Category: News

The Incredibles 2 Releases Bonus Features

In case you missed it this summer, Disney Home Entertainment is releasing The Incredibles 2 on disc this Tuesday, giving you something to do after you vote. In anticipation of this release, the studio has begun sending out some of the bonus material to be found on the Blu-ray.

For starters there’s the Fashion of Edna Mode.  Edna “E” Mode (voice of Brad Bird) possesses impeccable design sense, a keen understanding of cutting-edge technology and an unmatched skillset. A creative visionary, she longs for the return of Supers so she can once again create functional yet cutting-edge supersuits.

Concept Art – Edna Mode Fashion Models – Concept art features design work by Deanna Marsigliese and Tony Fucile, highlighting Edna Mode’s fashion show and her rival supersuit designer, Galbaki, who craves fame and attention yet ultimately did not make the final cut of the film.

There’s also a deleted scene called Fashion Show that apparently never made it out of the animatic stage.

And we also have Designing Fabulous

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National Graphic Novel Writing Month 2018

National Graphic Novel Writing Month Day 3: Plot First vs. Full Script

National Graphic Novel Writing Month 2018

Day 3 of #NaGraNoWriMo. Now that you’ve decided the format your graphic novel is going to take, you have to decide how you’re going to write it. For that, we have to discuss the two major schools of comics writing: Plot First vs. Full Script.

Plot First is occasionally known as “Marvel method” because Stan Lee used it a lot when he was creating the Marvel Universe and writing eight books a month in the 60s— he would pitch a plot to artists like Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Don Heck, etc., discuss it with them and maybe type up a quick page or two for notes. Then the artist would pencil the story, after which Stan would script the captions and dialogue to fit the art. The advantage for the writer is knowing what the art looks like, and how much room there is for text, when scripting. The disadvantage(?) is that the writer loses control over pacing and composition of the art, and may get surprised when the art comes back and there’s this silvery surfer in the middle of the story, or some other addition or omission. We don’t recommend this method at all unless you have an existing relationship with the artist and editor and trust them.

It can also lead to a sort of laziness on behalf of the writer: Frank Miller’s recent one line in a plot that John Romita Jr. turned into TEN PAGES of artwork.

Full Script: writing a complete script with panel descriptions, based on which the artist then draws the story. Advantages: the writer has more control over layout and pacing, although an artist will still find ways to misinterpret your script. Disadvantages: it takes longer to write (and may not save the artist any time), and you may need to tweak your dialogue and captions to fit the art anyway.

Because we don’t want to slough too much of the writing onto the artist for our purposes, we’re going to discuss Full Script. There’s one other method, but we’re going to save that for a bit later in our discussion, because we’re going to use elements of it in writing our script.

So what does a full script for comics look like? Well, it can look very deceptively like something it should never be… which we’ll discuss tomorrow.

DreamWorks’ She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Moves Debut to Nov. 13

With fan anticipation reaching a fever pitch, DreamWorks Animation Television is excited to announce that She-Ra and the Princesses of Power will now debut November 13th exclusively on Netflix. 

To celebrate the earlier release, DreamWorks has released a new trailer unveiling never-before-seen footage and a preview of the series theme song titled “Warriors.”

Inspired by the popular ‘80s animated series, DreamWorks She-Ra and the Princesses of Power tells the epic story of an orphan named Adora, who leaves behind her former life in the evil Horde when she discovers a magic sword that transforms her into the mythical warrior princess She-Ra. Along the way, she finds a new family in the Rebellion as she unites a group of magical princesses in the ultimate fight against evil.

 

Aimee Carrero (Elena of Avalor) stars as Adora/She-Ra, Karen Fukuhara (Suicide Squad) as Glimmer, AJ Michalka (The Goldbergs) as Catra, Marcus Scribner (black-ish) as Bow, Reshma Shetty (Royal Pains) as Angella, Lorraine Toussaint (Orange is the New Black) as Shadow Weaver, Keston John (The Good Place) as Hordak, Lauren Ash (Superstore) as Scorpia, Christine Woods (Hello Ladies) as Entrapta, Genesis Rodriguez (Time After Time) as Perfuma, Jordan Fisher (Grease Live!) as Seahawk, Vella Lovell (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) as Mermista, Merit Leighton (Katie and Alexa) as Frosta, Sandra Oh (Killing Eve) as Castaspella, and Krystal Joy Brown (Motown: The Musical) as Netossa.

