Urban Fantasy News

Why the comics industry is continuing to crash

2012-02-14T14:24:00.000-08:00

Comic book sales are down. Way, way down. And it's a total head-scratching mystery as to why this is happening.

Except to people like myself, a 45-year-old woman who grew up with a house full of comic books. I used to buy them. My grandfather used to buy them for me. Notice I said "used to."

Check out Little Red Boobinghood here that popped out of my email inbox this morning.

Seriously?

In comic books, in 2012, female characters are still just boobs with legs, or worse. DC's Starfire, an innocent and gentle alien superhero I remember from the 1980s, has been turned into an overt slut, soliciting men for sex. It's sickening.

I thought we were past this, everybody.

Nearly everything is now written for what the industry perceives as their core demographic, men 18 -30, and they wonder why comics have slumped drastically from their peak. Guys, it's because they're full of graphic violence and overt sex, so you've lost the younger readers and a lot of the women. My son is 15 and I don't want him reading some of that stuff. Gone are the days when it was safe to let your kid buy comic books off the rack at the store.

You've turned what used to be a fun diversion into an NC-17 bloodbath with porn stars.

Okay, industry leaders. C'mere. Closer. No, my eyes are up here. Okay, are you listening? Really listening? Okay, here's why your industry is failing.

There are other people in the world besides penises, aged 18 - 30. Kids, women, seniors... a lot of people like to read about superheroes doing exciting things. Think back to the silver age of comics. Think back to the beginnings of Spider-Man and Wonder Woman and X-Men and Superman and all the other classic characters who continue to excite readers world-wide. There's a reason why they're still around. That reason is not men age 18 - 30.

Your readers include that demographic, they are not solely that demographic. By writing only to them, you exclude everyone else. I don't want to see people being literally ripped in half with their intestines flying everywhere, and I don't want my son reading that either. He doesn't need to see Batman and Catwoman screwing on a rooftop.

This is why comic books are dying. You are killing them.

How do you fix it? Hire new writers, preferably a lot more women. Stop excluding everyone but who you perceive as the core demographic. It's become a self-fulfilling prophecy: If you write only for men 18 - 30, your entire market shrinks to become that. If you're more inclusive, your market share will increase to meet it. You'll get the kids and the women again, such as myself and my son, who are eager potential buyers, if only the comics spoke our language. Right now, most of them don't.

Is this true of all comics? Of course not. Look at the Eisner-winning Mouse Guard from Archaia. Look at the top-selling B.P.R.D. from Dark Horse that's getting rave reviews, including right here on UFN. You don't need guts and sex in order to have a well-made successful comic book.

Is anything going to change, or were you just staring at my chest?

All we're asking is for our superheroes to act more heroic, like they did before. All we want is decent entertainment for the masses. All I'm saying is that if you continue to limit your audience, your audience will continue to shrink. It's not that hard to figure out once you talk to people in the real world about what they want out of a comic book. It's not about competition with new media or whatever straw man you want to throw out there, it's about creating something people want to buy.

Axe Cop: The funniest comic ever made

2012-02-05T12:24:00.000-08:00

I was reading through the latest Dark Horse upcoming release email when something odd caught my eye.

"Axe Cop returns with a collection of new, exciting, and unpredictable stories! Written by the endlessly inventive six-year-old Malachai Nicolle and drawn by his Eisner Award–nominated thirty-year-old brother Ethan Nicolle, Axe Cop joins his comrades Uni-baby, Bat Warthog Man, and Dinosaur Soldier to fight bad guys and restore justice for kids--and grownups--everywhere!"

Is this for real, I wondered to myself? How good could it be? Curious, I downloaded the preview, and laughed myself sick. Having a son myself, I'm somewhat familiar with how a six-year-old boy's brain works, and this is the fantastically creative result: A world full of crazy heroes and villains, where all girls are on the Dumb list (except the best fairy ever), and the obvious solution to getting Bat Warthog Man's friends back is to buy a chemist and dinosaurs. Well, duh.

"All right, we just need some dinosaurs, and we'll be set."

"But why dinosaurs?"

"Because I don't know what's on Invisible Bad Guy King Planet 2, but whatever it is, I'm sure it can't beat dinosaurs."

The art compliments the content perfectly. It never takes itself too seriously, but it's not too goofy and cartoonish either. It's almost, but not quite, a noir style, which adds the needed weight to make this a perfect balance of story and art for all ages. My own son, who is fifteen now, found it hilarious too. I'm going to be buying these for sure, and probably getting some as gifts. Good clean head-chopping fun with monster trucks and robots. And, of course, dinosaurs in space.

"Well, Axe Cop, I've got my own missions to get back to. I have to fight a king who rides a dirt bike."

Hellboy summer camp with telepathy and potions training. No, really.

2012-01-25T13:54:00.000-08:00

Do you or someone you know have a penchant for the supernatural? Do you like spending time in the great outdoors? Are you between the ages of 9 and 17? Will you be in Portland, Oregon, from July 16 to July 20? If so, Trackers Earth has the ultimate summer-camp experience for you!

Dark Horse Comics proudly announced a partnership with Trackers Earth offering officially licensed B.P.R.D. and Hellboy camps, made possible through the generous permission of Mike Mignola, creator of B.P.R.D. and Hellboy.

“Trackers Earth is part of what makes Portland such an interesting place to live, and the most fun place in the country to raise a kid. This year my 6-year-old did Trackers camps focusing on forest ninja skills and stealth archery, and attended a school of magic. I wish he were old enough for B.P.R.D. camp, and I can’t wait to participate myself,” said B.P.R.D. editor Scott Allie.

Trackers Earth is looking for a few good recruits that have got what it takes to join an elite team of paranormal investigators combating the forces of darkness from all across the globe. They immerse you in tactical training of all forms, including survival skills in any environment (both earthly and non), martial arts and self-defense specific to preternatural entities, hand-to-hand weaponry (foam swords, bows, and more) and forensic investigation. All these are key skills that every agent must have; plus, you will be steeped in the history of the Bureau and the legacy of paranormal research.

Recruits get actual field time during the entire camp. Learning is hands-on, with essential survival skills such as shelter building, stealth, and tactical and martial-arts training.

Younger Recruits, ages 9–10: Younger recruits train in survival and field skills in local green spaces. They also spend their day investigating the haunted history of our city, piecing together the larger mystery revolving around the legend of Adolph Aschoff.

Older Recruits, ages 11–13 and 14–17: Older recruits also investigate nearby “haunts,” then finally travel to Camp Trackers near Sandy, Oregon, to investigate reports of dark figures and strange happenings at the remnants of the old, defunct town of Marmot. Here they search for a legendary and lost pioneer cemetery (true story) to ask local specters and spirits about the town’s history and the legend of Adolph Aschoff, the man who is said to have sealed away an ancient evil upon the founding of the town.

Wednesday–Friday Overnight: Older recruits culminate their week with a two-night stay at Camp Trackers’ outdoor wilderness site in Sandy, Oregon. This is the perfect opportunity to focus on many of the skills taught at the camp.

The B.P.R.D. Training Camp includes:

• Tactical training
• Survival in any environment
• Martial arts and self-defense specific to preternatural entities
• Hand-to-hand weaponry (foam swords, bows, and more)
• Investigation and forensics
• Folklore and mythology
• Potions and charms 101
• Telepathy training
• Gadgets of the occult: EMF detectors, polarized lenses, and other paranormal investigative gear
• Comparative analogy and physiology of monsters
• Construction of your own quality foam swords and training weapons
• Meeting with the artists of the comic book that documents the adventures of the B.P.R.D.
• Bureau history and paranormal research

To find out more about B.P.R.D. Camp (AKA Hellboy Camp), head over to the official website.

Review: THE KINGDOM, by John R. Mabry

2012-01-21T15:20:00.000-08:00

First, let me say that this book is very gay. Very, very gay. A large percentage of the characters are gay and some scenes take place in a gay bathhouse named “The Jizz Factory.” If you’re uncomfortable with that, read something else. If you don’t mind it, then please read on.

The Kingdom is an odd tale of blasphemous priests, likable demons, self-loathing, death and humor, all taking place in the San Francisco Bay Area. The characters are unique and interesting, as are the events, which had me engrossed from beginning to end. As the story moves forward, the stakes continue to rise, and not everyone makes it out alive or unchanged. In fact, the fate of Richard, one of the main protagonists, angered me, and I hope that future volumes rectifies what I feel was an unfair end, even if I completely understand what Mabry did and why. Maybe it hits too close to home for me personally, but it really bothers me a lot.

But it says something that I would feel this way at the end of this book. If it was bad, or boring, or if I simply didn’t care about Richard or any of the other characters, obviously I wouldn’t be upset. That’s my issue with the book, along with the strong Christian message and difficult-to-read phonetic Southern accent of one of the other characters, but otherwise it’s a well-written and intricate tale involving the hazards of arrogance, abuse, and summoning demons.

It’s difficult to explain why the book is so engaging without giving too much away about the plot, characters, artifacts and situations, but by the end, I found myself wanting to see what would happen next. I believe there are going to be more volumes forthcoming about the Berkeley Blackfriars, the strange group of misfit religionists who find themselves saving the world with the help of strange bedfellows.

Mabry must have some very interesting occult and arcane knowledge to be able to pull off this tale in a realistic manner. And, as long as he fixes what happened with Richard, I’ll be reading future Berkeley Blackfriar novels.

Gearing up for WonderCon

2012-01-21T13:52:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update, today we received renewing press pass information for WonderCon, the sister show to Comic-Con San Diego, which is normally held in San Francisco. Due to rennovations to the Moscone Center, however, WonderCon is being held in Anaheim this year, March 16-18.

Some special guests have been announced, including Marv Wolfman, J. Michael Straczynski, Mike Mignola and Wil Wheaton, but Programming, Exhibitors, Autographs, and other scheduling has yet to be confirmed. We expect to start receiving convention-related press releases and press opportunities now that our registration is in, so keep an eye out here for updates regarding potential interviews and events we may be doing (did somebody say League of Extraordinary Ladies?). And, as always, the popular Where's Peter? segment will be a part of our WonderCon coverage too. Keep an eye on the official WonderCon website for current information. This is a great show, don't miss it!

Review: BPRD Hell on Earth Vol. 2 - Gods and Monsters

2011-12-27T13:36:00.000-08:00

Review: BPRD Hell on Earth Vol. 2 - Gods and Monsters
from Dark Horse
On Sale February 1, 2012

It’s actually a challenge to find really good modern fantasy. That’s why UFN wanders, sometimes, into parallel universes, to find and report on things outside the norm, that isn’t what everybody else is reporting on.

This time, however, we don’t have to go any farther than the upcoming trade graphic novel from Dark Horse, BPRD Hell on Earth Vol. 2 - Gods and Monsters.

The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, as most comic book fans know, is the agency that Hellboy, Abe Sapien, Liz Sherman, etc. work for and with to protect America (and, really, the world) from supernatural threats. This volume’s lead story arc involves Abe and a teen girl on the run with other “nomads,” and this particular teen can see the future. It’s a handy skill to have when you need to keep a large group of people out of danger, but it’s not without its risks. The second half of the volume covers the curious tale of a grisly trailer park cult and focuses on Liz.

The art is not my favorite style, but the writing, and especially the dialog, is superb. People speak how people would actually speak. Events and interactions make sense. The story unfurls at a pace that doesn’t have me reading and re-reading every other page to try and figure out what’s going on (unlike some other books that I won’t mention here). The characters, even the bad guys, are enjoyable, interesting and compelling. I was hoping to see more of Hellboy (or any Hellboy, he doesn't appear in this volume) and Panya, but maybe next time.

