'Superman' ruling rocks comics world

By now, news of last week’s ruling that restores to the heirs of Jerry Siegel part of the copyright to Superman has spread far and wide. (Variety's report focuses on the Siegels' attorney, Marc Toboroff, and his antagonistic relationship with WB.)  It’s impossible to not want to comment on this case, given the stature of the Siegel and Shuster in comicbook history and the implications it may have for one of the most popular characters in the world.

I could prattle on about the fascinating details for pages, but will refrain as many others have already done so better than I could and apologize even so for the length of this post. I confess to having read the judge’s full ruling, available from Jeff Trexler’s comprehensive site, more than once and will probably go over it again. It also has sent me back to Gerard Jones’ excellent book, “Men of Tomorrow,” which recounts in detail the origins of DC Comics, Superman and the entire comicbook industry and is highly recommended.

The real issue is what does this mean for Superman? The copyright that was reclaimed by the Siegels was only to the Superman material in Action Comics #1. Which may not seem too significant given the thousands of issues published since, except that that story establishes a heck of a lot about Superman, including his origin as an alien child sent from a dying planet, that he wears tights and a cape, his alter-ego of Clark Kent, Clark’s employment as a newspaper reporter, his faux mild-mannered behavior as Clark, the odd love triangle with beautiful reporter Lois, and powers including invulnerability, super speed, super strength and the ability to leap long distances through the air. That’s a lot, but not all of what we’ve come to know as the Superman mythos. There’s no Jimmy Olsen, flight powers, Fortress of Solitude, Perry White, Kryptonite, Lex Luthor, Brainiac or General Zod. (The Superboy mythos, including Smallville, the Kents and Lana Lang is part of a separate case the Siegels have filed.)

In the short term, the ruling seems like it won’t have much of an impact even if it is upheld on the inevitable appeal. The real impact would likely be behind the scenes as attorneys try to assign dollar values to the elements each party can claim ownership to since the copyright reverted in 1999. This would result in a massive and long overdue payday for the Siegels, especially given this ruling has opened the door for making WB account for its earnings from the character in other media. That means the studio would be on the hook for tens of millions of dollars to the Siegels for “Superman Returns,” various animated projects like “Justice League: The New Frontier,” the upcoming “Justice League of America” movie and any sequels to “Superman Returns.”

But given this complex situation, it's hard to imagine the character being significantly altered or departing DC/WB for another studio or publisher. Extricating the Action #1 elements from the rest of the Superman mythos and one side proceeding without the other appears practically impossible for either party. And since I also can’t imagine the Siegels have the interest at this point in creative control over the character’s comics or movies, DC and WB likely will be free to continue to do what they’ve been doing, with the only difference being that they will have to pay for the privilege of using someone else’s character.

What’s been disappointing in all this is that WB could have easily done more to help the Siegels and the Shusters — and could have done so while Jerry and Joe were still alive — not to mention avoided this hugely expensive legal dispute. WB bought DC in the late 1960s and was therefore free of the long history between DC founder Harry Donenfeld and the artists. Would it have been so hard to share with Siegel and Shuster a meaningful portion of the billions — yes, billions — Superman has brought in for the company? Yes, WB did in 1975 restore their credit, provide medical insurance and pay a small annual stipend to Siegel and Shuster, but the amounts involved were less than a pittance for so large a company.

The few fans who have been railing on message boards against the ruling out of fear it might affect the comics they buy should be ashamed of themselves for excusing the greed of a corporation that has done everything in its power to avoid compensating in any meaningful financial way the Siegels and Shusters. That the copyright act under which the Siegels were able to reclaim their copyright — as well as all subsequent revisions to said laws — was written to protect large companies’ interests in long-standing copyrights is a welcome irony in an otherwise tragic tale.

What this means for other characters has yet to be seen, but it’s certainly not a doom and gloom situation. The circumstances of the creation of the Action Comics #1 tale separate it from those of most other classic superheroes — particularly the Marvel ones, which appear to have been mostly created under conditions that qualify under the law as work for hire and are generally exempt from this kind of legal action.

This ruling also should serve as a cautionary tale for both creators and publishers: for creators to protect their rights to avoid losing control of their stories and characters, and for publishers to remember to treat fairly the creative talents that make your success possible.

