Yes…we added a few new things. Okay, I’m downplaying it; we got 15 million more things. T-Shirts, specifically. More than enough, really. If you like comics but don’t usually go so far as buying a t-shirt…well, maybe for the benefit of others, you reconsider. We really need the space, I need a new car, you need a reason to tick off your parents and I need a new trampoline. Yes, and the car. So…….what you should be focusing on…
It’s the Avengers “A” Symbol T-Shirt! It’s every freakin’ conceivable Avenger (cranium) floating within the Avengers’ “A” symbol! The Avengers are Marvel’s premiere super-team, bound together in the hopes of defending…those of us who can’t fly, usually, or those of us who look especially tasty to Ultron. Yep. Anyway, just check out this cranial collection of classic and contemporary Avengers members: It’s the Black Smoke! It’s Hardy Robot! It’s Captain Altruistic! It’s the Red Temptress! And look, there’s Sir Viking! Yep, all the classic characters!
Good gravy, it’s the GALACTUS. Need We Say More? 30 Single T-Shirt! Where were you when Galactus showed up, hovering above New Jersey? Where was I? I was at home, glued to the television, eating a moonpie between 2 pieces of pizza….which layered the top of an ice-cream cake. Yep. I was watching as people milling about full service gas stations were deprived of their personal gravity and sucked into the eyes of Galactus. I was finishing my 13th can of Pringles when footage of Captain America screaming at Galactus’ foot started playing and recycling every 75 seconds. If you watched it enough, you could sort of distinguish what Cap was saying. Something like, “America is big enough to kick you in the @$#@$%!” Something like that.
Have you seen these? The Amazon Silver Bracers Set? They’re high grade stainless steel. No, they’re not divinely constructed, but they sort of look like it, don’t they? Yeah, they do. So, will the wearer of these costume bracers gain the ability to deflect bullets, spears, pumpkins, cats or popsicles? Probably not. Wait….maybe the popsicles. Anyway, they’re just freaking awesome. Really. They absolutely look the part if what you’re looking for happens to be magical bracers crafted by once revered deities that spent a lot of time making each other miserable. Yup.
Okay, I know I wanted you to pick a t-shirt, but……what the heck, the bracers are shiny. That’s beneficial, right? Hang ‘em from your dang rear-view for all I care. Anyway, there they are; cool stuff that lays the foundation for more cool stuff. That lays the foundation for more cool stuff. You ever drown in cool? Nope? Well, it’s happening to me right now (cough-cack!).
Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are back as Sherlock Holmes and formidable colleague, Dr. Watson, in “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.” Holmes has always been the smartest man in the room until the new criminal mastermind at Professor Moriarty (played by Jared Harris, TV’s “Mad Men,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and also played the voice of Ridley in Tales of the Black Freighter) shows up. Moriarty is Holmes’ intellectual equal with a capacity for evil and complete lack of conscience proves to give our renowned detective a run for his money.
Holmes’ investigation into Moriarty’s plot becomes increasingly more dangerous as it leads him and Watson out of London and across Europe, to France, Germany and Switzerland. But Moriarty is always one step ahead, weaving and spinning a web of death and destruction, which, come to find out, is all part of a greater evil plot that will change the course of history…. or, in their case, the future. See, it’s changing our history, or, our fictional history which ties into Holmes’ stories but since it hasn’t happened yet… ugh… it’s just like in the Start Trek movie with changing time and stuff.
Guy Ritchie returns to direct “Game of Shadows,” .. you thought I was going to say Game of Thrones, didn’t you.
In her first English-speaking role, Swedish actress Noomi Rapace, who gained international attention in the Swedish film “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” plays Sim. Stephen Fry (“Alice in Wonderland,” “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”) is Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s older brother.
“Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” is written by Michele Mulroney & Kieran Mulroney. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson were created by the late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and appear in stories and novels by him. Go out and start reading some Sherlock, it won’t disappoint.
