Second Coming

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Judge Dismisses Stan Lee Media v. Marvel Comics Lawsuit

For almost a decade, what Stan Lee himself referred to as "rogue opportunists" from Stan Lee Media have been trying to wrangle the rights to Stan Lee's most popular creations from Marvel. However, a judge has dismissed their claim, noting they did not buy into Stan Lee Media until 1999, almost an entire year after Lee had transferred the rights to Marvel.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Daredevil #506 - Iron Man Variant

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Female Force: Anne Rice

Anne Rice has penned more than two dozen novels ranging from the supernatural to historical tomes, erotica, and religious themes, but her life is as interesting as the tales she spins. Now, the best-selling author of nearly 100 million books will be the featured character in an upcoming biography comic from Bluewater Productions.

Female Force: Anne Rice, scheduled for a June release, follows the popular novelist from her formative years in her beloved New Orleans through the tragedies that influenced the creation of her most popular novels and her fervent rediscovery of Catholicism.

"Anne Rice's uniquely Gothic, sensuous, and existential approach redefined the modern vampire mythology," said issue author Scott Davis. "She advanced the vampire literary genre more than anyone since Bram Stoker."

Davis added that Rice created a fictional universe where vampires, witches, and spirits walk amongst the living and often suffer from the same frailties and faults that affect mortals. It’s what transforms her work from pop-fiction to serious literature.

The Rice issue is the fourth in Bluewater’s Female Force series highlighting authors of supernatural fiction. The other authors include Twilight’s Stephenie Meyer, Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling and True Blood writer, Charlaine Harris.

The title is being drawn by Louie Demartinis provides the cover art. According to Davis, a very recognizable and iconic vampire will serve as the story’s narrator as he does in the Meyer and Harris issues.

"What I think fans will enjoy is the format of Rice being interviewed by a vampire as a nod to her seminal novel Interview with a Vampire, said Bluewater President Darren Davis. “This allows the Rice to provide added insight to her own story. Accordingly, the vampire narrator adds his own spin, as well."

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Vengeance of the Moon Knight #7 - Iron Man Variant

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Marvel Comics Shipping 04-07-10

Here we go, your weekly Rundown of Marvel Comics hitting shelves this Wednesday, April 7^th, 2010:

Comics On-Sale:
AVENGERS: THE ORIGIN #1
CAPTAIN AMERICA/BLACK PANTHER: FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS #1
DEADPOOL & CABLE #25
DEADPOOL & CABLE #25 LIEFELD VARIANT
DEADPOOL CORPS #1
DEADPOOL CORPS #1 LIEFELD 2ND PRINTING VARIANT
DEADPOOL CORPS #1 SKETCH VARIANT
ELECTRIC ANT #1
ELECTRIC ANT #1 MACK VARIANT
IRON MAN MAGAZINE #1
IRON MAN POSTER BOOK
MARVEL ZOMBIES 5 #1
NEW AVENGERS: LUKE CAGE #1
REALM OF KINGS SON OF HULK #3
S.H.I.E.L.D. #1
S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 BLACK AND WHITE VARIANT
S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 HISTORICAL VARIANT
SPIDER-MAN: FEVER #1
STEPHEN KING'S N. #2
THOR AND THE WARRIORS FOUR #1
ULTIMATE COMICS X #2
UNCANNY X-MEN #523 (XSC)
UNCANNY X-MEN #523 FINCH VARIANT (XSC)
UNCANNY X-MEN #523 IRON MAN BY DESIGN VARIANT (XSC)
VENGEANCE OF THE MOON KNIGHT #7
VENGEANCE OF THE MOON KNIGHT #7 IRON MAN BY DESIGN VARIANT WOLVERINE MGC #66
WOLVERINE WEAPON X #12
WORLD WAR HULKS #1

Collections On-Sale:
BLACK WIDOW & THE MARVEL GIRLS GN-TPB
DAREDEVIL NOIR GN-TPB
EXILES ULTIMATE COLLECTION BOOK 4 TPB
IRON MAN VS. WHIPLASH TPB
IRON MAN: THE ART OF IRON MAN THE MOVIE TPB
MARVEL ZOMBIES 4 TPB
OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE A TO Z VOL. 13 PREMIERE HC

*GNTLT = Amazing Spider-Man: The Gauntlet tie-in
*S = SIEGE tie-in
*XSC = X-Men: Second Coming tie-in

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Clash of the Titans Conquers

Despite lukewarm reviews, the new Clash of the Titans remake conquered the U.S. box office over the Easter weekend. Most critics seemed to like the movie and the updated FX, but panned the 3-D. Still, Clash of the Titans made away with nearly $61¹/₂ million in its opening weekend.

