Pop Culture Roundup: Kamandi, Costello and more!

ITEM! Krysten Ritter and Elizabeth Olsen will appear in a new true crime series coming from HBO Max.

ITEM! A sonic Easter egg is hidden in Billie Eilish's James Bond tune, "A Time to Die."

ITEM! The Comics Journal reviews what sounds like an intriguing new book about Marvel Comics artist and Spider-Man/Doctor Strange co-creator Steve Ditko.

ITEM! A look at what DC Comics did with Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth after creator Jack Kirby left the title.

ITEM! Elvis Costello has a new audio book out.

Vintage article: "How to fly a saucer" - the state of special effects circa 1952

From Collier's magazine.

Pop Pic: The Move

Partially lost early Doctor Who adventure "Galaxy Four" coming to video in animated form

Details from the BBC:

Galaxy 4 (alternatively spelled Galaxy Four) is the mostly-missing first serial of the third season of Doctor Who, which originally aired in four weekly episodes from 11th September to 2nd October 1965.

Audio-only recordings of all four episodes have survived from this classic story, and have been used to create a brand new, fully animated story, filling the gaps alongside the original surviving Episode 3 and over five minutes of original footage from the otherwise lost Episode 4.

This two disc release gives fans the opportunity to enjoy the four new animated episodes of Galaxy Four in either color or black and white. The release will also include:

• Remastered surviving original of Episode 3
• Remastered surviving clip from Episode 1
• Telesnap reconstructions of Episodes 1, 2 and 4.
• Audio commentaries
• A Making Of documentary
• A Finding Galaxy 4 documentary
• Photo gallery
• Production subtitles

 

Pop Culture Roundup: Captain Carter, Flight of the Navigator, Bronze Age memories

ITEM! A Bronze-Age era comics fan recounts sorting through and selling off his collection. Hits close to home! 

ITEM! Disney plans an update of "Flight of the Navigator."

ITEM! Hot Toys has added a "Marvel What If..."-style Captain Carter action figure to its lineup.

Pop Pics: Sinatra

New comics collected editions this week: Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman and Lois

Our picks - Looks like a DC week. Click the links to order from Amazon.

Batman: The World

Batman's war on crime goes worldwide in this new hardcover anthology, Batman: The World. This 184-page book is a first-of-its-kind publishing event, featuring stories from Batman's past and present told by top creative teams from across the globe, taking place in their home countries. This incredible hardcover collection also features a sketchbook section detailing some of the unique Batman suit designs shown within the stories!

 

The international all-star teams include: 

  •  United States: Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo

  •  France: Mathieu Gabella and Thierry Martin

  •  Spain: Paco Roca

  •  Italy: Alessandro Bilotta and Nicola Mari

  •  Germany: Benjamin von Eckartsberg and Thomas von Kummant

  •  Czech Republic: Štěpán Kopřiva and Michal Suchánek

  •  Russia: Kirill Kutuzov, Egor Prutov, and Natalia Zaidova

  •  Turkey: Ertan Ergil and Ethem Onur Bilgiç

  •  Poland: Tomasz Kołodziejczak, Piotr Kowalski, and Brad Simpson

  •  Mexico: Alberto Chimal and Rulo Valdés

  •  Brazil: Carlos Estefan and Pedro Mauro

  •  South Korea: Inpyo Jeon, Jaekwang Park, and Junggi Kim

  •  China: Xu Xiaodong, Lu Xiaotong, Qiu Kun, and Yi Nan

  •  Japan: Okadaya Yuichi 

Batman: Black and White

The world is simple. There's good. There's evil. And there's still...BATMAN BLACK & WHITE!

This Eisner Award-winning anthology series returns with all-new tales of mystery, mayhem, and madness from some of the finest and most innovative storytellers to explore the Batman mythos in stark black and white!

• James Tynion IV and Tradd Moore explore the world of Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins.
• Featuring the return of J.H. Williams III to DC for a trip through the Dark Knight's history.
• Paul Dini and Andy Kubert pit Batman against an infestation of ninja Man-Bats in the Batcave.
• G. Willow Wilson and Greg Smallwood portray Batman in his strangest standoff ever with Killer Croc.
• Tom King and Mitch Gerads tell a tale of Batman administering a form of last rites to a dying priest. Or is it the other way around?
• Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko find the Dark Knight facing certain death, with The Joker as his last lifeline.

