CD new releases Sept. 23, 2008

Live In Gdansk David Gilmour
Buy New: $33.99

Pleased to Meet Me The Replacements
Buy New: $12.99

Tim The Replacements
Buy New: $12.99

Don't Tell a Soul The Replacements
Buy New: $12.99

Songs for Beginners[CD/DVD-Audio] Graham Nash
Buy New: $20.99

Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist Soundtrack
Buy New: $13.99

Thread Theo Travis and Robert Fripp
Buy New: $13.99

Live in London and Paris Otis Redding
Buy New: $10.99

Lots of Spirit movie pictures

Am I fascinated by what this movie will be like even while dreading it? Yes I am. Will I see it? Most likely not. But here are pics nevertheless:

Brian Wilson live performance--in the back of a cab!

This is totally cool.

Pop links

Read a rare, Joe Kubert-illustrated Sinbad tale.



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Celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day (aye, arr, it's today, matey) over at the Golden Age Comic Book Stories.



See more pirates at Pappy's.

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Newsarama has details on Dark Horse Comics' plan to revive Creepy mag.

Alan Moore: The Watchmen sucks

Apparently (and not surprisingly, given the way he's felt about past movies based on his works) "Watchmen" author Alan Moore isn't pleased about the having a film based on the graphic novel. From The Los Angeles Times:

"I find film in its modern form to be quite bullying...It spoon-feeds us, which has the effect of watering down our collective cultural imagination. It is as if we are freshly hatched birds looking up with our mouths open waiting for Hollywood to feed us more regurgitated worms. The 'Watchmen' film sounds like more regurgitated worms. I for one am sick of worms. Can't we get something else? Perhaps some takeout? Even Chinese worms would be a nice change."

Comic book cover deja view

New and upcoming pop culture books

Here are some upcoming titles of possible interest to Pop Culture Safari readers:


The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia


Telling Stories: The Classic Comic Art of Frank Frazetta
Fantasy art's most popular painter was also one of the most popular comic book illustrators during the industry’s golden age. Telling Stories: The Classic Comic Art of Frank Frazetta celebrates the rare and largely forgotten stories created five decades ago by this iconic artist. These jungle adventures, true-life tales of heroism, and dreamy love stories not only exhibit the skill of a master craftsman but also provide tantalizing glimpses of where the young artist’s career would ultimately take him.


Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative By Will Eisner
Based on Will Eisner's legendary course at New York's School of Visual Arts, this guide has inspired generations of artists, students, teachers, and fans. Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative teaches how to control a story effectively using a broad array of techniques. With examples from Eisner's own catalog and such masters as H. Foster, R. Crumb, Art Spiegelman, Milton Caniff, Al Capp, and George Herriman, this book distills the art of graphic storytelling into principles that every comic artist, writer, and filmmaker should know. 2-color art and text.


Scorchy Smith And The Art Of Noel Sickles
Noel Sickles drew comics for three brief years, yet his groundbreaking work on the 1930s aviation adventure series Scorchy Smith is a milestone in the history of newspaper comic strips. Over the past 70 years, however, readers have seen only occasional excerpts of this seminal work. Now, IDW's Library of American Comics presents Scorchy Smith and The Art of Noel Sickles, a comprehensive, oversized volume that collects, for the first time, every Sickles Scorchy strip, from December 1933 through November 1936.


Stuff White People Like: A Definitive Guide to the Unique Taste of Millions
They love nothing better than sipping free-trade gourmet coffee, leafing through the Sunday New York Times, and listening to David Sedaris on NPR (ideally all at the same time). Apple products, indie music, food co-ops, and vintage T-shirts make them weak in the knees.
They believe they’re unique, yet somehow they’re all exactly the same, talking about how they “get” Sarah Silverman’s “subversive” comedy and Wes Anderson’s “droll” films. They’re also down with diversity and up on all the best microbrews, breakfast spots, foreign cinema, and authentic sushi. They’re organic, ironic, and do not own TVs.
You know who they are: They’re white people. And they’re here, and you’re gonna have to deal. Fortunately, here’s a book that investigates, explains, and offers advice for finding social success with the Caucasian persuasion. So kick back on your IKEA couch and lose yourself in the ultimate guide to the unbearable whiteness of being.


The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature
An unprecedented blend of science and art, Daniel Levitin's debut, This Is Your Brain on Music, delighted readers with an exuberant guide to the neural impulses behind those songs that make our heart swell. Now he showcases his daring theory of "six songs," illuminating how the brain evolved to play and listen to music in six fundamental forms—for knowledge, friendship, religion, joy, comfort, and love. Preserving the emotional history of our lives and of our species, from its very beginning music was also allied to dance, as the structure of the brain confirms; developing this neurological observation, Levitin shows how music and dance enabled the social bonding and friendship necessary for human culture and society to evolve.


