PREVIEW: Clip From Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

By Bryan Young on September 11, 2009 in Movies News Television

Warner Brothers was kind enough to offer us a clip of the forthcoming Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (which can be pre-ordered from Amazon here). I have to say, they seem to have done an excellent job in bringing Ed McGuinness drawings to life.

It comes out September 29th on DVD and Blu-ray. We should have a review up sometime before then.

Eureka Seven – Good Night, Sleep Tight, Young Lovers –

By Daine Harrison on September 10, 2009 in Anime Movies News

eureka7_flyer_round1

September 24th, theaters will be showing the new Eureka Seven movie, which I mentioned here sometime ago. A few more details have been revealed on this movie, the biggest one being that it’s set in a sort of “alternate timeline” Same characters, but completely different plot, and having nothing to do with the series.

LFOs Battle a new enemy, a mysterious organism known as "EIZO"

The story seems to follow Renton, though he’s now a young soldier as he seeks his childhood friend, Eureka. As the events unfold a new enemy appears, threatening to shatter their reunion. Appearances from other cast members are expected, screens have shown Domonic, Holland, and Talho, though their role in the story has yet to be established.

Eureka (pronounced eau-wreck-uh) is seen in a pose similiar to Renton's upon meeting in the series

While the new setting may be concerning, I have all faith that this will be a great film. I’m a huge fan of the series, which features stellar character development, an outstanding soundtrack, and killer artwork. Following a simple and appealing love story, Eureka Seven explored the effects of conflict and dogmatic government on individuals, while carrying a strong, unpretentious green message.

Dominic stands in another screen for Eureka Seven - GN, ST, YL -

So, I’ll definitely be there. If you want to be there, make sure to get your tickets for this one-night only event.
Images courtesy of Bandai Entertainment, Inc.

DC Comics ship list for 9/10/2009

By Martin Dekay on September 10, 2009 in Books Comics News

DC/ JOHNNY DC

* ADVENTURE COMICS #2 Preview Available

* BLACKEST NIGHT: BATMAN #2 (OF 3) Preview Available

* BOOSTER GOLD #24 Preview Available

* CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #41

* DOOM PATROL #2 Preview Available

* GOTHAM CENTRAL VOL. 2: JOKERS AND MADMEN

* GREEN LANTERN CORPS #40

* RED ROBIN #4 Preview Available

* SECRET SIX #13 Preview Available

* THE SHIELD #1 Preview Available

* SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #7 (OF 12)

* TANGENT: SUPERMAN’S REIGN VOL. 2

* TITANS #17 Preview Available

* TITANS: LOCKDOWN

* THE WAR THAT TIME FORGOT VOL. 2

* THE WARLORD #6

* WEDNESDAY COMICS #10 (OF 12) Preview Available

VERTIGO

* DMZ #45

* HOUSE OF MYSTERY #17

* THE UNWRITTEN #5

WILDSTORM

* FREDDY VS. JASON VS. ASH: THE NIGHTMARE WARRIORS #3 (OF 6)

* JAMES ROBINSON’S COMPLETE WILDC.A.T.S

* RED HERRING #2 (OF 6) Preview Available

* STORMWATCH PHD #23

Previews provided by DC Comics. http://www.dccomics.com/dccomics/

Previews Reviews: September 2009

By Armando Milicevic on September 8, 2009 in Anime Comics Reviews

Look at this, they are actually letting me write another one! If this is your first time joining me, the purpose of this column is to scour Diamond’s Previews catalog and highlight upcoming releases which may not be on your radar, but which, for one reason or another, deserve a closer look. Alternatively, I make fun of people/an ass of myself.

Like I said last month, letting your retailer know that you are interested in one of these titles will make him or her a lot more willing to take a risk on it, especially in these times of economic uncertainty, when most of them just go for the guaranteed sales and ignore everything else. Pre-ordering is even better. Not doing so, on the other hand, will ensure the failure of independent creators and small press publishers and all that is good in the world.

