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?

Quick Guide to San Diego Comic-Con by Lorrie Thomas

By. Lorrie M. Thomas
Hi geeks! Here is a quick how to guide on making it through the hardest and most intense experience of your life. It’s called surviving San Diego Comic-Con 2010. As a past attendee to this event I have five surefire tips that will make your trip a good one. So please take a few minutes to read the tips and prepare to get your geek on in style this year.
1. Make sure you have all your ducks in a row. This means that you have your plane tickets, hotel reservations and most important con passes ready. Do not show up at the con without spending money, they DO NOT take checks and very few are set up for debit cards unless it is for high-end purchases. Also, a quick note the ATMs at comic-con have very high fees to use them. If you want to pull out money do it before your arrive at the con. Have your con schedule ready and printed out and in your pocket or backpack. I know we all have iPods and iPads but a trusty piece of paper will save you every time. Trust me I know.
2. Backpack or bust. Pack and take a backpack with the following items: socks, mints, water, gum, snack food (I take granola bars and nuts), sketchbook, iPod, cell phone charger, first aid kit, hand sanitizer, notebook and pen, highlighters, comics that you want signed at the con, light jacket, sunglasses and any other item that you might need for the day. The backpack is your home away from home and will save you a lot of time and trouble. Also, make sure your backpack is light enough to carry all day and night and will be able to withstand any punishment. I carry a few plastic bags and rubber bands in the side pockets for emergency uses. Again, the backpack is your friend at a con.
3. How to stand in line. Don’t laugh at me this is very useful at a con. The rules are simple, get there early and getcomfortable. Bring a buddy and swap bathrooms breaks when needed and do not get out of line unless a emergency has been announced. This is your chance at seeing one of the panels that you have been dying to get into for months or see that cast from a fave TV show. I once stood in line for six hours just to get into the panel for Sci-Fi night and barely got in! So, prepare to wait and wait for geeky goodness when you stand in line. Also, don’t be a noob and talk loud and be rude to others while waiting. Have your comics ready to be signed if you are waiting for an artist/writer and do not have twenty copies of the book, if you do then you are being selfish and do not deserve to get your books signed. If standing in line to get an autograph, do not look like a fool and try to bargain with the person for a discount. If the sign says $20.00 buck then pay your money and smile for the camera.
4. How to attend a panel. I go to panels to get info and not hear about a topic that can be discussed in a forum or a tweet. Do not ask one of the big two editors that bring back character X,Z and Y. Do not ask a big two crossover and most of all do not make a fool of yourself and your fellow geeks with stupid questions that make us look like idiots. This harsh, I know but it’s that truth and I mean every word. Please, I beg you to ask good questions that will be listened to and answered by the panel. Give your question is a clear voice and do take time to thank the panel for taking your questions and please do not argue when you are not happy worth the answer given. Lastly, be respectful of other asking questions and when asked not to spill the beans on a certain bit of news, then do it. The information given in panels is often meant for the fan to gain a better understanding of a topic in question.
5. Walking the floor. Get a map and figure out where you want to go and do a sweep of the outer floor to see where things are setup. This will save you time and your feet will thank you later. Make sure you know how to get from the artist alley (It’s usually in the back) to back bins. The more you know before going in the better you will be. The indy alley and the people hawking product are susually grouped together and will be a good place to start when starting your walk after you get the basics down. The big tickets booths for the main publishers will be in the middle/front of the con and will be very busy so try to hit them late afternoon to avid crowds. The booth babes are there to get you to buy product and will lure you away from the main walking tour. Have fun with that and keep on walking, next go to the amine section and the gaming sections to pick up some free swag. The entire con is one large fish bowl of ads and swag. You can walk the entire floor and end with bags, stickers, posters and all sorts of cool stuff to put into your poster tube to take home.
So, I hope that this helps with making this year’s San Diego Comic-con a good one and most of all haev fun.

