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James Leary & Mitch Byrd @ IndieGoGo

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics, Independent

House Of Screams 1Mitch Byrd is one of my favorite artists. We worked together for many issues of my comic book, Dinosaurs For Hire and he also illustrated a comic I edited, Planet of the Apes: Sins of the Father, that was written by a friend of mine, Mike Valerio.

Later on, he moved over to DC and worked with Beau Smith on the very manly Green Lantern spin-off, Guy Gardner: Warrior series.

Now, in conjuction with writer and actor James Leary (he played Clem on Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Mitch is working on a new title called James Leary’s House Of Screams.

James and Mitch, along with cover artist Steve Scott, are working through IndieGoGo  to try to raise the necessary money to make it all happen.

Take a look and see if you’d like to help. I love Mitch’s work (I was a fan long before we worked together) and I can’t wait to see his new work in print. So go make it happen.

[Artwork: James Leary's House Of Screams #1, cover pencils by Steve Scott, © Alarm Comics]


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Top 10 Surprises In Captain America

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Marvel Comics

Captain AmericaTo some people’s surprise (that would be me, if you’re asking), Marvel Comics made an excellent movie about Captain America.

Who’d’ve thought that the shield-slinging WWII hero would translate so well to the screen? It’s so good, that they may wait at least 8 years before rebooting it.

But for those that watch the movie a second or third time (that would be me, if you’re asking), there are some surprises lurking in the margins.

Here then, are the Top 10 Surprises In The New Captain America Movie:

10: His shield is made out of Reb Brown’s career

9. It’s not just the skull that’s red

8. The Falcon calls the studio every day. "I'm in the sequel right?"


Top 10 Surprises in Green Lantern

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, DC Comics

Green LanternAdmit it, ever since Warner Bros. announced the possibility that Jack Black was going to take DC Comics Green Lantern and give it that Nacho Libre feel, you've wanted to see a green man fly.

I did too, but I was a little surprised by what was in the film once Jack dropped out and muscular heartthrob Ryan Reynolds jumped into the CG tights. Here then are the Top 10 Surprises awaiting you in Green Lantern.

10. Due to product placement deal, Green Lantern now referred to as “Coleman Green Lantern”

9. Green makes everyone's ass look big

8. Oa has a Starbucks and a McDonald's

7. Next Green Lantern chosen by internet vote

6. Did anyone tell Hal that most of his new friends are CGI?


Weekend Reading: Superman, Archie, Talbot, Niles & Scrooge

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, DC Comics

Superman NewIs this a superhero-free weekend at the movies? X-Men First Class was last week, next week is Green Lantern. Are we mask-free for a few days?

No, because the powers in Hollywood have decided there can be no nerd gap in the relatively short summer season and have given us Super 8.

Go see it right now, and then come back and click some links:

Superman: If you’re at all interested in the new DC reboot coming up, legal eagle Jeff Trexler at Comics Beat has a fascinating post about the wrangling that’s gone on between the Superman creators and DC’s corporate parent over the years and how it’s affected publishing decisions.

Superman II: And Daniel Best at 20th Century Danny Boy unearths a great selection of early correspondence between various DC Comics people and Jerry Siegel. It’s great reading.

Superman III: Comedy writer Ken Levine (M*A*S*H; Almost Perfect; Volunteers) weighs in on the new Superman.


Comic Book Colorist Moose Baumann Could Use A Hand

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics

Green Lantern 177Years ago, I worked in the same office at comic book colorist Moose Baumann.

I used to watch him color Malibu Comics' Ultraverse titles the old-fashioned way before computers took over.

He was a great colorist then and he's kicked it up a notch or four in the years since.

Like many freelancers recently, he's run afoul of the health care system and could use a helping hand related to medical bills from his wife's recent illness.

Moose is selling off some nifty prints and such to stay afloat. Blog @ Newsarama has the details.

If you can help out, please do, and if you want to buy some cool coloring for yourself or as a gift, do that too.

[Artwork: Green Lantern #177, with its innards colored by Moose and © DC Comics]


Top 10 Surprises in Thor

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Reviews, Marvel Comics

Marvel Spotlight #30Have you seen the new Thor movie yet? And if not, why not?