Anyway, the cover for the September 2009 Previews announces Nekron, the Lord of the Undead, as the driving force behind all the stuff going down in DC’s Blackest Night crossover. Which I’m not reading, by the way, because I really dislike crossovers. More accurately, I dislike crossovers that require me to buy comics by creators whose work I generally don’t enjoy in order to get the full story. I also dislike having ongoing series that I follow interrupted with editorially-mandated tie-in issues, which are designed to temporarily boost the sales of any given title, but are also a surefire way of getting me to drop the book completely.

That, and DC’s recent string of Big Event comics has been pretty weak in general. I don’t mean to be a dick, but it’s true. The denouement to the murder mystery central to Identity Crisis, which stumped the world’s greatest detectives with access to highly advanced forensics tools, ended up being, um, SPOILER ALERT, “It was a crazy lady with a flamethrower!”. That just doesn’t hold up to any scrutiny. Infinite Crisis and Final Crisis featured less rape and crying, but neither ever really managed to generate any momentum, and for all their ambition and scope, they both ended with a return to the status quo. Both were also impenetrable to new readers, and when high-profile books like that only appeal to a niche audience, it makes one wonder how concerned DC really is about comics’ declining readership.

Anyway, I might still pick up Blackest Night in collected form, if I hear good things about it. After all, what I’ve read of Geoff Johns’ Green Lantern has been pretty decent. You guys should check that out, if you haven’t already. I’d tell you why, but summarizing Green Lantern plots always makes them sound a lot sillier than intended.

You think I’m kidding? You try it.

The upside-down back cover is something out of a time capsule, a teaser for the upcoming Image crossover Image United, featuring the original Image founders (sans Jim Lee, obviously) collaborating on each page of the project, each of them drawing their own original Image creations, as they get together to battle a yet unrevealed foe (my money is on Neil Gaiman). And the preview pages inside are as awful as you’d expect. These guys seem to bring out the worst in one another, as many of their illustrational tics are turned up to 12 here: there are no feet or background objects in sight, everyone is striking a pose with no regard for page layout or perspective or proportion (look, one of Witchblade’s breasts is bigger than Shaft’s head, and she’s standing BEHIND him, for fuck’s sake!), and so on.

Oh, and it ships with seven (7) different covers.

BATMAN/DOC SAVAGE SPECIAL #1 (DC Comics, pg. 80, $4.99) The last time Brian Azzarello was in charge of old and obscure DC properties, he made a pretty convincing argument for their inclusion in the modern DC Universe. That was the highly underrated, joyfully metafictional Doctor 13: Architecture and Mortality. Now, he’s teaming up the original, gun-toting version of Batman with old pulp magazine hero Doc Savage for an introduction to DCs new pulp universe, which is set to feature The Spirit and a slew of other non-powered vigilantes, and where he, as a writer, should feel even more at home.

THE MIGHTY VOL. 1 TP (DC Comics, pg. 93, $17.99) I haven’t read this, but the right people are talking it up. It’s a non-DCU story of a world with a single super-hero, whose police liaison discovers that not everything about him is as good as it seems. The set-up sounds intriguing, but the art by Peter Snejbjerg of Starman fame is the biggest selling point for me.

THE AUTHORITY: THE LOST YEAR #3 (DC Comics, pg. 100, $2.99) I should be intrigued to see where this goes, what with it being co-plotted by Grant Morrison as a continuation of his aborted Authority run with Gene Ha, but the preview pages make it look like every other Authority comic I have read, and I think I might finally be over The Authority as a concept. Then again, remember when Brian Azzarello and Steve Dillon were set to relaunch the series with a storyline that was supposed to have the team fighting Jesus? I would still read that.

INCOGNITO TPB (Marvel, pg. Marvel 77, $18.99) For my money, this was the best super-hero comic put out by Marvel this year. Except it’s about a super-villain, one whose shady past catches up to him and shakes up his dreary, dead-end existence in the Witness Protection Program to the core. It lacks the enveloping sense of desperation and doom that made Brubaker’s and Phillips’ previous superhero noir series Sleeper such a compelling read, but it’s enjoyably pulpy and twisted in its own right.

