Cable and Soldier X tremendously, and I certainly hope he moves on to greener pastures, far away from the likes of Joe Quesada and company.
-L
Cinescape.com published a couple of interesting tidbits today.
First up:
"Now a new report over at FilmForce turns up the heat another notch. According to the site, their sources report that New Line Cinema is the studio looking at the DEADPOOL movie project, with Millar to write the script, BLADE: TRINITY helmer David Goyer to direct and TRINITY co-star Ryan Reynolds to star as the title character. "
The Millar their talking about would be Mark Millar, comic book scribe extraordinare. For fans of the character such as myself, this is excellent news.
Second was the fact that Underworld 2 will begin later this year. For those that haven't seen the first, go do so, it's one of the most inventive takes on the vampire mythos in quite sometime. Now, like most movies, it has its faults, but overall it's quite excellent, and is definitely one of my favorite films from last year. So much so that I paid to see it six times.
Also of note to comic fans is that artist Igor Kordey has been fired from his current X-Men work, and may have been fired from Marvel as well. Sad news indeed. I enjoyed his run on Cable and Soldier X tremendously, and I certainly hope he moves on to greener pastures, far away from the likes of Joe Quesada and company.
-L
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Thank God it's Tuesday
However, it seems like DVD releases or on the decline, as there are very few interesting things heading your way this week.
Burns & Allen Comedy Collection
One of three "classic" shows hitting this week. Both of which still hold up, strongly, against the comedies of today.
The Dick Van Dyke Show: Season 3
This is the second. Like I said, both are just pure comic genius.
Chappelle's Show: Season One
I thought this came out a few weeks ago. Hmmm...I could be wrong, or it could have been delayed. Anyway, this is sketch comedy at its finest. If youmiss the old SNL, then this show is probably for you.
Jack Benny Comedy Collection
Another classic, this one's worth checking out for fans of older television, very funny stuff.
Matchstick Men
Nicholas Cage and Sam Rockwell star in this flick, which I know nothing about. They're con men, and Sam Rockwell always kicks ass in whatever role he's in. If those two things float your boat, go rent it.
The Missing
Another recent film I haven't seen. It's directed by ron Howard, which is never a bad thing, so I may have to give it a chance.
Avoid like the plague:
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
Unless you're five, it won't be interesting. I promise.
That does it for this week. I've been really lazy about posting movie reviews lately, hopefully that will change, as I've watched a ton of films in the last few days.
-L
However, it seems like DVD releases or on the decline, as there are very few interesting things heading your way this week.
Burns & Allen Comedy Collection
One of three "classic" shows hitting this week. Both of which still hold up, strongly, against the comedies of today.
The Dick Van Dyke Show: Season 3
This is the second. Like I said, both are just pure comic genius.
Chappelle's Show: Season One
I thought this came out a few weeks ago. Hmmm...I could be wrong, or it could have been delayed. Anyway, this is sketch comedy at its finest. If youmiss the old SNL, then this show is probably for you.
Jack Benny Comedy Collection
Another classic, this one's worth checking out for fans of older television, very funny stuff.
Matchstick Men
Nicholas Cage and Sam Rockwell star in this flick, which I know nothing about. They're con men, and Sam Rockwell always kicks ass in whatever role he's in. If those two things float your boat, go rent it.
The Missing
Another recent film I haven't seen. It's directed by ron Howard, which is never a bad thing, so I may have to give it a chance.
Avoid like the plague:
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
Unless you're five, it won't be interesting. I promise.
That does it for this week. I've been really lazy about posting movie reviews lately, hopefully that will change, as I've watched a ton of films in the last few days.
-L
Sunday, February 22, 2004
Cover to Cover (Part 2)
Chapter Five: Fun City
First of all, I'm an idiot, Chapter Six isn't in this book, so looks like this'll only be a two parter. Lucky You.
This chapter opens with shots of the Vegas nightlife, peppered with a boxing commentators words. We see a billboard announcing the fight which the man is speaking about. Typical stuff. Until you turn the page.
The image of (presumably) Cassius Clay knocking the Wildcat (yes, that Wildcat) to the canvas is simply stunning. Like I said, Cookes art is very fluid, but this is just unbelievable. We see Ted fall, only to be saved by the bell. Then, in the next round he comes out swinging. He KO's Clay in one punch. In his own words: "I'm Ted friggin Wildcat Grant. This is my fight. These are my people. And tonigh, for one last time, I am their champion." The images are just sunning, especially Ted standing victorious in the middle or the ring.