With several more stories and a lineup this strong, witness a brand-new collection of this iconic anthology! Collects Batman Black & White #1-6.

Superman & Lois Lane: The 25th Wedding Anniversary Deluxe Edition

From some of comics greatest talents, comes Superman & Lois Lane: The 25th Wedding Anniversary Deluxe Edition! Sometimes even a hero needs advice in relationships, and when Superman needs a listening ear there's no one better for the job than Wonder Woman! Catch all the action and romance as Superman and Lois get ready to tie the knot! Collecting Superman #118; Adventures of Superman #541; Action Comics #728; Superman: The Man of Steel #63; Superman: The Wedding Album #1

Wonder Woman: 80 Years of the Amazon Warrior The Deluxe Edition

For 80 years Wonder Woman has stood as a symbol of truth, justice, and equality to people everywhere! Follow along in this incredible collection as the Amazon Warrior fights for justice—starting from the first appearance of Wonder Woman through some of her most incredible battles against foes like the Cheetah and Ares.

    This anniversary hardcover collects stories from All-Star Comics #8, Sensation Comics, #1, Comic Cavalcade #11, Wonder Woman (vol. 1) #5, #78, #98, #124, #162, #203, and #206, Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #6, #57, #73, and #170, Wonder Woman (vol. 3) #1, #13, #600, Wonder Woman (New 52) #13, Wonder Woman #750, and DC Comics Presents #41, along with new historical essays and a new cover by Jim Lee.

Pop Culture Roundup: Batgirl on HBO, Waller-Grace as Indiana Jones, the Peanut People of Pluto, and more!

ITEM! Todd Rundgren won't be attending his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which he says is a "sham." 

ITEM! Check out "The Peanut People of Pluto," a fun sci-fi audio adventure from ZBS Media's 1970s "Stars and Stuffs" anthology program, now streaming for free here.

ITEM! John "Johnny Rotten" Lydon says he's in bad financial shape after losing a legal battle with his fellow surviving Sex Pistols.

ITEM! Phoebe Waller-Bride is the new Indiana Jones?

ITEM! Actress Leslie Grace talks about being cast as Batgirl for a new HBO Max film.

ITEM! The delightful Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez comedy series "Only Murders in the Building" has secured a second season.

ITEM! Sad news: Former SNL cast member, comedian Norm MacDonald has died at age 61.

Pop Pic: Roger McGuinn

His friends call him Jim.

Watch Mid-Season Sneak Peek for Marvel's "What If...?"

Pop Culture Roundup: Tomb Raider, Batwheels, Ned Flanders' bridge and more

ITEM! Hayley Atwell will voice Lora Croft in a new "Tomb Raider" animated series.

ITEM! Portland, Ore., named a new bridge named after Ned Flanders from "The Simpsons."

ITEM! Read "Wire" creator David Simon's tribute to Michael K. Williams (Omar), who died last week.

ITEM! Legendary jazz disc jockey/scholar Phil Schaap died last week, but you can hear an archive of his programs here.

ITEM! Ethan Hawke will voice Batman on "Batwheels," a new kid-focused animated series

Coming up: John Severin: Two-Fisted Comic Book Artist out in December

Due out from TwoMorrows Publishing on Dec. 14. Order now from Amazon.

Details:

The definitive biography of one of the most prolific creators in the history of American comics! From a start in 1947 at the Simon & Kirby shop, he co-created the legendary Western strip American Eagle with Will Elder, and became an EC Comics mainstay, working with Harvey Kurtzman on Mad and Two-Fisted Tales. In addition to a 40+ year association with Cracked magazine, his pivotal Marvel Comics work included an extended run inking Herb Trimpe on The Hulk, and teaming with sister Marie Severin to create the classic comics version of King Kull. Throughout his storied career, he freelanced for every major publisher, and remained a workhorse up till his final Dark Horse mini-series at age 90. Included in this volume is a special "American Eagle" section, an eye-popping art gallery, and extensive personal photos and artifacts (including WWII "Victory Mail" cartoons and handmade greeting cards for his family). Also featured are commentary from over 25 peers gathered just for this book, including Neal Adams, Richard Corben, John Byrne, Russ Heath, Walter Simonson, and many others. Written by Greg Biga and multiple Eisner Award-winner Jon B. Cooke, with an introduction by Howard Chaykin, Foreword by Mort Todd, and Afterword by Chuck Dixon, this profusely illustrated book celebrates the centennial of the two-fisted artist's birth!

