Articles by rick-marshall
Sun Feb 17, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
ComicMix at Toy Fair '08: Tonner Does DC and Spider-Man
Porcelain-faced Peter Parker gives me the heebie-jeebies
In the first of a series of reports from Toy Fair 2008 in New York, ComicMix checks out the comics-inspired dolls of the Tonner booth, featuring characters from Spider-Man 3 and a cast of DC superheroes and villains.
[Gallery After the Jump]
Continue reading ComicMix at Toy Fair '08: Tonner Does DC and Spider-Man ›
Sun Feb 17, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Screenwriter Removes Name From 'Punisher: War Zone'
Frank Castle would never put up with this kind of stuff...
Kurt Sutter, co-producer and writer for the television series The Shield, has requested that his name be formally removed from the screenwriting credits for Punisher: War Zone.
Sutter claims that, after rewriting a script by Nick Santora for the film, his script was later rewritten and changed to such a degree that he no longer feels his name should be included in the film's credits.
In Sutter's post about the decision, he explains that the only piece of his script to appear in the film is the set piece in which Jigsaw, the villain of the film, earns his nickname. Sutter adds that his original vision for the film -- a a departure from what he saw as standard comic-book adaptations -- is quite different from the actual story used in production.
The other reason I removed my name is because I didn't want credit. My pitch, my vision, for the Punisher franchise was something much different. I tried to rip Frank Castle from the comic book world and place him in the real streets of NYC. Castle is the only superhero without powers. He's a tortured, highly skilled soldier with a really bad anger problem. I always felt we should see Frank in some place uber-real and gritty. I threw away the first draft written by Nick Santora and did a page one rewrite. I changed the locations, the characters, the story. I dropped Frank in a real New York City with real villians, real cops, real relationships. To me, the Punisher deserved more than the usual comic book redress. It shouldn't just follow the feature superhero formula.
Sutter also acknowledges previous Punisher actor Thomas Jane's disdain for his script, writing, "I'm not saying my draft was perfect or even good for that matter. God knows, Thomas Jane wasn't fond of it."
It's also worth noting that Sutter followed up his initial announcement with another post the following day -- an apology of sorts -- stating that his decision should not be interpreted as a negative assessment of the Punisher: War Zone film or its working script.
Punisher: War Zone is scheduled for a Sept. 12, 2008, release.
Sat Feb 16, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Warren Simons on 'Invincible Iron Man'
When you're that rich, you can afford to have two ongoing series
Marvel's new Invincible Iron Man series kicks off this May right about the same time Tony Stark and Co. hit theaters in the live-action Iron Man film.
Over at Marvel.com, series editor Warren Simons explains the connection between the new title and the film, as well as the reasons behind the choice of Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca as the Invincible Iron Man creative team.
Warren Simons: We're aiming to provide a kick-ass entry point into the Marvel Universe for fans of the film, while also telling great stories for already established Iron Man and Marvel fans. With INVINCIBLE, we're focusing on Tony as a super hero, and downplaying the espionage angle and Tony's role as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Civil War? Never happened.
Even so, the art looks beautiful and Fraction can spin a fun tech-driven tale. This one could be worth keeping an eye on.
Sat Feb 16, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Geoff Johns on Seeding the Stories of 'Sinestro Corps War'
Once you go green...
In this interview with Publishers Weekly, Geoff Johns reflects on DC's under-the-radar yet phenomenally successful crossover event The Sinestro Corps War, which unfolded in the pages of Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps and various other series and tie-ins.
According to Johns, who served as the primary architect for the event, the desire to keep the story centralized among a small number of titles was key to its popularity among readers.
Johns also explains how he approached many of the Sinestro Corps' main characters, and touches on the advantages of being able to seed stories that he knows he'll be around to tell a year down the road.
"I'm trying to pioneer a way of letting people know that there's a big story here," Johns said. "I know every single broad project and story line I'm working on at DC through 2010. I like plotting far ahead, because I can let things sit in my brain and grow and change, and I can have little things pay off. There's actually a mention of 'The Blackest Night' in Green Lantern #6 [from mid-2006]. It's much more satisfying for me to work that way."
