The Reaping
When it comes to selling off parts of any collection, the collector is as ready to cut off a limb as to sell a beloved piece in their collection. Due to future and current concerns over space I decided to rid myself of my DC Universe Classics collection. I had been agonizing over this for awhile, but when it came right down to it I had to embrace a philosophy that I abandoned a few years ago. That is; treasure the art of toys, not the toys themselves.
Part of my issue was that I had invested a tremendous amount of energy into obtaining my DCU collection. So much so that it felt like abandoning the work I had devoted so much effort to when I even considered divesting myself of my figures. Anyone who collected DCU understands that various issues contributed towards this being a very difficult line to find at times. This rang true especially in the first few years of the line when retailer exclusives took over and drove the fanbase insane. I can't tell you how many out of the way trips I made to Wal-Marts to try and find Wave 5 which included the Atom and the Riddler among others. Then Mattel decided to sell the wave online at Mattycollector.com after so many of us had plunked down scalper prices to obtain it. Frustration is a kind word to describe my state of mind at the time of that discovery.
As you get older and your priorities change, so does the view of collecting in general. There is truly nothing like the well being of children to make you question every single life choice you have made. I know sitting in my basement looking over the stacks of boxes, I came to some serious realizations about how I had spent my money but with few answers as to why. Anyone with an addictive personality should probably avoid a hobby like this, but one might argue that the two go hand in hand. Ultimately I had come back around to a place in my mind I had left a few years ago when I had determined my collection would be a curated one instead of an explosion of plastic upon shelving.
I think that in the last few years I have seen various other's acquisitions displayed online and I repeatedly came away feeling that the best ones were never the ones overstuffed with hundreds if not thousands of figures and trinkets adorning shelves, but the smaller collections that displayed a sense of emotional connection and a fastidiousness in regards to the appearance of said collection. Shelf porn is always best when dressed to impress.
So here I am once again taking a hard look at my collection and asking which of the pieces best represent the connection I feel to any of these properties, and which best represent the art of this industry and the reason why so many of us flock to it.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Toy Fair 2013- Special excerpt: Funko
Over the last few years, Funko has gone from a bobblehead company to a real force for market share amongst the collectors. A couple of years ago they introduced their POP! vinyl line of figures and bobbleheads. The snagged some big licenses off the bat such as Marvel, DC, and Star Wars. They landed an even bigger fish in Disney. I never quite got a feel for how well they were doing with those figures until this year. Target seemingly has dropped or reduced their stake in the line but that is less of a worry than it would appear.
This holiday season I saw their figures crowding shelves in Barnes & Noble and wondered how well they could be doing as B&N seemed to be doing everything they could to get rid of them. The Game of Thrones license was a huge hit as now you rarely find any of those figures on the shelves except for an odd Ned Stark and Hound here and there. Apart from GOT, I never felt that the line would stick around. It looked like DC had dropped their support, but that was more about the new emphasis on the New 52 than anything else.
What is my point? Well, all of this is to say that if anyone had any doubts about Funko's ambition then Toy Fair 2013 should have put those doubts to rest. Funko dropped one of the largest spreads of licenses of any company and with a fair amount of depth to back it up. What we saw in the display cases was impressive enough, but then photos of their 2013 catalogue started popping up and that's when everyone's head started to spin.
I am not an analyst and I do not have access to sales reports so all of this is just speculation, but when a company drops the amount and variety of product that Funko did this year, you get the feeling that business is very good indeed. Funko's use of the urban vinyl styling combined with big top licenses has made them the main player in a category that very few of the big companies know how to compete in let alone do it well. The "urban vinyl" or "art toy" market is still strong, but it isn't anywhere as ubiquitous as it was in 2006/07. Nevertheless, the core concepts that those toys are built on is really strong. Simple materials and construction with great design is a really appealing concept. Funko's success is that they grabbed mainstream licenses and were able to produce their goods at a price level far more appealing than their art toy cousins.
So this year they continued their assault with pop culture wolves in art toy sheep's clothing. They have moved into paper craft and more importantly into blind-boxed toys. Blind boxed toys have been a big success for a lot of vinyl toy makers like Kid Robot and their Dunny series. Funko is rolling out five blind boxed series this year with Disney, DC (Batman family), Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, and horror movie characters. I'm a little worried about the lack of diversity in characters, but they are including alternate poses as rare and super rare variants should help drive any collector frenzy left over
The takeaway for me is the licenses themselves. Standing out to me were Mass Effect, Adventure Time, Alien Vs. Predator, Pulp Fiction, Masters of the Universe, Power Rangers and the list goes on extensively. Obviously, the look of the POP! design will turn some people off, but those who are charmed by the design will have no trouble finding a character to fill their shelves or even just sit next to a computer. I count myself in the latter category and am in whole hog for the second series of Game of Thrones and a number of other licenses that are going to make me question my spending habits.
All of this is to say that there is too much to say. I haven't even touched on some of their other products that look fantastic in their own right but simply don't do it for me. The one question mark for Funko will be their production quality control. Many of their products show up on shelves with sloppy paint application which really shouldn't happen given the simplicity of the figures. I hope Funko is able to fine tune the process so that the end product reflects the high quality of the design work, otherwise pre-ordering figures as most collectors normally do becomes a bit of a crapshoot. If you want to find the best possible versions, you are forced to trek down to a Barnes and Noble or your local comic shop and hope they received a good batch to sift through.
Despite that, I am optimistic that Funko will continue to deliver great product throughout 2013. Their 2013 catalogue is available for download at popvinyls.com if you want to check out the fantastic lineup.
-Ryan
Over the last few years, Funko has gone from a bobblehead company to a real force for market share amongst the collectors. A couple of years ago they introduced their POP! vinyl line of figures and bobbleheads. The snagged some big licenses off the bat such as Marvel, DC, and Star Wars. They landed an even bigger fish in Disney. I never quite got a feel for how well they were doing with those figures until this year. Target seemingly has dropped or reduced their stake in the line but that is less of a worry than it would appear.
This holiday season I saw their figures crowding shelves in Barnes & Noble and wondered how well they could be doing as B&N seemed to be doing everything they could to get rid of them. The Game of Thrones license was a huge hit as now you rarely find any of those figures on the shelves except for an odd Ned Stark and Hound here and there. Apart from GOT, I never felt that the line would stick around. It looked like DC had dropped their support, but that was more about the new emphasis on the New 52 than anything else.
What is my point? Well, all of this is to say that if anyone had any doubts about Funko's ambition then Toy Fair 2013 should have put those doubts to rest. Funko dropped one of the largest spreads of licenses of any company and with a fair amount of depth to back it up. What we saw in the display cases was impressive enough, but then photos of their 2013 catalogue started popping up and that's when everyone's head started to spin.
I am not an analyst and I do not have access to sales reports so all of this is just speculation, but when a company drops the amount and variety of product that Funko did this year, you get the feeling that business is very good indeed. Funko's use of the urban vinyl styling combined with big top licenses has made them the main player in a category that very few of the big companies know how to compete in let alone do it well. The "urban vinyl" or "art toy" market is still strong, but it isn't anywhere as ubiquitous as it was in 2006/07. Nevertheless, the core concepts that those toys are built on is really strong. Simple materials and construction with great design is a really appealing concept. Funko's success is that they grabbed mainstream licenses and were able to produce their goods at a price level far more appealing than their art toy cousins.
So this year they continued their assault with pop culture wolves in art toy sheep's clothing. They have moved into paper craft and more importantly into blind-boxed toys. Blind boxed toys have been a big success for a lot of vinyl toy makers like Kid Robot and their Dunny series. Funko is rolling out five blind boxed series this year with Disney, DC (Batman family), Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, and horror movie characters. I'm a little worried about the lack of diversity in characters, but they are including alternate poses as rare and super rare variants should help drive any collector frenzy left over
The takeaway for me is the licenses themselves. Standing out to me were Mass Effect, Adventure Time, Alien Vs. Predator, Pulp Fiction, Masters of the Universe, Power Rangers and the list goes on extensively. Obviously, the look of the POP! design will turn some people off, but those who are charmed by the design will have no trouble finding a character to fill their shelves or even just sit next to a computer. I count myself in the latter category and am in whole hog for the second series of Game of Thrones and a number of other licenses that are going to make me question my spending habits.
