SoonerCon 2009 kicks off today
THE NEXT LEVEL
Meet writers and artists of popular science fiction and fantasy at the 2009 SoonerCon expo this weekend at the Biltmore Hotel, 401 S Meridian.
Writer Dave Wolverton, aka David Farland, is the guest of honor. Wolverton is the author of the “Star Wars” novel “The Courtship of Princess Leia.” As Farland, he has written the “The Runelords” series, including the New York Times best-seller “Wizardborn.” Wolverton is a Guinness World Record holder for the largest single-author book signing, signing 1,845 copies of the science-fiction novel “A Very Strange Trip.”
Wolverton designed and scripted video games at Saffire studios. According to his Web site at www.davidfarland.net, he helped design the storyline, monsters, and weapons for “StarCraft’s Broodwar,” and wrote the story and script for “Xena: the Talisman of Fate.”
The artist guest of honor is Brad Foster, whose art has been published in more than 3,000 publications, including Amazing Stories and Highlights for Children.
Film fans can view selections from the International BareBones Film Festival, held each April in Muskogee. The Best of BareBones will screen films at SoonerCon today and Saturday, hosted by ShIronbutterfly Ray. Several filmmakers will be available for questions about their films.
This year’s theme is “Slideways in Time” and focuses on time travel and alternate histories. Tickets are $20 per day or $40 for the entire weekend. SoonerCon runs today through Sunday.
“It’s going to be high-energy,” said Leonard Bishop, executive director of SoonerCon 2009. “We’ve got 60-plus professional writers and artists; there will be multiple tracks of panel discussions and demos going on.”
Among the demos will be stage combat, belly dance, and performance art. There will also be charity auctions and evening activities.
For more information about SoonerCon, call (405) 694-1555 or visit www.soonercon.com.
- Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
Superman meets Batman in 1950s Cold War novel
WORD BALLOONS
Superman meets Batman in the new novel from writer Kevin J. Anderson, “Enemies and Allies.” Anderson sets the first meeting of the two in the 1950s, at the height of the Cold War.
“It seemed unlikely to set a story in the modern day, and say that Batman and Superman have never heard of each other before,” Anderson said in a phone interview with The Oklahoman. “It felt more in keeping with the spirit of the universe if we set it back in a more nostalgic time. And of course the ’50s is the time we all remember from George Reeves as Clark Kent and Superman, and Noel Neill as Lois Lane, and that was the flavor I wanted to pick up on.”
In “Enemies and Allies,” Bruce Wayne’s Wayne Industries is at the forefront of many technological breakthroughs. But he’s being spied on by another industrialist, Lex Luthor, who wants to stoke Cold War tensions to build his own military-industrial empire.
“Set in the Cold War universe with Bruce Wayne as the big industrialist as well, Lex Luthor just seemed like the natural foil for both Bruce Wayne and Wayne Industries, and Clark Kent and Superman,” Anderson said.
Meanwhile, Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen, reporters for the Daily Planet, are sent to look into a possible flying saucer crash.
“We did the story in stages,” Anderson said. “One was doing Batman and Superman and deciding to set it in the ’50s. And in the ’50s, the primary thing is the Cold War, and everybody was afraid that the Russians were going to launch nuclear missiles at us, and everybody was doing disaster drills. The movies at the theater, they’re … all these wonderful flying saucer paranoia pictures.”
Ultimately, the 1950s setting became interwoven completely with the story.
“It became not just window dressing, but the ’50s setting and everybody’s attitudes about the Cold War, the paranoia about flying saucers, and all of these details became integral to the plot rather than just little backdrops,” Anderson said.
Another new release from Anderson is “Terra Incognita: The Edge of the World,” a fantasy novel
featuring high-seas adventure. Additionally, a CD from ProgRock Records tying into the book’s release has lyrics by Anderson and Rebecca Moesta, with music by Erik Norlander (keyboardist for Asia Featuring John Payne).
“This idea’s been in my head for a long time, because I think a lot of the people who listen to that kind of music also listen to the kind of books that I write,” Anderson said. “It’s a crossover rock CD and fantasy novel.”
More about Kevin Anderson’s “Enemies and Allies” and “Terra Incognita” can be found at his Web site, www.wordfire.com.
- Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
Marvel releases Riftwar preview
Marvel Comics continues its adaptation of Raymond E. Feist’s novels with the 5-issue miniseries “Riftwar.” The release states: “The fan favorite team behind Magician Apprentice reunites and delivers an even more compelling tale of bravery and peril. The Castle Crydee has never faced an enemy as threatening as the one they face now. Meanwhile, Pug journeys deep into the heart of the enemy’s camp in what can only be described as a suicide mission! This first issue has all the makings of a shocking series that will change the landscape of Midkemia forever!”
