Comic-Con Top 5s
There’s tons of Comic-Con info all over the web, but here’s my boil-it-down take on some of the highlights.
TOP 5 BUZZ FILMS
1. District 9 – went from “What is this?” to “Must-See.”
2. Twilight 2 – I have no interest, but you can’t downplay the buzz of 2,000 people camping out overnight.
3. Iron Man 2 – The footage drove everybody bananas, and geeks love Favreau and RDJ.
4. Sherlock Holmes – Speaking of RDJ.
5. 9 – Good reaction to what was shown at the con of this animated tale.
TOP 5 COMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS (in my opinion)
1. Marvel gets Miracleman rights.
2. Jeff Smith will create more comics in the Bone universe.
3. Geoff Johns will continue on Flash; Sterling Gates to write Kid Flash
4. Jim Shooter to revive Gold Key characters, including ones he previously worked on at Valiant Comics.
5. Return of Kurt Busiek’s Astro City as a monthly
TOP 5 COOL THINGS I SAW
1. Iron Man 2 footage and cast.
2. Two Supermen in one day: Tom Welling and Yuri Lowenthal.
3. 4,000 people reciting the Green Lantern oath.
4. Geoff Johns telling the story of wrecking Richard Donner’s car
5. Cast members of Lost at the Lost panel, including one former star I really didn’t expect to see.
- Matt Price
NewsOK Comics Podcast: Ultimatum 5, Detective Comics 855, X-Men Forever 4 and Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps 3
Tiny Wolverine guest-stars as Kyle Roberts and Matt Price discuss big Wolverine’s absence in other Marvel titles this week. Also: Detective Comics 855 and a Blackest Night tie-in.
Planet Hulk trailer now online
Marvel has released the Planet Hulk trailer that was first shown at Comic-Con International at San Diego. Stay tuned to Nerdage for much more about Planet Hulk and other animated Marvel projects.
- Matt Price
Time magazine honors Toy & Action Figure Museum
The military display at Pauls Valley's Action Figure Museum, shown here, will get a companion in a display dedicated to GI Joe: A Real American Hero.
Check out this link to see Time magazine’s write up as the Toy and Action Figure Museum in Pauls Valley as a one of “50 Authentic American Experiences.”
Time writes: “The Toy & Action Figure Museum opened in 2005, and it has displays dedicated to all kinds of colorful plastic through history, including G.I. Joe, Transformers and other properties that Hollywood has unwisely decided to make into movies this year. Visitors will also find exhibits honoring local cartoonists, including Dick Tracy creator Chester Gould.”
If you have a chance, pop by the museum this weekend to see the debut of its latest exhibit, a room dedicated to the “GI Joe: Real American Hero” toy line.
The Toy & Action Figure Museum is located at 111 S. Chickasaw in Pauls Valley. General Admission is $6.
- Matt Price
Del Rey to release Avatar: The Last Airbender manga
From Del Rey:
Del Rey Manga, an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group and Nickelodeon/Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) announced at Comic-Con International in San Diego, four new manga style releases – an artistic and storytelling stylized comic book set in black and white. Based on Nickelodeon’s international hit animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and the upcoming feature film release “The Last Airbender,” directed by M. Night Shyamalan, this partnership marks the first manga tie-in for Nickelodeon.
The two original black-and-white manga will be written by Dave Roman (Jax Epoch and the Quicken Forbidden, Agnes Quill). The prequel manga, scheduled for publication in April 2009, will be illustrated by Nina Matsumoto (Yokaiden) and the movie adaptation, to be published in June 2010, will be illustrated by Joon Choi (This is Pop).
“We’re excited to partner with Del Rey on these upcoming manga releases,” said Paula Allen, SVP of Nickelodeon Global Publishing. “Recreating and adapting the layered storylines and incredible, animated martial arts of the Avatar series and upcoming feature film in the manga style will allow fans to experience their favorite moment from the show over and over again.”
The Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series and The Last Airbender live-action movie follow the epic journey of Aang, the Avatar. In an ancient world where armies of the four elements-fire, earth, water, and air-are constantly at war, the Avatar, a master of the elements, is meant to restore peace and order. Aang is the newest reincarnation of the Avatar, and is also the last airbender, harnessing the power of air and wind. Freed from a century-long sleep inside an iceberg, the 12-year-old is responsible for saving the world and finds both friends and hostile enemies on the path to his destiny.
“We’re excited to be working with Nickelodeon to bring these great stories to the manga audience,” says Dallas Middaugh, Associate Publisher of Del Rey Manga. “Avatar: The Last Airbender has shown incredible crossover appeal with manga fans. The release of The Last Airbender movie and original tie-in manga gives us the chance to share completely new stories with Avatar fans looking for more about Aang, Zuko, and their favorite characters.”
1988 Superman cartoon coming to DVD
Superman Cartoon 1988 Intro - Click here for the funniest movie of the week
According to TV Shows on DVD, the 1988 Ruby-Spears Superman cartoon will come to DVD this November. In addition to the Superman adventure show, this series contained mini-segments called “Superman’s Family Album,” about growing up in Smallville.
The release will contain 13 episodes on two discs, and a special feature about the rise of LexCorp, the 1980s corporate housing of Lex Luthor, who, prior to the 1980s, had been more mad scientist than corporate raider.
- Matt Price
Marvel anime videos from Comic-Con
Check out these videos, shown at Comic-Con, of anime versions of Iron Man and Wolverine.
You can check out my report on the anime portion of the Marvel animation panel at NewsOK.
- Matt Price
Comic-Con montage of footage from the show floor
Filmed by the amazing Annette Price, this montage edited by Kyle Roberts shows some of the costumes, sights and excitement of Comic-Con International.
Iron Man 2 among Comic-Con highlights
Matt Price talks to Dave Morris about Comic-Con International in San Diego, and about Sam Rockwell, star of “Moon,” who was at Comic-Con promoting “Iron Man 2.”
First episode of Dharma Initiative web series
ABC has put online the first part of the Dharma Initiative webisodes, airing throughout 2009 online. This first part was also aired at the “Lost” panel at Comic-Con.
