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Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy Arrives for Christmas

Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy Arrives for Christmas

Universal City, California, July 27, 2020 – Great Scott! In 1985, Director Robert Zemeckis, Executive Producer Steven Spielberg and Producer/Screenwriter Bob Gale embarked on a three-part journey through time that broke box-office records worldwide and catapulted BACK TO THE FUTURE into one of the most beloved trilogies in motion picture history. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment celebrates the 35th Anniversary of the groundbreaking first film with BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE ULTIMATE TRILOGY available on 4K Ultra HD for the first time ever on October 20, 2020 – just in time to celebrate “Back to the Future Day” on October 21! This collection is loaded with bonus material including a bonus disc that comes with over an hour of brand-new content such as rare audition footage from Hollywood stars Ben Stiller, Kyra Sedgwick, Jon Cryer, Billy Zane, Peter DeLuise and C. Thomas Howell, a tour of the film’s props and memorabilia hosted by co-writer/producer Bob Gale, a sneak peek at the new musical show, and a special episode of the popular YouTube Series “Could You Survive The Movies?” Join Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and a time traveling DeLorean for the adventure of a lifetime as they travel to the past, present and future, setting off a time-shattering chain reaction that disrupts the space-time continuum!

BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE ULTIMATE TRILOGY will include all three movies in collectible discbook packaging plus a bonus disc including all-new bonus content. For the first time, the past, present and future collide in eye-popping Ultra HD resolution for a time-traveling celebration. New 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray™ deliver the highest quality picture, more colors than ever before, and immersive, multi-dimensional sound. From filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, this unforgettable 35th anniversary collection features hours of bonus features and is an unrivaled trilogy that stands the test of time making this a must-own for everyone’s movie library. All three BACK TO THE FUTURE films will also be available on 4K Ultra HD digitally for the first time ever and BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE COMPLETE TRILOGY will also be available on DVD.

Three premium collections will be available at select retailers for a limited time only:

  • BACK TO THE FUTURE 35TH ANNIVERSARY TRILOGY LIMITED EDITION GIFT SET (4K UHD): Includes exclusive levitating Hoverboard replica (Amazon Exclusive)
  • BACK TO THE FUTURE 35TH ANNIVERSARY TRILOGY LIMITED EDITION GIFT SET (Blu-ray™): Includes exclusive levitating Hoverboard replica (Target Exclusive)
  • BACK TO THE FUTURE 35TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION TRILOGY (4K UHD): Includes three newly designed steelbooks (Best Buy Exclusive)
  • For more information on these exclusives, please visit the individual retailer’s stores and websites.

BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE ULTIMATE TRILOGY will be available on 4K Ultra HD combo pack, which includes 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, & Digital Code and on Blu-ray™ which includes the Blu-ray™ & Digital Code.

  • 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.
    • BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE ULTIMATE TRILOGY 4K Ultra HD is available with HDR10+™, providing a premium HDR picture quality. HDR10+ transforms your movie watching experience with incredible brightness and contrast for each scene, delivering brighter brights and deepest darks.
  • Blu-ray 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.

The Movies Anywhere Digital App 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 available only in the United States.

BACK TO THE FUTURE bonus FEATURES ON 4K Ultra Hd & BLU-RAY™:

  • Deleted Scenes (Commentary by Producer Bob Gale available)
    • Peanut Brittle
    • “Pinch Me”
    • Doc’s Personal Belongings
    • “She’s Cheating”
    • Darth Vader (Extended Version)
    • “Hit Me George”
    • “You Got a Permit?”
    • The Phone Booth
  • Tales from THE FUTURE: In the Beginning…
  • Tales from THE FUTURE: Time to Go
  • Tales from THE FUTURE: Keeping Time
  • Archival Featurettes
    • The Making of BACK TO THE FUTURE
    • Making the Trilogy: Chapter One
    • BACK TO THE FUTURE Night
  • Michael J. Fox Q&A
    • How He Got the Role
    • The Character of Doc
    • Working on a Film and TV Series at the Same Time
    • Shooting BACK TO THE FUTURE II and III Together
    • DeLoreans
    • Special FX and Stunts
    • The Appeal of BACK TO THE FUTURE
    • Shooting BACK TO THE FUTURE
  • Behind the Scenes
    • Original Makeup Tests
    • Outtakes
    • Nuclear Test Site Sequence (Commentary by Producer Bob Gale available)
    • Photo Galleries*
      • Production Art
      • Storyboards
      • Behind-the-Scenes Photographs
      • Marketing Materials
      • Character Portraits
  • Huey Lewis and the News “The Power of Love” Music Video
  • Theatrical Teaser Trailer
  • Join Team Fox
  • Q&A Commentary with Director Robert Zemeckis and Producer Bob Gale
  • Feature Commentary with Producers Bob Gale and Neil Canton

*Only on the Blu-ray™ disc

BACK TO THE FUTURE II bonus FEATURES ON 4K Ultra Hd & BLU-RAY™:

  • Deleted Scenes (Commentary by Producer Bob Gale available)
    • Old Terry and Old Biff
    • “Dad’s Home” (Extended Version)
    • Pizza Scene
    • Jennifer Faints (Extended Version)
    • Old Biff Vanishes from Car
    • Burned Out High School
    • Marty Meets Dave
  • Tales from THE FUTURE: Time Flies
  • The Physics of BACK TO THE FUTURE with Dr. Michio Kaku
  • Archival Featurettes
    • The Making of BACK TO THE FUTURE PART II
    • Making the Trilogy: Chapter Two
  • Behind the Scenes
    • Outtakes
    • Production Design
    • Storyboarding
    • Designing the DeLorean
    • Designing Time Travel
    • Hoverboard Test
    • Evolution of Visual Effects Shots
    • Photo Galleries*
      • Production Art
      • Storyboards
      • Behind-the-Scenes Photographs
      • Marketing Materials
      • Character Portraits
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Q&A Commentary with Director Robert Zemeckis and Producer Bob Gale
  • Feature Commentary with Producers Bob Gale and Neil Canton

*Only on the Blu-ray™ disc

BACK TO THE FUTURE III bonus FEATURES ON 4K Ultra Hd & BLU-RAY™:

  • Deleted Scene (Commentary by Producer Bob Gale available)
    • The Tannen Gang Kills Marshal Strickland
  • Tales from THE FUTURE: Third Time’s the Charm [FEATURED BONUS]
  • Tales from THE FUTURE: The Test of Time [FEATURED BONUS]
  • Archival Featurettes
    • The Making of BACK TO THE FUTURE Part III
    • Making the Trilogy: Chapter Three
    • The Secrets of the BACK TO THE FUTURE Trilogy
  • Behind the Scenes
    • Outtakes
    • Designing the Town of Hill Valley
    • Designing the Campaign
    • Photo Galleries*
      • Production Art
      • Storyboards
      • Behind-the-Scenes Photographs
      • Marketing Materials
      • Character Portraits
  • ZZ Top “Doubleback” Music Video
  • FAQs About the Trilogy
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Ride
    • Lobby Monitor
    • The Ride
  • Q&A Commentary with Director Robert Zemeckis and Producer Bob Gale
  • Feature Commentary with Producers Bob Gale and Neil Canton

*Only on the Blu-ray™ disc

FILMMAKERS: 
Back to the Future

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Producer: Bob Gale, Neil Canton
Screenplay: Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale
Music: Alan Silvestri, Chris Hayes, Johnny Colla, Huey Lewis
Executive Producer: Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy
Sound Editor: Charles L. Campbell, Robert Rutledge
Cast: Michael J. Fox (Marty McFly), Christopher Lloyd (Dr. Emmett Brown), Lea Thompson (Lorraine Baines), Thomas F. Wilson (Biff Tannen), Crispin Glover (George McFly), Claudia Wells (Jennifer Parker), Billy Zane (Match), Casey Siemaszko (3-D)

Back to the Future II
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Producer: Bob Gale, Neil Canton
Screenplay: Bob Gale
Music: Alan Silvestri
Executive Producer: Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall
Visual Effects: Ken Ralston, Michael Lantieri, John Bell, Steve Gawley
Cast: Michael J. Fox (Marty McFly / Marty McFly Junior / Marlene McFly), Christopher Lloyd (Doctor Emmett Brown), Lea Thompson (Lorraine), Thomas F. Wilson (Biff Tannen / Griff), Casey Siemaszko (3-D), Billy Zane (Match), Elisabeth Shue (Jennifer), Elijah Wood (Video Game Boy)

Back to the Future III
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Producer: Bob Gale, Neil Canton
Screenplay: Bob Gale
Music: Alan Silvestri
Executive Producer: Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall
Cast: Michael J. Fox (Marty McFly / Seamus McFly), Christopher Lloyd (Doctor Emmett Brown), Lea Thompson (Maggie McFly / Lorraine McFly), Thomas F. Wilson (Buford ‘Mad Dog’ Tannen / Biff Tannen), Mary Steenburgen (Clara Clayton), Elisabeth Shue (Jennifer), Richard Dysart (Barbwire Salesman), Harry Carey, Jr. (Saloon Old Timer),  Flea (Needles)

TECHNICAL INFORMATION 4K ULTRA HD:
Street Date: October 20, 2020
Selection Number: 61212628 (US) / 61212662 (CDN)
Layers:  BD-100
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 1.85:1 Widescreen
Rating: PG
Subtitles: English, French Canadian, Latin American Spanish
Video: 2160p UHD Dolby Vision/HDR10+/HDR 10
Sound: English Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital 2.0 ; French European DTS Digital Surround 5.1 ; Latin American Spanish DTS Digital Surround 5.1
Run Time:
Back to the Future – 01:55:57
Back to the Future II – 01:47:55
Back to the Future III – 01:58:14

TECHNICAL INFORMATION BLU-RAY™:
Street Date: October 20, 2020
Selection Number: 61212631 (US) / 61212636 (CDN)
Layers: BD 50
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 1.85:1 Widescreen
Rating: PG
Subtitles: English, French Canadian, Latin American Spanish
Sound: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.0, French European DTS Digital Surround 5.1 and Latin American Spanish DTS Digital Surround 5.1
Run Time:
Back to the Future – 01:55:57
Back to the Future II – 01:47:55
Back to the Future III – 01:58:14

TECHNICAL INFORMATION DVD:
Street Date: October 20, 2020
Selection Number: 61212627 (US) / 61212635 (CDN)
Layers: DVD 9
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Rating: PG
Subtitles: English SDH, French Spanish
Sound: English, French, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Run Time:
Back to the Future – 01:55:57
Back to the Future II – 01:47:55
Back to the Future III – 01:58:14

REVIEW: Wonder Woman The Complete Collection

REVIEW: Wonder Woman The Complete Collection

Wonder Woman: The Complete Collection is Remastered for Blu-rayIn 1974, I was 16 and curious to see ABC try once again with super-heroes. One fine Tuesday night, I sat at and watched Wonder Woman, horrified at the liberties taken in the backdoor pilot. Cathy Lee Crosby didn’t have the looks or the costume and the most interesting thing about this was Ricardo Montalban as the heavy.

