Pop links: Wally Wood! Hendrix remasters! New Hawaii Five-0 series! TV families reunite!

Catching up on several days' worth of groovy finds:

Wow! Jon's Random Acts of Geekery presents several lovely pages of Wally Wood art from his late-career stint on DC's All-Star Squadron. Loved these issues at the time, specifically for the great art. Dig the cool sci-fi machinery and Superman's retro space helmet.



-----

The New York Times offers a roundup article about a new batch of Jimi Hendrix remasters plus a new posthumous album by the artist. Amazon has 'em all for $9.99 right now. Click on the links to order:



-----

A new version of "Hawaii Five-0" may be worth a look, judging from the cool cast:

Battlestar Galactica's Grace Park is trading in her sci-fi show gear for surf gear as she has been cast to join the upcoming CBS update of Hawaii Five-O.

Park will play Kona Kalakua, niece of squad member Chin Ho Kelly, who will be played by Lost's Daniel Dae Kim, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

-----

I find the popular Geoff Johns' comics strips needlessly grim and bloody and short on fun. But DC's new Flash series with Johns at the helm looks fun artwise anyway. It'd be nice if this great character got the update he deserved.



-----

See Marvel Comics' 1980s adaptation of "Time Bandits."

-----

"The Today Show" is doing family reunions of old TV show casts this week, including the Partridge Family. The Brady Bunch reunion, unfortunately, didn't work out.

Pop links: Russ Heath and more

I'm not sure if this is about an evil synthesizer or what, but it's drawn by the awesome Russ Heath.



-----

God help us.

Pop links: Kirby collage! Doc Savage movie (a new one)! More!

See some unpublished collage work Jack Kirby created for DC Comics' Weird Mystery Tales.



-----

Columbia pictures plans a new Doc Savage film.

Shane Black is attached to direct the film from a screenplay he is penning with Anthony Bagarozzi and Chuck Mondry. Neal Moritz ("Fast and Furious") will produce through his Sony-based Original Film banner.

-----

If I had a million bucks, I doubt I'd spent it on this. I'm ok with reprints.

-----

Check out some 1965 clips from The Beatles TV cartoon.

Pop links: Rare Wally Wood story, see a preview for the new Doctor Who

Read a rare 1951 sci-fi tale illustrated by the great Wally Wood.



-----

Watch a preview for the upcoming season of "Doctor Who."

Pop links: Sci-fi heroes better Tiger Woods, Jose Garcia-Lopez art

See "epic space heroes who gave a better apology than Tiger Woods."

-----

See a whole lotta DC Comics character art by the superb Jose Garcia-Lopez.

Pop links: Captain America (sort of)! Hembeck!

Did the U.S. Mint swipe Captain America's shield?

-----

Fred Hembeck rules.

Pop links: Monkeemobile, history of the the direct comics market, Jimi Hendrix Rockband on the way

Hey, hey it's the Monkeemobile!

-----

The Comics Journal provides a detailed history of the Direct Market system of comics distribution. My own take: The Direct Market started out as a good idea--helping to get distribution for smaller, independent comics companies--but ultimately worked to essentially remove comic books from the wider popular culture. It's why you no longer see spinner racks in drug stores and supermarkets and likely a key reason kids don't gravitate to funny books anymore.

-----

Practice up that dorky plastic guitar: Jimi Hendrix Rock Band is a'comin'.

Toy Story 3 Easter eggs, Ditko

Check out this list of the many, many Easter Eggs to be discovered in the new trailer for "Toy Story 3."

-----

See some early comics work by the great Steve Ditko.

Pop links: Dylan sings at White House, space-age appliances, Toy Story 3 trailer

Here's Bob Dylan playing in the White House this week at a concert celebrating music of the civil rights era. The performances will air on PBS tonight. Smokey Robinson, John Mellencamp and Joan Baez also made appearances.



-----

This makes me want to buy a new refrigerator.



-----

Here's the official trailer for "Toy Story 3."

Pop links: Buscema poster, Stan Lee and Archie Comics announce new series

From Big Glee: An awesome 1975 comics convention poster by John Buscema.



-----

The legendary Stan Lee and Archie Comics have a new line of comics/DVDs in the works. From the press release:

A Squared Entertainment (A2), a full-service brand entertainment company, and Archie Comics, the leading producer of comic book entertainment, announced today an exciting collaboration with Stan Lee, founder, chairman and chief creative officer (CCO) of POW! Entertainment (PK:POWN), to create a new print and digital comic book line from the most successful comic book entertainment producer of all time. Lee is also known as the co-creator of Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men, and Iron Man, among many others.

Scheduled for release first is a new, original multimedia series called "Super Seven" to be distributed in print, online, on air and at retail. It's the story about seven aliens who find themselves stranded on planet Earth after their spaceship crashes, only to be befriended by none other than Lee himself. Taking them under his care, Lee becomes their leader and enables them to resume their lives as superheroes on earth.

Pop links: Ditko! Kirby!

Read a 1970s horror tale illustrated by Steve Ditko.



----

From 1958: "The Giants from Out Space," illustrated by Jack Kirby. Y'know, DC should really publish a collection of Kirby's sci-fi/suspense stuff from its titles of this period.



-----

Nope.

Pop links: Wolverton, Toth, Letterman's Super Bowl ad, The Who at half time

Read a batch of 1950s tales illustrated by the great Basil Wolverton.

-----

Read a vintage Alex Toth-illustrated romance tale.

-----

Here's the inside story on that Super Bowl ad featuring odd trio David Letterman, Jay Leno and Oprah Winfrey.



