Motown collects number one hits in box

The Motown label has found yet another way to package it's lucrative back catalog: Put all it's number one hits in a box. A big box.

According to Billboard, Motown: The Complete No. 1's, due out Dec. 10 (Hey! Isn't that right around Christimas?), will fill out 10 CDs containing 191 tunes--including, in my opinion, probably around 80 really good ones. Things get wildly uneven around disk 6, if you ask me.

Here's the track list:

Disc 1:

"Shop Around," The Miracles
"Please Mr. Postman," The Marvelettes
"Do You Love Me," The Contours
"Two Lovers," Mary Wells
"You've Really Got A Hold On Me," The Miracles
"Fingertips-Part 2," Little Stevie Wonder
"Heat Wave," Martha & the Vandellas
"The Way You Do the Things You Do," The Temptations
"My Guy," Mary Wells
"Where Did Our Love Go," The Supremes
"Baby Love," The Supremes
"Come See about Me," The Supremes
"My Girl," The Temptations
"Shotgun," Jr. Walker & the All-Stars
"Stop! In The Name of Love," The Supremes
"I'll Be Doggone," Marvin Gaye
"Back In My Arms Again," The Supremes
"I Can't Help Myself," Four Tops
"I Hear a Symphony," The Supremes
"Ain't That Peculiar," Marvin Gaye
"Uptight (Everything's Alright," Stevie Wonder
"Get Ready," The Temptations

Bonus Tracks:
"Dancing In the Street," Martha & the Vandellas
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)," Marvin Gaye
"This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You)," Isley Brothers
"Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)," Marvin Gaye

Disc 2:

"Ain't Too Proud To Beg," The Temptations
"Blowin' In the Wind," Stevie Wonder
"You Can't Hurry Love," The Supremes
"Beauty Is Only Skin Deep," The Temptations
"Reach Out, I'll Be There," Four Tops
"You Keep Me Hangin' On," The Supremes
"(I Know) I'm Losing You," The Temptations
"The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game," The Marvelettes
"Love Is Here and Now You're Gone," The Supremes
"Jimmy Mack," Martha & the Vandellas
"The Happening," The Supremes
"I Was Made To Love Her," Stevie Wonder
"I Heard It Through The Grapevine," Gladys Knight & the Pips
"I Second That Emotion," Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
"I Wish It Would Rain," The Temptations
"Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day," Stevie Wonder
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing," Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
"I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)," The Temptations
"You're All I Need To Get By," Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
"Love Child," Diana Ross & The Supremes
"For Once In My Life," Stevie Wonder
"I Heard It Through The Grapevine," Marvin Gaye
"I'm Gonna Make You Love Me," Diana Ross & the Supremes & the Temptations

Bonus Tracks:
"What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted," Jimmy Ruffin
"You've Made Me So Very Happy," Brenda Holloway

Disc 3:

"Runaway Child, Running Wild," The Temptations
"Too Busy Thinking About My Baby," Marvin Gaye
"What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)," Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
"I Can't Get Next To You," The Temptations
"Baby I'm For Real," The Originals
"Someday We'll Be Together," Diana Ross & the Supremes
"I Want You Back," The Jackson 5
"Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday," Stevie Wonder
"ABC," The Jackson 5
"Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand)," Diana Ross
"It's All In The Game," Four Tops
"The Love You Save," The Jackson 5
"Get Ready," Rare Earth
"Ball of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)," The Temptations
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours," Stevie Wonder
"War," Edwin Starr
"The Tears of A Clown," Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough," Diana Ross
"I'll Be There," The Jackson 5
"Heaven Help Us All," Stevie Wonder
"The Tears of A Clown," Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
"Stoned Love," The Supremes
"If I Were Your Woman," Gladys Knight & the Pips

Disc 4:

