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Hollywood -THIS is how its done! I really wonder how many dollars they spent? Oh, and PLEASE read the info on You Tube about Don Glut and his career/films!!
Oh, Stransky noted a credit for Mark Harmon in this -I believe he's Spider-man(?). Yes, THE NCIS TV series Mark Harmon!
First thing to note is that this event takes place on the same day as the Small Press and Comics event at the old fire station in Broadmead. Don't panic -VISIT BOTH!!!
aniManga POP!
Announces they are coming to...
BRISTOL!
Yes, Bristol! following on from our 1st successful Convention in Plymouth we are delighted to announce our 2nd show this year!
When asked by 'Bristol Comic Expo' if we wanted to take on their autumn date we agreed in a heartbeat! The venue is the superb FUTURE INN in Cabot's Circus and will feature our trademark LIVE performances plus workshops and more!
We are offering all the exhibitors who supported the Plymouth Event the chance to book before we release the information to all.
I know that it must seem to some people who read this blog -the UKs Number 1 comic blog- that I hate Marvel and DC Comics with a vengeance.
Well, that just goes to show that; a) you are not reading my posts properly, or; b) you have never spoken or talked to me about comics. And why would you? I mean, CBO was on Yahoo 360, WordPress and is now on blogger and has been around 14 years?? Jeez, I really need to get out, meet a woman.
And every time the Bristol Comic Expo was publicised I kept saying "If you see me come up and say 'hello' -I don't bite!" And in all of those years how many people did? Zero. I used to get "Hey -I saw you at the Expo!" which is like saying "If they had never built Fukishima there would never have been that 'minor' accident!" Irony and sarcasm...not blending very well together today.
Prosaic.*
But if you've ever read the interview I did -what?? You have never read it?! But it's an interview with me and I am one of the -the- greatest British comic creators ever (there's a little short-arse reading this now that will start writing to mates "You see? He really has a Christ complex!" A "Christ complex", honestly. Why go for #2 when you could be #1 -a GOD!!!!). Any how, the interview is here:
You'll see that I never hated Marvel Comics nor DC for that matter, though I was a died-in -the-wool Marvelite from day one and, boy, the arguements with my older brother, Peter, over which company was best -he was, I really am ashamed to say this, a...a..DC fan. oh I feel sick. But now that we have things like the DC Showcase Presents (published after realising, as Marvel did YEARS before, that there was money in the idea) and Marvel Essentials we know which was the best.
During a bout of ill health I read through volumes 1-9 of the Essential Avengers and volumes 1-6 of The Showcase JLA. Both covering roughly the same periods except DC Comics screwed everyone because they jumped off the black and white collections for the extra cash in three issue, colour hard backs ('thanks you money grabbing morons).
Now I have been a major fan of the JLA-Justice Society of America cross-overs since I was about 9 years old. I have the various collected colour reprints in paperback and re-read them now-and-again. But the one thing you notice is that DC comics were still treating its fans as semi-dullards. The stories could be quite simplistic and, oh please forgive me, but the not awe-inspiring writing of Denny O'Neill (insert rasberry blowing sound). Seriously, it was preachy -as was a lot of DC writing by the then "young guns" of comics. Some good stories but when you get to the JLA its got bad. Pollution is bad -bad-. War is BAD. Drugs are BAD (yeah, right, and what were a lot of those creators doing at the time at DC and Marvel? I guess that sermon is "Hypocrisy is GOOOOOD, man. Blow.").
At the same time Marvel were doing cosmos spanning stories, anti-heroes, supernatural characters, sci fi and they were not "preaching at the kids" or talking down to them. And in many ways Marvel had some of the best creators -some pulled over from DC.
So the mystery is why was Marvel kicking DC Comic ass in sales? I have no idea (insert sarcastic look here). OH, EMOTICONS WHEREFORE ART THOU??!!!
Anyway, I still like the old JLA books for all their faults and, after all, those characters in the books were the 'real' characters. Not the heavily bastardised versions of today. Heroes who put everything on the line and where the risk of death was real -old time comic fans will know which characters I mean. Sadly, after Crisis on infinite Earths DC, as well as Marvel Comics, realised there was a lot of money in killing off characters/universes and then re-booting them until the next kill-off.
And a reader will notice how, by the late 1980s, comics at both companies were getting worse. Don't get me wrong -there were still good books and stories but the boost needed from recruiting British comic creators -and for those of you who do not like this it is still a fact- to revive US comics which were hitting the skids was dying off.
