Articles by chris-ullrich
Sat Jun 28, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Wizard World Chicago 2008: Photo Gallery Pt. 2 - Costumes
Stormtroopers, The Joker, Supergirl and more!
Previously on ComicMix, we brought you a photo gallery showcasing some of the "flavor" of the Wizard World Chicago show.
This time around, the gallery features some of the great costumes worn by fanboys and fangirls as well as some of the more "exotic" staff at the various booths. Heck, there's even one or two celebrities in there just to spice things up a bit more.
As always, be sure to check back right here at ComicMix all weekend for new galleries from the show.
Continue reading Wizard World Chicago 2008: Photo Gallery Pt. 2 - Costumes ›
Sat Jun 28, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Wizard World Chicago 2008: Photo Gallery - Part 1
Do you smell Wizard World?
As ComicMix online managing editor Rick Marshall pointed out earlier today, the team is currently in Chicago at Wizard World, neck deep in panels, festivities and events.
So far, the show has been chock-full of photo opportunities. From comic book artists and writers to the Joker, harem girls, Imperial Stormtroopers and professional wrestlers, the show has got a little something for everyone -- as long as you happen to be a fan of the Joker, harem girls, Imperial Stormtroopers and professional wrestlers.
Be sure to check back throughout the weekend for more galleries featuring costumes, celebrities and creators.
Continue reading Wizard World Chicago 2008: Photo Gallery - Part 1 ›
Fri Jun 27, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Wizard World Chicago 2008: Marvel Ultimates Panel
Bendis, 'Ultimate Origins,' and Captain America's butt
Friday, Day One at Wizard World Chicago and it's the Marvel Ultimates Panel featuring Brian Bendis, C.B. Cebulski, editor Bill Rosemann and moderator Jim McCann. As Rick Marshall previously reported about the "Mondo Marvel" panel, this particular panel was also relatively light on earth-shattering announcements. It also had some technical problems at the beginning which prevented the slideshow from working. So, to start the panel off, Jim McCann dove right into it with a couple of announcements and then some Q&A while they waited for the slides.
First up, Rosemann announced, "No, we do not know when Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk will come out." Bendis also announced that Ultimate Spider-Man is "not cancelled," that "everything is connected" and that there will be an Ultimate Spider-Man Annual which will focus on Peter and MJ's "physical relationship."
According to Bendis, "It was the hardest sell I ever had. I just thought that remembering my glory years of 15 and 16 that it's an important issue. Not having dealt with it felt false to me. It's gonna be drawn by David La Fuente." The book is double-sized and will be out in October.
At that point, the kinks were finally worked out and the slides started. Fans of Marvel's Ultimate Universe were then treated to several slides featuring, among other things, upcoming covers for issues of Ultimate Origins featuring Captain America, Magneto and Hulk as well as a few pages of the actual Cap origins issue itself. There was also an alternative Origins cover featuring "Cap's butt" as drawn by Gabriel del Otto.
Also, slides from Ultimatum showing the Fantastic Four, Dr. Doom, Namor, and the Ultimates 3 cast of the Ultimates featuring Black Panther and Captain America next to each other on the slide. This slide highlights, according to Bendis, an "organic but massive disaster" which happens to the Ultimate Universe. The disaster will be seen in Ultimate Spider-Man.
Then, once the slides were done (which took about five minutes) it was back to the Q&A which, as you may expect, pretty much became the Brian Bendis show as the vast majority of the questions were directed to him. Some of the highlights of the Q&A follow but it started off with Bendis's explanation of his thought process when the Ultimates universe was being created.
Continue reading Wizard World Chicago 2008: Marvel Ultimates Panel ›
Tue Jun 24, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Interview: Neil Kleid on 'Worlds of Dungeons and Dragons'
The award-winning writer talks all-things D&D plus past, present and future projects
Writer and Xeric Grant winner Neil Kleid has come a long way since he wrote his award-winning improvised comic Ninety Candles. Since that time, he's managed to have a diverse and interesting writing career tackling various comic book titles such as G.I. Joe and X-Men Unlimited.