Kirkham Enlists At DC For "Green Lantern Corps"

Sometimes when a publisher taps talent, they get as much use of them as they can and quick. And if his first wave of cover output is any indication, it appears DC Comics got Tyler Kirkham working fast when he came over to the company.

The publisher announced this morning via their blog The Source that the former Top Cow studio mate and penciler of such Marvel books as "Ultimate Fantastic Four" and "Amazing Spider-Man" would come to DC exclusively and pick up the art chores on "Green Lantern Corps" starting in October.

"Not only are there tons of great characters, but they are all fun to draw, because they are so Diverse," the artist said of his new book. "Also with the movie coming out soon it makes things even more exciting. I am having so much fun already and I'm only an issue in. The direction Tony is taking the story fits my art style very well. Also to be working with Batt again is a true pleasure. After all he is the best inker in the biz in my opinion. Plus to have Nei Ruffino coloring my work is amazing. I have worked with her on a couple small things in the past, but have always wanted to work with her on a bigger scale."

DC also unveiled a second Kirkham cover outside the one for "Green Lantern Corps" #53 – a group shot for something called "Untold Tales of the Black Lanterns" featuring Ragman – who just had his own one-shot announced – and Donna Troy amongst others. No other details were given on story specifics for this title, but the blog promied more details on this comic Monday.

You better buy this book People

The Return Of Static. And A Well Timed Announcement.

Submitted by Rich Johnston on July 17, 2010 – 7:00 am (0) comments

One of my criticisms of the reigning back of DC’s legacy characters over the past year or so, to earlier characters who held the title, was that DC was losing the richer ethnic mix that it had built up over the years as a result. While simultaneously sitting in the DC Universe was the Milestone line which could tackle that very problem if only DC would see it.

DC have now announced a new Milestone character series, Static, to be written by Felicia D Henderson, producer and writer on Fringe, Gossip Girl and Everyone Hates Chris, for next year.

And announcing it so early, but just in time for Con, should also make for a handy shield (along with the new Aqualad) to raise against some of the arrows that may be fired at panels about this very topic…

Although I’m still interested to hear Dwany McDuffie’s take.

http:/www.comixology.com/user/thomalo/pulllist/2010/07/07

Marc Guggenheim joins up with the JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA

This October, the Justice Society of America is getting a new chairman. And, by “chairman,” we mean a new writer: Marc Guggenheim. Guggenheim, who has a long list of film and comic book credits, will bring his fast-paced storytelling and refined eye to one of the DCU’s most legendary teams.
We’ll have more info on the new artist joining Guggenheim for his run, but we can announce superstar Shane Davis will be providing the lovely covers, like the powerful image above. What more can we say about the new direction? Well, take it away, Marc:
“For me, one of the advantages of working for “the Big Two” is getting to play with the biggest toys in the sandbox. The Justice Society so fits that category, my inner fanboy is squealing with delight. I was a huge fan of the JSA back when they were ensconced on Earth-2 and I was introduced to their exploits in the pages of Adventure Comics and the annual JLA/JSA crossovers. Our goal is to craft as JSA run for the ages and I think we’ve come up with something that’s revolutionary while still feeling uniquely “Justice Society.” Pay close attention to that second word. Big clue there.”

A great Loss

Today we lost a comic book legend: Harvey Pekar, writer of American Splendor has died. Thank you Good Sir and Rest in Peace.

Wikipedia:

He was married from 1960 to 1972 to his first wife Karen Delaney, a writer and educator who currently lives in Chicago. She was the (uncredited) photographer who took many of the pictures of Pekar that appeared in "The Quitter". He was married again twice more." [He lived] in Ohio with Brabner and their foster daughter Danielle.

Darrells picks for the week of 7/7/10

Avengers: The Children's Crusade #1 (of 9)	Batman and Robin #13	Batman: Odyssey #1 (of 6)
Brightest Day #5	Irredeemable #15	Secret Six #23
Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier #1 Finch Var

The Darkness Turns 85

Jackie Estacado has a big year ahead of him.

