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Lisa Alisa: Japanese Inspired Pop Art
There’s only about a week left, but if you love artwork that’s evocative of anime there’s a wonderful show at the Graphite gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn featuring the artist Lisa Alisa. The images here don’t quite do her work that much justice as they’re large scale paintings which combine some wonderful draftsmanship and some very nice detail. The use of color is also quite vivid and powerful as well. Read more… You’re a Good Doctor, Number 11
Posted by Michael Sacco on Jun 19, 2011 in Dr. Who
Artist Larry Wentzel has a whole bunch of Peanuts-themed Doctor Who art on his Flickr page, but I think this one is probably my favorite. Wentzel says “I imagine after the 11th Doctor was put in the Pandorica, the villains broke out into a little celebratory dance.” I bet they did, too, or at least I hope they did after seeing this picture. Seriously, these guys are just getting down. I didn’t know Daleks could bend that way, much less play piano. Maybe that one’s a special model. Vince Guardalek? Michael Sacco is a freelance editor and writer, currently working as senior editor at WoW Insider. A Map to the Treasures of Otaku Japan (in English)
Are you an anime fanboy thinking of traveling to Japan? well if you are you’re in luck: Japanese National Tourism Organization (JNTO) has put together an English language map of Japan pointing out all of the proper must see otaku highlights. The map also includes a handy calendar which has the dates of various comic book conventions and the like. Read more… Darren Aronofsky and Michael Chabon Fight Nazis with Magic
Posted by Michael Sacco on Jun 18, 2011 in Television
Darren Aronofsky may be off the Wolverine movie to which he was previously attached, but at least he’s found good company for his next project, according to Variety. He’s set to direct the pilot for Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Michael Chabon’s (above) new HBO drama series, Hobgoblin, about “a group of con men and magicians who use their skills of deception to help defeat Hitler and the Germans during WWII.” I’m assuming here that by “magicians” they mean the real-world sleight-of-hand artists, as opposed to the fantasy archetype we all know and love. If you want that, you can always go read Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis, or any number of alternate-history novels, I suppose. But Aronofsky is a great director for a project like this, and Chabon’s body of work, like his love letter to classic comic books “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay,” speaks for itself. Shame about that Wolverine movie, though. High and Low: The Kurosawa Kidnapping Classic is Now Playing
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 17, 2011 in Cinema
If you love Japanese cinema and happen to live in NYC, DC or Tulsa the Akira Kurosawa film High and Low (天国と地獄) will be playing over the next few days. In this 1963 classic Kurosawa teams up with actor Toshirō Mifune for a nice tense kidnapping drama: Read more… Simply Walk Into Mordor One More Time
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 16, 2011 in Cinema
We found out about this a little late, but if you’re looking forward to Peter Jackson’s upcoming film The Hobbit, you might want a chance to catch the extended editions of Peter Jackson’s original Lord of the Rings trilogy on the big screen. Fathom Events has decided to host a special three night screening of the films at theaters around the nation. While we missed our chance to catch The Fellowship of the Ring on the 14th, you can still catch The Two Towers and The Return of the King on June 21st and 28 respectively at participating locations. Personally, I don’t recall ever catching the extended editions in the theater, but I can’t imagine spending 5 hours — at least, I seem to recall The Return of the King‘s extended cut being about that long — in a theater packed with fellow hobbit enthusiasts. In fact, I don’t think I’d be able to do that for any film, let alone that one. Still, it’s probably something I won’t get another chance to see in theaters anytime soon. For the full list of participating locations, or for more information, head over to Fathom’s event site. Hoodies From a Galaxy Far Far Away
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 16, 2011 in Comic Books, Star Wars
These Star Wars hoodies look cool by themselves, but every image I’ve seen of someone wearing one has them looking like a Japanese Sentai hero, or a Mexican Luchador. I really can’t decide if I want one or not. On some level, looking like a Sentai might be awesome, but you’d also look like the least intimidating thief to ever step in a 7-Eleven. If it’s looking like a superhero we’re worried about, we may as well pick up one of these officially licensed Marvel hoodies instead. Sure, they don’t provide a makeshift helmet, but at least they look silk enough to wear out on a regular basis — the Spider-Man ones do, any way. If you’re looking to pick one up yourself, each of these hoodies will run you $49.99 via ThinkGeek. Indie Band Recreates The Prisoner
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jun 15, 2011 in Fandom
After 11 days of shooting and nearly over two years of planning the band Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling recreated the opening sequence from The Prisoner in modern day Boston (and surrounding areas). For a comparison here’s the original: Read more… Spike’s Deadliest Warrior Gets Even Deadlier
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 15, 2011 in Television
Something about Spike TV’s Deadliest Warrior has never sat right with me. While the concept seems promising, I’ve found the show’s approach to be a bit juvenile at times and the research they conduct to determine the results hardly seems scientific enough. That said, they do an impressive job of demonstrating some of the ancient weaponry, while dramatizing the action enough to keep us entertained. Next season, it seems they plan on kicking things up a notch. Not only will they add a trained Navy Seal to their cast of hosts, but the research used to determine the outcomes will be even more in-depth. Read more… San Diego Comic-Con Exclusive Iron Man Mark IV