BPRD is the perfect kind of tale for UFN, because it’s well-written urban fantasy that’s honest, gritty and clever. If you haven’t given these titles a look, please do, even if it’s at your local library. Chances are, you’ll be hooked.

A legend passes on: Anne McCaffrey

2011-11-23T00:45:00.001-08:00

My first awareness of Anne McCaffrey came through a fantasy and science fiction book club in about 1978. One of the featured books that could be ordered (in hardback no less – quite a treasure for a younger sister used to hand-me-downs) was The White Dragon. As you probably know, this was just one of many books in the Dragonriders of Pern series, and after reading the story of the little dragon who could, that nobody thought would amount to anything but that proved his worth, this twelve-year-old was hooked.

I went back and read all the Pern novels that were available at the time and many of the ones that came out after. Again and again the stories of bravery, of unexpected strength from those who society shunned, spoke to my heart. And the magic! I wished for a dragon of my own to soar with through the skies, who would be my lifelong companion, and to live in a simple society where things were made by hand and the homes were cozy and comforting.

I read The Ship Who Sang and many of her other tales, each of them similar in message. Maybe it sounds corny or trite, but honestly, Anne McCaffrey helped this girl along during some awkward teenage years when it seemed nobody wanted her. Maybe, I thought to myself, there was something special about me, too. Some bit of magic overlooked, that would blossom someday, so that I could prove my worth and belong somewhere.

So thank you, Ms. McCaffrey, for giving me hope and helping me along a little farther down my own path. We never met, but know that part of the reason I write is because of you. Because you showed that not only can women write fantasy, but that women can write brilliant fantasy full of imagination, wonder, hope and deep meaning. You are one of my role-models and a source of inspiration for girls who aspire to become writers. Your life and your works live on. Thank you.

Seeing double is a good thing with Twin Spirit

2011-11-22T11:13:00.001-08:00

I don’t ordinarily review young adult novels because, with the recent glut of self-published books out there, the YA market has exploded and the quality has gone with it. However, Matthew Thompson has got a gem here with his debut novel, Twin Spirit.

Nine-year-old Rose is living a happy, middle-class life in 1960s England with her father and friends. The girls discover a book full of spooky old incantations and after her friends are gone for the night, Rose tries one that has dramatic effects – she discovers that her conjoined twin, Lily, may not be with her in body any longer, but her spirit is still firmly attached and has been with her the entire time, unseen and unheard.

Together they begin the search for their mother, who died at their birth, in the spirit land of Kiian. The afterlife is not nearly as safe as one would think, and a second death is entirely possible if you’re caught by the very dementor-like Govern.

Speaking of dementors, I found Twin Spirit to be something of Harry Potter meets The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, but with its own very rich world and set of characters. It’s almost too rich, as there is so much packed into this novel that as it neared the climax, I found myself having to re-read parts to catch all the action and details. However, the main cast of characters is strong and distinct enough that I never got completely lost, and actually misted up a bit when one of them is killed near the end.

Thompson comes from a video game level designer background, and it works to his advantage in this tale full of twists, turns, puzzles, rescues, narrow escapes and overall exciting adventure. It could easily have been 25% longer, especially in the last quarter of the book which felt slightly rushed in my opinion, but that story compression does add to the sense of excitement and urgency.

Overall, Twin Spirit is well-told and will appeal to younger readers, especially adventurous girls from about 8 to 12.

Mars Attacks in 2012!

2011-10-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

IDW Publishing and Topps today announced a long-term partnership to offer new comics based on the fan-favorite Mars Attacks. Created in 1962, Mars Attacks will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2012 with major product launches throughout the year. IDW’s new comic series, as well as high-quality reprints of existing material, will be a cornerstone of that effort.

“We are excited to be partnering with Topps on this classic brand. Mars Attacks has always been a favorite of the comics creator community, and fans can look forward to top talent bringing their visions to fruition,” said Greg Goldstein, IDW’s Chief Operating Officer. “I know we will definitely bring the comics to the next level.”

Originally developed as a series of trading cards, Mars Attacks was created by Len Brown and Woody Gelman, after Brown was inspired by the Wally Wood cover to Weird Science #16 (EC Comics). The cards went on to achieve cult status for their then-shocking imagery, fully painted by pulp legend Norm Saunders, and remains a staple of pop culture. Topps revived the franchise in the mid 1990s with a second card set, comic book series and toy line. The story was also adapted into the 1996 feature film, Mars Attacks!, directed by Tim Burton.

“When looking for a comics partner for Mars Attacks, we wanted a publisher with the right creative sensibilities and an appreciation of our brand’s fifty-year legacy,” said Ira Friedman, Topps/VP, Global Licensing. “There’s no doubt that IDW will provide a great home for us. We’re looking forward to Mars Attacks complementing their existing stable of powerhouse franchises.”

Debuting in summer 2012, IDW’s comic series will offer the first stories of an all-new Mars Attacks universe, bringing the brand’s outrageous action and dark humor to a new set of tales.

A Touch of Class

2011-10-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

Few upcoming shows are getting as much attention as Fox’s Touch, scheduled for a Spring premiere. And why shouldn’t it? With Kiefer Sutherland in the leading role (his first since 24), the creator of Heroes and Crossing Jordan at its helm, and a hopeful premise, Touch seems to have everything going for it from the start.

I’ll leave it to the Hollywood gossips and rumor mills to speculate and report on the more mundane aspects of production; they’ll focus on the cast, the guest stars, and the eventual fans that Touch richly deserves. Meanwhile, I’ll focus on the show’s strongest asset. No, it’s not Sutherland. It’s not even Kring. What this show has is a heart and a soul, both of which are sorely lacking from much of today’s television landscape.

Touch has begun to go viral, with the teaser recently being shown at MIPCOM a few days ago. The Hollywood Reporter picked up a story about it. But what does anyone really know about Touch, other than what little has been leaked or shown? There is such a disconnect between the publicity and gossip surrounding a show, that often, the show’s true colors are lost in the hype. In the case of Touch, this disconnect is unfortunate, because Touch is a gem waiting to be admired for its very real inner beauty.

This is a show that will stand out because of its complex simplicity. It isn’t a drama that involves backstabbing characters who all have their motivations and personal demons. It’s not a reality show where ordinary people compete for some huge prize. Nor is it an action adventure with the fate of the world at stake. It’s none of those, yet it has elements of all of those, mixed and simmered in the creative mind of a man who has something relevant to say.

There is nothing about Tim Kring that suggests that he has written several hit shows. He’s quiet and soft-spoken, thoughtful, and articulate. There is an energy about him when he is in his element, the writing room of a new show: it’s an intense, focused energy, and yet there is a sense of both exhilaration and purpose. Perhaps is it that combination that contributes to his success as a writer and producer; it certainly leads to Kring being involved in almost every aspect of his shows, and the attention he pays to the smallest detail such as the way a newly introduced character’s hair swirls as she gets up from a couch, or the slightest vocal inflection in his lead character’s offhand comment. Watching Kring at work, reviewing scenes, changing them, splicing them together, one gets a sense of the pride and artistry he puts in to everything he does. And yet, there is a feeling of eagerness as the crew watches the show come together, giving the sense that the writers, cast, and crew are not only putting their minds into their work, but their hearts and souls as well.

It is quite clear that, as with Heroes, this is a show that offers a hopeful vision of humanity, one where everyone is connected and no one is alone. It is a vision that is sorely needed on television. But unlike so many shows about humanity’s fate, Touch delivers its message with an immediacy and believability that has been absent from the airwaves for a while. While Touch is the brainchild of many brilliant artists, it is that believability which makes Touch the classy, much needed show that it is.

The Karada needs your help to bend some spoons

2011-08-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

All is not well in the multiverse, and Emma’s going to need your help.

As previously reported, The Karada is a supernatural thriller about a young woman, Emma Gossett, who struggles to save the multiverse as realities collapse around her. Who can you trust and rely on when each shift of the multiverse changes everything? Who will be there for you tomorrow? Who will unexpectedly turn up today? And just how can one navigate all these conflicting and ever-shifting realities? To make sense of the ever-changing conditions, Emma and her partner David Blunt will reach out to the audience to help them solve the mysteries that unfold through time and space.

The audience is a critical part of creating this story, and this is where The Karada gets most interesting.

Producer Tom Liljeholm and friends

“Community contributions will be taken seriously and matter,” said Emmy-award-winning producer Tom Liljeholm. “For example, participants will be called upon to write in the details of Emma’s alternate realities, the basis of which will be produced into a digital comic series. Further, as our heroine in the dramatic series crosses paths with these alternative lives, participants will feel the true impact of their contributions on the storyline.”

Beyond just passive entertainment, The Karada will involve a complete interactive experience, including the web, mobile devices and even live events that fans can attend in person. Each component is integral to the total experience – one in which the participants will have a say in contributing to the story.

The international production team behind The Karada is quite at home with creating immersive experiences with strong storylines. Jim Martin, who is best known for his work on Heroes’ Web series in which he won two webby awards, met producer Tom Liljeholm while working on Tim Kring and Nokia’s Conspiracy for Good, the darling transmedia project of last summer. Rounding out The Karada creative team is director Jakob Berglund of Furnace Fighter Media, Ki Henriksson, who penned the original concept of The Karada, writer for The Truth about Marika and Conspiracy for Good ARGs, and Tom’s partner in Tea4two Entertainment, and Carrie Cutforth-Young, a writer and multimedia artist based in Toronto.

Keep your eyes on The Karada website for the latest, and be sure to follow the project on Facebook and Twitter.

Torchwood: More chemistry, less torture please...

2011-08-25T12:29:00.000-07:00

How much more must Rex and his chest wound endure?

Let me begin this entry by saying again that I haven’t seen any of the old Torchwood series and very few episodes of Dr. Who, so I can’t compare Torchwood: Miracle Day with previous efforts. That said, the pilot hooked me and hooked me hard, being so far above the quality of most sci-fi shows on today and having a fantastic premise. Obviously both John Barrowman and the character of Capt. Jack Harkness are extremely charismatic, and being the main connecting thread of Torchwood he deserves every minute of screen time he gets.

Last week’s episode was a fantastic showcase for Jack and his history, his endearing and loathsome traits coming through to show us that, despite his miraculous immortality, he’s still just a flawed man. “Immortal Sins” was extremely well written (by Russell T. Davies), and when I saw Jack begin to think about teaming up with his companion in more ways than one, I knew right then that I would watch an entire series of the very likable (and very hot) Jack and Angelo traveling through time and having adventures without the need for a Tardis and a sonic screwdriver. Apparently that would make a lot of other fans happy, too, judging from Facebook and Twitter.

“Immortal Sins,” however, was perhaps the best episode of the series so far, which is a shame. When characters do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do, or that are just plain dumb, just to advance the plot, it’s obvious. Every previous episode of Torchwood, unfortunately, has suffered from this syndrome, and it’s maddening to watch unfold. I find myself frequently yelling at the television, “Why would you do that?!?” My husband has gotten so frustrated by it that he no longer watches and leaves the room rather than upset me further by going Mystery Science Theater 3000 on it.

I’m going to watch the “Miracle Day” arc through to the end for a number of reasons, however, in part because of “Immortal Sins” which I felt redeemed the series as a whole. I’m now dying (no pun intended) to know what happens with Angelo and Jack... but that’s about it. I like Gwen Cooper, even if she does shockingly boneheaded things for a supposedly amazing secret ops agent, and seems like she’s had about five energy drinks all the time. Rex Matheson is also likable, but how many times is this guy going to be tied up, tortured and generally kicked around? The rest of the characters... eh. I really don’t care if I ever see any of them again.

