NEW GODS OF PLASTIC

Coming soon to a Target near you!
In addition to the already great Mr. Miracle, Orion and Lightray figures from the JLU line from Mattel, Kirby fans can rejoice with this set feature all new figures of the evil Mantis and Lashina (of Granny Goodness' Female Furies) plus the heroic bug, Forager!

Moving to Target Exclusive status, Mattel plans on releasing additional 6 packs with mixes of new and old figures, new three packs and all new single figs! Of those rumored to be on the way . . . The Question!

With the WB Justice League Unlimited show off the air for over two years, it is impressive that Mattel is putting out any of figures in this line, even repaints of existing molded figs. To actually being putting out multiple waves shows a great dedication to fans of the line.

Look for these New Gods box sets at a Target near you in Late May or Early June.

COUNTDOWN SPECIALS AND 80-PAGE GIANT BEAUTY

If you aren't loving these amazing covers to the latest Countdown Specials and 80-Page Giants by Ryan Sook you clearly have something wrong with you.

Pictured here are the covers to the Specials focused on Kamandi and Omac; others include the Atom, the New Gods, and shipping this week, Eclipso.

If DC marketing has any say in publishing plans, this should be the next Artist Series Portfolio collection that DC Direct issues.

As a bonus, the contents are pretty impressive. For speculators, I predict these books were under-ordered and sold out quick. Get'em while you still can.

Added Bonus #2 - DC issued a few variant covers featuring similar Ryan Sook art for Batman and the Outsiders #1, Green Arrow/Black Canary #1, and Death of the New Gods #1 - even more rare, and well worth the price of admission!

REPO MAN'S ALWAYS INTENSE

From Publishers Weekly Newsletter:

Artist Chris Bones had been a fan of the cult film Repo Man for years. Director Alex Cox's first film, it merged the aesthetic of LA.'.s ’80s punk scene with an absurdist science fiction story line and tied it together with a great soundtrack by Iggy Pop, Black Flag and Suicidal Tendencies. “I was very young when I first saw the film, and for some reason it just stuck with me,” Bones said. “The older I got, the more I seemed to gravitate back to it, which was a catalyst for me to develop an interest in Alex's other films, along with many other ‘strange’ directors. But I guess what made it a hit for me was the overall black humor and postapocalyptic feel. Having one of the best soundtracks ever didn't hurt too much, either.”

read more here

BACK TO THE FUTURE

As much as Millar is annoying these days with all the comments he is constantly making, and the fact that I thought the first issue of his and Hitch's run on the FF was shite, I do have to admit that I enjoyed the first issue of Kick-Ass.

So, with art that looks like it is going to rival Romita, Jr.'s work on that title, I will most likely be getting this . . . .



go visit artist Tommy Lee Edwards!

THE BUMBLE?

Tim Roth is certainly scary as the Abomination in the upcoming Incredible Hulk flick from Marvel Films and Ed Norton. Now if Norton and Marvel can just work out their differences and finish a cut of the film that they can agree on.



Norton's well known for being "particular" about the film's he is involved in (from American History X - where he went so far as to recut the film, causing director Tony Kaye to pull his name from the picture - to The Italian Job, in which he was so vocal about his displeasure with the final cut of that film that he practically guaranteed its box-office failure.) Since Marvel allowed Norton to virtually dictate the film to them on paper by letting him re-write the original script and supposedly promising the actor unprecedented say in the final cut, Marvel has basically painted themselves into a corner.

However, I am not sure that's a bad thing. Norton has a very high degree of expertise in the industry, is meticulous, and really has a mastery of his craft. Marvel could do worse than let someone like that influence the route this picture takes.

Go here for the trailer in HD.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SUPERMAN!

It only comes once every four years (that helps the Big Blue Boyscout avoid awkward social scenes), so here's to you Supes*!



*DISCLAIMER: Superman not really 50, that's just bad math.

THE NEW CLASSICS - FEB 2008 EDITION

1) Grant Morrison's Batman

2) Geoff Johns's Action Comics

3) Mattel's DCU Classics line of figures; see them here. Here's a taste of the magic (image courtesy of the DCUC Info site, listed above):



4) Brickmaster magazine - dedicated to customizing and building Lego sets. A recent new hobby that I am getting to share with my son - so far, our favorite has been the Indiana Jones Temple of the Ark set - supercool.

COMIC MOVIE NEWS in a flash!

A few quick hits:

See some of the figures for the upcoming Dark Knight here; and no, Deathstroke the Terminator is not in the movie, just the figure line. And yes, that is Firefly; see comment on Deathstroke.

