Pop Culture Roundup July 11, 2007

Heads up G.I. Joe collectors: Word has it Wal-Mart (ick, Wal-Mart) is releasing a batch of reproduction Kung-Fu Grip Joes soon. The series includes:

* Man of Action
* Air Adventurer
* Land Adventurer
* Sea Adventurer
* African American Adventurer.

Best G.I. Joe Sites

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Author Sebastian Faulks has been licensed to write new James Bond novels.

By his own admission, the 54-year-old's writing routine stands in stark contrast to the glamorous lifestyle of Bond's creator - who lived life very much in the fashion of his iconic creation.

"In his house in Jamaica, Fleming used to write a thousand words in the morning, then go snorkelling, have a cocktail, lunch on the terrace, more diving, another thousand words in late afternoon, then more Martinis and glamorous women," said Faulks.

"In my house in London I followed this routine exactly, apart from the cocktails, the lunch and the snorkelling."

The new book, entitled Devil May Care and to be published next May, is set in the Cold War. Bond is widowed and vulnerable but remains heroically gallant and libidinous.


Some more info:

To mark the centenary of Ian Fleming's birth, Penguin will be creating a special James Bond imprint, "Penguin 007" - under which Devil May Care will be published in hardback in May 2008.

What is important to fans about this news, which has been missed by almost all reports, is that under the new 007 imprint, Penguin will publish all their Bond titles.

The company will also be launching a new website - www.penguin007.com (not online at the time of writing).


Best James Bond Sites.

----------------------

Warner Brothers is set to release another batch of classic 'toons on DVD with The Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 5 on Oct. 30.

More Looney Tunes...your wish is our command. In this 4-disc set are 60 of the most hysterical Looney Tunes ever created and over 5 hours of extra special features. Indeed, some have never before been on home video!

Disc 1 celebrates a duo every bit as famous as thunder and lightning or beans and weenies: Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Termite Terrace provides peerless takes on Fairy Tales in Disc 2. Not to be outdone, Disc 3 showcases the hilarious talent of the great animator Robert Clampett. And the fowl deeds and rabbit-fire jokes wrap with Disc 4's hamboree jamboree of Porky Pig and more classics.

* 4-Disc Collector Set with 60 classic shorts.
* Remastered and restored to their original glory and chock full of special features!
* Over 5 hours of incredible Special Features which include "Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens, A Life in Animation" the 2000 PBS documentary.


Best Cartoons Sites

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Two more Doctor Who adventures are due out on DVD Nov. 6, both featuring the Peter Davison Doctor.

ARC OF INFINITY: Traveling with Nyssa in the TARDIS, the Doctor is attacked by a malign entity - a being of pure anti-matter seeking to cross the dimensions. Although the invader is successfully repelled, the TARDIS is immediately recalled to Gallifrey, where the High Council of Time Lords sentence the Doctor to be executed to prevent any further attempts at bonding. It seems there is a traitor on Gallifrey. And what links the Renegade and the disappearance of Tegan's cousin in Amsterdam? Two fates intertwined must battle for the future of the entire universe. Look for sixth Doctor-to-be Colin Baker playing a guard on Gallifrey.

TIME-FLIGHT: The TARDIS arrives by accident in the middle of Terminal One at Heathrow Airport. One of the supersonic Concordes has disappeared mid-air and the Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa soon become involved in a hunt for the missing airplane. But what connects its disappearance to prehistoric Earth, and why is a mysterious sorcerer so interested in the Doctor's TARDIS? A flight through time will reveal all.


Best Doctor Who sites

--------------------

Speaking of Doctor Who, here's a pic from this year's upcoming Christmas special, co-starring Kylie Minogue.



--------------------------

Filmation's 1960s Aquaman 'toon will be out on DVD Oct. 23.

When fiendish foes and marine menaces threaten the peaceful undersea world of the lost city of Atlantis, Aquaman, King of the Seven Seas, dives to the rescue! Aided by teen hero Aqualad and their aquatic friends Tusky the walrus and sea horses Storm and Imp, these brave water warriors battle astonishing creatures like Volcanic Monster, Ice Dragon and Devil Fish. Using his superior strength, cunning wit and telepathic communication abilities, Aquaman faces evil villains like Black Manta and Vassa, Queen of the Mermen to fight for justice on the ocean floor. Plunge into this two-disc collector's edition featuring all 36 action-packed cartoons from the fantastic TV series.

