Check out this beautiful art by J.K. Woodward

San Diego Comic Con 2010 Wrap-up, Part 1:TV

Hey Guys! Here is a recap of some of our favorite TV shows that had panels this year at SDCC. The panels were both fun and informative in regards to what is happening to our shows this year. I followed the panels via Newsarama live blogs and a few others that have great coverage and I have to admit it was way better than standing in line for four hours. So here goes:

True Blood- They played a end of season three trailer that showed up that Sookie is going to have major issues with both the vamps and weres. Sookie is going to get hurt very badly and we might get more info on what her character really is and that she is not human at least not fully. Eric will get his revenge on the King of Mississippi and that it will perhaps lead into the storyline from book four of the Sookie Stackhouse series. Alan Ball said that a major character will change in a big way and that another character will learn to go from hate to love for the person in question. Jessica will still struggle with being a baby vamp and that the drama of Sam's family will make him go very dark at the end of the season. Jason will still be in relationship with Crystal. Tara and Layefette will follow family history and go nuts. Alcide and Sookie will have a closer relationship. And best of all we get to see Sookie's fairy godmother.

Sons of Anarchy-Gemma gets closer to a gun and will still be on the lam. Clay and Jax will be more of a family this year. So far, Kurt Sutter has written 10 episodes and 5 have been shot with special guest start Stephen King will appear in the 3rd episode and Hal Hollbrook will play Gemma's father this season. The entire storyline will be mostly set in Ireland and we get a closer look at the Belfast's branch of SOA.

Glee-There will be a Brittney Spears episode this year and that maybe the diva herself will be on the show. Kurt gets a boyfriend and we meet Rachel's dad. Mercedes takes Kurt's to her church, so this means a all gospel episode. There are a few new members of New Directions this year, pop star Charice and Chord Overstreet join the glee club and will provide conflict for Rachel and Finn. Quinn will get a new boyfriend and best news of all there will be a Rocky Horror Picture Show episode.

Smallville-Clark takes flight and wears the red and blue! Papa Kent is back! Lois hides the truth from Clark! Deseid is the big baddie! That really was Granny Goodness in the hospital visiting Tess! Suicide Squad will be back! Cat Grant joins the DP! Chole says goodbye to Clark! Ollie is still Green Arrow! (I kid,I kid), Lois will be in all 22 episodes and Ollie will be in 17! Blue and Gold, we will see Jamie Reyes and Booster Gold with Skeets! I will now stop using! at the end of each sentence!

Stargate U- They are doing a emotional episode with Eli using the stones to visit his sick mother. They discover the real bridge to the ship and the chance to go home is given to them but they might choose to not go. The cast is very happy with the show so far and believe that they are continuing in the tradition of past Stargate's. Also, there will be some crossovers with members of Stargate:Atlantis this season at least twice this season.

Caprica-Just got picked up this morning for the second season. The show is returning in early 2011 with the same night and other than that no real news was given about the show. I think that this show is in real danger of not making it.

Hawaii Five O-This show had lines that wrapped around the building, this was the hot ticket besides True Blood this year. The cast has Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park in it along with James Marsters. The show is keeping the original score to the show and that the use of a hot rock star revamping the theme just did not work out. Both Kim and Park asked the fans to not base the show on their past work but get to know and love this new show for what is it, a crime show.

Psych-They rocked the house, had pineapples and gave away really cool t-shirts at their panel. The news of the panel was that James Roday and Dule Hill are now regular producers of the show and that they promised to be even more crazy than last season.

Big Bang Theory- The panel was good but the big news is that the afterparty had The Bare Naked Ladies perform the theme song and a full concert for fans.

Well, that is all for now, I will be back tomorrow with my comic book news wrap-up.

CBRS ep 98 J.K.Woodward

CBRS ep 98 J.K.Woodward
In this episode I'm joined by professional artist J.K. Woodward who has worked on some exciting projects such as Peter David's Fallen Angel,IDW's Star Trek: Alien Spotlight and graphic novel Belladonna. We discuss what influences helped shape him into the artist that he is. We also discuss some of his upcoming projects and some of his favorite comics like Box Office Poison,Sweet Tooth,and Chew. We also talk about his love for the Spiderman cartoons. For more info on his work go to:http://jkwoodwardart.blogspot.com/
http://www.jkwoodward.com/index.htm
http://www.comictwart.com/
http://www.popgunpulp.com/
http://www.comicbookalex.com/

http://dafixershideout.hipcast.com/deluge/71802eb4-5293-9e5c-372e-c6ac3e596686.mp3

The Dark Knight returns this September with the conclusion of writer Grant Morrison's time-travelling tale "The Return of Bruce Wayne." However, at Comic-Con International's Batman: The Return panel on Friday, the DC Comics Bat-family of writers and artists discussed what exactly that return means for the DC Universe. On stage was DC Senior Story Editor Ian Sattler, Batman Group Editor Mike Marts, writers Gail Simone, Bryan Q. Miller, Paul Cornell, Paul Dini, Scott Snyder, Judd Winick and Grant Morrison and artists Frazer Irving, David Finch and Dustin Nguyen.

