Stuff received 3/7/11 STAPLE! edition

Posted on by
Reply

Let’s take a quick look to see what I picked up this past weekend’s STAPLE! Expo.

Society of Sinister Simians Limited Edition Book
by Chet Phillips

Promo copy:

"The Society of Sinister Simians" explores the mysterious world of an evil collection of vicious and power hungry primates that held sway over the land centuries ago. Thanks to the efforts of the ill-fated Sourcrust archeological dig of 1887, details of this foul organization have finally come to light. In this book you will learn of The Society’s immortal leader, his powerful and brutal cadre of ministers and advisors, as well as a variety of assassins, spies, soldiers and frightful supernatural figures.

Twenty-four evil simians are fully illustrated and are accompanied by extensive biographies in the text. A map detailing the realm of sinister sway, two-page spreads of weapons and medals galleries, as well as an addendum of sinister ephemera are also included.

Click image to enlarge

Signed and numbered from a limited edition of 50.

This hand bound, softcover book is covered in rich Arista burgundy bonded leather. A silver foil hot-stamped image and title adorn the cover. The structure is a stab binding (sewn with a black thread) with rounded corners and printed floral metallic paper end sheets. It was printed on a digital press on Cougar Opaque 80 lb text. Book Dimensions- 5.25" x 7.25"

When I first saw this gorgeous tome, I had to pick up my eyeballs off the floor. WOW!

Buffalo Speedway Volume 2
by Yehudi Mercado

Promo copy:

Figgs is a lifer. He’s 23 years old, he’s been delivering for Houston’s Turbo Pizza for eight grueling years, he lives with his dead-beat best friend, Super Cheese, and he’s got a supreme crush on his Friday regular, a rich girl named Pia. Life sucks, but it’s about to get suckier. The day is June 17th 1994. Today the Rockets will battle the Knicks in the NBA Finals, America will host the World Cup and OJ Simpson will lead the LAPD on a slow speed chase. These will cause a perfect storm of events, keeping a nation home watching TV, resulting in the BUSIEST PIZZA DAY EVER.

In the One Bad Day tradition of Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle, Clerks and Do The Right Thing, we go deep inside the dangerous world of pizza delivery drivers. They’re fast, they’re furious… they’re f***ing your wife.

Click image to enlarge

At last the second volume of Mercado’s pizza delivery epic! I reviewed Volume 1 in Nexus Graphica.

Quote:
On June 17th 1994, the Rockets battle the Knicks in the NBA Finals, America hosts the World Cup, and OJ Simpson leads the LAPD on a slow speed chase. These events combine to create the perfect storm for Houston pizza delivery. That one day in a city of over 3 million people, everyone stays home, watches the TV, and orders pizza. Accurately compared to Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Clerks, and Do the Right Thing, Buffalo Speedway chronicles the unusual tribulations of the delivery drivers from Turbo Pizza, Houston’s last independent pizza place. The talented Mercado’s humorous observations and insights are only marred by the fact that this volume ends mid-story.

Time Tunnel: The Complete Series
Art by Tom Gill
Covers by George Wilson
Introduction by Alan J. Porter
Afterward by Daniel Herman

Promo copy:

It’s back, the complete reprint of Gold Key comics Time Tunnel comic book series. This is the second volume of Hermes Press’s complete reprints of all of the Irwin Allen sci-fi television show tie-in comic books. Now, for the first time in over forty years read both issues, back-to-back, together with documentary material, essays, blue prints from the show and more! Full color and digitally remastered, Time Tunnel: The Complete Series brings these comic books back looking better than when they first hit the stands.

Hell’s Alphabet Coloring Book
Written by Jason Murphy
Art by Kristin Hogan

Promo copy:

It’s a tome of hideous evils. It’s a catalog of iniquity and suffering.

And it’s a coloring book!

Let Hell’s Alphabet be your baby’s first step into reading. And demonology.

Click image to enlarge

An Uncle Shelby’s ABZ Book for the demonic set, the witty, offensive, and downright funny Hell’s Alphabet Coloring Book supplied one of the show’s most pleasant surprises.

STAPLE! This weekend

Posted on by
Reply

The 7th annual STAPLE!, the independent media expo, happens this Saturday and Sunday March 5-6 in Austin at the Marchesa Hall and Theater. This is one of my favorite events of the year. Reviewing last years event, I observed “a mish-mash of seemingly unrelated exhibitors, the 2010 STAPLE! abounded with odd delights.”

