Yet another trailer featuring our favorite jade giant
Two months may seem like a relatively short period of time in the grand scheme of things, but when it occurs in one of the best years geekdom has ever seen, it's an eternity. During the midst of my sixty-day hiatus: Countdown has ended (Talk about eternity), Secret Invasion is now three issues in, Final Crisis hit the shelves.. Oh and yeah, Tony Stark pulverized the box-office into nano-dust. What does this all mean, you ask? It means we have a LOT of catching up to do! And what better way to begin than to geek about a new Hulk trailer aptly entitled "AWAKEN". Excelsior!
The Incredible Hulk "AWAKEN" Trailer
In a summer dominated by billionaire playboys, crystal skulls, and even err.. Kung-Fu Pandas, what's a giant green gamma-irradiated freak gotta do to get some love around here? Well... I guess a "smash-from-the-past" trailer doesn't really help much.. But I have to admit it is pretty darn cool. Especially for fans of the old Bill Bixby series. Tune in and enjoy!
Okay, I guess not everybody will find the awkward pacing and the somewhat cheesy narrating appealing. But keep in mind that this trailer is a homage to the introduction sequence of the 1970s TV series. Here, maybe this will give you a clearer idea:
I'm loving how they seem to have a lot of respect to The Hulk's roots may it be about the old TV series or the comics. Hopefully this will all translate to a kick-ass film worthy of the Green Goliath's reputation. I guess we'll find out in a couple of days. Woohoo!
SECRET INVASION MANIA: 10-Page Preview and a Geektastic Animated Trailer. Plus! A New Iron Man Movie TV Spot
Months of teasing and years in the making, it is almost a surreal feeling that it's only mere days before we have the chance of reading the first of eight issues of Marvel's mega event of 2008. Now I'm sure many of you will agree that turning a page isn't nearly as satisfying as clicking a mouse.. But for those who just can't bear the wait even for just several more days, rejoice! A 10-page preview of Secret Invasion hit the web a couple of days back.. and it is every bit of awesome as it's been promised to be. Wha--?? Why are you still reading? Click the link now!
Okay, I take back the thinnest shred of doubt that I felt about Leinil Yu's showing in SI back when I saw the two-page preview (It was wrong of me to doubt you Nil! Your art looks mightily awesome!). By the way, also make sure that you read the seven-page prologue to go with this preview. Trust me, you will gain a different sense of understanding in SI#1 after reading the prologue. ^_^
SECRET INVASION ANIMATED WEBISODE The Most Skrull-tastic Teaser Yet!
Presenting perspective from both the Skrulls and Iron Man, this trailer is filled with clues as well as insight into the coming invasion. Who can you trust? How deep does this conspiracy go? Well, True Believers, get ready to find some answers in this incredible animated trailer! -Marvel
In a span of a week, we were treated to a prologue, 10-page preview and now an animated trailer! Marvel sure is not shying aways from making sure that Secret Invasion #1 arrive in stores with as much momentum as it can gather. And they're doing a pretty damn good job about it. As it is written... it shall be freakin' done!
KNOW MORE ABOUT THE SKRULLS Marvel recently released a FREE comic book titled Secret Invasion Saga #1 that chronicles the shape-shifting alien race's history and involvement with our heroes in the MU. Now, for those who missed the comic: It is now available online via Marvel Digital Comics. And yes, it's ABSOLUTELY FREE. Read Secret Invasion Saga #1...
MEANWHILE, BACK IN HOLLYWOOD...
Unless you've been living under that rock that everybody loves to talk about, then you'd know that our favorite alcoholic avenger is making his big screen debut coming this May. What you're about to see now is a new 30-second ad for the Iron Man movie. This didn't have the same impact as the 2nd full trailer... But we are treated to some never-before seen footage though(all four seconds of it. Heh). As a plus, new photos are released featuring the movie's main villain, Iron Monger! Tune in and enjoy geeks!
Let's start with the bad, the Prologue is exclusive only to Marvel Digital Comics subscribers so you may need to sign-up if you want read the whole thing. The good news is, signing up is absolutely free! All you need to do is spare some of your time filling up a few blanks about yourself. Trust me, it may just be seven pages, but it's sure as hell worth it!