“Krod Mandoon” star ready to fire up television satire
Comedy Central mixes medieval action with satirical slapstick in “Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire,” which debuts at 9 p.m. Thursday.
Sean Maguire (”Meet the Spartans”) plays the titular hero, described in the show’s promo as “the son of a blacksmith and a stay-at-home mom.” It parodies medieval quest fiction like “Lord of the Rings” and “Robin Hood,” as Krod leads a band of resistance fighters against an evil overlord.
Maguire initially passed on “Krod,” feeling it would hew too closely to areas he’d already covered as Leonidas in “Meet the Spartans.” But his manager convinced him to give it another look.
“It’s very clever, it’s very funny,” Maguire said in a recent phone interview. “It’s not a spoof; it’s far more satirical and far cleverer humor than a silly fun romp like ‘Spartans’ was.”
In fact, Maguire said you could compare “Krod Mandoon” to a workplace comedy – the workplace just happens to be in a medieval realm.
“Krod is pretty much like the team leader, and he’s got the sales department, the accounts department, the whatever department, and he’s just trying to keep them all together and get the shipment out,” Maguire said. “But they’re just such a bumbling bunch of fools it makes his job twice as difficult.”
So how about that “Flaming Sword of Fire”? It’s a practical effect, Maguire said, meaning the sword was literally alight in his hand.
“It did require some guys with a Bunsen burner to come and light it, and I had a tube running down my arm, and a gas canister somewhere out of shot,” he said. “Consequently I had a quite a hot arm many a filming day.”
He wasn’t the only one to take a beating while filming “Krod.” India de Beaufort, the actress who portrays the pagan warrior Aneka, said she took her share of bumps, some serious, as well.
“I had a bad injury, I fell when I was learning to tumble,” she said. “The next day I got head-butted in the face and got a fat lip … after that I was much happier to let my stunt double do all the gymnastics.”
Aneka’s aggressive sexuality at times puts her in conflict with Krod, who loves her but doesn’t always understand her traditions.
“She’s a young, strong woman saying that she enjoys sex, and she’s not out to hurt anyone,” de Beaufort said. “She’s happy to make her own choices, and she feels good about them.”
The rest of Krod’s merry men in the pilot are played by Kevin Hart, Steve Spiers and Marques Ray; the evil Chancellor Dongalor is played by Matt Lucas.
“Working with those people on a daily basis, it was so hard to keep a straight face,” de Beaufort said. “It was so difficult, but it was so enjoyable at the same time.”
Comedy Central has placed a six-episode order for “Krod Mandoon,” and if the show is successful, the motley band of heroes will be back for more.
“I just hope people don’t write it off,” Maguire said. “It is silly, and it can be slapsticky, but there’s also a lot of merit in the writing, and some really great performances.”
- By Matthew Price
From Wednesday’s The Oklahoman
See more pictures from “Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire” after the break.
Previews from Krod Mandoon
Krod Mandoon
Thurs Apr 9, 10p/9c
Preview - Enter the Freedom Fighters
Matt Lucas
Kevin Hart
Sean Maguire
Krod Mandoon
Thurs Apr 9, 10p/9c
Krod Mandoon Series Preview
Matt Lucas
Kevin Hart
Sean Maguire
Two more video previews for the upcoming series “Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire.” Look for interviews with series stars Sean Maguire and India de Beaufort in Wednesday’s Life section of The Oklahoman.
India de Beaufort plays sexy warrior in “Krod Mandoon”
I just got off the phone with India de Beaufort, who plays the alluring pagan warrior Aneka in “Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire,” which debuts on Comedy Central on April 9. “Krod Mandoon” is a satire on a “Conan” type world, as the warrior Krod (Sean Maguire) leads a group of resistance fighters against Chancellor Dongalor (Matt Lucas) in an ancient realm.
Look for a full article about the series in an upcoming issue of The Oklahoman, but I thought I’d give Nerdage readers an early excerpt of my interview with India.
MATT PRICE: Aneka’s a Xena-type character with a much more graphic sexual edge. How do you approach playing the character?
INDIA DE BEAUFORT: I had a lot of fun playing the role. I found it really freeing to play this kind of feisty, sassy character. There are definitely, I’d say, things about her that I can relate to; there are certain things about her that were lessons to me, things that I took from her and learned from her; and there were elements of her that I probably couldn’t relate to. But it’s nice to get your teeth stuck into something like that and have fun with it. It was just very important to me that even though she is sexually free, I wouldn’t want her really to ever be thought of as a slut, or any kind of degrading names. Because for me, I kind of find her as someone who, she feels justified in her actions. She’s a young, strong woman saying that she enjoys sex, and she’s not out to hurt anyone. She’s happy to make her own choices, and she feels good about them.