Now, during that we're treated to a small conversation between Bruce, Selina, Dinah, and Ollie. It's fairly obvious who they are, even for an unknowledgable person like myself. After the fight it gets more interesting. At the after party we get Hal Jordan, Rick Flagg, and Lois Lane, as well as the others. There's also brief mention of Grants JSA buddies, along with Superman.
The next parts are straight, classic super hero moments. Barry Allen's chatting it up with his girl Iris, who happens to be attending the party. Captain Cold crashes said party and we get to see the Flash race to the scene. Now, above anything I've seen in the two issues published, Cooke's Flash is amazing. He captures the motion, the brashness, the quick thinking, the wittines, everything that the original Flash was, and everything he should have been. If his Superman is spot-on, then his Flash is perfection perfected. On top of that he manages to make Captain Cold look menacing in a time before people even knew what a "revamp" was. Not only doesFlash save the day, but he makes it snow in Las Vegas. Like I said, classic super hero stuff, and I mean classic.
The final pages are a closer examination into Hal Jordan's life. Honestly, nothing that I didn't already know, and nothing that wasn't fairly obvious. Pappy (someone else I'm not familiar with) revealing that he'd set Hal up with a job at Ferris Aircraft seemed pretty important, and my guess would be that it's leading up to the origins of the Green Lantern (duh!) The second part of the issue moved much faster than the first, amazingly enough, but the art seemed more complex, like there was more to take in. The two shots of Wildcat I mentioned were amazing, as was Flash's race to Vegas, and his fight with Capt. Cold. The parts discussing the "polotics" of the time period were very interesting, but much too short in my opinion.
I think where the first issue's story really blew me away, the art is what made this one so great. Funny, because I thought the art would end up being the only thing I liked about the series. Now, here Cooke has drawn me into the story, and then dazzled me with his ability to tell that story with pictures.
This will be one of the best series ever to see print, period. If you're not reading it you're missing out on perhaps the truest super hero story to come along in years, not to mention the most beautiful. Am I over analzying it? Perhaps. Am I not analyzing it enough? I'd say definitely, but I plan on coming back to this again, and again, and again.
It's not Watchmen, but in my opinion, it's shaping up to be one of the few stories since then that can, and will stand the test of time.
-L
Chapter Five: Fun City
First of all, I'm an idiot, Chapter Six isn't in this book, so looks like this'll only be a two parter. Lucky You.
This chapter opens with shots of the Vegas nightlife, peppered with a boxing commentators words. We see a billboard announcing the fight which the man is speaking about. Typical stuff. Until you turn the page.
The image of (presumably) Cassius Clay knocking the Wildcat (yes, that Wildcat) to the canvas is simply stunning. Like I said, Cookes art is very fluid, but this is just unbelievable. We see Ted fall, only to be saved by the bell. Then, in the next round he comes out swinging. He KO's Clay in one punch. In his own words: "I'm Ted friggin Wildcat Grant. This is my fight. These are my people. And tonigh, for one last time, I am their champion." The images are just sunning, especially Ted standing victorious in the middle or the ring.
Now, during that we're treated to a small conversation between Bruce, Selina, Dinah, and Ollie. It's fairly obvious who they are, even for an unknowledgable person like myself. After the fight it gets more interesting. At the after party we get Hal Jordan, Rick Flagg, and Lois Lane, as well as the others. There's also brief mention of Grants JSA buddies, along with Superman.
The next parts are straight, classic super hero moments. Barry Allen's chatting it up with his girl Iris, who happens to be attending the party. Captain Cold crashes said party and we get to see the Flash race to the scene. Now, above anything I've seen in the two issues published, Cooke's Flash is amazing. He captures the motion, the brashness, the quick thinking, the wittines, everything that the original Flash was, and everything he should have been. If his Superman is spot-on, then his Flash is perfection perfected. On top of that he manages to make Captain Cold look menacing in a time before people even knew what a "revamp" was. Not only doesFlash save the day, but he makes it snow in Las Vegas. Like I said, classic super hero stuff, and I mean classic.
The final pages are a closer examination into Hal Jordan's life. Honestly, nothing that I didn't already know, and nothing that wasn't fairly obvious. Pappy (someone else I'm not familiar with) revealing that he'd set Hal up with a job at Ferris Aircraft seemed pretty important, and my guess would be that it's leading up to the origins of the Green Lantern (duh!) The second part of the issue moved much faster than the first, amazingly enough, but the art seemed more complex, like there was more to take in. The two shots of Wildcat I mentioned were amazing, as was Flash's race to Vegas, and his fight with Capt. Cold. The parts discussing the "polotics" of the time period were very interesting, but much too short in my opinion.
