Five Comic Book related movies I’d like to see made:

1. Preacher: Super Violent, Crazy religious overtones, and a “literal” hunt to find God. Make it a trilogy, with a dark, dirty feel. Or better yet, a cable television series like they are doing for “walking Dead”. I think you’d have a sure fire hit.

2. Robin & the Teen Titans: Imagine a fun, semi serious, “Karate Kid-esque” film. A wholesome action film where comic fans and children alike could enjoy the ride. I’d treat it like the Teen Titans cartoon and make rare references to Batman, and the focus should be on Robin as a leader and his inability to have fun compared to other “hero” teens. Imagine the merchandise!

3. Secret Six: Get Gail Simone to write and blast away the “good guy” hero persona in movies. Break some rules and have the villains team up under a secret benefactor and have them fight heroes and other villains alike. If this movie has half the character care the book does, it’d be a great movie!

4. Irredeemable: Mark Waid’s, psycho Superman would really be a great action thriller. The feel that the movie, Hancock started, but taken to the Nth degree. Over the top violence and a handful of heroes terrified and powerless to stop him. A unique Hollywood Superhero movie!

5. Luke Cage: This one I think could really be awesome. I really like how Luke is such a street level, urban icon. Imagine a Dark Knight, for Marvel’s New York City? This lesser known hero could be the next Iron Man. Do it Marvel!

New Concept Posters for Marvel Movies... Summer 2011

I was surfing my regular comic sites and found some treasure! Bring on next summer's blockbusters!!

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2010/07/21/marvel-paramount-release-images-of-sdcc-exclusive-cap-and-thor/

2 voices from Comicbook Crossfire make the Paper

Thanks to Josefina Loza for the interview and letting us vent a little about Wonder Woman's new fashion.

Check out the story in today's Omaha World Herald, or at: http://www.omaha.com/article/20100719/ENTERTAINMENT/707199949#fans-wonder-about-makeover

Issue 20: The Crossfire Strikes Again!

http://podcast.com/episode/63207305/112186/

In Brightest Day, In Entertainment Weekly

Well, now that we've (maybe) gotten Wonder Woman's costume out of our system, what do we think of this first official image of Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern from Entertainment Weekly?

UPDATE: Newsarama has a hi-res version of the cover.

Our Own Tracie is a Little Older Today!!

The CBXF gang, wants to wish Tracie a Happy Birthday, and best of Luck at SDCC!!

Ok, just a few more Metropolis pictures...

I had to up load the last set with my phone, I thought I'd post a few more. Enjoy!

Superman walks... I took a Rental Car

I first learned about Metropolis, Illinois around my Freshmen year of college. Ever since then, it had been a dream of mine to visit the self appointed hometown of a true American Pop Culture Icon.

About a year ago, my wife suggested, lets make the road trip. We will drive to St. Louis, see the town, catch a game, then hit Metropolis, Illinois. Located about 3 hours South East of St. Louis, Metropolis is a true slice of roadside americana. So last week, we rented a car and made the journey.

When you first enter the town, you are greeted by 25 foot sign with a flying Man of Steel. The town then seems like any normal small midwest ville, except it has a wonderful secret.

The Americana/Movie Museum and shop in the center of town is true monument to collecting. Not only Superman stuff, but Horror Film collectables, Western Movies and TV, A crazy Pamela Anderson Tribute, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Old Fashion Casinos, A cool Finding Nemo display, and many other movies. But the thing that really impressed me was the Justice League/DC/Superman toy collection room. You name it, it was there. Mego dolls and beautiful statues. It was at this collectable museum, I ran into Jim Hambrick unloading his car.

I asked if he was the collector? He smiled and said "Yes, you see the stuff downtown yet?"

"There's more????" I said in surprise.

"Yup since you paid to get in here, show your reciept and you'll get in there too."

I talked with him a little bit more, hoping to show off my Superman skills, but found myself falling short as he went into meeting the original Superman creators, Jerome Siegel and Joseph Shuster. His 5 million dollar Superman movie and memorabilia collection and claiming to have every comic Superman had appeared in. (To learn more: http://supermuseum.com/)

I shook his hand and headed to the downtown shop, where you'll find the 15 foot Superman statue, made famous recently when our President posed in front of it on his campaign trail. My wife and I went into the Superman shop/museum and let me tell you, as a Superman fan... it was incredible. A collection to rival any Smithsonian display.

