Archive for February, 2009

28
Feb
09

Wonder Woman on DVD

By extrasequential 3 Comments
Categories: Cartoons, New To Comics and News
Tags: ,

Two days before Watchmen hits the cinema, DC’s best loved heroine hits the small screen. Wonder Woman, the new animated film from Warner Bros. and DC Comics, after their excellent Superman/Doomsday and Justice League: The New Frontier animated films, arrives into man’s world on March 3. Keri Russel (MI: 3) stars as WW herself, with Nathan Fillion (Serenity) as pilot Steve Trevor and Virginia Madsen (Firewall) as Hippolyta, WW’s mother. It looks like a faithful set up for the Amazon princess and has some great features, such as a sneak peek at DC’s next animated film, Green Lantern: First Flight. Below is the official trailer and a clip of two Amazonians in some gladiator action.

cont_56

It had a spectacular reaction at WonderCon this week and looks like making new fans when it hits DVD and Blu-Ray on March 3.

28
Feb
09

Impaler #2 Review

By extrasequential 2 Comments
Categories: New To Comics and Reviews
Tags: , ,

impaler002_mediumTop Cow has done it again. Picking their projects wisely they appear determined to create books that are distinctive in a spandex-driven market. Impaler is their latest high concept book, to use Hollywood slang. The set up is this: blizzard in New York, adrift freighter discovered with dead crew, vampires descend upon the city, cop teams up with ageless vamp killer Vlad Tempes, military struggles to keep up. Thankfully the Cow throw a handy guide in their titles these days, so this is a good place to jump in as any, in case you missed the first issue. This ish begins with two archaeologists arguing over the find of a corpse in a Moroccan dig site, while the object of their discussion seems to stir.

Three weeks later we discover how really desperate the U.S military are. With the vamps gaining ground with alarming speed soldiers are ordered to take them down at any means, even at the cost of civilian lives. This is a movie waiting to be made. Less of a vampire film than a disaster one, if made, it could easily sit next to Cloverfield or I Am Legend or 28 Days Later. There is a feeling of desperation running throughout the issue, but it isn’t swamped by it. This disaster very much has a human face amongst the devilish horde. Vlad perhaps unwisely, gives his new partner, Detective Victor Dailey, a second chance at life, after receiving radiation poisoning, and Lieutenant George Wagner has a conflict of interest when faced with the insurmountable odds. Finishing off with a scene that ties in to the awakening corpse of the intro, things look unsurprisingly bleaker for our band of heroes in the future issues.

Writer William Harms and artist Matt Timson are on a winner here. It’s obvious they understand one another and are building something eerily incredible. Harms knows when to let Timson unleash his blood soaked art upon us, and when to quiet things down (slightly) although every page is brimming with sweaty intensity, as well as very impressive art.

The vampire creatures are a great work of design. Not resembling the typical neck biters from pop culture, Timson gives the ghouls more of a zombie feel, with a touch of Venom thrown in for good measure. Their blank eyes, shadow like tendrils and scorched skin make for a creepy visual combo. Timson is skilled in every area of art that the comic book page requires. The subtle earthen colours of the opener to the surveillance footage shown to the military to Dailey’s hallucinations that are suitably ethereal. He shows he has the mad skills needed for this mad tale. With Stjepan Sejic and now Matt Timson, Top Cow should give their talent scouts a hearty pat on the back.

Be aware that Impaler wisely carries a Mature Audience stamp for graphic content and profanity and blood are both plentiful. It is a gritty, harsh adventure and one that has me hooked.

For a preview of this ish, go here.

27
Feb
09

The Gallery-X-Force/Cable: Messiah War Prologue

By extrasequential Leave a Comment
Categories: Comic Art and The Gallery
Tags: , , ,

messiahwar_prologue_cover_andrewsX-Force and Cable are the two bad boys of the X-Men flood of books as of late. Now they’re teaming up as part of the Messiah War cross-over, which is the sequel to Messiah CompleX. The first new mutant birth since the house of M (whereby the mad Scarlet Witch’s “No more mutants” dream became a reality) things have been crazy. Cable’s stuck in the future, Bishop’s tracking him down and Cyclops is attempting to protect the future of the mutant race from those that want her for their own ends. So the X-Men’s leader orders something drastic and sends X-Force on a time-travelling adventure after Cable and the youngen.

