Articles by rick-marshall
Thu Jun 19, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
The Buzz on Brian K. Vaughan's 'Roundtable' Script
The next big thing for one of comics' best?
Over at AICN, Moriarty has posted a very long analysis of Y: The Last Man creator Brian K. Vaughan's script for a feature film currently titled Roundtable, which Dreamworks recently won after a long bidding war.
Apparently, the man behind Runaways and Ex Machina (and now a writer for the comic-posing-as-a-television-series Lost) has turned in a script that's being celebrated as one of the best to hit Hollywood in quite some time, earning comparisons to classic science-fiction comedies such as Ghostbusters and Back to the Future by even the most jaded readers.
So when my friend sent over ROUNDTABLE and suggested I read it, I was surprised by his enthusiasm. That’s not the way it normally goes. Keep in mind, there’s a sport in LA that’s very popular. Writers get hold of a script that just sold for a ton of money. And then they read it so that they can reassure theselves that it’s terrible and if that piece of shit sold for a lot of money, then that masterpiece they’re tinkering with in the off-hours is going to be set a new record for how much money someone can make on a script. It’s only fair. It’s a bitter, angry game, but it’s been going on since at least when I moved here in the early ‘90s, and it hasn’t changed in that entire time. Almost any script can be torn apart by the determined and the bitter if they try, but I’m guessing that they’ll find themselves tied in knots as soon as they all get hold of this script, because it is indeed a tightly-constructed and hilarious commercial script that is most probably going to make DreamWorks a small fortune when they finally release the film.
Moriarty goes on to describe some of the casting Vaughan seems to have had in mind for characters, as well as a basic synopsis of the story.
(via PopCandy)
Thu Jun 19, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Comic Artists Sketch David Bowie
Ground control to this crazy sketchbook...
My buddy Sean T. Collins received a lot of attention late last year when he posted a gallery of sketches from his David Bowie-themed sketchbook, and rightly so. Over the last year or so, Collins has been collecting some outstanding sketches of ol' Ziggy Stardust himself by some of the industry's most popular creators in print and webcomics (as well as some of its rising stars), and the results have been endlessly amusing, to say the least.
Collins recently posted the Bowie sketches he garnered at this year's MoCCA Art Festival (you can read our ComicMix coverage of MoCCA here), and the art continues to not only be amazing on its own, but also spark some great discussion of Bowie and the various artists' impressions of him.
The art I've posted here is by Jason, a favorite of mine, and his depiction of "Bowie as an anthropomorphized doggie version of The Little Prince." You can view the full gallery of Collins' MoCCA sketches of David Bowie here, then be sure to go back and view the first Bowie sketch gallery, The Thin White Sketchbook, and its sequel, The Return of the Thin White Sketchbook.
The list of artists featured in Collins' sketchbook reads like a Who's Who of cartoon and comic celebrity, so no matter where your interests lie, there's a good chance you'll see one of your favorites' renditions of David Bowie.
Thu Jun 19, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
New Website, Two-Face Clip From 'The Dark Knight'
Gotham City Pizzeria hides clue to new villain...
With just under a month until The Dark Knight hits theaters, it's not surprising to see more viral marketing for the film popping up around the 'Net. Previously, we ran down the long list of other Dark Knight online marketing campaigns, but this one has a special treat for Batman fans.
For example, feel free to surf over to the recently launched website for Gotham City Pizzeria. Along with reading up on the pizzeria's history, you can also read their pledge to customers that includes a few elements you don't normally find in a pizzeria chain -- including a pledge to "support Batman."
I know this is controversial, but sometimes you have to take a stand. One day, when we were first expanding to lots of neighborhoods in Gotham, I picked up the day's receipts from our shop in East End. The street lamps were out, and the sidewalk was deserted. Two thugs approached me and demanded money. I was too slow - and one of them pulled out a shotgun. Suddenly, they were gone. I looked up, and Batman had snatched them in his arms and was giving them a little dose of Gotham City Justice. From that moment on, we put special emphasis on making the streets around our locations safe - and business skyrocketed. Batman is an inspiration to all of us who want to take control of our own lives and fight back against the criminals of Gotham City. GCP supports Batman.
Oh, and pay close attention to the cursor when you drift over the letters "HA" in "GOTHAM" ... Notice anything? Click on "HA" to view a clip from the film that provides your first look at Harvey Dent, a.k.a. Two-Face.
Why so serious, indeed?
