Author: Glenn Hauman

Ash Is Back, Baby: New Teasers for “Ash vs. Evil Dead”

aod-7902901The Starz Original series “Ash vs Evil Dead” is rolling out new teasers this week for the 10-episode first season of the half-hour series executive produced by Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, Bruce Campbell, the original filmmakers of the franchise, and Craig DiGregorio who will serve as executive producer and showrunner.  “Ash vs Evil Dead,” which is currently in production in New Zealand, is the long-awaited follow-up to the classic horror film franchise The Evil Dead and is set to premiere on Starz in Fall 2015.

Ash, his boom stick, and his chainsaw have made numerous appearances in comics, both in his own series from Dark Horse and Dynamite, and crossing over with a wide variety of characters such as Marvel Zombies, Darkman, Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Dracula, Xena, Danger Girl, and Re-Animator.

Campbell will be reprising his role as Ash, the stock boy, aging lothario and chainsaw-handed monster hunter who has spent the last 30 years avoiding responsibility, maturity and the terrors of the Evil Dead.  When a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind, Ash is finally forced to face his demons –personal and literal.  Destiny, it turns out, has no plans to release the unlikely hero from its “Evil” grip.

The cast is led by Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”) in the role of Ash Williams, Lucy Lawless (“Salem,” “Spartacus”) as Ruby a mysterious figure who believes Ash is the cause of the Evil outbreaks, Ray Santiago (“Touch,” Meet the Fockers) as Pablo Simon Bolivar, an idealistic immigrant who becomes Ash’s loyal sidekick, Dana DeLorenzo (A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas) as Kelly Maxwell, a moody wild child trying to outrun her past and Jill Marie Jones (“Sleepy Hollow”) as Amanda Fisher, a disgraced Michigan State Trooper set to find our anti-hero Ash and prove his responsibility in the grisly murder of her partner.

Raimi (Spider-Man) is directing the first episode of “Ash vs Evil Dead” that he wrote with Ivan Raimi (Darkman, Army of Darkness, Drag Me to Hell), and Tom Spezialy (“Chuck,” “Reaper,” “Desperate Housewives”). Raimi will also serve as executive producer, with Rob Tapert (Evil Dead, “Spartacus,” Xena: Warrior Princess”) and Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”) along with Craig DiGregorio (“Workaholics,” “Chuck”) who will serve as executive producer/showrunner. Ivan Raimi will co-executive produce and Aaron Lam (“Spartacus”) and Chloe Smith (“Spartacus”) will serve as producers.

 

Hatter M goes YA on “The View” Friday, with heavy cosplay action

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Frank Beddor’s The Looking Glass War series, a dark fantasy look at Alice In Wonderland, has had a strong spinoff life in comics with Hatter M, the story of Hatter Madigan who is the bodyguard to the Queen of Wonderland and head of the elite security force known as the The Millinery.

Beddor has debuted a new Young Adult prose series at BookExpo America, Hatter Madigan, which shows his early days at the Millinery. And to mark the occasion, fan of the series Whoopi Goldberg will be highlighting the series and characters on The View on Friday. Beddor literally brought his characters to life on The View by inviting a team of cosplayers dressed up as his characters to appear on the show. “The audience exploded when they saw them come out. Fantasy rules reality. The reaction was amazing.”

The new book, Hatter Madigan: Ghost In the H.A.T.B.O.X, is a prequel to the existing Looking Glass Wars time line and will hit stores in March of 2016.

But we know what some of our readers really care about is the cosplay. Well, fear not– we got our hands on some photos for of the behind-the-scenes of the costumes…

The DC Comics vs. David Letterman Top Ten List

Everyone is talking about whatever contact they may have had with David Letterman this week, and I’m no different.

I’ve mentioned before that I believe some of the reasons I ended up working at DC Comics almost 27 years ago was because I could pitch softball better than what most people there and that the guy I was interviewing with was the head of the company softball team, and that I went to the game that was scheduled to be against the crew from Late Night With David Letterman.

What I’ve never mentioned before now is that somebody in the DC production department had devised their own strategy to psych out the other team, and had written the entire thing out on big pieces of cardboard, like cue cards.

When the game was forfeited, the giant cards were left behind on the field— and I, being a true comic collector of one of a kind stuff, grabbed them. And kept them. Through five or more moves, I kept them.

And now, on the occasion of the end of David Letterman’s run in late night television, I bring you this never before seen list…

TOP 10 REASONS DC WILL BEAT “LATE NIGHT”! (more…)

Game Of Thrones: The Musical!

Because Coldplay and Peter Dinklage think there’s money to be had here…

…actually, it’s to help benefit Red Nose Day to help fight child poverty, which is a good thing for the ex-Minister of Coin to be doing. Enjoy.

