New comics Jan. 5, 2011

DC Direct Cover Girls of the DC Universe: Batgirl Statue
DC Direct Cover Girls of the DC Universe: Batgirl Statue

DC Direct DC Universe Online Statue: Batman
DC Direct DC Universe Online Statue: Batman


DC Direct DC Universe Online Statue: Catwoman
DC Direct DC Universe Online Statue: Catwoman

Complete Little Orphan Annie Volume 6
Complete Little Orphan Annie Volume 6

Fantastic Four: Resurrection of Galactus (Fantastic Four (Graphic Novels))
Fantastic Four: Resurrection of Galactus (Fantastic Four (Graphic Novels))

The Mighty Thor Omnibus, Vol. 1
The Mighty Thor Omnibus, Vol. 1

Women of Marvel: Celebrating Seven Decades
Women of Marvel: Celebrating Seven Decades

The Land That Time Forgot (Campfire Graphic Novels)
The Land That Time Forgot (Campfire Graphic Novels)

The People That Time Forgot (Campfire Graphic Novels)
The People That Time Forgot (Campfire Graphic Novels)

The Lost Continent (Campfire Graphic Novels)
The Lost Continent (Campfire Graphic Novels)

The Master of the World (Campfire Graphic Novels)
The Master of the World (Campfire Graphic Novels)



Doc Savage Double-Novel Pulp Reprints Volume #43: "Spook Hole" and "Three Times a Corpse"
Doc Savage Double-Novel Pulp Reprints Volume #43: "Spook Hole" and "Three Times a Corpse"

The Shadow Double-Novel Pulp Reprints #44: "Atoms of Death" and "Buried Evidence"
The Shadow Double-Novel Pulp Reprints #44: "Atoms of Death" and "Buried Evidence"

Flaming Lips to release song per month in 2011

That's their New Year's resolution, anyhow. According to singer Wayne Coyne:

"With this new thing, we're going to spend a lot of time recording at our houses or wherever we are at. We'll try to release a song a month and document the song in the making, whether it takes us three or five days or a week. It's gonna be, 'We're working on a song and it's gonna be up by Friday.' We just want to [release material] some other way."

Previewing The Cape

NBC has a new superhero-themed show premiering this Sunday. Will it be good? Will it not? We'll have to see. Here are the basics:

"The Cape" is a one-hour drama series starring David Lyons ("ER") as Vince Faraday, an honest cop on a corrupt police force, who finds himself framed for a series of murders and presumed dead. He is forced into hiding, leaving behind his wife Dana (Jennifer Ferrin, "Life on Mars") and son, Trip (Ryan Wynott, "Flash Forward"). Fueled by a desire to reunite with his family and to battle the criminal forces that have overtaken Palm City, Vince Faraday becomes "The Cape" - his son's favorite comic book superhero - and takes the law into his own hands.

Rounding out the cast are James Frain ("The Tudors") as billionaire Peter Fleming, The Cape's nemesis who moonlights as the twisted killer Chess; Keith David ("Death at a Funeral") as Max Milani, the ringleader of a circus gang of bank robbers who mentors Vince Faraday and trains him to be The Cape; Summer Glau ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") as Orwell, an investigative blogger who wages war on crime and corruption in Palm City; Dorian Missick ("Six Degrees") as Marty Voyt, a former police detective and friend to Faraday; Martin Klebba ("Pirates of the Caribbean") as Rollo, member and unassuming muscle of the circus gang of bank robbers; and Vinnie Jones ("Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels") as Scales, resident thug and cohort of The Cape's nemesis Chess.

More details here.

French mag spills beans on new Captain America film

If you don't like spoilers, be warned: L'Ecran Fantastique has revealed a whole mess of details about the upcoming film. Translated here.

Vintage Comics Journal interview with Zany Bob Haney

Here's the first of a five-part interview with one of my favorite comics writers as a kid. Haney was known for turning in off-beat scripts, often for off-beat characters such as Metamorpho. And, of course, he had a long run on one of my favorite titles of my youth,  Brave and the Bold.

Set photo of Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy in new Spidey pic

Via Superhero Hype, a shot of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in the upcoming big screen Spider-Man reboot. Dude needs to comb his hair....

Free download of new Marianne Faithfull song

"Why Did We Have to Part," the first track of Faithfull's new album is available here, courtesy of Mojo mag.

The new album is titled Horses and High Heels, out March 7. According to Mojo:

The album was recorded in New Orleans with local musicians led by Meters bassist George Porter Jr. The record is made up of eight covers and four original songs and features contributions from Lou Reed, Dr. John and Wayne Kramer .

