February 2011 Archives

MATT MOORE
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Dwayne McDuffie, who wrote comic books for Marvel and DC and founded his own publishing company before crossing over to television and animation, has died. He was 49.

DC Comics says the Detroit, Mich., native died Monday, a day after his birthday. His cause and place of death weren't immediately known.

McDuffie wrote comics for the New York-based DC and Marvel, including runs on Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, the Fantastic Four and the Justice League of America. He also penned several animated features, including the just-released "All Star Superman" as well as "Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths" and the animated TV series "Static Shock" and "Ben 10: Alien Force."

News of McDuffie's death was first reported Tuesday by the website Comic Book Resources.

As recently as last week, McDuffie attended the premieres of the new "All Star Superman" film in Los Angeles and New York, and was scheduled to appear at an event this week at Golden Apple Comics in Los Angeles.

McDuffie tweeted last week that he was "Taking a break from a script I owe to attend the LA premiere of 'All Star Superman.'"

McDuffie's work for Marvel included "Damage Control," which took a serious but fictional look at a company whose job it was to clean up the damage -- both physical and legal -- resulting from battles between superheroes and supervillains.

In 1992, however, he formed the comic book company Milestone Media, which gave him the freedom and leeway to create his own characters, many of whom were of differing ethnic backgrounds.

Milestone Media focused on multicultural superheroes including "Hardware," ''Icon," ''Blood Syndicate," ''Xombi" and "Static," which was turned into the popular children's cartoon "Static Shock," on which he served as a story editor.

McDuffie also wrote for other titles and characters, too, including Black Panther and Deathlok.
Besides comics, McDuffie was a producer and story editor on Cartoon Network's "Justice League Unlimited," and wrote and produced episodes of other cartoons, including "What's New, Scooby Doo?," ''Ben 10: Ultimate Alien" and "Teen Titans."

McDuffie was nominated for two Emmy Awards for "Static Shock," a Writers Guild award for "Justice League" and three Eisner awards for his work in comic books, his website said.
McDuffie's death took his colleagues and friends by surprise.

Dan DiDio, co-publisher of DC Entertainment, said the writer "left a lasting legacy on the world of comics that many writers can only aspire to. He will not only be remembered as an extremely gifted writer whose scripts have been realized as comics books, in television shows and on the silver screen, but as the creator or co-create of so many of the much-loved Milestone characters, including Static Shock."

Added DiDio: "The industry has lost a true talent."

Tom Brevoort, Marvel's senior vice president for publishing, said McDuffie was a force behind bringing more diversity into comics.

"He was very interested in creating a wider range of multiculturalism in comics, having been profoundly affected by the example of the Black Panther when he was growing up, and wanting to give that same opportunity to others of all races, creeds and religions, which is one of the reasons he left Marvel and co-founded Milestone," Brevoort told The Associated Press. "And he eventually came back to write both Beyond! and Fantastic Four for me."

Above: Writer Dwayne McDuffie at 2010 San Diego Comic-Con "Nappy Hour" Panel. 

Online:
http://dwaynemcduffie.com.mylampsite.com

Previous trailers for the upcoming "Thor" movie have focused on the cast-you-out-of-Asgard story line set-up, but this latest one is definitely more Earth bound.

We catch a few shots of what may be the Thunder God and his mallet Mjolnir crashing to Midgard (that's "Earth" to you mortals). Natalie Portman (Jane Foster) finds him, de-powered but still buff enough to break out of hospital bed straps and kick the crap out of a bunch of orderlies.

There's some humorous moments here and there and another look at The Destroyer.

And don't worry, there's still plenty of stuff getting smashed with an enchanted hammer.

"Thor" opens May 6, 2011.

Actress Adrianne Palicki of NBC's Friday Night Lights has been cast in the title role of writer-producer David E. Kelly's Wonder Woman pilot, DC Comics Source blog reported Wednesday.

The new series re-imagines the Amazon princess as a Los Angeles-based superhero who battles crime while finding the balance with her personal life and career as a corporate executive.

Kelly, creator of Ally McBeal and Boston Legal, is writing the pilot for NBC to be directed by Jeffrey Reiner (The Event).

Palicki is slated to appear in the remake of Red Dawn.



ABOVE: Photos by Jason Kempin (top-right) and Frederick M. Brown (bottom) / Getty Images.

Caught this fan trailer for "The Avengers" movie over at Comics Alliance. 

They gave props to the fan editor who creatively layered images, sound and video together from all the Marvel Studios film trailers into a fun teaser.

It's well deserved praise.

Once again, here's the video link for you mobile users.