Also, Dark Horizons has a surreptitiously taken pic of Two Face from the upcoming Bat-film, which since there hasn't been anything else, and Mattel is not yet releasing the figure to the public, constitutes a firt look.

Warner Bros. renews their rights on Akira and that looks to be coming out as a two film series, produced by Leo DiCaprio.

David Fincher is now the director linked to Charles Burns' Blackhole; script by Neil Gaiman and Roger Avery. That can't be a bad thing.

Great casting news: Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool in the new Wolverine movie.

Not so great casting news: Will.I.Am of the Black Eye Peas as Wraith in the new Wolverine movie. Really, Marvel Films?

Go back to Figures.com (link above) for tons more on toys coming from Speed Racer, Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and Kung Fu Panda. Me? I am looking forward to Hulky Polky Dancing Hulk: "Hulk Smash Left Arm! Hulk Smash Right Arm! Hulk Turn on Puny Humans!"

GREATEST CAMPAIGN POSTER/SLOGAN EVER? YOU DECIDE!

MY SKULZ ARE IN YOUR TOMBS; RAIDING YOUR GOODZ

More posts after the new year (promises, promises . . . ) but for now, behold:


A teaser for the movie; Drew Struzan goodness; I can't believe that this is actually happening - feels just like it did before Phantom came out, but this time I don't think we will be as disappointed. It is, after all, Speilberg directing and not Lucas.

WELCOME BACK, CARTER!

I'm baaaackkkk!

With news that's already all over the web, but what the hell::

The Joker!

Rorschach on Set!

The Black Freighter lives! Check out the poster for the comic within the comic movie!

and finally, Old Boy Indy!

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN #1

There can be only one #1 for All Hallow's Eve!

John Carpenter's original classic, Halloween!

Happy Halloween all! Have fun Trick or Treating!

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN #2

Horror comics have a long and storied history - from EC classics like Vault of Horror to Tales from the Crypt right up to the modern age with books like Steve Niles's 30 Days of Night.

But for me the best, creepiest, and most consistently entertaining horror comic stars a cocky, rude, Englishman named John Constantine.

From his first appearance in Swamp Thing (vol.II) number 37, Constantine has been a constant enjoyment for me to read. The creation of Alan Moore, the mage has been written by a variety of writers throughout the years (including Americans Denise Mina and Brian Azzerello), but he has always remained so essentially, Constantine.

The latest run by Andy Diggle (The Losers, Green Arrow: Year One) has been nothing short of brilliant.

Boo!

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN #5, #4, #3!!!!

Three for the price of one! My favorite Halloween books:

#5 The October Country by Ray Bradbury

#4 Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale

#3 Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

Bradbury is the king of Halloween spookiness and mystery as far as I am concerned - as much as Stephen King is the
master of horror, Bradbury turns the best tales of cool autumn winds, crackling leaves and carnivals in darkening fields.

Bringing it back to comics, The Long Halloween was the third time that Loeb and Sale tackled Batman in his "Year One" setting and made the whole affair an year long event that started and finished on All Hallow's. If you can't see the beauty of using the Bat's Rogues Gallery in a Halloween story, you've lost me and should probably surf on by!

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN #6

If a life-size bust of my favorite monster from
Sideshow Collectibles doesn't put you in the mood for All Hallow's, the price ($499.00!) might give you the proper holiday shock!

Anyway, it's sold out, but man, that is frighteningly cool . . .

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN #7

Go here and check out all the great designs for Kreepsville Industries upcoming coffintable book, Cereal Killers.

Some of my favorite artists are contributing to this, and I can't wait to get my paws on it. The artwork to the left is by Wayne Harris!

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN #8

Classic Bust of Leatherface! Take that Rodan!

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN! #9

If you're going to wear a store-bought costume on All Hallow's to Trick-or-Treat in your neighborhood, there's only one way to go . . .



Ben Cooper. The King of the Costume. Classic Frankenstein.

COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN! #10

Starting the countdown to my favorite holiday!

In order to properly prepare for the night of all nights, little ghouls and boys everywhere need a handy-dandy guide to make-up effects. Why not go with a classic!

LINKPORN

A follow-up to the Eightball controversy in CT: Teacher goes free, comics blamed.
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Logan gets titled.
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I'll take a case of Rudolph Pate, please.
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eBay gets on your desktop.\
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The vault is about to open - there's one coming from Marvel and DC too. Neato!
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More Star Wars news.
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He's back.