Alice in Wonderland, also in 3-D and formerly #1, fell to fifth place, while last week's #1, How to Train Your Dragon, fell to #3.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Wolverine Origins #47 - Iron Man Variant

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Image Announces New Projects @ WonderCon

Berkeley, CA - 3 April 2010 - Image Comics took its show on the road -- across the Bay that is -- to make big announcements at its hometown show, WonderCon. On Saturday, THE IMAGE COMICS SHOW presented a slew of ongoing and upcoming projects from Erik Larsen, Frank Cho, Jonathan Ross, men of action Joe Casey and Steve Seagle, and Richard Starkings.

EMPEROR LARSEN
Erik Larsen discussed the upcoming story arc for SAVAGE DRAGON, entitled EMPEROR DRAGON. Following the events of the DRAGON WAR, Savage Dragon remains his evil self, Emperor Kurr. Without the opposition to stop him, the ex-cop, ex-superhero makes a play to conquer the planet.

Also announced: SAVAGE DRAGON FUNNIES, a 12-issue series of backup stories that starts with May's SAVAGE DRAGON #160. A select and talented group of artists contributed short tales representing their take on the Dragonverse. Creators include Michel Fiffe, Andrew Dimitt, Kiel West, Delsante and Freire, Ulises Farinas, Chris Sanderson, Conoro Hughes, Kat Roberts, Hyendo Park, Pedro Camargo, Jason Thibodeaux, and Joe Keatinge and Deep 6 Studio.

FIFTY ON CHO
Frank Cho reported on 50 GIRLS 50, an all-new miniseries masterminded by Cho and co-writer Doug Murray (THE 'NAM). Newcomer Alex Medellin, the winner of a talent search curated by Cho and Murray, is illustrating based on designs by Cho. The series will be launching in August.

DOWNE WITH CASEY
Joe Casey announced his new one-shot, created with Chris Burnham: OFFICER DOWNE. A lone Badass With A Badge takes on the scourge of the criminal underworld, and this is one cop that'll keep coming back for more... even from beyond the grave! OFFICER DOWNE will be available in July.

ON A CRUSADE WITH SEAGLE
Steve Seagle announced the collection of THE CRUSADES, his incredible tale of an enigmatic 11^th-Century Crusader that renders terrible justice on 21^st-Century San Francisco. This remastered volume collects - for the first time - the macabre Vertigo series created by Seagle and artist Kelley Jones. THE CRUSADES vol. 1, collecting THE CRUSADES: URBAN DECREE and issues #1-9, will be available in July.

Also announced: FRANKIE STEIN, an adorable full-color oversized children's book drawn by Marco Cinello (SOUL KISS). Frankie Stein is just another kid, growing up the way kids do. Except Frankie has green skin, bolts in his neck, and lives in a giant castle. FRANKIE STEIN will be available Fall 2010.

ROSS ON AMERICAN TURF
Jonathan Ross made a rare American appearance and discussed his new five-issue miniseries TURF, which is drawn by Tommy Lee Edwards. Ross discussed the transition from eternally popular UK television host and long-time comics fan to comics creator. Issue #1 is available April 7, but a convention exclusive variant is available at the Image Comics booth, #407.