Pop Pics: Ricardo Montalban

The plane! The plane!

See the first trailer for Marvel's Hawkeye series on Disney+

Watch Ray Charles & The Raelettes (feat. Billy Preston) perform "What'd I Say" on The Ed Sullivan Show, 1967

Best new comic book covers of the week

What caught our eye. These should be in shops this Wednesday.

 

Coming up: Cold War Creatures: Four Films from Sam Katzman (4-Disc Limited Edition) [Blu-ray]

Out Sept. 14. Available for order now from Amazon.

Details: 

Zombies! Werewolves! Atomic Mutation! Intergalactic Avians! Let this quartet of classic terrors take you back to the golden age of B-Movie Monsters!

A mob boss hires an ex-Nazi scientist to reanimate his dead thugs in Creature with the Atom Brain. An auto-accident survivor is used as an experimental subject to create a vaccine for nuclear fall-out with hair-raising side-effects in The Werewolf. Treasure hunters get more than they bargained for in the search for a cargo of diamonds that went down with a sunken ship when they discover the zombified crew members are guarding the loot in Zombies of Mora Tau. Meanwhile, an enormous bird from outer-space descends to chow down on the people of planet Earth in The Giant Claw!

Four fantastic feature presentations from prolific producer Sam Katzman with a bounty of brand new extras and a raft of new writing by a range of respected raconteurs. These Cold War Creatures are coming for you!

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations of all 4 films

Original uncompressed mono audio for all films

Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

Fully illustrated 60-page collector’s book featuring extensive new writing by Laura Drazin Boyes, Neil Mitchell, Barry Forshaw, Jon Towlson and Jackson Cooper

80-page collector’s art book featuring reproduction stills and artwork from each film and new writing by historian and critic Stephen R. Bissette

2 double-sided posters featuring newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin

Reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork for each film by Matt Griffin

DISC 1 - CREATURE WITH THE ATOM BRAIN

Brand-new introduction by historian and critic Kim Newman

Brand-new audio commentary by critic Russell Dyball

Sam Katzman: Before and Beyond the Cold War Creatures, a brand-new feature-length illustrated presentation on the life, career and films of Sam Katzman by historian and critic Stephen R. Bissette

Condensed Super 8mm version of Creature with the Atom Brain, produced for home cinema viewing

Theatrical Trailer

Image Gallery

DISC 2 - THE WEREWOLF

Brand-new introduction by critic Kim Newman

Brand-new audio commentary by critic Lee Gambin

Beyond Window Dressing, a brand-new visual essay exploring the oft-overlooked role of women in the films of Sam Katzman by historian and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

Condensed Super 8mm version of The Werewolf, produced for home cinema viewing

Theatrical Trailer

Image Gallery

DISC 3 - THE ZOMBIES OF MORA TAU

Brand-new introduction by critic Kim Newman

Brand-new audio commentary by critic Kat Ellinger

Atomic Terror: Genre in Transformation, a brand-new visual essay exploring the intersection of mythical horror creatures and the rational world of science in the films of Sam Katzman by critic Josh Hurtado.

Theatrical Trailer

Image Gallery

DISC 4 - THE GIANT CLAW

Brand-new introduction by critic Kim Newman

Brand-new audio commentary by critics Emma Westwood and Cerise Howard

Family Endangered!, a brand-new visual essay examining the theme of Cold War paranoia in Sam Katzman monster movies, by critic Mike White

Condensed Super 8mm version of The Giant Claw, produced for home cinema viewing.

Theatrical Trailer

Image Gallery

Pop Pic: Peter Sellers

He'd be so cancelled if he were around today...

Gallery: Print ads from September 1971

Coming up: Superman: The Complete Animated Series (Blu-ray+Digital) out in October

Out Oct. 19. Available for order now from Amazon.

Details: 

The creative team behind the Emmy® Award-winning Batman: The Animated Series chronicles the adventures of Superman, the legendary Super Hero. As the planet Krypton is destroyed, its leader, Jor-El, secures his infant son, Kal-El, in a rocket that will transport him to Earth. There, a young Clark Kent (voiced by TIM DALY) discovers the truth about his interplanetary heritage. Upon reaching adulthood, he assumes the identity of Superman, the Man of Steel, in the city of Metropolis, battling the forces of villainy and continuing his quest for "Truth, Justice and the American way." Fly with Superman in this complete collection of adventures.