Pop links
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Black Canary Barbie has generated a bit of controversy in the UK.
Makers Mattel say Black Canary Barbie, out in September, is based on a DC comic superhero of the same name.
But religious group Christian Voice said: “Barbie has always been on the tarty side and this is taking it too far.
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Ray Davies is writing a musical based on his old Kinks' hit "Come Dancing."
The musical...will be performed for the first time at the Theatre Royal Stratford East in the autumn and rumours are rife that Davies will appear in the show – but as a narrator rather than a singer.
Batman: Dark Knight review roundup
Chicago Courier News
Oppressive but never overwrought, it's a comic-book adaptation in which there will be blood.
Paul Thomas Anderson's fuming There Will Be Blood, an Oscar runner-up this year, is not too lofty a comparison (neither, really, would be the tragedies of Shakespeare). Both pictures employ staggering cinematic artistry to explore the pursuit of power and the way it can corrupt even the most well-meaning men.
... The Dark Knight takes us deep into madness, albeit the pop variety. It's a comic-book adaptation with real weight.
Most superhero movies make you slightly envious of the out-of-this-world characters and their powers. After watching The Dark Knight, you'll be relieved to be normal.
Buffalo News
Welcome to one of the most remarkable “comic book movies” ever made.
“The Dark Knight” is the best “Batman” movie since Tim Burton’s remarkable first one in 1989. It is, in every way, so far above anyone’s sensible expectations for a comic book movie that it stands a good chance of being the great movie of summer 2008 (and one of the great movies of the year).
“The Dark Knight” is such a deep, dark, dire meditation on heroism, evil, social class and urban corruption that you realize just how very far beyond a “comic book” this movie goes.
San Jose Mercury News
In his final performance — not counting an unfinished role in Terry Gilliam's "The Imagination of Doctor Parnassus" — Ledger turns the iconic character into a truly frightening villain, possibly the genre's scariest ever. The patchy, clown makeup barely hides his character's facial scars, adding a ghoulish tint to his off-hand malevolence.
San Francisco Chronicle
With its frenetic pace and its many concessions to blockbuster formula, "The Dark Knight" is by no means a complete success. But the more it reveals its dark heart, the better it gets, and at times it seems just a step away from achieving something extraordinary. In the end, it's no leap forward, but it's certainly a step in the right direction: an action blockbuster extravaganza that's sadder than sad and never pretends otherwise.
Pop links
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Here's an update on the planned Spider-Man musical, produced by Julie Taymor (Broadway's "The Lion King") with music by Bono and The Edge. Impressive. But I bet it can't top this:
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Via Bedazzled: Here's standup comic Woody Allen on the "Ed Sullivan Show."
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From Bully: Ten Things You Didn't Know About the Hulk.
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The rather primitive-looking typewriter Douglas Adams used to write "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" is up for auction.
Comics shipping July 16, 2007
DARK HORSE COMICS
MAY080047 CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #1 $2.99
| Ghost Talker's Daydream Author: Saki Okuse, Sankichi Meguro; Buy New: $8.76 |
MAY080052 HELM #1 (OF 4) $3.50
DC COMICS
| ASTRO CITY: The Dark Age Author: Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson; Buy New: $19.79 |
MAY080186 BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #9 $2.99
Batman Black and White Neal Adams Statue
Buy New: $74.99APR080222
BATMAN FACES NEW ED TP $12.99
MAY080187 BIRDS OF PREY #120 $2.99
MAY080230 CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #27 $2.25
MAY080240 CASEY BLUE BEYOND TOMORROW #3 (OF 6) $2.99
MAY080190 CHECKMATE #28 $2.99
| Countdown to Final Crisis VOL 2 Author: Paul Dini; Buy New: $13.59 |
| Dark Knight Batman Statue Buy New: $150.00 |
| Dark Knight The Joker Statue Buy New: $150.00 |
APR080286 DOROTHEA VOL 02 (MR) $12.99
MAY080147 FINAL CRISIS ROGUES REVENGE #1 (OF 3) $3.99
MAY080191 FLASH #242 $2.99
MAY080262 HELLBLAZER #246 (MR) $2.99
APR080287 I HATE YOU MORE THAN ANYONE VOL 05 $9.99
MAY080167 JOKERS ASYLUM POISON IVY #1 $2.99
MAY080270 SCALPED #19 (MR) $2.99
| Showcase Presents Hawkman VOL 02 Author: Gardner Fox; Buy New: $11.55 |
| Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes Author: Geoff Johns, Gary Frank; Buy New: $16.49 |
APR080290 TEARS OF A LAMB VOL 03 $9.99
MAY080226 TINY TITANS #6 $2.25
| Trials of Shazam VOL 2 Author: Judd Winick; Buy New: $10.19 |
MAY080253 WORLD OF WARCRAFT #9 $2.99
IMAGE COMICS
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MAY082197 CHARLATAN BALL #2 $2.50
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MARVEL COMICS
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MAY082266 CAPTAIN AMERICA #40 $2.99
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MAY082298 OMEGA UNKNOWN #10 (OF 10) $2.99
MAY082344 PUNISHER #59 (MR) $2.99
| Punisher War Journal Volume 3 Author: Matt Fraction, Ariel Olivetti; Buy New: $14.99 |
MAY088080 SKAAR SON OF HULK #1 2ND PTG MOVIE VAR $2.99
MAY082247 SKY DOLL #3 (OF 3) (MR) $5.99
| Amazing Spider-Man: Brand New Day Author: Dan Slott, Marc Guggenheim, Steve Mc...; Buy New: $16.49 |
| Ultimate X-Men Vol. 18 Author: Robert Kirkman, Tyler Kirkham; Buy New: $11.19 |
MAY082249 UNIVERSAL WAR ONE #1 (OF 3) US VAR (MR) $5.99
