[interviewed by Curt Pires}
Joe, 2012 is looking to be a big year for you. You’ve got two projects (GLORY, HELL YEAH) coming out in the next couple of months here. For viewers who maybe aren’t up to date, Tell us a bit about these projects. Why should we be excited?
You’ve mentioned before, that Hell Yeah is sort of this idea in your head that has been percolating for about 20 years now, tell us a bit about that. What is the Untold history of HELL YEAH?
I don’t remember how I started reading comics. There’s pictures of me two years old with comics around. They were just always there. However, once Image came along I got inspired to make them not just something I did as a reader, but as a creator. I drew in sketchbooks constantly, making my own comics with my own superheroes who were largely versions of Image heroes. The main character started off as an awful parody of the Maxx, called Faxx, and over time it turned into this superhero doing every day stuff. I got really fascinated by the idea of superheroes doing more than just saving cats out of trees, as the Image characters didn’t adhere to any of the same rules the Marvel and DC guys did. Eventually over time it gave me the idea to do this series, then called Zero Crisis, which eventually turned into a one-act play I wrote, director & co-starred while in college. Then eventually I started actually working in comics, which lead to working at Image, which lead to Erik Larsen & Eric Stephenson really pushing me to write, which lead to me trying to do Hell Yeah with another artist, which was a pretty horrible failure, which lead to me thinking it was dead, which lead to me working on PopGun, which lead to me meeting Andre, which lead to me seeing he was pretty much the perfect person on Earth to collaborate with in terms of style and what comics he dug. All this brought us here and now.Read the rest of this entry »
EXTREME’S ORIGINAL WARRIOR GODDESS RETURNS! After missing for almost a decade, Glory’s whereabouts are uncovered by a lone reporter, but the globe-spanning conspiracy keeping her hidden from humanity could make her return more dangerous than anyone ever anticipated! This first issue of an brand-new saga written by Eisner & Harvey-award winner JOE KEATINGE and illustrated by Wet Moon and Shadoweyes creator ROSS CAMPBELL sets up Glory’s future by expanding on her past in a way promising to shock long-time fans and excite all-new readers!
[Reviewed by Curt Pires] Glory tells the story of Gloriana Demeter. A child of two worlds, she finds herself torn between her mother’s people and her father’s, who are at war. If you’ve seen the few preview pages of the issue floating around you’ve no doubt been clued into this element of the story.
What you are probably not aware of is the awesome direction that Joe Keatinge and Ross Campbell take this story after these initial pages. I don’t want to spoil this for any potential readers, but suffice to say : you are in for a treat. The story takes a tone ,particularly in the second half of the issue that owes more to Stieg Larsons’ “ The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” than to any particular brand of the capes and tights variety. Keatinge and Campbell manage to set up a mystery here that not only pulls the reader in, but sets the stage for the foreseeable future.
In a manner not only do the creators serve to not only build up Glory as a character, and the extreme universe as a viable one, but they shatter the very notion of it only pages later. This is a book that takes your expectations and your prejudices about what a Rob Liefield created character is, what an Extreme book is, and forces you to toss them out the window in the best possible way.
On the writing side of things Joe Keatinge turns in a strong script , with solid pacing, believable dialogue , and control over pacing that serves to draw the reader in and effectively convey the story. This is a book that is definitely substantial in content, but never overwhelming. Simply put, you get your moneys worth of content. As well as being a great jumping on point for new readers the story remains respectful and tuned into fans of the earlier run of this character, referencing the characters past stories , and also featuring a cameo by Extreme staple SUPREME.
Artistically, Ross Campbell delivers a refreshing take on the character of Glory and her world . Ross actually has a really interesting European sensibility to his work that lovers of art will appreciate. Characters have distinct facial features, mass, and shape , which in an age of bodacious carbon copy women and steroid abusing hero’s is much appreciated.
If the goal of The Extreme relaunch is (as Imagine it is) to bring in new readers , tell interesting stories that can stand on their own , and push creative boundaries, you can chalk this one in the win column. Glory 23 is a fun ,meaty, read. But more importantly a coming out party for the creative talents that are Keatinge and Campbell.
Writing 4.5 , Art 4
Glory 23 hits the shelves Febuary 15th 2012 for the price of 2.99. You can reserve a copy now by using this code : DEC110469 , at your local comic shop.
Curt Pires is a writer based out of Calgary Alberta Canada. When he isn’t contributing to da squid he can be found writing comics, binge drinking coffee, maintaining his stache, or watching COMMUNITY. Connect with him on twitter : @CurtPires
I don’t mean to blow your mind here, but did you know Marvel released a Captain America movie this summer? Yeah, it was sort of hard to miss. But you know what? I liked it. A lot. It was everything I needed it to be. There was, however, a bit of a hang-up for me. Captain America and Bucky are friends and around the same age. I completely understand the Bucky and Steve dynamic in the movie. I understand why it needed to be that way for the movie. No one likes plucky kid side-kicks anymore. People want sexy stars. And the only thing better than one pretty boy heart-throb is two pretty boy heart-throbs. Keep adding them to the machine and you’ve got a teen sensation and before you know it, the years add up and you’re getting kicked out of Menudo. But…I digress.