Review: Logan #1

Creators: Brian K. Vaughan, writer; Eduardo Risso, artist
Marvel, 32 pages, color, $3.99; also available in a 24-page black-and-white edition for $3.99
So? Normally, a new Wolverine miniseries wouldn't elicit much interest from fans — but when it's written by Brian K. Vaughan, creator of "Y: The Last Man" and now writing for "Lost," and drawn by Eduardo Risso of "100 Bullets" fame, it's definitely worth a look. This comic, the first of three issues, was released in both a regular color edition and a black-and-white edition. If you only get one copy, get the black-and-white edition, which in a classy move excludes all the color ads and terrifically shows off Risso's astounding ink work. The story is as good a Wolverine story as Marvel has published in a long time. Set in Japan, Logan returns to the place where "he became a man" and flashes back to being a Japanese POW camp in World War II. His escape brings him into contact with an ethereal Japanese woman (he does have a tendency to fall for that type) and she protects him. This story doesn't reinvent the wheel, but the final page does present a plot twist that is sure to make the next two issues as cool to read and look at as this one is. Grade: A-

Review: Countdown to Final Crisis #7-5

Creators: Paul Dini, head writer; Adam Beechen, writer; Keith Giffen, story consultant; Tom Derenick, Mike Norton, Jim Starlin, Wayne Faucher, Jimmy Palmiotti and Rodney Ramos, artists.
DC Comics, 32 pages, color, $2.99 each
So? "Countdown" has taken a beating from fans for not being as good as "52," and many of their complaints through this weekly series have been legitimate. But to be fair, "Countdown" has improved tremendously in its second half in general and as the plot has begun to builds toward its conclusion in the most recent issues. I won't bother to go into too much detail about the specifics of the plot, but a plague has been unleashed through the multiverse, with the Monitors, Darkseid and the OMACs all lining up against the heroes for a big final showdown. The art in particular has been strong on these past few issues, which has helped make this a more compelling read. How well this series will hold up, though, is still up in the air. It took a long time and a good many issues that felt unfocused to get to this point, and I have the disappointing sense that "Countdown's" plot will not be resolved in its own pages, but rather in upcoming mega-crossover "Final Crisis." It seems the lesson of "Countdown" is to make sure that future weekly efforts find a laser-precise focus early on and stick with it, or risk becoming merely an expensive bridge between the publishing events that drive the superhero end of comics these days. Grade: B-

Review: Kick Ass #1

Creators: Mark Millar, writer; John Romita Jr., artist
Icon/Marvel, 32 pages, color, $2.99
So? Marvel's go-to guy Millar, writer of "Civil War," "The Ultimates" and now "Fantastic Four," goes out on his own to write the self-proclaimed "greatest superhero book of all time." Story is about Dave Lizewski, a nerdy young kid who decides to try to follow in real life the example of his favorite comicbook heroes and don a costume to fight crime. The results are equal parts hilarious and wince-inducing, helped tremendously by outstanding art by John Romita Jr., who remains one of comics most underrated stars despite 30 years in the business. What makes this a bit different from previous attempts at much the same concept is that Dave gets no real superpowers and the results go as bad for him as they would if someone were to try this in the real world. It's nice to see someone like Millar, who penned the Top Cow graphic novel behind "Wanted," the upcoming Angelina Jolie-James McAvoy pic, continue to experiment with a new idea when he surely would have his pick of any top Marvel or DC title to write. It may not quite live up to its own hype, but it's definitely a nice change of pace. Grade: A-

Review: Ghost Whisperer #1-2

Creators: Becca Smith and Carrie Smith, writers; Elena Casagrande, artist
IDW, 32 pages, color, $3.99 each
So? The CBS series this comic is based on has been a quiet but consistent marketing innovator, having taken the show to Comic-Con the past couple of years and having previously produced a promo graphic novel. (I'm not sure why these efforts haven't paid off more in winning over the kind of vocal and visible fans that keep "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" alive — is Jennifer Love Hewitt's portrayal of psychic Melinda Gordon too feminine and not hip enough for that crowd? I don't really know.) This five-issue outing written by a pair  scribes Smith and Smith show a good grasp on what works in comics, with the each issue's done-in-one mystery tying in quite well to a longer arc involving a larger threat to Melinda that's a bit more fantastic than what the TV show usually pulls off. There's a bit of repetition in that both mysteries revolve around the deaths of pick-on teenage girls whose spirits want revenge, but the clean art, moody colors and solid scripting make this an easy and enjoyable read. Grade: B+

'Superhero' boycott, 'Chuck' gets a comic, 'Ronin' hires scribe, and more!

