“Simpsons” arcade game comes to home consoles
To celebrate the 500th episode of “The Simpsons,” which airs Feb. 19, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., in partnership with Gracie Films and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products, is making the “Simpsons” Arcade Game available for home consoles.
The game is now available for Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The game will also be available on the PlayStation®Network for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system beginning Feb. 7.
“Of all The Simpsons video games, this demented classic is my favorite,” said Matt Groening, The Simpsons Creator and Executive Producer, in a news release.
In The Simpsons Arcade Game, players take on the role of a Simpsons character to chase Smithers and Mr. Burns on an epic quest to save Maggie.
The game features four-player online and offline cooperative play as well as eight Springfield locations.
As an added bonus, fans can view classic posters made for the game back in 1991.
- Matt Price
From Monday’s The Oklahoman
Transformers Prime: Darkness Rising DVD review
The five-part miniseries that preceded the “Transformers Prime” computer-animated series is edited together and collected on the DVD “Transformers Prime: Darkness Rising.” Less clanky than the feature films but more mature than the original 1980s cartoons, “Darkness Rising” is a hybrid that should appeal to both younger and older, nostalgic fans.
Marvel Comics’ Blade to debut in G4 anime
Marvel Comics’ vampire hunter makes his way to animation with the new series “Blade,” debuting Friday on the G4 network.
Harold Perrineau (who played Michael Dawson on “Lost”) is the voice of Eric Brooks, also known as “Blade” in the anime series based on the Marvel Comics character.
“Bastard Road” short to premiere at Kyle Kinane’s Oklahoma City show
Comedian Kyle Kinane, one of Variety’s “Ten Comics to Watch” in 2010, comes to the City Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing, at 7 p.m. Sunday. Kinane, who has appeared on “Conan” and “Last Call with Carson Daly,” is bringing a world premiere with him.
The show will include the debut of the three-minute cartoon short “Bastard Road,” based on the comic created by writer Brian Winkeler, of Yukon, and artist Dave Curd, formerly of Edmond. Kinane and comedian Brian Posehn provide the voices.
The comic, about the post-apocalyptic wanderings of an amnesiac warrior, has appeared in the award-winning “Popgun” series of graphic novel anthologies from Image Comics. Eric Sandhop, of Oklahoma City, drew the comic in the most recent anthology, “Popgun” Vol. 4.
“It’s an ultraviolent, post-apocalyptic action/comedy: SpongeBob SquarePants meets ‘The Road Warrior,’” Winkeler told The Oklahoman in 2009.
Winkeler said he and Curd are currently pitching “Road” as an animated series and are at work on a 60-page graphic novel featuring the characters aimed at a summer release. Tickets for the Kyle Kinane show are $12 in advance or $15 at the door. Call 951-0000 or go to cityartscenter.org.
- Matt Price
Kindle Fire demo; Avengers poster; Conan giveaway and Roy Thomas interview
Matt and Kyle take a look at the Kindle Fire’s options for comics; the Avengers release new posters; and Roy Thomas talks about Conan the Barbarian in this week’s comics podcast.
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See Marv Wolfman at Wizard World’s Austin Comic Con
“Teen Titans” and “Tomb of Dracula” writer Marv Wolfman will appear at noon today in Room B of the Austin Comic Con, Austin Convention Center, 500 E Cesar Chavez.
Wolfman will discuss characters he’s created that have been adapted into TV shows, movies and animated series, including “Teen Titans” and “Smallville.”
Wolfman created the character Blade in “Tomb of Dracula,” which has been adapted into three movies starring Wesley Snipes, and a television series.
Also, Wolfman and artist John Romita Sr. created the “Daredevil” villain Bullseye.
- Matt Price
DVD review – Young Justice Season One Vol. 2
Young Justice Season One, Vol. 2 DVD
Superheroic proteges get top billing in “Young Justice,” the Cartoon Network animated series featuring Robin, Superboy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Miss Martian and Artemis.
DVD review – Batman: Year One (Two-disc Special Edition)
Batman: Year One Two-Disc Special Edition DVD
Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s “Batman: Year One” is a comic-book classic, recounting the early adventures of Batman and police Lt. James Gordon in a corrupt, crime-infested Gotham City. The story was originally serialized in issues 404 through 407 of DC Comics’ “Batman” title in 1987.
“Year One” has been influential in nearly all the Batman adaptations in other media since, including “Mask of the Phantasm” and Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight.” Miller’s darker takes on Batman in “Year One” and the earlier “Dark Knight Returns” were influential on the 1989 “Batman” film as well.
With so much history hanging on this story, there’s a lot for the direct-to-video animated adaptation to hold up. The extremely faithful adaptation, produced by Bruce Timm and co-directed by Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu, succeeds as the best direct-to-video DC Comics movie to date.
The cast includes Ben McKenzie as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Bryan Cranston as James Gordon, Eliza Dushku as Selina Kyle/Catwoman and Katee Sackhoff as Sarah Essen. Cranston, whom many know from “Breaking Bad,” is a fantastic Gordon. “Year One” is Gordon’s story as much as it is Batman’s, and Cranston hits every emotion needed to pull off the complex character. Gordon’s a good man and a good cop; but Gotham City will put both of those characterizations to the test, as corruption and double-dealing test his faith and resolve.
Extras include a “Catwoman” short, written by Paul Dini; two Catwoman-centric episodes of previous “Batman” animated series; and a documentary on the importance of Miller and the “Year One” story to the Batman mythos.
— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
DVD review: “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes Vol. 3”
Marvel Comics’ top-tier team of superheroes stars in “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes,” which features Thor, Iron Man and Captain America, among others.
With “The Avengers” set to come to theaters in 2012, it’s a nice bit of multimedia synergy — but it’s a well-done animated series, as well, culling bits from both the classic and “Ultimate” lines of Marvel Comics, as well as the cinematic universe, to create a hybrid that takes the best of all worlds.
Google honors Oklahoma-born artist Mary Blair
As reported by the Washington Post’s Comic Riffs blog, today is the 100th birthday of the late, Oklahoma-born artist Mary Blair.
Google is celebrating the artist with a homepage doodle today based on her art. Blair worked on Disney animated films including “Alice in Wonderland,” “Cinderella” and “Peter Pan.” She was known for bright colors and vibrant patterns.
She joined the Disney studio in 1940 and left in the mid-1950s. Later, she was hired by Walt Disney later to work on theme park attractions including “It’s A Small World.” She also worked on major advertising campaigns and on Simon and Schuster’s children’s line of “Golden Books.”
Blair died in 1978. She received a posthumous “Disney Legend” award in 1991.
Read more at Comic Riffs. Find out more about Mary Blair at The Magic of Mary Blair web site.
