Pop Artifact! Captain America puzzle

Vintage DC Comics house ad



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New "Doctor Who" arrives in U.S. via DVD in February

The complete first season of the revived British sci-fi franchise arrives Feb. 14, according to the BBC.

More details from Sci Fi Wire:

The DVD set, virtually identical to one already available in the United Kingdom, will also feature audio commentary by cast and crew, including Davies, Piper, John Barrowman (Captain Jack), Mark Gatiss and Simon Callow; a new Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound mix on all episodes; more than five hours of "making of" interviews and behind-the-scenes footage; a BBC interview with Eccleston; and a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming holiday episode The Christmas Invasion, starring David Tennant as the new Doctor, which premieres this month in the United Kingdom.

Here's a pic of the UK set:



See the Best Doctor Who Sites on the Web.

Bond, James Bond

Here's the first promo picture from "Casino Royale," featuring new OO7 Daniel Craig and his big, big gun.



See the Best James Bond Sites on the Web.

"Lost" preview, season 2, episode 9, Nov. 30

* Read the official ABC teaser copy for the episode.

* See promo stills from the episode.

* View a preview clip for the show.

Come back tomorrow for TIP's clues-and-speculation report on the show.

See the Best "Lost" Sites on the Web.

Quick hits

An Aquaman pilot is scheduled for the WB.

Billboard reviews a recent gig by ex-Kinks leader Ray Davies, who has a new album coming out.

Writer/artist Stan Berenstain, creator of the Berenstain Bears children's books, has died.

First Hayley Mills, now Linda Blair, Booksteve confesses another old crush. (Headspinning and projectile vomiting makes it hard to love a gal, I think).

Looks like an upcoming DC Showcase Presents volume will be dedicated to the "Superman Family." Love these big 'ol reprints...

New comics Nov. 30



Available now at yer local comics shop or via This is Pop!-supporting links:

Giant Size Invaders #2

Marvel Masterworks Fantastic Four Vol 9 HC Ltd. Ed HC (#53)

Marvel Masterworks Fantastic Four Vol 9 New Ed HC

Mickey And The Gang Classic Stories In Verse Ltd HC

Ocean TP

Official Handbook Marvel Universe X-Men 2005

Ororo Before The Storm Digest TP

Punisher River Of Blood TP

Spirit Archives Vol 17 HC

Star Wars Clone Wars Vol 7 When They Were Brothers TP

Teen Titans The Future Is Now TP

Amazing Fantasy #15

Amazing Spider-Man Vol 10 New Avengers TP

Crypt Of Horror Vol 1 TP

Essential Silver Surfer Vol 1 TP New Printing

Essential X-Men Vol 2 TP New Printing

See a Complete List of Upcoming Comics.

Pop Artifact!



See the Best Marvel Comics Sites on the Web.

Vintage Fawcett Comics house ad

Quick hits

The Teen Titans cartoon won't be back for a sixth season.

A new, ongoing Lone Ranger comic series is planned.

C.S. Lewis didn't want to see his Narnia books turned into movies.

"The Batman" Season One DVD cover art unveiled

The set is out Feb. 7 and available for pre-order from Amazon now.

Comic book birthday: Gill Fox



Covers from the Grand Comic Book Database.

Review: All-Star Superman #1

In some circles, this was the most-awaited comic of 2005. Why? Mainly because writer Grant Morrision--a fan favorite--promised an updated, version of the 1950s-70s fun Superman. You remember the guy. Had loads of superpowers but was still scared of Lois Lane. Did big, cool stuff with a smile on his face. Didn't have any issues when it come sorting good from evil.



In this grim'n'gritty age when superhero characters have been "humanized" into unpleasant, whining folks we'd rather not hang around with, a big, powerful, colorful, heroic Superman is what a lot of people want. People nostalgic for a sort of superhero book that no longer seems to exist, anyway.

To a large extent, Morrison has delivered. Right off the bat, Superman here is heroic, hurtling through space to rescue an experimental craft from falling into a sunspot. Lex Luthor is in prison, where he belongs. Not the White House or in some towering office building, looking over the Metropolis skyline acting like he owns the place. Clark Kent is a bumbling clutz. There's a by-God planet on the top of the Daily Planet. And Perry White and Jimmy Olsen (who look like Perry White and Jimmy Olsen) are on staff there doing their jobs. Lois Lane is present, too, looking fabulous but not like how Kurt Schaffenburger drew her. Oh well, we can't have everything.

