Tagged: San Diego Comic-Con

Milo Ventimiglia and Top Cow Announce “Berserker” Comic

Milo Ventimiglia and Top Cow Announce “Berserker” Comic

Another day, another project originally intended for television or film being field-tested in the comics world. Case in point: today’s announcement that Heroes star Milo Ventimiglia (who already has another project, Rest, in production at Devil’s Due Publishing) and Russ Cundiff of DiVide Pictures will be partnering with Top Cow Productions on Berserker, a new comic book series created by screenwriter Rick Loverd.

“Berserker is about people discovering they have superhuman ancient Norse powers as they’re pulled into an underground war that’s been raging for a thousand years,” explained Loverd. But the writer pointed out there are bigger themes. “It’s about people dealing with all the curves the world throws, accepting yourself,” he said. “It’s about not feeling helpless in the face of new challenges and, when someone builds a wall in front of you, smashing right through it with your bare hands. And, of course, it’s about bone-popping bloodlust, spine-crushing action, and saving the world from total destruction!”

While the official press release (posted after the jump) is filled with compliments for everyone involved in the project, the announcement doesn’t shy away from looking beyond comics to the long-term goals, too:

“Top Cow is a company that is known for good art and great stories and to be partnered with them on Berserker seemed like the right fit,” said Cundiff, who noted they plan to develop the property into something more, perhaps a film.

“We want to see people wearing Berserker T-shirts, maybe carrying lunchboxes,” smiled Cundiff. “Until then, we are looking to make a kick-ass book.”

The series is scheduled to debut in 2009.  Dale Keown provided the accompanying art.

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Interview: Jamie Bamber on the End of “Battlestar Galactica” and “Pulse 2”

Interview: Jamie Bamber on the End of “Battlestar Galactica” and “Pulse 2”

Actor Jamie Bamber has had a diverse and successful career, gaining noteriety playing Lt. Archie Kennedy in the Hornblower series of TV movies, working in HBO’s Band of Brothers and guest appearances on the series Cold Case and Ghost Whisperer. However, Bamber’s career rocketed into the spotlight when he took the role of Lee "Apollo" Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series — which is soon to broadcast its final season on the Sci-Fi Channel.

During the recent San Diego Comic-Con, I had a chance to speak to Bamber about his upcoming direct-to-DVD feature film Pulse 2: Afterlife and Battlestar Galactica. We discussed what made him interested in Pulse 2, how he feels about the end of Battlestar Galactica and what moments from the show were his favorites.

COMICMIX: Jamie, what can you tell us about Pulse 2: Afterlife?

JAMIE BAMBER: It’s like Kramer vs. Kramer in an armageddon backdrop, featuring a dad who is trying to put his life back together. He’s working on his relationships and putting them back together in the aftermath of an Internet-fueled apocolypse zombie scenario.

CMix: What made you take on this film?

JB: I had time. I liked the character and I could relate to what he’s going through. I can understand and empathize with a dad and his fear for his child in a dangerous world.

CMix: Having been on such a strong ensemble show like BSG, playing the lead in a film must have been appealing…

JB: I liked the idea of fronting a movie on the quiet, which as an actor is quite a useful thing to do without it being everywhere. This is also a straight-to-DVD project, which also appealed to me.

CMix: You’ve finished shooting on Battlestar now, right?

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Triumph the Insult Comic Dog at San Diego Comic-Con 2008

Triumph the Insult Comic Dog at San Diego Comic-Con 2008

One of the most popular bootleg videos at comic book conventions before the YouTube era was of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog making fun of geeks waiting in line for Star Wars.

Our favorite foul mouthed puppet set his sites on nerds once again when The Late Show with Conan O’Brien sent him to this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. And this time you don’t have to buy burned copies from a weird guy at a booth with Micronaut figures. I kid. I kid. (Oh, and consider this your official "Not Safe For Work" warning.)
 

 

 

[EDITOR’S NOTE: That’s PvP webcomic creator Scott Kurtz getting the Triumph treatment around three minutes into the video. Owch! -RM]

Marvel Fashion Show at Comic-Con

Marvel Fashion Show at Comic-Con

I’m not sure what to make of the "Marvel Fashion Show" event held during San Diego Comic-Con. I didn’t attend the event, and now that I think of it, I’m surprised I haven’t heard anyone express an opinion about it one way or another.

All I know is that Marvel.com just posted photos and a video from the event… and that provides a nice opportunity to open up discussion and hear what people think about it.

What do you think about Marvel’s superhero fashion show, ComicMix readers? Let us know in the comment section of this post.

Marvel Universe and Marvel Legends Images From Comic-Con

Marvel Universe and Marvel Legends Images From Comic-Con

Hasbro recently sent over a pile of images from the new 3.75" Marvel Universe figures that debuted at Comic-Con International last weekend, as well as the two new "Build-A-Figure" lines that premiered. Since it’s that typically slow post-SDCC weekend, I figured I’d post them here.

Seen here are two of my favorite figures from the lines, Black Bolt from the Ares Build-A-Figures and Captain America from the new Marvel Universe line. I’m not even a very big fanof Cap, but something about that figure is really impressive. As for Black Bolt, well… he’s just another one of my favorite characters in the Marvel U. ‘Nuff said.

 

I’ve posted a big ol’ gallery of the rest of the figure photos Hasbro sent over after the jump.

 

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SDCC: The (Maybe) Imminent Demise of Monthly Comics

SDCC: The (Maybe) Imminent Demise of Monthly Comics

I know, I know. More news from San Diego? A full week later?

Apologies all around, but this is too interesting to pass up. Newsarama has a recap of a panel where a few industry folks discuss the potential demise of comics in their monthly, floppy form.