FIRST LOOK: Next Avengers Animated Movie Next Avengers: Heroes of Tommorow is a feature-length animated movie to be released by Marvel in August 2008. I know, I know.. The first time I heard about this project, I immediately thought "kid movie". But viewing this trailer has made a convert out of me. Watch the trailer and maybe you'll see why:
It's kind of odd for Marvel to choose this as their next animated film instead of opting for more well-known heroes like Thor or Cap (Iron Fist animated, anyone??). But I have to admit, the premise is delightfuly intriguing... and I'm sure as heck checking this out. I've got 20 bucks that says this will be better than the Doctor Strange Animated. Place..Yoh..Betsa! ^_^
NOTE:I just realized that by the time the DVD for this movie is released (August 2008), we'd have already watched Wanted, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Gotham Knight and The Dark Knight. Holee Camolee.. I'm excited and devastated at the same time. lolz.
PREVIEW: CAPTAIN AMERICA #37 After the brain-melting events of CA#36, Marvel mercilessly dangles a small preview for us salivating Cap fans. Here's the solicitation from Marvel:
CAPTAIN AMERICA #37 Written by Ed Brubaker Pencils by Steve Epting & Jackson Guice
Act Three of the epic “Death Of Captain America” storyline begins right here, as Eisner-winning writer Ed Brubaker takes things from bad to worse for the new Captain America! Acclaimed artists Steve Epting and Jackson Guice join Brubaker for Captain America #37, as the Red Skull targets the very soul of America with his latest gambit! As James “Bucky” Barnes must adjust to the new mantle once worn by his mentor, he must also search for the kidnapped Sharon Carter — whose jaw dropping discovery last issue may change the entire direction of Captain America!
Cover by Jackson Guice On-Sale: 4/16/08
Here's the Preview. Click Images to Biggerize!
Bah.. No words! Pretty pictures though. It's nice to see Steve Epting back with his rocking pencils (You too Guice. Your pencils rock too, I mean). Now comes the fun part, speculation! ^_^
The first page obviously is a flashback of some sort... By the looks of it, it's the events just right after the Allies won WWII. Second page, Bucky practicing with the shield.. I'll say it again, Pretty pictures. Third page, Holy Sh*&! Some dude manages to catch the shield. But who--wha?? Can it be?!? Fourth page, another flashback of Steve and Bucky working together during the war. I like the outfit, James. lolz
A Mini-Review of the 20th Anniversary Edition of the Alan Moore Classic
I finally stopped procrastinating and availed of the Secret Invasion promo at the comic book shop I frequent. All 8-issues bagged and boarded for the bargain price of 1,180Php (roughly about $24.00USD for our international friends). It's quite a good deal since it costs $3.99 per issue if bought individually and it eliminates the possibility of being sold-out on. So if you're planning on reading SI, I suggest you do the same (Promo available at Comic Quest)
Some of you are now probably wondering why the heck I'm talking about Secret Invasion when the title clearly reads differently... So let's get on with the program. During my trip to the shop (mainly because of the promo), I was also luckily able to snag their last remaining copy of the recently released Deluxe edition of Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's The Killing Joke. I guess the geek gods were smiling down on me yesterday, so I decided to pay my respects to them by blogging about it.
Front & Back views of the book with the Dust Jacket on. (Yes, those are coins at the bottom part of the photos. Don't ask)
What makes it a Deluxe Edition? Two of the most noticeable differences with regular comic books and/or TPB's are of course the Hardcover and the slightly larger size of pages. Books in this format typically also use higher quality paper and printing than stapled comics.
In other words, It's kind of weird.. but awesome nonetheless. The pages do seem of better quality and the art looks much more crisp. The only problem is, if you don't have a lot of books in this format(like yours truly), you're gonna have a couple of oddly shaped books on your TPB shelf (You'll get what I'm talking about in a while).
Front & Back views of the book sans the Dust Jacket.
"Ooohh preeeetty" were the first two words out of my mouth when I removed the jacket. The Front (as well as the back) cover art is slightly embosed, which gives off a subtle touch of elegance while at the same time recreating one of the many memorable moments in The Killing Joke. The Deluxe Edition will include an introduction by Tim Sale, an afterword by Brian Bolland, and a nice little featurette entitled "From the files of Brian Bolland". Also as a bonus, the story "An Innocent Guy", previously featured in Batman: Black and White, will be included in the book.
For some of our friends who are hearing about The Killing Joke just now, here's a short synopsis from DC comics: Writer: Alan Moore Artist: Brian Bolland For the first time the Joker's origin is revealed in this tale of insanity and human perseverance. Looking to prove that any man can be pushed past his breaking point and go mad, the Joker attempts to drive Commissioner Gordon insane. After shooting and permanently paralyzing his daughter Barbara (a.k.a. Batgirl), the Joker kidnaps the commissioner and attacks his mind in hopes of breaking the man. But refusing to give up, Gordon maintains his sanity with the help of Batman in an effort to best the madman.