As the bearer of The Darkness, Estacado is one of the most important figures within the Top Cow Universe, as evidenced by his central role in "Artifacts," the publisher's upcoming 13-issue limited series written by Ron Marz and illustrated by a team of artists including Michael Broussard. But his own adventures can't be discounted either, as "The Darkness" writer Phil Hester has plenty of dark designs ahead for Estacado as the character moves towards his milestone 100th issue. Before that, however, Jackie has to settle his score against the deadly Sovereign.

"The Sovereign is an immortal king from an impossibly ancient civilization who, as punishment for some act of hubris, was cursed to live forever in the idols made in his image during his reign. So, he's basically a ghost that can inhabit and animate statues of himself," Hester told CBR News of Jackie's current nemesis. "An ancient Darkness wielder had a hand in his downfall, so now The Sovereign loves nothing more than tormenting whatever Darkness wielder he can get his hands on, and currently that's Jackie Estacado. For nearly a year, The Sovereign duped Jackie into believing that he held Jackie's soul captive in Hell, and if Jackie performed certain unsavory tasks for him it would be released. This turned out to be a huge con, but Jackie didn't realize it until he had done a lot of truly deplorable things in The Sovereign's service. We all know that anyone who screws with Jackie gets screwed back, so the last year or so of the book has detailed how Jackie put together a start-up crime family to take down The Sovereign's earthly power structure. Right now they're winnowing away the number of statues The Sovereign can inhabit in the hopes of cornering him in his final body and destroying him once and for all."

Jackie's latest attempt to chip away at The Sovereign comes in this week's "The Darkness" #85, in which Jackie encounters an eccentric Russian crime boss named Vasily Martynov. "He's a retired human trafficker who has built an immense and decadent art collection," said Hester. "One of the pieces in his private museum is a Sovereign statue Jackie has sworn to destroy. Jackie and his erstwhile A-Team negotiate the sale of the statue, but a double cross from Martynov complicates things. On top of that, Martynov has a Rasputin-like enforcer named Arvo that seems to be magically inducing crippling flashbacks to Jackie's time as an orphaned youth."

The title of the latest "Darkness" arc is "Alkonost," derived from a mythical creature in Russian folklore that may or may not come into direct conflict with Estacado himself. "The Alkonost is a bird-woman from Russian folklore, almost like a beautiful harpy, if you can imagine that," said Hester. "Her song is said to be so angelically pure that hearing it will induce such bliss that your memory will be lost upon hearing her song. It's an amazing concept and I wanted to put Jackie into conflict with it, but exactly how that comes to be isn't revealed until #86. As far as Jackie knows through #85, he's fighting Russian mobsters led by a vaguely creepy monk - little does he know."

Speaking to the genre and tone of "Alkonost," Hester said of the current story-arc: "'Alkonost' starts as a crime story and quickly becomes something close to a supernatural thriller. On page one, we're '100 Bullets.' But by page 22, we're a 'Hellboy / Lord of the Rings' mash-up."

Just as Jackie is assisted by a carefully selected group of criminals in his quest to bring down The Sovereign, so too has Hester found an ally in Sheldon Mitchell, the latest illustrator on "The Darkness" starting with issue #85. "Sheldon is another in a line of startlingly talented guys to come out of Top Cow's in house studio - Michael Broussard, Nelson Blake II and now Sheldon," said Hester of his new "Darkness" collaborator. "I think Sheldon possesses the Top Cow attention to detail that fans have come to expect; he fits the house style. That said, he's got a dark edge and a clarity of composition that really set him apart from anyone else out there. He'll be a big star soon enough - let me have him while I can, world!"