The network somehow still saw the potential in the character and commissioned a more faithful pilot, this time with a comics-accurate costume and perfect casting in Lynda Carter. In the hands of former Batman scribe Stanley Ralph Ross, the show felt right. ABC agreed and a series of Wonder Woman shows were filmed, set in World War II.

This was the beginning of the jiggle era of television, as prime time was filled with busty, often braless actors and they pandered to the women’s movement with female-led shows that didn’t fulfill their promise. Led by Charlie’s Angels and Wonder Woman, ABC favored lip-service to genuine characterization and action over good storytelling. As a result, we have a Wonder Woman series that is fondly recalled more for a catchy theme song and pitch-perfect lead than a good show.

I’m reminded by all this through the Wonder Woman The Complete Collection being released tomorrow for the first time on Blu-ray. Across ten discs, we get all sixty episodes along with special features ported over from the previous DVD release. These include pilot commentary from Carter and Executive Producer Douglas S. Cramer, Season Three commentary from Carter and three featurettes: “Revolutionizing a Classic: From Comic Book to Television”, “Wonder Woman: The Ultimate Feminist Icon”; and “Wonder Woman: The Ultimate Feminist Icon”.

Let’s start with the good news. The remastering makes everything bright and shiny. A series that is colorful in terms of look and performance sparkles. If you haven’t watched the show before or want an upgrade, this affordably priced set is a good investment.

Although the series looked more like the comics, and the pilot, set on Paradise Island, looks very much like Harry G. Peter envisioned. Ross should have brought in more of the villains. One of the joys of the Batman show was, of course, the recurring foes. Other than Baroness Paula Von Gunther (Banacek’s Christine Belford), her rogues are absent. Dr. Poison, Dr. Psycho, and others should have been considered.

On the rare instances that the show revisited Paradise Island, it’s interesting to see the variety of actresses to portray Queen Hippolyta (Cloris Leachman, Carolyn Jones, and Beatrice Straight). We also get a very young Debra Winger as Wonder Girl, oddly named Drusilla, and having zero connection to the Teen Titan.

Instead, we remain in Man’s World as Diana Prince and Steve Trevor (Lyle Waggoner), and company battled the Axis menace wherever it reared its ugly head. They were accompanied by General Blankenship (Richard Eastham) and Corporal Etta Candy WAAC (Beatrice Colen), no longer an overweight sorority girl, because back then, all women had be more average in appearance.

When the series shifted to CBS after one season and set in modern day, it was played far straighter with Waggoner now playing Trevor’s son and no one thought it icky both men romanced the Amazon Princess. Blankenship and Etta were gone, replaced with the colorless Joe Atkinson (Norman Burton).  He was gone after nine episodes and Trevor and Diana got promoted, with Atkinson replaced by Eve (Saundra Sharp) as Steve’s assistant. The international espionage angle made it closer to network’s other dramas, reducing its uniqueness.

Like Batman, the final season was the nadir, with a disco beat added to the theme and the stories getting weaker. It proved to be an anomaly on a network schedule that was heavy with cops and family dramas, no other CBS show was led solely by a woman (apparently only the purview of sitcoms). For comic fans on a lonely Friday night, 1978-79 was terrific with Wonder Woman followed by The Incredible Hulk.

Pay attention to the final three episodes, which was an attempted reboot of sorts, but not good enough, airing months after the season officially ended. The overall tone and approach are a marked improvement.

The series rewatch is fun just to catch the guest stars, young and old, some of whom I haven’t seen on anything in ages. There’s Roy Rogers, Gary Burghoff, Red Buttons, Ed Begley Jr., Ron Ely, Dick Gautier, Batman alum Frank Gorshin and Roddy McDowall, Russell Johnson, Gavin MacLeod, and Eve Plumb and her Brady dad Robert Reed. There’s even Martin Mull as the Pied Piper, although this isn’t the Flash’s opponent.

All three seasons ran at a time when all television was vilified for its glorifying of violence, which meant the super-heroics had to be toned down. Fewer punches and more bending of steel. Coupled with the surface female-empowerment, the show did what it could but failed to rise above its competition.

Still, at a time when no one was trying live-action heroes, this was diverting enough. It unfortunately was also the template for the shows that followed, picking up the title character and ignoring the four-color elements that made them so successful (see CBS’ concurrent Spider-Man).

The show is loved for its unique place in pop culture and this collection is a loving tribute. I just wish it featured the strong hero her creator, William Moulton Marston, envisioned, and the times allowed for far better writing.

Review: The Fantastic Paintings of Frazetta

The Fantastic Paintings of Frazetta
By J. David Spurlock
Vanguard Press

Trade HC ISBN13: 9781934331811 Retail $39.95 • 120 pgs
DX LE ISBN13: 9781934331828 Retail $69.95 • 138 pgs plus slipcase

When we were kids in the 70s, my pals and I hung around a great comic shop, Kim’s Collectible Comics & Records.  Owner Kim Draheim loved comics, but he helped expand the horizons of our small worlds – letting us discover wonders beyond the standard Marvel and DC comics that defined our comfort zones. In his shop, we stumbled upon older comics, vinyl records and comic-adjacent artists…like Frank Frazetta. It was all pretty mind-blowing.