Doctor Who marries "daughter"

Not as twisted as it sounds, but still convoluted: Former "Doctor Who" David Tennant is marrying Georgia Moffett, who played the doctor's lab-grown daughter opposite Tennant a couple seasons back. But, not only that, Moffett is the real daughter of Peter Davison, who played the Doctor back in the 1980s.

In addition:

Moffett's mother is Davison's ex-wife, American actress Sandra Dickinson, who split from the actor when Georgia was ten years old.

And she too has starred in Doctor Who - Sandra played the character Maggie in the 1996 radio serial The Ghosts Of N-Space.

Doctor Who channel ebuts on YouTube today

The channel features clips from the series debut in 1963 through today and will be updated regularly.



Billy Wyman rejoins Rolling Stones for tribute track

The Stones' retired bassist rejoins the band for a cover of Bob Dylan's "Watching the River the Flow," which features on a tribute album to the late Stones' keyboardist Ian Stewart. Wyman left the Stones in 1992.

The album, Boogie for Stu, which also includes performances by PJ Harvey and other artists, is out in March.

No rainbow bridge for these guys: Racists to boycott Thor movie

It'd be funny if it wasn't so hateful: The Council of Conservative Citizens has planned a boycott of Marvel's Thor movie. Why? Because the great actor Idris Elba, who played Stringer Bell on best show ever "The Wire," has been cast as Thor's fellow god Heimdall. And Elba happens to be black.

The CCC says:

It seems that Marvel Studios believes that white people should have nothing that is unique to themselves. An upcoming movie, based on the comic book Thor, will give Norse mythology an insulting multi-cultural make-over.

Hard to believe there are still folks around who see the world in such terms. And sad. But it makes me want to see Thor all the more, and movie adaptations of comics usually fill me with dread (but not for the same reasons as these loons).

Buffy turns 30!

Yikes! Guess we're all getting older...

Here's a press release from Dark Horse Comics:

Careful readers may have noticed that the release date of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 #40 has been moved to January 19, 2011. The change in date is no accident. The final issue of the much-talked-about series will hit shelves on the birthday of Buffy Summers. In order to celebrate both the end of Season 8 and the birthday of the beloved character, Dark Horse is proud to announce six Buffy Birthday Parties across the country!

Dark Horse editor Scott Allie had this to say about the event: "It's been a long, strange ride to the end of Buffy's eighth season, and when we realized that her thirtieth birthday fell on a Wednesday, the day new comics go on sale, we realized we had to move our release date to coincide. We're excited to celebrate this landmark occasion and hope we can gather good crowds of Buffy readers and fans together to wish her well as she heads off for Season 9, a little bit older, her head hung low. . . . "

It's hard to believe the vampire slayer is another year older, but time and tide wait for no man, woman, or demon. If, while reading this, you notice your local comic shop is not listed as hosting a party, have the shop's owner contact Dark Horse, and we'll provide them with activity sheets to host their own event.

The following locations will have games, prizes, giveaways, and more for their Buffy Birthday Party! Details vary by location.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA
4:00 p.m.—7:00 p.m.
Oxford Comics Games & More
2855 Piedmont Road NE
(404) 233-8682
http://www.oxfordcomics.com

Special Guest: Georges Jeanty, artist, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8

PORTLAND, OREGON
5:30 p.m.—7:45 p.m.
Multnomah County Library
Central Library, US Bank Room
801 SW 10th Ave.
(503) 988-5123
http://www.multcolib.org/events/

Special Guests: Scott Allie and Sierra Hahn, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 editors

*Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 comics will be available for sale at the event from Cosmic Monkey Comics.

MISSOULA, MONTANA
4:00 p.m.—6:00 p.m.
Muse Comics & Games
2100 Stephens Ave., Suite 107
(406) 543-9944
http://www.musecomics.com/

NEW YORK, NEW YORK
4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
Midtown Comics Downtown
64 Fulton St.
(800) 411-3341 / (212) 302-8192
http://www.midtowncomics.com/

HURST, TEXAS
4:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Lone Star Comics #6
931 Melbourne Rd.
(817) 595-4375
http://www.mycomicshop.com/ourstores/hurst

PLANO, TEXAS
5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Lone Star Comics #8
3100 Independence Parkway #318
(972) 985-1593
http://www.mycomicshop.com/ourstores/plano

Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Roderick Rules teaser

My son has breezed through every Wimpy Kid book and I've followed suit. They're really pretty danged funny and the first film was well done, too.


Stan Lee gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

The Marvel Comics writer/publisher, co-creator of Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, etc., will receive his star today, a week after his 88th birthday.