Of the summer's four big comic book movies - Thor, Green Lantern, Captain America and X-Men: First Class – it's the one with the distinguished pedigree (Kenneth Branagh! Sir Anthony Hopkins! Natalie Portman!) and one of the least likely super-hero movies besides Ant-Man or Metamorpho.

Curiosity alone makes it worth $10.

Having said all that, there were still a number of things about Thor that surprised me. Here's my Top 10.

10. It's not just his hammer that's called Mjolnir

9. Cameo by Stan Lee Media

8. His real name is "Sore"; he has a speech impediment

7. Shout out to Kirby; that's Kirby Carruthers, the assistant lighting director

6. Natalie Portman should be in every movie. Just sayin'.


The Mighty Thor Scores!

Thor Movie PosterSo, is there some kind of comic book movie out this weekend or what?

Yes, that’s right. Mighty Marvel Comics has unleashed one of its least-likely-to-star-in-a-hit-movie characters into his own hit movie: Thor. Word of mouth seems strong, box office seems stronger than Vin Diesel and by Odin’s beard we’ll probably be looking at Thor II and Son Of Thor before too long.

(In Son Of Thor, Thor’s misunderstood teenaged son swings his mighty, but lesser, hammer in Manhattan around a cast of 90210/Gossip Girl lookalikes while trying to find love with that year’s Kristen Stewart.)

Can Edgar Wright’s long-awaited Ant-Man movie be far behind?

Marvel does a great job with their movies - they have a similar look and style, they churn them out with the punctuality of a European train, and they’re either profitable or wildly profitable.


Brandon Routh Is Dylan Dog: Comic Book Movie

Dylan DogSo who’s going to win the big summer comic book movie sweepstakes? Will it be Marvel’s Thor? DC’s Green Lantern? Cowboys & Aliens?

You might not know it, but there’s another comic book based movie coming out and it’s opening this Friday, April 29th.

Dylan Dog: Dead Of Night.

It’s based on an Italian comic book series created by writer Tiziano Sclavi back in 1986. The series claims nearly 60 million readers worldwide, though almost none of them are in the U.S. The series was reprinted by Dark Horse in 7 volumes between 1999-2002.

The movie is set in New Orleans where Dylan is an investigator of the undead. Brandon Routh from Superman Returns plays Dylan, and the supporting cast includes Taye Diggs and Peter Stormare (so great in Fargo).

Read More | Dylan Dog Trailer

Top 10 Things Overheard @ C2E2

Green Lantern C2E2The comic book convention season is in full swing, and that was never more apparent than this weekend in Chicago for C2E2.

Comic fans, cosplayers, celebrities, editors, artists and writers all gathered in a giant nerdpile of awesomeness.

And whenever all those things get together, a lot of chatter is going to take place. Here then are the Top Ten Things We Overheard at C2E2 2011:

10. "That new Wonder Woman costume is epic!"

9. "That new Wonder Woman costume sucks!"

8. "Wasn't C2E2 R2D2's wife?"

7. "This sure smells like San Diego!"

6. "This is really nice carpeting. What? I'm just sayin'!"

5. "At home I can follow Bendis on Twitter. Here I can actually follow Bendis!"

4. "I just saw Wizard World Chicago crying in the bathroom."


Green Hornet: $40 Million Opening

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies

Green Hornet  Photo

Green Hornet's Opening Weekend: $40 Million

-- Deadline Hollywood Daily

Following the $40 million debut of Green Hornet, we at Comix 411 have been fortunate to obtain this recently-leaked memo from [name redacted], a movie executive eager to launch big budget action movies from known properties.

"Thor? Green Lantern? That's yesterday's news! I don't want my tentpole films based on comic books and those graphic novel thingies any more.

"This weekend, the audience for Green Hornet spoke clearly with their wallets about what they really want. And it's movies based on old time radio!

"Apparently there's a goldmine of this radio stuff just waiting for a reboot. My assistant's intern – with the help of his great grandfather and his caregiver - put together a list of potential radio show franchises.


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