Random comics stuff from around the web:

* The Weinstein Co.'s "Superhero Movie," the latest parody flick from the makers of "The Naked Gun" and "Scary Movie," was targeted for a boycott by fans upset with changes the studio made to "Fanboys." The fans protested changing the plot of the film, which revolved around a group of boys trying to see "Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace" early because one of them was sick with cancer, to remove the cancer plot. Studio has announced it will release both the original and edited versions of "Fanboys."

* Speaking of "Superhero Movie," it's given me a chance to consider the worst superhero movies of all time over at Metromix.com.

* The NBC series "Chuck" is coming to comics in a six-issue miniseries from DC, written by the show's co-exec producer Peter Johnson and series writer Zev Borow.

* AICN reports director Matthew Vaughn, who helmed Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess's "Stardust" and slated to do "Thor" for Marvel, also is developing "Kick-Ass," based on the comic by Mark Millar ("Wanted") and John Romita Jr.

* Joby Harold has been hired to adapt Frank Miller's "Ronin" for the screen. Seems a shame to not see them going back to the script Miller himself wrote about 10 years ago back.

* In an interview with Newsarama, writer and artist Mike Allred says the script for a movie based on his Madman series is getting a final polish and is getting close to a green light.

* And finally, here's a look at the trailer for Marvel's next DVD animated feature, the kid-oriented "Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow," due out this summer.

NYCC adds Stan Lee honor, more guests to show

The third New York Comic-Con is rolling out its list of special guests in the rampup to the third annual show April 18-20.

Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee will be honored with the first ever New York Comics Legend Award at a special VIP party April 17 at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square. A limited number of tickets will be made available to the public starting Friday at the NYCC's website.

Newly announced guests of honor include current Wonder Woman writer Gail Simone; sci-fi author and Ultimate Iron Man writer Orson Scott Card; and writer and animator Mo Willems, who will headline Kids Day activities on Sunday. Looks like comics artist turned filmmaker Frank Miller and writer Neil Gaiman also will be on hand.

Also appearing will be Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer, creators of the Adult Swim series "The Venture Bros."

Jackman goes 'Nowhere' with Virgin

Finally coming up for air from a big project, we find that Hugh Jackman has signed with Virgin Comics to create a comic called "Nowhere Man" — no relation to the Epic series of the same name Marvel published a few years back — that the actor and his producing partners hope will eventually be turned into videogames and a movie. Since Jackman's not a director, this falls under the purview of the Virgin Voices line instead of Director's Cut.

Working with Jackman on the book is Marc Guggenheim, creator of the TV skein "Eli Stone" and an increasingly prolific writer of comicbooks. Guggenheim has even written a number of stories for Marvel starring Wolverine, who Jackman played in three "X-Men" pics and in the upcoming "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" solo pic.

Full PR from Virgin in the jump.

HUGH JACKMAN TO CREATE COMIC BOOK SERIES NOWHERE MAN WITH VIRGIN COMICS

Wolverine actor teams with Wolverine author Marc Guggenheim for Sci Fi thriller

New York, March 25, 2008---Superstar actor Hugh Jackman, already portraying a comic book character in 20th Century Fox's upcoming Wolverine, is now teaming with Hollywood scribe Marc Guggenheim and publisher Virgin Comics to create the original comic series Nowhere Man. Story details are being kept under wraps but Virgin officials describe the story as a Sci Fi odyssey set in a groundbreaking vision of the future in which mankind has traded privacy for safety. “I’ve had so much fun in the graphic novel world with the X-MEN franchise that I wanted to get even more involved,” said Jackman about the project. “I am so excited to work with Virgin and Marc and create a compelling character and story that hopefully will also make it to the big screen." Virgin will team with Seed Productions, Jackman’s production company with producer John Palermo, to create the comic series and then take it into film and other areas. Added Palermo: “Seed is thrilled to be in business with Virgin Comics and Marc Guggenheim on this innovative project.  From working on the X-MEN films, we have studied the thought and artistry that go into every issue of a graphic novel series and cannot wait to dive in ourselves.”

Marc Guggenheim, who will pen the original series, is no stranger to comics. He has previously authored comics on Marvel’s Wolverine series as well as the best-selling Amazing Spider-Man. Guggenheim has also most recently seen his creative work succeed on the small screen. His Eli Stone is currently running on ABC television to strong reviews.

“Virgin Comics is focused on pairing the best comic book talents with icons in the entertainment industry to develop original stories,” said Sharad Devarajan, Virgin Comics CEO. "Hugh Jackman and Marc Guggenheim working together on Nowhere Man is a perfect combination that promises a great story for everyone.”