As the panel gets underway, CBR News was there to bring readers all the news on the panel's events.

Marts started things off by discussing the recent announcements regarding the Bat-books, including Tony Daniel as writer and artist on Batman, Pete Tomasi and Patrick Gleason on Batman and Robin, Snyder taking over Detective Comics, Cornell as writer on Knight & Squire, Finch as the writer and artist and The Dark Knight. Marts then turned the mic over to Morrison, who announced what's next for him in the Batman Universe—"Batman: The Return" one-shot and a new series, "Batman, Inc."

"All I'm going to tell you up front is basically it's almost a team book," explained Morrison. "I was looking at the Brave and the Bold cartoon which I love and I wanted to do that kind of thing—Batman with other people. We're come up with a structure that let's us do kind of a team book."

"This is why the book was called 'The Return of Bruce Wayne,'" he added. "This is what happens when Bruce is more in the equation and what he does with the Batman idea and turns it into a franchise."

The writers then all talked about their various series. Cornell joked that he plans on introducing at least 100 new villains in the "Knight & Squire" series. "We managed 50 in the first issue alone. This is a plot to kill the editors of DC through sheer hard work," he laughed. He added that his first arc featured Richard III brought back to life as a clone with an army of monarchs who try to re-conquer the world through Facebook. "That's what I'm doing right now."

In regards to his upcoming run on "Detective," Snyder said that "It's going to be back to basics, but with a new twist." The book will includedbackups about Commissioner James Gordon. "I'm really thrilled and honored to be doing this."

Dini will be writing a sequel to his "Detective" arc, "Heart of Hush" called "House of Hush" in "Streets of Gotham." The arc discusses the Wayne and Elliot families backstory much more than has been seen before. It also involves a prisoner released, one who went to jail long before Bruce's birth, but whwants to kill Bruce Wayne. "It's a long story. It's going to stretch into December, January and is just getting started right now."

Simone thanked fans for the sales of the relaunched "Birds of Prey." "Yay, go girls!" she said. "We're going to learn who the White Canary really is" the writer revealed. She also said that the arc is with artist Alvin Lee and takes place in Bangkok. "it's going to be amazing."

"Stephanie is White Canary," joked Miller. "She's not." The writer said that while Year one of "Batgirl" established Stephanie Brown as Batgirl, "Year two is more, 'I'm Batgirl. Now what?" He also develops her first rogues gallery as well as "A love interest she does want, a love interest she doesn't want and a love she'll never return. And she gets a car and a dog—Ace the Bathound."

Finch is finishing up "The Return." "There's a new costume for Batman that Grant had a lot of input in a lot of specific things that he wanted from just the look of Batman," he said. "I'm starting drawing a lot of big bats, it's a lot of fun. It's a great re-imagining and re-establishing of Bruce as Batman."

Morrison talked up the upcoming issue of "Batman & Robin." "The next issue does have a really good scene with Professor Pig does botox," he said. "There's a reason for it. He's actually already appeared in the issue that's out." In returns to "The Return," the writer said, "Batman the Return opens with five pages of bats. It's like a natural history document. But again, I can't tell you anything because I'm at the end of my story."

Questions then opened to the audience. In regards to the rumor of Quitely returning for the final three issues of "Batman & Robin," Morrison confirmed that he will not. Instead Frazer Irving and Cameron Stewart wrap up the series.

Later a fan asked whether previous Batgirl Cassandra Cain is possible. "We may see Cassandra Cain appear in an upcoming issue of one of our titles," said Marts. "Perhaps in November."

In response to a question on his upcoming "Detective" run, Snyder said he draws a lot of influence from the old series and that the book deals with "How Gotham is changing now that Bruce is back." "A lot of CSI: and high-tech" is involved. "This is really focusing on Batman as the world's detective as he tries to solve a series of mysteries that all tie together," he said.

In regards to Batman Beyond's return to the DC Universe, a fan asked if there might be a series written by Paul Dini. "That would be great," teased Marts. "I would pick up that comic."