The Adventures of Tintin – December 23
The Adventures of Tintin is a series of classic comic books created by the Belgian artist Georges Rémi (1907–1983). It is one of the most popular European comics of the 20th century, translated into more than 80 languages and more than 350 million copies of the books sold to date. Set during a largely realistic 20th century, the hero, Tintin, is a young Belgian reporter who ends up on adventures to far away places. With him is his faithful fox terrier dog Snowy.
Additional cast include cynical & grumpy Captain Haddock, the intelligent but hearing-impaired Professor Calculus, two incompetent detectives Thomson and Thompson. The author, pen named Hergé, himself is featured in several of the comics as a background character, thinking of Alfred Hitchcock here. Appears to be a promising family flick.
2012
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance – February 17
Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter – Feb 22 Read the book. It’s pretty good.
The Avengers – May 4
Men In Black III – May 25
John Carter of Mars – March 9
Prometheus – June 8 Prequel to Alien, directed by Ridley Scott
G.I. Joe 2 – June 29
Amazing Spider-Man – July 3
Batman: The Dark Knight Rises – July 20
Total Recall – Aug 3 starring Colin Farrell
Dredd – Sept 21
The Hobbit Pt.1 – Dec 19
300: Battle of Artemisia
Akira
Dark Tower
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance – Feb 17
Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, Nicolas Cage will reprise his role as Johnny Blaze / Ghost Rider. It is the second film to be released under the Marvel Knights banner after 2008′s Punisher: War Zone.
Set several years after the first film, Johnny Blaze, a tormented soul who is convinced that his powers are a curse, is in self-imposed exile from the world. Blaze is approached by Moreau, a member of the monastic order of Michael, the warrior angel. Moreau seeks a protector for a mother and son duo who are being hunted by a figure named Roarke – a fellow with a detailed knowledge of the Ghost Rider and his different identities over the centuries
This isn’t from the movie, it’s just an ad for the book.
The Avengers – May 4
Written and directed by Joss Whedon, featuring an ensemble cast, including Robert Downey, Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Evans (Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury).
When an unexpected enemy emerges who threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, the director of the S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division), finds himself in need of a team of superheroes and ends up recruiting Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Captain America to pull the world back from the brink of disaster and destruction.
Tom Hiddleston is back as Norse god of mischief, and adopted brother to Thor, Loki who comes to Earth to subjugate it, to rule the human race as their king. About his character, Hiddleston said, “I think the Loki we see in The Avengers is further advanced. You have to ask yourself the question: how pleasant an experience is it disappearing into a wormhole that has been created by some kind of super nuclear explosion of his own making? So I think by the time Loki shows up in The Avengers he’s seen a few things.”
Cobie Smulders is S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill who works closely with Nick Fury. Regarding her preparation, Smulders stated, “I hired this amazing black-ops trainer to teach me how to hold a gun, take me to a shooting range, how to hit, how to hold myself, how to walk and basically how to look. I don’t do a ton of fighting in the movie, which is why I wasn’t offered a trainer, but I wanted to look like I had the ability to. And I really just got down and dirty with the character, but then I finally went on set; when you’re about to roll, all the “blubbity blue” you’ve been working on kind of messes with you. And you become a little bit detached.”
Note: S.H.I.E.L.D. the espionage and secret military law-enforcement agency was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 (Aug. 1965). The acronym originally stood for Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division. It was changed in 1991 to Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate and when the Marvel movies started hitting the scene, it changed once again to Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.
Based off the Hasbro game. … no, we’re not kidding.
Battleship is directed by Peter Berg who’s done a lot of TV, Prime Suspect (TV series), Friday Night Lights (TV series) & Trauma (TV series), but not much for producing movies. Alexander Skarsgård, who’s done Straw Dogs, and played Eric Northman in True Blood (TV series). Taylor Kitsch, John Carter, Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine , Friday Night Lights (TV series) and smoking hot Brooklyn Decker, Jessica Simpson clone, plays Sam(antha).