Recently, he's signed on to help bring Devil's Due Publishing's upcoming series The Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons to eager comics fans. ComicMix caught up with the busy author to get the latest info on Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons, his other upcoming projects and his love of axes.
COMICMIX: How much did you know about Dungeons & Dragons before you started writing the comic book? Did you ever play the game growing up?
NEIL KLEID: Once or twice, as a kid. I was mostly into the Bard's Tale videogame and the early Dragonlance books. When I did play, I was always a dwarf. I liked the axes.
I'd stopped reading the DL books years ago, but my pal Andrew Dabb's been adapting them for Devil's Due for a while now and so, to check out his work, I'd flip through them at the store and I kind of got hooked again. I'm mostly into the books that focus on the characters from the War of the Lance.
CMix: What attracts you to a project like Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons in the first place?
NK: Intriguing characters, creepy monsters, short, condensed stories. Also, free rein and choice. Good editors. Stories I liked when I was younger that strike a chord inside.
CMix: How did this project first come about and how did you get involved?
NK: I'd been talking to the folks at Devil's Due for a while now, trying to set something up with them - specifically with the G.I. Joe license. I had a meeting with former editor Mark Powers a few years
back and then traded several emails with current editor Mike O' Sullivan. We always talked about the possibility of doing something together.
Then, Dabb mentioned they were looking for new D&D writers just as Mike emailed asking if it was something I'd be interested in. He hooked me up with editor James Lowder and we ran through the types of stories I wanted to do, narrowing it down to "The Legacy." It's been a lot of fun so far.
CMix: This is your first time doing something in the sword-and-sorcery genre, right? This comic seems like new territory for you based on your previous work.
Continue reading Interview: Neil Kleid on 'Worlds of Dungeons and Dragons' ›
Wed Jun 18, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Battlestar Galactica Interview: Mark Verheiden on Cylon Amnesty and Finding Earth
The 'BSG' co-executive producer talks about the mid-season finale
Welcome to the latest installment of Battlestar Galactica Weekly, our recurring Q&A with Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of the hit Sci-Fi Channel series Battlestar Galactica. Each week, we'll interview Verheiden about the events of the week's episode, what those events might mean for both the season and the series, and hopefully unearth some clues about what to expect as the final season of Battlestar Galactica nears its conclusion.
Along with posing our own questions to Verheiden, we're also taking questions from fans -- so be sure to send your questions to me, your official BSG Weekly interviewer, after each episode airs at chris [at] comicmix [dot] com. New episodes of Battlestar Galactica can be seen every Friday at 10 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel. You can read previous interviews via our BSG Weekly Archive or the links at the end of this article.
This week, Mark is answering questions about Episode #10 of Season Four, "Revelations," which aired June 13, 2008 and is BSG's mid-season finale. Note: These answers may contain spoilers, so read at your own risk.
COMICMIX (from reader Erica): Is it true that the online streamed version of the episode is longer than the one that aired on Sci-Fi?
MARK VERHEIDEN: As usual, I have to plead ignorance, I simply don’t know, and guess whose TiVo went to the wrong channel when the episode actually aired Friday night? I’m sure the eagle-eyes in the audience will let us know soon enough!
CMix (from reader Erica): Are we to assume that, in the show's final shot on Earth, that is Caprica Six who walks up to Tigh and reaches for him? Was she freed from the brig as part of the amnesty policy Lee announced?
MV: That is Caprica Six and yes, Lee’s amnesty encompassed her as well.
Continue reading Battlestar Galactica Interview: Mark Verheiden on Cylon Amnesty and Finding Earth ›
Tue Jun 17, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Battlestar Galactica Weekly: Update!
A quick FYI for BSG Weekly fans
Hey, Battlestar Galactica fans! As always, we want to thank all of you for your interest in our weekly interviews with BSG's Mark Verheiden. Every week, you help make these interviews one of the most popular features on ComicMix, and we can't thank you enough for doing so!
