DVD: Dark Shadows: The Beginning Collection 1

This 4-DVD set collects the earliest eps of the classic gothic soap opera, before vampire Barnabas Collins enters the scene. It's out Aug. 28 and you can pre-order it now from Amazon.

Details:

Now, for the first time on DVD, MPI presents the spooky series' rare, early episodes before the arrival of Barnabas.

Victoria Winters' mysterious journey begins as her train arrives in Collinsport, a small and stormy fishing village on the coast of Maine. An orphan in search of her identity, Victoria is befriended by a stranger named Burke Devlin.

At the eerie Collinwood mansion, Victoria meets reclusive matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, her aloof brother Roger Collins, his troubled ten-year-old son David, and Elizabeth's rebellious teenage daughter Carolyn.

Collins fishing fleet manager Bill Malloy informs Elizabeth that Burke wants to take everything the Collinses own as revenge for being sent to prison. Collinsport Inn waitress Maggie Evans tells her father Sam that she wants an end to the secret conflict between him, Roger and Burke. David warns Victoria that she will regret that she came to live at Collinwood and be his governess.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

* New Dark Shadows Introduction with Alexandra Moltke (Victoria Winters) and Dark Shadows History with Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans).

* Original Network Promo.

*Episode 1 with original 1966 commercials.

DVD: Paul Lynde Halloween Special

This 1976 special--probably best-known for introducing U.S. TV audiences to the band Kiss--will be out on disk Oct. 2. You can pre-order it now from Amazon.

Here's the skinny:

The Paul Lynde Halloween Special aired only once (on October 29, 1976) and featured a "Who's Who" of mid-'70s TV and film stars; Paul held everything together as the ringmaster of a circus that featured Margaret Hamilton (her only prime time TV appearance wearing the full outfit from The Wizard of Oz), Witchie Poo from H.R. Pufnstuf, Donnie and Marie (who had Paul as a regular on their series), Tim Conway, Billy Barty and in their first prime time TV appearance, KISS. They perform three songs but the on-stage conversation with KISS, Paul and Margaret Hamilton is priceless.

Special Features:

* Extensive photo scrapbook containing images from The Hollywood Squares, at home, family shots, young Paul. This includes large quantities of photos provided by his family and heirs.

* Three stage interactive trivia game based on questions asked on The Hollywood Squares with a bonus feature when consumer answers all 30- 60 questions correctly.

* Extensive quotes from Paul Lynde about family, entertainment, food and mental health Liner notes by producer and writer, Bob Booker.

New and upcoming action figures July 26, 2007

Complete List of Marvel Legends Action Figures
Complete List of DC Direct Action Figures

Here's a look at action figures available via your local comics shop or via the TIP!-supporting links below:

DC Direct Action Figures

DC Armory Action Figures
--Aquaman
--Batman
--Flamebird
--Nightwing

Superman Last Son Action Figures
--Last Son Superman
--Ursa
--Bizarro
--Zod

Shazam Action Figures
--Dr. Sivana
--Captain Marvel Jr.
--Mary Marvel
--Billy Batson and Hoppy
--Captain Marvel

Superman Vs. Doomsday
Doomsday
Lex Luthor and Robot
Solar Suit Superman
Superman

Batman and Son
Batman
Ninja Man-Bat
Robin and Daimin
The Joker

DC Direct Reactivated Action Figures
--Batman
--Wonder Woman
--Lobo
--Superman

DC 13-inch Figures
Green Lantern
Lex Luthor
Martian Manhunter
Catwoman
Nightwing
Classic Batman
Batgirl gray costume
Batgirl black costume

Elseworlds Action Figures Series 3
--Supergirl
--Batgirl
--Nightstar
--Kingdom Come Aquaman
--Red Son Green Lantern

First Appearance Series 4
--Blue Beetle translucent
--Blue Beetle
--Brave New World Atom
--Warlord
--Brave New World Martian Manhunter
--Brave New World Aquaman

Infinite Crisis Action Figures Series 1
--Powergirl
--Omac
--Mongul
--Earth Prime Superboy
--Alexander Luthor

JSA Action Figures
--Mr. Terrific
--Hawkgirl
--Dr. Midnite
--Hourman
--Golden Age Atom 2-pack

DC Direct Wonder Woman Series 1 Action Figures
--Wonder Woman
--Agent Diana Prince
--Circe
--Donna Troy as Wonder Woman