Miller/Janson & Varleys The Dark Knight Returns and Moore and Gibbons' Watchmen changed things for what might, in a debate, be called the worst. As two stand alone series, yes, they were good but remember that Dark Knight was, basically, a DC comics "imaginary tale" type story -if somewhat darker than the norm! But it sold and so the regular Batman series (take your pick) all became Dark Knight inspired and changed for the darker feel. And this concept was picked up for the movies. Good though they are (certain exception we WILL NOT mention here) they are the darker, more-inclined-to-kill Batman.
And Watchmen. Moore had tried similar by "re-creating" Marvel Man/Miracle Man. In fact, pre-Watchmen, Moore had tried the "old, gaudy coloured costumed good heroes are gone but now we have darker charactered anti-heroes" idea a few times before. Now the series might seem not a big deal to younger readers -mainly because DC and every other comic company has been picking the bones of that series ever since.
I just found that I was reading and re-reading the very same story and ideas over and over ad infinitum from Marvel and DC. The characters were no longer the same and their values were....well, have any of them got values anymore?
When I was a kid, now you're talking a working class kid in some tough areas, Captain America was BIG amongst British readers. Truth, honesty and keeping your word while fighting for the under-dog. Unbelievably he was setting us a good example. They have tried to bring that idealism back with the movies but the character in the comics changes so much and just is NOT Captain America.
How badly things had changed I wrote a post about. I tried -really tried- to get back into the Avengers, now second raters, and my views are here:
As for my other all-time favourite Marvel team, the Fantastic Four, well. Dead to me. I just find it hard to believe -though I should not - just how bad it has become. And now in the newly re-booted movie idea one of the characters becomes black. Yeah, to be PC they changed the characters. Could they have introduced Wyatt Wingfoot a native American? No. An opportunity to bring in the Black Panther -an african king? No. AWFUL.
Again, as in many cases, the art is not bad but the writers appear to have no idea who or what the characters WERE and they -the Fantastic Four- became "just another comic" and how they dare to keep that "The World's Greatest Comic Magazine" banner I don't know. Well, I do. Lack of integrity.
I think a great example of how things go wrong -especially when Disney calls the shots- is in the animated TV series Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes which might have had slightly "blocky" figures (as per the Batman animated series) but was fantastically created and brought so many facets of the Marvel Universe together -including the Fantastic Four (LOVE the fact that every time the Hulk meets The Thing the Hulk attacks!). Two series of absolute thrills, twists and fun.
Then came the movie and the animated series so unimaginatively titled Avengers Assemble. Utter ass-water. "Its got to have the movie cast of characters. Slightly better animated but the biggest load of shit story-lines and dialogue we can get" -were the people involved (also involved in the previous two great series) too busy bending over the table and taking the pay-cheques to feel any lack of integrity. I know, I know "It's just a job" and, sadly, that's the attitude of a lot of the new "hot shot" writers the companies employ: "It's a shitty comic book characters -who cares other than fat fan boys?"
So, to make it clear, to me, right now Marvel and DC are dead, lacking in ideas and integrity and treating fans -who apparently love being treated like this- like moronic, walking piggy-banks. I am concentrating mainly on my pre-1995 DCs and Marvels that were still, to an extent in the early 1990s, being well written.
Now you can hate me.
A quick footnote to say that I just re-read one of my favourite Geoff Johns series -Day of Judgement which is STILL a great read!
*Comic Bits Online has been sponsored throughout June by the word Prosaic. Please support little used words in 2014.
.....But They'll Leave The KKK and Extremist Militia Groups Alone
Magneto Confronts the Red Skull as the March to Axis Begins
Take an exclusive first look at David Yardin's cover to Magneto #11 and hear from editor Daniel Ketchum!
This October, Magneto confronts his past by taking on one of the most powerful villains in the Marvel Universe.
As previously reported, MAGNETO
will be part of the March to Axis leading up to this fall's major
Marvel event. Issue #11, on sale October 8, has the Master of Magnetism
putting his mettle up against the Red Skull, more powerful than ever
before.
"One of our inspirations for this MAGNETO series was the scene in [the 'X-Men: First Class'
film] where Magneto was hunting down former Nazis," says editor Daniel
Ketchum. "Well, there’s currently a very powerful villain with a Nazi
past throwing the Marvel Universe into chaos…using the mutant brain of
Magneto’s deceased best friend. So there was no way that Magneto wasn’t
going to step up to challenge the Red Skull here."