Speaking of torture, enough’s enough, writers. I loathe modern horror like Saw and its ilk, and the graphic nature of the show needs to be turned down by about half. I understand the need for Jack’s slaughterhouse scene, but it was double what was needed. I also did not need to see a pen being inserted into a chest wound at an excruciatingly slow speed, or two peoples’ brains being blown out. If you’re doing it for shock value, stop it. It does nothing for the plot, the characters, or the show at large, and actually cheapens the dramatic value of these scenes by showing cheap gore rather than creativity. Thank goodness you chose not to show every excruciating minute of Vera’s death but instead suggested most of it (and feed the frighteningly skinny Arlene Tur a sandwich, for crying out loud).

While my overall review of Torchwood has slipped a lot since my glowing review of the pilot, I still have hope for redemption, and it’s still better than almost anything else on television right now. C'mon, Captain, show us what you've got.

Decision 2012... in comic book form?

2011-08-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

It’s a comic book industry first! This November, DECISION 2012 debuts the comic book industry’s first straw poll — with biographical comic books for all the top candidates in the 2012 Presidential race. The decision is in your hands; it's up to you to see who wins. All print runs of each series will be announced this November and the candidate with the highest print wins.

If you want your candidate to win comic book's first straw poll, you need to call your local comic shop and pre-order your candidate's comic book before September 29th, 2011. To find your local comic shop just go to www.comicshoplocator.com, or call 1-888-COMIC BOOK to find the shop near you.

The people of Iowa just had their straw poll and only Iowans could participate. Now with comic book's first straw poll, all of America can participate!

"The DECISION 2012 line of comic books has something for everyone," said BOOM! Studios Marketing and Sales Director Chip Mosher. "For those political junkies that love a good horse race, we have comic book's first straw poll. For those voters and our young soon-to-be-voters, we have some great non-partisan biographical comics on all the major candidates - announced and waiting to be announced - in the presidential 2012 race. And finally, for the comic book collector we have a fantastic once-in-a-lifetime collectible. The DECISION 2012 comic line and comic book's first straw poll is a great way to spotlight the upcoming 2012 election and get people excited about voting."

The DECISION 2012 line of comics and comic book's first straw poll isn't just a contest, but also a great way for voters and students to educate themselves on the candidates running in the 2012 Presidential election. This series of biographical comic books details the history and political lives of the candidates for the 2012 Presidential Election, giving non-partisan background on President Barack Obama and such presidential hopefuls as Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Sarah Palin, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. The DECISION 2012 line of comic books are aimed at anyone of any age who enjoys reading and discussing U.S. politics.

More information on the straw poll and the DECISION 2012 line of comics can be found here: http://www.decision2012comics.com/

Remember to make sure you pre-order your candidate’s comic from your local comic shop by September 29th, 2011. If your candidate's comic book does not get pre-ordered by at least 1,500 copies then it will not be printed.

The Karada will be melting heads on an Internet near you

2011-07-30T15:38:00.000-07:00

I just got wind of this new transmedia project yesterday, and I'm really excited about it. The Karada explores the concept of the multiverse and weaves it together with ancient archetypes to explore a new way of looking at reality. Or, in this case, overlapping and intersecting realities.

"The world is made up by endless layers of reality. Every time one makes a decision, reality is divided between what is and what could have been. Every reality has a group called the Patternseekers, safe-keepers who keep the alternate realities distinct and separate. When the threads of multiple realities begin to intermingle, problems arise.

"Since the death of her grandmother (the last Patternseeker alive), designer Emma Gossett has been experiencing strange unexplainable shifts in reality. One moment she has a brother, the next she doesn't. At night, she goes to sleep with one man, only to wake up next to another. Decisions no longer have logical consequences or repercussions. And it's starting to threaten her sanity."

This is a brilliant idea, and I cannot wait to see how it's executed. Considering that it's from the keyboards of James Martin, one of the writers of Heroes, and Tom Liljeholm, head of the Conspiracy for Good ARG, this has a lot of potential, especially as a transmedia project with audience participation.

For a more complete description of the plot, visit the Facebook page for The Karada.

Is Comic-Con Too Big?

2011-07-25T09:41:00.000-07:00

I first attended San Diego Comic-Con in 2007, and have been to three others, as well as a few other conventions of this kind, such as WonderCon and Dragon*Con. In 2007, you could still buy a four-day Comic-Con pass within a few weeks of the opening, but this year tickets sold out in January in a matter of two days, and tickets for next year were on sale at the convention, ensuring another sellout crowd. The attendance of Comic-Con is over 130,000 people, but I submit that the real capacity is actually much smaller.

It was Friday morning, I think, that was the final nail in the coffin for me. I had planned on attending the Torchwood panel as press, and had no aspirations of sitting in the front row, so I made my way over to Ballroom 20 at about 9:00 AM to get in line. After some time of being directed here and there and still having no idea where I was going, I asked one of the security personnel where the end of the line was. He pointed across the yacht harbor, and I saw a line of people stretching beyond that and around the corner behind the trees probably a half mile away. There was literally no end in sight.

I said something to the effect of “Are you s---ing me,” and after determining that it was, in fact, the line for Ballroom 20, I walked away.

Comic-Con has changed over the past five years. This year, as I passed by other people, I kept hearing the words “frustrated” and “disappointing” as they conversed with others. I saw the same thing on Twitter. I heard other attendees complain about how difficult it was to get into the panels they wanted. Friends that I had hoped to see there, both attendees and professionals, didn’t go this year. There seemed to be less of a feeling of joy and exhilaration in the crowd, and almost more of a sense of duty to be there.

And then there’s the problem with security. As you may or may not know, Rhys Ifans, who plays The Lizard in the upcoming Spider-Man movie, apparently pushed a female security guard out of the way after one of the people he was with was questioned about not having the proper pass. The security guard placed him under “citizen’s arrest” but he was later released without charges.

When I arrived on Thursday afternoon (hot and exhausted after an eight-hour car trip), the first thing I did was to walk to the back of the hall in order to pull out my cell phone so I could locate the friend I was supposed to meet up with. One of the red-shirted guards (if you’ve ever been there, you know the ones I mean) immediately took it upon herself to yell at me to move, despite the fact that I was standing there a total of about ten seconds next to several other people in the same area. I explained that I was merely getting out my phone, and she became hostile. I looked at her, clearly hot and tired, and said “Don’t. Just don’t.” Her reply was to raise her voice even more and yell at me “You don’t!” in her best “oh no you di’nt” voice. At that point, I thought it best to try and find somewhere else to stand to make my phone call.

Again, others experienced the same thing. Everyone I asked, which was a random sampling of friends, vendors, professionals and random people I was standing in lines with, said that security was a lot more belligerent and rude this year. I passed by one area where a dozen or so people were seated along a wall, and a man was saying to the nearby security person, “They get to sit there and I don’t? You just kicked me out of there!”

I’m not surprised in the least by what happened with Ifans’ group, since it was happening to less famous people all over the convention center the entire time.

The other question I asked my random sampling of attendees was, “Is Comic-Con too big?” Every single one of them, without exception, said yes. One man even applauded me. Literally. He said “thank you,” and clapped as we were standing in line for the Deepak Chopra booksigning which was across the street at the Hard Rock Hotel because there was no room in the convention center itself.

More and more of the convention is spilling out into the adjacent Gaslamp District, with many downtown parking lots being converted into party zones and the kind of spaces that companies used to have inside the convention center, which merely compounds the downtown parking and traffic nightmare. One entire parking lot was taken up with some kind of Playboy party – we could see the distinctive bunny logo on a flag from over the high security fences as we walked by.

What does Playboy have to do with a comic book convention? For that matter, why does Glee have a panel there? Why did I receive email press releases and onsite handouts for some kind of smokeless cigarettes?

San Diego Comic-Con has become a marketing machine that attendees have the privilege of paying through the nose for, if tickets can even be had at all. Once there, if you even want to get into the room for one of the larger panels, you have to camp outside in line for hours and hours. I later heard that the Torchwood line that I had been trying to get into was already 3000 people long at 6:00 AM.

Disappointingly, it looks as though Comic-Con may get even larger. A publicist friend of mine (one of the many who agrees that it’s too big) told me that there are plans to push the entire back wall of the convention center out into the current marina area, doubling the size of the hall, just for Comic-Con. I would guess that this is how the planners were convinced not to move the convention elsewhere – the promise of an even bigger San Diego Convention Center in the future.

Honestly? Count me out.

By contrast, WonderCon in San Francisco is a wonderful convention. Unlike San Diego, which doubles or even triples their hotel room rates, the flagship Marrott Hotel just two blocks away has a special half price WonderCon rate, making it accessible to most people who wish to attend. Additionally, since it is the flagship hotel, most of the talent stays there, and I had the pleasure of running into Sergio Aragonés in the lobby last year.

“Hey, I know you!” I said, recognizing his trademark glasses, mustache and tropical shirt.

“Yes, hello! Nice to meet you!” he said enthusiastically, shaking my hand.

“Are you having a good con?”

“Yes, I love WonderCon. You can actually talk to people here, unlike Comic-Con. That one’s just too big.”

Comic-Con pre-news

2011-07-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

Just a quick entry to let people know what's what. So far we've secured interviews with the talent and producers of both Ugly Americans (the hit animated show on Comedy Central) and Grimm, (the new fairy tale police procedural mashup debuting this fall on NBC).

We're purposefully leaving our schedule as open as possible so that we can remain flexible to get other interviews as talent is available. Between the scheduled press interviews, visiting certain booths and displays we have on our checklist, grabbing people as they become available and evening parties, we're booked solid!

Sleep is for chumps! We'll report as we can, time and internet connectivity allowing. For the most current news from the convention, please follow us on Twitter and don't forget to tell your friends!

Canadian superhero Captain Canuck is back

2011-07-19T12:52:00.000-07:00

Minds Eye Entertainment has picked up the rights to the Canadian comic book superhero Captain Canuck from writer/creator Richard Comely, as announced today by Kevin DeWalt, CEO and President of Minds Eye. Working closely with Comely, Minds Eye is currently in development on a film adaptation based on the comic book series.

The first issue of Captain Canuck hit newsstands in May 1975. Thirty-six years later, the superhero franchise has garnered fans around the world. To date, more than 2 million copies have been sold and 26 different editions have been printed. IDW Publishing recently published two hard cover collections of the original issues that have since sold out.

DeWalt said: “I have always been a big fan of Captain Canuck, and we are honored to be working with Richard on bringing Canada’s greatest Superhero to the big screen.”

Over the years, there have been a number of licensed Captain Canuck products, including t-shirts, sweat shirts, doodle posters, etc. Canada Post issued a Captain Canuck postage stamp in 1995. In addition, Captain Canuck has also made the cover of Time magazine.

Creator Comely said: “I’ve had a great beginning with Minds Eye. I’m confident we can make a movie that will appeal to audiences both in Canada and around the world.”

Archaia debuts Bleedout webisodes

2011-07-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

Publisher Archaia Entertainment is adding another layer to their digital offerings by hosting the worldwide debut of 10 original graphic webisodes centered on their latest graphic novel, Bleedout. The webisode series is set to launch on Wednesday, July 20, opening day of the 2011 San Diego Comic Con.

Based on the expansion to the Massively Multiplayer Online shooter, CRIMECRAFT, from Vogster Entertainment, Bleedout tells the frighteningly plausible tale of a world destroyed by its own greed and shortsightedness. When every oil well on the planet mysteriously runs dry, utterly dissolving the cornerstone of modern civilization, global economies wither and nations fall like bone-dry dominoes, including the seemingly impervious United States. Caught in a zenith of chaos, Sunrise City now lies in the hands of a criminal cabal who may or may not hold the key to the future… and the secrets behind the planet’s tragic ruin.