We quickly realized there was a time and place for each creator’s talents and gifts.  When one of my gang was searching for a Fantastic Four issue illustrated by Frank Frazetta, we all chuckled. Even back then we knew that Frazetta was beyond all that.

When I took a college-level painting class while still in high school, there came that point to choose one artist for the term paper.  I chose Frank Frazetta. My professor kind of frowned and suggested I instead research and write about Salvador Dali.  I told my professor that Dali was a fine artist…but in my mind, Dali was no Frazetta.

If Spurlock was in my class, maybe he would have said the same thing.

Even back then I would have been excited by the new book, The Fantastic Paintings of Frazetta. This is another gem from J. David Spurlock’s Vanguard Publishing. It’s a thoughtful, loving celebration of a genre master that is both a first-class introduction to Frazetta and a long-awaited treat to every reader/fan/collector that has already has an appreciation for Frazetta.

From the first page, Spurlock takes the reader on a journey that includes “greatest hits” and “lost treasures”.

Well-loved paintings fill the pages – but often with a twist. Either there’s additional materials or alternate versions included. Spurlock includes great stories that pull back the curtain for us, illuminating the process behind Frazetta’s artistry.

I really enjoyed the many surprises. There’s Frazetta barbarian art from before Conan. There is a 60s spy movie poster.  I was especially surprised to learn that in one case, when Frazetta got an original painting back, he made some changes.  And although I’d seen the Luana piece many times, but I didn’t realize that there was more to it.It’s no secret that Frazetta inspired so many other creators. But I didn’t realize the extent of the George Lucas connections until reading this book.  When I watch Star Wars movies,  I’ll never look at Chewbacca or the Death Star the same way again.

Many of the paintings reproduced here are larger than they’ve been printed before. This allows us to really see the nuances – brush strokes, paint etc. on these beauties.

Here’s the official description:

Discover, or return to, the world’s greatest heroic fantasy artist, Frank Frazetta, in this landmark art collection entitled, Fantastic Paintings of Frazetta. The New York Times said, “Frazetta helped define fantasy heroes like Conan, Tarzan and John Carter of Mars with signature images of strikingly fierce, hard-bodied heroes and bosomy, callipygian damsels” Frazetta took the sex and violence of the pulp fiction of his youth and added even more action, fantasy and potency, but rendered with a panache seldom seen outside of major works of Fine Art. Despite his fantastic subject matter, the quality of Frazetta’s work has not only drawn comparisons to the most brilliant of illustrators, Maxfield Parrish, Frederic Remington, Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth but, even to the most brilliant of fine artists including Rembrandt and Michelangelo and, major Frazetta works sell for millions of dollars, breaking numerous records.

 

And Spurlock has pulled out all the stops with this one. This book has definitely crossed the line to be a full-fledged celebration. Here’s the bells & whistles:

  • PAPER: Thicker, quality art-book paper than ever used in any prior Frazetta collection. This firmer paper helps achieve the highest quality of reproduction.
  • PROTECTIVE LAMINATION: Lavish combination of both matte & gloss cover laminations to dazzle the senses. While many top publishers scrimp by not providing ANY lamination, the new Frazetta collection doubles down to protect every cover smartly and with panache.
  • SIZE: 10.5 x 14.6 with spreads as wide as 21 inches: Larger pages and images than any previous Frazetta art book.
  • INDIVIDUALLY SIGNED: Even deluxe books rarely come signed but, this has not one, but TWO signatures; author J. David Spurlock and Frank Frazetta Jr, Director of The Frazetta Art Museum in East Stroudsburg PA.
  • VELUM PAGE “TIPPED-IN” BY HAND: When Vanguard does produce signed books, it is regularly on the front endpapers which is mounted to the inside front cover. But for Fantastic Paintings of Frazetta, the signature page was printed separately on a translucent velum parchment and bound, one at a time, into each book, by hand.
  • NEW LIGHTWEIGHT SLIPCASE: Vanguard’s new lighter-weight laminated slipcase keeps the deluxe book protected in style while conserving shelf space and minimizing shipping costs to retailers and Frazetta aficionados.
  • BONUS FOLIO: Sixteen extra pages of art including some very rare images, a newly discovered previously unknown and unpublished 1960s Frazetta movie poster run at a whopping 21 inches wide and, rare mid-1960s Creepy magazine art as never seen before, perfectly reproduced at full, Original Art Size!

Every year at San Diego Comic-Con, I tend to buy at least one book from the Vanguard booth. The at-the-booth conversations with J. David Spurlock are part of the fun.  And if I miss him, I always get my pal Steve Rotterdam to do his Spurlock imitation.  This year, of course, none of us will be stopping by San Diego Comic-Con. But there’s plenty of ways to buy this – and I always suggest going through your local comic shop or local indy book store.  I was surprised to see that a book of this quality doesn’t have a $100+ price tag, and is reasonably priced at $39.95 The deluxe version, with extra pages and a slipcase, is $69.95.

The Fantastic Paintings of Frazetta would make any coffee table proud. And if your coffee table is too full, maybe it’s time to get another coffee table.