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 15, 2011 in Comic Books, Hobbies and Collections
With San Diego Comic-Con just over a month away, Sideshow Collectibles has been gearing up with a short list of exclusive pre-orders for attendees and non-attendees alike. The other day, they unveiled their latest addition to the list, Hot Toys’ Iron Man Mark IV “Secret Project” collectible figure. This 1:6th scale figure stands at 12 inches tall and comes with all the bells and whistles we’ve come to expect from Hot Toys — battery powered LED lights, interchangeable parts, articulated joints and armor flaps, you name it. If you’re attending and want to get your hands on one, you’ll need to sign up for the Sideshow Collectibles newsletter, then pre-order on June 16th between the hours of 10 AM to 12 PM PST. If you’re not attending Comic-Con but still want one, you’ll have to wait until the 17th. It’ll retail for just $209, and any figures left over will be sold to the general public, but that’s probably not going to happen. For more photos, visit the Sideshow Collectibles production blog. For info on how to pre-order, head over to their con exclusives sub-site. Captain Harlock and the Third Demension
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 14, 2011 in Animation
Here’s the net’s first good look at Toei’s Space Pirate Captain Harlock remake, a 3D film pilot produced by Toei animation back in 2010. Apparently they finished this pilot some time ago and have been moving forward production on a proposed full-scale film due out sometime in 2012. The footage was shown at last year’s Tokyo International Anime Fair, Hawaii’s Kawaii-Kon this past April and again at France’s Annecy film festival a few weeks back. The above clip was subsequently aired on a French news network and looks to be the most complete footage to have been uploaded to net thus far. When I first heard about the project late last year, I freaked out a bit. I wasn’t too keen on the idea of animating Harlock in 3D. His costume alone, not to mention his hair would make it difficult. However, so far this is looking great. We’ll just have to see if Toei plans on sharing any more of the film in the coming months. Before Nukem, We Had Togo
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 14, 2011 in Animation
The other week, Duke Nukem Forever finally shipped after nearly a decade and a half in development hell. Though I have no intention of playing the game myself, my colleagues in the gaming press have been rather outspoken. In fact, just today I read a fantastic article by Ars Technica’s Ben Kuchera labeling the game “barely playable, not funny,” and “rampantly offensive.” I get that Nukem is suppose to be an over-the-top misogynist and that we’re suppose to find the humor in that. The formula can work, otherwise I’m sure Daniel Tosh wouldn’t be selling out venues across the U.S. So, I’ve come to the conclusion that Gearbox just didn’t know how to execute it. Maybe they should have looked to Japan. After all, Japan gave us the Golgo 13. Kitsune of Kitsune’s Thoughts: A Thinking Fans Interview
A few years back when I began my first blog another blogger commented on a post I wrote. I followed back, and I became a reader of his own blog. Kitsune of Kitsune Thought’s, what I always appreciate are intelligent content, and comments, so to my knowledge Kitsune has been a great person to talk to via blog comments. Here’s my interview: Read more… ‘Not All Men Are Created Prequel’: A Film About George LucasOkay, it’s not really a full film, just a trailer — but seriously, can we please start up a Kickstarter project to fund a full-length feature? I love the joking conspiracy theory that the George Lucas from the original Star Wars prequels and Indiana Jones was kidnapped and replaced with a pod!George who released the prequels and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. What’s not to love? Read more… Magneto Sings to His Own ‘Little Monsters’
Posted by Gia Manry on Jun 13, 2011 in Comic Books, Fandom
 Ever since I saw Lady Gaga’s “horns” — an addition she made for the release of her single “Born This Way” — I’ve thought that she would make for a pretty good character in X-Men. The question is just whether she’d be on Xavier’s side, or Magneto’s. One X-Men fan has a theory… Read more… Tom Hanks is All in for American Gods
Posted by Michael Sacco on Jun 12, 2011 in Television
Genre fans the world over rejoiced when the news broke that HBO had optioned Neil Gaiman’s American Gods for production into a TV series under the direction of Playtone. Now it looks like there’s even more good news — Tom Hanks has officially signed on to the project as executive producer, with Gaiman as head writer and executive producer himself. The six planned seasons are 10-12 episodes each, and the budget ($35-40 million per season) is fairly high, but bear in mind it’s probably going to be a while: HBO is aiming for a 2013 release “at the earliest.” Read more… DC Saves the Best for Last
Posted by Michael Sacco on Jun 11, 2011 in Comic Books
DC’s upcoming relaunch announcements started with the Justice League and now have ended with the revelation that Grant Morrison will be writing the new #1 for Action Comics, the series that Superman originally appeared in 70 or so years ago. Morrison has written some damn good comics in the past — his run on New X-Men is one of the series’ best and he’s also responsible for the almost universally well-received All-Star Superman — so it’s pretty reasonable to assume that he’ll give Supes the re-debut he deserves. The issue is also being touted in its solicitation as the “cornerstone of the new DC universe,” so it may mean far more than just a fresh start for the Man of Steel: it could be what gives everybody else a fresh start, too. Good luck, Grant. Duke Nukem Forever Released, For Some Reason
