| June 6, 2007 06:12 - More on Hollywood and Comic Books!
There sure seems to be a lot of continued hype these days about Hollywood and it's long going interest in the comic book genre. Can't say that I really mind, as I do like a good 'on screen' rendition of some of my more personal superheroes. Here is an interesting article that I ran across:
"Hollywood and comic books: an ongoing love story
John Griffin, CanWest News Service
Published: Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Hollywood loves comic books because comic books are easy for Hollywood to love.
As Spider-Man 3 spins its web around the world on the way to a billion-dollar payday this summer, the work of cartoonists and their more adult siblings, the "graphic novelists," has never been more popular, or lucrative.
The industry's appreciation for comic book movies goes back to the dawn of modern comic book time, which we will peg to the appearance of Superman in Action Comic No. 1, back in 1938. His arrival and superhuman back story have proved so durable, they are still dusted off almost 70 years later.
Without wanting to appear any more cynical than the absolute truth demands, Hollywood loves comic books not only for their credo and structure, but for the sheer volume of stories told. Studios have been going to the deep well of material for decades and have still not exhausted the catalogue of super-exploits.
There's another facet to the ongoing love affair. We know that comics are just movies waiting to be made. They thrive on adventure, romance and easily identifiable, larger-than-life heroes and villains, the very marrow of movie magic. But here's the kicker -- they're already storyboarded.
Answers.com defines the term:" To continue with Hollywood and Comic Books!
Well, as far as I am concerned, Hollywood can keep ponying up the bucks to create comic book movies. Then I will decide if I want to spend my bucks to enjoy what they have created. That is the great thing about having our own decisions on whether Hollywood is creating quality stuff or not. We can make them or break them. Have fun.
Dave
June 9, 2007 07:33 - Fantastic Four Trivia!
Well, the new Fantastic Four movie is coming out next week. Here is a little trivia about one of the authors I ran across:
"Interview: Writer takes another 'Fantastic' voyage
Minnesotan Mark Frost warmed quickly to the notion of working on the "Fantastic Four" sequel "Rise of the Silver Surfer."
By Jeff Strickler, Star Tribune
Last update: June 08, 2007 - 3:35 PM
The call to Mark Frost from his agent in 2003 started out, "This might seem like a crazy idea."
The agent was suggesting that he think about writing the script for the live-action version of "Fantastic Four." As far as Frost was concerned, the only crazy part about the suggestion was that he would need time to think about it.
"I was a huge fan [of the comic books] as a kid," he said. "I collected lots of comic books, but especially those."
Frost, an expatriate Minnesotan who co-created TV's "Twin Peaks," returned to the Fan 4 fold to co-write the sequel, "Rise of the Silver Surfer." The movie, which opens Friday, was a different sort of project from the 2005 original.
"The studio had very strong notions about what this should be," he said. "In a way, that made it easier [to write] because the scope was narrower. This movie was very studio-driven, and you have to go with that."
It helped that Frost strongly agreed with the studio's decision to introduce the Silver Surfer, who has the ability to channel beams of energy. The Surfer also has superhuman strength, sight and hearing and, thanks to his silvery skin, can travel among planets.
"He was introduced in the third full year of the comic books and went on to become one of the most popular characters," Frost said, giving the impression that if the listener had the time, he could talk about "Fantastic Four" history for an hour. "He's actually more popular in Europe than the original Fantastic Four are. He's an iconic figure globally, which is one reason the studio chose to build this movie around him."
Frost, 53, began his writing career as a Minneapolis teenager when he wrote a play, "Between Looks," that was produced by the Guthrie Theater's high-school touring company. Since then, he has written a little bit of everything, from TV and movies to novels and a continuing series of nonfiction books about the history of golf..." To finish Fantastic Four Writer Interview, click here.
Can't wait for this movie to come out in DVD so I can add it to my collection. And hopefully, the critics will go a little easier on this sequel than they did on the first. Later.