Unfortunately, this week's interview will be a bit delayed, as big things are brewing in the world of Battlestar Galactica, and Mark is hard at work on a few projects that demand his attention. In the interest of always keeping ComicMix readers in the loop, we anticipate this week's edition of BSG Weekly going live any minute now -- so be sure to keep an eye on the site for your fix of BSG questions from fans and answers from the series' talented co-executive producer.
Oh, and don't worry -- we'll be sure to pester Mark for some info about some of those other, super-secret projects he has in the works, too! Remember: you can always send your questions for Mark to me, your BSG Weekly interviewer at chris [at] comicmix dot com.
Remember to check back soon.
Fri Jun 13, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Interview: Scott Allie on Shepherd Book's 'Serenity' Spin-Off and 'Solomon Kane'
The Dark Horse Editor chats up all things Whedon and his new MySpace/DHP series
Previously on ComicMix, I spoke with Dark Horse Comics' Editor Scott Allie about a variety of subjects including Buffy: Season Eight, Joss Whedon, the Dark Horse/MySpace Comics project and the rise of digital media.
This time around, we revisit a few old topics (because there's always something new going on with Dark Horse projects in the Joss Whedon universe), discuss who might be handling the Serenity spin-offs and talk a bit about the origin of Shepherd Book.
COMICMIX: Okay, Scott, we talked about Serenity spin-offs before, like the one featuring Shepherd Book. Will it be old Buffy and Serenity writers on that one or...
SCOTT ALLIE: No. Joss [Whedon] will still have his role as co-writer, plotter, all that, but the rest of this is changing up. This one is such a different thing. It's a flashback with a single character, before the television show, so we figured it was an opportunity to go in a real different direction.
CMix: There's a story about the Shepherd Book comic's origin, right? Something about Ron Glass (who plays the character in both the tevelvision series and feature film) going on a cruise?
Continue reading Interview: Scott Allie on Shepherd Book's 'Serenity' Spin-Off and 'Solomon Kane' ›
Tue Jun 10, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Battlestar Galactica Interview: Jane Espenson on Episode #9, 'The Hub'
The former 'Buffy' and 'Angel' writer talks all-things Galactica
Welcome to the latest installment of Battlestar Galactica Weekly, our recurring Q&A with Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of the hit Sci-Fi Channel series Battlestar Galactica. Each week, we'll interview Verheiden about the events of the week's episode, what those events might mean for both the season and the series, and hopefully unearth some clues about what to expect as the final season of Battlestar Galactica nears its conclusion.
Along with posing our own questions to Verheiden, we're also taking questions from fans -- so be sure to send your questions to me, your official BSG Weekly interviewer, after each episode airs at chris [at] comicmix dot com. New episodes of Battlestar Galactica can be seen every Friday at 10 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel. You can read previous interviews via our BSG Weekly Archive or the links at the end of this article.
This week we have a special treat for fans of BSG, as well as those of you who love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Answering our questions this time around is the writer of this week's episode, co-executive producer Jane Espenson.
She's answering questions about Episode #9 of Season Four, "The Hub," which aired June 6, 2008. Note: These answers may contain spoilers, so read at your own risk.
COMICMIX (from reader Shannon): Was there a kiss between Adama and Roslin in the last scene? If so, why was it edited out? Or, if not, why not? That seemed like a moment when they would kiss.
JANE ESPENSON: It is scripted as a "fierce hug," but with moments like that, the script doesn't really matter. If you're lucky enough to have amazing actors like Eddy and Mary, you don't even want them to rely on the script in a moment like that.
You want them to just do. And personally, I love the choice they made. It played perfectly for me. I want to see their faces on screen -- easier in a hug than a kiss.
CMix (from reader Solonia): Do you consider Elosha to be Laura’s subconscious in this episode?
You mean, as opposed to being a Head Being like Baltar's Six? Yes. I thought of her much more as Laura's subconscious.
CMix (From reader Tommy): What was the purpose of the scene between Baltar and the Centurion? It seemed it was mostly there to put Baltar in a place where he could become injured so Roslin could save him? Or perhaps the scene is there to serve a larger purpose? Maybe Baltar is planting the seeds of another Cylon revolt?