Added Gotham Chopra, Virgin Comics Chief Creative Officer who will oversee the development of the series with Amanda Schweitzer of Jackman’s Seed Productions: “we’re already up and running on the creative side of things and having a lot of fun. We believe that our new partnership with the team at Seed on Nowhere Man is the start of something big.”

About Virgin Comics
Virgin Comics is a character entertainment company creating original stories and epic myths for worldwide audiences.   The company was founded in November 2005 by Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Enterprises Ltd., alongside author Deepak Chopra, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and entrepreneurs Sharad Devarajan, Gotham Chopra and Suresh Seetharaman.  Virgin is developing new stories with acclaimed filmmakers, actors and musicians including John Woo, Guy Ritchie, Terry Gilliam, Dave Stewart, Ed Burns, Nicolas Cage, Duran Duran, Sachin Tendulkar and others.  Feature films based on Virgin Comics’ characters are also in the works, including an animated feature The Secrets of the Seven Sounds, Guy Ritchie's Gamekeeper (with Warner Bros and producer Joel Silver) and Virulents with FOX, directed by John Moore (The Omen, Max Payne).    Virgin Comics also formed a joint venture with NBC-Universal to create new science fiction properties for graphic novels and television with the SCIFI Channel.  The first title in this series, The Stranded, premiered in January 2008.  www.VirginComics.com

About Seed Productions
Seed Productions - the company founded and run by Hugh Jackman, Deborra-lee Furness, and John Palermo - is a film, television, and theater production company with offices in Los Angeles and Sydney.  Seed's first film, DECEPTION, will be released by Fox on April 25.  Seed is currently in production on WOLVERINE, a spin-off of the popular X-MEN film series.  Seed's television show AN AUSSIE GOES BARMY has been a major hit in Australia and spawned two subsequent series - AN AUSSIE GOES BOLLY and AN AUSSIE GOES CALYPSO.  Seed has numerous projects in development in both the US and Australia. 

Sci Fi picks up Carey's 'Stranded,' Dawson comic

Sci Fi Channel's collaboration with Virgin Comics appears to have hit it off its first at-bat. Cabler has announced an order for a two-hour pilot based on "The Stranded." Script for the pilot will be written by Mike Carey, who created "The Stranded" series for Virgin/Sci Fi. PR from Virgin in the jump.

Sci Fi also decided to develop "True Believer," based on a comic co-created by "Sin City" star Rosario Dawson. 

And while it's not based on a comic, plenty of comics fans will be pleased to hear that "Caprica," the prequel series to "Battlestar Galactica" has been given a greenlight as a backdoor pilot.

Mike Carey to Pen Television Adaptation for Virgin Comics and SCI FI Channel

The Stranded comic book series picked-up for two-hour pilot

New York, March 19, 2008 --- Fan favorite Mike Carey (X-Men, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Voodoo Child) and creator of the comic book series The Stranded will be developing the story into a television series for SCI FI Channel, it was announced by Virgin Comics CEO Sharad Devarajan.  SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal.

“One of the purposes of our SCI FI partnership is to create television and film writing opportunities for the best talents in the comic industry.  Having Mike write the television pilot for The Stranded, a comic book he created, is exactly what we had hoped for,” says Sharad Devarajan.

Mike Carey’s stunning work has earned him fans worldwide. With The Stranded, Mike challenges ordinary people to face the extraordinary – their lives are lies.  Every memory is false. Startling events cause them to confront the truth, that they are, in fact, “stranded” on Earth after a horrific genocide in another galaxy.

“From day one,” Carey says, “working on The Stranded has felt like being at a nexus point of creativity.  Virgin and SCI FI created the perfect platform, and then supported the book and the creative team through all the stages of development.  This feels like something we all own, and we all love.  I can't wait to take it forward into its next incarnation.”

The Stranded is an ongoing comic series published by Virgin Comics and SCI FI Channel.  Issue # 1 was released in January 2008, followed by issue # 2 in February.  Both are available at www.virgincomicsstore.com.  The Stranded # 3 goes on sale at comic shops on March 26th, 2008. The first volume of collected stories will be released at book shops and Amazon.com in July this year.

SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on.  SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com <http://www.scifi.com>) and magazine.  Launched in 1992, and currently in 93 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.