RECOLOURED PAGES
I was initially torn by DC's decision to re-color the pages. A part of me wished that they stuck to the original coloring. But as I turned page after page, I realized that they've made the right choice. The art looks absolutely stunning and seems to pop out from the pages. Here's an excerpt from Tim Sale's Introduction:
"What you hold in your hands, though, is not the book that I own, that so inflamed(!) me and thousands of others back in 1988, because of one crucial element: the coloring.
This time around, you lucky buggers, you have the fantastic treat to see the book colored by the artist himself, and see his more complete vision of how the story should look. Side by side, the comparison is amazing."
The recoloured version of the turning point in The Joker's life when he chose to accept the role of The Red Hood... dooming himself to a miserable albeit iconic existence, and on a permanent head-on collision with Batman
The biggest changes in the recolouring of the comic are the flashbacks (As seen above). Bolland washed away the colors showing The Joker's origins, emphasizing one object per panel.. eventually climaxing in the reveal of The Red Hood's Mask. This was beautifully done, and the desired effects were immediately felt.
Even if you already own the original, this is still a good buy for any Batman/Alan Moore fan. Beautifully recoloured pages bound in an equally stunning hardcover for the meager price of 900Php (or $18.00USD), this book redefines the meaning of a bargain purchase. Get one for your self now before it's too late.
SIZE DIFFERENCE Before we end, I'd just like to go back about the little thing I mentioned earlier about how this edition differs in size from regular comics and/or TPB's. Here are some images that'll hopefully give you a better idea:
Hope you enjoyed reading! Comments and/or Suggestions are encouraged as always!
NOTE: I made the silly mistake of confusing this with a Prestige Format edition. I have since edited the entry to have a more accurate description of the book. Sorry! Check out one of the reader's comments below for a more detailed description of Prestige Format and it's differences with other formats. Under username: addison
G.I. JOE Movie Update: Paramount Releases First Look at Snake Eyes
I think it's safe to say that most of us have been G.I. JOE fans in at least one point of our lives. Most especially when the animated series was in full bloom..*Sigh* There was no better way to spend Saturday afternoons than to watch America's gung-ho "soldiers" kick some serious terrorist butt. Now I was pretty young back then (Batibot young), so I recall only little from the cartoons.. and a gun-toting-samurai-wielding-silent-badass-ninja was one of them.
Some of Snake-Eyes' many incarnations
I didn't care much the first time I heard that a G.I. JOE flick was being made. Curiously enough, the first thought that came into my mind was 'Meh..Street Fighter'. But as I began to hear more about the movie (Sienna Miller, anyone?), I gradually gained interest. But it wasn't until now that I truly felt a tinge of excitement and anticipation for the movie. Paramount single-handedly sent me back to my childhood by releasing these images. Suddenly, I'm six-years-old again.
Wow.. how's that for a nostalgia trip? Now enough emo thoughts and let us instead focus on the kick-assery at hand.
Awesome #1
Awesome #2
What'd I tell you? Awesome doesn't even cut it. These are just bloody brilliant! This should be the type of excitement that the Watchmen Photos invoked when they were released (NOTE: Except for The Comedian, the rest was pretty Meh. And Nipples on Ozy?? REALLY?!?).
WHO'S PLAYING HIM? I know right?Just who the heck on Sector 2814 is Ray Park?!? Apparently, he's like this awesome martial artist that's been in a ton of action movies such as Mortal Kombat, X-Men.. etcetera. But perhaps his most famous role so far is playing no less than Darth-"I'll stick two lightsabers up yo ass!"-Maul. Now Park's credentials are not bad.. at the very least they're quite impressive. But what almost gave me a heart attack was when I learned that he's currently the one cast to play DANIEL RAND in an upcoming IMMORTAL IRON FIST movie (HuhWha?!? You've no idea what the hell I'm talking about? Shoot yourself in the head. Now.). This totally caught me off guard. Sweet Jesus... I didn't even know an Iron Fist movie was being made. Ray Park?!? But Why? I mean there has to be a reason why he only gets non-speaking roles right?? Marvel, you better know what you're doing casting a relatively unknown to play my boy Danny Rand.
ANOTHER NOTE: I tried to reacquaint myself with the comics (G.I. JOE) not too long ago. It was a horrendous experience to say the least.
Updates on Gotham Knight, Death Mask, and Grant Morrison's Batman R.I.P.
Batman has taken a temporary backseat with all the hoopla surrounding the Marvel summer releases of Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk. Ever since the huge boom in hype primarily due to the unfortunate passing of Heath Ledger, we have heard little about DC's favorite caped crusader. Yes, the Harvey Dent viral campaigns continue to draw the attention of hardcore Batman fans. But as far as mainstream full-on promotion goes, The Dark Knight has relatively been keeping a low profile.