In the Hawaiian Islands, the naval fleet engage in intense battle against an alien race known as “The Regents”. The aliens come to planet Earth, to build a power source in the Pacific Ocean. The film is to show both sides of the story, the aliens’ as well as the humans’ so the audience knows exactly where the opponent’s ships are.
John Carter of Mars – June 8
You might remember Taylor Kitsch as Tim Riggins in Friday Night Lights (TV series), or better as Remy LeBeau/Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. What’s interesting is that Edgar Rice Burroughs, played by Daryl Sabara, actually wrote himself in his own books as a surrogate nephew to John Carter.
John Carter
Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote the Barsoom series of John Carter from 1912 – 1964. Captain John Carter is an Earthman, was a Virginian who fought in the American Civil war as a Confederate soldier. After the Civil War, Carter moved to the SW United States to work as a prospector. In 1866 he and his prospector partner strike wealth; but the partner is killed by Indians and Carter takes refuge in a cave where he is overcome by smoke produced by an Indian woman. Carter wakes up to find himself on Mars. While on Mars, Carter was believed to be dead by those who knew him on Earth, but he re-emerges in New York 10 years later in 1876, settling on the Hudson River.
John Carter appeared to die in 1886, leaving instructions for a Burroughs, who refers to him as an ‘uncle’ of the family, to entomb him in a crypt, and leaving Burroughs with the manuscript of A Princess of Mars with instructions not to publish it for another 21 years. He has no memory before the age of 30 and seems never to age. If you haven’t read the books, you can start with A Princess of Mars or you might be interested in the recent John Carter comic book, Warlord of Mars.
Ridley Scott‘s Prometheus – Jun 8
Director Ridley Scott’s sci-fi pic Prometheus has been shrouded in mystery for some time, up till now as the first crop of actor-revealing images appear in this week’s EW. We get a look at stars Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender in spacesuits on an unknown planet, a gigantic head statue, and what look to be primitive forms of the eggs seen in Alien. “What are they?? …. they look like eggs of some sort that house a creature that might kill all of us. .. let’s take a closer look and see.” We also get a peek at Charlize Theron and Idris Elba.
Long said to be a prequel to Scott’s sci-fi/horror classic Alien, the director recently revealed that the last eight minutes of Prometheus will “evolve into a pretty good DNA of the Alien one.” Keep an eye out for the trailer. Prometheus opens in 3D on June 8th, 2012.
Dredd - Sept 21
In a violent, futuristic city where the police have the authority to act as judge, jury and executioner, a cop teams with a trainee to take down a gang that deals the reality-altering drug, SLO-MO
As in, Judge Dredd! Karl Urban, who played McCoy/Bones in Star Trek (2009), Vaako in The Chronicles of Riddick, and Eomer in The Lord of the Rings, is playing Judge Dredd. Apparently, all you’ll see is his lower face since he’s not removing his helmet through the entire movie since it is verbotten, says the comic geeks, to show Dredd without his helmet. Directed by Pete Travis, who directed Endgame & Vantage Point. Also starring Olivia Thirlby, from Juno,
Dec 19 – The Hobbit Pt.1
2013
The Wolverine – Jan 1
Iron Man 3 – May 3
Man of Steel – June 14
RED 2 – Aug
Hancock 2 – 2013
The Flash – 2013
Teen Titans – 2013
X-Men Origins: Magneto – 2013
The Hobbit Pt.2- Dec 1
Billy Batson and the Legend of Shazam
Venom
Flash Gordon
Luke Cage
Justice League – Mortal
Runaways
Lobo
Die Hard 5
Dorothy of Oz
Dracula 3D
Flash Gordon
Gambit
Green Lantern 2
HALO
Star Trek 2
Hellboy 3
Logan’s Run
Oblivian
R.I.P.D. – A recently slain cop joins a team of undead police officers working for the Rest in Peace Department and tries to find the man who murdered him. Based on the comic by Peter M. Lenkov. R.I.P.D. is a Dark Horse publication. Staring Ryan Reynolds. … yes, Ryan Reynolds.
