Goliath!?

An 'Incredible' 40 Years! Hulk-mania Part 1

2008-06-12T17:22:00.007-06:00

In the spirit of complete anticipation for this Friday’s premier of The Incredible Hulk, directed by Louis Leterrier and featuring Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross and William Hurt as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, I have decided to produce a series of posts on everyone’s favorite savage beast. Today I’m gonna take the time and go over some features of The Hulk’s origins, as well as give a brief overview of how the character has progressed in the Marvel Universe over the decades.

The Incredible Hulk #1 hit shelves in May of 1962, with its title star making his very first historical appearance, and was created by Marvel masterminds Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. It told the tale of how Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, a scientist working on a project to create a gamma bomb, would save the life of a young boy and, in the process, become transformed into a rampaging giant green monster when the bomb exploded accidentally. Reverting to savage impulse, the misunderstood Hulk would wreak destruction wherever he went, causing him to become the target of police and military efforts, often lead by General ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross, in order to halt his destructive impulses. The only people able to calm the savage beast within the Hulk was Betty Ross (General Ross’ daughter) and Bruce Banner’s friend (and the boy whom he saved from the original gamma blast) Rick Jones. Rick Jones could be said to be The Hulks true sidekick.

The initial run of The Hulk was cancelled after a mere six issues. However, within a year The Hulk was re-instituted into the Marvel Universe, as a founding member of The Avengers. His run with The Avengers lasted their first two issues, where he then returned in issues 3 and 5 as an antagonist. You cannot truly ever control the savage beast. The Hulk’s run of comics began in earnest, introducing such villains as Abomination (who will be the primary focus for the villain in this Friday’s ‘The Incredible Hulk’ movie) and the Leader. By March 1966, issue #77, The Incredible Hulk became one of Marvel’s first heroes to have their alter ego publicly known in the Marvel Universe.

Over the years, primarily in the 1980’s and 1990’s, writers and artists of The Hulk began toying with reasons for The Hulk’s aggressive tendencies. In October 1984, during the series “His Crossroads of Eternity” (which ran from issues #300 - #313), the current writer in charge of the Hulk, Bill Mantlo, explored the idea that Banner had suffered child abuse when he was younger. This became a fully recognized element to help explain the motive behind the transformation of Dr. Banner into The Hulk. It was soon decided that Banner suffered dissociative identity disorder (DID), possibly stemming during his years of abuse when he was younger, which is very similar to a multiple personality disorder. This explains the different personalities of the Hulk over the years.

From a savage beast full of anger, to a ‘puny human’ doctor, to the Vegas enforcer Joe Fixit (or ‘Grey Hulk’), Bruce Banner held within him conflicting personalities. Finally, in January of 1991, issue #377, writer Peter David revamped the Hulk once again. This time, using hypnosis and the aid of one Dr. Samson, the pieces of Banner’s identities were able to become fused. A new Hulk with the vast power of the Savage Hulk, the cunning of Joe Fixit, and the intelligence of Bruce Banner; a vastly more dangerous Hulk.

The Hulk continued on, until finally, in 2006, a secret group of Marvel’s topmost heroes calling themselves the Illuminati and consisting of Dr. Strange, Professor Xavier, Sub Mariner, Black Bolt, Reed Richards and Iron Man, decided finally that the Hulk was an impending threat to humanity. With his new (and unknown to him) status as a potential risk to Earth, Hulk was sent on a mission into space where his spaceship malfunctioned, sending him crash-landing onto what was supposed to be an abandoned planet. However, due to a slight trajectory malfunction, Hulk instead landed on the planet of Sakaar. Here, with the help of a bit of muscle power, he usurps the throne of Sakaar from it’s tyrannical leader and reigns supreme over this world. However this was not to be, as the vessel he landed on explodes, destroying Sakaar’s capital as well as his wife and unborn child. With vengeance in his heart, Hulk returned to Earth to take his revenge on the Illuminati.

Once back on Earth, after causing panic amongst Earth’s people and amongst the heroes there, The Hulk was eventually subdued, and taken into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody, much of his former anger abated. Only very recently has he escaped from imprisonment in order to fight new menaces.

The Hulk has taken on many changes since his original creation in the 60’s. He has gone through multiple style changes, personality changes and has even fought on both sides of the field. There are few other heroes on the Marvel Stage that have made as large of impacts onto regular continuity as The Hulk has. He has also had a very impressive list of film and television appearance. A TV series from 1978 – 1982, a movie entitled ‘The Incredible Hulk Returns’ (TV film) in 1988, ‘The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (TV film) in 1989, ‘The Death of the Incredible Hulk’ (TV Film) in 1990, a segment in ‘The Marvel Superheroes’ (an animated series) in 1966, a full animated series in 1982, and an updated animated series in 1996, a movie entitled ‘Hulk’ in 2003 (directed by Ang Lee) and now, on Friday, ‘The Incredible Hulk’.

Quite an impressive resume - we’ll see how this pans out!

The Dirt on Tokyopop

2008-06-09T11:35:00.002-06:00

On June 2, a week ago today, Tokyopop announced a sort of splitting of their company. Tokyopop is literally THE Manga company, and are responsible for most (if not all) the translated material we get here in North America. They have decided that they will spin off their comics-to-film and digital operations into a new company, called Tokyopop Media LLC.

Publishing, which will still remain with Tokyopop Inc., will be reduced by around 50%, reducing output to only 200-250 titles per year. Tokyopop had over 500 titles. This move has required the ‘reducing of their workforce’ by 39 employees, however the executive level will also see some changes.

ICv2 reports that “Group President and COO John Parker will take over as Publisher at Tokyopop, Inc. Marco Pavia, previously Director of Marketing, has been promoted to Associate Publisher. Mike Kiley, who has been serving as Publisher at Tokyopop Inc., will take over as the key senior executive in Tokyopop Media.

If you think about all this, however, it seems to make sense. Out of 500 titles per year, dropping it to 200-250 means only halting the translation of the ones who don’t nearly do as well anyways. Guaranteed the top 200 are the breadwinners with Tokyopop, where the last few are lucky to sell a few hundred copies. The market is simply diluted with far too much material out there to absorb! By separating resources into this new venture, Tokyopop will be able to fully focus on success in the two departments that mean something currently.

50% of the company can now focus solely on producing these excellent titles, while the other 50% can fully focus on their job of bringing these materials to the big or small screen, and onto the internet in unique ways. As we can all see, when Marvel made their big push into entertainment, it was pure gold for them. With Tokyopop now able to focus on comics-to-film, we can expect to see big things coming from them through different forms of media.

ICv2 has a new article up just today of a particularly insightful interview they had with Mike Kiley, the former Tokyopop Publisher who will be taking a ‘yet-to-be-named’ position at Tokyopop Media. I urge you to read it!

‘C’ is for Comic Books - An Encyclopedia Blitz!

2008-06-05T11:09:00.009-06:00

I think it started sometime in 2006. Yes, that’s when the Marvel Encyclopedia was published by DK Publishing. I have a handy copy of it right here, and as I flip through I can tell you that this is a pretty in-depth look at the Marvel universe and her characters. More than a thousand articles in here.

I’ll agree with a friend of mine and allow that Deadpool doesn’t get nearly the page space he deserves... still a very comprehensive look, however.

The Marvel Vault, published by Running Press, followed suit in 2007. The ‘Museum-In-A-Book’ did extremely well during the holiday season, and traced the history of Marvel from the Golden Age all the way to present day. Nearly 70 years of history and over 30 pieces of removable memorabilia – such as old trading cards, reprints, artwork, etc. – all in a book. Makes you feel like a kid again just by opening it and exploring the treasures inside.

This is why Running Press will be releasing ‘The DC Vault: A Museum-In-A-Book’ this October! Following the success of its predecessor, The Marvel Vault, Running Press has ordered a huge first printing of 100,000 copies of this new Vault collection. There will be tones of extras to be found in this vault, such as exact reproductions of early sketches, memos and even a working model of a 1942 Junior Justice Society of America Decoder!

How cool is that?!

Look for that one in stores in October for roughly $50.00!

DK Publishing won’t be missing the boat this holiday season
either, as they will be releasing a thoroughly informative collaboration to follow up on the Marvel Encyclopedia! DK’s The Vertigo Encyclopedia ($30.00) will be a 240-Page, full color hardcover edition will be out for the holidays and will most definitely be a top seller. In here you will find all of the primary Vertigo labels such as Hellblazer, The Sandman, Preacher, Swamp Thing, Fables, and Y: The Last Man. That’s not all, there will be tones of other articles on other Vertigo properties. Look to the shelves this holiday for this one to add to your collection!

But DK’s not done yet! With the success yet again of its Marvel Encyclopedia, DK is coming back with Marvel Chronicle (roughly $50.00)! It’s a 352-page, year-by-year accounting of the history of the Marvel Universe! From its early days all the way up to the recent events of Civil War and Secret Invasion! Along the way it will also note the key events of our time to coincide with what comic books were being published in those years. This book will be a great idea for those who wish to find out just how Marvel found themselves in the position they are today – how they and their characters built up so much steam to become the true marvels they are today.

So a bunch of encyclopedic knowledge about comic books will be out for the holidays this year. So throw away your Encyclopedia Britannica – there wasn’t much in those anyways – and make some shelf space for a whole new set of books containing all you need to know about the comic book titans of history!

Marvel Wants More ‘King’

2008-06-04T11:23:00.002-06:00

It’s simple fact that Stephen King’s novels are sheer gold when it comes to comic book adaptations. Each issue of the series has sold no less than 100,000 copies and has remained in the top 3 sellers since the initial release. With this incredible success, Marvel has taken it as a signal and has announced a licensing agreement with Doubleday in order to continue their work with Stephen King.

What’s next on the list?

The Stand: The Complete and Uncut Edition. The adaptation is based off of Stephen King’s novel, which is a post-apocalyptic tale set in America after a virus has wiped out 99.4% of all humanity. It tells of two separate bands of survivors, struggling against each other to survive.

The book which the series will base itself off of has sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide, and it is expected that with the previous success of The Dark Tower series as a comic adaptation, this will do equally well if not better. Robert Aquirre-Sacasa (Fantastic Four) is set to adapt the novel and Harvey Award-winning artist Mike Perkings (who was the artist for Captain America) will illustrate the series.

You can expect the first issue of this new series to hit stores in September!

Wake The Dead

2008-06-04T11:16:00.003-06:00

Mary Shelly once warned of the “over-reaching” of man. In her story, Frankenstein, she told the tale of a scientist creating and bringing to life a new being – similar to a man but larger and physically better – from dead body parts. The story unfolded with the monster being shunned and feared by the local populace. However, in the end, the monster is merely misunderstood. He is truly suffering from immense solitude, hatred and remorse. When his master dies, he too ends his suffering.

This is the feel that Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) took with his graphic novel: Wake The Dead. The graphic novel is a re-imagining of the classic Frankenstein tale, where life is created from what was dead.

And now it is to become a movie! From the looks of it, the production crew is STACKED with talent.

Holding Pictures has acquired the rights to do the film, which has already hired names such as James V. Hart (August Rush, Hook, Bram Stoker’s Dracula) to pen the screenplay and Jay Russell (The Water Horse, Ladder 49, Tuck Everlasting) to direct. WETA studios, which have done previous work on The Water Horse and, of course, on the Lord of the Rings trilogy of films, will be handling the visual effects for Wake The Dead.

