NewsOK Comics Podcast: Captain America Reborn 3, Blackest Night 3, Archie 601
Two of the year’s biggest series hit their third issue, and Archie ties the knot. Listen to Kyle Roberts and Matt Price discuss the eternal question, “Betty or Veronica”?
Blackest Night putting retailers in the black
WORD BALLOONS
DC Comics announced this week that it has sold out of “Blackest Night” No. 1, which kicked off the zombie-thriller superhero tale by Geoff Johns.
A second printing will be in stores Sept. 16, along with “Blackest Night” No. 3. “Blackest Night” No. 2 is in stores now. Local stores say the issue is moving well from their shelves as well.
“It’s our bestselling comic,” said Brian “Buck” Berlin of New World Comics in Oklahoma City. He said the black ring promo, which allowed stores to order a plastic “Black Lantern” ring with every issue, helped raise awareness of the series.
“We’ve ordered more of it than any other comic, and we’re still selling out of it,” said Eric Neal, an owner of Second Chance Books and Comics in Warr Acres.
Live Video Update from Comic-Con
Geoff Johns gives advice, scoops at spotlight panel
Eddie Berganza and Geoff Johns
SAN DIEGO — Blackest Night writer Geoff Johns kept the crowd engrossed during his Spotlight panel at Comic-Con, with tales of his days interning for Superman director Richard Donner and advice to aspiring writers. Along the way, he dropped some hints and revelations about upcoming DC storylines. Editor Eddie Berganza was on-hand with Johns to help the discussion along.
Barry Allen, the Flash who returned from the dead to the DC Universe, will be around for a while, Johns said, and is co-starring with Wally West, another Flash, in the Blackest Night: Flash series by Johns and Scott Kolins.
Blackest Night, the zombie-superhero tale currently unfolding from DC Comics, is meant to be dark and scary, Johns told attendees who might be concerned about the content. It’s intended to push the boundaries.
“It’s about the dead rising; it’s supposed to be violent … it’s supposed to be horrific,” he said.
“Blackest Night” has Green Lantern Hal Jordan front and center in the DC Comics universe. When asked why he preferred Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern that Johns has returned to the spotlight, over 1990s Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, Johns said he thought the Jordan character was more universal.
“It’s about the theme of overcoming fear,” Johns said. “We’re bombarded by things that are all about scaring us.” Green Lantern’s ability to overcome fear should resonate with everyone, he said.
Johns has no plans to leave Green Lantern anytime soon, he said, and said the villain Hector Hammond will return to prominence in the future of the title.
A large number of people at the panel thanked Johns for getting them into, or back into comics. Some wanted his advice on breaking in as a writer.
Johns recommended those looking to break into writing look for internships to hone their craft, and to check out the books The Writer’s Journey and Shot By Shot.
From his own days as an assistant, Johns told a story of wrecking Donner’s car, then calling Donner and saying, “I’m fired, right?” Johns survived the mishap, and later met with DC Comics execs while Donner worked on the film “Conspiracy Theory.”
Even after that, it took a couple of years for his project “Stars and STRIPE” to get going at DC, Johns said, advising persistence to those in the crowd.
- Matt Price
Green Lantern First Flight debuts at Comic-Con
SAN DIEGO — The Warner Bros. animated film Green Lantern First Flight debuted for around 4,000 excited fans in Ballroom 20 at Comic-Con International.
Producer Bruce Timm introduced the film, and led viewers in a recitation of the Green Lantern oath. Tricia Helfer, who voices Boodika, provided a taped introduction.
Christopher Meloni voices Hal Jordan, who goes on his first Green Lantern Corps mission in “First Flight.”
The film has a “Training Day” vibe, as Jordan is trained by the stern Green Lantern Sinestro, who, as comics fans will know, harbors a secret.
There are definite changes from the comic-book continuity, and some plot holes have to be willfully ignored. But it’s nice to see characters like Kilowog, Ch’p and of course Hal Jordan come to animated life.
- Matt Price
NewsOK Comics Podcast: Captain America 601, Phantom Generations 3, Blackest Night 1
Matt Price and Kyle Roberts discuss this week’s comics, including Captain America 601, Phantom Generations 3 and Blackest Night 1. Kyle must deal with his fear of zombies and vampires.
Green Lantern at forefront of DC Blackest Night event
The media spotlight turned intensely on Green Lantern in the past week, as Ryan Reynolds was announced as the star of the upcoming film “Green 
Lantern,” set for release in 2011. In a bit of good timing, DC Comics this week released its high profile “Green Lantern” miniseries, “Blackest Night.” Hal Jordan, who will be played by Reynolds in the film, stars in “Blackest Night,” an event that features the dead returning to life and facing off against DC’s heroes.
