And Now the News: So Many Ways to Take a Life

Here's the rest of the news from last week that (mostly) wasn't about Disney's buying Marvel.

Meandering Aquaman

The Stonechat Museum - a Hawkman blog - picked up a quote I missed from Dan Didio about the difficulty of finding a spot for Aquaman in the current DCU:

Where is Aquaman: Rebirth? It’s hard for us to do a Rebirth because Rebirths stand for something to us. It’s a particular character returning who had the lead mantle of that character, and him being re-established in the world. Aquaman has never been removed from the role, with the exception of maybe what we did with the One Year Later. It’s a different sensibility going on there.

The other thing with Aquaman is he never got the level of traction the other characters did. He never broke free. Most people’s references to Aquaman really are the cartoon series from the 1960s and Super Friends. We look at Aquaman a lot of times and say "What is the iconic interpretation?" When we do that, you have 15 different answers because the problem with Aquaman ... is that every time he was rebooted, the origin was moved a little bit to the right, moved a little to the left, moved around half way and then it came back three quarters. He never really had a clear change and his story just meandered along. Our goal following Blackest Night, if there is an Aquaman, would be to make sure to get clear what the iconic interpretation is and present it in the best light possible.

I don't have any real concern that DC's going to leave Aquaman dead at the end of Blackest Night, but what this does sound like is that there are no definite plans for him yet. They're still feeling their way around, trying to get to that "iconic interpretation." Which is strange, since Didio says what the iconic interpretation is right there in his comments: the '60s and '70s cartoons. Maybe those are what I should be checking out instead of old issues of Justice League.

Doris Danger: Giant Monster Adventures



It's like they're making this stuff just for me now.

The Three-D Musketeers

Paul WS Anderson is adapting The Three Musketeers in 3D. I have a hard time getting as upset about this as /Film does. Anderson's not a brilliant director or anything, but he's no Uwe Boll either. I've very much enjoyed the Resident Evil movies and it's not like there aren't a zillion, other, good Musketeers movies to fall back on if this one blows.

And really? I don't get what /Film is complaining about other than some justifiable concern that Anderson may not make a very good movie. He wants to make a Musketeers film that's "rich in eye-popping action, romance and adventure?" Good! That's exactly what a Musketeers film should be. And it's kind of putting words in his mouth to say that he wants to make a "non-period period film" when all that he really said was that he didn't want the "corsets and feathered hats" to be the focus. I don't want them to be the focus either. The Three Musketeers shouldn't be The Duchess.

Gripe all you want that Anderson's making another movie. I do that about Michael Bay all the time. Just don't pretend that he's ruining some sacred franchise by doing a new version of it with some cool technology.

Untitled Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz Spy Movie

Double O Section has new information about the cool-sounding spy movie formerly known as Wichita. Like most people, I've been skimming over Wichita news because of the non-descript title and missing that it's about a woman whose life is turned upside down when her blind date turns out to be a super spy and takes her on a violent, worldwide journey to protect a powerful MacGuffin.

Fantastic Four movie reboot

I think it's interesting that on the very day the Disney/Marvel deal was announced Fox let everyone know that they're starting from scratch and making a completely new Fantastic Four movie. All they have so far is a new screenwriter with a shaky resumé, but - as much as I'll miss Chris Evans - I welcome the attempt. Please please please let them get it right this time.

Half-Minute Horrors



How scared can you get in 30 seconds? Lemony Snicket, James Patterson, Neil Gaiman, R.L. Stine, and others want to help you find out.

Dark Days direct-to-DVD movie has a director



That's good news. The bad news is that Melissa George isn't returning as Stella. Not that no one else can play the role, but it would've been nice to see her back if only for continuity's sake. Hopefully they'll find someone who (with a new Eben) can stick around for a while and make future sequels like Return to Barrow and Eben and Stella.

Still, Dark Days is my favorite of the 30 Days of Night books and I'm looking forward to seeing how this comes out. Especially since Steve Niles has a co-writing credit on the screenplay. The director (and other writer) is Ben Ketai, who's been involved with the 30 Days of Night web shorts.

