DC previews War of the Supermen 0, DC Kids Mega-Sampler
At DC Comics’ Source Blog, the company has provided previews of “War of the Supermen” 0 and “DC Kids Mega-Sampler,” both of which will be available for Free Comic Book Day tomorrow, Saturday, May 1.
“War of the Supermen #0 kicks off a massive Superman story, one that we’ve been working towards in the Super-books for the last two years,” co-writer Sterling Gates tells the Source. “James and I are excited and proud to bring you the opening salvo of the war on this year’s Free Comic Book Day, one of the most exciting days on the comic book world’s calendar!”
I really enjoyed “War of the Supermen” 0, which I recently read. I think it’s a great Free Comic Book Day issue and a great Superman comic – and I recommend picking it up at your local store on Free Comic Book Day.
- Matt Price
Sonic the Hedgehog Free Comic Book Day 2010 edition preview
Archie Comics has provided this preview of the Free Comic Book Day edition of “Sonic the Hedgehog” for 2010. FCBD is Saturday, May 1!
Brendan Fraser takes abuse in “Furry Vengeance”
Brendan Fraser in "Furry Vengeance."
DALLAS — Brendan Fraser is willing to take a lot of abuse in the name of comedy.
The “Journey to the Center of the Earth” and “Mummy Returns” actor is a certifiable action star, but his character may be as abused in the comedy “Furry Vengeance” as any action hero.
“It’s not easy doing comedy; it actually kind of hurts sometimes,” the actor said in a press tour in support of
Actor Brendan Fraser throws out the first pitch prior to the Toronto Blue Jays baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Toronto on Tuesday April 13, 2010. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn)
his latest film, “Furry Vengeance.” Fraser plays Dan Sanders, a real-estate developer who is in the process of tearing down a forest to develop a housing division. The animals of the forest fight back, and Dan takes most of the abuse. From being hit with boulders, sprayed by skunks and trapped in a portable potty, Dan faces the vengeance of the animal kingdom.
The film is directed by Roger Kumble (“Cruel Intentions,” “Just Friends”) and co-stars Brooke Shields as Dan’s wife, Tammy.
Neal Lyman (Ken Jeong) is Dan’s boss, a multimillionaire who doesn’t care about the forest or the environment. He claims Lyman Properties is a green company, but his only real interest is profit.
“If Ken Jeong is going to be in this movie, and he gets out of the trunk in ‘The Hangover’ wearing nothing but a crowbar, I have to up my game here,” Fraser said. “I want his respect.”
Fraser’s upped game includes leaving the house in his wife’s hot-pink tracksuit after the animals destroy his clothes.
“There was a choice between (hot pink); electric blue, like an ’80s blue; or maybe a lime yellow, but there was actually a problem with the lime yellow (because of the green screen).”
Fraser said his own children inspire him when making all-ages films.
“Having kids changes your life,” he said. “My choices in films, I try to make a point to elevate what’s good about having the things you need as a child.”
He said that kids have a sense of when they’re being talked down to by entertainment.
“You’ve got to make it good for them if you can,” he said. “They’ll push the uh-uh button really quick if they don’t buy it.”
Fraser said the development of computer-generated imagery and effects have made virtually any kind of movie possible.
“If you make it up, it can be created,” he said. “You can do ‘Furry Vengeance,’ for example, and we never even touched an animal. We didn’t have to.”
The movie was filmed on the RED Camera, which uses a hard drive; this makes longer takes possible.
“Roger loved saying, ‘Action,’” Fraser said. “He wasn’t big on saying, ‘Cut.’”
- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
G.I. Joe Day declared in Rhode Island
From left, Amanda Arroyo, Brady Moran, and Kiley O'Brien, first-graders at Cumberland Hills Elementary School, wrap up G.I. Joe figures that were launched with parachutes from the rotunda of the Rhode Island Statehouse in Providence, R.I., to open the 2010 International G.I. Joe Collectors' Convention, Friday, April 30, 2010. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
From Hasbro:
Providence, RI – April 30, 2010 – The world’s first action figure comes home to Rhode Island for the 17th annual G.I. JOE Convention, hosted by the G.I. JOE Collectors’ Club and Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS). To celebrate the homegrown hero and its fans, Rhode Island Governor, Donald L. Carcieri, proclaimed today as “G.I. JOE Day” as Rhode Island schoolchildren were on hand for the celebration in the State House rotunda. The Governor was also joined by Hasbro’s President and CEO, Brian Goldner, as well as 250 parachuting G.I. JOE action figures that descended from the upper level of the domed structure, kicking off the official and largest convention of G.I. JOE enthusiasts.
Thousands of G.I. JOE fans will converge on the Rhode Island Convention Center on May 1st and 2nd to participate in events and activities that surround the brand’s 45-plus year history that includes action figures, comic books, animated series and a blockbuster movie.
“We are excited to have the G.I. JOE brand and its many legions of fans come to Providence for its annual convention this year,” said Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri. “We are proud to have such an internationally iconic hero call Rhode Island home.”
This year’s convention will feature some of the original G.I. JOE vs. COBRA creators, industry guests, artists, and the Hasbro G.I. JOE brand and design team. The convention will celebrate G.I. JOE, the original action figure, and its journey through the decades from the 1960s, all the way through last summer’s blockbuster, G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra, and beyond.
“Hasbro is thrilled to celebrate the G.I. JOE brand in Rhode Island” said Brian Goldner, President and CEO of Hasbro, Inc. “G.I. JOE is a property that was created and developed here at Hasbro in Rhode Island over 45 years ago and is now known around the world. This year’s convention will showcase the full history of the G.I. JOE brand, with special emphasis on the future of the iconic action and adventure property. We’re thrilled that Governor Carcieri has bestowed such an honor to the world’s first action figure hero and we’re excited to celebrate “G.I. JOE Day” with our employees, fans and fellow Rhode Island residents.”