"Mama's Pearl," The Jackson 5
"Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)," The Temptations
"What's Going On," Marvin Gaye
"Never Can Say Goodbye," The Jackson 5
"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology,") Marvin Gaye
"I'm Still Waiting," Diana Ross
"Smiling Faces Sometimes," The Undisputed Truth
"Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)," Marvin Gaye
"Got To Be There," Michael Jackson
"Rockin' Robin," Michael Jackson
"I Wanna Be Where You Are," Michael Jackson
"Ben," Michael Jackson
"Papa Was A Rollin' Stone," The Temptations
"Superstition," Stevie Wonder
"Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)," Gladys Knight & the Pips
"Masterpiece," The Temptations
"You Are The Sunshine of My Life," Stevie Wonder
"Touch Me In The Morning," Diana Ross
"Let's Get It On," Marvin Gaye

Disc 5:

"Higher Ground," Stevie Wonder
"Keep On Truckin'(Part 1)," Eddie Kendricks
"Living For The City," Stevie Wonder
"Let Your Hair Down," Temptations
"Boogie Down," Eddie Kendricks
"Last Time I Saw Him," Diana Ross
"Dancing Machine," The Jackson 5
"Do It Baby," The Miracles
"You Haven't Done Nothin'," Stevie Wonder
"Boogie On Reggae Woman," Stevie Wonder
"Happy People," The Temptations
"Shoeshine Boy," Eddie Kendricks
"Shakey Ground," The Temptations
"Baby That's Backatcha," Smokey Robinson
"Slippery When Wet," The Commodores
"Forever Came Today," The Jackson 5
"Walk Away From Love," David Ruffin
"Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)," Diana Ross
"Devil In The Bottle," T.G. Sheppard
"Tryin' To Beat The Morning Home," T.G. Sheppard

Disc 6:

"Love Machine (Part 1)," The Miracles
"Love Hangover," Diana Ross
"I Want You," Marvin Gaye
"Just To Be Close To You," The Commodores
"Down To Love Town," The Originals
"Don't Leave Me This Way," Thelma Houston
"I Wish," Stevie Wonder
"Got To Give It Up," Marvin Gaye
"Sir Duke," Stevie Wonder
"Easy," The Commodores
"You Can't Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On)," High Inergy
"Too Hot Ta Trot," The Commodores
"You And I," Rick James
"Three Times A Lady," The Commodores
"The Boss," Diana Ross
"Sail On," The Commodores
"Still," The Commodores
"Send One Your Love," Stevie Wonder

Bonus Track:
"Pastime Paradise," Stevie Wonder

Disc 7:
"Cruisin'," Smokey Robinson
"Let's Get Serious," Jermaine Jackson
"I'm Coming Out," Diana Ross
"Upside Down," Diana Ross
"Master Blaster (Jammin')," Stevie Wonder
"Being With You," Smokey Robinson
"Give It To Me Baby," Rick James
"Super Freak," Rick James
"One Day In Your Life," Michael Jackson
"Endless Love," Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
"Lady (You Bring Me Up)," The Commodores
"That Girl," Stevie Wonder
"Let It Whip," Dazz Band
"I've Never Been To Me," Charlene
"Do I Do," Stevie Wonder

Bonus Track:
"Lately," Stevie Wonder

Disc 8:

"Truly," Lionel Richie
"You Are," Lionel Richie
"My Love," Lionel Richie
"All This Love," DeBarge
"Cold Blooded," Rick James
"All Night Long (All Night)," Lionel Richie
"Time Will Reveal," DeBarge
"Somebody's Watching Me," Rockwell
"Hello," Lionel Richie
"Stuck On You," Lionel Richie
"I Just Called To Say I Love You," Stevie Wonder
"Penny Lover," Lionel Richie
"Nightshift," The Commodores
"In My House," Mary Jane Girls
"Rhythm of The Night," DeBarge
"Glow," Rick James
"You Wear It Well," El DeBarge with DeBarge