This was an incredible trip for me, but what I found even more amazing was all the random families and travelers making the trek to get to this roadside mecca. I saw bikers and businessmen posing in front of the statue. For me, this was a once and a life time trip.

The Last Air Bender: Movie Vs. Cartoon

Its my vacation, its a weekday, and my wife and I just walked out of an empty theatre after watching "The Last Air Bender" in 3D. A movie my wife and I have been waiting for, for at least a year. And if I could summarize in one word: disappointing.

I know the anticipation and hype put this movie into out of reach standards, and Avatar is my all time favorite cartoon. How could it compare. It doesn't. It doesn't compare to most movies. All in all "AirBender" is pretty lousy. Dialog, Acting, and surprisingly... special effects were pretty poor too! I'm not going into everything that was broke or wrong... cause there is a lot. But if I could complain about one thing, its the characters...

The thing that makes the cartoon, Avatar, the last Air Bender special is character. Above all else, I have never watched a cartoon that cared more about character interaction and relationships than Avatar. If not for such rich characters, there wouldn't have been the following that lead to the movie. There is absolutely NO development of Sakka, or Katara. None! These 2 characters are used as a vessel to tell Aang's story, nothing more. And worse, M. Night still treats Sakka and Katara, like they are important, but have NO reason to be there. There is no friendship shown in the gang. No family development... not even cool moments that are fun. Aang is supposed to be a FUN person. the ONLY fun we saw was in flashback. I wanted more... I know things get cut up for movies... But cant we even see Aang smile? Just once! Or some interaction with Appa. I read that M. Night loved the characters while watching with his children... then why did he kill them?


Ok, the one shining thing about "Air Bender" was Uncle Iroh. Ok, so its not shining, its a little glossy. I would have made Uncle a little more asian... and short and fat. But they got the spirit of Uncle right. Which is more than I can say for Sakka or Katara. He was by far the best actor in the movie and he felt like he truly cared for Prince Zuko. Shaun Toub steals the movie!

I'm just sad... I was really hoping this was the new big thing. I was hoping it would catch on and maybe, just maybe it'd lead to more Avatar cartoons. (side note, the cartoon series ended beautifully, but left its self with a couple of loose strings to tie.) But, I have no idea how we are going to get 2 more "Air Bender" movies in the next couple of years.

Sorry folks, (sigh) Skip this movie.

Shameless Self-Promotion by Tracie Mauk

You may or may not know that when I'm not criticizing the way other (much better) people depict Wonder Woman, I sometimes draw comics of my own. Starting next week (knock on wood), I'll be publishing a webcomic with writer Kevin Church at Agreeable Comics. FIGHT! is a webcomic with the simple aim of encompassing everything we love about superheroes and none of the stuff we hate.

Pretty much just by having fun.

Please to enjoy.

FIGHT-COMIC.COM

Thanks to my CBXF pals for allowing me this brief commercial break. I return you now to your regularly-scheduled complaints about DC's new directions...

Meet Your New Spider-Man

Capping off a very intersting week for comics fans, after Wonder Woman scored herself some pants and a new origin (while potentially distracting folks from the fact that DC shut down their Zuda imprint, leaving a lot of fresh-faced comics creators devastated), Sony & Columbia Pictures have found their new Spider-Man for 2012's movie revamp directed by the aptly-named Mark Webb.

His name is Andrew Garfield.

He's British.

But, y'know, he's white.

So... Thank the Spider-Totem for THAT, right?

*sigh*

#donald4spiderman

Why has DC tinkering with Wonder Woman angered so many?

I have to ask one simple question. How many of you were reading Wonder Woman? In the last 5-10 years, comic fans, How many of you picked up Wonder Woman regularly? Really? I know a few people who were loyal readers. But, lets face it, In DC sales she is on the bottom of the list. She's not even the number one female character in the DC Universe anymore. I'd say Powergirl, Supergirl, Birds of Prey, Secret Six, and Teen Titans have much more popular female characters in their books than Wonder Woman in recent history.

So I ask, "Why do people care so much that they are messing with her?" You weren't buying her books. You weren't watching the JLA cartoon to see what Wonder Woman would do next. Yes, the DC Universe Animated Wonder Woman movie rocked! But despite all this, Diana the Amazon has had little respect among the comic reading community. (Yes, I know there are a few exceptional people out there. I, myself have read Wonder Woman for many years. I've enjoyed Gail Simone's, Alan Heinberg, Jodi Picoult, and Greg Rucka's run on the title, but it never stays consistent. Every 6 months I find I wanted to drop it, then a new team would come in, and I'd give it another try. If money was tight, her book was the first one I would drop.)

