Tagged: fan

Saturday Morning Cartoons: Iron Man, Smooth Jazz Style

  • News
  • April 17, 2010

With Iron Man 2 coming to theaters soon, and fan anticipation at an all time high, we figured it might be fun to take a leap back in time. Here’s a little ‘Iron Man’ ala 1966. Enjoy the smooth jazz theme song! Marvel at the fluid animotion! Revel with each CLANG! POW! and ZZZOOOOOOM! You’ll gasp at the revelation that Happy knew all along!

This wonderfully cut episode pits Iron Man against Titanium Man. We personally love the whole “Radio Show” feel of the piece. And Gene Colan’s Iron Man design is timeless. Of course the special effects are… well… amazing. And the voice acting? Well, it’s not quite Robert Downey Jr. and Mickey Rourke, but it should put a lil’ twinkle in yer eyes. So, without further adieu, enjoy the “Cool exec with the heart of steel…”

Related articles
Joe Sarno, Pioneer Fan and Retailer, Passes

Joe Sarno, Pioneer Fan and Retailer, Passes

  • News
  • March 18, 2010






Forgive me if this one gets a little personal. My very long-time
friend, comics store pioneer Joe Sarno, died today from a fall that followed a
severe, long-standing illness.

A long-time science fiction fan dating back to the 1950s,
Joe started The Fantasy Collectors of Chicago in 1969, a comics-oriented pop
culture club. It was an outgrowth of the weekend gatherings he held in the
basement of his Albany Park home, which turned into a marketplace for fans to
trade and sell comics. As a teen-aged fan I was first exposed to a great many
(then) hard-to-find classics in Joe’s basement: Justice Society, Caniff’s Terry
and the Pirates, EC Comics, The Spirit. As Joe also featured related popular
culture ephemera such as movie serials, old teevee shows, old time radio and
the like, just going to his place provided a valuable education.

In 1971, Joe opened his basement to the public, becoming one
of the nation’s first dedicated comic book stores. Slightly more than a year
later, he took his basement store out to the neighborhood, opening The
Nostalgia Shop at Lawrence near Pulaski, next door to Emil’s Meat Shop. For
comics fans, it was a joy to behold. He attracted quite a number of customers
who were notorious, or would go on to assume some notoriety on their own:
Hilary Barta, Max Allan Collins, Don Glut, Jim Harmon, Walter Koenig, John
Ostrander, Alex Ross, Chuck Schaden, Mark Silvestri, Gene Siskel, Terry
Zwigoff… to name-drop but a very few. 

Over time, The Nostalgia Shop evolved into Comic Kingdom and
it changed and added locations until March 1, 2003, when age, health and a
diminishing market encouraged Joe to move his operation to the Internet.

Joe’s boundless sense of wonder and enthusiasm for the
medium was quite infectious. He loved to turn people onto stuff he enjoyed and
was always willing to listen to recommendations. He took his friendships deeply
– long after I moved to the New York area, Joe would open his store to accommodate
my schedule (and that of fellow-Chicagofan George Hagenauer, who moved to
Madison and would join me and my wife Linda), where we’d pluck goodies from his
shelves and then share lunch at the corner greasy spoon. I treasure those days.

I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that Joe was also a
co-founder of the original Chicago Comicon, joining people including Larry
Charet, Jim Engel, Chuck Fiala, Ron Massengil, George Hagenauer and myself in
producing what quickly became one of the preeminent comic book conventions in
the nation. Long since sold to Wizard World, Joe made one of his last public
appearances at the 2009 show.

Joe Sarno is survived by his wife Joan and his children
Laura, Jamie, and Adrienne.

A special tribute to Joe will be held at the Chicago Comic
& Entertainment Expo (a.k.a. C2E2) http://www.c2e2.com/  in McCormick Place on Saturday, April 17
from 12:15 PM to 1:15 PM. Panelists will include JJ Sedelmaier, George Breo,
Larry Charet, Jim Engel, Ron Masengill, Jim Wisniewski and myself. The event
will be held in room E352.