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MAY082318 X-FACTOR #33 SI $2.99
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WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT
MAY083517 WIZARD ANIME INSIDER #59 AQUARION CVR $4.99
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COMICS
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MAY084183 DOCK WALLOPER TP VOL 01 $14.99
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MAY083782 GI JOE AMERICAS ELITE TP VOL 05 WWIII OMNIBUS $34.99
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FEB083462 GWAI #1 (OF 4) $0.99
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MAR088047 SECRET INVASION WHO DO YOU TRUST WWC SKETCH VAR PI
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MAGAZINES
MAY084245 ALTER EGO #79 $6.95
MAY084246 BACK ISSUE #29 $6.95
MAY084286 CHARMED MAGAZINE #24 SPECIAL $9.99
FEB084167 CLASSIC MARVEL FIGURINE COLL MAG #68 HERCULES $12.00
FEB084168 CLASSIC MARVEL FIGURINE COLL MAG #69 LEADER $12.00
MAY084260 COMICS BUYERS GUIDE #1645 SEP 2008 $5.99
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MAY084291 HEROES MAGAZINE #5 NEWSSTAND ED $6.99
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MAY084294 LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #20 $8.95
MAY084263 ROUGH STUFF #9 $6.95
MAY084299 STARLOG #368 AUG 2008 $7.99
APR084309 VIDEO WATCHDOG #141 $7.95
APR084290 WHITE DWARF #341 $6.00
Info on Marvel's Black Panther animated series
BET Networks and Marvel Animation are teaming up to produce an animated series based on the legendary superhero, THE BLACK PANTHER. Casting is already underway for the series that is slated to premiere in the first quarter of 2009. A special sneak preview will premiere at Comic-Con in July during BET's panel on Saturday, July 26. The series will be adapted directly from the first six issues of the Marvel Comic written by Reginald Hudlin (issues #1 - #6 "Who Is The Black Panther").
Pop links
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Jack Kirby infiltrates Pottery Barn!
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Oh please help us...Keanu Reeves is set to play Plastic Man?
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Today in sharity (this is really a great series of compilations, Mr. Sphinx):
New Clone Wars posters
Whedon's Dr. Horrible is online
New Spirit trailer leaked
The trailer really plays up the femme fatales in the cast and the Spirit's reactions to them. I still don't think this thing looks very Eisnerish. With all the clumy innuendo and silliness, it looks more like James Coburn's "In Like Flint" or something.
DVD new releases July 15, 2007
Buy New: $28.99
Swamp Thing The Series Vol. 2
Buy New: $25.99
New Adventures of the Lone Ranger/Zorro Volume 2
Buy New: $12.99
Classic TV Commercials
Buy New: $9.98
CD new releases July 15, 2007
Buy New: $14.99
The Dark Knight
Buy New: $12.99
Hellboy II
Buy New: $12.97
The Golden Age Of American Popular Music: Jazz Hits
Buy New: $17.99
Spirit - Rock and Roll Planet
Buy New: $28.98
Always Something There: The Burt Bacharach Collector's Anthology
Buy New: $21.99
The Story of the Supremes
Buy New: $23.98
Pop links
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Also on BBC 4, the "Sunday" program airs a 1969 interview with John Lennon, in which the former Beatle discusses his religious views and talks critically about the Church of England. You'll need to skip ahead to hear the Lennon segment.
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Good Heavens! Our pal Rick has started yet another blog! This one's dedicated to 45 r.p.m. and album cover art. He starts with a Monkees post, natch.
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Comic book artist George Roussos didn't use his sketchbooks for just his own art. They also included drawings by pals like Dan Barry, Jack Kirby, Al Fleischer, Frank Frazetta and more. Golden Age Comic Book Stories shares a few examples here and here.
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First he gets verbally assaulted by Dick Cheney, now he's physically assaulted by the Joker! Lifelong Batfan Sen. Patrick Leahy talks about his cameo in "Batman: The Dark Knight."
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Today in sharity:
Beatles producer George Martin honored, interviewed
He also did an interview talking a bit about "On Record: The Soundtrack of Our Lives," a documentary series with the ambitious aim of chronicling the history of recorded music and its impact on society. It will feature archival performances and interviews with artists from all genres, including Enrico Caruso, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Loretta Lynn and Jay-Z. It will air in the fall of 2010.
Pop links
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Surviving members of The Faces--including Rod Stewart, Ian McLagen and Ronnie Wood are weighing a reunion.
McLagan said Stewart was the only member uncertain about reforming.
"Rod hasn't wanted to do it for a long time. He didn't see the need in it but I think he really wants to now."
It has been nearly four decades since the band, known for hits such as Cindy Incidentally and Stay With Me, first formed.
"It's going to be great if it does happen," McLagan said.
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The painted bass drum head from The Beatles Sgt. Pepper album has sold for £541,250 at auction.
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The Quardian reports on Joss Whedon's upcoming Web musical Dr Horrible's Sing-along Blog, which can be seen for free in three parts July 15, 17 and 19 here. Free viewing finishes on July 20, but the whole 42 minutes can still be downloaded via subscription. After that, a DVD will be available.
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Pappy serves up some comic book noir.