DC Direct New Frontier Series 2 Action Figures
--Batman
--Dr. Fate
--The Flash
--Martian Manhunter

Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer action figures
Battle Stretch Mr. Fantastic
Fire Blast Human Torch
Raging Thing
Force Field Invisible Woman
Silver Surfer
Lightning Attack Dr. Doom
Blast-off Human Torch
Super Strength Thing

Hanna Barbera Series 3 Action Figures
--Fred Flintstone Quittin' Time
--Twinkle Toes Fred Flintstone
--Great Grape Ape
--Huckleberry Hound
--The Jetsons
--Secret Squirrel
--Snagglepuss

McFarlane Lost series 2 action figures
--Crash site box set
--Sawyer
--Jin
--Sayid
--Desmond
--Sun
--Mr. Eko

McFarlane Lost series 3 action figures
--Sayid
--Desmond
--Claire
--Ben/Henry

Marvel Figure Factory Sets
--Angel
--Beast
--Black Costume Spider-Man
--Deadpool
--Invisible Woman
--Silver Surfer

Marvel Legends Action Figures

Hasbro Marvel Legends Figures Series 3
--Bucky Barnes
--First appearance Captain America
--Marvel Girl Rachel Grey
--Heroes for Hire Black Knight
--Hydra Soldier
--X-3 Colossus
--Astonishing X-Men Cyclops
--Danger

Hasbro Marvel Legends Icons 12-inch Action Figures
--The Punisher
--Doctor Doom
--The Human Torch
--The Silver Surfer

Marvel Legends Masterworks Sets
--Spider-Man Vs. Green Goblin
--Fantastic Four Vs. Mole Man
--Hulk Vs. The Thing
--Galactus Vs. Everybody

Marvel Select Figures

Best of Marvel Select Figures
--Grey Hulk
--Thanos
--Ultimate Spider-Man
--Green Goblin
--Mephisto

Marvel Sideshow Toys Figures
--Venom
--Black costume Spider-Man
--Spider-Man
--White Queen
--White Queen Exclusive

Vintage DC Comics house ad



Today's video: Six-Million Dollar Man with bionic grip TV ad



Pop Artifact! Jack Larson (Jimmie Olsen) signed picture

Pop Culture Roundup July 25, 2007

Comics Continuum has 20 new "Heroes" pics from the show's upcoming second season.



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Sideshow Toys will be doing a line of Indiana Jones-related collector's figures.

Sideshow's product line will be inclusive of all four Indiana Jones films and will include 12-inch Figures, Premium Format Figures, and Life-size Busts that will range in price from $69.99 to $599.99

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And now, a Random Panel of Comics Weirdness, courtesy of Booksteve.

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Word has it Samuel L. Jackson is playing Nick Fury in Marvel Comics' upcoming Iron Man film. The part is just a cameo, but may serve as a teaser for a full-length Fury film.

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Speaking of Iron Man:



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The mysterious mind behind "Dial B for Burbank" files his last post, just he did with his previous "Dial B for Blog." But, don't despair--it looks like he's got another project in the works.

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Anne Hathaway talks about playing Agent 99 in the upcoming "Get Smart" film.

"We all love the original series," Hathaway said in an interview on the set in Los Angeles last May. "And you will not find bigger fans than us. And we all decided we wanted to be very respectful, while at the same time wanting to put our own mark on the film. So what we talked about with Agent 99 was rather than making her a carbon copy of Barbara Feldon's creation, we decided to respect the spirit of 99, which was that she was a fully realized woman of her time. So rather than take Barbara Feldon and put her in 2008, ... when the film comes out, we decided to make 99 a fully actualized woman of 2008. And so, as a result, I do get some zingers. I'm a little bit of a hell-raiser. And, hopefully, we also retain some of the elegance of the original character."

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A big batch of Jim Henson's retired muppets are being gifted to Atlanta's Center for Puppetry Arts.

Cheryl Henson, Jim Henson’s second-oldest daughter, and Jane Henson, her mother and Mr. Henson’s first performing partner, expected to be in Atlanta on Wednesday to announce the gift: 500 to 700 puppets, including some of the first Muppets built; props; scenic elements; posters; sketches; and drawings that Mr. Henson created for shows like “The Muppet Show,” “Sesame Street,” “Fraggle Rock” and “Sam and Friends” (where the Muppets first appeared). Cheryl Henson has also pledged $1 million of her own money to the center.