Virgin Comics LLC is a character entertainment company creating original stories and epic myths for worldwide audiences.  The company was founded in November 2005 by Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Enterprises Ltd., alongside author Deepak Chopra, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and entrepreneurs Sharad Devarajan, Gotham Chopra and Suresh Seetharaman.  Virgin is developing new stories with acclaimed filmmakers, actors and musicians including John Woo, Guy Ritchie, Terry Gilliam, Jenna Jameson, Dave Stewart, Ed Burns, Nicolas Cage, Duran Duran, Sachin Tendulkar and others.  Feature films based on Virgin Comics' characters are also in the works, including an animated feature, "The Secrets of the Seven Sounds," and theatrical live action feature films including "Gamekeeper" in development with Warner Bros. and "Virulents" with Fox. In India, Virgin Comics recently established a partnership with Studio 18 to pioneer the Indian "teen-horror" genre and a separate partnership with UTV Motion Pictures to develop new Indian superheroes. Virgin Comics also formed a joint venture with NBC Universal to create new science fiction properties for graphic novels and television with the SCI FI Channel. www.VirginComics.com

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'Justice League' out of Oz

Man, George Miller's "Justice League of America" flick just can't get a break. After running into the roadbump of the WGA strike and controversial casting, the film now has been refused a rebate by the Australian government and will have to shoot elsewhere — most likely Canada.

Perhaps the strangest thing, though, is the title that's being attached to it: "Justice League: Mortal." I can't figure out if this is a typo or the actual title for the film. Best advice to WB: Pretend it's a mistake and go back to "Justice League of America," "JLA," just plain "Justice League" or even the 80s-inspired "Justice League International."

WB grabs 'Cyclops'; Miller blogs; Cera as Pilgrim?

WB has optioned Alexis Nolent's sci-fi Euro GN "Cyclops" for "Walk the Line" and "3:10 to Yuma" director James Mangold.

Frank Miller blogs about the making of "Will Eisner's The Spirit" at the movie’s official site.

"Arrested Development" and "Superbad" star Michael Cera is said to be in final talks to play Scott Pligrim in a film adaptation of Bryan Lee O'Malley's popular Oni series.

Marvel strikes FX deal, sets toon outlet and may crossover

Marvel's struck a deal with FX for the TV rights to "Iron Man" and "Incredible Hulk." These is a big deal that has potential to pay off for the comics studio big time as evidenced by this passage from John Dempsey's Variety story:

As with most of the basic-cable pre-buys, the net agrees to pony up a license fee that hovers at around 11% of the domestic gross, a figure that cuts off at $200 million. If all five movies end up as $200 million-plus blockbusters -- a very big if, of course -- FX would pay the maximum $22 million apiece for a grand total of $110 million. That's a gigantic license fee, but lots of people watch big-hit movies on cable TV, so there wouldn't be any complaints from FX.

Over at MTV, Robert Downey Jr. talks about the crossover cameos between "Iron Man" and "Incredible Hulk," possibly paving the way for a crossover movie or the hotly anticipated "Avengers" pic.

Meanwhile, Marvel's "Iron Man" and "Wolverine and the X-Men" toons are set to air on Nicktoons in the first quarter of 2009.

Updates: BEA; George convicted; Haven; Oz events

* Book Expo America returns to Los Angeles this year and plans a full day of comics programming, one of which I'm set to moderate, on Saturday, May 31. GalleyCat has details on the event.

* Comics shop owner and convention organizer Michael George has been found guilty in the 1990 murder of his wife by a jury in Michigan.

* Archaia Studios Press is now selling hard copies of its comics through an online store at Indie Press Revolution, as well as electronic versions in pdf format at Drive Thru Comics.

* Haven Distribution is the new name for Cold Cut Distribution, one of the few direct-market alternatives to Diamond for non-exclusive publishers. Company was purchased recently by Rogue Wolf Entertainment and relocated to Chicago.

* Oz publisher Gestalt Comics has planned some noteworthy comics events are set Down Under, with launch parties for “Waldo’s Hawaiian Holiday,” director Alex Cox’s graphic novel sequel to “Repo Man,” set for April 4 at Brunswick Bound in Melbourne and April 11 at Planet Books in Perth. They also have an exhibit called “Art of the Graphic Novel” set for April 10-May 18 at the Heathcote Museum and Gallery in the metro Perth area.

"Ten-Cent Plague's" Hadju at L.A. Library tonight

We're trying to catch up on posting about WWLA and the comics-sphere while working on a major freelance project, but this can't wait.

Tonight at 7 o'clock at the central branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, author David Hajdu will discuss his book "The Ten-Cent Plague" The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America" with writer Ben Schwartz. The book (reviewed by Hajdu's former outlet, EW, here) talks about the comics censorship movement of the late 1940s and early 1950s, epitomized by Fredric Wertham's book "Seduction of the Innocent," the Senate testimony of E.C. Comics chief Bill Gaines and the formation of the Comics Code Authority. The lecture is free, but reservations are recommended. Visit this page for more information.