STARKINGS MAKES A MOVE TO THE SCREEN
Richard Starkings had huge news for the crowd: ELEPHANTMEN has been optioned for a movie! He also discussed ELEPHANTMEN #25, a special issue in which the story is told by a series of guest artists in astonishing splash pages. Artists include Dave Gibbons (WATCHMEN), Tim Sale (BATMAN: LONG HALLOWEEN), Pia Guerra (Y: THE LAST MAN), and more! ELEPHANTMEN #25 will be available later in April.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Dallas Police Cite Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu stripped naked and reenacted Pres. John F. Kennedy's fatal shooting for a music video for her song, Window Seat. 32-year old Ida Espinosa claims to have been a witness to the event, along with her two children, and filed a complaint with Dallas police, who have cited Badu for "Disorderly Conduct."

Badu did not pay for a permit to shoot the video, but my guess is that a Disorderly Conduct charge carries a bigger fine ($500) than shooting a video without a permit. However, the director of the video noted that Badu was "ready to get arrested that day," and $500, while not exactly "chump-change," probably isn't a bank-breaking sum to Ms. Badu, so the publicity this has generated more than pays for it.

While I actually do understand Ms. Espinosa's position - one should be able to walk down the city streets without worrying that your young children are going to see a naked person - I also have to wonder exactly how damned stupid she is: If you saw a bunch of people with cameras filming a woman who started undressing, maybe you should have gotten your small kids the hell out of there? I mean, if her kids are even half as stupid as she is, they probably don't even know what they saw! The most damage Erykah Badu caused those kids is artificially raising their expectations - I mean, if Erykah Badu is the first chick you ever saw naked? Yeah, little Suzie Whosit and her mosquito-bites just ain't gonna measure-up.

The crackers in Texas said Badu could either fight the charges or pay the fine.

Texas recently made headlines when police, responding to a call in another apartment, overheard two men having sex and arrested them for engaging in "commie homosaxshul activ... activi... cornholin'."

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Alyssa Milano Gets Show Date

Charmed's Alyssa Milano has a new ABC sit-com which will get a big push by following ratings-killer, Dancing with the Stars, Monday after next, April 12^th. Romantically Challenged is about four friends seeking love and happiness. Milano plays a recent divorcee.

The midseason replacement BLA BLAH. Milano recently appeared on the Alphabet Network with Nathan Fillion in Castle, which was also a midseason replacement show that became a break-out hit. Castle was recently picked-up for a third season. Romantically Challenged will precede Castle on Monday nights.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

The Marvel Comics App for the iPad

New York, N.Y. – April 2, 2010 – Marvel Entertainment is proud to announce the launch of the Marvel Comics App for iPad on the App Store. This landmark app launches with over 500 of Marvel’s greatest comic books, from classic stories to modern tales, featuring Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, and more of the world’s most popular Super Heroes. The Marvel Comics App brings the world of Marvel to iPad owners, with each comic presented at the incredibly high resolution possible on iPad’s full-color screen, a user-friendly search engine, innovative viewing options, and more.

“We’re excited to introduce an unparalleled digital comic experience to our fans with the Marvel Comics App for iPad,” said Dan Buckley, publisher & CEO, Marvel Publishing. “The iPad is the first device that offers us a chance to present digital comics that are even close to replicating the experience of reading a print comic. This new world of digital comics distribution provides us great opportunities to reach new readers, allow consumers to sample our diverse stories and characters, and we believe it will drive these new fans into the App Store and local comic shops each week to find even more.”

Fans will be granted unrivaled access to Marvel’s rich library of comics, with launch titles ranging from the first appearances of characters such as Spider-Man and the X-Men, to modern classics like the debut of Red Hulk, Jonathan Hickman’s acclaimed Fantastic Four run, Joss Whedon & John Cassaday’s Astonishing X-Men, and lots more. Every comic available through the Marvel Comics App is optimized for the iPad through painstaking re-coloring and re-digitizing of select content.

Marvel worked with ComiXology to create the perfect app for new readers, offering the option to preview three pages from each available comic before purchasing, as well as a cutting edge recommendation engine for every fan to find comics they’re sure to love. The app also arms fans with a handy comic shop locator, allowing them to find their local retailer’s address and phone number, then journey even further into the Marvel Universe. To further enhance the mobile reading experience on the iPad, the Marvel Comics App features multiple viewing modes, taking readers panel-by-panel through the comic book in a smooth, action-packed progression using just the swipe of a finger.