1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die
The musical adventure of a lifetime. The most exciting book on music in years. A book of treasure, a book of discovery, a book to open your ears to new worlds of pleasure. Doing for music what Patricia Schultz—author of the phenomenal 1,000 Places to See Before You Die—does for travel, Tom Moon recommends 1,000 recordings guaranteed to give listeners the joy, the mystery, the revelation, the sheer fun of great music.


Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice
Marcia Brady, eldest daughter on television's The Brady Bunch, had it all—style, looks, boys, brains, and talent. No wonder her younger sister Jan was jealous! For countless adolescents across America who came of age in the early 1970s, Marcia was the ideal American teenager. Girls wanted to be her. Boys wanted to date her. But what viewers didn't know about the always-sunny, perfect Marcia was that offscreen, her real-life counterpart, Maureen McCormick, the young actress who portrayed her, was living a very different—and not-so-wonderful—life. Now, for the very first time, Maureen tells the shocking and inspirational true story of the beloved teen generations have invited into their living rooms—and the woman she became.


Star Trek The Collectibles
This book provides a wide-range of Star Trek treasures you can appreciate whether you’re a devoted Trekkie or a novice collector of this epic American science fiction franchise. In the pages of this spectacular guide you’ll discover more than 1,500 color photos – including memorabilia direct from Paramount Studios’ warehouses. In addition, you’ll enjoy chapters covering more than 40 years of Star Trek action figures, lunch boxes, games, pins, posters, uniforms, original scripts and countless other items, all with identifying details and current market values.

Visit the Unofficial DC Comics Fortress of Memorabilia!

The Unofficial DC Comics Fortress of Memorabilia is a showplace for vintage DC Comics memorabilia. See it here!



And don't forget about the Mighty Marvelmania Museum!

Pop links

Famed Motown producer Norm Whitfield, who brought the Temptations a harder-edged, psychedelic sound on late 60s hits like "Ball of Confusion" and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," has passed away, Billboard reports.

"Norman Whitfield was one of the most prolific songwriters and record producers of our time," Temptations principal Smokey Robinson says in a statement. "He will live forever through his great music."

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And now here's Lynda Carter on Sarah Palin:

PHILADELPHIA MAGAZINE: Okay, last question. I'm sure you've seen all the comparisons in the media and among Republicans of Sarah Palin to Wonder Woman. How do you feel about that?

LYNDA CARTER: "Don’t get me started. She’s the anti-Wonder Woman. She’s judgmental and dictatorial, telling people how they’ve got to live their lives. And a superior religious self-righteousness ... that’s just not what Wonder Woman is about.

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Via PCL LinkDump: A documentary on Jamaican ska music.

Comic book cover deja view

Beatles Love DVD due out Oct. 21

"All Together Now," a documentary about the Cirque du Soleil's Beatles-based "Love" show will be out on DVD Oct. 21, Apple Corps has announced.

The DVD will be available in US stores exclusively at Best Buy and at The LOVE Boutique at the Mirage in Las Vegas. In addition, Apple Corps Ltd./Cirque du Soleil will partner with The Bigger Picture, to bring the feature-length documentary ‘All Together Now’ to digital cinema audiences across the U.S. beginning on October 20th.

The documentary details the story behind the unique partnership between The Beatles and Cirque du Soleil that resulted in the creation and 2006 launch of LOVE, the stage production still playing to packed houses at The Mirage in Las Vegas, and the experimental Beatles soundscape album of the same name which garnered two Grammy Awards for producers Sir George and Giles Martin. The film is dedicated to the memory of Neil Aspinall, former CEO of Apple Corps and an Executive Producer of the DVD.

In addition to their roles within the main film, Sir George and Giles, along with engineer Paul Hicks, also feature in a bonus feature titled “Changing The Music” which reveals in fascinating depth how the music was created and the challenges they faced. They explain how they sourced some of the individual instruments and effects and how they were encouraged to experiment.

You can see a trailer for the film here.

Pop links

Check out a vintage, Steve Ditko-illustrated horror tale.



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See the origin of Dr. 13: Ghost Breaker!



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Who can resist a Major Matt Mason picture post?

Tom Baker returns as Doctor Who

...in a New Zealand TV commerical.