New comics July 11, 2007

Click links to order discounted graphic novels from Amazon.

See complete lists:
DC Archives
DC Showcase
DC Trade Paperbacks
Marvel Masterworks
Marvel Essentials
Marvel Trade Paperbacks
Upcoming Trade Paperbacks - Graphic Novels


Comics shipping July 11, 2007

DARK HORSE COMICS

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RELATED MERCHANDISE

JUL073432 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA PHOTO CVR HC (RES) $24.99
JUL073431 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA PX CVR HC (RES) $24.99

Pop Artifact! Planet of the Apes model kit

Pop Culture Roundup July 10, 2007

Tomorrow's comics today: Check out the big list of what will be in comic shops this Wednesday.

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She-Hulk will be making a guest appearance on the animated Fantastic Four series.

Best Fantastic Four Sites

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Leonard Nimoy may appear in the upcoming "Star Trek" movie directed by J.J. Abrams, but not William Shatner, reports, um, Shatner:

"There's a Star Trek movie, and I called Leonard," Shatner said. "I said, 'Leonard, have you heard?' He said, 'Yes, I have.' I said, 'What do you mean?' He said, 'I've read the script.' I said, 'Is it a good script?' He says, 'Yeah.' I said, 'Am I in it?' And there was a pause. He said no, and then he began to laugh. I went through the phone as I grabbed him by the throat. He's in it. I'm not in it."

Best Star Trek Sites

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Booksteve remembers MLJ Comics' The Shield.

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Greg Sadowski is at work on another book about the great EC Comics artist Bernard Krigstein.

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The New York Times has an early review of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."

Curiously enough, “Order of the Phoenix,” clocking in at a little over two and a quarter hours, is the shortest of the “Harry Potter” films. The nearly 900-page source has been elegantly streamlined by Michael Goldenberg, the screenwriter (who replaces Steve Kloves), and David Yates, the director (who follows Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón and Mike Newell in the job). There is no Quidditch, and not many boarding-school diversions. Instead, “Order of the Phoenix,” which begins like a horror movie with a Dementor attack in a suburban underpass, proceeds as a tense and twisty political thriller, with clandestine meetings, bureaucratic skullduggery and intimations of conspiracy hanging in the air.

-----------------------

The fort featured in the 1970s "Doctor Who" serial "The Sea Devils" is for sale.

The fort was designed and built in the 1860s to guard the approaches to Portsmouth from a feared French invasion that never happened.

In October 1971, when Jon Pertwee played the title role in the BBC's cult show Doctor Who, the crew came to Portsmouth for extensive location filming on an adventure called The Sea Devils, and the exterior of the fort was used.


Best Doctor Who Sites

Vintage Aurora model kit ad



DVD new releases July 10, 2007

Beauty and the Beast - The Second Season

Bewitched - The Complete Fifth Season

Extras: The Complete Second Season

The Woman in the Window (MGM Film Noir)

Frankie & Annette MGM Movie Legends Collection (Beach Blanket Bingo / How to Stuff a Wild Bikini / Beach Party / Bikini Beach / Fireball 500 / Thunder Alley / Muscle Beach Party / Ski Party)

A Bullet For Joey (MGM Film Noir)

More upcoming DVDs

New CD releases July 10, 2007

DVD new releases July 10, 2007

Zeitgeist ~ Smashing Pumpkins

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga ~ Spoon

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ~ Nicholas Hooper

Family Tree ~ Nick Drake

Time on Earth by Crowded House

The Else by They Might Be Giants

Teenage Crush Vol. 5 by Various Artists

Phil's Spectre III - A Third Wall of Soundalikes by Various Artists

The Right Tracks - Complete Okeh Recordings 1963-1966 by Billy Butler

Into the Afterlife by The Zombies

More upcoming CDs

Today's video: The Kinks play "All Day and All of the Night"



Pop Artifact! Planet of the Apes model kit

Pop Culture Roundup July 9, 2007

Fred Hembeck, as only he could, finds a Silver Age precedent for the infamous Mary Jane Watson statue that caused so much online controversy a while back.

