The Latest in Comic Book News

So you may have heard of SMALLVILLE’s “Absolute Justice” special. Just maybe.

There were doubts, particularly regarding Hawkman’s costume, but the proof’s in the pudding and the two-hour long episode has proven an “absolute” smash.

According to Comics Continuum, “Absolute Justice” scored the CW’s best Friday night performance for adults and men ages 18 – 49, since September ’08 (adults and men? I suppose they're factoring for man-childs).  It was the highest-rated telecast in those same demographics for this season of SMALLVILLE and “built-in” a good 14 % of viewers for the second hour.  

Not too shabby. The episode, of course, was written by fan-favorite Geoff Johns and marked the first live-action appearance of the Justice Society of America.   If you’re beating yourself up over missing the show last week, we’ve got you covered.  Peep some choice clips of the JSA in action here  and here.  

I’ve never gotten into the SMALLVILLE, but I’ll tip my hat and do a curtsy to Johns and the people behind the show.   How long has this show been on the air, now? Since 2001? Sheesh… the CW was UPN and the WB back then, and I was still in high school. To have a show going for nine years straight is a feat in itself, let alone for it to be performing as well as this. But feats are what Superman's all about (even if he isn't Superman, yet). 

I do also find it ironic that the Justice Society’s beaten the Justice League to getting their own officially televised live-action turn on screen. You might recall that ridiculous, unused JLA pilot from ’97 that never got picked up. Previously, you could only witness it on degraded bootlegs at conventions. But, now, through the magic of the internet, you can see it for yourself.  

 

Compare and contrast the two. It’ll be fun.

-- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia Comics.   Watch out for the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover collection this March - - available for pre-order now on Amazon.com.

 

Three stars makes for a good time, but four makes it a party! Tim Robbins has signed on to star in the GREEN LANTERNmovie. Who could he be playing? Maybe Sinestro? Possibly Ganthet? Potentially Kilowog?  
 

No, according to the Hollywood Reporter, he’s actually playing Senator Hammond, the “disapproving father” of the psychic-powered Hector Hammond, who’ll be played by Peter Sarsgaard. They’ll be joining Ryan Reynolds, of course, who’ll be starring as “Highball” Hal Jordan and Blake Lively, who’ll portray Jordan’s sometimes-girlfriend and sometimes-supervillainess, Carol Ferris.

THR’s Heat Vision adds a little aside to mention that this will actually be Robbins’ second comic-based movie second role in over 23 years.   Now, you know what that really means…

TRIVIA TIME!

Pull up a bowl of Buffalo wings, put on your thinking cap and strap on your trivia… goggles. See if you can guess the name of Robbins’ prior comics connection before I finish counting down these hints.

1. It was one of the first (if not the first, actually) Marvel properties to get a big screen adaptation. 
2. It also starred Jeffery Jones and Leigh Thompson, who performed a rock show theme song at the end.  
3.  It was one of George Lucas’ only bombs at the box office and has often been called one of the worst movies ever. 
4.  The main character practiced a bird-based martial art that was NOT crane-style kung fu. 
5.  If the movie were made in today’s health-conscious climate, said main character would probably have to stamp out his stogie.

 
Have you guessed? Were those blue’s clues adequate?

-- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia Comics.   Watch out for the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover collection this March - - available for pre-order now on Amazon.com. 

Here we go, another member of the Secret Avengers. This one is clearly wearing a cape. Wearing a cape and bowing their head for some reason. Who stands like that? 

I have to admit, at a first quick glance, Hobgoblin sprang to mind. I know it's definitely not him (although how effin' cool would that be?).  We have someone wearing a cape and what appears to be shoulder pads underneath? It's on the tip of my brain (not that my brain actually has a tip). I feel like I've seen this pose before. Someone has to have a better idea? Remember Secret Avengers will be drawn by Mike Deodato (and written by Brubaker). Could this be Sentry? Beta Ray Thor? Superman?

Last month Mark Millar and Dynamic Forces had a benefit auction where the winner's name would be used for the "world's smartest cop" on task to try to take down Nemesis, the world's only super villain. The winning bid ended up being $8400 and went to assist handicapped children.  Millar and Dynamic Forces have teamed up again to raise even more money. 
 
Now that the hero has a name, it's time to give one to the villain, Nemesis.  That's right, the winner's name will be used as Nemesis' secret identity! 