Dave
June 13, 2007 09:36 - Oh No! It is Stan Lee and Superhero Time Again.
Well, it looks like next month Stan Lee's superhero reality show starts it's second season on the Sci Fi channel. As if last year wasn't enough. Oh well, it was mildly entertaining. We now have a new crop of self-proclaimed superheroes to watch get eliminated. Here is an article about an interesting newly developed superhero:
"Local woman's hero creation makes Sci-Fi show
By Bob Holliday
bholliday@pantagraph.com
BLOOMINGTON -- Superman might be faster than a speeding bullet and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but he's got nothing on Braid.
The superhero for modern times protects children from Internet predators. Her multi-colored braids have special powers, allowing Braid, who takes her name from her hair, to lasso villains and scale tall buildings.
The creation of Bloomington resident Crystal Clark, Braid can be seen in the Sci Fi Channel series "Who Wants to be a Superhero?" which begins July 26.
Clark, a stay-at-home mother who likes to write children's stories, believes she may have created the perfect modern-day superhero. "Internet predators are a major concern now," said Clark, who has children ages 7 and 5.
Braid also protects children generally, including from those who'd use them as drug mules, Clark said.
Braid competes with nine other superheroes on the show, with the last superhero featured in a comic book.
"You get the thrill of knowing that your character will be immortalized," said Clark, who otherwise will receive no compensation for her effort, which involved three weeks of filming in Los Angeles earlier this year.
Clark mailed an audition tape last year and didn't immediately hear back. She was called after the show won a second season.
"I'm a ham," said Clark, 42, who likes educating children and says Braid doesn't kill anybody.
The character is about more than physical strength. Her various colored braids teach a lesson in unity. "They symbolize the unity of all people regardless of color, creed or religion," Clark said..." And to finish "Who Wants to be a Superhero?
This is a rather interesting superhero in light of my comic book site. I imagine a certain percentage of visitors I get are youngsters looking for comic book stuff. And I want them to enjoy my site and not have to worry about Internet predators. So predators beware and stay completely away from this site. You are not wanted! I hope I am not alone in this demand. Later.
Dave
June 18, 2007 12:11 - Women, Girls and Comic Books!
Well I was sent an interesting article link the other day by one of my email buds. The jest was that females of the comic book species, are not courted or treated as well as the male of the genre. This may be true from an industry point of view on who spends more money, but I believe it to be very ludicrous! Read on Macduff:
"Douglas Wolk
Superhero Comics' Girl Trouble
The American superhero comics industry -- once supported at least as much by girls as by boys -- has been desperately trying to figure out how to bring back women readers for decades. It's very simple. All it has to do is not hang out a gigantic sign announcing GIRLS: WE HATE YOU AND WE HAVE NO INTEREST IN YOUR BUSINESS. Unfortunately, that's effectively what it's doing right now.
There was a well-publicized kerfuffle a few weeks ago about a limited-edition statue Marvel Comics licensed, depicting Mary Jane Watson leaning over to pull Spider-Man's costume out of a laundry basket -- butt and boobs maximally displayed, boop-boop-be-doop expression on face, thong peeking out of ripped jeans. It didn't help matters much when the statue's designer, Adam Hughes, attempted to explain himself by arguing that he'd simply been misinterpreted, and went on to torpedo his own argument by making a comparison to his and Dave Chappelle's respective ability to use "the 'n-word,'" and claiming that his detractors think his statue is "the most awful thing to hit mankind since the Holocaust."
Around the same time, DC Comics advertised a forthcoming Justice League of America cover on which Michael Turner has drawn Power Girl with breasts roughly the size of her head. And, most recently, Sana Takeda's cover for a forthcoming issue of Marvel's Heroes for Hire has set comics commentators on edge with its depiction of... well, this requires a little bit of an explanation..." You need to go finish Woman and Comic Books here!