The prologue is written by Christopher Yost and Craig Kyle with art by Mike Choi and goes on sale on March 25. Then it’s onto Part 2 in Cable #13 on sale on April 1, followed by Part 3 in  April 22′s X-Force #14 by Yost, Kyle and artist Clayton Crain. At the link below, there’s a few text-free preview pages of the Prologue. They look gorgeous.

Continue reading ‘The Gallery-X-Force/Cable: Messiah War Prologue’

26
Feb
09

Street Fighter IV #1 Review

By extrasequential Leave a Comment
Categories: New To Comics and Reviews
Tags: ,

SF IV #1 CoverStreet Fighter is a hot commodity these days. The venerable fighting franchise has always been bigger than it’s roots as a much loved video game for button mashing Gen Xers, but 2009 will surely create new fans. Street Fighter IV was recently released on next-gen consoles as the first in the series since 1999, and has been lapped up by players across the globe, mainly due to it’s new characters, amazing graphics, and old school 2D battle plane. With the cinematic release of Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li starring Smallville’s Kristin Kreuk as the titular high kicking heroine, things are looking up. Of course, SF fans have had plenty of comics to read over the years, especially the faithful output of Udon Studios, who have been creating SF comics since 2003.

Their latest series, Street Fighter IV is a four issue mini-series that expands upon the new game. Produced by mainstay creators, writer Ken Siu-Chong and artist Joe Ng, the first issue centres on Crimson Viper. She is one of the four new fighters in the game, and along with the others Rufus, El Fuerte and Abel, will be the stars of the series, as they interact with more familiar Fighters. It begins with a clandestine meeting between the red-headed assassin Viper and a man known as Vincent representing the Shadaloo Intimidation Network, hoping to recruit her for a secret mission. After some cheap theatrics, she accepts and reports to her unknown boss. We then meet Abel in London as he breaks up a gun running operation with some fancy flipping and throwing, allowing him to draw closer to S.I.N and the mysterious man behind it, Vincent. During his down time the French fighter reflects upon his past as a Jason Bourne-like amnesiac with intense training and mad fighting skills. In the last few pages, Viper uses her hi-tech gadgets to break in to a German company to steal some data, busting a few heads on her way out to report to Vincent’s superior – an imposing classic character known as Fifteen, who resembles a blue robot. Fifteen charges Viper with more targets to take down.

This issue is exactly what we’ve come to expect from Udon’s Street Fighter work. It looks fantastic, with great costume design, great page layouts and hectic fight scenes. It really does have the feel of a non-stop action film. The story is somewhat simple, with no real surprises, but for SF fans this will be just what they’re after. Viper’s hi-tech moves and gadgets are something that I’ve never seen in a Fighter before and is a nice touch and Abel’s two page self-narrated flashback is rather awkward, but it does shed some light on his past. Udon’s comics are always full of cameos and faithful interpretations with manga-infused eye candy. If you’re a fan of the franchise, who isn’t reading this series, you need to change that, and start experiencing the adventures of the Fighters off the screen. Hard core comic readers who want depth and intensity won’t find that here, but readers new to comics will find it easy to warm to this series.

sfiv01_pg01

sfiv01_pg02

25
Feb
09

Web Swinging & Singing

By extrasequential Leave a Comment
Categories: New To Comics and News
Tags: , ,

This has been in the works for a while now, due in no small part to the mega-success of the films of Marvel’s most famous character. Fanboys are already up in arms about what they see as a travesty, but I think it’s a good idea. What is that idea? Spider-Man on Broadway. It’s happening. Tickets go on sale in June. It sounds like a more faithful adaptation than the dodgy Superman musical from three decades ago, and it has some stellar talent involved, namely half of U2! If I was a U.S resident, my curiosity would drive me to see it for myself. It’s a bold move and will hopefully bring in new fans to the comic book medium, or at least get fanboys out of the house – as long as they don’t picket the theatre. I can hear it now – “Spidey’s a swinger, not a singer!” Press release below.

Webheads, get ready to experience the exploits of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in an entirely new, exciting way when “Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark” opens on Broadway!

Mark your calendars now, thwippers, “Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark” opens on Thursday, February 18, 2010 at Broadway’s Hilton Theatre, 213 West 42nd Street. And some lucky Broadway goers will get to see the show when preview performances begin Saturday, January 16, 2010.

7014header_banner5430866

Stay tuned to Marvel.com to find out about your chance to purchase tickets to “Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark” before they go on sale to the general public!