But why are people so passionate that Wonder Woman is changing? Is it because she's a 68 plus year Icon? We'll I can tell you, her costume changed and evolved many times in her years. Some were met with a lot of distaste, too. The white 70's dance outfit, for example. Also, her costume changed in the mid-90's to black jump shorts and a little jacket then too. Her costume will keep changing. Its part of what has kept her around for so many years. Characters have to evolve. And I for one, really like the new look. I think its more practical and will lend itself to be more friendly when "movie" translation time roles around. Visually I really like it. But lets face people, When they changed Superman, to Electric Superman, or Long Hair Superman, Black Costume Spidey, or pointy Metal Daredevil, or Vulgarian Guy Gardner, Dead Captain America, or Gray Hulk, or Az bats, or maskless Wolverine, Bearded Thor, or All the Dark Avengers, or Artemis or Hippolita as Wonder Woman… they eventually come back to the look that inspired them in the first place. The classic Wonder Woman isn't gone…

Ok, I will concede that Joseph Michael Straczynski, (JMS) that isn't on my best writer list. The premise he is currently establishing in Superman is very frustrating. (See earlier posts to view my rants) I'm not sure why DC turned the reigns of so many projects over to JMS at this time. Was it that the current creative teams we're burned out? I don't know. But I really enjoyed his run on Thor and Supreme Powers was an incredible read. I'm willing to give the man a chance. (2 - 3 issues, max)

Last, I'm hearing comparisons to Spider-man's Brand New Day. Oh… that would be terrible, wouldn't it? The Best Spider-man story ever told? The best sales that Spider-man ever saw? The deepest character evolution and story building Peter has ever under gone. I loved "Brand New Day" and even got into a yelling match at a comic store over the validity of changing Peter's Marriage. And once again… I point out, He's slowly evolving back to Pre-"Brand New Day" continuity. Wonder Woman needed attention. Over the years, she has had flashes of great creators on her book. And they will boost readers and sales for a while. But, eventually those creators jump or are moved to a bigger name and leave Wonder Woman. Where she slumps back to mediocrity and the bottom of most pull lists.

These are comic book characters and I'm incredibly passionate about their treatment too. I've grown up loving both DC and Marvel and love to have these events befall my heroes. But do you really think DC would just throw away an Icon if they didn't have a plan? And even if the plan fails. Wonder Woman will be back. Writers are challenged all the time to come in a fix their icons. Geoff Johns has made a career at DC doing it.

People this is the most we've talked about her since she was on TV in the late 70's. How can this not be anything but good. Wonder Woman deserved some public attention. Lets give her a chance for a bit, ok? Even if you hate the story and the look. If you're not complaining or reading her title, she'll go away. Once people realize how rich a character she really is, then maybe the drastic changes won't NEED to be done in order to get you to read.

Wonder Woman Rants! A friend of CBXF weighs in

The Following Post is an email I recieved earlier today. Shawn weighs-in on the Wonder Woman changes.

Subject: Wonder Woman's New Costume
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2010/07/wonder_woman_the_power_of_the.html

STREET RAT! (in a derogatory Danny DeVito voice) Stupid DC.... What kind of lame crap is this? Are they trying to make her modern and relatable? Talk about missing the mark completely. She's an individualistic AMAZONIAN. This isn't even close to suiting the characters attitude at all. You can go leather jacket with the Punisher, Ghost Rider, even Wolverine (although I prefer the yellow costume) because it's their ATTITUDE! Is this supposed to make her more accessable? If they are going for that, why not give Bat-Man a Louisville Slugger and call it good (just about EVERYBODY can relate to playing baseball, and just THINK of all the new sports fans that would love this! He could get even grittier and just BASH criminals heads in and say "Home Run" or "Pop Fly" when he's done with them. Wonderful!).... pff.... SOOO stylish..... If they want a style comic they should drop the "super" and make it an indie titlecalled "Diana in the City" or something. Just don't call it Wonder Woman.

