Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
I just received a booklet advertising Comic-Con International and it had this cool cover by Adam Hughes.
Held annually in San Diego, Comic-Con International is one of the biggest comic conventions in the country [probably the world]!
Although I’ve never attended, I’ve thought about going. Each year the con gets bigger and bigger… I guess if it keeps expanding and I wait long enough, it’ll come to me.
Thomas “Tiger” Vidmar recently contacted me. Tiger hosts a talk show program in Vegas. He said he was going to send me a copy of one of his programs [a call in with Elvis!] and a t-shirt.
Today the package arrived. It contained a nice workout t-shirt, a very nice golf hat, a soundtrack album [?] that he produced [!], and a copy of his call in show with Elvis.
So I listened to the call-in with Elvis. Funny and strange. I listened to the soundtrack for “Puckhead” which is a Tigar Vidmar production. It was an ecclectic mix of everything. Bob Dylan, Louis Armstrong,. Gene Autry, Dean Martin, The Mighty Mouse Theme song and more are on it. I’ve listened to it twice! LOL! I like the crazy mix.
So then I visted Tiger’s website. There I discovered that in addition to hosting a radio program, creating a “soundtrack album,” and producing shirts and hats [with his “Hombre de Palo” character], Tiger has also written a book which will be available this fall, and created a series of prints featuring his character!
Tiger seems to be a man with all kinds of grand ideas… but he’s doing something with them!
Tim will have his next show on August 20th. My buddy, Bill Black will be on hand [along with star Brenna Barry] to screen “Gargantarma” a documentary which explores the history of giant women in cinema. Legendary comic artist, Nick Cardy, will be the guest of honor! Several other guests will be on hand.
If you’re able to make it, you should plan on joining us!
Variety reports that:
FX has greenlit The Shield for a final batch of 13 episodes, which will premiere in early 2008.
The sixth season is currently in production and will begin airing early next year.
At this point it looks like the episodes in 2008 will be it for the show. FX president-general manager John Landgraf has said, “Shawn (Ryan — creator of The Shield) and I have been discussing how it will end.. I know what the arc is of the final season, almost through the last episode, and this is definitely the end of it.”
I’ll be sad to see The Shield end, but I do like the idea of it following it’s course to a definite conclusion. [Hopefully Lost will do the same.]
I can’t remember the last time I liked both a song and the video for it so much.
I can remember buying the first issue of Dark Horse Presents right off the rack. Chris Warner’s Black Cross was on the cover and in the lead story. [For the record, I really think it’s time for a new Chris Warner Black Cross mini-series.] The rest of the book featured Concrete [Paul Chadwick‘s story and art], Mindwalk [Randy Stradley and Randy Emberlin], and Brighter [art and story by Paul Chadwick]. I knew this little comic company had a bright future…
So here we are twenty years later. Dark Horse has decided to publish a celebration comic of sorts. Aptly titled, Dark Horse Twenty Years, will feature art by Art Adams, Sergio Aragonés, Paul Chadwick, Adam Hughes, Frank Miller, Cary Nord, Eric Powell, Matt Wagner, Chris Warner, Joss Whedon, Mike Mignola, and many others!
What will make this even more fun is that every page will feature a different piece, with each showcasing a character from the company’s rich history. As an added bonus, instead of drawing their own creations, the artists have traded titles, so they can provide an unexpected take on the characters that made Dark Horse famous!
The final kicker? As a gift to fans, Dark Horse is pricing this bad boy at just a quarter!
* One of his limited edition signed and numbered sketchbooks
* Preliminary art that Mike created as possible covers to a Wally Wood tribute book
* A rare [#1 of six] Marvel Punisher portfolio [Mike has autographed all plates and is including an original sketch]
* The first preliminary sketch that Mike worked up for the portfolio
* The second prelim that Mike created for the portfolio
You can’t go wrong if you win any of the auctions. Zeck is the man. [But you already knew that, didn’t you?]
It’s been a while since we checked on on “300.” There’s a lot of stuff going on.
Head over and check it out. I’ll be here when you get back.
Lost “deluxe boxed sets” will also be available. The first series of Lost figures is scheduled to be released this November.
Mel was giving the troops the famous pep-talk. You know the one… “They can take our lives, but they’ll never take our FREEEEEEEEEDOM!”
The next thing you know we were both grinning from ear to ear as we spouted classic lines from “Braveheart.”
I can remember Entertainment Tonight doing a piece about “action star” Mel Gibson on location starring in and directing “Braveheart.” I thought at the time, “Man, is he taking a risk!” Mel was walking away from barrels of money to do another “Lethal Weapon” and instead was directing [and starring in] a movie about some guy who lived hundreds of years ago that hardly anybody even knew existed.
We all know how it turned out.
Just a few years ago I remember when I first heard Mel‘s plans for “The Passion of the Christ.” This time Mel was walking away from trunkloads of money for another “Lethal Weapon” to instead direct a movie [which he wasn’t going to star in] about Jesus Christ. To make the movie even more unlikely to be successful, it didn’t feature a cast of international [or even national] superstars and was subtitled!
We all know how it turned out.
