Tagged: Hero

Reminder: ‘Iron Man: Armored Adventures’ cartoon premieres 7 PM tonight on Nicktoons

Reminder: ‘Iron Man: Armored Adventures’ cartoon premieres 7 PM tonight on Nicktoons

First Look: Iron Man: Armored Adventures Animated Series

“[[[Iron Man:Armored Adventures]]]” returns Shellhead, and the first two of 26 animatedepisodes will begin airing on Nicktoons tonight at 7 PM.

Here’s a brief description of this high tech new action adventure series:

Tony Stark, heir to a billion-dollar corporation, lives a life of luxury,free to pursue his chief interests — seeing extreme thrills, solving scientific mysteries, and creating mind-boggling inventions.

But everything goes horribly wrong when a tragic accident robs Tony of his father and nearly costs him his own life. Now dependent on his ownamazing technology for survival and dedicated to battling corruption,Tony must reconcile the pressure of teenage life with the duties of asuper hero.

Inside his remarkable invention, Tony Stark is geared for high-speed flight,high-tech battles and high-octane adventure! He is IRON MAN!

And here’s a preview:

The Point – March 27th, 2009

The Point – March 27th, 2009

Meet Phil Morris, a man who’s love for the action hero genre stretches even into his bloodline and wait until you hear what he has planned next, plus Spider Girl is back again and Ingrid Michaelson‘s Twitter Tune that will be stuckin your head all weekend guaranteed.

PRESS THE BUTTON to Get The Point! 


 

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

 

 

On fan battles, audience interaction, what’s real, and who’s stronger, the Thing or the Hulk?

On fan battles, audience interaction, what’s real, and who’s stronger, the Thing or the Hulk?

Patrick Nielsen Hayden makes a comment on Tor.com that really deserves wider dissemination:

"SF fans in general tend to be discursive sorts…"

Which is another way of saying that SF readers tend to get invested in not just the story, but the argument.

And once you care about the argument, you care about the people pursuing it.

There are dozens of ways to make this dynamic seem trivial or pathetic, but really, it’s just people caring about what’s real.

Speaking just as a reader, forget about as a professional, the plain fact is that in a world of limited time and options-that-exclude, given the choice between a new Charles Stross novel and a new Greg Egan novel, I’m going to read the Stross, because I know that if I want to talk about it afterwards, Stross is available for conversation and Egan isn’t.

There are dozens of ways to frame this as evidence of Egan being a hero of artistic independence, but you know something, I don’t care. I’m just a reader trying to have an non-boring life. Stross goes out of his way, via extra levels of interaction and availability, to make the whole business of novels and art non-boring. Egan doesn’t. Life is short.

It’s true. And in a field where the arguments are even more passionate (see above picture) the fan base can be even more intense, and it carries over to the field.

And the Internet makes it even more intense. Think about it: who constantly tops the lists of favorite comics writers? Neil Gaiman, Brain Bendis, Peter David, Mark Evanier, Warren Ellis, JMS… even if they don’t have a series running at the moment, they have a dedicated fan base because they immerse themselves in the arguments, in the culture. And yes, every one of the people listed have a blog. That’s where fans are nowadays. You’re here, aren’t you?

Mark Waid, the pre-eminent fanboy-turned-pro-turned-recent-blogger, has a great example this week where he talks about the six traits that a hero should possess, and then provokes a fight by asking people to try and convince him why Indiana Jones should be considered a hero– which makes a few readers ask him why, by his criteria, Spider-Man should be considered a hero. (And since he wrote what’s going to be the best selling issue of Spider-Man this year, if not this decade, he should probably have an answer.) The argument was compelling enough that I took an hour to formulate an argument and contribute when I should have been finishing this blog post. And that’s the point.

What about you? Do you think there’s such a thing as an anti-social comics fan, even if his social interaction is limited to arguing who’s stronger, Benjy or Bruce? And would you enjoy comics as much if you couldn’t argue them with somebody else, or is the solitary enjoyment of pleasure enough for you?

Oh, and that image reminds me of this neat Hulk vs. Thing art gallery I found. Enjoy.

The top ten influences for ‘Lone Justice: Crash!’

The top ten influences for ‘Lone Justice: Crash!’