Bonus Track:
"Don't Look Any Further," Dennis Edwards featuring Seidah Garrett

Disc 9:
"Part-Time Lover," Stevie Wonder
"Say You, Say Me," Lionel Richie
"Go Home," Stevie Wonder
"If You Should Ever Be Lonely," Val Young
"Overjoyed," Stevie Wonder
"Who's Johnny," El DeBarge
"Dancing On The Ceiling," Lionel Richie
"Love Will Conquer All," Lionel Richie
"Ballerina Girl," Lionel Richie
"Just To See Her," Smokey Robinson
"Tina Cherry," Georgio
"Skeletons," Stevie Wonder
"You Will Know," Stevie Wonder
"Dial My Heart," The Boys
"Lucky Charm," The Boys
"Girl I Got My Eyes On You," Today
"Where Do We Go From Here," Stacey Lattisaw with special guest Johnny Gill

Bonus Track:
"Dreamin'," The Guinn Family

Disc 10:

"Rub You The Right Way," Johnny Gill
"My My My," Johnny Gill
"Crazy," The Boys
"Wrap My Body Tight," Johnny Gill
"It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday," Boyz II Men
"I Love Your Smile," Shanice
"Uhh Ahh," Boyz II Men
"Do It To Me," Lionel Richie
"End of The Road," Boyz II Men
"I'll Make Love To You," Boyz II Men
"On Bended Knee," Boyz II Men
"Take Me Higher," Diana Ross
"4 Seasons Of Loneliness," Boyz II Men
"A Song For Mama," Boyz II Men
"Stay," The Temptations
"Liar," Profyle
"Bag Lady," Erykah Badu

Lost novel by Doc Savage creator set for publication

Hard Case Books, which publishes new and old hard-boiled crime novels is set to publish a lost manuscript by Lester Dent, a.k.a. Kenneth Robeson, the creator of pulp hero Doc Savage.

According to Robert Greenberger at Comic Mix:

[Hard Case publisher] Charles Ardai just announced that he will publish, for the first time ever, a Lester Dent novel, "Honey in his Mouth." The creator of Doc Savage had written the story intended for the Gold Medal line of books that are a direct ancestor to Hard Case.

Remembering Neil Hefti, composer of the Batman theme

Composer/arranger Neil Hefti, who passed away at age 85 Oct. 11, will be forever remembered for his catchy theme tune to the 1960s "Batman" TV show, but he did a lot more.

Coming up in the big band era, Hefti had a long and successful collaboration with Count Basie, writing many hit charts for the bandleader's orchestra. He also provided arrangements for Frank Sinatra and many others.

And, along with "Batman," he penned the memorable theme to "The Odd Couple."

Here he is talking about the "Batman" theme:

"Sure, you may say I could have written the theme itself in two minutes -- but it took weeks to work out the arrangement, which is inseparable from the melody," he told the Los Angeles Times in 1966. "It often takes time to write something that sounds like you just turned on a faucet and it flowed out."

Mr. Hefti also inserted a single lyric -- a repeated exclamatory "Batman!" -- which prompted him to joke that his composer's credit should read, "Word and Music by Neal Hefti."


And here's that show's opening credits:

Halloween pop! Creepy and Eerie magazine patches

Photobucket

New comics shipping Oct. 15, 2008

Click links to order discounted items from Amazon (and help out this Web site!)

DARK HORSE COMICS

MAR080071 ALIENS NO EXIT NOVEL $6.99
AUG080033 CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #4 $2.99
APR080065 PREDATOR NOVEL VOL 04 SOUTH CHINA SEA $6.99
AUG080082 STAR WARS CLONE WARS #2 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL080073 UMBRELLA ACADEMY UMBRELLA $29.99
JUN080112 VAMPIRE HUNTER D NOVEL VOL 11 PALE FALLEN ANGELS PARTS 1 & 2 $14.95

