New James Bond: Skyfall poster and banners

New images to promote the upcoming Bond film:





Pop culture roundup: Doctor Who Monopoly; Ringo says that's not him on the new Rory Storm album; Frank Sinatra's iPod; Roy Thomas and Tom Grinderg tackle Tarzan!

A "Doctor Who" version of Monopoly is on the way. The game board includes images of all 11 Doctors and game pieces are modeled after the sonic screwdriver, bow tie, scarf and other items associated with the various Doctors.


-----

An upcoming CD collecting previously unreleased performances by Ringo Starr's pre-Beatles band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, does not feature Starr on drums, he insists.

Asked about the album, Live at the Jive Hive, Ringo said:
It’s not me, that was done after I’d left to join the Beatles. I don’t know who the drummer was but I hope that Rory fans enjoy it anyway.

The only two tracks I was on were recorded while we were in Germany in 1960, when we made a two track acetate, and for those of you in the digi world that is a-ce-tate, of Mailman bring me no more blues, a Buddy Holly song sang by Lou Walters and Fever, and I’d love to hear those tracks ‘cause I don’t have a copy.”
 -----

Brain Pickings shares some fun vintage posters used to promote libraries and reading.


-----

This awesome contraption, manufactured by the Seeburg jukebox company, was once reportedly owned by Frank Sinatra and is now up for auction on eBay. Ol' Blue Eyes apparently gave it up once 45 rpm records took the place of 78s. 


------

Veteran comics scribe Roy Thomas and artist Tom Grindberg are teaming for a new Sunday-style Tarzan comics strip that will appear, at least, on the official Edgar Rice Burroughs website and perhaps other outlets. The sample art looks gorgeous. There's an interview with Roy about the project here. Couldn't find any info, yet, as to when installments of this series will start appearing. Anyone know?

Superboy public service ads



BBC radio this week - stream radio drama, comedy and documentaries

Click the links to hear the following programs.

Gene Krupa: Drumming Man!
Documentary exploring the life and career of influential drummer Gene Krupa

The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Jerry Hall marks the 40th anniversary of the death of Jimi Hendrix.

An Hour with Jon Pertwee
The star of 'Doctor Who', 'The Navy Lark' and 'Worzel Gummidge' entertains an audience.

The Code of the Woosters
Adaptation of the novel by P.G. Wodehouse, featuring the characters Jeeves and Wooster

The Goon Show
Classic material from one of the all-time radio comedy greats

Preview pics from Doctor Who: A Town Called Mercy, seson 7, episode 3

Pics from this week's episode of "Doctor Who."










New book: The John Lennon Letters - plus audio version narrated by Christopher Eccleston

Out Oct. 9 in celebration of Lennon's 72nd birthday, "The John Lennon Letters" was compiled by Hunter Davies, author of the Beatles' authorized biography back in 1967.

More info:
John Lennon was a writer as well as a musician. It was entirely natural for him to put pen to paper whenever he had an idea, a thought, a reaction or a desire to communicate. 
He lived - and died - in an age before emails and texts. Pen and ink was what he turned to. John wrote letters and postcards all of his life; to his friends, family, strangers, newspapers, organisations, lawyers and the laundry - most of which were funny, informative, campaigning, wise, mad, poetic, anguished and sometimes heartbreaking. For the first time, John's widow, Yoko Ono, has given permission to publish a collection of his letters. The Editor is the Beatles' official biographer, Hunter Davies, who knew John well.

John's letters are in a way something of a mystery - where are they all? Over the years many have come up at auction, then sold to dealers and collectors. Or they have been kept by the recipients, locked up safely. It has been a wonderful piece of detective work tracing many of these 250 letters, postcards and notes, which are arranged in chronological order, so that a narrative builds up, reflecting John's life. It will be visual - in a sense that many of the letters are reproduced as they were, in his handwriting or typing, plus the odd cartoon or doodle. THE JOHN LENNON LETTERS is fundamentally a book to read and study, providing a unique insight into the mind of one of the great figures of our times.
 Here are some pics from the book's publisher.




 

The audio version features a recorded introduction by Yoko Ono and is narrated by former "Doctor Who" actor Christopher Eccleston.



New teaser for CW's Arrow

Here's a fresh teaser for the CW's upcoming "Arrow," based on DC Comics' Green Arrow.

Details:
 After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. When he returns home to Starling City, his devoted mother Moira, much-beloved sister Thea, and best friend Tommy welcome him home, but they sense Oliver has been changed by his ordeal on the island. While Oliver hides the truth about the man he's become, he desperately wants to make amends for the actions he took as the boy he was. Most particularly, he seeks reconciliation with his former girlfriend, Laurel Lance. As Oliver reconnects with those closest to him, he secretly creates the persona of Arrow - a vigilante – to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society, and restore Starling City to its former glory. By day, Oliver plays the role of a wealthy, carefree and careless philanderer he used to be - flanked by his devoted chauffeur/bodyguard, John Diggle - while carefully concealing the secret identity he turns to under cover of darkness. However, Laurel's father, Detective Quentin Lance, is determined to arrest the vigilante operating in his city. Meanwhile, Oliver's own mother, Moira, knows much more about the deadly shipwreck than she has let on – and is more ruthless than he could ever imagine.

New book: The James Bond Archives

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Agent 007 in the movies, Tashchen Books is releasing what it calls "the most complete account of the making of the series, covering every James Bond film ever made."

The book includes loads of images from the Bond films and other documents, along with an  oral history of the 007 movies culled from interviews with crew and cast members.





Additional details:
  • Among the 1,100 images are many previously unseen stills, on-set photos, memos, documents, storyboards, posters, and designs, plus unused concepts, and alternative designs
  • Behind-the-scenes stories from the people who were there: producers, directors, actors, screenwriters, production designers, special effects technicians, stuntmen, and other crew members
  • Includes every Bond film ever made, from Dr. No (1962) to Skyfall (2012)
  • Special bonus included with the first print run of the book only: an original strip of film from Dr. No 

New comics releases Sept. 12, 2012: King Conan; Firestorm; Iron Fist Masterworks 2; Oz; James Bond posters!

New collected editions of note. Click the links to order discounted items from Amazon.


The Chronicles of King Conan Volume 3: The Haunter of the Cenotaph and Other Stories (Conan the Barbarian)


The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men Vol. 1: God Particle (The New 52)


Marvel Masterworks: Iron Fist - Volume 2


Oz: Dorothy & the Wizard in Oz

Other items of note:


James Bond: 50 Years of Movie Posters

More Disneyland views 2012

More shots from our family trip to Disneyland this summer.