Cover to "The Darkness" #86

"I'm really excited [about joining 'The Darkness']. I consider it a huge honor to be working on a book one of my favorite artists created and to be working with such a fantastic writer, Phil Hester," Mitchell told CBR of his new Top Cow assignment. "Phil knows just how to write for the artist and that makes my job go a bit more smoothly. I like the fact that Jackie is becoming more aware of what he's capable of and is experimenting with the Darkness power. We can slowly see Jackie growing into his role as the Darkness and less like Jackie the kingpin."

Mitchell's artwork was recently showcased in the pages of "Stealth" from "Pilot Season" architects Robert Kirkman and Marc Silvestri. According to Hester, Mitchell's work on "Stealth" demonstrated that he was the right choice for "The Darkness." "To be honest, when I saw it I was like, 'There's our next Darkness artist,'" said the writer. "We knew Michael [Broussard] was leaving to tackle 'Artifacts' with Ron Marz, so the hunt for a new artist had begun. Phil Smith, Filip Sablik, Matt Hawkins, Marc Silvestri and I were beating the bushes for a new artist, and when the 'Stealth' pages started coming in we all sort of slapped our foreheads and said, 'Oh, yeah. The guy was here all along.'"

With "Alkonost," Mitchell will spend his first "Darkness" arc illustrating "dungeons, knights, ancient lands and the occasional mythical beasts we love so much," but he's just as excited about Estacado's future as he races towards issue #100. "I'm looking forward to seeing what direction Jackie's developing Darkness power will take him," said Mitchell. "Will he gain even more control as he evolves or will he be consumed by the power of the Darkness to embrace evil - and what will that mean for the people in his life?"

Those questions and more are sure to be addressed as Hester's plans for the next fifteen issues of "The Darkness" become clearer. "The conflict with The Sovereign actually wraps in issue #8,8 and Jackie goes on a whole new journey into the depths for issue #100," Hester revealed. "He'll face betrayal from within his ranks, the return of forgotten allies and enemies, and new wrinkles to his powers. Things go from supernaturally tinged crime noir to outright fantasy horror. I'd say the next year or so on the book will feel a lot like 'The Darkness' #75, the speculative flash forward I wrote about a world dominated by the Darkness. Jackie is a tortured soul and no one can live long under his curse. He finally takes matters into his own hands and forces a kill-or-be-killed confrontation with the Darkness force itself in a way I hope truly marks a milestone for both the character and Top Cow comics. Succeed or fail, 'The Darkness' #100 will be a huge game changer."

"The Darkness" #85, written by Phil Hester and illustrated by Sheldon Mitchell, arrives in comic book stores this week.

Spider-Man has been cast

Andrew Garfield has been cast in the Spider-man reboot

CULVER CITY, Calif., July 1, 2010 – After a comprehensive worldwide casting search, Andrew Garfield has been chosen to portray Peter Parker when Spider-Man swings back onto the screen in 3D on July 3, 2012. The new film will begin production in early December directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt. Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad will produce the film from Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios.

Today’s confirmation culminates what has been one of the most eagerly anticipated casting announcements in recent memory. Bloggers, pop culture speculators, and everyday fans have pored over and analyzed every conceivable online rumor in an attempt to discover the identity of the next actor to play Peter Parker. Garfield will immediately begin preparing for the coveted role.

The Spider-Man franchise is one of the most successful in film history and the three previous motion pictures have collectively grossed more than $2.5 billion in worldwide box office.

On selecting Garfield, director Marc Webb said, “Though his name may be new to many, those who know this young actor’s work understand his extraordinary talents. He has a rare combination of intelligence, wit, and humanity. Mark my words, you will love Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker.”

From DC Source blog :

Starting today, Wonder Woman will appear like you’ve never seen her before.

As you may have seen in THE NEW YORK TIMES, bestselling artist and DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee has redesigned her costume for the modern era, just in time for BABYLON 5 creator and critically acclaimed writer J. Michael Straczynski and artists Don Kramer and Michael Babinski to launch the Amazon Princess into an exciting and epic new era of adventure.