Get an exclusive look at David Yardin's cover to MAGNETO #11 below, then pick up the issue on October 8!
Hey, the movie has Magneto chasing Nazis so, like everything else gets changed in comics continuity after a movie...Magneto goes after ex-Nazis.
Firstly, any ex-Nazis are going to be in their late 80s or 90s by now. In fact, if Magneto is chasing after Nazis because of his childhood experiences then he must also be in his 80s? WHY wasn't he doing this in the 1960s?
Oh, right. That was a pre-reboot Magneto before the next rebooted Magneto came along to be...rebooted. But, come on...has the derelict house of lack of ideas sunk this low?? And Xavier's Brain? Oh dear heavens they even rip-off 1950s B-movie plots.
Out of date. Out of ideas.
Here is one idea: a series in which Marvels heroes track down and smash the Ku Klux Klan and other organised American racist groups? Oh -how about the heroes start smashing heavily armed US militia groups?
Idiot. What was I thinking? Lose Disney and Marvel fans?? Shame on me. We KNOW all terrorism starts at the Canadian and Mexican border, right?
It’s the storyline that has the whole comic industry buzzing, and Marvel is proud to officially unveil the ‘Mortal Variant’ to DEATH OF WOLVERINE #1!
Gorgeously rendered by superstar artist Ed McGuinness, the cover
captures Logan as he reaches the end of his long life. This jaw-dropping
cover can be ordered through the previously announced Exchangeability
program.
From writer Charles Soule and artist Steve
McNiven, this landmark limited series chronicles the iconic mutant’s
grisly final days as he battles through a gauntlet of his greatest foes.
Left without the help of his mutant healing factor, the once
indestructible killing machine known as the Wolverine has found himself
mortal for the first time in a long time.
As mainstream media buzz continues to build
around this highly anticipate series, retailers are encouraged to check
their Marvel Mailer for ordering and exchangeability information for
this exclusive cover.
What does a world without Wolverine look like? Find out when first issue of DEATH OF WOLVERINE hits comic shops this September!
DC Comics got me so excited that I really did wet myself. Well, I spilt some coffee. Here, read this from the DC comics website but....
SPOILER ALERT!!!!
Is Jessica Cruz Doomed?
Clark Bull
My question is: Why should I give a **** considering the Earth, well, in fact EVERY Earth, in the "DC universe" has been destroyed and brought back so many times that even one of the worlds most sophisticated computers in Switzerland given the task of trying to work out DC continuity and the whole Earths destroyed and brought back question blew a fuse.
Next question: WHY the **** is Geoff Johns writing everything for DC or, more to the point, WHY is he still writing. Guy burned out of ideas loooong ago.
Oh, the Doom Patrol brought back again.....John Byrne was doing a great job on the last (?) DP incarnation and DC scrapped it with so many dead ends the entire DC universe needed to re-boot...or was that me? And, oh my what very prosaic cool outfits...I am just staggered.
I like the word "prosaic". Its a cool word to say. Come on, say it: P R O S A I C. Cool,huh? I think it was created just to describe 95% of comics today but 100% of Marvel and DC output. snicker I said "output" you know like "human output" -poop. Snicker
Doug Mahnke good artist. Geoff Johns ...how do you blow a rasberry....? snicker I said "blow"!
My other question is for Dan Didio. WHEN THE FECK ARE YOU GOING TO QUIT??!!
DC Comics and Marvel are screwed and dead. And consider this headline:
Seriously. Find out who David Goyer is (I couldn't give a shit but I have to read these things) and what an utter arschloch he is here at the Outhousers:
And here is the hoot for you. You go to the DC Comics site with its spoiler alert but the first thing you see is a large image of the Doom Patrol. Utter, utter asses.
To keep things fresh I've checked on the blog roll and removed some of those listed. These either carried no/removed reciprocal CBO links or have had nothing new added to them in four to eleven months.
As a rule no blog is listed if the owner of that blog does not include a link to CBO on their blog.
If a blog/Vlog has had no new postings in over three months it is removed as "inactive".
Titan & Atomeka: A1 Presents The Weirding Willows
W. Dave Elliott
line art Barnaby Bagenda, Sami Basri
colours by...LOTS
Hard cover
Full colour
104 pages
format:
25.8 x 17.2 x 1 cm ISBN-10: 1782760350 ISBN-13: 978-1782760351 Publisher: Titan Comics (1 July 2014)
£14.99
When she was aged 9, Alice wandered into the "Wild Woods" and made her first startling
discovery. It was a portal to another world. A world called Wonderland. Now
aged 18, Alice has found three more portals in the Woods, with rumors of
more. Along with Badger, Mole, Ratty, Toad, Frankenstein's Monster,
Mowgli, Benjamin Bunny, Peter Rabbit and the White Rabbit, Alice guards
these gateways .