Dark Horse, U strike prod'n, distrib deal

Oregon-based comics and movie house Dark Horse has signed a three-year production and distribution pact with Universal. The crux of the deal is this, from the press release:

Under the terms of the deal, Universal would have creative access to all Dark Horse characters and properties, as well as any material that Dark Horse might acquire on its own and want to develop as a motion picture. In addition, Dark Horse would have the opportunity to distribute movies through Universal.

Universal is distributing Guillermo del Toro's "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army" this July; the original pic was distribbed by Columbia.

The strength of Dark Horse is it's far less reliant on superheroes than DC and Marvel. In addition to "Hellboy," DH is the home of Frank Miller's "Sin City" and "300," as well as "The Mask" and such distinctive creator-owned titles as "Grendel," "Usagi Yojimbo," "The Goon" and "Concrete."

'Buck Rogers's' future is Dynamite

The New Jersey-based publisher has picked up the rights to do both new comics and reprint editions of the classic space-faring adventurer from the heirs of creator John Flint Dille. While a regular writer and interior artist have yet to be named, fan favorite artists Alex Ross and John Cassaday are contributing character designs and covers.

Full press release follows:

Dynamite Entertainment to Launch Buck Rogers Comics Series!

March 11th, 2008 Runnemede, NJ -- For almost 80 years, more than any other, the name Buck Rogers has simply meant “The Future”. And now that future is coming to you from Dynamite Entertainment!

Before caped heroes were leaping tall buildings, Buck was spanning the stars . . . and the centuries.  A man accidentally thrust into an extraordinary future, Buck is science fiction’s first superstar and one of our culture’s most enduring icons.  In its original version, Buck Rogers ran as a comic strip continuously for 38 years in over 400 newspapers.  True to his adventurous reputation, Buck is also known for his star turns in radio, movie serials, and television series. And now, comics and more from Dynamite Entertainment!

Flint Dille, a prominent animation and videogame creator as well as the grandson of Buck’s originator, John Flint Dille, oversees the Buck Rogers franchise. “My family and I have always considered the Buck legacy a sort of ‘sacred trust’,” Dille says, “and we are absolutely confident that this collaboration with Dynamite honors that trust.”

Nick Barrucci, Publisher and President of Dynamite Entertainment, is very enthusiastic to be working on one of his “dream projects since childhood,” and to be working with Flint and his family legacy in that process.  Barrucci proudly confirms that fan favorites, Alex Ross and John Cassaday, will be integral to Dynamite’s Buck launch, with both Alex and John providing character designs, Alex providing a cover to issue #1, and John serving as regular series cover artist starting with issue #1.  “Dynamite’s job right now,” Barrucci says, “is to find the writer and the artist who share my and my team’s respect and affection for Buck Rogers, and who can help bring Buck, once again, into an exciting new future.”

Dynamite’s agreement with the Dille Estate allows for the creation of Buck Rogers comics, collections, including classic material, comics-based fine art prints, posters, action figures, trading cards, statues, and other high-end collectibles. Look for promotional art and announcements at www.dynamiteentertainment.com in the coming weeks and at San Diego ComiCon this summer.

ABOUT DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT:

“DYNAMITE consistently places more titles in the Top 100 than most non-Marvel, non-DC publishers.”

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT was founded in 2004 and is home to several bestselling comic book titles and properties. Beginning with their ARMY OF DARKNESS comic book series -- launching as the #1 independent comic in July of '04, and recently ranked as the #1 selling Independent Horror comic -- and continuing with their bestselling RED SONJA series -- issue #0 alone selling over 240,000 copies and ongoing issues and one-shots consistently ranked among the bestselling titles in unit sales and dollar volume outside of Marvel and DC Comics -- DYNAMITE successfully places more titles in the Top 100 than most non-Marvel, non-DC publishers. DYNAMITE's monthly BATTLESTAR GALACTICA series debuted with an impressive 175,000 copies in initial orders sold for the introductory #0 issue, and was featured in the pages of
TV Guide. Additionally, the introductory HIGHLANDER #0 debuted with over 100,000 copies pre-sold and was featured in a follow-up article in TV Guide as well.

Dynamite has worked with Alex Ross to launch Project Superpowers as the #4 best selling comic in January of ’08, launching as the only non-Marvel/non-DC superhero genre title entering the top 5 comics published.  Dynamite joined Marvel Comic whose titles placed 9 out of the 10 top 10 titles for January ’08.