Rambo V: The Savage Hunt

This story on the proposed next film in the Rambo series sounds like it's trying very hard not to say the word "werewolf," but I totally hope that's what it's about.

Trick 'r Treat review



I've been hoping that Trick 'r Treat is as cool as that poster makes it look. According to /Film, it is.

Inglourious Wizerds



"That’s why every sonofabitch we find wearin’ a Death Eater mask, they’re gonna die."

It gets said often, but still not enough: Chris Sims is a genius.

No more Harryhausen comics



Ray Harryhausen and Bluewater Comics have parted ways, each saying that they're the party who made the decision to leave. The only disappointing part of that news is Harryhausen's statement that there are "no plans to move the properties to another publisher," because frankly the world needs Harryhausen comics. We just need some with a professional level of art that Bluewater hasn't been providing.

Of course, "no plans" doesn't mean that Harryhausen wouldn't consider other offers; just that there aren't any attractive ones on the table right this second. Hopefully someone will step up and make some comics worthy of the man's imagination. Of course, I'd rather have no Harryhausen comics than deal with the frustration of constantly seeing ones on the shelves that I have to pass up because they're awful.

Steampunk Art at Oxford



Brother Calvin's turned up a steampunk art exhibit at Oxford University. Reason #5,695 that I need to visit Britain.

Quote of the Week: "People put the books where they want"

Another Neil Gaiman quote this week. Am I in a rut or is he just that awesome? (Hint: I'm not in a rut.)

I don't worry about it. I don't think about it. It's not something I feel I need to bother with. People put the books where they want to put them, but the books don't change … From where I stand, worrying about how something you are writing is going to be received critically while you're writing it is a whole lot of wasted worrying: there's nothing you can do about it anyway. Why not worry about making what you're writing the best thing that it can be, which is something you can do something about?

--Neil Gaiman, on deciding what genre you're writing

Quote of the Week: "Even if, like Jane Austen, you're in it for the big bucks."

I was going to quote the letter-writer who asked Neil Gaiman for permission to publish and make money off her fan-fiction, but really Gaiman's response is much funnier.

You need to stay on the non-commercial side of the street, which means you can't sell it, not even if, like Jane Austen, you're in it for the big bucks. Otherwise bad things would happen, involving lawyers from publishers and lawyers from movie studios, and your week would be ruined. Trust me on this.

--Neil Gaiman

Some magical occurences

I got caught up with the stuff that made it onto the Newsarama blog while I was gone. Here's some stuff that didn't, but is probably too old now for me to post there.

Dreamland Chronicles monthly



I love Scott Sava's CGI fantasy comic Dreamland Chronicles and apparently, so does IDW. They're making it into an ongoing series. Each issue will have a CGI cover by Sava as well as a traditionally illustrated cover by another comics artist. The first issue has the Mike Wieringo cover above.

Wonder Woman vs. Mary Marvel

Like seemingly the rest of comics fandom, I was frustrated and disappointed by DC's Countdown to Final Crisis series. Especially the unconvincing bit about formerly pure and innocent Mary Marvel's becoming a black-hearted villain. I actually stuck with the series just to see how that storyline was going to play out because I sort of thought of myself as a Mary Marvel fan. I don't any more. It'll be good to see her smacked down.

Wonder Woman's just the one I want to see do it, but it looks like it'll likely be Supergirl instead. Whatever happens in Final Crisis, it promises to be really interesting. According to Grant Morrison:

Supergirl and Mary Marvel are in it. They have a big climatic battle to decide how femininity should be portrayed in superhero comics!

Wonder Woman already has problems of her own by that point. Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman get targeted by the New Gods pretty quickly. Those are the first big targets that the Gods have to bring down but you'll see Wonder Woman's confrontation with Mary in #3.

I don't think I like Wonder Woman's being left out of the "battle to decide how femininity should be portrayed in superhero comics," but Morrison's even attempting such a fight is interesting enough a concept that I have to see how it goes.