But being the multi-cultural icon that is Batman, it's almost impossible not to hear from him in other media. So Lo and Behold! Bask yourselves with Bat-mania with updates in Animation, Manga (yes, manga!), and of course comic books!
BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHT Release Date, Cover Artwork, Stills and the voice of Batman revealed
The DVD/BD cover art for Gotham Knight has been released. But more importantly, the six-part animanthology (I thought of that one myself. lol) finally has a release date! We will be able to watch Gotham Knight in the comfort of our own homes come July 8, 2008. Exactly ten days before the release of The Dark Knight in North America.
How awesome would it be to watch Gotham Knight in Blu-Ray? Pretty fuckin' awesome that's how! Along with the cover art came this description:
Acclaimed screenwriters including David Goyer (Batman Begins), Josh Olson (A History of Violence) and Alan Burnett (Batman The Animated Series) join forces with revered animation filmmakers on six spellbinding chapters chronicling Batman's transition from novice crimefighter to Dark Knight. These globe-spanning adventures pit Batman against the fearsome Scarecrow, the freakish Killer Croc and the unerring marksman Deadshot. Using an arsenal of high-tech gadgetry from Wayne Industries, Batman’s ethical boundaries exist only where he chooses to place them, leaving some fearful of his power. The sharp storytelling, complemented by stylish art from some of the world's most visionary animators, masterfully depicts the blurred lines of Batman as man, myth and legend.
It's just been announced that Kevin Conroy(Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond), will be the voice of Batman in all six shorts in Gotham Knight. Read more about the voice cast here
BATMAN: DEATH MASK A 10-page Preview of The Coming Batman Manga Comic
As if Gotham Knight wasn't enough, DC will also be releasing a four-issue miniseries in the tradition of Japanese style Manga. Neccesary? Not really. Awesome? Totally. The comic will be printed in Black & White, and the pages are arranged the same way as traditional Manga comics. For further details, here's the solicitation of the first issue from DC comics.
BATMAN: DEATH MASK #1 (OF 4)
Written by Yoshinori Natsume; Art and Cover by Natsume
Acclaimed artist Yoshinori Natsume (Toguri) makes his American comics debut with this Prestige Format miniseries that presents an original Batman manga tale! There's a new serial killer in Gotham, and he may have ties to the training Bruce Wayne acquired as a young man in Japan. Does the murderer know Bruce Wayne is the Batman?
Batman | 48pg. | B&W | $2.99 US
On Sale April 9, 2008
-DC comics
Here's the manga-tastic preview. Don't forget to read the panels starting from right to left!
Click Images to Biggerize
BATMAN R.I.P. Grant Morrison preps one of DC's flagship titles for a major shake-up this April
A resurrection and three psychotic Batmen later, Morrison is now eyeing to kill Batman himself. Crazy guy, that Grant. I wasn't too keen about this idea when I first heard about it. But after reading interviews where Morrison talks about his diabolical plans for the Batman mythos, I instantly jumped into the R.I.P. bandwagon. Be sure to check it out geeks, I have a feeling this story arc will be an instant modern classic when the first issue hits stores on April 30.
FROM LEFT: Tim Drake holding the seemingly lifeless body of Bruce Wayne (Robin #175 On sale June '08). A dramatic role reversal of Jason Todd's death on the hands of The Joker in Batman #428... in the infamous "A Death in The Family" storyline".
Want to know more? Here's the solicitation for Batman #676, the first installment of BATMAN R.I.P.
BATMAN #676 Written by Grant Morrison; Art and variant cover by Tony Daniel and Sandu Florea; Cover by Alex Ross
Are you ready for "Batman R.I.P."? Beginning the epic story that will change the legend of the Dark Knight forever! Everything in Grant Morrison's groundbreaking run on Batman has been leading to this story, and nothing will ever be the same again.
Who will live? Who will die? Who will be Batman? The answers are sure to shock you in "Batman R.I.P.," featuring artwork by Tony Daniel and Sandu Florea and covers by Alex Ross.
Batman | 32pg. | Color | $2.99 US On Sale April 30, 2008 -DC Comics
Unlike the first trailer (which is more trailer-like), this one just looks like a compilation of footage from the video game showing the different aspects of its gameplay. We'll also catch a glimpse of the Iron Monger's video game counterpart. Tune in and enjoy gamer geeks!
