Comic Books, Movies, and Superheroes

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

2011-04-04T17:03:00.001-05:00

[short entry]

based on a comic book
6/10

I was a freshman in college when the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie came out. And I wasn't into comics. So I watched it for the very first time with my kids last week. I think I was a bit old for TMNT when it was big, so I don't have the nostalgia factor. The premise was fun, the story decent. I guess I was just "whelmed" to coin a phrase. Was it adapted from the cartoon which was adapted from the comics? I'll have to check that out. (The above pic is, of course, the original cover from the Eastman and Laird comic.)

The Losers (2010)

2011-03-31T10:46:00.005-05:00

[short entry]

based on a comic book

[6/10]

It’s sad, really. I bet The Losers (Vertigo) comic by Andy Diggle is at least a hundred times better than the movie. I’ve never read, but now I’m going to since I was disappointed in the film. I give it a 6/10 for some halfway decent action. I’m thinking that, probably, it should have been darker and given an R rating.

The Green Hornet (2011)

2011-03-18T22:02:00.002-05:00

[short entry]

superhero film not based on a comic

[8/10]

The year in comic book movies for 2011 started with a bang. I wasn't sure what I was going to think about it, but when I saw the trailer, I thought it might actually be good - whether or not I saw Seth Rogen in the role.

And ultimately, it was a fun action flick. Easy escapism. Green Hornet has come a long way since the radio shows from the 30's.

Megamind (2010)

2011-03-18T21:38:00.000-05:00

[short entry]

superhero movie not based on a comic

[8/10]

I was truly surprised at how much I enjoyed this film. If I had any inkling how good this movie was, I would have gone to see it in the theater. In 3D. Its The PowerPuff Girls Movie all over again. *sigh*

The Phantom (1996)

2011-03-18T21:30:00.000-05:00

[short entry]

based on a comic

[5/10]

The Phantom started as a strip in 1936. While I never got into reading it, I can only hope the strip is better than this movie. My 4-year-old didn't even like it.

Databases and Comic Stuff

2011-03-18T21:22:00.001-05:00

While I intend to track upcoming movies here (to the right), as well as keep a database of past movies (with the intent of listing every comic book live action or theatrical release move ever made), I'll be posting other comic-related stuff here: http://comicbookeverything.tumblr.com

Hiatus

2011-03-06T13:23:00.000-06:00

Wow - it has been a long time. Nearly a year! And the last review I have on here is from 2009? I realized the other day that I never get on a computer any more (or rarely) unless I'm at work. I do everything on iPhone - surfing, email, Twitter, Facebook. And Blogger still doesn't have an iPhone app? I downloaded Blogpress a long time ago and used that for a while, but I do (did) so much on this blog that I couldn't do with an app that I rarely updated this one.

That being said, I still want to keep this updated as a database of comic movies. So, I'm going to start back up with the reviews, and use this blog to keep track of the great comic book and superhero projects coming out in 2011.

Maybe I'll be a bit more consistent :)

Previews and Pop Culture, April 2010

2010-04-26T19:56:00.002-05:00

Bringing you the highlights of comics solicited for June as they relate to pop culture.

Movies

Ghostbusters Holiday Special: Con-Volution! (one-shot, IDW)

The Ghostbusters take on a comic book convention.

Jurassic Park #1 (IDW)

Takes up the story 13 years after the original story.

Predators #1-4 (mini, Dark Horse)

Prequel to Robert Rodriguez's Predators movie.

Darkwing Duck #1: The Duck Knight Returns (mini, Boom!)

Darkwing Duck makes a comeback.

Fringe: Tales from the Fringe #1 (mini, Wildstorm / DC)

6-issue mini based on the show.

Phineas and Ferb Early Comic Reader #1: Nothing But Trouble (Disney Press)

Good excuse to buy a comic for my kids...

Books

Dracula #1 and 2 (mini, Marvel Comics)

Based on Bram Stoker's novel, these comics have been colored for the first time. They were inked by comics legend Dick Giordano (who recently passed at the age of 77).

Other

Rock N' Roll Comics #1: Joan Jett & The Runaways (one-shot, Bluewater Productions)

Unauthorized Biography

Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper #1 (IDW)

Adaptation of Robert Bloch's story, originally published in Weird Tales in 1943.

Superheroes at Taco Bell!

2010-04-22T20:45:00.001-05:00

Snagged this 3D Batman and Wonder Woman at Taco Bell tonight. Get 'em free with kids meals or $1.50 each. They come with 3D poster and 3D glasses.

Barb Wire (1996)

2010-04-18T18:19:00.000-05:00

based on a comic book

[5/10]

Ah...the comic book Bad Girls of the 1990s. Lady Death, Witchblade, Shi, Purgatori, Barb Wire. Good times.

In the 1996 film attempt to cash in on Bad Girl popularity, Pamela Anderson Lee is Barb Wire, a "different kind of mercenary." The year is 2017, after the second American Civil War, the US is run by a fascist regime, and there's one free city left in the States: Steel Harbor. That's what the opening text tells us. And that's what Barb Wire narrates almost word-for-word nearly 10 minutes later after she does an erotic dance going undercover for one of her jobs.

Like a lot comics of the 90s, Barb Wire is more style than substance. The acting is wooden. The dialogue sounds like it was written by a bad writer who's just watched too many action films. Maybe I'm romancing them, but this film makes Arnold's 80s movies look like Oscar-deserving cinema.

Pamela even picked up a tagline for herself in this film. Arnold has "I'll be back" and now Pamela has "Don't call me 'Babe'."

But, there is something about the spectacle. And I've always been drawn to the dystopian future. The action's almost fun in places, and the technology is at least a little interesting.

Barb Wire is based on the Dark Horse comic, from their Comics Greatest World imprint. In 2008, Dark Horse collected the entire Barb Wire run in one of their popular Omnibuses.

Notable cast. The cast is a veritable who's who of random comic book roles.

Pamela Anderson Lee played Invisible Girl in Superhero Movie, and voiced Stripperella in Stan Lee's famed cartoon of the same name.

Barb's foil, Alexander Willis, is played Xander Berkeley. Berkely began his comic-book-related roles back in The Incredible Hulk in 1982. Most recently he played Detective Gigante in Kick-Ass (that's out today!). Voice work in animated roles include The Tick, Superman: TAS, Spawn, Batman Beyond, Justice League, Spider-Man (2003), Teen Titans, The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.

Clint Howard (Schmitz) is one of those character actors whose face you recognize, but whose name you don't. He's been in Heroes, Super Capers, The Rocketeer, and The Haunted World of El Superbeasto.

Udo Kier (Curly) is similarly familiar. You've seen him in Blade and you've heard him in Justice League and The Batman.

Tommy Lister was in The Dark Knight, as well as Super Capers.

Temuera Morrison (Axel) was in Blueberry and will be Abin Sur in the upcoming Green Lantern film.

Jack Noseworthy (Charlie) played Strickland in Surrogates.

Addendum: How could I forget character actor Nicholas Worth (creepy Ruben who picks up Barb Wire), from Darkman and Swamp Thing?

See it if you rate your actions films by how well they balance the trifecta: violence, nudity, and adult language.

Don't see it if you like your comic book films to have more substance than style.

Marvel and IDW on the iPhone

2010-04-04T16:47:00.000-05:00

Surfing apps this afternoon (after my friggin' laptop crashed) and I came across Marvel's app. I'm sure the comics will look cooler on the iPad, but this'll have to do for now. A little more looking and I found that IDW has their own app, too. Cool.

Comic Book Publishers on Twitter

2010-03-27T10:34:00.000-05:00

If you're on Twitter, I've been working on a list of comic book publishers. It's not exhaustive, obviously, but it's a start:

Jim's Comic Book Publishers Twitter List

Previews and Pop Culture

2010-03-27T09:59:00.001-05:00

Just a few items of interest in the March Previews...

Boondock Saints in Nomine Patris #1
Written by the original creator of The Boondock Saints, Troy Duffy
12-Gauge Comics

I saw The Boondock Saints for the first time a couple of weeks ago - amazing film! I hear Boondock Saints II doesn't live up to the original, but what sequel does?

Bram Stoker's Death Ship #1
IDW
Interesting premise - a ship sails from Transylvania and the crew begins to fall victim to the evil creature lying in the ship's hold during daylight hours.

Fame: Lady Gaga
Bluewater Productions
Seriously?

James Patterson's Witch & Wizard #1
IDW
Has anyone read this book? Is it any good?

Muppet King Arther (Hardcover)
Boom! Studios
I need to check out this muppet series.

Addendum.
Duh! How could I forget (especially since I ordered it):

Rock & Roll Comics: The Pink Floyd Experience
Bluewater Productions
Pink Floyd is my all-time favorite band. I'm looking forward to reading this.

Comic Book Movies on Sale at Target

2010-02-06T16:21:00.002-06:00

Comic book movie sale at Target.

Superman I-IV complete set for $9.99.

Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, and Batman & Robin complete set for $9.99.

And Greatest American Hero Seasons 1-2 pack for $19.99.

Batman: Brave and the Bold - Plastic Man toy!

2010-01-03T22:50:00.000-06:00

I think this is the next thing I'll pick up when I have a little money to spend. A stretchy Plastic Man toy from Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Check out my mad filmmaking skills (stills shot with an iPhone; stop motion created with iMovie 08).

Also found a few other cool toys from the show (these were all at Target).

Amanda Waller

2010-01-03T22:23:00.000-06:00

Did you know there was an Amanda Waller action figure?

Surrogates (2009) mini review

2009-12-28T16:23:00.003-06:00

based on a comic book

[9/10]

The world has changed. When surrogates were invented (robot-selves that you control with your mind), it allowed people to keep themselves safe from the dangers of the outside world. While their robot selves can go out and and face anything imaginable, they're controllers can remain safe at home. If your surrogate is damaged or destroyed, you can just get a new one.

At least until now.

A surrogate has been killed, and its controller died in the process.

Now that the first homicide has been committed in several years, FBI Agent Tom Greer (Bruce Willis, Unbreakable, Sin City) has to find who is doing it and how.

Surrogates was a completely engaging movie. I never actually read all the bad reviews, but I've noticed thy haven't been very kind - I'm not sure why. The movie didn't have a lot of the problems that can plague science fiction - poorly developed story, bad acting, worse writing. Just the opposite - Surrogates is well-written, with a good, solid story - it has everything that a well-made drama consists of. I very nearly scored it an 8/10, but had to give it the extra point, when my wife and I spent the ride home from the movie discussing the motives of the characters, the story, and the philosophy of the movie. I love movies that make you think. See Surrogates if you get a chance.

The movie also stars James Cromwell (Spider-Man 3), Ving Rhames (Aquaman pilot), Jack Noseworthy (Barb Wire), Helena Mattsson (upcoming Iron Man 2).

See it if you like thoughtful science fiction that makes you think and ponder what it means to be human.

Don't see it if heavy action science fiction with lots of lasers and explosions is more your style.

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

2009-12-28T10:00:00.000-06:00

Afte watching Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, I've now seen all of the DC animated movies other than Green Lantern: First Flight. And except for Batman: Gotham Knight, I think Public Enemies is the best of the lot. Superman: Doomsday was a bit of disappointment. I enjoyed Final Frontier and Wonder Woman, but not as much as Superman/Batman. Unfortunately, I don't have the benefit of having read Jeph Loeb's original Public Enemies comic to make a comparison, but the movie itself is a lot of fun. A variety of characters, many of whom you don't expect, and some creative dialogue (it's always good when you laugh out loud) make this definitely worth seeing. I'm sure some hardcore fans might question motives of certain characters (would Starfire really be on Luthor's payroll?) but I don't know some of these heroes well enough to think too hard about it. See it if you get the chance.