Rather than merely writing a review, I am actually involved with this years convention. On Saturday at 1 PM, I am moderating a panel discussion with Atomic Robo creators Scott Wegener and Brian Clevinger. (For more on Atomic Robo and his creators, check out my recent Nexus Graphica column.)

Additionally, I’ll have a home at the show as I’m helping Alan J. Porter sell his goodies (along with a few of my very own), so I’ll be at his table on and off all weekend long. I’m not sure exactly where it’ll be in the hall, but if you’re there, be sure to stop by and say “howdy.”

Hope to see everyone there!

STAPLE! This weekend was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

STAPLE! This weekend

Posted on by
Reply

The 7th annual STAPLE!, the independent media expo, happens this Saturday and Sunday March 5-6 in Austin at the Marchesa Hall and Theater. This is one of my favorite events of the year. Reviewing last years event, I observed "a mish-mash of seemingly unrelated exhibitors, the 2010 STAPLE! abounded with odd delights."

Rather than merely writing a review, I am actually involved with this years convention. On Saturday at 1 PM, I am moderating a panel discussion with Atomic Robo creators Scott Wegener and Brian Clevinger. (For more on Atomic Robo and his creators, check out my recent Nexus Graphica column.)

Additionally, I’ll have a home at the show as I’m helping Alan J. Porter sell his goodies (along with a few of my very own), so I’ll be at his table on and off all weekend long. I’m not sure exactly where it’ll be in the hall, but if you’re there, be sure to stop by and say "howdy."

Hope to see everyone there!

Vanilla: A review of The Adjustment Bureau

Posted on by
Reply

I guess expecting three positive reviews in a row was too much to ask.

Quote:
For his vision of the PKD short story “Adjustment Team,” “Bourne Ultimatum” writer and first-time director George Nolfi wastes the excellent performances of and chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt in the vanilla “The Adjustment Bureau.”

Quote:
Nolfi’s screenplay and direction vastly underplay the story’s inherent paranoia to the point of making it virtually nonexistent. While numerous scenes showcase Norris running scared through and under the streets of New York, for the obvious lack of tension present, he may as well been strolling down 6th Avenue, a Starbucks latte in hand. Damon and Blunt give their level best, but the screenplay and direction hamper their every move.

Quote:
Aside from the storytelling snafus, Nolfi the director falters. Relying on the very basics of filmmaking, he uses no unusual lighting or angles. Most shots come from straight on, giving the whole production the feeling of a stage play. Especially in light of “Black Swan,” the film’s dance numbers, potentially important, seem pedestrian.

See the rest of my critique at Moving Pictures.

Vanilla: A review of The Adjustment Bureau was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Vanilla: A review of The Adjustment Bureau

Posted on by
Reply

I guess expecting three positive reviews in a row was too much to ask.

Quote:
For his vision of the PKD short story “Adjustment Team,” “Bourne Ultimatum” writer and first-time director George Nolfi wastes the excellent performances of and chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt in the vanilla “The Adjustment Bureau.”

Quote:
Nolfi’s screenplay and direction vastly underplay the story’s inherent paranoia to the point of making it virtually nonexistent. While numerous scenes showcase Norris running scared through and under the streets of New York, for the obvious lack of tension present, he may as well been strolling down 6th Avenue, a Starbucks latte in hand. Damon and Blunt give their level best, but the screenplay and direction hamper their every move.

Quote:
Aside from the storytelling snafus, Nolfi the director falters. Relying on the very basics of filmmaking, he uses no unusual lighting or angles. Most shots come from straight on, giving the whole production the feeling of a stage play. Especially in light of “Black Swan,” the film’s dance numbers, potentially important, seem pedestrian.

See the rest of my critique at Moving Pictures.

A seemingly impossible bit of movie alchemy

Posted on by
Reply

For Moving Pictures, I reviewed the improbable Rango.

Quote:
In a seemingly impossible bit of movie alchemy, director Gore Verbinski (“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”), with the aid of Johnny Depp, masterfully combines “Chinatown,” Sergio Leone’s Man with No Name films and the best of Looney Tunes into the hilarious and entertaining “Rango.”