Review: Kull #1 (Dark Horse)
KULL #1 (Dark Horse Comics)
Arvid Nelson, the writer of the alternate-history murder mystery “Rex Mundi,” has been tabbed by Dark Horse to helm “Kull,” the third comic-book series based on the Robert E. Howard properties.
Kull, a warrior-king, has named himself ruler of Valusia, a formerly great kingdom now living in dreams of its past. To unite the kingdom under his rule, Kull must lay siege to the Iron Fortress, and its ruler, Count Areyas.
The Iron Fortress will be difficult to subdue – and even moreso if Areyas releases the monster, Etrigor.
The art of Will Conrad (”Serenity,” “Conan”) ably captures the fantasy setting. Conrad’s depiction of action, and his storytelling, are top-notch.
Howard’s original “Conan” story was in fact a reworking of a rejected “Kull” tale, so naturally the characters have similarities. But Nelson’s portrayal of Kull is layered, with a more thoughtful and philosophical approach than Conan. This “Kull” storyline will adapt the Robert E. Howard story “The Shadow Kingdom.”
The covers are by Andy Brase and Joe Kubert, and while both are good, I preferred the Brase cover on this issue.
I haven’t read any of the previous “Kull” comics from other publishers, or the original stories themselves. But as of the first issue, “Kull” is my favorite of the current batch of Robert E. Howard comics.
- Matt Price
DVD review: Robin of Sherwood, the Complete Collection
The adventurer Robin Hood gets a mystical slant in “Robin of Sherwood,” the 1980s version of the legend.
Michael Praed stars as Robin of Loxley, chosen by the supernatural “Herne the Hunter” to protect the forests and aid the weak. Loxley gathers his band of Merry Men, including Scarlet (Ray Winstone. “Sexy Beast”) and Little John (Clive Mantle).
They fight the oppression of the Sheriff of Nottingham (Nickolas Grace, “Brideshead Revisted”) and Guy of Gisburne (Robert Addie).
The film was shot on location in English castles, adding to the authenticity. The haircut of Praed and the music of Irish band Clannad probably date the programs, today, but they still stand up as one of the best interpretations of the legend.
“Robin of Sherwood” covers two of the main variants of the “Robin Hood” tale — Robert of Huntingdon, a nobleman, replaces Loxley as Robin Hood after Praed left the show. Thus, the Robin Hood of the series was in turn, a commoner and a displaced nobleman. In another interesting twist, Huntingdon was played by Jason Connery, son of Sean Connery, who himself played Robin Hood in 1976’s “Robin and Marian.”
— Matthew Price
(From the Sept. 26 The Oklahoman)
Superhero Hype talks Red Sonja
Robert Rodriguez is on hand to produce “Red Sonja,” starring Rose McGowan. Superhero Hype talked to McGowand and Rodriguez about the film:
Rose McGowan: Well, I thought “Red Sonja” was incredibly badass. The studio brought me the script. I got really excited about it. I’d been getting such boring scripts and after doing Cherry in “Planet Terror,” I was really in a quite a deep depression — I’m not going to lie — at least workwise. I came home and said, “I really want to do this movie. It’s kind of great. Look at these comic books, you ever heard of this person? This is insane!” And then…
Robert Rodriguez: I had been into “Conan” since I was twelve. “Savage Sword of Conan” was the first comic I had gotten. There was lots of Red Sonja in that. Robert E. Howard, who I’m a fan of, was from Texas. I used to collect his books and just knew all about it so I was very surprised when she brought the comic script and offer. I said, “If you want to do that, that’s a great project to do!” That’s like a fantasy project for somebody who grew up with this.
While I’m certain the picture I’ve included here would be enough for the woman who called to complain to me the last time I wrote about Red Sonja, I’m not even stopping there. Click past the cut for one of the least subtle promotional posters I’ve ever seen.
– Matt Price
Gaiman’s Tulsa trip cancelled
According to Neil Gaiman’s journal, his planned appearance in Tulsa on June 28 has been cancelled.
Gaiman writes:
An apologetic note to say that I’ve just learned that for various reasons (none of which was really anyone’s fault) the Tulsa Oklahoma event on June the 28th has had to be cancelled. (And, I am assured, all tickets will be refunded.)
I definitely want to come to Tulsa — there are Lafferty archives to see, after all, and old friends to eat with — so I think its been more postponed than cancelled, although it’ll probably be in a slightly different form when next it happens.
This is too bad — I know several people were looking forward to the well-known “Sandman” author’s appearance — but there is some hope that a future trip is in order.
– Matt Price