Now, I have to say nice cover. If The Extinction Parade cover got 1 out of 10 then this cover gets 10 out of ten. Just classy.
I won't give spoilers away, you may have read the series originally but in case you have not all I'll say is that this was fun. Never expected it to be but it was. Good read and nice art. Also, I was being unfair describing colourist as "Lots" since their work adds to the over-all feel and look of this book. So, Sakti Yuwono, Jessica Kholinne, Gloria Caeli here's your mention. Oh, and letterer Imam E. Wibowo.
I have no problem recommending this book especially as it contains wonderful Field Guides to characters which, of course, to a creaky old naturalist adds a bit of flavour!
The Extinction Parade
Avatar
W: Max Brooks A:Raulo Caceres
Full colour
Titan collection trade (vol.1)
160 pages
ISBN 9781592912346
£14.99 $19.99
Another book full of Avatar Comics well known brand of so far over the top gore and violence that calling it "over the top" is getting to be rather prosaic.
The story, well, I read it unlike most other reviewers who seem to be wetting themselves that Max Brooks wrote this. sigh
So, here goes:
Max Brooks, the best selling Zombie writer in history, unleashes an
all-new horror epic! As humans wage their losing fight versus the hoards
of the sub-dead, a frightening realization sets in with the secretive
vampire race: our food is dying off.
This is the story of the vampire's
decent into all-out war with the mindless, hungry hordes of the zombie
outbreak as humanity tries to survive them all!
This collected edition
contains the entire first chapter of Extinction Parade (ssues #1-5) and a
massive undead cover gallery! Max Brooks' best-selling novel, World War
Z, has been adapted into one of 2013's biggest blockbuster movie
releases, bringing increased media attention to this acclaimed author.
Legendary Pictures announced they have optioned Extinction Parade for a
TV series.
Right, wetting your knickers yet? I've read the World War Z script. "Best selling zombie writer in history" now this is either very badly phrased English or Max Brooks is a zombie in reality. If that is the case then yeah, hot ziggedy doo-dah he deserves praise because those things can barely walk let alone hold a pen or type! If they mean he is "the best selling zombie genre writer" then all I have to say is..meh.
There is nothing new here. Zombies. They were BIG in the 1980s and by now, like rap music, should be a dead genre. Humans are dying off and becoming zombies which vampires think is a laugh until they realise their "food" is dying off. Wow that is "so" original, isn't it? Literature for the not-so-bright or someone who wants a quick read in a lunch break.
The art, well, not a lot I can show because CBO tries to be family friendly as well as take into account that some of our visitors overseas might get into trouble if caught viewing certain content. If you think that's restrictive **** off.
Blood coming from eyes, rotting corpses, graphic gore and blood splattering everywhere is to (prosaic phrase coming up) over the top that it is just boring. Boring, boring, boring -and I have been a huge horror movie/comics fan all my life!
Here is where the absolute stupidity and dullard thinking shows through: all of this graphic gore and, as the two female characters walk out of the bedroom after an obvious (though not shown) night of saphic delight, the one naked female has her breasts covered by the other who also covers up said naked lady's "magic furry fairy purse" (sigh. You realise that is a euphemism for "vagina", right?) by holding a towel in boob covering arm. And disrobing later the naked lady has her bottom covered up by a guy holding her robe.
Seriously? "Let's intimate these women are lesbians and naked at certain points but do not show that! But let's show them in a double pager leaving a blood covered body with blood spattered everywhere!"
This is not the greatest artwork but I think that might just be the gore and blood masking the art...or its improving it.
As I've already written, this is tedious and boring and just plain awful. Not a single redeeming feature that I could find.
There are a couple of good movies out there based on the real Vlad's life. No silly vampires or special effects just the sheer terror and horror of what he did -which makes horror movies pale in comparison.
from left: Shanti of
Leannan Sidhe and Dara Korra'ti of Crime and the Forces of Evil.
Photo (C)
2014 Darlisa Black
The third annual
Clallam Bay Comicon brings the fun July 13-14 (Sunday-Monday) in the
Lion's Club building in Clallam Bay, on Washington State's Olympic
Peninsula.