Quote:
While borrowing liberally from a variety of sources, the screenplay by John Logan (“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”) melds all the disparate elements into a cohesive and thoroughly original story. In the visual-effects firm’s first animated feature, the magnificent ILM animation sparkles, granting each beautiful scene lush details and the countless characterizations a unique vision.

Quote:
Verbinski, who along with Logan and James Ward Byrkit conceived the story, brilliantly establishes the tenor of the tale within his terrarium from the outset: Four owl mariachi-band narrators break the fourth wall and, like some Greek tragedy’s chorus, eventually become immersed within the story itself. Then Rango puts on a manic one-man, one-act show co-starring a nude, headless doll and a windup fish, both inanimate.

Read more at Moving Pictures.

A seemingly impossible bit of movie alchemy was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

A seemingly impossible bit of movie alchemy

Posted on by
Reply

For Moving Pictures, I reviewed the improbable Rango.

Quote:
In a seemingly impossible bit of movie alchemy, director Gore Verbinski (“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”), with the aid of Johnny Depp, masterfully combines “Chinatown,” Sergio Leone’s Man with No Name films and the best of Looney Tunes into the hilarious and entertaining “Rango.”

Quote:
While borrowing liberally from a variety of sources, the screenplay by John Logan (“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”) melds all the disparate elements into a cohesive and thoroughly original story. In the visual-effects firm’s first animated feature, the magnificent ILM animation sparkles, granting each beautiful scene lush details and the countless characterizations a unique vision.

Quote:
Verbinski, who along with Logan and James Ward Byrkit conceived the story, brilliantly establishes the tenor of the tale within his terrarium from the outset: Four owl mariachi-band narrators break the fourth wall and, like some Greek tragedy’s chorus, eventually become immersed within the story itself. Then Rango puts on a manic one-man, one-act show co-starring a nude, headless doll and a windup fish, both inanimate.

Read more at Moving Pictures.

DVDs received 2/26/11

Posted on by
Reply

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

The Walking Dead: Season One

Promo copy:

After waking from a coma in an abandoned hospital, police officer Rick Grimes finds the world he knew gone – ravaged by a zombie epidemic of apocalyptic proportions. Nearby, on the outskirts of Atlanta, a small encampment struggles to survive as ‘the dead’ stalk them at every turn. Can Rick and the others hold onto their humanity as they fight to live in this terrifying new world? And, amidst dire conditions and personal rivalries, will they ultimately survive one another? AMC’s The Walking Dead is an epic, survival adventure series from the director of The Shawshank Redemption and the producer of The Terminator and Aliens.

Special Features

    Extra Footage and Featurettes including The Making Of THE WALKING DEAD

    Inside THE WALKING DEAD Episodes 1-6

    A Sneak Peek with Robert Kirkman

    Behind the Scenes Zombie Make-Up Tips

    Convention Panel with Producers

    THE WALKING DEAD Trailer.

Madeline On The Town

Promo copy:

Join Madeline, the smallest of 12 little girls in Miss Clavel’s class, and her best friend, her loyal dog Genevieve, as they take the fun to town with six outrageous adventures inspired by Ludwig Bemelmans’ best-selling children’s books!

Six Adventures, Including:

    Madeline And The Wedding

    Madeline On Stage

    Madeline And The Fashion Show

    Madeline At The Ballet

    Madeline At The Costume Party

    Madeline’s Birthday At The Zoo

ReBoot: Seasons One & Two

Promo copy:

Welcome to Mainframe. Home to Guardian Bob, formatted to mend and defend. Join the fast-paced action and adventure as Bob and his friends Dot, her brother Enzo and his trusty dog Frisket fend off attacks from the superviruses known as Megabyte and Hexadecimal in their relentless pursuit of chaos and the destruction of Mainframe.

Known as the very first completely computer-animated half-hour TV series, ReBoot debuted in the United States on ABC’s Saturday-morning block in 1994 and has captured the hearts and imaginations of kids and gamers ever since!

A high-octane 3-D love letter

Posted on by
Reply

The heavily-hyped 3-D action film Drive Angry surprised me.

Quote:
Lussier thoroughly embraces the formula, rarely slowing for reflection through the dizzying array of creative action, one-liners and bare breasts. While no one will be discussing this picture next year around awards time, “Drive Angry” thrills and excites unlike any action movie of the past couple of years. Just make sure to check your brain at the door.