Baseball Bugs Bunny Art Prints Unveiled Before Opening Day

Baseball Bugs Bunny Art Prints Unveiled Before Opening Day

S. Preston, a nationally known illustrator, is melding sports and classic cartoons with the debut of officially licensed MINIMALIST BASEBALL BUGS – MLB EDITION prints, in collaboration with Chuck Jones Gallery™ and MLB™. Inspired by the Looney Tunes episode “Baseball Bugs,” these brand new, cross-licensed prints are available for purchase on July 16, featuring the iconic Bugs Bunny representing an MLB team as he winds up for the perfect pitch.

“There’s something magical about mashups – two of our favorite brands mixed into one. My childhood mashup was Saturday mornings with my cereal bowl and flipping back and forth between baseball and cartoons. This memory is such a distinct part of growing up that illustrating Baseball Bugs came naturally,” said S. Preston. “It’s incredibly gratifying to have two massive brands like MLB and Warner Bros come together to take a chance on my vision. I’m so proud to be able to bring this extremely unique artwork to my fans of baseball and pop culture.”

With illustrations available in any of the 30 MLB Clubs, baseball fans can show their pride with these Bugs Bunny variants, allowing them to align the character’s jersey color and cap with their favorite baseball team. Perfect for home or office decoration, the art, illustrated by S. Preston, comes with a certificate of authenticity, hand-number, and artist signature.

“Linda Jones Enterprises is delighted to work with artist S. Preston on this exciting project. The opportunity to bring the joy of the most famous Looney Tunes character, Bugs Bunny, to Baseball fans is thrilling and special to us,” Said Craig Kausen, President of the Chuck Jones Gallery.

S. Preston started illustrating for Chuck Jones Gallery in 2018, incorporating his unique style with the Warner Bros. brand. While MINIMALIST BASEBALL BUGS – MLB EDITION is the first Chuck Jones Gallery licensed print available for purchase, S. Preston has a larger collection of Minimalist Looney Tunes episodes on exhibit in art galleries across the country.

With initial dreams of becoming a professional athlete, S. Preston blended his unique artistic talents with his passion for sports, doodling his way to beautiful minimalist art that would deeply connect with sports fanatics. Minimalist ballpark designs led off his success, and from there, he moved on to MLB mascots, moments, trophy designs, and princesses dressed in local team gear, eventually achieving national recognition and becoming one of only four licensed MLB artists.

In 2016, S. Preston’s artwork made the permanent archives of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY, and he is a lifetime member of the coveted institution.

MINIMALIST BASEBALL BUGS – MLB EDITION will be available in limited quantities of 100 variants per team, with an MSRP of $80.00. For more information or to reserve your limited edition print early, visit https://sprestondesigns.com/collections/baseball-bugs-team-variants

Wonder Woman: The Complete Collection is Remastered for Blu-ray

Wonder Woman: The Complete Collection is Remastered for Blu-ray

Wonder Woman, the beloved 1970s live-action television series starring Lynda Carter, has been remastered and is coming to Blu-ray™! Wonder Woman: The Complete Collection arrives from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on July 28, 2020.

Save the world? That’s a man’s job. Then along comes star-spangled Wonder Woman with her bullet-deflecting bracelets and golden lariat to set everyone straight. With Lynda Carter staring as the title character, Season One features adventures in Wonder Woman’s original World War II era, while Seasons Two and Three whoosh forward to the disco-loving ‘70s.  Times change. The need to smash evil, calamity and injustice does not.

The Wonder Woman: The Complete Collection Blu-ray box set (USA $64.99 SRP, Canada $69.99 CAN) comes complete with all 59 episodes, plus the treasured pilot movie, across 10 discs. Bonus features include:

  • Audio commentary of the pilot movie by Lynda Carter & executive producer Douglas S. Cramer
  • Audio commentary by Lynda Carter on the episode, “My Teenage Idol is Missing”
  • Featurette – Beauty, Brawn, and Bulletproof Bracelets: A Wonder Woman Retrospective
  • Featurette – Revolutionizing a Classic: From Comic Book to Television
  • Featurette – Wonder Woman: The Ultimate Feminist Icon

The TV movie pilot, The New Original Wonder Woman, premiered on November 7, 1975, on ABC. The first season of the series, Wonder Woman, debuted February 16, 1977 on ABC. The second and third seasons of the series aired on CBS, with the final original episode premiering on September 11, 1979.

The Wonder Woman series starred Lynda Carter in the title role as both Wonder Woman and her alter ego, Diana Prince, Lyle Waggoner as Steve Trevor, and Debra Winger as Wonder Girl/Drusilla. First season regulars included Beatrice Colen as Etta Candy and Richard Eastham as General Philip Blankenship. Noteworthy guest stars included such luminaries of the era as singer/actor Rick Springfield, Red Buttons, Roy Rogers, Roddy McDowall, Frank Gorshin, Celeste Holm, Martin Mull, Dick Gautier, Ron Ely, Gary Burghoff, Leif Garrett, Ed Begley Jr., Dick Van Patten, Eve Plumb, Philip Michael Thomas, Cloris Leachman, Gavin MacLeod, Carolyn Jones, Joan Van Ark, Robert Reed, Anne Francis, John Saxon and many more.

Aftershock Comics sends out an S.O.S.: Support Our Shops!

There’s a lot of change in the air, and in so many cases, it’s nice to see how the COVID crisis is bringing out our better angels – especially when it comes to publishers and retailers.

Inc. Magazine recently called Independent Bookstores “the baby seals of commerce–at once universally beloved and endangered.” The same could be said for comic shops, except for the universally loved part. Here’s an innovative ideas from forward-thinking entrepreneurs designed to create something positive for both these retailer channels.