The deluxe hardcover graphic novel, which also hits store shelves on July 20th, collects chapters from some of the comic industry’s hottest superstars, including Nathan Fox, Zach Howard, Sanford Greene, David Williams, Ben Templesmith, Gary Erskine, Howard Chaykin, Glenn Fabry, Vince Proce, and Trevor Hairsine, with cover art by Tim Bradstreet. Written by Mike Kennedy, this graphic novel presents the world of Bleedout in all of its grim, pulp noir glory, with page after page of supplemental graphic and story material that further explores this tragic future, and the frighteningly familiar current events that lead there in the first place.

The webisodes will go even deeper into Bleedout’s ambitious storyline, taking fans on a visual whirlwind tour through the graphic novel’s gritty and frightening world. The short films, written and directed by creator, Mike Kennedy, feature high-quality animation illustrated by the same stellar line up of artists featured in the book. The webisodes also feature original music by industrial legend Jason Novak of Cracknation, and narration by animation veteran Tom Fahn.

After the July 20 debut, new episodes will roll out every day leading to the dramatic conclusion on Saturday July 30. A sneak-peek can be checked out at http://vimeo.com/channels/bleedout.

Archaia will host several signings at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con to celebrate the launch of this exciting new book and webisode series, with featured signings by artists Tim Bradstreet, Nathan Fox, and Sanford Greee, as well as author Mike Kennedy. Vogster will be distributing a limited run of free CRIMECRAFT game discs at each signing as well.

Torchwood premiere shines bright

2011-07-08T23:40:00.000-07:00

I admit, I'm coming in very late on this. I've seen very little Dr. Who, and no Torchwood to date, until tonight's premiere of Series 4, which is set in Los Angeles. Let it be known that today I officially became a fan of Torchwood.

Why?

Let me count the ways, in no particular order:

1) High production value. Every minute of this show looked fantastic. Every location was lush and nothing looked cheap or thrown together or like a little sound stage. They weren't afraid to do night shots, driving in the rain shots, sweeping vistas of Wales (that house!), hospital interiors with that weird lighting they have, the inside of an airplane, dark hallways, high-tech command centers, and just about every other kind of location you can think of. And it all looked great! On top of that, the makeup and special effects were flawless.

2) John Barrowman. Hunky but not overly Hollywood, not afraid to be who he is, and a very funny and gracious human being off the set. He's extremely likable and easy on the eyes in a friendly way, and I wish we'd seen more of him in this premiere, but I do understand why we didn't.

3) Fascinating premise. I did go to Wikipedia to see what I'd been missing, and to fill in some of the information that the premiere hinted at but didn't give directly. Obviously, modern day alien hunters in Los Angeles and the whole X-Files feel is straight up the alley of Urban Fantasy News. Within that, the story introduced in the premiere episode is a fascinating mystery that is not neatly tied up in one episode, leaving the viewer wanting more in a good way, not with a frustrating cliffhanger that smashcuts to black.

4) Stellar writing. I sat down to watch this premiere without having seen one minute of the previous incarnations of Torchwood, and I was introduced to the premise and characters in ways that made sense and fit with the tone of the show, but that never felt like forced exposition. The only "I am explaining everything to you now" scene worked flawlessly as a natural result of the action. The humor was understated and, again, a natural result of the interactions of the characters. The pacing flowed well, the dialog was completely believable.

I predict a Torchwood sweep at the next Saturn Awards. I could not find any flaw big enough to be worth mentioning except maybe the Jeep chase scene at the end which seemed a little contrived, but it was fantastic eye candy, I have to admit, and made me want to get in a Halo Warthog and drive around for a while.

Torchwood fills in the holes left by such shows as Heroes, X-Files and Millennium (yes, I'm a geek, I still miss Millennium!) and does it with class, mystery and humor. You can see every dollar on the screen, and it's money well-spent, because I will definitely be back for more.

San Diego Comic-Con 2011 is Go!

2011-07-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

A quick informal post to let everyone know that UFN will have two reporters on site at San Diego Comic-Con later this month! We're lining up interviews already, so if you have someone you'd like us to try and interview and any questions you'd like us to ask, be sure to message us here or on our Twitter.

Possible interviews we're working on obtaining include actor Matt Smith (the 11th Doctor Who), actor Todd Stashwick (Heroes, Supernatural), artist Dennis Calero (Batman, X-Factor, X-Men Noir, Legion of Superheroes), Heroes writers Oliver Grigsby, James Martin and Chris Zatta... and more! Often, surprise interview opportunities present themselves on site, so you never know who will show up here on Urban Fantasy News during convention coverage. Stay tuned!

Foz McDermott: Helix Reminiscence

2011-06-20T11:23:00.000-07:00

Foz McDermott was with Heroes on its first day, all the way to its last day. This is the first in a series of posts on his blog recalling what it was like to be there:

"It has been 5 years almost to the week where we started up production, so I figured no better time than now. What you will get in this series is a look back on my time at Heroes. I was one of the very few that were there from the very first, to very last day of the show. What you will NOT get in this series will be any huge insider secrets, or bashing, or tidbits of any huge dirty laundry piles. As I have said before, that show and it’s people were the closest thing I had to a family since moving to the West coast and I would never say anything horrible, mostly because there really isn’t anything horrible to say about people and experiences that you truly love."

For the rest of this terrific post, Click Here.

Walter Simonson’s The Mighty Thor: Artist’s Edition at San Diego Comic-Con

2011-06-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

Legendary comics writer and artist Walter Simonson will appear at the IDW booth every day during the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con, signing copies of Walter Simonson's The Mighty Thor: Artist's Edition. In addition to the regular edition available in July at comic stores, IDW will offer a limited Comic-Con exclusive edition featuring a variant cover, only available through IDW at the convention. Readers can now pre-order both editions direct from IDW Publishing for pick up at Comic-Con.

“I wrote and drew The Mighty Thor for Marvel more 25 years ago now, at a time when it was the fate of old comics to be deployed to the back issue bins in comic shops and at conventions. No one had any expectations of reprints or trade collections. Now, it’s a new day,” said Simonson. “I’m pleased that IDW and Marvel have seen fit to go back and revisit this work as they have. I couldn’t be more delighted to know Thor, Beta Ray Bill, and all their friends turned out to have a much longer shelf-life than I would ever have imagined.”

The oversized, hardcover collection will present Thor 337-340, Simonson’s first classic story arc, which introduced Beta Ray Bill, and Thor 360-362, Simonson’s choice for the second arc in the book. All the pages in the Artist's Edition have been scanned from Simonson’s personal original art to ensure the highest possible quality reproduction. While appearing to be in black and white, each page was scanned in color to mimic as closely as possible the experience of viewing the actual original art—for instance, white-out corrections and blue pencil notations.

“Walter’s run on The Mighty Thor is one of the best ever in comics—period,” said editor Scott Dunbier, “and to be able to see it now as an Artist’s Edition, printed the same size as drawn, and scanned from all the originals… well, I just can’t wait to get my paws on it!”

This will be Simonson’s first visit to San Diego Comic-Con since 2004. Joining Simonson will be his wife, Louise “Weezie” Simonson, a noted comic book editor and writer. This book will be the first in a series of Artist’s Editions featuring legendary creators and comics from Marvel.

Dark Destinations

2011-06-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

I stumbled on a neat website today, or rather, my husband did. In reading about the happenings over at Atlantis Fantasyworld comics in Santa Cruz, CA, his old hometown, he clicked on the Lost Boys link. The classic 1980s vampire movie was filmed in and around Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, with the staff of Atlantis comics being featured in the film when the Frog brothers go to buy a comic book about vampires. My husband, knowing this, wanted to see what Atlantis had on their Lost Boys page, and ran across the Dark Destinations website.

If you have GPS and a little bit of wanderlust, visit their website to find the macabre location you're looking for, punch in the numbers, set a waypoint, and you're off on an adventure. Want to see where Lost Boys was filmed? How about the locations for Halloween? Or, if you're feeling less cinematic, you can search by type of destination (Cemeteries, Infamous Crimes, Mysterious Creatures, etc.) or by location, just in case you happen to be in the neighborhood and want to drive by Stephen King's house. Happy haunting!

Jill Thompson first woman to win NCS award in comics

2011-06-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

Jill Thompson (Scary Godmother) was awarded the highly coveted National Cartoonists Society (NCS) award this past weekend at the Reuben Awards Ceremony. She was presented this award in regards to her work in the Dark Horse comic Beasts of Burden.

Jill Thompson is the first female creator to win in the comics category in the history of the Rueben Awards. To add to her list of credits, Jill Thompson is a New York Times Best Selling graphic novelist, as well as having received multiple Eisner awards for her work on Scary Godmother (2001), The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings (2004) and The Dark Horse Book of the Dead (2005).

The collected trade Scary Godmother: Comic Book Stories will be on sale in stores June 15th.

Beasts of Burden returns this fall in issue #4 of the eighty-page anthology, Dark Horse Presents!, on sale in September.

Original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles make a triumphant return to comics

2011-05-20T12:02:00.000-07:00

IDW Publishing and Nickelodeon today announced that the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic series, featuring the beloved “Heroes in a Half-shell,” will premiere in August 2011. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be back in action and ready to fight off evil once again, with an impressive creative team led by TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman.

Starting in August, IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will kick off with a brand new installment of the original series, led by Eastman and co-writer Tom Waltz (Silent Hill: Past Life, Infestation: Outbreak). Newcomer Dan Duncan will bring the Turtles to life with dynamic interior art, while Sam Kieth and Walter Simonson provide eye-catching covers for issues one and two, respectively. Eastman will also provide layouts for Duncan's art, as well as variant covers.

This first series will feature new storylines that maintain the “turtle power” core beloved by millions of fans. Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael reunite to bring their ninja aptitude and teenage attitude in these all-new, action-packed adventures based on the original series. The first story arc will tell the origin story of the Turtles and introduce a new villain, the fearsome mutant alley cat, Old Hob. Featuring a cast of familiar characters, including Master Splinter, April O’Neill, Casey Jones, and true to the spirit of the original comics created by Eastman and Peter Laird, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are bigger and badder than ever, and ready to rock old and new fans alike.

IDW and Nickelodeon have a long-term partnership to offer an all-new installment of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and graphic novels. IDW’s new comics are part of a larger initiative to bring Turtles to a new generation of fans, starting with these new storylines from the original series that recapture the magic of the original Turtles comics. Additionally, in fourth quarter 2012, Nickelodeon will premiere a new CG-animated version of the wildly popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.

eigoMANGA releases Danity Kane graphic novel

2011-05-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

San Francisco based comic book publisher, eigoMANGA announces the release of the comic book graphic novel "Danity Kane: Keeper of Life". The graphic novel contains the complete Danity Kane mini-series that was first released on February 2010. "Danity Kane: Keeper of Life" is currently available at retail bookstores everywhere.

The graphic novel focuses on a naïve yet powerful young girl who was sent from a distant planet to liberate her people. She must combat a secret war between her people and their oppressors – a war that is now being fought on planet Earth.

"Danity Kane: Keeper of Life" was co-written by Natasha McGough and Austin Osueke with contributions from recording artist, Dawn Richard. The graphic novel was illustrated by Korean comic book artist, Kim Ji-Min.

Thor navigates a difficult path with masterful storytelling

2011-05-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

This could have been a simple popcorn movie. Show a bit about Thor's family, some sweeping scenes of Asgard, throw in a little something about earthly Norse mythology, make Loki a typical monologing Evil Villain (tm), Thor does some flashy superstuff to make the fanboys and fangirls squeal for about half the screen time, roll credits.