Let’s turn down the Latin heat and get back to comics. The Cap and Bucky dynamic fascinates me. It’s taken so many different approaches-from original inception to modern day dual-Caps to same-age movie personas. But I like it when Bucky’s a kid. And I like it when he’s more than just a lovable ball of enthusiasm. For example, I like Bucky in Captain America & Bucky #621. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re no stranger to these parts then you know that we at GKS have a big ol’ soft-spot for The Intergalactic Nemesis (our very own Auburn reviewed the first issue of the print series here). To be frank, we think Nemesis is the total tits. And why do we think that? Well it’s simple: it is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. The Intergalactic Nemesis transcends comics; weaving sound, imagery and performance into a truly immersive theater experience. Imagine an orgy with your favorite comic book, a sassy little radio show and an eye-punching Saturday morning cartoon. The “live-action graphic novel” is a novel idea (athankya), and the bar has been set pretty high right out of the gate. This fall they’re even taking the show, The Intergalactic Nemesis Book One: Target Earth, on the road, hitting 25 cities. And impregnating each one.
Speaking of making babies, the whole point of this article is to enlist you, dear reader, in making the sequel happen. That’s right, a !@#$%ng sequel! Book Two: Robot Planet Rising is already in development, and Team Nemesis wants to put on the best, most innovative show possible. Cue the part where you give money to them. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re a comic fan on twitter then you no doubt came across one of Boom! Studios’ many tweets for their new ongoing series, Hellraiser. With mastermind himself Clive Barker writing (with Christopher Monfette), marking his return to the iconic franchise, and Leonardo Manco handling art duty on this one, you can see why Boom! wants to push this. So they did something that I think is pretty smart: they released an 8 page preview – in digital .pdf format – free for everyone and encouraged to share. It’s pretty wild how fast things spread; searching #hellraiserprelude on the tweet machine brings up pages upon pages of fans spreading the bird.
And rightfully so: the prelude is good. Violent. It feels like a Hellraiser comic should feel, and Pinhead’s voice resonates in the way that only Barker can make it. There are no bartender cenobites in this one, I can safely tell you. I hope. I’m not a single-issue guy, I made the move to trades about a year and change ago, but being a massive horror and comics fan, I think a pit-stop at my local shoppe is in order.
Thanks to Boom! Studios and their ever-kind encouragement to share this here prelude, GKS is able to provide you with such a link. So sit back, relax and enjoy a free comic. It would be in poor taste to not encourage you to pick up the book too, so do that, then tell us what you think.
Before I begin, let me quell the riff-raff right away; yes, I know I just posted a letter in which I claimed GKS is going all comics. There will be times here and there, where we dance close to our old stomping grounds; specifically in cases like this, with comic book films. But, like I said before, we won’t simply regurgitate the headlines that have already splattered your screens. We’re not here to win any races. But we are here to share some insight and hopefully something unique. And as this relates heavily to comics – in this case, a much smaller comic book fan-base – let me fire away.
If you hadn’t heard already, Marvel/Disney has begun early development on a feature-film based on The Inhumans. What, or whom, are these Inhumans, you ask? Google, motherfucker, do you use it?
Now, I dig The Inhumans. They’re kinda wacky, but I dig them. The leader of the group, Black Bolt, doesn’t talk and they have a giant talking bulldog named Lockjaw. Of all the Marvel characters and properties, however, I never expected The Inhumans to make it to the big screen, especially before more grounded staples like Luke Cage or Iron Fist. There isn’t an ounce of elitism in me when I say that The Inhumans are about the farthest from accessible to a mainstream audience. Read the rest of this entry »
I never really wanted an iPad. Not that having one wouldn’t be cool, but to me it just seemed that I wouldn’t use it much. Of course, this is entirely a cost thing. If the device cost $200, you bet your sweet ass I would have had the thing on day one. But it isn’t $200. I think it just came down to around $9,000 for the base model. But anyways, I never poo-pooed anyone for wanting or buying one; they are a cool device and I know there’s a huge number of people that bought it, use it daily, and even a percentage of them that replaced their home computer with it. So I never really paid it much heed, as my Macbook Pro is practically tethered to my body every second I’m in my house.
Then I received an iPad for Christmas back in December. I know, pretty good gift, right? Well I tell you, I fell in love that day, and haven’t gone a day since without using the iPad for at least an hour. I’ve read five books on it since Christmas, and I’ve probably watched a dozen films on it. It is a fantastic mobile media station, and I’d be lost – in bed before turning the lights out, where it’s mostly used – without it. But you know what I was really curious about, long before I even laid hands on the cold, slightly heavy device? Comics. I had this grand vision of having my own local comic book shoppe right in my hands. Vibrant colors and intense kapows delivered to my eyeballs every Wednesday, ready to be consumed by my fingertips and stored in thin air, leaving me more room in my house for statues and toys instead of unsightly (yet still prideful) white long-boxes. I could lay in bed every night with a digital KILBY from Ikea bookshelf, just full of trades and issues and one-shots just gagging to be fingered and peeped. But it never happened. At least not right away. It took a while, but eventually the big two managed to put their hesitance and investments at ease and get on board the digital train thanks to comic shoppe apps through Comixology (which pretty much has a monopoly on the comic app market, with exception to a couple of smaller vendors). Read the rest of this entry »
You may have noticed that there’s been some changes here at GKS. A few months ago things began to slow down on the day-to-day of the site, and the film side of things quickly faded away. The online film journalism/blog community is a fickle thing, you see, some might call it a bit of a “boy’s club”. Team Squid worked hard for a few years with the intention of getting in that circle, and although we have a large, loyal and amazing fan-base and readership, GKS was never really accepted by its peers. It took a while to see it, but ultimately, GKS isn’t cut from the same cloth. We don’t want to be, nor do we need to be.