Charlie Lyons (The Water Horse, Firewall) has been set to produce the film, and can be quoted saying, “The idea is to make a classic horror film, and what I liked was the combination of Jay, in a genre he's wanted to experiment in for some time, with Jim, who is particularly skilled at this kind of voice, and with a world created by Steve, who has become a classic in the graphic novel world."

Charlie Lyons will personally fund and finance the film through the end of principal photography, giving this creation a big chance at coming to life.

Disney Creates Graphic Novel Medium

2008-06-03T11:40:00.004-06:00

Walt Disney Studios is now launching Kingdom Comics, through which they will begin to adapt graphic novels for the big screen. Also, it will be Kingdom's job to handle work on rejuvenating Disney's live action film properties. ICv2 reports that 'Disney Publishing will have the first option to publish the material, although Kingdom will be able to take its packages elsewhere if Disney declines to publish.'

This means that Kingdom Comics will be creating new graphic novels and characters and optioning their creations for film adaptations. Also they will be taking movies from the Disney Vault and re-imagining them as graphic novels.

Who knows what we will find turning up in graphic novel form in the future? Perhaps a Davey Crockett graphic novel series? I think that would be pretty awesome. Loved that film when I was but a boy. Ooooh. Old Yeller would be awesome.

Kingdom Comics will be headed by Ahmet Zappa (Check IMDB to see what he's been in. He's also written 'The Monstrous Memoirs of a Mighty McFearless' which is also being considered for a film. Ahmet is also currently executive producer of a Fraggle Rock feature), Harris Katlemen (His key to fame is when, from 1980 - 1992, he ran 20th Century TV which developed The Simpsons during that time), and Christian Beranek (who founded Silent Devil).

So far no writers or artists have been signed on, but that will likely change soon.

The Deal with D&D

2008-06-02T23:22:00.007-06:00

As some of you may know, the definitive table-top RPG (Role Playing Game) of our time - and inspiration for countless works of fiction, cinema and video games - is releasing its highly anticipated 4th Edition on Friday, June 6. Dungeons and Dragons, created by Mr. E. Gary Gygax and Mr. Dave Arneson, was originally released in 1974 and has grown in every way since then.

For those who have no clue what this game is all about, I will give a quick rundown of what the game entails.

Players create their own character along a provided guideline, allowing for a large amount of creativity. The leader of the game session, named the 'Dungeon Master' (DM), controls the games progression. His/her job is to tell a story, through which the players' created characters quest in order to achieve glory and riches by defeating various monsters that the DM throws at them. Actions are controlled through the use of various die rolls, especially the all-important d20 - the 20-sided-dice.

This game is all done verbally, and use of the imagination is called on frequently and is of key importance to the success of the game. Many visual components have been produced over the 34 years of this game's existence to aid adventurers in completing their campaigns to the utmost satisfaction.

And now, 34 years later, Dungeons and Dragons has created a 4th edition of rules, updating and fixing the many issues that have built up over previous editions. With such new additions as an online component, this release is expected to be HUGE.

With D&D Insider, which I believe comes out to 9.95/month for a subscription (if purchasing a year) grants the user access to a veritable plethora of online material - the best part being the online game table. The game table will allow a DM to host a session of Dungeons and Dragons online with (from what I hear) up to 15 people. With the online aid, rules and procedures will be literally at your fingertips for easy access. A voice chat system will allow for the game's demand for verbal interaction, although instant messaging will no doubt be available. The game table itself will represent an actual dungeon which may be fully customized; every monster, every spike trap, every treasure chest and even the dungeon layout.

Players will be able to create their own characters, controlling everything from facial features, armor, how they stand, etc. The game will then place this newly created character as a playable figurine on the virtual game table. No more worries for the artistic impaired. The use of this character designer means you'll never again have to ask your friends to draw your character!

Unfortunately everyone must wait for June 6th for this release. However, on May 23 it was reported that Buy.com was shipping out copies of the new core rulebooks - 2 weeks ahead of schedule. Wizards of the Coast - the company handling the release of this new edition - released a statement that they take these matter seriously and that they were looking into the matter.

In the mean time, the books have wound up on various Bit Torrent sites. Regardless of this fact it is expected that paper copies of the product will still do exceptionally well, if not even better because of the additional hype over this early leak.

3 days ago now, however, ICv2 reported that the 4th Edition has gone back to the printers in order to handle the demand of the release this Friday. They report that the sell-in of this new edition has been 50% higher than Edition 3.5, and now Wizards of the Coast must compensate for this flux in sales.

You can currently pre-order your own copy of the core rulebooks either separately or in this convenient gift set. Amazon.ca currently has the set listed at $76.23 Canadian before shipping, and each book separately listed at approximately $25 Canadian apiece.

On another note, the guys over at Penny Arcade and PVP got together with Wizards of the Coast in order to do some online advertising, etc. They were able to sit down and play a session of the new edition, and went through a few of the new changes in play. This session will be released in a series of podcasts, of which the first you can see here. Accompanying this escapade is some official D&D artwork drawn by Scott Kurtz (PVP) and Mike Krahulik (Penny Arcade). Go check it out! It's both informative AND funny!

Movie on tap for Witchblade

2008-06-02T22:51:00.002-06:00

It looks like another comic is on the slate for movie production. Witchblade - a comic that's been around since 1995 and has become wildly successful around the world (it is now printed in over 20 languages), has been dished out for production via a partnership of Top Cow Productions, Arclight Films and Platinum Studios.

The Witchblade is a jewel encrusted gauntlet that, when wielded by someone worthy, forms a symbiotic relationship with it's host. Those unworthy, however, lose their arm.

The gauntlet itself is alien in origin, and is the offspring of the universes two opposing aspects: Light and Dark. The gauntlet is male, and in order to balance, it must have a female host. When wearing the Witchblade, it has a tendancy of ripping one's clothes off and surrounding it's host by expanding in size to protect her in a sort of armor - the amount of armor depending on the threat level of a foe.

So... to summarize... a very scantily clad woman kicking a lot of ass, wearing anywhere from huge amounts of armor to barely anything at all. Just wanted to make sure I got that...

The gauntlet itself has many many unique properties as well, including forming into different forms of weaponry. It also has the ability to heal wounds, even those that would certainly kill a person.

A two-year TNT cable network television program ran shortly after the release of a made-for-TV movie in 2000. This, however, will be the first silver screen appearance of the Witchblade.

It should be noted that the poster you see posted is merely a teaser poster released by the production companies. Casting has not yet been completed, so the woman you see there is simply a stand-in.

Batman: The Dark Knight

2008-06-02T00:54:00.005-06:00

Hands down one of my most anticipated movies this year. After how incredible of a job they did on Batman Begins, I can’t help but think that this movie will be even better – if only for the addition of (the late) Heath Ledger as the Joker. I’m not sure if you have seen the Batman trailer, however I’m assuming if you’re reading this blog you must have by now. Watch it in QuickTime format here.

The thing I’m most impressed about in regards to this movie is the impressive (possible overload) of viral marketing. The campaign they have gone through to promote this movie has been nothing short of breath-taking. Let me see…

There’s Why So Serious, where currently you can take a personality test to see if you qualify to be one of the Joker’s thugs. There’s the Gotham Times, where you can go and read the Gotham newspaper to catch up on current events in Gotham. Ha Ha Ha Times goes hand in hand with this, where you can view a doctored, vandalized version of the same newspaper articles.

And then there’s a number of obscure and professional looking websites such as The Gotham National Bank website, The Gotham City Rail website and The Gotham City Police Department website. With that last one, there is also We Are The Answer – a website devoted to citizens of Gotham reporting claims of dirty cops and corruption.

Then there’s "I Believe in Harvey Dent" - the Harvey Dent campaign website! Harvey Dent, we all know, is the man destined to become Two Face, and is played by Aaron Eckhart.

Lastly there’s a very… realistic website devoted to a student reportedly killed by Gotham gang violence, called Remembering Gina.

How can you not look on all of these websites (all of which have offered so many different hints over the past few months) and not admire this massive marketing campaign? I mean sure, a lot of people don’t like to go on scavenger hunts in order to discover a little piece of information, but just the fact that there are so many ways to accidentally stumble onto a piece of their marketing is incredible.

Anyways.

If even the acting and script quality of the first film can remain intact for this second installment, then Batman: The Dark Knight will win the superhero opening weekend fight over Hulk or Iron Man. With the addition of Mr. Ledger as the Joker (and from what we’ve seen from the trailers – the best damned Joker EVER) and Mr. Eckhart as Harvey Dent, this movie promises to have a far more complex, and far darker plotline than any other Batman movie before. If they put even half the effort into the movie that they put into marketing... this one will be money.

See you at the theatre!

Iron Man vs. Batman

2008-05-31T11:45:00.004-06:00

I know many others out there have already caught the eerie similarities between Iron Man and Batman. Alright, maybe not so eerie, however it is oddly coincidental for the top two grossing superhero movies this summer. Let me assure you, Batman: The Dark Knight WILL be a top grossing film this year. Sadly Hulk will have nothing on these two.

I mean let’s go over the facts, here.

Iron Man is a billionaire. Batman is a billionaire.

Iron Man is a playboy socialite. So is Batman.

Iron Man has Jarvis, his butler (though in the film they basically gave Pepper his role and made Jarvis into the AI in his suit and lab). Batman has Alfred, his butler.

Both don’t actually have superpowers. They merely… use their money and go traipsing around flaunting the fact they could become heroes because they were rich and had some time on their hands.

Iron Man lost his parents. Batman lost his parents.

Iron Man has his sidekick, War Machine. Batman has his sidekick, Robin. War Machine > Robin.

Iron Man has the Avengers. Batman has the Justice League.

The only thing Batman has that Iron Man does not is an extra 30 years and 4 more movies.

In total, Iron Man did 100.8 million dollars not including international sales. Indiana Jones nabbed 126.1 million dollars. How will the Batman sequel do in the box office? You can bet it will land somewhere in between. I doubt it will beat out the almost 3 decade’s worth of hype and anticipation of Indiana Jones, however it does have a lot of free advertising surrounding the death of Heath Ledger. My money down on 119 million, give or take 2 or 3 +/-.

A friend of mine showed this little clip to me a little while back. It’s basically everything I just talked about in the form of a PC vs. Mac commercial. Enjoy!

The Golden Avenger

2008-05-31T11:23:00.005-06:00

What can I say about that movie? I know it’s been out for quite some time now, but I was in Mexico so now is the time to post my personal review. Marvel bet the bank on this production, and it marked the first Marvel superhero movie to be completely controlled and produced by them. Literally they put their own intellectual property on the line if the movie went south.

They needed to make this movie all that it could be. They certainly succeeded.

The script was nothing less than phenomenal. It was quick, it was witty, it was funny yet not childish and it was serious when it needed to be. I’ve realized, though, that any script given to Mr. Downey Junior automatically becomes excellent merely through how he reads his lines. To say that Robert Downey Jr. was destined for this role as Mr. Tony Stark… would be quite accurate. The cosmos MEANT for him to play this role, and he did it justice.