Other nice touches, Morrison knows we know Superman's origin. But this is an "All-Star" book, where creators are allowed to pick and choose the elements of past continuity they like and discard the rest. So he lets us know he's going with the basic elements and proceeds to recount them on the first page in a mere four panels. He also works in some Jack Kirby "Jimmy Olsen" continuity (The DNA P.R.O.J.E.C.T.) and hints there may be Bizarros ahead.



In short, Morrison is here to have--and provide--fun. A mock movie rating graphic on the last page promises the book is appropriate for general audiences, containing "Pulse-pounding, rip-roaring action to be enjoyed by all." Sounds like the recipe for a superhero comic to me. But one that's been mostly forgotten.



The title couldn't be more different from the silly cheesecake noir of Frank Miller and Jim Lee's "All-Star Batman," which courts the same old fanboy crowd while forsaking a broader audience.

Artwise, "All-Star Superman" is bright and beautiful. Frank Quitely's pencils, "digitally inked" with Jamie Grant's computer colors, are visually striking. Yet, as with many artists working in comics today, Quitely is more illustrator than cartoonist. He creates nice images, but they tend to lack flow and the storytelling is weak.

For example, a visual gag in the "Lois and Clark" epilogue at the back of the book doesn't come across too clearly. I had to scan it a few times to get what was going on.



Nevertheless, I'll be back for the next one. Along with a few issues of DC's "Solo" title, Marvel's recent "Spider-Man/Human Torch" mini-series and Mark Waid's revived "Legion of Superheroes," this is a superhero comic by creators who understand what makes the genre tick, who can tell fresh stories without distorting what these characters are supposed to be all about.

CD new releases for Nov. 29

New releases of note:

Les Baxter The Primitive and the Passionate/Balladeers

The Coasters Coast Along

The Crests
Sing All Biggies/The Best of

Gil Gilberto Nightingale

Ennio Morricone Crime and Dissonance

Doris Troy Sings Just One Look & Other Memorable Selections

Van Der Graaf Generator Godbluff and Still Life

OST Nick Cave and Warren Ellis The Proposition

Last week's new CD releases.

DVD new releases for Nov. 29, 2005

C.S.I. - Crime Scene Investigation Season 5

Family Guy, Vol. 3

Havoc (Unrated Version)

March of the Penguins (Widescreen Edition)

Sky High (Widescreen Edition)

The Tomorrow People - Set 2

More Upcoming DVDs

Pop Artifact!

Vintage DC Comics house ad



Visit the Best DC Comics Sites on the Web.

Comics previews

Mile High Comics has first looks at: Doom Patrol #18, JLA Classified #14, Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere #5, Plastic Man #19, Amazing Fantasy #15, Black Panther #10, Captain Universe Silver Surfer #1, Exiles #73, Generation M #1, Incredible Hulk #89, Nightcrawler #12, Sentry #3, Wolverine #36 and X-Men and Power Pack #2.

Quick hits

Archie Comics and singing group The Veronicas have come to legal terms.

The Comics Treadmill remembers the zany Haney days of Brave and the Bold #s 77 and 78.

Charlize Theron studied geckos in preparation for her "Aeon Flux" role.

The New York Times reports on the Hollywood blockbuster-type aspectness of DC and Marvel Comics' latest "event" series. And here I thought they were just the same type of gimmicky maxi-series the publishers have been doing regularly for the past 20 years...

Dark Horse Comics is launching four new manga series.

After shooting him in the head, DC Comics plans to "honor" the Blue Beetle character by reviving him (or some manifestation of him) in a new series written by comics vet Keith Giffen. Newsarama has additional info about DC's post-"Infinite Crisis" plans.

The New York Times reviews Donovan's new autobiography.

ABC has released the fourth official "Lost" podcast.

Well, it's after Thanksgiving, so let the Christmas music sharity begin. Spread the Good Word has a nice x-mas mix featuring everything from the Sonics to Soupy Sales. And the FaLaLaLa seasonal sharity site is back up with new offerings.

Pop Artifacts!

Vintage DC Comics house ad

"Doctor Who: The Beginning" DVD set out March 28

The three-disk set includes the three earliest "Doctor Who" adventures plus five hours of extras.

  • "An Unearthly Child" - Two teachers follow a mysterious student home to a police box and the Doctor takes them all on an excursion back to 200,000 BC.

  • "The Daleks" - The TARDIS lands on the dead planet Skaro, where the Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan explore a deserted city inhabited by the notorious Daleks!

  • "The Edge of Destruction" - An explosion aboard the TARDIS triggers irrational feelings of aggression, paranoia and despair.

    See the Best Doctor Who Sites on the Web.
  • Upcoming "Teen Titans" episodes, "Krypto Holiday Special"

    Via Comics Continuum:

    "Revved Up" Dec. 10 at 8 p.m.