Deadpool (2014)
Sin City 2
Ant-Man (2014)
Kick-Ass 2: Balls To The Wall
Wanted 2
Doctor Strange
Iron Fist
Nick Fury
Silver Surfer
Sub-Mariner
Thundercats
As you have already heard, Marvel Studios’ upcoming superhero movie ‘The Avengers‘ will be hitting the screens 2012! It will pull many of the superheroes, we’ve recently seen, together into one very cool major story line, starring: Robert Downey Jr.(Iron Man, Iron Man 2), Chris Evans (Fantastic Four I, II) as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth(Star Trek: George Kirk/Jame’s father) as Thor and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.
It’s also rumored that Edward Norton “might” make an appearance as The Hulk and Lou Ferrigno “might” provide some of The Incredible Hulk’s voice! You didn’t hear it from me, but the new Spider-Man is also rumored to swing on by… but don’t quote me on that, ‘specially since it’s just wishful thinking.
One of the OH-SO EXCELLENT parts of this story is that Joss Whedon, my master, is going to, not only direct the Avengers movie, he’s also going to replace Zak Penn and rewrite the script! TFG!!! Zak Penn provided the original story for The Avengers movie. … Zak Penn?? Lemme tell you a little about Zak penn the “writer.”
The Avengers Poster
He writes screenplays, and he must be sleeping with some very powerful dudes because he’s been doing it in the superhero universe now for a quite some time. He wrote or created the screenplays for The Last Action Hero, with Governor Awnold: Rotten Tomatoes (RT:39), Inspector Gadget (RT:29), X2 (RT:88), X-Men: The Last Stand (RT:57), and Elektra (RT:10!), Hulk (RT:61), and The Incredible Hulk (RT:66)… why is this guy allowed to even come near comics much less comics made into movies??
Joss, My Master, Whedon
Why will The Avengers be the greatest thing since Netflix and Tivo? One word… Joss Friggin’ Whedon!! If you don’t know who Joss Whedon, my master, is, you’ll still recognize his work we’ve been lucky enough to view over the years. He created, wrote and directed all 145 episodes of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” (1997) featuring uber-smoking-hot babe Sarah Michelle Gellar. Totally missed her in Maxim, but I should be able to pick one up from Brian.
The Buffy “Hush” episode was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2000 for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series, featuring 28 minutes without dialogue, where some fairytale demons, “the Gentlemen” steal voices, and the hearts (literally) from the people of Sunnydale.
Buffy Comic Season 8
Even more impressive, Joss wrote the lyrics and music for the Buffy musical “Once More, with Feeling.”
Who cares? I’ll tell you who cares, and it’ll explain why everyone now worships Whedon because you CANNOT watch “Once More, with Feeling” without saying it’s one of the best gorram shows ever written! The original airing of “Once More, with Feeling” had 5.4 million viewers and was ranked at number 14 by TV Guide for “TV’s Top 100 Episodes of All Time.” It was voted the 13th greatest musical of all time in a recent poll from Channel 4 (the British TV Channel). and was nominated for a Hugo award – but lost to LOTR: The Fellowship of the Rings, which says nothing because ANYTHING pitted against LOTR will lose! It also win the Motion Picture Sound Editors Guild Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing in Television – Music, Episodic Live Action. In short, that one episode KICKS TOTAL ASS!
Buffy Comic Season 8 - Zander w/Nick Fury Look
In 2002 Whedon created and directed “Firefly,” an American space western television series set in the distant future 2517. The show is set where humans have found a new star system, exploring the lives of 9 crew members living abourd the space ship Serenity who fought on the losing side of a civil war who now make a living on the outskirts of the society in the space-pioneer culture that exists on the fringes of their star system.