End of the Century



I'm not in love with that cover, but Chris Roberson's novel sounds interesting. It involves three different stories — a medieval fantasy, a Victorian mystery, and a modern-day jewel heist— that alternate throughout the book and then begin to come together as the characters uncover the secrets that connect King Arthur, Jack the Ripper, and a priceless gem.

Hobbit casting no-brainer

More exciting than the news that Guillermo del Toro will be directing The Hobbit is confirmation that Ian McKellen will reprise his role as Gandalf. What I'm really curious about though is who's playing Bilbo. I'd love to see them do something that's visually consistent with the flashback scenes from Fellowship of the Ring, but I can't imagine them doing a whole movie with Ian Holm made up to look younger.

Neverwhere: The Play



Did you know there's a theatrical version of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere? Here's pictures to prove it. (Via.)

The Awesome List: Dr. Syn, Eleventh Hour, Sheena stickers, Coraline movie, Atomic Robo, and Kill All Monsters!

Dr. Syn, Alias The Scarecrow



I've mentioned before how much I love scarecrows. I also love The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. (No, not the movie version. Gag.) And I love dark, masked antiheroes with big guns. And I'm quite a big fan of adventure stories set in the 18th century.

So, when Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill started talking about a 1780's version of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and I saw that it included a dark, masked antihero in its ranks, I was curious to learn more. Imagine my excitement when I learned that though you can't really tell it in O'Neill's drawings, Dr. Syn is actually dressed like a scarecrow.

Now imagine how I feel that Disney is finally releasing their classic Dr. Syn TV series on DVD. I don't know if it's any good, but I aim to find out.

Eleventh Hour

Know who else I love? Rufus Sewell. Ever since Cold Comfort Farm and Dark City.

And now he's going to be in a TV show about a "special science advisor" to the government who saves the world from mad scientists every week with the help of a "feisty female bodyguard." It's like they're making TV just for me now.

Sheena stickers

I've experienced mixed results from Devil's Due's comics output, but man if I'm not excited about their new line of comics-related merchandise. I'm gettin' some of those Sheena stickers.

Coraline



Neil Gaiman's posted a teaser trailer for his next movie: a 3D adaptation of Coraline.

Atomic Robo

I've already told you how to get your hands on free Atomic Robo in May. What I didn't tell you is that that's just the beginning of new Atomic Robo adventures. According to the press release I got:

"Red 5 Comics is pleased to announce that starting this fall, Atomic Robo will return as a continuing series, with (co-creators Brian) Clevinger and (Scott) Wegener on-board for over twenty issues of Robo exploits over the next three years.

"'We couldn't be happier to be able to share more of Robo's adventures,' said Clevinger. 'I can promise more explosions and more punching, but the two are probably unrelated. Punching things until they explode is just bad strategy, even for a robot.'

"On the success of Robo, Wegener waxed, 'It was Mark Twain who said, "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." The first time I drew Robo in a pair of cargo pants and muddy combat boots it was instant BFFs. Thank God other people seem to like the idea too.'"

Kill All Monsters! gets it wrong

In Kill All Monsters!, Jason Copland and I have humanity building giant robots and mecha suits to fight giant monsters. Robotics expert Daniel Wilson explains why that's a bad idea. I hope he doesn't mind my stealing homaging some of his suggestions, because burrowing, explosives-laden suicide robots are exactly what the comics industry needs.

Links du Jour: Gay Dumbledore, Azrael, and Neil Gaiman's Superdog

The Return of Azrael

I don't talk much about Azrael, but there was a time when he was one of my favorite comics characters. He eventually turned into a directionless mess, but when he started out he had a cool name, an interesting origin with tons of potential, a great supporting cast, and the coolest costume in the history of superheroes.

I hate that his ongoing series was allowed to continue far past the point where Denny O'Neil knew what to do with the character. He should've been retired when Denny ran out of ideas, but even though DC rode the Azrael horse until it died, I've always believed that the right creators could revive the character and do something really great with him. There's just too much potential there.