"Can I just say a huge thank you to everyone who participated in the first auction," said Mark Millar.  "The kids and staff at my brother's school were delighted and the $8,400 raised means a quarter of their target has been reached already. I had chosen a good secret identity for Nemesis himself, but it seems almost selfish not to auction this now too and possibly reach the halfway line the kids need for this bus. I'm amazed how much cash was raised the first time around, but am hoping the auction to name the TITLE character raises even more. Dave Lizewski loves the fact he's the lead in the Kick-Ass comic, movie and upcoming video-game and I'm hoping whoever wins this new auction is equally delighted. A huge thanks to them for finding the cash in these difficult times."    

How can you become the namesake for Mark Millar's next cool new character?  Head over to ebay and start bidding.  The starting bid was only $99 and right now it is currently at $501.99.  The auction ends on February 11 so you'd better get on this.

According to CBC News, super-amazing-writer Neil Gaiman has hooked up with the BBC to do something super epic:

 Neil Gaiman has confirmed rumours that he will pen an episode for a forthcoming season of the iconic British series... He revealed that his episode — originally titled "The House of Nothing," but since changed — will air in approximately 14 months.

Mr. Gaiman's upcoming episode won't actually appear until the second season of Matt Smith's stint so don't get too excited yet. The new season of Doctor Who will air on BBC in March, featuring many episodes written by my favorite current Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat, who wrote the 3rd season's episode "Blink."
 
This official 5th season kicks off soon with a great writing staff, and then we see one of the, in my opinion, best comic book writers of all time taking an episode in the 6th season.
 
If you're not excited about this, check your pulse. Who else can barely contain themselves?
 
    ~ Mat Elfring (InferiorEgo) is a comedian, teacher, comic store employee, comic book writer, and the War Chief. Yes, I love Doctor Who enough to make really obscure references.  ~     

The man who began Batman and then darkened his knight will now lead the Man of Steel back up into the sky.   DARK KNIGHT director Christopher Nolan has been hired by Warner Brothers to guide the new Superman movie they’ve been trying to make since 2006…

Relax, now.   It doesn’t look like Mr. Nolan will actually be directing this.   

Instead he’ll be a “godfather” to the production.   I don’t know if that means he’ll be producing or executive producing, or if this is an entirely new kind of job title that will run in the credits.    Maybe he’ll be make possible financiers an offer they can’t refuse, ah?

How will SUPERMAN RETURNS relate to this?   According to one of Nikki Finke’s cadre of insider sources… the film “would definitely not be a follow-up."  Another source went into more detail,  saying…

“It Nolan [sic] coming on board follows a hiatus period for Superman after that 2006 reboot as the studio tried to figure out whether or not to make a sequel to that version starring Brandon Routh directed by Bryan Singer. As recently as this summer, Warner Bros was still contemplating how to proceed. We were told that ‘Bryan or Brandon are not completely out of it yet.’ But Warner Bros doesn't have a handle yet on it, either.”

The franchise has been dogged with various false starts over the years, with Tim Burton and Brent Ratner being attached as directors and Nicholas Cage and Josh Hartnet being attached as stars.  I recall some statement a while back about the Wachowski Brothers even getting brought on to revamp the series, as well.  After all of that, a source at Warner Bros. shared...

“We know what we don't want to do. But we don't know what we want to do. We learned a lot from the last movie, and we want to get it right this time."  

While the last thing I want to see is a Superman movie that’s as restrained and down-to-Earth as the new Batman movies, I’ve learned to trust in Nolan.   DARK KNIGHT was my favorite flick of ‘08, THE PRESTIGE my favorite of ’06 and I’m seriously pumped for this summer’s INCEPTION.   Even if he's only "godfathering" this project, the guy knows what he’s doing.

 
 
 -- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia Comics.   Watch out for the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover collection this March - - available for pre-order now on Amazon.com. 

Whoa… I did not see this one coming.  

Out of all the bidders looking to “make the fate” of the Terminator series and win the franchise rights from the Halycon Company, it wasn’t Sony Pictures nor Lionsgate that walked away with the keys to Cyberdyne.   It was…

..the Pacificor hedge fund?

Nikki Finke just broke the news, and the story of the five-hour-long auction’s as intense as the future war itself (I’m sure HBO will do a cable-only movie about it in ten years).   Halcyon and Pacificor seem about as bitterly opposed as John Connor and Skynet.   Pacificor was the creditor that pushed Halcyon into bankruptcy and Halcyon later demanded $30 million in damages in a suit, crying “extortion, bribery and fraud.”   So, it doesn’t seem like too great a coincidence that the franchise rights sold for $29.5 million, just half-a-mil shy of those damages fees.

There’s really no precedent to judge Pacificor by.   It isn’t a studio with prior credits to assess, nor statements to evaluate like the one an anonymous Lionsgate employee made to Finke.

"We're going to fight one hell of a fight [for the rights.]  [Lionsgate plans for] a complete re-boot, back to basics, with real emotional stories, and effects that will be secondary.”