The drama, the politics, the competition, and ultimately the lack of original content is the foundation of the film-blog community. So we’ve decided to change things up and steer this ship in a different path. This isn’t a case of oh, well you didn’t have success so you’re just adapting to failure. It’s hardly that. The vast majority of film site content is re-written slop. A story breaks and within twenty minutes you have essentially the same article regurgitated from a hundred different sites. Of course there are exceptions, and there are many sites that do run great, read-worthy original articles. I consider GKS a success in that area, and we will continue to do that.
But the rat-race of the film blog isn’t for us, so we’re getting back to our roots with comics. Moving forward, Giant Killer Squid is all about the funny books. We’re moving ahead with weekly reviews, and we will be adding some new columns into the mix. No more flash, no more unnecessary zazzle, and no more superfluous bits and bites; you want some gassy news, you will no doubt hear about it before you hit the site, from a million different sources. You want original, insightful commentary and discussion? We’d love to have you.
This doesn’t mean that you won’t have a similar avenue for film; our Squid scientists are hard at work on a sister-experience to GKS to streamline that content directly into your eyeballs. When it happens you’ll know.
I’d also like to acknowledge and thank our very own (and exceptionally talented) Auburn for her continuing contributions to the site, and keeping the site alive.
So welcome to the new GKS, and thank you for your continual readership!
Evidently there is something in the paperwork of movie rights that says if it’s written by Mark Millar, it will be a loose adaptation. Who here saw the movie Wanted? Who read Millar’s book? Was it the same? No. Not really. If you were okay with that, then you’re going to be okay with Kick-Ass from Lionsgate. Did the Wanted adaptation piss you off? Kick-Ass is better, but it still might make you angry. Just do yourself a favor and look at the comic and the movie as separate entities.
Dave Lizewski takes his love of comic books to the next level when he decides to try his hand at vigilante justice crusading around the city as Kick-Ass. Although happy taking down petty criminals and finding lost cats, Kick-Ass unknowingly advances into serious crime-fighting when he meets the super-hero duo Big Daddy and Hit-Girl. When crime-boss Frank D’Amico feels his operations are being threatened, he vows to do whatever it takes to bring down Kick-Ass.
Let’s look at it as a movie first: Over-all, it’s a blast. It truly embraces the idea that these characters behind the masks are just regular shmucks, trying to add some excitement or purpose into their lives. Pacing sort of hits a lull in the middle of the movie, but all the action scenes make up for a lot. Bradley James Allan was stunt coordinator on this flick and he did one bang up job. If Kick-Ass is any indication of his quality of work, his next exhibition of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World should be incredible. Judging from the response of the audience, it will be all the violence and action sequences that dominate word-of-mouth. In regards to direction, Matthew Vaughn’s name has been thrown around lately for anything from Sandman to X-Men: First Class. After seeing Kick-Ass, I can’t wait for him to get his hands on another movie. It takes a special kind of director to take a story enjoyed by a relatively small market, and shape it into something enjoyable for mass consumption. Most of the people in my theater had not read the comic, it seemed that everyone enjoyed the movie.
In the story, Kick-Ass’s Alter Ego Dave Lizewski is a forgettable character. Aaron Johnson was a forgettable Dave Lizewski. Is that the fault of the character or that of the acting? I’m not sure. What I do know is, you could have put someone different in that wet suit, I probably wouldn’t have cared. Christopher Mintz-Plasse (doomed to be referred to as McLovin) plays Red Mist the same way he plays every character. Weird, a little creepy, and funny because of it. I don’t actually think that’s acting. I think that’s just him. Similar to McLovin, he was by no means impressive but he is enjoyable.
I won’t lie to you, when I first heard that Nicholas Cage was up for Big Daddy, I nearly cried. I did NOT want that dude messing up my movie. That was unfair and if ever given the chance to tell Nicholas Cage that I’m sorry, I’d do it in a heart beat. He was amazing. In a recent interview he revealed that 1960 Adam West’s Batman was a huge influence in his speech mannerisms as Big Daddy. It was a bold move; not a risk many actors would have taken. I commend him and it totally paid off. It’s a little awkward, but that’s what makes these characters great. Everyone is awkward…except Hit-Girl. Chloe Moretz. 100% flawless delivery as Hit-Girl. Only she can still maintain the sweetness of a 10-year old daddy’s girl while flinging blades and firing some serious heat. Without question, she owns every scene she’s in.