All of this is to say that there is too much to say. I haven't even touched on some of their other products that look fantastic in their own right but simply don't do it for me. The one question mark for Funko will be their production quality control. Many of their products show up on shelves with sloppy paint application which really shouldn't happen given the simplicity of the figures. I hope Funko is able to fine tune the process so that the end product reflects the high quality of the design work, otherwise pre-ordering figures as most collectors normally do becomes a bit of a crapshoot. If you want to find the best possible versions, you are forced to trek down to a Barnes and Noble or your local comic shop and hope they received a good batch to sift through.
Despite that, I am optimistic that Funko will continue to deliver great product throughout 2013. Their 2013 catalogue is available for download at popvinyls.com if you want to check out the fantastic lineup.
-Ryan
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Toy Fair 2013 - The Takeaway...
Wow. Just as it seemed ToyFair was becoming irrelevant in the wake of San Diego Comic-Con, 2013's edition has arrived and many of us are still picking our jaws up off the ground. NECA is leading the charge to be sure. I felt they had started to drop off a couple of years ago as factory paint jobs were well falling short of prototypes and I worried a McFarlaneesque scenario was creeping into place where Gears of War would be the only license sustaining them.Those worries proved unfounded as NECA had a Company of the Year comeback in 2012 with huge releases on numerous properties across a couple of scales.
2013 will see the return of their Predator(s) series with Dutch in Series 8 and 9 and a re-imagining of the Kenner line. We also get a 1/4 scale Elder Predator, and Big Red. Oh yeah, the AVP Predators make their return to 7" scale. Damn. Some collector's have asked for a break from the ugly bastards, but anyone yearning for the most comprehensive of Predator lines got their wish.
I think we need to talk about 1/4 scale and the impact it is going to have on the industry. Now, Enterbay and Hot Toys have decidedto take their high end war into 1/4 scale which is breaking the piggy banks of most collectors. Their 1/4 scale figures are running between $360- $475 at the moment and will only get more expensive. You do get a lot for your money, tons of accessories and highly detailed sculpts and costuming. NECA has taken a very practical approach to their own entry. They keep up the level of quality in the sculpts, but by limiting articulation and fabric to a degree they are going to save collectors tons of money in the process. Consider that for the price of one Enterbay Batman or Joker, you can buy about 4 of NECA's new 1/4 scale figures. That means you can snag yourself Captain America, Iron Man, Batman 1989, and Batman 1966. Now most collectors who do any kind of displaying aren't going to be posing their figures daily. Do the math and ask yourself which is the better value when the look of these figures, while not quite a toss up between the high and low ends, it is pretty damn close.
Mezco has been a bit under the radar the last couple of years, but they came back in a big way by snagging the Breaking Bad license. That isn't what I want to talk about though. Staying in the lines of the 1/4 scale discussion, Mezco has very quietly put forth one of the best lines for any company in recent memory. Their "Mega" scale Thundercats figures are some of the best looking figures on the market right now and they go for a pittance of anything else in that scale range. Thundercats got a raw deal when Cartoon Network screwed the pooch on marketing the reboot, and Bandai false started on a really promising toy line. Pop Culture Shock put out a line of statues that died after Mumm-Ra and Lion-O got released because they were just too damned expensive. Icon Heroes and Hard Heroes both put out lines of smaller scale statues that died after a few releases themselves. Mezco is still out there in the wild keeping the fires burning. They recently announced Cheetara for the line keeping hopes alive that we might just see the entire adult Cat roster in the same scale for the first time since the original line. Granted Diamond Select is doing mini mates, but that feels a little like cheating.
The other trend is the explosion of 1966 Batman merchandise coming from just about every major company. Wow, the selection is going to be immense. Collector's will have their pick although I'd be lying if I said I didn't have any fears for the longevity of such an endeavor with so many companies dipping their toes in. Sideshow and Hot Toys will have their say before everything is over so if you thought you couldn't get enough of the Barris Batmobile, you are about to get your fill.
I have so many thoughts on this Toy Fair they can't fit one post, so I'll call this good for the sake of timeliness. There is a lot to talk about because this is going to be an amazing year.
I think we need to talk about 1/4 scale and the impact it is going to have on the industry. Now, Enterbay and Hot Toys have decidedto take their high end war into 1/4 scale which is breaking the piggy banks of most collectors. Their 1/4 scale figures are running between $360- $475 at the moment and will only get more expensive. You do get a lot for your money, tons of accessories and highly detailed sculpts and costuming. NECA has taken a very practical approach to their own entry. They keep up the level of quality in the sculpts, but by limiting articulation and fabric to a degree they are going to save collectors tons of money in the process. Consider that for the price of one Enterbay Batman or Joker, you can buy about 4 of NECA's new 1/4 scale figures. That means you can snag yourself Captain America, Iron Man, Batman 1989, and Batman 1966. Now most collectors who do any kind of displaying aren't going to be posing their figures daily. Do the math and ask yourself which is the better value when the look of these figures, while not quite a toss up between the high and low ends, it is pretty damn close.
Mezco has been a bit under the radar the last couple of years, but they came back in a big way by snagging the Breaking Bad license. That isn't what I want to talk about though. Staying in the lines of the 1/4 scale discussion, Mezco has very quietly put forth one of the best lines for any company in recent memory. Their "Mega" scale Thundercats figures are some of the best looking figures on the market right now and they go for a pittance of anything else in that scale range. Thundercats got a raw deal when Cartoon Network screwed the pooch on marketing the reboot, and Bandai false started on a really promising toy line. Pop Culture Shock put out a line of statues that died after Mumm-Ra and Lion-O got released because they were just too damned expensive. Icon Heroes and Hard Heroes both put out lines of smaller scale statues that died after a few releases themselves. Mezco is still out there in the wild keeping the fires burning. They recently announced Cheetara for the line keeping hopes alive that we might just see the entire adult Cat roster in the same scale for the first time since the original line. Granted Diamond Select is doing mini mates, but that feels a little like cheating.
The other trend is the explosion of 1966 Batman merchandise coming from just about every major company. Wow, the selection is going to be immense. Collector's will have their pick although I'd be lying if I said I didn't have any fears for the longevity of such an endeavor with so many companies dipping their toes in. Sideshow and Hot Toys will have their say before everything is over so if you thought you couldn't get enough of the Barris Batmobile, you are about to get your fill.
I have so many thoughts on this Toy Fair they can't fit one post, so I'll call this good for the sake of timeliness. There is a lot to talk about because this is going to be an amazing year.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Welcome to 2013 - We're still here!
Well the Earth didn't implode. Evidently it was never supposed to in the first place, people just misinterpreted what the archaeologists were saying. What!?!? Crazy people misinterpreted something? Never...
Well, It has been over a year since the last post for this blog officially making me look like a terrible slacker. I was anticipating a big year for pop culture and it did not disappoint. Avengers turned out to be the big winner taking in a ridiculous amount of money at the box office and sending collector's into a frenzy. Dark Knight also did very well and for the most part avoided the pitfalls of hyper inflated expectations. Hunger Games proved to be a huge force and turned Jennifer Lawrence into the star she was already poised to become.
We definitely got some shocks though. The announcement that Star Wars would be returning shook the pop culture world to it's foundation. Then we found out that JJ Abrams would be double dipping in "Star" based franchises. The wait until 2015 will be grueling for wannabe Jedis and nerf herders everywhere.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Welcome to 2012...the end of the World! Seriously guys?
First post of 2012, and the first one in many many months. Free moments to purge my thoughts have been few and far between. We have moved back to the United States and now have a little girl on the way!
2012 is an enormous year for pop culture and general geekery. March fires everything up with John Carter from Disney and The Hunger Games from Summit Entertainment. The summer brings The Avengers film from Marvel and The Dark Knight Rises from Warner Brothers. The end of the year comes to an amazing climax with the first film in the two part adaptation of the Hobbit.
While I fully anticipate at least four of the five films to be massive hits, I think Dark Knight Rises might be the film with the most to lose. Odd considering that it is the finale of an insanely successful franchise. I feel this way because the expectations for this film coming off of The Dark Knight and it's astonishing performance have become almost unreasonable. Even if The Dark Knight Rises is great, it may still be a failure in certain respects because it did not capture the zeitgeist in the same fashion as it's predecessor. It is easily the most anticipated film of the year. As such, any backlash it faces will be swift and loud. I think Christopher Nolan will ace this one, but when your perch is the top of the mountain, any fall is magnified by it's sheer height.
John Carter is definitely the one with the most to gain. Disney can launch a franchise from this one and the early buzz, as footage is completed and test screenings go up, is gaining positive momentum. As I blogged over a year and half ago, I have a soft spot for this franchise and am desperate to see it do well. The climb is most certainly an uphill one, but the reward could be tremendous. My only other spot of bother is that Carter's success could be greatly hampered by The Hunger Games opening a mere two weeks later.