POPE HATS #1 (AdHouse Books, pg. 186, $4.00) The comic book debut by the Canadian cartoonist Ethan Rilly and the winner of last year’s Xeric Foundation grant, this is a story of a young woman and her escape from both figurative and literal demons, which has been described by fellow Canadian Seth as “the most impressive debut comic I’ve seen in years.” And if there’s one good thing Canada has been able to produce, it’s great indie cartoonists. If you don’t trust Seth, trust the freaking statistics.

THE MORE THAN COMPLETE ACTION PHILOSOPHERS! TP (Evil Twin Comics, pg. 257, $24.99) I guess the fact that I will now be buying most of the material contained herein for the third fucking time speaks for its strength (or my weakness). Presented here in chronological order are the biographies and philosophies of some of the greatest thinkers in history (and one Ayn Rand), filtered through the language of genre comics. Educational and highly entertaining, this is something that both philosophy novices and professors can enjoy. Free previews here!

THE UNCLOTHED MAN IN THE 35TH CENTURY A.D. (Fantagraphics, pg. 258, $19.99) Dash Shaw is one of the most exciting new voices in comics today, and his Bottomless Belly Button graphic novel was one of my favorite books of last year, a tragicomic tale of the dissolution of an American family in the style of Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections. This collects a lot of his early short work, including his brilliant contributions to the MOME anthology, some rarities, and a brand new story.

GANGES #3 (Fantagraphics, pg. 259, $7.95) Kevin Huizenga, on the other hand, is without a doubt the most promising cartoonist of his generation, and the Ganges books have so far been his best work. Part of Fantagraphics’ Ignatz line of oversized single issues, the stories of everyman Glenn Ganges have managed to be incredibly inventive and playful without losing out on emotional impact, and while each issue stands alone, you would be doing yourself a favor by picking up all of them.

FOOTNOTES IN GAZA (Metropolitan Books, pg. 278, $25.00) After several excursions to Bosnia and Iraq, comic book journalist extraordinaire Joe Sacco returns to the Gaza strip, in what is billed as his most ambitious work yet. The focus this time is the town of Rafah, a notorious flashpoint in this most bitter of conflicts going back to 1956, in which a bloody incident left 111 Palestinian refugees dead at the hands of Israeli soldiers. As usual, Sacco immerses himself in the daily life of this town, and through the stories of its citizens uncovers the history of bloodshed spanning the last five decades. Any book by Joe Sacco is automatically bound to be one of the most important releases of the year, and this is definitely the one book on this list I look forward to the most (after all, his Safe Area Gorazde is probably my favorite graphic novel of all time). And if the idea of comics as war reportage sounds dry to you, his work is nothing like you imagine: rather than providing casualty reports from the safety of a heavily-guarded hotel suite, Sacco is in the thick of it, crashing on people’s couches, following them around, and often risking his life just to record their stories. Deeply humanist, remarkably observant, and without any overt political agenda, Sacco is a national treasure you don’t even know you have, and you owe it to yourself to check out his work.

OOKU: THE INNER CHAMBERS VOL. 2 (Viz, pg. 305, $12.99) In an alternate-history Edo Period Japan, a new disease has wiped out seventy-five percent of its male population, and women are running the country, while most of the men have become a bunch of pampered pansies who are protected and prostituted. This is, along with the Sig Ikki line from Viz (dig Children of the Sea), one of the more intriguing new manga releases of this year, and while the translation, which uses Shakespearean Early Modern English to mirror 17th century Japanese, takes some getting used to, the book’s reversed take on political intrigue and sexual politics is never less than fascinating. From the author of the more light-hearted cult favorite Antique Bakery.

NEXT MONTH: More of the same!