The first collected, hardcover volume of The Sinestro Corps War is currently available, with the next volume available in June.
Sat Feb 16, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Guillermo del Toro on 'The Hobbit' Films, Returning Cast
Gandalf and Gollum to return to theaters?
Guillermo del Toro, the rumored favorite to helm an upcoming set of films based upon J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, said his presence behind the camera is still uncertain, but if he does take the job, he hopes to bring some of the cast from the Lord of the Rings film trilogy with him.
Empire spoke with del Toro about the possibility of him directing The Hobbit, what he'd like to do with the film(s) and, of course, that massive lawsuit.
“Since that news broke, I have not exchanged a single phone call with my lawyer or my manager or anyone. They talk about it and I have received some emails, but, as far as I’m concerned, until I’m on board I should not worry about it. I read about it, but there’s nothing I can do about it."
The popular director also said he'd like to bring back the actors who portrayed certain characters appearing in both the Lord of the Rings story as well as The Hobbit, such as Andy Serkis (Gollum) and Ian McKellen (Gandalf).
Oh, and Tolkien fans take note: There was no mention of Hugo Weaving reprising his role as Elrond. Interesting.
(via CS.N)
Sat Feb 16, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Zack Snyder Answers Fans' 'Watchmen' Questions
Who watches the Watchmen? We're pretty sure you will...
Over at the official Watchmen film website, director Zack Snyder has answered a pretty hefty list of questions from fans about his upcoming big-screen adaptation of the groundbreaking graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.
The Q&A is divided into two parts (part one, part two) and covers a lot of ground, from the difficulties of adapting Moore and Gibbons' use of panels and dialogue to create "scenes between the scenes" to the costumes and fight sequences of the film.
On the subject of Rorschach's costume, Snyder shed some light on the level of detail he's aiming for in the character's mask and the way it reacts with Rorschach's mood and hidden expressions:
As you can imagine, the most effective way to render the ever-changing inkblot that is Rorschach’s face is with the use of visual effects. So, we created a blank mask and strategically placed small green tracking markers on it. The markers will be used to track the contours of his face throughout the shot. There is also a hole that reveals Jackie’s [Jackie Earle Haley] eyes not only so he can see, but also to help to the VFX artists later while they animate Rorschach’s face. The opening allows them to see what Jackie’s eyes were emoting. When completed, his open-eyed, green polka dotted face will have been replaced by a CG element, a slowly changing inkblot pattern. We’ve gone through and analyzed the many inkblots from the graphic novel and have assigned them each different emotional characteristics — so that when Rorschach is experiencing something in a scene, the shape on the mask reflects his emotions in a graphic and abstract manner. I have had the opportunity to see some of the early tests and I am very pleased with how it is coming together.
Oh, and as if that wasn't enough, Snyder also addresses some of the rumors surrounding the development of The Black Freighter, the story-within-a-story that unfolds throughout the graphic novel.
Sat Feb 16, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Top Cow Launches Darkness, Witchblade Search Tools
Google the Witchblade anytime you get the urge!
In a press release issued this week, Top Cow announced the debut of a pair of Google-powered search engines themed around two of their most popular properties, The Darkness and Witchblade titles.
With each normal, everyday Web search conducted on one of these Top Cow-branded search engines, users gain a chance to earn Swag Bucks, which are digital dollars that can be redeemed for Top Cow comic books and other prizes at the Witchblade and The Darkness Swag Stores, including iPhones, plasma TVs, digital cameras and game systems like the Sony PSP and Nintendo Wii.
One of the most interesting aspects of the promotion, in my humble opinion, was this note:
In addition, Witchblade and The Darkness toolbars are available to download for Internet Explorer and Firefox Web browsers so that users can utilize the search engines more readily. The toolbars also feature quick links to Top Cow’s MySpace page, message boards, news blog, online store and more. There are no pop-up windows, no spyware, and no adware — guaranteed.