This was not a simple popcorn movie. Somehow this script, with masterful storytelling by J. Michael Straczynski and equally masterful direction by Kenneth Branagh, manages to balance the depths of space with the inside of a cramped travel trailer, balance wars between worlds with one human woman's struggles and needs, balance the grandeur of Asgard against a breakfast of scrambled eggs, while also tying Thor's story into Iron Man, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the rest of the Avengers, including Hawkeye who does make an un-costumed appearance.

What could easily have been a confusing mess is anything but. The intricate dance back and forth between Asgard and Earth, the large and the small, works beautifully and never distracts from the complex story being told. There were only a couple of times that I felt a character suspended his or her own disbelief slightly more than was believable, and there were moments very obviously created to maximize the 3D effects (the weapon swinging into the viewer's face syndrome abounded), but they're minor flaws in the greater gem.

Thor is the hero's journey, with all the high notes of nobility, lessons learned, transformation, betrayal, love, honor and friendship rolled into one epic tale that does not disappoint in any way. Marvel films in general seem to have hit their stride after a few previous missteps (yes, I'm thinking Hulk too), and I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of Thor.

Is it a perfect film? Of course not, but I'm not going to pick it apart either. It's an enjoyable movie that's well worth the ticket price, with superb acting (Anthony Hopkins in particular was brilliant), juicy visual effects, interesting production design, exciting fight scenes (the Destroyer is badass), and a story that hits all the right beats and leaves us wanting more at the end.

Speaking of more at the end, be sure to stay through the end of the credits for a bonus scene featuring Nick Fury as the franchise builds toward the Avengers, currently in production.

Alternative Press Expo (APE) announces special guests for 2011

2011-05-05T17:12:00.000-07:00

Coming off its biggest year yet in 2010 with attendance topping 5,500, the Alternative Press Expo (APE), returns to San Francisco this fall at The Concourse Exhibition Center. The Expo, taking place Saturday, October 1 and Sunday, October 2, will again feature the expanded Exhibit Hall and additional programming tracks that debuted in 2010.

Five special guests have already signed on for the show: Kate Beaton (Hark! A Vagrant!), Daniel Clowes (Wilson, Mister Wonderful; courtesy Drawn & Quarterly), Craig Thompson (Blankets, Habibi), Adrian Tomine (Optic Nerve, Scenes from an Impending Marriage), and Shannon Wheeler (Too Much Coffee Man, I Thought You Would Be Funnier).

“Interest in APE has never been higher as evidenced by our growing attendance and roster of exhibitors,” said David Glanzer, APE’s director of marketing and public relations. “This year’s terrific mix of special guests really helps us continue that momentum as one of the ‘must-see’ independent comics shows in the nation.”

APE showcases the best in alternative and small press comics, with an Exhibit Hall packed with cutting-edge creators featuring their comics, books, zines, original art, hand-made items, and much more. Further details on APE 2011, including a complete list of exhibitors and the full programming schedule, will be announced closer to the event.

Retro Spidey and other fun statues coming from Dark Horse

2011-05-04T10:21:00.000-07:00

The 1960s brought a cultural upheaval in music and art, with a host of new icons entering the scene: The Beatles, Andy Warhol, and, of course, Marvel Comics, led by a host of characters that defined modern comic books. Now, these characters will appear just as they did then, in a new line of collectible statuettes from Dark Horse Deluxe.

Beginning in September 2011, the program will include two alternating series: Classic Marvel Characters and the Fantastic Four. The statues portray these characters just as they originally appeared: Spider-Man is presented with his early “web wing” costume, and Daredevil is in his yellow-and-red uniform, for instance. This new line will be deliberately different than the common modern Marvel collectible sculpture, with features like a rougher surface texture, visible seam lines, and other slightly “distressed” aspects, such as the method of paint application.

“I’ve collected Marvel comics since I was a kid,” Dark Horse president Mike Richardson recalled, “so I am really excited by this opportunity to add these terrific characters to our classic Syroco line. From the beginning, the goal of this program was to give a very unique treatment to the greatest characters in comics, and now we have the good fortune to work with the fine folks at Marvel on some of my absolute favorites.”

Each hand-numbered statuette comes carefully packaged in a custom-tooled, full-color, litho-printed tin box, in a style similar to past releases in the Dark Horse Syroco line. Also included is a small booklet about each character and a vintage-style pin-back button of the character.

Dark Horse’s statuettes are inspired by figurines developed in the 1930s. Now highly prized by collectors, they were often used as advertising premiums featuring famous comic-strip characters. Now known as Syroco figurines, these statuettes are named after both the company that originally produced them and the woodlike resin material from which they were made at the time. Measuring between four and five inches, these statuettes have been sculpted in the original style, described by sculptor Craig Yoe as “primitive but charming.”

Disney’s Uncle Scrooge, the Kellogg’s cereal mascots, Charles Schulz’s Peanuts, stars of DC Comics and Archie Comics, The Simpsons, newspaper-strip greats, and more have all previously appeared in this Syroco-style continuing series of collectible limited-edition sculptures.

Spider-Man, limited to two thousand numbered statuettes, will be the first in the Classic Marvel Characters series, going on sale in September. In addition to the ongoing Classic Marvel lineup, other anticipated series include the original Avengers.

Priest Director Scott Stewart, in his own words

2011-04-15T12:38:00.000-07:00

Director Scott Stewart, courtesy Sony Pictures

This interview was part of a media roundtable at WonderCon with about eight other print and online reporters. "Q" is a question from one of the others, "UFN" is us. A few minutes of 3D footage, as well as the "sizzle reel" trailer, were shown the night before at the Metreon a block up from the Moscone Center where WonderCon is held.

Scott Stewart: Hello! Did you have a chance to see the footage last night? What did you think? Did you like it?

All: Yes!

Q: I went in thinking "Oh, it's vampires, seen it," but I walked out thinking, "I've never seen that before." It was amazing.

SS: Cool!

Q: Paul Bettany was telling us how easy it was for the two of you to work together. How was it?

SS: He's totally lying. It was horrible. No, it was great. It was really great. We had gotten to be friends on the last movie. We only worked together for a certain amount of time on that picture because it was an ensemble, and this was a chance to kind of put the whole movie on his shoulders. I knew it was something he could do, and everything about the movie is a big leap forward from the last movie we did. It's a more ambitious story, a much more straightforward story, and it was a chance to design a whole land and allow him to really inhabit a character he has to carry. I read the script and thought about who the archetypal heroes are, and I thought about Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen and John Wayne. Paul's somebody, when you look at him, you can put him in any time period. You can put him in the future, put him in the past, whatever, and he fits. Some faces are really contemporary. They just feel really contemporary. So I wanted somebody who looked like he would fit in this world that would be a little heightened. He also does a really great job of making his face look like a mask, and you just get the sense that there's a rage there. You know, he sits down and he's so charming and funny and nice. In movies, he's got a real ability to convey that anger. That, to me, was reminiscent of some of the characters John Wayne had played, so that's what we went for.

UFN: He mentioned that this had three times the budget of Legion.

SS: Which meant we had three dollars! Yeah, Legion was a really low-budget movie by the standards by which we work, generally. So yes, this was definitely more. By the standard of other movies... we don't have the budget of Pirates 4, probably not even a fraction of that, so what we had to do was be really clever as to how to make the movie feel visceral and exciting and textured and detailed, and make the world comprehensive. We just had to plan it really carefully and focus our planning and efforts on just the things we were going to see in the movie and try to be really efficient.

UFN: I think you can really see that on the screen, and I'm wondering if you feel that, compared to Legion, you're at another level now.

SS: Yeah, [Legion] was a little movie, a throwback to 70s horror. Yeah, I hope so! It feels like a nice step forward, because in every way I have more experience. I felt better equipped to do it. The learning curve of a director is... [makes a sharp upward angle with his hand]... and I guess in any great art it never ends, so every time you do it, you get better at it. I would have been very ill-prepared to try and embark on something as complex as this movie, given the schedule and the budget, without having embarked on it once before. So it's really helpful. It felt like it was a trial run for Priest.

Q: You said you did some of the visual effects yourself?

SS: Some stuff I did. I took much more of a hands-off approach on this one. I used my ability to do the visual effects more as a pre-visualization, doing storyboard animatics and those kinds of things, helping to design the vampires, helping the studio see what the world was going to look like and feel like. Because we really did want to try and push it, and that can be challenging. They have to take a leap of faith with you, so my goal is to try and make it not that much of a leap by showing them as much as I can, and hopefully delivering it, and they were all really excited about it. We designed the movie for 3D, we had talked about shooting for 3D. I wanted to shoot on film, and Don Burgess, my cameraman, a legendary guy who's shot Spider-Man and Cast Away and Forrest Gump and a lot of great movies, he's a great cinematographer... It's a landscape movie, it's part of being a movie that has real scope, and we wanted to shoot wide-screen and shoot on film and use old lenses. So we kind of got the best of both worlds, because when the studio started seeing the movie being put together, they went, "Oh, okay then... let's talk about converting this film to 3D." We did initial tests and they just looked so good! And they gave us the time. They pushed the release date to May for that. It was a nice big vote of confidence because it's expensive to move a release date.

Q: How closely did you work with [Priest graphic novel author] Min-Woo Hyung?

SS: He came out while we were in pre-production and spent a few days with us. The TokyoPop people brought him out. And we were nervous, because I had come into the movie with Cory Goodman's script, and there were 16 books and this sprawling thing mostly set in the old west, and some in the crusades, and there's a little bit of stuff in the future, but he never finished it. It's a cliffhanger, and you have no idea where the story's going, and Cory realized it would be really tough to make into a movie, like how to structure it for the time period. Westerns are hard, so he put it in a kind of apocalyptic future and imagined that that storyline had gone into the future. When Min-Woo came and read the script and looked at all the design stuff we had, and we sat down and talked about what our intentions were, it was really pleasing to us, because he said "I was thinking where the story would go if I thought I would ever write more, and I imagined going here, and here, and here, and that really feels like what you guys did." He was inspired enough by that to actually, much to the pleasure of TokyoPop, go back to Korea and write this big long bridge story between where the books left off and the movie began, which TokyoPop released as a new series of Priest comic books, which is really cool.

Q: Has there been talk at all about making a sequel?

SS: Not quite ready to talk about that. There are some things that we're working on that are ways to take the most successful aspects of that story and put it in a new context in a way that's exciting, and lets us really get into the story and the characters, that I think you'll enjoy.

Courtesy Sony Pictures

Exclusive: Brea and Zane Grant on their upcoming projects

2011-04-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

Zane and Brea Grant

You may remember Brea Grant as Daphne the speedster, Hiro Nakamura's frenemy from Heroes. Our Heroes-related section of the interview is on our sister site, House Petrelli, but UFN asked some more general questions about Brea and Zane's upcoming comic book projects, which are both entertaining and very diverse.

UFN: We Will Bury You... I was going to say that launched at Comic-Con '09? Am I right on that?

BG: We started promoting it in '09, but it actually didn't come out until a year ago, and then the trade came out this past fall.

UFN: And who's the publisher on that?

BG: It's IDW.

UFN: Ah, okay. And what's the premise?

ZG: It's the story of a zombie apocalypse that begins in New York in 1927 and follows a sex worker and her girlfriend as they try to survive, the people they meet and so on.

UFN: Okay, interesting angle on it. So we see the underside, and they see these things happen in the corners where most people don't?

ZG: Yeah, it's basically a survival story set in the 20s.