The Orville Flies Homes Dec. 11

THE ORVILLE THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON
From Emmy®* Award-winning executive producer and creator Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, Ted, Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey), The Orville is a live-action, one-hour space adventure series set 400 years in the future that follows The U.S.S. Orville, a mid-level exploratory spaceship. Its crew, both human and alien, face the wonders and dangers of outer space, while also dealing with the problems of everyday life. The ensemble series stars MacFarlane as the ship’s Captain, Ed Mercer, and Adrianne Palicki (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Friday Night Lights) as his ex-wife, who’s assigned as his First Officer. Additional cast members include Penny Johnson Jerald (24, The Larry Sanders Show), Scott Grimes (American Dad!, Justified), Peter Macon (Shameless, Bosch), Halston Sage (Neighbors, Goosebumps), J Lee (American Dad!, The Cleveland Show), Mark Jackson (That Royal Today) and Chad L. Coleman (The Walking Dead, The Wire).

*2002, 2016, 2017: Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance; Family Guy
2002: Outstanding Music and Lyrics; “Family Guy”

SPECIAL FEATURES

  • The Orville at PaleyFest 2018
  • Inside Look
  • Directed By
  • The First Six Missions
  • Designing the Future
  • The Orville Takes Flight
  • The Science of The Orville: Quantum Drive
  • The Science of The Orville: Alien Life
  • Crafting Aliens
  • A Better Tomorrow

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Street Date:              December 11, 2018
Screen Format:        Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio:                       English Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:                  English SDH, Spanish, French
Total Run Time:        Approx. 526 minutes
U.S. Rating:             TV-14

National Graphic Novel Writing Month 2018

What you MUST know before starting to write your graphic novel #nagranowrimo

National Graphic Novel Writing Month 2018

It’s Day 2 of National Graphic Novel Writing Month– and we haven’t even started writing yet!

Good!

“Good?” I hear you cry. “How can that be good? I see all those novel writers who have started posting their word counts! Some of them are thousands of words ahead of us!”

Big deal. Writing a novel is easier. We have to know things first. Novel writers can just put one word after the other after the other, and keep going until they run out of steam or story. If it runs short, it’s a novella; if it runs long, it’s a trilogy. What if they had to write to an exact length?

I’m not just talking about the length of the novel. I mean writing to the exact length of each page– each page has a maximum 210 words, no more. And every scene has to end at the end of a page. And each chapter has to be exactly 22 pages long. And…

You get the idea. Even when a prose book is heavily reformatted, as with this new tiny book format, the text itself barely changes. With comics, that’s not going to be the case.

That’s why the most important thing to know before you start writing your graphic novel is the format– how your book will end up being initially published. Comics are a very regimented format— so much so that large comic book companies will produce art boards of a specific size for artists to use— and knowing those formats will inform how you create your work.

Take a look at these books.

Notice that every single one of these are a different page size than a “regular” comic book, and as a result, each one of them will have different storytelling challenges. Only so many words will fit on a page, only so many panels, only so much action and detail, and you’ll have to plan accordingly.

Length of the book matters too– is it 22 pages? 48? 120? 300? Are you reading it all at once, or is it spread out over months? Reintroducing your characters and setting in a monthly comic is one thing– it’s been a while between issues for your regular readers, and there’s a chance that this comic is the first issue a new reader may pick up, so it makes sense to introduce them. But if you read them in a collected omnibus format, being reminded every 22 pages or so that his claws cut through steel plate as easily as rice paper gets tired quick.

Similarly, if most people are going to be reading it in a collected format, you’ll have to accept that those 4-page digressions you put in the back of the monthly edition are going to be skipped over by a lot of people when they read it now.