Then we had quite a few supporting actors/actresses who also did their part to make this movie great. I was very skeptical about Gwyneth Paltrow playing Stark’s secretary, Pepper Potts. Although I am sure I am right when I say that she was chosen simply to drag in Paltrow fans who would not normally see a superhero movie (above many other more qualified actresses who would have fit the role, I digress), I found I actually enjoyed her in the role. She did good, though a few of my friends would say different.

Is it just me, guys out there, or did she look smoking hot for a good chunk of that movie? I’ve never thought that way of her before…

Terrence Howard held the role of Rhodes, and I found his voice a bit too… soft. I looked past it. He’s going to be awesome in the next film anyways as War Machine. Jeff Bridges did very well as Tony Stark’s corporate partner-turned-bad guy. I like that dude’s voice. Very intimidating.

I didn’t go into Iron Man with extremely high expectations, because my heart might have shattered if one of my favorite superheroes was destroyed much as Spider-Man was. I came out of that theatre brimming with new hope for ALL of the upcoming Marvel-made superhero movies.

And now for a couple of ***SPOILERS***, to round this off.

I’m sure many others caught the allusions toward the Mandarin’s rings? Because that terrorist group was one of (I’m assuming) 10 groups calling themselves ‘The Ten Rings’. Raza (the leader of the group that captured Tony) would always be casually stroking the ring on his right hand ring finger – a massive red stone.

Alright folks, time to geek it up a notch. Bonus points if anyone can remember what that ring was supposed to be able to do…

It was a ‘Disintegration Beam’ ring. It has the power to literally destroy the links between atoms of anything it hits, at a recharge time of 20 minutes. Powerful stuff! Perhaps we’ll be seeing more of the 10 rings terrorist groups in the upcoming Iron Man 2, as well as The Mandarin, who in the comics gathered all 10 rings to control ultimate power and summon the dreaded dragon, Fin Fang Foom!

And that scene after the credits? Marvel Entertainment is definitely pushing their comic book genius. Tying together movies as they would comics… You can bet that Mr. Samuel L. Jackson will most likely make an appearance in the Incredible Hulk movie later this summer, recruiting yet one more member to the Avenger Initiative.

Did you HAVE to go there, George?

2008-05-30T11:42:00.004-06:00

Where to begin? That would be the first question one would ask oneself, perhaps, after viewing the newest installment of the Indiana Jones franchise: “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”. I suppose I WILL begin by stating that this post will include some spoilers, so here we go:

***SPOILER ALERT***

So what makes Indiana Jones… Indy? The first thing that comes to mind when asked that particular question is his mischievous smirk that comes right before doing something so mind-bogglingly risky that it leaves you with a lingering “wow” escaping your lips. That and a bunch of witty one-liners to ease any situation.

What else defines Indiana Jones? Well… Nazis. I know most people would say, “Well Temple of Doom didn’t have Nazis…” and to that I say ‘touché’. Temple of Doom certainly did NOT have Nazis. This, however, is why Temple of Doom still stands as my least favorite of the original three movies, though I definitely respect it and cherish it as if it were my child… though my third favorite child.

That would mean this newest film was the unexpected mistake of a child… but I digress.

Alright so what’s my beef with the newest Indiana Jones film? For one I thought the script to be nothing less than trash. It all seemed a bit… not Indy. Where were the witty one-liners throughout? That was a small part, I suppose. What really bothered me was the general plotline. Here is where the primary spoiler comes.

Aliens?

Really?

As soon as I came to realize this, which didn’t take long (You discover this fact not long into the movie), I knew that Mr. Lucas had left his greasy fingerprints all over this. Was Star Wars not enough that you would have to put your damned extra-terrestrials into everything you do now? We get it! You made Star Wars! Want a cookie?

I honestly don’t know why Steven and Harrison agreed to do this story… I mean there are tonnes of other artifacts and ancient stories that could have been more… archaeological. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the past Indiana Jones films had a certain feeling of awe surrounding ancient artifacts and the power flowing from them. An alien skull seems a bit… I don’t know… I guess it would have made a better X-Files film.

Another thing that bugged me about the newest installment was the unbelievable factor. Some would say “What, and triggering an elusive trap and running away from a boulder wasn’t unbelievable?” or maybe even “What, just because Short Round claims there are “No more parachutes!” you are able to survive a 20+ story fall from a plane with only an inflatable dingy?”. Again - touché. But to survive not once, not twice, but thrice over waterfalls of ascending magnitudes… there seems to be a problem. I mean sure a couple could have survived. Perhaps the younger folk. But for crying out loud, one was an invalid! He probably couldn’t even wipe his own ass in that state let alone be able to swim and get back into that car-turned-white-water-raft. Again I digress.

The whole Alien thing really turned me off of what, in my opinion, Indiana Jones should be. Harrison Ford did a great job once again as Indy. He can still fill those shoes. It’s just the script didn’t allow Ford to do it justice. It wasn’t the same Indy.

By the end of the film I was half expecting a light-saber battle and Han Solo jumping out of nowhere proclaiming he was Indy’s great, great, great, etc. grandfather. Maybe even a bit of Jar Jar Binks in there somewhere.

It just wasn’t… epic enough. Raiders and Last Crusade had the whole “If we don’t find this thing first, the world is going to end.” This one merely had a “If we don’t find this thing first, some chick is gonna be super smart, but she’ll die anyways cause she can’t handle it.” Although it always happens. They got that right, at least. Bad guy still gets there, tries to utilize whatever object, and meets their untimely end.

Oh and one last thing. A refrigerator? I don’t care if it’s lead lined. That was just… was it really necessary?

Sigh. Some things, I think, are best left alone – preserved in their glory.

Showtime

2008-05-30T11:38:00.002-06:00

And... back.

It's been a wild month what with Mexico and hospitals, etc. Long story short, the hiatus ends now.

I've got a line-up of movies to review, some old, some new and some forthcoming. Got some book reviews rattling around here somewhere. Got some news coming out of every orifice around here that's been stacking up for a month now.

All will be revealed! Stay tuned!

Whew!

2008-05-07T13:12:00.002-06:00

Wow, sorry for the crazy hiatus we've been on. Been a busy month what with me graduating here this weekend, so many video games, so many movies, and a Mexico trip starting Sunday.

The hiatus will ensue for just a bit longer, but as soon as I get back into Canada in a couple weeks, I've got a good number of posts cooked up. We'll do some catching up then.

Look for a few movie reviews, a few book reviews, and other stuff like that!

Ok, time to go pack!

Daniel

ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction

2008-04-29T18:17:00.004-06:00

The guys over at Red 5 Comics have done it again!

What have they done?

They've perfectly catered to our undying thirst for Zombie-related material!

Kevin Grevioux (the creator of Underworld) and Red 5 Comics are teaming up to create a 6 bi-monthly release of this new horror-action series. I think that SuperHeroHype's article say's it best:

"Air-dropped into the deadliest hot zones, the walking dead of "ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction" indiscriminately infect every last warring insurgent -- on either side of the conflict. Specifically engineered to be photosensitive, once enemy infection becomes complete by dawn the originals and newly created zombies dissolve as a means to control widespread and accidental zombification. This allowed live soldiers to enter and safely occupy the now-combatant-free territory. However, this plan takes a deadly turn when one of the U.S. zombies, dubbed -- Zombie Zero -- fails to dissolve at the expected time, and begins to wreak havoc in the Middle East by creating others like him. This leads the U.S. military brass to send in a special operative to quietly take out Zombie Zero and his minions before their existence becomes known to the rest of the world."

Look for these to hit shelves in July sometime! For more information, you should probably check out either SuperHeroHype's article, or browse for more information on other Red 5 stuff at their site!

Who here plays Hero Clix?

2008-04-29T18:01:00.003-06:00

I'm a personal fan of the Marvel series of HeroClix, though WizKids produces three separate 'Clix' lines: DC, Marvel and Indy. I've been playing for a few years now, and when a new series comes out a friend of mine and myself find our ways back to the old comic shop to purchase a brick - to later sort through them meticulously and select our new team members draft-style. Marvel Comics and WizKids have announced a new collaboration for the upcoming release of the newest Marvel series of HeroClix: Secret Invasion.

The Secret Invasion themed release will, of course, primarily focus on the recent events occurring in the Marvel Universe, where not long ago we discovered that Skrulls may have been infiltrating our world for a long time now. Skrulls, of course, have the technology and ability to assume the shape of other beings, and have used this ability to wreak havoc amongst earth's heroes. No one can trust each other as the struggle to protect Earth's inhabitants is waged amongst the heroes of our planet.

In a push to expose customers in game stores to the comic book world, Marvel and WizKids have teamed up to produce cross-promotional material and packaging for this new set. The displays for the sale of HeroClix boosters will also sell pamphlet comics to coincide with this new release.

The thing I'm wondering about is what the exclusive figure will be with purchases of a brick, because I already know that most of the figures in this series will be crazy strong as it is!

The Triumphant Return of Earthworm Jim

2008-04-25T12:13:00.004-06:00

You may have already heard this, but the magnificent Earthworm Jim looks to be suiting up once again. Interplay Entertainment Corporation has announced a partnership with MR. Doug TenAppel. Doug TenAppel created the popular character for a video game in 1994, and it went on to become a massive success with 3 video games and a fun-filled animated series with 23 episodes in 1995 and 1996.

The story revolves around an earthworm who, unexpectedly, has a super suit fall on him one day. The suit enabled him to become the inter-galactical crime-fighter (kinda) feared by villains everywhere. With such memorable baddies as Evil the Cat and Professor Monkey-For-A-Head, Jim had his work cut out for him.

I personally remember drawing Earthworm Jim portraits on half the papers in my binder in elementary school. You can bet I'm pretty excited for what's to come from Jim's galaxy. Look to the future to bring a new animated television series, a new video game and even a feature film!

Stan Lee and Virgin Comics Ultimate Team-Up!

2008-04-22T12:41:00.003-06:00

Mr. Stan 'The Man' Lee has opted to form a partnership with the guys over at Virgin Comics! Their mission? To create a new universe of superheroes, unlinked to anything out there in the market. Stan has, in his time, created or had a hand in creating some of, if not THE most, memorable characters in comics history. Spider-man, the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, Iron Man... all of these and many many more fall under Stan's imagination.

"What a dream assignment!" enthused the always-ebullient Lee. "I can't wait to start pitting my newest, most exciting superheroes against comicdom's most powerful, diabolical super villains and then have the fun of tossing them into far-out, thrill-a-minute adventures to challenge the readers' imagination! And who better to share in the fun, creating wondrous new worlds without limit, than the incredibly talented and dedicated guys at Virgin Comics!"

Hold onto your hats, everyone, this is gonna be one hell of a thrill ride.

The comic series is due out sometime in 2009, so look forward to seeing more and more news about the project in the months to come! Our friends at Comixology has more to say on the matter, so head on over at this link here!

'The fate of superheroes'

2008-04-21T09:23:00.007-06:00

Thane Burnett (who writes for the Toronto Sun and from whom my local paper occasionally posts articles) wrote a particularly intriguing article this last Saturday. The article was called 'The fate of superheroes', with the sub-text reading: 'A boy grows up and his childhood champions are banished to the basement'.