2012 should be fairly amazing for so many , many reasons.
2012 is an enormous year for pop culture and general geekery. March fires everything up with John Carter from Disney and The Hunger Games from Summit Entertainment. The summer brings The Avengers film from Marvel and The Dark Knight Rises from Warner Brothers. The end of the year comes to an amazing climax with the first film in the two part adaptation of the Hobbit.
While I fully anticipate at least four of the five films to be massive hits, I think Dark Knight Rises might be the film with the most to lose. Odd considering that it is the finale of an insanely successful franchise. I feel this way because the expectations for this film coming off of The Dark Knight and it's astonishing performance have become almost unreasonable. Even if The Dark Knight Rises is great, it may still be a failure in certain respects because it did not capture the zeitgeist in the same fashion as it's predecessor. It is easily the most anticipated film of the year. As such, any backlash it faces will be swift and loud. I think Christopher Nolan will ace this one, but when your perch is the top of the mountain, any fall is magnified by it's sheer height.
John Carter is definitely the one with the most to gain. Disney can launch a franchise from this one and the early buzz, as footage is completed and test screenings go up, is gaining positive momentum. As I blogged over a year and half ago, I have a soft spot for this franchise and am desperate to see it do well. The climb is most certainly an uphill one, but the reward could be tremendous. My only other spot of bother is that Carter's success could be greatly hampered by The Hunger Games opening a mere two weeks later.
2012 should be fairly amazing for so many , many reasons.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The Verdict: DCnU 52- Animal Man #1
Story: Jeff Lemire
Art: Travel Foreman
One of the unqualified successes of the first week of the new DC Universe has to be Jeff Lemire's reboot/launch of Animal Man. Lemire keeps a sliver of the Grant Morrison "Meta" Animal Man in the shape of an interview between Buddy Baker and Jeff Lemire. See what he did there? Lemire's story is very strong and does a fantastic job of setting the tone of what could be the creepiest and enthralling of all the new titles. It also creates the vibe set by Morrison's run on the title before the Vertigo imprint was created as a home for such types of stories.
Travel Foreman is a superstar in the making. His art previews for this book are what finally convinced me to jump onto this title. While Jeff Lemire has been a name in discussion for a couple of years now, I haven't really warmed to his storytelling. In Foreman, he has a perfect collaborator to drive his type of story forward. Foreman's art evokes many of the greats like Mignola, Keith, Sienkiewithhimer (Sorry, spelling Bill's last name is a nightmare. ) It is beautiful and unnerving.
I have read a review where the reviewer couldn't stand the story or the art, but based on her other reviews of the new 52, it became fairly obvious that she preferred standard, traditional superhero stories with standard, traditional superhero art. She gave it a 2.5 out of 5, whereas I call this one a masterpiece and the kind of book that DC needs to push hard as part of it's resolve to change the landscape of it's own universe.
Verdict: 5 out of 5.
Art: Travel Foreman
One of the unqualified successes of the first week of the new DC Universe has to be Jeff Lemire's reboot/launch of Animal Man. Lemire keeps a sliver of the Grant Morrison "Meta" Animal Man in the shape of an interview between Buddy Baker and Jeff Lemire. See what he did there? Lemire's story is very strong and does a fantastic job of setting the tone of what could be the creepiest and enthralling of all the new titles. It also creates the vibe set by Morrison's run on the title before the Vertigo imprint was created as a home for such types of stories.
Travel Foreman is a superstar in the making. His art previews for this book are what finally convinced me to jump onto this title. While Jeff Lemire has been a name in discussion for a couple of years now, I haven't really warmed to his storytelling. In Foreman, he has a perfect collaborator to drive his type of story forward. Foreman's art evokes many of the greats like Mignola, Keith, Sienkiewithhimer (Sorry, spelling Bill's last name is a nightmare. ) It is beautiful and unnerving.
I have read a review where the reviewer couldn't stand the story or the art, but based on her other reviews of the new 52, it became fairly obvious that she preferred standard, traditional superhero stories with standard, traditional superhero art. She gave it a 2.5 out of 5, whereas I call this one a masterpiece and the kind of book that DC needs to push hard as part of it's resolve to change the landscape of it's own universe.
Verdict: 5 out of 5.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
John Carter Teaser Trailer- Reaction!
If you want to see nerdsplosion, you need look no farther than the newly released John Carter trailer from Disney. I have blogged about John Carter before and my deep abiding love for the series, but this is the first true attempt to bring the world of Barsoom to life with any kind of muscle behind it. We can all forget the Antonio Sabato Jr./Traci Lords version. Better to pretend that one didn't exist.
So the trailer hits and there are a ton of questions. By admission, this is an adaptation. Director Andrew Stanton is bringing us a fully realized, breathing version of the hundreds of art prints by fantasy artists around the world. Keep that in mind. Every piece of art is an interpretation. So it goes with this film. There are plenty of people ready to leave this one on the doorstep and walk away based on a teaser trailer that lasts a minute and a half. Why? Because it doesn't have x y or z. They have already gleaned the entire story from this trailer and have decided it doesn't meet their needs. Excuse me if that sounds a bit ludicrous.
Others bemoan the look of x y and z. Again, this is an interpretation. I think a lot of people get caught up and assume that a film is suddenly new canon for a story that already exists. If you want the original with no changes and no deviations, then the books are there. They remain as accessible and relevant as always, but almost 100 years has passed since Burroughs created the original story. I would be angry if Stanton and company didn't make changes to match the culture we live in now just as Burroughs wrote for the culture of a 1912 society.
Having said all that, I feel cheated. Only a little and it is only because this is a teaser. I want the whole film now. Right now playing on my TV. The fact I have to wait eight more months becomes interminable. The trailer does it's job. It gives you just enough to make you say "What the F&*$ was that" and re-watch for the copious minute details. As I have gotten older my desire for strict adherence to a specific story has wained. I can already tell you that many of the things I saw in the trailer did not exist n the original novel or any of the first three for that matter. Thankfully I don't care. As I said, if I wanted to be slavish I can just reread the books.
Taylor Kitsch is in for a huge career boost if this lives up to it's pedigree. He is a charismatic actor that plays the reflective warrior well. I have only seen Lynn Collins in one movie, so I have no expectations of her, but the trailer shows off some good moments between them. Barsoom doesn't look quite as I expected it to, I thought they would put a bit more red into the shots. I think the flyers look very cool with their huge solar wings shooting off to the sides. I will be curious to see how the costumes look in the final film as I was surprised to see them stick John in his cowboy boots. Frankly, he looks a lot like a certain barbarian getting ready to make his own return to the screen soon.
All in all, I never could have anticipated what I saw. I knew this was an adaptation going in, I had read descriptions online, but seeing it was something else entirely. More than likely we can expect another trailer around the holidays to start fleshing out the story and show off the Tharks in greater detail. John Carter may open in March, but it will still feel like another hundred years to me.
So the trailer hits and there are a ton of questions. By admission, this is an adaptation. Director Andrew Stanton is bringing us a fully realized, breathing version of the hundreds of art prints by fantasy artists around the world. Keep that in mind. Every piece of art is an interpretation. So it goes with this film. There are plenty of people ready to leave this one on the doorstep and walk away based on a teaser trailer that lasts a minute and a half. Why? Because it doesn't have x y or z. They have already gleaned the entire story from this trailer and have decided it doesn't meet their needs. Excuse me if that sounds a bit ludicrous.
Others bemoan the look of x y and z. Again, this is an interpretation. I think a lot of people get caught up and assume that a film is suddenly new canon for a story that already exists. If you want the original with no changes and no deviations, then the books are there. They remain as accessible and relevant as always, but almost 100 years has passed since Burroughs created the original story. I would be angry if Stanton and company didn't make changes to match the culture we live in now just as Burroughs wrote for the culture of a 1912 society.
Having said all that, I feel cheated. Only a little and it is only because this is a teaser. I want the whole film now. Right now playing on my TV. The fact I have to wait eight more months becomes interminable. The trailer does it's job. It gives you just enough to make you say "What the F&*$ was that" and re-watch for the copious minute details. As I have gotten older my desire for strict adherence to a specific story has wained. I can already tell you that many of the things I saw in the trailer did not exist n the original novel or any of the first three for that matter. Thankfully I don't care. As I said, if I wanted to be slavish I can just reread the books.