(via SHH)
Thu Jun 19, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Interview: Jon Rosenberg on 'Goats' and the Art of the Reboot
Woody Allen and Space Hitler... 'nuff said.
There aren't many people who have been in the webcomics business longer than Goats creator Jon Rosenberg.
After more than a decade creating comics in the online scene (and doing so as his sole source of income for the last few years), the popular creator has certainly earned "veteran" status -- especially by the "here one day, gone the next" standards of Internet fame. In the time that countless other comics have enjoyed celebrated beginnings, mediocre runs and quiet dismissals into digital limbo, Goats has persevered, evolved and gone so far as to develop a rich, complex history that continues to develop to this day.
Yet, as both the series and its creator have grown, so have the elements providing the series' foundation from the start. Minor and major characters have come into their own and prompted various spin-offs and memes that carve out an even greater niche for the series in webcomic history. Whether experimenting with subscription-based content or new hardware for illustrators, Rosenberg's longtime readers have been privy to an ongoing experiment with the Internet's ability to support webcomics. Heck, one might even go so far as to say that the evolution of Goats is a pretty darn good model of the evolution of webcomics as a whole, with many of the trends, pitfalls and successes of the online model represented by different points in the series' history.
And to think it all began with a couple of guys in a bar.
For this week's webcomic interview, I spoke with Rosenberg about Goats, his creative process, the art of the relaunch and the big announcement he has planned for Comic-Con International in San Diego next month.
Oh, and we also found some time to talk about beer, too.
COMICMIX: What are you up today, Jon?
JON ROSENBERG: Today was one of those rare non-comicking days where I did a couple hundred small businessy-type tasks. "Taskettes," really. Customer service email, product design, paying bills, that sort of thing. From the sorts of things I've heard lately, print cartoonists all have assistants and butlers to do that sort of thing for them since they're all so rich, but us webcomics folk sometimes have to get our hands dirty.
Lately I've been working on banging out as good a story as possible and learning to use my new Cintiq at peak efficiency. Electrons is where it's at, I'm never going back to ink on paper. Most of my mental bandwidth has been taken up by a large project which I can't talk about until July, unfortunately.
Continue reading Interview: Jon Rosenberg on 'Goats' and the Art of the Reboot ›
Wed Jun 18, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Heroes Con Roundup, Spurgeon-Style
That eye... it just keeps following me around...
As he often does with conventions of note, Tom Spurgeon of The Comics Reporter has posted a great, comprehensive roundup of information related to this weekend's Heroes Convention in Charlotte, NC.
Spurgeon is moderating what appears to be every single panel at the show... which should get more interesting as the weekend progresses. Will he end up confusing the "Religion & Philosophy" panel with the "Webcomics Roundup?" Witness the madness for yourself!
Oh, and Spurgeon gets extra "good guy" points for the creepy animated-eye promo image I've included here, as well as posting the press release he received from Jim Rugg that was addressed to The Beat.
Heroes Con is happening this weekend, June 20-22, in Charlotte, NC.
Wed Jun 18, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Vasilis Lolos 'Last Call' Headed to Theaters?
Latest comic-to-screen Oni project announced...
Last year's excellent Vasilis Lolos story Last Call looks to be the latest comic-to-movie acquisition, as Variety reports that Universal Pictures has bought up the rights to the Oni Press project.
"The Last Call," written and illustrated by Vasilis Lolos, centers on two teens on a joyride who get hit by a train -- an interdimensional soul carrier -- and find themselves on a quest to solve a mystery that will allow them to return to their regular lives. Series debuted last year.
Evan Spiliotopoulos, who most recently penned "The Box" for Fox, is adapting the series for the screen.
Last Call is the fourth Oni project to receive such attention from Hollywood, with Scott Pilgrim, Leading Man and Resurrection also optioned over the last few years.
(via The Beat)
Wed Jun 18, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Exploring Creators' Rights With 'The Incredible Hulk'
What about Ant-Man's discussion of micropayments and licensing agreements?
As a footnote of sorts to his recent review of The Incredible Hulk
According to Spurgeon, one particular element in the relationship between the characters of Dr. Bruce Banner and Gen. "Thunderbolt" Ross might be worth a little more exploration -- but don't expect the House of Ideas to lead the discussion:
* in case you were wondering, Incredible Hulk continues Marvel's weird Summer 2008 conversational subtext on creators' rights issues, as General Thunderbolt Ross demands ownership of Bruce Banner's body of work and licensing rights, and turns the Super-Soldier formula over to another work-for-hire creator. I can hardly wait for Thor's exegesis on trademarks and public domain.