Of course a show starring Spider-Man deserves all-star talent and “Turn Off the Dark” has it in spades! Tony® Award-winner Julie Taymor (“The Lion King,” “Across The Universe”) is not only directing the musical, but she shares writing credits with Glen Berger. Oh, but there’s more! Bono and The Edge, 22-time Grammy® Award-winning members of the legendary band U2 are creating new music and lyrics for the show!

The principal creative and design team for “Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark” includes Daniel Ezralow, Choreographer (“Across the Universe,” “The Green Bird”); George Tsypin, Sets (“The Magic Flute,” “The Little Mermaid”); Eiko Ishioka, Costumes (Academy Award® for “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” Tony Award® nomination for “M. Butterfly,” the opening ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics); Donald Holder, Lighting (Tony® Awards for “The Lion King,” “South Pacific”); Jonathan Deans, Sound (“Fosse,” The Beatles “LOVE” by Cirque du Soleil, “Young Frankenstein,” “Ragtime”); and Teese Gohl, Musical Supervisor (“Across the Universe,” “Frida”). Additional members of the “Spider-Man” creative team will be announced at a later date.

Drawing from over 40 years of Marvel comic books for inspiration, “Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark” spins a new take on the mythic tale of a young man propelled from a modest rowhouse in Queens to the sky-scraping spire of the Chrysler Building, the bustling offices of the Daily Bugle, through the dizzying canyons of Manhattan, to new vistas never before seen.

The musical follows the story of teenager Peter Parker, whose unremarkable life is turned upside-down-literally-when he’s bitten by a genetically altered spider and wakes up the next morning clinging to his bedroom ceiling. This bullied science-geek-suddenly endowed with astonishing powers-soon learns, however, that with great power comes great responsibility as villains test not only his physical strength but also his strength of character.

Spider-Man’s battles will hurtle the audience through an origin story both recognizable and unexpected-yielding new characters as well as familiar faces-until a final surprising confrontation casts a startling new light on this hero’s journey.

Casting for “Spider-Man” will be announced soon.

Group tickets now on sale. Single tickets will go on sale June, 2009. For more information about group tickets, visit the “Spider-Man” website at www.SpidermanOnBroadway.com or by calling 1-800-Broadway.

25
Feb
09

Liefeld, Obama & Youngblood Team-Up

By extrasequential Leave a Comment
Categories: New To Comics and News
Tags: , , ,

Now I know writer/artist Rob Liefeld can be a controversial figure, but I’ve never really figured out why. I mean, his legacy can’t be ignored. He co-created Deadpool and Cable and helped build (along with his fellow Image founders) an exciting way of looking at comics as a mass media form of entertainment, and the building blocks of a larger media empire. Of course, Spawn creator Todd McFarlane is the leading light in that regard, but Liefeld’s output, though irregular, always garners attention. Now he returns to his signature creation, with the most popular man in comics today – the new U.S President himself. Official press release below.

securedownload-1THE NEW ERA OF YOUNGBLOOD BEGINS TOMORROW COURTESY OF SERIES CREATOR ROB LIEFELD AND PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA! The future of Youngblood starts now as Rob Liefeld returns! The bold new era of YOUNGBLOOD begins tomorrow as series creator Rob Liefeld takes the reins and reveals President Barack Obama’s shocking lineup of the long-running superhero team! “Since YOUNGBLOOD’s very first issue back in 1992, the series has always had a real world, political connection by taking on such issues as the first Iraq war and really exploring just what it would mean to be a government sanctioned superteam,” Liefeld said. “Bringing Obama into the picture is a necessary extension of YOUNGBLOOD’s history and I couldn’t imagine a better way to start my full-time return to the series.”

YOUNGBLOOD began the Image revolution in early 1992 and was the first creator-owned comic book to sell over a million copies right out of the gate by bringing a whole new perspective to what superhero comics were capable of. Rob’s creations took the medium by storm by influencing an entire generation of creators and, most recently, Brett Ratner as the famed director behind such blockbuster films as Rush Hour and X3 announced he will be taking the property to new heights by kick-starting the YOUNGBLOOD film franchise. Tomorrow’s issue not only features a six-page back up story setting up Rob Liefeld’s full-time return to the series with May’s YOUNGBLOOD #9, but also an already much coveted variant cover featuring our nation’s 44th President.

YOUNGBLOOD #8, a 32-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in-stores tomorrow.