Taylor Kitsch is in for a huge career boost if this lives up to it's pedigree. He is a charismatic actor that plays the reflective warrior well. I have only seen Lynn Collins in one movie, so I have no expectations of her, but the trailer shows off some good moments between them. Barsoom doesn't look quite as I expected it to, I thought they would put a bit more red into the shots. I think the flyers look very cool with their huge solar wings shooting off to the sides. I will be curious to see how the costumes look in the final film as I was surprised to see them stick John in his cowboy boots. Frankly, he looks a lot like a certain barbarian getting ready to make his own return to the screen soon.
All in all, I never could have anticipated what I saw. I knew this was an adaptation going in, I had read descriptions online, but seeing it was something else entirely. More than likely we can expect another trailer around the holidays to start fleshing out the story and show off the Tharks in greater detail. John Carter may open in March, but it will still feel like another hundred years to me.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
The beautiful chaos of 2000AD
Comics are most definitely an art form. If you can call a crucifix in a jar of urine art, then surely you can allow some room for comics, yes? One of my favorite parts about collecting comics and it's art is trolling through the vast amount of back catalogue available and discovering the early days of artist x, or the great inspirations of artist y. I think that beyond all, the early years of 2000AD and Judge Dredd encapsulate the former.
I have had a love for the Judge Dredd character and world since the early nineties. When I first learned about the character, the World was preparing for the all encompassing stink that was the Sylvester Stallone film. To be fair, it sounded pretty cool. I ended up falling into my standard obsessive behavior and began devouring what information I could. In the middle of Oklahoma, the choices were somewhat limited. This was in the dark ages of course before the advent of the internet.
I even have an old drawing I did of Dredd back in the day, which at the time was one of my better attempts. I never really knew the true joy of Dredd and his 2000AD brethren until recently when I started getting the Judge Dredd Complete Case Files from 2000AD and Rebellion press. It is awesome, campy, fanboy love. The stories feel like a lot of other independent comics of the time. There is a fair amount of corny humor and beat you over the head storytelling, but in the middle of all that, you see the writer's working towards some great social satire and the art is off the walls bonkers.
There is a book called, "How to draw comics, the Marvel way" full of the method used by the John's Romita and Buscema. Everything is orderly, dynamic and one of the better references of the time. It's a great intro into how to develop a cinematic feel for the medium. 2000AD acts if books like that never existed. Every page is eye blisteringly full. Characters fall out of panels. Each page is so crowded that at first you have no idea where to look because your brain is processing so much visual stimuli. the stories are all the better for it. It feels like the sprawling, claustrophobic megalopolis that Mega City 1 is supposed to be. You can see the spittle flying from the lips of the villains hurling insults at the Judges and the grim steely visage of Dredd's chin.
The true shame of all of this is that 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine no longer function in this manner. The stories are far more cohesive with modern dialogue, but the art no longer seems to push the boundaries in the fashion of old. It resembles the American comic structure, and it seems lesser for it. Don't get me wrong though, They are still introducing some of the great artists of the future who will leave their impression on the industry for years to come. Part of me still misses the chaotic independent style that permeated Dredd in his earliest adventures.
I have had a love for the Judge Dredd character and world since the early nineties. When I first learned about the character, the World was preparing for the all encompassing stink that was the Sylvester Stallone film. To be fair, it sounded pretty cool. I ended up falling into my standard obsessive behavior and began devouring what information I could. In the middle of Oklahoma, the choices were somewhat limited. This was in the dark ages of course before the advent of the internet.
I even have an old drawing I did of Dredd back in the day, which at the time was one of my better attempts. I never really knew the true joy of Dredd and his 2000AD brethren until recently when I started getting the Judge Dredd Complete Case Files from 2000AD and Rebellion press. It is awesome, campy, fanboy love. The stories feel like a lot of other independent comics of the time. There is a fair amount of corny humor and beat you over the head storytelling, but in the middle of all that, you see the writer's working towards some great social satire and the art is off the walls bonkers.
There is a book called, "How to draw comics, the Marvel way" full of the method used by the John's Romita and Buscema. Everything is orderly, dynamic and one of the better references of the time. It's a great intro into how to develop a cinematic feel for the medium. 2000AD acts if books like that never existed. Every page is eye blisteringly full. Characters fall out of panels. Each page is so crowded that at first you have no idea where to look because your brain is processing so much visual stimuli. the stories are all the better for it. It feels like the sprawling, claustrophobic megalopolis that Mega City 1 is supposed to be. You can see the spittle flying from the lips of the villains hurling insults at the Judges and the grim steely visage of Dredd's chin.
The true shame of all of this is that 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine no longer function in this manner. The stories are far more cohesive with modern dialogue, but the art no longer seems to push the boundaries in the fashion of old. It resembles the American comic structure, and it seems lesser for it. Don't get me wrong though, They are still introducing some of the great artists of the future who will leave their impression on the industry for years to come. Part of me still misses the chaotic independent style that permeated Dredd in his earliest adventures.
Monday, June 20, 2011
The love and hate... Assassin's Creed franchise
Love: The concept of Assassin's Creed, the story of Ezio Auditore in Assassin's Creed II, and in AC: Brotherhood.
Hate: The stupid-ass sci-fi plotline shoehorned onto the story to explain how we are watching events in the past unfold.
Let's be clear, I love playing the Assassin's Creed series. The first game was a beautiful broken mess, but it showed amazing potential. The fact that they not only lived up to the potential, but exceeded it for ACII is still astonishing. They also created one of the most charismatic characters in any video game ever. I would play Assassin's Creed All-Star tennis if it had Ezio in it. The very idea of following this character throughout his lifetime and not just over a period of a few days or even a few weeks gave the audience an emotional tether that has only strengthened with the continuation of his story in AC Brotherhood, and soon to be completed in AC Revelations.
I can play the games for hours just running across the rooftops of Italy. Then, I have to finish the game and I get ripped out of the blissful trance I spend my playtime in. The endings of all three Assassin's Creed leave a lot to be desired. Sufficed to say I end up rubbing my eyes and muttering to myself. And that can't be good can it? I think the worst sin of the franchise is loss of momentum once you reach the end. Ubisoft has crafted this engrossing storyline carrying you throughout some of the most important years in Italian history, and then they dump you into an anticlimactic poop puddle.
I don't know what it is about endings that is so hard. It seems like so many games fail to bring all of the game mechanics to play in what should be a test of everything you have learned in your experience with the game. In Assassin's Creed II, we got a fist fight with the Pope that is even sillier than it sounds. Then in Brotherhood, we got a much more thought out boss battle against Cesare Borgias, only to be sent into an extended platforming sequence that was just pointless and boring. All of this mind you, leads you to Assassin's Creed overarching mythology that makes you sit through a somewhat ridiculous story about mankind's alien progenitors. I don't care! I was having such a good time with the political intrigue. Why? Why, must I be forced to play trial and error platforming missions that do nothing but anger me and leave me with a rather weak conclusion?
Obviously, Ubisoft cannot go back and erase the past. But Revelations needs to deliver a satisfying ending for Ezio no matter what plate of steaming you-know-what they leave for us at the end to serve as the true 'ending' of the Apple of Eden storyline. Ultimately the game is no longer about Desmond. I know they have an extended sequence set up to play as Desmond running across a virtual landscape, but Ezio has taken on a life of his own, and is owed a conclusion fitting one of the great heroes in games.
Hate: The stupid-ass sci-fi plotline shoehorned onto the story to explain how we are watching events in the past unfold.
Let's be clear, I love playing the Assassin's Creed series. The first game was a beautiful broken mess, but it showed amazing potential. The fact that they not only lived up to the potential, but exceeded it for ACII is still astonishing. They also created one of the most charismatic characters in any video game ever. I would play Assassin's Creed All-Star tennis if it had Ezio in it. The very idea of following this character throughout his lifetime and not just over a period of a few days or even a few weeks gave the audience an emotional tether that has only strengthened with the continuation of his story in AC Brotherhood, and soon to be completed in AC Revelations.
I can play the games for hours just running across the rooftops of Italy. Then, I have to finish the game and I get ripped out of the blissful trance I spend my playtime in. The endings of all three Assassin's Creed leave a lot to be desired. Sufficed to say I end up rubbing my eyes and muttering to myself. And that can't be good can it? I think the worst sin of the franchise is loss of momentum once you reach the end. Ubisoft has crafted this engrossing storyline carrying you throughout some of the most important years in Italian history, and then they dump you into an anticlimactic poop puddle.