Firefly/Serenity Crew
It is a future, created with amazing foresight, where the United States and China are the only two surviving superpowers, which have fused together to form a central federal government, called the Alliance. Whedon went on to create “Serenity,” the movie based on the Firefly series and if you haven’t seen it I HIGHLY suggest seeing the entire Firefly series first! To get a feel for Firefly… imagine a story that circumnavigates around Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon, throw in some Western pioneering tales, mannerisms and ol’ style speech, throw in some revolver pistols, cowboy boots and suspenders add some uber hot babes, sprinkle a smattering of Chinese-English Pigeon and you have Firefly, one HELLOFA tv show.
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
In 2008 Whedon created and directed “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” a musical tragicomedy short film made exclusively for Internet distribution. Dr. Horrible is a story of an aspiring supervillain, obviously named Dr. Horrible (remember Doogie Houser who later became the empath in Starship Troopers?), along with Captain Hammer, Horrible’s arch nemesis (who also just so happens to be Captain Mal Reynolds on Firefly); and Penny, their mutual love interest. It has been touted as “a site-crashing success” by all geeks and uber-geeks alike.
In short, you need to put all these on your Netflix queue; Buffy, Firefly, Serenity and go watch Dr. Horrible here, and go read the Buffy Comic Season 8! The Avengers is now expected to be a panty dropping, pants peeing success. I for one, will be picking my panties up repeatedly in anticipation for this flick!
The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, created by Marvel Animation, a division of Marvel Entertainment, is going to be one of the break-in synergies between Marvel & Disney.
The crappy looking animated series, which appears to be a take on the WB big-jawed, 2D animation, is just a step backwards in what’s considered, “good art.” Come on, yeah, we love the Avengers and I’m sure the story line is right on the money (.. pray.. hope) but enough of this Hannah Barbera art already! Seriously, this simpleton art is like… from the 60s and is only done to save money. Yeah, we’re in bed with Marvel and DC. And Yeah we love Spidey, Iron Man, Bats and Superman. And who could say “No” to Wonder Woman or Scarlet Witch, or Black Widow… Rawrrrrr, for that matter? Regardless… someone just has to say, “NO! GIVE US BETTER ART!”
Not that we can really do anything about it, but still. Take a look-see at a simple comparison between “bad art” and “good art.” Looking at the WB style, you have the Fred Flintstone type of thing going on, where the artists used to paint a picture of Fred’s body and then rotate between 3-4 different images for the mouth and legs to give the impression that Fred was actually saying something or moving from one place to the other, like from the bowling alley to Barney’s place.. while Barney’s at work.
Seriously, this is maybe one step forward in the “can do” direction because you can see a little reflection on Bats’ and Supes’ undies… see that little blue and red stripe? That’s skill baby! Quality work.
You want more? … Too bad, neither do I, but we’re gettin’ it. Let’s take a look-see at what Marvel/Disney’s feeding us. Dissecting the Avengers image, you can see the masterful work that goes on in the new animated series. … notice reflection in Iron Man’s helmet conotating superior quality art as they are implying a rounded, metallic surface. Whatevah. I’m not EVEN going to go on about Thor. … note two-tone hair color, another reflection on his shiny, conditioned hair. Thunder gods use Head & Shoulders.
You get my point. To see “good art.” We don’t have to go no further than opening an over priced Ultimate Alliance 2, video game! You HAVE to check out the vid.
To get an idea of the quality of work they got going on, just take a look
at how much love they put into Spidey, Hulk and Iron man. It doesn’t get ANY better than this. The entire video is like this. Yeah, sure it costs lots of money. Yeah, it took the geek designers, who were obvious Marvel fans, tons of man hours to complete… but so what! In this economy, we should expect the best at export labor prices. Come on! You tell me that’s not the best rendition of Spidey! It’s perfect!
… sigh…. so, Disney XD will be showing Fred Flintstone and Snagletooth on…. I mean… the Avengers, this fall (2010) .. personally, I can’t wait! They also got, The Spectacular Spider-Man Animated Series, can anyone say Kim Possible art work?But I’m not going to rag, cause I actually like Kim Possible. .. it’s the fact that she’s tough and always rescues her friend with the stupid pink rat. Tough girls are sexy. … I shouldn’t be saying that since Kim’s still in high school … but I’m not going to analyze it too much.