 

Michael Jai White ("Black Dynamite") as Major Jackson "Jax" Briggs from the promotional feature "Mortal Kombat: Rebirth."

Actors Michael Jai White ("Black Dynamite"), Jeri Ryan ("Star Trek Voyager") and Darren Shahlavi ("300") will join the cast of a live-action digital series based on the video game "Mortal Kombat," Warner Bros. said Sunday.

White and Ryan appeared in the wildly popular "fan" film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth. Both will reprise their roles from director Kevin Tancharoen's unofficial 8-minute promotional feature. White will again appear as Major Jackson "Jax" Briggs and Ryan as Lt. Sonya Blade. The series will also feature Shahlavi as "Kano."

Filming is currently underway in Vancouver.

"It's extremely gratifying to have such talented actors playing these iconic roles," said Tancharoen in a statement released Sunday.

Tancharoen (2009's "Fame") will helm the project which will delve into the histories of a number of popular Mortal Kombat characters, including Liu Kang, Scorpion and Johnny Cage. The anthology series of short films are written by Tancharoen, Aaron Helbing and Todd Helbing and are set to debut this spring.


Related post:

'Mortal Kombat' to return with new live-action digital series, video game

Warner Bros. shed some light on "Green Lantern" movie collectibles Monday at the American International Toy Fair in New York.

The latest toy and game offerings are set to debut in May, a little more than a month before the feature film set to premiere June 17, 2011.

Expect a bevy of products developed with toy maker Mattel. The above video highlights the Hal Jordan figure in the likeness of actor Ryan Reynolds who plays the title Green Lantern character.

For you superhero game fans, there's an exclusive peek at the video game "Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters" at the end of the video. The game will debut June 2011.

"Green Lantern" also stars Blake Lively, Mark Strong and Peter Sarsgaard and will be released June 17, 2011.

From the press release:

Along with the release of the "Green Lantern" film, global licensee Mattel will debut an out-of-this-world toy line, including the Green Lantern Ring Blast™ Jet Figure & Vehicle, the Green Lantern Battle Shifters™ Figures, and the Green Lantern Movie Masters^® Figures, as well as engaging role-play items including the Green Lantern Colossal Cannon™ Blaster.  A rich and comprehensive line of products based on the film for both kids and adult fans alike, Mattel's multi-category toy line includes Basic and Deluxe Action Figures, Figure/Vehicles and Role Play, along with Playsets, Games, Puzzles and Vehicles.  Additionally, each Basic Action Figure comes complete with a Green Lantern ring in order for kids to feel as if they, too, have been "chosen" to be a Green Lantern.

Read the entire press release here.

MATT MOORE
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Anything can change in a flash.

Readers of DC Comics' "The Flash" series are about to find that out as the publisher gradually unveils "Flashpoint," a story arc that features 15 separate miniseries, a series of one-shot issues and more that will range from Gotham to around the world and bring the Scarlet Speedster to the forefront of the DC Universe.

DC is keeping mum about it all, offering a few hints and teasers that show some of its major characters -- Batman among them -- in similar costumes but with subtle yet direct differences.

The series is written by Geoff Johns, the company's chief creative officer.

A preview of sorts is offered in the new edition of "The Flash: The Dastardly Deaths of the Rogues," which Johns wrote and Francis Manupaul illustrated. It was released this week in comic shops and will be in book stores next week.

It details Barry Allen's return to the hustle and bustle of Central City, his wife Iris and his job as a forensics investigator. But the story pivots an unusual hinge: Allen, it seems, will kill a villain, and law enforcement from the 25th century is out for him, dead or alive.

How it plays into "Flashpoint" is a secret DC will not reveal, but Manapul has breathed new life into the Scarlet Speedster, with art that is both vibrant and evocative of the velocity that has always surrounded The Flash.

The 31-year-old Toronto resident said it's been more than a joyride illustrating the ongoing series.

"I've actually been a longtime Flash fan since high school and the very first time I talked to (DC co-publisher Dan DiDio) about working with DC, one of the very first projects that I asked for was The Flash," said Manupal, who got to draw the character when Johns brought Flash back last year and the new series started.

The partnership has blossomed.

"It's better to work with writers that you admire and that you mesh with. The story is ultimately what is important," Manupal said. "Through our experience working on 'Adventure Comics,' the collaboration worked out really well. And when Geoff came back to The Flash, he brought me along with him."

Manapul's goal has been to incorporate everything fast about The Flash and the series.

"Just that one word. We wanted to make it fast again," he said.

Speed and velocity now envelop The Flash series, with dizzying effects showing Allen hurtling down streets, rapidly disassembling a falling car, running along the blade of a helicopter in flight and other stunts.