Linden Cook, of the
ad-bidding site Project Wonderful, will kick off the panels with an
intro into advertising your prose- or drawn book online, both
generally and in their ad auction. Bring questions!
Two band leaders
bring more music. Dara Korra'ti, of "Crime and the Forces of
Evil" will return this year, sharing the stage with, Shanti,
lead of "Leannan Sidhe." Supervillains AND wandering gypsy
fey!
Marcus
Evanstar is back as gamesmaster with Munchkin, (giant monster Ogre
Edition) and such light-hearted games as Tokkaido and Girl Genius.
Donna
Barr, with Roberta Gregory - offering her brand-new True Cat Toons
collection - will team-write the next episode of OnlyAZombie.com
before you very eyes! The Zombie Challenge: If you're a North Shore
local, compete by audience vote to add yourself as a character to
this Clallam Bay Zombie novel.
Needed:
bagpipers! We'll take all the bagpipers we can get. Local musicians
and jams welcome outside of scheduled music events.
For full information
on attending or participating in the show, or to see how to run an
admission-free comicon, follow the links at http://www.donnabarr.com
Well, I have to admit that the Ang Lee Hulk movie was over-long (it took 1 hour 40+ minutes for the Hulk to appear) but on the plus side Jennifer Connely was in it. The second movie was okay but on the minus side it had the simpering Liv Tyler.
Mark Ruffalo and his depiction of Bruce Banner I took to. I also think that in Avengers Assemble they finally got the Hulk right.
So another movie with Ruffalo? I'm in. According to Ethan Sacks of The New York Daily News online:
Mark Ruffalo: Marvel considering 'Hulk' stand-alone movie after 'Avengers: Age of Ultron'
The
most powerful Avenger was the subject of two other movies, 2003's
'Hulk' and 2008's 'The Incredible Hulk,' and the studio may be wary
about a third try at a solo adventure.
Mark Ruffalo says Marvel Studios is mulling a stand-alone ‘Hulk’ movie.
The Hulk may be primed for another shot to prove his box office muscle.
Mark Ruffalo told Digital Spy UK Tuesday that Marvel is mulling the possibility of another stand-alone film about the not-so-jolly green giant.
"I think for the first time they're entertaining the idea of it," the actor told the news site, while promoting his new movie, "Begin Again."
Ruffalo is currently reprising the role for ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron.’
"When we did 'The Avengers,' it was basically 'No!' and now there is some consideration for it.
"But there's still nothing definitive, not even a skeletal version of what it would be," he added .
I think for the first time they're entertaining the idea of (another Hulk movie).
Part of the problem is that ticket buyers have had to accept a third
actor playing the beleaguered Dr. Bruce Banner — whose experiments with
gamma radiation turn him into the world's most misunderstood superhero —
in a decade.
Eric Bana walked around in ripped pants in 2003's "Hulk" and Ed Norton
put on the green contacts for 2008's "The Incredible Hulk."
Ruffalo is the third actor to play the part in the past decade. Eric Bana starred as Bruce Banner in 2003’s ‘Hulk’ ...
... while Edward Norton took over for Marvel Studios’ first film,
2008’s ‘The Incredible Hulk,’ which saw him clash with the studio.
Neither film was a runaway hit with the critics or at the box office,
but the third time may have proven the charm when Ruffalo took over for
the 2012 blockbuster "The Avengers."
Ruffalo is currently reprising the role in the sequel, “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”
Marvel ultimately replaced Norton with Ruffalo for 2012’s ‘Avengers.’
"(Ruffalo) signed up for stand-alone pictures and we haven't announced
anything yet, so it remains to be seen what his next appearance will
be," Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige told The News before the release
of "The Avengers."
"But one of ('The Avengers' director Joss Whedon's) big mandates for
himself in this movie, and one thing we all wholeheartedly agreed with,
was to have people talking about the Hulk after this movie."
Speculation that Feige was mulling a potential "Planet Hulk" movie —
based on a popular comic book storyline that sees the hero jettisoned
into space and exiled on a planet where gladiatorial battles reign —
surfaced in February, when USA Today reported
the release of a Lego set from "Guardians of the Galaxy." That set
includes a figure of an alien known to fanboys from the "Planet Hulk"
story.
_______________________________________________________________________
Hmm. Let's not forget that just because there is a Lego toy does not mean there HAS to be a multi-millions dollar movie to make the particular toy sell!
Well, I've spent most of the day lugging heavy boxes about as I start packing away comics into archive boxes. It was physically painful at the time but now -oh boy.