I don't know what it is about endings that is so hard. It seems like so many games fail to bring all of the game mechanics to play in what should be a test of everything you have learned in your experience with the game. In Assassin's Creed II, we got a fist fight with the Pope that is even sillier than it sounds. Then in Brotherhood, we got a much more thought out boss battle against Cesare Borgias, only to be sent into an extended platforming sequence that was just pointless and boring. All of this mind you, leads you to Assassin's Creed overarching mythology that makes you sit through a somewhat ridiculous story about mankind's alien progenitors. I don't care! I was having such a good time with the political intrigue. Why? Why, must I be forced to play trial and error platforming missions that do nothing but anger me and leave me with a rather weak conclusion?
Obviously, Ubisoft cannot go back and erase the past. But Revelations needs to deliver a satisfying ending for Ezio no matter what plate of steaming you-know-what they leave for us at the end to serve as the true 'ending' of the Apple of Eden storyline. Ultimately the game is no longer about Desmond. I know they have an extended sequence set up to play as Desmond running across a virtual landscape, but Ezio has taken on a life of his own, and is owed a conclusion fitting one of the great heroes in games.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Best worst toy year ever?
2011 will undoubtedly go down in most collector's minds as the year the economic realities hit the hardest. We've seen prices on figures sky rocket across all scales. the 6" scale alone has seen Mattel's Green Lantern Movie Masters hit shelves at a whopping $18.00 a figure. Considering that you throw in a "Collect and Connect" figure built in 14 pieces along with that and you have one of the most expensive mass market toy lines ever produced. While the 3.75" range is holding close at around $10.00, we are still seeing a steady rise as companies like Hasbro keep finding new ways to raise the bar on the industry's most dependable scale.
While it seems the 6" scale is hitting the average collector the hardest, the 1/6 scale collector is being priced right out of house and home. 1/g scale has always been an indulgence market, but now it seems like every new release from Hot Toys is coming in at an average of $180.00, with every DX release hitting at around $225.00. Of course, you get what you pay for, but the demands of such a high end hobby are beginning to take their toll. Most collector's now find themselves having to choose only the most near and dear figures to add to their shelves. Sideshow is keeping things relatively close with their G.I. Joe line, but as they begin to explore the more complex pieces of the Star Wars universe, their production costs go up, and so do the bottom line prices for consumers.
While we live in an enthusiast's nirvana, the sobering reality is that the market is saturated with product, and few can keep up. It is quickly becoming a rotational hobby as collector's acquire and dispense with their treasures nearly as soon as they receive them. Very little time is left to enjoy them before something new arrives to hoover the money from their wallets.
The year has also seen the death of two really promising lines that on a personal note, I will sorely miss. Due to unknown factors, Bioware has canceled the second series of figures from DC Direct's Mass Effect 2 line. It is an absolute shame as the first wave is actually very very good. Some great characters have been left on the table, and we are certainly worse off for not having them. The second blow was especially painful to me as we lost Enterbay's Prison Break figures. While they managed to get T-Bag out the door, Michael and Lincoln fell victims to unscrupulous factory practices, or at least that is what we were told. While Hot Toys versions will have to do, Enterbay was moving into sublime territory with the work that had gone into realizing Michael Scofield's tatoos from season one of the cult TV classic.
The year isn't half over and Hot Toys still has Indiana Jones, Thor, Spider-Man, more Iron Man, more Bruce Lee rolling out. In addition we are awaiting word on the 1989 Michael Keaton Batman, the Christopher Reeve Superman, and the revelation of a tease from months back regarding a galaxy far, far away.
Mattel is putting a lot of stock in Green Lantern hitting hard, and in the resurgence of Voltron. DC Universe is still being talked up after 19 waves of figures. WHo can say how far they willl go. Masters of the Universe Classics has proven to be a juggernaut for sure.
Hasbro continues their own uber toy lines in Marvel Universe, Star Wars Vintage Collection, and G.I. Joe. Having the Marvel film license gives them tremendous momentum through the next year.
Bandai pulled the big coup in nabbing the revitalized Thundercats brand. Mattel would have sold their sister for that license. Bandai looks to be pulling out the stops for this one, and the Classic 8" figure line looks fantastic despite the lack of depth in initial release.
Yes, 2011 is one of the best years for collecting ever, this after a 2010 where we wondered if it could get any better. The old adage of "Careful what you wish for" springs to mind.
While it seems the 6" scale is hitting the average collector the hardest, the 1/6 scale collector is being priced right out of house and home. 1/g scale has always been an indulgence market, but now it seems like every new release from Hot Toys is coming in at an average of $180.00, with every DX release hitting at around $225.00. Of course, you get what you pay for, but the demands of such a high end hobby are beginning to take their toll. Most collector's now find themselves having to choose only the most near and dear figures to add to their shelves. Sideshow is keeping things relatively close with their G.I. Joe line, but as they begin to explore the more complex pieces of the Star Wars universe, their production costs go up, and so do the bottom line prices for consumers.
While we live in an enthusiast's nirvana, the sobering reality is that the market is saturated with product, and few can keep up. It is quickly becoming a rotational hobby as collector's acquire and dispense with their treasures nearly as soon as they receive them. Very little time is left to enjoy them before something new arrives to hoover the money from their wallets.
The year has also seen the death of two really promising lines that on a personal note, I will sorely miss. Due to unknown factors, Bioware has canceled the second series of figures from DC Direct's Mass Effect 2 line. It is an absolute shame as the first wave is actually very very good. Some great characters have been left on the table, and we are certainly worse off for not having them. The second blow was especially painful to me as we lost Enterbay's Prison Break figures. While they managed to get T-Bag out the door, Michael and Lincoln fell victims to unscrupulous factory practices, or at least that is what we were told. While Hot Toys versions will have to do, Enterbay was moving into sublime territory with the work that had gone into realizing Michael Scofield's tatoos from season one of the cult TV classic.
The year isn't half over and Hot Toys still has Indiana Jones, Thor, Spider-Man, more Iron Man, more Bruce Lee rolling out. In addition we are awaiting word on the 1989 Michael Keaton Batman, the Christopher Reeve Superman, and the revelation of a tease from months back regarding a galaxy far, far away.
Mattel is putting a lot of stock in Green Lantern hitting hard, and in the resurgence of Voltron. DC Universe is still being talked up after 19 waves of figures. WHo can say how far they willl go. Masters of the Universe Classics has proven to be a juggernaut for sure.
Hasbro continues their own uber toy lines in Marvel Universe, Star Wars Vintage Collection, and G.I. Joe. Having the Marvel film license gives them tremendous momentum through the next year.
Bandai pulled the big coup in nabbing the revitalized Thundercats brand. Mattel would have sold their sister for that license. Bandai looks to be pulling out the stops for this one, and the Classic 8" figure line looks fantastic despite the lack of depth in initial release.
Yes, 2011 is one of the best years for collecting ever, this after a 2010 where we wondered if it could get any better. The old adage of "Careful what you wish for" springs to mind.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Thor, God of Thornder...em Thunder
I think I am about as excited for the opening of the Thor film as I am about any film this year. Early word is pretty positive. I worried Kenneth Branagh might get lost with all the effects work despite whatever great direction he gave to the actors. Branagh is Mr. Shakespeare and he can pull a good performance out of just about anyone (Keanu Reeves excepted). Having seen his super-lush take on Hamlet back in 1997, I knew he could handle the epic scale.
It is a huge relief that reviews are good, as I had any number of reservations about how this one would turn out. I am excited for my nephew to get to see this at 7 years old. His head will be swimming for weeks on end as my brother eggs him on.
It is a huge relief that reviews are good, as I had any number of reservations about how this one would turn out. I am excited for my nephew to get to see this at 7 years old. His head will be swimming for weeks on end as my brother eggs him on.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Blurging: Battlestar Galactica (the original)
I've decided out of sheer whimsy to start re-watching the old Battlestar Galactica series. Many of you would say "Why?!? It's terrible! Don't destroy what time you have left on this planet watching that garbage." Yes, but those people don't understand the siren song of late 70's early 80's genre television! Battlestar obviously owes it's initial popularity to it's proximity to Star Wars. In 1977 Star Wars was a game changer across all media platforms and that includes television. Suddenly everyone was looking for a successful copy to help rake in the moolah. Enter Glen Larson.
Larson had another series in mind when creating Battlestar, but Star Wars provided the vehicle to hitch his concept to. Debuting on September 17th, 1978 Battlestar Galactica premiered to a nation wide audience caught up in the grips of Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In many ways, Galatica is viewed as an interstellar mash-up of Exodus and Noah's Ark from the Bible. While Galactica lasted all of one year on TV in it's original form, it's impact on the cultural landscape and underlying core concept were strong enough to support a brand new series that scored immense critical acclaim and popularity on the SciFi channel 25 years later.