I’m the comic chick, let’s talk shop: (MINOR SPOILERS) the surprising little nugget of goodness was the inclusion of John Romita, Jr.’s art. We even get some sweet motion-comic action as a story-telling mechanism. I was a big fan of that. Another surprise? This movie is darker than the comic book. There’s actually a voice of reason to come out and say that Mindy’s not being put in the best of upbringings. It forces you to think that hey, maybe a 10-year old shouldn’t be out killing bad-guys. And c’mon, you know what happens with Hit-Girl and Big Daddy at the end of the story. It’s even more twisted in the film. Yes, there are differences in the back story regarding Damon and Mindy Macready. Their origins have, in fact, been movie-fied. Now our loser dad turned superhero has become a former-cop that unjustly took the fall for the dirty-dealings of his colleagues involving a drug-ring. After his pregnant wife commits suicide, he vows to take down the D’Amico operations. It drives the movie plot, so it’s not as frustrating as you may think. Would you like to know what is? Dave gets the girl. What?! She even gets to be his Mary Jane Watson where she knows his secret and is the worrying lover back at home. I liked the fact that in the comic Dave ended up right back where he started, but we don’t get that in the film. I think the message of the story loses something because of it, but mass audiences like happy endings. If you can over-look those changes, you’re going to dig the hell out of Kick-Ass.
In the end, this is one violent, twisted, and genuinely funny movie. Did it change the way I look at comic book adaptations? No. But I couldn’t be happier for Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr. Their work was in NO WAY bastardized through the production of this film and it’s very likely that this will sell more of the hardcover. My friend’s girlfriend wants to read the comics now. And, for me, if it means more people will read comic books, then it’s a success.
Director: Danny Boyle Writer: Alex Garland Released: July 27, 2007 US Gross: $3,675,753 (as of October 18, 2007)
Summary: *CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS* In 2057 the Earths Sun has failed. In order to revive the Sun and save Earth, a team of scientists is sent into space aboard the Icarus II, with a mission to deliver a nuclear bomb to the Suns core, reigniting the star. During the mission, the team receives a distress beacon from space, realising that it is coming from the Icarus I, a ship sent on the same mission 7 years prior, but losing contact with Earth before completion.
The team decides to change course to investigate Icarus I, deciding a 2 bomb payload increases the chances of their mission. A miscalculation during the flight, causes the Icarus II to sustain massive damage, making the Icarus I an even more important equation in the mission.
Boarding the Icarus I, the team discovers why the original Icarus team failed, and that the ship is still functional.
Upon returning to Icarus II, and resuming the mission, the team realises they are no longer alone aboard their ship.
Review: I LOVE Danny Boyle, and always have! He has, what I call, Ang Lee syndrome, in that he can change direction styles and subject matter at whim, creating an incredibly rich body of work. Don’t believe me…this is a director that gave us 28 Days Later, Sunshine and Oscar Winner Slumdog Millionaire. YOU find the common thread.
I feel that Sunshine is the Best Science Fiction film ever made. I know, big words. It’s success rests in the fact that Boyleborrows heavily from every sci-fi theme out there, but manages to create something completely new and unique with it. Equal parts 2001: A Space Odyssey, Aliens and Solaris, Sunshine is an epic film filled with themes of isolation, claustrophobia, cabin fever, the desolation of space and terror.
Boyle perfectly captures the claustrophobic feeling aboard the Icarus II by keeping the sets tight, the actors cramped and never showing us a picture of Earth from space, a technique used in almost every space movie filmed. By denying the viewer this image, we feel as isolated as the crew of the Icarus do. The filming was kept intentionally a little darker on the set, magnifying the brilliance of shots of the Sun, increasing the feeling of the importance of the mission.
The cinematography is impeccable in the film, provided by Alwin H. Kuchler, who suggested the idea of keeping the interior of the ship coloured in muted greys and blues, therefore shocking the audience with the brilliance of the Sun when those shots came on screen. The idea is extremely effective and you really marvel at the sun footage used in the film, which is the entire point isn’t it?!
The score is a joint effort between the band Underworld and composer John Murphy. Boyle sent a rough cut of the film to Underworld who then composed a score, which was the given to Murphy who added layers to the tracks, composing a score both brilliant and haunting. This is one of those films the shows exactly how the right music can add ANY level necessary to the film. You feel extra wonder, awe and shock during every scene, all due to this brilliant soundtrack.
The ensemble cast works perfectly together, most likely due to the fact that Boyle had the cast undergo method acting to become the team of the Icarus II. The crew have been together 16 months at the beginning of the film, so Boyle had all the cast live together before principle filming began. They trained together, watched films together, took a tour of a nuclear submarine and experienced ‘zero g’ training, all in an effort to give the cast members a true feeling of teamwork….and isolation.
Boyle alumni Cillian Murphy plays Capa, the team officer in charge of the payload. He is perfectly cast in the role, balancing the “team member” and “outsider” dynamic to perfection. As the film plays out and the team become fewer, Murphy is required to carry much of the film himself, which he has no problem doing. He plays terror and urgency so believably that the audience has no choice but to feel the emotions with the character.
The rest of the ensemble cast (Cliff Curtis, Michelle Yeoh, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rose Byrne, Benedict Wong, Chris Evans, Troy Garity & Mark Strong) compliment each other extremely well, and all help convey the sense of hopelessness and inevitable distress the crew feels as the film plays out.
