Pop links: Vintage Tonight Show; Portman cast in Thor; New comic art books; vintage Broome/Infantino sci fi!

See a 1963 episode of "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson.

-----

Marvel Studios says Natalie Portman will play Jane Foster in its upcoming Thor film.

Portman will star opposite Chris Hemsworth who will play Thor and Tom Hiddleston who will play the villain Loki. Kenneth Branagh will direct the film.

Principal photography for the film is set for early 2010. The film will be released in the US on May 20, 2011 and distributed by Paramount Pictures.

This epic adventure spans the Marvel Universe; from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is The Mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.


-----

IDW Publishing plans a series of books written and designed by comics scholar Craig Yoe, including volumes based on cartoonists Steve Ditko and Milt Gross, both set for release this fall.

The Art of Ditko is a large-format book featuring artist Steve Dikto. It will include little-seen stories and original artwork, an introduction by Stan Lee and essays by Jerry Robinson, John Romita and P. Craig Russell.

The Complete Milt Gross Life Story and Comic Books spotlights the ground-breaking Jewish cartoonist. Yoe! Books will reprint every one of his rare comic-book tales, plus offering a career-spanning biography based on interviews with those who knew and worked with him. The book will sport an introduction by Mad magazine's Al Jaffee.

Yoe's most recent book, Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman's Co-Creator Joe Schuster, was released in April.


-----

Check out some Captain Comic stories by John Broome and Carmine Infantino.

CD new releases: Dead Weather! Potter soundtrack! Neil Young remasters!

New releases of note this week. If any of these items are of interest to you, please consider clicking the titles and ordering them from Amazon, as part of the proceeds help support this site!


Horehound by The Dead Weather


Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince


After the Gold Rush by Neil Young


Harvest by Neil Young


Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere by Neil Young & Crazy Horse


Neil Young by Neil Young

DVD new releases July 14, 2009: Mad Men! Bewitched! Cheap Trick! Classic commercials!

New releases of note this week. If any of these items are of interest to you, please consider clicking the titles and ordering them from Amazon, as part of the proceeds help support this site!


Mad Men: Season 2


Bewitched: The Complete Eighth Season


Cheap Trick: Every Trick In The Book


1,001 Classic Commercials Collection

Pulp picture parade








Pop links: Ryan Reynolds to play Green Lantern; Terry Gilliams talks Kurtzman; Beatles remaster mini-documentaries previewed;

Ryan Reynolds, who played Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, will star as Green Lantern in an upcoming feature film, Variety reports.

-----

Monty Python's Terry Gilliam talks about his one-time mentor, cartoonist (and Mad Magazine creator) Harvey Kurtzman.

In many ways Harvey was one of the godparents of Monty Python. All the smart people loved Harvey’s work; the dumb people didn’t. It was the same with Python. Still, I remember when he came over here in the late Sixties. Monty Python’s Flying Circus had just started, so I dragged Harvey down to Terry Jones’s house to watch it. Harvey didn’t like it, or understand it. The show didn’t click with him at all. It was one of those wonderfully disappointing moments when you really want to impress your teacher, and phoo! He didn’t get it.



-----

See a clip from "The Making of Revolver," one of the mini-documentaries that will be included on the upcoming Beatles CD remasters. You also can see a clip from the "Making of Sgt. Pepper" mini doc at Amazon (scroll down a bit, it's on the right-hand side of the page.)

Video find: Nick Lowe - Cruel to Be Kind




Superman TV show pics

A random assortment of recently found images. Note: As pointed out by one of our readers, this first one depicts That first pic shows Kirk Alyn as Clark Kent, and is from one of the pre-TV Superman movie serials.