Hmm.. it looks OK aesthetically. But like most videogames that tie-in with movies, this one would probably suck. But who knows, maybe this is yet one of those rare gems that actually do more than look pretty.
For those who missed the first trailer (Which I think is the better one), here it is!
The Green Goliath Smashes The Interwebz with the release of its much-awaited trailer!
How's that for a DBZ reference? (I don't care what everyone says. If they're making a DBZ live-action, I'm sure as hell watching it!). Anyway, awesome Hulk-Out face by my boy Ed Norton.
**SKEEG TEGROF!!!**
If you're a true-blooded DC fan, you're probably feeling a bit clever right now for getting that Zatanna reference. But for the rest of our Marvelite friends, Do know that I just performed an extremely powerful incantation wiping your memories out. From this moment on, I am officially retconning Ang Lee's Neon-Hulk movie out of existence. It never happened. Ok? Don't force me to summon Mephisto and ruin all your marriages now.
Now that I've made that clear, Prepare yourselves for a movie worthy of the Jade Giant's awesomeness.
I think it's brilliant of Marvel to acknowledge that the 2003 movie was a disaster and had the guts to restart the franchise right from scratch. DC would be smart to follow suit and get rid of Deadbeat-Dad-Superman and just start over with a much better story.
WHY THIS MOVIE IS GONNA ROCK:
*Edward Norton, one of the most brilliant actors in the industry is playing Bruce Banner. Seeing Ed portraying the mild-mannered Bruce Banner gave me flashes of his great performance in Primal Fear. Not taking anything away anything from Eric Bana. It's not his fault he made a movie with a lousy concept (Okay, it kinda was). *We're gonna get a chance to see The Hulk smash it out with a worthy opponent (Bryan Singer! Are you listening?!?). I'll also take this opportunity to say that I absolutely love The Abomination's character design. It kind of reminds me of his Ultimate universe counterpart.
*No more neon-Hulk. Good decision to tone down the green dial this time around. At least now The Hulk won't be looking like a walking giant higlighted freak. On his size, personally I don't think it matters that much. His size varies anyway depending on how mad he is.. So this doesn't neccesarily mean that he'll stay that size all the time. *ARWEN!!! I don't care how people say she's got a big-ass mouth, I think she's hot. Besides, I can think of one or two things that I can put that above average mouth size to more constructive endeavors. lulz *Tons of old-fashioned brute force by virtue of SMASHING!!!
THE INCREDIBLE HULK PANEL AT COMIC CON 2007 Clips from YouTube featuring some nice Q&A time about the upcoming summer smashfest. The panel tackles issues such as to why they're doing a reboot, the development of the screenplay, working with CG effects etcetera. Some of the panelists include Director Louis Leterrier, Liv Tyler and Ed Norton. Watch Videos: Part 1, Part 2
Just like that, it's almost April again. Which means Secret Invasion is on the horizon. It feels like it was only yesterday when Steve Rogers died at the end of Civil War, but here we are again on the verge of starting another mega-Marvel event. The preview for Secret Invasion #1 did little to sate my hunger so imagine my surprise when I found this little six-paged preview. Although most of what's in here are things that we already know, I still thought it was pretty nice to read it over again in a summarized, rephrased and a much clearer manner. This is also a great opportunity for new readers to jump in and get acquainted with Marvel's coming event. So do pick this issue up if you're interested!
Before we move on to the preview, I just have to say that this issue totally sneaked up on me. I had no idea Marvel was releasing this comic this week until only yesterday. And according to the solicitation, it's completely free! Sooo.. What gives? Somebody please enlighten me. Anyhoo, here's the preview! Enjoy!
SECRET INVASION SAGA #1 The Secret Invasion has been underway for years. For how long and to what extent, Tony Stark is not sure, but there is one thing he does know: Now is not the time for complacency. Following hot on the heels of the stunning revelation that Skrulls have been masquerading as Elektra and Black Bolt, Stark puts his best data-mining technology to the test to piece together their treacherous plot. From their first encounter with the Fantastic Four, through the epic clash of the Kree/Skrull War and the destruction of the Skrull Throne world, all the way to the recent Annihilation War and subsequent invasion of Earth, the timeline of known Skrull activity is made clear so effective battle plans can be drawn. With the Classified Top Secret Secret Invasion Saga report, the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. must leave no stone unturned in his analysis of this insidious enemy's history: The fate of the Earth will depend on it! COVER BY: LEINIL YU WRITER: JOHN RHETT THOMAS Rated T+ …FREE!