Lone Justice: Crash! is the new graphic novel from the Harvey award nominated team of Robert Tinnell and Mark Wheatley. This two-fisted pulp adventure began yesterday on ComicMix, but the roots of the creation of Lone Justice: Crash! started long ago.

Creating a new graphic novel doesn’t happen in a vacuum. And people like Robert Tinnell and Mark Wheatley are easily influenced. So readers would be well advised to take a look at what other creative efforts have had a hand in shaping the look and feel.

First – we start with what has warped the mind of Robert Tinnell, in his own words:

1.) MARTIN – First and foremost I have to acknowledge George Romero’s film, MARTIN. Much of what I write is inspired by this brilliant little deconstructionist vampire story and the way it so grounded fantasy in reality, in banality, actually. I often say, quite sincerely, I consider the film an American classic. So if you’re reading LONE JUSTICE: CRASH! and detect a deconstructionist approach to the superhero genre, bear in mind that in addition to the obvious comic book influences, Romero’s flick continues to linger in the background of my mind.

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More Obama comics

More Obama comics

First Savage Dragon went in with the endorsement. Spider-Man followed up with the inauguration appearance. Then Mad. Now we have the upcoming Captain Action #5 from Moonstone, where the hero actually becomes Obama.

For a hero who is already known for becoming Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Captain America, Aquaman, the Phantom, The Lone Ranger, Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, Sgt. Fury, Steve Canyon, and the Green Hornet, putting Obama in that pantheon is pretty darn awesome.

‘Astro Boy’ Teaser Trailer Arrives

‘Astro Boy’ Teaser Trailer Arrives

The first teaser trailer for the CGI-animated Astro Boy went live today.

A thrilling tale of a true hero, Astro Boy is an all-new, feature film full of action, adventure, humor and heart.  It will be brought to life on the big screen in breathtaking CGI animation on October 23rd, 2009.

Set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist named Tenma (Nicolas Cage). Powered by positive “blue” energy, Astro Boy (Freddie Highmore) is endowed with super strength, x-ray vision, unbelievable speed and the ability to fly.

Embarking on a journey in search of acceptance, Astro Boy encounters many other colorful characters along the way.  Through his adventures, he learns the joys and emotions of being human, and gains the strength to embrace his destiny. Ultimately learning his friends and family are in danger, Astro Boy marshals his awesome super powers and returns to Metro City in a valiant effort to save everything he cares about and to understand what it takes to be a hero.

 

‘The Phantom’ Coming Back to the Silver Screen

‘The Phantom’ Coming Back to the Silver Screen

The Phantom never dies.  From father to son, the legacy is passed on, protecting Africa from evil in all forms dating back 21 generations.  A second generation live-action film about the ageless hero was announced by Symington Productions according to the Associated Press.

Producer Bruce Sherlock obtained the rights to explore the themes in The Phantom Legacy.  He had been an executive producer on the 1996 Paramount Pictures Phantom, which starred Billy Zane as the Ghost Who Walks. The movie suffered from poor marketing but was better than most recall.

The new film, to be shot down under where Symington is based, is budgeted at $87 million and screenwriter Tim Boyle said the movie will focus on the “Father/Son relationship, and what it means to be The Phantom. The film will be set in the present day and will deal with the concept of destiny."

"It has the makings of a blockbuster," Sherlock told the AP. "There’s some surprises that will thrill the Phantom fans worldwide."  No casting was announced but production should begin in the second half of 2009 for 2010 release.

The Phantom
is also being developed by Daniel and Charles Knauf for Sci Fi Channel, exploring the next generation Phantom whose father dies before there could be any training.

 “In our story, we have a break in the lineage. The 22nd Phantom, the one we all know and love, his wife and his son died in an automobile accident. So when he died, there was no one to take over,” Daniel Knauf explained. “But it turns out the son survived and has been raised by a foster family and has no idea who he is. They find him through a fluke when he’s arrested on a trespassing charge, and he ends up getting his DNA into CODIS [the national DNA database]. The people in Bangalla who are still part of the Jungle Patrol — which we call Bpaa-Thap (which literally translates to ‘Jungle Patrol’) — they find him and decide to bring him in and train him. So it’s a whole new game for this kid. So he’s very conflicted, as far as who he was and who he thinks he is.”

