Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Image Comics Announces Return of "Phonogram" Comic Book

PHONOGRAM’s return is music to readers’ ears

The acclaimed urban fantasy series begins an all-new story arc

New York Times bestselling creators of THE WICKED + THE DIVINE, writer Kieron Gillen, artist Jamie McKelvie, and colorist Matt Wilson, return to PHONOGRAM to finish what they started with PHONOGRAM: THE IMMATERIAL GIRL #1.

“Phonogram is unfinished business. It's a vision we need to complete,” said Gillen. “Three stand alone, but thematically connected, volumes. Each one can be devoured alone, like our favourite albums. The third one was always going to bring everything we've learned about pop and comics together. I've been wanting to do this book for over a decade. Now I finally get to share the explosions in our head. I can't be more excited, at least in a socially acceptable fashion.”

PHONOGRAM: THE IMMATERIAL GIRL is the story of Emily Aster, who sold half her personality for the power to rule a coven of phonomancers. It's worked for nearly a decade. Clearly nothing could go wrong now, and the girl behind the screen won't come back for what's been taken from her. In a world where Music is Magic, a song can save or ruin your life. In PHONOGRAM: THE IMMATERIAL GIRL we discover what a video can do. And you will never listen to A-ha's "Take On Me" in the same way ever again.

PHONOGRAM: THE IMMATERIAL GIRL #1 (Diamond Code: JUN150532) will be available on Wednesday, August 12th, 2015. The final order cutoff for retailers is Monday, July 20th, 2015.

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New "Star Trek" Comic Book Series and a Landmark Issue Announced


IDW Announces Star Trek™ Landmark Issue And A New Series For 2015

Following this year’s Comic-Con launch of the epic crossover Star Trek/ Green Lantern comic book, IDW announced two more new comic book projects slated for 2015.

This October will see the release of Star Trek #50, marking one of the longest-running Star Trek comic-book series by any publisher. Mike Johnson continues his stint with this special anniversary issue that kicks off an epic, three-part adventure that will introduce the classic “Mirror/Mirror” storyline into the new film-based universe. Issue #50 will also boast additional bonus content, including behind-the-scenes looks at the entire 50-issue run, along with hints about where the series is going. It will all be surrounded by a gorgeous wraparound cover by series artist Tony Shasteen.

In December, IDW is adding a new dynamic to Star Trek lore with the debut of a new miniseries, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. The comic follows Kirk, Spock, Uhura and some surprise faces while they are still cadets-in-training at Starfleet Academy, set in the period just prior to the opening of the 2009 mega-hit film. At the same time, you’ll meet the all-new “current day” class of Starfleet cadets, full of compelling young characters from all over the galaxy. The past and the present collide when a mystery bridges the two timelines. This vibrant series, designed to be an entry point for diverse groups of readers, is written by Mike Johnson and Ryan Parrot, with art by fan-favorite creator Derek Charm.

“IDW is proud to have been partnered with Star Trek for nearly a fifth of its lifespan so far,” said IDW Editor-In-Chief Chris Ryall. “As these new comic book projects, and many others coming soon, will show, we’ve got plenty of exciting new ways to bring Star Trek stories to the fans.”

“The fan enthusiasm surrounding Starfleet Academy, much like Harry Potter’s Hogwarts, or X-Men’s Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, shows that the educational lives of our most beloved heroes makes for fantastic stories,” said IDW editor Sarah Gaydos. “I am so excited to flesh out a new chapter in the lives of the Enterprise crew, while introducing you to a great new team of recruits – – ready to boldly go!”

Join Mike Johnson, Derek Charm and Sarah Gaydos at SDCC on Friday, July 10 (4PM-5PM) for the IDW: The Best Panel On Recorded History where they will discuss these Star Trek projects and more.