A Prelude To The Much-Awaited Comicbook Movie of 2009
The filming of Watchmen is officially in the can. Zack Snyder and Co. now turn their full attention to the grueling post-editing of the movie (Good luck guys, don't screw it up now!). In lieu of this, here's a little something for all of you who are anxiously waiting for the film's release (Production stills along with their comicbook counterparts will be scattered throughout the article). Read on and enjoy!
Director: Zack Snyder Distributor: Warner Bros. Screenplay: Alex Tse Release Date: March 6, 2009
All of comicbook geekdom is collectively holding their breath as they await the release of the big screen adaptation of Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons' comicbook masterpiece that forever redefined the genre of superhero comics. Finally, after 20 years of on-again off-again production and more than a dozen script overhauls, Watchmen is finally set to grace silverscreen next year! For some of our friends who haven't had the chance of reading Watchmen yet, here's the synopsis of the movie from Watchmen's official site:
"A complex, multi-layered mystery adventure, Watchmen is set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the “Doomsday Clock” – which charts the USA’s tension with the Soviet Union – is permanently set at five minutes to midnight. When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the washed up but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime-fighting legion – a ragtag group of retired superheroes, only one of whom has true powers – Rorschach glimpses a wide-ranging and disturbing conspiracy with links to their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the future. Their mission is to watch over humanity…but who is watching the watchmen?"
The Newspaper Stand. One of the most recognizable images in Watchmen. It is also the avenue where the "Tales of the Black Freighter" is told.
While many are in eager anticipation of the movie, there are others who are crying foul (Alan Moore included), saying that Watchmen is "unfilmable", and that an attempt will only lead to disaster and ruin its storied legacy. Here's an excerpt from an article written by Iain Grey of Telegraph.co.uk
"It (Watchmen) was also one of the first graphic novels to test the boundaries of what the medium was capable of, including a 'comic-book-within-a-comic-book' structure, making a linear cinematic version likely to be either a hollow shell of the original, bereft of its density and soul, or a bloated, overblown, incomprehensible mess, that would require at least two toilet breaks during its fifteen hour running time."
I certainly understand where these people are coming from. I'm sure those of you who have read the novel do wonder how some of the elements of Watchmen can be translated into film without losing some of its core concepts. It really is a monumental undertaking and will take a massive amount of ingenuity to pull it off nicely. But ever since the unequivocal awesomness of Lord of the Rings, I've trashed the idea of an "unfilmable film" and believe that anything is possible as long as the right team is helming the project. Which incidentally, raises about as many questions than it does answer.
Storyboards used in the making of the movie (Illustrated by Zack Snyder). It depicts the scene of Rorschach's capture from Moloch's residence. Board 1Board 2
Like most people, I think Zack Snyder did a phenomenal job in 300. With him he brought somewhat of a fresh approach to film-making with his ability to create cinematic beauty out of gore. His subtle re-tooling of 300's simple plot arguably surpassed that of the source material. Let us also not forget of his ingenious fluctuating frame-rates that incredibly suited the concept of the Spartan epic. Truly a badass movie by a brilliant young director. But inspite of all these, perhaps his most important trait is his unflinching effort and ability to stay true to the comics, appeasing both newcomers and hardcore fans alike. You have to admit, that Snyder fella melted our faces in 300. But one has to ask, does his awesome showing in 300 automatically equate to a kick-ass Watchmen movie?
I'm sure many of you will agree that Watchmen is nothing like 300. Plot-wise, 300 is pretty straight-forward. A trillion bad guys come, Three hundred ridiculously well-toned men in underwear defend.. dismembered body parts flying everywhere coupled with a mind-blowing sex scene and voila! The ultimate guy movie! Watchmen however, is in a league of it's own. The plot is overwhelmingly complex as compared to 300. It deals with beautifully dense characters in a story filled with political, sexual and socio-cultural overtones. Is Snyder capable of creating such a world and make it believable to a mass audience? Should his short resume that includes movies such as 300 and Dawn of the Dead be enough for us to be confident that he'll do a good job? Will he be able to give Watchmen, arguably the greatest work of sequential art, some much-deserved justice? Sadly, until Watchmen hits the theatres next year, all the answers to these questions will remain to be seen.
I think it's just fair to end this subject by saying that if there's anything I like about Zack Snyder, it is his ingenuity and incredible attention to detail. My bold prediction? Snyder will hit this out of the ballpark and cement his reputation as one of the better directors in the business.
The end product of the storyboards shown above, and the last production still to be released after the shooting for Watchmen officially ended.
I don't need to stress how important the casting is in any movie, much more in an epic and potentially ground-breaking film such as Watchmen. Fortunately, the casting team did a fair job assembling a group of actors with enough talent to take on the complex set of characters in Watchmen. Billy Crudup and Patrick Wilson are simply genius with their craft. And Malin Akerman, though relatively untested, is just freakishly hot.