Superhero Tweet of the Week

2009-12-02T01:00:00.002-06:00

"If I was invulnerable...I think every once and a while I'd get hit by a car and be like....DUDE COME ON, THESE ARE NEW KACKIS!! "

@MyNameisRazzle

What? Who? Pop Candy!

2009-12-02T00:59:00.001-06:00

Dang - haven't spent any time here and I want to get back in the groove.

So, a couple of cool things I came across today.

I love Pop Candy.

Whitney Matheson always has some nice superhero-flavored pieces to share.

Geekologie asks, What if Superheroes Had Beards?

Bearded: Batman by ~Vanjamrgan on deviant ART

Good stuff...

Also, The Maxx is coming to DVD. (Woo!)

Finally, the creepy weird "Pale Force" superhero cartoons. I couldn't get through them - but you may...

Surrogates

2009-10-17T18:38:00.000-05:00

Finally seeing it tonight!

Don't waste your time on Marvel SuperHeroSquad

2009-09-14T21:25:00.001-05:00

Like I did.

Quite possibly the stupidest superhero cartoon I've ever seen.

Juvenile vomit, fart, burp, snot, toilet, and underwear jokes. Way too silly - written for 3-year-olds, but nothing intelligent for the older crowd.

Bad writing. Annoying animation.

Not even a Battlestar Galactica joke could save it.

I've always been turned off by bad Marvel writing (and that includes Stan Lee). The way they nickname everyone? Wolvie, Falc, Ms. M, Squaddies...

And "HERO UP!"

Good grief.

Marvel SuperHero Squad

2009-09-14T17:27:00.001-05:00

I almost missed this! A new show, Marvel SuperHero Squad, is on in 30 minutes at 7 EST / 6 CST on Cartoon Network. http://bit.ly/cRn0y

Whiteout (2009)

2009-09-13T14:43:00.001-05:00

based on a comic

[8/10]

Carrie Stetko (Kate Beckinsale) is a U.S. Marshall in Antarctica. Three days before she's about to ship to warmer climes, a body is found on the ice, and she has to find out why. She's joined in her quest by loyal doctor John Fury (Tom Skerrit) and suspicious U.N. operative Robert Pryce (Gabriel Macht; The Spirit). (Alex O'Loughlin, who plays Haden was also in Man-Thing.)

This movie deserves a lot better than the critics give it. I have no idea why it's getting such bad reviews. I thoroughly enjoyed the film. It's the type of movie where you settle in, and the world just melts away as you're drawn into the movie. It's not non-stop action, but it has it's share. And even when calms down a bit, you're just wondering what's going to happen next.

This film was based on the 2001 graphic novel by Greg Rucka. I've been waiting on this movie for a while - thought it was supposed to come out last September. My question now is - how did Rucka write this in a graphic novel? I'm looking forward to reading it.

See it if you like thrillers or mysteries.

Don't see it if you just pay attention to the stupid critics.

Super News!

2009-09-11T21:05:00.001-05:00

Ok - this is a good enough reason to come out of hiding.

James Gunn is working on a new superhero movie.

I first became a fan of Gunn when I saw The Specials several years ago - he wrote the film, and played the super hero Minute Man (he's not fast; he shrinks).

It was genius. It was hilarious.

He also wrote the two Scooby Doo movies (which I really enjoyed), wrote and directed Slither (which I haven't seen), and wrote the Troma film, Tromeo and Juliet (somewhat...disturbing; but then it's Troma).

I follow him on Twitter. And I'm his friend on Facebook.

(I don't think I'm stalking him.)

I found out today on Twitter that he's working on a new movie called Super.

With Rainn Wilson.

And Ellen Page.

And Liv Tyler.

This is exciting news.

He describes it as: "a dark, comedic, gritty, very unusual, and grounded film".

James talks about it here.

Disney + Marvel: What is to come

2009-08-31T21:13:00.000-05:00

Arby's has Justice League

2009-08-31T18:24:00.001-05:00

Picked up this cool Wonder Woman Arby's yesterday -they're doing Justice League Unlimited, though it looks like they've just got the main JL cast. But why now? And where's Batman? Licensing issues?

Disney is buying Marvel Comics?!?

2009-08-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

Got my wife on board for the Spider-Man Broadway Musical!

2009-07-03T14:27:00.001-05:00

She loves U2.

Thor and Green Lantern Duke It Out?

2009-05-08T00:05:00.000-05:00

Not sure where the wires are getting crossed.

I keep seeing stories that Thor and Green Lantern are currently scheduled to be released on the same day (ComicVine, MTV Splash Page): 6/17/11.

But Marvel and IMDB are showing Thor's release as 5/20/11. (SuperHeroHype didn't pick up on the June date and is still tracking to Marvel's date in May.)

Anyone know the correct date? It's a minor thing, especially considering the dates are so far in the future and they'll likely change, but I'm always curious how these things get started.

The Dark Knight (2008) mini review

2009-05-05T23:24:00.000-05:00

based on a comic book

[9/10]

For Christmas, my brother got me the very cool Batman Mask DVD Limited Edition. So, I finally watched it on DVD. And it's just as good (or better) now as it was at the theater. Where to start with this one? Everyone knows the plot - it's been going on for nearly 70 years. Batman versus the Joker. But this time the Joker's played by Heath Ledger. And that makes all the difference.

I was a little disappointed in the original Batman Begins. I gave it an 8/10, but I was hoping for at least a 9. There was something missing from that one. I don't know if it was a little bit of emotion to fully pull me in, or what, but while that film was technically brilliant, it didn't have the edge to make me fall in love with it.

The Dark Knight has that edge. More importantly, the edge was my seat, which I was on through the entire film. Nolan and Ledger was an amazing pairing. This Joker is psychotic, he makes you laugh, he makes you cringe. Sometimes at the same time. (How about a magic trick?) This film is dark - and it's full of dark humor (befitting of the Joker). Ledger would have made an amazing Joker if someone had adapted Arkham Asylum. The beauty of this film is that you're fully entranced, wondering what the next twist will be, slapped in the face by the next turn. This is an amazing superhero film to date. I'm just disappointed I never saw it on IMAX. It didn't come to Huntsville during it's re-release in January. Of course.

Comic book movie connections: Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox), Wanted; Joshua Harto (Reese), Iron Man; William Fichtner (Bank Manager), Ultraviolet. Nestor Carbonell (Mayor Garcia) was Batmanuel on The Tick and voiced Justice League. Eric Roberts (Maroni) appeared on Witchblade and did voices for Justice League and Spawn.

See it if you haven't yet; see it again if you already have.

Don't see it if the harshness of a PG-13 would turn you off. Batman is dark. The Joker is psycho. This isn't your father's Batman. (Though it may be your grandfather's - he was a little darker back in the 40's.)

Waiting for Wolverine

2009-05-02T15:33:00.000-05:00

Missed opening night Wolverine. On a date to see The Soloist tonight. But we cut it so close getting here and the theater is so packed that we opted to see Wolverine since it started 30 minutes later.

Here's the line.

I really hope it's better than I've been hearing.

(this didn't post for some reason Saturday night - so I'll post it now; BTW, Woverine was pretty good)

7-11 Wolverine Mutant Berry Slurpee

2009-04-30T21:35:00.002-05:00

Sweet.

Or maybe I should say tart. It was a bit on the sour side. Pretty tasty if you like berry. Thought I'd share a pic of the cup and the straw / toy.

Florence needs a 7-11.

Random

2009-04-29T23:25:00.000-05:00

Wow, this blog was horribly in need of updating. I haven't been paying any attention. Too many irons in the fire.

Did you know ABC was working on a pilot for a new (comedy) superhero show based on the British series, No Heroics? This could be hilarious. (Take a look at a trailer for the original series on YouTube. [NSFW])

I didn't know they had set a date for a Green Lantern movie.

What do you think the chances are for the next Spider-Man film to actually be 3-D?

Sit tight for my very-late-in-coming reviews for Dark Knight and Watchmen. Plus, I'm seeing Wolverine this weekend, and I'm going to take a stab at watching the Watchmen Motion Comic.

Harley Quinn

2009-04-20T23:45:00.000-05:00

Think they'll ever come out with this on Wii?

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Comic / Pillow

2009-04-11T13:40:00.000-05:00

Quite possibly the coolest thing I've ever seen. A Spider-Man comic book and pillow all in one. Saw it at Sam's. I really wanted to get it for myse- er, uh, for Max.
But I didn't think it warrented spending $20.

The Specials (2000) mini review

2009-04-01T22:04:00.000-05:00

superhero movie not based on a comic

[8/10]

The Specials.

The 6th or 7th best superhero team in the world.

The best superhero movie you've never seen.

Jamie Gunn, the genius writer behind the Scooby Doo live action films, crafts a witty superhero comedy, so funny that you don't even realize the heroes don't use their powers in the film.

The Strobe (Thomas Haden Church, Spider-Man 3, Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight). Amok (Jamie Kennedy, Son of the Mask). The Weevil (Rob Lowe). Minute Man (James Gunn). Power Chick (Kelly Cofield). Ms. Indestructible (Paget Brewster). Nightbird (Jordan Ladd). Deadly Girl (Judy Greer). U.S. Bill (Mike Schwartz). Alien Orphan (Sean Gunn). Mr. Smart (Jim Zulevic). VIII.

These are The Specials. Whether fighting supervillains like the deadly Anal Slug, or just fighting amongst themselves, The Specials are a different breed of superhero. It's fascinating to delve into their personal lives and see how they interact every day. Yes, this is a comedy with some fantastic elements; yes, these people are superheroes. But there's something about movies like this that you can relate to on a human level. Sometimes, even when you're a superhero, life isn't always how you want it to be.

Special trivia. Jenna Fischer makes a cameo; she may have been married to James Gunn at the time. Melissa Joan Heart (Sunlight Grrrl) has done a lot of voice work, including Saturn Girl on Superman: The Animated Series, and Dee Dee on Batman Beyond. Samantha Cannon, one of VIII, also appeared in Hancock.

See it if you want to see a hilarious superhero comedy.

Don't see it if you can't handle a lot of language; Jamie Kennedy's character is a bit "blue". Ha!

Links

2009-03-21T23:28:00.000-05:00

Wow - a lot of Watchmen related stuff on the web lately. Wonder why.

Here are a number of superhero things I've come across (I think I may have picked most of these up from Pop Candy).

What If's Abound

What if Stan Lee Wrote Watchmen (I can't bear to look..."Don't be a pinko, Doc!")

What if Woody Allen Had Directed Watchmen? Disturbing...but I might see Tarantino's. And Pedro Almodovar's.

Watchmen related

10 Things You Should Know About Alan Moore (I bet he could pen a fascinating comic book autobiography.)

Who Watches Who Walks out of Watchmen? I don't think anyone walked out of my theater - opening night.

After Watchmen (DC's picks of what to read after you read Watchmen. I'd start with League of Extraordinary Gentlemen; or maybe The Killing Joke.)