Aftershock Comics has a program designed to help comic shops. It’s called S.O.S. which stands for “Support Our Shops”.  This is a cool program that’s elegant in its simplicity. Aftershock created & printed a one-shot anthology comic, S.O.S., and is giving copies of it to comic shops that have been supporting their line, no strings attached!  Comic shops can sell their copies at whatever price they set (it feels like at least a $5.99 comic to me), offer it as buy-one-get-one with other Aftershock comics, or just give it away to reward customers.

The comic itself is gorgeous! Painter David Mack delivers yet another hauntingly beautiful cover, full of hope and brightness, just like the comic itself.  The issue is packed full of short stories from top creators wistfully celebrating fans’ interactions with and appreciation of comic shops.

Editor Joe Pruett has pulled together an impressive list of talents for this funny-book version of a charity concert. Contributors include Cullen Bunn, Steve Orlando, Leila Leiz, Stephanie Phillips, Marshall Dillon and more.  In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to find Jerry Ordway’s story here, as I don’t associate him with Aftershock.  But wow – he delivered in spades.

Look for S.O.S. at your local comic shop, ask them to get it for you if they don’t have it, and if they give it to you for free, give them a generous tip.  It’s a fantastic book and worth every penny you can spare.  And we want to encourage innovative thinking like this, as well as help comic shops and bookstores, don’t we?

If retailers don’t already have a relationship with Aftershock, they can go to the site where all the staff is listed. https://aftershockcomics.com
IAMTW Announces 2020 Scribe Award Winners

IAMTW Announces 2020 Scribe Award Winners

2020 Scribe AwardsThe International Association of Media Tie-In Writers announced their 2020 Scribe Award winners yesterday. Normally announced during Comic-Con International, this year’s pandemic forced the organization to make a virtual announcement.

Additionally, novelist Jean Rabe was the latest tie-in author to earn a Faust Award, making her a grandmaster of tie-in fiction.

ADAPTED NOVEL–GENERAL & SPECULATIVE
Alita: Battle Angel by Pat Cadigan — Winner
Batman: The Killing Joke by Christa Faust and Gary Phillips
Doctor Who: Scratch Man by Tom Baker and James Goss
Godzilla: King of the Monsters by Greg Keyes

AUDIO DRAMAS
Diary of River Song – Concealed Weapon by Scott Handcock
Doctor Who – Companion Chronicles – Daybreak by John Pritchard
Doctor Who – 10 Doctor Adventures – The Creeping Death by Roy Gill — Winner
Torchwood – Sargasso by Christopher Cooper
Warhammer – Watcher in the Rain by Alex Worley

GRAPHIC NOVEL
Blade Runner 2019: Los Angeles by Michael Green and Mike Johnson –Winner
Doctor who—the Thirteenth Doctor: Old Friends by Jody Houser
Pet Noir by Anne Toole, Christie Yant, and Pati Nagle
Star Trek—Year Five: Valentine’s Day Special by Paul Cornell
The Wrath of Fantomas by Olivier Bouquet

ORIGINAL NOVEL–GENERAL
The Bitterest Pill by Reed Farrel Coleman — Winner
Murder, My Love by Max Allan Collins
Murder, She Wrote: A Taste For Murder by John Land

ORIGINAL NOVEL SPECULATIVE
Batman, The Court of Owls by Greg Cox — Winner (tie)
Firefly, The Magnificent Nine by James Lovegrove
Star Trek TNG, Collateral Damage by David Mack — Winner (tie)
Star Trek Discovery, The Enterprise War by John Jackson Miller
Star Wars: Galaxy Edge, Black Spire by Delilah S. Dawson
Warhammer, The Red Feast by Gav Thorpe

SHORT STORY
Deadlands Straight Out of Tombstone: “Cookie” by Shane Lacy Hensley
Tales of Basil and Meobis Fresh Hells: “Cutter & Razz” by Chris A. Jackson — Winner
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: “The Girl’s Best Friend Matter” by Bobby Nash
Lethbridge-Stewart, the HAVOC Files: “Pure History” by George Ivanoff
Dragonband, Women of the Crystal Coast: “The Queen Slayer” by Jean Rabe

YOUNG ADULT & MIDDLE GRADE
Battletech: Rogue Academy – Iron Dawn by Jennifer Brozek
Halo: Battle Born by Cassandra Rose Clarke
The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Midnight People by John Peel
Warhammer Adventures: Attack of the Necron by Cavan Scott — Winner
Warhammer Adventures: City of Lifestone by Tom Huddleston

Complete Game of Thrones hits 4K in Time for Christmas

Complete Game of Thrones hits 4K in Time for Christmas

BURBANK, CA, July 9, 2020 – The #1 selling home entertainment television series of all time*, and most-watched series in HBO history, Game of Thrones remains a blockbuster hit and cultural sensation. Now, for the first time ever, the entire series can be owned in spectacular 4K Ultra HD when Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases Game of Thrones®: The Complete Collection on 4K Ultra HD Blu-rayTM on November 3, 2020. Featuring all 73 episodes along with over 15 hours of bonus content, plus Digital Copy (US only), this must-have set is priced to own at $254.99 SRP ($289.99 in Canada). Game of Thrones Seasons 1-8 are also available to own on Digital in HD via purchase from digital retailers.

*Source: WHV Category Management, Market Insights. Data thru 6/20/20, United States.