The article unfolds, telling about Thane's experience recently with - under the request of his son - repainting and refinishing his child's room. The room had at one point been a homage to the comic book era his child grew up on. "A swinging Spider-man and a flying Superman, whose red cape wrapped around the walls and ended where (his son's) head would hit the pillow each night." All of this on a background of white fluffy clouds on sky blue. And on the roof, Thane tells of how he even wrote a storyline to read in big bold letters. The story told of how a villain stole all the humor in the world, and how his son would have the last laugh.

Firstly I just want to say that this man, Thane, is a father who should receive an award of some kind. A man who put honest thought and care into the decor of his son's room in order to entice imagination. To encourage a strong and healthy childhood by providing for his son what every child needs - a hero.

However it was not to last. Thane tells how his son, at age 10, tells his father he's embarrassed to have his friends over from school. When asked why, Thane discovers that his son does not want to show his friends who he shares his room with.

Alright so here I am going to just pause and speak my mind. If Mr. Burnett should read this I mean absolutely no harm, just my own personal thoughts.

What kind of 10 year old wants something like that covered up. Who are his friends that would come over and see those walls and NOT be impressed with how 'cool' those heroes are. They are 10 year-olds. And how do you grow out of that kind of phase that young? Alright, I will admit that my youth was filled with comic books and fiction of almost every kind (Name it - sci-fi, fantasy, horror, mystery, what have you). My imagination was cultured through my parents' insistence of summer-reading programs. By the time I was 10, I was neck-deep in comic books to read and so were my friends at school.

Even the 'cool kids' in my grade hung out with each other at recess playing 'Power Rangers' - (I was Jason for the record. Every time) - and Animorphs (Totally got to be Tobias). There was nothing to be ashamed about our imaginations, which were almost at their peak of strength. Superheroes are the one thing I don't understand. They are nearly timeless. Perhaps you may throw out your old comic books, but once you've read the origin of Batman, you will carry that knowledge with you the rest of your days.

I walked past a junior high school a couple weeks back during lunch hour. As almost anyone will tell you, Junior High is the hell of grade school. Where the young have decided that segmentation of groups is quite alright, and the stereotypes come out to play. Where the 'cool' kids hang out in the park, while the 'nerds' chill in the library or computer lab. You'll never guess what I heard.

You see, there were these four kids 'chillin' by the fences, experimenting with swear words I deemed still too out of their league. But you know what they were saying?

"Man, that new Batman movie is gonna be the f***in sh*t man. Like f**k. I'm gonna go see that on the first f***in day."

Dollars to donuts (yeah I said it) that the kids hanging out in the library are saying the exact same thing and that the kids in the computer lab are probably even looking up movie set photos and reading up on Batman lore. Perhaps they will run across each other in line for the movie. Perhaps a nod of acceptance will be in order from both parties as they realize that a common interest provides common ground and equality.

The fact of the matter is that no child should be embarrassed for their love of super heroes and comic books and the strong use of their imagination. What type of friends are they who curb your enthusiasm when it comes to using your mind for your enjoyment?

I digress.

To sum up this post I just want to tip my hat to Mr. Burnett for a truly insightful article this past Saturday, and wish to say that I admire your strength and resolve to please your child as you unwillingly painted over your work. But I also encourage you to continue calling your son 'Superman', because he always will be to you and guaranteed he will always remember that kryptonite = bad. An imagination is healthy, and one should hang on to it as long as possible.

Death Note Live Action Movie

2008-04-15T17:44:00.004-06:00

Not many people nowadays can say they have never heard of Death Note. The popular manga title has stirred up controversy almost all over the world, with incidences popping up once in a while about a child carrying a notebook with severe death threats and some even acting on them. The story itself, however, is fantastic. A cunning cat-and-mouse detective vs. misunderstood serial murdering (and self proclaimed) hero.

The catch?

How about writing a name inside a death god's notebook, including form of death, and the person who's namesake was written suffers the death along with it. To the 'T'. This manga title has reached ICv2's top 50 Manga Properties List, and also has an anime television show currently aired during Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block.

The live action version of this film will debut in over 300 theaters in America, with a two-night special event beginning on May 20th. A theater list is available over at the FathomEvents Website. Unfortunately the film is only available in the United States and not Canada, however I have faith that we will be able to view it soon enough.

I honestly can't wait to see how well it translates to the silver screen in live action.

Eisner Nominees now Online!

2008-04-15T17:29:00.004-06:00

The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards nominees have been officially listed for 2008!

For those who don't know, the Eisner Awards are dished out to deserving winners every year at the San Diego Comic Convention (Tommy and I have our tickets purchased and as of tonight will have the hotel and flight officially booked - a word to the wise, next year do not procrastinate as we have. Hotels are... tough... to find). The Eisner Awards have been kicking around for roughly 2 decades now but honestly, this one seems to have a fair turnout from all producers, with nobody really having a majority seating among nominees.

I'll draw your attention to Red 5 Comics (who I am, as you may have noticed, a big - nay - large fan) who hauled 2 nominations this year for Atomic Robo! Best Limited Series and Best Coloring - two noteworthy categories.

For the full article on nominees and the event, feel free to visit CBR News. You'll find anything else of note there!

Create Your Very Own Hero!

2008-04-11T00:15:00.003-06:00

Allow me to introduce you to Captain Awesome! He's really awesome! What are his powers you ask? His powers are AWESOME! However I have not yet decided what his powers are!

He does, however, have swords and brass knuckles. And a utility belt.

You are now completely baffled I see, yet - by reading the title - by now you no doubt surmise the topic of this post. Yes, I did create this fancy little hero. All the detail you see here, all the stunning equipment features, the colors, everything was done in a completely painless and extremely addictive process.

This fine character was brought to you by the good people of Under Ground Online. Besides many other cool time-busters on their site, they have a hero creator. Whether you play Dungeons and Dragons or just wish to create a visual guide of some of your favorite characters from books, etc., the Hero Machine V2.5 is the way to go! In relatively no time at all I have created over 10 characters. And I still want to make more.

The program is flash driven and requires no downloading for the program (It's all online), short of the latest version of flash! It also features an easy print feature so you can show off your creation to your friends, and be the envy of all your questing buddies when the DM gives you bonus experience for that really swanky character portrait!

So get out there and create for yourself the superhero you've always wanted to be! Be imaginative! Goliath!? commands it!

Comic Book Movie Adaptation #___

2008-04-10T12:07:00.002-06:00

Hack/Slash, the growing-in-popularity comic by Todd Seeley and Stefano Caselli is one of the newest announcements for a movie adaptation.

According to Variety, Rogue Pictures acquired the rights to the series in 2006, and recently have tagged on a screenwriter and director. Justin Marks (who is also working on a Street Fighter film), is set to pen the adaptation, while Todd Lincoln will make his directing debut with the film.

The comic itself tells the story of one Cassie Hack, an orphaned child of a 'slasher', who has grown up to become a tough-as-nails (and attractive) young woman who travels across America in search of slasher murderers in order to do away with them with vigilante justice. And a baseball bat.

Female heroics on the scale of Buffy, minus the vampires.

Still, at one point there was a rumor going around that actress Megan Fox was to be approached for the role, which is A-OK in my books! Look for production on this film to begin later this year!

Atomic Robo Volume 1

2008-04-08T09:51:00.005-06:00

If you were to enter a comic book store at this very moment, you'd be pretty hard pressed to actually find the first few issues of Atomic Robo. They're sold out.

But never fear! The Atomic Robo Trade Paper Back (Volume 1) is hear! Compiled together and coming out in June this year are the first 6 issues of Red 5's incredibly successful series. But what is Atomic Robo you ask (for those who do not know...)?

Well in these issues you will see Atomic Robo (a robot), do battle with Nazis, giant ants, clockwork mummies, walking pyramids, Mars, cyborgs and his nemesis, Baron von Helsingard. Yes you heard me right... Nazis. This guy is like a robot version of Indiana Jones.

Red 5 Comics is fast becoming one of my favorite producers of comics, with Atomic Robo being a favorite on that list if only for the artwork - which is fantastic. Look for the first volume of the TPB to come out in June, complete with new stories, concept art, pin-ups and more. If you're looking for me, I'll be at the local comic store picking myself up a copy!

For other works by Red 5 comics, you might want to check out our previous article, Afterburn.

Kevin Colden: Fishtown

2008-04-03T20:31:00.004-06:00

"It disturbs me no more to find men base, unjust, or selfish than to see apes mischievous, wolves savage, or the vulture ravenous." - Jean-Paul Sartre

Kevin Colden is a New York based web comic artist who has spent the last 3 years working on a gritty tale known simply as Fishtown (NSFW). Part of the Act-I-Vate online anthology, Colden has been working on this project since early 2005.

The story unfolds slowly as four teenage misfits are interviewed about their involvement in the disappearance and murder of their friend Jesse. A frightening, graphic account of the events is compounded by the calm, non-caring demeanor of the teens. Drugs, sex, self-mutilation; all part of the daily lives of these teens.

The fact that it is fiction does not help as you realize how real these events can be. Close to home, it resembles the murder of Edmonton's Nina Courtepatte, 13, on a local golf course by five low-life mallrats.

Fishtown will be released in book-form late this year by IDW Publishing.

UPDATED: 04/10/2008 - A correction on the post: There were five officially charged in the Courtepatte case, not the previously stated four. Thanks anonymous for the keen eye!

Blatant Production

2008-04-03T13:42:00.007-06:00

At first I assumed, based on the general nature of Blatant Comics and their previous productions, that the news I am to share today was - in fact - one steaming mass of april fool's goodness. Far too often I am strung along on an idea that is just too good to be true, and this story definitely seemed one of those moments.

'Last Blood', the most recent publication from Blatant (and currently in it's fourth issue - the first issue of which actually debuted on Free Comic Book Day in 2007), has been optioned to Benderspink. This production company has numerous comic book based projects on the go, including the much anticipated Y: The Last Man.

The story itself has everything a healthy, growing and imaginative guy needs: a tale of zombies facing off against vampires who are trying to protect the remnants of the human race as they struggle to survive following the zombie apocalypse. Can it GET any better!?

I know! Too good to be true, right!?

Well unless Variety is into April Fools jokes as well in their publications, then this is no joke! Be prepared to see a Last Blood movie in theaters in the future!

Last Blood is written by Bobby and Chris Crosby, and is illustrated by Owen Gieni.

To find out how you (yes, YOU) could actually survive a zombie apocalypse, check out one of our earlier posts, 'Z is for Zombie', and you can even prepare yourself further by purchasing the must have reference guide!

Bookoff to Payoff

2008-04-02T12:34:00.002-06:00

The Anime News Network has reported that popular used-bookstore chain, "Bookoff Corporation" has opted to pay numerous creators' associations 100 million yen (approximately 1 million dollars US) in order to address mounting complaints. The growing used-book industry has begun to take a certain toll in new book sales, to the discomfort of creators.

Bookoff currently has hundred of stores in Japan and numerous others overseas, and clocked roughly 460 million dollars this last fiscal year. Their primary specialization are manga, books, CDs, DVDs and video games.

This marks the first specific offer of payment to any of these organizations from bookstores.

If you wish to read the rest of this article, just follow this link!

Gonzo to take a cue from Radiohead

2008-04-01T23:01:00.005-06:00

Fans of Radiohead's new album may recall the unique 'pay-what-you-think-it's-worth' strategy the band took back in October. For those who missed it, essentially it was an open-pricing model where a person was prompted to input whatever dollar amount (British pounds, actually) that they felt the album was worth.