Other Superhero Stuff

10 Defenses for Howard the Duck (I've had this sitting on my DVR forever, intending to watch it and review it.)

The Hero Factory What could be better than supeheroes and 80s music? Make your own superhero, put him on a comic. Though sometimes they pick dumb names...

Watchmen

2009-03-06T22:29:00.000-06:00

Just sitting here in the theater waiting for Watchmen to start. I thought the theater would be a lot more crowded.

The Book of Lies (Brad Meltzer, 2008)

2009-02-28T09:45:00.000-06:00

The other day, I saw that my wife had brought home The Book of Lies from the library. I remembered hearing about this because part of the story featured the family of one of the creators of Superman (Jerry Siegel). I asked Krista if she like Meltzer. She said she'd read all his books.

"No you haven't," I replied.

Taken aback, "Yes, I have," she argued.

"Have you read Identity Crisis?" Ha!

"Well, I haven't read his comics." Color me impressed that she even knew he wrote comics, much less knew the name of one!

Anyway, I figured I better read this since she had brought it home from the library...

I don't read much in the way of thrillers - that's more Krista's speed. I enjoyed this one, though. It's a quick easy read, with chapters you can sometimes finish in a minute or two - great if you read in tiny bites.

So, how does the first murder (the story of Cain and Abel) figure prominently into the life of the creator of Superman? Read it and find out. It's an interesting story with some good twists and turns (none of which I saw coming, though Krista said she saw the first big one).

Push (2009) mini review

2009-02-22T12:45:00.000-06:00

superhero film not based on a comic

[7/10]

So, technically, it's not a superhero film - but it is a film about people with powers. When I saw the previews for Push, it seemed very reminiscent of the show Heroes, but as I sat in the theater absorbing the film, it didn't remind me of Heroes at all.

A government organization called The Division is continuing experiments on psychics started by the Nazis in World War II, trying to develop people's psychic abilities and turn them into weapons. Those who have telekenetic abilities are called Movers; people that can see the future are called Watchers; people that can push their thoughts into your mind and make you see and believe thing that aren't real are called Pushers; you get the idea. There are a lot more abilities in the film, but it's a lot more fun if you pick them up while you're watching.

The Division is looking for a Pusher named Kira (Camilla Bell) who recently escaped. They want her back because they've injected her with a serum that multiplies her abilities, and she's the first to survive the process. She gets some help from Nick (Chris Evans, upcoming Scott Pilgrim movie, Fantastic Four, 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer) and Cassie (Dakota Fanning - did you know she played a young Wonder Woman on Justice League once?). They're being chased by Division man Carver (Djimon Hounsou, Constantine, Blueberry), as well as a rival Hong Kong organization.

I thought the film was a fun ride. The way the abilities were handled was especially creative, and I think I enjoyed this part of the film best of all (and it helped me overlook other shortcomings). If you can find yourself lost in the fun of mindless esapism, sometimes that's all you need to enjoy a movie. I especially like the telekinetic fist fight...but I won't spoil that for you either.

Keep in mind that this is not a film for deep analysis. If you think too much about it, you can find a lot of parallels with Heroes, though, as I said before, it doesn't have the same feel. Plus, if you try to analyze the story and plot, I think you'd find a lot of holes. But as a "popcorn" movie - a movie you can just sit and enjoy, it's not too bad.

[Neil Jackson, who was Marcus in the Blade series playes a Mover who works for The Division. Ming-Na, who plays the Sniffer that helps Kira, Cassie, and Nick , also voiced Detective Yin on The Batman.]

See it if you can just sit and enjoy a movie for the fun of it.

Don't see it if you over-analyze films and look for plot holes.

The Brave and the Bold Toys

2009-02-13T11:21:00.000-06:00

I didn't know Brave and the Bold toys were out - even an action figure of Blue Beetle.

Rude

2009-02-12T17:09:00.000-06:00

Update.

Ok; while there's an advantage to pre-picking your seat at a theater like the Monaco, the downside is when you get rule-follower nazis that don't realize they're picking seats right next to you. So when they walk into an empty theater after picking seats right next to you they sit right next to you. Duh.

oh cool - Watchmen trailer

A Darkened Movie Theater

2009-02-12T17:00:00.000-06:00

Here am at the Monaco in Huntsville (by myself in the theater) about to see Push. Why? Well because it's not in Florence, of course. I'll let you know if it's any good.

Aw, crud...it looks like I might not have the theater all to myself. Oh, well. The trailers are about to start.

In the News

2009-02-08T22:51:00.008-06:00

Just some important news stories I thought you all might be interested in:

Action Figure Fights On Despite Loss Of Dragon Sword

5 Upcoming Comic Book Movies That Must Be Stopped

20 Superhero Movies We Hope They Never Make

Have a good week!

Wanted (2008) mini review

2009-02-01T15:00:00.001-06:00

based on a comic book

[10/10]

Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) is a loser. An insignificant nothing who can't figure out why his life sucks. He's treated like crap at his crappy job. His girlfriend is cheating on him with his best friend. Life can't get much worse.

But one day he finds out the father he never knew was an assassin. Fox (Angelina Jolie) finds him and tries to convert him; Sloan (Morgan Freeman - Batman Begins, The Dark Knight) is the head of The Fraternity and convinces him to join the organization. I'll leave the rest for you to find out when you see this movie, if you haven't already.

What can I even say about a summer of comic book movies that had such a strong start (Iron Man) and got better and better with every film, crescendoing with Wanted. Maybe that's not how they came out chronologically, but Wanted was my final stop on my summer comic book tour, and for my money, it was the best of the bunch.

This is only my second 10 out of 10 comic book movie. What can I say - I'm transfixed by films where the hero starts out as some schlub, and when he discovers the truth about life, it's turned upside down (The Matrix and Fight Club are in my top 5 films - go figure.) These kinds of films resonate with me somewhere deep inside. But when a movie is brilliantly made and it reaches inside me and grabs me by the soul - that's a film that rocks my world. And the beautiful choreography and amazing cinematography of this whole movie just makes you need to catch your breath.

Addendum: I wanted to add that not long after I saw the film in the theater, I read Mark Millar's comic that it was based on. It was interesting that the film wasn't that faithful to the comic. And, well, it wouldn't have been able to have near the success if it tried to be. I mean, the comic is dark. Darker probably than just about any comic I've ever read. In the comics, The Fraternity isn't a fraternity of assassins who go about trying to kill the people who deserve it. It's a fraternity of costumed super-villains who have done away with all the superheroes and now go about doing whatever they want. Imagine a secret gang of hundreds of Jokers let loose on the world without the Batman to keep them in check, and you can get an inkling of what I'm talking about. To be truer to the source material would have been cost-prohibitive (all those costumes, all those super powers, all those special effects), and it would've been lucky to garner an NC-17 rating. I think I'm glad they didn't get any close than they did - it all ended up like an adolescent angry boy's fantasy - what would I do if I could do anything I want to anyone I wanted to. *Shudder* While I recommend the movie to anyone who can get by the violence, I personally don't recommend the comic; but that's just me.

See it if you like intense action movies or movies about truth being turned on its head.

Don't see it if you tend to avoid the blood and violence.

Special (2006) mini review

2009-01-31T14:52:00.059-06:00

superhero movie not based on a comic

[8/10]

Do you ever dream of being different?

Does life ever have its foot on your chest, and you know you need to find the strength to stand up, but just don't know where to get it?

When a movie is really good, sometimes it's better to say less about it and let other people experience it for themselves. I was able to catch Special (here's the film's website) on Comcast On Demand last night - I had to look for it; it wasn't with the rest of the movies, it was in a separate category, "Magnolia Pictures".

Anyway, it was awesome.

Les (Michael Rapaport, Comic Book Villains) has decided to participate in some clinical trials with a new drug - a drug that's supposed to remove self-doubt. He starts taking it, and he starts to develop special powers. Or does he? Here, everyone involved in the film did an amazing job of making me wonder - does he really have these powers? (I mean really - you could see everyone's hand involved - from the writer to the director to the actors to those editing the video and the sound). And you keep second guessing...

Needless to say I was impressed.

Other cast includes Jack Kehler (Men In Black II), Josh Peck (you probably recognize him from Drake and Josh), Christopher Darga (Return to the Batcave, The Mask), and Amanda Carlin (Superhero Movie).

If you come across this film somewhere and get a chance to see it - see it.

See it if you like indie films or superhero films - or especially if you like independent movies and superhero movies.

Don't see it if your movies need to be big-budget Hollywood blockbusters.

Special

2009-01-29T20:34:00.011-06:00

Of course, this movie never came anywhere close to here, but I just saw on the movie site that it's on Comcast On Demand. I've liked Michael Rapaport ever since I saw Beautiful Girls. That reminds me - I've got watch Comic Book Villains again so I can review it. I'm going to check right now to see if we've got Special on our On Demand.

What's Up with The Dark Knight?

2009-01-23T18:12:00.001-06:00

Just saw the list of IMAX theaters that The Dark Knight was re-released to today. Is the Huntsville Space and Rocket Center on it?

Nope!

What's up with that?!?

Hmmmm...is it worth it to drive all the way to Nashville to see it on the IMAX? I'm still kicking myself for not going to V for Vendetta.

Upcoming: Push, Afro-Samurai, Wolverine and the X-Men

2009-01-21T22:23:00.001-06:00

News, news, news...

I happened to be reading Entertainment Weekly yesterday, and caught that Afro Samurai: Resurrection (sequel to Afro Samurai) is on is on Spike this Saturday night at 9 pm Central. (They're showing the full 2 hours rather than breaking it up like they did the last one). Once again it stars Samuel L Jackson, but the sequel adds Lucy Liu to the mix. (Shoot - I got the uncut version of the original for Christmas, and still haven't watched. Good grief.)

Also, Wolverine and the X-Men premiers Sunday at 1 pm Central. Wow; that's a weird time. It looks like they're showing two episodes back to back.

And here's the trailer for a movie that looks pretty interesting. It reminded me of Heroes, but I'll just have to go see it. It's called Push.

Mystery Men (1999) mini review

2009-01-16T22:43:00.000-06:00

based on a comic book

[10/10]

Call me crazy, but Mystery Men is, in my opinion, the finest superhero movie ever made - so far, it's the only superhero film I've rated a 10 out of 10. Why? It's not easy to put into words. The directing is excellent. The acting is wonderful. The casting is perfect. The cinematography is just Amazing. The writing is genius - the only other notable film among the writer's other credits include the nauseating The Return of Swamp Thing, so I don't know if he had a flash of genius, or if the script evolved during production.

The movie begins with Champion City's greatest hero (Captain Amazing - Greg Kinnear, Blankman) having to bail out a group of second string superheroes (Mr. Furious - Ben Stiller; The Shoveler - William H. Macy, Batman Beyond, Superman: TAS; and The Blue Raja - Hank Azaria), as they once again get their butts kicked while trying to fight crime. The three would-be crimefighters are later joined by The Bowler (Janeane Garafalo, Southland Tales), The Spleen (Paul Reubens, the Penguin's father in Batman Returns), The Sphinx (Wes Studi), and Invisible Boy (Kel Mitchell) and summon the courage to work through their individual issues and work as a team fight the evil Casanova Frankenstein (Geoffrey Rush). [Claire Forlani (Mallrats) has a small part, and the incredible Tom Waits (Wristcutters: A Love Story) has an excellent cameo. Other notables include Eddie Izzard (My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Blueberry) and Doug Jones (Hellboy, Hellboy II, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Men in Black II, Monkeybone, Tank Girl, Batman Returns)]

This movie has everything - some great superhero lines, a Disco gang, an insane asylum, a Corvette Limo. It even solves the mystery of how a simple pair of glasses can work as a disguise for Superman.