Continue reading Battlestar Galactica Interview: Jane Espenson on Episode #9, 'The Hub' ›
Tue Jun 3, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Interview: Scott Allie on Pitching Comics, MySpace and the Digital Medium
The ever-busy editor talks all things Dark Horse, MySpace and the future of comics
Previously on ComicMix, I spoke with Dark Horse Comics' Editor Scott Allie about a variety of subjects including Buffy: Season Eight
For this interview, we tackled a bunch of new topics, revisited some old ones, and spoke at-length about Dark Horse's upcoming online plans, his thoughts on the future of comics and what he looks for in artists and writers.
COMICMIX: Scott, thanks for talking with me again. The last time we spoke was during New York Comic Con. Since we're in convention season now with more of them looming, can you tell me how a convention like New York Comic Con and some of the others compare to something like San Diego's Comic-Con International for a publisher like Dark Horse?
SCOTT ALLIE: New York is second only to San Diego. The big difference with the New York show is that it's more about comics for now. The San Diego show has become so much about anything but comics. Movies, videogames, actresses, whatever. With New York, even when you're talking about a licensed property, the focus remains on the comic.
Sure, there's videogames and all that other stuff in New York, but it really feels like a comics convention, and the San Diego Comic-Con just doesn't. San Diego's a great place to talk about the biggest things, like Buffy: Season Eight, but smaller stuff just gets lost in the shuffle.
Whereas in New York, you can engage directly with readers about all of what we do. And we do a wide range of material. New York is a good show for that.
CMix: I was surprised that you guys were accepting submissions in New York?
SA: Yeah, we weren't really doing that.
CMix: It was in the program, though.
Continue reading Interview: Scott Allie on Pitching Comics, MySpace and the Digital Medium ›
Tue Jun 3, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Battlestar Galactica Interview: Mark Verheiden on Adama's Motives and Cylon Babies
BSG Weekly - Season Four, Episode #8 'Sine Qua Non'
Welcome to the latest installment of Battlestar Galactica Weekly, our recurring Q&A with Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of the hit Sci-Fi Channel series Battlestar Galactica. Each week, we'll interview Verheiden about the events of the week's episode, what those events might mean for both the season and the series, and hopefully unearth some clues about what to expect as the final season of Battlestar Galactica nears its conclusion.
Along with posing our own questions to Verheiden, we're also taking questions from fans -- so be sure to send your questions to me, your official BSG Weekly interviewer, after each episode airs at chris [at] comicmix dot com. New episodes of Battlestar Galactica can be seen every Friday at 10 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel. You can read previous interviews via our BSG Weekly Archive or the links at the end of this article.
After a week off, this week Verheiden answers questions about Episode #8 of Season Four, "Sine Qua Non," which aired May 30, 2008. Note: These answers may contain spoilers, so read at your own risk.
First, before we get to the questions, here's a personal message from Mark about the recent fire that destroyed a large part of the Universal Studios backlot.
Readers may have seen the news story about the big fire at NBC/Universal Studios over the weekend. The fire was actually across the lot from the Galactica offices, and we’re all grateful for that. But we’re even more grateful to the police and firefighters who did such a heroic job putting down the blaze. So say we all!
And now, on with the questions.
COMIC MIX (from reader Tom): Where did Jake the dog come from? What happened to his previous owners?
MARK VERHEIDEN: Jake was obviously rescued from New Caprica. As far as his previous owners, truth is we never really discussed Jake’s ownership lineage. Because I don’t want to believe Lee would steal the pooch from someone (uh oh, I smell a Boxey story!), I assume the dog was being housed somewhere in the fleet sans real owners.
CMix (from reader Trish): Who killed Romo's cat and why was he carrying around the dead cat for weeks? He never seemed that crazy before. Or was he?