"I'm pretty proud of the fact that some of the stories I wrote so many years ago are still being read and hopefully enjoyed by the public and people are making motion pictures based on them, and television series and even a Broadway show," Lee said.

Lee pays attention to everything, he said, including last month's accident that injured an actor in the Spider-Man Broadway show. "Not a sparrow falls but that I notice," he said.

Build a TARDIS contest

BBC America is sponsoring a homemade TARDIS contest as a "Doctor Who" promotion. Entries can be made of nearly anything and need not be able to traverse space or time (although that certainly would give you a leg up...)

Letter columns returning to DC Comics

DC has announced the return of regular letters pages to its comic book series -- a move I like. Sure, some may argue that lettercols are no longer necessary, and even silly in an age of online forums, but I believe they give comics titles a sense of community. Besides, I'd rather read reasonably thought out and concise opinions on a printed page than scroll through the trolls online.

Fantagraphics to publish complete Carl Barks Duck collection

Oh yeah, sign me up:

In what is sure to be one of the most acclaimed comics events of 2011, Fantagraphics has announced that they will be publishing a definitive collection of Carl Barks’ seminal run of Donald Duck comic stories.

...the first volume will be released in fall of this year. The comics will be published in hardcover volumes, with two volumes coming out every year, at a price of about $25 per volume.

CD, vinyl and download new releases Jan. 4, 2011

Twelve Nights in Hollywood 1&2
Twelve Nights in Hollywood 1&2 Ella Fitzgerald

Twelve Nights In Hollywood: Volumes 3 & 4
Twelve Nights In Hollywood: Volumes 3 & 4  Ella Fitzgerald

Lost & Found 1963-74 (Rare & Previously Unreleased
Lost & Found 1963-74 (Rare & Previously Unreleased Tiny Tim

Primitive London
Primitive London Basil Kirchen

DVD new releases Jan. 4, 2011

Machete
Machete

Dinner for Schmucks
Dinner for Schmucks

The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Complete Third Season
The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Complete Third Season

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 Motion Comic (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 Motion Comic (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Mannix: Fourth Season
Mannix: Fourth Season

Ricky Gervais Show: Complete First Season
Ricky Gervais Show: Complete First Season

Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends: Complete Series
Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends: Complete Series

Super Hero Classics-Green Hornet Strikes Again
Super Hero Classics-Green Hornet Strikes Again

Hear the Decemberists' new album

Now streaming via NPR.

New 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea film in the works

One of my favorite stories and films (the Disney version). I'm sure they'll screw it up. It's in 3-D, for a start...

New Johnny Cash compilation of unreleased tunes on the way

Bootlegs: from Memphis to Hollywood, out Feb. 22, features previously unreleased demo recordings and a smattering of non-album singles and b-sides from the Man in Black. No track listing yet.

Video find: This is Ska

Via Dangerous Minds:



Al Jaffee gives snappy answers to not-so-stupid questions

Along with the long-running "Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions" feature, Al Jaffee, 89, is famed for creating the back-cover, fold-in cartoon for Mad Magazine. He continues to supply a fold-in for nearly ever issue and is the subject of a new biography, "Al Jaffee's Mad Life" by Mary-Lou Weisman. Nice interview with him here.

Kinks documentary on BBC Radio 2

Announcer Johnny Walker speaks to the Davies brothers and traces the Kinks' history. Listen here.

John Lennon's Abbey Road suit sells for $46,000

The white suit worn by John Lennon on the cover of the Beatles' Abbey Road LP has sold at auction for $46,000.

"I was twice in his presence in this suit in 1969 as a teenager in Toronto," marveled Andrew Jack of Easton by way of Scotland.

"It was during a Toronto tour and my friends and I -- college students at the time -- followed his limousine around in a Volkswagen."

"We were able to come up side by side with the limo and John Lennon was sticking his head out the window, throwing up," Jack recalled. "I think he was nervous from the tour or it was the heroin."

Regardless, there were no permanent stains in evidence on the smartly-tailored suit, its jacket draping below the hips and a waist-high vent lending grace to Lennon's long stride ahead of Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, as captured in the iconic photograph.

I believe Lennon had reportedly kicked heroin by this time as "Cold Turkey," his song about that experience, had already been released by the time he played Toronto with a group including Yoko, Eric Clapton and others.

Deal alert: Complete Twilight Zone on DVD $93.99

Today only:

The Beatles in Lord of the Rings

At one point in the 60s, the Beatles reportedly expressed interest in producing, and acting in, a production of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Accounts are sketchy as to why this never happened (although, thank God, it never did. Much as I love both the Beatles, the prospect of such a film sounds terrible).

Anyway, if such a thing had been produced, here's what the movie posters might have looked like.