The Mystery Men were born in the pages of Bob Burden's Flaming Carrot Comics. All of the heroes in the movie originally appeared in this title, but the Mystery Men never even had their own comic until after the movie came out.

See it if you are in any way, shape, or form a fan of comic books.

Don't see it if you don't want to lighten up and suspend disbelief for a few minutes.

Hellboy Hawking DirecTV

2009-01-11T22:57:00.000-06:00

I saw this commercial last week and about fell off the couch laughing. It cracked me up for some reason.

The Spirit (2008) mini review

2009-01-10T23:43:00.000-06:00

based on a comic
[6/10]

Denny Colt (Gabriel Macht) is The Spirit. He's the hero of Central City. But what is he? Is he dead? Is he alive? To be honest, I had some trouble following it; partly because it was convoluted, and partly because it had trouble keeping my attention and I think I may have dozed off a few times (you know, like you do in school, when you're sitting at your desk and suddenly you jerk awake, knowing you just dozed off for a second or two).

Maybe the film is an homage to the comic, and the comic leaves as many questions unanswered. Maybe the film is an homage to film noir, and that's why there's so much over-acting and corny dialogue. Either way, you can tell I was a bit disappointed. It's an interesting experiment, but not as good as it could have been (or should have been). I'm not sure what the film was trying to be, or what it was trying to do. Was it campy? Was it an homage? Was it film noir?

The film is, of course, based on the Will Eisner classic comic book/strip The Spirit. It was directed by Frank Miller (who you might remember had co-directing credits on his Sin City movie). Samuel L. Jackson (Iron Man, The Incredibles, Unbreakable, Afro Samurai) plays Octopus; Eva Mendes (Ghost Rider) is The Spirit's first love - Sand Seref. Paz Vega (you may remember her from Spanglish) is the enchantress Plaster of Paris, Scarlett Johanssen (Ghost World) plays The Octopus's right-hand woman Silken Floss; Jaime King (Sin City, upcoming Sin City 2, Bulletproof Monk) is Lorelei Rox, and Dan Lauria is Dolan (he had parts in Smallville, Static Shock, and Batman Beyond) - he's the dad from The Wonder Years, if you, like me, were struggling to remember where you knew him from.

See it if you're a comic fan and want to see a feature based on comics legend Will Eisner's The Spirit or want to see Frank Miller's directorial debut.

Don't see it if, if you hate to see such great talent wasted, or based on Miller's comic writing and Sin City, you expect this to be really good.

Watchmen Comes to Life

2009-01-02T23:49:00.006-06:00

Because Moore brings gives his characters such depth, making them feel as if they're real-life people, I sometimes think of Watchmen as a story describing what might happen if people really did decide to dress up, become superheroes, and fight crime. Well that era has arrived. The most recent Rolling Stone has a story about Real Life Superheroes.

In other news:

The Edge talks about the Spider-man musical.

You've probably already seen the X-Men Origins: Wolverine site and trailer. It looks awesome.

XIII finally hit the news with some real info; it'll be on NBC in February. Here's the story; I've put the mini-series dates to the right under Premiers/Releases.

The Hulk fights Thor and Wolverine this January. Marvel has the trailer and some clips.

Well, here's hoping I get the chance to go see The Spirit tomorrow night.

I'll leave you with a trailer for a video game I may just have to buy. Think it'll come out on the Wii? *sigh*

Batman - Arkham Asylum

Punisher: War Zone mini review (2008)

2008-12-23T23:01:00.001-06:00

based on a comic

[7/10]

It's been so long since I've seen the last two Punisher movies, I don't remember anything about them. Guess I'll have to go back and rent them and write up my reviews. This third attempt at starting up a Punisher franchise may be the best of the three, despite the poor reviews it's been getting.

Punisher: War Zone follows the basic premise of the comics - the family of Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson) is killed by the mob. He then takes the law into his own hands, becoming judge, jury, and executioner to those who are getting by with the current system. And in this version, he meets up with Jigsaw (Dominic West, 300), his comic book arch-nemesis.

This film has quite a different feel than then other Marvel films that have come out in the last few years - it's a lot darker, a lot more violent, and much more bloody. As a matter of fact, it's one of bloodiest movies I've seen in a long time - maybe moreso than 30 Days of Night. (Which made me wonder why that couple brought their 5-year-old kid; but who am I to judge?) As a matter of fact, the intro showed the Marvel Knights logo rather than the regular Marvel logo. They also made a decent attempt to try to pull the comic book in - introduction of villain Jigsaw, and ally Micro(chip) (Wayne Knight, Justice League).

It's a bit difficult to find the right words to describe this movie. I can't really say it was fun or enjoyable, but I guess it was as enjoyable as a movie this dark can be. It's a decent mindless action flick. I wasn't blown away (ha!) by it, but there are some excellent action sequences (the movie opens with an adrenaline rush), and there are some funny lines, and some good scenes. There were some things that took away from the action, though. Some plot points were a real stretch. Yes, it's based on a comic book, so you accept certain things about the world, but when you play with the story, you can really screw it up. I won't spoil the story with the details, but it left a little to be desired.

And, hey, did you know that Doug Hutchison (Loony Bin Jim) had a part in Batman and Robin?

See it if you like mindless movies with a lot of action, and can handle a lot of blood.

Don't see it if you like your superheroes who believe in a little less bloodshed.

Eddie Murphy as the Riddler?

2008-12-18T08:14:00.000-06:00

I don't know...didn't we learn our lesson with Jim Carey? Well, if anyone can pull it off, Christopher Nolan can.

Trailer Park of Terror (2008) mini review

2008-11-08T02:52:00.007-06:00

based on a comic
[2/10]

I remember hearing about this a while back, I happened to notice it was on Comcast On Demand, and I was kinda in the mood for a horror movie tonight, so I thought I'd take a look.

I want my $4.99 back.

I think it was supposed to be funny. It wasn't.

I think it was supposed to be scary. It wasn't.

It had decent production values.

But it's just kinda dumb.

A low point in the career of Trace Adkins. The only other actor I recognized was character actor Tracey Walter (Bob the Goon in Batman, and some voice work in Teen Titans and Justice League).

It's based on the Imperium Comic, which appears to be an anthology.

See it if...I don't know; I guess if you like horror movies that are kinda dumb (it's not even bad in a good way).

Don't see it if you've got 30 Days of Night on DVD.

Spider-Man Horror

2008-11-01T20:46:00.000-05:00

This is why I wish I had 48 hours in my day.

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

Looking forward to the Indie Spanish Romantic Comedy Superhero Film

2008-09-27T15:59:00.000-05:00

It's called Santos. Take a look at the trailer - it looks like it'd be worth a watch:

Then read the article in Wired.

I know...I've been AWOL. Just life going on...

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army (2008) mini review

2008-08-09T16:26:00.000-05:00

based on a comic

[8/10]

I've caught up on my comic-book movies; now to catch up on my reviews!

Hellboy 2 continues in the same vein as Hellboy - it has the same quirky humor, the same personality, the same awesome effects and fantastic creatures. In this story, Hellboy (along with the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense - the BPRD) has to stop a mechanical Golden Army that is bent on death and destruction. I have to say that I enjoyed this as well as the first, though Guillermo del Toro (who also directed Blade II, and incidentally will be directing The Hobbit) took a bit of a departure and tried to break up the action with a bit of character development in the middle. I don't think it actually took away from the film, but I think it went on a bit too long and very nearly derailed it. (Though del Toro did a much better job trying to break up his fantasy with character development than Wimmer did with Ultraviolet.) This particular plot, though, isn't based directly on the comics, as the first one was. This is an original story, although it has seeds in the mythology that Hellboy creator Mike Mignola has planted in the comics.

Hellboy is obviously back (Ron Perlman - Blade II, Comic Book: The Movie, Prince Valiant; Killer Croc in The Batman; other voices in Kim Possible, Afro Samurai, Justice League, Teen Titans, The Tick, Superman: The Animated Series, Batman: The Animated Series, Phantom 2040, the 90's animated incarnations of Iron Man and Fantastic Four). As is Liz Sherman (Selma Blair). David Hyde Pierce is gone as the voice of Abe Sapien, but he's replaced by Doug Jones (Fantastic Four: The Silver Surfer, Men In Black II, Monkeybone, Mystery Men, Tank Girl, Batman Returns), who actually played the physical part of Abe in the first movie. Several other actors have had parts in other comic book films: John Hurt (Professor Broom) - V for Vendetta, Luke Goss (Prince Nuada) - Blade II, Jeffrey Tambor (Tom Manning) - Superhero Movie).

See it if you like fantasy, and you're a fan of the first Hellboy.

Don't see it if you haven't seen the first, which really sets the backstory and the tone.

The Dark Knight

2008-07-19T21:58:00.000-05:00

Best comic book movie so far this year; and that's saying a lot. That line you see at the bottom right is people waiting to get into a sold out theater.

Michael Bay and Batman

2008-07-08T22:02:00.002-05:00

Apparently Michael Bay (Bad Boys, Armageddon, Transformers) wrote a script for The Dark Knight. Take a look - it's one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time.

Batman Begins (2005) mini review

2008-07-04T11:33:00.000-05:00

based on a comic

[8/10]

I wrote this back around the time the film came out, before this blog, but thought it was probably good timing to post it here, what with Dark Knight coming out and all.

As I watch Batman Begins, opening with a million flying bats briefly forming the Bat Symbol, I think to myself, DC Comics is finally back in the game. Constantine was pretty good, but he's not one of their flagship superheroes. Batman is. And with the upcoming Superman Returns and Wonder Woman, I think we've got a lot to look forward to.

While it's not based on Frank Miller's Batman: Year One, Batman Begins shares a number of elements with the classic mini-series. They're both obviously origin stories and include the first meetings of Batman and Jim Gordon, Gordon's dealing with Gotham City Police Department corruption, Gordon's corrupt partner Flass, and mob boss Carmine Falcone. That's not all, but I don't want to ruin every surprise. A number of other comic elements work their way into the film - Lucius Fox (who runs Wayne Industries for Bruce Wayne), the name of Bruce's parents's murderer (a key player in Batman: Year 2), even a cameo from a lesser known villain from Batman's Rogues Gallery.

One of the interesting differences is the idea that Ra's Al Ghul - a villain created by Dennis O'Neal in the 70's - is instrumental in the etiology of Batman. In the comics, Ra's wants to destroy most of humanity so that the earth can heal itself of man's ills and return to a more natural state; in Batman Begins, he wants to destroy the corruption in the world that seems to be the ultimate state of man's existence. To accomplish this end, his organization enlists the Scarecrow to help destroy Gotham City by unleashing a fear toxin via the city's water system.

Batman Begins is well-written, well-directed, and well-cast. Writer-director Christopher Nolan (Memento) has succeeded in bringing the Batman franchise up from the Lazarus Pit (sorry - a Ra's al Ghul comics reference). Christian Bale is Batman, Michael Caine is Alfred, Morgan Freeman is Lucius Fox, Gary Oldman is Jim Gordon, Cillian Murphy is the Scarecrow, Ken Watanabe is Ra's, Liam Neeson (Darkman) is Ra's henchmen Henri Ducard, and Rutger Hauer (Sin City, Smallville) is Earle, supplanter of Bruce's father's position as head of Wayne Industries.

