Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Dead Body Road by Justin Jordan and Matteo Scalera is a six issue mini-series that tells the story of an ex-cop named Gage who is killing those he feels are responsible for his wife’s death. According to Jordan it’s amodern-day western, crime thriller, with noir sensibilities.
You can see more of the art and read an interview with Justin Jordan over at Newsarama.
Over the years, I’ve always said if I was a very rich man, I’d commission a recreation of the Batmobile used in the 1960’s tv series.
Although I’m not a rich man (so I won’t order one) Hammcher Schlemmer has a recreation that you can pick up for $200,000. Here’s what you’ll get for your dough:
Built on a custom Lincoln chassis, this crime-fighting cruiser comes standard with a 430-horsepower, 383 Blueprint Crate engine and a Monster TH350 automatic transmission. Though equipped with neither atomic batteries for power nor turbines for speed, a rear-facing propane tank creates the same afterburner effect as the original. The vehicle’s cockpit honors the gadgetry of the TV series with a blinking Batphone, switch-operated electric actuators that open the hood and trunk, and a rotating red beacon to alert citizens while in pursuit of fiendish criminals. Other intriguing, if less functional, accessories include a glowing detect-a-scope screen, a Batbeam ray that raises from a hood-mounted antenna, and empty rear parachute packs. The vehicle’s exterior bears all the hallmarks of its namesake, from bubble-canopy windshields to chrome “rocket” tubes behind the rear windshield…
So, if any of you decide to pick up the Batmobile, how about giving me a ride sometime. I’ve always wanted a chance to say “Atomic turbines to power…”
The Pitch: “Hey, Jules Dassin the director behind American films such as “Brute Force” and “The Naked City” has been blacklisted in America. I bet we could get him on the cheap to make a low-budget heist film!”
“Let’s do it!”
The Tagline: “Rififi …means Trouble!”
The Overview: After returning home after a five-year stint in prison for a jewelry heist, Tony le Stéphanois is recruited by his old crime partners for a hit and run heist on a jewelry store. Tony declines, but later counters with a bigger plan… against all odds they’ll pull a robbery that will get them millions if they’re successful and dead if they’re not. Before it is over one of the crew will betray them. A child will be kidnapped and both the cops and gangsters will be after them.
The Good:
The Bad:
The Ugly:
Rating: 5 out of 5
Henrik Sahlstrom created the very moody Batman Noir piece above.
Sahlstrom also gave the same treatment to the Riddler, the Joker and Catwoman. You can see how those turned out at Sahlstrom’s blog.
I wouldn’t mind seeing a Batman Noir story created by Sahlstrom.
DC Comics are you listening?
The Pitch: “Hey, we could remake ‘Red Dawn’!”
“Let’s do it!”
The Tagline: “Welcome To the Home of the Brave”
The Overview: When North Korea invades the US, a group of high school resistance fighters [led by Thor on leave from the Special Forces] decide to become resistance fighters.
The Good:
The Bad:
The Ugly:
Rating: 2 out of 5
Tomer Hanuka created the piece above. The art, of Rocky Balboa in battle with Apollo Creed as Adrian looks on, appeared recently in The New Yorker accompanying a preview of Rocky on Broadway.
I liked Hanuka’s art a lot and decided to do a search. I discovered Mr. Hanuka’s website and spent a good amount of time checking out all the art he had on display. Hanuka not only shares his art, but often breaks down his process in creating a piece.
Recently my friends started e-mailing me links to the piece below. Tomer Hanuka created it as a limited edition silk screen print, for Mondo. The Rambo piece wasn’t at Tomer’s sitewhen I first checked, but it is now. What a beautiful poster!
Tomer Hanuka is an amazing artist and I look forward to seeing what he does next.
The Pitch: “Hey, I think Frankenstein is in the public domain. Let’s make a Frankenstein movie!”
“We can but Universal has a copyright on the look of the monster.”
“Oh well. Let’s do it!”
The Tagline: “He’s never been more shocking! shocking! shocking!”
The Overview: Dr. Frankenstein is at it again. He creates a monster that he can’t control. So Frankenstein gets an assist from a carnival hypnotist. The sideshow mentalist hypnotizes the monster and then secretly sends it in to steal from the townspeople. This does not sit well with either the townspeople or Dr. Frankenstein.
The Good:
The Bad:
The Ugly:
Rating: 2 out of 5
One of my favorite sci-fi movies/monster movies is The Thing from Another World.
Jame Arness (who would later go to fame as Marshall Matt Dillon in the long-running western series Gunsmoke) played the Thing. Arness is seen in a rare photo above without full make-up as they prep him for a shot.
The photo below is Arness in full Thing make-up (and in a shot clearer than any ever seen in the movie)!
Source: Vic’s Movie Den and Classic Horror Movies.
The Pitch: “M. Night Shyamalan has an idea for a story about 5 people trapped in an elevator and one of them is not what they seem.”
“What is this person who isn’t what he/she seems?”
“Well, let’s just leave it at the movie will be called ‘Devil.'”
“Let’s do it!”
The Tagline: “Five strangers trapped. One of them is not what they seem.”
The Overview: Five people find themselves trapped in a high-rise elevator. Help is on the way, if they can live long enough for it to arrive.
The Good:
The Bad:
The Ugly:
Rating: 3 out of 5
Here’s a rare shot of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Edward Furlong in a photo taken in preparation for Terminator 2. I can’t get over how young… Arnold looks!
Source: TheArnoldFans.com
Jerry Gaylord aka The Franchize makes his third, but not his last appearance in my Stallone Sketch Gallery with his take on Sly as Jack Carter.
I highly recommend Jerry to all sketch collectors. He quickly responds to e-mails, his turnaround time is quick and he packages the art to ensure it arrives safely.
To check out more of Jerry’s art, head here. – Craig
Recently The Guardian posted their choices for the Top Ten Film Noir.
Their list is a good one and included:
10. They Live by Night
09. Kiss Me Deadly
08. Blood Simple
07. Lift to the Scaffold
06. The Third Man
05. Out of the Past
04. Double Indemnity
03. Touch of Evil
02. Chinatown
01. The Big Sleep
Yeah, that’s a nice list. I’ve seen 8 of the 10 [missing out on They Live by Night and Lift to the Scaffold].
If I were to quibble, I’d move Double Indemnity to the #1 spot and move something out to bring in The Postman Always Rings Twice [original version, thank you].
I have to admit I am really late to the Goran Parlov party.
I was cruising the web and came across the drawing above. I liked it and decided to do a search for more of Goran’s work. The sketch below came up next.
Then I remembered that I had seen Goran’s art in the Punisher story “Welcome to the Bayou” written by Victor Gischler (#71-74, 2009). Why I didn’t follow-up on what Goran did after that story, I’m not sure. Thankfully it’s not too late.
Paul Walker, the actor best known for his role in the Fast and Furious movie franchise died today in a car crash. He was 40 years old.
Although best known as Brian O’Conner in the Fast and Furious series, I thought his best work was in Running Scared. Walker played a low-level criminal given the task of disposing of a gun used in the murder of a dirty cop. Things go terribly wrong and Walker finds himself in a race against time, the cops and the mob.
Walker had just left a charity event when the crash occurred. He had been home for the holidays on a break from filming Fast 7.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Paul Walker’s family, friends and fans.
Your eyes aren’t deceiving ya.
That is a sample of some of the preview art by Darwyn Cooke for his adaptation of Donald Westlake’s [writing as Richard Stark] Slayground.
The art is on display at Donald Westlake’s site and can be seen here.
Source: Almost Darwyn Cooke’s Blog.