Good eye (or ear, in this case), Tom!
Wed Jun 18, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Bill Willingham on New 'Fables' Graphic Novel and Rudyard Kipling
What do Mowgli and Little Boy Blue have in common?
While Fables creator Bill Willingham is keeping mum about the details surrounding his next original graphic novel set in the Fables universe, he recently mentioned that the first half of the mysterious project was written in the shadow of another famous fantasy scribe: Rudyard Kipling.
According to ReadExpress.com:
"I wrote the first half of it ... in the same room, on the same desk, that Kipling invented Mowgli and 'The Jungle Book.' I stayed at the Kipling mansion in Vermont, which might have been the two most wonderful weeks of my life," said Willingham. "I think the greatest problem of my time there was the time lost when I just sat there like a dumb idiot saying to myself, 'Woah, look at where I am.'"
Willingham cautioned not to expect too much of that Kipling inspiration to bleed into the storyline, however.
"The book was outlined pretty rigidly before I got there, so I couldn't really deviate much, but I definitely wrote one scene in there as a nod to where I was and what my circumstances were."
Willingham goes on to describe his storytelling approach toward many of the characters in his Fables universe, as well as his approach to creating stories with the full collection in mind rather than single issues.
Finally, the writer had this to say about his dealings with the movie industry and Fables' long-rumored turn on the big screen:
"My brushes with Hollywood have all been so completely surreal," he said. "I have no idea how anything, even the smallest possible thing, can get made in that town. There has been a growing realization that anything makes it to become a TV show or a movie is some sort of bizarre miracle. Boy, do those people love taking meetings!"
(via Journalista)
Tue Jun 17, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Interview: Adam Freeman on 'Genius' and Top Cow's Pilot Season
The future of duo's new series will lie in the hands of fans
Marc Bernardin and Adam Freeman's first big comics project, last year's five-issue miniseries The Highwaymen
Despite a massive marketing push by the series' publisher, Wildstorm, as well as fairly positive reviews of the first issue, in the end the series was widely regarded as a commercial disappointment. After all was said and done, the series' performance left many figures in and around the industry, including Bernardin himself, wondering what the difficulties experienced by The Highwaymen say about the industry as a whole.
Nevertheless, the pair has persevered, and this week marks the release of Genius, their original story about a 17-year-old girl in South Central Los Angeles who unites the region's gangs in a war against the L.A. Police Department.
From the Top Cow solicit for the project:
Alexander, Hannibal, Napoleon, Patton. What if the greatest military mind of OUR generation was born in strife, surrounded by violence and combat since birth? When the gauntlet is dropped, the question isn't "How did 17-year-old Destiny Ajaye unite the gangs of South Central into a killer army and declare war on the LAPD?" No, the question is, "Can anyone stop her?"
This Wednesday, Genius will hit shelves as one of the titles in Top Cow's "Pilot Season" program, and readers will eventually be able to vote on which of the "Pilot Season" projects becomes an ongoing series with the publisher.
I spoke with Adam Freeman about Genius, where the idea for the story originated and the Top Cow program that once again puts a story he co-created with Bernardin at the mercy of comics fans everywhere.
COMICMIX: Can you tell me about the genesis of Genius? What was the spark that developed into this story?
ADAM FREEMAN: It was an idea that Marc had swimming in his head for a while, but I responded to instantly. I have always been fascinated with prodigies and savants. I am not a religious or spiritual person by any means, but the idea that someone -- regardless of their walk of life -- could be "chosen" to be the best at something is incredibly cool to me.
Continue reading Interview: Adam Freeman on 'Genius' and Top Cow's Pilot Season ›
Mon Jun 16, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
'Sarah Connor Chronicles' Marathon on FOX
Summer Glau
With the second season of the Terminator spin-off television series The Sarah Connor Chronicles kicking off in September on FOX, the crew over at TV Squad tells us that the network will be airing all of the first season episodes this August to get viewers ready for Season Two.
According to TV Squad:
The network is going to run a marathon of the first season of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles starting on Sunday, August 10 at 9pm. Then the other episodes from the first season, in order, will air at 9pm on August 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 24.
The two-hour second season premiere then airs on September 8 at 8pm.
I caught the first episode of this series and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It appears as if FOX is really banking on this series , so it could be worth the catch-up time before the second season's premiere. Heck, the more we can do to convince networks that there are alternatives to "Reality" TV programming, the better -- and the more we get to see of Serenity star Summer Glau, well, that's pretty decent, too.