The release prompted over 1.2 million downloads, and while Radiohead refused to release sales numbers, analysts estimated they earned approximately $5 per download.

Since this time, other artists including Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor and poetic rapper Saul Williams have used this method to some degree of success.

Gonzo Animation Studio's parent company GDH has announced today that they will be releasing two anime series using the same open-pricing method as the bands. The Tower of Druaga and Blassreiter will have episodes available to download in full on the Crunchyroll website on the same day as they air on Japanese TV. The price you pay will be up to you!

While GDH is just testing the waters at this time, the company should be applauded for it's foresight into the future of digital media. Many companies are beginning to realize that the old pricing methods are quickly becoming obsolete. Rather than fight it, many are striving to find new and creative ways to get the content to the fans while still maintaining a healthy profit.

While the open-pricing model may not be the final solution, it is certainly a step in the right direction and I'm glad to see companies willing to try it out.

One company, Two Characters, Three Cool Announcements!

2008-03-31T16:58:00.008-06:00

California-Based Sideshow Collectibles, Inc. has recently announced three new projects based on two of your favorite Star Wars characters!

Sideshow was formed in 1993 as a designer toy and collectible studio under the name Sideshow Productions. At that time, it was a motion picture prop and special effect firm. In 1994, the company shifted it's focus exclusively to the collectibles market. The company typically produces licensed products from movies, television, animation, and comics.

In collaboration with Medicom Toys, Sideshow has recently released a stylized C-3PO vinyl toy. Approximately 8" in height, the toy has 11 points of articulation. While it was designed to fit in with some of Medicom's previous Star Wars releases. Here's the rub, to get the toy to have C-3PO's distinguishable golden shine the company had to made this 'vinyl toy' out of...plastic!

Now, 8" is certainly nice...but how about 66"!? Sideshow announced today they would also be accepting pre-orders for two other special releases: A life size C-3PO and R2-D2!

Made of fiberglass and other quality materials, these robots feature both light and sound functionality for that extra level of robot realism!

Unfortunately, the robot celebrities do not walk around. But here's hoping that they give you some relationship advice after your wife leaves you for dropping over $5,000 each on two robot statues to decorate your living room.

Season 2 of The Boondocks

2008-03-31T11:29:00.004-06:00

For those of you unfamiliar with 'The Boondocks', it is a widely popular animated television series created for the Adult Swim block on the Cartoon Network. Created by Aaron McGruder, and based off his successful web-comic of the same name, this satirical cartoon has definitely reached a certain level of fame.

The show bases itself off the Freeman family, including Huey, Riley and Robert - the first two being 10 years and 8 years respectively, and the third being their ultra-active grandfather - a black family in an upper-class white neighborhood. Hilarity ensues!

The show itself has come under fire numerous times from it's liberal use of a certain 'N' word in all it's forms, however despite the criticism the show has earned numerous positive reviews from critics!

Personally I think Uncle Ruckus - a black white-supremacist - to be absolutely priceless in terms of comedic value. Look for the second season of this show to be out on shelves on June 10th this year! Also keep an eye out, cause in this DVD set, you will also get 2 never-before-aired episodes!

It's on my list - what about yours?

Hong Kong's Ultraman presents: Ultraking!

2008-03-30T11:19:00.005-06:00

Hong Kong designer Ultraman has been working in collaboration with Play Imaginative to present us with his newest toy: Ultraking.

This stylish primate is dressed to the 9s with his studded leather jacket, shades, pompadour and pinky rings. He reeks of bananas and cool.

Either he's replicating Nelly's late 90's style, or Ultraking has been in a recent brawl. He sports a (stylish?) double bandage on the right cheek. While it's unconfirmed, this writer believes the wound may have happened during a recent battle with his lifelong enemy: Megatron.

...or maybe not.

Still, while it's only in the prototype stage, it's looking to be one of the Goliath!? favorites for 2008!

Oxford Comma

2008-03-27T23:49:00.005-06:00

In an effort to maximize literary relevance, Goliath!? has the following announcement:

Effective immediately, Goliath!? will no longer use the Oxford comma in any writings. This decision was made in an effort to become consistent with popular western literary style guides.

Contrary to popular rumors, the forward-thinking folk at Goliath!? will continue to use double punctuation indefinitely..

Slo-Bots!

2008-03-27T23:13:00.005-06:00

If there is one not-so-secret passion that your friendly Goliath!? staffer has besides alternative party snack foods, it would likely be robots. (really?)

In the epic battle of pirates vs. ninjas, robots would win.

So naturally, we got rather excited in finding Mike Heisler's Slo-Bots on the interweb today. Heisler builds many of these custom constructs using salvaged parts from other vinyl toys like Munnys, Qees, and even Mighty Muggs!

Heisler is quite the talented artist, and I look forward to seeing his future creations. His popularity is certainly growing: upon writing, he had 1078 Myspace friends!

Afterburn

2008-03-27T21:06:00.004-06:00

Tobey Maguire of Spider-man fame will have a shot at producing (through Maguire Entertainment) the movie adaptation of Red 5 Comics' 'Afterburn' title. Niel Moritz from Original Films will also be teaming up with Tobey for this one.

Here's the kicker:

This title's first book hit the shops in January this year! But if any comic book were to sound like a wicked movie, this would be it! Treasure Hunters in a post-apocalyptic earth setting, scouring the eastern hemisphere (which is nice and crispy because of a massive solar flare) for relics like the crown jewels, etc., all the while competing against rival treasure hunters, pirates, radiated mutants, and other obstacles.

Honestly, how cool is that? The answer, by the way, is pretty-freakin'-cool.

Red 5 Comics is actually brought to us by ComingSoon.net, and SuperheroHype.com, both of which I frequent. The company was created by Paul Ens (former director of Lucasfilm's StarWars.com, and of Lucas Online) and Scott Chitwood (co-founder of TheForce.net and contributor to ComingSoon.net and SuperheroHype.com.)

The company itself is based in good old Alberta, Canada, in the fine city of Calgary.

You also might recognize the label for another little comic called Atomic Robo - also very popular!

This book is officially on my to-read list!

Guys and Dolls: An Ugly Remake

2008-03-25T17:37:00.002-06:00

While many may view them as nothing more than pillows with personality, David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim's Uglydolls are a force to be reckoned with.

Released in 2002, the cute yet ugly plush toys have taken the world by storm. Seen in movies to music videos, the toys have built up a solid foundation of loyal followers.

For some, common sense might dictate that the dolls' collectors would be predominantly female, or 50/50 at best. An interesting article posted in the New York Times contends that statement, though.

The New York Times' Donald McNeal Jr. takes some time to write in depth about his young son's obsession with the toys, branching out to what he sees as a wide fan-base of boys. He paints a great picture, and it's certainly worth the 5-minute read.

Stan Lee: New York Comic Legend

2008-03-25T16:38:00.004-06:00

Stan "The Man" Lee, father of the Marvel Universe of comic books, co-creator of some of the most memorable characters in comic book history, will be receiving the first ever New York Comic Legends Award according to the New York Comic Con.

The Award was created by the New York Comic Con as a form of appreciation for the greatest people to influence the comic book industry who hail from the Big Apple. The award will be handed to Mr. Marvel himself at the Virgin Megastore on Times Square at a special VIP party. A limited amount of tickets for entry will be made available and can be found via the New York Comic Con website on March 28th.

It's quite obvious to see why Mr. Lee deserves this award. Even non-comic book fans know who Stan Lee is! His work to light a fire in the comic book industry will never be forgotten. For decades in the past and for decades in the future, Stan's character driven stories will live on. Perhaps you know some of them. There's that spider guy, those mutants, that huge green fellow, and even that lovable family of heroes.

If you want to read more about Stan's life, you can do so here!

Indy's got that whole Nazi problem covered!

2008-03-25T01:33:00.003-06:00

I'm sure everyone must tip their hats at the mere mention of the world's greatest hero - Indiana Jones! I've even heard they're making a movie about him! Or something like that...

But this just in! Literally on the heels of this dramatic new release of the Indy franchise, comes a new comic book series to be released by Dark Horse Comics! Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods #1 is set to be released on June 29, 2008, written by Rob Williams and penciled by Steve Scott.

The story itself will find earth's most awesome professor duking it out once again to hinder the Nazi regime's plan to capture and exploit the ancient powers of the world! I don't know about anybody else, but I really can't wait to read every last whip-cracking page of this new series!

Indiana Jones > Han Solo.

Any day. Bring it.

The US Credit Crunch may claim another victim...

2008-03-20T19:24:00.003-06:00

It's been hard to miss in the news. Nearly every newspaper, blog, newscast, and magazine has covered it at one point or another: the US credit crunch.

While economists are still unsure if the market is in full recession mode or not, anyone living in North America (if not many parts of the world) have dealt with the repercussions of the credit problems the US has been facing.

In order to grow the business (or stay afloat) many companies use borrowed funds (or leverage) to meet their financial needs. Borders is no exception. The company has been on the forefront of the manga movement in book stores, offering one of the most diverse selections of graphic novels in store in relation to it's peers.

Borders (NYSE:BGP) realized a nearly 29% loss in share price today upon announcing that it would be suspending it's dividend and would be looking for alternative financing options. Borders CEO George Jones noted that "the current credit environment has made many of these alternatives prohibitively expensive or entirely unavailable."

Investors can expect an announcement within the next two weeks if Borders can find successful financing.

There is a Canadian twist: rumor has it that Canadian retailer Indigo Books (TSE:IDG) may be interested in purchasing the floundering company. While this is only speculation at the moment, it could be a great opportunity for the Canadian bookseller to expand into the US markets.

Comics are the Work of the Devil!

2008-03-20T12:16:00.006-06:00

Perhaps comparing comic books to Hitler would make us laugh in this day and age, but a half-decade ago millions of people were taking it very seriously. Frank Werthham wrote in his 1954 book Seduction of the Innocent that comic books bred juvenile delinquency. This book set into action a chain of events that led to many American children being forced to throw their beloved comic books into church-held community bonfires.

Shortly after World War 2, comic books were a hit. The comics industry employed over 1000 writers and artists, and an estimated 80 to 100 million comic books were sold each week.

The major comic book publisher at the time, EC Comics, did work mostly in the horror and crime genres. Many of the published titles included gruesome artwork such as severed heads and pools of blood. As time went on, concerned parents, backed by religious and community leaders, revolted. The climax was when EC's publisher Bill Gaines stood in front of a senate committee to explain how an illustration of a man holding a severed head could be in good taste.

David Hajdu's new book, The Ten-cent Plague, details the trials and tribulations of the comic book industry in the decade after World War 2. It is a spectacularly frightening look into a witch hunt that cost many their livelihoods.

Many of us were not alive when these events transpired. Others were likely very young and could not comprehend what was going on around them. Regardless of who you are, I urge you to pick up this book and read it from beginning to end. No other books better capture the events that have so greatly influenced North American culture.

Edgar Wright + Michael Cera = Scott Pilgrim Movie

2008-03-19T15:29:00.009-06:00

WOW! A Scott Pilgrim movie! I never knew about it! And even better: it's being done by Edgar Wright!