Mel’s next film, Apocalypto, is a violent tale which takes place 3,000 years ago and follows a Mayan hero who is on the run. Gibson won’t appear in the film and it will be subtitled.
Anyone wonder how it will turn out?
Wolverine used to be my favorite comic character. That was back in the days when Chris Claremont [writer], John Byrne [penciler] and Terry Austin [inker] were amazing everyone with the classic comics that they were creating. At that time Wolverine was the cool secondary character that would have only a scene or two, but more likely than not, they’d be THE scenes that you’d remember.
Not much was known about Wolverine. What we did know made him an unlikely American comic book hero. He was from Canada. He was a loner. He was just a bit over five feet tall. He had a berserker rage and would actually kill those who threatened him or his friends. No other hero in comics looked or acted like Wolverine.
Of course over the years, because of the popularity of the character, he’s been over-exposed. He’s been a secret agent, a team leader, a father figure, a pirate, etc., etc. etc..
Even his look has changed. Hugh Jackman is tall and lean. Wolverine should be short and stout [no teapot jokes, please]. Robert Blake in his prime would have made a great Wolverine.
The classic Wolverine is still Byrne and Austin‘s version. Frank Miller and Joe Rubinstein‘s take is also a favorite of mine. Not too long ago I talked about some new riffs on Wolverine. Joe Lisner’s Wolverine looks interesting too. All of these guys draw the shorter Wolverine, like he’s supposed to be. The funny thing is, most folks who only know Wolverine from the movies will think that he should be drawn taller.
Sage Stallone, Sly‘s oldest son, and a talented actor, writer and director in his own right, recently checked in with some photos that he thought StalloneZoners might enjoy. They were taken by his mother, Sasha Stallone.
Sasha, Sly‘s first wife, is an accomplished photographer. Many fans will know her from her photos of Sly which appeared in books, magazines and even posters back in the day.
This is a shot of Sly and Rocky producer, Irwin Winkler, taken in 1976.
Sage writes that this photo was taken by Sasha on the streets of New York City before Rocky!
Sage writes that this photo was taken “way before Rocky… dad was writing “Poe”… and posing as Poe!”
Sage goes on to say, “Mom tells me this was taken at Bloomingdales in ‘71!
I want to thank Sasha Stallone for allowing us access to the rare photographs from her personal collection. Most fans know that Sasha was Sly’s first wife and the mother of his two sons, Sage and Seargeoh. Sasha and Sly were together years before “Rocky” made him an international superstar.
Sly has always credited Sasha with being totally supportive in his quest to make it as actor / writer / director. Not only did Sasha type his scripts, but when they were nearly broke and she was pregnant with Sage, Sasha totally supported Sly‘s decision to turn down hundreds of thousands of dollars to sell the “Rocky” script and let someone else take the starring role.
Sasha‘s photographs have appeared in national magazines, books, and posters. Sasha occasionally acts. She most recently took a role in Sage‘s film “Vic” where she also served as set photographer.
| I want to thank Sage Stallone for allowing us access to the rare photographs from his family’s personal collection.
Most fans know Sage as Sly‘s real-life son or as Rocky‘s kid from “Rocky V.” What many people forget is “Rocky V” was released 16 years ago! Sage is now a young man, about the age that Sly was when he made “Rocky.” In addition to acting, Sage is also a writer, director and co-founder of Grindhouse Releasing. His short film “Vic” will be on the festival circuit this year. I’m hoping to interview Sage in the near future, so if you have any questions you’d like to throw his way, e-mail me and you may get your answers! I’ll also keep SZoners updated on which festivals Sage will be attending so that we can go out and support his efforts. Thanks again to Sage and Sasha Stallone! – Craig |
Fear Agent has been one of Image‘s most popular comics with each issue selling out! Fans and pros alike are jumping on the Fear Agent bandwagon. In fact Remender and Moore started hearing from so many pros who wanted to do a story about Heath Huston that starting with issue 5, “Tales of the Fear Agent” will begin appearing as an 8 page back-up to the main story.
So far Steve Niles, Jeff Parker, Kieron Dwyer, Eric Powell, Jason Latour, Mike Manley, Dan Panosian and many others have signed on! If you aren’t reading Fear Agent, maybe it’s time for you to sign on too!
In college I got into King in a big way. I was reading everything that he published. The Shinning [great book — I read it in a single night! and a pretty scary movie], Salem’s Lot [another excellent novel with a cool, modern twist on vampires — and a decent tv mini-series] The Dead Zone [perhaps the best movie adaptation of a King novel] … and the hits just kept on coming [although the movies weren’t always as good]… The Stand, Cujo, Pet Sematary, Firestarter, Christine, It, etc. etc. etc.
I did buy and immediately read Cell when it came out in hardcover. I was hoping for a more traditional zombie story, but never the less, I did really enjoy it.
Tomorrow night ABC is presenting a three hour adaptation of Desperation. For some reason, I’m really looking forward to it. Most likely I’ll record it for viewing some late weekend night. I haven’t read the book, but if the movie is works, perhaps it’ll give me just enough reason to pull it off the shelf and see if the novel is good enough to make it to the book case.