Bear in mind that there are also technical and practical limitations to what you can actually print. If you decide that your graphic novel is going to be, say, 8″ by 9″, you’re going to be hard pressed to find a printer that can produce your books in that size and it’s likely to cost more. And while we’re talking about price, remember that every page you add is going to cost more to print, and unlike prose books you can’t use a smaller typeface to make it fit in fewer pages. In addition, your printer may be able to offer you a discount if your page count is a multiple of 16 or 32…

So that’s your first challenge: what do you think your graphic novel is going to look like? What’s your format?

The House With a Clock in its Walls Disc Releases Dec. 18

Universal City, California, October 30, 2018 – Enjoy the delightfully thrilling tale of a mysterious house where things, including the inhabitants, are not what they seem to be. The House With a Clock in its Walls arrives on Digital and via the digital movie app MOVIES ANYWHERE on November 27, 2018, as well as on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-rayTM, DVD and On Demand on December 18, 2018. Based on the classic children’s book and praised as “creaky, freaky haunted-mansion fun” (LA Times), The House With a Clock in its Walls features over 60 minutes of bonus content including an alternate beginning and ending, stunning featurettes, deleted scenes, a hilarious gag reel, and feature commentary. Enchanting from start to finish, it’s the perfect adventure for families during the holidays.

Full of wonder and adventure, The House With a Clock in its Walls mesmerizes audiences of all ages and keeps the magic alive when stars Jack Black (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Kung Fu Panda), Cate Blanchett (Ocean’s 8, Thor: Ragnarok) and Owen Vaccaro (Daddy’s Home, Mother’s Day) arrive as Uncle Jonathan, Mrs. Zimmerman and Lewis Barnavelt. In the most unexpected places, fantastical events, miraculous twists and suspense filled moments ensue in this “zany kids adventure” (The Hollywood Reporter) that soon captivates adults as well. In the tradition of Amblin classics, master frightener and director Eli Roth’s The House With a Clock in its Walls is a family-friendly fantasy film that “stands alongside the ‘just for kids’ classics of the 1980’s and 1990’s” (Forbes).

In The House With a Clock in its Walls directed by Eli Roth (The Green Inferno, Cabin Fever), Lewis Barnavelt (Vaccaro) goes to live with his Uncle Jonathan (Black) in a creaky and creepy mansion with an eerie tick-tocking heart. But when Lewis soon finds out he’s in the presence of magic practiced by his uncle and neighbor Mrs. Zimmerman (Blanchett), his new town’s dreary aura boosts to life in an exciting and dangerous way. Based on the beloved children’s classic book written by John Bellairs and illustrated by Edward Gorey, The House With a Clock in its Walls is written by Eric Kripke (creator of TV’s “Supernatural”) and co-stars Kyle MacLachlan (“Twin Peaks,” Inside Out), Colleen Camp (Clue), Renée Elise Goldsberry (“One Life to Live”), and Sunny Suljic (Mid90s, The Killing of a Sacred Deer). It is produced by Mythology Entertainment’s Brad Fischer (Shutter Island) and James Vanderbilt (Zodiac), as well as Kripke.

BONUS FEATURES EXCLUSIVE TO BLU-RAYTM, DVD & DIGITAL:

  • Warlocks and Witches – Go behind the scenes with the enchanting cast of The House with a Clock in Its Walls
    • Finding Lewis – A look at the casting of Owen Vaccaro
    • Jack’s Magical Journey – A look at the unique dynamism and magic that Jack Black brings to the character of Jonathan Barnavelt
    • The Great Cate – The cast discuss Cate Blanchett’s wonderful performance as Florence Zimmerman
    • The Terrifying Isaac Izard – Watch Kyle MacLachlan’s creepy evolution from living icon to undead-warlock
  • Movie Magic
    • The Ultimate Haunted House – Join filmmakers for a guided tour through the incredible house at the center of the film
    • Automatons Attack – A behind-the-scenes look at the mechanical horrors involved in this chilling sequence
    • Pumpkin Puke – Behind the scenes with the cast and an army of spooky, snarling, vomiting pumpkins
    • Moving Pieces – Filmmakers and cast discuss the amazing clock room set
    • Baby Jack – A behind-the-scenes look at the creepy Baby Jack sequence
  • Tick Tock: Bringing the Book to Life – Filmmakers discuss how they adapted the book for the big screen
  • Eli Roth: Director’s Journals – Director Eli Roth takes viewers behind the scenes
    • Candler Mansion
    • Newnan, GA
    • The Chair
    • Comrade Ivan
    • New Zebedee Elementary
    • Wrap Day
  • Owen Goes Behind the Scenes – Armed with his own camera, Owen guides viewers on his own journey behind-the-scenes of the movie
    • Around the Set
    • Behind the Camera
    • The Big Interview
    • Downtime on Set
  • Theme Song Challenge – Eli Roth and the cast are challenged to come up with a theme song for the film
  • Do You Know Jack Black? – The cast compete with each other to see who knows Jack Black the best
  • Abracadabra! – Eli Roth performs a magic trick for Owen Vaccaro
  • Jack Black’s Greatest Fear – Eli Roth and Owen Vaccaro play a prank on Jack Black
  • The Mighty Wurlitzer – Composer Nathan Barr discusses how he created the film’s unique and distinct score