Like the character, his Central City is fast, too. Bigger, louder, always in motion.

And that's not going to change as The Flash moves forward and faster.

"It's all building to this big crossover with Flashpoint which takes the central character of The Flash and makes him the focal point of the DC Universe," Manapul said.

The film slate for summer 2011 will be chock full o' paranormal as director Matthew Vaughn's "X-Men: First Class" joins a group of movies based on comics, toys and fantasy novels.

Fox released the official trailer to the film, (loosely) based on the Marvel comic of the same name, this week.

The filmmakers aren't newcomers to the superhero game.

Vaughn teamed with fan-favorite writer Mark Millar to produce 2010's Kick-Ass.

Maybe Kick-Ass, the ultra-violent, darkly humorous superhero flick wasn't to your liking (U.S. box office wasn't kind to it either). Still, the film managed to snag its fair share of positive reviews.

If you're a fan of Vaughn's abilities, this trailer may get you fired up.

X-Men: First Class opens June 3, 2011.

NEW YORK (AP) -- With the Fantastic Four whittled to three after last month's death of the Human Torch, Marvel's longtime super group is changing names and adding a familiar face.

Spider-Man, New York's web-slinging guardian, is joining the group newly renamed The Future Foundation.

Starting in FF No. 1, he'll join with Mr. Fantastic, The Thing and the Invisible Woman in a bid to protect the Marvel universe from new threats, Marvel said Wednesday.

The first issue is due out March 23.

The Fantastic Four ended with issue No. 588 this month, after the Torch, aka Johnny Storm, died in issue 587. Like the former series, the new FF series is written by Jonathan Hickman and drawn by Steve Epting.

In this film publicity image released by Sony Pictures, Minka Kelly, left, and Leighton Meester are shown in a scene from "The Roommate." (AP Photo/Sony Pictures, Jaimie Trueblood)

DAVID GERMAIN
AP Movie Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The college thriller "The Roommate" has moved into the top spot at the box office with a $15.6 million debut during a typically slow Super Bowl weekend in which the NFL championship game preoccupies movie fans.

The Sony release features Leighton Meester as a psycho freshman who becomes obsessed with her new roomie (Minka Kelly).

The 3-D underwater cave adventure "Sanctum," whose producers include "Avatar" creator James Cameron, drew modest crowds and came in second with $9.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Released by Universal, "Sanctum" is a survival story about explorers trapped underground in flooded caves during a monster storm.

The previous weekend's No. 1 movie, Anthony Hopkins' exorcism thriller "The Rite," fell steeply to sixth-place with $5.6 million. The Warner Bros. release raised its 10-day total to $23.7 million.

Revenue estimates were off sharply on Sunday as football fans gave movies a pass in favor of the big game. Even without the Super Bowl, though, it was another sleepy weekend at theaters, with overall business down for the 13th-straight weekend compared to last year, when Cameron's 3-D sensation "Avatar" still was riding high.

"I think Hollywood would be crying right now were it not for the 'Avatar' excuse. It really was an anomaly how well that film was doing in January and February last year," said Paul Dergarabedian, analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com.

This weekend's receipts came in at $86 million, down 25 percent from the same weekend in 2010, according to Hollywood.com. A year ago, the weekend was led by "Dear John" in first-place with $30.5 million and "Avatar" in second with $22.9 million, a huge number for a film that already had been in theaters for nearly two months.

Largely because of "Avatar," overall revenues so far this year are running 24 percent behind 2010's.

Still, Sony was happy with the results for "The Roommate," which nearly earned back its $16 million production budget over opening weekend.

Though trashed by critics, the movie gave room for a showy performance from "Gossip Girl" co-star Meester as the wacko roommate.

"She really goes for it," said Rory Bruer, Sony's head of distribution. "Crazy and beautiful. It kind of works for her."

"Sanctum" brought in spare change compared to the billions of "Avatar," though its opening weekend went a long way toward recouping the $12 million that Universal and partner Relativity Media paid for its distribution rights.

And the studio was happy to be in business with Cameron, a pioneer in digital 3-D production.

"Anybody working with this man, you have to revel in the opportunity," said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for Universal.

While Hollywood is off to a slow start in 2011, the industry still could have a record year for revenue once a huge lineup of late-spring and summer blockbusters arrive, Dergarabedian said.

Last year was front-loaded with "Avatar," but business slowed through much of the summer and fall.

"The long shadow of 'Avatar' will start diminishing pretty soon," Dergarabedian said.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "The Roommate," $15.6 million.

2. "Sanctum," $9.2 million.

3. "No Strings Attached," $8.4 million.