DC COMICS

AUG080141 BATGIRL #4 (OF 6) $2.99
AUG080144 BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #12 RIP $2.99
JUL080153 BATMAN CHRONICLES TP VOL 06 $14.99
MAR080275 BATMAN THE LONG HALLOWEEN COLLECTOR SET $34.99
AUG080159 BOOSTER GOLD #13 $2.99
AUG080160 BRAVE AND THE BOLD #18 $2.99
AUG080206 CASEY BLUE BEYOND TOMORROW #6 (OF 6) $2.99
AUG080128 DC SPECIAL CYBORG #6 (OF 6) $2.99
AUG080112 DC UNIVERSE DECISIONS #3 (OF 4) $2.99
JUL080110 FINAL CRISIS LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #2 (OF 5) $3.99
JUL080109 FINAL CRISIS ROGUES REVENGE #3 (OF 3) $3.99
AUG080163 FLASH #245 $2.99
JAN080279 JLA BUILD A SCENE STATUE PART 1 $150.00
JUL080160 JLA THAT WAS THEN THIS IS NOW TP $14.99
JUL080161 JONAH HEX LUCK RUNS OUT TP $12.99
JUL080148 JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #19 $2.99
AUG080146 ROBIN #179 $2.99
AUG080200 SCOOBY DOO #137 $2.25
AUG080173 SPIRIT #22 $2.99
AUG080205 STORMWATCH PHD #15 $2.99
AUG080195 SUPER FRIENDS #8 $2.25
AUG080120 SUPERMAN BATMAN VS VAMPIRES WEREWOLVES #1 (Of 6) $2.99
AUG080150 SUPERMANS PAL JIMMY OLSEN SPECIAL #1 $4.99
AUG080129 TITANS #6 (RES) $2.99
AUG080109 TRINITY #20 $2.99
APR080234 WILL EISNERS SPIRIT ARCHIVES HC VOL 25 $59.99
FEB080328 WOMEN OF THE DCU SERIES 2 CATWOMAN BUST $55.00

IMAGE COMICS

JUL082193 CHARLATAN BALL #4 $2.50
JUL082222 DEAR DRACULA HC $7.99
JUL082195 DYNAMO 5 #17 $3.50
JAN082076 HAWAIIAN DICK #5 $2.99
JUL082201 HYPERKINETIC #3 (OF 4) $4.99
MAY082207 MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS #11 $3.50
JUL082183 MIXTAPE HC VOL 02 JIM MAHFOOD ART LTD S&N ED $39.99
JAN082084 PVP #41 $3.50
AUG088060 SAVAGE DRAGON #137 3RD PTG OBAMA CVR (PP #836) $2.99
AUG082237 WALKING DEAD 2009 CALENDAR $14.99

MARVEL COMICS

AUG082402 AGE OF SENTRY #2 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL088585 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #571 2ND PTG JRJR VAR (PP #835) $2.99
JUL088167 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #573 COLBERT VAR (PP #833) $3.99
AUG082317 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #573 NWD $3.99
AUG082458 ANNIHILATION CONQUEST TP BOOK 01 $24.99
JUL082347 ASTONISHING X-MEN #27 MD $2.99
AUG082338 CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #6 $2.99
JUL088598 DEADPOOL #1 2ND PTG MEDINA VAR (PP #835) $3.99
AUG082349 GHOST RIDER #28 $3.99
AUG082472 GHOST RIDER VS GHOST RIDER POSTER $7.99
AUG082385 GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #6 SI $2.99
AUG082352 HULK MONSTER SIZE SPECIAL #1 $3.99
AUG082388 IRON MAN DIRECTOR OF SHIELD #34 SI $2.99
AUG082359 MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS #29 $2.99
AUG082449 MARVEL ADVENTURES THE AVENGERS DIGEST VOL 07 $8.99
AUG082364 MARVEL ADVENTURES TWO-IN-ONE #16 $4.99
AUG082309 MARVEL ILLUSTRATED THREE MUSKETEERS #5 (OF 6) $3.99
AUG082375 MIGHTY AVENGERS #19 SI $2.99
AUG082433 MMW X-MEN HC VOL 07 $54.99
AUG082434 MMW X-MEN HC VOL 07 VAR ED VOL 105 $54.99
AUG082370 MOON KNIGHT #23 $2.99
AUG082395 NYX NO WAY HOME #3 (OF 6) $3.99
AUG082391 SECRET INVASION FRONT LINE #4 (OF 5) $2.99
AUG082392 SKRULLS VS POWER PACK #4 (OF 4) $2.99
AUG082456 SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 01 BRAND NEW DAY $19.99
AUG082398 SQUADRON SUPREME 2 #4 $2.99
AUG082310 ULTIMATE ORIGINS #5 (OF 5) $2.99
AUG082406 UNCANNY X-MEN #503 MD $2.99
AUG082417 X-MEN WORLDS APART #1 (OF 4) $3.99
AUG082418 YOUNG X-MEN #7 MD $2.99

WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT

JUL083585 UNCANNY X-MEN #500 ALEX ROSS CVR CGC 9.8 PI
AUG083652 WIZARD ANIME INSIDER #62 DARKER THAN BLACK CVR $4.99

**********

COMICS

AUG083750 ARCHIE DIGEST #248 $2.49
AUG084277 ATOMIC ROBO DOGS OF WAR #3 (OF 5) $2.95
AUG084091 BABY SITTERS CLUB SC VOL 04 CLAUDIA & MEAN JANINE $8.99
AUG084266 BENNY AND PENNY JUST PRETEND SC $4.99
JUN084000 BLACK SUN SILVER MOON GN VOL 07 (OF 7) $10.99
JUL084383 CHRONICLES OF DR HERBERT WEST #1 (OF 6) $2.99
MAY083852 DF UNCANNY X-MEN #500 EX ALT SGN CVR $29.99
JUL084073 DOCTOR WHO FORGOTTEN #2 $3.99
JUL084254 DRAMACON ULTIMATE ED HC $19.99
JUL084091 DREAMLAND CHRONICLES TP BOOK 01 $19.99
AUG084075 EC CRIME SUSPENSTORIES COMIC PACK $67.50
AUG084157 EPILOGUE #2 $3.99
JUL084248 FATE STAY NIGHT GN VOL 01 (OF 5) $9.99
JUL084249 GHOSTBUSTERS GN $12.99
AUG084143 GHOSTBUSTERS THE OTHER SIDE #1 $3.99
AUG084147 GRANT MORRISONS DOCTOR WHO #1 $3.99
JUL084387 GRIMM FAIRY TALES #31 $2.99
JUL084389 GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS BEAUTY & THE BEAST COLL $4.99
AUG083902 HACK SLASH #1 HALLOWEEN TREAT CASELLI CVR B $3.50
AUG083901 HACK SLASH #1 HALLOWEEN TREAT SEELEY CVR A $3.50
JUL083848 HALLOWEEN FIRST DEATH OF LAURIE STRODE #1 (OF 3) HAMPTON CVR $5.50
JUL083849 HALLOWEEN FIRST DEATH OF LAURIE STRODE #1 (OF 3) SEELEY CVR $3.50
JUL083847 HALLOWEEN FIRST DEATH OF LAURIE STRODE #1 (OF 3) STAMB CVR A $3.50
JUL084263 HANNAH MONTANA CINEMANGA GN VOL 06 (OF 10) (RES) $7.99
JUL083639 HOW TO DRAW & FIGHT ZOMBIES SUPERSIZE TP $19.95
JUN084166 I WAS KIDNAPPED BY LESBIAN PIRATES OUTERSPACE #4 (OF 6) $3.95
JUN083902 JAMILTI & OTHER STORIES HC $19.95
JUL084258 KYO KARA MAOH GN VOL 01 (OF 3) $9.99
AUG083915 MERCY SPARX #1 (OF 3) BLAYLOCK CVR A $3.50
AUG083916 MERCY SPARX #1 (OF 3) MERHOFF CVR B $3.50
AUG084211 MICHELANGELO THIRD KIND #2 (OF 4) $3.25
MAY084052 MORESUKINE GN $15.95
JUL084361 NIGHTMARE INSPECTOR YUMEKUI KENBUN GN VOL 04 $9.99
APR084012 PHANTOM #25 CHECKMATE PART 5 (OF 5) $5.99
JUN084094 PHONICS COMICS LEVEL 3 OTIS C MOUSE - EGYPT $3.99
AUG083945 RED SONJA VACANT SHELL B&W ED $4.99
AUG083758 SABRINA VOL 2 #97 $2.25
JUL084319 SHOJO BEAT NOV 08 $5.99
JUL084282 SILVER DIAMOND GN VOL 02 $9.99
AUG083831 SIMPSONS COMICS #147 $2.99
AUG083768 SOULFIRE SHADOW MAGIC #0 (OF 3) CVR A TAKEDA $2.50
AUG083769 SOULFIRE SHADOW MAGIC #0 (OF 3) CVR B GUNNELL $2.50
AUG084176 SPEED RACER TP VOL 06 $19.99
AUG083927 SPOOKS OMEGA TEAM #2 ARCHER CVR B $3.50
AUG083926 SPOOKS OMEGA TEAM #2 SEELEY CVR A $3.50
AUG084152 STAR TREK ROMULANS HOLLOW CROWN #2 (OF 2) $3.99
AUG084341 STREET FIGHTER II TURBO #1 CRUZ CVR A $3.95
AUG084342 STREET FIGHTER II TURBO #1 LEE CVR B $3.95
MAY088340 UNCANNY X-MEN #503 DCD SKETCH VAR PI
JUL083614 URSA MINORS TP VOL 01 WAIT FOR THE TRADE ED $10.95
JUL084286 VB ROSE GN VOL 04 (OF 11) $9.99
JUN083767 WARHAMMER 40K TP VOL 02 BLOOD & THUNDER $16.99
AUG084155 WELCOME TO HOXFORD #3 $3.99
JUL083887 ZORRO #8 $3.50

