Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Now that I’ve heard more about the storyline and have started to see production photos, I say, Bring it on!
This must be Riddick day… and here I thought it was just Wednesday!
Dark Horizons has posted up some shots from “The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury“, an all-new animated trip into the Riddick universe which will be released on dvd on June 15th!
[If you’re going to order on-line and use the link provided above the SZ gets a small percentage and it doesn’t raise your price!]
The trailer for The Chronicles of Riddick surprised me. I knew that Twohy and Diesel were going for something huge, but I still was surprised at the scope of their plans. I’ll admit I was a little worried, but more than willing to go along.
Now that advance reviews are coming in I really can’t wait to see this film. I think that we’re going to be in for the kind of surprises that Pitch Black gave us.
And that’s a very good thing.
Neal Adams is the artist who redefined Batman from the kooky tv character to the realistic dark knight that could truly “strike fear into the hearts of evil doers.”
There are now two hardcovers [Batman Illustrated Volume 1 and Batman Illustrated Volume 2] featuring Neal‘s work and they are a bit pricey, however with the discount offered by Amazon, they’re worth the price of admission.
That’s right! Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, and Carl Reiner, stars of the original “Dick Van Dyke Show” have reunited for the show’s “159th Episode,” which will air May 11th on CBS. Series regulars Larry Mathews (Richie) and Ann Morgan Guilbert (Millie Helper) will also return. Sadly, Morey Amsterdam, who played Buddy, died in 1996.
Although the “Dick Van Dyke Show” remains a favorite, the last original episode appeared in 1966! That will all change when the new episode airs on May 11th. In the new episode, Rob, who’s still married to Laura, gets a phone call from his old boss, Alan Brady who wants Rob and Sally to write his eulogy.
Ray Ramano (Everybody Loves Raymond) will host the episode which will feature clips from the original “Dick Van Dyke Show” episodes.
Who knows, maybe if this new episode is well received, they’ll come back in another 40 years and do another!
The production company didn’t care at all for the footage turned in by original director Paul Schrader who had created “a creepy psychological thriller sans the gore.” So Renny Harlin was brought in to reshoot the entire movie. Harlin recast roles and went to work. Harlin‘s version will hit big screens later this year.
The cool thing is that fans will get to see both versions once the dvd is released. And I’ll be willing to bet that a good portion of fans will prefer the version that was never released to theaters!
Azzarello and Rizzo‘s Batman Broken City is being collected as a 144 page hardcover and trade paperback. Want to know more? Ok, how’s this sound…
“A woman’s body is found in the Gotham Landfill, and as Batman delves into the case, he reflects on the dark city that he made his home. He knows – or thinks he knows – who the killer is, but when the truth is revealed, the Dark Knight might not even know who he is anymore.”
If you’re a fan of Azzarello, Rizzo, or Batman, then you ought to give this one a look!
Who knows where I may show up next… but odds are it’ll be here in a ZONE update!
The first is called Shaun of the Dead [gotta love that title!] which is a comedy from the UK. It looks like a lot of fun!
The second is called Undead. Man, I’m still not sure what to make of this one. I watched the trailer… and I’m still not sure what to make of this one…
I had an interest in the movie since Will Smith [Bad Boys II] seems to pick good projects [not counting Wild, Wild West of course], it’s based on the classic short story collection by Isaac Asimov, and being helmed by director Alex Proyas [Dark City, The Crow].
I really like the feel of this trailer. If the movie can match it we’re in for a great couple of hours.
“Is it going to be as good?”
My current favorite regularly published comic is The Walking Dead. Writer, Robert Kirkman, and artist Tony Moore have created a great comic. Each issue has been more than worth the price of admission and the series continues to get better and better.
Sadly, Tony has decided to move on after issue six.
The good news is that Charlie Adlard [X-Files, White Death, Astronauts In Trouble] is taking over the art chores and looks to be an excellent choice.
Still, until we see the issue, one has to wonder…
My current favorite regularly published comic is The Walking Dead. Writer, Robert Kirkman, and artist Tony Moore have created a great comic. Each issue has been more than worth the price of admission and the series continues to get better and better.
Sadly, Tony has decided to move on after issue six.
The good news is that Charlie Adlard [X-Files, White Death, Astronauts In Trouble] is taking over the art chores and looks to be an excellent choice.
Still, until we see the issue, one has to wonder…
I’ve talked up a lot of cool things on the ZONE over the years. Movies, tv shows, comics, novels, artists, writers, websites… but until today I’ve never recommended a comercial. But this isn’t just any commercial and it’s unlike any commercial.
It’s Jerry Seinfeld and Superman [yes, Superman!] for American Express. It’s cute and funny and made specifically for the web.
I’m looking forward to more of these… and don’t worry, if there as good as this one, I’ll be sure to tell you about ’em.
One of the many movies that ZONErs have been looking forward to opens this week. That’s right, Hellboy comes blasting into theaters across the country this Friday.
Chud.com has a nice interview with Hellboy director, Guillermo Del Toro, who talks about changes he had to make to get Hellboy to the screen, why he sees Hellboy as an emotional teenager, and much more.
Ron Pearlman gets the interview treatment over at JoBlow.com. Pearlman talks about Guillermo, the hardships of playing Hellboy, what his next project will be and more.
If this movie is half as good as the comics, then we’re in for a real treat!
I know, I know. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?! If you’re like me you’re probably thinking why would I want to read a comic about a bunch of mutant ninja turtles.
Well, I could tell you because the book looks great. I could tell you that Rick and John really outdid themselves on this run. That you can tell that they were jazzin’ off the way their work was coming together. That Rick and John really make a great team… and I hope that they work together again soon. That I’m ordering the two issues and I have NEVER bought a turtle book before. I could tell you all of these things and they would be true… but some of you may think, “Aw… Z‘s just saying all of these great things because John’s his best friend.”
So… here’s what comic pros are saying…
[On a side note, as regular ZONE readers know, The Walking Dead is my favorite regularly published comic these days. You should check IT out too!]
“Rick and John have worked hard to give the reader their moneys worth on this TMNT extravaganza. Packed with monsters, violence, mysticism and incredible detailed artwork, this book has everything but color. But who needs it with pages to be so drenched with blacks and nice grey tones? The Turtles are coming back. Sandpaper your fingers and grab on to the shell.”
– Bill Wray [Ren and Stimpy, Hellboy Jr.]
“Another young penciling tyro enters the fray. If he weren’t a pal, I’d have to have his fingers busted. Remender is a triple treat! Not content to just be a great inker…no, animator…no, writer…no…wait! That’s four things! Remender busts out with some great moody action penciling, polished to a fine edge by Mr. Beatty‘s crisp inking and toned nicely by Mr. Cohn. Good comics!”
– Mike Manley [Draw Magazine, Batman, Samurai Jack]
“A true rarity… a meticulously crafted comic that also oozes exuberance. These guys are clearly having fun with the turtles, and it shows on every page.”
– Ande Parks [Green Arrow, Superman]
So there you have it. Testimonials from pros. You’ve seen the preview art. You know I’m a fan of Rick Remender‘s work. Beatty is da man. Now it’s up to you. If you like what you’ve seen and read, then be sure to tell your local comics retailer to order you a copy.
If you do order a copy , you’ll be making a lot of people happy… Rick, John, your comic shop owner, the publishers of TMNT and most of all, hopefully you!