The visual effects never seem over the top and blend seamlessly within the film, flowing into one another perfectly. Boyle had London’s Moving Picture Company do all the effects, choosing the one company to do them all, therefore keeping it easier for the director to check on the progress, and having all the effects maintain the same aesthetic. The film’s effects are astounding and gorgeous.
The film does switch to bit of a cat & mouse story towards the end, feeling slightly contrived, but that is a minor complaint. It’s a necessary plot device in order for the film to play out the way it does, adding the ‘we are not alone’ story arc. While this arc is developing, the sense of dread builds…keeping the films already eerie premise and stark realities moving in a fluid direction. Switching to the cat & mouse plot device helps bring the film to it’s closure, but the lead up is far better than the ‘final confrontation’. But this is still, a minor flaw, if it can be considered a flaw at all, and with that being said, the entire sequence running roughly 15 minutes, is the most beautiful of the film!
The film should be watched on Blu Ray, with as big an HD screen as possible, and the right receiver as the films sound presentation in Dolby Digital DTS is some of the best sound I’ve heard on a disc. You are immersed in the sounds of the ship, the terror in the score, and even the silence of space. If you’re watching on DVD you are missing out kid…get with the new millennium!
The extras on the disc includes the standard deleted scenes and commentaries, theatrical trailer and a great picture-in-picture Enhanced Viewing Mode which will pop up during certain scenes in the film and offer insight into sets, the filming process etc. It offers a lot of unique content.
A feature I found extremely entertaining was the Journey Into Sound option. Viewers watching in 5.1 sound have the option to change the dialogue features during four key scenes. During these scenes, the dialogue audio is isolated to an individual track, which you can then assign to different speakers, to see how moving the area the dialogue emanates from changes the feel of the scene. It’s pretty cool.
I know there are a LOT of great sci-fi films out there, it’s an amazing genre, but at the same time, it has become slightly stifled and hackneyed. Boyle has infused the medium with a smart and fun thriller, that’s high on entertainment, ripe with a great story and action, and the perfect amount of pathos to help invest us in the story.
For all these reasons I place Sunshine in my Masterpiece category.
First off, by way of introduction, my name is Sherry and i like movies. Should my writing strike you as weak or incoherent, that would probably be due to the fact that it is. With good reason, as i run a site where nobody actually reads any of the shit i write. (Editor’s note: visit Veidt.com, it’s awesome…)
Ryan has already written on the prospect of Fox rebooting Daredevil in a desperate attempt to hang onto the property/bitter ploy to deprive Marvel/Disney’s nascent cinematic universe of one of its strongest characters. I’m nowhere near the hardcore DD fan Ryan is (I’ll generally defer to any fan who’ll actually get a tattoo of a character, never mind an entire themed sleeve), but I have tremendous respect for Matt Murdock, enjoyed the Ben Affleck version enough to triple dip (dvd, the massively under appreciated Director’s Cut, and blu-ray), and I’m one of the 30 or so people who actually dug the Elektra movie. As such, I feel qualified to offer a couple suggestions as to what might make for successful cinematic return of old hornhead. At least as qualified as Peter Chernin, anyway.
1.) Hire Jason Statham – Statham campaigned publicly for the Daredevil role, a couple years ago. Now Crank: High Voltage was actually my favorite film of 2009, and the original Crank is in my top 5 of the last decade. In both of these little masterworks, the Stath created one of the most captivating cinematic superhumans ever portrayed on film. A supremely charismatic, walking force of unstoppable entropy who dares the colossally fucked world around him to descend to his level.
I am a total Jason Statham mark…and yet even i’m not sure he’s quite right for Matt. Would I love to see him land the role? Fuck.yes. But as much as I’d love to see the guy get the part he wants, and a Daniel Craig-esque shot at mainstream leading man status, I’d much rather see him set his sights on being cast in a role i know he could utterly own, and possibly become synonymous with in an almost Ledger-ian sense: Bullseye.
Statham + the black and white costume = utopia.
2.) Wolverine vs. Daredevil – Kills two birds with one stone, keeping two Marvel properties tethered at Fox, and producing a Wolverine movie I’d actually pay to see. X-Men Origins: Wolverine was about as fun as sober go-karting. It’s already been leaked that the powers that be want to do an Asia-centric Wolverine sequel. Asia-centric is usually code for lots of ninjas, and DD knows a bit about fighting them. Adding Daredevil to the next Wolverine movie could generate some much needed excitement, and steal some of Marvel’s thunder by creating a cohesive crossover in advance of 2012’s The Avengers.
3.) Frank Miller – It’s not a popular thing to say, but i really liked The Spirit. If Fox is just looking to produce anything to retain the rights (and their choice of initial screenwriter is kinda indicative that this might be their intention), they could do far, far worse than letting Mr. Miller direct. Worst case, it’d be visually gorgeous, cleavage-packed, and crammed full of weird, semi-coherent ideas. Wouldn’t be boring though (I’m looking at you, Bryan Singer, and the hundreds of millions you pissed away on Superman Returns.)
4.) DD vs. the Thing – Fox happens to currently control the rights to two of my favorite Marvel characters, and i’d kill to see them partnered onscreen. Imagine the requisite superhero scrap between a lovable brute who can go toe to toe with the Hulk, and the most skilled, artful fighter in comics not named Bruce Wayne. Once that’s resolved, further imagine 500 lb Ben Grimm trying to do stealth, as they team up to take down a common foe.