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DC Comics has launched an online comics imprint.

The imprint, called Zudacomics.com, will permit aspiring cartoonists to register at its Web site and submit an eight-panel sample of their work. Starting in October and each month thereafter, editors at DC Comics will select 10 entries, post them for public view and invite people to vote for their favorite. Editors may also declare as many as six submissions to be instant winners during the calendar year.

“We’ve always found interesting stuff in submissions,” said Paul Levitz, president and publisher of DC Comics. “One of the problems that comics have today, I think, is that open door is much more closed. This creates a more open door.”


However, questions are being raised over who owns the rights to these comics--their creators or DC.

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Download Dial B for Burbank's two-hour video documentary tracing the history of The Shadow.

------------------------

Work on the new Iron Man film has wrapped and clips will debut at the upcoming Comic-Con International in July.

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Graphitti Designs is launching a series of EC Comics-based t-shirt designs.



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Hear a BBC audio documentary on the Rolling Stones' traumatic 1967 experiences.

Vintage Aurora model kit ad



Today's video: The Kinks play "Sunny Afternoon"



Pop Artifact! Planet of the Apes model kit

Pop Culture Roundup July 6, 2007

Deal alerts: Amazon is offering 47 percent off on Fox/MGM sci-fi DVDs and 50 percent off on MGM TV series DVDs.

---------------

John Lennon and Paul McCartney first met 50 years ago this weekend.

The Beatlegs Podcast has a special episode commemmorating the event

----------------

An online gallery demonstrates how classic Disney animators swiped ideas and images from themselves.

-----------------

The BBC has uploaded a batch of official "Doctor Who" clips onto YouTube.

------------------

Speaking of "Doctor Who," rumors abound that actor Dennis Hopper wants to do a guest spot on the show.

According to an insider, talks have been going on for a while, but Hopper's schedule is proving very difficult to work out. The unnamed source reports that "Dennis is a big fan of the show and bosses are really keen to get him on board."

Vintage Aurora model kit ad



DVD: Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes Volume 2

The second DVD collection from the FF's latest cartoon series is out Sept. 11 on a single disk. It's available for pre-order now from Amazon.



DVD: The Fly Collection (The Fly / Return Of The Fly / The Curse Of The Fly)

Out Sept. 11 on four disks, this set collects the 1958, 1959 and 1965 "Fly" movies. It's available for pre-order now from Amazon.



DVD: The Jungle Book (Two-Disc 40th Anniversary Platinum Edition)

Due out Oct. 12, this double-DVD set is available for pre-order now from Amazon. No details on extras yet.



DVD: The Secrets of Isis - The Complete Series

Out July 24, this set collects the fan-favorite live-action series on three DVDs. You can pre-order it now from Amazon.



Details:



Cast: Joanna Cameron as Andrea Thomas, co-starred Brain Cutler as Rick Mason, Joanna Pang as Cindy Lee, and Ronalda Douglas as Rennie Carrol.



Oh Mighty Isis! She was Saturday morning's first live-action super-heroine, saving lives and stopping crime in a mini-skirt and go-go boots on The Secrets of Isis! When science teacher Andrea Thomas unearthed a lost treasure on an archeological dig, she found that the mystical amulet endowed her with the powers given to the ancient Egyptian Queen, Isis! Now granted the powers of animals and the elements, Isis soars as the falcon soared, runs with the speed of gazelles, and commands the elements of the sky and the earth. Although her secret identity is unknown to even her closest friends, fellow teacher Rick Mason, or students Cindy Lee and Renee Carrol, Andrea uses her powers as Isis to stop criminals, save lives, right wrongs, and teach valuable lessons... sometimes with the aid of fellow hero Captain Marvel (Shazam!). Now available on DVD for the first time, the entire two seasons of The Secrets of Isis contain a treasure-trove of special features, and all the super-powered goodness that the heroine represented. Now, you too can be the heir to...The Secrets of Isis!