And people wonder how I can say I love superheroes but stopped buying their books. Blackest Night (Green Lantern) was lame. Smallville should have had costumes, Heroes should have had costumes, and the X-Men, etc. movies shouldn't be afraid of some flashy-ness in their bright, beautiful colored costumes.

DC needs to get it together. They were always my favorite Super Hero company, but right now they should just be embarrassed.... (sorry for all the spelling errors. i just crapped this out on break)

Shawn Drapal 07/01/2010

JMS... Other heroes have walked this path before...

From the CBXF Archives...

DC and Marvel Comics go to Washington:

It seems in these hard economic times, even superheroes are vulnerable. Representatives from America’s big two Comic Companies today were on Capitol Hill in the hopes of asking for a financial bail-out.Of late, both companies have struggled due to too many cross-overs and lack originality. Sources say that the two companies began hemorrhaging money and resources a couple of years ago. The costume clad heroes were pushed through a Civil War, a Secret Invasion, and a planet wide mutant take over, not to mention one Crisis after another.

A young and brash Firestorm was quoted as saying, “They could just say we earned this money, I mean we save you people everyday.” “I did invent a way to go back in time and fix these lousy stories,” said Fantastic Four leader, Reed Richards. “Just get the Flash on this new treadmill, and watch the money start coming back. If only the U.S. Government would give us a starter check.”The hearing went on before members of a special panel for hours as many heroes from both companies voiced their concerns about lack of money.

“How will I afford to buy a $2,500,000 car to fight crime with? How will I buy grappling hooks? Who’s going to pay for Yellow Belt paint?”, Said the Dark Knight. I mean, come on, its expensive out there.

The Special session lasted about 3 hours and no outcome was determined, but officials were disgusted and outraged to see many of the heroes leave from the Washington Airport in what was reported as many luxury, personal planes.

“I saw a Blackbird, a Quinn-Jet, a blue, four seated convertible jet, and even the Wayne Industry had one of their planes out here.” Reported one of the airport workers. “Shoot, I even saw what looked like an invisible plane. That sure is expensive travel in these tough times.”

Will tax payers pony up the funds to keep these companies going, or is the nation going to be stuck with independant heroes like Spawn, Hellboy and Witchblade ? Only time will tell.

Grounded, just won't fly

Disclaimer: The only part of Superman #700 I read was the free digital version of the Grounded prologue

Ahead there be Spoilers.

OK, first things first. The premise is good, Superman decided he needs to reconnect with the American People after abandoning them and running off with the Kryptonians. I am OK with this. It's a great angle for character development and any soul searching that doesn't end in a cape-toga works for me.

The part that first stuck in my craw though is the impetus of the story line. I woman slaps Supes cause he didn't save her husband and he died. Poor guy, was he killed my a rampaging Metallo? Oh was it Intergang? Hmm... Solomon Grundy? Earthquake? Damn? Nuclear Missile Land Grab scheme? Oh brain tumor... wait, WHAT? A brain tumor? She blames Supes because he didn't see the tumor with his x-ray vision, then didn't destroy it with his heat vision.

Did I miss something here? Is Supes in this ladies PPO network? Is it Blue Cross/ Red S in the DCU? That is why she was mad? Lady, don't blame Superman, blame House M.D.

Supes gets all melancholy because he didn't save a guy from a NATURAL CAUSE OF DEATH? Hey Supes, why are you around to keep my Grammy's heart pumping? J. Micheal Straczynski, that is STRIKE ONE.

Next, we find Supes and Dick Grayson up in the Ivory Tower... oh, I am sorry the Watchtower... I guess the metaphor was so see through I got confused. Next we find the Supes bothering the Flash, acting all Emo on him. I am going to assume the Flash was you know... doing something Heroic. So good idea stopping him like that, next time TEXT him the stupid question. STRIKIE TWO

Finally we got a good natured flashback to Pa Kent give some straight up home-spun. Remember folks the Kents are rural farmers from Kansas. I mean come on, you've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons.

So Supes lands in front of some kids playing stick ball in the park, (unseen is the apple pie eating contest and the Sara Palin speech) he gets his hands in the dirt and then walks off. You how stupid you look walking in tights and a cape. REALLY Stupid. STRIKE THREE.

Fact is if the set up for a story is this lame how can the rest not be?