Game of Thrones: The Complete Collection on 4K Ultra HD will also be available in an exclusive limited-edition version at Best Buy for $285.43 SRP ($320.43 in Canada). Containing the same episode and bonus content, all eight epic seasons will be featured in individual steelbooks and housed in a striking individually numbered metal case.

Based on the best-selling novel series by George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones has earned a total of 161 Emmy® nominations and 59 wins, which are the most nominations and wins of any Comedy or Drama series in Emmy history. The Cultural Phenomenon also stands as HBO’s most-viewed program ever, with the final season averaging a record-setting 44 million viewers in the U.S.

The ensemble cast includes Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister) and Iain Glen (Jorah Mormont).

“We are thrilled to offer Game of Thrones fans an in-home viewing experience worthy of the groundbreaking show with the long-awaited release of Game of Thrones:  The Complete Series on 4K Ultra HD,” said Rosemary Markson, WBHE Senior Vice President, Television Marketing.  “For the first time ever and unavailable anywhere else, loyal fans and collectors will be able to enjoy every extraordinary moment of this iconic show in eye-popping 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision HDR.  Packed with over 15 hours of special features spanning all 8 seasons and a digital copy of every episode, this collectable set also makes a perfect holiday gift!”

The 4K Ultra HD discs of Game of Thrones: The Complete Collection will feature Dolby 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.

Also, the 4K Ultra HD discs of Game of Thrones: The Complete Collection will feature Dolby Atmos® soundtracks 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; however, Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.

The 4K Ultra HD release includes over 15 hours of bonus features originally released on the 2019 Game of Thrones: The Complete Series and The Complete Collection (Limited Collector’s Edition) Blu-ray sets.

MORE THAN 15 HOURS OF BONUS FEATURES INCLUDING

  • Game of Thrones: Reunion Special: A two-part reunion show shot live in Belfast with the cast, both past and present, hosted by Conan O’Brien and available exclusively on these complete series collections. The reunion special is assembled in segments focused on Houses Lannister, Stark, & Targaryen and concludes with the key players all onstage for their final reflections on the years they shared in Westeros and Essos.
  • Game of Thrones: The Last Watch: A documentary by filmmaker Jeanie Finlay chronicling the making of the final season.
  • Conquest & Rebellion: An Animated History of Seven Kingdoms
  • Audio Commentaries, Deleted and Extended Scenes, Behind-the-scenes featurettes and much more from all 8 seasons!

DIGITAL

Game of Thrones Seasons 1-8 and The Complete Series are currently available to own on Digital. Digital purchase allows consumers to instantly stream and download to watch anywhere and anytime on their favorite devices. Digital movies and TV shows are available from various digital retailers including Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu, and others.

4K ULTRA HD

Street Date: November 3, 2020

Rating: TV-MA

33 Discs (23 BD-100s, 7 BD-66s, 3 BD-50s)

4K UHD Presented in 16×9 widescreen format

Audio: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Runtime: Feature Approx. 75 hours

Enhanced Content: Approx. 15 hours

National 4K UHD Price: $254.99 SRP US / $289.99 SRP Canada

Best Buy 4K UHD Exclusive Limited-Edition Price: $285.43 SRP US / $320.43 SRP Canada

Westworld Season Three: The New World Comes to Disc in November

Westworld Season Three: The New World Comes to Disc in November

BURBANK, CA (July 8, 2020) – Since the award-winning drama series’ debut, Westworld has captivated audiences by exploring the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin with the latest season delving into the questions surrounding free will. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will be releasing Westworld Season Three: The New World on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray, and DVD on November 17, 2020. Featuring all eight episodes from this new world’s latest evolution, along with close to two hours of bonus content including two exclusive featurettes, Westworld Season Three: The New World is priced to own at $54.97 SRP ($59.99 in Canada) for the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, $44.98 SRP ($49.99 in Canada) for the Blu-ray and $39.99 SRP ($44.99 in Canada) for the DVD. The 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack includes 2 Ultra HD Blu-ray discs in 4K with HDR, 2 Blu-ray discs, and Digital Copy. The Blu-ray also includes Digital Copy (Digital Copy US only). Westworld Season Three: The New World is also available to own on Digital via purchase from digital retailers.

Following the aftermath of last season’s Westworld massacre, “hosts” Dolores, Maeve, Bernard, and Charlotte Hale begin a new chapter – outside of the park – exploring the “real world” and who they will become in the wake of their liberation. Over the course of eight hour-long episodes, Season Three finds Dolores prepared to wage war on humanity and Bernard trying desperately to stop her, while Maeve reunites with familiar faces in a new realm – and all discover that the world outside is as full of deception and predetermination as the one they’ve always known.

“With spectacular new settings and captivating characters, Westworld continues its mind-bending journey,” said Rosemary Markson, Senior Vice President, TV Marketing, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. “We are thrilled to release Westworld Season 3: The New World for fans to experience this next evolution in jaw-dropping 4K UHD resolution and with all-new behind-the-scenes bonus content.”

The first two seasons of Westworld received a combined 43 Emmy® nominations.  The second season’s 20 Emmy® nominations resulted in three wins, including Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Thandie Newton), Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) and Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series.

Westworld Season Three: The New World features returning cast members including Evan Rachel Wood as Dolores Abernathy, Emmy® winner Thandie Newton as Maeve Millay, Ed Harris as the Man in Black, Jeffrey Wright as Bernard Lowe, Tessa Thompson as Charlotte Hale, Luke Hemsworth as Ashley Stubbs and Simon Quarterman as Lee Sizemore.