5.) Hire an actress who’ll actually wear the Elektra costume – that’s easy enough, the hard part is finding an actress willing to dress in a skimpy costume (who can look awesome doing so), AND effectively embody one of the most complex and utterly lethal female characters in fiction. Thinking Olivia Wilde, but that may be too obvious.
6.) Michael Chiklis as Kingpin – Over the past 8 seasons on The Shield (best teevee show ever!), Chiklis essayed the ultimate anti-hero. A murderous, corrupt police detective who maintained his own internal core of loyalty and integrity right up until the end. Almost. If he can make me invest in and actively root for a cop-killing, drug dealing, fascistic sociopath, I’d wager he could create a compelling and layered Wilson Fisk.
Also, he looks dope bald.
7.) Animate it – You want to dethrone Pixar? Animated Daredevil based on the artwork of Bill Sienkiewicz. Potential for something genuinely spectacular, and a lock for the most tripped to movie ever.
See more of Sherry’s writings over at www.veidt.com!
Today on Pardon The Interruption I learned that Canada has their Thanksgiving in October.So for all you Canucks, um…pretend I wrote this a month ago and you’re just getting around to reading it now.
I guess I like Thanksgiving.I never really gave it a lot of thought.All the controversy regarding its racist, ugly American background doesn’t really hold much water with me.Don’t get me wrong, I know we’re a bunch of ass-hats but I’ve never equated Thanksgiving with Pilgrims and Native Americans.There’s really only one Pilgrim I care about and his name is Scott and he recently was vs. The Universe.I just see this as a holiday where I’m presented with the question, “Would you like apple or pumpkin pie?” and I can simply respond, “Yes.” and it’s an acceptable answer.Now that’s something I can get behind.
But okay, let’s talk about what I’m thankful for.I’m a pretty fortunate chick.I have all necessary appendages and currently have no warrants out for my arrest.In my book, that’s a solid way of life.(Note: if you are a man or woman who is wanted by the government and you have a hook for a hand, I’m sorry.Please do not hunt me down because I pointed out your misfortune.)Now don’t you go thinking that’s all I got going for me.Oh no, no, no.I’ve got the world on a string, if you will.I’m thankful for:
-Rock Band-I played flute in high school.I am not a rock star.Thank you for making me feel like I could really show up at a boring house party and rock it into awesome via “Don’t Fear The Reaper”.
-DJ Hero-Sometimes, I don’t feel like rockin’.Sometimes I just want to sit on my bed and jam to a mashup of MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice.You fill that void.Thanks for the Rewind feature, it’s a lot of fun.
-Lego-I can sit in front of the tv for hours and put you together.As long as I can gaze upon an X-Wing made of little bits and pieces, I feel like my time was actually well spent.It’s not like I cured cancer, but it’s pretty flippin’ close.
-J.J. Abrams-Thank you for making Star Trek culturally acceptable.I know you pissed off a lot of ‘Trek-ers’ but I don’t care.I’ll take it.P.S.-if you can somehow fit tribbles into the next movie, I’ll die of happiness.No joke.In the theater.Dead.
-Geoff Johns-You make me want to be a better geek.Your gift of continuity and bridging story-gaps in the comic book world never ceases to amaze me.Please don’t leave us to make a lot of movies.
-Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade-I watch you every year, provided I wake up early enough. Every year I see people singing on floats and I say “Who the hell is that?” Last year you even Rick Rolled me with the Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends float. But I get excited when I see a giant Pikachu balloon with the hope that maybe the handlers will lose control and a Pokemon will go through New York like Godzilla through Tokyo. You keep me saying, “Maybe this year my dreams will come true.”
-Ryan Ferrier-I talk in sentence fragments and can barely string together one thought.Why you let me write for your website, I will never know.Thanks though, it makes me feel important when I Google myself.
-Instock Trades-You keep me up to date on all the books I’ve missed throughout the years and you make it cheaper.You’re the bestest.
-The Muppets-When I’m sad, you turn the ship around.When I’m bored, you kill time.When I’m happy, you really seal the deal.Even your comic books are funny.Because of you, I didn’t have to read Treasure Island or A Christmas Carol.I have no doubt both of those movies were extremely accurate to the original text.They definitely were true to the art of awesomeness.
-Marvel Superhero Squad Show-Not that I need much prompting for watching cartoons but you really brought your A game.And you gave Parry Gripp a job; even though I do in fact like waffles and hamsters on pianos (eating popcorn), that guy needed some sort of income for his catchy, catchy songs.
-DC Universe Classics Action Figures-You decorate my basement.You’re like a year round Easter Egg hunt within Walmarts and Targets.You’re massively over-priced at comic shops and it makes me feel good inside when I see that I own the one they’re charging $75 for.Please tell my local Walmart that you’ve made more figures than just Captain Cold and Aquaman-Blue as those are the only ones they’ve had in supply for the past couple months.
Lastly, I’m thankful for you, Dear Reader.Thanks for taking time out of your day to wander onto a blog written by a bunch of nerds.Have a great Thanksgiving and try not to let on to your grandmother that you really have no intention of eating her green bean casserole but that you “have no room on the plate.”