DC COMICS AVAILABLE TODAY, WEDNESDAY 9/2/2009

By Martin Dekay on September 2, 2009 in Comics News

DC/ JOHNNY DC

BATMAN #690

BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #33 Preview Available

BATMAN: GOTHAM AFTER MIDNIGHT

COSMIC ODYSSEY – NEW PRINTING

DC COMICS CLASSICS LIBRARY: THE JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA BY GEORGE PEREZ VOL. 1

DEAD ROMEO #6 (OF 6) Preview Available

FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH: RUN! #5 (OF 6) Preview Available

JONAH HEX #47 Preview Available

JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE #3 (OF 6) Preview Available

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA: BLACK ADAM AND ISIS

LOONEY TUNES #178

MAGOG #1 Preview Available

THE MIGHTY #8 Preview Available

RED TORNADO #1 (OF 6) Preview Available

SOLOMON GRUNDY #7 (OF 7) Preview Available

STRANGE ADVENTURES #7 (OF 8 ) Preview Available

SUPERGIRL ANNUAL #1 Preview Available

SUPERMAN: NEW KRYPTON VOL. 2

WEDNESDAY COMICS #9 (OF 12) Preview Available

VERTIGO

ABSOLUTE V FOR VENDETTA

DMZ VOL. 7: WAR POWERS

GREEK STREET #3

NORTHLANDERS #20

SWEET TOOTH #1

YOUNG LIARS #18

WILDSTORM

THE AUTHORITY #14

NORTH 40 #3 (OF 6)

Solicitations and previews provided by dccomics.com

TRAILER: The Men Who Stare at Goats

By Bryan Young on August 28, 2009 in Movies News

It isn’t often that a movie trailer catches me off guard. Most of the time I’m excited for a film long before any trailers come out, which I blame on our ridiculous Internet culture. But the first I heard of this film was today, when I saw the trailer, and I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised. The Men Who Stare at Goats is hilarious.

And Clooney as a Jedi? Brilliant.

Just watch it. I think this looks fantastic.

DC COMICS AVAILABLE TODAY! 8/26/2009

By Martin Dekay on August 26, 2009 in Comics News

DC COMICS AVAILABLE TODAY! 8/26/2009

DC/ JOHNNY DC

* BATMAN AND ROBIN #3

* BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #8

* BATMAN: WIDENING GYRE #1 (OF 6) Preview Available

* BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM! #7

* BLACKEST NIGHT: TITANS #1 (OF 3) Preview Available

* DETECTIVE COMICS #856 Preview Available

* FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH: INK #4 (OF 6) Preview Available

* THE FLASH: REBIRTH #4 (OF 6) Preview Available

* GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #3 Preview Available

* GREEN LANTERN #45 Preview Available

* JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #30

* THE LAST DAYS OF ANIMAL MAN #4 (OF 6) Preview Available

* THE RED CIRCLE: THE SHIELD Preview Available

* REIGN IN HELL

* SECRET SIX: UNHINGED

* SHOWCASE PRESENTS: ECLIPSO

* SUPERMAN #691 Preview Available

* SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN SPECIAL #2 Preview Available

* TEEN TITANS #74 Preview Available

* TRINITY VOL. 2

* WEDNESDAY COMICS #8 (OF 12)

* WONDER WOMAN #35 Preview Available

VERTIGO

* MADAME XANADU #14

* SCALPED #31

* UNKNOWN SOLDIER #11

WILDSTORM

* THE AUTHORITY: WORLD’S END BOOK 1

* GEN 13 #31 (AUG-12)

* KILLAPALOOZA #4 (OF 6)

* WILDCATS #14

* WORLD OF WARCRAFT VOL. 1

* WORLD OF WARCRAFT BOOK 2

DC DIRECT

* THE FLASH: GOLDEN AGE 1:6 SCALE DELUXE COLLECTOR FIGURE

* HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE: SERIES 2: AQUAMAN

* HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE: SERIES 2: BLACK LIGHTNING

* HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE: SERIES 2: CREEPER

* HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE: SERIES 2: THE FLASH

Provided by DC Comics dccomics.com

PREVIEW: Batman and Robin #5

By Bryan Young on August 20, 2009 in Comics News

Batman and Robin look to be in a heap of trouble here. Will Dick and Damian get out of this one alive?