J.K. Rowling guest spot on Doctor Who nixed by Tennant

"Doctor Who" producers hoped to have "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling as a guest on one of the show's Christmas specials, but the plan was vetoed by "Who" star David Tennant, according to an exchange published in a new behind-the-scenes book by "Who" producer Russell T. Davies.

Davies wanted someone who could top Kylie Minogue's appearance on the show last Christmas.

He came up with a plot where Rowling's imagination came alive and the Doctor had to battle through a snow-covered world of wizards and witches.

Davies added: "David doesn't like the JK idea.

"He thinks it sounds like a spoof, so we've paused slightly, wondering whether to win him round or just abandon something that he's not going to be happy with.

"We've got to keep him happy. He keeps us happy."

Davies had earlier asked JK to write an episode of the BBC show. But she "politely declined".

More...

Marvel to launch Web-only Iron Man and Hulk titles

Marvel is taking a new tack with its digital comics initiatives, and has announced that it will be offering Web-only comics through its subscription-based Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited service. The comics will be produced “under the guidance of Marvel Studios.”

The first two series will be tied into Marvel Studios’ theatrical (and soon) DVD releases from 2008—Iron Man and Incredible Hulk. Each will launch roughly two weeks before the corresponding DVD release: Iron Man on September 17th (DVD release September 30th), and Incredible Hulk on October 8th (DVD release October 21st).

More...

New writer to continue Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series

This seems like a bad idea...

Douglas Adams's increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy is to be extended to six titles, after Adams's widow Jane Belson sanctioned a project which will see children's author Eoin Colfer taking up the story.

And Another Thing… by Colfer, whose involvement with the project was personally requested by Belson, will be published next October by Penguin. No information has yet emerged about the plot of the novel but Hitchhiker fans will be hoping for a resurrection of much-loved characters Arthur Dent, Trillian and Ford Prefect, who were all apparently blown to smithereens at the end of the fifth novel, Mostly Harmless.

More...

Comic book cover deja view

Comics shipping Sept. 17, 2008

DARK HORSE

MAY080069 ASTRO BOY TP VOL 1 & 2 $14.95
MAR080086 BETTIE PAGE 6 INCH STATUE $59.99
MAY080078 BUFFY TVS CONVERSATIONS WITH DEAD PEOPLE BOARD $29.99
APR080142 CLASSIC SPIRIT STATUE $175.00
JUL080017 CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #3 $2.99
DEC070042 CRIMINAL MACABRE MY DEMON BABY TP $12.95
MAY080053 INDIANA JONES & TOMB OF THE GODS #2 $2.99
MAY070041 PLAYBOY INTERVIEWS COMEDIANS SC $14.95
JUL080056 STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF OLD REPUBLIC #33 VINDICATION PART 2 OF $2.99

DC COMICS

JUL080135 ACTION COMICS #869 $2.99


FEB080325 ALL STAR SER 1 BATGIRL ACTION FIGURE

FEB080323 ALL STAR SER 1 BATMAN ACTION FIGURE

FEB080326 ALL STAR SER 1 SUPER LOIS ACTION FIGURE

FEB080324 ALL STAR SER 1 SUPERMAN ACTION FIGURE
JUN080209 ALL STAR SUPERMAN #12 $2.99
JUL080125 BATGIRL #3 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL080127 BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #11 RIP $2.99
JUN080259 BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #2 $2.25
JUL080136 BIRDS OF PREY #122 $2.99
JUL080139 BRAVE AND THE BOLD #17 $2.99
JUL080191 CASEY BLUE BEYOND TOMORROW #5 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL080141 CHECKMATE #30 $2.99
JUL080119 DC SPECIAL CYBORG #5 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL080105 DC UNIVERSE DECISIONS #1 (OF 4) $2.99
JUL080194 DC WILDSTORM DREAMWAR #6 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL080178 FAMILY DYNAMIC #2 (OF 3) $2.25
JUL080140 FLASH #244 $2.99
JUN080288 JANES IN LOVE $9.99

JSA Presents Green Lantern
Author: Steven T. Seagle, John K. Snyder; Buy New: $10.19

JUN080244 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA TP VOL 01 TORNADOS PATH $17.99
JUL080186 MAD CLASSICS #23 $4.99
JUL080185 MAD MAGAZINE #494 $4.99
JUL080115 RANN THANAGAR HOLY WAR #5 (OF 8) $3.50
JUL080131 ROBIN #178 $2.99
JUL080152 SPIRIT #21 $2.99
JUL080189 STORMWATCH PHD #14 $2.99