Wed May 21, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
ComicMix Six: The Best Movies Adapted From Comic Books
From 'Batman Begins' to 'Sin City', these films are the best of the best
In a previous edition of ComicMix Six, I set forth my picks for The Worst Movies Adapted from Comic Books. Now, because a "worst" list is nothing without a "best" list, I've assembled another one for you. This time around, I'm casting the spotlight on the opposite of bad movies and highlighting The Best Movies Adapted from Comic Books.
In contrast to the worst films, these stellar examples of cinematic goodness are not only great comic book adaptations, they're great movies, too. From brilliant direction, exciting visuals that enhance rather than obscure the story, to compelling peformances, these six films deliver in a big way.
They alse showcase adherence to, and reverence for, their source material and represent what happens when talented people who appreciate comics get together to make a movie. Plus, they're just plain fun to watch.
So now, without further ado and in no particular order, here is my ComicMix Six list of The Best Movies Adapted from Comic Books.
Continue reading ComicMix Six: The Best Movies Adapted From Comic Books ›
Tue May 20, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Battlestar Galactica Interview: Mark Verheiden on the 'Final Five' and Music
BSG Weekly - Season Four, Episode #7 'Guess What's Coming to Dinner'
Welcome to the latest installment of Battlestar Galactica Weekly, our recurring Q&A with Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of the hit Sci-Fi Channel series Battlestar Galactica. Each week, we'll interview Verheiden about the events of the week's episode, what those events might mean for both the season and the series, and hopefully unearth some clues about what to expect as the final season of Battlestar Galactica nears its conclusion.
Along with posing our own questions to Verheiden, we're also taking questions from fans -- so be sure to send your questions to me, your official BSG Weekly interviewer, after each episode airs at chris [at] comicmix dot com. New episodes of Battlestar Galactica can be seen every Friday at 10 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel. You can read previous interviews via our BSG Weekly Archive or the links at the end of this article.
This week, Verheiden answers questions about the Episode #7 of Season Four, "Guess What's Coming to Dinner," which aired May 16, 2008. Note: These answers may contain spoilers, so read at your own risk.
COMICMIX (from reader Molly): Are there any legal ramifications for Sam's shooting Gaeta during the mutiny, for either one of them? I know some were surprised that Sam wasn't put in the brig.
MARK VERHEIDEN: Given that Gaeta was shot in the midst of a mutiny that he was helping to engineer (in the legal sense, Anders would probably be justified shooting a mutineer), I’m not sure anyone involved wants to get into the unfortunate details of the shooting. Especially with Adama.
That said, and not wanting to delve into “the future” except in the most general sense, this is Battlestar. The shooting will most definitely have ramifications, but they may not be what you expect.
CMix (from reader Allison): Was there any significance to the fact that Sharon kills Natalie in front of two of the "final five", and even asks Chief to pick up Hera, given that her vision is of the Opera House where the "final five" reside?
Continue reading Battlestar Galactica Interview: Mark Verheiden on the 'Final Five' and Music ›
Thu May 15, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Interview: Tim Seeley on 'Hack/Slash' and Suicide Girls Crossovers
The prolific writer and artist discusses all-things Hack/Slash, his upcoming projects and what job is almost as cool as comics
Writer and artist Tim Seely has come along way from reading, drawing and dreaming about comics as a kid in his parent's basement in Wisconsin. Over the years, he's managed to write and/or draw some of the most popular cult-favorite comics in publishing, including Kore, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe vs. Transformers, Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy and most recently, a comic based on the Holloween movie franchise.
He's also the creator of the hugely popular and successful comic book series Hack/Slash, which is currently being produced as a feature film by Rogue Pictures and expected to be released later this year. Recently, ComicMix sat down with the prolific artist and writer to get all the latest details on Hack/Slash the comic, the movie adaptation and his latest project with the Suicide Girls.
COMICMIX: Hey Tim, thanks for taking the time to talk with me.
TIM SEELEY: Sure, no problem at all.
CMix: You're the staff artist for Devil's Due Publishing, but your most well-known work, Hack/Slash, is a creator-owned project?
TS: It is creator-owned, yeah.
CMix: How did you come up with the idea for it?