Later, a fan asked about Bane and Deadshot's response would be to the return of Bruce Wayne. "You have to read 'Birds of Prey' to find out," laughed Simone.

Another fan asked about the future of Jason Todd. "I think we can all say comfortably that Jason Todd will be staying around," Winick said. "He won't have his own book." The writer joked that villains shouldn't have their own book, but when a fan pointed out that Simone writes a book with six villains, Winick said they're looking for five other Jason Todds. "We called it 'Jason Todd and Friends' for a month. But it sounded weird."

A fan asked about the possibility of a Black Canary and Zatanna team up. "Paul and I are discussing something, but we can't talk about it," teased Simone.

A fan brought up the relationship between Tim Drake and Batgirl. He asked whether Miller consciously made the decision to separate the two characters in order to help Stephanie stand on her own. "Exactly what you just said," replied Miller. "In the interest of Stephanie becoming her own person and not chasing after Tim anymore. She may end up bumping into Tim sometime in the future, but not at the moment."

In regards to the amount of Bat-titles, Morrison said that "I think it's good to have a lot of different Batman books. I much prefer you can write all these different stories." The writer mentioned how his Batman R.I.P happened the same time as Dini's "Heart of Hush. "You just have to buy into that because it's comics. But that must have been a hell of a week in Batman's life."

Another fan asked Cornell what it's like building his own world in his upcoming "Knight & Squire" book. "It's excellent. It's a beautiful tabla rasa," he said. "I took that as my cue and thought, 'Well, six issues, we can introduce an awful, awful lot. It's a big bang. It's a wonder feeling that we get to add and add and add."

A fan brought up whether Morrison thinks the Joker knows who Batman who. Although Morrison said he think the Joker does, he added, "It's not important to the Joker to know that. But who's going to say, 'Hey, I know your identity' to Batman. I think everyone at the Daily Planet knows about Superman but they say, 'Listen, don't say anything. He thinks we don't know and it's really important to him.'"

Later, a fan asked the panel if they could steal anything from the Bat-cave, what they would take. Winick wants the giant penny. "How much do you think the giant penny is worth," laughed Morrison in response. Cornell said he'd go with the Dinosaur. Snyder wants the' 60s Batmobile. Dini on the other hands wants the Denny O' Neil Batmobile. Bat cycle went to Simone. Alfred's tray said Miller. Any batmobile, said Finch. Bat-roller skates, laughed Morrison.

"I'll take Alfred," said Marts. "Not the tray."

"I thought that'd sound creepy," said Miller in response.

"You were right," laughed Morrison.

When a fan asked Irving if he's working on an issue of Morrison's eventual "Multiversity" series, Morrison himself injected "Yes you are Frazer Irving!" before the artist could respond.

The last question of the panel went to Miller, who discussed Batgirl heading into the greater DCU rather than sticking to the Bat-family as far as encounters.

Joss Whedon Confirms He’s Directing The Avengers

Although many expected the official announcement to come Saturday during the Marvel Studios panel at Comic-Con International, Joss Whedon confirmed this afternoon that he is, indeed, directing The Avengers.

Asked about the film during the “Entertainment Weekly: The Visionaries” panel with J.J. Abrams, Whedon responded: “That is not an official thing. But I’m making that an official thing: I’m directing The Avengers.”

Of course, Whedon’s involvement in Marvel’s ensemble film has been one of the worst-kept secrets in Hollywood. Reports emerged as far back as April that the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly was negotiating to helm the studio’s 2012 tent-pole film, but rumors began circulating long before. Although neither Whedon nor the studio commented on the speculation, everyone from Zack Whedon to Edward Norton’s agent had essentially confirmed it.

The Whedon-directed Avengers will star Joss Whedon, stars Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth and Samuel L. Jackson — but not Edward Norton. The new Hulk, who may or may not be Mark Ruffalo, is expected to be announced at Saturday’s panel in Hall H. Perhaps those long-running rumors about Nathan Fillion and Eva Longoria as Ant-Man and the Wasp will finally be put to rest then, too.

The Avengers opens on May 4, 2012.

Lorrie's Comic Book picks for 07/21/2010

Batman The Return of Bruce Wayne #1
Brightest Day #6
JSA #41
Tiny Titans #30
Green Hornet #6
True Blood #1

Darrell's pull list for 7/21/10

Artifacts #1 (of 13) Cover A - JamBatman Beyond #2 (of 6)Brightest Day #6Justice Society of America #41Legion of Super-Heroes #3New Mutants #15Supergirl #54Ultimate Comics Avengers 2 #5 (of 6)


what are you picking up this week?