Meantime, the character remains published in comic strips around the world in addition to Moonstone’s long-running comic book about to be rebooted in 2009.  Dynamite Entertainment also has the rights for a Phantom comic book and has brought in Alex Ross too help modify the look although their incarnation is at least two years away.

The Phantom, introduced in 1936, is considered by most as the first costumed adventure hero, the first super-hero of the 20th Century. Written by Lee Falk from 1936 through his death in 1999, the feature has been a global sensation.
 

George Miller Confirms He’s Off ‘Justice League’

George Miller Confirms He’s Off ‘Justice League’

On the Australian morning television show Sunrise, director George Miller told the viewing audience he was no longer attached to Warner Bros.’ stalled Justice League film.

In a report at Dark Horizons, “Miller indicated that if the project does get going again, he expects that it’ll be recast as ‘the studios seem to want bigger stars in their super-hero movies now.’

Miller also acknowledged his Mad Max sequel script was rejected by actor Mel Gibson but remains hopeful they will team for a film project in the future.

Since a big report in August that Warner was reconsidering their DCU properties, there has been little official news as to which hero will step before the cameras next. The likeliest candidate remains Green Lantern with a finished script now in the studio’s hands.
 

‘Sarah Jane’ Back for Third Season

‘Sarah Jane’ Back for Third Season

The BBC has confirmed a third season of The Sarah Jane Adventures, to air in the fall of 2009.

Their website reviewed their future children’s offerings and said, “Together with her companions Rani and Clyde and her adopted son Luke, Sarah Jane once again comes face to face with a whole host of weird and wonderful alien beings.”

Additionally, they will be transporting Stan Lee’s Who Wants To Be A Superhero? to England and turning it into a new show aimed at younger viewers, hosted by Sam Nixon and Mark Rhodes. The show lasted just two seasons on Sci Fi Channel before becoming a ratings victim.

The series wants kid heroes between 9-13 who “will create their own unique, never-seen-before superhero character, including original name, catchphrase and superpowers.

The BBC wrote,” The last super-hero standing receives the ultimate reward – immortality with a starring role in their very own comic book created by the master of the genre, Stan Lee (The Hulk and Superman[sic]).

“The last super-hero standing will fly to Hollywood to meet the legendary creator in person and collect their personalized comic book.

“Over the course of the series the aspiring super-heroes test their abilities and try to overcome their limitations, doing whatever it takes to prove that they are truly super.

“Each week, they face challenges designed to test their courage, integrity, self-sacrifice, compassion and resourcefulness – all the qualities that a true super-hero must possess.

“And each week, one superhero powers down, transforming back into their real identity and returning home.

“Before Sam and Mark begin their quest to find the world’s next great superhero, they are trained in ‘super-hero spotting’ by Stan Lee himself, qualifying them to host auditions for budding heroes across the country – culminating in a final audition in London.

“Eventually, 13 wannabe heroes will leave their normal lives behind and move into a secret lair to face a series of missions as they begin their transformations into real-life super-heroes.”

Hopalong Cassidy Returns to the Screen

Hopalong Cassidy Returns to the Screen

Bill "Hopalong" Cassidy is getting the big screen treatment from Mark Canton (300) and Pterodactyl Prods. according to Variety.

The beloved tough cowboy was originally created by Clarence E. Mulford in 1904 and he was a popular staple in fiction before being portrayed on screen by William Boyd. He portrayed the cowpuncher in 66 short films between the 1930s and 1950s. There was also a long-running radio show in addition to comic books.

The comics were initially produced by Fawcett for 84 issues with Dan Spiegel producing a lot of the artwork. When Fawcett ceased publishing, the rights were acquired by DC Comics in 1954 for an additional 50 issues. Editor Julie Schwartz used his regulars on the feature including writer John Broome and artists Gil Kane, Bernard Sachs, and Joe Giella.  The title featured Gene Colan’s first work for the company and he did a long stretch of the title.

There hasn’t been a significant new cowboy hero introduced in decades but suddenly both The Lone Ranger and Hopalong Cassidy are headed for the silver screen once more. Earlier this fall, Jerry Bruckheimer surprised the world with word he was producing a new Ranger film with Johnny Depp on board as Tonto.

"These stories tend to come around again," Canton told the trade. "We’re looking to ring in the modern age with a branded, well-loved hero that we approach in a fresh way," Canton added.