Jackie Earle Haley (Walter Kovacs aka Rorschach) I'm not sure how to feel about this casting since I don't know much about Haley. This makes me a bit uneasy because Rorschach is one of the rather intense characters in Watchmen and it would take exceptional acting skills to do his role justice. The only Haley movie I've seen is the original Bad News Bears, and he was like eleven-freakin'-years-old back then. But people do say that he did a remarkable job in Little Children. *sigh* Oh well.. In Zack We Trust.
Billy Crudup (Jon Osterman aka Dr. Manhattan) Dr. Manhattan is one of the characters that I'm most curious to see on-screen, and I can't be more glad that Billy Crudup is playing him. Crudup was outstanding in Almost Famous and The Good Shepherd and although this is a lot different than the roles he's played before, I don't doubt that he'll do a great job. NOTE: Crudup turned down being the Hulk in 2003. I guess he'd rather be a smart giant blue guy than a dumbass giant green guy, who can blame him?
Malin Akerman (Laurie Juspeczyk aka The Silk Spectre) Talent-wise, I don't have any reason to think that Malin will suck as Laurie. But the thing is, I don't have any reason to be excited about her playing The Silk Spectre neither. Oh wait, scratch that last sentence. Are you kidding me? Malin Akeman is HOOTTT. I'm sure you guys have seen Harold & Kumar right? Whooeee.. or that episode in Entourage where she engages in a threesome.. Double Whooee.. I bet Snyder cast her just so he could have something pretty to look at everyday. Which is fine with me. I would imagine Laurie's character is relatively easier to play anyway.
Matthew Goode (Adrian Veidt aka Ozymandias) Another actor I don't know much about playing yet another important role. I won't be able to say much other than the fact the he looks rather young for his role Ozymandias. But I don't think it's gonna be a big deal. After all, making someone young look older in film is a lot easier than casting someone old and make him look younger. And hey here's a fun fact, I can't imagine why you'd want to know this, but Matthew Goode was nominated twice as a Teen Choice award for his work in Chasing Liberty. yay.
Patrick Wilson (Dan Dreiberg aka The Nite-Owl) Now this is a lot more like it. Patrick Wilson was great in Angels in America and The Full Monty. He's a Tony Award winner as Best actor and has been nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Emmy. I can't wait to see him in the big screen playing the mild-mannered and unintentionally amusing Dan Dreidberg.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Edward Blake aka The Comedian) Any Grey's Anatomy fan will quickly recognize this man in his role in the drama series as the charming Denny Duquette. His role in Watchmen however, is the exact opposite. In the novel, The Comedian came off as a man who is an absolute jerk with little to no conscience at all. One of his most memorable scenes in the comic was where he shot and killed a Vietnamese woman impregnated with his own child. Pretty sick stuff.
Other Cast Members Include: Carla Gugino (Sally Jupiter aka The “Original” Silk Spectre), Stephen McHattie (Hollis Mason aka The “Original” Nite-Owl), Matt Frewer (Edward Jacobi aka Moloch the Mystic), Niall Matter (Mothman), Manoj Sood (The Scientist)
WATCHMEN CUSTOM ACTION FIGURES -"MODDING" Here's a little something for the toy afficionados out there. Couldn't wait for the Watchmen toyline to come out? Well why don't you geek yourself out and just make your own!
Click images to biggerize
For those unfamiliar, here's a little background on the wonderful world of "modding". The basic idea is to use parts of existing store-bought toys and combining them to create your own awesome "frankenstein" custom action figure. Experienced modders sometimes even create custom molds to have that extra touch of authenticity. It's really mind-blowing and I can't even imagine how much effort they put into creating these toys. It's a whole different level of geekery I tell you.
The Comedian action figure above is actually a modified Punisher figure while Dr. Manhattan was created from a DC Direct JLA Superman.. Huurmm so that's why his chest is all buff like that. I don't have much info on the Rorschach and Nite-Owl figures except that they were made by the same modder. I love how he included the stain on Rorschach's trench coat.
That's it for now! Originally there was going to be a little section about Alan Moore's reaction to the movie but I'll just save it for another entry. I leave you now with this neat fan-made Rorschach wallpaper that I found on the interwebz. Cheers & Geek on!
WARREN ELLIS' FREAKANGELS, DARK TOWER: THE LONG ROAD HOME and A NEW X-MEN ANIMATED SERIES round up the latest tour around the Geekiverse
WARREN ELLIS PRESENTS: FREAKANGELS The internet Jesus' newest webcomic launches next week!