Nick Simmons Apologizes for ‘Homage’

Nick Simmons Apologizes for ‘Homage’

  • News
  • March 4, 2010

Radical Comics removed it’s comic, Incarnate, from this week’s pull lists, after a Tetsuo-sized avalanche of displeasure emanated from the internet and it’s legion of Otaku. It seems penciler/writer/creator Nick Simmons (you might know his dad, Gene, from the Dr. Pepper commercials…) has paid a little bit to much homage to various Manga series. Covered extensively on Livejournal’s ‘Bleachness’, and reported on by iCv2, the New York Times, as well as Geeks of Doom and numerous others around the web, Simmons’ Incarnate has been under the microscope for a little under a week now. The series (only a 3 issue mini-series) shows uncanny similarities between it and the Manga series Bleach, as well as (to a lesser extent) Hellsing. Some fans even went as far as to note certain plot beats were appropriated from White Wolf’s Vampire: The Masquerade. Everything from character design, to panel layouts, and even dialogue have been claimed to be copies from their respective sources.

In response Simmons released a statement Monday through his publicist:

“Like most artists I am inspired by work I admire. There are certain similarities between some of my work and the work of others. This was simply meant as an homage to artists I respect, and I definitely want to apologize to any Manga fans or fellow Manga artists who feel I went too far. My inspirations reflect the fact that certain fundamental imagery is common to all Manga. This is the nature of the medium.

I am a big fan of Bleach, as well as other Manga titles. And I am certainly sorry if anyone was offended or upset by what they perceive to be the similarity between my work and the work of artists that I admire and who inspire me.”

Now, let’s be fair, for fairness’ sake. The world of comics is rife with appropriation and homage. Those who don’t find similarities between Superman, Hyperion, The Sentry, Supreme, Samaritan, and The Plutonian might want to clean off their bifocals. Thanks largely in part to the current industry trend of gigantic crossover mega-events, homage covers are beyond trendy. Where might Arthur Suydam be today if not for his Marvel Zombies covers (Ok, he’d probably be doing just fine, but still…)? Where might DC be if a hero can’t cradle another dead hero in their arms? Heck, Kurt Busiek’s Astro City is imprinted by Homage Comics! Given the mountain of evidence collected by the fans though, Nick Simmons’ series might have been given a direct ticket to the quarter bin. Nick Simmons won’t get to collect $200 when he passes GO either. But we’re sure his father might be able to loan him a few bucks. So long as someone buys a couple extra Kiss Kaskets.

So, ComicMixers, we implore you to discuss! Did Nick go to far? How far is too far when it comes to homage? And why does Superman seem to have more analogs than changes of costume?

Sidney the Great Meets Iron Mike

Sidney the Great Meets Iron Mike

  • News
  • March 1, 2010

About seven minutes after Canada beat the United States for the Winter Olympics gold medal, I got a call from ComicMix‘s own utility infielder, Glenn Hauman.

“So are you going to write it up?” Glenn asks.

“Write WHAT up?” Mike responds.

“The Grell thing, Glenn responds.

“Damn. WHAT did Mike do NOW,” Mike queries, oblivious to the obvious while deep in the throws of mourning the
American’s having to settle for a mere silver medal.

“You know, that hockey thing.” Like most Americans, Glenn’s not much of a hockey fan. He didn’t even know that his local team, the New Jersey Devils, was beating the poo out of nearly every other NHL team this year except for my Chicago Blackhawks.

“WHAT hockey… oh, I get it.” The cold light of reality started seeping into my blackened brainpan; the first sign of recovery for a hockey fan. Or maybe it’s the first sign of soberness; I wouldn’t know.

It turns out a couple years ago I assisted Iron Mike in a special licensing project for the NHL turning a bunch of rookies and newbies into super-heroes. It was a lot of fun for me, but mostly because this time Mike was the one playing point with the licensee and I was simply “advising,” which is a euphemism for “consulting,” which is another word for “money for nothing and your chicks for free.” Mike did some great work on this series, and among the players so empowered was an astonishingly young phenom called Sidney Crosby.

Sidney, of course, went on to become one of the hottest players in the NHL and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He also received the ultimate honor: I wear a Penguins t-shirt with his name and number on the back.

Sidney Crosby also scored the sudden death overtime goal last night that gave his homeland another gold medal for hockey. Quite aside from my genuinely patriotic fervor in my support of Team USA, it was an amazing goal and a well-earned victory.

And it teaches a lesson. See what happens when Mike Grell turns you into a super-hero?