Truth be told, the prospect of rebooting the franchise and bringing it back to basics doesn't sound that appealing to me, either. I'd rather see another chapter in the future war, but there's really no point in speculating either way at this point.
 
This is the newest knot in the Terminator series' already-complicated tapestry of rights and ownership.  I recall one of the reasons it took seven years for T2 to get made after the first movie was the difficulty producer Mario Kassar had securing the rights from the now-defunct Hemdale Pictures to get the sequel produced at Carolco (which is now defunct, too).  You'll notice, as well, that each movie is licensed separately, explaining why you a THE TERMINATOR comic from one publisher and a TERMINATOR 2 comic from another.  Its almost as convoluted as the movies' time travel-paradoxes.

-- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia Comics.   Watch out for the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover collection this March - - available for pre-order now on Amazon.com. 

When did the Spider-Mobile hulk out?
 
 
 
Nelson Ribeiro of Marvel trades’ official blog recently journeyed to Uniondale, NY’s Nassau Coliseum for the Monster Jam Freestyle Mania (Mania... mania... mania!).   There he witnessed Spidey’s latest incarnation in the licensing multiverse.   You’ve already got 1602 English apprentice Spidey and EARTH X burnt-out cop Spidey and toothpaste Spidey and underwear Spidey… now, you have the furious, crushing, big-wheeling MONSTER TRUCK SPIDEY!

Samson. Crazy Train. Rap Attack. Avenger. Grave Digger (GRAVE DIGGAH!!! RAWK…!). It sounds like the line-up of a new super-team (maybe the SECRET AVENGERS?). Actually, those were the competitors Spidey squared off against in a monster truck wheelie Contest of Champions.

“And who won?” you ask, with fervor.

Spider-Man, of course. The dude can take on Sinister Six already. He can handle the Monster Truck Five.

Now, if I were the driver, I’d jump out of the truck and start doing the dirty bird all around the stadium. But according to Ribeiro, Spidey’s driver was a much more gracious winner than I and…

…living up to the Spider-man code of ethics [ he] ran up into the crowd and gave his trophy away to one lucky fan!

Why wasn’t I invited to this? I love monster trucks. I wasn’t even there and I can already smell in my “mind’s nose” that distinct smoky aroma of cigars, beer, churros, diesel fuel and pandemonium that surely filled the arena.

In addition to the monster truck madness, there were apparently free-style motorcross, BMX and all other kinds of performances going on, as well. I can already picture the tie-ins. A Ghost Rider motorcycle blazing around the stadium.   A Daredevil BMX pulling off the death-defying 50-foot-high spins and flips that Ribeiro describes.

But enough of my fantasy associations, Comic Vine community. I’ve got the big wheel turning here - - let’s hear yours!

-- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia Comics.   Watch out for the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover collection this March - - available for pre-order now on Amazon.com. 

Marvel has been revealing its line up for the new Avengers relaunch book due in May from Brian Michael Bendis and John Romita Jr. As we've slowly been seeing more and more images, questionable ones have also started popping up.  "Questionable"? Okay, they're fake, obviously. I feel it's my duty to inform you here that these are not official. I don't want anyone to get their hopes up and then let down when it's discovered that these characters will not be joining the Avengers. 
 
A UK site, 3MillionYears posted a few earlier today. Check them out: 







 
And that's not all of them. sora_thekey posted this in his blog last week: 

How about one more? immortalfireboy Tweeted this at our direction the other day: 

 
Have you seen others? Are you motivated enough to make your own?

Almost a month ago we ran images and the synopsis for the Smallville episode, "Warrior."  It was originally set to air on January 29 but was bumped back to this week.  This is the episode where Zatanna returns to Smallville.  This is also the episode where Lois is dressed in a female warrior outfit at a comic book convention (and looks suspiciously like Wonder Woman). 

METROPOLIS HOSTS A COMIC BOOK CONVENTION — DC COMICS’ CHARACTER ZATANNA RETURNS — Clark (Tom Welling) meets Zatanna (guest star Serinda Swan) at a comic book convention, where she tells him her father charmed a copy of the comic book “Warrior Angel” and it holds magical powers.  A young man named Stephen (guest star Carlo Marks) steals the comic book and develops super powers, transforming himself into Warrior Angel and saving Chloe (Allison Mack) from a horrible accident. Meanwhile, Lois (Erica Durance) becomes jealous of Clark’s relationship with Zatanna.  Allison Mack directed the episode written by Bryan Q. Miller.     

 Here's a couple video clips The CW has put out to show you what to expect: 
         
     
Is this a worthy follow up to Absolute Justice?