Posted by Michael Sacco on Jun 11, 2011 in Videogames
1996’s Duke Nukem 3D was one of the most 90s video games ever made, a prime example of what was wrong with games in their teenage years. Its misogyny, crude humor, and over-the-top hero guaranteed success with its target audience, though, so it sold (and sold well). The next game in the series, Duke Nukem Forever, was announced in 1997, and suffered from what is likely the most protracted development in gaming history as its studio shuffled between owners, its technology became outdated, and its fanbase grew up. The game eventually became synonymous with “vaporware.” Now, fourteen years later, Gearbox Software has salvaged the wreckage of the game and put the finishing touches on it and released it, officially making Duke Nukem Forever vaporware no longer. So how is it? According to the reviews released so far, pretty much exactly how you’d expect a game delayed for a decade and a half to be — mediocre to awful, depending on the reviewer. After fourteen years waiting for a game, you probably deserve more than what Duke Nukem Forever finally gives you; but then again, if you were really looking forward to Duke Nukem Forever, I’m not sure you deserve anything at all. Read more… Get Noire Fast (and Free, for a Week)
Posted by Michael Sacco on Jun 10, 2011 in Pulp Fiction
Yes, the headline only makes sense as a pun if you pronounce “noire” with two syllables instead of its more correct one-weird-syllable method. But listen, it doesn’t matter. You can get LA Noire: The Collected Stories, the tie-in novel to bestselling video game LA Noire, for zero dollars this week. Amazon.com, BN.com, and iTunes are all offering the ebook for nothing and for the portable reading device of your choosing. So get on it, copper! That’s the only way you’ll catch that dame. Read more… A Lovecraft Bestiary
Posted by Michael Sacco on Jun 10, 2011 in Pulp Fiction
Legendary “weird fiction” writer H.P. Lovecraft spawned a mythos that continues to thrive well after his death, and its nihilistic, uncaring universe is populated with aliens, extradimensional beings, and regular old earthbound monsters. The funny part about most of these creatures, though, is that few words are usually used to describe how they actually look. That hasn’t stopped artists from trying, though. My first introduction to Lovecraft was my copy of Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials I got as a kid, wherein the titular Wayne Barlowe drew his closest approximation of what Lovecraft’s Elder Things — the aliens from “At the Mountains of Madness” — looked like. Michael Bukowski continues in Barlowe’s grand tradition by drawing pretty much every one of Lovecraft’s numerous horrors, using creative license to fill in the blanks that Lovecraft’s proclivity for dramatic obfuscation left behind. Read more… E3: Star Wars The Old Republic Intro Cinematic
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 9, 2011 in Videogames
After last year’s teaser, a lot of gamers have been dying to see more of Bioware’s upcoming MMORPG, Stars Wars: The Old Republic. This year, they showed off a bit more by releasing the entire intro cinematic, and it looks absolutely gorgeous. It’s the company’s first MMORPG, and from what little I’ve seen of the gameplay, Bioware might have a product that can really compete with Blizzard’s powerhouse. It seems that I’m not the only one who feels that way either, as Razer has recent announced entire line of Star Wars: The Old Republic gaming peripherals. As Michael mentioned to me, they’re not quite as cool looking as their recent Tron Legacy tie-ins, but I still think they look pretty sharp. While they haven’t announced a solid release date, Bioware states the game should ship sometime later this year. Miyazaki Gets Some Lego Love
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 9, 2011 in Animation, Hobbies and Collections
Feast your eyes on these awesome Miyazaki-inspired Lego models. They’re not quite as epic as the Minecraft maps we showed you last month, but designer Iain Heath did a fantastic job recreating a bit of Ghibli’s magic. They were originally displayed at last year’s BrickCon Exhibition in Seattle. Personally, I love his Totoro, and I really dig the little Japanese garden he built for the exhibit. For more images, check out his full gallery on Flickr. Captain America’s New TV Spot
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 8, 2011 in Cinema, Comic Books
With all the exciting announcements from this week’s E3 press conferences, it’s nice to finally be able to take a break from gaming news. Thankfully, Paramount has released it’s latest TV spot for the upcoming film Captain America: The First Avenger. Like the other trailers, this TV spot features quite a bit of action shots, and includes a brief confrontation between Steve Rodgers and Red Skull. The film looks fantastic, but I’m not sure if it’ll be able to top X-Men Origins or Thor in terms of box office performance. Then again, I should note that both of those films were better than I expected going in. Anyone else looking forward to it? E3: Nintendo Tips its Hand
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 8, 2011 in Videogames
Pretty much everyone had been waiting on pins and needles for Nintendo to unveil its upcoming successor to the Wii. At yesterday’s press conference, they finally gave us our first good look at Project Cafe, dubbed the Wii U — another name that has left many of us scratching our heads. Unlike Sony, Nintendo remained silent about many of the specs surrounding the new console, choosing to simply post the details on their official site. However, what they did share seemed really impressive. A tablet controller with the ability to transfer content seamlessly from the the tablet to the screen, and a graphics engine that finally rivals that of other current generation consoles. |
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