Mix March Madness 2015 Webcomics Tournament: And The Winner Is…

hero_initiative1-1128395…the Hero Initiative, who thanks to the efforts of dedicated fans buying additional votes for their favorite webcomics, raised $554 this round for an overall total of $2122 to help comics creators in need! Plus Philip M. Hofer, creator of Comic Easel, who got $408 to help him get a new computer so he can get back to work building comic websites, for a grand total raised of $2530…

Yeah, yeah, I hear you cry, this is nice and all, but you really want to hear who won the competition? You’re not willing to sit through long-winded explanations designed to draw out the suspense, and that’s why American Idol got cancelled?

Oh, all right. The winner is…

…yes, we’re still going to put it after the break… (more…)

Mix March Madness 2015 Webcomics Tournament Championship!

This is it– a battle two months in the making!

The Final Four fought the good fight, and there are only two left standing. In another context they may be a Dynamic Duo, but as the Scots say, there can be only one. Voting was hot and feverish but knocked out in the Semi-Finals were Not A Villain and Girl Genius, who move on into a contest for the bronze. The stakes are high and the prize is grand. No other web comic will be able to claim bragging rights to winning the ComicMix March Madness 2015. Over 500 were considered, 128 were chosen and one will remain champion. Who will it be… Stand Still. Stay Silent or Shotgun Shuffle?

All will be known after polls close this Friday, May 8, 2015– vote now!

First, the donations– holy cow, you guys are amazing. In this round alone, you raised $408 to help Frumph get his computer back up and running, and $902 for the Hero Initiative, for a whopping $1310.

One last time, here are the brackets…

Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
1st/2nd Place
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Not A Villain
274-85
Spinnerette
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Not A Villain
384-266
Questionable Content
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Sandra and Woo
96-181
Questionable Content
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Not A Villain
2480-2329+1044
Stand Still, Stay Silent
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Stand Still, Stay Silent
646-241
Manly Guys Doing Manly Things
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spacer1-8544550
Stand Still, Stay Silent
937-461
Misfile
spacer1-8544550
Stand Still, Stay Silent
Game 16 Details
Shotgun Shuffle
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Twokinds
108-322
Misfile
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Girl Genius
371-75
Two Guys and Guy
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Girl Genius
587-166
El Goonish Shive
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Supernormal Step
60-90
El Goonish Shive
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Girl Genius
1527-1595+3824
Shotgun Shuffle
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Shotgun Shuffle
418-58
Looking For Group
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Shotgun Shuffle
1601-886
The Property of Hate
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Gaia
265-476
The Property of Hate
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3rd/4th Place
Not A Villain
Game 15 Details
Girl Genius

 

ComicMix April Armageddon Webcomics 2015 Championship

Stand Still. Stay Silent
Shotgun Shuffle
Not A Villain
Girl Genius

Poll Maker

 




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As always, we’re letting you support your favorite strips by paying for additional votes, simply click on the Donate button, and during checkout, click on “Which comic are you donating for?” and tell us who you’re voting for. The price is 25¢ a vote this round, with a minimum of four votes purchased at a time, split any way you want. All proceeds from paid votes will go to the Hero Initiative, an organization that helps comic book creators in need. At the close of the round, we’ll add the paid votes to the totals and announce the winner.

Voting ends at midnight Eastern Time on Friday night! Good luck to everyone!

Mix March Madness 2015 Webcomics Tournament Final Four!

Semifinal time! Elite Eight eliminations now leaves us with the Comicmix April Armageddon 2015 Webcomic Tournament’s Final Four. Left to battle it out in this free for all frenzy is Not A Villain, Stand Still. Stay Silent, Girl Genius, and Shotgun Shuffle. Which one of these fabulous competitors will be joining the ranks of previous winners like Paranatural (2014), Bittersweet Candy Bowl (2013),  Gunnerkrigg Court (2012), and ?

To insure your web-horse wins, in addition to your votes, we also take donation bribes. All donations to the Hero Initiative in Round 5, brought in $297 (!) with thanks to your passion for your favorite!

Shotgun Shuffle, $179 (yes, $179)
El Goonish Shive, $4
Stand Still. Stay Silent, $27
Girl Genius, $5
Property of Hate, $36
Not a Villain, $1
Misfile, $45

And this round, we’re opening up the donations a bit… but first, let’s take a look at the final contestants!

(more…)

Glenn Hauman: Hugo Awards, No Awards, and Network Effects

hugo_sm-2797641In the current contretemps over the Hugo Awards (including coverage from, among many others, Slate, Salon, Entertainment Weekly, the Guardian, the Telegraph, the Daily Dot, i09, Breitbart,  the National Review, and us) and now that voting for the Hugo Awards are now open, the question has come up about voting for “No Award” over various nominees, whether it should be done, and whether it would be an unprecedented event.

The answer to the last part is: No, it’s not unprecedented. “No Award” has won categories before, most recently in 1977 when no award was given for Best Dramatic Presentation.

And ironically, that’s really a shame. Because it turns out there was a really great science fiction movie that year that showed us where we were heading. I’m not talking about any of that year’s actual Hugo nominees– Carrie, Logan’s Run, The Man Who Fell to Earth, or Futureworld.

No, I’m talking about Network.

(more…)