Only time will tell.

My guess is yes. They will probably make it out.

DC Comics avalible today! 8/19/2009

By Martin Dekay on August 19, 2009 in Comics News

DC/ JOHNNY DC

* BATGIRL #1

* BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM #3 Preview Available

* BLACKEST NIGHT: SUPERMAN #1 (OF 3) Preview Available

* THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #26

* THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD VOL. 2: THE BOOK OF DESTINY

* FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH: DANCE #4 (OF 6) Preview Available

* JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #36 Preview Available

* THE OUTSIDERS #21 Preview Available

* POWER GIRL #4 Preview Available

* THE RED CIRCLE: THE WEB Preview Available

* SUPER FRIENDS #18

* SUPERGIRL #44 Preview Available

* SUPERMAN ANNUAL #14 Preview Available

* SUPERMAN/BATMAN #63 Preview Available

* TEEN TITANS: CHANGING OF THE GUARD

* TINY TITANS #19

* VIGILANTE #9 Preview Available

* WEDNESDAY COMICS #7 (OF 12)

VERTIGO

* AIR #12

* DARK ENTRIES Preview Available

* FILTHY RICH Preview Available

* HELLBLAZER #258

* JACK OF FABLES #37

* UNKNOWN SOLDIER VOL. 1: HAUNTED HOUSE

WILDSTORM

* EX MACHINA #44

* STARCRAFT #3

* WORLD OF WARCRAFT #22

Provided by DC Comics dccomics.com

The Monitor Tapes for Monday, August 17th, 2009

By Martin Dekay on August 17, 2009 in Comics Reviews

BLACKEST NIGHT #2

Written by Geoff Johns; Art and cover by Ivan Reis and Oclair Albert; Variant cover by Mauro Cacioli; Sketch variant cover by Ivan Reis

The horror amps up this issue.

I expected great things from this series, but even though I knew the rules of the game had changed in issue #1, I still wasn’t prepared for this issue.

Ray Palmer, the Atom is still trying to get through to Carter Hall AKA Hawkman (FYI- for those of you not in the know, they shared a book not unlike the current DC series co-feature books), still in need of a friend and a shoulder to support his tiny stature, both in mind and body. Unaware of the recent attack on the Hawks by former Leaguers Ralph and Sue, the now “undead” Hawkman answers his call, Atom’s fate remains to be seen…

On top of the Gotham City Police Department building, the Gordons, Barbra and GCPD Commissioner James share a moment and coffee. The Bat-Signal has been lit, not as a calling to the Batman, but rather due to the “unusual” darkness over the city and the unease in the bones of Jim Gordon. He tells Babs about how his awful gut feeling is not unlike the sensation he had when “Batgirl disappeared”. As Babs relates her story of “hope” in regards to her rehabilitation in physical therapy after her crippling by the Joker (Batman: Killing Joke), the moment is shattered along with the Bat-Signal as Green Lantern Hal Jordan comes crashing through it!

Skipping over to Amnesty Bay, the birth and resting place of Arthur Curry AKA Aquaman, Mera has finally allowed the removal of Curry’s body from his grave on land to a monument crypt under the sea. She’s allowed this not due to the insistence of her people, but rather to the pleas of Garth AKA Tempest, who wants to reunite the people of Atlantis with this gesture. Unfortunately for them, the Blackest Night has other plans. Upon approaching the grave, Mera, Tempest and a small legion of Atlantian Warriors find Arthur’s grave desecrated and the body missing. At first believing this to be the work of one of his enemies, either sea pirate Black Manta or jealous brother Ocean Master, they are suddenly surprised and shocked to see their former King now among the Un-living, spewing hatred and contempt towards his people, lover, and friend. As fear grips the Atlantian Warriors, Aquaman reaches out and rips the beating heart from one of his “former” subjects.

Going back to Gotham, Deadman, formerly circus acrobat Boston Brand shudders and convulses over visions of the dead returning while trying to keep his body in the ground (more on this in Blackest Night: Batman #1).