See it if you're a Batman fan or if you want to see how DC re-enters the comic book movie game.

Don't see it if you're too much of a purist and can't handle any deviation from the source material.

Hellboy and Chuck

2008-07-02T22:28:00.000-05:00

This promo for Hellboy II: The Golden Army is probably one of the coolest fanboy videos I've ever seen. Of course, part of that reason is that Chuck was probably my favorite new series this past season.

Here are a couple more Hellboy promos - one with the American Gladiators, and one with Bravo's Inside the Actor's Studio.

Hancock (2008) mini review

2008-07-02T07:08:00.001-05:00

superhero movie not based on a comic book

[9/10]

Will Smith (Men in Black, Men in Black II) is Hancock. A superhero that Los Angeles loves to hate, badly in need of some good PR. Jason Bateman (Justice League) is Ray, a PR agent badly in need of a new account. It's a match made in...well, maybe not.

This is the type of film that I always feel I need to keep the review short. Let me just say it's the best superhero film I've seen in a long time. I'm continually impressed by the depth Smith can display as an actor; and Batemen seems to be good in anything he's in. I couldn't count how many times Hancock made me laugh out loud, but it's not a comedy. It's got a ton of action, but it's not an action movie. It's got depth, but it still doesn't take itself too seriously. Iron Man is good. Incredible Hulk is excellent. I haven't seen Wanted, yet, but I bet that's pretty amazing, too. But if you had to make a choice and only see one superhero or comic film this summer - go see Hancock.

My 6 degrees of comic book movie separation - other parts are played by Eddie Marsan (V for Vendetta), Johnny Galecki (Batman Beyond), and Hayley Marie Norman (Trailer Park of Terror). Also look for a cameo from Akiva Goldsman (writer of Batman Forever and Batman and Robin)

See it if you like stories about people and enjoy a little dark humor.

Don't see it if you don't like the fantastic mixed with your reality; or if you're wanting light superhero fare to take the kids to or are offended by a little language - this isn't a movie for children.

Hancock

2008-07-01T21:05:00.001-05:00

Got to the the theater 30 minutes early for a sneak preview of Hancock - and the place was *empty*. But the theater ended up filling up pretty well. Anyway, go see it. It may be the best superhero movie of the summer. Seriously.

The Incredible Hulk (2008) mini review

2008-06-29T20:03:00.001-05:00

based on a comic book

[8/10]

It's incredible how they can turning something around. (Ha! Get it? Incredible? Sorry.) I saw The Incredible Hulk last weekend and was really impressed. Particularly after the disappointment of Ang Lee's Hulk. Actually, I'm trying to decide if this movie was better than Iron Man. The interesting thing about the Hulk is that he is as ingrained in the public consciousness as Batman, Superman, or Spider-Man. Everyone knows that some guy named Banner was in some sort of accident, and now every time he gets angry he turns into a large, green, incredible hulk. And this second attempt at a Hulk origin story capitalizes on that. The origin is squeezed nicely into the opening credits, and it works. Sure, if you've got a background in the comics, you'll follow it a lot easier, but it's not necessary. It's brilliant, really - smashing the origin story that usually takes a superhero film a half an hour to tell into just a few minutes - and in this case, the film is better for it.

The film itself was enjoyable - actually owing almost as much to the classic 70s TV series as to the comic book. If you haven't seen it, I won't ruin it for you, but it does a great job being based on the comic, but still borrowing from the show. And whenever you go into something heavy CGI, you worry that the human element is taken out. But that's the beauty of what Marvel has done with a lot of its heroes - made them so human. And Marvel (this is the second Marvel Studios film, after Iron Man) accomplishes this in amazing ways with The Incredible Hulk. This character is more human and relatable than any superhero I've seen in a long time. He's not a billionaire playboy, an alien, a demon, or a billionaire tech genius. Twenty years ago, I might have identified with Spider-Man a bit more, but I'm not that young anymore. This man trying to overcome his inner demon was more real to me than a lot of characters in movies that don't have the fantastic elements that are the stuff of comic books. The way Ed Norton (Bruce Banner) and Liv Tyler (Betty Ross) portray their characters, they seem so real. I think this is why I thought it was better than Iron Man.

Of course, Norton and Tyler are joined by the likes of William Hurt (A History of Violence) playing General "Thunderbolt" Ross, Tim Roth (Emil Blonsky), and Tim Blake Nelson (Dr. Samuel Stern). Although the Hulk was my favorite superhero as a child, while I watched the film, I didn't know enough to link all the characters with their comic book cohorts. I knew enough to recognize the Abomination in the previews, but after seeing the movie, and doing a bit of research, I was surprised at how well they kept true to his role in the Hulk's life. And during the movie, I wondered about some foreshadowing they did with Dr. Stern - and a quick Google search on his name proved my suspicions right.

Some trivia: Peter Mensah (General Joe Gellar) also played the messenger in 300. ("This is madness!") Also, Greg Bryk, who played one of the commandos, will be in the XIII mini-series.

See it if you like action, but you still like your superheroes embued with a bit of humanity.

Don't see it if you don't like all the CGI...but keep in mind, this superhero's more real than the ones that don't rely on computer graphics.

I Wanted to See Wanted

2008-06-28T19:22:00.002-05:00

Good grief - can't a guy get a break? So many comic book movies, so little time...

It looks like I'm not going to have a chance to see Wanted this weekend. Now I'm going to have to double it up with another superhero or comic book film. Like Hancock next weekend. Or Hellboy the week after that. Or Batman the week after that. Then we get a 2-month break until Whiteout in September (doesn't that film have a website, yet?).

I can't wait for DVD...(as bad as I wanted to see Get Smart, my comic book films get priority).

The Incredible Hulk

2008-06-21T19:29:00.001-05:00

I think Hulk may have been better than Iron Man. Saw previews for Dark Knight, Hellboy II, Wanted, and Hancock. It's going to be a great summer!

Iron Man (2008) mini review

2008-06-15T16:34:00.000-05:00

based on a comic book
[8/10]

Well, now that The Incredible Hulk opened this weekend, I should try to post this review I've been trying to get out for a month. By now, most of us know the basic plot to Iron Man. A harrowing experience turns Tony Stark from weapons designer to hero - he uses his technological genius to create Iron Man.

Any movie that starts with great music (AC/DC's Back in Black) and ends in equally good music is going to get extra points, even if the middle isn't great. I said I was going to be disappointed if Sabbath's Iron Man didn't find its way into the movie and only showed up during the end credits - and, well, I really wasn't disappointed. The special effects are seamless - you will believe a man can fly. (OK, I just did a Google blog search, and I'm about the 32nd person to use that in relation to this movie, but I still like it.)

Marvel continues to do it better, and this movie was pretty amazing. Robert Downey, Jr. is the perfect Tony Stark; Gwyneth Paltrow is his assistant Pepper Pots, Jeff Bridges is wonderful as his corporate rival. Every character in the film is completely believable. Clark Gregg's jump from The Adventures of New Christine to a serious government agent takes some getting use to (if you watch the TV show), but that's about it. All around there's nothing to complain about. It's an excellent film. Jon Favreau takes the leap to directing a superhero film and does it with aplomb. There's a little suspension of disbelief, but in anything superhero-related is going to have that. There's comic relief without being cheesy, and romance without detracting from the story. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. There's even a nod to the Silver Age Iron Man. Plus great foreshadowing for the next film. And what's not to love about that surprise ending? (I won't fall in line behind every other web site that spoils it in case you haven't seen it - suffice it to say, if you haven't seen it yet, stay through the end credits.)

Other actors include Leslie Bibb (Wristcutters: A Love Story) as the Vanity Fair reporter, Shaun Tobb (Lois & Clark) as Stark's helper Yinsen, Bill Smitrovich (The Phantom, Batman Beyond, the 90's animated Fantastic Four), and Tim Guinee (Blade, Smallville).

And with Marvel's recent announcements, there's lots to look forward, too. Iron Man 2 and Thor come out in 2010, and Captain America comes out in 2011.

See it if you like films with lots of action that keep you on the edge of your seat - whether you're into the superhero aspect or not.

Don't see it if...crap, if you read a superhero and comic blog, I can't think of any reason why you shouldn't see it.

How to Be a Superhero (Dr. Metropolis, 2005)

2008-06-14T13:01:00.000-05:00

Reading How to Be a Superhero, I almost wish I didn't work for a company that followed strict OSHA standards. As the pentultimate "how-to" guide, How to Be a Superhero could walk me through the basics of becoming a superhero should I be bathed in toxic waste or exposed to massive amounts of radiation.

HTBASH (written by Dr. Metropolis) is a wealth of knowledge leading novice and would-be superheroes onto the path of becoming a righteous do-gooder. It starts out by helping you identify what type of superhero you are based on the powers you have. It goes on to assist new heroes with those things that are important and necessary, but are often rushed in trying out new powers. For example, the discussion of the UPS is invaluable. Your UPS is your Unique Personal Style - for a superhero, what makes you, you. It has 3 components - your name, costume, and origin story. No superhero is complete without spending valuable time putting these things together. How many superheroes throw together a costume, jot down a name and run out to fight crime, without spending time coming up with the proper superhero name, or picking out costume colors that best complement their skin tones? Using Dr. Metropolis's name generator, I've already determined that I would be called Cosmic Beast, Fearless Avenger of Virtue. Or should it be The Cosmic Beast? I haven't quite come to a conclusion on that one, yet.

Several other tests and indicators walk you through the basics. This book is a wealth of amazing tools no superhero (or potential superhero) should be without. From finding the right arch-nemesis for you to finding the right fit in a superhero team, HTBASH contains an incredible amount of valuable information.

And realizing the importance of diversity, Dr. Metropolis even finishes out with a bonus chapter for those who might be concerned that they might play for the other team. This section can help the potential super-villain with the lifestyle choices they may be facing.

In the interest of raising awareness of this important book, I've taken the liberty (hmmm...maybe that should be Cosmic Beast, Fearless Avenger of Liberty) of putting together a video to get the word out.

Comic Books Unbound and Unrealized

2008-06-10T20:06:00.001-05:00

What's up with all this stuff on cable I can't see?

In an hour (9 Central, 10 Eastern), Starz, which I don't get, is showing Comic Books Unbound, which I won't be able to watch. Anyone taping it? Does anyone have VCRs anymore?

Also, Cracked recently had a contest to create posters for superhero movies we hope don't get made. Some of them are pretty funny - take a look.

I'm way backed up - on my Previews posts, my Iron Man review. And The Incredible Hulk comes out this Friday.

Good grief.

(Thanks to Pop Candy for the news.)

Swamped Thing

2008-06-07T09:22:00.002-05:00

Things have just been crazy, and I haven't been able to spend any time writing lately. Anyway, here are some tidbits that have dropped from the sky that I'm finally updating this blog with. (Actually it hasn't been much).

I can finally add Whiteout to the upcoming film listing since it has a release date (September 19th - maybe).

And here's a preview for the ABC family series Middleman (don't forget to set your DVRs for June 16).

Comics2Film also has some interesting background on how the comic was intended as a TV series before it was a comic.

And finally, MSN has an article - Super Fashionable - about superhero style. Though I don't agree with their assessment of Wolverine and the yellow spandex.

Thanks to Comics2Film.