I think where the first issue's story really blew me away, the art is what made this one so great. Funny, because I thought the art would end up being the only thing I liked about the series. Now, here Cooke has drawn me into the story, and then dazzled me with his ability to tell that story with pictures.
This will be one of the best series ever to see print, period. If you're not reading it you're missing out on perhaps the truest super hero story to come along in years, not to mention the most beautiful. Am I over analzying it? Perhaps. Am I not analyzing it enough? I'd say definitely, but I plan on coming back to this again, and again, and again.
It's not Watchmen, but in my opinion, it's shaping up to be one of the few stories since then that can, and will stand the test of time.
-L
Saturday, February 21, 2004
Cover to Cover
Let's call this an experiment. Hopefully it will be a successful one, and hopefully it won't be a boring one. I've just finished reading DC: The New Frontier #2 for the secondtime, and have decided to to a very lengthy "review" of it. Now, before I start I should say two things: one, there might be spoilers, though a book like this really doesn't have "spoilers" and two, my knowledge of the DCU especially its history, is very, very limited, so I'll try not to make any assumptions about something I'm not sure about.
Okay, we can start with the cover, which I'll foolishly admit threw me off at first. I honestly had no idea what it was. Funny, isn't it. Of course, after looking closely I realized that it was part of Flash's costume...but then I noticed that it wasn't just that. The beakers and the vials, the "explosion" at the end of the lightning bolt, the crimson-black color surrounding what could conceivably be the moon...Darwyn Cooke has given us the origin of the Flash right on the cover. Now, I may just be slow, maybe everyone picked up on that as soon as the saw it, but I didn't. I think it may very well be one of the best covers I've ever seen.
The inside cover has one of those "Duck and Cover" adds that were so common in the time period, which also adds a bit more nostalgia to the book, not that it needs anymore. So, here we are, Book Two: Strange Adventures.
Chapter Four (hard to believe Cooke covered three chapters in the last book, but it was sure long enough) Gods and Monsters. How fitting. Cooke begins the issue with a "retelling" (could be a re-imagining" for all I know) of how the Martian Manhunter came to Earth. Now, Jonn is very recognizable, but he's also quite creepy.
From there we go to Superman, who has happened upon a massacre of sorts, in Indo-China. Further investigation reveals Wonder Woman is somewhat responsible. We get a small tale of how she freed some captured women, then gave them an option to avenge themselves. They did so, and harshly. Diana's speech hits close to home when Kal asks how she could stand by and watch, that she was supposed to set an example. Diana's reply: "What, hand them a smile and a box of flags? Their families, their mates...their children were murdered before their eyes. This is civil war. I've given them freedom and a chance for justice...the Amercian Way!" She could very well be talking about modern problems, not just those of years past.
After that we return to Jonn, acclimating himself with American culture, which is quite humourous, especially the use of another Warner property, Bugs Bunny. When he happens to catch a detective show (Mike Hammer no less) he decides that's what he'll be, Det. John Johns
From there we have a small series of events (one panel each) showing the origin of Flash, Russias first venture into space and Eisenhower's pledge to stop communism and to advance our own space program.
Then we go back to Gotham (two years later by now) to find John Johns and a private detective named Slam, hot on the trail of some kidnappers. Slams comment that "John is the only honest cop in Gotham, other than that new guy, Gordon," lends itself nicely to the nostalgic feel. He also comments on the hokeyness of Johns' comments, "corny as a comic book," he says.
When they do make it to the kidnappers hideout, they discover they've been beaten to the punch. Here we have our first look at Batman in action. What's really interesting here is that not only does this serve as our intro to Batman, but when the place catches fire we also get the chance to discover Johns only real weakness.
When Bats takes down the leader of the cult, Cooke lets his characters describe the horror, as opposed to letting the art do it for him. Here, less is indeed more. Slam describes Batmans handling of the crook as such: "I've seen my share of hard candy. I was a jarhead i the Pacific. There was even a time I collected for the juice man to make ends meet. But this--this bat-guy, he made my blood run cold."