Mon Jun 16, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Doctor Who in Review: Season Four, Episode #7 - The Unicorn and the Wasp
What's that buzzing sound?
The hit BBC series Doctor Who
Every week, I'll do my best to go through the most recent episode with a fine-tooth comb (or whatever the "sonic screwdriver" equivalent might be) and call out the highlights, low points, continuity checks and storyline hints I can find to keep in mind for future episodes. I'll post the review each Monday, so you have ample time to check out the episode once it airs each Friday at 9 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel before I spoil anything.
Missed a week? Check out the "Doctor Who in Review" archive or check out any of the past editions of this column via the links at the end of this article.
Keep in mind, I'm going to assume readers have already watched the episode when I put fingers to keyboard and come up with the roundup of important plot points. In other words, SPOILER ALERT!
Let's begin now, shall we?
Season Four, Episode #7: "The Unicorn and the Wasp"
Continue reading Doctor Who in Review: Season Four, Episode #7 - The Unicorn and the Wasp ›
Sat Jun 14, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Frank Wing's 'Fotygraft Album'
Dirk Deppey pulls a gem off his shelf
Over at Journalista, Dirk Deppey flexed his scanning muscles yesterday and posted a nice set of images from one of the illustrated books on his shelf. The book is Frank Wing's Fotygraft Album, published in 1915, and features the following:
The gimmick’s simple: a young child is showing the family photo album to a friend of his mother’s, with drawings made to resemble photography on the right-hand side of each page, and text of the child describing the subject on the left.
I won’t inflict any of Frank Wing writing on you, of course; it’s corny in that faux Waltons-family kind of way, positively dripping with down-home sentimentality. Wing’s art, on the other hand, is quite nice.
And indeed it is.
I've posted a larger version of this image after the jump, but many more can be found over at Journalista.
Fri Jun 13, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Thoughts on the Celibate Superhero
Who's getting it on and who probably shouldn't be...
With Incredible Hulk hitting theaters this weekend, the crazy cats over at io9 recently posted a list of popular comic book characters whose talents might allow them to save the universe -- but cause problems when they start to feel a little frisky.
It's a great read, but it also reveals a plot point from at least one upcoming film, so be warned.
Oh, and if you've ever wondered about the ol' Green Goliath's sex life, Charlie Jane has you covered:
Since I've read almost every Hulk comic ever published (except I admit Bruce Jones lost me after a while) I should stick in a little dissertation about the Hulk's sexual history. Can the comics version of the Hulk really never have sex? We know that the Hulk is Incredibly, perhaps Unfeasibly, well-hung, because the Hulk gets naked in Incredible Hulk #400 and his arch-enemy The Leader remarks on how well-endowed he is. But it's strongly implied, during the "gray Hulk" period, that the gray Hulk — who's working as a Las Vegas leg-breaker — is getting laid on a fairly regular basis.
Well, that settles it, I guess. Head over to io9 for the full rundown of under-sexed superheroes.
Fri Jun 13, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Random Video: Iron Man Meets Sesame Street
Yeah, don't ask me, either...
I'm not exactly sure what to make of this video mash-up of the pinball "counting song" from the children's television series Sesame Street and clips from both old and new versions of the Iron Man cartoons -- all I know is that it's catchy.
I also know that it will now be stuck in your head, too.
Fri Jun 13, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Chuck Dixon, Dean Koontz and 'Frankenstein: Prodigal Son'
Writer adapts story of one of the most famous of the 'Famous Monsters'
Earlier this month, our friends at Famous Monsters of Filmland posted a nice chat with writer Chuck Dixon about his work on the adaptation of Dean Koontz' Frankenstein: Prodigal Son. The six-issue series features a story adapted by Dixon with art by Brett Booth, and is published by the Dabel Bros.
Here, Dixon describes the process of adapting the work of the noted horror author:
FM: How does one adapt a novel to a comic book?
Chuck: In this case it was easy! Dean breaks this stuff down like a comic script. Fast paced and lots of juicy visuals.
The process is like this: I read the novel through and then go back and re-read with post-it notes and a highlighter pen in hand. I highlight significant dialogue and mark page breaks and put in post-its for the issue breaks. Like I said, it was real easy this time. Usually I have to hunt for strong visuals as most novels tend to be internal. But this book gave me option paralysis with all the cool and gruesome stuff.
The first issue of Frankenstein: Prodigal Son is already on shelves. For the full interview, head over to Famous Monsters of Filmland.