    Robin's most prized possession is stolen by the hip hot-rodder Ding Dong Daddy, and to get it back they're going to have to beat him in a cross-country road race. But with Ding Dong Daddy making the rules and a few unexpected rivals joining in the competition, it's anyone's guess who will cross the finish line first!

    "Go" Dec. 17 at 8 p.m.

    How did Robin meet Starfire? What was Beast Boy's first joke? Why did Cyborg build his Sonic Cannon? When did Raven first call the Titans her friends? Return to the very beginning and see how it all started -- from the word 'GO!'

    Krypto the Superdog: Storybook Holiday Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

    Kevin learns a lesson about the importance of family when he and Krypto are magically transported to Storybook Land, where the characters resemble Kevin's relatives. Encore presentations include Friday, Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 17, at 3 p.m.; Monday, Dec. 19, at 8 a.m.; Friday, Dec. 23, at, 8 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 24, at 8 a.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 25, at 7:30 a.m.

    See the Best Teen Titans Sites on the Web.

    Quick hits

    Publishers Weekly releases its Best Comics of 2005 list.

    The Joker got away. Found via The Great Curve).

    Mike Sterling decapitates the Psycho Pirate.

    PCL LinkDump shares a groovy collection of radio commercials featuring the likes of The Who, the Boxtops, Ravi Shankar, the Velvet Underground and more.

    Pinicchio´s Easy-Listening & Instrumental-Corner shares some more lounge-ariffic Les Baxter.

    Behold the oxymoronic Galactus mini-mate!

    The indispensable Dial B for Blog remembers Major Matt Mason.

    Check out a clip for "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe."

    Walter Simonson and Howie Chaykin tell Newsarama about their upcoming "Hawkgirl" series for DC Comics.

    Fred Hembeck peeks under Doctor Doom's mask.

    "Lost" preview season 2, episode 8 Nov. 23

    * Preview for tonight's episode.

    * Preview pictures from tonight's show.

    * Despription of the episode.

    See the Best "Lost" Sites on the Web.

    New DVD cover art





















    More Upcoming DVDs.

    Pop Artifact!


    Vintage DC Comics house ad



    See the Best DC Comics Sites on the Web.

    Super Barbies!

    The Superman Homepage posted pics of these upcoming "Superman Returns" dolls from Barbie.

    Happy Birthday Roy Thomas!

    BBC radio presents a whole lotta Lennon

    Non-UK readers oughtta be able to find these via the Beeb's audio-on-demand site:

    BBC Radio 4 is to give the first UK broadcast of excerpts from the 1970 interview which John Lennon himself referred to as "definitive".

    The interview, with Rolling Stone founder and editor Jan Wenner, took place shortly after the Beatles split.

    In it, Lennon accuses former band-member Paul McCartney of being "form and no substance" and claims their song-writing relationship was over as early as 1962, after which "we did our best work apart".

    The interview, to be broadcast on Radio 4 on Saturday 3 December at 7.00pm in the Archive Hour, is taken from tapes of Wenner's extensive interrogation of Lennon.

    It documents the Beatles' career and split with painstaking emotion, and at times excruciating detail, and serves as a major and controversial point of exorcism for Lennon.

    It was the last interview he ever gave with such candour.

    In it, he speaks bitterly of his strained relationship with McCartney: "One of the main reasons the Beatles ended is because... I pretty damn well know, we got fed up with being sidemen for Paul."

    "After Brian [Epstein] died we collapsed. Paul took over and supposedly led us. But what is leading us when we went round in circles?"

    "Paul had the impression... that we should be thankful for what he did, for keeping the Beatles going... But he kept it going for his own sake. Not for my sake did Paul struggle."

    Yoko Ono can be heard in the background and, of her, he says: "It seemed that I either had to be married to them or Yoko. I chose Yoko... And I was right."

    "... They despised her. They insulted her and still do... they can go stuff themselves."

    The Archive Hour: The Wenner Tapes is part of a major John Lennon season on BBC Radio to mark the 25th anniversary of his death.

    BBC Radio 1

    Previously unheard and unedited footage of a Lennon and McCartney interview is revealed on OneWorld on Monday 5 December at 1.00am.

    The show also presents a re-worked version of The White Album with some of the show's favourite artists – including Bedouin Soundclash, Deerhoof and Animal Collective, adding their own personal touches to each track on the album.

    BBC Radio 2

    New interviews with Yoko Ono, Cynthia Lennon and Maureen Cleave alongside rarely heard archive material and a transatlantic broadcast feature in Radio 2's programming.