Joining the cast this season are Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad, Bojack Horseman”) and Vincent Cassel (Black Swan), alongside recurring guest stars Lena Waithe (Twenties, Queen & Slim), Scott Mescudi (upcoming We Are Who We Are), Marshawn Lynch (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), John Gallagher Jr. (The Newsroom and Olive Kitteridge), Michael Ealy (Stumptown) and Tommy Flanagan (Sons of Anarchy).

Westworld was created for television by Jonathan Nolan & Lisa Joy, who are executive producers with J.J. Abrams, Ben Stephenson, Athena Wickham, Richard J. Lewis, and Denise Thé. Production companies: Kilter Films and Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television; based on the film written by Michael Crichton.

The 4K Ultra HD discs of Westworld Season Three: The New World will feature Dolby Visionä 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.

Also, the 4K Ultra HD discs and Blu-ray discs of Westworld Season Three: The New World will feature Dolby Atmos® soundtracks 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; however, Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.

8 ONE-HOUR EPISODES

  1. Parce Domine
  2. The Winter Line
  3. The Absence of Field
  4. The Mother of Exiles
  5. Genre
  6. Decoherence
  7. Passed Pawn
  8. Crisis Theory

BONUS FEATURES

  • We Live in a Technocracy – Exclusive to 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-ray and DVD
  • Rico – Exclusive to 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-ray and DVD
  • A Vision for the Future – Exclusive to 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-ray and DVD
  • Westworld on Location – Home Entertainment Exclusive
  • Escape from Westworld
  • Exploring War World
  • Creating Westworld’s Reality: Parce Domine
  • Creating Westworld’s Reality: The Absence of Field
  • Creating Westworld’s Reality: The Mother of Exiles
  • Creating Westworld’s Reality: Genre
  • Creating Westworld’s Reality: Decoherence
  • Creating Westworld’s Reality: Passed Pawn
  • Creating Westworld’s Reality: Crisis Theory
  • Welcome to Westworld: Evan Rachel Wood & Aaron Paul – Analysis
  • Welcome to Westworld: Evan Rachel Wood & Aaron Paul – Who Said It?
  • Welcome to Westworld: Thandie Newton & Tessa Thompson – Analysis
  • Welcome to Westworld: Thandie Newton & Tessa Thompson – Who Said It?

DIGITAL

The third season of Westworld is currently available to own on Digital. Digital purchase allows consumers to instantly stream and download to watch anywhere and anytime on their favorite devices. Digital movies and TV shows are available from various digital retailers including Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu, and others.

BASICS

Street Date: November 17, 2020
Order Due Date: October 13, 2020
4K UHD, BD and DVD Presented in 16×9 widescreen format
Running Time: Feature: Approx. 480 min.
Enhanced Content: Approx. 106 min.

DVD
Price: $39.99 SRP US / $44.99 SRP Canada
3 Discs (3 DVD-9s)
DVD Audio: English 5.1
Subtitles: English

BLU-RAY
Price: $44.98 SRP US / $49.99 SRP Canada (No Digital Copy)
3 Discs (2 BD-50s)
BD Audio: English 5.1
Subtitles: English

4K ULTRA HD
Price: $54.97 SRP US / $59.99 SRP Canada (No Digital Copy)
6 Discs (3 BD-100s / 3 BD-50s)
4K UHD Audio: English 5.1

4-time Oscar Nominated District 9 hits 4K Disc Release in Oct.

4-time Oscar Nominated District 9 hits 4K Disc Release in Oct.

SYNOPSIS

From producer Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) and director, Neill Blomkamp comes a startlingly original science fiction thriller that “soars on the imagination of its creators” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone). With stunning special effects and gritty realism, the film plunges us into a world where the aliens have landed… only to be exiled to a slum on the fringes of Johannesburg. Now, one lone human discovers the mysterious secret of the extraterrestrial weapon technology. Hunted and hounded through the bizarre back alleys of an alien shantytown, he will discover what it means to be the ultimate outsider on your own planet.

BONUS MATERIAL 
4K ULTRA HD BONUS MATERIALS:

  • Comic-Con Extravaganza Featurette
  • Original Theatrical Trailers

BLU-RAY™ BONUS MATERIALS:

  • Hours of Archival Special Features Including:
    • Deleted Scenes
    • Director’s Commentary
    • The Alien Agenda: A Filmmaker’s Log – Three-Part Documentary
    • Metamorphosis: The Transformation of Wikus
    • Innovation: Acting and Improvisation
    • Conception and Design: Creating the World of District 9
    • Alien Generation: Visual Effects
    • Joburg from Above: Interactive Map of Satellite and Schematics of the World of District 9

CAST AND CREW

Cast: Sharlto Copley, David James, Jason Cope, Mandla Gaduka, William Allen Young, Vanessa Haywood, Kenneth Nkosi, Eugene Khumbanyiwa, Louis Minnaar, Hlengiwe Madlala
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Written by: Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
Producers: Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham
Executive Producers: Bill Block and Ken Kamins
Co-Executive Producers: Paul Hanson, Elliot Ferwerda

SPECS 
Run Time: 112 minutes
Rating: Rated R for bloody violence and pervasive language
Feature: 2160p Ultra High Definition/1.85:1
Audio: English 7.1 Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible), English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, French, Spanish, English – Audio Description Track 5.1 Dolby Digital