BONUS FEATURES ON 4K ULTRA HD, BLU-RAYTM DVD & DIGITAL:

  • Alternate Opening and Ending with Commentary by Director Eli Roth and Actor Jack Black available
    • Alternate Opening
    • Alternate Ending
  • Deleted Scenes with Commentary by Director Eli Roth and Actor Jack Black available
    • More Books, Please
    • A Horrible Practical Joke
    • Tarby Ditches Lewis
    • Eat Up
    • Play for Him
    • Get Out of the Way
    • Time Is of the Essence
    • The Clock That Never Breaks
    • 12 Minutes to Go
  • Gag Reel
  • Feature Commentary with Director Eli Roth and Actor Jack Black

The film will be available on 4K Ultra HD in a combo pack which includes 4K Ultra HD Blu-rayTM, Blu-rayTM and Digital. The 4K Ultra HD disc will include the same bonus features as the Blu-rayTM version, all in stunning 4K resolution.

  • 4K Ultra HD is the ultimate movie watching experience. 4K Ultra HD features the combination of 4K resolution for four times sharper picture than HD, the color brilliance of High Dynamic Range (HDR) with immersive audio delivering a multidimensional sound experience.
  • Blu-rayTM unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
  • Digital lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.
  • MOVIES ANYWHERE is the digital app that simplifies and enhances the digital movie collection and viewing experience by allowing consumers to access their favorite digital movies in one place when purchased or redeemed through participating digital retailers. Consumers can also redeem digital copy codes found in eligible Blu-rayTM and DVD disc packages from participating studios and stream or download them through Movies Anywhere. MOVIES ANYWHERE is only available in the United States. For more information, visit https://moviesanywhere.com.

FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Owen Vaccaro, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Sunny Suljic, Kyle MacLachlan
Visual Effects Supervisor: Louis Morin
Music By: Nathan Barr
Costume Designer: Marlene Stewart
Edited By: Fred Raskin ACE
Production Designer: Jon Hutman
Director of Photography: Roger Stoffers ASC, NSC
Executive Producers: William Sherak, Tracey Nyberg, Laeta Kalogridis, Mark McNair
Produced By: Bradley J. Fischer p.g.a., James Vanderbilt p.g.a., Eric Kripke p.g.a.
Based on the Novel By: John Bellairs
Screenplay By: Eric Kripke
Directed By: Eli Roth

TECHNICAL INFORMATION 4K ULTRA HD:
Street Date: December 18, 2018
Selection Number: 61201229 (US) / 61201252 (CDN)
Layers: BD-66
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 16:9 2.39:1
Rating: PG for thematic elements including sorcery, some action, scary images, rude humor and language.
Video: 2160p UHD / HDR 10
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish and French Subtitles
Languages/Sound: English Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital 2.0, Spanish and French DTS-HD High Resolution Audio 7.1
Run Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

DOLBY ATMOS® SOUNDTRACK
The House With a Clock in its Walls Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD will feature a Dolby Atmos® soundtrack remixed specifically for the home theater environment to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. To experience Dolby Atmos at home, a Dolby Atmos enabled AV receiver and additional speakers are required, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION BLU-RAYTM:

Street Date: December 18, 2018
Selection Number: 61198236 (US) / 61199978 (CDN)
Layers:  BD-50
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 16:9 2.39:1
Rating: PG for thematic elements including sorcery, some action, scary images, rude humor and language.
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish and French Subtitles
Languages/Sound: English Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital 2.0, Spanish and French DTS-HD High Resolution Audio 7.1
Run Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

TECHNICAL INFORMATION DVD:
Street Date: December 18, 2018
Selection Number: 61198234 (US) / 61199979 (CDN)
Layers: DVD 9
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 16:9 2.39:1
Rating: PG for thematic elements including sorcery, some action, scary images, rude humor and language.
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish and French Subtitles
Languages/Sound: English Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.0, Spanish and French Dolby Digital 5.1
Run Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

The Predator & Predator 4 Movie Collection Coming for Christmas

LOS ANGELES, CA – The hunt for the perfect holiday gift is over. The universe’s greatest hunter returns in The Predator on Digital and Movies Anywhere November 27 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™ and DVD December 18. Fans can bring home a special edition Predator 4-Movie Collection, which includes Predator, Predator 2, Predators and The Predator on 4K Ultra HD™ and Blu-ray.

The hunt has evolved – and so has the explosive action – in the next chapter of the Predator series, from director Shane Black (Iron Man 3). Now, the most lethal hunters in the universe are stronger, smarter and deadlier than ever before….and only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and an evolutionary biology professor can prevent the end of the human race.

With the special edition Predator 4-Movie Collection, fans can experience four times the terror with a killer collection of action-packed Predator movies, plus four collector cards of the original film poster re-issue with some of the franchises most iconic quotes on the back. In Predator, Arnold Schwarzenegger wages an all-out war against an extraterrestrial that hunts humans for sport. Then in Predator 2, Danny Glover battles the fearsome creature in the urban jungle of Los Angeles. In Predators Adrien Brody leads a group of elite warriors on an alien planet targeted by a new Predator breed. Finally, in The Predator, Boyd Holbrook discovers that the most lethal hunters in the universe are stronger, smarter and deadlier than ever.

The Predator Digital, 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ & DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

  • Deleted Scenes
  • A Touch of Black
  • Predator Evolution
  • The Takedown Team
  • Predator Catch-Up
  • Gallery

The Predator 4K Ultra HD™ Disc Specification
Street Date:                December 18, 2018
Prebook Date:            October 30, 2018
Screen Format:          Widescreen 16:9 (2.39:1)
Audio:                         English Dolby Atmos / English AD DD 5.1 / Spanish DD 5.1 /
French DTS 5.1
Subtitles:                    English SDH / Spanish / French
Total Run Time:          Approximately 107 minutes
U.S. Rating:                R
Closed Captioned:      No

The Predator Blu-ray™ Disc Specification
Street Date:                December 18, 2018
Prebook Date:            October 30, 2018
Screen Format:          Widescreen 16:9 (2.39:1)
Audio:                         English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, English Descriptive Audio 5.1,
Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:                    English SDH, Spanish, French
Total Run Time:          Approximately 107 minutes
U.S. Rating:                R
Closed Captioned:      No

The Predator DVD Disc Specification
Street Date:               December 18, 2018
Prebook Date:           October 30, 2018
Screen Format:         Widescreen 16:9 (2.39:1)
Audio:                        English Dolby Digital 5.1, English Descriptive Audio 5.1,
Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0, French Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles:                   English SDH, Spanish, French
Total Run Time:         Approximately 107 minutes
U.S. Rating:              R
Closed Captioned:    Yes

PREDATOR 4 Movie Collection 4K Ultra HD™ & Blu-ray™ 8-Disc Specifications:
Street Date:              December 18, 2018
Screen Format:         4K UHD™:
                                 Predator & Predator 2: Widescreen 1.85:1
                                 Predators: Widescreen 2.40:1
                                The Predator: Widescreen 2.39:1

Blu-ray™:
                                 Predator & Predator 2: Widescreen 1.85:1
                                 Predators: Widescreen 2.35:1
                                The Predator: Widescreen 2.39:1