The Marvel Comics App for iPad is available for free from the App Store on iPad. Individual comics are priced at just $1.99 each with new content arriving every week.

To commemorate this historic event, Marvel is offering select titles free for a limited time, such as New Avengers #1, which launched a new era for super hero comics; Captain America #1, Invincible Iron Man #1, and Thor #1 - the perfect place for new readers to discover the titular heroes; and Super Hero Squad #1, suited for fans of all ages, especially our youngest ones.

The Marvel Comics App is also available for iPhone and iPod touch. For all the details on Marvel’s historic announcement and a closer look at the Marvel Comics App, please visit the site.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

A Blister on Brian Ritchie's Buns

Violent Femmes' bassist, Brian Ritchie, was enraged when he heard his former band's iconic song, Blister in the Sun being played behind a commercial for fast food restaurant, Wendy's three years ago. Ritchie took former lead singer, Gordon Gano, to court, claiming he misappropriated jointly-owned property by selling the rights for the commercial, and that it damaged the band's image. The song is credited to both Gano and Ritchie.

Ritchie told reporters he didn't want Violent Femmes' songs used in commercials for fast food because he believes the food is harmful. Ritchie added, "That's not why we made the music." Blister in the Sun is about masturbating. The song has appeared in numerous films, including John Cusack's Grosse Point Blank, the TV show, My So-Called Life, as well as another commercial (Foster's Lager). It does not appear on the soundtrack to My So Called Life.

The band reunited briefly to record a cover of the Gnarls Barkley song, Crazy, but Ritchie says he has no plans to reunite with the Violent Femmes again at this point. All of the former Violent Femmes members are working with other projects now.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Preview: Astonishing Spider-Man vs. Wolverine #1

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Sheen Leaving Two and a Half Men

According to sources close to the star, Charlie Sheen has discussed leaving the hit CBS sit-com, Two and a Half Men, on which he has had a starring role for seven years now. CBS recently renewed the show for three seasons, through 2011, but Sheen's contract is up at the end of this season. The source asked not to be identified because Sheen has not said anything publicly; he confided in friends and family, who quickly sold him out for a buck.

According to the anonymous source, Charlie Sheen is tired of the daily grind of a TV show and wants to return to movies. His latest, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, is a sequel to his 1987 hit, Wall Street. CBS is said to already be looking to replace him. The actor (?) makes a reported $82,000 per episode for Two and a Half Men, which is the highest-rated sit-com on TV at this time.

Sheen has been in the news recently following a domestic squabble he and his wife had in Colorado, which lead to Sheen being jailed. Both Sheen and his wife have since attended rehab. Production on Two and a Half Men was stopped while Sheen was in rehab. Charlie Sheen has a long history of run-ins with the law, but this latest carries a possible sentence of 1-3 years in prison.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

SimTV

Will Wright, creator of The Sims and several Sims-x games, is moving to TV, but he's leaving the writing of the show up to the viewers! Wright and partner, Albie Hecht (former president of Nickelodeon and Spike TV), are developing The Creation Project for Current TV, as well as accompanying software, StoryMaker Engine. The show will be plotted by viewers using the StoryMaker Engine, which runs on computer and mobile phones, then voted on by viewers; the plot with the most votes will be developed into two half-hour episodes.

The Creation Show is only the working title and there is no real information on the software, but what's even more confusing is the "two half-hour show" bit. I only watched Current now and then, largely because it had no schedule and most of it just seemed like home movies of kids doing... nothing, but that was at least 4-5 years ago. Still, "two half-hour shows" from one poll-voted plot sounds like they are either intentionally trying to be obtuse hipsters or are unintentionally being obtuse hipsters.

Current is a cable/satellite news network featuring user-generated content. It has something to do with Al Gore and at least some of its programming is available online (though, if it wants to truly be "hip," it would be simulcast online).

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Ultimate Comics New Ultimates #1 - Second Printing Variant

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Cowboy Ninja Viking TPB

Berkeley, CA - 31 March 2010 - COWBOY NINJA VIKING, written by AJ Lieberman and drawn by Riley Rossmo, gets it first collection this month with 160 full-color pages of story, plus never-before-seen material!