The Point Radio: Uncle Andy Comes Out Of WEEDS

The Point Radio: Uncle Andy Comes Out Of WEEDS

If you’re a fan of the Showtime series, WEEDS, did you know that good old “Uncle Andy” has all new webisodes running right now before Season Six gets underway? Justin Kirk joins us with all the scoop, plus who could EVER play Jim Rockford, or direct a FLASH movie or be Carly Simon’s secret 70s lover? We’ve got it all right here!


PRESS THE BUTTON to Get The Point!

And be sure to stay on The Point via iTunes - ComicMix, RSS, MyPodcast.Com or Podbean!

Follow us now on and !

IMPORTANT NOTE: Next week we will have just one (big) broadcast – direct from TOY FAIR 2010! Look for us mid-week right here!

Don’t forget that you can now enjoy THE POINT 24 hours a Day – 7 Days a week!. Updates on all parts of pop culture, special programming by some of your favorite personalities and the biggest variety of contemporary music on the net – plus there is a great round of new programs on the air including classic radio each night at 12mid (Eastern) on RETRO RADIO COMICMIX’s Mark Wheatley hitting the FREQUENCY every Saturday ay 9pm and even the Editor-In-Chief of COMICMIX, Mike Gold, with his daily WEIRD SCENES and two full hours of insanity every Sunday (7pm ET) with WEIRD SOUNDS!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE FOR FREE or go to GetThePointRadio for more including a connection for mobile phones including iPhone & Blackberrys

 

 

Saturday Morning Cartoons: Thundercats trip the @#%# out.

Saturday Morning Cartoons: Thundercats trip the @#%# out.

  • News
  • February 13, 2010

Thundercats
is one of those shows I like to sit back and think fondly of… but then I watch it as an adult (well, as much of adult as I can be…) and folks? It makes me wonder what the #$% I was on as a child. Case in point? The clip posted below should suffice as my evidence.

I wanted to say this clip was somehow augmented by silly youtube comedians. I wanted, so badly, for this to have been some amazing fan-dub joke. But no, my friends… this is just a clip. From the show. Unedited. Raw. There’s nothing else left to say other than press play, and get ready to ask yourself what the writers were on when they penned this magnum opus:

‘Doctor Who’ meets ‘Sliders’ as Jerry O’Connell cast in David Tennant’s new pilot

‘Doctor Who’ meets ‘Sliders’ as Jerry O’Connell cast in David Tennant’s new pilot

  • News
  • December 8, 2009

The explorer of alternate universes is about to meet the last Time Lord.

Jerry O’Connell, best known to genre fans as Quinn Mallory in Sliders, will co-star opposite Doctor Who‘s David Tennant in the pilot of NBC’s dramedy Rex Is Not Your Lawyer, replacing Sendhil Ramamurthy just days after he was cast in the role. (Ramamurthy, who also stars on NBC’s Heroes, stepped aside because of scheduling conflicts.)

According to Cynopsis, O’Connell will play an ambitious though good-natured lawyer who was used to playing second fiddle to Rex (David Tennant) until Rex’s career changes. O’Connell’s character also falls in love with Rex’s fiance. The pilot has also cast Lindsey Kraft to play Rex’s assistant and Cleo King as a practical-minded private school bus driver.

And the fan-fiction crossovers are starting on LiveJournal right… now.

Six Great Doctor Who Moments

Six Great Doctor Who Moments

  • News
  • October 9, 2009

As we brace ourselves for the new Doctor Who specials, the return of Sarah Jane Adventures, and Matt Smith’s first season, here’s a little gasoline to pour on the fan-fire – my take on the six top moments on Doctor Who.

6.
Quiet Time

There’s a great moment in the Doctor Who teevee movie, one
that we had rarely seen (if ever) in the original series: the Doctor, in this
case Doctor Seven, quietly sitting in the TARDIS in his comphy chair, reading a
book. Of course, drama being what it is he quickly gets, well, killed. Fatally.
And then begins a difficult regeneration into Doctor Eight. That wasn’t the
worst thing that confronted him: he had to face Eric Roberts as the Master. He,
and his series of proposed telemovies, was doomed.