MAGAZINES

MAY084248 CLASSIC MARVEL FIGURINE COLL MAG #75 FALCON $12.00
MAY084249 CLASSIC MARVEL FIGURINE COLL MAG #76 MS MARVEL $12.00
JUL084408 COMIC FOUNDRY MAGAZINE FALL 2008 $5.98
AUG084467 COMICS BUYERS GUIDE #1648 DEC 2008 $5.99
JUL083986 COMICS JOURNAL #293 $11.99
JUL084415 ILLUSTRATION MAGAZINE #24 $15.00
AUG084497 LOST OFFICIAL MAGAZINE #19 NEWSSTAND ED $6.99
AUG084498 LOST OFFICIAL MAGAZINE #19 PX ED $6.99
AUG084469 ROUGH STUFF #10 $6.95
JUL084437 RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE #83 $8.95
JUL084439 STARLOG #370 NOV 2008 $7.99
JUL084445 TORCHWOOD MAGAZINE #9 $6.99
AUG084427 YEN PLUS MAGAZINE #4 NOV 2008 $8.99

Pop links

Don't bother finishing that fan letter to Ringo Starr...



-----

And now here's John Cleese talking about Palin. Sarah Palin.

Halloween pop! Phantom mask

Photobucket

CD new releases

B001DXF9JU Little Honey Lucinda Williams
Buy New: $9.99

B001DDCVCI At Folsom Prison Legacy Edition Johnny Cash
Buy New: $33.99

B001CYZ9AE Torchwood [Original Soundtrack Recording]
Buy New: $13.99

DVD new releases Oct. 14, 2008

B001DTPZNY Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Buy New: $18.99

B001E75QH0 Indiana Jones - The Complete Adventures Collection
Buy New: $62.99

B001B9ZVVC Icons of Horror
Buy New: $16.99

B001DHE9FQ The Partridge Family Complete Second Season
Buy New: $21.99

B001D8W7EA Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection
Buy New: $83.99

B001BN25VW SilverHawks, Vol. 1
Buy New: $29.99

B001DKG87K Adventures of Robin Hood Season 2
Buy New: $12.99

Halloween pop! Batman mask

Photobucket

Seven Doctors unite for Doctor Who charity special

All seven living "Doctor Who" actors will appear in a new Children In Need charity special to be televised in Britain Nov. 14, the Daily Telegraph reports.