Up and coming: Thor, Avengers, Persepolis, Middleman

2008-05-16T23:51:00.002-05:00

I've added a few things to the upcoming movies and releases:

Iron Man 2 has been set for April 30, 2010. Thor has a release date of about a month later - June 4, 2010. Marvel's also release a couple Avenger films in 2011; the first of which is Captain America, set for May 6; the second for sometime in July.

Persepolis is coming to DVD June 24.

The Middleman, from Viper Comics, is coming to ABC family on June 16.

Thanks to Comics2Film.

Superheroes at the Met

2008-05-11T00:28:00.005-05:00

This is different - if you happen to be in New York, there's an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art called Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy. It draws an interesting comparison between fashion and the metaphor of the superhero. Take a look at the links above or at the video below.

Iron Man

2008-05-10T21:14:00.000-05:00

Awesome!

Britney Spears, Superhero

2008-05-04T14:33:00.005-05:00

I can't believe I haven't heard of this before. It's been out for nearly two months, and I just happened to stumble across it today. I suppose it's because I'm a not big Britney fan. Anyway, if you haven't seen it, you should check out Britney's superhero debut (for her recent song, Break the Ice). It's not the best thing I've ever seen, but it was worth watching once...

It looks like they're not allowing these videos to be embedded. It took me forever to come across on I could put here, but I don't know how long it'll last. Here's a direct link to it if the one above disappears. (The video in the link is also a bit higher quality.)

You Can't Stop Crap!

2008-04-27T20:58:00.000-05:00

In a recent interview with Stan Lee, when he was asked about current projects, the Disney superhero films came up, as well as some other stuff that's made the round in the news. (I'm sure you've heard about the Disney deal - I didn't realize the films had names: Tigress, Blaze, and Nick Ratchet - they sound like winners.)

What I didn't know about was the animated TV series he had planned with Paris Hilton. Or maybe I heard it and blocked it out.

He made Pamela Anderson into a supehero stripper. I cringe to think what he could do with Miss Hilton.

Marvel Animated

2008-04-22T21:26:00.000-05:00

Want to catch some cartoons from Marvel you may have missed? You may get a chance to.

The Spider-Man, the New Animated Series CGI toon (starring Neil Patrick Harris) that was on MTV a few years is coming to the internet and cable. Apparently, Kabillion.com will begin hosting episodes on May 1, but you'll also be able to catch these On Demand with various cable companies, like Comcast and Bresnan Cable. This seemed pretty enjoyable, though I only caught one or two eps. And who doesn't love Neil Patrick Harris?

And if you were like me, and missed most of the episodes of Fantastic Four: The World's Greatest Heroes because your cable guide never matched what they were actually airing on Cartoon Network, Marvelkids.com has those episodes for you. (Though at the time I didn't think it was good enough for me to try to hunt down the shows I missed.) Soon, Marvelkids.com will also have episodes of X-Men: Evolution.

Thanks to Comics2Film.

I Can't Believe This is Real

2008-04-21T22:05:00.002-05:00

And I can't believe it's all the way across the country.

Yes, Too Much Coffee Man has his own opera. This is the sequel. How did I not know about the original?

And what category do I put this in?

Newest Comic Book Movie Adaptation

2008-04-20T21:13:00.000-05:00

The Onion never ceases to deliver. Check out this news clip about the upcoming Iron Man adaptation. Lets hope the film is as good as the trailer.

Wildly Popular 'Iron Man' Trailer To Be Adapted Into Full-Length Film

Superhero Movie (2008) mini review

2008-04-14T22:29:00.000-05:00

superhero movie not based on a comic
[6/10]

In Superhero Movie, Drake Bell is an awkward high school student who is on a field trip to a genetics lab and gets bitten by a genetically altered dragonfly. From then on, he develops amazing dragonfly powers, such as the ability to breakdance on a wall, and constantly crash and burn when talking to the girl of his dreams.

As you might guess, Superhero Movie is more a spoof of the Spider-Man films than anything else. There's a little bit of the X-Men films thrown in, as well as a Batman Begins scene, and a Pam Anderson Fantastic Four cameo. But mostly, it attempts to parody the Spider-Man formula. There's some superhero parody, but what's the point, when other films like The Incredibles and Sky High have done it so well?

But I actually enjoyed myself. I went in with expectations LOW, and Superhero Movie was much, much funnier than I expected. Of course, after watching the wretched Date Movie a while back, I was expecting the worst superhero film I'd ever seen (and I've seen some bad ones). The fact that it far over-reached my expectation was not too great a feat. There were several laugh out loud scenes, but they were accompanied by several scenes that were intended to be funny and just fell flat. Some of the humor was actually good enough to remind me of the first Airplane! film - but it just wasn't consistent.

See it if you like Airplane!-type humor. Superhero Movie isn't nearly as good, but there should be enough in it to keep you entertained.

Don't see it you didn't think Airplane! was a classic.

Premiers and Releases

2008-04-13T13:33:00.005-05:00

I guess I haven't been paying much attention to the news wire...a ton of stuff has been happening. Now I've finally caught up and updated some dates and links to the right.

Batman: Gotham Knight is finally available by pre-order from Amazon.com.

The two short-lived series - WB's Birds of Prey (which I enjoyed) and TNT's Witchblade (which I never actually caught) - are both coming to DVD.

(Huh - apparently, July is a big month for comic adaptations - all three of these DVDs are out that month.)

Punisher: War Zone has been pushed back a few months.

And finally, everyone seems to be all excited about XIII coming to NBC. I realize NBC officially announced it on their winter line-up, but still - I think I heard about this a while back.

March 2008 Previews Pop Culture Crossover

2008-04-05T10:27:00.000-05:00

Comics coming in May - highlights of movies, stories, and other odds and ends adapted to comics in the March Previews. More stuff from classic artists (Harryhausen and Frazetta), some new and interesting stuff, and some comics related to some awesome movies (including great sequels this year).

Movies

Igor Movie Prequel #1 (series or mini, IDW )
Prequel (obviously) to the animated film Igor due out in October. Star-filled cast, including Steve Buscemi, John Cusack, and John Cleese.
Indiana Jones Adventures, Vol. 1 (pocket book, Dark Horse)
Indiana Jones story written for kids (according to Previews).
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull #1 and 2 (2-part mini, Dark Horse)
Adaptation of the upcoming film. With all these awesome sequels, I need to have an 80s movies weekend and rent Raiders of the Lost Ark, and...
Lost Boys: Reign of the Frogs #1 (4-part mini, Wildstorm)
Rather than an adaptation, this fills the gap between the original The Lost Boys and the upcoming The Lost Boys: The Tribe.
The Man with No Name #1 (new series, Dynamite Entertainment)
Clint Eastwood's Man with No Name immortalized in comic form. I still need to see these films...
Ray Harryhausen Presents 20 Million Miles More (Graphic Novel, Bluewater Productions)
Sequel to the 1957 film, 20 Million Miles To Earth.
Tron Vol. 1: The Ghost in the Machine (TPB, Amaze Ink / Slave Labor Graphics)
Sequel to the original film, taking place in the present day; collects the 6-issue series.

Books/Stories

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son #1 (5-part mini, Dabel Brothers)
Book One in Koontz's trilogy. Adapted by Chuck Dixon.
Hercules #1 (5-part mini, Radical Comics)
The Greek myth revisited.
In Odd We Trust (graphic novel, Del Rey)
Prequel to Koontz's Koontz's Odd novels.
The Worlds of H.P. Lovecraft (TPB, Transfuzion Publishing)
Collection of the full-length adaptations originally published by Malibu.

Other

Bionicle Volume 1 (TPB, Papercutz)
Based on the toys - collects comics that were available to fan club members.
Frank Frazetta's Swamp Demon (one-shot, Image)
Another comic based on a Frazetta painting.

Anything else you're getting? Did I miss anything good?

Comic Book: The Movie (2004) mini review

2008-04-01T22:56:00.001-05:00

about comics
[7/10]

Don Swann (Mark Hamill) is a comic book fan along for the ride as Hollywood takes control of his childhood hero, the patriotic Golden Age superhero, Commander Courage, and turns him into gun-toting terrorist-fighting anti-hero Codename: Courage. Well, technically, they take the grim and gritty revamp of the hero (written by Peter David), and adapt the film from this modern version of the hero (along with his sidekick who is morphed from a teenage nephew into a sexy superheroine). Swann attempts to derail the movie's production and turn it back to the original Golden Age hero.

As director and producer, Mark Hamill puts together a mostly-improv'd film with the help of several voice actors, comic creators, and other personalities. The film pokes fun at the current state of comics, including the penchant for remaking comic heroes into something more seemingly palatable for modern movie audiences.

It was genius on Hamill's part to show real people talking about the rich history of not only this fictional character, but also his creator, Jack Whitney. Names you'll recognize include Peter David, Paul Dini, Mark Evanier, Bruce Timm, Bruce Campbell, Stan Lee, Matt Groenig, Lloyd Kaufman, and Kevin Smith (talking about the Giant Spider™ yet again). And that's only the tip of the cameo iceberg. It takes place at the San Diego Comic Con, so it even attempts to be a documentary of sorts of what it's like to enjoy the chaos of the con - though, I've never been, so I don't know if it succeeds in that.

There's a lot of voice talent here, as Hamill relies on his peer group to provide a lot of the characters. I can't begin to list all their credits here, so I'll just include what they're probably most famous for, along with a few superhero parts. Tom Kenny and Jill Talley (married in real life) play Swann's friend, Derek Sprang and his wife Jill. (Kenny is famous for Spongebob Squarepants, but is also the Mayor and the Narrator on PowerPuff Girls, The Penguin on The Batman; Talley has had parts in Stripperella and The Batman). They both actually had small parts in Sky High, playing the couple the end of the film admiring their new house - my daughter was watching that on the Disney Channel the other night, and I thought I recognized them from this film. [Side note: What's this about a Plastic Man cartoon pilot on Cartoon Network in 2006 starring the couple??]

Billy West plays a long lost relative of Courage creator Whitney (he's Fry on Futurama and has had many other parts, including Captain Righteous on The Powerpuff Girls). Of course, Jess Harnell plays the cameraman (he is Wakko Warner, Sewer Urchin from The Tick, and even did voices in Kim Possible and Underdog). The Hollywood stereotypes are played by Roger Rose (many parts on Batman: The Animated Series; Four-Legged Man from The Tick) and Lori Alan (Invisible Woman from the 90's Fantastic Four series, but probably more known as Diane Simmons on Family Guy). Finally, Daran Norris plays the actor who suits up for Commander Courage, and Codename: Courage (he is J. Jonah Jameson on the new Spider-Man cartoon).

The movie's enjoyable, but there are drawbacks. Jess Harnell is fun, but overacts a bit; the improv starts to come apart about 2/3 of the way through the film; and I'm not sure what the whole Hugh Hefner scene was about, except to fit another cameo in.

Finally, I really liked this blurb in the credits:

Above all, we're thankful to the comic books themselves. So to all the artists and writers, both famous and faceless, we dedicate this film.

See it if you're a comic book or superhero fan, or a fan of indie film.

Don't see it if you're not a fan of any of those 3 things. And e-mail me letting me know why you read this blog - I'm just curious.

Superhero Movie Opening Weekend

2008-03-29T21:39:00.001-05:00

It's Saturday night, I'm at Superhero Movie here in Florence, Alabama, the movie is about to start, and the theater is definitely not empty. I'm here. And in this poorly lit theater, you can see the only other person here - my brother, who I dragged here with me.