5.
The Ears Have It

There’s this great moment in Rose, the first of Doctor
Nine’s shows where Christopher Eccleston stops the action when he crosses a
mirror in the TARDIS. He peers into the mirror, thinks he’s kind of good
looking, but he’s not too sure about those ears. In one stroke, Russell T.
Davies established the Doctor had just reincarnated and, therefore, the fight
that destroyed the other Time Lords had “just” happened (however one defines
“just” in time travel) while, at the same time, revealing quite a lot about this
new Doctor’s personality. Nice moment.

4.
The One and Phony Master

Stephen Moffat is the current Doctor Who showrunner and,
along with Davies, the most significant writer of the new series. But between
this series and the original, the BBC aired a wonderful “Doctor Who” episode
called The Curse of Fatal Death. It was a charity fundraiser ten years ago, a
brilliant parody, and the Who debut of writer Moffat. It featured no less than
five new Doctors – played, sequentially, by Rowan Atkinson, Richard E. Grant,
Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant and Joanna Lumley – and one stellar Master: the
gifted stage and film performer, Jonathan Pryce. Had one of those movie
projects ever gotten off the ground, he would have been perfect in the role and
might have given Delgado a run for his money. It isn’t easy being menacing in
such a broad parody, and it is to the credit of both Pryce and Moffat that it
comes off.

(more…)

Comics Legend Jules Feiffer Reunites With Norton Juster

Comics Legend Jules Feiffer Reunites With Norton Juster

  • News
  • October 9, 2009

Jules Feiffer is known for his work as a graphic novelist, a cartoonist, a screenwriter, a novelist, and a playwright  – although among comics fans he is perhaps best known as Will Eisner’s long-time assistant on, and oft-time writer of, The Spirit. But in the outside world, he might very well be best known as the illustrator of Norton Juster’s children’s classic, The Phantom Tollbooth.

Now that a half century has passed, Feiffer and Juster are finishing up their second project together. Titled The Odious Ogre, it is scheduled to be released by Scholastic Books next year at this time.

Feiffer told Publisher’s Weekly he’s had a blast. “The one thing I will say is that, in relation to the
other characters, he is possibly the biggest ogre in captivity,”
Feiffer said. “He was great fun to draw, though—more fun for me than
for the ogre.” He did the illustrations in pen and ink
brush with colored markers, gouache “and anything else I could think
of. It’s my new way of working, which I love.”

Feiffer and Juster are planning their third collaboration for release in 2060.

Monty Python turns 40: ComicMix Quick Picks for 10/6/09

Monty Python turns 40: ComicMix Quick Picks for 10/6/09

Still slow going around these parts, but have these tidbits to keep you warm during the cold season:

  • Not strictly comics-related, but the work of Monty Python is close enough to our hearts here at ComicMix that we’d feel remiss in not wishing them a happy 40th anniversary– the first episode of Flying Circus aired October 5, 1969.
    To celebrate, IFC announced it will air all episodes from the original Monty Python’s Flying Circus sketch comedy series starting October 18th as part of the network’s “Python-a-thon” week through the end of 2010. IFC has acquired all four seasons of the Monty Python series (45 episodes). IFC’s “Python-a-thon” runs October 18-23 consisting of the original six-part docu-series Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut) each night at 9 pm followed by a Python feature film at 10 pm and capped off by an episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus at 11:30 pm. Additionally, IFC will air all thirteen episodes from season one unedited and uncut through the end of 2009 on Mondays at 7:30 pm and Fridays at 11 pm. Seasons two, three and four will begin airing on IFC next year.
  • The Eisner-winning Marvel series Invincible Iron Man is getting new trade dress for the upcoming Stark Disassembled arc. The new design has been getting a lot of buzz for the same reason the series has: it’s half past awesome.
  • Cla$$war, a 2002-2004 comic from publisher Com.x about a supersoldier that goes rogue to expose the corrupt regime that created him, has been optioned for a movie by the same people who made The Surrogates.
  • We don’t normally like to put this kind of thing here, but this article on superhero Facebook status updates is sure to make any comics fan who’s sick of turning down invitations to Mafia Wars laugh out loud.
  • Joe Quesada informally announced that there’s a sequel to the X-Men: Misfits manga coming from Del Ray this time next year in his weekly Cup O’ Joe column at CBR.

What’s getting you through the lean news season? Tell us in the comments.

Categories

Archives

Everything you need to make great comics!

comicmix-pro-300x69-2

Nucleus X

Bookshop Zaks