Most of the foreign language comics packed away -with the exception of the books by Pekka A. Manninen which I like to go through every-so-often even if I do not read Finnish!
The UK weekly and monthly comics from the 1970s to early 1990s took up about six boxes and I have found all the copies of Warrior Magazine I have. My Eclipse "Miracle Man" (Marvel Man) and as for the French language bandes dessinee (BD) -I have three 3 feet (90cms) high stacks in the living room as well as a lot of Manga books. Things to sell at the October Comic event (if I "win" a table). Now, I cannot take all the BD because they weigh a ton and as I do not drive so have no car I'm having to select the very few I'll be taking with me.
Of course IF I get a table I have zines (from the 1980s-1990s) as well as Black Tower Books to also take and I have this terrible vision of lugging everything to the event and then....having to lug it all back home! In the old days you knew comic fans were always into trying something new so a good selection always attracted sales. People attending these events now have a very restricted interest in comics but if I could cross my fingers I would!
After a swaithe of celebrity deaths this past fortnight I'm hoping that things can get back to normal in the next few days with a couple of reviews.
Oh, and the guys offering to sell me their books to review....**** off. Total bullcrap from some people.
Anyway, hopefully you can all pop by at some point and see what's new in the coming days.
Me? I have to wait for my other three pals so we can ride about like real horsemen ;-)
I would like to offer a solid piece of advice to those of you out there who want to get into comic publishing.
Firstly, do not believe the hype that having an online virtual store to sell your comics is "the" way to go. It is not. If, say, you were George Perez, Carlos Pacheco or a really big name Marvel/DC pro you probably could sell a lot -if you could be bothered. But as someone new in the industry just don't.
Crippling postal costs these days have ruined any real chance of attracting customers. Sure, Amazon can do it but as they told me, a book of mine costing £15.00 to buy will net me around 85 pence ("but it will be on Amazon!").
Also, forget forums aimed at comics. Seriously, if you post work or tell people about your projects you will get every type of abuse going. I could go on but just DO NOT go that route.
Sure, set up a web site and include contact details but avoid allowing comments!
The best way to sell your books and get your name out there? Go to marts, conventions -the smaller ones first because you do not want to be mugged for the table costs. Talk to people. Sell face-to-face and realise that you need to treat people coming to your table as interested comic people and if you sit back, stare silently at them....they'll walk away.
Ignore social media for anything other than posting details of your new books and where you'll be selling.
Celebrate
all things Who at Forbidden Planet! Join Rob Williams and Al Ewing at
our Bristol Megastore as they fold time and space to bring you our
exclusive FORBIDDEN PLANET Doctor Who Variant Covers!
They will be signing the first issue of the 11th Doctor Comic on Saturday 26th July from 3 – 4pm!
And the 11th Doctor brings us a whole new story – an all-new ongoing series, with a time-twisting leap into the unknown!
Alice
Obiefune has just lost her mother when the Doctor explodes into her
life. But what does a grieving young woman have to do with the career of
a 70s musician, an amnesiac alien time traveler, and a terrifying
cosmic threat? In the wake of the second Big Bang, discover what the
Doctor gets up to when Amy and Rory aren't around!
Plus, every issue includes a "Titans" strip and a brand-new humour strip!
Eli Wallach, whose films included The Magnificent Seven and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, has died aged 98.
Character actor Wallach - who began his film career in 1956
after 10 years on stage - was admired for his wide range in a career
spanning six decades.
His portrayal of bandit chief Calvera in The Magnificent Seven was regarded by many as his definitive role.
When he received an honorary Oscar in 2011, he was described as a "quintessential chameleon".
Though he was never nominated for an Oscar during his 60-year
career, the Academy rewarded him in 2011 for "effortlessly inhabiting a
wide range of characters, while putting his inimitable stamp on every
role".
His films included the classic westerns How the West Was Won and The Misfits.
Arguably best known for his villains, he made a lasting
impression as Tuco opposite Clint Eastwood, in Sergio Leone's 1966
spaghetti western The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
Years later, Wallach said strangers would recognise him and start whistling the distinctive theme tune.
Wallach was known for his work in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and The Magnificent Seven
"As an actor I've played more bandits, thieves, warlords,
molesters and mafioso than you could shake a stick at," the Hollywood
Reporter quoted him as saying.
He was also successful in light comedy and appeared in many
TV shows, including playing Mr Freeze for a spell in the 1960s Batman TV
series.
The veteran star continued making films into his 90s, making
his last big screen appearance in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps in
2010.