Audio:                       4K UHD™:
Predator: English DTS-HD, Master Audio 5.1, English DTS Master
Audio 4.0, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French DTS 5.1
                                 Predator 2: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Spanish Dolby
Digital 5.1, French DTS 5.1
                                 Predators: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English Descriptive
Audio 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French DTS 5.1
                                The Predator: English Dolby Atmos, English Descriptive Audio 5.1,
Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1

Blu-ray™:
                                 Predator: English DTS-HD Master, Audio 5.1, English Dolby
Surround 4.0, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French DTS 5.1
                                 Predator 2: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English Dolby
Surround, Spanish Stereo, French Dolby Digital 5.1
                                 Predators: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital
5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1
                                The Predator: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, English Descriptive
Audio 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:                  4K UHD™ & Blu-Ray™:
                                 Predator: English SDH, Spanish, French
                                 Predator 2: English SDH, Spanish
                                 Predators: English SDH, Spanish
                                The Predator: English SDH, Spanish, French

Total Run Time:        429 Minutes
U.S. Rating:              R
Closed Captioned:    No

PREDATOR 4 Movie Collection Blu-ray™ 4-Disc Specifications:
Street Date:               December 18, 2018
Screen Format:         Predator & Predator 2: Widescreen 1.85:1
                                  Predators: Widescreen 2.35:1
                                 The Predator: Widescreen 2.39:1
Audio:                       Predator: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English Dolby
Surround 4.0, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French DTS 5.1
                                 Predator 2: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English Dolby
Surround, Spanish Stereo, French Dolby Digital 5.1
                                 Predators: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital
5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1
                                 The Predator: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, English
Descriptive Audio 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby
Digital 5.1

Subtitles:                  Predator: English SDH, Spanish, French
                                 Predator 2: English SDH, Spanish
                                 Predators: English SDH, Spanish
                                The Predator: English SDH, Spanish, French

Total Run Time:        429 Minutes
U.S. Rating:              R
Closed Captioned:    No

National Graphic Novel Writing Month 2018

National Graphic Novel Writing Month 2018! #nagranowrimo

National Graphic Novel Writing Month 2018

Yes, we got enough demand from you that we’re doing it again! For the month of November, we’re going to help you learn how to write a graphic novel! Stick with us for 30 days, and we’ll go over just about everything you need to know about writing for the specific requirements of comics!

It is our hope that by the time we’re done, you’re going to be well on your way to being able to show us your work, and be able to guide you to the next steps of creation. We also hope you’ll share these lessons with other folks far and wide.

First: let’s pull out some of the textbooks you’re going to want to read. Your first homework assignment is to get some of these from the library or the store.

We’ll recommend others as we go.

Second, let me tell you what this is NOT going to be.

This is not going to help you create your idea for a graphic novel. We’re starting with the assumption that you already have an idea for a graphic novel, and need help trying to write it.

This is not going to require you to be an artist. While there is a place for the person who can both write and draw, this is intended for the person who is going to be working with a collaborator or two. As such, you’re going to learn the best ways to write in order to make it easy for a collaborator– even it you don’t even know who’s going to draw it.

This is not even going to require you to have any drawing skills. If you can make stick figures, you’re qualified. Yes, you will have to draw stick figures.

This is not going to be genre-specific. Comics contain multitudes– superheroes, mysteries, science fiction, fantasy, humor, porn, educational materials, biography and autobiography, on and on and on. We’re not teaching you how to write Batman, we’re teaching you how to write comics.

And finally: This is not going to be a rah-rah confidence builder. There are plenty of places where you can get the types of affirmations to help during long nights staring at your wall, and you should make use of them if they help you– but this is for the nuts and bolts of writing for comics, and the only way to really learn that is to sit down and write them. These lessons are not to help you power through the creation of a comic, giving you “waytogos!” as you hit particular word counts during the month. In fact, there will be no word count goal in your creation process.

Why? Because it’s impossible to quantify how many words are needed to make a graphic novel. It could take 5000 words– or 500,000.

And on that terrifying note… see you tomorrow.