The fact that Batman scares the very kid he's trying to save was a nice touch too. I'm not sure about the next part, as Johns picks up a locked book the cult had, and their leader is screaming about "the centre." Hopefully it's a dangling plotline that will get wrapped up, otherwise it's a piece of DC history I'm unfamiliar with.
End Chapter Three. I'll take a moment to comment on the visuals for it right now. Cooke's Wonder Woman is hands down the best I've ever seen. She seems much more like a warrior than the T&A object she's become. His Manhunter is creepy in alien form, and very "hard-boiled" as a human, very cliched, which is the effect he's going for. In fact, Johns appearence and demeanor reflect how the rest of the world percieved America to be. Cooke's Superman is spot-on, reminding me very much of the old Fleischer cartoons (definitely not a bad thing). The panels with Wonder Woman and Superman are quite interesting, seeing her basically take charge of the situation, not backing down from "the man." Very, "women's lib" kind of thing, without beating you over the head with it. His Batman seems to almost move on the page, and is almost as creepy as his Manhunter. In fact, all the art seems very "fluidic." it's almost like watching an old newsreel or one of those old serials. The fact that Bats doesn't say a word makes his appearence that much better.
Told you it would be long...and that's just the one chapter. Perhaps I'm in over my head, so I'll break these up. Chapter five later, that'll give me a bit more time to collect my thoughts on it, maybe reread the book again, then maybe I'll get to six by tomorrow.
-L
Let's call this an experiment. Hopefully it will be a successful one, and hopefully it won't be a boring one. I've just finished reading DC: The New Frontier #2 for the secondtime, and have decided to to a very lengthy "review" of it. Now, before I start I should say two things: one, there might be spoilers, though a book like this really doesn't have "spoilers" and two, my knowledge of the DCU especially its history, is very, very limited, so I'll try not to make any assumptions about something I'm not sure about.
Okay, we can start with the cover, which I'll foolishly admit threw me off at first. I honestly had no idea what it was. Funny, isn't it. Of course, after looking closely I realized that it was part of Flash's costume...but then I noticed that it wasn't just that. The beakers and the vials, the "explosion" at the end of the lightning bolt, the crimson-black color surrounding what could conceivably be the moon...Darwyn Cooke has given us the origin of the Flash right on the cover. Now, I may just be slow, maybe everyone picked up on that as soon as the saw it, but I didn't. I think it may very well be one of the best covers I've ever seen.
The inside cover has one of those "Duck and Cover" adds that were so common in the time period, which also adds a bit more nostalgia to the book, not that it needs anymore. So, here we are, Book Two: Strange Adventures.
Chapter Four (hard to believe Cooke covered three chapters in the last book, but it was sure long enough) Gods and Monsters. How fitting. Cooke begins the issue with a "retelling" (could be a re-imagining" for all I know) of how the Martian Manhunter came to Earth. Now, Jonn is very recognizable, but he's also quite creepy.
From there we go to Superman, who has happened upon a massacre of sorts, in Indo-China. Further investigation reveals Wonder Woman is somewhat responsible. We get a small tale of how she freed some captured women, then gave them an option to avenge themselves. They did so, and harshly. Diana's speech hits close to home when Kal asks how she could stand by and watch, that she was supposed to set an example. Diana's reply: "What, hand them a smile and a box of flags? Their families, their mates...their children were murdered before their eyes. This is civil war. I've given them freedom and a chance for justice...the Amercian Way!" She could very well be talking about modern problems, not just those of years past.
After that we return to Jonn, acclimating himself with American culture, which is quite humourous, especially the use of another Warner property, Bugs Bunny. When he happens to catch a detective show (Mike Hammer no less) he decides that's what he'll be, Det. John Johns
From there we have a small series of events (one panel each) showing the origin of Flash, Russias first venture into space and Eisenhower's pledge to stop communism and to advance our own space program.
Then we go back to Gotham (two years later by now) to find John Johns and a private detective named Slam, hot on the trail of some kidnappers. Slams comment that "John is the only honest cop in Gotham, other than that new guy, Gordon," lends itself nicely to the nostalgic feel. He also comments on the hokeyness of Johns' comments, "corny as a comic book," he says.
When they do make it to the kidnappers hideout, they discover they've been beaten to the punch. Here we have our first look at Batman in action. What's really interesting here is that not only does this serve as our intro to Batman, but when the place catches fire we also get the chance to discover Johns only real weakness.