I'm guessing this doesn't bode well. We'll see.

I Can't Think of a Good Title for This Post

2008-03-29T20:08:00.002-05:00

I guess it's been a couple weeks since I've posted. I was off of work for a few days for various reasons and "got to" to lay around and do nothing for a while, so I was able to catch a few films. Silver Hawk had been sitting on my DVR for a few weeks. My brother gave me Comic Book: The Movie for Christmas, so I finally watched that. And finally got to sit through Superman: Doomsday. Of course, I've been playing catch-up with work and life since.

Dang but Kevin Smith got a lot of mileage out of writing that Superman Lives script. Probably more than he would've gotten out of it if it was the script they actually used for Superman Returns. It came up in Comic Book: The Movie, and even as a weird cameo in Doomsday. But I think the funniest telling was in An Evening with Kevin Smith. That DVD's a bit raw, but if your ears can handle it, it's pretty funny.

Doomsday wasn't bad. I wouldn't go out and spend the money on it for myself, but I was lucky enough to have a friend who bought it and didn't like it, so he gave it to me. I'm not sure if it needed to be PG-13. It seems like they just added some gratuitous language and a suggested sexual relationship between Superman and Lois just so they could up the rating. If you haven't seen it, you didn't miss a lot. You already know what I think of Silver Hawk, and I still need to post my Comic Book: The Movie review.

Ah, well; I'm off to see Superhero Movie.

Here's hoping I laugh more than twice.

They come in threes? (Spider-Man, Batman, Punisher)

2008-03-14T12:09:00.003-05:00

Well, Spectacular Spider-Man is the third animated television premier I've missed. Maybe this'll be the last. And this one is only because I was too stupid to set the DVR in time. What an idiot. I've got it set now, so I'll be able to catch them from now on.

At least I was able to see The Batman two-part finale. I enjoyed watching the Justice League, but it seems odd that they had to pull in aliens for a finale the second time in a row. It's not like Batman doesn't have a rich history and cast of characters on his own.

Completely unrelated, I happened across the Punisher: War Zone official site. It's got limited content, but it's a pretty cool set up. Check out the link to the right under Upcoming Films.

Silver Hawk (2004) mini review

2008-03-13T22:54:00.005-05:00

based on a comic
[5/10]

Tell me if you've heard this one. Rich philanthropist by day, costumed crime fighter by, well, other parts of the day. That's the first masked vigilante rule broken by Lulu Wong (aka Silver Hawk) - she seems to do most of her crimefighting during the day, and we all know that to be most effective she should be doing it at night. Of course, today, Silver Hawk not only has to fight poachers stealing panda bears, she has to go up against madmen bent on world domination!

Yes, Silver Hawk has all the makings of a standard, cookie-cutter superhero film. Though it does have Michelle Yeoh - that's got to count for something. And honestly, the fight choreography was enjoyable - Yeoh is pretty amazing.

It's too bad she couldn't completely make up for the silly writing and poor editing. I'm trying to figure out if the original, being made in Hong Kong, was a completely different movie, and they edited the crap out if for Western, English-speaking audiences. Some scenes are completely chopped - to the point that you can't really follow what's going on. And the dialogue? It appears to have been filmed originally in English (except for a few parts in Chinese), but then that English was dubbed over by English-speaking actors who didn't have accents. This doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Or maybe it was dubbed over by the original actors and it was just a poor job of looping in post.

Some other odd, random stuff I have to comment on -

The extreme-sport ninjas were an interesting touch.

Did that guy really just go to old-magazine-covers.com to find old magazine covers?

I was going to note this as not based on a comic, but according to Michelle Yeoh's website, it's based on a comic from the 40's and 50's. Of course, I can't find any other reference on the internet to this comic, much less any other pictures. But maybe that's because it's over 50 years old, and I don't know how to search the web in Chinese.

English actor Luke Goss (Blade II, the upcoming Hellboy II) plays villain Alexendar Wolfe, and Michael Jai White (Spawn, various DC-comics related animated projects, the upcoming Dark Knight) plays one of his henchman.

And the second masked vigilante rule broken by Silver Hawk: When you're about town in your secret identity, never, ever, fight exactly like your super alter ego. In broad daylight. In front of people. So that basically everyone can figure out your secret identity without a bit of detective skill.

See it if like Hong Kong films or Michelle Yeoh, or if you can't sleep and notice that it's on Encore Action tonight.

Don't see it if you're bored with the same old same old in superhero films.

2008 Free Comic Book Day Previews Pop Culture Crossover

2008-03-09T21:05:00.000-05:00

Free Comic Book Day is May 3. A few pop culture crossover selections that will be available at comic book stores.

Movies

Comics Go Hollywood (TwoMorrows Publishing)
Not a comic, per se, but a background look at Justice League: New Frontier, Heroes, and the X-Men and Batman movies.

Books/Stories

Graphic Classics (Eureka Productions)
Adaptations of stories by Edgar Allen Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, Mary Shelley, and others.
Del Ray & Dabel Brothers Preview (Dabel Brothers)
A little bit Dresden Files; a little bit Wild Cards; a little bit Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son.

Animation

Bongo Comics Free-For-All (Bongo)
It's not a Free Comic Book Day without The Simpsons and Futurama!
Gumby's Coloring Comic Book Special (Wildcard Ink)
It's not a Free Comic Book Day without Gumby!
Transformers Animated (IDW)
Adapation of the first episode of the animated series.

Games

Sonic the Hedgehog #1 (Archie Comics)
It's not a Free Comic Book Day without...ok, that was probably old back on Gumby. This one's a reprint of the first Sonic comic.

Other

NASCAR Heroes: All-Stars Special (NASCAR Comics)
Superhero NASCAR drivers. What will they think of next?

February 2008 Previews Pop Culture Crossover

2008-03-07T22:04:00.003-06:00

This month I forego Supernatural, Star Wars, Star Trek and several others for some new and different series and one-shots culled from movies, stories, games and other areas.

Movies

The Complete Persepolis (TPB, Pantheon Books)
I had to pick up the book that the Oscar-nominated film was based on.
The Mummy Movie Prequel: The Rise & Fall of Xango's Ax #1 (one-shot?, IDW)
There's another mummy movie coming out next summer?

Books/Stories

The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle #1 (4-part mini, Dabel Brothers)
Originally a series of books about a private detective and wizard, it has also been adapted into a SCI FI Channel series. This is an original story penned by the author of the series, Jim Butcher.
James Bond: The Paradise Plot (TPB, Titan Publishing)
Ian Fleming's popular spy. Collection of the aformentioned tale and the non-Fleming Bond story Death Mask!.
Mack Bolan, The Executioner: The Devil's Tools #1 (5-part mini, Dabel Brothers)
I read a book from this classic series quite a while back - I'm surprised this doesn't have a Mature Readers warning.
Oz Book 1: Mayhem in Munchkinland! (TPB, Transfuzion Publishing)
Why does the Wizard of Oz have so many dark adaptations and sequels?
Pigeons from Hell #1 (4-part mini, Dark Horse)
Based on a Robert E. Howard short story - I can't tell when it was written, but it was first published in 1938 - two years after Howard died. You can see the original story here. It was even adapted to an anthology TV show (like Twilight Zone) - Boris Karloff's Thriller.
Wild Cards: The Hard Call #1 (6-part mini, Dabel Brothers)
It's been forever since I've read them, but I loved this George R. R. Martin series about a horrible virus that, when unleashed, killed 90% of those affected, left 9% horribly deformed, and gifted 1% with amazing superpowers. The Hard Call is a new story in the Wild Cards world.

Games

Brothers in Arms #1 (new series, Dynamite)
Based on the WWII game by Ubisoft. Take a look at the website - the game looks pretty intense.

Other

Gnome One-Shot (one-shot, superrealgraphics.com)
I never thought I'd see a comic based on a lawn ornament.
Thoreau at Walden (graphic novel, Hyperion Books)
Walden; or, Life in the Woods - one of the many books on my to-read list. I think I actually have a copy on my shelf, collecting dust. This is an interpretation of Henry David Thoreau's philosophical treatise.

I left a lot out, but I didn't think it necessary to list another Friday the 13th story, or Night of the Living Dead collection.

The Gene Generation

2008-03-03T22:07:00.000-06:00

So, what's the deal with The Gene Generation? Is it going straight to DVD? When will I be able to see it?

But nearly as important, is it based on the comic The DNA Hacker Chronicles? Or is the comic just a prequel, and the story got cooked up because it's so cool to base movies on comics (er, graphic novels) right now?

I'm not here to spoil anyone's marketing campaign; I just love comic book movies and really want to get down to the truth - is the film based on a comic book? If it is, I'd like to see the source material - what was the original comic like?

The answer took a little work.

Bloodfire studios is publishing the comic The DNA Hacker Chronicles as a prequel to The Gene Generation. But they're saying it's a redesign of a a "cuberpunk comic" that was a "sold out underground hit". The problem is, I couldn't find a single reference to the "underground" comic anywhere on the internet - except in reference directly to the Gene Generation movie. Bloodfire Studios' web site (linked above) states, "Creator Pearry Teo is quoted saying 'I've held back the idea of re-releasing the comic book unless I can find an amazing slew of artists and cutting edge minded people to work with...'" So, according to them, Teo is the original creator of the underground comic. The Bloodfire Studios ComicSpace page notes that "The DNA Hacker Chronicles is a 6 issue mini series from the mind of Pearry Reginald Teo" and that with it, they are bringing to the U.S. the "...the underground comic sensation that inspired the movie The Gene Generation."

Hmmm...

The Gene Generation MySpace blog mentions the re-release of the comic through Diamond Comics. It also says the film is based on the The DNA Hacker Chronicles, showing a pic of Bloodfire's new release. It also gives this little blurb:

From grassroots beginnings, The Gene Generation started out through artists and friends and fans who have a similar vision: That Cyberpunk is still alive and kicking. With only a couple of sketches in 2004, we have come a long way to finally completing a feature film. This myspace page is a dedication to those who have stuck with us as we continue (without studio backing) to push forward in spreading the word about this humble project, both as a comic book and a movie.
Which doesn't tell me much - except maybe both projects started in parallel.

But maybe it's really underground. I couldn't find references on the author's (director's) MySpace page, I couldn't find anywhere that's selling back issues of the "sold out" comic. I mean, sure, maybe it was self-published and there were so few copies that it's extremely rare. But I would think that somewhere on the internet, as much information as gets posted about everything, that somebody would talk about it. Nothing in Google searches, nothing in Wikipedia, nothing on ComicSpace. Nothing concrete on any site related to the Gene Generation or DNA Hackers; just the aforementioned vague references to the sold out underground comic hit.

There are even some interviews that talk about how the movie came about. Teo talks about getting the script in this interview - nothing about a comic. And the interviews on this Gene Generation MySpace page don't allude to a comic book source either.

And finally paydirt. One of the stars of the film (Parry Shen) blogged in December that the comic was coming out in January "to strengthen the audience base for the movie." But the final nail in the coffin was reading on comic book artist Matt Olson's web site that he was working on a "comic adaptation of a feature film." The internet trail can be a funny thing. I found his site from his MySpace page. But I got to his MySpace page from another MySpace page, where he left the comment, "I have this other book series in the works called 'DNA Hacker Chronicles' in the meantime (not my idear but based on a movie) ".