Starting with their story in WONDER WOMAN #600, which is in comic shops today, JMS and Kramer will begin a run that is both forward-looking and true to the legendary character, planting her firmly in the modern era. But enough about what I have to say. Mr. Straczynski took some time out of his schedule to lay out some of his plans for WONDER WOMAN right here on The Source. So, without further adieu, take it away, Joe:

Suppose you woke up one morning, or turned a corner, and suddenly the life you had been leading up to that moment…was not the life you were leading.

Suppose someone went back in time and changed one thing, and it changed your life to the point that you had little or no memory of what life had been like before the change happened. What would you do to get it back? Should you get it back? Who did it? And maybe more important…why did they do it?

DC Comics Superman "Grounded" Contest

Today DC comics announced a new contest to have your neighborhood featured in the upcoming JMS Superman arc Grounded. Here are the rules and regulations:

SUPERMAN 'GROUNDED' CONTEST RULES

1. HOW TO ENTER: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER. To enter, send a 75-1,000 word essay describing why the SUPERMAN character should visit your home town during the "Grounded" storyline by email to publicity@dccomics.com or by regular mail to:
Alex Segura
c/o THE SOURCE blog
DC COMICS
1700 Broadway, 5th floor
New York, NY 10019

Entries must be received no later than 11:59 PM EST, July 12, 2010. Though not required, you are encouraged to include photos from your home town and evidence that your home town has a thriving comic book/library/literary community. Contestants must use their own names and provide a valid email address or mailing address. For email submissions, the Contestant will be deemed to be the holder of the established email account associated with the entry. DC Comics assumes no responsibility for entries unable to be processed for any technical reason, and DC Comics reserves the right to cancel the contest if it becomes technically corrupted or for any other reason beyond DC Comics’ control. Use of all personal data submitted by Contestants will be subject to DC Comics’ privacy policy available at http://dccomics.com/about/?action=privacy.

2. ELIGIBILITY: Contest open to legal residents of the United States who are at least 18 years old as of July 1, 2010, and live within 50 miles of one of the cities listed below. Further, Contestants must reside in the home town described in their entries. Employees of DC Comics, its affiliates, parent companies and subsidiary companies, and their immediate families (parents and children) are not eligible. Void where prohibited. CHICAGO, DES MOINES, OMAHA, DENVER, SALT LAKE CITY, LAS VEGAS, LOS ANGELES, PORTLAND, SEATTLE

3. PRIZES: Winners will have their home towns included as destinations for the SUPERMAN character in the pages of the ongoing SUPERMAN series during the 12-issue "Grounded" storyline and will receive a copy of the issue including their home town autographed by the writer and artist of the issue (approximate retail value $2.99 per prize; approximate retail value of all prizes $26.91). Applicable taxes are the responsibility of the Contestant.

4. WINNERS: Nine winners will be selected from all eligible entries based on originality, creativity and such other criteria as the judges determine appropriate in their sole discretion. Decisions of judges are final. Each winner will be announced online on THE SOURCE after the close of the submission period and in advance of the publication of the issue of SUPERMAN in which that winner’s home town will be included. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. For a complete list of winners write to DC Comics, SUPERMAN 'GROUNDED' CONTEST, 1700 Broadway, New York, New York 10019.

5. OWNERSHIP: All submissions will become the property of DC Comics and will not be returned. By submitting an entry, Contestant: (a) represents and warrants that Contestant's entry will be original with Contestant and will not violate or infringe upon the rights of any person or entity; (b) grants to DC Comics the right to reproduce the entry online and in print materials, including, but not limited to, on DC’s THE SOURCE blog and the DC NATION page of its comic books for any and all commercial purposes in perpetuity, and (c) agrees and hereby releases DC Comics and its parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, employees, agents, officers and directors from any and all liability or responsibility arising in connection with Contestant's participation in the contest and acceptance of any prizes which may be awarded.

Demo of 3D DS

Again, thanks to Machinima.com, here is the Demo of the anticipated 3D DS. Included is a preview of the first title for this innovative handheld.