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Monday, July 13, 2015

Review: "The Expendables 3" is Best When the Old Dogs Run

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 28 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux (Support the author on Patreon)

The Expendables 3 (2014)
Running time: 126 minutes (2 hours, 6 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violence including intense sustained gun battles and fight scenes, and for language
DIRECTOR:  Patrick Hughes
WRITERS:  Creighton Rothenberger, Katrin Benedikt, and Sylvester Stallone; from a story by Sylvester Stallone (based on characters created by David Callaham)
PRODUCERS:  Les Weldon, Avi Lerner, Danny Lerner, Kevin King-Templeton, and John Thompson
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Peter Menzies, Jr.
EDITORS: Sean Albertson and Paul Harb
COMPOSER:  Brian Tyler

ACTION with some elements of drama

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kelsey Grammer, Antonio Banderas, Glen Powell, Victor Ortiz, Ronda Rousey, Kellan Lutz, Terry Crews, Jet Li, and Robert Davi

The Expendables 3 is a 2014 action movie from director Patrick Hughes.  It is the second sequel to the 2010 film, The Expendables, and the third movie in the The Expendables film franchise.  In The Expendables 3, team leader, Barney Ross, replaces his old teammates with some new blood for a showdown against a former friend turned arms dealer.

The Expendables 3 opens with the ExpendablesBarney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) the leader; his right-hand man, Lee Christmas (Jason Statham); Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren); Toll Road (Randy Couture); and Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), on a new mission.  They seek to rescue Doc (Wesley Snipes), one of the original Expendables.

With Doc in tow, the Expendables head to Mogadishu, Somalia to capture billionaire arms dealer, Victor Minns.  However, Minns turns out to really be Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), who co-founded the Expendables before going rogue.  After the Expendables' mission goes horrible wrong, Barney dismisses his current team.  When he faces Stonebanks again, Ross plans on having a younger team that is also not connected to him in any personal or emotional way.  But are the new Expendables:  Thorn (Glen Powell), Luna (Ronda Rousey), Marlito (Victor Ortiz), and John Smilee (Kellan Lutz), really ready to take on an Expendables mission?

Released in the late summer of 2010, The Expendables was a surprising gem, an explosive action film that was a throwback to the old macho, testosterone-fueled action films of the 1980s.  However, The Expendables was not some homage, parody, or sentimental recollection of action movie days gone by.  As I said in my review of the first film, it was “an authentic ass-kicking, ass-stabbing, cap-popped-in-ass action movie...”

The Expendables 3 is full of old relic-type actors from the 1980s and 90s – stars who dominated the movie box office and one television star.  The story toys with the idea that the old folks must make way for the new stars, but ultimately, it only plays with such a notion.  Honestly, I want to see Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes, Harrison Ford, and Arnold Schwarzenegger more than I want to see Ronda Rousey and Kellan Lutz (nothing against them).

I can't quite express how much I enjoyed seeing Kelsey Grammer (as Bonaparte), an actor about whom I have always had mixed feelings, and Harrison Ford (as Max Drummer).  Ford is really showing his seven decades, but he's still cool.  The Expendables 3 is at its best when it showed the old dogs in action, which is what made the original film such a treat.  So, if there is a fourth film in this franchise, I want more aged beef and less fresh meat.

6 of 10
B

Wednesday, July 1, 2015


NOTES:
2015 Razzie Awards:  1 win: “Worst Supporting Actor” (Kelsey Grammer, also for Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return; Think Like a Man Too; Transformers: Age of Extinction); 2 nominations: “Worst Supporting Actor” (Mel Gibson) and “Worst Supporting Actor” (Arnold Schwarzenegger)

The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Brad Bird's "The Iron Giant" to Return with New Scenes

Director Brad Bird’s Classic Animated Family Feature ‘The Iron Giant: Signature Edition’ Comes Back to Theaters from Warner Bros. and Fathom Events Remastered with New Scenes

See the Special Event Screening on September 30

Encore to Follow on October 4

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events are proud to announce that the animated action adventure “The Iron Giant” will be re-released in theaters for a limited engagement this fall, remastered and enhanced with two all-new scenes as “The Iron Giant: Signature Edition.” This special screening comes to U.S. movie theaters on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. local time, with an encore event in select markets on Sunday, October 4, 2015 at 12:00 p.m. local time.

    “’The Iron Giant’ is meant to be seen and heard in movie theaters and this is a great chance for fans new and old to enjoy this classic, remastered with new scenes.”

The ticket on-sale date and theater locations for “The Iron Giant” will be announced this August online at www.FathomEvents.com. The event will be presented in select movie theaters around the country through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network.