For all of you out there who don't know this fellow, he is the mind behind Shaun of the Dead and last years hit Hot Fuzz. This unique talent is also the guy behind the Marvel Comics movie adaptation of Ant Man due for production as well. I have no fear that Edgar is going to take the concept of "Scott Pilgrim Volume 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life", and make it something amazing, something worthy what Bryan Lee O'Malley's work.

The story itself finds the main character, Scott, meeting the woman of his dreams, however the only way to win her is to battle and defeat her 7 evil ex-boyfriends! Wacky, hey!?

The actor they got to play the title role is none other than Arrested Development star, Mic ha el Cera. For those who have never seen that show, he has also had a leading role in Superbad and a supporting role in Juno.

Apparently he's some sort of phenomenon, because for some reason lots of people like him.

I honestly can't see him as doing this role justice. Maybe it's the lack of emotion in his acting style.

Regardless, he's been chosen to fill the role, and I'm assuming that Mr. O'Malley approves, therefore I digress. Cheers to this movie's success!

100 days of monster

2008-03-18T19:20:00.003-06:00

Verdict: If only inkblots were this cool when we were in therapy.

Stephan G Bucher is German native who moved to California and earned his degree from Art Center College of Design in 1996. While Bucher has been taking on diverse projects from CD packaging to book design for many years, he is most known recently for his hit Daily Monster.

Bucher begins with a simple blob of ink and a quick burst of air. From there, he freestyles a sharpie and coloured felt creation based on the blob's pattern. While this is certainly cool, what seals the deal is that every single drawing is meticulously filmed and posted online for your viewing pleasure. The cherry on the cake is the success Bucher has seen by allowing fans to write stories about each of the creations.

After the concept's popularity, Bucher has decided the time is right to release a book based on his creations. Entitled 100 days of Monster, the book includes 100 of Bucher's monsters, over 250 stories, and a DVD packed with the videos for all of them.

Indie Spotlight!

2008-03-18T00:10:00.003-06:00

Goliath enjoys the simple pleasures in life. Two of his favorite are comics and toys. He squeals in glee with every whiff of fresh vinyl while opening the recyclable plastic packaging surrounding his new toy. He reads comics on the bus with no shame, often showing the cool fight scenes to the pleasant old lady sitting next to him.

Goliath is particularly fond of The Maxx by Sam Keith. Something about the purple and yellow behemoth reminds him of his mother. But Goliath has diverse tastes, and often indulges in reading the antics of Francine and Katchoo in Terry Moore's Strangers in Paradise. That Katchoo is such a spitfire, she is.

Naturally, you can understand Goliath's excitement upon hearing the announcement of Shocker Toys' new line: Indie Spotlight! Including the aforementioned The Maxx and Katchoo, the series also includes other lovable characters such as Skud the Disposable Assassin, Shadowhawk, and Kabuki.

The toys are due out in Summer 2008, but that hasn't stopped Shocker Toys from announcing series 2: The Tick, Zombie King, Dick Tracey, and more!

The All Powerful Loonie

2008-03-17T15:41:00.006-06:00

Don MacPherson over at Eye on Comics posted yesterday a bit of interesting news from the DC front. Though a number of months behind Marvel's switch, DC has decided to begin reflecting Canada's stronger dollar into their periodical comic rates, making them effectively cheaper for Canadians.

Don continues on to contemplate on a number of issues revolving around the key word 'periodical' and whether graphic novels and volume compilations will also reflect the stronger buying power of the loonie.

I really do hope so. Graphic novels are pretty close to my main purchasing focus, as I highly enjoy filling my book shelf with things other than flimsy pamphlet issues. Regardless, pennies saved are pennies earned!

Also I'll take a second to point out the new Scott Pilgrim themed banner. Scott Pilgrim, created by Bryan Lee O'Malley is definitely on my favorites list and I'll definitely enjoy meeting the creator at the Calgary Comicon in April.

Big Battel!

2008-03-14T10:00:00.006-06:00

No, that's not a spelling error. Kaiju Big Battel began as a video project from students at School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The purposeful mis-spelling of 'battle' was due to a mis-printing on t-shirts early in the creation.

The toupe has periodic Big Battels that reference both professional wrestling and Japan's tokusatsu and kaiju movies. As time goes on, more and more characters have been introduced, swelling the ranks to over 70 unique characters including names such as Robox, Dr. Cube, Uchu Chu, and Kung Fu Chicken Noodle.

The crew recently announced the coming release of a new toy, Vegetius. Working in collaboration with Marmit, the toy is slated for release later this year. This is Kaiju's second vinyl release, after the success of their San Diego Comic-con 2007 release - Sky Deviler.

In related news, Bloc Party collaborated with Kaiju to produce the music video for their new song Flux.

Diary of a Wimpy (Yet Seemingly Popular) Kid

2008-03-13T10:30:00.005-06:00

USA Today's most recent top-selling book charts has Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" volumes 1 and 2 both in the top 20 of 150. The second volume Rodrick Rules holds the 7th place spot, while the first self titled volume holds the 18th position. This could be due to the hype surrounding Fox 2000's purchase of the series for movie rights!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid follows the exploits of the 7th grade student Greg Heffley through a comical medium. The idea began as an internet-based comic and evolved into an apparent book-selling phenomenon. The book itself switches between comic book illustration and hand written text.

I myself haven't read the series as of yet, however the news that it may turn into a full length movie and the fact it is clearly getting rave reviews and an honorable spot in the best-selling list has definitely put these two volumes onto my 'to-read' list!

Cartoon Network x Kidrobot

2008-03-12T17:53:00.005-06:00

Fans of Cartoon Network's late night Adult Swim rejoice! Kidrobot has announced a collaboration with the esteemed television network to produce a series of 16 toys based on 8 of the shows.

The A-list roster includes The Venture Bros. 'Dr. Girlfriend' and 'The Monarch,' Aqua Teen Hunger Force 'Carl' and 'Ignignokt and Err,' Squidbillies 'Grandma' and 'Lil,' and many more! Additionally, there are two secret rare toys that will be in circulation.

The toys will be sold blind box for $7.95 each on the Kidrobot store starting in April.

Who's excited? This guy.

Tokyopop to Release Video-Game Manga

2008-03-12T10:30:00.003-06:00

Manga producer Tokyopop has recently announced the production of some new video-game based volumes to be released later this year.

In August and November, expect the first two volumes (out of three) of a Starcraft anthology series to be on the shelves. This could definitely help build some hype for the new Starcraft game still in production over at Blizzard!

Also, for all you Castlevania fans out there, a two-volume series will be released in September, building on the already 20-year old franchise.

Now here's the kicker. Tokyopop will also be producing a four-volume anthology of Warcraft. The online game World of Warcraft has recently hit the 10 million subscriber mark and is still rolling along. Three volumes of this anticipated anthology are due out in August, October, and December!

Happy reading this fall!

Tokyopop has plans for another Warcraft manga series sometime in 2009.

Paul Pope x DKNY: Collaboration!

2008-03-11T18:24:00.005-06:00

It's often been said that comic books are gaining wider recognition and acceptance in North America. The Goliath!? crew has been seeing this for years! It's evident every time you walk into your local bookstore: manga and graphic novels are showing up everywhere, and are finding their way into much more prominent locations in the stores.

Much of this growth can be attributed to the onslaught of comic related movie releases in the last few years. While this is nothing new, the sheer volume of releases since the late 90s has certainly helped publishers establish their characters into the North American psyche.

Japan has had a close relationship to comics for years. As many of the Japanese creations became run-away hits in North America, the publishers realized they were on to something. In Japan, it is not uncommon to see a businessman read manga on the train to work or a housewife reading manga while watching her children at the park. It is the hope of many to eventually see the same level of acceptance on our shores one day.

Paul Pope, the legendary comic book artist and creator of hits such as Batman: Year 100 and THB, has recently announced a collaboration with DKNY for a series of clothing featuring his illustrations. While comics have influenced designs in streetwear for some time now, this new collaboration has been the first time a major player in the industry has taken an active role in it's creation.

Read the lengthy Wall Street Journal article on the announcement here.

Controversy: Comic World Murder, circa 1990

2008-03-11T17:58:00.005-06:00

The prosecutors office and township police for Macomb County, Michigan charged comic shop owner Michael George with the 1990 murder of his wife Barbara George. The trial has continued for a number of months and has been a topic of interest in the Goliath!? circles as of late.

Barbara George was found dead in the back room of their comic store: Comic World back in 1990. The case went cold for nearly 17 year before being re-opened after a critical piece of evidence was realized: The testimony of Mike Renaud stating that he had called the store at approximately 5:15 or 5:30 the day of the murder when Michael George answered the phone, seemingly rushed. This small bit of information has created doubt to George's alibi of being miles away from the store at the time of the murder.

Recent testimony from Kimberly Koliba, the employee of a neighboring nail salon to the Georges', states that she often heard Michael and Barbara George arguing in the months leading up to the murder. Notably, she called the argument on the day of the murder particularly 'violent'

Read Jameson Cook's recent article at The Macomb Daily for the whole story.

Heartless Machine

2008-03-10T17:03:00.004-06:00

From Christopher Locke's Heartless Machine come these incredible scissor spiders! Running a cool $250, each of these arachnids are made from salvaged scissors that were confiscated at US airports. At 6" and 9" across, respectively, these metal marvels are bound to have your vinyl running in fear.

For those who are interested, be sure to check out Christopher's blog to find out how it was all made!

Free toys: Speakerdog!

2008-03-10T16:41:00.003-06:00

Friends, we here at Goliath Industries feel strongly about your right to free stuff. Sure, you can pay a mean $70 Canadian on the latest cute vinyl toy...but what if you want all the cute, but not all of that vinyl?

It is my pleasure to present to you the Speakerdog paper toys by Ben the Illustrator and friends! Now into it's 5th series, Speakerdog may be a name you have heard before. The most recent series includes works from Ben the Illustrator, Doktor A, Fivegalloncan, Garry Milne, Hellofreaks, J3 Concepts, NiceBunny, Phil Toys, Triclops Studio, and Tim Robot!

So how does it work? You simply download the toy of your choice from Ben's website. Then you print it on high quality card stock, cut on the lines, and fold where necessary!

'Bone' Goes to Warner Bros.

2008-03-10T11:52:00.005-06:00

'Bone', the 55 issue comic series drawn and written by Jeff Smith, has recently had it's rights bought by Warner Bros. Studios! The books had their run from 1991-2004, and prior to this new development had been under the eye of Nickelodeon, who at one point had wanted to make a children's animated television series of it; however they did not due to the protest of the creator, Jeff.

I personally think Warner Bros. has a chance of doing justice to this series. It's definitely been a comic series I've made time to dabble in over it's course. Although it started with a bit more comedy, the series really turned into a sort of high-fantasy with adventure throughout.

For those who are unfamiliar with Bone lore, the series centers around the Bone family. They are creatures who are small, bald, white, and big-nosed. "Phoney" Bone, Smiley Bone and (everyone's favorite) Fone Bone, originating from Boneville (though you never get to see boneville, oddly enough), get thrown into a world of adventure after being cast out form their village.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm intrigued as to what Warner Bros. has in store for this series. Finger's crossed!

Free Comic Books!

2008-03-09T01:14:00.006-07:00

While this may be old news for some of you, I recently stumbled upon Vertigo's recently released website which offers the first issue online for many of their current publications...completely free!