BG: There's a lot of comic books and zombie comic books specifically that look at people with power, with money, who are cops, who have skills... and we wanted to look at people whose survival skills are more street skills. Street smart rather than having money to buy your way out, or get on a boat, or do whatever you would do to survive.

UFN: Are there other projects you guys are moving into? Other titles, other...

ZG: Yeah, we're still working on comics together, we're pitching out a few things right now. We're pitching out a slasher book with Eric J who does some really amazing art. He was the co-creator of Rex Mundi and he's doing a book called Fly right now. So that's a really fun one, and we're working on a comic about a graffiti crew that learns to do magic. It's really an urban fantasy thing. The tentative title is Dead City Kids.

BG: And we have a Suicide Girls comic book coming out in April with IDW as well.

UFN: I think of them as pictures... what are they going to be doing?

BG: Well, we wrote a story for them. It's sort of a Charlie's Angels-esque group of elite fighters fighting against a giant religious corporation in a sort of dystopian future.

UFN: I did not see that coming.

ZG: It's sort of a science fiction spy story kind of thing with espionage. It's fun. I think we did a good job! And we have Cameron Stewart who does some amazing art, and David Hahn who also does some amazing art, and Steve Niles is writing a back-of-issue story. I think it'll be a fun project. It's coming out in a few weeks.

UFN: And is that with IDW?

ZG: That one's with IDW, the other ones we're still pitching out and we're talking to some people about them. I'm doing a web comic with a friend called Detective Warlock, Warlock Detective. It's kind of a horror-comedy about a small town warlock detective. He does things like he fights a graveyard hag at a skating rink, things like that.

UFN: Is that set in the present-day?

ZG: Yeah, it's set in the present-day. It's pretty cool. I think that'll be up next month.

UFN: Do you have a website?

ZG: I do, it's ZaneGrant.org.

UFN: Dot org?

ZG: Yes, I'm an organization.

UFN: Or you're very organized. Or both. Do you have any parting thoughts or other work you're doing?

BG: I co-wrote a screenplay that's going to shoot in September that's one of the big projects I'm working on on my own besides other acting ventures. It's independent and still in the early stages, it's called Best Friends Forever and it's an apocalyptic road trip movie.

UFN: The horror genre, pardon the pun, just will not die. Zombies and vampires and the apocalypse... do you think there's still a lot of audience? Do you think it's played out at all?

BG: I don't think horror will ever play out. I think people are drawn to it for whatever reason they have. I never wake up and think, "No, I don't really want to watch a horror movie or read a sci-fi book. I consistently want to be in those genres, whereas I do sometimes feel like I don't want to watch a depressing drama or something like that. I think it's here to stay. I think certain things will probably go out of style. I have this theory that werewolves are the next big thing. So I think zombies will go out of style, other things will go out of style, vampires will go out style, but I think at some point it's still gonna cycle through.

UFN: Horror as a genre, obviously, has been around forever, since Mary Shelley, since before that, scaring people, things that go bump in the night... it's kind of blown up recently, but you don't think it's going to shrink any time in the near future?

ZG: I don't think so. I think as a genre there's a lot of room to find new stories, especially now that so much money is going into remakes, or even just rehashing the same stories from the same authors. And those monsters do have specific meaning to our society. In international horror, over the last ten years people there have been some really interesting new kinds of stories that people are telling, or telling in a different style. Even vampire stories, like Let the Right One In, that movie's amazing. It's so different than anything.

UFN: Well, like Priest is coming out, and the interesting thing about the vampires on that is that they're actually some kind of non-human alien infection kind of thing, and the people are light-sensitive instead of... it's a twist on it that's really interesting.

ZG: Yeah, I think there's a lot of room for tweaking things and playing with what's there, but definitely the genre is getting maybe a little bit stale involving the mainstream-ization of it, but hopefully some money will go into some great projects.

BG: I think the true fans will keep it alive.

Paul Bettany on Priest, in his own words

2011-04-07T16:36:00.000-07:00

Courtesy Sony Pictures

This interview was part of a media roundtable, where about eight media folks (including myself) were seated and the talent was brought to each table in shifts of about eight to ten minutes each. Unfortunately, I was unable to catch the names of all the media present at our table, so the other questioners will be noted simply as "Q" (how mysterious!), with "UFN" being my question in particular. (The Legion poster referenced was mine, I brought two to get signed from Comic-Con, which he did gladly! //fangirl)

Q: So is the second time a charm? (Referring to Bettany's second major film with Scott Stewart as director)

Paul Bettany: Is the second time a charm? I think it's 'third time's the charm,' but in this case it was the second. It was a really great working experience, and I think you could ask anybody in the cast or crew, and I mean it, if they had a great time, and they'll all say yes. Even the days I got injured, we had great days.

Q: What sort of injuries did you sustain?

PB: I fell on a de-acceleration wire, and I landed on my foot, which is where you should land, but it failed to de-accelerate, and I landed about 20 feet... it was painful. But it was fine, thanks to the pleasures of Vicodin.

Q: Were you doing your own stunts?

PB: Oh, yeah! As many of them as insurance would allow me to do, I did. I really enjoy that stuff, and, I mean, if you're in an action movie, and you're not doing the action, what are you getting paid for? I wanted to do it, I wanted to have that experience. It's such an amazing experience, and I loved it.

Q: What you said at the footage screening last night, was 'I'm British, so I'm starting from a butch deficit.'

PB: Yeah, it's true, so I started training before the movie, and my trainer came out with me from New York. I've known him for years, we worked together on Legion. He did a really amazing job, I think. He kept me safe, put a bunch of weight on me, made sure I didn't eat badly, and woke me up at 4:00 in the morning to go training every day. We start work at 6:00, so Mike would wake me up to go training at 4:00 in the morning. I can be a rude bastard at 4:00 in the morning if you're waking me up.

Courtesy Sony Pictures

Q: The six-pack on the [Legion] poster she had, does that come naturally?

PB: No, it doesn't come "naturally." It comes from a huge amount of deprivation! Yeesh... my body very quickly retreats very quickly back to the body of a reader who eats too much cheese and drinks beer. I can't get fit unless somebody's... I have a very strong work ethic, but I can't stop eating cheese unless somebody's paying me an enormous sum of money not to eat it.

Q: You're walking kind of a fine line in this movie. You're a supernatural priest who's reciting "Yea, though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death..." before he throws crosses at vampires. How do you, as an actor, keep the line between that and camp. How do you walk that line when you're reciting those scenes?

PB: I think you understand, as the actor, that this is a sort of really enjoyable moment for the audience. You understand that it looks like he's reading from a Bible, and the familiar says "Your words mean nothing here, Priest," and then the audience get revealed that what's inside the Bible ain't f***ing words. But you have to play it straight. You understand the entertainment value of that as a series of shots. I love that kind of stuff. I really do.

Q: Is that what drew you to the part?

PB: Well yeah. A bunch of things drew me to the part. Scott being a huge part of that. Scott with over three times of the budget that he had the time before -- a really broad canvas and enough money to buy really great paints finally for him. It's really paid off for him, and I'm really proud of the result. I was so shocked last night at the footage that we saw. So proud.

UFN: Is this your favorite genre to do?

PB: I love making movies. I love watching movies, I love making movies. From Legion I went on and played Charles Darwin and put on a bunch of weight for that, then I lost a bunch of weight to make this movie, then made a film in 17 days, unbelievably, with Kevin Spacey and Stanley Tucci. A small little independent film about the financial crisis, so I will continue to make as many different sorts of movies as I'm allowed to.

Q: How is it going from action to a more serious type of role?

PB: It's like two different jobs. They really are. They're totally separate.

Q: You have a pretty good sense of humor, so what kind of humorous subtitle would you give "Priest 2?" Sequels always seem to have an odd subtitle.

PB: I haven't the smallest idea...

Q: "Priest 2: The Priestening?"

PB: I remember at Comic-Con last time, Karl Urban signed a poster to me and said, "Thanks so much for being in my movie." He signed a poster to me, which I didn't ask for, and he'd hand written in his name, "Priest, starring Karl Urban."

Priest opens in theaters Friday, May 13.

WonderCon 2011 Panel: Evolution of Comics in the Transmedia Space

2011-04-06T13:51:00.000-07:00

Print comic book sales are the worst they've been since, perhaps, they were created. For example, Spider-Man has gone from topping 200K in sales per month to the current level of about 50K. The median age of a comic book reader is 33, which is the oldest ever. In looking at the faces at an event like WonderCon on both sides of the tables, these statistics thrown out at the "Evolution of Comics in the Transmedia Space" panel appear spot-on accurate.

So what happened to the industry once driven by the pocket change of idealistic little boys?

"It's too exclusive," said panelist FJ Desanto.

"There should be enough there that you want to come back every month," added Marc Andreyko. "Each issue should have a beginning, a middle and an end. We've lost that."

"When 'okay' storytelling costs $2.99, it's just not worth it," said Dennis Calero. The point was further made by another panelist that there's sticker shock when you arrive at the register and the clerk says, "That'll be $75."

Left to Right: Diana Williams, Dennis Calero, FJ Desanto

I know that for myself, as a 44-year-old woman whose grandfather collected comics, I stopped buying them in the 1980s when crossover madness made it impossible to keep up with what was going on. Add in the rapid rise in prices at the time, and a poor college student such as myself couldn't keep lining the comic book companies' pockets. And I did see the ploy for what it was -- forcing fans to buy four comics instead of one. I had to drop them all. Recently, I've tried to get back into some of my favorite titles, but there are so many versions and alternate universes for each one, I have absolutely no clue what's happening and there is no jumping-in point any longer, as if they're all perpetually accelerating mag-lev trains.

In a nutshell, the panelists are absolutely right. So what about the next generation of readers?

"I picked up a book where Superman was married, and that turned me off to comics for twenty years," said panel moderator Jeff Krelitz. "Aquaman was getting a divorce, and I had to wonder, "How much of that is what the writers are going through?'"

Clearly, overly complex storylines, crossovers, cover prices and "socially relevant real-life" scenarios are not working, and are not bringing in new readers. What will? Jeff Newelt has some ideas.

"When things are shared a zillion times a day on Twitter, Facebook and so on, it's an easy click over to Amazon for the print version. Digital will feed print," he said.

"Saving print is the point," said Calero. "In the future they'll say, 'You used to kill trees to make books? How weird.' But it's an association that's generational." Andreyko goes as far as to call it "nostalgia porn." In the Archaia panel the next day, however, an attendee made the point that their higher-quality papers and products don't shy away from print, but instead they embrace the medium.

Left to Right: Jeff Newelt, Marc Andreyko

It's not a battle between print versus digital. Instead, they can compliment and help each other.

"The connection with the end user and delivery to them is so fragmented," said Adrian Askarieh. "Transmedia helps solve that."

"Anyone under fifteen... digital is all they've known," pointed out Diana Williams. Unfortunately, most companies miss the mark in capturing these new fans. "Disney and Lucas are the kings of telling a story in different media."

"Make the early stuff accessible and cheap," said Andreyko.

"There needs to be education to the general public about digital comics," said Newelt. "It's mostly only core comics fans. It's also too partitioned -- 'comics are this, video games are this, movies are this,' and so on. It's about taking something and having it work organically across the board."

"I've never seen an industry so big market themselves so poorly," added Desanto.

But it's far more than marketing and accessibility. "Storytelling is just as important for getting new readers," said Krelitz. "What about putting Spider-Man and Batman out in all these new media?"

"It's great if the content doesn't suck," replied Desanto.

"When it backfires, you lose them FOREVER," Andreyko said dramatically into the microphone. Or for at least twenty years, in the case of Krelitz.