When “The Iron Giant” arrived in theaters, it was hailed as an “instant classic” (Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal). “Imagine E.T. as a towering metal man, that’s the appeal of this enchanting animated feature” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). And the world soon learned another “giant” had arrived as well: filmmaker Brad Bird, who made his stunning directorial debut with this film and has gone on to win two Oscars, as well as worldwide acclaim for his work on both animated and live-action features.

Winner of nine Annie Awards, “The Iron Giant” is the tale of an unlikely friendship between a rebellious boy named Hogarth (voiced by Eli Marienthal) and a giant robot, voiced by a then little-known actor named Vin Diesel. The voice cast also included Jennifer Aniston and Harry Connick Jr.

“The Iron Giant” was produced by Allison Abbate and Des McAnuff from a screenplay written by Tim McCanlies. Adapted from poet Ted Hughes’ book, The Iron Man, “The Iron Giant” was first released in the summer of 1999 by Warner Bros.

Following the re-release in theaters, a high-definition version of “The Iron Giant: Signature Edition” will be available to purchase from digital retailers in the fall of 2015.

“We can’t wait to bring this family favorite back its home on the big screen,” said Fathom Events CEO John Rubey. “’The Iron Giant’ is meant to be seen and heard in movie theaters and this is a great chance for fans new and old to enjoy this classic, remastered with new scenes.”


About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is the recognized leader in the alternative entertainment industry, offering a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events in movie theaters nationwide that include live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, the performing arts, major sporting events, music concerts, comedy series, Broadway shows, original programming featuring entertainment’s biggest stars, socially relevant documentaries with audience Q&A and much more. Fathom Events takes audiences behind-the-scenes and offers unique extras, creating the ultimate entertainment experience. It is owned by a consortium called AC JV, LLC., comprised of AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC), the three largest movie theater circuits in the United States. In addition, Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live events to 820 locations in 177 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

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Sunday, July 12, 2015

Fantagraphics Books Got Next "Kramers Ergot"


Kramers Ergot, the Anthology that Revolutionized the Medium, Comes to Fantagraphics

SEATTLE, WA: Kramers Ergot is the twenty-first-century's premier comics anthology. Since its inception in 2000, it has introduced new talents and solidified aesthetics; each volume is an of-the-moment, state-of-the-medium manifesto.

This anthology has always been a reflection of creator/editor Sammy Harkham's comics passions, both past and future. This volume plunges into the spot where contemporary visual art discovers narrative, expanding the boundaries of the comics page. Kramers Ergot 9 gathers many of the best and brightest together in one giant, oversized collection: it will feature Michael DeForge, Noel Freibert, Steven Weissman, Anya Davidson, Stefan Marx, Abraham Diaz, Leon Sadler, Julia Gfrörer, Adam Buttrick, Kim Deitch, Ben Jones, Andy Burkholder, Antony Huchette, Trevor Alixopulos, Antoine Cossé, Archer Prewitt, Kevin Huizenga, Renée French, Dash Shaw, and many other comics greats to be announced.

"I think this is the best issue yet and I couldn't be happier doing it with any other publisher. Fantagraphics is the place where the best of the low brow and the literary strands of comics are equally represented and cherished on their own terms, and that's something I have always strived for with Kramers, as well. So it's a great fit."  - Sammy Harkam

"I've known Sammy Harkham for, I think, his entire career, and have been reading and enjoying Kramers Ergot since it began. I've long admired his passion and devotion to making the very best work he's capable of, both as a creator and editor. And as a fan of anthologies in general, I'm excited to bring one of the very best of 'em to Fantagraphics." -Eric Reynolds, Associate Editor at Fantagraphics

Kramers Ergot 9 is slated for release in March 2016.