Marc Andreyko started hinting at a possible return in Manhunter and I'm eager to see where that goes when Manhunter finally returns from hiatus. In the meantime though, Comic by Comic notices an Azrael appearance on the cover of an upcoming issue (#8, if my figuring is correct) of Frank Tieri and J. Calafiore's Gotham Underground. Of course, Spoiler -- another dead Batman ally -- is on the same cover, so maybe that issue focuses on fallen friends or something. It's nice to see Az's face on a comic again anyway.

Realism and Superhero Comics

I'm not a Garth Ennis fan, so I've never been tempted by Hitman, but this review (you have to scroll down a ways) made me want to read JLA/Hitman. Mainly the part where Ennis explains why realism and superhero comics don't mix: "because there are real situations where men have to kill to succeed, and Superman and Batman don't really have the 'moral courage' to get their hands dirty." It's an interesting opinion that I don't disagree with. The Never Kill manifesto is something that needs serious exploration and possible change if superhero comics are to embrace "realism" as part of what they are.

I Love My Dead, Gay Dumbledore

I wish I'd thought of that line from Heathers myself, but I totally stole it from my fellow Newsarama blogger Tom Bondurant who said it when the Newsarama group was discussing this story amongst themselves. Anyway, I'm sure you've heard the story by now about J.K. Rowling's recently outing Dumbledore at Carnegie Hall during her Open Book Tour.

I agree with some of Ian Randal Strock's thoughts on it in that if fans want to ignore that bit of information, they certainly can since Rowling never made it part of the stories. But I disagree with Strock's assertion that it just doesn't matter since it's not part of "canon." Fans who want to ignore Dumbledore's sexuality -- as revealed by his creator -- will have to make a conscious effort to do so. Whether it's in the books themselves or not, the fact is now in the public consciousness and Dumbledore is irrefutably gay. Ignoring that fact isn't so much a valid choice as it is simple denial.

And so, to Strock's question, "So what?" I say that this is kind of important because there are Harry Potter fans who didn't think they knew any gay people before this announcement. And now, for the first time in their lives, they realize that someone they really cared about (fictional though he may be) was gay. And it's going to force them to take a hard, inward look and decide how they're going to respond to that news.

Neil Gaiman's Dog Looks Like Krypto

During hunting season anyway.

August theatrical releases

I should mention that while the rest of the comics world is in San Diego this week, I'm not. I had to make a choice between SDCC and Chicago and I chose Chicago 'cause it's cheaper. I can get there by six, fun-filled hours with Grant, Jess, and Darla in a car instead of having to take a plane.

I should also mention that I'm on vacation next week. I don't know if the resort has Internet access. I suspect it does, but I'm not counting on it. So, I may go dark while I'm away or I may be here as usual. Stay tuned!

Just in case though, here are your August theatrical releases:

August 3

The Bourne Ultimatum: This is the series that gets the credit for giving us Casino Royale and making Bond cool again. No way I'm missing this.

Becoming Jane: One of my favorite mystery series is Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen mysteries, so I've learned a bit about her life that way and I'm interested in seeing it played out on film. Even if there aren't any gruesome murders and dashing rogues.

August 10

Stardust: Even though I love Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess, I've never read the story this is based on. It just keeps getting pushed down on my list of things to do. Which is exactly why they make movies out of books in the first place.

August 24

War: I'm not expecting much in the way of story, but Jason Statham vs. Jet Li sounds a formula for success.

Mr. Bean's Holiday: Dude. It's Mr. Bean.

August 31

Halloween: I'm not usually the first in line for horror-remakes, but Rob Zombie has my curiosity up for this one.

Balls of Fury: Oh my God, this looks funny.

American fish gods

Neil Gaiman and his daughter Maddy are visiting the shooting of the next Hellboy movie and Maddy's taking pictures. This picture of Abe Sapien and Neil is too cool not to share.