 

Batman: The Complete Animated Series Box Set upped to 70,000 Units

BURBANK, CA (October 25, 2018) – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has increased its run of Batman: The Complete Animated Series Deluxe Limited Edition to 70,000 to accommodate overwhelming demand for the most anticipated Blu-ray box set release of 2018. Remastered for the first time since its broadcast airing from 1992-1995, the stunning box set for $112.99 SRP will be available on October 30, 2018.

“As many fans and media have noticed, Amazon and other notable retailers were forced to suspend sales of Batman: The Complete Animated Series Deluxe Limited Edition due to unprecedented demand for this beloved series,” explained Jeff Brown, General Manager and Executive Vice President, Television, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. “Sales surpassed our initial run of 30,000 limited edition box sets about four weeks ago and, rather than leave so many fans wanting, we implemented new production orders to accommodate the requests for this prized collection. A significant portion of those increased numbers have already sold, and all sites are accepting orders again.”

The impressive Batman: The Complete Animated Series Deluxe Limited Edition package features approximately 2,700 minutes of entertainment spread over 10 Blu-ray discs, plus the two bonus discs – not counting 11 specially-selected episodes with audio commentaries by cast and crew. In addition, Batman: The Complete Animated Series Deluxe Limited Edition includes an exclusive ensemble of collectibles highlighted by three Funko mini-figurines (Batman, Joker, Harley Quinn) and seven beautifully-designed lenticular art cards. The entire box set is housed in a stunning layflat-book with a dazzling slipcase. And a digital copy of all 109 episodes is included in the box set.

Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, the Emmy Award-winning series captured the imaginations of generations, setting the standard for super hero storytelling for the past quarter-century with its innovative designs, near-perfect voice cast and landmark approach to DC’s iconic characters and stories.  Batman: The Complete Animated Series Deluxe Limited Edition box set includes all 109 thrilling episodes, plus two bonus disks containing the recently-remastered, fan favorite animated films Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero, The box set’s premiere bonus feature is, The Heart of Batman, an impressive 90-minute documentary on the making of Batman: The Animated Series that includes interviews with nearly three dozen members of the cast and crew, detailing the intricacies of production behind the landmark animated show.

BATMAN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics.  © 2018 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

DC drops Details, Trailer for January’s Reign of the Supermen

BURBANK, CA (October 24, 2018) – The world must cope with the loss of Superman – and the sudden emergence of four would-be heirs to the title – in the all-new, action-packed Reign of the Supermen, part of the popular series of DC Universe Movies. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC, the feature-length animated film arrives from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Digital starting January 15, 2019, and on Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray Combo Pack on January 29, 2019.

Reign of the Supermen will be available on Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack ($39.99 SRP) and Blu-ray Combo Pack ($24.98 SRP) as well as on Digital ($19.99 HD, $14.99 SD). The Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack features an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc in 4K with HDR and a Blu-ray disc featuring the film; the Blu-ray Combo Pack features the film in hi-definition. The Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray Combo Pack include a digital version of the film.

Reign of the Supermen finds Earth’s citizens – and the Man of Steel’s heroic contemporaries – dealing with a world without Superman. But the aftermath of Superman’s death, and the subsequent disappearance of his body, leads to a new mystery – is Superman still alive? The question is further complicated when four new super-powered individuals – Steel, Cyborg Superman, Superboy and the Eradicator – emerge to proclaim themselves as the ultimate hero. In the end, only one will be able to proclaim himself the world’s true Superman.

Reign of the Supermen is the second half of a two-part DC Universe Movies experience that began in August 2018 with The Death of Superman – the two films telling a more faithful animated version of “The Death of Superman,” DC’s landmark 1992-93 comic phenomenon. Superman Doomsday, the inaugural film in the DC Universe Movies series, told an abridged version of that comics story, but with a runtime of 75 minutes, the film was only able to focus on a core, singular storyline. The Death of Superman and Reign of the Supermen restore many of the moments and characters that fans hold dear to their hearts.