At the close of the panel, we saw two examples of motion comics, the first being Fall Out Toy Works with professional voice talent done by Anna Faris. The second, aimed at ages eight and younger, was much more comic book-like and was a simplified retelling of the current Tron film, using the same actor audio tracks and additional narration. In both, I found myself questioning where the "comic book" ended and where small-scale animation began.

Being one of the aging generation of comic book fans that grew up on paper books only, I'm not convinced that "the kids" will look at a motion comic and desire the traditional paper editions -- I see them simply asking for more motion comics.

Is Calero right? Will images printed on dead trees be looked on as a curiosity of the primitive past? Or will the human need for the tactile experience always create a demand for the easily created and portable humble comic book on paper? Time will tell, and the question bears ongoing examination, especially at excellent and thought-provoking panels like this one.

L to R: Diana Williams, Adrian Askarieh (back), Dennis Calero (front), Jeff Krelitz, Marc Andreyko, FJ Desanto, Jeff Newelt

Priest will have you praying for more

2011-04-04T12:46:00.000-07:00

This genre-busting film, based on the graphic novel by Min-Woo Hyung, is set in an alternative world ravaged by centuries of war between man and vampires. The story revolves around a legendary Warrior Priest (Paul Bettany) from the last Vampire War who now lives in obscurity among the other downtrodden human inhabitants in walled-in dystopian cities ruled by the Church. When his niece (Lily Collins) is abducted by a murderous pack of vampires, Priest breaks his sacred vows to venture out on an obsessive quest to find her before they turn her into one of them. He is joined on his crusade by his niece’s boyfriend (Cam Gigandet), a trigger-fingered young wasteland sheriff, and a former Warrior Priestess (Maggie Q) who possesses otherworldly fighting skills.

Before you roll your eyes about "sparkly vampires" (Which Cam himself did plenty of times, both at the preview screening and at the interview tables), these are not that. The vampires of Priest are incredibly creepy monsters that look like slimy alien panthers without eyes, not charming Transylvanians wearing capes or pale dreamy boyfriends. They're fast and nimble animals who, when they bite a human, create servant "familiars" that are much more like the traditional twisted vampires of Nosferatu. The masters and servants are supposedly relegated to "reservations" after the end of the Vampire War, but obviously all is not well when some manage to escape and kidnap Priest's niece Lucy.

The world is both futuristic and retro, with elements of Bladerunner and classic westerns merged seamlessly into something new. There are martial arts battles with bikers, a chase and fight scene on top of a strange behemoth of a train as it races through the endless desert, vampire hunts through a labyrinthine concrete bunker, and scenes of loyalty and betrayal inside the massive Church.

The 3D conversion was seamless, and it does add an extra element without being distracting, but it wasn't entirely necessary for this film. For those familiar with Legion, Priest has approximately three times the budget of director Scott Stewart's earlier effort, and you can definitely see the money and directorial experience on the screen. This is one intense thrill ride with a different take on vampires that we haven't seen before. Add in heart-stopping martial arts fight sequences and the gritty eye-candy of the world all this takes place in, and you've got a movie that will be talked about all summer and beyond. Opens in theaters on (ironically) Friday the 13th of May.

Archaia flying boldly ahead, sans costumes

2011-04-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

"We don't do superheroes, and we never will," said Archaia Editor-in-Chief Stephen Christy, which may sound like a dire statement to some, but not when you take a look at the projects Archaia has coming up this year and into 2012. This rapidly growing company is truly one to keep your eye on. At the panel Saturday morning, they outlined several major projects in the works, including the ancient Greek action film Immortals, starring Henry Cavill, coming out 11/11/11. UFN prefers to cover the present-day, however "alternate universe" that present may be, and other media outlets are all over Immortals, so we decided to focus on some of Archaia's other offerings.

Their partnership with the Henson company has gained them access to Jim Henson's vaults, including stories and screenplays that were created but never produced. One of these is the beloved television series, The Storyteller. Several episodes that never saw the light of day were discovered, and new ones are being crafted into a volume of graphic novels by different writers and artists in the same style.

A project I'm excited about is A Tale of Sand. It's a complete original screenplay that was created in the 1960s when Jim Henson was still an up-and-coming indy filmmaker, and Archaia is making it into a word-for-word graphic novel adaptation from the script. As the story goes, a man wakes up and finds that he's in the middle of a desert, but doesn't know how he got there, what happened to civilization, or how to get out to safety. It's his journey across the sand to try and find his life again. "I describe it to people as 127 Hours meets Alice in Wonderland if directed by Jim Henson," said Christy when asked what the story is about.

I'd seen the name Lucid being tossed around before, but didn't really know what it was, so I was excited to learn that this is one book I'll be buying for myself when it comes out this fall. It's on the "Archaia Black" label and is also a project of Before the Door, one of the partners of that company being Zachary Quinto. Lucid has manga-style artwork by Anna Wieszczyk and is written by Michael McMillian, who I had the pleasure of meeting at a signing on Saturday. What if Harry Potter grew up and went to work for the government as part of a secret cold war of magicians? That's the premise of Lucid, and it's one I greatly look forward to.

One more project particularly caught my eye, and that's Bleedout. I've been aware of peak oil for years, so to have a comic book devoted to different scenarios of how we'll be living when the oil runs out is very exciting. Since the earth is not gifted with a creamy nougat center of oil, or self-replenishing, we will be running out some day. This book, coming out in the fall, features a number of new writers and artists telling their post-oil stories. I have some scenarios of my own, so I can't wait to see what other people think about how this very real future will play out.

The Archaia folks are gracious, smart and true rising stars in the industry, with unique media partnerships and sharp attention to detail. The high quality of all their products is a clear sign of their commitment to a print publishing future. Specially-bound books, thick papers and high-quality printing are all designed for a tactile experience that you can't get on a Kindle or at the variety store spinner rack (yes, they still exist). Again, keep an eye on Archaia, they're headed for the stars.

Supernatural anime coming soon

2011-04-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

Supernatural, noted for its creative storytelling of the occult during its first six seasons on The CW Network, has also achieved great popularity across the planet – particularly in Japan. Inspired by its overseas following, Warner Home Video Japan and animation studio Madhouse combined forces to envision the show as an anime series – first released in Japan and now translated for American audiences.

Supernatural: The Anime Series revisits the Winchester brothers’ journey down the backroads of America as they search for clues to their father’s disappearance, hunt down the supernatural in all its unearthly forms, and enter into the unexpected mystery of their destinies. The Supernatural anime episodes mirror the story arc of the series’ first two seasons, providing supplemental stories ranging from prequels and spin-offs to untold tales that fit within the show's mythology.

Enhancing the connection to the live-action series, Supernatural star Jared Padalecki reprises his role as Sam Winchester for all 22 episodes. Padalecki’s co-star Jensen Ackles also provides the voice of Dean Winchester in select anime episodes.

Padalecki and Ackles are also ever-present in the Blu-ray™ and DVD enhanced content. The co-stars provide a video introduction to each of the 22 anime episodes, and are also featured in a series of interviews that include conversations with live-action series creator Eric Kripke, and anime series directors Shigeyuki Miya and Atsuko Ishizuka.

Special features on the Blu-ray™ and DVD also include a two-part featurette, “The Making of Supernatural: The Anime Series,” an intriguing behind-the-scenes revelation of how the live-action series was re-imagined into its new art form.

Madhouse, working with full approval of Kripke, produced the series in full high-definition animation utilizing both American and Japanese creative teams. The Madhouse production team is headed by executive supervisor Masao Maruyama and directors Miya and Ishizuka. Takahiro Yoshimatsu and Kenichi Takefuji are in charge of character and art design.

As the 2010 People's Choice Award winner for Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show, Supernatural continues to increase in popularity in the US and abroad. In addition to its three nominations for both Emmy^® Awards and Teen Choice Awards, the show has spawned 10 books, a bi-monthly magazine, a comic book series, and now an anime series.

“The worldwide popularity of Supernatural is undeniable, eclipsing cultural and language barriers to easily fit into the unique artistic approach and alternative style of storytelling offered in anime,” said Rosemary Markson, Vice President, TV and Special Interest Marketing. “This groundbreaking vision of the popular series will give fans an altogether new experience, mixing familiar themes and characters with intriguing new stories from within the series’ haunting mythology. Fans of the anime genre will enjoy this high quality, one-of-a-kind production as well.”

Select episodes will be screened to fans at anime and entertainment conventions leading up to the July release date. In addition, the release will be supported with an online and print media campaign, targeting both Supernatural fans and fans of the anime genre.

The all-new, 22-episode animated series will be distributed July 26, 2011 by Warner Home Video on Blu-ray™ for $54.97 (SRP) and DVD for $49.98 (SRP), as well as On Demand and for Download.

New adaptation of Servant of the Bones coming in August

2011-04-04T00:31:00.000-07:00

IDW Publishing is proud to announce a new partnership with best-selling author Anne Rice (Interview with a Vampire, Queen of the Damned), kicking off with a new six-issue adaptation of Servant of the Bones. Rice, the creator of fantastic worlds filled with vampires and witches, takes fans back to the time of Isaiah and Jeremiah, and the destruction of Solomon's Temple, to tell the story of Azriel, the Servant of the Bones.

“This is an exciting adaptation! IDW has certainly chosen the finest artists and writers for this project,” said Rice. “The script is marvelous. Renae De Liz’s penciling has captured my characters exquisitely. Ray Dillon’s colors are alive and gorgeous. This Servant of the Bones adaptation is perfect!”

IDW's adaptation of Servant of the Bones will be written by Mariah McCourt, with art by Renae DeLiz and Ray Dillon. This opulent tale will take readers from ancient Babylon to modern day New York City, from the madness of fanaticism to the peace of faith. Once again Anne Rice fans will be able to enjoy her talent in delivering melancholic and psychologically charged moods through this newly adapted version of one of her most recognized works.

In Servant of the Bones, Azriel is an immortal spirit who is bound to the gold-encased bones of his mortal body. Throughout the story, he struggles to understand whether he is a ghost, genie, demon or angel. He shares his story with the reader as he travels from an ancient Babylon of royal plots and religious upheavals to Europe during the Black Death and on to the modern world in New York City. Amidst the towers of Manhattan, he finds himself in confrontation with his own human memories and the dark forces that have sought to condemn him to a life of evil and destruction.

“Servant of the Bones is a deeply layered, lush, and lyrical story. It's visually rich, compelling, and asks the really big questions about life, love and death,” said IDW editor Mariah Huehner. “We're very excited to be working with Anne Rice, one of the most prolific writers of this generation, and we just hope we can do the story the justice it deserves. Getting to work with Renae DeLiz and Ray Dillon, the remarkable team behind The Last Unicorn, assures me that we can.”

SERVANT OF THE BONES #1 ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available August 2011.

Article roundup and an apology

2011-04-04T00:17:00.000-07:00

The Archaia article is done, but the extremely sad internet connection I seem to have at the moment is not letting me upload the video clips of the panel, so I'll post the article tomorrow morning without the video interludes, and add them when they're finally up. I'm sorry for the delay!

Now, on to the articles still to come over the next few days as time allows:

PRIEST: I have a ton of material on this new film, including individual interviews with the director, graphic novel creator, and three of the actors (including Paul Bettany), plus I'll review the footage I saw that is guaranteed to kick your brain's ass.

BREA & ZANE GRANT: This sibling team gave us an exclusive interview about their comic We Will Bury You and other upcoming projects. Brea also gave us some fun insights about her time on Heroes.

EVOLUTION OF COMICS IN THE TRANSMEDIA SPACE: An interesting panel discussing how comics can move deeper into the digital age, how to capture new readers, and the issues with traditional print comics.