[Bold highlight added]
No spyware and adware? Color me intrigued -- but before I install anything, I'd love to hear about other users' experiences. Anyone willing to give it a shot?
Sat Feb 16, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Hasbro Debuts 'Cloverfield' Monster Toy
Now with 'Statue of Liberty Head Accessory'!
Okay, so maybe Hasbro's tag line, "Cloverfield Monster Revealed," is a bit after-the-fact, given that the movie has been out for nearly a month now and grossed more than $75 million, but I'm willing to cut them some slack since the toy based on the film's monster looks pretty damn impressive.
You can check out the toy for yourself over at the Hasbro website, because even a month after the movie's release, I'm terrified of earning the wraith of spoiler-haters.
From the toy specs:
Cloverfield Monster Features: 70 points of articulation and incredible life-like detail, Authentic sound, 14” tall, 10 parasites, Two interchangeable heads, Statue of Liberty head accessory, Special Cloverfield collector’s edition packaging
As one of our own pointed out a while back, this could be a great opportunity to find out who would really win in a battle 'tween the Cloverfield monster and the "King of All Monsters" himself, Godzilla.
Let the battle begin!
Fri Feb 15, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
First Look: 'Batman: Gotham Knight' Video
It's like 'Episode 1.5'... right?
A preview has hit the 'Net of Batman: Gotham Knight, the straight-to-DVD animated anthology intended to bridge the gap between the big-screen feature film Batman Begins and its upcoming sequel The Dark Knight.
You can watch the preview below, which includes commentary from ComicMix columnist (and former Batman Group Editor) Dennis O'Neil.
The creative team for the film includes such Batman comics notables as Bruce W. Timm, who directs the anthology, as well as Brian Azzarello, David S. Goyer and Greg Rucka. According to IMDb, actor Christian Bale will voice Batman.
Confirmed characters in the feature include Deadshot, Killer Croc, the Scarecrow and Man-Bat.
Batman: Gotham Knight is scheduled for release this year, but no specific date has been announced.
(via SHH)
Fri Feb 15, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
First Look: 'Doctor Who' Season Four
It's the return of.... the Ood!
Wow. There are more spoilers, rumors and plot predictions than you can shake a stick at in this post over at io9.
However, if Doctor Who fans can resist the urge to scroll down through the full post (where the spoilers for Lost, Sarah Connor Chronicles and other series are collected), there's also a great video preview of the sci-fi series' much anticipated fourth season.
The video has been appearing in British movie theaters, and features (among other things) the return of Rose Tyler and Martha Jones, the creepy Ood from "The Impossible Planet" episode in Season Two, and a massive wasp. Good times are in store for the Doctor, it seems.
Fri Feb 15, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Warren Ellis' 'FreakAngels' Webcomic Launches
The wait is over, freaks!
The first episode of FreakAngels, the free webcomic created by Warren "I am Internet Jesus" Ellis has finally gone online.
... And there was much rejoicing.
Announced at last year's Comic-Con International in San Diego, FreakAngels is written by Ellis and illustrated by Paul Duffield. The webcomic is hosted by publisher Avatar Press, who will post a new episode each week on the FreakAngels website.
CBR spoke with Avatar founder William Christensen about FreakAngels and the unique online publishing plan unfolding around the series.
Though other publishers have offered content online, sometimes even new material, “FreakAngels” is perhaps unique in that its creators will be paid as they would if it were a standard, print comic. “After I spent a little time looking around, I realized there hasn't been much in the way of a focused effort at providing streamlined, quality material,” Christensen said. “We're not interested in setting up a huge site with a grab-bag of daily strips—Warren and Paul are going to make an amazing serial comic, and we're going to make sure it's being produced and displayed as well as anything you'd pick up on a shelf.”
Amen!
Thu Feb 14, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Free Comic Book Day Titles Announced
Who said 'Free Comix?' I'll have some!
Free Comic Book Day is fast approaching, and the titles that will be available on that magical day at your local comic shop are now posted on the official FCBD website. Movie and television tie-ins look like the name of the game again this year, with Marvel, Dark Horse and IDW all offering titles based on current or upcoming big- and small-screen projects.