-----

More Super Bowl: Here's the Who's half-time set:

Pop links: Mego Bat Machine, Wally Wood, Mego Lost figures, Legion of Super-heroes, Disneyland

Check out the vintage Mego Bat Machine!

-----

See a selection of gorgeous images from Galaxy Science Fiction magazine by the fabulous Wally Wood.

-----

Nifty: Disneyland Stamp Book, 1956.

-----

Mego-style "Lost" figures. I bet a lot of people clink that link fast.

-----

Former DC Comics publisher Paul Levitz discusses his return to writing the Legion of Super-heroes and Lucien the Librarian.

Pop links: Jack Kirby, Brady Kids

Read a batch of Jack Kirby-illustrated sci-fi and suspense tales from the 1950s.

-----

Check out the animated "Brady Kids" from 1972.

Pop links: Captain Marvel memorabilia, J.D.Salinger dies, iPad for comics, more

Check out some cool Captain Marvel memorabilia. (And, as always, see more at our DC Comics Fortress of Memorabilia).

-----

The legendary J.D. Salinger, author of "Catcher in the Rye," has died.

-----

This recent Spider-Man daily strip is just plain silly.

-----

What does the iPad mean for comics? I like to read comics in the bath tub, so I'm thinking this device may not be for me.

-----

Variety reviews a new documentary on Beat Generation writer William S. Burroughs.

Pop links: Green Lantern film, Jack Kirby, Neal Adams, MLJ Comics, Criterion streams flicks, iPad-iSlate details

See some concept art for the upcoming Green Lantern live-action film.

-----

Check out some original Jack Kirby art from the early days of his Mister Miracle run.

-----

See Neal Adams original art for a Shazam-themed Power Records album.

-----

Booksteve has posted a batch of house ads from MLJ Comics.

-----

Criterion, the company known for putting out spiffy, pristine DVDs of mostly arty but sometimes also cult films will now be streaming some of of those flicks on YouTube and via Netflix's streaming service (sometime I need to blog about my Netflix box. I'm liking it more and more).

-----

Techies are all abuzz about Apple's announcement of a new tablet device (called the iPad or iSlate, maybe) and other new gadgets today, but looks somebody's jumped the gun with details.

"The tablet is going to be based on the iPhone operating system, and so it will be transferable," he said. "We have a consortium of ebooks – we have 95 per cent of all our materials that are in ebook format on that one – so with the tabloid you're going to open up the higher education market, the professional market. The tabloid, the tablet is going to be just really terrific."

Pop links: The Who, The Fly, Bonanza star dies, New Andy Griffith Show

What's left of the Who has revealed its set list for it's upcoming Super Bowl half-time performance.

----

Booksteve spots the possible first appearance of Simon and Kirby's "The Fly."

----

"Bonanza" and "Trapper John, M.D." actor Pernell Roberts has died, reports The New York Times.

----

Check out "The New Andy Griffith Show" from 1971.

Pop links: Sly Stone, Comic Book Confidential, Runaways docu-drama, Tennant TV plans, Creature from Black Lagoon comic, Specials U.S.-bound, Asterix

Mojo features an interview with the brilliant-but-disturbed Sly Stone, who's reportedly on the verge of a comeback. We've heard that before...

-----

Mike Sterling digs out a promotional comic book done for the great 1988 documentary "Comic Book Confidential."

-----

Entertainment Weekly isn't impressed with the new docu-drama about the Runaways featuring Kristen Stewart, as Joan Jett. Too bad. The story about this all-girl 70s band would make a great flick. But apparently, this just isn't it.

-----

An NBC series starring former Doctor Who David Tennant is on hold. I'd love to see more of Tennant on TV, he's a brilliantly engaging presence.

-----

See the Dell Comics adaptation of "The Creature from the Black Lagoon."

-----

The reunited Specials will make their first U.S. TV appearance April 13 on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon."

The Specials are also one of the topped-billed bands for the first night of the 11th annual Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., on April 16, and have announced a New York club show at Terminal 5 on April 21. Two more April shows are in the works as part of the brief North American trek; a full tour is being eyed for later in 2010.

Hope the tour includes a stop near me!

-----

The adventures of Asterix will continue after the character's co-creator Albert Uderzo passes on. Some fans may be riled up about that. I'm not too surprised or concerned. I'm of the mind that best Asterix adventures were penned by the late Rene Goscinny and illustrated by Uderzo. Uderzo's solo work has been ok, but just doesn't match up. Thatt's that way with pretty much every great creation, isn't it? The original take is generally the best and only worthwhile one.

Pop links: Travel decals, Hembeck, Stan Lee's manga

Gorillas Don't Blog shares some vintage travel decals.

-----

Fred Hembeck has some new cartoons up for bid. Love this one of Spidey and enemies.

-----

Stan Lee goes manga!

-----

Big Glee uncovers the DC Comics/Monkees connection!

Pop links: Jack Kirby, Christopher Eccleston as John Lennon

Grantbridge's blogging hiatus didn't work out (I know how it goes), so here he is back with a cool 1970s Jack Kirby tale. Other good stuff there as well, including a George Perez Batman portfolio.

-----

One-time Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston is playing John Lennon in a new BBC mini-series.

The 45-year-old has donned glasses and grown his hair to take the role of the musical legend for new BBC4 drama Lennon Naked.

In a newly released publicity shot the former Time Lord wears a replica white suit worn by Lennon in 1968 at an art gallery with wife Yoko Ono.

The one-off 90-minute film, which looks at Beatle’s life from 1967 to 1971, will be part of the BBC’s new spring drama season.

-----