Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
I’ve never been more than a passing fan of Dick Tracy, but I’m really looking forward to Dick Tracy Forever. Michael Avon Oeming is the writer and artist for the four issue mini-series from IDW. Thanks to Syfy.com we can check out a preview.
Cop Land features one of Sylvester Stallone’s finest performances. Written and directed by James Mangold, Cop Land is a modern day western and Mangold knew that it’s success hinged on the actor cast as Freddy Heflin.
Stallone wanted the role despite the fact that Mangold had zero interest in him. Mangold explained to Stallone all of the reasons he was wrong for the role. Stallone persisted and promised that none of Mangold’s concerns would become reality.
Stallone earned the role and Mangold got his Freddy Heflin. Cop Land surprised critics who’d forgotten or doubted Stallone’s acting chops.
You’re Gonna Be Redeemed: The Jersey Noir and Western Fable of James Mangold’s Cop Land by Travis Woods at Cinephilia and Beyond provides
Pete Doree scored a major coup for comic fans. At his The Bronze Age of Blogs, Pete has posted the story behind as well as pages from (and a link to the completed pencils for the first issue of) Steve Englehart & Marshall Rogers’ Unpublished Dark Detective III!
For many, the Batman stories by Englehart, Rogers and Austin were their absolute favorite Batman stories. To not only learn that another was in the works and to get to see the penciled pages? Man, that is priceless.
Thanks to Steve Englehart for making it happen and for Pete Doree for helping to spread the word.
The Anna Poster and Trailer are Here! The poster is just ok but the trailer delivers.
Eric Powell, best known as creator of The Goon has an art book coming out on October 23rd.
Eric Powell is perhaps best known for his critically acclaimed series THE GOON. The premise of this art book is quite hilarious and has a definite tongue in cheek vibe. This is what Powell said about his new art book: “Ten years ago I thought to myself, ‘I’m a multiple award-winning artist who has been at this for a while. It’s probably time to put out an art book.’ … And here we are. On the verge of the publication of a biography about a backwoods idiot who taught himself how to draw pictures for money.”
THE ART (AND MANY OTHER MISTAKES) OF ERIC POWELL will definitely have a spot in my library!
The Silence (2019)
Director: John R. Leonetti
Screenplay: Carey Van Dyke & Shane Van Dyke based on the novel by Tim Lebbon.
Stars: Stanley Tucci, Kiernan Shipka, Miranda Otto, Kate Trotter, John Corbett, Kyle Breitkopf, Dempsey Bryk and Billy MacLellan.
The Pitch: “Let’s turn Tim Lebbon’s novel into a movie.”
Tagline: They’re listening.
The Overview:
The Silence can be summarized as Pitch Black meets A Quiet Place but unfortunately The Silence is not on the same level as either.
The creatures in The Silence are like smaller versions of those in Pitch Black. And like the monsters in Vin Diesel’s best movie, they are accidentally released from underground.
The similarities to A Quiet Place include: monsters that are blind and hunt by sound, a young girl who is deaf and a family struggling to survive. I’m sure many folks will think The Silence was made to cash in on the success of A Quiet Place but the truth is Tim Lebbon’s novel and filming on The Silence came first.
The Silence follows a family (father, mother, son, daughter and grandma) as they work to survive in a world where prehistoric flying creatures who hunt by sound are wiping out cities. In addition, sometimes the other people hoping to survive are as dangerous as the monsters.
The Silence works best when things are first starting to go sideways. What is happening? How do we survive? What is the best course of action? Things should be off and running but it’s more like off and walking.
I enjoyed The Silence but not to the degree I had hoped.
Rating:
Check out Bill Sienkiewicz‘s Sin City art! I sure wish Frank Miller would create more Sin City yarns.
If he doesn’t have time to write and draw ’em, he could write and turn the art chores over to another artist. Or, maybe have guest artists and writers. How cool would that be?
I get that Sin City is Miller’s baby but, man, the thought of a Frank Miller Presents Tales from Sin City featuring Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips, Dan Panosian, Brian Azzarello & Eduardo Risso, Mike Zeck & John Beatty, Phill Hester… well, you get the idea.
C’mon, Mr. Miller! What do you think?
Jonathan Maberry has a new Joe Ledger novel, Rage, coming out on November 5th and I can’t wait. Here’s the synopsis:
Rage is the first title in Jonathan Maberry’s brand new Joe Ledger spin-off series of international weird science thrillers.
A small island off the coast of Japan is torn apart by a bioweapon that drives everyone―men, women, and children―insane with murderous rage. The people behind that attack want Korea united or destroyed. No middle ground. No mercy. And they are willing to punish any country that stands in the way―the United States, China, and Japan could all be consumed by a plague of pure destructive slaughter.
Joe Ledger leads his newly formed band of international troubleshooters in their first mission to stop the terror cell, fighting alongside agents from North and South Korea. With the lives of billions at stake, Ledger is willing to bring his own brand of terror to this frightening new war.
Rage is the first of the new adventures of Joe Ledger and Rogue Team International.
If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, you can pre-order Rage here.
Robert Schamberger wanted to be a comic book artist but wasn’t setting the world on fire. So he decided to branch out into other types of art — especially painting. Despite making gallery sales, he still hadn’t found his niche.
After some thought Schamberger decided to combine his love of art with his love of professional wrestling. He started doing paintings of professional wrestlers. A successful Kickstarter followed. Then within a year, the WWE contacted Schamberger and brought him on board as their resident artist. Schamberger’s story is an inspiring one in that he worked to figure out how to make his love of art become his career.
Robert Sammelin really knocked it out of the park with his poster for Night of the Living Dead. You can see a larger version plus artwork that he created for the Night of the Living Dead Soundtrack LP at his site.
Peter Stults‘ Movies from an Alternate Universe – movie posters re-imagined how they would look and who would star in them had they been made in a different era.
Peter Stults has created eight volumes of re-imagined posters. Today, we have one from that eighth volume.
I say again, “Wouldn’t you love to see a book of Stults’ Movies from an Alternative Universe?” Kickstarter, Mr. Stults?
Although Mr. Stults didn’t ask, here are a few movie/star suggestions:
The Spy Behind Home Plate trailer is below and it presents an interesting story about a major league baseball player who was also a spy. If, like me, you want to know more then check out this site and watch out for the film!
I’d never seen Tom Reilly’s art until last week when I learned…
Tom Reilly is an artist from Mount Desert Island, Maine. He is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, with a BFA in Illustration. Tom’s work has been included in exhibits such as the Society of Illustrators Student Scholarship Exhibition, the Rhode Island School of Design Illustration Triennial Exhibition, and the 2017 MoCCA Arts Festival. Tom is also an Eagle Scout, and his dad keeps telling him to let people know this, because it might get him a job one day.
I really liked the art Tom had created for what looked to be a series called The Boxer. I reached out to find out where I could purchase the comic/graphic novel only to learn there wasn’t one. (There should be!)
If so inclined, you can check out more of Tom’s art and follow him on Twitter.
The Too Old to Die Young Poster and Trailer are Here! And I like ’em both!
Riley Jones at Goliath has ranked Every Quentin Tarantino Movie, from Worst to Best.
Ok. I’ll play along.
For those interested, here’s my ranking of Every Quentin Tarantino Movie, from Worst to Best episodes…
09. Grindhouse: Death Proof (2007)
08. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
07. Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)
06. Django Unchained (2012)
05. The Hateful Eight (2015)
04. Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)
03. Jackie Brown (1997)
02. Pulp Fiction (1994)
01. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