    Bigger Than Jesus, on Saturday 3 December (8.00-9.00pm), presented by Paul McGann, tells of Lennon's interview with Maureen Cleave - in which he stated: "We're more popular than Jesus now. I don't know which will go first - rock'n'roll or Christianity" - and its aftermath.

    In Good Morning Sunday on Sunday 4 December (7.00-9.00am) Cynthia Lennon joins Don Maclean to talk about her life with and without John Lennon.

    Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release of, arguably, the Beatles' folkiest album Rubber Soul, Mike Harding presents a musical tribute from the cream of the folk music community of the British Isles on Wednesday 7 December, 8.00-9.00pm.

    Lennon Night, on Thursday 8 December from 7.00 to 11.00pm, is broadcast simultaneously on Radio 2 and across the USA on Sirius Satellite Radio.

    The evening begins with Lennon, presented by Mark Radcliffe, which includes a new interview with Yoko Ono and, from the archives, rarely-heard interviews with Lennon, including the first Beatles radio interview from 1962.

    At 8.00pm Lennon Live is three hours of music presented by Stuart Maconie, performed by a line-up of artists giving their interpretations of Lennon songs live, both in Abbey Road Studio 2, and in the studios of Sirius Satellite Radio in Manhattan.

    BBC Radio 4

    Monday 5 to Friday 9 December, at 3.30pm
    , Robert Sandall explores five songs written by Lennon about key relationships in his life.

    Strawberry Fields describes his complex relationship with his home town, Liverpool; Julia looks at his complicated family background and reaction to the death of his mother; How Do You Sleep focuses on his relationship with Paul - the song was written after the break up of the Beatles at the point their relationship was at an all-time low; The Ballad of John And Yoko is followed by Beautiful Boy which is about his relationship with Sean Lennon.

    British journalist Ray Connolly was a friend of Lennon and was due to interview him the day John was shot.

    He has written a highly unusual and personal look at the murder that shook the world in Unimaginable, which is the Afternoon Play on Thursday 8 December at 2.15pm.

    BBC 6 Music

    BBC 6 Music has uncovered a long-lost recording of John Peel's Night Ride programme, dating back to 11 December 1968, when the young Radio 1 DJ was joined live in the studio by John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

    Clips will be available online - bbc.co.uk/6music - as part of the network's John Lennon Day on Thursday 8 December.

    In Nemone's Dream Ticket there will another opportunity to hear the Beatles live, as captured in session for Radio 1 at The Playhouse Theatre, London, in November 1964.

    6 Music will also be revisiting archive television footage when it takes over the BBC's Big Screen in Liverpool for the evening.

    6 Music will also broadcast a new Yoko Ono interview, throughout the day, in which she shares her recollections of the first time she met John; her thoughts on what he would have been doing if alive today; and – from Iraq to the internet - what he would have thought of the 21st century world.

    The new Lennon compilation, Working Class Hero, is album of the day and the network will play songs chosen by the man himself in John's Jukebox.

    This feature will provide an insight into Lennon's musical tastes and inspirations, playing soul, R&B and rock'n'roll from amongst the 40 records discovered on his own portable jukebox.

    Artists featured include Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent, The Isley Brothers, Buddy Holly and Bob Dylan.

    For more information about BBC Radio's Lennon coverage, please visit bbc.co.uk/lennon.

    Quick hits

    The Sci Fi Network has ordered a third season of "Battlestar Galactica."

    Dial B details "Superman's Mission for President Kennedy."

    New CD releases for Nov. 22

    New CD releases of note:

    Cluster & Eno After the Heat

    Ray Davies Thanksgiving Day EP

    Eno Moebius Roedelius Begegnungen and Begegnungen II

    Dr. John Sippiana Hericane EP

    John Lennon Walls and Bridges

    John Lennon and Yoko Ono Sometime in New York City

    Buck Owens & His Buckaroos In London

    The Rolling Stones Rarities 1971-2003

    VA Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now

    VA Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents Higher Ground: Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert

    See Last Week's New CD Releases.

    DVD new releases for Nov. 22

    The Andy Griffith Show - The Complete Fourth Season

    Astro Boy:Collection Box Set (1980)

    Batman Vs Dracula gift set

    C.S.I. Miami - The Complete Third Season

    Dark Shadows Collection 21

    Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - 2nd Gig, Vol. 2

    King Kong (1976)

    King Kong (2-Disc Special Edition) (1933)

    King of the Hill - The Complete Fifth Season

    Leave It to Beaver - The Complete First Season

    Mighty Joe Young (1949)

    The Polar Express (Two-Disc Widescreen Edition)

    Seinfeld - Season 5

    Seinfeld - Season 6

    War of the Worlds (Widescreen Edition)


    See More Upcoming DVDs