An insider at the BBC said: "It's a pretty ambitious idea and it's still being finalised. Everything is being kept under wraps but Doctor Who fans are in for a big treat."

...The seven survivors include Tom Baker, now best known as the voice of the comedy series Little Britain, who played the role for seven years from 1974.

He was followed by Peter Davidson from 1981 to 1984, whose daughter Georgia Moffett has also featured in the programme and who is now dating the current doctor, David Tennant.

The others are Colin Baker, from 1984 to 1986, Sylvester McCoy who had two stints from 1987 to 1989 and re-appeared in the role in 1996, Paul McGann, who took over the role in 1996 and Christopher Eccleston who reprised the series in 2005.

Pop links

The Fortress of Fortitude shares a vintage Steve Ditko-illustrated horror comic.

Photobucket

-----

See a list of writer Micheal Chabon's Top 12 Tales of Adventure.

-----

Dial B for Blog checks out the origins of The Spectre.

-----

See the complete adventures of Electra Woman and Dyna Girl.

Photobucket

Superman and Batman "motion comics" planned

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Batman: Black & White" and "Superman: Red Son" will be adapted as "motion comics," with animation and voiceovers used to "enhance" the original comic book stories. Sounds like a high-tech update of those horrible 1960s Marvel Comics cartoons.

Anyway:

Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution will adapt the graphic album and graphic novel into digitally downloadable episodes that bring the comic to life by combining the artwork with subtle movement, voice-overs and musical scores.

The companies introduced their first motion comic at this year's Comic-Con with the initial chapter of "Watchmen," which adapted the first issue of the 1980s comic book miniseries into that format. Dave Gibbons, the original artist, was even tapped to redraw certain parts of the story.

Upcoming pop culture DVDs

Here's some upcoming stuff of possible interest:

B001E75QHU A Colbert Christmas
Buy New: $12.99

B001DJ7Q0E Lone Ranger 75th Anniversary - Seasons 1 and 2
Buy New: $83.99

B001ECP576 M Squad - The Complete Series starring Lee Marvin
Buy New: $107.99

B001E12ZAM Monty Python Holy Trinity
Buy New: $29.99

B001EAWMPQ David Lynch The Lime Green Set
Buy New: $134.99

B001F9FHDU Live From Abbey Road
Buy New: $16.95

B001E1HCQY Studio One Anthology
Buy New: $89.99

Pop links

I've always admired the work of comic book artist Graham Nolan and am pleased to hear he's returning to comics after stints working on the Phantom and Rex Morgan M.D. newspaper strips. Nolan will be working on Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four, one of the publisher's "youth"-aimed comics, which I think is a great idea. I'd like to see DC and Marvel put veteran super-hero writers and artists on all such books, providing an "old school" take on these characters for both new and aging (like me) readers to enjoy.

Photobucket

-----

Golden Age Comic Book Stories displays some more great Virgin Finlay pulp art.

Photobucket

-----

Jon's Random Acts of Geekery has been, and will be, featuring some great Halloween-themed posts this month, including this nifty one, featuring images of a "Creature from the Black Lagoon" book adaptation for kids.

Photobucket

-----

DC Comics has again generated some cheap press coverage by killing off another character--this time it's poor old Pa Kent (who actually died in the first Superman tale 50 years ago and was later revived for Superboy stories and again in the 1980s, I think, for the post-Crisis reboot and the 1990s "Lois and Clark" TV show).

-----

Those Fabulous 50s presents some more Harvey Kurtzman magazine strips.

Photobucket

------

Today's Inspiration has been posting some great cover paintings from British war comics.

Photobucket

-----

Mystery and comics scribe Max Allan Collins is completing an unfinished Mickey Spillane "Mike Hammer" novel.

The Goliath Bone (Harcourt, $23), based on Spillane's rough draft, goes on sale Monday, 61 years after Hammer, the iconic hard-boiled private eye, solved his first case in I, the Jury. It will be the 14th Hammer novel.

"It's hard to imagine what popular culture would be like right now without Mike Hammer," says Collins, 60, who began writing fan letters to Spillane when he was 13.