DYNAMITE has also released CLASSIC BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, XENA, DARKMAN VS.ARMY OF DARKNESS, PAINKILLER JANE, THE LONE RANGER, SAVAGE TALES, JUNGLE GIRL and THE BOYS -- and has more on the horizon!

For updated information on Dynamite Entertainment and their titles, please visit the Dynamite website at www.dynamiteentertainment.com

'Hulk' trailer a hit

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

First reactions to the first look at "The Incredible Hulk" trailer: Story looks cool with a bigger action focus than the previous version, but the CG still needs some refinement to avoid looking so, well, CG.

MTV, which is hosting the trailer, also has a moment-by-moment dissection of the trailer. It's also interesting to note that as of about 10:30 PT this morning, the site shows nearly a half-million views of the trailer.

Film news: 'Hulk' trailer, Singer's return, Marvel pics, Dark Knight

Comicbook movie news is coming at a rapid pace. Here's what's up:

* The long-awaited trailer for "The Incredible Hulk" is set to debut Wednesday at 9:56 p.m. on the following Universal family networks: MTV, MTVU, MTV2, VH1, Spike TV, Nick at Nite and CMT. It will be posted to MTV's movie site immediately after, and will be shown in theaters this weekend, most notably before "Doomsday." Meanwhile, Nikki Finke at her Deadline Hollywood Daily blog reports that star Edward Norton and Marvel are squabbling over the final cut of the film.

* The U.K.'s Empire Online has news on a number of fronts, including "Superman Returns." The site chatted with director Bryan Singer, who says work has resumed on the pic. The director, however, did not say if the rumor reported at IESB that "Transformers" and "Star Trek" scribes Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman might write the script.

* Empire also checks in with director Edgar Wright, who says fans can expect to see both Hank Pym and Scott Lang in his "Ant-Man" film. The script is currently being polished. Meanwhile, Matthew Vaughn talks about  his plans for Marvel's "Thor":

“We’re in a holding pattern at the moment,” he said. “It’s up to Marvel, they have to decide if they want to make the movie and then we take it from there.”

* Interest in "The Dark Knight" is heating up, and will only increase as the pic approaches due to the death of star Heath Ledger. The New York Times talks to director Christopher Nolan. The viral campaign for the film moves on to Aaron Eckhart's Harvey Dent. The actor tells Wizard  he will be seen as the villainous Two-Face in the film.

* Producer Richard Saperstein has picked up the rights to Clifford Meth's comicbook "Snaked," published by  IDW.

'Rocketeer' creator Stevens dies

Dave Stevens, the writer and artist who is best known for creating "The Rocketeer," has died after a battle with leukemia. He was 52.

As usual, Mark Evanier has all the details on Stevens' life and art at his blog, including info on Stevens' work in animation. Stevens' page at the IMDB shows few film credits, but  the projects Stevens worked out were some of the most influential of their times, including Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

The movie version of "The Rocketeer," made by Disney, never made as big a splash as other comicbook pics despite being a well-reviewed film with good performances by Billy Campbell and young Jennifer Connolly. Having recently caught a bit of the 1991 film a few weeks back, it holds up quite well as an updated version of the pulpy 1930s action-adventure stories that inspired Stevens.

Stevens also was a prominent "good girl" artist, whose pinup illustrations of Bettie Page played a big role in maintaining her legend.

Par takes "Harbinger" for Ratner

This will surely be controversial, but I think Brett Ratner could do a good job directing a "Harbinger" film for Paramount.

'Bone' back on the boards

After years of largely staying away from Hollywood, Jeff Smith is back, having optioned "Bone" to Warner Bros. for Dan Lin to produce.

Deal is a potential blockbuster for Smith, who started self-publishing "Bone" in the early 1990s and retains all rights to the story and characters. The series ran 55 issues, with Smith publishing for a while with Image Comics before returning the book to his own Cartoon Books label, wrapping up in 2004.  Smith, who's been protective of the property, will exec produce the project.

It's also a savvy deal for WB, which would love a new kid-friendly fantasy franchise to replace "Harry Potter," which wraps after two more movie outings. "Bone" may have started as a self-published black-and-white comic, but its all-ages appeal and acclaim from critics and readers helped make it a big enough hit in the direct market for Scholastic to release color volumes that have been a smash hit with young readers in bookstores and schools. Offering a solid mix of fantasy, adventure, humor and a terrific look, a good movie version could vault "Bone" into the same arena as "Potter," "Spider-Man" or "Shrek."