Superman: Kryptonite
Author: Darwyn Cooke, Tim Sale; Buy New: $16.49

JUL080123 TANGENT SUPERMANS REIGN #7 (OF 12) $2.99
JUL080176 TINY TITANS #8 $2.25
JUL080117 TITANS #5 (RES) $2.99
JUL080103 TRINITY #16 $2.99
JUN080257 UNCLE SAM FREEDOM FIGHTERS BRAVE NEW WORLD TP $14.99
JUL080204 WORLD OF WARCRAFT #11 $2.99

IMAGE COMICS

MAY082194 ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #8 $2.99
JUN082283 BROKEN TRINITY #2 KEOWN CVR B $2.99
JUN082282 BROKEN TRINITY #2 SEJIC CVR A $2.99
JUN082254 DEAD SPACE #6 (OF 6) $2.99
JUN082227 DEVOID OF LIFE GN $14.99
MAY082203 GODLAND #25 $2.99
JUN082243 ULTRA TP VOL 01 SEVEN DAYS (NEW PTG) $17.99
MAY082220 WAR HEROES #2 (OF 6) $2.99

MARVEL COMICS

JUL082344 AGE OF SENTRY #1 (OF 6) $2.99
MAY088348 AGE OF SENTRY #1 (OF 6) BULLOCK VAR (PP #829) $2.99
JUL082265 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #572 NWD $2.99

The Death of Captain America, Vol. 2
Author: Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting; Buy New: $15.99

JUL082274 CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #5 $2.99
JUL082415 ESSENTIAL IRON MAN TP VOL 01 NEW PTG $16.99
JUL082413 ESSENTIAL OFF HB MARVEL UNIV MASTER ED TP VOL 03 $16.99
JUL082281 GHOST RIDER #27 $2.99
JUL082322 GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #5 SI $2.99
JUL082284 INCREDIBLE HERCULES #121 $2.99

Incredible Hercules AGAINST THE WORLD
Author: Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, Khoi Pham,...; Buy New: $14.99

JUL082326 IRON MAN DIRECTOR OF SHIELD #33 SI $2.99
JUL082291 MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS #28 $2.99
JUL082296 MARVEL ADVENTURES TWO-IN-ONE #15 $4.99
JUL082300 MARVEL APES #2 (OF 4) $3.99
JUL082308 MIGHTY AVENGERS #18 SI $2.99
JUL082374 MMW FANTASTIC FOUR HC VOL 11 $54.99
JUL082375 MMW FANTASTIC FOUR HC VOL 11 VAR ED VOL 103 $54.99
JUL082330 MOON KNIGHT #22 $2.99

Power Pack DAY ONE DIGEST
Author: Fred Van Lente, Gurihiru, Colleen Co...; Buy New: $7.99

MAY088312 SECRET INVASION #6 (OF 8) CHO VAR (PP #828) $3.99
JUL082417 SECRET INVASION DELL OTTO POSTER $7.99
JUL082314 SECRET INVASION THOR #2 (OF 3) SI $2.99
JUL082327 SKRULLS VS POWER PACK #3 (OF 4) $2.99

Spider-Man VOL 03 BRAND NEW DAY
Author: Dan Slott, Bob Gale, Marcos Martin, ...; Buy New: $13.59

JUL082340 SQUADRON SUPREME 2 #3 $2.99
JUL082342 TRUE BELIEVERS #3 (OF 5) $2.99
JUL082348 UNCANNY X-MEN #502 MD $2.99
JUL082353 X-FACTOR #35 $2.99
JUL082364 X-MEN FIRST CLASS VOL 2 #16 $2.99
JUL082351 YOUNG X-MEN #6 MD $2.99

WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT

JUL083582 WIZARD ANIME INSIDER #61 OURAN HIGH SCHOOL CVR $4.99

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COMICS

JUL084200 ABYSS TP VOL 01 $9.95
JUN084233 ANIMA GN VOL 09 (OF 10) $9.99
JUN084356 ART OF VAGABOND HC SUMI $34.99
JUN084357 ART OF VAGABOND HC WATER $34.99
JUL084201 ATOMIC ROBO DOGS OF WAR #2 (OF 5) $2.95
JUL083669 BETTY & VERONICA SPECTACULAR #85 $2.25
JUN084350 CASE CLOSED GN VOL 25 $9.99
MAY083872 CASTLE WAITING VOL II #12 $3.95
JUN084215 CASTLEVANIA CURSE OF DARKNESS GN VOL 01 (OF 2) $9.99
JUN083896 CHINESE HERO SC VOL 07 TALES O/T BLOOD SWORD $18.95
MAY084044 CISCO KID VS WYATT EARP $3.99
JUN084329 DEATH NOTE COLLECTORS ED HC VOL 01 $19.99
JUN084317 DRAGON BALL VIZBIG ED GN VOL 02 $17.99
JUL083692 FATHOM #2 CVR A GARZA $2.99
JUL083693 FATHOM #2 CVR B GUNNELL $2.99
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JUL082419 GENE COLAN TRIBUTE BOOK DRACULA COVER $9.99
JUL082418 GENE COLAN TRIBUTE BOOK IRON MAN COVER $9.99
JUL082420 GENE COLAN TRIBUTE BOOK MARVEL MONSTERS COVER $9.99
JUL083591 GLAMOURPUSS #3 $3.00
JUN084217 GOTHIC AND LOLITA BIBLE VOL 03 (OF 6) $19.99
MAY083911 HER MAJESTYS DOG GN VOL 10 $10.99
JUL084203 INTO THE VOLCANO HC $18.99
MAY083910 KAMISAMA KAZOKU GN VOL 02 $10.99
MAY084041 KOLCHAK TALES NIGHT STALKER O/T LIVING DEAD #3 (OF 3) $3.99
JUL083596 LICENSABLE BEAR BIG BOOK OF OFFICIALLY LICENSED FUN TP $11.99
JUN084143 LOCAL HC $29.99
JUN084234 ME & MY BROTHERS GN VOL 05 (OF 8) $9.99
MAY083533 MEN OF MYSTERY #72 $9.95
MAY083569 NINJA HIGH SCHOOL #163 $2.99
JUL083641 NINJA HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK 2008 $4.50
JUL083642 PIRATES VS NINJAS ANNUAL 2008 $3.50
JUN084223 PRINCESS AI ENCOUNTERS GN $9.99
JUN084351 PROJECT ARMS TP VOL 20 $9.99
JUN084254 RAVE MASTER GN VOL 30 (OF 35) $9.99
JUN084477 ROUGH GUIDE TO GRAPHIC NOVELS LTD HC $35.00
JUN084476 ROUGH GUIDE TO GRAPHIC NOVELS SC $18.99
JUN084312 SHOJO BEAT OCT 08 $5.99
JUL083746 SIMPSONS COMICS #146 $2.99
JUN084219 SPEED GRAPHER MANGA GN VOL 01 (OF 3) $10.99
JUL084162 SPIKE AFTER THE FALL #1 NDC EXCL CVR $9.99
JUL084069 SPIKE AFTER THE FALL #3 (OF 4) $3.99
JUL084083 STAR TREK ASSIGNMENT EARTH #5 $3.99
JUN084353 SWITCH GN VOL 04 $9.99
JUN083651 TALES OF PENANCE TRIAL O/T CENTURY #2 (OF 4) $3.95
JUL084149 TALES OF TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #50 $3.25
JUL083601 TERRY MOORES ECHO #6 $3.50
JUN084354 TOGARI TP VOL 08 $9.99
APR083613 TOTEM #8 $3.25
JUL084053 TRANSFORMERS ALL HAIL MEGATRON #3 $3.99
JUL084064 TRANSFORMERS SPOTLIGHT TP VOL 03 $19.99
JUN083689 WARLASH DARK NOIR GN VOL 01 $3.95
MAY084043 WYATT EARP VS THE CISCO KID $3.99
JUN084352 YAKITATE JAPAN TP VOL 13 $9.99
JUN083753 ZOMBIE TALES #5 CVR A $3.99
JUN083754 ZOMBIE TALES #5 CVR B $3.99

MAGAZINES

APR084252 CLASSIC MARVEL FIGURINE COLL MAG #72 BLACK WIDOW $12.00
APR084251 CLASSIC MARVEL FIGURINE COLL MAG IRON MAN MOVIE SPECIAL $22.00
JUL084409 COMICS BUYERS GUIDE #1647 NOV 2008 $5.99
JUL084429 CSI MAGAZINE #6 SPECIAL $9.99
JUN084401 GIANT ROBOT #55 $4.99
JUL084434 HEROES MAGAZINE #6 $9.99
JUL084433 HEROES MAGAZINE #6 NEWSSTAND ED $9.99
JUN084417 LEES TOY REVIEW #191 SEP 2008 $5.95
JUL084417 LOCUS #572 $6.95
JUN084526 MEGAMI CREATORS #11 $18.95
JUN084527 MEGAMI MAGAZINE DELUXE #10 $18.95
JUN084405 OTAKU USA MAGAZINE SEP OCT 2008 $9.99
MAR083523 SKETCH MAGAZINE #36 $5.95
JUL084380 YEN PLUS MAGAZINE #3 OCT 2008 $8.99