Freakangels is a free webcomics saga told in 5-page weekly installments, written by Warren Ellis with art by Paul Duffield. Launch date: 2/15/08
25 years ago, twelve strange children were born in England at exactly the same moment. Six years ago, the world ended. This is the story of what happens next...
Young, gifted and aimless, the Freakangels gang have built some kind of life for themselves in Whitechapel. A life that starts to show big cracks when a girl called Alice from Manchester turns up with a shotgun and a grievance, having met the lost, prodigal last Freakangel, who had very different ideas about what they should do with themselves and this flooded future England.
Freakangels promo art (by Paul Duffield)
Say it. Paul Duffield's art looks good. Fortunately for us, that's not the end of it.. I am highly intrigued with Warren Ellis' post-apocalyptic premise. I will definitely be checking this out and I suggest you do the same. You did catch that it's completely free right? www.freakangels.com
THE DARK TOWER: THE LONG ROAD HOME (PREVIEW) Take a peek at the much-awaited sequel to Gunslinger Born
Marvel is proud to present your first full-color look inside DARK TOWER: THE LONG ROAD HOME #1, arriving in stores at 12:01AM, March 5th, 2008 (at participating comic stores)! The best-selling, chart-topping team of writers Robin Furth & Peter David, artists Jae Lee & Richard Isanove, joined by special guest variant cover artist Joe Quesada, present the second limited series inspired by Stephen King's epic Dark Tower series. With the Big Coffin Hunters on the trail of Roland and his ka-tet Cuthbert and Alain, plus visions of Susan's death dancing in Roland's head, what else could go wrong? Well…Roland's in a coma and the people who burned Susan are determined to make him their next victim!
Overseen by Stephen King himself, Dark Tower: The Long Road Home explores a chapter in Roland's life only hinted at in the novels!
-MARVEL
This is probably the only comic book that I would recommend based on the art alone. Jae Lee's incredible pencils coupled with Richard Isanove's hypnotic colors are just a wonder to behold. Not too take anything away from Robin Furth & Peter David, they did an excellent job fleshing out Stephen King's beloved characters in Gunslinger Born.. I don't doubt that they will do the same here. March 5, 2008 can't come fast enough.
WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN (TRAILER) A new X-Men animated is set(?) to grace the small screen
Creators: Hey, you know what we should do?? An X-Men series with Wolverine as the central character! Studio: That's bloody genius! I wonder why no one's ever thought of that before! Creators: Damn, we're good.
An X-men series centered on Wolverine. Gee, I wonder what they'll come up with next *insert sarcasm icon here*. From what I've seen in the trailer, this looks like an amalgam of different elements from the comics but moreso on the X-movies. It has every potential to be good though.. I'll reserve any judgements until I've actually seen an episode. Enjoy the trailer!
SHOW DESCRIPTION: When an explosive event shatters the lives of the X-Men and takes away their mentor, the beaten heroes walk away from it all.
But then they're given a rare glimpse into the future, and see a world in utter ruin, ruled by giant destructive robots. A world that spiraled out of control because the X-Men had given up.
So now the most legendary of all X-Men takes the lead - Wolverine! Reuniting these broken heroes, Wolverine embarks on the ultimate mission - to prevent the world's destruction.
To rescue us from ourselves. To save the future.
BULLET GEEKERY: HEATH LEDGER'S LAST MOVIE ROLE could be completed by computer. -The Terry Gilliam directed film, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus", might make use of CGI to finish the film that Ledger was currently shooting until the actor's accidental death. GEOFF JOHNS RE-UPS WITH DC COMICS - What a disaster it would've been if GJ didn't extend his contract.. DC would implode upon itself. It would be like Zero Hour all over again, but much much worse. Heh. DOUG JONES ON HELLBOY II -The versatile actor discusses his multiple roles in the Guillermo del Toro directed summer flick. 2 NEW PUNISHER: WARZONE STILLS -Director Lexi Alexander shows us new stills from Warzone on her blog.. errr still not that excited for this movie.
COUNTDOWN 13, CAPTAIN AMERICA #34 and a TWO-PAGE PEEK AT SECRET INVASION #1
Last week, the comicbookgeek in me reached critical levels as I was treated to a myriad of great books. But as awesome as some of the other titles were, these two pages are just in a league of their own:
I know right?Just who the heck on Sector 2814 is Ray Park?!? Apparently, he's like this awesome martial artist that's been in a ton of action movies such as 
THE INCREDIBLE HULK PANEL AT COMIC CON 2007