New comics July 25, 2007

Click links to order discounted graphic novels from Amazon.

See complete lists:
DC Archives
DC Showcase
DC Trade Paperbacks
Marvel Masterworks
Marvel Essentials
Marvel Trade Paperbacks
Upcoming Trade Paperbacks - Graphic Novels


Comics shipping July 25, 2007

DARK HORSE COMICS

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Vintage DC Comics house ad



Today's video: Kenner Star Wars action figure ad




Pop Artifact! Autographed George Reeves Superman picture

Pop Culture Roundup July 24, 2007

Tomorrow's comics today: See the big list of what's in shops tomorrow.

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Here's a fresh pic from the upcoming Iron Man movie starring Robert Downey Jr.



Samuel L. Jackson and Hilary Swank reportedly make cameo appearances in the film.

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Warner Bros. plans a big-screen film based on DC Comics' weird Western character, Jonah Hex.

Hex, known for having the right side of his face disfigured and wearing a Confederate army uniform, was a rough-and-tumble gunslinger and part-time bounty hunter whose adventures always ended in blood.

...The filmmakers are not making a straight-ahead Western but plan to develop the character with some of the supernatural overtones in the hopes of creating a franchise.


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Also in the works is a film adaptation of DC's Y: The Last Man series.

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Comic Mix looks at how The Shadow served as a key inspiration for Batman.

DVD new releases July 24, 2007


























More upcoming DVDs

CD new releases July 24, 2007

CD new releases July 24, 2007

Planet Earth ~ Prince

Live In Boston ~ The Doors

Is Is ~ Yeah Yeah Yeah's

Up Front and Down Low ~ Teddy Thompson

U.F.O's At The Zoo - The Legendary Concert In Oklahoma City (MVI Album) ~ Flaming Lips

Live From Austin Texas by David Byrne

This Guitar Kills by Jimmy Page

I Feel a Song Going Off by Marty Feldman

More upcoming CDs

Vintage DC Comics house ad



Today's video: Dark Shadows Groovy Horror Head ad



Pop Artifact! Superman 8mm movies and projector





Pop Culture Roundup July 23, 2007

The New York Times takes an early look at the straight-to-DVD animated version of Darwyn Cooke's DC: The New Frontier comic.

“The New Frontier” would be one of the first three adult-oriented DC projects to be given the straight-to-DVD treatment and will sit alongside similar full-length adventures of Superman and Batman; DVD collections of the animated television series “Superfriends,” “Justice League” and “Batman Beyond,” among others, have been popular with fans. “I was kind of floored by the call and the fact that this was being done,” said Darwyn Cooke, 45, the writer and artist behind the comic. The news came from Gregory Noveck, the senior vice president of creative affairs at DC Comics, a unit of Time Warner. The company wanted to produce a series of direct-to-DVD animated films that would, unlike its previous efforts, more closely follow the source material.



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"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," will be even bigger and more visually stunning than its predecessor, reports Sci Fi Wire.

"Narnia had been created approximately 900 years before the last film took place," director Andrew Adamson said. "This is now another 1,300 years later. Narnia has been oppressed by Telmarines for a large period of that time. So it's a dirtier, grittier, darker place than the last world was. When the kids come back in, they bring a lot of nostalgia with them, and they think they are going back to the place they knew. And instead, they've come back to a very changed world."

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From Booksteve: A 1972 comic con poster by the great Sergio Aragones.

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Toonzone reviews legit DVD sets collecting the 1960s "Marvel Superheroes" animated series. Trouble is, they haven't been released in the U.S. yet. If your DVD player can handle Region 2 disks, you can order from Amazon UK using the links here.

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Some viewers weren't thrilled by the Beatles' worldwide TV broadcast of "All You Need is Love" 40 years ago--and the band was never told.

Newly released documents revealed some viewers considered the Liverpool band unworthy of representing Britain in the show, the Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported Sunday.

..."Have we nothing better to offer? Surely this isn't the image of what we are like. What a dreadful impression they must have given the rest of the world," one comment read, the newspaper reported.

Another viewer, impressed by contributions from elsewhere, said "after all the culture ... shown by the other countries, the Beatles were the absolute dregs," the newspaper claimed.

"We did not do ourselves justice," another viewer commented.

Vintage DC Comics house ad



Today's video: Beach Boys "I Can Hear Music" Dutch TV appearance