The Reign of the Supermen all-star cast is led by Jerry O’Connell (Carter, Bravo’s Play by Play, Stand by Me), Rebecca Romijn (X-Men, The Librarians) and Rainn Wilson (The Office, The Meg) as the voices of Superman, Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, respectively. The potent trio is joined by the DC Universe Movies’ returning voices of the Justice League: Jason O’Mara (The Man in the High Castle, Terra Nova) as Batman, Rosario Dawson (Sin City, Rent, Daredevil) as Wonder Woman, Shemar Moore (S.W.A.T., Criminal Minds) as Cyborg, Nathan Fillion (Castle, The Rookie) as Green Lantern/Hal Jordan, Christopher Gorham (Covert Affairs, Insatiable, Ugly Betty) as The Flash, and Nyambi Nyambi (Mike & Molly, The Good Fight) as Martian Manhunter.

Newly featured cast members include Cress Williams (Black Lightning) as Steel, Cameron Monaghan (Gotham) as Superboy, Patrick Fabian (Better Call Saul) as Hank Henshaw, and Tony Todd (Candyman) as Darkseid. In addition, the cast includes Charles Halford (Constantine) as Bibbo Bibbowski and The Eradicator, Rocky Carroll (NCIS) as Perry White, Toks Olagundoye (Castle) as Cat Grant, Max Mittleman (Justice League Action) as Jimmy Olsen, Paul Eiding (Ben 10: Omniverse) as Jonathan Kent, Jennifer Hale (Green Lantern: The Animated Series) as Martha Kent, Trevor Devall (Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay) as Dabney Donovan and Erica Luttrell (Salvation) as Mercy.

Producer Sam Liu (Gotham by Gaslight, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract) also directs Reign of the Supermen from a script by Jim Krieg (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight) and Tim Sheridan (Scooby-Doo and the Gourmet Ghost). Amy McKenna (The Death of Superman) is producer, and Alan Burnett (Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay) is co-producer. Executive Producers are Sam Register and James Tucker (Justice League Dark).

“Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is proud to continue the most popular Superman story of all time which began in The Death of Superman,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Vice President, Family & Animation Marketing.  “Reign of the Supermen is the thrilling story of how the world reacts to the shocking death of its protector.  No true comic fan will want to miss this larger than life story of the heroes and villains who rise to fill the void.”

Reign of the Supermen Enhanced Content

Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital

Lex Luthor: The Greatest Nemesis (Featurette) – Evil Genius. Archenemy of Superman. Misunderstood hero? This documentary will look at one of the most renowned villains in literature and debate his ethics and motivations throughout his publication history and as the calculated anti-hero of Reign of the Supermen. We’ll also explore how Lex Luthor is emblematic of technology without limit, often demonstrating what effect unbridled power, resources, and influence can have on humanity. We’ll discuss the affinity for storytellers to associate Lex Luthor and with the field of science as they challenge our morals and integrity with real world issues such as cloning and what can happen if science fiction became science reality.

A Sneak Peek at the next DC Universe Movie, Justice League vs. The Fatal Five – An entertaining, insightful exciting look at the next animated film in the popular DC Universe Movies collection.

From the DC Vault: Superman: The Animated Series, “Heavy Metal”

From the DC Vault: Justice League Unlimited, “Panic in the Sky”

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc of Reign of the Supermen will featureDolby VisionTM HDR that dramatically expands the color palette and contrast range and uses dynamic metadata to automatically optimize the picture for every screen, frame by frame. The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc of Reign of the Supermen will also feature a Dolby Atmos® soundtrack remixed specifically for the home theater environment to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. To experience Dolby Atmos at home, a Dolby Atmos enabled AV receiver and additional speakers are required, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar. Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.

Reign of the Supermen will also be available on Movies Anywhere. Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can access all their eligible movies by connecting their Movies Anywhere account with their participating digital retailer accounts.

Fans can also own Reign of the Supermen via purchase from digital retailers beginning January 15, 2018.

BASICS
4K UHD Combo Pack $39.99
Blu-ray Combo Pack $24.98
4K and Blu-ray Street Date: January 29, 2019
EST Street Date: January 15, 2019
Blu-ray Languages: English, Spanish, French, German
Blu-ray Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, German, Finnish, Danish, Japanese, Norwegian, Swedish
Running Time: 87 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of action violence