TS: My girlfriend always gets embarrassed that I tell this story at all, but I was sick for a couple of days with the flu or something so, and it was right around Halloween. I'd just lay in bed for three or four days, and all I did was watch horror movies, like every station, they all run marathons, you know?
So I'm just sitting there and I'm on cold medicine and I start noting patterns in these horror movies. I took a bath because I'm feeling all crappy, and all of a sudden, it gelled in my head, and I jumped out of the tub and ran over, dripping-ass-naked in my house, and I wrote down this kind of outline for the comic.
There's a girl that goes from slasher movie to slasher movie. It's a whole meta-idea or whatever, so then I started to build Hack/Slash from there. I just wanted to do something that didn't have the flavor of what most comics have, something more like, B-movie, kind of totally creative, not so serious, something more like Psychotronic Movie Guide, like gonzo silly, but make it really important that the characters
There is a lot of characterization, and it was going to be about two characters and about their relationship. So, I kind of combined what I like about bad movies and what I like about good movies, and just got rid of all the other stuff.
CMix: Now, in addition to the comic, there's also the Hack/Slash film in production as well... How's that going?
Continue reading Interview: Tim Seeley on 'Hack/Slash' and Suicide Girls Crossovers ›
Wed May 14, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Devil's Due and Capcom Partner for Videogame-Based Comics
DDP's got game . . . Four game-based comics, that is.
Devil's Due Publishing, the Chicago-based home of comic book titles such as Dungeons & Dragons, Demon Squad and the cult favorite Hack/Slash, recently announced that it will be teaming up with noted videogame publisher Capcom to launch four new comic book titles based on the company's successful videogame properties.
Two of the four titles announced as part of this deal will be comics based on popular Capcom titles Bionic Commando and Lost Planet.
According to Devil's Due President Josh Blaylock:
Not only are these awesome games, but they have great stories behind them ripe for comics, including a vintage classic with Bionic Commando that's been revived along with the new sequel.
More details about DDP's plans for Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and the two other new Capcom comics are expected to be announced in July at the San Diego Comic-Con. Be sure to check back here at ComicMix for all the details.
Mon May 12, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Battlestar Galactica Interview: Mark Verheiden on Athena, Anders and the Hybrid
BSG Weekly - Season Four, Episode #6 'Faith'
Welcome to the latest installment of Battlestar Galactica Weekly, our recurring Q&A with Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of the hit Sci-Fi Channel series Battlestar Galactica
Along with posing our own questions to Verheiden, we're also taking questions from fans -- so be sure to send your questions to me, your official BSG Weekly interviewer, after each episode airs at chris [at] comicmix dot com. New episodes of Battlestar Galactica can be seen every Friday at 10 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel. You can read previous interviews via the links at the end of this article.
This week, Verheiden answers questions about the Episode #6 of Season Four, "Faith," which aired May 9, 2008. Note: These answers may contain spoilers, so read at your own risk.
COMICMIX (from reader Andy): Are all the things the Hybrid says supposed to mean something or is it only relevant to the story when she's actually speaking to Starbuck directly? For example, the "toy soldier will become pliant" was said at one point. That could refer to Adama, especially in light of what he says about changing his mind at the end of the episode?
MARK VERHEIDEN: I don't want to get into a line-by-line analysis of the hybrid's monologue(s), though it's always fun to write! At any rate, it's safe to say that some of the babble represents the creature's very mysterious mental gymnastics. And, if you listen closely, certain writerly obsessions with The Wild Bunch
Some of it is specific to the ship (repairs, altering temperatures, etc.) and some of it is very pertinent to the larger mysteries. Maybe this will help: Every line is scripted, none of it is ad-libbed, so everything our hybrid says, she was meant to say. As for interpretation, I leave that to you...
CMix (from reader Leah): Why does Athena pull back at the last minute and not want to touch the dying Eight? And why does Anders show so much compassion for a Cylon when he was about to kill one shortly before that?
Continue reading Battlestar Galactica Interview: Mark Verheiden on Athena, Anders and the Hybrid ›