Trailers from E3

Here are some trailers of the Games Featured at E3 courtesy of Machinima.com :

Marvel vs Capcom 3



2) Star War Old Republic




3) The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword

E3 Nintendo Conference

Today at the E3 Expo held its Nintendo Conference. Initially, I was skeptical as to how Nintendo was going to handle their presentation. After all, this presentation needed to please both Nintendo's casual fans and their core base. Personally, I consider myself a part of that core base. By the end of their Presentation I was blown away at the announcements, including the revealing of the Nintendo 3DS.

These Announcements included:

1) Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)

2) Goldeneye (Wii)

3) Mario Sports Mix (Wii)

4) Epic Mikey (Wii)

5) Golden Sun (DS)

6) Wii Party

7) Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS)

8) 3DS: Wifi capable, Wide top (3.5 inch display), Adjustable 3D, Motion Sensor, two camera lenses to take 3D photos, and much improved Graphics.

DCU Online Trailer

Here's the E3 premiered trailer for DCU Online.



Release Date: Fall 2010

Goodbye Al Williamson

Legendary Comics Writer Al Williamson passed away this weekend, though unconfirmed as of yet. His works would include Marvel's Spiderman, Daredevil, and Flash Gordon.

Hey Guys: CBRS is proud to present our exclusive interview with Comics writer Jimmy Palmiotti.

You can find it on the left, and it is titled Comic Book Road Show #94

Live Action Blue Beetle?

Not much know yet, however this weekend DC Comic CCO Geoff Johns Tweeted (sigh) announced a possible Blue Beetle Live action show.

He stated: "Blue Beetle's going to appear in most of the Brave and the Bold's this year and we're hoping to develop a live-action show. Fingers crossed!"

and followed with:

"If I can break it out of the vault, I'll bring it to SDCC. LIVE ACTION BLUE BEETLE!!"

Hope this is true............

Jimmy Palmiotti

Coming soon (as in maybe tomorrow) : Exclusive Interview With Comics Writer Jimmy Palmiotti.

The New Aqualad

Hey guys, this is Julian from No Apologies (sigh). Anyway, I am going to post up regularly different news from the geek world. Also, I am in the process of sprucing up the site for your benefit.

Much Love,
Julian Saint

The New Aqualad

This week DC comics announced the coming of a NEW Aqualad. CCO Geoff Johns made a statement in regards to this new addition to the DCU.

"In the coming weeks in BRIGHTEST DAY, you’ll meet a new alien killer who will become J’onn J’onzz’s greatest enemy, a world where Hawkman and Hawkgirl will discover a great secret about their past, the mysterious and deadly Siren and a young hero who’s about to get world wide exposure this fall beyond comics – the all-new Aqualad.

When our YOUNG JUSTICE animated series for Cartoon Network was announced a few weeks ago (who ever thought we’d see an animated Miss Martian?! AW YEAH!) a lot of people asked who the new Aqualad was. And a lot of people thought they’d have to wait for the show to start. But you won’t.

Aqualad’s story actually begins in a few short weeks in BRIGHTEST DAY #4. I won’t tell you much yet, but I will tell you – he has no idea he’s about to become Aqualad. In fact, he lives in one of the driest places in America – Silver City, New Mexico."

The Countdown begins.

Morning all.

Geek Girl Daily Audio Blog.

New CBRS is up. CBRS #92 I talk geek news and TV. Enjoy.

Darrell's Pull List: May 19th, 2010
JLA #45
X-Man Legacy
Brightest Day #2
Iron Man #26

Lorrie's Pull List for May 19th, 2010:
Avengers #1
Brightest Day #2
Legion of Superheroes #1
JLA #45
Superman: War of The Supermen #3
Girl Comics #2
Tiny Titans #28
Creepy Comics #3
KOTD # 162

Welcome to the new website design, I hope that this new look will be make it better for all users.