015101454X The Goliath Bone

Yet another Led Zeppelin box set on the way

If you've yet to update your Led Zep LPs to CD, here's another chance. Out Nov. 4, the Led Zeppelin Definitive Collection (at least until the next one) collects all the band's albums in sleeves that replicates the original LP packaging (like that cool twirly wheel thing on the cover of Led Zep III).

Here's the skinny:

To celebrate the band's 4oth anniversary Atlantic Records/Rhino Entertainment will release a limited edition CD boxed set. This Japanese import contains all 10 of the quartet's albums in mini-LP replicas with artwork from the original U.K. LP sleeves.

The mini-LP replicas boxed set includes Led Zeppelin (1969), Led Zeppelin II (1969), Led Zeppelin III (1970), Led Zeppelin IV (1971), Houses of the Holy (1973), Physical Graffiti (1975), Presence (1976), The Song Remains the Same (1976), In Through the Out Door (1979), and Coda (1982).

The sleeves included in the boxed set feature the original LP album artwork released in the U.K., including the original printing of the group's debut, which used turquoise ink on the cover for the band's name and the Atlantic Records logo. Later printings used orange ink, making the first a rare collector's item. The orange sleeve is included with the boxed set as a bonus.

Led Zeppelin III features the gatefold sleeve with the rotatable laminated card disc, while Physical Graffiti, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for best album package, features the interchanging window illustrations from the original LP jacket that included four covers made up of two inners, a middle insert cover and an outer cover.

Additionally, the set includes all six covers released for In Through the Out Door, Led Zeppelin's final studio album. Nominated for a Grammy Award for best album package, the In Through the Out Door covers feature different photos of the same bar scene taken from different perspectives.


B001FSDP08 Definitive Collection Mini LP Replica CD Boxset
Buy New: $199.98

Live Sex Pistols DVD out next week

Due Oct. 14 from Rhino Records, "There Will Always Be an England" captures the Sex Pistols' November 2007 reunion shows in a concert film directed by Julien Temple.

According to Rhino:

The DVD also includes the new 80-minute Temple-directed feature The Knowledge, which documents the Pistols poking around London town and revisiting their favorite haunts from back in the day. Temple first filmed the band in 1976, and previously directed the Sex Pistols documentaries The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle ('80) and The Filth And The Fury ('00).

B001FBJUMM There'll Always Be an England
Buy New: $17.99

Halloween pop: Captain Marvel costume

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Avengers join slate of animated Marvel TV series

Marvel Comics has an Avengers 'toon in the works. Details:

Marvel Entertainment, announced today the production of an all new animated
series, THE AVENGERS: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Production on 26
half-hour episodes is already underway using the production services of
Film Roman, producer of the Simpsons and King of the Hill.

The new series, expected to be available for broadcast in 2011,
continues on Marvel's already impressive television line-up which
includes the all-new Wolverine and the X-Men and Iron Man: Armored
Adventures series that will both debut on Nicktoons in 2009. Marvel
Animation will also debut the all-new series Marvel Super Hero Squad and
The Black Panther next year.

THE AVENGERS: Earth's Mightiest Heroes is an all-new property featuring
some of Marvel's all-time favorite characters including Iron Man, Hulk,
Captain America, Thor, Giant Man and Wasp. When the planet is
threatened by Super Villains, time traveling conquerors, alien invaders,
mythical monsters and mad robots bent on the total destruction of
humanity, when forces of evil are so overwhelming that no single hero
has the power to save the world, when there is no hope left...the
Avengers assemble!

"The addition of THE AVENGERS: Earth's Mightiest Heroes to our quickly
expanding animation slate continues our plan to complement each of our
tentpole live action features with an animated series," said Eric
Rollman, President of Animation. "This new ensemble series tracks
perfectly with our highly anticipated 'road to the Avengers' strategy
which includes some of Marvel's biggest and most beloved characters, and
which kicks off with two Avengers' themed feature films in summer 2011."

Halloween pop! Red Skull costume

Photobucket

Photobucket