The title “Blackest Night” comes from the oath of the Green Lanterns, an intergalactic peacekeeping force. It begins, “In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight.”
At the ComicsPRO annual meeting in March in Memphis, DC executive editor Dan DiDio talked about the behind-the-scenes effort that went into making the “Blackest Night” event run smoothly. ComicsPRO is a nonprofit organization of direct-market comic store retailers.
To keep the “Blackest Night” series and tie-in issues seamless, “Green Lantern” writer Geoff Johns relocated from Los Angeles to New York to work from the offices of DC Comics.
Johns made the transcontinental journey to replicate the plan the company used on “Infinite Crisis,” a previous Johns-written event that topped sales charts.
“This is the formula we used when we created Countdown to Infinite Crisis,” DiDio said. DiDio said Johns working in the offices with editors and writers kept everyone in the loop, and improved the sense of flow with the tie-ins.
“What Geoff’s been able to do is work with a group of writers who will be working on ‘Blackest Night,’ working with them directly to make sure everybody’s on the same page, and working on the same model so we will have a story that feels very natural in its development,” DiDio said.
DiDio said that it’s paramount to keep the focus on the characters, and that’s what they are trying to do with “Blackest Night.”
“We’ve heard the momentum, we’ve heard the excitement about ‘Blackest Night,’ and this is our one chance to take advantage of it all,” DiDio said.
“I can sit here and face anybody … because I know how good the stuff is ahead of us. I know how big ‘Blackest Night’ could be.”
- by Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
Reynolds is Green Lantern; fans react
As reported by Variety, Ryan Reynolds has been tapped to play Green Lantern. Martin Campbell will direct the film, which is slated to begin filming in January.
Fans reacted quickly to the announcement, making “Green Lantern” and “Ryan Reynolds” both trending topics on Twitter on Friday night.
A quick scan revealed mostly positive fan reaction from those twittering about the news. A few fans seemed upset that a black actor wasn’t chosen, probably due to John Stewart’s high profile in the Justice League cartoon, but this film was always, as far as I know, going to be about Hal Jordan. Though I wouldn’t be too surprised to see a John Stewart or Guy Gardner casting announcement down the line. There was also some concern from Marvelites that this could delay or derail the possible “Deadpool” film franchise.
Among my favorite Twitter comments:
Autumnwash: Ryan Reynolds in Green Lantern?? cute 
though what the heck is Green Lantern?
3amephiphany: wait, Deadpool AND Green Lantern? DJFKLSJL I LOVE YOU, RYAN REYNOLDS.
MadEyeMarky: Ryan Reynolds has been picked to play Hal Jordan in the live action Green Lantern movie! WOOHOO! No Timberlake landing on OA this time pal
Sweet fan-made Green Lantern trailer
Check out this excellent fan-made trailer of a “Green Lantern” movie that would star Nathan Fillion (”Firefly”). My opinion? They should hire this guy and Fillion both to work on the movie. (I’m sure they’ll go younger, and someone not currently in a TV series for Hal Jordan, but wouldn’t Fillion be great at it?)
– Matt Price
Wolverine, Green Lantern highlight Free Comic Book Day
WORD BALLOONS
As “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is released, local comic book stores will give away a “Wolverine” comic book as part of the eighth annual Free Comic Book Day.
Thousands of comic book stores worldwide will give free comic books to patrons Saturday as part of the annual celebration.
Free Comic Book Day was the idea of California comic book retailer Joe Field, and it is implemented through comic book distributor Diamond Comics.
Diamond Comics estimates more than 2 million comic books will be given away worldwide.
DC Comics will kick off its largest 2009 event, “Blackest Night,” with a free “zero” issue on Free Comic Book Day. The issue includes a lead story that leads directly into “Blackest Night” No. 1.
“The first half is by me and Ivan Reis,” Johns said at the recent ComicsPRO annual meeting in Memphis. “It’s a 12-page story that’s a lead-in to the DC Universe through Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) and Barry Allen (Flash).” The second half of the issue is by artist Doug Mahnke and Johns, and is a guide to the different organizations that will play into the “Blackest Night” storyline.
Other comics will feature Disney/Pixar’s Cars, the Avengers, Star Wars, Transformers, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Giveaway books may vary by location and are available while supplies last.
In addition to the participating comic book stores, Metro Library Systems will participate in Free Comic Book Day.
For more information, go online to www.freecomicbookday.com.
By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