I further elaborated at Moving Pictures:

Quote:
Plot and common sense rarely matter within this genre, and “Drive Angry” is no different. Milton (a brooding Cage) breaks out of Hell to avenge his dead daughter and to stop a cult (fronted by the over-the-top Billy Burke) from sacrificing his infant granddaughter. Satan’s minion the Accountant (the laconic William Fichtner) pursues the rogue soul. The beautiful and feisty Piper (a surprisingly tough-as-nails Amber Heard) befriends Milton. Excessive bloody violence, car chases and gratuitous nudity — all common grindhouse traits — ensue.

Quote:
The idea that this simple and derivative screenplay required two writers (Lussier and Todd Farmer, who also worked on Lussier’s “My Bloody Valentine”) borders on ludicrous. The concept, characters and pacing bear an uncanny similarity to Richard Kadrey’s excellent 2009 novel “Sandman Slim,” though Kadrey handled the whole mess in a far superior fashion.

DVDs received 2/18/11

Posted on by
Reply

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

All-Star Superman

Promo copy:

Fueled by hatred and jealousy, Lex Luthor masterminds an elaborate plot to kill the Man of Steel – and it works. Poisoned by solar radiation, Superman is dying. With weeks to live, he fulfills his life’s dreams – especially revealing his true identity to Lois Lane – until Luthor proclaims his ultimate plan to control the world with no alien hero to stop him. Powers fading, Superman engages in a spectacular deadly battle with Luthor that could truly trigger the end of Earth’s Greatest Protector. This startling and gripping DC Universe Animated Original Movie stars the voice talents of James Denton, Anthony LaPaglia, Christina Hendricks and Ed Asner.

Special Features:

    Sneak Peek at "Green Lantern: Emerald Knights"
    Featurette: “Superman Now” – In a moment of inspiration, Grant Morrison was provided an opportunity to revamp the Man of Steel into something modern, something more relevant for today’s audience. This is the story of All-Star Superman – where it all started, and what it came to be
    Two bonus episodes from "Superman: The Animated Series" handpicked by Bruce Timm
    Featurette: “Incubating the Idea” – A conversation with Grant Morrison
    Audio Commentary: Bruce Timm and Grant Morrison
    All-Star Superman Virtual Comic Book

Frequent readers of my pixels know how much I love the original All Star Superman comics, calling it "quite possibly the finest Superman tale of all time." My biggest complaint about this DVD/Blu Ray set is that NONE of the special features are available on the DVD disc. Sucks for those of us that don’t have a Blu Ray.

Coming Attractions Classic Horror

Promo copy:

FORTY-NINE HAIR-RAISING HORROR TRAILERS TO SATISFY YOUR MACABRE DESIRE!

    1. Dracula
    2. Frankenstein
    3. The Mummy
    4. The Wolf Man
    5. Bride of Frankenstein
    6. The Invisible Man Returns
    7. Murders in the Rue Morgue
    8. Horror Island
    9. Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
    10. The Devil Commands
    11. Captive Wild Woman
    12. Black Friday
    13. The Invisible Ray
    14. The Black Cat
    15. Night Monster
    16. The Frozen Ghost
    17. House of Horrors
    18. The Mad Doctor of Market Street
    19. Island of Doomed Men
    20. Weird Woman
    21. The Black Room
    22. The Devil’s Mask
    23. The Great Impersonation
    24. The Ghost of Frankenstein
    25. Son of Dracula
    26. Dracula’s Daughter
    27. The Invisible Woman
    28. The Mummy’s Curse
    29. Jungle Captive
    30. The Cat Creeps
    31. She-Wolf of London
    32. The Mystery of Marie Roget
    33. House of Frankenstein
    34. House of Dracula
    35. The Face Behind the Mask
    36. The Man Who Lived Twice
    37. I Love a Mystery
    38. Night Key
    39. Calling Dr. Death
    40. WereWolf of London
    41. NightMare
    42. Mystery of the White Room
    43. The Climax
    44. The Phantom of the Opera (color)
    45. Invisible Agent
    46. Flesh and Fantasy
    47. The Mummy’s Hand
    48. Pillow of Death
    49. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

Special thanks to my Uncle Arth, who also enjoys the old time horror flicks, for sending me this one.