New and upcoming action figures July 6, 2007

Complete List of Marvel Legends Action Figures
Complete List of DC Direct Action Figures

Here's a look at action figures available via your local comics shop or via the TIP!-supporting links below:

DC Direct Action Figures

Superman Last Son Action Figures
--Last Son Superman
--Ursa
--Bizarro
--Zod

Shazam Action Figures
--Dr. Sivana
--Captain Marvel Jr.
--Mary Marvel
--Billy Batson and Hoppy
--Captain Marvel

Superman Vs. Doomsday
Doomsday
Lex Luthor and Robot
Solar Suit Superman
Superman

Batman and Son
Batman
Ninja Man-Bat
Robin and Daimin
The Joker

52 Weeks
Animal Man
Batwoman
Booster Gold
Supernova

DC Direct Reactivated Action Figures
--Batman
--Wonder Woman
--Lobo
--Superman

DC 13-inch Figures
Green Lantern
Lex Luthor
Martian Manhunter
Catwoman
Nightwing
Classic Batman
Batgirl gray costume
Batgirl black costume

Elseworlds Action Figures Series 2
--Red Son Batman
--Red Son President Superman
--Kingdom Come Jade
--Kingdom Come Spectre and Norman McKay
--Gotham By Gaslight Batman

Elseworlds Action Figures Series 3
--Supergirl
--Batgirl
--Nightstar
--Kingdom Come Aquaman
--Red Son Green Lantern

First Appearance Series 4
--Blue Beetle translucent
--Blue Beetle
--Brave New World Atom
--Warlord
--Brave New World Martian Manhunter
--Brave New World Aquaman

Infinite Crisis Action Figures Series 1
--Powergirl
--Omac
--Mongul
--Earth Prime Superboy
--Alexander Luthor

JSA Action Figures
--Mr. Terrific
--Hawkgirl
--Dr. Midnite
--Hourman
--Golden Age Atom 2-pack

DC Direct Wonder Woman Series 1 Action Figures
--Wonder Woman
--Agent Diana Prince
--Circe
--Donna Troy as Wonder Woman

DC Direct New Frontier Series 2 Action Figures
--Batman
--Dr. Fate
--The Flash
--Martian Manhunter

Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer action figures
Battle Stretch Mr. Fantastic
Fire Blast Human Torch
Raging Thing
Force Field Invisible Woman
Silver Surfer
Lightning Attack Dr. Doom
Blast-off Human Torch
Super Strength Thing

Hanna Barbera Series 3 Action Figures
--Fred Flintstone Quittin' Time
--Twinkle Toes Fred Flintstone
--Great Grape Ape
--Huckleberry Hound
--The Jetsons
--Secret Squirrel
--Snagglepuss

McFarlane Lost series 2 action figures
--Crash site box set
--Sawyer
--Jin
--Sayid
--Desmond
--Sun
--Mr. Eko

McFarlane Lost series 3 action figures
--Sayid
--Desmond
--Claire
--Ben/Henry

Marvel Figure Factory Sets
--Angel
--Beast
--Black Costume Spider-Man
--Deadpool
--Invisible Woman
--Silver Surfer

Marvel Legends Action Figures

Hasbro Marvel Legends Action Figures Series 2
--Wolverine
--She-Hulk
--Yellow Jacket
--Quick Silver
--Lord Asgard Thor
--Magneto Xorn
--X3 Jean Grey
--First Appearance Storm

Hasbro Marvel Legends Figures Series 3
--Bucky Barnes
--First appearance Captain America
--Marvel Girl Rachel Grey
--Heroes for Hire Black Knight
--Hydra Soldier
--X-3 Colossus
--Astonishing X-Men Cyclops
--Danger

Hasbro Marvel Legends Icons 12-inch Action Figures
--The Punisher
--Doctor Doom
--The Human Torch
--The Silver Surfer

Marvel Legends Masterworks Sets
--Spider-Man Vs. Green Goblin
--Fantastic Four Vs. Mole Man
--Hulk Vs. The Thing
--Galactus Vs. Everybody

Marvel Select Figures

Best of Marvel Select Figures
--Grey Hulk
--Thanos
--Ultimate Spider-Man
--Green Goblin
--Mephisto

Marvel Sideshow Toys Figures
--Venom
--Black costume Spider-Man
--Spider-Man
--White Queen
--White Queen Exclusive