Of course, be sure to keep in mind that you can always find free comics here on ComicMix every day of the year, so if you dig that whole "free comics" scene, make sure you check out our archive of free comics.
But I digress...
Some of the highlights of the 2008 Free Comic Book Day titles include:
First-issue reprints of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's All Star Superman and the kids-oriented Tiny Titans, by Art Baltazar and Franco, comprise DC's FCBD offernigs -- and should definitely generate some interest in the collected All Star Superman editions.
Marvel offers up another original issue with a FCBD 2008 story involving the X-Men. With a Mike Carey script and art by Greg Land, it looks like the Merry Marvel Marketing Machine certainly didn't phone it in on the free stuff. Oh, and as a tie-in to the upcoming big-screen debut of Iron Man, they're also offering a Marvel Adventures story featuring Iron Man and the Mandarin.
Thu Feb 14, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
'Star Trek' Bumped to Summer '09 Release
Blame it on... Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!
Paramount Studios has shuffled the release dates for several of its films now that the writers strike is over, including J.J. Abrams' much anticipated Star Trek.
Star Trek was originally scheduled to hit theaters this year on Dec. 25, but will now be released on May 9, 2009.
While many of the films being rescheduled have been moved due to stalled scripts or other issues related to the strike, Paramount has stated that the situation with Star Trek is actually quite different.
"'Star Trek' is moving to summer because its has so much boxoffice potential," Par spokesman Michael Vollman said. "It does not need any script tweaks. They're two-thirds of the way through shooting, and we would have delivered a great movie at Christmas."
The Hollywood Reporter has details on the Star Trek move, as well as other Paramount films likely to be rescheduled.
Thu Feb 14, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Jim Davis and Garfield Target Scott Kurtz and 'PvP'
Even Odie digs 'PvP'
Sure, people give Garfield a lot of flack, but after Scott Kurtz of PvP received a mysterious package from Garfield creator Jim Davis, you can bet that the famous orange cat -- and his creator -- have a friend for life.
Over on the PvP site, Kurtz describes the gift he received from Davis in recognition of the strip's 10th Anniversary.
I’ve been sitting on this for a week now, not sure how to properly frame or present it. Paul Southworth described it as “…like getting a Valentine from God.” Today it came in the mail and I decided the best thing to do was just photograph the unboxing. This office is now hallowed ground. I have no words beyond this: yes it’s real, yes he drew it, yes he likes PvP.
Kurtz has posted a Flickr Album of the Garfield box-opening event, with some commentary about why the gift has helped make PvP's ten-years-young celebration a very, very special time.
Thu Feb 14, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Psychedelic Romance, Drug-Fueled Love and... Steranko!
Valentines Day: It's Steranko-riffic!
Sure, love is like a drug sometimes -- but what kind of drug? Is it a quick pick-me-upper like caffeine? Is it the kind of drug that makes you taste colors? Heck, some might argue that it's the type of drug that makes you look like Nick Nolte's mugshot after a couple of weeks.
As a special Valentine's Day treat, Journalista points readers to a pair of stories that deal with exactly that question, in their own ways.
In Our Love Story #5, Jim Steranko provides the trippy interior art to a Stan Lee story titled "My Heart Broke in Hollywood."
Honestly, I didn't even have a chance to read the story. I started looking at the art and woke up two hours later covered in Sun Chips and Kool-Aid. It's THAT good.
Next we have George Evans' anti-drug themed "Slave of Despair" from a 1951 issue of Romantic Secrets.
This one tells the tale of Edith, a girl-next-door type with a world of opportunities and a steady beau, who makes a couple of bad decisions and ends up seduced by the "jungle beat" of hazy dance clubs and a pill-pushing, smooth-talking stranger. Soon she's stealing from cash registers and acting like a funnybooks version of Amy Winehouse.
... But seriously, folks, who hasn't had a first date like that, right?
Anyone?
*sigh*