Interestingly, Lin — a former WB exec who's also working on "Justice League of America" — is leaving open the option of doing "Bone" as a live-action film. While I know it's possible to do such a thing these days, I have a hard time imagining live-action as preferable to a good animated version.

More 'Y' party footage on MySpace

Another clip from "Y: The Last Party" is ready, courtesy of MySpace Comic Books.

Y The Last Party - Q&A with Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra

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New "Wanted" trailer

MySpace.com has the exclusive new trailer for "Wanted," which is looking good ...

Wanted Exclusive Trailer

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Marvel prepares for its close up

Marvel's keeping busy in advance of "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk," the first films based on its characters that the company is producing itself. The Los Angeles Times sums up the changes in the company's strategy, its plans and the risks that come with them. 

Meanwhile, former Disney and Sony exec Geoffrey Ammer has signed on as prexy of worldwide marketing and home video. He'll oversee ad, publicity and promo campaigns for both Marvel's self-produced pics and the properties licensed to other studios.

And, while doing press for "The Grand," screenwriter Zak Penn talks a bit about the proposed "Avengers" movie and says it's a ways off and will come after solo movies establish each of the group's heroes.

Review: Young Liars #1

Creator: David Lapham
DC/Vertigo, 32 pages, color, $2.99
So? Fans of Lapham’s “Stray Bullets” — the self-published crime series Lapham has written and drawn more than 40 issues of since 1995 — may not be pleased to see the writer-artist putting his efforts into this new monthly. But they should be more than mollified by reading the book, which brings all the intensity and irony of life on the edge to a splashy new arena. Story begins with Danny Noonan, who came to New York City with rock ’n’ roll dreams and is madly in love with Sadie Dawkins, a mad rocker chick who beats up guys twice her size and is a little off because of a bullet lodged in her brain. Danny’s club scene is full of oddball supporting cast members, but what makes this work as well as it does is that it reads like a great rock song sounds. Lapham’s art is, as always, expressive and sincere, conveying youthful energy in a way few comics artists can. What’s less clear is where this story will go, and to stick with the music analogy there’s no guarantee the first issue isn’t the hit single on an otherwise mediocre album. “Bullets” changed characters and locales often, so it seems Lapham’s biggest challenge will be to make this book compelling each and every month. So far, it’s got a great beat and you can dance to it … Grade: A-

First "Watchmen" pics hit

With one year until its release, director Zack Snyder released the first photos of five of the main characters in "Watchmen." Take a sneak peek at Jeffrey Dean Morgan as The Comedian below and then head over to the official movie site to check out Nite Owl, Rohrschach, Ozymandias and Silk Spectre.

We'll have to wait a bit to see what's planned for Doctor Manhattan. I'm not quite sure what to think of these pics. They look pretty cool, but also a bit "Batman & Robin" for my taste.

Review: Echo #1

Creator: Terry Moore
Abstract Studios, 24 pages, black and white, $3.50
So? Moore also takes a fairly radical departure, but also picks a sci-fi premise as the follow up to “Strangers in Paradise.” In “Echo,” an extreme test of a radical new technology goes awry, and a young woman is exposed to the strange results. Given the opening quote from Einstein — “Technological progress is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal” — it looks like this will delve into the theme of the proper use of power and the toll that can take on the soul. It’s not clear yet whether “Echo,” with its superhero and sci-fi trappings, will evoke the deep emotions and feelings of Francine, Katchoo and David (I’m hoping there’s a bit less crying in this series), but Moore’s track record indicates we won’t have to wait long to find an interesting woman character at the heart of this series. Grade: B+

Review: Rasl #1

Creator: Jeff Smith
Cartoon Books, 32 page, black and white, $3.50
So? It’s a special day when you can walk into a comics shop (in my case, the excellent House of Secrets in Burbank) and pick up brand-new first issues from the likes of Jeff Smith, Terry Moore and David Lapham.
One issue in, it’s clear that “Rasl” is radically different from Smith’s beloved masterpiece, “Bone.” “Rasl” is a hard-edged science fiction story about a tough young art thief who escapes into “The Drift” with the help of a Jack Kirby-inspired contraption of some kind that causes its user extreme pain. Seeing Smith draw dingy bars, tough guys with tattoos, parched desert terrains and a street brawl with an alien. All of this is told in a hard-boiled style and is worth the price of admission on its own. The story again evokes Kirby — I just can’t help but see a bit of Kamandi in Smith’s as-yet-unnamed art thief — and it unfolds its plot in a way that its many mysteries add up to something that is unique and definitely worth coming back for. Grade: A-