KRAMERS ERGOT 9
Edited by Sammy Harkham
$45 * 250 Pages * Full Color * 9" x 11 ¾"
ISBN: 978-1606999127
http://fantagraphics.com/flog/kramersanthology/

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Scratch-and-Sniff Fight Club - The Contest

Dark Horse Comics Announces Fight Club 2 Scratch-and-Sniff Bookmark Contest

San Diego, CA -- At San Diego Comic Con International, Dark Horse Comics announced a scratch-and-sniff bookmark contest in support of the acclaimed FIGHT CLUB 2 mini-series, which is written by Chuck Palahniuk, illustrated by Cameron Stewart and colored by Dave Stewart, with covers by David Mack. Dark Horse Comics has provided 10,000 scratch-and-sniff bookmarks, numbered to correspond to a clue in the same-numbered FIGHT CLUB 2 issue, to select comic shops around the United States. Readers who correctly identify the scents on all five bookmarks are eligible to win the grand prize: every FIGHT CLUB 2 comic including variants, FIGHT CLUB 2 swag, an autographed collector’s edition of the FIGHT CLUB novel, and the hardcover FIGHT CLUB 2 graphic novel (available June 2016). Ten additional winners will receive copies of the FIGHT CLUB 2 graphic novel, and comics retailers chosen by winners will receive matching prizes.

Fans present for the FIGHT CLUB 2 panel during which the contest was announced were encouraged to attend dressed as Tyler Durden and Marla Singer. The scratch-and-sniff bookmark contest comes on the heels of Dark Horse Comics’ guerilla marketing efforts on behalf of FIGHT CLUB 2, including encouraging fans to contribute to the series’ mayhem with a guerilla marketing campaign utilizing the phrases "Tyler Durden Lives" and "Rize or Die" in order to win Easton Press limited, leather-bound editions of Palahniuk’s novels BEAUTIFUL YOU, FIGHT CLUB and SURVIVOR.

Dark Horse will also be making a handful of bookmarks available to Diamond registered retailers who simply need to email Bookmark@DarkHorse.com with their name, store name, and Diamond account number to be entered into the contest. Winners will be selected at random and will be notified by Friday, July 17, 2015.

For more details on the Dark Horse Comics FIGHT CLUB 2 scratch-and-sniff bookmark contest, to enter the contest, or to find a comics retailer who has been sent bookmarks by Dark Horse, please visit http://joinProjectMayhem.com/Contest/.


About Dark Horse
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Geof Darrow, Brian Wood, Gail Simone, Stan Sakai, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Milo Manara, Kazuo Koike, Neil Gaiman and Frank Miller, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, X and Barb Wire. Its successful line of comics, manga and products based on popular properties includes Dragon Age, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Tomb Raider, Halo, The Witcher, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.

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Three IDW Comics Publications Win 2015 Eisner Awards

IDW Publishing Brings Home Three Eisner Awards At The 2015 Ceremony!

The annual award ceremony held during San Diego Comic-Con International wrapped its 2015 celebration on Friday night honoring IDW with three awards! With 11 nominations, IDW, The Library of American Comics, and Top Shelf Productions would like to thank the judges and the voters of this year’s Awards.

Winning the award for Best Limited Series was the captivating series Little Nemo: Return To Slumberland from Eric Shanower and Gabriel Rodriguez. This marks Rodriguez’s first, much-deserved Eisner Award.

For the fifth year in a row IDW’s landmark Artist’s Edition series was awarded the Best Archival Collection/ Project – Comic Books Eisner Award for the Steranko Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Artist’s Edition. Spearheaded by IDW Special Projects Director, Scott Dunbier this groundbreaking format continues to highlight acclaimed creators’ original artwork.

Rounding out the Genius trilogy of in-depth looks into the life and work of Alex Toth, Genius Animated: The Cartoon Art of Alex Toth edited by Dean Mullaney and Bruce Canwell, won Best Comics-Related Book!

“We’re once again honored and thrilled by the Eisner Award recognition,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-Chief. “As with every year, our books are nominated against many other worthy contenders and anything like the Eisner Awards puts so much more attention on the great books being produced across all levels of comics, as well as the inventive, talented creators who make those books, is a great thing.”

The Eisner Awards judges selected six individuals to be inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Awards Hall of Fame for 2015, one of which was John Byrne. “Just as John Byrne was honored to be admitted to the Will Eisner Hall of Fame, I was similarly honored to accept on his behalf,” said Ryall. “John’s four decades in comics has inspired both storylines of immensely popular movies as well as legions of comic readers and creators, and I look forward to him continuing his creative with IDW.”

Thank you once again, to the judges and congratulations to all of the nominees and winners at this year’s awards.

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