Enough of the Wikipedia trolling! Get onto the review!
Episode One: Saga of a Star World, part one:
Starring:
Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict and so on...
For 1978 genre television, this is a hell of an opener. It is so much better than I remember it being. All the pieces get put into place pretty tidily and the obvious blueprint is established for many of the 2003 version's sub-stories. Your special guest star is Ray Milland! Also showing up are Ed Begley Jr (St. Elsewhere), Jane Seymour (Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman), and as the ill-fated Zack Adama... Rick Springfield! Yes, years before Jessie's Girl and General Hospital Rick got strut around flashing a killer smile, awesome feathered hair, and wear that awesome Egyptian Pharoah inspired flight helmet the series was famous for. Way to go Rick!
The plot: The full Armada of the 12 human colonies is on it's way with the full council of 12 and the President to sign a peace accord with the dastardly Cylons who consider humanity an abomination to be wiped from the universe. The President is hopeful that a new day is dawning as the Cylons have proffered peace. However Pa Cartwright isn't buying it. He knows deep down the Cylons want to run him and the rest of the Cartwright family off their lan... Sorry, not Bonanza, I know. Well, sure enough Commander Adama is right. While out on a scouting mission, the boys Adama; Apollo and Zack (Seriously? Your first child is Apollo and the second is Zack? Talk about an inferiority complex.) discover thousands of Cylon Raiders parked in a gas cloud with a tanker waiting to ambush the entire fleet. While Apollo makes it back in one piece, Zack couldn't quite make it back in his damaged Viper before succumbing to the Cylon's superior numbers. Cheer up gang, did I mention he went on to write Jessie's Girl? Meanwhile, the Galactica crew figures out the ruse and hightails it back to Caprica where a Cylon basestar is hovering in orbit raining down hot Cylon death.
Yep, they pulled the entire fleet into an ambush while all of the colony planets were sitting ducks with no defenses. For that matter, why did the colonies need to send every Battlestar to the signing of a peace accord? Better not to ask. Seriously though, the storyline is pretty well laid out with an aging President looking for validation of all his work at the same time being led down the primrose path by the traitorous Baltar who was in league with the Cylons the whole time. Jump to Starbuck. The series real standout character and the one fans got their knickers in a twist about having his gender flipped for the 2003 update. It's all there right away, the trademark cigar, wisecracks, the gambling obsession. All the trademarks that made Dirk Benedict a household name.
Meanwhile Athena is wrestling over the loss of her brother, the loss of everyone else in the colonies and Starbuck's devil may care attitude. We get our cheesecake scene as Athena is getting undressed after a long day of chest beating and hand wringing only to have Starbuck pop in mid strip to apologize for his roguish charm. We now get a scene where one character wanders around with his back to the other and the other standing behind a locker door for modesty's sake. When you think about the 2003 Battlestar's uni-sex bunks and bathrooms, it is all a bit quaint. If this were the modern version, Athena and Starbuck would have had at it, only to have Starbuck run for the hills as things got too intimate.
We end up with Lorne Greene and Apollo at the charred remains of their home on Caprica looking for any last mementos before they get the hell out of dodge and avoid the obligatory Cylon cleaning squads. Wait! What's that? Coming down the hill...is it? Yes, it is! People! Capricans who survived the assault lead by Dr. Quinn herself, Jane Seymour. They ain't happy though. Like me, they were wondering why there wasn't a Battlestar to protect the planet. Little do they know, there is no good explanation. Instead Apollo and Pa Cartwright spill the beans that they are indeed the last Battlestar. Greene gets to pull his Moses, and calls for any survivors to pack up, jump on any ship that will hit space and follow them away from the 12 colonies. Cut to the exodus as what remains of the colonies does indeed fly every piece of space worthy crap away from the Cylon purge. You even get a space moving company with painted logos on the side of the ship that says" We move anywhere!" A bit of unintentional Spaceballs style comedy.
You would think that would be a good ending for the first episode, but then we get some extra scenes with Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer inspecting ships and reassuring people that food and water are coming. Just like the 2003 version, the original does a really nice job of selling the plight of the refugees who have no clue what is going on other than they are being hunted to extinction. We also get Baltar on Caprica as the big reveal of his treachery telling the Cylon Centurions to hunt down and kill any remaining humans.
Overall: Like I said, a much better episode than I remembered. Richard Hatch is really good as Apollo which makes his turn as anarchist Tom Zarek in the 2003 version all the more fun and chilling. The episode holds up to the test of time whereas Buck Rogers looks pretty hokey by comparison. The special effects are really good considering this is 1978 television. The costumes are fairly iconic, and the look of the Cylon centurions continues to be one of the best designs ever. In fact the look of the whole show is pretty strong. The Vipers have a sleek look and the Cylon Raiders are appropriately menacing. Galactica herself looks incredibly impressive and heroic, explaining why the 2003 version didn't stray far. Lorne Greene and James Edward Olmos couldn't be further apart in performance style. Greene plays Adama as a reserved, wistful general forced to play his militaristic hand despite his doveish tendencies. Olmos's Adama is big, brash, and every bit the hawk. Both command your attention in very different, but equally effective ways.
I'm optimistic about the rest of the series even though I know the clunkers are waiting in the weeds.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Look at him... Ah, bless.
I have a confession. I have a soft spot for slightly tarnished franchises. This is fairly evident if you spend enough time with me. I have only one team I cheer for that could be considered a "front runner". I have some favorite characters that everyone else loves, but for the most part I gravitate towards slightly quirky fare. I guess I shouldn't say quirky, but more along the lines of under appreciated, at least in my own mind. Things like Flash Gordon, The Phantom, Iron Fist, Doctor Strange etc...
I run across franchises that once enjoyed massive popularity only to fall out of favor on a large scale and I take them in and obsess over them. I read up on the history of the character and creators. I buy the best stories I can find that epitomize the greatest attributes of those characters. Obsessive/compulsive may be the best term, but I'd rather look on it in a kinder fashion. One of the great benefits of this is my mind is then filled with an absurd amount of new information that helps to further decimate opponents at trivial pursuit, the downside being that any remaining mathematical skills slowly decay and crumble.
Recently, I have indulged in Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars series. One of the greatest advantages to getting in on this series is that the real estate for the ground floor is dirt cheap. Pretty much all of Burroughs' work is old enough that you can get large collections of it for a song on the Kindle. Being a Sci- Fi/Fantasy fan, the John Carter name has always been in the back of my mind, but I have never explored his World in the way I have some of his pulp counterparts like Conan, Buck Rogers, and the previously mentioned Flash Gordon. Following the chronology of my life, a lot of it is due to the fact that Carter never enjoyed the full renaissance in the 1970's that many of the other characters did. Frank Frazetta did covers and interior illustrations for many literary editions just as he did for Conan, and Marvel Comics had even put forth their own comics adaptation. Nothing really took though. Conan's literary reprints aided by Frazetta's art caught on like wildfire scoring a long running, equally popular comics franchise as well as a hugely popular film adaptation. Flash Gordon got an animated series and a big budget film that went on to cult classic status. Buck Rogers got his own cult-level television series. Many things have derailed Carter on his way towards a massive public appeal, but all of that may change sooner rather than later.
Much like The Green Hornet, Carter is currently undergoing a renewed surge of mass media revival. Dynamite Entertainment is launching a brand new comic series based on Burroughs' series called Warlord of Mars. The biggest news and possible game changer in terms of popular adoption of the series is the Disney film adaptation of the first novel in the series. A Princess of Mars now being called John Carter of Mars is in production and being directed by Andrew Stanton of Pixar. Stanton is the mastermind behind Pixar classics Finding Nemo and Wall-E. Although he has no live action feature credits, his work as a storyteller on those two masterpieces alone won him this prime slot on what Disney is hoping to be their new adventure franchise.
The story of John Carter, the gun for hire trying to rebuild a life after serving in the Confederate army during the American Civil War, only to be mysteriously transported to Mars is the touchstone for all Sci-Fantasy franchises. Burroughs began serializing the stories of his hero in 1912. Without him, we do not have Buck Rogers, which begat Flash Gordon, which begat Star Wars, which begat my almost chemical dependence like compulsion of giving money to George Lucas. Through tricks of fate and poor decision making, Carter never enjoyed the wide spread popularity that would have ensured every little boy growing up today had at least one John Carter action figure along with dvds of past films and TV series.