TRIGGER MEN: A bromantic comedy about killing the elderly. No, really! This indie comic has a lot of potential.

THE NEXT GENERATION: Kids making comics! I paid a visit to the Prescott Elementary School table and discovered some gems.

LUCID: My review of the fascinating new comic from Archaia, which involves a secret political war between the world's mages.

JEPH LOEB: Just a short anecdotal article about haunting the new head of Marvel Television for an hour during his booth signing.

...AND PROBABLY MORE! I've got a stack of comics and loads of material to dig into for these, so please be patient as we roll these articles and more out over the coming week or two. After that... more interviews are lined up, including artist Dennis Calero! Stay tuned to UFN, and spread the word!

Watch for Falling Skies this summer

2011-04-03T13:45:00.000-07:00

The first media panel of WonderCon this year, and the first panel I attended, was for the new TNT show Falling Skies. As I outlined in the Friday roundup post, this is a new show produced by Dreamworks and written by Mark Verheiden (of Heroes, also co-executive producer) and Melinda Hsu (of Lost), and co-executive produced and directed by Greg Beeman (also of Heroes).

Unlike most "alien invasion" concepts, this one starts six months after the world-changing event, which occurs in the present day around the world. "The shock has gone away," said Verheiden. "Now they can focus on how to survive. It has a different tone than 'oh my god, they're attacking.'"

The aliens have set off an electromagnetic pulse, which has destroyed or made useless anything involving electricity. They're also kidnapping teens for slave labor, keeping them in line with zombie-like actions via some kind of creature that attaches to the back of the neck and extends down the spine. The spooky thing is that nobody knows why they're being taken and used in this way. In one scene we saw, they were simply piling up scrap metal, piece-by-piece, like robots. Why do the aliens want this scrap metal in a pile? Why are they even on earth at all? The interesting thing about Falling Skies is that because the humans involved don't know the answers, neither does the audience, helping you feel like you're right there in the trenches with the resistance.

The overall creepiness of the show is definitely pegging the red from the footage we saw. One fellow reporter was so creeped out by the six-legged "skitter" creatures that she doesn't think she'll be able to watch it. She described it as "Dark Angel meets Terminator." Add something like Aliens or The Thing into the mix, and it's pretty close. Falling Skies is extremely dark and gritty, as the entire story focuses around hiding from the aliens, fighting the aliens, rescuing people from the aliens, and trying to find supplies while the six-legged "skitters" or huge robotic "mechs" lurk around every corner ready to kill any humans without a second thought. Except the teens, that is. Those are needed for... something.

I was concerned about the constant barrage of darkness, violence, and even hopelessness, especially as the trailer starts off with drawings children have made of witnessing their friends and family being killed by the invaders. The children seem to be losing hope that they will even see their parents from one day to the next, as all able-bodied adults are part of the resistance. I talked to Hsu about this, and she said there would definitely be quieter moments and never a complete loss of hope. One of the clips we saw showed a daytime shot of a small group of humans setting up a campsite in the overgrown back yard of an empty house. Two of the characters go up to a girl's bedroom overlooking the yard, which gives a bittersweet sense of loss. The room is normal, rather than ravaged, and the characters muse briefly on who the girl might have been as they sit down on her bed and talk. We ache for this girl and wonder if she's been taken captive, or killed, or is still on the run somewhere, and we hope that she makes it back to her award ribbons and toy horse collection.

"Keep your eye on the skitters," Verheiden said with a little sly smile. "You think they're one thing at first, and then maybe they're something else."

Like the skitters, this modern-day battle for freedom and independence is complex and not entirely what it seems. Even among the surviving humans there's conflict. The soldiers may have been destroyed in the first wave of the invasion, but now a citizen's militia has taken a firm hold, with two factions taking hold -- the military, whose sole purpose is to fight off the aliens, and the civilians who just want to give their kids a better life like the one they had before the aliens came.

The guns are real, the props are real and the issues are real. What if this happened to you? What would you do? Is it worth your life to try and grab that can of food in the street? What would your role in this fight be?

Falling Skies was originally titled Concord, after the battle of Lexington in America's own war of independence. The common person is thrust into a role of combat, and we empathize with their struggle and examine what choices we would make throughout. This is definitely one show people will be talking about this summer and beyond. Premieres June 19 on TNT.

WonderCon day one roundup

2011-04-01T23:13:00.000-07:00

So much to say, so little time! It's late, and I have a ton of material to cover, so let's get right to it.

After getting my badge and visiting some booths and tables, the first event was an interview with the energetic Brea Grant, known for her roles as Jean on Friday Night Lights, and speedster Daphne on Heroes, and her brother Zane Grant. The pair have several projects in the works, including We Will Bury You from IDW, and a couple of other interesting urban fantasy tales involving the use of magic. Good stuff, and the complete transcript of the interview with photos will be up ASAP.

Then it was on to the Falling Skies panel. This is a new show produced by Dreamworks and written by Mark Verheiden (of Heroes, also co-executive producer) and Melinda Hsu (of Lost), and co-executive produced and directed by Greg Beeman (also of Heroes) who was scheduled to appear but didn't make it. I was very impressed by it, and can see some of the vibe of season one Heroes amongst the extremely dark and gritty (and, in some ways, horrific) tale that we saw the footage for. In talking to Hsu at the Dark Horse booth after the panel, she assured me that the show does have hope and brighter moments. Falling Skies focuses on the humanity of the situation less than the CG eye candy of the aliens themselves, much as Heroes focused on the people, not the powers. Again, more on that panel and what I saw there as I'm able to post it. Definitely a show to put on your watch list.

Opposite the Green Lantern panel, and poorly attended as a result, was The Evolution of Comics in the Transmedia Space. It's a shame, because it was an excellent panel featuring producers, artists, writers and other top talents in the comics industry discussing how old-fashioned print comics are spiraling down fast, and how to save the genre by exploring how comics can work in the digital age. We were treated to footage of the Fall Out Boy (Double Barrel) and Tron (Disney) motion comics, as well as a spirited, thought-provoking discussion. More on that coming soon!

Capping off the night was an exclusive screening of footage and the "sizzle reel" from Priest, the upcoming film starring Paul Bettany as one of a supernatural "priest" caste of vampire hunters. But these vampires are like none we've ever seen before, and will creep you the eff out when you finally see them on screen. I'm still getting shivers over the sounds they make. They are very alien, and very much do not sparkle in any way, shape or form whatsoever. This is Legion's super badass big brother who will knock you around the block, and you'll want to take pictures of the cool bruises.

Speaking of Priest and Paul Bettany, I'm going to be interviewing director Scott Stewart, Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet, Lily Collins and Min-Woo Hyung tomorrow, and I couldn't be more excited. The footage I saw went far beyond my expectations, and I think this will do well at the box office when it opens in a few weeks.

I've already hooked up with a lot of people and made some new friends, so beyond the articles outlined above, there are articles and interviews galore coming soon, including information about a new Jim Henson project from Archaia Comics, and some independent comics you've never heard of (but should, and will after I spotlight them in the near future). And this is only day one! Stay tuned, tons more coming tomorrow!

Rondo Hatton Horror Awards announced

2011-03-31T19:23:00.000-07:00

The restored version of the 1925 silent film Metropolis and the popular zombie franchise The Walking Dead each were double winners Wednesday in the 9th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards, a fan-based recognition of the best in classic horror, science fiction and fantasy.

Voters also decided that The Black Swan, the dark and stylish thriller that earned star Natalie Portman an Oscar, would add a Rondo as Best Film of 2010, narrowly topping Inception and the remake of The Wolfman.

The Rondo awards, named after Rondo Hatton, an obscure B-movie villain of the 1940s, celebrate the best in classic horror research, creativity and film preservation. This year's e-mail vote, conducted by the Classic Horror Film Board, a 16-year old online community, drew more than 2,900 votes as fans chose among 30 categories.

A special nod goes out to UFN friend Shem Andre Byron and Terrance Zdunich, whose collaborative multimedia project The Tutor earned a Special Recognition Award. Congrats!

Now "hiring" correspondents

2011-03-30T00:25:00.000-07:00

UFN is actively looking for genre fans around the world who would like to add their voices to this blog. We can’t pay anything (yet), but that could change as UFN grows over the years to come. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither were the top websites and blogs that started small and have become the industry’s powerhouses, like Ain’t It Cool News.

Ideally, we would like female correspondents because women need greater representation in the sci-fi and fantasy genres, and have a unique perspective on books, shows, and video games. However, any aspiring or veteran writer may apply.

Depending on your experience, reliability and skill, one benefit UFN may be able to offer is free exclusive press pass access to your favorite events, including Comic-Con San Diego, Dragon*Con, Arisia, Marcon, WonderCon, Big Apple Comic Con, The Saturn Awards, movie premieres and parties, or any of hundreds of other conventions and press events across the country. A press pass is your free ticket in, and gains you special access to red-carpet press events and interviews so that you can cover them fully for our readers here at UFN.

Requirements: You must demonstrate superior writing skills, must be able to conduct a professional interview with top industry talent, must be reliable and trustworthy, and must provide your own equipment.

When contacting us, please explain why you would like to blog for UFN, list your qualifications, and we’ll go from there. Good luck, and Excelsior!

Click here to contact Bombergirl at UFN!

Being Human gets more American in season 2

2011-03-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

In an extensive article in the current Fangoria, the cast of Being Human (the new American version) spoke out at a recent press event, discussing character development, where the series is headed, and more.

Even though reception has been lukewarm for the American version of the popular British BBC show, the three principle actors and Mark Stern, president of Syfy’s original content, were all universally impressed by the quality of the scripts they were given, and strive to do the BBC original justice.

“We are trying to do right by our British brethren,” said Sam Witwer (Aiden, the vampire) during the panel. “We really are trying to compliment them and bring more viewers to their show, which they deserve. It’s an incredible concept. It lived up to its potential immediately.”

Stern was skeptical at first and didn't even look at the DVD he was given for months, thinking that a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost all sharing an apartment was a “one-joke premise.” But once he actually viewed the original show, he was impressed by, well, the humanity of the non-human characters and how the interact with each other and the world around them.

The show may have started out similar to the original, but watch for changes, especially in the upcoming season, which was recently green-lit by SyFy.

“We did do an actual chart,” said Stern. “How much is the British version and how much is ours? And you’ll definitely see the difference by the middle of the season. It’s just going to continue.”

Click here for the complete article over at Fangoria.

Inaugural Post - What is Urban Fantasy News?

2011-03-25T19:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Urban Fantasy News, the sisterchild of House Petrelli, of Heroes fame. Even though Heroes has (probably) ended (stay tuned for news on that), our interest in modern fantasy and speculative fiction hasn't, and never will.

Speculative fiction is the great "What If?" What if ordinary people suddenly discovered they had superpowers? What if you could take a pill and never have to sleep again? What if the world was actually one big computer simulation? What if you were immortal?

Urban Fantasy News covers the fantastic in the present. As much as we enjoy things like Sherlock Holmes or Halo, the focus of UFN is solely the comics, films, television shows, books, video games and more that take place in the present day, such as Iron Man, The Matrix, Tron, Being Human, Dead Rising and so on.

So what's in store for UFN?

Our next event is WonderCon in San Francisco, April 1 & 2. We've gotten some great press-only invitations, so look for our first exclusive UFN content next weekend (and keep your fingers crossed for some killer interviews we've requested). We'll also be posting links to hot articles, and continue our perennial photo op favorite, Where's Peter?

Want to be part of UFN? We're looking for regional reporters, so if you're interested in submitting content, please contact us here or via Twitter and we'll talk!

That's all for now. Stay tuned to this channel for news of the fantastic!