23
Feb
09

Celebrate Good Times…Come On

By extrasequential 2 Comments
Categories: Issue 1, New To Comics and News
Tags:

es-flyer-page-1-copyNot that I feel like bragging, but here goes…We’ve just hit over 1000 document views of our first issue, which you can see for yourself right here.  We’re also climbing towards 21 000 page views.

That’s great news, so thank you to all the readers and those that have been mentioning it on-line. And of course, thanks to my creative partner in crime, Dave. We’re currently hard at work on our second issue, while still managing to maintain some semblance of a normal, geeky life. 

Issue 2 is out on March 15, if all goes well, and we’re going for a slightly different look this time around, with a new logo and general messing around even more with page design. It’ll be filled with some great preview art, as well as interviews with some big shots (Zeb Wells, Tom DeFalco) and some newbies to the comics industry, as well as nifty reviews and articles. Stay tuned and thanks for supporting  us with a virtual pat on the back. It’s very much appreciated.

23
Feb
09

Irredeemable Trailer

By extrasequential Leave a Comment
Categories: Comic Art, New To Comics, News and The Gallery
Tags: ,

 

Official press release below about writer Mark Waid’s (Kingdom Come) latest project with BOOM! Studios. Click the link at the end for a 7 page preview too.

BOOM! Studios is proud to premiere the trailer to IRREDEEMABLE, Mark Waid’s hotly anticipated new ongoing superhero series that debuts this April.

The trailer for IRREDEEMABLE can be found on YouTube right now and was cut by Craig Kennedy at CK Creative. You can see the trailer here, or below.



Adding to the excitement of this premiere, BOOM Studios is also offering a sneak preview of the first 7 pages of IRREDEEMABLE #1, stoking the fires on what will be the direct market event of the year.

“Here is potentially the biggest independent title of this year,” said retailer Ed Greenberg of Collector’s Paradise in Winnetka, California. “This will be the BOYS of this year, on a much more serious level. This will be the WANTED of this year, and the KICK-ASS and the PAX ROMANA of this year.”

Mark Waid’s IRREDEEMABLE launches this April and will feature variant covers by John Cassaday (ASTONISHING X-MEN, PLANETARY) and Barry Kitson (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN) in a 75/25 split with a 1-in-50 incentive cover signed by Mark Waid. IRREDEEMABLE sports interior art is by Peter Krause, who is best known for his run on POWER OF SHAZAM. Issue #1 will also feature a special afterword by Grant Morrison.  IRREDEEMABLE is currently available for pre-order from the Diamond Previews Catalog with an order code of FEB094134.

“In superhero comics, pretty much everyone who’s called upon to put on a cape is, at heart, emotionally equipped for the job. I reject that premise,” said  series  writer  and  BOOM!  Studios  Editor-in-Chief  Mark Waid. “IRREDEEMABLE is, in a way, my third and most complex chapter on the cost of superheroics – a pulp adventure tale of horror exploring how the lessons we learn about right and wrong as children can become warped and twisted when challenged by the realities of the adult world.” 

Continue reading ‘Irredeemable Trailer’

22
Feb
09

Remake Preview

By extrasequential Leave a Comment
Categories: Comic Art, New To Comics and News
Tags: , ,

adremake72AdHouse Books is a great publisher that not enough people are aware of. One of their latest books appears to be another in their diverse array of unusual tales.

Remake, by newbie creator Lemar Abrams is a 144 page black and white Original Graphic Novel centering on Max Guy, a bread pudding lover and robotic action hero. Wearing its Manga influences proudly the book is available to order from your local comic shop and is released in May.

You can see a preview below, or on May 2′s Free Comic Book Day. There’s also more artwork and an interview with Abrams right here.

Remake 1

Remake 2

Remake 3

20
Feb
09

Get To Know Your DC Faves

By extrasequential Leave a Comment
Categories: New To Comics and News
Tags: , , ,

Now that Final Crisis has wrapped, DC Comics’ next epic is Blackest Night which centres on the ever growing universe of characters, and alien races, and different coloured power rings, that writer Geoff Johns has been creating over the last few years. Green Lantern ain’t the only powerful hue in the DC Universe these days. Lately, DC has been running brief back-up tales in some of their select titles this month, with tie-ins to Blackest Night. These handy short stories also give summarised origins of certain characters. For a full list of these Origins & Omens titles, see below, or go here to see them all for yourself.

Origins & Omens

« Previous Entries

Categories