His death was confirmed by his daughter Katherine in the New York Times.
London debut
Wallach was born on 7 December 1915 in Brooklyn to Polish Jewish immigrants.
He graduated from the University of Texas, initially intending to become a teacher.
But his focus shifted to acting, and after serving in World
War II he studied at the Actors' Studio, where he became a practitioner
of method acting.
He first appeared on the New York stage in 1945, where he met his wife Anne Jackson, to whom he was married for 65 years.
Wallach made his London debut in 1954 with The Teahouse of the August Moon.
His screen debut came two years later, playing an unscrupulous seducer in Baby Doll.
The role earned him a Golden Globe nomination for best supporting actor and a Bafta award for most promising newcomer.
But the theatre remained Wallach's first love. "For actors, movies are a means to an end,'' he told the New York Times in 1973.
''I go and get on a horse in Spain for 10 weeks, and I have enough cushion to come back and do a play.''
He became a household name as Calvera in 1960's The
Magnificent Seven, alongside Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson
and James Coburn.
He went on to earn an Emmy in 1967 for his supporting turn in
the drama Poppies Are Also Flowers, and picked up four further
nominations - most recently for his guest turns in Studio 60 on the
Sunset Strip (2007) and Nurse Jackie (2010).
Other notable roles came in How the West Was Won, Mystic
River, The Holiday, Lord Jim, and The Godfather: Part III, playing an
ill-fated Mafioso.
Asked about possible retirement, he told the Times in 1997: ''What else am I going to do? I love to act."
Thanks for the friend requests but as of today I am off Face Book.
You know, I put up with a lot of shit from morons and gutter-snipes in the comic community but when the assumed good folk join in that's it.
I am seriously contemplating -more seriously than ever before- getting out of this business so I can just do what I want and everyone else can stick their heads up their own asses.
Sticker art - only a dollar - and panel moderators and table bosses get one for free! You don't HAVE to buy one, but it proves you attended. We still got 2012-13 tshirts, too.
The third annual Clallam Bay
Comicon will take place July 13-14 in the Lion's Club building in
Clallam Bay, featuring artists, discussion panels, music and more.
Once again, there will be no admission fee, and sales table rates are
kept very low. All creatives are welcome to show. The unusual
schedule (Sunday-Monday) allows comic shops to attend.
The show organizer, Donna Barr,
says this may be the last year for the show, but she only put it on
to prove she could do it.
"If I can do it 'way out
here, anybody can do it. The largest nearby town, Port Angeles, has
many facilities - space and hotel accommodations, eateries, excellent
inexpensive bus service, local attractions and accessible wilderness
- that would make a comicon a success, and once a town has a
comicon, the opportunities for all businesses just grow. The whole entertainment industry and
trees - can you beat it?"
For full information on
attending the show, or to see how to an admission-free comicon,
follow the links at http://www.donnabarr.com
2014 Clallam Bay Comicon
Hi, folks! And we're off and running for the 3rd year! Promote your attendance or your shop with the 2014 flyer mini-poster (download
link), featuring our logo, Kelpie! If you want to use logo/mascot
"Kelpie" for tshirts, buttons, etc., and make some money, contact me.
FACEBOOK LINK (If you want to keep up with ongoing discussions, ask questions, organize a sales rep or living space or panels).
July 13-14-15: During and after Clallam Bay/Sekiu Fun Days9am to 5 pm SUNDAY AND MONDAY for trade show (setup, show, breakdown). (You heard us - Sunday and Monday). SATURDAY is optional, for getting here, enjoying Fun Days, Parade, and Fireworks party night; but highly recommended.
ADMISSION
for public: free. "We don't need no stinkin' badges." You're all
special guests to us. And don't have to prove you're pros or amateurs.
BOOTH FEES: $25 ($27.00 Paypal). CONTACT for payment instructions.
The newly renovated building - nice job, Lions!
WHERE: Clallam Bay/Seiku Lion's Club 90 Bogachiel Street Clallam Bay, Olympic
Peninsula, Washington State, United States (Take Highway 112 through
Clallam Bay. After the hard left, look for liqour store on the right;
Bogachiel Street is the next left).
ACCOMADATIONS AND HOUSINGGet your ass in gear - rooms fill up FAST! And also Neah Bay AND the Couchsurfers Event Link! Stay with fascinating local people - or if you are a FLP - sponsor a comics/media/art/writer in your own home.