I sure hope my female visitors enjoy my site as much as I do creating it. And they are just as welcome to leave comments, tell me their improvements, etc. I would hope that I don't have a gender biased site. That is sure not my intent. I hope everyone who meanders by, gets a kick out of all my pages. Later.
Dave
June 22, 2007 15:32 - Comic Book Cataloging Software!
This is a subject I have been thinking about for quite awhile. I even plan on expanding on this subject at my site when I get to it. But in the meantime look at what Aaron at about.com came up with:
"Comic Collecting Software Reviews
From Aaron Albert,
Your Guide to Comic Books.
Stay up to date!
By Guest Reviewer Ben Sweetser
Comic Collecting Software Reviews By Ben Sweetser
How do you keep track of the comics in your collection? Still using note cards some other paper filing method? Perhaps you track your collection in a spreadsheet or word processing program? Many software programs exist today to help you to not only track your collection better, but to allow you to easily browse your collection, find comics by your favorite artists, or even see how much your collection is worth. Whether you have a small collection or thousands of comics, these software programs can enhance your enjoyment of your collection.
While any tool out there boasts its own set of features, I approached my review of them from a collector's viewpoint and tested how they would stand up to a collector's normal use rather than focusing on the features themselves.
With this in mind, I used the following tests to assess the software:
Inputting New Comics - If you collect comics, you likely pick up new comics on a regular basis, whether you do it weekly, monthly, or at some other interval. When you purchase your comics, you would need to enter them into the database. I took one of my weekly packages, and entered it into each tool. This weekly package consisted of 30 comics from DC, Marvel and several independent publishers, with cover prices ranging from $2.50 to $5.99. Several variant covers, including an incentive variant were among the comics to enter. I look at the process for entering these new comics in each tool and rate its speed and ease of use....
Currently reviewed comic collecting software: (Click the titles to be taken to the review)
Comic Collector Live 0.7.0.0
Publisher Website - www.comiccollectorlive.com - This free software has been advertised pretty extensively in comics over the past couple months. I decided to give it a look to let you know how it works.
Collectorz.com Comic Collector 3.3 Pro
Publisher Website - www.collectorz.com/comic - Collectorz.com creates software for cataloging movies, music, games, books, and most importantly here: comics.
ComicBase Professional 11
Publisher Website - www.comicbase.com - This software bills itself as "The World's #1 Software for Managing Comic Collections". Does it fit the bill? Continue on, fearless reader!..." To finish comic book cataloging software, click here.
If you have an interest in this type of software, you really need to finish the rest of the article. I am aware of all three software programs that were reviewed. One of them, I have on my hard drive. When I can get to it, I plan on a couple or three new pages on my site addressing cataloging software. If you have any specific interests or wants, feel free to slide over to the menu at the left and click on my contact me page and leave your comments. Of course you can leave comments below for all others to see. Talk later.
Dave
June 28, 2007 12:49 - PGX Comments!
As you may or may not know, PGX is an alternate comic book certification company to CGC. Charles left me his thoughts the other day and now I pass them on to you:
"I used pgx which was then cgg. They may or may have not changed their grading standards since then. But to use the example cited on ebay. Suppose you had 2 x-men # 266s identical in every way. If it was cgc'ed and received a 9.8 the book would sell for $200. If it received a pgx 9.8 it would sell for $115. Not really unless they've changed. If it was pgx'ed it would probably receive a 9.4 { they use to grade differently or strictly } and sell for $30.00? Now I notice some sellers are receiving higher grades but I dare you to sent them some modern comics. I'll bet you'll get mostly 9.2 and 9.4s. Or maybe they grade more like cgc now."
At one point it sounds like PGX was a little less liberal in their grading than CGC. But these days, there may be some question as to PGX's integrity or trustworthiness. Here is a forum link, which Charles sent me. You may want to surf around to see what some others are saying about PGX. Click here for comic book forum!
Do you have any thoughts on PGX? I sure would appreciate hearing them. Talk later.
Dave
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