The convention is being held at the Rhode Island Convention Center located at 1 Sabin Street in Providence, Rhode Island. General admission tickets are available at the door, $12 for adults and $8 for children ages 5-12 (free child’s admission with a paid adult). And, as always, admission is free for those 4 years old and under. General Admission tickets provide access to the showroom on Saturday, May 1st from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., or on Sunday, May 2nd from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Additional details and pre-registration information can be found at gijoecon.com, or by calling (817) 448-9863.
Hasbro inaugurated the G.I. JOE Collectors’ Convention in 1994 to bring collectors, fans and the G.I. JOE team together to share in the history of the brand. The annual event attracts thousands of people for G.I. JOE-related presentations and activities, along with buying, selling and trading rare and vintage G.I. JOE action figures.
Click past the cut for more pictures from the GI Joe Day celebration.
Batman 3 sets July 20, 2012 release date, report says
Christian Bale in "The Dark Knight."
Production Weekly reports via twitter that Warner Bros. “Batman 3″ project is set for a July 20, 2012 release date. The film, which is expected to be directed by Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale, is the third in the series of “Batman” films that began with “Batman Begins” and continued with “The Dark Knight.”
Update: Some more info/background at Heat Vision Blog, which points out 2012 will be massive for geeks. Planned for the summer of 2012 so far? Batman 3, The Avengers, the Spider-Man reboot and the Star Trek sequel.
- Matt Price
Secret Avengers #1 preview from Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics has provided the following preview of “Secret Avengers” #1, by Ed Brubaker and Mike Deodato. The issue goes on sale May 26.
Also, fans can visit www.IAmAnAvenger.com and submit a photo for a chance to have their picture appear in an upcoming issue of an Avengers comic book. This limited-time invitation is only open to those at least 18 years old.
Click past the cut for the full preview.
- Matt Price
Free Comic Book Day preview: Archie’s Summer Splash #1
Archie Comics has provided the following preview of “Archie’s Summer Splash” #1, one of the company’s offerings for Free Comic Book Day 2010, which is Saturday, May 1.
Wolverine featured in 5th and 6th Shadowland promo
Wolverine, who apparently gets around quite a bit still, is shown in the fifth and sixth Shadowland promos from Marvel Comics. The series starts in July and features Daredevil, and is written by Andy Diggle with art by Billy Tan. The subtitle for the series is “Battle for the Soul of New York.” This cover is an homage to “Daredevil” #179, featuring Elektra impaling Daredevil’s mask on her sais. Who is Wolverine after, Bullseye or Daredevil? Or both? We’ll see.
- Matt Price
Superman takes center stage on Free Comic Book Day
WORD BALLOONS
Comic book stores around the world will celebrate the ninth annual Free Comic Book Day on Saturday.
Classic superheroes such as Superman and Iron Man will join favorites including Archie, Toy Story and Shrek.
“We are thrilled to be a part of Free Comic Book Day,” DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee said in a news release. “This is a great opportunity for comic shops to showcase their stores and celebrate all the creativity and excitement comic books have to offer.”
DC Comics will offer “War of the Supermen” No. 0 as one of its Free Comic Book Day releases. The issue is co-written by James Robinson and University of Oklahoma graduate Sterling Gates.
“I’m really excited to be writing a Free Comic Book Day issue,” Gates said. “Getting a chance to help put the focus on the world’s most recognizable superhero on comics’ greatest holiday is a complete thrill.”
Prior to “War of the Supermen,” a group of superpowered aliens from Superman’s home planet founded New Krypton, in orbit around Earth’s sun. But not everyone on Earth believes the two planets can live in peace. In “War of the Supermen,” those tensions explode.
“As you can imagine, writing a comic that’s going to have such a huge circulation is a huge responsibility,” Gates said. “We wanted to tell a great Superman story, something that would lead in to May’s Superman event, ‘War of the Supermen,’ but still be accessible for anyone who picks it up.”
“War of the Supermen” launches with an issue numbered “0” on Free Comic Book Day. Each Wednesday in May will feature a new issue of “War of the Supermen,” with the series completing at No. 4 on May 26.
“To be a part of an event like this is a huge honor, and James and I have done our best to write a Superman story that really fires people’s imaginations.”
- Matt Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
Oklahoma City-area stores participating in Free Comic Book Day
The following is a list of Oklahoma City-area comic book stores participating in Free Comic Book Day on May 1.
All-Star Comics, 6900 N May Ave., Suite 10; 842-7800. 11 am – 7 pm
Atomik Pop #1, 918 W Main, Norman; 329-9695. 11 am – 7 pm
Atomik Pop #2, 7884 S Western; 635-0848. 11 am – 7 pm
Bibliotech, 123 E Main, Shawnee; 275-9494. 10 am – 6 pm
Book Rack Midwest, 1717 S Air Depot, Midwest City; 737-3781. 10 am – 6 pm
New World Comics, 6219 N Meridian; 721-7634. 9 am – 9 am May 2.
New World Games & Comics, 4435 SE 29, Del City; 677-2559. 11 am – 6 pm
Second Chance Books & Comics, 3909 N MacArthur Blvd., 603-7151. 10 am – 9 pm
Speeding Bullet Comics, 614 N Porter, Norman; 360-6866. 10 am – 7 pm
Vintage Stock, 7201 SE 29, Suite 208, Midwest City; 732-1140. 10 am – 10 pm
Wizards Games, 749 Jenkins, Norman; 292-4263. 11 am – 9 pm