Burroughs wrote an astonishing 12 novels in his 'Barsoom' series. The amount of material, while repetitive in structure is dense in characters and atmosphere. It makes the extrapolation of the series into other mediums almost a no brainer. Tarzan is obviously Burroughs most popular creation, but it very well could have been Carter. In the 1930's, MGM approached Burroughs to create an animated feature based on John Carter and his adventures. They would have beaten Snow White to theaters as the very first full-length animated feature ever. Instead, according to the John Carter Wikipedia entry, Carter's Mars was deemed outlandish and too hard to sell to the conservative midwest audiences. Tarzan got the nod, and ultimately flourished as a franchise with numerous film serials and a television series as a result. The decision looks silly in the wake of the success that Flash Gordon enjoyed as a film serial. Granted, Flash Gordon's use of fairly humanoid races made it's translation to a film far more accessible than Carter's 15 foot tall Green Martians and White Apes, Carter still enjoys the same level of swashbuckling adventure that make all his descendants so wildly thrilling. One can only wonder how different the modern pop culture landscape would be if Carter had indeed beaten Snow White to theaters.
So yes, I am in full grips of Mars mania. As the actual research of Mars continues to grow exponentially, it may make the John Carter series seem dated as does any future-based franchise that never quite meets the reality of a modern world analogue like 1984 or 2010. However, Disney is willing to give it a shot, and come June 8th 2012, expect the mouse house to roll out one of their biggest tents to showcase this much loved cult classic. Other film adaptations of this series have died on the vine, but with Disney putting their full weight behind one of their strongest creative minds, John Carter may finally make his triumphant return to Earth.
I run across franchises that once enjoyed massive popularity only to fall out of favor on a large scale and I take them in and obsess over them. I read up on the history of the character and creators. I buy the best stories I can find that epitomize the greatest attributes of those characters. Obsessive/compulsive may be the best term, but I'd rather look on it in a kinder fashion. One of the great benefits of this is my mind is then filled with an absurd amount of new information that helps to further decimate opponents at trivial pursuit, the downside being that any remaining mathematical skills slowly decay and crumble.
Recently, I have indulged in Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars series. One of the greatest advantages to getting in on this series is that the real estate for the ground floor is dirt cheap. Pretty much all of Burroughs' work is old enough that you can get large collections of it for a song on the Kindle. Being a Sci- Fi/Fantasy fan, the John Carter name has always been in the back of my mind, but I have never explored his World in the way I have some of his pulp counterparts like Conan, Buck Rogers, and the previously mentioned Flash Gordon. Following the chronology of my life, a lot of it is due to the fact that Carter never enjoyed the full renaissance in the 1970's that many of the other characters did. Frank Frazetta did covers and interior illustrations for many literary editions just as he did for Conan, and Marvel Comics had even put forth their own comics adaptation. Nothing really took though. Conan's literary reprints aided by Frazetta's art caught on like wildfire scoring a long running, equally popular comics franchise as well as a hugely popular film adaptation. Flash Gordon got an animated series and a big budget film that went on to cult classic status. Buck Rogers got his own cult-level television series. Many things have derailed Carter on his way towards a massive public appeal, but all of that may change sooner rather than later.
Much like The Green Hornet, Carter is currently undergoing a renewed surge of mass media revival. Dynamite Entertainment is launching a brand new comic series based on Burroughs' series called Warlord of Mars. The biggest news and possible game changer in terms of popular adoption of the series is the Disney film adaptation of the first novel in the series. A Princess of Mars now being called John Carter of Mars is in production and being directed by Andrew Stanton of Pixar. Stanton is the mastermind behind Pixar classics Finding Nemo and Wall-E. Although he has no live action feature credits, his work as a storyteller on those two masterpieces alone won him this prime slot on what Disney is hoping to be their new adventure franchise.
The story of John Carter, the gun for hire trying to rebuild a life after serving in the Confederate army during the American Civil War, only to be mysteriously transported to Mars is the touchstone for all Sci-Fantasy franchises. Burroughs began serializing the stories of his hero in 1912. Without him, we do not have Buck Rogers, which begat Flash Gordon, which begat Star Wars, which begat my almost chemical dependence like compulsion of giving money to George Lucas. Through tricks of fate and poor decision making, Carter never enjoyed the wide spread popularity that would have ensured every little boy growing up today had at least one John Carter action figure along with dvds of past films and TV series.
Burroughs wrote an astonishing 12 novels in his 'Barsoom' series. The amount of material, while repetitive in structure is dense in characters and atmosphere. It makes the extrapolation of the series into other mediums almost a no brainer. Tarzan is obviously Burroughs most popular creation, but it very well could have been Carter. In the 1930's, MGM approached Burroughs to create an animated feature based on John Carter and his adventures. They would have beaten Snow White to theaters as the very first full-length animated feature ever. Instead, according to the John Carter Wikipedia entry, Carter's Mars was deemed outlandish and too hard to sell to the conservative midwest audiences. Tarzan got the nod, and ultimately flourished as a franchise with numerous film serials and a television series as a result. The decision looks silly in the wake of the success that Flash Gordon enjoyed as a film serial. Granted, Flash Gordon's use of fairly humanoid races made it's translation to a film far more accessible than Carter's 15 foot tall Green Martians and White Apes, Carter still enjoys the same level of swashbuckling adventure that make all his descendants so wildly thrilling. One can only wonder how different the modern pop culture landscape would be if Carter had indeed beaten Snow White to theaters.
So yes, I am in full grips of Mars mania. As the actual research of Mars continues to grow exponentially, it may make the John Carter series seem dated as does any future-based franchise that never quite meets the reality of a modern world analogue like 1984 or 2010. However, Disney is willing to give it a shot, and come June 8th 2012, expect the mouse house to roll out one of their biggest tents to showcase this much loved cult classic. Other film adaptations of this series have died on the vine, but with Disney putting their full weight behind one of their strongest creative minds, John Carter may finally make his triumphant return to Earth.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Fire is not your friend Alan...
I have been wanting to comment on Alan Moore's recent interview over at Bleeding Cool for a couple of days now, but I find myself riding the reaction to the reaction at this point. I just responded to Tom Spurgeon's column on the subject and wanted to share
my reaction
Basically, Alan Moore granted an interview to Adi Tantimedh regarding the current situation regarding of the status legal rights to Watchmen. This is an ongoing saga and the events below are only the latest in a long line of events that has seen Moore distance himself from an adaptation of his work in any form, distance himself from DC altogether, and recently to announce he was retiring from the comic industry as a whole. Moore had come forward before San Diego Comic-Con to announce DC had offered to return the full rights to Watchmen in exchange for signing off on any future Watchmen projects that would be completed by other creators on contract with DC. There was small amount of confusion as DC/WB already own full rights to Watchmen and would honestly never need his permission to go forward anyway.
The interview has caused quite a bit of uproar due to a number of accusations from Moore regarding DC's tactics in acquiring Moore's consent to various Watchmen projects as well as him belittling the current crop of artists and writers working for DC. I viewed Tom's article as more of a defense of Alan's mindset given the DC's treatment of the writer over his career. He argued that Alan should not be mocked or dismissed as crazy due to some personality traits and various rumors regarding Alan's personal life. While I agreed with Tom to that point, I could not agree with the nature of Alan's own tactics and treatment of friends and peers. As I generally push for clarity on all sides of an argument I wrote this regarding my own opinions of the interview:
"Hi Tom
I just wanted to take a couple of moments to respond to your piece which was itself a response to the interview with Alan Moore.
While I agree that Alan should never be dismissed out of hand, or mocked for that matter, I am beginning to lose sympathy for the man simply because he chooses to denigrate his peers while self admittedly ignoring the medium. I enjoy Alan Moore's writing and I have long been a supporter of Alan's stance to separate himself from adaptations of his work. "From Hell" and "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" were terrible, and I certainly wouldn't want to be associated with them either. However, despite the history of problems between Alan and the DC/WB publishing hierarchy, the conversation has become increasingly one-sided.
Alan's beef is decidedly personal now and is taking form in an ugly one-sided exchange. His arguments are becoming increasingly narcissistic. I think DC killing Steve Moore's Watchmen adaptation has more to do with a marketing decision than any axe Paul Levitz and co. may have had to grind with Alan's phantom stranglehold over the property. He hangs Dave Gibbons and Steve Moore both out to dry making them look like pitiful characters, one to be pitied for his innocence and tragedy, there other to be loathed for his greed. If a friend of mine decided to eschew all tact and discretion in the face of a 25 plus year friendship, I don't think I could tolerate it.