Ever since Vertigo was created in the 1980s by the masterful hand of DC, it has been a major contributor to the industry for some seriously edgy and controversial material. The all-star line-up has included such hits as V for Vendetta, Hellblazer, Sandman, and more.

Just today, I finally read the last issues of Vertigo's American Virgin and Y: The Last Man. While the former of the two had a lackluster ending, I was still thoroughly impressed by both stories. I'm still working on Transmetropolitan and 100 Bullets, and I'm interested starting Army@Love any time now.

Do yourself a favor and check out some of the great work. It might just spark your interest in something new and exciting.

UBIQ & Secret Base Collaboration - Ghost

2008-03-07T16:41:00.003-07:00

Not much is certain in these crazy times which we live. But one constant - a beacon of hope in a hopeless world - is that the Japanese make some damn cool toys.

Don't get me wrong, I love the works of many North American artists. Artists such as Frank Kozik, Huck Gee, Sucklord, and many others continue to release fresh and fun toys for our enjoyment every year.

With that being said, I always hold a special place in my heart for many of the Japanese releases. Even with all of the cultural differences that a 10,500 km distance brings, I find that many of their toys hold the same relevance no matter what your location.

Perhaps that's a bit too epic of an introduction for the newest release from Tokyo's Secret Base. The new collaboration between them and UBIQ is certainly cool with it's jelly-covered zombie alien ghost good looks. But is it really THAT special?

Sometimes, all a person wants is a really cool toy to put on their desk at work or to add to their collection at home. For that person, we have Ghost.

Marvel Facebook, Part 2

2008-03-06T11:00:00.004-07:00

Hey so I just went on there and was reading some Cable & Deadpool. When you begin to read, a pop-up shows up in the bottom corner, informing the reader of the comic's availability in your local comic store! How neat is that?

And just as a side note. A decent number of comics you can view completely free cover to cover. However, many of the newer ones are only half-available for online viewing. A subscription to the MDUU site, however, takes care of that. 60 bucks a year for unlimited reading of all the posted titles start to finish uninterrupted. Not shabby considering the amount of reading material.

Excuse me, I'm going to go read some and then quite possibly go and buy some!

Marvel on Facebook

2008-03-06T10:31:00.004-07:00

Marvel Comics has entered into the Facebook App. fold. Yesterday, 'Marvel Digital Comics' came online for any Facebook user to add to their applications list. The app itself opens up the availability of over 3000 Marvel Digital Universe Unlimited titles (the collection of which ICv2 has posted here).

Another feature of the application is the "My Must Reads" option, where you may post your favorite comics on there for your friends to see. From there you may also note your friends and their recommended comics. Marvel news will also be posted on the app's home page, as well as image galleries, videos, and information on other marvel entertainment ventures.

I know what some are thinking: if comics are released online to read, won't purchasing go down and eventually be wiped out? Actually no! The titles that will be released on the Facebook app are all the titles that are released through Marvel Digital Universe Unlimited, as mentioned. However, comics are only added to that list 6 months after publication, leaving a very healthy amount of time on the store shelf before being available to view (but not own or download) online.

I think this is an incredible idea to draw back the readers of comics who have left over time, and also a good way for readers to catch up on their series before plunging back into a comic store to buy the newest one!

Here's the link to the MDUU website! Go! Read!

Over There

2008-03-05T10:44:00.004-07:00

72 hours of no sleep...

2,700 participants...

1,200 ideas...

$15,000 in prizes...

Kluster is a a community-driven platform to get ideas heard. It offers the opportunity to contribute your ideas and have others help build off of them. It was announced at this year's TED conference.

To kick things off, they had a 72 hour challenge to create a product, any product, that may change the world. Lofty goals, to be sure. But what they developed is certainly intriguing.

The game is called Over There and is based on the 2006 talk by prominent American philosopher, Dan Dennett. There are 21 stops on the route that correspond to 3 types of cards: chances, actions, and questions.

The idea behind the game is that different organizations are able to customize the cards to help raise awareness for their cause.

The website is a brilliant concept, and I'm excited to see how organizations may use the game as a platform to raise awareness. As well, if you haven't already visited, the TED Conference website offers hours and hours of speeches and demonstrations from some of the world's greatest minds. Click through and expand your mind.

R.I.P. Gary Gygax

2008-03-05T10:01:00.005-07:00

The Dungeon Master himself, Ernest Gary Gygax, died yesterday. Aged 69, Gary co-created possibly the most interactive table-top role-playing game in history - Dungeons and Dragons - with Dave Arneson.

I can't even begin to tell you how many authors, designers and artists he's influenced over the course of his creation's career thus far, how many imaginations he's sparked. It's good to know that his work will live on long after him, with the highly anticipated 4th edition of Dungeons & Dragons due to come out soon.

I take solace in the belief that Gary is now rolling his d20's in a better place.

You will be missed, Mr. Gygax.

Pearls Before Swine

2008-03-04T18:23:00.003-07:00

"Neither cast ye your pearls before swine"

--- Matthew 7:6

The daily chronicle of four anthropomorphic animals: a megalomaniac rat, a dim-witted pig, diplomatic zebra, and intellectual goat; Pearls Before Swine is a delicious look into their unique and ever-changing lives.

Written and illustrated by ex-litigation attorney Stephan Pastis, Pearls was syndicated on December 31, 2001. Shortly after, Pastis chose to leave his job a pursue his now budding career in newspaper comics.

Pearls has become a daily staple in over 400 newspapers and has won awards recently from The National Cartoonists Society. Many praise Pastis' simple drawing style (most characters have stick limbs, dots for eyes, and often no mouths) as revolutionary. Pastis' states, "People say that they like my strip's simplicity, but I'm doing the best I can to just to get up to that level. I'm not dumbing the art down."

Crown Mickey

2008-03-04T17:21:00.003-07:00

Medicom is a Japanese toy company that specializes in highly styled and ultra cool toys for all ages. Recently, they collaborated with both Disney and Japanese clothing brand Roen to bring us the extremely stylish Roen Crown Mickey. The design is based on a limited edition collaboration tee that Roen did with Disney.

Disney seems to be taking an interest in collaborations as of late. I think it's fantastic that such a big company is allowing re-interpretations of one of its classic characters and hopefully we'll see even more of this in the future. Disney has developed such a diverse set of characters in it's long history, I am excited to see what might be next.

Medicom has released their share of interesting collectibles in the past, but this one is definitely up there as one of my favorites.

Sam & Max

2008-03-03T18:20:00.006-07:00

I just purchased a copy of "Sam & Max Surfin' the Highway" (Limited Edition Harcover).

Let me introduce you all to a brief history of Sam & Max.

Picture a 1960's black and white DeSoto Adventurer cruising down the street at break-neck speed, a 'hyperkinetic rabbity thing' hanging out the driver window wielding a Luger, and a 6-foot-tall dog-detective clutching his hat on the passenger side - all the while engaging in an extremely witty dialogue. You have now met the loveable duo of Sam & Max - the former being Max and the latter being Sam!

Created by Stever Purcell in the late 80's, the two characters are thrown into the oddest of situations, with only sheer wit and somewhat nihilistic humor as their allies. Also guns.

Kids of the 90's may even remember the television series based off of Steve's works (which was dimmed down a bit for child audiences) airing on Fox Kids for a 24 episode run. Or even more may remember the successful video game in 1993: Sam & Max Hit the Road. Although I was a child when these premiered, even I could understand the potential of underlaying adult comedy of incredible quality.

Telltale Games, a veritable Sam & Max oasis in the dessert that is the internets, was kind enough to keep the legend of these two characters alive over the past decade, selling merchandise, posting a (particularly) delightful mini-series web comic (which sadly seems to have finished its run long ago), and even creating it's own new material - Sam & Max episodic games (with the help of Mr. Purcell).

Don't just stand there, go and check out the site. The wit is always sharp, and the art is always fantastic in my humble opinion. I can't wait for my copy of the revamped "Surfin' the Highway" (with new content), to arrive!

A review on it to come!

New Iron Man Trailer!

2008-02-29T23:28:00.002-07:00

Alright I don't know about anybody else, but I didn't see it during LOST last night... I thought it was only during the Super Bowl that the best commercials are blocked from Canada... whatever.

But hey! Here it is from the good people over at IGN!

Like a Chump

2008-02-28T23:37:00.006-07:00

Frank Kozik began his career in the mid-80s creating posters for upcoming concerts. He has been credited for single-handedly reviving the 'lost' art of the concert poster. As his career blossomed, his work was presented in over 60 gallery shows worldwide, with multiple exhibits in Tokyo and London.

More recently, Kozik has been known for his involvement in the design and production of vinyl toys with companies such as Kid Robot and Toy2R. He is best known for creations such as the Smorkin' Labbit, the Hate Dunny, and Dr. Bomb.

His newest toy creations in partnership with Kid Robot involve 13 highly stylized real-world toys known simply as 'Chumps.' With characters including a boxing rabbit, bookie worm, cat-burglar dog, and a gangster octopus, this blind box rag-tag band of outsiders is bound to create another stir in the toy market.

Keenspot Aquired Completely by Crosby Comics

2008-02-28T10:46:00.005-07:00

Keenspot, the online comic host that has recently been growing into a minor media mogul, has announced that Darren "Gav" Bleuel and Nate Stone of Orthnormal Systems have sold their 50% stake in the company to Crosby Comics for an undisclosed amount.

Said Keenspot CEO Chris Crosby, "I want to thank Darren and Nate for everything that they've done over the eight years since we founded Keenspot together. It couldn't have happened without their hard work, and we'll always appreciate that."

Crosby has announced major changes in the company's structure and business plans. "We're completely rethinking everything that we do," said Crosby. "Keenspot may be turning eight in March, but in many ways, this is only the beginning. Watch this 'spot."

Keenspot hosts over 50 unique comics in genres ranging from Adventure to Science Fiction to Surreal. The results of this acquisition and the announced future changes will certainly be reference for future blog posts as we see how the readers react.

Manga of Shannara

2008-02-27T17:58:00.007-07:00

For over thirty years, Terry Brooks has published numerous works of fantasy fiction, his Shannara series being the crowning achievement. With millions of books sold to date, Mr. Brooks was able to make history by being the first author to produce a work of fantasy that earned a spot on the New York Times bestseller list.

Now Terry is ready to take another step in the production of his hugely popular series, according to an interview by Laura Hudson. Set to debut on shelves on March 25, Terry Brooks' first ever manga-tized story will be available for fans of both the fantasy and manga genres to enjoy.

'Dark Wraith of Shannara' will tell the tail of Jair Ohmsford, one of the two main characters in 'Wishsong of Shannara'.

Not to worry, Shannara fans. Dark Wraith is a stand-alone series written along the storylines of the title series; a fresh new story with a recognizable character.

As a long-time reader of Terry Brooks' works, with complete faith in his choices, I for one am both excited and intrigued by this new medium through which I can view his works. Stay tuned to Goliath!? when this one comes out. You can be sure there will be a review on it.

The full interview with Terry and Laura can be found here.

Z is for Zombie

2008-02-27T10:34:00.006-07:00

After posting the story about Galactus, and especially about J. Michael Straczynski, I noticed another project he is working on in particular: World War Z

The book, written by Max Brooks (son of Mel Brooks), takes place 10 years after the human victory against the zombie pandemic, and tells of the stories and experiences of those who have survived during the undead plague.