When Bats takes down the leader of the cult, Cooke lets his characters describe the horror, as opposed to letting the art do it for him. Here, less is indeed more. Slam describes Batmans handling of the crook as such: "I've seen my share of hard candy. I was a jarhead i the Pacific. There was even a time I collected for the juice man to make ends meet. But this--this bat-guy, he made my blood run cold."
The fact that Batman scares the very kid he's trying to save was a nice touch too. I'm not sure about the next part, as Johns picks up a locked book the cult had, and their leader is screaming about "the centre." Hopefully it's a dangling plotline that will get wrapped up, otherwise it's a piece of DC history I'm unfamiliar with.
End Chapter Three. I'll take a moment to comment on the visuals for it right now. Cooke's Wonder Woman is hands down the best I've ever seen. She seems much more like a warrior than the T&A object she's become. His Manhunter is creepy in alien form, and very "hard-boiled" as a human, very cliched, which is the effect he's going for. In fact, Johns appearence and demeanor reflect how the rest of the world percieved America to be. Cooke's Superman is spot-on, reminding me very much of the old Fleischer cartoons (definitely not a bad thing). The panels with Wonder Woman and Superman are quite interesting, seeing her basically take charge of the situation, not backing down from "the man." Very, "women's lib" kind of thing, without beating you over the head with it. His Batman seems to almost move on the page, and is almost as creepy as his Manhunter. In fact, all the art seems very "fluidic." it's almost like watching an old newsreel or one of those old serials. The fact that Bats doesn't say a word makes his appearence that much better.
Told you it would be long...and that's just the one chapter. Perhaps I'm in over my head, so I'll break these up. Chapter five later, that'll give me a bit more time to collect my thoughts on it, maybe reread the book again, then maybe I'll get to six by tomorrow.
-L
Friday, February 20, 2004
Patch Drury
You don't know him. I don't really know him, but he's a pretty smart man. In my opinion, much too smart to be doing what he does for a living, but that doesn't really matter. Here's what he had to say about Mel Gibson's new film The Passion of the Christ, or the controversy surrounding it, I should say.
All that being said, last night I watched Mel Gibson being interviewed by Diane Sawyer for an hour. An hour I'll never get back. If it weren't for the cute girl in the room, I probably wouldn't have lasted for the full program. At any rate, I just can't believe there's a controversy here. Some folks are worried that the film might fuel anti-Jewish sentiment. That would certainly be awful if it happened but come on. I don't think video-games made those kids at Columbine shoot their classmates and I don't think this movie will make people rush out and persecute Jews. There's real and genuine hate that exist in our world and it doesn't need and excuse to show itself. If you watch a movie where a group of Jews kill Jesus and as a result you take it upon yourself to exact revenge on the behalf of Christ - then, let's be honest, it was really only a matter of time before your clothes hamper talked you into it anyway.
I'll be adding a link to his blog tomorrow, hopefully. It's always worth a read, especially for people who like "slice of life" stories. Check it out.
-L
You don't know him. I don't really know him, but he's a pretty smart man. In my opinion, much too smart to be doing what he does for a living, but that doesn't really matter. Here's what he had to say about Mel Gibson's new film The Passion of the Christ, or the controversy surrounding it, I should say.
All that being said, last night I watched Mel Gibson being interviewed by Diane Sawyer for an hour. An hour I'll never get back. If it weren't for the cute girl in the room, I probably wouldn't have lasted for the full program. At any rate, I just can't believe there's a controversy here. Some folks are worried that the film might fuel anti-Jewish sentiment. That would certainly be awful if it happened but come on. I don't think video-games made those kids at Columbine shoot their classmates and I don't think this movie will make people rush out and persecute Jews. There's real and genuine hate that exist in our world and it doesn't need and excuse to show itself. If you watch a movie where a group of Jews kill Jesus and as a result you take it upon yourself to exact revenge on the behalf of Christ - then, let's be honest, it was really only a matter of time before your clothes hamper talked you into it anyway.
I'll be adding a link to his blog tomorrow, hopefully. It's always worth a read, especially for people who like "slice of life" stories. Check it out.
-L
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
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
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
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
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
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
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
Monday, February 16, 2004
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
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
Sunday, February 15, 2004
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
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
Saturday, February 14, 2004
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
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
Friday, February 13, 2004
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
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
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
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
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
Monday, February 09, 2004
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
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
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
Thursday, February 05, 2004
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
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
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
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
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
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, February 03, 2004
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.
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
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
Monday, February 02, 2004
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
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
Sunday, February 01, 2004
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.
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.
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