Then he continues to throw baseless potshots at DC regarding their level of talent and marketable properties. While you dismiss it as a simple smack talk, he simultaneously insults everyone he has worked with in the past and in the present. Somehow Neil Gaiman, his good friend, and who still has a favorable relationship with DC is not top-flight talent? I am not suggesting Neil would ever consent to write a Watchmen sequel, I am merely using him as the best example. Am I to assume Frank Quitely and Grant Morrison are merely barrel scrapings? It irks me as a fan to be sure, but ultimately, I find that it sounds exactly the same as any person who has spent a lifetime in an industry and has decided that no one who comes after should bother even attempting to breath his air. It is petulant and uncalled for. For a gifted writer, he has chosen craven words. Why not just say what he really means and tell them how small their genitals are?
It ends up being a generational argument. We look fondly on the past and degrade the present and future. "Well I remember when..." only works when you continue to try and understand the contemporary landscape which Alan has chosen to ignore. It is also a horrible argument in consideration of the fact that Moore made his bones on characters that someone else created and that he attached his name to, not the other way around. Even Marvelman/Miracleman, Watchmen, and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen are built on the backs of creators who, because of their creative output, never saw their lives improve to the extent that Moore did.
I am not suggesting DC is an innocent party. Every artist or writer working in comics today can probably lay out some kind of disagreeable circumstance they have encountered with a publisher of any level. However, DC is in a place where it would be inappropriate to respond. Alan Moore can say whatever he likes in the knowledge that DC and Warner Brothers in particular would never condone a one-on-one war of words with a single creator. The maxim "bad press is still good press" is absolutely absurd in that kind of situation. It would certainly help to have some clarity though. While Moore may believe that these are facts without repudiation, others may weigh in with a vastly different vantage point. As I said, I don't believe DC is lacking in responsibility for questionable tactics but I also do not doubt that Moore has his own share of blame to hold. We do not have solid facts, we have only Alan Moore's perception of events, his suppositions and assumptions. It is easy to take the side of the single man against the monolithic corporation, but it is getting to the point where Moore is eroding his own foundation. Moore's inability to hold the moral high ground in the press only serves to embolden his detractors. "
Look, to wrap this up I like Alan Moore as a writer, but lately I have found it very difficult to support him in his ongoing quest to destroy anyone who so much as breathes on his work. If I had had my books turned into horrible films like "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" I would want to wash my hands of the whole thing too. His actions are beginning to resemble a scorched policy by which no one but Alan Moore is righteous, and none shall sully his legacy. His insults towards Zack Snyder during the run-up to the Watchmen film adaptation were irritating, but ultimately pointless. It seems he is no longer satisfied with merely reacting. He is now engaging in a proactive barrage against anyone who takes money from DC comics. As I said in my letter, it feels hypocritical when he spent most of his life using characters that were not his to begin with or were analogues for characters he wanted to retool. You think Bob Kane liked Batman and Robin directed by Joel Shumacher?
I don't think Alan Moore is crazy, but I think he should stop kicking people off the island before he is the only one left on it.
my reaction
Basically, Alan Moore granted an interview to Adi Tantimedh regarding the current situation regarding of the status legal rights to Watchmen. This is an ongoing saga and the events below are only the latest in a long line of events that has seen Moore distance himself from an adaptation of his work in any form, distance himself from DC altogether, and recently to announce he was retiring from the comic industry as a whole. Moore had come forward before San Diego Comic-Con to announce DC had offered to return the full rights to Watchmen in exchange for signing off on any future Watchmen projects that would be completed by other creators on contract with DC. There was small amount of confusion as DC/WB already own full rights to Watchmen and would honestly never need his permission to go forward anyway.
The interview has caused quite a bit of uproar due to a number of accusations from Moore regarding DC's tactics in acquiring Moore's consent to various Watchmen projects as well as him belittling the current crop of artists and writers working for DC. I viewed Tom's article as more of a defense of Alan's mindset given the DC's treatment of the writer over his career. He argued that Alan should not be mocked or dismissed as crazy due to some personality traits and various rumors regarding Alan's personal life. While I agreed with Tom to that point, I could not agree with the nature of Alan's own tactics and treatment of friends and peers. As I generally push for clarity on all sides of an argument I wrote this regarding my own opinions of the interview:
"Hi Tom
I just wanted to take a couple of moments to respond to your piece which was itself a response to the interview with Alan Moore.
While I agree that Alan should never be dismissed out of hand, or mocked for that matter, I am beginning to lose sympathy for the man simply because he chooses to denigrate his peers while self admittedly ignoring the medium. I enjoy Alan Moore's writing and I have long been a supporter of Alan's stance to separate himself from adaptations of his work. "From Hell" and "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" were terrible, and I certainly wouldn't want to be associated with them either. However, despite the history of problems between Alan and the DC/WB publishing hierarchy, the conversation has become increasingly one-sided.
Alan's beef is decidedly personal now and is taking form in an ugly one-sided exchange. His arguments are becoming increasingly narcissistic. I think DC killing Steve Moore's Watchmen adaptation has more to do with a marketing decision than any axe Paul Levitz and co. may have had to grind with Alan's phantom stranglehold over the property. He hangs Dave Gibbons and Steve Moore both out to dry making them look like pitiful characters, one to be pitied for his innocence and tragedy, there other to be loathed for his greed. If a friend of mine decided to eschew all tact and discretion in the face of a 25 plus year friendship, I don't think I could tolerate it.
Then he continues to throw baseless potshots at DC regarding their level of talent and marketable properties. While you dismiss it as a simple smack talk, he simultaneously insults everyone he has worked with in the past and in the present. Somehow Neil Gaiman, his good friend, and who still has a favorable relationship with DC is not top-flight talent? I am not suggesting Neil would ever consent to write a Watchmen sequel, I am merely using him as the best example. Am I to assume Frank Quitely and Grant Morrison are merely barrel scrapings? It irks me as a fan to be sure, but ultimately, I find that it sounds exactly the same as any person who has spent a lifetime in an industry and has decided that no one who comes after should bother even attempting to breath his air. It is petulant and uncalled for. For a gifted writer, he has chosen craven words. Why not just say what he really means and tell them how small their genitals are?
It ends up being a generational argument. We look fondly on the past and degrade the present and future. "Well I remember when..." only works when you continue to try and understand the contemporary landscape which Alan has chosen to ignore. It is also a horrible argument in consideration of the fact that Moore made his bones on characters that someone else created and that he attached his name to, not the other way around. Even Marvelman/Miracleman, Watchmen, and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen are built on the backs of creators who, because of their creative output, never saw their lives improve to the extent that Moore did.
I am not suggesting DC is an innocent party. Every artist or writer working in comics today can probably lay out some kind of disagreeable circumstance they have encountered with a publisher of any level. However, DC is in a place where it would be inappropriate to respond. Alan Moore can say whatever he likes in the knowledge that DC and Warner Brothers in particular would never condone a one-on-one war of words with a single creator. The maxim "bad press is still good press" is absolutely absurd in that kind of situation. It would certainly help to have some clarity though. While Moore may believe that these are facts without repudiation, others may weigh in with a vastly different vantage point. As I said, I don't believe DC is lacking in responsibility for questionable tactics but I also do not doubt that Moore has his own share of blame to hold. We do not have solid facts, we have only Alan Moore's perception of events, his suppositions and assumptions. It is easy to take the side of the single man against the monolithic corporation, but it is getting to the point where Moore is eroding his own foundation. Moore's inability to hold the moral high ground in the press only serves to embolden his detractors. "
Look, to wrap this up I like Alan Moore as a writer, but lately I have found it very difficult to support him in his ongoing quest to destroy anyone who so much as breathes on his work. If I had had my books turned into horrible films like "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" I would want to wash my hands of the whole thing too. His actions are beginning to resemble a scorched policy by which no one but Alan Moore is righteous, and none shall sully his legacy. His insults towards Zack Snyder during the run-up to the Watchmen film adaptation were irritating, but ultimately pointless. It seems he is no longer satisfied with merely reacting. He is now engaging in a proactive barrage against anyone who takes money from DC comics. As I said in my letter, it feels hypocritical when he spent most of his life using characters that were not his to begin with or were analogues for characters he wanted to retool. You think Bob Kane liked Batman and Robin directed by Joel Shumacher?
I don't think Alan Moore is crazy, but I think he should stop kicking people off the island before he is the only one left on it.
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