Disney XD also has the X-Men cartoon too. Aside from not watching it, no high school kick-ass babes, I can’t say much more than what the hell 70s outfit is Jean Gray/Phoenix/Marvel Girl wearing? And Cyc looks like he’s been eating steroid chewables a little too often. They also have, what looks like the 1995 Spider-Man series along with Spider-man And His Amazing Friends from way back when. Hey, at least they had an excuse for crappy art, it was way back when, when they made it. … but what the hell is Spidey doing hanging with Ice man and Firestar any way? … jeeze, Marvel’s answer to the Wonder Twins.
Let’s just hope that the Mouse will be footing the bill for some quality art work that’ll follow in the footsteps of the Ultimate Alliance video game. </rant>
It’s the Avengers “A” Symbol T-Shirt! It’s every freakin’ conceivable Avenger (cranium) floating within the Avengers’ “A” symbol! The Avengers are Marvel’s premiere super-team, bound together in the hopes of defending…those of us who can’t fly, usually, or those of us who look especially tasty to Ultron. Yep. Anyway, just check out this cranial collection of classic and contemporary Avengers members: It’s the Black Smoke! It’s Hardy Robot! It’s Captain Altruistic! It’s the Red Temptress! And look, there’s Sir Viking! Yep, all the classic characters!
Galactus showed up, hovering above New Jersey? Where was I? I was at home, glued to the television, eating a moonpie between 2 pieces of pizza….which layered the top of an ice-cream cake. Yep. I was watching as people milling about full service gas stations were deprived of their personal gravity and sucked into the eyes of Galactus. I was finishing my 13th can of Pringles when footage of Captain America screaming at Galactus’ foot started playing and recycling every 75 seconds. If you watched it enough, you could sort of distinguish what Cap was saying. Something like, “America is big enough to kick you in the @$#@$%!” Something like that.
Have you seen these? The Amazon Silver Bracers Set? They’re high grade stainless steel. No, they’re not divinely constructed, but they sort of look like it, don’t they? Yeah, they do. So, will the wearer of these costume bracers gain the ability to deflect bullets, spears, pumpkins, cats or popsicles? Probably not. Wait….maybe the popsicles. Anyway, they’re just freaking awesome. Really. They absolutely look the part if what you’re looking for happens to be magical bracers crafted by once revered deities that spent a lot of time making each other miserable. Yup.
The crappy looking animated series, which appears to be a take on the WB big-jawed, 2D animation, is just a step backwards in what’s considered, “good art.” Come on, yeah, we love the Avengers and I’m sure the story line is right on the money (.. pray.. hope) but enough of this Hannah Barbera art already! Seriously, this simpleton art is like… from the 60s and is only done to save money. Yeah, we’re in bed with Marvel and DC. And Yeah we love Spidey, Iron Man, Bats and Superman. And who could say “No” to Wonder Woman or Scarlet Witch, or Black Widow… Rawrrrrr, for that matter? Regardless… someone just has to say, “NO! GIVE US BETTER ART!”
Not that we can really do anything about it, but still. Take a look-see at a simple comparison between “bad art” and “good art.” Looking at the WB style, you have the Fred Flintstone type of thing going on, where the artists used to paint a picture of Fred’s body and then rotate between 3-4 different images for the mouth and legs to give the impression that Fred was actually saying something or moving from one place to the other, like from the bowling alley to Barney’s place.. while Barney’s at work.
Seriously, this is maybe one step forward in the “can do” direction because you can see a little reflection on Bats’ and Supes’ undies… see that little blue and red stripe? That’s skill baby! Quality work.
going to go on about Thor. … note two-tone hair color, another reflection on his shiny, conditioned hair. Thunder gods use Head & Shoulders.