The COWBOY NINJA VIKING trade paperback collects issues 1-5 and features 30 pages of brand new material - including the original pitch for the book, a script for an alternate version of the series, unused cover art, and pinups by Nathan Fox (Fluorescent Black), Dean Trippe (Comic Book Tattoo), and Christian Ward (Olympus).

Lieberman promises, "If ever there was time a reader who has been debating whether or not to jump on the bandwagon of insanity and mayhem that is Cowboy Ninja Viking, the time to leap has come with the release of our first TPB collecting issues #1-5 (plus 30 pages of extras) all for $16.99! Still not sure? We'll toss in a free index!"

COWBOY NINJA VIKING is the creation of Dr. Sebastian Ghislain, a psychotherapist who recruits Multiple Personality Disorder patients to produce a unit of counter-intelligence agents called Triplets. But what happens when Triplets become out-of-control assassins? That's when the deadliest Triplet of them all, COWBOY NINJA VIKING, is called in to take down his own brethren.

COWBOY NINJA VIKING TPB (FEB100353), a full-color, 160-page trade, collecting issues 1-5 and featuring all new material, will be in stores April 21st, 2010. Issue #1 can be viewed online.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Guardians of the Globe

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Image's Wondercon Lineup

Berkeley, CA - 31 March 2010 - Image Comics is bringing wonder back to WonderCon, April 2-4, 2010. Fans will have a chance to meet Jonathan Ross, the entire Man of Action crew, and pick up convention exclusives at booth #407!

An exclusive creator's edition of TURF #1 will be available at booth #407, and writer Jonathan Ross - popular UK television host and patron of cult entertainment - will be on-hand for autograph sessions Saturday and Sunday. You won't be able to find this edition of TURF #1 anywhere else unless you make your way to Forbidden Planet in the UK!

When you visit the Image booth, you'll find Man of Action - Joe Casey (Godland), Joe Kelly (I Kill Giants), Duncan Rouleau (The Great Unknown), and Steve Seagle (Soul Kiss, The Crusades) - the creators of BEN 10 and the upcoming Cartoon Network series GENERATOR REX. We'll also be joined by ELEPHANTMEN creators Richard Starkings and Moritat, JERSEY GODS creator Glen Brunswick, and SAVAGE DRAGON auteur, Erik Larsen! Top Cow creators Sheldon Mitchell (Pilot Season: Stealth), Michael Broussard (The Darkness, Artifacts), Rick Basaldua and Nelson Blake II (Witchblade) will also appear.

PANELS

SATURDAY, 2:00-3:00 p.m., Room 104 - The Image Comics Show
Image kicks off their hometown show with a slate of exclusive announcements featuring some of your favorite creators, including WonderCon special guest Frank Cho (Liberty Meadows, New Ultimates), who will discuss his all-new series, and Savage Dragon's own Erik Larsen, who will reveal new artwork from an upcoming project! Find out the next word on what Image has in store for 2010, including never-before-revealed news and art from Walking Dead, Spawn, Turf, Chew, Choker, Haunt, and more!

AUTOGRAPHS

SATURDAY, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m., Booth #407
Jonathan Ross

SATURDAY, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m., Booth #407
Frank Cho

SUNDAY, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., Booth #407
Jonathan Ross

OTHER EVENTS

SATURDAY, 8:00 p.m. - Comix Experience 21^st Anniversary Party
Comix Experience is extremely proud to celebrate its 21st anniversary, and you're invited! CE:21 is a benefit for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund - a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for the comics community. Featuring the El Toyanese Taco Truck, sponsored by Image Comics, and delicious beer courtesy of 21^st Amendment Brewery! Attendees who contribute to the CBLDF will receive a goodie bag filled with incredible items from various comics publishers (while supplies last). There will also be an art auction to benefit the CBLDF. Comix Experience is located at 305 Divisadero Street, San Francisco, CA, 94117.

Don't miss Image Comics at WonderCon 2010, booth 407!

© C Harris Lynn, 2010