Discounted CD new releases Sept. 7, 2010: Alan Sherman, Smokey Robinson, Dick Dale, Cellarful of Motown

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Discounted new DVD releases Sept. 7, 2010: The Office, Smallville, Chuck, Beatles on Ed Sullivan, Forbidden Planet, Prime Suspect, Doctor Who, Tommy, The Phantom, TCM Hammer Horror Collection,

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Conquest of the Planet of the Apes picture still

Forbidden Planet promo pic

Picture: Steve McQueen

Picture: Charles Addams

New pop culture books

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Picture: Tina Louise

Picture: Christopher Lee as Dracula

Random notion: How about a new Superman animated series

Seems like the Man of Steel needs some pop cultural rehabilitation. He's been overshadowed by Batman, but is/was the best-known, most-recognized superhero. A kid-oriented show, maybe a team-up affair such as the current Batman animated series, would be cool. Something that brings in all the Weisinger-era trappings: Fortress of Solitude, Bottle City of Kandor, etc., in a fun, retro way. How about a World's Finest 'toon?

Lady Gaga and Yoko team for live gig

Somehow this works. Gaga is kinda like a younger, cooler Madonna, isn't she?

Following her celebrity-filled "We Are Plastic Ono Band" concert at the Brooklyn Academy of Music earlier this year, Yoko Ono has announced the special guests -- including Lady Gaga -- to be featured at her performances at Los Angeles' Orpheum Theater on Oct. 1-2.

Neil Gaiman's Sandman TV-bound

A tricky thing to adapt for the small screen, to be sure:

“The Sandman,” the Neil Gaiman-penned comic book series considered a seminal work in the medium, is in the early stages of being developed into a TV series.

Warner Bros. TV is in the midst of acquiring television rights from sister company DC Entertainment and in talks with several writer-producers about adapting the 1990s comic. At the top of the list is Eric Kripke, creator of the CW’s horror-tinged “Supernatural.”

Follow-up to "Journey to the Center of the Earth" is revamped "Mysterious Island"

"Journey to the Center of the Earth" from a few years back was a dumb but fun flick my son and I enjoyed. Now comes a sequel of sorts, an updated, re-spun take on Verne's "Mysterious Island." This one stars "The Rock" (Dwayne Johnson) rather than Brendan Fraser. Doesn't sound tremendously promising, but who knows. Even dumb movies are fun when you watch with your family.

Seems, though, that a "serious" take on "Mysterious Island" could be pretty cool in light of the "Lost" phenomenon. Maybe some filmmaker will take it on.

Vintage Star Trek TV promo pic