4. "The King's Speech," $8.3 million.

5. "The Green Hornet," $6.1 million.

6. "The Rite," $5.6 million.

7. "The Mechanic," $5.4 million.

8. "True Grit," $4.8 million.

9. "The Dilemma," $3.5 million.

10. "Black Swan," $3.4 million.

http://www.hollywood.com/boxoffice

A short time before halftime of Super Bowl XLV, Marvel Studios' "Captain America: The First Avenger" trailer made its debut before millions of viewers.

If you missed it, check it out here courtesy of Yahoo Movies.

This Volkswagen ad set to air during Super Bowl XLV features an adorable, miniature lord of the Sith and a glimpse at the 2012 VW Passat.

The 30-second spot called "The Force" was developed in cooperation with Lucasfilm Ltd. and it's a delight.

See it here or watch it when it premieres Super Bowl Sunday Feb. 6.

This trailer hit the scene weeks ago but it's just so darn cool.

Perhaps you've reached your quota of movies featuring scary little girls but you should still consider this film. It stars the terrific Saoirse Ronan ("The Lovely Bones"), Cate Blanchett ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") and Eric Bana ("Munich").

A father trains his young daughter (Ronan) to be a super-assassin and sends her on a European mission of mayhem.  The film is directed by Joe Wright who worked with Ronan in "Atonement." The screenplay is by Seth Lochhead and David Farr.

I should also mention this flick is backed by music from The Chemical Brothers.

"Hanna" opens April 8, 2011.



 

On Saturday, Feb. 5, online registration for the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con will open at 9 a.m. PST at the Comic-Con website. Four-day (without preview night) and single-day passes will be available to customers while supplies last.

Hope it works this time.

Last November, would-be ticket buyers complained of the system overloading, kicking them out and failing to complete transactions. Amid a stream of online complaints and two stalled attempts to sell tickets online due to technical issues, Comic-Con organizers closed sales and went to work to remedy the situation before putting passes on sale a third time.

In December, a trial run was set up utilizing Comic-Con International's traditionally used EPIC Registration system and the platform used by retailer TicketLeap. The test yielded "informative" results with actual ticket sales to 1,000 customers on a first-come, first-served basis.

This Saturday, the EPIC online registration system will again join forces with online ticket seller TicketLeap. Buyers will be redirected to purchase through TicketLeap with an additional $2 charge per badge and have bar code confirmation sent via EPIC. In a recent blog post, TicketLeap CEO Chris Stanchak expressed great confidence in their online sales system.

"Our platform runs on Amazon Web Services to ensure that we can support such a high demand ticketed event," he said.

Still, the Comic-Con website detailed a few extra steps to ensure confirmation of your ticket purchase:

At 9:00 a.m. PST on February 5th, 2011 click the button above that says "Purchase Your Badge Now". You will be redirected to the TicketLeap registration website where you may be able to purchase attendee 4-day (no preview night) and 1-day badges. Discounted badges for Juniors (ages 12 - 17), Seniors, and Active Military will also be available. You may purchase up to 4 of each badge/admission type. There will be a $2.00 non-refundable TicketLeap fee for each badge purchased. Children 11 and under are free with a paid adult admission, and must be registered onsite only. You will need the first name, last name, and a valid e-mail address for each badge/admission type you wish to purchase. Please be aware that your TicketLeap session will time out after 15 minutes if you do not complete your transaction, and your badges will be returned to inventory for sale

After you complete your badge registration and submit payment information, you will receive one e-mail confirmation from TicketLeap.

Starting February 8th, EPIC Registration will begin to send out bar coded e-mail confirmations. You should expect to receive your confirmation from EPIC within 3 to 4 business days of your initial TicketLeap purchase. You will receive one bar coded confirmation for each badge/admission type. This is your "ticket" to Comic-Con International. Please add the epicreg.com domain to your safe senders list so your confirmation will not go to your spam folder. If you do not receive a confirmation within the timeframe above, please contact EPIC by e-mail at registration@epicreg.com. Your email should include your TicketLeap confirmation number and the names for which you did not receive a bar coded confirmation.

Four-day passes to the 2011 event weren't available this time last year. And to say 'these are likely to go fast' is an understatement. There's going to be several pop culture entertainment events, films and projects during and after the summer months and fan interest will be stratospheric.

If 4-day tickets sell out there are the single-day passes. My crew of fellow Con-goers will probably purchase passes only for the days we're in town.

For more details http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_reg.php or the TicketLeap blog. The San Diego Comic-Con International 2011 is July 21-24.

Note: Updated to include that 4-day passes without preview night are the only 4-day pass available.