So, it looks to me like Bloodfire Studios cooked up the story for a little publicity.

I think my work here is done.

I'm sorry if I bursted anyone's comic book movie bubble...

But if there is some sort of weird underground comic that came before - somebody please let me know.

Comics on DVD

2008-03-01T11:15:00.001-06:00

I've never been much of an anime fan, but Batman: Gotham Knight looks really promising. Comics2Film posted the Press Release for Gotham Knight (which is due out July 8). Apparently it bridges the gap between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Watching clips reminded of the Animatrix, which I really enjoyed; heck, I even went to see Dreamcatcher just because one of the Animatrix stories (Final Flight of the Osiris) was screening in front of it. The Animatrix ep was worth the $7, even if Dreamcatcher wasn't.

I now realize the following video has been around the 'net (now I'm a day late and a dollar short), but I just watched it, so I thought I'd share this look at Gotham Knight.

In other news, I never realized Sam & Max was adapted to a cartooon - but that complete series is coming out on DVD in a couple weeks. The weird thing about that is my son's name is Max, and we have some close friends who have a son two weeks younger than Max, whose name is Sam. They'll both be 1 in March.

And BTW, it looks like when it was released, Amazon dropped the price of The New Frontier by about 30%. You can pick it up now for $17. Hmmmm...they did the same thing with Confessions of a Superhero. I may think twice about pre-ordering from them...

A Day Late and a Dollar Short

2008-02-25T18:04:00.004-06:00

Superhero Movie finally put up a site. Good grief - it's only a month away. I guess the movie won't have to live up to the hype.

Confessions of a Superhero (2008) mini review

2008-02-24T22:22:00.003-06:00

about superheroes
[8/10]

You may not know Christopher Dennis, Jennifer Gerht, Maxwell Allen, or Joseph McQueen; but you know who they are when they hit Hollywood Boulevard - Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and The Incredible Hulk. Chris, Jennifer, Maxwell, and Joe are actually aspiring actors who make their living playing superheroes in front of Grauman's (previously Mann's) Chinese Theater while trying to find their big break. See them as they struggle with real life, and at times blur the line between reality and fiction (sometimes bordering on delusion). Confessions is an inside look at the subculture of characters roaming Hollywood Blvd who are struggling actors trying to make in the City of Dreams.

Director Matthew Ogens paints a vivid picture of what it's like to be these superheroes - a candid look at their day-to-day struggles. But there seemed to be something missing - maybe it would have added something if the director not only drew the viewer into their lives, but could have made more of an emotional connection with the superheroes. I'm sure that's not an easy feat for a documentarian, but we miss a feeling of empathy with these folks trying to reach their dreams, and all we're left with is sympathy.

For more info, check out the official site, or the director's MySpace page.

See it if you enjoy documentaries, like a good indie film now and again, or are just curious to take a look inside the lives of these struggling actors.

Don't see it if you're more inclined to stick with fictional superheroes.

(OK, technically, I know this is an '07 release, but I'm sticking it in 2008 since most of us couldn't see until the release of the DVD in January '08.)

The Surrogates

2008-02-22T23:21:00.001-06:00

The year is 2054, and life has been reduced to a data feed. The fusing of virtual reality and cybernetics has ushered in the era of the personal surrogate, android substitutes that let users interact with the world without ever leaving their homes. It's a perfect world, and it's up to Detectives Harvey Greer and Pete Ford of the Metro Police Department to keep it that way. But to do so they’ll need to stop a techno-terrorist bent on returning society to a time when people lived their lives instead of merely experiencing them.

It's late, and I'm a bit tired, so instead of trying to come up with a description for The Surrogates, I dropped in Top Shelf's blurb for their first TPB. Variety reported last November that Bruce Willis had the starring role in Disney's film adaptation, and I'm adding it to Upcoming Films on the right because on Wednesday, they reported that Disney had set a release date.

It sounds like a great idea. If I remember correctly, Phantom Power had some positive things to say about the comic. Willis's comic book-related films seem to do better than his sci fi films. I wonder how a sci fi comic adaptation will fare. Let's hope this one is more like Unbreakable or Sin City, and less like Fifth Element or Armageddon.

January 2008 Previews Pop Culture Crossover

2008-02-17T23:29:00.001-06:00

Quite a group of TPBs, minis, one-shots, and graphic novels coming from various areas of pop culture solicited in the January Previews.

TV

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus #4 (TPB, Dark Horse)
More Buffy goodness. I don't normally list every new omnibus and TPB, but it is Buffy. Guess I better go back and finish the 3rd one before this comes out.
Serenity: Better Days #1 (mini, Dark Horse)
Prequel to the film, written by Joss Whedon himself.

Movies

Army of Darkness/Xena: Why Not #1 (4-part mini, Dynamite Entertainment)
Good grief. I don't even think I have a commentary on this.
Buckaroo Banzai: The Prequel #1 (2-part mini, Moonstone)
Sounds like they try to weave more crazy stuff in than even the film does.
DNA Hacker Chronicles #1 (TPB, Abrams)
Prequel to The Gene Generation. What's up with this film? Is it straight to DVD? When will it be out? Plus, is this another chicken-and-the-egg thing? Is a comic based on a movie or vice versa? More on that later...
Fritz Lang's M (TPB, Abrams)
Out-of-print mini series, packaged with the DVD of the 1931 film.
The Godfather Chronicles #1 (new series, Boom! Studios)
I guess you could argue this belongs under Books, but the films really gained the notoriety. This comic continues the story of the Corleone family, and the first arc is written by Mark Waid.
Largo Winch Volume 1: The Heir (TPB, Cinebook)
Comic that the upcoming French film is based on.
The Last Winter (graphic novel, Image)
Creepy looking film due out on DVD this summer. Ron Perlman and James LeGros? What's not to love? Here's the film's site.

Books/Stories

Avengers Fairy Tales #1 (4-part mini, Marvel)
I've been tempted to pick up these series from Marvel - their superheroes as fairy tale characters - but I haven't, yet. Are they any good?
Dark Tower: The Long Road Home #1 (5-part mini, Marvel)
Marvel's second adaptation of the Stephen King series.
Dark Wraith of Shannara (graphic novel, Del Rey)
Sequel to the original Shannara trilogy. I could never get through that series...I'm not really sure why.
Holmes (graphic novel, AIT/Planetar)
Appears to be a really off-beat adaptation of Sherlock Holmes.

Animation

Star Wars: Clone Wars Photo Comic (one-shot, Dark Horse)
They sure are milking this photo comic thing. I guess if people keep buying it, they'll keep making it.

Games

Dead Space #1 (6-part mini, Image)
Prequel to a Electronic Arts sci fi / horror game coming out in October. The game sounds Alien-esque, but it look pretty dang scary. Here it is at EA's site.

Other

Super Friends #1 (new series, DC)
Based on Mattel's new Super Friends toy line. (I gotta get me - I mean my son - a Batwing!)

Well, there was just too much stuff to list everything. Is there anything you liked that I missed? Maybe that new Star Trek: New Frontier series?

December 2007 Previews Pop Culture Crossover

2008-02-16T14:29:00.000-06:00

Finally got that December Previews. Guess I'll have to keep getting these on-line so this doesn't happen again. Special thanks to morpuddypond who sent me the copy I used for this edition. Hope you enjoy Rex Libris - it went out in the mail today!

OK; so here's my monthly Previews list of interesting comic crossovers with movies, television, books and video games. So, I'm a couple months late, but I've got January and February waiting in the wings!

TV

24: Cold Warriors (one-shot, IDW)
48 pages of commercial-free Jack Bauer. Does this mean every 2 pages is a full hour of Jack's life?

Movies

The Terminator Omnibus Volume 1 (TPB, Dark Horse)
Terminator gets the massive book treatment in this 352-page volume.
Jumper: Jumpscars (TPB, Dark Horse)
It's a comic-book prequel! I still can't tell if that's a combo of "Jumps Cars" or "Jump Scars". The film's out now...it actually look interesting - here's the site.

Books/Stories

Lords of Avalon: Sword of Darkness #1 (6-part mini, Marvel)
Swords and sorcery. Adapted from Kinley MacGregor's book.
Moby Dick #1 (Marvel Illustrated) (6-part mini, Marvel)
I've been meaning to pick this up for years. Which raises the question - do you read the book or the comic first?
Rogue Angel: Teller of Tales #1 (mini, IDW)
Never heard of this series of books. Dang, I'm really late with this list - this is already out.
Tiger and Crane #1 (4-part mini, Bluewater Productions)
Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung (or Huang Fei-hong) is probably the most prolific film character - he has been portrayed in well over 100 movies. Out of the few I've seen, Jackie Chan's Drunken Master films and Jet Li's Once Upon a Time in China series are pretty amazing. This mini-series teams Wong Fei Hung up with an American spy to prevent the Japanese from winning World War II.
Zorro #1 (new series, Dynamite Entertainment)
Originating in the early 1900's Zorro has also been the subject of numerous stories and films. This incarnation is written by Grendel creator Matt Wagner.

Games

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (graphic novel, Dark Horse)
I have a special place in my heart for the first person shooter, Star Wars: Dark Forces, but looking at the game this comic is based on it may just surpass it. I'm just glad it's coming out for the PS2. Check out the official site.
The World of Dungeons & Dragons #1 (new series, Devil's Due)
I haven't picked up any of the Dragonlance or Forgotten Realms series Devil's Due has put out (though I was a major fan of the books based in both worlds back before marriage, family, job, and blogging), so I don't know the quality of the stories they're currently publishing. I wonder if this series will include stories outside those two worlds.

Some of these books are already shipping...anyone care to share if they're any good? And did I miss anything worth noting?

Man-Thing (2005) mini review

2008-02-08T22:54:00.001-06:00

based on a comic
[6/10]

In the swamps of Bywater, Lousiana, someone is killing anyone who wanders in after dark. Is it the crooked owners of the new oil rig, the troublemaker that wandered into the swamp and hasn't been seen for months, or is it the Man-Thing?

Man-Thing burst onto the Marvel scene at nearly the same time as Swamp Thing did at DC in the early 70's. From what I've read, it's chalked up to one of those coincidences (like having 2 meteor movies come out at the same time). Anyway, although they have similar etiologies, Man-Thing seems to be a bit less human (at least functionally).

Man-Thing was released straight-to-DVD. Well, it first appeared on the Sci Fi Channel, which made me think it was produced by them specifically for release on cable, but the television version is rather cut up. Make no mistake, this is no made-for-TV-movie. It's rated R and is intended to be much more of a horror film than the campy 1982 Swamp Thing.

The movie is fairly good for a going straight to cable, and ending up on Blockbuster's shelf a couple months later. It doesn't stand out as one of the better comic book movies, but it's worth a watch. There are a few corny moments, but for the most part, the film is pretty solid and keeps you interested.

See it if you want to see the rare horror-film-based-on-a-comic-book.

Don't see it if you want to stick to good wholesome superhero-beats-up-the-bad-guys comic-book-based films.

Pop Candy's Comics Crash Course

2008-02-06T23:12:00.000-06:00

Over on her Pop Candy blog, Whitney Matheson is offering a 4-part crash course in comics. Understandably, this is primarily for non-comic-afficianodos, but I'm sure it'll be interesting nonetheless. She starts with 25 Essential Graphic Novels.

Some good stuff - a lot I haven't yet read; a few I haven't even heard of.