Many readers and fans around the world have lifted Max Brooks to being the leading authority on Zombies, with his second book "The Zombie Survival Guide" becoming extremely popular even to those not already prepared for the inevitable zombie attack.

The movie is currently being penned by JMS, and is set to be produced by Brad Pitt's Production company, Plan B.

After reading through the Survival Guide, I feel I am personally ready to face the undead. However, I failed to notice a contingency plan if this were to happen... Game over, man...

Galactus to star as Galactus?

2008-02-27T10:08:00.004-07:00

J. Michael Straczynski, the screenwriter of the Silver Surfer Movie - designed to be a prequel to Fantastic Four - has recently dished out some news about the project at his Wondercon Spotlight panel.

He claimed that it will feature Galactus (The World Eater), and noted that the real deal wasn't revealed in the latest Fantastic Four film, so as to keep him primed for his real debut in the Silver Surfer origin movie.

Remember, however, that this film does not yet have a director. Cross your fingers!

As one fan said of Galactus' role in the Silver Surfer movie as opposed to his appearance in the Fantastic Four 2 movie: "I hope they cast Galactus to play Galactus. I think he will do well in the role with his experience being Galactus all those years"

I couldn't agree more.

3 New Marvel Movie Photos from Empire

2008-02-27T09:44:00.004-07:00

Empire Magazine's newest issue seems to be jam-packed with the lowdown on three upcoming Marvel movies. Exclusive new photos for X-men Origins: Wolverine, The Incredible Hulk, and Iron Man have found their way into it's pages!

Many people groan at the thought of a second Hulk movie, but recent statements by Edward Norton (the film's star: Bruce Banner), has slated this movie as a 'fresh start'. I don't know about you, but I think I'll trust Mr. Norton. The man is certified B.A.

To view the photos of The Incredible Hulk, Wolverine, and Iron Man, simply follow the links!

Oh and flip through the magazine while you're at it... There's some pretty interesting stuff in there!

Secret Project Revealed

2008-02-27T00:14:00.005-07:00

Dave Sim, the Canadian born comic book writer (Cerebus the Aardvark) has finally revealed his much anticipated 'secret project' entitled Judenhass.

Neil Gaiman:

"Judenhass is an astonishing piece of work. Painful and real and unflinching. I don't remember the last comic I read that made me cry, but this did."

Marv Wolfman:

"Judenhass is endlessly disturbing, often unpleasant and incessantly horrifying in its stark coldness. The quotes should never be forgotten or made light of. It is why all people of good will say, 'Never again.'"

Judenhass is Sim's cold, unrelenting, photo-realistic examination of the holocaust. The title translates directly into 'hatred of the jews.' Writing began in 2005 in response to the liberation of Auschwitz, and it's spring release will tie into the 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel.

To avoid trivialization of the horrific events, Sim has chosen not to actively market this book as he has with other titles. His hopes is that word of mouth alone will put this book into the readers' hands.

Justice League Movie a Go

2008-02-26T23:42:00.004-07:00

Variety has reported that now that the writer's strike has ended, DC's Justice League has come closer to earning time on the silver screen. Last month the project had been put on hold, for what everyone expected to be indefinitely.

The cast, however, has been notified to continue their training for their roles, as the Warner Bros. Studios prepares for the movie's intended debut in 2009.

Currently holding the main roles for the film are Adam Brody (The O.C.) as the Flash, rapper Common (Smokin' Aces) stars as the Green Lantern, Armie Hammer (Flicka) is Batman, and D.J. Cotrona (Venom) is rumored to play Superman.

Fans across the internet have not been overly impressed, however, in the decision to keep Batman and Superman in the movie. Some say that to include these two characters as different actors than who is currently being used in other films (Batman Begins, Superman Returns) is an unwise move. Personally I don't overly care, as a movie has the potential to be good regardless of who stars in it... sometimes.

New Iron Man trailer to debut during LOST

2008-02-26T00:24:00.006-07:00

Just a quick heads up! For any reader who actually needs a reason (besides the fact this show is pretty close to the best thing ever) to watch LOST this week, here's your reason!

ABC has announced that the newest trailer for their Iron Man movie, due for release on May 2, 2008, will debut sometime during LOST this week! Remember, Marvel Studios has bet the bank on this movie. This means there's a good chance Marvel will pull out all the stops. Who's excited?

Me.

Again: LOST, 9 pm (8 pm Central), February 28, 2008.

Perry Bible Fellowship to Retire

2008-02-25T23:38:00.006-07:00

Nicholas Gurewitch, cartoonist for the hit internet-based comic "The Perry Bible Fellowship", has decided it is time to close the websites curtains once and for all. This comes as a shock to many fans of the acclaimed web-comic, as his recent release of The Perry Bible Fellowship book, entitled: "The Perry Bible Fellowship: The Trial of Colonel Sweeto and Other Stories", pre-sold over 27,000 copies.

The comic, which is definitely not for the pure of heart - or young of age, for that matter - has definitely been a highlight in my personal reading when surfing the internet. Nicholas has also achieved success through multiple newspaper and magazine mediums who have also picked up his comic for syndication. The announcement (which came on February 19th, 2008) shocked them as well.

When asked about why he has decided to stop his work on the series, the answer was simple: "I feel I owe it to myself and the Perry Bible Fellowship not to turn a joyful diversion into a long career."

A quote that really grabbed me when I read about his announcement was, "My friend and I saw 20 deer today while jogging. I need to see more deer."

Extremely sad to see this comic halt production, however I have faith that the world will see much more of the now 25-year-old Nicholas Gurewitch's talent in the years to come, though through different mediums.

Batman: Gotham Knight

2008-02-25T16:51:00.005-07:00

From our friends over at ICV2:

Warner Bros. has announced a July 8th release for Batman: Gotham Knight, a new anime feature film that hopes to do for The Dark Knight what the Animatrix did for The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. Batman: Gotham Knight explores events that happened between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, which opens on July 18th. The creators of the new Batman film commissioned three anime studios, Production I.G., Studio 4C, and Madhouse and five noted anime directors (Shojiro Nishimi, Futoshi Higashide, Hiroshi Morioka, Yasuhiro Aoki and Toshiyuki Kubooka) to create a series of six interrelated Batman adventures based on stories by Josh Olson (A History of Violence), David Goyer (Batman Begins), Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series), Greg Rucka (Whiteout), Jordan Goldberg (producer, The Dark Knight) and Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets)

Mean Muggin'

2008-02-25T14:39:00.006-07:00

Hasbro is stepping into the trendy vinyl toy market with their newly released Mighty Muggs. Currently licensed for both Star Wars and Marvel intellectual property; you can see the likes of Wolverine, Spider-man, Darth Vader, and Chewbacca along with 10 others super-imposed onto the 6 inch figures with Sausage arms and balloon heads.

Future releases include Indiana Jones, Princess Leia, and Jango Fett later in the year.

It will interesting to see how the market reacts as some of the bigger players in the toy industry continue to get involved in the designer toy movement.

The Global Manga Phenomenon

2008-02-25T12:55:00.001-07:00

Paul Gravett writes on the global manga phenomenon.

Here, a whole 'Pokémon generation' has grown up with these distinctive stories and styles. Many British youngsters are exposed to them first through card- and computer-games and anime (Japanese animation) in the form of such hit television cartoons as Naruto and Oscar-winning movies like Spirited Away. From here, they discover that their bookshop and library shelves are heaving with Viz, Tokyopop, Gollancz and Tanoshimi manga paperbacks. These sometimes long-running series, imported and translated from Japan, are printed in black and white and often in their 'authentic' right-to-left, back-to-front reading direction, baffling adults but captivating kids.

Bennett Robot Works

2008-02-25T12:09:00.003-07:00

Add some one-of-a-kind style to your collection with one of the fine specimens from Bennett Robot Works of Bridgehampton, NY. These are not toys.

These robot sculptures were inspired by the "Modern Age" visions of Norman Bel Geddes and Raymond Loewy from the 40s and 50s. They are made from salvaged parts from such unique locations as garbage dumps, basements, construction sites, and garage sales.

Ranging in price from $750 to $6000, Bennett currently has over 30 robots on display and for sale. Each robot takes approximately a month to build, and range in height from 14" to 25".

While not battery powered or mechanical in nature, you will be able to rest easy at night knowing you will be safe during the impending robot uprising while your friends are forced to fight off the cute but killer Elmo robot and his 'jazz hands' or the always deadly Beerbot.

Wolverine flick the answer to Batman?

2008-02-24T22:39:00.004-07:00

20th Century Fox has released it's first official photo of Logan from their Marvel Comics movie-in-making "X-Men Origins: Wolverine". Word on the street is that Hugh Jackman has bulked up significantly in order to play the role. Rumors have been heard that this installment of the X-Men story will feature a darker, grittier and far more brutal Wolverine.

Due to the change in attitude, many feel this may be a re-energizing move by the franchise, as Batman was to its respective franchise.

Hugh Jackman (X-Men, The Prestige), Liev Schreiber (Scream), Ryan Reynolds (Van Wilder), Taylor Kitsch (The Covenant), Will.i.am (Knocked Up), Danny Huston (30 Days of Night), Dominic Monaghan (Lord of the Rings), Lynn Collins (The Number 23) and newcomer Daniel Henney are set to star in the Gavin Hood-directed film, opening May 1, 2009.

The Hobbit no match for Wizard's First Rule

2008-02-24T21:33:00.006-07:00

Sam Raimi of Spider-man fame has recently opted out of the running to be the director of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit'. The director/producer (who also may add such movies as The Evil Dead and Army of Darkness to his repertoire) has instead chosen to sign with ABC Domestic Television in order to Executive Produce their new fall series: "Wizard's First Rule".

The show, based off the hit novel and first-in-a-series by fantasy author Terry Goodkind, will headline ABC's Fall Season. ABC also brings other hits such as 'LOST', 'Grey's Anatomy', and 'Desperate Housewives'.

However, the fact that this series has even a remote chance at being more of a hit than a prequel to Jackson's 'Lord of the Rings' saga remains to be seen. Remember, Raimi is also responsible for that Amazon woman, and that really strong guy. Think of this how you will.

Konjoined Kitty!

2008-02-24T00:39:00.004-07:00

From the...unique mind of Michael Schupbach comes this adorable new plush toy called Konjoined Kitty.

Michael is known for his time spent at Disney as well as Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop. He collaborated with esteemed ESC-Toy Ltd. to bring us this wonderful creation.

The Layout

2008-02-24T00:32:00.002-07:00

After a short deliberation, the layout has been completely over-hauled. Dan is asleep at the moment, but hopefully he'll be as excited about the changes as I am.

The next step: Content!

Lucid Dreams

2008-02-23T13:09:00.004-07:00

Lucid TV is a new-ish web comic by David Rothlein and Roth Hutchinson Armstrong. Dark, often sadistic humor, and certainly not for the faint of heart. This medical marvel is a staple of my weekly reading. Prepare to throw political correctness out the window.

Marvel: Still a Screaming Buy!?

2008-02-22T15:16:00.004-07:00

Investor worries over a limited film schedule for 2009 led to a $2 drop in stock price (NYSE: MVL) on yesterday's close. This hasn't stopped The Motley Fool's Tim Beyers from giving his list of reasons why Marvel is a screaming buy.