Douglas Wolk and Joe Keatinge are the headliners, and everyone has a different opinion with plenty of insight to back up their thoughts. Things went toward the chicken and egg argument, as illustrated by this quote from retailer Carr D’Angelo:

Wolk asked D’Angelo about difference between the return on investment between monthly comics and graphic novel.

“We call them our perennials,” he said, about graphic novels that always seem to sell. “If we can find a new product we can turn endlessly, it’s like what Scrooge McDuck wants, a machine that turns lead into gold.” He named Persepolis and Blankets as examples, saying his investment was virtually guaranteed when he ordered them – unlike with monthly comics.

“I can never have too many Y the Last Man trades,” D’Angelo said. “It’s an endless supply of business. But I couldn’t do that if there weren’t 60 issues in the first place, building up goodwill, and building up an audience, and building up reviews.”

SDCC: Little Earthquakes, by Martha Thomases

SDCC: Little Earthquakes, by Martha Thomases

It’s nearly a week since Comic-Con ended, but still it haunts my dreams. I grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, then the fifth largest city in Ohio (behind Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Akron), yet there were more people in the San Diego convention center.

I think all of them walked by our booth.

If they were any other place, I wouldn’t know about it, because I left the booth only to go to the bathroom and to the Black Panel (for different reasons, as I hope is obvious). The bathroom at the center back of the exhibit hall was usually not crowded and always clean, which is more than I can say for any of the other ladies’ rooms.

The Black Panel was packed. I arrived ten minutes early, which usually allows me my choice of seats, but this time, I was forced to navigate among strangers. Even though this event doesn’t get the hype of the movie panels, or the television shows, or even the video games, it’s really, really fun. There is music and dancing (not by me, you’ll be happy to know, but by people who know how to dance), and lots and lots of laughs. Also, people who have been seriously moved by comics get up and, in the guise of asking questions, testify to the power of graphic story telling.

I also got to leave the booth when my friend, Tiger, who is seven years old and was staying with us so she could read Mars, decided she wanted to find her father, who had a meeting at the Dark Horse booth. This was only about two aisles away, but it took us more than 15 minutes to get there. Not only did we have to stop and look at anything that might potentially be a toy display, buy we had serious problems avoiding backpacks. Now, I understand the appeal of the backpack – you can carry a bunch of stuff, and still have your hands free, and yet, you are not wearing a purse, thereby asserting your manly manliness. And my problem is not with backpacks, per se, but with backpacks that are stuffed so full that you, the wearer, are no longer aware of the dimensions. A backpack that is more than six inches deep is a deadly weapon, especially to those humans who are not yet tall enough to avoid getting whacked in the head by the bottom corner of your stuff.

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IDW Says “No More Comic-Con?”

IDW Says “No More Comic-Con?”

There’s been no shortage of discussion, complaints and analysis to be found around the ‘Net the last few months with regard to the changing focus of San Diego’s Comic-Con International, but the recent suggestion that this year’s show could be the last for publisher IDW still created quite a stir. Tom Spurgeon recently spoke with IDW’s president, Ted Adams, about his buzz-worthy proclamation, and the interview is must-read material for anyone interested in the evolution of comics’ place in both Comic-Con and the convention scene as a whole.

 

SPURGEON: How much has the way the show’s transformed itself the last half-decade had an impact on your decision?

ADAMS: It’s part of it.

I should make a point of saying that the people that put on San Diego Comic-Con are pretty extraordinary. This show, what they do every year is I think is flat-out unbelievable. You couldn’t pay me enough money to take on any of their jobs. They’ve done nothing but treat us with respect. The decisions I’m weighing have nothing to do with the way we’ve been treated by San Diego or really this sort of perceived — I see these things on-line about the perception that Comic-Con is getting away from comics and becoming an entertainment show, and there’s no question that’s true. But I don’t have the angst over those things. I think we’re just seeing the free market at work here with San Diego Comic-Con. The market is saying "We want to see Hugh Jackman." [laughter] I don’t know how Comic-Con could make that not be. What are you going to do, go to Fox and say, "You can’t have Hugh Jackman here"? [Spurgeon laughs] You’re going to disappoint the tens of thousands of people that want to see that.

 

Head over to The Comics Reporter for the rest of the interview.

SDCC: Dark Horse News

Dark Horse was nice enough to compile a full list of the publisher’s announcements out of San Diego (including a new Martha Washington — at right — book).

That’s very appreciated, as the lunacy of Comic-Con made it impossible last week to keep up with everything every publisher was doing — though our ComicMix team did their best to bring you as much news as possible.

Any publishers who want to send over similar news dispatches can hit us up through the usual channels.

After the jump is Dark Horse’s complete news breakdown, listed by day.

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“Resident Evil” and “Devil May Cry” Comics Coming

Having previously announced Bionic Commando and Lost Planet comics coming from Devil’s Due, Capcom is bringing even more of their hit games to comic books. In a joint press release with DC Comics, they announced that the WildStorm imprint will publish comics based on Resident Evil and Devil May Cry. Details, like who’s writing and drawing it, or when it will be announced at a later date.

Devil May Cry follows demon fighter Dante in a gothic anime influenced world with over-the-top weapons. It’s been previously released as best-selling manga from Tokyopop, but this will be the first time content has been created by American comic artists.

Jim Lee must really like playing Resident Evil. Back in the pre-DC Comics era, WildStorm published a pretty successful comic/fan magazine based on the horror survival game. If you’re living a sheltered life, Resident Evil tells the story of pseudo-law enforcement officers battling the amoral Umbrella Corporation and their continual involvement in zombie plagues.

On a side note, have you seen the trailer for the Capcom-produced CGI movie Resident Evil: Degeneration that was shown at San Diego Comic-Con? You’ll never travel through an airport the same way again. (Video posted after the jump.)
 

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