EVERYONE WELCOME. If you do comics, poetry, gallery art,
jewelry, paint cars, bake pies, sing, do stand-up, sculpture, hip-hop,
light shows, whatever - bring it. Cosplay wanted for the parade. AND
HORSES!
HOW TO GET HERE: Take a flight to Port Angeles on Kenmore Air, then
take the Forks bus to the the Clallam Bay connection at Sappho. Yes,
Sappho. Bus details at Clallam Transit. Or take Olympic Bus Lines from Seattle. Coming from Portland, or other points south? Take the WEST side of the Olympic Peninsula, Highway 101: Good roads, scenic, food and fuel - and MUCH less traffic, even in July.
GETTING to Neah Bay and back, if
you'd prefer not to drive every day - contact Olympic Peninsula Errand
Service, for Janet or Adam: (360)
640-4583 NOTE: Neah Bay is a First Nations town, and DRY. And you don't
want to drive THAT road after enjoying some wind-down juice.
AWARDS: Who are we to judge? If your fans love you and buy stuff, you win.
PROVIDED:
space, electricity (PROBABLY wi-fi). More Wi-fi is
24/7 at the library, right around the corner. LOTS of table space!
SPACE:
Dealer's Room: main club building. Gaming and music: outside covered
porch. Panels: outside covered porch. Parking: around Lion's Club, Old
Fire Hall and Clinic parking lot. LINK TO PHOTOS OF MORE SPACES PANELS and EVENTS Link: Includes audio-visual details.
GAMES: You want games? Find a Gamesmaster and contact us to be put in the Panel schedule.
CATERING: We have a
NICE kitchen available, so if you want to bring and sell food, take care
of your own licensing or whatever.
LAST-MINUTE
PRINTING: Already on the peninsula and forgot something? Need a large
print order at the last minute? Olympic Printers are the guys.
T-SHIRTS:
Don't want to drag a million t-shirts along, especially if you have a
new design? Get 'em done in Port Angeles and pick 'em up at SickTees.
CHILDREN: watch your own. TRASH: Container in Lion's Club kitchen. SEPARATE THE CANS.
FACILITY CARE: No tape of any sort on the wall. Respect the Lion's Club's wall displays. We all chip in to clean up at the end of the show. It don't take long. Don't set yourself on fire.
EXHIBITORS:
1: Donna Barr's A Fine Line Press AND Clallam Bay Comicon Central (Official convention t-shirts!).
You know, the idea of blogging is a good one. If its about comics it gets even better. Add a mixture of movie and TV news and....sweet.
Where it tends to get depressing is when a person -actor, artist or publisher- dies. This last month has been a LA morgue full of deaths.
You sit there and think "Was he THAT old?" Then you realise "That's almost the same age as me!"
You realise that even more when stalking pigeons in the middle of Bath with great nephews. It was just walking around after pigeons and pointing at them you understand -nothing nasty intended. Well, I can't speak for the pigeons that kept trying to lead us behind this huge tree which said great nephews were content enough to watch me approach but stood well back. I'm not stupid -I made a tactical withdrawl.
But I am curious....what was behind that tree?
Just rambling.
I'm also thinking about organising a one day Bristol Comic mart next year. Small event intended for comic dealers and comic fans. not aimed at getting in a few cosplayers who buy nothing, though they would be welcome. The idea is to stop money-grabbing, extortionate table costs, just get enough to pay for the venue cost -and as a mart it would be free to get in to for punters.
It's time comic fans -REAL comic lovers who want to talk comics, buy comics and generally have a comic mess around- took back these events. Okay, no Stan Lee or Dave Gibbons as guests but for crying out loud these events are becoming rip-offs.
First convince the traders to turn up. First events tend to be hit-or-miss but once established....
Just a thought.
Now, off to read before another death gets reported on!
oh....the title? Wasn't me.
If you are a comic dealer, self publisher and might be interested in an event in June 2015 let me know -let's see if anyone is interested!
Mark Ruffalo says Marvel Studios is mulling a stand-alone ‘Hulk’ movie. 
Ruffalo is currently reprising the role for ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron.’ 
... while Edward Norton took over for Marvel Studios’ first film,
2008’s ‘The Incredible Hulk,’ which saw him clash with the studio. 
Marvel ultimately replaced Norton with Ruffalo for 2012’s ‘Avengers.’ 
![[Doctor Who Comics signing in Bristol!]](https://dyn0.media.forbiddenplanet.com/event/2014/06/25/DW11_1.jpg.size-230.jpg)
Eli Wallach with Carroll Baker in Baby Doll