For the week of October 18 – 24: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Borderlands, Famitsu’s 40/40, NXE update preview and Doom gets fancy.
Mucho releasiosos this week, mucho reviewio and more framed vagina shots than you can shake a stick at!
NEW RELEASES
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
This week the COOP crew had a great discussion about the newly released Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Why didn’t I talk about it last week when it was released? Well in case you haven’t noticed I try and keep my efforts to a minimum and waited for someone else to do the work for me so I can post that.
Game looks fantastic. A little Prince of Persia environment navigation, a little Indiana Jones adventuring, humongous set pieces to explore, interesting story and some of the highest quality productions to date.
Borderlands
Also out this week, Boarderlands, a post apocalyptic FPS with a heavy lean on loot drops, RPG upgrading and procedurally generated guns. A FPS Diablo from Fallout 3 with an amazing art style if you will. The ability to run through the campaign online with three other players sounds like a lot of fun too.
Giantbomb.com’s got my back this week with another great video review!
NEWS
Japanese game publication Famitsu has some interesting news tucked away inside its latest issue. Known for being incredibly stingy with its perfect 40/40 score has awarded Sega’s latest release Bayonetta with the award. Could it be the game is rightfully deserving or the gratuitous T&A?
It comes from the director of Devil May Cry and Viewtiful Joe which are both pretty great games so I’m willing to hold my tongue until I pass judgement. I just can’t help but see the Ms. Lemon character from 30 Rock all sexed up and kicking demon butt.
Peep the game trailer.
List of games Famitsu has awarded the coveted 40/40 score.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998, Nintendo, for Nintendo 64)
Soulcalibur (1999, Namco, for Dreamcast)
Vagrant Story (2000, Square Co., Ltd., for PlayStation)
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2003, Nintendo for Nintendo GameCube)
Nintendogs (2005, Nintendo, for Nintendo DS)
Final Fantasy XII (2006, Square Enix, for PlayStation 2)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008, Nintendo, for Wii)
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008, Konami, for PlayStation 3)
428: Fūsa Sareta Shibuya de (2008, Sega, for Wii)
Dragon Quest IX (2009, Square Enix, for Nintendo DS)
Monster Hunter Tri (2009, Capcom, for Wii)
Bayonetta (2009, Sega, for Xbox 360)
Take note that half of this list comes from the past two years. Perhaps we shouldn’t be so surprised anymore?
Giantbomb.com has also put up an early look at the latest NXE update coming this November. Major additions include a bunch of social networking junk. Check and post to your Facebook and Twitter. The LastFM integration could be useful if you’ve got a nice entertainment system hooked up to your tv.
Finally via Game Set Watch comes a Doom re-imagining that melts my heart.
File this one under ‘Its so brilliant I Don’t Know Why They Didn’t Make This Earlier’!! Chopsticks. Lightsabers. They are the same shape, so it’s only natural that they should serve as Asian Forks! I myself am not too good with the chop sticks but I sure as hell will try to get better now. If only they lit up. Now that would be even cooler.
More Virtual Awesome
FRIED SHRIMP!!!
Yeah, I really do love Virtual On and now they released the images of my favorite character of choice in that game – Fei Yen. Don’t make me go all gold with her. You wouldn’t like me in gold form.
Green Savin’ Makes Me Feel good
Must. Have. Hot. Dogs!
the only thing wrong with this is that Slimer is seriously ugly. I know they just announced the third movie, like officially and stuff, but damn this is one ugly ass ghost. Of course that was kind of the draw, the undead were ugly in the movies. It was a draw for me, but it wasn’t until the sequel that you got a really good look at this one. It would be way cooler if the bank were see through like he was in the movies but oh well. What’s the draw of banks anyways?
Another Week, Another Halo Whored Out Product
This is your achievment for LAME!!
As if the mass amounts of Halo crap wasn’t enough, now they come with Achievements for all the achievement whores out there to now get them in real life. Apparently virtual achievements just weren’t good enough. So what do you do with the little plastic achievement? It’s not like you earned it or something. You going to go out and brag to your friends? Now there’s a fight I’d love to see.
One Hell Of A Statue
Sadly, their desire to be yet another Bank was not granted this year. Sigh.
This is just one of the statues that has me all happy inside. It is so well done and it is just amazing to look at. Great story arc, great piece here.
Astromech Go!!
BeepBeepBoop Mutha F***ers
My own Artoo unit? JOY! At least it is not C3-P0. Not that I have anything against the guy, but toy wise Artoo is much better cause hes not all stuck up and fussy. You can go on dangerous adventures with him and have all sorts of fun. C3-Po will just teach you etiquette. Yep. They picked the winner here.
Gavin’s Most Wanted
Where my offspring Carnage? I need to drop off my child supprt check..
I am a Spider-Man whore, and I love me some Venom and Carnage, and this is just way too awesome for words. Look at the pic and drool.
For the week of September 20-26: Tokyo Game Show 2009 is upon us. RUN! Also, Halo 3: ODST
NEW RELEASES
Halo 3: ODST
Out this week is Halo 3: ODST. You may have heard of it. This time around, you are playing as a Orbital Drop Shock Trooper (ODST, get it?) Personally I would prefer to play as a Goof Trooper, but life’s not perfect now is it. The time line of the game runs along the Halo 2 events and rather than the linier play though of a typical Halo game, ODST is structured a little differently.