Digital comics

DC announces today that its catching up with Marvel and going digital. For the longest time, I've wanted to see comics go digital. Especially DC. DO NOT GET ME WRONG. I'm a purest of sorts. I love holding the comic in my hand and thumbing through art and reading on my back patio on a cool Saturday morning, with a cup of coffee… MORE THAN ANYTHING. But I'm running out of space! That is the bottom line. Space. Do you know how much room 35 Long Boxes take up? Do you know how expensive it is to have bags and boards for some 10,000 comics? Do you know how hard it is to want a specific issue. And have to dig and pull boxes apart and thumb through page after page, just to find a specific picture? For me the bottom line to my long term enjoyment of the medium. I don’t want to get rid of my collection. I don't want to stop buying books or visiting stores. I don't see me not getting my favorite titles in hard copy form. Like Neal Adams said in a report I read, "Comics will evolve!" They aren't going away. What do you think?

Supes comes to the Big O

From the DC announcement:

Starting in July 2010, coinciding with the 700th issue of Superman, DC Comics
will be celebrating this remarkable anniversary of America's greatest hero with a historic journey…not to alien worlds or distant galaxies, but through the streets, roads, highways, homes, farms, suburbs, and inner cities of America.
[...] And America itself, in the person of those very real places, is invited to the party.
Beginning with the city of Philadelphia, Superman will walk
across America, a journey that is expected to take most of a year. He will pass through Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon and Washington. Along the way, Superman will be passing through real towns, real cities, real neighborhoods.
And your town, your city, your neighborhood
may be among those chosen for his historic journey. Superman will literally pass
through your town as visualized in the pages of his book. [...] If your town is
within 50 miles of the line marking Superman's journey, then you are eligible to
participate.

Like Father, Like Ward

Having just re-read “Long Halloween” I had a realization on why I am enjoying Dick Grayson as Batman. Doubt.
Bruce Wayne in “Long Halloween” and “Year One” has doubt. He is new to the role of Batman, he hasn't seen it all and made countless contingency plans yet. So early in his career he is a man with a cape and a car... that and his wits and training. No OMAC, no Oracle for help. In the “Long Halloween” Batman is wrong. He makes mistakes, he falters. Bruce Wayne is very much human in those stories.

This brings me back to Dick. He has years more experience than Bruce had, plus he had Bruce. But slipping on the cowl is more than just making sure not to get hat-hair. Dick as Batman has his doubts too. He is finding himself. Much like Bruce in “Long Halloween” he is trying to get Jim Gordon to trust him.

Doubt isn't the only thing keeping Dick Grayson human. His lack of obsession helps. Dick is a return to a much more well rounded Batman, one that smiles but still doesn't have nipples or a dotting aunt.

That's my 2 cents at least.

Might Hastings Be Your New Comic Shop?

Reports from Bleeding Cool and other news/blog sites state that the chain of Hastings book/movie/music stores will be expanding their comic book operations and becoming members of the Direct Market. This is fantastic news for many who don't have a comic shop of their own but do have a local Hastings store.

Growing up in Norfolk, NE I had to rely on Hastings quite often for my comic fix, until we finally got our own comic shop shortly after I graduated high school. It was nice that Hastings was one of the few stores in town with a spinner rack but frustrating that they didn't get comics the same week they hit the direct market. Sometimes they'd be behind the direct market by a week, sometimes by 3 weeks. It was never consistent.

My Norfolk Hastings doesn't seem to be one of the launchpads for the new comics but folks who live in or near Kearney or Grand Island, NE will be delighted to find themselves with a convenient new way to buy comics or get introduced to them. I think a huge benefit here will be the fact that folks who may not even be aware of comic book specialty stores or who previously wouldn't be inclined to visit one may now have a book store atmosphere to investigate and explore comics that would require a little less cultureshock than some might experience in a specialty shop. I think this would be particularly helpful for women who are interested in comics but who may find themselves an awkward or unwanted presence in some comic stores.

I type that as a woman who was once told by a manager at an area comic store not to interact with one of the employees there becuase that man didn't believe that women belonged in comic shops. This revelation then led to me not attending that shop again for many years, out of discomfort. (for the record, that employee doesn't seem to work there anymore, so... good riddence)

I'm excited for this big move in making comic books more available to consumers. Particularly as the profile of the comic book industry seems to rise every year with blockbuster movies like Iron Man and The Dark Knight and the massive hype and intrigue around Scott Pilgrim. This could be very good for comics and, as such, very good for comic readers like us.