Over in the nation’s capitol, Washington D.C., the rings seek out the brothers that formerly served Chaos and Order, Hawk AKA Hank Hall, also known as Monarch (Armageddon 2001) and Extant (Zero Hour) and Dove AKA Don Hall. As the Rings continue their resurrections throughout the DCU, the ring attempting to raise Dove finds its self ineffectual, due to Don being at peace. The “peaces” of the mystery of the “Blackest Night” begin fitting together and solving some mysteries behind the Black Lanterns, as previously revealed only the dead with “unfinished” business or “trauma” regarding their deaths are claimed by the black rings.

Back to Mera and Tempest, they attack the creature claiming to be “Aquaman” still shocked by the shambling corpse. He attacks them with words of discouragement (you’ll have to read the book to find out what he says) to make them feel a heightened state of emotion, moving towards those of the Lantern Spectrum. With the sudden appearance of Dolphin and Tula, former lovers of Tempest’s, Garth finds himself torn up between them and the madness, before having his heart torn out. It’s revealed while Garth has hope in his heart, the Black Lanterns feed on the emotional state of the living, the removals of the hearts being “metaphorical” and essentially killing them to make them susceptible to the black rings by “dying” in an emotional state. Also, like a Lovecraftian nightmare, Aquaman summons a host of undead creatures from the deep to attack his own people. After Tempest is turned into one of the undead “Aqua-Family”, Mera escapes with her emotions hidden.

There’s of course a lot more story here, including the continuation of the battle between Black Lantern Martian Manhunter and “living” (despite having died) JLAers Flash and Green Lantern. I feel as though I’ve already said too much and would prefer you experience the full story by rushing out and picking up a copy of Blackest Night #2. And while you’re at it, it’s not 100% necessary to enjoy or get the full story out of the series, but also pick up Blackest Night: Batman #1 and Green Lantern Corps #39 for an extension of the story that won’t disappoint!

As for the big spoiler? I’ve listed it at the bottom of the page so you can skip it if you so choose.

This week I was to include a follow up to the Doom Patrol history in brief, but it’s been pushed up (or back?) to the upcoming review of Doom Patrol (Featuring the Metal Men) #2. I’ve managed to get backed up on articles and work, including my upcoming DCU Status report in regards to Batman Reborn and Superman New Krypton and the status of both characters and their respective “goings on” if you will. Plus, I’ve managed to miss the halfway point of Wednesday Comics, so expect a full Monitor tapes coming up dedicated to just that!

Also, I’ll be listing the DC ship list on Wednesday mornings from here on out so I can link the previews listed on dccomics.com in addition to having any corrections in correlation to Diamond’s ship list. If you’re not sure about a DC book, DC does a great job in providing previews for readers every week on their comic lists and their blog, The Source.

And now, SPOILERS! For BLACKEST NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

keep going….

BLACKEST NIGHT #5

Written by Geoff Johns; Art and cover by Ivan Reis and Oclair Albert; Variant cover by Rodolfo Migliari; Sketch variant cover by Ivan Reis and Oclair Albert

The moment you’ve hungered for finally arrives! Who controls death in the DC Universe? NEKRON – Lord of the Undead! The dark being behind the undead Black Lanterns makes his presence and purpose known, and our heroes discover they’re not only fighting for their lives, but their after-lives as well. Don’t miss this game-changing issue from superstar writer Geoff Johns and stellar artist Ivan Reis!

That’s right! Nekron, first appearing Tales of the Green Lantern Corps #2 is the master behind the Black Lanterns and the Blackest Night! Long time readers have long suspected this, as everything thus far revealed fit the creatures MO. And check out the chain of formerly dead heroes lined in front of him! Clearly he’s gunning for those slipping from the grasp of death, as we’ve seen previous, but do these characters mean something in the larger scheme of things?

For more info on DC Comics, from news, release dates, DC Direct figures and collectibles, previews and more, check out dccomics.com! and while you’re there, check out DC’s blog by Alex Segura, THE SOURCE!

Thanks for reading!

Mandroid!