As a Shock Trooper, you’ll be exploring an open ‘hub’ world looking for missions activated by finding special objects. A short movie will play showing the history of why the object you’ve found is the way it is, an then you play a mission based around that particular event.
Since the game is based on the Halo 3 technology, expect it to look and play a lot like Halo 3. It should be also noted that the game comes with a second disc containing all Halo 3 multiplayer maps currently available and more maps and modes have been added.
The good guys over at giantbomb.com have done a review of the game in the video format.
NEWS
It’s fall, and that can only mean one thing. That’s right, the Tokyo Game Show! You can think of it as the E3 of Japan, but only smaller with less announcements and a lot of games you probably don’t really care about.
Unlike E3, two of the days are open to the public and boy to the people ever turn out. Back when I lived in Japan, I made the trek out to Chiba a couple of times to attend the show and totally ran into Cammie from Street Fighter. At least that’s what s/he told me…
Ha, ha. Yikes! Those are some mad muscly thighs.
So while the games are fun and interesting, I find the articles of what the foreign press is getting up to be much more interesting. Because much of the time, it’s their first time to Japan, or they’re experienced and go to some really cool places. Jeremy Parish of Retronauts and his crew from 1up.com are currently in Japan and have been posting some great footage of all the retro game stores they’ve been hitting during their stay.
Before I begin, let me quell the riff-raff right away; yes, I know I just posted a letter in which I claimed GKS is going all comics. There will be times here and there, where we dance close to our old stomping grounds; specifically in cases like this, with comic book films. But, like I said before, we won’t simply regurgitate the headlines that have already splattered your screens. We’re not here to win any races. But we are here to share some insight and hopefully something unique. And as this relates heavily to comics – in this case, a much smaller comic book fan-base – let me fire away.
I never really wanted an iPad. Not that having one wouldn’t be cool, but to me it just seemed that I wouldn’t use it much. Of course, this is entirely a cost thing. If the device cost $200, you bet your sweet ass I would have had the thing on day one. But it isn’t $200. I think it just came down to around $9,000 for the base model. But anyways, I never poo-pooed anyone for wanting or buying one; they are a cool device and I know there’s a huge number of people that bought it, use it daily, and even a percentage of them that replaced their home computer with it. So I never really paid it much heed, as my Macbook Pro is practically tethered to my body every second I’m in my house.
Dear Readers,
Evidently there is something in the paperwork of movie rights that says if it’s written by Mark Millar, it will be a loose adaptation. Who here saw the movie Wanted? Who read Millar’s book? Was it the same? No. Not really. If you were okay with that, then you’re going to be okay with Kick-Ass from Lionsgate. Did the Wanted adaptation piss you off? Kick-Ass is better, but it still might make you angry. Just do yourself a favor and look at the comic and the movie as separate entities.
I’m the comic chick, let’s talk shop: (MINOR SPOILERS) the surprising little nugget of goodness was the inclusion of John Romita, Jr.’s art. We even get some sweet motion-comic action as a story-telling mechanism. I was a big fan of that. Another surprise? This movie is darker than the comic book. There’s actually a voice of reason to come out and say that Mindy’s not being put in the best of upbringings. It forces you to think that hey, maybe a 10-year old shouldn’t be out killing bad-guys. And c’mon, you know what happens with Hit-Girl and Big Daddy at the end of the story. It’s even more twisted in the film. Yes, there are differences in the back story regarding Damon and Mindy Macready. Their origins have, in fact, been movie-fied. Now our loser dad turned superhero has become a former-cop that unjustly took the fall for the dirty-dealings of his colleagues involving a drug-ring. After his pregnant wife commits suicide, he vows to take down the D’Amico operations. It drives the movie plot, so it’s not as frustrating as you may think. Would you like to know what is? Dave gets the girl. What?! She even gets to be his Mary Jane Watson where she knows his secret and is the worrying lover back at home. I liked the fact that in the comic Dave ended up right back where he started, but we don’t get that in the film. I think the message of the story loses something because of it, but mass audiences like happy endings. If you can over-look those changes, you’re going to dig the hell out of Kick-Ass.
Summary
The ensemble cast works perfectly together, most likely due to the fact that Boyle had the cast undergo method acting to become the team of the Icarus II. The crew have been together 16 months at the beginning of the film, so Boyle had all the cast live together before principle filming began. They trained together, watched films together, took a tour of a nuclear submarine and experienced ‘zero g’ training, all in an effort to give the cast members a true feeling of teamwork….and isolation.
Ryan has already written on the prospect of 
1.) Hire Jason Statham
I guess I like Thanksgiving.
This week the COOP crew had a great discussion about the newly released Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Why didn’t I talk about it last week when it was released? Well in case you haven’t noticed I try and keep my efforts to a minimum and waited for someone else to do the work for me so I can post that.
Also out this week, Boarderlands, a post apocalyptic FPS with a heavy lean on loot drops, RPG upgrading and procedurally generated guns. A FPS Diablo from Fallout 3 with an amazing art style if you will. The ability to run through the campaign online with three other players sounds like a lot of fun too.
